Hayley Hodges, client and family engagement lead at Five Counties Children's Centre, displays a poster for "Ready for School 101" sessions the children's treatment centre is hosting in August for children with disabilities or exceptionalities who are heading to school for the first time and their families. The sessions take place at Five Counties sites in Peterborough (Aug. 20), Cobourg (Aug. 21) and Lindsay (Aug. 22). (Photo: Five Counties)
Starting school for the first time can be especially daunting for children with special needs, and Five Counties Children’s Centre is hoping “to help reduce that anxiety.”
The children’s treatment centre, which serves kids and caregivers in the Kawartha Lakes and Peterborough, Northumberland, Haliburton and Hastings counties, is hosting three upcoming sessions that target preparedness for class.
Five Counties is hosting “Ready for School 101” family info fairs at its sites in Peterborough on August 20, in Cobourg on August 21, and in Lindsay on August 22.
Advertisement - content continues below
The goal of the sessions is to ease the transition to school for kids starting junior kindergarten, senior kindergarten, and Grade 1 — “making it less worrisome for families whose children may face greater challenges due to physical, developmental or communication needs,” Five Counties noted in a media release.
“Any time a child starts school is a big deal for families, but it can be even more nerve-wracking for parents and caregivers whose child has a disability or exceptionality,” said Hayley Hodges, client and family engagement lead at Five Counties, who is organizing the sessions. “We want to help reduce that anxiety for kids and parents by inviting families to attend our ready for school events.”
Each of the ready for school sessions run from 4 to 6:30 p.m. The sessions are free for families, but advance registration is required. Child care will be available.
Advertisement - content continues below
Five Counties said attendees will be able to:
Gain knowledge and experience about going to school for the first time
Hear from other parents whose kids with disabilities or exceptionalities have successfully made the transition to school
Ask questions of Five Counties clinicians and other professionals who support students
Learn how to advocate for their child, while learning about school-based resources to support them
Get on board a school bus to see what the ride entails
Receive snack and welcome packages, including tools, toys, and tips
Access resources, including the “6Fs” of child development “that can help introduce a child with unique needs to their new school setting.”
As defined by McMaster University’s CanChild research centre, the 6Fs are six “F-words” (Function, Family, Fitness, Fun, Friends, and Future) that are grounded in the World Health Organization’s international classification of functioning, disability, and health framework. The F-words focus on six key areas of child development. Learn more on the CanChild website.
Advertisement - content continues below
The ready for school sessions organized by Five Counties are not meant to duplicate other school-preparation events, Hodges noted, but to provide additional support for children with special needs and their families.
“Our focus at Five Counties is to help kids and youth with disabilities and exceptionalities build their abilities for life,” she said. “One of the biggest life-changing events a child goes through is starting school, so it makes sense for Five Counties to be there for families who may need extra help and reassurance at this time. We hope families will see value in this and join us.”
Five Counties is a regional organization serving children with special needs. Centre staff works with kids and youth to support their communication, physical needs, developmental needs, and more. For more information and to register for a free ready for school session, visit fivecounties.on.ca/mt-event/ready-for-school/.
The Peterborough Symphony Orchestra is teaming up with the Peterborough Field Naturalists for an afternoon of learning and listening at the orchestra's first-ever Musical Nature Walk. On September 14, 2024, field naturalists will take guests on short walks through Buckhorn's Tecasy Ranch to learn about the area's flora and fauna while stopping for intermittent short performances from orchestra musicians. (Photo: Tecasy Ranch)
The Peterborough Symphony Orchestra might be taking a rest before the start of the 2024-25 season, but that doesn’t mean its musicians are taking a break from sharing their passion with those who will listen — and for their next outreach this fall, they’re bringing it outside.
With a stunning classical music backdrop and a trail walk along secluded woodland acres, the non-profit organization’s Musical Nature Walk will have you feeling like you’ve stepping into a National Geographic program.
On Saturday, September 14th from 1 to 3:30 p.m., the orchestra is joining forces with the Peterborough Field Naturalists for an afternoon of exploring, learning, and listening at Tecasy Ranch, just 40 minutes outside Peterborough between Buckhorn and Burleigh Falls.
Advertisement - content continues below
Share on Bluesky
Encouraged to carpool, guests will meet at the 550-acre private property, where they will be divided into smaller groups of eight to 10 people. Led by a knowledgeable field naturalist, groups will learn about the flora and fauna that surrounds them while walking to four different stops and hearing performances from selected musicians with the orchestra.
