As Canadian communities continue to urbanize, with roughly 73 per cent of Canadians now residing in cities, more people are subject to the detrimental effects of climate change. Heatwaves, floods, fires, and storms are increasingly impacting urban areas, and our own region is no exception.

Addressing these challenges at the local level is crucial, and GreenUP is at the forefront of this effort in Peterborough.

In 2024, Peterborough is among 27 communities across seven provinces participating in Green Communities Canada’s Living Cities Canada Fund projects, with GreenUP leading the local implementation of transformative green infrastructure initiatives.

The Living Cities Canada Fund initiative supports projects that make Canadian communities like Peterborough more abundant, equitable, and thriving. These projects aim to reduce the urban heat island effect, improve stormwater management, mitigate flood risks, enhance local air quality, and promote the physical and mental well-being of residents by connecting them to nature, and adding new greenspaces in areas of need.

With a long legacy of programs like DePave, NeighbourPLAN, and Sustainable Urban Neighbourhoods, GreenUP brings extensive experience and expertise to projects that improve our urban landscape. Laura Keresztesi, a program coordinator at GreenUP, has a wealth of experience in participatory engagement and co-design processes. Her leadership ensures that the projects not only meet environmental goals but also foster community involvement and support.

One of GreenUP’s notable Living Cities projects this year is the School Yard Greening Project at Keith Wightman Public School. In collaboration with the Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board, the initiative engages students and staff in the design of a planting project that will transform 150 square metres of the schoolyard. The project will plant shade trees and create green play areas that also serve to boost biodiversity.

With planting scheduled for early October, the project will feature willow tunnels, a native grass maze, a shady grove of trees, and several small-scale “little forests” full of diverse species of trees and shrubs.

Meanwhile, at Thomas A. Stewart Secondary School, GreenUP is proudly working with older students to transform a 100-square-metre patch of non-native Kentucky bluegrass (a typical lawn grass) into a dense pocket of biodiversity. Over 25 students and staff participated in soil preparation on June 13, moving compost and mulch to enrich the area where a not-so-little forest will be planted in the fall.

A third significant project involves a partnership with One City to both enhance stormwater management and create edible infrastructure at Trinity Centre. Guests of One City programs have contributed ideas for rain gardens, fruit trees, pollinator gardens, and seating areas. Work is set to begin in August, with major planting activities planned for late September.

Projects like these not only enhance green infrastructure, but also work to build community.

To achieve long-term success, new plantings must be nurtured by community members through their first three years. GreenUP is currently seeking Living Cities volunteers to be involved in tasks ranging from site preparation, planting, ongoing maintenance, to photography. Volunteers are also sought specifically for the Living Cities stewardship team to help with watering, weeding, and mulching.

Additionally, projects welcome in-kind contributions such as professional landscaping services, compost, mulch, plant materials, fencing, or food and drink donations for volunteer appreciation. Anyone interested in getting involved in this work should contact Laura Keresztesi at laura.keresztesi@greenup.on.ca for more information.

GreenUP is grateful for the support of the Living Cities Canada Fund from Green Communities Canada, which supports these projects. To continue to bring community-led green initiatives to fruition, charitable donations are critical. Donations fund the purchase of necessary materials and services, ensuring the success of each project. And as a charity, a tax receipt is issued for any contributions that are made to GreenUP.

As Peterborough and 27 other Canadian communities work together through the Living Cities initiative, they pave the way for greener, more equitable, and resilient urban environments. The collaborative efforts of GreenUP, local residents, schools, organizations, and volunteers underscore the power of community to address climate challenges right here at home.

Interested in the broader impact of climate change on vulnerable communities? Further information and interactive maps are available at healthyplan.city.

Bringing an afternoon of good food, good company, and lots of learning, the Afrocentric Awareness Network of Peterborough (AANP) is hosting its third annual summer potluck on Sunday, July 14th.

The potluck picnic will take place at Ashburnham Memorial Park, under the pavilion at the top of Armour Hill, from 1 to 4 p.m. Inclusive and welcoming to all, the event is being sponsored by United Way Peterborough & District.

