What You Would Do With Peterborough Square

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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.

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

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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.

Plush Owner Mike Watt Is Channeling Joaquin Phoenix

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Mike Watt, owner of hip Peterborough stores Plush, Flavour Fashion and S.O.S, tells PtboCanada he's not sure when the beard is going to go. For now, he says even though it does get itchy, it's staying put—and continuing to grow. When the beard comes off, we will break the news.


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

3rd Annual Hockey Day In Peterborough Is This Saturday

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 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]

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

Video: Amazing Turnout At City Hall Last Night To Oppose Transit Cuts

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Many people are pissed about the proposed transit cuts in the Patch. And they showed it loud and clear during a city council meeting last night in a great show of democracy in action.

The next meeting on the proposed cuts is tomorrow at 6:30 p.m. at Evinrude Centre, a bigger venue to fit everyone in.

[CHEX TV]

[Related: Facebook Page Launched To Raise Awareness About Proposed Cuts To Peterborough Public Transit]

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

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

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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] 

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

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

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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]

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

Facebook Page Launched To Raise Awareness About Proposed Cuts To Peterborough Public Transit

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City Council has endorsed cutting $422,000 from the city's $9.8-million budget for public transit, and the implications of these service cuts to bus service if approved are significant. According to a new Facebook page launched to raise awareness about the proposed cuts, the cuts to bus service would include:

-stop at 6:40 pm rather than 11:20 pm on Saturdays
-run between 8:40-5:20 pm on Sundays rather than 8:00 am-7:20 pm
-the Major Bennett bus route on Sundays will be eliminated
-Technology Drive service will be reduced from 6 to 4 trips on weekdays

"Cutting funding to public transit is a regressive action and will affect those who do not have access to private transportation or have disabilities," the Facebook page states. "It is okay to examine routes that are underused but please keep the money in the system to keep it strong."

The Facebook page is encouraging those who care about the future of public transit in Peterborough to come out to council chambers next Tuesday (January 25th, 6:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m.) for a public meeting and have their say. The draft budget goes to city council January 31.

What do you think about the proposed cuts?

[photo via Speak up for Peterborough Public Transit Facebook page]

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

Video: Film Canister Rolls Through City Streets To Showplace For ReFrame Film Festival

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Peterborough Folk Festival News: Submission Deadline & Band Promotion 101 Workshop Coming Up!

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Memories of the 2010 PFF. The deadline for performer submissions to the 2011 Peterborough Folk Festival is February 28th, and submission guidelines can be found on PtboFolkFest.com. 

PFF receives more than 1,000 submissions from artists around the world each year, and is known Canada-wide for breaking new acts. Coming off a highly successful 2010 PFF, this year's PFF takes place Friday, August 26 to Sunday, August 28, 2011—so mark it on your calendars!

PFF Artistic Director Candace Shaw, who PtboCanada spotlighted last year in this Q&A, is also hosting a Band Promotion 101 workshop on February 2 at Sadleir House in Peterborough. Designed with the emerging artist in mind, Shaw draws on her many years of experience in the music industry to help up-and-coming artists understand the art of self-promotion. Cost is only $10, and participants must register at PtboFolkFest.com.

[Peterborough Folk Festival; PtboCanada Interview: Candace Shaw, Artistic Director of Peterborough Folk Festival; 2010 Peterborough Folk Festival]

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