The Top 10 Win This Space Contestants Announced

The Top 10 Win This Space finalists have been selected for a chance to win a free downtown storefront for a year.

Judges and sponsors met Tuesday, November 27th at Providence at 131 Hunter Street West to go through all the application videos submitted. Contestants were asked to submit a 1 to 3 minute video pitch (watch them below) which the judges would use to help select the finalists.

Guests at Providence where the Top 10 finalists were announced

The 10 finalists will go through a series of workshops on building business plans, creating marketing plans and financial forecasting.

WHAT THE WINNER GETS

-> The winner will be announced March 5th at The Venue and will then choose which downtown space they would like to open in.

-> The prize package includes not only a free lease to a downtown storefront for a year, but also thousands of dollars in donated prizes including office and computer supplies, marketing and financial services, and advertising and promotion.

-> This year’s grand prize is valued at more than $40,000.

Mr. Downtown Terry Guiel speaking at Providence at Win This Space event

The Win This Space competition is a Peterborough DBIA initiative in partnership with Peterborough & the Kawarthas Economic Development, Community Futures Peterborough and Shorelines Casino Peterborough.

“Every year there are so many interesting submissions for some really innovative businesses,” says Terry Guiel, Executive Director of the Peterborough Downtown Business Improvement Area. “It’s encouraging to see so much excitement from the next generation of entrepreneurs to open a business here in downtown Peterborough.”

THE 10 FINALISTS (IN NO PARTICULAR ORDER) ARE…

MINK MAGIC

Top 10 of Win This Space 2019

KNOOK AND CRANNY

Top 10 of Win This Space 2019

THE RABBIT HOLE

Top 10 of Win This Space 2019

COZY HOME: DESIGNS BY LACEY

Top 10 of Win This Space 2019

THE FOOD SHOP

Top 10 of Win This Space 2019

STATEMENT HOUSE

Top 10 of Win This Space 2019

SUSTAIN

Top 10 of Win This Space 2019

SWEAT HAPPY WELLNESS

Top 10 of Win This Space 2019

MOLOKO

Top 10 of Win This Space 2019

STUDIO PINEO

Top 10 of Win This Space 2019

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Holiday Shopping Passports Are Now Available For Downtown Shopping

Make sure to shop downtown with your Holiday Shopping Passport over the holiday season for your chance to win up to $3,000 in downtown money.

There are more than 140 places to collect stamps this holiday season in downtown. The passports feature three early bird prizes of $500 in downtown money to be drawn December 5th, 12th and 19th with the grand prize of $1,500 in downtown money to be drawn January 9th.

The Holiday Shopping Passports program rewards people for supporting local businesses by shopping, dining and enjoying downtown. Last year’s program saw shoppers stamp a whopping $1.9 million worth of Holiday Shopping Passports.

Left to right: Joel Wiebe, Terry Guiel, Theresa Foley, Jonathan Moreno, James Wallwork and Lena Wallwork

HOW THE HOLIDAY SHOPPING PASSPORT PROGRAM WORKS

-> Every time you spend $10 at a participating business, a box on your passport will be stamped.

-> When your passport is filled (20 stamps), complete the form and drop it off at a ballot box at one of the participating businesses.

-> Each completed passport is a ballot for a draw to win downtown money. There are more than 100 participating businesses downtown.

-> Bring your Holiday Shopping Passport downtown on November 23rd for Black Friday as more than 100 downtown businesses put on some of the biggest sales of the year.

FREE PARKING DOWNTOWN

Also, the DBIA’s annual promotion of two hours free street parking starts on Black Friday and runs until the end of December thanks to the City of Peterborough Parking Division.

Check out downtownptbo.ca for the full list of participating passport locations.

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Downtown Soap Shop Simple Not Reopening After Fire

PHOTO COURTESY SIMPLE

Simple (370 George Street North) has been closed since a fire hit the building on November 17th, 2017. Their neighbour Natas who were also affected have since reopened, then opened a new location at 382 George Street called Cork & Bean.

Simple had opened a temporary location at the Peterborough Square but have decided not to re-open.

