Tickets are on sale now for the 18th Annual Awards of Excellence Gala on Friday, November 3 at Elmhirst's Resort in Keene. Elmhirst's Resort is offering special room rates for those booking with the Gala.
The Kawartha Chamber of Commerce and Tourism has released the list of nominees for the 2017 Business Awards of Excellence.
More than 80 nominations were submitted, with 60 businesses, organizations, and individuals were recognized:
Accurate Accounting & Tax Services*
Adventure Outfitters*
Alternatives Community Program Services
Apsley Home Hardware Building Centre
BALL Real Estate *
Beachwood Resort
Birch Bend Cottage Resort
Camp Kawartha
Canoe & Paddle
Celtic Connection
Chemong Lodge Steak & Seafood*
Craftworks at the barn
Cross Wind Farm
Cuddles for Cancer*
CW Millwork & Design
East of Eden Antiques
Ennismore Homestead Theatre
Garden Style
Griffin’s Greenhouses
Habitat for Humanity Peterborough & Kawartha Region
Happenstance Books & Yarns
Hard Winter Bread Company
Kawartha Home Hardware (Lakefield)
Kawartha Lakes Construction
Kawartha Local Marketplace
Lakefield Animal Welfare Society
Lakefield Athletic Club
Lakefield Dentistry
Lakefield Pantry*
Lakefield Rental & Sales
Lakefield Youth Unlimited
Lakeshore Designs
Lang Pioneer Village Museum
LDISS is Open! Committee
Let’s Get Digital
Liftlock & the River Boat Cruises
Loch Effects
Logan Tree Experts
McLean Berry Farm*
Paris Marine
R&J Machine
Reborn Creative Media
Regency of Lakefield
Robyn’s Nest Photography & Beauty
RotoSpa Hot Tubs
Salon Sorella & Day Spa*
Shoreline Furniture Co.*
Six Foot Bay Resort
Standard 28 Cappuccino & Store
Steve’s Auto Repair
Swiss Bear
the chocolate rabbit
The Nutty Bean Café
Tompkins Jewellers
Tribal Voices*
Trinkets and Treasures*
Village Pet Food & Supply
VON Peterborough, Victoria, Haliburton
Woody Farrow – Man of Steel
Your Body You
*Indicates more than one nomination.
Finalists will be announced in mid-October, and recipients will be announced at the 18th Annual Awards of Excellence Gala on Friday, November 3rd at Elmhirst’s Resort in Keene.
Three people have been arrested and charged after police raised a marijuana grow operation in Bethany.
Yesterday (September 13), offices from the City of Kawartha Lakes OPP, the Community Street Crime Unit, and the Emergency Response Team executed a search warrant at a Beers Road property in Bethany.
As the location, police seized around 3,400 marijuana plants, more than 100 grams of marijuana, two motor vehicles, and other property required to maintain a grow operation. Items seized are valued at approximately $1.7 million.
Un Ieong Lam (62 years of age, of Thornhill), Jian Xiong Li (46 years of age, of Scarborough), and Lianrong Shen (27 years of age, of Stouffville) were arrested and charged with trafficking. Li and Shen were also charged wtih posession of property obtained by crime under $5,000.
The accused persons are all scheduled to attend the Ontario Court of Justice in Lindsay for a bail hearing this morning (September 14).
One of two Mallard ducks that survived after a group of 14 ducks became suddenly ill in Peterborough on Sepetember 3, 2017 and died. The Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry has now confirmed it is leading the investigation into the incident rather than the federal government. (Photo: Judy Raymond)
It turns out the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry (MNRF) rather than the federal government is leading the investigation into the sudden death of 12 Mallard ducks, which happened in the north end of Peterborough on Sunday, September 3rd.
Media spokesperson Jolanta Kowalski provided kawarthaNOW with an update in an email early this morning (September 16) confirming MNRF is investigating the incident.
On Wednesday, September 13th, Kowalski had advised kawarthaNOW that the federal government may be leading the investigation.
“We are waiting for an answer from Environment Canada Wildlife Division to determine if they are available to lead the investigation into this matter,” Kowalski wrote in an email.
Kowalski did not provide any additional information on September 16th on the reason for the change in the status of the investigation.
Mallard ducks are migratory birds protected in Canada under the Migratory Birds Convention Act. Environment and Climate Change Canada is responsible for administering the act on behalf of the federal government, which includes activities to verify compliance with the legislation and investigating alleged infractions.
On Sunday, September 3rd, residents of Tobin Court in the north end of Peterborough observed a group of 14 Mallard ducks leaving a local pond to eat grass which, according to residents, happens frequently. Minutes later, 12 of the ducks collapsed and died on residents’ lawns and driveways.
Some of the Mallard ducks that died suddently on September 3, 2017 in Peterborough. (Photo: Barb Evett)
Two more ducks were found alive but unable to move, and residents took them to Shades of Hope Wildlife Rescue in Pefferlaw, where they were treated with subcutaneous fluids and appear to be recovering.
Both Shades of Hope Wildlife Rescue manager Cathy Stockman and local naturalist Drew Monkman suspect the ducks were exposed to some kind of poison such as a pesticide. Other people fear the ducks may have been intentionally poisoned, as some residents consider the ducks to be a nuisance.
It is possible the ducks died from ingesting pesticides or other human-made toxins, as there have been other confirmed cases of this. In July 2014, after 20 ducks in Tennessee experienced seizures and died, wildlilfe biologists confirmed they had ingested pesticide. In December 2014, 20 ducks died at Beacon Hill Park in Victoria in British Columbia after being exposed to an unidentified toxin.
