On Canada’s 155th birthday, the New Canadians Centre and community partners in Nogojiwanong-Peterborough are hosting a day described as a “reflection, education, and commitment towards healing our relationship with the land and with Indigenous Peoples.”

The family-friendly “Lessons from the Land – Building Bridges towards Reconciliation”, which takes place from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Friday, July 1st at the pavilion in Beavermead Park at 2011 Ashburnham Drive, features land-based activities and Indigenous teachings included guided medicine walks, traditional games and activities, songs and dances from the land and drum teachings, and beading circle and teachings.

The day begins with a welcome from Janet McCue, the lead singer with the Wishkiigomang Hand Drummers from Curve Lake, and her sister Linda McCue.

The first of two 90-minute guided medicine walks through Beavermead Park follows, led by Caleb Musgrave (head instructor from Canadian Bushcraft) and Patricia Wilson (community conservation coordinator at Kawartha Land Trust and founder of Diverse Nature Collective).

The walks, which begin at 9 a.m. and 1 p.m., are limited to 30 participants each. Advance registration is required. Meet at the Beavermead Pavilion at the sign-in time (8:45 a.m. for the morning walk and 12:45 p.m. for the afternoon walk) and ensure that you bring good walking shoes, sun protection, and water.

For those not participating in the guided medicine walks, there are two morning and afternoon activities at the Beavermead pavilion.

From 9:30 to 11:30 a.m., Rachel Gilham from Pathway to Stewardship & Kinship will lead traditional games and activities. All materials will be supplied.

From 1 to 3:30 p.m., Nimkii Osawamick of Dedicated Native Awareness (DNA Stage) will be leading a beading circle and sharing teachings. Participants can make a friendship bracelet to give to an Indigenous friend to build new bridges. All materials will be supplied.

From 12 to 1 p.m., Osawamick — a world-renowned hoop dancer, champion dancer, and drummer and singer — will also be leading “Songs & Dances from the Land – Drum Teachings”. Attendees are reminded to respect the drum and dancers’ regalia and not to touch them or photograph them without permission.

“Lessons from the Land” attendees can also pick up a free Strawberry Beading Kit from Cedarlilie Bead Shop, owned and operated by Abenaki and French-Canadian artist Dominique O’Bonsawin, and follow a video tutorial by O’Bonsawin on how to create a beaded strawberry pin. The kits are available between 9 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. while supplies last.

VIDEO: Strawberry Pin Beading Tutorial

While all activities during “Lessons from the Land” are family friendly, children should be accompanied by a caregiver. Bring your own chair or blanket as activities will be conducted on the grass as much as possible. Also bring a reusable water bottle and a litter-less lunch and snacks (while there is a water fountain on-site, there will not be any food or drink vendors at this event).

As part of “Lessons from the Land”, the New Canadians Centre has partnered with the ReFrame Film Festival to present a free virtual screening from July 1 to 7 of two powerful films on the topic of reconciliation.

“Honour to Senator Murray Sinclair”, directed by Alanis Obomsawin, presents the speech given by the chair of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission when he accepted the WFM-Canada World Peace Award, interspersing the heartbreaking testimonies of former students imprisoned at residential schools.

“Gaamominik – One Woman’s Journey to Find the Bits and Pieces”, directed by Hannah Lemelin, tells the story of Gaamominik (Karen Watts), an Odawa survivor/storyteller from Wiikwemkoong Unceded Territory on Odawa Mnis (Manitoulin Island) who was stolen from her biological family by their landlord before the age of four and grew up in Toronto with an assumed name and identity before reclaiming her true identity and culture in her mid-twenties.

“Lessons from the Land” is made possible through the support of the Government of Canada, Canadian Bushcraft, Dedicated Native Awareness (DNA Stage), Community Race Relations Committee of Peterborough, Pathway to Stewardship & Kinship, Camp Kawartha, Kawartha Land Trust, Diverse Nature Collective, ReFrame Film Festival, and Silver Bean Cafe.

For more information, visit nccpeterborough.ca/lessons-from-the-land/.

At its first meeting of 2022, 100 Women of Northumberland selected the Canadian Mental Health Association Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge (CMHA HKPR) to receive a donation of $6,725 for its Trans Peer Outreach program.

