Construction of the new Peterborough Animal Care Centre at 1999 Technology Drive in southeast Peterborough in January 2022. The new facility, which will include the Peterborough Humane Society's adoption and education centre and regional high-volume spay and meuter clinic as well as the Ontario SPCA's provincial dog rehabilitation centre, is scheduled for completion at the end of 2022. (Photo courtesy of Peterborough Humane Society)
The Peterborough Humane Society and the Ontario SPCA and Humane Society have received a $260,000 grant from PetSmart Charities of Canada for the new Peterborough Animal Care Centre.
Currently under construction at 1999 Technology Drive in southeast Peterborough, the 24,000-square-foot facility will house the Peterborough Humane Society’s adoption and education centre and regional high-volume spay and neuter clinic, as well as the Ontario SPCA’s provincial dog rehabilitation centre — the first of its kind in Canada.
The Peterborough Humane Society will use most of the grant to purchase medical equipment required for the regional high-volume spay and neuter clinic. The clinic, which will serve the public as well as other animal rescue organizations, will provide up to 25 surgeries a day, helping 5,000 pets and their families each year.
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“PetSmart Charities of Canada has been a phenomenal partner on this journey to the new centre,” says Shawn Morey, executive director of the Peterborough Humane Society, in a media release. “Their support brings us that much closer to being able to raise the bar in animal care in our community and beyond.”
Another $75,000 of the grant will go towards the Ontario SPCA provincial dog rehabilitation centre, which will help dogs who need more support and care than a regular shelter can provide. It will contain several unique features, including hydrotherapy equipment, indoor and outdoor off-leash areas, flexible training rooms, specialized training courses, and a real family living room to help dogs practice living in a home environment.
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“We are grateful to receive this grant from PetSmart Charities of Canada to help bring the provincial dog rehabilitation centre to reality,” says Dr. Stephanie Black, chief veterinary officer with the Ontario SPCA and Humane Society. “Once complete, this centre will fill a critical and significant gap in current services by addressing the individualized needs of dogs most difficult to adopt.”
PetSmart Charities of Canada, a registered Canadian charity independent from the PetSmart pet store chain in Canada, has granted more than $14 million for animal welfare activities. To date, the charity has contributed over $421,000 towards the Peterborough Animal Care Centre.
The Ontario SPCA Provincial Dog Rehabilitation Centre, which will help dogs who need more support and care than a regular shelter can provide. It will contain several unique features, including hydrotherapy equipment, indoor and outdoor off-leash areas, flexible training rooms, specialized training courses, and a real family living room to help dogs practice living in a home environment. (Rendering courtesy of Peterborough Humane Society)
“We recognize the need for accessible health and wellness services for pets, which is why we are excited that the new animal care centre will help bring those services to the Peterborough community,” says Dani LaGiglia, senior community grants manager at PetSmart Charities of Canada. “Not only will the centre help more pets find homes, but it will help more pets receive the care they need to support their health and well-being.”
Cara Livingston commuting by bike on a nice sunny winter's day at -20°C. Before joining Winter Wheels, an annual program offered by B!KE: The Peterborough Community Bike Shop for people who have limited experience with winter riding, Cara only cycled in the winter if absolutely necessary. (Photo: Jacob Bozek)
Riding a bicycle in winter is new territory for most people. But through Winter Wheels, an annual program offered by B!KE: The Peterborough Community Bike Shop and funded by the City of Peterborough, interested riders can get support and guidance to try it out. Cara Livingston joined the Winter Wheels program this year and agreed to share her impressions as a new winter rider.
Each week, GreenUP provides a story related to the environment. This week’s guest column is by Cara Livingston, Winter Wheels participant with B!KE: The Peterborough Community Bike Shop.
Before being a participant in the Winter Wheels program, I only bicycled in the winter if absolutely necessary. I am not a fan of biking up hills, never mind icy hills. And if there is one thing Peterborough has a lot of in the winter, it’s icy hills. But, as a participant in Winter Wheels, I have learned more about my bicycle, and how to enjoy the little things in life — even tackling icy hills on a wintery commute.