However, in addition to human-made poisons, natural toxins can cause sudden death in waterfowl, the most common being avian cholera and avian botulism.
Avian cholera is a highly infectious disease caused by the Pasteurella multocida bacterium that can kill birds within six hours — birds have been known to literally drop dead while flying. Die-offs involving more than 1,000 birds in a single day have been reported. The disease is transmitted by bird-to-bird contact or by ingesting contaminated food or water. Birds infected by avian cholera may appear lethargic, experience convulsions, swim in circles, or throw their heads back between their wings.
Avian botulism results when birds ingest a toxin produced by the Clostridium botulinum bacterium and can cause death within 24 hours. The toxin affects the nervous system and paralyzes voluntary muscles. Birds lose the use of their wings first, then their legs, and finally their neck muscles. Listlessness, sagging head, and drooping wings are common symptoms. Clostridium botulinum can exist for many years in wetlands and thrives during the hot summer months.
Other toxins affecting ducks that don’t cause sudden death are duck plague (a contagious disease cause by a herpes virus) and lead poisoning (which usually occurs after waterfowl ingest spent lead shot pellets).
Ducks have also been known to die from malnutrition and starvation. In December 2015, around 20 ducks died in a city park in Windsor. An investigation determined the ducks died because they were feeding on garbage and junk food left by people, which did not provide them with the nutrients they needed.
This boulevard garden has been recognized in the GreenUP Water Wise Landscaping Recognition Program. Planting a boulevard garden is a beautiful way to transform a space that can otherwise be an uninspiring piece of your property. Planting gardens instead of grass can mean less watering, more rain absorption, less flooding, more pollinators, and enhanced beauty in your front yard. (Photo courtesy of GreenUP)
Peterborough is home to a number of beautiful gardens that boast a number of benefits: offering pollinator habitat, food production, curb appeal, and improvements to physical and mental health.
Each week, GreenUP provides a story related to the environment. This week’s story is by Heather Ray, GreenUP Manager of Water Programs.
Over the last two years our community has experienced conditions of both drought, and flooding. From one extreme to the other, gardens designed with water in mind can offer resilient solutions.
While water is necessary for a garden to grow, gardens also play an important role in protecting and preserving water.
There are a number of similarities and differences between a garden designed for flood mitigation (a rain garden) and a garden designed for drought mitigation (a water-wise garden). While you may see many of the same native and drought-tolerant plant species in each of these garden types, the difference is most apparent in the shape and function of the garden.
This year we have experienced large amounts of rainfall, resulting in isolated flooding events throughout the City of Peterborough. This phenomena of more extreme weather patterns is predicted to be more common due to changes in the climate.
During heavy rain events, water can quickly overwhelm traditional stormwater systems like storm drains since increasingly paved and impermeable surfaces leave very few natural places for water to go. A rain garden can offer water a natural route through urban centres, diverting water away from aging pipe systems and back into its natural water cycle.
A rain garden is ‘ready for rain’ due to its shallow bowl-shaped design, which allows rainwater to be temporarily captured before it is slowly absorbed and filtered into the ground, leaving the garden commonly dry between rain events. A depression in the garden is a key identifying feature of any rain garden.
The GreenUP Ready for Rain Peterborough program is helping residents create eight new rain gardens in the city to help mitigate ongoing isolated flooding events and inspire others to soak up rain on their properties. These rain gardens will be installed during the last week of September, with a number of opportunities for community involvement.
Peterborough residents David Marshall and Barbara Moffat next to a rain garden they installed in their back yard after being inspired by a GreenUP Ready For Rain Workshop. They have transformed their entire property by installing many water-wise features including rain barrels, a smart irrigation system, and by de-lawning the entire property to replace grass with native plants and wildflowers. (Photo courtesy of GreenUP)
While a rain garden is a green solution for flood mitigation, a water-wise garden offers water conservation solutions.
According to Environment Canada, domestic water consumption can increase up to 50 per cent during the summer months when many people water their lawns and gardens. It can be easy to see why outdoor water use increases by such a large amount when, according to Statistics Canada, six out of every 10 households water their lawns in Ontario.
You can significantly reduce the amount of water used outdoors by transitioning away from lawns and thirsty grass species like Kentucky bluegrass, towards the planting of a water-wise garden. Water-wise gardening methods can help reduce water use, so it is never too late to start taking water-wise steps in your garden.
Drought-tolerant plants are a key part of any water-wise garden, along with the use of ground cover, two to three inches of high quality mulch, and a rain barrel.
The Water Wise Landscape Recognition Program is recognizing front yard gardens within the City of Peterborough. These are gardens where water-wise steps are being taken to reduce water use. Recognized gardens can be found by looking for blue rain drop lawn signs around the City. If you know a water-wise front yard garden that should be recognized, or for more information, please visit www.greenup.on.ca/water-wise.
Have you been thinking about moving from lawn to landscape and taking more water-wise steps in your own garden? Fall is a great time to start redesigning your current garden. Planting in the fall can allow plants to develop a sound root structure before being exposed to drought conditions in the following year.
Visit GreenUP Ecology Park during its annual upcoming Little Tree Sale, which is also a great time to purchase some drought-tolerant plants for your garden. Water Wise “Garden in a Box” starter kits will be available during the sale, giving you all the plants you need to get started.
If you are looking for some inspiration from your neighbours, join us on September 28th for Bike Night. We will visit a number of rain gardens and water-wise gardens in Peterborough, view some of the similarities and differences between these flood and drought-tolerant designs, and enjoy a group bike ride together. To register, visit www.peterboroughmoves.com.
