Using the resources of the CHEX Newswatch tape archives, Graham Hart revisits local events previously featured by the CHEX newsteam.
Presented during the Thursday edition of Newswatch @ 6.




Our featured segment:

1988: The Greatest Show
It was a major coup for Peterborough, R. Murray Schafer, by this time an internationally recognized Canadian composer, famous for his situational opera: The Princess Of The Stars, was about to tackle something new: a visual/musical display he'd call "The Greatest Show", to be entirely constructed in Peterborough, staffed by local, often amateur talent and quite a spectacle, to which this report by Scott Blodgett that aired September 1st of 1988, will attest.
View our report
The show, which received nation wide critical acclaim, was mounted in both 1987 and 1988, but has remained dormant ever since, though there is talk of a possible reprise next year in Ottawa. Shaefer, who moved to a farm north of Peterborough just prior to the greatest show's appearance, has made it his home ever since. Still creating music and writing books on the history of environmental sound and related subjects and he continues to produce, annually, an eight day long wildlife theatre piece in the Haliburton Forest And Wildlife Reserve in which the performers double as the audience.
R. Murray Schafer has been, through the years the recipient of a number of prestigious awards for his work, the most recent of which being The Governor General's Award in 2009.



Our archived segments:
(listed chronologically based on original airdate)

1983 | 1984 | 1985 | 1986 | 1987 | 1988 | 1989 | 1990 | 1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | Misc.



1983

1983: Convention Centres
There was a time in the 1980's when it seemed developers everywhere were promoting convention centres as a way of attracting business to a city. Peterborough was no exception and as we see in this 1983 report from Tricia Hellingman, two firms were promoting convention centres in two different locations.
View our report
As it turned out, neither project went forward. The Ministry of Natural Resources built Robertson Place on the Water Street location and Del Crary Park was developed on the old Beaver Lumber property.


1983: Lack of Housing
In March of 1983, a woman staged a solitary protest against the lack of affordable housing in Cobourg. She camped out, in a tent, on the front lawn of Cobourg Town Hall and that's where our Valerie Macdonald met up with her (see video link below).
Municipalities and the province struggled with finding the right fit for affordable housing but in 1997, the province downloaded complete responsibility for social housing to the municipalities. In the past few years, community groups throughout the area have stepped in to help but the demand for affordable housing still far outstrips the supply.
View our report


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1984

1984: Caprice Classic
The General Motors plants in Oshawa have seen many changes over the years, as public tastes in automobiles change. For a time, cars grew smaller then began to increase in size again. In 1984, the trend was to downsize. As Valerie Macdonald reported, the last of the full size chevrolets came off the line that year (see video link below).
General Motors in Oshawa currently produces the Chevrolet Impala mid-size car, while General Motors in the U.S. produces full-size Buicks and Cadillacs.
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1985

1985: Easter Seal Telethon
With the annual CHEX Telethon slated for this Sunday, we've promised a look back to one of our earlier telethons. This one from 1985 is the earliest telethon recording we could find, not the greatest video quality but we've salvaged what we could, starting with a very quick look at 3 of the many corporate sponsors who would become the financial backbone of that and future telethons.
View our report
Actually Peter and Graham followed that suggestion Peter on the violin and Graham on the piano one year. They also did "the great train robbery" skit, and, on another occasion, a duet with a local country band. The co-host you saw with Graham that year was Peterborough native Moira Hunt, who would 3 years later join the on-air team of 100 Huntley Street in Toronto, and would a few months after that marry Richard Brown, one of the people who actually hired her for that show. Though she took some time out to raise their two children, she maintained a presence on 100 Huntley Street, and returned as a regular co-host in 2006. Peter, of course, retired from CHEX in late December 2006. This year's Easter Seals telethon, which runs noon to 5 this Sunday, will be a return, after nearly two decades of sharing time with the network, to a completely local production, much like the ones we used to do, including of course the one we just showed you from a quarter century ago. We hope you'll join us.


1985: MLS Computers
The internet has revolutionized many industries, including the real estate business. By merely logging onto any number of listing sites, web-savy house hunters can instantly see what's available locally or around the world, with the click of a mouse. Its come a long way since 1985, when John Blake filed this report about the latest thing in computer hardware (see video link below).
All major realators now have websites that feature agent and property listings and some have links to everything from financing to furnishings.
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1986

1986: 401 Accident
Recently, a massive pile up on the 401 just east of Cobourg took two lives, damaged some 20 vehicles and tied up traffic for hours. It was reminiscent of a similar pile-up on the 401, west of Cobourg back in 1986.
View our report


1986: Bus Accident
It was a terrible day in December of 1986: four people died when a school bus struck the car in which they were travelling near Ennismore. Six months later, a coroner's inquest was held in Peterborough to examine the causes of the accident and make recommendations to prevent a repeat occurance.
View our report


1986: Doctor Strike
Communities across the province continue to struggle with a shortage of doctors. There simply aren't enough to go around. In 1986, there was also a shortage of doctors, but in this case, it was because many had gone on strike to protest Bill 94, The Health Care Accessibility Act. The bill was designed to prevent doctors from extra-billing, outside the rates set up by OHIP.
The strike, which lasted 25 days, did not have the effect the doctors wanted and Bill 94 was voted into law. However, local doctors' concerns over the condition of emergency rooms at the Civic and St. Josephs Hospitals were dealt with in very different ways. A new emergency ward at Civic Hospital was opened up a few years later, but the E.R. at St. Joseph's was closed, the first step in the eventual shutdown of the entire hospital.
View our report


1986: Employment Equity
Equal opportunities for employment in the workplace is something women have been campaigning for for many years. Improvements in pay and employment standards have been made but in 1986, Peterborough city council was struggling with the concept of making the gender equality in the city workforce.
View our report


1986: Equal Opprtunity
The year was 1986 and in the minds of the Peterborough Women's Committee, the City of Peterborough was clearly not one of the leading municipalities when it came to equal opportunity, and the group was strongly advocating the establishment of an equal opportunity department at city hall, charged with the task of making certain that qualified women were given the same opportunity as men in city staff hiring.
View the segment
As it turned out, the city never did create such a department but in spite of that and thanks to people such as Carol Wilton and those in the Peterborough Women's Committee, and sympathetic city staff , some of whom were males, the city moved steadily forward in the equal opportunity drive and Carol Wilton agrees that great strides have been made, though she comes up short of admitting that the problem of inequity has been entirely solved.


1986: Extra Billing
Under pressure from a federal law poised to take effect that would cut back the Feds contribution to health insurance payments in provinces that allowed doctors to charge extra fees, Ontario moved to pass legislation that would eliminate what doctors called balanced billing and the province called extra billing. Even though it was estimated that 90% of physicians did not bill patients more than OHIP was willing to pay, they still didn't like the idea that the province could control their incomes and in a bold move in late May of 1986 thousands of doctors across the province were planning to do something about it. Chris McManus covered the Peterborough Angle for us.
View the segment
As it turned out the protest had little effect. A David Peterson Liberal/ Bob Rae NDP accord, contending that extra billing by doctors had the potential to produce a two-tier health system, passed that legislation making it illegal to extra bill. Dr. Harterre, one of only four family doctors in the county who had opted out of OHIP for more than 12 years before this protest, says one of the postive outcomes of the whole thing was that patients came away with a better understanding of just how much doctors were really paid by OHIP for a basic office visit, which by the way back then was $14.00.


1986: Highway 115
There's a lot of interest these days in the future extension of highway 407 west from the GTA into this area. It will eventually join highway 115 south of highway 35. In 1986, it was the future of the upgrade of highway 115 that was in question. It was scheduled to be enlarged from two lanes to four all the way from the lakeshore to Peterborough. As we see in this report from 1986, there seemed to be no guarantees it would be (see video link below).
The money to complete the four lane expansion was indeed found by the provincial government and the plan to increase highway 35 north to Lindsay to four lanes remains just that. Work, currently underway to repair a 24-kilometre stretch of highway 115 between Boundary Road and highway 7A, is expected to be completed this fall.
View our report


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1987

1987: Campbellford Hospital
It was 1953 when the Cambellford Memorial Hospital first opened, and 34 years later that community was celebrating the official opening of a much needed and significantly sized outpatient addition . . . an event that CHEX news was there to cover in early July of 1987.
View our report
The Campbellford Memorial Hospital, which serves some 30 thousand residents in a catchment area made up primarily of Trent Hills, and includes the East end of Peterborough County, east to Marmora .... and "Quinte West" south to Trenton, has this year remarkably achieved a balanced budget in fact it has a surplus of 117 thousand dollars. Kelly Isfan, the hospital's current CEO proudly says this was accomplished with no reduction in service. She also says that the introduction of CAT SCAN facilities in January this year is one of the most significant upgrades to the hospital since that Outpatient addition 23 years which, in fact, houses the CAT scan equipment. Richard Quesnel, who we saw as the CEO at the time, left that post in 1998 after a quarter century of service; Kelly Isfan has been in the position for 7 years now. Bill McComb, who headed up fundraising for the addition and with whom I recall working with on some earlier CHEX telethons, passed away in December of 1999.


1987: Canada Post Strike
It's no secret that Canada Post has had a history of troubled labour relations with its trade unions. For example, between the mid 60s and the mid 2-thousands there have been at least 19 strikes, lockouts and/or walkouts including several wildcat strikes, with the corporation, which in a number of instances, employed strikebreakers. Such was the case in 1987 as we see in this story aired on June 22nd that year.
View our report
In the end the Mulroney Government brought into play a frequently used tool over the years to end such disruptions "Back to work" legislation. In January 1989 The Letter Carriers Union merged under the umbrella of the Canadian Union of Public Workers (CUP-W) and interestingly, of late, it seems that Canada Post has been seeing a reduction in its labour problems at least with CUP-W. In 2007 it signed a 4 year agreement with the union without any labour disruption, though the following year it did endure a lengthy strike by its administrative worker's union the Public Service Alliance of Canada. Currently Canada Post is in the throws of mechanising mail sorting that will see Peterborough mail, for example, sorted in Ottawa then returned the following day for delivery. While Peterborough Local 590 newly elected President Fred Bagshaw says the union understands that technological advancements are inevitable it will continue to ensure fairness to, and the safety of, its membership during its upcoming contract negotiations early next year.


1987: Crary Park Plans
Long before the Summer Festival of Lights, Del Crary Park was an under-used, undeveloped space on Peterborough's waterfront. As we see in this report from 1987, area citizens were to contribute their thoughts on the development of the park. (link to video provided below).
View our report


1987: Dakota Retirement
In it's day, the C-47 Dakota revolutionized civilian and military air transport, and flew in every continent on the globe, racking up millions of hours in the air. The aircraft served for many years with the Canadian Forces and was retired 20 years ago. Neil Boughen had the story (see video link below).
The Dakota now has a place of honour at the RCAF Memorial Museum at Canadian Forces Base Trenton.
View our report


1987: Dialysis
In the latter 80s, when the report we are about to show aired on CHEX Television, kidney patients in much of our viewing area, certainly around Peterborough, could only dream of undergoing dialyses anywhere close to home, but that didn't mean that there wasn't a concerted push by some to change all of that and save patients hours of driving per week to cities where there were dialysis clinics.
View our report
It would take another eight years for Peterborough to see its first dialysis clinic when Carol and Igal Holtzer, who had already opened clinics in Markham and Pickering, were given the go-ahead to set up their Dialysis Management Clinic at the rear of Anson House in December of 1995. Seven years later Civic Hospital established its first unit in the Hutchinson Wing, then switched a year later to portables behind the hospital. In 2005, the Holtzers moved their clinic to its present location on High Street.... which while capable of operating twelve stations, is limited by OHIP Funding to just eight, serving sixteen patients daily six days per week. By comparison the new PRHC has thirty stations, twenty-four of which are in regular operation serving roughly one hundred and twenty patients three times per week. There are also now affiliate dialysis facilities in Cobourg and Lindsay. Peterborough's Ken Sharpe, believed to be the longest continuous dialysis patient in Canada (in his thirty-fourth year), continues to promote development of the portable bio-kidney, that would be carried by patients for around the clock blood cleansing.


1987: Free Trade
Political commentators bemoaned the lack of a single hot issue during our last provincial election campaign. That wasn't the case in the 1987 provincial election, but in that case it was not a provincial issue but a federal one ... the impending North American Free Trade Act. Here's John Blake's report from that year (see video link below).
In that 1987 election, conservative Jim Pollock defeated liberal Carmen Metcalf and new democrat Elmer Buchanan. The North American Free Trade Act came into effect on January 1, 1994.
View our report


1987: Gas Bar Evening Openings
It's something we've become accustomed to, the convenience of being able to gas up our cars on a weekday evening. But some 20 years ago, this was not the case, and as Lauren Lee reported from October of 1987, a bylaw to allow it turned into a political football at Peterborough city council.
View our report
The bylaw to allow gas bars to open in the evening was eventually passed by city council. Later of course gas bars were allowed to remain open 24 hours a day. You will have noticed in the video that not only have gas bar hours changed in the last 20 years, but prices have of course changed a bit as well.


1987: Highway 115
While for many of us it's always been there, Highway 115 was developed to shorten the driving distance between Toronto and Peterborough, and didn't exist before 1951. Prior to that, commuters between the two cities took the much longer Highway 28 route via Port Hope. Some say plans to make it a four lane highway began as early as Conservative Premier Leslie Frost's reign in the 50s and early 60s but, it wasn't until the early 80's that it really began to take shape. By 1987, the province was under the direction of Liberal Premier David Peterson, which leads us to this video report from January of that year.
View our report
Then Mayor Sylvia Sutherland recalls the day that David Peterson, fairly early in his Premiership, came to Peterborough to discuss the completion of the 115 four lane project. He claimed that his decision to commit to a 1992 deadline, that day, was sealed by a five year old child with whom he spoke during an "earlier in the day" visit to the 5 Counties Children's Centre. As he approached, the youngster, perhaps prompted by a pro "4 lane expansion" parent, was heard to ask: "when are we getting the road". Likely the decision had, for the most part, already been made by Peterson, but regardless, the entire 115 did finally boast four lanes from start to finish, just about dead on its 1992 target date, interestingly, under the direction of the province's first NDP government which had come to power a couple of years earlier.


1987: Lakefield College School
In 1879, Lakefield College School was established as "The Grove - a preparatory school for boys". Perhaps the most famous "boy" to attend was Prince Andrew, The Duke Of York, a student there in 1977. In 1987, a proposal to make the school co-educational was introduced and as Leslie Miller reported, from october of that year, the proposal was not entirely well received.
View our report
Two years later, in 1989 the school enrolled it's first female attendees. There are currently 365 students, male and female, at the school.


1987: Leslie Churchyard - Joan Rivers Show Part 1
It was in the mid 80's when a young mother from Raeboro set her sights on the big time.
Leslie Churchyard entered a competition to appear on "The Late Show Starring Joan Rivers", and in early 1987 she was preparing to make the trip to the American west coast for a show taping, after learning she'd been chosen a finalist in the competition. Naturally, we made the short trip to Reaboro to meet her as you'll see in this two-part report.
View our report


1987: Leslie Churchyard - Joan Rivers Show Part 2
In part one, we told you about Leslie Churchyard of Raeboro as she geared up for a trip to the big-time in Hollywood California. She'd entered a competition promoted by the "Late Night starring Joan Rivers" show to become co-host for a day.
To enter, viewers were invited to put together an amateur home video and send it in for judging. As you'll see in pat two, we've located the very segment of that Joan Rivers show on which Leslie Churchyard appeared in early February 1987 and here it is . . .
View our report
Originally, we had trouble tracking Leslie Churchyard down. Well she, after hearing about these "Flashback" segments, and eventually watching them on our website tracked us down. Leslie, who returned to her maiden name McCartney, when she left Reaboro in the late '90s after her marriage collapsed, achieved a Masters Degree in Cultural Anthropology in 2005 from Trent, where she'd begun studies as a mature part time student in the early '90s. She worked for a time in Canada's north, specializing in oral history, then in 2004 moved to Great Britain for another employment opportunity in her field. With a number of published articles under her belt, she is now a researcher at Trinity College in Dublin, Ireland where a year and a half ago she, once again, met up with Joan Rivers when the comedienne was on tour in Dublin. Remarkably, Rivers very much remembered Leslie's appearance on her show in '87 and invited her and Leslie's husband John Byrne back-stage. And yes, Rivers in this shot of that reunion is once again holding the very statuette that she presented to Leslie during that memorable late night show 23 years ago and, that understandably remains one of Leslie's cherished keepsakes of that special occasion.


