Peterborough Blogs
Downtown Street Patios Expected To Return To Hunter Street This Summer
/Earlier this week City Councilors endorsed recommendations for patio and pedestrian space on Hunter Street, similar to last year.
Photo courtesy of the city of peterborough.
The plan allows businesses to use on-street parking spaces for additional outdoor patio space with no permit fee for the use of the space.
This decision will reduces Hunter Street to a one-lane, one-way street and does permit the use of decorative fencing and planters to note a clear difference between the new pedestrian areas and the vehicular traffic lanes.
It is recommended that Charlotte Street remain a two-lane, two-way street. George and Water Street will remain two-lanes.
Both The DBIA and Peterborough Public Health provided guidance on this decision.
Peterborough Public Library Partners With Peterborough Area Fundraisers Network To Help Local Charities
/The Peterborough Area Fundraisers Network (PAFN) and the Peterborough Public Library have partnered to give local charities free access to Grant Connect’s Community Edition, a database of funders across the country developed by Imagine Canada.
Photo courtesy of The City of Peterborough.
Grant Connect shares public data on foundations and grantmakers’ deadlines, application processes, giving priorities, typical grant amounts and helps non-profits position their proposals for success.
“There are more than 250 registered charities in Peterborough, and corporate, private foundation and government grants are a major source of funding for these charities, especially now as many rebuild from the constraints brought on by the pandemic,” said Alex Tindale, PAFN Executive Chair. “For many smaller charities, access to a resource such as Grant Connect is not possible, our partnership with the Peterborough Public Library gives these local charities access to valuable funding opportunities to the benefit of the community.”
With Grant Connect, local charities will have access to over 11,000 Canadian foundations, 560 corporate giving programs, 370 government grant programs, 120 American foundations, and 200 other kinds of grant opportunities. The one-year pilot project gives charities access to the Community Edition of Grant Connect via the public computers in the Library.
“The library is very excited to add the Grant Connect database to our collection. It is a fantastic new information resource for our local non-profit community,” said Jennifer Jones, Chief Executive Officer of the Peterborough Public Library. “We look forward to seeing the positive impacts it will bring to Peterborough by making funding more accessible to everyone.”
If this pilot is successful, PAFN would work with other local municipalities to provide access to charities in their areas. Training resources on using Grant Connect are also available via PAFN (for members) and the Library.
Local World War Two Veteran Fred Allison Turns 100
/Fred Allison, who now lives in Lakefield, turns 100 years old on Tuesday.
Allison is a ‘jack of all trades’, who likes to keep busy volunteering at local churches and helping his family and friends with odd jobs.
He enlisted in WW2 as a mechanic and travelled to places like Amsterdam and France fixing equipment along the way.
He believes the reason he is still able to live on his own, drive and work is thanks to the healthy habits he followed his whole life. In his 100 years of life Allison has never drank or smoked, quite a feat for someone that endured WW2.
Allison says he used to sell his rationed cigarettes to other soldiers and use the money to buy chocolates.
@ptbo_canada 100 years and he’s still got it! Join us in wishing Fred Allison a Happy 100th Birthday 🎉 #Veteran #WWII #WWIIVet #100thBirthday #HappyBirthday #PTBOCanada ♬ Up - Movie Theme - Giampaolo Pasquile
Peterborough Bigs Honour 35-Year Friendship of Big Sister and Little Sister
/What started as mentorship from Big Brothers Big Sisters of Peterborough (also known as Peterborough Bigs), Belinda Ginter and Mary Walling-Field have embraced the 35-year friendship the two shared since being paired in the program.
City of Peterborough Declares "Kevin the Water Bacon" First-Ever Official Town Mascot
/UPDATE: APRIL FOOLS!!!
The City of Peterborough is riding the waves of their logo as they declared “Kevin the Water Bacon” the first-ever official town mascot announced on Friday.
“Water bacon” is a tongue-in-cheek reference to the City’s logo of blue and white horizontal wavy stripes that launched in the spring of 2018. The logo was commissioned by naturalist Dylan Radcliffe who created Water Bacon keychains and bookmarks in the same year.
“I’m totally overwhelmed. I don’t even think it’s sunk in but wow, so excited,” exclaimed Kevin. “When they changed the logo with ‘The Water Bacon,’ I thought, ‘Huh, you know? We need a character!’ so here I am.”
Kevin is an advocate for supporting Peterborough businesses and has posted his appearances on his social media. Places include Emily Mae's Cookies & Sweets, Souvlaki Pit (Ace Submarine) and East City Coffee Shop.
The Water Bacon says he will continue to make appearances and promote local businesses. The visits promote local tourism and town spirit as pandemic restrictions have been loosened as part of his mandate.
The decision came after a behind-closed-doors council meeting Monday night at City Hall. Councillors unanimously voted for Kevin as the new mascot but did not disclose other potential candidates.
Mayor Diane Therrien endorsed the logo’s nickname during her mayoral campaign in 2018. She was adamant about continuing the inside joke that began trending on Twitter with the hashtag #waterbacon.
“Making light of ‘water bacon’ is a fun and whimsical way of promoting and representing the City’s brand and community,” she said. “With Kevin being our new mascot, it reflects on how positive and joyful Peterborough really is.”
Mayor Diane Therrien adopted the tongue-in-cheek name of “Water Bacon” during her mayoral campaign since the City of Peterborough branded the logo in the spring of 2018. She wears the Water Bacon earrings made by Dylan Radcliffe via a 3D printer. Photo courtesy of Julie Morris.
Norwood Boy Given VIP Treatment When Saying Thanks To Local Fire Department
/After a birthday surprise from The Asphodel Norwood Fire Department for Jayden in January, the four year old delivered a thank you card to fire fighters at the station.
For Jayden’s fourth birthday, on Jan. 25, his mom Ashley Fraser arranged a surprise with the Asphodel Norwood Fire Department.
Fire Chief Darryl Payne and firefighter James Jordan arrived at Jayden’s house with a fire truck in tow and blew Fraser away with their kindness, she says.
“James got right down to his eye level, Jayden was just so comfortable with him, it was just amazing that he was so drawn to him and was able to have that connection.”
@ptbo_canada Happy Birthday Jayden! Someone’s day was made and we don’t know if it was Jaydens our ours ❤️ #PTBOCanada #firefighters #firedepartment ♬ today was a good day - ✗
