Torstar Corp., the publisher of the Toronto Star, announced a deal to buy and sell ownership of a number of community papers with Postmedia Network Canada. Under the deal, Northumberland Today is closed and the Peterborough Examiner will be operated by Metroland Media, which already operates Peterborough This Week. (Photo: Wikipedia)
Under a new deal signed between Torstar Corp. and Postmedia Network Canada Corp., Northumberland Today will be closing effective today and the Peterborough Examiner will be operated by Metroland Media — the same company that operates Peterborough This Week.
The story in The Toronto Star today (November 27) reports that the deal between Postmedia Network Canada Corp. and Metroland Media Group and Free Daily News Group Inc. (both subsidiaries of Torstar Corp.) will see Postmedia buying 22 of Torstar’s community newspapers and two free commuter daily newspapers.
The report says the two companies will close most of the affected papers, “in order to focus more efficiently on key areas”.
Under the deal, Metroland Media will operate the daily newspapers in St. Catharines, Niagara Falls, Welland, and Peterborough. The daily newspapers Barrie Examiner, Orillia Packet & Times, and Northumberland Today will close effective today.
Eight community newspapers will also close: the Bradford Times, Collingwood Enterprise Bulletin, Fort Erie Times, Innisfil Examiner, Niagara Advance, Pelham News, Inport News (Port Colborne), and the Thorold Niagara News.
Around 200 full and part-time employees of Metroland, and around 50 full and part-time employees of Metro, will be losing their jobs.
It is unclear at this time how Metroland Media’s operation of both the Peterborough Examiner and Peterborough This Week will affect either newspaper. On November 27, the Peterborough Examiner published the following statement:
The Peterborough Examiner has a new owner, but it’s business as usual at Peterborough’s daily paper, which has been publishing since 1847.
As part of a major transaction between Postmedia Inc. and Torstar, parent company of Metroland Media, The Examiner has been sold to Torstar. The city is also home to a Metroland paper, Peterborough This Week.
The two papers will be operated independently, managed by different divisions of the parent company, and staffed by two separate all-local news and advertising sales teams.
This means you’ll see reporters and photographers from both The Peterborough Examiner and Peterborough This Week at important community events, and read different coverage in the two papers, just as you have for decades. Peterborough will continue to be served by a vibrant mix of local media, as it has for decades.
Details of the transition are still being worked out, and we’ll share that as it happens.
The Examiner has been owned by Postmedia since 2015. Prior to that, it was owned by Sun Media, Osprey Media, Hollinger and Thomson newspapers, who bought the paper from the Davies family of Kingston in the 1960s.
kawarthaNOW has learned Neil Young will be performing his "Somewhere In Canada" live on December 1, 2017 from Coronation Hall in Omemee, his childhood home. (Photo: Christopher Wahl)
Yes, it’s true: Neil Young will be performing his 90-minute live streaming concert “Somewhere In Canada” on Friday, December 1st from his childhood hometown of Omemee, Ontario.
kawarthaNOW has obtained a copy of an internal email sent today (November 27) to representatives of Bell Media by the City of Kawartha Lakes for “the approved closing of a section of Sturgeon Road (from Church St E to King St W for southbound traffic only) in Omemee … for a Live Concert Special, organized by the Bell Media, from Tuesday, November 28, 2017 at 12:00 p.m. to Saturday, December 2, 2017 at 3:00 a.m.”
Sturgeon Road ends at King Street in Omemee, kitty corner to Coronation Hall, which implies the venue is the location of the concert.
After receiving a copy of the email from an anonymous source, kawarthaNOW contacted the City of Kawartha Lakes but our call was not returned. After publication of this story, Cheri Davidson (manager of communications, advertising and marketing for the City of Kawartha Lakes) contacted kawarthaNOW to advise the only confirmed activity taking place in Omemee on Friday, December 1st is a community tree-lighting ceremony.
Although there still hasn’t been an official announcement from either Neil Young or Bell Media, the email appears to end days of speculation about the possible secret location for the concert. In addition to the email, kawarthaNOW has also received information from several other sources that the concert is indeed taking place at Coronation Hall.
Speculation that Omemee might be the location of the concert began after Young made a comment in his November 11th Facebook post that “I will be going to my town”, in a reference to the December 1st release of his latest record The Visitor.
Located 128 kilometres northeast of Toronto, Omemee is the “town in north Ontario” in Young’s 1967 song “Helpless” and it’s where he spent the formative years of his childhood.
The Young family moved to Omemee at the end of August 1949, when Neil was almost four years old. He lived in Omemee for four years (it was where he contracted polio, during the 1951 epidemic) until 1953, when his family moved to Winnipeg. Many years later, his father — journalist and author Scott Young — returned to live in the area until he died in 2005 (a public school in Omemee is named in Scott Young’s honour).
Five-year-old Neil Young in August 1950, fishing from a wooden bridge over the Pigeon River in Omemee. (Photo: Harold Whyte)
Now living in northern California, Young has visited Omemee several times in the past, including for the 2011 documentary Journeys (directed by Jonathan Demme) and most recently in advance of his induction into the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame in Toronto on September 23rd.
“Somewhere In Canada” is being produced by Bell Media in partnership with Young’s film production company Shakey Pictures, and will be directed by actress Daryl Hannah, Young’s girlfriend.
The concert will be live streamed on Friday, December 1st at 8 p.m. EST in Canada exclusively on CTV.ca (or by using the free CTV GO app) and on iHeartRadio.ca. Note: the concert will not be broadcast on CTV on cable or over the air, it’s available online only.
For people living outside of Canada, the concert will be live streamed on Facebook (the Facebook stream will not be available to Canadian residents) — visit www.facebook.com/ctv for details.
As for getting tickets for the concert, don’t hold your breath. Coronation Hall has around 140 seats, so it’s unlikely tickets will be sold to the general public. They are probably by invitation only. However, we will know for sure once Young or Bell Media make an official announcement.
