City Council Acknowledges Receipt Of Intention to Demolish Portion of GE Building

City Council has endorsed acknowledging receipt of a notice of intention to demolish a portion of General Electric’s industrial buildings at 107 Park St. N. during their meeting on Monday night.

The complex, which is currently developed with approximately 104,000 square metres (1.1 million square feet) of building area, dates back to 1891 and is a central part of Peterborough’s industrial heritage. Architecturally, the GE complex typifies late nineteenth and early-twentieth-century factory design through its integration of late Victorian design features onto the exterior of its industrial spaces. Photo by David Tuan Bui.

Council states that it has no interest in pursuing heritage designation for 107 Park St. N., except for certain identified buildings. It will consult with the Peterborough Architectural Conservation Advisory Committee on the appropriateness of designating these buildings and report back to Council.

On Sept. 8, property owner GEPR Energy Canada Inc., (a subsidiary of GE Vernova) gave the City a 60-day notice of its intent to demolish almost 84,500 square metres (910,000 sq/ft) of industrial building area in accordance with subsection 27(9) of the Ontario Heritage Act, R.S.O. 1990, c.O.18 (“the Act”).

The Heritage Impact Assessment (HIA) prepared on behalf of GE Vernova proposes a series of mitigation strategies to preserve heritage elements on site, including the preservation of certain buildings on the property, while also accommodating the proposed demolition. The HIA concludes that the proposed development for the site (i.e., building demolitions and retention) appropriately conserves the site’s cultural heritage value and attributes, and reflects best practice in Canadian heritage conservation. The author of the HIA, ERA Architects Inc., specializes in heritage conservation, architecture, planning and landscape and holds various professional memberships.

The General Electric Factory Complex at 107 Park St. N. is listed on the City’s Heritage Register as a property of cultural heritage value or interest. The property is not designated; it is a ‘listed’ property on the register according to the City.

After Council received the notice of intent to demolish (unless negotiated otherwise), they have until Nov. 7 to determine whether they wish to issue a notice of intention to designate the property under Part IV, subsection 29(1) of the Act; otherwise, the proposed demolition may proceed subject to applicable law.

The majority of the buildings on site have been vacant since 2018 ,except for 60 GE Vernova employees located in buildings at the southeast corner of the site along Park Street and approximately 300 BWXT employees located in buildings at the west limit of the site along Monaghan Road.

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General Electric to Demolish Several Sections at Park Street Building

The General Electric (GE) Vernova building, located at the corner of Park Street and Albert Street, plans to demolish buildings until only eight remain.

Photo by David Tuan Bui.

GE had submitted a Notice of Intent to demolish several vacant buildings and a Site Plan approval from the City of Peterborough. A Heritage Impact Assessment for the City Council's review has also been given.

Last year, GE Vernova retained the Canadian engineering firm BBA to assess the condition of the unused buildings. The evaluation found that these old manufacturing buildings are at or past their useful service life and in poor condition.

“Most of these buildings have already begun to show signs of structural degradation, which could create a future safety risk if not managed properly now,” as stated in a GE Vernova press release. “After careful consideration of the options, GE Vernova has determined that the best course of action is to demolish them.”

The company has a plan to preserve the legacy that the site has maintained.

“GE Vernova also understands the significance this property holds for many members of the community, and wishes to honour its past, present, and future commitment to the Peterborough community,” according to a statement. “In recognition of this, the company is working with ERA Architects, an award-winning Canadian architecture firm, to stabilize, conserve and maintain eight buildings that are architecturally important and represent meaningful time periods in the history of the site.”

The company states that it is considering the best way to commemorate the site's history in the long term, while making aesthetic enhancements to the property’s perimeter.

GE plans to work with the City to minimize neighbourhood disruptions during the transitional period.

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Alf Curtis Home Improvements Inc. Founder Passes Away At 93

Alf Curtis, founder of Alf Curtis Home Improvements Inc., has passed away at the age of 93, as announced on his business’s social media on Monday.

Photo courtesy of Alf Curtis Home Improvements Inc.

He passed away peacefully, surrounded by family, on Thursday.

Visitation is at the Ashburnham Funeral Home at the following times:

• Thursday: 2 to 4 p.m. & 6 to 8 p.m.

• Friday: 10 to 11 a.m. (one hour prior to service)

The funeral service will take place this Friday at 11 a.m., followed by a reception and interment at Rosemount Memorial Gardens.

At the family’s request, guests are encouraged to dress casually.

All three of our store locations are closed on Friday in honour of Curtis and to allow their staff to attend the funeral service.

