Habitat for Humanity Peterborough & Kawartha Region's Peterborough South ReStore, located in the industrial building at 550 Braidwood Avenue, will be closing on June 15, 2024. (Photo courtesy of Habitat for Humanity Peterborough & Kawartha Region)
Habitat for Humanity Peterborough & Kawartha Region’s ReStore location on Braidwood Avenue will be closing on June 15.
The non-profit organization announced on Wednesday (April 17) that its lease is ending on the building that houses one of its two Peterborough ReStores — home improvement and building supply stores that sell gently used building materials, furniture, appliances, and home décor items.
While Habitat has been searching for a suitable new location for the ReStore at 550 Braidwood Avenue — known as the Peterborough South ReStore — in advance of the end of the lease, it has been unable to find one.
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In addition to the Peterborough South ReStore, Habitat operates the Peterborough North ReStore at 300 Milroy Drive and the Lindsay ReStore at 55 Angeline Street North. Sales at the ReStores fund Habitat’s operations to help local families and individuals have access to safe, decent, and affordable homeownership.
Originally located at 780 Erskine Avenue, the Peterborough South ReStore moved to 550 Braidwood Avenue in 2014, in the large industrial building that also houses Global Point Logistics, which owns the property.
Global Point Logistics is planning to build a 77-unit residential development in vacant land at the northeast corner of the intersection of Braidwood Avenue and Monaghan Road. The development, which would include a four-storey apartment building and townhouses, was approved by Peterborough city council last June.
Habitat for Humanity Peterborough & Kawartha Region’s ReStores are home improvement and building supply stores that sell gently used building materials, furniture, appliances, and home décor items. Sales at the ReStores fund Habitat’s operations to help local families and individuals have access to safe, decent, and affordable homeownership. (Photo courtesy of Habitat for Humanity Peterborough & Kawartha Region)
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While Habitat says the closure of Peterborough South ReStore will not affect its operations, the organization is encouraging the community to continue supporting Habitat’s work by shopping at the Peterborough North ReStore and the Lindsay ReStore. Any donations to Habitat should also be redirected to one of these two ReStores.
A store-wide end-of-lease sale at the Braidwood Avenue location will begin on Monday, April 22nd, with 50 per cent off all items.
Habitat is continuing the search for an available commercial space to replace the Peterborough South Restore, and is asking anyone with information to contact them at info@habitatpkr.ca or 705-874-0201.
Five Counties Children's Centre is returning to the Minden site of Haliburton Highlands Health Services (HHHS). The organization serving children with special needs previously had space at the site, but HHHS needed to reclaim the space during the height of the pandemic. Five Counties has now signed a lease for an approximately 700-square-foot space to provide treatment services for children in Haliburton County. (Photo courtesy of Five Counties Children's Centre)
Bringing care closer to children and families is one of the goals of a recent move by Five Counties Children’s Centre to open a more permanent location in Haliburton County.
The organization serving children with special needs has signed a new lease for space at the Minden site of Haliburton Highlands Health Services (HHHS), located at 6 McPherson Street.
The renovated, approximately 700-square-foot space is just off the main entrance, situated on the second floor of the community health wing of the HHHS site.
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Bill Eekhof, spokesperson for Five Counties Children’s Centre, told kawarthaNOW there are a few wins in terms of the biggest benefits of having this space.
“It means that Five Counties will have a more permanent and prominent location in Haliburton County — as we’re fortunate to have at the HHHS site in Minden — that makes it easier for us to serve and support kids and families in the community,” Eekhof said.
“It means families in Haliburton County can get care closer to home without the need to drive to Lindsay or Peterborough to get it.”
Five Counties Children’s Centre’s new space at the Minden site of Haliburton Highlands Health Services (HHHS) has been renovated and is around 700 square feet. It is located just off the main entrance, situated on the second floor of the community health wing of the HHHS site. (Photo courtesy of Five Counties Children’s Centre)
Five Counties said “it’s a homecoming of sorts” as it re-establishes the centre’s physical presence in Haliburton County, and the space will ultimately allow Five Counties staff to see and support more kids, youth and families in Haliburton County.
“We are pleased to reach agreement with (HHHS) on this space,” said Scott Pepin, CEO of Five Counties Children’s Centre, in a media release.
Five Counties has previously leased another portion of the HHHS site in Minden. That arrangement came to an end when HHHS had to reclaim the space during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“HHHS is delighted to welcome Five Counties Children’s Centre back into our building,” said Veronica Nelson, president and CEO of HHHS.
