A 30-Year Dream Becomes Reality with Hiawatha’s Rice Lake Elders Lodge

By Scott Arnold

What began as a dream carried by Hiawatha elders for more than three decades is now a beautiful new home for the community’s older citizens, with 12 lakefront apartments, a community building and a future built around dignity, independence and connection.

The ribbon was officially cut at Hiawatha First Nation’s Rice Lake Elders Lodge, marking the opening of the community’s largest housing project in its history. (Photo by Scott Arnold)

There was a lot to celebrate at Hiawatha First Nation as a ribbon was cut to officially open the Rice Lake Elders Lodge, but the significance of the day went far beyond the project itself.

For more than 30 years, Hiawatha elders had carried a vision of having a place of their own, somewhere they could live comfortably and independently while remaining close to family, friends, community and the land that has always been central to Hiawatha.

Now, that vision is standing on the shores of Rice Lake.

The Rice Lake Elders Lodge is the largest housing project in the history of Hiawatha First Nation, transforming a property that was once home to a tent and trailer park with approximately 90 trailers into 12 purpose-built lakefront homes for Hiawatha citizens aged 60 and older.

The new residents will begin moving into their homes on September 1st.

The new homes give Hiawatha elders the opportunity to enjoy lakefront living while remaining connected to their families, friends and community. (Photo by Scott Arnold)

The ceremony opened in a good way with Hiawatha citizen and Cultural Coordinator Jill Stevens offering a prayer, followed by an honour song. Stevens spoke about the importance of elders within the community and the responsibility to ensure they are comfortable, respected and cared for as they move through their later years.

That theme carried throughout the ceremony.

Chief Laurie Carr described the project as the realization of a vision carried by elders for more than 30 years, emphasizing that the new lodge is about far more than walls, rooms and a roof.

“Our elders are the heart of our community,” Carr said.

She spoke about the knowledge, teachings, traditions and memories carried by Hiawatha’s elders and the role they play in connecting generations to their ancestors, families, land and identity.

The lodge, she said, creates a place where elders can gather, share stories, welcome family, enjoy a cup of tea and simply be surrounded by their community.

It also creates an opportunity for younger generations to spend time with elders, listen to their stories and learn teachings that cannot simply be found in a book.

“Knowledge is passed from one generation to the next,” Carr said. “That is how we keep our culture strong. That is how we keep our stories alive.”

That intergenerational connection is at the heart of what Hiawatha hopes the lodge will become.

The Rice Lake Elders Lodge features 12 lakefront apartments, each approximately 1,000 square feet with two bedrooms and designed for independent living. (Photo by Scott Arnold)

A Project Years in the Making

The journey toward the lodge began taking shape in 2018, when a seniors housing committee made up of community members, Housing Manager Lisa Cowie and then-Councillor Jeff Loucks began working on what the community wanted the project to become.

They discussed concepts, floor plans, the number of bedrooms and the amount of space required, while gathering input from citizens along the way.

The project was transferred to Hiawatha’s Capital and Infrastructure department in December 2022, when Director of Capital and Infrastructure Hayley Vogler and her team took on the work of turning the concept into reality.

That meant years of design work, funding applications, environmental assessments, archaeological investigations, budgets, approvals, revisions and construction.

It also meant navigating plenty of challenges.

“This was not a smooth ride,” Vogler told those gathered for the ceremony.

There were plenty of hoops to jump through, she said, but the team kept working together and kept moving forward.

The result is a project that combines housing, community space, sustainability and a remarkable connection to Rice Lake.

The Capital and Infrastructure department is responsible for Hiawatha’s major capital projects, from their initial planning through completion.

With Rice Lake just outside their doors, the new residents of the Elders Lodge will have a beautiful setting to enjoy for years to come. (Photo by Scott Arnold)

12 Homes on Rice Lake

The heart of the project is the 12 apartments, each approximately 1,000 square feet with two bedrooms.

Every unit is accessible, with four designed to be barrier-free, and all are intended for independent living.

But perhaps the most striking feature is the setting.

Each home offers views of Rice Lake, giving Hiawatha elders an opportunity that some have never had before: lakefront living within their own community.

