Registration For Spring and Summer Recreation Opens Wednesday
/Registration for City of Peterborough spring and summer recreation programs and spring swimming lessons begins at 7 a.m. on Wednesday.
Photo courtesy of the City of Peterborough.
Peterborough Blogs
2024 PolarFest Running at Full Force For Selwyn Township
/Winter has never been more fun for Selwyn Township, as the 2024 PolarFest is in full swing for three days, beginning this Friday and ending Sunday.
Photo courtesy of Selwyn Township.
The Opening Ceremony and Fireworks begin at 6:30 p.m. on Friday at Chemong Lodge. At 6:45 p.m., fireworks will be set off on Chemong Lake.
The Causeway is the host site for the Guns and Hoses Charity Hockey Game. Local police and fire service members will face off at 8 p.m. at the Ennismore Community Centre. The fundraiser aims to beat last year’s mark of $2,000 in food and money for the Bridgenorth and Lakefield Food Banks by bringing a non-perishable food item or cash donation.
On Saturday, the Lakefield Ice Sculpture Competition is back at Cenotaph Park. Ice carvings are going on display, created by professional chefs. Festival goers can vote for their favourite cultures between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. The Top Carver is being crowned at The Loon at 5 p.m. Take a ride back in time as Chemong Lodge is hosting its third-annual 80’s Retro Apres Ski Party with a booze luge, DJ, ice bar and prizes for those best dressed from noon to 4 p.m..
On Sunday, the Bridgenorth-Ennismore-Lakefield (BEL) Rotary Polar Plunge begins at 2 p.m. on the Ennismore side of the Causeway. This year’s theme features ‘Barbie’ costumes.
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City of Peterborough Releases Fall Fun Guide
/Fall Fun Guides for recreational and leisure programs have been released by The City of Peterborough and is available online with printed copies expected to be available at various locations starting on Thursday.
Stock photo.
The City is offering several recreational programs and services for people of all ages and abilities. Residents can register for programs online, by phone or in person.
The programs take place at the Peterborough Sport and Wellness Centre, Community Arenas, the Peterborough Public Library, the Peterborough Museum and Archives and the Art Gallery of Peterborough.
Registration for fall instructional swimming opens on Aug.30, starting at 7 a.m. or one day earlier for Peterborough Sport and Wellness Centre members starting on Aug. 29 at 7 a.m.
Registration for fall skating lessons, martial arts, dance, adult fitness and sports opens on Aug.16, starting at 7 a.m. or one day earlier for Peterborough Sport and Wellness Centre members starting on Aug. 15 at 7 a.m.
For more information, contact Recreation Services customer service staff at 705-742-0050.
Printed copies of the Fall Fun Guide can be picked up at the following locations:
City Hall, 500 George St. N.
Peterborough Sport and Wellness Centre, 775 Brealey Dr.
Healthy Planet Arena, 911 Monaghan Rd.
Kinsmen Civic Centre, 1 Kinsmen Way
Peterborough Public Library, 345 Aylmer St. N.
Peterborough Museum and Archives, 300 Hunter St. E.
Art Gallery of Peterborough, 250 Crescent St.
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City of Peterborough Invites All To Participate In Celebration 40th Anniversary of Heritage Hunt
/The Peterborough Architectural Conservation Advisory Committee (PACAC) is launching its 40th annual Heritage Hunt contest running from Aug. 1 to Sept. 16, announced on Tuesday.
“Since 1983, PACAC has been organizing the Heritage Hunt as a way to explore and celebrate our city’s collection of heritage buildings,” said Stewart Hamilton, PACAC Chair. “We are proud to be continuing this tradition 40 years on.”
PACAC invites everyone to test their knowledge of Peterborough’s architectural heritage for the chance to win a prize. Participants must identify 35 architectural details on buildings in a defined area of the city. All details are visible from the sidewalk and both sides of the street are in play.
This year’s hunt takes place in downtown Peterborough and East City.
A fillable form and map can be found online.
