As more and more people retire and join clubs and groups with people who share the same interests, they also discover they want and have the time to travel with like-minded friends. DeNureTours of Lindsay can plan and design a customized tour tailored to the needs of your specific group. (Supplied photo)
Who wouldn’t want to travel with a group of like-minded people? It’s an opportunity to make a social connection and share the excitement of discovering a new destination or a new culture with people you share common interests with.
A rising travel trend, customized tours are planned and designed with the thoughts and needs of a specific group in mind. It ensures a group will get an exclusive, unique experience while participating in the planning stages.
“We have discovered that people are retiring, joining community groups like PROBUS clubs, book clubs, quilting groups, et cetera, and realizing that they want and have time to travel with like-minded friends,” says Mandy Morrison, Groups Travel Specialist with DeNureTours of Lindsay.
This is where DeNureTours steps in. The Groups Department at DeNureTours was established after realizing there was a need for people who wanted to travel with their clubs on unique tours, and who had specific itinerary requests.
Since 2005, DeNureTours has been creating custom group tours — for as few as eight people to as many as 56 — with itineraries wholly tailored to special interest parties, tour leaders, church groups, schools, and groups of family and friends.
Since 2005, DeNureTours has been creating custom group tours with itineraries wholly tailored to special interest parties, tour leaders, church groups, schools, and groups of family and friends. Pictured is a group of students from St. Paul Catholic Secondary School touring the Capilano Suspension Bridge Park in Vancouver, B.C. (Supplied photo)
“We work with a lot of groups — many who are loyal, repeat customers — who want everything customized,” Morrison says, noting the company has had requests from guests who have wanted to do everything from hiking in Newfoundland and seeing whales in Saguenay, to participating in music festivals and visiting charming villages and sights of the Eastern Townships in Quebec — including a literary tour inspired by author Louise Penny.
“If a group leader comes to us and asks for something that is unique and special for their group, we work together with them on what the group wants to do within their budget, the theme of the trip, and if they want an upscale tour or a budget-friendly tour.”
The DeNureTours team fully immerses themselves into a tour and takes pride in researching all aspects of an itinerary.
“When the request came in to customize a Louise Penny Tour, we started reading her novels to understand how her fans think and to discover ideas that we could include that would bring Ms. Penny’s work to life,” Morrison explains.
DeNureTours has designed custom tours for groups that have wanted to do everything from hiking in Newfoundland and seeing whales in Saguenay, to participating in a music festivals and visiting charming villages and sights of the Eastern Townships in Quebec. (Supplied photo)
She notes that, for the past nine years, DeNureTours has worked with multiple school boards in the Peterborough and Kawarthas region on a range of tours for elementary and high school students, and has taken students to destinations throughout Canada, the US, and Europe.
“We do plenty of research around the school’s curriculum to make sure the tour is relevant and fun,” Morrison points out. “I think what makes us popular with the schools is that we really work with a select few who have gotten to know us, and we pay attention to the details.”
A student group on a custom tour to Washington, D.C. For school trips, DeNureTours pays attention to the details, including reviewing the school’s curriculum to ensure the tour is both relevant and fun. (Supplied photo)
Testimonials
“I have said this to many people, that my biggest regret about DeNure is that I didn’t find them years ago for all our other band trips. The planning and attention to detail makes for a stress free trip for me.” – St. Peter Catholic Secondary School
“The tour was a success due to your professional support through the planning and execution of their visit. The result of your hard work has given the delegation an amazing Canadian experience they will not forget” – Co-Chairs of the Canada Korea Inter-parliamentary Friendship Group
Morrison provides an example of this attention to detail from a past tour.
“We found a prestigious music school in Paris, who paired up with one of the local schools with the idea that each school would perform individually, as well as learn one song that both schools would perform together. When the two bands came together as one, the performance was magical.”
When planning a trip, every detail is important to DeNureTours as it is for your group. You can travel hassle-free knowing that a DeNureTours representative has taken care of the initial logistics and scheduling, and are on-hand to ensure that everything runs to plan — leaving your group to rest easy as you travel.
With 60 years of tour planning under their belt, DeNureTours seeks out unique tourism experiences in destinations throughout Britain, Europe, and North America.
“We’ve got a great reputation and we really try to exceed people’s expectations,” says Morrison.
Customize your group tour, your way
Easy, effortless and memorable is how all experiences of coordinating a group tour should be, states DeNure’s website. Here are few steps to get you planning.
Choose your experience
Choose from one of DeNureTours’ tour itineraries or create something unique that is customized to your group’s needs. Select a date that works for you, and leave the small details of organizing a trip to DeNureTours while you retain full control of the itinerary details.
Whatever your interests are (from hobbies to hiking) or your trip duration is (one day or a week), DeNureTours can work with you to plan the best trip possible within your group budget.
With 60 years of tour planning under their belt, DeNureTours seeks out unique tourism experiences in destinations throughout Britain, Europe, and North America. Your group can travel hassle-free knowing that a DeNureTours representative has taken care of the initial logistics and scheduling, and are on-hand to ensure that everything runs to plan. (Supplied photo)
Recruit travellers
DeNureTours will help set you up for success by creating your flyers, itineraries, and any other promotional materials to advertise your tour.
A DeNureTours representative can even meet with your group for a presentation.
Have an exclusive, intimate experience
Once your group is on tour, an expert DeNureTours tour director and experienced driver will take care of all the details, which means your only responsibility is to sit back, enjoy the adventure, and make memories.
Interested in designing your own group itinerary? You have so many possibilities when it comes to custom travel planning — whether you want to include excursions into an existing tour or dream up an entirely new itinerary.
DeNureTours also offers negotiated group rates in all the destinations where they operate.
DeNureTours Ltd. is located at 71 Mount Hope Street in Lindsay. For more information, call toll-free 1-866-967-9909, email info@denuretours.com, or visit denuretours.com. You can also follow DeNureTours on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
This story was created in partnership with DeNureTours.
Kawartha Montessori School (KMS) is an independent not-for-profit school, located at 2247 Burnham Line, a short drive from downtown Peterborough. Established in 1982, KMS is different from a traditional school, as it is fully committed to the Montessori Method, a scientifically proven educational philosophy founded in the early 20th century by Maria Montessori. (Supplied photo)
A young girl sits next to a mat on the floor, focused intently on a complex math question using Montessori materials to complete her answer. At a table, a small group of boys practice cursive handwriting while talking quietly. Across the room, a teacher works one-on-one with a student. There’s a quiet “hum” of activity as the children move freely throughout the Lower Elementary classroom.
This calm, well-ordered environment is a glimpse into the world of Kawartha Montessori School (KMS).
The independent not-for-profit school, located at 2247 Burnham Line, a short drive from downtown Peterborough, looks different from a traditional school.
The school’s non-traditional classrooms are well prepared for learning. Open spaces and circular tables promote independence and student collaboration. The furniture is carefully and thoughtfully arranged, creating a comfortable learning atmosphere. There are no blackboards onsite, and no computers in the Casa and Lower Elementary (up to Grade 3) classrooms.
Students in Upper Elementary and Middle School (Grades 4 to 8) use computers moderately for research, but respect the school’s culture — which is absent of phones, tablets and other personal screens. Each classroom has a door that opens to the school’s 10-acre property.
