Julie Grant is hoping to bring the first inclusive playground — with rubber surfaces to accommodate kids’ mobility devices and a musical feature ideal for seniors — to Selwyn Township.

Grant, whose three-year-old son Jude has cerebral palsy and developmental delays, has partnered with the Ennismore Optimist Club to form the Ennismore Inclusive Playground Project committee.

The committee is hosting its first promotional event on Friday (August 9) in Ennismore, in partnership with United Way Peterborough and District as a recipient of the United Way’s “neighbourhood fund” grant.

The goal of the promotional event is ultimately to bring people together and highlight the importance of an inclusive playground close to home, Grant told kawarthaNOW.

“We were awarded some money to help put on a project promotional event to help promote the project as a whole, bring awareness to why we’re doing it, (demonstrate) what the accessibility barriers are at our local playground, and spread awareness about inclusion, what we’re hoping for, and what the goal is,” Grant said.

There will be reading aloud of inclusive books, an inclusive music session, a raffle for a free inclusive book, ice cream, and more.

Originally scheduled to take place at Ennismore Waterfront Park at 1053 Ennis Rd., due to inclement weather the “Tales & Treat” event has moved indoors to the lower level of the Ennismore Curling Club at 555 Ennis Rd. The by-invitation-only event runs from 6 to 8 p.m.

For Grant and her son and for other families who have children with special needs, it’s currently a 64-kilometre trek to the nearest inclusive structure, either in Port Hope or Port Perry, for playtime.

The committee is aiming to raise approximately $250,000 to construct the inclusive playground, named Jude’s Joy, at Ennismore Waterfront Park.

The playground design would incorporate rubber surfacing “for optimal accessibility” along with various inclusive play elements to engage those with and without exceptionalities, according to a statement on the Ennismore Optimist Club’s website.

Dollars raised support the costs of preparing the site, pouring the rubber surface (which provides a safe and soft surface on which people of all abilities can play), and all the play components. The goal is to have the playground open during the summer of 2025.

“Through thoughtful planning and intentional design choices, we aim to build more than just your typical playground at the Ennismore Waterfront Park — providing play opportunities that promote multi-generational connections, ease of use for mobility aids, and play experiences for diverse abilities,” the club’s statement reads.

“One of the elements that we are extremely excited about, is the accessible merry-go-round (orbit), which sits seamlessly at ground level to offer a spinning experience without having to leave your mobility device.”

The inclusive playground will be built adjacent to the current play structure, which will stay in place.

“This project is rooted in the belief that every child deserves a safe and stimulating environment to explore, play, and grow, regardless of their ability,” the club’s statement continues.

“With a commitment to fostering creativity, collaboration, and especially joy, we are dedicated to creating a space where children can be their true selves and unleash their full potential through the magic of play.”

An inclusive playground goes beyond the minimum accessibility standards, by offering rubber surfacing and play elements that allow all children the opportunity to participate and by supporting equal access to diverse play experiences.

To date, the committee has raised $45,000 for the playground. Representatives will be fundraising and visible in the community in the weeks and months ahead.

To find out more about the Ennismore project and how to support the playground fund, visit www.ennismoreinclusiveplayground.com.

VIDEO: Ennismore Inclusive Playground promotional video

To learn more about the inspiration behind Jude’s Joy, visit accessibleplaygroundsontario.ca.

The website, which features a directory of all accessible play structures in Ontario, was created by Grant.

She recently received a “High-Five Community Recognition Award” from Five Counties Children’s Centre for the initiative, as well as for her work championing the Ennismore project.

An 18-year-old Hastings man is dead after his motorcycle collided with a pickup truck northwest of Warkworth in Trent Hills on Thursday evening (August 8).

At around 6:45 p.m. on Thursday, Northumberland Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) and emergency services responded to a report of a collision involving a pickup truck and a motorcycle in the area of County Road 45 and Broadworth Road.

The motorcyclist, an 18-year-old Hastings man, was taken to hospital where he was pronounced dead. There were no reported injuries to the driver of the pickup truck.

County Road 45 was closed in the area of the collision for around six hours while police investigated and documented the scene.

The police investigation into the collision continues.

Anyone who may have witnessed the collision or who has video/dash cam footage or information and has not yet spoken with police is asked to contact the Northumberland OPP at 1-888-310-1122.

A new draft plan for the $4.4 million Bonnerworth Park redevelopment — which now includes 14 instead of 16 pickleball courts, noise reduction measures, fewer parking spots, and more greenspace — will be presented to the city’s arenas, parks and recreation advisory committee and the accessibility advisory committee on Tuesday (August 13).

While there are no public delegations at advisory committee meetings, the 5:30 p.m. meeting will be livestreamed at peterborough.ca/livestreams.

According to a media release from the city, the two advisory committees will have an opportunity to provide feedback on the draft plan before the city finalizes the document ahead of construction, which is expected to begin this fall.

Members of the public can make comments on the draft plan until 11:59 p.m. on Friday, August 16th, either online at connectptbo.ca/Bonnerworth-Park, by emailing bonnerworthproject@peterborough.ca, or by calling 705-742-0050 ext. 2226.

