City of Kawartha Lakes council learned about design plans and the overall need for a new $50-million paramedic services base on Angeline Street in Lindsay during a committee of the whole meeting on October 8, 2024. (kawarthaNOW screenshot from City of Kawartha Lakes video)
From accessible washrooms where paramedics can decontaminate after a call to the number of ambulance bays, City of Kawartha Lakes council learned more about the new paramedic services base slated for Lindsay.
During its committee of the whole meeting on Tuesday (October 8), the mayor and councillors received an overview of design plans for the Angeline Street South base, which will also provide a back-up location for the city’s critical IT infrastructure and serve as a back-up for 911, as it includes Kawartha Lakes Police Service’s Backup Communication Centre.
The committee, which met in council chambers on Francis Street, heard multiple presentations on the subject, including an overview provided by Kawartha Lakes Paramedic Service chief Sara Johnston.
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Councillors asked various questions about design elements, costs, and the availability of grants, and sought clarification around the proposed 25-year-lease agreement with Trillium Lakelands District School Board for the property at 230 Angeline Street South, which is also the location of the Lindsay Adult and Alternative Education Centre operated by the school board.
Councillors also discussed the impact of the new centre on the surrounding neighbourhoods, and what to expect regarding response times to calls.
“Thank you all for coming today and thank you for putting up with our interrogations,” Mayor Doug Elmslie said. “Let’s go forward and build a really great building.”
Kawartha Lakes Paramedic Service chief Sara Johnson along with representatives from Salter Pilon Architecture made a presentation about the new $50-million paramedic services base on Angeline Street in Lindsay to Kawartha Lakes city council during a committee of the whole meeting on October 8, 2024. (kawarthaNOW screenshot from City of Kawartha Lakes video)
Chief Johnston shared how the current paramedic facilities are outdated and insufficient to meet the needs of both staff and the growing community.
“I don’t think it comes as any surprise that the need for a paramedic facility is a very long-standing issue,” Johnston began.
“Many of the paramedics, myself included, have been here since the service was downloaded to the municipality in 2002. When that download happened, paramedics were being moved into buildings that were being used for other municipal use. So, in Lindsay, for example, the paramedics were moved into 89 Saint David Street, which is a public works facility.”
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“What was intended to be a temporary solution until a facility was able to be built, or the paramedics were moved into a different location, has extended now beyond 20 years,” the chief noted.
The new building will feature more indoor parking, which is key because a temperature-controlled environment is necessary for both the ambulances and medical supplies, such as IV fluids, council heard. Inside the current facility, there isn’t room for staff to decontaminate after calls or even just keep a safe distance from each other for infection prevention and control reasons, she said.
The new facility will consolidate seven of 11 existing paramedic facilities into a central location, improving operations and efficiency, the staff report noted. Many of the existing facilities may be repurposed, particularly those identified for expansion as shared municipal spaces.
The site plan for the new $50-million paramedic services base at 230 Angeline Street South in Lindsay. City council is being asked to approve a 25-year-lease agreement with Trillium Lakelands District School Board for the property, which is also the location of the Lindsay Adult and Alternative Education Centre operated by the school board. (kawarthaNOW screenshot from City of Kawartha Lakes video)
The lease cost for the new facility is offset by the savings gained from terminating a current facility lease, the report noted.
Another anticipated benefit is improved reaction times. The Paramedic Service Master Plan and Refresh evaluated facility location options by analyzing travel time performance alongside call distributions and future development trends.
“This assessment identified the proposed location as a strategic and superior alternative to the current site,” according to the report.
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The original agenda noted the committee of the whole would be asked to approve a 25-year-lease agreement with Trillium Lakelands District School Board for the property and bring it forward to the next regular council meeting on October 22 for approval.
The amended agenda asked that the information regarding the paramedic headquarters and fleet centre update be received and that this recommendation be brought forward to council for consideration at the next regular council meeting.
Council earlier approved an investment in a new paramedic headquarters and fleet centre in Lindsay. In May 2023, Salter Pilon Architecture was awarded the design and contract administration for this project. Since then, staff have been working closely with Salter Pilon “to create a purpose-built facility that meets the community’s growing needs.”
Staff expect the design of the new paramedic headquarters and fleet centre will be substantially complete by the end of 2024. This facility will improve service delivery, accommodate future staffing needs, and ensure residents receive timely access to emergency medical care.”
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Councillor Emmett Yeo asked if there were any purely aesthetic, and ultimately costly, design elements planned.
“Everything is purpose-built,” said Ryan Stitt of Salter Pilon Architecture.
“Speaking with chief Johnston, the goal of this was to build a functional, purpose-built facility that was meant for enhancing the paramedic services administratively and their function throughout the city. We really aren’t here to have a showcase for the city.”
The estimated cost for the paramedic headquarters and fleet centre facility is $50 million.
