Here’s an update on COVID-19 cases in Ontario as well as in the greater Kawarthas region.
Ontario is reporting 948 new cases today, with most of today’s new cases in Toronto (315), Peel (269), York (81), and Ottawa (64).
There are smaller increases in Durham (32), Hamilton (30), Simcoe Muskoka (28), Niagara (24), Windsor-Essex (23), Halton (19), Waterloo (19), Southwestern Public Health (11), Eastern Ontario Health Unit (11), and Middlesex-London (7). The remaining 20 public health units are reporting 5 or fewer cases, with 11 health units reporting no new cases at all.
Of today’s cases, 55% are among people under the age of 40. With 826 more cases resolved since yesterday, the percentage of resolved cases remains unchanged at 85.5%. The positivity rate has increased by 1.0% to 4.0%, meaning that 40 out of every 1,000 tests performed were positive for COVID-19 on November 1.
There have been 7 new deaths, including 3 new deaths in long-term care homes. Hospitalizations have dropped by 22 to 328, although 40 hospitals did not submit data for this report. There are 3 additional patients in ICUs and 1 less patient on a ventilator.
A total of 27,908 tests were completed yesterday, and the backlog of tests under investigation has decreased by 8,536 to 15,397.
There are 69 new cases in Ontario schools reported today, a increase of 8 since October 30, with 41 student cases, 6 staff cases, and 22 cases among unidentified individuals. There are 6 cases in licensed child care settings, a decrease of 3 from October 30, with 5 cases among children and 1 case among staff.
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In the greater Kawarthas region, there is 1 new case to report today in Northumberland and 1 new case in Haliburton, with an additional case resolved in Kawarthas Lakes. There are 3 new cases to report in Hastings and Prince Edward counties; however, 3 additional cases have been resolved, leaving no change in the number of active cases there. There are no new cases to report in Peterborough.
None of the new cases in Ontario schools and child care settings are in the greater Kawarthas region.
There are currently 17 active cases in the greater Kawarthas region, including 6 in Peterborough, 7 in Hastings and Prince Edward counties, 3 in Northumberland, and 1 in Haliburton.
Since the pandemic began in the greater Kawarthas region, there have been 150 confirmed positive cases in the Peterborough area (142 resolved with 2 deaths), 185 in the City of Kawartha Lakes (166 resolved with 32 deaths), 50 in Northumberland County (46 resolved with 1 death), 20 in Haliburton County (19 resolved with no deaths), and 81 in Hastings and Prince Edward counties (69 resolved with 5 deaths). The most recent death was reported in Northumberland on September 8.
Province-wide, there have been 77,655 confirmed cases, an increase of 948 from yesterday, with 66,407 cases resolved (85.5% of all cases), an increase of 826. There have been 3,152 deaths, an increase of 7 from yesterday, with 2,016 deaths in long-term care homes, an increase of 3 from yesterday. The number of hospitalizations has dropped by 22 to 328, although 40 hospitals did not report data for this report. There are 3 additional patients in ICUs and 1 less patient on a ventilator. A total of 5,174,968 tests have been completed, an increase of 27,908 from yesterday, with 15,397 tests under investigation, a decrease of 8,536 from yesterday.
This report is based on data supplied by the province’s integrated Public Health Information System (iPHIS), as well as any additional information supplied by health units. This information is at least 24 hours old, so it is not real-time data. Note that each health unit reports the information in a different way.
Peterborough Public Health’s service area is the City and County of Peterborough and the Hiawatha and Curve Lake First Nations.
The health unit provides daily reports, including on weekends.
Confirmed positive: 150 (no change) Active cases: 6 (no change) Close contacts: 17 (no change) Deaths: 2 (no change) Resolved: 142 (no change) Hospitalizations (total to date): 9 (no change) Total tests completed: Over 34,500 (increase of 50) Institutional outbreaks: Fairhaven (increase of 1)*
*An outbreak at Fairhaven Long-Term Care in Peterborough was declared on October 31 after a caregiver tested positive.
Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit
The Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit’s service area is the City of Kawartha Lakes, Northumberland County, and Haliburton County.
The health unit provides reports from Monday to Friday, excluding statutory holidays.
Confirmed positive: 255, including 185 in Kawartha Lakes, 50 in Northumberland, 20 in Haliburton (increase of 2, 1 in Northumberland and 1 in Haliburton) Probable cases: 0 (no change) High-risk contacts: 14, including 4 in Kawartha Lakes, 4 in Northumberland, and 6 in Northumberland (no net change) Hospitalizations (total to date): 15, including 11 in Kawartha Lakes, 3 in Northumberland, and 1 in Haliburton (no change) Deaths: 33 (no change) Resolved: 231, including 166 in Kawartha Lakes, 46 in Northumberland, 19 in Haliburton (increase of 2) Active cases: 4, including 3 in Northumberland and 1 in Haliburton (net increase of 1) Institutional outbreaks: Warkworth Long Term Care (no change)
Hastings Prince Edward Public Health
Hastings Prince Edward Public Health’s service area is Hastings County (including Bancroft) and Prince Edward County.
The health unit provides reports from Monday to Friday, excluding statutory holidays.
Confirmed positive: 81 (increase of 3) Active cases: 7 (no net change) Deaths: 5 (no change) Hospitalized (total to date): 7 (no change) Hospitalized and in ICU (total to date): 2 (no change) Hospitalized and in ICU on ventilator (total to date): 2 (no change) Resolved: 69 (increase of 3) Total tests completed: 46,791 (increase of 718) Institutional outbreaks: None (no change)
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Province of Ontario
Confirmed positive: 77,655 (increase of 948) Resolved: 66,407 (increase of 826, 85.5% of all cases) Hospitalized: 328 (decrease of 22)* Hospitalized and in ICU: 75 (increase of 3) Hospitalized and in ICU on ventilator: 45 (decrease of 1) Deaths: 3,152 (increase of 7) Deaths of residents in long-term care homes: 2,016 (increase of 3) Total tests completed: 5,174,968 (increase of 27,908) Tests under investigation: 15,397 (decrease of 8,536)
*Approximately 40 hospitals did not submit data to the Daily Bed Census for October 31. The number of hospitalized patients may increase when reporting compliance increases.
New COVID-19 cases in Ontario from October 2 – November 1, 2020. The red line is the number of new cases reported daily, and the dotted green line is a five-day moving average of new cases. (Graphic: kawarthaNOW.com)COVID-19 tests completed in Ontario from October 2 – November 1, 2020. The red line is the number of tests completed daily, and the dotted green line is a five-day moving average of tests completed. (Graphic: kawarthaNOW.com)
Fairhaven is a municipal long-term care home facility located at 881 Dutton Road in Peterborough. (Photo: Fairhaven)
For the third time since September, a COVID-19 outbreak has been declared at Fairhaven Long-Term Care Home in Peterborough.
On Saturday (October 31), Fairhaven executive director Lionel Towns said COVID-19 had been detected in a swab test of a caregiver on Westview 2 at Fairhaven.
He said Peterborough Public Health confirmed the test result on Saturday afternoon and subsequently declared an outbreak at the home.
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Towns said no residents have tested positive for COVID-19, and that all residents, staff members, and contract service providers on Westview 2 will be tested for the virus.
The health unit is also conducting contact tracing for the caregiver who tested positive, Towns added.
“All general visits will cease until the outbreak is declared over,” Towns said. “Palliative visits will continue.”
While general visitors are not allowed during an outbreak, under provincial guidelines issued on October 5th, essential visitors — including support workers and caregivers — are allowed access to the home during an outbreak, including a maximum of one caregiver per resident at a time.
However, Towns is requesting caregivers consider postponing any visits until the home is out of outbreak.
