Peterborough County Hubs Program Expands

The Peterborough County Hubs Program is now offering drop-in services in Millbrook, Havelock, Apsley and Norwood.

Peterborough county logo

The new drop-in service, which started on Tuesday, gives rural residents access to supports related to health care, mental health, addictions, employment, developmental services, housing, income, senior services and more within their home community.

"The expansion of the Peterborough County Hubs Program is an important step in ensuring that all Peterborough City-County residents, no matter where they live, have easy access to the services and supports they need, said Peterborough city councillor Alex Bierk. “By bringing these services closer to home, we are removing barriers for communities across the region and making sure that residents can get help with everything from health care to employment services.”

The drop-in program has opened new hubs in several locations:

• Millbrook Hub at Old Millbrook School - open Tuesdays 10 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

• Havelock Hub at Havelock Community Care office - open Wednesdays 9 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.

• Apsley Hub at Apsley Community Care office - open first and third Wednesday of each month 10 a.m. - 3 p.m.

• Norwood Hub at Asphodel-Norwood Township Office - open Thursdays 9 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.

The program is a collaboration between the City/County Social Services administered by the City of Peterborough, Canopy Support Services, Canadian Mental Health Association - Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge and Fleming CREW and Academic Upgrading.

A staff person from of the agencies will be at the hubs when the open for drop-in service.

The program builds on the existing Peterborough County Hubs Program that has nine locations across the county in Keene, Warsaw, Douro, Buckhorn, Lakefield, Millbrook, Havelock, Apsley and Norwood.

“Last year, I was proud to be at the launch of the eight Peterborough County Hubs which provided bookable space for social service providers to meet with clients,” said warden Bonnie Clark. “Local clients will now have the convenience to drop-in during office hours and not have to book an appointment. This pilot project brings social services access for our rural and small urban communities closer to parity with larger urban centres.”

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AON Inc's Station Place Long-Term Care Home In Havelock With Construction Ahead of Schedule; Company Seeking 140 Staff Members For Training and Hire

Construction for AON Inc.’s Station Place long-term care home in Havelock is ahead of schedule and is expecting project completion for the summer of next year, announced on Friday morning.

Ray Barlow, AON Inc. vice president (far left) helps guide the tour to dignitaries and others of Station Place a year later of construction. All photos by David Tuan Bui.

The groundbreaking ceremony on Aug. 9 last year was projected to be completed by September next year. However, with hard work and fortunate circumstances, completion has been bumped up to be finished by summer next year, according to Ray Barlow, AON Inc. vice president.

“Our construction team is doing extraordinary,” he explained. The weather's been on our side, the crews' been working well, the contractors are working well together and when you have cooperation, you get a lot of done quickly.”

AON Inc. gave the media and dignitaries a tour of the facility of the 128-bed long-term care home while providing updates on the building’s progress. Dignitaries included Michelle Ferreri, Peterborough-Kawartha MP; Dave Smith, Peterborough-Kawartha MPP and Jim Martin, Havelock-Belmont-Methuen Township mayor.

The long-term care home is part of the provincial government’s $6.4 billion commitment to build more than 30,000 new beds by 2028 along with 28,000 upgraded long-term care beds across the province according to Smith.

“The residents of Havelock have been waiting a long time for the build of this long-term care home,” he said in a prior interview. “Our government has made commitments to get long-term care homes built in this province and today proves we are doing just that.”

The approximate 86,355 sq ft. site is located at 628 Old Norwood Rd. AON won the bid to build the long-term care home on Feb 17, 2022.

The home will have dining, activity areas, lounges and access to outdoor spaces with 128 beds available. The building will employ over 140 staff (both full-time and part-time), whereas AON Inc. seeks prospective employees immediately for training.

“We have time to help get people training they need and we also have a PSW training program in place that's 100 per cent paid for so when you finish the program, you will have a job at Station Place,” explained Barlow.

Career applications for AON Inc’s Station Place long-term care home can be found online.

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Havelock's Plato Creek Bridge to Be Closed For Construction Starting Next Week Monday

Havelock’s Plato Creek Bridge is being closed to all traffic for construction starting next Monday and continuing until Sept. 30, announced by Peterborough County on Monday.

Photo courtesy of the Peterborough County.

The bridge is located on the 6th Line in Township of Havelock Belmont Methuen,

The bridge will be closed to allow for the installation of new steel beam guide rails, concrete approach slabs, and a new asphalt-wearing surface.

During this period, the bridge will be closed entirely to all traffic.

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Career Expo Sees 90 People For AON Inc.'s Long-Term Care Home Station Place In Havelock

With AON Inc.’s long-term care home ‘Station Place’ undergoing construction in Havelock, their career expo saw 90 people fill the Havelock Centre last Thursday.

The groundbreaking ceremony Photo courtesy of AON Inc.

