After arresting a 29-year-old Peterborough man for smashing a front window at La Mesita Restaurante in downtown Peterborough early Sunday morning (June 7), police are addressing community concerns about their response time to the incident.

Martin and Kelly Carbajal, owners of the Mexican restaurant at 247 George Street North just north of Sherbrooke, posted a photo of the smashed window on social media on Sunday morning, promoting hundreds of reactions and comments ranging from support to frustration to outrage.

Some of the comments criticized the response time of Peterborough police to the incident, given the size of the police budget, with the Carbajals noting that police did not arrive at the restaurant until later that morning.

On Monday morning, police issued a media release stating they had received calls about the smashed window at around 2:35 a.m. on Sunday. After beginning their investigation later that morning, they identified a suspect with the assistance of video evidence, including police CCTV cameras.

Their investigation determined that the suspect had been removed from a nearby establishment prior to breaking the window. Although police did not identify the establishment, both Riley’s and The Junction are located immediately to the north of the restaurant.

While walking past the restaurant, police say the suspect smashed the restaurant window with his fist and continued walking.

At around 5 p.m. on Sunday, the suspect — who was aware officers were looking for him — turned himself into the police, at which time he was arrested and charged with mischief under $5,000. He was released on an undertaking and promise to appear in court, with a hearing scheduled for September 1.

Peterborough police chief Stuart Betts issued a statement regarding the incident, including the police response.

“The incident has received significant attention in local and social media, and it is very unfortunate and disappointing that this happened as the impact on the restaurant owner is very real,” Chief Betts said.

“As chief of police, I would like to address the comments about the police response and acknowledge there can be frustration when officers aren’t immediately available to respond to a call, therefore, I would like to take the unusual step of sharing with the community what our officers were engaged with at the time the call came in for the broken window.”

According to the police chief, police were dealing with 12 other calls when they received calls about the smashed window.

The other calls included a mental health call in which a person was on a bridge threatening self-harm and was apprehended and taken to Peterborough Regional Health Centre for their safety, an intimate partner violence call resulting in an arrest and a man being transported to the police station, and a disturbing-the-peace call for an intoxicated man creating problems downtown, who was arrested and transported to the police station.

“In addition to the above calls, there were an additional nine calls in the queue,” Chief Betts said. “Considering the calls in progress and those others outstanding, our communicators notified the restaurant owner that officers would be unavailable to attend until the dayshift as the response at that point was an investigative one.”

“I recognize that incidents like these are frustrating and can garner a lot of heated discourse, often made in the heat of the moment without a full awareness of what is taking place throughout the entirety of the city, and while it may not feel like it, the men and women of your police service continue to perform an outstanding job,” Chief Betts added.

He also asked residents to “consider the numbers below,” providing a list of the increasing number of arrests and charges in the first six months of each of the past four years, “and where things would be without the investment (city) council has made in public safety.” For example, there were 1,252 arrests and 2,025 charges from January 1 to June 8 in 2023, with those numbers increasing to 1,978 arrests and 3,185 charges in the same period this year.

“I am grateful for their support and incredibly proud of the work of our entire team,” Betts concluded. “Our members are your neighbours, they shop where you shop, their kids go to school and play sports with your kids, and they are equally frustrated and invested in this city and work hard to be responsive and keep it safe for you and for their families.”

A social media post from a downtown Peterborough business whose front window was smashed over the weekend is getting reactions ranging from support to frustration to outrage.

On Sunday (June 7), La Mesita Restaurante at 247 George Street North just north of Sherbrooke posted a photo of the smashed window, which was vandalized sometime before 4 a.m. that morning.

“Wonder why this happens to many small business(es) in downtown Peterborough,” reads the Facebook post, noting the cost to replace the window will be around $2,000. “Don’t even know what to rant about.”

Chef Martin Carbajal and his wife Kelly opened La Mesita in 2017 to share the dishes he was raised on while growing up in Mexico City, and it has since become a popular destination for authentic Mexican cuisine, serving up street-style and home-cooked tacos, quesadillas, tortas, fajitas, and other bites, available for dine-in or take-out.

