Here’s an update on COVID-19 cases in Ontario as well as in the greater Kawarthas region.
Today, Ontario is reporting 153 new COVID-19 cases, with 6 of Ontario’s 34 health units reporting double-digit increases — Toronto (28), Waterloo (23), Grey Bruce (20), Peel (19), Middlesex-London (12), and Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph (10) — and 10 health units reporting no new cases at all. The seven-day average of daily cases has decreased by 6 to 164.
Hospitalizations have increased by 1 from yesterday to 174, with the number of ICU patients falling by 12 to 180 and the number of patients on ventilators decreasing by 7 to 116.
Ontario is reporting 7 new COVID-related deaths today, with none in long-term care homes.
Almost 17.5 million vaccine doses have been administered, an increase of 179,197 from yesterday, with almost 94% of Ontario’s total population now having received at least one dose. More than 7.2 million people have been fully vaccinated, an increase of 159,521 from yesterday, representing over 49% of Ontario’s total population.
COVID-19 cases in Ontario from June 13 – July 13, 2021. The red line is the number of new cases reported daily, and the dotted green line is a five-day rolling average of new cases. (Graphic: kawarthaNOW.com)COVID-19 hospitalizations and ICU admissions in Ontario from June 13 – July 13, 2021. The red line is the daily number of COVID-19 hospitalizations, the dotted green line is a five-day rolling average of hospitalizations, and the purple line is the daily number of patients with COVID-19 in ICUs. (Graphic: kawarthaNOW.com)COVID-19 vaccinations in Ontario from June 13 – July 13, 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 is 1 new case to report in Hastings Prince Edward. There are no new cases today in Peterborough, Kawartha Lakes, Northumberland, or Haliburton.
On July 13, a new outbreak was declared at an unidentified congregate living facility in Peterborough.
An additional 6 cases in the region have been resolved, including 3 in Peterborough, 2 in Hastings Prince Edward, and 1 in Kawartha Lakes.
Regional active cases have decreased by 3 in Peterborough and by 1 in Hastings Prince Edward, and remain unchanged in Kawartha Lakes.
There are currently 43 active cases in the greater Kawarthas region, a decrease of 4 since yesterday, including 21 in Kawartha Lakes, 19 in Peterborough, and 3 in Hastings Prince Edward (1 in Belleville, 1 in Tyendinaga & Deseronto, and 1 in North Hastings). There are no active cases in Northumberland or Haliburton.
Since the pandemic began in the greater Kawarthas region, there have been 1,623 confirmed positive cases in the Peterborough area (1,582 resolved with 22 deaths), 1,136 in the City of Kawartha Lakes (1,070 resolved with 58 deaths), 946 in Northumberland County (929 resolved with 17 deaths), 122 in Haliburton County (121 resolved with 1 death), and 1,136 in Hastings and Prince Edward counties (1,122 resolved with 11 deaths). The most recent two deaths were reported in Peterborough and Kawartha Lakes on June 29.
The Bobcaygeon Swing Bridge, pictured in 2007, is located on Main Street at Canal Street in Bobcaygeon, (Photo: John Vetterli via Wikipedia)
Parks Canada has announced the Bobcaygeon Swing Bridge, located on Main Street at Canal Street in Bobcaygeon, will not reopen this summer for vehicle use as originally planned.
In late May, after a delay in completing the rehabilitation of the bridge, Parks Canada announced a temporary measure would be installed by the end of July to complete bridge swings.
However, in a media release issued on Wednesday (July 14), Parks Canada advised the temporary measure is not going ahead as the contractor was unable to submit quality control documentation of some mechanical components.
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“The contractor is unable to provide adequate substantiation, as required under their contract, that key mechanical components involved in rotating the bridge meet industry safety and quality standards,” the media release reads. “As such, Parks Canada will not allow the installation of these components, and has instructed that they be refabricated.”
Parks Canada states the refabrication of components, being completed at an offsite machining shop, will take an additional 10 to 12 weeks.
Installation of the refabricated components will begin following the closing of the navigation season in October, with the bridge expected to reopen for vehicular traffic in December.
A full testing of the swinging operation will take place the following spring, along with landscaping work.
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While the bridge will remain closed for vehicles, enhancements have been completed on the upstream lock gate that enable a temporary canal crossing to and from the downtown core for most personal transportation devices, including scooters, wheelchairs, and walkers.
