After a two-year hiatus in its 40-year history because of the pandemic, plans are underway for the return of Port Hope’s annual “Float your Fanny Down the Ganny” celebration.

The weird and wacky race down the Ganaraska River is scheduled to take place on Saturday, April 9th, with an inclement weather date for the following Saturday.

“We are cautiously optimistic about the return of Float Your Fanny and a community celebration to mark the 40th race in our history,” says Port Hope Mayor Bob Sanderson in a media release. “We are keeping a watchful eye on the COVID-19 situation and, after careful consideration and in collaboration with community and emergency service partners, we are able to take the first step in the planning process.”

While the race is a fun celebration of spring, it marks a catastrophic event in Port Hope’s past.

On March 21, 1980, a torrential downpour of rain combined with blocked storm drains and sewers caused the banks of the Ganaraska to spill over into the town of Port Hope. Every bridge on the river was washed out, as well as the board sidewalk and part of Walton Street, damaging buildings, and a child was recorded as having been drowned.

The Port Hope flood was forever recorded in the history books and the commemorative race has become a signature event for Port Hope.

Participants are challenged in a rigorous 10-kilometre race down the Ganaraska River. At the finish line, an outdoor event village called “Fannyville” is set up to host food, drink, and merchant vendors, on-stage entertainment, children’s activities, and a live commentary of the race results, culminating in an award presentation for the race finalists.

“We’ve been hibernating for two years and are ready to celebrate the unofficial start of spring with the return of this much-loved Port Hope tradition,” says Float Your Fanny committee co-chair Barry Adamson. “Our small non-profit organization appreciates the support of the municipality to help us bring this event back to our community calendar. We are excited, cautious, but ready to get back out there and have some good old-fashioned fun.”

Port Hope fire and emergency services are working with community emergency service partners in safety planning and will be on-site during the event. Participants and spectators must follow protocols and remain mindful and respectful of each other along the riverbank.

“The health and safety of the community remains top priority for event organizers and the municipality,” reads a media release.

The event plan has been reviewed by the Department of Fisheries and Oceans to ensure the municipality remains in compliance with all policies and procedures to support the safety and sustainability of the fish and wildlife habitats in the river.

Participant registration is now open on the Float your Fanny Down the Ganny Race website at www.floatyourfanny.ca, where you can also find the registration fees to enter the race as well as rules and regulations.

The sudden retirement of former Peterborough Police Services chief Scott Gilbert was the dominant topic of discussion during a virtual media briefing held Thursday morning (February 10).

Taking questions were Peterborough Police Services Board chair Les Kariunas and acting police chief Tim Farquharson, the latter named to that role following the former chief’s retirement, announced on February 4, that took effect February 7.

“He (Gilbert) came to us (the police board) to retire, we accepted that, and we wished him best of luck — the time was quick but that’s what we did,” said Kariunas, who refused any comment on a media report that alleged Gilbert was the subject of officially filed complaints.

“I know everybody’s concerned about the suddenness,” Kariunas acknowledged. “Yes, it is sudden but we’re dealing with it very well. From the board side, there’s no need for an investigation. There’s no investigation required going forward. That’s all I want to say at this point.”

“That (Gilbert’s retirement) was something the board had to take seriously and had to act very quickly on. He had been here for 3 and a half years and felt that moving forward was something that was personally in his cards. We (the board) wish him the best of luck.”

Gilbert became the ninth chief of the Peterborough Police Service in July 2018, replacing Murray Rodd who retired after 35 years with the service, including 10 years as chief. Before coming to Peterborough, Gilbert was a long-time member of Toronto Police Service.

As to the question of whether a pay-out was offered Gilbert, Kariunas admitted there “have been precedents for that” but, citing the service’s human resources policies, said he can’t discuss that as it pertains to Gilbert.

“We (the board) had every confidence in the chief going forward but he decided to retire. We did a KPMG study where there were online surveys, there were one-on-ones, and there were group-focused surveys on an anonymous and confidential basis. Overall we felt that we were moving forward in a positive way. From the entire service as a whole, there was generally satisfaction.”

“I can’t say for everybody in the service whether there were complaints or not, but we did our diligence to ensure we were moving forward in a positive way. The chief decided to retire so now we have to move forward in that way.”