I learned about Winter Wheels because I follow B!KE @communitybikeshop on Instagram (@cyclinghubptbo on Twitter). I understood the program offers a helping hand navigating winter riding for people who have limited experience riding in the snow. B!KE provides information and guidance, as well as a free set of studded tires to ensure new winter riders have a safe and positive experience.
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With the continual changes to fitness centre regulations due to the pandemic, I thought joining Winter Wheels would provide me with some structure to stay active through lockdowns. So I applied and was accepted.
Program coordinator Jean Greig and the other staff at B!KE supported my learning from the beginning, from showing me where to find the wheel size on my tires, to suggesting appropriate winter riding wear, to guiding me through basic maintenance procedures to keep my bike running smoothly through winter conditions.
Since joining Winter Wheels my understanding of bicycles has shifted. I got my bicycle in the fall of 2021 from B!KE. I chose it because it was orange and blue, which was about the depth of my bicycle knowledge at the time. I had ridden bicycles in the warmer seasons before, but I never really understood their mechanics. If my bicycle had a bigger problem than a flat tire, it was more than likely never going to be ridden again.
Cara Livingston performs some winter bike maintenance in the B!KE shop at 293 George Street in downtown Peterborough. B!KE offers a welcoming and professionally equipped workshop space with the tools, parts, and friendly volunteer teachers needed for bike repair and maintenance. (Photo: Cara Livingston)
Through Winter Wheels I have learned more of the intricacies of my bicycle, and how to care for it. I now clean my bicycle at least once a week to remove salt and residue. I oil my chain, remove excess grease, and make sure all the parts that are supposed to be moving are moving and all the parts that are meant to be still are still.
Not only have I brushed up on my bicycle knowledge, but something else has also become clear to me. There are similarities between winter and summer riding, beyond the obvious combination of exercise and sustainability.
Other winter riders in my social circle fail to mention the beauty of the ride. Biking to work along the Rotary Greenway Trail, I am amazed by the beauty I would have missed if I were driving: the untouched snow on the trail ahead of me, the strong twigs holding up piles of flakes, and the friendly strangers who become familiar the more I ride the same route. The sense of awe, so apparent in the winter on your bike, is unachievable when driving in a car.
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I also believe there is a change within myself, which goes beyond my new knowledge of bike maintenance and appreciation of winter scenery.
Do you remember when you were a child, you could not wait to grow up? Getting a car was the goal for ultimate freedom. But now, as an adult, do you wish you had the chance to be a child again? Biking in the winter has provided me with that time machine.
When biking to work, my favourite part of the ride is crossing a sloped wintry field. I like to crush slush balls that roll onto the bicycle lane, or to race cars, wondering if they are impressed by my speed. None of these child-like thoughts would be generated if I was driving to work regularly. I would be too focused on where I would park or too worried about the road conditions to enjoy my drive.
Winter Wheels participant Cara Livingston shows off the studded tires on her bicycle. As part of its Winter Wheels program, B!KE: The Community Bike Shop provides a free set of studded tires to ensure new winter riders have a safe and positive experience. (Photo: Jacob Bozek)
Since joining the Winter Wheels program, my bicycle and I have become closer. I take care of my bicycle to ensure I create the best possible ride for myself. And my bicycle provides me with a chance to enjoy my commute, and notice the little things.
Although I am still working on my relationship with biking up icy hills, I am grateful for the Winter Wheels program, for having strengthened my relationship with my bicycle, and with the winter season.
For more information about the Winter Wheels program offered by offered by B!KE: The Peterborough Community Bike Shop, visit communitybikeshop.org/winterwheels/.
A 30-year-old Tilbury man is dead after falling from a telecommunications tower at a worksite in Minden Hills in Haliburton County on Wednesday morning (January 26).
