A 33-year-old Peterborough woman has been arrested and charged following two convenience store robberies.
At approximately 3:30 p.m. on Friday, July 7th, a woman entered a Charlotte Street convenience store, brandished a knife, and demanded that the clerk turn over cash from the register.
The clerk handed over an amount of money and the woman fled the store.
On Monday, July 10th at approximately 5:30 p.m., the woman returned to the same convenience store, again brandished a knife, and attempted to steal cigarettes. A brief altercation took place and the woman fled the store with the clerk’s cell phone.
As a result of an investigation on Tuesday, July 11th, the woman was identified and arrested in the area of Aylmer and Simcoe Streets in downtown Peterborough.
Jennifer Harrison-Gallimore, 33, of Stewart Street, is charged with two counts of robbery with a weapon.
The accused was held in custody and is scheduled to appear in court later today (July 12).
You can visit the Kawartha Chamber of Commerce & Tourism at various community events this summer, including the Ennismore Shamrock Festival, the Lakefield Sidewalk Sale, and Rock the Locks.
This summer, the Kawartha Chamber has been keeping busy providing local information, maps, and brochures at a number of community events including the All Ways Apsley Motorcycle Rendevous, Lakefield Fairy & Dragon Festival, Lakefield Canada Day celebrations, and the Lakefield Jazz, Art and Crafts Festival.
Be sure to visit the Chamber at the following community events this summer:
The Chamber and kawarthaNOW have partnered to create a monthly affordable editorial campaign for members.
The Kawartha Chamber and kawarthaNOW.com have partnered to create a monthly affordable editorial campaign for Kawartha Chamber members. You may have noticed the campaigns that have been running over the past few months.
The Kawartha Chamber members who have taken part have reported good results and are booking future features. kawarthaNOW is now booking for the busy fall and Christmas seasons. Choose the month that you wish to promote your business and reach a five-county area and over 200,000 unique readers monthly.
The feature is subsidized by the Chamber, and packed with extra social media promotion and extensive digital reach. One of kawarthaNOW’s journalists will do the writing and leg work to create a great promotion for your business. Contact kawarthaNOW today and we’ll email you the details – Holly Wilson Sales & Marketing, 705-928-2694 Holly@kawarthaNOW.com or Jeannine Taylor at the kawarthaNOW.com office at 705-742-6404.
Lakefield Parking Survey
Complete a survey to help improve parking in Lakefield.
The Township of Selwyn is gathering information about current parking facilities in the Village of Lakefield and ways that businesses are working together to provide parking.
Once the data from surveys, on-site observations and camera data is reviewed, Tranplan (an organization hired by the Township to help with parking review) will make recommendations on ways to consolidate and improve parking. The Township wants to hear your ideas too.
The Village of Lakefield has a combination of public and private parking and if we all work together we can help improve the parking in the downtown!
Available Space in Lakefield
Facility Partnership Meeting July 19th
Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board is holding a Facility Partnership Meeting on Wednesday, July 19.
Lakefield District Public School (formerly Lakefield District Secondary School) currently has one main floor room available for rent.
When Kawartha Pine Ridge schools have under-utilized space, the board can lease that space out to a group to use for their purposes (office space, program space etc.). This group must be willing to act in accordance with the Board Facility Partnership Principles, as well as enter into a lease agreement with KPR.
Attend the Facility Partnership Meeting on July 19th for more information. Meeting details above. Learn more.
Lakefield Literary Festival, July 14th-16th
In commemoration of Margaret Laurence, Catherine Parr Traill, Susanna Moodie and our community’s ongoing literary heritage, the Lakefield Literary Festival showcases Canadian authors and promotes the joy of reading and writing among children and adults.
This coming weekend from July 14th to July 16th, the Lakefield Literary Festival is taking place throughout Lakefield. Enjoy a variety of events showcasing Canadian authors and promoting the joy of reading and writing among children and adults.
Apsley & District Lions Club Giant Flea Market, July 15th
The Apsley & District Lions Club is hosting a Giant Flea Market this Saturday, July 15th.
This event will feature bargain prices on everything from toys to TVs, furniture, appliances, sporting goods, and a whole array of things you didn’t know you needed. There will also be vendors and auctions to enjoy.
Make sure to arrive at the North Kawartha Community Centre early in the morning so you can get the best bargains!
Lockside Trading Art at the Locks
Calling all artists and art lovers! Lockside Trading Company is hosting Art at the Locks this weekend on July 15th and July 16th!
