The endeavour to construct a new, combined 180-bed long-term care home and museum and archives site in Northumberland County has taken longer and cost more than expected, but the Golden Plough Lodge (GPL) and Northumberland County Archives and Museum (NCAM) project is 75 per cent finished.

The county announced on Monday (October 7) that GPL, the only municipally operated long-term care facility in Northumberland, and NCAM will open later in 2025. The 203,000-square-foot facility is being constructed on Courthouse Road in the town of Cobourg, adjacent to the existing GPL, on county-owned property.

“To ensure the successful delivery of this vital community project, the revised occupancy for staff is set for June 2025, at which time furnishing, set-up, and touch-ups will take place,” the county noted in an email newsletter.

Residents are expected to move into the new facility in the fall of 2025.

The project is now moving into the final phase of construction, according to the county.

“We are entering an exciting phase of the project as finishing contractors begin work onsite,” said Denise Marshall, director of public works, in a media release. “Northumberland County and its construction partners are determined to deliver a facility that residents, staff, and the community will be proud of.”

The county said it’s “fully focused” on the desired final outcome: a facility that meets the evolving needs of long-term care residents, responds to increasing local demand for long-term care spaces, and — through new museum and archival amenities — supports the preservation and promotion of Northumberland’s cultural heritage.

Although the project was initially launched in December 2020 with a projected completion date of December 2022, the county said nationwide challenges in the construction sector that stem from the COVID-19 pandemic impacted original projections. Factors such as material cost increases, skilled labour shortages, high interest rates, inflation, supply chain disruptions, and fluctuating oil and gas prices have required adjustments to the timeline and budget.

Following negotiations, Northumberland County and contractor Matheson Constructors have reached an agreement on an updated budget and schedule, the media release noted.

There is also a revised project budget. The budget adjustment incorporates additional funds for contractor and subcontractor work, project administration and design changes, as well as elevated interest rates on financing, for a revised total project budget of $145 million — up from the original budget of $115 million, the county noted.

Northumberland said it will fund these increases through a financing arrangement with Infrastructure Ontario as well as a draw from reserves.

County staff will provide a report on the breakdown of the costs at the December meeting of the public works committee, following a 60-day period requested by the contractor due to commercial sensitivity.

“This amended budget reflects current economic conditions,” the county said. “In 2022, the provincial government introduced a program specifically aimed at mitigating the widespread cost escalations for construction of long-term care facilities, so that cost would not become a barrier to the launch of these critically required capital development projects.”

“While the (GPL) redevelopment project, launched in December 2020, predates the eligibility period for this program — which is limited to projects starting on or after April 1, 2022 — the pressures created by the current economic environment are nevertheless clear.”

Northumberland County Warden Brian Ostrander shared his thoughts on the project.

“While facing unforeseen challenges, Northumberland County has ensured diligent management of the project’s financial responsibilities, ensuring all invoices have been promptly addressed throughout the lifespan of the project,” said Ostrander.

“In the face of industry-wide cost escalations, council has authorized an updated agreement as necessary to ensure compensation for subcontractors and the delivery of this vital facility.”

The new GPL will include a combination of one-bed and two-bed rooms across six resident home areas. In addition to a sensory room, the new facility will include fireside lounges, a café and a hair salon, a greenhouse for agri-therapy, an auditorium for concerts and resident events, and outdoor courtyards and pathways.

The NCAM space has been designed with features that target preserving history. NCAM’s possessions include the land registry collection, which contains more than 100 bound ledgers and thousands of land instruments dating back to the 1700s.

Peterborough Public Health is advising the public of a recall of beef tongue jelly products following confirmed cases of food poisoning linked to the products, including one local case that originated from the sale of an affected product in Bridgenorth.

On Friday (October 4), Health Canada issued a recall of various brands of beef tongue jelly products due to possible Listeria monocytogenes contamination. The recall was triggered by findings by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) during its investigation into a food-borne illness outbreak.

Listeria monocytogenes is a species of disease-causing bacteria that can survive and even grow under refrigeration and other food preservation measures. When people eat food contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes, they may develop a disease called listeriosis.

