Video: These Two Peterborough Men Played Tennis For 24 Hours Straight

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Think You Can Scottish Country Dance? The Peterborough Scottish Country Dance Society Are Looking For New Members

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Recently while sipping coffee at the Silver Bean, I noticed some dancing taking place and was curious to learn more. Turns out this group are part of the Peterborough Scottish Country Dance Society. They are resuming classes again for both experienced dancers and beginners starting in September. Check out their website for further details on how to join.

[Contributed by PtboCanada's Julie Morris]

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B!ke: The Peterborough Community Bike Shop Opens at New Location

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After many years in the lower floor at Knox Church, B!ke: The Peterborough Community Bike Shop has moved to 336 Rubidge Street. Yesterday was opening day and the sun beamed into the busy new location. At B!ke, you can repair your bicycle, attend workshops and increase your bicycle repair skills through its director Clifford McCarten or fellow B!ke members and volunteers.

B!ke is open Sunday 2-5pm, Monday 5-8pm, Tuesday 5-8pm and Wednesday from 5-8pm.

Membership is $30 a year or $5 an hour and they take donations of bicycles and parts that are in decent condition.

[Contributed by PtboCanada's Evan Holt]

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Police Warn Of Tainted Cocaine In Peterborough

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From a Peterborough Lakefield Community Police Service Media Release today...

Police have been contacted by Community Agencies in the City as well as sources that are involved in the use of cocaine or close to people using cocaine. Police are being told that at least 8 persons have become ill in the past few weeks after using cocaine and there is a possibility that two persons have succumbed to the illness. At this time Police have not been able to confirm a link between cocaine purchased in our area and the illness but we are concerned and if there is a link established any media release will likely come from our partners at the Public Health Unit. They are aware of our concerns and are doing an investigation into this. In the meantime anyone involved in the use of cocaine in any form needs to be aware of this information and take the proper action. It should be noted that we have seen Levamisole in cocaine in Peterborough in the past. The concern with this common cutting agent is that it can suppress the immune system and in that case people can become very sick from various infections there bodies cannot fight. Levamisole is used by veteranarians as a dewormer and we are not sure at this time the exact reason Traffickers of cocaine use it as a cutting agent. We have received information on people who are involved in trafficking tainted cocaine and have made a recent arrest. The cocaine seized is being taken to Health Canada in order to be tested for any harmful additives.

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PTBOCANADA


Survey Asks For Your Input On A Community Bread Oven For Peterborough

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An online initiative is asking locals to fill out a survey to determine the feasibility of a Community Bread Oven for Peterborough. According to the survey intro, the hope is the "outdoor bake oven would build community, provide economic development; education and heritage conservation; alleviation of poverty; promotion of healthy, local eating; preservation of heritage skills and training."

To be added to the mailing list, send an email to info@coin-ced.org or learn more on their Facebook page.

[Contributed by PtboCanada's Evan Holt]

[photo via Community Bread Oven for Peterborough Facebook page]

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Indian River Reptile Zoo Near Peterborough To Capture The Gator In Stirling-Rawdon Pond

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Photo by Ron Main[UPDATE: July 21, 9:21 a.m. There is growing skepticism that a gator is really in the Mill Pond in Stirling-Rawdon, and that the whole thing might just be a hoax. Bry Loyst from the Indian River Reptile Zoo couldn't find it in there, and the Star is reporting that analysis of the photograph taken by Ron Main by the provincial police forensic ID unit "has determined it's a picture of a photograph of an alligator."]

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ORIGINAL POST

That alligator—or caiman, a relative of the alligator—that has been hanging out in that Stirling-Rawdon Pond near Belleville for the past couple weeks may soon be captured (see the picture at left taken by Stirling-Rawdon resident Ron Main last Friday).

The Ministry of Natural Resources has commissioned Bry Loyst, curator of the Indian River Reptile Zoo near Peterborough, to capture the metre-long reptile, which is no threat to humans.

Bry Loyst pictured with Terri Irwin“The last (option) would be jumping on it like Steve Irwin, the crocodile hunter,” Loyst tells the Toronto Star, explaining he’ll use a snare and lasso to catch the caiman, which he'd house at the non-profit zoo. The caiman was likely a pet that someone got rid of.

[Toronto Star; Indian River Reptile Zoo]

[Picture of Bry Loyst via Indian River Reptile Zoo website]


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Swim To Survive Drowning Prevention Program Offered At Beavermead Beach

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Every Wednesday through August 10th, this excellent program is offered. See deets in poster below. 

