The product line of Black's Distillery, a new distillery opening in Peterborough's East City in fall 2018. (Photo: Black's Distillery)
A new local distillery is opening this fall in East City in Peterborough.
Black’s Distillery will be opening at 99 Hunter St. E., at the corner of Hunter and Mark Streets, in the location formerly occupied by Video 99.
The location, which is close to both Reggie’s Hot Grill and Ashburnham Ale House, has been vacant since Video 99 went out of business.
According to its Facebook page, Black’s Distillery “celebrates the taste of the Kawarthas through its organic spirits, crafted traditionally, using locally grown heritage grains. Our products are handcrafted and made in small batches on site.”
They’ll be producing small batch whisky, gin, vodka and rye.
Black’s Distillery applied to the City of Peterborough to use the location as a distillery earlier this year. According to the application, the main floor will be used for the distillery and the basement will be used as a storage facility.
Because of the small size of the distillery, it was considered similar to a restaurant or bakery and permitted under current zoning.
In The History of Drinking in Cavan, 4th Line Theatre's founding artistic director Robert Winslow looks at alcohol consumption or the lack thereof in the local area over the past 200 years, sharing the stories of local residents alongside his own life experience. (Photo: Caitlin McGill / 4th Line Theatre)
When confronting an issue that hits close to home it doesn’t hurt to be, well, close to home.
Home for Robert Winslow has always been the quaint farm property on Zion Line near Millbrook where, in 1992, he established 4th Line Theatre as its founding artistic director. It’s where he was raised and, over the last 25 years, it’s where his creative juices have flowed to produce numerous original theatre works that have both delighted and challenged audiences each and every summer since.
With The History of Drinking in Cavan set to premiere next month, home is also where the play’s writer, director, and lead actor is finding some much-needed comfort, as he confronts alcohol-soaked demons from his past as part of the play’s storyline.
“I’m excited but also very vulnerable because of the personal nature of some parts of the play,” Winslow says. “There’s a scene in the second act which is very personal and very painful — probably the most painful moment of my whole life.”
His voice quivers as he explains the scene that sees him go back in time to the 1980s to visit his mom Jean, “to try to resolve things with her.”
“We all have stories about our lives. We want to think everything is positive but there are difficult things that people experience. I hope people will relate to some of these issues.”
The History of Drinking in Cavan tackles the history of alcohol consumption and its prohibition in Cavan-Monaghan Township over the past 200 years. Having grown up in the township, Winslow lived that experience.
“As a teenager, I drank a lot. My friends did too, and eventually some of them got into drugs. We’re talking about the 1970s.
“As the play evolved in my mind, and I got older and I had my own issues around my family and stuff, it became a little bit more than just fun time stories. It’s personal and that’s very hard for me. I think it’s very hard for any family member where there is alcoholism involved to face some of this stuff, whether it’s yourself or somebody close to you.
“It’s hard to know how to deal with it. It’s hard to know how to behave. It’s hard to know how to figure things out. Sometimes you can’t. What is the age-old slogan, about God give me strength to change the things I can and the wisdom to know the things I can’t?”
Along with Robert Winslow, the play stars professional actors Edward Belanger, Cyndi Carleton, Justin Hiscox, Mark Hiscox, and Shelley Simester and community actors Kiana Bromley, Maude Rose Craig, Tristan Cruise, Emma Khaimovich, and Gary Reker. (Photo: Caitlin McGill / 4th Line Theatre)
Winslow, playing himself as well as his alter-ego King, the town drunk, is part of a small cast comprised of five other professional actors — Edward Belanger, Cyndi Carleton, Justin Hiscox, Mark Hiscox, and Shelley Simester — working alongside community actors Kiana Bromley, Maude Rose Craig, Tristan Cruise, Emma Khaimovich, and Gary Reker.
Winslow notes that a reminiscence held in February 2011 at the Millbrook Legion during which “people told stories” proved pivotal in the play’s development. That has resulted in “verbatim theatre” which uses other people’s words verbatim as opposed to the playwright’s.