1987: Lindsay Weekender
Today, when someone wants to get a personal message out there, it can be done via a website, or an internet blog. But in 1987, it wasn't so easy. Back then a Lindsay man who had something to share, started his own newspaper. Former CHEX reporter and anchor Lauren Lee reported on the story (see video link below).
The Lindsay Weekender, was in print for a couple of years, then, as has been the case with so many such publications, it quietly folded.
View our report


1987: Otonabee Landfill
Peterborough city and county are currently exploring options on waste reduction that include cooperation with neighbouring communities. All this is to lessen the impact on the Bensfort Road landfill site. As early as 1987, concerns over the location of possible new dumps in Otonabee township lead to lots of discussion at a packed meeting organized for that purpose.
After many meetings over the rest of the year, the consultants report came out and revealed what many people had said was inevitable. The landfill site would remain at Bensfort Road in Otonabee township. Lauren Lee reports. (link to video provided below).
View our report


1987: Participaction
It got the entire county on its feet and moving. The Participaction program started in the mid 1970's and was designed to encourage Canadians to become physically active. In the 1980s there was even a specific day for the entire country to exercise and in 1987, several communities in this area took up the fitness challenge, as we hear in these reports from Vern Belos and Neil Boughen (see video link below).
After a couple of busy years, such public participaction events grew less popular. Now a new organization has taken over the program and will focus on fitness among children, aboriginal canadians, the disabled and seniors.
View our report


1987: Princess Margaret
In 1987, residents of Durham Region and Peterborough were honoured with a visit by a member of the British Royal family. As Scott Blodgett reported, Princess Margaret's tour of the area was a huge success (see video link below).
In latter years, Princess Margaret suffered from a number of accidents and illnesses. She died after a stroke in February of 2002.
View our report


1987: Real Estate Tool   (plus Churchyard Update)
It was 1987 when David Burns, who had joined the REMAX real estate team in the early 80's soon after John Bowes brought the franchise to Peterborough, introduced a new, (back then), state of the art real estate sales tool to Peterborough and our reporter Marissa Golini told our viewers all about it.
View our report
As it turned out Burns was probably the only sales rep in then city to purchase and use the American made system, and it was a concern over a possible CRTC clampdown on such wireless, albeit very low powered, transmitting devices that caused him to drop the idea just a few months later. John Hope, current vice president and sales manager of RE MAX tells me that perhaps later this year, reps might well start using a new such system that will allow curbside buyers, from the comfort of their vehicles, to both hear and see the interiors of homes for sale via their cell phones.

Now, you'll recall our two-part segments on Leslie Churchyard's guest appearance on the Joan Rivers show in 1987... originally, we had trouble tracking Leslie Churchyard down. Well she, after hearing about these "Flashback" segments, and eventually watching them on our website tracked us down. Well she, after seeing those "Flashback" segments on the Internet tracked us down. Leslie, who returned to her maiden name McCartney, when she left Reaboro in the late '90s after her marriage collapsed, achieved a Masters Degree in Cultural Anthropology in 2005 from Trent, where she'd begun studies as a mature part time student in the early '90s. She worked for a time in Canada's north, specializing in oral history, then in 2004 moved to Great Britain for another employment opportunity in her field. With a number of published articles under her belt, she is now a researcher at Trinity College in Dublin, Ireland where a year and a half ago she, once again, met up with Joan Rivers when the comedienne was on tour in Dublin. Remarkably, Rivers very much remembered Leslie's appearance on her show in '87 and invited her and Leslie's husband John Byrne back-stage. And yes, Rivers in this shot of that reunion is once again holding the very statuette that she presented to Leslie during that memorable late night show 23 years ago and, that understandably remains one of Leslie's cherished keepsakes of that special occasion.


1987: Royal Visit
In 1987, the Queen's sister, Her Royal Highness Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon, began her visit to Canada in Nova Scotia. She then moved on to Toronto to take in the running of the Queens Plate Stakes and visit a well known Toronto based sport training and fitness centre for children with special needs. It was there that CHEX reporter Scott Blodgett picked up the tour.
View our report
As it turned out Princess Margaret did not returned to the Peterborough area, though she visited Toronto a couple of times before her death in 2002. But another royal has returned to this area, a number of times. Prince Andrew, the Duke of York, who attended Lakefield College School for the first half of 1977 as part of an exchange program, returned in '92 for alumni days at the school, was here again in '97 and 2003 and twice in 2008, the year he was named Royal Patron of the Canadian Canoe Museum. In 2005 his brother, Prince Edward, the Earl of Wessex, made his first, and so far only, trip to Peterborough where he presented the Duke of Edinburgh Awards on behalf of his father at the just opened Wellness Centre, joined veterans for a special ceremony at the Memorial Centre and attended the morning service at All Saints' Anglican church.


1987: Sunday Shopping
In 1987, the province was debating about how seriously to enforce it's ban on retailers opening on statutory holidays, especially on Boxing Day. In Peterborough, a city bylaw forbad stores to open on Sundays. December 26th, 1987 fell on a sunday, thrusting both bans into the limelight. Scott Blodgett reports. (link to video provided below).
View our report


1987: Times Square
Westclox was for years a thriving Peterborough industry. It began in 1919 as the Western Clock Company, first located in the Barrie building, the current location of the Peterborough Inn and Suites and a year later moving north to 383 George Street in this building between Hunter and Sincoe, where it remained until developing it's much larger facilities at the corner of Hunter and Armour Road in East City, and renaming itself Westclox Canada in 1930. By 1950 it boasted some 800 workers, producing 1.7 million time pieces, but 1986 the workforce had dropped to just a handfull occupying a very small part of plant. It was about then that Scott Cameron and Rod Johnston began the development of Time Square, and that brings us to this report in 1987.
View our report
As for Leslie Miller, our reporter on that story, she co-anchored with Wally Macht on our 6 o'clock news in the mid 90s before moving her career to Calgary then to Edmonton. In 1998, she joined the FOX news outlet in Seattle, where while on vacation in New York, she provided live coverage of the 9-11 terrorist attacks, and was honoured with an Emmy for "Outstanding Anchor". A few years ago, she was a red carpet correspondent at the Academy Awards as a member of the ABC 7 Eyewitness News team in Los Angeles, with which she's been associated for the past six years.


1987: Wander Closes
It was 1930 when Wander Foods opened its new plant in Peterborough in what was then known as Elmwood Park at the Southwest corner of Park and Lansdowne Streets, chosen primarily because of that area's healthy supply of ground water, a necessity in the production of the Malt Extract used in the making of Ovaltine, the company's largest selling product.
But in 1986 Wander, announced it was shutting down its Peterborough division throwing 122 hourly rated, and roughly 25 salaried, employees out of work, which leads us to this story in early spring 1987, of a company, with the help of a Provincial Government incentive program, making every effort to ease the pain and suffering that often accompanies such a closing.
View our report
As it turned out, roughly 90% of plant employees found other jobs, some at Minute Maid others at Pebra. In May of that year, just two months after Wander ended its Peterborough operation, the plant was purchased by the privately owned United Canadian Malt Limited and of the some fifteen employees were needed for its start up. Twelve former Wander employees were hired back to the plant, six of whom remain there to this day. United Canadian Malt Limited, regarded as one of the more diversified companies in the malt business, provides, for an international clientele, malt extracts primarily for the food and brewing industries, but also for industrial and pharmaceutical uses. The extracts are all processed on site in that now eighty year old Peterborough landmark at the corner of Park and Lansdowne.


1987: Warsaw Caves Death
A school trip to Warsaw Caves ended tragically for a group of Oshawa elementary school students in 1986. A year later, an inquest was held to examine the circumstances surrounding the death of 11 year old Donald Miller. From 1987, we present the video report by Neil Boughen (see video link below).
The jury in the inquest brought back a number of recommendations, including the installation of a phone at Warsaw Caves to be used in emergencies; ....having an Otonabee Region Conservation staffer on hand during school trips, and ensuring schools did not schedule trips to the Warsaw Caves area without getting permission from ORCA beforehand.
View our report


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1988

1988: Air Ambulance
It was an early example of the importance of getting seriously-injured accident victims to hospital. The Ontario Air Ambulance System had been in place in Northern Ontario for several years, but in 1988, it's availability proved critical for a local couple.
View our report


1988: Bancroft 4x4 Challenge
It was noisy and it was muddy, but for several years, it was the place to race as John Ruttle reported in August of 1988 from Bancroft.
View our report
The 4X4 Challenge continued for a couple of years after this video report was produced, but it was cancelled due to concerns over the crowds, the noise, and insurance liability.


1988: Buffalo Farm
For some, it's hard to believe that herds of buffalo have actually roamed on the outskirts of Peterborough, and for that matter still do. Dr. Willoughby Belch perhaps better known as "Bill" brought a group of Buffalo to this area back in 1968, and developed what he called "Peterborough Buffalo Farms". In this segment, we go back to a story we aired 22 years ago when a number of the Farms' animals were being readied for shipment overseas.
View our report
As it turned out it was the only such shipment ever made .... the German entrepreneur who ordered the buffalo, as a specialty food was shortly thereafter forced, by ill health, to curtail his plans to receive subsequent shipments. Regardless, Peterborough Buffalo Farms continued to thrive thanks to a brisk business at area farmers' markets and strong farm gate sales to an increasing number of individual customers and eating establishments looking for a low fat meat with a unique flavour.
Dr. Belch, now approaching his mid 80s and still practicing medicine by assisting in the PRHC Operating Room, takes sole charge of the animal husbandry side of the business. His son Tim, a recent addition to Cavan/Monaghan council, looks after marketing and a long time friend, Jim Hutchinson takes care of maintaining the 700 acre property on Sherbrooke Street West. For practical reasons, says Tim, the herd has dropped from its maximum of 350 back in the 1990s, to about 150 Buffalo today.


1988: Bus Barn
It's now a pleasant greenspace, and a parking lot for Quaker Oats employees on Hunter Street East. Back in the 1980's it was the center of controversy at Peterborough city council. It was the site of the city bus barn. Council was trying to decide what needed to be done with it, before building a new facility.
View our report


1988: Checkers
It's a game that's been in existence since the 16th century. Originally called 'draughts' in England, the game we know as checkers has millions of devotees around the world. As a fundraiser for the United Way, one of the best players in the country came to Peterborough in October of 1988 to play staff members from CHEX Television and our sister radio stations. John Blake brought us that story.
View our report
Checkers continues to be popular around the world. For example, the United States National Championships were held in july in Las Vegas.


1988: Doctor Shortage
Thousands of residents in this area have no family doctor. Unfortunately it's a situation that's been with us for several years in several forms. As Scott Blogett reported in October 1988, it was the granting of hospital privileges that was at the centre of the dispute.
View our report
At one point a few years ago, there were 20 thousand residents in Peterborough city and county without a family doctor. That number is slowly being reduced thanks to the delivery of primary health care by nurse practioners and family health teams.


1988: Federal Election
While preparations continue for the October provincial election, the chances of a federal election seem to be receding, some say due to the absence a hot political topic. In 1988, the hot topic was the North American Free Trade Agreement, which was being promoted by the government of Brian Mulroney. In this area, in spite of loud protests against NAFTA, the Conservatives were swept back into power (see video link below).
After the election, the Mulroney government signed the Free Trade Agreement with the United States. The public outcry against it and it's sponsor, the Conservative Party continued, and in the next election in 1993 the Tories were moved to the opposition benches.
View our report


1988: Snofest
It began over thirty years ago: Peterborough Snofest. In this segment of Flashback, we'll take you back to our coverage of the news conference that heralded the beginning of the 1988 edition, which that year took place in early February. The first face you'll see is that of the late Bob Barker, who was a Peterborough Alderman in the latter 70s and Mayor of the city during the first half of the 1980s.
View our report
In case you're wondering, the Miss Snofest pageant has long since been replaced; the weeklong celebration of winter now sporting the more politically acceptable Snofest Idol competition.


1988: George Hees
He was known to some people in politics as Gorgeous George, but George Hees spent thirty years as a conservative member of parliament and cabinet minister, many of those years representing the riding of Northumberland. George Hees was made an Officer of the Order of Canada in 1989 and the veteran's wing of Sunnybrook Hospital was named after him. He retired from politics in 1988, and on the occasion he spoke with John Ruttle from Newswatch.
View our report


1988: Hospital Budget Surplus
After months of effort, the Peterborough Regional Health Centre recently finalized it's budget with the provincial government. Hospitals have been struggling with deficits in recent years, but in 1988, one of PRHC's predecessors found itself in a budget surplus situation. Michelle Tonner presented that story (see video link below).
View our report


1988: Jackson Park Pagoda
In 1988, a committee of Peterborough citizens sought to have a city landmark restored. The Jackson Park pagoda bridge had been built in the late 19th century and was in dire need of restoration. As CHEX reporter Michelle Tonner reported back then, the community came together to complete the job.
In 2002, the pagoda was declared a designated heritage property, as an excellent example of late victorian garden architecture (see video link below).
View our report


1988: Moving Radar
Police forces across the Ontario are always looking at new ways to deal with speeders who are taking their toll on the province's roads and highways. The technology continues to evolve but in 1988, the Peterborough Police Force was at that time on the cutting edge. John Ruttle brought us the story (see video link below).
As well as moving radar, the Peterborough-Lakefield police service now employ laser speed detection devices while the Ontario government is looking at bringing back photo radar.
View our report


1988: New GM Cars
It's that time when automakers begin to show off their 2011 models ....in fact it was just about this exact date 22 years ago that we aired this report out of Oshawa boasting the latest GM inovation that got the jump on other north american car manufacturers by one year.
View our report
President and C.E.O Fritz Henderson, says throughout the coming year General Motors plans to hit the market with no fewer than twenty five new models in the Chev, Buick Cadallac And Gmc Divisions.
Meanwhile GM, which remains one of the Peterborough area's largest employers, continues to claw its way back to car manufacturing prominence supported by recently released second quarter earnings of 1.3 billion dollars.
Ford, which weathered the recession storm the best of the big three, doubled the GM figure with earnings of 2.6 billion while Chrysler, just a year after filing Chapter 11 bankruptcy, boasted a significantly improved second quarter over its first with a net profit of 1.83 million.