For Vogler, that part of the project is especially meaningful.

She recalled spending time as a child at her grandparents’ cottages on Paudash Street, where her grandmother described her time at the cottage as her “little slice of heaven”.

Now, Vogler said, it is a gift to be able to provide that same kind of experience to Hiawatha citizens.

“It is such a gift to be able to give that same opportunity to our citizens today,” she said.

The importance of that cannot be understated.

Hiawatha First Nation sits along Rice Lake, yet some of the elders moving into the lodge will be experiencing lakefront living for the first time in their lives.

They will wake up with the lake outside their windows, enjoy the view from their homes and remain surrounded by the community they know.

“It’s just such a special and rewarding thing to be able to have housing for them that’s here, that’s lakefront, that’s just beautiful for them to spend the next several years of their life in comfort and in their community,” Vogler said.

The new 1,700-square-foot community building at the Rice Lake Elders Lodge will provide space for meetings, gatherings, events and elders programming. (Photo by Scott Arnold)

More Than Housing

The project goes beyond the 12 apartments.

A 1,700-square-foot community building has also been constructed, providing space for meetings, gatherings, events, community activities and elders programming.

It includes a full kitchen and is designed to give residents and the broader community another place to come together.

There is also a 471-square-foot rental suite attached to the community building, giving visiting family, friends and other guests a place to stay within the community rather than having to find accommodation elsewhere.

That makes the development more than a collection of apartments.

It is a place designed to encourage people to gather.

It is a place where meals can be shared, families can visit, friendships can develop and community programming can take place.

And it is a place where elders can remain connected rather than being separated from the community they have helped shape.

The Rice Lake Elders Lodge transformed a property once operated as a tent and trailer park into purpose-built rental housing for Hiawatha elders. (Photo by Scott Arnold)

Building for the Future

One of the project’s biggest accomplishments is something that will not necessarily be visible when residents walk through their front doors.

The Rice Lake Elders Lodge was designed to meet net-zero requirements, making it one of the first projects of its kind for First Nation seniors’ independent living housing in Ontario.

For Hiawatha, it was a significant undertaking.

It was also a major reason the project was able to attract substantial outside funding.

Multiple funding partners came together to support the project, including the Indigenous Leadership Fund through Environment and Climate Change Canada, Indigenous Services Canada, Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation and the Natural Infrastructure Fund.

In total, the funding secured covered more than 84 per cent of the project’s total cost, leaving Hiawatha responsible for approximately 16 per cent.

Vogler joked that the funding process involved writing applications, waiting, writing more applications and waiting again.

But the effort paid off.

The funding support not only helped make the project possible, it also allowed Hiawatha to offer affordable rents to the elders moving into the new homes.

For a project designed to provide quality housing to Hiawatha citizens, that was an important part of the vision.

The new homes give Hiawatha elders the opportunity to enjoy lakefront living while remaining connected to their families, friends and community. (Photo by Scott Arnold)

Protecting What Lies Beneath

The project also brought an important reminder that the land itself carries history.

Archaeological work conducted during the development uncovered human remains, and two significant archaeological sites were identified within the project boundary.

One is located on either side of the completed development.

Rather than simply pushing ahead, Hiawatha’s project team and archaeological team have been working through the required process to protect those areas and ensure what remains beneath the ground is preserved for generations to come.

Vogler said that work was still underway at the time of the grand opening, with the expectation that it would be completed within the following month if all goes well.

It was another challenge in a project that had already required patience and persistence, but it also underscored the importance of respecting both the ancestors who came before and the generations who will live here in the future.

A Team Effort

There were plenty of people to thank during the ceremony.

Vogler recognized the original seniors housing committee, Chief and Council, Hiawatha staff, consultants, contractors, subtrades and funding partners, along with the many people who worked behind the scenes.

She gave particular recognition to site supervisor Ian Bashford of MVW Construction, thanking him for the time, energy, persistence and care he brought to the project.

Vogler also thanked Julie Thompson, Hiawatha’s Capital and Infrastructure Coordinator, for being alongside her throughout the process.

The project team included 3rd Line Design as architect, MVW Construction as contractor, Phoenix Engineering as the on-site engineer and Colliers Project Leaders as professional project managers.

