Dr. Thomas Piggott, Peterborough's incoming medical officer of health and CEO of Peterborough Public Health, was formally introduced to the local media on August 19, 2021. Dr. Piggott assumes the role on December 1. (Photo: Paul Rellinger / kawarthaNOW)
Dr. Thomas Piggott, Peterborough’s incoming medical officer of health and CEO of Peterborough Public Health, was formally introduced to the local media Thursday (August 19),
As confirmed via a Peterborough Public Health announcement made on August 12, Dr. Piggott will succeed retiring medical officer of health Dr. Rosana Salvaterra.
With Dr. Salvaterra’s last day on the job being September 19 and Dr. Piggott not in place until December 1, operations director Larry Stinson will serve as interim Peterborough Public Health CEO, Donna Churipuy will assist as COVID incident commander, and Dr. Ian Gemmill — who most recently was acting medical officer of health for the neighbouring Kawartha, Haliburton, Pine Ridge District Health Unit — will provide medical direction.
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“I’m very excited for the next chapter and very grateful for the opportunity to join the organization and the community,” said Dr. Piggott, currently the medical officer of health with Labrador-Grenfell Health as well as executive lead for executive lead for population health and rural and remote health in that region.
“I’m really looking forward to joining the team. It’s been a short series of interactions so far, but I’ve been incredibly impressed with everyone on the leadership team. I have great faith in the team I’ll be joining.”
“It’s been a trying time for public health,” he added. “It’s been a high-stakes time in the context of COVID. The response has put more pressure and difficulty on (public health) staff but I’m so impressed by all the hard work of Peterborough Public Health, and how well the city and county have done — both in keeping COVID-19 cases to a minimum and in the rollout of the vaccine.”
Dr. Rosana Salvaterra, Peterborough’s current medical officer of health, addresses the local media during a formal introduction of Dr. Thomas Piggott, Peterborough’s incoming medical officer of health, on August 19, 2021. Dr. Rosana Salvaterra is retiring on September 19 after 13 years in the position. (Photo: Paul Rellinger / kawarthaNOW)
In her remarks, Dr. Salvaterra described Dr. Piggott as “a worthy and energetic” successor.
“I’m delighted we were able to entice him (Dr. Piggott) to leave his current posting in Labrador to come to Peterborough,” said Dr. Salvaterra. “In my opinion, he could not ask for a more supportive and engaged board of health, a more experienced and skilled leadership team, and a more dedicated team of public health professionals and community partners.”
Later, Dr. Piggott talked on his adjusting to a familiar position in a new location, particular as that pertains to the ongoing pandemic.
“We’ve had to learn a lot and a big part of that has been adapting to the science as it’s evolved,” he said.
“I’ve had lots of experience responding to the pandemic in my current setting. We have a very rural and remote geography. That’s created a lot of challenges in terms of managing and vaccine deployment. We’ve worked hard to succeed. We’ve had one of the lowest case counts in the country as a result of the same hard work that Peterborough Public Health has done here.”
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“There certainly will be a learning curve in terms of procedures and the people,” Dr. Piggott added. “Fortunately, I worked in public health in Ontario prior and did my training here prior to that. The setting isn’t unfamiliar to me. The role of working in a health unit and the need to engage partners is not new, but I’ll welcome the support of my team as I adapt.”
Dr. Piggott added the “strong reputation” of Peterborough Public Health and the community itself were factors in his pursuing the opportunity to come here.
“The engagement of the two First Nations (Hiawatha and Curve Lake) on the board in the governance is really important to me. In my current role, I work with four Indigenous governments for public health programming and response. That model of leadership is really exciting for me.”
“There’s a lot of listening and learning that I’ll have to do to start. I’m really pleased that there’s a focus here on health equity. Public health organizations need to play a strong role in helping make health outcomes more fair. Peterborough Public Health has a strong track record in that area and that’s something I’ll look to grow.”
During the period before Dr. Thomas Piggott assumes his new role at Peterborough’s medical officer of health and after current medical officer of health Dr. Rosana Salvaterra retires, operations director Larry Stinson will serve as interim Peterborough Public Health CEO, Donna Churipuy will assist as COVID incident commander, and Dr. Ian Gemmill will provide medical direction. (Photo: Paul Rellinger / kawarthaNOW)
Dr. Piggott also offered comment on another public health crisis that has been overshadowed by the pandemic but remains no less a major threat — the opioid overdose crisis.
“It is one of the biggest public health issues facing this generation — in certain demographics it has surpassed motor vehicle collisions as the leading cause of death,” he said.
“There is a lot of work in public health to do. We have lots to share when you think of the health of the population, when you think of harm reduction, and when you think of support for people who are using drugs. That has been a huge priority of mine.”
As much as the media event provided an opportunity to introduce Dr. Piggott more formally, it also provided Dr. Salvaterra with the opportunity to reflect on her 13 years as Peterborough’s medical officer of health.
