May 2023

Publisher:

Roderick Benns

Editor-at-Large/Business Development

Rebekah McCracken

Contributing Editor: Trevor Hutchinson

Contributing Writers:

Denise Waldron

Ian McKechnie

Geoff Coleman

Ginny Colling

Trevor Hutchinson

Roderick Benns

Art Direction + Design:

Barton Creative Co.

Christina Dedes

Photographers:

Sienna Frost

Web Developer: Kimberly Durrant Published By Fireside Publishing House Printed By Cofax Printing

Please send advertising & editorial inquiries to Roderick Benns at:

The Lindsay Advocate 1 Russel Street E. Lindsay ON, K9V 1Z7

publishing corrections or advertising credit for subsequent issues. The Publisher reserves the right to reject, revise, cancel, omit, discontinue or even decline to print advertising without reason or liability, & without notice. The Publisher has made every effort to ensure information contained herein was accurate at press time. The Publisher does not assume & hereby disclaims any liability to any party for damage, loss, or disruption caused by errors or omissions.

to the editor

Restricting cars is a common, valuable approach in downtowns

What a great idea Wayne Medford has for downtown Lindsay in a recent letter to the editor.

Active Transportation Advocates Kawartha lakes (ATAKL) sees the widening of sidewalks, creation of bike paths and restricting parking in the downtown core as highly desirable. Recognizing that a good part of Kent Street has just been redeveloped, this approach could be applied to adjacent streets in order to appreciate the same effect.

Restricting cars in central historic, architecturally important and pleasing areas is a common theme and is highly desirable. We need to start thinking about our city in a less auto-centric way but a more pleasing and convenient way for active transportation (walking and cycling).

This would also be of benefit commercially for downtown businesses. In Europe, small cafes and restaurants and small shops flourish along these automobile-restricted streets. Wider sidewalks and bike lanes draw people downtown and allow them to linger longer in an inviting, pedestrian-friendly environment.

Not only in Europe do we see this but also in our own capital, Ottawa. The pedestrian mall of Spark Street, once a street with lots of traffic, is now a haven for walkers and a source of income for numerous small businesses. Many other municipalities across the province and across the country have adopted this approach with success.

Bill Steffler, Lindsay

Keeping dog excrement off school playgrounds

Recently I was walking my dog in the playing field of one of our local high schools at dismissal time. There was much activity as students made their way to the parking lot enjoying the camaraderie of life at high school. Suddenly I heard “get your dog off the playing field!” It didn’t take me long to realize that statement was directed at me. I wish I had been close enough to respond.

Yes, I am a dog walker in the track and sports field area of the high school but I do carry identifiable bags in my pocket to do the required pick-up when necessary. However, I also find myself using those bags to clean up the disgusting remains that other dog owners have neglected. I am shocked to find these left far too frequently for some

“Don't you like to write letters? I do because it's such a swell way to keep from working and yet feel you've done something.”

— Ernest Hemingway

innocent shoes to discover. Though I clearly appreciate the large space to exercise my own energetic pooch, I would certainly respect the decision if I was to discover a newly posted official sign stating no dogs allowed.

Dog owners, please enjoy this grassy space to interact with your energetic canine buddy (but) show the courtesy of leaving no nasty proof that you were there. This is a place for children to play, enjoy sports and just hang out with friends.

Garry Schubert, Lindsay

The Advocate cares

Your articles always feel like they are written by people who really care. My wife goes to the store and buys a birthday card and then buys a stamp. She then writes a handwritten note and gives it to me to write a note and then puts it into an envelope and addresses the envelope. She then puts the stamp on the envelope and then mails the birthday card to one of our children or grandchildren.

We then get a picture of our grandchild, the recent Declan, who lives in Germany, holding the card. We have the same emotional feeling reading the Advocate. Happy fifth birthday.

Robert and Dena Gilmour, Scarborough

The Advocate welcomes your letters. We do not publish anonymous letters unless it’s a matter of public importance and/or someone risks harm by writing us. We publish under strict guidelines & only if we can verify the person’s identity. Simply email kawarthalakespublisher@gmail.com.

Keep your letters to 200 words or less.

Job-seeking journey

Thank-you for sharing your employment seeking journey thus far. (Re: Get a job they say, online Advocate.) I have often heard that there are tons of jobs out there, but still a lot of unemployed who do not want to work. Your story is refreshing because there are people, such as yourself, who are actively doing the best they can to find the employment that is so needed and desired. All the best as you persevere in your continued search.

Lance Mitchell, Lindsay

Short-term rental allowance creates hotel-like conditions

We need to stop the short-term rentals so people around them can get their lives back. I do not want my tax dollars wasted on police officers tending to these disastrous places. Their time could be better spent fighting crime. This needs to stop as people should not have to live next to a hotel.

Brad King, Lindsay

Summers are noisy with short-term rentals

I totally support Aaron Sloan (manager of municipal law enforcement and licencing) on his proposal for short-term rentals. The city has to step up regarding the STRs. The last couple of summers were pretty noisy around the lake, specifically on the weekends. I feel sorry for the residents right next to one of the noisy ones.

Gerhard Diefenbach, Kawartha Lakes

Short-term rentals do not benefit community: Reader

The number of short-term rentals owned by corporations is more than one would think. And these corporations are absent. No oversight or control of what happens on the property and a lack of any concern. It is against the zoning bylaw to have these properties owned by corporations in residential neighbourhoods, but try and get an answer to that from council? If no owner is present on the rental property, then STRs should not be allowed. And I’m so tired of hearing how much STRs benefit the surrounding towns. These renters bring everything they need for their stay. There’s no actual benefit to the community or neighbourhood.

Suzanne Alden, Kawartha Lakes

Re: Our Turn to Grow, Benns’ Belief in the April Advocate

So much of what I read is about luxury housing suggesting that monied people from outside the area are buying here (possibly a second home). We need affordable housing for the people currently living and working here. The new amenities that will come with the luxury housing will require workers who will need housing. I note the advertising for these $2 million dollar homes mentions the nearness of the Victoria Rail Trail. Hopefully purchasers are aware of their surroundings and do not try to change them.

Sandra Junkin, Kawartha Lakes

Send

If we grow, we’ll need more affordable housing

“Open the Door” to a new life for abused women and their children

Lindsay and Bobcaygeon Lawn Bowling Clubs looking for new members

Women trying to leave abuse behind can find help at Women’s Resources 24/7 emergency shelter.

But eventually those women need their own home. The Open the Door campaign is raising money to create a second-stage housing program. Construction is underway on safe, secure, affordable apartments in Lindsay that will help women rebuild their lives and break the cycle of violence for their children.

“It took me years to escape my abusive partner and I didn’t know where we would land until someone mentioned Women’s Resources to me and I reached out and they caught us,” said one former shelter user.

Nearly $2 million of the cost is covered by financing and government grants. The campaign target is $500,000, and more than $201,000 has already been raised.

If you’ve got an image of stuffy seniors, all in white clothing, lawn bowling, then you’ve never seen the sport lately, according to past president of the Lindsay Lawn Bowling Club, John Harper.

As both the Lindsay and Bobcaygeon clubs gear up for another season they’re looking for new members and Harper emphasizes the pastime has changed into a relaxing leisurely pursuit.

“Lawn bowling is a multigenerational sport. In fact, most people who start at an older age wonder why they didn't start earlier in life,” says Harper.

Most lawn bowling clubs are also very social and provide opportunities for get-togethers both on and off the green. This might include taking part in curling bonspiels or club members going out for dinner together.

The clubs are also working on providing indoor lawn bowling soon.

For more information or to make a donation, visit womensresources.ca or contact Carolyn Fox at 705-324-7649, ext. 223 or cfox@womensresources.ca

lindsayadvocate.ca

For more information about the Lindsay club call John Harper at 705-934-1967 or in Bobcaygeon call Larry Holden at 705-738-5290.

There's a major social component to lawn bowling, say organizers.

Women's Resources must raise thousands of dollars for their new emergency shelter.

Wild Acres offers fresh cut local flowers for all occasions

McColl takes over as president of Lindsay Chamber

For beautiful flowers grown locally and without the use of pesticides, Wild Acres near Omemee is just the place for you, says owner Kim Callaghan.

Along with her husband, Theo Schoenmakers, Kim opened Wild Acres in 2021. Both Kim and Theo have farming backgrounds, and they thought flower farming would fill an important local niche.

