A young Robert Winslow, founder of Millbrook's 4th Line Theatre, is pictured in this photo of Millbrook High School students resting during a walkathon fundraiser that was published in the school's 1969-1970 yearbook. Over 50 years later, Winslow is writing a play about the high school and community members are invited to join him and managing artistic director Kim Blackwell for a public reminiscence event on October 14, 2023 to aid in the play's development. (Photo courtesy of Robert Winslow)
4th Line Theatre founder Robert Winslow is writing a play about the former Millbrook high school, and the outdoor theatre company is inviting members of the community to a special reminiscence event this fall.
Managing artistic director Kim Blackwell will join Winslow at the October public gathering, which will aid in the development of Winslow’s forthcoming play Millbrook High, an exploration of the stories of the high school located on County Road 10 from its 1960 opening until its closing in the early 1980s.
Members of the public are invited to attend to share stories and memories of the history of the high school. According to Blackwell, community reminiscences are central to 4th Line Theatre’s play development program and its historical research.
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“Reminiscences give us first-hand accounts of the history we are researching and are an essential part of developing our plays,” she says in a media release. “Without this, our productions would not have the authenticity and realism our patrons have come to expect.”
Past 4th Line Theatre productions developed through reminiscences include Ian McLachlan and Robert Winslow’s Doctor Barnardo’s Children, Leanna Brodie’s Schoolhouse, and Maja Ardal’s The Hero of Hunter St.
The community reminiscence takes place from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, October 14 at Centreville Presbyterian Church (574 County Road 28, Bailieboro), which is fully accessible. The event is free-of-charge and registration is not required to attend.
For those unable to attend in person, 4th Line Theatre is providing a virtual option. Register in advance at eventbrite.com/e/709667553757 and you’ll receive an email prior to the event with a link to the meeting on the Zoom video conferencing platform.
50-year-old Christopher Bertrand of Peterborough. (Police-supplied photo)
Peterborough police are seeking the public’s assistance in locating a missing 50-year-old man.
UPDATE – On September 1, Peterborough police located the missing man.
Christopher Bertrand was last seen on Saturday (August 26) at his home in the Royal Drive and Marina Boulevard area, and was last spoken to on Sunday.
He is described as a white, five feet and 11 inches tall, weighing 200 pounds, with brown/grey wavy hair and brown eyes.
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Bertrand is believed to be driving a grey 2019 Jeep Cherokee with Ontario licence plate CFBP351.
His family and police are concerned for his well-being.
Anyone with information is asked to call the Peterborough Police Crime Line at 705-876-1122 x555 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or online at stopcrimehere.ca.
A student-led bike club rides through Rogers Cove park in Peterborough's East City. Active school travel helps school-aged children meet the recommendation to accumulate at least 60 minutes per day of moderate to vigorous physical activity, which is associated with improved physical and mental health. (Photo: GreenUP)
It’s easy to get lost in the hustle and bustle of city life. In Peterborough, we are surrounded by everyday elements of urban infrastructure like sidewalks, roads, street signs, and boulevards. In this “wild” landscape, it’s important to remember that these seemingly ordinary objects are deliberate choices.
Each week, GreenUP provides a story related to the environment. This week’s column is by Ashley Burnie, Chair, Active School Travel Peterborough.
Known collectively as the “built environment,” these choices shape the way we interact with our surroundings and contribute significantly to the fabric of our communities. These manufactured conditions touch everyday human experiences like walking the dog, picking up the mail, or driving down the street.
The built environment has transcended simply being the purview of urban planning. Increasingly, conditions like cramped roadways, precarious walking conditions, or unreliable public transit are recognized by many municipalities as public health concerns; infrastructure decisions fall under the guidance of public health authorities.
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This acknowledgement underscores the profound influence that our surroundings have over our daily lives. It pushes the built environment beyond aesthetics and convenience, as it impacts our physical and mental health. If there’s nowhere to safely walk or bike to nearby destinations, for example, residents are more sedentary and have poorer health outcomes. These factors particularly impact vulnerable groups in our community, including school-age children and their caregivers.
Where do we begin to change something that is all around us? In Peterborough, where 51 per cent of students live within walking distance of their schools, Active School Travel Peterborough champions the idea that children and their families deserve secure routes to walk, bike, and roll, starting with the journey to school itself.