“Five Counties’ dedication to the community through therapy and treatment services to support children with physical, developmental, and communication needs and their families, is inspiring. HHHS looks forward to a continued partnership with Five Counties to bring health and well-being to our younger local population.”
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Five Counties provides speech, occupational, and physical therapies, as well as other kids’ treatment services, in Haliburton County, Peterborough County, City of Kawartha Lakes and Northumberland County.
Five Counties staff work in centre sites in Minden, Lindsay, Peterborough, Cobourg and Campbellford, as well as in local schools and virtually to support children and youth from birth up to age 19 (or age 21 if still in school).
Five Counties was established in Peterborough in 1975 but has supported families in Haliburton County since the late 1980s. Last year, Five Counties served more than 6,200 children and youth across its region — the most in its history. Of this total, nearly 250 kids and youth received treatment services in Haliburton County.
“We know that early intervention — especially when it comes to how a child talks or walks — is so important to help kids reach their full potential,” Pepin said.
“Parents and caregivers are dealing with so much already if their child has been diagnosed or identified with unique needs that impact their development. That’s why making it easier for families to get the help they need when they need right in their own community is essential.”
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Post-pandemic, Five Counties had been searching for a new space in Haliburton County. In the past year or so, Five Counties opened a new satellite location at Archie Stouffer Elementary School in Minden, using a repurposed classroom for treatment space. That space has been useful as a base of operations for Five Counties staff to see local families and provide treatment in area schools, the centre noted.
“We’re extremely grateful to the Trillium Lakelands District School Board, which has been very generous in allowing us to use the classroom space as a way to see kids, students and families right here in their own community,” Pepin said.
Even with Five Counties moving into the HHHS site in Minden, the centre will continue to use the space at Archie Stouffer school for physiotherapy services, as the wider space there is ideal for this treatment.
Plans are in the works later this spring to hold an official public open house to mark the return of Five Counties to the HHHS site in Minden.
The Peterborough and the Kawarthas Cycling Summit, with the theme "Safe Streets for Everyone," takes place on April 24 and 25, 2024 at Showplace Performance Centre's Nexicom Studio and McDonnel Street Activity Centre. A portion of Bethune Street in downtown Peterborough reopened in the summer of 2023 as Canada's first purpose-built street to give priority to bicycles and other active transportation users. (Photo: Lili Paradi / GreenUP)
Peterborough and the Kawarthas Cycling Summit: Safe Streets for Everyone, an event organized by the Peterborough Bicycle Advisory Committee (P-BAC), is coming up on Wednesday, April 24th and Thursday, April 25th.
Each week, GreenUP provides a story related to the environment. This week’s story is by Ashley Burnie, Program Coordinator, GreenUP.
The two-day summit includes exciting speakers, interactive design workshops, and guided cycling or walking tours. This event is for you if you are interested in urban design and road safety, as summit speakers will address key issues through the lens of public health, engineering, city planning, accessibility, and more.
P-BAC is excited to gather our community to share ideas, engage in meaningful discussion and (most importantly) have fun!
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Peterborough has a lot of transportation statistics to be proud of. Most trips within the City of Peterborough are five kilometres or less, and the city boasts a network of over 26 kilometres of trails.
In addition, Bethune Street (from McDonnel to Townsend) reopened last summer as Canada’s first purpose-built bicycle priority street. Stormwater upgrades required a redevelopment of the street, and the road surface was redesigned to prioritize cyclists and other active transportation users.
In 2023, the City of Peterborough released an updated transportation master plan called “Move Ptbo” that which guides transportation growth and connectivity until 2051. Likewise, the County of Peterborough updated their transportation master plan in late 2022, building on commitments set out within their active transportation master plan. These such guidelines included installing multi-use paths on high volume roadways and commitments to shoulder paving for the purposes of active transportation.
Guest speakers at the 2024 Peterborough and the Kawarthas Cycling Summit include keynote speaker at Ian Lockwood at Showplace Performance Centre on April 24 and Dr. Sara Whitehead and Valerie Smith at McDonnel Street Activity Centre on April 25. (kawarthaNOW collage of supplied photos)
With all this momentum, P-BAC is convening its first cycling summit in 10 years to share the excitement. This summit will broaden the conversation beyond bicycles.
