On Thursday morning (July 8), Environment Canada issued a special weather statement for all of Ontario, including the Kawarthas, for heavy rainfall on Thursday.
Showers and thunderstorms are forecast to move across the province on Thursday.
Some of these showers and thunderstorms will be capable of producing locally heavy rainfall amounts of 30 to 50 mm. Isolated amounts exceeding 50 mm will also be possible in some locations.
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On Thursday afternoon, Environment Canada also issued a rainfall warning for Peterborough County, the City of Kawartha Lakes, and Northumberland County, with rainfall amounts of 50 to 75 mm possible by early Thursday evening.
Affected locations include Peterborough, Cobourg, Port Hope, and Trent Hills.
Heavy downpours can cause flash floods and water pooling on roads. Localized flooding in low-lying areas is possible.
Volunteers gather for planting day in May 2021 at the pollinator garden at Reaboro Park in Reaboro, between Omemee and Lindsay in the City of Kawartha Lakes. Organizer Marnie Callaghan says the project, which garnered its volunteers through word-of-mouth and Facebook, has been a fantastic community-builder while also helping the environment. (Photo: Elayne Windsor)
A community project to create a pollinator garden in a park in Reaboro — located between Omemee and Lindsay in the City of Kawartha Lakes — is nurturing the ecosystem and friendships alike.
Community volunteers have enjoyed coming together socially to do something incredibly positive: create a garden of native plants that attract and create a habitat for bees, butterflies, moths, and other beneficial pollinators.
It all started when project head Marnie Callaghan, who loves nature, read Nature’s Best Hope – A New Approach to Conservation That Starts in Your Yard by entomologist Douglas Tallamay.
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“He says the natural parks and all these areas we’ve set apart simply aren’t big enough,” Callaghan explains. “Our pollinators and our birds are crashing in numbers.”
After reading Tallamay’s book, Callaghan felt a call to action. She wondered about her surroundings and considered what she could do to better create a habitat for pollinators.
“His book is very hopeful in that if all private landowners plant native plants, they will come back,” Callaghan says. “I’ve started planting a lot of native plants even in my garden.”
Marnie Callaghan plants a shrub at Reaboro Park in May 2021. She was inspired to organize a pollinator garden in the park after reading “Nature’s Best Hope” by entomologist Douglas Tallamay, and was assisted by her friend Elayne Windsor, a former teacher, and her organizational skills. (Photo: Elayne Windsor)
But Callaghan wanted to do more outside of her garden. She brought her attention to a section of Reaboro Park that was not being used. After some inquiry, the City of Kawartha Lakes permitted a section of the park to be used for the garden.
The project was made possible by a grant from the federal government’s New Horizons for Seniors Program, which supports projects led by seniors that promote volunteerism and benefit communities, with seniors being involved in the garden project every step of the way.
Callaghan says that once she had the project approved and funded, it was down to planning, but she wasn’t sure how to make her idea come to life.
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Enter Elayne Windsor, a friend of Callaghan with the organizational skills the project needed. The former teacher arrived at Callaghan’s house, equipped with her “massive teacher chart paper and markers,” as she tells kawarthaNOW, ready to break the project down into tasks and begin delegating.
“I think with any project you’re trying to get off the ground, you need different people and their different skills,” Windsor explains.
The two women spread the word, finding friends and neighbours interested in helping with the project. The first crew of volunteers got together to lay all the groundwork for the garden. That included taking out all the existing grass, bringing in topsoil, making a path, and installing a fence. Another volunteer crew got together later to do the planting.
While the pollinator garden project was funded through a grant from the federal government’s New Horizons for Seniors Program, it wouldn’t have been possible without the efforts of many volunteers from the Reaboro community. (Photo: Elayne Windsor)
“That was just lovely because we had all been so isolated because of COVID,” Callaghan recalls. “It was just such a nice day. We took down our lunches and had our lunch down in the park.”
According to Callaghan, every volunteer at the park that day met someone they did not know, so the project had the added benefit of expanding their circle of neighbours.
“My original thought was to create a pollinator garden, but it’s ended up being a great community-building project,” Callaghan remarks.
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“During COVID, I realized the value of having community projects,” Windsor adds. “To bring people together and have a common goal — that appealed to me.”
The garden, which is mainly finished with the plants and fence installed, is also an educational opportunity. Some who visit the garden are deciding to plant native plants in their home gardens too.
“I’m a gardener, and it’s inspiring me to look and research the plants that I do put into my garden, really making sure that I don’t have invasive species,” Windsor says.
Volunteers Sue Kucher, Shelley McNamara, and Linda Reeds on planting day in May 2021 at the pollinator garden at Reaboro Park in Reaboro. All plants in the garden were purchased from Green Side Up Environmental Services and Landscaping in Omemee. (Photo: Elayne Windsor)
There have already been two bee hotel workshops run at the garden, as well.
As for long-term plans, Callaghan says they plan to further the educational experience of the garden by placing identifications in front of each plant. The signs will include the name of the plant and the butterfly or moth for which it is a host.
Although it won’t happen this summer, Callaghan adds that they look forward to adding trees on the north side of the garden, colourful birdhouses, and two benches.
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A sign donated by RK Designs of Reaboro is soon to be installed at the garden as well.
The garden is part of the Kawartha Lakes Pollinator Pathway, one of the efforts by the City of Kawartha Lakes to support healthy pollinator populations by creating and preserving pollinator habitat. The municipality has been officially recognized as a “Bee City” by Bee City Canada, a charitable organization that encourages action to protect pollinators.
