Celebrate the Planet and Dance for Declaration in September

For Our Grandchildren (4RG), a local climate group will hit the streets dancing in September to celebrate the planet.

For Our Grandchildren selects a different action each month and directs people towards resources highlighted steps one can take towards climate action. Photo courtesy of For Our Grandchildren.

September 20, 2021 marks the second anniversary of Peterborough’s declaration of a Climate Emergency.

To celebrate and raise awareness 4RG will be hosting an evening of song and dance free for anyone to attend.

The evening will begin at 4:00 p.m. with a ‘Dance for the Planet’ at Millennium Park. Local entertainers The Weber Brothers and Irish Millie will be performing.

The group will walk to Confederation Park at 6:00 p.m. where they hope to have enough attendees to encircle City Hall - symbolizing that we all need to work together to succeed.

There will be speeches explaining what the City of Peterborough has implemented to help the climate emergency in the difficult time of the pandemic as well as what steps can be taken immediately to help. Speakers have not yet been announced.

For more information on this event click here.

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Award-Winning Teen Farmer to Showcase Lamb For Second Consecutive Title

Young farmer Natalie Dunford is gearing up for another successful year for the Peterborough Exhibition Junior Market Lamb show this Wednesday.

Natalie Dunford poses with her lamb. Natalie and her family also sell fresh sweet corn and pumpkins from their farm in Cavan. Photo courtesy of Sarah Dunford.

Growing up just down the road from her grandfather’s farm in Cavan, the 14-year-old Dunford has been farming her whole life. She has been showing sheep through 4-H — a non-profit geared towards teaching youth leadership and life skills — for six years and has been selling market lambs at auction for three years.

Last year, Dunford’s homegrown lamb placed first and was bought by Joe Donaldson from Smokey Joe’s butcher shop.

In past years, the Peterborough Exhibition Junior Market Lamb show has been open to the public with the lambs being auctioned off directly from the ring. Due to COVID-19, this and last year’s auction is online with an in-person show.

“The five kids that have entered lambs this year are exceptional,” said Sarah Dunford, Natalie’s mom. “They all have their own flocks. If it was in person, you could see the work that the kids do.”

To show a lamb, the farmer must “break it in” by getting the animal used to being led around the ring. Natalie has been working with her lamb that she will bring to the show on Wednesday for about a month.

She also helps look after the flock of over 60 lambs daily, performing vaccinations, putting fresh hay in their stalls and any other farm duties.

The money earned from this auction will go towards her post-secondary education says Natalie. The young farmer will attend high school in September and plans on pursuing an agricultural or horticulture education after graduation.

Natalie sits among her flock. Photo Courtesy of Sarah Dunford.

Natalie hopes that people become more aware of the fresh local lamb that is produced in Peterborough County.

“Your food comes from somewhere,” she says. “It may not come from me but it comes from somebody and it is a hell of a lot of work that goes into it.”

Hosted by the Peterborough Agricultural Society, the Ernest Boyles & Sons Ltd Market Steer and Junior Market Lamb Show & Sale begins on Wednesday. The online auction can be viewed here.

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Six Local Youth Entrepreneurs Launch Summer Businesses

Six local youth entrepreneurs have recently launched their summer business ventures thanks to the Summer Company program offered by Peterborough & the Kawarthas Economic Development’s Business Advisory Centre (BAC).

(Top row from left to right) Ainsley Dunn, Drew McFadden, Grace Holmquist (Bottom row from left to right_ Owen Gerrard, Timothy Mills, Lawson Hill. Photo Courtesy of Peterborough & the Kawarthas Economic Development.

The Summer Company Program is the Government of Ontario’s flagship youth entrepreneurship program which helps youth aged 15-29 try their hand at business ownership by connecting them with up to $3,000 in start-up funding, one-on-one guidance from BAC staff, advice and mentorship from local business leaders, access to business workshops, training and resources and business support.

“This year’s group are committed and passionate youth entrepreneurs. Enrolling in a program like Summer Company requires dedication and a desire to learn and improve small business knowledge. Each of the six students has taken their unique skillset and experiences and turned them into marketable and sought-after products and services,” said Suzanne McCrimmon, Peterborough & the Kawarthas Economic Development’s Director of Business Development. “We are grateful to the Province of Ontario for their continued support of the Summer Company program. These youth business owners are learning skills that they will take with them for the rest of their lives.”