GreenUP is currently running a number of landscape programs highlighting the relationship between water and the urban landscape. Find out more about how to get involved with these programs at greenup.on.ca or contact Heather Ray at heather.ray@greenup.on.ca or 705-745-3238 ext. 205.
As one of the many events during Peterborough Pride Week (September 15 to 24), award-winning queer comic Elvira Kurt will be performing her "Homesexual Panic" stand-up show during the "Act On It!" Pride Party presented by Mysterious Entity on Saturday, September 23 at 8 p.m. at Catalina's in downtown Peterborough. (Publicity photo)
Peterborough Pride Week — the annual celebration of human rights, inclusiveness, and diversity regardless of gender identity or sexuality — returns from September 15th to 24th, with a series of community-run events including an evening of cabaret entertainment featuring award-winning queer comic Elvira Kurt on Saturday, September 23rd following the Pride parade and Pride in the Park celebration.
The theme of 2017 Pride Week is “Out for Good”, speaking both to the rights of people to freely express their self-identity throughout their lives without facing discrimination, and the vital role people who identify as LGBTTQI2S (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Transsexual, Queer, Intersex, and Two-Spirit) play in supporting the community.
The official t-shirt design of Peterborough Pride 2017, by Ben Hodson, reflecting this year’s theme. Limited edition t-shirts will be available at various events throughout Pride Week. (Design: Ben Hodson)
Peterborough Pride Week kicks off on Friday, September 15th with a flag-raising ceremony on the south lawn of Peterborough City Hall at 12 p.m. — including a flag to celebrate advances in transgender rights this year. Pride-related events continue on Friday evening and every day throughout the following week, including live music, workshops, discussions, religious services, film and literary events, games, and more.
The week culminates with the Pride Parade on Saturday, September 23rd from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. (departing from City Hall) followed by “Pride in the Park”, a family-friendly celebration that runs until 6 p.m. in Millennium Park.
Some of the events are hosted by the Peterborough Pride organization, some events are financially supported by Peterborough Pride, and other events are independently hosted by other local organizations and groups. Regardless of your interest, there’s something for everyone.
The 2014 Peterborough Pride parade making its way down George Street in downtown Peterborough. This year’s Pride Parade takes place at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday, September 23 followed by “Pride in the Park”, a family-friendly celebration that runs until 6 p.m. in Millennium Park. (Photo: Roberto Bonifacio)
One event of special note is the “Act On It!” Pride Party on Saturday, September 23rd at 8 p.m. at Catalina’s (131 Hunter St., Peterborough).
Presented by Mysterious Entity and supported by Peterborough Pride, it’s an evening of cabaret and entertainment that kicks off with “Say Yes to My Dress!”, curated and hosted by David Bateman, followed by “Homosexual Panic” by comic and queer activist Elvira Kurt from 9:30 to 10:30 p.m.
Kurt is a multi-award winning comedian (including a Canadian Comedy Award for Funniest Female Comedian) and she’s appeared on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, George Stromboulopoulos Tonight, CBC’s The Debaters and This Hour has 22 Minutes, and many more. She is no stranger to Peterborough, having brought her acclaimed Fringe Festival show Parallel Play to The Theatre on King in Peterborough in 2014 (directed by Peterborough’s Linda Kash).
Elivra Kurt originally performed “Homesexual Panic” at Buddies in Bad Times Theatre in Toronto earlier this summer as part of Queer Pride 2017. (Publicity photo)
“Homeoexual Panic” is based on Kurt’s sold-out stand-up show of the same name, originally presented at Buddies in Bad Times Theatre in Toronto earlier this summer as part of Queer Pride 2017.
“If you know me, you’ve never seen me like this and, if you don’t know me, you’re going to get a master class in stand-up comedy,” Kurt says in an interview with Antoine Elhashem of theBUZZ.
“As someone who lives in constant anxiety (the name of the show is not a coincidence) and has missed out on a lot of amazing things in my life because of that anxiety, I don’t want to make people feel bad if they miss it,” she says.
“If you do come, you’ll be glad you did because laughs will be had and they will be those deep tissue cleansing kind of laughs that make you feel less alone in your own homosexual panic, whatever that may be.”
VIDEO: The Deviants and The Odd Man Out
Following Kurt’s show, Deviants and the Odd Man Out will perform at 10:30 p.m. All members of this newly formed punk band from Port Hope are transgender.
A DJ-fuelled dance will then take place at 11 p.m. to closing, and Mysterious Entity’s own artistic director and skilled bartender Em Glasspool will be serving specialty cocktails all evening long.
Tickets for the full evening with all performances are $15, or pay what you can for the band and the dance. For advance tickets, contact Mysterious Entity at m.entity@gmail.com or 705-933-4510.
Buckhorn Canoe Company is one of the stops on the Business After Hours Buckhorn Hop on September 20.
Please note that the schedule for the Buckhorn Hop on September 20th has changed. Times for this event are as follows:
Buckhorn Canoe Company – 5 to 5:25 p.m.
Style Your Nest – 5:30 to 5:55 p.m.
Gallery on the Lake – 6 p.m.
The hop finishes with networking and refreshments at Gallery on the Lake from 6 to 7 p.m., with host businesses and representatives from the Municipality of Trent Lakes present. Register now.
If you are not able to come to Buckhorn Canoe Company at 5 p.m., please feel free to drop in to one of the other stops listed above.
B.O.S.S. How to Network Effectively – October 25th
The third installment of the B.O.S.S. (Business Owners Offering Solutions) workshop series will focus on networking, and how it can benefit your business.