The family has requested that any donations be made to the Fairhaven Long Term Care Foundation or the Alzheimer Society.

In 1975, Alf Curtis founded the business, initially employing two people: himself and his wife, June Curtis. During the first year of operations, it expanded to include two new employees, including Alf's son, Larry Curtis.

The business initially began as a supply and installation company of aluminum products, including sidings, soffits, eavestroughs, storm doors, storm windows, awnings, and railings. Alf already had years of experience in installing these products before forming his own company.

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AON Inc's Station Place Long-Term Care Home In Havelock With Construction Ahead of Schedule; Company Seeking 140 Staff Members For Training and Hire

Construction for AON Inc.’s Station Place long-term care home in Havelock is ahead of schedule and is expecting project completion for the summer of next year, announced on Friday morning.

Ray Barlow, AON Inc. vice president (far left) helps guide the tour to dignitaries and others of Station Place a year later of construction. All photos by David Tuan Bui.

The groundbreaking ceremony on Aug. 9 last year was projected to be completed by September next year. However, with hard work and fortunate circumstances, completion has been bumped up to be finished by summer next year, according to Ray Barlow, AON Inc. vice president.

“Our construction team is doing extraordinary,” he explained. The weather's been on our side, the crews' been working well, the contractors are working well together and when you have cooperation, you get a lot of done quickly.”

AON Inc. gave the media and dignitaries a tour of the facility of the 128-bed long-term care home while providing updates on the building’s progress. Dignitaries included Michelle Ferreri, Peterborough-Kawartha MP; Dave Smith, Peterborough-Kawartha MPP and Jim Martin, Havelock-Belmont-Methuen Township mayor.

The long-term care home is part of the provincial government’s $6.4 billion commitment to build more than 30,000 new beds by 2028 along with 28,000 upgraded long-term care beds across the province according to Smith.

“The residents of Havelock have been waiting a long time for the build of this long-term care home,” he said in a prior interview. “Our government has made commitments to get long-term care homes built in this province and today proves we are doing just that.”

The approximate 86,355 sq ft. site is located at 628 Old Norwood Rd. AON won the bid to build the long-term care home on Feb 17, 2022.

The home will have dining, activity areas, lounges and access to outdoor spaces with 128 beds available. The building will employ over 140 staff (both full-time and part-time), whereas AON Inc. seeks prospective employees immediately for training.

“We have time to help get people training they need and we also have a PSW training program in place that's 100 per cent paid for so when you finish the program, you will have a job at Station Place,” explained Barlow.

Career applications for AON Inc’s Station Place long-term care home can be found online.

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Miskin Law Community Complex Has Canadian Hockey Enterprises As Pad Naming Right Sponsor

Canadian Hockey Enterprises (CHE) has been named a commercial tenant and Pad Naming Right sponsor of the south pad at the new Miskin Law Community Complex, announced on Wednesday.

Photo courtesy of the City of Peterborough.

Miskin Law Community Complex is a new facility being built at the southeast corner of Lansdowne and Park streets, which will include a twin-pad arena, a Peterborough Public Library branch, an indoor track for walking and running, and a multi-use space. When the building opens, the south pad will be called the Canadian Hockey Enterprises Pad.

CHE offers camps and tournaments for adults and youth across North America.

“Canadian Hockey Enterprises is proud to call the new Miskin Law Community Complex home,” said Paul Crowley of CHE. “As founder of CHE I can passionately say it’s a dream come true for our seven full-time staff. Since 1987 CHE has called Peterborough home and has been organizing and offering International Tournaments and Camps for Men, Women, Boys and Girls. CHE will soon be launching our first CHE Academy here at the Community Complex. Check us out on the second floor and ask about our Hockey Programming or just drop by and say hello.”

“Canadian Hockey Enterprises' decision to invest in our community through both a significant sponsorship and by establishing its offices at the Miskin Law Community Complex is a testament to the vibrant future of this facility,” said Councillor Gary Baldwin and Councillor Lesley Parnell. “Its commitment not only supports the development of our city's sports and recreation infrastructure but also strengthens our local economy. We are excited to see the positive impact it will have on our community and the opportunities it will create for our residents.”

CHE is now the third major sponsor supporting the city’s newest community complex. Miskin Law has secured the overall naming rights for the complex, known as the Miskin Law Community Complex. Russelle Toyota has secured the Naming Rights to the north pad, and now Canadian Hockey Enterprises will be the name on the south pad. These naming rights sponsorships will collectively contribute more than $1 million toward the project’s capital budget according to a press release.

