Many schools in Peterborough have front-wheel slot-style racks that are known to cause bike damage and are difficult to lock properly to. A bike rack should provide two points of contact for stability and proper locking. Ring-style bike racks allow two points of contact to properly lock a bike and allow for increased capacity. (Photo courtesy of GreenUP)
According to a 2012 poll from the Share the Road Cycling Coalition, 78 per cent of Ontarians believe more people would cycle if there was more and better cycling infrastructure. This “better cycling infrastructure” includes end-of-trip infrastructure — such as ample, high quality, and convenient parking spots where you can lock your bike.
Each week, GreenUP provides a story related to the environment. This week’s column is by Jaime Akiyama, Program Coordinator at GreenUP.
At Active School Travel Peterborough (AST Ptbo), we encourage students who are able to bike to and from school because it is healthy, environmentally friendly, and a fun and efficient way to travel. We educate students, helping them develop cycling skills and learn the rules of the road. We also recommend that cycling be included in the design of road infrastructure.
Better end-of-trip infrastructure at schools is key to our goals. Regardless of a student’s desire to cycle to school, they won’t feel comfortable biking if they don’t have a safe and convenient place to lock their bikes.
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AST Ptbo has worked with various partnering schools to identify a lack of quality bike parking as a barrier to cycling. Students, parents, and guardians liked the idea of cycling to school, but were not confident in the security or convenience of bike parking. Addressing this barrier by providing ample quality parking infrastructure will support those who would like to cycle and increase the number of students who benefit from active school travel.
Bike parking is about both quantity and quality. Most schools have a bike rack, but often the quality is questionable and there are not enough parking spaces. At a recent secondary school Bike To School Day event, students mentioned that the existing bike rack is usually full. One student commented that they have to arrive extra early just to get a spot on the rack.
Many schools have front-wheel slot-style racks that are known to cause bike damage and are difficult to lock properly to. A bike rack should provide two points of contact for stability and proper locking. Such bike parking should ideally be sheltered from rain and snow, secure, and highly visible.
The Active School Travel Peterborough team likes to say that if you add racks, the bikes will fill them. Ideally, bike racks should be sheltered from rain and snow and located near pedestrian traffic areas. (Photo: Leif Einarson)
Thanks to our partners the City and County of Peterborough, AST Ptbo is providing a new bike rack to participating secondary schools. The ring-style racks will provide quality parking and increase the capacity.
School travel planning engagement also recognizes that scooter users have similar end-of-trip infrastructure barriers. AST Ptbo, with funding from an Ontario Active School Travel grant, is taking action to supply scooter parking racks to participating school travel planning schools. AST Ptbo hopes that this small increase in end-of-trip infrastructure will allow for more cyclists and scooterers to enjoy the benefits of active school travel.
AST Ptbo is working with schools to properly locate and install their bike racks to maximize use and security. We recommend locating racks near pedestrian traffic areas, where users can easily access the rack. Pedestrian traffic will add an additional element of security, as constant surveillance can deter theft.
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Getting your bike stolen sucks. Bikes are expensive, and we often rely on bikes as a primary travel mode. We are also often emotionally attached to our bikes — it can be deeply upsetting to lose a bike.
Even with sufficient end-of-trip infrastructure, properly locking a bike is important. Many bikes are inefficiently locked and therefore at greater risk of being stolen.
How should you lock your bike to better prevent theft? Here are three steps.
This bike may seem like it is locked, but look closely: the lock does not actually go through the frame. For the best security, a lock should secure the frame as well as both of the wheels. (Photo courtesy of GreenUP)
First, we recommend investing in a quality bike lock. While all locks can be defeated with the right tool, some are a lot harder to cut and require extreme tools. Check out bicycling.com or thebestbikelock.com for lock critiques and to find a quality lock that suits your needs.
Second, make sure your lock actually secures your bike. You want your lock to go through your frame and both wheels. Using a longer cable with a u-lock might be needed to reach the frame and both wheels. This is another reason why having two points of contact on a bike rack is ideal.
Keep in mind that a wheel can be removed relatively easily, especially if it has a quick release lever. We don’t want thieves to walk away with any part of your bike. The frame itself is the most important part of your bike, so make sure your lock goes through your frame.
VIDEO: How to lock your bike. The RIGHT way!
Third, test your locking technique. Lock up your bike and then challenge a friend to see if you have properly secured it. Sometimes we don’t even realize that we missed the frame.
The City of Peterborough is working with a program called 529 Garage to prevent theft and aid in bike recovery. They recommend registering your bike to become part of a social network keeping an eye out for each other’s bikes.
Here’s how 529 Garage works: you register your bike and receive a tamper-resistant shield (sticker) that acts as a deterrent to would-be thieves and aids in easier recovery if your bike is found. If your bike is stolen, there is an alert to let other bike owners know so they can keep an eye out for your bike.
Ideally, families would have access to the infrastructure to confidently cycle to school and throughout their community. Parents and guardians would drop their child off at school and continue on to work or other destinations knowing that both their child’s bike and their own bike are secure.