On Wednesday, October 25th, from 5 to 7 p.m., visit Westwind Inn on the Lake, where Tonya Kraan of Strexer Harrop & Associates will discuss networking techniques with fellow Chamber Members Scott Matheson of CIBC Lakefield and Tom LaBranche of Village Pet Food & Supply.
Following the discussion, attendees will have the opportunity to put their skills into action in a speed networking format.
Elmhirst’s Resort is offering special room rates for those booking with the Awards Gala. Call Elmhirst’s Resort at 705-295-4591 for accommodation information and mentionyou are booking for the Chamber Awards of Excellence Gala on November 3rd.
Accelerate to International Markets (AIM) Program
If you are interested in exporting internationally, but aren’t sure where to start, then Ontario Export Services is happy to be your partner at the outset of this exciting journey.
The two-day AIM workshops will help set you up for successful exporting of your goods and services abroad. They take place at the Peterborough Golf and Country Club on September 26th and 27th from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Learn more.
Marlin Travel Peterborough is a full-service travel agency serving the Kawarthas for the past 13 years owned by Mary LaRocque.
Marlin Travel provides consumers with a wide range of services including: airline tickets, car rentals, hotel reservations, travel insurance, cruises (both traditional and river), vacation packages, destination weddings, customized group travel, multi-generational trips, faith-based tours and day trips.
Servicing a wide variety of clients ranging from students to seniors and single travelers, Marlin Travel has something for everyone.
Kawartha Outdoor Adventure Weekend
Catch the excitement in Buckhorn! Kawartha Outdoor Adventure Weekend is taking place on September 16th and 17th.
Events on Saturday, September 16th at Scotsman Point Resort include a kids fishing derby, sport fishing simulator, exhibits, bouncy castle, and other kid’s activities. The Canada FLW semi-final weigh in is at 4 p.m.
On Sunday, September 17th, visit the Buckhorn Community Centre (BCC) for cottage and sportsman vendors, craft beer, corn roast, family activities, and a special demo by Meaghan Wood of Handsome Jack’s Fly Fishing.
Who will be the FLW Canada 2017 victor? The Fishing League World Wide Canada Bass Tournament Championship Weigh In is taking place on September 17th at 3 p.m. at the BCC.
Potter Judy Sparkes, whose studio is located on Chandos Lake, is one of the artists featured in this year’s Apsely Autumn Studio Tour. (Photo courtesy of Apsley Autumn Studio Tour)
The Apsley Autumn Studio Tour is this weekend, September 16th and 17th, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The self-guided tour is renowned for the quality of the artists working in a variety of disciplines. Located in North Kawartha, many of the studios are tucked away in beautiful, scenic locations where our local artists and guests present new and exciting works created specifically for this annual event.
Pick up your Apsley Autumn Studio Tour maps at the Kawartha Chamber office (12 Queen St. in Lakefield, under the town clock).
Fall Hours and Menu at Lantern Restaurant & Grill
Lantern Restaurant & Grill is located at 2281 McCracken’s Landing Road in Lakefield. (Photo: Lantern Restaurant & Grill)
As the summer season winds down, Lantern Restaurant & Grill is now open four days per week, Thursday to Sunday. Fall hours are Thursday from 4 to 8 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 12 to 8 p.m., and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
The fall menu will feature new items, old favourites, and many great cocktails! Visit www.lanternresto.ca for updated hours, menu, and event postings.
Curve Lake Pow Wow – September 16th & 17th
The end of the summer brings with it the annual Curve Lake Pow Wow. This celebration consists of two days of dancing, contests and presentations, to re-establish old friendships and meet new people, with many vendors and performers in attendance.
As every year, all neighbours from surrounding towns are welcome to join the festivities.
The Curve Lake Pow Wow is being held on September 16th and 17th in Lance Wood Park. The Sunrise Ceremony begins at 6 a.m. on both days, and Grand Entry is at 12 p.m. on both days. Admission is $8 for adults, $5 for seniors and youth, and free for children under five.
Douro Automotive Flea Market & Car Show – September 16th
27th Annual Golden Rescue Picnic at Viamede Resort – September 16th
Kawartha Autumn Studio Tour – September 23rd & 24th
For more information about the businesses and events listed above, please visit the Kawartha Chamber of Commerce & Tourism website at kawarthachamber.ca.
All photos supplied by Kawartha Chamber of Commerce except where noted.
Singer-songwriter Missy Knott of Curve Lake First Nation has organized Sparkle Celebration on September 15 at Peterborough's Market Hall to coincide with the launch of Wild Rice Records, a collaboration between Knott, Guerilla Studios owner-operator Dave Searle, and Peterborough LIVE Music Festival founder Wendy Fischer to support and mentor young Indigenous performers. The event will feature performances by Crystal Shawanda, Missy Knott with Dean James, Gary Williams, Taylor Merrick, and The Bob Taylor Band. (Photo courtesy of Missy Knott)
For singer-songwriter Missy Knott, a self-described “happy-in-the-sunshine girl”, the advent of fall and the cold winter months to follow normally doesn’t give her much cause for celebration. Enter Wild Rice Records and its mission to provide support and mentoring for young Indigenous artists and their recording projects.
Wild Rice Records present Sparkle Celebration
When: Friday, September 15, 2017 at 8 p.m. Where: Market Hall Performing Arts Centre (140 Charlotte St. E, Peterborough) How much: $33 ($23 for students)
Featuring performances by Crystal Shawanda, Missy Knott with Dean James, Gary Williams, Taylor Merrick, and The Bob Taylor Band. Tickets are available at the Market Hall box office, by phone at 705-749-1146, online at markethall.org, or at Moondance Records (425 George St. N., cash only).
