It has been a long time coming but reconstruction of the aging Millbrook Dam has begun, the end result destined to not only reduce the likelihood of flooding of the village’s core but also ensure the preservation of a cultural landmark.

On Thursday morning (February 8) at the Millbrook Arena, there was representation from all levels of government as details of the project were highlighted by Otonabee Conservation Chief Administrative Officer Dan Marinigh.

A total of $3.8 million has been budgeted for the replacement of the 200-year-old dam, scheduled to be complete in October in the shadow of historic Needler’s Mill, with $1.1 million each forwarded by the federal and provincial governments and the rest by Cavan Monaghan Township.

Ontario-based Facca Incorporated was awarded the contract last October.

“It’s the historic foundation of this community; it helps make it their place,” said Marinigh of the landmark-worthy significance of the site, adjacent to the arena and just around the corner from Millbrook’s main intersection.

“Millbrook is about a mill on a brook. Its identity is associated with a mill, a dam, and a pond. You really undermine that identity if you take the mill away from the pond, or you take the dam away from the mill.”

Earlier, Marinigh previewed the work to be done, which includes:

• Construction of temporary coffer dams and a flow diversion structure to maintain an open creek channel
• Removal of the existing concrete, wood and sheet pile spillways as well as the u-shaped weir and steel bridge
• Construction of a new reinforced concrete weir, spillway and stilling basin
• Hardening of the earthen embankment portion of the dam
• Installation of a public walkway and landscaping of the site.

“Environmental assessments have to consider three environments — the economic environment, the natural environment and the cultural environment,” added Marinigh.

“The driving environment here was the cultural environment. This acknowledges the cultural aspirations of the community and it’s making it much more safe.”

He added the impact on the pond’s denizens has been studied extensively and is a major consideration in the planned phases of the work.

“We did a turtle survey all last year. There are some snapping turtles here, but there are no endangered species. We’ve got exclusion fencing to stop them from getting on shore and setting nests, at least during the construction period. In addition, we’re going to trap, capture and release fish — Brown Trout in the pond, Brook Trout in the creek below the pond — to get them outside of the work area.”

As for pond sediment, it will be removed this summer by shovels on barges.

The largest capital project ever undertaken by Otonabee Conservation, it has eclipsed the mid-1980s construction of a weir on Jackson Creek for that distinction.

“Big projects that get recognition reinforce to (Otonabee Conservation) staff the value of their work. It’s kind of like a Super Bowl for us. It’s a big game.”

Earlier, Ontario Conservation Vice-Chair Sherry Senis stressed the significance of the dam’s reconstruction, noting the project has been subject of board discussion and debate for several years.

“I’ve been on the board for 12 years and for those 12 years, every year, this was a topic of conversation, sometimes very painful,” she said in expressing her delight the work has started.

Following Senis’ opening remarks, which included the reading of a statement from federal Infrastructure and Communities Minister Amarjeet Sohi, a number of local politicians took to the podium.

“Without getting into a broad discussion about climate change, we do know one thing for sure: we’re more and more experiencing volatile weather conditions, whether it’s drought or severe rains, and we’ve got to prepare,” said Peterborough MPP Jeff Leal, adding aging infrastructure in rural municipalities provides a unique challenge.

“This investment will help ensure that residents have access to the re-instated pedestrian path and bridge over the dam. It will also ensure the historical characteristics of the dam remain intact.”

Echoing those comments were Haliburton-Kawartha Lakes-Brock MP Jamie Schmale and MPP Laurie Scott, Peterborough County Warden Joe Taylor, and Cavan Monaghan Mayor Scott McFadden.

“It’s going to make Millbrook a better village; it’s going to make Peterborough County a better place,” said Taylor, with Mayor McFadden terming the dam and its surrounding landscape “a social gathering place” for both residents and visitors before commending the Save The Dam Mill Pond movement for its voice and diligence.

On February 23, 2018, Needler’s Mill will officially become the property of the Millbrook and Cavan Historical Society when representatives from the society and Otonabee Conservation sign the official agreement at a public gathering in the Legion Hall. Once the work on the Millbrook Dam is completed, the society and Otonabee Conservation will be designing and installing interpretive historical panels beside the mill.

During his formal presentation, Marinigh said the reconstruction is “a complex project” for three reasons: maintaining public safety during the work, ensuring the archaeological integrity of the site isn’t disturbedm and keeping the protection of wildlife front of mind.

Marinigh added work actually started about a month ago with the removal of a steel pipe in the dam that fed the pond, with a diversion channel constructed in its place.

Excavation and widening is expected to start in April, followed by construction of the dam’s new structure proper, the strengthening of earthen embankment, and the removal of the temporary water diversion measures.

“We completed the beginning; now we’re at the beginning of the end,” he said.

When done, the spillway will be wider at 12 metres but the size and water level of the pond will remain as is, with Otonabee Conservation assuring “waterfall sights and sounds will be very similar to existing conditions.”

Wendy Hill, Alyssa Stewart, Catia Skinner, and Rosalea Terry have come together to launch 100 Women Peterborough.

