September 2023

Publisher: Roderick Benns

Editor-at-Large/Business Development

Rebekah McCracken

Contributing Editor:

Online News Editor:

Contributing

Art Direction + Design:

Co. Christina Dedes

Photographers:

Please send advertising & editorial inquiries to

Roderick Benns at: kawarthalakespublisher@gmail.com

the express permission of the Publisher. Liability for incorrectly displayed advertising is limited to 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

The Advocate is ‘magical’

Just finished reading your August issue cover to cover, and back again. The issue is of the highest standard— which is to say, it’s a great read.

Congratulations on five years now; it’s an accomplishment of which you should be very proud, and no doubt are.

The magazine is truly of high quality in every way and I enjoy reading each issue. The community and region are very lucky to have such strong creative minds putting together their local magazine. Seriously, it’s magical.

— Steve Lloyd, Peterborough

‘Sports Advocate’ section well received

I was really pleased to see Kirk Winter's article highlighting the Lindsay Optimist Club soccer program in your latest issue of the Advocate. I've been a member of the Optimist Club for several years now and the soccer program is the highlight of my volunteer time. Watching how involved the whole family of many of the players becomes is a wonderful thing to see. In truth it is the cheering, the laughter, and the sideline social moments that happen while the soccer is being played that keeps me coming back to Optimist soccer every year. Keep up the great work,

— Mark Robbins, Lindsay

The Sports Advocate is a new section that will appear in each edition, highlighting a broad range of community sports. We’re pleased you enjoyed it. — The Advocate

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“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

Common pathway, better community

A few years ago, we purchased a vintage cottage, circa 1920s, in Kawartha Lakes, and like all new cottage owners we could hardly believe our luck. It had everything we ever wanted in a cottage, including amazing neighbours.

One of the unique things that we shared with our neighbours was a common pathway in front of our cottages, where we could all walk the path daily, and share stories with each other and on occasion share refreshments. It was the link that brought us closer together. The walkway had been used by all cottagers over the last 100 years and many of the senior residents could remember walking the pathway as young children. It was our historical bond with the past and our community.

Unfortunately, a recent buyer of a cottage from the city saw fit to try and purchase their portion of the walkway in front of their cottage. Had that person been successful, it would have restricted the rest of our community from using the walkway. Fortunately, the community banded together to save the walkway, hopefully for another 100 years. The fallout was lost friendships, harsh words, people moving and the reality that it takes only one person to upend paradise but a community to save it.

In the city, the first thing one does is put up a fence which is the start of the isolation from neighbours. But bringing this mentality to cottage country defeats the purpose of being accepted within a community.

This will always be our paradise, but we also realize how fragile it is and if you are not willing to fight for it, it can be gone in an instant.

— George Baillie, Pleasant Point

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.

Voluntary charity should replace regulations and taxes

In his essay “What is ‘woke’ as why is it a four-letter word?” (August Advocate), David Rapaport characterized the use of the term by politicians and conservatives as a “slur, a dis, an insult, an affront” to anyone who advocates for the disadvantaged and less privileged. Below, I offer an alternative perspective.

Few people care what others do with their time, money and efforts. Donating to charity is always praiseworthy. However, people become vexed when “social justice” (aka “woke”) advocates lobby law-makers and regulators to replace voluntary acts of charity with mandatory taxes and regulations imposed on everyone. When freedom of informed choice is sacrificed, democracy is undermined and the promises of the Canadian Bill of Rights are dashed.

We are often told that Canadians are a kind, generous and caring people. If this is true, then an expensive government “middle man” is unnecessary to help the less fortunate. Charitable aid will arise from within groups and communities provided than our governments don’t tax away the ability for charitable givers to give.

— Gene Balfour, Fenelon Falls

Helping the needy is not a long-term solution. We'd rather reform the system that put them in need in the first place. — The Advocate

Red Pine: Would you want to live here?

Red Pine Estate Townhouses, located at 92 Albert St. S., Lindsay, is operated by the Kawartha Lakes Haliburton Housing Corporation.

There is a garbage area, designated for residents to use. But there are no garbage containers where garbage can be deposited, to help keep the area clean. As a result, there is a disgraceful mess visible from Albert Street. This state of lack of cleanliness is not a one-time occurrence. I got in touch with the Kawartha Lakes Haliburton Housing Corporation to bring this issue to their attention.

How often are the properties inspected? Why are proper containers not supplied by the Corporation? Why are tenants expected to live steps away from this unsanitary mess?

— Ed Hall, Lindsay

The garbage area is located near the front entrance to allow garbage trucks to back up safely. Each tenant is responsible for their own garbage, which includes putting bags out in the assigned location on the proper day. Although staff monitor the garbage area daily, this area becomes messy when garbage is left throughout the week, and not on designated pick-up days. KLHHC sends frequent notices to tenants about garbage procedures, and addresses garbage offenses. We are in the process of installing a video camera to help staff address this issue.

— Kirsten Maxwell, CEO of Kawartha Lakes Haliburton Housing Corp.

Clarification: Last month's Kawartha Lakes Traveller article originally ran in 2020. Due to popular demand it was republished.

Lots of interest in Snack Attack’s grand opening in Lindsay

Med-Health Laboratories chose Lindsay because of long community wait times

Retro-style candy, imported sweets, and old school, exotic and hard to find snacks all in one convenient location drew crowds of people to Snack Attack in Lindsay.

It’s one of several locations for owners Chris America and Dan Earle. Their Peterborough location was opened more than a year ago, and now there are locations in Havelock and Lindsay.

They still call it a “small, independently owned business that is passionate about bringing joy and deliciousness to our customers’ lives,” according to their website.

“Our store is dedicated to providing an extraordinary selection of imported and hard-to-find snacks from all around the world. We have scoured the globe in search of the finest, most unique treats and are proud to offer them to our customers.”

The team spends a lot of time “dedicated to finding the best snacks from around the world” to have them available for the community.

For over 50 years, Med-Health Laboratories Ltd has been serving communities across Ontario, placing special emphasis on providing the best patient care in laboratory medicine, according to one of their local doctors.

Whether patients are having a blood test, urine test, or an EKG (which are OHIP insured), they will discover minimal wait times when visiting Med-Health’s Lindsay laboratory at 65 Angeline Street North. Patients are welcome to walk in anytime, or they can book an appointment online.

“The piece that differentiates laboratories is the reputation built on the service provided,” says Dr. Keyur Shah, physician liaison with Med-Health Labs. “Med-Health Lab’s service is excellent and first in class,” he says. “We decided to service Lindsay due to growing wait times in the region, and because it gives us a chance to work closely with the family health care organization.”

lindsayadvocate.ca

The Lindsay location is at 351 Kent St. W.

Med-Health Laboratories is in suite five of the Angeline Street medical centre. Contact them at 705 878-0505.

Steve Ohno welcomed people to Snack Attack, Lindsay, on its opening day. Photo: Sienna Frost.

Med-Health Laboratories has no appreciable wait times for its services. Photo: Sienna Frost.

* BUSINESS UPFRONT *

Lakeside Mobile Tire keeps the community moving

Bike share program up and running in Lindsay

Scott McMartin had been in the tire repair business for over a decade when the company he was working for went out of business a couple of years ago. Scott, alongside his partner, Ashley – who entered the tire field in 2020 after two decades as a frontline healthcare worker – thereafter decided to launch their own business, and Lakeside Mobile Tire was born.

A fully equipped and insured mobile tire repair sales and service for commercial, industrial and agricultural sectors, Lakeside Mobile Tire offers flat tire repairs and new tire and wheel sales, along with installation, fleet management services, full service agricultural tire service and 24/7 road and field-side services.

“Scott and I strive to ensure quality and efficient service,” Ashley explains. “Understanding our customers' needs and the industry that they are in is one of the most important parts of our business.”

Call Lakeside Mobile Tire at 705-214-9657.

The Lindsay + District Chamber of Commerce has announced the launch of Lindsay’s new Bike Share Program. Two locations are now up and running with 10 bikes at Fleming College close to the trail head, and five in downtown Lindsay behind the old town hall and the fire station.