The collective philanthropy group meets four times a year and selects a Northumberland-based charity or non-profit organization to receive donations contributed by individual members of the group. At its first meeting of the year in April, the group selected CMHA HKPR’s Trans Peer Outreach program as the recipient.

The group held its second meeting of the year last Wednesday (June 22) at The Mill in Cobourg and presented a cheque for $6,725 to CMHA HKPR.

The Trans Peer Outreach program offers supports and services for transgender and gender-diverse people and their families, to assist them to improve the quality of their lives through the provision of community-based client-centred care that supports positive interdependence.

“This grant will go directly towards enhancing the Trans Peer Outreach Family Supports by allowing us to offer more group opportunities and one-to-one supports,” says Carl Cruise-Baxter, an outreach worker with the Trans Peer Outreach program. “This will allow us to help more family, friends, caregivers, and loved ones of individuals who are trans, non-binary, or gender questioning.”

Services under the Trans Peer Outreach program are delivered by people with lived-experience as a transgender or gender-diverse person, and who also may have experience living with a mental health concern.

The collective philanthropy movement began in the United States in November 2006, when Karen Dunigan of Michigan formed the “100 Women Who Care” group. After their first meeting, the women raised over $10,000 for the purchase of 300 new baby cribs for a local organization.

The movement has grown over the past 16 years to include groups of men, women, youth, and children around the world, with more than 210 chapters in Canada alone.

For more information about 100 Women of Northumberland, visit 100womennorthumberland.ca.

One man is dead following a shooting incident in downtown Cobourg on Monday morning (June 27).

At 10:06 a.m. on Monday, police responded to a report of gunshots in the area of King Street and Division Street.

A man was rushed to Northumberland Hills Hospital where he succumbed to his injuries.

Police closed King Street at Division Street to McGill Street until further notice for the investigation and are asking people to avoid the area.

At 2 p.m. on Monday, Chief Paul VandeGraaf provided an update on the ongoing investigation. He said the victim was a partner in the downtown business Jamaican Patty House.
He also said the shooting appears to be an isolated incident. Although no suspect is in custody, police do not believe there is a threat to public safety.

VIDEO: Chief Paul VandeGraa provides an update on the investigation

“This is not a common occurrence for downtown Cobourg,” VandeGraaf said. “However, this reminds us that we are not immune to the gun violence that’s happening across the country.”

On Tuesday, the Northumberland Detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP), which is assisting the Cobourg police in the investigation, identified the victim as 37-year-old Rohan Pyne from Scarborough.

On Wednesday, the OPP stated two suspects were reported leaving the scene in a black Lexus sport utility vehicle. The vehicle, which had been reported as stolen. was located abandoned in Markham later on the day of the shooting.

Investigators are asking anyone with dash cam footage who was in the area of King Street East and Division Street between the hours of 9:45 a.m. and 10:15 a.m. on June 27 to contact acting detective James Egas with the Cobourg police at 905-372-6821 x1004 or the Northumberland OPP at at 1-888-310-1122.

If you prefer to remain anonymous, you can call Crime Stoppers 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) or visit stopcrimehere.ca.

This story is being updated as police release new details about the investigation.

After a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic, the Lakefield Jazz, Art & Craft Festival and the Ennismore Shamrock Festival are returning to Selwyn Township on the second weekend of July.

The Lakefield Jazz, Art & Craft Festival takes place from 11 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. on Saturday, July 9th at Isabel Morris Park on the Otonabee River in Lakefield and features live music, more than 25 artisan vendors, and food and drink.

The live music line-up includes Marsala Lukianchuk (noon), Barry Elmes Quintet (1:50 p.m.), Heather Bambrick Jazz Quintet (3:40 p.m.), Jozef Botos “Trio B” featuring Daniel and Frank Botos (5:30 p.m.), Alan Black and the Steady Band with guests Bridget Foley, Sian Wilson, and Rob Phillips (7:10 p.m.), Max Mouse and the Gorillas (8:20 p.m.), and Logan Murray and the Spoon Lickers (9:30 p.m.).