Stakeholders work through Active School Travel Peterborough to offer potential solutions to the multifaceted challenge of creating safer and healthier communities. Bringing together voices from the community, school, municipal, or institutional level collectively contributes to problem solving for students, families, and schools.
Like this speed reduction during school hours at a Peterborough County school, the City of Peterborough is proposing to reduce the speed limit across all school zones and add road safety treatments to five zones. Currently, only eight of the 30 elementary and secondary school zones have a reduced limit. (Photo: GreenUP)
Safer routes allow more families to increase physical activity associated with the school journey, contributing to increased alertness and attention during the school day. This activity supports healthy brain development, which is proven to lead to improved learning and academic outcomes.
Importantly, routes to school double as community routes. When we address these barriers, it increases safety for the community at large. This requires a comprehensive approach. Just like an ecological system in nature, where interactions between species are constantly evolving and changing, creating safer human communities requires change at many different levels of our built systems. The built environment is made up of many interconnected pieces that must work in tandem with one another.
The solution to these challenges necessitates a multifaceted strategy that can look at the big picture, as well as encompassing specific policy, education, and action.
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From a policy standpoint, initiatives such as Peterborough’s Transportation Master Plan, Cycling Master Plan, and the Sidewalk Strategic Plan set the groundwork for a safer built environment. These documents, alongside key reports like the Health Indicators Report, provide a blueprint for how the city’s infrastructure will evolve, ensuring that safety remains a top priority.
Education also plays a pivotal role. Active School Travel Peterborough helps to educate students, families, and motorists about the nuances of being responsible road users, pedestrians and cyclists. These efforts lay the foundation for a culture of safety, ingraining good practices early in young community members.
Lastly, action brings these plans and teachings to life. Community helpers, such as crossing guards, help physically enforce safety on a daily basis. Projects led by GreenUP and Active School Travel Peterborough such as Grade 8 Transit Quest, School Trip by Transit, and cycling education events translate theory into practice.
School travel planning took place in Norwood with community partners including the municipality, enforcement, and the school board. Participatory methods such as this walkabout technique are used to conduct School travel planning with stakeholders and community members, weaving in active school travel principles. (Photo: GreenUP)
Through “social diffusion”, the benefits of Active School Travel, like improved physical and mental health, can resonate through students and into the greater community. Incremental changes including lower speed limits, safer school crossings and bike racks can also contribute to the well-being, mental health, and quality of life for all community members.
This coming fall, eight elementary schools throughout the city will take part in a school zone traffic calming pilot project. Lower speed limits and new signage will be deployed.
At a recent meeting of Peterborough city council meeting, Ward 3 councillor Joy Lachica said “signs won’t solve everything, but it’s a beginning.”. Other councillors agreed that public education through media, enforcement, and traffic engineering would bolster the signage efforts.
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To create a safer and healthier community, we need to take a look at how we choose to create our built environment and understand that our choices have a profound impact on our lives. With the right knowledge and tools, anyone in the community can help lead the charge towards change.
Active School Travel Peterborough brings together community and institutional stakeholders, and creates and collaborates on programs and projects with a vision of “All students having the opportunity to walk, bike or bus to and from school as a part of their daily school experience.”
Peterborough’s crossing guards are employees of the city. This year, GreenUP celebrated Peterborough crossing guards during Crossing Guard Appreciation Week. These dedicated guards undergo job training, police checks, and participate in in-depth traffic safety learning. (Photo: GreenUP)
As we head into the fall respiratory virus season, Peterborough Public Health will soon be issuing guidance on fall vaccines, including COVID-19 and influenza vaccines. (Stock photo)
After a summer of low risk of COVID-19 transmission, Peterborough Public Health has moved the risk up to moderate.
However, the transmission risk of other respiratory viruses such as influenza remains low.
“We are seeing an increase in local COVID-19 indicators, including per cent positivity of PCR tests and wastewater signal,” says Peterborough’s medical officer of health Dr. Thomas Piggott in a media release issued on Wednesday afternoon (August 30).