“While we have been informed by the ministry that we cannot prevent essential caregivers from visiting, I believe that it is in the best interest of the home, its residents and staff, if loved ones wait until the outbreak period is over (hopefully two weeks),” Towns said.
“A short period of time away, unlike the months of isolation imposed at the start of the pandemic, will potentially be the difference between a short outbreak and a longer period of time with the potential for the coronavirus to be in the building.”
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Peterborough Public Health has declared two previous outbreaks at Fairhaven: one from September 15th to 28th, and another from September 28th to October 13th.
In each of those outbreaks, a staff member had tested positive for COVID-19.
Here’s an update on COVID-19 cases in Ontario as well as in the greater Kawarthas region.
After reporting 1,015 new COVID-19 cases yesterday, Ontario is reporting 977 new cases today.
Most of today’s new cases are in Toronto (279), Peel (238), Ottawa (130), and York (113). There’s a new outbreak in Brant County, which is reporting 25 cases today compared to 3 yesterday.
Other increases include Durham (31), Niagara (31), Waterloo (26), Simcoe Muskoka (23), Hamilton (21), Halton (16), Eastern Ontario Health Unit (9), Windsor-Essex (7), and Middlesex-London (6). The remaining 20 public health units are reporting 5 or fewer cases, with 7 health units reporting no new cases at all.
Of today’s cases, 53% are among people under the age of 40. With 864 more cases resolved since yesterday, the percentage of resolved cases remains unchanged at 85.5%. The positivity rate is unavailable on weekends.
There have been 9 new deaths, including 4 new deaths in long-term care homes. Hospitalizations have jumped by 30 to 350, and this number does include 40 hospitals that failed to submit data for the report. However, there is one less patient in an ICU and 8 fewer patients on ventilators.
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In the greater Kawarthas region, there are no new cases to report in Peterborough, and an additional 2 cases have been resolved, leaving 6 active cases. Reports are unavailable on weekends for Kawartha Lakes, Northumberland, Haliburton, or Hastings and Prince Edward counties.
There are currently 16 active cases in the greater Kawarthas region, including 6 in Peterborough, 7 in Hastings and Prince Edward counties, 1 in Kawartha Lakes, and 2 in Northumberland.
Since the pandemic began in the greater Kawarthas region, there have been 150 confirmed positive cases in the Peterborough area (142 resolved with 2 deaths), 185 in the City of Kawartha Lakes (165 resolved with 32 deaths), 49 in Northumberland County (46 resolved with 1 death), 19 in Haliburton County (19 resolved with no deaths), and 78 in Hastings and Prince Edward counties (66 resolved with 5 deaths). The most recent death was reported in Northumberland on September 8.
Province-wide, there have been 76,707 confirmed cases, an increase of 977 from yesterday, with 65,581 cases resolved (85.5% of all cases), an increase of 864. There have been 3,145 deaths, an increase of 9 from yesterday, with 2,013 deaths in long-term care homes, an increase of 4 from yesterday. The number of hospitalizations has jumped by 30 to 350 (with 40 hospitals not reporting data), but the number of patients in ICUs has decreased by 1 and the number of patients on ventilators decreasing by 8. A total of 5,147,060 tests have been completed, an increase of 37,133 from yesterday, with 23,933 tests under investigation, a decrease of 12,329 from yesterday.
This report is based on data supplied by the province’s integrated Public Health Information System (iPHIS), as well as any additional information supplied by health units. This information is at least 24 hours old, so it is not real-time data. Note that each health unit reports the information in a different way.
Peterborough Public Health’s service area is the City and County of Peterborough and the Hiawatha and Curve Lake First Nations.
The health unit provides daily reports, including on weekends.
Confirmed positive: 150 (no change) Active cases: 6 (decrease of 2) Close contacts: 17 (decrease of 2) Deaths: 2 (no change) Resolved: 142 (increase of 2) Hospitalizations (total to date): 9 (no change) Total tests completed: Over 34,450 (increase of 200) Institutional outbreaks: None (no change)
Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit
The Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit’s service area is the City of Kawartha Lakes, Northumberland County, and Haliburton County.
The health unit provides reports from Monday to Friday, excluding statutory holidays. These numbers are from October 30.
Confirmed positive: 253, including 185 in Kawartha Lakes, 49 in Northumberland, 19 in Haliburton (increase of 1, in Northumberland)* Probable cases: 0 (no change) High-risk contacts: 14, including 6 in Kawartha Lakes and 8 in Northumberland (decrease of 5 in Kawartha Lakes, increase of 5 in Northumberland) Hospitalizations (total to date): 15, including 11 in Kawartha Lakes, 3 in Northumberland, and 1 in Haliburton (no change) Deaths: 33 (no change) Resolved: 229, including 165 in Kawartha Lakes, 46 in Northumberland, 19 in Haliburton (increase of 1 in Northumberland) Active cases: 3, including 1 in Kawartha Lakes and 2 in Northumberland (no net change) Institutional outbreaks: Warkworth Long Term Care (increase of 1)*
*An outbreak was declared at Warkworth Long Term Care on October 29 after a staff person tested positive.
Hastings Prince Edward Public Health
Hastings Prince Edward Public Health’s service area is Hastings County (including Bancroft) and Prince Edward County.
The health unit provides reports from Monday to Friday, excluding statutory holidays. These numbers are from October 30.
Confirmed positive: 78 (increase of 3) Active cases: 7 (increase of 2) Deaths: 5 (no change) Hospitalized (total to date): 7 (no change) Hospitalized and in ICU (total to date): 2 (no change) Hospitalized and in ICU on ventilator (total to date): 2 (no change) Resolved: 66 (increase of 1) Total tests completed: 46,073 (no change) Institutional outbreaks: None (no change)
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Province of Ontario
Confirmed positive: 76,707 (increase of 977) Resolved: 65,581 (increase of 864, 85.5% of all cases) Hospitalized: 350 (increase of 30)* Hospitalized and in ICU: 72 (decrease of 1) Hospitalized and in ICU on ventilator: 46 (decrease of 8) Deaths: 3,145 (increase of 9) Deaths of residents in long-term care homes: 2,013 (increase of 4) Total tests completed: 5,147,060 (increase of 37,133) Tests under investigation: 23,933 (decrease of 12,329)
*Approximately 40 hospitals did not submit data to the Daily Bed Census for October 30. The number of hospitalized patients may increase when reporting compliance increases.
New COVID-19 cases in Ontario from October 1 – October 31, 2020. The red line is the number of new cases reported daily, and the dotted green line is a five-day moving average of new cases. (Graphic: kawarthaNOW.com)COVID-19 tests completed in Ontario from October 1 – October 31, 2020. The red line is the number of tests completed daily, and the dotted green line is a five-day moving average of tests completed. (Graphic: kawarthaNOW.com)COVID-19 hospitalizations in Ontario from October 1 – October 31, 2020. The red line is the number of new hospitalizations reported daily, and the dotted green line is a five-day moving average of new hospitalizations. (Graphic: kawarthaNOW.com)COVID-19 deaths in Ontario from October 1 – October 31, 2020. The red line is the number of new deaths reported daily, and the dotted green line is a five-day moving average of new deaths. (Graphic: kawarthaNOW.com)
Old Norwood Road is one of three roads connecting Television Road to Ashburnham Drive the City of Peterborough has closed to through traffic until Parks Canada completes construction of the Warsaw Swing Bridge on Parkhill Road East between Armour Road and Television Road. (Photo: Bruce Head / kawarthaNOW.com)
Residents living on McFarlane Street aside, few have the front-row seat to traffic on that road that Fergus Crough has occupied over the past three years.
As the crossing guard for Armour Heights Public School students, Crough is seeing not only more traffic and speeding on McFarlane Street but also an increase in the number of trucks using the road.
“You would rarely see a big truck here … maybe a dozen over the past few years,” he says, adding “Now I’m seeing two or three per day. Big tandems, tractor trailers … all sizes of trucks.”