Additionally, CHE has agreed to a 10-year lease with the City of Peterborough for approximately 161 square metres of space on the upper level of the Miskin Law Community Complex. The space will host CHE’s corporate and administrative offices. CHE will be responsible for finishing the construction costs of its lease space and paying the City a monthly lease rate for the office space.

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City of Peterborough Releases Details On Miskin Law Community Complex Seat and Bench Donor Program

As part of the community fundraising campaign to support the construction of the Miskin Law Community Complex on Lansdowne and Park streets, residents can make a donation that will be recognized with their name put on a seat and/or bench in the facility, announced on Wednesday.

Photo courtesy of the City of Peterborough.

Groups that use City arenas are engaging with the community to seek seat and bench donors. Funds raised will support the cost of furniture, fixtures, and equipment in the building.

The Seat and Bench donor campaign is now open and will run until Dec. 31. Donations can be made through the online form at peterborough.ca/HaveASeat. The City of Peterborough will issue a charitable tax receipt for your full donation amount and email it upon payment and completion of the form. In-person donations may also be made at City Hall, 500 George St. N.

Every seat donation will be recognized with a printed nameplate installed on the front of one of the fixed arena seats, and every bench donation will be recognized with a printed nameplate at either end of a fixed bench in the arena.

500 fixed seats and 20 fixed benches will be installed at the new Miskin Law Community Complex. Each pad will have 250 seats and 10 spectator benches.

Each seat donation is $250 and each bench donation is $1,000.

Once the Seat and Bench donor campaign closes, the City will print and install all the seat recognition plates at the facility in 2025.

The City’s newest community complex is nearing completion, with construction on target to be completed this fall. When construction is completed, there will be a brief period to prepare the facility for public use including facility operations training for staff, before the facility moves to full operations.

Donations can be made online.

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Russelle Toyota Sponsors Pad Naming Right at Miskin Law Community Complex

Russelle Toyota has become the Naming Right sponsor of the north pad at the new Miskin Law Community Complex which will open later this year.

Photo courtesy of the City of Peterborough.

The Complex is a new facility being built at the southeast corner of Lansdowne and Park Streets which will include a twin-pad arena, a Peterborough Public Library branch, an indoor track for walking and running and multi-use space. When the building opens, the north pad will be called Russelle Toyota Pad. 

“We are honoured to be involved and be able to support this great community,” said Jason Russelle, Russelle Toyota general manager. “Supporting our community has always been at the heart of our values. It is exciting to have our name associated with this new facility and the positive impact it will have for so many.”

“Thank you to Russelle Toyota for supporting our community through this exciting sponsorship at the new Miskin Law Community Complex,” said Councillor Lesley Parnell and Councillor Gary Baldwin. “We are thrilled that Russelle Toyota will be alongside our community when residents step through the doors of this new facility.”

Russelle Toyota is the second major sponsor supporting the city’s newest community complex. Miskin Law has secured the overall naming rights for the complex, now known as the Miskin Law Community Complex. Naming rights sponsorships for the major features of the complex will collectively contribute more than $1 million toward the project’s capital budget. 

A groundbreaking ceremony for the new community complex was held on Dec. 8, 2022 to mark the start of construction on the new facility officially. The project remains on time and on budget, with construction expected to be completed this fall.  

When construction is completed, a brief period will be required to move into the space after the contractor hands over the facility. The twin-pad arena and library branch will be prepared for public operations. The City expects to open the facility for limited casual use by the community, such as drop-in public skates and other activities to open the doors to the public, before beginning booked use of the facility by sports organizations and other users. 

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City of Peterborough To Acquire Calvary Pentecostal Church For Second Police Facility In $15 Million Deal; Deal to Close In February

The City of Peterborough is purchasing 1421 Lansdowne St. W. for Peterborough Police Service administrative offices, with the sale closing in February for $15 million, announced on Friday afternoon.

Pastor Michelle Mercer of Calvary Pentecostal Church (left), Chief Stuart Betts (Middle) and Mayor Jeff Leal (right) at one of the Peterborough Police Station’s conference rooms with the announcement. Calvary Pentecostal Church will remain in the new facility for up to five years as per the sale agreement. Photo by David Tuan Bui.

Most police operations will remain at its downtown facility at 500 Water St., according to Stuart Betts, Peterborough Police Chief.

“I strongly believe the presence of a police facility in the downtown area is a must,” he said. “There is no intention to leave the 500 Water Street location.  The current location at 500 Water St. will continue to be the base of operations and investigations.”

The former Johnston & Johnston Medical Products facility with the administrative offices and police training could include other future uses, such as the City of Peterborough municipal facility needs.