Wild Acres offers weekly bouquet subscriptions, arrangements, bouquets, and special event flowers. They even sell to local florists. “We grow with the environment in mind,” says Kim. She points out that the natural way in which the flowers are cultivated results in more natural habitat for insects, birds and wildlife.

The flowers are picked the morning of, or the evening before any event and then made into bouquets. Kim’s favourite part of growing flowers? The joy that Wild Acres bouquets bring to all her customers.

To reach Wild Acres visit wildacresflowers.ca or email wildacres.ont@gmail.com

A long-time resident of Kawartha Lakes, Dawn McColl has become the newest president of the Lindsay + District Chamber of Commerce (LDCC). McColl takes over from Roderick Benns who was president of the chamber for the past three years. Benns will now serve as past president for one year.

McColl is currently the assistant executive director at VCCS Employer Services based in Lindsay. She has worked in the employment services field for more than 16 years in a variety of roles and she is also the past chair of the Workforce Development Board.

The new president says she is excited about the LDCC’s year ahead.

“I am looking forward to supporting the board in this new role as we continue to provide leadership, service and advocacy for our Chamber members.”

The rest of the newly elected LDCC board includes Waylon Skinner, vice president, Shana Kelly, secretary, Samantha Burke, treasurer, and Dr. Brett Goodwin, Joby Lake, and Janet Di Bello serving as directors.

Kim Callaghan at her Omemee-area property.

Incoming LDCC president, Dawn McColl. Photo: Sienna Frost.

Ah, spring. The smell of lilacs in the air. The hopeful sound of children’s laughter. In town, the buzz of civilized street cleaners and the urban medley of voices in cafes.

And then there’s the dark side of spring.

First, I highlight the young and restless Mensa candidate who chooses to ride his mini dirt bike by my home, in town, on both the street and sidewalk. It’s an auditory onslaught that leaves one with a lingering sense that maybe humanity won’t be okay after all.

The same ilk – brothers in idiocy –are those who tour their unnecessarily loud cars and trucks down Kent Street, a stain on the return to patio life so many crave in late May and into summer. It’s as if the sounds their cars make are intended to show their virility. We get it. You wish to impress your peers with your ample exhaust system and find a mate via your suspect music tastes filtered through your enlarged stereo speakers. Now go away. May I suggest North Bay? (Sorry North Bay, I chose you at random. I’m sure you have your own issues.)

Nothing to do with spring but since I’m feeling a little cranky as I write this, let’s get some other things off my chest.

Online readers of the Advocate — Thank you for reading. However, the key word in those previous four words is ‘reading.’ That doesn’t just mean the headline. Please do not ask us ques-

By Roderick Benns Publisher

tions on The Facebook that are clearly answered within the story. No one on this team will answer them – it’s a rule we have. Instead, underneath your probing query we will simply write “this question was answered in the article.”

Next! For the love of God, stop saying “the Kawartha Lakes.” It’s just Kawartha Lakes. We don’t even need to say “City of” any longer. We don’t say City of Toronto or City of Peterborough all the time. Even the City of Kawartha Lakes is trying to use just Kawartha Lakes more often. We live in Kawartha Lakes, period. Unless you mean to refer to an area that encompasses Peterborough, only then should you say ‘the’ Kawartha Lakes because both municipalities share the Kawartha Region.

If you just mean our municipality, then it’s just Kawartha Lakes.

Now let’s talk about parking. From my booth at Smitty’s last month I observed an octogenarian who attempted to back up into a parking space no less than five times. The thing is, I don’t mean five tries on the same space. I mean he tried five different parking spaces and only on the fifth space did he feel he had succeeded. Meanwhile, other drivers had no idea what to do except stare in trepidation at this vehicular chaos. Young or old, stop backing into parking spaces if you don’t know what you’re doing.

With that off my chest, I’m going to try and enjoy the lilacs and a latte.

Time to get a few things off my chest

Wetlands should be everyone's concern

Ever since the province passed their not-so-poetically entitled More Homes Built Faster Act, it’s as if wetlands and conservation areas in Ontario are now an afterthought.

As we feature in this month’s Advocate, wetlands — both local and provincial — are in decline, mainly because of population sprawl.

Robert Pye, executive director of Watersheds Canada, points out that wetlands are like sponges, soaking up excess rain and snow melt. And since they release it slowly, this helps maintain our stream flows and aquifer levels during droughts.

If we keep paving over these sponges, there will be less absorption and more proclivity for flooding.

Angela Coleman is the general manager of Conservation Ontario, the group that advocates for all 36 conservation authorities. As she told CBC News last year, the new bill could mean interconnected watersheds, wetlands and natural areas are dealt with in a fragmented way since more power is being shifted to municipalities which will have their own interests top of mind.

Coleman said there could be "unintended consequences" if the work done by 36 conservation authorities shifts to 444 municipalities of different sizes and staffing levels. "Municipal boundaries aren't necessarily the most effective way to plan for, for example, how upstream development would impact the downstream community," she told CBC.

As Ontario Nature’s website points out, wetlands enhance landscape resilience against many of the anticipated impacts of climate change, too, including flooding, drought and the loss of biodiversity. They also play a critical role in carbon storage.

Since they act as a kind of natural infrastructure, wetlands contribute over $50 billion in economic benefits for Ontarians each year.

There’s still time for the government to understand this and make the needed legislative changes to protect our environment. We certainly understand the need for more places to live; this is not in question. But there are ways to enhance our housing supply without causing environmental damage on this scale.

Church hasn't

been welcoming

Re: The uncomfortable pew: Declining church attendance in Kawartha Lakes, May Advocate. Many church activities are held during the day, such as bible study which is catering more to the elderly as the younger demographics are unable to attend due to work.

I have started to attend a church in Lindsay and each time I have gone nobody has spoken to me, given me a program, or even said welcome. Not coming across as a real warm atmosphere. How are the people going to want to attend if it appears that the church is happy with the population that they already have and don’t reach out to those new people who may be interested in attending?

Know when to leave the battlefield when it comes to your mental health

With the first week of May being Mental Health Week, it’s important to consider what we’ve been taught about perseverance and what that might mean in practice – especially for our mental health.

A day after her arranged marriage, a woman we’ll call Mira suddenly realized there had been a big mistake. Her husband had a problem with addiction. Having been raised in a conservative family, she had learned to honour her wedding vows. For over 15 years, she made every effort towards her husband’s rehabilitation, but every effort failed. He was not cooperating. He became a chronic source of financial and emotional exhaustion. Mira often wondered how much longer she could continue honouring her wedding vows, or whether she should give-up and move-on with her life.

During her early schooling, she had absorbed motivational messages about never giving up and working until goals were accomplished. This was the secret of success in life, according to what she had learned. Her parents also reinforced this message of perseverance.

Mira’s teachers gave her two other examples. The first example pertained to her country getting its freedom from colonizers. The freedom fighters kept on fighting for more than 100 years, against the colonial rulers. Eventually, the rulers gave up. Mira’s country got its freedom.

In the second story, a king was running away from the battlefield. While hiding in a cave, he observed a spider trying to climb the wall. The spider kept on falling but it did not give up. Eventually, the spider made it to the top. Seeing the spider’s victory, the king returned to the battlefield and kept on fighting with his solders until they finally won.

I, too, believed in such motivational anecdotes until I came across a man we’ll call Tim. His situation was a no-win scenario. He was working for a boss who took credit for all successes and blamed his subordinates for all failures.

The boss clearly had his own psychological issues of insecurity, and an inferiority complex. His threshold for fear or anxiety was low. Furthermore, this boss was not going to move or retire soon. After discussing several options with Tim, I suggested he move on to another organization where he might be more appreciated for his knowledge, experience and skills. Why continue to work for someone who is emotionally wounded? There was no value in maintaining his seniority if he was unhappy and burnt out from the efforts. In this case, perseverance would have led only to further harm to Tim.

A second encounter that reinforced this thinking was with an investment advisor. She of course had education, training and many years of experience in dealing with the stock market. Her advice was to always have an exit strategy. This meant that even before thinking about investing in any stock, one should always have a plan to exit from it before incurring greater levels of loss.