Vanessa Vachon, a principal with 3rd Line Design, also addressed the crowd, saying it had been a privilege to work with Hiawatha First Nation to create a space where elders could remain connected to their community.

“To the elders who will call this place home, we hope you enjoy your new homes for many years to come,” Vachon said.

For Vogler, the team behind the project was every bit as important as the bricks, windows, walls and infrastructure.

“It's been a lot of work, patience, resilience, a great team, tons of people coming together to make this happen for our seniors,” she said after the ribbon cutting.

And when asked what it was like to finally stand at the podium, look out at the people who had supported the project and realize that the years of work had led to this moment, Vogler did not hesitate.

“It’s a very, very special day,” she said.

Welcome Home

The ribbon cutting itself marked the moment when the years of planning, problem-solving and construction gave way to something much more tangible.

The doors were opened.

People were invited inside to see the finished apartments, the community building and the rental suite.

There was food, an ice cream truck and tables set up for people to sit and celebrate together.

But the most important part of the day was waiting just around the corner.

The new residents.

For them, September 1st will not simply be another date on the calendar.

It will be the day they move into homes designed specifically with their needs in mind, overlooking Rice Lake and surrounded by their community.

The lodge represents an investment in housing, but it also represents something much larger.

It is an investment in Hiawatha’s elders.

It is an investment in independence and dignity.

It is an investment in community.

And it is an investment in keeping the connection between generations strong.

As Chief Carr put it during the ceremony, the new lodge is a place where elders should feel safe, respected, valued and cared for.

A place where stories will be told.

Where families will gather.

Where friendships will grow.

Where young people will learn from those who came before them.

And where the voices and wisdom of Hiawatha’s elders will continue to be part of the community for generations to come.

After more than 30 years of carrying the dream, Hiawatha has finally opened the doors.

The Rice Lake Elders Lodge is ready to welcome its residents home.

Scott Arnold is a Journalist and Content Creator at PTBOCanada Media Inc

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Peterborough Registered Massage Therapist Charged With Sexual Assault On Customer

Isaac Griffin, a 24-year-old Lakefield man and registered massage therapist, is facing a sexual assault charge after an incident was reported to police.

Photo courtesy of the Peterborough Police Service.

In July, the Peterborough Police Service was made aware of an incident at a business in the High Street and Lansdowne Street area in which a customer reported that during a massage appointment they were sexually assaulted.

After an investigation, police laid charges against Griffin on July 20.

He was arrested and charged with:

• Sexual Assault

The accused was released on an undertaking with conditions and is scheduled to appear in court on Oct.13. 

The investigation is ongoing and the Peterborough Police Service is releasing the name of the accused as it is believed there may be other victims. 

The accused is no longer practicing as a registered massage therapist.

Anyone with information is asked to call Peterborough Police at 705-876-1122 x555 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or online.

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City Council Endorses Reduced Speed Limit and Road Improvements For Park Street North

City Council endorsed reducing the speed limit and improvements on Park Street North during its meeting on Monday night.

Photo by David Tuan Bui.

The improvements on Park Street are between Sherbrooke Street and Wolseley Street which include changes to on-street parking, new pavement markings and adding bike lanes to a section.

For the section of Park Street North from Wolsely Street to Charlotte Street, the recommended changes include:

• Introducing bike lanes with a painted buffer

• Reducing posted speeds to 40 kilometres per hour

• Restricting on-street parking

• Improving pedestrian comfort through added separation from vehicles

For the section of Park Street North from Charlotte Street to Sherbrooke Street, the recommended direction includes:

• Maintaining on-street parking

• Pavement markings to visually designate space

• Reducing the posted speed to 30 kilometres per hour

According to the City, the recommended improvements serve to enhance safety and mobility for all modes of travel along a key corridor in the city’s central area. Dedicated space for people on bikes along the corridor will gently narrow lane widths and buffer curbside pedestrian activities from moving vehicles. Vehicle flow and volumes will be maintained, while vehicle speeds will be reduced through design elements and posted speed limits.

