PTBOCanada Featured Post: Explore PTBO With Patrick McAuley; Trent Canal
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Peterborough Blogs
Peterborough Selected to Host the 2022 Ontario 55+ Summer Games
/After facing two consecutive cancelled years due to COVID-19, Peterborough has kept its bid and will host the 2022 Ontario 55+ Summer Games that will run from Aug. 9 - 11 announced on Thursday.
Pickleball will be one of the events in the Summer Games. Pickleball enthusiasts have lobbied the Peterborough government to build more courts to meet the increasing popularity of the game in town. Photo by David Tuan Bui.
Roughly 1,400 people are expected to compete in events such as bid euchre, contract bridge, cribbage, cycling, lawn bowling, golf, pickleball, slo-pitch, swimming, tennis and more. The venues for the events will be throughout the City and County.
Several Peterborough notables say the games will provide an economic boost to the travel and tourism industry as they went through several challenges due to the pandemic.
Several supporters and fans are expected to travel to the event with the competitors as the city has organized a committee to help accommodate the boosted tourism.
“We are excited to support the 2022 Ontario 55+ Summer Games in Peterborough with a $235,000 investment. This event will bring people, their families, and fans from across Ontario to Peterborough; supporting local businesses and aiding in the economic recovery of our community,” said MPP Dave Smith.
“I am pleased that we can work with Games organizers to host this event in Peterborough in 2022,” said Lisa MacLeod, Minister of Heritage, Sport, Tourism and Culture Industries. “The Games is an important contributor to the well-being of the Peterborough community and the province and as Ontario deals with the impacts of COVID-19, it’s important that we invest in and support our local communities in the short and long term.”
"Never before has social interaction and fun been more important for our citizens,” Councillor Lesley Parnell. “The Ontario 55+ Summer Games will not only be fun but are essential for our mental and emotional health following Covid."
The provincial government, through the Ministry of Heritage, Sport, Tourism and Culture Industries is providing $235,000 in funding to support the event. The City has committed $175,000. Additional funding will be raised through fundraising, sponsorship and fees.
A website for the event will be launched to share information as more details are available.
There will be a call for volunteers to assist with the Games – and for the community to come out to enjoy the Games and cheer on the participants. This information is also on the City of Peterborough website at www.peterborough.ca.
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Hometown PTBO: Neil Sanderson of Three Days Grace on the Release of the Band's New Album
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This week on Hometown PTBO, Pete Dalliday speaks with Three Days Grace drummer Neil Sanderson about attending Adam Scott, the band's new album Explosions and some of his tour stories.
Electric City Football Club Signs Two Professional Footballers Marking The Clubs Inaugural Signings
/Electric City Football Club (ECFC) has confirmed the signing of professional footballers Sona Makulova and Zach Ellis-Hayden as the club’s inaugural signings.
Photo courtesy of Electric City Football Club.
Both players have had success in Canada and are both coming off successful professional international seasons in Italy and the United States respectively.
The first player officially joining the ECFC Men’s team, Zach Ellis-Hayden (29), is an experienced Kitchener-born defender who has spent the last 6 seasons playing professionally in the USL Championship. Ellis-Hayden is a very attacking-minded right back with great pace and can create opportunities for his team through his crossing ability.
For the past two seasons Ellis-Hayden has been a regular starter for OKC Energy and in 2021, no Canadian player in the USL Championship (one division below MLS) performed better analytically than Ellis-Hayden, according to FotMob data.
“Zach is a player we have been following closely over the past few years as we believe he is one of the most skilled and dynamic Canadian footballers playing in the USL and anticipate that he will be a fan favorite,” said ECFC President Rob Jenkins of the Club’s first signing, “We are excited to add a player of his experience, quality, and character to the team and will be looking for him to play a large role in what we are building in Peterborough both on and off the pitch for years to come.”
Ellis-Hayden got his professional start when he was signed by MLS side Orlando City SC in 2016 after a standout career at NCAA Division 1 school Cleveland State University where he played 58 games and in his final year was named to the All-Horizon League Second Team and NSCAA Division I Men's All-Great Lakes Region Third Team. He played for Orlando City B for two seasons where he had 45 appearances.
Ellis-Hayden then signed with ambitious USL Championship expansion side Fresno FC, who were also the reserve team for the Vancouver Whitecaps and made another 50 appearances over two seasons before signing with OKC.
“(Fans) can expect to see consistent performances which is important as a defender. For me, giving your most every day in training and games goes a long way, so for me effort is number one.”
