Peterborough police are warning the public of an increase in cryptocurrency scams, after reporting more than $550,000 in local victim losses from cryptocurrency fraud last year.
Cryptocurrency is a digital currency designed to work as a medium of exchange through a computer network. It is not reliant on any central authority, such as a government or bank, to uphold or maintain it.
According to police, while cryptocurrency frauds come in various forms, investment-related scams are becoming increasingly common.
Advertisement - content continues below
These frauds typically begin with an advertisement on social media that claim a public figure or celebrity is promoting a cryptocurrency trading platform. The victim is directed to an official-looking website where they are asked to provide their contact information.
A representative of the so-called company then contacts the victim and walks them through the process of setting up an account and adding funds to the account in Bitcoin or another cryptocurrency.
The company then shows the victim that their trading account appears to be doing very well and encourages the victim to transfer even more cryptocurrency into the account. When the victim attempts to withdraw their funds, they are locked out of the account and the company stops communicating with them.
Advertisement - content continues below
Unlike frauds involving bank transfers, cryptocurrency frauds are extremely difficult to trace to determine who has the victim’s funds.
Police are advising the public to be cautious when dealing with cryptocurrency:
If something appears too good to be true it probably is
Be wary of investment advice from an unknown online company
Be mindful that anything you see online can be faked.
Peterborough residents who want to find out more about fraud or file a fraud report can visit peterboroughpolice.com/fraud.
Dr. Madura Sundareswaran, a first-generation Canadian whose parents came to Canada from Sri Lanka and settled in Toronto where she was raised, is a family physician who opened her practice in Peterborough in 2019. In January 2023, she opened the Peterborough Newcomer Health Clinic as a transitional clinic that provides short-term medical care for up to six months for immigrants and refugees in Peterborough city or county. (Photo courtesy of Peterborough Newcomer Health Clinic)
The need for health care for local new Canadians is growing beyond the capability of the Peterborough Newcomer Health Clinic (PNHC), according to the clinic’s founder Dr. Madura Sundareswaran.
In a recent year, Peterborough welcomed more than 150 government-assisted refugees to its community, not including Ukrainian refugees who arrived to Canada via the Canada Ukraine authorization for emergency travel program, privately sponsored refugees, or refugee claimants in the community.
“We are hoping to add a second physician to the PNHC in order to build capacity of the clinic and its services, and to ensure sustainability of the clinic’s operations long term,” Dr. Sundareswaran told kawarthaNOW when highlighting those statistics.
The PNHC is a transitional clinic for immigrants and refugees in the city and county of Peterborough. The clinic, which provides short-term medical care for up to six months, was started the clinic as a pilot project to evaluate and assess the need of such a service for newcomer clients and help structure future programming.
“Since we began operations in January of 2023 we quickly surpassed our target of 50 clients, having completed a total of 92 intake assessments for new clients between January and December,” Sundareswaran said. “At our current capacity, even a target of 100 new intakes per year would be insufficient to meet the needs of all refugee newcomers in their first year in Canada.”
The clinic provides patients with services that include an orientation to the Canadian health care system, immunizations, preventative care education, referrals to specialist services, prescriptions for up to six months, and stabilization of chronic medical conditions.
Dr. Madura Sundareswaran and nurse Kim Chep RPN of the Peterborough Newcomer Health Clinic, whose clients are referred by the New Canadians Centre. Dr. Sundareswaran opened the clinic in January 2023 with a goal to take on about 50 patients in its first year. The clinic completed 92 intake assessments for new clients by December 2023. (Photo courtesy of Peterborough Newcomer Health Clinic)
With Dr. Sundareswaran at the helm as its sole physician, the PNHC is a partnership between the New Canadians Centre, the Peterborough Family Health Team, and the Greater Peterborough Health Services Foundation.
The PNHC operates on a referral-only basis with clients being referred directly to the clinical team from the resettlement assistance program (RAP) at the New Canadians Centre. To date, clients eligible for the PNHC’s services must be within one year of settlement, have OHIP coverage, and cannot already have a family physician already in Ontario.
“The general feedback from community members and health care providers has been that there are many clients in the community who would benefit from this service but are unable to access it,” Dr. Sundareswaran said. “This may be due to limited intake into the clinic — the target of 50 clients per year — as well as restrictive eligibility criteria.”
At present, the clinic’s team consists of Dr. Sundareswaran and a registered practical nurse.
Advertisement - content continues below
Share on Bluesky
“We are currently offering clinical direct patient care services half days per week,” Dr. Sundareswaran said. “However, the administrative work, preparation, and indirect patient care takes on average an additional half to one day per week which is uncompensated physician time. In the current structure, we will not be able to increase patient volumes without growing our clinical team.”
She said staff at the New Canadians Centre continues to advocate for their clients and she’s aware of “the heavy loads that they carry trying to assist their clients with health care system navigation.”
“Newcomer clients have unique and complex health care needs, are unfamiliar with the Canadian health care system, and our community is facing a shortage of family physicians,” Dr. Sundareswaran explained.
