Run, Walk and Dress Like an Animal While Helping Raise Funds for Accessible Playground at Riverview Park & Zoo

By Scott Arnold

A new play space is the goal behind this year’s event at the zoo, with organizers hoping the fundraiser will help make that vision a reality for children of all abilities.

Participants can run, walk and show off their best animal costumes at the 2026 Riverview Park & Zoo Fun Run and Walk, with funds raised going toward a fully accessible playground at the zoo. (photo by scott arnold)

The Riverview Park & Zoo Fun Run and Walk returns Saturday, September 26th, with this year's event raising money toward a fully accessible playground at the zoo.

Participants can choose between a 1km or 5km route, with both distances open to walkers and runners. The family-friendly event also gives everyone an excuse to get creative, with an animal costume contest featuring prizes for the best costumes.

So whether you're showing up as a lion, lemur, lovebird or another favourite animal, the costume is entirely up to you.

There are just 500 spots available for this year's event, making registration a good idea for anyone hoping to take part.

The money raised will go toward the zoo's goal of creating a fully accessible playground, giving children of all abilities an opportunity to enjoy the play space.

Scott Arnold is a Journalist and Content Creator at PTBOCanada Media Inc

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Want to Leave Your Mark on Peterborough? Start With a Tree at Heritage Park

By Scott Arnold

Peterborough residents can get their hands dirty this month as a community tree planting event looks to add approximately 500 native trees to Heritage Park.

Volunteers plant native trees during a Trees 4 Peterborough community planting event, helping expand Peterborough’s urban forest (photo by scott arnold)

The Trees 4 Peterborough Community Tree Planting Event is taking place Saturday, September 26th at Heritage Park, where volunteers will work together to expand the city’s urban forest along Riverview Creek.

The planting gets underway at 10am at 560 Settlers Ridge, with volunteers from across the community invited to take part.

The goal is to create a more continuous stretch of tree cover along the creek while adding more native trees to the park. The project is part of the broader Trees 4 Peterborough initiative, which brings together community groups, local organizations and residents to help grow Peterborough’s urban forest.

There’s still time to register if you’d like to be part of the planting. Registration is available through peterborough.ca/trees.

The Trees 4 Peterborough initiative is bringing community members together to create more tree cover and greener neighbourhoods across the city. (photo by scott arnold)

This particular event is being supported through a partnership with Peterborough GreenUP, along with donations from RBC Wealth Management, The Excelsior Group and Fairlife. East Side Mario’s and Merrett Home Hardware are also contributing to the event through in-kind support.

Whether you’re an experienced gardener or simply looking for a way to spend part of the morning helping out in the community, the September 26th event offers a hands-on way to contribute to a greener Peterborough.

Scott Arnold is a Journalist and Content Creator at PTBOCanada Media Inc

Engage with us on social media on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Threads, Tiktok, Youtube and LinkedIn. Write to us at tips@ptbocanada.com. Sign up for our newsletter here.