VIDEO: Neil Young From Somewhere In Canada Preview (only available in Canada)
This story wiil be updated as more details become available.
Peterborough illustrator Jason Wilkins and photographer Samantha Moss have teamed up to provide a new, fun graphic design service that fuses their talents. (Graphic: Jason Wilkins and Samantha Moss / Facebook)
In this week’s businessNOW, we feature an innovative collaboration between two local creative professionals in Peterborough, the Women’s Business Network of Peterborough annual fundraising gala, information about the upcoming opening of Northumberland’s new business incubator, and other local business news. And since it’s the holiday giving season, that means lots of business-supported fundraising auctions along with holiday socials.
We publish businessNOW every Monday. If you have business news or events you want to share with our readers, please email business@kawarthanow.com.
“Our eye-catching images are ideal for businesses, unique headshots, and ad campaigns,” Samantha writes on Facebook. “Or if you just need an excuse to update your profile picture and look cool like us.”
For more information and to get a quote, contact Samantha Moss of MossWorks Photography at contact@mossworksphotography.com or 613-857-4790.
Women’s Business Network of Peterborough requesting donations for fundraising gala on December 6
The Women’s Business Network of Peterborough plans to raise $20,000 through its annual Holiday Gala and Auction Fundraiser on December 6 to support women and children in crisis at YWCA Crossroads Shelter. (Photo: WBN Peterborough)
The Women’s Business Network (WBN) of Peterborough is in the final stages of preparation for its annual Holiday Gala and Auction Fundraiser on Wednesday, December 6th at the Holiday Inn Waterfront in support of YWCA Peterborough Haliburton’s Crossroads Shelter.
The gala, which will be attended by nearly 160 members and guests from the community, is setting its sights on raising $20,000 from the live and silent auctions that evening to support women and children in crisis at YWCA Crossroads Shelter.
With donations coming in from WBN members and local businesses, the WBN is continuing to reach out to members of the business community to support their fundraising efforts by donating items, gift cards, or services to the gala live and silent auction. Donations will be accepted at the YWCA office at 216 Simcoe Street until Thursday, November 30th.
Under the theme “Holiday Songs: The Hidden Gems,” the gala will provide a unique and fun opportunity to bring attention to a very serious subject, and every dollar raised will go directly to helping women and children who are victims of family violence receive healthy food, supplements and vitamins 365 days a year. In addition to receiving healthy meals for themselves and their children, women also learn about meal planning, food preparation, and the principles of nutrition.
Research shows that domestic violence surges during the holiday season with calls to Ontario women’s shelters increasing by as much as 30 percent.
Since 2005, WBN has raised a total of $275,953 for the Crossroads Shelter. Thanks to WBN support, each year YWCA prepares, serves and makes available over 25,000 meals for women and children living at Crossroads Shelter.
Venture13, a Northumberland-based business accelerator, set to open its doors in March 2018
Venture13 partners reveal the new logo for the planned business accelerator with Town of Cobourg Mayor Gil Brocanier on November 22, 2017. (Photo: CNW Group/Town of Cobourg)
Last Wednesday (November 22), the Town of Cobourg and the Northumberland Community Futures Development Corporation made several announcements about Venture13, a regionally unique facility that will focus on the advancement of technology entrepreneurship, making, and learning.
The announcements included the formation of a new strategic partnership with Fleming College, the unveiling of the Venture13 logo and brand identity, as well as confirmation of the opening date for Venture13 in March 2018.
Venture13 will be located at 739 D’Arcy Street in Cobourg, a 30,000-square-foot building owned by the town that has been vacant since 2011 and will be renovated. The innovation and technology hub will be locacted on the first floor, with space available for startups, and the Cobourg Police Service’s business unit will be located on the second floor.
There will also be an 80-seat lecture hall with virtual lecturing capabilities, two seminar rooms equipped with state-of-the-art technologies facilitating global connectivity, public and private meeting rooms, a café and lounge area, a full-service hardware MakerLab, and more.
Over two years, Venture13 is project to create 73 jobs and support 16 new business start-ups, more than filling the void left in Northumberland County when Port Hope’s business incubator IDEAHUB ceased operations last year.
The total project cost will amount up to $1,620,000, made up of $1,370,000 for design and construction costs and $250,000 for outfitting costs. The project is being funded with investments from the Eastern Ontario Development Program, the Town of Cobourg, Fleming College, and various sponsorships and donations.
Federal fisheries minister comes to Peterborough to discuss the Trent-Severn Waterway
Minister Dominic LeBlanc and Maryam Monsef MP Peterborough-Kawartha (centre) met with representatives from local conservation organizations, researchers, and more on November 23, 2017. (Photo: Office of Maryam Monsef)
Last Thursday (November 23), Dominic LeBlanc, Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard, and Peterborough-Kawartha MP Maryam Monsef met with representatives from local conservation organizations, researchers, and advocates working on issues related to fisheries and freshwater.
“The health and prosperity of Canadians is connected to the environment in which we live,” Minister LeBlanc said. “I’m thrilled to be here in Peterborough, where the Trent-Severn Waterway is the backbone of so many communities and residents understand that we must all cooperate to protect our fisheries and aquatic ecosystems. Tonight’s conversation highlights how we can best work together to steward our resources and ensure our waters are protected for future generations.”
Participants at the meeting discussed the impact of the Fisheries Act, the preservation of local aquatic ecosystems, and the need for both local residents and visitors to have opportunities to continue to enjoy outdoor recreation opportunities in the area.
Six finalists announced for 2017 Cubs’ Lair Competition in Peterborough
A finalist makes her pitch to a panel of judges at the annual Cubs’ Lair youth entrepreneurship competition at the Gordon Best Theatre in Peterborough. (Photo courtesy of Innovation Cluster)
FastStart Peterborough, the Innovation Cluster, and the Trent Youth Entrepreneurship Society have announced the top six finalists for Cubs’ Lair, a youth entrepreneurship competition.