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Fleming College Partnership Offers Tuition-Free Training For PSWs and Rural Nurses Winter of 2027

Fleming College and Scarborough Health Network (SHN) have partnered to provide tuition-free training to prepare new personal support workers and help current nurses develop skills to deliver care in rural and remote communities, beginning in the winter of 2027.

Photo courtesy of Fleming College.

The project is supported by a $2.2 million investment from the Government of Ontario through the Skills Development Fund Training Stream.

Fleming expects to train 80 new personal support workers and provide specialized rural and remote nursing training to 30 Registered Nurses and Registered Practical Nurses by June 30, 2027.

“This partnership brings together Scarborough Health Network’s health-care leadership and Fleming College’s expertise in applied, career-focused education,” said Dr. Theresa Knott, Interim President of Fleming College. “By removing financial barriers and providing learners with practical training and comprehensive supports, we are creating more accessible pathways into rewarding health-care careers while responding directly to workforce needs across Ontario.”

Through Fleming Continuing Education, the project offers two training streams:

• Accelerated Personal Support Worker training: Participants will complete 12 weeks of theory-based instruction followed by a paid, 300-hour work placement. The accelerated format will help learners develop the knowledge and practical skills needed to enter the workforce quickly and confidently.

• Rural and Remote Nursing micro-credential: Current Registered Nurses and Registered Practical Nurses will complete three asynchronous courses taken concurrently over 14 weeks. The training will help nurses strengthen the specialized skills needed to provide care in rural and remote settings.

Tuition will be free for eligible participants. Personal support worker learners will also receive paid placements, while wraparound supports and stipends will help eligible participants overcome financial and personal barriers to completing their training.

“Building a strong and sustainable health-care workforce means creating opportunities for people to enter the field and supporting current professionals as they expand their skills,” said David Graham, President and CEO of Scarborough Health Network. “Together with Fleming College, we are helping more people access health-care training while preparing personal support workers and nurses to meet the needs of patients and communities.”

Recruitment will focus on eligible domestic participants, with targeted outreach to women, newcomers to Canada, racialized people, and members of underserved communities. Training may be delivered through multiple cohorts to provide participants with flexible entry points and appropriate learning supports.

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Registration Opens For Fall Recreation Programs Open This September

Residents can register for the City of Peterborough’s fall recreation programs starting this September.

Photo courtesy of the City of Peterborough.

Registration for fall recreation programs and swimming lessons opens at 7 a.m. on Sept. 2. Peterborough Sport and Wellness Centre members can register for Sport and Wellness Centre programs at 7 a.m. on Sept. 1.  

Registration for Peterborough Museum and Archives programs opens at 7 a.m. on Sept. 2. Registration for programs at the Art Gallery of Peterborough is now open. 

“Fall is a great time to try something new or add something fun to your schedule,” said Community Services co-chairs Lesley Parnell and Alex Bierk in a joint statement. “With new programs and plenty of returning favourites, this is the perfect opportunity to get active, learn a skill or make some new friends. There are so many ways to get involved this season, and we hope residents find a program that gets them excited to jump in.” 

New programs offered include Shinny programs for seniors and youth, adult leisure excursions, a Friday Night dart league for adults, afterschool programs for youth and Aquatic Leadership programming.  

Peterborough Recreation offers pickleball programs for all abilities, along with drop-in and registered fitness classes such as Pilates, tennis, learn-to-skate, and instructional hockey programs, as well as creative youth programs like dance, science, art and judo. 

Registration is available online, in person at the Peterborough Sport and Wellness Centre, 775 Brealey Dr. or by calling 705-742-0050. 

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Former Laker Matt Vinc Hanging Up his Pads After Legendary Career that Spanned Two Decades

By Scott Arnold

After 20 seasons in the National Lacrosse League, Matt Vinc is stepping away from the game with a résumé that puts him among the greatest goaltenders in lacrosse history, and Peterborough was a significant part of that remarkable journey.

Matt Vinc hoists the Mann Cup after helping the Peterborough Lakers capture one of four national championships during his time with the club. (Photo via Instagram @ptbolakerslax)

Vinc announced his NLL retirement last week, closing the book on a career that included six championships, eight Goaltender of the Year awards and a collection of league records that may stand for a very long time.

