Riverview Park and Zoo Beloved 10-Year-Old Capybara Pablo Passes Away
/Pablo, the beloved capybara of Riverview Park and Zoo has passed away according to staff in a press release sent out on Wednesday morning.
File Photo.
Peterborough Blogs
American Zoologists The Kratt Brothers Come to Peterborough to Film ‘Wild Kratts’ Episode Featuring Riverview Park and Zoo Camels
/Martin and Chris Kratt stopped by the Riverview Park and Zoo on Tuesday to film for their PBS Kids show ‘Wild Kratts,’ which aims to educate young viewers on zoology and ecology.
photo courtesy of riverview park and zoo, facebook.
Martin and Chris Kratt are zoologists and actors who host the educational series. They have produced five TV series including ‘Kratts’ Creatures’ and ‘Zoboomafoo’ which educate children on different species through live-action and cartoon segments.
The brother’s filmed with Riverview’s Bactrian Camels for the upcoming episode.
Wild Kratts is in its seventh season on PBS, which can be streamed in Canada on TVOKids.
Kids Get An Aquatic Lesson From the Peterborough Children's Water Festival
/Over 650 students from over 20 schools in grades 2 to 5 got educated about the element of life as they attended the Peterborough Children’s Water Festival (PCWF) at Riverview Park and Zoo on Wednesday morning.
Julius the turtle and Peterborough Green up’s Karen O’Krafka are presenting to over 300 children at the return of the Peterborough Children’s Water Festival. Photo by David Tuan bui.
The festival returned to an in-person event after going for the last three years in a digital format.
“We are excited to once again offer a live, in-person Water Festival this year after three years of virtual programming,” says Patricia Skopelianos, PCWF chair.
The two-day event saw students from 45 classes from the Kawartha Pine Ridge District and Peterborough, Victoria, Northumberland and Clarington Catholic School Boards learn about water at over 20 learning stations ranging from water consumption, leaks to conservation.
“Once again, we are pleased to offer several activity centres in the French language with the involvement of students from St. Peter Catholic Secondary School,” said Skopelianos. “We are also welcoming back Elder Dorothy Taylor for a midday Sacred Water teaching, Adventures in Understanding by The Paddling Puppeteer Glen Caradus, Stepping Stone by The Ontario Turtle Conservation Centre, and The Great Fish Migration by OFAH’s Bring Back the Salmon, who will all be returning to the Festival this year.”
During the event, a ceremony was held to commemorate and thank all who supported and sponsored the event.
“We are very fortunate to have tremendous community support for the Peterborough Children's Water Festival,” said Skopelianos. “For 22 years, local businesses and agencies have made generous financial contributions. We also have many volunteers who give their time and expertise and several more who provide in-kind contributions. Our community helps make this Festival a reality for the children.”
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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.
Kinsmen Club Donates $25,000 Towards New Zoo Train; New Bell Purchased From Community Funding
/The Riverview Park & Zoo is one step closer to getting a new train for next year as the Kinsmen Club Of Peterborough donated $25,000 on Wednesday morning.
The Kinsmen Club has been a partner in the Park and Zoo since the organization’s beginning. Photo By Luke Best.
“When we heard about their campaign to replace the train ride, we knew it was a great fit for our club to get on board,” said Barry Craft, Kinsmen Club president. “Our membership support was unanimous for this project as we feel that Riverview Park and Zoo brings tremendous value to our community.”
“The community support groups have come out in a big way,” Jim Moloney, zoo manager and curator. “We've already started to see a good groundswell of support from individual community members but we're really depending upon that to take us the rest of the way.”
The train will cost $350,000 and 60 per cent of funding has already been achieved through community donations and Kiwanis snack bar profits.
The original bell was stolen overnight and reported to the public on April 30. Photo by Luke Best.
The zoo acquired a new bell after a community member found one online from a store in North Bay last month. The zoo purchased the bell and took roughly two weeks for its arrival.
It will be on the current train after a mount has been built for it. The bell will hopefully be outfitted for the new train next year according to Maloney.
The original bell was reported stolen overnight and was publically announced that it was missing on the morning of April 30.
Roughly $5,100 was raised for the bell’s replacement but cost $2,600 according to Cathy Mitchell, zoo program supervisor. The surplus will go towards the funding of the new train.
The zoo is offering dedication plates set in each seat compartment of the new train ride to help fund the new train. The seat dedications are $2,500 each that includes a personalized plaque of your name or in honour of someone else.
To be a sponsor or dedicate a seat bench on the train, please contact Cathy Mitchell, Program Supervisor 705-748-9301 x 2304 or cmitchell@riverviewparkandzoo.ca.
Donations to the ‘All Aboard the Riverview Railway Train Campaign’ can be made online.
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Riverview Park & Zoo Launches Return to Full Schedule; Creates Fundraising Campaign For New Train Next Year
/Riverview Park & Zoo is celebrating their grand opening on Saturday with a return of all amenities and services while launching a fundraising campaign to replace the miniature locomotive projected for next year on Friday.
Donors Anne and Ross Dobbins conducting the first train ride of the season. The miniature train ride was first established in 1974 with the support of James Hamilton. Photo by David Tuan Bui.
Amenities include the Kiwanis snack bar and miniature train rides that are in full operation from Victoria Day Weekend until Labour Day weekend. The zoo is open from 8:30 a.m. to dusk daily.