There will be a variety of art including paintings, carvings, photography, and much more. A percentage of sales support the Kawartha Artists’ Gallery & Studio’s Best of High School Art Show for students scholarships.
“Buying the Moose” at Buckhorn Community Centre
Buckhorn Community Centre presents the Hall’s Bridge Players in “Buying the Moose” on Wednesday, July 19th and Thursday, July 20th and on Wednesday, July 26 and Thursday, July 27th.
Doors open at 6 p.m. and the play starts at 7 p.m. Tickets are $22 each and include the live comedy, dessert, and coffee/tea. Tickets are on sale now; call 705-657-8833. Visit www.buckhorncommunitycentre.com for details.
Vote Lang Pioneer Village for Ontario’s Choice Award
Lang Pioneer Village in Keene is vying for Attractions Ontario’s top small museum or historic site.
Help Lang Pioneer Village win Ontario’s Choice Top Small Museum/Art Gallery/Historic Site! Vote daily until October 5th. Click here to vote!
Upcoming Events
There are free movies at Lakefield Cenotraph Park all summer long, sponsored by Celtic Connection.
Warsaw Cruise Night – July 12th
Free Movies in the Park – July 13th
Lakefield Farmers’ Market – July 13th
Cruise Night at Craftworks at the Barn – July 13th
Stoney Lake Sprint – July 15th
Bridgenorth Cruise Night – July 17th
Buckhorn Market – July 18th
For more information about the businesses and events listed above, please visit the Kawartha Chamber of Commerce & Tourism website at kawarthachamber.ca.
All photos supplied by Kawartha Chamber of Commerce except where noted.
Tina Bromley (centre) her family after winning the Peterborough DBIA's Win This Space contest in February 2017. CBC Ontario Morning will interview Bromely after the Town of Dryden recently launched its own Win This Space competition. (Photo: Peterborough DBIA)
Tina Bromley, the owner of Tiny Greens and the winner of Peterborough’s Win This Space entrepreneurial competition, will be featured on CBC Radio’s Ontario Morning on Thursday (July 13).
Tina Bromley interview with CBC Ontario Morning was originally scheduled for July 12 at 7:15 a.m. but was rescheduled due to technical difficulties.
The segment will air at around 8:10 a.m., with host Wei Chen interviewing Bromely about the Win This Space competition and the growth of her microgreens business — edible young plants harvested just after the first leaves develop,
According to Bromley, the interview was prompted by the recent launch by the Town of Dryden of it’s own Win This Space competition, inspired by the Peterborough competition organized by the Peterborough Downtown Business Improvement Area (DBIA) in February 2017.
“This opportunity to share my vision with a larger audience is exciting and meaningful for our future,” Bromely says, “while giving exposure to urban farming and local sustainable food choices.”
Ever since winning the Peterborough Win The Space competition, which included a year-long lease on a downtown Peterborough storefront, Bromley has been working non-stop to get her storefront ready for the public while growing her business with the help of the exposure from winning the contest.
Tina Bromley grows microgreens: edible young plants harvested just after the first leaves develop. Her new downtown storefront, opening on July 26, will also feature a juice bar, health food, cafe-style seating, and a retail space.
The Tiny Greens storefront, located at 431 George Street North in downtown Peterborough, opens at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, July 26th. The location will feature Bromley’s signature microgreens, a juice bar, health food, cafe-style seating, and a retail space.
Bromley calls the storefront a “healthy hub” for Peterborough.
“I’m trying to make ‘healthy’ satisfying and fun, because that’s what life should be,” Bromely says.
Bromely’s microgreens can currently be found at all the local Farmers; Markets and online at www.tinygreens.ca.
Bobcaygeon Brewing Company is one of four cottage country breweries to try this summer. Pictured is the Common Loon American Pale Ale, one of their flagship brews. (Photo: Bobcaygeon Brewing Company)
This month, Eva Fisher finds some of the best spots to have a beer by the lake, has a new ice cream with a special ingredient, finds an entirely local kimchi, and discovers a delicious way to try Elk on Hunter Street.
Four cottage country breweries to check out this summer
Nothing’s more refreshing than jumping in a lake. Nothing that is except a crisp lager served ice cold on the dock. These four local breweries are brewing up delicious beer in the heart of cottage country, and offer the perfect summer day trip destination. Cheers!
