The Mini Pop Kids (Kyra, Julia, Noam, Glee, Aliya Rose, Abby, Vasili, and Izzy) will perform family-friendly covers of hit pop tunes at Showplace Performance Centre at 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. on April 8, 2023. Students from Peterborough dance school Imagine Studios will be joining them on stage. (Photo: Mini Pop Kids / K-Tel)
Students from local dance school Imagine Studios will be joining Mini Pop Kids on stage at Showplace Performance Centre in downtown Peterborough on Saturday, April 8th.
Mini Pop Kids, Canada’s best-selling children’s music group, kicked off their 2023 Canadian tour in Calgary on February 12 and will now be performing two shows in Peterborough on April 8. With the 2 p.m. matinee show almost sold out, a 6 p.m. evening performance has been added.
Tickets range from $41 to $52.87, depending on seat location, with VIP tickets costing $82.25. Tickets are available in person at the Showplace box office (290 George St. N.) from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday to Thursday and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday or online anytime at showplace.org.
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Mini Pop Kids is a concert experience for both children and their parents featuring kids performing family-friendly covers of the year’s biggest hits (alongside throwback favourites) from artists including Lizzo, Justin Bieber, Dua Lipa, BTS, Harry Styles, Olivia Rodrigo, and more.
Win a Family VIP Package
kawarthaNOW will be giving away a family VIP package to see the 6 p.m. performance of Mini Pop Kids at Showplace! The package includes four VIP tickets with premium seating, a meet-and-greet after the show, VIP lanyards, an autographed poster, and two Mini Pop Kids T-shirts. To qualify for the family VIP package, become a VIP reader by subscribing to kawarthaNOW’s weekly e-news.
First launched in the 1980s with talented children singing pop hits of the day, Mini Pop Kids went on to sell millions of albums worldwide. With the original Mini Pop Kids fans now grown up with kids of their own, the famous K-tel brand relaunched Mini Pop Kids in Canada in 2004.
Since then, Mini Pop Kids has been Canada’s top children’s music group for 19 years, topping the iTunes and Billboard charts with more than a million albums sold and over 2.3 billion digital streams across all platforms so far.
For the Showplace Performance Centre performances, students from Imagine Studios dance school in Peterborough will join Mini Pop Kids on stage.
“It is a wonderful opportunity for local kids to be part of a professional production, and hopefully encourage them to shoot for their dreams,” a K-tel representative tells kawarthaNOW.
You can get a taste of Mini Pop Kids with their recent video for “About That Time”, a family-friendly cover of Lizzo’s ’70s-inspired disco-funk earworm “About Damn Time” that includes highlights from Mini Pop Kids’ 2022 tour, including the kids’ high-energy performances and fun-filled interactions with fans.
VIDEO: “About That Time” (“About Damn Time” Lizzo cover) performed by Mini Pop Kids
Police have recovered the body of a man went missing after going ice fishing in Hastings Highlands on Friday night (March 24).
At around 9:30 a.m. on Saturday, officers with the Bancroft Ontario Provincial Police with assistance from the OPP Emergency Response Team responded to a report of a man who had gone out ice fishing on Bark Lake the night before and hadn’t returned home.
Bark Lake is located around 20 kilometres northeast of Maynooth and 10 kilometres east of Barry’s Bay.
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The OPP Underwater Search and Recovery Unit was called in and located the body of the missing fisherman just after 11 a.m. on Sunday morning.
The investigation is ongoing and a post mortem examination is being conducted.
Police have not yet released the identity of the victim.
These six Peterborough entrepreneurs have taken their creative ventures to the next level by participating in Starter Company Plus, an entrepreneurial training program offered locally by the Peterborough & the Kawarthas Economic Development Business Advisory Centre with funding from the Ontario government. Left to right, top and bottom: Matt Anderson of Chemong City Greens, Debra Ragbar of Kawartha Spice Company Inc., Angela McDonald of The Florest, Mike Frampton of Tragically Dipped Donut, Alicia Doris of Living Local Marketplace, and Lewis Parker of East City Guitar Co. (Photos: Jenish Odigski / PKED)
Known for their creativity, ingenuity, and resourcefulness, makers often approach problems with a can-do attitude and a willingness to keep on trying until they get it right.
For six Peterborough entrepreneurs who specialize in crafted products, that can-do attitude helped them succeed despite the seemingly overwhelming challenges of the pandemic.