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“I feel very proud … I’m proud to see people like Larry Stinson and Donna Churipuy taking on the roles that that board has offered them,” she said.
“I’m also grateful to the board for all the work it has done in being able to find someone like Thomas to serve the community in this important role. I have a lot of pride and confidence that Peterborough Public Health will continue to promote the health and protect the well-being of everyone here.”
As for what’s ahead for her, Dr. Salvaterra said she’s looking forward to “having more space in my day to reflect on how I want to spend the remaining years I have.”
Prior to his time with Labrador-Grenfell Health, Dr. Piggott worked as a field doctor with Médicins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders) in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. He is a public health and preventive medicine specialist as well as a practising family physician.
He completed his Masters in Public Health at London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine with residency training at McMaster University. He is also actively involved in research and teaching in public health at McMaster University and Memorial University.
Dr. Piggott’s wife is also a family physician and they have two young daughters. They all enjoy outdoor activities including hiking, running, bicycling, swimming, gardening, and camping.
Here’s an update on COVID-19 cases in Ontario as well as in the greater Kawarthas region.
Ontario is reporting 531 new cases today, with the seven-day average of daily cases increasing by 2 to 498. Of the new cases, 72% are among unvaccinated people, 14% are among fully vaccinated people, 9% are among partially vaccinated people, and 5% are unknown.
Toronto is reporting a triple-digit increase today of 116 cases. Of Ontario’s remaining 33 health units, 12 are reporting double-digit increases — Peel (63), York (62), Hamilton (46), Windsor-Essex (43), Durham (29), Simcoe Muskoka (25), Middlesex-London (22), Ottawa (19), Halton (17), Waterloo (17), Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph (13), and Brant (12) — and 7 are reporting no new cases at all.
The number of hospitalizations has increased by 2 to 176. Due a technical issue, for the second day in a row the province is not reporting data about ICU patients or ventilated patients.
Ontario is reporting 17 COVID-related deaths, but only 2 of these are new deaths; the other 15 occurred more than 2 months ago but are being reported now as part of a data clean-up.
Over 20.3 million vaccine doses have been administered, an increase of 45,545 from yesterday, with over 9.6 million people fully vaccinated, an increase of 28,935 from yesterday, representing over 65% of Ontario’s total population.
COVID-19 cases in Ontario from July 19 – August 18, 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 July 19 – August 18, 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 July 19 – August 18, 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, Peterborough is reporting 4 new cases for the second day in a row, increasing the number of active cases by 4 to 12.
Numbers are unavailable for Kawartha Lakes, Haliburton, Northumberland, and Hastings Prince Edward as the respective health units only issue reports on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. Numbers for Thursday will be included in Friday’s update.
There are currently 70 active cases in the greater Kawarthas region, an increase of 4 since yesterday, including 39 in Hastings Prince Edward (19 in Belleville, 14 in Quinte West, 3 in Prince Edward County, 1 in Tyendinaga & Deseronto, 1 in Central Hastings, and 1 in North Hastings), 12 in Peterborough, 10 in Kawartha Lakes, 7 in Northumberland, and 2 in Haliburton.
Since the pandemic began in the greater Kawarthas region, there have been 1,658 confirmed positive cases in the Peterborough area (1,624 resolved with 22 deaths), 1,208 in the City of Kawartha Lakes (1,153 resolved with 58 deaths), 962 in Northumberland County (938 resolved with 17 deaths), 130 in Haliburton County (127 resolved with 1 death), and 1,219 in Hastings and Prince Edward counties (1,168 resolved with 12 deaths). The most recent death was reported in Hastings Prince Edward on July 28.
All eight turtle species found in Ontario are considered at risk or endangered, including the Blanding's turtle. Dr. Sue Carstairs, executive and medical director of the Ontario Turtle Conservation Centre, says this is her favourite species of turtle because of its calm demeanour and how it always seems to look like it's smiling. (Photo: Joe Crowley)
Every August across Ontario, hundreds of thousands of baby turtles hatch and explore their wetland homes for the first time.
Each week, GreenUP provides a story related to the environment. This week’s column is by Leif Einarson, Communications Manager at GreenUP.
It is a special thing to meet a turtle in Ontario. All eight of the species found in Ontario are considered at risk or endangered by the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC) and protected under the federal Species at Risk Act.
These remarkable animals have been around since the time of the dinosaurs, hundreds of millions of years ago.
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“There are so many positive things turtles do and no real negatives,” says Dr. Sue Carstairs, executive and medical director at the Ontario Turtle Conservation Centre in Peterborough.
“The wetland homes that turtles live in are supposed to be the most biodiverse ecosystems on the planet. That means lots of different species live in an interwoven web together. Turtles make up a big piece of that. Like a big Jenga game, if you take that piece away it can all fall apart.”