The recalled products may have been sold by various retailers, either clerk-served, sliced, chunked, or in smaller packages, and with or without a label that may not bear the same brand, product name, or best before date.

A list of the affected products and where they have been sold is available on the Health Canada website.

According to a media release from Peterborough Public Health issued on Monday (October 7), one case of listeriosis has been confirmed following purchase of a beef tongue jelly product at the Bridgenorth Deli at 871 Ward Street in Bridgenorth.

The deli, which sold the product before it was aware of the recall, is “cooperating well” with CFIA and the health unit regarding the recall of the product and the safety of their clients.

“Every effort is being made with the deli to contact the customers directly,” the health unit adds.

If you have purchased any of the recalled products, do not eat them. Throw them out or return them to the location of purchase. If you are ill and think you have consumed the product, contact your healthcare provider immediately.

Health Canada estimates that there are about four million cases of food-borne illness in Canada every year. While listeriosis is a rare disease in Canada, some foods are more likely to carry the Listeria bacteria than others. Some higher-risk foods include refrigerated smoked fish, raw or unpasteurized milk, soft and unpasteurized cheeses, and ready-to-eat meats including pâté, deli meats, and hot dog wieners.

According to the Health Canada website, food contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes may not look or smell spoiled, but can still make you sick. Symptoms can include vomiting, nausea, persistent fever, muscle aches, severe headache, and neck stiffness.

Pregnant women, elderly people, and people with weakened immune systems are particularly at risk. Although infected pregnant women may experience only mild flu-like symptoms, the infection can lead to premature delivery, infection of the newborn or even stillbirth. In severe cases of illness, people may die.

In a time when the rising cost of living and shrinkflation is making it more difficult for people to have affordable home-cooked meals, a catering company based in Kawartha Lakes is giving back to the community one meal at a time — or sometimes more than 60 at a time.

Launched just over a year ago by rekindled old friends Tammy Thurston and Charlene Vanderburg, Lindsay’s Board and Nibble Catering Co. serves customers a variety of custom-made grazing platters, food bars, charcuterie bars, dessert cups and more.

All food left over or unused in the platters goes towards Making Meals Matter Kawartha Lakes, an initiative by Thurston and Vanderburg that provides those in need with affordable and nutritious home-cooked meals similar to community food programs.

“I’ve always been close to those programs in the sense that I was a single mom at one point, and I know how quickly it can happen when you need the resources,” says Thurston. “So, when we were in the position to then alleviate that concern for others facing those barriers, that’s what we wanted to do.”

Thurston and Vanderburg launched Making Meals Matter Kawartha Lakes this past spring after seeing the demand for the pay-what-you-can Easter dinners they were doing through Board & Nibble Catering Co.

“There are quite a number of people that suffer from food insecurity and need a little extra help here and there,” says Vanderburg. “When we started seeing how many people were reaching out — wanting not only to support the movement or support the idea of paying it forward, but also the people that were utilizing it — we realized this was really, really needed.”

Vanderburg has been a long-time admin and volunteer for the Buy Nothing Lindsay Facebook group, which offers a connection for locals looking to give away, lend, or share things within the community. Through the group, she has helped families and individuals by connecting them with food banks or by giving away food from her own pantry.

“I got to know a lot of the different group members that had needs,” she says. “I’ve always been blessed with enough and happy to help people.”

Vanderburg notes she has always known how to cook on a budget and to find deals on food, which was something she has continued to do on a larger scale at Board & Nibble to help her round out the meals they give away. Even before launching Making Meals Matter Kawartha Lakes, the company was using the Buy Nothing Lindsay Facebook group to give away food leftovers.

“It’s just always been instilled in my genes that food waste is something I despise, so I had to do something with it,” says Vanderburg.

Through Making Meals Matter Kawartha Lakes, the duo offers a weekly meal funded entirely through donations, prior weekly meals, and the gratuities they get through catering.

