Canadian journalist, author, documentary producer, and podcaster Steve Paikin. (Photo via Speakers Spotlight website)
The Lakefield Literary Festival is bringing Canadian journalist and author Steve Paikin to Lakefield College School’s Bryan Jones Theatre at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, March 22nd for a conversation about the current state of political leadership in Canada.
Best known as the award-winning host of TVO’s flagship current affairs program The Agenda with Steve Paikin, the Hamilton native is also the author of eight books, including his critically acclaimed 2022 John Turner: An Intimate Biography of Canada’s 17th Prime Minister. Paikin is also a documentary producer, whose Return to the Warsaw Ghetto won the Silver Screen Award at the US International Film and Video Festival, and a political podcaster.
A graduate of the University of Toronto with a master’s degree in broadcast journalism from Boston University, Paikin also holds honorary doctorates from McMaster University, Victoria University, Laurentian University, York University, and honorary diplomas from Humber College, Centennial College, Mohawk College, and Fanshawe College. He was made an Officer of the Order of Canada in December 2013 and invested into the Order of Ontario in January 2014.
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The March 22nd conversation with Paikin, which will be moderated by Lakefield Literary Festival board chair John Boyko, will also include a question-and-answer session withthe audience and an opportunity to meet Paikin and have a book signed.
Tickets of the event cost $30 and are available in person at Happenstance Books and Yarns 44 Queen Street in Lakefield or online at lakefieldliteraryfestival.com.
Attendees at the event will also be the first to hear about the author lineup for the annual festival, which will take place on July 19 and 20 in Lakefield.
The Lakefield Literary Festival was established in 1995 as a celebration of Margaret Laurence, but has since become a celebration of the rich literary heritage of Lakefield and the surrounding area, including the works of Catharine Parr Traill, Susanna Moodie, and Isabella Valancy Crawford, all of whom lived and wrote in Lakefield.
The festival celebrated its 25th anniversary in 2019 and, after a three-year pandemic hiatus, resumed in 2023 with Waubgeshig Rice, Kai Thomas, Sheila Heti, Harley Rustad, Iain Reid, and Catherine Hernandez among the Canadian authors attending.
Northumberland County warden Brian Ostrander (far right) attended the recent Rural Ontario Municipal Association (ROMA) conference in Toronto with his Eastern Ontario Wardens' Caucus colleagues to to highlight challenges around housing with Ontario minister of infrastructure Kinga Surma (second from left). Also pictured, from left to right, are Peterborough County warden and EOWC vice-chair Bonnie Clark, Renfrew-Nipissing-Pembroke MPP John Yakabuski, Renfew County warden and EOWC chair Peter Emon, United Counties of Prescott & Russell warden Pierre Leroux, Lanark-Frontenac-Kingston MPP John Jordan, and Peterborough-Kawartha MPP Dave Smith. (Photo courtesy of EOWC)
Northumberland County’s warden and the Eastern Ontario Wardens’ Caucus (EOWC) recently had the ear of the province’s minister of infrastructure.
Reflecting on the recent Rural Ontario Municipal Association (ROMA) conference in Toronto, Northumberland County warden Brian Ostrander said he and his EOWC colleagues took the opportunity to highlight challenges around housing, among other key issues for the caucus.
“With the EOWC, I attended a delegation with the minister of infrastructure (Kinga Surma), providing the minister and her team with the needs across eastern Ontario and the municipal sector in general,” Ostrander told kawarthaNOW.
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“We know that in order to build more houses faster we also need to invest in the municipal infrastructure that is required to service those homes and the residents who will move to our communities,” Ostrander said. “We highlighted the massive gap between what municipalities can afford to do with property tax dollars and the need for repairs and maintenance items.”
On another note, the warden added, the EOWC continues to support a review of how services are delivered, by which level of government, and how they are funded.
“The Association of Municipalities of Ontario is undertaking a social and prosperity review which will help guide municipalities and the province to better understand what services might be better managed at the provincial level and how we might better provide revenues to the municipal levels of government to manager service delivery and pay for infrastructure upgrades and renewals,” Ostrander explained.
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From across Ontario, the EOWC joined more than 2,000 rural municipal colleagues at the conference to participate in meetings with provincial ministers, members of provincial parliament, and the Ontario New Democratic and Liberal opposition parties to share the EOWC’s “critical priorities,” a media release noted.
The EOWC’s pressing priorities include affordable and attainable housing, next generation infrastructure funding, long-term care, and modernizing the construction approval process. For details about the priorities, visit the EOWC website at eowc.org.
“The EOWC believes that strong partnerships between government are needed to tackle housing, health, and economic challenges across the region,” said Peter Emon, EOWC chair, in the media release. “The ROMA Conference was a success in building upon our relationships to better serve our 103 communities across rural eastern Ontario.”
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Ostrander said housing was also on the agenda of a delegation he took part in with Northumberland County. The warden attended a delegation with the associate minister of housing Rob Flack, providing him with Northumberland’s need for lands, currently owned by the province, that might be better used at the county level for affordable housing projects.