“Nature is obviously a huge inspiration for art of any form,” says Peterborough Symphony Orchestra general manager Christie Goodwin. “As a musician, you’re aware that you’re playing music that’s been inspired by nature — birdsong, ocean events, or, for example, a great storm in Beethoven’s Symphony No. 6. Nature is always being imitated and represented in art and music.”
Performing on the main stage pavilion in intervals throughout the day will be principal oboist Tori Owen, violinist Laurie Mitchell, and cellist Andrew Randall. Guests can watch a performance prior to beginning the walk or take a break by getting the snacks and refreshments that will be for sale in the area.
“The main stage group will just play on and off throughout the afternoon, so there is always something to be heard — besides birds of course,” Goodwin says.
The Peterborough Symphony Orchestra’s principal flautist Jaye Marsh (bottom left) and principal oboist Tori Owen (bottom right) are two of the musicians who will be participating in the Musical Nature Walk on September 14, 2024. Owen along with violinist Laurie Mitchell and cellist Andrew Randall will perform on the main stage pavilion in intervals throughout the day. Marsh and concertmaster (lead violinist) Jennifer Burford are one of four ensemble duos who will perform along the trail. (Photo: Huw Morgan)
While much of the trail at Tecasy Ranch is marked as green (“easy difficulty”) for casual hikers, a small optional section of the Musical Nature Walk will cover a blue (“medium difficulty”) trail. Terrain is uneven with rocks and roots, and hikers typically needing hiking poles or other equipment are encouraged to bring them. The terrain also means the event is not suitable for people who use mobility devices.
After walking no more than 10 minutes at a time, where they can learn from and ask questions to the field naturalists, groups will stop for brief ensemble performances in the middle of the trails.
Concertmaster (lead violinist) Jennifer Burford and principal flautist Jaye Marsh will be one such duo performing together, and Goodwin notes their repertoire covers anything from Baroque to more modern compositions or even familiar show tunes.
Advertisement - content continues below
Share on Bluesky
“We’ve left the musical choices up to the individual groups, so we’re going to get a huge variety,” explains Goodwin, noting that there will be wide range of participating musicians. “It’ll be a different combination of instruments and sounds at every stop.”
Goodwin is hopeful that combining music and nature will not only make both more accessible to new audiences — nature lovers who are new to symphony orchestras and vice versa — but that it will also work towards her mission of engaging music lovers beyond the City of Peterborough.
“It’s outside of Peterborough and that’s exciting because our outreach with the symphony shouldn’t always be in town,” she says. “Hopefully holding it in the fall means milder weather and fewer bugs too.”
Dogs are not allowed on the Musical Nature Walk. A rain date is set for the following day (Sunday, September 15th).
Tecasy Ranch is a 550-acre forested private property situated north of Peterborough between Buckhorn and Burleigh Falls. Trails on the property will be the site of the Musical Nature Walk held by the Peterborough Symphony Orchestra and Peterborough Field Naturalists on September 14, 2024. (Photos: Tecasy Ranch
Tickets for the Music Nature Walk cost $45 and can be purchased online at www.thepso.org/musical-nature-walk-2024 or by calling 705-742-1992. Guests wanting to be grouped with friends are encouraged to email requests to marketing@thepso.org.
For more information about the Peterborough Symphony Orchestra, including the orchestra’s 2024-25 season of five concerts, visit thepso.org.
For more information about the Peterborough Field Naturalists and other upcoming nature events, visit peterboroughnature.org.
Regional health units regularly test the quality of water at beaches in the Kawarthas region during the summer months. (Photo: Peterborough Public Health)
Every Friday during swimming season, we post The Beach Report™ — our weekly report of the results of water quality testing at beaches in the greater Kawarthas region — and update it throughout the week as conditions change.
As of Wednesday, August 14, the following beaches are unsafe for swimming:
Riverview Beach Park – Bobcaygeon
Harwood Waterfront & Dock – Hamilton Township
Advertisement - content continues below
Below are the complete results of water quality testing at beaches in the City and County of Peterborough, the City of Kawartha Lakes, Haliburton County, Northumberland County, and Hastings County and Prince Edward County.
In the City of Peterborough, Peterborough Public Health Inspectors sample the beaches at Rogers Cove and Beavermead every business day, and public beaches in the County of Peterborough are sampled at least once a week (except for Chandos Beach, Quarry Bay Beach, and White’s Beach which are sampled at least once in June, July, and August).
The Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit provides weekly testing results for beaches in the City of Kawartha Lakes, Haliburton County, and Northumberland County. Testing is based on the most recent test results from the provincial lab in Peterborough for water samples taken from these beaches.
As of 2024, Hastings Prince Edward Public Health provides weekly testing results for only five designated public beaches in Hastings County and Prince Edward County. It no longer regularly samples another 13 beaches due to historically low occurrence of high bacteria levels.
During the summer, local health units sample water at area beaches and test for bacteria such as E. coli to determine if the water quality at a beach is safe for public use. Popular beaches, like the beach at Roger’s Cove in Peterborough’s East City, are tested every business day while most other beaches are tested weekly. (Photo: Bruce Head / kawarthaNOW.com)
Important note
The following test results may not reflect current water quality conditions. Water samples can take one to three days to process and heavy rainfall, high winds or wave activity, large numbers of waterfowl near a beach, or large numbers of swimmers can rapidly change water quality.
You should always check current conditions before deciding to use a beach. You should also monitor other factors that might suggest a beach is unsafe to use, such as floating debris, oil, discoloured water, bad odours, and excessive weed growth.
City of Peterborough Beaches (sampled each business day)
Beavermead Park (2011 Ashburnham Drive, Peterborough) – sample date 13 August – SAFE
Rogers Cove (131 Maria Street, Peterborough) – sample date 13 August – SAFE
Note: Blue-green algae has been sighted at Rogers Cove numerous times over the past few weeks. If blue-green algae is visible when you visit the beach, do not enter the water.
Peterborough County Beaches (sampled weekly)
Buckhorn Beach (12 John Street, Buckhorn, Municipality of Trent Lakes) – sample date 13 August – SAFE
Crowe’s Line Beach (240 Crowe’s Line Road, Trent Lakes) – sample date 13 August – SAFE
Douro North Park (251 Douro Second Line, Township of Douro-Dummer) – sample date 12 August – SAFE
Ennismore Waterfront Park (1053 Ennis Road, Ennismore) – sample date 13 August – SAFE
Henry’s Gumming (150 Chemong Street S, Curve Lake) – sample date 13 August – SAFE
Hiawatha Park (1 Lakeshore Road, Hiawatha) – sample date 12 August – SAFE
Jones Beach (908 Jones Beach Road, Bridgenorth) – sample date 8 August – SAFE
Lakefield Park (100 Hague Boulevard, Lakefield) – sample date 12 August – SAFE
Lime Kiln Park (150 Whetung Street E, Curve Lake) – sample date 13 August – SAFE
Sandy Beach (1239 Lakehurst Road, Municipality of Trent Lakes) – sample date 13 August – SAFE
Selwyn Beach Conservation Area (2251 Birch Island Road, Selwyn) – sample date 8 August – SAFE
Squirrel Creek Conservation Area (2445 Wallace Point Road, South Monaghan) – sample date 12 August – SAFE
Warsaw Caves Conservation Area (289 Caves Road, Warsaw, Township of Douro-Dummer) – sample date 29 July – SAFE
Peterborough County Beaches (sampled monthly)
Belmont Lake Beach (376 Mile of Memories Road, Belmont) – sample date 6 August – SAFE
Chandos Beach (2800 County Road/Highway 620, North Kawartha) – sample date 18 July – SAFE
Kasshabog Lake (431 Peninsula Road, Havelock) – sample date 25 July – SAFE
Quarry Bay (1986 Northey’s Bay Road, Woodview) – sample date 25 July – SAFE
White’s Beach (26 Clearview Drive, Trent Lakes) – sample date 22 July – SAFE
Advertisement - content continues below
City of Kawartha Lakes
Results updated August 14.
Riverview Beach Park – Bobcaygeon – UNSAFE
Beach Park – Bobcaygeon – SAFE
Birch Point – Fenelon Falls – SAFE
Blanchards Road Beach – Bexley – SAFE
Bond Street – Fenelon Falls – SAFE
Burnt River Beach – Somerville – SAFE
Centennial Park West – Eldon – SAFE
Centennial Beach – Verulam – SAFE
Centennial Verulam Parkette – SAFE
Four Mile Lake Beach – Somerville – SAFE
Head Lake Beach – Laxton – SAFE
Lions Park – Coboconk – SAFE
Norland Bathing Area – Laxton – SAFE
Omemee Beach – Emily/ Omemee – SAFE
Sturgeon Point Beach – Fenelon Falls – SAFE
Valentia/ Sandbar Beach – Valentia – SAFE
Verulam Recreational Park – Verulam – SAFE
Advertisement - content continues below
Haliburton County
Results updated August 14.