Peterborough residents Michael and Norma Doran pose with their heat pump, which they installed in 2023. The Dorans worked with GreenUP's home energy team to evaluate their home's efficiency, and were able to take advantage of an incentive program to upgrade their home. You can learn more about heat pumps and other energy-saving solutions, incentive programs, and more at the Home Energy Expo on October 19, 2024 at the McDonnel St. Activity Centre in Peterborough. (Photo: Clara Blakelock / GreenUP)
Each week, GreenUP provides a story related to the environment. This week’s story is by Clara Blakelock, Home Energy program manager, GreenUP.
Have you turned your heat on yet? If you haven’t, it’s only a matter of time. Like it or not, colder weather is on its way.
For homeowners with a furnace, fall is the ideal time to get it inspected and cleaned by a licensed heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) contractor.
And for some, this will be the year that inspection brings unwelcome news: it’s time for the furnace to be replaced. Most furnaces have a lifespan between 15 and 20 years.
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It’s a great idea to learn about the options that are out there. By doing some planning, homeowners can save the stress that comes with an emergency furnace replacement in the middle of winter.
The City of Peterborough, For Our Grandchildren, and GreenUP are hosting a Home Energy Expo to help make it easy to get informed and prepared when it comes to home heating systems and home energy efficiency.
This free drop-in event will take place Saturday, October 19th from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the McDonnel St. Activity Centre, and will feature exhibitors from the HVAC, solar, and insulation industries, registered energy advisors, incentive program representatives, as well as homeowners who have had success upgrading their homes.
Clara Blakelock, GreenUP Home Energy program manager, speaks with a homeowner at the Selwyn Home Energy Expo in 2023. (Photo: GreenUP)
Until a few years ago, furnace replacements were relatively straightforward. A new furnace would likely use the same fuel as an old furnace, with some improvement in efficiency.
But in the last few years, heat pumps have disrupted the heating system market.
Air-source heat pumps have efficiencies of 200 to 300 per cent (compared to a maximum of about 96 per cent for natural gas or propane furnaces), and the ability to do both heating and cooling, with drastically reduced carbon emissions compared to gas or oil furnaces.
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Shane Switzer of Kawartha Eco-Climate Control has been installing heat pumps throughout Peterborough and the surrounding region since 2020.
“Definitely interest in heat pumps has been growing exponentially — I’ve seen a large increase in demand,” says Switzer.
His clients’ previous heating systems come from all fuel types: natural gas, electric, oil, and propane.
“I’ve gotten really positive feedback from my clients, who have lowered their energy costs and greenhouse gas emissions since installing a heat pump.”
This mechanical room shows an all-electric heat pump and an electric heat pump hot water heater. This home does not directly burn any fossil fuels, resulting in much smaller greenhouse gas emissions than an average home. (Photo: Clara Blakelock / GreenUP)
Switzer’s company, along with other local HVAC providers, will be at the Home Energy Expo on October 19.
In many homes, replacing a gas, propane, or oil-burning furnace with an air-source heat pump will reduce the home’s carbon emissions by 60 per cent or more. Even when a fossil-fuel burning furnace is kept as a backup heating system, it comes on much less often and emissions are reduced 30 to 40 per cent.
Since residential buildings make up 23 per cent of Peterborough’s carbon emissions, widespread use of heat pumps could bring the city a significant way towards its carbon emission targets.
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The Canada Greener Homes Loan offers up to $40,000 in interest-free financing to help Canadians make their homes more energy efficient and comfortable, including through the installation of a heat pump. There are additional programs available to income-qualifying households converting from oil heating or electric heating to heat pumps. A rebate is also available to Enbridge gas customers.
To learn more about the Home Energy Expo, visit the Facebook event.
GreenUP has a team of Registered Energy Advisors ready to work with you to help you upgrade your home to improve energy efficiency and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Learn more at greenup.on.ca/home-energy/.
A new CCTV camera system is now up and running in downtown Lindsay, operated and maintained by the Lindsay Downtown Business Improvement Association (LDBIA) and funded by the Ontario government through the Kawartha Lakes Police Service, the City of Kawartha Lakes, and the LDBIA membership. While the cameras will not be actively monitored by the LDBIA or Kawartha Lakes police, police can request access to the footage from the LDBIA for the purpose of investigating crimes. (Photo: City of Kawartha Lakes)
Downtown Lindsay now has a closed-circuit television (CCTV) camera system to enhance public safety.
Operated and maintained by the Lindsay Downtown Business Improvement Association (LDBIA), the CCTV camera system has been funded by the Ontario government through the Kawartha Lakes Police Service, the City of Kawartha Lakes, and LDBIA membership.
“We believe that safety is paramount to revitalizing and enhancing our downtown area,” said LDBIA executive director Melissa McFarland in an LDBIA media release. “The CCTV camera system represents a proactive step towards creating a safer community, where residents can enjoy our local businesses and visitors can explore all that Lindsay has to offer without concern.”
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According to the LDBIA, the aim of the CCTV camera system is to deter criminal activity, provide support in emergency situations, and promote a greater sense of security among community members and visitors.