Bikes are available for rent by use of the Movatic app, available on both Android and Apple platforms. Signage is installed at both stations with detailed instructions on how to rent and return the bicycles.

Executive Director Allyssa Adams credits funding provided by RTO8 for bringing the program to Lindsay through the Tourism Initiative Grant. The system is the same program that’s already successfully running in both Fenelon Falls and Bobcaygeon, with plans to install five more units in spring of 2024 along the Trent Severn Waterway.

For more information on the program, contact Allyssa Adams at ed@lindsaychamber.com

LDCC President Dawn McColl tries out one of the new bikes from the Chamber's bike share program.

Scott and Ashley McMartin of Lakeside Mobile Tire Repair.

Photo: Sienna Frost.

My colleague, Trevor Hutchinson, in his column space last month, wrote that maybe we didn’t want Lindsay to become another Barrie as we get set to welcome record growth.

His point was if Lindsay’s population is set to double in less than a decade, we should think twice before we welcome too much sprawl and instead consider growing more vertically for some of our housing options for new residents.

It was interesting to watch the feedback come in on social media. There were the usual declarations from some, such as no one was going to tell them “how to live.”

There were others who ridiculed the idea of living in an apartment building or condo, as if there weren’t millions of people all over the world successfully doing just that. Still another guy, with his PhD in Assuming, guessed that Trevor likely had a massive home, with a boat and other toys while he was telling other people how to live. And then there was the gentleman from Barrie who said they have “everything” in Barrie, like “a Costco and two Walmarts.”

This was the most fascinating comment of all because it revealed how differently we can see the world. For our Barrie citizen, corporate big box stores helped define what a successful city looks like. It is what he seeks in his worldview, perhaps because this signifies convenience and choice.

Or said in another way, “what we see, depends mainly on what we look for,” as British anthropologist John Lubbock once wrote.

By Roderick Benns Publisher

As for me, I’d check for a healthy downtown with thriving independent businesses, an excellent library system, well-tended parks, a clean environment, access to arts and culture, affordability, and good civic engagement. Those all strike me as more meaningful than big box stores.

And that’s not to say big box stores couldn’t exist simultaneously, though. Pretty hard to avoid these days when corporations have become as powerful as governments in many ways.

If Lindsay is set to double in size in as little as eight years, as Mayor Doug Elmslie tells us in this edition of the Advocate, then we’re going to need a variety of housing options.

That doesn’t mean current house dwellers need to be forced into apartments. It means offering this as a more affordable choice for the hundreds of new residents who are crossing the Kawartha Lakes border every year.

There are other advantages to condos or apartments, too. Aside from more cost-effective living there’s also lower maintenance, increased security, and often a great location close to workplaces, restaurants, and public transportation. Even their smaller living spaces – seen as a disadvantage by some -- can encourage minimalistic living.

How we define what a successful city looks like will be decided by all of us. So, I want to hear from you – what makes for a great place to live?

What makes for a great place to live?

Hugh Segal and basic income

The death of Hugh Segal a few weeks ago reminded the country that another breed of politician really did exist. The kind of politician who might carry a party label without carrying personal animosity in his heart toward those in other parties.

Segal was a true Progressive Conservative. He took his cues “not from the anger found in the dark divisiveness of the American or British right wings, but in the reform-minded and compassionate Toryism of another of his heroes, Benjamin Disraeli,” as columnist Art Milnes noted.

His death had local reverberations, too, because he was the architect of the Ontario Basic Income Pilot which he helped design at the request of the previous Ontario government. The retired senator was a lifelong proponent of a basic income – a policy that would ensure no one would ever drop below the poverty line, no matter life’s circumstances.

Lindsay was one of three Ontario places that had started the three-year pilot, along with Hamilton and Thunder Bay. The Ontario pilot’s intent was to determine what would happen if a financial springboard existed for people in times of need.

When Premier Doug Ford ran for office in 2018, his campaign team made it clear that the innovative three-year pilot would be left alone so researchers could assess results. And yet in one of his first acts upon taking office, it was spiked.

One of the reasons for cancelling the pilot was ostensibly the cost of $50 million a year for the three years, Ford said. (To put this in perspective, Ford made $50 million available to faith-based and cultural organizations impacted by COVID.)

Segal was known as the happy warrior because he was an eternal optimist. But he was deeply embarrassed to be a Progressive Conservative after Ford’s decision to pull the rug out from thousands of people who were enrolled in the program.

While he did not see the eradication of poverty in his lifetime through a basic income, others continue to carry that torch and remember his dedication.

Re: We Have to Grow Up (Trevor’s Take, July Advocate).

We are already behind in providing doctors , we are backlogging the emergency department at Ross Memorial because we cannot see our doctor when we need to, even if you are lucky to have one. We do not have enough after-hour clinics and none are available at all on the weekends -- again putting pressure on the emergency departments. How can the schools handle the new housing developments that already have many portables and are so in need of improvements?

So who in council is concerned about these issues and what are your recommendations? I am so sick of each layer of our government saying its the other’s responsibility. We need the municipal, provincial and federal governments working together in a quick and efficient manner to make things happen instead of passing the buck.

I am not against growth at all but we need to have a plan in place to handle all that goes with expansion.

— Ron Sutch, Lindsay

Not against growth, but do we have a plan?

Contemplating two ways to chase happiness in our lives

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

The beginning of September means an end of summer fun. Life takes a turn from being unstructured to a structured and a predictable routine. Tourists and cottagers begin to pack their belongings and head towards their so-called daily grind. Does this really mean an end to fun and happiness?

It has taken me 50-plus years to figure out that the pursuit of happiness does not bring happiness. Happiness is not something tangible enough to chase after, or hold onto.

Happiness is a journey, not a destination. Happiness is not an object, but a by-product of many factors working collectively within us such as right thoughts, perceptions, feelings, emotions, attitudes, beliefs, values and actions, such as sharing and caring for others. The impact of external forces matters as well, from the political, economic, technological, and socio-cultural, not to mention our physical environment.

Everyone experiences adversities in life, yet not everyone loses their inner peace and contentment. For example, the death of a loved one may cause grief, but wise ones know that death is a part of life, and that the grief itself will be temporary, or at least in its intensity. The wise ones also capitalize on the grief in terms of self-development.

I have found that two paths to happiness exists. The first one is to fulfill our needs, desires, impulses, and to enjoy life with power, prestige, wealth, status, luxuries, sex, drugs, and achievements.

The problem with this path is that needs and desires by themselves are unsatiable. Therefore, no matter how hard we try to fulfill them, new needs always line-up to get fulfilled.

Once we get used to the new gadgets, soon we get bored. Then we look for newer gadgets to bring us happiness. Such happiness is temporary and can cause dependency and addiction.

The market tries to control our needs with new innovations and new promises. Slick advertisements are persuasive. As much as we may feel we are not in control over the manipulation, the fact remains we still have control over ourselves, our decisions and our choices.

The second path includes practicing the art of managing our mind, preventing it from being distracted by the seductive world. We can control our needs, wants, desires and impulses through a disciplined life, by choosing not to get attached to worldly objects and by letting go of worldly matters.

The basic idea is that when we need nothing, then nothing can tempt us. Least expectations, least disappointments. Own nothing, lose nothing. Live for others, be content forever. Share peace, live in peace.

This is the path of contemplation, meditation, living mindfully, with compassion, gratitude, and forgiveness. It allows us to focus on those things which bring contentment value. They can bring stable peace and happiness. But it is a narrow path. It demands control over our monkey minds.

I am not suggesting one path over the other. Each path has its own advantages and disadvantages.

Of course, an alternative may be a healthy balance of both the paths, exercising moderation.

As we enter a busy period of life on our calendar, this September gives us the opportunity to reset our lives and contemplate happiness in a potentially new way.

By Kirk Winter

Many in Kawartha Lakes were unsure after the last municipal election what kind of council they were going to get. With an all-new mayor and half the councillors new to city hall, there was the potential for some inertia as all involved learned their new jobs.