Entrepreneurs planning to launch a new venture or to expand their existing business faced a series of difficult questions posed by the pandemic. Would economic uncertainty undermine the demand for their products? Could they navigate the rollercoaster of lockdowns to reach their customers? What was the best way to market their unique creations?
Whether growing microgreens, offering custom spice blends, designing floral arrangements, crafting delicious donuts, curating the work of local makers, or building and repairing guitars, these six entrepreneurs believed in the strength of their creative businesses, and then took them to the next level by participating in Starter Company Plus.
The entrepreneurial training program, offered locally by the Peterborough & the Kawarthas Economic Development Business Advisory Centre with funding from the Ontario government, provided these entrepreneurs with the expert guidance and support they needed to position their creative ventures for success.
Find out about their businesses, in their own words, below.
Matt Anderson, owner of Chemong City Greens. (Photo: Jenish Odigski)
Chemong City Greens grows organic microgreens – the young plants of herbs and vegetables. They are rich in nutrients and flavour and add colour to every meal. We grow indoors, using innovative agricultural practices, and deliver weekly to grocers, restaurants, and home consumers in the Peterborough area.
Our microgreens are grown in organic soil and are free of synthetic inputs. Because we grow indoors, microgreens are always in season and provide a year-round source of fresh, delicious, nutrient-dense food.
Microgreens can be grown indoors, offering year-round production to cultivate and produce locally grown produce in seasons like winter when most produce has to be imported. By being a direct-to-consumer farm offering same day harvest and delivery, we can offer a variety of locally produced microgreens at affordable prices, all the while nourishing the community with delicious organic microgreens.
Debra Ragbar, owner of Kawartha Spice Company Inc. (Photo: Jenish Odigski)
Kawartha Spice Company is a woman-owned company specializing in making spice blends that are gluten-free, salt-free, non-GMO and vegan. We offer a total of 20 blends for savoury, desserts, and beverages.
The company was incorporated in September 2020 and is based in Peterborough. To date, there are 24 stockists in Ontario, including specialty food shops, fine butchers, wineries, gift shops, subscription boxes, and gift baskets. We also supply bulk quantities to the food service industry and attend trade shows and markets.
Providing spice blends to individuals who are celiac and others who need to eliminate salt from their diets, I develop all the recipes for each blend. I grind each blend in small batches using only premium whole spices and premium quality herbs. There are no fillers or preservatives. The signature blend, Guyanese Curry Powder, is a legacy from my female ancestors who developed the recipe more than 200 years ago.
Angela McDonald, owner of The Florest. (Photo: Jenish Odigski)
The Florest is a home-based florist business in Peterborough. The Florest was born out of a desire for creativity, connecting people to nature, and a long-lived passion for florals. I was raised in the floral industry here in Peterborough and continue to use my skills and design knowledge to bring fresh, unique florals to our beautiful city. Each order and arrangement are made with the intention of providing a connection between people.
The Florest uses premium fabulous flowers to create beautiful and unique designs. Each week, The Florest has a seasonal, often Ontario-local, curated selection of fresh flowers available to customers. I work with customers to choose the best options for their needs, providing exceptional personal customer service and a positive experience.
Mike Frampton, owner of Tragically Dipped Donut. (Photo: Jenish Odigski)
Tragically Dipped Donut prides itself on making donuts that are ‘behind by a century.’
Our small team makes everything from scratch, from dough to fillings to toppings, fresh every day. We use seasonal and local flavours whenever possible, and work to support the Peterborough community and bring more people to our amazing downtown core.
Tragically Dipped is making real (fried) fresh donuts every day. No day-olds or baked-from-frozen here.
We provide gluten-friendly options, and we are completely nut-free so that we can assure folks who can’t always find a safe, delicious treat that they’ll find one here.
Alicia Doris, owner of Living Local Marketplace. (Photo: Jenish Odigski)
From its bricks-and-mortar and online boutiques, Living Local Marketplace shares the work of artisans and small businesses from the Kawarthas and from across the province.
Hundreds of lovely, local entrepreneurs — the people behind the products — are featured through their work in an array of sections such as bath and body, babies and children, gourmet and home goods, and jewellery and accessories.
We offer personal gifting, and a completely customized corporate gifting program. Whether it’s one box or 101 boxes, we would love to work with you.