The enhancements include widening the lock gate, adding temporary ramps, and modifying the approaches.
Modifications to the lock gate will not affect boat navigation.
The Venue in downtown Peterborough is a multipurpose event space that hosts a wide range of events including conferences and conventions, weddings, business meetings, galas and other fundraisers, concerts, art shows, and sports events. (Photo: REALTOR.ca)
Michael and Catia Skinner have sold The Venue in downtown Peterborough to Kevin and April Sendel, owners of Personal Touch Catering and Personal Touch Banquet Hall.
The Skinners made the announcement in a media release on Wednesday (July 14).
“Catia and I could not be happier that The Venue’s new owners are not only highly experienced event and catering professionals, but they are locally based with an intimate understanding of what makes Peterborough’s people and organizations so special,” Michael Skinner says.
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“Whether The Venue’s events have celebrated shared loves of music, business, food or supporting a cause, people and community have always been our greatest passion,” he adds. “The level of detail and care Kevin and April have for executing events will create a seamless transition for our current and recurring clients.”
The Skinners say the new owners will be keeping The Venue name and are preparing to reopen the space on September 1st, depending on pandemic restrictions. The Sendels, who have more than a decade of experience hosting events with a team of over 30 employees, will also continue to operate Personal Touch Catering and Banquet Hall independently of The Venue.
“The Venue is an incredible facility and such an important contributor to our downtown,” Kevin and April Sendel say.
The Venue is located at 286 George Street North in downtown Peterborough. (Photo: REALTOR.ca)
“Our team looks forward to embarking on this new chapter of growth and opportunity,” the Sendels add. “We would like to thank The Venue team for assisting us through this ownership transition. We look forward to meeting the many clients of The Venue in the coming months.”
The Skinners put The Venue, a multifunctional event space located at 286 George Street North, up for sale in January 2021.
Originally listed for $2,450,000, the price was dropped to $2,399,000. The Skinners did not reveal the final selling price in the media release.
Michael Skinner purchased the building, previously The Vibe nightclub, in 2006 and opened it in 2010 after a $1-million renovation. It was subsequently operated by Catia Skinner, CEO of Kawartha Entertainment Group Inc.
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The 14,000-square-foot building — which features a lobby wine bar, main hall, and balcony lounge — has a capacity for 900 guests for a cocktail party or for 400 seated guests. Since opening, The Venue has hosted concerts, conferences, trade shows, weddings, and special events.
In February, Michael Skinner told kawarthaNOW that, while the decision to list The Venue for sale was “not directly COVID related”, the pandemic’s adverse effects on business was a factor.
“Most of the events we run there are networking social events,” he said at the time, noting he was forced to lay off 53 employees when the pandemic hit last March, keeping three on who were then laid off last November.
To inquire about hosting an event at The Venue, contact Kevin and April Sendel at 705-876-0008.
Quinn Vandermey performs on the piano to a temporarily seatless main theatre at Showplace Performance Centre in downtown Peterborough. New state-of-the-art seats will be installed in the Erica Cherney Theatre by October 2021, with the venue planning to welcome audiences into those new seats in November. Supporters of the non-profit organization can help cover the $410,000 cost of the project by purchasing naming rights for the seats. (Photo: Paul Rellinger / kawarthaNOW)
While there are a number of reasons anchoring Showplace Performance Centre general manager Emily Martin’s excitement to welcome audiences back to the downtown Peterborough venue, they all take a back seat to what has her really pumped.
Come late October, the now strangely barren main theatre — the 640 old seats have been removed — will be home to new state-of-the-art seating, a refurbishment that’s long overdue and been a few years in the planning for the non-profit charitable organization.
Under the banner Take A Seat For Act II, a push is on to help cover the new seats’ cost by providing the opportunity for anyone to name a seat — in one’s own name, the name of a loved one, an organization’s name, or even a pet’s name — for a $1,000 donation.
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All donations are tax deductible with a charitable receipt issued and can be paid in full at once or via a multi-payment pledge. Seat naming rights, and more related information, can be obtained by phoning 705-742-7469 or by going online to Showplace’s recently redesigned website at www.showplace.org.