According to Dr. Sara Whitehead, one of the summit speakers on Thursday’s agenda, “what we’ve learned from cities all over the world is that the same features that make urban streets safer for everyone — more compact road space for cars, separated facilities for pedestrians and cyclists, slower vehicle speeds in denser business and residential areas — also make our cities more liveable and our downtown businesses more prosperous.”
Dr. Whitehead is not alone in drawing the connection between pedestrian and cyclist access and safer, more vibrant cities.
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Ian Lockwood, an Ottawa native who now lives in Florida, is the keynote speaker for Wednesday evening’s kick-off event that will take place at 7 p.m. in Showplace Performance Centre’s Nexicom Studio. Lockwood is a livable transportation engineer with the Toole Design Group, a company that focuses on projects that build safer and more walkable streets for everyone.
Lockwood’s projects work to increase prosperity in mid-sized cities by using people-centered transportation design. After an injury left him temporarily requiring a wheelchair, Lockwood became dedicated to creating public spaces where access and mobility are primary considerations.
P-BAC is thrilled for Lockwood to kick off the event.
A cycling tour group getting ready to leave at the 4th annual Peterborough and the Kawarthas Cycling Summit on October 4, 2014, which also included the first-ever Peterborough Youth Bike Summit. The 2024 cycling summit on April 24 and 25, entitled “Safe Streets for Everyone,” will also feature bike and walking tours as well as three expert guest speakers and interactive design workshops. (Photo: Evan Holt)
The summit will continue on Thursday at the McDonnel Street Activity Centre, where Dr. Whitehead will share international transportation safety best practices and how they apply locally in Peterborough.
The summit program is rounded out with biking and walking tours that will highlight current and developing city and county infrastructure. The afternoon program includes interactive design workshops where people will work together on concepts for local streets.
“This year’s summit goes beyond bicycles to address opportunities in the city and county to make our streets more accessible, enjoyable, and safe to use,” says P-BAC chair Sue Sauve. “We are gearing this summit to a broad audience including people with disabilities, young families, seniors, pedestrians, and people impacted by a traffic crash.”
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Those of us who have experience with a traffic crash know they are more common on roads where speed or visibility is an issue.
Valerie Smith, director of programs at Parachute, will share information about safe systems approaches to transportation through nationwide Vision Zero projects.
Smith oversees the mobilization of Parachute’s Vision Zero network, with nearly 1,000 stakeholders across Canada. Vision Zero is a multi-national initiative founded in the late 1990s in Sweden. It’s based on the idea that no one should be seriously injured or killed within the road transportation system.
Smith is presenting Thursday afternoon ahead of the interactive design workshops.
Bethune Street now accommodates diverse road users facilitating access to parks, work, and residences for people who do not have the option to drive or who choose other modes of travel. Freda Bourgon uses a power chair on Bethune Street almost daily with her son Sabastien as a safer and smoother route across downtown Peterborough. (Photo: Natalie Stephenson / GreenUP)
Choosing to participate in active and sustainable transportation is often more than simply getting from point A to point B — it also encompasses mental and physical wellness.
A transportation network that is friendly to vulnerable road users also “moves us towards our climate goals and has additional health benefits in reducing air pollution and the chronic diseases of sedentary lifestyles,” says Dr. Whitehead. “It’s a remarkable win-win.”
Dr. Whitehead’s presentation on Thursday morning will address how we can move towards these systems by using lessons learned from projects in Asia, Africa, and South America.
Registration for the summit is now open. While participants are encouraged to attend both days, registration is flexible and costs $15 or pay what you can. For more information and to register, visit p-bac.org/cycling-summits.
Composed of representatives from stakeholder organizations and community volunteers, P-BAC aims to foster a culture of cycling in Peterborough through education, outreach, advocacy, and community building.
Juno-nominated Toronto-based rap rockers Down With Webster have reunited for a limited tour to celebrate the 15th anniversary of "Time To Win Vol. I" and will perform a free-admission outdoor concert at Peterborough Musicfest in Del Crary Park on July 31, 2024. (Supplied photo)
As part of their reunion tour, Toronto-based rap rockers Down With Webster will be coming to Peterborough this summer to perform a free-admission outdoor concert, courtesy of Peterborough Musicfest.
On Wednesday (April 17), festival organizers announced Down With Webster will take to the stage at Del Crary Park in downtown Peterborough at 8 p.m. on Wednesday, July 31st.
Down With Webster was originally formed in 1998 by Patrick Gillett and Tyler Armes when they were in a Grade 8 music class, with the band named after the titular character from the ’80s sitcom Webster. After winning their school’s talent competition, they jammed in Armes’ father’s garage, performing music inspired by reggae, funk, and jazz, incorporating hip hop when Martin “Bucky” Seja joined the band.