Born of collaboration between Knott, Guerilla Studios owner-operator Dave Searle, and Peterborough LIVE Music Festival founder Wendy Fischer, Wild Rice Records will be launched on Friday, September 15th at Market Hall Performing Arts Centre (140 Charlotte St. E, Peterborough) at Sparkle Celebration, a showcase of Indigenous music and its creators featuring headliner Crystal Shawanda with performances by Knott with Dean James, Gary Williams, Taylor Merrick, and The Bob Taylor Band.
Tickets for Sparkle Celebration cost $33 ($23 for students) at the Market Hall box office, by phone at 705-749-1146, online at markethall.org, or at Moondance Records (425 George St. N., cash only).
“A lot of people in our area don’t know Indigenous music exists because we don’t have a lot of it going on just yet,” says Knott who, at age 19, recorded and released her first album For No Reason At All in 2009.
“You go to Winnipeg, the Indigenous music scene is thriving,” she says. “I was inspired there at the Indigenous Music Awards. Crystal was nominated for Producer of the Year for my latest record My Sister’s Heart, so I spent a week there. There was constantly something going on, whether it was workshops or shows.
VIDEO: My Sister’s Heart – Missy Knott
Peterborough is located on the traditional territory of the Anishinaabe (Ojibway) and was originally named and known as Nogojiwanong.
“In some ways, that’s happening here. We do have an Indigenous arts community here with Sean Conway, Tara Williamson, Patti Shaughnessy, and we have the Ode’min Giizis (Strawberry Moon) Festival. Still, I think a lot of Indigenous artists need to travel in order to be a part of that scene.”
Building, promoting, and furthering the Indigenous music scene in Peterborough is the driving force behind Wild Rice Records, says Knott, fully cognizant of the challenge that presents.
“We want the Indigenous community to thrive and we want people to know Indigenous people are still here, that First Nations people are still here. Yes, I’m Missy Knott. I’m still from Curve Lake First Nation. But people don’t see Indigenous music as mainstream music. They don’t really give it a chance.”
Award-winning country music singer-songwriter Crystal Shawanda, who grew up on Wikwemikong First Nation on Manitoulin Island and is now based in Nashville, headlines Sparkle Celebration on September 15. (Publicity photo)
That said, Knott is far from discouraged.
“That’s changing and it’s changing fast. Wendy and I did an event in June at The Venue called The Gathering. It was basically an indoor pow wow. We brought all sorts of Indigenous organizations together, like the Lovesick Lake Native Women’s Association, and they set up booths. Taylor Merrick, one of the top emerging artists from Curve Lake, performed.”
Motivating Knott is her own experience as a youth with a musical gift she wanted to share.
“I had nobody in my life that was in music. It was just something that unfolded. Somebody told me ‘You should a singer’ so I became a singer. When Crystal met with me later on and asked if I’d be interested in working with her, that became my whole world. ‘I have a number one Billboard country recording artist who wrote this song about her daddy dying.’ My dad had just died. It was like the stars were lining up.”
VIDEO: “You Can Let Go” – Crystal Shawanda
Through Wild Rice Records, Knott hopes she can provide the same kind of support and mentoring to other young Indigenous performers, some of whom may be struggling — as Knott herself has — with anxiety and other mental health challenges.
“Mental health and anxiety and all that are huge right now because kids are not used to having conversations about the issues facing them,” she explains. “Everything is done over the internet. That makes it hard to ask people for help.
“Wild Rice Records will be kind of like a launch pad for them, somewhere to go where I can provide them with connections and ideas. And provide them with a studio, as I’m partnered with Guerrilla Studios and with Echo Recording (based at Guerilla Studios). I want it to be that connector for them.”
Missy Knott performing at the 28th Havelock Country Jamboree in August 2017. (Supplied photo)
Pointing to her recent appearance at the Havelock Country Jamboree, Knott says, for the first time, she departed a stage “100 per cent confident” in her performance.
“I always had a level of confidence but I’ve battled with a lot of trauma. My dad dying, the aftermath of that, my mental health … I call it anxiety but I’m not sure exactly what it was. But I didn’t have a support system. The easy way out was having a drink.
“That’s how my family dealt with their problems. The stereotype and the stigma of the First Nations community are not all lies. No matter how hard I fight that or how hard I try to avoid it, you’re still affected by it. To be asked to do the Havelock Jamboree — playing with the guys I played with whom I grew up admiring, like Dylan Ireland and Matt Greco, being on that stage and feeling grounded — was one of the best feelings I’ve ever had.”
Wild Rice Records, as Knott envisions it, will be the conduit for emerging artists to find their confidence early on by providing them with not only the technical means of furthering their music, but also the encouragement necessary to progress to the next level.
While Knott remains proud, and rightly so, of her own artistic milestones — the 2009 Emerging Artist Award bestowed by the Peterborough Folk Festival, sharing the stage with the likes of Nelly Furtado and Bryan Adams at the 2010 Winter Olympics, and her February 2017 Market Hall release of Nashville-recorded My Sister’s Heart come quickly to mind — the brightest gleam in her eye is fueled by her two-year-old daughter Lyrik.
Missy Knott with her daughter Lyrik. “Now I have a purpose. I have a person I’m responsible for: a child that’s always going to love me and I’m going to love forever, no matter what I do.” (Photo courtesy of Missy Knott)
“For so long, I was waking up thinking ‘What’s my purpose?'” Knott says. “You can volunteer and perform at all these charity events but, at the end of the day, what’s your purpose? Now I don’t question that. Now I have a purpose.