But Mayor Doug Elmslie believes that much has been achieved so far, notwithstanding massive city development on the horizon – a fact that may eventually impact the number of councillors and who they represent.

Explosive growth

With Lindsay predicted to double in population in the next eight years, according to Elmslie, he said they are focused on the need for the city to hire more qualified staff that will allow development to come in an ordered and predictable fashion.

“We are always looking for new qualified (city) staff and that effort will continue. It is no secret we have hard shortages in planning, building, engineering and public works among other areas. This is consistent with industry trends in those professions. We have a robust recruitment program and will…look to be innovative in order to accomplish our staffing goals.”

The mayor said they are being competitive as much as possible by offering alternate work arrangements, something expected by many job seekers post-COVID.

“This allows us to attract and retain the best and brightest, regardless of where they live.”

When asked if this growth will change council’s structure or the number of councillors in the future, Elmslie agreed change is likely coming. “As we grow the majority of the growth will happen in Lindsay, although we’re encouraging growth in outlying areas as much as possible.”

The mayor said ward boundaries need to be reviewed when

there is a significant population shift. This could mean that a councillor would not only have an urban component to their ward, but it would also include a rural section – something that occurs already in Wards 5 and 7.

“As far as timing goes, if growth occurs as planned, it would seem that it could be done as early as the 2030-2034 term of council.”

Elmslie said future growth in Kawartha Lakes is going to attract a demographic with families aged 28-35 mixed with a healthy dose of those 55 and over.

“Our growth management study takes all of this information into consideration when planning for infrastructure, amenities and municipal services.”

Life as mayor

When asked what Elmslie sees as the biggest difference between being a councillor and mayor, he said it’s largely about perspective.

“As mayor your focus is on larger issues, dealing with the whole municipality rather than being specific to a ward. There are also provincial interactions that must be addressed which a councillor would generally not get involved in.”

At the council level, the mayor’s responsibility for agendas and ensuring the flow of meetings and keeping everything on track, is a major change from his time as councillor.

“Working with councillors, helping them accomplish initia- tives in their wards and an increase in the number of events that need to be attended are all additional responsibilities.”

Many may wonder what a mayor’s average work week looks like, and Elmslie said that, perhaps as no surprise, it is one filled with meetings and a lot of reading.

He said that a typical work week varies according to the number of meetings, conferences and public speaking engagements on the calendar. An average week entails approxi-

Elmslie says Lindsay’s population expected to double in just eight years

mately 40 to 60 hours. All councillors are appointed to several committees/boards (such as police boards, HKPR District Health Unit Board, Environmental Advisory Committee, etc.) and these meetings each have their own agendas to review, travel time and meeting time required.

He added that a significant amount of time is dedicated to reading and background research to prepare for meetings. Council agendas, with supporting documents, can be up to 1,000 pages and on 30 or more varying subjects.

“You cannot possibly know all the details of every project,” Elmslie said,” but you do need to have a solid grasp of what is being proposed, the advantages, costs, and various viewpoints involved.”

Visiting businesses and residents across a municipality the size of Kawartha Lakes (3,200 square kilometres) is important as well, he notes, but certainly time consuming.

“Phone calls and emails with residents is time well spent to educate and to listen to the issues that are important to our community. Spending time with staff and council is important to build relationships and foster a team mindset.”

The new council

With a council that has four of eight new members, Elmslie is very pleased how quickly the new councillors have learned their positions. The mayor pointed out that the job of a councillor “has a very sharp learning curve” and that the legislation and requirements imposed by both the provincial and federal governments are constantly changing.

Elmslie notes these new councillors, if anything, seem to be “over ambitious in their desire to learn and see progress in their ward.”

This is a good attitude to have, he says, but “I have learned through experience that sometimes a slower, more patient approach accomplishes more.”

When asked about the role being played by Deputy Mayor Tracy Richardson, Elmslie was enthusiastic in his praise.

“Deputy Mayor Richardson has been a huge support and source of energy, advice and help. Anything she takes on and does is carefully researched and planned.” The deputy mayor’s current initiative “Did you know?” is a video series paired with public engagement and is designed to help people understand how to access services. It also serves to help her and the city understand how Kawartha Lakes can improve its customer service levels and communication.

“She is setting a very high bar for future deputy mayors.”

When asked to address the biggest achievements of the new council so far, Elmslie pointed to councillors learning the “nitty-gritty” of their new jobs quickly, and pointed out the new council has learned and dealt with their first budget “in an effective manner.”

He also highlighted the work done by the new council taking on the short-term rental (STR) issue and moving forward with a comprehensive bylaw that he views as a “major accomplishment dealing with a long-standing issue.”

“While it is very early days in the life of our STR bylaw, the

feedback is mostly positive. Some folks would like to see it stronger and some feel it is too harsh. It will be helpful to have data from our first summer season to properly evaluate its impact.”

On an issue that absolutely dominated the last two years of then-mayor Andy Letham’s second term, off-road vehicles on public roads including within Lindsay, Elmslie said the issue has “been very quiet.”

“Neither Kawartha Lakes Police Service, OPP, nor the municipal law enforcement and licensing division have experienced any significant issues. Early on there were calls to clarify the new routes. Complaints on this issue have since been very low.”

The future for the city and the mayor

Elmslie told the Advocate that priorities for the 2024 budgeting year will continue to be roads and infrastructure. He also wants to see training continue amongst city firefighters, and that the city fleet (all city vehicles) be brought up to date. The mayor also wants to ensure they are supporting arts, culture and heritage.

When asked to address speculation that he has already made a decision not to run again in 2026, Elmslie said that he has made no such decision on the future, being only one year into his term. Elmslie added he was “focused on the job at hand and that there will be plenty of time to consider the future later in the term.” LA

Kawartha Lakes Mayor Doug Elmslie.

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 * Anne Rodd

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 * Jane Walling

Thanks to the support from Digital Museums Canada.

The influencers

Our take on 24 local people who are shaping Kawartha Lakes for years to come

By Kirk Winter,

This is by no means a comprehensive list of the top influencers of Kawartha Lakes. How could it be? It is merely a snapshot. A moment in time as we try to identify the women and men who are clearly shaping our city through their respective fields of expertise – politics, business, arts and culture, the non-profit world, law, food, sports, and as community leaders.

These people (or duos, counted as one) are making change, doing innovative things, or going above and beyond, rather than just getting things done. They are thriving, usually for the betterment of the community they serve.

The Influencers will be an annual September tradition in the Advocate. In the future, many names will change as we find and add new influencers. Some may stay the same by virtue of their continued excellence. Here, then, are our influential 24 across eight categories.

Roderick Benns, Denise Waldron, Geoff Coleman, Jessica Munro, Nancy Payne, Rebekah McCracken, Amanda Tayles and Trevor Hutchinson

Politics

Ron Taylor

As chief administrative officer of Kawartha Lakes, Ron Taylor is the most powerful non-elected official in the city. With decades of experience and expertise, Taylor is intimately involved in what goes on at city hall providing advice to mayor and council, and then ensuring that the will of council is carried out by the city’s civil servants who are ultimately responsible to him. Taylor’s real power is based in his encyclopedic knowledge of both municipal and provincial rules and operating guidelines that few but the most veteran councillors take the time and effort to dive into. His professional manner and advice on the realities of what the city can and cannot do has made him the trusted confidant of both former mayor Andy Letham and current Mayor Doug Elmslie.

Tracy Richardson

Tracy Richardson has a resume that most municipal politicians would envy. As a life-long resident of Manvers Township, she has instant credibility as a so-called “local.” As a successful businessperson in multiple fields, she checks the boxes as someone who has made tough decisions and managed a payroll. As a two-time Ward eight councillor and deputy mayor, Richardson has found herself very close to many of the key city decisions made in the last five years. She was key in brokering the ORV compromise that put rules in place to allow off-road vehicles more road access in Kawartha Lakes. It would be surprising if Richardson was not seriously considering a run for the mayor’s seat in 2026.