The replacement of the seats, estimated to cost about $300,000 (with another $110,000 to replace the floor and for painting, lighting, and electrical), is part of a larger capital projects fundraiser with a $2 million goal that has Showplace board chair Pat Hooper and longtime Beth McMaster serving as co-campaign champions, and actress Linda Kash and actress/filmmaker Megan Murphy contributing as co-campaign ambassadors.
On Tuesday (July 13), Martin provided kawarthaNOW with an exclusive glimpse of the main theatre minus the 640 seats that have taken up that space since Showplace opened its doors in October 1996. The seats originally installed were already well used at that time, having come to the venue from the Annapolis Naval Academy in Maryland.
Emily Martin, general manager of Showplace Performance Centre, enjoys one of the new seats to be installed in the venue’s Erica Cherney Theatre by October 2021. Supporters of the non-profit organization can help cover the $410,000 cost of the project by purchasing naming rights for the seats. (Photo: Paul Rellinger / kawarthaNOW)
In true full-circle fashion, Lett Architects, which was involved in Showplace’s design and construction, is involved once again with this project.
“Bill Lett worked on the original Showplace as a co-op student,” Martin points out.
“It was so weird at first when the seats were gone,” she adds, referring to the now-seatless Erica Cherney Theatre. “You walk out on Friday night and come back Monday morning and go ‘Oh yeah, this is empty now.’ I’ve gotten used to it now.”
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The new seats, made by Montreal-based Ducharme Seating, are “spectacular” according to Martin, noting one of the new seats is in the venue’s lobby window so passersby can take a look.
“They’re fresh and new, they’re really comfortable, and there are cup holders too,” says Martin. “We did focus groups with users of the space and sponsors before we undertook any of this work. Cup holders were the number one thing we kept hearing.”
“There’s also going to be more accessible seating because some of the seats can actually be removed, so we’ll have accessible options we didn’t have before,” she adds. “In addition, some end-row seats will have swing-away panels for easier access, for someone with a walker to just slide in to their seat.”
In preparation for the installation of new seats in Showplace Performance Centre’s Erica Cherney Theatre, the floor has been completely redone and new sconces are being installed around the perimeter of the balcony. Supporters of the non-profit organization can help cover the $410,000 cost of the project by purchasing naming rights for the seats. (Photo: Paul Rellinger / kawarthaNOW)
Also in the main theatre, the floor has been completely redone and new sconces are being installed around the perimeter of the balcony.
“There are lights there but we never had them on because half of them didn’t work, so with the new sconces the balcony can by lit up like it used to be,” Martin says, referring to when the building housed a movie theatre.
Martin promises those returning to the venue post-pandemic will notice a “shocking” change.
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With the new seats, Martin says Showplace’s capacity “will go down a little bit” due to building code requirements, adding the other biggest change people will notice is more space between the front row and the stage.
“Right now we’re scheduled to have the new seats put in come mid October. It’s like eight or nine days to get the entire theatre done.”
What happened to the old seats?
Showplace donated some of the old seats to the Peterborough Theatre Guild and some to the Peterborough Petes. Seats that were in very bad shape were disposed of, including seats that were attached to each other and couldn’t be separated for reuse.
After the new seats are installed, and barring any unexpected pandemic developments, Martin expects Showplace will be able to once again welcome audiences back into the theatre in late fall.
“We’re still three to six months away from being able to fully re-open large venues to the way they were,” Martin explains. “The analogy I use is that large venues are like cruise ships. You can’t turn a cruise ship on a dime. It’s very similar here. You can’t just turn a switch on and you have a full audience. There are still too many unknowns.”
“It’s great to say, in theory, you can have 50 per cent capacity — that’s 300 people — but you have to have a plan for that, and staffing. That said, our goal now is November (for the staging of shows) in some capacity.”
One of the new seats for Showplace Performance Centre’s Erica Cherney Theatre, made by Montreal-based Ducharme Seating, is displayed in the venue’s lobby window so passersby can take a look. Supporters of the non-profit organization can help cover the $410,000 cost of the project by purchasing naming rights for the seats. (Photo: Paul Rellinger / kawarthaNOW)
While Martin says some people have questioned why Showplace would undertake a seat replacement project during the pandemic, she points out the non-profit organization had already planned before the pandemic to undertake the project at this time.
While not being able to host any shows so far in 2021 has created financial challenges for the venue, in a way it has been beneficial for the seat replacement project.