This summer’s group of youth entrepreneurs includes:

Creatively Dunn (Norwood, ON) – Owner Ainsley Dunn is currently taking the Indigenous Bachelor of Education program at Trent University and handcrafts all-natural, sustainable handcrafted wooden toys and playsets for children. Her product line includes anything from themed sets, peg people, playdough stampers, stacking toys and Indigenous education sets.

Drew’s Chicks (Cavan Monaghan, ON) – Sharing his passion and love for chickens, Drew McFadden, founder of Drew’s Chicks provides complete chick kits to young families, teachers, and retirement homes. The kits include an enclosed cage, heat lamp, bedding, food, and water containers as well as two baby chicks that customers foster for two weeks, after which time they return to his farm as egg-laying chickens. In addition to chicks, Drew has expanded his fostering services to include baby quail and ducklings.

She Stitch (Douro-Dummer, ON) – Founder Grace Holmquist, a local high school student from Lakefield is a maker who designs and creates reusable bags for shopping and boating, with a focus on striving to reduce the use of plastic bags and creating beautiful, practical, stylish, and unique designs.

Trent Lakes Property Maintenance (Trent Lakes, ON) – Completing his last year of the paramedic program at Fleming College, Lawson Hill offers property maintenance services including painting, grass cutting, spring cleanups and more, focus on offering week-day services to allow homeowners time to enjoy their cottage properties on the weekends.

OG LawnCare (Lakefield, ON) – Owen Gerrard is a local student, entrepreneur offering affordable lawn care services using 100 per cent eco-friendly electric equipment instead of environmentally harmful gas-powered machines which offers clients an opportunity to reduce their carbon footprint.

3D Casting (Peterborough, ON) – Timothy Mills is a recent University of Guelph Mechanical Engineering grad returning to work on his Master of Applied Science. Leveraging his engineering knowledge and skills to launch a manufacturing start-up, he offers casting designs, prototypes and manufacturing of small plastic and aluminum parts through a combination of 3D printing and investment casting.

The Peterborough & the Kawarthas Business Advisory Centre, operated by Peterborough & the Kawarthas Economic Development has been the proud program provider for the City and County of Peterborough since 2001.

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Local Musician Reaches Milestone With Their First Big Gig

It was a surreal moment for local artist SJ Riley, performing her first large-audience show at the PTBOLive Summer Concert Series in the Peterborough Memorial Centre parking lot on Friday.

Sarah-Jayne Riley better known by her stage name SJ Riley, had her latest song “Mansion of Broken Hearts” filmed at a haunted house in Lakefield. Photo by David Tuan Bui.

Riley opened the show for country music star Chad Brownlee with a six-song set — five originals and one cover song — including her signature-titled songs, “Whoever This Was Written To” and “Mansion of Broken Hearts.”

The singer/songwriter had only performed two shows prior to this performance, one at The Black Horse Pub (July 11) and The Garnet (July 17) earlier in the month.

"When you think about gigs like this, until you’re on stage doing it, how absolutely fun it is,” she said. “I had a blast.”

SJ Riley with her band, the “SJ Riley Band” performing on an overcast evening on the Enbridge Energy Stage. Photo by David Tuan Bui.

Playing live was a breath of fresh air and a sign the world was giving a sense of normalcy according to Riley.

“I think it’s the first step to a time where people come together again,” she said. “There’s nothing like coming together with a group of people and sharing an experience.”

During the pandemic, SJ Riley was doing acting gigs and filming music videos at Treblecock Studios located in downtown Peterborough.

Several of her music videos were produced by the local studio to occupy her time until live concerts were allowed again due to the pandemic.

“Peterborough is fantastic,” said Riley. “The people of the city are amazing, the artists in this city here are amazing, there’s so much here so I’m just absolutely honoured to be a part of it.

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Peterborough's First-Ever Drive N' Drag Show In the Books

Peterborough’s first-ever Drive N’ Drag show filled the Peterborough Memorial Centre parking lot where fans danced all night on Saturday.

A fan celebrates her birthday at Saturdays Drive N’ Drag show. Photo By Angela O’Grady

Despite on-and-off torrential downpours during the show, local drag performers Ms. Madge Enthat and Sahira Q were in the spotlight on the Enbridge Energy Stage. They joined other stars such as Tynomi Banks, BOA, Virgo, Tash Riot, Baby Bel Bel with host Dancing Phil.