Belmont Lake Brewery
At Belmont Lake Brewery they stir the barley into their Cordova Gold with a paddle. (Photo: Belmont Lake Brewery)
Norrie and Julie Bearcroft, owners of Belmont Lake Brewery (54 Fire Rt. 17, Havelock, 705-803-3001) moved from England with their rescue dog Jack in 2011.
They brew what they call “traditional English beer with a Canadian twist,” offering a variety including light India pale ales (IPA), best bitters, amber ales, brown ales, and stouts.
Belmont Lake Brewery is located on the shores of Belmont Lake.
Bancroft Brewing Company
You can pick up a growler on your way to the lake at Bancroft Brewing Company. (Photo: Bancroft Brewing Company)
Located in the historic Bancroft Hotel, Bancroft Brewing Company (2 Hastings St. N., Bancroft, 613-334-8154) brews seven varieties of beer including six ales and a lager.
Owner Logan KrupaHe recently created a new brew in honour of Canada’s 150th. The Canada 150 is a full-bodied Canadian amber ale with a hint of sweetness, balanced with bitterness and a dry crisp finish.
Boshkung Brewing Company
With a location in Carnarvon (9201 ON-118, Algonquin Highlands, 705-489-4554) and a taproom in Minden (20 Water Street, Minden), Boshkung Brewing Company offers a cream ale, a kellerbier, an IPA, and a dark ale year round.
They also offer seasonal picks. Summertime visitors will want to try the White Cap Wheat Ale, which is made using German wheat malt and which offers aromas citrus, passionfruit and pineapple.
Bobcaygeon Brewing Company
Bobcaygeon Brewing Company currently doesn’t have a storefront, although they are planning to open one in downtown Bobcaygeon “in the near future”, according to president and cofounder Richard Wood.
In the meantime you can find them at The Beer Store or LCBO, or enjoy a brew at one of the local bars and restaurants that carry them. Their three flagship beers are the Common Loon American Pale Ale (APA), the Dockside Red Ale, and the Sunset Golden Ale.
A new locally grown lavender ice cream
Sweet Spirits and Laveanne have teamed up to produce a new lavender ice cream. Pictured is the lavender blackberry ripple. (Photo: Hatch Creative)
Could this be the most relaxing ice cream in the world? Sweet Spirits (261 George St. N., Peterborough, 705-745-4540) and Laveanne Lavender Fields (8667 Gilmour Rd, Campbellcroft, 705-201-1545) have teamed up to create a new lavender ice cream.
So far, Hannah Howey of Sweet Spirits has created six different flavours of ice cream using Laveanne’s lavender and honey. You can enjoy a plain lavender ice cream, lavender blackberry ripple, lavender dark chocolate chip, lavender and honey, lavender raspberry chocolate and lavender lemon.
According to Laveanne owner Sabena Brazeau, lavender gives the ice cream a distinct but subtle flavour that’s a far cry from potpourri.
“It’s a little floral, but you also get a little mint and some citrus.”
English, not French, lavender gives this new ice cream its delicious flavour. (Photo: Hatch Creative)
Sabena notes that the key to using lavender for culinary purposes is to use English Lavender, not French.
“French Lavender is too harsh and is intended more for perfumes.”
All six flavours of lavender ice cream are currently available at Laveanne, where you can currently enjoy the fields in full bloom and walk a lavender labyrinth.
Fresh Urban Plate moves downtown
Fresh Urban Plate has an eclectic and ever changing menu. Pictured are the salmon cilantro cakes with lemon dill aioli. (Photo: Fotou)
After seven years operating out of the Wellness Centre, Chef Mark Burnet has moved his cafe and catering company Fresh Urban Plate to Water Street in downtown Peterborough.
At Fresh Urban Plate (372 Water Street, Peterborough, 705-868-1678), Mark creates new dishes every day with local produce and meat. His offerings run the gamut: eclectic salads, braised meats, frittatas and a wide variety of vegan and vegetarian dishes.
The common theme on Mark’s varied menu? “Everything is all handcrafted.” Right down to the Napa cabbage kimchi made with local cabbage.
Roasted chicken masala can fill a wrap or top a salad. (Photo: Becca Kram)
“A lot of it is organic. Without pounding my own drum, I’ve been working with local farmers all my life. That’s always been part of my upbringing.”
Mark previously worked as a corporate chef in Toronto, where he specialized in healthy lunches and salads.
