The Kawartha Lakes Haliburton Ontario Health Team has launched a new online platform to help residents of Kawartha Lakes and Haliburton County find local health and well-being services.

When residents visit the website at www.klhoht.ca/find-services, they can enter their home address and find nearby available services. For some services, residents can self-refer or book an appointment directly through the platform.

As well as focusing on programs and services for older adults, mental health and addictions services, and child and youth services, the online platform also provides a means supporting referrals between local service providers to residents have access to all available supports and services.

Along with the new online platform, residents can also call 705-934-1439 if they have any questions about accessing health services.

“The launch of this platform continues the Kawartha Lakes Haliburton Ontario Health Team’s work towards increasing navigation support and our goal for our communities is to ensure that everyone has access to supportive community resources,” says the team’s executive director Stephanie MacLaren in a media release. “The new service navigation platform provides better access to those points of care and furthers a ‘no wrong door’ approach in accessing supports and services.”

The online platform uses technology created by Caredove, an Orillia-based company launched in 2012, that is used by more than 800 organizations across Canada, including Ontario health teams, to give the public a way to search for services and send self-referrals.

The Baptiste Lake Dam north of Bancroft is one of six aging dams across Ontario the provincial government will be rehabilitating at a cost of $22 million.

The Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry, which is responsible for the operation and maintenance of 310 dams across the province including the Baptiste Lake Dam, made the announcement on Friday (November 24).

Also known as the High Falls dam, the Baptiste Lake Dam is located at the outlet of the York River northwest of the hamlet of Birds Creek and controls the level of the lake. It was built in 1967, replacing a concrete dam built in 1932, which itself replaced a wooden dam built in 1866 by a logging company. Both earlier dams were replaced because of flooding issues.

The other five dams that are scheduled for rehabilitation are Agimak Lake Dam in the Township of Ignace, Manitou River Dam on Manitoulin Island, Kashegaba Lake Dam in the Municipality of Whitestone, Lyndhurst Dam in the Village of Lyndhurst, and Magnetawan Lake Dams in the Village of Magnetawan. The ministry says rehabilitation of the six dams will extend the useful service life of each dam for up to 100 years.

“The reconstruction of these six dams has been identified in the ministry’s long-term infrastructure plan as critical priorities to support public safety and the environment,” reads a media release from the ministry.

While no information was provided about when the rehabilitation work would begin on the six dams, members of the Baptiste Lake Association recently met with ministry representatives to discuss concerns about the condition of the current dam, and were told repairs were planned in 2024 subject to available funding.

I scream, you scream, we all scream … to fill the truck!

On Friday, December 15th, when Central Smith Creamery loads up their delivery truck, it won’t be with the premium ice cream for which the Selwyn-based company is known. Instead, they’ll be filling it with donated non-perishable food items collected by local businesses and organizations for Kawartha Food Share.

This will mark the third year the family-owned business has organized the “Fill the Truck” campaign. After running a food drive during the first pandemic holiday season to support the community through a difficult time, in 2021 the team at Central Smith decided to do something even larger.

“The great thing about this whole campaign is it was driven by staff,” says Central Smith vice president and co-owner Jenn Scates. “It started in a meeting where somebody suggested it would be cool if we could fill the truck, and (Fill the Truck) was born. We had a great committee of people that started reaching out to a lot of our partners.”

Participating businesses and organizations will launch their own independent food drives over the coming weeks to collect items for Fill the Truck. Then, on December 15, Central Smith “elves” will visit each location and collect the donated items, with the ultimate goal to fill at least one truck.

“What’s been great to see this year is that businesses are reaching out to us instead of us reaching out to them,” says Shannon Meagher, Central Smith’s inventory control coordinator. “People are getting to know what it is that we do every year.”

Meagher adds that it’s not just local businesses taking part, but organizations, churches, and schools. While some have participated each year since the inaugural campaign, the list has continued to grow, with more than 35 organizations already signed up to be involved this year. There is still opportunity for other groups to participate by contacting Central Smith before Friday, December 1st.

You can donate non-perishable food items at participating businesses and organizations, which include:

You can also drop off donations at the bins outside of Central Smith Creamery (and “buy a four-litre tub of ice cream at the same time,” jokes Scates).

At the end of last year’s collection day, Central Smith had dropped off 14,500 pounds of non-perishable food items — a full truckload — to Kawartha Food Share, as well as $10,000 in monetary donations.

“Since COVID, everyone knows that the community needs more assistance year after year, and that need continues to grow,” says Meagher. “This is a really great way for businesses to make a big impact.”