After they post to social media channels about the meal, with an affordable set price (roughly $8 to $12), interested parties can sign up and transfer payment on the spot, or pay when picking up the meals at the People’s Full Gospel Church at 20 Cambridge Street North in Lindsay. Those who are able to do so can also buy a meal for someone else.

Those facing economic barriers can then get a meal at a pay-what-you-can price point or have one of the paid meals, depending on their circumstances. The meals are provided on a no-questions-asked trust system.

“There’s a lot of single moms that are having a hard time making ends meet and having fresh homemade, healthy food,” says Vanderburg, noting the meals have also been popular with seniors.

“If they don’t want to get into cooking their own meals and it’s difficult for family members to do so, homemade options might not otherwise be available to them.”

Since launching Making Meals Matter Kawartha Lakes, Vanderburg and Thurston have used leftovers to make a nacho pasta bake, quiches, pulled pork sandwiches, meat pies, and snack boxes for kids. However it ends up, it’s always a chance for the owners to get creative in their kitchen with what they have left over.

“I have a lot of fun with coming up with different ideas and that’s what I love,” says Vanderburg. “It’s always different foods and different tasty things people would like.”

In September, Making Meals Matter expanded beyond the weekly meals by using the donations to serve for a Celebration of Life reception for a local teenage boy who recently passed away. St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church also gave back by donating their space for the reception.

“I just knew when he passed, (the family was) not in a good position because of the medical expenses and travel on top of everything they’ve gone through,” Vanderburg says. “By saving our gratuities to utilize for the better of others, we were able to help.”

After a brief hiatus during Board & Nibble’s busy season in the summer, Vanderburg and Thurston are eager to get back into providing more low-barrier meals to the community and are looking to work with businesses to sponsor the meals.

The duo are also willing to continue to spread the support outside of the weekly meals by giving from their pantries and fridges when those in need reach out.

“It just pains my heart to know there’s kids that are going without or that are not getting adequate nutrition, and we know it’s such an issue,” says Thurston. “If we can help families in that way, then we want to do that.”

Those interested in helping to support Making Meals Matter Kawartha Lakes can find more information at www.boardandnibble.ca/making-meals-matter or by following Making Meals Matter Kawartha Lakes on Facebook.

The Basic Income Peterborough Network (BIPN) is offering a new forum with the hope of bringing together like-minded community members in Peterborough who are working towards improving living conditions and raising awareness about the importance of a basic income guarantee.

BIPN will launch the inaugural workshop in its monthly Hope Series on World Food Day (Wednesday, October 16) in collaboration with the Peterborough Food Action Network (PFAN). BIPN’s workshop series is intended to build solidarity across the various activities and groups at work in the community.

“The Hope Series provides an opportunity for people and groups engaged in a diverse range of projects and initiatives intended to improve conditions in our community to come together to share their perspectives and ideas in support of addressing some of our most pressing challenges,” Kathryn Matheson, certified nutritional practitioner and member of both BIPN and PFAN, shared with kawarthaNOW.

“By cultivating resilience, creativity, and imagination, the series has the potential to generate new and different conversations, in turn leading to the emergence of collaborations and policy innovations grounded in the extension of dignity and belonging to all members of our community,” Matheson added.

Each workshop in the Hope Series will be held in partnership with a local activist or advocacy group working on a different issue to draw connections between the work of those groups, and BIPN’s own efforts towards a national basic income guarantee. The workshop series is expected to culminate in a “Hope Festival” in 2025.

“There’s so much work happening in our community to support the common good, and that keeps me hopeful in the face of the overlapping crises we’re experiencing locally and globally,” said Elisha Rubacha, community impact officer at United Way Peterborough & District and member of both BIPN and PFAN.

“(BIPN’s) Hope Series is a way of not only highlighting those important efforts, but illustrating the ways in which various social issues are intimately connected with one another. By creating bridges that link our different movements, we are all made stronger. This World Food Day event is the first workshop in a series that has the potential to generate a broader collective voice for change.”

BIPN views a basic income guarantee as not only an income floor for those who need it, but a policy that would enable greater civic engagement across the country.

