The James Barker Band consists of James Barker, a native of Woodvile in the City of Kawartha Lakes, along with Taylor Abram, Bobby Martin, and Connor Stephen. (Publicity photo)
The James Barker Band has won the 2018 Juno for Country album of the year for Game On.
While the 2018 Juno Awards ceremony is tonight (March 25), a number of awards were handed out at the Juno Gala Dinner & Awards ceremony last night — where the James Barker Band also performed.
The band beat out the other nominees in the category: Past the Past by Jess Moskaluke, Shake These Walls by Tim Hicks, Beautiful Freakshow by Dean Brody, and Dear Life by High Valley.
Formed in 2013, the band consists of James Barker, Taylor Abram, Bobby Martin, and Connor Stephen. Barker is a native of Woodville, northwest of Lindsay in the City of Kawartha Lakes.
Their first EP for Universal Music Music, Game On was released in April 2017. The band won the Fan’s Choice award at the 2017 Country Music Association of Ontario Awards.
The band was also nominated for Breakthrough Group of the Year, but Toronto alt-rock band The Beaches won the Juno award in that category.
An acronym of the first names of its six members, LLAADS is a new Peterborough comedy troupe featuring Lindsay Unterlander, Adam Wilkinson, Luke Foster, Dan Smith, and Sarah McNeilly (the second "A", Adam Martignetti, is behind the camera). LLAADS' inaugural show is at The Theatre on King in downtown Peterborough on March 31, 2018. (Photo: Adam Martignetti)
On Saturday, March 31st, a new chapter in Peterborough’s love affair with comedy begin with its newest comedy troupe, LLAADS, performing for the first time at The Theatre on King in downtown Peterborough.
An acronym of the first names of its six members (Luke Foster, Lindsay Unterlander, Adam Martignetti, Adam Wilkinson, Dan Smith, and Sarah McNeilly), LLAADS is bringing sketch comedy back to the Peterborough stage.
“There hasn’t been sketch comedy in Peterborough for a long time,” points out co-founder Dan Smith. “I think it’s going to be a chance for an audience to see something that is hopefully laugh out loud funny.”
“We have people who have experience in both sketch comedy and improv and serious theatre, and who are familiar with The Theatre on King,” he adds. “We’ve all seen and done some very funny shows in that space. We’re backstage and we hear the roar of laughter and your nerves and adrenaline are already peaking because the audience is so invested already.”
LLAADS is the brainchild of Dan and Luke Foster who, seeing an opening in the current local comedy landscape, finally formed the group after years of talking about it.
“Luke and I were in a group called The Shrimps together, and we used to write weekly sketch shows with improv at the end,” Dan says. “Luke especially has kept the constant bug in my ear that we need to do sketch comedy again. Now that some time has come where we could do something, Luke just started to make it happen.
“He suggested the people that he wanted to work with, and he talked to myself and Adam Wilkinson, and we both wanted to work with Sarah, and Luke mentioned Lindsay and I said yes. And later on it was better that we got another Adam.”
“This is like a dream team for me,” Luke Foster says. “There is no ego. There is no drama on or off stage. It’s a great group of people that we trust.”
“It’s all about trust and comfort,” Dan agrees. “We’ve all worked together before and have had very special moments together on the stage.”
“Actually, I don’t know how much I trust Luke,” Lindsay Unterlander quips. “His goal is to make me a corpse on stage.”
LLAADS has come during an interesting time in the local theatre scene, with a lull in live comedy shows. Two summers ago improv shows were a trend in Peterborough, with popular improv team The Citiots leading the charge.
But now that The Citiots is on an extended hiatus, paired with the ending of Andrew Root’s popular Crime City series, live comedy has gotten sparse. As a result, LLAADS has a clean playing field to create its own audience and something new in comedy.
