Matt Thornton brings over 15 years of industry experience to his company Thornton Tree Solutions, which provides tree pruning, cabling, removal and planting, as well as stump removal and storm clean-up across Peterborough, Kawartha Lakes, and surrounding areas. An ISA-certified arborist and ArborCanada-certified chainsaw technician instructor, Thornton has extensive experience responding to related emergencies and storm clean-up. Thornton and his team make safety and the tree's health and longevity a priority in every project. (Photo courtesy of Thornton Tree Solutions)
With increasingly unpredictable and severe weather affecting the Kawarthas region, you want a professional arborist you can trust to proactively keep your trees healthy and thriving while also safely tackling emergency situations.
That’s the expertise you’ll find with Peterborough-based Thornton Tree Solutions, a professional service committed to safe, efficient, and ethical tree work in Peterborough, Kawartha Lakes, and surrounding areas.
Founder Matt Thornton is an ISA-certified arborist with over 15 years of industry experience working in both the private and municipal sector. He is also an ArborCanada-certified chainsaw technician instructor, ensuring he and his team are servicing clients efficiently with safety at front of mind.
From year-round pruning and cabling to stump grinding and precision tree removal, service from Thornton Tree Solutions is firmly rooted in caring for the health and longevity of the trees while maintaining the curb appeal of your property.
The team also offers tree planting because, although many people think they can do their own planting, there are many long-term defects that could result from a poorly planted tree. These defects often go unnoticed until the tree is sick and it’s late to do anything about it, because the tree is already firmly rooted.
Thornton Tree Solutions founder Matt Thornton recommends having older or potentially unhealthy trees assessed early in the spring before the leaves grow back, and proactive and regular pruning to promote growth and vigour and help the tree better withstand weather-related events. (Photo courtesy of Thornton Tree Solutions)
If you’re concerned about a tree’s structure or longevity, Thornton recommends getting it accessed early in the spring before the leaves grow back and add more weight and obstruct the view.
He also says regular pruning of your trees will not only help prevent damage from falling limbs, but enhance a tree’s growth and vigour, strengthening it to deal with weather events, and can go a long way for ensuring the long-term health of the tree.
“Proactive is always better than reactive,” says Thornton. “Tree pruning is prioritizing the safety of the home and people around it, but also setting the tree up for storm readiness. That’s super important because we don’t want any unforeseen events.”
When those reactive measures are necessary after a storm hits, Thornton Tree Solutions is prepared to tackle emergency situations and storm damage clean-up any day of the week. While tree removal is already the most dangerous part of the job, removing a tree that has suffered storm damage can pose an even greater risk and should only be done by a certified professional.
Thornton kickstarted his career during a summer of major windstorms, so he is not only well-trained in emergency situations and storm clean-up but knows how to tackle even the most unexpected situations that come his way.
“That’s really what got me excited about this industry — the variability about what each project can have,” he says. “Every tree is its own puzzle.”
Know Your Locals™ is a branded editorial feature about locally owned independent businesses and locally operated organizations, and supported by them. If your business or organization is interested in being featured in a future “Know Your Locals” branded editorial, contact Jeannine Taylor at 705-742-6404 or jt@kawarthanow.com or visit our Advertise with kawarthaNOW page.
Nogojiwanong Indigenous Fringe Festival (NIFF) co-founders during the original 2020 announcement of the world's first and only Indigenous fringe festival, before it was postponed until 2021 because of the pandemic. Pictured are Joeann Argue, assistant professor in Indigenous performance at Trent University, Lee Bolton, theatre coordinator of Nozhem First Peoples Performance Space at Trent University, and Drew Hayden Taylor, the award-winning Indigenous playwright, author, columnist, and filmmaker who first proposed the idea of the festival in 2019. (Photo courtesy of NIFF)
The Nogojiwanong Indigenous Fringe Festival (NIFF) will not be taking place this year.
In a statement issued on Monday (March 23), the festival’s board of directors, artistic director, and general manager announced the decision to cancel the 2026 festival “after much thought and discussion.”
Considered the world’s first and only Indigenous fringe festival, the inaugural NIFF was first held in June 2021 at Trent University. It was originally scheduled to take place in 2020, but was postponed to the following year due to the pandemic.
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The origins of the festival began in 2019, when award-winning playwright, author, columnist, and filmmaker Drew Hayden Taylor of Curve Lake First Nation took to Twitter (now X) to ask “Wouldn’t it be cool if we could do a fringe festival?”
Professor Joeann Argue, who teaches Indigenous performance and storytelling courses as a Wenjack School for Indigenous Studies faculty member at Trent University, came across the tweet and replied that Trent University had space for a festival.
She then brought the idea to her colleague Lee Bolton, theatre coordinator of Nozhem First Peoples Performance Space at Trent University, who had experience with fringe festivals, and a collective of artists then came together to turn the idea into reality.
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The festival continued at Trent University every June from 2022 until 2025, when it was moved to the Peterborough Theatre Guild. Applications for the 2026 festival, which was to take place from June 17 to 21, opened last October and were extended until February.
“Since before the pandemic, the organization has done all we can to support the work of Indigenous artists through our ‘small but mighty’ event,” reads the statement from NIFF. “This year, with three quarters of the artists accepted to the festival having to withdraw for financial or personal reasons, we have come to the conclusion that a fringe festival is not the best way for us to do that at this time.”
“We are deeply grateful to the elders, artists, audiences, supporters, and funders who made it possible to bring fantastic Indigenous performance to Peterborough/Nogojiwanong for five festivals, and for the ‘midnight tweet’ that sent us on this amazing ride.”
encoreNOW for March 23, 2026 features (from left to right, top and bottom) The Damn Truth at Lindsay's FLATO Academy Theatre, Public Energy's screening of Laura Taler's dance films "the village trilogy" and "Matryoshka Crush" at the Art Gallery of Peterborough, The Maple Blues Revue at Peterborough's Market Hall, author Maurice Switzer at Lakefield College School, Nicholas Campbell and the Metre Cheaters at Peterborough's Market Hall, and flautist Gillian Derer as guest artist as the Peterborough Symphony Orchestra's "Inspired" concert at Peterborough's Showplace. (kawarthaNOW collage)
encoreNOW is a bi-weekly column by Paul Rellinger where he features upcoming music, theatre, film, and performing arts events and news from across the Kawarthas.
This week, Paul highlights hard rockers The Damn Truth at Lindsay’s Academy Theatre, Public Energy’s presentation of Laura Taler’s dance films the village trilogy and Matryoshka Crush at the Art Gallery of Peterborough, The Maple Blues Revue at Peterborough’s Market Hall, the Lakefield Literary Society’s presentation of author Maurice Switzer and his book Sons of Tecumseh, new music from Nicholas Campbell and the Metre Cheaters at Peterborough’s Market Hall, and the Peterborough Symphony Orchestra’s “Inspired” concert at Showplace.