Since October 5th, McFarlane Street has been one of a number of East City roads greatly impacted as a result of a number of detours put in place by the City of Peterborough to accommodate Park Canada’s reconstruction of the Warsaw Swing Bridge on Parkhill Road East between Armour Road and Television Road.
That work is scheduled to be completed by spring 2021. Until then, with Parkhill Road East at the bridge closed to all but local traffic.
Eastbound traffic is being diverted to use University Road, Nassau Mills Road and Armour Road, while westbound traffic is being steered toward Television Road, Lansdowne Street East, and Ashburnham Drive.
Meanwhile, MacFarlane Avenue, Old Norwood Road, and Maniece Avenue between Ashburnham Drive and Television Road are each closed to all but local traffic. (MacFarlane Avenue connects to McFarlane Street via Trentview Road, which is also closed to through traffic).
A car turns southbound onto Television Road from Parkhill Road East on the afternoon of Saturday, October 31st, due to the closure of Parkhill Road to through traffic between Armour Road and Television Road until Parks Canada completes construction of the Warsaw Swing Bridge on Parkhill Road East. (Photo: Jeannine Taylor / kawarthaNOW.com)
Since the detours came into effect, a growing and very loud collective voice has resonated from East City where a number of residents are expressing their concerns — not only over the resulting traffic gridlock but also the fact they weren’t consulted prior to the detour decision.
Even more maddening for concerned residents, they aren’t hearing back from city officials despite several attempts to seek some resolution.
“We understood that when the work on the swing bridge happened, we would face interruptions and inconveniences, but I don’t think anyone was prepared for the city to shut down several access streets to East City like they have,” says Euclid Avenue resident Andrew MacGregor, referring to the closures of through traffic on McFarlane Avenue, Old Norwood Road, and Maniece Avenue.
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“Parks Canada closing the bridge to work on it isn’t the problem, that work really needs to get done,” MacGregor adds. “The problem is we can’t exit our neighbourhoods.”
Using the East City Ptbo Facebook page as its social media platform, a large group of East City residents, MacGregor among them, have been pushing hard for a review of, and modifications to, the detour plan.
Among the more outspoken of the group has been Armour Road resident Brenda Cowan, a hearing aid practitioner whose business, The Ear Depot, is located near the swing bridge on Parkhill Road East. While she says her business hasn’t been adversely affected by the closure of Parkhill Road East, she has seen a substantial increase in traffic on Armour Road as a result.
VIDEO: Detour traffic in East City, Peterborough – October 31, 2020
“There has been a domino effect of safety issues, infrastructure issues, and signage issues that have resulted from the closure of Maniece Avenue and Old Norwood Road,” says Cowan.
“We (the group) don’t want committees. We don’t want discussion. We don’t want studies. We want the (local traffic only) signs removed from Maniece and Old Norwood Road. They’re public roads. They’re not under construction. It’s a cash grab with a $110 fine and two demerit points for disobeying road signs.”
“Residents living on those streets are no more important than we are. Why don’t we just close Armour Road because I don’t like the traffic? I don’t have a problem at all when there’s construction on the roads closed. They’ve closed public roads paid for by our taxes. They’re closing these roads because we’re not in the same bracket as residents on those streets. I’ve lived long enough in this town to know that’s the case.”
A vehicle waits to cross the single-lane bridge on McFarlane Street via Ashburnham Drive. An increasing amount of traffic (including heavy trucks) has been using McFarlane Street via Ashburnham Drive as an alternate route during the closure of the Warsaw Swing Bridge on Parkhill Road East between Armour Road and Television Road. kawarthaNOW visited the bridge at 4 p.m. on the afternoon of Saturday, October 31st and stopped counting after 100 vehicles used the route in a period of 10 minutes; the traffic situation is even worse on weekdays. (Photo: Bruce Head / kawarthaNOW.com)
Then there’s the matter of increased traffic on McFarlane Street and the adverse effect that heavy truck traffic in particular may be having on the four-ton limit single-lane McFarlane Street bridge.
“Because there’s no proper signage at Lansdowne and Ashburnham Drive for trucks coming off the highway, they’re going up Ashburnham and over the bridge,” says Cowan, adding “Someone is going to get critically hurt or killed if that bridge collapses.”
Ashburnham Ward councillor Keith Riel, along with his ward councillor colleague Gary Baldwin, has heard it good from the group. While Riel dismisses outright any suggestion that road closure decisions are made with residents’ income status or property tax contribution in mind, he agrees this road detour plan is in need of revision.
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“There was no consultation with council on this, this was a city staff decision,” he says.
“I probably have more questions than solutions, but something has to be done. We’re looking at eight months of these road closures that are not conducive to moving people.”
Councillor Riel will have the opportunity to ask his questions this Tuesday (November 3rd) when a meeting on the issue is held, involving himself and Councillor Baldwin, city staff, Mayor Diane Therrien, and neighbouring county officials and politicians.
“Decisions were made based on the fact that the roads (MacFarlane Avenue, Old Norwood Road, and Maniece Avenue) aren’t designed or engineered to handle the (anticipated) volume but it has turned political,” assesses Mayor Therrien.
“The decision was made to try and limit those roads to local traffic only and direct everyone else to roads that were designed to handle higher volume. We’re open to any feedback if there is anything that can make it easier.”
Maniece Avenue at Ashburnham Drive in Peterborough’s East City. The road is one of three connecting Ashburnham Drive to Television Road the City of Peterborough has closed to through traffic until Parks Canada completes construction of the Warsaw Swing Bridge on Parkhill Road East between Armour Road and Television Road in the spring of 2021. (Photo: Bruce Head / kawarthaNOW.com)
For his part, MacGregor wants to hear acknowledgement that what is in place isn’t working and revisions are going to be made.
“Nobody is suggesting that we shouldn’t be detouring cars or we shouldn’t be doing the bridge work, but the inconveniences that have been imposed are overstepping.”
Should that meeting amount to nothing in terms of no changes, MacGregor promises an escalation of the group’s efforts.
“It was easy to put these restrictions in place, so it’s easy to remove them,” he says, adding a petition on the matter is prepared and ready to be issued via social media. “We won’t take no for answer.”
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Cowan, however, is not optimistic the November 3rd meeting will result in any changes. She’s basing that on the fact that the group’s pleas have been, according to her, ignored — outside of Councillor Riel’s efforts.
“They (city staff) have been very poor responding to us because they want it to go away,” she says.
“I want to see the politicians stand up and do the job they were elected for. They were very quick to come to our door and want our vote. They better be just as quick to reach out when their constituents don’t like decisions that been made.”
“I’m 71 years old. I don’t care about people’s egos or toes being stepped on at City Hall. They are there to represent us. It’s not a dictatorship but they’re using COVID-19 as a cover for pushing through things improperly.”
One of the concerns expressed by East City residents is the increasing use of the single-lane McFarlane Street bridge by tractor trailors and other heavy trucks using Ashburnham Drive to enter the city from Highway 115. (Photo: Bruce Head / kawarthaNOW.com)
Both MacGregor and Cowan say, if anything, this exercise in citizen dissent has proven there is power in numbers.
“When we start to show that we’re willing to put time and effort into making this something bigger than just simply emailing councillors, that sends a very big message,” MacGregor says. “We’re not waiting for them to come back and tell us they’re not going to do anything.”
He adds the group’s perception is they’re being viewed at City Hall as simply “neighbours making noise.”
“Some level of injustice has happened here. City staff went ahead and made decisions unilaterally without consultation from the neighbourhood or city council. That would have taken time, but taking time is necessary. Yes, we’re making a loud noise. What we are wanting to hear is they agree this situation isn’t working and that they’re going to make changes.”