Fresh Urban Plate is currently open for takeout and catering. Mark says that he enjoys operating downtown.
“It’s a good, vital location and it’s exciting to be part of the downtown business core.”
Fresh Urban Plate is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday.
Hunter County Cuisine and Wine Bar brings local food and beverage into the spotlight
All but one item on Hunter County Cuisine and Wine Bar’s beverage menu are sourced in Ontario. (Photo: Hunter County Cuisine and Wine Bar)
Chef Kyle Wagenblast recently moved to Peterborough from Toronto, but he’s embracing local in a big way. As the Executive Chef of new restaurant Hunter County Cuisine and Wine Bar (211 Hunter St. W., Peterborough, 705-775-2033) he has created a menu that is hyper local and seasonal.
“Our entire food program is based around our local farmers — what’s coming into season, when it’s coming into season.”
Hunter County Cuisine and Wine Bar opened at the beginning of June, with a grand opening held on June 16th.
Flatbreads have become a popular pick on the Hunter County Cuisine and Wine Bar menu. This one is made with mushrooms from Waymac Farms. (Photo: Kyle Wagenblast)
In the short time they have been open, Hunter County Cuisine’s flatbreads have become a popular menu item. This summer we can enjoy the Waymac Farms Fungi Flatbread, topped with local oyster mushrooms, greens, and drizzled with sunflower oil from Pristine Gourmet.
Another popular dish is the Elk Carpaccio. Elk from Century Game Farm in Warkworth is sliced thinly, seasoned, and drizzled with chimichurri sauce. Kyle serves the dish with crostini, and garnishes it with microgreens and local sunflower oil.
Elk carpaccio is a simple and delicious way to experience the flavour of the meat. (Photo: Kyle Wagenblast)
“It’s really simple but because the elk has so much flavour behind it it’s a really, really good dish.”
The beverage menu is also locally focused, with only one option sourced from outside of Ontario. The selection includes Ontario wine and spirits and local craft beer.
The dessert menu, conceived by sous chef Keltie Hiland, includes sugar pie and her take on funnel cake.
Hunter County Cuisine and Wine Bar is open Tuesday through Sunday from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.
The Peterborough Symphony Orchestra, led by music director and conductor Michael Newnham, is performing Star Wars, Spies and More! at Peterborough Musicfest on July 15 at Del Crary Park. (Photo: Peterborough Symphony Orchestra)
As wonderful as it was for area residents to come together recently to celebrate Canada’s 150th birthday, the long lead-up to the big party unwittingly pushed other significant milestones worthy of our collective attention into the shadows.
For an impressive 50 years, the Peterborough Symphony Orchestra (PSO) has been a cultural jewel of Peterborough and the Kawarthas.
Peterborough Musicfest presents Star Wars, Spies and More!
When: Saturday, July 15, 2017 at 8 p.m. Where: Del Crary Park (100 George St. N., Peterborough) How much: free
Featuring the Peterborough Symphony Orchestra with special guests Barbara Monahan and Unity.
Bring your own lawn chairs or blankets (lawn chairs are available to rent for $4/chair). VIP seating available for Sponsors and Fest Friends. No smoking, alcohol, or pets permitted. There’s no public parking at Del Crary Park, but there’s neighborhood street parking nearby and ample parking in downtown Peterborough.
Beyond the region, it’s recognized as one of the finest community-based orchestras in Canada — a reputation born not just as a result of its members’ musicianship but also the orchestra’s performance of music programs with wide mass appeal.
On Saturday, July 15 at Del Crary Park, both attributes will again be on full display as Peterborough Musicfest presents the PSO performing Star Wars, Spies and More!
Sponsored by the Ontario Arts Council and Ontario150, the concert features symphonic pop favourites from the stage and screen the way they are meant to be heard — with the backing of a full orchestra. Barbara Monahan of the Peterborough Singers and the indigenous women’s a capella group Unity will be special guest artists for the evening.
The program includes the Triumphal March from Aida by Giuseppe Verdi, music from the movie Up by Michael Giacchino, music from the film Cinema Paradiso by Ennio Morricone, “Skyfall” from the James Bond movie of the same name arranged by J.A.C. Redford and featuring Barbara Monahan, The Fellowship of the Ring Medley from The Lord of the Rings by Howard Shore, the 1812 Overture by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, and the instantly recognizable Star Wars Suite by John Williams.
