Volunteer group Clean Up Peterborough is encouraging community members to divert waste from the landfills by organizing two collections for hard-to-recycle items during October.

With one collection for used and broken writing instruments and the other for used batteries, the collections are in recognition of Circular Economy Month, a national campaign aimed at showing the benefits of a production model centred around the reuse and regeneration of materials in a sustainable way.

“In general, a lot of people try their best to do proper litter sorting, recycling, and composting,” says Clean Up Peterborough founder Steve Paul. “But now, circular economy teachings encourage not just considering the three Rs but the five Rs that include refurbishing and repurposing. It’s about trying to extend the life of items that we already have.”

Since its launch in April comprised of residents of the city and county of Peterborough, Clean Up Peterborough has collected 110 bags of litter around Peterborough’s trails, businesses, and streets.

However, Steve says much of what gets collected can’t be recycled.

“Litter can be very dirty and it’s hard to separate clean recycling,” he explains. “And if some of it is dirty, there are risks involved.”

For that reason, he notes, the collections during Circular Economy Month aim to divert the waste before it becomes waste.

The writing instrument collection is asking residents, schools, and businesses to provide their used and broken pens, markers, highlighters, mechanical pencils, and associated caps for TerraCycle’s free recycling program at Staples stores. TerraCycle will then clean the items, separate them by material type, and recycle them into raw formats that manufacturers use to make new products.

“I was involved in the Trent University volunteer fair and I talked to 40 or so students and staff, and almost 100 per cent of everyone said they didn’t even know about the program and they threw everything away instead,” Steve says. “Billions of pens alone across the world get thrown into the landfill each year.”

Interested participants can make their own donations directly to Staples for recycling, or work with Clean Up Peterborough to arrange collections with other participating businesses. Steve is also working with schools around the city as well as Trent University to make donations boxes available for students and staff to drop in their used writing instruments.

“It comes at no cost to people and it allows us to do more together to make a difference,” Steve says. “Even beyond Circular Economy Month, we can do something with this that will be sustainable in the future, and have students and businesses across our region learn and do this going forward. We might only get 100 markers diverted in October, but what if we get 10,000? That’s a huge number that we can do locally.”

Alongside the writing instrument collection, Clean Up Peterborough is launching a battery collection for all used household, watch, cellphone, e-bike, and other types of batteries under five kilograms.

While attending Fleming College, Steve launched a student volunteer group and did a national battery collection in 2012 to raise money for the Kawartha Turtle Trauma Centre at the Ontario Turtle Conservation Centre. For the charity, the group collected 17,307 batteries — the most in the province.

Steve says he found through that collection that many people and businesses keep their used batteries, storing them in a drawer or box with the intent of getting them properly recycled.

“What I don’t think people understand is sitting on a bunch of old batteries and waiting to put them out curbside or to bring them somewhere to drop off, does offer potential fire hazard and risks ” Steve says. “There are proper ways to care for those batteries.”

According to Call2Recyle, for which Clean Up Peterborough is now an ambassador, steps to ensure batteries are recycled safely with reduced spark and fire threat include storing them in a non-metal container, storing them in a cool and dry place, and taping the terminals or sealing them in plastic bags.

To reduce the risks of storing used batteries, Steve explains it’s important for people to know there are 24 locations in Peterborough that accept batteries for recycling, inclusive of Staples, City Hall, and the Peterborough Public Library.

“We’re really just trying to divert (waste) and educate people about how to properly recycle them and create a safer environment and make sure that they don’t go in the trash,” Steve says. “Everything matters in terms of diversion, because there’s lots of nasty things in batteries and they’re also extremely recyclable.”

Beyond the projects for Circular Economy Month, Clean Up Peterborough is also collecting other disposable goods like bread tags, milk bags, and pop tabs. The initiative was inspired by Earthub, a group in Ottawa which, among other initiatives, turns milk bags into sleeping mats for unhoused people.

“We’re going to find local partners and community groups that might be able to use these items to do good for our own community,” Steve says, noting that Kawartha Food Share already has use for egg cartons. “That’s an example of something that, even though it can be recycled, (has) an opportunity to have its life extended to do something good. There are so many opportunities, and I think there’s so many great things that can come out of these partnerships.”

Those interested in working with Clean Up Peterborough on the writing instrument or battery collections, or another circular economy initiative, are encouraged to reach out to cleanuppeterborough@gmail.com.