In addition to appearing regularly at local farmers’ markets, La Mesita expanded in May to run a food truck called La Mesita Mexican Grill at the Buckhorn Garage at 3192 Buckhorn Road, south of Buckhorn.

By Sunday afternoon, the post about the smashed window had 785 reactions and 260 comments. Many of the comments offered support for the Carbajals while others lamented the state of downtown or criticized the police who, according to the Carbajals, were unable to show up until later Sunday morning.

While some commenters noted that insurance should cover the damage, others responded that the deductible or the impact on premiums might make an insurance claim inadvisable, while some noted that the small business still has to come up with the funds to replace the window even if they are later reimbursed by insurance.

In a message to kawarthaNOW, Kelly said she and Martin don’t know how much it will actually cost to replace the window, as they were only given “a very rough estimate,” but they will not be making an insurance claim.

“I spoke to our insurance agent today and she told me it’s not worth putting through as a claim, because of what it will do to our insurance rates and possible future insurability,” Kelly said.

Several people have suggested launching a GoFundMe, while others encouraged people to patronize the business.

“I am so humbled by the outpouring of the community,” Kelly said of the reaction to the Facebook post.

Those who want to help out the Carbajals with the window replacement can send an etransfer to info@lamesita.ca.

The original version of this story has been updated with a message from Kelly Carbajal.

The closure of Peterborough’s Consumption and Treatment Site (CTS) has led to local health and community leaders speaking out about impacts on non-consumption based services.

“If there are people that have only been accessing care through the CTS, we do worry about them,” Danielle Howson, executive director and nurse practitioner lead at the Peterborough 360 Degree Nurse Practitioner-Led Clinic, told kawarthaNOW. “Where are they going to go? How are they going to access care?”

A response to the opioid crisis, the Peterborough CTS opened in June 2022 inside the renovated former bus terminal at 220 Simcoe Street in downtown Peterborough to provide a safe and medically supported space for people to consume pre-obtained illicit substances under the supervision of health professionals.

CTS offered walk-in access to primary care services through a registered nurse

The Nurse Practitioner-Led Clinic had been providing a full-scope registered nurse (RN) to the CTS, who offered primary care services such as wound care, antibiotic prescriptions, and systems navigation support. Howson explained that RN services were offered on a walk-in basis to allow the CTS clinic to support unattached and often unhoused patients.

The loss of this on-site and accessible service is worrying for Howson, as many individuals accessing the CTS clinic do not receive care elsewhere nor have a regular primary care provider such as a family doctor.

“We know that the population of people that attend the CTS are a cohort that doesn’t necessarily have regular primary care interactions,” Howson said.

She added the scope of the RN position enabled them to provide routine primary care services as well as specialized care for the distinct needs of the unhoused and substance-using populations.

“Somebody that’s living rough is exposed to the elements, which leads to some complex wounds,” she explained. “Also anybody who uses injectable substances has a higher risk for wounds.”

There are some other organizations within Peterborough that offer services that overlap with the care the RN was providing at the CTS, including Peterborough Street Medicine, a physician-led organization that provides care to unhoused and precariously housed individuals.

Through an alternate funding model that pays physicians hourly rather than by fee-for-service, Peterborough Street Medicine offers services at locations such as Brock Mission, Cameron House, the YES Shelter, and the modular housing community on Wolfe Street, without requiring patients to enrol with a physician.

However, for Howson, the CTS provided a valuable centralized location that offered low-barrier access to healthcare that cannot be replicated by other outreach and homelessness services.

“It’s just one more barrier to people that are already facing barriers, and one more valuable resource that is being taken away from that community,” said Howson.

CTS closure may increase pressure on weekly clinic at Trinity Community Centre

Trinity Community Centre, operated by One City Peterborough, is another low-barrier space for unhoused and precariously housed people to access services such as healthcare and systems navigation support.