While reviewing material for their debut performance at The Theatre On King on March 31, 2018, the six members of LLAADS stress-test a couch: Luke Foster, Dan Smith, Sarah McNeilly, Lindsay Unterlander, Adam Wilkinson, and Adam Martignetti. (Photo: Sam Tweedle / kawarthaNOW.com)
“Some of the smaller groups seemed to have stopped with some people moving away,” Dan points out. “With The Citiots, people just got busy. Some people went solo, some people had to focus on their jobs and life and family. So that’s on a break, but people still want to perform.”
“Speaking as a fan and friend perspective, now that the Citiots are essentially on a hiatus, looking back there are fond memories,” Adam Martignetti adds. “But now, everyone involved with that has the ability to do something different.”
“It gave us an opportunity to say let’s do this, have a meeting and get a group together,” Dan says.
Although there will be a small element of improv in LLAADS performances, the group is veering away from that form of comedy to go into a more traditional vein of sketch comedy.
“I think Canada popularized the whole industry of sketch comedy,” Dan says. “I remember watching SCTV when it first got started, and watching reruns over and over again when I was in high school. Then Kids in the Hall came out, and it was like they made an SCTV for our generation.
“Since then there really hasn’t been a group to take that mantel in the mainstream market. But then, online there are groups doing incredible material.”
With the majority of LLAADS being made up of local theatrical favourites who have all appeared in productions together, this is the first time that the members of LLAADS have worked together as a group. While Adam Wilkinson hasn’t done much theatre in the area, he has his own solid ties to the foundations of LLAADS.
“I met Adam when I went to Humber for comedy,” Luke says. “We were in the same group. We finished in 2003, and I’ve known him since then and have wanted to work with him again.”
“I moved to Millbrook two years ago, and now I’ve been able to become a part of this group,” Adam Wilkinson explains. “It’s been amazing to come to Peterborough, because I used to work in the Durham area doing improv and touring shows through Northumberland. But I haven’t been close enough for me and Luke to work together again, until now.”
To me, the biggest appeal of LLAADS is that it contains some of my favorite performers in Peterborough, coming together for the first time to try something new.
“We’re not out to redefine comedy,” Dan explains. “We’re doing this because we enjoy working with each other.”
Lindsay agrees.
“I said yes when Luke asked me because I am going to be working with great people,” she says. “It’s a challenge and something that is out of my comfort zone, but I figured it’d be fun.”
“Everybody involved is a great performer,” Adam Martignetti adds. “No matter what material is brought forth, we are going to perform to the height of our ability. It’s just a matter of finding out if our performance matches the material.”
Sarah points out that, despite the members of LLAADS all being “incredibly busy”, they are dedicated to making it work.
“The effort that everybody is putting into this makes it just that much more cohesive,” Sarah says. “It gives me a good feeling that we are onto something really great here.”
Adam Martignetti, who took the group photo of LLAADS featured in this story, apparently felt left out and supplied kawarthaNOW with this alternate version. (Photo: Adam Martignetti)
Adam Martignetti is looking forward to the opportunity to share the troupe’s work with an audience for the first time and on a regular basis.
“We could write these sketches, perform them in someone’s living room, and then just go home,” he says. “But we get to share them with people. If we can make you laugh, or make you think, or make you enjoy what we are doing, then I don’t see why we shouldn’t do that every day.”
“With everything going on, not only in Canada but in the world, and especially the States, it’s a chance for people to get out and enjoy themselves,” Luke adds.
Peterborough audiences loves their comedy shows, and LLAADS is taking something old and creating something brand new with it. I predict LLAADS is going to be something really fun.
Along with the collective talent and experience of the group coming onto play, the popularity of the individual members should also bring in a healthy audience for the debut performance.
Get on the ground floor of this new and dynamic group by joining them at their inaugural show at 8 p.m. on Saturday, March 31st at The Theatre On King (159 King St., Peterborough). Tickets are $10 at the door.
The Canadian Fire Fighters Museum, which launched in Port Hope in 1984, will not open this year. The museum's current Mill Street South building is scheduled to be torn down this spring for excavation and removal of soil contaminated by low-level radioactive waste. The museum will be seeking a new location for its collection of historical firefighting and fire-related artifacts, which have been moved into temporary storage. (Image: Canadian Fire Fighters Museum)
After 34 years of operation, the Canadian Fire Fighters Museum in Port Hope won’t be opening this year.