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Down With Webster independently released a six-track EP in 2003 that they sold primarily at concerts, where they soon built a following based on their own style of genre-bending rap and rock sounds and energetic performances. In 2008, they were named the best unsigned artist in Canada by Rogers Mobile and received a recording prize worth $25,000.
After years of rejection from music labels, they soon captured the attention of music executives including musicians Gene Simmons and Timbaland, both of whom wanted to sign the band to their respective labels, but they eventually signed with Universal/Motown and released their debut EP Time to Win, Vol. I in 2009, with the singles “Rich Girl$,” “Your Man,” and “Whoa Is Me.”
Down With Webster was nominated for new group of the year at the 2010 Juno Awards, losing to Arkells. After a cross-country tour in 2011, they were nominated again for group of the year as well as pop album of the year at the 2011 Juno Awards, where they performed. They also received four nominations at the 2011 MuchMusic Video Awards, with “Whoa Is Me” winning pop video of the year. Later that year, they released their second album, Time to Win, Vol. II, which included the singles “She’s Dope” and “Big Wheels”.
VIDEO: “Whoa Is Me” – Down With Webster
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In 2014, Down With Webster released Party for Your Life, which included the singles “Party for Your Life” and “Chills” and was nominated for pop album of the year at the Juno Awards. While individual members were already pursuing other projects, the band released what would be their final album — V, which included the singles “Love Is Not Enough” and “Take Us Alive” — in 2021.
On April 1, 2024, Down With Webster announced they would be reuniting for a limited tour to celebrate the 15th anniversary of Time To Win Vol. I. While the band last performed in Peterborough at the Peterborough Memorial Centre in 2013, this is their first appearance at Peterborough Musicfest.
Down With Webster is the second concert to be announced by Peterborough Musicfest this summer, with Juno award-winning indie alt-rockers Metric performing on Wednesday, July 17th. Peterborough Musicfest takes place every Wednesday and Saturday night from June 29 to August 17. The full line-up of performers for the 37th season will be announced in May.
Helping people reduce their waste, Repair Café Peterborough consists of knowledgeable volunteers who donate their time to sew, repair, and fix everything from electronics to clothing, jewelry, and more. The next Repair Café is being held ahead of Earth Day on April 20, 2024 at Peterborough Square. (Photo: Repair Café Peterborough)
Spend Earth Day weekend getting that button sewed back on your favourite sweater, fixing your old radio, getting a new clasp for your mother’s necklace, and keeping waste out of the landfill.
On Saturday (April 20), Repair Café Peterborough will be held on the lower level of Peterborough Square between 9:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. Visitors can drop in and get items repaired by volunteers spread across various stations including sewing and mending, electronics, and wood and glue.
“It can encompass so many things,” says Caitlin Smith, one of the volunteer organizers of Repair Café Peterborough. “Whatever you have, we’ll look and see if we can fix it.”
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The concept of a free gathering place for repairs and fixes was initiated by environmentalist Martine Postma which she hosted the first Repair Café in Amsterdam in 2009. Since then, there have been more than 2,500 local Repair Café volunteer organizations formed and held worldwide.
Peterborough’s Repair Café was first formed in 2014. Smith explains that while the group has certainly had volunteers participating since the beginning, others have only in recent years begun to lend their skills as the public becomes more and more aware of human impact on the environment.
“In general, that whole idea of planned obsolescence, fixing what we have, and doing our part to keep things out of the landfill is just becoming more and more of something on the general public’s radar,” she says. “I see on social media folks bringing awareness to the impact of the way we live our lives is affecting our environment.”
Not only do visitors hopefully go home from Repair Café Peterborough with their item fixed, but they also gain some hands-on knowledge from the volunteers which might help them better approach and address the repairs on their own next time. (Photo: Repair Café Peterborough)
Smith notes that it’s encouraging because not only are people raising awareness and talking about it more, but they are also taking action in the ways they can.
“People are not happy with what corporations are doing and are doing what they can themselves, whether it’s just fixing an item at Repair Café or shopping second-hand or doing what they can to change the way they’re living,” she says. “It’s definitely a change in mentality that is slow coming, but we’re seeing a lot more of people doing these great initiatives and altogether doing what we can because we have to change our lives.”