On the Women’s side ECFC has added a player in Sona Makulova (25) who has excelled at every level she has competed in including Canada, Italy and the Czech Republic. Makulova was born in the Czech Republic and played competitively there while growing up. She moved to Canada at the age of 12 with her family and settled in Scarborough. She has continued to play the game in Canada and excelled during her time playing at Seneca College and in League1 Ontario before moving to the professional game in Italy with Ternana Calcio in 2021.
“I am thrilled to have Sona join our team here at Electric City FC. She is someone that I have had to coach against during her time in League1 Ontario and at the Collegiate level. She is a player that can take over a match and win a game for you,” ECFC Women’s First Team Coach Randy Ribeiro said. “Once I heard Sona was interested in returning to Canada after her playing stint overseas, I knew she was a player that I wanted to bring into our program. She will be a player the fans will enjoy watching every week and I am excited to have her join Electric City FC this summer.”
Makulova was a two-time Seneca Sting Athlete of the Year and helped the women’s varsity team capture the silver medal during the Ontario Colleges Athletics Association (OCAA) championship during the 2019-20 season. She was also named the 2018-19 OCAA Women’s Soccer Rookie of the Year and 2019-20 OCAA Women’s Soccer East Player of the Year, as well as a 2019-20 Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association All-Canadian. Makulova also played three standout seasons in League1 Ontario, two with the Sanjaxx Lions out of Toronto and one with FC Oshawa where she won the 2019 League1 Ontario Goal of the Year.
“Once I spoke with the coaches and heard about their ambition and what they are trying to accomplish in League1 Ontario, I was excited because I know it is going to be beyond anyone's expectation,” Makulova said of her new team, “Electric City is going to bring professionalism and take the game to the next level. It's an honor to be part of Electric City FC and be part of something new with this much ambition, excitement, and passion.” When asked what fans can expect to see from her on the pitch she responded with, “I am going to bring leadership, experience, passion, and a strong desire to win.”
Player announcements are expected to continue over the coming weeks as the team builds it roster leading to training camp in early April and kickoff later that month. Season Ticket Vouchers and sponsorship packages are available now at electriccityfc.com.
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Annual Shoppers Drug Mart Love You Campaign Raises Over $14,000 For YWCA Peterborough Haliburton
/Community support for the 2021 LOVE YOU by Shoppers Drug Mart fall campaign resulted in a $14,081 donation to YWCA Peterborough Haliburton earlier this week.
Tanya Farrow, Store Manager (left) alongside High Street & Lansdowne Shoppers Drug Mart team members. Photo courtesy of YWCA Peterborough.
One hundred percent of in-store donations, made through the purchase of paper icons in Peterborough stores, helped fund YWCA Crossroads Shelter and support programs for women experiencing gender-based violence.
“We are truly thankful for the combined support of our community and the entire Peterborough Shoppers Drug Mart team,” said Kim Dolan, Executive Director of YWCA Peterborough Haliburton. “The need for violence against women (VAW) support services has remained high since the onset of the pandemic. This generous donation will provide much-needed safety, resources and support to women in crisis.”
The LOVE YOU by Shoppers Drug Mart fall fundraising program to grow women’s health is an annual four-week campaign and is one of the leading partnership programs of the LOVE YOU by Shoppers Drug Mart platform.
Since 2011, the fall fundraising program has supported more than 450 women’s charities annually across Canada.
“The YWCA is an absolutely essential resource for women and children living in Peterborough,” said Mohan Joshi, Owner of Shoppers Drug Mart High St., Chemong Road and Landsdowne St. locations. “We are honoured to be able to continue our commitment to their work in partnership with our generous customers and staff team.”
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Reopening Of Bobcaygeon Swing Bridge Delayed Until Fall 2022
/Parks Canada advises that the re-opening of the Bobcaygeon Swing Bridge has been delayed until Fall 2022.
Parks Canada was recently informed by the contractor that progress on the refabrication of the mechanical components for the Bridge has been slower than expected and has resulted in further delays to the rehabilitation project schedule.
Lock 32 is expected to be operational for the start of the 2022 Navigation Season and the enhanced pedestrian access over the upper lock gates and its access paths will continue to remain open until the bridge project has been completed.
Over the next few months, the electric and hydraulic work associated with the lock will be carried out and completed in time for the Navigation Season.
Design and refabrication of the mechanical components for the bridge continues offsite. The components are expected to arrive on location through the spring and summer 2022 at which time they will be installed.