Here’s an update on COVID-19 cases in Ontario as well as in the greater Kawarthas region.
Today, Ontario is reporting 1,015 new COVID-19 cases, the highest increase since October 25 when a record 1,042 new cases were reported.
Most of today’s new cases are in Toronto (325), Peel (282), Ottawa (94), and York (88), with smaller increases in Hamilton (41), Halton (31), Niagara (23), Durham (23), Waterloo (22), Simcoe Muskoka (20), Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph (13), Windsor-Essex (10), Eastern Ontario Health Unit (6), Grey Bruce (6), and Middlesex-London (6).
The remaining 19 public health units are reporting 5 or fewer cases, with 8 health units reporting no new cases at all.
Of today’s cases, 52% are among people under the age of 40. With 798 more cases resolved since yesterday, the percentage of resolved cases has decreased by 0.1% to 85.5%. The positivity rate is unavailable on weekends.
There have been 9 new deaths, including 5 new deaths in long-term care homes. Hospitalizations have increased by 6 to 320, with 2 fewer patients in ICUs and 2 additional patients on ventilators.
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In the greater Kawarthas region, there is 1 new case to report in Peterborough. Reports are unavailable on weekends for Kawartha Lakes, Northumberland, Haliburton, and Hastings and Prince Edward counties
There are currently 18 active cases in the greater Kawarthas region, including 8 in Peterborough, 7 in Hastings and Prince Edward counties, 1 in Kawartha Lakes, and 2 in Northumberland.
Since the pandemic began in the greater Kawarthas region, there have been 150 confirmed positive cases in the Peterborough area (140 resolved with 2 deaths), 185 in the City of Kawartha Lakes (165 resolved with 32 deaths), 49 in Northumberland County (46 resolved with 1 death), 19 in Haliburton County (19 resolved with no deaths), and 78 in Hastings and Prince Edward counties (66 resolved with 5 deaths). The most recent death was reported in Northumberland on September 8.
Province-wide, there have been 75,730 confirmed cases, an increase of 1,015 from yesterday, with 64,717 cases resolved (85.5% of all cases), an increase of 798. There have been 3,136 deaths, an increase of 9 from yesterday, with 2,009 deaths in long-term care homes, an increase of 5 from yesterday. The number of hospitalizations has increased by 6 to 320, with 2 fewer patients in ICUs and 2 additional patients on ventilators. A total of 5,109,927 tests have been completed, an increase of 41,920 from yesterday, with 36,262 tests under investigation, a decrease of 4,801 from yesterday.
This report is based on data supplied by the province’s integrated Public Health Information System (iPHIS), as well as any additional information supplied by health units. This information is at least 24 hours old, so it is not real-time data. Note that each health unit reports the information in a different way.
Peterborough Public Health’s service area is the City and County of Peterborough and the Hiawatha and Curve Lake First Nations.
The health unit provides daily reports, including on weekends.
Confirmed positive: 150 (increase of 1) Active cases: 8 (increase of 1) Close contacts: 19 (decrease of 27) Deaths: 2 (no change) Resolved: 140 (no change) Hospitalizations (total to date): 9 (no change) Total tests completed: Over 34,250 (increase of 150) Institutional outbreaks: None (no change)
Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit
The Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit’s service area is the City of Kawartha Lakes, Northumberland County, and Haliburton County.
The health unit provides reports from Monday to Friday, excluding statutory holidays. These numbers are from October 30.
Confirmed positive: 253, including 185 in Kawartha Lakes, 49 in Northumberland, 19 in Haliburton (increase of 1, in Northumberland)* Probable cases: 0 (no change) High-risk contacts: 14, including 6 in Kawartha Lakes and 8 in Northumberland (decrease of 5 in Kawartha Lakes, increase of 5 in Northumberland) Hospitalizations (total to date): 15 (no change) Deaths: 33 (no change) Resolved: 229, including 165 in Kawartha Lakes, 46 in Northumberland, 19 in Haliburton (increase of 1 in Northumberland) Active cases: 3, including 1 in Kawartha Lakes and 2 in Northumberland (no net change) Institutional outbreaks: Warkworth Long Term Care (increase of 1)*
*An outbreak was declared at Warkworth Long Term Care on October 29 after a staff person tested positive.
Hastings Prince Edward Public Health
Hastings Prince Edward Public Health’s service area is Hastings County (including Bancroft) and Prince Edward County.
The health unit provides reports from Monday to Friday, excluding statutory holidays. These numbers are from October 30.
Confirmed positive: 78 (increase of 3) Active cases: 7 (increase of 2) Deaths: 5 (no change) Hospitalized: 0 (no change) Hospitalized and in ICU: 0 (no change) Hospitalized and in ICU on ventilator: 0 (no change) Resolved: 66 (increase of 1) Total tests completed: 46,073 (no change) Institutional outbreaks: None (no change)
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Province of Ontario
Confirmed positive: 75,730 (increase of 1,015) Resolved: 64,717 (increase of 798, 85.5% of all cases) Hospitalized: 320 (increase of 6) Hospitalized and in ICU: 73 (decrease of 2) Hospitalized and in ICU on ventilator: 54 (increase of 2) Deaths: 3,136 (increase of 9) Deaths of residents in long-term care homes: 2,009 (increase of 5) Total tests completed: 5,109,927 (increase of 41,920) Tests under investigation: 36,262 (decrease of 4,801)
New COVID-19 cases in Ontario from September 30 – October 30, 2020. The red line is the number of new cases reported daily, and the dotted green line is a five-day moving average of new cases. (Graphic: kawarthaNOW.com)COVID-19 tests completed in Ontario from September 30 – October 30, 2020. The red line is the number of tests completed daily, and the dotted green line is a five-day moving average of tests completed. (Graphic: kawarthaNOW.com)
Detail of a painting by Rocky Lawrence Green from his latest show 'a private view', on display at Atelier Ludmila Gallery in downtown Peterborough beginning Friday, November 6th during the COVID-safe First Friday Peterborough art crawl. (Photo courtesy of Atelier Ludmila)
As the pandemic continues to plague us this month, art galleries are re-opening with staunch safety measures in place.
The First Friday art crawl continues to happen in downtown Peterborough at reduced capacity, with new paintings by Rocky Green at the Atelier Ludmila Gallery. The Art Gallery of Northumberland hosts its 42nd annual juried show, and Artspace in Peterborough will be showing a series of 10-day micro exhibits (and is also presenting a virtual Q&A session writing exhibition applications and grants).
The Agnes Jamieson Gallery in Minden is showing ‘TRUSS’, four installations of sculpture by Carey Jernigan. Artsweek Peterborough is presenting Artsweek SHIFT: Downtown, featuring poetry, spoken word, and visual art in downtown Peterborough.
So, if you’re feeling very cooped up, you can venture out with your mask and visit any of these exhibits. In some cases you may need to make an appointment, but they are open for viewing.
And last but not least, don’t forget the Art Gallery of Peterborough’s It’s All About ARTISTS! online auction in support of local artists is on now, closing on November 7th
Atelier Ludmila Gallery presents ‘a private view’ by Rocky Green during First Friday Peterborough
One of the works by Rocky Green included in his exhibit ‘a private view’ at Atelier Ludmila Gallery. (Photo courtesy of Atelier Ludmila)
Rocky Green’s ‘a private view’ at Atelier Ludmila Gallery is a series of paintings depicting scenes from the life of the artist.
These deftly painted pieces depict quiet moments, little bits of everyday life — a private viewing of excerpts from the artist’s life. As the title insinuates, all viewings will feel private since only five viewers will be allowed in at a time at Atelier Ludmila.