1988: NHB Industries
The Master-Brands kitchen cabinet plant on Peterborough's Crawford Drive is expected to close shortly, the owners planning to move production south of the border.
The future looked much brighter in 1988, when, as NHB Industries, the company was looking at expansion (see video link below).
In order to help it's employees find new jobs, Master-Brands has opened an action centre in Peterborough Square. The plant is expected to be vacant by the end of the year.
View our report


1988: Orange Signs
The trend in advertising these days is 'branding', making your product or service instantly recognizable. It is even applied to municipalities. In 1988, the city of Peterborough tried to brighten up it's signage to make it stand out from those of other cities, but as Leslie Miller reported back then, it's choice of colours met with some resistance (see video link below).
The city of Peterborough has since changed from the orange markings for it's vehicles and signage to dark green and has re-introduced its city coat of arms.
View our report


1988: OMC
It all began as the Johnson Motor Company in 1928, with just 17 employees. In the mid '30s, it was taken over by the "Outboard Motors Corporation" then presided over by Ole Evinrude considered the creator of the first practical outboard motor. After devoting its facilities to the war effort in the early 40s, it would at war's end, return to the making of recreational outboard motors and would add lawn mowers, chainsaws and snowmobiles to its list of products. In 1956, it was re-named Outboard Marine Corporation, or OMC, and would see its employee compliment climb to 2000 by the mid 70s with watercraft included in it product line.
But, by the mid '80s, with its export business plummeting, it dropped the manufacture of chainsaws and snowmobiles, and it's staff to 450 full-timers and roughly 200 part-timers. Regardless, OMC management remained optimistic, to which our coverage of a special anniversary open house in 1988 clearly attests.
View our report
Despite those optimistic predictions the local OMC plant was out of business before the end of that decade, maintaining for a brief time thereafter a modest marketing staff in a newly built facility on Fisher Drive, which now houses our Board of Education offices. In the mid 90s, with the help of former Canadian company President and GM Les Groombridge, the Monaghan Road plant was handed over to the new, and now world renowned, Canadian Canoe Museum.
In December of 2000, OMC, which continued operations in the States, was forced into bankruptcy. The following year it was purchased by Canadian company, Bombardier Recreational Products.


1988: Outboard Marine
In 1928, the Johnson Motors Company opened a 30 thousand square foot plant on Monaghan Road in Peterborough. Later it became part of the Outboard Marine Corporation. As we hear in this report from 1988, the future looked bright for the "Peterborough OMC" factory.
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The future proved less bright than hoped. The Lawnboy lawn mower production line was closed down, then the outboard motor line and the plant itself closed in 1990. Part of the building was demolished but the remainder forms part of the Canadian Canoe Museum.


1988: PCVS
Peterborough Collegiate and Vocational School (PCVS) has celebrated it's 100th Anniversary of existance. Students, staff and area residents reflected on the long history of the school. And no doubt, the number of occasions the school has been threatened with closure.
View our report


1988: Performing Arts
Last year, Showplace Peterborough celebrated it's 10th anniversary as Peterborough's performing arts centre. But it's opening in 1996 marked the end of a long struggle that in 1988, with a permanent location yet to be established, seemed destined to collapse (see video link below).
Showplace, of course, eventually found a home in the former Capitol Theatre on George Street. The Marathon Realty property on Water Street became the site of the MNR building and a new parking garage was built on the MaGillen property on King Street.
View our report


1988: Rev Ken
It was after the 1937 bitter Textile Mills strike in Peterborough that a bylaw was enacted prohibiting the applying of posters to lamp posts or any other city owned property for that matter. In 1986, local entertainer Washboard Hank Fisher made a pitch to City Council to relax the bylaw and once again allow certain poster advertising downtown, but the city held firm and to emphasize it's point, eventually charged another long time Peterborough musician Ken Ramsden (known as "Reverend Ken"), with an alleged violation of the bylaw, and that triggered this protest.
View our report
Ramsden, as it turned out, was found guilty but it didn't stop there. After two failed court appeals locally ... he moved to The Ontario Court of Appeal, which, in 1991, found in his favour in a 2 to 1 decision .....but then the city appealed to the Supreme Court, which, in 1993, five years after Ramsden was first tagged with the violation, acquitted him in a unanimous decision on the condition that he, and everyone else who posted signs, agree to do so on designated "events boards" to be set up on certain side streets, and on specially built surrounds attached to heritage light standards to be installed on George Street. To Ramsden, who still makes his living as a musician and can be seen from time to time at various Peterborough venues, it seemed a suitable compromise that continues to work, to just about everyone's apparent satisfaction.


1988: Robert McClure
He spent the first 15 years of his life in China. he became a surgeon, a missionary and the moderator of the United Church of Canada. In 1988, Doctor Robert McClure brought a message of peace and harmony to I.E. Weldon Secondary School in Lindsay and Vern Belos was there (see video link below).
McClure continued to speak about team work and peace till his death in 1991.
View our report


1988: Robotics
Robotics is an integral part of all manufacturing processes these days, but in 1988 it was still very much new territory. Sir Sandford Fleming College was an early player in robotics education and as Neil Boughen reported back then, the college came up with a "sporting" proposition (see video link below).
Fleming College has come a long way from that simple putting device. It is now a recognized leader in robotics training and design.
View our report


1988: Royal Homes
It was big news in the latter 80s, Royal Homes' plan to expand its manufacturing facilities into the Peterborough area with resulting local job creation. Here's how we covered that story in August of 1988.
View our report
As it turned out the plant remained in operation here for only 4 years. The early 90's housing recession, furthered by high interest rates, had a significantly negative impact on Royal Homes sales, rendering the Otonabee plant economically unfeasible. It was closed in 1993 with the company successfully returning all of its production to the still operating Wingam plant. For a while a portion of the abandoned facility on Highway 7 at former County Road 134 was used for kitchen cabinet construction. Then in 1998 the entire plant was purchased by McCloskey International, a maker of screening, conveyor, crushing, recycling, aggregate and landscaping equipment. The industrial park idea didn't actually materialize until after the McCloskey purchase, when Henderson Playgrounds, at first located inside the building, had a separate facility built on site. Then, roughly 6 years ago, Dream Homes began production in another separately built facility on site. Some 5 years ago Royal Homes established its presence once again on Highway 7, this time a little closer to Peterborough, with a full fledged sales centre.


1988: Tispoc Trent
It was definitely innovative in its time, in fact unique. It was called the Trent Institute for the Study of Popular Culture, and CHEX News reporter Scott Blodget made it his mission to tell our viewers all about it 22 years ago.
View our report
In the ensuing years TISPOC continued to develop its collection .... adding a speaker's series and various kinds of research, including a study of advertising ... but in the latter 90s, the closing of Peter Robinson College, TISPOC's home, marked the end of the Popular Culture Institute. Some of its sizable collection was placed in storage, audio materials were donated to Trent Radio and what was saved from the remainder was given to the University of Toronto Media Commons. Original organizers admit that, were it to have survived, TISPOC would, because of the subsequent digital revolution and significant changes in our media landscape, look decidedly different today. Despite its demise, research into media and popular culture does continue at Trent, in fact as part of an ongoing project on cultural images a major symposium on Film Noir is planned for this coming October 2010 at Trent.


1988: Walker Skating Rink
It was mid January 1988 and overnight low temperatures for the first two weeks of the year were almost consistently in the minus double digits, definitely cold enough to easily sustain any outdoor rink ...and that's the subject of this Flashback segment.
View our report
It's hard to believe that some of even the youngest children in that report are now in their mid to latter 20s and others, of course, considerably older, however, none has probably forgotten the generosity of Gary Webb, who with the cooperation of the City of Peterborough, provided, for roughly a decade, and at absolutely no cost to those who used it, lots of safe winter exercise, skill development and just plain fun. Gary Webb is just one of many community minded citizens in this city who over the years have developed and continue to provided outdoor rinks in Peterborough.


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1989

1989: Buckhorn Wildlife Arts Festival
On August 12th, the 33rd edition of the Buckhorn Fine Arts Festival officially gets underway, and we thought it might be interesting to go back to a report CHEX News prepared over two decades ago to a time when the event was called the Buckhorn Wildlife Arts Festival.
View our report
This year the festival features its "canadian masters exhibition" including original works by, amongst many others, canadian masters Robert Bateman, A.J. Casson, Krieg-hoff, Ken Danby, Joseph Jacobs, Nori Peter and one of the artists whom we saw in that 1989 report, Michael Dumas. The festival, a major fund raiser for the Buckhorn Community Centre, has enjoyed, according to officials, a remarkable consistency in both attendance and sales throughout its years of operation. For the past 3 years it's been listed in Festivals & Events Ontario's top 100. The festival runs through the weekend ... beginning with the official opening and preview night Thursday August 12th. Graham Hart will once again to participate as master of ceremonies.


1989: CGE Strike
In March 1989, a strike had closed down the Canadian General Electric plant in Peterborough for three weeks. When the company tried to remove truckloads of material from the plant, members of the United Electrical Workers on the picket line dug in their heels. Here's how reporter Carolyn Tangney gave us that story (link to video provided below).
Agreement on a new contract between the United Electrical Workers and Canadian General Electric was eventually reached, but memories of events on the picket line between the police and union members remained strong for many years.
View our report


1989: CGE Strike
It was a couple of weekends ago now that GE Canada workers ratified their latest contract with the company but it was just over a couple of decades ago that contract negotiations weren't going quite so smoothly ... in mid March of 1989, the membership had just voted to strike.
View our report
Jim Gooley remembers the strike decision well. He relates that everyone on the United Electrical Workers Union bargaining committee had signed a letter in Toronto with the company agreeing to recommend acceptance of the GE offer, with its 4.8 percent salary increase, but once back in Peterborough some members, says Gooley, changed their minds and recommended the strike, holding out for a five percent increase. Gooley says that, yes, the local vote was greater than the cross country average, coming in at close to sixty percent, but even at that was considerably less than the seventy percent required for strike action as stated in the union constitution. Nonetheless there was a strike, lasting some four weeks, and ending with the membership, according to Gooley, gaining little if anything more than GE's original offer. Soon after, Gooley, went back on the floor, leaving his position as union business agent and it was around that same time that the membership made a switch to the much larger United Auto Workers union, on a decision made the previous year. Gooley, retired from GE Canada in 2005.


1989: Dowsing
Dowsing, also known as divining or water witching, has been known since ancient times. Dowsers claim they can, with the use of simple tools, find water, minerals and even energy. In 1989, the Canadian Society of Dowsers held it's national convention in Peterborough and as John Ruttle reported for us back then, they came looking for more than just water (see video link below).
The Canadian Society of Dowsers still holds an annual convention, this past June it took place in Toronto.
View our report


1989: Joe Philion
It was 21 years ago that a 14 year Joe Philion somehow survived the horrendous burns he suffered to 90 percent of his body in a Cumberland Beach house fire just north of Orrillia. Presented with a Medal of Bravery by the Canadian Forces Central region, he was widely recognized for his courage and fundraising efforts.
For this Flashback segment, we dug back into the files for this twenty year old John Blake interview with a young Joe Philion who, a year and some following the devastating fire appeared to be on the road to recovery after dozens of skin grafts and months at the Shriners Burn unit in Boston.
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1989: Libby Owens Ford Deal
It went on for 4 weeks and resulted in several ugly incidents on the picket line but in November 1989, a strike at the Libby Owens Ford glass plant in Lindsay ended with a new contract. But as John Blake reported, not everyone was happy with the deal.
View the segment
A little over 10 years later the LOF plant in Lindsay closed, throwing the remaining 200 workers out of work. The factory remained empty till august 2001 when Armada Industries moved in. Armada manufactures parts for the automobile industry.


1989: New Douro School
Almost one month ago, to the day, marked the 20th anniversary of a new and much needed addition to St. Joseph's Elementary School in Douro. CHEX news reporter Neil Boughen covered that story on April 9th 1989.
View the segment
Besides the auditorium and gym, the addition also made room for new administrative offices, including one for the principal, a nurses health room and kitchen facilities. And the two new classrooms were a welcome inclusion with the school then boasting some 240 students.. a number that has dropped significantly to a current compliment of 145 students. Next week we'll go back to a time when some Peterborough equal opportunity advocates were challenging the city's hiring Practices.


1989: Pagoda Bridge
In the latter 80s the future of a badly deteriorated Peterborough landmark was in question, and most likely had it not been for a group of historically minded and highly spirited citizens it might easily not exist today. After a painstaking and detailed restoration that preserved as much of the original structure as possible, the official reopening took place in late June of 1989 and CHEX news was there to record it.
View our report
The bridge, regarded as an excellent example of late Victorian Garden Architecture, was just 8 years ago officially designated a "heritage property", and according to Peter Southall, manager of Peterborough Public Works, now undergoes regular inspections and maintenance. In fact, Peter tells us that the bridge has just had its once a year detailed inspection, and is now slated for some relatively minor repairs. A further note: Betty Farquarson, whom we saw in the video report and who is generally regarded as a major spearhead behind the saving of Pagoda Bridge, passed away in April 2007.


1989: Personal Watercraft
Love them or hate them, they are a summertime fixture on area lakes. In 1989, personal watercraft were quite rare but as Michelle Tonner reported back then, they raised concerns that continue to this day.
View our report
Modern personal watercraft are of course much quieter than the early machines shown in that report. In Ontario, personal watercraft are now classified as pleasure craft and must meet all the safety regulations as must their operators.


1989: Peterborough Exhibition
Friday August 13th marked the beginning of the 165th edition of the Peterborough Exhibition. We thought it might be fun to return to opening day of the 144th edition, mid August of 1989 - which just happened to be Kids Day that year.
View our report
The 2010 Peterborough Ex's theme was "Back To Our Hometown Roots" boasting events that are traditional favourites: livestock shows, such as the prize winning poultry show, sheep and goat displays, and various horse shows. The Ex also featured the traditional homecraft exibits: baking, arts, crafts and photography, and the ever popular demolition derby.


1989: School Uniforms
They are widely accepted nowadays but that wasn't always the case.
In 1989, the Separate School Board in Peterborough was wrestling with the idea of uniforms for secondary school students and as Michelle Tonner reported, opinions were clearly mixed.
View our report
By the time Saint Peter's High School opened in its new location in 1992, a school uniform had been designed and was available for student to wear. When Holy Cross Secondary School opened in 1998, it too offered student uniforms.


1989: Temagami Protest
It's a debate that continues to this day. Protesters against logging in the Temagami region of Northern Ontario received widespread coverage in the media in 1989.
In this area, in October of that year, protesters occupied the Ministry of Natural Resources offices, then located in Lindsay.
Scott Blodgett covered that story for us.
View our report


1989: Trent U Expansion
Trent University is currently in the midst of a facilities review, studying what space is available at the university and how it's being used. In the spring of 1989, Trent was celebrating the opening of a new building, the first to be constructed in several years. Reporter Michelle Tonner brought us that story (see video link below).
Since that story was aired, the new environmental science building has been completed, one of the downtown colleges, Peter Robinson College has been closed, and the fate of Catherine Par Trail College , remains unclear. The old house from which those stained glass windows came, the Commoner Pub, was demolished in 2006.
View our report


1989: Tulloch Model Ship
For many years, The Waverly, a paddle steamer, operated along the River Clyde in Scotland. A Peterborough man, Charlie Tulloch, who had emigrated to Canada from that area, held fond memories of riding the stately vessel. Charlie built a minutely detailed model of the ship, and Graham Hart was on hand for the christening of the model in Jackson's Park. In 1989, that same model was being readied for it's final voyage.
View our report
Charlie Tulloch passed away several years ago, but his model lives on, proudly on display at a museum in Scotland.


1989: Wenonah Motel Property
It's been part of the Riverview Park and Zoo for several years now - but in 1989, a piece of land, between Water Street North and the Otonabee River, was a political football bouncing between city council and a local developer. Scott Blodgett covered that story for us.
View our report
Later of course, the city reversed it's decision and purchased the eight acre Wenonah property from Triple-T Holdings. It now forms the northern portion of Riverview Park and Zoo. And a piece of personal trivia from Graham: He actually, as did a number of CHEX staffers, stayed at the old Wenonah Motel for a few nights until finding permanent accomodation, when he first arrived at CHEX some 35 years ago.


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1990

1990: Bill Scott
In 1990, a party was held to honour a political stalwart's 25 years in office. Victoria-Haliburton MP Bill Scott was first elected in 1965 and as we see in this report from Leslie Miller, even after a quarter century, he was not ruling out continuing his career in Ottawa.
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When the federal election was called, Bill Scott's name was not on the ballot. Lorne Chester represented the Progressive Conservatives but lost the election to John O'Rielly. Bill Scott passed away in 1998, but a family tradition of political life continues, his daughter Laurie now represents the provincial riding of Haliburton Kawartha Lakes Brock for the conservatives.


