PRHC & Otonabee Conservation Partner To Plant Trees & Pollinator Garden In Mental Health Courtyard At Hospital

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Otonabee Conservation and Peterborough Regional Health Centre (PRHC) planted four trees and a pollinator garden in the new Mental Health Courtyard at PRHC on Wednesday (September 25th) for National Tree Day. These features will provide opportunities for patients and staff to benefit from the proven positive effects of trees and proximity to nature.

The four tree species selected are representative of the four seasons. In fall, the Autumn Blaze Maple will feature prominent red foliage; the White Spruce will provide greenery all winter long; a Crabapple tree represents spring, when its blooms are fragrant and showy; and a Gingko tree is a hearty, drought-tolerant tree for summer.

Photo courtesy Otonabee Conservation

“The health benefits of being close to nature are widely known,” says PRHC’s Christina Beatty. “There is a strong connection between seeing, hearing and experiencing nature, and reducing negative emotions. Many studies have shown that nature can help relieve stress, anxiety and depression. We are looking forward to bringing nature closer to our staff and patients at PRHC.”

In addition, a pollinator garden in the courtyard further enhances habitat and opportunities for patient engagement with nature. Native wildflower species including Bee Balm, Purple Coneflower and White Turtlehead will help attract butterflies, native bees and birds to the courtyard.

Photo courtesy Otonabee Conservation

The trees will provide habitat for wildlife as well, and complement the extensive naturalization projects previously undertaken by the hospital, in partnership with Otonabee Conservation.

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Otonabee Conservation Celebrates 60th Anniversary With Tree Plantings During National Forest Week

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This Fall, Otonabee Conservation is celebrating National Forest Week and their 60th Anniversary with tree plantings throughout their watershed.

Members of Council in each of the Otonabee Region Watershed Municipalities will join with Otonabee Conservation staff to plant a native species in commemoration of the long-standing relationship with the Conservation Authority and to celebrate National Forest Week.

Otonabee Conservation Board of Directors Chair, Andy Mitchell (left) shovels soil around a Northwood Red Maple tree, along with (left to right) Councillor Paula Warr, Deputy Mayor Lori Burtt, Mayor Roger Bonneau, and Councillor Barry Walsh, from Township of Asphodel-Norwood in Asphodel-Norwood. (photo courtesy otonabee conservation)

“Planting a tree is one single action that helps support a number of environmental outcomes,” says Dan Marinigh, Chief Administrative Officer at Otonabee Conservation, “Planting trees with our municipal partners is a way for us to leave a natural legacy for years to come, while highlighting the necessary work we do together to protect our watershed.”

Planting trees helps regulate temperatures and provides shelter to wildlife. Trees also filter the air we breathe, capture carbon dioxide mitigating climate change, and stabilize the ground preventing erosion and reducing stormwater runoff and flooding.

Asphodel-Norwood photo courtesy ontario conservation

Plantings will take place in each of the Municipalities, as follows…

-> September 24th, 1 p.m., Asphodel-Norwood | Norwood Millpond

-> September 24th, 5 p.m., Selwyn | Township Office

-> September 25th, 2 p.m., City Of Peterborough | Rogers Cove

-> September 26th, 10 a.m., Trent Hills | Hastings Marina

-> October 15th, 4 p.m., Douro-Dummer | Municipal Office

-> October 21st, 5:15 p.m., Otonabee-South Monaghan | Municipal Office

-> Date TBD, time Cavan Monaghan | Location

-> Date TBD, time City of Kawartha Lakes | Location

Visit otonabeeconservation.com for updates to dates, times and locations that are yet to be determined.

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Mayor Therrien Shuts Down Rumour Mill In Best Way About Her Body With Funny, Powerful Tweet

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People in public positions often have to deal with a lot of gossip and conjecture about them—oftentimes in regards to their body. Sometimes the only way to deal with that is to confront it head on. Take this case of Peterborough Mayor Diane Therrien as an example.

Mayor Therrien

On Monday (September 23rd), Mayor Therrien posted a tweet about her having to miss City Council due to illness.

She followed it up with this mic drop of a tweet hours later in regards to her pregnancy status (which, of course, is no one’s business but people make it such).

The responses were overwhelmingly positive in regards to her honesty in confronting the gossip head on…

“I’ve heard it through the grapevine about six times now,” Mayor Therrien tells PTBOCanada in regards to her rumour mill tweet. “So no not pregnant, just fat LOL.”

Oh, and she often bikes to work, too, for those that don’t see her car at City Hall and think she’s not working hard. But we’ll leave that up to her to say in another tweet ;)

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Enactus Fleming College Wins People’s Choice At World Project Expo In California

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Enactus Fleming College won the People’s Choice at the World Project Expo at the Enactus World Cup 2019 in San Jose, California.

The Fleming College team presented their Paper Planet Project, which focuses on diverting paper from landfill and recycling, and turning it into products that can later be sold. The Paper Planet Project is a social enterprise that is creating products that are biodegradable and inexpensive while reducing our environmental footprint.

