Peterborough County Council Approves 2022 Budget
/Peterborough County Council approved the 2022 Budget, they announced on Wednesday.
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Peterborough Blogs
Peterborough Police Report 13 Firearms Unaccounted For On Stolen Truck
/Peterborough Police continues to investigate the theft of firearms from Peterborough this past Sunday which includes the search for suspects.
Suspects are believed to have driven a blue four-door sedan. Photo courtesy of the Peterborough Police.
The inventory check on the returned trailer and firearms is now complete and revealed that 13 of the small-calibre firearms are still missing.
Any unaccounted for firearms is concerning to Peterborough Police and investigators ask anyone who may have information on this incident to call the Peterborough Police Crime Line at 705-876-1122 x555 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.
The search for suspects also continues. As previously released, the suspects appear to arrive and in a four-door blue sedan which follows the tractor trailer unit out of the yard in the early Sunday morning.
Peterborough Police would like to re-iterate investigators are taking this incident very seriously and encourage anyone with information to contact the Peterborough Police Crime Line or Crime Stoppers.
City Of Peterborough Adjusts COVID-19 Protocols As Province Moves To next Phase In Reopening
/On Thursday the City of Peterborough will adjust its COVID-19 protocols in recreation facilities following the Province of Ontario’s announcement moving Ontario to the next phase of reopening.
A full house at the Peterborough Memorial Centre, 2018. As of Thursday arenas may operate at 50 per cent capacity. File photo.
Capacity limits for entertainment and sporting venues will move to 50 per cent, and masking requirements remain in place in accordance with new Provincial regulations.
Arenas
In accordance with provincial regulations, the following measures for community use at all arena facilities are in effect as of Thursday:
Proof of Vaccination using enhanced vaccine certificate with QR code and Active Screening are still required for entry.
Masks/face coverings are required at all times, limited exemptions apply.
Spectator capacities will be increased to 50% capacity for all spectating areas.
No capacity limits in non-spectating areas (i.e., change rooms/on ice)
Food and beverage consumption is permitted, masks to be worn at all times while not consuming.
Safety plans are required for permitted users/groups using the facility.
Skating programs will remain registered and with capacities, for more information visit peterborough.ca/skate.
Healthy Planet Arena will continue to be used for vaccination clinics. Please visit the Peterborough Public Health website for clinic information.
Peterborough Sport and Wellness Centre
In accordance with provincial regulations, the following measures for the Peterborough Sport and Wellness Centre are in effect as of Thursday:
Organized public gatherings are limited to 50 people indoors, and 100 people outdoors.
Active Screening and Proof of Vaccination requirements remain in effect, with government-issued photo ID and QR Code Proof of Vaccination required.
Masks/face coverings are required unless participating in active sport or fitness activities.
There are no guidelines related to physical distancing.
Spectators observing sporting events within the Centre are limited to 50 percent of the seating capacity.
Recreation Programs and Downtown Youth Space
The provincial regulations allow recreation facilities to have indoor capacity limits for organized events limited to 50 people indoors and no capacity limits for organized public events outdoors. Social gatherings are limited to 50 people indoors and 100 people outdoors.
Outdoor Recreation Facilities
The provincial regulations allow outdoor recreation facilities to have no capacity limits in place for organized public events. Social gatherings are limited to 100 people outdoors.
Express GO Bus Line to Richmond Hill Is Being Proposed For Peterborough
/Getting to Toronto in three to four hours via public transit may be a thing of the past as MPP Dave Smith is proposing a new Express Go Bus line in Peterborough to the GO Bus station at Hwy 407 and Yonge Street in Richmond Hill.
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The proposed line from Peterborough will arrive at the GO Bus station at Hwy 407 and Yonge St. in Richmond Hill with stops at Trent University, the Peterborough Bus Terminal and Fleming College.
A trip to Toronto/Peterborough would cut travel times with due to less traffic congestion on Highway 407 and would cost less roughly than $30 according to Smith.
The line will provide Peterborough with a direct route to Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) buses and subways, York Region Transit, GO buses, and access to the GO train and VIA Rail service. The service could reduce several hours in travel for a round-trip to Toronto and vice versa.
“Ontario is undergoing the largest transportation infrastructure expansion in the history of the province including a $28 billion transit expansion in the City of Toronto,” said Smith. “I want Peterborough to be included in that so that residents can easily work, make medical appointments, attend classes, and visit the entire region of Toronto.”
One benefit of the bus includes some relief from the housing crisis. There could be increased vacancies as a result of students making a commute to post-secondary schools in Peterborough.
“If I have 200 students that no longer move to Peterborough, that frees up 40-50 hours or apartments,” explained Smith. “If you have less demand, the market price doesn’t go up as fast. It should alleviate some of the pressures as rent goes up.”
Smith adds that tourism could see an increase as anyone from the GTA area has increased access to Peterborough.
“When you take a look at the leisure side of things, you could go see a Blue Jays game, the Raptors, the Leafs game,” said Smith. “Before, you could only have one tallboy and that’s it because you had to drive. Now you can enjoy a few extra adult beverages with the express bus.”