Booklets can also be picked up at the reception desk at City Hall, located at 500 George St. N., during regular business hours.
Prizes will be awarded in both individual and group categories for the correct identification of the most architectural elements. This year, there is also a bonus riddle for the chance to earn extra points.
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GreenUp Kicks Off Inaugural Summer Ride Club With Passport Challenge
/Peterborough got a unique biking experience to kick off the inaugural GreenUP’s Summer Ride Club to offer cyclers a ride club passport challenge at Quaker Foods City Square on Thursday.
Going over the bumps proves to be no problem for Marcel Hannah, 9, as he was one of the first kids to trying out the cycling course at the rear of the park. Photo by David Tuan Bui.
The event marked the beginning of summer vacation for many Peterborough and Kawartha students. The event sent students of all ages cycling into summer challenges with a cycling festival, prize draws, events and more.
A ride club passport was available at the event’s launch that features nine weeks of ride challenges for nine weeks of summer. Throughout the nine weeks, participants will use their passports to plan routes, learn bike safety and explore different avenues of the city.
“It could be a beach, it could be a splash pad, close to your house, far away from your house,” said Ashley Burnie, GreenUp active transportation program coordinator. “The adventure is up to you, This will help encourage you to do fun cycling things all summer long.”
Pop-up events, an online community and submitting the passport at the end of the program give a chance to win prizes. Participants can pick up a passport anytime from GreenUP and B!KE: The Community Bike Shop.
The cycling fun fair featured amenities such as bike checks from B!KE: The Community Bike Shop, Wild Rock and Fontaine, pick up cycling community resources from the City of Peterborough and the Peterborough Bicycling Advisory Committee (PBAC) and two interactive bike playgrounds. Entertainment from local theatrics professional Tim Holland, a chance to create bike buttons with the Peterborough Library and sign up for the Summer Ride Club community from GreenUP were present at the event to keep maintain children’s interest in cycling.
“It's always hard to get our kids moving over the summer. It can be easy to fall out of routine,” said Burnie. “Say you've been cycling to school all school year long, it helps maintain that routine so in September, you're ready to go. You've been biking, you have more skills and because of that, you're more confident in cycling.”
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City of Peterborough Community Activities for National Indigenous History Month and Pride Month 2023
/Activities are being held throughout the community, including at City of Peterborough facilities, for residents to take part in National Indigenous History Month and Pride Month in June.
photo courtesy of the city of peterborough.
Highlights from the activities at City of Peterborough facilities:
Art Gallery of Peterborough
250 Crescent St.
Exhibition: Special Project: Tea with the Queens, June 7 to June 29, 2023
Opening reception for new exhibitions, June 7, 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Afternoon Tea with the Queens, June 11 and 14, 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. and June 11, 13, and 22, 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Indigenous Day Celebrations at Hiawatha First Nation: Art Gallery of Peterborough tent; June 17, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Peterborough Public Library
345 Aylmer St. N.
PA Day Family Movie: Indigenous Cinema Shorts for Children, June 9, 10:15 a.m. to 11:15 a.m.
Crafternoon: Beaded Rings with Malinda Gray, June 10, 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Teen Book Club: Firekeeper's Daughter by Angeline Boulley, June 13, 4 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Sunset Story Time with Betty Baker, June 16, 6:30 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Non-fiction Book Club: Unreconciled: Family, Truth, and Indigenous Resistance by Jesse Wente, June 20, 7 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Summer Solstice Story Time, National Indigenous Peoples Day at Millennium Park, 130 King St., June 21, 10:30 a.m. to 11 a.m.
10 Indigenous Titles You Should Read this Month featured at the Seniors Showcase, Peterborough Sport and Wellness Centre, 775 Brealey Dr., June 21, 10:30 a.m. to 11:15 a.m.
Tween Book Club: Barren Grounds by David Robertson, June 22, 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Friday Film & Discussion: Voices Across the Water, June 23, 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Adult Book Club: A Minor Chorus by Billy-Ray Belcourt, June 27, 2 p.m. to 3 p.m.