Performers danced and lip-synced to music from famous artists like Whitney Houston and Beyonce during a night filled with expression and energy.

“Sometimes it’s really hard to express yourself and this is a form of expression or an outlet to release frustrations,” said Tynomi Banks.

Photo By Angela O’Grady

Fans were seemingly unbothered by the weather and danced along with the performers - some embracing the rain and some hiding under their umbrellas.

One on-scene security personnel speculated that the Drive N’ Drag show may have been one of the busiest PTBOLive performances to date.

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The Canadian Canoe Museum is Open

After a long winter and spring The Canadian Canoe Museum has opened their doors to the public.

The Canadian Canoe Museum is welcoming visitors as Ontario opens Stage 3. Photo Courtesy of The Canadian Canoe Museum.

Visitors are invited to walk through galleries, admire the waterfall, and view the more than 600 watercraft on display currently.

Masks, physical distancing, limited capacity, and all other COVID safety protocols are in effect. Visitors are encouraged to visit The Canadian Canoe Museum website prior to their tour so they know what to expect in terms of COVID precautions.

Staff ask that if possible visitors purchase their admission tickets online prior to arrival to limit contact and make for a quick entrance.

Cash will not be accepted in the on-site gift shop.

Current hours of operation are Friday - Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

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Three Peterborough Petes Selected to 2021 NHL Draft

It was a dream that Mason McTavish, Brian Zanetti and Artem Guryev all get to live as their names were called in the 2021 NHL Draft on Friday and Saturday.

McTavish helped Team Canada win gold for the first time since 2013 at the 2021 U18 IIHF World Championship in Texas. He had 11 points (five goals, six assists) in seven games, ranking fifth overall in the tournament and tied second on Team Canada. Photo Courtesy of the Peterborough Petes.

McTavish was selected third overall by the Anaheim Ducks on Friday, the earliest a Pete has ever been drafted since Nick Ritchie in 2014, 10th overall (also by the Ducks).

The Zurich, Switzerland-born centreman modelled his game after Ducks captain Ryan Getzlaf.

“He’s a bigger guy, kind of similar to me,” said McTavish. “He’s super talented and he gets around pretty well too for how big he is so I definitely look up to him and admire how he plays the game.”

The Carp, Ontario native recorded 29 goals and 13 assists for 42 points during his 2019-20 rookie campaign with Peterborough, finishing second in the OHL rookie scoring race. He was named to the OHL 2nd All-Rookie team.

Zanetti was having dinner with his family when he heard his name be called by the Philadelphia Flyers. Photo Courtesy of the Peterborough Petes

Brian Zanetti was selected 110th overall in the fourth round by the Philadelphia Flyers.

Zanetti was selected by the Petes at the 2020 CHL Import Draft, first round, 35th overall. The 172-pound defenceman played for HC Lugano U-20 Elit in Switzerland for the 2019-20 and 2020-21 season.

The 2003-born, Switzerland native recorded nine goals and 20 assists for 29 points in 41 games, during last season’s campaign. Zanetti has represented Switzerland at the U16, U17, U18, and U20 levels. 

The Swiss defenceman becomes the eighth Pete in franchise history to be selected by the Philadelphia Flyers.

“When I saw my name, my parents and I were super happy and very excited,” said Zanetti. “My father did cry a bit and was very emotional for me and my grandfather and grandmother.”

Guryev was a part of the Ontario Junior Hockey League’s Lindsay Muskies in the East Division that hosts other teams, especially in the Quinte area including the Trenton Golden Hawks and Wellington Dukes. Photo Courtesy of the Peterborough Petes.

Like McTavish, Artem Guryev joins the Pacific Division as he got drafted 135th overall in the 5th round by the San Jose Sharks. He was overwhelmed with all the support he was receiving when his name was called.

"Everyone congratulated me,” said Guryev. “I didn’t have much time to talk to them because everyone was calling me.”

Guryev was picked in the second round, 22nd overall by the Petes at the 2019 OHL Priority Selection. In his first year with Peterborough, he split his time between the Memorial Centre and Junior A Lindsay Muskies. In his initial season of Jr. hockey, Guryev tallied 3 goals, 5 assists and 70 penalty minutes between the Muskies and Petes. 

