It was 30 years ago, on August 24, 1994, that Sheila Burns made an extra special friend who would completely change the trajectory of her life.

Even though PrimRose the donkey — the namesake of PrimRose Donkey Sanctuary, which Burns owns and operates at 1296 Bowmanton Road in Roseneath — passed away in February 2021 in her 47th year, Burns continues to celebrate her birthday every August. This year, she will be celebrating PrimRose’s 50th birthday in a way the sweet-loving donkey would have appreciated.

“She loved cake and cookies,” Burns recalls. “She could eat cake right off your fork.”

Cake and sweets galore will be available at PrimRose’s birthday celebrations taking place from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. on Sunday (August 25), with admission by donation. Come with your singing voices as the afternoon will include singing “Happy Birthday” to Raspberry, who took over as the sanctuary’s ambassador after PrimRose passed away.

The day will also include lemonade, iced tea, and cupcakes for the two-legged party guests, while the donkeys will have an extra special cake made by a PrimRose Donkey Sanctuary volunteer.

“It’ll have 47 slivered carrots standing upright like candles and it’s vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free, and low-calorie,” says Burns, adding that she taste-tested it once. “It tastes like a granola bar without the sugar.”

PrimRose — who liked to fashionably wear her halter at an angle and wore pearls and tiaras — was not only the sanctuary’s namesake but the donkey who started it all. She was the first donkey Burns ever adopted, back when PrimRose was just 20 years old and Burns was still living in Georgetown.

Before adopting PrimRose and her daughter Jilly, Burns had never so much as even pet a donkey, let alone cared for one, but she instantly fell in love, adopted more, moved to Roseneath to open the sanctuary, and the rest, as they say, is history.

Today, the registered charity is home to roughly 80 donkeys, mules (the offspring of a male donkey and a female horse), and hinnies (the offspring of a female donkey and a male horse), as well as a sheep, a goat, a pot-bellied big, and 12 cats. The sanctuary is open Thursdays and Sundays from 1 to 3 p.m., where the volunteers will walk you through and tell you all about the animals and the farm.

One-hour personal tours are also available for $20 at 11 a.m. both days, as well as the new Traditional English Tea where guests an dine on tea, scones, cookies, and finger sandwiches while on the farm surrounded by the animals.

“They can walk around the farm, intermingling with the donkeys, stopping, chatting, and hugging, while also learning from our wonderful volunteers,” says Burns, adding that it’s “really fun.”

If, while on the tour, you fall in love with one of the donkeys, you can choose to sponsor them for a full year for $700, which covers annual costs for hoof care, food, vaccinations, and other vet care.

“If you sponsor a donkey, you can come at any time — as long as you give me notice — and groom the donkey and talk to them and I’ll send you pictures,” Burns says. “It’s basically your donkey for a year.”

Others who want to interact more regularly with the donkeys can sign up as a volunteer. With school back in session soon, PrimRose Donkey Sanctuary offers the chance for high school students to get their required volunteer hours with regularly scheduled work.

Volunteers can come every Saturday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. for work ranging from cleaning out stalls, filling up water, hay, and straw, and doing other chores, with some grooming in the afternoon “to take (your) cares away and bond” with the animals.

“The students come in here the first day and they’re a little apprehensive, but after the third or fourth time they’re out there talking to the donkeys, hugging them, walking them around,” Burns says, adding with a laugh that volunteers need to be careful of some of the donkeys who like to knock over wheelbarrows that are full of manure.

“I’ve had some volunteers who’ve stayed on for a couple of years doing volunteer work,” she notes.

Burns admits she likes seeing the way the donkeys grow on the volunteers and how the more they interact with each other — like herself when she first adopted PrimRose all those years ago — the more they break the “frustrating” stigma around donkeys.

“You see these cartoon donkeys with their ears and teeth out and they’re dumb and stubborn or hard to get along with, but they’re so completely opposite,” she says. “They can be so gentle and kind, and they’re very stoic and loyal and will protect you against anything.”

Burns adds that one of the reasons she welcomes people in to meet the animals is the “emotional cure” she knows they offer.

“If you just hug them, they’ll give you that cure back,” she says. “Is there something bothering you? Just go out and talk to a donkey and you’ll feel so much better, instantly. I’ve heard that people have bad pain and they’ve gone out to talk to a donkey and they walk away with no pain. They’re magical.”

Visit www.primrosedonkeysanctuary.com for more information on PrimRose Donkey Sanctuary, including how to donate and sponsor a donkey.