Ample, quality, accessible end-of-trip bike infrastructure would help eliminate barriers, allowing families to enjoy the benefits of active transportation.
Taso's Restaurant and Pizzeria, one of 18 downtown Peterborough restaurants participating in the first-ever Mac + Cheese Festival during the month of October, is offering a Chicago-style deep dish "Mac n Cheeza" with spicy chorizo sausage, porchetta, and jalapeno, topped with three cheeses and a garlic parm crusted panko. (Photo: Mac + Cheese Festival / Peterborough DBIA)
Mac and cheese fans will love the variety of carb-loaded dishes coming to downtown Peterborough for the month of October during the first-ever Mac + Cheese Festival — and they’ll also find comfort in their hearts knowing they are supporting locally owned restaurants while also helping to address food insecurity for those in need.
The brainchild of the Peterborough Downtown Business Improvement Area (DBIA), the Mac + Cheese Festival is the ultimate festival for lovers of the comfort food. Dishes range from classic macs to adventurous and fancy macs, created especially for the festival by 18 downtown restaurants including pubs, cafes, delis, burger joints, pizzerias, and fine dining and vegan restaurants.
“Peterborough’s downtown offers the best culinary experience in the region, including a diverse array of restaurant experiences that bring the flavours of the world together in one place,” says DBIA executive director Terry Guiel.
Peterborough’s first-ever Mac + Cheese Festival takes place during October 2021 at 18 participating downtown restaurants, one of which will be crowned Mac + Cheese Champion with a donation made to Kawartha Food Share in the restaurant’s name. Festival goers are also encouraged to bring non-perishable food items for Kawartha Food Share when visiting one of the participating restaurants to indulge in a mac and cheese dish. (Graphic: Mac + Cheese Festival / Peterborough DBIA)
“To showcase this quality that our downtown restaurants possess, we decided to bring the king of comfort food — mac and cheese — to their kitchens and let them create cheesy masterpieces,” Terry explains. “Hopefully this initiative will introduce new customers to a restaurant they haven’t yet experienced. Mac and cheese will definitely get people’s hunger on and entice them with the temptations that only cheesy dishes can bring.”
Hillary Flood, the DBIA’s communications manager, says the participating restaurants have embraced the concept behind the festival. Some, like Real Thai PTBO, are adding an “international flair” to the dish, while The Boardwalk Board Game Lounge is taking fall-centric approach by serving their mac and cheese dish in a miniature pumpkin.
“Sam’s Place is also thinking very outside-the-mac with a mac and cheesewich,” she adds.
Sam’s Place, one of 18 downtown Peterborough restaurants participating in the first-ever Mac + Cheese Festival during the month of October, is offering a “Mac and Cheesewich” on sourdough bread with American cheddar, jalapeño, bacon, and cheddar mac and cheese with a potato chip crust. (Photo: Mac + Cheese Festival / Peterborough DBIA)
“It’s a competition, and of course some folks are in it for the glory,” Hillary says. “But our 18 restaurant partners are just happy to help bring a little comfort back into the community. I don’t think it gets any more comforting than mac and cheese.”
The festival will culminate with the crowning of a Mac + Cheese Champion who will win a “cheesy hand-crafted trophy”, according to Hillary, along with a “sizeable donation” made to Kawartha Food Share in their establishment’s name. The champion will be selected by festival goers, who will be able to vote for their favourite dishes online at www.ptbomacandcheesefest.com all month long.
“We are excited to see how our COVID-friendly festival will help keep local momentum going for our restaurants after patio season ends,” Hillary adds. “We couldn’t be prouder of the incredible dishes the Peterborough Mac + Cheese Festival will have on offer this October.”
Battle of the pizzerias
Pizza Bodega, one of 18 downtown Peterborough restaurants participating in the first-ever Mac + Cheese Festival during the month of October, is offering a New York style thin crust “Mac n Cheeza” with a homemade mac and cheese sauce, double smoked spicy capicola ham, fior di latte, parmesan roasted garlic crema, and a sprinkle of cheddar cheese topped with a Cheetos crumble. (Photo: Mac + Cheese Festival / Peterborough DBIA)
Taso’s Restaurant and Pizzeria and Pizza Bodega are taking the festival’s carby shenanigans to unparalleled heights, with Taso’s offering a Chicago-style deep dish mac and cheese pizza and Pizza Bodega a thin crust New York-style version.
Pizza Bodega owners Sean Crooks and Jennifer Assally, who opened the doors to their popular restaurant around two months ago, were excited to get involved when they found out about the festival.
“We decided to join because we can get some exposure in Peterborough and get our restaurant’s name out there,” Sean says. “It just seems like a great opportunity for a new business like ours.”
“My girlfriend and I are very carb-heavy people,” Sean points out. “We like carbs — we’re not afraid of them. Mac and cheese is a classic dish and we’ve eaten it since we were kids. I’ve made different renditions at restaurants that I’ve worked in. It’s one of those dishes you just can’t pass up.”