Unlike the CCTV system that was installed in downtown Peterborough last summer, the system in downtown Lindsay will not be operated or maintained by police. The LDBIA owns the equipment and is responsible for maintenance of the network.
The footage captured by the CCTV cameras will not be accessible to the general public, and neither the LDBIA nor Kawartha Lakes police will actively monitor the cameras. However, police will be able to request access to the footage from the LDIBA for the purpose of investigating crimes.
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The CCTV camera system provides full coverage of downtown Lindsay, including Kent Street West from Victoria Street to Lindsay Street, as well as north and south coverage from the intersections of Victoria Street and Kent Street, Cambridge Street and Kent Street, William Street and Kent Street, Peel Street and Kent Street, and Lindsay Street and Kent Street.
The estimated total project cost of the CCTV camera system is $80,000.
Last year, the LDIA in partnership with the Kawartha Lakes Police Service procured a grant of $28,902 from the Ontario government’s CCTV grant program, a three-year $6-million program announced in 2020 for police services across the province.
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The LDBIA then requested $40,000 in one-time funding the City of Kawartha Lakes. After the LDIA completed a public consultation and presented the results to city council in late 2023, council approved the funding request this past February.
The remaining cost of the CCTV camera system is being funded by LDBIA members.
“As we welcome this new era of safety in Lindsay Downtown, we invite everyone to enjoy the benefits it brings,” reads the LDBIA media release. “Together, we can create a thriving environment where everyone feels secure and supported.”
For the fourth year, Burke's Barnyard, a four-acre farm northeast of Bancroft, will be hosting a family-friendly Halloween celebration from 1 to 7 p.m. on October 19, 2024 with trick-or-treating, themed décor, activities and games, a costume exchange, a vendor market, and more. The annual event collects non-perishable food items for the North Hastings Community Cupboard. (Photo: Burke's Barnyard / Facebook)
October might be the month of pumpkin carving, spooky decorations, candy confections, and bone-chilling movies, but an annual fundraiser outside of Bancroft is a reminder that it also kicks off the holiday season — the time to think about others.
Burke’s Barnyard, located at 4169 Boulter Road in the Boulter hills 30 minutes northeast of Bancroft in North Hastings, is hosting its 4th annual Halloween extravaganza on Saturday, October 19th from 1 to 7 p.m.
A culmination of efforts of the whole community, the event invites visitors and community members to get dressed up in their costumes for a variety of fun games, activities, sweet treats, and a vendor market.
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Admission for the event is a non-perishable food item to be donated to the North Hastings Community Cupboard.
Melissa and Gary Burke, the owners of Burke’s Barnyard (and Burke’s Bounty Microgreens, which often donates overstock to the food bank), are hoping to beat their record of having collected 262 pounds of donated food in 2022.
“We like to give back and everybody needs food, so it’s really about bringing people through to have fun for a cause,” says Melissa. “It was never about making money.”
Melissa and Gary Burke are the owners of Burke’s Barnyard, a four-acre property northeast of Bancroft with campsites and a farmstand of local goods. Since opening the farm, the couple has hosted an annual Halloween extravaganza that offers fun for the whole family. This year’s event runs from 1 to 7 p.m. on October 19, 2024. (Photo: Burke’s Barnyard / Facebook)
Burke’s Barnyard is a four-acre farm available for events and features campsites, animal meet ‘n greets, and a farmstand of local goods. The Burkes, along with their now-adult children, first began hosting the Halloween event when they turned their farm into a business in 2021.
“We used to take our kids to these kinds of events every year and we just love Halloween,” Melissa says. “It’s one of our favourite holidays and we find it a lot of fun just dressing up and taking the kids out to get pumpkins and spending time outside. We visited a lot of farms ourselves, so we had the thought to do it here because there isn’t really anything like it in the area.”
Anticipating a turnout of more than 200 people, the family-friendly event will offer a trick-or-treating scavenger hunt. Kids will be given a list of riddles leading them to different spooky displays around the property — graveyards, aliens, pumpkin patches — to collect stamps. When they finish their card, they can cash it in for a bag of candy.
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“Every year we’re adding more inflatables and displays and trying to make it fun and keep it exciting,” Melissa says. “It’s different every year.”
There will also be face painting (by donation), and the local Pop Over Parties will be on site with Nerf guns, bow sand arrows, tug-of-war, and more family fun activities and games. Hot chocolate and candy apples will be available, as well as a campfire for making your own ‘smores.
Kids can also meet the Burke’s Barnyard’s pot-bellied pigs, Lewis and Pumpkin, and purchase a $2 bag of food to feed the chickens, ducks, and turkeys.
Every year, the family-friendly Halloween celebration at Burke’s Barnyard includes a scavenger hunt which takes kids to explore themed displays on the property to win bags of candy and chocolate. This year’s event runs from 1 to 7 p.m. on October 19, 2024. (Photo: Burke’s Barnyard / Facebook)
New this year, the event will also include a vendor market featuring 10 local businesses including wellness services (with a booth offering information on Maggie’s Resource Centre of North Hastings), to jewellery makers, farmers, artisans, and more.
