For the past three Christmases, the Deans and their three children have spent the day in their Northumberland bakery, dishing out and packaging turkey dinners with all the fixings.

The Brighton business owners prepare and offer free meals to anyone in the community in need. No questions asked.

Mel and Jeremy Dean of Just Like Granny’s were inspired to take on dinner for a couple of hundred community members during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. They knew people wouldn’t or couldn’t gather with their families and they didn’t want them to be alone and without a holiday meal. Ontario implemented a province-wide lockdown on December 26, 2020, which closed most non-essential businesses and highly discouraged Ontarians from interacting with people outside of their immediate households.

While COVID-19 isn’t a factor to the same extent as it was, serving free Christmas dinners is a tradition the Deans will continue.

“We are, in fact, doing it again,” Mel Dean said.

“We are expecting about 200 — that’s our usual number. We did go a bit over that number last year due to the blizzard and people with lack of power (during the major snowstorm over Christmas in 2022). We’re not totally sure how many this year yet.”

“We know that the food bank is up in their numbers so we may have more,” she added.

Ontario is experiencing record-breaking increases in food bank use, according to Feed Ontario’s Hunger Report 2023: Why Ontarians Can’t Get Ahead. The report provides an analysis of data gathered by the Ontario food bank network between April 1, 2022 and March 31, 2023.

The document explores the reasons for food bank use, presents food bank use data from the past year, and discusses how food banks “are on the brink of not being able to meet the need in their community.”

“Food bank use remains at an all-time high with this year marking the seventh consecutive year of food bank use increases,” the report’s summary on the Feed Ontario website states.

Ontario’s food banks were visited 5,888,685 times throughout the year, an increase of 36 per cent over 2022 and 101 per cent over pre-pandemic levels.

The Brighton Fare Share Food Bank is seeing a similar trend. Food bank manager Pat Artkin said before the pandemic, there were 65 clients per month accessing the food bank. In November of this year, there were 104.

“We have 130 households registered in Brighton,” Artkin said. “We have seen a significant increase in food bank usage over last year. We are meeting new families each week who need our support. They are struggling with daily financial needs and food insecurity.”

Donations from Brighton residents continue to be generous and are welcomed, she noted. Both grocery stores in town and The Bargain Shop on Prince Edward Street have a list of wish items for the food bank, and any financial donations help the Elizabeth Street food bank purchase fresh fruits, vegetables, and other perishable items.

Like in Brighton, the Ontario report notes inadequate employment and income earning opportunities are making it difficult for people to get ahead.

More than one in six food bank visitors cited employment as their primary source of income, an 82 per cent increase over 2016-17 and a 37 per cent increase over the previous year. People working a contract or seasonal position are four times more likely to rely on a food bank and those working part-time jobs are three times more likely, the summary noted.

Social assistance remains the primary source of income for most food bank visitors. The number of people relying on the Ontario Disability Support Program and Ontario Works has increased 17 per cent over the previous year, the website stated.

“High housing and living costs make it difficult for Ontarians to afford other essential expenses.”

Back at Just Like Granny’s, the Deans save every donation dropped in their tip jar at the bakery and put it towards the cost of offering Christmas dinner and the other community endeavours they pursue throughout the year.

“We never keep tips for ourselves,” Dean said. “If people feel the need to help, we do accept donations. People have dropped off in the past frozen turkeys, potatoes, and gift cards to the local grocery stores to help us with the ingredients.”

People wishing to donate can stop by the bakery at 40 Prince Edward St. or reach out to the Deans through Just Like Granny’s Facebook page. To learn more about food bank usage in Ontario, visit feedontario.ca.

Peterborough GreenUP is seeking to rebuild the iconic Lath House, a cherished shade structure in Ecology Park where we grow native plants.

The Little Building Company, based out of Lakefield, is poised to complete the project this winter and GreenUP is delighted at the prospect of seedlings sprouting beneath it come next spring.

A generous donor has gifted $10,000 to GreenUP in support of the project. GreenUP is asking the Peterborough community to consider contributing to the Lath House campaign to collectively match that contribution. A total of $20,000 raised will cover the cost of constructing a new lath house from locally sourced white cedar beams.

Tegan Moss, Executive Director at GreenUP, speaks to the importance of rebuilding the Lath House for plant propagation and climate education.

“The first action area outlined in GreenUP’s Strategic Plan is to enhance GreenUP Ecology Park through the development of critical infrastructure,” she states.

“One of the specific goals in this area of work is to increase the sustainability and production capacity of our Native Plant and Tree Nursery. The replacement of the Lath House is an important project that will increase our capacity to raise notable and diverse species and create an additional teaching space.”

A lath house is a nursery building without walls, a specialized garden structure that resembles a combination of a greenhouse and a pergola. It consists of a framework made of wood or metal, with horizontal slats that create a lattice-like roof, allowing dappled sunlight to filter through.