The Damn Truth tells no lies at Lindsay’s Academy Theatre
VIDEO: “Be Somebody” – The Damn Truth
If you’re yearning for a night of live music that’s turned up a notch, you want to be at Lindsay’s FLATO Academy Theatre on Friday (March 27).
Just back from an East Coast tour opening for Live and Big Wreck, The Damn Truth is headlining, bringing to the fore the chest-thumping rock explosion that’s been the source of rave reviews in Europe, where the band has toured frequently.
The Montreal-based quartet — singer/guitarist Lee-la Baum backed by lead guitarist Tom Shemer, bassist PY Letellier, and drummer Dave Traina — will no doubt perform songs featured on their 2025 self-titled album. That’s a good thing. The album is nominated for a 2026 Juno Award.
The Damn Truth’s debut album, Dear in the Headlights, was released independently in 2012. Come 2016, signed to Fineline Records, Devilish Folk was released as the follow-up and gained some serious attention, including that of ZZ Top, which had the band join them as the opening act for its 2018 international tour.
However, things were turned up a huge notch in 2019 when Winnipeg-born multi-Juno and Grammy award-winning producer Bob Rock reached out to the band. The result was the 2021 album Now or Nowhere which brought The Damn Truth extensive European radio airplay and touring opportunities. Rock also produced the latest album, which features the band’s latest single, “Be Somebody.”
The Damn Truth is here to tell us that driving in-your-face roc still holds a firm place on the crowded popular music menu and fans of the genre abound. As Baum recently told me during an interview for kawarthaNOW, “The idea of The Damn Truth is simplicity and rock and roll and in your face. Here we are, doing what we do. That’s our truth. Kind of what you see is what you get.”
Public Energy screens Laura Taler’s dance films at the Art Gallery of Peterborough
VIDEO: Excerpt from “the village trilogy” (1995)
Performance, film, sound, sculpture — Laura Taler’s mastery of a variety of mediums has brought her wide acclaim and rightly so.
The Romanian-born Canadian artist began her career as a contemporary dance choreographer before setting her sights on filmmaking and visual art while staying true to her exploration of how memory and history are linked to movement, and how the body is able to carry the past without being oppressed by it.
On Friday (March 27) at the Art Gallery of Peterborough on Crescent Street, Public Energy Performing Arts will welcome Taler as she marks 30 years since her creation of the seminal dance film the village trilogy.
The moving and poetic portrayal of the search for home told through the bodies of eight dancers speaks to the millions of people uprooted through emigration over the past century through the reinterpretation of the physical characteristics of early cinema.
the village trilogy has won various awards, including Best Experimental Film at the Toronto Worldwide Short Film Festival.
If that’s not enough, Taler will also screen her latest work, Matryoshka Crush. The film sees poison, exorcism, gender trouble, song and dance come together, the result being a darkly funny and disturbing tale of intense yearning.
Following the screenings, there will be a discussion with Taler facilitated by local writer and theatre maker Kate Story.
The Maple Blues Revue set to kick it at Peterborough stop
VIDEO: “Savona Shuffle” – The Maple Blues Revue
It’s not every day that a Canadian blues music “super group” schedules a Peterborough stop, so when that does happen it should catch, and keep, the attention of fans of the genre.
Set to headline at the Market Hall Performing Arts Centre on Saturday (March 28), The Maple Blues Revue features Canada’s most respected blues players, many of them multiple Maple Blues Award and Juno Award nominees and winners.
With lead vocals provided by Jay Douglas, Samantha Martin, and Suzie Vinnick, the band features a full brass section along with the harmonica mastery of two-time Juno Award recipient Al Lerman.
Also in the mix is band leader and bassist Gary Kendall, a former longtime member of The Downchild Blues Band who produced Let’s Go, the first of The Maple Blues Revue’s two albums to date.
Simply put, this 12-member blues tour de force brings together Canadian blues music’s best of the best. In a world where there are few guarantees, this concert is sure to deliver on a scale that will be memorable long after the last note is played.
Author Maurice Switzer talks all things “Sons of Tecumseh” in Lakefield
The Lakefield Literary Festival presents Maurice Switzer, Indigenous author of “Sons of Tecumseh,” for a conversation moderated by Trent University’s Dr. Jackson Pind at the Bryan Jones Theatre at Lakefield College School on April 9, 2026. (Photos courtesy of Lakefield Literary Festival)
While the Lakefield Literary Festival is still quite a ways off, set for July 17 and 18 in the village, those behind the popular annual celebration of the written word aren’t sitting idle during their off-season.
On Thursday, April 9 at Lakefield College School’s Bryan Jones Theatre, the festival will welcome Maurice Switzer, the author of Sons of Tecumseh, for a conversation moderated by Dr. Jackson Pind, assistant professor of Indigenous methodologies at Trent University’s Chanie Wenjack School of Indigenous Studies.
Released last September, Sons of Tecumseh explores Indigenous political unity in Canada. It connects the legacy of the historic Shawnee leader Tecumseh to a fictional, modern-day Indigenous leader attempting to navigate challenges with colonial government systems.
The book’s story focuses on contemporary First Nations issues, featuring a character named Peshu Butler, a descendant of Tecumseh, who works for a national Indigenous organization. Themes addressed include the under-representation of First Nations, eroded rights, and the need for unity, with parallels drawn between 19th-century and modern challenges. Switzer wrote the work to spark conversation about making First Nations politics more relevant to modern citizens.
A citizen of the Mississaugas of Alderville First Nation where his maternal grandfather Moses Muskrat Marsden served as chief from 1904-09, Switzer is a journalist, historian, and educator who has written several books on treaty education, including We are All Treaty People. In addition to his writing, Switzer has been a member of the Human Rights Commission, publisher and editor at five Canadian newspapers, communications director for the Assembly of First Nations, and is adjunct professor at Laurentian University.
Tickets to the 7 p.m. event cost $30 at Happenstance Books and Yarns in Lakefield, or order online at lakefieldliteraryfestival.com.
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Nicholas Campbell and The Metre Cheaters showcase new music at Market Hall in Peterborough
VIDEO: “Hot Rod Daddy” – Nicholas Campbell and The Metre Cheaters (2026)
Call me crazy, but it’s especially noteworthy when an uber-talented Peterborough musician headlines a hometown show.
That will be the case on Friday, April 10 at Market Hall Performing Arts Centre when rockabilly singer and guitarist Nicholas Campbell leads The Metre Cheaters through their paces. The local show marks one stop of a spring tour heralding the release of the band’s third album People Like To Talk.
Campbell first picked up a guitar at age 10 and never put it down on his way to playing gigs just a year later. By the time his debut album Livin’ and Other Western Ideas was released in 2021, his talent as a rockabilly, Western swing, and honky-tonk performer was well honed. Three years later, his working with James McKenty on the follow-up album Gonna Have A Ball Tonight took things to a whole other level.