Gord Downie & Chanie Wenjack Legacy Space, open during library hours
Peterborough Museum and Archives
300 Hunter St. E.
‘To Honour and Respect: Gifts from the Michi Saagiig Women to the Prince of Wales’ exhibit, open during museum hours until mid-November
Quillwork Workshops, June 21, 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., registration required
Pride Flag Scavenger Hunt, during open hours all through June
Pride Craft based on the book ‘My Rainbow’ and Stories station, during open hours all through June
Indigenous Day Kids Crafts, June 21, during open hours
Interpretive tours of the ‘To Honour and Respect: Gifts from the Michi Saagiig Women to the Prince of Wales’ exhibit, available June 21, watch for details on the Museum website and social media
The City of Peterborough’ s Public Art Program invites you to visit The Nogojiwanong Project
The Nogojiwanong Project, located at the south end of Millennium Park, was a collaboration undertaken in the spirit of kinship between local First Nations, Indigenous peoples, and the City of Peterborough in recognition of the 200th anniversary of Rice Lake Treaty No. 20. Through the collaboration, this gathering space was created to encourage learning and reflection with a series of interpretive panels highlighting the evolution of local treaties and inherent rights of Indigenous peoples. The “Gathering” provides the focal point for the space.
Michael Belmore’s, entitled “Gathering,” complements the panels and anchors the space. It consists of a grouping of glacial erratic boulders, carved, lined with copper, and fitted so that they sit slightly apart and seemingly radiate heat. The stones are embellished with the Treaty 20 Clan Totems or Dodems as they are called in Anishinaabemowin.
Nogojiwanong is an Anishinaabe word meaning “place at the foot of the rapids” and the name given to the gathering place, at the bottom of a turbulent stretch of the Otonabee River, renamed Peterborough by European settlers.
Millennium Park forms the present-day landfall and eddy along the western shoreline. It is also the site of the trailhead to the Chemong Portage – a six- or seven-mile historic footpath between the Otonabee River and Chemong Lake.
The Nogojiwanong Project location acknowledges these ancestral lands and the thousands of years the Michi Saagiig navigated this route between their winter camps and traditional fishing grounds at the mouth of the Ganaraska River on Lake Ontario.
City of Peterborough Celebrating Recreation and Parks Month With Community Events and Activities Throughout June
/The City of Peterborough is recognizing Recreation and Parks month- a movement that promotes the benefits of recreation and parks for physical, social and environmental health- with local programs and events available throughout the month of June.
photo courtesy of the city of peterborough.
Access to parks and recreation helps foster personal health, wellbeing, strong communities and social inclusion.
Throughout the month of June, a wide variety of free activities, events and giveaways will be taking place across the community. There is something for everyone, regardless of age or ability.
The City says this project has been made possible in part by the Government of Canada.
"The City of Peterborough is well known for our incredible green spaces, the Otonabee River and Little Lake, parks and recreational/sports opportunities,” says Councillor Lesley Parnell, Chair of the City’s Arenas, Parks and Recreation Portfolio. “Please get out and enjoy the many free events and activities to expand your quality of life in our beautiful City.”
Highlight of events:
June 1: All abilities Try It Pickleball from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Wellness Centre gym B/C
June 5: It’s World Environment Day! Leave the car and walk, bike, or take the bus today
June 9: P.A. Day Fun Swim for all ages from 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the Wellness Centre
June 10: Dragon Boat Festival returns to Del Crary Park. This all-day family-friendly event supports Peterborough Regional Health Centre to invest in state-of-the-art technology to serve more cancer patients. Visit the Peterborough Dragon Boat website for more information.
June 12: Wellness Centre Client Appreciation Day
June 17: Power Yoga in the Park for all ages at Rogers Cove from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m.
June 18: Happy Father’s Day! Celebrate with a Fun Swim for all ages at the Wellness Centre from 12:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.
June 20: Downtown Youth Space will host a Mini Olympics event in Confederation Square from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. for all ages.