Eric Smeaton

It is accepted wisdom at council that a new member typically takes two-plus years to learn their job. Eric Smeaton appears to be ahead of the curve. The son of a career municipal politician, he does his homework and is consistently ready for the complexities that are often discussed at council. Smeaton also understands that being a councillor means being available to constituents and out and about in the public. One only needs to look at his Facebook feed to see the number of Ward Five and Kawartha Lakes activities Smeaton takes the time to attend. It would not be a surprise to see him campaign for the big chair in 2026 as an impassioned advocate for reasonable development and a defender of the city’s cultural communities.

Business

Ev & Ted Smith

The founders of TS Manufacturing in 1972 have always been in growth mode. This influential couple’s plant has been designing, manufacturing and installing quality systems for the sawmill & lumber handling, mining and aggregate, biomass and pelletization industries, for 50 years. A recent investment from the province is allowing the plant to obtain advanced manufacturing equipment to expand production. This will help the company fill a need in the market by offering automated solutions, such as a first-in-the-world robotic lumber sorter. The new project will also boost local supply chain spending, reduce waste in lumber production and strengthen the regional economy. The Smith’s are a major employer in Kawartha Lakes, with more than 100 staff and are on track to achieve their project goal of 10 new permanent employees by March 2026.

Matt Geraghty

Matt Geraghty is on a mission to make Kawartha Lakes the best place for small businesses in Canada. In 2022 Geraghty, with his wife Megan, founded Thrive Coworking Community in Lindsay. In addition to renting private offices and shared space, Thrive aims to create a community hub with programming that aims to help and support small business owners and entrepreneurs achieve their goals. In 2020, Geraghty relaunched the Kawartha Small Business Podcast with co-host Brian Rump. With over 150 episodes produced to date, the podcast connects and encourages small businesses within the Kawartha region. Geraghty also runs his own digital marketing services company, Matty G Digital, making him a go-to person for small business in the Kawarthas.

Jennifer Boksman

This small business owner has moved into the business spotlight in downtown Lindsay with her remarkably fun and innovative Needful Things, now one year old. The space is an eclectic wine bar (with wines not available at the LCBO) and espresso bar. There’s also antiques and random curiosities not to be found elsewhere. Needful Things has brought a touch of panache to the downtown and Boksman has already hosted a few events in the new space. A photographer for 31 years, she has also opened a staging company called "Staging the Kawarthas" with her niece Katie Relf of Katie Relf Designs. Prior to moving into the business spotlight on her own, Boksman and her partner, Aaron Young, were involved in the conceptualization and bringing to life of The Pie Eyed Monk Restaurant and Brewery.

Photo: Debbie Green.

Arts & Culture

Barb Doyle

As president of the Kawartha Lakes Museum and Archives (KLMA), Doyle has become a visible face of the Kawartha Lakes’ cultural community at city council meetings. Doyle has kept her message consistent that cultural entities within the city cannot survive on the backs of hard-pressed volunteers, and that the city needs to support cultural institutions, ensuring that they are staffed with full time professionals. She and her group scored a victory during the last round of budget deliberations, receiving stable funding from the city for five full-time staff for the foreseeable future. Other Kawartha Lakes cultural groups are hoping their organizations will be next, and that they will benefit from the leg work put in by Doyle and the KLMA.

James Barrett & Sarah Quick

James Bartlett and Sarah Quick have entertained cottage country audiences for 20 years through Globus Theatre and the Lakeview Arts Barn, located near Bobcaygeon. Favouring productions from Canadian playwrights, the pair brings both well-known and original dramas, comedies, musicals, and murder mysteries to area patrons. Never afraid of a challenge, they came through COVID stronger than ever with more offerings, and an expanded season now running from May through December. In addition to providing top-flight entertainment, and offering pre-show three-course dining, the pair also run youth and adult acting lessons, and Passport to Theatre, a five-day theatre arts camp for children aged 6 to 8. This dynamic duo punches far above its weight, inspiring and influencing theatre operations locally and in other parts of the province. Photo: Geoff Coleman.

Tim Wisener

It takes influence and determination to rally the necessary support to start a 200-seat theatre. With lighting and sound reinforcement. Outdoors. In a mosquito-friendly cedar grove. In a town with no recent history of live theatre. That’s why Tim Wisener makes our list. He spent summers at Sturgeon Point for most of his life and moved there permanently five years ago, establishing Design by Tim and Chris in Fenelon Falls with his partner. Soon after, Wisener established The Grove Theatre, which resulted in two year-round employees, 16 seasonal positions, and 30 creative contracts each year. Approximately 50 volunteers round out the team. At the conclusion of this season, The Grove will have produced three mainstage productions, and presented 51 onenight performances, and they expect to sell their 10,000th ticket by the end of the year.

Non-Profits

Ryan Oliver

No stranger to community activism, Ryan Oliver created Dogbus Music in the 2000s to celebrate music in Kawartha Lakes and then founded the Pinnguaq Association in 2011, a national organization focused on bringing Science Technology Engineering Arts and Math (STEAM) opportunities to rural, remote and Indigenous communities across Canada. Pinnguaq now employs 100 people across Canada, including more than 50 locally. As CEO of Pinnguaq, Oliver works toward building a community that prioritizes diverse voices and ideas -- one where people who have, give, and people who need can receive. Oliver is overseeing a massive local expansion as they renovate the 13,500 square foot former public works building at 12 Peel Street, Lindsay. Under Oliver's leadership, Pinnguaq celebrates evidence-based science, community-led technology projects and the storytelling power of the arts in all its forms.

Vince Killen

Vince Killen is the driving force behind Launch Kawartha which helps businesses grow by supporting and offering guidance to local entrepreneurs. This influencer is passionate about helping new business owners and budding entrepreneurs thrive and his extensive resume proves it. Currently, he is the executive director for Launch Kawartha, a new innovation and entrepreneurship centre located in the heart of Lindsay. The centre was designed by Community Futures Development Corp., (KLCFDC) and funded by the Kawartha Lakes Business Community Development Corp., (KLBCDC) to offer free business advice and a space for entrepreneurs to work. Killen’s journey with KLCFDC began in 2020. He previously worked as executive director for Community Futures Eastern Ontario and as the program manager for the Southern Ontario Fund for Investment and Innovation.

Photo: Jessica Munro.

Heather Kirby

The executive director of Kawartha Lakes Food Source, Heather Kirby, is the leading voice on food insecurity in Kawartha Lakes. And while we lament her organization is needed at all, Kirby has seen the KLFS evolve from a warehouse and distribution centre for local food banks to a mission that includes programming to improve the community as a whole. Under Kirby’s leadership, the staff of five have launched an 80-bed community garden; a summer student lunch program for elementary students (along with two community partners); opened the Lindsay Community Food market which now serves 450 clients; and a family cooking project that enables families to prepare and learn about food together. These initiatives resulted in KLFS being awarded Food Banks Canada 2023 Excellence in Food Banking Award Recipient (medium size).

The Law

Karissa Ward

Karissa Ward runs one of the largest law firms in central Ontario. She and her husband, Jason Ward (who recently stepped down to pursue other interests), built Wards Lawyers into a local legal powerhouse. The firm does almost everything (other than criminal law), offering one of the largest and most accomplished litigation and dispute resolution teams in the area. Ward’s CV includes being appointed Ross Memorial Hospital Board of Governors Chair in 2014, an integral position to oversee an important institution for the city. She is also a professional speaker for the Law Society. In 2015 Ward was named Business Leader of the Year through the Lindsay + District Chamber of Commerce. Most recently, the Wards were among the 11 inductees of the inaugural Business Hall of Fame for Kawartha Lakes.

Heather Richardson

This lawyer’s leadership at Staples & Swain has made her downtown Lindsay law firm a well-known and trusted community brand. In 2007 there were seven full-time staff; now, there’s 22. Under her leadership, and with Angus McNeil as her partner since 2016, the practice has evolved with several renovations to the Lindsay office building, which now includes accessible reception and meeting room areas on the main floor, expanded to include two additional lawyers and offices in both Lindsay and Beaverton. The firm offers a full range of solicitor services to the residents of Kawartha Lakes, north Durham and surrounding communities. Richardson has also been an active board member of the Ross Memorial Hospital Foundation from 2010 in several roles until her tenure expired in 2022.