The finalists are Jeremy Brooks of Excavation Realm, Mackenzie Evenden of Evenden Imaging, Rich Cochrane of Status Exempt, Spencer Langlois of Solar Wire, Sultan Moni of Zatiq, and Victoria Naish of The Cake Engineer.
More than 20 applications were received, and they were of such high quality that the preliminary judging committee added a sixth finalist to the original five spots. The finalists will pitch their startups to a panel of five judges at the Gordon Best Theatre in downtown Peterborough beginning at 7 p.m. on Thursday, November 30th.
The finalist determined to have the startup with the most potential will win a grand prize of over $14,000 towards building his or her business, including incubator space at the Cluster, coaching and mentoring from established startups, and more.
Nominations for Northumberland 2017 Business Achievement Awards are now open
The Northumberland Central Chamber of Commerce and the Town of Cobourg are seeking nominations for outstanding business achievement in nine categories (Business & Consumer Services, Communications & Technology, Health & Wellness, Hospitality & Tourism, Manufacturing & Agribusiness, Non-Profit Sector, Retail Trade Sector, Skilled Trades Sector, and New Start Up).
To qualify, a business must receive three independent nominations and operate within the Town of Cobourg, the Township of Alnwick/Haldimand, or Hamilton Township. With the exception of the New Start Up category, a business must have been operating for at least two years.
Nominations close on Friday, January 5, 2018, with the Awards Presentation Ceremony taking place on Friday, February 23, 2018 at the Best Western Plus Cobourg Inn & Convention Centre.
For more information and to submit a nomination online, visit the Northumberland Central Chamber of Commerce at nccofc.ca/form/view/10851.
Bidding now open for 2017 Kawartha Rotary Online Auction
Although it’s not opening this fall, the Rotary Outdoor Gym will be constructed at Beavermead Park. Proceeds from the 2017 Kawartha Rotary Online Auction will support the construction of the gym. (Photo: Bruce Head / kawarthaNOW.com)
The Rotary Club of Peterborough-Kawartha has launched is annual Christmas Online Auction, featuring hundreds of gift ideas for everyone on your list.
Proceeds from this year’s auction will go to support the Rotary Outdoor Gym being built at Beavermead Park in partnership with the Peterborough Rotary Club and the City of Peterborough.
Annual Christmas auction will support local home builders and Habitat for Humanity Peterborough & Kawartha Region
The Peterborough and the Kawarthas Home Builders Association (PKHBA) — which has represented the professional home building industry in Peterborough and the Kawarthas since 1956 — is hosting its annual Christmas dinner and auction on Thursday, December 7th at 6 p.m. at the Peterborough Curling Club.
Funds raised at the event will not only support the programs and work of PKHBA, but this year a portion of the proceeds will be donated to Habitat for Humanity Peterborough & Kawartha Region, supporting the charitable organization’s mission to help low-income families achieve strength, stability, and independence through affordable homeownership.
An selection of live and silent auction items will be up for bid throughout the evening, including building materials and supplies, furniture and design, sports and entertainment packages, and unique experiences.
Tickets are now available to the public and can be purchased for $50 each (or $350 for a table of eight) by contacting PKHBA at 705-876-7604 or info@pkhba.com.
Upcoming Business Socials
There are a number of business organizations in the Kawarthas holding their annual holiday socials in December.
First up is the Greater Peterborough Chamber of Commerce’s PBX Christmas Social, on Tuesday, December 5th from 4 to 6 p.m. at The Publican House Brewery (300 Charlotte St., Peterborough). The event is open to all, but registration is required as space is limited. The Chamber will be drawing its #LoveLocalPtbo $1,000 contest winner at the event.
On Wednesday, December 6th, the Women’s Business Network of Peterborough (WBN) is hosting its annual Holiday Gala and Auction Fundraiser at the Holiday Inn Waterfront Peterborough. The event is open to WBN members and their guests, and will raise funds for the YWCA Crossroads Shelter (see our story above).
On Thursday, December 7th, the Port Hope Young Professionals group is hosting its Annual Holiday Social from 6 to 8 p.m. at Table+Loft (59 Walton St., Port Hope). Festive attire is encouraged, and festive drinks and food will be available for purchase. While admission is free, attendees are asked to bring a wrapped gift of a $10 value to participate in a gift exchange game.
On Wednesday, December 13th from 5 to 8 p.m., Kawartha Lakes Construction (KLC) will host the Kawartha Chamber of Commerce & Tourism’s Annual Christmas Social at KLC’s location at 3359 Lakefield Road. Mingle by the fireplace, check out the showroom, and enjoy holiday refreshments. KLC will be collecting toys for the Lakefield Lioness Club’s Toy Drive and donations for the Lakefield Community Food Bank and, once again this year, will be running their employee DIY Christmas Tree challenge (guests will be asked to help pick the winner).
Deadline for nominations for Peterborough Business Hall of Fame is November 30
Nominations for the 2018 Peterborough Business Hall of Fame are open until November 30, 2017. Pictured are the 2017 Hall of Fame inductees and their representatives at this year’s induction ceremony: Peter Duffus, John Bowes, Elwood Jones, Mary McGee, Catia and Mike Skinner, Susan and Darrell Drain, Rhonda Barnet, Eleanor and Carl Young, and Shelley and David Black. (Photo: Eva Fisher / kawarthaNOW.com)
The deadline for nominations for inductees into the 2018 Peterborough Business Hall of Fame is Thursday, November 30th.
Each year, Junior Achievement chapters across the country recognize people who have demonstrated a life-long commitment to enhance the economic prosperity of their local communities. These are people who are widely respected not only for their business acumen, but also for their vision, leadership, and integrity. They serve as role models both for Junior Achievement students and other young Canadians.
To nominate someone for the 2018 Peterborough Business Hall of Fame, download and complete the nomination form. You can nominate a business person who is living or one who has passed away.
Nomination forms must be received no later than 3 p.m. on Thursday, November 30, 2017 at the office of Junior Achievement – Peterborough, Lakeland, Muskoka (270 George Street Courtyard Peterborough, ON K9J 3H1).
