Peterborough Blogs
Local Chef Lindsey Dupuis from Brio Gusto will cook up samples using market produce and products, and give you some ideas for using all this delicious abundance as it comes into season.
Downtown Peterborough Beta-Testing Downtown Ambassador Initiative
/Downtown Peterborough announced on Friday (August 4th) that it's launching a Downtown Ambassador Initiative to create a more comfortable and inviting atmosphere for visitors, workers, residents and businesses in the downtown.
This initiative is intended to enhance the feeling of safety and inclusion in the downtown.
DBIA Executive Director Terry Guiel making announcement (photo courtesy DBIA)
Below are some of the Ambassadors' primary functions:
1. To provide tourism and visitor information such as locating certain businesses, parking locations and downtown events
2. To handle aggressive and/or inappropriate behaviours
3. To provide security and safety assistance for businesses when it is appropriate
4. To respond to vandalism, littering and graffiti in downtown as well as irresponsible pet owners
5. To provide emergency, first aid and conflict resolution assistance
Photo Courtesy DBIA
A security firm located in the downtown, Kawartha Guard Service, will provide staffing and management for the Downtown Ambassador program.
This new pilot initiative will run from August to September this year and will be then be evaluated.
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Win This Space Grand Prize Winner Tiny Greens Opens In Downtown Peterborough
/Tiny Greens, the winner of Win This Space 2017 competition, is now open at 431 George Street North. Tiny Greens owner Tina Bromley received a downtown storefront free for 12 months from Win This Space, plus additional prizes that will help her business succeed.
“While preparing to open the business, I have received so much help and support from the community, Downtown Business Improvement Area, City of Peterborough, sponsors and other downtown businesses, which makes me feel really appreciative,” says Tina Bromley.
431 George St. North
Located in downtown Peterborough, Tiny Greens offers healthy and freshly harvested microgreen products such as microgreens, vegetables, herbs as well as juice and salad. Tina’s plan is to create a healthy hub for the community while enjoying a unique atmosphere.
“Tiny Greens has been extremely well-received in previous downtown events such as Taste of Downtown and Peterborough Pulse," says Terry Guiel, Excecutive Director of Downtown Business Improvement Area. "We are very excited to see her succeed and take her business to the next level with a storefront."
DBIA's Terry Guiel pictured with Tina Bromley
The Win This Space competition is a new downtown Peterborough initiative in partnership with the DBIA, Peterborough Economic Development, StartUP Peterborough and Community Futures Peterborough.
Win This Space concepts have been extremely successful in other Canadian cities with boosting economic development, stimulating new downtown storefront businesses and creating jobs.
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Downtown Peterborough Is Now Offering FREE WiFi
/The Peterborough Downtown Business Improvement Area has announced Phase One of their public outdoor wireless internet initiative. This service is for everyone who shops, dines, works, lives and enjoys our downtown.
The WiFi network is designed to be used outdoors to enhance the downtown experience. The first phase of the network covers some of the highest traffic areas downtown, including sections of Hunter, Charlotte and George streets.
HOW IT WORKS
-> To use the network, look for "DowntownPTBO WiFi" on your device.
-> Selecting the network will bring you to their landing page, where you can log in by agreeing to the terms of service.
-> No password is necessary and it is 100% FREE to use.
Here is a map identifying WiFi areas activated in Phase One...
The network has been operating in various forms for the last two months as the DBIA has worked to set it up and beta test it. Despite no public advertisement, they've already had 30,000 logins.
“The public has already shown that there is a strong demand for free WiFi,” says Joel Wiebe, DBIA Communications Manager. “There is a lot of excitement from our partners in the community and I look forward to working together to use this new asset to enhance the downtown experience and draw more visitors.”
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Live And Local Lunches Announces Exciting Lineup In Downtown Peterborough
/Live and Local Lunches has announced a new lineup of rock, folk, blues, country and jazz for its second season, which kicks off May 26th with Missy Knott performing.
Live and Local Lunches is a partnership with the Downtown Business Improvement Area, Peterborough Square, Gerri’s Arts and Crafts, Shorelines Casinos and Bench Tech to host live music outdoors every Friday for one hour starting at noon in the Peterborough Square Courtyard at the corner of Charlotte and Water streets.
With more than 90 places to eat downtown, music lovers are encouraged to get some takeout and enjoy the sunshine as they switchin' to glide for the weekends.
"This is a great way for people to see some of the immense talent we have in this community while enjoying some delicious take-out from our many local restaurants,” says Terry Guiel, DBIA Executive Director.
THE 2017 LIVE AND LOCAL LUNCHES LINEUP
• May 26 — Missy Knott
• June 2 — Earl Wilfong
• June 9 — Rick Fines
• June 16 — Christine Atrill
• June 23 — Whitney Paget
• June 30 — Catfish Willie & Washboard Hank with a special Canada 150 Show
• July 7 — Dixie Cats
• July 14 — Hot Club 3
• July 21 — Dean James
• July 28 — Nick Ferrio
• Aug. 4 — Steve Driscoll
• Aug. 11 — The Smoking Jackets
• Aug. 18 — TBA (rain date)
• Aug. 25 — TBA (rain date)
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Crocodile Spotting In Jackson Creek
/Happy April Fool's Day!