“This kind of renovation takes four to six months to complete,” she says. “We started in April with the removal of the old seats. We didn’t want to come out of COVID and say ‘Oh, thanks for coming back but we’re going to shut down for four to six months to put in the new seats.’ It all worked out.”
To purchase a seat, or to make a donation to Showplace, call the box office at 705-742-7469 or visit www.showplace.org.
This story has been updated with information about what happened to the old seats.
Here’s an update on COVID-19 cases in Ontario as well as in the greater Kawarthas region.
Today, Ontario is reporting 146 new COVID-19 cases, with 5 of Ontario’s 34 health units reporting double-digit increases — Toronto (43), Waterloo (36), Peel (13), Hamilton (11), and Middlesex-London (10) — and 17 health units reporting no new cases at all. The seven-day average of daily cases has decreased by 3 to 170.
Hospitalizations have increased by 32 from yesterday to 173, but part of this increase may be due to underreporting on the weekend as 10% of hospitals did not submit data for the daily bed census. The number of ICU patients has fallen by 12 to 192 and the number of patients on ventilators remains unchanged from yesterday at 123.
Ontario is reporting 7 new COVID-related deaths today, including 2 in long-term care homes.
Almost 17.3 million vaccine doses have been administered, an increase of 176,834 from yesterday, with almost 93% of Ontario’s total population now having received at least one dose. More than 7.1 million people have been fully vaccinated, an increase of 157,734 from yesterday, representing over 48% of Ontario’s total population.
COVID-19 cases in Ontario from June 12 – July 12, 2021. The red line is the number of new cases reported daily, and the dotted green line is a five-day rolling average of new cases. (Graphic: kawarthaNOW.com)COVID-19 hospitalizations and ICU admissions in Ontario from June 12 – July 12, 2021. The red line is the daily number of COVID-19 hospitalizations, the dotted green line is a five-day rolling average of hospitalizations, and the purple line is the daily number of patients with COVID-19 in ICUs. (Graphic: kawarthaNOW.com)COVID-19 vaccinations in Ontario from June 12 – July 12, 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 2 new cases to report, including 1 in Peterborough and 1 in Kawartha Lakes. There are no new cases in Northumberland, Haliburton, or Hastings Prince Edward.
An additional 8 cases in the region have been resolved, including 6 in Peterborough and 2 in Kawartha Lakes.
Regional active cases have decreased by 5 in Peterborough, have increased by 1 in Kawartha Lakes, and remain unchanged in Hastings Prince Edward.
There are currently 47 active cases in the greater Kawarthas region, a decrease of 4 since yesterday, including 22 in Peterborough, 21 in Kawartha Lakes, and 4 in Hastings Prince Edward (1 in Tyendinaga & Deseronto and 3 in North Hastings). There are no active cases in Northumberland or Haliburton.
Since the pandemic began in the greater Kawarthas region, there have been 1,623 confirmed positive cases in the Peterborough area (1,579 resolved with 22 deaths), 1,135 in the City of Kawartha Lakes (1,069 resolved with 58 deaths), 946 in Northumberland County (929 resolved with 17 deaths), 122 in Haliburton County (121 resolved with 1 death), and 1,135 in Hastings and Prince Edward counties (1,120 resolved with 11 deaths). The most recent two deaths were reported in Peterborough and Kawartha Lakes on June 29.
Tragically Dipped Donuts is a fresh take on old school coffee and donuts. Owner Mike Frampton is set to open his retail store at 386 Water Street in downtown Peterborough late this summer or early fall. (Photo: Tragically Dipped Donuts)
This month, food writer Eva Fisher checks in at Tragically Dipped Donuts, set to open later this summer. She finds an efficient way to buy directly from farmers at Millbrook/Cavan REKO, grabs a sip at Dodrio Bubble Tea, and takes a tour of the delicious new menu items available at the Publican House.
Tragically Dipped Donuts set to bring old school coffee and donuts downtown
While he readies Tragically Dipped Donuts’ Water Street location in downtown Peterborough, owner Mike Frampton continues to perfect his donut recipes. (Photo: Tragically Dipped Donuts)
The independent donut shop has become a rarity in Ontario, but Mike Frampton is looking to bring it back to Peterborough with his new business, Tragically Dipped Donuts.
Mike describes Tragically Dipped as “a new-school take on old-school coffee and donuts.” He is currently renovating the space at 386 Water Street with plans to open in late summer or early fall. “We have lots of work ahead of us before we’re ready to open.”