This is a new way to live and local, born out of a passion project in the early days of the pandemic.
Living Local’s one-of-a-kind build-a-box option allows its clients to create completely customized gift boxes, both online and in-store.
Beautifully branded boxes, gift tags and ribbon are complementary — our way of expressing our thanks and local love. Gift boxes are available for local delivery and shipping.
Lewis Parker, owner of East City Guitar Co. (Photo: PKED)
Out of my small shop in East City, I build electric and acoustic guitars sold across Canada.
I also offer CNC services to OEM clients across North America.
I also provide guitar repair services and workshops to customers in the Peterborough area.
What makes my business unique is my blend of modern technology and traditional craftsmanship as well as a willingness to teach and share my knowledge of the craft with others through courses and workshops.
This is one of a series of branded editorials created in partnership with Peterborough & the Kawarthas Economic Development. If your organization or business is interested in a branded editorial, contact us.
Environment Canada has issued a winter weather travel advisory for the northern Kawarthas region beginning Saturday afternoon (March 25).
The winter weather travel advisory is in effect for northern Peterborough County, northern Kawartha Lakes, Haliburton County, and Hastings Highlands.
Snow is forecast to begin near noon Saturday and may become mixed with freezing rain or ice pellets at times during the afternoon. Snow may change to or become mixed with rain Saturday night.
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Total snowfall accumulations of 7 to 14 cm are possible, with reduced visibility in heavy snow at times.
Motorists should expect hazardous winter driving conditions and adjust travel plans accordingly. Be prepared to adjust your driving with changing road conditions. Take extra care when walking or driving in affected areas. Slow down driving in slippery conditions. Watch for taillights ahead and maintain a safe following distance.
A special weather statement also remains in effect Saturday for the southern Kawarthas region, including southern Peterborough County, southern Kawartha Lakes, and Northumberland County. Snow will be mixed with ice pellets at times, before turning to rain in the afternoon accompanied with strong winds gusting to 70 to 80 km/h in the evening. There is also there is a risk of freezing rain.
Toronto-based Juno-nominated jazz quartet Time Warp (Al Henderson, Barry Elmes, Kelly Jefferson, and Kevin Turcotte) will headline International Jazz Day Peterborough on April 30, 2023 with a matinee concert at Market Hall Performing Arts Centre in downtown Peterborough. (kawarthaNOW collage of photos from Time Warp)
After a three-year hiatus due to the pandemic, International Jazz Day musical celebrations are returning to downtown Peterborough at the end of April.
International Jazz Day was first proposed by iconic jazz pianist and composer Herbie Hancock in 2011, after he was designated as a Goodwill Ambassador for Intercultural Dialogue for the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
UNESCO subsequently proclaimed April 30th to be International Jazz Day beginning in 2012 and now, 11 years later, over 200 countries participate every year.
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“The reason is because jazz has functioned in a lot of obvious ways, as music that has made a lot of people over the planet very happy,” Hancock said in a 2012 interview. “At the same time, it’s been a music that has brought people together. It has been embraced by people from various cultures as their own — it’s not thought of as a foreign music. We thought it’s long overdue that jazz be recognized in this very special way.”
International Jazz Day Peterborough was first organized in 2015 by local jazz musicians including Craig Paterson, with the goal of bringing together the community, local businesses, and jazz enthusiasts so that people can enjoy the diversity of the genre today. Once again this year, the City of Peterborough has proclaimed April 30th as International Jazz Day.
This year’s event will be celebrated over two days. ‘Dine with Jazz’ performances featuring local jazz musicians will take place the evening of Saturday, April 29th at four restaurants in downtown Peterborough, along with a Saturday night jazz show at the Black Horse Pub featuring Toronto jazz vocalist Denielle Bassels, followed by a ticketed concert the afternoon of Sunday, April 30th at Market Hall Performing Arts Centre featuring Canadian jazz quartet Time Warp.
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Dine with Jazz – Saturday, April 29 from 6 to 8 p.m.
This year’s International Jazz Day Peterborough includes ‘Dine with Jazz’ events on April 29, 2023 at restaurants in downtown Peterborough, including violinist Victoria Yeh and guitarist Mike Graham at Amandala’s Restaurant. (Photo courtesy of Victoria Yeh and Mike Graham)
Mike Graham and Victoria Yeh at Amandala’s Restaurant (375 Water St., Peterborough, 705-749-9090). Mike Graham has been playing jazz guitar in Peterborough for many years in a variety of settings and groups. Victoria Yeh is a jazz violinist who recently moved to Peterborough.