“The idea behind our farmstand is to help support small and local business and small makers,” Melissa says.
“It’s just a really good time of year to help support local business and it’s a great opportunity to do that with so many people coming through.”
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Also new this year, Burke’s Barnyard has opened a costume exchange on the porch of the farmstand.
“I’ve seen a lot of people trying to get rid of Halloween costumes on (Facebook) Marketplace,” Melissa says. “I personally saved all of my kids’ costumes because every year, (because) you never know if they’ll want to use something again. It’s a really good way to make use of these little costumes while helping other people.”
The costume exchange is now open at the farm and will remain open until the Halloween event.
For their annual Halloween celebration on October 19, 2024, Burke’s Barnyard has opened a costume exchange on the porch of their farmstand. Leading up to the event, visitors can drop off old costumes or exchange their used ones for something new, while low-income families can pick up a costume at no cost. (Photo: Burke’s Barnyard / Facebook)
“People can come bring an old costume, switch it for something new, and donate old costumes they don’t want,” Melissa says. “If a family is low-income and just needs a costume, they’re welcome to come take one.”
Since the exchange launched earlier this month, visitors have been browsing the costumes and donating their own.
It’s not the only support the Burkes have received from the community for the Halloween event since they began hosting it annually. The event is run by volunteers and much of the chocolate and candy comes from donations by individuals in the community.
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“Every year, we depend on local community donations and the vendors are now a good network to have,” Melissa says. “Sometimes we get donations for raffle prizes, and we’ll sell raffle tickets to buy more inflatables for the displays.”
“Between the community and neighbours, the small businesses and ourselves, it all comes together.”
The annual Halloween celebration held at Burke’s Barnyard, located northeast of Bancroft, will include candies, activities, games, and face painting for kids, as well as a vendor market and costume exchange. The annual event, which runs this year from 1 to 7 p.m. on October 19, 2024, is a fundraiser in support of the North Hastings Community Cupboard. (Photo: Burke’s Barnyard / Facebook)
Founded by Ennismore couple Ainsley and Dario Gabbani, Maple Light introduced its eponymous product this past summer. Containing only water, vodka, maple syrup, and citric acid, the hard maple seltzer is now available in Peterborough-area bars and restaurants. (Photo: Maple Light)
A Peterborough company has launched a new alcoholic beverage celebrating Canada’s most iconic flavour.
Founded by Ennismore couple Ainsley and Dario Gabbani, Maple Light introduced its eponymous product — a hard maple seltzer — this past summer.
“Like any stereotypical Canadian, we’re obsessed with maple syrup,” reads a media release from the company. “We tap our own trees and drink it from the bottle. In 2023, while boiling down sap in our sugar shack, we were inspired to create a refreshing maple cocktail that quickly became a hit with family and friends.”
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Encouraged by the reaction, the couple saw a market opportunity and spent a year developing Maple Light, which they describe being “refreshingly crisp” and “proudly made in Ontario with 100 per cent Canadian maple syrup.”
Four per cent alcohol by volume and sold in 12 oz. (355 ml) cans, the beverage consists of only four ingredients: water, vodka, maple syrup, and citric acid.
The maple syrup acts as a light sweetener and is balanced by a subtle citrus flavour. Maple Light contains no refined sugar or chemical preservatives.
Ennismore couple Ainsley and Dario Gabbani were inspired to create a maple-flavoured cocktail while boiling down sap in their sugar shack. (Photo: Maple Light / Instagram)
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The company suggests serving the beverage chilled or over ice with a lime wedge.
Coming soon to grocery and convenience stores, Maple Light is now available in bars and restaurants in the Peterborough area, including Maple Moose Pub, Jesse’s Tap and Grill, Night Kitchen, The Vine, Sullivan’s General Store, and the Peterborough Memorial Centre.
Peterborough Regional Health Centre (PRHC) general surgeon Dr. Brie Banks, Kawartha Credit Union president and CEO Norah McCarthy, PRHC Foundation president and CEO Lesley Heighway, and Peterborough's Dragon Boat Festival chair Michelle Thornton hold a $312,025.18 cheque representing the funds raised at the 2024 festival during an event on October 9, 2024 in the hospital's cafeteria. The funds will support cancer care advancements at PRHC like digital pathology and breast seed localization. (Photo courtesy of Peterborough's Dragon Boat Festival)
For the third year in a row, Peterborough’s Dragon Boat Festival has surpassed its fundraising goal — donating a record-breaking $312,025.18 for breast and other cancer screening, diagnosis, and treatment at Peterborough Regional Health Centre (PRHC).
Volunteers from the 2024 festival’s organizing committee and the Survivors Abreast Dragon Boat Team presented a cheque to PRHC Foundation representatives on Wednesday (October 9) at the hospital’s cafeteria, representing the proceeds from the 23rd edition of the festival that was held on June 8 at Del Crary Park.