Sean says that his goal was to load his dish with carbs and create a homemade masterpiece worthy of any dieter’s cheat day.
A brief history of mac and cheese
Pasta and cheese casseroles were recorded in 14th-century Italian and medieval English cookbooks. The first modern recipe for macaroni and cheese was included in Elizabeth Raffald’s 1770 book The Experienced English Housekeeper. In the U.S., a macaroni and cheese recipe appeared in Mary Randolph’s 1824 cookbook The Virginia Housewife, considered by some as the most influential cookbook of the 19th century. Macaroni and cheese was brought to Canada by British immigrants with the most well-known form of mac and cheese, Kraft Dinner, first introduced in both Canada and the U.S. in 1937 during the Great Depression. It remains especially popular in Canada and is sometimes called the country’s de faco national dish.
“Pizza dough has a lot of flour of course, so we tried to make the sauce without flour,” he explains. “We decided on a straight-up cheese sauce. We added double-smoked ham, and our garlic parmesan sauce is part of the base to ensure it doesn’t dry out.”
“Fresh mozzarella, dry mozzarella, and parmesan make up the three staple cheeses in the dish. Noodles add more carbs and then we’ve topped it with chives and a crunchy Cheetos crumble to add a little bit of texture.”
“If you’re coming to a Mac + Cheese Festival, you’re probably not looking to cut back on your carbs,” Sean laughs. “You’re definitely not on the Keto diet.”
Sean says he is happy to be facing off against Taso’s Restaurant and Pizzeria, which he believes has included “even more carbs” with their Chicago-style deep-dish pizza.
“It should be very interesting,” Sean says. “A fun little challenge to encourage people to come downtown and try something new. Most festivals last just a few days — this is going to last for a month and people don’t have to gather in large groups to participate. A lot of mac and cheese will be consumed over the month of October in Peterborough.”
Taso Hatzianastasiou, owner and chef of Taso’s Restaurant and Pizzeria, shows off his Chicago-style deep dish “Mac n Cheeza” with spicy chorizo sausage, porchetta, and jalapeno, topped with three cheeses and a garlic parm crusted panko. (Photo: Mac + Cheese Festival / Peterborough DBIA)
For his part, Taso’s owner and chef Taso Hatzianastasiou says that he “loves a challenge” and sees the festival as his perfect opportunity to create a very “unique pie.”
“The festival is an exciting way to bring the community together and give everyone an opportunity to experience something or somewhere new,” he says. “I made a classic deep dish Chicago-style pizza with a mac and cheese twist. It’s layered with old cheddar and mozzarella, then my three-cheese mac with chorizo, pancetta, and diced jalapeños, and it’s finished with a garlic parmesan panko crust for a nice crunch. It’s creamy, ultra cheesy, and has a bit of a kick.”
Taso is happy to be part of the downtown Peterborough community and considers himself fortunate to call many customers and other business owners by name within his close-knit downtown community.
Mac and Cheese fusion
Real Thai PTBO, one of 18 downtown Peterborough restaurants participating in the first-ever Mac + Cheese Festival during the month of October, is offering a “Spicy Curry Mac” with a spicy Thai red curry, thick and creamy coconut milk, gooey cheese, and a crispy wonton topping. (Photo: Mac + Cheese Festival / Peterborough DBIA)
Like Pizza Bodega, Real Thai PTBO opened its doors during the pandemic. Co-owner Sathit Thanomphan (Chef Tom) says that, despite the challenges of opening during a pandemic, he and his wife Samantha are very happy to be operating their new restaurant in downtown Peterborough.
“It is an honour to bring authentic Thai food to this community,” Chef Tom says. “It’s important to us to participate in a community event. When we came here, I wanted to bring authentic Thai food to Peterborough, and I’ve done my best to do that. I hope that my kitchen will bring more newcomers here because they’ve heard that there is a Thai food restaurant they can’t miss in Peterborough.”
Chef Tom explains that creating a new Thai dish is always a challenge because of the delicate “architecture” of Thai food and flavours that are used. For the mac and cheese challenge, Tom says he opted to “keep it simple”, creating a fusion dish based on one of his most popular menu items.
“I based my dish on a very popular Thai dish called Khao Soi,” he says. “It’s a noodle dish traditionally made with egg noodles, spicy Thai red curry, and coconut milk.”
Real Thai PTBO’s “Spicy Curry Mac” also features gooey cheese and a crispy wonton topping.
Comfort food bringing comfort
The Boardwalk Board Game Lounge, one of 18 downtown Peterborough restaurants participating in the first-ever Mac + Cheese Festival during the month of October, is offering “Too Gourd to be True”, a creamy mac and cheese with spiced pumpkin béchamel sauce, aged cheddar, mozzarella, gouda, crispy prosciutto, and fried sage, served in a baby pumpkin from McLean’s Berry Farm. (Photo: Mac + Cheese Festival / Peterborough DBIA)
Running in tandem with the Mac + Cheese Festival will be a month-long food drive for Kawartha Food Share. Participating diners are encouraged to bring non-perishable items to any of the 18 participating restaurants.
