Say “bone voyage” to local dog trainer Kyla McNeill and her border collie Lennan as they head off to represent Canada at the IFCS World Agility Championships in France next month.

As a team member on the AAC National Agility Team, the duo will be competing in the 24″/60 cm maxi division in Bourgbarré, Brittany, France from Wednesday, May 1st to Sunday, May 5th.

“When I first started dog training, I never would have thought I would be training for this competition,” says McNeill. “It was actually a big surprise to me when we got the spot, so it was very exciting, but also surprising that it actually happened.”

A resident of Brighton, McNeill is a lead instructor at Paus-N-Train just outside Peterborough and through her own company, All Paws Ahead Dog Training, she works in partnership offering training courses through Cobourg’s All Creatures Great and Small. She trains a variety of classes including agility, manners, leash walking and recall, puppy classes, tricks, fitness, and more.

“I knew for a long time I wanted to be a dog trainer,” she says. “When I was young, my family dog was a Siberian Husky, and she was a challenging dog, but I trained her and did some tricks. I remember at about eight years old saying I wanted to be a dog trainer.”

She then trained her aunt’s poodle and dogs of other family members, before eventually working in doggy daycares, dog-walking, and with another trainer. She has now been independently training for 12 years.

Similarly, she specifically recalls a memory from a young age which incited her passion for agility competitions — competitive canine sporting event where dogs of various breeds navigate obstacles including jumps, ramps, weave poles, tunnels, and seesaws (teeters) and are judged on both their speed and accuracy.

“For a few years when I was young, my mom, my sisters, and I went to the Royal Winter Fair in Toronto, and they had these agility shows and I remember specifically watching these dogs and thinking I wanted to do that someday,” she recalls. “It was so neat.”

After first training with a seven-year-old border collie named Sky for a few years, McNeill competed with her second border collie Niamh, who she trained with from a young age. Niamh competed in regional and national championships before COVID-19 put a pause on events and she went into “semi-retirement.”

“It was a good experience for me to take her through that kind of situation,” says McNeill.

Now it’s four-year-old Lennan’s time to be in the spotlight. Describing him as “sweet” and someone who “loves to snuggle,” McNeill explains that agility has always been a passion for Lennan as it has been for her.

“Agility was one thing that he always wanted to do,” she says. “He has absolutely loved it for quite a long time now and loves to run fast, which is very helpful.”

VIDEO: Kyla and Lennan in action at the AAC Nationals

Even though she started training him when he was still just a puppy, McNeill explains that Lennan wasn’t always the most cooperative teammate.

“Every dog has their own challenges in training and, for him, it took longer to mature in terms of his mental capacity, so he wasn’t focused as a young dog,” she says. “Even though he could do the physical skills, he would have a hard time focusing in the busier competition areas and we had to work through that.”

One such problematic obstacle for Lennan were the weave poles.

“It used to be a challenge for him when he was learning them because he didn’t like having to think about what he was doing — he just wanted to go fast,” McNeill says. “But now he knows them better and he can just do them fast and has no problem.”

Another component Lennan wasn’t initially a fan of was the teeter since, again, it required him to slow down. Fortunately, McNeill was able to get him more comfortable by using his favourite treat as motivation.

“He would do his teeter and he would get a mini ice cream cone at the end,” she says. “At this point, the teeter is one of his favourite obstacles. He still loves ice cream, and he loves the teeter, but he loves each separately now.”

At the IFCS World Agility Championships, for which they gained a spot when Lennan finished seventh place in his weight division at last summer’s ACC Nationals, the duo will be competing in different courses over the span of the weekend. While roles on the team are still being decided, courses McNeill and Lennan participate in could include full agility, jumping, snookers, gamblers, and even team relay.

In preparation, McNeill and Lennan are working with the team coach to practise drills and skills that may come up during the competition.

“At this point, we’re just practising maintaining the skills,” McNeill says. “Then, closer to when we leave, we don’t want him to be too tired or risk getting injured so he’ll lay a bit low. We’re just working on keeping up his strength and exercises for now.”