Terming the play “a dramedy”, Winslow notes “there’s an awful lot of funny stuff” in the play but adds “if it was just all comedy, that would be disrespectful to the seriousness of the issues. It’s a real ride. It’s a play that’s as much about theatre as it is about stories, so things will transform and become something else.”
For her part, 4th Line Theatre Managing Artistic Director Kim Blackwell describes The History of Drinking in Cavan as “very confessional.” While she is taking a rare day off with this production, Blackwell hasn’t been idle in terms of closely monitoring the impact of the play’s content on its creator.
“I was very aware, as we developed the play over the last seven years, of wanting to make sure that he (Winslow) did what he wanted to do in terms of exposing his own story in a very honest and authentic way,” Blackwell says. “But I also wanted him to protect himself … there’s some stuff in the early drafts that isn’t in the piece we’re producing.
“As he’s been going through the painful journey of Robert the character in the piece, I’ve been checking in with him to make sure that he’s okay. The thing about Robert that is so extraordinary, that I am so in awe of, is so many times over the 26 seasons of the theatre he has used his own life, his own family, as a window into everybody’s lives, the struggles and the pain.
“This is probably his most personal piece, because he looks at himself and his mom and their relationship and her struggles. Why Robert is so good at what he does is that it’s a survey piece about the history of alcohol consumption and production in the township, so it’s great fun and he has made it incredibly entertaining.”
Blackwell adds her gauge for measuring the success of each 4th Line production is rooted in the presence of the three Es — Educate, Entertain, and Enthrall — noting “this play does all three.”
Speaking to the play’s small cast, Blackwell notes 4th Line’s employment of community actors is a story in itself, allowing the theatre, in this case, “to create an epic piece with a handful of people” as it carves out a unique niche.
“There is no other theatre company in this country that puts community members on stage in important, pivotal roles alongside professionals,” says Blackwell, her pride in that mission clear.
Among the play’s six professional actors is Justin Hiscox, a 19-year 4th Line veteran who is also serving as the play’s musical director. He says the lyrics for play’s songs were written first and then handed over for him to do his thing.
“I look at what kind of emotion or mood the lyrics portray. If the lyrics are about drinking and partying, then I compose something more upbeat. If it’s ‘Oh, I’ll never drink again … I’ve learned my lesson’, the music goes slower.”
Hiscox says his 4th Line work remains a welcome change from his regular gig playing with orchestras and bands, where “they hand you a book and it’s full of notes someone else has written and you’ve got to play them the exact right way.”
“That makes you a very good musician, but it doesn’t do anything for your creativity. Out here, once it’s set, you have to do that too but here I’m doing the setting. I really like a play like this because it has so many different styles of music.”
When all is said and done, Winslow’s hope for The History of Drinking in Cavan is not unlike that he has had for every production staged at 4th Line.
“I hope people in the audience will relate to their own parents or siblings where there has been a complex struggle,” he says.
“Sometimes the connections are made through the difficult way rather than the fun times way. I wish it was all fun and games. I wish everything I did out here was light and happy but right from The Cavan Blazers to The History of Drinking in Cavan, there’s always been that element of struggle as well as fun.”
Helping him through each staging will be thoughts of home and, more notably, memories of his mother.
Robert Winslow plays himself as well as his alter-ego King, the town drunk. It’s his most personal play, because he examines his relationship with his mother and her struggles. (Photo: Caitlin McGill / 4th Line Theatre)
“My mom was an amazing person. She was a great singer, a piano player, the leader of the church choir, and the leader of the high school choir. She sang at people’s weddings and was loved in this community, absolutely adored. The whole spirit of 4th Line being welcoming is really from my mom’s spirit. Anybody that came here she greeted them with extreme warmth. Her spirit is really at the heart of the play.”
Does her son sense that she’s still watching over him, perhaps from a second-floor window of the neighbouring family home?
“It (her presence) comes in weird ways at weird moments. There are little guidances here and there.”