Kawartha Food Share general manager Ashlee Aitken says they are excited to partner with the DBIA for the premiere Mac + Cheese Festival, as the pandemic has resulted in higher demand among those dealing with food insecurity.
“This year has been particularly hard for our food bank clients as well as the wonderful community members running our 37 member agencies,” she explains. “Many people have been without work for long periods of time and have had to rely on our services more than ever. The winter months, especially around the holidays, bring a lot of added expenses for our clients.”
“Unfortunately, 16.5 per cent of household in Peterborough are food insecure. Every donation, no matter how small, will ensure we can provide safe and reliable access to emergency food for those who need it most.”
Lasair Wood, owner and operator of The Food Forest, one of 18 downtown Peterborough restaurants participating in the first-ever Mac + Cheese Festival during the month of October, digs into a bowl of Vegan Mac. (Photo: Mac + Cheese Festival / Peterborough DBIA)
During the festival, each participating restaurant will be set up to collect non-perishable food donations. Ashlee says that, while packaged mac and cheese is an item they are always in need of, they are currently short on their supply of pork and beans, canned vegetables, and individually wrapped school snacks (such as granola bars, apple sauce, and fruit chews).
While the fast-approaching Thanksgiving weekend is a time when many people traditionally donate food, Ashlee says donations are needed all year long — especially in the winter months.
“Donations can be dropped in any of our collection bins, at grocery stores, or at our warehouse,” adds Ashlee. “Monetary donations can be made on our website. Hunger doesn’t end when the holidays do, and we would like the public to know that we accept and appreciate donations all year long.”
Chef Simon Brown of Amandala’s, one of 18 downtown Peterborough restaurants participating in the first-ever Mac + Cheese Festival during the month of October, with his “Sexy Mac” featuring a seven-cheese sauce tossed with crab and macaroni and served in a bacon collar, topped with tempura-fried peas and sugar snap peas, complemented by a fire-roasted poblano pepper and tomato compote. (Photo: Mac + Cheese Festival / Peterborough DBIA)
You can support Kawartha Food Share and locally owned restaurants by heading to downtown Peterborough for the Mac + Cheese Festival throughout the month of October. Whether you’re looking for a traditional dish, something more unusual, or a vegan or gluten-free option, there’s a mac and cheese for everyone’s taste.
For more information about the festival, including a description of all the dishes and a map of participating restaurants (which you can also find below), visit www.ptbomacandcheesefest.com, where you can vote for your favourite mac and cheese dishes. You can also follow the festival on Facebook and Instagram.
For more information about Kawartha Food Share and to make a monetary donation, visit www.kawarthafoodshare.com.
MAP: Downtown Peterborough restaurants participating in the Mac + Cheese Festival
Here’s an update on COVID-19 cases in Ontario as well as in the greater Kawarthas region.
Ontario is reporting 495 new cases today, with the 7-day average of daily cases increasing by 4 to 610.
There will be no COVID-19 update on September 30 due to the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. Numbers for September 30 will be included in the October 1 update.
Of Ontario’s 34 health units, 1 is reporting a triple-digit increase — Toronto (107) — and 12 are reporting low double-digit increases — Ottawa (39), Hamilton (39), York (35), Peel (33), Windsor-Essex (33), Niagara (32), Halton (20), Middlesex-London (19), Lambton (18), Waterloo (15), Durham (10), and Brant (10) — with 3 reporting no new cases at all.
Of the new cases, 68% are people who have not been fully vaccinated (61% have not received any doses and 7% have received only one dose) and 23% are people who have been fully vaccinated with two doses, with the vaccination status unknown for 8% of the cases because of a missing or invalid health card number. The 7-day average case rate is 9.83 per 100,000 for unvaccinated people, 4.85 per 100,000 for partially vaccinated people, and 1.43 per 100,000 for fully vaccinated people.
Hospitalizations have dropped by 23 to 292, ICU patients has decreased by 8 to 172, and ICU patients on ventilators has decreased by 4 to 123. Ontario is reporting 8 new COVID-related deaths.
Over 21.74 million vaccine doses have been administered, an increase of 38,297 from yesterday. Over 10.51 million people are fully vaccinated, an increase of 23,381 from yesterday, representing over 71.1% of Ontario’s total population.
COVID-19 cases in Ontario from August 29 – September 28, 2021. The red line is the number of new cases reported daily, and the dotted green line is a five-day rolling average of new cases. (Graphic: kawarthaNOW.com)COVID-19 hospitalizations and ICU admissions in Ontario from August 29 – September 28, 2021. The red line is the daily number of COVID-19 hospitalizations, the dotted green line is a five-day rolling average of hospitalizations, the purple line is the daily number of patients with COVID-19 in ICUs, and the blue line is the daily number of ICU patients on ventilators. (Graphic: kawarthaNOW.com)COVID-19 vaccinations in Ontario from August 29 – September 28, 2021. The red line is the cumulative number of daily doses administered and the green line is the cumulative number of people fully vaccinated with two doses of vaccine. (Graphic: kawarthaNOW.com)
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In the greater Kawarthas region, there are 14 new cases to report, including 5 in Hastings Prince Edward, 3 in Peterborough, 3 in Northumberland, 2 in Haliburton, and 1 in Kawartha Lakes.