Looking at it from the point-of-view of mental health, one may find that winning a war at any cost, is not necessarily the answer to a happy outcome. Accept what you can’t change. Leave the trenches when it makes sense and learn to live with that newfound peace. Abandoning the battlefield is not necessarily a sign of weakness but in fact could be a smart strategy.

Naresh James is the retired executive director of the former Canadian Mental Health Association, Kawartha Lakes branch.

The wonder of wetlands

Our ‘life support systems’ are under threat, say local experts. There’s still time to change that.

By Ginny Colling

As an eight-year-old boy, Josh Feltham couldn’t stay away from the pond in his yard or the streams, bogs and marshes nearby. They are a hub for species like turtles, snakes and salamanders, and magnets for kids.

Today Feltham continues to explore wetlands because they’re his happy place. “I feel that I’m at home.”

He’s also out there as a professor of environmental science at Fleming College exploring many wetlands, including McLaren’s Creek in Ken Reid Conservation Area, Fleetwood Creek and the Kawartha Highlands area. Some are cattail marshes, some are treed swamps, others are fens or bogs.

Wetlands are our life support systems. They filter contaminated water from farm fields and roads, recharge our wells and aquifers and help prevent flooding. Wetlands also store more carbon than any other ecosystem, thus helping us combat climate disruption.

“People want to turn on the tap and have access to clean water. (In part) they have wetlands to thank for that,” says Robert Pye, executive director of Watersheds Canada. No one likes a flooded basement, or washed-out roads. Without our wetlands, some areas would see more flooding. They act as sponges, soaking up excess rain and snow melt. And they release it slowly, helping maintain stream flows and aquifer levels during droughts.

But our wetlands are under threat – and that’s a problem.

“We continue to pave over landscapes, so there’s less absorption, while climate change brings more water. You can’t get insurance for some properties because of flood risk,” Feltham said. According to the Insurance Bureau of

Canada, flooding is getting more frequent, with two in 10 Canadian homes at risk.

More than 70 per cent of Ontario’s wetlands have disappeared since European settlement began – mostly due to development and agriculture. It’s a global problem. And in Ontario, those threats to our remaining wetlands are accelerating.

In the Kawartha Conservation area, 15 per cent, or 383 square km, is wetland, said Rob Stavinga, watershed resources technician for Kawartha Conservation. It’s important to preserve the wetlands we have left.

Retired district biologist Barry Snider, who oversaw wetland evaluation in that role, continues to study wetland losses and looked at four townships – Ops, Emily, Mariposa and Eldon. Over the last decade, wetland coverage in those areas shrank by almost 500 hectares, primarily due to agricultural expansion.

“That’s a lot – 1,200-some acres. That’s (equivalent to) 12 100-acre farms.”

Referring to a report from the Ontario Biodiversity Council, he noted that the annual rate of wetland loss in the province almost tripled between 2010-2015 compared to the previous period. Recent changes to provincial legislation like the More Homes Built Faster Act have raised fears that the rate of wetland loss will not slow down anytime soon.

Our remaining wetlands are critical, says Pye, an avid hunter and lover of the outdoors. “When we think of infrastructure, we tend to think of roads and subways. But we have a mother-nature-made infrastructure working for us.

And there’s no municipal budget that could ever pay for that. The infrastructure value is worth mega-dollars. Once a wetland is gone, it’s gone.”

That would also hurt those who share his love of waterfowl hunting, canoeing and fishing. Birders flock to our wetlands to spy the many feathered species that pass through during migration, or call the wetlands home. Those areas provide spaces for recreational pursuits and attract tourist dollars.

Wetlands offer some of the last remaining large tracts of habitat for everything from bear and deer to chipmunks, squirrels, and some endangered or threatened species, including plants. “Without wetlands we’d lose a lot of species of birds,” Stavinga said. “And a lot of fish spawning areas are in wetlands. We would have a lot of disappointed people out there who wouldn’t be able to catch any fish.”

More than 100 organizations, from Birds Canada to affordable housing groups and even a building industry and land development association, have raised concerns about the legislative changes, most fearing the loss of natural heritage areas like forests and wetlands. In a written statement, Watersheds Canada points out that the More Homes Built Faster Act has severely limited the role of conservation authorities (CAs). They can no longer help municipalities review development applications, “leaving municipalities without the expertise conservation authorities have previously offered in understanding environmental impacts of proposed development, particularly near waterways and floodplains.”

The way wetlands are evaluated has also been changed. Small wetlands can no longer be evaluated as a group, making it harder to qualify for the protections afforded by Provincially Significant Wetland status.

Advocate writer Ginny Colling with her dogs at Ken Reid Conservation Area. Photo: Bre Ferguson.

One way to protect the wetlands that remain is to put valuable land in trust and set it aside permanently through organizations like Nature Conservancy Canada and Kawartha Land Trust, Stavinga said. Good regulations to protect wetlands are also important. They give the CA a chance to work with landowners to discuss the importance of natural features on their land.

“When people understand nature and its importance, they want to protect it,” he said, adding he understands the frustration when some feel they can’t do what they want

with their own land. Pye noted that the private property land ethic is strong, particularly in the agricultural community. “They’ve (the agricultural community) been so good to identify these wetland areas that provide these ecological services. There’s been very good land stewardship over the years.”

He points to the Alternative Land Use Services program (ALUS) as an example of farmers working on environmental concerns. ALUS Peterborough covers an area that

Advocate writer Ginny Colling talks with Josh Feltham, a Fleming College professor of environmental science. Photo: Bre Ferguson.

includes Kawartha Lakes and is now working with 31 farmers, 12 of them in this city. It provides funding and expertise to those who want to turn marginal farmland into an area that can provide ecological services like cleaner water, carbon storage and wildlife habitat.

“Farmers have created new wetlands in low lying wet areas, established grasslands within compacted nutrient-depleted soils and expanded hedgerows,” program coordinator Kate Powell said in an email. She sees Ontario losing natural wetlands, and farmland, primarily to development.

In November, First Nations chiefs in Ontario called the new provincial legislation that encourages development on natural areas a “blatant violation” of First Nations rights over their traditional territories. Ontario Regional Chief Glen Hare said the legislation “will inevitably harm Ontario’s environmental heritage and weaken land and water environmental protection.”

it’s gone.

Those who have evaluated the land already available for development say there is more than enough space to build the 1.5 million homes the government wants to add over the next 10 years.

By easing the way for more sprawl development in areas like the Greenbelt, the Oak Ridges Moraine, and beyond, with its new legislation, the province is encouraging paving over the sponges that protect us from flooding, wetlands advocates say.

That will increase flood risks for homeowners and cottagers, while at the same time increasing commuter traffic from sprawl developments. It will also shrink local government revenues, and increase taxes.

Feltham said we need to get developers working with environmental groups on the issue.

“Many think we have to choose between economics and environment, but you can’t. If you do, you end up where we are now, which is a hell of a mess.” LA

We have a mother-nature-made infrastructure working for us. And there’s no municipal budget that could ever pay for that. The infrastructure value is worth mega-dollars. Once a wetland is gone,

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The secret to happy relationships

“Play soccer and love.”

Sage advice on how to have a happy marriage, according to three-year-old Leo Wagner. If that was the answer, there would be fewer divorces and we would all be in great physical shape. For soccer-loving Leo’s parents, Stephanie and Kyle, he and his one-year-old brother Spencer provide lots of laughs, comic relief and quality to their happy marriage.

The couple met in 2014 while working at Carma Industries in Lindsay and began dating. They tied the knot in 2018 and decided to make Cambray their home as they started their journey toward parenthood.

Despite the challenges and time commitment that come with parenting, Stephanie believes that it’s crucial for couples to make time for each other. Once the kids are in bed, the couple, in their early 30s, often enjoy watching a favou-

rite TV show together, playing video games, or even going out on the occasional date without the kids.

Wagner feels it is important to be honest with each other and that communication is key. “Working together helps out a lot, especially when we want to talk about it after work.”

Karyn Dowdall is a registered psychotherapist practising in Lindsay. She says communication with your spouse involves practising compassionate listening, which entails focusing on how you can assist them instead of giving advice, complaining, or telling them what to do. It’s crucial to assume that your partner is a capable adult and to offer your help, trust, and admiration. Instead of criticizing, “look for the good in them,” she says.

In Canada, depending on what statistics are used, between

“The meeting of two personalities is like the contact of two chemical substances: if there is any reaction, both are transformed.”