The garden will need to be maintained throughout the summer, so volunteers have set up a schedule where, in pairs, they are responsible for a couple of weekends to water and weed.
Those interested in getting involved with the Reaboro Park pollinator garden can email Marnie Callaghan at callaghandrafting@outlook.com.
A section of the pollinator garden at Reaboro Park in June 2021. The garden includes native flowers such as wild bergamot, black-eyes Susan, blue indigo, native sunflowers, and many more. Native shrubs are also planted behind the garden. (Photo: Elayne Windsor)
Here’s an update on COVID-19 cases in Ontario as well as in the greater Kawarthas region.
Ontario is reporting 194 cases today, with 5 health units reporting double-digit increases: Waterloo (42), Toronto (35), Peel (26), Hamilton (16), and Grey Bruce (11). The seven-day average of daily cases has increased by 2 to 205.
Hospitalizations have decreased by 1 from yesterday to 201, with the number of ICU patients decreasing by 6 to 220 and the number of patients on ventilators decreasing by 6 to 155.
Ontario is reporting no new COVID-related deaths.
More than 16 million vaccine doses have been administered, an increase of 204,594 from yesterday, with almost 89% of Ontario’s total population now having received at least one dose. Over 6 million people have been fully vaccinated, an increase of 186,006 from yesterday, representing over 41% of the total population.
COVID-19 cases in Ontario from June 6 – July 6, 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 June 6 – July 6, 2021. The red line is the daily number of COVID-19 hospitalizations, the dotted green line is a five-day rolling average of hospitalizations, and the purple line is the daily number of patients with COVID-19 in ICUs. (Graphic: kawarthaNOW.com)COVID-19 vaccinations in Ontario from June 6 – July 6, 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 10 new cases to report, including 9 in Peterborough and and 1 in Kawartha Lakes. There are no new cases in Northumberland, Haliburton, or in Hastings Prince Edward.
An additional 6 cases in the region have been resolved, including 3 in Peterborough and 3 in Kawartha Lakes.
Regional active cases have increased by 6 in Peterborough, decreased by 2 in Kawartha Lakes, and remain the same in Hastings Prince Edward.
There are currently 58 active cases in the greater Kawarthas region, an increase of 4 from yesterday, including 29 in Peterborough, 23 in Kawartha Lakes, and 6 in Hastings Prince Edward (1 in Quinte West, 1 in Prince Edward County, 1 in Tyendinaga & Deseronto, 1 in Central Hastings, and 2 in North Hastings). There are no active cases in Northumberland or Haliburton.
Since the pandemic began in the greater Kawarthas region, there have been 1,614 confirmed positive cases in the Peterborough area (1,563 resolved with 22 deaths), 1,116 in the City of Kawartha Lakes (1,048 resolved with 58 deaths), 945 in Northumberland County (928 resolved with 17 deaths), 122 in Haliburton County (121 resolved with 1 death), and 1,134 in Hastings and Prince Edward counties (1,117 resolved with 11 deaths). The most recent two deaths were reported in Peterborough and Kawartha Lakes on June 29.
Ashburnham Ale House, a popular dining destination in Peterborough's East City, is celebrating eight years in business. Owners Scott and Nollie Wood opened the craft beer cafe, located right beside the Rotary Greenway Trail, on June 27, 2013. (Photo: Ashburnham Ale House / Facebook)
businessNOW™ is our round-up of business and organizational news from Peterborough and across the greater Kawarthas region.
In businessNOW, our managing editor collects news and events related to businesses and organizations from across the Kawarthas. If you’d like us to promote your news or event in businessNOW, please email business@kawarthanow.com.
In this week’s column with files from Hannah Abrahamse, we feature Ashburnham Ale House in Peterborough’s East City celebrating eight years in business, Bobcaygeon’s Douglas + Son partnering with Kawartha Dairy to produce t-shirts and hoodies to support the Bobcaygeon Food Bank, former chef Chris Carvalho launching East City Knife Sharpening in Peterborough, Kawartha Quilting and Sewing moving to a new location in Bethany, and Bobcaygeon Flower Company opening as the village’s only dedicated flower shop.
In other news, Andrea Cant is the new executive director of Alzheimer Society of Peterborough, Kawartha Lakes, Northumberland and Haliburton, a Peterborough resident has cofounded Ontario’s first not-for-profit cooperative owned by personal support workers, the third intake of Northumberland’s Digital Footprint Program is open for tourism-related small businesses, and Regional Tourism Organization 8 has extended its call for board members
Ashburnham Ale House in Peterborough’s East City celebrates eight years in business
Ashburnham Ale House owners Nollie and Scott Wood, pictured in June 2020 preparing for the reopening of their restaurant’s patios during the first pandemic summer. The couple completely renovated the building previously occupied by Fergusons Dry Cleaners and opened the craft beer cafe on June 27, 2013. (Photo: Bruce Head / kawarthaNOW)
Ashburnham Ale House, located at 128 Hunter Street East right beside the Rotary Greenway Trail in Peterborough’s East City, recently marked its eight-year anniversary.
Scott and Nollie Wood opened what they describe as a ‘craft beer cafe’ on June 27, 2013.
“We love living in East City,” Scott told kawarthaNOW at the time. “Ashburnham is filled with great businesses and a lot of really nice people. We wanted to create a place that everyone in the neighbourhood would feel welcome to enjoy, whether they’re walking to work or coming in after a cycle on the trail.”