“I have a person I’m responsible for: a child that’s always going to love me and I’m going to love forever, no matter what I do. There’s no holding back now. I want to make sure I represent her in the best way possible. She has given me a huge push. I don’t want her to be raised in a little bubble. I want her to embrace all the arts, all the culture.”
Another recent life-changing development for Knott has been working with Wendy Fischer.
It’s the “28th annual” Sparkle Celebration as it takes place three days after Missy Knott’s 28th brithday. (Poster: Wild Rice Records)
“Wendy is an unbelievable, energetic ball of magic. She has been a huge motivator in terms of the business side of my art and has opened up this whole new world to me in terms of generating income. After having Lyrik, life changed. You can’t volunteer as much as you wish you could. You’ve got to pay the bills. When I lived in my car and was traveling all the time, that didn’t really matter — but now I can’t do that.”
Now, the September 15 event is Knott’s main focus.
“I chose Market Hall because I love working with Chad Hogan and Patricia Thorne. The venue is beautiful. It’s a performing arts centre, not just a bar. And September 16 and 17 is pow wow weekend in Curve Lake, so the timing is perfect. Crystal is a huge name in the Aboriginal arts community. As soon as I messaged her and said ‘Please, are you free?’ she said ‘I’m there.'”
Also fueling Knott’s anticipation is the fact that Sparkle Celebration will be staged three days after her 28th birthday.
“This has always been my favourite week of the year. My birthday and then pow wow weekend falls right after. It’s my Christmas. Everything is unfolding perfectly. I’m not a winter person. I’m more of happy-in-the-sunshine girl. That we’re getting the ball rolling on all this is giving me something consistent to do during the winter months. I’m really looking forward to that.”
Nestled on the shores of Clear Lake, and with more than 185 acres of wetlands, woodlands and meadows, Camp Kawartha's Outdoor Education Centre and summer camp (1010 Birchview Road, Douro-Dummer) is a natural for outdoor learning. (Photo: Camp Kawartha)
Ask an adult what some of their favourite childhood memories are and they most likely would focus on the great outdoors — meandering through local woods, catching frogs or bugs, those many hours spent playing in the dirt, covered in earthy brown goodness.
But in today’s fast-paced urbanized world, exposure to nature is on the decline and people are less connected to their natural surroundings.
Camp Kawartha, however, hopes to change all that.
A green oasis
The year-round award-winning environmental learning centre is an eco-friendly oasis that includes a summer camp and an outdoor education facility on Clear Lake, and an Environment Centre located on Nature Sanctuary Lands at the south edge of Trent University.
With over 10,000 visitors per year, Camp Kawartha is a not-for-profit charitable organization dedicated to fostering stewardship.
The camp teaches sustainable living practices, habitat protection and environmental responsibility, primarily through summer camps for kids, youth groups, curriculum-linked outdoor education and leadership training programs for students, team-building programs, facility rentals for group retreats, as well as winter activities and retreats.
Located on Trent University’s 200-acre wildlife sanctuary lands, the Environment Education Centre (2505 Pioneer Road, Peterborough) has earned its moniker as “one of Canada’s most sustainable buildings.” (Photo: Camp Kawartha)
Jacob Rodenburg, Camp Kawartha’s Executive Director, explains it’s all about highlighting environmental stewardship and conservation, which is at the heart of Camp Kawartha’s mission.
He champions environmental education programs and activities that inspire curiosity, sustainability, and civic engagement for learners of all ages.
“If people, particularly children and teenagers, lose contact with nature, they won’t fight for it,” Rodenburg says. “So, what will that mean for our planet? When a person values their connection with nature, they are more likely to conserve and protect it.”
Inspiring environmental stewardship in kids
Camp Kawartha is dedicated to fostering stewardship. Both locations offer curriculum-linked and interactive outdoor programs that are both educational and fun for elementary and secondary students. (Photo: Camp Kawartha)
Rodenburg calls it “a vision of how our community can foster stewardship together,” and adds it’s essential for it to be “a community-wide initiative to keep parents and educators engaged in outdoor activities that will plant the seed to protect and enjoy gifts of the natural world for generations to come.”
Inspiring environmental stewardship, Rodenburg says, starts by simply “teaching children to tend and care for nearby nature, perhaps by planting a garden, engaging in citizen science or by naturalizing a school yard.
“As kids get older, they can engage in rehabilitation projects or become involved in locally relevant environmental issues.”
This fall or winter, if you’re looking to get back in touch with nature to gain new experiences, skills and inspiration, here are a few ways Camp Kawartha can take you there:
Outdoor Education Centre school programs
Nestled on the shores of Clear Lake, and with more than 185 acres of wetlands, woodlands and meadows, the Outdoor Education Centre (1010 Birchview Road, Douro-Dummer) is a natural for outdoor learning.
From September to June, the centre offers over 60 curriculum-linked programs to students from kindergarten to grade twelve.
The programs fall under five broad headings: Environmental Science, Canadian History, Environmental Arts, Adventure and Leadership, and Recreation and Physical Education.
VIDEO: Camp Kawartha Outdoor Education Centre
The centre aims to help kids reconnect to their environment and recognize the beauty, value and diversity of their natural surroundings through creative outdoor programs that incorporate drama, storytelling, music, and hands-on exploration and games. Cold outside? No problem, they also offer over 40 different winter activity programs.
Schools and youth groups can take advantage of an overnight visit or an entire week filled with field trips, adventure and exploration.
