Two people were injured following a head-on collision on Highway 35 just south of Ballyduff on Wednesday afternoon (January 4).

Kawartha Lakes OPP and fire and emergency services responded to the collision, which happened at around 4:15 p.m. on Wednesday on Highway 35 north of Waite Road.

Both drivers were transported to a local hospital, from which one was then transferred to a Toronto-area trauma centre.

Highway 35 remained closed for several hours while police documented the scene.

Anyone who may have witnessed the collision or has video/dash camera footage and has not yet spoken with police is asked to call City of Kawartha Lakes OPP at 1-888-310-1122.

Peterborough residents will have one last chance to provide feedback on the City of Peterborough’s draft 2023 budget at a public meeting on Monday (January 9).

City council’s finance committee will hear delegations beginning at 6 p.m. on Monday, in advance of a series on finance committee meetings from January 16 to 19 to review the draft budget.

The city’s draft budget proposes a four per cent hike to the all-inclusive property tax rate, which would add $67.61 per year for each $100,000 of residential assessment. For example, a home assessed at $600,000 would see an additional $406 annually in property tax. This compares to a 2.87 per cent property tax increase approved in the 2022 budget.

The draft 2023 budget includes $131.2 million in capital expenditures including road work, a household organic waste composting facility and collection equipment, flood reduction efforts, facility maintenance, funding for the planned replacement of a fire station, sanitary sewer repairs, construction of the new twin-pad arena at Morrow Park, and police capital projects.

The budget also includes $326.6 million in operating expenditures for programs and services including waste management, road maintenance, wastewater sewers and treatment, social assistance, affordable housing, fire services, policing, and recreation, arts and heritage.

Details about the draft 2023 budget are available on the City of Peterborough’s website at peterborough.ca/budget.

Residents interested in registering as a delegation for the January 9th meeting can do so online at peterborough.ca/delegation or by calling the city clerk’s office at 705-742-7777 ext. 1820.

Delegates must be registered by 11 a.m. on January 9th to speak at the public meeting, which will also be livestreamed at peterborough.ca/WatchCouncil.

Council approved guidelines for creating the draft 2023 budget at its July 25th meeting following a series of community consultation meetings, a survey, a public budget meeting, and a council meeting where residents presented to council on the budget guidelines. A document summarizing the survey submissions is available at connectptbo.ca/2023Budget.

City council received a presentation on the draft budget at its December 5th meeting, and will consider approving the budget at its January 30th meeting.

An upcoming children’s story time presentation at the Peterborough Public Library will feature emotions at its centre — inside as well as outside of the Aylmer Street branch.

Billed as Drag Queen Story Time, the January 14th event will feature teenage drag performer Betty Baker reading books to children aged 3 to 8, and lead the singing of songs, all themed around emotions and feelings. But that’s not sitting well at all with a group of community residents who will protest the 10:15 to 10:45 a.m. event, gathering outside the library to express their concerns.

Back in September, a similar event also led by Baker drew an impressive 174 attendees. It also attracted a protest that was met by an even larger number of counter-protesters. Despite that uproar, library staff has opted to move forward with more drag queen story time events.

“We want to normalize being different,” says community development librarian Karen Clysdale, adding “We’re not just checking a box and acknowledging something once in awhile. We want it to be part of our regular everyday programming.”

“It’s all the things we want from story time. It’s imaginative. It’s colourful. It’s fun. It’s inviting. It’s welcoming. It celebrates literacy, oral and written. It’s interactive. It’s also something that opens people’s eyes to something new and different, giving people a slice of something else.”

For her part, Baker, a 19-year-old Peterborough native now studying performance production at Toronto Metropolitan University, says she’s delighted to be asked back to present the event.

“It’s always important to feel included in your community and to feel seen,” says Baker, who led a number of story hours this past summer at libraries in other communities.

“Growing up, I really didn’t have anyone to look up to who was like me, whether that was different or specifically queer. I think it’s important to have someone in the community to look up to. It’s not just about the drag. Inclusivity in general is important. We’re all human. We’re all different.”

That may well be, says Ben Inglis, but as the co-organizer of the protest with Paul Lawton, the Hill City Baptist Church pastor points to “the narrative we’re being told to buy into.”

A Facebook event page, titled Drag Queen Story Hour Protest, outlines in full the group’s concerns, referencing particularly “the insanity” of inviting Baker to facilitate a children’s story hour.