Ashburnham Ale House’s logo pays tribute to Daniel “Dan” Macdonald, a late 19th-century occupant of the original building who became known as “Peterborough’s Strongest Man” for lifting heavy objects over his head, including animals like pigs. (Photo: Bruce Head / kawarthaNOW)
The restaurant, which features three patios on the east, west, and south sides of the building, is built mainly of cedar from Douro, with the windows trimmed with pine from Bancroft and the massive bar made of solid oak from Woodview Farm & Forest just outside of Lindsay.
The main bar at Ashburnham Ale House is made of solid oak from Woodview Farm & Forest, just outside of Lindsay. (Photo: Jeannine Taylor / kawarthaNOW)
The exterior of the building is covered in Corten steel which, over time, develops a gorgeous deep dark rustic colour and texture.
Previously Fergusons Dry Cleaners, the Woods completely gutted and renovated the building. Over the past eight years, they have made it the go-to dining destination in East City.
In the late 19th century, the original building was the home of Daniel “Dan” Macdonald, who gained fame as “Peterborough’s Strongest Man” by publicly lifting large and heavy objects, including multiple barrels of ale, bells, anchors, and animals like pigs.
Ashburnham Ale House’s logo, which features a man holding a huge pig over his head, pays tribute to Macdonald.
Buy a Kawartha Dairy t-shirt or hoodie from Douglas + Son and help the Bobcaygeon Food Bank
Bobcaygeon’s Douglas + Son and Kawartha Dairy have collaborated on a line of Kawartha Dairy branded t-shirts and hoodies, with a portion of every sale supporting the Bobcaygeon Food Bank. (Photo: Douglas + Son / Facebook)
Douglas + Son Vintage Mercantile and Kawartha Dairy have collaborated to bring you Kawartha Dairy t-shirts and hoodies. The two companies are teaming up to donate $5 of every item sold to Bobcaygeon Food Bank.
Douglas and Son in Bobcaygeon is a custom clothing shop established by owners Sacha and Bill Douglas in 2013. The company designs apparel inspired by classic northern imagery printed on modern-cut clothing.
Douglas + Son first collaborated with the iconic Kawartha Dairy, also based in Bobcaygeon, last winter when they were asked to design a holiday gift for Kawartha Dairy staff. The apparel was so popular that they decided to offer a version to the general public, while also giving back to charity.
The Kawartha Dairy hoodie, designed and sold exclusively by Bobcaygeon’s Douglas + Son. (Photo: Douglas + Son)
To shop the Douglas + Son and Kawartha Dairy apparel collection, visit the Douglas + Son website at douglasandson.ca or drop by their Bobcaygeon store at 68 Bolton Street.
For more information about Kawartha Dairy, including all their ice cream flavours, visit kawarthadairy.com.
– By Hannah Abrahamse
Former chef Chris Carvalho launches East City Knife Sharpening in Peterborough
Former chef Chris Carvalho has launched East City Knife Sharpening. (Photo/graphic courtesy of East City Knife Sharpening)
Former chef Chris Carvalho’s new Peterborough business East City Knife Sharpening offers convenient and accessible knife sharpening to home and professional cooks, hunters, and knife collectors. Carvalho also offers maintenance, repair, and restoration of knives.
East City Knife Sharpening is a pick-up and delivery service. Carvalho takes no longer than 24 hours to complete an order in his workshop.
Customers can reach out to Carvalho by phoning or texting him at 705-977-3317 or emailing chris@eastcityknife.co. From there, you can set a pick-up date and time for Carvalho to pick up your knives from outside your door.
In his workshop, Carvalho will inspect your knives and contact you if any additional repairs need to be made. He will then send you an invoice for payment and deliver your knives back to your home. Payments can be made by cash, email transfer, or credit card.
East City Knife Sharpening also offers on-site sharpening for restaurants, if requested.
Carvalho realized the importance of sharp knives during his 15 years in the food industry. He sharpens knives using whetstones for a gentle and precise sharpen that ensures a long-lasting, high-quality edge.
Kawartha Quilting and Sewing moves to a new location in Bethany
Kawartha Quilting and Sewing, ownedy by Erik and Philippa Skaveland, is now located at 1436 Highway 7A in Bethany. (Photo: Kawartha Quilting and Sewing / Instagram)
On June 15th, Kawartha Quilting and Sewing opened for the first time at their new location at 1436 Hwy 7A in Bethany.
Owners Erik and Philippa Skaveland decided to move to a bigger location when they ran out of room for merchandise at their previous location in Millbrook.
The Bethany building was previously known as the ‘From the Heart Quilt Shoppe’, until owner Cyndy Manol retired and leased the building to Erik and Philippa.
Adorned with a sign designed by Barking Pixel Designs and made by Steve Manol, the new location is approximately 2,400 square feet larger than the previous location. The building offers more room for sewing and quilting inventory such as sewing machines, sewing desks, thread, rulers, fabrics, and more.
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As a part of their lease, Kawartha Quilting and Sewing has access to an adjoining chapel on the property. Built in 1876, the deconsecrated church will hold local quilt guilds, sew days, annual education events, and more — once COVID-19 public health measures allow it.
During the pandemic, Kawartha Quilting and Sewing has seen a growth in demand for quilting and sewing equipment. Between people purchasing material for homemade masks or taking up quilting as a pandemic hobby, materials and sewing machines are selling quickly this year.
Kawartha Quilting and Sewing is open from Tuesday to Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. The quilt shop has an online store offering nationwide shipping or curb-side pickup.
Bobcaygeon Flower Company opens as village’s only dedicated flower shop
Jenna Sawyer opened Bobcaygeon Flower Company at 47 William Street on June 26, 2021. (Photo courtesy of Bobcaygeon Flower Company)
Owner Jenna Sawyer opened Bobcaygeon Flower Company, the village’s only dedicated flower shop, on Saturday, June 26.