“People often don’t know that these wetlands that turtles live in are the sources of our drinking water,” she adds. “The wetlands act like the filters or kidneys of the water system, and keeping the wetlands healthy has a huge benefit to us. Turtles are scavengers in those wetlands. They are a really good clean-up crew.”
Dr. Sue Carstairs, executive and medical director of the Ontario Turtle Conservation Centre, performs surgery on an injured turtle. She was named to the Order of Ontario in 2020. (Photo: Ontario Turtle Conservation Centre)
The scales seem to be increasingly tipped against turtles in Ontario. The wetland habitats that turtles depend on are often fragmented by roads or given insufficient protections, and drained and filled to make way for subdivisions and other developments.
Human influence has also increased populations of predators that eat turtle nests, including racoons, skunks, crows, and gulls.
“Turtles have a pretty unique life,” Dr. Carstairs explains. “Turtles have to live a very long time to even have a chance of replacing themselves by nesting. Tipping the balance in any way will really disrupt the health of a population. Any one turtle that we can save has a big positive impact on the population.”
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A female snapping turtle, for example, may not start nesting until nearly 20 years of age. Each turtle may nest for decades before they have successfully replaced themselves in the population.
In the spring, many adult turtles must cross roadways to breed and nest. Numerous are injured by travelling vehicles when doing so. Rescuing just one of those injured turtles may be the equivalent of saving decades of nests.
“There are hundreds of projects going on across the province that will hopefully reduce road mortality,” shares Dr. Carstairs. “We are never going to fix this problem completely, but we can help a lot with wildlife underpasses, overpasses, and measures like that.”
A female snapping turtle (chelydra serpentina) like this one may take as long as 20 years before she lays her first nest. This life history makes it crucial to protect and rescue adult turtles. (Photo: Leif Einarson)
The Ontario Turtle Conservation Centre is also tipping those scales back into balance through rescue and rehabilitation efforts, as well as education and research programs.
Amazingly, every year the centre not only rescues and rehabilitates hundreds of adult turtles, but also rescues the fertilized eggs of injured mature females. They raise the hatchlings through the winter and release them in the spring, giving them a head-start on life in the wild.
The Ontario Turtle Conservation Centre has admitted over 1,000 injured turtles this year, and they are in the process of hatching approximately 5,000 eggs.
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Next time you see a turtle crossing the road, or encounter an injured turtle, keep in mind that by helping these turtles you may be helping dozens of future baby turtles.
If you find an injured turtle, call the Ontario Turtle Conservation Centre hotline at 705-741-5000.
Here’s a video from the Toronto Zoo showing how you can help a snapping turtle cross the road safely. You can also read this story from Ontario Nature on helping turtles cross the road.
VIDEO: How to help a snapping turtle cross the road
“Property owners can also have a positive role to play in supporting local turtle populations,” Dr. Carstairs says.
If a turtle nest is on your private property, you are legally allowed to take steps to properly protect it from predators without interfering with the nest itself. It is not legal to disturb or interfere with a nest in any way.
You can learn how you can properly protect turtle nests in this guide from the Ontario Turtle Conservation Centre.
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“If you happen to be lucky enough to be at the nest when the babies are hatching, you should never take them outside of that area,” explains Dr. Carstairs. “It is fair game to gently move hatchlings to the edge of the nearest wetland or water body — to tip the balance a bit by helping them just that little bit — but the hatchlings need to stay close to where their nest is.”
“People mean well and sometimes people see the small, frail hatchlings and bring them in to us at the centre,” she adds. “We cannot keep them. There is nothing wrong with them. We need to respect their wildness.”
“Never disturb a nest,” Dr. Carstairs points out. “Some people notice a nest that hasn’t hatched yet, and they dig it up. Those nests may be over-wintering. Do not disturb a nest.”
A hatchling eastern spiny softshell turtle (apalone spinifera). Unlike any other turtle species in Ontario, it has a soft and leathery shell. They are also incredibly fast both on land and in the water. Dr. Sue Carstairs, executive and medical director of the Ontario Turtle Conservation Centre, says you should never take hatchlings away from their nest. (Photo: Leif Einarson)
This leads to a better understanding of these animals and their distribution throughout our province; these sites also feature great resources for identifying the different turtle species.
You can also volunteer to be a ‘turtle taxi’ for the Ontario Turtle Conservation Centre. This means occasionally picking up injured turtles to bring to the centre and releasing rehabilitated turtles back into the environment. For more information, visit ontarioturtle.ca.
If you want to learn more about Ontario turtles, the Toronto Zoo has a great collection of resources at torontozoo.com/adoptapond/resources.
Be a hero for the half-shell and for the future of our shared environment. Take steps to ensure that turtles — around since the dinosaurs — can survive into the future.
A line of shopping carts blocks the entrance at Greg's No Frills on George Street in downtown Peterborough, with employees on hand to advise perplexed customers the store is temporarily closed due to an early morning electrical fire on August 18, 2021. (Photo: Bruce Head/ kawarthaNOW)
An electrical fire at Greg’s No Frills at 230 George Street North early Wednesday morning (August 18) has temporarily closed the grocery store.