Pete Woolidge and Michael Monis at La Hacienda Mexican Restaurant (190 Hunter St. W., Peterborough, 705-742-1559). Pete Woolidge has been playing jazz piano for many years. A career guitarist, Michael Monis is a talented player of jazz.
Chris Parnis and Miles Cakebread-Kraus at Curry Village (306 George St. N., Peterborough, 705-742-1432). Chris Parnis is a young bassist from Peterborough who has been studying and playing in Toronto. Miles Cakebread-Kraus is a young guitarist who has also been studying and playing in Toronto.
Rob Phillips Trio at Nateure’s Plate (182 Charlotte St., Peterborough, 705-874-1215). Pianist Rob Phillips has played at the Black Horse Pub’s Thursday night jazz show for 10 years, having recently celebrated his 500th performance there. The other long-time members of the Rob Phillips Trio are bassist Dennis Pendrith and drummer Curtis Cronkwright.
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Denielle Bassels Quintet – Saturday, April 29 from 9 to 11 p.m.
Toronto jazz vocalist and songwriter Denielle Bassels will perform with her quintet (Jacob Gorzhaltsan on sax/clarinet, Julien Bradley Combs on guitar, Ross Macintyre on upright bass, and Andrew Scott on drums) at The Black Horse Pub (452 George St. N., Peterborough, 705-742-0633), with no cover charge.
A rising star on the Canadian jazz scene, Bassels’s music is a mix of jazz manouche, blues, folk, and pop delivered with her powerful contralto voice. “Think of Ella Fitzgerald sipping tea on a rollercoaster with the Mad Hatter, and you will know what a night of a Denielle Bassels concert is like,” according to her website.
VIDEO: “Little Bit A’ Love” – Denielle Bassels
Bassels’ first album of original songs, What About Wool Wishbags, was voted one of the top five albums of 2017 by Terry McElligot of JAZZ.FM91, and seven of the 11 songs went on to win songwriting awards, with “Cool Cool Water” garnering the grand prize in the John Lennon Song Competition.
With her new single “Little Bit A’ Love” out now and three more singles coming, Bassels will be releasing a new album in early June.
Time Warp – Sunday, April 30th from 2 to 4 p.m.
Canadian jazz quartet Time Warp will perform a matinee concert at 140 Charlotte St., Peterborough, 705-749-1146).
One of Canada’s longest-lived jazz groups, the Juno-nominated band was co-founded in Toronto in 1980 by drummer Barry Elmes and bassist Al Henderson, who currently co-lead the band. The group once included Juno award-winning saxophonist Mike Murley, and currently features Kelly Jefferson on tenor and soprano sax along with long-time member Kevin Turcotte on trumpet and flugelhorn.
VIDEO: “Savanna” – Time Warp (1992, featuring Mike Murley on tenor sax)
Time Warp has a unique style and vast original repertoire drawing on musical and cultural influences from around the world, including contemporary and traditional jazz, R&B, and blues as well as West African music, Japanese koto music, Hungarian folk songs, North American urban funk rhythms, New Orleans parade music, country waltzes, and more.
The band’s best-known pieces include Henderson’s ‘Theme for Coleman Hawkins’, ‘Nommo’, and ‘Crankcase’, and Elmes’ ‘Black Koto’, ‘Sonny’s Tune’, and ‘Blue Mustard’. A folio of 21 Time Warp compositions was issued by Galt Rhythm Machine Music in 1985. Time Warp’s tunes also have been recorded by Jane Bunnett, Shox Johnson and the Jive Bombers, Moe Koffman, and the Shuffle Demons.
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The late Geoff Chapman, former jazz writer for The Toronto Star, once wrote “Is there a better band in this part of the world? I doubt it.”
Tickets are $36 (plus fees) for assigned cabaret table and assigned regular seating and are available in person at the Market Hall box office from 12 to 5 p.m. Monday to Friday or online anytime at markethall.org.
UNESCO proclaimed April 30th to be International Jazz Day beginning in 2012. International Jazz Day Peterborough takes place over two days in downtown Peterborough on April 29 and 30, 2023. (Poster: We Design Group)
kawarthaNOW is proud to be a long-time media sponsor of International Jazz Day Peterborough.