1990: Boat Reunion
We go back 18 years ago this month to a reunion attended by both those who built, and those who had the pleasure of owning, locally produced watercraft. Carol Bursette covered that story for us in 1990.
View the segment
Prior Smith, the boat owner featured in that story is the same Prior Smith who for 55 years now has produced "Canada Calling" a radio news broadcast aimed at, and designed specifically for, Canadian Snow Birds, providing news from home throughout the winter months on radio stations in Florida, Texas, The Bahamas & Arizona. Smith is still reported to spend time in this area during the Summer months.
Harry Hewie, who lived just off highway 28 between Lakefield and Young's point and, who we learned in that report, spent a good portion of his life working on those locally produced cedar strip vessels, passed away in December of 1993, a little more than three years after that report aired, and one month to the day after celebrating his 80th birthday.


1990: Burnt River Flood
The spring rains of 1990 were heavy in this area, but especially to the north west of Peterborough. There, water levels on the Burnt River rose quickly, forcing people to take to boats and canoes. John Blake had that story in March of 1990.
View our report


1990: Cannon
It's been silenced now, but for many years, a cannon was a fixture at Remembrance Day Services in Peterborough. In 1990, it had just been revamped and ready for use. Fred Rapson prepared this story on the process of bringing this historic artillery piece back to life.
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Unfortunately, the gun has remained silent for the past few years, thanks to the fact that there's been no one available to maintain or fire it.


1990: Federal Building Sod Turning
We go back 18 years ago this month to a reunion attended by both those who built, and those who had the pleasure of owning, locally produced watercraft. Carol Bursette covered that story for us in 1990.
View the segment
In a recent conversation with Ross Smith, the C.E.O. of A.O.N., I was reminded that the project came in both on time and on budget. Mr. Smith tells me that early plans were to have an all glass exterior but Mayor Sutherland pressed for brick facade to better fit a more traditional Peterborough look. As for the planned Seniors Complex, that was slated to occupy vacant land to the west of the Federal building, Smith says it's still in the works ... referring to it as a seniors lifestyle residence, that he says will also include doctors offices ... something he predicts will likely come to fruition within the next decade.


1990: Female Equity
The early 90's was not only a time for an increasing emphasis on pay equity but also on gender equity in the workplace. As this 1990 Scott Blodget report outlines, one of the areas getting a push was the school system and the balance of women to men in such upper administrative positions as Principal and Vice Principal.
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Remarkably, from the roughly 70% province wide male domination in those positions in 1990, not only had women reached the 50% mark by the end of the decade, they had actually overtaken their male counterparts in numbers, and by the year 2000 were holding down 56 percent of those upper level positions in the education system. And those percentages have continued to rise each year since. In the 2007/2008 school year, females filled 63% of those Principal/Vice Principal roles. And if there were any criticisms from persons who might suggest quality suffers in any kind of quota system, an Ontario Leadership Strategy was developed to help schools and school boards foster leadership of the highest possible calibre regardless of gender.


1990: Housing Price Decline
It's cyclical and predictable ... housing prices, like the stock market, surge for a time, then retreat ..... and stats released just this week confirm that after 9 years of recovery, the latter 6 of which enjoying double digit value increases that have seen house prices jump some 75% since the beginning of this century, the housing market is once again in decline. ....
Interestingly, it was 18 years ago that Canada's Real Estate market was in the early stages of its last significant slump that brought to an end annual increases of as much as 25% throughout the latter 80's.
Dale Jackson, one of our Oshawa bureau reporters at the time, brought us this story in the fall of 1990, that sounds remarkably similar to something we might hear today.
View the segment
As it turned out that downturn in the real estate market actually lasted 9 years, until September 1998 and is recorded as the 4th longest of 24 housing busts in developed economies since the 70s. Those, who's livelihood depends on a healthy real estate market, clearly hope that this one will be a bit kinder to them.


1990: Lakefield Recycling
The city of Peterborough has established new tipping fees at it's landfill site. These new fees include new restrictions putting recyclable materials into the waste stream. Sixteen years ago, recycling was a very new concept and as Carolyn Tangney reported in May of 1990, individual villages were struggling to find ways to deal with the new reality.
View our report


1990: Land Murder
While very few murders have been recorded in the Peterborough area since, there were no less than 5 in roughly one year in the early 1990s. One, you might recall, was in October of 1990 ..... and this John Blake report covered the very early stages of the investigation.
View our report
Detective Constable Brad Filman, then with the O.P.P. , and now serving with the Anishinabek Police Service in Curve Lake, became the lead investigator in the case ... he told me that the youth arrested in that report was released from custody the following day, before those charges were ever officially laid; thanks to the fact that he'd passed a polygraph test that he himself had requested. But then another twist. He, soon after his release, fled to Quebec in a stolen car and when he attempted to cross into the States, boarder guards did a check and learned that he was still a suspect in the case; they notified Filman, who with a fellow officer came and arrested the youth for the second time. Because the case was moved to adult court the suspect could now be named. 17 year old Jamie Curtis Taylor of Peterborough would be found guilty of second degree murder and sentenced to life with no chance of parole for 10 years. Taylor, who Filman describes as having an IQ in the top 2 percent of the population, and aspired to become a lawyer, was released from prison in June of 02, he's remained out of trouble since and now works in the computer field in the Ottawa area. The victim of the shooting, Robert Land, was, strangely enough, one of Taylors best friends, who, for some reason, Taylor believed had damage his prized automobile. For that he shot Land, near where the body was found, three times with Land's own "single shot" shot gun that Land had just shown Taylor how to operate.


1990: Lindsay Trains
For many years, Lindsay was known as a railway town, with connections to Peterborough, Toronto, and points north. In 1990, Canadian National Railways announced it intended to withdraw service from a number of central ontario communities including Lindsay. As Carol Berset reported in November of that year, the announcement took the town by surprise.
View our report
Despite the objections of the town, Canadian National Railways withdrew its service from Lindsay and tore up the rails shortly afterward.
Lindsay's only connection with the railway these days is a former CNR locomotive and a string of freight cars sitting in a municipal park.


1990: Lot Levies
Earlier this year, there was great debate at Peterborough County Council, about bringing in development charges: fees levied against new home construction. One of the first occasions this was discussed in the city was back in May of 1990. As Newswatch reported at the time, it's introduction was noisy.
View our report


1990: Marmora Mobilizes To Fight Proposed Toronto Dump Site
Forgotten by many, a huge open pit iron mine still exists just outside of Marmora.
In 1990, it was the proposed dumping ground for Toronto's garbage - but local residents mobilized to halt that idea.
View our report


1990: Minden Sled Dog Races
The first Minden Sled Dog Derby was held in 1985, established by, Jack Brezina, then publisher of the Minden Times, and Stuart Brandon at that time the proprietor of a local clothing store. The idea was actually the brainchild of Val and Steve Lougheed who, along with their children, were sled dog racers themselves. As Jack Brezina, whom I tracked down in New Zealand, puts it: the Lougheed's intimate knowledge of the sport, long list of contacts and energetic involvement, were crucial to the event's undeniable success. Here, now, is how we at CHEX TV covered the January 1990 edition of the Minden Sled Dog Derby.
View our report
The last of the popular Minden Sled Dog Races took place in 1997 when, what Stu Brandon calls an outstanding relationship with its major sponsor, Martin Pet Foods of Elmira, ended soon after the company was purchased by H.J. Heinz, which, after running it for just one year, determined it didn't fit its marketing mix.
Not only did the Derby prove great for community spirit, says Brandon, it, according to one marketing group, brought in between two and three million dollars in tourism and participant business to the community.
In the early 2000's the Haliburton Highlands Dogsled Derby would fill the gap left by the demise of the Minden Derby, which, by the way, donated all its left over race materials to the Haliburton group. And many of the estimated 120 Minden Derby volunteers offered their support to grateful new race organizers. The 2010 Haliburton Highlands Sled Dog Derby was held at 6he Pinestone Resort, just south of Haliburton.


1990: Mr. Dressup
His television show ran on the CBC Network for almost 30 years, and his live shows were enjoyed by thousands of children across the country. In January 1990, Ernie Coombs, perhaps better known as Mr. Dressup brought his tickle trunk to Lindsay.
View our report
Mr. Dressup went off the air in 1996 and Ernie Coombs died of a stroke in September 2001 at the age of 73.


1990: Mr. Snofest
Snofest, Peterborough's winter carnival has been running for many years, featuring a wide variety of different activities. Although no longer part of the festivities, in 1990 the Mr. Snofest contest attracted many competitors, including a member of our local constabulary. We sent a student reporter by the name of Jim Gould out to cover that story.
View our report


1990: Pickering Airport
It all began in 1972 when the Federal Government, which owns and operates all Canadian Airports, expropriated 75 square kilometres of farmland for an anticipated Pickering Airport. But the project languished for years thanks to pressure applied by community activists and environmentalists, leading up to this Gary Cunliffe report out of our Oshawa News Bureau in 1990.
View our report
The Government clearly wasn't interested in Mr. Almacks idea outlined in that report nor was it prepared to offer the expropriated property back to the original owners, who had been leasing it since expropriation. The Federal Government has since revived plans for the Airport, rationalizing that, amongst other things, the expanded Pearson International would reach full capacity by the mid 2-thousand and 20's. But, opposition remains strong, and apart from the environmental and farm land loss arguments protestors say that the new Airport would likely see the end of smaller surrounding airports with a resulting loss of training facilities and General Aviation flights. Nonetheless the greater Toronto Airport Authority, which hopes to be it's builder and operator, wants construction of Pickering airport to begin next year with an anticipated opening in 2012, at a cost, estimated 5 years ago, of 2 billion dollars.


1990: Sue Johanson
For the past 30 years, she's provided frank and honest sex education to thousands of Canadians through her lectures, and broadcasts ... and in the fall of 1990 she brought her avant guarde approach to the subject to Peterborough. Reporter Cindy Burgess, a CHEX news staffer back then, covered that story for us.
View the segment
Sue Johanson, a recipient of the distinguished Order of Canada and now 78 years of age, decided in May of this year to retire from her Sunday Night Sex Show that had aired on television for 6 years, thereby concluding her 24 year long sex oriented broadcast career that began on Radio in 1984. Interestingly, just last month, Stats Canada announced that canadian teenagers are waiting a little longer these days to have have sex.... and when they do, they're using condoms more often. There's hardly any doubt that such sex health educators as Sue Johanssen can take a lot of credit for those changing stats.


1990: Sunday Shopping
It's something we take for granted nowadays, the ability to go shopping seven days a week. Sixteen years ago, sunday shopping was still illegal in many locations - including the village of Lakefield. We dug into our video archive to present this video report from the spring of 1990.
View our report


1990: VE Day
World War II allied veterans, citizens of countries that sent troops to war, and those who were liberated from Nazi tyranny, originally celebrated Victory in Europe Day on May 8th 1945.
More recently, 2010 marked the 65th anniversary of VE Day. For this segment of Flashback, we dug back in the archives to bring you this report from 1990, when it was the 45th anniversary of VE Day. CHEX News reporter Fred Rapson tracked down a very well known Peterborough veteran for his memories of the historic event.
View our report


1990: Via Rail Service Halted
It was in 1989 that Via Rail Service between Havelock, Peterborough and Toronto came to a halt. That was followed by efforts to revive it, or replace it with some type of publicly assisted bus transportation. At the time, there was a variety of proposals bandied about as we hear in this report by then CHEX reporter Carol Bersett.
View the segment
Jenny Carter's prediction that publicly assisted rail service would return continues to breath life, albeit some two decades later.
In late March of this year Ontario Premier Dalton McGinty together with the Federal Government announced 195 million dollars in Federal Public Transit Capital Trust Funding toward provincial plans to expand public transit ... which included a committment to initiate a joint study on the feasibility of rail passenger service to Peterborough. And this past May, Go Transit, initiated preliminary design and feasibility work for the extension of the Go Rail Lakeshore East line from Oshawa to Bowmanville, and the development of a plan for Go bus service to Peterborough. Completion of the rail feasibility study is expected next year and if it's a go M.P. Dean DelMastro says he sees 2010 as a manageable target date for the return of rail service.


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1991

1991: 47th D-Day Anniversary
We go back to an earlier celebration of the World War Two event: D-Day. We've chosen the 47th anniversary, when there were considerably more veterans around to remember that significant turning point in Allied Second World War fortunes.
View our report
Seven years after this report aired ... Steven Spielberg's motion picture: "Saving Private Ryan" was released to rave reviews and the general approval of even veterans of the campaign. Dubbed by some as "the best war film ever made" it won five Acadamy Awards, opening with a twenty-four minute-long consuming depiction, without dialogue, of the horrific conditions under which the Allied troops heroically set out to capture the beaches of Normandy that late spring day of 1944.


1991: 80s Recession
It was the massive stock market collapse on Black Monday, 1987, that sparked the late 80's recession in the US, and all countries with close ties, including, of course, Canada.
While it's believed spirited election campaigns in both countries renewed consumer confidence the following year, it was short lived, and the Gulf War with the resulting spike in oil prices heralded a return to an economic malaise. This Craig MacInnis report from February of 1991 shows that business and personal bankruptcies were soaring.
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As it turned out that recession lasted until 1992 in the US but linguered on in Canada. After a modest recovery here in '94 the recession didn't actually end 'til '95 prolonged, say the experts, by fears of Quebec separation.
George Bush Sr. and Brian Mulroney, who were swept into power during the brief recovery in 1988 ..... were both pushed from power in the early 90s by opponents with promises of a much wanted economic recovery. And, as is, it seems, the case in all recessions, that one too saw the typical increases in the rates of alcoholism, drug abuse and suicide.... and interestingly many alcohol producers are bucking the recession trend, during these difficult times, with significantly increasing sales.


1991: 911 Cobourg
911 service was in its virtual infancy in the Cobourg area when a young family in 1991 made an emergency call it would never forget. John Blake brought that story to us.
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Canada converted to the three digit 911 emergency number system in 1972 but it didn't come to Cobourg until December '88, just two and a half years before the call we told you about in this story. It was no doubt incidents such as this one, with its remarkably successful outcome, that gave added impetus to the credibility of the program and its continued expansion throughout the country, to a point where dialing 911 will now connect a caller to an emergency centre in over 98% of locations in North America. And, you might be surprised to learn that three digit emergency calling goes all the way back to 1937, in Great Britain when callers then dialed 999 for help.


1991: Arborough Games
It was touted as a chance for young people on both sides of the U.S.-Canada border to share a love of sports. The Arborough Games brought together teens from Peterborough and Ann Arbor, Michigan and as Fred Rapson reported in 1991, it was a great success (see video link below).
Unfortunately, like so many other community projects, the Arborough Games were eventually cancelled due to a shortage of volunteers to run the program.
View our report


1991: Attempt to Overthrow Mulroney
It was 1991 and people were experiencing a recession and soaring interest rates. The citizens of this country were understandably frustrated and looking for someone to blame. They chose then Prime Minister Brian Mulroney .... and one very frustrated citizen decided it was time to do a little more than just complain.
View the segment
Of course the effort to impeach was not successful but for a time it gave financially strapped and in some cases struggling citizens an opportunity for an ambitious if not entirely realistic distraction. Really all they had to do was be a little patient. In less than two years with his approval rating having dropped to a Canadian all time low of 10%, the belegered Mulroney avoided certain humiliation at the polls by retiring from politics in February of '93, leaving his party in such a state of disarray that in the election that followed under the new leader Kim Campbell garnered only two seats in the House of Commons and out of power for the next 12 years.