You can also follow the sanctuary on Facebook, Instagram, and X (formerly Twitter) to keep up to date on future events including World Animal Day celebrations on Sunday, September 22nd and Christmas carolling on Sunday, December 8th.

Kawartha Sexual Assault Centre (KSAC) is planning to “Take Back the Night” in downtown Peterborough this fall with the intent to “shatter the silence” around sexual violence.

The Peterborough/Nogojiwanong organization hosts its 46th annual Take Back the Night event on Thursday, September 19 in the Peterborough Square courtyard at the corner of Water and Charlotte streets.

In addition to a rally and march, there will be live music performances, a poetry reading, and speeches.

The event is tentatively planned to run from 3 to 9 p.m. It will start with tabling from local organizations and vendors and then move into programming before the march. KSAC asks community members to stay tuned to its social media channels, including the Facebook event page, for more details and a schedule for the event.

Jocelyn Enright, KSAC’s communications, community engagement and fundraising co-ordinator, shared with kawarthaNOW her hopes for this year’s event.

“I think the greatest thing would be for us to reach as many people as possible, both to spread awareness about what supports are available in Nogojiwanong for survivors, but also to make people aware of how prevalent sexual violence still is in society and encourage them to advocate for more support for sexual assault centres,” Enright said.

“We know the statistics are staggering with one in three women, one in two transgender and gender-diverse folks, and one in six men experiencing sexual violence in their lifetime. What I really hope, is this event does speak to the most privileged members of society — that even if you’ve never experienced sexual violence, it is 100 per cent a fact that someone you know and are close to has experienced it.”

Many sexual assault centres haven’t seen core funding increases since the 1990s, Enright noted, including KSAC.

“KSAC is incredibly underfunded — we can usually only see 25 per cent of survivors on our waitlist for services at a time. We hope this event speaks to those who hold more power and privilege who can make a huge difference by donating to our centre, or advocating for our needs on bigger stages than we can.”

When asked about the significance of the event being held for so many decades, Enright said, “the fact that we’ve held this event for so long speaks to the power of community here in Nogojiwanong, and highlights how important it is to have events and platforms for people to share their stories and be reminded they are not alone.

“We’re so mindful that these are incredibly difficult topics to discuss, and we want first and foremost this event to make survivors feel heard, seen, and as safe as possible in the space we’ve set up. People look forward to this event happening every year and it’s something all of us at KSAC treasure.”

Enright said the event offers a poignant reminder of the reason behind KSAC’s work in the community.

“Every survivor has a story, and whether that’s a story they’ve shared or one that they’ve kept for themselves, we want to honour and hold space for everyone.”

She said KSAC operates around the framework of “survivors’ first” and that’s also the message it hopes to share through events like Take Back The Night.

“Forty-six years is a long time, but we still have a long way to go. While sexual violence continues to happen to the most marginalized folks in our communities, we’ll continue the fight advocating for change.”

KSAC aims to offer healing, safety, and support to those affected by sexual violence and harm and strives to end sexual violence through prevention education within the communities it serves in Peterborough, Northumberland and Haliburton counties, and in the Kawartha Lakes.

The organization offers a crisis support line, which is a confidential service available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, including weekends and holidays. The toll-tree phone number is 1-866-298-7778. KSAC also offers support through counselling, groups and workshops for survivors who are aged 16 and older.

For more information about KSAC services and to learn more about its advocacy efforts and prevention education, visit kawarthasexualassaultcentre.com.

The oldest worldwide movement to stand against sexual violence, “Take Back the Night” began in the 1970s with a tribunal council meeting in Belgium attended by over 2,000 women representing more than 40 countries.

Early activists protested the lack of safety for women, including when walking down the street alone at night. One of the first “Take Back the Night” events was held in 1972, when a group of women at the University of Southern Florida donned witches’ brooms and black capes and marched through campus to demand resources and safety for women.

For more information, visit takebackthenight.org.

Two 14-year-old boys are facing charges after harassing and spitting on a woman in early August in what Peterborough police are classifying a hate bias incident.

Police say one of the teens was previously charged, along with three other teens, in a July 25 assault in East City that police had originally classified as a hate crime.

In the most recent incident on August 6, officers were called to the area of Spillsbury Drive and Sir Sandford Fleming Drive where they learned a woman had been followed off a bus by two teenage boys, spat on, and intimidated.

Through further investigation and with the help of video footage, officers were able to identify the two suspects.

