Natalie Hamilton

A charitable organization is striving to keep Haliburton County residents toasty in their homes amidst plummeting temperatures and rising heating costs this winter.

The merger of two community housing sites in Peterborough will ultimately mean more housing and support for people who have disabilities, high-risk seniors, and others.

One Million Meals Peterborough (OMMP) is calling on community members to support Peterborough's largest annual food packing event in support of Kids Against Hunger Canada. OMMP is currently striving to raise $24,000 before Saturday, April 6th, when volunteers will gather to assemble 50,000 meals using the money raised between now and then. The event is an important one for Peterborough, said Tanya Nabein, a long-sitting committee member for OMMP. "It brings together people of all ages, working together, to accomplish one mission of helping others in need," Nabein told kawarthaNOW. "There is a spirit of camaraderie that happens at these events that is very fulfilling, to know that you're a part of the solution of helping people in need." While the event takes place annually on the first Saturday in April, OMMP hosts many other events throughout the year. Peterborough residents can help by becoming a monthly donor, raising money to host their own private event, and by raising awareness. As for the upcoming meal packing day and what's possible, Nabein said, "The best thing that we could expect from this year's event would be that we raise the funds necessary to pack and ship 50,000 meals and that everyone who participates has a great time while doing good." According to its website, OMMP strives to inspire Peterborough residents to make a positive impact in the lives of others. "By becoming a part of this event, not only will you contribute to a united cause, but you will also enjoy a fun and hands-on experience that promotes teamwork," the group noted. The event takes place at Rhema Christian School, which is located at 29 County Road 4 (just east of the Parkhill Road East and Television Road intersection). Those who take part have the option to participate in one or more shifts with Kids Against Hunger Canada and assist in packing food for those who require nourishment. OMMP invites residents to create their own fundraising pages and share the links with others through social media and email. "It's a simple yet rewarding way to witness the generosity of your family and friends as they contribute to this worthy cause." Kids Against Hunger Canada is a humanitarian food-aid organization which focuses on feeding children in need, both here in Canada and around the world. It is a registered charity and its head office is located in Peterborough. To learn more about Kids Against Hunger Canada, visit www.kahcanada.org. For more information about One Million Meals Peterborough, to make a donation, or to register for the April 6th event, visit www.onemillionmealspeterborough.com. Anyone can read Conversations, but to contribute, you should be a registered Metroland account holder. If you do not yet have a Metroland account, you can create one now (it is free). To join the conversation set a first and last name in your user profile. Sign in or register for free to join the Conversation

As she takes the reins of Peterborough County-City Paramedics (PCCP), Patricia Bromfield says her top priorities will be supporting Peterborough patients and visitors, along with fellow paramedics and staff. Bromfield was named as the new chief of PCCP earlier this month. Former chief Randy Mellow announced in December 2023 his upcoming retirement at the end of 2024. With the desire to achieve a seamless transition, Peterborough County council approved a comprehensive succession plan. Over the next nine months, Bromfield said she'll be focusing on collaborating closely with Mellow. "I am very thankful to Peterborough County council for endorsing this remarkable opportunity for a seamless transition," Bromfield told kawarthaNOW. "It's a privilege for me to learn from (Mellow), a revered figure and steadfast advocate in this profession." In the days ahead, the chief said she aims to gain a comprehensive understanding of the historical milestones and future objectives of PCCP, and align those with Peterborough County's new strategic plan. However, people will be Bromfield's top priority. "Stepping into the role of chief at PCCP, my foremost commitment is to continue to support the needs of the citizens and visitors we service and continue to foster the well-being of our outstanding team of paramedics and supervisory staff," she said. Bromfield assumed the role of deputy chief of operations at Peterborough County in the fall of 2022. Before her tenure with the county, she served as the deputy chief of operations at the City of Kawartha Lakes. She also built a substantial paramedic career with the City of Toronto. "The appointment of (Bromfield) underscores Peterborough County's commitment to investing in the professional development of its employees and exemplifying its dedication to providing opportunities for growth within the organization, Peterborough County noted in a media release. "The county looks forward to a continued legacy of exceptional paramedic services under the leadership of (Bromfield)." Mellow congratulated the chief and welcomed Bromfield into her new role. "Patricia possesses a wealth of experience and knowledge having progressed through various frontline and leadership roles throughout her career," Mellow, senior director of emergency and shared services/deputy CAO, said in the media release. "Her experience and passion for supportive leadership and innovation will be an asset to our team and community." Sheridan Graham, county CAO and deputy clerk, deputy treasurer, concurred with Mellow. "Patricia is a proven leader in her field," Graham said. "Her extensive paramedic services experience with our service, the City of Kawartha Lakes, and the City of Toronto will serve her well as our new chief." In addition to working closely with Mellow, Bromfield said she looks forward to collaborating with the county's leadership team and partners. "It is a privilege for me to have the opportunity to work alongside some of Canada's finest paramedics, leaders, and support staff." Anyone can read Conversations, but to contribute, you should be a registered Metroland account holder. If you do not yet have a Metroland account, you can create one now (it is free). To join the conversation set a first and last name in your user profile. Sign in or register for free to join the Conversation