Artisan vendors include Beadjools, Cutting Edge Greetings, Dunn Reim, Dwyer Art Studio, Elizabeth Popham Fine Art, Flytja, Goldfinch Glass, Hank’s Handiworks, Hard Rain Creations, Heart of Joy, Jackson’s Body Essentials, Jane Hall, Kawartha Arts Network, KGregg Visual Artist, Knitted & Twisted, Lakefield Art Group, LB Quilting & Embroidery, Leslee Waterston, Mary Derrick Art, Rude Awakening Granola, Seasons & Occasions, Sew Lynda, Sue Flanagan Creates, The Old Country Fence, Unique Wood Creations, Water colours by Dwayne, and Woodworks by Chris.

Food vendors include Cheeky Duck (wood-fired pizza), The Lakefield Pantry (savoury and sweet treats including ice cream), Kitchen Farmecy (smoked BBQ), and Hanoi House (Vietnamese cuisine and salads). Publican House Brewery will supply craft beer and wine, coolers, and local cider will also be available, along with iced coffee, limeade, and water.

Admission is $10 (free for children 12 and under). For more information, visit www.lakefieldjazzfest.ca.

The Ennismore Shamrock Festival takes place from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday, July 10th at the Robert E Young Recreation Complex at 55 Ennis Road in Ennismore, featuring a variety of vendors and activities for all ages. This year’s festival is a one-day event, with the truck and tractor pull returning next year.

Along with Ennismore Optimist rookie ball, ball hockey, and soccer tournaments, there will be children’s activities including bouncy castles, ice cream sundae making, a petting zoo, face painting, a dunk tank, and more, an all-day BBQ (peameal bacon on a bun, burgers, hot dogs, and drinks), and booths for local organizations. The Cottage Country Craft Show featuring more than 80 vendors also is taking place indoors at the community centre.

Admission is free for all activities, other than admission to the craft show which costs $2 (free for children under 12). For more information including a full schedule of events, visit www.ennismoreshamrockfestival.ca.

The City of Peterborough’s heritage committee has voted to recommend to city council that the former Montreal House building be designated as a heritage property, following an application from property developer Ashburnham Realty to demolish the building 284-282 Aylmer Street North, which is currently listed on the heritage registrar but does not have a heritage designation.

The vote followed a presentation to the Peterborough Architectural Conservation Advisory Committee (PACAC) by Lett Architects Inc. design principal Michael Gallant and Ashburnham Realty owner Paul Bennett at a special virtual meeting of the committee late Thursday afternoon (June 23).

Bennett submitted the demolition request on May 26, with city council having 60 days after that date to decide whether to accept PACAC’s recommendation and signal its intention to designate the building as a heritage property, prohibiting demolition, or to delist the property from the heritage registrar and allow demolition to proceed.

During the meeting, Gallant explained to committee members why the former Montreal House building could no longer be incorporated — as was originally planned — into the design for the commercial and residential development at the corner of King and Aylmer, which is part of the City of Peterborough’s Louis Street urban park development.

“It became clear that the south end of the urban park is not a viable development site, mainly because of flood plain concerns,” Gallant said, referring to the former Shish Kabob Hut site that was part of the original location for the development. “In a significant flood event, there would need to be floodwater flow across the urban park site, which would need to flow directly through to King Street, otherwise there would be further upflow impacts to the downtown.”

This means the location of the development has been shifted further west towards Aylmer Street, encroaching on the footprint of the former Montreal House.

An additional complication, according to Gallant, came with confirmation the finished floor elevation for the development needed to be higher than the surrounding grades — in some cases by a full metre — for public safety in case of a flood event. Because existing grades cannot be modified on the east or south sides of the development, any elevation changes to meet accessibility requirements under the Ontario building code (including accessibility ramps) need to be made at the north or west side of the development.

This means the development has been set back further west from Aylmer Street, further encroaching on the footprint of the former Montreal House.

“There was full intent to maintain the (Montreal House) building, but working through the information that was provided through (the city’s) engineering (department) on the requirements for pulling the building on both ends and raising the finished floor level, it resulted in a building that was no longer able to work with the existing fabric of the Montreal House,” Gallant said.