“We’re inviting everyone to bring the kids, hang out, network, get to know each other, eat, drink, and be merry,” says Cheryl Edwards, co-founder of AANP alongside Charmaine Magumbe.

Originally founded as the Afrocentric Awareness Network of the Kawarthas in 2007, AANP describes itself as a non-profit resource that raises awareness of the positive aspects of Black heritage and culture. The original group had a brief hiatus before relaunching three years ago with a renewed focus on Peterborough.

“We felt that people of colour and people of African descent in Peterborough were rather isolated, so we wanted to gather families together so that they would connect,” Edwards says of the network’s original purpose.

“Now it’s become more about not just gathering those people, but also educating everyone else about who we are as a people in positive ways. That’s what our focus is now — the positive aspects of Black culture and history.”

Edwards notes that it’s imperative to AANP’s mission that eliminating anti-Black racism comes from studying positive histories.

“For example, the transatlantic slave trade is a part of our history, but instead of focusing on how we suffered, our focus would be on what we achieved during that time period,” she explains.

As a resource that’s free and available to everyone, AANP provides accessible educational opportunities that require members of the public to actively seek them out for self-education.

“We feel that if you’re educating yourself on the positive aspects of Black culture and Black history, you’re becoming more aware of who we are as a people, as opposed to believing in stereotypes and negative information that is fed to the public,” says Edwards. “Instead of having to pay for a university degree to learn about us, you just educate yourself. It’s free to do and it’s enhancing to one’s level of understanding of who we are as a people.”

At the potluck picnic, AANP will be holding giveaways of Afrocentric books and jewellery and hoping to schedule some inspirational and educational speakers. There will also be free Jamaican chicken for everybody in attendance, and guests are welcome and encouraged to bring a dish of their own to share.

“Cooking and food is a great way to immerse yourself in the culture,” says Edwards. “We will be putting out some recipes for people who want to bring something that’s Afrocentric, but it’s absolutely not mandatory to do that.”

In addition to hosting events like the potluck, AANP offers the use of Edward’s Afrocentric children’s books so “people can easily educate themselves.”

AANP is also establishing Afrocentric Storytimes at the Peterborough Public Library, to be held on the last weekend of every month beginning in September.

“The stories themselves will be geared towards children four to seven years of age, but hopefully they’ll also appeal to children who are older and to adults who have children wanting to participate,” says Edwards. “It’s going to be a lot of fun and educational at the same time, and hopefully there will be a networking game for families so they can connect with each other directly.”

Looking ahead, AANP is well on the way to planning its next events, including Kwanzaa celebrations at the end of the year, which will include traditional African dance lessons, and celebrations for Black History Month next February.

While there is much to look forward to with each of the events, Edwards assures they will all be free of cost and inviting to all.

“We know that some people face food insecurity, so when we provide food or prizes at our events, it’s always free,” she says.

That commitment to accessibility also applies to AANP’s all-important goal of self-education.

“It’s no-pressure learning through fun and through personal connection,” she says. “We want adults and children to arm themselves with truth. When they hear a fallacy about Blacks, they can say ‘That’s not true’ to themselves instead of believing it.”

For more information on the Afrocentric Awareness Network of Peterborough, visit aanp.ca.

A school bus company established in Lakefield in 1969 has lost its contract with Student Transportation Services of Central Ontario (STSCO), affecting around 100 school bus drivers and employees and prompting the creation of an online petition.

Hamilton Bus Lines was established in 1969 by Ellwood Hamilton, starting with a station wagon and growing to provide transportation services for more than 70 school bus routes in Peterborough and area.

In 2020, retiring owner Lisa Hamilton-Howie sold her family’s company to Burlington’s family-owned Attridge Transportation Inc., which continued to use the Hamilton name on local buses and retained all the company’s bus drivers and staff at the Lakefield location.