While McNeill and Lennan are in France competing, they will have big fans cheering them on back home.

The community has already shown support for TMcNeill and Lennan, with All Creatures Big and Small having raised more than $1,000 in a recent bake sale fundraiser in support of McNeill’s travel costs.

Similarly, in Peterborough, Paus-N-Train has also held bingo nights and 50/50 draws in support of funding the competition.

“Community members have been very generous with their donation amounts,” McNeill says. “Many people came in for the fundraiser and were making generous donation regardless of how many baked goods they actually wanted. I’m extremely grateful for everyone for being so generous.”

Kawartha Conservation is extending a call to community members in Kawartha Lakes and neighbouring areas to become citizen scientists.

Residents are encouraged to join Kawartha Conservation’s Climate Change Action Program (CCAP), a volunteer program to monitor climate data. Spearheaded by community members, volunteers help compile essential environmental information across the Kawartha Lakes region.

“The core goal of our program is to engage the Kawartha Conservation watershed community through direct involvement in gathering precipitation and water temperature data,” said Nathan Rajevski, assistant watershed resources technician for Kawartha Conservation.

“Our aim is to foster a deeper understanding of climate change impacts by empowering residents to conduct measurements at their residences, while continuing to bring awareness to the topic,” Rajevski told kawarthNOW. “This data not only enriches our annual summary reports for the program, but also informs decision making for our flood forecasting network and our corporate climate change strategies.”

Volunteers, through their collection of information, also help foster a broader comprehension of the shifts in climate, which empowers both the community and the environment, Kawartha Conservation noted.

“The program has consistently delivered substantial benefits to the community,” Rajevski added. “The positive feedback we’ve received underscores the program’s value, with many expressing appreciation for the insights gained into daily rainfall amounts and the ability to personally assess data from water temperature loggers at the end of each season.”

The conservation authority said participating in CCAP gives residents the chance to be a catalyst for change within their respective communities.

The call for citizen scientists extends to residents within the Kawartha Lakes, Scugog, Brock, and Trent Lakes area, including Port Perry, Blackstock, Fleetwood, Downeyville, Nogies Creek, Crystal Lake, Oakwood, and the Glenarm Road area.

In the coming months, volunteers will collect precipitation data from their property, and those situated on waterfronts can also gather water temperature data. Kawartha Conservation will provide the necessary training, rain gauges, and water temperature loggers at no cost, ensuring everyone can participate easily.

The program runs within the watershed areas concentrated in Durham Region (Scugog and Brock Townships), Kawartha Lakes, and Trent Lakes, focusing on precipitation data collection from May through September (or year-round) and water temperature monitoring from June 1 to August 31.

Rajevski said Kawartha Conservation appreciates both its sponsors and citizen scientists for their roles in the success of the program.

Space is limited. Interested volunteers are encouraged to sign up through the Kawartha Conservation website at kawarthaconservation.com/en/learn-and-get-involved/citizen-science.aspx.

Both the City and County of Peterborough are moving forward with plans to take economic development and tourism activities back in-house come 2025.

A four-year agreement between both municipalities and Peterborough & the Kawarthas Economic Development (PKED) for the provision of economic development services, formalized in December 2019 and subsequently extended for a fifth year, will expire on December 31, 2024.

While a motion for a decision to not renew the agreement has yet to come before city council, it appears the City of Peterborough has already communicated that decision to both PKED and the County of Peterborough.

Peterborough Mayor Jeff Leal confirmed to kawarthaNOW a staff report will be presented to councillors “in the not too distant future” that “will take a look at how a reconstituted, reconstructed economic development division under the city’s umbrella would function and operate.”

Asked where the idea originated that the agreement not be renewed, Mayor Leal referenced the January 8th general committee meeting where he says the suggestion was first floated by PKED itself during a presentation of its quarterly activities by PKED board chair Burton Lee, board vice-chair Paul Hickey, and president and CEO Rhonda Keenan.

Not so, says Lee.

“We didn’t decide to have the city and county stop funding economic development through PKED,” Lee says, adding “We don’t get to tell them who to fund.”

