Almost 2,500 Riders Used Peterborough Transit's Free Service On New Year's Eve

For the 3rd consecutive year, Wolfe Personal Injury Lawyers sponsored free transit services in Peterborough on New Year’s Eve.

This year, 2,476 riders used the service, down from about 3,000 last year, with bone-chilling weather playing a significant part in the decline this year.

Photo via @donvptbo

"This was the third year that I rode the buses on New Year’s Eve,” says Councillor Don Vassiliadis, Chair of Transportation. “The only difference between this year and the last two years was the weather. It was extremely cold. Riders were happy to have a warm and safe ride home."

Photo via @donvptbo

The George Street bus route saw the most riders, with 497 people accepting a free ride home on Peterborough Transit. On average, 206 riders per route took advantage of the free service.

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How Peterborough Firefighters & Neighbours Came Through In Beautiful Way For A Family After Christmas Eve Fire

Jeff and Joyce O'Connor were enjoying a relaxing, peaceful Christmas Eve meal with some family at home when their 7-year-old daughter, Madison, came into the room and said, "Mommy, why is the laundry room steaming?"

Everything changed for the Giles Avenue family in that moment, which was shortly after 7 p.m., as Joyce upon quick investigation realized a serious fire had begun in the garage adjacent to the laundry room.

Grateful O'Connor family: Jeff, Joyce and Madison at fire station

Within an instant, a neighbour who had spotted the fire—the garage door had buckled from the heat and flames were shooting out underneath—was pounding on their door yelling, "Fire!", and soon the family was outside with nothing but the clothes on their back.

Minutes later, multiple fire crews had arrived and worked to quickly extinguish the fire but the damage was significant and the O'Connor family and their dog Callie now found themselves displaced from their home on, of all nights, Christmas Eve.

Madison and Sparky at fire station

What touched the O'Connors that night and in the period since then has been the outpouring of support from neighbours, family—and those firefighters. The swift reaction of firefighters on Christmas Eve (five apparatus and 15 personnel) not only saved the house from burning down, but also Christmas.

Indeed, the firefighters retrieved all the presents that night and brought them out to the family to have on Christmas morning at Jeff's parents, who live nearby and have been a rock for Jeff and Joyce and their granddaughter Madison (aka "Maddie").

"What the firefighters did that night, we just have such gratitude for," Jeff tells PTBOCanada. "They took time away from their families on Christmas Eve to salvage Christmas for us. Basically, they saved Christmas for our daughter. They had the mindset to go find the presents and save them. It was a beautiful thing." 

It was also their neighbours who were heroes for them that night.

Like the one neighbour who literally banged the door down after calling 911 to warn them, the neighbour who invited the family in during the fire and kept them warm while they waited for Jeff's parents to come and collect them, the neighbour who gave Jeff a winter jacket as he was standing out on the street, in shock, surveying his house on fire. And it was Christmas Day when other neighbours arrived with two full boxes of clothes for Maddie, including snowpants and boots.

But the story gets even better: On Boxing Day, Peterborough Fire Services contacted the O'Connor family and arranged a time for them to come down for a tour of their headquarters on Sherbrooke Street on the following Saturday.

They gave Maddie an award during her tour day (see pictures throughout this post) for being so brave, for bringing attention to the fact something wasn't right that night to her parents in those crucial moments where seconds can make a difference. She got to meet them, learn about the fire services, and hug the mascot Sparky. And Maddie lost a bike in the fire that night that was in the garage. So the firefighters presented her with a brand new one as a present.

Jeff, who broke down several times during the tour seeing the firefighters again who were there that night, says the kindness of those firefighters and others was something they will never forget. "No words can truly express what our friends, neighbours, family and fire crew did for us," Jeff tells PTBOCanada. "They have made a pretty horrible situation tolerable."

There are, of course, a lot of What Ifs about that night as one can imagine. Like, what if Maddie hadn't spotted that "steam" from the laundry room? And what if the neighbour hadn't banged on the door in time? And what if the fire had started late at night when the family was asleep, instead of, at 7 p.m. when they were sitting down to dinner?