In the classrooms at Kawartha Montessori School, objects that might seem arbitrary serve a specific purpose and are central to the curriculum. The founder of the Montessori educational method, Maria Montessori spent years designing and perfecting the materials that are now requirements of an authentic Montessori classroom. These experiential materials are the first part of any lesson: teaching a student a particular concept. For example, blocks of different shapes and sizes can be used during a geometry lesson. (Supplied photo)
Unlike a conventional classroom curriculum that focuses on children all learning the same thing in the same way and at the same time, the Montessori curriculum emphasizes learning as an individualized process — not determined by a child’s age, but rather by exactly where they are academically and socially. This approach provides each child with an opportunity to excel at their own pace.
This is why it’s not uncommon to see multi-age groups in authentic Montessori classrooms at KMS, where the children are encouraged to interact and learn from one another. Older kids often help younger ones learn new skills.
Montessori environments are purposefully designed to foster concentration, collaboration, imagination, and community, explains Ugette Vanderpost, the school’s principal for the past 14 years.
“The small class sizes, along with group and one-on-one lessons, foster a child’s learning development in our indoor and outdoor classroom spaces. It’s all been created intentionally.”
The Montessori education at KMS is offered at the Casa (Pre-school, Junior Kindergarten and Senior Kindergarten), Elementary (Grades 1 to 6), and Middle School (Grades 7 and 8) levels, with each classroom having multiple highly trained, educated, and experienced teachers.
Each level is grounded in the guiding principles of order, respect, responsibility, and freedom within limits.
Students of Kawartha Montessori School during a camping trip. In the Montessori educational philosophy, the outdoor classroom is just as important as the indoor prepared environment. Research shows outdoor learning and outdoor free play is important during a child’s education. (Supplied photo)
The goal of a Montessori education is to encourage a child’s desire to be independent and to develop their confidence socially and emotionally while learning at their own pace. Lessons are taught individually or in small groups where the teachers — called “guides” — can assess the individual needs of a student continuously.
Various materials adorn the classroom shelves. Objects that might seem arbitrary serve a specific purpose and are central to the curriculum.
The founder of the Montessori educational method, Maria Montessori spent years designing and perfecting the materials that are now requirements of an authentic Montessori classroom. These experiential materials are the first part of any lesson: teaching a student a particular concept. For example, blocks of different shapes and sizes can be used during a geometry lesson.
“There is meaning behind everything in the classroom,” explains Kristi MacMillan, Director of Admissions and Communication at Kawartha Montessori School. “Montessori educates the whole child, including emotional, physical, and intellectual well-being. At KMS we are committed to Montessori — fully. We believe with an authentic Montessori education we are preparing students to be capable, compassionate citizens in the world.”
Learning strategies are also a key aspect of the curriculum at KMS. Guides teach organization, time management, goal setting, and good work habits. There is also a strong focus on fostering multisensory learning and curiosity. These are important components of self-directed learning.
Montessori views class time as an opportunity for students to pursue ideas and subjects that interest them for long, uninterrupted blocks of time. It’s about what the student is learning, not what the teacher is telling them, explains MacMillan.
“One of the fundamental Montessori philosophies is to follow the child. If a child loves dinosaurs, we can guide them toward lessons or materials that provide geography context for example, or we can show them how to classify dinosaurs according to a period of time. If a child is really interested in this topic, we’re going to explore that with them. It’s called structured freedom. There is a misconception about Montessori that there isn’t a set curriculum, but there absolutely is.”
Maria Montessori, founder of the Montessori Method, believed that nature plays a critical role in the education of children. Kawartha Montessori School sits on 10-acres of beautiful natural space, including a wetland, and is surrounded by trees and adjacent to the 100-acres of Mark S. Burnham Provincial Park, just a few steps away. Outside each classroom, there’s an outdoor learning environment which is part of the work cycle. Students can move freely between the outdoor space and indoor space. (Supplied photo)
Kawartha Montessori School was established in 1982. After 33 years of growing, they had an incredible opportunity to move to a campus like no other. Ten acres of beautiful natural space, including a wetland, is surrounded by trees and is adjacent to the 100 acres of the Mark S. Burnham Provincial Park, just a few steps away.
The newly renovated building is aesthetically appealing, with light-filled classrooms and contemporary designs, including a beautiful student kitchen. Inside and out, the campus creates the perfect atmosphere for curiosity and learning.
“The outdoor classroom is just as important as the indoor prepared environment,” explains MacMillan. “Maria Montessori asked, ‘Why would you ever look at something in a book when you could see it in nature?'”
“There is a lot of research showing how important outdoor learning and outdoor free play is for children,” adds Emily Root, who will be replacing Vanderpost as incoming head of school and principal in September. “Outside each classroom, there’s an outdoor learning environment which is part of the work cycle; students can move freely between the outdoor space and indoor space.”
Inside, the classrooms are airy, well-lit spaces for teaching and learning. Near the main entrance is a library and specialist room where the students are taught a range of subject areas such as music, art, and French.
At the core of the school is a large, bright, inspected kitchen where a daily cooking program teaches middle school students (Grades 7 and 8) “practical life skills,” notes Vanderpost. Each week, head chefs and their team of sous chefs plan and execute a lunch program.
“We encourage the students to think about budget, the environmental footprint, healthy food, as well as diet restrictions and allergies,” says Root.
The middle school students are also responsible for taking stock of the kitchen, picking food items up at the grocery store, and cooking nutritious meals for all students in their class — every day.
“I’ve seen them cook stir fry, roast salmon with potatoes, mac and cheese, and even lasagna from scratch,” adds Root. The kitchen is also well-used by other grades during the Casa Cooks program, and Lower Elementary class’s Pancake Day, for example.
Montessori environments are purposefully designed to foster concentration, collaboration, imagination, and community. Small class sizes, along with group and one-on-one lessons, foster a child’s learning development in the indoor and outdoor classroom spaces at Kawartha Montessori School. (Supplied photo)
Another part of the middle school curriculum is called micro-economies. It is an integrated hands-on experience that combines math, culture, social studies, and business.
This school year, students created a small café and were tasked with testing recipes, designing a menu, creating prices, and staffing a coffee counter twice a week for parents to purchase beverages and food. The money raised from the business is either put back into to further develop the business or put towards school excursions and field trips, which are designed and coordinated by the students.
One of the fundamental Montessori philosophies is to follow the child. At Kawartha Montessori School, class time as an opportunity for students to pursue ideas and subjects that interest them for long, uninterrupted blocks of time. It’s about what the student is learning, not what the teacher is telling them. This approach to the set curriculum is called “structured freedom”. (Supplied photo)
Today, the Montessori method has grown to be among the most popular forms of early childhood and adolescent education, attracting many families and inspiring many educators across the globe.
Since 1982, Kawartha Montessori School has been the only accredited Montessori school in the Peterborough region. The accreditation process is rigorous and the requirements must be met each year.
Montessori accreditation is not a membership that can be purchased, nor can practices be partial; each teacher must be trained at an accredited institute, each classroom must have the complete set of Montessori materials, work cycles must be honoured, and classes must be grouped in multi-ages.
Only schools meeting all requirements are acknowledged as providing an authentic Montessori education. Accreditation is completed every five years through the Canadian Council of Montessori Administrators (CCMA).
Kawartha Montessori School can accommodate children two-and-a-half to 14 years of age. Most of the 19 staff members, many who have been there between 15 and 30 years, have multiple degrees or diplomas and extensive lived experience, which elevates the quality of classroom education.
Staff members bring a diverse variety of skills with backgrounds in athletics, history, music, outdoor education, communication, child development, and languages, notes Vanderpost.
“Our staff members are deeply committed to this place; the school is of the highest quality because of that.”
There are about 964 Montessori schools across Canada, with 535 in Ontario alone, among some 22,000 in the world.