“So, as a result of that, Ashburnham Realty have submitted an intent to demolish — which is why we’re here speaking to you tonight — which will allow this project to still move forward with the full programming complement that was submitted and is a strong candidate for funding support (from the federal government for affordable housing),” Gallant added.

To ensure the development still contains 75 below-market-rate units (40 one-bedroom, 29 two-bedroom, and six three-bedroom units), the new building will have eight storeys instead of the six envisioned in the previous design. Of the 75 units, 23 will be fully accessible.

The ground floor will contain commercial tenant spaces, as well as public washrooms and viewing areas of the urban park. The building will be a 50 per cent improvement beyond the National Energy Code of Canada, including solar panels on the roof to generate its own energy.

After the presentation, committee member Dennis Carter-Edwards questioned why the flood plain impacts were not identified earlier on during the urban park project planning process.

“There’s been some new information based on (the Otonabee River Conservation Authority’s) new flood plain, over the last three to six months, that has really changed our design to where we are now, and why we are here,” said Ashburnham Realty owner Paul Bennett, a statement that was confirmed during the meeting by Michael Papadacos, the city’s interim commission of infrastructure and planning services.

While committee member Deborah Keay recognized the value of the urban park development, including in addressing the housing crisis, and the work of Ashburnham Realty and Lett Architects, she remained concerned about losing the heritage value of Montreal House.

“I’m really struggling with this because of all the benefits but, for me, looking at our role as a committee, and looking at heritage in the community, and looking at the recommendation from staff (to designate the Montreal House as a heritage property), I can’t deny what I think is the value of the Montreal House for lots of reasons,” Keay said. “To me there’s a lot of value there, and I’m not signing on just yet to throw it away.”

Bennett agreed with Keay and said he would have preferred not to demolish the building, but the changing requirements have left him no option. He said the heritage value would be recognized by naming the new building “Montreal House” and maintaining a restaurant space.

“We wouldn’t have even gone down this road if this is where we thought we’d had to go,” Bennett said. “For a sports analogy, this is our Hail Mary for this. We would like to make it work for a couple of different reasons. The reason I got involved with this is because I wanted to add some real vibrancy to the head of the park. I didn’t think it was possible to do what a builder would need to do with the Shish Kabob Hut site, just because it was too small, so the idea of going to the site beside and purchasing that building, it allowed to put a patio in, put other uses in.”

“The original (expression of interest) — hopefully we’d still be able to do it — had the (Peterborough Downtown Business Improvement Area) going in there, (Electric City Culture Council) going in there — a lot of those different organizations that could add vibrancy and community to the park.”

After some discussion among committee members around the consequences of accepting the recommendation from city heritage staff that the Montreal House property receive a heritage designation, the city’s heritage resources coordinator Erik Hanson explained the process and said city council will make the final decision on heritage designation.

“What we are suggesting is that the committee gives its opinion about the heritage (value of the Montreal House),” Hanson said. “That’s its mandate and that’s the extent of its mandate. Beyond that, when it sends an opinion to council, council takes into account a much broader range of inputs around what’s good for the community. It will take into account as one of those, the value of the heritage. It doesn’t have to accept this committee’s recommendation, it only has to receive it under law.”

“The heritage staff’s opinion is that the (Montreal House) building meets the criteria under the Heritage Act for designation. We feel that’s a fact. Whether that is an overriding concern for council, when it considers whether a new building should replace it for the purpose of creating affordable housing, isn’t up to this committee to decide. It needn’t concern itself with that. It only concerns itself with whether the building is worthy of consideration or not.”

Committee members then voted on the motion to accept the heritage staff recommendation, which carried with only Simon Terry voting against it. Council representative Kemi Akapo had earlier abstained from the vote because of a pecuniary interest.

The City of Peterborough’s heritage committee will be reviewing property developer Ashburnham Realty’s request to demolish the former Montreal House on Aylmer Street, as well as a recommendation from city heritage staff that city council give the building a heritage designation preventing demolition.

At a special virtual meeting on Thursday afternoon (June 23), the Peterborough Architectural Conservation Advisory Committee (PACAC) will receive a presentation from Lett Architects — acting as representatives of property owner Ashburnham Realty — regarding an application to demolish the building at 282-284 Aylmer Street North.