One of the main goals behind Repair Café is to remind people they can fix something they currently own rather than throwing it out and immediately purchasing an all-new product. As the founder and operator of organizing service ReCreate Space, Smith knows first-hand how people fall into the habit of buying new instead of making the small repairs that previous generations would have done.
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“In the world we live in right now, people are just so busy and rather than taking the time to set a thing aside and wait for a Repair Café, they’re more likely to just toss it in the garbage and not even think about trying to recycle it properly,” says Smith. “There’s also the fact that things are designed to not last, which is something that, as consumers, we’re faced with all the time. You really have to do your research and buy something that’s a bit more expensive and is better made (rather) than just going to Amazon.”
While some people are forced by income barriers and rising living costs to purchase built-not-to-last products which can be more affordable, a solution is instead to look to services like Repair Café — even if at first it seems like a lost cause.
“At the last event, we had a woman bring in her mom’s mixer and it was probably older than I am, but the fixer was able to get it working,” says Smith. “That was so incredible to see, as often with newer items, their design makes it so that you can’t even open it to access the inner workings to even try to fix it.”
While Repair Café Peterborough aims to fix and repair all kinds of products, their intention is not to replace local businesses that offer repair services but to fill the gap when a repair service is not available. (Photo: Repair Café Peterborough)
While Repair Café Peterborough is meant to offer solutions, the goal is not to replace local small businesses who are able to do the repairs.
If, for example, someone comes in for a small zipper fix, the volunteers will assist, but if the zipper must be entirely replaced, they will offer resources and contacts for local businesses that can do the work.
“What we try to do is not take away from repair businesses but fill the gaps when there’s not anybody that will fix something,” Smith explains. “There are a few great people working out of their homes, so we will recommend that the person take their item to one of those businesses. We want to support them because we want to have more repair businesses.”
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Beyond simply getting the repair done, visitors have ample opportunity to learn more from the volunteers about how they can fix or repair their items in the future.
“The volunteers will walk the person through the item repair and what they’re doing,” Smith says. “The fixers will try to get the person to do the hands-on work whenever possible and maybe they’ll pick up some knowledge along the way.”
As a volunteer and sewer herself, Smith notes that it’s a win-win for all involved — with the visitor saving money while getting their favourite items working again, waste being reduced, and the fixer getting the satisfaction of having solved a problem.
Repair Café Peterborough at the former Spill Café in 2017. Since it first formed in 2014, organizers have noticed an increase in volunteers and visitors dropping in to the repair events. While planned obsolescence encourages consumers to constantly buy new, Repair Café Peterborough teaches the skills and knowledge needed to repair products and keep waste out of landfills. (Photo: Repair Café Peterborough)
“Our fixers just love it,” she says. “For electrical fixers, they may not know what the problem is, so they figure it out. And when they actually fix that problem, they’re totally accomplished and elated.”
Held on the third Saturday of every month (except on long weekends), Repair Café Peterborough is always looking for volunteers. Volunteers need not be repair experts as extra hands for set-up and welcome tables are also required.
Pat Warren, councillor for Ward 2 in the City of Kawartha Lakes, has been elected as board vice-chair of Conservation Ontario, the organization that represents 36 conservation authorities across Ontario. The longtime environmental advocate was elected as board chair of Kawartha Conservation in January, a position she has held before. (Photo: City of Kawartha Lakes)
Less than three months after being elected board chair of Kawartha Conservation, Pat Warren has been elected vice-chair of the board of Conservation Ontario — the organization that represents 36 conservation authorities across Ontario.
Warren is a longtime environmental advocate who also serves as councillor for Ward 2 in the City of Kawartha Lakes, which encompasses Bobcaygeon in the south to Kinmount in the north. She has previously served as both chair and vice-chair of Kawartha Conservation, including as vice-chair in 2023.
Warren also sits as the council representative on the Kawartha Lakes environmental advisory committee and is involved in various related initiatives, including the recent certification of Kawartha Lakes as a bird friendly city by Nature Canada and the city’s Bee A Hero and Environmental Hero Awards.
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“This is an important time for both the conservation authorities and Conservation Ontario to have strong, committed voices advocating for our natural environments, and the important work conservation authorities do,” Warren said in a media release.
Ontario’s conservation authorities are local watershed management agencies, mandated to ensure the conservation, restoration, and responsible management of the province’s water, land and natural habitats through programs that balance human, environmental and economic needs.
Over the past five years, the Ontario government has been weakening the powers of conservation authorities, most recently with significant amendments to the Conservation Authorities Act that came into effect on April 1.