The Montessori educational philosophy was founded by Italian physician and educator Maria Montessori, pictured here in Rome in 1913, the same year she ran the first international training course in the Montessori Method in response to many requests from all over the world, particularly the United States. (Public domain photo)
The program follows the philosophy of founder Maria Montessori, the first female to graduate from medical school in Italy. In 1907, working in a poor part of Rome, she opened a “children’s house” and built a school program on the idea that all children learn by working independently.
This Montessori Method, now more than 100 years old, remains one of the most scientifically proven education methods and is still highly relevant today.
“We’re using the same materials that Doctor Montessori developed over 100 years ago,” explains Vanderpost. “The fundamental curriculum teaches a process of learning that remains current in today’s changing world. That in and of itself should be proof that we don’t need to augment it. The authentic part is articulated in that manner.”
If you’re interested in Kawartha Montessori School for your child, you are welcome to visit the school for a tour.
“It’s important for families to see the school for themselves to fully appreciate what we do and how committed we are to educating children,” says MacMillan, who conducts the school tours and classroom observations.
Admission into the Casa, Elementary, or Middle School programs can begin at any time during the year at Kawartha Montessori School.
The beach at the Selwyn Beach Conservation Area. (Photo: Township of Selwyn)
Every Friday during swimming season, we post The Beach Report™, our weekly report of the results of water quality testing at beaches in the Kawarthas, and update it throughout the week as conditions change.
As of July 18, 2019, the following beaches have been posted as unsafe for swimming:
Omemee Beach – City of Kawartha Lakes
Bewdley Beach – Northumberland County
Harwood Beach – Northumberland County
and the following beach has been closed:
Port Hope Beach East (closed) – Northumberland County
Here are the complete results of water quality testing at beaches in Peterborough, the City of Kawartha Lakes, Haliburton County, and Northumberland County.
In the City of Peterborough, Peterborough Public Health Inspectors sample the beaches at Rogers Cove and Beavermead every business day, and public beaches in the County of Peterborough are sampled at least once a week (except for Chandos Beach, Quarry Bay Beach, and White’s Beach which are sampled at least once in June, July, and August).
The Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit provides weekly testing results for beaches in the City of Kawartha Lakes, Haliburton County, and Northumberland County. Testing is based on the most recent test results from the provincial lab in Peterborough for water samples taken from these beaches.
During the summer, local health units sample water at area beaches and test for bacteria such as E. coli to determine if the water quality at a beach is safe for public use. Popular beaches, like the beach at Roger’s Cove in Peterborough’s East City, are tested every business day while most other beaches are tested weekly. (Photo: Bruce Head / kawarthaNOW.com)
Important note
The following test results may not reflect current water quality conditions. Water samples can take one to three days to process and heavy rainfall, high winds or wave activity, large numbers of waterfowl near a beach, or large numbers of swimmers can rapidly change water quality.
You should always check current conditions before deciding to use a beach. You should also monitor other factors that might suggest a beach is unsafe to use, such as floating debris, oil, discoloured water, bad odours, and excessive weed growth.
While we strive to update this story with the current conditions, you should confirm the most recent test results by visiting the local health unit websites at Peterborough Public Health and Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit. As noted above, the beaches at Rogers Cove and Beavermead are tested every business day so the results listed below may not be current.
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Peterborough City/County
City of Peterborough Beaches (sampled each business day)
Roger’s Cove (131 Maria St, Peterborough) – sample date July 16 – SAFE
Beavermead (2011 Ashburnham Drive, Peterborough) – sample date July 16 – SAFE
Peterborough County Beaches (sampled weekly)
Back Dam Beach (902 Rock Rd., Warsaw, Township of Douro-Dummer) – sample date July 15 – SAFE
Buckhorn (John Street, Buckhorn) – sample date July 16 – SAFE
Crowe’s Line Beach (240 Crowe’s Line Rd, Harvey) – sample date July 16 – SAFE
Curve Lake Lance Woods Park (Chemong St S, Curve Lake) – sample date July 16 – SAFE
Curve Lake Henry’s Gumming (Whetung St E, Curve Lake) – sample date July 16 – SAFE
Douro (205 Douro Second Line, Douro-Dummer) – sample date July 15 – SAFE
Ennismore (1053 Ennis Road, Ennismore) – sample date July 15 – SAFE
Hiawatha (1 Lakeshore Rd, Hiawatha) – sample date July 16 – SAFE
Jones Beach (908 Jones Beach Road, Bridgenorth) – sample date July 15 – SAFE
Lakefield Park (100 Hague Boulevard, Lakefield) – sample date July 15 – SAFE
Norwood (12 Belmont St, Norwood) – sample date July 15 – SAFE
Sandy Lake (1239 Lakehurst Road, Municipality of Trent Lakes) – sample date July 16 – SAFE
Selwyn (2251 Birch Island Road, Selwyn) – sample date July 15 – SAFE
Squirrel Creek Conservation Area (2445 Wallace Point Rd, South Monaghan) – sample date July 16 – SAFE
Warsaw Caves (289 Caves Rd, Warsaw) – sample date July 15 – SAFE
Peterborough County Beaches (sampled monthly)
Belmont Lake (376 Miles of Memories Road, Belmont) – sample date July 11 – SAFE
Chandos Beach (Hwy 620, North Kawartha) – sample date July 11 – SAFE
Kasshabog Lake (431 Peninsula Road, Methune) – sample date July 11 – SAFE
Quarry Bay (1986 Northey’s Bay Rd, Woodview) – sample date July 11 – SAFE
White’s Beach (Clearview Drive, Galway) – sample date July 4 – SAFE
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City of Kawartha Lakes
Bexley Township Area
Blanchard’s Road Beach – to come
Bobcaygeon Area
Beach Park – to come
Riverview Beach Park – to come
Eldon Township Area
Centennial Park West – to come
Emily/Omemee Area
Omemee Beach – POSTED
Fenelon Falls Area
Birch Point – to come
Bond Street – OPEN
Sturgeon Point Beach – to come
Laxton Township Area
Head Lake – to come
Norland Bathing Area – to come
Mariposa Township Area
Valentia Beach (aka Sandbar Beach) – to come
Somerville Township Area
Burnt River Beach – Somerville – to come
Burnt River Four Mile Lake – to come
Verulam Township Area
Centennial Beach – to come
Verulam Recreational Park – to come
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Haliburton County
Algonquin Highlands Area
Dorset Parkette – to come
Elvin Johnson Park (aka Stanhope Beach) – to come
Dysart et al Area
Eagle Lake Beach – OPEN
Haliburton Lake South Bay – to come
Sand Point (aka Indian Point) – to come
Pine Lake Beach – to come
Sandy Cove Beach – to come
Silver Lake (aka Kashawigamog Lake) – to come
Highlands East Area
Gooderham Beach – to come
Paudash Lake Beach – to come
Lake Wilbermere Beach – to come
Glamour Lake Beach – to come
Minden Hills Area
Bissett Beach – to come
Forsters Beach – to come
Little Horseshoe Lake Beach – to come
Minden Rotary Lagoon Beach – to come
Minden Rotary Main Beach – to come
Twelve Mile Lake Beach – to come
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Northumberland County
Brighton Area
Cedardale – OPEN
Little Lake – OPEN
Campbellford Area
Crowe Bay Fun Park – OPEN
Hastings North – OPEN
Hastings South – OPEN
Seymour Conservation Area – OPEN
Port Hope/Cobourg Area
Bewdley Beach – POSTED
Harwood Beach – POSTED
Port Hope Beach East – CLOSED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE DUE TO SEWAGE SPILL
As panel members look on and with photographs of overdose victims displayed on stage, Ontario Associate Minister of Health and Addictions Michael Tibollo speaks at the Opioid Summit on July 11, 2019 at Market Hall Performing Arts Centre in downtown Peterborough. The summit was jointly organized and hosted by Peterborough Mayor Diane Therrien and Selwyn Deputy-Mayor Sherry Senis. (Photo: Office of Michael Tibollo / Twitter)
“I don’t see statistics … I see the faces of people all too young that we’ve lost.”