One summer when the Warming Room in Peterborough shuttered the windows and locked the doors for the season, Christian Harvey learned some people who dropped in had nowhere to go until winter came again.

New store features a deli and cafe, in addition to grocery items It has been a long 40 months.

The Peterborough Bicycle Advisory Committee (P-BAC) is getting the wheels in motion for an upcoming cycling summit in Peterborough later this month. P-BAC has announced the Peterborough and the Kawarthas Cycling Summit: Safe Streets for Everyone is running on Wednesday, April 24 and Thursday, April 25. The summit includes an itinerary of speakers, interactive design workshops, and guided cycling and walking tours. The event is open to everyone interested in inclusive design and road safety, P-BAC noted in a media release. Sue Sauve, P-BAC chair and retired transportation demand management planner with the City of Peterborough, shared with kawarthaNOW her aspirations for the event. “The best thing that could happen would be that stronger connections be developed between people working to make our city and county the best that they can be, and for community leaders to see the economic and health potential we can tap into with new approaches to street design,” Sauve said. The summit kicks off at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, April 24 at Showplace Performance Centre, located at 290 George St. N. in downtown Peterborough. The evening features renowned keynote speaker Ian Lockwood, a livable transportation engineer with Toole Design Group. An Ottawa native who now lives in Florida, Lockwood will share his experience around how people-centred street design has led to renewed prosperity in the cities where he has worked. Then, on April 25 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., participants will gather at the McDonnel Street Activity Centre at 577 McDonnel St. for a full day of activities, including two guest speakers. Through the lens of public health, Dr. Sara Whitehead will share international transportation safety best practices and how they apply locally in Peterborough. A public health physician in Peterborough with over 25 years of experience at local, national, and international health institutions, she has led a team at public health organization Vital Strategies in New York that is strengthening road traffic injury surveillance systems in 30 cities in Asia, Africa, and Latin America. Valerie Smith, director of programs at Parachute, will talk about safe systems approaches to transportation. Founded in 2012 through the amalgamation of four charities in the injury prevention field, Parachute has become Canada's leader in injury prevention focused on three key areas where people are unintentionally injured: in the home, at play, and on the move. Biking and walking tours will also take place and highlight current and developing city and county infrastructure. The tours will be followed by afternoon interactive design workshops during which people will work together on concepts for local streets. “This year's summit goes beyond bicycles to address opportunities in the city and county to make our streets more accessible, enjoyable and safe to use,” Sauve said in the release. “With a keynote (speaker) who has turned communities around through his approach to city planning and street design, we are gearing this summit to a broad audience including people with disabilities, young families, seniors, pedestrians, and people impacted by a traffic crash.” P-BAC is a multi-stakeholder group working to foster a culture of cycling in Peterborough city and county. P-BAC's goal is to inspire actionable change in Peterborough and beyond, that can lead towards a future where the safety of all road users is paramount. The event presents a unique opportunity to broaden the discourse on safe, comfortable multimodal transportation, organizers noted. Registration for the summit is now open. While participants are encouraged to attend both days, registration is flexible. The $15 fee is optional and is only intended for those who can afford to contribute. For more information and to register, visit p-bac.org/cycling-summits. This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. End of dialog window. This is a modal window. This modal can be closed by pressing the Escape key or activating the close button. Anyone can read Conversations, but to contribute, you should be a registered Metroland account holder. If you do not yet have a Metroland account, you can create one now (it is free). To join the conversation set a first and last name in your user profile. Sign in or register for free to join the Conversation