Kawartha Conservation board chair Pat Warren (left) with Jonathan Scott, vice-chair of the Nottawasaga Valley Conservation Authority board, and Angela Coleman, general manager of Conservation Ontario. (Photo courtesy of Kawartha Conservation)
The amendments reduce the ability to protect water quality, reduce the distance between wetlands and development lands, and eliminate the need to acquire permits from conservation authorities for the construction of specific small structures.
“I am looking forward to working with the Conservation (Ontario) board on initiatives and policies that help to strengthen our environment, our communities, and make our environment sustainable,” Warren said.
As vice-chair of Conservation Ontario, Warren will work alongside five other board members to help guide the work of the organization, from policy and governance to strategic planning, advocacy and representation, and risk management.
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According to Kawartha Conservation CAO Mark Majchrowski, Warren’s commitment to fostering sustainable communities and protecting natural resources “aligns seamlessly with the goals of Conservation Ontario.”
“Pat’s experience and passionate commitment to environmental conservation aligns with our commitment to sustainable development and community well-being and I’m confident her positive influence will be felt on the Conservation Ontario board of directors,” Majchrowski said.
“I am thrilled at the opportunity to not only represent Kawartha Conservation but to also support impactful environmental initiatives that bolster the well-being of people and communities across Ontario,” Warren added.
The Trent-Severn Waterway is an important driver of the visitor economy in Kawarthas Northumberland. It connects communities throughout Kawartha Lakes (including Bobcaygeon, pictured), Peterborough & The Kawarthas, and Northumberland County. (Photo: RTO8)
The not-for-profit organization responsible for tourism in Kawarthas Northumberland is now accepting nominations for new volunteer members for its board of directors beginning this summer.
Funded by the Ontario Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport, Regional Tourism Organization 8 (RTO8) has four vacancies to fill on its board, one each from the following regions: the City of Peterborough, Peterborough County, the City of Kawartha Lakes, and Northumberland County.
RTO8’s board comprises local industry experts and leaders who are dedicated to the growth and prosperity of Kawarthas Northumberland — which encompasses Peterborough & The Kawarthas and Northumberland County — and are driven by a commitment to sustainable and purposeful year-round visitation.
Regional Tourism Organization 8 (RTO8) markets the region branded as Kawarthas Northumberland (Kawartha Lakes, Peterborough & The Kawarthas, and Northumberland County) as a tourism destination. (Graphic: RTO8)
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“Becoming a part of the RTO8 board of directors allows you to actively contribute to shaping the community’s future as a tourist destination,” says Laurie Dillon-Schalk, chair of the board’s development committee.
Although the minimum term of service as an RTO8 board member is one year, terms of two or three years are also available.
Board members will be required to attend the RTO8 annual general meeting on June 20, a half-day orientation session in June, and a half-day planning session in the fall. Board members are also required to attend at least six board meetings per fiscal year and to sit on a committee of the board that meets as required virtually.
Board members enjoying one of the benefits of living in Kawarthas Northumberland at RTO8’s 2016 Annual General Meeting at Elmhirst’s Resort in Keene. (Photo: RTO8)
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Prospective board members must be Canadian citizens of at least 18 years of age. While people from diverse backgrounds and experiences are encouraged to apply, preference will be given to business owner or operators or those who are working within the Kawarthas Northumberland tourism industry.
To complete the 2024-25 RTO8 board application form, visit rto8.com/eoi-rto8-board/, where you can also find more details about the requirements and responsibilities of board members.
All applications to join the board must be submitted by 4:30 p.m. on Monday, May 20.
“Whether you’re a seasoned board member or new to this role, being part of RTO8 provides a unparalleled window into the region’s opportunities and challenges allowing board members to leverage their tourism expertise, and actively participate in supporting the growth of Kawarthas Northumberland,” Dillon-Schalk says.
This story was created in partnership with Regional Tourism Organization 8 (RTO8). If your organization or business is interested in a branded editorial, contact us.
Community Care Northumberland's Easter fundraiser, with cookies supplied by Roda's Kitchen in Cobourg, raised $16,000 to support the agency's Meals on Wheels program providing nutritious meals to seniors and adults with disabilities who are unable to prepare meals for themselves. With 800 boxes of cookies purchased by local residents, businesses, and organizations, the funds raised mean the organization will be able to deliver an additional 800 meals. (Photo: Community Care Northumberland)
Northumberland County residents in need will receive 800 more nutritious meals as a result of an Easter fundraiser for Community Care Northumberland (CCN).
