The Good Baker YPQ Lands As Peterborough Airport Restaurant

The Good Baker YPQ has landed in Peterborough Airport as its new restaurant in the terminal building announced on Thursday.

Peterborough Airport serves as an aerospace and education employment centre, supporting over 500 direct jobs and hosting more than 20 businesses on-site. the last restaurant operator departed in 2021. Photo courtesy of the City of Peterborough.

The restaurant has added seating areas that overlook the airport’s apron and runway activity.

It is open daily from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the airport terminal building, 925 Airport Rd., serving a range of breakfast and lunch options and pastries. 

Since the late 1960s, Peterborough Airport has featured a restaurant which has been a destination for visitors, people who work at the airport's businesses, pilots passing through and others who want to enjoy a meal while watching planes come and go. 

“The Airport restaurant is a vital connection to the regional community, and we’re excited about the delicious offerings from The Good Baker YPQ,” said Kyle Bruce Peterborough Airport administration manager. “The restaurant serves as a destination for young families, fostering a passion for aviation among young enthusiasts.” 

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BST Vacations Announces Its 2024 Lineup of Nine Travel Destinations

BST Vacations (Blowes & Stewart Travel Group Ltd) has released its 2024 lineup of destinations for its Peterborough Departures program with nine destinations.

FIle Photo.

In 2024 BST Vacations will be travelling to:

• Charleston, S.C.

• St. John’s, Nfld

• Memphis, Tenn.

• Quebec City, Que.

• Montreal, Que.

• Niagara-on-the-Lake, Southern Ont.

• Île du Havre aux Maisons, Magdalen Islands

• Five nights in New York City OR a five-night cruise to Bermuda on NCL Joy embarking from NYC.

October of 2024 marks a decade since the first Peterborough Charter. In celebration of the 10th anniversary of the departure program, BST is heading back to New York City and passengers will be able to choose their adventure and enjoy five nights in NYC or enjoy a five-night hosted cruise to Bermuda embarking from NYC on a Norwegian Cruise Lines Ship, Joy. The cruise will be hosted by Scott Stewart, President of BST Vacations and Dana Empey, Vice President of BST Vacations.

“We are pleased to be able to continue to grow the charter program and to try new things,” said Scott Stewart, President of BST Vacations. “None of this would be possible without the support from the community and our past passengers, and for that we are so grateful.

Food and beverages are included in the flight and are all locally sourced. Continental breakfast and in-flight meals are hand-picked and made to order the morning of the flight by Sobeys Catering department on Lansdowne Street. Spirits and beer on board are from local distilleries and craft brewers.

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Photos: Peterborough Cadet Units Celebrate Annual Ceremonial Review at the Peterborough Airport

The local Peterborough Cadet Units (534 Raider, 2672 Hasty P's, 112 Howe) held their Annual Ceremonial Review this past Sunday, June 4 at the Peterborough Airport.

All photos by Felicia Massey.

The parade was attended by this year's reviewing officer, Brigadier-General Jamie Speiser-Blanchet, Formation Commander of the Cadets and Junior Canadian Rangers Group.

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Hometown PTBO: Scott Stewart On Bringing Passenger Flights to Peterborough Airport

This week on Hometown PTBO, Pete Dalliday talks with Scott Stewart, Blowes & Stewart Travel Group president about bringing passenger flights to the Peterborough Airport, being able to fly again last year after a three-year hiatus and how the company determines flight destinations.

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Largest Passenger Aircraft to Depart the Peterborough Airport Leaves For New York City

BST Vacations (Blowes & Stewart Travel Group Ltd) has started their 2023 Peterborough Departures program, with their first charter of the season leaving the Peterborough Airport for a long weekend in New York City Thursday morning.

photo by felicia massey.

Passengers departed on a Boeing 737-800 – the largest aircraft in Nolinor’s fleet – which left for the Big Apple at 10 a.m.

This aircraft is also the largest passenger aircraft to land or take off from the Peterborough Airport, with a carrying capacity of 189 passengers.

“We are thrilled to be working with Nolinor Airlines’, says Scott Stewart, President of BST Vacations. “Having access to an aircraft of this size will allow us to grow our Peterborough Departures program, and allow us to move more people to more destinations in the future.”

All photos by Felicia Massey.

BST Vacations is travelling to their three best selling destinations of all time in 2023, including St. John’s, Newfoundland, New York City and Nashville, TN, as well as adding Austin, TX as a new destination to the list. While St. John’s and Nashville are sold out, there is limited space available on the departure to Austin, Texas from May 4 to 7.

They say passengers can expect a truly enjoyable, hassle free travel experience without the headache of battling traffic, and without the additional expense that comes along with flying from a large airport (food, parking, baggage fees, stopover hotel, etc.).

“I am over the moon, our entire team is over the moon,” continued Stewart. “We’ve been building towards this day for seven years.”

