Warming Room Overflow Emergency Shelter Service Announced By City Of Peterborough

With the closure of the Warming Room until they find a new home, The City of Peterborough has announced it is working with community partner agencies—including Brock Mission emergency shelter, Cameron House emergency shelter and Youth Emergency Shelter—to make sure there are beds available for people in need.

When there isn’t space in a shelter, Peterborough Social Services provides alternatives for short-term shelter while they connect people with more permanent housing programs and services. That’s the priority—making sure people have safe and reliable housing, so they don’t have to be in tents or living on the streets. Everyone who uses the Warming Room is being offered assistance.

The Warming Room has announced it is closing until it can find a new home

The City wants to continue to provide the Warming Room service. The Warming Room Community Ministries’ lease with Murray Street Baptist Church expired at the end of 2018 and was extended until the end of June 2019. It hasn’t been able to find a new space. The City’s continuing to work with Warming Room Community Ministries as it searches for a location.

“I have always been supportive of the Warming Room and assisting the community’s most vulnerable citizens,” Mayor Diane Therrien says. “We are working together to find better solutions, create permanent housing, and help the Warming Room move to a new location.”

Anyone who needs emergency shelter is asked to visit Peterborough Social Services at 178 Charlotte St. or contact Social Services by phone at 705.748.8830 between 8:15 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday to Friday, or at 705.927.0096 overnight, on weekends and on holidays.

If you have a space that could work for Warming Room, email charvey@warmingroom.ca. (One Roof, also operated by Warming Room Community Ministries, a drop-in centre and meal program, continues to operate at St. John’s Anglican Church on Brock Street.)

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Watch: City And Colour's Dallas Green Covering "Bobcaygeon" In Front Of 16,000 People On Summer's Night At Musicfest

It was a gorgeous summer’s night at Del Crary Park at Little Lake as 16,000 people jammed into the park for Season 33 Opening Night of Peterborough Musicfest to watch City and Colour’s Dallas Green perform a special solo set.

That included this beautiful cover of Tragically Hip’s “Bobcaygeon” that you can watch below…

June 29, 2019 Opening night Season 33

Watch more footage from the show our team captured…

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The Parkhill Road West Reconstruction Project Resumes

From July 2nd to August, Parkhill Road West will be closed at Chandler Crescent as work continues on the Parkhill Road West reconstruction project.

Local traffic to homes on Parkhill Road West within the closure limits will continue to have access to their homes through local access provisions. Residents who live in the Jackson Creek Meadows neighbourhood that is normally accessed at Chandler Crescent will patiently follow detour signs to access the subdivision.

Photo courtesy City of Peterborough

The project includes sewer, water, grade adjustments, concrete and base asphalt work at the Parkhill-Chandler intersection.

The other stages of this phase of the Parkhill Road West reconstruction project include:

• August 2019 to October 2019 – Parkhill Road West east of Chandler: Sewer, water, grade adjustments, concrete and base asphalt work

• May 2020 to October 2020 – Parkhill Road West west of Chandler to City limits, including Brealey Drive and Ackison Road roundabout

• May 2020 to October 2020 – All landscape work, iron adjustments and surface course asphalt within the project area

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New Canadians Centre Peterborough Executive Director Hajni Hos Leaving To Take On Same Role At Hospice Peterborough

Hajni Hos is stepping down as the Executive Director of the New Canadians Centre Peterborough to take on the role as the new Executive Director of Hospice Peterborough.

Hos began her employment with the New Canadians Centre (NCC) as Employment Counsellor in 2008 and became the Coordinator of the Peterborough Immigration Partnership (formerly Peterborough Partnership Council on Immigrant Integration) in 2009. She took on the leadership role of Executive Director in January 2011. During her leadership, the NCC grew in size and complexity.

Photo of HOS WITH HER NCC TEAM by Heather Doughty, Inspire: The Women's Portrait Project

Many programs and services were added so that the NCC could better meet the language, educational, employment and settlement needs of new Canadians. Last year, a team of 27 staff served close to 700 new clients from 103 countries.

Programs such as the Workplace Integration Program and Settlement Workers in Schools (SWIS) were put in place. Her successful Ontario Trillium Foundation and Citizenship and Immigration Canada grants enabled the NCC to complete the 2013 renovation and move to their current premises at St. James United Church.