“The conversation was thoughtful, and we hope to hear from the ministry on next steps soon,” Ostrander said.
Overall, “ROMA was very busy from a minister’s delegation perspective” for the Northumberland warden, as he attended three different delegations during the conference, which ran from January 21 through 23 at the Sheraton Centre Hotel on Queen Street West.
ROMA is the rural voice of AMO. The association “is an integral part of AMO” and several of its executive members serve on the AMO board of directors, according to the ROMA website. Policy, research, and advocacy activities are undertaken by ROMA through AMO.
“ROMA is committed to promoting, supporting and enhancing strong and effective rural governments and socially and economically sustainable rural communities, today and into the future,” the website states.
Established 25 years ago by Mieke Schipper, Gamiing Nature Centre is located in Kawartha Lakes south of Bobcaygeon on the shores of Pigeon Lake. The 100-acre property features an educational centre, a spruce and pine forest, seven kilometres of public trails, 77 acres of protected land including 30 acres of wetlands, and 1,200 feet of undeveloped shoreline. With a focus on children's education, the not-for-profit organization regularly hosts artisan and nature workshops, guided hikes, and summer camps. (Photo courtesy of Gamiing Nature Centre)
For 25 years, Gamiing Nature Centre — located east of Lindsay and south of Bobcaygeon on the shores of Pigeon Lake — has been a welcoming place to connect with nature through camps, workshops, trails, and exploration.
Even all these years later, landowner and volunteer executive director Mieke Schipper never tires of seeing guests enjoy the 100 acres of wetlands, forest, wildlife and landscapes the property has to offer.
“The enthusiasm of people walking the trails continues to be one of the most amazing things,” she says when looking back on the past 25 years. “We have nowhere that says ‘Don’t touch’ or ‘Don’t enter’, so people who want to run off the trails and explore can do that and have their own fun — and it’s fun for us to watch.”
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And yet for Schipper, who recently turned 80 years old, the journey to creating the donation-run education centre started long before its opening. When she purchased the land with her family in 1986 after selling a property down the road, Gamiing Nature Centre was nothing more than a “pretty nasty” abandoned farm and farmhouse that had plans to be developed.
Having immigrated from the environmentally conscious Netherlands, where conservation was “very much a part of my upbringing,” Schipper was determined to bring some biodiversity back to the land. She began by taking samples of the soil to determine the plant life that would be best suited to the environment and planted hundreds of spruce and pine trees.
“I thought it would take 20 to 30 years, but it was actually quite a bit sooner because the minute it started growing, the birds would come and bring seeds from somewhere else,” Schipper recalls. “The whole natural succession started happening quite quickly. It has been a fascinating process to watch it happening.”
In 2001, Mieke Schipper (third from left) connected with environmental lawyer Ian Attridge (second from left) to help form the Kawartha Heritage Conservatory, which became Kawartha Land Trust and currently protects 33 properties in the Kawarthas region representing more than 5,300 acres of diverse land. In 2017, the Schipper family formed a conservation easement agreement with the not-for-profit land conservation organization to protect the property in perpetuity. (Photo courtesy of Kawartha Land Trust)
Schipper raised horses and sheep on the farmland until eventually transforming the property into the environmental education centre that stands today. Originally called Gamiing Centre for Sustainable Lakeshore Living, the name comes from the Ojibwe (Anishinaabemowin) word for “at the shore” — both reflecting the property’s close proximity to Pigeon Lake and recognizing the original inhabitants of the area.
“I’m a settler and a quite recent one, so that was for me to honour people who lived there before,” Schipper says. “I have a need to acknowledge that and to honour that.”
Long before it was open to the public, Schipper wanted the property to be put into a land trust to protect it from development in the future. As there wasn’t a land conservation organization in the region, she connected with environmental lawyer Ian Attridge to help form the Kawartha Heritage Conservatory, a not-for-profit organization incorporated in 2001. Now known as the Kawartha Land Trust, the charitable organization currently protects 33 properties in the Kawarthas region representing more than 5,300 acres of diverse land.
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In 2017, the Schipper family formed a conservation easement agreement with Kawartha Land Trust to protect the property in perpetuity. The easement protects the natural heritage features of 77 acres of the Schipper property, including the area that has been designated by the province of Ontario as an Area of Natural and Scientific Interest and a Provincially Significant Wetland. Several species at risk, including the Least Bittern and the Blanding’s Turtle, are living throughout 30 acres of wetland on the Schipper property.
The first thing Schipper did to welcome the public to learn from the land was to establish more than seven kilometres of recreational trails ranging in difficulty. Upon opening the property to the public, she noticed immediately there were two ways people used the trails: children would run as fast as they could to get through it, while adults would converse with each other the whole way. To encourage visitors to notice their surroundings, including some of the more than 180 species of flora and fauna that now thrive on the land, she created “trail bingo” cards.
“We want you to come here and observe, so we had to come up with something tangible to make that happen,” Schipper says, noting that it proved to be a success right from the beginning. “Parents loved it, and they didn’t even realize what they were missing.”