The property acquisition is a long-standing need to meet growing space requirements for policing in the community that is fiscally responsible and strategic according to Mayor Jeff Leal. He adds that his new facility aligns with his campaign slogan. ‘Building our Tomorrow Together.’

“A new police station was estimated to cost $68 million in 2017. The property and construction costs would be much higher today. With the former Johnston & Johnston property acquisition, we’re able to maintain the downtown police station on Water Street for police operations, add a second police facility for administrative and support services and have additional land and building space for other municipal needs,” said Leal. “Even with the future renovation costs, this is the most financially responsible path, addressing a critical need.”

“With the City of Peterborough purchase of this property, the Peterborough Police Service will have two locations. This is important as the city is growing and will continue to grow,” said Betts. “It is also the most fiscally responsible solution and is intended to meet the needs of the Police Service for decades. It’s expected that the costs of the renovations will be significantly less than the cost of a new-build facility. Securing this property and being respectful of financial constraints was important to me and the Police Services Board."

Renovations are expected to occur over the next few years, subject to City Council approval. They will also occur at the downtown police station, according to Betts. Estimates on facility renovations will be the subject of future reports and budget requests to Council according to a press release.

“Through the joint City-Police facility review process, the thinking on how to meet the need for a new facility for the Police Service evolved from where it started, which was to focus on one new building,” said Betts.

Calvary Pentecostal Church owns the 13.3-acre property with a building with about 106,000 sq. ft. of space.

“Calvary Church is pleased with the recent sale of our church property and is looking forward to how it will benefit all parties involved including the greater community,” said Calvary Church Pastor Michelle Mercer. “It has been a very positive experience working with the City of Peterborough and the Peterborough Police Service through the negotiation process. We look forward to bright days ahead for Calvary Church and those overseeing the development of the city we are called to serve.”

The Church will use part of the building for up to five years as per the sale agreement while they transition into a new property (which has yet to be determined).

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Miskin Law Named Sponsors of New Community Complex On Lansdowne and Park Street

Peterborough’s new community complex at Lansdowne and Park Streets will be named the Miskin Law Community Complex through a $600,000 naming rights sponsorship, approved by City Council on Monday.

A groundbreaking ceremony was held on Dec. 8, 2022 to officially mark the start of construction on the new facility. Photo by David Tuan Bui.

The City of Peterborough is finalizing an agreement for the naming rights for the community complex for 10 years, with the revenue going toward the capital costs to build the new facility according to a press release.

The community complex will include a twin-pad arena, a Peterborough Public Library branch, an indoor walking track, multi-purpose space and office space to be available for lease. An aquatics centre will be added in the future.

“On behalf of the City of Peterborough, I want to thank Miskin Law for this important investment in our community,” said Councillor Lesley Parnell. “The Miskin Law Community Complex will be the City’s premier community complex, providing something for every member of our community, from children learning to skate, to adults walking the track, to seniors and students visiting the library. This is an investment in the health and wellbeing of Peterborough.”

“Through sponsorship of this vital community facility, Miskin Law is sharing its success and saying thank you to Peterborough for being our home,” said Murray Miskin, Miskin Law senior lawyer. “We hope that residents and visitors will enjoy using the Miskin Law Community Complex for many years.”

As part of the construction project budget the City plans to raise $1 million through sponsorships. The facility is anticipated to open in fall 2024.

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Sign-a-fied Becomes New Sponsor of Healthy Planet Arena Pad

Full-service sign and print shop Sign-a-fied is the new official sponsor of the north pad at the City of Peterborough’s Healthy Planet Arena, announced on Friday morning.

File Photo.

The new Sign-a-fied name for the ice pad will be in place next week.

Healthy Planet Arena includes two ice pads and a large multi-purpose space.

“As a company that is directly reliant on the continual development of business in Peterborough, we understand the importance of giving back to our city in ways that will make a lasting impact,” said Steve Daynes, Sign-a-fied owner. “Sign-a-fied is honoured to be involved in supporting such an integral aspect of the community through our sponsorship with Healthy Planet Arena. Together we hope to assist in providing the public with an environment to safely compete, exercise and come together.”

Earlier this year, the City invested in a renovation project that included the replacement of the refrigeration plant, dasher boards, arena glass and lighting system on the north pad according to a press release.

“The City of Peterborough is pleased to welcome Sign-a-fied as the naming rights sponsor for an ice pad at Healthy Planet Arena – one of our premier recreation facilities in the community,” said Heather Stephens, City of Peterborough recreation programs and partnerships manager.

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