1991: Bowmanville Zoo
It was 90 years ago this year that the Bowmanville Zoo first appeared on the scene: a small petting zoo in a recreational facility called Cream of Barley Park. It was re-named the Bowmanville Zoo in 1964, some 14 years after the Connell family, which had for some time operated the park, purchased the operation ... then in 1988 under new management the name was changed again, this time to the Bowmanville Zoological Park. It was some 3 years after that, that two very young and immediately popular residents were aquired .... exposed to CHEX viewers for the very first time in this report aired in August of 1991.
View our report
Those irresistable young cubs were eventually named Jasmine and Jaye, and remained star members of the Zoo until their deaths 2 and 3 years ago in their mid teens. Michael Hackenburger, zoo owner and director for the past 21 years, tells me that in captivity a Jaguar's life expectancy is normally about 15 or 16 years .... in the wild it's somewhere between 8 and 9 years.
The Bowmanville Zoo, listed as the oldest private zoo in North America, and home to the largest stable of trained animals in North America, also boasts, Sandy, a 55 year old Gibbon, said to be the oldest in captivity.... and it still has an 11 year old black Jaguar, named Bagheera, but any hope that he might have sired a cub or two by either Jaye nor Jasmine, was dashed when neither female expressed any interest in his advances.


1991: Chamber Moves
It been a fixture in the old Canadian Pacific Railway Station on Peterborough's George Street for years now but, of course, it wasn't always there, in fact the Peterborough and District Chamber of Commerce didn't move from its previous location just down the street in the strip mall across the Holiday Inn until 1991. This story, aired on July 4th that year, covered some of that move.
View our report
Don Frise, who figured prominently in that report, left after a ten year stint as the Chamber's General Manager, in December 1998 ... he then did some economic development work with the municipality of Campbellford/Seymore in advance of its amalgamation with Hastings to form the municipality of Trent River. Frise continues to live in the Hastings area where he regards himself as virtually retired but still works his 140 acre hay farm.
Meanwhile, the Peterborough Chamber office, now managed by Stu Harrison, is undergoing another change to fill the vacancy left by the Automobile Licensing Bureau's move to the MNR building this coming November. It's a new "Chamber Business Centre", featuring eleven individual offices for small businesses looking for a turn-key solution to office space. The first phase, set to begin in August is just about sold out but Harrison tells us that there is still some space available in the second phase that begins in January.


1991: Commuter Airlines
In the final quarter of the past century, a number of smaller airlines set their sights on Peterborough in the hope of attracting commuters to make a quick trip to Toronto, Montreal or Ottawa. And it was, on one of those prospective commuter services that Dale Jackson based this report, in late February of 1991.
View the segment
In spite of the failures and the tapering off in recent years of the relatively heavy airfrieght and cargo traffic of the 90s, the Peterborough Municipal Airport which boasts the longest paved, lighted runway between Ottawa and Toronto still sees a number of medical flights, flight school activity, corporate jet traffic, and lots of use by recreational pilots.


1991: Dennis Thompson   (Parts 1 & 2)
This special two part segment chronicles the story of Dennis Thompson, a Peterborough County O.P.P. officer who was shot in the line of duty 17 years ago. The story unfolds in Douro Township, just north east of Peterborough.

View Part One   |   View Part Two


1991: First Female Firefighter
It was ground breaking in early May of 1991 when The Peterborough Fire Department welcomed its first ever female firefighter to the roster and CHEX Television News was there to record the event.
View our report
As it turned out, Bronwen Dixon was not just the first but, so far, is the only female fire fighter to have been employed by the local department. In late 1994, by now Bronwen Perks ....married to Derek Perks and on maternity leave with their first child, she was torn between returning to her career, and becoming a full time mother .... she eventually chose the latter.
A few years later, Bronwen, now the mother of 4, applied to return to firefighter with the local department, but before a position opened she was accepted at Trent to earn her Bachelor of Education Degree ... which she did and now supply teaches. The Peterborough Fire Department currently employs 5 females, 4 in communications as dispatchers, the fifth in public education. and by the way, all the new male recruits in that story are still with the department .... Jeff Guest and Don Broersma as Captains, Rob Knox and Lloyd Do-zois as Acting Captains.



1991: First Nations
For centuries, museums have collected artifacts of Canada's first nations, including human remains. But a growing sensitivity to the practise has lead many institutions to examine and change their collection and exhibition policies. One of the first, if not the first, was the Peterborough Centennial Museum And Archives in May of 1991.
View our report
The Peterborough precedent continues to cause ripples through the museum and archiological world. On one hand, First Nations are demanding the return of remains and grave goods that are now in museums. On the other side, archeologists say invaluable information about our past will be permanently lost if all remains are re-interred.


1991: GST Effect on Malls
As Ontario residents prepare to take on the Harmonized Sales Tax ("HST"), we though it might be interesting to look back to the early days of the GST and to a story produced by Newswatch on what impact it appeared to be having on local businesses in the spring of 1991, a little more than four months after its January 1st implementation that year.
View our report
Ontario will convert to the HST on July 1st, 2010, following in the footsteps of Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Newfoundland/Labrador. The provincial government says it will eliminate red tape and create new jobs. The opposition calls it an unconscionable tax grab in a struggling economy. It will have an adverse effect on, amongst other things, the cost of gasoline, coffee and air and taxi fares. The sale of resale homes and new homes under 400-thousand dollars will not be, for the most part, affected. The HST will apply to real estate fees, home inspections, legal fees, appraisals and insurance premiums currently taxed at only "the 5% GST". The HST will not apply to basic groceries, prescription drugs, certain medical devices, child care and municipal public transit that have not hitherto been subject to the GST. And, the Province is implementing a tax rebate scheme that it says will help ease individual and family increased expenses associated with the move to the Harmonized Sales Tax.


1991: Gulf War
On this date nineteen years ago the Persian Gulf War, brewing for nearly six months after Iraq's invasion of Kuwait, was about to move into high gear. It is interesting to note how many locally produced stories in its regard appeared on our newscasts in early 1991. It is the case with reaction to our presence in Afganistan now, some citizens, though not in favour of our troops being there, still strongly supported those troops and that's some of what, then Newswatch reporter, Dale Jackson, captured in his coverage of a large "support the troops" rally in Durham that year, expressing many of the same comments we hear today about our soldiers overseas.
View our report
The Persian Gulf War marked the first time since the Korean War that Canadian troops were sent abroad for combat, joining the Nato led Allied forces against Iraq's invasion of Kuwait. By the end of February 1991, the occupation ended swiftly and decisively just a few weeks after that report aired, but as was evident over the next decade, the problems there remained unresolved, leading to the beginning of the Iraq war seven years ago.


1991: Gypsy Moth
It was in 1869 that the Gypsy Moth first made its presence felt in North America, near Boston to be exact .... and precisely a century later that it began its tree foliage destruction in Ontario. While the Federal Government took responsibility for helping keep the infestation under control in the early years, in 1981 it handed most of that responsibility off to the provinces.... then in 1991 Ontario announced that it would, for financial reasons, be cancelling the Gypsy Moth private land program, leaving landowners scrambling for solutions.... the subject of this John Blake report in the latter summer of 1991.
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By '93 land owners were almost entirely on their own, though certain municipalities helped by providing funding as did some cottage associations .... while the Ministry of Natural Resources and Canadian Forest Services, continued providing annual surveys and scientific advice.
Since then, the Gypsy moth population has fluctuated from year to year ... the spraying program, which by the way is using primarily the spray with the least negative impact on the environment, has helped ... and so has a fungus, deadly to the moth, imported some years ago from Japan. In cool wet weather such as we've had last year and the first of this, the fungus flourishes with a resulting reduction in Gypsy Moth numbers.


1991: Harry Sherry
There would be few antique car buffs anywhere who wouldn't be aware of Sherry Custom Autos in Warsaw, that under the direction of Harry Sherry it's owner, restored some of the world's most prestigious automobiles to award winning original splendour. In the fall of 1991 a 1937 Cord, one of the last Cords ever made, rolled out of the shop bound for it's owner in Detroit. Craig McInnes recorded that moment in this report.
View the segment
As it turned out the Cord did not win "Best in Show" at the competition, which was actually held in Auburn Indiana ... it's only flaw, the bright yellow non-original paint colour that its owner had requested. But many show winners did come out of Sherry's Custom Autos during its more than 45 years of existence, not the least of which a 1929 Dusenburg restored in the late 70's. it went on to win all four of the top American car show competitions and remains to this day an undefeated world champion. The Cord, which we saw in this report, remained in the possession of the man for whom Sherry restored it until just last year when it was sold at auction for a figure approaching some 450-thousand dollars.


1991: High Water Levels
It seems an almost annual event along low lying areas of the Otonabee River . . . spring flooding. That was definitely the case as we see in this report from April 22, 1991.
View our report
In contrast, this past spring 2010 has seen some of the lowest water level increases in years along the Otonabee. Part of the reason, according to Environment Canada's Geoff Coulson, is that this past winter came very close to being the driest on record. With March 2010 being the warmest on record in some parts of our viewing area and close to it in others, it meant that a greater amount of what moisture there was, evaporated into the atmosphere. In fact, there was barely enough run off left to top up the 44 reservoir lakes in the northern reaches of our viewing area that feed the Trent Severn Waterway during the boating season, thereby ensure water levels don't fall below acceptable minimums. Gordon Earle, with the Otonabee Region Conservation Authority explains, there was precious little left-over this spring to swell the Otonabee River to anything close to those flood levels we just saw in 1991.


1991: Horse Shoeing
It's certainly not a career path that has students beating down doors to get to ... but it is one that got the attention of a young Omemee area man by the name of Mark Cambell a quarter century ago.
View our report
As most of those in the area who have horses know, Mark Cambell still plies his trade as a farrier .... the only one listed in the phone book yellow pages (under "Black Smith" by the way) though there are a couple of other men and women who also shoe horses locally. Cambell, who with his wife whom he married just weeks before that story first aired, now has four children ranging in age from eight to sixteen and admits that his career choice provides a good living for his family. He also says he works six days a week and that its not unusual for him to now shoe between four and five hundred horses every couple of months. As for the price .... well that's gone up a little, too, in that past eighteen years .... he now charges $130 to put four shoes on a riding horse; $250 to fully shoe a draft horse.


1991: Information Vial
It was 1991, and police, firefighters, emergency response teams and those in the community whom they served were given a new tool,it was called the Vial For Life. Scott Blodgett explained in this report from that year.
View our report
Bob English, the current Chief of the Peterborough City County EMS (Emergency Medical Services) tells me that 18 years later, looking for those vials for life is still very much a part of a first responders protocol on entering a home, but adds that by late summer or early fall EMS will begin a campaign to promote an updated version of the vile ... that will make it possible for the same information to be attached magnetically to the exterior of the refrigerator. We'll of course let you know all about that on Newswatch once the program gets underway.


1991: Lindsay Central Exhibition
Wednesday September 17th, the Lindsay Central Exhibition unveils its 154th year of operation.
In this segment of Flashback, we'll take you back to a report by Fred Rapson filed during the Exhibition's 137th year of operation.
View the segment
Many of the basic elements you see in this report remain in place... including agriculture and musical entertainment.


1991: Marion Orr
She was an aviation pioneer. Marion Orr learned to fly in the 1930's and in June of 1991 when Sandra Lummis caught up with her, she was still flying at the age of 72.
View our report
Orr continued to fly untill 1994 when she was grounded by ill health. She died in a auto accident in 1995, just down the road from the Peterborough Airport.


1991: Open Sunday Issue
In 1985 the Supreme Court of Canada concluded that forcing all Canadians to observe the Christian Sabbath was an infringement on the Charter of rights' guarantee of freedom of religion, but gave an OK to legislating a non-religious day of rest. Five years later, the Ontario High Court ruled that provision unconstitutional, thereby making it legal for retail outlets to open for business on Sundays ... so when in March the following year an appeal court reversed that decision making Sunday shopping once again illegal, it was difficult for some to give it up.... which brings us to this story in the spring of 1991.
View our report
To the best of our understanding the court agreed to withdraw the charge on condition the proprietors agree to henceforth observe the ban on Sunday shopping...but before years' end Ontario Premier Bob Rae's NDP government bowed to public pressure and legislated wide open Sunday shopping once and for all. As regards the Leonard's Hardware building: built in 1875 .. it, amongst other things, has housed a bank, a movie theatre and council chambers. Bob McCracken, who'd worked at the hardware store in his younger years, returned from WW II to become a co-owner of the building with Jack Leonard the original owner's son, then after Jack's untimely death, Bob bought out the other half.
On McCracken's death in '92, a year after that story aired, his daughter Sandy took over and began a general cosmetic upgrade, most likely leading the way for others on Lakefield's main street to do the same. Sandy McCracken sold the building in the early 2-thousands. It now houses a spa.


1991: The Peterborough Club
For more than 100 years it was a bastion of the Peterborough business and social community. The Peterborough Club operated out of a historic building at the corner of Water and Simcoe Street, but it all came tumbling down. John Blake had that story back in 1991.
View our report
After the fire, The Peterborough Club met at the Red Oak Inn for a time but eventually disbanded. The building was repaired and now houses the Trasheteria nightclub.


1991: Police Awards
2010 marked the 32nd annual Knights of Columbus Police Awards Night. So, as we, this year, celebrate the 160th anniversary of policing in Peterborough, we thought it might be interesting to go back to 1991 for this Leslie Miller report on that year's police awards night.
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The Knights of Columbus, named in honour of Christopher Columbus, credited with bringing Christianity via Roman Catholicism to the new world, is the world's largest Catholic fraternal organization.
In 1989, Council 798, formed one hundred and seven years ago as only the sixth K of C Council in all of Canada, changed its name to the Ernest J. Wolff Council after a Peterborough man who, remarkably, achieved the position of Deputy Supreme Knight, the organization's second highest position worldwide.
Council 798 member Tony Figehrowa was instrumental in creating the Police awards ceremony as a testament to the Knight's appreciation of the value of law enforcement in a healthy society.
Held in various locations at first, it has, over the past two decades, taken place in the Hunter Street West headquarters of the Ernest J. Wolff council 798, by far the largest of the five Peterborough K of C Councils. There are, by the way, some 1.8 million members in the fraternity in the world, close to five hundred of whom are in Peterborough.


1991: Pool Drowning
We go back to 1991, when a lifeguard at the Peterborough Family YMCA pool drowned when her leg became trapped in a pool drain. Rescue efforts to save Linda Cozza-Bookee were in vain; the suction created by a pump below the drain could not be cut off in time. Later that year, a coroners' inquest was held in Peterborough, and Cindy Burgess reported on its recommendations (see video link below).
The most visible recommendation that was implemented at public pools is a very visible power shut off switch that instantly cuts power to the pools circulation pump.
View our report


1991: Rally
Rallys to show support for Canadian troops in Afghanistan have become a regular event in many places in Canada. In 1991, Canada was involved in a different war - but as Dale Jackson reported from Oshawa, the sentiment was exactly the same.
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Canada's war in iraq was over a few months later and the troops came home. But the emotions fired up over the countries involvement in operation desert storm reverberated for several years and in fact continue to this day.


1991: St. Patrick's School
In 1953 a deed was transferred, for one dollar, from the Roman Catholic Episcopal Corporation for the Diocese of Peterborough to the Peterborough, Victoria, Northumberland and Newcastle Roman Catholic Separate School Board, and a two classroom, St. Patrick's School was built. It opened the following year using only one of those two rooms, for just 33 students. With the help of additions and portables it would end up providing schooling for thousands of Catholic children throughout the subsequent years until 1990, when, after the purchase of adjoining land, a new much larger St. Patrick's school would be constructed. It's official opening took place on March 24th. 1991 and CHEX Television news was there to cover it.
View our report
The new building is recorded to have first housed 386 pupils. As it turned out portables were, as was speculated in that story, once again required as attendance rose, and they remained in place until 9 years ago when Monsignor O'Donohue School was built, lessening the pressure on St. Patrick's and the Catholic School system in general. This year St. Patrick's serves just over 300 students.