Normally open from May to October, the non-profit museum at 95 Mill Street South has been forced to close as the current site is located on land contaminated by low-level radioactive waste.
Under the Port Hope Area Initiative, the federal government is spending $1.28 billion over 10 years to clean up waste produced between 1933 and 1988 from uranium and radium refining operations of former Crown corporation Eldorado Nuclear Ltd. There are two projects in the initiative, one in Port Hope and the other in Clarington. The Port Hope Project will clean up 1.2 million cubic metres of waste.
The Canadian Fire Fighters Museum’s collection includes vintage fire trucks, hand-drawn and horse-drawn equipment, antique uniforms and helmets, fire hydrants and fire-related signage, safety equipment, toys, and more. (Photo: Canadian Fire Fighters Museum)
The museum thought it had until December 2018, the originally scheduled date for the Port Hope project clean-up operations, to find a new location.
However, the waste excavation and removal for the Port Hope waterfront sites — including West Beach, Mill Street South, and the CN/CP viaducts areas — is now commencing this spring.
Since opening in 1984, the museum has been located in an unheated quonset hut at the former Port Hope town sheds, which were donated by the Municipality of Port Hope for the museum’s use.
The museum houses a collection of historic artifacts that tell the story of role that firefighters have played in the lives of communities across Canada. The collection includes vintage fire trucks, hand-drawn and horse-drawn equipment, antique uniforms and helmets, fire hydrants and fire-related signage, safety equipment, toys, and more.
Antique fire extinguishers. (Photo: Canadian Fire Fighters Museum)
The museum attracts around 5,000 visitors a year.
Will Lambert, chair of the museum’s board of directors, says the museum has been seeking a new and larger location for the past two years.
Museum officials were negotiating with the owners of the former Canadian Tire building on Robertson Street, but the owners ended up selling the building to someone else last summer.
“We thought if we moved into Canadian Tire we would have had three times the space to show more things in a better way,” Lambert says in an interview with CBC Toronto. “We thought we could be looking at 15,000 visitors in our first year.”
An architectural rendering of a possible future location for the Canadian Fire Fighters Museum. When the museum finds a new location, it will launch a fundraising campaign. (Image: Canadian Fire Fighters Museum)
Then the museum learned of the accelerated waste clean-up schedule. Since December, volunteers have been moving artifacts from the museum’s collection into temporary storage spaces across Port Hope, including municipal buildings.
The museum hopes to find a new location in Port Hope or elsewhere in Northumberland County in the next two years.
The museum, whose operation is funded on donations and gift shop revenue, will run a fundraising campaign if it finds a suitable location.
Two vintage leather firefighters’ helmets. (Photo: Canadian Fire Fighters Museum)
Until March 29th, the museum is running an online fundraising auction of surplus items, including duplicate artifacts, office equipment, and other items they don’t want to put into storage.
While the museum looks for a new location, you can still view the collection through a virtual tour at the museum’s website at www.firemuseumcanada.com.
There have been two recent incidents involving large quantities of waste, containing hazardous materials, being illegally dumped on roads in the City of Kawartha Lakes. The city is encouraging residents to be on the lookout for illegal dumping and to report it to city officials and the police. (Photo: City of Kawartha Lakes)
The City of Kawartha Lakes is asking residents to report people who are illegally dumping waste.
A media release states there have been two recent incidents involving large quantities of waste, containing hazardous materials, being illegally dumped on city roads.
“These types of illegal dumping incidents cost thousands of dollars to clean up,” says Bryan Robinson, Director of Public Works. “We are asking residents with information to come forward so we can hold those responsible accountable for their actions.”
Taxpayers end up paying the costs to clean up illegally dumped waste.
You can report any illegally dumped waste by contacting the City of Kawartha Lakes at 705-324-9411.
