The City of Peterborough has joined other communities in central Ontario by declaring a state of emergency in response to the severe wind storm on the Victoria Day weekend.

On Wednesday morning (May 25), Mayor Diane Therrien announced she and the city’s emergency management team had submitted a declaration of a state of emergency to the Ontario government.

Other communities that have already declared states of emergency include Uxbridge in Durham Region, communities in the Ottawa area, and North Kawartha and Douro-Dummer Townships in Peterborough County.

Municipalities can declare states of emergency under Ontario’s Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act, making them eligible for any provincial financial assistance with extraordinary costs associated with emergency response and repairs to essential property and infrastructure following a natural disaster.

As of Wednesday morning, Hydro One reports almost 100,000 customers across Ontario remain without power due to the storm, which resulted in over 1,600 broken poles, 200 damaged transformers, and 1,000 kilometres of downed power lines.

While power was restored to most of Peterborough by Tuesday night, a Hydro One spokesperson told CBC Ontario Morning 28,000 customers in the Peterborough area still have no power as of Wednesday morning. Restoration is expected to be completed by Wednesday night.

Update: yesterday the emergency Management team and I submitted declaration of state of emergency to the province. @HydroOne crews continue to work to restore power. For updates and city services available, check https://t.co/3x2Fd2L53F

— Diane Therrien (@DianeNTherrien) May 25, 2022

Four Peterborough women competed at the 2022 Speedo Canadian Masters Swimming Championships in Quebec City on the Victoria Day long weekend, collectively taking home eight medals and eight ribbons.

Stephanie Dancey, Renee Oake, Amanda Devlin, and Debbie Murphy Quinlan — representing the Trent Torpedoes Masters of the Trent Swim Club — competed in a total of 19 races at Laval University.

This was the first Canadian Masters Swimming Championships held since the pandemic, which also made training difficult for the four women. Despite on and off pool closures over the past three years, the women continued to train at the Peterborough YMCA.

As well as swimming in individual competitions, the women come together for their first time as a relay team, winning a bronze medal in the 50-metre relay.

For Stephanie Dancey, who joined Masters swimming later in life, this was her 13th swim meet in the past seven years and her second time competing nationally.

Amanda Devlin, a former Trent Torpedoes competitive swimmer, competed in her second National Masters race in over 26 years.

Renee Oake, also former Trent Torpedo competitive swimmer, returned to competition after 28 years, winning medals in a number of events.

Debbie Murphy Quinlan, who competed for the first time since the World’s 37 years ago, won a silver medal in the 1,500-metre freestyle race.

Portions of Peterborough are still without power and reliable internet service almost three days after a brutal spring storm ripped through southern Ontario and Quebec Saturday afternoon (May 21). The storm killed 10 people, including four in the greater Kawarthas region.

Saturday afternoon’s weather event is being called a “derecho,” a widespread straight-line wind storm associated with a fast-moving group of severe thunderstorms that can cause hurricanic or tornadic-force winds, as well as actual tornadoes.

The derecho that struck Ontario and Quebec on Saturday afternoon toppled hydro transmission towers and broke utility poles, damaged homes, and uprooted trees, with broken branches also taking down power lines and damaging property. Environment Canada estimates winds reached 132 kilometres per hour in some areas. It is one of the most destructive and deadly wind events in Canada’s history, according to The Weather Network.

As of Tuesday morning, Hydro One reported it had restored service to more than 479,500 customers, with more than 150,000 customers still without power. Damage includes more than 1,400 broken poles, 300 broken crossarms, nearly 200 damaged transformers, and countless downed trees and branches. In the Ottawa area, Hydro One crews are re-building four transmission towers that were toppled by the storm.

“Hydro One crews along with approximately 500 employees from other utilities, including out-of-province and international partners, and contractors have mobilized in the hardest hit areas of central and eastern Ontario to assist with restoration efforts.” Hydro One states. “Due to the severity of damage, restoration efforts are expected to continue for several days before power is restored to all customers.”

In the City of Peterborough, public works crews are removing downed trees from streets and sidewalks. Fallen trees that are caught in live power lines have to be left until the power lines are safely addressed. Ontario Hydro told kawarthaNOW that, in areas of Peterborough still without power due to downed lines, hydro might not be restored until late Wednesday evening.

This is the longest power outage in Peterborough since the Northeast blackout of 2003. As it became clear that power would be out for some time, residents rushed to obtain generators. Vehicles lined up outside Canadian Tire on Lansdowne Street just after the store opened early Monday morning to buy a limited supply of generators.

Many traffic signals at intersections in Peterborough remain without power, with police reminding drivers to treat these intersections as four-way stops.