Central Smith will provide participating businesses with promotional material, including printed flyers and social media posts, as well as a list of high-demand non-perishable food items identified by Kawartha Food Share.

On pick-up day, the Central Smith truck will travel two separate routes, with one going through Lakefield and another visiting Peterborough locations. A map of the routes with participating locations will be released ahead of the collection date

Beyond the food collection itself, Scates acknowledges how rewarding it is to see the community coming together in support of a good cause and finding their own ways to get staff and clients involved. For example, Dentistry on Sherbrooke in Peterborough is encouraging clients to donate by welcoming them with a lobby display that includes a truck resembling the Central Smith truck.

“They’re having fun with it,” says Scates. “It’s been a real community builder for us, and we’ve gotten to know some new friends.”

Scates adds that while food donations are always appreciated at Kawartha Food Share, which distributes food to 37 food banks and cupboards in Peterborough County, monetary donations are just as highly valued and can often go a long way — for every $1 donated, Kawartha Food Share can purchase up to $3 worth of food.

“(Kawartha Food Share) has better buying power than you and I do,” says Scates. “We actually encourage a lot of our participants to give money because we know they can stretch it a little further than we can.”

Central Smith’s planning manager Katie Watt explains that, when dropping off the donations last year, the team was given a tour of the Kawartha Food Share to get a better sense and appreciation for what the organization does on a daily and weekly basis.

“We found out a lot more about the reach that they have and the amount of need that they’re fulfilling,” she says. “That’s only grown more and more this year with food insecurity on the rise. We can get the food to them, but they’re certainly the pros in distributing it amongst the community to the people that really need it.”

Given the increase in food insecurity and community need, Scates hopes Central Smith can exceed last year’s goal.

“We’re thrilled to be able to help host it again as a company and I’m so proud of all our staff for the initiative,” Scates says. “Last year we filled one truck fully, so if we can fill a truck-and-a-half or two trucks this year that would be amazing.”

Businesses and organizations interested in being a part of the Fill the Truck campaign can email shannon@centralsmith.ca or jenn@centralsmith.ca before December 1.

For more information about Central Smith Creamery, visit www.centralsmith.ca. For more information about Kawartha Food Share, visit www.kawarthafoodshare.com.

As the spring grand opening of The Canadian Canoe Museum’s new facility on the shores of Little Lake draws closer, the museum is approaching another monumental milestone as part of its move — its team has begun to install the remainder of the world’s largest collection of paddled watercraft in the Collection Hall.

While the canoes and kayaks featured in the new 20,000-square-foot Exhibition Hall have already been moved in, these 100 watercraft represent only one-sixth of the entire collection that will be housed in the state-of-the-art facility at 2077 Ashburnham Drive.

Over the coming months, another 500 watercraft will be installed in the similarly sized Collection Hall. Once that milestone has been completed, the entire collection will — for the first time in the museum’s history — be under one roof and accessible to visitors. At the museum’s previous Monaghan Road location, visitors could only see around 20 per cent of the collection on exhibit.

As the next phase of the “Move the Collection: The Final Portage” fundraising campaign, The Canadian Canoe Museum is launching the “Fill the Collection Hall” campaign on Giving Tuesday (November 28) to support moving the remaining watercraft into the Collection Hall.

“A key reason we’re making this move is to put this collection in a safe and accessible place that matches the quality and significance of the collection,” says Carolyn Hyslop, the museum’s executive director. “We’re giving the collection Class ‘A’ Museum Environmental Control standards with the infrastructure in place to look after it and make it accessible for visitors.”

Located on the main floor at the north end of the building, the Collection Hall will see the canoes and kayaks stacked on shelves, bow-to-stern and six vessels high. Each watercraft will be on a custom-built cradle, allowing for easier and safer transportation between the Collection Hall and the Exhibition Hall.

“At 20,000 square feet, this room has been designed to meet our commitment that the full collection would be stored on-site with room for growth,” says Jeremy Ward, the museum’s curator. “That’s always been out of reach for the public, as it’s always been in a warehouse that is not accessible except under exceptional circumstances, so this is a dream come true.”

Watercraft in the Collection Hall will be arranged by construction type, as it is the one piece of information that is known about every watercraft in the collection. Aside from practicality, associate curator Beth Stanley explains that the museum’s organizational methods will allow visitors to grasp the magnitude of the various vessels in the collection.

“It’s going to be very visually stunning, with a whole run of wood and canvas canoes in every colour you can imagine as far as you can see,” she says. “It really hits you what a unique collection this is when you can see the diversity of watercraft with different construction types, shapes, and sizes in one big room.”