Carl Jung

40 and 60 per cent of marriages end in divorce, and many unmarried relationships also come to an end. To make love both fabulous and lasting, experts say we need to delve deeper into the complexities of human relationships and explore strategies for building strong and enduring connections. Knowing when to end them is just as important.

Dowdall says that therapists working with couples can adopt two distinct perspectives. The first is focused on building and fostering happiness within the relationship by promoting healing and recovery. The second perspective involves preventing the relationship from breaking down and addressing potential issues before they escalate.

Typically, what she’s noticed is, if couples come in to see her and they’re both sort of motivated, and they both have the desire to build a long happy marriage — that’s a good start. If one comes in unmotivated, she says, “it’s tough to build a long, happy marriage when one person’s not engaged.”

According to Dowdall, it is crucial to establish an interdependent relationship, rather than a codependent or dependent one. She defines interdependence as a dynamic where two individuals have a strong sense of self and independent lives, yet also engage in shared activities as a couple. In this way, both partners can bring their own unique identities to the relationship and interact with each other in a compassionate and respectful manner that assumes positive intentions.

Dawn Thexton and Valerie Mihailiuk have been a couple for more than 17 years. Six years ago, they exchanged vows in an intimate ceremony at their home in Lindsay. Thexton’s mother walked up the aisle between them, arm-in-arm, and Mihailiuk’s elderly parents were waiting at the front. What made the occasion more special was, unbeknownst to the parents and guests, the officiant was there to renew Mihailiuk's parent's vows before the official ceremony. It was an emotional occasion that left many misty-eyed.

Thexton and Mihailiuk first crossed dating paths at ages 39 and 44, respectively, after having been both married previously. Thexton believes there are distinct advantag-

Cambray's Stephanie and Kyle Wagner and family.

She defines interdependence as a dynamic where two individuals have a strong sense of self and independent lives, yet also engage in shared activities as a couple.

Karyn Dowdall, a registered psychotherapist practising in Lindsay, says knowing what love language someone prefers is critical.

es to meeting a partner later in life. Having already gone through past relationships, individuals are more likely to have a deeper understanding of their own preferences and values, which allows them to be more authentic in their search for a compatible partner.

According to Thexton, meeting someone in one’s teens or 20s can be challenging. “You’re still figuring yourself out a lot. So you don’t really know how to navigate some of those life things.” By contrast, she said meeting a partner in one’s late 30s or 40s can provide greater clarity and focus on identifying the specific traits and qualities one seeks in a partner.

According to Mihailiuk, she and her partner prioritize thoughtfulness and consideration towards each other. As someone who is semi-retired and spends more time at home, Mihailiuk takes it upon herself to ease her spouse’s stress levels by taking care of regular tasks such as meal preparation and extras like setting up tea for the next morning and clearing snow from her partner’s car. She notes that her spouse has a demanding job, and so she aims to make their home life as stress-free as possible upon her return from work.

Dowdall emphasizes the importance of understanding the

so-called “love languages” when it comes to fostering happy partnerships. These love languages were first outlined in Gary Chapman’s 1992 book, The Five Love Languages: How to Express Heartfelt Commitment to Your Mate. According to Chapman, there are five key ways in which romantic partners express and receive love, including acts of service, gift-giving, physical touch, quality time, and words of affirmation. Mihailiuk’s love language of “acts of service” to her spouse, can strengthen their emotional connections and build a more fulfilling relationship, according to the experts.

Both women’s parents had long marriages. Mihailiuk says they learned what they liked and disliked from them and that you don’t just throw in the towel easily. “Any relationship takes a tremendous amount of work and I think any couple that tells you they don’t go through a rough patch is not being very honest with themselves.” She added both of their parents laughed a lot and that is something they continue to do themselves.

Dowdall highlights the importance of good relationships in keeping us happier and healthier, as supported by a 75-year happiness study. However, she acknowledges that maintaining healthy relationships can be difficult at times. To help overcome this, she uses and recommends a tool

called the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, which was developed by renowned relationship researchers, Drs. John and Julie Gottman.

According to the Gottman’s, four communication styles–criticism, contempt, defensiveness, and stonewalling–can predict the downfall of relationships and divorce. By identifying these communication patterns, individuals can take proactive steps to improve satisfaction in their relationships. Dowdall emphasizes the value of this exercise, as it provides practical antidotes to these harmful communication styles and romance killers.

For Sandra Zellers of Kawartha Lakes all the king’s horses and all the king’s men could not save her marriage. (Zellers is not her real name. She was granted anonymity to protect some family members). At 50, she received a trifecta punch. She was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis. Her husband of

30-years intimated he would not care for her as her health declined and told her he had a girlfriend.

She thought they had a happy marriage with fond memories, especially when their children were young. Marrying at 20 and not having had other serious relationships, perhaps blinded her to the red flags, saying she came to know her husband was a narcissist.

“Everything was all about him and what he wanted,” noting when she wanted to do something he didn’t, she was told, as the breadwinner, he got to make all the decisions. “I knew there was something wrong with my husband. But I lived with it and I made excuses for it.”

Zellers said she soon settled into single bliss after the divorce. “I was incredibly happy, because I found myself again. I found who I really was and when I wanted to do something, I did it.”

About 10 years later, she bumped into a man while walking in her Fenelon Falls neighbourhood. They soon started a long-term, caring relationship but never married or cohabitated. She recalls both the man and the relationship as wonderful. Ten years into the romance, Zellers was diagnosed with cancer. Her partner lovingly cared for and drove her to all the treatments out-of-town, sometimes daily.

Dawn Thexton, right, and Valerie Mihailiuk, left, try to prioritize one another.

“Any relationship takes a tremendous amount of work and I think any couple that tells you they don’t go through a rough patch is not being very honest with themselves."

About two years later, Zellers noticed a change in her part ner’s behaviour. He began accusing her of being unfaithful and became increasingly unpleasant. Although the old say ing “absence makes the heart grow fonder” may ring true for some, in this situation, living apart also kept Zellers from discovering the truth. Unbeknownst to her, her part ner had a drinking problem and had fallen off the wagon. It wasn’t until she spoke to a relative that she learned the truth about his alcoholism, as she had never seen him drink heavy liquor before. Zellers decided she did not want to continue the relationship with her partner.

Now in her senior years, Zellers is satisfied with life and be ing single. She and her ex-partner are still friends and play cribbage.

Dowdall says in these types of situations, happiness is not dependent on the spouse’s behaviour; rather the partner can be independently content. Therefore, she was strong enough to connect with her spouses (while she was with them) with an attitude of confidence and appreciation. Likely, her health benefited from her relationships. That includes enjoying the connection perks while she was married, but when it was over, she benefited from the solitude, too.

However, ultimately not all relationships work, and some - times staying in a bad one can do more harm than good to your health. Happy relationships are based on mutual respect, trust, and communication — and maybe even a bit of soccer.

Experts say there are some marriage concerns, like abuse, that should be absolute deal-breakers. Others include lack of intimacy, infidelity (though not always), criminal behaviour, untreated addiction, lack of remorse or empathy, and the inability to compromise.

The four horsemen of the apocalypse and how they can help

The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse are four negative communication patterns that can erode the foundation of a marriage.

The first horseman is criticism, which involves attacking the partner’s character. The antidote is to express complaints in a more constructive way by using “I” statements and focusing on specific behaviours.

The second horseman is contempt, which involves insulting and showing disrespect towards the partner. The antidote is to foster a culture of appreciation and respect by expressing gratitude and showing affection regularly.

The third horseman is defensiveness, which involves becoming defensive and blaming the partner. The antidote is to take responsibility for one’s actions and offer solutions instead of shifting blame.

Finally, the fourth horseman is stonewalling, which involves withdrawing and shutting down during a conflict. The antidote is to practice self-soothing techniques and take breaks when feeling overwhelmed, as well as learning to actively listen and validate the partner’s feelings.

– Drs. John and Julie Gottman

When it’s time to end your marriage or relationship

When it comes to relationships, sometimes flowers say it all.

Maryboro Lodge Museum celebrates 60th anniversary

Maryboro Lodge Museum was originally a gentleman’s backwoods home, and had a stint as a tourist lodge, too. It was always a great place to enjoy summer on Cameron Lake and that hasn’t changed in 2023 as the museum celebrates its 60th anniversary this May.