Gamiing Nature Centre has always made children’s education a priority by offering March Break camps, the Discovery Shack, a forest school, and summer camps. (Photos courtesy of Gamiing Nature Centre)
In accordance with the educational centre’s original name, the very first workshops were centred around preserving and maintaining the 1,200 feet of undeveloped shoreline on Pigeon Lake. Schipper compares her efforts to make visitors understand the importance of leaving trees and shrubs to grow near shorelines, rather than replacing them with grass, as “almost becoming a religion.”
“The grass has very tiny roots and the lake will just chew that up,” says Schipper, adding that Gamiing Nature Centre continues to host those workshops today. “I still do them because it’s something that I so wholeheartedly believe in.”
Over the next two decades, Gamiing added more and more workshops, including artisan ones like the popular greenwood carving lessons led by Curve Lake master carver Jon Wager. Other repeat workshops, including wellness-based workshops like yoga and nature-based trail walks focused on birding or mushroom foraging, are typically led by passionate community members who want to share their knowledge with the community.
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Gamiing, which has added the The Hayloft Reception Venue and the Discovery Shack in the past decade for more learning opportunities, has always made children’s education a priority by offering March Break camps, a forest school, and summer camps. From kayaking and trail hikes to storytelling and fire-building, the educational offerings extend well beyond learning about conservation efforts.
“In the forest, people ask ‘How you can learn? How can you do math?'” Schipper says. “Well, you can count trees or learn all the history there is here. It doesn’t matter what you can come up with. Everything can be done outside and learned outside, and I find it amazing that the kids who come here are so happy and can’t wait to come back.”
Young adults also have plenty of opportunity to learn, with many students coming from Fleming College’s Lindsay campus to participate in co-op placements and courses on the property.
Now 80 years old, Mieke Schipper is the founder and volunteer executive director of Gamiing Nature Centre. After purchasing her 100-acre property in 1986, she has spent decades dedicated to its environmental conservation, including by planting hundreds of native trees to encourage the biodiversity and sustain the property’s 180 species of flora and fauna. In 2017, the Schipper family formed a conservation easement agreement with Kawartha Land Trust, a not-for-profit land conservation organization she helped form in 2001. (Photo courtesy of Gamiing Nature Centre)
“They’re all so engaged, wanting to make the world a better place, which is why they’re studying there anyway,” Schipper says. “I’ll always enjoy seeing the people who come here.”
There will be lots of fun and educational opportunities in February when Gamiing Nature Centre hosts its annual Family Day celebrations called Winterlude on Monday, February 19 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. With admission by donation, the full day of family fun includes kick-sledding, snowshoeing, a scavenger hunt, an obstacle course, hot chocolate, and more.
For more information or to make a donation to the Gamiing Nature Centre, visit www.gamiing.org or following Gamiing on Facebook and Instagram.
On Family Day (February 19, 2024), Gamiing Nature Centre is hosting the annual Winterlude featuring sledding, snowshoeing, bird feeder making, animal tracking, hot chocolate, a scavenger hunt, and more. (Photo courtesy of Gamiing Nature Centre)
Conner Clarkin, owner of Revelstoke Café, will be opening Bar 379 in mid March at the former location of The Twisted Wheel at 379 Water Street in downtown Peterborough. The new live music venue will host bands from a range of genres, with punk music and hip-hop being Clarkin's personal passion. (Photo: Paul Rellinger / kawarthaNOW)
A long-vacant downtown Peterborough space will soon be home to the pulsating sound of live music, in particular that of the punk and hip-hop variety.
Bar 379 will open in mid March at the former location of The Twisted Wheel at 379 Water Street (just north of Simcoe Street).
Conner Clarkin, who co-owns Revelstoke Café at 641 George Street North, says he originally eyed the former location of The Spill, also on George Street, for his new venture but switched gears.
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“I was walking by here one day and saw the ‘For Lease’ sign and reached out and it all worked out in my favour,” says Clarkin who, when he’s not hard at it at Revelstoke alongside his wife Tash and his dad Jeff, sings lead vocals for alternative punk band Heartless Romantics.
“I grew up in Peterborough in the local music scene. I’ve seen a lot of venues come and go. Cooking and live music are my two passions. I had to put the live music on pause for a little while to get the restaurant up and going. I was kind of waiting for the right opportunity and then this came up.”
The space has been empty since The Twisted Wheel closed in 2019, less than a year after it was opened by Jonathan Hall and Mike Judson. Hall, who founded the Hootenanny On Hunter Street music festival, died of a heart attack in March of that year.
The late Jonathan “Jonny Trash” Hall DJing at The Twisted Wheel at 379 Water Street in downtown Peterborough in October 2018. Bar 379 owner Conner Clarkin will keep The Twisted Wheel lettering on the windows to pay homage to Hall. (Photo: Jack Martin)
“We came in here a lot,” recounts Clarkin, adding “It was always full, always pumping. We’re going to keep The Twisted Wheel (lettering) on the windows, just to kind of pay homage to Johnny (Hall) and what he built here.”