A wall of windows will allow museum visitors to see what’s in the Collection Hall right from the atrium on the main floor when they enter the building.

“Visitors will always be able to walk up to the glass and get a sense of the story of the canoe in all its forms,” explains Ward. “A lot of effort goes into the design, layout, interpretation, and presentation of the collection in the Exhibition Hall, but when people step into the Collection Hall or look through the window, they will immediately realize the story of the canoe is so much bigger than they ever imagined.”

That story includes the late iconic Canadian author and environmentalist Farley Mowat’s beloved Vagabond (also nicknamed Conception), a 1920s Peterborough Canoe Co. canoe that he donated to the Canadian Canoe Museum in 2006. Farley’s father, Angus, first acquired the canoe and brought it to Saskatchewan during the Great Depression.

The canoe was Farley Mowat’s first connection to nature in his youth. It was used throughout his life, even moving back to Ontario with him. As an avid sailor, Mowat continued to modify the canoe’s sailing rig throughout the years. “We had a love affair, the canoe and I,” Mowat once said. “She was part of me.”

Vagabond has now been moved to the Collection Hall, where it will remain visible through the atrium windows. It is just one of many watercraft in the museum’s collection that will not initially be on display in the Exhibition Hall but represents a fascinating chapter in the story of the canoe.

While visitors will always be steps away from the windows of the Collection Hall while they browse the museum’s exhibits, grab a latte from the museum’s café, or visit the museum’s store, the Collection Hall will also be accessible for tours and by appointment. The museum’s design provides ample room to move a watercraft to ground level so guests, donors, and researchers can spend time with the canoe or kayak.

“The Collection Hall has been designed to accommodate traditional care practices, like smudging ceremonies,” notes Hyslop. “The entire building is designed with that in mind, so that kind of stewardship and care of the collection extends throughout the whole space.”

Small artifacts will be stored in a room separate from the Collection Hall, and that room will also be accessible for tours and by appointment.

With the Collection Hall on the first floor and the Exhibition Hall on the second floor, the museum has an ingenious method of moving watercraft from one floor to the other. When the atrium is not in use, the team will use a crane that swings out from the second-floor balcony to lower or lift a platform containing the watercraft on its custom-built cradle.

As for the atrium itself, it features a large east-facing curved window to let in lots of light, and the space can be rented after hours for corporate events. The south end of the atrium is the location of the museum’s café, with a seating area that leads out to a waterfront patio.

“One of the most amazing things about our architect’s creativity is their ability to find many uses for the same space,” says Ward. “We have so much efficiency in the design. At its very heart, the building is a functional and creative beauty. Its construction ensures that it meets all our needs.”

Hyslop adds that not only is the building’s design functional, but it immediately immerses visitors into the new museum and all that it offers beyond the exhibits. Right from the moment visitors enter the building, they can see through a floor-to-ceiling window into the Artisan Studio, where lots of hands-on activities will be taking place.

“We’ve made activities in the Artisan Studio visible to the public, so they are part of the regular visitor experience, whether you’re just coming in to go to the store or the café or whether you’re here for an exhibit visit and a tour,” says Hyslop. “We want people to be immersed in that making culture right from the moment they step through the front door.”

As the museum team continues moving the rest of the watercraft into the Collection Hall, they are also in the installation phase for the exhibits, working with knowledge holders and partners from coast to coast to coast. The Exhibition Hall will offer seven different exhibits exploring various themes through the lens of the over 100 canoes and kayaks on display.

“We’re bringing a lot of fresh, contemporary perspectives into the space,” says Ward. “The perspectives and stories reflect a balance of First Nation, Mètis, and Inuit watercraft, as well as canoes and kayaks and stories from peoples of all backgrounds.”

Work is also continuing on finishing the interior and exterior of the new building. Hyslop points out that, once all that work is completed, The Canadian Canoe Museum will just be at the beginning of its new life.

“The build we’re doing right now is amazing, but it is only the foundation for all of the programming and opportunities that will exist at the new location,” says Hyslop. “We’re looking forward to the days when we can return to welcoming visitors through the doors to see everything else the museum will offer.”

To support The Canadian Canoe Museum’s “Fill the Collection Hall” fundraising campaign, you can make a donation at canoemuseum.ca/ways-to-support.

For updates on the new museum, follow The Canadian Canoe Museum on Instagram and Facebook or subscribe to their newsletter.