Police arrested one of the two suspects the following day and charged him with assault and criminal harassment (threatening conduct). He was held in custody and appeared in court on August 8.

Police arrested the second suspect on August 18 and charged him with criminal harassment (threatening conduct). He was released on an undertaking and is scheduled to appear in court on November 25.

Police have classified the incident as a hate bias incident.

If you’re interested in pursuing a career in the fast-growing aerospace sector, you’ll be happy to know a national leader in aviation education is located right here in Peterborough & the Kawarthas.

Seneca Polytechnic (previously known as Seneca College) began offering programming for its School of Aviation — one of Canada’s top aviation schools — at the Peterborough Airport 10 years ago.

Housing Seneca’s fleet of aircraft and flight training devices, the Peterborough Campus is the home base for students studying in the four-year Honours Bachelor of Aviation Technology program. Students spend the first year of the program in the classroom at Seneca’s Newnham Campus in Toronto, before continuing their studies and flight training for the remaining three years in Peterborough.

“In both the academic and flying components of the program, students learn from active and retired airline pilots who have significant industry experience,” says Nicky Eastwood, a professor at the School of Aviation. “Students complete in-aircraft flight training and log about 40 hours in each of our two Flight Training Devices to really get them career-ready for when they graduate.”

Seneca Polytechnic offers the only aviation technology-based degree program in Canada, which means students come to Peterborough from across the nation to study.

“Most other programs in postsecondary institutions have a very different setup and are more business-related, whereas this is a very technology-based program that really focuses on aviation,” says Eastwood.

VIDEO: Aviation at Seneca Polytechnic

Seneca’s decision to relocate its School of Aviation campus to Peterborough is yet another example of a successful partnership with the Peterborough Airport.

“The airport’s growth supports the establishment of training and educational programs in partnership with local institutions, creating workforce supply, and pathways for individuals to enter the aviation and aerospace industries,” says Kyle Bruce, Manager of Airport Administration at the Peterborough Airport. “These programs offer hands-on experience and apprenticeships, allowing employees to gain valuable skills and climb career ladders within their chosen fields.”

While Seneca’s Honours Bachelor of Aviation Technology program often sees graduates land a job as a commercial airline pilot, it can also lead to a range of other exciting careers in the aerospace sector.

“We’ve had students go into air traffic control, military operations, management, and training departments to list a few,” Eastwood explains. “It opens doors for lots of areas. Sometimes students will be introduced to other career opportunities along the way.”

The four-year degree includes at least one work term between two semesters, when students get real-world experience in a variety of positions in aviation, whether in their hometown, across the country, or even around the world.

“There are a lot of opportunities out there to explore and it really depends on what the student wants and where they want to go — as long as it’s in the aviation industry,” says Eastwood. “It might open even more doors for that student down the road after they graduate.”

For those students who prefer to spend their work term in Peterborough, many of the 22 businesses located in the Peterborough Airport offer work placement opportunities, including Seneca itself.

“We do encourage students to stay in Peterborough because there is such a collection of careers here,” Eastwood says. “We even hire some of our students to work in the operations and maintenance departments, which is a great way for them to help with mentoring students who are just starting their flight training. The more positions we can offer in Peterborough, the more it helps the students, the airport, and Seneca. It’s good for everyone.”

As a preeminent hub for aviation and aerospace in Eastern Ontario, there is no better place than the Peterborough Airport for students to launch their aerospace careers.

“As the airport expands its infrastructure and facilities, it attracts more aviation and aerospace businesses,” says Bruce. “This growth increases demand for services such as MRO (maintenance, repair and overhaul), aircraft support, and flight training, and creates opportunities to partner with local colleges and universities to address workforce supply challenges. The influx of businesses also boosts demand for skilled workers, leading to more job opportunities across various sectors.”

Seneca Polytechnic also welcomes high school students participating in the Aviation and Aerospace Specialist High Skills Major program, led by the Peterborough Northumberland Victoria and Clarington Catholic School Board.

Through an eight-week paid summer placement, the students gain valuable on-site experience working with businesses located at the airport, introducing them to and preparing them for a future in aviation.

Seneca also encourages female high school and postsecondary students to explore careers in aviation through school visits and participation in industry events like the Oshawa Girls Take Flight Aviation and Aerospace Expo.

“Seneca Polytechnic has been heavily involved in encouraging women in aviation because it’s not something that’s explored enough and female employment is highly outnumbered by the men,” says Eastwood. “It’s nice to see a focus on the women in aviation side, because girls need to see it as a career path too.”