Placed suddenly into the top cop role was Farquharson who, since 2012, has served as deputy police chief.

“On Friday, I was told the chief had decided to retire. The board chair (Kariunas) spoke to me and asked if I’d be interested in the acting role while they conduct a search (for a new chief). I said ‘Absolutely, I’ll take that challenge on.'”

The search process, said Kariunas, will begin with the next Police Services Board meeting.

“We have to dust off previous process and review it and sharpen it up and go forward,” he said.

“We’re discussing the search process but we’re certainly committed to not only internal candidates coming forward but external (candidates) as well. There’s a process for that as there was in 2018 (when Gilbert was hired).”

“We don’t have an acting deputy chief right now,” Kariuna said, referring to Farquharson’s new role as acting chief. “That leaves us obviously with a gap. That kind of pressures us to move on this quick. We want to get through this process as quickly as possible.”

For his part, Farquharson says he hasn’t considered putting his name forward as a candidate for the top job.

“Honestly, I haven’t time to think about and I hadn’t thought about it before that,” he said. “I don’t know what next week or next month will bring. I haven’t even talked to my family about what future plans are. I’m concentrating now on the day-to-day operations and supporting an incredible service.”

“We’ve taken, and are going to continue to take, the time to connect internally with our members. Obviously when things like this happen, it’s sudden but we have incredible people. They come to work every day to work. I would say, by going around to the shifts, that everybody is ready to hit the ground running and keep going.”

The media briefing was originally called to provide details on the Peterborough Police Service “moving forward, highlighting upcoming projects, goals and challenges.”

While Kariunas did provide a state of-the-union-type overview as an introduction, all of the subsequent media questions centred on Gilbert’s retirement, and the circumstances around that, as well as acting chief Farquharson’s acceptance of the interim position and his focus moving forward.

YWCA Peterborough Haliburton and the Kawartha Sexual Assault Centre are collectively receiving over $200,000 in provincial funding to help address the growing demand during the pandemic for rural services for women who have experienced violence and exploitation.

Haliburton-Kawartha Lakes-Brock MPP Laurie Scott and Peterborough-Kawartha MPP Dave Smith made a virtual announcement on Thursday (February 10), along with Kim Dolan, executive director of YWCA Peterborough Haliburton.

YWCA Peterborough Haliburton will be receiving $142,949 to support the Haliburton Emergency SafeSpace (HERS) program — which provides a safe space within Haliburton County so that women and their children can move away from the abusive situation in their home, without leaving their support systems, jobs and schools, families and friends behind — as well as an additional $8,272 for training initiatives.

“The YWCA Peterborough Haliburton and Kawartha Sexual Assault Centre provide services to the most vulnerable members of our community,” Scott said. “This funding will help ensure they can continue to deliver supports and operate local shelters during the pandemic, especially for those who are in rural and remote areas and face transportation barriers.”

The Kawartha Sexual Assault Centre will be receiving $55,088 to deliver crucial services and supports to survivors of human trafficking and women who have experienced violence.

The funding will be used to support a collaborative project between Kawartha Sexual Assault Centre and Niijkiwendidaa Anishnaabekwewag Services Circle to provide public education (including events, conferences, and workshops) in Curve Lake First Nation, Alderville First Nation, and Hiawatha First Nation for human trafficking victims and survivors and those at risk of human trafficking.

“Today’s funding will help so they can write a better ending to their story,” Smith said during the announcement, acknowledging Scott’s advocacy work for services for vulnerable women in her riding.

The funding from Ontario’s Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services is part of the Ontario government’s $3.6 million investment in rural frontline agencies to address the growing strain on services due to COVID-19.

According to Dolan, calls to the HERS program from women experiencing gender-based violence have increased throughout the pandemic.

“For women who are living with violence, there’s always unpredictability and uncertainty,” said Dolan. “(The pandemic has) added additional barriers to women who are contemplating leaving. It’s made it much more complicated for women to reach out and for services to reach in.”

For the fourth time in the past year, the reopening of the Bobcaygeon Swing Bridge has been delayed — this time until the fall.