At around 11:30 a.m. on Wednesday, Haliburton OPP were contacted by Haliburton County Paramedic Services about a worker who had fallen from a telecommunications tower on Davis Lake Road.
The police’s initial investigation indicates that workers were onsite working on the tower on Wednesday morning when one of the workers fell. He was subsequently pronounced dead at the scene.
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Police have identified the victim as 30-year-old Jacob Lundrigan of Tilbury in the municipality of Chatham-Kent.
Both the federal and provincial ministries of labour have been notified and are investigating. The Office of the Chief Coroner for Ontario, OPP Forensic Identification Unit, and the Haliburton Highlands OPP Crime Unit are assisting with the investigation.
Police are asking anyone with information about the incident to call 1-888-310-1122 or 705-286-1431 or to contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS) or online at www.khcrimestoppers.com.
Elizabeth Campbell, a 106-year-old resident at Fairhaven long-term care home in Peterborough, was the first person in the Peterborough area to receive a COVID-19 vaccine. The Moderna vaccine was administered on January 26, 2021 by Lori Rowsell, infection prevention and control practitioner at Fairhaven. (Photo: Peterborough Public Health)
On the one-year anniversary of the first COVID-19 vaccine dose administered in the Peterborough area, Peterborough Public Health is expanding walk-in clinic opportunities to some eligible residents.
On January 26, 2021, Elizabeth Campbell — a 106-year-old resident at Fairhaven long-term care home — was the first person in the Peterborough are to receive a COVID-19 vaccine. A dose of the Moderna vaccine was administered by Lori Rowsell, infection prevention and control practitioner at Fairhaven.
On that date, there were confirmed 42 active cases in the Peterborough area and three outbreaks; one year later, there are 328 known active cases (the number of active cases is likely higher due to reduced PCR testing) and 16 outbreaks.
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“In one year, all vaccination partners in our region have been able to administer 321,186 doses of COVID-19 vaccines,” says Dr. Thomas Piggott, Peterborough’s medical officer of health, in a media release. “I want to thank our vaccinators, administrative support, volunteers, and every partner organization that have supported COVID-19 vaccine efforts across the region.”
To increase access to the COVID-19 vaccine, Peterborough Public Health is expanding walk-in clinic opportunities to some eligible residents effective Wednesday (January 26):
Residents 12 years of age or older who require a first or second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine can walk-in to vaccine clinics designated for residents 12 years of age or older.
Residents 18 years of age or older who require a booster dose of the COVID-19 vaccine can walk-in to vaccine clinics designated for residents 12 years of age or older.
Residents five to 11 years of age who require a first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine can walk-in to vaccine clinics designated for residents five to 11 years of age.
At this time, residents five to 11 years of age who require a second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine are asked to book an appointment at available COVID-19 vaccine clinics.
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“We are aiming to reduce the barriers to receiving a COVID-19 vaccine by expanding walk-in opportunities for many residents,” Dr. Piggott says. “Peterborough Public Health will continue to host vaccine clinics in the City of Peterborough and throughout Peterborough County to increase access to the vaccine.”
Appointments are still available for most COVID-19 vaccine clinics and can be booked through the provincial booking system online at ontario.ca/covidvaccine or by calling 1-833-943-3900.
Campbellford Memorial Hospital is located at 146 Oliver Road in Campbellford. (Photo: Campbellford Memorial Hospital)
Campbellford Memorial Hospital in Trent Hills has temporarily converted its day surgery recovery area into acute care beds as a result of a surge of patients due to the COVID-19 omicron variant.
According to a media release issued Wednesday morning (January 26), the hospital has seen sustained patient volumes above 100 per cent of the its bed capacity, peaking at 140 per cent over capacity.
If the surge in patients continues to grow, the hospital is planning to convert its ambulatory care clinic into acute care beds as well.
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Despite increasing bed capacity, the hospital is also facing staffing challenges due to the number of staff required to self-isolate at home because of the omicron variant.