1991: Sunday Shopping
At the beginning of the 90's Sunday shopping for most retail outlets was still illegal in Ontario and while changes would appeared on the horizon there were clearly two sides to the issue as outlined in this Fred Rapson report from 1991.
View the segment
As it turned out the Retail Business Establishments Statute Law Amendment Act would receive royal assent on November 25, of that year, permitting retail business establishments to open on the Sundays in December preceding Christmas Day... then in late spring the following year, 1992, a Bill was passed that would enable retail establishments to open every Sunday except Easter Sunday and other holidays that might on occasion fall on a Sunday, which, according to that legislation, would remain as retail business holidays.


1991: United Way
It wasn't until 1976 that it became known as the United Way of Peterborough and District ... but in the the preceding seven years it was called the United Community Services of Peterborough and District, and between 1943 and '69: it was the Peterborough Red Cross and Community Fund.
The Red Feather Campaign, Community Chest and United Appeal were also terms applied to the campaign through the years. But it all began in 1941 as the Peterborough War Services and Community Fund. And it was a milestone anniversary of that beginning that was being celebrated when Scott Blodget filed this report in August of 1981.
View our report
By the way, this year's United Way kick-off breakfast is set for September 17, 2009 at the Evinrude Centre.
As for Rogow's Ladies Wear site of the campaign's fist office, located two doors north of where the Speak Easy now is at the corner of Simcoe and George Streets; it in fact was occupied by Leck's Furriers at one time and later by Loftus Ladies wear. It became Rogow's in the early 60's operated by Joe Rogow; then his neice Carole Pulver became its the proprietor in 1980 and remained so until a year or so before she passed away a little over a decade ago. After that it was a gift shop for a while, then, a couple of years ago, it became the home of Tango Women's Wear. and remarkably retains some of the original ambiance of Rogow's with its original round iron floor grate and a wonderful chandelier at the rear of the shop that has been there for years. Carol's husband Skip, who now lives in Toronto as a commercial real estate agent, remains owner of that property along with others on the same block.


1991: User Pay Garbage
Thanks to issues that were seriously limiting the future of the then decade old Bensford Road Landfill site (the anticipated costs of finding another suitable site or trucking garbage elsewhere) Peterborough City Council was, in 1991, becoming desperate for extra funding while, at the same time, looking for ways to limit the amount of landfill waste it's residents were producing. The Blue Box program, in place then for some 4 years, helped, but certain councillors were convinced that a move to "user pay" would be the ultimate answer and, it was a snapshot of that initiative that Scott Blodgett captured in this report in February that year.
View the segment
As it turned out, Mayor Sylvia Sutherland allowed the electorate to make the decision by way of a referendum in that fall's municipal election and voters gave it a convincing, if not overwhelming, thumbs down. So from virtually, a no bag limit in 1989 to a 6 bag (per residence) limit, a year later, it went to 4 bags in '91 ... then to 3 in '94 and to just 2 bags per residence in '95 a limit that remains in place to this day. The issues potentially challenging the future of the the Bensford Road site were, after considerable expense, eventually overcome, satisfying both stringent provincial guidelines and neighbouring residents complaints, and the site, significantly expanded, remains in operation almost 30 years after it's 1980 beginning..... waste management officials anticipating that, all things being equal, it'll be good for another 15 years.


1991: Warkworth Smokefree
In a previous segment, we brought you the story of Peterborough's first Tim Horton's outlet to go smoke free ... that was in 1994 ... but it was three years earlier that Warkworth Institute set a precedent in all of Canada by offering some inmates a smoke free environment, thanks to a just completed brand new unit. Craig McInnes gave us the particulars in this report that aired in early March of 1991.
View the segment
Of course in '91 the only strictly non smoking area was in that 80 man unit .... but within a decade all common areas of the penal institute went non smoking, though smoking was still permitted in individual cells, other than, of course, those in that new unit.
In the mid 2000s, more stringent rules were introduce, inmates would now be forced to do all of their smoking outdoors ..... then just last summer, after giving smokers a few months warning and making various cessation aids available to them, smoking was banned entirely at Warkworth Institute, inside and out, a transition, say officials, that went remarkably well considering the magnitude of the challenge.


1991: Water Meters
While most large businesses in the city now have water meters, and early last year they began to be installed in newly built homes, it appears that by late this year the conversion of older homes to water meters will be underway. Just in case you think this is a new idea, it, in fact, is anything but ... to which this 18 year old Newswatch report will attest.
View our report
This was by no means the first allusion to a plan to install water meters in Peterborough homes ....Larry Doran, President and CEO of Peterborough Utilities Group tells me that he's seen documents that show that such a move was contemplated more than a half century before that 1991 report aired. Despite that, Peterborough has become one of the very last municipalities of its size in the province to remain un-metered. Doran, who's mandate is to make the switch to meters says that despite the initial outlay, there are a number of advantages: economical, environmental and a matter of fairness ... that those who conserve will now reap the financial benefits of doing so. And he's convinced those long term advantages will far out-weigh the sizable switch over costs.


1991: Zebra Mussels
It was about 20 years ago now that Zebra Mussels first appeared in the great lakes, brought here in the bilge tanks of ocean going vessels. By the early 90's it had become a serious problem prompting this CHEX report out of Durham Region by Dale Jackson.
View the segment
Some two decades since it's introduction, the zebra mussel continues to make itself felt throughout Ontario, scientists saying it's presence is likely contributing to beach closings, the widespread deaths of migratory birds, and the slow starvation familiar fish. A very recent study estimates that invasive species including Zebra Mussels extract an economic toll of hundreds of millions of dollars in areas surrounding the great lakes. While the Ministry of Natural Resources admits that eradication of the species is not an option it has allocated fifteen million dollars for the establishment of an "Invasive Species Management Centre" in Sault Ste. Marie in an effort to contain the situation and mitigate damage to the provinces waters and fishery.


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1992

1992: GM Jobs
The importance of the General Motors plant in Oshawa to this area's economic well being cannot be overstated. It's been a fact of life for many years but in 1992, it was threatened as it never had been before. General Motors in the U.S. was saying operations at all of its plants were under review, so municipal politicians from around the area met in Oshawa to present a united front to General Motors. Dale Jackson had the story.
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In the end, operations at GM in Oshawa were saved. But there are no guarantees in the auto sector. In later years, General Motors plants in Scarborough and Saint Catharines were axed and late in 2007, a shift at the truck plant in Oshawa was eliminated.


1992: Zebra Mussels
In 1992, the economy was in recession. Ontario government ministries were cutting back on spending, including the Ministry of Natural Resources. The Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters complained this was coming at a time when the province's environment was being threatened by a new invasive species. John Blake had the story.
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The Federation of Anglers And Hunters was correct. Zebra mussels had invaded the Kawartha Lakes and become a major negative influence on water quality and native wildlife.


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1993

1993: Domm Election Pamplet
The 1993 Federal Election was supposed to be centered around the deficit, the economy and the free trade agreement. But as Craig McGuiness reported from May of 1993, attention became focused on Peterborough and the use of certain images in Conservative incumbent Bill Domm's anti-crime campaign.
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Peterborough was one of the many Conservative ridings that fell during that 1993 election. Incumbent Bill Domm came in third behind Reform candidate Len Bangma and the winner, Liberal Peter Adams.


1993: No Tax Increase
It's what every municipal property tax payer pines for ... a year with no tax increase ... and as we hear in this report, that's exactly what Peterborough Mayor Jack Doris and council were, in late summer 1993, aiming to offer rate payers for the following taxation year. CHEX reporter Scott Blodget brought us that story.
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As it turned out the Peterborough municipal mill rate did remain unchanged in 1994, helped in part by a freezing of staff wages, a requirement made of some employee groups to take a number of days off without pay, and the effect of early retirements. For each of the next three years rates would increase but only by a modest 1%. Since 1998, when the province of Ontario introduced the real value assessment process, tax increases, according to Director of Finance and Administrative services, Brian Horton, have just about stayed even with inflation. As for the plan to get an early start on budgeting allowing greater rate-payer involvement, the city stayed remarkably true to that commitment, but plans to finalize budgets early in the year to which they applied went off the rails in 1998 the year those major assessment and tax reforms came into effect ... budgets weren't actually finalised until August 4 that year; since then they've crept back to dates much earlier in the year, to the point where the 2008 budget was in fact approved in December of 2007.


1993: Parkade
The parking garage on King Street in Peterborough is a popular spot for downtown motorists, but as we see in this report, it's construction was not without controversy. There were two proposals for downtown parking, one on George Street planned by Fred Reynolds and The Reynolds Group, and the other on King Street, proposed by Ross Smith and AON Incorporated. Select the link below to view the video report of the stormy meeting of Peterborough City Council from December of 1993.
View our report


1993: School Dropouts
Finding ways to curb the numbers of those who have traditionally been called high school "dropouts", has always been a challenge and so it was when this report by then CHEX reporter Webb Morgan, aired in 1993.
View our report
Efforts to reduce the numbers of dropouts, now referred to as "early leavers" have seen an even stronger focus in the past few years. For example, while students in the 90s could legally opt out of the school system at age 16, students are now legislated to stay in school until age 18. Across Ontario the "early leaver" rate in the mid 2000s was 9.1%, down to roughy half of what it was in the early 90's .... and locally: Kawartha, Pine Ridge District School Board stats clearly support that trend... it figures show "early leaver" rates of 10.4% in the mid 2000s have since dropped to just 3.7% last year.
For the record, those stats are based on the percentage of 20-to-24-year-olds who are not attending school and are not high school graduates.


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1994

1994: Brighton Train Fire
It was a terrifying ride for Montreal bound Via Rail passengers in November 1994. An east-bound train struck an object on the CN tracks near Brighton and burst into flames. Then CHEX reporter Webb Morgan gave us that story. (link below)
Two men later confessed to putting the section of rail across the tracks.
After an investigation, the Transportation Safety Board called on Via Rail to improve emergency procedures and training for staff on it's passenger trains. The 'LRC' unit train locomotives, the type involved in the fire, have since been retired from service.
And yet another footnote, we were able to connect with one of the engineers running the train that night. George Kent (known to many simply Jay) lives in Prince Edward County and spends his winters in Florida. George gave a lot of credit to the conductor and on-board service staff for the effective and safe evacuation of the train ... with only a few minor injuries. He clearly remembers that night as a very tense experience; but was back on the job soon after transporting passengers past the scene while work crews removed the fire ravaged equipment from the tracks.
George Kent retired in 1995 after a career that spanned 43 years with CN and then Via Rail.
View our report


1994: Bus Fare Increase
A possible increase in the cost of an annual Peterborough bus pass for seniors has been proposed for 2009.... and it was at about this same time of year in 1994 that City Council's Committee of the Whole was discussing a similar increase, albeit at a lesser price. CHEX reporter Web Morgan covered that story for us.
View the segment
Interestingly Peterborough is still one of the very few municipalities in the province that offer an annual seniors pass. The cost has predictably increased in the past 14 years; an annual seniors bus pass for this year cost $180. By the way, a similar bus pass in Hamilton for this past year was $210. In case you haven't heard, the proposal is to see the Peterborough Senior's pass increase to $200 even next year but has yet to pass the scruitiny of City Council.


1994: Caza Berry Farm Halloween
Earlier this week reporter Heather Goode took us to Buckhorn for a look at the annual pre Halloween Pumpkin Festival there.
Fourteen years ago it was Julia Caslin who did a similar story from that very same location, the Caza Berry Farm.
View the segment
The operation changed it's name to the Buckhorn Berry Farm some years ago but recently made the official change back to the Caza Berry Farm. The pumpkin festival actually began about a year before Julia's report aired and has evolved through the years to what it is today. Proprietor Lee Etherington tells us the event will be back again next year and thereafter into at least the foreseeable future. This weekend, by the way, will be the final weekend of this year's festival.


1994: CD Rom Telephone Directory
It was cutting edge computer technology that promised to pave the way to the paperless society: to replace telephone books with cd roms. As Newswatch reported from 1994, a local company was one of the first to make that technology available.
View our report


1994: Citizen Reaction to Soldiers Overseas
A few weeks back we showed you a report from 1991 on a dip in housing prices, the beginning of the last major recession, that at the time, could easily have been a report that would fit today economic situation. And recently, while searching through the archives, we discovered something else that had a decidedly current theme ... in this case it wasn't a report, but an "on the street" citizen reaction to our Canadian soldiers being overseas. It aired in 1994, just before Christmas, and our troops were in Bosnia. We asked the question: "Should Canada end its involvement there and bring our troops home?" Here's how those we asked, reacted... certainly not unlike some of the sentiments being expressed these days about our mission in Afganastan.
View the segment


1994: Crayola
It all began in 1885 when cousins Edwin Binney and C. Harold Smith started an industrial pigment supply company in New York, called Binney and Smith. It soon shifted its focus to art products for home and school, beginning with chalk, then crayons in in 1903, which it sold under the brand name "Crayola". It later added coloured pencils, markers, paints, modelling clay and even silly putty in 1977. Then in the 90's the company developed a variety of specially scented crayons which brings us to this Julia Caslin report from August of 1994.
View our report
Obviously with ovewhelming evidence supporting the safety of the product, the consumer group's protest fizzled, in fact Crayola's General Manager of Canada, Paul Zadorsky, tells me that while Scented Crayons are no longer sold in Canada there still is a market from them in the United States. Of course the company, which in '07 officially changed its name from Binny and Smith to Crayola, made it crayons for years in Lindsay and while the Canadian Head Office still makes its home there, product manufacturing was at the beginning of this century shifted entirely to Easton, Pennsylvania, also the site of Crayola's World Wide Head office. Over the years the variety of colours produced by Crayola has increased in size from just 8 in 1903 to one hundred and twenty in 1998 and while new colours have been added since then they've always replaced existing colors holding that total available at any one time to 120. and they're available in more than 80 countries.


1994: Debit Cards
They were heralded as convenient and safe ...... debit cards were intended to replace cash and cheques in retail transactions, but they've proved to have their own problems. In 1994, they were the latest fad.
View our report


1994: Development Charges
For years, development charges have been used to pay for improvements to city services, and it was fifteen years ago this month that Peterborough City Council was in the midst of dealing with the issue. Craig MacInnes covered that story for us.
View our report
Since that time, development charges have increased in accordance with the Stats Canada Construction Price Index for Toronto for most years ... every fifth year, however, the assessment is determined by a special development charge study that attempts to bring those charges in line with local Capitol needs. In fact, City Council is awaiting the results of one of those studies right now in the hope of approving next year's Charge before the end of this year.
Development charges have themselves developed since that report ... the 36 hundred dollars that had been projected for 1999 actually grew, in the intervening five years, to just over forty-six hundred dollars. By 2005 the average charge jumped to nearly 78 hundred dollars per residence ... and this year it was just over 13 thousand dollars.
As it turned out, Peterborough City Council did decide to buy the idea of deferring those development charges until the actual sale of newly built homes; it's believed that Peterborough is the only municipality in the province to offer that concession to developers.


1994: Electronic Tax Return
Electronic tax filing first became available to some Canadians for taxation year 1989 and a rather modest 17 hundred and 49 taxpayers chose that route that first year of operation. By taxation year 1992, the first year of nation-wide use, that figure had increased significantly to nearly 2.1 million electronically filed returns, thanks in part to the signing on of nearly five thousand income tax professionals to the new system that year. The following year that figure would jump by 50% to 3.2 million electronic filers. As Peterborough residents along with all Canadians entered the final days of preparing their 1993 returns Todd Purvis gave us this report in April of '94.
View the segment
Stats for the taxation year 2007 show that in Peterborough roughly 65% of all returns were filed electronically ... some 10 percentage points above the national average that year.
As for this year's filing for 2008 : roughly 85% of returns received thus far have been sent electronically .... but that percentage is likely to drop a little in the final tabulation thanks to the fact that paper filing takes more time to process and because electronic filers tend to get their returns in earlier.