Bethany Joy Lenz and Andrew Walker star in "Snowed-Inn Christmas", which premieres on December 16 on the Lifetime channel. Peterborough's Carley Smale wrote the screenplay for the film, which was directed by Gary Yates. (Publicity photo)
Peterborough filmmaker and screenwriter Carley Smale has another notch in her belt.
She wrote the screenplay for Snowed-Inn Christmas, a new comedy drama premiering on the Lifetime cable channel at 8 p.m. on Saturday, December 16th.
Peterborough filmmaker and screenwriter Carley Smale in New York. (Photo courtesy of Carley Smale)
Filmed in Winnipeg, Snowed-Inn Christmas tells the story of two polar opposites — Jenna Hudson (played by Bethany Joy Lenz, best known for her role as Haley James Scott in the teenage drama One Tree Hill) and Kevin Jenner (played by Andrew Walker) — working for the same online publication in New York City. As neither have plans for Christmas, they both volunteer for a special writing assignment.
On their way to the assignment, a snowstorm forces their plane to land in the town of Santa Claus, Indiana (yes, that’s an actual town). Soon, Jenna and Kevin find themselves working together to save the town’s historic town inn, run by Carol and Christopher Winters (played by Belinda Montgomery and John B. Lowe). As Jenna and Kevin overcome their differences, they also rediscover the magic of Christmas. With the inn’s fate in jeopardy and the sudden return of someone from Jenna’s past, Carol and Christopher lend a helping hand to bring Jenna and Kevin together.
“The idea came to me during a car ride through the country with my dear friends Katelyn and Chris James,” Carley recalls. “We were spitballing ideas back and forth and the title ‘Snowed In’ was thrown out. I thought if it was spelled with the extra ‘n’ to make it ‘Snowed Inn’ it could be a really cute Christmas idea. The plot came easily for me once I had that title.”
Carley Smale (centre) on set in Winnipeg with “Snowed-Inn Christmas” stars Andrew Walker and Bethany Joy Lenz. (Photo courtesy of Carley Smale)
Carley grew up in Peterborough as an avid writer and obsessive movie watcher. After graduating from Crestwood Secondary School, she decided to move to Toronto to attend Humber College to study film and media when she was 19 years old.
While at Humber, she became an intern at a Toronto production company that made TV movies. Once she graduated from film school, the company hired her as as a development associate and writer for TV movies.
Carley’s script for “Snowed Inn”, which will be screened under the title “Snowed-Inn Christmas”. (Photo courtesy of Carley Smale)
“I started writing movie treatments for various networks like the Hallmark Channel, Lifetime, and Nickelodeon,” she says. “Eventually a Christmas idea of mine sold and I became the director of development for all the Christmas content.”
At 24 years old, Carley’s first produced screenplay, The Christmas Parade, premiered on the Hallmark Channel with high ratings in Canada, the United States, and Europe.
She also wrote and directed her first feature film in 2014 entitled Cold Season, which won Best No-Budget Feature at the 2015 Toronto Independent Film Festival. The movie went on to have international premieres in both New York City and Berlin with high praise. In December 2015, her original story concept entitled On the 12th Day of Christmas premiered on the Hallmark Channel and was the #1 TV movie of the weekend, with 5.4 million viewers.
In 2015, Carley decided to strike out on her own and pursue writing full time. She emailed a three-page proposal to her parents to ask permission to move back home for a year.
“They were supportive enough to accept my offer,” she laughs. “They even helped me transform my brother’s old room into my new writing office.”
Carley’s parents have been supportive of her career as a full-time writer. Carley’s mom Wendy joined her on the set of “Snowed-Inn Christmas” during filming in Winnipeg in September. (Photo courtesy of Carley Smale)
She wrote two screenplays that year, one of which was “Snowed Inn”. Her agent loved it and sent the screenplay to Lifetime, and the network gave the production the green light in March.
“It was one of the best phone calls I’ve ever received,” Carley says.
As the screenwriter, Carley was on set during production of the film in Winnipeg this past September. Her mother Wendy came with her “which made it really special.”
“The director, Gary Yates, really took me under his wing and made sure I was a part of the process,” Carley says. “He had me writing extra dialogue for the actors, making decisions about various props, and let me sit beside him during shooting to make sure if I had any comments or suggestions I could tell him.
“He wanted to make sure the story was being told the way I imagined it. It was incredibly kind of him.”
Carley Smale with “Snowed-Inn Christmas” Gary Yates. (Photo courtesy of Carley Smale)
As well as the December 16th premiere on Lifetime, Snowed-Inn Christmas will premiere in Canada on the W Network at 7 p.m. on Sunday, December 17th. A director’s cut will also be broadcast on Lifetime at 8 p.m. on Monday, December 18th.
As for Carley, in addition to her writing endeavours, she is a volunteer at The Warming Room, which is having its annual Christmas Party at The Venue Peterborough at 7 p.m. on Sunday, December 17th, featuring live music Kate Suhr, Melissa Payne, Kate Brioux, Silver Lining, Paper Shakers, and Eric Brandon.
Carley is also preparing to teach an 11-week “Screenwriting 101” course beginning on either Wednesday, January 10th or Thursday, January 11th. Each class will take place from 7 to 9 p.m.
“I will go through the steps on how to write your own feature-length screenplay,” Carley explains. “I’ll teach formatting, three-act structure, plot points, character development, how to pitch, etc. By the end, everyone will complete the first act of their own movie script.”
If you live in Peterborough and haven’t had the chance to clean your garden or yard or eavestroughs yet, you might want to get busy: next week is the final week you can put out your green waste for curbside collection.
Green waste will be picked up on your regular collection day from Tuesday, November 28th to Friday, December 1st. After than, you’ll have to take it yourself to the Peterborough Waste Management Facility (landfill) on Bensfort Road.
Many residents of Peterborough may be feeling behind on their fall maintenance. The unusually warm weather in October meant that leaves remained on the trees later than usual and then, in November, we experienced colder than seasonal temperatures.
