Peterborough Blogs
A Chicken Was Found At A Tim Hortons In Fenelon Falls
/The Humane Society of Kawartha Lakes gets many different types of pets brought to it. But this one seems a little different.
Yes, it seems a chicken found at a Tim Hortons in Fenelon Falls near Peterborough was dropped off there on Wednesday.
The Tim Hortons Chicken
Apparently the chicken caused quite the traffic jam at the Tim Hortons. No word if it was lined up in the drive-thru.
So if anyone knows whose chicken it is, well she is now in Lindsay at the Humane Society headquarters.
The Humane Society says on its Facebook page post that it has lots of volunteers who would like her if she's not claimed.
Also, anyone who wants to use this obvious line we just thought of—"Why did the chicken cross the road? To get to the Tim Hortons"—please do so.
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Peterborough Police Unveil Gender Neutral Bathrooms
/The Peterborough Police Service and its community partners are calling on the community to help create safe, inclusive and positive spaces.
Police themselves have taken leadership and a significant step in that direction by changing their single-stall bathrooms throughout the police station into gender-neutral washrooms.
“We know that people look to police services to set an example of what safety, inclusion and well-being looks like," says Peterborough Police Chief Murray Rodd. "This is one step in the right direction of what we can do to demonstrate our commitment to safe, welcoming and inclusive spaces."
Chief Murray Rodd pictured with Police community partners
“For some people this might just look like a 3x5 sign on the door," adds Chief Rodd. "For other people, when they see it they know they are being welcomed for who they are."
Rodd believes the Peterborough Police Service has a responsibility to every person in their jurisdiction to recognize that some are more vulnerable and at risk than others. "We look to our community partners to help ensure that our responses are appropriate and effective,” he says.
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Paul Rellinger On Relly On The Roof & This Amazing Community
/Relly On The Roof returns for a sixth year April 28th to 30th, again raising funds for Habitat For Humanity Peterborough & Kawartha under the Peterborough Cares fundraising umbrella.
At noon on Thursday, April 28th, Paul Rellinger (aka "Relly")—with the generous help of the Peterborough Fire Department—will be lifted onto the roof of The Brick (1200 Lansdowne St. W.). While Habitat For Humanity volunteers collect donations in the parking lot below, Relly will live atop The Brick until 5 p.m. on April 30th.
"Since I first took to the Brick roof in 2011, this event has reinforced something I was already well aware of—Peterborough residents always find a way to give something," Paul Rellinger tells PTBOCanada.
"We've raised thousands of dollars for Habitat For Humanity. Most of that has been in the form of loose change but it adds up in an awful hurry. Habitat For Humanity, through its partnerships, is able to make that money stretch to help fulfill its important mandate," Rellinger adds.
A highlight of the weekend will be a live music showcase outside The Brick on Saturday, April 30th starting at 1 p.m. Featured performers include Rick and Gailie Young, Jessie Morrissey and Adam Grills, Hilary Dumoulin, Missy Knott, Terry Guiel and Jan Schoute.
Dave Stanley, manager of The Brick, is volunteering his time and staff for Relly on the Roof. Also providing invaluable support is Sobeys, Canadian Tire, Boston Pizza, The Pizza Factory and Tim Hortons.
"I can't say enough about The Brick and its manager Dave Stanley," Rellinger tells PTBOCanada. "Also everyone at Habitat For Humanity and good friend Camille Parent, whose Peterborough Cares initiative gave birth to Relly On The Roof and remains its partner. It's going to be a great three days. I'm excited to get going."
We're excited to see the community get behind this again.
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Peterborough Had Lowest Unemployment Rate In March
/Great news for Peterborough, as new stats released show the city had the lowest unemployment rate of Canada's 34 census metropolitan areas in March.
Statistics Canada reports that Peterborough's rate fell to 4.3% in March—all the way down from 6% in February, 6.7% in January and 7.6% in December. Stats Canada analyst Vincent Ferrao says the unemployment rate in Peterborough hasn't been this low since way back in late 2003.
After having the second highest jobless rate of Canada's 34 census metropolitan areas back in November, Peterborough is now tied for the sixth best rate.
The province is projecting the Ontario economy will grow by 2.2 percent this year, so Peterborough needs to continue to capitalize on this momentum in the job front.
[Related: Top 10 Opportunities For Growth In Peterborough]
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PTBOCanada Profile: Peterborough Police 9-1-1 Communicator Christina Lake
/If there is one thing Christina Lake wants people to know when they call 9-1-1, it’s that a real person is on the other end of the line. A person that cares. A person who tries to empathize and understand. A person that really wants to help.