“When people are no longer struggling to survive, they have more freedom to participate in our democracy, as well as grassroots organizing for systemic change,” a media release noted.

PFAN members, community members engaged in food work, or anyone interested in food insecurity are invited to join the first session, which runs from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Peterborough Public Health, which is on the second floor of 185 King St. in Peterborough. There will be a food demonstration, followed by a light meal, along with knowledge sharing on food and income insecurity.

PFAN members will provide an update on local food insecurity rates and discuss their three-pronged approach to addressing food insecurity. Joan DiFruscia from the Otonabee-South Monaghan Food Cupboard will share some insights from her work within the food bank system.

Members of BIPN will offer a primer on a basic income guarantee, and there will be an opportunity for participants to have conversations at their tables.

The lunch-and-learn event is free, but space is limited with advance registration required at eventbrite.ca/e/102167154609.

Since 2015, BIPN has brought community members together to advocate for a basic income guarantee. Through local public education and advocacy efforts at the municipal, provincial, and federal levels, BIPN strives to “generate interest in, and understanding of, this transformative policy solution.” For more information, visit basicincomepeterborough.ca.

PFAN’s vision is that everyone in Peterborough city and county will have enough healthy food to eat as part of a long-term food security strategy. PFAN brings together agencies and individuals to build community food security as part of local poverty reduction efforts. For more information, visit foodinpeterborough.ca.

World Food Day

VIDEO: World Food Day 2024

World Food Day is an international day celebrated every year around the world on October 16 to commemorate the date of the founding of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in 1945. Each year has a different theme, with the 2024 theme being “Right to foods for a better life and a better future.”

“The world’s farmers produce enough food to feed more than the global population yet, hunger persists,” states the FAO website. “Around 733 million people are facing hunger in the world due to repeated weather shocks, conflicts, economic downturns, inequality, and the pandemic. This impacts the poor and vulnerable most severely, many of whom are agricultural households, reflecting widening inequalities across and within countries.”

“Food is the third most basic human need after air and water — everyone should have the right to adequate food. Human rights such as the right to food, life and liberty, work and education are recognised by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and two legally binding international covenants.

For more information about World Food Day, visit www.fao.org/world-food-day/.

If there’s ever a show that’s going to have you feeling warm and fuzzy one minute, tearing up the next, and laughing out loud the minute after that, it’s The Tiffany Show hosted by Peterborough’s Tiffany Arcari.

That depth certainly comes from the bravery of the guests who share stories about the challenging times they’ve faced, but it also takes a special kind of person to host such a welcoming environment that make people feel safe in sharing so publicly their most vulnerable moments.

Through the screen and through her community engagement, it’s evident that Arcari has a deep-rooted passion for the community she calls home.

With the recent launch of season two of The Tiffany Show (available on Cogeco YourTV Peterborough-Lindsay and through Arcari’s social channels), the self-described “idea generator,” consultant, event planner, emcee, public personality, and true Peterborough cheerleader reflects on some of the lessons she has learned and continues to learn from the show.

1. We can’t wait for perfect

VIDEO: Recap of Season 1 of “The Tiffany Show”

The Tiffany Show was a long time in the making even before Arcari was ever seated in front of the camera. One day during the pandemic lockdowns, she woke up with the vision of a show as a way to inspire and create community connection.

After constantly talking about her plans and continually generating ideas for the show, Arcari was working at the Peterborough and Kawarthas Chamber of Commerce a year later when then-president Stuart Harrison told her to stop waiting until it was perfect and just make it happen.

“I don’t know that I would have made the move (without his advice),” Arcari says, noting she went home and began filming that night. “I realized if I’m going to wait for this to be perfect, I’m never going to do it because I know that my standard of perfect is impossible to achieve. We can’t wait for perfect.”

Since starting The Tiffany Show, Arcari has thought a lot about the role of dreams and how essential it is to go after what you want, so you aren’t lying on your deathbed wishing you had — in her case — started the variety show you had been imagining for so long.