“The work we offer through the PNHC still leaves several families and individuals needing assistance and depending on RAP workers, volunteers, non-profit organizations, and sponsors who work tirelessly trying to help them attend appointments, follow up with test results, but — most importantly — try to find a doctor, in person or virtual, in the first place.”
Advertisement - content continues below
Share on Bluesky
“The goal of our clinic has always been sustainability,” Dr. Sundareswaran said. “As a team of myself, the Peterborough Family Health Team, and the New Canadians Centre, we have always been wary of taking on more than we would be handle. It has been more important to build a model of care that is safe, efficient, but also does not depend heavily on the goodwill and in-kind support of several individuals as we know that can be finite.”
When asked how recruitment efforts were going, Sundareswaran said it’s a combination of hope and disheartenment.
“We are dealing with what I can only call a crisis in primary care. Inadequate physician compensation, lack of support for team-based care, increased administrative burden for physicians, and fewer and fewer medical students choosing family medicine as their career, are all factors leading to a provincial family physician shortage. This undoubtedly makes recruitment efforts for the PNHC challenging as well.”
The Lamothe family of Woodleigh Farms in Cavan, one of the participants in Green Economy Peterborough's Net Zero Farms pilot project that assists farmers in incorporating environmentally sustainable practices into their operations. (Photo courtesy of Woodleigh Farms)
Each week, GreenUP provides a story related to the environment. This week’s story is by Natasha Sheward, Program Coordinator, Net Zero Farms.
Environmental stewardship and financial sustainability are often framed as opposing goals. However, amidst the challenges of climate change and the need to feed a growing global population, creating a positive relationship between environmental and financial sustainability has never been more critical.
Farmers feel the push and pull of this delicate balance first hand as they strive to nurture their crops, care for livestock, and sustain their livelihood.
For Carrot Top Organics and Woodleigh Farms, both participants in Green Economy Peterborough’s Net Zero Farms pilot program, finding the links between financial and environmental sustainability have been instrumental to their success.
Advertisement - content continues below
Joshua Blank, owner of Carrot Top Organics in Asphodel-Norwood Township, says a major win for him was finding the link between safeguarding soil health and reducing labour hours on weeding.
Carrot Top Organics is a small-scale organic vegetable farm that offers a four-season community supported agriculture (CSA) program. The farm has a booth at the Peterborough Regional Farmers’ Market.
Long before Carrot Top Organics was launched, Blank knew efficient weeding was going to be a major factor in profitability since labour hours add up quickly. This is a common struggle of market gardeners. Thus, with good planning and preparation including a rigorous weeding schedule, Carrot Top Organics came to life in 2020 and has been operating successfully since.
Rows of broccoli and kale are seen within a permanent bed structure at Carrot Top Organics in Asphodel-Norwood Township, one of the participants in Green Economy Peterborough’s Net Zero Farms pilot project. Permanent beds are used as a low-till alternative to a plough and harrow process, to reduce annual soil disturbance. (Photo courtesy of Carrot Top Organics)
With nearly 20 years of organic farming experience, Blank understands the impacts of climate change and takes environmental stewardship seriously. At the start of his second season, he integrated a low-till approach to prioritize soil health.
“I used tarps, a broadfork, permanent beds, and a tilther,” Blank says.
Within weeks, he saw a reduction in labour hours.
“By disturbing less soil, I was inadvertently leaving long-forgotten weed seeds buried deep within the soil, and the tarps were forcing weed seeds (at the surface) to germinate and die since they couldn’t photosynthesize.”
With more time available and a lower weed density, his vegetable beds could be flipped into cover crops at the end of the season without tilling, reducing soil disturbance and the need for future weeding even further.
“I began to realize how connected my weeding and bed preparation strategies are, and more so how both are linked to plant and soil health,” Blank says.
By taking a sustainable approach, Blank has created a beneficial cycle that builds soil health and reduces labour in tandem, ultimately increasing the profitability and longevity of his farm business while protecting the soil for future generations.
Advertisement - content continues below
Similar to Carrot Top Organics, Norm Lamothe of Woodleigh Farms in Cavan is all about improving and safeguarding the soil. After six generations of Woodleigh Farms working the land, Lamothe states he has a “lifelong interest in supporting soil health and biodiversity.”
Woodleigh Farms is home to a diverse 500-acre cash crop farm, alongside a 1,500-tap maple syrup operation, livestock for rotational grazing, and a year-round passive-solar greenhouse that supports a three-acre market garden.
Cash croppers can be criticized for using high levels of fertilizer or using practices that contribute to climate change like releasing methane gasses through animal farming. In light of this, Lamothe has made it his mission to demonstrate the economic benefits of taking an environmentally friendly approach to the modern cropping system.