“I don’t know how decisions are made at City Hall, but they (the city) sent us a letter saying they are not extending the tri-party agreement.”

At the January 8th general committee meeting, councillor Kevin Duguay had asked Lee and Keenan, “Could a comparable and meaningful economic development service be delivered, if it was housed in a different organizational structure — using your staff resources — and a more robust involvement from city council?”

Two months later, at the March 11th general committee meeting when council discussed a request from the Innovation Cluster Peterborough and the Kawarthas to defer a loan from the city, Mayor Leal referred to an upcoming staff report on economic development — and suggested the city may also want to include the work of the Innovation Cluster.

“As we prepare ourselves to receive a report on how the future of how economic development is going to be handled in the City of Peterborough, we may want to look at including the Innovation Cluster, because it seems to me they’re an integral part of our economic development model — whichever one we choose, in-house, going forward — to take advantage of what they’re doing that would be, I think, the appropriate approach when we start to have that discussion in the not-foreseeable (sic) future.”

Meanwhile, in a statement sent to kawarthaNOW, the County of Peterborough confirms it is “undertaking a strategic transition of economic development and tourism services from a regional platform to in-house operations.”

To that end, a committee — comprised of Warden Bonnie Clark, Selwyn Mayor Sherry Senis, Douro-Dummer Mayor Heather Watson, and Havelock-Belmont-Bethuen Mayor Jim Martin along with some county and township staff — is working to “formulate a comprehensive strategy for seamlessly integrating economic development and tourism services within the County post-2024.”

The statement adds “We are confident that through this proactive approach and collective approach, we will effectively navigate this transition.”

It also clarifies that “the decision to transition these vital services stems from the recent notice received from the City of Peterborough regarding the non-renewal of the agreement” for 2025 and beyond. That “recent notice” from the city was not included with the statement.

For his part, Lee is anxious to hear what city staff’s proposed plan for the provision of the programs and services that PKED provides will look like.

“We don’t know yet what the plans are from the city and county as of January 1st, 2025, but we’re certainly really excited to find out because it’s a very important and a very big task,” he says.

Asked if all or some current PKED staff won’t be retained under any new structure, Lee admits “it’s possible,” adding quickly “We just don’t know yet.”

“PKED is working with legal counsel to ensure that our people able to continue to do their work to the best of their abilities. They are considered some of the best in the country at what they do. They are continuing to do that work as best they can given the environment that we’re in.”

“It’s not my place to comment on what their strategy is going to be. I just hope it’s well thought-out and comes in a very timely manner. Ultimately, PKED is concerned about the prosperity of the region economically. Without a good plan, it’s very hard to do that work.”

As for PKED staff morale during a time when so much is unknown, Lee says “any environmental change that’s out of your control is going to cause challenges.”

“The PKED board understands that our folks add tremendous value to the community and we want to make sure they can continue to do that. If that means there’s an opportunity for them to work at City Hall, we just don’t now yet because we haven’t seen the plan.”

Asked what his level of confidence is in the city and county’s ability to provide the same level of program and services that PKED provides, Lee says “I’m confident that they could.”

“There are examples of municipalities that have taken this work on directly that have been successful. Certainly there’s precedent for this model to work. But until we see that plan, I can’t predict or be in a position to analyze because there’s nothing to analyze.”

“I think are a lot of really important considerations that need to be made really quickly in terms of tourism. Tourism is extremely regional. If it’s only the city or only the county doing that work on their own, we will lose the economy of scale. Very few people come to this region and only dip their toe in the city or county. It’s almost always both. From a tourism marketing perspective, you need to work regionally.”

On that point, at least, Lee and Mayor Leal are on the same page.

“It would be my view that we (the city) continue to share the tourism aspect of economic development with the county because many of the attractions cover both the city and county,” says Mayor Leal. “We just think a new direction needs to be taken to sharpen the focus for economic development in terms of the City of Peterborough.”