Paul Reilly

This dynamic lawyer with offices in Toronto and Ottawa moved to the Little Britain area nearly seven years ago with his spouse, acupuncturist Lori Mitchell. He found he loved the area so much he wanted to spend as much time here as possible and opened his new local office at 223 Kent St. W. in Lindsay. Riley only practices one type of law – divorce law – epitomizing the idea of finding a specialization and becoming a pro at it. He also found that COVID has accelerated his use of technology, allowing him to expand virtual legal offices. Places he is targeting next for this include Oakville, North York and Niagara-on-the-Lake. This influencer has also been busy setting up a business referral club, extending his local community reach even further.

Nicki Dedes

Nicki Dedes is keeping the Greek tradition alive in downtown Lindsay with menus packed full of flavourful foods at Olympia Restaurant, now in its third generation of family involvement. As long-time owner, she is dedicated to sharing healthy Mediterranean-inspired meals with the community. Dedes is a familiar welcoming face and is an unofficial local ambassador, given how many tourists she seats as they flock to the best patio in the downtown. The praise for the Olympia doesn’t stop at a current 4.4 Google rating that highlights fantastic owners and great food. Dedes and her husband and business partner, Costas Dedes, were recently recognized as exceptional business leaders and were inducted into this year's Junior Achievement of Northern and Eastern Ontario’s inaugural Business Hall of Fame. Photo: Sienna Frost.

Samena Kennedy

Involvement in the community and loyalty to employees are two hallmarks of an influential boss, and The Locker in Fenelon Falls owner, Samena Kennedy, ticks both boxes. She began winning over fans during the pandemic which struck just three months after she had opened the Fenelon location. Instead of shuttering operations, she decided to offer delivery, earning a following in the community. Her employees also responded positively and agreed to a reduced work schedule, split equitably among all. Since then, Kennedy has proven to be a mentor and protector for her staff and strives to instill a sense of pride in their work. As a result, her staff retention is high. She also quietly supports many local fundraising initiatives, rarely turning down a request, especially if it involves youth. Photo: Geoff Coleman.

Erastus Burley

Minden, Ontario may not be known as an incubator for the arts — but it launched Erastus Burley. A teacher noticed his sparkle and sent him away to art school for his high school career. As GM of The Pie Eyed Monk Brewery in Lindsay, Erastus adds flair to the role and community at large. Under his leadership, the Monk has not only its own craft beer, but also a nosh menu that is eclectic and gourmand and features events once only found in larger cities. Guests enjoy live music, stand-up, drag and pride events and theatre. In addition, Erastus manages Creative Force, which provides design, decor services, trade show resources, and theatre productions. Impressive for a boy who learned to sew, build and design while in elementary school in a small Haliburton village.

Sports

Tommy Duncan

Tommy Duncan is the linchpin of adult recreational sports, and as the “commissioner” of numerous recreation leagues, running the Sunday men’s hockey league, golf, and ball hockey leagues complete with websites and stats. Extending his influence in athletic participation beyond adults, he has initiated a sport program to grow the love of sport for some of the littlest tots in the area through a grassroots soccer exposure program for 3–5-year-olds, with minimal cost to participants, operating for the past two years. As a teacher at I.E. Weldon who is engaged in team sports, Duncan brings his positivity, support, time and effort to enable so many in Kawartha Lakes to benefit from the social and physical benefits of athletics. Photo: Sienna Frost.

Brad Gibbs

As a founding member of the non-profit summer camp Kawartha Lakes Hockey, Brad has helped to create a summer hockey camp that gives back to the campers, as well as one that facilitates sponsorships for those who otherwise couldn’t attend. Last year the program reinvested over $10,000 in proceeds back to local hockey clubs to cover tournament fees, while raising close to $23,000 in food drive donations for Kawartha Lakes Food Source. Known as “Gibby,” his positive reach extends beyond hockey, and into his passion for rugby where his infectious spirit has grown the youth program exponentially over the past couple years, beyond levels seen pre-COVID.

Michlynne Short

After her daughter took an interest in Ops baseball, Michlynne Short sought out female fast pitch options in the area but couldn’t find anything. With the help of others, she re-established the Kawartha Lakers Fastpitch organization as part of the central east women’s fastball league, which was last around in 2018. Typically fielding one or two teams a season, the club is seeing a surge in growth and support for families looking for a sports option for their kids. They expect to field four teams in the 2023/24 season. This sports influencer and Lindsay resident has created a healthy activity for dozens of local youths, and it seems to only be growing.

Photo: Sienna Frost.

Community Leaders

Terry Foster

Terry Foster's philanthropic efforts have been nothing short of remarkable, earning him well-deserved recognition and accolades during his many years of fundraising for local causes. In 2021, his outstanding contributions to the community were celebrated when he was named Citizen of the Year through the Lindsay + District Chamber of Commerce. This year was his 38th annual walk for Cystic Fibrosis. He has raised more than $202,000 for the cause. This month (September, 2023) will be his 37th time in the Terry Fox run. So far, he has raised $194,000. Foster has also completed the Multiple Sclerosis walk for 25 years. In total, he has completed 123 walks in 38 years. A compassionate resident of Lindsay, Foster has become a shining beacon of hope for charitable causes. Photo: Sienna Frost.

Wanda Percival

A former teacher, vice principal and principal at I.E. Weldon and L.C.V.I., Wanda Percival is shining proof of what a retirement full of compassion and dedication to community can look like. She chairs the Kawartha Lakes police services board and the Ross Memorial Hospital's board of governors, takes on a wide range of tasks at Cambridge Street United Church, volunteers with the Ontario College of Teachers and has long been part of the dedicated group behind the Dream Ball in support of BGC Kawartha Lakes . . . and those are just the higher profile of her roles. This tremendously capable leader does it all with keen intelligence and insight coupled with good humour and — there’s just no other word for it — class.

Photo: William McGinn.

Rylee Rae

Rylee Rae is dedicated to providing a safe and welcoming space for all LGBTQ+ people and their allies in and around Kawartha Lakes with a local based pride organization. As executive director of Kawartha Lakes Pride, this influencer is making sure the community is more inclusive with every event they host, from Pride Week in July, Pride After Dark, to all ages Drag Queen Story Time and sharing helpful resources on their Facebook page. The organization also participates in Equity, Diversity and Inclusivity initiatives in schools and workplaces in the area. Rae and the organizations volunteers are continuing to build strong and accessible support systems within the area with a partnership with Feeding Fenelon, a not-for-profit organization committed to combating food insecurity.

GRAVITY PLUMBING & HEATING

By Amanda Tayles

Lindsay Lightningbolts Swim Club welcomes new swimmers

Swimming is often seen as a life skill, but for past and present members of the Lindsay Lightningbolts Swim Club (LLSC) it’s so much more than that - it’s an opportunity to be part of a welcoming, supportive and active community.

COVID put a damper on sports, in particular team or facility-based sports like swimming. Some have rebounded faster than others, despite close to three million Canadians participating in swimming lessons annually prior to COVID, lockdowns significantly impacted access to pools and lessons. Lifeguard shortages was just one of many implications. LLSC has seen their numbers drop and are now looking to grow their club back to previous levels of participation and beyond.

Swimming provides a fun physical activity for youth that’s been proven to support mental well-being, reducing stress and anxiety. LLSC President Jodie Collins sees the sport providing more than just physical health and wellness, but also discipline and goal orientation. Swimmers “are constantly working to-

wards goals that they learn to set for themselves. Even without outside competitions, they work hard to set small goals in practice and within their team.” Though it’s traditionally an individual sport, the camaraderie in and out of the pool supports swimmers in achieving their goals. Though there are competitive and non-competitive options at various levels, Collins finds “it doesn't interfere with how they support one another, which is awesome.” Demonstrating what a family the club truly is, Collins herself is not only an alumna, but comes from a Lightningbolt family tree. Her father was a coach and her mother served as a past president.