Leaf waste is added to compost piles at Woodleigh Farms in Cavan, one of the participants in Green Economy Peterborough’s Net Zero Farms pilot project. The farm collects municipally sourced leaf and yard waste and follows a forced aeration process to produce compost for on-farm use. (Photo courtesy of Woodleigh Farms)
Lamothe has already seen a measurable increase in soil organic matter. Lamothe uses soil amendments such as biosolids, green manures, and compost processed on-farm from municipal leaf and yard waste. Other practices include the introduction of livestock, cover crops, and low-till approaches. Higher soil organic matter leads to thriving crops and a happier, healthier, and more profitable farm.
Advanced technology also plays an important role at Woodleigh Farms. Soil sample data and drone imagery are used to inform decisions. Simultaneously, GPS guidance, variable rate applications of fertilizer, and solar harnessing approaches are reducing costs and greenhouse gas emissions.
Just like Carrot Top Organics, Woodleigh Farms is working to unlock integrated strategies that provide both the environmental stewardship and financial sustainability that are necessary for their future success.
Advertisement - content continues below
In celebrating these triumphs, Green Economy Peterborough and Net Zero Farms recognize the journey towards sustainability is ongoing. The challenges posed by a changing climate and evolving markets demand continued innovation, resilience, and a commitment to practices that nurture both the land and financial stability.
On Thursday (February 8) from 12 to 1 p.m., Woodleigh Farms be providing input at “Solar for Small Business: Installation Options and Funding for SMEs & Farms,” a webinar in partnership between Green Economy Peterborough and Farms at Work. Interested individuals can register for this free event at eventbrite.ca/e/810756864607.
For more information about Green Economy Peterborough and the Net Zero Farms pilot program, visit greeneconomypeterborough.ca
The Rotary Club of Peterborough's curling team (front row, left to right: Ken Seim, Nick Avlonitis, Joe Kapron, and Bill Crins) with their trophy from the Rotary Can-Am Curling Championships held in Rice Lake, Wisconsin from February 1 to 3, 2023. Also pictured in the back row is the runner-up team representing Madison, Wisconsin (Paul Matzke, Rich Lepping, Jim Sirianni, Mike Pfiffner). The Peterborough team has secured a berth in the 28th Rotary World Curling Championships taking place in Scotland in 2026. (Photo: International Curling Fellowship of Rotarians)
The Rotary Club of Peterborough is celebrating as its curling team comes home from the U.S. with a gold medal.
The team — skip Ken Seim, vice Nick Avlonitis, second Joe Kapron, and lead Bill Crins — participated in the 68th Rotary Can-Am Curling Championships at the Rice Lake Curling Club in Rice Lake, Wisconsin from February 1 to 3.
The bonspeil, hosted by the Rotary Club of Rice Lake and the Barron County Sunrise Rotary Club, featured four teams from Canada and four teams from the U.S.
Advertisement - content continues below
The Peterborough Rotary team defeated the team from Madison, Wisconsin to win the championship trophy and secure a berth in the 28th Rotary World Curling Championships taking place in Scotland in 2026.
The win comes two months before the Rotary clubs of Peterborough host the 27th Rotary World Curling Championships from April 6 to 12.
The international curling event will see more than 180 curlers and their partners arrive in Peterborough from across Canada, the U.S., Scotland, and England for both a friendship and championship competition.
Peterborough mayor Jeff Leal, Kawartha Food Share general manager Ashlee Aitken, city councillor Alex Bierk, and Bill Wolfe of sponsor Wolfe Personal Injury Lawyers on February 7, 2024 Kawartha Food Share's warehouse at 665 Neal Drive with a cheque for $12,625.88 for Kawartha Food Share, representing proceeds donated during the city's two-hour free holiday parking promotion. Not pictured: city councillor Joy Lachica. (Photo: City of Peterborough)
The City of Peterborough and Wolfe Personal Injury Lawyers presented Kawartha Food Share with a cheque for $12,625.88 on Wednesday (February 7) at Kawartha Food Share’s warehouse at 665 Neal Drive.
The funds came from the city’s two-hour free holiday parking promotion that ran from November 25 to December 31 at all downtown municipal parking spaces, including on-street parking, municipal parking lots, the King Street Parking Garage, and the Simcoe Street Parking Garage.
Parking fees that were voluntarily paid at pay-and-display machines, parking meters, or via the HotSpot App during the free two-hour period were donated to Kawartha Food Share. The promotion was sponsored by Wolfe Personal Injury Lawyers.
Advertisement - content continues below
Peterborough mayor Jeff Leal and Town Ward councillors Alex Bierk and Joy Lachica, along with Bill Wolfe of Wolfe Personal Injury Lawyers, presented the cheque to Kawartha Food Share general manager Ashlee Aitken.
“The two-hour free holiday parking promotion is a true win-win scenario that collects much-needed donations for the Kawartha Food Share, while encouraging people to enjoy the shopping, dining and entertainment of downtown businesses,” Mayor Leal said in a media release. “Thanks to everyone who participated, and special thanks to Bill Wolfe for his ongoing sponsorship.”
For his part, Wolfe thanked shoppers and residents for making voluntary donations during the holiday season.
Advertisement - content continues below
“These funds, through the support of Kawartha Food Share, will help to put food on the tables for people,” he said.