Hos at One Roof Community Diner with Team NCC making a lunch

In 2016, Hos was instrumental in facilitating the approval of Peterborough as a Resettlement Assistance Program (RAP) Centre by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada—one of a few small cities to receive this honour.

This resulted in the resettlement of 200 government-assisted refugees in 2016-2017 (and almost 400 to date). This initiative has been met with resounding community support, starting first with 400+ community members attending an information session in 2016 to find out how they could assist with resettlement by forming volunteer support teams. This model of support originated right here in Peterborough, and was duplicated nationwide successfully.

Hos at One Night in the Philippines annual fundraising gala for the New Canadians Centre, 2018

“Her passion, warmth and enthusiasm inspire us to achieve better things for our clients and community,” says Faye Shien Tan, who has been working at the NCC since 2010. “As a newcomer herself, she is a wonderful role model for what we can achieve through hard work and collaboration,” adds Olga Stetsyuk, Employment Counsellor.

While her journey of immigrating to and settling in Canada from Hungary in 2007—she was a lawyer in Budapest—has motivated her work at the New Canadians Centre for the past 12 years, Hos is drawn to give back to her community by focusing her energies on supporting families facing life-threatening illness or grief with Hospice Peterborough. She will be replacing Linda Sunderland, who is retiring after 26 years of dedicated service with Hospice.

Hos’s awards over the years include the Greater Peterborough Chamber of Commerce “4 Under 40” Business Excellence Award, the Paul Harris Fellowship from the Rotary Club of Peterborough Kawartha and the Peterborough-Kawartha Women’s Leadership Award.

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Kathleen Edwards, Matt Mays, Fred Penner, Paper Shakers & More Playing 2019 Peterborough Folk Festival

The Peterborough Folk Festival, which is celebrating its 30th Anniversary this year, has announced Kathleen Edwards and Matt Mays will headline the festival on Sunday, August 18th at Nicholls Oval Park on the Peterborough Subaru Stage.

Kathleen Edwards

The festival is excited to announce its 2019 Emerging Artist Award recipients Paper Shakers. The local group first performed at the 2017 festival and will be featured at the 2019 festival. 

The award will allow the group to attend the Folk Music Ontario conference in the Fall where they will be able to continue to make connections in the music industry with festivals across Canada. Past recipients of the Emerging Artist award include Serena Ryder, James Mckenty , Missy Knott and Beau Dixon . 

Paper Shakers

There will be over 50 artisan and vendors at Nicholls Oval Park, and the weekend performances—there are 20+ artists on four stages—include a Sunday afternoon performance by legendary children’s performer Fred Penner, who will also perform earlier in the day before Kathleen Edwards and Matt Mays.

Matt Mays

Juno award winning group A Tribe Called Red. who have performed at major festivals across the globe including Cochella & Osheaga, will be playing Saturday night.

The weekend is free admission but donations are welcomed as they help make the festival operate. For more info on the festival, lineup, vendors and times, click here.

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The Next Phase Of Via Rail’s High Frequency Rail Project Through Peterborough Is Moving Forward

“This train has yet to leave the station, but this is the furthest we have ever come on the idea of a passenger train,” says MP Maryam Monsef of an announcement made on Tuesday (June 25th) that she says “marks a significant milestone moving forward.”

Monsef announced that the Government of Canada and Canada Infrastructure Bank are committing a total of $71.1 million in new funding to complete additional planning activities over the next two years to advance VIA Rail’s proposal for High Frequency Rail in the busy Quebec City-Toronto Corridor, which runs through Peterborough.

Historical photo of Via Rail train in 1981 at what is now Peterborough Chamber courtesy Peterborough Chamber

“This project would bring significant economic growth to our community and the affected regions along the corridor,” says Monsef. “It also requires a significant investment. That’s why we have taken each step forward in a measured, thoughtful way. We are not interested in creating buzz that leads to no results.”

“We began by working with Via Rail to determine their business case, which we have determined would be good for the middle class and those working hard to join it. The next step is making sure we move forward in the correct way. That requires meaningful indigenous consultations and environmental assessment.”

Historical photo of Via Rail station courtesy Peterborough Chamber

The new funding will be used to establish a Joint Project Team and fund work to preserve the option of interoperability with regional transit providers in Montreal and Toronto.

