Otonabee Conservation Board of Directors Announced New CAO

The Otonabee Conservation (ORCA) Board of Directors has announced the appointment of Janette Loveys Smith as the new Chief Administrative Officer / Secretary-Treasurer, effective July 5.

Photo courtesy of Otonabee Conservation.

The selection committee included ORCA Chair Ryan Huntley (Township of Cavan Monaghan), Vice Chair Michael Metcalf (Municipality of Trent Hills), and Directors, Andy Mitchell (Selwyn Township), and Kim Zippel (City of Peterborough).

“Janette impressed the selection committee throughout the interview process citing many examples of her ability to address difficult and often politically complex situations,” said Huntley, “She will be a great asset to ORCA, possessing a lot of energy and creativity along with the skills and experience to guide the Authority through any challenges that lay ahead.”

Loveys Smith comes to ORCA with plethora of senior administrative experience in the municipal sector ranging from environmental protection and fostering Indigenous relationships, to strategic and parks master planning. Loveys Smith has held upper managerial positions as the CAO for the Sunshine Coast Regional District in British Columbia, and most recently, as the City Manager for Brockville, Ontario.  

“I am excited to be joining Otonabee Conservation and continuing the important work the Board of Directors and staff have laid out,” Loveys Smith, said. “It is an honor to be a part of the ORCA team and I would like to thank the Board of Directors for this incredible leadership opportunity in work that is essential and close to my heart. I look forward to meeting all the partners and working together to ensure a successful and viable future for all at ORCA.”

After relocating to the area with her family, Loveys Smith looks forward to enjoying all that the Peterborough Region has to offer including her favourite outdoor pursuits: kayaking, hiking, and birdwatching.

Dan Marinigh, Otonabee Conservation’s outgoing CAO, announced his retirement in March 2022; Marinigh will be retiring at the end of July and will be working with Loveys Smith to ensure a seamless transition for the organization.

Loveys Smith has a Bachelor of Arts from University of Waterloo and holds a Local Government Public Administration Certificate from Capilano University. She also holds certificates in Leadership and Executive Development from University of Virginia and Royal Roads University.

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Peterborough City Council Endorses Applying To Become A 'Bee City' To Promote Pollinators

Peterborough City Council endorsed applying to Bee City Canada to designate the City of Peterborough as a Bee City and committing to the standards of the Bee City Canada program at their meeting on Tuesday.

Photo by Luke Best.

Bee City Canada (BCC) was formed in 2015 as a national organization to champion insect pollinators. Bee City Canada seeks to protect pollinators by maintaining and creating pollinator habitats in communities.

A certification program designated for cities is administered by BCC to approve municipalities that commit to expanding pollinator habitat, increasing public education about the benefits and plight of pollinators, and committing to annual celebrations during International Pollinator Week.

Bee City certification requires all municipalities to adhere to the following criteria to achieve approval by BCC:

• Creation of a Bee City Pollinator Team with one City staff liaison

• Submission of supporting pollinator initiatives that have been completed or ongoing in the community

• Submission of an introductory statement describing the importance of Peterborough becoming a Bee City

• Signed council resolution nominating the municipality as a Bee City

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Special Air Quality Statement In Effect For Peterborough Area

Environment Canada has issued a special air quality statement for Peterborough, Lakefield and Southern Peterborough County, on Tuesday.

Photo by Laura Montague.

Due to hot and humid weather conditions high levels of air pollution have developed.

Higher pollution levels are expected to persist this afternoon through this evening.

Individuals may experience symptoms such as increased coughing, throat irritation, headaches or shortness of breath. Children, seniors, and those with cardiovascular or lung disease, such as asthma, are especially at risk.

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Temporary Green Waste Drop Off Site Meant To Mitigate Storm Debris Will Close This Weekend

The temporary green waste drop-off site at 425 Kennedy Rd. will be closing as of 4:30 p.m. on Sunday.

File Photo.

The site will be open daily from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. until end of day Sunday for residents to drop off debris from trees and brush resulting from the storm on May 21.

Green waste resulting from the storm can be dropped off at the Landfill at 1260 Bensfort Rd.  free of charge until June 30, at which time normal green waste tipping rates will apply. Regular curbside collection of yard waste continues, with no limits on quantity but size and weight guidelines in place.