Mike has also been honing his donut recipes, with cinnamon twist, jelly-filled, and gluten-friendly crullers rating highest among his lucky testers.
You can follow Tragically Dipped Donuts on Instagram at @tragicallydipped to keep up to date on their progress.
You can also support them on Patreon at patreon.com/TragicallyDipped where you can get behind the scenes perks like early access to donut preorders.
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Millbrook/Cavan REKO brings farmers and customers together
The Millbrook/Cavan REKO allows farmers to sell directly to customers without any commissions or booth fees. Customers place their orders on Facebook and then pick them up from producers every Thursday at the 1 Dufferin Street parking lot in Millbrook. (Photo: JoEllen Brydon)
If you’re looking to support local farmers directly, the Millbrook/Cavan REKO makes it easy and efficient to do so.
According to REKO Canada, REKO is a Swedish acronym for “rejäl konsumtion”, which translates as “fair consumption”.
Invented by Finnish farmer Thomas Snellman, who was looking for a better outlet than grocery stores for his produce, REKO is a model of trade where customers order directly from farmers and producers, with 100 per cent of proceeds going to the farmer or producer — no booth fees like with farmers’ markets, and no intermediaries.
You can purchase microgreens directly from Littleleaf Farms at the Millbrook/Cavan REKO. (Photo: Littleleaf Farms)
Larissa Nicholson of Littleleaf Farms is the volunteer administrator for the Millbrook/Cavan REKO. She says that restaurant closures during the pandemic had a huge impact on many local producers and, after participating in the Cobourg REKO, she decided that the timing was right to bring the concept closer to home.
So how does it work? Customers place their orders directly with producers participating in the Millbrook/Cavan REKO Facebook group. Farmers will post each week with in-season fruit and vegetables, meat, preserves, and more.
Order pickup takes place Thursday evenings from 5 to 6 p.m. at the 1 Dufferin Street parking lot in Millbrook. Because the orders have already been placed and prepared in advance, pickup is quick and efficient.
Mother-daughter team Beauty Through Taste sells a variety of pickles, pepper jellies, and preserves through the Millbrook/Cavan REKO. (Photo: Beauty Through Taste)
Larissa says that the advantages of this model to farmers are numerous.
“When more consumers buy directly from the producers it will be more profitable to produce food on smaller farms,” she explains. “All orders are pre-ordered through the Millbrook/Cavan Reko Facebook group so the farmers and producers know exactly what has sold. There is no cost to join REKO and pick up is done once a week during a one-hour duration. It’s simple, quick, and efficient and effective.”
Sweet and satisfying: Dodrio Bubble Tea offers summer refreshment
Dodrio Bubble Tea’s newest creation is a roasted black sugar milk tea. As well as refreshing beverages, Dodrio also offers snacks from across Asia. (Photo: Dodrio Bubble Tea)
Looking for a splash of refreshment in downtown Peterborough? Dodrio Bubble Tea (404 George St. N., Peterborough, 705-748-3636) offers a variety of bubble teas, smoothies and slushies, as well as a variety of Asian treats, from their George Street shop.
Owner and operator Josh Johnston says that their traditional bubble tea is the most popular menu item.
“In our experience the traditional tapioca bubbles are always the favorite craving. We stay flexible, and include them in anything from a classic black milk tea to a fruity mango slushie. Some other favourites are our purple taro milk tea and richly flavoured Japanese Matcha.”
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Dodrio Bubble Tea owner and operator Josh Johnston, pictured here at a pre-pandemic Taste of Downtown in downtown Peterborough, serves a variety of beverages and snacks from the George Street shop. (Photo: Dodrio Bubble Tea)
Dodrio’s newest creation is a roasted black sugar milk tea, which can be served with your choice of tapioca, chewy jellies, or boba.
If you’re hungry and want to try something different, Dodrio also offers snacks from across Asia.
They recently brought in six different flavours of Oreo cookies from China, and four flavours of ice cream mochi from Japan. There are spicy ramen and hot sauces from Korea, cakes and pastries from a Chinese bakery, and much more.
Like many of us, Josh is looking forward to the return of indoor dining this Friday (July 16), when Ontario enters step three of its reopening plan.
“We are really excited to start welcoming our amazing customers back in to enjoy everything in our relaxing lounges,” he says.