If you notice any suspicious activity — such as trucks with large loads parking on back roads, especially at night — call the Kawartha Lakes OPP at 705-324-6741 or the Kawartha Lakes Police Service at 705-324-5252.
When reporting suspicious activity, if possible note the license plate number, type of vehicle, time of day, and location.
When a contractor is disposing of waste on your behalf, require that they provide you with proof of proper disposal such as tipping receipts from the landfill.
Illegal dumping is a crime. All waste must be disposed during curbside collection or at city landfill sites.
Illegally dumped waste is an environmental and health hazard. Illegal dump sites can contain chemicals that contaminate wells and surface water, dumped tires and mattresses can be infested with disease carrying mosquitoes, and the dump sites attract rodents, insects and other vermin.
Illegal dump sites often contain broken glass, syringes, medical waste and toxic substances like asbestos. Pets and wildlife near dump sites can be harmed by ingesting hazardous materials, injured by sharp objects, and suffocate if they become stuck in the debris.
They are also a fire hazard, prevent the natural runoff of water during heavy rain and can cause flooding and property damage, and negatively impact tourism and quality of life for residents.
John Crossen explaining his telescope to a tour group at the Buckhorn Observatory, which he opened in 2002 and ran until 2014. John passed away at the age of 73 on March 22, 2018 after a long illness. (Photo: Crossen family)
John Crossen, the founder of Buckhorn Observatory and an enthusiastic astronomy educator, passed away yesterday (March 22) after a long illness.
He was 73 years old.
John’s wife, local journalist Deb Crossen, announced his passing in a public Facebook post:
A native of Midland in Michigan, John had a life-long interest in astronomy and, later, astrophotography. He moved to Canada in 1967, where his day job was as an advertising copyrighter, working on award-winning ad campaigns for clients including major automakers and breweries.
John and Deb married in 1986. Living in Toronto, they travelled north on the weekends so John could see the stars. When John retired, they decided to move to Buckhorn in 1999.
“John’s astronomy hobby was the main driving force in the decision of the location for our new home,” Deb writes in her 2006 book Chick with a Chainsaw, in which she documents her transition to rural life.
“John’s astronomy hobby was the main driving force in the decision of the location for our new home.” Deb and John Crossen moved from Toronto to Buckhorn in 1999, an experience Deb recounts in her 2006 book “Chick with a Chainsaw”. (Photo: Crossen family)
“We could only see 63 bright stars from our backyard in the city so wherever we ended up had to be under darker skies.”
Within a year of moving to Buckhorn, John built an observatory on their property, equipped with a retractable roof, so he could indulge his retirement hobby.
Soon, local astronomy enthusiasts, neighbours, and tourists began dropping by to look through the telescope and hear John talk about the planets and the stars.
The building was dubbed the Buckhorn Observatory and opened to the public in 2002.
The original Buckhorn Observatory. (Photo: Crossen family)
“I quickly discovered that it was more fun telling people about astronomy and showing them celestial targets through my telescopes than it was sitting alone guiding an astrophoto for hours,” John wrote in a story for NASA’s Solar & Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) website in September 2008.
“So one year and only two exposed rolls of film later, Buckhorn Observatory became an impromptu education/outreach centre. Since then the observatory has acquired a portable planetarium which makes for an exciting astronomy presentation with schools, scout groups and the annual Astronomy Day outing of the Peterborough Astronomical Association.
“Because most of my work with schools takes place during the daylight hours, I purchased a Baader white light solar filter and a portable refractor telescope for the outdoor portion of my daytime astro-presentations.”
Astronomer John Crossen with his telescope in the original Buckhorn Observatory building, which he built shortly after he and his wife Deb Crossen moved from Toronto to Buckhorn. (Photo: Crossen family)
At its peak, Buckhorn Observatory averaged around 500 visitors each year, mostly during the summer months. Originally, tours were free and then John began charging a modest fee to keep the observatory running.
In addition to guiding tours through the observatory, John also gave talks on astronomy at various organizations and groups, including the Kawartha Field Naturalists, schools, scouting groups, seniors, and professional groups.