Once installation of the components has begun, the remainder of the bridge work will be able to continue with an expected completion in late summer/early fall and bridge reopening scheduled for fall 2022 once testing has been completed.
This work is not expected to impede boat navigation.
Parks Canada is working closely with the Contractor to bring the project to its completion. Further updates will be provided as new information becomes available.
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Electric City Football Club Launches Affiliations With FC Durham And Toronto Skillz As League1 Ontario Reserve Teams
/Electric City Football Club (ECFC) has announced it has signed two affiliation agreements with well-established and successful League1 Ontario clubs FC Durham and Toronto Skillz FC.
Jake Doodnath, Toronto Skillz FC. Ron Clarke, FC Durham. Photos courtesy of Electric City Football Club.
These affiliation agreements give the club three well-established ‘farm teams’ that will allow players in the ECFC system that are not ready for the first team yet a place to play, develop and work towards that final goal of wearing the Electric City FC jersey in Peterborough.
Toronto Skillz FC, located in Scarborough, will field ECFC’s League1 Ontario U21 Men’s Reserve side.
“We are excited to partner with Electric City FC and to be part of this ambitious project. We believe that Rob and his team are setting the standards and creating a template on how to build a club and a team.” Jake Doodnath, President and Technical Director of Toronto Skillz FC said. “We see our relationship with ECFC providing a direct pathway for talented players to showcase themselves.”
FC Durham, located in Oshawa, will field ECFC’s only Women’s League1 Ontario Reserve side and the ECFC League1 Ontario U19 Men’s Reserve team.
“FC Durham programs have a long-standing history of providing scholarship opportunities to players making the transition to post-secondary play,” Ron Clarke, Technical Director at FC Durham, said, “This affiliation ensures a deep, talented, homegrown player pool providing female and male players the ability to stay local and provide a pathway to a professional soccer career.”
These relationships complete a clear pathway for local players who are currently playing for their local youth club but have ambitions to one day play professionally for the Electric City FC first team.
“We are very excited to have been able to partner with two great organizations to run our reserve teams this season,” ECFC President Rob Jenkins explained. “It was important to us to ensure that we have a complete, clear and realistic reserve team setup to develop potential first team players from the region. FC Durham and Toronto Skillz have both demonstrated their ability to develop and prepare players for the next level having both regularly sent women and men to the collegiate and pro levels.”
The reserve teams will compete in the League1 Ontario Reserve Leagues kicking off in spring of 2022 and running until the fall. All three teams will wear their own club’s jerseys for competitions but will also wear the Electric City FC Patch on their shoulder to acknowledge the partnership.
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Local Restaurants Planning First Super Bowl Weekend Under COVID-19 Restrictions
/Since the Ontario Government lifted restrictions for in-house dining on Jan. 17 at half capacity, local restaurant owners are excited to be open for Super Bowl Sunday weekend.
This is the first Super Bowl that Ontario will have in-house dining under COVID-19 restrictions. Last year, restaurants were only available for take-out and delivery. In 2019, they operated at full capacity, one month before the province went into lockdown. In spite of the restrictions, restaurants have made more food orders — especially chicken wings and beer — in preparation for the event.
Maple Moose Pub opened last year and will host its first Super Bowl weekend in Peterborough. Angie Poucher, general manager says despite the restrictions, the exciting atmosphere for restaurants will be present.
"It's definitely going to be more exciting. A big difference between watching the Super Bowl at home with your friends and being in a bar is the dynamic," said Poucher. "You almost get that energy like you're at the game. Like you're in the stadium because it's loud. Every TV will be on the Super Bowl and it will be cranked."
Other restaurants that have been in Peterborough for several years are thankful to be open for dine-in regardless of the restrictions.
"It's an amazing feeling (to be open) with what we've been through,” said Franz Roessl, One-Eighty owner. "It's good to see people back and definitely here to celebrate the Super Bowl. It’s nice to see people come through the doors again."
"It's nice to get back to normality, I think that's a huge thing on everyone's radar," said Addison Brown, Dr. J's BBQ & Brews owner. "To be able to have people in here, separated with their friends, having drinks, watching great football and enjoying barbeque, nothing goes better than football, barbeque and beers."
However, the restrictions have created challenges and obstacles for some owners. Staffing, omitted features and short-notice planning were examples some owners had to face.
"With the limited tables, I only need so many servers and the bad side of this is a lot of servers haven't been brought back just because there's not a ton of work for them right now," said Roessl. “Once these restrictions open up a bit, it'll help us out.”
One Eighty is not doing their annual outdoor pig roast as a result of the half-capacity seating.