Kawartha Food Share currently helps more than 9,000 people every month through its 36 member agencies. It supports four meal programs, seven city food banks, six housing projects, seven county food banks, and over 20 food cupboards across the city and county of Peterborough.
“We are so thankful for the continued support of the City of Peterborough and the local shoppers for donating to Kawartha Food Share each and every December,” Aitken said. “This year, more than ever before, we needed this donation to help us restock our shelves.”
Some of the cast during a rehearsal of the wedding scene for the Peterborough Theatre Guild's production of the beloved musical "Fiddler on the Roof," which runs for eight performances from February 16 to 25, 2024 at Showplace Performance Centre in downtown Peterborough. (Photo: Pat Hooper)
If you’re on the fence as to whether the Peterborough Theatre Guild’s staging of Fiddler on the Roof is worth parting with a few of your hard-earned dollars, consider this — as far as musicals go, it’s director Jerry Allen’s favourite.
Coming from someone who has both directed and acted in “most of the classics” during a decades-long local community theatre career, that’s quite an endorsement. In short, Allen knows of what he speaks, his excitement over directing this musical as palpable as it is infectious.
“I won’t sleep the night before — I won’t sleep two nights before,” says Allen, adding “I’m anxious. I want everybody to do well and be happy doing it.”
Advertisement - content continues below
“It (theatre) is the most exciting art form. You’re putting it right out there and you have no safety net. But it’s a joy to see people on stage having a good time and getting that applause.”
Being staged at the Showplace Performance Centre as the Peterborough Theatre Guild’s annual musical, Fiddler on the Roof is set for eight performances from Friday, February 16th to Sunday, February 25th. The show is already 70 per cent sold out.
Featuring music by Jerry Bock set to lyrics by Sheldon Harnick with book by Joseph Stein, the iconic musical debuted on September 22, 1964 at New York City’s Imperial Theatre, featuring Zero Mostel in the lead role. A commercial and critical success, it garnered nine Tony Awards on its way to becoming the first musical to surpass 3,000 performances — a Broadway run record it held for 10 years before Grease eclipsed that mark.
Director of the Peterborough Theatre Guild’s production of “Fiddler on the Roof,” Jerry Allen has been involved with the Guild for over 50 years and has both acted and directed numerous times. The musical runs for eight performances from February 16 to 25, 2024 at Showplace Performance Centre in downtown Peterborough. (Photo courtesy of Peterborough Theatre Guild)
Share on Bluesky
In 1971, millions more worldwide fell in love with the story, the characters, and the music when a film adaptation of the musical premiered. Directed by Canadian Norman Jewison, who died just last month, the screen version was nominated for eight Academy Awards, winning a trio of the coveted statues, including Best Score Adaptation on the strength of songs such as “Tradition,” “Matchmaker Matchmaker,” “If I Were A Rich Man,” “Do You Love Me,” and “Sunrise, Sunset.”
Allen, who’s directing Fiddler on the Roof for a second time — he directed a St. Peter’s staging some 30 years ago — says if the term “timeless” can ever be applied to a production, this is that time.
“It’s just such a compelling story and it’s so topical now,” assesses Allen. “Antisemitism, the persecution of the Jews, seems to be rebounding. When the hell is this stuff ever going to away? So that’s a concern — that’s a kind of underlying theme.”
Advertisement - content continues below
Fiddler on the Roof relates the story of a Jewish family living in the small village of Anatevka in pre-revolutionary Russia whose patriarch Tevye, a poor milkman, struggles mightily to maintaining cultural traditions in the face of modern values amidst a backdrop of antisemitism.
Tevye and his wife Golde have five daughters, the eldest three — Tzeitel, Hodel and Chava — of marrying age.
After Tevye agrees to an arranged marriage between Tzeitel and Lazar Wolf, a widowed but rich butcher, she falls in love with Motel Kamzoil, a poor tailor, and convinces her father to allow her to marry Motel instead.
After Hodel decides to marry a revolutionary student named Perchik, Tevye again reluctantly gives his blessing. However, when Chava chooses Fyedka, a Russian Christian, to be her husband, he disowns her.
The story concludes with the Jewish families in the village, including Tevye’s, forced to leave by Russian soldiers.
The musical’s name comes from the fiddler who intermittently appears, perched on a rooftop while playing the fiddle, symbolizing the precarious balance on maintain tradition in the face of change. Zero Mostel (middle) performs as Tevye in the original production of “Fiddler on the Roof” which opened on Broadway in September 1964. Almost 60 years later, the Peterborough Theatre Guild will stage a production of the beloved musical at Showplace Performance Centre in downtown Peterborough from February 16 to 25, 2024. (Photo courtesy of Photofest, Inc.)
Share on Bluesky
“Everything about it is appealing,” says Allen. “There are times when I’m watching it and nearly weeping. It’s so powerful, and the cast is so good, bringing their own emotions to it.”