For now, as the city staff report is prepared for council review and the county committee meets to decide next steps, Lee says it’s business as usual at Venture North, PKED’s home in downtown Peterborough.

“We’ve got a mandate to support the growth of the economy and we’re going to do that,” Lee says. “We hope to get some clarity but we’ve got the best people in the business working on it (economic development and tourism). We’re going to help them continue to do that.”

PKED’s 2024 budget is $2.5 million, of which the city’s core funding share is $1,015,112 and the county’s core funding share is $790,038.

The city and county had also each budgeted $226,021 and $57,000 for physician recruitment services which have been supplied by PKED on behalf of the city and county for a number of years. However, last November, city councillors expressed concerns that PKED’s physician recruitment efforts were not effective and voted to withhold the funding until PKED and city staff could report back on options for physician recruitment and, the following month, PKED opted to no longer be involved in physician recruitment.

PKED was originally founded in 1998 as the Greater Peterborough Area Development Corporation, arising from the recommendations of the 1997 GPA 2020 A Vision For Our Future Report, which in part proposed a new regional approach to economic development in the City and County of Peterborough.

Governed as a private-public non-profit partnership corporation by a board of directors that included elected officials, municipal appointees and private sector business leaders, the organization amalgamated the services and budgets of six separate organizations: the Greater Peterborough Economic Council, the City of Peterborough Economic Development, the County of Peterborough Economic Development, the Peterborough-Kawartha Tourism and Convention Bureau, the Peterborough Industrial Development Corporation, and the Provincial Business Self-Help Office.

The organization used funds previously invested by the City and County of Peterborough in the above organizations and augmented its capabilities by sourcing additional community investment from the provincial and federal governments and the private sector.

In 2005, the Greater Peterborough Area Development Corporation was officially renamed as the Greater Peterborough Area Economic Development Corporation. In 2017, it rebranded as PKED when the organization relocated both its corporate office (including the Business Advisory Centre located at 210 Wolfe Street) and the Peterborough & the Kawarthas Tourism Visitor Centre (located at 1400 Crawford Drive) to the then-new Venture North building at 270 George Street North.

Conceived as a business hub, that building also houses all other local economic development organizations, including Community Futures Peterborough, the Innovation Cluster Peterborough and the Kawarthas, and — as of May 1 — the Peterborough Downtown Business Improvement Area.

Three people are dead after two vehicles collided late Thursday night (March 28) on County Road 45 south of Roseneath in Alnwick-Haldimand Township.

At around 11:30 p.m., the Northumberland OPP and fire and emergency services responded to a report of a serious collision on County Road 45 near Beagle Club Road.

As a result of the collision, the drivers of both vehicles along with a passenger in one of the vehicles were pronounced dead. Two other passengers were transferred to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

Police have not released the identities of the victims.

County Road 45 was closed between County Road 22 and Beagle Club Road for several hours while police documented the scene.

The police investigation into the fatal collision is ongoing. Police are requesting that if anyone was in the area during the timeframe of the collision and has any information or dashcam or surveillance footage that may assist investigators, to call Northumberland OPP at 1-888-310-1122 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).

Northumberland County residents and visitors can help support treatment and services for local children by hitting the drive-through or dining inside at area McDonald’s on May 8.

Five Counties Children’s Centre is happy to announce it’s the beneficiary of this year’s McHappy Day fundraiser organized by the fast-food restaurant.

“To our knowledge, this is a first for Five Counties,” Bill Eekhof, spokesperson for Five Counties Children’s Centre, told kawarthaNOW.

The children’s treatment centre was chosen as the local children’s charity that will benefit from the annual campaign that launches on April 1. The highlight of the fundraising campaign will be McHappy Day on May 8 at the McDonald’s locations in Cobourg and Port Hope.

“We are extremely grateful to McDonald’s restaurants in Port Hope and Cobourg for choosing Five Counties to be the beneficiary of the annual McHappy Day campaign in Northumberland,” said Scott Pepin, CEO of Five Counties Children’s Centre, in a media release.

“Fundraising efforts like this one allow Five Counties to serve more kids, ensuring they can get the care they need when they need it.”