Up to the 1950s, many people enjoyed sharing a cup of tea with the Misses Abbotts in the ancient oak grove overlooking Cameron Lake. (The lodge was operated by three unmarried sisters, Belle, Kate and Tillie, who in those days would each be referred to as Miss Abbott, or plural as the Misses Abbotts.)

When the Abbotts had to move to a nursing home, their nephew ensured this popular gathering place would become a community space. At the same time, just down the river, Fenelon Falls’ lock was reconstructed as a single lift with a fixed bridge, replacing two locks and a swing bridge. It was all part of a drastic reconstruction of Fenelon Falls’ waterfront. In 1963, both the Fenelon Falls Museum and new lock opened.

The museum has a new exhibition that features its first short documentary. Just Another Job shares George Jackett’s memories of digging out the Fenelon Falls lock pit, as the site was being reconstructed in the early 1960s.

Carrying on the age-old tradition of tea overlooking the waterway, this party will include a casual tea and the Misses Abbotts’ own recipe for gem gem cookies. It is also the beginning of free family fun at the museum for the summer. With many new interactive activities, old favourites, a scavenger hunt, community campfire and, of course, balloon animals, kids will have a lot of fun at the museum on Victoria Day weekend. For more information visit maryboro.ca.

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H o w l o n g w i l l t h i s

t a k e ?

L I T I G A T I O N

D o I n e e d a l a w y e r ?

C a n I r e c o v e r m y l e g a l f e e s ?

A r e t h e r e a l t e r n a t i v e s t o C o u r t ?

C a n I s u e i n S m a l l C l a i m s C o u r t ?

W i l l I h a v e t o g o t o t r i a l ?

W h a t i s a l i m i t a t i o n p e r i o d ?

W h a t i s a n a p p e a l ?

H o w m u c h i s m y c l a i m w o r t h ?

I F Y O U H A V E Q U E S T I O N S ,

W E H A V E A N S W E R S

Grace King * Heather Muir * Barb Evans

Alan Gregory * William Steffler * Barb Taylor

Maria Bennett * Sandra Scriver

Lauren Drew * Peter + Kathy Anderson

Zita Devan * Nanci Byer

Joe + Joyce McGuire * Jane Walling

Glenda Morris * Ivory Conover * Jamie Swift

Eileen MacDonald * Ross Smyth

Ross & Susan Beattie * Christine Wilson

Nora Steffler * Linda Friend

Jim Buchanan + Donna Gushue * Cam Finley

Neil Campbell * Bruce + Debbie Peck

Joan Shippel * Maurice + Marie Jackson

Leslie King * Deborah Smith * Patti Siegel

Peter + Sandra MacArthur * Janet Smith

Catherine Hennings * Cordula Winkelaar

David + Margaret Robertson * Leslie King

Lorna Green * John + Pauline Hunter

David Holloway * Bob & Carol Barkwell

Elke Danziger * Shirley Gleeson

May 28th, Doors open at 1pm, Starts at 2pm Celebrations, 25 Lindsay St. N., Lindsay

Tickets are $25 cash at Hill’s and Kent Florists in Lindsay, and Big Event in Fenelon Falls, or credit card at www.bit.ly/Vintage-Wedding-Gowns

Light luncheon, silent auction, draw prizes, and lots of memorabilia to view.

All proceeds go toward programs supporting women and girls in Kawartha Lakes. sikawarthalakes.org

Theatre and live performances in Kawartha Lakes boast topnotch talent

The Grove Theatre, Globus Theatre and The Academy Theatre expecting a busy year with demand for live shows stronger than ever

By Geoff Coleman

It’s hard to imagine a more exciting time for theatre goers in the Kawartha Lakes area. Each community has a unique live performance venue, each at a different stage of development. From Shakespeare to opera to Canadian rock royalty, fans of live performance could stay busy virtually every night from May to December.

The Players

The new kid on the block is The Grove Theatre in Fenelon Falls. Literally carved into a grove of trees on a hillside, it hosts al fresco performances ranging from classic plays to absurdist comedy acts. There is nothing quite like hearing a performance outdoors, and the winding walk from the parking area through the cedars sets a mood that can’t be experienced at other theatres in Ontario.

Obviously, the threat of bad weather looms every night, but has rarely materialized with only a handful of shows cancelled in the theatre’s first two years. In fact, one performance by Neil Osborne from 54-40 became memorable because of the weather. Rain halted what was a full-on rock and roll show, and after the clouds passed, Osborne returned without the band to the now puddled stage and delivered an unplugged set of songs in a manner the audience had never heard before. With the air cleaned by the rain, and the aroma of the cedars turned up to 10, it was slice of time that couldn’t happen indoors.

As Nicole Mitchell, general manager says, “We often joke that The Grove is in a bubble, and we’ve really lucked out. We had one performance where it was raining on the other side of the bridge, but not at The Grove!”

While The Grove is just getting a foothold, Globus Theatre is firmly rooted as it enters its 20th season. Located between Bobcaygeon and Lindsay in a grand old building christened the Lakeview Arts Barn, the creative team of Artistic Director Sarah Quick and Artistic Producer James Barrett have created a unique venue, located in a picturesque rural setting, and offering an intimate and immersive theatre experience for audiences.

Originally a working cattle barn, the LAB transformed into a dance hall with the largest hardwood dance floor in Ontario in 1967 and then a venue for the arts in 2006. Throughout its lifetime, Quick says, “it has been a gathering place for the community and that continues today.”

Attending a Globus production at the LAB is an easy experience. Parking is right there and free, a spacious lobby welcomes, and it’s a great spot to mingle with neighbours and friends before and after the show. Seating is modern and comfortable and fosters the intimacy of the performances. And if you have ever had to cut a meal short so you can make it to the theatre on time, bear in mind that an attached restaurant offers three-course dining prior to each evening show featuring locally grown fare and a fully stocked bar.

Quick believes the Kawarthas will become a destination for live performance. Barrett adds that, “people renting a local cottage for a week they could easily see three really different performances.” This has led them to expand their season, which once ran from July to Labour Day, but is now from May through December.

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Craig Metcalf, general manager of The Flato Academy Theatre, is excited about the acts coming in 2023. Photo: Geoff Coleman.

From left to right, Rebecca Anne Bloom, general manager, James Barrett, artistic producer, and Sarah Quick, artistic director, of Globus Theatre. The arts organization is about to launch its biggest-ever season. Photo: Geoff Coleman.

She notes that a changing demographic has made the extended season possible. “Full time residents of the area have expressed an interest in live theatre. Some of these people were once seasonal residents but are now living here year round and are willing to support Globus in the shoulder seasons.”

With an astounding 130 years of operation, the Flato Academy Theatre is a part of the cultural fabric of Lindsay. It is becoming a rare bird among Ontario theatres since it receives no annual municipal support.

Seeing a show at the Academy feels like you are going to a theatre with a capital T. It is colourful, historic, offers rich acoustics, and boasts more seats than the Ed Sullivan Theatre in New York where The Late Show with David Letterman, and now, Stephen Colbert is filmed.

The history of performers taking to the stage is impressive. In the last 30 years alone, names like Tommy Hunter, Charlie Pride, Marty Stuart, Steve Earle, Rita MacNeil, Bruce Cockburn, Ron Sexsmith, Jann Arden, Northern Pikes, Joel Plaskett, the Stampeders, Kim Mitchell, and Blue Rodeo have played there.

As an audience member, it’s the kind of place that you don’t easily forget. Sonically, it is still great, and architecturally, it is a trip into the past without an obstructed view in the place. There are no bad seats whether you are in the balcony or the first row, and it is not hard to imagine it as a vaudeville theatre in its heyday.

What's Playing

The Grove Theatre plans to continue their winning mix of drama, comedy, and music for their third season. In addition, special events, workshops, and community performances continue to establish the theatre as a vibrant hub for arts and culture in Fenelon Falls.

On the heels of last year’s 39 Steps, Artistic Directors Christy Yael and Sean Cox are preparing two mainstage productions: The Comedy of Errors and Million Dollar Quartet.

"The cornerstone of our season is in rep productions of Shakespeare’s slapstick farce The Comedy of Errors and Jukebox Musical Million Dollar Quartet and we are thrilled to be able to expand our theatre offering this season with these two exceptional productions,” says Cox.