With last year’s festival exceeding its fundraising goal of $205,000.18 by over $85,000 to raise a then-record-breaking $290,025.18 for the PRHC Foundation, festival organizers increased this year’s goal to $251,825.18 — with the numbers again representing the two in five Canadians who will be diagnosed with cancer in their lifetime and the one in eight women who will develop breast cancer.
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This year’s festival saw 69 teams and over 1,300 paddlers generating more than 3,455 donations that pushed the total funds raised to $312,025.18 — more than $60,000 over this year’s fundraising goal and the largest amount the festival has ever raised.
Festival chair Michelle Thornton, who is also a member of the Survivors Abreast Dragon Boat Team, praised her team and the festival’s organizing committee for their efforts in making this year’s volunteer-run festival another record-breaking success.
“We are a committee of approximately 24 and we break out into 12 sub-committees,” she said in a media release. “These volunteers are the magic behind the scenes and sometimes I ask myself, ‘How can such a small group of people make such a big difference?’ And the answer is, one race at a time.”
“Today’s gift is a way to honour the loved ones we’ve lost, give hope to those who need it and, for those of us who are survivors, it’s a way to take back some control and pay it forward,” Thornton added. “When you touch a life, you also touch every life that life touches so, to everyone who got involved, I say thank you for making such a difference.”
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Hosted by the Survivors Abreast Dragon Boat Team, Peterborough’s Dragon Boat Festival was first launched in June 2001 as Liberty Mutual’s “Day on the Water”, becoming Peterborough’s Dragon Boat Festival the following year. Over the past 23 years, it has raised more than $4.5 million for cancer screening, diagnosis, and treatment in the Peterborough region.
“The event has had the same goal since day one: to make sure that patients from across our region have access to the tests and treatments that could save their lives, right here in our community,” said Survivors Abreast president Ann Stabler.
One hundred per cent of all pledges to the festival are able to be donated to the PRHC Foundation thanks to the sponsors who cover the costs of hosting the event, including Kawartha Credit Union, which has been the festival’s presenting sponsor every year since 2001.
“At Kawartha Credit Union, care for others is one of our core values and we are passionate about contributing to the well-being of the communities we serve,” said Kawartha Credit Union president and CEO Norah McCarthy. “Being the platinum sponsor of Peterborough’s Dragon Boat Festival allows us to provide financial support while also participating in a fun event that unites Peterborough and our surrounding areas in a common goal to improve local healthcare resources.”
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PRHC Foundation president and CEO Lesley Heighway thanked the Survivors Abreast Dragon Boat Team, the festival’s organizing committee, and all the participants, sponsors, donors, and volunteers for the record-breaking donation.
“This is what happens when we come together,” Heighway said. “We’re tackling the biggest challenges our hospital faces and, with your support, making a real difference for the thousands of patients from across our region who rely on PRHC’s expert cancer care teams.”
Heighway added that proceeds from this year’s festival will support cancer care advancements like digital pathology and breast seed localization, where a tiny metal seed is placed into abnormal breast tissue to mark its location prior to surgery.
Thornton said planning for the 24th festival on June 14, 2025 will begin soon and take place over the next several months. Anyone wishing to volunteer their time and skills can email Thornton at michellethornton.365@gmail.com.
Peterborough-based Compass Early Learning & Care Centre (Compass ELC) is hoping to have a long-term impact in Kirkfield when it opens a new child care program in the Kawartha Lakes community in 2025. (Photo: Compass ELC)
With a recent announcement that Compass Early Learning & Care (Compass ELC) would be launching a new program in Kirkfield, the Peterborough-based not-for-profit organization said it’s hoping to to provide more than child care to the Kawartha Lakes community over the long term.
Compass ELC purchased a building at 1047 Portage Rd., which was previously owned by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Peterborough, and intends to open a child care program with 45-plus spaces for area infants, toddlers, and preschoolers.
With renovations beginning shortly, a request for proposals being tendered this fall, and an anticipated opening in 2025, Ashley Collins, Compass ELC’s co-CEO and corporate link, shared with kawarthaNOW her vision for the organization’s future in Kirkfield.
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“We are really hopeful to become a contributing member of the Kirkfield community by expanding access to early learning and care for families, and offering meaningful employment to educators in the area,” Collins said.
“As a not-for-profit, we re-invest any available surplus funds into the program by way of creating welcoming, joyful spaces, and compensating our team members in order to retain passionate, dedicated early learning educators.”
“We are also hopeful that, once the first phase of renovations is complete, we can work with children and families in the community to co-construct a vision for a beautiful outdoor play area that the community could also have access to in the evenings and weekends.”
Ashley Collins, co-CEO and corporate link of Compass Early Learning & Care Centre, spoke with kawarthaNOW about the Pterborough-based not-for-profit organization’s long-term vision for its new child care program in Kirkfield. (Photo: Compass ELC)
In addition, Compass ELC will be supporting a community that’s considered underserved when it comes to accessing child care.