“They didn’t have as much live music — a lot of DJ music. We really want to push that we’re a live music venue and get really cool acts through here. It’s a small room, but the intimacy of seeing a band in a 50-person room is really cool.”
“My background is punk music. I also do a lot of hip-hop work. Those two genres will definitely make their way through the door, probably more than others, but we’re super open to anyone. We want to host all sorts of bands, representing all sorts of genres.”
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With plans to open Wednesday through Sunday from 4 p.m. until last call, Clarkin says the bar will serve mostly craft beers, with “some cheaper options for the student crowd. We’ll also be pushing the boundaries with cocktails. It’s all about the experience.”
“As for food, we’re going to be working with The Food Shop across the street. Anthony (Lennan) is going to provide us baked fresh goods along the lines of soft pretzels and sausage rolls and anything else he can think of.”
Ultimately, the goal, says Clarkin, is to offer “an inclusive, accessible space for people from all walks of life. We want to host all sorts of acts, all sorts of special nights, and bring in a really good variety of folks, and remind people that downtown isn’t as bad as a lot of people say.”
Once the bar is open, Clarkin sees his role as that of the welcoming host.
“Just treating every guest how you would want to be treated when you go out. Being nice to someone goes a long way. It’s a lost art. We just want everyone to feel good here and feel taken care of.”
Conner Clarkin, owner of Revelstoke Café, inside his new live music venue Bar 379 at the former location of The Twisted Wheel at 379 Water Street in downtown Peterborough. Set to open in mid March, Bar 379 will host live music and offer craft beer, cocktails, and more. (Photo: Paul Rellinger / kawarthaNOW)
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Not lost on Clarkin is the number of downtown bars that have closed in recent years, the latest being the Historic Red Dog on Hunter Street West. That said, new nightspots have opened, examples being Jethro’s Bar + Stage and the second coming of The Pig’s Ear Tavern. Both are thriving, which bodes well for Clarkin’s new bar.
“My paramount plan is to really advocate more for the downtown. I’m friends with all the business owners along this stretch of Water Street. They’re all great people making a go of it. This strip of Water Street (between Simcoe and Hunter streets) is really cool. It’s becoming the new Hunter Street.”
“If I can keep walking in here every day with a smile on my face, and I’m able to keep feeding my family and feeding my employees’ families and keeping everyone happy, that’s the goal.”
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“We have so many great young people in this town, so many great musicians, so many great artists, and we’re lacking space for them,” Clarkin notes. “If I can play even a tiny part in giving people opportunities like I was given when I was younger, I’m set for life. That’s all I really care about — giving back to a community that’s been so generous to me.”
Between Revelstoke Café and a one-year-old at home, with twins on the way, this new venture won’t leave a lot of wiggle room for Clarkin. He’s good with that.
“We’re blessed. I’ve got a great support system. My father is very hands on with both businesses and that really helps.”
Now, with the opening of Bar 379 just weeks away, the broad smile on Clarkin’s face speaks to his anticipation.
“I can’t sleep. I can’t eat. Let’s get this done. Let’s get it open.”
Dr. Catherine (Cathy) Bruce has been appointed as Trent University's ninth president and vice-chancellor. The internationally recognized researcher, award-winning educator, and administrator has spend much of her 20 years in higher education and research at Trent. (Photo: Trent University)
Trent University’s board of governors announced on Friday (February 2) that they have found the university’s next president and vice-chancellor from within the Trent community.
Dr. Catherine (Cathy) Bruce has been appointed the university’s ninth president and vice-chancellor, taking over the role from Dr. Leo Groarke on July 1. She is only the second woman appointed to a full term to lead the university.
An internationally recognized researcher, award-winning educator, and administrator, Dr. Bruce has a 35-year career in education including over 20 years in higher education. Currently the university’s vice-president of research and innovation, she has previously served as a professor, director of graduate programs, founder of the Centre for Teaching and Learning, and dean of Trent’s School of Education.
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Dr. Bruce was appointed following a comprehensive nationwide search that began last fall, led by a search committee including board members, faculty, staff, students, and alumni representatives.
“We sought a leader who profoundly understands the unique qualities of Trent University,” said Debra Cooper Burger, board chair and head of the search committee, in a media release. “Dr. Bruce embodies this spirit, bringing an impressive track record of excellence here at Trent and beyond. She is indeed the right person to build upon Trent’s successes and propel the university into an exciting new chapter.”
“Her appointment as only the second woman appointed to a full-term to lead the university as president signifies our ongoing commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion, while her dedication to academic excellence and robust governance aligns perfectly with Trent’s ambitious vision.”
VIDEO: Introducing Trent University’s 9th President & Vice-Chancellor
In her current role as vice-president of research and innovation, Dr. Bruce spearheaded the development of new strategic research priorities for the university, establishing the Early Career Researcher Awards and creating a Trent-specific research grant incentive program.