Inspired by similar groups in other communities, the four women are encouraging other local women to join the group to make a collective philanthropic impact in the Peterborough community.

The concept is simple: four times a year, 100 Peterborough-area women will gather to hear presentations from three selected non-profits or charities in the region about projects for which they are seeking funds.

After listening to the presentations, each woman will place a blank $100 cheque into a box representing one of the three organizations. The organization that receives the most votes will receive a total donation of $10,000.

“It is often difficult to know if a smaller, individual donation can make a difference,” says Catia Skinner. “However, when multiple people donate at the same time it can impact an organization significantly.”

The collective philanthropy concept was first launched in November 2006 when Karen Dunigan of Jackson, Michigan formed the “100 Women who Care” group. After their first meeting, the women raised over $10,000 for the purchase of 300 new baby cribs for a local organization.

Since then, the movement has grown to include at least 83 chapters of 100 Women in North America, including around a dozen in Canada. Men have also been inspired to create similar groups, with more than a dozen 100 Men groups in Canada, including the 100 Men Peterborough group that formed in 2017.

To become part of the group, members must commit to donate $100 at each of the four events hosted throughout the year, for a total of $400 per year.

The group aims to help women learn about the multitude of different causes in the community, help people in need, and join other like-minded women to empower and multiply the impact of their contributions.

“Many people hope to make large-scale donations to individual causes, however sometimes that can be beyond an individual’s means,” Skinner says. “This organized group means that individuals can come together to create a larger impact.”

One hundred per cent of the funds raised by the membership will be donated to four non-profit organizations, as determined by the membership throughout the year.

The first 100 Women Peterborough event is set to take place early this year.

Women who are interested in joining the group should visit www.100womenptbo.ca, which will be launched shortly. In the interim, interested women can contact Catia Skinner at 705-243-6989 or catia@megaexperience.ca or Rosalea Terry at 705-875-2161 or rosapearlterry@gmail.com.

Tickets are now on sale for the annual YWCA Peterborough Haliburton Empty Bowls fundraiser, which takes place this year from 12 to 1:30 p.m. on Friday, February 23rd.

By purchasing a ticket, you will receive a lunch of soups, salads, breads, and desserts donated by local restaurants and businesses, as well as a hand-crafted bowl donated by members of the Kawartha Potters Guild, Kawartha Wood Turners Guild, and Artisans Centre Peterborough.

New this year, you can select a charitable tax receipt in lieu of the hand-crafted bowl.

On February 23rd, you can choose to enjoy a sit-down lunch at The Venue (286 George St. N., Peterborough) or pick up a pre-ordered lunch from the YWCA (216 Simcoe Street, Peterborough).

Kawartha Cardiology Clinic (327 Charlotte St, Peterborough) is the title sponsor for this year’s event, with Cornerstone Family Dentistry (681 Reid St., Peterborough) the to-go lunch sponsor.

Tickets are $35 for either the sit-down or to-go lunch, which includes an artisan bowl or a charitable tax receipt, or you can buy a $45 “early bird” ticket for exclusive early access for the best selection of lunch options and bowls.

Tickets are limited, and you can get them now online at www.ywcagifts.com , by calling 705-743-3526, or by visiting the YWCA office.

All proceeds from YWCA Empty Bowls directly support YWCA JustFood and Crossroads Shelter’s Nutritional Wellbeing Program, helping local women and children enjoy fresh ingredients, learn life-changing food skills, and build community.

The James Barker Band has been nominated for two Juno Awards: Breakthrough Group of the Year and Country Album of the Year for Game On.

Organizers unveiled the nominees in Toronto on Tuesday morning (February 6).

Holy cow ?? (Politically correct country reaction to being nominated at the @TheJUNOAwards ). Surreal. Thank you!!!!!!!!!

— James Barker Band (@jamesbarkerband) February 6, 2018

Formed in 2013, the band consists of James Barker, Taylor Abram, Bobby Martin, and Connor Stephen. Barker is a native of Woodville, northwest of Lindsay in the City of Kawartha Lakes.

Their first EP for Universal Music Music, Game On, was released in April 2017. The band won the Fan’s Choice award at the 2017 Country Music Association of Ontario Awards.

For the Breakthrough Group of the Year Juno, the band is up against The Beaches, The Dead South, The Franklin Electric, and The Jerry Cans. For Country Album of the Year, the competition is Past the Past by Jess Moskaluke, Shake These Walls by Tim Hicks, Beautiful Freakshow by Dean Brody, and Dear Life by High Valley

The awards will be handed out in Vancouver in March.

VIDEO: “Chills” – James Barker Band

The nascent #MeToo movement and January’s global Women’s March has opened up a huge conversation about women’s rights.

With the World Economic Forum’s 2017 Global Gender Gap Report findings telling us that gender parity is over 200 years away, there has never been a more pressing time for women to advocate for equality.

If it has revealed anything, it’s that women’s issues aren’t a small, insignificant problem.

And while we know that gender parity won’t happen overnight, the good news is that across the globe women are strengthened by messages of female empowerment and defiance and making gains day-by-day.