An additional 15 cases have been resolved in the region, including 6 in Hastings Prince Edward, 5 in Kawartha Lakes, and 4 in Peterborough,.
The number of active cases has increased by 3 in Northumberland and by 2 in Haliburton, and has decreased by 4 in Kawarthas Lakes, by 2 in Hastings Prince Edward, and by 1 in Peterborough.
The numbers for Kawartha Lakes, Northumberland, and Haliburton are over the past 2 days.
There are currently 89 active cases in the greater Kawarthas region, a decrease of 2 from yesterday, including 44 in Hastings Prince Edward (21 in Quinte West, 15 in Belleville, 3 in Prince Edward County, 3 in North Hastings, and 2 in Tyendinaga & Deseronto), 18 in Peterborough, 17 in Kawartha Lakes, 7 in Northumberland, and 3 in Haliburton.
Since the pandemic began in the greater Kawarthas region, there have been 1,817 confirmed positive cases in the Peterborough area (1,775 resolved with 23 deaths), 1,291 in the City of Kawartha Lakes (1,229 resolved with 58 deaths), 1,000 in Northumberland County (976 resolved with 17 deaths), 148 in Haliburton County (144 resolved with 1 death), and 1,392 in Hastings and Prince Edward counties (1,335 resolved with 13 deaths). The most recent death was reported in Hastings Prince Edward on September 20.
An architectural rendering of the new Canadian Canoe Museum, to be built on the Johnson Property in Peterborough, beside the Parks Canada building and north of Beavermead Park. Now that the museum has completed the purchase of the property at 2077 Ashburnham Drive and signed a design and construction contact, construction will begin in October 2021. (Rendering: Lett Architects Inc.)
Construction on the new Canadian Canoe Museum on Ashburnham Drive in Peterborough will begin in October, with an expected completion date in 2023.
The museum announced on Wednesday (September 29) that it has signed a $27.4 million integrated project delivery contract with Chandos Construction Ltd. and Lett Architects Inc. for design and construction work for the new facility on the Johnson Property at 2077 Ashburnham Drive.
The museum completed the purchase of the Johnson Property from the City of Peterborough last Wednesday, paying $1.58 million for the five-acre parcel of land. The sale was subject to a number of conditions including rezoning, project validation, and confirmation of site appropriateness, all of which have been met to the satisfaction of both the museum and the city.
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“Canadian Canoe Museum is thrilled to have completed these critical milestones so that we may commence with construction as planned in October,” says the museum’s executive director Carolyn Hyslop in a media release. “Our project team is working at lightning speed to stay on schedule so that we may be ready to open the new museum in 2023.”
The total cost of the project is $40 million, of which the museum has raised just over 82 per cent, including contributions from all three levels of government as well as the Weston Family Foundation. The museum also intends to sell its current property at 910 Monaghan Road to help fund the project.
The museum is taking an integrated project delivery (IPD) approach to the design and building of the new museum. Unlike traditional design and construction delivery methods, IPD is a collaborative approach where all project stakeholders are brought on board at the very beginning of the project, sign a multi-party contract, and share the responsibility for the project — including the financial risk.
The Johnson Property is located north of Beavermead Park and south of the Parks Canada-Trent Severn Waterway head offices. The new museum will be built on a flat portion of the property, away from the floodplain, on the open land along Ashburnham Drive so as to preserve the existing trail, shoreline, and natural waterfront. (Graphic courtesy of Canadian Canoe Museum)
Along with Lett Architects Inc. of Peterborough as the architect and Chandos Construction Ltd. of Toronto as the general contractor, other project partners include LEA of Markham as structural engineer, Kelson Mechanical of Sharon as the mechanical trade partner, DG Biddle & Associates of Oshawa as mechanical and electrical engineer, Lancer Electric of Peterborough as electrical trade partner, and Engage Engineering of Peterborough as civil engineer.
The Johnson Property is located north of Beavermead Park and south of the Parks Canada-Trent Severn Waterway head offices. The new museum will be built on a flat portion of the property, away from the floodplain, on the open land along Ashburnham Drive so as to preserve the existing trail, shoreline, and natural waterfront.
The new facility will house the museum’s complete collection of canoes, kayaks, and watercraft in a building that meets Class A conservation standards. With its location on the water, the museum will be able to offer increased on-water and in-person programming.