To see the show in person, drop by Atelier Ludmila Gallery from 6 to 10 p.m. during First Friday Peterborough on Friday, November 6th.Atelier Ludmila Gallery is located on the second floor of the Commerce Building (129 1/2 Hunter St. W., Peterborough). The gallery is open from noon to 4 p.m. or by appointment throughout the week. To book an appointment, email ludmilaprojects@gmail.com.For more information, visit atelierludmila.com.
Two moose paintings by artist Joe Stable, on display at ACME Art and Sailboat Company during First Friday Peterborough. Moose t-shirts are also available. (Photos courtesy of Joe Stable)
There will be other studios in the vicinity open. Joe Stable will be featuring his moose paintings (and moose t-shirts) at ACME Art and Sailboat Company, located on the third floor of the Commerce Building (129 1/2 Hunter St. W., Peterborough).
In all studios, COVID-cautious measures in place of course. These include reduced capacity, physical distancing, mask wearing, and frequent hand sanitizing.
For more information about First Friday Peterborough, visit firstfridayptbo.com.
Art Gallery of Northumberland hosts its 42nd Annual Juried Show
The COVID-safe opening of the 42nd Annual Juried Show at the Art Gallery of Northumberland in Cobourg. (Photo: Art Gallery of Northumberland / Facebook)
This November marks the 42nd year of the Annual Juried Show at the Art Gallery of Northumberland. Supporting artists in the area and fostering community, the gallery is happy to be able to continue with its annual tradition during these challenging times.
The winner of the Juror’s Choice is ‘Crossroads’, a collage by Elayne Windsor, and the runner-up is ‘The Chronicles of Eleanora II’, a tryptich of three graphite drawings by Rolf Busch.
The jurors were Andrea Carson Barker, Linda Jansma, and Olexander Wlasenko.
‘Crossroads’ by Elayne Windsor and ‘The Chronicles of Eleanora II’ by by Rolf Busch. (Photos: Art Gallery of Northumberland / Facebook)
A People’s Choice award will be determined by votes cast by visitors coming to the gallery to view the exhibition, which runs until Wednesday, November 11th.
The Art Gallery of Northumberland is located on the third floor of the west wing of Victoria Hall (55 King St. W., Cobourg). Gallery hours are 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday to Wednesday by appointment only.
To book an appointment, call 905-372-0333 or use the online form at www.artgalleryofnorthumberland.com/agn-reopens/, where you’ll also find information about the safety measures in place to stop the spread of COVID-19.
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Agnes Jamieson Gallery in Minden presents ‘TRUSS’ by Carey Jernigan
A sculpture from ‘Patternmaker-Play’ and ‘Patternmaker-Stress’, two of four installations by Carey Jernigan at the Agnes Jamieson Gallery in Minden. (Photo courtesy of Agnes Jamieson Gallery)
Carey Jernigan’s exhibition ‘TRUSS’ at the Agnes Jamieson Gallery in Minden is comprised of four sculptural installations, ‘Patternmaker-Play’, ‘Patternmaker-Stress’, ‘Crossing’, and ‘One in Three’.
In these installations, Jernigan explores history, current world events and issues of violence against women. The two ‘Patternmaker’ installations are based on the experiences of employees of a steam-powered pumphouse in Hamilton and feature gears and kinetic movement, while ‘Crossing’ speaks to borders, and invites us to question both the safety and validity of national borders, making use of ladders and glass to bisect a room, creating a border that is both unsafe and arbitrary.
‘One in Three’ makes reference to the fact that one in three women will experience some form of intimate partner violence or sexual violence during her lifetime. The installation feautes a series of cubes, which represent a search for order during difficulties experienced in life.
VIDEO: TRUSS by Carey Jernigan
Jernigan trained as a furniture maker with Heidi Earnshaw Design, and her sculptures and interactive artwork feature wood, light, and memory. She explores industrial processes, material culture, and the people and places they shape. Her work has been featured in New York at the United Nations Headquarters in New York, in Canada at Craft Ontario, the Workers’ Arts and Heritage Centre, Harbourfront Centre, Parkdale Film & Video Showcase, the Khyber Centre for the Arts, the Anna Leon Owens Gallery, Eyelevel Gallery, and the Nova Scotia Public Archives, and in Portugal at De Liceiras 18.
‘TRUSS’ will be on display at Agnes Jamieson Gallery until Sunday, November 29th.
The Agnes Jamieson Gallery is located in the Minden Hills Cultural Centre at 176 Bobcaygeon Road in Minden. For more information, call 705-286-3763 or visit mindenhills.ca/agnes-jamieson-art-gallery/. A limited number of people are allowed in the gallery at one time. Masks are required and physical distancing is practiced in the space, with floor markings to remind you to stay apart, and hand sanitizer is also readily available.
Artspace presents three micro-exhibitions in Peterborough
Artspace in Peterborough is hosting three 10-day micro-exhibitions in rapid succession in November through December: ‘Breaking Down Stereotypes’ by the First People’s House of Learning from November 4th to 14th, ‘Around’ by John Climenhage from November 18th to 28th, and ‘Attention is a Task We Share’ by Robin Love from December 2nd to 12th.
These three shows all deal with community and perspective. ‘Breaking Down Stereotypes’ is photo-based exhibit based on the first-hand experiences of indigenous youth in the post-secondary community, ‘Around’ is a series of paintings of local scenes around Peterborough from the perspective of painter John Climenhage, and ‘Attention is a Task We Share’ deals with ways of knowing and questions our Euro-centric education system.
‘Breaking Down Stereotypes’ by The First People’s House of Learning
From the exhibit ‘Breaking Down Stereotypes’ by The First People’s House of Learning. (Photo courtesy of Artspace)
As the title clearly states, ‘Breaking Down Stereotypes’ aims to break down stereotypes and deals with hurtful comments based on wrongly held assumptions and racist beliefs that indigenous students are faced with as they attend Trent University. This will be an eye-opener for some.
Though the people who see and experience these realities are very much aware since they bear the brunt of it, those who are not targets of cruelty and injustice can be completely oblivious. An exhibit like this, coming from community experiences, can teach those who are blissfully unaware, and sometimes in complete denial, that racism is a real threat, and sadly, alive and well in our community.
The fact that this is experienced by young people today, here and now, should be a wake-up call to anyone and everyone who thinks racism is a thing of the past.
The exhibit will run from Wednesday, November 4th until Saturday, November 14th.
‘Around’ by John Climenhage
From John Climenhage’s exhibit ‘Around’. (Photo courtesy of Artspace)
This series of bright impressions of the streets and byways of Peterborough is familiar and refreshing.
Painted in John Climenhage’s signature style the scenes are lively, full of light and movement. The familiar and sometimes drab is brought to life with a sense of immediacy in these paintings, allowing the viewer to appreciate the everyday moment, and see the streets of Peterborough in a new light. The show will run from Wednesday, November 18th to Saturday, November 28th.
Also make sure to check out the exhibit of Climenhage’s paintings at various downtown Peterborough locations as part of the Artsweek SHIFT: Downtown project curated by Justin Million (see below).
‘Attention is a Task We Share’ by Robin Love
From Robin Love’s ‘Attention is a Task We Share’. (Photo courtesy of Artspace)
This installation is made up of two pieces, ‘Short Talk on Process’ and ‘Things Take the Time They Take’. Looking at learning environments critically, these pieces deal with the way such environments are structured to reinforce the dominant culture and ideology.
Challenging Euro-centric ways of learning, artist Robin Love sets up environments which emphasize process over outcome, and which allow accident and improvisation to inform the learning process. This points to possibilities within education for diversity, and acknowledges that there are many ways to learn and come to know and understand things.
This show runs from Wednesday, December 2nd until Saturday, December 12th.
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Physical distancing, limited numbers allowed in the gallery space, mask wearing, and sanitization are all in practice at Artspace to stop the spread of COVID-19.