The grand re-opening family-friendly event includes the following:
10:00 a.m. Zoo Yoga - with Salty Yoga
10:00 a.m. Snack Shack opens
10:00 a.m. Gift Shop Market opens
11:00 a.m. Storytime in the Park
1:00 p.m. Bird-Friendly Trail Walks
3:00 p.m. Concert in the Park: Steve Waters and Cartwright Boundary
Draw for a zoo Swag Basket and an exclusive family/group tour
The 1974 miniature locomotive is running for its last year. The train will be replaced through a fundraiser known as the ‘Riverview Railway Capital Campaign.’ The zoo has already raised roughly 50 per cent of its total funding for the train from donors and prior fundraising efforts.
“In 1979, the company that made the train went out of business," said Jim Maloney, zoo manager and curator. "Finding replacement parts for it at this point is getting very difficult or very expensive. We don't want to be in a situation where we have a major breakdown and we don't have a train to offer to our visitors."
@ptbo_canada The Riverview Park & Zoo’s train is in its last year as they will try and get a new one for 2023! #ptbo #ptbocanada #zoo #train #minaturetrain #riverview #choochoo ♬ C'mon N' Ride It (The Train) - Quad City DJ's
The zoo is offering dedication plates set in each seat compartment of the new train ride as a fundraising effort. The seat dedications are $2,500 each that include a personalized plaque of either your name or can be dedicated in honour of someone else.
All purchases from the snack bar allow an option to round up the a customer’s bill to the nearest dollar as the proceeds go towards the new train.
To be a sponsor or dedicate a seat bench on the train, please contact Cathy Mitchell, Program Supervisor 705-748-9301 x 2304 or cmitchell@riverviewparkandzoo.ca.
Donations to the ‘All Aboard the Riverview Railway Train Campaign’ can be made online.
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Riverview Park and Zoo's Miniature Train Goes Off the Rails From Vandalism; Trademark Bell Stolen
/Riverview Park and Zoo’s miniature train was vandalized and had its historic bell stolen announced on Saturday.
Last year, $19,940 was raised from a 308-piece, 11 x 17-inch puzzle of the current 1860 locomotive replica fundraising campaign towards a new train. Photo courtesy of Rivervew Park & Zoo.
Zoo staff discovered the damage on Friday morning during their spring maintenance but is not confirmed if the incident was on two separate occasions or one. No suspects were located during the incident according to the Peterborough Police.
“Some days are more challenging than others. Unfortunately, vandals have broken into the train tunnel, damaged our venerable train locomotive & stolen its signature brass bell,” said Jim Moloney, zoo manager and curator. “If you have info that may lead to the return of the bell, please contact us or Peterborough Police.”
The train was scheduled to run for Victoria Day weekend (May 21-22) according to the Zoo’s Facebook page before discovering the vandalism.
“In addition to the cost of repair/replacement, thoughtless acts like this really have a negative impact on our team of dedicated and passionate staff,” said Maloney on Facebook.
The train‘s parts are no longer manufactured and require an engineer to create according to Paul Hartung, zoo board member in a prior interview.
The miniature train ride is an 1860 locomotive replica. Located under sabre jet, the train track is over two kilometres and the ride is roughly ten minutes long according to the zoo’s website.
The train was built in 1974, costs two dollars to ride and is free for children under two.
The country’s only accredited free-admission zoo has over 55 acres of the zoo on the Otonabee River with over 25 exhibits and 40 animal species.
The zoo’s goal is to still have the train operable for Victoria Day weekend.
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Riverview Park And Zoo Reopens After COVID Closure
/The Riverview Park and Zoo is now open from 8:30 a.m. to dusk daily, they announced on social media on Monday.
Photo courtesy of Riverview Park and Zoo.
Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic the park and zoo has had to open and close multiple times due to provincial restrictions and because of their own decisions to keep animals and visitors safe.
The last closure of the park and zoo was announced on Jan. 3, after the Ontario Government returned to modified Stage Two restrictions.
Riverview Park and Zoo asks all visitors to protect the animals by keeping distanced or choosing to wear a mask.
Riverview Park & Zoo Welcomes Two New Otters, Boldt & Lawrence
/The Riverview Park & Zoo has announced new additions to the zoo family in the form of two new otters, Boldt and Lawrence, who come to the zoo from the Aquatarium in Brockville, Ontario.
Photo courtesy Riverview Park & Zoo
Boldt and Lawrence, both young males, join fellow otters Melissa and Splish in the exhibit.
Make sure to say Hi to the new fellas next time you drop by the zoo, which is free to the public.
Photo courtesy Riverview Park & Zoo
Keep in mind that the zoo train is not slated to open until mid-June this season due to delays.
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Cuz Otters Love Snow Days Too
/Kids, otters love Snow Days too!
Indeed, one of our fave videos so far of Winter 2018/19 in Peterborough has to go to these playful otters at the Riverview Park and Zoo doing their version of snow angels and frolicking in the Canadian winter during a Snow Day.
Chillin’ on a Snow Day
Zookeeper Jenna caught the great footage on Tuesday (February 12th) and the zoo posted it to their Facebook page where it is getting thousands of views…
We shared it on our Instagram page as well, where it’s blowing up…
695 Likes, 30 Comments - @ptbo_canada on Instagram: "Otter angel: Zookeeper Jenna @riverviewparkandzoo captured this great footage of otters enjoying..."