With The Metre Cheaters, Campbell is always playing somewhere to the tune of some 200 shows yearly. People Like To Talk has added new fuel to a relentless engine powered, in part, by the new singles “He Said She Said,” “Flower Shops,” “I’ll Regret It In The Morning,” and the title track.
Tickets to Campbell’s 8 p.m. concert, which will feature guest performer Jamie Oliver aka The County Crooner, cost $35 at www.markethall.org.
Accomplished Canadian flutist Gillian Derer joins the Peterborough Symphony Orchestra for “Inspired”
VIDEO: “An American in Paris” by George Gershwin performed by Gillian Derer (2025)
Since day one, the Peterborough Symphony Orchestra (PSO) has prioritized the presentation of top Canadian classical music performers as a big part of its seasonal schedule of concerts.
That will again be very much the case for a matinee concert on Sunday, April 12 at Showplace Performance Centre when “Inspired” welcomes spring and special guest flutist Gillian Derer, whose talent has earned her several accolades.
Most recently, Derrer was named the Absolute First Prize winner at the 2023 Canadian International Music Competition (2023), and a Gold Prize winner at the Schubert International Music Competition, also in 2023. A 2021-2022 fellow of the Magisterra Soloists, Derrer has performed across Canada in various ensembles, including with her string trio Disinvolto Trio and her flute and harp duo Affettuoso Duo.
“Inspired” will see Derrer join the PSO to perform Mozart’s crystalline Flute Concerto No. 1. The program will also showcase some of the PSO’s own soloists in the Canadian classics Postcards from the Sky by Marjan Mozetich and Akasha/Sky by Glen Buhr. The orchestra will also perform Ottorino Respighi’s Botticelli Triptych and Igor Stravinsky’s love letter to Italy, Pulcinella Suite.
In addition, Ottorino Respighi’s testament to the genius of Renaissance painter Sandro Botticelli will be featured in Botticelli Triptych, and then Igor Stravinsky’s love letter to Italy will come to life via Pulcinella Suite.
Prior to the 3 p.m. concert, PSO music director and conductor Michael Newnham will take to the Showplace stage at 2:15 p.m. to chat with the audience about the afternoon’s program, and audience members are invited to the lower-level Cogeco Studio during intermission to join Maestro Newnham and the musicians.
Tickets are $36, $50, or $57 depending on where you sit, with all student tickets costing $15, and are available at thepso.org/inspired.
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Encore
There are big shoes to fill, and then there’s the challenge of filling Syd Birrell’s shoes. When the beloved artistic director and conductor of the Peterborough Singers called it a day in December after 35 years of leading the choral group, a national search was launched for his successor. That hunt came to an end with the naming of Shawn Grenke to the position. The Belleville native takes the helm of the Peterborough Singers July 1st, but he’s already got the wheels turning in regards to what the 2026-27 concert season will look and sound like. Details are to come, but we can be sure Grenke’s respect for Birrell, and the Peterborough Singers, ensures the legacy of the choral group will be front of mind – something that will translate into yet another season of memorable concert performances.
With the recent announcement that Jethro’s in downtown Peterborough will soon close its doors, many are dealing with the pending loss of yet another live music venue. That’s especially true for those who regularly attended the popular Sunday afternoon blues jam that weekly brought to the stage a truly delightful mix of veteran players and up-and-coming musicians and singers. Jam founder Al Black has indicated the blues jam may resurface at another venue but that’s not a certainty. What is known is the final blues jam at the Hunter Street West pub will be held April 12 with the Jethro’s Blues Jam All-Stars doing the honours. It promises to be quite an afternoon of cheers and, ya, some tears.
Town Ward councillor Joy Lachica speaking at an International Women's Day hosted by the Women's Business Network of Peterborough on March 4, 2026, where she announced her intention to seek re-election in Town Ward, which includes downtown Peterborough, in the October municipal election. (Photo: Jeannine Taylor / kawarthaNOW)
As one of the two women on Peterborough’s 11-member city council, Town Ward councillor Joy Lachica has spent much of March touring International Women’s Day events — including at a March 4 celebration hosted by the Women’s Business Network of Peterborough where she announced her intention to run for re-election in Town Ward.
As such, I was lucky to have the chance to sit down with her recently for a coffee.
At a small cafe table, Lachica and I spoke about her upcoming campaign for re-election in the municipal election this October.
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A first-term councillor eager to run again
If there was one message that she made clear throughout our conversation, it was that she is excited to run for re-election.
“What an opportunity,” she said of her first term.
Lachica was first elected to council in 2022 following a career as a teacher and education advocate. Her campaign focused on social issues and building community, two things which remain central to her work.
For some councillors the prospect of campaigning for re-election can be daunting, especially when voters and residents are frustrated with council, but Lachica spoke excitedly about the strong relationship and “basis for communication and recognition of what the issues are and where we’re at with them” that she has with constituents.
Lachica said she is proud of being very involved with events and conversations happening within her ward and the wider community.
“Knocking on doors is my favourite part,” she said.
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Building on unfinished work in Town Ward
Another driving factor for Lachica in this campaign is the knowledge there is still work to be done in her ward. She spoke of how “four years is only the beginning and we’re just in the midst of (our goals).”
Some of her early motions in council focused on diversity, equity, and inclusion, and implementing a housing first approach throughout all aspects of council.
For Lachica, the “needle has only moved so much” on many such issues that she campaigned on in 2022. As a first-time councillor, she explained there is a significant transition period and a second term would allow her to further the work she has started.
When considering how equity and inclusion can be embedded into the culture of council, Lachica looks to increasing community participation in the council decision-making process. The implementation of Connect Peterborough is a step towards ensuring that council is hearing the perspective of residents.
When I asked Lachica whether the rumours about her bid for mayor had any truth, she explained that “right now is the time to continue the work in the ward” and that remaining in Town Ward as a councillor is where she feels her impact can be.
With the influence of councillors impacted due to provincial legislation regarding strong mayor powers, Lachica indicated that whether a new mayor chooses to accept these powers will be “a wedge issue” in the campaign period.
With the intent of current mayor Jeff Leal to campaign for re-election still unknown, there is an opportunity for a change in leadership in the chamber.
“I think in a democracy people elected together have power,” she said of her decision to return to the councillor role, in recognition of the power of collaborative action when permitted under legislation.
Town Ward councillors Joy Lachica and Alex Bierk with Ashburnham Ward councillor Keith Riel in council chambers on September 3, 2025. The three councillors have often voted together on social issues affecting the city. (Photo courtesy of Alex Bierk)
Framing her campaign around collaboration, empathy, and inclusivity
When she announced her intent to run for re-election at an International Women’s Day event hosted by the Women’s Business Network on March 4, Lachica became the first female candidate to declare for the 2026 municipal election.