New Canadians Centre's children's picture book 'Building A Home' was inspired by the stories and artwork by six children originally from Syria, Kazakhstan, Mexico, and Pakistan of their first-time experiences in Nogojiwanong-Peterborough. (Text and illustrations by Casandra Lee)
New Canadians Centre in Peterborough has published a new children’s picture book that shares the experiences of immigrant children when they arrive in Canada.
Written and illustrated by Peterborough artist Casandra Lee (herself a recent immigrant), Building A Home was inspired by the stories and artwork of six children originally from Syria, Kazakhstan, Mexico, and Pakistan who now call Nogojiwanong-Peterborough home.
New Canadians Centre commissioned Lee to create the book after Bhisham Ramoutar, the non-profit organization’s communications and community engagement specialist, had the idea of documenting the stories of newcomer children experiencing firsts in Canada — including learning English, going to school, visiting large supermarkets, experiencing winter and snow, eating pizza, and more.
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“We were inspired to put the spotlight on the voices of our youngest new residents,” Bhisham says in a media release. “Our hope is that this will pave the way for conversations in homes, classrooms, between friends, families, and neighbours to reflect on our own experiences and consider our role in helping those who are new to Canada to thrive and belong.”
Casandra Lee is an Asian-American children’s author who moved to Canada in 2019 and now lives in Peterborough where she teaches at a Montessori school.
She has already published a children’s book called The Sun Dance and is collaborating with Bangkok author C Y Gopinath on a book called The Bells of Casiopia.
Casandra Lee is an Asian-American children’s author who moved to Canada in 2019 and now lives in Peterborough. (Photo via casandralee.com)
“Finding a place to call home can be a long, difficult journey,” Lee says. “It is a privilege to have a safe place to live with joy. The real stars of this book are the children. They always inspired me with their strength, resilience, and joy. I am so honoured to help share their stories in this book.”
With the support of the United Way of Peterborough & District’s David Goyette and Victoria Pearce Arts Fund and donors, Building A Home is available to read for free online on the New Canadian Centre’s website at nccpeterborough.ca/buildingahome/.
The book is available in seven languages: Arabic, Bengali, Chinese (Mandarin), English, French, Korean, and Spanish. You can read the English version below.
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Orders for printed copies of the book in any language can also be submitted on the New Canadian Centre’s website at at nccpeterborough.ca/buildingahome/.
Up to 400 printed copies will be available for free, with a limit of one copy per family or organization in Peterborough and Northumberland counties. Printed copies can be picked up at the New Canadian Centre’s offices in Peterborough and Cobourg (shipping is not available).
New Canadians Centre is also offering live in-person or virtual readings of Building A Home at schools or events. Readings will be done by New Canadians Centre staff, Casandra, or other newcomers associated with the New Canadians Centre, depending on the timing of the reading. For more information or to book a reading, email Bhisham at bhisham@nccpeterborough.ca.
For more information about Casandra Lee, visit casandralee.com.
Here’s an update on COVID-19 cases in Ontario as well as in the greater Kawarthas region.
Ontario is reporting 466 new cases today, with the 7-day average of daily cases decreasing by 15 to 606.
Of Ontario’s 34 health units, 1 is reporting a triple-digit increase — Toronto (138) — and 12 are reporting double-digit increases — Peel (39), Ottawa (31), Windsor-Essex (31), Hamilton (25), Niagara (25), York (21), Durham (19), Halton (18), Chatham-Kent (15), Simcoe Muskoka (14), Middlesex-London (14), and Waterloo (13) — with 4 reporting no new cases at all.
Of the new cases, 65% are people who have not been fully vaccinated (59% have not received any doses and 6% have received only one dose) and 26% are people who have been fully vaccinated with two doses, with the vaccination status unknown for 9% of the cases because of a missing or invalid health card number. The 7-day average case rate is 9.67 per 100,000 for unvaccinated people, 4.57 per 100,000 for partially vaccinated people, and 1.45 per 100,000 for fully vaccinated people.
Hospitalizations have jumped by 117 to 315, but this increase is in part a result of underreporting by more than 10% of hospitals over the weekend. The number of ICU patients has decreased by 4 to 180 and the number of ICU patients on ventilators has decreased by 3 to 127. Ontario is reporting 9 new COVID-related deaths.
Over 21.7 million vaccine doses have been administered, an increase of 31,855 from yesterday. Over 10.49 million people are fully vaccinated, an increase of 18,885 from yesterday, representing 70.95% of Ontario’s total population.
COVID-19 cases in Ontario from August 28 – September 27, 2021. The red line is the number of new cases reported daily, and the dotted green line is a five-day rolling average of new cases. (Graphic: kawarthaNOW.com) COVID-19 hospitalizations and ICU admissions in Ontario from August 28 – September 27, 2021. The red line is the daily number of COVID-19 hospitalizations, the dotted green line is a five-day rolling average of hospitalizations, the purple line is the daily number of patients with COVID-19 in ICUs, and the blue line is the daily number of ICU patients on ventilators. (Graphic: kawarthaNOW.com)COVID-19 vaccinations in Ontario from August 28 – September 27, 2021. The red line is the cumulative number of daily doses administered and the green line is the cumulative number of people fully vaccinated with two doses of vaccine. (Graphic: kawarthaNOW.com)
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In the greater Kawarthas region, there are 18 new cases to report, including 14 in Hastings Prince Edward and 4 in Peterborough. An additional 15 cases have been resolved in the region, including 8 in Hastings Prince Edward and 7 in Peterborough.