So far, 10 people have lost their lives due to the storm, most by being hit by falling trees. In the greater Kawarthas region, victims include a 30-year-old man who died after being struck by a tree in Ganaraska Forest, a 64-year-old Cornwall woman who died when she was struck by a falling tree in North Kawartha Township, a 74-year-old Port Hope woman who died after begin struck by a falling tree at her home, and a 61-year-old Lakefield man who was struck by a falling tree near his home and later succumbed to his injuries.

In Peterborough, there were several close calls, including at GreenUP’s Ecology Park Native Plant & Tree Nursery, which was hosting its annual spring opening event when the storm struck. A tree came down in the sale area, but there were only “scrapes and bruises” according to Ecology Park’s Vern Bastable, who displayed a gash on his arm when kawarthaNOW visited the park the following day.

At least 20 trees were uprooted or severely damaged at Roger’s Cove park, including trees that came down near the splash pad and playground equipment. Additional trees fell along the cycling path towards Beavermead Park, including one that took down the temporary fence enclosing the construction at the Canadian Canoe Museum. The lone large tree on the site, that is being preserved during construction, survived the storm.

At Beavermead Park campground, crowded with RVs and tents for the long weekend, several branches and trees came down but there was no evidence of major damage or injuries.

The City of Peterborough has advised that city facilities will be closed to the public for regular services on Tuesday (May 24) to reduce non-essential travel in the community that could impede recovery efforts and slow down emergency service response with unnecessary traffic. With a power outage at its Charllot Street office, Peterborough Social Services has set up a temporary location at the Peterborough Public Library for in-person services for emergency basic needs assistance for clients.

Residents without power who want to charge electronic devices and mobility aids can do so from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. at the Peterborough Public Library, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. at Peterborough Sport and Wellness Centre, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. at Healthy Planet Arena, and from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at Peterborough Museum and Archives. Bring your own charging cables. Regular services will not be available at these locations.

The city has advised garbage and recycling collection will proceed as normal this week. Rgular green waste collection will also take place as resources allow, and unlimited quantities of yard waste can be put out for collection when it is in reusable containers that are labeled, bushel baskets, or paper yard waste bags. However, with the significant volume of green waste from trees on public and private properties, the city has said green waste collection will take time.

The Peterborough landfill at 1260 Bensfort Road is open from 8 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. on Tuesday. However, with no internet or phone service, it is only able to accept customers with accounts or cash for transactions at this time.

Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board announced all schools in the city and county of Peterborough, as well as Enniskillen, Hastings, North Hope, Percy Centennial, Plainville, and Roseneath Centennial Public Schools, would be closed Tuesday due to the storm. Remote learning would not be available.

Peterborough Victoria Northumberland and Clarington Catholic School Board announced that all schools with power as of Monday night would be open for in-person learning Tuesday morning for staff and students that are able to attend (check the school board’s website or social media accounts for a current list). However, the school board added that “many families remain without power and have not had access to hot water for several days and may not be able to send their children to school even if there is an opportunity to do so.” St. Thomas Aquinas virtual elementary and secondary schools would proceed for those who can connect.

Trillium Lakelands District School Board announced Scott Young Public School, Lady Eaton Elementary School, Grandview Public School, and Rolling Hills Public School would be closed to staff and students on Tuesday and transportation would not be running. Students would move to remote learning for the day, with parents receiving communication from their school with more information. Updates will be posted on the school board’s website and communicated to parents.

The YMCA’s Balsillie Family Branch is not open on Tuesday due to issues caused by the power outage and storm damage. When power is restored, staff will be cleaning up debris on the property, preparing the facility, and getting the pool ready. Once a reopening day and time is determined, the YMCA will share an update on social media and by email to members. Arrangements have been made for Peterborough child care to open on Tuesday and families are being contacted.

In Peterborough County, Lang Pioneer Village in Keene has delayed its season opening, originally scheduled for Tuesday, due to a lack of power and running water.

Port Hope police have confirmed that a woman’s body discovered on Thursday (May 19) is that of missing 29-year-old Madison (Madi) Chard.

The Port Hope resident left her family home on Friday, April 22 to visit a friend and then she mysteriously disappeared.

Her mother received a final text message from Madison at 5:49 p.m. that day before her phone “went dark,” according to a Facebook post by her father Mark Chard. Madison’s phone was later recovered.

After she disappeared, police released a description of Madison, including photographs of some of her distinctive tattoos. Due to the circumstances of her disappearance, police speculated Madison could have been a victim of human trafficking.

At 3:20 p.m. on Thursday afternoon, a woman’s body was discovered in a wooded area near the Ganaraska River south of Jocelyn Street. After notifying the family, Port Hope police confirmed on Friday morning the body was that of Madison.