For lacrosse fans in Peterborough, though, Vinc’s legacy is about more than what he accomplished between the pipes in the NLL.

It is also about seven seasons wearing Lakers colours.

The St. Catharines native joined the Peterborough Lakers in 2014 and remained with the club through 2022, appearing in the MSL Final in every season he played. Those years produced four Mann Cup championships, 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2022, including a historic run of three consecutive national titles before the Lakers returned in 2022 to complete the four-peat.

That stretch helped cement one of the greatest eras in Lakers history, and Vinc was there for every one of those championship seasons.

His final Mann Cup with Peterborough was particularly memorable. The Lakers fell behind Langley 2-0 before storming back to win four of the next five games and capture the championship.

Matt Vinc celebrates a Mann Cup championship with his family during his time with the Peterborough Lakers. (Photo via Instagram @ptbolakerslax)

While Peterborough fans will remember the saves, championships and imposing presence in the crease, Vinc's NLL career was on an entirely different scale.

He finishes as the league's all-time leader in regular-season wins by a goaltender, with 182, while also holding the career records for saves and minutes played. The NLL credits him with 11,824 regular-season saves and 17,836:49 between the pipes.

He was named NLL Goaltender of the Year eight times and won three consecutive championships twice, first with the Rochester Knighthawks from 2012 through 2014, then with the Buffalo Bandits from 2023 through 2025. That makes Vinc the goaltender behind both three-peats in NLL history.

And somehow, even after all of that, Vinc's final NLL chapter ended with another championship.

At 43, he helped Buffalo complete its own three-peat in 2025 before returning for one more season. Now, after two decades in the league, he has decided it is time to step away.

Vinc's farewell message was fittingly less about the records than the people who shared the journey with him.

He thanked his coaches, front-office and medical staffs, teammates and fans, while saving his deepest gratitude for his family, who he said had been by his side throughout it all.

“I love this sport and look forward to supporting the next generation of players,” Vinc wrote.

For Peterborough, that next generation will always have a pretty special example to look back on.

The Lakers years were only one chapter in Matt Vinc's extraordinary career. But for those who watched him patrol the crease at the Memorial Centre, they were seven seasons, and four Mann Cups, worth remembering.

And now, after 20 seasons, six NLL championships and enough saves to fill a record book, lacrosse's most accomplished goaltenders is finally hanging up his pads.

via instagram @nllbandits

Scott Arnold is a Journalist and Content Creator at PTBOCanada Media Inc

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Check Out The Business Beat This Week Featuring Brant Basics, Begin With Baby and Innovation Cluster

PTBOCanada is delighted to be running the Business Beat columns each week here, spotlighting new businesses and startups in Peterborough and the Kawarthas. Here is this week’s edition…

Congratulations to Brant Basics on their grand reopening at their new location on The Queensway!

The Chamber was pleased to join Brant Basics on Aug. 13 to celebrate the move from their downtown Peterborough location to 701 The Queensway. The celebration featured free product samples, vendor demonstrations, giveaways and prize draws, followed by a ribbon-cutting ceremony with Mayor Jeff Leal. Congratulations to the Brant Basics team on their new location and exciting next chapter!

A Peterborough nurse is helping fill a gap in prenatal education for local families.

Holly, founder of Begin With Baby, launched her business in 2025 after hearing from expecting parents looking for more opportunities to connect, ask questions and prepare for birth and life with a newborn. With a background in labour and delivery nursing and a current role in Public Health, Holly created in-person prenatal classes to provide practical information and support for growing families. For more information, can visit: beginwithbaby.com.

The Innovation Cluster is launching a new thought leadership event this fall, bringing together voices from across the region for some honest conversations about where our community is headed.

IC Talks: Unfiltered will be taking place on Oct. 1, at the Market Hall Performing Arts Centre and will bring together leaders from business, healthcare, technology, education, manufacturing and investment. The event is designed to challenge assumptions, spark new connections and explore ideas shaping the future of our region. For more information and to register, visit: innovationcluster.ca/ictalks

If you want to have your business featured on the Business Beat or know of a business doing something new and interested, shoot an email to brenda@pkchamber.ca.

