After the original figure of Mary and Baby Jesus was stolen from St. Paul's United Church in Bancroft, an anonymous donor replaced the figure with this one. Now, the original stolen figure has also been returned to the church. (Photo: Reverend Lynn Watson / Facebook)
Mary and Baby Jesus are back after having been stolen from the front lawn of St. Paul’s United Church in Bancroft.
The Bancroft OPP report the stolen figure was returned earlier today (December 20) to the church, which is located at 1 Hasting St. South.
The figure was stolen from the front lawn of the church overnight on the evening of Saturday, December 9th.
The church now has two figures of Mary and Baby Jesus, as an anonymous donor supplied a new figure to the church on Saturday, December 16th.
While the OPP says it will not be laying any charges in the original theft of the figure, police still wish to speak with the persons involved. Anyone with information about this theft is asked to contact them at 1-888-310-1122 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.
Jeff Day (right) is resigning as executive director of Community Futures Peterborough, effective January 12, 2018. At a December 8th Eastern Ontario Development Program announcement, Day shakes hands with Peterborough-Kawartha MP Maryam Monsef as Wendy Curtis, Executive Director of Northumberland Community Futures Development Corporation, looks on. (Photo: Office of Maryam Monsef)
Jeff Day has announced his resignation as executive director of Community Futures Peterborough, the not-for-profit organization funded through the federal government to administer loans for small and medium-sized businesses.
The economic organization’s board of directors accepted Day’s resignation at a board meeting on Tuesday morning (December 19).
“Jeff has made great contributions to the organization during his time with us, notably in increasing the awareness of Community Futures Peterborough especially in the county and surrounding areas,” said board chair Peter Gaffney in a statement. “We wish Jeff the best of luck in the future.”
No reason was given for Day’s resignation.
While the board has accepted Day’s resignation, he will remain in the position until January 12, 2018.
Jeff Day was appointed as executive director of Community Futures Peterborough in October 2016. (Photo: Community Futures Peterborough)
Day was appointed as executive director in October 2016 after a search and hiring process by the board’s recruitment committee earlier that year.
Prior to Day’s appointment as executive director, Tonya Kraan held the position of general manager from May 2014 to April 2016. Prior to Kraan, Judy Heffernan led the organization as general manager for 17 years, until she passed away suddenly in 2013.
Day’s previous business development experience was in the automotive and aerospace sectors. As executive director, Day supervised three staff at the organization and worked with the 15-member board.
Day’s resignation comes two months after Kim Appleton resigned as chair of the board before her tenure was completed.
kawarthaNOW has learned an interim executive director will be announced shortly. The search for a new executive director will begin in January.
The City of Peterborough will receive $1,725,994 in gas tax funding to improve public transit. Six other municipalities in the Kawarthas will also receive a portion of gas tax funding. (Photo: Brianna Salmon, GreenUP)
Earlier today (December 19), Ontario Minister of Transportation Steven Del Duca announced this year’s gas tax funding for 105 municipalities across the province.
The gas tax funding is provided to municipalities so they can make major infrastructure upgrades for public transit, buy additional transit vehicles, add more routes, extend hours of service, implement fare strategies, and improve accessibility.
Seven municipalities in the Kawarthas will receive almost $3 million of the $357.2 million in gas tax funding, with the largest amount ($1.7 million) going to the City of Peterborough.
Toronto is receiving the bulk of the gas tax funding at $182 million, followed by Ottawa with $37 million, Mississauga with $18 million, and York Region with $16 million. Brampton, Hamilton, and Waterloo Region, will each receive around $11 million.
Ontario’s gas tax program currently provides municipalities with two cents per litre of provincial gas tax revenues. This will increase to 2.5 cents per litre in 2019-20, three cents in 2020-21, and four cents in 2021-22.
The gas tax increase does not come from an increase in the price paid at the pump by drivers.
Here is the gas tax funding municipalities in the Kawarthas are receiving in 2017-18:
More public transit makes it easier for people to travel to and from work, school and appointments, reduces congestion, and lowers air pollution. One bus takes up to 40 vehicles off the road, and keeps 25 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions out of the atmosphere each year.
Market Hall Performing Arts Centre Inc. was born in early 1998, the result of a determined effort to prevent the building at George and Charlotte streets from being converted into a bingo hall. The organization is celebrating its 20th anniversary with a special celebration on January 12, 2018.
For close to 130 years, Peterborough’s Market Hall has been home to a number of tenants, each bringing a wide variety of events and activities to the space below the majestic downtown clock tower.
When: Friday, January 12, 2018 at 8 p.m. Where: Market Hall Performing Arts Centre (140 Charlotte St., Peterborough) How much: $20 general admission, $25 assigned cabaret table seats
Featuring circus acts and theatre, dancers and singers, musicians and speakers, slideshow and film, and cake and champagne. Tickets are available at the Market Hall Box Office, by phone at 705-749-1146, or online at markethall.org.
More recently, however, the historic building has been home to something else; something vital to its continued existence as a premier performance space: stability.
Market Hall Performing Arts Centre Inc. was born in early 1998, the result of a determined effort to prevent the building at George and Charlotte streets from being converted into a bingo hall.
On January 12, 2018, Lights Up! will celebrate the 20th anniversary of that new birth, bringing together key players, past and present, to share memories and toast the possibilities of the future. Tickets to the 8 p.m. event cost $20 — $25 for cabaret table seating — at the Market Hall box office, online at wmarkethall.org, or by phone 705-749-1146 to reserve.