For more information, follow Dodrio Bubble Tea on Facebook and Instagram.
An insider’s guide to the Publican House’s new summer menu
The Publican House’s new summer menu includes a falafel topped with house pickled turnip, garlic sauce, and a tomato-cucumber salsa. (Photo: The Publican House)
The Publican House (294 Charlotte St, Peterborough, 705-874-5743) is entering peak patio season with a new menu.
Owner Brad Watt took kawarthaNOW through some of the highlights of the menu, which features local producers prominently.
As an appetizer, Brad suggests the Cuban spring rolls.
“We’re quite proud of those. It’s just something different — a twist. We’ve put all of the ingredients of a Cuban sandwich into a spring roll.”
He also recommends the soul spice calamari.
“Soul Spice is a local company based in The Avenues. It’s made a couple blocks away.”
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As an entree, Brad suggests the falafel. It’s made with soaked chickpeas, herbs and garlic, producing a patty that is crispy on the outside and moist, not too dry, on the inside. It’s topped with house pickled turnip, garlic sauce, and a tomato-cucumber salsa.
Brad also recommends the local mushroom pizza, made with Kendal Hills Farm wild mushrooms on a garlic butter base and topped with goat cheese, parmesan and fresh herbs.
Still hungry? The dessert menu features an ice cream sandwich.
“It’s a classic,” Brad explains. “A brown butter chocolate chip cookie with Central Smith vanilla ice cream. It’s delicious.”
The Publican House’s new soul spice calamari is dusted with a spice blend made locally in The Avenues. (Photo: The Publican House)
While indoor dining will be opening this Friday (July 16), the Publican House patio is always a great place to be.
“The patio’s just lively,” Brad says. “There’s a fun atmosphere here. Open air, it’s quite a large patio, and it’s been really busy.”
For more information about The Publican House, visit publicanhouse.com.
Environment Canada has issued a severe thunderstorm watch for all of the greater Kawartha region, with conditions favourable for the development of severe thunderstorms for Tuesday afternoon (July 13) and into the evening.
The severe thunderstorm watch is in effect for all of Peterborough County, the City of Kawartha Lakes, Northumberland County, and Hastings County.
These thunderstorms will be capable of producing strong wind gusts up to 100 km/h, large hail up to 2 cm in diameter, and heavy rainfall of 50 mm within an hour.
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Large hail can damage property and cause injury. Strong wind gusts can toss loose objects, damage weak buildings, break branches off trees, and overturn large vehicles.
Heavy downpours can cause flash floods and water pooling on roads.
Lightning kills and injures Canadians every year. Remember, when thunder roars, go indoors!
Environment Canada issues severe thunderstorm watches when atmospheric conditions are favourable for the development of thunderstorms that could produce one or more of the following: large hail, damaging winds, torrential rainfall.
Ron Armstrong of Woodville received his second dose of COVID-19 vaccine at the drive-through vaccination clinic at the Lindsay Exhibition on July 13, 2021, the 50,000th dose administered at the clinic since it opened in March. Carol Henley, a registered nurse at Ross Memorial Hospital, administered the vaccine. (Photo courtesy of Ross Memorial Hospital)
Ross Memorial Hospital in Lindsay, which operates the drive-through COVID-19 vaccination clinic at the Lindsay Exhibition Fairgrounds, marked its 50,000th vaccine dose on Tuesday (July 13).
Ron Armstrong of Woodville, who attended the clinic with his wife Christina, received the 50,000th dose — administered by Carol Henley, a registered nurse from Ross Memorial Hospital.
Both Ron and Christina are two of the 17 million Canadians who have been fully vaccinated to date.
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“We’re here for safety reasons, obviously,” Armstrong said. “We wanted to do our part as Canadian citizens to bring an end to this pandemic. And the drive-through clinic here is well executed. I was impressed.”
Ross Memorial Hospital is encouraging anyone who has an second-dose appointment booked at the drive-through clinic for later than July 31 to get their vaccination sooner, as there are thousands of available appointments in July. You are eligible to receive your second dose if 28 days have passed since you received your first dose of Pfizer or Moderna, or if 56 days have passed since you received your first dose of AstraZeneca.
To rebook an appointment, visit the provincial booking system at ontario.ca/bookvaccine or call 1-833-943-3900.