In a recent interview with kawarthaNOW, Donna Rogers, executive director of Four Counties Addiction Services Team (Fourcast), said the CTS closure would impact Trinity due in large part to an overlap of client population as well as the proximity of Trinity to the downtown core.

Trinity houses an on-site clinic consisting of two exam rooms operated one afternoon a week in partnership with the Peterborough Community Health Centre and Peterborough Street Medicine.

“They could be here seven days a week … there are enough health issues,” said One City outreach programs director Auden Palmer of the healthcare professionals who provide services at the clinic.

Palmer said, whle One City and Trinity are sometimes seen as an alternative to the CTS for providing primary care to unhoused and precariously housed people, this is a oversimplification and does not recognise the unique services the CTS offered.

Palmer pointed out that One City’s focus at Trinity is to offer a drop-in day program and an overnight shelter, not healthcare services.

“We’re not a health organization we have no plans to become a health organization,” Palmer said.

One City sees its role in serving the overlapping population of users of the CTS and Trinity as providing housing stabilization infrastructure while partnering with healthcare organizations.

Loss of primary care outreach at CTS may have downstream impacts on healthcare system

Healthcare professionals like Howson and public health specialists have said that the loss of primary care outreach at the CTS will have detrimental impacts on the healthcare system at large.

In particular, the CTS closure may result in increased emergency medical situations that could have been prevented by consistent care or early treatment provided by the RN at the CTS.

“There’s a really big importance placed on getting people that care when they need it and not waiting until it’s bad enough for tertiary care,” Howson said.

Ashley Safar, executive director of the Peterborough Community Health Centre, spoke about the impacts of the CTS closure in an earlier interview with kawarthaNOW, noting it was a space where some individuals were accessing both mental health and primary care services.

“I am concerned about what the impact will look like on the larger healthcare system,” Safar said.

Local collaborations will continue to provide services to unattached patients

Howson told kawarthaNOW that, despite the CTS closure, the Nurse Practitioner-Led Clinic will continue to collaborate closely with CTS partners Fourcast and Peterborough Community Paramedics to provide services to unattached patients, calling it “phenomenal collaboration.”

However, she noted that future collaborations would be dependent on funding.

Going forward, Howsen said the Nurse Practitioner-Led Clinic would retain the RN position that was at the CTS within their team but for a different function.

On a broader level, with $688,000 in new funding recently announced by the Ontario government, the Nurse Practitioner-Led Clinic will work alongside the Peterborough Family Health Team and their Connect Clinic to attach patients currently without a permanent primary care provider.

The Connect Clinic provides transitional care to currently unattached patients, using the Health Care Connect waitlist to work with family health team physicians and nurse practitioners, as well as community partners such as the Nurse Practitioner-Led Clinic and the Peterborough Community Health, Centre to find long-term attachment for patients.

While Peterborough’s annual Pride Week celebration takes place in September instead of during Pride Month in June, Pride will get an early start in Peterborough with the launch of a new series of community events presented by DJ Roxxy Waters — the stage persona of Nikki Lawrence.

The first event, “Pride + Boba: A Community Dance Party,” will take place on Saturday, June 13 at Milk + Tea at 360 George Street North in downtown Peterborough, in support of Peterborough AIDS Resource Network (PARN).

“Having more spaces for queer folk to meet up, to feel accepted, to feel seen, is huge,” Lawrence said in an interview with kawarthaNOW.

According to a media release, Pride + Boba will feature DJs, board games, artists, and a charity raffle aligning with the series’ values of inclusivity and neurodiverse-friendly activities.

Lawrence said ensuring the event is accessible and inclusive was a central focus for herself and the organizing team as they work to build community and connection among LGBTQ2S+ individuals in and around Peterborough.

“You are accepted for who you are, you come as you are, be your authentic self,” said Lawrence.

Speaking to her own experience entering community events and spaces as someone who is intersex, Lawrence said she is often met with judgment, discrimination, and rejection.

“I haven’t felt welcome everywhere I’ve been — I’ve haven’t really fit into this society,” she said.