Both at this event and during our conversation, Lachica explored the importance of “women changing cities” and embedding values of collaboration and empathy into governance. It is, she says, this “meaningful relationship building” that makes communities thrive.
When discussing barriers faced by women and other marginalized people in terms of engaging with politics, she spoke about “strict, patriarchal municipal by-laws” that limit participation.
Despite these systemic issues, Lachica does see a role that council and city staff should be playing to increase communication and visibility for inclusive and diverse participation.
Throughout this conversation, she emphasized that it is not just about encouraging women to participate. She is “a big believer in intersectionality, and that everything is porous.”
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Housing challenges, tenant protections, and responsible development are key issues
When we spoke about some of the key issues that Lachica has heard from residents, she highlighted many instances of renoviction and landlord mismanagement.
“Those conversations are sometimes desperate,” she shared.
With Peterborough a growing community that continues to face housing affordability and supply challenges, Lachica explained the reality is that people must “stay in unforgivable conditions with a landlord who is not managing the issues.”
She looks to other municipalities such as Hamilton, which implemented a renovation and relocation by-law in 2025 that strengthened tenant rights and made it harder for landlords to displace existing residents.
Further to this, we spoke at length about the important role of council in balancing the need and desire for growth and economic development while respecting existing neighbourhoods, greenspace, and residents.
Lachica is currently a co-chair for the infrastructure, planning and growth management portfolio. She spoke about the need for a “growth mindset that makes sense” that also prioritizes access for all.
“It’s not just about building higher,” she said.
Sitting in the downtown core, we look out onto the busy streets and imagine a walkable city with distinct neighbourhoods and local investment. Joy shared that this is her vision for Peterborough.
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Investment in the arts and streetscapes part of economic vision
Although economic development is often thought to be just about infrastructure and new industry, Lachica believes that we need to invest in the arts sector. She described Peterborough as “an arts engine” that is fuelled by the presence of local artists.
However, Lachica is adamant that “We can’t expect that engine to keep running without investment from the city.”
Lachica identified the arts as the “soul of the city” and as being as deserving of attention and funding as development opportunities such as sports and tourism.
Speaking further about economic development, Lachica looked across to the future Charlotte Street West streetscape project. With its vision of creating a “safer, more vibrant streetscape,” she said it is representative of much of what she hopes to see in the city.
Lachica said she is going into the new campaign period with knowledge and experience as her bedrock.
“I’ve grown a thick skin,” she said, as we spoke about the challenges she has faced over the past four years.
As our conversation came to a close, Lachica shared that, ultimately, she wants her constituents to know that “they are in good hands” and that “what we haven’t yet achieved, we will work towards.” It is these ideas, she said, that will encapsulate her campaign.
The hooded merganser, a fish-eating duck that overwinters in the U.S., is one of the species you will see and hear this spring as migratory birds return to the Kawarthas region. According to Peterborough Field Naturalists president Sue Paradisis, the spring migration period is one of the best times of year for birders as many waterfowl species congregate in the area while they wait for northern lakes to thaw so they can return to their breeding grounds. You can join the Peterborough Field Naturalists for the "Return of the Birds to Little Lake" community event on March 28 and 29, 2026 at Beavermead Park and Rogers Cove on the shores of Little Lake in Peterborough. (Photo courtesy of Peterborough Field Naturalists)
The weather may not have gotten the memo that spring is here, but the birds certainly have. According to Sue Paradisis, president of the Peterborough Field Naturalists (PFN), the birds are all returning on schedule.
Unlike previous years, this year’s more traditional winter means migrating birds have not come back to the region prematurely. Just a few years ago, Paradisis says she heard robins as early as mid-February, when they should not be returning until the second week of March.
“Early spring can really cause a disconnect,” Paradisis says. “Not all bird migration is triggered by the same thing. Some move forward as the snow melts and it gets milder, and that used to happen around the same time (each year). Others are triggered more by the increasing daylight.”
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Birding has become an increasingly popular pastime over the past decade. In 2023, Statistics Canada said that 11 per cent of households reported that they participated in birdwatching or photography. This year’s Great Backyard Bird Count in February revealed that national use of the Merlin Bird ID app grew by 82.7 per cent, while eBird checklist submissions increased by 35.2 per cent.
Locally, Paradisis can attest to the growing interest in the hobby since the pandemic, when membership of the PFN almost doubled.
“I don’t think I’ve ever seen the trails as busy as they were because people had time,” she says, noting that dedication continued even beyond the lockdowns. “Once you discover the trails in Peterborough or a new activity such as birding, just because you’re back to work, it doesn’t mean that you won’t continue to enjoy those activities.”
Peterborough Field Naturalists president Sue Paradisis feeds a nonmigratory black-capped chickadee during a birder excursion to Petroglyphs Provincial Park in North Kawartha in Feburary 2026. Birding has become an increasingly popular pastime over the past decade, with membership in the Peterborough Field Naturalists doubling during the pandemic lockdowns and remaining consistent in recent years. (Photo courtesy of Peterborough Field Naturalists)
Paradisis says Peterborough is “truly blessed” to have many great birding hotspots, including the Rotary Greenway Trail, Meadowvale Park, the Lang-Hastings Trail, and the Miller Creek Wildlife Area to name but a few. The PFN maintain also many feeders in Ecology Park to attract birds even throughout the winter.
“Because of all the vegetation in Beavermead and at Ecology Park, there are a lot of warblers there, so that’s a hot spot come May,” she says. “Depending on where you go, you’ll find different birds. The Marsh (Conservation Area) in Lakefield, of course, is completely different from what you would find in, say, Jackson Park.”
If you’re hoping to attract more birds to your own property this year, Paradises says you’ll need more than just grass in your yard. Feeders, birdhouses, and birdbaths will all entice birds if they are kept clean, but providing more shelter for them is also essential.
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“For gardeners, you can plant food like serviceberries, elderberries, and crab apples or provide shelter in the form of shrubs and evergreens,” Paradisis says. “When I first moved here, I really didn’t have very much, but I planted many, many trees and they provide shelter, food, and nesting places, and I’ve got bird baths and flower gardens. My yard naturally attracts birds with what I’ve planted.”
To further make your home a safe space for birds, Paradisis suggests to put stickers on your windows (to prevent bird collisions), keep your cat in at night (after habitat loss, domestic and feral cats are the single largest source of bird mortality), and stop using insecticides.
“Grasslands is one of the habitats at greatest risk,” she says. “Disappearing insects mean the aerial insectivores, like swallows, aren’t able to find food. There aren’t as many swallows as there used to be.”