With song lyrics by Winslow, musical composition and direction by Justin Hiscox, costume design by Meredith Hubbard, and fight direction by Edward Belanger, The History of Drinking in Cavan sees choreographer Monica Dottor serving as intern director.
Curtain is 6 p.m. Tuesday to Saturday from August 7th to 26th. Tickets can be purchased by phone at 705-932-4445, online at www.4thlinetheatre.ca, or at 4th Line’s box office in Millbrook at 4 Tupper Street and in Peterborough at the Peterborough Museum and Archives, 300 Hunter Street East (atop Armour Hill).
Curve Lake First Nation Chief Phyllis Williams (left) with Minister Carolyn Bennett, MP Maryam Monsef, and members of Curve Lake Council and staff at the funding announcement at Curve Lake First Nation on July 28. (Photo: Office of Maryam Monsef)
Earlier today (July 28), the Honourable Carolyn Bennett, Minister of Indigenous and Northern Affairs, announced funding of $142,000 for a school feasibility study for Curve Lake First Nation.
“We are pleased with the support from the Government of Canada, which will allow us to continue to deliver high quality education for our children,” said Chief Phyllis Williams. “This support will advance our obligation to provide programming that is culturally viable and vital for the success of our youth, our future.”
Curve Lake First Nation, located 25 kilometres northeast of Peterborough, operates the Curve Lake First Nation School which provides kindergarten to grade 3 classes.
“Children thrive when they have pride in their school and their education promotes a secure, personal and cultural identity,” said Minister Bennett. “We are honoured to be working with Curve Lake First Nation to ensure vibrant futures and the academic success of their youth.”
The study, which will be undertaken by First Nations Engineering Services Ltd., will identify the best approach to support the highest quality learning environment for the community’s youth. The study is expected to be complete by July 2018.
The Ministry of Indigenous and Northern Affairs has provided almost $1 million to nine other First Nations in Ontario for school feasibility studies, including Kasabonika Lake, Wunnumin, North Caribou Lake, Kitchenuhmaykoosib Inninuwug, Pic Mobert, Biigtigong Nishnaabeg First Nation, Beausoleil, Mississaugas of The Credit, and Chippewas of Georgina Island.
Born and raised in Peterborough, Michelle Shaughnessy has been pursuing her career in stand-up comedy in Toronto since she was 18 years old. (Photo: Michelle Shaughnessy)
Peterborough native Michelle Shaughnessy is vying to be crowned the best comic in Canada.
Shaughnessy is one of 18 semi-finalists in SiriusXM’s Top Comic for 2017 competition.
Beginning today (July 28) and over the next three weeks, Canadians from across the country will vote for their favourite performance videos from all the semi-finalists. The six comics with the most votes will become finalists, along with two wild cards.
All eight finalists will perform live at the SiriusXM Top Comic Comedy Finale during JFL42, Toronto’s comedy festival, on September 28th. A panel of judges will select one winner to be crowned SiriusXM’s Top Comic, who will take home $25,000 to support their comedic career development.
Shaughnessy, who was born and raised in Peterborough, moved to Toronto at the age of 18 to pursue a career in stand-up comedy. She’s landed television appearances on The Comedy Network, W Network, Bite TV, CBC, iChannel, and MTV. She’s performed in the Sudbury Comedy Festival, Moncton Comedy Festival, Global Vancouver Comedy Festival, and both CBC’s Winnipeg Comedy Fest and Halifax Comedy Fest.
The Peterborough Police Service is warning residents not to fall victim to the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) tax scam.
Within the past two days, the police have received around 10 complaints about the scam, in which a caller pretends to be a representative from CRA and demands some form of payment for outstanding taxes fictitiously owed to the federal government.
On June 27th, a person received a phone call from someone pretending to be with the CRA. The caller told the victim he owed $3,500 and, if he did not pay it by that afternoon, his assets would be seized and they would come and arrest him. Believing the threats to be real, the victim then made five money transfers totalling $2,400 using Flexpin, a money-wiring service. The victim then called back the number and provided the fake CRA agent with the security PINs to release the money.