He was involved in the Peterborough Regional Science Fair and at the Holy Cross Science Show (where he was a judge), and made annual appearances at Astronomy Day in Peterborough.
“I wish I’d started teaching basic astronomy ten years earlier,” John wrote in his SOHO story. “I never knew retirement could be so rewarding — or so busy.”
“I wish I’d started teaching basic astronomy ten years earlier. I never knew retirement could be so rewarding — or so busy.” – John Crossen, pictured here during Astronomy Day in Peterborough. (Photo: Crossen family)
With the assistance of Deb, he ran the observatory’s website and wrote a monthly newsletter. He wrote a weekly stargazing column in the Lakefield Herald, appeared on CHEX TV, and also wrote articles for The Journal of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada.
He was a past president and active member of the Peterborough Astronomical Association (PAA).
John Crossen’s legacy lives on with the Peterborough Astronomical Association’s new domed observatory, which was built in the summer of 2017 to replace the old Buckhorn Observatory building on the Crossen’s Buckhorn property. (Photo: Peterborough Astronomical Association)
John was also an advocate for reducing light pollution, making presentations to both the City of Kawartha Lakes and Trent Lakes city councils.
In 2014, when he was 70 years old and began experiencing health issues, John closed the Buckhorn Observatory to the public.
However, John’s legacy to astronomy will live on. Last summer, PAA volunteers tore down the old building and built a new platform to house a new domed observatory building.
The new observatory — which will be used by PAA members only — includes a new telescope, a computer/monitor, and an array of eyepieces including a binocular setup for the telescopes.
In addition to his interest in astronomy, John was also a lyricist who collaborated with his musician and friend Terry Bush on many songs — including “Maybe Tomorrow”, the theme from the Canadian TV series The Littlest Hobo.
According to his wife Deb, John was proud of his contribution to Canadian music and television, and millions of Canadians and others around the world will remember the lyrics John wrote:
There’s a voice that keeps on calling me
Down the road is where I’ll always be
Every stop I make, I’ll make a new friend
Can’t stay for long, just turn around and I’m gone again.
Maybe tomorrow, I’ll want to settle down,
Until tomorrow, I’ll just keep moving on.
VIDEO: “Maybe Tomorrow” with music by Terry Bush and lyrics by John Crossen
There will be a drop-in celebration of John’s life at the Buckhorn Community Centre (1782 Lakehurst Rd., Buckhorn) from 12 to 3 p.m. on Sunday, April 8th.
The celebration will feature a video chronology of John’s life, set to music created by John and Terry Bush.
In lieu of flowers, the family has requested a donation to the Buckhorn Regional Health Centre or Buckhorn Community Centre.
Juno award winning folk-pop duo Big Little Lions (Helen Austin and Paul Otten) perform at The Garnet in downtown Peterborough on Tuesday, March 27th with special guest Mary-Kate Edwards. (Photo: Big Little Lions)
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, March 22 to Wednesday, March 28.
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.
Trent Valley Honda founder Frank Mandeljc with his daughter and current owner Monika Carmichael, his wife Elfrieda, and his son and used car manager Frankie Mandeljc. (Photo: Trent Valley Honda)
Frank Mandeljc, the founder of Trent Valley Honda in Peterborough, passed away on Monday (March 19) at the age of 72.
Frank “The Chief” Mandeljc opened Trent Valley Auto on Water Street in Peterborough in 1975 with five staff. Now located on Highway 7 and owned by his daughter Monika Carmichael, Trent Valley Honda employs more than 50 people. (Photo: Trent Valley Honda)
Born in 1945 in Gorje, Slovenia, Mandeljc immigrated to Canada when he was 18 years old. An auto mechanic, he opened Trent Valley Auto on Water Street in 1975 with five staff.
In 1978, he moved the dealership to its current location at 851 Highway 7 East.
Mandeljc, who was called “The Chief” by his employees, handed over management of the business in 1995 to his daughter Monika Carmichael.