Sawyer grew up in Bobcaygeon, moved away for school, and has returned to enjoy small-town life and open the business of her dreams.
The family-owned and operated business, located at 47 William Street, had a fantastic first week of operation according to Sawyer.
A full-service florist, Bobcaygeon Flower Company fulfills orders for local delivery from anywhere around the world. Staff can assist customers with creative suggestions for what to send, or will design bouquets and arrangements themselves. You can also shop gift baskets, scented candles, silk arrangements, home décor items, and more.
The flower shop also offers daily floral delivery to local funeral homes and hospitals, as well as custom-designed floral packages for weddings and parties.
Bobcaygeon Flower Company is open Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and every Saturday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. They are closed on Sundays. To place an order by phone, call 705-731-0111 during store hours.
Andrea Cant is new executive director of Alzheimer Society of Peterborough, Kawartha Lakes, Northumberland and Haliburton
Andrea Cant. (Photo via LinkedIn)
The Alzheimer Society of Peterborough, Kawartha Lakes, Northumberland and Haliburton has announced the appointment of Andrea Cant as the new executive director of the non-profit organization.
Cant has 16 years’ experience in the non-profit sector and has both front-line and management experience serving people living with Alzheimer’s and other dementias. A previous employee of the Alzheimer’s Society, she is returning to the organization after her most recent role at Community Care Durham.
She began in her new executive director role at the Alzheimer Society of Peterborough, Kawartha Lakes, Northumberland and Haliburton at the end of May following the retirement of Leslie Parham, who served as executive director for the past five years.
“When the pandemic made in-person services impossible Leslie and her team pivoted the organization to include virtual education, activities, and support programs,” Cant says in a media release.
Assuming the pandemic allows it, Cant plans to have in-person services return in the fall.
“Now we’re looking forward to getting back into the community in the fall and providing in-person services to community members who are disproportionately isolated, and who depend on social engagement for support and to help slow the progression of the disease,” Cant adds “They’ve had to endure a long pandemic largely on their own.”
Peterborough resident cofounds Ontario’s first not-for-profit cooperative owned by personal support workers
Home Care Workers’ Co-operative Inc. is Ontario’s first not-for-profit cooperative owned by personal support workers. (Graphic: Home Care Workers’ Co-operative Inc.)
Peterborough’s Danielle Turpin has cofounded Home Care Workers’ Co-operative Inc., Ontario’s first not-for-profit cooperative owned by personal support workers (PSWs).
Home Care Workers’ Co-operative Inc. provides personal support services to seniors in their homes, including grooming, medication reminders, mobility assistance, meal preparation, light housekeeping, companion care, transportation, and more.
Turpin, who cofounded the cooperative with home care PSW Denise Armstrong of Clarington, has been working in the caregiving and PSW field for 15 years. She has experience in home care ans long-term care and retirement homes and has some background in human resources business administration.
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On its website at homecareworkers.coop, Home Care Workers’ Co-operative Inc. describes why a not-for-profit cooperative owned by PSWs is a better approach for supporting seniors at home:
“Traditional, for-profit long-term care has been neglected by successive governments for decades, and the results have been largely unsuccessful and entirely unacceptable. To cut costs and maximize shareholder profit, workers’ wages and client care both suffer.
As a not-for-profit worker co-operative, we are committed to providing high quality care to our clients by highly skilled and trained PSWs, and democratic member control within a framework that fairly compensates its members for their labour.
By making our workers a priority, we can assure they will, in turn, confidently and compassionately care for our most vulnerable community members, and give them the high quality care they deserve. This is a win for everyone!”
Home Care Workers’ Co-operative Inc. serves Peterborough, Lindsay, Clarington, Port Hope, Cobourg, and the surrounding areas.
Third intake of Northumberland’s Digital Footprint Program open for tourism-related small businesses
The third intake of Northumberland County’s Digital Footprint Program — supported by Regional Tourism Organization 8 (RTO8) through an investment by the Ministry of Heritage, Sport, Tourism and Culture Industries — is open for small businesses in the tourism sector.
This program helps small businesses enhance their online presence, including developing website, social media, and e-commerce capabilities. As well as receiving an assessment of their current digital footprint, with ideas and recommendations for enhancements, businesses receive up to $2,500 to implement digital enhancements through a local vendor.
The program is open to all tourism-related small business in Northumberland County, including accommodation, performing arts, visual arts, festivals, heritage, tourist attractions, agri-tourism, restaurant and dining, specialty shopping and retail, outdoor adventure experiences, and spa and retreats.
Since the first intake of the Digital Footprint Program launched in August 2020, it has assisted more than 55 Northumberland businesses to grow their online capacity, with subsidies stimulating more than $134,000 in investments with local vendors to implement upgrades and supporting more than 280 jobs.
Applications for the third intake close on Wednesday, September 1st or when available funds have been exhausted.
Regional Tourism Organization 8 extends call for board members
Regional Tourism Organization 8 (RTO8) has extended its call for new board members to serve a term of up to three years.
RTO8 is funded by the Ontario Ministry of Heritage, Sport, Tourism and Culture Industries to promote regional tourism activity in the area that is now branded as Kawarthas Northumberland, which includes the City of Kawartha Lakes, the City and County of Peterborough, and Northumberland County.
According to a media release, the organization is “looking for talented leaders willing to devote their time and skills in shaping the future of the tourism industry in the Kawarthas Northumberland Region. People who are able to communicate effectively, think strategically, and work well with others will make good candidates.”