More recently, on July 24th, a 71-year-old Cavan-Monaghan woman received a fraudulent phone call from someone stating she owed the CRA money. The caller instructed the woman to go to a local store to purchase $800 in gift cards. The victim purchased the gift cards and then relayed the numbers back to the caller. She was also told to get a loan from a bank to provide further money, but the loan application was denied and the call was later reported to police.
Variations on the CRA scam involve callers pretending to be other authority figures and demanding payment of taxes allegedly owing.
On July 26th, a 71-year-old Peterborough woman received a phone call from a man identifying himself as a police officer. The man told the woman she was behind on her taxes and owed money. The male then explained to the woman that she would be in trouble with “the law” if she didn’t pay.
The woman was told to go to her bank and withdraw cash then purchase gift cards and that another man would come by her house the next day to collect the money and gift cards. The woman obtained more than $5,000 in cash and gifts cards, but grew suspicious about the call and reported the incident to police.
Remember, the Canada Revenue Agency will never use aggressive language or tone, threaten to arrest you or send police if you owe taxes, or request payment by prepaid credit cards or gift cards. For more information on how to recognize CRA telephone or email scams, visit www.cra-arc.gc.ca/fraudprevention/.
If you receive a call from someone pretending to be from the CRA, do the following:
Do not take any immediate action.
Hang up and verify the information. Call a trusted family member, friend, or your bank to get a second opinion on the call.
Verify the caller’s ID and the request by calling the CRA directly at 1-800-959-8281.
Elderly people are often most vulnerable to this type of scam. If you have an elderly parent, relative, or friend who you think could fall victim to this scam, share this information with them and ask them to call you if they ever receive a phone call or email from someone claiming to be from the CRA.
As of August 2, 2017, the following beaches have been posted as unsafe for swimming:
Beavermead – Peterborough City/County
Rogers Cove – Peterborough City/County
Centennial Park West – Eldon Township Area – City of Kawartha Lakes
Omemee Beach – Emily/Omemee Area – City of Kawartha Lakes
Norland Bathing Area – Laxton Township Area – City of Kawartha Lakes
Bond Street – Fenelon Falls Area – City of Kawartha Lakes
Here are the complete results of water quality testing at beaches in Peterborough, the City of Kawartha Lakes, Haliburton County, and Northumberland County.
In the City of Peterborough, Peterborough Public Health Inspectors sample the beaches at Rogers Cove and Beavermead every business day, and public beaches in the County of Peterborough are sampled at least once a week (except for Chandos Beach, Quarry Bay Beach, and White’s Beach which are sampled at least once in June, July, and August).
The Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit provides weekly testing results for beaches in the City of Kawartha Lakes, Haliburton County, and Northumberland County. Testing is based on the most recent test results from the provincial lab in Peterborough for water samples taken from these beaches.
Peterborough Public Health samples the water quality of popular city beaches at Rogers Cove and Beavermead every business day during the summer. The health unit will post signage if a beach is unsafe for swimming, such as this sign at Rogers Cove from last year. (Photo: Bruce Head / kawarthaNOW)
Important note
The following test results may not reflect current water quality conditions. Water samples can take one to three days to process and heavy rainfall, high winds or wave activity, large numbers of waterfowl near a beach, or large numbers of swimmers can rapidly change water quality.
You should always check current conditions before deciding to use a beach. You should also monitor other factors that might suggest a beach is unsafe to use, such as floating debris, oil, discoloured water, bad odours, and excessive weed growth.
While we strive to update this story with the current conditions, you should confirm the most recent test results by visiting the local health unit websites at Peterborough Public Health and Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit. As noted above, the beaches at Rogers Cove and Beavermead are tested every business day so the results listed below may not be current.
Ron Camilleri performs the hits of Elton John in his acclaimed tribute band Elton Rohn, which performs a free concert at Peterborough Musicfest on Saturday, July 19. (Publicity photo)
While Dorothy found great adventure following the yellow brick road, Ron Camilleri’s discovery of a magical place remains rooted in his singing farewell to that same path.