Originally called the Montreal House and now Dr. J’s restaurant, the building is currently listed as a heritage building but does not have a heritage designation.

According to a report prepared by the city’s heritage staff, the building was constructed in the 1850s and later became a residence for French Canadian lumbermen working the forests north of Peterborough under the ownership of a French Canadian named Joseph Brault. The first storey was renovated in 1893 but the upper storey retains its original small pane windows and front gable.

By the early 20th century, the Montreal House was under ownership of an English Canadian and its residents broadened to include workers in the major industries such as Canadian General Electric that had arrived in the city. Later it became a men’s only drinking establishment. By the late 20th century, the Montreal House was known as a venue for emerging bands and hosted numerous acts that have since found local and national renown. In 2014, it became the location of Dr. J’s BBQ & Brews restaurant.

Ashburnham Realty purchased the property in 2020 with the intention of developing a residential and commercial building at the corner of King and Aylmer as part of the City of Peterborough’s Louis Street urban park development. Originally, the plans were to maintain the existing building or reconstruct it as part of the new development but maintain the restaurant.

However, according to the report from city heritage staff, Ashburnham Realty now believes preserving the building is “untenable” given regulatory requirements and design considerations for the urban park development.

“The owner of the property has, in accordance with the requirements of the Ontario Heritage Act (OHA), made notice to the City that he will seek a demolition permit for the property in preparation for the construction of the new development,” reads the report.

On May 26, Ashburnham Realty owner Paul Bennett submitted a request to the city to demolish the building. Under the Ontario Heritage Act, city council must consult with its heritage committee before making a decision. Council has 60 days to decide either to remove the property from the heritage registrar and allow demolition to proceed, or to signal its intention to designate the building as a heritage property.

A property with a heritage designation can be altered, as long as its heritage attributes are maintained, but cannot be demolished.

City heritage staff are recommending that PACAC recommend to city council the building be designated as a heritage property, as it “is a representative example of the Gothic Revival style used in a commercial setting and notable for its symmetry and central gable” and because of its cultural heritage associations.

“Time has become of the essence for this project as its proposed affordable housing component is subject to a federal funding deadline,” the report reads. “As a result, the Heritage Impact
Assessment that would normally be provided to the committee cannot be completed in time. In lieu of an HIA, staff has reviewed the property against the criteria for determining heritage significance under Regulation 9/06 of the OHA and believe the property to be worthy of designation.”

If city council accepts the recommendation for proposed heritage designation, Ashburnham Realty will have 30 days to appeal the proposed designation to the Ontario Land Tribunal, with the tribunal’s decision binding either way.

As the Thursday afternoon PACAC meeting, Lett Architects will make a presentation on the planning and land use requirements underpinning Ashburnham Realty’s request to demolish the building.

Parks Canada is closing the Warsaw Road Swing Bridge, located on Parkhill Road between Armour Road and Television Road in Peterborough, during the first week of July to address noise issues.

The bridge will be closed to vehicles starting at 9 a.m. on Monday, July 4th until mid-day on Friday, July 8th. Traffic control measures and detour routes will be in place for the duration of the work.

During the closure, selected grating panels of the metal bridge deck will be removed, repaired, and reattached to the bridge to reduce the noise caused by vehicles using the bridge. The repair work will not impact navigation along the waterway.

The bridge reopened in August 2021 after being closed for over 10 months for a full replacement of the steel swing bridge structure, repairs to concrete abutments, and replacement of mechanical and electrical operating systems.

In December 2021, Parks Canada removed perforated steel plates for cyclists, located on the outer edge of both traffic lanes on the main bridge deck, because of excessive noise. The plates were to be replaced in the spring with new plates that will allow for installation of fasteners to reduce noise levels.

Apparently that work did not address the issue, as many local residents have been complaining about continued excessive noise from the bridge.

“The noise keeps you awake all night and during the day it is worse when sitting outside,” writes one resident on the East City Peterborough Facebook group. “The old bridge didn’t make noise like this. I have lived on Swanston for over 40 years and never had this problem before.”

Parks Canada states that, following an observation period during the summer months, similar work may be completed on the remaining grating panels in the fall.

“Parks Canada understands the frustration this situation has caused and would like to thank residents for their patience and understanding,” reads a media release.