For now, the O'Connor family is just grateful to be alive. And they will be grateful when their house is fixed and ready to live in again—and it will be many months—so they can really begin to piece their life back together.

But most of all, they will never forget this Christmas Eve of 2017 and the kindness and empathy of a community that touched them in ways they are really only still digesting.

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Dude, Where's My Car: Snow Clearing Operations Monday Night In Peterborough

Due to current weather conditions, all vehicles must be removed from City of Peterborough streets Monday night (January 8th) to facilitate snow clearing operations.
 
Snow clearing operations will commence between 11 p.m. and 8 a.m. Tuesday, according to a City of Peterborough media release. The fine for failing to remove vehicles from the street is $80 and the vehicle will be towed. All vehicles north of Parkhill Road will be towed to Milroy Park located at 242 Milroy Drive, with all other vehicles being towed to Morrow Park located at 171 Lansdowne Street West.

Throwback image, downtown Peterborough

All vehicles towed must be claimed by Tuesday (January 9th). After 24 hours, all unclaimed vehicles will be towed to an impound yard at the owner’s expense.
 
Vehicles must be off all streets, including streets in the downtown. Free overnight parking is permitted at all municipal parking lots, King Street Parkade and Simcoe Parking Garage. Vehicles parked overnight at either parking garage can obtain a gate arm ticket upon entry to the garage to be used for a free transit trip home.

Throwback image, Hunter Street

For more information, contact the City's Parking Division at 705.742.7777, ext. 2802.

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Ontario Speed Skating Oval In Lakefield Opens Sunday For 2018 Season

The Ontario Speed Skating Oval in Lakefield has the ice prepped and ready to go for Sunday (January 7th) starting at 12 noon.

Their devoted ice crews have braved the cold weather this week to build a thick layer of ice. But according to their Facebook page, "because the weather was too cold to use the Zamboni to smooth the ice, the surface is a little uneven."

The Oval is made possible by the work of volunteers and donations from those who visit. To help pay for the cost of making the ice and improving the facility, you can leave a donation when you visit.

This is a bucketlist experience, so make sure to try it!

For more info about the Oval, visit their Facebook page.

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Jody Hull Relieved As Head Coach Of Peterborough Petes, Andrew Verner Named Interim Coach

The Peterborough Petes have announced on Friday (January 5th) that they have relieved Head Coach Jody Hull of his duties. Current Assistant Coach Andrew Verner has been named as the team’s Interim Head Coach.

Jody Hull (at left) and Andrew Verner

After a great start to the season and at one point being ranked in the CHL Top 10, the Petes have been in a tailspin of late, and sit at 16-20-2-1—good for fourth in the East Division and sixth in the Eastern Conference through 38 games this season.

Hull was named Head Coach of the Petes on February 14, 2013, after serving as Interim Head Coach starting on December 20, 2012. Through parts of five seasons, he has compiled a regular season record of 167-147-7-23.

“We’d like to thank Jody for his extensive service with the Peterborough Petes, and wish him the best of luck in his next endeavour,” General Manager Mike Oke says in a press release. “His, and his family’s commitment to our organization and this community should not be downplayed.”

Verner has been an Assistant Coach with the Petes since the start of the 2015-16 season. Prior to that, he was the team’s Goaltending Coach from 2013-14 to 2014-15. The former Petes goalie (1989-92) played 17 years of professional hockey, and has worked as a goaltending consultant for Hockey Canada, the Austrian National Team, and the Peterborough Minor Hockey Council. Verner now lives in Ennismore with his wife and children.

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Public Health Declares Community-Wide Influenza Outbreak for Local Area

On Thursday (January 4th), Medical Officer of Health Dr. Rosana Salvaterra declared a community-wide influenza outbreak in Peterborough due to a recent increase in the number of confirmed local cases.

