51 Things We Hope To See In Peterborough In 2012

In no particular order, here we go...

 

1. A place(s) to play ping pong in downtown Peterborough.
2.
PCVS
3.
More hilarious tweets from @/PTBO_Y_U_NO.
4.
More jobs being created in Peterborough.
5.
Buses running later at night in Peterborough. It's near impossible to get a cab when the bars close. And we don't want to see people ever drinking and driving.
6.
More music and cultural festivals. The more, the merrier. (Our music scene is one of the best in Canada.)
7.
More people biking on Peterborough's streets and trails. More people biking in general.
8.
The Peterborough Petes in the playoffs.
9.
More great music acts at the likes of Historic Red Dog, Market Hall, Showplace, The Spill, Spanky's and Gordon Best.
10.
More plaid.
11.
An authentic Irish pub.
12.
PCVS
13.
More restaurants and businesses opening, and less closing.
14.
Less blackouts for no real reason.
15.
Reggie's launching a hot dog version of their burger.
16.
More tourists coming to our great city.
17.
More great anti-bullying programs in the city. More people standing up to bullies.
18.
More Creative Cocktails, which was one of the best things to come to Peterborough this year.
19.
More funny typos on signs.
20.
Continued generosity of Peterborough community.
21.
A continued resurgence of the downtown—and the continued good work of the DBIA.
22.
Continued transparency from city council, the Mayor's office and our tweeting Mayor, who has settled into the role nicely and is having a great first year in office.
23.
A couple town hall meetings. Or one. Hey, why not? Healthy thing to try to bring community together.
24.
People doing random things like dancing on bubble wrap.
25.
Another great Festival of Trees downtown.
26.
More Tom Phillips columns.
27.
More people trying breakfast at The Only Cafe. It's worth the wait.
28.
More readers submitting tips.
29.
More local people and businesses joining the Twitterverse.
30.
More parody accounts on Twitter. Good satire can be a great equalizer.
31.
Continued development of the Peterborough Wednesday Market and Saturday Farmer's Market.
32.
A splash pad at Nicholl's Oval.
33.
PCVS
34.
Peterborough Roller Derby taking off.
35.
Less domestics on police reports. Less drug busts. Less break and enters. Less stabbings. Less crime. More jobs.
36.
More flash mobs around Peterborough.
37.
CP Rail bridge gets fixed, allowing pedestrian walkway/bikeway again (and our shortcut back to East City)
38.
More Peterborough playlists.
39.
The return of 4 Dudes On The Balcony.
40.
More Stormtroopers. More Band Wagons.
41.
Continued impact/recognition of Peterborough's Creative Class.
42.
More shocked looks on the faces of visitors to our Zoo when they discover it's free.
43.
Peterborough Square and Portage Place making an Eighties comeback.
44.
Less complaining and whining about what's wrong with the city, and more solutions for how to fix things.
45.
More/continued attention to the amazing artists, musicians and athletes in this city.
46.
PCVS
47.
A show called Culturally Speaking on TV Cogeco as spinoff of Politically Speaking.
48.
The excellent owners of the now closed Have You Seen... returning with a new venture.
49.
More people visiting our awesome galleries and museums—the Canadian Canoe Museum is world class.
50. Not as many people wearing pajamas as outdoor wear.
51. A town square. Well, at least more discussion about it.

That's it, you rock.

What do you hope to see in Peterborough in 2012? Add to our comments section below.

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Amazing Cover Of Neko Case Song Filmed In PCVS Stairwell Going Viral

[UPDATE December 13: It now has more than 23,000 views on YouTube.]

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This cover of Neko Case's "Star Witness" performed by PCVS students Kate Macdonald and Janelle Blanchard already has more than 17,000 views since being uploaded December 4th—and has been tweeted by Neko Case herself several times. It was recorded to draw further attention to PCVS's closure and the devastating impact it could have on our community.


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Support Local Artisans At Focus Fair Indie Craft Fair At The Spill This Weekend

This year's Focus Fair takes place at The Spill this weekend (December 10th and 11th). Click here to view pictures from last year's to give you a flavour.