The Canada-Wide Early Learning and Child Care System is intended to expand child care to areas and people that have historically been under-served, like Kirkfield. Compass ELC, in partnership with the City of Kawartha Lakes, said the Kirkfield community was identified as the number-one priority area based on lack of access to licensed child care, and the needs in the surrounding area.
“We are grateful to work with the wonderful children services team at City of Kawartha Lakes to bring a child care program to the Kirkfield community,” Collins added.
Upon opening, Compass ELC will offer 10 spaces for infants (0 to 18 months), 15 spaces for toddlers (18 to 30 months), and 24 spaces for preschoolers (30 months to six years) for a total of 49 spots.
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For families, Compass ELC will release details about a waitlist and registration information in 2025 when a projected opening date is in sight.
Compass ELC is a network of more than 700 employees and 80 home child care providers who serve more than 5,000 families in Peterborough County, City of Kawartha Lakes, Haliburton County, Durham Region and Northumberland County.
“Our organization envisions a world where each of us feels we belong; children are respected as citizens of today; families feel valued and supported; early learning and care teams are recognized for their significant contributions; and all peoples and Mother Earth have what they need to thrive,” Collins said.
“Our new program in Kirkfield will honour this vision, offering child care to an area that is currently a child care desert.”
Art lovers and supporters of the Art Gallery of Peterborough at the 2023 "It's All About ART" fundraising auction at The Venue in downtown Peterborough. For 2024, the gallery is celebrating 50 years with a 1970s theme for its largest fundraiser of the year, which will see the return of both a live in-person auction on Saturday, October 26 and an online silent auction running from October 11 to 26. (Photo: Zach Ward)
The Art Gallery of Peterborough is gearing up for its It’s All About ART, the gallery’s largest fundraising event of the year, and in honour of the gallery’s 50th anniversary, things are getting groovy.
That’s right — this year’s auction is transporting guests back to the 1970s when the gallery was just getting its start. Alongside stunning local artwork, the live event will see no shortage of disco balls, bell-bottoms, and the musical stylings of the decade’s greats like Elton John and Pink Floyd.
“It really is a fun opportunity to really bring people’s attention to 50 years of volunteer work, 50 years of local artists supporting and exhibiting, and 50 years of contributions that have been made by our community to help this organization thrive,” says Art Gallery of Peterborough director Celeste Scopelites. “It’s really quite amazing when we look back at the history.”
Peterborough fine artist Leanne Baird’s “Spruce in Maple Forest” (2018, acrylic on canvas, 36″ x 36″) is one of the many artworks that will be available for bidding during the annual It’s All About ART fundraising auction in support of programming at the Art Gallery of Peterborough on October 26, 2024. The painting is available for preview at an exhibition at the gallery from October 5 to 20. (Photo courtesy of Art Gallery of Peterborough)
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With a cash bar and hors d’oeuvres, this year’s live auction is taking place on Saturday, October 26th at The Venue (286 George St. N.) in downtown Peterborough, with doors opening at 6:30 p.m. and tickets priced at $75.
Following the success of last year’s hybrid fundraiser, there will also be an online silent auction running from 9 a.m. on Friday, October 11th until 9 p.m. on Saturday, October 26th. No tickets are needed to participate in the online auction; you just need to register for free as a bidder.
Funds raised from both auctions will go towards the gallery’s exhibitions and educational programming, like Family Sundays and artist talks.
“We are and always have been a free gallery, and we’re supported by generous donations and initiatives like the fundraiser,” says Scopelites. “The fundraiser is critically important to support the kind of programming that we do, which is positioned to be informative, engaging, and inclusive.”
Bidders gather around artworks during the 2023 It’s All About ART fundraising auction held by the Art Gallery of Peterborough at The Venue in downtown Peterborough. The 2024 fundraiser in support of the gallery’s programming returns with a live in-person auction on Saturday, October 26 and an online silent auction running from October 11 to 26. (Photo: Zach Ward)
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The gallery’s fundraising auction has been a long-running and popular event for local art lovers, giving them the opportunity to purchase artworks by local artists. From early events running as a masquerade gala before gaining the “It’s All About ART” title in 2009 and moving offsite in 2015, the auction has evolved over the years.
That includes during the pandemic, when the auction was held entirely online. That turned out to be a blessing in disguise when the auction returned in 2023 as an in-person event but retained the online component.
“Having an online auction as well means you can have people who don’t want to go to the party, or who live far away, still bidding on the artwork,” says Scopelites. “The online component is also beneficial to spreading the word about supporting the Art Gallery of Peterborough and raising awareness about the art being made in this region. This double platform really helps us in a variety of ways.”