If you’re looking for a scenic and relaxing venue for your group’s next weekend retreat or team building program, consider renting the camp’s rustic, fully winterized pine cabins that vary in size and can accommodate up to a total of 150 people. (Photo: Camp Kawartha)
Environmental Education Centre school programs and facility rentals
Located on Trent University’s 200-acre wildlife sanctuary lands, the Environment Education Centre (2505 Pioneer Road, Peterborough) has earned its moniker as “one of Canada’s most sustainable buildings.”
The 2,000-square-foot building showcases alternative energy in action. It features innovative green architecture such as straw bale construction, a living roof, rain water collection, wetland water treatment, geo-thermal, natural building materials, active and passive solar power, and composting toilets.
Need an inspirational and private setting to host your next meeting, workshop, or special event? The camp’s Pioneer Road location can accommodate up to 65 people and is available for daytime or evening rentals. (Photo: Camp Kawartha)
Using the building as “a teaching tool”, the centre offers 40 environmental education programs focused on sustainable living and ecology for elementary, high school and university students, as well as workshops, lectures and seminars on sustainability to the general public.
Need an inspirational and private setting to host your next meeting, workshop, or special event? The camp’s Pioneer Road location can accommodate up to 65 people and is available for daytime or evening rentals.
Looking for a scenic and relaxing venue for your group’s next weekend retreat or team building program? Find sustainable accommodations at Camp Kawartha’s cozy cabin rentals at the Birchview Road location in Douro-Dummer.
A range of kayaking, archery, hiking, sailing, cross-country skiing and nature experiences, along with an outdoor amphitheatre and campfire circle overlooking Clear Lake, are available to guests staying in the rustic, fully winterized pine cabins that vary in size from seven to 19 people, and can accommodate a total of 150 people.
Groups can run their own program or you can hire the centre’s staff to run a program, such as cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, team-building, guided nature hikes, all while you sit back and enjoy your stay. (Photo: Camp Kawartha)
From September to mid-June, the Outdoor Education Centre can host groups of 25 to 150 people for green conferences, group retreats, youth programs, leadership camps, and reunions with exclusive use of the site and rental facilities.
Groups can run their own program or you can hire the centre’s staff to run a program, such as cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, team-building, guided nature hikes, all while you sit back and enjoy your stay.
The centre’s eco-friendly design also adds another dimension to a Camp Kawartha visit. Their large 1,400-square-foot “Rotary Hall” with a woodstove, couches, and wall-mounted project screen, offers a comfy place to relax or setup with chairs to host presentations. The dining hall, with a stone fireplace, can comfortably hold up to 125 people for meals. Also onsite are experienced in-house chefs who use fresh and sustainable local ingredients.
Outdoor activity areas include a volleyball court, basketball court, playing field, waterfront with swimming and boating areas, archery range, high ropes, and an accessible climbing wall which can accommodate various skill levels and ages, as well as people with disabilities.
Camp Kawartha’s Outdoor Education Centre has a new accessible climbing wall that can accommodate various skill levels and ages, as well as people with disabilities. (Photo: Camp Kawartha)
Proceeds from weekend rentals help support the Camp Kawartha’s outdoor education and summer camp programs for children.
Camp Kawartha 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.
The legendary California ska punk band Voodoo Glow Skulls performs at the Market Hall Performing Arts Centre on Wednesday, September 13, kicking off a month of diverse musical offerings that include an evening of indigenous musical performances at the Sparkle Celebration on September 15, celtic supergroup The Outside Track on September 19, psychobilly band The Creepshow on September 22, and jazz guitarist Rob Tardik on September 23.
Move over oregano and cinnamon; take a breather sage and paprika … the only spice required in Chad Hogan’s world is that of the musical variety kind.
As general manager of the Market Hall Performing Arts Centre, Hogan has lined up five September shows that speak to the diversity of performance that the downtown venue has traditionally thrived on.
Four of those shows — ska punk band Voodoo Glow Skulls, traditional music quintet The Outside Track, “psychobilly” band The Creepshow, and jazz/world music guitarist Rob Tardik — are being presented exclusively by Market Hall while the fifth, the Sparkle Celebration showcase of indigenous performers, is a hall rental being presented on the eve of the annual Curve Lake Pow Wow:
According to Hogan, all these shows speak to the variety that has been key to Market Hall’s success.
“It’s impossible to please everybody all at once, but the one thing all these acts do have in common is they are world class in their genre,” Hogan says. “I have the ticket prices on all of them as low as I can possibly go. Audience members are getting a state-of-the-art venue, incredible sound, friendly and warm staff, and an absolutely fantastic show. It’s really good value in terms of live performance. There’s no waiting in traffic on the 401. There are no hotels. This is right here.”
While doing all he can to put bums in the seats, Hogan is also a fan of music — particularly of the rock variety. He’s especially excited to have landed Voodoo Glow Skulls, a band he has followed since he can remember.
“This is quite possibly their last tour,” he says. “It’s exciting for me, as someone who bought their records when I was 13, to be able to host one of their final shows. But all these shows have me revved up. They wouldn’t be coming here if they didn’t. I’m not interested in selling mediocrity to people.
“I want to bring in stuff that’s exciting and interesting and different than what are other performing arts centres are doing. I want to bring acts that excite young people, not try to get them excited about what we’re already doing.”
As for The Creepshow, The Outside Track, and Rob Tardik, Hogan is equally pumped, saying they represent but a small slice of the high-quality performances Market Hall is offering audiences this fall.
“We are more booked than we’ve ever been in our history. It’s going to be a busy but extremely exciting and rewarding season.”
Voodoo Glow Skulls (with guests The Cheap Suits and K-Man and The 45s)
Wednesday, September 13, 8 p.m.