Peterborough Musicfest presents Elton Rohn
When: Saturday, July 29, 2017 at 8 p.m Where: Del Crary Park (100 George St. N., Peterborough) How much: free
Bring your own lawn chairs or blankets (lawn chairs are available to rent for $4/chair). VIP seating available for Sponsors and Fest Friends. No smoking, alcohol, or pets permitted. There’s no public parking at Del Crary Park, but there’s neighborhood street parking nearby and ample parking in downtown Peterborough.
“You can perform Elton in one of two ways,” says the Mississauga native in an interview with the Hudson/St. Lazare Gazette in Quebec.
“You can go up there, have a party and everyone sings Elton songs, or you can really try to recreate the way Elton did it. All the guys in the band sing, so we’re doing everything. We’re doing all the harmonies. We’re trying to recreate Goodbye Yellow Brick Road the way it was done.”
Trying and succeeding, as will be fully evident on Saturday, July 29th at Del Crary Park when Camilleri, as Elton Rohn, headlines Peterborough Musicfest.
His seven-piece band will perform the best of Goodbye Yellow Brick Road — the groundbreaking 1973 album that produced signature Elton tunes “Candle In The Wind”, “Bennie And The Jets”, “Saturday Night’s Alright For Fighting” and the title track — as well as deliver a generous helping of numerous other hits that rocketed the British pop-rock icon to worldwide fame in the early to mid 1970s.
VIDEO: “Philadelphia Freedom” performed by Elton Rohn
“There’s a few magical moments when you’re trying to become someone else,” Camilleri says.
“The first thing I noticed is how iconic it is. When I play, I look at the audience and they’re always mouthing the words. I get to feel what it must be like for him to experience that kind of love of his music. I walk out in my big sequin outfit and the crowd goes crazy. They’re cheering for the fact that it’s Elton John.”
It doesn’t hurt matters in the least that Camilleri resembles Elton John and, more crucially, has mastered the singing voice that remains instantly recognizable to millions worldwide.
“When you’re playing the songs, you’ve got to kind of envision him and think ‘How would he do it?’ When you do Bennie And The Jets, you feel like Elton John for that very brief moment. It’s a fun thing to go through.”
VIDEO: “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road” performed by Elton Rohn
As a youth, Camilleri attended dozens of concerts with his father, a former quarterback with the Toronto Argonauts who became an executive with CBS Records Canada. He first saw Elton John perform in 1975. Following graduation from the University of Toronto, Camiller worked in the Canadian music industry, eventually heading up Columbia Records for Sony Music Canada.
As he recalls, a phone call from his brother (also a record executive) changed his life forever.
“He said ‘Let’s make a band … let’s have some fun.’ I was a guitarist. Every time I would sit down and play an Elton John song, the whole place would go crazy. So the band said ‘Why don’t we just do Elton John all the time?’ We started doing that and it just took off from there.
“I don’t want to take away from Elvis performers, but his voice is easier to sing. Elton is difficult to sing. I’ve heard a few Elton John performers who bring the keys down. They’ll stay away from the hard songs. I can still sing like Elton used to, knock on wood. There are a lot of guys that want to put a bow around their neck and go out and pretend they’re Elton. They’re more a tribute to the fun of the artist than trying to be just like him.”
VIDEO: Saturday Night’s Alright for Fighting” performed by Elton Rohn
As Elton Rohn, Camilleri brings to the stage both the music and the persona of arguably the most popular rock-pop singer/composer of the past 50 years.
Since teaming up with lyricist Bernie Taupin in 1967, Elton John (born Reginald Kenneth Dwight) has sold more than 300 million albums worldwide and charted more than 50 Top 40 hits. At age 70, he still performs around the globe, his concerts always selling out. His September 2012 show in Peterborough at the Memorial Centre created a demand for tickets never seen previously or since.
Elton Rohn’s Musicfest appearance is sponsored by the Peterborough Destination Association.