Megan Ward’s “Sauvignon” (2019, oil on panel, 40″ x 30″) is one of the many artworks that will be featured during the annual It’s All About ART fundraising auction in support of programming at the Art Gallery of Peterborough on October 26, 2024. All the work available for bidding during both the live and online auction can be previewed through the Auctria website and mobile app. (Photo courtesy of Art Gallery of Peterborough)
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Using the auction website or the mobile app Auctria (available for Android and iPhone), bidders can browse all the artwork that is available — including items that will only be available at the live auction for bidding — and get live updates for items on which they have placed a bid. All online auction winners can arrange to pick up their artworks or have them shipped.
According to Art Gallery of Peterborough curator Fynn Leitch, the combination of the live auction and online auction has proven to be both popular with participants and beneficial for fundraising.
“People really enjoyed having lots of different access points and lots of different ways of interacting with the auction,” Leitch says. “We had our most successful year on record ever last year, so we’re really excited and poised for success.”
Bidders enjoy drinks and hors d’oevres at the 2023 It’s All About ART fundraising auction held by the Art Gallery of Peterborough at The Venue in downtown Peterborough. In celebration of the art gallery’s 20th anniversary, this year’s fundraiser will have a “groovy” 1970s theme, with music from the decade, disco balls decorating The Venue, and guests strutting their best bell-bottoms. (Photo: Zach Ward)
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It’s All About ART will see a range of work both from artists in the Kawarthas as well as a few based outside the region. The auctions offer a vast selection of styles and mediums from ceramics and paintings to jewellery and photography.
“These are often artists that we’ve already connected with and are already working with in a number of different ways — through exhibitions, they have work in our shops, or they are artists who are on our Kawartha Autumn Studio Tour,” says Leitch.
“These artists really see the value in the Art Gallery of Peterborough. They’ve seen it for the past 50 years, and they want to see it for another 50 years.”
A detail from “Wildflower Woodland Fantasy” (2024, acrylic on panel, 16″ x 50″) by Peterborough artist Steven Vero, which will be one of the many works up for auction during the Art Gallery of Peterborough’s 2024 It’s All About ART fundraiser taking place both online from October 11 to 26 and in-person on Saturday, October 26. Vero recently won first prize in the Chianciano Biennale Award for Abstract Artwork in the prestigious Chianciano Biennale art competition in Tuscany, Italy. (Photo courtesy of Art Gallery of Peterborough)
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One of the 40 artists whose work will be available during It’s All About ART is Steven Vero, a Peterborough-based painter and former art teacher.
In August, he was selected to be featured in the prestigious Chianciano Biennale, a contemporary international art competition in Tuscany, Italy, where he won first prize in the Chianciano Biennale Award for Abstract Artwork for his oil-on-canvas work “Calculations.”
“He’s an incredible person, but also an incredible artist with incredible range,” says Leitch. “It’s so often that we spend our time talking about the incredible richness of the arts community here, and sometimes we forget that the incredible richness of our arts community is recognized far beyond our community.”
“Adelie Dance” (2024 print/2011 negative, 25″ x 37″, framed) by Peterborough photographer Arnold Zageris is one of the many pieces of artwork donated by local and visiting artists for the Art Gallery of Peterborough’s 2024 It’s All About ART auction on Saturday, October 26 at The Venue in downtown Peterborough. The artist will also be hosting a solo exhibit at the gallery beginning November 9. (Photo courtesy of Art Gallery of Peterborough)
Another artist whose works will be available is Peterborough-based photographer Arnold Zageris.
“He’s somebody who takes photography as a technique and a medium to extraordinary lengths by positioning his body in really precarious ways to capture unforgettable moments,” says Leitch. “We are really excited to share his work for the upcoming auction.”
In addition to participating in It’s All About ART, Zageris will also have a solo exhibition opening on Saturday, November 9th in the main gallery at the Art Gallery of Peterborough.
“Flower Vase” (2024, blown and solid worked glass, sandblasted surface, 14″ x 8.5″ x 10″) by Apsley-based glass-blower Susan Rankin is one of the artworks that will be available during the 2024 It’s All About ART fundraising auction in support of programming at the Art Gallery of Peterborough. Both the online and live auctions will feature a range of mediums and art styles including ceramics, jewellery, photography, and paintings. (Photo courtesy of Art Gallery of Peterborough)
Scopelites adds that another artwork she thinks will do well at the auction is a functional glass piece from Apsley-based glassblower Susan Rankin.
“It’s an extraordinary fine art piece and I’m just so excited to have this work that really uses these beautiful, really complex techniques,” she says.
“She’s been practising glass for many years and is represented in a number of galleries so it’s great to have her work as a prime example of the extraordinary glass work that’s done in Canada,” adds Leitch.
Art lovers who enjoy the excitement of bidding during a live auction can purchase tickets for the Art Gallery of Peterborough’s 2024 It’s All About ART fundraiser on Saturday, October 26 at The Venue in downtown Peterborough. For those unable to travel to Peterborough or who prefer to bid from home, the gallery is also hosting an online silent auction running from October 11 to 26. (Photo: Zach Ward)
Until Sunday, October 20th, interested buyers, art collectors, and gallery supporters will have the opportunity to see the works to be included at both auctions through a limited time exhibition at the Art Gallery of Peterborough.