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Dr. Piggott says an increase in respiratory virus activity is anticipated as we head into the fall, and members of the community — especially those at an increased risk for severe symptoms — should monitor the health unit’s COVID-19 and Respiratory Virus Risk Index updated every Wednesday at peterboroughpublichealth.ca/covid-19-risk-index/.
“As new variants continue to emerge globally, like BA.2.86, it is important to remember that guidance for prevention of COVID-19 infections remain the same,” Dr. Piggott says, adding that the health unit is continuing to monitor dominant strains of COVID-19 in the community and will keep the public updated if there are any emerging variants of concern.
Peterborough Public Health’s director of health protection Donna Churipuy says the health unit will soon be providing guidance on fall vaccines, including COVID-19 and influenza vaccines.
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“Peak circulation of both COVID-19 and influenza is expected in the fall during respiratory virus season,” Churipuy says. “Receiving both vaccinations will provide maximum protection against these viruses.”
When the Peterborough Public Health’s COVID-19 and Respiratory Virus Risk Index is at the moderate risk level, the health unit recommends wearing a well-fitted KN95/N95-style face mask in high-risk indoor settings, and gathering outdoors or in spaces with proper ventilation.
The health unit also recommends that anyone who feels unwell should stay home to prevent further spread of infection and should practice respiratory etiquette, such as coughing or sneezing into your sleeves or a tissue, avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth, and cleaning your hands with soap and water for 20 seconds or with 60 per cent alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
A $149,100 capital grant from the Ontario Trillium Foundation allowed Market Hall Performing Arts Centre, a non-profit charitable organization in downtown Peterborough, to purchase and install a state-of-the-art projector for film and theatre performances, as well as new state-of-the-art lighting elements. (Photo courtesy of Market Hall)
Representatives of Market Hall Performing Arts Centre in downtown Peterborough gathered on Wednesday afternoon (August 30) to celebrate the results of a $149,100 capital grant received late last year from the Ontario Trillium Foundation.
The six-month grant allowed the non-profit charitable organization to purchase and install a state-of-the-art projector for film and theatre performances, as well as new state-of-the-art lighting elements.
Along with Market Hall’s general manager Chad Hogan, board chair Joe Grant, and board member Jennifer Cavanagh, Peterborough-Kawartha MPP Dave Smith spoke at the event on behalf of the Ontario government.
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“It is great to see the results of the work that Market Hall has been able to do thanks to this grant from the Ontario Trillium Foundation,” Smith said in a media release. “These funds have allowed Market Hall Performing Arts Centre to advance their facility and continue to serve the community by providing a space for everyone to enjoy.”
According to the Market Hall, the capital upgrades that were completed in May will help extend the life of the Charlotte Street venue and provide the community with more flexibility for arts-related performances.
“We want to say thank you to the Ontario Trillium Foundation for their generous support of the arts and culture in Peterborough,” general manager Chad Hogan said. “Filmmakers and community groups alike will be able to screen their films with the highest quality available, and the lighting will improve the visual aesthetic for performances. So, overall, it’s a tremendous visual upgrade for the space.”
Market Hall board chair Joe Grant, Peterborough-Kawartha MPP Dave Smith, Market Hall general manager Chad Hogan, and Market Hall board member and artist manager Jennifer Cavanagh on stage at the Charlotte Street venue on August 30, 2023 in front of the state-of-the-art projector funded by a $149,100 capital grant from the Ontario Trillium Foundation. (Photo courtesy of Market Hall)
The Ontario Trillium Foundation, an agency of the Government of Ontario that has been providing grants for 40 years. Last year, the agency provided more than $110 million to 1,022 community projects and partnerships.
An initiative of Trent University, the Peterborough Downtown Business Improvement Area (DBIA), and Peterborough & the Kawarthas Tourism, "Explore the Boro" will encourage new and returning Trent students to explore their community during September and qualify for prizes, including The Boro gift cards they can redeem at downtown businesses. (Photo: Trent University)
With a new wave of Trent University students arriving in Peterborough, an interactive scavenger hunt during September will help them become familiar with the campus and city while also supporting local businesses.
“Explore the Boro” — an initiative of Trent University, the Peterborough Downtown Business Improvement Area (DBIA), and Peterborough & the Kawarthas Tourism — will encourage both new and returning Trent students to install the Goosechase app on their phones to learn more about their community and to qualify for prizes.