Since forming in 1988 in Riverside, California, ska punk band Voodoo Glow Skulls has recorded nine albums, toured worldwidem and still found the time to create and oversee its own record label, recording studio, and music venue.
Meshing hardcore punk with traditional ska and the Mexican roots music of their background, Voodoo Glow Skulls’ trademark “California street music” sound and humourous commentary on harsh political realities has led to more than one million albums sold and a still growing legion of dedicated fans.
Tickets for Voodoo Glow Skulls, a Market Hall Presents presentation, cost $23 at the Market Hall box office or at Moondance Records, 425 George Street North (cash only), online at markethall.org or by phone at 705-749-1146.
VIDEO: Voodoo Glow Skulls – The Yost Theater 2016
Sparkle Celebration
Friday, September 15, 8 p.m.
Multi-awarded recording artist Crystal Shawanda — she won a 2013 Juno Award for Aboriginal Album of the Year for Just Like You — and Curve Lake singer/guitarist Missy Knott headline an evening of country, popm and blues music while showcasing the talents of local inndigenous performers Dean James, The Bob Taylor Band, Gary Williams, and Taylor Merrick.
Tickets for Sparkle Celebration, a Wild Rice Records presentation, cost $33 ($25 for students) at the Market Hall box office or at Moondance Records, 425 George Street North (cash only), online at markethall.org or by phone at 705-749-1146.
VIDEO: “You Can Let Go” – Crystal Shawanda
The Outside Track
Tuesday, September 19, 8 p.m.
Sharing a love of traditional music and commitment to creating new music, Norah Rendell, Mairi Rankin, Ailie Robertson, Fiona Black, and Cillian O’Dalaigh blend Canadian, Scottish and Irish music with boundless energy to create a unique sound that has brought them a bevy of international awards and associated adulation.
With a fiddle, accordion, harp, guitar and flute in its arsenal alongside stunning vocals and riveting step dancing, The Outside Track give truth to the end result being so much greater than the sum of its parts.
Tickets for The Outside Track, a Market Hall Presents presentation, cost $25 ($30 for cabaret table seats) at the Market Hall box office or at Moondance Records, 425 George Street North (cash only), online at markethall.org or by phone at 705-749-1146.
VIDEO: “Set You Free” – The Outside Track
The Creepshow
Friday, September 22, 8 p.m.
Formed in 2005 in Burlington as a “psychobilly” band, The Creepshow — Sean “Sean Solo” McNab, Kristian “Darth Ginty” Rowles, Sandro “The Great Sanchini” Sanchioni, Kenda “Obi Wan Kendabi” Legaspi, and Daniel “Danikan Skywalker” Flamm — remains an explosion of energy that’s a tasty treat for the eyes and ears.
Having brought their genre-defying blend of country-tinged psycho punk rock ‘n’ roll to more than 25 countries worldwide, The Creepshow’s lyrics, drawing inspiration from B movies and early horror films, also serve up personal insights into issues surrounding addiction and mental health as well as love gone wrong.
Tickets for The Creepshow, a Market Hall Presents presentation, cost $20 at the Market Hall box office or at Moondance Records, 425 George Street North (cash only), online at markethall.org or by phone at 705-749-1146.
VIDEO: “Sticks & Stones” – The Creepshow
Rob Tardik
Saturday, September 23, 8 p.m.
An award-winning guitarist and recording artist performing contemporary jazz and world instrumental music, Rob Tardik was recognized as the Canadian Smooth Jazz Guitarist of the year in 2010 and captured top honours at the International Acoustic Music Awards in 2017 for Best Instrumental Composition for Voyageur from his album Moments.
Currently working on his sixth album Synergy, Tardik’s music is heard worldwide on contemporary jazz radio stations as well as on iTunes.
Tickets for Rob Tardik, a Market Hall Presents presentation, cost $25 ($30 for cabaret table seats) at the Market Hall box office or at Moondance Records, 425 George Street North (cash only), online at markethall.org or by phone at 705-749-1146.
VIDEO: “A Night of SYNERGY” Teaser Music Video – Rob Tardik
To view Market Hall’s complete fall lineup of shows, complete with ticket information, visit their recently redesigned website at markethall.org.
Peterborough YMCA staff helping prepare Smile Cookies at Tim Hortons in Lakefield. The $1 cookies are available from September 11 to 17 at Tim Hortons restaurants in Peterborough, Bridgenorth, and Lakefield with all proceeds going to support the YMCA Strong Kids campaign. (Photo: YMCA of Peterborough / Twitter)
If you ever needed an excuse to buy cookies, you have one this week with the return of Smile Cookies at Tim Hortons.
For one week only (September 11 to 17), you can buy a freshly baked chocolate chunk “Smile Cookie” for $1 at participating Tim Hortons restaurants in Peterborough, Bridgenorth, and Lakefield. When you buy a Smile Cookie, your full $1 will be donated by Tim Hortons restaurant owners to the YMCA Strong Kids campaign.
YMCA Strong Kids is an annual fundraising campaign focused on raising much needed resources to give kids the opportunities they need to live healthier, happier lives, today and in the future.
You can stop by any local Tim Hortons from today (September 11) to Sunday (September 17) to purchase a Smile Cookie.
You can also pre-order cookies using forms are available at local Tim Hortons restaurants throughout Peterborough, Bridgenorth and Lakefield or the YMCA Balsillie Family Branch (123 Aylmer St. S., Peterborough).
Visit www.timhortons.com/smilecookie to learn more about the charities the Smile Cookie campaign supports across Canada.
For more information about YMCA’s Strong Kids campaign, visit ymca.ca.
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