“If your dream is worth pursuing and you feel for one second that you might regret not doing it, just go ahead and do it,” she says.

“If you fail, you fail. You’ll learn something and take that to apply it to something else. Failure is not a bad thing — it’s seriously just a learning opportunity, and an opportunity to reflect inside our souls and inside our processes. It lets us be free to try things.”

2. Vulnerability breeds authenticity

Since she has always been an “entertainer” with a theatre background, Arcari could have chosen to make a talk show, variety show, or podcast about a whole range of topics or in a whole range of styles. But it didn’t take much thought for her to know exactly what The Tiffany Show was meant to be.

“One of the biggest challenges I had growing up that bled into adulthood was having my voice heard and being given a space for feelings and real, authentic situations and having real conversations,” Arcari explains. “I seldom sat at a table that I had a voice at, so as I got older and discovered my own voice, I really suddenly developed this burn in my belly to give other people a voice.”

On the show, which is filmed at Euphoria Wellness Spa in downtown Peterborough, Arcari invites community members to have conversations around their toughest moments in life, from mental health battles to grief and moments of adversity, and others who are using those experiences to bring good into the world.

“People just open up and become vulnerable and share these things,” she says. “Vulnerability breeds authenticity which further establishes connections, and that reminds us that we’re all human beings and nobody is alone in their journey.

“We might be going through different storms, but the pain is very much the same. I think when we’re alone in that darkness, those reminders are really powerful and can ignite somebody’s light at the end of the tunnel.”

3. The key to getting people to open up is to give them what you needed

After Arcari moved to Peterborough attend Fleming College when she was 18 years old, she knew the city was where she would spend the rest of her life.

“Living in Peterborough has always empowered me to be myself,” she says. “It was safe for me to be myself here, without judgment, without ridicule, without embarrassment, without shame.”

Since The Tiffany Show is all about getting real, Arcari’s priority is making her guests feel just as comfortable and safe as Peterborough made, and continues to make, her feel every day.

“The key to getting people to open up is giving people what you needed,” she explains. “Because being heard was something I really needed, and having a voice was something I needed, it’s easy for me to open that door and create that space for other people. It really is just about being honest and being kind and having your heart in the right place.”

Arcari notes that it also helps to have these conversations while sitting next to each other, and having each other as a support system.

“The emotional energy and connection that we have when we’re in a space together really makes them feel they can drop their boundaries and have an honest conversation, because they know I’m not judging them and that everybody is welcome and safe in this space.”

4. If you can blow something up, do something differently, make it unique … you should

Earlier this year, when she learned there were not a lot of local events for International Women’s Day, Arcari made the quick decision to pull something together no more than a few weeks in advance.

With the immediate support from the community, including businesses offering sponsorship and women agreeing to speak at the event, she organized an engaging and inspiring celebration.

With dozens of door prizes donated by local businesses, she decided to get creative and use them as incentives to get women to open up and to share their stories. Women going up to the mirror and complimenting themselves, women competing in compliment stand-offs, and women sharing their stories of triumph are just a few examples of those who received door prizes.

“The whole mission of the show is telling these humankind stories between each other and that’s what we did that day,” she says. “I was riding high after that event for weeks.”

Knowing how to lead a crowd and host an event, Arcari explains that she always likes to add unique and fun approaches to her community engagement when she can.

“I don’t like things to be status quo,” she says. “If you can blow something up, do something differently, make it unique, make it your own or add your own pizzaz, you should do that.”

Arcari is already well on her way to planning a gathering for International Women’s Day 2025, and if she can pull together what she did this year in a few weeks, imagine what she could do with much more time to prepare.

5. We just have to keep pushing forward and figure things out as we go

While Arcari is excited about the second season of The Tiffany Show, she also knows it will continue to grow into the variety show she first imagined it to be.

Since the show’s inception, she has been collecting segment ideas like “penne for your thoughts” (where she cooks pasta with a guest while hearing them talk) and a rant segment similar to comedian Rick Mercer’s alley rants “but with a positive spin highlighting good things that are happening.”