June 23: Zumba Dance Party happening downtown at the Quaker Foods City Square from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Bring your dance moves and energy for a fun-filled evening that is open for all ages.
June 29: Let’s Bike Event in Partnership with Green Up will take place at Quaker Foods City Square from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.
July 1: Canada Day celebrations start at 10 a.m. on Saturday, July 1, with pre-parade activities in Confederation Square, followed by the Canada Day Parade presented by Cogeco, beginning at noon. Join us along George Street from City Hall to Morrow Park.
Ongoing programs and facilities:
Visit Peterborough Regional Farmers’ Market in Quaker Foods City Square from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. every Wednesday and Saturday.
Check out the Riverview Park and Zoo to visit the animals and have fun on the largest playground in the City.
Skate your way into summer by visiting the local Skateboard Park at 560 McDonnel St.
Did you know? In partnership with local school boards, Fleming College and Trent University, there are over 80 fields and courts available to the community. Visit your closest park and try out a new sport!
Splash pads are open for the season with hours of operation from 9 a.m.to 8 p.m. daily. Visit the website for locations.
Public beaches at Beavermead Park, 2011 Ashburnham Dr., and Rogers Cove, 131 Maria St., will open for the season on July 1, 2023. Beaches are staffed with trained lifeguards from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. each day.
Community wading pools will open July 1 for the season, operating from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily. To learn more about outdoor beaches and wading pools, visit the City’s website.
Quaker Foods City Square Skating Rink Sees Thursday as Last Day of Operation
/Due to warmer weather in the forecast over the next couple of weeks, Quaker Foods City Square’s outdoor skating rink has Thursday as its last day of operation until next fall/winter.
Quaker Foods City Square officially opened in December 2022 on Charlotte Street, just east of Aylmer Street, next to the King Street Parkade. Photo by David Tuan bui.
Peterborough is expected to receive up to 10 mm of rain for Friday. The following two weeks the forecast calls for daytime highs of about 5C with lots of sunshine according to The City of Peterborough. The combination of warmer weather and sunny days will signal the end of the successful inaugural skating season at Quaker Foods City Square.
Signs will be posted at the skating rink to indicate if the rink is open or closed due to maintenance or for the season.
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'Champions of Magic' to Mystify the Peterborough Memorial Centre This Friday
/Five world-class illusionists from Champions of Magic are bringing their live magical production to the Peterborough Memorial Centre stage on Friday.
Photo courtesy of Champions of Magic.
Described as the ‘Avengers of Magic,’ the United Kingdom group has been touring since 2013.
The family-friendly show happens all around the theatre and promises interactive magic, escape from Houdini’s water torture cell, illusions, levitation and a ‘finale beyond explanation.’
“There’s two types of people at these shows; the people who don’t want to know how it (magic) works and the people that so desperately want to know,” says Alex McAleer, Champions of Magic’s mind reader. “But it’s half the fun trying to figure out how it’s done. People’s guesses of how things work are often more crazy than the trick itself.”
McAleer, who has been with the show since it started, says the group has performed nearly 500 shows.
“Canadian audiences are always great. It’s much harder to impress an English audience,” he jokes. “You guys just appreciate entertainment more.”
PTBOCanada’s Felicia Massey and David Bui speak with Alex McAleer of Champions of Magic. Photo by Samantha Bianco.
The show starts at 7 p.m. and runs for approximately two hours and 15 minutes (including one intermission).
Tickets ranging from $55 to $99.50 are on sale now and can be purchased online at www.memorialcentre.ca, over the phone at 705-743-3561 or in person at the Grant Thornton Box Office. The box office is open for in-person sales on Wednesdays to Fridays from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
YMCA of Central East Ontario To Sign On To Canada-Wide Early Learning and Child Care System
/The YMCA of Central East Ontario will sign on to the Canada-Wide Early Learning and Child Care (CWELCC) system along with the other 13 YMCA associations across Ontario announced Tuesday.
File photo.