1994: Festival of Trees
Festival of Trees time is approaching once again in Peterborough ... 1994 marked the Festival's 5th year of operation and organizers were anxious to find out more about who patronized the event that year: where they came from and what impact they might have had on local business. Sandra Lummis covered that story for us.
View the segment
There hasn't been a similar survey done of late, but the community is well aware of the ongoing positive impact of the event. This year's (2008) Festival Gala is the 25th, with the festival itself continuing through until November 30th. The Festival of Trees has raised 4.4 million dollars since it's inception with the beneficiaries being: Hospice Peterborough, St. Joseph's Care Foundation and The Peterborough Regional Health Centre.


1994: Firefighter Compensation
Firefighters had for some time known that their chosen profession brought with it not only its obvious dangers but those less obvious, that lurked in the shadows biding their time to expose themselves, sometimes years down the road. The trouble was, those firefighters didn't have a great deal of official evidence to support their fight; butthat all changed in 1994 as this Amy Terrill report, in early Fall that year, explains.
View our report
Despite what appeared to be exactly the kind of evidence needed to make their case for special compensation, it wouldn't be until 2007 nearly 13 years after that report that an NDP private members bill called The Workplace Safety and Insurance Act received unanimous Queen's Park approval. What can sometimes take months to achieve, all three readings of the bill were completed in just 5 minutes with royal assent given the following day. It would cover firefighters for 8 types of cancer for which the risk was deemed double that of the average citizen and it would cover any heart injuries suffered by firefighters within 24 hours of a fire or any training exercise that included simulated fire emergencies. Manitoba, in 2002, was the first in Canada to enact such legislation. Saskatchewan, Alberta, Nova Scotia and British Columbia would follow all before Ontario made the move ... despite the fact that those other provinces used that 1994 Ontario Labour Ministry report to support their cases. Meanwhile, safety equipment continues to improve all the time to a degree that someday it's hoped it will prevent the very deseases that prompted the long awaited legislation in the first place, thereby making life safer for those who try to keep us safe.


1994: Florida Panthers
It wasn't all that unusual over the years for NHL teams to pick a non NHL city for their fall training camps .... and lots of cities would vie for the opportunity to host a team, if only for purely economical reasons.
In 1994, then CHEX Staffer Bruce Anderson prepared this report on attempts to woo the Florida Panthers to Peterborough for their training camp that year.
View the segment
As it turned out, the Panthers did come to the Memorial Centre to work out in late summer/early fall of that year. It's clear that Roger Neilson, who was coaching the Panthers at the time, had a great deal to do with it, as he, no doubt did, when, in the late 90s, the Philadelphia Flyers held their training camp here. When the Leafs came to town in the late 50s and '60s ... Punch Imlack successfully appealed to city hall to have the hourly striking Market Hall Clock Tower bell temporarily silenced so his team, which stayed at the Empress Hotel across the street, could get an uninterrupted nights sleep. As for Gary Watkins, who managed the Memorial Centre at the time and whom you see in this report, he'd, not long after, leave Peterborough for Florida to develop "Twin Ice Pads" there and now manages Ice Rink Facilities in Washington DC and in Maryland.


1994: Gift Shopping
When it comes to gift giving, nothing really changes from year to year, except perhaps gift prices .... In 1994 we saddled then CHEX staffer, Bruce Anderson, with the task of checking out just how well Christmas shopping was going that year.
View the segment


1994: Harry Hamill
It's a rare auction indeed where one does not see Peterborough's Harry Hamill lurking about in search of something to add to his already impressive tool collection. And it was that impressive collection that attracted the attention of CHEX reporter Webb Morgan back in the early summer of 1994.
View our report
Hamill, who came to Canada from Ireland 58 years ago at the age of 20, says his collection is always changing in one way or another; It's also a collection that gets rave reviews from experts in the field. Most recently his display of old braces and bits that date back as far as 1869 picked up the American Mid West Tool Collectors Association's 2005 Judges Choice Awards at both De-cat-ur and St. Charles, Illinois. And, if your interested in seeing what's believed to be the largest such tool collection in the Peterborough region, Harry Hamill is always more than happy to give personal tours.


1994: Ice Flow Races
March is, of course, the month of the long standing annual Ice Flow Races in Peterborough. In this segment of Flashback we go back a decade and a half to see how the race looked that year.
View the segment
It was the local Trident Underwater Club that began the tradition, back in the early 60's. Then at the turn of the decade the Ontario Underwater Council, based in Toronto, which had provided support for earlier races, took over when longtime volunteers with the Trident club felt it was time to step back. Over the years the race has evolved from an entire weekend's event, with, as we learned in that report, international participation, to a more modest Sunday afternoon's entertainment drawing fewer, but equally enthusiastic, teams. This past year eight participated, involving about a hundred people, mainly from southern Ontario. The Underwater Council plans to do it again in 2010. The plans are for the event to run on the second or third Sunday of March.


1994: License Plates
It was in operation for many years just outside the village of Millbrook. The license plate manufacturing plant at the Millbrook Correctional Institution survived the closure of the facility. However, in 1994, they were in the midst of a technological change. For that story, we go back to Bruce Anderson who brought us the details in this report.
View our report


1994: Liftlock Overflow
The Peterborough Liftlock celebrated it's centennial in 2004, marking 100 years of constant operation. But it wasn't always been trouble-free, as John Ruttle reported in the summer of 1994 (see video link below).
The cause of the temporary waterfall turned out to be a problem with the door on the north side of the lock. It was repaired and the canal was back in operation within a few days.
View our report


1994: Millbrook Movie
It was quite a event when 15 years ago this month, Millbrook was the site for an American movie shoot with American stars Stacy Keach and Judith Light in town. Webb Morgan brought us that story.
View the segment
"Against Their Will: Women in Prison", officially hit the screen in October that year and in subsequent years three more movies would be shot, all or in part, in Millbrook.... the remake of "Music Man" in 2002, David Cronenbergs "A History of Violence" and the Disney movie "Ice Princess" both in 2004. American film production in Millbrook and in fact actoss Canada dropped off after that mainly due to a strengthening Canadian Dollar but this country has reason to anticipating a resurgence of the Hollywood North syndrome with a weaker Canadian dollar of late permitting US production dollars to once again go a lot further.


1994: Native Heritage
Because of its cultural significance, first nations communities traditionally build events around June 21st. - the summer solstice, first day of summer and longest day of the year. In this segment we go back a decade and a half as Peterborough celebrated Native awareness week with some provincially assisted initiatives designed to help provide better lives for our fist nations people. Here's Amy Terrill with that story.
View our report
It was just two years after that then Governor General Romeo LeBlanc declared June 21st National Aboriginal Day. and on the eve of that day we're in the midst of what's being called the Strawberry Moon Festival here in Peterborough, featuring on Sunday a 7 o'clock a Sunrise Ceremony at Del Crary Park and an afternoon Pow Wow with native story tellers, drummers and dancers. Tuesday June 23rd marks another of the highlights of the week long festival; an intimate evening at Market Hall with Academy Award Winner, singer songwriter Buffy St. Marie who's performing the following evening at the Peterborough's Festival of Lights.


1994: Negatives Restoration
Approximately 12 years ago, a fire in downtown Peterborough spurred the community to rescue and preserve 300 thousand photographic negatives taken by the remarkable Roy family of photographers. Follow the link below to view Fred Rapson's report from 1994 which details the first stages of the restorative process after the fire.
View our report
Millionaire entreprenuer Jim Balsillie, a former Peterborough resident and creator of the Blackberry device, later stepped up and purchased the extrodinary Roy Studio Collection, then presented it to the city.


1994: New Firearms
In October of 1993, Sudbury police officer Joseph MacDonald died in an exchange of gunfire with two assailants. His death was blamed on the fact that he ran out of ammunition for his six-shot service revolver. As a result, police forces across the country adopted high capacity semi-automatic pistols, including the Peterborough police service. This Flashback segment features Bruce Anderson reporting on that story from the Newswatch archives of March 1994.
View our report


1994: New Weapons
It was the shooting death of Sudbury Regional Police Constable Joseph MacDonald in 1963, found lying beside his empty service revolver, that is regarded as the impetus behind a number of police departments in the province changing the way they armed their officers. And it was in March the following year that CHEX reporter Bruce Anderson covered this story of an orientation session designed to acquaint Peterborough Police officers with their recently acquired improved weaponry.
View the segment
Interestingly, Lakefield Police Chief Jeff Pritchard had roughly a year earlier, led the way by arming his officers with that very same 40 calibre Glock pistol ... Pritchard would later join the Peterborough Lakefield Police department when the two services amalgamated in 1999..... and the Glock firearm is still used exclusively by our local police force. In case you're wondering: two men were charged with first degree murder in that 1963 shooting of Sudbury's Constable MacDonald, who as we said at the outset sparked the move toward arming police in the province with better equipment. They, by the way, were given life sentences without parole for twenty-five years.


1994: Peterborough Profile
It was in the fall of 1994 that a Peterborough Profile Report was published, filled with interesting and valuable stats about the city.
Bruce Anderson brought us that story.
View the segment
Now of course the latest stats are readily available on line via the Greater Peterborough Area Economic Development Corporation's website: such as the fact that the Peterborough Regional Health Centre is the area's largest employer, GE Canada the largest industrial employer ... General motors the largest employer of Peterborough area commuters, and the per capita income: 26-thousand 345 dollars. If there's anything else you'd like to know simply Google GPA EDC and dig in.
And, by the way, seniors now comprise roughly 19 and a half percent of Peterborough's total population compared with a little over 16% listed in the 1994 profile.


1994: Purity Packaging
The union blamed the company and the company blamed the union, but regardless of the reason, Purity Packaging made a significant change in its Peterborough operations 15 years ago, a change that marked the end of one of its local divisions and the unionized jobs that staffed it. John Blake brought us that story.
View the segment
Purity Packaging Limited, was founded 40 years ago by the merger of the Purity Milk Bottle Company and Canada Seal-right. In '83 Purity Packaging was sold to Innopac Inc., a Canadian Venture capital company, then in 1990 The Jim Pattison Group of Vancouver acquired controlling interest of Innopac and 7 years later picked up the rest of the shares. In the year 2000, Purity Packaging was aligned with Genpak becoming the Processor Packaging Division of Genpak. After years of focusing on products for the dairy industry, the company more recently diversified into producing packaging for the bakery, deli, candy, greenhouse and paper industries. Next week on Flashback we explore efforts to see the Florida Panthers pick Peterborough for its fall training camp in the mid 90s.


1994: Remembrance Day
In 2009 we commemorated the 90th anniversary of the end of World War 1. This report, put together by former Newswatch reporter and anchor Amy Terrill, takes us back to the 85th official Remembrance Day in Peterborough in 1994.
View our report
Highly respected Canadian Naval Rear Admiral Leonard Murray claimed that the Battle of the Atlantic, and we quote here, "was not won by any Navy, or any Air Force, but by the courage and determination of the British and Allied Merchant Navy" ... and since then there have been many others who felt that the increased recognition of the Merchant Marine, alluded to in that report, was long overdue. At wars end, members of what had often been referred to as the forth arm of the fighting services, weren't even officially considered veterans and therefore ineligible for programs offered to veterans of the Army, Navy and Air Force. It wasn't, in fact, until 1990 that the Canadian government finally offered veteran Merchant Mariners compensation at all, two years after the US government made that move. Then in 2001, Ottawa made another conciliatory gesture when it designated September 3 as an official Merchant Navy Remembrance Day... a fair exchange, it seems, given that the Merchant Marines sustained, as noted in tonight's report, the highest casualty rate of any of the four services in the second world war.


1994: Resolutions
Happy New Year everyone! We hope you ushered in the new year in fine fashion ... and now with that behind us, it's time to get serious about all of those things we promised to do to make our lives better in 2009 .... those pesky New Year's resolutions ... all made with the best of intentions ... and from year to year they generally seem to follow a similar pattern ... for example .... well let's leave it to former CHEX reporter Julia Caslin to fill us in on that .... in this report, filed back in 1994.
View the segment


1994: RIDE Program
It hardly seems possible, but it was 32 years ago that the RIDE Program began in this country. Locally, Peterborough City police and, in the County, the OPP began their RIDE programs 22 years ago, and some 7 years later here's how a Todd Purvis "RIDE" report looked in the early winter of 1994.
View the segment
Mothers Against Drunk Driving, (MADD) Canada estimates that in the past quarter century efforts to reduce the incidence of drinking and driving, by way of such things as the RIDE program, the designated driver initiative and simply increased awareness, have saved the lives of over 30 thousand Canadians. A figure based on stats that show alcohol related fatalities have in percentage terms been cut just about in half over the past 25 years.
We so often refer to the RIDE program by its acronym that many of us might not know what the letters R--I--D--E stand for .... well in case you don't: it's Reduced Impaired Driving Everywhere, a goal that is clearly being achieved.


1994: Sidewalk Repairs
It's the never ending challenge of any municipal council ... satisfying ratepayer's wants and needs, while staying on track with established budgets. It's never an easy task to which this report from October of '94 can attest.
View our report
Asphalt is still used as a means of providing an immediate remedy to deteriorating or damaged sidewalks that are considered a hazard, prior to their scheduled replacement.
In the latter 80s, the City, with the help of annual infrastructure stimulus programs from the province, was spending roughly a million dollars a year on sidewalk replacement. That dropped significantly during the lean years of the early to mid 90s when that report aired, but then rose 8-hundred thousand dollars a year, where it's remained for the past 10 years. It's an amount that the City's Maintenance Supervisor of Public Works, Brian Jobbitt relates that funds the replacement of some three thousand meters of sidewalk each year... just a fraction of the close to 360 thousand meters of sidewalk that line our city's streets. Jobbit adds that the life expectancy of a newly laid sidewalk is about fifty years.
John Taylor, who's self imposed mission was to keep City Hall on its toes, passed away in early 1999. He never did see new sidewalks on his stretch of McKellar Street; they weren't replaced until a couple of years ago some 13 years after our report aired and some 8 years after Taylor's death.


1994: Sir Sam's Inn Burns
It was early August 1994 when Sir Sam's Inn on Eagle's Lake in Haliburton was struck by fire. Bruce Anderson covered the story and filed this report.
View our report
Inn Keeper James Orr says they were never able to determine the exact cause of the close to one million dollar outbreak, that began on the 3rd floor of the structure.
Though a resulting reduction in available rooms did make for some lost business, remarkably, the facility was able to remain in operation without a break after the fire ... Meals were served in facility's ski chalet for a couple of weeks while the dining-room was put back to operating condition and the balance of the restoration, including a number of upgrades, was accomplished by year's end.
This year, by the way, marks the 30 th anniversary of Sir Sams Inn.


1994: Snow Storm
We've already had some snow in the Kawarthas this year but it was 14 years ago, almost to the day, that winter struck with a vengeance, one month, almost to the day, before the official start of winter. Bruce Anderson braved the elements to bring us this report.
View the segment


1994: Tim Hortons SmokeFree
15 years ago a local Tim Horton's outlet did what few other restaurants or fast food establishments would even contemplate in those days, it went completely smoke free. Here's how that story looked when reporter John McFadden covered it for us in January of 1994.
View the segment
It was in '94 that Queen's Park gave it's municipalities power to legislate the protection of citizens from second hand smoke ... and three years later, spearheaded by Medical officer of Health, Gary Humphries, Peterborough's first smoking bylaw came into effect marking the beginning of the end of smoking in the city's bars and restaurants. In the year 2000, the city of Peterborough would became one of the first four Ontario municipalities to eliminate smoking in Restaurants and Bars, except in approved ventilated smoking areas... which themselves would be eliminated when, in 2005, Ontario outlawed all smoking in the workplace.
Peterborough was, by the way, the first Ontario municipality to get a conviction after Tobacco Officer Ingrid Cathcart charged a patron with illegally smoking in a city bar in early 2000. And ... in just 5 days from now it will be illegal to smoke in a vehicle carrying a passenger younger than 16.


