New Free Trolley Service Launching Downtown This Summer

In a unique, innovative move, the Downtown Business Improvement Area has announced they are offering free trolley rides from downtown to Del Crary Park for Peterborough Musicfest concerts. The trolley will start June 30th and run through August 25th.

"We wanted to support Musicfest in a way that also helps our downtown," says DBIA Executive Director Terry Guiel. "The San Francisco-style trolley car really takes people back in time and that is the charm we wanted to capture."

Photo of trolley courtesy DBIA

The Trolley is owned and operated by Michael Bryant of Dromoland out of Little Britain. Michael will bring in a trolley load of visitors with him from Kawartha Lakes each concert night and take them home after. The trolley will be driven by Peterborough's own transit drivers from Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1320.

Photo of trolley courtesy DBIA

According to local historian Elwood Jones, the real trolleys used to run downtown between 1904 and 1928, with a much earlier version in the 1890s. The trolley that will be used for these events is a converted bus made to look like a trolley.

Photo of trolley courtesy DBIA

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE SERVICE

-> All stops will occur on the right side of George Street.
-> Trolley pickups will begin at Confederation Square (across from City Hall) and continue at the intersections with Brock, Hunter, Simcoe, Charlotte and King from 6 pm to 10 pm.
-> The trolley will finish at Del Crary Park, where it will swing around and loop back to City Hall.
-> The trolley is accessible and can hold 30 people seated and 15 standing. (Priority use of the trolley will be given to those with mobility issues, seniors and expectant mothers or parents with young children.)
-> The DBIA expects the demand for this free trolley will exceed its capacity (especially right after the concerts end) and ask that everyone appreciate that they may not be able to give everyone a free ride.
-> The trolley is not intended as a substitute for Peterborough Transit.

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