A special curbside collection for storm-related green waste, including trees and tree limbs that are beyond the sizes and weights accepted through regular collection, is planned later this season. It is expected to take several weeks before the City can divert resources to cleaning up piles of green waste debris from private property that is placed on City boulevards.

The temporary disposal site on Kennedy Road has been operating seven days a week since May 28 as part of storm recovery efforts.

For more information about green waste collection and disposal, please visit peterborough.ca/GreenWaste or call 705-742-7777 ext. 1657.

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Peterborough Public Library To Unveil Their Native Plant Garden On Saturday

The Peterborough Public Library will celebrate the opening of its new Native Plant Garden on Saturday, with the Peterborough & Area Master Gardeners.

Peterborough & Area Master Gardeners at the Library. Photo courtesy of The Peterborough Public Library.

The Master Gardeners will be on-site in the Library Commons from 10 a.m. to noon to answer gardening questions and to celebrate the opening of the new native plant garden.

Families can also register for the 2022 TD Summer Reading Club, Canada’s biggest, bilingual summer reading program for kids of all ages (0-12), interests and abilities. Registrants will receive a free kit with surprises to encourage summer reading. The first 100 registrants will receive a TD Tree Box to grow their own spruce tree.

The Library Commons Garden is planted with species that are native or are near natives of the Nogojiwanong (Peterborough) area.

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Downtown Is Blooming Thanks To Volunteers And Peterborough's New Green Team

Peterborough’s new Green Team has kicked off another season of beautifying the downtown with planters full of colourful flowers.

Hillary Flood (DBIA) with Dawn Pond (DBIA) admiring flowers to be used in downtown planters. Photo by Angela O’Grady.

This year, the downtown is slated to be brimming with plants with over 100 planters and green spaces for the Green Team gardening crew to tend to.

“Having green space, having plants and flowers - that impacts how people perceive our town,” said Dawn Pond, DBIA Placemaking Project Manager. “These edible planters will help businesses, they’re also great for the environment as they offer food and shelter for pollinators.”

@ptbo_canada Downtown PTBO is about to be bloomin! #Flowers #Annuals #Planters #Volunteers #Downtown #SummerTime #PTBOCanada ♬ Chiquita x Tounge Tied - Bloomin’ Acres Farm

Restaurants and businesses that have planters in front were given the opportunity to chose between an ‘edible’ planter with herbs and greens, a flower planter, or a mix of both. Many restaurants chose the edible option and will be using these greens in their dishes.

On Tuesday, volunteers and members of the Green Team met at Peterborough Square to put together planters and learn about gardening.

The Green Team is run through One City Peterborough and offers employment to those who otherwise may have a difficult time applying to or having a job.

According to Jenny Kennedy-Bloom, Employment Facilitator at One City, employees of the Green Team are trained in horticulture, offered support and given the opportunity to gain valuable, employable skills.

“This is a supportive employment program,” she said. “We know that there is a gap between people wanting to work and the jobs that are available sometimes being to big of a jump for people.”

Planters and gardens in the downtown area will be maintained throughout the season by the green Team.

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High Water On the Severn, Trent and Otonabee Rivers Warns Parks Canada

Expect higher-than-normal water levels and flows on the Severn, Trent and Otonabee Rivers during navigation hours until further notice from Parks Canada announced on Thursday night.

File Photo.

Flows will increase outside of navigation hours at Lock 1 - Trenton to Lock 27 – Young’s Point as of Thursday until further notice. These flows are considered non-navigable according to Parks Canada.

The increased flows overnight are the result of water management dam adjustments to address the higher than normal water levels caused by the recent precipitation.

Over the past week, the watersheds have received 50 - 100 mm of rain which significantly exceeds the normal precipitation in June. The last 25 days have seen precipitation values in excess of 50-75 per cent above normal.

Residents and visitors should exercise extreme caution around and on the water.

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Random Acts Of Green Annual Rain Barrel Sale Is Happening This Week

Random Acts of Green a social enterprise headquartered in Peterborough dedicated to encouraging people to participate in sustainable activities like conserving water, will be holding its annual rain barrel sale this week.