As the Peterborough Airport continues to grow, so too will the School of Aviation, providing even more opportunities to train future pilots and others working in the aerospace sector.

“Peterborough has been a perfect place for us,” Eastwood says. “We have amazing facilities, the staff and students are great, and the support of the Peterborough community has been incredible. It’s a program that hopefully will continue for many years.”

For more information about Seneca Polytechnic’s School of Aviation, visit senecapolytechnic.ca/aviation.html.

Explore more training and employment opportunities at the Peterborough Airport at peterborough.ca/en/doing-business/airport-services.aspx.

This branded editorial is one of a series created in partnership with Peterborough & the Kawarthas Economic Development. If your organization or business is interested in a branded editorial, contact us.

Northumberland County has released its 2023 annual report and the county’s warden says among the items that stand out most is the need for the provincial government to better-fund housing and social services.

In recent years, regional governments like Northumberland County have been asked to spend more money in areas traditionally funded by the province. When Northumberland County Warden Brian Ostrander considers the key takeaways from 2023, he said that’s one recurring theme for him, along with the need to continue to efficiently share services between local and regional governments.

“We must continue to drive a shared services environment between upper and lower-tier municipalities where we can partner and work together to help build on each other’s successes,” Ostrander told kawarthaNOW.

“We’re of course doing good work in that realm, from coordinating public works efforts and working across municipalities to build a seamless emergency service/public works communications system, to the development of a policing study to offer advice on next best steps for policing in Northumberland.”

Further, when it comes to managing services and taxpayers’ dollars, Ostrander said, “we must also continue to pressure our provincial partners for a better socioeconomic deal.”

“We simply cannot keep providing services like social services and housing services using property taxes,” he said. “Property taxes only make sense for linear projects like roads and bridges — but even then, in small and rural communities we don’t have the base to adequately keep up with the networks that we have.”

On that note, Northumberland County and the Eastern Ontario Wardens’ Caucus continue to advocate for a social and economic prosperity review, Ostrander added.

Northumberland County released its 2023 report on August 14, following county council’s receipt in June of externally audited financial statements for that year.

The report intends to reflect “Northumberland County’s commitment to transparency and accountability, providing community members with a clear view of how their tax dollars are being used to address key priorities and deliver essential services,” the county noted in a media release.

The 104-page report includes community statistics and facts, program and services highlights from 2023, and key priorities for 2024, with the aim of keeping residents informed of county governance and administration. It also provides a visual summary of 2023 financial performance and the complete audited financial statements for the fiscal year ending on December 31, 2023.

“The annual report remains an important tool for us to demonstrate our commitment to transparency and accountability with community members and interested parties,” said Northumberland County CAO Jennifer Moore in a media release.

“Through this report, we share updates on our key initiatives and programs, providing the community with an engaging and informative resource to learn how their tax dollars are being put to work in our community.”

The report identifies the tangible outcomes delivered in alignment with the county budget and highlights Northumberland’s efforts to advance key priorities outlined in its community strategic plan and annual business plans, the release noted.

The report shows county council approved a $213.5-million budget in 2023, allocating $128.5 million toward operating costs, $9.2 million for future strategic and infrastructure needs, and $75.6 million for investments in capital and critical infrastructure.

A total of $68.1 million of revenue in the 2023 budget was garnered through property taxes, with $60.2 million hailing from grants and subsidies. The remaining dollars were generated through a combination of debt, reserves, fees for services, and other revenue-generating activities.

“As county council and staff look ahead to the future, continued focus is on monitoring progress and measuring success to ensure quality service for the community,” the release said.

In early 2024, the county introduced an online dashboard of key performance indicators in a move to provide greater insight for community members and interested parties on the status of the county’s priorities and initiatives. The additional reporting tool is intended to complement the county’s formal annual reporting process, the release noted.

“This report provides an assessment of our progress during the past year, identifies opportunities and priorities for 2024, and reaffirms our commitment to strategic and prudent administration of taxpayer dollars,” Ostrander said in a statement.

“As we officially close out the 2023 fiscal year with this report, I want thank staff, council, community partners and our residents for helping us move forward our shared priorities.”

The 2023 annual report is available on Northumberland County’s website at northumberland.ca/annualreport.

Environment Canada has issued a rainfall warning for the northern Kawarthas region for Sunday (August 18), with a special weather statement for significant rainfall continuing for the remainder of the region.