Peterborough Musicfest is presenting 17 free-admission concerts featuring a total of 22 acts during its 31st season — each staged every Wednesday and Saturday night until August 26th.
Overseen by general manager Tracey Randall and staff, a board of directors, and numerous volunteers, Peterborough Musicfest’s stated mission is to “provide diverse, affordable live music to enrich cultural and economic prosperity in our community.”
For more information on this concert and/or the 2017 season, visit www.ptbomusicfest.ca or phone the Peterborough Musicfest office at 705-755-1111.
Australian singer-songwriter and guitarist David Ross Macdonald, who Acoustic Guitar Magazine compared to "a collaboration between Nick Drake and a mid-1970s Bruce Cockburn", is performing with Toronto's Brian Macmillan at the Pastry Peddler in Millbrook on Sunday, July 30th. (Photo: David Ross Macdonald)
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, July 27 to Wednesday, August 2.
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.
The annual Buckhorn Fine Art Festival and its tradition of world-class art returns to the Buckhorn Community Centre Friday, August 18 to Sunday, August 20, marking the 40th anniversary of the festival combined with Canada's 150th anniversary of Confederation. 3,000 people are expected to attend over the festival weekend, rounding out one of Ontario's favourite outdoor summer events. (Photo: Buckhorn Fine Art Festival)
The annual Buckhorn Fine Art Festival and its tradition of world-class art returns to the Buckhorn Community Centre (1782 Lakehurst Road, Buckhorn, 705-657-1918) from Friday, August 18th to Sunday, August 20th, marking the 40th anniversary of the festival combined with Canada’s 150th anniversary of Confederation.
The event will showcase some of the province’s most talented artists, live music, culinary delights, hands-on activities, and a wide variety of special events to an anticipated 3,000 attendees, rounding out one of Ontario’s favorite outdoor summer events.
“Buckhorn Fine Art Festival is one of those events where it’s not just an art fair — it’s a community event,” says Allyson Allin, director of the festival.
“We try to make it a family affair so there’s something for everyone. I think people have a great time when they come to this festival.”
The festival is a professionally juried fine art show featuring a diverse selection of artwork including paintings, sculpture, photography, ceramics, jewelry, and wood turning. (Photo: Buckhorn Fine Art Festival)
According to Allin, there will be over 80 exhibitors with some returning and some new, bringing never-before-seen artworks to feast your eyes on.
“The artwork is across the spectrum. We will have some different work that people may not have seen in the past,” says Allin.
The festival, which relies on fundraising, sponsorships and donations to keep its doors open, is a professionally juried fine art show featuring a diverse selection of artwork including paintings, sculpture, photography, ceramics, jewelry, wood turning, and more from artists across Ontario and even a handful from Quebec. Since its inception in 1978, thousands have shown and sold their artwork at the festival.
Over the weekend, avid art collectors and festival-goers will have an outstanding variety of fine art to browse and purchase as they walk among the diverse range of works in the indoor and outdoor galleries that accommodate the booths.
Avid art collectors and festival-goers will have an outstanding variety of fine art to browse and purchase as they walk among the diverse range of works in the indoor and outdoor galleries. (Photo: Buckhorn Fine Art Festival)
This year, there is much to celebrate.
The festival will commemorate four decades of community spirit and the love of art with a cake cutting ceremony on opening night, along with a special exhibit commemorating Canada’s 150th named “Oh Canada! Our True North”.
“Off to School”, acrylic on canvas, by Marlene Bulas, one of the many artists whose work will be on display at the annual Buckhorn Fine Art Festival. (Photo: Buckhorn Fine Art Festival)
For this initiative, Buckhorn Fine Art Festival alumni were invited to enter images they believe depict Canada.
Twenty-five entries were chosen by a jury committee and will be on display the entire festival weekend.
“Let me just say that there are some very creative ideas about what the reflection of Canada is to them,” Allin hints.