The Canadian Canoe Museum’s Move the Collection: The Final Portage campaign is supported by McWilliams Moving & Storage Ltd (Lead Sponsor and Official Mover of The Canadian Canoe Museum), kawarthaNOW (Media Partner), Peterborough & the Kawarthas Tourism (Tourism Partner), Grant Thorton (Final Portage Partner), along with supporters and donors from far and wide.

kawarthaNOW is proud to be the official media sponsor of The Canadian Canoe Museum’s Move the Collection: The Final Portage Campaign.

This holiday season, community members donating to YWCA Peterborough Haliburton can double their impact through the “Shine a Light in the Darkness” holiday fundraising campaign. Local sponsors have banded together to match up to $48,500 in donations made to the charitable organization until December 31.

A member of YWCA Canada, YWCA Peterborough Haliburton provides safe shelter, resources, and support to women escaping gender-based violence and abuse in Peterborough and Haliburton County. The organization has been holding the holiday giving campaign annually for more than 10 years.

“It’s an incredible initiative and it really encourages folks in our community to donate generously and we’re so grateful,” says the YWCA’s new director of philanthropy Tina Thornton.

The list of sponsors making the donation match possible include Linz Hunt of Royal LePage Frank Real Estate Electric City, Ontario Insurance Network, HTM Insurance in Cobourg, Herod Financial Services, Olivia and Gord James, Alena Heitlinger and David Morrison, Baker Tilly, and GM Financial. Several other individuals and businesses who are sponsoring the campaign have chosen to remain anonymous.

“It’s amazing that so many of them are donating so generously and don’t request any acknowledgement for that gift,” Thornton points out.

For a more personalized gift, donors can choose to sponsor a woman and a child together, or a woman or a child individually depending on need, in either Peterborough or Haliburton County. There are also smaller donation options to provide a meal or a gift to a woman or child, again depending on their need.

“The sponsorship program has been part of our holiday giving campaign for a few years now,” says Meghan Moloney, communications manager for YWCA Peterborough Haliburton. “It allows us to immediately provide some support, in the form of either gift cards or gift certificates to specific local businesses, to a woman staying in the shelter over the holiday season.”

Moloney adds the YWCA also encourages gift card donations as they allow the women and families to have the freedom to customize the gifts to suit their needs and preferences. The organization recommends donations of $25 gift cards from President’s Choice, Sobeys, Walmart, Canadian Tire, Glecoff’s Family Store in Haliburton, and local pizza places — locations requested by the women accessing the YWCA’s services — as well as pre-paid gas cards and pre-paid credit cards.

Thornton explains that donations to the holiday campaign are extra important this year, as the shelter has seen a large influx of women accessing their services over the past few years.

Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been increased rates of gender-based violence across the country and across the world, referred to as the “shadow pandemic” by the United Nations. Rates of calls to help lines had a drastic increase immediately at the start of lockdowns.

Locally, the demand for services at YWCA Peterborough Haliburton reached new record-breaking highs in 2021. According to the organization’s 2023 annual report, there was a 70 per cent increase in the number of women who accessed the YWCA Crossroads Shelter from the previous year.

“Financially, our need is quite great this year, as over one-third of the cost for our wrap-around programming comes through donations from our community,” Thornton says. “The demand has unfortunately never been greater. We are also seeing a shift in the level of severity and complexity for the clients coming to us.”

The matched donations for the “Shine a Light in the Darkness” Campaign will support many of YWCA’s lifesaving programs and safe spaces, including shelter operation, the START program, the transitional housing and outreach program, well-being counselling, peer support programming, family court support, and basic necessities and food for the women and children staying in safe places.

“We like to refer to it as a journey of care,” explains Thornton. “It’s an umbrella of supportive programming that starts from the moment that woman makes the choice with that first crisis call — with counsellors there to support her 24 hours per day — right up to the point where we’re providing second-stage housing for her and she’s standing on her own two feet and regaining her independence.”

“By supporting our holiday giving campaign, community members can truly help shine a light in the darkness for those who need it the most,” adds Moloney.

Despite the increased demand for services at the YWCA, Thornton and Moloney remain encouraged by the amount of support they have seen from the community and will continue to see throughout the holiday season.

“We have a very philanthropic community,” Thornton says. “We’re incredibly optimistic and we really believe that our community will answer the call for support and, of course, we’re so grateful to those who have already made the choice to donate so generously.”

For a donation to be matched dollar for dollar up to $48,500, donations must be made by midnight on Sunday, December 31st.

To make an online donation, visit ywcapeterborough.org. Donations can also be mailed to YWCA Peterborough Haliburton, 216 Simcoe Street, Peterborough ON K9H 2H7 or over the phone by calling 705-743-3526.