Through involvement in the Peterborough music and arts scene, Lawrence has built a community of LGBTQ2S+ individuals and allies who share a goal to promote inclusion and access. She said her goal is to “just make a difference” by being an intersex activist and educating others.

“It’s four of us that are making a difference in Peterborough and in the world,” said Lawrence of the group organizing these events.

In what she considers her “professional” life, Lawrence works in part with Egale Canada and Intersex Canada, writing policy recommendations regarding healthcare for intersex infants.

As a DJ herself and a member of Otonabeats Radio, a collective of DJs playing electronic-style music, Lawrence is excited to host her first headlining event as DJ Roxxy Waters and have the opportunity to connect people through dance and music.

“Dance and music has connected me to people from all walks of life and I believe in the power of connection when we move our bodies together despite our differences,” said co-organizer and local artist Bodhi Chiasson in the media release. “Celebrating each other is part of what makes life as a queer person so beautiful. I deeply value contributing to fun and safe community events.”

For her part, Lawrence thanked Kathy Song and the team at Milk + Tea for their willingness to get involved in hosting Pride + Boba, and for designing a custom drink menu for the occasion that includes both non-alcoholic and alcoholic options.

The event is free for attendees, but Pride + Boba is featuring an online raffle with proceeds supporting PARN, a charitable organization that provides education and resources for people living with or impacted by HIV/AIDS as well as offering education to the community at large.

The raffle features donated prizes from local downtown businesses, including Iceman Games, HiHo Silver, Needle in the Hay, Turnbull Cafe, The Food Shop, Watson and Lou, Chumleighs, Art School of Peterborough, Blue Streak Records, Statement House, and Boardwalk Board Game Lounge. The raffle continues until 8 p.m. on June 13, with winners announced at the end of the Pride + Boba event.

Speaking about the decision to raise funds for PARN with this event, Lawrence shared her own story of participating in LGBT meetups hosted by PARN’s social connections group where she would help facilitate and coordinate events and activities.

“This is my meetup — this is where I get to meet other intersex people,” she said.

PARN currently runs a social group for people aged 13 to 23 called Rainbow Youth Group which meets weekly at PARN’s office at 60 Hunter Street East. The group provides young LGBTQ2S+ people a space to do activities, receive safer sex supplies and information, and socialize.

In addition, PARN has developed a new program, Rising Rainbows, for LGBTQ2S+ youth aged 13 and under which aims to help young people “connect, build friendships, and explore identity in a supportive and affirming space.” This group meets monthly at PARN’s office on the second Monday.

However, when social connections opportunities became limited, Lawrence was inspired to begin the Pride event series this summer, as she identified a need for spaces where LGBTQ2S+ people of all ages could gather without barriers or judgment.

Although most Pride-related events in Peterborough take place during Pride Week in September, Lawrence said she would like to see more Pride events and initiatives happen throughout the year and is excited to be able to contribute to hosting events such as these.

Lawrence has already begun planning for a drag brunch event in July, a third event in August, and a big celebration in line with Peterborough Pride, all of which will raise funds in part for charitable organizations.

Peterborough-Nogojiwanong Pride, which is a program of Rainbow Service Organization, a non-profit dedicated to promoting, advocating, and celebrating the interests of LGBTQ2S+ people in Peterborough and the Kawarthas, hosts an annual Pride week celebration in September. This year’s celebration is scheduled for September 18 to 27.

Throughout the year, Peterborough-Nogojiwanong Pride and Rainbow Service Organization support the facilitation of a number of community-led events and initiatives that bring together LGBTQ2S+ people in the region.

This includes two events in downtown Peterborough: a monthly Queer Coffee social mixer hosted on the last Saturday of each month at Dreams of Beans at 141 Charlotte Street and a monthly board game night on the second Wednesday in partnership with Boardwalk Board Game Lounge at 261 George Street North.

The original version of this story has been updated to remove the word “intersexism” to describe intersex people, as the word refers to discrimination against intersex people, and to attribute quotes to Nikkie Lawrence rather than to her stage persona.