In the comedy department, returnee Elvira Kurt, and first timers Bruce McCulloch and Ali Hassan will bring the laughs. Kurt is now in her fourth decade of showbiz and has won a Canadian Screen Award & Canadian Comedy Award and a Cannes Film Festival Award. Fans of edgy,

early 90s comedy will recognize McCulloch from his work with the ground-breaking Kids in the Hall troupe, and fans of current TV will know Ali Hassan from his work on CBC’s Run the Burbs. He also hosts CBC Radio’s Laugh out Loud.

The household names continue on the roster of musical guests. Canadian rock royal Jim Cuddy (founding member of Blue Rodeo) will close the theatre in September but not before performances from Séan McCann, Good Lovelies and Julian Taylor.

Best known for his work with Great Big Sea, founding member Séan McCann combines hilarious stories and foot-stomping traditional favourites to create a one-of-akind night of entertainment. Good Lovelies, winners of the 2010 Juno award for Roots and Traditional Album (Group) will offer another can’t-miss performance, and Julian Taylor who has transplanted to the greater Fenelon Falls area and drops in on local open mic nights on a semi-regular basis brings his roots-inflected folk music to The Grove for the third time.

“I’ve had some of my most memorable shows at The Grove,” says Taylor. “There’s magic in beneath the shelter of the trees and the moonlight that really connects you to nature and people. It’s a lovely place to perform and watch a show.

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Over at the LAB, the Barrett-Quick team will bring an impressive nine main shows to the stage, all of which are created by Canadians, and four one-night shows. Notable among the main shows is a murder mystery, a genre that has proven to be wildly popular, and Dirty Laundry which was performed during Globus’ tenth anniversary season.

It is a story of a relationship, and Quick says, “We were tempted to call it “Dirty Laundry…with Love Handles” as a nod to changes occurring during the last decade. It remains the most successful show in their 19 years.

Mending Fences from national treasure Norm Foster opens the calendar, and roughly every two weeks, a new show premieres, including plays honouring Dolly Parton, curling and Newfie entrepreneurs.

The pace and schedule demands include rehearsing the next one while staging the current one, finalizing menus, directing the shows, revising scripts, ordering food and liquor, looking after ticket sales, responding to media requests, and doing payroll, among other things. This has led singer-actress Cyndi Carleton to call Quick and Bartlett the hardest working couple in show business.

Carleton, who has sang on stages across Canada, says, “It was remarkable to me how hard they work every day to make the theatre run. They love theatre and they love the

Carleton, who has sang on stages across Canada, says, “It was remarkable to me how hard they work every day to make the theatre run. They love theatre and they love the community. It was truly inspiring to work with them.”

community. It was truly inspiring to work with them.”

In addition to the main performances, four one-night only shows will run. Among them are “Girl’s Night Out” which Quick describes as, “an all-female, all funny stand-up and improv comedy ensemble featuring CBC darlings and Canadian Comedy Award Winners.” This is another returning show since it originated on the LAB stage in 2007 and has appeared in theatres across Canada.

In addition to the main performances, four one-night only shows will run. Among them are Girl’s Night Out which Quick describes as, “an all-female, all funny stand-up and improv comedy ensemble featuring CBC darlings and Canadian Comedy Award Winners.” This is another returning show since it originated on the LAB stage in 2007 and has appeared in theatres across Canada.

And Chris Gibbs brings his one-man show, Not Quite Sherlock to the LAB in September. Movie buffs will recognize Gibbs from his turn in Steven Spielberg’s The BFG in 2016.

And Chris Gibbs brings his one-man show, Not Quite Sherlock to the LAB in September. Movie buffs will recognize Gibbs from his turn in Steven Spielberg’s The BFG in 2016.

Meanwhile, at the Academy Theatre in Lindsay, theatre lovers can expect an exciting and diverse lineup of shows that cater to various tastes and interests.

Meanwhile, at the Flato Academy Theatre in Lindsay, theatre lovers can expect an exciting and diverse lineup of shows that cater to various tastes and interests.

Craig Metcalf, general manager, says the Academy will follow its usual mix of travelling shows, and locally produced performances. While usually quiet during the summer months the Academy will be a beehive of activity when the Triple Threat Theatre takes the stage for four show of “Matilda the Musical.”

Craig Metcalf, general manager, says the Academy will follow its usual mix of travelling shows, and locally produced performances. While usually quiet during the summer months the Academy will be a beehive of activity when the Triple Threat Theatre takes the stage for four shows of Matilda the Musical.

Truly a local production, it is the kind of thing Metcalf likes to see since it aligns with one of the Academy’s core mandates: working with the community to provide access to a stage, but also to act as an incubator.

Truly a local production, it is the kind of thing Metcalf likes to see since it aligns with one of the Academy’s core mandates: working with the community to provide access to a stage, but also to act as an incubator.

To that end, June will be dance studio recital month and it is hoped that the annual I.E. Weldon Antics cabaret will return after a brief hiatus.

To that end, June will be dance studio recital month and it is hoped that the annual I.E. Weldon Antics cabaret will return after a brief hiatus.

In terms of travelling shows, patrons can expect more of the popular tribute acts, and performances by David Wilcox, Dwayne Gretzky, Sultan’s of Swing and The Canine Circus as seen on Canada’s Got Talent.

In terms of travelling shows, patrons can expect more of the popular tribute acts, and performances by David Wilcox, Dwayne Gretzky, Sultan’s of Swing and The Canine Circus as seen on Canada’s Got Talent.

Metcalf is particularly excited by a production of “The Last Waltz”, helmed by Juno and Maple Blues winner, Lance Anderson. Recreating the legendary farewell concert by the Band, it promises classic songs performed by topflight musicians.

Metcalf is particularly excited by a production of "The Last Waltz," helmed by Juno and Maple Blues winner, Lance Anderson. Recreating the legendary farewell concert by the Band, it promises classic songs performed by topflight musicians.

The other event he promises that will create some buzz couldn’t be announced for contractual reasons before the Advocate’s print deadline. However, he did reveal that it will happen in October and involve a major Canadian performer.

The other event he promises that will create some buzz couldn’t be announced for contractual reasons before the Advocate’s print deadline. However, he did reveal that it will happen in October and involve a major Canadian performer. LA

Jim Cuddy will play at The Grove Theatre in Fenelon Falls on Sept. 10th.

Gusto Grande

Fine dining Italian restaurant impressive new addition to Lindsay restaurant scene

By Rebekah McCracken and Roderick Benns

For patrons of The Grand Hotel in Lindsay, it is a remarkable sight to visit its new incarnation as Gusto Grande, one of Lindsay’s premier dining establishments.

No more pool tables or dartboards. No more tired decor frozen in time or neon beer signs lighting up middle lounge. Instead, no expense was spared in remaking the old hotel into an incredible fine dining experience, whether for an intimate dinner, a business meet-up, or for a large group get-together. The restaurant is divided into three distinct sections. The centre area is best reserved for group gatherings and families, while it is flanked by two intimate dining areas, partially walled off.

While there was a multitude of delicious wine pairing potentials, we decided on two cocktails instead. We started off with a Cucumber Collins (gin, cucumber, lime simple, soda and lime infused caster sugar rim.) Not too sweet and the perfect opening act. Later, we tried a summery looking Grande Rose Sangria (Luigi Rigetti Rose, strawberries, citrus, peach simple, and soda.)

Starting with the appetizers choose the fritti (literally ‘fried’ in Italian, but in this case to denote fried cheesestuffed tortellini with tomato and grana padano – a cheese from northern Italy.) It’s a delicious pasta choice if you’re looking for a bit heavier appetizer.

Alternatively, the Brussels sprout fritti is a lighter pick, with lemon, grana padano and aioli, with a portion of mixed greens on the margin.

One of the newer regular entrée items on the menu here is the pan-seared halibut with lemon butter, capers, olives, and usually roasted garlic mashed potatoes. For this review, the garlic was purposely avoided by the always-accommodating Chef Gigi with a risotto substitution. This is a delectable meal, with a scaffolded medley of carrots, parsnips, and asparagus to complete.

Beyond just fish, the ciotola di frutti di mare is the seafood lover’s choice on this menu. Most of your ocean desires are here in one entrée, offering bursts of flavour through the scallops, calamari, mussels, shrimp, and salmon, with scallions in a spicy rose sauce. This meal met all expectations with an idyllic blend of tastes.