The New York City trip is $1,889 per person (tax included) and includes three nights at the New York Marriott Marquis in Times Square, with breakfast and other amenities included.

Food and beverage are all locally sourced and included on the flight. This is part of BST’s community first initiative, where rather than outsourcing the food and beverage to the airline, they bring it on themselves and support local businesses.

Continental breakfast and in flight meals are hand picked and made to order the morning of the flight by Sobeys Catering department on Lansdowne Street. Spirits and beer on board are from local distilleries and craft brewers, and in 2022 BST Vacations served the Publican House Pet Pilsner onboard and were able to collect $1,500 in donations for the Humane Society’s Pet Project.

For full details on the 2023 departures, visit the website.

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Jim Carrey Spotted In Peterborough While Scouting Filming Locations For Ace Ventura 3

UPDATE: 12:20 p.m. 01/04/23

APRIL FOOLS! Did we get you? Jim Carrey was sighted at Peterborough Airport in 2014. It is said that he has property in the Buckhorn area.

Renowned actor Jim Carrey was recently spotted in Peterborough and several other local spots, scouting potential filming locations for his next movie, Ace Ventura 3.

Twitter Photo.

The Newmarket native has had ties to Peterborough, owning a cottage in the Bancroft area and spending several days there in between shoots.

He reached out to fellow Canadian actress Linda Kash at Market Hall (best known for her role as the Philadelphia Cream Cheese angel) to collaborate and help find potential filming spots in town.

“Both of us were big in the 90s and I don’t know how we never had the chance to work together,” explained Kash. “When he called me and asked for my help, I couldn’t say no. I’ve always loved watching him and was a big inspiration to me when I was starting my acting career.”

A movie poster teaser of Ace Ventura 3. A sequel for the series’s third incarnation ahs been 18 years in the making.

Carrey’s movie series, ‘Ace Ventura’ is reputable for its plot of the title character of a pet detective rescuing captive or missing animals.

One spot Kash recommended was the Riverview Park and Zoo as Carrey was brainstorming ideas for exotic animals to be missing in his upcoming film, according to Cathy Mitchell, zoo program supervisor.

“Jim was discussing ideas of what animals we could showcase for his upcoming film,” she explained. “We made suggestions of our beloved otters, Hazard the lynx and several other animals but he was particularly fond of Pablo, our 10-year-old Capybara. We’re incredibly honoured that our beautiful Pablo could become a movie star in the near future.”

Pablo celebrated his 10th birthdya on Valentine’s day. Photo courtesy of Riverview Park & Zoo.

The Peterborough Memorial Centre was in the presence of Carrey as the Peterborough Petes’s mascot Roger was discussed as a potential ‘missing animal’ for the third movie. This would follow in the footsteps of the first movie as it used ‘Snowflake,’ an actual dolphin that was kidnapped while being the Miami Dolphins’ mascot in Ace Ventura: Pet Detective.

“Roger has been an incredible and iconic mascot for the Peterborough Petes for the past 12 years,” said Adam King, Petes director of marketing. “To potentially see him on a big stage with an actor as famous as Jim Carrey would be wonderful for the Petes organization and Peterborough.

Peterborough Petes Mascot Roger, caught by surprise at the Canada Day Parade last year. Photo by David Tuan Bui

Kash recommended Peterborough Lift Lock as another filming location for the movie. Carrey said the unique structure could be a perfect spot as a climax scene for the movie as a ‘final showdown’ according to Chad Buchner, Ontario Waterways manager of canal operations.

“With the way the Lift Lock was built and how it operates, Jim told me that there are several angles he could go with filming scenes here,” he explained. “We could have someone falling from atop the Lift Lock, get trapped underneath the water or a boat chase scene along the Trent-Severn Waterway. The possibilities are practically endless.”

File Photo.

A projected date has not yet been released for Carrey’s third movie in the series.

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Peterborough Airport 2023 Lineup of Destinations Announced

Blowes & Stewart Travel Group Ltd. (BST Vacations) announces 2023 lineup of destinations through their Peterborough Departures program at the Peterborough Airport.

File photo.

BST Vacations will be travelling to their top four best selling destinations of all time and adding one new destination to the lineup this year. This includes flights to New York City, St. John's, Newfoundland, Boston, Massachusetts, Nashville, Tennessee and Austin, Texas.

“2022 was a very exciting and successful return to the program after not being able to run for 2 years during the pandemic. That success would not have been possible without the support of our past passengers,” says Scott Stewart, president of BST Vacations. “At the end of the 2022 season, we asked (passengers) for destination suggestions for 2023. Overwhelmingly our passengers asked us to return to cities that we visited previously over the past 9 years of the program.”

BST Vacations says passengers can expect the same, hassle free flights the service has always offered, minus the traffic that comes from travelling to Toronto for a flight.