Bissett Beach – Minden Hills – SAFE
Dorset Parkette – Algonquin Highlands – SAFE
Eagle Lake Beach – Dysart et al – SAFE
Elvin Johnson Park – Algonquin Highlands – SAFE
Foresters Beach – Minden Hills – SAFE
Glamour Lake Beach – Highlands East – SAFE
Gooderham Lake Beach – Highlands East – SAFE
Haliburton Lake Beach – Dysart et al – SAFE
Horseshoe Beach – Minden Hills – SAFE
Paudash Lake Beach – Highlands East – SAFE
Pine Lake Beach – Dysart et al – SAFE
Rotary Head Lake Beach – Dysart et al – SAFE
Rotary Park Lagoon – Minden Hills – SAFE
Rotary Park Main – Minden Hills – SAFE
Sandy Cove Beach – Dysart et al – SAFE
Sandy Point Beach – Dysart et al – SAFE
Slipper Beach – Dysart et al – SAFE
Twelve Mile Lake Beach – Minden Hills – SAFE
Wilbermere Lake Beach – Highlands East – SAFE
Northumberland County
Results updated August 14.
Harwood Waterfront & Dock – Hamilton Township – UNSAFE
Caldwell Street Beach – Port Hope – SAFE
Cobourg Victoria Park Beach – Northumberland – SAFE
Julie Grant, whose three-year-old son Jude has cerebral palsy and developmental delays, has partnered with the Ennismore Optimist Club to bring the first inclusive playground to Selwyn Township. (Photo: Ennismore Inclusive Playground Project)
Julie Grant is hoping to bring the first inclusive playground — with rubber surfaces to accommodate kids’ mobility devices and a musical feature ideal for seniors — to Selwyn Township.
Grant, whose three-year-old son Jude has cerebral palsy and developmental delays, has partnered with the Ennismore Optimist Club to form the Ennismore Inclusive Playground Project committee.
The committee is hosting its first promotional event on Friday (August 9) in Ennismore, in partnership with United Way Peterborough and District as a recipient of the United Way’s “neighbourhood fund” grant.
Advertisement - content continues below
The goal of the promotional event is ultimately to bring people together and highlight the importance of an inclusive playground close to home, Grant told kawarthaNOW.
“We were awarded some money to help put on a project promotional event to help promote the project as a whole, bring awareness to why we’re doing it, (demonstrate) what the accessibility barriers are at our local playground, and spread awareness about inclusion, what we’re hoping for, and what the goal is,” Grant said.
There will be reading aloud of inclusive books, an inclusive music session, a raffle for a free inclusive book, ice cream, and more.
Originally scheduled to take place at Ennismore Waterfront Park at 1053 Ennis Rd., due to inclement weather the “Tales & Treat” event has moved indoors to the lower level of the Ennismore Curling Club at 555 Ennis Rd. The by-invitation-only event runs from 6 to 8 p.m.
The inclusive playground would be constructed adjacent to the current play structure at Ennismore Waterfront Park. (Photo: Ennismore Inclusive Playground Project)
For Grant and her son and for other families who have children with special needs, it’s currently a 64-kilometre trek to the nearest inclusive structure, either in Port Hope or Port Perry, for playtime.
The committee is aiming to raise approximately $250,000 to construct the inclusive playground, named Jude’s Joy, at Ennismore Waterfront Park.
The playground design would incorporate rubber surfacing “for optimal accessibility” along with various inclusive play elements to engage those with and without exceptionalities, according to a statement on the Ennismore Optimist Club’s website.
Advertisement - content continues below
Dollars raised support the costs of preparing the site, pouring the rubber surface (which provides a safe and soft surface on which people of all abilities can play), and all the play components. The goal is to have the playground open during the summer of 2025.
“Through thoughtful planning and intentional design choices, we aim to build more than just your typical playground at the Ennismore Waterfront Park — providing play opportunities that promote multi-generational connections, ease of use for mobility aids, and play experiences for diverse abilities,” the club’s statement reads.
“One of the elements that we are extremely excited about, is the accessible merry-go-round (orbit), which sits seamlessly at ground level to offer a spinning experience without having to leave your mobility device.”
