They say the strength of a community lies in the compassion of its members, so if there’s anything the recent ice storm has proven, it’s that communities across the greater Kawarthas region are as strong as they come.
Beginning on the evening of Friday, March 28 and continuing over the weekend, the ice storm was — according to Hydro One — the most devastating and widespread damage the province has seen since 1998. The widespread damage caused by the storm resulted in the City and County of Peterborough (and several townships in the county), the City of Kawartha Lakes, and Haliburton County declaring states of emergency.
To restore power to the nearly one million customers who lost it, Hydro One enlisted the help of several contractors and 30 utility partners (and counting) through Mutual Assistance for a total of more than 4,800 crew members working across the province. Many of those partners have come from across Ontario, while New Brunswick Power and Quebec Hydro have also sent fleets of crew members to assist in getting local residents their power back as soon as possible.
According to the latest statement from Hydro One, Ontario’s largest electricity transmission and distribution service provider, 44,000 customers across the province remain without power a week after the ice storm ended, and crews have identified 2,200 broken poles.
Peterborough and surrounding areas and Fenelon Falls continue to remain some of the hardest-hit areas, though severe damage is still being assessed in other regions. On April 5, crews replaced 50 poles to rebuild a section of a power system in the Minden area and crew members continue to focus on nearby hard-to-access properties to replace poles with the assistance from two drone teams.
As the crews have been working tirelessly away from home to restore power, residents across the greater Kawarthas region were also coming together to provide help to in-need community members.
Here are just a few examples of local businesses and organizations that gave what they could to those without power, warmth, and even food — without asking for anything in return.
- The Vine, a vegan and seafood restaurant in Peterborough, had only partial power when they began offering free coffee, tea, hot soup, and scones to anyone who stopped by — including unhoused individuals. The restaurant is typically closed on Mondays but given that they had their power back on March 31, the restaurant opened with a condensed menu, while continuing to serve free soup and hot beverages. Staff even offered to warm up (meatless) food for customers in need, and gave guests the power to charge their electronics.
- For two hours on April 1, Enbridge Gas provided hot meals outside of Peterborough’s Miskin Law Community Complex warming centre to first responders, utility partners, and residents impacted by the ice storm.
- Last week, Kawartha Food Share delivered hundreds of emergency hampers and skids of produce and bread to various food banks, including those in Trent Lakes, Norwood, and Curve Lake First Nation — all of whom were without power. The organization additionally distributed the hampers to Peterborough County paramedics to then be delivered during wellness checks. Food Banks Canada and Feed Ontario supported the food distribution centre by sending 500 of the emergency hampers. Additionally, member agency Peterborough Youth Services packaged more than 300 snack bags to be distributed to community members.
- When McGillicafey’s Pub & Eatery in Hastings regained power and were able to open to customers again on Wednesday, April 2, the owners recognized that many others, including staff, had not yet regained power. The restaurant has two suites above the dining room, which were opened to anyone who was in need of a hot shower or running water at 30-minute intervals to service as many guests as possible.
- Throughout the week, Burleigh Falls Inn opened its café for takeout service with coffee available free of charge. The café also filled water jugs for those needing drinking water, opened a charging station, and offered to store frozen food to those impacted by the storm. Upon getting their hot water back, the inn opened two rooms to be used for showering and advertised discounted bed and breakfast rates.
- Bobcaygeon Polished Day Spa owner Deanna Thompson opened the doors to her home-based salon and spa to give out complimentary coffee and tea and to allow visitors to access the showers in the customer bathroom.
- White Cottage Café extended their opening hours throughout the storm to ensure residents of Fenelon Falls had a place to get warm, access wi-fi, charge their devices, and fill their thermoses with hot beverages to take home.
- Keene family farm Duff Acres has been sending out online codes for customers to get a dozen free farm-fresh eggs.
- A kawarthaNOW reader reported that he contacted Apsley-based Eels Electric after a tree took down the wires and insulators connected to his house. When he went out the next day, he returned to find the team already on his roof, making the repairs, and Eels Electric owner Tim Lee did not accept payment for the job.
- During the power outages and school closures, the YMCAs in Northumberland, Cobourg, Brighton, and Campbellford were available to community members to use the showers at no charge, and to engage in programming for adults and youth. All were welcome to use change rooms, pool, gyms, and other recreation facilities without the usually required membership.
- Aliyah Hoover at ReThink Hair in Millbrook offered limited complimentary wash and style for those affected by the power outage. She also provided refreshments and charging stations to customers.
- Lindsay’s Board & Nibble Catering Co. already uses leftover and excess food to make nutritious and affordable meals for those in need through the initiative Making Meals Matter Kawartha Lakes, and during the storm, the team did not slow down. Not only did owners Charlene Vanderburg and Tammy Thurston give out sandwiches and hot soups in Lindsay, but a kawarthaNOW reader reported the catering company brought soup and yogurt to seniors in an apartment building who were not able to get out to grocery stores.
The generous spirit was not only found in those who owned and managed businesses, as individuals were also eager to lend a helping hand to neighbours in need.
Residents lent out generators, or added extension cords to their generators to provide power to a neighbouring property. In many cases, this prevented properties from flooding as homeowners were able to operate sump pumps.
Many locals posted in community Facebook groups offering showers and places to warm for those in need, and a Minden AirBnB property owner even offered for guests to stay in the home free of charge.
There have also been several reports of residents taking the initiative to clear trees that blocked neighbours’ driveways and roads. This included Bobcaygeon resident Ryan Mcilmoyle, owner of Moyle Excavating, who put a call out offering to support community members who were trapped, and who has reportedly been providing firewood, fuel, and water pumps to those in need.
Even small acts of kindness went a long way for some, as one Peterborough resident shared that a “kind” neighbour gifted batteries so she could listen to her radio after losing power.
“What a comfort for many days,” she wrote on the Kawartha Now Community Facebook group.
Staff at Sherbrooke Heights Animal Hospital in Peterborough — many of whom were without power at home — showed gratitude to a frequent client who brought coffee into the clinic to show their appreciation.
A resident of Trent Lakes shared that she spent the week going back and forth to Dunsford to check on her daughter’s home and pets and was grateful for nearby neighbours checking in frequently to ensure the generator, which she had limited experience with, was topped up with gas as needed.
“Their reaching out to me and taking care of this part of the chaos was priceless,” she wrote to kawarthaNOW publisher Jeannine Taylor.
“I lived in the city my entire life and never experienced friendship like this. It was a welcomed and heartwarming blessing.”
