Peterborough Blogs
Epic: Peterborough Lift Lock Will Be Attempting To Fit 300 Canoes & Kayaks Into Their Chambers At Once
/Last June, 138 canoes and kayaks filled one of the Lift Lock Chambers as part of part of Lock 'n Paddle Day at the Lift Lock (aka Lock 21) in Peterborough for National Canoe Day celebrations. That broke the previous record of 101 set in 2007.
Well if you thought that was epic, then Trent-Severn Waterway's Manager of Operations Chad Buchner says wait until you see what they have planned for this year's Lock N' Paddle. Buchner tells PTBOCanada they are not only going to fill the west chamber again this year but also the east chamber—both tubs!
2016 Lock 'N Paddle
So yes, on Saturday, June 24th this summer—as part of 150 Canada celebrations—the goal is for 300 paddlecraft to fit into the chambers at one time. It will be like a jigsaw puzzle to fit them all in but Buchner and the Trent-Severn team think they can do it.
2016 Lock N' Paddle
"We are going to try and squeeze 150 paddlecraft in each of the two chambers," Buchner tells PTBOCanada, which is fitting since Canada is turning 150.
Buchner says he hopes this will turn into a huge community event with hundreds of spectators lining Lock 21 to watch the Chambers fill up, and documenting the day on social media to share across Canada and beyond.
Manager of Operations Chad Buchner
More details are coming soon on the big day and how to be involved, so make sure to save that date—June 24th—and follow Trent-Severn Waterway on Twitter and Facebook as buzz builds for this amazing community event.
Learn more about the Lift Lock's amazing history here.
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The Parking Meter Was Broken But Here's A Feel Good Peterborough Story
/Musician/actress Kate Suhr posted this message and photo to her Facebook page below about a great experience she had in downtown Peterborough.
Kate suhr (Photo by Sam Gaetz)
Suhr tells PTBOCanada she was compelled to post it to Facebook because it was such a genuine Peterborough moment:
"I was running late for a photoshoot with Jennifer Moher and the open parking spot I found at George and Hunter had a meter that was out of order," she tells PTBOCanada. "I decided to write a quick little note and left the money by the windshield.....silly, I realize.
I told Jen what I had done and she laughed so hard, both of us assuming the coins would be gone and I would have a ticket. Low and behold, hours later the money was still there and better yet—no ticket! I had a little giggle and couldn't believe it. Toronto is ruthless when it comes to parking, so this stunned me. I actually said out loud, 'I love this place.' Only in Peterborough."
True dat.
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314 Words That Could Change Your Life: A Letter From Erica
/It’s very rare for a woman to be at the right time and place in her life to be able to share her story in this way. But Erica feels strongly about using her voice to help others who may be in need and not know what to do in a relationship involving domestic violence.
Five years ago, Erica turned to the YWCA in Peterborough for safety while ending a violent relationship. Today, she's sharing her story to inspire others to support the services that helped her get her life back.
Read her letter below about how the YWCA helped save her life and give her hope...
A Letter From Erica
"I remember looking at my newborn daughter’s perfect little face moments after she was born, thinking: all you’ll ever know is love. Everything will be different now. This time I can trust him. But I was so wrong.
The abuse that began during my pregnancy only got worse. No one in my family knew about the insults he screamed at me or the things he’d thrown at me when he got upset.
I’d never told anyone that the man who’d promised to love me had grabbed me by the throat until I was gasping for breath.
I can remember crossing the Burlington Skyway on the day we finally left. It was a 3 hour drive to my parents’ place in Ennismore and my body shook the whole way there. I was terrified of what would happen when he found out we weren’t coming back.
That’s when my mom reached out to the YWCA.
My counsellor understood everything that was happening and told me my instincts were right: the most dangerous time for a woman living with abuse is when she tries to leave. She listened to what we’d been through, answered my questions and helped me see my options and all the help available.
For the first time in four years, I was able to breathe and feel safe again.
My parents did everything they could to help. They opened their home and their hearts the moment they learned what was happening. But there were a lot of questions they didn’t have the answers to either, like: What would happen if we contacted the police? Should we get a restraining order? Was it safe to leave the house with my daughter?
The YWCA provided information and practical resources that we could put into action immediately. Their support changed everything! Suddenly we had options, a future. My daughter and I had our lives back!" —by Erica
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Do you or someone you know need help? YWCA Counsellors are available around the clock to answer questions, provide support and offer practical resources that help women stay safe and change their lives.
YWCA helps women, as well as the people who love them, because abuse affects us all. If you think someone you know or love may be experiencing abuse and want to learn more about how to help, please call 1-800-461-7656 anytime, day or night. You’re not alone.
Learn more about Erica's journey. Watch this powerful video below about how she and her daughter rebuilt their lives after reaching out for help...
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.”
“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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Opening Day For 2017 Peterborough Downtown Farmers' Market Is May 3rd
/The Louis Street lot at Charlotte and Louis streets will soon be transformed into a bustling market, as the 20th season of the Peterborough Downtown Farmers’ Market kicks-off May 3rd at 8:30 a.m.
The market—which features the very best locally grown seasonal produce, delicious prepared foods and local artisans—runs every Wednesday (8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.) between May and October, and is a hit in downtown Peterborough.