The number of active cases has increased by 6 in Hastings Prince Edward and has decreased by 3 in Peterborough.
Numbers are unavailable for Kawartha Lakes, Haliburton, and Northumberland as that health unit only issues reports on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. Numbers for Tuesday will be included in Wednesday’s update.
There are currently 91 active cases in the greater Kawarthas region, an increase of 3 from yesterday, including 46 in Hastings Prince Edward (22 in Quinte West, 15 in Belleville, 4 in Prince Edward County, 2 in Tyendinaga & Deseronto, and 3 in North Hastings), 21 in Kawartha Lakes, 19 in Peterborough, 4 in Northumberland, and 1 in Haliburton.
Since the pandemic began in the greater Kawarthas region, there have been 1,817 confirmed positive cases in the Peterborough area (1,775 resolved with 23 deaths), 1,290 in the City of Kawartha Lakes (1,224 resolved with 58 deaths), 997 in Northumberland County (976 resolved with 17 deaths), 146 in Haliburton County (144 resolved with 1 death), and 1,388 in Hastings and Prince Edward counties (1,329 resolved with 13 deaths). The most recent death was reported in Hastings Prince Edward on September 20.
The iconic Hi Tops restaurant sign originally marked the location of the former Hi Tops restaurant on George Street in downtown Peterborough, which was operated by the Hum family since the early 1900s. The sign then went to The Spill, now closed, and then to Hot Belly Mamma's, which is now also closed. (Photo: Hi Tops / Facebook)
The iconic Hi Tops restaurant sign, a piece of Peterborough’s history, needs a new home.
The 20-foot sign had been on display on Hot Belly Mama’s in downtown Peterborough, but owner Travis Smith closed the restaurant earlier this year because of the pandemic.
“Ever since Hot Belly Mama’s closed we knew this day would come and now it has,” writes Bill Kimball on Facebook. “The long-term goal is to restore the sign, as nearly all the neon has been saved and is ready to be reunited with the sign itself. But until the plans and financing are put in place for that, it needs to be stored and I do not have space at my home.”
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Kimball, artistic director of Public Energy, was instrumental in saving the sign back in 2013, when owner Ed Hum closed the former Hi Tops restaurant on George Street in downtown Peterborough. Kimball asked Hum (who has since passed away) if he could have the sign.
In March 2013, at the invitation of owner Dave Tobey, Kimball agreed to have the sign placed inside The Spill in downtown Peterborough, which was directly across the street from the former Hi Tops restaurant. It was hung on the south wall there in two pieces until The Spill closed permanently in October 2017.
In January 2018, when Smith found out The Spill was closing, he asked Kimball whether he could display the sign in Hot Belly Mama’s. It was displayed there in one piece until Smith closed the restaurant in February, along with the adjoining Olde Stone Brewing Company brew pub and restaurant.
The Hi Tops restaurant sign was hanging in two pieces in The Spill in downtown Peterborough from 2013 until it closed in October 2017. (Photo: Marguerite Pigeon)
Kimball is now looking for a temporary or permanent home for the sign.
“Can you store it?,” he asks on Facebook. “Or do you have a business that would like to display it?”
On Kimball’s Facebook post, suggestions so far include the basement at Artspace, the Commerce Building foyer, Sadleir House, and the Peterborough Museum and Archives.
On the latter suggestion, Kimball says he already made an inquiry to the museum.
“They can accept artifacts like this but do not restore them,” Kimball writes. “They display them as is. I want to hold out for a restoration.”
From 2018 to 2021, the Hi Tops restaurant sign was hanging in one piece in Hot Belly Mama’s restaurant in downtown Peterborough. (Photo: Hot Belly Mama’s / Facebook)
Police are looking for two men and a woman in a $25,000 theft from Gateway Powersport & Marine east of Peterborough on September 25, 2021. (Police-supplied photo)
Peterborough County OPP are asking for the public’s help in identifying three suspects in a $25,000 theft from Gateway Powersport & Marine, located at 2252 Heritage Line east of Peterborough.
Overnight on Saturday (September 25), two men and a woman drove through a locked security gate and stole two personal watercraft that were on a trailer and an all-terrain vehicle.
The stolen items are described as:
a 2015 Seadoo GTI SE 155, blue and white in colour with Vehicle Information Number (VIN) YDV81719J415
a 2016 Seadoo Wake-Wake 155, blue and white in colour with VIN YDV33893C616
a 2006 Bombardier 250, yellow in colour with VIN RFGUB25196S000565
a 2016 Triton single-axle trailer, grey in colour bearing Ontario marker P6973A and VIN 4TCSM1125GH243465.