Peterborough Fire Services responded to an automatic alarm at the building at around 4:49 a.m. on Wednesday. Light smoke was visible in the air when they arrived.
Fire crews forced their way into the building where they determined the sprinkler system had been activated and had almost put out a fire in the rear of the building.
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No injuries were reported, and there is no word on damages.
Store staff remained at the front of the store all day Wednesday to advise customers why the store was closed.
Am employee told kawarthaNOW the store would remain closed “at least until Thursday” (August 19).
The ‘All Hands on Deck’ food drive for Kawartha Food Share, scheduled to take place at the store from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Thursday, will continue at the food drive’s other two locations (Foodland on Hunter Street and Sherbrooke Foodland).
Masked students walk outside of Champlain residence at Trent University. (Photo: Trent University website)
All Trent University students, faculty, staff, and visitors on the university’s Peterborough and Durham campuses will need to provide proof they are fully vaccinated as of Tuesday, September 7th.
Trent University president Leo Groarke announced the vaccination policy on Wednesday (August 18), five days after Fleming College made a similar announcement and one day after Ontario’s chief medical of health announced all universities would be required to have a vaccination policy.
Exemptions to providing proof of full vaccination will be allowed on medical or other protected grounds under the Ontario Human Rights Code. Anyone who does not have two vaccinations will have to complete COVID-19 testing before coming on campus.
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The names of all students who submit proof of their two vaccinations by September 7 will be entered into a draw that will provide the winner with free tuition for the fall semester.
Trent University completed a vaccination survey that shows 85 per cent of 7,140 students and 94 per cent of 1,024 employees are already fully vaccinated.
Other health and safety measures at Trent University include the mandatory use of face masks in indoor settings, health screening, enhanced ventilation and air filtration, robust cleaning and sanitization, on-campus testing, and wastewater surveillance.
Groake says the university is also partnering with Peterborough Public Health to host on-campus pop-up vaccine clinics for staff, faculty, and students.
More details on the university’s vaccination policy will be posted in the coming days and weeks at www.trentu.ca/coronavirus/.
Here’s an update on COVID-19 cases in Ontario as well as in the greater Kawarthas region.
Ontario is reporting 485 new cases today, with the seven-day average of daily cases increasing by 23 to 496. Due a technical issue, the province is not reporting vaccination status of new cases today.
Toronto is reporting a triple-digit increase today of 108 cases. Of Ontario’s remaining 33 health units, 11 are reporting double-digit increases — Windsor-Essex (75), Peel (59), Hamilton (36), Middlesex-London (27), York (22), Ottawa (19), Simcoe Muskoka (17), Durham (16), Halton (16), Waterloo (12), and Brant (11) — and 4 are reporting no new cases at all.
The number of hospitalizations has risen by 11 to 174. Due a technical issue, the province is not reporting data about ICU patients or ventilated patients. Ontario is reporting 3 COVID-related deaths today.
Almost 20.3 million vaccine doses have been administered, an increase of 41,016 from yesterday, with over 9.6 million people fully vaccinated, an increase of 29,121 from yesterday, representing just over 65% of Ontario’s total population.
COVID-19 cases in Ontario from July 18 – August 17, 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 July 18 – August 17, 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.coCOVID-19 vaccinations in Ontario from July 18 – August 17, 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 24 new cases to report over the past 2 days, including 14 in Hastings Prince Edward, 4 in Peterborough, 2 in Kawartha Lakes, 2 in Northumberland, and 2 in Haliburton.
An outbreak at RONA in Lindsay was declared on August 17. There is 1 new COVID-related hospitalization in Peterborough.
An additional 7 cases have been resolved in the region including 3 in Hastings Prince Edward, 2 in Kawartha Lakes, and 2 in Haliburton.
The number of active cases has increased by 11 in Hastings Prince Edward, by 4 in Peterborough, by 1 in Northumberland, and by 1 in Haliburton, and remains the same in Kawartha Lakes.
There are currently 66 active cases in the greater Kawarthas region, an increase of 17 since Monday, including 39 in Hastings Prince Edward (19 in Belleville, 14 in Quinte West, 3 in Prince Edward County, 1 in Tyendinaga & Deseronto, 1 in Central Hastings, and 1 in North Hastings), 10 in Kawartha Lakes, 8 in Peterborough, 7 in Northumberland, and 2 in Haliburton.
Since the pandemic began in the greater Kawarthas region, there have been 1,654 confirmed positive cases in the Peterborough area (1,624 resolved with 22 deaths), 1,208 in the City of Kawartha Lakes (1,153 resolved with 58 deaths), 962 in Northumberland County (938 resolved with 17 deaths), 130 in Haliburton County (127 resolved with 1 death), and 1,219 in Hastings and Prince Edward counties (1,168 resolved with 12 deaths). The most recent death was reported in Hastings Prince Edward on July 28.