To make your backyard more inviting for migratory songbirds like (left to right, top and bottom) the eastern bluebird, mourning warbler, eastern phoebe, and indigo bunting, Peterborough Field Naturalists presidents Sue Paradisis suggests adding trees and shrubs in addition to feeders, bird baths, and birdhouses to provide them with lots of shelter, food, and water. (Photos courtesy of Peterborough Field Naturalists)
If you’re late to hop on the trend of birding, there are many ways to get started including using apps like Merlin Bird ID and eBird. Peterborough residents can also borrow bird watching kits the PFN donated to the Peterborough Public Library. Each kit includes binoculars, field guides, instructions, checklists, and more, making it easier to get started.
Paradisis reminds people not to play recorded birdsong in an attempt to attract birds, as doing so can distract birds from their normal activities. Especially during nesting, birds require all their energy to catch insects or find seed to feed their young.
With these ethical considerations, Paradisis suggests there are many benefits to engaging in birding, including just getting out in nature, which is one of her favourite parts.
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“Listening to birdsong can significantly improve your mental health by reducing anxiety, enhancing your mood, and promoting focus and attention,” Paradisis says.
“I’ve read that part of the reason for that is that, if birds are singing, there isn’t a threat around. If there was a threat in their environment, like a bear or wolf, they would go silent, so it’s bred in people to know that if the birds are singing, you’re safe.”
If you’re interested in immersing yourself in the world of birding, Paradisis suggests this is a great time of year to do so, because there are birds stopping over for a short period while waiting for northern lakes to thaw before completing their migration back to their breeding grounds.
On March 28 and 29, 2026, the Peterborough Field Naturalists are hosting the “Return of the Birds to Little Lake” community event on the shores of Little Lake. From 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., experienced birders will be at The Canadian Canoe Museum docks near Beavermead Park and the Mark Street wharf in Rogers Cove with their scopes and binoculars to help participants find and identify the migrating waterfowl that are only in the lake for a short period before they continue on their journey north to their breeding grounds. (Photo courtesy of Peterborough Field Naturalists)
Some of these migrating birds can be seen during the “Return of the Birds to Little Lake” community event being held by the PFN on Saturday, March 28 and Sunday, March 29 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Experienced birders will be on site at the docks of the Canadian Canoe Museum near Beavermead Park and at the boat launch at the end of Mark Street in Rogers Cove to help visitors find and identify a range of waterfowl.
“There are literally hundreds of birds down there right now — a number of different species of ducks, mergansers, grebes, swans, and dabblers,” she says. “It’s exciting for birders to see these birds passing through because they’re not here all year.”
During the event on Sunday, there will also be an exhibition of some of Ken Morrison’s collection of taxidermied birds at the Canadian Canoe Museum.
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Despite poor weather during last year’s event for the 85th anniversary of the PFN, more than 50 people came out to connect with fellow birders while adding to their bird counts. This, warns Paradisis, it the only risk of birding: it can be addictive.
“They may start small, but I know some people that have just loaded the Merlin app on their phones and then they get hooked. It can be habit forming,” she says. “You’ll find that you are drawn to other people who share the interests, so it can become quite a social event as well. You go out birding with some friends and then need to stop for coffee or lunch. It’s a great way to spend your time.”
For more information on the Peterborough Field Naturalists, including upcoming events, and to become a member, visit peterboroughnature.org.
Waterfowl viewing locations on Little Lake for the Peterborough Field Naturalists’ “Return of the Birds to Little Lake” community event on March 28 and 29, 2026. (Map courtesy of Peterborough Field Naturalists)
Juno-nominated Montreal-based hard rockers The Damn Truth (lead guitarist Tom Shemer, lead singer and rhythm guitarist Lee-la Baum, bassist Pierre-Yves Letellier, and drummer Dave Traina) are performing at FLATO Academy Theatre in Lindsay on March 27, 2026. (Photo: Natali Ortiz)
Years ago now, “a wonderful night of free love and amazing music” brought Lee-la Baum and Tom Shemer together in more ways than one — a chance encounter that set the stage for what has been one hell of a ride since.
“Tom and I met naked at a hippie festival,” laughs Baum, the lead singer of Montreal-rooted rock quartet The Damn Truth for which Shemer plays lead guitar.
“It was a wonderful night of free love and amazing music. We really connected on a beautiful, beautiful level, but we fell in love musically before we fell in love otherwise.”
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A few years later, in Montreal, “wanting to form a band, basically not finding our place in the musical sphere of the moment,” the couple hooked up with drummer Dave Traina and, later, bassist David Massé. The Damn Truth was born.
What has followed since has been nothing short of what Baum terms “a wild ride”; a sure but steady progression that has seen the band release four albums to date, extensively tour Canada and Europe, and receive word that the band’s self-titled latest album has been nominated for a 2026 Juno Award.
Lindsay’s FLATO Academy Theatre will welcome The Damn Truth on Friday (March 27), just two days before the Junos are awarded in Hamilton.
VIDEO: “This Is Who We Are Now” – The Damn Truth (2021)
While bassist Massé is long gone, having been replaced by Pierre-Yves (PY) Letellier, the driving hard rock sound that has endeared The Damn Truth to fans of the genre near and far remains very much in place.
“There was very little rock and roll in the city (Montreal) at the time,” recalls Baum of the band’s pre-formation period.
“It was all Casio keyboards and 15 or 20 member bands. We wanted to be a straight-up rock band. It’s not like that was a conscious decision, like ‘Oh, we want to stay away from this or that.’ It was just this music is what we gravitated to. It was very organic … just play our hearts out and play live.”
The Damn Truth’s debut album, Dear in the Headlights, was released in independently in 2012. Come 2016, signed to Fineline Records, Devilish Folk was released and caught some serious attention, including that of ZZ Top, which invited The Damn Truth to join them as the opening act for its 2018 international tour.
While that was and remains a band resumé highlight, catching the ear of legendary Canadian producer Bob Rock was a turning point for The Damn Truth.
The Winnipeg-born multi-Juno and Grammy award winner — who has produced and engineered albums for Aerosmith, Bon Jovi, Cher, Metallica, Mötley Crüe, The Cult, The Tragically Hip, Nelly Furtado, and Michael Bublé, to name just a few — reached out in 2019 after receiving demos from the band.
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Although the pandemic interrupted and delayed recording at Bryan Adams’ Warehouse Studios in Vancouver, The Damn Truth released Now or Nowhere in 2021. It subsequently garnered extensive radio airplay in Europe, and in the United Kingdom in particular.
“He really is a sweetheart,” says Baum of the aptly named Rock, adding “It’s important to work with someone you love and trust. It’s got to be like that for us. We’re a family band and that’s how we feel about anybody who joins the team.”
“Whenever I got behind the mic in the studio, knowing that Bob’s ears were on the other side, something came out of me that never came out before and maybe, in some ways, never since. There’s this urge, like ‘My god, I’m singing for Bob Rock. I’ve got to do my best. I’ve got to bring my A-game.'”