Last Thursday (June 27), STSCO issued a statement that it had completed a months-long request for proposal for student transportation, where school bus operators submitted competitive bids for existing bus routes.

“The results of this process have now been released and while many current operators obtained contracts, Hamilton Bus Lines was not successful as part of the procurement and bidding process,” reads the statement on STSCO’s website.

“We recognize and appreciate the significant impact this may have on drivers with Hamilton Bus Lines,” the statement continues. “As the successful operators begin to hire drivers for local routes, we encourage local drivers to apply for these positions. We value local drivers and their important role in transporting students safely to school.”

STSCO has awarded a Concord-based company named Wheelchair Accessible Transit (W.A.T.) with the contract for routes previously serviced by Hamilton Bus Lines, effective in September.

Keri Toms has started an online petition at change.org/p/help-support-hamilton-bus-lines to support Hamilton Bus Lines and the drivers who have lost their jobs.

“Our goal is to have as many people made aware of this terrible situation and for them to act now by signing this petition and by letting STSCO, Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board and its trustees, along with our local forms of government know that we will not just stand by while they ruin this local company and its employees,” the petition reads.

As of the date of this story, the petition has received more than 2,300 signatures, including from school bus drivers with Hamilton Bus Lines.

“I have been an employee of Hamilton Bus Lines for 18 years,” read one petition comment in part. “Our whole amazing family at Hamilton Bus Lines has been devastated and blindsided.”

“I just started driving with Hamilton Bus lines in April,” reads another comment. “Great company, I have driven for other school bus companies, their management does not compare to Hamilton, they are caring, reliable and very professional.”

“My husband is a well loved bus driver that tries to make a difference to the children that are in his care,” writes another commenter. “Hamilton Bus Lines care about their kids and their employees and it truly is a shame they have been sold out to the (lowest) bidder!”

For its part, STSCO states that W.A.T. will be hiring local school bus drivers on local routes and will be servicing their vehicles locally.

“We want to reassure families that your children’s bus routes will continue to be operated by drivers that have been hired locally and are part of our communities,” the STSCO statement reads. “Also, we would like to note that all new contracts require all operators to set up local facilities to service their buses.”

“STSCO will be working closely with all bus companies over the summer months to monitor their preparedness for September start-up and we are committed to sharing updates as we prepare for another school year.”

The Nexicom Studio at Showplace Performance Centre will now be known as the Cogeco Studio.

On Tuesday (July 2), Showplace Performance Centre announced that Cogeco is the new name sponsor for the lower-level venue for the next decade.

“As long-time partners, Cogeco’s commitment began even before the centre opened when YourTV produced a show covering the construction,” says David Feeley, Cogeco’s manager of programming and community relations, in a media release from Showplace. “This laid the foundation of a great relationship, and we’ve cherished the remarkable talent showcased on its stage.”

With a 200-person capacity, the Cogeco Studio seats 100 people comfortably and also includes bar service. Smaller than the upstairs 647-seat Erica Cherney Theatre, the venue is used for more intimate concerts, theatrical productions, receptions, private parties, meetings, and even weddings.

Originally known as the Showplace Lounge, Nexicom acquired the naming rights in 2013 as part of the non-profit performance centre’s ongoing initiative to ensure long-term sustainability.

“The board, staff, and volunteers are pleased to secure this agreement to support the centre’s future endeavours,” reads the media release of the new naming agreement with Cogeco. “Showplace Performance Centre and Cogeco are excited about the future and look forward to developing this partnership through future events and presentations to bring the community together.”

Police have recovered the body of a 23-year-old Peterborough man who went missing after entering the water at Little Lake on Canada Day.

At around 6:50 p.m. on Monday (July 1), police responded to the incident that occurred near the train bridge in the Lansdowne Street and Edward Street.

After arriving, officers learned a man went into the water from the shore and encountered difficulty.

A friend of the man, who had jumped from the train bridge in an unsuccessful attempt to help him, was taken to Peterborough Regional Health Centre for treatment.