The main entrance of Peterborough Regional Health Centre. (Photo: PRHC)
Peterborough Regional Health Centre (PRHC) has announced COVID-19 testing and medical assessment services will be consolidated at the hospital’s COVID-19 assessment centre at 1 Hospital Drive as of Monday (August 23).
The final day of COVID-19 testing at Northcrest Arena, where testing has been available since October 2020, will be on Thursday (August 19).
Peterborough Paramedics will support testing at the hospital site, where testing will continue to be available from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday to Friday.
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The existing process to book an appointment for a test will not change.
Those who have mild symptoms of COVID-19, who have been advised by Peterborough Public Health or a medical professional to get tested, or who are required to be tested for work or other reasons, should use the online booking form.
Those with have moderate symptoms of COVID-19 and need a medical assessment should call PRHC’s COVID-19 assessment centre at 705-876-5086. Anyone with severe symptoms should call 911 or visit PRHC’s Emergency Department.
People with no sysmptoms can get a COVID-19 test, including for international travel, at Shoppers Drug Mart at 741 Lansdowne Street West.
COVID-19 testing has been offered inside the Northcrest Arena since October 2020.
The Bee Works Honey & Gift Shop at Dancing Bee Equipment's new location at 5029 County Road 2 in Port Hope. Founded in 2020 by Todd Kalisz as a small apiary with only 16 hives, Dancing Bee has rapidly grown to become the top supplier of beekeeping equipment in Canada. (Photo: Dancing Bee Equipment / Facebook)
businessNOW™ is our monthly 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.
This month’s column features Port Hope’s Dancing Bee Equipment, which recently moved to a new expanded location featuring a retail warehouse and a new dedicated gift shop, Peterborough’s Watson & Lou hosting a piñata-smashing fundraiser for the United Way on First Friday in September, the new rooftop patio bar at Euphoria Wellness Spa in Peterborough, and the new Lavender Moon boutique shop in downtown Peterborough,
We’re also featuring Peterborough web and mobile developer Brad Carson who created the Apsley Studio Tour app, Galerie Q’s move to its new location in downtown Millbrook, the owners of Grady Shoes in Peterborough being honoured for their commitment to Peterborough Rotary Club, and other business and organizational news from across the region.
Port Hope’s Dancing Bee Equipment expands with new warehouse and dedicated gift shop
The Bee Works Honey & Gift Shop at Dancing Bee Equipment’s new location at 5029 County Road 2 in Port Hope features a wide range of honeys, products made with honey, and more. The new location also includes a state-of-the-art bottling facility and a new 55,000-square-foot retail warehouse. (Photo: Dancing Bee Equipment / Facebook)
If you’re interested in bee-keeping or just a fan of honey, you’ll want to visit Dancing Bee Equipment at its new location in Port Hope.
At the end of July, the company celebrated the opening of its new warehouse and dedicated gift shop, located at 5029 County Road 2 beside the Highway 401 westbound ramp at Toronto Road.
Founded in 2010 by Todd Kalisz as a small apiary with only 16 hives, Dancing Bee has rapidly grown to become the top supplier of beekeeping equipment in Canada, providing commercial beekeepers with equipment and distributing its products to over 60 stores across North America. In 2018, Dancing Bee acquired The Bee Works and, in 2020, opened its second retail location in Winnipeg.
Previously located at 3384 Loyalist Road, Dancing Bee received $65,000 in 2019 through the Rural Innovation Initiative Eastern Ontario Fund.
Dancing Bee Equipment received funding in 2019 from the Rural Innovation Initiative Eastern Ontario Fund to support the purchase and installation of a new innovative extraction line, allowing the company to process a higher volume of honey more efficiently. (Photo: Dancing Bee Equipment / Facebook)
The funding was intended to support Dancing Bee’s purchase and installation of a new innovative extraction line, allowing the company to process a higher volume of honey more efficiently, and to create as many as four new full-time and two part-time jobs in Northumberland County.
The new location at 5029 County Road 2 includes The Bee Works Honey & Gift Shop — featuring a wide range of honeys, products made with honey, and more — as well as a state-of-the-art bottling facility and a new 55,000-square-foot retail warehouse.
Peterborough’s Watson & Lou hosting piñata-smashing fundraiser for United Way on First Friday in September
You can get a chance at revenge against the COVID-19 virus while helping the United Way by buying raffle tickets during Watson & Lou’s fundraiser on September 3. The winner gets to smash a virus-shaped piñata. (Photo: Watson & Lou / Facebook)
Watson & Lou, a creative goods gift shop and creative hub in downtown Peterborough, is raising money for the United Way Peterborough & District by “smashing” COVID-19.
During September’s First Friday art crawl on September 3, Watson & Lou owners Anna Eidt and Erin Watson will sell raffle tickets for a chance to smash a piñata shaped like the COVID-19 virus.