Of all that was said, suggested and pledged during the Opioid Summit held at Market Hall in downtown Peterborough on Thursday night (July 11), Alex Bierk most squarely hit the nail on the head for the some 300 people in attendance.
The Peterborough artist and former addict was one of eight summit panel members, each of whom contributed to the extensive discussion of opioid addiction and its effects — the most disturbing being the 19 opioid overdose deaths seen in Peterborough to date this year.
The panel at the Peterborough Opioid Summit on July 11, 2019 at Market Hall was moderated by Kim Dolan (far left). The panel members included (right to left): Central East LIHN Opioid Strategy Implementation Group chair Paul McGary; Peterborough Medical Officer of Health Dr. Rosana Salvaterra (hidden); former addicts Alex Bierk and TJ Russell; Whitepath Consulting and Counselling Services owner Peggy Shaughnessy; Peterborough Deputy Police Chief Tim Farquharson; Sally Carson, who lost a nephew to an overdose; Peterborough county-city paramedic Dan Farrow; and Jana Dodds, another former addict. (Photo: Paul Rellinger / kawarthaNOW.com)
Jointly organized and hosted by Peterborough Mayor Diane Therrien and Selwyn Deputy-Mayor Sherry Senis and moderated by PARN executive director Kim Dolan, the event drew a standing-room-only crowd at the Market Hall.
Along with Bierk, the members of the panel were: Central East LIHN Opioid Strategy Implementation Group chair Paul McGary; Peterborough Medical Officer of Health Dr. Rosana Salvaterra; Whitepath Consulting and Counselling Services owner Peggy Shaughnessy; Peterborough Deputy Police Chief Tim Farquharson; Peterborough county-city paramedic Dan Farrow; Sally Carson, who lost a nephew to an overdose; and former addict TJ Russell.
Local politicians from all levels of government were in the audience. Along with several members of Peterborough city council, they included Peterborough-Kawartha MP Maryam Monsef, Ontario NDP leader Andrea Horwath, Ontario Associate Minister of Health and Addictions Michael Tibollo, Peterborough-Kawartha MPP Dave Smith — all of whom spoke from the podium — and Oshawa Mayor Dan Carter.
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While each speaker added something both unique and significant to the wide-ranging discussion, it was the firsthand drug addiction experience related by former addicts Bierk and Russell that resonated most strongly, pressing home the way-past-urgent need for immediate action in stemming the rising number of overdoses as well as the establishment of a consumption and treatment site in Peterborough.
“I do not doubt that there are beautiful, good, well-meaning people behind a lot of these organizations that are working on this, but it’s not enough,” said Bierk. “There’s a dislocation between the services that are offered.”
For his part, Russell said overcoming his addiction is “an every day struggle but it’s one day at a time” — which drew the comment “TJ, you’re just awesome!” from an audience member and an extended round of applause.
Photographs of overdose victims, displayed near the podium at the Peterborough Opioid Summit on July 11, 2019 at Market Hall, served as a poignant reminder of the cost of doing nothing to address the crisis which has seen 19 people die of an overdose in the first six months of this year. (Photo: Paul Rellinger / kawarthaNOW.com)
While Bierk said the opioid addiction and overdose crisis isn’t about statistics, plenty of numbers were offered up and their revelation had a sobering effect.
According to Peterborough county-city paramedic Dan Farrow who, along with other first responders, is on the front line responding to overdoses, 71 per cent of Peterborough city and county opioid users are male, their average age is 39 (but ranges from the mid teens to 87), and — most telling of all — 50 per cent of overdoses happen in a residence.
“It is a huge stereotype, and a pet peeve of mine, that opioid users are all homeless junkies … we go to a lot of overdoses involving professionals making six figures,” Farrow pointed out.
“Only 14 per cent of our calls in the first six months (of 2019) were on the street or in alley or park. From January 1st to June 30th of this year, paramedics responded to 139 overdoses … up slightly from last year. However, more of the overdoses have died this year. Naloxone isn’t working all the time now, the drugs are so potent.”
Prior to hearing those grim numbers, attendees heard some straight talk from Whitepath Consulting and Counselling Services owner Peggy Shaughness who, via her Redpath program that addresses the underlying issues around drug addiction, has worked across North America addressing the root causes of addiction and helping countless addicts turn their life around.
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Motioning to a photographs of overdose victims displayed at the foot of the podium, Shaughnessy recognized “those that have left to go to the spirit world much too early … you can see the faces of those that were poisoned and shouldn’t have been because of a system that let them down.”
“We’ve been in a crisis here for a long, long time,” she added.
“Let’s not get warm and fuzzy here tonight. We’ve been lobbying all levels of government over the past 15 years, discussing our work in First Nation communities. Now we have our own city people dying and all three levels of government will still not listen to us, so shame on them.”
That said, Shaughnessy praised Peterborough-Kawartha MPP Dave Smith for his efforts leading a committee with the sole objective of bringing a consumption and treatment site to Peterborough. Later, MPP Smith made a passionate plea for as many signatures as possible on a petition being circulated widely that urges the Legislative Assembly of Ontario to grant Peterborough a site.
Peterborough-Kawartha MPP Dave Smith delivered a passionate plea at the Peterborough Opioid Summit held on July 11, 2019 at Market Hall, urging people sign a petition calling for immediate provincial government approval of a consumption and treatment site in the city. (Photo: Paul Rellinger / kawarthaNOW.com)
“I’m going to take a lot of political heat being a Conservative and saying I’m standing behind Peterborough’s application for a CTS (consumption and treatment site),” MPP Smith noted. “”No matter what political stripe you are, this is something you cannot deny — every single person that overdosed and died was someone’s child.”
“We need to stop that. It’s more than 19 (deaths). Those are only the ones we know about. It does not end here tonight. We’ve put together a team to have a successful application for a consumption and treatment site. We can’t have more people’s children die.”
MPP Smith’s call for all political parties to work together to address the opioid overdose crisis, not just in Peterborough but province wide, didn’t fall on deaf ears.
Ontario Associate Minister of Health and Addictions Michael Tibollo, MPP for Vaughan-Woodbridge, pledged that the ruling Conservatives “in collaboration with you and people with lived experience, (will) make all the pieces function and, when an individual has a problem, he’s going to get the help he needs that’s age appropriate.”
“Everybody deserves a second chance in life. We’re going to work really hard, in collaboration hopefully with the opposition and all levels of government, to make sure we get this right.”
Peterborough artist and former addict Alex Bierk (middle), who was a member of the Opioid Summit panel, with panel moderator Kim Dolan and Ontario Associate Minister of Health and Addictions Michael Tibollo. (Photo: Office of Michael Tibollo / Twitter
Afterwards, Ontario NDP leader Andrea Horwath expressed a willingness to work with anyone who can help move solutions forward, but stressed that “tomorrow is too late” to do so.
“We can’t arbitrarily cap the number of treatment sites that are available to the people of Ontario,” she said.