“Parks Canada was recently informed by the contractor that progress on the refabrication of the mechanical components for the bridge has been slower than expected and has resulted in further delays to the rehabilitation project schedule,” reads a media release from Parks Canada on Wednesday afternoon (February 9).

The project to rehabilitate the bridge, which began in October 2020, was originally scheduled to be completed last May. Delays with the fabrication and delivery of hydraulic and mechanical components, and the discovery that some components of the bridge were in worse condition than originally anticipated, changed the expected completion date to the summer.

Last July, Parks Canada announced the bridge would not reopen in the summer because key mechanical components involved in rotating the bridge needed to be refabricated as they did not meet safety and quality standards. The refabricated components were to be installed in October following the closing of the navigation season, with the bridge expected to reopen for vehicle use in December.

In December, Parks Canada announced a new consultant has been brought onto the project to review and finalize the design and the refabrication of required components for the bridge. After the review of the project, the contractor advised Parks Canada the reopening of the bridge needed to be pushed to spring 2022 due to issues mainly associated with the mechanical component refabrication.

“Design and refabrication of the mechanical components for the bridge continues offsite,” Parks Canada states. “The components are expected to arrive on location through the spring and summer 2022 at which time they will be installed. Once installation of the components has begun, the remainder of the bridge work will be able to continue with an expected completion in late summer/early fall and bridge reopening scheduled for fall 2022 once testing has been completed.”

Parks Canada says the bridge work is not expected to impede boat navigation, as the work does not impact the nearby Lock 32.

The enhanced pedestrian access over the upper lock gates and its access paths will continue to remain open until the bridge project has been completed.

“Parks Canada is working closely with the Contractor to bring the project to its completion,” reads the media release “Further updates will be provided as new information becomes available.”

Last fall’s “Love You” campaign by Shoppers Drug Mart stores in Peterborough has resulted in a $14,081 donation to YWCA Peterborough Haliburton to help local women safely escape violence and abuse.

During the campaign, Shoppers Drug Mart customers were encouraged to make a donation by purchasing paper icons in Peterborough stores, with 100 per cent of the donations helping to fund YWCA Crossroads Shelter and support programs for women experiencing gender-based violence.

“We are truly thankful for the combined support of our community and the entire Peterborough Shoppers Drug Mart team,” says Kim Dolan, executive director of YWCA Peterborough Haliburton, in a media release.

“The need for violence against women support services has remained high since the onset of the pandemic,” Dolan adds. “This generous donation will provide much-needed safety, resources and support to women in crisis.”

The Shoppers Drug Mart “Love You” fall fundraising program is an annual four-week campaign to improve women’s health. Since 2011, the program has supported more than 450 women’s charities annually across Canada.

“The YWCA is an absolutely essential resource for women and children living in Peterborough,” says Mohan Joshi, owner of the Shoppers Drug Mart locations on High Street, Chemong Road, and Landsdowne Street. “We are honoured to be able to continue our commitment to their work in partnership with our generous customers and staff team.”

With the 2022 Ontario election slated for June 2, Peterborough-Kawartha provincial Liberal candidate Greg Dempsey has heard a plea for a permanent guaranteed basic income in Ontario from local artists and arts sector leaders.

Dempsey and Dane Bland, his rival for the local Liberal nomination held last November, co-hosted an arts-focused virtual community forum on Tuesday evening (February 8) that was attended by people from the Peterborough-area arts community.

During the discussion, Dempsey reiterated his strong commitment to the provision of a guaranteed basic income, noting it’s the “singular policy reason” that drove him to seek the nomination.

While making a decent living in the arts has always been a challenge, noted several participants, the pandemic has taken the struggle to make ends meet to a whole other level.

“Musicians, actors, painters, and writers have a different perspective on what it means, and feels like, to create art in this digital age due to digital demonetization,” said musician, actress, and playwright Kate Suhr.

“You can go on YouTube to listen to any song you want and not pay a thing,” Suhr explained. “Artists receive 700th of a cent per stream. On Spotify, they receive .003 cents per stream. The money from subscriptions first goes to the record labels and then it is divvied up amongst the musicians.”

“Those who are not so lucky to have a label backing them are surprised to earn maybe $500 a year. In 2015, my SOCAN cheques (paid for accumulated streams) totalled $4,700. My latest cheque gifted me a whopping $2.50. I didn’t cash that cheque due to embarrassment.”