With the summer Olympics in Paris coming up in 2024, this is a great opportunity to be part of a sport that has been in the Olympics since 1896. Club member Teagan McDonald is an example of what commitment and dedication can bring as a Special Olympics athlete who has been swimming with the club for decades, as well as LLSC alumni Matthew Rose who swam for Canada in the 2004 Olympic Games.

Registration for new swimmers opens Aug. 28 at lindsaylightningbolts.com.

lindsayadvocate.ca

Members of the Lindsay Lightning Bolts.

Pickleball sees explosive growth in Kawartha Lakes

Pickleball is the sport everyone seems to be talking about – and it’s thriving in Kawartha Lakes. In less than a year, Pickleball Canada saw its membership increase by 43 per cent, to over 40,000 members from 2021 to 2022. The Kawartha Lakes Pickleball Association (KLPA) established in August 2022 has seen similar growth, moving from 138 members to over 450 in less than a year.

Created in 1965, pickleball was conceptualized by three fathers in Washington state seeking to quell the inevitable and incessant summer boredom of their children. Tales abound on the origin of the name, one being the wife of an originator likened the compilation of badminton, ping pong and tennis to the concept of a “pickle boat” in rowing, where a crew is thrown together from the leftovers of other boats. The game is often treated as a social opportunity, a form of friendly competition with physical benefits. Matches, played indoors on gym floors or outside on tennis courts, are facilitated through online apps such as Team Reach. On it, the KLPA shares the locations and times for games across Kawartha Lakes, allowing anyone from the area or visiting to partake in a match at one of the various indoor or outdoor courts. The Lindsay Exhibition grounds (LEX) is the largest, accommodating 10 indoor

courts, with others at Memorial Park, as well as Bobcaygeon, Omemee, Fenelon Falls, Coboconk and Burnt River. As the popularity of the sport increases, consideration will have to be given to how future development in Kawartha Lakes will accommodate its growth. Often seen as a sport of seniors, Pickleball Canada reports the largest growth in the 18-34 age range.

What makes it so popular? For Peter Lindsay, a board member of the KLPA, it’s a welcoming sport for beginners and those looking for a challenge. As a past executive director of tennis in the area, it wouldn’t be a stretch to see how Lindsay’s interest would perk up at another racquet sport, but it was pickleball’s ability to accommodate him following an injury 15 years ago that drew him in. Playing for the first time this past January, he’s found a love of the game. “It’s such a social game, with humour and friendly competition, that is easy to pick up and works on great hand-eye coordination” says Lindsay.

Major League Pickleball now encompasses 24 teams with ownership from celebrities such as LeBron James and Tom Brady. Renowned tennis stars like John McEnroe have gotten into the mix playing at grand slam titles, finding it to be “something I’ve been enjoying with friends because it’s sort of an equalizer. You can learn and pick it up and be reasonably good at it.”  The KLPA hopes the public does just that by joining them for free lessons Tuesday evenings at the LEX.

Fleming’s Frost Campus celebrates half century

By Kirk Winter

In 1965, Ontario Minister of Education, Bill Davis, convinced Progressive Conservative Premier Jason Robarts that it was time for the province to invest millions of dollars into post-secondary education to create a system for the 90 per cent of students who did not want to go to university.

Robarts, a builder by nature, was fascinated with the idea and gave Davis the green light to go ahead with his plan for schools that would hopefully provide more technical and practical post-secondary skills for high school graduates.

Within one year of the idea being floated in cabinet, and with the cooperation of the Pearson Liberals in Ottawa, the first two community colleges opened in Toronto and Hamilton in 1966, and by September 1967, another 13 colleges of applied arts and technology opened including Fleming College in Peterborough.

The early days

Fleming’s first president, David B. Sutherland, realized very early on that Fleming Peterborough would be well served putting down roots with a branch campus in Lindsay.

This move was supported by former premier and longtime Lindsay resident Leslie Frost, whose name would soon grace the campus, who lobbied his former Conservative colleagues for a site in Lindsay that would have forestry as a core program. For Frost, Lindsay made sense as a teaching site because it was already home to one of the largest Lands and Forests offices in Ontario, right across the street from Ross Memorial Hospital.

In 1968, Fleming College in Lindsay began when the Ontario Forest and Technical School Program was opened at the St. Joseph’s Convent site on Russell Street East beside St. Mary’s church.

Long-time Frost Campus technician/instructor Carl Kimmett recalls that running a school out of a still active convent, “was awkward at best. The nuns were shocked by the

language of the forestry students.”

The convent site was but a stop gap, and within a year Lindsay council approved the gift of 60 acres of land that had been part of the Victoria Manor tract to Fleming College, off Albert Street. This grant allowed Fleming the space it needed to build its first permanent facility, Frost Campus.

Because Fleming School of Environmental and Natural Resource Sciences would be housed at the new site, special care was taken in the design and placement of the buildings to complement the natural environment.

The extensive and complicated build moved forward, and the first buildings at the Albert Street site were completed and some classes got underway in January 1974. Because of construction slowdowns, students continued to take classes at both the Albert Street site and the convent. Classes at the convent continued until 1978 when Frost Campus was finally able to consolidate its entire student body in one building.

When fully open and consolidated at Albert Street, the pro-

grams offered included forestry, fish and wildlife, cartography, heavy equipment, and geology.

Leadership matters

The first principal of Frost Campus turned out to be a brilliant hire. Glenn Crombie, a registered professional forester and employee of Lands and Forests, was principal from 1968 to 1981.

Crombie, brother of former Toronto mayor David Crombie, was the right person at the right time for Frost Campus.

“Glenn was a strong leader,” said Kimmett, “and made decisions quickly. He gave you space to do your work but did not tolerate fools. He had the respect of most staff and negotiated hard for Frost Campus against the Peterborough campus.”

The campus soon grew to include a fish hatchery, a student residence, a living wall, a “green” roof and a butterfly garden.

From 1975 to 1980, Kimmett and his students created the arboretum on campus featuring more than 116 species of shrubs and trees. These plants not only beautified the campus but were key teaching tools in several of the courses offered by the school.

Over time, the fish and wildlife program that attracted students from across Canada grew in scope and size, leading to further growth of the campus.

In 2004, the campus expanded again with a new environmental technology wing. At the time of opening, the facili-

ty was recognized as one of Canada’s most environmentally sustainable commercial buildings.

In September 2008, the Frost Campus became home to a new joint degree-diploma program in Ecological Restoration in partnership with Trent University. Students in the program spend two years at Fleming and two years at Trent. They graduate at the conclusion of the joint program with an Honours B.SC. and an Ontario College Diploma in Ecological Restoration.

The original arboretum was restored in 2017.

The campus today

Today, Frost Campus houses 33 full time, part-time and continuing education programs and approximately 1,500 students alongside some of the world’s leading technology and research in water, wastewater and aquaculture production, making the school a magnet for students from around the world.

Construction is currently underway on a new $6 million hatchery at Frost Campus. Once completed, this new facility will have a highly customizable space for multiple cold, cool and warm water fish species, including species which live in freshwater, marine and brackish environments. Notably, this facility will strengthen the college’s ties with the business world where graduates hope to find work.

Committed staff

One of the real strengths of Frost Campus over the decades has been a focus on delivering a small number of programs

A staff meeting in the Crombie Theatre at Frost Campus with then President Charles Pascal, sometime in the mid 1980s.

not found at many other institutions by experienced and passionate staff with a commitment to student excellence.

Stewart O’Brien is one of those long-time instructors, who with the help of dedicated colleagues, has ensured that Frost Campus has offered a cutting-edge cartography and GIS program for the last five decades.

“To my mind,” O’Brien, a Frost Campus graduate himself, told the Advocate, “it was the vision and determination of the early instructors, certainly not administration, (that made this program possible).”

“My fondest memories (of teaching at Frost Campus) are dealing with truly inspiring students,” O’Brien added.

Mark Robbins, first a Frost graduate and later a well-respected instructor, was instrumental in growing a fish and wildlife program that attracts students from across Canada who want to become conservation officers.

Robbins, a veteran conservation officer himself, helped craft the program so that students will have all the skills their local provincial jurisdictions are looking for at hiring time.