“We have to acknowledge that when communities are asking for support and they’re asking for a service, it shouldn’t take a petition of 10,000 names to implement something that everyone on that stage said needs to happen, and needed to happen before those 19 people died. I’m going to push for that arbitrary cap of 21 sites to come off and I’m going to push with MPP Smith to have a site designated in Peterborough.”
Market Hall was filled to capacity on July 11, 2019 for the Peterborough Opioid Summit, co-hosted by Peterborough Mayor Diane Therrien and Selwyn Deputy Mayor Sherry Senis. The City of Peterborough live streamed the event on Facebook. (Photo: City of Peterborough)
Horwath also praised Mayor Therrien and Deputy Mayor Senis “for their leadership on this issue,” adding “What really is reaffirming for me is the number of every day citizens that came out tonight to say this is something we all need to solve together. It really is heartening … very inspirational.”
For her part, Mayor Therrien termed the summit “a starting point … in terms of getting across the message.”
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“This is step one. We have a lot of work to do. The group around the CTS (consumption and treatment site) is meeting again next week.”
Mayor Therrien added the fact that the event was so well-attended, with several left outside as the hall was at capacity, shows the opioid overdose issue “impacts everybody one way or the other and that it transcends any social class. There is a huge desire to move on this issue.”
VIDEO: Facebook live stream of Opioid Summit by City of Peterborough
Award-winning East Coast singer-songwriter Alicia Toner brings her blend of folk, pop, and country-rock to the Black Horse in downtown Peterborough on Sunday, July 14th. (Publicity photo)
Every Thursday, we publish live music and performance events at pubs and clubs in Peterborough and The Kawarthas based on information that venues provide to us directly or post on their website or social media channels. Here are the listings for the week of Thursday, July 11 to Wednesday, July 17.
If you’re a pub or club owner and want to be included in our weekly listings, please email our Nightlife Editor at nightlife@kawarthanow.com.
Saturday, July 20 1:30-5pm - Peterborough Musicians Benevolent Association (PBMA) Deluxe Blues Jam hosted by Dennis O'Toole & the Assassin's Hotel Orchestra (donations to PMBA encouraged)
Dreams of Beans
138 Hunter St. W., Peterborough
(705) 742-2406
Thursday, July 11
8pm - Open mic hosted by Jacques Graveline
Coming Soon
Saturday, July 20 8pm - Acoustic Showcase ft Jeff Clarke, Jacques Graveline, and more
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Frank's Pasta and Grill
426 King St. E., Cobourg
(905) 372-2720
Friday, July 12
9pm-12am - Karaoke; 12am - DJ
Saturday, July 13
8pm - Dayz Gone Bad; 11:30pm - DJ
Wednesday, July 17
8-11pm - Open Mic
Coming Soon
Saturday, July 20 8pm - Breezeway Band; 11:30pm - DJ
Ganarascals Restaurant
53 Walton St., Port Hope
905-885-1888
Coming Soon
Saturday, August 10 7-10pm - Mayhemingways ($15, call or email to reserve your tickets)
Ganaraska Hotel
30 Ontario St., Port Hope
(905) 885-9254
Friday, July 12
8pm - All Things Woodstock Show #1 ft Alex Gordon, Shaun Savoy, Mike Woods, Dan Farrell, Dave O'Hara, Randy Stewart, Shirley Diane, Tony Vani ($20)
Saturday, July 13
2pm & 10pm - Cellar Door
Coming Soon
Saturday, July 20 2pm & 10pm - Straight Shooter
The Garnet
231 Hunter St. W., Peterborough
(705) 874-0107
Thursday, July 11
9pm - Burner, Gwynnception, Belly Flop, Death By Art School
Friday, July 12
9pm - "Under The Covers" ft unique covers by Whitney Paget, Nathan Miller, Kerry Jayne, Hillary Dumoulin, Charlie Earle, Brandon Humphrey
Saturday, July 13
9pm - Sedge, Peace Sand Rest, Strange
Coming Soon
Thursday, July 18 9pm - Ten Minute Detour
Friday, July 19 9pm - Lars Lundehave Hansen w/ Hymns57 and Olias ($10 at door)
Saturday, July 20 9pm - George Douglas, Marcus Starr Band
Sunday, July 21 8pm - Kimberly Sunstrum w/ Kira Montfort, Niambi Tree ($10 or PWYC)
Golden Wheel Restaurant
6725 Highway 7, Peterborough
(705) 749-6838
Wednesday, July 17
6:30-8:30pm - Line Dancing w/ Marlene Maskell ($7)
Sunday, July 28 7pm - Cottage Country Drag Bingo w/ Ms. Madge Enhat & Miss Divalicious
Marley's Bar & Grill
17 Fire Route 82 Catalina Bay, Buckhorn
(705) 868-2545
Friday, July 12
7-10pm - Bobby Watson
Saturday, July 13
7-10pm - Sonny & Cloudy
Coming Soon
Friday, July 19 7-10pm - Chris Culgin
Saturday, July 20 7-10pm - Midnight Vesta
McGillicafey's Pub & Eatery
13 Bridge St.. N., Hastings
(705) 696-3600
Friday, July 12
8pm - Geordy Craig
McThirsty's Pint
166 Charlotte St., Peterborough
(705) 743-2220
Thursdays
9pm - Live music hosted by Tony Silvestri and Greg Caven
Fridays
10pm - Live music with Brian Haddlesey
Saturdays
10pm - Live music with Brian Haddlesey
Sundays
8pm - Open stage hosted by Ryan Van Loon
Mondays
9:30pm - Trivia Night hosted by Cam Green
Wednesdays
9pm - Live music hosted by Kevin Foster
The Mill Restaurant and Pub
990 Ontario St., Cobourg
(905) 377-8177
Thursday, July 11
7pm - Mainstreet
Coming Soon
Thursday, July 18 7pm - Garage Dog
Moody's Bar & Grill
3 Tupper St., Millbrook
(705) 932-6663
Saturday, July 13
2-5pm - Washboard Hank & Sweet Muriel (no cover, donations to band accepted)
Murphy's Lockside Pub & Patio
3 May St., Fenelon Falls
(705) 887-1100
Tuesday, July 16
7-9pm - North Country Express (on patio, weather permitting)
Next Door
197 Hunter St. W., Peterborough
(647) 270-9609
Coming Soon
Friday, July 19 9pm - Hunter Sheridan
Friday, July 26 9pm - The Musician Next Door presents Bruno Merz
Oasis Bar & Grill
31 King St. E., Cobourg
(905) 372-6634
Sundays
5:30pm - PHLO
Pappas Billiards
407 George St. N., Peterborough
(705) 742-9010
Thursday, July 11
7-10pm - Open Mic
Saturday, July 13
1-3pm - Shipwrecked Saturdays w/ Jacques Graveline
Pie Eyed Monk Brewery
8 Cambridge St. N., Lindsay
(705) 212-2200
Saturday, July 13
9pm - Pride After Dark 80s/90s Video Dance Party ($10 in advance or at door, proceeds to Kawartha Lakes Pride)
Wednesday, July 17
6pm - Open mic
Publican House Brewery
300 Charlotte St., Peterborough
(705) 874-5743
Friday, July 12
6-9pm - Cindy & Scott
Saturday, July 13
6-9pm - Bobby Watson
Sunday, July 14
3-6pm - Ace & The Kid
Coming Soon
Friday, July 19 6-9pm - Shai Peer
Saturday, July 20 6-9pm - Rob Phillips
Sunday, July 21 3-6pm - Ace & The Kid
Red Dog Tavern
189 Hunter St. W., Peterborough
(705) 741-6400
Thursday, July 11
8pm - The Weber Brothers present WE Thursdays Concert Series ft Keith Whiteduck ($10 at door)
Saturday, July 13
Latin Dance
Tuesday, July 16
9pm - Open mic
Coming Soon
Thursday, July 18 8pm - The Weber Brothers present WE Thursdays Concert Series ft Charlie Earle ($10 at door); 10:30pm - Busty and the Bass w/ I The Mountain ($10 in advance at www.ticketscene.ca/events/25113/)
Saturday, July 20 10pm - RöckBïtür
Wednesday, July 24 8pm - Bonds of Mara & special guests ($20 in advance at www.ticketscene.ca/events/24319/, Red Dog, Zap Records)
The new Brock Mission, which will include 30 shelter beds and 15 affordable housing units for homeless and at-risk men, will cost around $6.3 million to build. (Rendering: Lett Architects Inc.)
