City Council to Reduce Speed Limit On Woodglade Boulevard; Installing Crosswalks Where Child Died In March

City Council has endorsed reducing the speed limit from 50 to 40 kilometres per hour and implementing a Community Safety Zone on Woodglade Boulevard between Sherbrooke Street and Kawartha Heights Boulevard and installing crosswalks near the area where a child was struck by a vehicle and died in March.

File Photo.

A traffic operational review was conducted on the Council’s direction to assess the existing traffic conditions on Woodglade Boulevard between Kawartha Heights Boulevard and Sherbrooke Street according to a press release. The technical assessment included a review of vehicle speed and volume, collision history, intersection sightlines and pedestrian activity.

It showed that vehicle speed and volume are comparable to other high-capacity collector roadways in Peterborough. Three collisions have been reported in the past six years.

The Intersection sightline review recommends reducing the posted speed limit or provide advance warning signs for northbound drivers.

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Peterborough City Council Pre-Commit $49,602 Of 2023 Budget To Community Gardens

Peterborough City Council endorsed an agreement with YWCA Peterborough Haliburton for the administration of community gardens on municipal property and is pre-committing $49,602 in the City's 2023 Budget to fund the program.

The agreement for the Community Garden Administration would be from Jan. 1, 2022 to Dec. 31, 2027 with an option to renew for one additional three-year term.

According to a release by City Council, community gardens can make a community more vibrant and resilient, while benefiting local pollinators and other components of the environment.

At the time the Community Garden Policy was approved, Peterborough GreenUp in collaboration with the YWCA Peterborough Haliburton Peterborough Public Health, and the Community Opportunity & Innovation Network (COIN) had established the Peterborough Community Garden Network (PCGN). GreenUp was the lead organization under which the PCGN operated. GreenUp acted as the legal entity with whom the City entered into licence agreements specific to each garden site located on municipal land.

In 2014, the management responsibilities transferred from GreenUp to the YWCA Peterborough Haliburton, which has been involved with community gardening for more than 30 years. The YWCA manages the gardens on municipal lands as part of its Nourish Project program. The Nourish Project works in partnership with community gardeners to develop sustainable community garden groups that oversee the individual sites. This process is critical in ensuring that the uniqueness of each garden is recognized, the gardeners are empowered to take on leadership roles and feel a sense of pride and connection with the garden sites and sustaining the community garden projects in the long term. The YWCA also maintains a waiting list of interested new gardeners.

There are a total of 144 garden plots available within the gardens located on the following municipal lands:

• Whitefield Park

• 1900 Ashburnham Dr.

• King Edward Park

• Nevin Park

• Stewart Park

• 480 McDonnel St. (abuts Bonaccord Street – Referred to as the Bonaccord Garden)

• Barnardo Avenue and Wolsely Street intersection (flower garden)

• There is at least one other application in progress for a community garden

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Peterborough City Council Endorses The Reduction Of Single Use Plastics In The City

Peterborough City Council has endorsed recommendations on ways to reduce the use of single-use plastics items, including municipal government activities, sharing information, a public awareness campaign, and a 24-month contract position to coordinate the implementation of the single-use plastics reduction strategy.

File Photo.

Under the recommended strategy, the City would:

• implement a single-use plastics reduction strategy at a select number of City-owned locations including City Hall and the Waste Water Treatment Plant;

• start the creation of a City of Peterborough - Zero Waste Event Planning Guide;

• develop and implement an enhanced public awareness campaign including updated promotional and educational signage for public spaces including parks, recreational facilities and City-owned locations; and

• create a temporary 24-month contract position to assist with the design and implementation of the single-use plastics reduction strategy recommendations.

The total cost of the proposed contract is estimated to be $100,000, which would be funded through the Waste Management Reserve.

Single-use plastics are a significant contributor to the global plastic pollution problem. Although considered convenient for short term use, many of these items including plastic straws, utensils, stir sticks, cups, water bottles, plates, bowls, take out containers are not easily recyclable and ultimately end up in landfill, according to a City press release.

City Council adopted the following resolution on February 25, 2019: That staff report on existing waste diversion practices and the potential for an awareness-building program focused on encouraging the reduction of hard to recycle single-use plastics.

A Single-Use Plastics Reduction Working Group, chaired by Councillor Gary Baldwin, that included eight volunteers from diverse sectors of the community met six times to consider information and contribute to recommendations.

In September 2021, the City hired Exp. Services, a third-party professional Ontario based consulting firm, to undertake the review and update of the existing Peterborough Waste Management Master Plan (WMMP), which was last updated in 2012.