VIDEO: Star Wars Suite performed by the BBC Concert Orchestra
You will also enjoy new Canadian music by Christine Donkin, commissioned for the PSO’s 50th anniversary and inspired by Peterborough’s connection to water and the canoe, and featuring original music by Unity.
Front and centre, baton in hand, will be music director and conductor Michael Newnham. Known for his intense and inspiring conducting style as well as his unabashed contact with musicians and audience members, the 58-year-old Newnham has lifted the PSO to new heights since becoming the orchestra’s eighth music director and conductor in 2001.
At Peterborough Musicfest, Newnham will be directing the talented musicians of the PSO, including 40 volunteer musicians and professional string section leaders who come from all walks of life — from university students to retirees. They have dedicated their time, talents, and passion to bringing the finest orchestral music to life.
The Peterborough Symphony Orchestra will be performing music from the stage and screen including the opera Aida and films Up, Cinema Paradiso, Skyfall (featuring Barbara Monahan), The Lord of the Rings, and Star Wars. The orchestra will also present new Canadian music by Christine Donkin and featuring the indigenous singers from Unity. (Photo: Peterborough Symphony Orchestra)
Star Wars, Spies and More! is sponsored by Classical 103.1 FM and Cottage Country Connection.
Peterborough Musicfest is presenting 17 free-admission concerts featuring a total of 22 acts during its 31st season — each staged every Wednesday and Saturday night until August 26th.
Overseen by general manager Tracey Randall and staff, a board of directors, and numerous volunteers, Peterborough Musicfest’s stated mission is to “provide diverse, affordable live music to enrich cultural and economic prosperity in our community.”
For more information on this concert and/or the 2017 season, visit www.ptbomusicfest.ca or phone the Peterborough Musicfest office at 705-755-1111.
David Feeley, Senior Manager at Cogeco Connexion, which has donated 14 new televisions to The Canadian Canoe Museum. (Photo: The Canadian Canoe Museum)
Cogeco has donated 14 new digital flat-screen televisions valued at $6,000 to The Canadian Canoe Museum for use in the museum’s galleries.
The new televisions not only replace the museum’s older cathode ray tube equipment, but will add value to to the museum’s exhibits. The museum plays short videos that provide more depth about many exhibits, which is important given the limited space at the museum’s current location.
“We’ve been in need of an upgrade for a while,” says Liz Watkins, the museum’s associate curator. “The new smart televisions will allow us to change the content more frequently, and guests will be able to enjoy more new videos. We are excited to begin using technology that is capable of more than our old televisions.”
Devon Bathurst, Redevelopment Project Officer at The Canadian Canoe Museum, with one of the museum’s old cathode ray tube televisions. David Feeley stands beside one of the 14 flat-screen televisions donated by Cogeco that will now be used at the museum’s exhibits. (Photo: The Canadian Canoe Museum)
Instead of operating hardware such as VCRs and DVD players, museum volunteers will now only need to push a few buttons to set up the videos each day.
Many of the videos that will be displayed on the new televisions will remain the same, such as Canadian Canoe Demonstration and Canot du Maitre: Building a 36 ft. Voyageur Canoe, a film starring the museum’s curator Jeremy Ward.
The televisions donated by Cogeco include 10 32″ Samsung LED TVs, two 40” Samsung LED TVs. and two 49” LG Smart TVs. The total value of the donation is $6,000.
Police have identified the woman who was killed last Friday (July 7) after her car was hit by a train in Colborne.
Rosalie Haddow, 55, of Gravenhurst died at the scene after her car collided with an eastbound CN freight train at a crossing on Ontario Street at around 6:34 p.m.
Her car was thrown around 80 metres as a result of the impact. She was the only occupant of the vehicle.
Area roadways were closed for five hours last Friday to allow Northumberland OPP to complete a thorough investigation into the cause of the collision.
Foul play is not suspected. The crossing where the accident occurred has signals and barriers.
Treetop Trekking Ganaraska is an adrenaline-pumping playground of nine ziplines and 42 games or obstacles including wooden bridges, Tarzan swings, balance logs, hammock nets and tightropes as high as 70 feet above the ground, enough to excite any daring outdoor enthusiast. (Photo: Treetop Trekking Ganaraska)
Win a pair of VIP passes to Treetop Trekking Ganaraska
“I’m an adventurous person, I can do this,” I tell myself, stepping off the edge of a two-foot wide wooden platform, 20 feet above the forest floor and on to a series of suspended logs.