Read MoreCelebrate Canada’s 150th at Home in Downtown Peterborough With Awesome Entertainment
/The Canada’s 150th Anniversary Celebrations Committee and the Downtown Business Improvement Area are working together to put on two days of exciting activities on June 29th and 30th, the beginning of four days of local Canada Day festivities.
On Thursday, June 29th, there will be a "Downtown Pop-Up" where you’ll find a wide range of unique entertainment at more than 20 locations throughout the downtown. The official ribbon cutting will start with a picnic in Millennium Park featuring the swing, jazz, funk and rock & roll sounds of the band Knightshift.
Rick Fines playing at launch announcement
Throughout the afternoon and evening, you’ll get to see performances from the Tanah Haney Celtic Harp Trio, the Mike Graham Gypsy Jazz Trio, Bobby Watson, Sean Conway, Danny Bronson Tribute to Gordon Lightfoot, country singer Dean James, the Peterborough Pop Ensemble, Peterborough Concert Band, Peterborough New Horizons Band and more.
There will also be live chainsaw carving by champion woodcarver Steve Kenzora, caricatures by artist Jason Wilkins, interactive art, Citiots Improv, a live circus show and a “Bring Your Can-Con” Canadian music contest.
On Friday, June 30th, Hunter Street from George to Aylmer streets will be closed for pedestrians only. EC3 and Artspace will be presenting a 150th themed media arts exhibition. Four new works by local artists commissioned especially for this event will be popping up as films, videos and projections large and small to inhabit the street.
Catfish Willie and Washboard Hank get the music started on June 30th with a special Live and Local Lunches performance at the Peterborough Square Courtyard. Family entertainment throughout the afternoon includes a colouring contest hosted by the Peterborough Public Library, face painting from Faces By 2, a Ben van Veen Century 21 Summer Family Film Series movie in Millennium Park and performances from Tim Holland The Puppet Tamer, J’s Magic and The Paddling Puppeteers.
The Bash 150 downtown street dance gets underway at 4 p.m. on Hunter Street with an amazing lineup of local talent, including:
• 4:00 p.m. — Washboard Hank
• 5:15 p.m. — Mayhemingways
• 6:15 p.m. — Rick Fines
• 7:15 p.m. — Melissa Payne
• 8:15 p.m. — The Rocket Review, featuring Jack De Keyzer & Jerome Godboo
For more information about Peterborough’s Canada 150th Celebrations and a list of their events, click here.
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Do You Remember The George Street Bear?
/Back in the day, the George Street Bear was a fixture in downtown Peterborough. It was located outside Lech's on George next to Pappas Billiards. Do you remember it? What are your memories of it and its place in the downtown? And anyone know the little girl pictured in the photo? Comment on our Facebook page.
Photo via Trent Valley Archives
[Related: 38 Places In Peterborough That Will Make You Nostalgic]
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Downtown Shoppers In Peterborough Donate $10,278.85 To Kawartha Food Share
/The generous shoppers of downtown Peterborough gave $10,278.85 to support Kawartha Food Share during the 2016 Holiday Season.
The City of Peterborough’s parking division and the Downtown Business Improvement Area have partnered since 2003 to provide two hours free parking downtown through the holiday season. The initiative starts on Black Friday and runs through to the end of December. During this time, all money put in the parking meters is donated to charity.
(L to R): Parking Operations Supervisor Dennis VanAmerongen, Mayor Daryl Bennett, George — King of Downtown, Transit Supervisor Andrew Burdett , DBIA Executive Director Terry Guiel, Kawartha Food Share board chair Dave Ralph
"Thank you to everyone who put money in the parking meters to support Kawartha Food Share during the downtown free parking program over the holiday season," says Mayor Daryl Bennett. "This small program has made a big difference in the lives of so many of our City's residents over the years."
“It has been a successful shopping season for local downtown businesses and it’s wonderful to see our shoppers also supporting the great work of Kawartha Food Share,” adds DBIA Executive Director Terry Guiel. “It’s amazing that people donating their parking meter change adds up to more than $100,000 over the years to support those in need in our community.”
Kawartha Food Share currently assists more than 8,100 men women and children every month through 36 member agencies. Last year, the warehouse distributed over 5 million dollars worth of food and emergency care needs.
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Here Are Conceptual Design Plans For An Urban Park Oasis In Downtown Peterborough
/New conceptual design plans have been released by the City—which is using the consultant AECOM—for what the Urban Park at Louis Street in the downtown would look like. The oasis would be located on Louis Street Parking lot (where the Peterborough Wednesday Market takes place) off of Charlotte Street.
Charlotte Street view
The conceptual design of the Urban Park has been revised to incorporate the former Shish-Kabob Hut at 220 King Street. This will be renovated to become the park facilities building.
"The Commons" area
The design has also been revised incorporating further input received by the public and stakeholders.
Design Board
There would be lots of trees and shade, a skating rink and ice trail (with an island in the middle of it) which would become a summer trail for the other seasons; an area for children; a mist area to cool off; washrooms/change-rooms; and many other great features. Basically, it has all the amenities you'd expect in an urban park, and will be an incredible addition to the downtown core.
The Ice Trail
The Summer Trail
Design Board
The Mist Grove
The Wooden Ramble