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Lakefield Artist Murray Henderson Named 2026 Sport Artist of the Year

By Scott Arnold

Lakefield artist Murray Henderson has received a major international honour for his work capturing the emotion, movement and stories behind sports and the athletes who play them.

Murray Henderson’s work has earned international recognition, with the Lakefield artist receiving the 2026 Sport Artist of the Year award. (Photo courtesy of United States Sports University)

Henderson has been named the 2026 Sport Artist of the Year by the American Sport Art Museum & Archives (ASAMA) at the United States Sports University in Daphne, Alabama.

The award recognizes artists whose work captures the spirit and life of sport and has been presented for more than four decades. Previous recipients include Ernie Barnes, Kadir Nelson, Steve Skipper, Cristóbal Gabarrón and Steven Lester.

For Henderson, the recognition is a significant milestone in a career that has spanned more than 30 years.

“For much of my career, sport has been one of the great inspirations behind my work,” Henderson said. “I have always tried to go beyond simply portraying an athlete or a moment in competition. My goal has been to capture the emotion, movement, history, intensity and humanity behind sport—and to do it in a style that is uniquely my own.”

One of Murray Henderson’s works reflects the artist’s distinctive “Exact Abstract” style, which combines realism, colour, texture and expressive paintwork. (Photo courtesy of United States Sports University)

Based in Lakefield, Henderson is known for his “Exact Abstract” style, which combines detailed portraiture with layered colour, texture and expressive paintwork.

His large-scale works have focused on sport, culture, identity and human achievement, using painting, drawing, ink, airbrush and mixed media. Some pieces also incorporate authentic game-used or personally worn sports memorabilia, connecting the artwork directly to the athletes and moments being portrayed.

That approach is one of the things that stood out to ASAMA.

“Murray Henderson’s work immediately captured our attention through its sense of controlled chaos, powerful movement and bold use of color,” said Angela Phillips, an ASAMA Art Board member. “His philosophy of building each piece ‘with precision and destroying it with emotion’ is vividly reflected in his work.”

Henderson has also taken his art beyond the studio through live painting and collaborations, including the DREAM Collection, where athletes and celebrities participate in creating paintings of iconic moments using their own equipment.

His collaborations have included former NBA player Ryan Anderson and NFL players Shaquem and Shaquill Griffin, while his work has been featured at events including Miami Art Week, Fanatics Fest NYC and the National Sports Collectors Convention.

In a post announcing the award, Henderson said he has spent years trying to find a way to tell the stories of athletes, moments, memories and sports culture through his art.

“Every piece has a story. Every mark has a purpose,” he wrote.

Lakefield artist Murray Henderson has been named the 2026 Sport Artist of the Year by the American Sport Art Museum & Archives. (Photo courtesy of United States Sports University)

The Sport Artist of the Year award will bring some additional recognition to Henderson’s work over the coming year. He will be featured in a yearlong exhibition at ASAMA, and one of his works will become part of the museum’s permanent collection.

Henderson will officially receive the award during the USSU Awards of Sport on Monday, November 9th, at the university’s campus in Daphne. The public event runs from 5pm to 7pm.

For a Lakefield artist whose career has been so closely connected to telling the stories behind sport, the award represents another significant chapter and, as Henderson put it, motivation to keep pushing what sports art can be.

Scott Arnold is a Journalist and Content Creator at PTBOCanada Media Inc

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Peterborough Musicfest Wraps 39th Season With Record Crowds and Big Plans for 40

By Scott Arnold

More than 110,000 people filled Del Crary Park this summer as Peterborough Musicfest celebrated its 39th season with 16 free concerts, new programs and plenty of memorable nights along the shores of Little Lake.

Season 39 brought plenty of memorable nights to Del Crary Park, with big crowds, local talent and free live music continuing to make Peterborough Musicfest a summer staple. (Photo by Scott Arnold)

There was a lot to celebrate as the final pieces of the festival were packed away at Del Crary Park.

From record crowds and strong 50-50 sales to the addition of new programming for local musicians and young music lovers, Peterborough Musicfest’s 39th season delivered plenty of highlights — and already has the team looking ahead to a milestone 40th season in 2027.