In making her case for more support for artists, Suhr noted she has “yet to meet a person on this earth who does not consume art in any shape or form,” adding “The arts are crucial to the world. Without the arts, we would be lost. It’s how we learn to grieve, process, heal and connect to both ourselves and one another.”

Artists, said Suhr, “rely on ticket sales and the selling of merchandise to make a living. With no shows, there’s just no living. It is now about survival.”

“We’re taxed mentally, spiritually and emotionally. When human beings become stressed they become apathetic. They feel dampened. It’s not a conducive environment for creativity, to say the least. I’m here to speak about how alone we feel and unsupported.”

In 2017, a guaranteed basic income was provided as a pilot project by the provincial Liberal government in five Ontario communities, including Lindsay in the City of Kawartha Lakes. Almost 4,000 people were enrolled in the pilot when the newly elected Ford government scrapped the initiative the following year, stating “The three-year study of no-strings attached payments is not the answer Ontario families need.”

The decision to scrap the pilot project after one year was met with much criticism from advocacy groups. When the federal government provided its Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) during the pandemic, calls grew louder to implement a guaranteed basic income.

“It (guaranteed basic income) allows people to live without the constant worry of ‘Where am I going to live?’ and ‘How am I going to feed my family?’,” said Dempsey, noting the Ontario Liberal party has made it very clear it will reinstate the program if it wins the next provincial election.

Kim Blackwell, managing artistic director of 4th Line Theatre near Millbrook, said the theatre company “was able to stay afloat through the pandemic” but only at the expense of letting go “most all of our artists.”

“Artists are some of the most vulnerable people during the pandemic yet they are some of the most important people in our society,” Blackwell said. “I know, as an artist and an arts leader, about the transformative power of art to change the world, to change people’s lives. I see that at the (Winslow) farm almost every single night that we share with our audience.”

For her part, Su Ditta, the executive director of the Electric City Culture Council (EC3) in Peterborough, called for a Liberal commitment to the Ontario Arts Council — in particular its program of grants provided individual artists.

And Katherine Carleton, the Peterborough-based executive director of Orchestras Canada who was invested in the Order of Canada in 2017 for her efforts to promote a thriving arts and culture sector in Canada, called for a platform “that addresses the role of the arts and culture in Ontario communities and addresses the very real needs of the arts and culture sector as we try to move on from COVID.”

Another topic raised was the loss of venues both before and during the pandemic.

Janet Clarkson, a potter had her own art gallery for 25 years and is involved with the Buckhorn Art Festival, said vacant church spaces provide an opportunity.

“If we can find a use for them, maybe somebody won’t find a use for the jackhammer to knock them down,” she said.

In his opening comments, Bland spoke specifically to the loss of venues.

“These places weren’t just venues for performers — they were hubs for creators to gather,” he said.

“It’s often said that issues like education, or housing, or job creation, should take precedence over conversations like this one, but for artists, their livelihoods, their homes, and their jobs are tied to creation. For them, support of their community does mean housing and it does mean livelihood.”

Among others taking part in the forum and commenting were author and Lakefield Literary Festival chair John Boyko and Showplace Performance Centre board chair Wayne Bonner.

The Ontario government is expanding access to free rapid antigen testing kits to the general public for at-home use.

Starting Wednesday (February 9), the province will be distributing 44 million test kits over the next eight weeks to over 2,300 pharmacies and grocery stores across Ontario, as well as to community partners in vulnerable communities, with 5.5 million kits distributed each week.

The rapid testing kits will be free, while supplies last, with a limit of one box of five tests per household per visit.

“Participating retailers will receive additional supply from the province each week and have the ability to determine how tests are distributed in order to best serve the community, including through appointment bookings, at checkout, or through online orders,” reads a media release.

A list of participating retailers, as well as information on how retail locations are distributing rapid test kits, can be found at ontario.ca/rapidtest.