Stock Photo.

This year, the organization has partnered with Boston Pizza Peterborough.

“Rain barrels are a great way to save money and to conserve water. They are great for your outdoor watering needs and can help keep your gardens looking fresh, without relying on your hose or a sprinkler,” said Jessica Correa, Founder & CEO with Random Acts of Green. “This year, we wanted to partner with our business member, Boston Pizza Peterborough, as our host for our pick- up location. We hope that people can stop by and mingle.”

Made from recycled materials, one rain barrel holds 55 gallons and features a removable debris mosquito screen and a spigot/tap, overflow adaptor and overflow hose.

Orders must be placed online in advance of the pick up event. Prices start at $45, including tax, and will be distributed on May 27 from 11 a.m. - 6 p.m., at the Boston Pizza South Location 821 Rye Street.

Rolling composters are also available.

Barrels can be ordered online here.

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Ontario Turtle Conservation Centre Announces New Network To Share Best Conservation Practices With Public

The Ontario Turtle Conservation Centre (OTCC) has announced the creation of the Ontario Turtle Conservation Network, a new initiative that will support knowledge gathering and sharing of best conservation practices with experts, and the public, in order to facilitate turtle protection work throughout the province.

File Photo.

The creation of the Ontario Turtle Conservation Network is being supported by Parks Canada through a recently signed three-year contribution agreement with the OTCC.

The creation of an Ontario Turtle Conservation Network will facilitate connections with other organizations across the province and help further engage the public in the work taking place at Parks Canada administered places.

With approximately 100 individual organizations working across the province to help protect turtles, the creation of the Ontario Turtle Conservation Network will help bring these organizations together with an internal platform for conservation professionals to collaborate and share knowledge and research actions and results.

“We are delighted to be working with Parks Canada on this new initiative, that will help connect turtle conservationists across the province, and facilitate collaboration and exchange of ideas,” said Dr. Sue Carstairs, Executive & Medical Director, Ontario Turtle Conservation Centre. “We are very appreciative of their support, that made this project possible.”

Members of the public can access the Ontario Turtle Conservation Network here. Organizations or individuals in Ontario working on turtle conservation that are interested in joining the internal network for conservation professionals can request access by contacting: otcn@ontarioturtle.ca.

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City Of Peterborough With Peterborough GreenUP Offering Up To $1,000 To Install Residential Rain Gardens

The City of Peterborough, with GreenUP, is offering its Rain Garden Subsidy Program which provides residential property owners with educational resources and up to $1,000 toward the cost of installing a rain garden, for the third year in a row.

Photo courtesy of PTBO GreenUP.

“Rain gardens are an important part of a greener stormwater management strategy,” said Curtis Mei, the City’s stormwater systems coordinator. “Rain gardens reduce the amount of polluted runoff entering local waterways, which keeps the watershed healthy and can also reduce the risk of localized urban flooding.”

According to Peterborough GreenUP, there are many options for tailoring the size and style of a rain garden, but they all function in the same way due to their bowl shape. This bowl shape collects water from roofs and other hard surfaces. These gardens use plants and fast-draining soil to absorb and filter water that would otherwise flow straight into storm sewers.

To function properly, rain gardens must be designed and located in a particular way. That’s why this subsidy process provides support for homeowners, including educational and on-site assistance from GreenUP’s Residential Program team.

“We know folks can be intimidated by the idea of designing and building their own rain garden, but it’s doable with a bit of support,” said Hayley Goodchild, coordinator with GreenUP’s NeighbourHOOD and Residential programs. “That’s why GreenUP has partnered with the City to support this subsidy program. We help applicants through the process, step-by-step.”

This year, the maximum subsidy amount has doubled to $1,000 per garden, and GreenUP is providing up to two on-site visits to advise on design and construction.

“The number of subsidies is limited and will be awarded on a first come, first served basis,” said Goodchild. “We encourage you to reach out as soon as possible.”

Interested homeowners can begin their application process at peterborough.ca/raingarden or by calling Curtis Mei, Stormwater Systems Coordinator at 705-742-7777 ext. 1507.

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