[Focus Fair Indie Craft Fair]

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PtboPics: Downtown There's Ice Sculptures, Reindeer, BeaverTails, An Ice Rink & Free Parking

 

[pictures by PtboCanada's Christi Morton]

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PtboPics: Festival of Trees Tree Lighting Ceremony At Peterborough Square

 

[Contributed by PtboCanada's Julie Morris]

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PTBOCanada Review: Mashup & Group Photography Show At Artspace

Mashup, currently on display in the front room of Artspace, is a collab/co-mingle of art from two artists: Montreal artist Nadia Moss uses sculpture and drawing in a fun, creative way which plays out as a cross between street art and comic book art; and London, Ontario artist James Kirkpatrick uses interactivity as a basis in his sculpture. This is an excellent installation.

Also featured in the mudroom of Artspace is Exposure: A Group Photography Show from the Electric City Lodge. A wild cross-section of photo based art is displayed by some local artists you may recognize, and some who will be new to you: Jessica Melnik, Bradley Boyle, Eric McKibbon and Esther Vincent are just a portion of the folks who's wildly eclectic work are on display in this show. 

 

Both of these shows run until Friday, November 25th. That gives you a good two weeks to check it out. It's a fun look-see. Artspace is located at 378 Aylmer Street.

[Text and pics by PtboCanada's Jeffrey Macklin]

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PTBOCanada Review & Pics: Dave Bidini Reading From "Writing Gordon Lightfoot" At Traill College Last Night

Last night, Canadian musician and author Dave Bidini read from his new book, Writing Gordon Lightfoot: The Man, The Music, and The World in 1972. It's Bidini's 10th book.

As he described to those in attendance at Scott House, Traill College, it's the first time he's written a book about one person.

Previous books have covered Canadian Rock during the fledgling years of Bidini's former band The Rheostatics, as well as his other love—sports. Those books told stories about hockey and baseball from Bidini's unique Canadian perspective. 

Last night Bidini read one chapter from the book, regaled with interesting and entertaining anecdotes before taking questions. It turns out, Lightfoot does not do interviews, preferring to not look back on his history.

Bidini, working without any help from the subject, wrote the book based on interviews with those who were around Lightfoot during a pivotal week in 1972, piecing together the story of this Canadian songwriting legend during what must have been a meteoric rise in fame.

 

The storyline builds from the 1972 Mariposa Folk Festival, where legends Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, Neil Young and Lightfoot were seemingly drawn together in one place, at one time.

Based on Bidini's talk last night, this will be a highly informative read. The book was launched two weeks ago and should prove to be a fun read for those who have a soft spot for Canadian music and pop culture.

Lightfoot fans are sure to be pleased.

[Text and pics by PtboCanada's Jeffrey Macklin]

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Here's A Poem A PCVS Student Wrote For Her English Assignment About Her School Closing

How could they?
Why would they?
Why should they?
Love.
Compassion.
Acceptence.
PCVS is more than a school.
PCVS is a home.
A home where hate withers.
Love grows in its place.
A home is where family lives.
We're family.
As the words run through my head.
"PCVS has been chosen to be closed."
I'm in denial.
This isn't happening.
How could they?
Why would they?
Why should they?
I've been stabbed in the back.
Just getting used to this environment.
Just to have it taken away from me.
We had a family building.
It's being torn down.
Ripped to shreads.
Thrown away like it meant nothing.
Rusty Hicks.
Spend a week here.
See what you think.
What do you see?
Each and every student.
Inspired.
Creative.
Loving.
Passionate.
They've taken away our family.
We're leaving a broken home.
How could they?
Why would they?
Why should they?

[via Peterborough Needs PCVS]

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Peterborough's Creative, Arts & Technological Sector Is Booming

Read the Martin Prosperity Institute report on Peterborough here, which says our "distinct, almost bohemian, culture is of special interest contrasted against Peterborough's surrounding, more conservative counties."

[chextvDOTcom; The Impact Of Peterborough's "Creative Class" On Local Economic Innovation & Growth; Martin Prosperity Report On Peterborough]

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Here's A Totally Inspiring Peterborough Video Message Called "Hip Hop Awakening"

This YouTube video from a Peterborough man is apparently a response to a Rap Battle that took place at Pappas Billiards on the weekend. But its articulate, positive and inspiring message extends well beyond Hip Hop and speaks to a lot of stuff going on in this community—including safety, the environment, jobs, poverty, food issues, social justice, love and youth culture.

[YouTube]

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