“This event was primarily to start the conversation with our community members about future employment opportunities,” said Cheryl Filiatrault, AON Inc.’s Manager – People & Culture. “The home will not be ready to open until summer 2025 so currently there are no positions to fill yet in Havelock. However, we will begin hiring in early 2025 and will be looking at 150+ new hires at that time.”

This was the first career expo AON Inc. held for Station Place. Filiatrault; Rebecca Hooper, human resources manager and April Coulter, chief nursing officer discussed several topics at the expo.

“We wanted to invite the community to come and spend some time with us and learn more about who we are at AON, what we stand for and the services that Station Place will bring to the community of Havelock,” said Filiatrault. “(We) presented information about the Home’s design, our approach to resident care, and about the many different career opportunities that we will come with Station Place’s opening in 2025.”

The site is located at 628 Old Norwood Rd. in Havelock. AON Inc. won the bid to build the 128-bed long-term care home on Feb. 17 last year. The groundbreaking ceremony occurred at the site on Aug. 9. The building is roughly 86,355 sq ft. and the project’s completion is slated for September next year.

“This home has been the buzz around AON for a few years now and to see it coming together has been exciting for everyone involved,” explained Filiatrault.

Those who missed this past expo will have more opportunities to attend another says Filiatrault.

“We plan to hold similar events in the surrounding communities over the coming months. We plan to host Career Expos in Campbellford, Norwood, Marmora, etc,” she said.

The home will have dining, activity areas, lounges, and access to outdoor spaces. Over 150 staff will work in the building.

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Photos: Havelock Minor Hockey Players Skate With the Peterborough Petes Prior to Final Home Game

The Peterborough Petes put smiles on the faces of Havelock kids and parents as they had a practice and free skate at the HBM Community Centre on Wednesday afternoon.

Daxton Whitmore, 8, Havelock Hawks left winger gets a signature from Petes forward Quinn Binnie during the team’s last practice before their last home game. All photos by David Tuan Bui.

The Petes had practiced ahead of their final home game against the Ottawa 67’s for Thursday night. The team skated with the Havelock Hawks (Havelock Minor Hockey) after the practice.

Following ice activities, the Petes held an autograph session for the children. A pizza/chili party, a cake and draws were happening during the session. Donations and the draws were used to raise money for Havelock Minor Hockey.

The defending-OHL Champions finished the day with an autographed jersey presented to Havelock Minor Hockey president, Danielle Follette.

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Havelock Seniors Club Approved For Funding Up to $65,000 Towards Seniors Activity Living Centre Program

To help promote healthy active living, the Havelock Seniors Club has been approved for funding of up to $65,000 through the Seniors Activity Living Centre (SALC) program.

Seniors Active Living Centre programs offer social, cultural, learning, and recreational programs for seniors. By promoting wellness, social connections, and education these programs can help reduce social isolation and encourage seniors to stay active, independent and engaged. There are approximately 316 programs across the province. Photo courtesy of Township of Havelock-Belmont-Methuen.

Raymond Cho, Minister for Seniors and Accessibility; Dave Smith, Peterborough-Kawartha MPP; Bonnie Clark, Peterborough County Warden; and Havelock-Belmont-Methuen Township Mayor Jim Martin made the announcement.

The program promotes active and healthy living, social engagement and learning for older adults and seniors by providing them with activities and services according to a press release. SALC programs help build healthier and safer communities and address an aging population's long-term growth and needs.

“Community connection is critical for the health and well-being of seniors in our communities,” said Cho. “Our government proudly supports the new Havelock Seniors Active Living Centre program which will provide valuable programming to keep seniors in the community connected, healthy and engaged.”

“This funding that the Havelock Seniors Centre will be receiving through the SALC program will enable seniors to enjoy activities with their friends that will help reduce social isolation and provide them with the means to stay active and engaged,” said Smith.

“We could not have come as far as we have without the hard work and dedication of the Club's many volunteers, both past and present,” said Mary Pequegnat, Havelock Seniors Club president. “This funding will allow us to grow our programs and reach into our more rural communities with accessible services.”

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AON Inc's Holds Groundbreaking Ceremony For A Havelock 128-Bed Long-Term Care Home For September 2025

The shovels dug deep for AON Inc. as they started the groundbreaking ceremony for a 128-bed long-term care home in Havelock on Wednesday morning.

Photo by David Tuan Bui.

The home will help Ontario address the growing demands for long-term care. The Township of Havelock-Belmont-Methuen, Mayor and Council have been very involved in working hard to secure a long-term care home in Havelock according to a press release.

The site is located at 628 Old Norwood Rd. AON won the bid to build the long-term care home on Feb 17. The building is roughly 86,355 sq ft. with the project’s completion slated for September 2025.

“With the support of the citizens of Havelock, they lobbied the government to get bed allocation to here and that's the key component that you need and then through the process, we were able to successfully win the tendering to build the home here,” explained Brad Smith, AON Inc. president. “It's the support of Havelock that's made this happen.”

The long-term care home is part of the provincial government’s $6.4 billion commitment to build more than 30,000 new beds by 2028 along with 28,000 upgraded long-term care beds across the province according to MPP Dave Smith.