She notes that some of the alumni who have been around for a long time and may not be regular exhibitors at the show decided to come back for the 40th anniversary and participate in the special exhibit.
“It’s nice to see that they are still interested and want to be involved,” she says.
To add to the merriment, the festival was recently rated as one of the top 100 festivals in Ontario for the tenth consecutive year.
What makes this fine art show a must-see destination year-after-year?
“I think it’s the community spirit, dedication of the volunteers, and quality of the art,” says Allin. “We have a criteria of fine art and we have always kept it at that level.”
“I’m in awe about how things get done around here. None of the Buckhorn Community Centre programs would be available if it weren’t for the efforts and dedication of the volunteers who join us each year. They deserve the recognition for keeping this place alive.”
Buckhorn Community Centre relies on fundraising, sponsorships, donations and the dedication of its volunteers to keep its doors open. (Photo: Buckhorn Fine Art Festival)
Opening night on Friday, August 18th from 6 to 10 p.m. will feature a garden party at the Buckhorn Community Centre, with the OPP Commissioner’s Own Pipes and Drums kicking off the evening with a live performance.
They will be followed by headline performers and Juno-award winners The Good Lovelies during Friday evening. Complimentary appetizers will be available throughout the evening and refreshments will be available for purchase.
The festival will continue over Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The OPP Commissioner’s Own Pipes and Drums will kick off the opening night garden party with a live performance at the Buckhorn Community Centre on Friday, August 18. (Photo: Commissioner’s Own Pipes and Drums of the Ontario Provincial Police / Facebook)
In addition to the variety of artwork, the festival will offer a wide range of daily activities that the whole family can enjoy, like the interactive ARTivity Zone where anyone can try their hand at various art forms.
Advance tickets to the opening night are $20, and $25 at the door, and provide admission to the festival all weekend.
Saturday and Sunday day tickets are $8 per person, with children under 12 admitted free. Admission for group of four is $25.
Headline performers and Juno-award winner, The Good Lovelies, will perform at the festival’s opening night garden party on Friday, August 18. (Photo: The Good Lovelies)
You can also follow Buckhorn Fine Art Festival on Facebook and Twitter.
Buckhorn Fine Art Festival is a proud member of the Kawartha Chamber of Commerce & Tourism. The chamber represents members in Curve Lake First Nation and the municipalities of Douro-Dummer, North Kawartha, Selwyn, and Trent Lakes. Visit kawarthachamber.ca for more information.
Visitors to Rogers Cove in Peterborough enjoy the waterfront, despite the beach being posted as unsafe. When bacteria counts exceed 100 E. coli per 100mL of water, the beach is considered unsafe for swimming. Primary inputs of E. coli in Peterborough area beaches are due to the presence of waterfowl faeces. (Photo: GreenUP)
Each week, GreenUP provides a story related to the environment. This week’s story is by Jenn McCallum, GreenUP Water Programs Coordinator.
Over the last two weeks, to the disappointment of many area residents and visitors, some local beaches were posted as unsafe in Peterborough, Douro, and Norwood, and at Squirrel Creek.
With this lovely warm weather, many Canadians’ first impulse is to go directly to the beach with sunscreen, hat, and towel in hand.
However, as Peterborough area residents may have noticed, our urban beaches, notably Rogers Cove and Beavermead Park, are sometimes considered unsafe for swimming due to high bacteria levels.
Why do we see so many beach closures and who decides when it is unsafe to swim? Peterborough Public Health monitors the water at public beaches for bacteria levels, notably Escherichia coli, or E. coli for short.
“E. coli is a bacteria that normally lives in the intestines of healthy people and animals,” explains Public Health Inspector Ganesh Vallamkonda. “It is released from the bodies of warm-blooded animals in their faeces, which can then contaminate the water.”
Inside the lower digestive tract, E. coli is a normal part of our bodies’ system, but this bacterium can cause us to become very sick, or can even be fatal if consumed in food or through drinking water.