“That (narrative) is drag and drag culture is harmless dress-up time. This is just fun for kids. The problem with that is it ignores the origin and history of drag. Drag is inherently a transgressive expression. Its nature is designed to push boundaries. The hyper-sexualized pseudonyms they give themselves, the clothing that it expose … the whole thing is inescapably sexualized. Even if they tone it down for children’s story hour, the nature of drag in itself is designed to be transgressive.”

While Inglis et al have gone to great pains to urge a peaceful protest, he admits that can’t be assured due to interference by others not involved with his group.

“There’s always going to be an element of unpredictability in these types of things. Not everyone is necessarily willing to be cool and calm and collected. At our last protest (at the September event), I was trying to communicate a simple five-minute statement of our position and there was a counter-protester right in my face screaming at me. You can’t curate a mob. You can’t curate a protest.”

On December 17, a raucous protest and counter-protest took place as the Brockville Public Library held its first-ever drag story time event. While the protest itself was peaceful, library CEO Geraldine Slark told CBC Ontario Morning there was an attempt to light a fire on the library roof before the event, possibly to set off the library’s sprinklers, and the library also received a bomb threat.

That experience is a major red flag for Peterborough Public Library services manager Mark Stewart who is pulling out all the stops to ensure library patrons, event attendees and, yes, protesters are safe.

“The protesters have stated it’s to be respectful and non-violent — they were true to their word last time (in September),” credits Stewart. “The library supports democracy and public discussion. If they want to come and have a protest that is respectful and non-violent, that is their right to do so. We are trusting that they will hold to that.”

That said, the library is also taking extra steps to prepare for the January 14th event.

“We’ll have extra staff on that day,” Stewart says. “We’ve hired security. We will be notifying the police that this protest will be happening.”

Clysdale notes the event will be held in the Friends of the Library Community Room, not in the children’s department where story time sessions are typically held.

“It’s larger and a little bit easier to control access,” say Clysdale. “We can’t always control what’s going to happen, just as they (protesters) can’t control what’s going to happen. Being a public library, we see wacky things every day. Staff here are so good at being flexible and responsive as needed. We’re all kind of rallying to make it work.”

Asked if she fears for her own safety, Baker is quick to respond “Absolutely,” but adds “I know the library is looking out for my safety, and the safety of all the patrons. We’ve got all of that sorted out already. Of course it’s scary, but I feel safe in the knowledge that the library is there for me and my community, and the parents and families who want to come out.”

Baker notes she was scheduled to host a story hour event in December at Lavender and Play Boutique and Family Studio on Chemong Road but the plug was pulled because of threats made.

VIDEO: Betty Baker announces cancellation of December Lavender and Play storytime event

“There’s this kind of mass hysteria around drag story times where there’s misinformation being spread and there’s a hateful culture around it, which is devastating to me as someone who loves doing story time,” says Baker.

“The library is here to look out for everyone. We’re working together to make the event as safe and welcoming as possible for everyone. If you don’t like it, just don’t come. This has been an incredibly successful event in the past. The support that I have received from the library, and Lavender and Play, has been absolutely amazing. There are so many parents and kids who want to come out and have a good time and have some fun.”

As disturbing to Inglis as the event itself is the general view of his group’s members.

“There’s a caricature floating around that we’re an angry, frustrated group of people who really don’t have anything better to do. That we’ve got a lot of axes to grind. Just give us an opportunity and we’ll protest. I want to dispel that caricature. I personally tend to not be a confrontational person by nature.”

“But there comes a point where a threshold is crossed where we, as members of the community, as adults and as parents and, I would say especially as Christians, need to take a stand,” Inglis adds. “We need to say this is inappropriate. That this is not right.”

“There seems something particularly sinister about inviting drag entertainers to be in the proximity of children. That, for us, was a threshold moment where we thought ‘OK, we’re probably going to be in the minority but that’s OK because truth, even if it’s in the minority, is still truth.'”

Looking ahead, Clysdale says plans to present similar story time events with Baker in February, March, and May are well underway.

“The level of support that we’ve had from the community is pretty overwhelming,” says Stewart.

“The counter-protest (in September) was much bigger than the actual protest. It’s a very small group of people who are very vocal about this issue. The number of people who will come to support it is much greater. There’s no comparing the two.”

This story has been updated with a correction. A protest and counter-protest took place at the Brockville Public Library on December 17, not in Belleville in the summer, and Betty Baker did not perform at that event.

For the next two weeks, GreenUP will be highlighting voices from both GreenUP staff and Green Economy Peterborough members in the form of “Green Wishes.”