“We’re not faceless people,” says Lake. “I try to put myself in their shoes."
Christina Lake
Born and raised in Peterborough, Lake is the newest member of the Peterborough Police Service’s Communications team and has been a part-time 9-1-1 Communicator with the Service since June 2014.
Following her graduation from Durham College in the two-year 9-1-1 Emergency Call Taker Communications Program, Lake knew that she wanted to put her knowledge into use by working for a Police Service.
The training to become a 9-1-1 Communicator is nothing short of intensive and includes a placement period along with a five-month shadowing period once hired.
Lake recalls sitting in the 9-1-1 Centre during her training period and watching in awe as the veteran Communicators handled an emergency call. She describes one Communicator staying on the line talking to the person in crisis while another Communicator was already dispatching two officers to the location while a third Communicator was running background checks and gathering other information on the parties involved.
“It’s amazing what they do,” she says of her more experienced colleagues. “Watching everything, I thought: I don’t know if I’m ever going to be able to do this. You have to be able to work with your team and take constructive criticism.”
Fast forward two years and while she is still learning every day, Lake is now a part of that finely-tuned machine run out of the Peterborough Police Station that handled 47,706 9-1-1 calls in 2015. Equal parts master-listener and talker—skills essential to her job—she has taken the meaning of multitasking to a whole new level.
Inside the 9-1-1 Centre at Peterborough Police
Lake describes one of the hardest parts of the job as trying to “read” each person that calls and make a correct assessment in a matter of seconds. While telling a person to take a deep breath and calm down may work on one call, that well-intentioned comment could only serve to aggravate and escalate a situation during another call.
Another very difficult part of her role is prioritizing calls as they come into the 9-1-1 centre and explaining to people how calls are placed on a queue, or triaged, depending on the emergency.
One of the best parts of Lake's job is helping find a resolution over the phone before an officer needs to be dispatched to intervene. Sometimes that means calling on her intensive training, and just being a good listener. Lake has had people tell her, “I just needed someone to tell me, It’s okay.”
When asked to describe her best day at work, her answer is not extravagant or extraordinary.
“The best day is when someone says a simple thank-you,” she says.
—article courtesy Lauren Gilchrist, Peterborough Police Service
[Related: The Vital Role Peterborough 9-1-1 Dispatchers Play]
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The Vital Role Peterborough 9-1-1 Dispatchers Play (& What You Should Know)
/This week (April 10th to 16th) marks National Communicators Week, a week dedicated to celebrating the work of 9-1-1 dispatchers and educating and reminding residents about the appropriate use of 9-1-1.
“There are no minor players on our team—every member of our Service makes a significant contribution,” says Peterborough Police Service Chief Murray Rodd. "Our 9-1-1 communicators and dispatchers play an essential role in serving as the community’s gateway to emergency response 24/7/365 and also serving as our officer’s lifeline when they are on the road.”
Below is an overview of the 9-1-1 team in Peterborough...
How It Works: The 9-1-1 Communications Team In Peterborough
The Peterborough Police Service’s 9-1-1 Communications Centre is comprised of a 9-1-1/Communications Manager, four Communications Shift Supervisors and 12 communicators aligned to coincide with the four platoon system. The Centre receives all 9-1-1 Emergency Calls for the City of Peterborough, the Ward of Lakefield and the Township of Cavan Monaghan. In 2015, the 9-1-1 Communications Centre received 47,706 9-1-1 calls, a 32 percent increase from the previous year.
9-1-1 Dispatchers Highly Trained
“9-1-1 dispatchers are highly trained to get people the help they need in the most effective way possible. They have mastered the art of listening and of asking the right questions. They must be both empathetic and efficient,” says Alison Kirkland, Communications Centre Manager. “Their job is one that can be extremely stressful during major incidents but it is also extremely rewarding knowing they were able to help dispatch assistance in an emergency.”
What You Need To Know When Making 9-1-1 Call
• If calling 9-1-1, it is important to stay as calm as possible, do not panic and talk in a clear manner. Understand there will be questions but answering them does not slow down the emergency services being dispatched. Emergency 9-1-1 Dispatchers are trained to get you the help you need in the most efficient and effective way possible.
• Listen to the Dispatchers. They need to get all the important information so that all Emergency Responders required are sent.
• Do not hang up the line until instructed to by the Dispatcher. Anything can happen and Emergency Services need to know your situation at all times until they arrive.