Picture from World Project Expo courtesy Fleming College

“We are so proud of our team, who have invested time and passion into this project and it is an honour to be recognized on the world stage,” says Raymond Yip Choy, Lead Enactus faculty advisor, and professor, Business Studies at Fleming College. “This is validation that our project has value and the potential to grow and change our community.”

Enactus World Cup 2019 showcases entrepreneurial action and social innovation. Every year, a select group of 3,000 students, businesses and academic leaders from around the world gather at Enactus World Cup to showcase the entrepreneurial action and shared innovation that address the United Nations 17 Sustainable Development Goals transforming lives and creating a better future.

To learn more about Enactus at Fleming, go here.

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The Peterborough Chamber’s Annual Power Hour Event Wins National Award

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The Greater Peterborough Chamber of Commerce has won the “Canadian Chamber of Commerce Competition” at the Canadian Chamber’s Annual General Meeting, which was held in Saint John, New Brunswick this year.

Each year the competition is focused on a different aspect of the Chamber operation. This year, the competition was titled “Influence in Action - Advocacy through Events”, with an emphasis on events that create profile for the fundamental advocacy work of the Chamber Network. The Peterborough Chamber’s annual Power Hour event was chosen as the 1st Place Winner by some 300 delegates from across Canada.

Left to right: Stu Harrison and Sandra Dueck from Peterborough Chamber of Commerce with Dawn Hennessey, Vice Chair of the Peterborough Chamber Board

The Power Hour is an annual event bringing together the business community and our elected officials. Attendees hear from elected officials at all four levels of government: the MP for Peterborough-Kawartha, the MPP for Peterborough-Kawartha, the Warden for the County of Peterborough, and the Mayor for the City of Peterborough. Also invited as guests are the elected councils for the City and County of Peterborough, First Nations Chiefs and the City and County CAOs.  

The event features a Q&A session, moderated by Peterborough Chamber of Commerce Policy Analyst, Sandra Dueck, with questions provided by the audience. The questions and the discussion further inform the advocacy direction for the Chamber moving forward.

“I couldn’t be prouder of the staff and volunteers of the Chamber,” says President and CEO Stu Harrison of the award. “To have the opportunity to not only showcase our Chamber at the national level, but to be judged the best, is truly an honour.”


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Team 55 Announces Details For 7th Annual Friday Night Lights

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The Canadian Mental Health Association Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge (C.M.H.A. H.K.P.R.) and Team 55 announced details for the 7th Annual Friday Night Lights event happening on October 4th at Thomas A. Stewart Secondary School.

Friday Night Lights is a Team 55 football event supporting suicide prevention through the Canadian Mental Health Association, Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge. Funds raised through Friday Night Lights this year will once again go towards C.M.H.A. H.K.P.R.’s Assertive Outreach Suicide Prevention (A.O.S.P.) program.

Team 55 Founder Dave Pogue at press conference

“When we took this on, we pledged $40,000 a year for two years,” says Dave Pogue, founder of Team 55, noting the total cost of the position is approximately double their pledge. “We’ve come on board to pledge another $40,000 for the fourth year. All the funds raised will go to this program.”

In addition to seeing some of the best high school football in the province, attendees can expect engaging opening ceremonies with special guest speaker, Richard Clune of the Toronto Marlies.

“The opening ceremonies are your chance to hear from our guest speaker and listen to impactful stories that will inspire you to support mental health in any way you can,” says Pogue. “We hope if any audience members are still reluctant to talk about mental health that this will encourage them to seek help.”

Jack Veitch, Manager of Community Engagement and Education for C.M.H.A. H.K.P.R.

A barbecue will also be running from 12 p.m. when games start until the end of the event. Team 55 merchandise will be for sale and everyone there will have the chance to chat with a representative from C.M.H.A. H.K.P.R. about their programs and services and the A.O.S.P. program in particular. 

“We are so grateful for the support of Team 55 as well as all donors who make this program possible,” says Jack Veitch, Manager of Community Engagement and Education for C.M.H.A. H.K.P.R. “Their dedication to mental health and suicide awareness has had an incredible impact on the lives of so many in our community,”

“That said, in order for this remarkable program to be truly sustainable, we cannot continue to rely on members of our community to raise or donate the funds. The A.O.S.P. program is changing lives throughout Haliburton, Kawartha, and Pine Ridge and we believe it could change lives across Ontario, should government funding be made available.”

THE DETAILS (Friday, October 4th)

-> 12 p.m. Games and Barbecue Begin
-> 6 p.m. Opening Ceremonies,
-> 7 p.m. Main Event Kick-off
-> Location: Thomas A. Stewart Secondary School, 1009 Armour Rd., Peterborough

For more info, see Team 55 on Facebook.

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St. James Players Presents First Peterborough Production Of Mamma Mia!

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St. James Players has announced the first-ever Peterborough production of the world-renowned musical, Mamma Mia!

Tickets are now available to the public, and there are seven performances at Showplace Performance Centre taking place from November 8th - 16th.