Alongside the Green Wishes of our staff, we have added Green New Year’s Actions.

We hope you count our actions among your other inspiring and achievable resolutions that will GreenUP the year ahead.

Tegan Moss, GreenUP Executive Director

“My Green Wish is for the success of our community in taking the practical steps that will allow us to reach our climate change goals.”

“I wish the City of Peterborough, County of Peterborough, and our surrounding townships success in implementing the Climate Change Action Plans. I wish many businesses success in completing a carbon inventory and making an action plan for emissions reductions. I wish many homeowners success in insulating and draft-proofing their homes and moving toward comfort and home electrification. I wish many youth success in learning about diverse ecosystems, climate change, and leadership.”

“I wish that everyone in our community might deepen their love of nature and find new success in taking sustainable action both great and small!”

New Year’s Resolution

Take a friend or family member for a nature appreciation walk in Ecology Park (or another of your favorite naturalized spaces) and name as many animals, trees, and plants as you can.

Jessica Todd, GreenUP Communications and Store & Resource Centre Associate

“My Green Wish for 2023 is that we are all a little more mindful of the waste we create. I hope we find new ways to reduce our ecological footprint, such as using less plastic, eating less meat, and supporting our local shops and farmers.”

New Year’s Resolution

Make the switch away from products packaged in single-use plastic like shampoo and laundry soap. Choose refillable containers or products with plastic free packaging like those available at the GreenUP Store at 378 Aylmer!

Eileen Kimmett, GreenUP Store & Resource Centre Manager

“My Green Wish is for the GreenUP Store & Resource Centre to showcase and offer products that are not only sustainable, ethically made, and eco-friendly — but also teach about local knowledge. The products could be a tea, a candle, a salve, art, and they would teach us to respect, help, and nurture our planet.”

New Year’s Resolution

Support skilled local Indigenous makers and learn a few words of Anishinaabemowin (Ojibwe).

Hayley Goodchild, GreenUP Program Coordinator

“My Green Wish is for a tree or a rain garden (or both) to be on every lawn in Peterborough/Nogojiwanong.”

New Year’s Resolution

Start designing your rain garden and apply for the City of Peterborough’s rain garden subsidy program. Then sign up for the self-directed Green Communities Canada’s Rain Garden Master Class.

Catriona Sinclair, GreenUP Program Coordinator

“My Green Wish is for there to be many more homeowners and community members that register for the new Home Energy Efficiency Rebate Plus Program, launching in January 2023, a partnership between Enbridge Gas and Canada’s Greener Homes Grant. Through this program, current Enbridge Gas customers can receive up to $10,000 in rebates towards eligible retrofits.”

New Year’s Resolution

Stop pesky drafts that leak heat! Then plan to decarbonize your home.

Lili Paradi, GreenUP Communications Manager

“In 2023, my Green Wish is that new residents to Peterborough/Nogojiwanong are introduced to and connect with their urban environment. I hope to see new partnerships, in-person storytelling opportunities, and local voices in the news, social media, and events that encourage environmental action.”

New Year’s Resolution

Attend the ReFrame Film Festival between January 26th and February 3rd. Check out at least one film about an environmental issue that matters to you and one film by a local director or about a local issue.

Karen O’Krafka, GreenUP Program Coordinator

“My wish is for a joyful return to a live Peterborough Children’s Water Festival at the zoo in May 2023! I’m thrilled to bring Grade 2 to 5 students, high school activity leaders, local water heroes and community volunteers from Nogojiwanong and beyond for two days of immersive water education.”

“A wish for Ecology Park is for children of all ages to joyfully explore and build their skills on our new naturalized playscape in all seasons.”

New Year’s Resolution

Take your family or loved ones to Ecology Park, located at 1899 Ashburnham Dr and check out the new naturalized playscape!

Ashley Burnie, GreenUP Program Coordinator

“My Green Wish is that more kids have a safe and fun active commute to school! We want all young people to enjoy their trip to school whether it’s a walk, roll, bike ride, or park n’ stride (parking the car and walking the rest of the way).”

New Year’s Resolution

If you are able to, walk, roll, or ride to school/work/play at least twice in each season of 2023.

Natalie Stephenson, GreenUP Director of Programs

“I hope that in 2023, we can make big strides toward replanting our urban forest!”

New Year’s Resolution

Plant a tree on your lawn or boulevard! Visit the GreenUP Native Plant and Tree Nursery at 1899 Ashburnham Dr during the gardening season to pick the perfect species.