Board members work with RTO8’s executive director to provide strategic leadership and launch innovative initiatives that promote and grow the tourism sector in the Kawarthas Northumberland region. Skills in governance, public relations, marketing, and financing are an asset.
The original deadline was July 20th, but RTO8 is now accepting applications until Tuesday, August 24th. For more information and to apply, visit rto8.com/eoi-rto8-board/.
For business-related events in the Kawarthas, check out our Business Events column.
Community Care Peterborough, which supports Peterborough-area seniors and adults living with physical challenges, will use its $20,000 grand prize from CanadaHelps to support the organization's Give a Meal program, which subsidizes Meals on Wheels services to those in greatest need, and the Drive for Dialysis program, which drives dialysis patients to medical appointments. (Photo: Community Care Peterborough / Facebook)
Community Care Peterborough has won the $20,000 grand prize in CanadaHelps’ Great Canadian Giving Challenge.
The non-profit organization, which supports seniors and adults living with physical challenges in the City and County of Peterborough, beat out more than 16,000 charities across Canada to claim the prize.
During June, CanadaHelps asked Canadians to donate to their favourite charity, with every $1 donated through the CanadaHelps donation platform giving the charity another chance to win a $20,000 grand prize.
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“The Great Canadian Giving Challenge was originally launched in order to counter the cyclical summertime drought many charities experience annually,” says CanadaHelps president and CEO Marina Glogovac in a media release. “As the pandemic continues and we begin recovery efforts, many charities are in need of critical support as some face declining donations.”
During this year’s challenge, 214,672 donors from across Canada gave $26,218,918 to 16,611 charities, with CanadaHelps naming Community Care Peterborough the winner on Canada Day.
“We are so thrilled to win the Great Canadian Giving Challenge,” says Alicia Vandine, donor relations and communications lead for Community Care Peterborough, in a media release. “For over 30 years and of course, throughout the COVID pandemic, we have been supporting our clients to remain safely in their own homes.”
VIDEO: Community Care Peterborough wins Great Canadian Giving Challenge
Vadine attributes the win to the organization’s efforts to make it easier for people to donate using CanadaHelps.
“We adapted our fundraising plans, operating virtual events and improving our online presence, to make it easier for people to support this work with their donations, improving our capacity and process to make online donations easy and secure using our CanadaHelps charity account.”
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Vadine says Community Care Peterborough plans to use half of the grand prize to support the organization’s Give a Meal program, which subsidizes Meals on Wheels services to those in greatest need, and the other half going to the organization’s Drive for Dialysis program, which drives dialysis patients to medical appointments.
“Our staff and more than 700 active volunteers support nearly 7,000 clients in the City and County of Peterborough,” says Community Care Peterborough executive director Danielle Belair. “Together, we have provided more than 42,000 hot and frozen meals through our Meals on Wheels program and 22,000 drives to help clients get to medical appointments and other important visits.”
“Our team also provides grocery delivery, telephone reassurance checks to check-in with clients at home, support with home care and maintenance, medical equipment loans, as well as many more client programs.”
For more information about Community Care Peterborough and to make a donation, visit commcareptbo.org.
Here’s an update on COVID-19 cases in Ontario as well as in the greater Kawarthas region.
Ontario is reporting 164 cases today, the lowest daily increase since last July 18 when 164 cases were also reported. Of Ontario’s 34 health units, 5 are reporting double-digit increases, including Toronto (32), Peel (26), Waterloo (25), York (13), and Grey Bruce (10). The seven-day average of daily cases has decreased by 7 to 203.
Hospitalizations have increased by 47 from yesterday to 202, but some of this increase may be a result of underreporting yesterday when more than 10% of hospitals did not submit data for the daily bed census. The number of ICU patients has decreased by 2 to 226 and the number of patients on ventilators has increased by 4 to 161.
Ontario is reporting 9 new deaths, including 2 in long-term care homes.
Almost 16 million vaccine doses have been administered, an increase of 215,719 from yesterday, with over 88% of Ontario’s total population now having received at least one dose. Over 5.8 million people have been fully vaccinated, an increase of 196,164 from yesterday, representing almost 40% of the total population.
COVID-19 cases in Ontario from June 5 – July 5, 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 June 5 – July 5, 2021. The red line is the daily number of COVID-19 hospitalizations, the dotted green line is a five-day rolling average of hospitalizations, and the purple line is the daily number of patients with COVID-19 in ICUs. (Graphic: kawarthaNOW.com)COVID-19 vaccinations in Ontario from June 5 – July 5, 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 13 new cases to report, including 10 in Peterborough, 2 in Hastings Prince Edward, and 1 in Kawartha Lakes. There are no new cases in Northumberland or Haliburton.
An additional 8 cases in the region have been resolved, including 4 in Peterborough, 3 in Kawartha Lakes, and 1 in Northumberland.
Regional active cases have increased by 6 in Peterborough and by 2 in Hastings Prince Edward and have decreased by 2 in Kawartha Lakes and by 1 in Northumberland.
There are currently 54 active cases in the greater Kawarthas region, an increase of 5 from yesterday, including 25 in Kawartha Lakes, 23 in Peterborough, and 6 in Hastings Prince Edward (1 in Quinte West, 1 in Prince Edward County, 1 in Tyendinaga & Deseronto, 1 in Central Hastings, and 2 in North Hastings). There are no active cases in Northumberland or Haliburton.
Since the pandemic began in the greater Kawarthas region, there have been 1,605 confirmed positive cases in the Peterborough area (1,560 resolved with 22 deaths), 1,115 in the City of Kawartha Lakes (1,045 resolved with 58 deaths), 945 in Northumberland County (928 resolved with 17 deaths), 122 in Haliburton County (121 resolved with 1 death), and 1,134 in Hastings and Prince Edward counties (1,117 resolved with 11 deaths). The most recent two deaths were reported in Peterborough and Kawartha Lakes on June 29.