“Our staff have been at this for nearly two years,” states Eric Hanna, the hospital’s interim president and CEO, in the media release. “They are exhausted and they continue to give it their all day in and day out. Our part-time and casual workers are putting in full-time hours. Our full time staff are coming in on their off days. It’s truly been an all-hands-on-deck effort.”
The hospital is reminding residents that omicron is “still very active” in the community and to follow public health guidance including washing hands frequently, wearing a mask, and getting vaccinated.
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“Although we are seeing fully vaccinated patients presenting with COVID-19, I will note that the vast majority of severe COVID-19 cases that require admission to the hospital are in people who are not vaccinated,” Hanna points out. “That’s why vaccination is so important: not only to protect you and your loved ones, but also to preserve hospital capacity.”
The hospital states residents can expect to slightly longer than normal wait times in the emergency department, and encourages those requiring non-urgent care to seek out alternative options such as their family doctor, telehealth, or virtual care clinics.
Aimeé Le Lagadec, executive director of YES Shelter for Youth and Families, outside the organization's location at 189 Brock Street in Peterborough. (Photo courtesy of YES)
Aimeé Le Lagadec is the new executive director of YES Shelter for Youth and Families, a non-profit organization that helps youth and families experiencing homelessness in Peterborough by providing shelter, education, and transitional supports.
Le Lagadec has been acting in the position since September 2021, when former executive director Meagan Hennekam left the position after five years.
“Stepping into this role in the midst of COVID-19 has been extremely challenging,” Le Lagadec states in a media release. “That being said, I am proud to be the one who will lead the YES Shelter for Youth and Families through the remainder of the pandemic.”
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Originally from South Africa, Le Lagadec has a bachelor’s degree in social work and more than 10 years of experience in the social services field, specializing in youth homelessness. She previously worked at Eva’s Initiatives for Homeless Youth in Toronto.
Since 2018, Le Lagadec was YES’s outreach program manger, overseeing a team of staff directly supporting youth and families to avoid, recover from, and exit homelessness.
“We know that Aimeé will continue to inspire the vision for the organization that is aligned with the overall strategic direction, mission and values, and provide executive leadership for the development and delivery of long-term strategies and programs to support vulnerable youth and families in our community,” states YES board chair Kerri Boyd.
The opening night of the 2022 ReFrame Film Festival on January 27 features a free, livestreamed keynote address by renowned Indigenous journalist Tanya Talaga and a musical performance by award-winning Indigenous musician Ansley Simpson. Talaga's book "Seven Fallen Feathers" inspired the award-winning documentary "Mashkawi-Manidoo Bimaadiziwin: Spirit to Soar", co-directed by Talaga with Simpson creating the soundtrack. (Photos: Supplied / Jeff Bierk)
While the 71 social justice documentaries screening at ReFrame Film Festival 2022 are the highlight of the virtual festival running January 27 until February 4, the festival is also hosting a series of live and pre-recorded talks featuring more than two dozen special guests, including filmmakers whose documentaries are screening at the festival.
Opening Night for ReFrame 2022, which begins at 7 p.m. on Thursday (January 27), features a keynote address by renowned journalist Tanya Talaga and a musical performance by Ansley Simpson, with an opening ceremony by Elder Shirley Williams. This event is free and open to the public, worldwide.
Tanya Talaga is an Anishinaabe journalist and speaker. Talaga’s mother’s family is from Fort William First Nation and her father was Polish-Canadian. For more than 20 years, she was a journalist at the Toronto Star covering everything from health to education, investigations and Queen’s Park.
VIDEO: “Mashkawi-Manidoo Bimaadiziwin: Spirit to Soar” clip
Talaga’s first book Seven Fallen Feathers is a national bestseller that inspired the award-winning documentary Mashkawi-Manidoo Bimaadiziwin: Spirit to Soar. A highlight of the 2022 ReFrame program, the film is co-directed by Talaga.
