Construction is well ahead of schedule for the Burnham Street watermain repair in Lakefield.
Earlier this year, council approved starting work on the watermain replacement on Burnham Street. This work was originally scheduled for 2028, however staff felt there was an opportunity to begin work now, to coincide with work being done to rebuild the old Home Hardware location on Queen Street.
Over the last 10 years, there have been multiple watermain breaks along Burnham Street, specifically between Charlotte and Queen Street.
In 2024, during a valve replacement in the watermain, staff took the opportunity to fully inspect the watermain line and determined it to be in poor condition. From that inspection, it was determined that detail design and replacement should be considered in future budgets. These were then included in the 2025 Capital Budget.
However, in 2027 there is expected to be major roadwork done on the Lakefield Bridge repair which is expected to impact traffic. This could create logistical challenges and potential budget impacts on this project, the tender, and construction of the watermain replacement would be deferred until 2028 or beyond.
Over the last several weeks, the work on Burnham Street has been progressing quickly. Adam Tobin, manager of public works gave an update to council on the project during Tuesday afternoon’s council meeting.
Jerry Denham representing the Peterborough Navel Association and Ralph Smith with the Korean Vets Unit #8, walk up to lay a wreath during the Bridgenoth Remembrance Day service hosted on Nov. 4 at Heritage Park.
The township of Selwyn had a successful first year as operators of the Lakefield Campground.
During Tuesday afternoon’s Council meeting, staff gave an update on how the first year as operators for the site went.
Selwyn Township took over operations of the Lakefield Campground, located adjacent to the Lakefield Beach, on November 1, 2025.
Otonabee conservation (ORCA) had previously been operating the site since 2022 in partnership with the township. The township and ORCA entered into a partnership after the township terminated their agreement with a private operator.
At that time, it was agreed that ORCA would take over operations, opening up the campground and creating more offerings such as canoe rentals.
However, ORCA terminated their agreement in March of 2025 with a letter that stated, “As previously discussed on several occasions, there are significant operational issues and challenges with the Operating Agreement which have become evident during the term of the Agreement. As a result, it has become clear that the financial and operational risks are such that it is not prudent for the Authority to continue carrying out the administration and operations of the campground beyond the current season.”
Peterborough County, ON – Peterborough County recognizes and thanks the members of County Council who are concluding their terms following the 2022–2026 term of Council.
The November 4, 2026, Council meeting marked the final meeting of the current term of Council and provided an opportunity to reflect on the work accomplished over the past four years, recognize the years of service contributed by outgoing members, and acknowledge the important role of elected officials in representing their communities.
Unfortunately, technical difficulties affected the livestream of the meeting on the County’s YouTube channel, preventing the public from properly seeing and hearing the proceedings. A subsequent review confirmed that the Zoom recording also did not capture audio or visuals. The County sincerely regrets that residents were unable to fully experience this important meeting, particularly on a day intended to recognize and celebrate the contributions of outgoing members of Council.
To ensure the reflections and recognition shared during this special occasion are not lost, the County is pleased to share messages from its departing members.
This short documentary is a portrait of a tiny town, Lakefield, Ontario, and its independent weekly, the Herald. Across North America, newspapers are dying, but in Lakefield, Terry McQuitty, the town paper’s publisher, carries on a rich, 150-year-old tradition. Set to the pace of small-town life, Unheralded is a testament to the vital role newspapers can still play, and the close bond between reporter and reader.