According to Peterborough Musicfest Marketing and Communications Manager Raff Melito, more than 110,000 people came through the park this summer, despite the cancellation of the Canada Day show.

“It’s just been incredible. We had such a great season,” Melito said. “We had a higher attendance than last season, even with our canceled Canada Day show.”

With 16 shows to organize, the season can look like a long way off when planning begins. By the time the final concert is over, however, it seems to have disappeared in an instant.

“At the beginning of the season, we’re like, oh wow, we have these 16 shows to put on and it looks like a long lineup and a big long summer,” Melito said. “And then we’re here and we’re like, I can’t believe it’s over.”

More Than What Happens on Stage

While thousands of people come to Del Crary Park to see the artists, much of the work that makes those nights possible happens long before the first note.

A setup crew of roughly five to seven people arrives in the morning to prepare the park, putting out chairs and tents and getting the vendor and information areas ready. A five-person office team handles everything from marketing and volunteer coordination to event logistics and answering calls.

Then there are the volunteers, board members and others who help keep the festival moving throughout the summer.

“It’s amazing,” Melito said. “Without them, the show would not happen.”

The work also doesn't end when the final concert does. While the festival team will close the office briefly for a break, planning for Season 40 has already begun, including early work on artists and sponsorship packages.

After another busy summer behind the scenes, Raff Melito reflected on the people, programs and packed park that helped make Musicfest’s 39th season one to remember. (Photo by Scott Arnold)

Building a Music Community

One of the biggest developments over the past few seasons has been the gradual expansion of what happens at Musicfest beyond the main stage.

The Future Sound Series has created a platform for local artists to perform before the headline acts, giving them an opportunity to reach a much larger audience than they might normally encounter.

This year, Musicfest added another piece with First Note, a free, hands-on music program that gave children and youth the opportunity to pick up instruments and try them for themselves.

Supported by a grant from the Peterborough Foundation, First Note became another way for Musicfest to introduce people to music — from discovering an instrument for the first time, to performing on the side stage, to eventually taking in a major concert.

Melito described the three programs as a “really beautiful ecosystem” that has developed over the past three years.

“I’m really excited to watch all of those programs grow,” he said.

That impact was also something Tracey Randall, Peterborough Musicfest’s Executive Director, singled out when reflecting on the season.

“Just seeing instruments in children’s hands again,” Randall said. “Like when I was a kid, I took my clarinet home every week. So just to see that music in their life. It’s so important.”

Randall said being able to launch First Note with support from the Peterborough Foundation was one of the special moments of the season.

Tracey Randall marked another successful season for Peterborough Musicfest while already looking ahead to what could make the festival’s 40th anniversary even bigger. (Photo by Scott Arnold)

A Season That Reached Beyond Peterborough

Musicfest’s appeal extended well beyond the city, with high-calibre performers drawing audiences from across Ontario.

Randall said the festival had also been looking at how many visitors were travelling more than 40 kilometres to attend, with surveying done throughout the season to help measure that impact.

But for Randall, some of the most rewarding parts of the summer were found in the people working behind the scenes.

Musicfest relies heavily on student staff, many of whom move on to full-time jobs after completing their studies. Watching those staff members grow throughout a fast-paced summer is something Randall said she particularly enjoys.

She also credited the festival’s board, staff, volunteers and the people who work throughout the year to make the summer possible.

“I’m very proud of year 39,” Randall said.

The Trans-Canada Highwaymen Take a Walk

One of the more memorable moments away from the stage came when the Trans-Canada Highwaymen were in Peterborough for their Musicfest performance.

The four Canadian rock veterans — Steven Page, Chris Murphy, Moe Berg and Craig Northey — headed out from Del Crary Park for coffee at the Silver Bean Cafe, walking along the Trans-Canada Trail along the way.

The trail’s connection to the band’s name made the outing particularly fitting, especially when the group stopped for a photo at a Trans-Canada Trail sign.

Randall had been working on bringing the group to Musicfest for three years and said walking with the band through Peterborough was one of her favourite memories of the season.