“We’re going to have different performances, everything from circus arts to theatre to music and dance,” says Market Hall general manager Chad Hogan, adding, “It’ll be fun and informal. There will be cake and champagne, but it’s certainly not a black tie event.”
Mary Kate Edwards, Carried Away, Kate Story and Ryan Kerr, Mysterious Entity, Peterborough Academy Of Circus Arts, and Dr. Tom Phillips are some of the musicians, theatre performers, and speakers who will be joining the celebration.
Market Hall prior to its 2009 renovation.
Among those front-and-centre will be Charlie Werger, not only in his capacity as a current Market Hall board member but as a leading figure with Friends of Market Hall, a small but determined group that formed in 1997 to save the building from a bingo fate and that laid down the foundation for an incorporated non-profit entity to oversee and manage the space.
“Artspace had left (Market Hall) in the mid 1990s and then Arbor Theatre took over but it left in 1997,” recalls Werger.
“The owners of Peterborough Square proposed to make it a downtown bingo hall. That’s when my wife (Jane) and I jumped in along with (Public Energy founder) Bill Kimball.
After 1950, the upstairs of Market Hall became a gymnasium. In 1984, a million dollar capital project converted the gymnasium into a performing arts centre, operated by Artspace from 1984 until 1994 and then by Arbor Theatre.
“We had seen it over the years as a performance space. It was getting run down but it was still a beautiful space. I felt they were going to fill it in with a bingo hall, let it deteriorate and then say ‘Well, it’s too expensive to fix, so let’s demolish it.'”
After Friends of Market Hall secured the go-ahead from the downtown mall’s owner to proceed with its plan to assume the space and make a go of it, events were staged beginning in the fall of 1997. In addition, a board was formed to oversee the venture and, in early 1998, incorporation was secured.
“I remember some city councillors saying ‘We really think you’re not going to last more than a year … arts people don’t know how to run a business but go ahead, give it a shot.’ Here we are, 20 years later, doing really well.”
Market Hall was originally built for the City of Peterborough’s farmers’ market to replace the much smaller market that had been operating since construction of Peterborough’s first town hall (1851) on Water Street. Mayor James Stevenson laid the cornerstone of the Market Hall in the fall of 1889 and it officially opened in 1890.
At the same time Friends of Market Hall formed, Professor Tom Symons — inaugural Trent University president and past chair of the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada — founded and headed the Save The Market Hall Campaign. That effort raised money for the City to acquire the building and restore the structure’s exterior façade.
In the fall of 2015, Werger, then board chair, reached out to Hogan, offering him the Market Hall general manager position, unfilled since Karen August’s 2012 departure.
“Anybody who asks me if I like my job, I say ‘No, I don’t … I love it,” says Hogan.
The Market Hall was provincially designated as a heritage building in 1977. It is one of only a few 19th-century Ontario market buildings still in existence. The sign in the background reads “Alex Gordon – Cash for Hides, Skins & Tallow”.
“I get to be around some of the best live music in the country on a daily basis. What’s not to love? And in one of the most beautiful venues of its size. It’s virtually unheard of for touring acts not to comment on how amazing the room is. That’s something I don’t take for granted.”
Both Hogan and Werger agree the timing of the anniversary celebration couldn’t be better in light of the past year, which saw two longtime downtown live music venues — The Pig’s Ear and The Spill — close their doors.
“I hope that people see this (milestone) as good news,” says Hogan.
Architect John Belcher designed the large two storey brick building with an imposing four-faced clock tower. Pictured in the background is the adjoining Bradburn Opera House, which was demolished in the 1970s to make way for Peterborough Square.
“We had our largest growth rate in our organization’s history over the last year, so we are definitely growing and offering more programming. We’re not slowing down. If anything, we’re taking more on. We’re trying all the time to make ourselves more visible. That’s always a challenge on a shoestring marketing budget. We’ve ramped our efforts over the last couple of years. From street level, we were quite hidden in place for a couple of years.
“The organization started with people coming together to protect it from becoming a bingo hall. Thank goodness they were successful. Look at what it has become. We have an absolutely insane amount of talent scheduled — some announced, some not announced. It’s going to easily be our busiest spring in the organization’s history.”
And soon, adds Hogan, the clock tower which crowns Market Hall will be illuminated, much the same as Peterborough City Hall is.
Looking ahead, Werger says challenges remain — operating costs aren’t going down, for example — and that makes for “a tough go” but adds there is reason for optimism.
“For so many years, we were in the red and then in the black and then in the red. It feels really good now that it seems we’ve leveled off. We’re not going up and down. We’ve been working so hard. People have to realize that and keep supporting us. It’s a tenuous thing.”
“This (Market Hall) has been a big part of my life for the last 20 years. I want to see all those people that have been part of it. I really hope they have the opportunity to stop by (on January 12).”
Those who can’t make it, adds Werger, are urged to share their favourite Market Hall memory from the last 20 years, in 100 words or less, and email it to markethallmemories@gmail.com for inclusion at the anniversary celebration.
A ticket and telegraphy office for the Canadian Pacific Railway in the Market Hall. The former Canadian Pacific Railway train station located nearby at George and Dalhousie Streets was built in 1884 when Peterborough was a major stop on the Montréal to Toronto line.
Those who do attend will gather in a building that was designed by architect John Belcher and cost $11,000 to construct. When it opened in 1890, managed by the City, the second floor housed an indoor market while the ground floor was comprised of retail stores.