Warren Hennessy, owner and chef of Hendows Fine Food, has moved his restaurant and catering business to the plaza at 116 Parkhill Road in Peterborough. Hennessy uses locally sourced ingredients and is committed to offering high-quality food to his customers. (Photo courtesy of Warren Hennessy)
After a challenging year, Warren Hennessy of Hendows Fine Food is marking a new beginning with a new location for his restaurant and catering business at 116 Parkhill Road in Peterborough,
According to Hennessy, the restaurant has moved from its previous location at 309 Townsend Street since its landlord sold it. However, the move is an incredibly positive and timely change for Hendows Fine Food.
“It’s a much better location,” Hennessy told kawarthaNOW in an interview last week. “We’re getting ready to open, and I’m looking forward to it. We’ve had a lot of inquiries, and we haven’t even opened yet — we’re just cleaning and prepping.”
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The restaurant, which opened on Tuesday (July 6), is located in the former Nicholls Oval Restaurant, at the plaza where the Rotary Greenway Trail crosses Parkhill Road.
Hennessy says he has completely transformed the inside of the building by cleaning and redecorating. With high schools and elementary schools out for the summer, Hennessy says he received help with cleaning and setting up from his teacher friends.
The change in locations comes after a challenging year for Hendows due to the pandemic. Between the lack of in-person dining and events to cater, Hennessy says the latest lockdown greatly affected his business.
“The lockdown in December hurt us, and the next one just killed us,” Hennessy recalls. “It was absolutely devastating. I would say we’re down over 80 per cent.”
At its former location, catering was Hendows’ primary source of income before the pandemic — once catering 15 weddings in a single year.
“That was my big income,” Hennessy says. “You get three or four weddings of 200 people, and that makes a year to live off.”
Hendows Fine Food is now located at 116 Parkhill Road in Peterborough, in the former Nicholls Oval Restaurant at the plaza where the Rotary Greenway Trail crosses Parkhill Road. (Photo courtesy of Warren Hennessy)
With the restrictions on events and large gatherings this year, Hennessy has only two weddings of 50 people to cater. However, these events are still subject to cancellation depending on the COVID-19 situation.
As for the restaurant side of his business, Hennessy says breakfast was his most popular option pre-COVID.
“Since people were locked up for so long, they don’t go for breakfast anymore,” Hennessy explains. “Nobody gets breakfast for pickup. Who wants to take cold eggs home?”
So while the move is an exciting new beginning for Hennessy, it is also hard to do financially. Hennessy, who has quite a bit of his own money invested in the move, says he has been unable to receive government assistance for his business.
He applied for the Ontario Small Business Support Grant, and like many others are reporting, had issues with the application. Although his application was received, Hennessy says it has neither been approved nor rejected.
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In March, Hennessy applied for the grant and still has not received any help or resolution to the problems. He says he has contacted Peterborough-Kawartha MPP Dave Smith’s office and was told they had someone working on his case, but he still has not received an update or resolution.
“It would be nice if the government gave us a little bit of help,” Hennessy says. “With the 10 or 20 grand I would have received, it would have made this move a whole lot easier.”
In terms of Hennessy’s pandemic pivots, Hendows has been kept afloat by offering home-style, take-home meals — including lasagnas, cabbage rolls, meatloaves, and more.
“People were looking to feed their families because they’re working and they’re tired,” Hennessy notes. “That’s what kept us going. A lot of my regular customers stayed regular and ordered quite often.”
After spending days cleaning and redecorating the former Nicholls Oval Restaurant location at 116 Parkhill Road in Peterborough, Warren Hennessy opened the new location of his restaurant and catering business Hendows Fine Food on July 6, 2021. (Photo courtesy of Warren Hennessy)
In the new space on Parkhill Road, Hennessy is looking forward to hosting his regular customers in-store and expanding his customer base. Although the restaurant has no space for a patio, Hennessy says there is plenty of space inside for physically distanced indoor dining when permitted in step three of Ontario’s reopening plan, expected later in July.
At its former location, Hendows Fine Food was a catering restaurant that also happened to offer indoor dining. Their business model is now changing to focus more on the restaurant aspect. He is adjusting his menu slightly, taking some items off and adding others. Scottish batter fish-and-chips is one such item Hennessy is adding.
According to Hennessy, the “fine food” part of his business is very important to him. Hendows uses locally sourced ingredients and Chef Hennessy’s recipes are his own. Even home-style options like burgers and ribs are top quality.
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“I like good food,” Hennessy remarks. “I don’t want to serve poor quality food.”
With Hendows now open at its new location, Hennessy expects to begin offering daily specials for his home-style meals. For example, on Tuesdays, they might offer meatloaf and, on Wednesdays, lasagna.
He also promised to offer a special to students.
“A burger, fries, and a pop for around 10 dollars,” Hennessy says. “It will be something like that.”
Hendows Fine Food is open at 116 Parkhill Road in Peterborough from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. To view the menu and learn more about the restaurant and catering business, visit their website at www.hendowsfinefood.com.
Peterborough & the Kawarthas Tourism has launched a new tourism campaign based on Indigenous teachings. The "O'de Piitaanemaan Pledge" encourages both residents and visitors to respect the land, waterways, and communities of the region. (Graphic: Peterborough & the Kawarthas Tourism)
Peterborough & the Kawarthas Tourism has launched a new tourism campaign, based on Indigenous teachings, that encourages both residents and visitors to respect the land, waterways, and communities of the region.