Artspace is located at 378 Aylmer Street in downtown Peterborough and offers barrier-free access and free admission during regular open hours: 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. from Tuesday to Friday, by appointment on Wednesday, noon to 4 p.m. on Saturday. Parking is available in the municipal lot on Hunter Street between Aylmer and George. For more information, call 705-748-3883 or visit artspace-arc.org.
Artspace hosts a virtual Q&A on writing exhibition applications and grants on November 18
Each year, Artspace offers a workshop on writing for grants and applications.
This year, the workshop will be offered differently. On Wednesday, November 18th, Artspace’s assistant curator Hannah Keating will go live on Artspace’s social media accounts to answerquestions about the application process, including writing effective project proposals or artist statements and navigating online submission platforms.
You can submit questions until 4 p.m. on November 18th by emailing Hannah at hannah@artspace-arc.org or sending Artspace a private message through Facebook or Instagram.
Artsweek Peterborough presents Artsweek SHIFT: Downtown curated by Justin Million
Artsweek 2020, Peterborough’s biennial 10-day multidisciplinary arts festival, has been postponed until September 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
In lieu of the festival, this year Artsweek Peterborough is presenting Artsweek SHIFT, a six-month initiative of pop-ups, online, and COVID-safe in-person events. All the events are free.
First up is “Downtown”, curated by poet Justin Million, which celebrates local visual artists, poets, and spoken word artists who live and work in Peterborough’s downtown core, and who have kept on working throughout the pandemic.
Artsweek SHIFT: Downtown curator and poet Justin Million at “An Afternoon of Spoken Word & Poetry” outside The Theatre on King in downtown Peterborough on October 24th. “An Afternoon of Spoken Word & Poetry #2” take place in the same location on November 7th.
Following a first event in October, November brings “An Afternoon of Spoken Word & Poetry #2” featuring readings by Katherine Heigh, Justin Million, Shaun Phuah, and Nick Taylor.
The event takes place from 3 to 5 p.m. on Saturday, November 7th in the back parking lot of The Theatre On King at 171 King Street in downtown Peterborough.
Bring your own chair and wear a mask (audience members are required to wear a mask at all times during the event).
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There’s also “Menacing Beauty – The John Climenhage Storefront Project” on now and running until Friday, November 13th at various downtown Peterborough restaurant and bars.
“Climenhage’s paintings are unmatched in how they chronicle the changes affecting our urban, rural, and even wilder landscapes,” writes Justin Million, curator of Artsweek SHIFT: Downtown.
“John’s work executed during the pandemic is fresh, it’s immediate, it’s crucial,” Million adds. “These are paintings devoid of folk, rife with the menacing stress of long shadows creeping into what would otherwise be idyllic city scenes.”
In addition to an exhibit at Artspace, Peterborough artist John Climenhage’s paintings will be on display at eight locations in downtown Peterborough. (Photo courtesy of Artsweek)
The paintings will be on display at Dreams of Beans (138 Hunter St. W.), Providence (131 Hunter St. W.), Rare (166 Brock St;), The Sapphire Room (137 Hunter St. W.), Sam’s Place Deli (188 Hunter St. W.), St. Veronus Cafe and Tap Room (129 Hunter St. W.), The Garnet (231 Hunter St. W.), and The Night Kitchen (168 Hunter St. W.).
Here’s an update on COVID-19 cases in Ontario as well as in the greater Kawarthas region.
Today, Ontario is reporting 896 new COVID-19 cases. Most of today’s new cases are in Toronto (299), Peel (186), York (121), and Ottawa (76), with smaller increases in Durham (26), Halton (24), Hamilton (18), Niagara (17), Simcoe Muskoka (17), Eastern Ontario Health Unit (14), Waterloo (11), and Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph (8).
The remaining 22 public health units are reporting 5 or fewer cases, with 13 health units reporting no new cases at all.
Of today’s cases, 52% are among people over the age of 39, with 12% of new cases among people 80 and older — a doubling of cases among the elderly population since yesterday.
With 796 more cases resolved since yesterday, the percentage of resolved cases has increased by 0.1% to 85.6%. The positivity rate has decreased by 0.1% to 2.8%, meaning that 28 out of every 1,000 tests performed were positive for COVID-19 on October 29.
There have been 9 new deaths, including 3 new deaths in long-term care homes. Hospitalizations have decreased by 8 to 314, with 2 fewer patients in ICUs and no change to the number of patients on ventilators.
A total of 35,621 tests were completed yesterday, and the backlog of tests under investigation has increased by 989 to 41,063.
There are 61 new cases in Ontario schools reported today, a decrease of 38 from yesterday, with 40 student cases, 4 staff cases, and 17 cases among unidentified individuals. There are 9 cases in licensed child care settings, a decrease of 7 from yesterday, with 2 cases among children and 7 cases among staff.
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In the greater Kawarthas region, there is 1 new case in Peterborough; however, an additional case has been resolved leaving 7 active cases.
There is also 1 new case in Northumberland, an employee at Warkworth Long Term Care (the health unit has declared an outbreak). However, another case has been resolved in Northumberland, leaving no change in active cases. There are no new cases to report in Kawartha Lakes or Haliburton.
There are 3 new cases to report in Hastings and Prince Edward counties; however, an additional case has been resolved, leaving 7 active cases.
None of the new cases in Ontario schools and child care settings are in the greater Kawarthas region.
There are currently 17 active cases in the greater Kawarthas region, including 7 in Peterborough, 7 in Hastings and Prince Edward counties, 1 in Kawartha Lakes, and 2 in Northumberland.
Since the pandemic began in the greater Kawarthas region, there have been 149 confirmed positive cases in the Peterborough area (140 resolved with 2 deaths), 185 in the City of Kawartha Lakes (165 resolved with 32 deaths), 49 in Northumberland County (46 resolved with 1 death), 19 in Haliburton County (19 resolved with no deaths), and 78 in Hastings and Prince Edward counties (66 resolved with 5 deaths). The most recent death was reported in Northumberland on September 8.
Province-wide, there have been 74,715 confirmed cases, an increase of 896 from yesterday, with 63,919 cases resolved (85.6% of all cases), an increase of 796. There have been 3,127 deaths, an increase of 9 from yesterday, with 2,004 deaths in long-term care homes, an increase of 3 from yesterday. The number of hospitalizations has decreased by 8 to 314, with 2 fewer patients in ICUs and no change to the number of patients on a ventilator. A total of 5,068,007 tests have been completed, an increase of 41,008 from yesterday, with 41,063 tests under investigation, an increase of 989 from yesterday.
This report is based on data supplied by the province’s integrated Public Health Information System (iPHIS), as well as any additional information supplied by health units. This information is at least 24 hours old, so it is not real-time data. Note that each health unit reports the information in a different way.
Peterborough Public Health’s service area is the City and County of Peterborough and the Hiawatha and Curve Lake First Nations.
The health unit provides daily reports, including on weekends.
Confirmed positive: 149 (increase of 1) Active cases: 7 (no change) Close contacts: 46 (decrease of 22) Deaths: 2 (no change) Resolved: 140 (increase of 1) Hospitalizations (total to date): 9 (no change) Total tests completed: Over 34,250 (increase of 140) Institutional outbreaks: None (no change)
Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit
The Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit’s service area is the City of Kawartha Lakes, Northumberland County, and Haliburton County.
The health unit provides reports from Monday to Friday, excluding statutory holidays.
Confirmed positive: 253, including 185 in Kawartha Lakes, 49 in Northumberland, 19 in Haliburton (increase of 1, in Northumberland)* Probable cases: 0 (no change) High-risk contacts: 14, including 6 in Kawartha Lakes and 8 in Northumberland (decrease of 5 in Kawartha Lakes, increase of 5 in Northumberland) Hospitalizations (total to date): 15 (no change) Deaths: 33 (no change) Resolved: 229, including 165 in Kawartha Lakes, 46 in Northumberland, 19 in Haliburton (increase of 1 in Northumberland) Active cases: 3, including 1 in Kawartha Lakes and 2 in Northumberland (no net change) Institutional outbreaks: Warkworth Long Term Care (increase of 1)*
*An outbreak was declared at Warkworth Long Term Care on October 29 after a staff person tested positive.