The Joint Project Team, between Canada Infrastructure Bank and VIA Rail, will be established using the $55 million in funding from Canada Infrastructure Bank. This Joint Project Team will coordinate the next steps required in developing this project, focusing on the following activities throughout 2019 to 2020:

· finalizing legal and regulatory work related to safety and environmental assessments;

· consulting with stakeholders and Indigenous communities;

· examining required land and track acquisition; and

· completing the technical, financial and commercial analysis required for a final investment decision on High Frequency Rail in the Corridor.

Photo from announcement of funding at Peterborough Chamber courtesy Maryam Monsef

The balance of the funding, $16.1 million, is for Transport Canada and VIA Rail to support VIA Rail’s contributions to the Joint Project Team. It will also fund technical work to ensure the interoperability and integration of High Frequency Rail with operating tracks used by local and regional transit providers in Montreal and Toronto.

Photo courtesy Maryam Monsef

"Today's announcement is a significant next step for the VIA Rail High Frequency Rail proposal,” says Stuart Harrison, CEO at Greater Peterborough Chamber of Commerce. “This is no longer about feasibility, it’s about the process to approval. There are a lot of people in Peterborough who have been working on this project, and we are very appreciative of the commitment from the Canadian Infrastructure Bank and Federal Government.”

"I am excited to see the VIA Rail Canada project moving forward,” adds Peterborough Mayor Diane Therrien. “The project has been in the works for a long time and will be of great benefit to the region.”

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2019 Hootenanny On Hunter Street Lineup Includes Jonny Trash Super Group, Surprise Collective Of Local Musicians

The 9th Annual Hootenanny returns to Hunter Street August 10th with a diverse, exciting lineup including The Jonny Trash Super Group, a tribute to the late Jonathan Hall who started the festival. Hootenanny runs from noon to 11 p.m. on Hunter Street W. between George and Aylmer streets. Admission is free.

THE SCHEDULE & BANDS

• Paper Shakers at noon

• The Lohrwoods at 1:15 p.m.

• Dylan Ireland at 2:30 p.m.

• House of David Gang at 3:45 p.m.

• Crystal Shawanda at 5 p.m.

• Lindsay Barr at 6:15 p.m.

• Stacey Kay at 7:30 p.m.

• The Dreamboats at 8:45 p.m.

• The Jonny Trash Super Group at 10 p.m.

Stacey Kay and Jonathan Cullen performing at the Hootenanny on Hunter Street press event in Hunter Street alley. Stacey will be performing at the Hootenanny on August 10th

The Jonny Trash Super Group is a surprise collective of various musicians connected with the late Jonathan Hall. Known endearingly by his friends as Johnny Trash, this group will pay tribute to their friend who passed away suddenly earlier this year at the age of 44. 

"We were deeply saddened along with the entire community by the sudden passing of Jonathan Hall,” says Terry Guiel, DBIA Executive Director. “Jon started the Hootenanny and organized it for seven years. On August 10th, you’ll see a hugely talented and dynamic performance from The Jonny Trash Super Group.”

"Jonny was all about getting stage time for local artists and bringing in bands from out of town that maybe you hadn't heard before,” says long-time friend Mike Judson. “Moving forward with this event, I think Jonny would love to see a continued effort being put into choosing great local artists to grace the Hunter Street stage. He'd want the organizers to take a chance on something weird and outside of the norm and give people an experience they were not expecting.”

For more, check out this video…

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Ontario SPCA & Humane Society 38-foot Mobile Spay/Neuter Unit Visiting Peterborough In August

The Ontario SPCA and Humane Society has rolled out its new SPCA Mobile Animal Wellness Services trailer to give pet owners across the province access to critical resources like spay/neuter services, and the trailer will be making a stop in Peterborough August 16th and August 17th. 

The 38-foot trailer, which was made possible because of a grant provided by the Pet Valu family of stores through its Giving Back Project, features two surgical tables where 20-30 spay/neuter procedures can be performed per day. The new mobile unit is part of the Ontario SPCA’s ongoing efforts to control pet overpopulation and help build relationships with pet owners and their local veterinarian.

Photo courtesy Ontario SPCA

The trailer will be visiting communities across the province, including Peterborough—its location in the city will be announced later this summer, Ontario SPCA tells us, keep an eye out here—reaching underserved areas to provide spay/neuter surgeries, wellness exams, microchipping and vaccinations. 