Come 1950, the market was gone, a gymnasium in its place. Some 25 years later, the City sold the building to the owners of Peterborough Square.
In 1984, a major capital project saw the gymnasium converted into a performing space operated initially by Artspace and later Arbor Theatre.
There things sat until 1997 when the bingo hall “threat” spurred the small but determined group to take action and preserve the hall as performing arts space.
Thanks both to them and to Chad Hogan and his team at the Market Hall, the community of Peterborough has a chance to celebrate 20 years of Market Hall Performing Arts Centre on January 12, 2018.
All photos courtesy of Market Hall Performing Arts Centre.
You can now order food for delivery from La Hacienda Mexican Restaurant in downtown Peterborough, one of several local restaurants partnering with online food ordering and delivery service SkipTheDishes. (Photo: Montserrat)
This week, we feature food ordering and delivery service SkipTheDishes now operating in Peterborough, an update on the three businesses closed by the November fire in downtown Peterborough, the City of Peterborough’s $4 million investment in the new Canadian Canoe Museum, a provincial investment in Trade Tech Industries in Port Hope, the City of Peterborough’s upgraded credit rating, the selection of Peterborough and Lindsay as locations for provincial retail cannabis stores, and upcoming business events.
SkipTheDishes food ordering and delivery service now in Peterborough
SkipTheDishes, a third-party food ordering and delivery service, is now operating in Peterborough. Participating restaurants so far include La Hacienda, Papa John’s, Reggie’s Hot Grill, The Food Forest, Freshii, and Wendy’s.
The company connects customers with local restaurants that don’t have their own delivery service by leveraging the gig economy. Delivery is done through local contract drivers, which the company calls “food couriers”. If they prefer, customers can also drive to a restaurant themselves to pick up their order.
SkipTheDishes operates in 20 cities, including Peterborough, in eight Canadian provinces and four U.S. states. (Photo: SkipTheDishes)
SkipTheDishes was founded in 2012 and currently operates in 20 cities in eight Canadian provinces and four U.S. states.
Its major competitor in the United States is GrubHub, founded in 2004. GrubHub, which partners with more than 50,000 restaurants in more than 1,100 cities in the United States and the United Kingdom, does not currently operate in Canada.
SkipTheDishes’s delivery hours are currently between 4 to 9:30 p.m., with lunchtime delivery hours coming soon.
For more information and to download the app (available for iOS and Android), visit www.skipthedishes.com.
Update on three businesses affected by November fire in downtown Peterborough
A November 16th fire on George Street in downtown Peterborough closed three businesses: Simple, Ash Nayler Photography, and Natas Cafe. (Photo: Laurel Paluck)
Three businesses closed by the November 16th fire on George Street in downtown Peterborough are bouncing back.
The fire began in a heating unit on the roof of 370-374 George Street North, the building that housed soap shop Simple, Ash Nayler Photography, and an empty unit (the former location of Charm Tree Toys).
Thanks to the efforts of firefighters, the fire was contained to the single building. However, Natas Café in an adjacent building also suffered extensive water and smoke damage related to the fire and was forced to close.
Simple owner Alex Fitzgerald has opened a temporary kiosk just inside the entrance to Peterborough Square to sell her popular fizzing bath bombs. (Photo: Simple / Facebook)
Simple owner Alex Fitzgerald has since opened a temporary kiosk just inside the entrance to Peterborough Square. As most of her stock was destroyed in the fire, Fitzgerald is selling only one item at the kiosk — her popular fizzing bath bombs — but holiday business has been brisk.
The owners of Natas Café began repairs at their location last week and hope to re-open before Christmas.
Ash Nayler, whose photography studio was located on the second floor of the building, is also now operating in a new location. She hasn’t been allowed back into the George Street building so she doesn’t know whether anything is salvageable from her studio.
City of Peterborough invests $4 million in new Canadian Canoe Museum
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)
Last Monday (December 11), Peterborough City Council voted in favour of investing $4 million over eight years in the new Canadian Canoe Museum to be located adjacent to the Peterborough Lift Lock.
In addition to the municipal funds, the Province of Ontario has invested $9 million and the Government of Canada has invested $1.4 million in the redevelopment project The museum has also made another funding application to the federal government for $13.6 million.
Over the next five years, the museum estimates the economic impact of the redevelopment project will be $71.6 million, resulting in 682 jobs. In addition, the museum’s operations will generate $14.4 million for the economy and 138 jobs.
Once the new facility is open, the museum is estimating visitors will spend around $5.6 million every year in the city.
Ontario invests in Trade Tech Industries in Port Hope
The Province of Ontario is investing $173,900 from the Eastern Ontario Development Fund in Trade Tech Industries in Port Hope to support the company’s expansion.
Trade Tech Industries custom designs and manufactures structural steel, aluminum and stainless steel products for the construction industry. The company moved from Bowmanville to Port Hope in 201 and currently employs 33 people.
The company is investing almost $1.2 million in the expansion project, which will invest in a new production line and equipment for aluminum fabrication. The expansion is expected to be completed by 2022 and will create 10 new jobs.
City of Peterborough’s credit rating upgraded
Last Thursday (December 14), financial services company Standard & Poor’s upgraded the City of Peterborough’s credit rating from “AA-” to “AA”.
Standard & Poor’s upgraded the long-term issuer credit and senior unsecured debt rating based on improved fiscal policies and a stable economic outlook.
“The stable outlook reflects our view that, in the next two years, the city will maintain operating surpluses above 10% of operating revenues while deficits after capital expenditures will average 6.5% of total revenue,” the company writes in a rating sheet.