Anyone 12 and older looking to receive their first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine can visit the Lindsay Exhibition Fairgrounds clinic between 8 a.m. and 2 p.m. Monday through Friday. No appointment is needed.
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This week, Ross Memorial Hospital is also hosting the following walk-in clinics, with no appointment needed, throughout the City of Kawartha Lakes:
Bolsover Community Centre (12 Bolsover Rd., Bolsover) on Wednesday, July 14 from 9 to 11 a.m.
Norland Recreation Centre (7675 Highway 35 N., Norland) on Wednesday, July 14 from 1 to 3 p.m.
Kinmount Community Centre (4995 Monck Rd., Kinmount) on Thursday, July 15 from 9 to 11 a.m.
Baddow Community Centre (60 Somerville 3rd Concession, Coboconk) on Thursday, July 15 from 1 to 3 p.m.
Manvers Community Centre (697 Highway 7, Bethany) on Friday, July 16 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.
The clinics, which are open to individuals 12 and older, are intended for local and seasonal residents, with priority given to those needed their first dose of vaccine. Youth aged 12 to 17 will receive Pfizer and adults will receive Moderna.
No appointment is needed for these clinics, but you will need to bring your Ontario health card.
Additional vaccination clinics will be scheduled at each location in August.
Married couple Shannon Mak and Roland Hosier own sister restaurants Le Petit Bar and St Veronus Cafe and Taproom. The entrepreneur couple has worked tirelessly throughout the past 15 months to see their businesses survive the pandemic. (Photo: St Veronus / Facebook)
The pandemic has prompted tremendous change for many small businesses. In the COVID era, to adapt is to survive, especially for the restaurants forced to close to indoor dining for months at a time during various lockdowns.
Married couple Roland Hosier and Shannon Mak — owners of St Veronus Cafe and Taproom and Le Petit Bar in downtown Peterborough — say surviving the past 15 months meant reinventing their businesses.
Sister businesses, St Veronus and Le Petit Bar are located together on the corner of Hunter and Water streets in downtown Peterborough. The first significant pandemic pivot for both restaurants was takeout, something neither restaurant offered before the pandemic.
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“It can be different for other restaurants, but for businesses like ours, the shift to takeout was like reinventing our restaurants,” Shannon says about Le Petit Bar, which opened in 2012 as a Paris-style wine, cheese, and charcuterie bar. “We actively did not do takeout.”
During the first COVID lockdown, Shannon and Roland overhauled the Le Petit Bar menu to start offering takeout. The menu now includes dinner items as opposed to just bar snacks and charcuterie.
While takeout has helped both St Veronus and Le Petit Bar keep their lights on during the pandemic, sales do not compare to what they were when in-person dining was allowed. Roland and Shannon note that since costs like rent have not also dropped, they’ve experienced a significant financial shortfall during the pandemic.
Previously only open for sit-down dining, both St Veronus and Le Petit bar began a takeout program during the pandemic. This ‘Burger Pierrot’ is an example of the Belgian-inspired food currently available for outdoor dining and takeout at St Veronus. (Photo: St Veronus / Facebook)
“(Switching to takeout) has been very challenging,” says Roland. “It leaves you, in my experience, with about 15 to 20 per cent of what your sales normally are.”
As the pandemic continued, Le Petit Bar continued to evolve. The government started permitting businesses to sell alcohol off-license, so Roland and Shannon changed the inside of Le Petit Bar into a bottle shop and marketplace.
Le Petit Bar Marché and Bottleshop sells Le Petit Bar wine and St Veronus’s beers, as well as a small selection of snack foods like cheese and charcuterie. Legally, to buy beer or wine from the marché, you must also purchase a food item.
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“We created a new business,” Shannon explains. “At Le Petit Bar, over the past 15 months of developing the shop, the list of wines has grown. There’s a super neat list of different natural, organic, and bio-dynamic producers. We sell stuff you won’t find anywhere else in the city and not at the LCBO.”
The marché is open for in-person shopping with limited capacity and also has an online shop.
“We sell beer that you won’t find anywhere else in the city and some even in the province or the country,” Roland remarks.
The Le Petit Bar Marché and Bottleshop offers organic, biodynamic, and natural wine, as well as Belgian beer, cheese, charcuterie, and other gourmet goods to go. The marché also has an online shop. (Photo: Le Petit Bar / Facebook)
Le Petit Bar’s sister business St Veronus is a Belgian café and taproom that has been operating in downtown Peterborough since 2002. In addition to their Belgian beers, their menu is also Belgian inspired.