“It’s important that we spay and neuter as many animals as possible to reduce the number of unwanted animals who end up homeless on the streets trying to survive,” says Daryl Vaillancourt, Chief, Humane Programs & Community Outreach, Ontario SPCA and Humane Society. “This new mobile unit will also serve as an important educational tool to help pets live longer, healthier lives by educating pet owners about the importance of routine veterinary care with a local veterinarian.” 

Photo courtesy Ontario SPCA

Financial donations are needed to help stock the unit with medical supplies and cover operating costs, to ensure this mobile unit can visit as many communities as possible.

Any donations received by midnight on June 27th will be matched, thanks to a generous pool of Ontario SPCA supporters.

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Businesses In Downtown Peterborough Responding To Opioid Crisis By Keeping Naloxone Kits On Hand

Businesses in downtown Peterborough are responding to the local opioid crisis by keeping Naloxone kits on hand and having staff trained on how to identify and respond to an opioid poisoning or overdose.

The Downtown Business Improvement Area is partnering with Peterborough Public Health and Harm Reduction Works @ PARN to provide Naloxone kits at no-cost to a number of strategically located downtown businesses. Naloxone is a safe lifesaving medication that can temporarily reverse an opioid overdose, buying time for a person to get the necessary medical attention they may need.

Photo of Naloxone kit courtesy DBIA

“We’re in the midst of an opioid crisis in Peterborough,” says Terry Guiel, DBIA Executive Director. “We see first-hand people struggling with addiction and sadly, we’ve already lost too many members of our community. If helping local businesses know what to do when they see an opioid poisoning saves one life, it’s worth it.”

“We know that people working downtown are experiencing the impact of the opioid crisis on a daily basis and want to do what they can to help,” adds Kim Dolan, Executive Director at PARN. “This initiative increases our collective response to opioid poisonings in our community and sends a strong message that people in Peterborough are prepared to step up and save lives.”

“This program reflects the caring attitude of the local business community towards people with addictions and the growing awareness that this issue affects us all,” says Dr. Rosana Salvaterra, Medical Officer of Health at Peterborough Public Health. “In some ways, this demonstration of compassion is just as effective as the Naloxone itself because it reduces the terrible stigma faced by people who struggle with addictions.”

Photo of Naloxone kit courtesy DBIA

NALOXONE TRAINING SESSIONS AT VENTURE NORTH

-> Peterborough Public Health and PARN will be providing brief training sessions along with the free kits in the front lobby of Venture North at 270 George Street North on June 27th and 28th from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m., and July 4th and 5th from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m., 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.

**Stickers will be available for any business that would like to display one in their window to let people know they are trained on how to respond to an opioid poisoning.

"Having been in business for 43 years downtown, we see a crisis at the moment with overdoses and addiction and we feel we need to help the community and those in need of help anyway we can,” adds Andrew Damiany, manager of Gentry Apparel.

As well as DBIA members, the Greater Peterborough Chamber of Commerce is inviting its members to be trained and equipped with Naloxone kits. The kits are being provided by the DBIA, PARN, Peterborough Public Health and the City of Peterborough

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StoosNews Spotlight: Check Out The Business Beat This Week Featuring Dream Cyclery, Canada Homestay Network & More!

PTBOCanada is delighted to to be running StooNews columns each week here, spotlighting new businesses and startups in Peterborough and the Kawarthas. Here is this week’s edition…

Dream Cyclery (432 George St N.) recently opened in downtown Peterborough. With the flagship store in Toronto, Peterborough is their second location. Dream Cyclery is a custom bike & wheel building specialist, offering rentals, road, mountain bike, hybrid, E-Bike, and folding bike sales and service. Check them out on Facebook and for more info, visit their website.

Dream Cyclery

NV Media Productions has rebranded as 705 Creative. Owners and sisters Bianca Nucaro-Viteri and Mercedez Nucaro have now grown to a staff of four and specialize in full-service content marketing, promising your followers rich content, substance, and brand stories, on time, on budget and to your original vision. For more info, go to 705creative.ca.

705 Creative team

The Canada Homestay Network is a family-run, non-profit organization specializing in helping international students find a home away from home in Canada. Host families can make life-long friendships, share the beauty of their home and community, benefit the local economy, and get a generous allowance to offset expenses. The international students get just as much out of it, including language skills and a positive introduction to Canadian family life. For details on how you can get involved, visit canadahomestaynetwork.ca.

”Like” StoosNews page on Facebook here!

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