“Tax-supported debt will represent less than 50% of consolidated operating revenues; and Peterborough will maintain liquidity levels that comfortably meet its financial obligations.”
Peterborough and Lindsay selected as locations for Ontario retail cannabis sales
The Province of Ontario plans to operate retail cannabis stores in both Peterborough and Lindsay. The locations of the stores are yet to be determined. (Photo: LCBO / Ministry of Finance)
Last Tuesday (December 12), the Ontario Ministry of Finance and LCBO identified 15 more municipalities — including Peterborough and Lindsay — to join the list of 14 municipalities already identified in November as locations for retail cannabis stores.
The province will be consulting with municipalities to determine suitable sites for the stores, following guidelines that include making sure the stores are not located close to schools. As part of the process, when a specific store site is identified, a public notice will be posted online and, when possible, at the physical location.
The public can also visit the LCBO Cannabis Updates website at lcbocannabisupdates.com to submit anonymous comments to the LCBO and the province on the intended site before it is confirmed.
Peterborough-Kawartha MP Maryam Monsef to attend Camp Kawartha Annual General Meeting on December 19
Camp Kawartha’s Annual General Meeting features a silent auction in support of the not-for-profit organization’s capital campaign, with items including this print signed by famed hockey artist D.A. Laird and NHLers Mike Murphy, Jim Gregory, Colin Campbell, and Kris King. (Photo courtesy of Camp Kawartha)
Camp Kawartha, the not-for-profit organization that provides environmental and outdoor programs, is holding its annual general meeting from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. on Tuesday, December 19th at Camp Kawartha Environment Centre (2505 Pioneer Rd., Peterborough).
Peterborough-Kawartha MP Maryam Monsef will be the special guest, with Peterborough GreenUP Executive Director Brianna Salmon the keynote speaker.
The evening begins at 5:30 p.m. with mingling, refreshments, and entertainment by Glen Caradus and company, with the formal portion of the evening beginning at 6:45 p.m. and including annual reports, election of officers, and special presentations.
The organization will also provide an update on its upcoming capital campaign, and the meeting will include a silent auction in support of the campaign. Auction items include a signed copy of The Big Book of Nature Activities by local naturalist Drew Monkman and Camp Kawartha’s Jacob Rodenburg, pottery from local potter David Baker and Camp Kawartha board member Bob Burgis, and a print by famed hockey artist D.A. Laird (signed by the artist and NHLers Mike Murphy, Jim Gregory, Colin Campbell, and Kris King).
Space is limited, so please RSVP to Karen at admin@campkawartha.ca or call 705-652-3860.
Kawarthas Northumberland offers Ignite Experiential Training in Alonquin Park from January 22 to 25 – Register by December 15
Attendees at the last sold-out Ignite Experiential Training session in Algonquin Park, held in March this year. The training returns in January 2018 but you must register by December 15th. (Photo: RTO8)
Through Regional Tourism Organization 8, Kawarthas Northumberland is offering “Ignite”, an experiential training program, at Northern Edge Algonquin in Algonquin Park from January 22nd to 25th.
This isn’t the standard classroom or conference-type training. The program involves a combination of physical activity, cultural interaction, and engagement with companies that are well known and respected in the “Explorers’ Edge” region of Ontario.
This learning opportunity received rave reviews from those who attended the sold-out program last March. For $575, you’ll get three days of learning and networking while enjoying the off-the-grid splendor of award-winning Northern Edge Algonquin.
The cost includes transportation from and to Peterborough, farm-to-table meals, hands-on immersive experiences, and three nights’ accommodation. There are only 16 spaces available and applications are due by Friday, December 15th. To apply, visit rt08.com.
Nominations for Northumberland 2017 Business Achievement Awards open until January 5
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.
Women’s Business Network of Peterborough Annual Member Tradeshow and Workshops on January 10
The Women’s Business Network of Peterborough (WBN) is hosting its annual member tradeshow and workshops at Highland Park Funeral Centre (2510 Bensfort Rd., Peterborough) on Wednesday, January 10th.
In addition to a showcase of businesses and organizations of WBN members, the event features two workshops related to human resources: “Diverse Hiring” by Lori McKee and “Developing High Performing Teams” by Colleen Carruthers.
Networking begins at 5:30 p.m. followed by dinner at 6:30 p.m. WBN members can register at www.womensbusinessnetwork.net.
A 27-year-old Mississauga man has been charged with fraud over $5,000 following a local lottery scam.
On July 19, 2017, a Peterborough woman in her 80s received a phone call from a man who told her she had won $4 million through a lottery as well as a luxury car.
The caller told the woman that to claim her prize and have the funds released to her, she had to deposit $15,000 into his bank account. The victim then went to her bank to proceed with the transfer.
The following day, a relative of the victim (who had access to her banking records) noticed suspicious transactions in the victim’s account, including two bank transfers totalling $927 along with the $15,000 bank transfer. The relative had the bank cancel the $15,000 transfer before any funds had been withdrawn.
Police were contacted and began an investigation. Through the investigation, the accused was identified and attended the Peterborough police station on December 16th where he was placed under arrest.
Darren Sinclair, 27, of Shelby Crescent in Mississauga, is charged with fraud over $5,000.
The accused appeared in weekend and statutory holiday court on December 16th, was remanded in custody, and is scheduled to appear again in court later today (December 18).
Police remind residents that:
Legitimate lotteries do not require you to pay a fee or tax to collect winnings.