Representatives from Scotiabank joined Peterborough Regional Health Centre (PRHC) Foundation president and CEO Lesley Heighway (second from right) on March 9, 2023 for the dedication of the hospital's new youth eating disorders day treatment program and clinic space, named after Scotiabank in recognition of a $250,000 pledge to fund the essential treatment area for the program.
Also pictured from left to right are Scotiabank's senior manager of regional marketing Sunny Sekhon, small business development manager Nolan Frazer, Portage Place branch manager Larry Toupin, Summit Plaza branch manager Charlyne MacDonald, senior vice president Lesly Tayles, district vice president Chris Skinner, and regional director of wealth partnerships Michelle Power. (Photo courtesy of PRHC Foundation)
Peterborough Regional Health Centre (PRHC) has officially unveiled its new youth eating disorders day treatment program and clinic space, which has been named after Scotiabank.
Scotiabank representatives were at the hospital on March 9 for the dedication event, which celebrated Scotiabank’s $250,000 pledge to fund the essential treatment area for the program..
The day treatment program and clinic space launched in December in response to “devastating increases in demand,” according to a media release from the PRHC Foundation.
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“Eating disorders are known to thrive in isolation, something young people have had an abundance of during the pandemic,” said Jennifer Cox, director of mental health and addictions at PRHC. “When you combine changes in routine, the anxiety many of us are feeling about the future, and increased media attention on weight and our bodies, the result is a perfect storm for increasing susceptibility in developing life-threatening eating disorders.”
The Scotiabank Youth Eating Disorders Day Treatment Program is designed to support youth 12 to 25 years old who need lifesaving care to normalize their eating and restore weight.
The program will help fill the treatment gap between those who can be successfully treated in an out-patient setting, and those who need more supervised acute treatment and support to avoid admission to hospital or a long-term residential program.
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Chris Skinner, Scotiabank’s district vice president of central east Ontario, says the financial institution has a long history and strong culture of investing in the communities where they operate.
“Supporting the youth eating disorders day treatment program at PRHC is a vital opportunity to contribute to the mental and physical health of young people in this area now, so that they may have a better chance at a healthy future,” Skinner said.
According to PRHC Foundation president and CEO Lesley Heighway, the program has been having a “tremendous impact” on young people in the region since it opened in December.
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“Even before the pandemic, referrals for PRHC’s outpatient program were on the rise,” Heighway explained. “The impact of that pre-existing surge combined with pandemic-exacerbated mental health challenges is now being felt across the health system.”
“PRHC’s doctors, nurses and staff want to give their patients and participants the best care possible, but we needed to invest in the safe, functional, and healing spaces that support that lifesaving and life-changing care,” she added.
“On behalf of everyone at PRHC and the many youth who rely on the health centre for eating disorders treatment, thank you to Scotiabank for sharing that vision and helping to ensure young people will receive the specialized, compassionate care they need and deserve.”
This story has been updated to correct the date of the dedication ceremony, which took place on March 9 rather than March 24, 2023.
Environment Canada has issued a special weather statement for the entire greater Kawarthas region for a wintry mix of precipitation on Saturday (March 25).
The special weather statement is in effect for Peterborough County, the City of Kawartha Lakes, Hastings County, Haliburton County, and Northumberland County.
For the southern areas of the region, precipitation in the form of snow or possibly freezing rain is forecast to develop Saturday morning. Any snow or freezing rain will rapidly transition to rain late Saturday morning or Saturday afternoon, as temperatures quickly rise above zero. Some impacts to travel will be possible Saturday morning.
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In addition to the wintry precipitation and rain, strong winds gusting up to 70 or 80 km/h are also expected Saturday into Saturday night. Given the forecast of these strong winds, local power outages will be possible.
For the northern areas of the region, snow is forecast to develop Saturday morning or early Saturday afternoon. The snow is expected to last for a few hours before transitioning to rain Saturday evening or Saturday night. Snowfall accumulations of 5 to 10 cm will be possible.
However, areas near Algonquin Park and the Ottawa River Valley may receive as much as 10 to 15 cm of new snowfall before the change to rain. Given this snowfall, impacts to travel can be expected.
There remains uncertainty as to the exact details of this coming weather event.
