February 20, 2011

PtboPics: Peterborough Roller Derby League Roll Into Second Practice

February 20, 2011/ PTBOCANADA

The Peterborough Roller Derby League is making great headway.

February 11, 2011

What You Would Do With Peterborough Square

February 11, 2011/ PTBOCANADA

Photo: Evan HoltSo we recently posed the question on Twitter, "Peterborough Square. If someone handed you the building, clean slate, what would you do with it?" We received a range of interesting answers. Among them:

-- "Demolish it, build a public square & park around Market Hall with ice rink, outdoor stage, greenspace. Parking underground." —Candace Shaw

-- "Peterborough Square: Casino!" —David Feeley

-- "Dr offices. Professional buiding." —Paul Laing

-- "Ptbo Square partly demolished. Keep the theatre and leave the lower level for offices. Above should be a conference centre!" —Justin Beaudoin

-- "Convention centre, arboretum w/ space for farmer's market, town square." —Bill Juby

-- "PTBO Square should be an international flea market." —Catherine Hanrahan

Several people on Twitter really liked Candace Shaw's idea above, with Alana Callan remarking, "It would really put the focus back on downtown as a communal place, the 'heart' of the city."

So what do you think? Perfect world, what would you do with Peterborough Square? Leave it as is? Tweak? Radical change? Comment below, or elaborate on some of the thoughts above.

Tip us at tips@ptbocanada.com. Follow us on Twitter @Ptbo_Canada.

February 08, 2011

The Peterborough Roller Derby League Is Looking For More Players And A Permanent Location

February 08, 2011/ PTBOCANADA

Photo via Roller derby's entry on WikipediaWith Roller derby being pitched to the Pan Am Games, the sport is growing like wildfire. Local teams are starting to pop up in the likes of Barrie, Haliburton, Toronto, Timmins—and now Peterborough.

Cindy Moffitt (aka "Lucid Lou" in the Roller derby world), recently founded the Peterborough Roller Derby League with help from Kim Firlotte (aka "Falldown Firlotte"). The first game is already booked, but they still need your help. They already have enough recruits to form a team, but are always looking for more players. "Even if you have no idea how to roller-skate, that's no problem," Moffitt told PtboCanada at a recent "meat and greet". Calling new recruits "fresh meat" sets the theme of roller derby, a fast paced full contact game on roller-skates. The only requirements are a helmet, mouth guard, knee pads, wrist guards, elbow pads and, of course, roller-skates (quad wheels only). To play, it costs $45 annually for insurance, $30 monthly and $20 to register.

While Peterborough Roller Derby will be training and practicing at the Peterborough Sport & Wellness Centre, they are looking for a more permanent location that has room for 8,000 to 10,000 square feet for their oval track. The derby is also looking for sponsors to sign up, and a local graphic artist to help them create a logo.

Moffitt was "stoked" at the attendance of the first meeting and has big plans for the club. "The sport is good for self esteem and confidence," she says. Connect with the Peterborough Roller Derby on Facebook.

[Written by PtboCanada's Evan Holt]

[Roller derby]

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February 06, 2011

Kids Show Off Their Hand-Crafted Cub Cars At Crestwood

February 06, 2011/ PTBOCANADA

On Saturday (February 5th), the annual Kawartha Waterways Scouts Canada Kub Kar Rally was held at Crestwood Secondary School. Cubs from across the Peterborough area came together to test the limits of their hand-crafted cub cars. Trophys and medals were presented for both stock and custom designs, fastest run of the day, and overall fastest cumulative time. More than 150 kids entered cars they customized and decorated. —Text and pics by PtboCanada's Jeffrey Macklin

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February 04, 2011

Stuff To Do In The Patch This Weekend (Including Watching A Polar Plunge!)

February 04, 2011/ PTBOCANADA

Saturday:

Peterborough Symphony Orchestra presents Latin Heat featuring Marion Newman - Showplace Performance Centre - 8 p.m.

