Aloha Peterborough, Are You Ready For The LomiLomi Hawaiian Healing Touch?

Are you sure you're ready? OK, here we go... a video from a Uhane LomiLomi Hawaiian healing touch practitioner from Peterborough. Educational and (unintentionally?) funny/entertaining.

[YouTube]

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

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

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!)

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.

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

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.

PtboCanada Was There: Peterborough Snofest Opening Ceremonies

The Scroll and Bow Strings Orchestra marked the opening of Peterborough Snofest today with a musical treat. Headed by Lakefield College music teacher John Kraus, they delighted the audience with their festive music.

Master of Ceremonies Catherine Hanrahan (pictured above) introduced many VIPs, including Mayor Daryl Bennett (pictured cutting the ribbon below), MPP Jeff Leal, Councillor Lesley Parnell and Snofest mascot Snofest Pete.

The ribbon cutting ceremony opens a week of events which can be viewed on their calendar, including Sunday's Snofest Idol at 2 p.m. at Showplace (free admission with nonperishable food donation is appreciated) and numerous food and game events throughout the week.

[Snofest]

[Words and Pictures by PtboCanada's Evan Holt]

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

PtboCanada Was There: Canadian Canoe Museum Presents Canoes & Trains

The Canadian Canoe Museum held a free Open House on Sunday, and got help in the celebrations from model railroad enthusiasts. Clubs from Peterborough, Cobourg and Lindsay showed off their 1/87th scale trains and miniature villages.

The local group Peterborough Model Railroaders is made up of a group of nine who meet up monthly to talk about their passion. All of them have had a part in creating the display, which features a miniature village that would be reminiscent of Peterborough in the 1950s. 

With working lights and sounds of an actual locomotive, the display captured the imagination of everyone in attendance as there were plenty of details to see.

[The Canadian Canoe Museum]

[Words and Pictures by PtboCanada's Evan Holt]

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

Video: All Is Foggy On New Year's Day

Yes indeed, it has been a foggy New Year's Day in the Patch.

[YouTube]

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

Some of the Stuff PtboCanada Has Covered This Year

One (Or More) of Peterborough's High Schools May Close

Imagine your high school that you are attending, or attended, closing. Well that's now become a distinct possibility for four Peterborough schools—Adam Scott, Kenner, TASSS and PCVS—as Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board will review the possible closure of at least one of these schools due to plummeting enrollment at the schools. This is sure to be a controversial process, and the school board is welcoming input from the community at a series of community meetings starting in February.


[chextvDOTcom; Peterborough Examiner]

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

Does Peterborough Have Enough Shelter For The Homeless?

It's freezing cold out. And anti-poverty activists are concerned there is not adequate shelter in the Patch for those in need. And that someone could freeze to death.

[chextvDOTcom; The Peterborough Examiner]

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