Developed in consultation with Curve Lake First Nation and Hiawatha First Nation and drawing on the traditional teachings of the Michi Saagiig Anishinaabeg, the “O’de Piitaanemaan Pledge” is about respect — “respect for the land, for each other, and for those who will come after us”, according to a media release from Peterborough & the Kawarthas Tourism.
“If we’ve learned anything from 2020, it’s the power of unity, of working together for a mutual cause,” says Tracie Bertrand, director of tourism for Peterborough & the Kawarthas Tourism, a division of Peterborough & the Kawarthas Economic Development and the offical destination marketing organization for the city and county of Peterborough.
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“Respect for the people, culture, and natural spaces we depend on, for future generations — for each other — has never been more important, and the O’de Piitaanemaan Pledge is meant to unify everyone for whom Peterborough & the Kawarthas lives within their hearts,” Bertrand adds.
Pronounced “Oh-da Pee-tah-na-mawn”, the Ojibway word for respect, the O’de Piitaanemaan Pledge comes from the Indigenous teaching of “mnaadendamowin” to give respect to all creation.
The pledge is as follows:
I pledge to be light on the land and wise on the water.
I’ll explore my surroundings with an open heart, ask for help when I need it, and be kind to strangers.
Before starting my day, I’ll gear up, make a game plan, and get wind of the weather.
I’ll remember my miigwech’s, thank-you’s, and merci’s.
With every new season, I’ll seek fresh experiences and flavours, trails, and friends.
I’ll place safety before sport when pedalling, paddling, parking, or power boating.
Be it bison, baked goods, or a crafty brew, I’ll buy local where I can.
I’ll greet new cultures and traditional teachings with curiosity, kindness, and compassion .
After feeding my soul with authentic adventures, I’ll take fond memories with me and leave nothing but footprints behind.
VIDEO: The O’de Piitaanemaan Pledge: Peterborough & the Kawarthas
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The people of Curve Lake First Nation and Hiawatha First Nation believe that because everything is connected, everyone must do their part.
Peterborough & the Kawarthas Tourism is encouraging everyone to take the pledge and share it with friends and family via social media using the hashtag #OdePiitaanemaanPledge, with a goal of reaching more than 500 pledges by the end of the year.
A resident receives a COVID-19 vaccination at the Fenelon Falls immunization clinic. (Screenshot from HKPRKHU video by kawarthaNOW)
Residents of the City of Kawartha Lakes, Northumberland County, and Haliburton County who have not yet received their first dose of COVID-19 vaccine can get one at walk-in immunization clinics in Cobourg or Fenelon Falls during July.
The two clinics, at the Cobourg Community Centre (750 D’Arcy St.) and Fenelon Falls Community Centre (27 Veterans Way), are open to any area resident 12 years of age or older who has not yet received a COVID-19 vaccine.
In a media release issued on Monday (July 5), the Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit states that, while almost 77 per cent of the area’s residents have received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccines, first-dose vaccine appointments are starting to level off at local mass immunization clinics.
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“We realize not everyone may have been able to book appointments through the provincial booking system or been able to access COVID-19 vaccines through other channels,” says Dr. Natalie Bocking, the health unit’s medical officer of health. “By providing this opportunity, we want to remove any barriers and make it as easy as possible for anyone who has not yet received a first dose of COVID-19 vaccine to get one.”
The Cobourg walk-in clinic is available from 1 to 4 p.m. on Thursdays and Fridays — July 8 and 9, 15 and 16, and 22 and 23 — and the Fenelon walk-in clinic is available on Saturdays and Sundays — July 10 and 11, July 17 and 18, and July 25 (but not July 24).
If there is a strong demand for the first-dose walk-in clinics, the health unit will expand them to its other mass immunization clinics later in July.
The announcement of the walk-in clinics comes on the same day the health unit reported a spike of 17 new cases in Kawartha Lakes over the past three days, increasing the number of active cases in the area by by 15.
Brianna Wood, sister of The Food Forest's owner Lasair Wood, sits at the single-table patio in front of the vegan restaurant. Thanks to a proposal by landlord Ashburnham Realty, The Food Forest has an additional four tables on a back patio shared with Providence and St Veronus. (Photo: The Food Forest / Facebook)
The ‘support local’ message has been everywhere throughout the pandemic — and for a good reason. Overall, small businesses have been vulnerable in the face of lockdowns and restrictions over the past 15 months.
Some were able to survive the storm better than others. According to Lasair Wood, owner of The Food Forest — a vegan and gluten-free restaurant in downtown Peterborough — her business has managed well despite the difficulties.
There are several contributing factors to The Food Forest’s ability to sustain the pandemic. Their food travels well as takeout, and they are the only entirely gluten-free and vegan restaurant in Peterborough. However, Wood credits her restaurant’s success over the past year mainly to those in the Peterborough community who have taken the ‘support local’ message to heart.
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“Honestly, we’re doing pretty well,” Wood remarks. “The community’s been supporting us so much throughout COVID. I feel like if we were in another city, we probably would have closed in three months. Since we’re in Peterborough, and since a lot of people have been deciding to shop local instead of big companies, we’re okay.”
This isn’t to say the restaurant hasn’t had its fair share of challenges and pivots this year. Even as Wood prepares to move through the province’s next phases of reopening, she is making adaptations to the restaurant due to the effects of COVID.
At the onset of the pandemic in March 2020, Wood had to lay off all of her staff. The Food Forest subsequently lost most of its long-term staff since they moved back home to various cities and countries outside Peterborough. Once the business reopened and came into a position to bring in more staff again, Wood had to hire and train new people.