He becomes the first Pete to be selected by the San Jose Sharks at an NHL Entry Draft. Former Petes captain, Zach Gallant signed a standard player agreement with Sharks in 2019 and played with their AHL affiliate, the San Jose Barracuda during his 2019-20 campaign. More notably, Petes alumnus Mike Ricci currently serves as the club’s Player Development Coach. 

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Beloved Teacher Receives Video Montage Congratulating Their Retirement

It was a heartfelt moment for the now-retired supply teacher Wadsworth Kulatungam as he received a video montage from former students, friends and coworkers congratulating his retirement sent Wednesday.

PTBOCanada Editor David Tuan Bui with Wadsworth Kulatungam circa 2008 and 2021. Bui was a former student of Kulatungam periodically as a supply teacher since 1998. Photos by David Tuan Bui

Kulatungam — better known as Mr. Wadsworth — said he was touched when he was surprised by the 34 people that congratulated him on his retirement of the video montage.

"It was sort of overwhelming looking at it,” said Kulatungam. “It was quite emotional too.”

He retired in December 2020 after 25 years as a supply teacher. He retired citing that it was his time and he wanted to leave on a good note.

The montage was started by former colleague Colleen Crawley, English teacher at St. Peter’s Catholic Secondary School. It was Kulatungam’s last place of employment.

She started an open campaign on Facebook to allow anyone to send video clips of their well-wishes to Kulatungam.

“He is so well-loved by students and staff alike that I always imagined his retirement would call for a big celebration,” said Crawley. “Since the pandemic did not allow this, I decided to make the group video to allow people the opportunity to wish him well.”

Colleen Crawley’s recruitment of people to give videos to Kulatungam was shared 89 times on her Facebook post alone. Photo Courtesy of Colleen Crawley.

Kulatungam believes his attitude is what resonated with the students and staff. Telling jokes and smiling is what helped keep everybody positive he said.

“Never put down anyone,” explain Kulatungam. “Everyone has their talents, good and bad. None of us are perfect. I don't think any student is useless. I don't use that word at all. Everyone has capabilities and goodness in them. That was my philosophy. Criticism doesn't carry you anywhere.”

Kulatungam was a teacher and a vice-principal in his home country of Sri Lanka until he immigrated to Canada in 1993.

He is the second oldest of five children with an older brother and his sister as the youngest. Kulatungam says he will spend his spare time either reading or gardening.

"Don't be shy about being wrong,” said Kulatungam.

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Internationally Renowned Voice Actress Pays Local Studio a Visit

Voice actress Marina Pratt made an appearance at Treblecock Studios in downtown Peterborough to record a voiceover for a client on Wednesday.

Pratt has her own Youtube channel focusing on health, wellness, spirituality and beauty. Photo by David Tuan Bui.

Pratt was lending her voice for an animated marketing series for an undisclosed company in the United Kingdom (where Pratt currently resides).

The Toronto-born actress was in the area visiting family as they own a cottage in Bancroft. She sought the services of David Joyce and Treblecock Studios after finding him on as the first result of a Google search.

“I do a lot of animated series. I do video games. I do all kinds of interesting bookings that require me to be available anytime in any season,” explained Pratt.

David Joyce (left) in front of Treblecock Studios with voice actress Marina Pratt (left). Joyce got the name “Treblecock” from a small coffee-roasting company in Ajax where he was from. Photo by David Tuan Bui.

Pratt is no stranger to Peterborough as she has been in town on other occasions aside from family. She has attended art shows and worked in health and wellness expos that were run by her entrepreneur friends.

“What I've always loved about Peterborough is how friendly everybody is,” exclaimed Pratt. “The arts community here is so amazing and I love that any day of the week if you want to experience live music, you can go just go anywhere downtown.”

Pratt as the voiceover for Tresemmé’s latest shampoo commercial.

Pratt has made appearances in films such as And I Feel Fine, Hitman Hobbies: The Magic of Friendship and Belushi's Toilet. She has done voiceovers for commercials and video games including the popular series, Skyrim.

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Hometown PTBO: Liz Shaughnessy-Rowe Describes Her Passion for Soccer and the City of Peterborough

This week on Hometown PTBO, Pete Dalliday speaks with Liz Shaughnessy-Rowe, one of the biggest soccer enthusiasts of Peterborough about her passion for the sport and the city.

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