#MeToo is riding a new wave of feminism and women’s rights, equality and the power dynamics of gender must remain an open dialogue, says Linda Silver Dranoff, a Toronto family lawyer who has contributed to the significant expansion of women’s rights in family law in Canada during her 40-year career.

“I think that feminism is just as needed now as it was in the 1970s,” says Silver Dranoff. “We have found out through the #MeToo movement that there are even more issues that are on the table and they must be dealt with.”

As a ‘second-wave’ feminist lawyer, Silver Dranoff was witness to and a key player in lobbying for the amendment of the Ontario Human Rights Code in 1981 to prohibit sexual harassment in the workplace.

“With sexual harassment, the fact that it is even a prohibition under the Human Rights Code is because of the feminist movement,” she says. “Before that, you had to try and persuade the court that it was a part of sexual discrimination. Now it’s coming right out there and people are dealing with it.”

Silver Dranoff herself has played an integral role in combating injustices and winning new rights, especially for women, including family property, pay inequity, sexual harassment, disinherited spouses, child care, violence against women, constitutional issues, and the establishment of a Ministry Responsible for the Status of Women.

“We’ve come a long way, but there is still a long way to go,” she says.

Silver Dranoff is set to bring her empowering message to the International Women’s Day conference in Peterborough on Thursday, March 8th, hosted by Thirteen Moons Wellness.

Making reference to her recent memoir Fairly Equal: Lawyering the Feminist Revolution, she will touch on her personal story, the historical struggle for women’s rights in Canada, with “how to” pointers on activism.

Even with many hard-won gains of the first and second wave feminist movements, many can argue little has changed when it comes to issues affecting women in the 21st century.

Reproductive rights are still under attack, women continue to be sexually and physically assaulted, families struggle to access affordable child care programs and facilities, there remains a lack of representation across governmental and corporate bodies, and women make less than men for equal work.

Silver Dranoff says that women of today’s generation assume that their rights are indelible, so they haven’t thought of — or planned for — a time when those rights might be taken away.

“Some feel like we don’t need feminism anymore and part of that is younger women don’t really know what happened years ago. They take certain things we have now — benefits of the law — for granted.

“Women have to understand how we got to where we are today, what women in the women’s movement did to achieve the advances that we have so far, the risks to them, and how easily it can be taken away … how fragile they are if women don’t pay attention and stay organized. We have to remain vigilant about our rights.”

Silver Dranoff came into her feminist destiny in 1957, both as an academic and as an activist.

The experience that spearheaded her desire to get involved in the feminism movement and raised her awareness of the difficulties that women encountered was in November 1957, during her first-year studies at University of Toronto.

She was one of 20 female students who formed a picket line and “raised a big ruckus” outside of the university’s Hart House to protest the facility’s exclusion of women to a high-profile debate between future US president John F. Kennedy and Stephen Lewis, then the university’s leading speaker and debater.

Armed with signs illustrated with the words “Unfair” and “Equal Rights for Women,” the small but mighty protest didn’t get the students welcomed into the Kennedy/Lewis debate, but it did make the local papers.

“I think that was the beginning of my feelings about working for equality,” says Silver Dranoff.

In 1969, as mature student and a single mother, she decided to pursue law — an industry heavily dominated by males at the time. She was one of only 14 women entering Toronto’s Osgoode Hall Law School.

It was her law school education that honed her feminist instincts.

“I inherently have a sense of social justice and I felt that, as a lawyer, I could help people achieve fairness for themselves. It was when I graduated from law school and having learned about family law, that I realized women’s rights under the law were really meagre; how women did not share property rights after divorce, how women got very little support; even child support was faltering.”

Though not a household name, Silver Dranoff’s many accomplishments have earned her some much deserved fame within the legal industry and the women’s movement in Canada.

Most notably, she represented the interests of the women of Ontario in the first Supreme Court of Canada case to deal with spousal equality, paving the way for all wives to enjoy their rightful share of family investments, and expanded spousal support rights, taking into account benefits, bonuses, and changes in the cost-of-living.

She was also the driver behind lobbying for equal sharing of family property for divorced and widowed spouses in Ontario, resulting in the Family Law Act 1986.

For 25 years, she was Chatelaine magazine’s legal columnist, keeping readers up-to-date on legal issues through her “Ask a Lawyer” column. She has been appointed to the Order of Canada, and honoured many times including a Governor General’s Award in Commemoration of the Persons Case.

The conclusion to the Silver Dranoff’s memoir is suitably called “Over to You.” This is a passing of the torch as she reminds the us that there is still so much to do.

“Remain vigilant to ensure that the advances my generation made are not taken away from you,” she writes. “Be aware of the areas that still require attention, and do what you can to be agents of further change… I encourage those who follow us to do the same, to never ask ‘What can one person do?’ but rather to say, ‘This is what needs doing, and this is what I will do about it.'”

If want to hear Silver Dranoff’s keynote at the International Women’s Day Conference Peterborough, register now as tickets are close to sold out! For more information about the conference and to register, visit www.iwdptbo.ca.

VIDEO: TVO interview with Linda Silver Dranoff