The Food Forest is known for its creative vegan fare, such as this BBQ pulled-jackfruit sandwich that contains no meat, dairy, eggs, or gluten. The restaurant serves fresh organic juices and smoothies, gourmet salads, soups, delicious desserts, cooked and raw entrées, and more. (Photo: The Food Forest / Facebook)
In fact, for those first few months of the pandemic, Wood ran the entire business — doing everything from cooking to administration — by herself.
“That was stressful, hard work,” Wood recalls. “By the end, no one was able to come back and work for me anymore, so we had to hire a completely new staff. That was really hard.”
The inside of the restaurant also looks a little different now due to COVID. Since there is no indoor dining, The Food Forest does not have a defined front and back of house. That will change when indoor dining, with capacity and other restrictions, is once again permitted during step three of Ontario’s reopening plan expected later in July.
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For now, Wood is training some of her staff to be servers in preparation.
“We’re training two servers right now, so hopefully we’ll get busy enough again to be able to have a front and back of house,” Wood says. “I want my staff to all be confident in what they’re doing by the time we do that. Now, since we’re not doing tables inside, there’s no point of having a front of house and back of house.”
Food Forest patrons who want to dine can currently do so on the restaurant’s patios. The restaurant has one table on their front patio and four tables on a back patio, which is shared with St Veronus and Providence. Two of the four tables on the back patio can seat up to six individuals, the limit per table under step two of Ontario’s reopening plan.
Limited to outdoor dining and takeout during step two of Ontario’s reopening plan, The Food Forest is preparing to offer indoor dining once the province moves into step three. Owner Lasair Wood is committed to human health, animal welfare, environmental mindfulness, and community. Her restaurant aim to provide delicious and healthy, common allergen-free foods with as much organic and local produce as possible. (Photo: The Food Forest / Facebook)
The shared patio came into fruition last summer as a result of a proposal by landlord Ashburnham Realty.
“We had a meeting where they proposed the idea, and we all thought it would be super awesome,” Wood recalls. “Ashburnham Realty already had plans to put a courtyard back there but just pushed it up because of COVID. We have great landlords.”
According to Wood, the businesses all pulled together to make the proposal a reality.
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“With all three businesses working on it together, it made things go really smoothly and easy,” she says.
The patio has been a hit among Food Forest patrons, Wood says. Most of her customers already know about it from social media before arriving at the restaurant — which is good since customers cannot see or access the patio directly from the restaurant.
“When people come to dine, they come in through the front, and then we ask if they want to sit at the front or back patio,” Wood explains. “If they choose the back patio, we tell them how to get to it. They actually have to walk across the block because there is no way to get to it from inside the restaurant, which is something we do have to work on for next summer.”
For those with a sweet tooth, The Food Forest’s vegan and sugar- and gluten-free cheesecakes are made in house, with as many raw and organic ingredients as possible. (Photo: The Food Forest / Facebook)
“When people come around, I’ll make eye contact and wave them over to their table and put their food on it,” she adds. “It’s really relaxed and chill here.”
The Food Forest still offers takeout, which has been a popular option throughout all stages of the pandemic. Wood says during the first COVID lockdown, a friend of hers personally delivered orders, but when she could no longer do this, they signed up for Uber Eats.
Uber Eats takes a 20 per cent commission fee on all deliveries, so those who want to support local can order and pickup from The Food Forest directly.
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“The whole 20 per cent thing definitely sucks,” says Wood. “But at the end of the day, I look at the sales from Uber and it’s still worth it to be doing it.”
Wood is grateful that the community’s commitment to supporting local often extends to how they order their takeout.
“A lot of people ask if we deliver, and when we tell them that they can do it through Uber, they actually change their mind and come and pick it up instead,” Wood notes.
Like all bread at The Food Forest, the bun of the chipotle mushroom burger is gluten and wheat free and is sourced from a gluten-free bakery. (Photo: The Food Forest / Facebook)
Whether you choose to dine-in on their patio or place an order for takeout, The Food Forest continues to follow COVID-19 protocols — including cleaning, contact tracing, and sanitizing — to keep customers safe.
The Food Forest also recently added a new menu item to their offerings: a vegan and gluten-free charcuterie board.
“It has vegan brie and feta,” Wood says. “It’s about 70 or 80 per cent organic depending on the fresh produce we can get for it. You can order it with or without a bottle of wine, too, and there’s a deal on the wine.”
Wood asks the community to continue choosing local and thanks everyone who has supported her restaurant over the last year.
Lasair Wood bought The Food Forest from previous owners Katie Lynn and Adam Deck in 2018 when she was only 19 years old. Through hard work and with the support of loyal customers, she has succeeded in keeping Peterborough’s only 100 per cent gluten-free and plant-based restaurant running during the pandemic. (Photo: The Food Forest / Facebook)
“Please continue the mindset of supporting local,” Wood says. “Try not to order off Uber as much as you can. If you can go and get your food, just go, so the restaurant doesn’t have to lose 20 per cent.”
“I really love our community,” she adds. “It’s been so awesome. I could not be any happier.”
You can also support The Food Forest by following them on Facebook and Instagram.
To learn more about The Food Forest, Peterborough’s only 100 per cent gluten-free and plant-based restaurant, and view their menu, you can visit their website at www.foodforestcafe.com.
The Food Forest is located at 153 Hunter Street West in downtown Peterborough. They’re open for takeout and patio dining Wednesday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. The Food Forest is closed on Sundays, Mondays, and Tuesdays.
This story has been updated to correct the feature photo caption.
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