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The value of the stolen items is estimated at $25,000.
The first suspect is described as male, Caucasian, average height and build, dark hair, wearing black and white athletic shoes, blue shorts and a black t-shirt, with a symbol in the middle.
The second suspect is described as female, Caucasian, above average height and large build, dark hair wearing grey and white athletic shoes, black pants and a black tank top.
The vehicle used in a $25,000 theft from Gateway Powersport & Marine east of Peterborough on September 25, 2021 is a black Ford F150 with an extended cab. (Police-supplied photo)
The third suspect is described as male, Caucasian, average height and build, dark hair wearing a black pants, black jacket and black athletic shoes.
The vehicle used in the theft is a black Ford F150 with an extended cab.
Investigators are actively looking for information that may lead to the arrest of the suspects in this case.
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Police urge the public to call in tips to the Peterborough County OPP at 705-742-0401 or the non-emergency line at 1-888-310-1122.
If you prefer to remain anonymous, you can contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS or online at stopcrimehere.ca.
Two of the three suspects in a $25,000 theft from Gateway Powersport & Marine east of Peterborough on September 25, 2021. (Police-supplied photo)
The 'See the Light' bike light giveaway is part of a month-long cycling education pop-up project co-funded by B!KE: the Peterborough Community Bike Shop, Peterborough GreenUP, the Peterborough Bicycle Advisory Committee, and Trans Canada Trails. During September, the pop-up project has visited local high schools, Trent University, Peterborough Public Library, and spots along recreational trails. (Photo: B!KE / Facebook)
Peterborough cyclists can get a free bike light during a pop-up event on the Rotary Greenway Trail on Friday afternoon (October 1).
Presented by local cycling educators, “See the Light” takes place from 3:30 to 6:30 p.m. along the trail near Whitaker Street, just south of Thomas A. Stewart Secondary School.
The bike light giveaway is part of a month-long cycling education pop-up project co-funded by B!KE: the Peterborough Community Bike Shop, Peterborough GreenUP, the Peterborough Bicycle Advisory Committee, and Trans Canada Trails. During September, the pop-up project has visited local high schools, Trent University, Peterborough Public Library, and spots along recreational trails.
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“Autumn is a great time for cycling but, with fewer daylight hours, there’s a good chance you might end up riding when it’s dark,” says B!KE program manager Jean Greig in a media release.
Cyclists in Ontario are legally required to have lights on the front and rear of their bikes turned on from a half hour before sunset to a half hour after sunrise.
“We’re more concerned about people staying safe,” Greig says. “It’s clearly in a rider’s own interest to be as visible as possible on the road.”
In addition to giving away lights and offering other ideas for staying visible, Friday’s “See the Light” event will include basic bike maintenance checks, help with route planning, and information about cycling programs and resources in the city.
Volunteers from the Rotary Club of Peterborough planted 481 new trees along the Rotary Trail in Peterborough on September 25, 2021. The tree planting initiative was supported by the Rotary Club of Peterborough, RBC Dominion Securities, the Excelsior Group, and the City of Peterborough. (Photo: kawarthaNOW screenshot from City of Peterborough video)
Volunteers from the Rotary Club of Peterborough planted 481 new trees along the Rotary Trail in Peterborough on Saturday (September 25).
The tree-planting initiative was sponsored by RBC Dominion Securities with a $3,000 donation through the RBC Foundation, with assistance provided by the City of Peterborough’s forestry division.
The 481 new trees are in addition to the City of Peterborough’s regular tree planting program, which sees about 400 trees planted annually.
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The trees were planted adjacent to the Rotary Centennial project, which built a new shade shelter on the trail near Hazlitt Street, and include a variety of native trees.
The tree planting supports the city’s urban forest strategic plan, which aims to improve soil and water conservation, store carbon, moderate local climate by providing shade, increase wildlife habitat, and improve the land’s capacity to adapt to climate change.
“Planting a tree is the simplest way to mitigate climate change,” said Michael Papadacos, the city’s manager of infrastructure management, in a media release.
Some of the volunteers who planted 481 new trees along the Rotary Trail in Peterborough on September 25, 2021. The tree planting initiative was supported by the Rotary Club of Peterborough, RBC Dominion Securities, the Excelsior Group, and the City of Peterborough. (Photo: Councillor Lesley Parnell / Twitter)
“Donations, partnerships, and public education are all needed to protect our urban canopy,” Papadacos added. “The city’s urban forest has lost approximately 10 per cent of its canopy in the last five years. Planting new trees is a high priority.”
Local development company the Excelsior Group contributed 100 trees to the initiative.
“Trees are the life blood of this planet we call our home,” said Satish Thakkar of Excelsior Group, who noted the planting event took place on the birthday of his recently passed wife. “Planting trees in the memory of a departed loved one is the best tribute one can give and keep them alive.”
VIDEO: Donations bolster the City’s urban forest with new trees on Rotary Trail
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