From September 2 to 21, students can complete a variety of activities at a number of locations in downtown Peterborough and on the Trent campus, earning points by completing different missions, such as taking selfies at specific shops and landmarks or answering trivia questions.
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“The energy in our city ramps up each fall when Trent students move back to Peterborough,” says Alison Scholl, senior manager of community and external relations at Trent University, in a media release. “They add so much to the cultural, social, and economic vitality of the city in so many different ways. Partnering with the DBIA and PKT to host Explore the Boro is a fun and unique way to help our incoming and returning students get to know and feel at home in Peterborough.”
Along with Trent swag, the three students who earn the most points on the Goosechase app will receive a Boro gift card worth $1,250 (first place), $750 (second place), or $500 (third place). Boro gift cards can be redeemed at downtown businesses.
“The Boro comes alive when Trent students return to the city with curious minds and vibrant energy,” says DBIA executive director Terry Guiel. “We’re thrilled to continue this impactful partnership that creates opportunities for students to discover and re-discover our downtown core and support local businesses.”
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Trent University’s economic impact represents around nine per cent of the local gross domestic product. Helping students become familiar with the city and discover new favourite shops and restaurants will benefit the local economy, according to Joe Rees, director of tourism for Peterborough & the Kawarthas Tourism.
“We look forward to seeing Trent students back for a new academic year and seeing all of the ways that they discover their favourite spots in Peterborough and the Kawarthas,” Rees says. “Students and alumni of Trent University add to the cultural vibrancy, creative collaboration, and collective success of businesses and the community at large in the region. Their significant economic influence cannot be emphasized enough, as they occupy pivotal roles that drive our economy.”
Students looking for more information about Explore the Boro, including instructions on how to participate, can visit trentu.ca/exploretheboro.
Pablo enjoying the water at Riverview Park and Zoo in Peterborough. The 10-year-old capybara passed away on August 29, 2023 from complications arising from several age-related conditions. (Photo: Riverview Park and Zoo)
Pablo, the capybara at Riverview Park and Zoo in Peterborough, has passed away.
The 10-year-old rodent recently began experiencing deteriorating health, according to a media release issued by the zoo on Wednesday morning (August 30), and was being monitored by the zoo’s animal health team.
Despite efforts by the zoo’s consulting veterinarian and animal health team to provide treatment and care, Pablo died on Tuesday morning “from complications arising from several age-related conditions.”
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Pablo came to the Riverview Park and Zoo from the Toronto Zoo in 2015.
“With his friendly nature, Pablo was loved greatly by both our visitors and staff,” reads the media release. “We were very fortunate as Pablo had a long life with many years of good health … We would like to thank our staff and Dr. John Sallaway for their assistance with Pablo’s ongoing treatment and care. Pablo will be greatly missed by our community.”
Native to South America, the capybara is the largest rodent in the world at over a metre (39 inches) in length and weighing as much as an adult human.
A highly social species that lives in groups of 20 to 30 in the wild, the capybara inhabits savannas and dense forests and lives near bodies of water, with several adaptations for a partly aquatic lifestyle. The capybara can swim with only its nostrils, eyes, and short rounded ears protruding out of the water and is naturally buoyant.
In the Nurse-Family Partnership program, public health nurses visit young first-time mothers at home during their pregnancy and the first two years of their child's life. The program is available for pregnant women 24 years old or younger who are having their first baby, have been pregnant for under 28 weeks or less, and are experiencing financial hardship or limited resources. (Photo via McMaster University's School of Nursing)
Two health units in the Kawarthas region are working with Hamilton’s McMaster University to deliver a program where public health nurses visit young first-time mothers at home during their pregnancy and the first two years of their child’s life.
The Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit and Peterborough Public Health are joining five public health units in Ontario that are currently delivering the Nurse-Family Partnership program, which has been shown to improve the health, well-being, and self-sufficiency of first-time parents and their children.
Already evaluated in the United States over the past 40 years, the evidence-based program has been adapted for Canada by McMaster University’s School of Nursing and is being evaluated in partnership with health units and health authorities in British Columbia and Ontario.
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The free public health service is available for pregnant women 24 years old or younger who are having their first baby, have been pregnant for under 28 weeks or less, and are experiencing financial hardship or limited resources.