“She’s at rest with the angels,” wrote Madison’s father on his Facebook page early Friday morning. “Thank you to everyone who tried to help in this very broken world. Leave our family to grieve and if you have any information, contact the police so our daughter can rest in peace.”

The Northumberland Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) and Port Hope police are conducting a joint investigation into Madison’s death.

A post-mortem examination was conducted on Saturday (May 21) at the Centre of Forensic Sciences in Toronto. While further examination is underway and could take several months to complete, police say foul play is not suspected at this time.

Police are working with the community to establish a timeline of Madison’s actions prior to her death. Investigators are asking anyone who may have any information to come forward, including with any observations, conversations or any interactions they may have had with her prior to her disappearance.

The Northumberland OPP Crime Unit and Central Region Forensic Identification Services Unit are continuing the investigation under the direction of the OPP’s Criminal Investigation Branch and in conjunction with the Port Hope Police Service and the Office of the Chief Coroner for Ontario.

Anyone with information about Madison’s disappearance is asked to call Port Hope Police at 905-885-8123, the Northumberland OPP at 1-888-310-1122, or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS or online at stopcrimehere.ca.

This story has been updated with information about the post-mortem examination.

Kawartha Lakes Food Source has recognized Patty Jones with the Barbara Truax Volunteer Award for her dedication to the not-for-profit charitable organization.

Since 2018, Jones has volunteered with Kawartha Lakes Food Source, which procures and distributes food to 35 local agencies, advocates for food security and poverty-related issues, and collaborates with the community to support those in need.

“She gardens in our open garden beds, she picks up donations from our community partners who house our blue barrels, and she has travelled across the City of Kawartha Lakes to deliver the ingredients for our family cooking project,” reads a media release from Kawartha Lakes Food Source announcing the award. “All of these roles, and she still wants more, in her effort to help as many people as she can.”

Jones is also one of the volunteers with the most accumulated volunteer hours, having worked over 140 hours in 2021.

“Patty brings a tremendous positive energy with her wherever she goes, and completes any task she’s assigned with a smile,” says community engagement coordinator Kate Dorotheou.

Kawartha Lakes Food Source established the Barbara Truax Volunteer Award — named to honour one of the organization’s longest-serving volunteers — in 2018, and awards it each year to someone who has been an active volunteer for more than three years, is a positive force within the community, and is committed to the cause.

Truax joined the Kawartha Lakes Food Source board in 2002 at the very beginning of the organization, and remained an active committee member until late 2017. Although she has taken a less active volunteering role in the past few years, Truax still continues to participate in Kawartha Lakes Food Source events and shares her experience and expertise with staff and volunteers.

With the arrival of the warm weather, road work season has begun in Peterborough.

The City of Peterborough has announced road work projects that will take place from now until November. The work includes surface repaving, micro-surface treatments, and pavement crack sealing.

The city has identified 10 of the highest-priority streets that require surface repaving and micro-surface treatments. The road work is being done for the city by Coco Paving Inc.

Seven roads that will receive new surface asphalt paving are Fairbairn Street between Wolsely and Hillside streets, Ford Street between Chamberlain and Lansdowne streets, Langton Street between Hilliard and Water streets, Lansdowne Street West between Monaghan Road and Park Street South, Monaghan Road between Edison Avenue and Riverside Drive, Sherbrooke Street between Bethune and Reid streets, and Woodglade Boulevard between Glenforest and Kawartha Heights boulevards.

For Fairbairn Street, Lansdowne Street West, and Sherbrooke Street, grinding and paving operations will be conducted under road closure at night between 9 p.m. and 7 a.m. to reduce the impact on traffic. For Monaghan Road and Woodglade Boulevard, grinding and paving operations will be conducted under road closures during July and August to coordinate with reduced activity at nearby schools during the summer.

Two roads that will receive full-depth asphalt pavement structures are Parkhill Road East between Television Road and the Trent Canal and Television Road between Parkhill Road and the CP Rail tracks. Pulverizing, grading, and paving operations on these roads will require a single-lane closure, with flagging operations for a duration of an estimated five days for each side of the road.

One road that will receive micro-surface treatment is Milroy Drive between Chemong Road and Towerhill Road.

Along with surface repaving and micro-surface treatments, pavement crack sealing will take place at various locations across the city.

The pavement crack sealing, which is being done for the city by Fine Line Markings Inc., will help to extend the life of roads by preventing infiltration of water into the asphalt pavement surface and the structure below the road.

While no road closures are expected during the pavement crack sealing, all locations where the work is being done will experience short delays with flagging operations and lane reductions. Traffic lanes may also be shifted where required.

The schedules for all road work may change due to delays or inclement weather.

Information about all road work projects in the City of Peterborough is available on the city’s interactive road construction map at peterborough.ca/constructionmap.