“In the 90s I returned to Fleming College as a faculty member, teaching the next generation of would-be ‘game wardens,’” Robbins said. “While many things like the snowshoes and compasses, hip waders and fish nets remained the same (from my student days), others had changed. The biggest change I remember in the 90s compared to the 70s was the change in the student population itself. The natural resources management field was slowly opening up to female field staff. Where my classes as a student were predominantly, if not exclusively, full of young men, my 90s courses consisted of up to 25 per cent young women.”

Robbins notes that today's student comes to Fleming, as often as not, with a university degree to their credit and often born somewhere other than Canada.

The changing face of Frost Campus

When first opened in 1973, the student body at Frost Campus was predominantly Caucasian and almost exclusively male, although a few hardy women excelled in programs like forestry and cartography when the school was relatively new. The phenomenon of international students arriving in Lindsay to earn diplomas and degrees at Frost Campus would soon impact this demographic monolith in a very significant way.

Since early in the new millennium, Frost Campus has seen a steady influx of overseas students, particularly from India. In 2023, the government of Canada reported that there were more than 300,000 Indian students attending colleges and universities coast to coast in Canada with over 1,000 registered at Frost and Brealey campus, often paying tuitions that are significantly higher than Canadian-born students. LA

A joint training session between Canadore College, North Bay, and Fleming College, Frost Campus, in Lindsay. The chopper came from Canadore and the students on the ground are Frost forestry students learning how to fight forest fires.

Frost Campus, Fleming College: Celebrating 50 years of post-secondary education in the City of Kawartha Lakes

Frost Campus, Fleming College: Celebrating 50 years of post-secondary education in the City of Kawartha Lakes

We are proud to be a part of the Kawartha Lakes community providing both full and part-time programming. As a leader in environmental and natural resource sciences studies, we are committed to greater sustainability both on campus and beyond.

We are proud to be a part of the Kawartha Lakes community providing both full and part-time programming. As a leader in environmental and natural resource sciences studies, we are committed to greater sustainability both on campus and beyond.

From our humble beginnings in a convent to our current location on a beautiful 150-acre campus in Lindsay, we have seen much growth and change over the last five decades. We will always strive to evolve and respond to the changing needs of our students and the larger community.

From our humble beginnings in a convent to our current location on a beautiful 150-acre campus in Lindsay, we have seen much growth and change over the last five decades. We will always strive to evolve and respond to the changing needs of our students and the larger community.

Thank you to the citizens of Kawartha Lakes for your ongoing support of our campus and our students!

Thank you to the citizens of Kawartha Lakes for your ongoing support of our campus and our students!

flemingcollege.ca

flemingcollege.ca

A heavy equipment class field trip from the early 1990s.

The largest single donation in the history of the college.

“At FLATO we believe in supporting the communities where we build. Education is a very important part of the community and we’re excited to be supporting Fleming College and help provide students with the resources they need to succeed.”

- Shakir Rehmatullah PRESIDENT OF FLATO DEVELOPMENTS INC.

From the donation, $720,000 will be put toward Fleming’s FLATO Capital Innovation Fund while $480,000 will be used to create the FLATO Student Scholars Program. Over the next 10 years, several hundred students will receive scholarships and became FLATO Scholars. The program will be offered to incoming students at Fleming Frost Campus.

In acknowledgment of this generous gift, the main foyer at Frost Campus will be known as the Shakir Rehmatullah Atrium.

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In-Person Workshop

When: Monday, September 25 at 7:00 pm.

Where: Victoria Room - City Hall 26 Francis Street, Lindsay

Only 25 spots are available for this event!

kawarthalakes.me/ga4workshop

Scan to Register

www.kawarthalakes.ca/digitalservicesquad

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

After the whirlwind of the summer, you might be looking for a relaxing read to get back into the swing of things. Give The Thing About Home by Rhonda McKnight a try. You’ll love the wholesome account of a woman returning to her roots on the family farm, meeting the handsome farm manager and connecting with her grandmother, after a messy and public split from her husband.

Child-proofing the planet

When our babies arrive, we child-proof the cupboards and gate the stairs. We don’t leave them in a hot car with the windows rolled up. As they grow, we tell them to eat their vegetables and do their homework. We read to them, schlepp them to sports, to music lessons. Why? Because we want them safe, healthy, happy and equipped for the future.

It was that way when we were kids, too.

But things have changed. This is not the climate we grew up with. It’s not even the climate my daughter was born into 28 years ago. Now we’re telling them to eat their vegetables in a house that’s on fire. In fact, our global home has become so hot people have been experimenting with cooking everything from burgers to cakes in overheated cars. And ocean temperatures off south Florida reached hot tub levels in July, which was expected to be the hottest month ever recorded.

That month the UN secretary general said, “The era of global warming has ended. The era of global boiling has arrived.”

When I was born atmospheric carbon dioxide levels were 310 parts per million. When my daughter was born, they were 360. Today, they top 420 – something not seen for millions of years. That extra C02 is largely from burning fossil fuels like coal, oil, and gas since the onset of the Industrial Revolution. It thickens our atmospheric blanket, holding in more planetary heat.

A study released in May unveiled some of the culprits: heat trapping emissions of 88 of the world’s largest fossil fuel producers (including 13 in Canada) are responsible for 37 per cent of the extreme wildfires in western North America since 1986.

Surveys reveal that today’s kids are stressing over climate breakdown and some are questioning whether or not to have kids of their own.

That’s the kind of threat parents are increasingly adding to their child protection concerns. In 2019, a Canadian dad started For Our Kids, a national network of parents and grandparents that now numbers 5,400 members and 25 affiliated groups, including For Our Grandchildren in Peterborough.

They are united by their love for their children and instinct to protect them from worsening climate risks. For Our Kids provides research on policy issues and support for local environmental actions – everything from writing politicians to organizing bike to school days.

This summer they’ve been calling for improvements to the federal government’s Sustainable Jobs legislation so no one gets left behind in the transition to a clean energy economy.

They are also encouraging support for the Climate Aligned Finance Act. Canada’s big banks are among the top 20 financiers of fossil fuels in the world, with RBC number one. The proposed act would ensure Canada’s banks develop plans that align with climate science instead of making the situation worse.

And they want parents to tell the federal government to speed up Clean Electricity Regulations, before further delays allow provinces like Ontario to expand the use of gasfired power plants.

At a time when oil and gas companies keep rolling up the car windows with our kids inside, it’s great to hear about parents using their fierce protective instincts to fight back and help ensure that in future, the vegetables kids eat are cooked on the stove, not in the car.

Seesaws, slides, and swingsets: Playgrounds in Lindsay

When Jeff Sinclair was a lad, he and his friends routinely made their way over to the Canadian National Railway’s marshalling yards on Victoria Avenue for an afternoon of adventure. The yards were fairly quiet by that time of day, and the risk of being shooed away was comparatively low. “We played in the boxcars and we played in the coal sheds,” he tells me. “It was our playground.”

It was the mid-1960s, and it was not uncommon for kids like Sinclair to be left to their own devices when looking for places to play during the warmer months. Others climbed trees or played in the streets. To say that these activities were dangerous would be an understatement.

While dedicated playgrounds – complete with seesaws, slides, and swingsets – did exist in Lindsay during this time, they were few and far between. Indeed, as late as 1983, only nine out of the town’s 25 parks sported playground equipment.

Despite their then-limited presence in Lindsay, playgrounds were hardly a new concept. They traced their origins to 19th century Germany and England; our country’s first playground designed especially for children appeared in St. John, New Brunswick, in 1906.

Above: Lindsay playground supervisor Jane Robinson oversees a group of children on the monkey bars in the late 1960s. Courtesy Alan Capon Fonds, Kawartha Lakes Museum & Archives

Below: The creative play unit at Springdale Gardens under construction in 1988. Courtesy Kawartha Lakes Public Library.

A “playground movement” soon emerged, led by social reformers who believed in providing children with safe spaces in which they could romp and run to their heart’s content. An editorial published in the  Peterborough Examiner in the spring of 1912 didn’t mince words in calling for playgrounds. “To amuse adults we have theatres, amusement parks, athletic grounds and public halls of pretentious character; but nothing is done systematically to provide amusement places for the children,” it stated.