In their first year, Maple Moose Pub has had a difficult time building its brand due to the quickly-changing restrictions according to Poucher. The pub currently occupies the space that was formerly the nightclub Aria.
"It’s a big space,” she said. “It's hard to build a clientele when people can come and then they can't come. We are starting to build up a nice clientele but it will take a while. The first year is always hard, period, let alone in the middle of COVID but we're definitely getting there."
There are positives stemming from the restrictions. With only half-capacity allowed for restaurants, Roessl says there is a lot less to manage and plan for the upcoming weekend.
“With the limited tables, I only need so many servers and the bad side of this is a lot of servers haven't been brought back right now just because there's not a ton of work for them right now," Once these restrictions open up a bit, it'll help us out."
Dr. J’s has not had any problems despite the restrictions and Brown is grateful to have his business open.
“They've closed us down five times and we've opened up five times so we've got it down pat,” said Brown. "To have the regulars back and all the other customers, it's special to us and we're just going to keep moving forward.”
One Eighty will hold an NFL squares pool, cooler raffles, merchandise giveaways and beer specials. Dr. J’s will feature four different Super Bowl platters. Maple Moose Pub will have special Super Bowl platters, swag giveaways, prizes, pre-order takeout specials and a television raffle.
This year’s Super Bowl features the Cincinnati Bengals led by second-year quarterback and former number one overall pick Joe Burrow. They will face the Los Angeles Rams with former number one overall pick and former Detroit Lion Matthew Stafford. This is the first Super Bowl appearance for both players.
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Petes Open Applications For Next Generation Game
/The Peterborough Petes are providing ten young fans the opportunity to join the Petes hockey operations and entertainment staff at the Petes upcoming Family Day Game on Feb. 21 against the Barrie Colts.
Callan “Coach Cal” Perks went viral in his pre-game speech during the Next Gen Game in late November last year. Photo courtesy of the Peterborough Petes.
The Petes are looking for a top-notch squad of kids between the ages of 5-12 years old to shadow the following roles on the Monday kid-centric matinee. The following positions are available to be filled:
General Manager
Head Coach
Assistant Coach
Associate Coach
Public Address Announcer
In-Game Host
Two Scouts
TV Broadcast
Radio Broadcast
Kids can apply for the various positions by completing the Petes Next Gen application online form.
For the position of Head Coach, Assistant Coach or Associate Coach kids are asked to send in a video of a pre-game speech that they would deliver to the Petes ahead of a big game. The video must remain under two minutes and be filmed landscape (horizontal).
For the position of Public Address or In-Game Host, children are asked to upload a video that includes them reading the following script: "Here is the starting line up for your Peterborough Petes presented by Chemong Home Building Centre! Starting in goal Tye Austin, on defence Donovan McCoy and Artem Guryev, at forward: Joe Carroll, and Tucker Robertson, and J.R. Avon! And here are the remainder of your Peterborough Petes."
For the position of General Manager or Scout, young Petes fans are asked to complete the Next Gen scouting report for any current Peterborough Petes player.
New to the Next Gen staff is the opportunity to call the game with Scott Arnold and Pete Dalliday of the YourTV broadcast booth or Stew Kernan and Katrina Squazzin of Freq 90.5. Those who wish to call the Next Gen game are asked to send in a video that includes what three questions they would ask a Peterborough Pete during a rink-side interview in the second intermission.
The application to become a member of the Next Gen squad is due Feb. 17 at 11:59 p.m. All parents or guardians of the Next Gen applicants will be contacted Feb. 18.
Those selected to be a part of the Petes Next Gen squad will have the opportunity to receive a behind the scenes tour of the Memorial Centre ahead of puck drop on Sunday afternoon, catch on-ice warm up from the Petes bench, enjoy a meal in the media/scout room and meet members of the Petes hockey operations staff.
Off the ice, families can enjoy kid-friendly entertainment throughout the lobbies including a meet and greet with mascots, a scavenger hunt around the PMC, and throwback videos and photos of their favourite Petes from their minor hockey years.
The Next Gen game will take place Feb. 21 against the Barrie Colts, in the Petes first home game of the new year where 50 per cent capacity is permitted.
For information on season tickets, private suites, or groups contact Mike Kosciesza at mkosciesza@gopetesgo.com.
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Peterborough County Calls For Nominations For 2022 Recognition Awards
/The County of Peterborough is inviting residents to nominations for the County of Peterborough 2022 Recognition Awards, which may also include nominations for 2021.
File Photo.