She also worked with faculty to grow Trent’s international research collaborations. In December, the university was ranked as the number one undergraduate university in Canada for growth in international partnerships and collaborations, as part of a special five-year university spotlight in the 2023 Research Infosource rankings.
“Trent University is an extraordinary place of learning that is deeply committed to student success in a vibrant learning community,” Dr. Bruce said. “I am honoured to serve as Trent’s ninth president, ushering the university forward into our next period of strategic growth and sustainability. This is a pivotal moment for Trent as we undertake some major projects including the development of the Seniors’ Village, new colleges and residences, the Trent Research Farm, and continued expansion of the Durham campus in Oshawa.”
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“There are also some significant challenges on the horizon, but Trent has grit and a highly capable community of staff, faculty, board members, and students,” Dr. Bruce added. “I look forward to the exciting developments on the horizon and to navigating challenges through engagement and creativity.”
In 2012, Dr. Bruce was named one of Ontario’s most outstanding university teachers by the Ontario Confederation of University Faculty Associations and was a recipient of the Eduardo Flores International Leadership Award in 2015 for her leadership in action research.
With a PhD in mathematics from the University of Toronto, she has been recognized both nationally and internationally for her most recent research examining the role of spatial reasoning in mathematics learning.
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Dr. Bruce leads the Trent Math Education Research Collaborative, which hosts a federally funded research program that enables collaboration with educators and administrators from both public and Catholic school districts across Ontario. She has also co-authored multiple books as well as many peer-reviewed publications.
“I am extremely pleased with the selection of Dr. Bruce as Trent’s next president,” said Dr. Groarke, whose second term as president and vice-chancellor ends on June 30.
“Having worked closely with Cathy, I’ve witnessed firsthand her leadership and commitment to the university. Her blend of academic insight and administrative acumen positions Trent well for the future. I am happy to pass the presidency on to someone with the passion and innovation that have been the hallmark of her work since she arrived at Trent.”
Police have charged two people who attempted to use drones to deliver contraband to an inmate in Warkworth Institution early Friday morning (February 2).
At around 1:15 a.m. on Friday, the Northumberland Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) received a call from Warkworth Institution in Trent Hills about a drone flying over the medium-security prison.
Officers patrolled the area and observed a suspicious pickup truck parked south of the prison on McCann Road. As a result of an investigation, police seized items that are prohibited inside the correctional institution, including two drones, 115 grams of cannabis, and cell phones.
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A 26-year-old Nepean woman was charged with mischief, delivering contraband to or receiving contraband from an inmate, driving a vehicle with cannabis readily available, speeding, and failing to surrender a driver’s licence. A 39-year-old Ottawa man was charged with mischief and delivering contraband to or receiving contraband from an inmate.
The two accused will appear before the Ontario Court of Justice at a future date.
According to the Union for Canadian Correctional Officers, drone delivery of contraband in prisons across Canada is a daily occurrence, accounting for 75 per cent of contraband that is seized from prisoners. Between March 2020 and February 2022, there were almost 700 drone-related incidents in Canadian prisons, with Quebec having the highest percentage of drone incidents.
From August 25 to 30, 2024, 20 First Nations and non-native youth and four leaders will paddle 100 kilometres by canoe from Beavermead Park in Peterborough to Curve Lake First Nation in Rotary Club of Peterborough Kawartha's ninth annual Adventure In Understanding trip. Registration for the trip is open until June 1, 2024. (Photo courtesy of Rotary Club of Peterborough Kawartha)
Registration is now open for the Rotary Club of Peterborough Kawartha’s annual “Adventure in Understanding” 100-kilometre canoe journey for First Nations and non-native youth this August.
The six-day and five-night co-ed program provides a shared cultural canoe experience along the Trent Severn Waterway for 20 First Nations and non-native youth who are 16 to 18 years of age. It will depart on Sunday, August 25th from the new Canadian Canoe Museum on the shores of Little Lake and arrive at Curve Lake First Nation on Friday, August 30th.
During the journey, participants (including four leaders) will travel in three 26-foot Voyageur canoes over the Peterborough Lift Lock, experience the ‘teaching rocks’ at Petroglyphs Provincial Park, and visit with Curve Lake First Nation Elders.
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The group will camp overnight at Trent University’s Champlain College, Lakefield College School, Camp Kawartha, Wolf Island Provincial Park, and Curve Lake First Nation.
The program was launched in 2014 by the Rotary Club of Peterborough Kawartha and is now offered with the assistance of the Curve Lake First Nation Youth Committee and the co-operation of Camp Kawartha and the Canadian Canoe Museum. Due to the pandemic, it was cancelled in 2020 and 2021 but returned in 2022.
Last year’s journey saw youth from 12 Ontario communities participate — five from the Peterborough area — alongside a Rotary exchange student from Kanzawa, Japan as well as a former student of Dorianna Chessa, a land-based educator who came from British Columbia to participate in the trip, bringing two paddles with her that were carved by someone from Curve Lake. Five of the participants had Indigenous heritage as part of their background.