All money raised from McHappy Day for Five Counties will go towards its Building Abilities For Life campaign, which funds priority, high-demand services like speech therapy and occupational therapy in an effort to reduce long wait times.

“We are thrilled to have Five Counties Children’s Centre as our designated charity for 2024,” said Lisa Wilson, owner and operator of the McDonald’s restaurants in Cobourg and Port Hope.

“Our amazing teams in Port Hope and Cobourg look forward to serving our guests and supporting Five Counties Children’s Centre and Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) as they make a difference for the children and families in our communities.”

Wilson’s Port Hope and Cobourg restaurants have raised more than $145,000 since 2014 for local children’s charities and RMHC through McHappy Day.

Lyn Giles, director of fund development at Five Counties, said visiting McDonald’s on McHappy Day “sends a strong message of support to our kids and families that they matter, and that the community believes in them.”

Five Counties Children’s Centre has supported children and youth with physical, developmental and communications needs for nearly 50 years. Last year, Five Counties provided treatment services for more than 1,615 children and youth in Northumberland County.

In total, across its entire region which includes Northumberland, as well as Peterborough, Haliburton County and the City of Kawartha Lakes, more than 6,200 children and youth benefited last year from the centre’s programs, that include physiotherapy, occupational therapy, speech and language therapy, and other treatment services.

Every year, McDonald’s restaurants across Canada support local children’s charities by collecting donations and dedicating to them a portion of sales on McHappy Day. In 2023, McHappy Day raised more than $7.5 million across Canada for RMHC, as well as local children’s charities.

To support Five Counties, local residents are encouraged to visit McDonald’s in Cobourg or Port Hope. On May 8, Five Counties staff, volunteers, families and supporters will be at McDonald’s locations to collect donations and thank visitors for dropping by.

Two days after the Ontario government tabled its 2024 budget, Premier Doug Ford has announced changes to the 38 parliamentary assistants at Queen’s Park — including Peterborough-Kawartha MPP Dave Smith.

“By supporting ministers with legislative and committee responsibilities or taking on important projects with dedicated leadership, parliamentary assistants play a critical role in delivering on our plan to rebuild Ontario’s economy,” Ford say in a media release on Thursday afternoon (March 28).

“With today’s announcement, I’m thrilled to recognize and showcase our team’s in-depth experience, which will help us continue to get it done for the people of Ontario.”

Peterborough-Kawartha MPP Dave Smith has been appointed as the parliamentary assistant to the Associate Minister of Mental Health and Addictions, a role currently held by Vaughan-Woodbridge MP Michael A. Tibollo.

He was previously the parliamentary assistant to the Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sport,

Since being elected, Smith has been an advocate for dealing with the opioid crisis in Peterborough, including supporting the consumption and treatment site in downtown Peterborough and a new 12-bed drug detox and treatment facility in northeast Peterborough expected to open this spring.

Despite having now been served a formal trespass notice, Food Not Bombs Peterborough will return to Confederation Square this Monday evening (April 1).

That’s the word from longtime group volunteer Myles Conner, who was personally served the notice last Monday as Food Not Bombs did what it as done for close to 19 years: serve free meals to those in need while bringing wider attention to the fact that there are many people in the community without enough to eat.

The notice, which was served to Conner by two city-contracted security guards, is the first that Food Not Bombs has received. It comes after two previous Monday visits — the first on March 4 — by security guards that saw the group advised it was in contravention of the city’s Parks and Facilities By-law, adopted in 2019 to curb overnight tenting on municipal property by people experiencing homelessness.

The notice, addressed to “Food Not Bombs (the owners and operators of a large red tent structure and food premises)”, says the group has erected or been within a structure, hut or tent in a park without a permit contrary to the bylaw, and is selling, offering, exposing or advertising for sale of food or drink without a permit, again contrary to the bylaw.

It goes on to read Food Not Bombs is “directed to immediately stop contravening” the bylaw and must “immediately remove from the park the tent structure and its contents as well as any food or drink associated. You are directed to leave the park immediately and not to re-enter the park at any time until September 2, 2024.”