Never send money to anybody you don’t know and trust.
Don’t provide personal banking details to anyone that you do not know and trust.
Examine all of the terms and conditions of any offer very carefully-claims of free or very cheap offers often have hidden costs. Calls to premium rate phone numbers or premium text messages can be very expensive.
Ask yourself “Did I enter this contest?” You cannot win money or a prize in a contest unless you have entered it yourself, or someone else has entered it on your behalf.
Serena Ryder's voice was in fine form for her 90-minute concert at Showplace Performance Centre on December 15, 2017. (Photo: Jeannine Taylor / kawarthaNOW)
Snowy conditions on Friday night (December 15) didn’t prevent an enthusiastic crowd from heading to Showplace Performance Centre in downtown Peterborough to see Serena Ryder.
The Millbrook native returned to Peterborough to perform a sold-out 90-minute concert to an appreciative hometown crowd.
Calgary indie band Reuben and the Dark opened the show shortly after 8 p.m. with a 45-minute set, which included the band’s best-known song “Heart in Two”.
Serena Ryder performed to an enthusiastic hometown crowd at the sold-out show. (Photo: Jeannine Taylor / kawarthaNOW)
While the openers received a warm reception from the audience, the crowd — which included a large contingent from Millbrook — was clearly there to see Serena.
When she and her six band mates took to the stage at around 9:15 p.m., they did not disappoint, opening the set with Serena’s 2012 mega-hit “Stompa”.
Serena said it was “good to be home”, before launching into “Me & You”.
Serena and her band perform “Hands”. (Photo: Jeannine Taylor / kawarthaNOW)
For the next tune, “Hands”, Serena encouraged the audience to raise their hands during the song’s chorus.
This was followed by another one of Serena’s hits, “What I Wouldn’t Do.”
Serena then took a few minutes to dedicate the next song to her sister Tiffany, who was in the audience along with Serena’s parents. She told the story of Tiffany’s fight to recover from multiple sclerosis, to the point where she could attend Serena’s concert without any assistive devices.
“I love you,” Serena said, before launching into the next song “Ice Age”.
VIDEO: “Sisters of Mercy” by Leonard Cohen performed by Serena Ryder
Serena then performed the title song from her latest record Utopia.
This was followed by solo performances of “It’s No Mistake”, Leonard Cohen’s “Sister of Mercy”, and “Weak in the Knees”.
Throughout the show, Serena frequently walked to the front of the stage to give special attention to two young girls in the front row, even giving the older girl a few chances to sing into Serena’s mic.
Serena frequently visited the front row to give special attention to a couple of young fans. (Photo: Bruce Head / kawarthaNOW)Serena and the six members of her band put on a seemingly effortless show. (Photo: Jeannine Taylor / kawarthaNOW)
As might be expected, Serena made a lot of references during the show to her hometown (both Millbrook, where she was born and raised, and Peterborough, where she went to school and launched her music career).
A copy of the set list from the show.
At one point, Serena suggested she might perform a concert sometime in the future in Millbrook.
She also gave the audience a not-so-subtle hint they might want to head over to the Red Dog after the show to see local band Silverhearts.
The remaining songs in the set were “Sanctuary”, “Calling To Say”, “Wild & Free”, “Baby Come Back”, and “Got Your Number” — which just went gold, as Serena told the audience to a round of applause.
After a standing ovation and lengthy demand for an encore from the crowd, Serena and her band returned to play “Fall” and “Electric Love” as the audience remained on its feet.
kawarthaNOW was live on Facebook from the front row at Showplace to broadcast a few samples of Serena’s performance.
The video below is the end of the final tune in her set (“Got Your Number”) and the beginning of the first encore (“Fall”). Visit our Facebook page for more videos.
Thieves removed the figures of Mary and Baby Jesus from this nativity scene at St. Paul's United Church in Bancroft last weekend. (Photo: Reverend Lynn Watson)
Somebody has stolen the figures of Mary and Baby Jesus from a nativity scene at St. Paul’s United Church in Bancroft.
Last Sunday (December 10), the Bancroft OPP responded to a theft complaint at the church, which is located at 1 Hasting St. South.
The previous evening, an unknown suspect or suspects removed the figures from the front lawn of the church.
The Bancroft OPP is investigating the theft and asks anyone with information about this theft is asked to contact them at 1-888-310-1122 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.
Kelsey Gordon Powell and Matt Gilbert perform in the titular third act of "Hellhound on my Trail", a dramedy consisting of three interconnected one-act plays at The Theatre on King in downtown Peterborough until December 16. (Photo: Andy Carroll)
And the days keeps on worryin’ me / There’s a hellhound on my trail – Robert Johnson, 1937
The Theatre On King presents Hellhound on my Trail
When: Thursday, December 14 to Saturday, December 16, 2017 at 8 p.m. Where: The Theatre on King (159 King St., Suite 120, Peterborough) How much: $10 at the door.
Written by Denis Johnson. Directed by Kelsey Gordon Powell and starring Naomi Duvall and Hilary Wear (Act 1), Dan Smith and Emily Eakins with Shannon McKenzie (Act 2), and Kelsey Gordon Powell and Matt Gilbert (Act 3).
It’s a crowded arts scene this season with plenty of options for family-friendly holiday fun. However, if you’ve already been oversaturated by Christmas cheer and those banal Hallmark Christmas movies, director Kelsey Gordon Powell has a theatre offering that couldn’t be further away from the abundance of yuletide festivities.