The primary purpose of a lath house is to provide sheltered environment for plants. At GreenUP’s Ecology Park, this new structure will also be an important site for climate action education.

In 2023, over 4,500 visitors enjoyed and explored the five acres of naturalized space within Ecology Park year-round. Additionally, more than 655 children engaged in immersive outdoor educational programs in Ecology Park’s gardens and landscapes.

In 2024 and beyond, the youth participating in programming at Ecology Park will benefit from an additional shade structure where they can learn about the natural world. Topics include but are not limited to pollinator ecology, biological lifecycles and soil sciences.

The community of people who visit Ecology Park for workshops, recreation, and nature appreciation will also be welcomed to the new Lath House to learn about plant propagation, the importance of native plants and trees, and how to care for shade loving native species.

In addition to being a site for educational programming, Ecology Park houses a Native Plant and Tree Nursery. As a trusted source for locally grown, ecologically friendly plant stock, the nursery sold 248 trees and over 4,869 wildflowers, grasses, ferns, and shrubs in 2023.

With a non-profit status, all proceeds from Ecology Park support our efforts to provide inspiring environmental programming.

Hayley Goodchild, the new Plant Propagation Program Coordinator at Ecology Park, is excited to begin propagating rare native plants from both seed and cuttings in the new Lath House.

“The Lath House is an important part of GreenUP’s plan to propagate more native plants for sale at Ecology Park. Right now, the lath house garden boasts dozens of shade-adapted native plant species, such as Virginia Bluebells, Bloodroot, and White Baneberry,” Goodchild says.

“By rebuilding the Lath House, which is in serious disrepair, we can ensure these and other plants will provide a reliable source of seed and cuttings for nursery production for many years to come. We also look forward to having campers and visitors tour the updated Lath House gardens, and try their hand at propagating plants or saving seed.”

Replacing the Lath House in Ecology Park will have positive benefits to biodiversity in our region and support local climate adaptation. Peterborough’s ecozone is changing and the demand for resilient, native species is growing among gardeners and organizations across the region.

By growing native plants and producing seed under the new Lath House, GreenUP will increase access to regionally sourced plants that are likely to thrive in our area’s unique climate. Everyone at Ecology Park looks forward to welcoming visitors to learn about the cultivation of native plants and trees as we enjoy the dappled shade provided by this structure.

Your tax-deductible donation will support GreenUP create a greener and more sustainable future for Peterborough & the Kawarthas. To donate and learn more, visit www.greenup.on.ca/donate-now.

This story was published in partnership with Peterborough GreenUP.

With a $50,000 fundraising goal for the 15th annual Pink in the Rink game, the Peterborough Petes are aiming to break the $1 million mark in total funds raised for cancer care.

At a media conference on Wednesday (December 6), the Petes organization announced details of this season’s game, which will take place on Saturday, February 3rd at the Peterborough Memorial Centre with the Petes facing off against the Niagara Ice Dogs.

Over the past 14 years, the Pink in the Rink game has raised a total of $954,136. For this season’s campaign, all Petes players and coaches will act as ambassadors to help meet the $50,000 goal and push the grand total over $1 million.

“The Peterborough Petes players and coaches are extremely excited to participate in the Pink in the Rink campaign this year as ambassadors and help get closer to the one million dollar fundraising mark,” says Petes general manager and VP of operations Michael Oke in a media release.

“Our Pink in the Rink game is always one of our biggest and most popular games of the year and I think it’s a huge honour and opportunity for the players and the team to be leading the initiative of raising money and awareness for this cause,” adds Petes captain Donovan McCoy.

This season, funds from the Pink in the Rink campaign will support the Wheels of Hope transportation program at the Canadian Cancer Society, which helps people travel to cancer treatments using volunteer drivers and by reimbursing travel costs.

“Wheels of Hope is a fantastic program and we are very pleased to support this great cause,” Oke says.

Family, friends, and fans can donate on behalf of a particular player or coach by visiting the Canadian Cancer Society website and selecting a team member from the roster.

Official game-worn custom jerseys will feature the names of fans and community members in the design. Fans can purchase names to be placed on the jersey for $20 each by contacting the Petes Office at 705-743-3681 ext. 201, by emailing imacgregor@gopetesgo.com, or by visiting the Peterborough Petes OHL website.

Tickets for the 15th annual Pink in the Rink game on Saturday, February 3 are available now at the Peterborough Memorial Centre’s Grant Thornton box office.

A 34-year-old woman is dead following a two-vehicle collision on Highway 115 south of Peterborough on Wednesday morning (December 6).

Just before 9 a.m. on Wednesday, Peterborough County Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) received a call about a serious collision on Highway 115 at Highway 7A in Cavan-Monaghan Township. After arriving at the scene, officers located a pickup truck in the centre median between the northbound and southbound lanes.