The rainfall warning is in effect for Haliburton County and Hastings Highlands and the special weather statement in effect for Peterborough County, City of Kawartha Lakes, and Northumberland County.

Showers and thunderstorms are expected to continue on Sunday. Haliburton County and Hastings Highlands can expect additional rainfall amounts of 40 to 60 mm, for total weekend rainfall amounts of up to 100 mm. Other parts of the region can expect additional rainfall amounts of 20 to 40 mm, for total weekend rainfall amounts of 60 to 70 mm.

Locally higher amounts in thunderstorms are possible in the afternoon and evening.

Showers and thunderstorms are expected to taper to isolated showers by the evening.

Heavy downpours can cause flash floods and water pooling on roads. Localized flooding in low-lying areas is possible.

The Town of Cobourg is setting the wheels in motion to provide residents with a new limited fixed bus route service, as part of a pilot project.

Cobourg will launch the pilot in September through Cobourg Transit, in addition to its existing on-demand service. The fixed route program features 35 strategically located stops throughout the town and will operate on an hourly schedule, according to a media release.

The limited fixed route bus program is being offered as a one-year trial project, aimed at offering “more flexibility and convenience” for Cobourg residents.

“We are thrilled to introduce this new bus pilot as part of our ongoing efforts to improve public transportation in Cobourg,” said Town of Cobourg Mayor Lucas Cleveland in the release.

“This change in service is a direct response to community feedback that aims to offer an efficient, reliable, and user-friendly transit option. With the limited fixed route and on-demand services, residents will have more options than ever to stay connected around town.”

The town said features of the limited fixed route service include:

35 well-placed stops

The new route covers the highest demand and popular locations, aimed at ensuring comprehensive coverage of the town. The new fixed route is a combination of the previous Route 1 and Route 2 loops, offering service from the east end of Cobourg to the west end of town and areas in between.

Hourly service

Buses will run every hour, Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., with the goal of providing consistent and dependable service. Bus schedules and signs will indicate how many minutes past the hour the bus is scheduled to arrive.

Enhanced convenience

“The fixed route and frequent service mean that riders who need flexibility with their timing can access transportation with greater ease.”

The new limited fixed route bus system will officially begin operations on Tuesday, September 3. Information is available online at cobourg.ca/transit, with brochures also available at municipal buildings including Victoria Hall, the Cobourg Community Centre, and the Cobourg Public Library.

Cobourg’s on-demand transit service will continue to operate, using current stop locations. The on-demand system allows for online booking with 184 stops throughout town and real-time tracking of rides.

To improve the user experience, Cobourg is also launching a new app called “Cobourg Transit” for booking on-demand services. The app, which will be available in the Apple App Store and Google Play at the end of August, will be used for bookings on and after September 1. Bookings can also be made on the web at book.cobourgtransit.rideco.com or by calling at 905-373-0582.

On-demand service hours are Monday to Friday from 6:15 a.m. to 9 p.m., Saturday from 8:15 a.m. to 6:45 p.m., and Sunday from 8:45 a.m. to 3:45 p.m.

In addition, Cobourg Transit offers an origin to destination service called WHEELS for eligible riders. Riders who are unable to utilize the conventional, stop-to-stop, transit service due to cognitive, physical, sensory, visual or environmental limitations, may apply for the WHEELS program.

There will be a single cash fare of $2.50 for both on-demand and fixed route services, with children five and under riding free. Meanwhile, 30-day passes are available on the town’s website or at the finance office in Victoria Hall, located at 55 King St. W.

Cobourg Transit riders can pay by cash on board the bus, through a reloadable “smart card” that can be purchased online at cobourg.usetransit.com or in person at Victoria Hall, use bus tickets or pay via the app for the on-demand service.

For more information about the bus system, including route maps, schedules, and fare details, visit cobourg.ca/transit or contact the Town of Cobourg’s engineering department at 905-372-4555.

Currently, Cobourg Transit offers an accessible service that has three buses running the on-demand services, in addition to WHEELS.

Earlier in July, the federal government announced the launch of the Canada Public Transit Fund, a new $30-billion investment over the first 10 years to expand public transit and make it more accessible across the country. The government said it is the largest public transit investment in Canadian history.

“The Canada Public Transit Fund will transform the way we deliver transit funding to communities across the country,” a media release noted.

“This permanent ongoing program will invest an average of $3 billion per year to help cities and communities deliver better public transit systems for Canadians.”

Public transit shortens commute times, grows the economy, and keeps the air cleaner, the government noted.