From December 14th to 16th, The Theatre On King presents Denis Johnson’s thriller Hellhound on my Trail. A salacious dramaedy, Hellhound On My Trail is a stark look at corporate power struggles filled with sex scandals, victims, losers, and religious cults.
It’s a look at the modern American cesspool where people in power play fast and loose with human lives, through a surreal presentation that unfolds out like the lovechild of David Lynch and Quentin Tarantino.
To say the least, this story is everything White Christmas isn’t.
Written in 2000 by award-winning American writer Denis Johnson (who died this past May at the age of 67), Hellhound on My Trail: A Drama in Three Parts was his first play in what proved to be a long and varied literary career.
Receiving early notoriety for his novel Angels and his short-story collection Jesus’ Son, Johnson’s novels from the 1990s (Tree of Smoke and Train Dreams) were Pulitzer Prize finalists.
“Hellhound on my Trail” playwright and author Denis Johnson during a 2016 reading at Cornell University. Known for writing about desperate, down-on-their-luck characters, Johnson himself battled with alcohol and drug addiction as a young man. He died of cancer in May 2017 at the age of 67. (Photo: Cornell University)
Hellhound on my Trail is an extremely cerebral and often poetic production with shards of Johnson’s own troubled life poking through the subtext. The play consists of three different one-act plays brought together under one umbrella.
While each of the three stories is a separate entity, they all link together revealing a larger interconnected plot. However, the plot doesn’t seem to be the true point of the show at all, and often the details become muddled and obscured. Instead, the point of each part is the intense power play between individuals battling for their own self-preservation.
Kelsey brings together a company of many of my favourite local performers who create a powerful and intelligent piece of theatre. But if you try too hard to understand the awkward plot, you may be in danger of missing the brilliant on-stage performances by this outstanding cast. For those searching for the story, I’ll give a few details, but it’s better to allow the story to unfold as you watch the cat-and-mouse games played by the different characters.
In an unlikely plot, something insidious has gone on within the American Ministry of Agriculture and an obscure sex scandal at a jam factory has people being thrown under buses and looking over their shoulders.
Naomi DuVall and Hilary Wear in ‘An Exploration on the Colorado River’. (Photo: Andy Carroll)
In the first act, “An Exploration of the Colorado River”, Naomi Duvall plays Marigold Cassandra, who is being interrogated by investigator Mrs. May (Hilary Wear) over a sexual harassment charge.
In the battle of wits between the two women, a sexual battle between predator and victim begins to play out in the office — potently relevant in today’s post-Weinstein culture. The audience watches a woman in power sexually manipulate and paw at another woman in a scene that grows more uncomfortable as it continues.
The obvious trust that Naomi and Hilary have in each another as they perform becomes obvious, and this first act not only sets up the story for the rest of the play, but the mood for the rest of the night. “An Exploration of the Colorado River” is uncomfortable to watch, but has many layers of surprises which creates more questions than answers as it continues. It’s a powerful piece performed by two of Peterborough’s best actresses.
The second act ,”Heads Rolling and Rolling”, features Dan Smith and newcomer Emily Eakins in what is very much a sister act to the first act. Emily’s character Kate Wendall, who has been referred to constantly in the first act, converses with shifty federal operative named Jack Toast, played by Dan.
Emily Eakins and Dan Smith in ‘Heads Rolling and Rolling’. (Photo: Andy Carroll)
As the pair engages in intense banter, more details of the sex scandal — and the secrets within the Ministry of Agriculture — begin to come forth. This time the power struggle seems to be for information, although there is also an unsubtle flirtation between the two characters that creates some delicious sexual tension.
For her first foray into theatre, Emily Eakins is quite good in a difficult scene filled with wordy double talk, and she finds a giving partner in Dan Smith who delivers his usual brand of solid performance. “Heads Rolling and Rolling” also features stage manager Shannon McKenzie in a small walk-on part which, in its own weird way, lends even more claustrophobic tension to the piece.
But the stand-out portion of the show is the final act, which is actually titled “Hellhound on my Trail”.
About the same length as the first two acts put together, the third act centers around a down-and-out loser named Cass (Kelsey Gordon Powell) who wakes up in a scummy hotel room with a bullet wound, a gun, a bag of cocaine, and no memories of the night before. While still trying to get his bearings, he is visited by the mysterious Salzar (Matt Gilbert) who, claiming to be an FBI agent, soon reveals that he is something completely different.
Kelsey Gordon Powell and Matt Gilbert in ‘Hellhound on my Trail’. (Photo: Andy Carroll)
Soon the pair engages in an often-hilarious discussion that comes out of left field, but oddly fits into the confines of the show. Matt Gilbert becomes the audience favourite with a character who is both the straight man and the kook, much to the on-stage amusement of Kelsey’s completely unstable character.
So is Salzarr friend or foe? What happened to Cass? How does all of this connect to the first two acts? I’m not going to reveal the answers, and in the end I’m not sure if all the questions are answered. Audience members will have to fill in the blanks. But once again, the point doesn’t seem to be the plot as much as the interplay between Kelsey and Matt’s characters.
With the plot being a secondary function to this show, the intrigue is built through character dynamics, as well as the plot points that are not revealed rather than those that are. Part of what makes the show compelling is trying to complete the puzzle, only to find that there are still a few missing pieces once it’s finished. I’m reluctant to reveal more of the plot to avoid spoiling the experience of discovering these characters for yourself and coming to your own conclusion to the meaning of the show.