Carmichael became the dealer principal in 2005, one of only 10 female Honda dealership owners in Canada (she is an inductee into the 2018 Junior Achievement Business Hall of Fame).
Trent Valley Honda now employs more than 50 people and had more than $35 million in sales last year.
A visitation will held at Ashburnham Funeral Home (840 Armour Rd., Peterborough) from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, March 24th, with a service at 1 p.m. and an internment at Lakefield Cemetery at 2 p.m. A reception will follow at Ashburnham Funeral Home from 3 to 5 p.m.
Trent Valley Honda will be closed Saturday, March 24th, to honour its founder.
The family has requested donations to the Heart and Stroke Foundation.
The OPP's province-wide gun amnesty during April allows the public an easy opportunity for the safe disposal of unwanted, unlicensed and unregistered firearms, ammunition and other non-ordinance, without fear of penalty. The amnesty does not apply to people who turn in weapons that have been used in the commission of a crime. (Photo: Ontario Provincial Police)
The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP), in collaboration with participating municipal police services including the Peterborough Police Service, is holding a gun amnesty during the month of April.
The gun amnesty is for any Ontario resident who wishes to voluntarily surrender unwanted or illegally owned firearms, weapons, accessories, or ammunition.
The OPP gun amnesty program runs from April 1 to 30, 2018. (Poster: Ontario Provincial Police)
The amnesty is a way to provide citizens with a safe way to surrender weapons and enhance public safety.
“Ontario has seen an increase in break-and-enter incidents where firearms are stolen or targeted by criminals,” says OPP Commissioner Vince Hawkes.
“The OPP and our participating police partners are giving people a safe way to dispose of weapons, imitation weapons and related equipment, accessories and ammunition to reduce the number of guns in their communities.”
During the amnesty, police will not recommend weapons-related criminal code charges that might otherwise apply to people who are turning in these items.
Police note the amnesty does not apply to people who turn in weapons that have been used in the commission of a crime.
Interested gun owners are strongly urged to call the OPP’s — or their local police service’s — non-emergency number at 1-888-310-1122 to arrange for officers to attend and safely retrieve the weapons.
“The safest way to handle an unwanted or illegally-owned firearm is to turn it in for destruction,” says Chief Murray Rodd of the Peterborough Police Service. “You can help prevent those firearms from falling into the wrong hands and hurting someone unintentionally.”
No anonymous submissions will be accepted. Under no circumstances should owners attempt to deliver guns or ammunition directly to police facilities.
World Water Day, on March 22nd every year, is about focusing attention on the importance of water. The theme for World Water Day 2018 is 'Nature for Water', exploring nature-based solutions to the water challenges we face in the 21st century. Locally, GreenUP's Ready for Rain Peterborough program demonstrates what nature-based solutions to flooding concerns can look like in a neighbourhood. (Photo: UN Water)
Today (March 22) is World Water Day. On this day, the world focuses its attention on the importance of water and explores solutions to the challenges we face with water in the 21st century. This year’s World Water Day theme is “Nature for Water”.
Each week, GreenUP provides a story related to the environment. This week’s story is by Heather Ray, GreenUP Water Programs Manager.
Most of us interact with water on a daily basis: water flows from our taps as we bathe, washes our favorite pair of jeans, refreshes us when we are thirsty, and carries away our waste. In each of these scenarios, water flows in and out of our home on a daily basis — but through a pipe, which demonstrates how void our daily natural interactions with water may be.
Over the last few decades, solutions to water shortages, flooding, and poor water quality have also excluded nature, revolving instead around expensive concrete and pipe-based systems that are now aging and overburdened.
The United Nations has set a number of sustainable development goals, one of which is to ensure global availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all.
In an effort to support this goal, World Water Day 2018 showcases how nature-based water solutions such as replenishing forests and wetlands, planting rain gardens, and creating buffers along watercourses can provide support toward water-related challenges such as flooding and poor water quality.