Both St Veronus and Le Petit Bar have also offered collaborative takeout packages at points throughout the pandemic. Shannon and Roland put together four-course takeout packages for special events and long weekends — an offering they say was successful.
Another popular offering was an online wine tasting event with a paired dinner.
“The online dinner and tasting were successful,” Roland notes. “Hopefully, we do not have to do stuff online in the future, but now we know we can.”
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During step two of Ontario’s reopening plan, Roland and Shannon have continued to reinvent their restaurants by offering outdoor dining on patios created as a response to pandemic restrictions.
Roland credits their landlord, Ashburnham Realty, for helping to create a beautiful back patio for St Veronus — one shared with fellow tenants The Food Forest and Providence.
“They have poured a concrete pad out back in the courtyard,” Roland notes. “We’re now able to have a nice patio back there this year, so we’re really grateful for them.”
The St Veronus back patio beer garden is located in the Bankers Commons courtyard, which has an entrance on Water Street. The patio is tented in order to operate during rain. Reservations are recommended, and tables are held for 10 minutes. (Photo: St Veronus / Facebook)
“We’ve received a lot of comments about that patio saying it feels like a hidden gem,” he continues. “We’ve got exactly the same tables and benches you’d find at a German beer garden or an Austrian beer garden. We get comments saying that it feels quite European.”
The Le Petit Bar patio is petit with a pleasant atmosphere, just like the bar.
The Petit Bar patio is located in front of St Veronus and Le Petit Bar. Dinner is served from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m., and drinks are served on the patio starting at 2 p.m. Reservations are recommended. Le Petit Bar patio and shop hours are weather dependent. (Photo: Le Petit Bar / Facebook)
“Le Petit Bar’s patio is in the parking lane in front of Le Petit Bar and some of St Veronus,” Shannon explains. “It is small. Unfortunately, the way the city allotted space this year, we have about half the amount of space this year that we got last year. We have four tables, though, and that’s great.”
You can order the same dinner items found on their new takeout menu at the Le Petit Bar patio. However, the inside of the restaurant will remain the marché, even after the province moves into step three of the reopening plan that permits unlimited indoor dining.
“Until the fall, when we have a minute to think about what the next phase of that business is, we’re not sure when or if we’ll have people inside that building,” explains Shannon.
Shannon and Roland ask their customers to be understanding as they continue to adapt to the current and upcoming stages of the pandemic.
“We want everyone to know that it’s our business to create an experience for you and for you to have a nice time,” says Shannon.
“We’re confident that we’re operating in a manner that’s as safe as possible for our staff and the general public,” Roland adds. “We would ask people if we can’t accommodate them or if things are not ‘normal’ that they are patient. We have to be very diligent about all the things we do to comply with the public health directives.”
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As for community support, Shannon and Roland say they have felt it and are grateful for it.
“We’ve felt a ton of support,” says Shannon. “We’re fortunate. We have a lot of regulars that would come every week for takeout. They kept it afloat, for sure.”
Shannon asks that the community continues showing up for local businesses even as things continue to reopen.
“I think the hard part is still to come,” Shannon remarks. “I think the challenging part is going to be when we’re focused on recovery without the generous government subsidies we’ve been receiving.”
“If you want these places to be here at this time next year, we ask that you keep showing up for them and think about your local business before you think about a chain or a big-box store.”
The Le Petit Bar Marché and Bottleshop was developed with sister restaurant St Veronus during the pandemic when indoor dining was prohibited but the government began permitting restaurants to sell alcohol off-license. In order to buy wine or beer from the marché, you must also buy a food item. (Photo: Le Petit Bar / Facebook)
St Veronus Cafe and Taproom is located at 129 Hunter Street West in Peterborough. They are open Tuesday through Saturday from 12 a.m. to 10 p.m. To make a reservation on their beer garden patio or place a takeout order, you can call 705-743-5714.
Le Petit Bar is located at 399 Water Street in Peterborough. You can shop in the marché and have drinks on the patio from 2 p.m. to 10 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday. Dinner is served on the patio from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. You can call 705-775-7384 to make an outdoor dining reservation or to place an order for takeout.
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