Hastings Prince Edward Public Health
Hastings Prince Edward Public Health’s service area is Hastings County (including Bancroft) and Prince Edward County.
The health unit provides reports from Monday to Friday, excluding statutory holidays.
Confirmed positive: 78 (increase of 3) Active cases: 7 (increase of 2) Deaths: 5 (no change) Hospitalized: 0 (no change) Hospitalized and in ICU: 0 (no change) Hospitalized and in ICU on ventilator: 0 (no change) Resolved: 66 (increase of 1) Total tests completed: 46,073 (no change) Institutional outbreaks: None (no change)
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Province of Ontario
Confirmed positive: 74,715 (increase of 896) Resolved: 63,919 (increase of 796, 85.6% of all cases) Hospitalized: 314 (decrease of 8) Hospitalized and in ICU: 75 (decrease of 2) Hospitalized and in ICU on ventilator: 52 (no change) Deaths: 3,127 (increase of 9) Deaths of residents in long-term care homes: 2,004 (increase of 3) Total tests completed: 5,068,007 (increase of 41,008) Tests under investigation: 41,063 (increase of 989)
New COVID-19 cases in Ontario from September 29 – October 29, 2020. The red line is the number of new cases reported daily, and the dotted green line is a five-day moving average of new cases. (Graphic: kawarthaNOW.com)COVID-19 tests completed in Ontario from September 29 – October 29, 2020. The red line is the number of tests completed daily, and the dotted green line is a five-day moving average of tests completed. (Graphic: kawarthaNOW.com)
The former Leslie M. Frost Natural Resources Centre in Haliburton County is up for sale for $1.1 million. The 41-acre property has 1,480 feet frontage along Highway 35 and 2,800 feet of shore line on St. Nora Lake. (Photo: CBRE Limited Real Estate Brokerage)
The Ontario government has put the former Leslie M. Frost Natural Resources Centre in Haliburton County on the market, more than 16 years after it was closed.
The asking price for the 41-acre property on the shores of St. Nora Lake south of Dorset in the township of Algonquin Highlands is $1.1 million.
Infrastructure Ontario, the Crown agency responsible for managing provincially owned infrastructure and real estate, put the property up for sale on Thursday (October 29). The sale is being managed by CBRE Limited Real Estate Brokerage.
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The property, which is being sold “as is”, has 1,480 feet frontage along Highway 35 and 2,800 feet of shore line on St. Nora Lake.
It includes 21 buildings that can accommodate more than 200 people in a mix of dorm-style rooms and cottages, a full kitchen, dining, hall, and recreation centre — although the buildings are in poor condition as they haven’t been maintained for the past 10 years. There are multiple easements on the property, including for access to a public dock and boat launch.
The Leslie M. Frost Natural Resource Centre (commonly called the Frost Centre) first opened in 1921, when the Department of Lands and Forests (now the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry) used the site as a training facility for forest rangers.
The boundaries of the property being sold. (Photo: CBRE Limited Real Estate Brokerage)
In 1944, the Ontario government and the University of Toronto Faculty of Forestry entered into a partnership to create the Ontario Forest Technical Training School on the site.
In 1974, then-Premier Bill Davis announced the site would be developed as an environmental and resource management education centre and would be called The Leslie M. Frost Natural Resources Centre, after the province’s 16th premier. It was used as a training centre for government staff, as well as by school groups, wildlife organizations, eco-tourism groups, and more.
In 2004, the Liberal government of the time announced it was closing the centre to save around $1.2 million in annual operating costs, prompting public outrage. More than 26,000 people had visited the centre in its last year of operation.
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The centre closed on July 13, 2004. In response to the controversy around closing the centre, the government announced it would lease the property for “environmental and outdoor education activities” rather than sell it.
Led by area cottager and former IBM executive Al Aubry, the not-for-profit Frost Centre Institute was established on the property in 2007, where it offered an educational summer camp, a conference centre, and environmental programming.
The Frost Centre Institute closed in 2010, after operating a deficit for three years, largely due to high expenses during the winter months when the centre was hardly used.
The Ontario government then put the property up for sale, but was unsuccessful in selling it. The government has been paying for basic maintenance of the property ever since.
The property is being sold “as is”, including the 21 buildings that can accommodate more than 200 people in a mix of dorm-style rooms and cottages, a full kitchen, dining, hall, and recreation centre. The buildings have not been maintained since 2010, when the not-for-profit Frost Centre Institute closed after leasing the property for three years. (Photo: CBRE Limited Real Estate Brokerage)
Adalsteinn Brown, dean of the Dalla Lana School of Public Health at the University of Toronto, speaks about updated modelling projections for COVID-19 at a media conference in Queen's Park on October 29, 2020. (CPAC screenshot)
Here’s an update on COVID-19 cases in Ontario as well as in the greater Kawarthas region.
Today, Ontario is reporting 934 new COVID-19 cases, an increase of 100 new cases from yesterday. Most of today’s new cases are in Toronto (420), Peel (169), and York (95).
As a media conference at Queen’s Park on Thursday (October 29) releasing updated COVID-19 modelling projections for Ontario, Dr. David Williams, Ontario’s chief medical officer of health, pointed out that around 100 of the new cases in Toronto were a result of “extra entry of data”.
“That means our provincial numbers, if we take that off and balance it, we’re still in the range of plateauing around the mid-800s,” Williams said.
There are smaller increases in Ottawa (58), Halton (35), Hamilton (28), Durham (19), Niagara (16), Simcoe Muskoka (15), Waterloo (13), Eastern Ontario Health Unit (13), Middlesex-London (9), Brant County (9), and Leeds, Grenville & Lanark (6). The remaining 20 public health units are reporting 5 or fewer cases, with 10 health units reporting no new cases at all.
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At the media conference, Adalsteinn Brown, dean of the Dalla Lana School of Public Health at the University of Toronto who is advising the government, said Ontario is no longer in a “worst-case scenario”, with current modelling projections showing a slower growth of the spread of the virus.
“We’re estimating a steady state level of cases for a while, between 800 and 1,200 cases,” Brown said. “Although cases are continuing to grow, that growth has slowed and we’re starting to see a more gentle curve.”
Of today’s cases, 52% are among people under the age of 40.
“The average age of a case is now moving up — it’s now 40 in Ontario,” Brown said. “It creates a bit of a warning signal because it is in the older age population where we see the biggest health and health system consequences.”
With 820 more cases resolved since yesterday, the percentage of resolved cases is unchanged at 85.5%. The positivity rate has decreased by 0.1% to 2.9%, meaning that 2.9% of all tests performed were positive for COVID-19 on October 28.
There have been 10 new deaths, including 5 new deaths in long-term care homes.
“We’re starting to see now a much sharper growth in cases in our long-term care homes,” Brown said. “This is one of the places where we have the greatest vulnerability to infection, and the greatest consequences of infection as we saw in the first wave.”
Brown added that reported deaths are also climbing more sharply, especially in long-term care homes.
“On October 9th, there had been only 25 deaths since August 15th — that number is now 85,” he said. “And to put the speed of change now in perspective, we have more deaths in the last week — 27 deaths — than we did between that entire period between August 15th and about October 8th. We’re starting to see a sharply increasing curve of reported deaths in long-term care homes.”
Hospitalizations have increased by 10 to 322, with 7 more patients admitted to ICUs and 1 new patient on a ventilator. Brown said that current modelling shows a slower growth in ICU usage that projected back in September.
