Awesome New City-Wide Bike Share Program Launched

Fleming Student Administrative Council (SAC) announced an innovative new Bike Share program on Wednesday (April 19th) available to students, visitors and residents.

There are 15 bicycles located at three different racks in Peterborough: Fleming College Sutherland Campus, Peterborough Green-Up and the VentureNorth Building.

Bikes at VentureNorth Building in downtown Peterborough

Funded in part by the City of Peterborough and Fleming SAC, the bikes are maintained and organized through Zagster. The award-winning bikes are designed with rider safety in mind and include automatic lights, a bell and full reflectors.

Riders join the program by signing up for $25 annual memberships. Rides for members—who must be 18 or older—are free for the first two hours, then $2 per hour after that. The service is free for Fleming students to use.

“This initiative further complements our efforts to make student transportation accessible and affordable," says Christopher Smith, General Manager of Fleming Student Administrative Council. "Through the Fleming student leadership, we are pleased to introduce this program.”

Lots of interest in the new Zagster bike share, here @FlemingCollege. Thanks @FlemingSAC and @CityPtbo Just in time for #shiftinggears pic.twitter.com/poV8KJgdJ8

— Peterborough Moves (@ptbomoves) April 19, 2017

“Zagster’s unique model of all-inclusive bike sharing has proven successful in more than 150 communities across North America, including dozens of college campuses,” says Zagster Communications Manager Jon Terbush. “We’re confident this program will likewise achieve its goal of making bike sharing easy, accessible and affordable.”

Picture courtesy Fleming College

“Several years ago Fleming committed to being a leader in sustainability," says Fleming College President Dr. Tony Tilly. "The Bike Share program will build on a culture of sustainability that we teach our students that they take with them in life and in work well beyond their time at Fleming.”

City of Peterborough Transportation Chair Don Vassiliadis adds: "Fleming SAC has been dedicated to increasing transportation options available to students. The City of Peterborough shares the vision of the Bike Share program and is pleased to be partnering on this initiative. Bike Share not only supports Fleming students but also Peterborough residents and its visitors all while making Peterborough greener and cleaner."

HOW IT WORKS

-> Bikes can be found via the free Zagster Mobile App.

-> Each bike has a unique number which riders enter into the app to obtain a number to open the lockbox on the back of the bike.

-> After a rider returns the bike to a designated Zagster bike station, the rental ends and the bike is available for the next person to enjoy.

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Green Waste Collection Is Beginning

Another sure sign of spring has arrived: Green waste collection is beginning April 3rd.

Waste must be placed in paper yard waste bags, bushel baskets or a garbage bin labeled with the City “Green Waste” stickers. These stickers are available at City Hall, Peterborough GreenUP and local Home Hardware stores free of charge. Note that plastic bags will not be accepted.

Securely tie brush in bundles up to 1 m or 3 feet in length and 30 cm or 12 inches in diameter, weighing no more than 22 kg or 50 lbs.

For more information, visit the City of Peterborough's Waste Management Services website.

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First Electric Vehicle Charging Station Installed In Lakefield

Selwyn Township has announced its first electric vehicle charging station, as residents can now charge their electric cars in downtown Lakefield.

The electric vehicle charging station is located in the municipal parking lot beside The Village Inn of Lakefield.

Selwyn Township says on their Facebook page that the charging station is free-of-charge for an unknown period of time as part of a provincial initiative to promote electric/hybrid vehicles.

They add that appropriate signage will be installed in the Spring with more information about the station and that residents will be informed when the service is no longer free and how much it will cost.

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City Of Peterborough Releases New App to Help You Manage Your Waste

The City of Peterborough's Waste Management division has launched a new app called "City of Peterborough Waste". The app is free and available on the App Store or Google Play.

Using the City of Peterborough Waste app, you can sign up for notices about your waste collection days, snow delays, special events and more. You can also use the "What Goes Where" tool to search for the proper means of disposing of up to 10,000 different items.

A fun, interactive game called "The Right Sort" is also on the app where you can test your knowledge about recycling and see if you know "what goes where".

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Lansdowne Place Launches Greener Way To Clean Your Tray In The Mall Food Court

On Monday (November 7th), Lansdowne Place launched their newest Organics Program, A Greener Way to Clean Your Tray, in the mall food court. The waste containers have been removed from the food court, making way for a new Sorting Station that has been installed.

Similar to what you may have experienced in many GTA malls, Lansdowne Place shoppers are now able to drop off their trays at the Sorting Station and the staff will do the rest to ensure as much unnecessary waste as possible is diverted from the landfills.

Michelle Cameron, Marketing Assistant; Emily Dart, Marketing Director; Mario Serracino, Operations Manager

"We always consider tomorrow at Lansdowne Place and continue to add new programs to help reduce our carbon footprint," says Emily Dart, Marketing Director at Lansdowne Place. "Since the launch of our behind-the-counter Organics Program last year, Lansdowne Place has been able to divert 28 metric tonnes of organic waste from the landfill. With the launch of our newest Organics Program in the foot court, we hope to become that much closer to reaching our goal of zero waste at the Shopping Centre."

Just follow the green footprints in the Lansdowne Place foodcourt to find the sorting station...

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Scouts Just Planted More Than 5,000 Trees On Peterborough Airport Lands

On a beautiful last day of April on Saturday, more than 5,000 trees were planted by 300 scout groups on YPQ lands in collaboration with Otonabee Regional Conservation Authority.

"This was a great way of protecting the environment on airport lands," Airport Manager Trent Gervais tells PTBOCanada. "It helped provide an understanding to kids on the importance of getting outdoors and seeing what a small difference they can make to protect the environment for the future."

@PtboAirport 300 Boy Scouts planting 5500 trees today pic.twitter.com/CAEUKpidVA

— Shannon Murphy (@ShannonMurphy2) April 30, 2016

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250 Year Old Trees Discovered In Beautiful Jackson Creek Old-Growth Forest

A new study from Ancient Forest Exploration & Research describes an old-growth forest in Jackson Park along the shores of Jackson Creek that includes 250-year-old trees.

New research has revealed that the trees here are commonly 150 to 200 years old. The oldest trees are estimated to be about 250 years old, though some may be older. The largest trees are nearly a meter in diameter and 35 meters (over 10 stories) tall.

Photo by Michael Henry

“By any definition used in Ontario, this is an old-growth forest,” says Michael Henry, an ecologist with Ancient Forest Exploration & Research who led the study. “Urban old-growth forests like this are rare, and have a lot of value for biodiversity conservation, education, and nature appreciation.”

Photo by Michael Henry

Peterborough is one of only eight urban areas in Ontario with an identified old-growth forest, according to Henry, although others may be found in future.

Photo by Michael Henry

The 4.5 hectare (11 acre) forest has been named the Jackson Creek Old-Growth Forest.

A summary of the report by Henry can be read here. 

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Green Waste Collection Starts This Week

The City of Peterborough green waste collection begins the week of Tuesday, April 5th. Put your leaf and yard waste out to the curb every week on your regular collection day.

Green waste must be in paper yard waste bags, bushel baskets or a garbage bin labeled with the City “Green Waste” stickers. These stickers are available at City Hall, Peterborough GreenUP and local Home Hardware stores free of charge. Please note that plastic bags will not be accepted.

There are no quantity limits on green waste and weekly collection will continue through until the last week of November.

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