If your collection day is later in the week and you’re retired, work at home, or can afford to take some time off work, the good news is that Tuesday is forecast to be very mild, with a high of 11°C and a mix of sun and cloud. Daytime temperatures for the rest of the week are forecast to be around 5°C, with a chance of showers on Thursday.
If you miss the final collection, you can take your green waste to the Bensfort Road landfill for free (for quantities less than 100 kilograms, or 45 cents per kilogram over 100 kilograms).
Green waste collection in Peterborough will begin again on Tuesday, April 3, 2018.
Information about green waste collection and more is available in the 2018 Waste Reduction and Conservation Calendar, which was distributed on Friday (November 24) inside Peterborough This Week. If you don’t get Peterborough This Week, you can call the Waste Management Division at 705-742-7777, ext. 1657, to obtain a calendar.
This year, the Peterborough Symphony Orchestra is offering its "Hollywood for the Holidays" concert on Saturday, December 9, 2017, at 2 p.m. and again at 7:30pm. Both concerts will feature classic Christmas movie music and seasonal favourites. (Photo: Huw Morgan)
On Saturday, December 9th, it’s a Hollywood kind of holiday as the Peterborough Symphony Orchestra (PSO)! continues its 51st concert season with “Hollywood for the Holidays”, including guests the Kawartha Youth Orchestra and Peterborough Pop Ensemble, sponsored by Swish.
Due to popular demand, this year the PSO is offering two Christmas concert times at Showplace Performance Centre for busy holiday concert goers. There will be a 2 p.m. matinee as well as the regular 7:30 p.m. performance. Both offer the same family-friendly programming featuring the fun and familiar tunes of holiday film favourites Home Alone, It’s a Wonderful Life, and The Polar Express.
Through the magic of music and fond memories of Christmas vacation movie marathons, PSO audience members will join some beloved characters on their merry (mis)adventures.
Macaulay Culkin as Kevin McCallister in the 1990 Christmas comedy “Home Alone”. The PSO will be performing music composed for the film by John Williams at “Hollywood for the Holidays”. (Photo: 20th Century Fox)
Creative kid Kevin McCallister manages the chaos of being left behind over the holidays, illustrated by Three Holiday Songs from Home Alone arranged by John Williams (“Somewhere In My Memory”, “Star Of Bethlehem”, and “Merry Christmas, Merry Christmas”).
Frustrated Bedford Falls family-man and banker George Bailey gets a Christmas Eve glimpse into what might have been, captured by Dimitri Tiomkin’s It’s a Wonderful Life Suite.
And a doubtful young boy takes an exciting train ride to the North Pole with new friends ahead of Santa’s visit, depicted in The Polar Express Suite, including the music of the Academy Award-nominated song “Believe”.
The Peterborough Pop Ensemble will also join the PSO on stage December 9, 2017 to perform music from “Home Alone” and “It’s a Wonderful Life”. (Photo: Miranda Hume)
The fabulous Peterborough Pop Ensemble will provide their voices for the essential Home Alone hits and the classic sounds of It’s a Wonderful Life. The young musicians of the Kawartha Youth Orchestra (KYO) will lend their talents to other seasonal favourites.
Both the KYO and the Peterborough Pop Ensemble will be part of the popular PSO Christmas concert tradition of the carol-sing, to get everyone into the spirit of the season. Audiences are invited to join in and sing along using the lyric sheets provided in the concert program.
Among the KYO and PSO musicians at “Hollywood for the Holidays” will be flutist Tyler Evans-Knott, the 2017/18 PSO-KYO Apprentice.
The talented young musicians of the Kawartha Youth Orchestra will perform with their PSO counterparts at “Hollywood for the Holidays” on December 9, 2017.
The PSO-KYO Apprenticeship is an exciting new program launched this season, open to members of the KYO. It is designed to provide dedicated young students of advanced capability on their instruments with an enriching opportunity for musical excellence. Throughout the PSO concert season, Tyler will continue to play with the orchestra, receive mentorship from its musicians, and receive continued guidance from Music Director and Conductor Michael Newnham.
The cheeky artwork for the PSO’s “Hollywood for the Holidays” on December 9, 2017 was inspired by a famous scene from Home Alone. (Design: Studio-N)
At “Hollywood for the Holidays”, celebrated local violinist Witold Swoboda will also be back on stage with the orchestra, for his last concert of the season as Guest Concertmaster.
The PSO has been so pleased to have Witold in the role, expertly helping to lead the orchestra through rehearsals and performances while new PSO Concertmaster Phoebe Tsang has been working on projects in Europe. Phoebe will begin her tenure with the orchestra in the New Year.
Single concert tickets for “Hollywood for the Holidays” are available from the Showplace box office at a cost of $30 for adults, and $10 for students. Please visit the box office in-person at 290 George St. N, Peterborough, online at www.showplace.org or call 705-742-7469.
Ticket buyers should note that there will not be the usual pre-concert “Meet the Maestro” chat in the theatre at either of the December 9th concerts.
Also, the post-concert reception in Showplace’s Nexicom Studio will take place after the 7:30 p.m. concert only. Audience members are then welcome to celebrate with refreshments alongside PSO musicians, guest artists, staff, board members, friends, and family.
VIDEO: Music from “Home Alone” by the Boston Pops conducted by John Williams
The Canadian Canoe Museum has selected Montreal-based GSM Project to assist with the design of visitor experiences in the exhibition galleries and collections centre of the planned new museum beside the Peterborough Lift Lock on the Trent-Severn Waterway. GSM Project has designed exhibits and visitor experiences for museums and science centres around the world, including the Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum in Singapore pictured here. (Photo: GSM Project)
If there was any doubt, Canada’s new canoe museum beside the Peterborough Lift Lock on the Trent-Severn Waterway is going to be a world-class museum.
On Thursday (November 23), The Canadian Canoe Museum announced that GSM Project, one of the world’s leading exhibit design firm, will be helping to create exhibits and one-of-a-kind visitor experiences at the new facility.