PHOTO Of TEMPORARY PETERBOROUGH SQUARE LOCATION COURTESY DBIA

Owner Alex Fitzgerald posted the following note to customers on their Facebook page…

“Happy Fall, everyone!
I’ve had a much longer hiatus than I’d originally planned, but I hope everyone had as great a summer as I did.
I’ve had some interesting opportunities come up during my downtime and I think I’d like to take advantage of them rather than reopen the shop. It was a hard decision to make, but I’m going to make a huge left turn and become… a travel consultant.
I’m as surprised as anyone, it sort of manifested itself. I had some stress-related health issues this summer, so it’s been a good time to rethink my lifestyle. I’ve always known that travel is important (there’s no one that tries harder to get out of the snow). Now I’m sure that wellness travel is a great way to continue the same thing I’ve been doing for a couple of decades – helping people get better, healthier, practical choices. But now with margaritas 😊
I will miss the shop though. I’ve been very lucky to work downtown my entire life. I can’t think of another environment where you get to be a part of so much community involvement. It’s always been inspiring to be around so many exceptional businesses that put their product over profit and genuinely care about their customers.
Everything’s always ultimately about people. I’d like to think we provided a good product, but it was actually you guys that made our shop a welcoming place that was great to work in every day. Inclusive, unpretentious, authentic… everything that I was proud of in the shop came directly from and was enabled by our awesome customers. You made a great space, thank you. (While I’m thinking about it, I’d also like to take the opportunity to thank you for almost 2 decades of enduring my awesomely horrific soundtracks.)
It has been my absolute pleasure serving you.
High Five”

— Alex

—post by Evan Holt

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The Awesome Open Street Community Event Peterborough Pulse Is This Saturday

Beautiful downtown Peterborough is about to become a vibrant, car-free corridor this Saturday (July 21st) with the return of Peterborough Pulse, which reimagines the possibility of community and the public realm for a single day

This is when for one summer day, the streets are filled with cyclists and roller-skaters, families pushing strollers, karate and fencing demonstrations, art and music, and more.

Now in its 4th year, Pulse will run from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. This year’s Pulse route will run along George Street from McDonnel St. to Sherbrooke St. and will include Charlotte Street from George St. to Aylmer St.
 
New this year is a snack hub—delicious idea!—on Charlotte Street next to the George Street intersection.

This year, the Pulse team will be expanding the Pulse effect all summer long with the Pulse Play Guide. The Pulse Play Guide is a uniquely local summer passport curated to reflect the magic of Pulse with recreation activities the whole family can discover together, from axe throwing to star gazing.

The Play Guide will offer families free access to some of the most spectacular recreation opportunities offered in the city of Peterborough. Printed Play Guides can be picked up at a number of the local art galleries and museums including: The Museum and Archives, Hutchinson House, The Canadian Canoe Museum, Art Gallery of Peterborough, and the OFAH Heritage Centre.

A download option of the guide will also be made available on the Pulse website here. 

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Win This Space 2018 Grand Prize Winner Ritual Apothecary Opens On Charlotte Street

Nadine McCallen (pictured below), this year’s winner of Win This Space entrepreneurial competition, has opened the doors to her new shop Ritual Apothecary on Charlotte Street in downtown Peterborough. As part of the grand prize, McCallen has received one year of free rent in a downtown storefront.

Photo courtesy DBIA

McCallen describes the store this way: “It will be the home of The Willow’s Bark studio, which creates wildcrafted skincare and herbal remedies from locally foraged plants, as well as other like-minded companies producing all-natural, small-batch, sustainable beauty products, herbal remedies, and artisan goods with care and attention to protecting our natural habitat."

Visit Ritual Apothecary at 196 Charlotte Street.

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4th Annual Peterborough Pulse Returns To Downtown July 21st

It’s time to walk, bike, dance and play in the middle of the street with the return of Peterborough Pulse on July 21st.

Peteborough Pulse is a vibrant, playful, and active car-free corridor through the heart of Peterborough. For one summer day, the streets are filled with cyclists and roller-skaters, families pushing strollers, karate and fencing demonstrations, art and music, and more.