Facts about water from the UNESCO (2018) United Nations World Water Development Report 2018: Nature-based solutions for water. (Graphics: UN Water)
In Peterborough, GreenUP’s Ready for Rain Peterborough program demonstrates what nature-based solutions to flooding concerns can look like in a neighbourhood. Unlike grey infrastructure, the concrete and pipe based solutions of the recent past, nature-based solutions create what is known as green or living infrastructure.
Green infrastructure uses living systems such as plants to protect waterways, and naturally filtrate and replenish water supplies. To demonstrate green infrastructure, Ready for Rain Peterborough installed eight rain gardens in the Avenues Neighbourhood to help manage rain and mitigate flooding. These are working neighbourhood sites right here in Peterborough! You can join GreenUP on May 25th for a rain garden tour in The Avenues and learn more about the benefits of nature-based solutions to water challenges.
While World Water Day is a great opportunity to focus on the importance of water and nature-based solutions to challenges with water, it is essential that we learn more about the important role of water and nature in our daily lives. The Peterborough region is home to over 134 lakes and a multitude of natural communities, plants, and animals that rely on this lush environment. This means that opportunities to learn more about water are prevalent within the Peterborough region.
Attendees of the annual Peterborough Children’s Water Festival learn about how a green roof provides a natural solution to absorbing runoff and preventing flooding in built areas. Many PCWF activity centres focus on the link between water and nature, which is also the theme of 2018 World Water Day on March 22nd. (Photo: GreenUP)
One such opportunity is the Peterborough Children’s Water Festival (PCWF). For almost 17 years, the festival has brought together youth, educators, water quality and quantity specialists, conservation groups, industry, government, First Nations, and community volunteers to provide an opportunity to learn about water. Like World Water Day, the festival strives to bring a focus on the importance of water in an effort to ensure availability and sustained management of water.
Since its inception, the PCWF has welcomed over 22,121 students from grades 2 to 5 to learn about water through a variety of hands-on, interactive activity centres. The activity centres presented at the festival are designed with current, relevant, and scientific accuracy and showcase many facets of water such as protection, conservation, science, technology, and attitudes toward water. A common thread among many of the activity centres is the link between water and nature, such as with planted shorelines, green roofs, and wetlands.
This year on June 6th and 7th, another 1,400 students will flood the Riverview Park and Zoo. Many exciting water-themed surprises are being planned by the 2018 PCWF Steering Committee, such as a scavenger hunt and three brand new activity centres. Students and volunteers are encouraged to make a splash as they connect with this essential part of nature — water!
Registration for the 2018 PCWF is currently open and educators are invited to register at pcwf.net/registration. World Water Day is a great opportunity to talk to youth about why water is important, and the PCWF is a great opportunity to continue the conversation while learning more about our local water concerns and opportunities for solutions.
For more information about the PCWF, or to become a sponsor or a volunteer, please visit pcwf.net or contact PCWF Coordinator Heather Ray at heather.ray@greenup.on.ca.
For more information about the GreenUP rain garden tour in The Avenues and to learn more about the benefits of nature-based solutions to water challenges, please connect with the Water Programs Coordinator, Jenn McCallum, at jenn.mccallum@greenup.on.ca.
You can find out more about World Water Day and nature-based solutions for water at worldwaterday.org.
David Goyette with his wife Victoria Pearce above the sign at Showplace Performance Centre proclaiming The David Goyette Stage. Pearce and Goyatte, who already has the naming rights for the theatre's green room from an earlier donation, made a 10-year financial contribution non-profit performance venue to secure the naming rights for the stage located in the main theatre, allowing the non-profit venue to purchase a new lighting console. (Photo: Showplace Performance Centre)
If all the world is indeed a stage, rest assured David Goyette has staked out his little piece of the world right here in Peterborough, much to the benefit of Showplace Performance Centre.
On Wednesday afternoon (March 21) at the downtown performance venue, it was announced the grand stage in The Erica Cherney Theatre has been named The David Goyette Stage.