Hellhound on My Trail is a smart and surreal look into the lies that people in power tell and the secrets that they strive to keep. It’s a beautifully written show with an amazing cast of actors. For people looking for something beyond the usual holiday fare, taking in Hellhound on my Trail is the thing to do this weekend. You will be not be disappointed with this strange thriller — it’s a perfect show to cap off the theatre year.
Hellhound on my Trail runs from December 14th to 16th at The Theatre On King. The show starts at 8 p.m. (doors open at 7:15 p.m.) and admission is $10.
Legendary folk rocker Joe Hall, pictured here in 2014 at JP Hovercraft's 60th birthday celebration, performs a matinee show on Saturday, December 16 at the first-ever live music event at Moody's Bar & Grill in Millbrook. (Photo: SLAB Productions)
Every Thursday, we publish live music and performance events at pubs and clubs in Peterborough and The Kawarthas based on information that venues provide to us directly or post on their website or social media channels. Here are the listings for the week of Thursday, December 14 to Wednesday, December 20.
If you’re a pub or club owner and want to be included in our weekly listings, please email our Nightlife Editor at nightlife@kawarthanow.com.
Sunday, December 31 7:30pm - New Year's Eve Party with live music by Gunslingers at 9 p.m. ($85, includes 3-course meal, one drink and champagne at midnight)
Thursday, March 6 7pm - Shred Kelly
The Cat & The Fiddle Cobourg
38 Covert St., Cobourg
(905) 377-9029
Friday, December 15
8pm - Cheryl Casselman Band
Catalina's
131 Hunter St. W., Peterborough
(705) 874-5972
Friday, December 15
5-7pm - The Last Cocktail w/ Chester Babcock Trio
Saturday, December 16
7:30pm - Heartless Romantics w/ Rhys Climenhage, Television Rd, Mary-Kate Edwards, Niall Jensen ($5 or PWYC at door)
Sunday, December 17
3-6pm - Closing part w/ Pays d'en Haut ($15)
Chemong Lodge
764 Hunter St., Bridgenorth
(705) 292-8435
Thursdays
5-9pm - Pianist Barry McMullen (dining room)
Fridays
5-9pm - Pianist Barry McMullen (dining room)
The Church-key Pub & Grindhouse
26 Bridge St. W., Campbellford
(705) 653-0001
Thursday, December 14
7pm - Euchre; 8pm - Ray on the Radio
Friday, December 15
5pm - Andrew Queen & Son; 9pm - Culgin and Bell
Saturday, December 16
9pm - Jane Archer and the Reactionaries "Great Atomic Power" CD Release
Monday, December 18
Trivial Pursuit
Tuesday, December 19
OpinioNation w/ Bill Davenport
Wednesday, December 20
8pm - Whiskey Wednesday w/ Ken Tizzard
Coach & Horses Pub
16 York St. S., Lindsay
(705) 328-0006
Thursdays
10pm - Open Mic w/ Gerald Vanhalteren
Fridays
9:30pm - Karaoke Night w/ DJ. Ross
Wednesdays
7-11pm - Live music
Dobro Restaurant & Bar
287-289 George St. N., Peterborough
(705) 775-9645
Thursday, December 14
10pm - Live music TBA (no cover)
Friday, December 15
10pm - Live music TBA (no cover)
Saturday, December 16
10pm - Live music TBA (no cover)
Wednesday, December 20
Open stage
Dominion Hotel
113 Main St., Minden
(705) 286-6954
Saturday, December 16
7:30pm - Blues Christmas Dance ft the Full Count Blues Band ($20-25)
Wednesday, December 20
7:30pm - Poets in the Pub
Coming Soon
Friday, December 22 4-7pm - Customer Appreciation Event ft music by Jeff Moulton
Sunday, December 31 9pm - New Year's Eve with music by Movin' On ($10)
Dr. J's BBQ & Brews
282 Aylmer St., Peterborough
(705) 874-5717
Saturday, December 16
2-5pm - Peterborough Musicians Benevolent Association Deluxe Blues Jam hosted by Water St. Slim & The Unlikely Heroes (by donation)
Sunday, December 31 9:30pm - New Year's Eve Party with The Spirits & DJ Double J at 12:30am ($20)
Ganaraska Hotel
30 Ontario St., Port Hope
(905) 885-9254
Friday, December 15
10pm - Dave Mowat Band
Saturday, December 16
2pm & 10pm - Blueprint
Wednesday, December 20
8pm - Open mic w/ Rob Foreman and Clayton Yates
Coming Soon
Friday, December 22 10pm - Quickshifters
Saturday, December 23 2pm & 10pm - Quickshifters
The Garnet
231 Hunter St. W., Peterborough
(705) 874-0107
Thursday, December 14
5-7pm - Pints 'N' Politics
Friday, December 15
8pm - Nailheads, Beta 58s, Corporate Life, Deviants and The Odd Man Out, Basement Dweller ($5 or PWYC)
Saturday, December 16
9pm - Nick Ferrio, Tough Age, Belly Flop ($10 or PWYC)
Sunday, December 17
Construction and Deconstruction
Coming Soon
Thursday, December 21 5-7pm - Pints 'N' Politics
Friday, December 22 5pm - Lotus Wight
Saturday, December 23 Tipsy Eve
Golden Wheel Restaurant