The film, and the book which inspired it, shares the story of seven First Nations youth who went missing or were killed in Thunder Bay, Ontario, over the span of 11 years. In the wake of an inquest into the mysterious deaths, the film explores how the youth’s families and communities have struggled to carry on while pursuing justice for their loved ones and equity for First Nations people.
The soundtrack for the film was created by Ansley Simpson, a Michi Saagiig Nishnaabe musician, artist, writer, and member of Alderville First Nation. Simpson, whose performance during the ReFrame opening night livestream will feature music from the film as well as from the musician’s personal repertoire, garnered two Indigneous Music Nominations and won Best New Artist in 2018 for their debut album Breakwall. In 2021, their collaborative work on Leanne Betasamosake Simpson’s album Theory of Ice landed a coveted place on the shortlist for the Polaris Prize.
VIDEO: Mashkawi-Manidoo Bimaadiziwin (Spirit to Soar Soundtrack Remix)
Live talks over the course of the festival include:
A discussion at 2 p.m. on Saturday (January 29) about queer youth and representation with Mars Pendleton and their parent, celebrated author Karleen Pendleton Jiménez, about Pendleton’s film My Life With Rainbows, which is part of ReFrame’s “The Kids Are Alright: Queer Families Talk Back” shorts program.
A panel discussion at 2 p.m. on Sunday (January 30) featuring local award-winning filmmaker James Cullingham talking about his powerful film The Cost of Freedom: Refugee Journalists in Canada. Cullingham will be joined by Abdulrahman Matar, Arzu Yildiz Arzu, and Luis Horacio Nájera — the three journalists featured in the film.
VIDEO: “The Cost of Freedom: Refugee Journalists in Canada” trailer
A discussion at 7 p.m. on Monday (January 31) with Northwest Territories-based filmmaker Caroline Cox about her film Food For The Rest of Us, which explores radical activism through farming. Cox, who attended Fleming College in Lindsay, and looks forward to reconnecting with her community.
A conversation at 7 p.m. on Tuesday (February 1) about Conserving Catchacoma, a film about protecting the largest-known stand of old-growth eastern hemlock in the Catchacoma Forest in northern Peterborough County. Director Mitch Bowmile will be joined by Katie Krelove of the BC-based non-profit Wilderness Committee and Dr. Peter Quinby, chief scientist with the Peterborough-based non-profit Ancient Forest Exploration & Research (AFER), who identified the stand after AFER found many trees over 120 years old — with the oldest tree, a 350-year-old eastern hemlock, marked for logging.
VIDEO: “Food For The Rest of Us” trailer
A conversation at 7 p.m. on Wednesday (February 2) between Dr. Beverly Jacobs, senior advisor to the president on Indigenous Relations and Outreach at the University of Windsor and filmmakers Courtney Montour (Mary Two-Axe Earley) and Katsitsionni Fox (Without A Whisper) about how their films tie into a lineage of Indigenous feminist histories.
A talk at 7 p.m. on Thursday (February 3) by Shirah Dedman about Follow the Drinking Gourd, a moving, family-friendly documentary about the Black food justice movement.
ReFrame audiences will also get to hear from ReFrame filmmakers from around the world in a series of pre-recorded talks.
Payal Kapadia, director of “A Night of Knowing Nothing”, and Yung Chang, director of “Wuhan Wuhan”, are among the filmmakers whose work is screening at the 2022 ReFrame Film Festival and who will be featured in a series of pre-recorded talks. (Photos: Supplied / Richard Lam)
The Danish filmmaker Louise Detlefsen (It Is Not Over Yet) discusses innovative long-term care options for people with dementia, Payal Kapadia (A Night of Knowing Nothing) talks about her experimental approach to portraying the student protest movement in India, Yung Chang (Wuhan Wuhan) talks about working with rare footage from the first wave of the pandemic, and the high school students in the Youth Leadership and Sustainability program take the film Youth v Gov as a jumping off point to discuss local climate activist Shaelyn Wabegijig’s role in the upcoming lawsuit against the Ontario government.