The program sees participants visited by a public health nurse throughout their pregnancy, continuing until their child reaches two years of age.
Over this time, an expecting parent and the public health nurse could explore topics such as how to have a healthy pregnancy, preparation for child birth, nutrition, exercise, parenting, child development, future life planning, and accessing community resources.
VIDEO: Nurse-Family Partnership (U.S.)
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“This program provides expecting and new parents with the confidence and the tools they need not only to ensure a healthy start for their baby during pregnancy, but to also have a life of opportunities and success for both parent and child,” says Dorothea Service, manager of health families and harm reduction with the Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit, in a media release.
“By developing a close relationship with a public health nurse, pregnant individuals and parents can rely on a trusted resource for advice on everything from prenatal support to caring for their child and taking steps to provide a positive future for their new family.”
Eligible women can contact the appropriate health unit to enrol directly, and health care providers and social service agencies can also refer eligible women to the program. For more information about the program, including eligibility requirements, visit the Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit website at www.hkpr.on.ca/NFP or the Peterborough Public Health website at www.peterboroughpublichealth.ca/your-health/nurse-family-partnership/.
Kawarthas Northumberland is promoting its Taste of the Trent-Severn Waterway (TSW) culinary tourism program with a giant fork that's over six feet tall. Pictured at Campbellford's The Dockside Bistro, the giant fork will be passed between businesses participating in the program, both providing a fun photo opportunity for guests and the potential to win fun prizes from some of the businesses. (Photo courtesy of Kawarthas Northumberland / RTO8)
If you’re enjoying a bite to eat in Kawarthas Northumberland this fall, don’t be surprised if you encounter a giant fork.
The giant fork is part of the Taste of the Trent-Severn Waterway (TSW) culinary tourism program, which celebrates food and community by sharing flavours named after or inspired by the historic waterway that links these communities together. From Coboconk to Campbellford, over 45 cafés, restaurants, breweries, and retail businesses are participating in the Taste of the TSW program, offering upwards of 65 items including entrees, desserts, coffee, craft brews, and more.
With 80 per cent of the historic Trent-Severn Waterway located in Kawarthas Northumberland, the waterway is not only the region’s main tourist attraction, but it also provides a way for locals to explore their neighbouring communities.
Kawarthas Northumberland’s Taste of the Trent-Severn Waterway (TSW) culinary tourism program celebrates food and community by sharing flavours named after or inspired by the historic waterway that links these communities together. From Coboconk to Campbellford, over 45 cafés, restaurants, breweries, and retail businesses are participating in the Taste of the TSW program, offering upwards of 65 items including entrees, desserts, coffee, craft brews, and more. Fenelon Fall’s The Little Pie Shack offers the “Lock 34 Lemon Meringue Pie,” named for the lock just a few steps away. (Photo courtesy of Kawarthas Northumberland / RTO8)
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“The waterway is a good way of connecting people together,” explains Brenda Wood, executive director of Regional Tourism Organization 8 (RTO8), the not-for-profit organization funded by the Ontario Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport that promotes regional tourism activity in the area branded as Kawarthas Northumberland.
“A lot of people come to the region for the waterway, whether it’s for boating or going to cottages or just day tripping, so we want to encourage people to come out to these areas and try some of the food and beverage items inspired by the Trent-Severn Waterway.”
Originally created in 2021 in partnership with Parks Canada to celebrate the centennial (plus one because of pandemic delays) of through navigation of the Trent-Severn Waterway, Taste of the TSW invites local businesses to either rename or create an all-new product in honour of the waterway and its importance for regional tourism.
“Some of the food and beverage providers get very creative — they have fun with it,” Wood says. “It’s nice for people like boaters — whether they’re doing long distances along the waterway or just a day trip — to come to a restaurant and try a food item that goes along with the theme of their journey or their adventure.”
VIDEO: Taste of the TSW – “Otonabean Espresso” at Peterborough’s Silver Bean Cafe
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This year, culinary enthusiasts can have their photo taken beside a giant fork that’s over six feet tall and share their photo on social media with the hashtag #TasteoftheTSW, so others can enjoy the same great tastes and, of course, also find the giant fork.
