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Downtown Comes Alive As Patio Season Brings Diners Outside For The Summer
/Patio season is ramping up with the installation of expanded patio areas and new pedestrian space for people visiting the downtown.
Photo courtesy of The City of Peterborough.
The City has completed the installation of decorative fencing and planter boxes next to businesses on George, Water and Charlotte streets that have signed up for the expanded patios this year, using on-street parking in front of their businesses.
The patio season changes also means that Hunter Street between George and Aylmer streets has become a one-lane, one-way street westbound to add more patio and pedestrian space.
As part of the reconfiguration of the section of Hunter Street, Chambers Street is temporarily closed at its south end at Hunter Street and will be two-way for the duration of the closure.
This is the third summer that the City is putting in place temporary changes to downtown public space to allow for more patio and pedestrian area. This year’s design is similar to last year’s successful design, except for one change: Charlotte Street between George Street and Aylmer Street North is remaining a two-lane, two-way street this year.
In other areas of the downtown, expanded patios are put into on-street parking spaces next to businesses that choose to participate in the program.
Beyond the COVID-19 pandemic public health considerations, providing additional outdoor space for downtown businesses and visitors is another way to support businesses that are recovering from the disruptions caused by the pandemic, says the City.
For a second year, the City will coordinate the the Renaissance on Hunter public art project. This project allows successful, local artists to complete murals on Hunter Street. The Road Mural and Artists' Gardens projects are expected to be in place by early July, weather permitting.
The City of Peterborough consulted with Peterborough Public Health and Peterborough Downtown Business Improvement Area through the design and implementation of the temporary downtown public space changes.
Couple Opens New Bubble Tea Shop In Downtown Peterborough
/Dreams of owning a bubble tea place have come true for couple Jasmine Sina and Allen Zhang as they soft opened their café Bobo Tea on the corner of George Street and Charlotte Street on Tuesday.
Allen Zhang (left) and Jasmine Sina (right) created their own menu for their bubble tea that includes ingredients such as condensed milk, cheese foam and aloe vera jelly in their various drinks. Photo by David Tuan Bui.
The popular Taiwanese drink commonly consists of green or black flavoured tea typically with chewy tapioca balls (that act as the ‘bubbles’) and can include milk. Other popular toppings include popping boba (encased spheres of syrup or juice), jelly or fruit.
Customers can adjust sugar and ice levels to their bubble tea as the beverage boasts to be a healthier alternative to other sweet drinks.
“We wanted to use a lot of fresh fruits to make it healthier," said Sina. "People want to have weight control and want a more healthier drink so they can have it every day.”
Zhang and Sina thought about opening a bubble tea shop last summer and began looking for property to open a store in January.
They chose Peterborough since it was a big city in the Kawarthas with a potentially large untapped market for bubble tea according to Zhang. Originally from Toronto, he and Sina believed opening a store in Peterborough would get people familiar with the famed beverage.
"Bubble Tea is already popular in the GTA (Greater Toronto Area),” he said. “Most people (here), I think still don't know what bubble tea is.”
The pandemic created several obstacles for the couple but they persevered in getting their shop up and running. The owners anticipate a shipment of decorations to come in soon before their grand opening at an undisclosed date.
"Of course it's very exciting, we actually did it," said Zhang. "During the time of the renovations, all the supplies were short and the inspections were behind."
Zhang had the idea of opening a store last summer while visiting a friend who went to school at Trent University.
“There are not many Chinese restaurants here so he would always drive to Toronto just for bubble tea,” he said. “That was the first idea that told me that I should start searching out and plan to open up a store in Peterborough.”
The café is offering 20 per cent off all its drinks during the soft launch until their grand opening.
"All the people coming with the feedback, we made the right choice to have it here and I think people like our drinks so I'm happy to see people that walk away with happy faces when holding our drinks,” said Zhang.
Suzi Home Maker And Kawartha Food Share Join Move For Hunger To Help Provide Meals For Those In Need
/Suzi Home Maker, a Downsizing and Senior Specialty Move Manager, and Kawartha Food Share have announced that they have joined Move For Hunger, a national hunger relief non-profit organization, to help provide meals to those in need in Peterborough.
Ashlee Aitken and Susan Dunkley at Kawartha Food Share. Photo courtesy of Susan Dunkley.
"We're extremely fortunate and appreciative to join such a much-needed cause," said Susan Dunkley, owner of Suzi Home Maker. "The sustainable donation process that Move For Hunger undertakes is quite extraordinary. With this partnership, we look forward to having the ability to do our part in getting food delivered to those who need it most. I would also encourage all moving companies and relocation specialists to consider joining this great cause.”
Move For Hunger has provided over 27 million pounds of food, equaling nearly 23 million meals, to food pantries across the United States and Canada.
“We are so thrilled to be partnering with Suzi Home Maker and Move for Hunger to help tackle food waste that results from moving and provide those food items to community members needing our support,” said Ashlee Aitken, General Manager, Kawartha Food Share. “With over 9,000 clients using our food banks and meal programs each month, even the smallest of donations makes a large impact. We’re so thankful to be a part of this incredible opportunity.”
Since its founding in 2009, Move for Hunger has created a sustainable way for people to donate food. Move For Hunger now has a network of over 1,100 moving companies, including many of the world’s leading relocation management companies, and more than 2,600 multi-family apartment communities, all helping to fight to end hunger by collecting food items and delivering them to local food banks in the United States and Canada.
“We are delighted to have Suzi Home Maker as part of our network”, said Adam Lowy, Executive Director and Founder of Move for Hunger. “We’re mobilizing an entire industry to rally around the same cause. With our continued support, we are one step closer to ending hunger. We are equally delighted to welcome Kawartha Food Share as a recipient of this program.”
Local Creamery Holds First "Bigfoot Day" As Family-Friendly Event
/It might be the closest sighting Selwyn and Peterborough may get of the legendary creature as Central Smith Creamery held its first ‘Bigfoot Day’ as a family-friendly event on Friday afternoon.
"‘Bigfoot’ (left) with Isabelle Greer, 6 (right) in a photo op. All visitors were welcome to interact and have their picture taken with the mythic figure. Photo by David Tuan Bui.
The Bigfoot is a nod to one of the creamery’s flavours that consists of vanilla ice cream, peanut butter cups and chocolate ripple.
“Bigfoot ice cream has been a staple around Central Smith for about 25 years and we just felt it was time to really highlight the flavour,” said Jenn Scates, Central Smith Creamery co-owner.
@ptbo_canada It’s Bigfoot Day at @central_smith Creamery! See the big man, get a photo and $1 Bigfoot kiddie cones! #ptbo #ptbocanada #icecream #summer #bigfoot #delicious #food #foodie #foodtiktok #sweet #sweets #icecreamday ♬ Ice Cream - BLACKPINK & Selena Gomez