That moniker, bestowed as a result “a healthy five figures” donation over 10 years from Goyette and his wife Victoria Pearce, is displayed just below the facing of one of the theatre’s side balconies.
The naming is the second Goyette has funded. The former executive assistant to Mayor Daryl Bennett gifted dollars last spring for the naming rights to the theatre’s green room, a backstage space that serves as a lounge and waiting area for performers.
That contribution allowed for upgrades to the space and its décor, including the addition of original paintings by local artist Peer Christensen and furnishings from Bennett’s.
“I’ve got the green room, I’ve got the stage … clearly I’m taking over,” jokes Goyette before talking on his motivation behind the donation.
“Victoria and I just celebrated our 10th anniversary here (in the Kawarthas). When we came here, Showplace was the first organization that said ‘You’re welcome here’ and allowed me to be a volunteer. Because they were so gracious in that regard, I’ve always had a soft spot in my heart for what Showplace does and what it’s all about.”
In late November of last year, Goyette was on hand for the naming of The Erica Cherney Theatre. That, he says, left an indelible impression on him.
“She set an example for all of us,” he says. “It’s important to give back. There are times in your life when you can and times when you can’t. This is a good time for me and I can. I’m looking at her standard of philanthropy and saying, in my own gentle way, I’m trying to aspire to that.
“This is the best arts institution in the entire region. It’s important to our community. It has to survive. When we celebrate the arts, the arts allow us to celebrate each other.”
Goyette walks very comfortably in arts circles, not only as a songwriter and guitarist with three CDs to his credit, but also as an artist and a playwright. Along with being a past chair of the Showplace board, he is a former director of The Royal Conservatory of Music, and founded the Toronto Beatles Celebration and the Orillia Beatles Celebration.
For her part, Pearce, who has performed at Showplace as legendary singer Patsy Cline, says the naming “is very exciting.”
“I’m very proud of him. It’s something he has wanted to do for a long time. We love Showplace. Great people, great shows … we’d like to see that continue.”
When it is pointed out there’s room for her name on one of the other theatre balcony facings, Pearce laughs, saying “You never know, I just love it here.”
David Goyette and Victoria Pearce. “I’m very proud of him. It’s something he has wanted to do for a long time. We love Showplace.” (Photo: Paul Rellinger / kawarthaNOW.com)
The Goyette naming was secured via Showplace’s multi-year Securing The Future fundraising initiative that, along with Goyette’s two namings and the Erica Cherney dedication, has also resulted in the naming of The Nexicom Studio, The Darling Insurance Box Office, and The Publican House Bars.
According to Showplace interim general manager Emily Martin, Goyette’s donation has enabled the purchase of a state-of-the-art theatrical lighting console that will greatly improve the range and quality of stage lighting. It replaces the original console that had been in place since Showplace opened in 1996.
Martin explains Goyette’s donation couldn’t have come at a better time, as the venue has been without a console since late January.
“The last show we did with it was (comedian) Jeremy Hotz,” she explains. “It actually died during the show. The audience didn’t know because luckily the lights stayed on, but that’s how badly we needed this.”
Martin notes naming opportunities remain for Showplace’s marquee and its lobby.
“This (the naming) is a different kind of excitement,” adds Martin.
“There’s nothing like walking into a full theatre. You feed from the audience’s energy but this kind of event, it’s your own energy. And to be able to give this kind of equipment to a team member who desperately needs it, that in itself is a huge plus for me.”
According to Showplace board chair Pat Hooper, recent financial challenges faced by Showplace have eased but, she notes, remaining viable is always a work in progress.
“We are planning to do a capital campaign this spring with the community,” Hooper says.
“We’re calling on some folks that have been integral in our getting started — Beth McMaster, Sylvia Sutherland, Ann Farquharson, Doug Armstrong and Michael Cherney. We’re doing a focus group to discuss what they think in terms of how we should move forward with a capital campaign, mostly to focus on replacing the seats.”
For more information on becoming a Showplace member or sponsor, or to make a donation, visit www.showplace.org.
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