Peterborough police, with the assistance of the Remotely Piloted Aircraft System (RPAS) unit, Peterborough Fire Services, and the OPP Underwater Search and Recovery Unit continuing a search for the man on Tuesday morning (July 2), with the OPP locating and recovering the man’s body by the afternoon.

“Next of kin have been notified and the incident is now a coroner’s investigation,” reads a police media release. “Thank you to the public for their help and patience during this incident.”

The original version of this story has been updated with information about police recovering the missing man’s body.

“You cannot understand where you’re going if you don’t know where you’ve been.”

That’s the mantra that has stuck with Stephanie Jukes while she dives into the history of the nearly 150-year-old Coboconk inn she and her husband, David, are in the process of restoring.

But discovering all there is to know about the Saucy Willow Inn & Cottages — and all the history it holds — would not be possible without the help of the whole community.

When the couple purchased the property three years ago, the serial entrepreneurs from Durham region had no experience with innkeeping. However, when they were sent the property listing just as they were thinking about their retirement plan, they saw the potential — both in the property and in Coboconk.

“We just saw this huge opportunity for the house and because the area is incredibly growth-oriented, we saw it as a diamond in the rough,” says Stephanie. “We had no family or attachment to the area, but the house definitely needed saving so we were very adamant that we could do it justice.”

Today, the Saucy Willow Inn stands on four acres on the shore of Balsam Lake with six luxury inn rooms in the main house along with four cottages.

The storybook house itself was built in 1878 by Adam Carl, the first man to open a business in Coboconk and who Stephanie believes may have owned most of the land on the island at the time. When he sold the mansion to five men from Lakewood, Ohio, circa 1920, it was named The Lakewood Club (later Lakewood Lodge) and operated as a seasonal fishing and hunting camp.

“The elders here in the community here still call it ‘The Lodge,'” Stephanie notes.

A house manager who lived in the lodge in the off season for seven years, Bertha Caton bought the property from the American men in the late 1920s.

“Bertha’s granddaughter is still in touch with us,” says Stephanie, noting that she and David are the eighth owners of the inn. “We’re actually in touch with a descendent of every owner, and it’s helped up collect the stories of connections here.”

These connections to descendants, as well as reading through articles and connecting with others in Coboconk, have helped the couple put together the pieces of the property’s history.

“Early on, we would have people come by the inn because they heard through the grapevine that we were restoring it and they would either share their stories or bring their loved ones,” Stephanie says. “With any 140-year-old house, everybody’s stories are going to be unique and different, and everyone leaves their own footprint on it.”

The inn was named the Saucy Willow by Penny Johansen, who owned the property in the 1990s — two owners before the Jukes — and turned it into a bed and breakfast.

Of the many stories Stephanie has collected, one of the most memorable came in the fall of 2022. She was searching for a mason who would save the limestone pillars that stand at the entrance of the inn and found one who knew the Valentine brothers out of Norland who had built them all those years ago.

Just as the mason finished up the work, a man by the name of Ian Valentine showed up saying that, when he was six years old, he dug the ground where his dad and uncle built the pillars.

“I got a picture of him with the pillar and then he ended up going home to Sault Ste. Marie and pulled out all the pictures he had of the pillar,” says Stephanie, noting that the story is just a drop in the bucket when it comes to the inn. “We’ve got tons of those stories.”

As for Stephanie’s husband David, who is a construction worker, he has been leading the restoration of the Saucy Willow Inn, beginning with freshening up the kitchens and bathrooms in the four cottages. The Jukes have not changed any of the floor layouts, and have left little pieces of history where they can — like keeping the old paper door numbers hidden beneath the new ones.

“We appreciate the fact that we are building it to last another 100 years,” Stephanie says. “We weren’t interested in putting lipstick on a pig, but were very interested in ensuring the legacy of the house.”

Adding to that legacy, the Jukes ensure all work is staying local, including footing and foundation work done by 83-year-old Al Weaver of Norland’s Weaver Brothers Construction.