CCN recently announced that its Easter cookies fundraiser broke records this year, selling 800 boxes of cookies, and is making a significant impact on the community.
Through the collaborative efforts of CCN, Roda’s Kitchen in Cobourg (which baked the cookies), “and the generous contributions of our community, $16,000 was raised — setting a new benchmark for support,” CCN said in a media release.
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“We are overwhelmed by the outpouring of support from our community, donors, volunteers, and the incredible team at Roda’s Kitchen,” said Trish Baird, CEO of CCN. “Together, we have ensured that 800 individual meals will reach residents in our community who have access to nutritious meals through Meals on Wheels.”
Meals on Wheels is a cornerstone program offered by CCN, providing food to seniors and adults with disabilities who are unable to prepare meals for themselves. The funds raised through the Easter cookies fundraiser will directly contribute to the continuity and expansion of this service, “ensuring that no one in our community goes hungry,” CCN noted.
“This achievement marks a significant milestone, demonstrating the power of collective action in addressing the needs of our community’s most vulnerable members.”
Community Care Northumberland’s Meals on Wheels program delivers healthy and affordable meal options prepared locally and delivered several times per week by volunteers or staff members right to the client’s door. In 2022-2023, the program delivered 40,421 meals to 636 clients in Northumberland County. (Photos: Community Care Northumberland)
Joel Scott, CCN’s director of donor relations and communications, told kawarthaNOW the success of the event this year was due to several strategies. CCN uses email marketing, social media posts, support and promotion from traditional media, and online community calendars to get the word out to the community.
“Our team does a lot of one-on-one promotion with their networks as well, and we promote the ‘why’ aspect heavily,” Scott said. “Meals on Wheels touches thousands of people in our community, and the work our team does goes a long way in building connections throughout the community. We focus heavily on those relationships and the community responds in kind.”
It helps that the cookies from Roda’s Kitchen are delicious, Scott added.
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CCN extends its “heartfelt gratitude to the entire Northumberland community for their unwavering support, and to Lucy at Roda’s Kitchen for her exceptional dedication to this cause,” said Sheri Birney, CCN’s manager of nutrition services.
“We also express our deepest appreciation to our dedicated staff and volunteers whose tireless efforts have made this amazing achievement possible. Together, we have made a tangible difference in the lives of those who need it most.”
Plans are already underway for next year’s event.
CCN’s Meals on Wheels program delivers healthy and affordable meal options to clients throughout Northumberland County. People can choose to receive hot meals, which are prepared locally and delivered several times per week at the noon hour, and/or frozen meals, which are easy to prepare and cater to several diet types.
All meals are delivered by CCN volunteers or staff members right to the client’s door. In 2022-2023, CCN’s Meals on Wheels program delivered 40,421 meals to 636 clients in the county.
Muster Point owners Kyle Wolsky and Danielle Malcolm opened their storefront location at 49 King Street East in downtown Bobcaygeon on April 12, 2024. The Lindsay couple launched their online charcuterie grazing box delivery business during the pandemic, and have now expanded with an Italian take-out and patio eatery. (Photo courtesy of Muster Point)
A Kawartha Lakes couple has expanded their pandemic-era online charcuterie business by launching Bobcaygeon’s newest Italian eatery.
Husband-and-wife team Kyle Wolsky and Danielle Malcolm opened the bricks-and-mortar location of Muster Point at 49 King Street East on Friday (April 12), offering hand-made focaccia sandwiches, take-home fresh pasta kits, barista coffee, smoothies, and the locally sourced charcuterie grazing boxes they originally launched online during the pandemic.
According to a media release, the couple welcomed hundreds of new and existing customers on their opening weekend, even selling out of all items early on Saturday.
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“The Kawartha Lakes community has welcomed us with open arms since we first opened,” says Wolsky in the release. “To see that support continue with this new evolution of Muster Point is really heart warming.”
Before becoming entrepreneurs, Wolsky and Malcolm spent 10 years travelling and working in various restaurants, pubs, cafes, and eateries in British Columbia and Australia, Wolsky’s native country before he became a Canadian resident over a decade ago.
The couple relocated to Malcolm’s hometown of Lindsay in 2020, launching Muster Point in December of that year to offer delivery of locally sourced charcuterie grazing boxes.