[Contributed by PtboCanada's Julie Morris]

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Tom Phillips On Peterborough's Astonishing Record Of Success In Lacrosse By Our Homegrown Players

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Photo: Evan Holt

Last Friday I had the pleasure of *reuniting with many of my very accomplished lacrosse friends for the celebration of the area’s first Minto Cup, in 1961. Several members of that team turned out for the Merit Precision Juniors’ last game of the season, and the events to recognize the 1961 team’s accomplishment.

On Saturday a larger group of junior lacrosse alumni got together for golf and dinner. It was an opportunity to catch up with old friends, but more importantly, it was a time to celebrate an astonishing record of success by homegrown Peterborough players at the very highest levels of the game.

Since the 1961 Minto Cup win, Peterborough Juniors have won the Cup 12 times—the most of any other lacrosse community in the country. Along with the 13 Mann Cups won by the Seniors’ (the first being in 1951), and a national championship in a short-lived semi-professional league in 1969, Peterborough has 26 national lacrosse championships in 60 years. More astonishingly, the vast majority of the players on these 26 teams are Peterborough born-and-raised.

However, it is not the fact that we are all from Peterborough that has bound us together so strongly over the years; it is the winning tradition that has. Even the youngest of the alumni attending the weekend’s homecoming events could recite the accomplishments of the oldest players there. It is in the mutual and often unspoken respect for success at the highest levels in the game that is the greatest reward that comes from being involved in lacrosse in Peterborough.

It is one thing to win a national championship in any sport in a big-city arena filled with adoring fans; it is quite another to win a national championship at home, alongside your life-long peers and in front of a crowd of people who you have a personal connection with in one form or another.

Like the storied professional franchises in hockey and baseball—the Montreal Canadiens and the New York Yankees—it is not enough to just make the team. The only measure of success is in reaching the ultimate goal. Every year without a Minto or Mann Cup won by Peterborough is considered a disappointing year by our lacrosse community. It is the winning tradition as it is carried and told by those who have experienced it that sets the tone for every season.

As is so often the case in Canadian culture, where success is seen as less important than participation, lacrosse in Peterborough has never received the degree of respect that matches its success. Thankfully, the real success for those involved is more intimate than public. It comes in self-gratification in being the very best at what you are passionate about, and the ability to share that success with those who understand it best.

Photo: Stewart Stick

The Juniors’ have begun the playoffs with a better team than they have had in a few years, and the Seniors’ seem destined to defend the Mann Cup in the West this September. With these teams, new chapters in the history of Peterborough lacrosse will be written, and no one will be more proud of them should they bring the Cups home than those who most cherish our winning tradition.

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*Tom Phillips, a Peterborough native, was a trainer with the 1972 and 1973 Minto Cup teams (that was inducted into the Canadian Lacrosse Hall of Fame in 2010), and involved with several other championship teams. He is currently a member of the Board of the Peterborough Merit Precision Junior ‘A’ Lakers.

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[Contributed by PtboCanada's Tom Phillips Ph. D.]

[Editor's Note: This is Tom's third column for PtboCanada.com. He is Economist & Sustainability Director - Greater Ptbo Innovation Cluster. Click here to read his first column for us on Peterborough's "Creative Class", and here to read his second column "Growing Peterborough From 'The Inside-Out'"]

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Someone's Pet Bird Must Be Missing (Here Are The Pictures)

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[UPDATE: Some people are suggesting on Twitter—here and here—that it's a wild finch. Still, curious behaviour. And we don't know if they've called Humane Society. Oh, and someone is missing a bird, but it's not the one below.]

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These pictures were taken by Brad Crough from inside his house in Peterborough's West End. "This bird has been trying to get inside all day," he tweets. And Brad's cat obviously wants the bird inside as well. Not a good idea.


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Sexist Bar Ad In Peterborough That Crosses The Line

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After our post the other day, "Local Health Organizations Justifably Concerned About 'Free Girl With Every Can' Beer Billboards", a PtboCanada female reader tipped us off about the poster (at right) downtown at the White House Hotel advertising cheap beer. "Honestly, I found it worse than the Old Milwaukee campaign," she said to us.

Now we know sexist beer ads are ubiquitous, but does that make it right to continue to create posters like this?

We say no way. Take the thing down.

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