The map for the 2024 Adventure In Understanding canoe trip organized by Rotary Club of Peterborough Kawartha. (Graphic courtesy of Rotary Club of Peterborough Kawartha)
“This trip taught me a lot about Indigenous cultures and the Trent Severn Waterway, finding common ground with people I had never met before, perseverance, and tackling a challenge head-on,” said one of the 2023 youth participants.
The registration fee to participate in this year’s Adventure in Understanding journey is $400, which covers all food, all paddling and safety equipment, and all camping equipment except for a sleeping bag and sleeping pad.
To apply, and to view videos and photos from past trips, visit pkaiu.com. Applications are due by June 1, 2024.
Peterborough's legendary singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and comedic backwoods philosopher Washboard Hank performs at Jethro's Bar + Stage on Friday evening, and again with the Wringers at The Pig's Ear Tavern on Saturday night. (Photo: Wayne Eardley)
Every Thursday, we publish live music events at pubs and restaurants in Peterborough and the greater Kawarthas region based on information that venues provide to us directly or post on their website or social media channels. Here are the listings for the week of Thursday, February 1 to Wednesday, February 7.
If you’re a pub or restaurant owner and want to be included in our weekly listings, please email our nightlifeNOW editor at nightlife@kawarthanow.com. For concerts and live music events at other venues, check out our Concerts & Live Music page.
With the exception of karaoke, we only list events with performing musicians. Venues may also host other events during the week (e.g., dancing, DJs, comedy shows).
6-8pm - Dinner & Jazz featuring Mike Graham and Victoria Yeh (reservations recommended)
Arthur's Pub
930 Burnham St., Cobourg
(905) 372-2105
Thursday, February 1
8-10:30pm - Open mic w/ Bruce Longman
Friday, February 2
8-11pm - James Higgins
Saturday, February 3
8-11pm - Robert Keyes
Bancroft Eatery and Brew Pub
4 Bridge St., Bancroft
(613) 332-3450
Coming Soon
Saturday, February 10 7-10pm - Near the Open
Black Horse Pub
452 George St. N., Peterborough
(705) 742-0633
Thursday, February 1
7-10pm - Jazz & Blues Night ft. Rob Phillips
Friday, February 2
7-11pm - Blue Hazel
Saturday, February 3
5-8pm - Aubrey Northey; 9pm - High Waters Band
Sunday, February 4
4-7pm - Po'Boy Jeffreys
Monday, February 5
7-10pm - Crash & Burn w/ Rick & Gailie
Tuesday, February 6
6-10pm - Open mic w/ Johann Burkhardt
Wednesday, February 7
6-9pm - Keith Guy Band
Coming Soon
Friday, February 9 7-11pm - Space Cadets
Saturday, February 10 5-8pm - Ky Anto; 9pm - Between The Static
Sunday, February 11 4-7pm - Bluegrass Menagerie
Wednesday, February 14 6:30-9:30pm - Victoria Yeh & Mike Graham
Boston Pizza Lindsay
435 Kent St. W., Lindsay
705-328-0008
Friday, February 2
8-11pm - The Hippie Chicks
Burleigh Falls Inn
4791 Highway 28, Burleigh Falls
(705) 654-3441
Friday, February 2
6-9pm - Mike Graham (no cover)
Coming Soon
Friday, February 9 6-9pm - James Higgins (no cover)
Canoe & Paddle
18 Bridge St., Lakefield
(705) 651-1111
Saturday, February 3
8-10pm - PolarFest Karaoke & Cocktails
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Claymore Pub & Table
95 King St. W., Cobourg
905-372-5231
Thursday, February 1
7-10pm - Karaoke
The Cow & Sow Eatery
38 Colborne St., Fenelon Falls
(705) 887-5111
Coming Soon
Saturday, February 10 7-10pm - Open mic hosted by Shannon Roszell
Crook & Coffer
231 Hunter St. W., Peterborough
705-876-0505
Friday, February 2
7:30-10:30pm - Jimmy Breslin
Saturday, February 3
2:30-4:30pm - Joan Lamore; 7:30-10:30pm - Groovehorse
Dominion Hotel
113 Main St., Minden
(705) 286-6954
Thursday, February 1
4pm - Gord Kidd
Dr. J's BBQ & Brews
282 Aylmer St., Peterborough
(705) 874-5717
Coming Soon
Saturday, February 17 1-4pm - PMBA Deluxe Live presents "Remembering Buzz" ft Jane Archer, Bridget Foley, JP Hovercraft, Gary Peeples, Andy Pryde, Sam and Ryan Weber, Mark Beatty, Dennis O'Toole, Jim Leslie, Brent Bailey, Jim Usher, and Al Black (by donation, $10 suggested)
Erben Eatery & Bar
189 Hunter St W,, Peterborough
705-304-1995
Thursday, February 1
8pm - Kasador w/ The Backsteps & Jimmy Breslin ($15 at door)
Peterborough Family Health Team CEO Duff Sprague, Ontario Minister of Health Sylvia Jones, Alliance for Healthier Communities CEO Sarah Hobbs, and Peterborough Community Health Centre board chair Jonathan Bennett at the announcement of $110 million in funding for primary health care teams on February 1, 2024 at the Peterborough Family Health Team offices in Peterborough. (Photo: Peterborough Community Health Centre)
The newly established Peterborough Community Health Centre will receive more than $3 million as part of over $110 million in funding for primary care teams announced by the Ontario government.