GSM Project was founded in 1958 in Montreal (it designed the cars and logo for Montreal’s metro system in 1962) and now also has offices in Dubai and Singapore. The company has designed exhibitions and visitor experiences for museums, science centres, and more both in Canada and around the world.
The company was the lead designer of the new 40,000-square-foot Canadian History Hall at the Canadian Museum of History — the largest exhibition about Canadian history ever developed.
GSM Project was the lead designer of the new 40,000-square-foot Canadian History Hall at the Canadian Museum of History, the largest exhibition about Canadian history ever developed. (Photo: GSM Project)
Also in Canada, GSM Project recently completed the Human exhibition at the Montreal Science Centre, the Museum of Ingenuity at the J. Armand Bombardier Museum in Valcourt in Quebec, three of the galleries at the new Canada Science and Technology Museum, and the Canada Goose Arctic Gallery at the Canadian Museum of Nature.
Internationally, the company’s projects include The Alaska Gallery at the Anchorage Museum in Alaska, and the Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum and Indian Heritage Centre, both in Singapore.
“The GSM Project team members will bring their international experience, a deep affinity for Canadian heritage, and an appreciation of our unique collection and its incredible potential to the table,” says Jeremy Ward, Curator at The Canadian Canoe Museum.
“Together, we aspire to strengthen the museum’s connections with communities across the country and are confident that the result of our work will be something very special that will engage our visitors in new and surprising ways. We cannot wait to get started.”
The Alaska Gallery at the Anchorage Museum in Alaska, designed by GSM Project. (Photo: GSM Project)
GSM Project will work with The Canadian Canoe Museum to create visitor experiences in the exhibition galleries of the new building, which will comprise 10 to 12 indvidiual galleries in around 21,000 square feet of space, as well as the 28,000-square-foot collections centre, which will feature more than 500 full-sized watercraft stored on individual mounts and arranged on racking systems, as well as artifacts.
At the Peterborough Lift Lock location, the museum’s entire collection will be on site (rather than mainly in storage as is the case at the current Monaghan Road location) and will be totally accessible as part of the visitor experience.
The Canadian Canoe Museum chose GSM Project following a nationwide request for proposals and an in-depth selection process.
GSM Project designed the Human exhibition at the Montreal Science Centre. (Photo: GSM Project)
“A great community deserves a great museum,” says Yves Mayrand, President and Chief Creative Officer of GSM Project. “The renewed canoe museum will serve as a nucleus not only for Peterborough but also for all those who are passionate about canoes, Canada’s waterways, and that love of the outdoors that unites us all,.”
“Like so many visitors before us, we have fairly fallen in love with The Canadian Canoe Museum, and we look forward to helping this institution’s talented and dedicated team realize the bold vision they have for this transformation.
The new Canadian Canoe Museum is being designed by an award-winning team of heneghan peng architects (Dublin, Ireland) with Kearns Mancini Architects (Toronto, Canada).
For more information about GSM Project including more samples of the company’s work, visit gsmproject.com. For more information about the new Canadian Canoe Museum. visit www.canoemuseum.ca/museum-on-move/.
The design concept of the new Canadian Canoe Museum by heneghan peng architects of Dublin in Ireland with Kearns Mancini Architects of Toronto. (Photo courtesy of The Canadian Canoe Museum)
On November 23, 2017, Crayola Canada announced it had achieved its goal to break $1 million mark in funds raised for the United Way for the City of Kawartha Lakes over the past 29 years. (Photo: United Way of City of Kawartha Lakes)
Earlier today (November 23), Crayola Canada general manager Paul Murphy and his team presented a cheque for $40,000 to the United Way for the City of Kawartha Lakes, representing funds raised from the 29th annual Crayola Sale held at the Lindsay fairgrounds on October 14, 2017.
Prior to the annual sale, the Crayola Canada team has set a goal to exceed $1 million in funds through this year’s sale and the company’s workplace campaign. Between the two, Crayola Canada has met the goal, having now raised $1,003,275 for the United Way for the City of Kawartha Lakes over the past 29 years.
“This year, the 50th anniversary for the United Way for the City of Kawartha Lakes, was particularly exciting because we knew we had the opportunity to surpass one million dollars in total donations,” Murphy said. “We are very proud to say that, due to the combined efforts of Crayola employees, United Way Volunteers, and the customers who attended the sale, we have successfully achieved that goal.”
Crayola Canada general manager Paul Murphy (left) presents a cheque for $40,000 in proceeds from the annual Crayola sale to United Way for the City of Kawartha Lakes. (Photo: United Way of City of Kawartha Lakes)
Penny Barton Dyke, Executive Director of United Way for the City of Kawartha Lakes, spoke about the importance of the relationship the organization has with Crayola Canada.
“Crayola embodies our mission to work together to help people in real time,” Barton Dyke said. “We would like to recognize and thank the approximately 150 Community Champions (Crayola staff and community volunteers) who helped with this one-of-a-kind event. The Crayola Sale has an economic ripple effect locally, which also has global reach through shoppers making purchases to be shared in third world countries.
“The impact of 29 years of giving has had far reaching effects, changing thousands of lives every year and we hope this inspires others to create their own fundraising initiatives.”
The United Way of City of Kawartha Lakes presented the Crayola Canada team with framed newspaper clippings representing the history of the Crayola sale. (Photo: United Way of City of Kawartha Lakes)
The annual Crayola sale began as a yard sale on the front lawn of Crayola’s Canadian headquarters at 15 Mary St. W. in Lindsay and has since grown into a massive popular event at the Lindsay Fairgrounds. People line up for hours before the sale, with a few even camping out overnight, for the opportunity to get great deals on Crayola products while support the work of the United Way for the City of Kawartha Lakes.