Five years later, the Rev. Dr. John Walker MacMillan suggested that well-used playgrounds were necessary tools in developing a child’s social consciousness. “In the playground, which is a real place of education and often as important as the classroom, larger numbers (of children) bring very distinct advantages,” he wrote in the Oct. 19, 1917 edition of the  Lindsay Daily Post. For MacMillan, who had served as the Presbyterian minister in Lindsay from 1895 through 1903, playgrounds prepared a child “for life in the nation, church, and (a) calling he may eventually become a part of.”

One of Lindsay’s very first purpose-built playgrounds appeared a little over 95 years ago. It was located at McDonnell Park and was developed by a committee consisting of Royal Canadian Legion personnel. “Swingers and other playground equipment will be installed for the use of the children, especially for children from the East Ward,” noted the Post in its reportage of May 16, 1928.

The McDonnell Park playground opened on Victoria Day of 1928 amid great fanfare. Soon after the ribbon was cut by Mrs. R.M. Beal, children rushed into the space and de-

lighted themselves in trying out all the new equipment. “For the rest of the day the swings and the slides were not idle for a moment until the lights were turned out at 9:30 p.m.,” wrote an enthusiastic  Post correspondent. “A swing and climbing rope is (sic) provided for adults; in fact several real live daddies stole rides on the kiddie’s slide, not being able to resist the temptation to feel young again.” (So popular was the 16-foot slide installed in this playground that the Legion eventually added a 24-foot slide to complement it.)

Although it was met with rave reviews in the local press, which predicted that it “would be more and more used as time goes on,” the McDonnell Park playground would eventually disappear from the landscape as other playgrounds were developed elsewhere in town.

Around 1961, the Lindsay Lions Club donated playground equipment for use in Maryknoll Park; by the midto-late 1970s, playgrounds were being built in Kinsmen Park, Northlin Park, and Wilfred Hogan Park. Many of these parks featured items procured from Paris Playground Equipment Ltd., of Paris, Ontario. Anyone who grew up in town from the 1970s through the first decade of the 2000s will no doubt remember the cute orange horses mounted on springs, the unbelievably high metal slides, the steel climbing structures designed to resemble rocket ships, the “teeter-whirls,” and the “round-a-bouts” (both of which could give one motion sickness) – all embossed with the Paris marker.

Other playgrounds were equipped with enormous “creative play units” featuring slides, steel sliding poles, and multiple platforms. One such unit was installed in the east ward’s Kinsmen Park in 1978, and among the kids who enjoyed it was the Advocate’s own Roderick Benns. “Since I lived just around the corner on Bertie Street, I was there a lot,” he remembers. “I recall the hot metal straight slide with its unceremonious landing, and how much everyone loved a tire swing that was installed on a wooden playground structure of thick beams.”

So popular were local playgrounds that the town’s department of recreation even instituted a weekly playground program at select parks throughout the summer months. Under the watchful eye of uniformed playground supervisors, children aged five through 14 enjoyed a full slate of activities, games, penny carnivals, and picnics from the 1950s through the 1980s.

Playgrounds and their (sometimes literally) dizzying array of equipment have been keeping kids safely occupied and entertained in Lindsay and area for almost a century.

Hospice Services seeks caring and compassionate volunteers in all communities in the City of Kawartha Lakes

Hospice volunteers support individuals and families living with life-limiting illness and grief.

Our 30 hour volunteer core training program covers topics including an introduction to Hospice Palliative Care, death and dying, ethics, and the art of sensitive communication.

Core training sessions are offered twice per year, both in the spring and the fall.

Royal Highness

Across

1 Amorous skunk Pepe

6 Hallucinogenic drugs, briefly

10 Daniel ___ Kim of "Lost"

13 -ground missile

14 Snore blocking inserts

16 An "F" in BFF

18 Ears, nose and throat, e.g.

19 Marsh

20 Power up

22 Toddler's train, when doubled

23 Puts the squeeze on, in a way

25 Fire station bosses

27 Won all the awards, with "up"

29 Carnivore's buys

30 Stir, as suspicion

31 Facebook blurb

32 Vernal equinox season: Abbr.

35 Lenient, as on crime

36 Light festival city in France

38 Prefix meaning "vision"

39 Rock blaster

40 Late quizmaster Trebek

41 Like some last words

43 It may be picked up, then kicked

45 One-time costar with Ted, Rhea and Kelsey

46 Leave in the lurch, slangily

48 Salmon fishing inlet off Vancouver Island

49 Opposite of "sans"

50 Reacts to a bad pun

52 ___ Maria

55 Had a coup

57 ___ rod (golden flower)

59 Gretzky's moniker, with "the"

60 Be deceptive with

61 UFO pilots

62 Dr.'s hospital checks: Abbr.

Down

1 "___-a-Lympics" (HannaBarbera cartoon)

2 Ireland, poetically

3 Costner's "Robin Hood" subtitle

4 Season in "le soleil"

5 Chinese soup dumplings

6 Gofers and grunts

8 Cameron Diaz's "Shrek" role

by Barbara Olson

28 Scientology founder ___ Hubbard

29 Back-to-the-grind day: Abbr.

31 Word with chicken or small

33 Spitting sound, in comics

34 Prepared to sing "O Canada"

37 "Nonetheless, ..."

38 Russian port city

40 Blood-typing letters

42 Gallery clearance event

44 Maker of Reynolds Wrap

45 Tenter's stopover in the U.S.

46 Intrude rudely, with "in"

47 Turn away, as one's eyes

48 Bumps on a log

51 Rip to bits

53 Big on

54 Chacun ___ goût (each to his own)

56 One of 191 in this puzzle: Abbr.

58 Free from, with "of"

In a great social media post last month MP Jamie Schmale mentioned meeting Stacey and Al Robinson, owners of Great Canadian RV in Fowler’s Corners. The Robinson’s have designed an all-weather trailer that could be used to address different dimensions of the housing crisis.

This is just one solid example of how we could use local existing infrastructure and workforce to solve a problem locally.

Trailer manufacturing was at one time one of our biggest manufacturing products in our city. There are hundreds of people, still in their working years, with experience in different trades. Which means there is an existing older workforce who could train a younger workforce.

The housing problem is complex, and no one solution or product will solve it. The use of trailers might work for some people in some situations. Tiny homes (which by Ontario building code must be at least 188 sq feet) might be another option for others.

The tiny house movement is a growing phenomenon worldwide. Some Ontario cities, like Kitchener-Waterloo and Kingston are embracing the concept to address homelessness. In Peterborough, a tiny home community is being built in partnership with Habitat for Humanity and this local tiny home movement will eventually have 30 units.

This is more than just a short-term solution for homelessness, though. For some it is a way to live a minimalist lifestyle. For others it is the only af-

By Trevor Hutchinson Contributing

fordable way to have a place that they can own.

Imagine how many companies and self-employed entrepreneurs in our city could contribute to building tiny homes. Not in five years or ten years, but right now.

And it’s not like we don’t have the land. It won’t make any big developer rich, but that’s kind of the idea.

So we have the workforce, land and any number of companies to take action on this now in several ways.

But what about building codes, infrastructure and municipal regulations? To be sure there would be some complicated issues to work out. But that’s why we pay our top civil servants the big bucks -- not to find a reason to say no, but to find creative solutions to local problems.

Many other cities in Canada and around the world have figured this out. We wouldn’t have to reinvent the wheel. We have everything we need to creatively address a range of local problems that would also benefit local business and entrepreneurs. This doesn’t have to be and shouldn’t be a big government thing. We don’t even need the Poverty Industrial Complex.

In fact, it should be the opposite: small companies and entrepreneurs, guided by a creative municipal framework, solving problems, creating employment, giving agency to citizens and eventually exporting our knowledge to other cities facing the same challenges.

Editor

We don’t need big government to solve every part of our housing crisis

A TRANSFORMATION OF GRANDEUR

INTRODUCING A MASTER-PLANNED COMMUNITY COMING TO LINDSAY