On the heels of the closure of the Warming Room in Peterborough, the federal government has announced a commitment of $5.2 million in funding for the new Brock Mission men’s shelter in Peterborough.
Peterborough-Kawartha MP Maryam Monsef made the announcement earlier today (July 11) at Peterborough City Hall, on behalf of Jean-Yves Duclos, Minister of Families, Children and Social Development and Minister responsible for Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC).
“I’m happy to announce that the Brock Mission is receiving a significant boost to build 30 new shelter beds and 15 new affordable housing units for homeless and at-risk men,” Monsef says.
Brock Mission is a non-profit organization formed in 1987 to provide shelter for homeless adult males. A second site, Cameron House, was added in 1996 to provide short-term emergency shelter for homeless women.
The initial structure for the Brock Mission was demolished in 2017 to redevelop the shelter into an expanded three-storey facility that would allow for accessibility and energy-efficiency features among other improvements. The total cost for the redevelopment budget is around $9 million, with construction costs pegged at $6.3 million.
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“I am happy to see this investment in emergency shelter for Peterborough,” says Peterborough mayor Diane Therrien. “We are facing a serious housing crisis and all levels of government must come together to make change. This is an important step in the right direction.”
Brock Mission had applied earlier to the federal government for the $5.2 million in funding, and was waiting for approval before proceeding with construction. The funding comes from the federal government’s $13.2 billion National Housing Co-Investment Fund.
Brock Mission executive director Bill McNabb, Peterborough-Kawartha MP Maryam Monsef, and City of Peterborough Mayor Diane Therrien at the announcement on July 11, 2019 of $5.2 million in federal funding for the new Brock Mission. (Photo: Office of Maryam Monsef)
“As a small grassroots charity faced with a big need, the support through the National Housing Co-Investment Fund has made a seemingly impossible task possible,” says Brock Mission executive director Bill McNabb.
“We are so excited and grateful to be able to move forward with a purpose-built facility which includes shelter and supportive housing for some of our most vulnerable homeless citizens , made possible because of the support from CMHC.”
Lett Architects Inc. of Peterborough has designed the redeveloped Brock Mission, which will be built by Mortlock Construction of Cavan Monaghan.
VIDEO: Design of new Brock Mission (Lett Architects Inc.)
Crash Test Dummies (Ellen Reid, Brad Roberts, Dan Roberts, and Mitch Dorge) reunited, minus original member Ben Darvill, for a 2017 concert in Winnipeg and subsequently decided to tour again. The band performs a free, sponsor-supported concert at Peterborough Musicfest at Del Crary Park in downtown Peterborough on July 13, 2019. (Publicity photo)
Don’t bring up the ‘familiarity breeds contempt’ thing in the presence of Brad Roberts, Ellen Reid, Dan Roberts, and Mitch Dorge.
Peterborough Musicfest presents Crash Test Dummies
When: Saturday, July 13, 2019 at 8 p.m. Where: Del Crary Park (100 George St. N., Peterborough) How much: Free admission
Bring your own lawn chairs or blankets (lawn chairs are available to rent for $4/chair). VIP seating available for sponsors. No smoking, alcohol, or pets permitted. There’s no public parking at Del Crary Park, but there’s neighbourhood street parking nearby and ample parking in downtown Peterborough.
We don’t know what goes on behind closed doors in the Crash Test Dummies’ world, but what we do know is the members of the Winnipeg born alt rock-folk band have built upon their familiarity with each other and fashioned an incredible career, its duration surpassed only by the depth and quality of its output.
On Saturday, July 13th at Del Crary Park, the reunited band — it came back together in 2018 for a tour marking the 25th anniversary of the release of its hallmark second album — will headline Peterborough Musicfest.
Admission to the 8 p.m. concert is free, thanks to the support of sponsors.
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Formed in 1988 originally as a quintet with Benjamin Darvill in the mix early on, Crash Test Dummies exploded onto the Canadian music landscape with its 1991 album The Ghosts That Haunt Me and its hit single “Superman’s Song” which cracked the RPM Top Singles chart and brought the band a 1992 Juno Award as Group of the Year.
VIDEO: “Superman’s Song” – Crash Test Dummies
“The first line (of Superman’s Song) was inspired by a song I heard on the radio one day while bartending — ‘Tarzan … was a white man’,” recalls Brad Roberts in a January 2018 interview with Xavier Loubser of Why Ed.
“It was a rap song I think. Don’t know that it was a hit. Anyhow, the phrase ‘Tarzan wasn’t a ladies man’ came into my head and I took it from there. The song was going to be about Tarzan but then Superman took over as I continued to fool about with the line and the concepts that might flow from it.”
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With a growing fan base in Canada courtesy of “Superman’s Song”, Crash Test Dummies’ follow-up album, God Shuffled His Feet, brought international acclaim with the single “Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm” peaking at #4 on the US Hot 100 chart, settling in at #2 in the United Kingdom, and attaining the #1 placing in Australia.
With the help of additional top-charting singles “Swimming In Your Ocean” and “Afternoons & Coffeespoons”, the album achieved platinum status for sales in excess of one million, and led to three Grammy Award nominations and three more Juno Award nominations.
VIDEO: “Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm” – Crash Test Dummies
“Most Americans don’t know our first record because it was simply never big there,” says Roberts in an October 2018 chat with Greg Prato of Songfacts.
“But in Canada, our first record went multi-platinum, and we had a huge following and huge tours in Canada. When our second record came out, Canada — being the country that loves to eat its own — decided we weren’t going to have any success at all.”
“One day we got a call. Apparently this radio station in Atlanta, Georgia had been playing our song. People were calling in and saying ‘What is that voice? Who is that guy singing that Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm song? What do those words mean and why is his voice so low? We’ve never heard anything like this.'”
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“The record broke in America and it was precisely because it was unusual that it broke. I had this strange low voice that people weren’t used to hearing. In pop music, the tenor has ruled for a very long time. The only few low voices I can think of are Johnny Cash, Leonard Cohen, and Nick Cave. It was very unusual to hear a bassy voice like that on the radio.”
Following the early 1995 release of the single “The Ballad of Peter Pumpkinhead”, which found its way onto the soundtrack of the hit comedy film Dumb And Dumber, Crash Test Dummies’ third album A Worm’s Life brought Canadian music fans around again, going platinum with the single “He Liked To Feel It” peaking at #2. That was followed in 1999 by the album Give Yourself A Hand featuring Reid singing lead vocals on three tracks and Roberts proving he can also sing falsetto.
VIDEO: “The Ballad Of Peter Pumpkinhead” with Ellen Reid – Crash Test Dummies
Starting in 2001 with I Don’t Care That You Don’t Mind and culminating with Ooh La La! in 2010, Crash Test Dummies issued five more studio albums while band members worked on various side projects. An indefinite hiatus followed Ooh La La! and there things sat until August 2017 when the band, minus Darvill, reunited for a concert in Winnipeg.