Besides the directorial challenge of working with a large cast (“It’s moving bodies around for two hours and making it look like it’s not staged”), Allen says the choreography “is so demanding.”
“When Laura (Lawson) came on the scene, I was thrilled,” he says.
Lawson is pulling double duty for this production, not only serving as choreographer but also appearing onstage as Chava, Tevye’s third-oldest daughter.
Laura Lawson studied ballet and theatre before becoming a family physician. She is choreographer for the Peterborough Theatre Guild’s production of “Fiddler on the Roof” and also performs in the role of Chava. The musical runs for eight performances from February 16 to 25, 2024 at Showplace Performance Centre in downtown Peterborough. (Photo courtesy of Peterborough Theatre Guild)
“I started mostly in the ballet world,” relates Lawson, who attended the National Ballet School “as a little girl.”
“I came back home for a couple of years of high school at Lakefield College. I was torn as to what to do for university. I decided to study theatre, which I loved. It was a wonderful time. I spent five or six years working in theatre, mostly in Toronto. Then I had a fortunate turn of events that put medical school as an option in front of me and I went for it.”
Now a family doctor with a practice on Stewart Street, Lawson is thankful “to have the time and space” to pursue her passions of medicine and theatre.
Share on Bluesky
“Chava is a great role,” she says. “In the whole play, there’s this dynamic of the Jewish townspeople and the Russian forces and the clash between them. Chava falls in love with a Russian. She takes it one step further and that’s the breaking point for Tevye.”
“She’s a fascinating character. Chava always has a book in her hand — she’s always reading. For me, that symbolizes a constant pursuit of knowledge and evolution of thinking and paradigms. She really puts that into play when she falls in love with a Russian. So there’s a really interesting dynamic of that push and pull between evolution and holding onto the glue, the traditions, that also hold value for her identity, her family, and her community.”
Wearing her choreographer hat, Lawson points out “a lot of the big musical numbers happen in the first act.”
“It opens with (the song) Tradition, which is where we meet the community. Then it moves into a pub scene which is a hoot — it’s a riot. Choreographically, that’s a real highlight. Then it moves into a dream sequence, which is always interesting because you get a lot of freedom there. Then there’s the wedding scene. Those are sort of the big dance numbers. In the second act, Chava has a lovely little piece as well — a memory of Tevye.”
Advertisement - content continues below
Working “with a big cast with a wide variety of experience,” says Lawson, is “an interesting project, for sure.”
“All in all, this cast has done amazing. They’ve put up with me pushing them. Everyone has been challenged and really risen to the occasion. One of the neat pieces is that, when they did the original auditions, they were looking specifically for actors who could move but didn’t look like dancers. They want them to look like townspeople — people who happen to be so filled with music that it erupts in the movement.”
As for what she’s taking away from the experience, Lawson says this is her “heart song.”
Share on Bluesky
“I love the theatre, I love music, I love dance, I love the community that it builds. It’s really about exploring the experience of being alive and connecting with other people.”
On top of that, Lawson says theatre has made her a better doctor.
“It allows me to fertilize that creative side, which invigorates me to go back and work with my patients as the best person I can be.”
“And there’s interesting overlap. I feel like every time I see a new patient, it’s a new scene. To be a good doctor, you really have to be present with that person. You have to be able to adapt from this scene to that scene. The other thing theatre teaches is to really listen. In order to help someone (as a doctor), you have to truly listen.”
Some of the cast during a rehearsal of the wedding scene for the Peterborough Theatre Guild’s production of the beloved musical “Fiddler on the Roof,” which runs for eight performances from February 16 to 25, 2024 at Showplace Performance Centre in downtown Peterborough. (Photo: Pat Hooper)
As for working with Allen, well, that’s simply a huge bonus, says Lawson.
“Jerry is an exceptional director and an exceptional human being. He has such a great way of encouraging people to bring their best to the table. Nurturing their confidence, fine tuning things … he’ll push us to get us to where we need to be. He’s a sculptor in the way that he does that.”
Share on Bluesky
Produced by Pat Hooper with musical direction by Janina Krauss, Fiddler on the Roof also stars, besides Lawson, Donnell MacKenzie as Tevye, Lyndele Gauci as Golde, Hilary Evans as Tzeitel, Christine Helferty as Hodel, Bruno Merz as Motel, Eddy Sweeney as Perchik, Simon Banderob as Feydka, Alex Hodson as Sprintze, Poppy Alderson as Bielke, Nicole Grady as Yente, and Matt Kraft as Lazar Wolf.
Other members of the cast include Karl Lawson as Yussel, Alex Hodson as Shprintze, Mike Edwards as Avram, Doug Hooper as The Rabbi, Ty Frajkor as Mendel the Rabbi’s son, Travis Edge as Villager/Bottle Dancer/Russian, Matt Kraft as Lazar Wolf, Cathy Brand as Villager, Chloe Brock as Villager, Jason Brock as Nahum The Beggar, Tilda Armstrong as Grandma Tzeitel, Andrianna Malloy as Villager/Russian, and Juliet Martin as Villager.