"Pulse is the ultimate way to experience our downtown," says Susan Sauvé, Transportation Demand Management Planner with the City of Peterborough. "As a city, we are becoming more walk and bike friendly, and we know that the downtown is where the most demand for walking and cycling is."
 
Now in its 4th year, Pulse will run from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. This year’s Pulse route will run along George Street from McDonnel St. to Sherbrooke St. and will include Charlotte St. from George St. to Aylmer St.

“Pulse is an amazing way to see what this community has to offer,” says Terry Guiel, Executive Director of the Downtown Business Improvement Area.

“With more than 100 businesses and community groups involved, you’re going to have the opportunity to try some unique activities as well as see some new local dining and shopping possibilities," adds Guiel.

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Downtown Peterborough Is Now Designated Bicycle Friendly Business Area, One Of Only Five In Province

Awesome news for Downtown Peterborough as it has now been designated as a Bicycle Friendly Business Area by Ontario By Bike—one of five in the province.
 
The designation was presented to the Peterborough Downtown Business Improvement Area by Ontario By Bike at the Shift into Summer event at Market Hall on Thursday (June 14th).

Mr. Downtown Terry Guiel with the bike-friendly designation

The award is in recognition of the DBIA’s commitment to building partnerships that value not only the safety of cyclists but also the economic opportunity of creating a welcoming and safe environment for cyclists and cycle tourists.

Downtown Peterborough is now designated as a Bicycle Friendly Area by @OntarioByBike, one of five in the province!

We encourage everyone to explore @downtownPtbo, the heart of our city by bike! pic.twitter.com/x1SQ4DenZJ

— Downtown Ptbo (@downtownPtbo) June 15, 2018

“We encourage everyone to explore downtown Peterborough and I’m glad we’ve been able to make it easier to explore the heart of our city by bike,” says Terry Guiel, DBIA Executive Director.

“The real credit here goes to our businesses who see the benefits of cycling and having cyclists visit their establishments. We also have an active cycling community here and organizations like Peterborough GreenUp, B!KE, Peterborough Bicycle Advisory Committee, the City’s Transportation Division and Peterborough & the Kawarthas Tourism have put in countless hours toward making our community more bike-friendly.”

Receiving official bike-friendly designation from Ontario By Bike helps to promote downtown to a growing cycle tourism market and gains access to the resources and expertise of Ontario By Bike.

Downtown Peterborough is an ideal basecamp for exploring the Kawarthas by bike, as cyclists can go from city to county in no time. Riders have access to long distance road routes and trail loops with more than 300 kilometres of wayfinding signage.

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A Unique Community Initiative Called One City Peterborough Launches Downtown

We love the concept of this new community building program called One City Peterborough that is launching June 1st in Downtown Peterborough.
 
One City Peterborough is a unique collaboration between the Downtown Business Improvement Area and Warming Room Community Ministries with the support of the City of Peterborough Social Services Division, United Way of Peterborough & District, Wild Rock Outfitters and Cherney Realty.

Photo courtesy DBIA

This grassroots initiative will take a two-part approach to making downtown Peterborough a stronger and more welcoming community hub for everyone.

HOW IT WORKS

-> One part is the One City Team which is made up of individuals with various barriers to employment who will be hired to enhance the downtown streetscape through added cleaning efforts. This team will consist of two teams of two making daily walks through downtown picking up loose litter and cleaning messes in public spaces in the busiest area of the city.

-> The other part of One City Peterborough is the employment of two full-time outreach workers who will assist people downtown with a focus on helping those facing homelessness, social exclusion, and mental health issues. The outreach workers will assist by building relationships and providing information on services available locally.

“This is an exciting opportunity to work with some very knowledgeable partners to help some of the most vulnerable people in our downtown,” says Terry Guiel, Executive Director of the Downtown Business Improvement Area. “We’re looking forward to helping those marginalized by society to overcome their barriers to employment by helping us keep our downtown looking great.”
 
“What makes downtown such a gift is its diversity — people living together, working together, and enjoying themselves together,” says Christian Harvey, Director of Warming Room Community Ministries. “It is a beautiful picture of what community can be. Our goal is to build on this and show that downtown truly is a community for everyone.”

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