City of Peterborough Seeking Feedback On Downtown Parking Experience
/The City of Peterborough is asking for residents' feedback regarding downtown parking with a survey available online.
Photo by David Tuan Bui.
Peterborough Blogs
City of Peterborough Seeking Public Input Rejuvenation of Three Otonabee Ward Parks
/The City of Peterborough is inviting its residents to help shape the future of three neighbourhood parks in Otonabee Ward.
Keith Wightman Park. Photo by David Tuan Bui.
Public input is being gathered for proposed improvements to Keith Wightman Park, Glenn Pagett Park and Whitefield Park. Planned improvements will focus on creating inclusive, accessible spaces that all residents can enjoy.
Each park project includes new amenities and enhancements designed around the needs and priorities of the surrounding neighbourhood and those who use the spaces every day.
Community input will play an important role in guiding the final plans. Residents can share their ideas by completing an online survey or attending a public drop-in session for each park project.
“Parks play a vital role in bringing people together, supporting active lifestyles and creating spaces where communities can thrive,” said Otonabee Ward Councillors Lesley Parnell and Kevin Duguay. “This is an opportunity for residents to directly shape the future of their neighbourhood parks. We strongly encourage everyone to take a few minutes to complete the survey or attend a drop-in session. Your input will help ensure these spaces reflect the needs, ideas, and priorities of the people who use them every day.”
Drop-in sessions
Keith Wightman Park: Thursday, June 4, 2026, 6–7 p.m. at Keith Wightman Public School, 860 St. Mary’s St.
Glenn Pagett Park: Wednesday, June 17, 2026, 6–7 p.m. at the Miskin Law Community Complex, 271 Lansdowne St. W.
Whitefield Park: Wednesday, June 17, 2026, 7–8 p.m. at the Miskin Law Community Complex, 271 Lansdowne St. W.
City staff will be available at each session to answer questions and gather input on desired park features.
Residents can complete surveys, suggest features, share ideas and sign up for project updates through the Connect Peterborough website and each park’s project page.
Keith Wightman Park: connectptbo.ca/wightman. The public survey will remain open until 11:59 p.m. on June 17, 2026.
Glenn Pagett Park: connectptbo.ca/pagett. The public survey will remain open until 11:59 p.m. on June 25, 2026.
Whitefield Park: connectptbo.ca/whitefieldpark. The public survey will remain open until 11:59 p.m. on June 25, 2026.
Paper copies of each survey are also available at City Hall.
Survey results and future project updates, including concept plans, will be shared on the Connect Peterborough pages for each park as information becomes available.
After community consultation and concept development are complete, construction for each project is expected to begin in the fall.
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Residents Asked to Vote For New Public Art at the Peterborough Transit Terminal
/A new public art installation is coming to the Peterborough Transit Terminal at 190 Simcoe St. and residents are invited to help select the final design.
File Photo.
The installation includes vinyl murals that will be placed on the downtown terminal’s columns and exterior. The artwork will enhance the terminal's visual character while improving wayfinding, highlighting entrances and pathways, and enhancing accessibility and safety.
The City of Peterborough’s Public Art Policy have narrowed their selections to three artist teams for the project:
BAU & ĆOS Studio (Andres Ulises Bautista & Novka Ćosović)
Casandra Lee, Joshua Morley and Sahira Said Jiddawy
Jerry Rugg (birdO)
BAU AND ĆOS Studio is a Greater Toronto Area-based art and architecture firm founded by Andres Ulises Bautista and Novka Ćosović. As a team of two with different backgrounds from distant parts of the world, they draw on their extensive travels and diverse cultural experiences to create contextual public artworks. Their work is very versatile. The team has been commissioned to design projects for the City of Mississauga, the City of Burlington, Nuit Blanche and Pride Week.
Joshua Morley, Sahira Said Jiddawy and Casandra Lee bring complementary strengths in public art, design, and community engagement. Joshua has led large-scale murals such as The Hug, a 600 ft² mural in downtown Peterborough, and Maamawi, a vinyl installation for a community centre in Sault Ste. Marie. Sahira creates cohesive visual systems across digital and print, with work for organizations such as Community Fridge Canada and Absynthe Magazine. Casandra creates both digital and traditional public artworks, including installations for Renaissance on Hunter and Erring at King George.
Jerry Rugg, aka birdO, is a multidisciplinary artist based in Toronto. While his surreal geometric animals can be found on canvas, in digital print, and in installation, birdO is primarily known for his large-scale mural work on walls and buildings around the world. Jerry’s longstanding passion for the arts, his storied experience in film, and the skills acquired as an award-winning graphic designer have all contributed to his approach, which focuses on an acute awareness of the surface and on studious preparation regarding local culture and surroundings.