More information on Clean Up Peterborough can be found on its Facebook group.

kawarthaNOW is proud to be a supporter of Clean Up Peterborough’s Circular Economy Month collections.

With more than 372 rent-geared-to-income (RGI) and market rental housing units in its portfolio, the Northumberland County Housing Corporation (NCHC) will have additional help managing its tasks at hand with the addition of two new board members.

Northumberland County council recently approved the appointment of two new citizen board members, Daphne Livingstone and Molly Anthony, to the NCHC board. Described as a skills-based board, the NCHC board oversees operations related to NCHC’s housing units and is involved in housing development initiatives across Northumberland County.

Both appointees “bring a wealth of experience and a shared passion for supporting the NCHC’s mission to provide safe and affordable housing for the community,” noted a media release from the county.

“We are excited to have Daphne and Molly join the NCHC board of directors,” said NCHC board chair Victor Fiume. “Their diverse expertise in municipal governance and real estate will be a tremendous asset to the board as we work towards achieving our strategic goals to create a stronger, more resilient community.”

Livingstone is the director of corporate services and municipal clerk for the Township of Hamilton. With 25 years of experience working in both large and small municipalities across Ontario, she has developed “extensive” knowledge of governance and service delivery at both lower and upper-tier levels. Her education includes a Master’s certificate in municipal leadership, and she is a certified municipal officer.

Livingstone “is deeply committed to the initiatives of the NCHC, understanding the vital role it plays in creating a sense of community for individuals and families experiencing housing insecurity,” the release noted.

Anthony, who moved to Northumberland County with her family in 2019, is currently the director of real estate at Toronto Metropolitan University. She has a broad range of experience, including master planning, opportunity analysis, transactions, operational integration, and asset management.

Anthony “is enthusiastic about her new role with the NCHC, seeing stable housing as a fundamental element of healthy communities and supporting the organizations’ role to build and maintain safe and affordable rental housing where people feel at home.”

The additions to the NCHC board reflect the county’s commitment to strengthen its leadership and continue its work to address housing needs within the community, the release noted.

“County council is pleased to approve the addition of (Livingstone and Anthony) to the NCHC board of directors,” said Northumberland County Warden Brian Ostrander.

“They are joining the board at a critical time, as the NCHC advances several affordable housing projects that will significantly benefit our community. Their extensive experience will be invaluable in strengthening the board’s capacity to guide these important initiatives. I am confident that their contributions will help the NCHC continue to build a more inclusive and supportive environment for all residents of Northumberland County.”

Northumberland County is the sole shareholder of the NCHC and gives direction to its board of directors, which is comprised of county council representatives, the chief administrative officer of Northumberland County, and citizen directors. The board is responsible for the budget, upholding corporate by-laws, agreements, and reports, and for long-range strategic planning.

The NCHC board has been active this past summer.

In August, Northumberland County council reviewed a proposal for the expansion of affordable housing at 123 King St. E. in Colborne. The county, in partnership with the NCHC, purchased the King Street East property in 2023, when it came up for sale, “to preserve the local stock of deeply affordable housing in Colborne” according to the county.

The redevelopment proposal is for construction of up to 60 units at this location — 38 more than currently onsite. The new units are slated to be a mix of RGI and market rent housing, serving individuals with low to moderate incomes.

Also this summer, council heard that progress is continuing on renovations and plans to relocate and modernize shelter services at 310 Division St. in Cobourg. The county, in partnership with Transition House Coalition, “continues to expedite work to open this facility by early fall to better serve those who are unhoused in our community.

“Although the shelter was initially set to be operational by the spring, reconstruction was paused while council considered feedback on ownership structures for the facility,” the county noted.

The purchase was made considering current shelter services, located at 10 Chapel St. in Cobourg, no longer meet the community’s needs, the county said. The relocation to 310 Division St. is intended to enable modernized services, including a warming/cooling drop-in space, private accommodations, transitional housing, collaborative partnerships, and wrap-around supports.

In Northumberland, like elsewhere, demand for affordable housing continues to surge. The county said it will focus on working with member municipalities this year to develop a land bank of shovel-ready projects.

Police have arrested two Peterborough men in connection with a recent stabbing at a city park.

At around 7:45 p.m. last Friday (September 27), Peterborough police officers were called to Millennium Park where they found a man suffering from multiple stab wounds.

The victim was transported to Peterborough Regional Health Centre and then transferred to a Toronto hospital in stable condition.