One element of the inclusive playground would be an “orbit”: an accessible merry-go-round that sits seamlessly at ground level to offer children a spinning experience without having to leave their mobility device. (Photo: Playdale Playgrounds)
The inclusive playground will be built adjacent to the current play structure, which will stay in place.
“This project is rooted in the belief that every child deserves a safe and stimulating environment to explore, play, and grow, regardless of their ability,” the club’s statement continues.
“With a commitment to fostering creativity, collaboration, and especially joy, we are dedicated to creating a space where children can be their true selves and unleash their full potential through the magic of play.”
Advertisement - content continues below
An inclusive playground goes beyond the minimum accessibility standards, by offering rubber surfacing and play elements that allow all children the opportunity to participate and by supporting equal access to diverse play experiences.
To date, the committee has raised $45,000 for the playground. Representatives will be fundraising and visible in the community in the weeks and months ahead.
The website, which features a directory of all accessible play structures in Ontario, was created by Grant.
She recently received a “High-Five Community Recognition Award” from Five Counties Children’s Centre for the initiative, as well as for her work championing the Ennismore project.
A motorcycle and a pickup truck collided at County Road 45 and Broadworth Road in Trent Lakes on August 8, 2024, killing the 18-year-old driver of the motorcycle. (Photo: Northumberland OPP)
An 18-year-old Hastings man is dead after his motorcycle collided with a pickup truck northwest of Warkworth in Trent Hills on Thursday evening (August 8).
At around 6:45 p.m. on Thursday, Northumberland Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) and emergency services responded to a report of a collision involving a pickup truck and a motorcycle in the area of County Road 45 and Broadworth Road.
The motorcyclist, an 18-year-old Hastings man, was taken to hospital where he was pronounced dead. There were no reported injuries to the driver of the pickup truck.
Advertisement - content continues below
County Road 45 was closed in the area of the collision for around six hours while police investigated and documented the scene.
The police investigation into the collision continues.
Anyone who may have witnessed the collision or who has video/dash cam footage or information and has not yet spoken with police is asked to contact the Northumberland OPP at 1-888-310-1122.
A detail from the new draft plan for Peterborough's Bonnerworth Park redevelopment, which will be presented to the city's arenas, parks and recreation advisory committee and the accessibility advisory committee on August 13, 2024. (Graphic: City of Peterborough / Landscape Planning Landscape Architects)
A new draft plan for the $4.4 million Bonnerworth Park redevelopment — which now includes 14 instead of 16 pickleball courts, noise reduction measures, fewer parking spots, and more greenspace — will be presented to the city’s arenas, parks and recreation advisory committee and the accessibility advisory committee on Tuesday (August 13).
While there are no public delegations at advisory committee meetings, the 5:30 p.m. meeting will be livestreamed at peterborough.ca/livestreams.
According to a media release from the city, the two advisory committees will have an opportunity to provide feedback on the draft plan before the city finalizes the document ahead of construction, which is expected to begin this fall.
Advertisement - content continues below
If you received a delivery failure after emailing the supplied email address, try again. There was a problem with the email address that has now been fixed.
In advance of Tuesday’s meeting, kawarthaNOW compared the new “draft master plan,” which is dated July 5, 2024, with the original “preliminary facility fit” plan that was presented to the community in March. PDFs of both plans are included at the end of this story.
There are now 14 instead of 16 pickleball courts (including two accessible courts), arranged in a different configuration and located further north than the facility fit plan. The court are surrounded by an acoustic sound barrier on the north, south, and west sides.
There is now a single parking lot at Bonnaccord Street and Monaghan Road, with 44 parking spots and bike rings on a concrete base. The parking lot is oriented in a east-west direction instead of the north-south direction in the facility fit plan.
There is an open lawn area, measuring 32 by 53 metres (105 by 174 feet) and located south of the pickleball courts, that was not included in the original facility fit plan.
The pump track, which was located east of the Bonnaccord Street parking lot in the facility fit plan, is now located off McDonnel Street where a second parking lot has been located in the facility fit plan. There are grass areas between the bike paths of the pump track.
There is a 312-square-metre open plaza located between the two accessible pickleball courts, with two spectator benches.
There is no change to skatepark expansion from the facility fit plan. It will still be located to the south of the existing skatepark.
The shade shelter has been moved east of the new open lawn area, instead of west of the existing skatepark in the facility fit plan.
A landscaped berm with a mix of deciduous and coniferous trees will be located west of the parking lot, the pickball courts, and the open lawn area on Monaghan Road and part of McDonnel Street.