“It allows people to make a plan before coming to the auction,” says Leitch.
The It’s All About ART fundraiser benefits everyone, as the gallery gets much-needed funds to support programming, art lovers add to their collection, and participating artists reach a wider audience, with sale prices at auction potentially increasing the appraisal of their future works.
The Art Gallery of Peterborough is celebrating 50 years in 2024, and this year’s It’s All About ART live fundraising auction on Saturday, October 26 at The Venue in downtown Peterborough will feature a 1970s theme, with an online silent auction running from October 11 to 26. (Graphic courtesy of Art Gallery of Peterborough)
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“Auctions are what define the value of artwork for the most part,” Leitch points out. “Give generously because, from an economic standpoint, artists are small business owners. We’re supporting the economy of Peterborough in addition to making sure that the Art Gallery of Peterborough gets to stay here and serve the community for another 50 years.”
And this year, as Scopelites says, “It’s going to be a real groovy night.”
For more about It’s All About ART or to purchase tickets for the live auction, visit www.agp.on.ca/its-all-about-art/. Tickets are also available by calling 705-743-9179 or visiting the gallery at 250 Crescent Street in downtown Peterborough.
This branded editorial was created in partnership with the Art Gallery of Peterborough. If your organization or business is interested in a branded editorial, contact us.
Peterborough native Steve Nicholls is the managing partner at Billyard Insurance Group Peterborough, helping residents across Ontario find home, auto, travel, and business insurance within their budget. In the past three years, the small team has garnered nothing but five-star reviews for their attention to customer service and community-oriented approach. (Photo courtesy of Billyard Insurance Group Peterborough)
Gaining 100 per cent customer satisfaction is not something most businesses can usually do, but Billyard Insurance Group Peterborough sure makes it look easy. Recently celebrating his three-year anniversary at the firm, managing partner Steve Nicholls has garnered nothing but five-star reviews on Google — and there are more than 50 of them so far.
Working with more than 10 insurance companies to find the best customized coverage, Billyard Insurance Group Peterborough helps clients across Ontario meet their home, commercial business, travel, and auto insurance needs by providing many competitive options within their budget.
The Peterborough location is one of more than 85 Billyard Insurance Group branches across Canada, with Nicholls adding a local touch to the company’s Peterborough location. Unlike other brokerages that might have clients speaking to a different representative on each call, his small team assures that someone familiar who you can trust is always on the other end of the line. Even if a claim arises after hours or on the weekend, the team is always easy to reach in the office, through email, and over the phone.
“For us, it’s all about accessibility and building a relationship with the client,” says Nicholls of the company’s approach to customer service.
This spring, Nicholls welcomed broker Rourke Stevenson to the team. Coming from a background in hospitality, Stevenson also values the same level of customer service and community-building that the independent brokerage has made a top priority for the past three years.
The Billyard Insurance Group Peterborough recently welcomed new broker Rourke Stevenson to the team. Coming from a background in hospitality, Stevenson also values the same level of customer service and community-building that the independent brokerage has made a top priority for the past three years. (Photo courtesy of Billyard Insurance Group Peterborough)
Nicholls, who is a Peterborough native himself (he grew up in the west end and attended St. Peter’s Catholic Secondary School and later Trent University), is passionate about his community and always shows up to give back where he can.
In addition to regularly giving to local organizations, the brokerage took part in this spring’s CMHA Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge “Change the Cycle” fundraising event in support of mental health programming.
Nicholls also sponsors sports teams of all levels, from the city’s professional sports teams including the Peterborough Petes and Peterborough Lakers to community-level sports organizations including the Peterborough Pacers Track & Field Club and Trent University Athletics.
“We really take pride in where we come from,” says Nicholls. “We know it’s important to give back to the community that supports us, and that’s why we continue to work with local organizations.”
Know Your Locals™ is a branded editorial feature about locally owned independent businesses and locally operated organizations, and supported by them. If your business or organization is interested in being featured in a future “Know Your Locals” branded editorial, contact Jeannine Taylor at 705-742-6404 or jt@kawarthanow.com or visit our Advertise with kawarthaNOW page.
A fire that claimed the life of a 43-year-old Peterborough woman was accidental, according to the Ontario Fire Marshal.
The ruling follows an investigation into the fire, which happened last Tuesday (October 1) in an apartment at a small three-storey residential building on the northwest corner of Rubidge and Townsend streets.
After responding to the fire, Peterborough Fire Services found the woman inside the apartment.
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Despite life-saving efforts from firefighters and emergency medical services, the woman was pronounced dead at the scene.
The following day, Peterborough police and the Ontario Fire Marshal began an investigation into the fire.
“As a result of the Fire Marshal’s ruling, the police investigation is considered completed,” states a media release issued by Peterborough police on Tuesday (October 8).
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