Through an investigation, police identified two suspects and arrested two men at a Peterborough residence on Wednesday (October 2).

A 22-year-old Peterborough man and a 52-year-old Peterborough man have both been charged with aggravated assault.

Both accused men are being held in custody for a court appearance on Wednesday.

The original version of this story has been updated with information about the arrest of the two suspects.

The Township of Douro-Dummer is gaining a new member of its executive team with the departure of Todd Davis from his current post at the Municipality of Port Hope.

Douro-Dummer, which is located in Peterborough County, announced September 24 that Davis will be joining the township in October as its chief administrative officer (CAO).

Davis, who currently serves as director of development services for Port Hope, will start his new role in Douro-Dummer on October 21.

“We are thrilled to welcome Todd Davis to the Township of Douro-Dummer as our new chief administrative officer,” said mayor Heather Watson in a media release.

“His extensive experience in municipal administration, particularly in economic and community development, makes him a perfect fit for our community. We are confident that Todd’s expertise will help guide our township through its next phase of growth and success.”

Douro-Dummer described Davis as “a well-seasoned municipal administrator,” whose career has spanned more than 15 years of serving in leadership capacities for a lower-tier municipality (Port Hope), upper-tier municipal government (Northumberland County), and single-tier government (Prince Edward County). Davis “has a wealth of municipal sector experience, focusing most of his civic career on economic, community, and business development.”

According to the release, Davis successfully managed several high-profile projects that required organizational co-ordination and industry, community, and governmental input and oversight. “Open and transparent administration are a priority and he has experience managing council and committee expectations, operations and outcomes.”

The Municipality of Port Hope accepted Davis’ resignation from the position he has held with the municipality since January 2022. His last day of work there is October 11.

“Our municipality has greatly benefited from Todd’s leadership and dedication,” said Candice White, CAO of Port Hope, in a media release.

“His vision and expertise have driven key initiatives that will have a lasting impact on Port Hope’s development. We are committed to ensuring a smooth transition as we search for a successor who can continue the important work that Todd has initiated. I know that Todd will be an excellent addition to the Township of Douro-Dummer and wish him the very best in his next endeavour.”

Davis lives in eastern Ontario. He and his wife, Alison, have a busy family life with two children.

“I am excited to join the team in Douro-Dummer to build on the great work that has been done to date in the community and to help council realize their strategic priorities,” Davis said about the new job.

Douro-Dummer expressed its appreciation for Mike Rutter, who stepped into the role of interim CAO during the recruitment process.

Meanwhile, in Port Hope, the municipality said Davis played a “pivotal” role in overseeing several key areas within the development services department, which encompasses the economic development, tourism, planning, and transit divisions.

“The opportunity to work close to home and make a real difference in my community has been a significant highlight to my career,” Davis said. “While my tenure has been shorter than expected, I am very proud of the team here in Port Hope and confident the municipality is moving in a positive direction and expect good things in the future.”

The Municipality of Port Hope said its preparing for the recruitment process to fill the director of development services position.

“The successful candidate will be responsible for building on the progress made by (Davis), continuing to advance the municipality’s strategic objectives, and guiding the development services team in delivering excellent service to residents and businesses.”

A 19-year-old woman is dead and her 19-year-old boyfriend has been seriously injured after a hit-and-run on County Road 36 just north of Bobcaygeon on Wednesday afternoon (September 25).

Police have located and arrested an 86-year-old Bobcaygeon man who was allegedly driving the vehicle when it hit the couple walking beside the highway and then fled the scene.

At around 1:10 p.m. on Wednesday, Peterborough County Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) received a call from a witness who advised they had located two people with serious injuries in the ditch on the north side of County Road 36 near Moon Line Road.

A passerby was performing CPR when police and emergency crews arrived at the scene.

The woman was pronounced dead at the scene, while the man was airlifted to a Toronto-area trauma centre with serious injures.

Police received information about a vehicle that had been seen earlier in the area, with damage to its front end. Officers were able to locate the vehicle and its owner.

As a result of the investigation, 86-year-old Carl Lee of Bobcaygeon was arrested and charged with failing to stop after an accident resulting in death and failing to stop after an accident resulting in bodily harm. The accused man is scheduled to appear before the Ontario Court of Justice in Peterborough on November 5.

County Road 36 was closed in both directions for several hours while police conducted their investigation.

While police have not released the names of the victims, the man’s father Anthony Vella identified them as Alana Lowey and Aiden Vella in a social media post.