Dessert offered a chance to indulge in chocolate with the s’more mousse option. Incredible, with a durable base of caramelized graham philo and marshmallow. Budiono Al Limoncello is not something we’d typically order, with a taste more for chocolate-inspired desserts. However, this custard-based choice with sweet chantilly cream, pistachio and a little chocolate bark surprised, thanks to it being reserved in its sweetness.

Gusto Grande in Lindsay has burst onto the fine dining scene in Kawartha Lakes with its elegance, its nod to local history, and exceptional attention to detail.

— Sponsored Content

The Advocate

celebrates launch of Kawartha Lakes Relocation Guide

Last month the Advocate launched Kawartha Lakes Relocation Guide, a one-time magazine for 2023 distributed in both Durham Region and Kawartha Lakes. It's filled with information on why Kawartha Lakes is a great place for relocation. The Advocate held a launch party at Thrive: Coworking Community. All photos: Sienna Frost.

From left to right, Matt Geraghty, owner of Thrive: Coworking Community, Rebekah McCracken, editor-at-large/business development for the Advocate, Ruthie Hayes, owner of Kawartha Candle Company, and Roderick Benns, publisher of the Advocate.

Above: Mayor Doug Elmslie said a few words at the Relocation Guide launch party.

Below: Candace Webster, general manager of the Days Inn & Suites Lindsay, and Stacey Brown, front office manager of the hotel.

Above: Jamie Anderson, CEO of Kawartha Lakes Public Library, speaks to Kirsten Meehan, communications, advertising and marketing officer for Kawartha Lakes.

Above: Rebekah McCracken, editor-at-large/business development for the Advocate, speaks with Roderick Benns, publisher of the Advocate. Background: Chris Mabee of Mabee & Associates.

Above: Michele Kennedy, from Kenwood Drafting & Design, with Samantha Burke, branch manager of Lindsay's RBC.

Below: Robyn Barton, left, and Christina Dedes, right, were the designers of the Advocate's new Relocation Guide.

Above: Mother-daughter realtor team, Kelli Lovell, left and Holly Lovell, far right flank Advocate Publisher Roderick Benns and Mayor Doug Elmslie.

This book was selected from the Kawartha Lakes Public Library’s NextReads Newsletters. Register to receive monthly or bi-monthly e-newsletters with enticing book suggestions.

www.kawarthalakeslibrary.ca/nextbook

The cost of groceries seems to be continually rising. Why not try to reduce some of the cost and grow your own groceries? Better yet, you can do it without taking up your entire yard! Get ready to garden this spring with The Container Victory Garden: A Beginner’s Guide to Growing Your Own Groceries by Maggie Stuckey.

A Burning Question

We have an electric car, electric lawn mower and snow blower and eventually want to kick our natural gas furnace to the curb with an air source heat pump.

But if everyone eventually does that, where will our power come from as our nuclear reactors go on vacation to get refurbished?

The Ontario government has decided much more of our power will come from burning methane (“natural”) gas. That will increase pollution by 600 per cent by 2040, making it impossible for us to meet our already weak climate target. Meanwhile the federal government is looking to get the country off natural gas and coal powered electricity by 2035. Houston, we have a problem.

Planet earth is heating up and we know we have to stop burning stuff to cool it down. The International Energy Agency says we can’t afford to expand fossil fuel production or infrastructure (as Ontario is doing). The UN secretary general calls such moves “moral and economic madness.”

The recently released summary of the UN’s latest climate report says one of the best solutions for dealing with our global crisis is renewable energy like solar, wind and energy storage. In Ontario, an atmospheric fund report had a similar conclusion, that wind, solar, power storage – and energy conservation - are the cheapest ways to meet electricity demand here.

Ontario Clean Energy Options

There are enough potential offshore wind power sites in the Great Lakes to more than meet our energy demand, according to research done for the Ontario Power Authority (now Independent Electricity System Operator or IESO).

And a study for the Canadian Renewable Energy Association found that expanding rooftop solar in Ontario could reduce the need for more gas power generation and save Ontario ratepayers $250 million a year.

For wind and solar to provide reliable energy on cloudy, windless days, we need power storage solutions. Those are rapidly being deployed. Canadian company Hydrostor uses compressed air to even out the energy supply. Another, in Minto, Ontario, winds up large flywheels with solar, releasing them when the power is needed. There are many other examples. The IESO is currently taking proposals for more storage projects, with the province’s blessing.

Ontario has been buying cheap hydropower from Quebec since 2016. We could buy more. Unfortunately, the government recently indicated it will not renew that contract, which expires this year.

Ontario could also increase investment in energy conservation programs to help homeowners and businesses save money by reducing consumption and shifting demand to off-peak hours.

Homeowners can help by taking advantage of the federal government’s Canada Greener Homes program. In Ontario, in partnership with Enbridge, it provides up to $10,600 in grants and $40,000 in interest-free loans to support energy efficiency upgrades that would reduce demand for fossil fuel power. To find out more, search Home Efficiency Rebates Plus on Enbridge’s website. For those in Lindsay or within 50 km of Peterborough, call GreenUP at 705536-9943.

It's easy to lament the short-sightedness of a government that cancelled 752 clean energy projects in 2018 and cut energy conservation spending by 60 per cent. What’s past is past. We need to urge them to get on board with the clean energy future now. And to stop the “moral and economic madness” by burning less natural gas, not more.

Tornado watch:

On May 21, 2022, a powerful derecho rolled across southern Ontario, causing widespread damage from Sarnia through Ottawa and into Quebec. With wind gusts of well over 100 kph, this enormous thunderstorm system did quite a number on Kawartha Lakes. Barn roofs were blown off, transmission poles were downed, and towering trees were quite literally uprooted. A year later, one may still see traces of derecho damage in local forests, while some buildings still bear their storm-induced scars.

The 2022 derecho reminded us that Kawartha Lakes is not immune from extreme weather events, and history records a few tornadoes and tornado-like storms that left their mark on the landscape.

Around 5 p.m. in the evening of June 11, 1911, a dramatic windstorm described as a “cyclone” tore through old Victoria County, leaving a trail of destruction across much of Eldon, Fenelon, Mariposa, and Verulam Townships. The countryside between Woodville and Hartley was particularly hard hit, with dozens of barns being either demolished or losing their roofs to gale-force winds.

Archie Carmichael and his wife had been busy milking cows in the lower part of their barn, near Woodville, when the storm blew it to pieces. “Mrs. Carmichael was dazed for a time, but soon realized that something awful had happened as everything was in darkness,” the Watchman

When wild winds walloped our community

A tornado inflicted heavy damage on downtown Lindsay in the summer of 1938. All pictures from the Beall Scrapbook, supplied courtesy of the Kawartha Lakes Museum & Archives.

ominous clouds began rolling in from the west shortly before 10:30 a.m. Rain pelted pedestrians, and lightning flashed across a sky that some eyewitnesses described as being darker than night. And then it hit. A powerful tornado unleashed its fury on downtown Lindsay, tearing the roof clean off the Benson Hotel. Jack Tangney, a local merchant, watched the entire scene unfold from across the street. “I was standing out in front of the store when I heard a great ripping noise and a piece of timber came flying towards our window,” Tangney told the Lindsay Daily Post later that day. “Then I ducked and by the time I looked again the whole roof had landed on the street with a great crash.”

As in 1911, harrowing stories of survival were documented for days afterwards. Miss Theo Peacock, sitting in a parked car on Kent Street, was taken to hospital in shock after being nearly killed by flying debris. “Heavy timbers from the hotel roof ripped through the car top, but left untouched the corner in which Miss Peacock sat,” reported the Globe & Mail on July 29.

“Spectators said it was a miracle she escaped death.” A few blocks away, staff at the Canadian National Railway engine shed sought refuge beneath locomotives as the shed’s roof was blown off. Southeast of Lindsay, Reaboro’s Malcolm Reeds ran to his garage and took shelter in his car – only to watch in amazement as the twister lifted the garage from its footings while sparing the car and its occupant. This storm claimed at least one victim, when Roy Windrem, a 39-yearold farmer from the Omemee area, was struck by lightning and killed while standing next to his barn door.

According to records in Western University’s Michael Newark Digital Tornado Archive, the storm which tracked its way through Lindsay to Hillhead Corners on July 28, 1938 measured an F2 on the Enhanced Fujita Scale, and was among the most powerful tornadoes to pass through this area.