1994: VE Day 50th Anniversary
November 11 is of course the day when we recognize and honour Canadians who gave their lives in defense of freedom. And while the date, November 11th, is that on which World War 1 hostilities ended, it of course has come to officially recognize all wars in which Canadians fought and died. But also, throughout the year, veterans organizations and citizens officially recognize other major military events, such as VE Day. September of 1994, marked the very special 50th anniversary of the end of hostilities in Europe in World War 2 and Fred Rapson covered that for us.
View the segment


1994: Weather Office Change
For years, we relied on two meteorologists at the Peterborough Airport's Weather Station for our information.
Dave Irwin and Ray LaRocque would explain the latest systems affecting, or about to affect, our weather. But in the fall of '94 new technology was about to bring that daily relationship to an end. Reporter Web Morgan brought us up to date on a weather reporting system that itself was being brought up to date.
View the segment
With the system in place Dave Irwin and Ray LaRocque were able to retire the following spring, though a small glitch in the system offered an opportunity for one of them to return a year later. Laroque agreed to do so and put in roughly two more years on a contractual arrangement. Both, by the way, still reside in Peterborough, in the city's West end, not all that far from each other and yes they do get together occasionally.


1994: White Rose
It has been closed and empty for a number of years but there are plans for the former White Rose craft store at the corner of Lansdowne and Kawartha Heights Boulevard. This would simply be the latest redevelopment of an area that has seen it's share of controversy.
View our report


1994: Wray Budreo 1
In November 1993, convicted pedophile Wray Budreo was released from Kingston Penitentiary after serving time for sexual assaults on young boys. He came to Peterborough, where he was greeted by a storm of protest. Within hours of our exclusive interview (seen in our video report linked below), Budreo left Peterborough for Toronto. There he became involved with the circle of support and accountability program, which assists repeat offenders with no support system to re-integrate into the community. Since 1994, he has not re-offended.
View our report


1994: Wray Budreo 2
It was November of 1994 when a convicted Pedophile by the name of Wray Budreo was released from penitentiary in Kingston, and looking to take up residence in Peterborough. It unleashed a flood of protest that has probably not been equalled since and we fully covered the story including an exclusive interview by John Blake with Budreo who was forced to hide his identity to ensure his safety. Tonight we'll look at the very first story we aired on the Budreao issue 15 years ago.
View our report
One of the reasons he chose Peterborough was the support he was offered by Dan Haley who within a couple of years would become Peterborough Community Chaplain, and whose mandate was and is, amongst other things, to work with released offenders.

Because Budreo visited Haley's home at the time, it was assumed by some that he was living there. As a result Haley was bombarded with irate phone calls, even death threats .... a backlash that Haley today describes as horrendous. In fact for their safety, Haley had to remove his children from school for a couple of weeks and find alternate accommodation for them and his wife Sharon until things settled down. Budreo for his own safety, and to spare further reprisals on Haley, soon moved to Toronto, where, with a strong circle of support and accountability he remained on a program of drugs and councelling that effectively eliminated his sex drive and the fantacies that are so often integral to the Pedophelia condition, the very same program, by the way, that he was on when he came to Peterborough. Budreo passed away a couple of years ago but not before noting that society, in general, was gaining a better understanding of his condition. And, by the way, Budreo, never did re-offend thanks in large part to the support of people such as Dan Haley.


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1995

1995: Bridgenorth Tornado
Witnesses say it sounded like a runaway freight train coming across Chemong Lake.
The F-2 tornado that smashed into the village of Bridgenorth early on a summer, saturday morning caused millions of dollars damage.
As we hear in this report by Bruce Anderson, the strength of the storm was nothing compared with the strength of the community.
View our report
Remarkably, the storm caused no serious injuries, perhaps because it struck in the early morning while most people were still inside their homes.


1995: Ennismore Water
14 years ago a group of Ennismore citizens was pushing for the introduction of public water and sewage services in their community. It would be an ideal time they suggested: the Ontario Government was offering a grant and the results of various studies to assist in such a move. But almost as soon as the idea was proposed, another group of Ennismore rate-payers very vocally opposed the idea and that takes us to this report in 1995.
View our report
As it turned out, the "nay" group prevailed and Ennismore residents continue to draw their water from private wells and dispose of their waste in private septic beds. After the municipality of Smith, Ennismore, Lakefield was created by amalgamation in 2001, Bridgenorth ratepayers explored the idea of a switch to public water and sewage but armed with the Ennismore experience and seemingly prohibitive cost projections, now minus any government grants, the idea was quickly relegated to the back burner where it remains to this day.


1995: January Flood
It was just after Christmas that we got out first taste of early winter flooding, confined mainly to streets and roadways ... the result of well above average temperatures and rain on accumulated snow ...the same sort of thing that's happening right now out west.
You might recall that it was last year that record breaking early January temperatures here had that same effect. In fact on January 7, last year, Peterborough established a new record high of 13 celcius. The last time we'd seen temperatures approaching that range, for that date, was in 1995... and there definitely was some significant flooding that time.
Here's how then CHEX reporter Sandra Lummiss found things in the Marmora area 14 years ago this week.
View the segment


1995: John Berry Concert
He was a rising star in the new country music scene and John Berry was in Peterborough for a concert at the Memorial Centre. While here, he stopped in to Lansdowne Place mall, where he gave fans and would be fans a free preview of that evening's performance. From 1995, we present then CHEX Newswatch reporter Sandra Lummiss in our video report (link below).
While at Lansdowne Place, Berry discovered that the man who lent him the guitar for the impromptu performance had been unable to get tickets for that evenings show. As an expression of appreciation to the man who had helped him out, Berry saw to it that a pair of tickets were waiting for him at the Memorial Centre box office. John Berry continues to tour to this day.
View our report


1995: Peterborough Examiner Sale
It was in late May 1995 that, Torstar, the parent company of Metroland that runs Peterborough this Week, was looking to acquire Peterborough's daily newspaper the Peterborough Examiner. Scott Blodget covered that story.
Online video not available.
Metroland's owner Torstar, was in fact just one of three publishing companies looking to buy those Thompson owned newspapers in Ontario. Hollinger, then controlled by Conrad Black, was another and in fact turned out to be ultimate winner, taking over in July of '95. In 2001, the Examiner was purchased by Osprey Media Group, headed by Michael Sifton, former president of Hollinger Canadian Newspapers and a couple of years ago Osprey was acquired by Quebecor Media Group for over half a billion dollars, thereby creating Canada's largest newspaper publishing enterprise.
Hugh Nicholson, whom we saw in that report, left "Peterborough This Week" in 2001, became executive VP of LifeSuccess Publishing, served a stint in Winnipeg with weekly newspaper operation, and last fall became the Publisher of the Prince George Citizen on Canada's West Coast.


1995: Referendum
In the fall of 1995, the entire country was focused on the province of Quebec. A referendum on whether or not to begin the process of separation from Canada had canadians outside the province urging quebecers to vote "no" on separation. Late in october, several bus loads of Peterborough residents travelled to Montreal to take part in a "vote no" rally, and CHEX news director Wally Macht went with them.
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1995: Santa Claus Parade
It's that time of year when we begin to see more of that jolly old man in the red suit .... who is clearly honoured to appear in any parade especially one that is named after him. In this segment, we go back to 1995 for a look at the Lindsay Santa Claus Parade.
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1996

1996: Christmas Hamper Program
In this segment, we go back to December 1996 and the Salvation Army Christmas Hamper program that year. Here's how Kimberley Walker, covered that story as the process moved into the distribution phase.
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This year's Peterborough Christmas Hampers will be packed a week today for distribution to roughly six thousand recipients the following day, by way of fifteen large trucks and over fifty other vehicles. Nearly sixty vehicles will be required for the simultaneous toy delivery. In 2008, 573 volunteers contributed over three thousand hours to the Christmas Hamper program. As for cost, the Hamper program will consume about half of the Army's annual nearly four hundred thousand dollar "Hope For All Seasons" fundraising budget, which is fuelled by the Army's annual mail campaign, walk-in donations and the Christmas kettle drive.


1996: City Cemetery
The possible presence of graves in Confederation Park has complicated plans to build a new monument to Peterborough's veterans there. It was in 1996, that the presence of graves in another city park also made the news. John Blake gave us that story (link to video provided below).
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1996: Memorial Cup
In May 1996, the Peterborough Petes was the host team for the Memorial Cup - the canadian junior hockey championship. It was the first time the series was held in Peterborough and as John Blake reported, everyone was encouraged to get behind the team.
The Memorial Cup was won that year by the Granby Predateurs. Because of mild weather, the final game was delayed, thanks to a blanket of fog that hovered over the ice at the Memorial Centre. It was concern over conditions at the rink that eventually lead to a fourteen million dollar renovation of the centre.
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1996: Poverty
Action against poverty has been the focus of a number of interest groups for many years. Has the face of poverty changed in the past decade? You decide, as we revisit a report that John Blake put together on that issue from 1996, over 10 years ago.
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1996: The Screaming Tale
In 1996, in the midst of a recession, residents of Port Hope were outraged by what they say was "an attempt by a local restaurant to avoid paying it's employees". Scott Blodgett brought us that story (link to video provided below).
The Ministry of Labour agreed with the citizens of Port Hope and ruled that the 'agents of the company' were indeed employees and should be paid as such.
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1996: Video Lottery Terminals
They promised great profits for licensed establishments in the province: video lottery terminals. In 1996, Ontario was poised to introduce legislation allowing the VLT's to be installed, and as Amy Terrill told us back then in her report (link below), interest was very high.
Just a few months after amy filed that story, the Ontario government decided not to allow the installation of video lottery terminals in licensed establishments. The emphasis had now been placed on slot machines, to be set up in casinos and at horse racing tracks only.
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1996: Water Street Fire
To date, it is the last general alarm fire in the City of Peterborough. It broke out in the early morning of a frigid February day in 1996 and by the time it was extinguished, 13 people were homeless, 3 businesses were destroyed and every available firefighter in the city was on duty.
Damage to the building at the corner of Hunter and Water Streets was placed at one million dollars. The cause has never been determined. The ruined portion of the structure was demolished soon after, but its north end still stands....
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1996: Wolf Kill Haliburton
It was a tragic incident that continues to fuel debate over the relationship between humans and wildlife. In April 1996, twenty-four year old Tricia Wyman, an employee of a wildlife refuge in Haliburton, was attacked and killed by five captive wolves. Newswatch brought us that story. Our Newswatch reporter Craig McGuiness brought us that story.
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1996: Wretched Weather
In 1995, there was snow on the ground for almost the entire month of December but just one year later, those who were dreaming of a white Christmas weren't really sure it would be. .... but, as it turned out, it was, in just about the best way possible .... roughly a centimetre of snow on the ground, just enough for the right look ..... but not so much as to hamper holiday travel plans. In fact the first big snow storm of the month really didn't arrive until the end of December as this John Blake report, aired on the 31st. reveals.
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And so the year ended with a significant amount of snow on the ground, getting snow clearing crews well into the swing of things with winter fully entrenched just in time for the official beginning of 1997.


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1997

1997: County Policing
Ten years ago, the Ontario government ruled that municipalities needed to account for the money they spent on police services. At the same time, Queen's Park allowed them to approach different services in an effort to get the best deal. Peterborough County went through this process in the spring of 1997, pitting the OPP against the Peterborough City Police. Sandra Lummiss had that story (link to video provided below).
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1997: Johnson & Johnson Closure
In the late 1990's, the North American Free Trade Agreement was signed by the federal conservative government. Critics said that it would result in the closure of Canadian branch plants of U.S. companies, and the loss of jobs. In 1997, they could point to Peterborough and the closure of Johnson & Johnson as proof (link to video provided below).
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1997: Stock Car Racing
In 1997 the Peterborough area had one stock car racing track, Peterborough Speedway. In the spring of that year, the owners of the Kawartha Downs harness racing track decided to offer stock car racing as well, a decision that caused concern amongst some neighbours of the downs. Kimberly Walker, now Kimberly Coulter, brought us that story (link to video provided below).
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1997: Trentway Free Rides
It all began when Trentway Wagar received a local Justice of the Peace ruling that agreed to combine a couple of its licenses allowing it to transport passengers directly via the 115 to downtown Toronto, Greyhound, already licensed to make that same trip, didn't agree....and turned to the Ontario Highway Transport Board which had just been give authority to investigate such matters. Trentway Wagar was instructed to cease and decist, but knew it could still transport its passengers via the 115 legally, if they weren't charged a fare, and in an effort to keep already established clientel until an appeal to a division court was heard, that's exactly what it did. That's where Sandra Lummis picked up the story in the spring of 1997. . .
View the segment
As it turned out, Greyhound won the decision. After a brief attempt to travel via less efficient routes, for which it was licensed, Trentway Wagar ceased all commuter trips to Downtown Toronto, leaving Greyhound once again the exclusive provider of such service. Coincidentally, just last week, an All Party Legislative Committee began hearing a slight modification to the transportation act, at which Jim Devlin made a petitioned for Industry deregulation.




1998

1998: Apsley Flooding
Ten years ago, spring in this area was marked by mild temperatures and heavy rain that combined to put pressure on water courses including Eels Creek in North Kawartha Township. As Kimberly Coulter reported back then, residents did what they could to battle the rising waters but often, it wasn't enough.
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The Eels Creek area hasn't seen such flooding since Kimberly produced her report in 1998. Peterborough however, was hit with the flood of 2004 that arrived without warning.


1998: Keene TD Bank
Ten years ago, residents of Keene rallied to save it's bank. The Toronto Dominion Bank announced it would close its branch in the village but as Pete Dalliday reported, residents of Keene were not letting it go without a fight.
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The citizens of Keene were not long without banking services. The Kawartha Credit Union opened a branch in the former bank premises within a few months.


1998: Nick Jones
It all happened so quickly. One minute a group of boys was skateboarding on a construction site in Bobcaygeon .... the next minute, one lay injured and one lay dead. From 1998, Laura Lauzon has the story.
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The site where Nick Jones died was later cleared and redeveloped as a site of single family dwelling.




misc

Cenotaph
This Flashback feature departs somewhat from the norm, in that we go back to a story that we, at CHEX Television, did not cover. Back to a time, before television. In this case, 80 years back, to an extraordinary moment at the unveiling of the new Citizen's War Memorial in Confederation Square, across from where Peterborough City Hall now is.
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Polar Plunge
2010 marks the 30th anniversary of the BEL Rotary Polar Plunge on Chemong Lake. We don't have any footage to show you of that very first plunge organized by the Bridgenorth, Ennismore, Lakefield Rotary Club back in 1980, but we have edited together some of the earliest video we do have from the late 80's and early 90s - which explains some of the obvious variations in weather conditions through the piece.
View our report
The event actually began as a three day winter carnival that included log sawing, snowmobile races, a sno-pitch tournament, rides, live entertainment, even a demolition derby.
When the carnival eventually proved financially unsuccessful, it was pared down to just the Plunge, always on the first Sunday of February, with jumpers encouraged to seek out their own pledges for charity. So successful has the event proved, that over half a million dollars has been raised in those 30 years since its beginning, some years bringing in more than $30 thousand dollars, with always sixty percent going to the jumpers' favourite charities and forty percent to the work of BEL Rotary.
And who holds the record for the most jumps?
Well, it probably comes as no surprise, it's Doug Northey of Chemong Lodge ..... he's taken the frigid plunge 25 times, once in the buff believe it or not .... in fact a Northey family member has jumped every year since its beginning including Doug's own grandfather who took the plunge in 1980 and 81. And today Doug's children Mitchell and Rageena carry on the family tradition.
On only one occasion since 1980 did the plunge have to be cancelled and that because of insufficient ice in 1983. The thinnest useable ice cover recorded was roughly 15 centimeters ... the thicklest? well over 75 centimeteres, in the bitterly cold winter of 1985. Over the years there have been jumpers from New Zealand, Japan, Australia, Switzerland, Germany, Mexico and the United States. And the plunge has enjoyed widespread media coverage to both nationally and internationally.....even getting a mention on the "Rick Mercer Report" a couple of years ago.





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