While band members pre-produced much of Now or Nowhere before Rock entered the picture, the band’s eponymous album released just last year saw Rock involved from the get-go. The result is an 11-track explosion of what the band does best: deliver musically while staying true to its hard-rock-rules mantra.
The album spawned two top 40 singles in the form of “Love Outta Luck” and “I Just Gotta Let You Know,” with the latest single “Be Somebody” in line to do the same.
“The album is a beautiful collaboration with Bob,” assesses Baum. “Having his expertise and his beautiful, beautiful touch really elevated the sound, really elevated the songs. He wanted us to be the best version of ourselves. I’m very proud of this album.”
The Damn Truth’s fourth and eponymous album, released in 2025 and produced by legendary Canadian producer and engineer Bob Rock, has been nominated for Rock Album of the Year at the 2026 Juno Awards, which will be presented two days after the band’s concert at FLATO Academy Theatre in Lindsay on March 27, 2026. (Photo courtesy of The Damn Truth)
And rightly so, given the new album has been nominated for Rock Album of the Year at the 2026 Juno Awards.
“We still can’t believe it,” says Baum of the nomination, adding “I’m supposed to go find some clothes to wear for this thing.”
“We’ve really tried to bring our songs to radio outside of Montreal. To be recognized (at the Juno Awards) is really beautiful and surprising, but hopefully it will get us some cross-Canada airplay and will duplicate what that did for us in the UK.”
It’s across the Atlantic that web-based Metal Planet Music effused of Baum, “If Robert Plant and Janis Joplin had a love child, Lee-la would be the result.”
“That definitely brought a big smile to my face when I read it,” says Baum.
“There have been a lot of comparisons from people listening to our band, or listening to my voice, and saying this or that. A lot of times people shock me. One woman told me ‘You really remind me of Tracy Chapman.’ I was like ‘Really? That’s incredible. I love her.'”
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If comparisons to such iconic performers makes feel Baum pressured to deliver to a higher standard, she’s not anywhere near admitting to that.
“We like who we are and what we do. I’ve always been a very confident lady, so that doesn’t faze me.”
Just back from an East Coast tour that saw The Damn Truth featured on the same bill as Live and Big Wreck, Baum and her bandmates are excited to bring their sound and high-energy show to the stage in Lindsay.
VIDEO: “I Just Gotta Let You Know” – The Damn Truth (2023)
“We’ve played hundreds of shows yet, every time, my belly is rumbling, I’m super excited and nervous and cold in my fingertips. You kind of feel like you’re on the verge of passing out but don’t, because you know what you’ve got to do. But with that that essence of excitement, we just go up there and we do what we do.”
Baum adds there are new fans to be won over whenever they play to audiences in towns they haven’t performed in before.
“They’re looking at us like ‘Who are this colourful, weird bunch that keep jumping around?’ I can kind of see the whispering and wondering of what’s going on. I don’t think about it too much, but I can see a change by the last song when hands are in the air and we’re getting the crowd with us. We don’t take it for granted, not for one little bit. Every every show is an opportunity to make new fans.”
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Having performed in major European and Canadian cities, the band’s Lindsay show may seem to be a puzzle piece that doesn’t fit. Not so, says Baum.
“Our agent suggested it and it was like ‘Why not?’ Music lives and thrives everywhere, and rock and roll especially. If there’s a want for rock and roll, we’ll be there.”
“It’s hard to pinpoint what the audience can expect, but expect high energy, good vibes, and lots of love. We love what we feel on stage between the four of us, and the love that we have for our music and for sharing it.”
That love extends to both long-time and new fans, Baum adds.
“After every show, we come out to meet the audience. We go to the merch table. We will take photos, shake hands, or just say hello. The connection is so strong that we always feel the need to do that after every show, no matter where. No matter how big or small (the venue), we’re there.”
“Rock audiences are the same everywhere. They are made up of the same beautiful, loving cloth. Maybe we’ve been super lucky, but I have not encountered a fan that I did not like.”
After their Lindsay show and the Juno Awards ceremony, The Damn Truth hits the road yet again in May, performing in Quebec before heading to Spain in late June for the Azkena Rock Festival. Then, on the same continent, from late September to October 26, the band will join Swedish rockers Europe for their tour marking the 40th anniversary of the release of The Final Countdown.
VIDEO: “Love Outta Luck” – The Damn Truth (2024)
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Beyond life on the road, Baum says while there are no definitive plans for a new album as of yet, writing new music is a constant work in progress.
“I’m very proud of all we’ve accomplished but we’ve just begun,” she says. “We know there’s nothing else for us out there. The four of us put all our eggs in this basket and there’s no alternative.”
“The idea of The Damn Truth is simplicity and rock and roll and in your face. Here we are, doing what we do. That’s our truth. Kind of what you see is what you get.”
Good seats are still available for The Damn Truth’s concert at FLATO Academy Theatre in Lindsay at 8 p.m. on Friday, March 27. Tickets are $33, including fees, at www.flatoacademytheatre.com/whats-on/the-damn-truth.
VIDEO: “Be Somebody” – The Damn Truth (2025)
kawarthaNOW is proud to be a media partner of FLATO Academy Theatre.
A wintry mix of weather is continuing for the first weekend of spring, with Environment Canada issuing a special weather statement for snow and possible freezing rain in the northern parts of the Kawarthas region and possible freezing rain in the south starting Saturday (March 21),
The special weather statement is in effect for Peterborough County, Kawartha Lakes, Northumberland County, Haliburton County, and Hastings Highlands.
An Alberta Clipper will spread snow across the region this weekend. Snow will begin for areas east of Georgian Bay late Saturday afternoon before reaching eastern Ontario later in the evening. The snow may become mixed with freezing rain or freezing drizzle overnight before coming to an end Sunday morning.
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For northern Peterborough County, northern Kawartha Lakes, Haliburton County, and Hastings Highlands, snowfall amounts of 5 to 12 cm are expected, with reduced visibility in heavy snow and a risk of freezing rain.
For southern Peterborough County, southern Kawartha Lakes, and Northumberland County, there will be snowfall amounts of 2 cm and the risk of freezing rain with up to 2 mm of ice build-up possible on some surfaces.
Roads and walkways may be difficult to navigate due to accumulating snow. Untreated roads may become icy and slippery. Motorists should allow extra time to get to their destination.
The Land Between is hosting a series of "Talking Circles" across the Kawarthas region in March and April to gain valuable insight and observations around canids, beavers, wetlands, and other topics. Reflecting the desire to include all voices of those working with or living on the land, the traditional Indigenous knowledge-sharing events are being held in Haliburton County, Peterborough County, Hastings County, and Muskoka. (Photo courtesy of The Land Between)
Have you noticed a change to the beaver populations in your nearby rivers? Are water levels decreasing? Are there more wolves and coyotes walking about this year?