Peterborough Economic Development Relocating To VentureNorth Hub In Downtown Peterborough
/Peterborough Economic Development (PED) has announced they will be relocating both locations—PED’s corporate office at 210 Wolfe Street, as well as the Peterborough & the Kawarthas Tourism (PKT) Visitor Centre located at 1400 Crawford Drive—to the VentureNorth building in downtown Peterborough.
Renovations to exterior of VentureNorth building
This move will unify the team, and cost-effectively consolidate operations under one roof at 270 George Street North.
PED and PKT will now be located on the main floor of VentureNorth, as an anchor tenant of the new downtown business hub in the former Promenade building located at 270 George Street North. VentureNorth aims to make doing business in Peterborough easier for startups and existing businesses, allowing clients to access a suite of services and resources in a single location.
The new location will be open to the public on Monday, May 8th at 8:30 a.m. The Visitor Centre will close their doors to walk-in traffic at 1400 Crawford Drive on Friday, April 28th at 4:30 p.m. in order to prepare for the move and setup in the new location.
PED’s team is committed to a seamless transition. For this reason, the relocation will be phased-in, working with the VentureNorth’s construction team to have a service-oriented timeline for the move. In the transition time, PED staff will continue to be available by phone, email and by appointment.
VentureNorth Building
The Peterborough & the Kawarthas Tourism Visitor Centre can be reached by phone at 1.800.461.6424 or by email info@thekawarthas.ca.
Peterborough Economic Development can be reached by phone at 705.743.0777 or by email info@peterboroughed.ca.
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Here Is A Short Article On The Large Article Pick-Ups For This Year
/The first of six large article collection events for 2017 is on Monday, April 24th. The remaining 2017 dates are as follows:
• Monday, May 29th
• Monday, June 26th
• Monday, July 24th
• Monday, August 28th
• Monday, September 25th
For a fee, the City will pick up items larger than the weekly allowance, such as furniture and appliances. The cost for this service is $15 for the first item and $5 for any additional item. (Note that mattresses and box springs are $15 each and do not count as a first item.)
You can also schedule your pick-up using the City’s online tool at peterborough.ca. Under “Online Services”, select “Large Article Collection”. Select the collection date you prefer, the items you want collected and set up an account with your credit card for payment.
Large article collection can also be scheduled in person at City Hall, 500 George Street North, or the Public Works Office at 182 Townsend Street until 4:30 p.m. on Thursday, April 20th.
For more details, please call the City Waste Management Division at 705.742.7777 at extension 1657.
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16 Diverse Paddlers Will Be Embarking On 10-Day Canoe Journey After Send-Off At Peterborough's Canoe Museum
/
On May 2nd, a diverse group of 16 paddlers will be given a send-off at The Canadian Canoe Museum in Peterborough before heading to Kingston where they will launch a 10-day, 2-part journey through the Rideau Waterway in a 36-foot Voyageur Canoe destined for Ottawa.
This journey, called Connected by Canoe, is a sesquicentennial project of The Canadian Canoe Museum and Community Foundations of Canada in partnership with the Ottawa Community Foundation, Parks Canada, and other community organizations along the Rideau Waterway.
Photo courtesy Canoe Museum
The 16 paddlers will consist of youth and other representatives from a variety of partner organizations including Parks Canada, Curve Lake First Nation, Nunavut Sivuniksavut, the Peterborough Kawartha Rotary Club, Fulford Preparatory School, Rideau Roundtable and Confederation of First Nation Cultural Learning Centres as well as photographers and videographers.
Photo courtesy Canoe Museum
The first "Express Leg" of the journey will take place from May 3rd to May 10th when the group will paddle from Kingston to Ottawa via the Rideau Waterway, stopping each night in different communities to celebrate and engage in conversation with local people and organizations.
Topics of discussion along the route will revolve around the on-going importance and possibilities of canoes for community building, and ideas for building an equitable, sustainable and inclusive future for Canada. Each of the 16 paddlers will bring their own open-ended questions inspired by these topics for discussion.
The conversations and activities of the Express Leg will be captured in the form of videos, photos, songs and stories that will be shared daily through The Canadian Canoe Museum's social media and other new media channels, allowing all Canadians to follow along with the journey and conversations, and engage with the project and participants.
The group will arrive in Ottawa on May 11th for the "Ceremonial Leg" of the project. There, they will be joined by 3 other large watercrafts that represent canoe building culture and traditions from across Canada including an Umiaq from the North Coast, a Haida-style Spirit Canoe from the West coast and a Voyageur Canoe.
The four canoes will paddle together from Dow's Lake Pavilion to the Rideau Locks to celebrate and honour Canada's waterways and indigenous cultures. This ceremonial paddle will include traditional drumming, singing and a continuation of the conversations from the Express Leg of the project.
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UPDATED: Police Need Your Help Finding Missing Person 88-Year-Old Allison "Al" Turner
/UPDATED POST (April 17th) Sad news: Police say that on April 17th shortly after 1:00 pm, missing person Allison Turner, age 88, was located deceased at the end of Mervin Line. At this time, Mr. Turner's death does not appear suspicious, police say. This is now a coroner's investigation. No further details will be provided by police.
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