Ontario’s health minister Sylvia Jones made the funding announcement during a media conference at the Peterborough Family Health Team offices on Thursday (February 1), joined by Peterborough-Kawartha MPP Dave Smith, Peterborough Family Health Team CEO Duff Sprague, Queen’s University Health Sciences dean Dr. Jane Philpott, Ontario Medical Association president Dr. Andrew Park, Ontario Hospital Association president and CEO Anthony Dale, and other health care representatives.
“It’s no secret that family medicine and primary care are in crisis — it is felt very deeply here in Peterborough,” Sprague said. “The Peterborough Ontario Health Team partners looked to address this crisis and put together a barriers to primary care working group, which I had the honour to chair.”
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“Agencies from mental health, addictions, the nurse practitioner clinic, the city, the hospital, a family physician, and our family health team were tasked to bring back to the OHT steering committee a recommendation to address this crisis. In very short order, we put our individual organization needs aside and agreed that a community health centre for Peterborough was the number one priority.”
“The Peterborough OHT funded us to develop a comprehensive proposal (for a community health centre) which we submitted to the ministry (of health), with the very active support of our MPP Dave Smith. Our combined efforts make me hopeful that today is going to be a very good day for Peterborough.”
According to a media release, the province’s $3 million investment will allow the Peterborough Community Health Centre to connect up to 11,375 people to primary care. Programs and services will include comprehensive primary care, mental health services, and chronic disease management, as well as “culturally appropriate care provided by traditional wellness practitioners.” The centre will also serve as a hub for coordinating social services, home care, and working with health care and Indigenous partners in the community.
Ontario health minister Sylvia Jones said the newly established Peterborough Community Health Centre will receive $3 million of a $110 million investment in primary care teams across the province during an announcement at the Peterborough Family Health Team offices on February 1, 2024. (kawarthaNOW screenshot of Ontario government video)
In response to a question, Sprague said the proposal that went forward to the Ontario government for the Peterborough Community Health Centre requested $8.6 million in funding, and the $3 million was for a “transition” period to acquire space for the centre and to bring on physicians and nurse practitioners.
“It will be a very staged approach,” Sprague added. “That’s really the only way it can be done.”
Minister Jones earlier confirmed that, although Thursday’s announcement was for $3 million, the entire request for funding for the Peterborough Community Health Centre would come from the $110 million investment.
Sprague also said a “small board” of directors for the Peterborough Community Health Centre has already been formed and they are “poised to take action.”
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According to the release, the $110 million investment will connect up to 328,000 people across Ontario to primary care teams, including $90 million to add over 400 new primary care providers as part of 78 new and expanded interprofessional primary care teams.
“These teams — consisting of family doctors, nurse practitioners, registered and practical nurses, and more clinicians — will help people currently without a family doctor connect to primary care,” Minister Jones said.
The $110 million in funding also includes $20 million for all existing interprofessional primary care teams to help them meet increased operational costs for their facilities and supplies.
Thursday’s announcement also included more than $4 million in funding to help up to 10,000 people connect to team-based primary care at Kingston’s Periwinkle model site. The team will be part of the Frontenac, Lennox & Addington Ontario Health Team and will integrate with hospitals, and community agencies to provide care to perinatal patients, newborns, and people who have been discharged from hospital and require timely follow-up care, including cancer patients.
A highlight of Selwyn Township's 2024 PolarFest family winter festival is the Polar Paddle race down Queen Street in Lakefield, which begins at 1 p.m. on Saturday, February 3rd. (Photo: Selwyn Township)
PolarFest, Selwyn Township’s annual family winter festival, returns for three days beginning on Friday (February 2).
The 17th anniversary festival kicks off Friday with youth shinny hockey at the Ennismore Community Centre, stories and crafts at the Lakefield Library Centennial Room, a darts competition at the Canoe & Paddle in Lakefield, and authentic swiss cheese fondue and wine at Chemong Lodge in Bridgenorth.
In the evening, an official opening ceremony takes place lakeside at Chemong Lodge at 6:30 p.m. featuring a bonfire and free hot chocolate and coffee, with a fireworks show at 6:45 p.m.
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A guided nature hike on the Lakefield trail starting at the Marshland Centre in Lakefield begins at 7 p.m. on Friday, with hot apple cider available after the hike.
At 8 p.m., Selwyn firefighters will face off against Peterborough police officers in the Guns & Hoses charity hockey game at the Ennismore Community Centre. Admission is by non-perishable food donation or cash donation, with proceeds split equally between the Lakefield Food Bank and the Bridgenorth Food Bank.