These are some of the key questions that will posed and discussed throughout a series of “Talking Circles” being held this spring by non-profit environmental organization The Land Between, and your observations could be crucial for understanding changes happening across the region.
Three of the four events are taking place in the Kawarthas region: Thursday, March 26 at the Robert McCausland Community Centre in Gooderham in Haliburton County, Thursday, April 9 at the Buckhorn Community Centre in Peterborough County, and Thursday, April 23 at the Faraday Community Centre in Hastings County. The final event takes place in Muskoka on Wednesday, April 29 at the Bracebridge Centre for Active Living. Each session will run from 4:30 to 7 p.m., with an open house beginning at 4 p.m.
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The Land Between is a grassroots charity that works to characterize, celebrate, and conserve the region for which it’s named, where the Canadian Shield meets the St. Lawrence Lowlands. Indigenous-led and community-driven, the organization connects people with the communities and landscapes by encouraging conversations through events like the Talking Circles.
“A Talking Circle is a respectful group discussion format inspired by Indigenous traditions that encourages participants to share knowledge, experiences, and perspectives in an open and balanced way,” says Gary Williams, former Curve Lake First Nation chief and councillor and a member of The Land Between Council. “Participants sit in a circle so that everyone can see one another and no one is placed above another.”
In many talking circles, an object like a feather, stone, or stick is passed around to guide the discussion, giving the holder the opportunity to speak or pass if they prefer not to speak. This format, Williams says, “encourages listening, reflection, and respect for different voices within the group.”
VIDEO: The Land Between Knowledge Circles Project
Kate Dickson, a project ecologist for The Land Between, says the organization wanted to take this approach to get more community insights rather than a conventional meeting led by an “expert” that may not encourage open dialogue. Through the Talking Circles, which will be facilitated by Williams, The Land Between hopes to invite engagement from those who may lived experience and insight into changes happening on the land.
“There is a really rich knowledge of nature and wildlife that comes from people who live and work on the land,” Dickson says. “People who’ve been a long-term resident somewhere and have walked the same path every day for 30 years, or people who are harvesters, anglers, naturalists, or outdoor enthusiasts, are often the first to notice changes on the land.”
“That knowledge is not always seen or valued as it should be in traditional conservation science,” she adds. “We view the Talking Circles as an opportunity to centre these voices and plug into those observations in a way that’s not always done in conservation.”
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Community members with expertise and experience are invited to join in the discussion to explore changes or other observations surrounding beavers, canids (including wolves, coyotes, and coywolves), wetlands and water, and other matters.
“We deliberately selected these topics because they’re all areas where people with really deep lived experience tend to notice things that short-term studies don’t always see,” says Dickson. “We’ll go around and it will be really open for people to share what they’ve seen or noticed about that specific species or habitat type, before we move on to the next.”
Topics could include changes in a bird species’ arrival time or nesting success, wolf movement patterns, where turtles are nesting or frequently crossing the road, changes in water levels or quality, and what kind of wildlife species are present in an area.
One of the topics that will be discussed during the “Talking Circles” hosted by The Land Between across the Kawarthas region in March and April will be canids (including wolves, coyotes, and coywolves). Believing that those who work on and live close to land are best at observing the changes, The Land Between encourages community members to lend their voices to support broader environmental decision-making and the organization’s future projects. (Photo courtesy of The Land Between)
The Talking Circles will also present opportunities for community members to share other ecological insights that don’t necessarily fit one of the categories.
The gatherings, however, are not debates or political forums.
There will also be a video camera set up for participants to record themselves sharing insights or stories, and the resulting videos may be used as an educational tool or posted on The Land Between’s social media pages.
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In addition to The Land Between staff taking notes on shared observations, which will remain anonymous, there will be a formal survey passed around to participants to ask specific questions relating to the key topics.
“We compile all of that and put it on a map and it lets us look at trends for these categories to say on the whole (for example) if people are noticing turtles increasing across these areas, and we plot them,” says Dickson. “You can really see where the changes are and what direction the changes are in across these core categories.”
The information that comes from these observations will be used by The Land Between on various projects or by connecting with partner organizations.
During the “Talking Circles” hosted by The Land Between in Haliburton County on March 26, 2026, Peterborough County on April 9, 2026, and Hastings County on April 23, 2026, there will be an informal open house of poster boards where visitors can learn about some of the key topics and the work being done by the organization. (Photo courtesy of The Land Between)
“If we’re in Bracebridge and they say there’s an area where they’ve seen a lot of turtles dead on the road, they’ve seen a lot of turtles struck, and they’ve pulled over to help them, or they’ve seen a lot of nesting mothers, that can help our organization,” Dickson says. “Maybe we can try to mobilize some volunteers there, or we can send someone out to do an assessment to see whether an eco-passage might be possible. It helps us fill in those gaps.”
For interested participants who can’t stay for the whole session, or for people at a community centre who may not be aware of the event, there will be a poster area outside each Talking Circle providing more details on each of the priority topics and the actions that The Land Between and other community partners are taking.
Though not required, advance registration is encouraged at thelandbetween.ca/knowledge-circles-near-you, where you can also submit your observations if you’re unable to attend one of the Talking Circles.
Located in central Peterborough County along the Trent-Severn Waterway and with a population of around 7,600, the Township of Douro-Dummer features farmland, lakes, and diverse landscapes including drumlins and the Warsaw Caves. (Photo: Peterborough County)
Douro-Dummer Township council has unanimously passed a resolution from Mayor Heather Watson expressing significant concerns with the possibility that the proposed Alto high-speed rail network might pass through the municipality located in Peterborough County.
The resolution states the township will not support the high-speed rail network “unless and until” concerns raised by residents and council are addressed.
Those concerns include the severance of township roads, increased municipal infrastructure costs, impacts to farms and emergency response times, potential land expropriation, disruption to rural land use, and impacts on environmentally sensitive lands and wildlife.
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Council considers Rideau Lakes letter highlighting concerns with Alto
The mayor’s Alto motion was not on the agenda for the council meeting on Tuesday (March 17), but the agenda did include a letter to federal senators from the Township of Rideau Lakes, which is located in the northwest corner of the United Counties of Leeds and Grenville in eastern Ontario.
That letter, which was also later referenced by a public delegate at the council meeting, describes similar concerns about the proposed high-speed rail network that would run between Toronto and Quebec City. Alto is currently conducting a public consultation on a 10-kilometre-wide corridor that includes a northern option and a southern option between Ottawa and Peterborough. Establishing the corridor is a preliminary step in determining the 60-metre right-of-way for Alto’s final alignment (route).
The northern option reduces travel distance and community impacts, but involves complex work in remote and sensitive areas. The southern option is less direct but simplifies construction and operations. Since Alto began its public consultation, which included an open house in Peterborough on February 26, rural communities in eastern Ontario have been expressing concerns about the corridor.