• Teach your children how to use 9-1-1. Practice with a pretend phone, and make sure they understand it’s important to call 9-1-1 only in an emergency.
• Be sure to dial 9-1-1 only when the situation you are reporting requires an immediate response by Police, EMS or the Fire Department. If you are in doubt that your situation is an emergency, always err on the side of safety.
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A Tim Hortons In Peterborough Wrote This Awesome Message To Peterborough Police
/LOVE this community. Small gestures make a world of difference. Looking after each other. We have each other's back.
Look at what the Tim Hortons on Crawford Drive in Peterborough wrote on this coffee cup lid to a police officer...
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We Love This Old 1950s Peterborough Insert Promoting The Area
/We discovered this cute old newspaper insert from the early Fifties archived at the Canoe Museum touting the benefits of doing business in Peterborough...
Some of the key stats from the insert promotion:
- Population: 38,272
- Average annual industrial wage: $2,367 (which was higher than both the Ontario average and the Canadian average!)
- Rate of growth since 1941: 51%
So yes, we've more than doubled our population since that time. Should we keep it at this size? Perfect size? Tell us on our Facebook page.
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A Trent University Student Posts Stunning Instagram Pictures Of Campus
/
Horace Ng, a 3rd year student in the nursing program at Trent University, is emerging as quite an Instagram star at Trent University and beyond.
Ng, who has a passion for photography, has nearly 2,000 followers on his Instagram page. He incorporates what he describes as "urban exploration vibes and adventuring lifestyle" into his unique photography style.
"chasing stormy skies w/ @cameronloucks tag someone who goes to #trentuniversity 👇🏻"
Trent's stunning Symons Campus on the Otonabee River captivates Ng, and is a constant source of inspiration.
"Trent's buildings and architecture are truly great for the urban exploration-photography community," Ng tells PTBOCanada, "as there is a great range and contrast in terms of things to photograph, from fancy buildings to the captivating sunsets and sunrises on the drumlin."
"winter sunsets at @trentuniversity tag a friend that goes to #trentuniversity 🤘🏻 #trentu"
Ng, who is originally from Hong Kong but raised most of his life in Mississauga, is a part of the Trent University Yearbook team. He works there as a graphic designer, something that has helped him further develop his photography shooting, editing and technical skills.
"I've had the opportunity to meet up with a few other students as well, to create and to explore together on campus and around Peterborough," Ng says, adding, "I often find myself photographing landscapes and architecture in locations that are not always accessible to the general public—allowing myself to gain an uncommon angle, with the intention to capture my audience's attention and force them to take a second glance."
"you can't build a reputation on what you are going to do. #peterborough #trentu "
For Ng, having nearly 2,000 followers on his Instagram page is a nice accomplishment—"it is quite a good feeling to have fans, especially local fans who notice and appreciate my work enough to follow my page"—but he doesn't tend to focus as much on his follower count as the quality of his work, constantly challenging himself to get better.
"From here, my goal with photography is to keep pushing my own limits with what I can create and also to travel more," Ng tells PTBOCanada. "My plans in the near future are to travel across Canada, photographing the country from the east to the west coast, and seeing how truly diverse and beautiful Canada is."
"rooftop hangs w/ @emismiles #trentuniversity #peterborough"
Ng is a full-time student in nursing with the intention of being a registered nurse—so photography is only a hobby. "Although I have a strong passion and calling to create with my camera, I have found that I enjoy photography more as a hobby and as a therapeutic activity for myself, rather than a career choice. "
"warm smiles from @paigewallacee & @stephsparkman #trentuniversity #trentu #peterborough"
Career or not, Ng has a world of potential in photography and it's hard not to take a second glance at his photos, whether they're of architecture, people or candid street photographs.
"we're all like snowflakes; we're all one of a kind. snowy portraits w/ @katdwright 🌨❄️ #trentuniversity#peterborough"
Follow Ng on Instagram here, and check out more of his Instagram pictures below, including beautiful photos he has taken on the Trent campus and in Toronto...
"searching for higher knowledge w/ @cameronloucks tag someone who goes to #trentuniversity 👇🏻"
"a bad day for your ego is a good day for your soul. out here exploring w/ @kejake7 👊🏻 #trentuniversity#peterborough"
"castles in the 6"
"above the city noise. #lookdown #nextlevellookdown"
"finding the things they say that can't be found."
"the homie @ryanvu_ staying cozy in these @adidasoriginals NMD Runner PK #BoostVibes #NoAirNeeded #NMD #adidasNMD"