6725 Highway 7, Peterborough
(705) 749-6838
Thursdays
7-9pm - Intermediate Line Dancing Lessons w/ Tina O'Rourke ($7 per person,)
Friday, December 15
7pm - Fundraiser Cavan Millbrook Community Centre with dinner and live music by Peter Graham & Kendal Thompson ($40)
Wednesdays
7-9pm - Line Dancing Lessons w/ Marlene Maskell ($7 per person, all levels welcome)
Gordon Best Theatre
216 Hunter St. W., Peterborough
(705) 876-8884
Thursday, December 14
9pm - Fond Farewell to Fruitcake the Fender with Em Glasspool
Saturday, December 16
7pm - Tacky Christmas Sweater Party 'N Food Drive
Hastings House Restaurant & Bar
27 Front St. W., Hastings
(705) 696-3301
Friday, December 15
9pm - Jane Archer and the Reactionaries "Great Atomic Power" CD Release
Coming Soon
Friday, December 29 8pm - Live Band and Open Mic
Hot Belly Mama's
378 George St. N., Peterborough
(705) 745-3544
Thursdays
8pm - The Quickshifters (PWYC)
Junction Nightclub
253 George St. N., Peterborough
(705) 743-0550
Friday, December 15
10pm - Nothing But the 90s w/ DJ Bill Porter (no cover)
Saturday, December 16
10pm - Santa's Workshop Party (ugly sweaters and Christmas outfits encouraged, free photo with Santa plus gift, $1 from every drink to Energy 99.7 toy drive)
Coming Soon
Sunday, December 31 New Year's Eve ft DJ Bill Porter ($10 in advance at www.junctionptbo.com/nye)
McThirsty's Pint
166 Charlotte St., Peterborough
(705) 743-2220
Thursdays
9pm - Live music
Fridays
10pm - Live music with Brian Haddlesey
Saturdays
10pm - Live music with Brian Haddlesey
Mondays
10pm - Trivia Night
Tuesdays
9pm - Topper Tuesdays w/ DJ Jake Topper
Wednesdays
9pm - Live music
The Mill Restaurant and Pub
990 Ontario St., Cobourg
(905) 377-8177
Thursday, December 14
7pm - Down Beat
Coming Soon
Thursday, December 21 7pm - Rob Vance
Moody's Bar & Grill
3 Tupper St., Millbrook
(705) 932-6663
Saturday, December 16
2-5:30pm - Joe Hall
VIDEO: "The New Frontier" by Joe Hall with Pat Walsh and Trevor Davis
Murphy's Lockside Pub & Patio
3 May St., Fenelon Falls
(705) 887-1100
Coming Soon
Thursday, January 18 7:30-10pm - North Country Express
Oasis Bar & Grill
31 King St. E., Cobourg
(905) 372-6634
Thursdays
6:30pm - Live music
Sundays
5:30pm - PHLO
Wednesdays
6:30pm - Live music
Pappas Billiards
407 George St. N., Peterborough
(705) 742-9010
Thursdays
7-10pm - Open Mic
Puck' N Pint Sports Pub
871 Chemong Rd., Peterborough
(705) 741-1078
Friday, December 15
9pm - Andy McDonald and friends
Saturday, December 16
9pm - Karaoke
Coming Soon
Friday, December 22 9pm - Andy McDonald and friends
Saturday, December 23 9pm - High Waters Band
Red Dog Tavern
189 Hunter St. W., Peterborough
(705) 741-6400
Thursday, December 14
Kirkland
Friday, December 15
Silverhearts
Saturday, December 16
9pm - Ireland Brothers w/ Washboard Hank
Coming Soon
Thursday, December 21 8pm - Peterborough Folk Fest presents The Kents Holiday Homecoming w/ Lost Cousins, Hutch, Cleopatrick, Mary-Kate Edwards ($10 with non-perishable food item)
Friday, December 22 9pm - Tribute Audio Xmas
Sunday, December 31 10pm - The Weber Brothers Patches CD Release ($20)
Riley's
257 George St. N., Peterborough
(705) 750-1445
Thursdays
Travis Berlinbach
Fridays
Travis Berlinbach
Saturdays
Josh Gontier
Sundays
Josh Gontier
Mondays
Josh Gontier
Tuesdays
Josh Gontier & Cale Gontier
Wednesdays
Guest performers
Shots
379 George Street K9H 3R2, Peterborough
(705) 749-9315
Wednesdays
10pm - Wednesday House Party
The Social
295 George St. N., Peterborough
(705) 874-6724
Friday, December 15
Kris Barclay
Saturday, December 16
Hippe Crippler
Wednesday, December 20
Cale Crow
Coming Soon
Thursday, December 21 8pm - The Blues Brothers tribute (Stan and Bob Hammond) w/ Shane Philips and Mississauga Delta Blues Band ($20)
Friday, December 22 Jesse Slack
Saturday, December 23 Man on The Wall
Southside Pizzeria
25 Lansdowne St. W., Peterborough
(705) 748-6120
Fridays
9am-12pm - Open mic ($2);
Turtle John's Pub & Restaurant
64 John St., Port Hope
(905) 885-7200
Saturday, December 16
9pm - Daniel Greer w/ The Social Drinkers
The Venue
286 George Street North, Peterborough
(705) 876-0008
Sunday, December 17
7-10pm - 3rd Annual Warming Room Christmas Party ft Kate Suhr, Melissa Payne, Kate Brioux, Silver Lining, Paper Shakers, Eric Brandon (PWYC)
Coming Soon
Sunday, December 31 6pm - 2018 NYE Dinner and Dance (at 9pm) with live music by 4 Front (19+, $30 for dance only, $65 for dance and dinner)
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