“It was just a one-off,” recalls Roberts of the band’s Manitoba resurrection.
“To be honest, I didn’t think it was going to turn into a full-blown reunion tour. I thought we would just take a few more one-offs here and there because my brother has a couple of young kids and the rest of the band members have long since turned in different directions in their lives. But we started to get offers that were much more significant than one-offs.”
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“In fact, we were getting offers for going out at like two or three weeks at a time. So I called up the rest of the band and said, ‘Listen you guys, these offers are coming in. The money is pretty good. Do you want to consider quitting your day jobs?’ So everybody had conferences with their husbands and wives and they all agreed that they would like to take up the opportunity to do this again.”
The second coming of Crash Test Dummies, adds Roberts, has dawned at the right time for it to work and work very well.
“I’m not on a major record label. In fact, I’m on no record label but my own and I am in control of the whole thing. I’m actually in the driver’s seat. So, in that sense, it’s much more comfortable for me, much more enjoyable for me. I think too that everybody just missed it a little bit. We were all happy to get off the road when we did, but years later, it’s quite appealing.”
VIDEO: “Afternoons & Coffeespoons” – Crash Test Dummies
VIDEO: “Swimming In Your Ocean” – Crash Test Dummies
Win VIP passes to MusicFest!
As a returning sponsor of Peterborough Musicfest, kawarthaNOW.com will be giving away VIP seats to every one of this summer’s concerts again this year.
While the concerts are free to all, VIP seats are not available to the general public — only to festival sponsors. You are guaranteed a chair near to the stage for the best view.
The giveaways are exclusive to subscribers to our weekly e-news. For your chance to win, sign-up to our weekly e-news at k-n.ca/subscribe.
Peterborough Musicfest is presenting 16 free-admission, sponsor-supported concerts featuring a total of 21 acts during its 33rd season — each concert staged on Wednesday and Saturday nights at Del Crary Park.
Overseen by general manager Tracey Randall and staff, a board of directors, and numerous volunteers, Peterborough Musicfest’s stated mission is to “provide diverse, affordable live music to enrich cultural and economic prosperity in our community.”
For more information on this concert or the entire 2019 season, visit www.ptbomusicfest.ca or phone the Peterborough Musicfest office at 705-755-1111.
Environment Canada has issued a severe thunderstorm watch for most of the Kawarthas, including Peterborough, Kawartha Lakes, Northumberland, and Hastings.
Severe thunderstorms are possible on Thursday (July 11) in the late morning and afternoon.
Conditions are favourable for the development of severe thunderstorms that may be capable of producing strong wind gusts, large hail, and heavy rain.
These thunderstorms may be capable of producing very strong wind gusts of 100 km/h, heavy downpours, and hail.
Strong wind gusts can toss loose objects, damage weak buildings, break branches off trees and overturn large vehicles. Remember, severe thunderstorms can produce tornadoes.
Heavy downpours can cause flash floods and water pooling on roads. If you hear thunder, then lightning is close enough to be dangerous.
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, and torrential rainfall.
On Saturday, July 27th, the streets of downtown Peterborough will be turned into an urban playground for Peterborough Pulse 2019. The fifth anniversary of the Open Streets event will see businesses, community organizations, and volunteers fill downtown with activities, displays, and installations while many hundreds of people walk, cycle, skateboard, roller skate and more through car-free downtown streets. (Photo courtesy of Peterborough Pulse)
Peterborough Pulse, an Open Streets event through the heart of downtown Peterborough, is gearing up for its fifth anniversary on Saturday, July 27th.
People are invited to walk, bike, roller skate, skateboard, or stroll the Pulse route from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. — with George Street closed to vehicles from McDonnel to Sherbrooke streets.
Each week, GreenUP provides a story related to the environment. This week’s story is by Aldana Casado, Peterborough Pulse Assistant Communications Coordinator.
The 2019 route will be lined with local businesses, live music, and fun free activities. This year, there will be rock wall climbing, tai chi, yoga, dancing, a bike playground, children’s activities, and much more. There will be something for everyone to enjoy at this accessible and diverse event.
It’s hard to believe it’s already been five years since Peterborough’s inaugural Open Streets event — a global initiative that has been sweeping North America for over 40 years as a way to promote physical activity, healthy lifestyles, and livable cities.
VIDEO: Peterborough Pulse
The original idea was to take Peterborough’s existing downtown urban landscape and use it in creative and unexpected ways that would build community and support active transportation, but it’s grown into so much more.
“Pulse has become a beloved summer event in Peterborough,” says Lauren Corindia, Peterborough Pulse Coordinator.
“Being new to the Pulse team, I am amazed by the number of businesses and groups that want to pop-up on George Street to be part of what the community has built. I’ve even had people tell me that they plan their vacation time around when Pulse is happening.”
At Peterborough Pulse in 2017, an activity partner lead people through some dance moves. (Photo courtesy of Peterborough Pulse)
Pulse aims to offer free and inclusive recreational activities to people of all ages and abilities in an outdoor space where physical activity is accessible, social, and fun.
This year, families can explore the Pulse route and participate in so many unique events, such as an arts and culture scavenger hunt from Watson and Lou and demonstrations of medieval combat at the Duchy of Linnagond booth.
Further along the route, people can race paper canoes with the Peterborough Canoe and Kayak Club, and also try their hand at homecrafts with the Peterborough Agricultural Society.
This is just a sample of the more than 50 activities you will find at Peterborough Pulse on July 27th.
Tai chi and demonstrations of medieval combat are two of the more than 50 family-friendly activities that attendees can participate in at Peterborough Pulse 2019. (Photo courtesy of Peterborough DBIA).
Pulse also showcases exciting examples of livable urban design by using street space creatively, with installations such as pop-up parks, street cafes, pedestrian markets, and bike parking.
GreenUP’s pop-up park has been a hit for the last four years, adding a splash of green to George Street.
At the first Pulse event in 2015, long before there were bike lanes on George Street, the Peterborough Bicycle Advisory Committee helped attendees visualize this possibility with demonstration bike lanes.
Peterborough Pulse is all about bringing the community together, with lots of activities for children including a bike playground. (Photo courtesy of Peterborough Pulse)
Besides being a fun family-friendly event, Pulse also provides a distinct economic benefit. It runs along one of Peterborough’s busiest downtown streets, highlighting local businesses, restaurants, and shops, while drawing tourism into the downtown core.
Pulse surveys show that, in 2018, the estimated economic surge from the event was over $70,000 with around 1,560 shoppers supporting local businesses and 1,080 tourists visiting Peterborough for the event.
Many George Street businesses will have booths and displays set up during the July 27th event to show you what they’re all about.
Peterborough Pulse is an opportunity for downtown Peterborough businesses to showcase their products and services to the many hundreds of people travelling along George Street and surrounding streets. (Photo courtesy of Peterborough Pulse)
“Pulse is about active and healthy living but it is also about community and it shows how businesses have an important role to play in that community,” says Dylan Reinhart, owner of Boardwalk Boardgame Lounge at 261 George Street North.
“Pulse demonstrates how businesses can come together and play an active role in connecting people; board games are inherently social, they are used as a tool to come together. Fundamentally board games are about bonding. Pulse does this on a massive scale and invites Peterborough to come together.”