“We’re trying to use as many local vendors as possible,” says Stephanie, noting that many have long histories in Coboconk like the mansion itself. “I wanted to ensure that there were elements of locals that still contributed to the legacy.”

Moving forward, the Jukes are beginning to expand the gardens on the property and are building an extension to turn the coach house into one that replicates the look of the storybook mansion, even if that means hand-cutting the trusses.

“Even though it’s a detached garage, we felt it should have some cohesiveness,” Stephanie says. “It’s the fanciest garage in all the Kawartha Lakes.”

Stephanie notes that one of the best parts about the whole project is being able to engage with the community and have people excited to see the building restored.

“Although we’re in a small town, we’re not made to feel like we’re outsiders,” she says. “We feel very welcomed and appreciated, and we try to be good citizens back and supporting what we can support.”

As the Jukes continue to welcome guests and finish the coach house, Stephanie is hoping to hear even more stories about the Saucy Willow Inn and plans to make a coffee table book in honour of the inn’s approaching 150th anniversary.

“The house is really a key historical element of Coboconk,” she says. “We’re hopeful that we’ll continue to put in our hard work, dedication, and time in ensuring it’ll last another 100 years.”

For more information, visit the Saucy Willow Inn website and follow them on Facebook and Instagram.

A new autism services clinic is coming to Northumberland County.

Canopy Support Services, in collaboration with Northumberland Christian School, plans to open the Cobourg clinic this fall. Canopy Support Services provides specialized supports for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, autism, and fetal alcohol spectrum disorders.

“The Cobourg clinic offers significant benefits to families through reduced costs and increased accessibility,” Angela Rose, Canopy’s manager of autism services, told kawarthaNOW.

“By providing services closer to home and accommodating various schedules, the clinic minimizes travel expenses and time for families while making essential services more accessible,” Rose said. “Moreover, it strengthens community relationships by fostering partnerships with local organizations, creating a collaborative environment that enhances service quality and reach.”

The clinic’s setting promotes peer interaction among children and will help facilitate skill generalization to school and community environments — providing them the space to practise for school-based routines.

“Overall, the clinic’s convenient location supports families’ needs and contributes to smoother transitions and enhanced community engagement,” Rose added.

The clinic will be located at 8861 Danforth Rd.

Canopy has a team of more than 115 skilled professionals serving five regions including Northumberland County, Peterborough County, City of Kawartha Lakes, Durham Region and Haliburton County.

The new autism services clinic builds upon Canopy’s experience as a regional provider of applied behaviour analysis (ABA) based autism services for 20-plus years. Initially partnering with Northumberland Christian School in 2007, Canopy will once again utilize the school’s facilities to deliver in-person clinical services, including one-to-one behavioural services, family foundational groups, and group programming focusing on social skills and emotional regulation.

“We are extremely excited to expand the new autism services clinic in the Northumberland area to address a service gap and to bring autism services closer to home,” said Himanshu Shah, CEO of Canopy Support Services, which was formerly known as Tri-County Community Support Services, in a media release.

The Northumberland Christian School team is looking forward to welcoming Canopy into the building, said Ginette Mack, principal at Northumberland Christian School.

“We love creating partnerships with others who are serving children and families in the community,” Mack said. “We look forward to the opportunities that working together will bring.”

Canopy said this initiative marks a significant expansion of its commitment to enhance the lives of individuals across the Northumberland area.

“Our clinical team is committed to making a positive impact in the lives of families and we look forward to expanding and re-establishing a presence in Northumberland County,” Rose said.

Similar to Canopy’s established Peterborough clinic, the Northumberland clinic will be staffed by its existing team of clinicians, all trained in ABA and supervised by registered behaviour analysts with the College of Psychologists and Behaviour Analysts of Ontario.

“This evidence-based approach ensures that services are both effective and tailored to meet the unique needs of each individual and their family,” the release noted.

For more information about Canopy Support Services and the autism services clinic in Northumberland, visit www.canopysupport.ca or call 1- 888-616-3456.