Raffle tickets will begin selling for $5 each (cash preferred) at 6 p.m., with the winner smashing the virus at 8 p.m. Naturally, physical distancing and face masks are required at the event.
The fundraiser will take place at Bankers Common behind the Commerce Building, as a part of the monthly downtown art crawl. All proceeds from the event will go to United Way Peterborough & District.
For more information about Watson & Lou, visit watsonandlou.com.
– By Hannah Abrahamse
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Peterborough’s Euphoria Wellness Spa opens new rooftop patio bar
Party like it’s 2019 at Euphoria Wellness Spa’s new open-air rooftop patio bar. U4 Rooftop Patio Bar is accepting bookings for private events. (Photo: U4 Rooftop Patio Bar website)
At the end of July, Euphoria Wellness Spa in Peterborough opened its new rooftop event space called the U4 Rooftop Patio Bar.
Located on the rooftop of the award-winning spa owned by Simone Dobson and located at 290 Water Street in downtown Peterborough, U4 Rooftop Patio Bar is booking private events, including social gatherings, wedding celebrations, company parties, and group events.
The open-air event space offers a curated list of cocktails, spirits, and wines, a personal chef serving authentic Italian cuisine and bartenders, private cabanas, and more.
For more information and to book, visit u4rooftop.com.
Lavender Moon boutique shop opens in downtown Peterborough
Lavender Moon in downtown Peterborough offers a selection of clothing, crystals, tarot, incense, and more. (Photo: Lavender Moon / Facebook)
Lavender Moon — a boutique shop offering a selection of clothing, crystals, tarot, incense, and more — opened at 181 Charlotte Street in downtown Peterborough in July.
Owned by Bethany Telford and Derek Morley, the store is an an offshoot of Morley’s Modern Primitive store in Kingston, which Morley acquired from its previous owners in 2019. Morley also owns Global Culture Trading Post in Brockwille.
He and Telford first spoke about the possibility of opening a store in Peterborough in early June. Two weeks later, they had rented a space at 181 Charlotte Street and were preparing to open.
On July 1, Lavender Moon opened its doors to customers for the first time and held its grand opening on July 24.
Morley and Telford created the store to be a safe, healing space where people come for conversation, tarot readings, and information and knowledge on crystals, herbs, plants, and the metaphysical.
Tarot reader ‘Sunset Tarot’ is in the store every Tuesday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. for readings (a 20-minute reading costs $34).
For more information, visit Lavender Moon on Facebook.
– By Hannah Abrahamse
Peterborough web and mobile developer brings Apsley Studio Tour into the digital age
Peterborough web and mobile developer Brad Carson developed an app for the 2021 Apsley Studio Tour, and is also working on a build-your-own-app platform called Toureka that will allow other organizations in the arts, culture, and tourism industries to have their own apps without incurring huge development costs. (Photos courtesy of Brad Carson)
When you think of a studio tour taking place in the rural areas of North Kawartha Township, a mobile app probably doesn’t come to mind.
But it did for Peterborough web and mobile developer Brad Carson. Years ago, Carson was browsing through a printed brochure for the Apsley Studio Tour when he realized he could create a digital version that would be much more powerful and engaging.
The idea simmered for a while, until Carson was taking an oil painting class. An interest in drawing and art had originally led to his career in graphic and web design, and he was pursuing photography and painting as a hobby. During the class, Carson told the instructor about his idea of a studio tour app, and the instructor introduced him to painter David Grieve, vice president of the Apsley Studio Tour.
For years, the Apsley Studio Tour has relied on a printed brochure and studio map. Carson offered his services to create a prototype studio tour app, and rose to the task of including the tour’s 28 artists and 13 studios (many located in rural locations that presented a mapping challenge), while ensuring the app would work without a network connection — critical given the spotty network coverage in areas of Peterborough County.
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The end result is a full-featured app for both iOS and Android devices that can be downloaded for free from the Apsley Studio Tour website at apsleystudiotour.com. The Apsley Studio Tour takes place on September 18 and 19, 2021.
“I think it takes a certain unapologetic courage to create something and show it to the world,” Carson says. “I have a new perspective and appreciation for art and artists.”
For Carson, the Apsley Studio Tour app is just the beginning. He is developing a build-your-own-app platform called Toureka that will allow other organizations in the arts, culture, and tourism industries to have their own apps without incurring huge development costs.
For more information about Carson, his work, and his art, visit bradcarson.ca.
– From a story by Clare Scott-Taggart (aka Rusty Girl), one of the participating artists in the Apsley Studio Tour.
Galerie Q moves to its new location in downtown Millbrook
After extensive renovation to the building, Galerie Q is now located at 44 King Street East in downtown Millbrook. (Photo: Galerie Q)
Galerie Q has moved from Cavan to its new location at 44 King Street East in downtown Millbrook, at the corner of King and Tupper.
The contemporary art gallery specializes in the works of French Canadian masters as well as emerging Canadian artists, including local artists.