Initially reporting the incident as a single-vehicle collision, police are now reporting the pickup had been travelling northbound on Highway 115 when it came in contact with a commercial motor vehicle before striking the guardrail.

The guardrail ripped off the passenger side door and an occupant was thrown from the pickup truck before it came to rest a short distance further in the centre median. A 34-year-old woman was pronounced dead at the scene, with another occupant of the vehicle transported to Peterborough Regional Health Centre for treatment.

Highway 115 will remain closed for several hours while police investigate and document the scene.

Anyone who may have witnessed or has video/dash camera footage of the collision and has not spoken with police is asked to contact the Peterborough County OPP Detachment at 1-888-310-1122.

Creating a space “where life is lived” and the setting is home-like, Ed’s House strives to make hospice care a tranquil experience for Northumberland County residents and their family members.

To provide care and comfort at no cost, the Ed’s House Northumberland Hospice Care Centre Foundation is calling on community members to take part in an upcoming fundraiser to support Ed’s House Northumberland Hospice Care Centre, located at 1301 Ontario St. in Cobourg.

Community Care Northumberland (CCN) and the foundation are gearing up for “Handbags for Hospice,” an annual event that directly helps support patients and their loved ones staying at Ed’s House.

The 2024 installment of Handbags for Hospice is on Thursday, April 4th at the Best Western Plus Cobourg Inn & Convention Centre.

“The event raises much-needed money for the operation of our six-bed hospice residence,” said Trish Baird, CEO of CCN.

“The provincial government does support a portion of the operating costs of hospices, but the Ed’s House foundation must raise 46 per cent of our annual operating budget from the community through donations, grants, and fundraising activities such as this. This translates into needing community support of over $4,750 for each individual who stays at Ed’s House,” she noted.

The fifth annual Handbags for Hospice event features handbags, live and silent auctions, hors d’oeuvres, and more. Guests can extend their support by participating in raffles, making direct donations and/or by purchasing purses and other items.

“Ed’s House is available to all residents and their families at no cost,” Baird noted. “They experience a quiet, home-like environment in a lovely private suite for the time of their stay.”

Residents, relatives and friends have access to all amenities at Ed’s House including a dining room, living room, quiet space, spiritual room, a kitchen and an outdoor space, along with shower and laundry facilities. Loved ones who wish to do so can stay overnight in their family member’s room.

“Money raised from this event supports the operation of all of these amenities to help us provide care and support for families in Northumberland County,” Baird explained.

Dollars raised also support hospice service programs, including the palliative care community team and visiting hospice, in partnership with 24/7 end-of-life care at Ed’s House.

Tickets for the event are $100 each and will be available to purchase starting on Feb. 4, 2024.

“Save the date, mark your calendars, and be part of the magic as Handbags for Hospice returns,” CCN noted. “Stay tuned for ticket details and get ready for an evening of glamour, generosity, and community spirit.”

For information about sponsoring the event or making a donation, contact the donor relations office at 905-885-0466.

Peterborough city council has endorsed a zoning by-law change that would allow a new mixed-used residential and commercial complex to be built on the site of Trentwinds International Centre at 264 Lansdowne Street East, east of Ashburnham Drive.

Meeting as general committee on Monday night (December 4), councillors endorsed an amendment to the zoning by-law that would rezone the property from commercial to residential, permitting Ellas Holdings Inc. to proceed with a site plan for an 11-storey and eight-storey residential apartment building complex on the north side of Lansdowne Street East just east of Ashburnham Drive.

The proposed mixed-use complex would contain 186 residential units along with up to 2,862 square metres of ground floor commercial space. The now-closed Trentwinds International Centre, which contained a motel and banquet centre, would be demolished for the new development.

The property at 264 Lansdowne Street East is surrounded by car dealerships to the west and northwest and vacant commercial lands to the north and east. For the vacant property at 292 Lansdowne Street East, immediately east of Trentwinds International Centre, an application is underway from another developer — Eastgate (Peterborough) Ltd. — for site plan approval for a one-storey five-unit commercial building that would include a drive-through restaurant.

A staff report from the city’s planning supports the proposed zoning by-law change, noting the proposal confirms with the city’s growth plan and official plan and the Ontario government’s 2020 provincial policy statement on land use planning.

“The proposal will assist the City in achieving its housing pledge to provide at least 4,700 units by 2031,” reads the staff report. “On that basis, staff respectfully recommends that the application be approved.”

Items endorsed by general committee will go to city council’s regular session on Monday (December 11) for consideration for approval. If council approves the recommendation, the proposal would require site plan approval before a building permit is issued.

PDF: Zoning By-law Amendment for 264 Lansdowne Street East, Report IPGPL23-00
Zoning By-law Amendment for 264 Lansdowne Street East, Report IPGPL23-00