Located in the Old School House at 49 King Street East in downtown Bobcaygeon, Muster Point offers hand-made focaccia sandwiches, take-home fresh pasta kits, barista coffee, smoothies, and the locally sourced charcuterie grazing boxes owners Kyle Wolsky and Danielle Malcolm originally launched online during the pandemic. (Photo courtesy of Muster Point)
“Both Kyle and I have spent years in the hospitality industry across Canada, honing our craft so that one day, we could open our own business, pouring our creativity and love into food we really believe in,” says Malcolm, a cheese and charcuterie connoisseur.
“To be living that dream just four years after starting our business is amazing, and we are so grateful to the community for the unprecedented support they have shown us, growing Muster Point into something we are immensely proud of.”
The couple, who were married in 2022, spent over a month in Italy last year, where they toured a variety of cities and regions including Genoa, Naples, the Amalfi Coast, and Tuscany. They enrolled in culinary classes specialized to each area, including making fresh bread and pasta.
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“It’s so important to us that we make high-quality, delicious food, rooted in the traditions of each region,” Wolsky says. “It’s one thing to do your research and read about the things you’re making, but to learn from chefs to grandmas in Italy really took our knowledge to another level.”
Along with their new bricks-and-mortar location in the Old School House, Wolsky and Malcolm will continue to offer catering for events featuring “The Old Fashioned”, their vintage-inspired mobile food and bar trailer which could be seen at farmers’ markets across Kawartha Lakes last summer.
For more information on Muster Point, including the menu at the King Street East storefront, visit www.musterpoint.ca.
Along with their new bricks-and-mortar location in downtown Bobcyageon, Wolsky and Malcolm will continue to offer catering for events featuring “The Old Fashioned”, their vintage-inspired mobile food and bar trailer which could be seen at farmers’ markets across Kawartha Lakes last summer. (Photo courtesy of Muster Point)
Nancy Cockburn and Jenn McCallum, co-founders of the Ashburnham Memorial Stewardship Group, pictured with garbage collected on Armour Hill in Peterborough on April 13, 2024. (Photo: John Hauser)
They came and they conquered the garbage and cigarette butts littering Armour Hill park in Peterborough.
The Ashburnham Memorial Stewardship Group (AMSG) is celebrating the successful April 13 spring clean-up of Armour Hill/Ashburnham Memorial Park on Hunter Street East.
“We were thrilled with the turnout for the sixth Armour Hill/Ashburnham Memorial Park clean-up on Saturday,” Jenn McCallum, AMSG co-founder, told kawarthaNOW.
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“About 60 volunteers cleaned up 38 bags of garbage, and cigarette butts were collected separately to be sent to TerraCycle for recycling,” McCallum shared.
“The volunteers included people of all ages, from toddlers to youth to seniors, and many volunteers also brought their pets to the event. With this number of people coming out, the clean-up was both thorough and quick.”
Armour Hill is the tallest drumlin within the Peterborough drumlin field and features a war memorial to commemorate World War I veterans.
John Hauser cleaning up garbage on Armour Hill in Peterborough on April 13, 2024. (Photo: Scott Adams)
It’s an “iconic” place in Peterborough, McCallum noted.
“Cleaning up the hill is important to show the park some love, because unfortunately, illegal garbage dumping is an ingrained and regular activity that happens within the park. Cleaning up this space shows stewardship and care for the park, both for its human and animal visitors,” McCallum said prior to the event.
The AMSG hosts two park clean-ups annually: one in April and one in November. Typically, 50 to 60 people participate in the clean-up endeavours.
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When asked what would be the best possible outcome for Armour Hill park, McCallum said, “in the future, and for the long term, we would love to see the parking lot at the top of Armour Hill changed to be a people-friendly space.
“Currently, as a large paved parking lot with no delineated parking spaces, it is a car-centric culture, where people come to enjoy the views and leave the garbage behind. We would love to see this space become a beautiful space that people come to enjoy, to picnic and see the views, while respecting the space and properly disposing of their garbage.”
The regular cleanups, which the AMSG has been hosting since November 2021, help keep the 14-acre urban forest safe and clean, AMSG noted.
Some of the garbage collected on Armour Hill in Peterborough on April 13, 2024. (Photo: Jenn McCallum)
This year’s events focus on community engagement, which will inform the development of a conceptual drawing of the top of Armour Hill as “an active transportation and community space.”
Armour Hill is a popular destination during the summer — largely because of its commanding views — and it’s also frequented during the winter months by those who toboggan.
For more information about Ashburnham Memorial Stewardship Group, including how to get involved, visit ashburnhamstewardship.com.
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