The notice doesn’t indicate why the September date has been designated, although the by-law stipulates that a trespass notice issued under the by-law can prohibit access to a park “for a period not exceeding six months” — September 2 would be around six months after Food Not Bombs was first verbally advised on March 4 that it was trespassing.

The notice does not indicate what would be required of the group should it return to the park after that date, nor does it mention what the amount of any fine would be if Food Not Bombs contravenes the notice. However, the by-law states that “each person” who contravenes the by-law is committing an offence and, upon conviction, could be subject to a fine of between $200 and $10,000 “for each day or part of a day on which the offence commences or continues.”

kawarthaNOW reached out city councillor Joy Lachica, a vocal proponent of Food Not Bombs, for comment on this latest turn of events. She declined comment, noting she’s “still working on some things on that front.”

Two days after the first security guard-issued verbal warning on March 4, Will Pearson, another Food Not Bombs volunteer, received an email from Mayor Jeff Leal that provided clarity on the permit requirement and noted the city first raised the matter with Food Not Bombs on February 12.

“The permit process helps keep our community safe by ensuring that aspects such as fire safety, electrical setups, the location of structures, and other considerations are agreed upon for the use of public space,” wrote Mayor Leal.

“After three weeks, a permit application had not been started. Since the group did not have a permit, it was asked to remove its tent and tables from Confederation Square on March 4, and given information on how to get a permit for its activity.”

In a subsequent email to kawarthaNOW, Conner stated he was unaware of any communication from the City of Peterborough that was provided to the group on February 12.

“Maybe the city ordered someone to inform us but I have checked in with each other person helping that night and none of us have any recollection of (this) occurring,” Conner says, adding that it is possible the notice was handed to a “random person” who was not part of the group.

Conner met with the city in early March before the formal notice was served. He now says it will be business as usual moving forward, with the group having no intention to apply for a permit.

City serves trespass notice to Foods Not Bombs on March 25, 2024 (video by Esther Vincent)

“I think they have better things to spend their time on,” Conner says, referring to city staff. “They did say that coming to a good solution is actually worth their time. They recognize that our situation might apply to other groups (and could) use it as case scenario to do some work on.”

“They made the rule (by-law) in 2019. It hasn’t applied to us until now. How much democratic review has the by-law gone under? I asked about ticket challenges. Nobody has been challenging their tickets. People just get them and don’t pay them because they’re mostly homeless people. By-laws against people with nothing have absolutely no power.”

Acknowledging “We don’t know what’s going to happen this Monday,” Conner notes Food Not Bombs in Houston, Texas “finally got an injunction after 78 tickets. They’re on their way to making precedent.”

“Activism is done a lot of the time by challenging unjust laws,” Conner points out.

“I think it would be worthwhile to get a ticket and challenge it. I’ve already got a lineup of people saying ‘I will pay for your ticket.’ I have got several lawyers saying ‘I will defend your ticket.'”

“I don’t need 80 tickets, like Houston, but I also think our city is a lot more reasonable and lot more friendly. The spirit of our town is way different that.”

“I think there’s a way for everybody to come out ahead,” Connor notes. “It’s up to city staff. I don’t know what they’re planning — we’ll see what happens. All I can do is say ‘Yeah, we’ll get a ticket and we’ll defend it. If you try to push us out, we’ll make an example of you.'”

Formed in 2005, Food Not Bombs Peterborough collects surplus food from farmers, gardeners, grocers, bulk food stores, bakers, and the community at large and then, at All Saints Anglican Church, prepares a meal that is transported each Monday night to Confederation Square. The free meals feed, on average, about 50 people.

The wholly volunteer-driven group’s stated mission is to “defend and reclaim community, sovereignty and food justice from the jaws of poverty and war.”

Should the group be forced to leave Confederation Square for lack of a permit, it will mark the second time it has been moved. It earlier served food in the lobby of City Hall before it was deemed the lobby has to be free of any obstructions during Monday night council meetings in the event of a fire or other emergency.