The letter from the Township of Rideau Lakes describes some of those concerns, including the impact on roadways for school buses, public transportation, and emergency vehicles when fences are erected along the route, the impact on Indigenous lands and wildlife corridors, the impact on tourism, and the impact of expropriation on land owners.
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MPP says decision rests with federal government
At Tuesday’s council meeting, Peterborough-Kawartha MPP Dave Smith — who was giving council a presentation on the upcoming provincial budget — was asked a question by Dummer Ward councillor Shelagh Landsmann about Premier Doug Ford’s recent comment that the route for the high-speed rail network should be aligned along Highway 401.
After noting he hadn’t spoken to the premier about the comment and that it hadn’t been discussed in caucus, Smith said Alto is a federal program and the provincial government has no influence on the federal government.
“From my perspective on it, I am simply a constituent on the federal side and I’ve had my say with our federal representative on what I think we should be doing on it,” he said, before speaking on the importance of improving and maintaining existing freight rail lines for industry in Peterborough County.
“I know that you have had different groups who’ve reached out to council wanting you to weigh in on it, but I would remind everyone that you, as council, although you are elected, you’re elected to deal with municipal issues, and you have no sway over what the federal government does,” Smith told council.
“Reach out to the federal members, because it is the federal government and the federal members that will be the only ones who have any actual input in it … If you feel passionate about it, either way, you need to reach out to the federal member — you need to reach out to all of the federal members on the proposed rail line — and express your views that way. That’s the only way that your opinion is going to be taken into account.”
Delegate calls for better communication on Alto
Smith’s presentation was followed by a public delegation by Nadine Ellis-Maffei, who quoted extensively from the Township of Rideau Lakes letter before expressing her concerns about the lack of communication about the project from township council, as well as from MPP Dave Smith, Peterborough MP Emma Harrison, and Alto itself.
“Most people don’t even know about it,” Ellis-Maffei said. “Nothing has been sent out to our community.”
“I’d like to propose that our council does a better job of educating and informing the public in this municipality, as well as put forth some effort to find out how this is going to affect not only our roads department but our emergency department and their response times, if this rail (network) goes through our municipality.”
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Mayor speaks to ‘absence of a voice’ for township
Later in the meeting, Mayor Watson introduced and read her resolution to council, a copy of which is provided at the end of the story, and then spoke to it.
“We first heard of this project in the fall,” she began. “I think Alto was at a conference and spoke about it, as it gained a little bit of momentum and traction at the time. Of course, we did have Alto come to county council and also come to this chamber’s committee of the whole meeting.”
“It did seem exciting in the early stages, but as time has gone on, and over the last six weeks — having attended various sessions, having heard from residents, in speaking with our colleagues, our neighbours within Peterborough County as well — it’s become less exciting and there are concerns that have been raised as it relates to the public consultation.”
The mayor said she had reached out to MP Harrison and invited her to hold a public meeting with residents, “but she chose not to do that.”
“In absence of that, I asked her ‘What am I supposed to say to our residents in the community?” Watson said, adding that she asked the MP to provide something in writing.
The mayor then read out a letter from Harrison addressed to all mayors in the county that noted the Alto website has up-to-date and accurate information about the project as well as frequently asked questions and answers. In her letter, Harrison also says she has requested that Alto consider hosting another in-person consultation event in Norwood, before suggesting constituents contact her office to share their thoughts directly.
“I’m bringing this motion forward today because, in absence of a voice and, as our MPP (Dave Smith) said, we don’t have a say but we do have a say,” Watson said. “It’s happening in our backyard and in absence of a voice in our backyard from our MP I feel that we have no choice but to talk about it. I’ve heard that there’s been concern, as was expressed by our delegate earlier today, that council isn’t doing enough and we aren’t talking about it.”
“We as a municipality don’t have the budget, the time, the staff resources, to knock on everybody’s door in the corridor in Douro-Dummer Township to make them aware of the project. We can’t send them mailers — I mean the cost and time to do that — and people have been asking us, asking me, why we’re not doing that.”
“This is not a project that we asked for. It’s not a project that we wanted to put on our workplans and in our budgets, so every moment of time that we spend talking about this important project — that we did not ask for — it’s taking away from the work that our staff are trying to do to take care of the roads, maintain the potholes, to work on all the other initiatives that we’ve directed them to do.”
After Watson’s comments, councillor Tom Watts said he supported the mayor’s motion and noted that, if Alto expropriates land from property owners, the township will lose tax revenues on that land. After councillor Landsmann also said she supported the motion, council voted unanimously 5-0 to support it.
Following Tuesday’s meeting, kawarthaNOW contacted Watson for comment on the resolution.
“Our resolution reflects what we’ve consistently heard from residents and ensures those concerns are clearly communicated as the consultation moves forward,” she replied.
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Warden says county will ‘advocate in the best interests of our communities’
kawarthaNOW also contacted Peterborough County Warden Bonnie Clark for her comment on the township’s resolution. The warden said the county is “actively engaging” with Alto “to understand the impacts of both proposed routes to our residents and businesses.”
“We value and will advocate for our beautiful lands that hold deep agricultural and cultural roots and that are home to our rural and small urban communities that will be impacted by Alto,” Clark added.
“We urge our residents to share their questions and comments with Alto and their federal representatives throughout the engagement process. We look forward to getting more detailed information from Alto so that we can fully understand the project and its impacts and we will continue to advocate in the best interests of our communities.”
A bike path runs along a 300-metre section of fence on the east side of Airport Road south of Sir Sandford Fleming Drive in Peterborough. (Photo: Google Maps)
Peterborough police are investigating a hate-bias crime after an offensive racial slur was spray-painted nine times along a 300-metre section of fence on the east side of Airport Road south of Sir Sandford Fleming Drive.
According to police, the incident happened sometime overnight on Thursday (March 19) and was reported at around 8:20 a.m. the following day.
Although graffiti is considered mischief under the Criminal Code of Canada, the use of an offensive racial slur makes it a hate-motivated crime.
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“It is beyond disappointing to learn about this incident,” Peterborough police chief Stuart Betts said in a statement. “In fact, it is angering. We are currently in the midst of an anti-hate campaign in this city and to see something like this only highlights the need for additional education and enforcement.”
The Peterborough Police Service recently launched a revamped N0H8 (pronounced “No Hate”) public education and awareness campaign intended to raise awareness about what hate looks like, provide educational resources, encourage people to report hate or bias incidents, and reinforce that hate will not be tolerated in the community.
“We believe that hate, in any form, has no place in our community and will continue to investigate,” Betts said. “We are asking anyone who may have seen something suspicious in that area or has camera footage to come forward.”
Anyone with information, security camera footage or dashcam footage is asked to contact Peterborough police at 705-876-1122 ext. 555. To submit an anonymous tip, contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or stopcrimehere.ca.
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