“I’m an adventurous person … with a healthy, normal fear of heights!” I repeat this like a mantra, as this new adventure pushes me well outside of my comfort zone.
It’s foggy and raining lightly, leaving the course slick and shining in the morning light.
VIDEO: kawarthaNOW’s Paula Kehoe at Treetop Trekking Ganaraska kawarthaNOW writer Paula Kehoe steps outside her comfort zone — literally — with a treetop adventure at Treetop Trekking Ganaraska.
“You can do it, just take your time!” our guide, Jocelyn, shouts from across the forest canopy of red pine trees.
I take a deep breath, and take my first step onto the wobbly suspended log bridge, scrambling quickly across to the next platform. Fear is replaced with exhilaration — now on to the zip line!
It’s all part of the adventure up here in the treetops.
The park has a huge variety of courses ranging from beginner to advanced so there is fun to be had for just about everyone. Even the extreme courses will test the most athletic climbers. (Photo: Treetop Trekking Ganaraska)
Treetop Trekking Ganaraska (10585 Cold Springs Camp Rd, Campbellcroft, 905-797-2000), is one of five Ontario aerial adventure parks and operates from April until October.
Located roughly 35 minutes from Peterborough in the quiet Ganaraska Forest, it’s an adrenaline-pumping playground of 10 ziplines and 65 games or obstacles including wooden bridges, Tarzan swings, balance logs, hammock nets, and tightropes as high as 70 feet above the ground — enough to excite any daring outdoor enthusiast.
The aerial canopy tour attracts roughly 11,000 climbers a year.
You can trek from tree to tree on fun games like suspended bridges, Tarzan swings, swinging logs, cable traverses, and of course, zip lines. (Photo: Treetop Trekking Ganaraska)
Treetop Trekking is open to anyone from the ages of nine and up and an ideal outing for a wide variety of groups — school trips, corporate outings, team-building events, Scouts, birthday parties, bachelor and bachelorette parties, and any other adventure and adrenaline seekers. Visitors may also choose to come alone, with friends and family, or in large group.
Extreme adventure courses
One of the advanced courses, the Flying Falcon, consists of four ziplines and three suspended bridge obstacles crisscrossing the forest. This zipline is the longest at 450 feet long and it takes about 10 seconds to cross the distance. (Photo: Treetop Trekking Ganaraska)
The courses get progressively more difficult from beginner all the way up to the advanced-level courses. Climbers have three hours to attempt as much of the park as they can.
The adventure course starts easily enough, with simple obstacles not far off the ground. But as our group progress through each of the six stages, the courses get higher and more difficult, with bridges, swings and nets providing many thrills — and an extreme workout.
When you demonstrate you’re able to handle a more advanced difficulty level, the guides clear you to move up to the next level.
Treetop Trekking’s hallmark and most challenging obstacle is the expert-level course known as Timberwolf which reaches heights over 60 feet in the air, explains Nic Crigger, Treetop Trekking Ganaraska’s site manager.
“Expert level is a personal choice. We do have quite a few participants that come to our site just to climb Timberwolf specifically, which is the hardest course at any of our Ontario sites. Of course, they have to do all of the obstacles to get to that point, but they come with Timberwolf as their end goal.”
Climbers can also choose to complete the Flying Falcon, which consists of four ziplines and three suspended bridge obstacles crisscrossing the forest. The longest zipline in this course is 450 feet long and it takes about 10 seconds to cross.
Throughout the course, there are guides on the platforms and the ground ready to help, encourage and advise.
Safety is top priority
Treetop Trekking pride themselves on being a safe company.
A guide will give you a safety orientation where they will explain the rules of the park, show you how to safely use your equipment, and watch you complete an orientation course. Once you understand all the rules you can progress through the rest of the park at your own speed, under the watch of ground and aerial guides. (Photo: Treetop Trekking Ganaraska)
After signing a waiver, our group is fitted for harnesses and helmets supplied by Treetop Trekking and given a 20-minute orientation on how all of our safety gear works.
Climbers are harnessed to safety cables that run throughout the park at all times.
“All of our activities are safe,” says Crigger. “That is why we are so diligent in our safety orientation at the beginning so everyone knows how to use the equipment and climb properly.”
The most important rule when on the courses: climbers must have at least one of their two carabiners attached to a marked safe connection point at all times.