“We found the Trans-Canada Trail sign along the way and took a photo and it went viral or trended, whatever you want to call it,” she said. “So I really, that was a great day, just going for a walk with the band.”

The moment was followed that night by one of the season’s most talked-about performances, with the group delivering songs from their respective bands and bringing four major Canadian music careers together on one stage.

Trans-Canada Highwaymen brought four of Canada’s best-known alternative-rock voices together for one of the standout performances of Musicfest’s 39th season. (Photo courtesy of PEterborough musicfest)

A Community That Keeps Musicfest Free

For all the big names and memorable performances, one of the festival’s biggest accomplishments remains the fact that the concerts continue to be free.

That depends on a community that continues to support Musicfest through sponsors, donors, volunteers, 50-50 purchases and attendance.

This year, that support was particularly evident through the festival’s 50-50 draw. Melito said nearly $121,000 worth of tickets were sold, providing an important source of revenue to help keep the festival going.

“To me, that is from the community that they support the festival and they wanted to keep going,” Melito said.

But the most meaningful measure of that support can be seen simply by walking through the park on a concert night.

“I see families, I see young kids up dancing, people out on picnic blankets and just rocking out to whatever band is on,” Melito said. “It might be their favourite band, it might be someone they don’t know. But everyone’s there for this shared experience.”

“And that to me is like the cherry on top for the festival.”

Looking Ahead to Season 40

There won't be much time to rest before work begins in earnest on Musicfest’s 40th season.

Melito said the planning has already started, while Randall has plenty of ideas coming out of the festival’s strategic planning process, including possible special seating around the stage area.

There is even talk of bringing back a boat for Canada Day — Randall drove Boat No. 2 during the festival’s first two seasons — as well as the possibility of extending the festival back to eight weeks and into the third week of August.

But those plans depend on continued community and sponsor support, particularly as costs rise and insurance expenses have doubled.

Musicfest is also hoping to announce its first Season 40 performer around Christmas or New Year’s, while planning for the Future Sound Series will continue so local musicians can once again take the stage in front of thousands of people.

For now, though, the 39th season is officially in the books.

After 16 free concerts, more than 110,000 visits to the park, new opportunities for young musicians and local performers, and countless nights shared by people from Peterborough and well beyond, there is plenty for the Musicfest team and community to be proud of.

And while the chairs are coming down and the park is being cleaned up, the work behind the scenes is already underway.

Season 40 is coming.

Scott Arnold is a Journalist and Content Creator at PTBOCanada Media Inc

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Two Teen Boys Face Multiple Charges Which Include Assault From Three Incidents

Two teenage boys are facing multiple charges, including assault, in connection with three separate incidents from Saturday evening.

Photo by David Tuan Bui.

At roughly 6:20 p.m., officers were called to the area of McDonnel Street and Monaghan Road about a group of teens, one brandishing a knife, who approached and confronted another teen. Officers searched the area and located two males matching the description of the two people who were involved in the confrontation. During a search after arrest, officers located and seized a multi-tool pocketknife from one of the teens.

Officers learned of two other incidents involving the same teenagers.

In the first, a group of three teenagers reported being chased and assaulted by two teens in the area of the train bridge near George Street and Dalhousie Street. Two of the victims were taken to Peterborough Regional Health Centre afterward for treatment and released.

In the second incident, a convenience store employee reported that a teen entered the store, took an item and left without paying. The teen returned about 30 minutes later and when told they could not enter the store, threatened the clerk by saying he had a knife before the group fled.

As a result of the investigations:

A 15-year-old Peterborough male was arrested in connection with all three incidents and charged with:

• Assault X2

• Assault with A Weapon

• Possession of Weapon for Dangerous Purpose

• Failure to comply with undertaking

• Uttering Threats - Cause death or Bodily Harm

• Theft Under $5,000- Shoplifting

The accused is currently bound by an undertaking with the following conditions: to not possess any weapons as defined by the Criminal Code.

Another 15-year-old Peterborough male was arrested in connection with two of the incidents and charged with:

• Assault X2

• Assault with A Weapon

• Uttering Threats - Cause death or Bodily Harm

Both accused were held in custody and appeared in Weekend and Statutory Holiday (WASH) court on Sunday.

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