Remembering those lost to occupational illness

You’re reading the August 2, 2024 edition of the Peterborough Currents email newsletter. To receive our email newsletters straight to your inbox, sign up here.

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Good morning and welcome to the arts and community edition of the Peterborough Currents newsletter. My name is Alex, and I send this email every Friday to catch you up on what’s happening in Peterborough. It’s hard to believe we are already halfway through summer … but there are still lots of arts and events to explore! In this week’s newsletter:

• New monument will honour locals lost to occupational disease
• First Friday Art Crawl is tonight
• Free concert this Sunday by rock band The Pangea Project
• Live-to-air performance series reveals Peterborough’s “deep wealth of talent”

Let’s get started!

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Babe Chorus was the final act of Radio From The Stage, Trent Radio’s live-to-air performance series

Last weekend, I braved the heat to attend the grand finale of Radio From The Stage, a series of live-to-air performances hosted by Trent Radio. These monthly broadcasts featured more than 60 local artists performing from different venues across Peterborough.

Sunday’s event was held at the Jalynn Bennett Amphitheatre at Traill College. I spoke with the artists and organizers, and I also made a trip to Trent Radio headquarters to check in with the studio operator who was ensuring the live broadcast went smoothly.

You can read my full story about Radio From The Stage on the Currents website.

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Funding needed to complete monument honouring victims of occupational disease

Sue James worked at General Electric (GE) in Peterborough for 40 years. She said that her father worked for GE as well, and so did many of her friends’ parents when she was a child.

“I kind of grew up in a working class family and neighbourhood,” she explained. “Everyone worked for GE or Westclox or Nashua, or any of the little industries that are historical to Peterborough. It’s a community within a community.”

She added that her father died of lung cancer, and her grandfather, who also worked in manufacturing at the Peterborough Canoe Company, died of a lung-related disease. “We went into work every day, never understanding the connection of all these toxins or what they would do to your health,” James said.

James has advocated for the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) to reform how it handles compensation claims for workplace cancer and other diseases. Now, she’s formed a grassroots group to fundraise for a monument that will honour employees who have died of occupational disease.

The monument, called “A Place to Remember,” is envisioned for Millennium Park. Stone sculptor Jordan Clements, in Port Perry, is already hard at work turning James’ vision into a reality. 

He is transforming a huge marble block into a depiction of a dove perched on a large tree trunk holding a scroll in its beak. Work boots and a lunch pail will rest at the base of the tree trunk. The project is more than halfway funded, but will still need about $35,000 to complete, James said.

“My mission is to have something that will stay and commemorate the many, many people in our community that worked really hard to build the economy and raise their families, and had no idea that someday down the road they would suffer the consequences of hazardous toxins that were in our environment,” James explained.

A small cast model of the monument is set up to view at City Hall, and those interested in contributing to fund “A Place to Remember” can make donations in-person at City Hall or online here.

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The Pangea Project will bring rock to the riverside with a free concert this Sunday

When Peterborough locals Isaiah Smith and Liam Boucher started making music together in high school, they couldn’t have known that only two years later, they would release their debut album and perform a sold-out show at The Venue.

“We were just sitting in history class and we were talking about the super continents and what not, and I thought it sounded really cool,” Smith said, recalling the inspiration behind the band’s name. “I wrote it down in one of my writing books and when we were looking for band names, it just brought itself up and kind of sparked really.”

Since those early brainstorming sessions, The Pangea Project has brought on drummer Travis O’Rourke, bass player Chuck Lacey, and keyboard player Ethan Melecio, all high school classmates. This year, the group toured across Ontario, but they are back in Peterborough for the summer.

“We play here in Peterborough a lot,” Smith said. “It’s a great place to be.” This Sunday from 1 to 5 p.m., they will bring their blend of rock, grunge, and blues music to The Riverside Grill and Gazebo at 150 George Street North. Admission is free.

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First Friday Art Crawl returns tonight from 6 to 11 p.m.

Every month, the First Friday Art Crawl connects Peterborough artists with the wider community. Tonight, folks can again plan their route to visit local galleries, art studios, cafés, and shops to see art in action across downtown.

“The Art Crawl died down a lot around Covid, but it’s growing rapidly now so it’s a really exciting time for us,” said First Friday volunteer Sid Vasui. “We are moving to make it more inclusive as well, because art is something we want everybody to be a part of.” 

Vasui noted that to that end, the Art Crawl has extended its hours and prioritized accessible venues. “Downtown is pretty loving and supportive to our artists, and lots of folks are coming to check out the art and be encouraging. We just want to keep welcoming more people who haven’t experienced it to come and see what our artists are working on.”  

This month’s art crawl will feature:

• Kim Beavis Sanderson’s “Vicissitude.” An exhibit of mixed-media and augmented reality storytelling. (In the Commerce Building on Hunter Street)
• Cydnee Hosker’s “The Mustang Drive In.” A presentation exploring Peterborough’s historical drive-in movie theatre. (At Providence on Hunter Street)
• Artisans Centre Peterborough’s “Natural Dyeing.” An interactive demonstration of natural dyeing; make your own tye-dye piece to take home. (Lower level of Peterborough Square)
• Black Honey Friday Market.  A selection of works by local artisans, makers, and artists, along with delicious baked goods. (At Black Honey on Hunter Street)
• And more

Bar 379 will also host a First Friday Art Crawl afterparty with entertainment by DJ Isla. For a full listing of First Friday Art Crawl participants and locations, click here.

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PHOTO OF THE WEEK: Players find their targets at Zap Attack’s monthly all-nighter event

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Correction: A previous version of this newsletter incorrectly stated that the proposed memorial will list all the names of local workers who have died from occupational diseases.