Africville Productions presents Celebrating Difference - The Venue - 8 p.m., Tickets $25 at the door

Sunday:

Kawartha Wilds Tracking Club - 9 a.m., meet at the Camp Kawartha Environment Centre. An opportunity to track and trail local wildlife (map) - FREE

Family Sundays at Art Gallery of Peterborough - 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., FREE

31st Annual Polar Plunge (see graphic at right), Rotary Park, Ennismore - 2 p.m.

To submit info for "Stuff to do in the Patch This Weekend", email evan@ptbocanada.com. Follow us on Twitter @Ptbo_Canada.

January 31, 2011

The Wolf's TJ Connors Does Fastest Lap Ever Around Memorial Centre Ice

January 31, 2011/ PTBOCANADA

From the skills competition portion of yesterday's United Way Hockey Challenge in Peterborough, which raised $165,000. Jim Cuddy from Blue Rodeo and Peter MacKay, Canada's Minister of National Defence, were among the celebrities participating in the charity game.

[YouTube via TJConnorsBlog]

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January 27, 2011

3rd Annual Hockey Day In Peterborough Is This Saturday

January 27, 2011/ PTBOCANADA

This Saturday marks the 3rd year for Hockey Day in Peterborough. Be sure to be at our historic Liftlock by gametime at 12:30 p.m., or watch live coverage of all the games on TVCOGECO.

For additional info, you can also check out the Hockey Day in Peterborough Facebook page.

[Contributed by PtboCanada's Julie Morris]

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January 25, 2011

Email Being Forwarded Around: "What It's Like Living Here"

January 25, 2011/ PTBOCANADA

Michelle Berry at Jackson ParkWe've been tipped several times via forwarded emails circulating to this recent post by a website called Numéro Cinq with local author Michelle Berry, who had a lot of things to say about what makes Peterborough unique:

Here's some excerpts from it:

"Peterborough is a town about 2 hours North East of Toronto. Population 78,000 or so (probably more since we got a Costco. A chicken or egg thing—Costco brings people or people bring Costco? I don’t know. I’m not a member. They won’t even let me in the front door.). So, let’s say population 80,000. A sleepy town? Perhaps. But you should see our new Mall, Lansdowne Place. It’s a sight. Now we only have to drive forty minutes down highway 115 to Oshawa for The Bay. We’ve got every other store you’d want right here."

"I live in an area called The Old West End which is made up of mostly young families in big, beautiful, old houses. I have two porches in the front of my house — one off my second floor office, one off the living room. I sit on these porches in three seasons as much as I can. I watch the kids play on the street, or the people walking their dogs. I read. Or just stare. At the tree, mostly. Sometimes I feel as if I’m in a 1950′s sitcom – Leave it To Beaver – the neighbours all calling back and forth across the street, coming over clutching snacks and wine, or coffee, joining me on my porch. It’s idyllic. Small townish."

"The thing about this city is the people. We aren’t stuck in traffic all the time, our houses are fairly inexpensive, there are spaces in the local sports leagues and the piano teacher has free days in her schedule. So we’re generally a happy folk. People have parties and get-togethers and go for walks and travel together."

"We have many friends who grew up in Peterborough, who moved away, but then came back to raise their children the way they were raised. To spend winter weekends at Devil’s Elbow ski hill, racing, or summers at the cottage. To spend Fall and Spring biking the paths."

Read the entire post on Numéro Cinq from Michelle Berry here.

[photo via Numéro Cinq]

[“What it’s like living here,” from Michelle Berry in Peterborough, Ontario]

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January 21, 2011

Peterborough Bucket List: Skating Outdoors On The Trent Canal (Day Or Night!)

January 21, 2011/ PTBOCANADA

A pickup game of 2 on 2 hockey on the canal

One of the things to check off your bucket list of things to do in the Patch: a little outdoor skating at the Peterborough Lift Lock. It's a giant rink that the city works hard to keep smooth. Be sure to check the status of the indicator flag to ensure the ice is safe beforehand. Happy skating!

[Contributed by PtboCanada's Julie Morris - Picture by PtboCanada's Evan Holt]

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