This initiative will be undertaken through 2022, including a review of industry proven diversion opportunities, public consultation, and culminating in an updated WMMP to optimize diversion opportunities. All recommendations made by the Single-Use Plastics Reduction Working Group will be included in the assessment for consideration for inclusion in the updated plan recommendations.

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Appplications for 2022 Community Grant Program Open Friday

Peterborough City Council has announced that the application process for the 2022 Community Grant Program will open on Friday.

The Community Grants program provides financial assistance to non-profit, community-based organizations that provide direct programs, services or activities that enhance the quality of life for Peterborough residents.

Each year Peterborough City Council dedicates funds to be distributed to various community groups within the City. All grants are subject to evaluation and final approval by Council.

There are three streams of grants that groups can apply to:

The Community Project Grant offers $250 - $1,000 and is intended to be used to kickstart a project or special event.

The Community Investment Grant offers $1,000 - $15,000 to support larger projects or special events, specific programs of larger organizations, or operating budgets.

The Community Service Grant is not available through the application process. Eligible organizations will be identified by City staff and approved by Council. They will be required to enter into a Service Contract with the City in order to receive the funding. This grant will offer support for municipally mandated services for which the requested amount is more than $15,000.

For more information contact the Community Services department at 705-742-7777 ext. 1822 or email communitygrants@peterborough.ca

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City of Peterborough Announces 2022 Community Grant Program

Peterborough City Council that the application process for the 2022 Community Grant Program will open in October announced on Wednesday.

Photo courtesy of the City of Peterborough

The Community Grants program provides financial assistance to non-profit, community-based organizations that provide direct programs, services or activities that enhance the quality of life for Peterborough residents in the areas of social services and health, arts, culture, heritage, recreation or the environment.

Each year Peterborough City Council dedicates funds to be allocated to various community groups within the City. All grants are subject to evaluation and final approval by Council.

There are three streams of grants available.

The Community Project Grant offers $250 - $1,000 and is intended to be used to kickstart a project or special event.

The Community Investment Grant offers $1,000 - $15,000 to support larger projects or special events, specific programs of larger organizations, or operating budgets.

The Community Service Grant is not available through the application process. Eligible organizations will be identified by City staff and approved by Council. They will be required to enter into a Service Contract with the City in order to receive the funding. This grant will offer support for municipally mandated services for which the requested amount is more than $15,000.

For more information contact the Community Services department at 705-742-7777 ext. 1822 or email communitygrants@peterborough.ca

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City Counsellors Unanimously Votes to Turn On Centennial Fountain

The Centennial Fountain in Little Lake will come back on for this year starting on May 26 after city counsellors voted in a virtual meeting on Monday.

File Photo.

Coun. Keith Riel originally suggested turning the fountain on and it was unanimously voted in favour of the proposition.

The fountain was turned off back in April 2020 during the pandemic to save costs and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Coun. Henry Clarke originally proposed the fountain’s closure last but agreed to have it on “to celebrate and be happy about.“

"It signals hope we're rounding the corner on this pandemic," said Coun. Stephen Wright.

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Facebook Page Launched To Raise Awareness About Proposed Cuts To Peterborough Public Transit

City Council has endorsed cutting $422,000 from the city's $9.8-million budget for public transit, and the implications of these service cuts to bus service if approved are significant. According to a new Facebook page launched to raise awareness about the proposed cuts, the cuts to bus service would include:

-stop at 6:40 pm rather than 11:20 pm on Saturdays
-run between 8:40-5:20 pm on Sundays rather than 8:00 am-7:20 pm
-the Major Bennett bus route on Sundays will be eliminated
-Technology Drive service will be reduced from 6 to 4 trips on weekdays

"Cutting funding to public transit is a regressive action and will affect those who do not have access to private transportation or have disabilities," the Facebook page states. "It is okay to examine routes that are underused but please keep the money in the system to keep it strong."

The Facebook page is encouraging those who care about the future of public transit in Peterborough to come out to council chambers next Tuesday (January 25th, 6:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m.) for a public meeting and have their say. The draft budget goes to city council January 31.

What do you think about the proposed cuts?

[photo via Speak up for Peterborough Public Transit Facebook page]

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Update on 2011-01-23 19:15 by PTBOCANADA

Councillor Lesley Parnell -- "Now that I have the facts on ridership, we will need to make sure both Saturday night and Sunday night ( convension and handivan) are NOT cut."  See our Reader Comments section on post for her full letter.