Advertisement - content continues below
Fiddler on the Roof opens on Friday, February 16th at 7:30 p.m., with other evening performances on Saturday, February 17th and from Wednesday, February 21st through Saturday, February 24th. There will also be 2 p.m. matinee performances on Sunday, February 18th and Sunday, February 25th.
Tickets cost $37 for adults, $33 for seniors, and $25 for students. Although the show is being staged at Showplace Performance Centre, tickets are only available from the Peterborough Theatre Guild.
You can get them online at peterboroughtheatreguild.com or by calling the box office at any time at 705-745-4211 (if the box office is not open when you call, leave a message and they will call you back).
kawarthaNOW is proud to be a media sponsor of the Peterborough Theatre Guild’s 2023-24 season.
Beyond the Blue Box, a community-based waste reduction and reuse organization, has been busy behind the scenes since a "devastating" fire in September 2023 wreaked havoc on its main building at 14 Covert Street in Cobourg. The organization is still able to accept donations at its adjacent building at 12 Covert Street, which was undamaged by the fire. (Photo: Beyond the Blue Box / Facebook)
Following a “devastating” fire in the fall of 2023, Northumberland County’s Beyond the Blue Box operation is looking to raise $3 million to rebuild or construct a new facility.
The September 2023 fire at 14 Covert Street in Cobourg was obviously a blow to the not-for-profit community-based waste reduction and reuse centre.
However, community support and new partnerships have arisen from the aftermath for Beyond the Blue Box, as it moves along its new path forward, according to board chair Robb Howells.
Advertisement - content continues below
Share on Bluesky
“Our intention is to replace/rebuild our old store, and we’re currently waiting on engineering reports before we can proceed,” Howells told kawarthaNOW.
“Since our devastating fire overnight September 19/20, 2023, we’ve had many challenges. We initially had to close our doors and not accept donations for over a month while we figured ourselves out, but things were certainly busy in the background,” he said.
“We were very fortunate that no one was hurt in the fire, and that while our main store burned, our two other buildings, which are our warehousing spaces, were undamaged.”
Because those buildings were spared, Beyond the Blue Box is still able to accept donations at 12 Covert St. in Cobourg.
“This is the only place to physically donate items to us,” Howells noted.
Beyond the Blue Box’s main location at 14 Covert Street in Cobourg was destroyed by fire on September 20, 2024. The organization also has a location at 12 Covert Street where it accepts donations as well as a thrift boutique store at 41 King Street East and a store across the street at 66 King Street East that sells books, media, toys, housewares, and some clothes. (Photo courtesy of John Stevenson)
The centre has been active behind the scenes since the fire.
On October 15 last year, Beyond the Blue Box participated in an antique/vintage sale at the Cobourg memorial arena, which was hosted as a fundraiser for the Canadian Fire Fighters Museum.
On November 12, the centre opened its first temporary store at 66 King St. E. in Cobourg, which served as the Christmas store.
On November 18, Beyond the Blue Box participated in, and was the beneficiary of, a fundraising concert called Beyond the Blues, which featured many local Northumberland County bands and musical talent.
On December 2, the centre opened its second temporary store at 41 King St. E. in Cobourg, a thrift boutique that sells clothing, footwear, jewellery, and some housewares. The store at 66 King St. E. sells books, media, toys, housewares, and some clothes.
Advertisement - content continues below
Share on Bluesky
Those who wish to contribute financially can either make a donation via the Beyond The Blue Box website at beyondthebluebox.com, or by dropping money in the collection boxes located in the Beyond the Blue Box stores.
“The community response and outpouring of support has been tremendous,” Howells said. “We are lucky indeed.”
“That being said, we have heard from other organizations and other communities offering support too. Some of these new connections might not have been made without the fire, and it’s always good to make new friends. We look forward to having a more efficient building, and continued operation providing a safe space for all community members.”
Beyond the Blue Box is one of Canada’s longest standing and most successful community-based waste reduction and reuse centres, its website states. For 30 years, it has been accepting donations of reusable items from the community and diverting them from Northumberland County landfill sites.
Beyond the Blue Box relies on a community of supporters including volunteer Paul, who brings his knowledge of art and antiques to sorting to the organization, including this 1930 print that is available at Beyond the Blue Box’s thrift boutique at 41 King St East. The organization will be holding an art and antiques fundraiser sale in spring 2024 as it continues to recover from a fire that destroyed its main building in fall 2003. (Photo: Beyond the Blue Box / Facebook)
With the help of community volunteers, Beyond the Blue Box collects, sorts, and resells donated items for prices “that are just enough” to cover operating costs.
The organization also prides itself on providing employee opportunities for people who have developmental needs.
Beyond the Blue Box said its team is ready to receive donations seven days a week, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at 12 Covert St. The centre suggests the following reasons for community members to consider donating:
Winter is a great time to purge unused items
Donating diverts items from the landfill and gives them new life
Donating to Beyond the Blue Box supports its work with community organizations, including, and not limited to, women’s shelters, the homeless, victims of fire, as well as people with developmental disabilities
Donations are more important than ever while Beyond the Blue Box rebuilds for its future after the fire.