“We now have influenza outbreaks at four long term care homes in our area, and have seen an increased number of patients presenting at the PRHC Emergency Department with influenza-like illness,” says Dr. Salvaterra. “We have been seeing an increase in influenza cases ever since the Christmas holiday began and now we have enough evidence to believe there is widespread transmission occurring.”

“There is no reason to believe that this year’s vaccine is not a strong match with circulating strains,” she adds.

Dr. Salvaterra notes that all of the long-term care homes in outbreak have instructed staff who did not get the flu shot to take antiviral medication:

“Antivirals can be effective as a second line treatment to prevent influenza spread when outbreaks occur or to treat an influenza infection, if used early," she says. "Hopefully, most caregivers have been immunized but if not, antivirals, masks and good hand washing can help protect those who are vulnerable.”

Most healthy individuals are able to weather the virus and will not require a visit to the doctor. For those who are feeling unwell, Dr. Salvaterra recommends that you stay home to avoid spreading the virus.

PEOPLE WHO ARE AT GREATER RISK

People with compromised immune systems, other chronic diseases, or even a healthy woman in her last trimester of pregnancy are at greater risk of hospitalization and death from influenza.

Anyone who has symptoms of influenza and risk factors for severe illness or complications should seek medical care as soon as possible.

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One Roof Community Centre Extending Hours During This Extreme Cold Warning Issued For Area

Environment Canada has released an extreme cold warning for the Peterborough area from January 4th through January 6th, with forecasted nightly wind chill values of -39°C expected.
 
Due to the extreme cold warning and Peterborough Public Health extending its frostbite alert, the One Roof Community Centre (99 Brock Street) will extend its hours of service of operation from 9 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. until Saturday, January 6th.

As always, emergency shelters are open and available to those who require emergency overnight shelter. Here they are...

-> Brock Mission Men's Shelter: 120 Murray Street, 705-748-4766
-> Cameron House Women's Shelter: 739 Chemong Road, 705-748-4766
-> YES Shelter Youth and Families: 196 Brock Street, 705-748-3851
-> Warming Room Safe Overnight Space: 175 Murray Street, 705-868-9276
 
Emergency After Hours Services related to emergency shelter are available through Social Services by calling 705-740-6222.

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Vinnies Opens New Location In Lakefield

Vinnies brand new location in Lakefield (144 Queen St, Unit #1) is now open, with lots of people already dropping by to check it out.

The new space looks great. Here are some pictures from the new location that Vinnies posted to their Facebook page...

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The Canal Is Green-Flagged For Skating!

We are doing a triple axel with the news that the green flag is up on the Trent Canal, meaning conditions are safe to skate there!

Indeed, the City of Peterborough just tweeted out the great news...

What's the best thing about this cold snap? The Canal is open for skating!@TrentSevernNHS & City Peterborough are pleased to offer public skating below the Peterborough Lift Lock weather-permitting. Ice conditions are monitored & status is flagged. The flag is currently Green. pic.twitter.com/ydNVAcyqMH

— City of Peterborough (@CityPtbo) January 3, 2018

There is nothing like skating and shinny at the Lift Lock. Take the kids and your friends and family, and get out there!

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It's A Girl! PRHC Welcomes First Baby Of 2018

Peterborough Regional Health Centre (PRHC) has announced that their first baby of 2018 was born on Monday, January 1st.

Photos Above & below courtesy PRHC

Proud parents Sabina Perez and Chris Curwin of Port Hope welcomed their first child—a girl they named Ivory Kathaleen Curwin—into the world at 10:54 a.m. on New Year’s Day.

Baby Ivory weighed in at 8 lbs. 4 oz. and measured 21 inches long.

Chris and Sabina at home with Ivory

Sabina and Chris arrived at PRHC at about 4:30 a.m. Monday morning, and Ivory came into a world just a few hours later. Chris, a native of Peterborough, said the couple had chosen to deliver at PRHC and that the experience was an extremely positive one for them.

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