Sod would be installed in all areas of the park not occupied by facilities, walkways, or trees.
Crosswalks on Bonnacord and McDonnell streets would connect to the north-south walkway running through the park.
Advertisement - content continues below
According to the city’s media release, around 275 new trees would be planted in the park, and around 63 per cent of the park would be greenspace consisting of grass and landscaped areas.
The proposed Bonnerworth Park redevelopment has raised concerns among neighbouring residents, primarily about the potential noise and traffic that would result from the large number of pickleball courts as well as the loss of greenspace in the park. Many of these concerns were prompted by the original facility fit plan.
Stay tuned for kawarthaNOW’s coverage of Tuesday’s committee meeting on the new draft plan.
Terra Lightfoot, a Juno and Polaris award-nominated singer-songwriter and guitarist from Hamilton now living in Haliburton County, makes her debut at the The Lounge in the Hollow Valley Lodge in Dorset on Saturday night. (Promotional photo)
Every Thursday, kawarthaNOW publishes live music events at pubs and restaurants in Peterborough and the greater Kawarthas region based on information that musicians provide directly or that venues post on their websites or social media channels. Here are the listings for the week of Thursday, August 8 to Wednesday, August 14.
If you’re a musician or venue owner and want to be included in our weekly listings, 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).
Kawartha Conservation is expanding its community science program and extending a call for dedicated volunteers to help collect water quality data on Pigeon Lake, Sturgeon Lake, and Cameron Lake in Kawartha Lakes. Pictured are Provincial Water Quality Monitoring Network samples taken by Kawartha Conservation staff as part of the conservation authority's overall watershed monitoring strategy for water quality, water quantity, aquatic health, natural heritage, and weather and climate characteristics. (Photo: Kawartha Conservation)
Kawartha Conservation is inviting residents to step up and become citizen scientists by helping monitor the health of various lakes in the City of Kawartha Lakes.
The conservation authority is expanding its community science program and is seeking dedicated volunteers to help collect important water quality data on Pigeon Lake, Sturgeon Lake, and Cameron Lake.
The group hopes to recruit additional citizen scientists to help during “the crucial months” of August and September.
Advertisement - content continues below
“It is known as our community science program, which is a volunteer-run program aimed at water sampling within the Kawartha Lakes,” Nathan Rajevski, assistant watershed resources technician, told kawarthaNOW.
The community science program focuses on the monthly collection of near-shore water samples, which are essential for assessing and maintaining the health of the lakes, according to Kawartha Conservation.
This year, the target lakes are Balsam Lake, Cameron Lake, Sturgeon Lake, and Pigeon Lake. Volunteers will collect water quality data at their homes and report this information along with their water samples.
Advertisement - content continues below
“Supporting citizen science is impactful because it leverages the power of community involvement to gather extensive and diverse data across our watershed,” said Rajevski in a media release.
“Volunteers bring unique insights and local knowledge, enhancing our ability to monitor and respond to environmental changes. Their participation helps us build a more resilient and sustainable future for our lakes, benefiting both current residents and future generations.”
Kawartha Conservation is encouraging residents in the areas of Pigeon Lake, Sturgeon Lake, and Cameron Lake to volunteer for this program. The organization is hoping to recruit three to four new volunteers on these lakes to help gather comprehensive data.
Advertisement - content continues below
Volunteers will contribute to the last two months of sampling (August and September) by attending a training session and conducting sampling on the specified days each month.
Since the program is volunteer run, participants will collect samples from their docks or other safe water-access points at home.
The sampling dates for Balsam and Cameron lakes are August 26 and September 23 and, for Sturgeon and Pigeon lakes, August 27 and September 24.
“By volunteering, individuals can directly contribute to vital environmental research, providing us with data that is crucial for informed decision-making and effective lake management,” Rajevski said.
Advertisement - content continues below
Overall, expanding the community science program will allow Kawartha Conservation to build a broader network of volunteers collecting data, thereby enhancing its understanding of lake health. “The success of our nearshore program has demonstrated the value of community involvement in environmental science,” Kawartha Conservation noted.
Kawartha Conservation is a watershed-based, non-profit organization established in 1979 by the municipalities within the watershed under the Conservation Authorities Act. It is one of 36 conservation authorities operating in Ontario and a member of Conservation Ontario.