Food and beverage is included with your flight, and is all locally sourced. BST’s “community first initiative” aims to support Peterborough local businesses rather than outsourcing the food and beverage to the airline. Continental breakfast and in-flight meals are hand picked and made to order the morning of the flight by the catering department at Sobeys on Lansdowne Street.

Spirits and beer on board are from local distilleries and craft brewers. BST Vacations served the Publican House Pet Pilsner onboard in 2022, and were able to collect $1,500 in donations for the Humane Society’s Pet Project.

They are also welcoming a new Airline Partner for the 2023 season, Nolinor Airlines. Founded in 1992, Nolinor Aviation is the largest airline carrier offering specialized commercial charter flights in Canada.

The Boeing 737-800 is the largest aircraft in their fleet, and can carry 189 passengers. This aircraft type is part of the Boeing 737 Next Generation series and is the aircraft that will be used for the 2023 season flights. BST says this is the largest passenger aircraft to ever land/take off from the Peterborough Airport.

“We have given the people what they want, added Austin as a new destination, and are able to accommodate more passengers with the larger aircraft. We look forward to an amazing season of travel and exploring,” says Stewart.

For more information like departures dates and times from the Peterborough Airport, visit the BST website.

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City Seeking Peterborough Airport Restaurant Operator

The City of Peterborough is seeking an established Food Service operator at the Peterborough Airport through a Request for Proposals process announced on Wednesday.

File Photo.

The restaurant was constructed as part of the Air Terminal building in 2011. The building has three wings made up of a City-owned restaurant facility with a capacity for 50 patrons, an airport lobby and administrative offices for Airport management and operations.

The City of Peterborough is seeking to establish a long-term operating agreement to provide food services at the airport.

Anyone interested in submitting proposals to provide food services at the airport can find information regarding RFP-32-22 online at Bids and Tenders - City Of Peterborough.

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Blowes And Stewart Travel Group Celebrates Their Second Peterborough Departure

Blowes and Stewart Travel Group embarked on their second departure of 2022 from Peterborough to Nashville, last week.

When guests arrived to the Peterborough Airport on Thursday morning their bags were taken straight from their car, passports were checked and security precautions taken quickly. Travelers were able to park their vehicle on site and board the plane.

After a smooth takeoff passengers were served complimentary drink and food from local Peterborough businesses.

Beer came from The Publican house, spirits from Blacks Distillery and a light lunch from Sobeys.

Upon arrival to Nashville, travelers boarded a bus that took them directly to their hotel.

BST offered travelers the option to partake in exclusive group tours during their trip. Options included day trips to The Grand Ole Opry, The Jack Daniels Distillery and The Hermitage. Those that decided not to take advantage of these excursions explored the city at their own pace, with BST representatives at the hotel to answer any questions.

After four days in Music City, a bus picked travelers up at their hotel and took them directly to their gate at the Nashville Airport.

Blowes & Stewart Travel Group will return to Nashville from Peterborough Sept. 15 - 18.

Their next open Peterborough Departure is to Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, followed by trips to Las Vegas and Georgia.

For more details, prices and dates visit bstvacations.ca/2022-departures/.

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Peterborough Airport Soars Again With First Chartered Flight Since 2019

It was a three-year flight delay but Peterborough Airport had its first chartered trip this year, sending 107 passengers off to New Orleans, La. on Thursday morning.

This is the eight year BST Vacations has offered departures from the Peterborough Airport. Photo by David Tuan Bui.

The flight was from Blowes & Stewart Travel Group (BST), flying a Boeing 737-400 that will return on Sunday as part of their three-day travel package.

The travel agency has not had a flight in 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Scott Stewart, BST president was happy to see the passengers’ smiling faces when they boarded the plane.

"We knew it had to be about community and the community first,” he said. “When we saw the thralls of people that came that have been on our regulars, it was just so heartwarming to see that."

The flight offered its passengers food and drink that are all locally sourced.

Continental breakfast and in-flight meals were hand-picked and made the morning of the flight by Sobeys Catering department (Lansdowne Street location). Beer served was from Publican House Brewery with a new Pet Pilsner. Those proceeds went towards funding the Peterborough Animal Care Centre for the Peterborough Humane Society. Liquor came from Black’s Distillery, specifically their Heritage Vodka as an alternate alcoholic option.

The airport remained busy during the pandemic despite no travel flights. Maintenance, cleaning and other operations that uses the facility kept everyone running at full speed according to Malcolm Cook, airport manager."

"We haven't had as much travel flight occurring at the airport,” he said. “The college (Seneca) has continued their operations, Flying Colours (Corp.) has continued theirs so our jobs have pretty much remained the same."

Both Cook and Stewart anticipate more chartered flights in the future with the first one taking off. Nashville, Tenn., Savannah, Ga. and Las Vegas, Nev. are three US destinations BST has already planned according to their website.

"I think we're all looking forward to seeing the pandemic behind us," said Cook. "Anything that beckons towards that is great."

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