The new location, which previously housed a convenience store, required an extensive renovation.
There will be new and changing art shows in the gallery, with the current show features landscape artist Raynald Leclerc from Saint-Michel-de-Bellechasse in Quebec.
Galerie Q is open Thursdays through Sundays from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information, visit galerie-q.com.
Galerie Q’s previous location at 1521 County Road 10 in Cavan is currently vacant, but Lush Cannabis Company has applied to open a retail cannabis store in the location.
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Owners of Grady Shoes in Peterborough honoured for commitment to Peterborough Rotary Club
Tony and Kelli Grady of Grady Shoes in Peterborough with their 2020-21 Rotary Service Above Self award. (Photo: Rotary Club of Peterborough / Facebook)
Peterborough Rotary Club has presented Kelli and Tony Grady of Grady Shoes in Peterborough with the 2020-21 Rotary Service Above Self award in recognition of how they embraced Rotary during the pandemic.
The couple joined the club in November 2019 and, despite the pandemic, were actively involved by building relationships with other members, attending every club meeting, participating in a variety of committees, and hosting Zoom socials. Kelli also took on maintenance of the club’s Instagram and Twitter accounts.
Grady Shoes is also the major sponsor of the club’s upcoming golf tournament in support of Five Counties Children’s Centre and Rotary projects. The tournament takes place at Bellmere Winds Golf Resort in Keen on Thursday, September 23rd.
Other business and organizational news
Beauty store Sephora is now open at Lansdowne Place in Peterborough. (Photo: Lansdowne Place Mall)
Cassis Bistro at 27 Queen Street in Lakefield, owned by Jacky and Rob Rocan, has been awarded a 2021 Travellers’ Choice Award from TripAdvisor for consistently high reviews. Only around 10 per cent of businesses listed on Tripadvisor receive the award.
Atria Development is a finalist in the 4th annual BILD Awards, to be presented virtually by the Building Industry and Land Development Association from September 15 to 18. Atria is a finalist for the Best New Community (Planned/Under Development) and Best Mid-Rise Building Design (Pinnacle) for its Y Lofts development in downtown Peterborough.
Lavender & Play, a family boutique and studio located at 1434 Chemong Road in Peterborough, is launching a new prenatal childbirth education class for couples and single families. The one day, interactive workshop will be held from 9 a.m. to 4 p..m. on Saturday, September 25th at a cost of $145 (plus HST) for couples (a reduced rate is available for singles). The class will be facilitated by Lavender & Play owners Sonja Martin (a childbirth educator, mother, postpartum doula, lactation educator, and more) and Sarah Susnar (an early childhood educator, mother, lactation educator, postpartum doula, and more). Visit lavenderandplay.ca for more information.
Sephora Canada has now opened its new store at Lansdowne Place Mall in Peterborough, the beauty company’s 35th store in Ontario and 83rd store in Canada. Offering a wide assortment of makeup, skincare, haircare, and fragrance brands, the store is open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday to Friday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday, and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday.
The City of Kawartha Lakes (in partnership with the Bobcaygeon & Area Chamber of Commerce, Coboconk, Norland & Area Chamber of Commerce, Fenelon Falls & District Chamber of Commerce and the Lindsay & District Chamber of Commerce) is conducting the inaugural Kawartha Lakes Business Count Survey in the downtowns and industrial areas across the municipality. This survey will help the municipality better understand and strengthen the local economy, as well as inform policies and programs. For more information and to complete the survey, visit kawarthalakes.ca/en/business-growth/kawartha-lakes-business-count.aspx.
The Ontario government is launching a new Ontario Business Registry on October 19, replacing outdated technology and providing people across the province with direct access to government services 24 hours a day, 365 days a year for the first time ever. Businesses will now be able to complete over 90 transactions through the new online registry, including registering a new business and dissolving an existing one. Registrations or filings that were previously submitted by mail or fax, taking four to six weeks to complete, can now be done instantly through the online registry. For more information, visit ontario.ca/businessregistry.
The Town of Cobourg’s Economic Development Department has launched the ‘Start Here Welcome Package’, a new initiative designed to welcome new businesses while also providing a one-stop information resource to ensure their successful integration into the community. The Start Here Welcome Package will provide new business owners with a variety of Cobourg-centric gifts, resources, and information. New business owners can request their welcome package by contacting the Economic Development Department at 905-372-5481 or by emailing econdev@cobourg.ca.
For business-related events in the Kawarthas, check out our Business Events column.
Peterborough police are asking for the public’s assistance in locating a missing 63-year-old man.
Update – August 20, 2021
Police have advised Lorne Leahy has been located safe and sound.
Lorne Leahy was last accounted for on July 17, and was reported missing by a roommate last Wednesday (August 11).
Police believe he is in the Peterborough area and are concerned for his well-being.
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Anyone with information is asked to call the Peterborough Police Service at 705-876-1122 or contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) or online at www.stopcrimehere.ca.