Patricia Bromfield (right) is the new chief of Peterborough County-City Paramedics, taking over from Randy Mellow (left) who will be retiring at the end of 2024. Mellow will provide mentorship and guidance to Bromfield throughout the year as she takes on her new role and responsibilities. (Photo courtesy of Peterborough County)
Patricia Bromfield is the new chief of Peterborough County-City Paramedics, Peterborough County announced on Wednesday (February 7).
Bromfield will be taking over from Randy Mellow, the county’s senior director of emergency and shared services and deputy CAO, who announced in December he would be retiring as chief at the end of 2024 after almost four decades in emergency medical services.
Bromfield joined Peterborough County in the fall of 2022 as deputy chief of operations, having previously served as deputy chief of operations in the City of Kawartha Lakes. Prior to those roles, she served with Toronto Paramedic Services for almost 15 years, beginning as a paramedic and rising to acting deputy commander.
Advertisement - content continues below
“I would like to congratulate Patricia Bromfield and welcome her to the role of paramedic chief,” Mellow says in a media release. “Patricia possesses a wealth of experience and knowledge having progressed through various frontline and leadership roles throughout her career. Her experience and passion for supportive leadership and innovation will be an asset to our team and community.”
According to the release, Mellow will provide mentorship and guidance to Bromfield throughout 2024 as she takes on her new role and responsibilities.
“I am honoured to be following in the footsteps of our decorated chief of paramedics Randy Mellow as he embarks on his retirement at the close of 2024,” Bromfield says. “I am forever grateful to have the opportunity to learn from an industry leader who has played a key role in advancing the paramedic profession.”
“I look forward to collaborating with Peterborough County’s robust leadership team and our partners in the coming years. It is a privilege for me to have the opportunity to work alongside some of Canada’s finest paramedics, leaders, and support staff.”
On February 6, 2023, the Innovation Cluster Peterborough and the Kawarthas announced the 13 companies making up the inaugural cohort of LevelUP, a new startup accelerator program tailored for mature entrepreneurs and regional innovators. Running three times a year, the fully funded 12-week program will provide startup companies with mentorship, workshops, networking opportunities, and access to funding, and culminates in a competition where the participants of each cohort will pitch for investment and vie for prizes up to $10,000. (Photo courtesy of Innovation Cluster)
On Tuesday (February 6), the Innovation Cluster Peterborough and the Kawarthas revealed the 13 local companies making up the inaugural cohort of LevelUP, a new startup accelerator program tailored for mature entrepreneurs and regional innovators.
Announced in January, LevelUP focuses on the Innovation Cluster’s core sectors of agricultural technology (“agtech”), health care, clean technology (“cleantech”), social innovation, and digital technology.
“This program is not just about nurturing startups — it’s about creating a sustainable regional ecosystem where innovation, collaboration, and economic growth flourish together,” said Innovation Cluster executive director Camila Duarte when announcing the program.
Advertisement - content continues below
“We’re committed to transforming Peterborough and the Kawarthas into a vibrant hub where entrepreneurs can thrive and make a lasting impact,” Duarte said. “This program has been missing in the organization for the last three years, and now we are finally ready to streamline many of the services that support startups.”
Running three times a year, the fully funded 12-week program will provide startup companies with mentorship, workshops, networking opportunities, and access to funding, and culminates in a competition where the participants of each cohort will pitch for investment and vie for prizes up to $10,000.
Participants will also have access to PitchBob, an AI-based idea management platform that helps entrepreneurs formulate their business ideas and create compelling startup pitch decks for funding.
VIDEO: “LevelUP – Take your startup to the next level”
The 13 companies (including their entrepreneurs and sectors) selected for LevelUP’s inaugural cohort are:
Metaboly – Daniel Palberg, William Kim, and Emma Kaszecki (agtech)
Community Pin – Ashley Bonner (social innovation, digital technology)
Maman Biomedical – Latchmi Raghunanan (health care, digital technology)
NX-Cast Innovations – Joe Nicholson and team (cleantech)
FarmersCart – John Samuel and Joseph Premana (agtech)
Derimed – Eduardo Serna Barragan (health care, cleantech)
EasyFit Technology Inc. – Safiya Khaki (digital technology)
Netmechanics Inc. – Graeme Barrie (digital technology)
SmarTeeth – Zahra Sadreddini and team (health care, digital technology)
AppSport Inc. – Hanieh Ebrahimi (digital technology)
Turtle Riot Studios – Maria Coates (cleantech, digital technlogy)
Course Sync – Nick Landon (digital technlogy)
Advertisement - content continues below
According to Duarte, LevelUP is expected to drive substantial economic development in the region, including contributing to job creation, and will position the region as a “beacon” of entrepreneurial growth and innovation.
“The selection of these 13 companies for LevelUP is a milestone for our region,” Duarte says. “We are fostering a sustainable ecosystem where innovation and economic growth thrive together. This program symbolizes our commitment to transforming our region into a vibrant hub for entrepreneurs.”