“It would be like Martha Stewart meets Oprah meets Drew Barrymore meets Busy Philipps — those iconic women to me were the sum of what I wanted this to become,” Arcari describes.

But considering Arcari is the only one doing the writing, directing, organizing, post-production, and editing for the show while also working full-time at Gauvreau Accounting Tax Law Advisory, she hasn’t quite figured out how to add these segments in just yet.

“With that workload, I can’t make all of these other things happen yet, but it will come,” she says. ” I know it will come with time, and for now, we just have to keep pushing forward and figure things out as we go.”

For more information about The Tiffany Show, visit www.thetiffanyshow.ca, where you can also watch episodes.

A Cobourg native, breast cancer survivor, single mom, and leadership development expert has her sights set on an upcoming competition that could crown her with the title of inspirational speaker of the year.

Leisse Wilcox will compete in “Speaker Slam’s 8th Annual Grand Slam: The Inspirational Speaking Finals” on Saturday, November 9 at the CBC Glenn Gould Studio in Toronto.

In May, at one of the five differently themed Speaker Slam qualifier competitions during the year, Wilcox delivered a speech called “The Goldilocks Guide to Finding Freedom,” which explored the pressure of perfection and the pursuit of self-worth.

Her speech earned her second place in the freedom-themed competition. Now she’s going on to the Grand Slam finals with the theme of brave, which challenges speakers to share stories of courage and resilience.

Wilcox shared with kawarthaNOW what she hopes audience members will glean from her upcoming presentation.

“I hope people take away from this speech that anybody can be brave at any point because it is such a choice,” Wilcox said. “It’s a personal decision. It’s not one big, giant, momentous event. It’s a very quiet decision just to be brave by simply being yourself. To me, that is the most empowering gift we can give.”

For Wilcox, a single mother of three young kids, bravery wasn’t just about facing an aggressive breast cancer diagnosis. It was about redefining her identity, embracing vulnerability, and “showing up in the world as her authentic self,” a media release noted.

“Leisse is no stranger to overcoming adversity. From battling breast cancer and choosing to ‘go flat’ after a double mastectomy to navigating divorce and solo parenting, her journey is a testament to the quiet yet powerful acts of bravery that have shaped her life.”

From losing her hair during cancer treatment to choosing to undergo a double mastectomy, Wilcox has had to redefine her relationship with her body, femininity, and the concept of being “enough.”

“We live in a world that tells us to either be not enough or too much, and I had to fight those messages while literally fighting for my life,” Wilcox said.

She added that, with October being Breast Cancer Awareness Month, her story has increased significance.

“Breast Cancer Awareness Month reminds us that many women aren’t just battling their health, they’re battling how they perceive themselves. My story isn’t just about cancer. It’s about radically accepting who we are, right now, no matter what.”

Wilcox has moved forward from her diagnosis by accepting her new identity and finding strength in her vulnerability, which is what has landed her on the Grand Slam stage.

“Leisse’s journey of embracing herself after cancer and redefining her identity aligns perfectly with our Brave theme,” said Speaker Slam co-founder Dan Shaikh. “Her ability to mix humour with vulnerability will resonate deeply with audiences, making her a powerful contender in the Grand Slam.”

How will Wilcox know if she has been successful with her message?

“When I’m holding that trophy, that’s going to be a big indicator,” Wilcox said. “But on the impact side, I always know when people send me messages or stop me in the lobby to share how my words impacted their lives. That to me also counts as a win.”

The Grand Slam will feature the top 14 speakers from the 2024 season, with participants travelling from across North America, including from Starkville in Mississippi, Fort Worth in Texas, and various parts of Canada. They will compete for the title of inspirational speaker of the year, a $5,000 cash prize, and a prize package worth up to $50,000.

The event runs from 6 to 10 p.m. Saturday, November 9 at CBC Glenn Gould Studio, located at 250 Front St. W. in downtown Toronto. Tickets are available at eventbrite.ca/e/862389388877, with livestream tickets also available.

For more information about the speakers and the event, visit speakerslam.org.