All of the talks are available virtually via the ReFrame Virtual Theatre on the Eventive film streaming platform, and are included with the films with which they are associated.
You can watch the films and the talks by purchasing a virtual festival pass, festival 5-packs, or pay-what-you can tickets for single films at reframefilmfestival.ca/festival/passes-tickets/.
VIDEO: “It Is Not Over Yet” trailer
See the full list of live and pre-recorded talks below.
List of Live Talks
Thu Jan 27, 7 p.m.: Opening Night with Tanya Talaga and Ansley Simpson, Mashkawi-Manidoo Bimaadiziwin: Spirit to Soar (free)
Sat Jan 29, 2 p.m.: Mars Pendleton and Karleen Pendleton Jimenez, My Life with Rainbows
Sun Jan 30, 2 p.m.: James Cullingham, Abdulrahman Matar, Arzu Yildiz Arzu, Luis Horacio Nájera, The Cost of Freedom
Environment Canada has issued an extreme cold warning for the entire greater Kawarthas region for Tuesday night (January 25) into Wednesday morning.
The extreme cold warning is in effect for Peterborough County, Kawartha Lakes, Northumberland County, Haliburton County, and northern Hastings County.
With bitterly cold arctic air settling over the region once again, a period of very cold wind chills is expected.
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For Peterborough County, Kawartha Lakes, and Northumberland County, minimum temperatures of -21 to -27°C are expected, with wind chill values from -28 to -33°C.
For Haliburton County and northern Hastings County, minimum low temperatures of -27 to -34°C are expected, with wind chill values from -35 to -40°C.
Extreme cold puts everyone at risk, but infants, elderly people, people with circulatory problems, and people who are marginally housed are especially vulnerable.
If going outside, dress in layers (including a wind-resistant outer layer). Cover up exposed skin, as frostbite can develop within 10 to 30 minutes on exposed skin, especially with wind chill.
Consider re-scheduling outdoor recreational activities, especially during the evening. There is a serious risk of hypothermia and frostbite if outdoors for long periods.
Remember: if it’s too cold for you to stay outside, it’s too cold for your pet to stay outside.
Environment Canada has issued a winter weather travel advisory for the southern greater Kawarthas region for Monday evening (January 24).
The weather advisory is in effect for southern Peterborough County, southern Kawartha Lakes, and Northumberland County.
There will be snow, heavy at times, with total accumulation of 5 to 10 cm expected by later on Monday night. Peak snowfall rates of 2 to 4 cm per hour are possible.
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Southwesterly winds over Lake Ontario are expected to enhance snowfall rates, especially for areas closer to the lake shore.
There will be reduced visibility due to snow and occasional blowing snow.
Travel may be hazardous due to sudden changes in the weather. Be prepared to adjust your driving with changing road conditions. If visibility is reduced while driving, turn on your lights and maintain a safe following distance.
A 25-year-old man from northern Hastings County has been charged with attempted murder following a shooting incident last Wednesday night (January 19).
At around 11:30 p.m. last Wednesday, officers from the Bancroft OPP responded to a disturbance on New Carlow Road, east of Maynooth, in Carlow Mayo Township.
A police investigation revealed the accused man had discharged a firearm at two people at the location, neither of whom were struck or injured. The accused man fled the scene after the incident.
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On Sunday (January 23), the Bancroft OPP and the OPP Emergency Response Team arrested the accused man in the Bancroft area.
Konner Brewitt, 25, of Carlow Mayo Township has been charged with two counts of attempting to commit murder using a firearm, two counts of discharging a firearm with intent, two counts of assault, pointing a firearm, and careless use of a firearm, weapon, prohibited device or ammunition
Brewitt is in police custody and is scheduled to appear at the Ontario Court of Justice in Belleville on Monday (January 24) in relation to the criminal charges.
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