The fun continues on Saturday with the Lakefield Ice Sculpture Competition all day beginning at 9 a.m. at the Cenotaph Park in Lakefield. This year’s theme is “Canadiana” and you can cast your ballot for the People’s Choice Award, which will be presented to the winning carver at 5 p.m. at The Loon in Lakefield.
A fireworks display will follow the official opening ceremony of Selwyn Township’s 2024 PolarFest family winter festival at 6:30 p.m. on Friday, February 2nd lakeside at Chemong Lodge in Bridgenorth. (Photo: Selwyn Township)
There will also be ice sculptures in Heritage Park in Bridgenorth beginning at 10 a.m. on Saturday, with the Chemung Lake District Lions Club and the Bridgenorth Beautification Committee giving out free hot chocolate. Both of the ice sculpture activities in Lakefield and Bridgenorth will include coloured blocks for the kids to build their own ice creations.
The Bridgenorth Library will be hosting a scavenger hunt to find the library penguins and the Sewlyn Library Makerspace in Lakefield will be hosting a drop-in featuring tours, machine demos, family activities, and more. The Ennismore Youth Group will be hosting a winter craft activity, with hot chocolate, and Ennismore Optimist Hall. Visit the Canoe & Paddle on Saturday afternoon for some storytelling.
Adventure Outfitters will be hosting a Nordic Day on Saturday afternoon at the Ontario Speed Skating Oval in Lakefield, and there will be free public skating at the Lakefield-Smith Community Centre.
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A PolarFest highlight on Saturday is the Polar Paddle at 1 p.m. in Lakefield, where competitors will race their canoes down Queen Street vying for a trophy and prizes in different divisions.
Saturday’s social activities include a retro apres ski party in the afternoon outside Chemong Lodge, featuring tunes form the ’80s and ’90s, an ice bar and booze luge, and prizes for the best-dressed person wearing throwback ski gear. The Lakefield Legion will be hosting the Winter Olympics Party at 1 p.m. with prizes to be won, and the Ice Ball all evening long featuring live music, icy cocktails, and charcuterie and canapes by The Cheesy Fromage and Angle Iron Kitchen (advance tickets are required). Also in the evening, the Canoe & Paddle will be hosting karaoke and cocktails.
Food options on Saturday include a free drive-through pancake breakast at the Causeway Christian Assembly in Ennismore, a family breakfast at the Canoe & Paddle in Lakefield, maple taffy outside of Stuff’d in Lakefield, a spaghetti dinner at Bridgenorth United Church with music from The Tarnished Angels, and Beavertails at the Ennismore Community Centre (also available Sunday).
As part of Selwyn Township’s 2024 PolarFest family winter festival, ice sculptures will be on display at Cenotaph Park in Lakefield and Heritage Park in Bridgenorth, with an ice sculpture competition in Lakefield beginning at 10 a.m. on Saturday, February 3rd. (Photo: Selwyn Townsh
On Sunday, ice sculptures continue all day in Lakefield’s Cenotaph Park and Bridgenorth’s Heritage Park. The Antique and Classic Snowmobile Club of Canada will have a display of snowmobiles from days gone by at Rotary Park in Ennismore. The Canoe & Paddle in Lakefield will be hosting free turkey bowling and outdoor Jenga, and free public skating will be available at the Ennismore Community Centre.
You can try your hand at curling on Sunday afternoon on Chemong Lake at Ennismore’s Rotary Park, where the Ennismore Curling Club will have curling stones available, with prizes to be won.
The highlight of PolarFest on Sunday is the Rotary Club of Bridgenorth-Ennismore-Lakefield’s annual Polar Plunge, a fundraiser in support of Rotary and local charities, which begins at 2 p.m. on Chemong Lake at Rotary Park in Ennismore with this year’s theme being “Barbie.” Register as a jumper, raise money for your favourite charity, and take the plunge. Proceeds from the event will be split equally between local charities and Rotary.
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Also taking place all weekend long is the annual “Snowman” challenge, with a prize to be won for the best creation (even if it’s not made of snow). The fourth annual Lakefield Hot Chocolate Festival is also running during PolarFest weekend (and all month long), with proceeds from every cup purchased supporting important community organizations and families in need.
Participating Lakefield businesses will also be offering specials during the Lakefield Snowflake Sale on PolarFest weekend, and Lakefield’s Canoe & Paddle and Stuff’d will be hosting a variety of PolarFest activities and offering PolarFest-themed treats.
Advance registration and tickets are required for some PolarFest activities and events, including the Polar Paddle, the Polar Plunge, and the Ice Ball. For more information about PolarFest — including a full schedule and map of events — and to register for selected events, visit polarfest.ca.
The Rotary Club of Bridgenorth-Ennismore-Lakefield’s annual Polar Plunge, a fundraiser in support of Rotary and local charities, begins at 2 p.m. on Sunday, February 4th on Chemong Lake at Rotary Park in Ennismore. (Photo: Selwyn Township)
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