Yet other tornadoes were spawned across parts of the Kawarthas on July 15, 1995, when a raging derecho storm system crossed through southern Ontario in the wee small hours of the morning. A twister touched down in Balsam Lake Provincial Park around 2:35 a.m., tossing trailers into each other and sending 10 people to hospital. Meanwhile, violent winds approaching 160 kph took down tree after tree in Lindsay, flipped over firmly moored aircraft at the airport, and left over 2,000 homes across the municipality without power. A local state of emergency was declared by 3 a.m.

For our family, though, this storm had a happy ending: we were living in Ops Township, and a little over 24 hours after taking cover in our basement, we were on our way to Ross Memorial Hospital to greet my sister, Marnie, who was born the following day. LA

SALAD DRESSING

May marks the return of fresh, locally grown salad greens. We want to celebrate by dusting off a couple classic homemade salad dressing recipes! These two salad dressings can be made up and kept in the fridge for up to a few weeks. Dairy, mayonnaise-based dressings, and dressings with fresh herbs need to be used sooner.

HONEY MUSTARD DRESSING

¼ cup Dijon mustard ⋅ ¼ cup honey ⋅ 1 tsp salt

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil ⋅ ¼ tsp black pepper

¼ cup apple cider vinegar

BALSAMIC VINAIGRETTE

½ cup extra virgin olive oil ⋅ ½ balsamic vinegar

2 tsp Dijon mustard ⋅ 1 tsp garlic powder

1 tbsp honey ⋅ 1 tsp salt ⋅ ¼ tsp black pepper

1. Combine all ingredients in a jar with a tight-fitting lid. Shake well until combined.

2. Refrigerate and let flavours blend for at least 30 minutes, ideally 2 hours, before serving.

"If you're thinking about Buying or Selling, let's talk about the best options for you."

What To Do, What To Do?

Across

1 Half of an ice grabber

5 Carling O'___ (onetime brewer)

10 Beaded slip-ons, for short

14 Belcher at a tea party, say

15 '90s Governor General Hnatyshyn

16 No room to swing ___

17 *To some extent

19 Having a wild flavour

20 Mirror image, often?

21 Airport building

23 Prom venue, perhaps

26 Cyber seller

28 "Exodus" character

29 Have the ___ for (be sweet on)

31 "The Simpsons" Duff dispenser

32 Early PC platform

34 *Won't be believed, slangily

38 Triple-hug, in a letter

39 Shoulder-crier's sentiment

40 *Utterly abandon

49 Wheel rods

50 Neptune's realm, in myth

51 Himalayan hgt.

52 Kick ___ fuss

53 Tough-guy triathlon

57 Chilling activity, for short?

58 Appoint as a candidate

60 Break down, as compost

62 U.K. military medals

63 *Dog-ear on a book page

68 Make over

69 Majestic tales

70 Prefix meaning "self"

71 Belgian river to the North Sea

72 Dry, as Italian wine

73 See 40-Down

Down

1 "Not sure yet," in a T.V. guide

2 Sock-in-the-gut response

3 "I was kidding!"

5 Wiener topper that's "sauer"

6 "... spelled with ___ in 'eagle'"

7 It may be expressed with :-) or >:(

8 Fido's front limb

9 Between: Fr.

10 Biblical wise guys

11 Song that gets people on their feet

12 Chevy muscle cars

13 In "Vogue," maybe 18 Preschoolers?

by Barbara Olson © ClassiCanadian Crosswords

37 Two, to Burns

40 With 73- Across, schedule of tasks ... and an apt place for the last words of the starred answers

41 Pulls back the curtain on

42 Topped with ice cream

43 Atom that may be radioactive

44 Like cheaper drugs

45 Seuss title food

46 Car seller on a lot: Abbr.

47 Stimpy's chihuahua chum

48 B.C.'s intl. airport

54 Participates in a 53-Across

55 "Am not!" retort

56 Neither partner

59 "Take it as ___ not

61 Nonstick cookware brand

64 Letters on the starship Enterprise

65 "Bien sûr"

66 Some C.F.B. officers

67 Small J topper

Soroptimist – Investing in Women’s Dreams

Soroptimist International of Kawartha Lakes, a registered charity, raises funds locally to deliver programs to help women and girls achieve their full potential.

Programs include Live Your Dream Education and Training Awards – cash awards to improve women’s employment prospects through additional education and skills development; Dream it Be it Career Planning for Girls –helping teen girls identify their goals and explore potential careers; Girls of Action and Leadership – empowering girls in Grades 4-6 to realize their potential and overcome adversities through group and running activities; and the Soroptimist Positive Influence Award -- given annually to a female graduating student from local secondary schools who models values, beliefs and attitudes that inspire others.

“Education is the key to unlocking economic empowerment,” says Susan Peirce, club president. “When women and girls are educated, they have opportunity, choice and power to lead healthy and successful lives. Soroptimist programs provide the confidence and resources to fulfill dreams, from one generation to the next.”

Since 2011, these programs have supported more than 200 women and girls and hundreds more through other projects. For more information, visit sikawarthalakes.org.

Not just for breakfast. We use all-local Nesbitt's meat

HOME OF THE ALL-DAY BREAKFAST

Gluten Free Menu! Now offering gluten-free bread, buns, pancakes and waffles.

A vintage wedding gowns fashion show on May 28 at Celebrations in Lindsay will help support the local club. Visit their website for more details.

Ensuring that injured, ill, and disabled workers are protected in the workplace is everyone’s responsibility. This challenge requires education, awareness and commitment from workers, unions, employers and the community at large.

Prevention Link’s high-quality and dynamic training has been developed by experienced advocates who bring their commitment, diversity and hands-on knowledge to our programming. Participants gain the necessary skills, confidence and community-building to benefit their workplaces and the workers they represent.

Sign up today at preventionlink.ca OR

We can provide training just for your members, staff or workplace! Contact us to schedule at your convenience.

TOPICAL

Cheers to the anthem

By Trevor Hutchinson Contributing Editor

The other night I was enjoying a beautiful Bud Light while taking a crack at coming up with rewrites to our national anthem.

Nah, I am kidding. I have never been a big fan of Bud Light, or at least until I found out that as a soldier in the culture wars, I am supposed to like it and even conspicuously consume it. I have bought the Pride-themed special edition packaging for an LGBTQ2S+ friend to show solidarity but I really have only ever drank the stuff in an emergency. (A beer emergency, obviously.) And not that I’m a beer snob. I wish I was all about micro-brews but I just like a different (very corporate) beer, better.

And there is no anthem change I could suggest that would ever be better than Canadian soul singer Jully Black’s change at the 2023 NBA all-star game. Her subtle change of one line to “our home on Native land” is beyond brilliant. I for one think we should all start singing it that way.

Some, especially the ‘but you can’t just change history’ crowd might object to changing the anthem. To be fair, all of us can be change resistant. When Peter Gabriel left the rock band Genesis in 1975, was it still really Genesis with Phil Collins singing? Tough call.

But if we learn anything on this mortal coil it is that life is change. And history? It is the study of change over time.

Take our anthem for example. The original song, commissioned in 1880

was originally in French. It went through several different translations. In 1908, a leading magazine of the time had a competition to rewrite the English translation. The religious fourth verse that people have argued about for years was itself added in 1926, almost half a century after the original.

Some people may recall the argument of taking out the gendered “in all thy sons command” which grabbed the occasional headline from 1990 until well past the official change by parliament in 2016. Opponents of this change always seemed to omit the fact that “in all thy sons command” was itself a change made in 1913, changing it from a gender-neutral translation. Not to mention that ‘O Canada’ didn’t even become our national anthem until 1980.

But what does a corporate beer currently facing organized opposition to its seasonal Pride packaging and our ever-changing national anthem have in common? For some of us, over the next two months, quite a lot. Bud Light is the official beer of the NHL and it is hockey playoff time, which for some reason involves national anthems even though it is not a competition between countries.

So those of us who love hockey will hear the anthem quite a few times and some of us might just raise a pride-packaged beer to toast change and our favourite team.

Go Leafs!

Home is where the heart is.

FLATO Developments is a residential and commercial real estate builder in southern Ontario committed to giving back and supporting the communities where they build and operate.

To learn more about FLATO’s past and future developments, community commitment, and philanthropic support, visit flatogroup.com.