The all-local cast includes:

-> Gillian Harknett plays Sophie

-> Mark Gray plays Bill

-> Lyndele Gauci plays Rosie

-> Warren Sweeting plays Sam

-> Natalie Dorsett plays Donna

-> Keevin Carter plays Harry

-> Christie Freeman plays Tanya

The cast of Mamma Mia!

The large all-local cast provides non-stop laughs and explosive dance numbers. With St. James Players 47-year legacy of high-quality community theatre in town, Mamma Mia! is sure to be a hit.

Get your tickets here.

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100 Women Peterborough Raises $10,000+ In Under One Hour For Casa De Angelae

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On Tuesday (September 17th), the 100 Women Peterborough group raised $10,000+ in under one hour for Casa De Angelae.

Casa De Angelae Chair Kim Aubin and a resident of Casa De Angelae, Katie Galloro, presented on behalf of the organization to the women at the meeting, which was held at The Venue in downtown Peterborough. Casa De Angelae was selected to receive the donations by a majority vote that evening.

Photo courtesy 100 Women Peterborough

Casa De Angelae’s mission is to provide a permanent home for women with developmental disabilities, allowing them to live in a safe, supportive family environment. They provide the women with a combination of supervision, family support and independence that they need to grow as contributing members of their community. The funding they received from 100 Women Peterborough will be used to install chair lifts in the home.

“We want to thank the 100 Women Peterborough group for this amazing donation,” says Kim Aubin. “This money will go a long way in ensuring that the Casa De Angelae home will be accessible and safe for not just the four women but any future women that have the opportunity to call Casa De Angelae their home.” 

Photo courtesy 100 Women Peterborough

“We’re excited about this contribution,” says Katie Galloro, who has been living at Casa De Angelae since July 2011. “I think it will help us a lot.”

Four women currently reside at Casa De Angelae. The families of the women share a vision of transitioning their daughters out of their family homes before age or ill health prevents them from providing the necessary support. The organization works to help the women achieve the dream to live independent, meaningful lives.

"We are excited to see our membership grow every meeting to contribute to deserving organizations like Casa De Angelae," says Rose Terry, a Founding Member of 100 Women Peterborough. “It is important to show women that they don’t need to have millions of dollars to participate, we can work together collectively to make a huge impact." 

Women that are interested in joining the group are encouraged to reach out via the website here.

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Fleming Celebrates Pride Week With Ceremonial Raising Of Pride Flag For First Time In College History

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Fleming College kicked off Pride Week with the ceremonial raising of the Pride Flag at Sutherland Campus on Monday (September 16th).

Students, faculty and staff gathered outside to celebrate diversity and inclusion on campus by raising the Pride Flag for the first time in the College’s history.

“This was a great opportunity to reinforce the vital commitment that Fleming is making to be a welcoming place for all,” says Fleming College President Maureen Adamson. “While the flag is about diversity and inclusion, it is also about equality—nothing more, nothing less. The pride flag flying over Fleming sends a strong signal that everyone is welcome here.“

Fleming College will celebrate Pride Week with festivities throughout the week, including:

Tuesday, September 17th, 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. Pride in the KTTC (D-Wing)

Wednesday, September 18th, 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. BBQ(ueer) (Steele Centre Patio) 5 p.m. – 7 p.m. Queer Sex workshop (Library)

Thursday, September 19th, 7 p.m. Dirty Bingo (Steele Centre)

Friday, September 20th, 12 – 2 p.m. Decorate Fleming Pride Float (Main Foyer) 4:30 p.m. Trans Day of Resiliency March (Seeds of Change)

Saturday, September 21st, 1:30 p.m. Pride Parade (Peterborough City Hall)

Watch some video from the pride flag raising at Fleming here…

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250 Trees & Shrubs Planted At Millpond & Station Trail In Millbrook For TD Tree Days

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On Saturday, September 14th, more than 50 volunteers planted 250 new trees and shrubs along the shoreline of the Millbrook Millpond at Medd’s Mountain and along the Station Trail. This planting was part of TD Tree Days, in partnership with TD Canada Trust.

The native species planted included Eastern White Cedar, Speckled Alder, Dogwood, Elderberry, Nannyberry and Willow, which will support natural diversity and wildlife habitat.

Photo courtesy Otonabee Conservation

Otonabee Conservation staff were on-site to provide technical support and share information about the value of trees within the natural environment.

“The planting of trees provides countless benefits from filtering the air we breathe to regulating temperatures and providing shelter to wildlife,” says Meredith Carter, Manager of Watershed Management programs for Otonabee Conservation. “Trees also have a tremendous capacity to capture carbon dioxide, mitigating climate change.”

Photo courtesy Otonabee Conservation

“The day was a great success,” adds Erin McLeod, TD Canada Trust Employee and volunteer Site Leader.

"TD and so many community volunteers had a great time and did an amazing job, which speaks well of the commitment of TD staff, their families, and municipal support from the Township of Cavan Monaghan to improving the local environment and enhancing outdoor recreation opportunities through TD Tree Days."

Photo courtesy Otonabee Conservation

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