“Estimates of intensive care unit use are much more within the limits of the health care system right now,” Brown said. “We are showing much slower growth in intensive care unit use, and it’s only in that worst-case scenario now that we actually exceed the threshold of 150 beds in the intensive care units. This is the threshold at which we start to limit access to surgery.”
Brown cautioned that the projections of slower growth could change at any time.
“This disease, particularly because it can spread so quickly with these super-spreader events, can dramatically turn, and you can have rapid, rapid growth, quite quickly,” he said.
With a total of 35,621 tests completed yesterday, the province has now completed more than 5 million tests since the pandemic began. The backlog of tests under investigation has increased by 6,168 to 40,074.
There are 99 new cases in Ontario schools today, an increase of 7 from yesterday, with 55 student cases, 9 staff cases, and 35 cases among unidentified individuals. There are 16 cases in licensed child care settings, an increase of 7 from yesterday, with 9 cases among children and 7 cases among staff.
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In the greater Kawarthas region, there is 1 new case to report today in Peterborough. There are no new cases to report in Kawartha Lakes, Northumberland, Haliburton, or Hastings and Prince Edward counties. An additional case has been resolved in Hastings and Prince Edward counties.
None of the new cases in Ontario schools and child care settings are in the greater Kawarthas region.
There are currently 15 active cases in the greater Kawarthas region, including 7 in Peterborough, 5 in Hastings and Prince Edward counties, 1 in Kawartha Lakes, and 2 in Northumberland.
Since the pandemic began in the greater Kawarthas region, there have been 148 confirmed positive cases in the Peterborough area (139 resolved with 2 deaths), 185 in the City of Kawartha Lakes (165 resolved with 32 deaths), 48 in Northumberland County (45 resolved with 1 death), 19 in Haliburton County (19 resolved with no deaths), and 75 in Hastings and Prince Edward counties (65 resolved with 5 deaths). The most recent death was reported in Northumberland on September 8.
Note: in late breaking news, the Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit declared a COVID-19 outbreak at Warkworth Place, a long-term care home in Warkworth, on Thursday afternoon (October 29) after a symptomatic staff person tested positive for COVID-19. The administration and staff at Warkworth Place are implementing all outbreak control measures including additional environmental cleaning and infection prevention and control measures. The information about this confirmed case is not captured in the data on cases reported today on the health unit’s website or in this story (it will be included in tomorrow’s update).
Province-wide, there have been 73,819 confirmed cases, an increase of 934 from yesterday, with 63,123 cases resolved (85.5% of all cases), an increase of 820. There have been 3,118 deaths, an increase of 10 from yesterday, with 2,001 deaths in long-term care homes, an increase of 5 from yesterday. The number of hospitalizations has increased by 10 to 322, with 6 more patients admitted to ICUs and 1 additional patient on a ventilator. A total of 5,026,999 tests have been completed, an increase of 35,621 from yesterday, with 40,074 tests under investigation, an increase of 6,168 from yesterday.
This report is based on data supplied by the province’s integrated Public Health Information System (iPHIS), as well as any additional information supplied by health units. This information is at least 24 hours old, so it is not real-time data. Note that each health unit reports the information in a different way.
Peterborough Public Health’s service area is the City and County of Peterborough and the Hiawatha and Curve Lake First Nations.
The health unit provides daily reports, including on weekends.
Confirmed positive: 148 (increase of 1) Active cases: 7 (increase of 1) Close contacts: 68 (decrease of 7) Deaths: 2 (no change) Resolved: 139 (no change) Hospitalizations (total to date): 9 (no change) Total tests completed: Over 34,100 (increase of 100) Institutional outbreaks: None (no change)
Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit
The Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit’s service area is the City of Kawartha Lakes, Northumberland County, and Haliburton County.
The health unit provides reports from Monday to Friday, excluding statutory holidays.
Confirmed positive: 252, including 185 in Kawartha Lakes, 48 in Northumberland, 19 in Haliburton (no change) Probable cases: 0 (no change) High-risk contacts: 14, including 11 in Kawartha Lakes and 3 in Northumberland (increase of 1 in Northumberland) Hospitalizations (total to date): 15 (no change) Deaths: 33 (no change) Resolved: 229, including 165 in Kawartha Lakes, 45 in Northumberland, 19 in Haliburton (no change) Active cases: 3, including 1 in Kawartha Lakes and 2 in Northumberland (no change) Institutional outbreaks: None (no change)
Hastings Prince Edward Public Health
Hastings Prince Edward Public Health’s service area is Hastings County (including Bancroft) and Prince Edward County.
The health unit provides reports from Monday to Friday, excluding statutory holidays.
Confirmed positive: 75 (no change) Active cases: 5 (decrease of 1) Deaths: 5 (no change) Hospitalized: 0 (no change) Hospitalized and in ICU: 0 (no change) Hospitalized and in ICU on ventilator: 0 (no change) Resolved: 65 (increase of 1) Total tests completed: 46,073 (increase of 36) Institutional outbreaks: None (no change)
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Province of Ontario
Confirmed positive: 73,819 (increase of 934) Resolved: 63,123 (increase of 820, 85.5% of all cases) Hospitalized: 322 (increase of 10) Hospitalized and in ICU: 77 (increase of 6) Hospitalized and in ICU on ventilator: 52 (increase of 1) Deaths: 3,118 (increase of 10) Deaths of residents in long-term care homes: 2,001 (increase of 5) Total tests completed: 5,026,999 (increase of 35,621) Tests under investigation: 40,074 (increase of 6,168)
New COVID-19 cases in Ontario from September 28 – October 28, 2020. The red line is the number of new cases reported daily, and the dotted green line is a five-day moving average of new cases. (Graphic: kawarthaNOW.com)COVID-19 tests completed in Ontario from September 28 – October 28, 2020. The red line is the number of tests completed daily, and the dotted green line is a five-day moving average of tests completed. (Graphic: kawarthaNOW.com)
Treetop Trekking, which operates an adventure park at the Ganaraska Forest near Port Hope as well as in Barrie, Brampton, Hamilton, Huntsville, and Stouffville, has been named the 2020 Attraction of The Year Award by Attractions Ontario. (Photo courtesy of Treetop Trekking)
Treetop Trekking has received the 2020 Attraction of The Year Award from Attractions Ontario, a non-profit trade association in Ontario dedicated to the attractions sector of the tourism industry.
The company operates an adventure park at the Ganaraska Forest near Port Hope, as well as at five other locations in Ontario including Barrie, Brampton, Hamilton, Huntsville, and Stouffville.
The award was announced on Wednesday night (October 28) during the Tourism Industry Association of Ontario’s annual Tourism Awards of Excellence Gala.
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“It amazes me to see how much our small dedicated team can accomplish and to see what an impact we can have in the lives of so many people that visit us,” says company founder and president Stéphane Vachon.
“To get a big win like this in such an unpredictable year is more than a relief, and I remain optimistic that the tourism industry will rebound stronger than ever. I am grateful and so proud to be a part of this team.”
Treetop Trekking became a finalist for the award after being voted the Top Outdoor Attraction in September as part of Attractions Ontario’s annual Ontario’s Choice Awards. The other two finalists for the Attraction of The Year Award were Science North and Carrousel of Nations.
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“We are so proud to have been named Ontario’s Top Attraction this year,” says Mike Stiell, Treetop Trekking marketing director. “I think that in 2020, authentic outdoor activities like the ones we offer appealed to people even more than usual.”
“The public was looking for fun and unique experiences that would help them forget about the outside world for a few hours, and to create lasting memories with their families or close friends, and this is what we offer every day.”
Offering outdoor activities for a variety of ages and abilities, Treetop Trekking opened its first location in 2006. For more information about Tree Top Trekking, visit treetoptrekking.com.
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