“It just encourages people to have fun with it and to further promote the businesses who are really proud to be on the waterway and in the region,” Wood explains, adding that many of the Taste of the TSW dishes showcase flavours that are unique to the area.
“This is a very heavy agricultural region,” she explains. “A lot of the things you’re going to eat here are also grown in this area. A lot of the ingredients that go into some of these products, and a lot of the ingredients that local restaurants cook with, are sourced from the region.”
For Kawarthas Northumberland’s Taste of the Trent-Severn Waterway culinary program, Kawartha Dairy is serving up the “Banana Boat on the Trent-Severn.” Available from Kawartha Dairy’s Bobcaygeon, Lindsay, and Peterborough locations, the ice cream is a taste of a cottage country campfire, with the sweet and fruity combination of banana, marshmallow, and chocolate. The sweet tooth satisfier pays homage to the roots of the 80-year-old family business as, back when it was founded, Kawartha Dairy made cottage deliveries by boat along the waterway. (Photo courtesy of Kawarthas Northumberland / RTO8)
One such example is “Blossoms of the Trent Honey” from MoreRoses Apiaries (29 Marine Dr., Hastings). Guests can stop by the honey stand to try out their new honey created especially for Taste of the TSW.
With most of the their hives located within flying distance of the Trent-Severn Waterway, MoreRoses’ honey is made by bees collecting pollen from spring and summer flowers along the waterway, including dandelions, alfalfa, clover, trefoil, and many more. The belief is that the microclimate along the water dries the honey, giving it a delicate floral flavour.
“There are really nice pollinator gardens in the area as well,” says Wood, adding that part of the fun of the culinary tour is getting visitors to see how the waterway influences plant and wildlife in the communities. “There are wildflowers all along the Trent-Severn Waterway, and Hastings even has their community edible garden full of pollinators right by Lock 18.”
For Kawarthas Northumberland’s Taste of the Trent-Severn Waterway culinary program, Lock 27 Tap & Grill in Young’s Point offers the Lock 27 seven-ounce homemade smoked burger, which can be perfectly paired with Lock 27 Draft made with two-row malted barley and cold-aged for a crisp and clean flavour. (Photo courtesy of Kawarthas Northumberland / RTO8)
Other products on the tour tell a story, like the signature dish at Elmhirst’s Resort in Keene. “Marybelle’s Wild Rice Pudding” is the oldest recipe at the resort and pays tribute to Rice Lake’s history of being abundant with the wild rice for which it was named.
The cooked wild rice in the dish provides an earthy tone that balances the sweetness of the custard and fruity raspberry coulis.
The dish is named for Grandma Mary Belle, the talented cook and wife of Arthur Elmhirst who took over the property from his father and first turned it into a full-time operational resort, before passing it down to future generations of the Elmhirst family.
Wood notes that one of the great things about Taste of the TSW is that participants can immerse themselves in the region, not only by tasting local ingredients and flavours, but by hearing about and engaging with the stories that make each business and their dish entirely unique.
“It’s interesting hearing what visitors have to say about the Trent-Severn Waterway,” she says, adding that many will label the section that weaves its way through the Kawarthas Northumberland region as the “crown jewel” of the waterway. “Here it’s all about the nature. You’re basically stepping into a Group of Seven painting.”
VIDEO: Taste of the TSW – “Lock 32 Sundae” at Bigley’s Sweet Treats in Bobcaygeon
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A full list of businesses participating in Taste of the TSW can be found in the locally developed Toureka! app, available for free for both Android and iOS devices. With each location pinned on a map and including descriptions of each of the products, participants can easily plan their own culinary adventure along the Trent-Severn Waterway.
For example, coffee fiends can map a route that takes them from the “Lock 18 Latte” at The Water Lily in Hastings to the “Otonobean Espresso” at Peterborough’s Silver Bean Café. Those looking for a stronger taste of the waterway might plan a brewery tour that takes them from Havelock to Fenelon Falls and beyond.
“The Toureka app is great for anyone looking for a themed itinerary,” says Wood, adding that Kawartha Northumberland has other featured tours listed on the app, including motorcycle and paddling routes, for participants who want to continue their exploration of the region beyond food and drink.