The 2019 Peterborough Pulse route map. (Map courtesy of Peterborough Pulse)
Another key goal of Peterborough Pulse is to provide space for community groups to share, and show off what they do best. Sports, leisure, arts, civic, and environmental groups are among the 50-plus activity leaders who will be out at Pulse 2019 with demonstrations, try-it activities, and colourful displays.
Pulse also encourages everyone to come to the event using active transportation including — but certainly not limited to — walking, biking, skateboarding, or roller skating. Check out the Getting to Pulse map to find recommended routes and bike parking locations at the event.
As you can see, there are many ways to connect with your community as an attendee of Pulse. There is also the opportunity to volunteer with Pulse this year, where you can help be a part of bringing back this award-winning event to George Street. Not only will it be a fun and active experience, but it’s also a great way to get engaged with your local community.
Peterborough Pulse volunteers help to bring fun to the streets. Sign up today at ptbopulse.com to volunteer with Pulse 2019. (Photo courtesy of Peterborough Pulse)
“I started volunteering during the first year of Pulse,” explains Pulse volunteer Jill McCullough. “For me it was a great way to get involved with the community and meet more people. I love the idea of shutting the streets down and having an accessible space for everyone.”
Pulse is brought to you by Peterborough Downtown Business Improvement Area (DBIA), the City of Peterborough, GreenUP, and B!KE: the Community Cycling Hub. This year’s Pulse sponsors are Peterborough Transit, Pure Country 105, Energy 99.7, Peterborough Square, McLeod’s EcoWater, Allstate Insurance, Peterborough Public Health, Orange Theory Fitness, and Engage Engineering.
To volunteer with Peterborough Pulse in 2019, and to find out more about this year’s event, visit ptbopulse.com or contact Peterborough Pulse coordinator Lauren Corindia at ptbopulse@gmail.com.
An annual family-friendly event in downtown Peterborough, Peterborough Pulse is a partnership between Peterborough Downtown Business Improvement Area (DBIA), the City of Peterborough, GreenUP, and B!KE: the Community Cycling Hub, with sponsorship from local organizations and businesses. (Photo courtesy of Peterborough Pulse)
Temporary street closures and restrictions during Peterborough Pulse
The Peterborough Pulse route will be closed to vehicular traffic between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. on Saturday, July 27th.
Street parking will be prohibited from midnight on Friday, July 26th, until Pulse is over at 4 p.m. on Saturday, July 27th.
George St. from McDonnel St. to Sherbrooke St. will be closed to vehicles from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, July 27th. Vehicles entering or exiting will need an escort. Street parking will be prohibited on this section of George Street from midnight on Friday, July 26th, until Pulse is over at 4 p.m. on Saturday, July 27th. Vehicles left on the street during this time will be towed.
Only local traffic will be allowed to access the following streets: Murray St. from Aylmer St. to George St. and from George St. to Water St.; Brock St. from Chambers Lane to George Street and from George St. to Water St.; King St. from Aylmer St. to George St. and from George St. to Water St.
The following intersections will remain open for east-west traffic: McDonnel St. at George St., Hunter St. at George St., Simcoe St. at George St., and Charlotte St. at George St.
Every effort will be made to reopen the route as quickly as possible after the event is finished.
Carling Dewar, forest ecologist and outreach coordinator with the Ancient Forest Exploration and Research (AFER) group, measures a tree at Kawartha Land Trust's Jeffrey Cowan Forest Preserve in North Kawartha in Peterborough County. AFER has launched a citizen science project to identify undocumented old-growth forest stands in Peterborough County, to determine how best to conserve these rare and vital ecosystems for society's benefit. (Photo courtesy of AFER)
If you have an interest in science or just love trees, a group of researchers could use your help.
The Ancient Forest Exploration and Research (AFER) group, a non-profit charitable scientific organization founded in 1992, recently launched a new citizen science project to find, map, and document old-growth forests in Peterborough County.
You may be surprised to learn that there are thousands of hectares of old-growth forest — an undisturbed biologically diverse forest containing trees over 120 years old as well as standing dead trees — in the Peterborough area.
Existing examples of old-growth forests in or near the City of Peterborough include Mark S. Burnham Provincial Park, Jackson Park, Stewart’s Woods, and the Kawartha Land Trust’s Jeffrey-Cowan Forest Preserve.
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However, research estimates there are an additional 26,000 hectares of potential old-growth forest stands in the northern part of Peterborough County alone — and most of these forests are unprotected.
Over this summer and into 2020, AFER is working to locate these old-growth forests and study them to better understand their composition and structure, and to determine how best to conserve these rare and vital ecosystems for society’s benefit.
A map of old-growth forests in northern Peterborough County. AB = black ash; LA = larch/tamarack; PR = red pine; BF = balsam fir; MH = sugar maple/hard maple; PW = white pine; BW = white/paper birch; MR = red maple; SB = black spruce; CE = northern white cedar; OR = red oak; SW = white spruce; HE = eastern hemlock; PO = poplar/aspen. (Map courtesy of AFER)
But the Peterborough project team needs help from volunteer citizen scientists to help identify local old-growth forests.
The Peterborough project is led by Dr. Peter Quinby (AFER founder, board chair, and chief scientist) with a team consisting of forest ecologist and outreach coordinator Carling Dewar, project facilitator and forest ecologist Laura Collings, and old-growth forest science intern Hayley McGregor. The project is supported by funding from the Ontario Trillium Foundation.
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“AFER believes in the power of citizen science as the foundation of a successful local forest conservation program and is calling on local forest enthusiasts to join in the search and protection of these exceptional landscapes,” Quinby says.
“Other than AFER’s old-growth forest survey work, there is no organized effort to locate or conserve old-growth forests at risk in Ontario.”
According to AFER, forests in Ontario — including old-growth forests — continue to decline due to logging, suburban development, agriculture, the spread of destructive invasive species, and declining public engagement.
Staff with the Ancient Forest Exploration and Research (AFER) group examine a dead tree, a feature of an old-growth forest, in Mark S. Burnham park just east of the City of Peterborough. AFER estimates there are 26,000 hectares of potential old-growth forest stands in the northern part of Peterborough County alone, and they are working to locate them. (Photo courtesy of AFER)
“Old-growth forests are extremely complex ecosystems that we are just beginning to understand,” says Dewar. “In Ontario, where most forests have been logged to some degree since the early 19th century, it can be really challenging to understand these ecosystems because there aren’t many left and often are undocumented.”
“However, we do know that old-growth forests provide important ecosystem services, like providing habitat for wildlife and sequestering carbon. And they probably do a lot more — but we have to protect and study them to find out.”
As well as bi-weekly tree identification walks in Jackson Park in the City of Peterborough, AFER is hosting a series of ancient forest walks with Kawartha Land Trust in Peterborough County this summer. (Photo courtesy of AFER)
If you’d like to learn more about identifying old-growth forests, AFER is also hosting a series of free public events featuring tree identification workshops and special guests.
There is a bi-weekly discovery walk through Jackson Park in the heart of Peterborough, with the next walk taking place at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, July 24th (at the Parkhill and Monaghan Road entrance).
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Kawartha Land Trust and AFER are also hosting a two-part “Ancient Forest Exploration” walk at Jeffrey-Cowan Forest Preserve (81 Fire Route 10, North Kawartha) on Friday, July 26th (part one) and on Sunday, August 11th (part two).
There’s also “The Path to an Ancient Forest”, a walk taking place at John Earle Chase Memorial Park (Anchor Bay Rd., Ennismore) on Saturday, August 17th.
AFER’s Dewar will be guiding all the walks.
For more information on these and other upcoming events, and to get involved in the Peterborough Old-Growth Forest Project, visit peterborougholdgrowth.ca.
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