The township announced Tuesday (April 23) it had received a letter from Sobeys, the parent company of the Colborne Foodland, stating it would not be reopening the food store.

While shovels are already in the ground, Port Hope officially kicked off the Walton Street reconstruction work — a project that's crucial for the future of the historic downtown in west Northumberland County, says the municipality's top politician.

From the soccer pitch to the pool, Tessa Scates has gained confidence and made new friends by participating in sports in Peterborough. Scates, 27, along with 19 other athletes, are warming up for the Special Olympics Ontario Spring Games, which run from May 23 to 26 in Waterloo at Wildred Laurier University. Peterborough will be sending three teams from 10-pin bowling, basketball, and swimming to the upcoming games, which have been long awaited for athletes after the 2020 Spring Games in Waterloo were postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The athletes are pumped to participate in their respective events, Jenn Scates, Tessa's mom and manager of the Peterborough swim team, told kawarthaNOW. “Our goal for the athletes is to (number one) have fun and (number two) do their best,” Scates said. “Our hope is they enjoy the experience and understand that hard work pays off.” As the swim team manager, Scates takes care of team expenses, organizes pool rentals, and helps organize the team's connection to the community by participating in different events. Tessa is a distance swimmer and specializes in 200-metre freestyle, 100-metre freestyle, and the 50-metre backstroke. She made her debut with Special Olympics about 10 years playing soccer. “The coach on the soccer team asked Tessa what she was doing in the winter and invited Tessa to swim on the Thursday swim team. Tessa has been a swimmer ever since,” Scates said. For her daughter, the Special Olympics experience has had a positive impact. “Special Olympics has helped Tessa with her confidence and has helped her develop friendships. She is driven to try as hard as she can. She has learned to be a teammate,” Scates added. Wilfrid Laurier University welcomes athletes, coaches, staff, volunteers and spectators to the Waterloo campus for the event. Hosted by Waterloo Region Police Services, the Spring Games celebrate the achievements of Special Olympics athletes in Ontario. Laurier is an official Games partner. Laurier residences will serve as the athletes' village, while the athletic complex will host select basketball and swimming events. More than 750 athletes will be competing in five sports, including basketball, swimming, powerlifting, rhythmic gymnastics, and 10-pin bowling. “We are thrilled to host the exceptional athletes of the Special Olympics Ontario Spring Games on our Waterloo campus,” said Deborah MacLatchy, Laurier president and vice-chancellor, in a media release. “Laurier is proud to be a part of supporting an inclusive and thriving community.” Scates said the Peterborough team members have been training all winter in anticipation of the Spring Games. Here are the Peterborough athletes headed to the games: - 10-pin bowling: Michael Biroux, Crystal Cochrane - Basketball: Kacee Quinlan, Candiance Bushie, Jesse Campbell, Mark Crowder, Hannah Goode, Kristin Lackey, Max Lagrous, Cotton Nancarrow - Swimming: Jasmine Davis, Miriam McHugh, Gillian McHugh, Merecedes Laking, Lisa Butler, Steve Caban (nominee for the Peterborough Hall of Fame), Breanne MacKenzie, Dominic Wickham, Tessa Scates, Nick Gardner. To join the conversation set a first and last name in your user profile. Sign in or register for free to join the Conversation