Calgary-born and Nashville-based country pop artist Lindsay Ell is an award-winning singer-songwriter and guitarist who will perform a free-admission concert at Peterborough Musicfest for the first time on August 10, 2024. (Photo: Tom Pandi Photography)
When country pop musician Lindsay Ell met Randy Bachman around 20 years ago when she was a teenager, she had no idea that chance encounter would set her on a life-changing trajectory that today would see her performing with her childhood musical hero Shania Twain.
Peterborough Musicfest presents Lindsay Ell
When:Saturday, August 10, 2024 at 8 p.m. Where: Del Crary Park (100 George St. N., Peterborough) How much: Free admission
Bring your own lawn chairs or blankets (lawn chairs are available to rent). VIP seating available for sponsors. No smoking, alcohol, or pets permitted. There’s no public parking at Del Crary Park, but there’s neighbourhood street parking nearby and ample parking in downtown Peterborough.
The award-winning singer-songwriter will be taking a break as Twain’s lead guitarist to perform her own music at a free-admission concert at Del Crary Park on Saturday night (August 10) as part of Peterborough Musicfest’s 37th season.
“I ran into a guy named Randy Bachman in my early teens,” Ell recalled in a December 2019 interview with Jason Sheppard of Maryland-based Authority Magazine.
“He was the first person to ‘discover’ me and get me started in the Canadian music industry and teach me how to write a song.”
Advertisement - content continues below
The Calgary native was just 15 years old when the founding member of The Guess Who and Bachman-Turner Overdrive took a shine to her raw musical talent. Bachman later called Ell “the most talented and multi-faceted artist I’ve worked with in years.”
Would Ell have achieved all she has, had she not come under Bachman’s tutelage? Yes, probably — talent always comes to the fore eventually — but the encouragement provided by Bachman’s interest and guidance sure didn’t hurt matters.
Long before that early encounter with Bachman, Ell knew what she wanted to do with her life. In a January 2019 interview with Michael Leonard of Guitar.com, she recalled receiving her first guitar at age eight and receiving lessons from her father.
VIDEO: “Waiting On You” – Lindsay Ell
“He taught me Stairway To Heaven (and) I knew that me and the guitar was going to be something special. I wasn’t just the only girl playing guitar at school — I was the only person. I was really uncool, but, with every bone in my body, it was what I wanted to do.”
Enter Bachman a few years later, who co-wrote and produced Ell’s first album Consider This. Recorded at Bachman’s Saltspring Island studio and released in late 2008, that debut offering didn’t make a dent in any radio chart listings, but it did serve notice that what Bachman knew early on would eventually come to wider attention.
“After we’d written a couple of songs together, he sat me down and said ‘Lindsay, this is going to be an emotional rollercoaster,'” Ell told Leonard. “He said ‘There will be ups and downs, every day. Even in the same day. You have to learn how to ride the waves.’ He was right.”
Advertisement - content continues below
After touring with famed blues guitarist Buddy Guy in 2008 and releasing her sophomore album Alone in 2009, Ell made the permanent move to Nashville in 2010 (she now has dual Canadian-American citizenship), there signing an album deal with Stoney Creek Records.
It took a bit but Ell’s first album with the label, The Project, was released in August 2017. Debuting at a very respectable number 40 on the Billboard 200 chart and a more impressive number four on the Billboard’s Top Country Albums chart, the album was anchored by the singles “Waiting On You,” “Criminal,” and “Champagne.”
Before recording The Project, Ell was asked by producer Kristian Bush what her favourite album was. Her answer came back quickly: John Mayer’s 2006 album Continuum. At Bush’s urging as a “homework assignment,” Ell recorded a track-by-track cover all by herself and released The Continuum Project, which peaked at number 28 on Billboard’s Independent Albums chart and in the process, earning acclaim for Ell’s guitar playing and artistic expression in terms of her interpretation of Mayers’ songs.
VIDEO: “Criminal” – Lindsay Ell
Just days after its release, another chance encounter — this time at a West Hollywood restaurant — saw Ell come face to face with her guitar hero.
“Out of all the restaurants in Los Angeles, John Mayer happens to be three tables away from me,” marvelled Ell during a July 18 interview with Nancy Kruh of People magazine, adding she approached him to introduce herself.
“I was like ‘Hey John, I’m Lindsay. I recorded Continuum. Please don’t judge me guitar tones.’ He said ‘I can’t wait to hear it. I’m honoured. Honestly, thank you.'”
Advertisement - content continues below
Ell added The Continuum Project wasn’t originally intended for release, but once word got out that she had laid down the tracks, demands for its release by Ell’s fans prompted reconsideration.