As well as downloading the Toureka! app to their mobile devices, participants can also browse the featured tours using digital kiosks located in some of the region’s visitors centres, such as the Peterborough & the Kawarthas Visitor Centre located in downtown Peterborough or the Bobcaygeon tourist information centre.
For Kawarthas Northumberland’s Taste of the Trent-Severn Waterway culinary program, Pizza Alloro in Buckhorn is slicing up the Trail Town Special Pizza, which is a take on the traditional Canadian pizza, made with mushroom, pepperonis, bacon, and onions. (Photo courtesy of Kawarthas Northumberland / RTO8)
Woods points out that the Taste of the TSW program is open to all businesses in Kawarthas Northumberland, not just restaurants, bars, and cafés. Food-related retail businesses can also participate, such as Lakefield’s The Cheesy Fromage which has three Taste of the TSW products, including spices and jams, caviar mac n’ cheese, and caviar quesadilla.
Businesses offering a Taste of the TSW product will be listed on the program’s website and are eligible to host the giant fork as an engaging way to attract customers.
The Dockside Bistro in Campbellford — offering Taste of the TSW products including Souvlaki on the Severn, Lock 13 Mule, the TSW Mega Burger, and even a gin cocktail named after the waterway — is the very first business to host the giant fork.
Take your photo with the Taste of the Trent-Severn Waterway culinary program’s giant fork, which will be passed between participating businesses in communities along the Trent-Severn Waterway in Kawarthas Northumberland. Can you find the fork? Diners are encouraged to follow where the fork goes through the hashtag #TasteoftheTSW. (Photo courtesy of Kawarthas Northumberland / RTO8)
While the giant fork is at The Dockside Bistro until Thursday (August 31), diners who take their photo with the fork and post it on social media, tagging the bistro and using the hashtag #TasteoftheTSW, will be entered into a draw to win a $100 gift card. On September 1, the giant fork will move to a new business participating in Taste of the TSW.
To find out the next location of the giant fork, follow Kawarthas Northumberland on Facebook and Instagram, where you can search for the #TasteoftheTSW hastag.
This branded editorial was created in partnership with Regional Tourism Organization 8 (RTO8). If your business or organization is interested in a branded editorial, contact us.
Kara Parcells is a registered dental hygienist and owner of Evolve Dental Hygiene, Lindsay's first independent brick-and-mortar dental hygiene practice. After less than a year in business, Evolve Dental Hygiene will be relocating from its current location in the Adelaide Clinic to a nearby building at 232 Kent Street West this fall. (Photo courtesy of Evolve Dental Hygiene)
Registered dental hygienist Kara Parcells wants you to know you have choices when it comes to your dental health.
That’s why late last year, Parcells opened Lindsay’s first independent brick-and-mortar dental hygiene practice called Evolve Dental Hygiene. Now, after just a few months in business, Parcells will be moving her practice out of Adelaide Clinic and into her own space at 232 Kent Street West this fall.
At Evolve Dental Hygiene, Parcells offers all the preventative care you would get from a dental hygienist in a typical dental office, even though there is no dentist on site. Her services include oral assessments, stain removal, oral cancer screening, fluoride treatment, professional whitening, and more.
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For Parcells, one of the major obstacles she’s had since starting her business is educating people on independent dental hygiene as a wellness option. Many people don’t realize that registered dental hygienists are allowed to work independently from dentists.
“Dental hygiene is a preventive therapy while visiting the dentist is restorative,” she explains, adding that she still largely encourages her clients to see a dentist as well. “You see a dentist to fix things basically, but with dental hygiene we’re looking at maintaining health and preventing disease.”
Parcells was motivated to open her own practice after years spent commuting to work in Whitby. With two young children at home, the two-hour daily commute was not how she wanted to spend her time.
Registered dental hygienist Kara Parcells with a young client at Evolve Dental Hygiene in Lindsay. Many people are unaware they can get dental hygiene care outside of a traditional dental office. (Photo courtesy of Evolve Dental Hygiene)
Additionally, between pandemic protocols, staff shortages, and Lindsay’s growing population, Parcells felt that opening her own business would let her be in more control over the time she spent with her clients, rather than having to squeeze them into a time slot.