Niagara Falls alt-rock and pop band James Blonde (guitarist Steph Mercier, drummer Phil Taylor, and bassist Neil Carson) will be performing at Jethro's Bar + Stage in downtown Peterborough on Wednesday, March 29 with Peterborough-born folk-rock band JJ and The Pillars. (Photo: James Blonde)
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, March 23 to Wednesday, March 29.
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).
Friday, March 31 9pm - BA Johnston, the Mickies, Beef Boys ($10 at door)
Saturday, April 1 10pm - The Human Rights w/ Dub Trinity, MUVA Soundsysterm, DJ Chocolate ($16.50 in advance at https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/475884131247, $20 at door)
Friday, April 14 9pm - Cheap Suits, Kingfisher, Nothing Serious, Bayside Dropouts ($10 at door)
Thursday, May 4 8pm - The Bravery Shakes w/ Kyla Tilley and Paul Cafcae
The Rockcliffe - Moore Falls
1014 Lois Lane, Minden
705-454-9555
Saturday, March 25
7:30pm - Bob Webster
Coming Soon
Friday, March 31 8pm - Jeff Moulton
Saturday, April 1 8pm - Joe Garrisi
Scenery Drive Restaurant
6193 County Road 45, Baltimore
905-349-2217
Friday, March 24
4-7pm - Mike Tremblay
Saturday, March 25
4-7pm - Darren Bailey
Southside Pizzeria
25 Lansdowne St. W., Peterborough
(705) 748-6120
Friday, March 24
9am-12pm - Open mic
The Thirsty Goose
63 Walton St., Port Hope
Friday, March 24
8pm-12am - Jacob Henley
Saturday, March 25
8pm-12am - Jordan Thomas
The Venue
286 George Street North, Peterborough
(705) 876-0008
Peterborough police staff sergeant Dan MacLean spoke to the media on March 23, 2023 after a three-year-old girl died in hospital from injuries she sustained when she was struck in the driveway of a Woodglade Boulevard home when a vehicle left the roadway. (kawarthaNOW screenshot of Peterborough Police Service video)
A three-year-old girl has died after she was struck in the driveway of a Woodglade Boulevard home by an SUV that had left the road.
The collision happened around 9 a.m. on Thursday morning (March 23) between Kawartha Heights Boulevard and Sherbrooke Street.
The girl was rushed to Peterborough Regional Health Centre with life-threatening injuries. At 2 p.m. on Thursday afternoon, police reported the girl had succumbed to her injuries in hospital.
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According to Peterborough police staff sergeant Dan MacLean, there were two other children in the driveway at the time of the collision but they were not injured.
MacLean would not comment on whether the vehicle left the roadway because the driver was in medical distress, or whether the mechanical fitness of the vehicle or speed were factors.
“These are all things that will be part of our investigation, and we’ll be completing a full investigation as it is a very serious incident,” MacLean said.
VIDEO: Collision Update March 23 2023
Police provided no information about the driver or if they will face charges.
MacLean said he expected the area to remain closed until later on Thursday afternoon while police complete the investigation.
Anyone with information is asked to call Peterborough Police at 705-876-1122 x555 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or online at online at stopcrimehere.ca.
My heart is broken and words cannot express the overwhelming sadness I feel for the family of the child who was struck…
A few of the many downed and damaged trees in Roger's Cove Park in Peterborough after the May 21, 2022 derecho storm, which also caused massive damage to power lines and utility pole and homes and properties. (Photo: Bruce Head)
“I’m drawn to story-telling,” says Ev Richardson. “I couldn’t have anticipated that when I walked down Burnham Street in late summer of 2022 that I would notice a stump and have an idea that launched a community project.”
Each week, GreenUP provides a story related to the environment. This week’s column is by Lili Paradi, GreenUP Communications Manager, and Ev Richardson, Program and Outreach Coordinator with the Kawartha World Issues Centre.
Richardson is the program and outreach coordinator at the Kawartha World Issues Centre (KWIC) and the creator of the ‘Stump Stories’ initiative. Through the process of reflection, Stump Stories invites community members to share their experience of the May 21, 2022 derecho storm.
Two recent Stump Stories submitted to KWIC, featured here, reflect on changes to the landscape in the aftermath of the storm.