For your convenience, here is a list of locations in the greater Kawarthas region where the free test kits will be available (as of February 9):

City of Peterborough

• Charlotte Care Remedys Rx Pharmacy, 100-270 Charlotte Street
• Costco Pharmacy, 485 The Parkway
• Morello’s Your Independent Grocer Peterborough, 400 Lansdowne Street East
• Lansdowne Pharmacy, 196 Lansdowne Street East
• Metro, 1154 Chemong Road
• Real Canadian Superstore, 769 Borden Avenue
• Rexall, 85 George Street North
• Rexall, 1154 Chemong Road
• Sherbrooke Heights Pharmacy, 1625 Sherbrooke Street West
• Shoppers Drug Mart, 1875 Lansdowne Street West
• Shoppers Drug Mart, 741 Lansdowne Street West
• Shoppers Drug Mart, 250 Charlotte Street
• Shoppers Drug Mart, 971 Chemong Road
• Sobeys, 1200 Lansdowne Street West
• Sobeys, 501 Towerhill Road
• The Clinic Pharmacy Rx, 26 Hospital Drive
• Walmart, 1002 Chemong Road
• Walmart, 950 Lansdowne Street West

County of Peterborough

• Village Pharmacy, 135 Queen Street, Lakefield
• Keene Drug Mart, 1105 Heritage Line, Keene
• Centennial Family Pharmacy, 2375 County Road 45, Norwood

City of Kawartha Lakes

• Village Gate Pharm-Rx, 101 East Street South, Bobcaygeon
• Fenelon Falls Pharmacy, 53 Colborne Street, Fenelon Falls
• MacArthur Drugs, 21 Colborne Street, Fenelon Falls
• Sobeys, 15 Lindsay Street, Fenelon Falls
• Food Basics, 363 Kent Street West, Lindsay
• Kawartha Lakes Pharmasave, 4A-55 Angeline Street North, Lindsay
• Loblaws, 400 Kent Street West, Lindsay
• Pharmasave Integrated Care Pharmacy, 10 Moose Road, Lindsay
• Remedy’s Rx On Kent, 108 Kent Street West, Lindsay
• Rexall Pharma Plus, 401 Kent Street West, Lindsay
• RX Drug Mart Lindsay, 51 Kent Street West, Lindsay
• Shoppers Drug Mart, 343 Kent Street West, Lindsay
• Shoppers Drug Mart, 74 Kent Street West, Lindsay
• Little Britain Pharm, 415 Eldon Road, Little Britain
• Kinmount Pharmacy, 503-31 County Road, Kinmount

Northumberland County

• Brighton Clinic Pharmacy, 4 5-46 Prince Edward Street, Brighton
• Pharma Plus, 1 Main Street, Brighton
• Sobeys, 14 Main Street, Brighton
• Maclaren Pharmacy, 79 Bridge Street East, Campbellford
• Rx Drug Mart Campbellford, 16 Grand Road, Campbellford
• Cobourg Care Pharmacy, 5A-609 William Street, Cobourg
• Cobourg Pharmacy, 6A-9 Elgin Street East, Cobourg
• Metro, 1111 Elgin Street West, Cobourg
• Shoppers Drug Mart, 270 Spring Street, Cobourg
• Walmart, 73 Strathy Road, Cobourg
• York Super Pharmacy, 500 Division Street, Cobourg
• Davis’ Your Independent Grocer, 20 Jocelyn Road, Port Hope
• Food Basics, 125 Hope Street South, Port Hope
• Health Centre Pharmacy, 5-15 Henderson Street, Port Hope
• Warkworth Pharmacy, 26 Main Street, Warkworth

Haliburton County

• Todd’s Your Independent Grocer Haliburton, 5121 Country Road 21, Haliburton
• Rexall, 224 Highland Street, Haliburton
• Shoppers Drug Mart, 186 Highland Street, Haliburton
• Highland Remedy Rx, 33 Bobcaygeon Road, Minden
• Minden Pharmacy, 110 Bobcaygeon Road, Minden

Hastings County

• North Hastings Family Pharmacy, 217 Hastings Street North, Bancroft
• Shoppers Drug Mart, 118 Hastings Street North, Bancroft
• Johnston’s Pharmacy, 6 Front Street East, Hastings
• Johnston’s Pharmacy, 57 St. Lawrence Street East, Madoc
• Marmora Pharmacy, 38 Forsyth Street, Marmora
• Nickle’s Pharmacy, 26 Forsyth Street, Marmora