The Innovation Cluster is a non-profit organization that supports entrepreneurs to launch, grow, and scale their businesses. Along with LevelUP, it offers a full-service startup incubator program, the STARTup Visa Program Canada for immigrant entrepreneurs, a student entrepreneurship program, and Launch Kawartha, a dedicated space in Lindsay for incubation programming.
On February 5, 2024, Peterborough Regional Health Centre (PRHC) unveiled the Anne Keenleyside & Family Atrium, in honour of the late Trent University bioarcheology professor of bioarcheology who passed away in October 2022 and left a $2 million legacy gift to the hospital foundation. Pictured (left to right) are Keenleyside's close friend Lynda Wood, PRHC president and CEO Dr. Lynn Mikula, Keenleyside's stepdaughter Cassandra Butler, PRHC Radiologist Dr. Peter Gianakopoulos (in the back), PRHC Foundation president and CEO Lesley Heighway, Keenleyside's partner Pat Butler, and Keenleyside's stepdaughter Melissa Butler. (Photo courtesy of PRHC Foundation)
Ensuring the best possible care for future cancer patients, Anne Keenleyside’s legacy gift of $2 million to the Peterborough Regional Health Centre (PRHC) is helping the hospital achieve her vision.
PRHC was able to purchase a second Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) machine and equip an operating room with the latest technology to allow for less-invasive procedures for patients.
Both of these investments funded by the late Keenleyside will assist in the hospital’s capacity to accommodate tremendous growth in cancer volumes, Lesley Heighway, PRHC Foundation president and CEO, told kawarthaNOW.
Advertisement - content continues below
Share on Bluesky
“She was a cancer patient herself and this special gift was made through her estate plans to ensure those who came after her had access to the best possible care,” Heighway said.
Keenleyside was a highly respected Trent University professor of bioarcheology who passed away in October 2022.
Heighway said the money is being invested in equipment and technology that support cancer care innovation, in accordance with her request.
Dr. Margaret (Anne) Keenleyside, a highly respected Trent University professor of bioarcheology, passed away on October 27, 2022 at the age of 60 after a 10-year struggle with breast cancer. (Photo courtesy of PRHC Foundation)
“Anne was clear she wanted her gift to connect her passion for scientific innovation with her desire to help the patients who would come after her,” said Heighway in a media release.
“Her generosity has allowed the PRHC Foundation to fund a second MRI for PRHC’s diagnostic imaging department, as well as fully upgrading a general operating suite with state-of-the-art minimally invasive surgical tools — one of four undertaken by the foundation.”
“By directing her bequest to the MRI and our minimally invasive surgical suites, her gift is already helping our hospital increase capacity and image quality for diagnostic scans and giving our general surgeons access to brand new, leading-edge tools to perform cancer surgeries,” Heighway added.
Advertisement - content continues below
On Monday (February 5), PRHC unveiled its atrium as the Anne Keenleyside & Family Atrium in honour of her “transformational” gift to the foundation.
Dr. Lynn Mikula, PRHC president and CEO, said the impact of Keenleyside’s legacy gift is already being felt.
“Thanks to Anne’s investment we’ve been able to increase our capacity, performing an additional 6,000 scans since the new unit became operational,” Mikula said in a media release.
“Not only is this helping us address diagnostic wait times, we’re also able to produce much higher quality images in less time, while providing a significantly improved patient experience.”
Mikula added that the investment in PRHC’s general operating suites is empowering the introduction of fluorescence-guided imaging, a process that involves the injection of contrast dyes or agents into a patient’s bloodstream prior to surgery, making their blood vessels, bile ducts and lymph nodes light up when combined with fluoroscopy.
“The impact of this new technology is significant,” said Mikula. “It’s already allowing our surgeons to operate with increased precision — an advancement that has tremendous implications for the treatment of bowel and other cancers.”
Advertisement - content continues below
Heighway said the decision to name the atrium in recognition of Keenleyside’s generosity was made in consultation with the hospital and her family. It’s a decision that her partner, Pat Butler, said has pleased Keenleyside’s family and friends.
“Anne’s gift to the hospital reflects her generous and thoughtful nature,” Butler said.
“She was incredibly grateful for the expert and compassionate care she received at (PRHC) and wanted to do something after she was gone to help make things better for others like her. This bequest is a gift to both her community and the health care professionals who cared for her after her diagnosis over 10 years ago.”
PRHC is a regional hospital and serves patients from Peterborough, Northumberland, and Haliburton counties, along with those in the Kawartha Lakes in need of specialized care beyond what’s available at their community hospitals.
kawarthaNOW.com offers two enews options to help readers stay in the know. Our VIP enews is delivered weekly every Wednesday morning and includes exclusive giveaways, and our news digest is delivered daily every morning. You can subscribe to one or both.
Submit your event for FREE!
Use our event submission form to post your event on our website — for free.
To submit editorial content or ideas, please contact us.