Each team has prepared a video presentation outlining their concept for the Transit Terminal.
Residents can review the proposed concepts and choose the design that they feel best reflects the city’s identity, creativity and sense of place at connectptbo.ca/simcoetransitart.
Voting is open until 5 p.m. on May 25.
This public vote will count as one vote in the overall decision. The Public Art Jury will evaluate each project alongside community input, and the Arts and Culture Advisory Committee will endorse the final selection.
The winning design will be installed at the Peterborough Transit Terminal in early September.
This project is funded through a combination of municipal investment and support from the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program (ICIP), as part of the broader Simcoe Street Transit Terminal rehabilitation project.
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City of Peterborough Launches Initiative to Streamline the Review Process of Traffic and Parking Concerns
/A new city-led initiative is giving residents a direct way to report traffic and parking concerns by creating the Traffic Technical Working Group (TTWG) and an online application form.
Photo by David Tuan Bui.
The TTWG, recently launched following City Council approval in January, brings together subject-matter experts from multiple City departments to take a coordinated, data-driven approach to addressing traffic and parking concerns throughout the city.
The group includes staff specializing in Traffic, Parking, Engineering, Transportation Planning, Law Enforcement, and Municipal Operations. The TTWG will review community-submitted concerns and recommend data-driven solutions.
Residents play a key role in this initiative. Community members are encouraged to submit traffic and parking concerns through the application form. Submissions will be reviewed by the TTWG, with updates provided to residents so they can stay informed about the status of their request.
This new approach will help streamline the assessment of traffic and parking issues and concerns, ensure consistent decision-making, and support improved traffic operations within the city.
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City of Peterborough Hosting Drop-In Session For Community Input on Proposed Improvements to Kawartha Heights Park
/The City of Peterborough is inviting residents to learn more about proposed improvements to Kawartha Heights Park at a public drop-in session from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Thursday at the Peterborough Sports and Wellness Centre.
photo courtesy of the city of peterborough, facebook.
Located at 2229 Kawartha Heights Blvd., Kawartha Heights Park currently features a playground, soccer field and basketball court.
The City is looking to upgrade some existing features and add new amenities in the neighbourhood park. Residents are invited to provide feedback on which park amenities are best suited to meet the community's needs.
The Kawartha Heights Park project is expected to happen over two phases. Phase 1 is planned for 2027 and includes upgrades to the ball diamond or the rectangular field to a Level B and formalizing parking. Phase 2 is planned for 2028 and includes the addition of a splash pad, a pet exercise area and a multi-use sport court.
“Kawartha Heights Park is a valued neighbourhood space where residents come together to play and enjoy the outdoors,” said Monaghan Ward Councillors Matt Crowley and Don Vassiliadis in a joint statement. “These proposed improvements represent an exciting opportunity to build on that foundation, enhancing the park as a vibrant, welcoming community hub with something for everyone. From new amenities to upgraded spaces, this project will help create more opportunities for people of all ages to be active, gather and make lasting memories in their neighbourhood.”
The opportunity to improve Kawartha Heights Park was identified as part of the City’s Parks and Outdoor Recreation Facilities Study.
“The Parks and Outdoor Recreation Facilities Study is an important tool that helps us understand where there are opportunities to enhance parks and better meet the needs of residents across Peterborough,” said Community Services co-chairs Lesley Parnell and Alex Bierk in a joint statement. “Kawartha Heights Park is one of the locations identified through this work, and this engagement process will help ensure future improvements reflect what the community values most.”
During the drop-in session, City staff will be available to answer questions about the project.
All proposed upgrades are subject to budget approval.
A public survey is available online. Hard copies of the survey are available at City Hall (500 George St. N.) The survey will be open until 11:59 p.m. on May 8.
Further information about the project, including updates, a site plan and a summary of the public survey findings, will be posted online.
Residents with questions or concerns can also call 705-742-7777 ext. 1829.
Safe Moves Peterborough: Creating Safer Streets through the Transportation Safety Program
/A 15-year Transportation Safety Program (TSP) is being developed as a step towards making streets safer in the City of Peterborough.
Photo courtesy of the City of Peterborough.
Building on previous initiatives such as the Transportation Master Plan, Neighbourhood Traffic Calming Policy, speed limit reductions and Active School Travel programs, the TSP will provide a clear, long-term approach to road safety across the community in a proactive and sustainable way, according to Mayor Jeff Leal.
“This program is about making our streets safer for everyone in Peterborough,” he said. “It will allow us to look closely at where safety concerns exist and work to reduce serious collisions. It’s about making everyday travel safer, whether you’re walking, cycling, driving, or taking transit.”
The TSP aims to reduce traffic fatalities and serious injuries by creating safer roads that help prevent harm. It focuses on shared responsibility between everyone who uses the roadways, including motorists, cyclists and pedestrians and those who design and manage the city’s roads.