“We test the beaches, and if bacteria counts exceed 100 E. coli per 100mL of water, then the beach is considered unsafe for recreational use,” adds Vallamkonda. “We inform the public and post the beaches as unsafe for swimming.”
The primary inputs of E. coli in the lakes and rivers in and around Peterborough are from the faeces of waterfowl, such as ducks and geese. In other areas, sources of E. coli may be from urban runoff, agriculture, faulty septic systems, or sewage treatment overflow.
When it rains, the rainwater flows over the landscape including surfaces such as lawns, rooftops, driveways, and roads. Any contaminants that might be present on these surfaces, such as animal poop like waterfowl faeces or dog waste, along with other contaminants such as lawn fertilizers and leaking oil and gas, are also transported with the rainwater into the nearest storm sewers. Rainwater along with these contaminants then directly enters our waterways, without being treated.
E. coli counts can also elevate when it is warmer outside.
“Bacteria will multiply more quickly in hotter temperatures,” Vallamkonda says — which is why we see unsafe swimming conditions during the hottest summer months.
Anyone can play a role in reducing E. coli (and other contaminants) in our waterways and beaches. Many human practices and behaviours can attract waterfowl, and especially Canada geese, whose waste around our shorelines can quickly run off into waterways and contribute to E. coli inputs, especially after a good rain.
Vallamkonda suggests that one way to avoid attracting geese to the shoreline is “by not feeding them”. It is also important to note that human foods are unhealthy for waterfowl, so you can help them out by letting them forage for their own natural food sources.
Additionally, if you live along the shorelines of the Otonabee River or Jackson Creek, you can reduce the number of Canada Geese on your property by ensuring you do not mow right up to the water’s edge. A mowed shoreline provides ideal habitat for Canada Geese, whose poop then contributes to E. coli in the water.
If you would like to reduce the number of geese on your property, try planting trees, shrubs, and wildflowers to make your shoreline unsuitable habitat for them, and thus reducing E. coli inputs into the waterway. GreenUP Ecology Park carries a number of great native shoreline plants, such as dogwoods, alders, and wildflowers that will help make your shoreline less attractive to Canada geese, and more attractive to you.
Another action you can take to protect waterways from E. coli contamination is to pick up after your pets; stoop and scoop after your dog does their business. Throw the bag into the garbage, or, to be even more environmentally conscious, throw the pet waste into an anaerobic digester, while throwing away the bag.
You may also consider installing a rain garden on your property. In 2015, the Township of Selwyn and Otonabee Conservation constructed a rain garden at the Lakefield Beach to protect water quality by filtering runoff from the parking area.
Rain gardens can be used to protect water quality even if you are not living directly on the beach. While debris such as cigarette butts, pet waste, and contaminants are washed into waterways (and to our beaches) when it rains, rain gardens interrupt the runoff and capture these pollutants in the soil. Once captured, microbes break down these pollutants, releasing cleaner water into streams and lakes.
For more information about rain gardens, visit www.greenup.on.ca/rain/ or check out the GreenUP Calendar of events for ongoing workshops and learning opportunities.
Otonabee Conservation also runs the local chapter of the Yellow Fish Road Program, which raises awareness about pollutants in our waterways by painting yellow fish near our storm drains. If you are a local teacher, interested parent, or Scout or Girl Guide leader, you can contact Otonabee Conservation to organize a Yellow Fish Road program.
Keep an eye out for signage at our local beaches before diving in! If you want to help improve the quality of our waterways, consider these actions that will benefit the community at large.
For more information about the monitoring that is conducted by Peterborough Public Health, and the results found at Peterborough-area beaches, visit www.peterboroughpublichealth.ca.
Editor’s note: kawarthaNOW also publishes a weekly beach report every Friday during the summer months with water quality testing results for the City and County of Peterborough as well as the City of Kawartha Lakes, Northumberland, and Haliburton.
kawarthaNOW.com offers two enews options to help readers stay in the know. Our VIP enews is delivered weekly every Wednesday morning and includes exclusive giveaways, and our news digest is delivered daily every morning. You can subscribe to one or both.
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