In advance of Tuesday’s meeting, kawarthaNOW compared the new “draft master plan,” which is dated July 5, 2024, with the original “preliminary facility fit” plan that was presented to the community in March. PDFs of both plans are included at the end of this story.

• There are now 14 instead of 16 pickleball courts (including two accessible courts), arranged in a different configuration and located further north than the facility fit plan. The court are surrounded by an acoustic sound barrier on the north, south, and west sides.
• There is now a single parking lot at Bonnaccord Street and Monaghan Road, with 44 parking spots and bike rings on a concrete base. The parking lot is oriented in a east-west direction instead of the north-south direction in the facility fit plan.
• There is an open lawn area, measuring 32 by 53 metres (105 by 174 feet) and located south of the pickleball courts, that was not included in the original facility fit plan.
• The pump track, which was located east of the Bonnaccord Street parking lot in the facility fit plan, is now located off McDonnel Street where a second parking lot has been located in the facility fit plan. There are grass areas between the bike paths of the pump track.
• There is a 312-square-metre open plaza located between the two accessible pickleball courts, with two spectator benches.
• There is no change to skatepark expansion from the facility fit plan. It will still be located to the south of the existing skatepark.
• The shade shelter has been moved east of the new open lawn area, instead of west of the existing skatepark in the facility fit plan.
• A landscaped berm with a mix of deciduous and coniferous trees will be located west of the parking lot, the pickball courts, and the open lawn area on Monaghan Road and part of McDonnel Street.
• Sod would be installed in all areas of the park not occupied by facilities, walkways, or trees.
• Crosswalks on Bonnacord and McDonnell streets would connect to the north-south walkway running through the park.

According to the city’s media release, around 275 new trees would be planted in the park, and around 63 per cent of the park would be greenspace consisting of grass and landscaped areas.

The proposed Bonnerworth Park redevelopment has raised concerns among neighbouring residents, primarily about the potential noise and traffic that would result from the large number of pickleball courts as well as the loss of greenspace in the park. Many of these concerns were prompted by the original facility fit plan.

Stay tuned for kawarthaNOW’s coverage of Tuesday’s committee meeting on the new draft plan.

PDF: Bonnerworth Park redevelopment preliminary facility fit (March 2024)
Bonnerworth Park redevelopment preliminary facility fit (March 2024)

PDF: Bonnerworth Park redevelopment draft master plan (July 2024)
PDF: Bonnerworth Park redevelopment draft master plan (July 2024)

The original version of this story has been updated to correct the directional orientations in the description of changes between the two plans.

Kawartha Conservation is inviting residents to step up and become citizen scientists by helping monitor the health of various lakes in the City of Kawartha Lakes.

The conservation authority is expanding its community science program and is seeking dedicated volunteers to help collect important water quality data on Pigeon Lake, Sturgeon Lake, and Cameron Lake.

The group hopes to recruit additional citizen scientists to help during “the crucial months” of August and September.

“It is known as our community science program, which is a volunteer-run program aimed at water sampling within the Kawartha Lakes,” Nathan Rajevski, assistant watershed resources technician, told kawarthaNOW.

The community science program focuses on the monthly collection of near-shore water samples, which are essential for assessing and maintaining the health of the lakes, according to Kawartha Conservation.

This year, the target lakes are Balsam Lake, Cameron Lake, Sturgeon Lake, and Pigeon Lake. Volunteers will collect water quality data at their homes and report this information along with their water samples.

“Supporting citizen science is impactful because it leverages the power of community involvement to gather extensive and diverse data across our watershed,” said Rajevski in a media release.

“Volunteers bring unique insights and local knowledge, enhancing our ability to monitor and respond to environmental changes. Their participation helps us build a more resilient and sustainable future for our lakes, benefiting both current residents and future generations.”

Kawartha Conservation is encouraging residents in the areas of Pigeon Lake, Sturgeon Lake, and Cameron Lake to volunteer for this program. The organization is hoping to recruit three to four new volunteers on these lakes to help gather comprehensive data.

Volunteers will contribute to the last two months of sampling (August and September) by attending a training session and conducting sampling on the specified days each month.

Since the program is volunteer run, participants will collect samples from their docks or other safe water-access points at home.

The sampling dates for Balsam and Cameron lakes are August 26 and September 23 and, for Sturgeon and Pigeon lakes, August 27 and September 24.

“By volunteering, individuals can directly contribute to vital environmental research, providing us with data that is crucial for informed decision-making and effective lake management,” Rajevski said.

Overall, expanding the community science program will allow Kawartha Conservation to build a broader network of volunteers collecting data, thereby enhancing its understanding of lake health. “The success of our nearshore program has demonstrated the value of community involvement in environmental science,” Kawartha Conservation noted.

Kawartha Conservation is a watershed-based, non-profit organization established in 1979 by the municipalities within the watershed under the Conservation Authorities Act. It is one of 36 conservation authorities operating in Ontario and a member of Conservation Ontario.

For more information or to inquire about volunteering, email Rajevski at nrajevski@kawarthaconservation.com.