The success of the TSP relies on meaningful input from the community. Feedback helps ensure that the program reflects the experiences of people who live, work and travel in Peterborough.
How to share feedback:
Visit the project page: Residents can provide input on their experiences with road user safety and identify high-risk locations through a mapping tool and survey available on the project page, connectptbo.ca/safemovesptbo.
Paper copies of the survey are available at the Peterborough Public Library, 345 Aylmer Street N. and at City Hall, 500 George Street N. The survey closes on Friday, June 5.
Public Information Centres: Two Public Information Centres (PICs) will be hosted in June. The PICs will provide an opportunity to learn more about road safety risks and challenges. Attendees can share feedback and recommendations on the TSP. More details on the upcoming PICs will be shared when they become available.
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Public Input Sought on Waste Services Clean Streets Peterborough
/The City of Peterborough is seeking community input to support Clean Streets Peterborough, a review of waste collection, litter management, and garbage on streets, in parks, on trails and in public spaces across the city.
Photo courtesy of the City of Peterborough.
The review will assess how waste services are delivered and identify opportunities to improve and modernize delivery. It will also evaluate how well current programs meet the needs of a growing and changing community, according to Cassandra Babcock, Public Works Operations Director.
“As our services evolve, it is important that we hear directly from those who rely on them,” she said. “Public input will help guide future improvements and ensure our programs continue to meet community needs.”
Feedback is being collected to understand how current programs are working and where improvements may be needed.
Input will help inform the evaluation of:
Collection schedules and service levels
Waste diversion programs
Public education
Enforcement
Waste-related by-laws
Landfill operations
Placement and maintenance of waste bins in parks, trails, and high-traffic areas
Survey feedback will inform future service planning and support ongoing efforts to maintain a clean and sustainable city and the survey will go live at a later date.
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City Hosting Public Drop-In Session For Riverview Park and Zoo Accessible Playground
/Residents are invited to learn about proposed upgrades to the accessible playground at Riverview Park and Zoo and provide feedback to help shape the project.
Photo courtesy of the Rotary Club of Peterborough.
A public drop-in session will take place on April 23 from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the Rotary Education Centre in the Riverview Park and Zoo. Project staff will be available to answer questions and gather feedback from residents on the proposed accessibility improvements.
A public survey is also available online. Paper copies are available at City Hall (500 George St. N.) The survey will be open until 11:59 p.m. on May 1.
Accessible playground upgrades are part of a multi-year project focused on reducing steep slopes and improving access to the existing playground.
Riverview Park and Zoo, in partnership with the Rotary Club of Peterborough, is working to raise $1.5 million to bring this vision to life. Project ROAR, a community-driven fundraising campaign, will support the development of an accessible, inclusive playground.
“This project is about making sure every visitor to Riverview Park and Zoo has the opportunity to play, explore and feel included while enjoying the playground,” said Community Services co-chairs Councillor Lesley Parnell and Councillor Alex Bierk in a joint statement. “We encourage residents to share their ideas to help shape a space that reflects the needs of our community and supports a more accessible and welcoming experience for everyone.”
Donations to support the Playground Accessibility Project can be made online.
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Parks Canada Hosting Public Information Sessions For Infrastructure Projects in Peterborough
/Parks Canada is hosting two Public Information Sessions on several major infrastructure projects taking place along the Trent–Severn Waterway National Historic Site in Peterborough.
Parks Canada is undertaking these projects to help ensure public safety and support the long-term stewardship of the Trent–Severn Waterway National Historic Site, preserving this important historic canal corridor for future generations. Photo courtesy of Parks Canada.
Contractors are currently on site and work will soon begin on coordinated, multi-year projects that include the rehabilitation of the Peterborough Earth Dams, repairs and maintenance to the Peterborough Lift Lock and the replacement of the Maria Street Swing Bridge says Parks Canada.
The Public Information Sessions will provide an opportunity to learn more about the projects, including construction phases, timelines, anticipated impacts, mitigation measures, and the long-term benefits they will bring to the community. Representatives from Parks Canada will present project information and be available to answer questions.
The same information will be presented at two sessions:
Virtual Public Information Session: March 23 at 7 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
In-Person Public Information Session: March 24 at 7 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
Peterborough Lions Club, 347 Burnham St.
Residents can register for either session by emailing Parks Canada at trentsevern@pc.gc.ca.
Residents can also sign up for project updates by emailing trentsevern@pc.gc.ca and including “Peterborough Canal Projects” in the subject line.
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Peterborough Tourism Strategy Community Feedback Survey Now Open
/Community members are invited to provide feedback on the draft direction of the Peterborough Tourism Strategy through a Community Feedback Loop Survey.
File photo.