“It was just the right time,” she says about starting her own practice and now moving into her own space. “Lindsay’s growing — they say we’re doubling the population within ten years, so there’s a definite need.”
For Parcells, operating independently allows her to provide personalized care in a comfortable space where she can really get to know her clients.
“People want to get to know us, and they want somebody that knows their mouth,” she says. “They like the idea of not seeing a different provider every single time.”
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A key piece of Parcells’ practice is letting her clients have a say in the care they receive.
“People should play an active role in their treatment,” she explains. “It’s informed consent, and people should know their options.”
She adds that she often hears people say they feel shame or embarrassment when visiting a dental hygienist, or they feel like they’re being judged. But, Parcells assures, that’s not at all the case at Evolve Dental Hygiene.
Rather than trying to pressure clients, Parcells says she celebrates she “small victories” while working towards a solution that fits the client’s needs.
“The best thing to do is what’s going to work the best and what you’re going to do,” she explains. “So if you’re not going to floss, let’s look at some other tools that maybe you might do.”
At Evolve Dental Hygiene, registered dental hygienist Kara Parcells offers all the preventative care you would get from a dental hygienist in a typical dental office, even though there is no dentist on site. Her services include oral assessments, stain removal, oral cancer screening, fluoride treatment, professional whitening, and more. (Photo courtesy of Evolve Dental Hygiene)
She uses the example of a time in her own life where she found she wasn’t flossing in the evenings because she had been working night shifts and would come home late. Rather than shaming herself, she found a solution in using a pick floss that she liked and would floss while commuting home from work.
This is a technique she now often recommends to people who don’t have the time to floss, and it’s other solutions like these that she finds works best in getting people to take care of their oral hygiene.
“I have the time to be personal with people,” she points out. “We develop a relationship, so they like me and trust me.”
In getting to know her clients, Parcells has found that many people prefer holistic solutions, so she now stocks her office full of the natural alternatives that aren’t always easy to come by.
In gaining this deeper trust with her clients, Parcells adds that her practice can often be the moderator or in-between for clients who have a phobia of going to the dentist. In spending more time with the client, she’s able to understand where their phobia stems from, and she can make recommendations for local dentists who she feels will be a good match.
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“Some people have allowed me to make referrals to dentists I feel would complement their values,” Parcells explains, adding that she’s gained the trust of several clients who hadn’t been to see a dentist in years because of these fears. “I have a handful of people I can refer [clients] to and look at those people and consider who’s going to vibe well with them.”
At the new building Parcells is moving into, she hopes to share the space with other wellness practitioners.
“If there was somebody kind of looking to get started with their practice, it’s a really great opportunity for them and maybe we could join forces,” she says, adding that she’d love to show other practices the same great support she got from Lindsay when beginning her practice.
“It keeps it local. It’s such an exciting time to be an entrepreneur — especially a woman entrepreneur — right now, because there’s a lot of really amazing people doing things here in the Kawarthas.”
Kara Parcells, a registered dental hygienist and owner of Evolve Dental Hygiene in Lindsay, uses her social media accounts as a platform to educate people on independent dental hygiene as a wellness option. Through Instagram and Facebook, she share information, interesting facts, and misconceptions about oral health and wellness. (Graphic courtesy of Evolve Dental Hygiene)
When she opens her new space in early October, Parcells says it will offer the same “non-intimidating” atmosphere as her current office, with local artwork and plants decorating the waiting room.
“You don’t feel rushed, and you don’t feel like you’re just a number,” she notes, adding that she makes sure not to schedule appointments back-to-back so she ends up running late. “You’ll never wait in my waiting room.”
Parcells uses her social media accounts as a platform to educate people on independent dental hygiene as a wellness option. Through Instagram and Facebook, she share information, interesting facts, and misconceptions about oral health and wellness.
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“I like to think it’s done in a fun way that people might actually read it and kind of understand,” she says.
Evolve Dental Hygiene will be opening at 232 Kent Street West in Lindsay in October. Until then, you can visit Parcells at her current location at the Adelaide Clinic at 1 Adelaide Street North.
For more information or to book an appointment, visit www.evolvedentalhygiene.ca. You can also follow Evolve Dental Hygiene on Instagram and Facebook to learn more about dental hygiene from an independent practitioner.
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