According to a GoFundMe campaign set up for the victims’ families by Kim Wilson, Lowey moved to Bobcaygeon two months ago from Saskatchewan.

Wilson says the couple were walking alongside the highway when they were struck by the vehicle, and the driver did not stop or call for help.

“We don’t know if Alana would have had a chance if help had arrived sooner,” Wilson says on the GoFundMe page. “Sadly, it’s not something we will ever know.”

In a social media post, Vella’s father says his son remains in hospital but is expected to recover from his injuries.

Wilson says Vella will need financial help as he recovers and Lowey’s family will have expenses to have her returned to Saskatchewan. As of the date of this story, over $4,700 of the $15,000 goal had been raised.

Anyone who may have witnessed the incident or has surveillance or dash camera footage of the collision, and who has not yet spoken with police, is asked to contact the Peterborough County OPP at 1-888-310-1122.

If your daily commute take you through Peterborough’s East City via the Maria Street swing bridge, you may need to plan an alternate route from September 30 to October 4.

Parks Canada is closing the bridge located at Lock 20 from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. daily from Monday to Friday. During those hours, the bridge will be closed to drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians, although vessel traffic travelling along the canal under the bridge will not be affected.

“The closure is necessary to complete structural repairs and inspections of the bridge,” Parks Canada states in a media release.

Detour signage will be posted to direct vehicles to alternate crossings at Parkhill Road East or Lansdowne Street West.

“For the safety of area residents, drivers are asked to follow the detours to limit traffic on quieter residential streets,” the release states.

Alternate routes for local traffic include the tunnel under the Peterborough Lift Lock that connects Ashburnham Drive with Hunter Street, and McFarlane Street that connects Ashburnham Drive with Armour Road. Due to load and clearance limitations, trucks over five tonnes cannot use the Peterborough Lift Lock tunnel or the McFarlane Street bridge.

Pedestrians and cyclists can move between Ashburnham Drive and Maria Street by using the trail that runs through Beavermead Park and Roger’s Cove beside the new Canadian Canoe Museum.

A Scarborough teenager is in stable condition in hospital following what police believe is a drug-related shooting in Peterborough on Wednesday evening (September 25).

Police are searching for two or possibly three male suspects in the shooting, but do not yet have descriptions of the suspects.

At around 6:50 p.m. on Wednesday, police were called to a residential building at 701 George Street North just south of Parkhill Road West after reports of gunshots. After officers arrived, a male 17-year-old from Scarborough suffering from multiple gunshot wounds emerged from the building.

He was treated on the sidewalk by emergency medical services before being taken to Peterborough Regional Health Centre. He was later transported to a Toronto-area hospital where he is in stable condition with non-life-threatening injuries.

After arriving at the scene, officers and the canine unit searched the area but did not locate any suspects.

Peterborough Police Chief Stuart Betts and Detective Sergeant Josh McGrath held a media conference at the site of the shooting late Thursday morning, where Betts noted this is the third shooting incident in Peterborough so far this year.

“At this time, we are actively following up on investigative leads,” Betts said. “We’re searching for the suspects involved in this particular case and we’re asking anybody with information with regard to what happened to please forward that to police. If you’re uncomfortable speaking with the police, then please provide that information anonymously through Crime Stoppers.”

Betts added police believe the shooting is related to illicit drugs.

“Although it’s of little comfort I’m sure, we have information to believe that this was yet another targeted incident in our community,” Betts said. “We believe that the illicit drug trade is at the heart of it and, as I’ve said many times, where there are illicit drugs, there is violence soon to follow.”

While the shooting victim is from Scarborough, Betts implied that the suspects in the shooting are also not from the Peterborough area.

“These people came to our community to commit their violence,” he said.

McGrath said the suspects and the victim were known to each other, but the nature of the relationship is not yet clear.

“We believe all the parties involved were involved in the drug subculture in this building,” McGrath said.

In response to questions from reporters, McGrath said police do not yet know what type of firearm was used in the shooting. He also clarified that, while some of initial reports indicate the suspects are from out of town, police have not yet confirmed this.

McGrath also said that the shooting happened on the sidewalk in front of the building, and the wounded victim went inside the building to get help, emerging after police and emergency medical services arrived.

Anyone with information is asked to call Peterborough police at 705-876-1122 ext. 555. If you wish to remain anonymous, call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or submit a tip online at stopcrimehere.ca