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Cheryl Lyon, homeowner and member of GreenZine Editorial Collective
Cheryl Lyon’s Norway maple marked for felling by the municipality after the May 21, 2022 derecho storm. The city’s tree removal by-law helps to protect and enhance the tree canopy and natural vegetation in the municipality. After events like the derecho, certain trees must be felled to maintain the safety of city streets. (Photo: Cheryl Lyon)
The dreaded orange dot! There it was on the beloved old Norway maple in front of my home after the derecho. ‘Betty’, as I had affectionately named her, was marked for felling! The pang of grief was palpable and I still feel it now.
I knew she was old and considered an invasive species but she was deeply part of my experience of home. For 21 years, she had shaded my south-facing house, acting as my air conditioning system. She seemed to anchor the ecology of my little plot of land.
I called the forestry department at City Hall to find out when and how she would be cut down. I learned what trees were available for replanting, had some choice (informed by my own research with GreenUP’s Ecology Park & Native Plant Nursery) in the type suitable to our climate.
I needed to know how the ecology of my front yard would change after Betty. As our climate changes and summers get warmer, I realized that I needed to plan how cool the house would be without her generous shade.
As for Betty’s replacement? From among the choices on the city’s approved list, it will be a basswood for its lovely shape and the tea I can make from its blossoms.
– Cheryl Lyon
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Hayden Wilson, Land Stewardship Coordinator, Kawartha Land Trust (KLT)
Kawartha Land Trust’s Jeffrey-Cowan Forest Preserve is well known for its towering stands of mature white pine and oak trees. The protected property saw more than average numbers of fallen trees after the May 21, 2022 derecho storm. (Photo: Hayden Wilson)
The May 21 derecho affected a number of Kawartha Land Trust’s protected properties. The winds tore through the Jeffrey-Cowan Forest Preserve, a trail known for its towering stands of mature white pine and oak trees. The preserve was left with a drastically different ecosystem.
During the brief storm, hundreds of trees, some over a hundred years old, fell in swaths — one on top of the other. The loss of mature forest stands is certainly a blow to bird species that favour them like scarlet tanagers and thrushes.
New growth is already springing up from the exposed forest floor. Species of aspen, birch, oak, and pine are growing and sending out new shoots which will begin rebuilding the canopy.
With the open canopy, the former understory is also showing new diversity and many species of wildflowers are likely to flourish in the coming years.
The Jeffrey-Cowan Forest Preserve will recover, but it will take time and support for conservation to help mitigate the effects of climate change.
– Hayden Wilson
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As these two Stump Stories demonstrate, change in the landscape did not come without an emotional toll.
Richardson describes the derecho storm and its aftermath as “a time of panic, uncertainty and isolation, similar to when mourning the death of family members.”
“I’m fortunate that I didn’t lose anyone during the storm, and offer my condolences to those who did,” Richardson says.
Mindfulness practitioner and educator Yishin Khoo used mindfulness tools as a way of dealing with unpleasant emotions arising from climate anxiety and the impact of the storm.
“Mindfulness is the energy to be aware and awake to the present moment,” Khoo reflects. “When I am mindful, my mind is not busy thinking about the past or the future nor is my mind caught up in present worries.”
“When reading news coverage of disasters in different parts of the world, maintaining a sense of mindfulness helped me notice how the information I was consuming had an impact on my body and emotions. Instead of pushing sadness, fear, and anxiety away, I learned to accept, embrace, and take care of these feelings.”
The City of Peterborough declared a state of emergency after the May 21, 2022 derecho storm, which caused massive damage to power lines and utility poles, homes and properties, and trees. (Photo: Eileen Kimmett)
Each community member in Peterborough had a different experience with the derecho storm. Stump Stories continues to bring these experiences to light.
The story initiative will continue to be featured on Kawartha World Issues Centre’s website at www.kwic.info/stump-stories and social media channels. We encourage you to share widely how the derecho storm impacted you, your home, your community, and your surroundings by emailing stumpstories@kwic.info.
“Inviting people to share their personal anecdotes about the storm and the changing environment is only the start of the conversation,” Richardson says.
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Local historians may know GreenUP began as an emerging initiative under the umbrella program of KWIC, a long-standing partner working on sharing local stories and empowering the community to take action for their environment and climate.
GreenUP thanks KWIC for this third and final column in the Stump Stories series.
We look forward to sharing future columns that will continue to touch on themes of community resilience, climate grief, and how everyone can participate in the climate change mitigation and adaptation.
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.
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