The musical "Fugitive Songs" features 19 songs by six characters (played by Lucas DeLuca, Brenna Goldie, Caitlin Currie, Keely Wilson, Conner Clarken, and Erik Feldcamp) who are all fleeing from something or someone on a personal search for self-identity. The production runs from November 24 to December 3 at the Gordon Best Theatre in downtown Peterborough. (Photo: Caitlin Currie and Angel Haines)
On November 24th, get ready to hit the highway when director Lucas DeLuca presents Fugitive Songs at The Gordon Best Theatre in downtown Peterborough. A “song cycle” written by Chris Miller and Nathan Tyler, Fugitive Songs is Amber Coast Theatrical’s long-awaited follow up to last year’s First Date: The Musical.
An unusually structured show about the wanderlust of six unconnected individuals in their 20s, Amber Coast’s production brings together a group of my personal favourite performers in an evening that is rich with musical performance. While the piece is powerful in that regard, it cheats both the performers and the audience with uneven and often underdeveloped plot lines.
However, Lucas’ company under the leadership of musical director Justin Hiscox and vocal director Brian MacDonald manage to take the musical material presented, salvage it from the weaknesses of the play, and carve it into a highly charged musical experience filled with emotion and beauty.
Amber Coast Theatrical presents Fugitive Songs: A Song Cycle
When: November 24 to 26, 2017 at 8 p.m; December 2, 2017 at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m.; December 3, 2017 at 2 p.m. Where: Gordon Best Theatre (216 Hunter St W, Peterborough) How much: $15 at the door
Music by Chris Miller, lyrics by Nathan Tysen. Directed by Lucas DeLuca and featuring Lucas DeLuca, Brenna Goldie, Caitlin Currie, Keely Wilson, Conner Clarken, and Erik Feldcamp. With musical direction by Justin Hiscox and vocal direction by Brian MacDonald. Doors open 30 minutes before show time. Rated PG-13 for some strong language.
Fugitive Songs made its off-Broadway debut in March 2008. Written by the team of Chris Miller and Nathan Tyler, it was defined as a “song cycle” and not a drama. This means the production is made up of separate songs around a theme, which are put in a certain order to create a narrative. In Fugitive Songs, that theme is presented through six individuals who are fed up with the life they are living and run away in search of something better.
While motivated by their own separate reasons, the thread that binds all six together is a search for their own identities and sense of self. In one instance, the two stories combine into one, but in all others the individual stories remain separate. The result is less of a play and more of a concert, albeit one that has a narrative.
Throughout Fugitive Songs, I often found myself getting so wrapped up in the performances that I often lost the narrative. I’m not certain what the problem was; at times I could very clearly understand the drama and the story playing out in front of me, while at other times I had no idea at all what was going on. If not for the explanations provided by a friend I brought to the preview, I would have missed certain story lines altogether.
But I need to stress that this is not the fault of the cast, who all give musically powerful performances: it’s the challenge of the source material. It isn’t an easy production. The key to Fugitive Songs is to not allow yourself to drift into the musical performances, but to focus on each and every lyric. The stories are sung and felt but for the most part are not acted out on the stage. You can’t lazily drift through Fugitive Songs. You really do need to pay attention.
One of the unconventional narrative points of Fugitive Songs is that most of the characters don’t have names, but are personifications of the performers who take on the roles. The Amber Coast Theatrical production brings together an incredible group of vocalists and musical theatre performers: Lucas DeLuca, Brenna Goldie, Caitlin Currie, Keely Wilson, Conner Clarken, and Erik Feldcamp. Each playing an individual character with an individual story, the members of the cast know their craft and deliver powerful musical performances. The challenges lie in the individual strengths of their given narratives.
The men of “Fugitive Songs”: Conner Clarken, Erik Feldcamp, and Lucas DeLuca. (Photo: Caitlin Currie and Angel Haines)
One of Peterborough’s most solid and steadfast musical performers, Lucas DeLuca plays a photographer who, while working in a photo lab developing other people’s photos, decides to pick up and leave to take photos of his own adventures. Along the way he meets and falls in love with Keely Wilson’s character, a free-spirited woman in touch with the spirit of Mother Nature. Although the two don’t necessarily fit into each other’s world, they develop a sweet romance, presented in two of the the most beautiful songs of the night, “Lullaby” and “Wildflowers”.
In Caitlin Currie’s storyline, she plays a girl who has everything but is in a terrible relationship with a man who takes her for granted. In “Annie’s Party”, she sings about how her partner has skipped out on her party, and in “Lost” (possibly Caitlin’s best number of the night), she sings about how her boyfriend literally loses her in the woods. Caitlin Currie is a unique musical performer, and her quirky vocal style fits this role perfectly, often allowing her to create one of the more colourful characters of the night, filled with both humour and a vindictive triumph.
While Caitlin’s is one of the most coherent storylines, Erik Feldcamp’s starts off strong but then trails off into something more incoherent. Mourning his breakup with his girlfriend Tracy, Erik’s character hits the road to somewhere, and he does something. Perhaps you can figure it out better than I could. The irony of this narrative weakness is that many of Erik’s songs are the most beautiful and rousing of the show, especially his stand-out performance of “Shine”, one of the highlights of the show. Erik is an incredible vocalist, and Fugitive Songs is one of the best performances I’ve seen him give. Unfortunately, I’m not sure just where his story was going or how it ended.
My favourite song of the show is “Wilson”, performed by Conner Clarkin. A story of two stoners who inadvertently rob a gas station, “Wilson” is filled with action, comedy and suspense, like a scene from a Quinton Taratino movie done in song. Conner’s character, a dissatisfied youth who decides he’d rather live life as a drifter than work at Subway, is one of the more original and potent story threads in Fugitive Songs. He is a volatile character with heart, but who never seemed to have a chance, especially as expressed in the song “Growing Up”. Connor’s performance as “the boy your mom warned you about” is filled with the right amount of humour, sensitivity, and pathos to make him an audience favourite.
The women of “Fugitive Songs”: Caitlin Currie, Keely Wilson, and Brenna Goldie of “Fugitive Songs”. (Photo: Caitlin Currie and Angel Haines)
Brenna Goldie’s storyline could be one of the most underdeveloped, which is shameful because she is a vocal powerhouse. Although she has appeared in musical theatre before, this is the first time she has really crossed my radar and I am excited to hear more from her. She is just an amazing vocalist.