“The residents of Havelock have been waiting a long time for the build of this long-term care home,” he said. “Everyone deserves to be close to their family and friends. Today, with this initial ground-breaking, we are one step closer to making this a reality. Our government has made commitments to get long-term care homes built in this province and today proves we are doing just that.”

“We have had a lot of ups and downs over the years, but have always kept this as a top priority for not only Havelock-Belmont-Methuen but also Peterborough County and the surrounding area, where we received tremendous support,” said Jim Martin, Havelock-Belmont-Methuen Township mayor.

The home will have dining, activity areas, lounges and access to outdoor spaces according to AON. The building will employ over 140 staff.

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Havelock Country Jamboree Officially Closes Its Stages After 30 Years of Community Concerts

The Havelock Country Jamboree has announced the decision to close its stages after 30 years of the community festival.

photo courtesy of the havelock country jamboree.

“We are so happy that we have been able to provide you with 30 years of entertainment and fun, meeting new friends and reminiscing with old ones. We have watched 4 generations of families attend the Jamboree – it truly has become a Tradition in our lifetime, and we are a family,” a statement from Havelock Country Jamboree’s management reads.

“We regret to tell you that the Havelock Country Jamboree (as you know it – with Ed & Paula at the helm) will be closing the gates and the stages, permanently. COVID hit us hard. Relationships broke down; and age is appearing to have taken its toll. We have reached the end of our ‘working’ years. We are sorry. We did struggle trying to remain open when we could; work from home when we were ordered to; but for all of our efforts – it came to naught. The struggle was just too great at this age and stage of our lives.”

The statement goes on to say that they have been ordered by the courts to sell all Jamboree properties, and will be issuing ticket refunds shortly.

“We really can’t say any more at this point, but know how anxious ticket holders are. Please be advised that it is our intention to issue refunds for tickets held, but as the sale works its way through the real estate process, at this time our hands are tied.”

The Havelock Country Jamboree has seen names like Billy Ray Cyrus, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Wynona Judd and Jason Aldean on their main stage.

The four day festival, which typically attracts over 20,000 people annually, has been called Canada’s largest live, outdoor country music and camping festival for over 30 years. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic the festival has not run since 2019.

“30 years. It is a very long time to host a venue and we have enjoyed every minute with you. Whether you were with us for 30 years or 1 year, we thank you for supporting the Havelock Country Jamboree.”

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Havelock Awards AON Inc. Development Agreement to Build 128-Bed Long-Term Care Facility

The township of Havelock-Belmont-Methuen has awarded AON Inc. the right to build a 128-bed long-term care facility in Havelock after their March 7 council meeting, subject to provincial government approvals.

Photo courtesy of AON Inc.

AON was the successful bidder in a public RFP process that closed on Feb 17.

The future site is located at 628 Old Norwood Rd. where construction must begin by Aug. 31 or it will be cancelled, this is under the requirement of Ontario’s recently announced supplemental construction funding initiative aimed at getting construction started soon on 10,000 new LTC beds in the province. The building is roughly 86,355 sq ft. Projections for the project’s completion are slated for September 2025 according to Ray Barlow, AON Inc. Vice President.

“We’re excited to work with the town of Havelock to launch the 128-bed long-term care home,” he said. “The town has backed us on the project and the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care will be providing direction on the next steps in the process.”

The original development agreement was made back on Nov. 12, 2020, with AON tendering the project a month later. In late January 2021, building costs had risen, particularly in lumber, electrical and mechanical products. The rising costs and severe supply chain constraints made the project untenable given the unreliable building supplies situation.

“The ongoing-pandemic supply chain and inflationary cost pressures realized tremendous encumbrances to the tendering process, as set against the MLTC’s 2020 Capital Development Policy,” explained Barlow. “Like many other long-term care operators in Ontario looking to build long-term care facilities during that time, progress was halted due to the ongoing pandemic and supply chain issues, and the realization of the beds award was stalled.”

The project application has been resubmitted to the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care for final approval, with the full endorsement of the Havelock-Belmont Methuen Township council.

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Havelock Fire and Ice Festival Hosting Hockey Player Brigette Lacquette

The HBMProud Havelock Community Outdoor Rink is set to host the Fire and Ice festival; a free event featuring hockey player Brigette Lacquette on Feb. 11.

Photo courtesy of the Havelock Fire and Ice Festival.

From noon to 7 p.m., the Havelock Fire and Ice festival will have many family-friendly activities to enjoy, including ice carving, fire performers, a petting zoo, fireworks and more.

The festival will feature an appearance by hockey player Brigette Lacquette. Lacquette is the first First Nations hockey player to be named to Canada's National Women's Team.

Lacquette first joined the National Women's U18 Team in Aug. 2008, and went on to win silver and gold at the 2009 and 2010 IHF U18 Women's World Championships.

For more information on Havelock’s Fire and Ice festival, visit the rink’s Facebook page.

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