Jessica Dalliday, the late owner and CEO of Pilates on Demand in Peterborough, with her husband Michael and daughter Rachel. Jessica passed away in hospital April 2021 following complications that had also taken the life of her newborn daughter five days prior. She is one of the recipients of the Peterborough Chamber's 4-Under-40 Profiles. (Photo: Dalliday family)
The Greater Peterborough Chamber of Commerce has announced the finalists of the 18th annual Peterborough Business Excellence Awards, as well as the recipients of some advance awards — including one honouring Peterborough entrepreneur Jessica Dalliday, who died tragically this past April.
The Business Excellence Awards publicly recognize and honour local businesses and business people that have demonstrated a passion for excellence. The recipients of all the awards (the finalists are listed below) will be announced during an online awards ceremony scheduled for Wednesday, October 20th, with more details to come.
“This year we encouraged the community to rally behind local business and recognize their hard work, creativity, and resilience,” says Stuart Harrison, the Chamber’s president and CEO, in a media release on Wednesday (August 18). “We were overwhelmed by the response, receiving a record number of nominations.”
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In advance of the awards ceremony, the Peterborough Chamber has announced the recipients of four awards and prizes
These include the 4-Under-40 Profiles, which recognize business and community leadership in people under the age of 40, named in the memory of the late Kathy Windrem (former chair of the chamber’s board and 2009 Business Woman of the Year).
This year’s recipients are Faith Dickinson, Joon Kim, and Lyle Saunders, along with a posthumous award for Jessica Dalliday — the late owner and CEO of Pilates on Demand who unexpectedly passed away in hospital on April 6 following complications that took the life of her newborn daughter five days before.
Two other announced award recipients are the Traynor Family of Traynor Farms as the Peterborough County Farm Family Of The Year, and Rosie Salcido-Schmidt of Agave Designs and Faces by 2 as the New Canadian Entrepreneur Of The Year.
The recipients of the Business Student Leadership Prizes are Sarah Moore of Fleming College and Mohamad Ellabban of Trent University.
All the finalists of the 2021 Business Excellence Awards are listed below alphabetically.
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Skilled Trades (sponsored by Charlotte Products Ltd.)
Cardinal Plumbing & Electric
Goodwin Creations
Kawartha Lakes Construction
Tourism (sponsored by OLG)
The Canadian Canoe Museum
Escape Maze Incorporated
Lang Pioneer Village Museum
Hospitality (sponsored by Kawartha Credit Union)
Black Honey desserts coffee catering
Haven Brewing Company
Jesse’s Tap & Grill
Micro Business – Fewer than 5 employees (sponsored by Community Futures Peterborough)
Accountability Financial
CMD Technology Solutions Corp
Jason McIntosh Auctions
Retail (sponsored by RBC Royal Bank)
Avant-Garden Shop
Watson & Lou
Wild Rock
Professional Services (sponsored by Swish Maintenance Limited)
Century 21 United Realty Inc.
Gauvreau Accounting Tax Law Advisory
Pinchin Ltd.
Customer First (sponsored by TD Bank Group)
Antoinette Bridal Boutique
Griffin’s Greenhouses
Morello’s Your Independent Grocer
Local Focus (sponsored by Trent University)
Lang Pioneer Village Museum
Living Local
RMS Events – LIVE! at the Barn
Innovation/Research & Development (sponsored by Cleantech Commons & Innovation Cluster)
Noblegen
OptiSolve Ltd.
PKA SoftTouch Corp.
Commercial Development Or Renovation (sponsored by City of Peterborough)
Cambium
Central Smith
The Little Building Company
Entrepreneurial Spirit (sponsored by Gauvreau Accounting Tax Law Advisory)
acorn30
Emily Mae’s Cookies
Social Kat Media
Marketing &; Promotion (sponsored by The Peterborough Examiner)
acorn30
Central Smith
Peterborough Public Health
Green Initiatives (sponsored by County of Peterborough)
Green Street
Lockside Trading Company
Trent University – Forensic Crime Scene Facility
Health & Wellness (sponsored by Peterborough Regional Health Centre)
Canadian Family Health Counselling
Euphoria Wellness Spa
Peterborough Public Health
Not-For-Profit (sponsored by D.M. Wills Associates Ltd.)
New Canadians Centre
Peterborough Humane Society
YMCA of Central East Ontario
Employer Of The Year (sponsored by LLF Lawyers LLP)
Gauvreau Accounting Tax Law Advisory
Pinchin Ltd.
Trent University
Businesswoman Of The Year – Entrepreneur (sponsored by Women’s Business Network of Peterborough)
Brenda Ibey – Avant-Garden Shop
Carlye Mongraw – Shaw Computer Systems Inc.
Christine Teixeira – Accountability Financial
Businesswoman Of The Year – Organization (sponsored by Women’s Business Network of Peterborough)
Julia Anderson – Canadian Partnership for Women & Children’s Health
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