In another story about a woman running away from a dysfunctional relationship, Brenna’s character decides being alone is better than being with someone. Although she gives many of the night’s biggest performances, especially with her final song “I Could Go Back”, her story (to me at least) seems to be the weakest. However, each time she sings she completely delivers, creating some of the real big moments of the night. I’m just enamoured by her voice and hope to see her on stage and in the spotlight again and again.
I’d also like to point out a great number sung by Brenna and Keely called “Poor Little Patty” about Patty Hearst. I had to go home and read the lyrics and, while I’m not really sure how it fits in the narrative, I find the Patty Hearst story to be eternally fascinating, so I’ve developed a soft spot for it.
It seems to me that the story threads really aren’t the point of Fugitive Songs as much as the theme or the ideas put forth by the individual songs. Fugitive Songs isn’t about any individual character as much as it is about that short period of time in your life, between kids and mortgages and careers, where you can throw away everything you know and run away to discover a life you didn’t know was there before. It is about the spirit of adventure and the desire for change. It is about the drama, the courage, and the heartache that goes along in finding your identity in a place far away from home. This in itself is a powerful subject that the production succeeds in conveying to the audience.
So why go see Fugitive Songs? Quite simply, as a night of musical performances, you are going to be mesmerized and find value for your entertainment time and dollar. The musical score is extremely complex and, under the guidance of Justin Hiscox and Brian MacDonald, this talented grouping of performers really push themselves to another place. There is a beautiful sensitivity and a ton of emotion within this piece, and I can’t express enough my admiration for their individual talents, as well as the way they handle the material.
However, the nonlinear structure of the narrative was often lost on me, and some of the most powerful performers were given the most underdeveloped story lines. I need to see it a second time through to truly appreciate it, and given its long run, I am planning to do that. It’s a show that I’d definitely want to sit through again because I appreciate the quality of the performers, and perhaps there’s more to the narrative than I found in one sitting. This is a show that you need to digest rather than simply watch.
If you are expecting a traditional play with music, Fugitive Songs has its challenges. But if you consider it an extended musical performance or concert by some of Peterborough’s finest musical theatre performers, it works. Come for the exceptional cast, stay for the musical performances and the powerful emotion, and don’t worry if you need to search for deeper meaning or story. No matter what your find, you will discover something to love in Fugitive Songs.
Fugitive Songs runs from November 24th to 26th and December 2nd and 3rd at the Gordon Best Theatre (216 Hunter St. W. in Peterborough, above The Only). Shows start at 8 p.m., with an additional 2 p.m. matinee on December 2nd and a 2 p.m. start on December 3rd. Tickets are $15 and are available at the door.
A bear and a wolf are two of the four embossments on the new Solina Road bridge representing four clans of the Huron-Wendat First Nation. As many as 3,000 members of the Huron-Wendat Nation lived what is now Durham County, growing corn and other crops. (Photo courtesy of Blackbird Infrastructure Group)
The Huron-Wendat First Nation was honoured at a commemoration ceremony last week, which included the unveiling of embossments on the new Solina Road bridge in Clarington.
The Huron-Wendat was a confederacy of eight clans of Iroquoian-speaking nations. It was Huron-Wendat Chief Donnacona who, at Stadacona (a 16th-century St. Lawrence Iroquoian village near present-day Québec City), welcomed the explorer Jacques Cartier during his journey in search of the Indies in the 1530s.
Five of the Huron-Wendat clans, comprising about more than 100,000 Huron-Wendat, lived in what is now Ontario, with their territory extending from Lake Nipissing in the north to Lake Ontario in the south, and from Île Perrot in the east to Owen Sound in the west.
As many as 3,000 members of the Huron-Wendat Nation lived in present-day Durham Region, growing corn and other crops.
The deer and turtle embossments on the Solina Road bridge represent two of the clans of the Huron-Wendat, whose descendants in Canada now mainly live on the Wendake Reserve north of Québec City. (Photo courtesy of Blackbird Infrastructure Group)
In around 1650, the Huron-Wendat clans were dispersed by the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois, or “People of the Longhouse”). The Huron-Wendat descendants in Canada now mostly live on the Wendake Reserve north of Québec City, which represents four of the eight clans.
The Solina Road bridge, located between Taunton Road and Concession Road 6, was constructed as part of the Highway 407 East Phase 2 project that is extending the 407 to Highway 35/115.
The embossments on the bridge — turtle, wolf, bear, and deer — represent the four clans of the Huron-Wendat Nation at Wendake.
More than 800 archaeological sites, mainly located in southwestern Ontario, mark the ancestral territory of the Huron-Wendat. Archeological work conducted before the construction of Highway 407 East Phase 2 found some 150,000 items.
At the November 14th commemorative ceremony, project archeologist Dr. Ronald Williamson displays a clay pipe found during archaeological investigations prior to the construction of Highway 407 East Phase 2. The investigation found around 150,000 items, mainly pottery fragments, but also clay pipes and beads made of sea shells from the Atlantic coast and rocks found only in Quebec. (Photo courtesy of Blackbird Infrastructure Group)
While many of these items were pottery fragments, other items recovered included clay pipes and beads made of sea shells from the Atlantic coast and rocks found only in Quebec, which showed the extent of the trading relationships between indigenous peoples that existed before Europeans settled the area.
At the commemoration ceremony held on Tuesday, November 14th, Dr. Louis Lesage represented the Huron-Wendat Nation. Representatives from Blackbird Infrastructure (the company building Highway 407 East Phase 2), the Ontario Ministry of Transportation, and Infrastructure Ontario were also on hand to mark the occasion.
Dr. Louis Lesage, representing the Huron-Wendat Nation, with David Garcia, CEO of Blackbird Infrastructure, at the November 14th commemorative ceremony. (Photo courtesy of Blackbird Infrastructure Group)
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