“We decided to put it out. We were like ‘Why not? Show them the journey,'” she told People’s Kruh, while noting “John’s version will always be the perfect version.”
In August 2020, Ell released her fifth album Heart Theory. By far her most personal work to date, the track listing chronicles seven stages of grief. The last song written for album, “Make You,” references Ell’s past experiences with sexual abuse, with the majority of the album’s 12 tracks touch on the heartbreak Ell has experienced.
VIDEO: “Want Me Back” – Lindsay Ell
Commercially, Heart Theory did well, debuting at number 53 on Billboard’s Top Album Sales chart and becoming Ell’s first album to chart in the United Kingdom. Singles-wise, “I Don’t Love You” and “Want Me Back” received a lot of air play — the former peaking becoming her fourth top 10 hit on the Canadian country air play chart.
American Songwriter subsequently reviewed Heart Theory as “a career-altering masterpiece of an album” that elevated Ell “into legendary territory.” The record earned Ell a 2021 Juno Award nomination.
But more significantly, the album coincided with Ell’s founding of the Make You Movement Fund in support of at-risk youth, sexual assault and domestic abuse survivors. That philanthropic effort takes is its name from “Make You,” one of Heart Theory‘s tracks, and has led to Ell being named the recipient of the Canadian Country Music Association’s 2024 Gary Slaight Music Humanitarian Award, which will be presented to her during Country Music Week in Edmonton in September.
While Ell has toured with country music stars such as Brad Paisley, Keith Urban, Blake Shelton and The Zac Brown Band, to mention a few, she is now living out her lifelong dream of touring with her childhood musical hero, Shania Twain.
Advertisement - content continues below
Ell’s talent obviously made quite the impression on Twain after opening for her during the country music superstar’s 2023 Canadian tour. This past April, Ell announced that she had been invited to play lead guitar for Twain throughout the year.
“My 10-year-old self is speechless, truly, and it was really hard to make me speechless when I was 10 years old,” Ell shared on Instagram at the time. “The fact that Shania asked me to play guitar for her this year, I am truly honoured, I am so grateful … this year is going to be epic.”
Ell joined Twain’s band for her third residency in Las Vegas, which will see the Bakkt Theater at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino host Twain for 24 shows over five months. After wrapping up the first leg of the residency, Ell joined Twain for a series of shows in the UK and Ireland this summer.
Lindsay Ell performing as Shania Twain’s lead guitarist in Cork, Ireland during Twain’s 2024 European tour. (Photo courtesy of Lindsay Ell)
“Shania was the reason I started singing when I was a little girl,” Ell told Lily Waddell in a July interview with Yahoo! Entertainment. “I remember the first song that really got me into Shania. Her single No One Needs to Know was in the (2016) movie Twister.”
“Now on stage, I am playing that song with her and she’s three feet away from me — the very song that inspired me to learn how to sing in the first place.”
Peterborough Musicfest is presenting 16 free-admission concerts during its 37th season, each staged on Wednesday and Saturday nights until August 17th.
Overseen by executive director Tracey Randall and staff, a board of directors, and numerous volunteers, Peterborough Musicfest’s stated mission remains “to provide diverse, affordable live music to enrich cultural and economic prosperity in our community.”
For more information on this concert or the 2024 season, visit www.ptbomusicfest.ca or phone the Peterborough Musicfest office at 705-755-1111.
kawarthaNOW is proud to be a headline sponsor of Peterborough Musicfest’s 2024 season.
Environment Canada has now issued rainfall warnings for most of the Kawarthas region for Thursday evening (August 8) through Friday
A rainfall warning is in effect for Peterborough County, Kawartha Lakes, eastern Northumberland County. For western Northumberland County, a special weather statement for heavy rain is in effect.
A low-pressure system interacting with the remnants of tropical storm Debby is expected to create heavy rainfall over parts of southern Ontario Thursday evening through Friday, with the rain tapering off Friday night.
Advertisement - content continues below
Peterborough County, Kawartha Lakes, eastern Northumberland County, and Hastings Highlands could see rainfall amounts of 50 to 75 mm, with locally higher amounts possible.
Western Northumberland County could see rainfall amounts exceeding 50 mm.
Heavy downpours can cause flash floods and water pooling on roads. Localized flooding in low-lying areas is possible.
The original version of this story has been updated with the latest forecast information from Environment Canada.
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.