Any person caught without at least one of the carabiners attached gets a purple band. A second violation gets you booted off the courses.
A varied experience
According to Crigger, the main concept of the park is to teach climbers that determination, persistence, and hard work are what truly define one’s level of achievement.
Treetop Trekking is an ideal outing for a wide variety of groups: school trips, corporate outings, team-building events, Scouts, birthday parties, bachelor and bachelorette parties, and any other adventure and adrenaline seekers. Visitors may also choose to come alone, with friends and family, or in large group. (Photo: Treetop Trekking Ganaraska)
This lesson is learned simply through the feeling of triumph climbers feel after conquering the ropes course or speeding down the zip line.
“For the most part, people are doing something that really challenges them to move out of their comfort zone. It can really help you grow as a person.”
After two of the simplest courses and an hour-and-a-half, I am surprisingly worn out, perhaps from my inexperience.
But the beauty of Treetop Trekking Ganaraska is that more difficult trails, challenges, and a whole lot of fun await me when I return.
For more information about Treetop Trekking Ganaraska, rates or to book your experience in advance, visit www.treetoptrekking.com/en/ganaraska or call 855-280-0900.
Police arrested a Port Hope man and charged him with multiple counts of trafficking after he was pulled over during a RIDE check and was found with 10 different drugs.
On Sunday (July 9) shortly after 2:30 a.m., officers with the Peterborough County OPP stopped a vehicle on Old Norwood Road during a RIDE check.
As a result of the stop, police found multiple drugs inside the vehicle.
Berek Terence Cox, age 32 of Port Hope, was arrested and charged with possession for the purpose of trafficking for cocaine, marijuana, ketamine, hashish, shatter, ritalin, speed, ecstasy, molly, and crystal meth.
Cox is scheduled to appear in the Ontario Court of Justice in Peterborough on August 17, 2017.
Previous participants in the Kawartha Backcountry Entrepreneurship Experience, which returns on August 25 to 26. Applications for the free program are being accepted until July 31.
The Kawartha Backcountry Entrepreneurship Experience program is returning for its third year this summer.
From Friday, August 25th to Sunday, August 27th, 20 aspiring entrepreneurs between the ages of 18 and 29 will attend a business workshop and then head out into the Kawartha Highlands for a weekend of teamwork exercises, designed to increase the skills of those of entering the world of entrepreneurship.
Delivered by FastStart Peterborough (a partnership between Trent University, Fleming College and the Innovation Cluster) and the Land Canadian Adventures, the weekend is free for the successful applicants — reducing the barriers to entry. The Land Canadian Adventures will provide all food and supplies for the trip.
“This trip provides an experience for youth to get out of their comfort zone,” says Rosalea Terry, Marketing Manager and Innovation Specialist of the Cluster. “They learn how to handle new situations and build relationships with other like-minded peers.”
The three-day event starts out at the downtown Cube at the Innovation Cluster with “Entrepreneurship 101”, a one-day classroom session where participants will learn about defining target markets, conducting market research, building a business model canvas, and “how to pitch your venture like a rock star”.
The Friday workshop will include the 20 successful applicants, but will also be open to another 40 entrepreneurs who have applied for the program.
The program includes one day of classroom training followed by a weekend of team-building activities designed to push aspiring entrepreneurship out of their comfort zone.
On Saturday, the 20 entrepreneurs will begin a weekend featuring canoeing, camping, and other outdoor activities, providing a team-building adventure while also implementing their own enterprise.
“This innovative spin on an entrepreneurship boot camp will foster adaptive learning in a social environment, which is essential for the ever changing world that entrepreneurs live in,” Terry says.
If you’re interested in applying, visit www.innovationcluster.ca/kbee2017/. Applicants must be 18 to 29 years of age and demonstrate their interest in entrepreneurship. The application process closes at midnight on Monday, July 31st.
The program is designed to push entrepreneurs to grow, think innovatively, be resourceful, and challenge themselves in unknown territory.
“Over the past two years we have seen applicants really get out of their comfort zone and take leadership in the challenges they face over the weekend,” Terry explains. “By the end of the third day, the group travels back feeling more confident in what they’ve accomplished and are excited to transition that into their business goals.”
Kawartha Backcountry Entrepreneurship Experience is a partnership between FastStart Peterborough and The Land Canadian Adventures, which will provide all the food and supplies for the trip.
All photos courtesy of Innovation Cluster Peterborough and the Kawarthas.
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