Smith held an open virtual town hall with Metrolinx on Tuesday night providing surveys to the general public regarding the need for the express bus.
Roughly 60 people were surveyed with approximately 96 per cent responding in favour of the bus line according to Smith.
If approved, the express bus could start in 18-24 months.
To take the online survey regarding the Express Go Bus, click here.
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Snowfall Warning Issued For Peterborough And Kawartha Area
/Environment Canada has issued a snowfall warning for most of the greater Kawarthas region for Thursday afternoon into Friday morning.
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The snowfall warning is in effect for Peterborough County, Kawartha Lakes, Northumberland County, and Hastings County.
Precipitation will begin as rain Wednesday evening, with freezing rain and ice pellets possible Thursday morning and afternoon.
Snow will begin Thursday afternoon and continue through Friday morning. Total snowfall accumulations of 10 to 20 cm are possible. As the track of the low pressure system remains uncertain, precipitation timing and amounts may change.
Travel is expected to become difficult as road conditions are unpredictable.
Electric City Culture Council Highlights Events Supporting Black Creators During Black History Month
/To mark Black History Month, Electric City Culture Council (EC3) has put together a list of resources to help honour and inform about the legacy of Black Canadians, to support Black causes and Black creators, and to celebrate some of the art being created by Black artists in Peterborough and across Canada.
The founder of the Black Lives Matter movement presence in Canada and Black Lives Matter – Toronto, Sandy Hudson. Hudson will speak at The Trent Student Centre on Friday.
Below are links to events happening in Peterborough to commemorate Black History month, compiled by EC3:
Celebrating Black Joy with Sandy Hudson, founder of BLM Canada. At the Trent Student Centre, hosted by the Trent Central Student Association (TCSA) and Black Student Support.
Feb. 18; 12 p.m.
Adult Book Club discusses Gutter Child by Jael Richardson. Presented by the Peterborough Public Library.
Feb. 22, 2 p.m. and 7 p.m.
Diversity & Allyship in the Conservation and Environmental Industry. Live virtual panel discussion, Fleming College.
Feb. 24, 12 - 1 p.m.
Journey to Justice - Film Discussion. Hosted by the Community Race Relations Committee of Peterborough, via Zoom
Feb. 25, 7 - 8 p.m.
3rd Annual Black History Month Blowout. Held by Black Lives Matter Nogojiwanong (OPIRG).
Feb. 26, details TBA
Local black creators highlighted include:
Black Girls Chatter. Podcast featuring "just a couple of black girls keeping the conversation going.”
Borderless Records. Peterborough-Nogojiwanong based DIY label and collective.
Local collections and organizations include:
Community Race Relations Committee Peterborough. A resource hub for educators, employers, students, youth, and anyone looking for info on race, anti-racism, and anti-discrimination.
Black Lives Matter (BLM) - Nogojiwanong Chapter, in partnership with OPIRG.
Peterborough Public Library presents reading lists, events and more for Black History Month.
Trent Arthur Newspaper has published a series of articles throughout Black History Month, including "The erasure of Canada's racism in public school curricula" by Alicia McLeod; "Canada, the land of equality, diversity, and racism" by Sutton Hanna; and "No black educators" by Shaela McLeod.
EC3 also highlighted films and books that highlight black writers, directors, actors and creatives:
To read:
Borderless Discussions w/ Muna & Sahira Q. A late night roundtable discussion about gender, race, art, performance, community, intersectionality, and so much more. Part of the 2021 Borderless Music & Arts Festival in Peterborough.
Subjects of Desire. (2021). Jennifer Holness, Canada, 103 minutes.
The Porter. TV series (2022-), premiering on CBC Television February 21, 2022.
Learn to Swim (2021), Thyrone Tommy, Canada, 90 minutes.
Bringing Overlooked Canadian Black History to the Fore. The Agenda with Steve Paikin, TVO, February 7, 2022.
To read:
Black Lives Matter Reading List. From the Peterborough Public Library.
Dr. Afua Cooper. Speaker, scholar, historian, author, poet, performer, and social and cultural commentator. Published works include: Black Writers Matter; Dear Canada: Hoping for Home; A Fluid Frontier: Slavery, Resistance, and the Underground Railroad in the Detroit River Borderland; The Hanging of Angélique: the untold story of Canadian slavery and the burning of old Montréal
The Underground Railroad: Next Stop, Toronto!. Adrienne Shadd, Afua Cooper, Karolyn Smardz Frost, Dundurn Press, 2009.
Beauty in a Box: Detangling the Roots of Canada’s Black Beauty Culture. Cheryl Thompson, Wilfred Laurier University Press, 2018.
Inspired by Black Lives Matter, over 40 Canadian artists record Freedom Marching. Rebecca Zandbergen, CBC News (web article), February 9, 2022.
Gutter Child: A Novel. Jael Richardson, HarperCollins, 2021.
Black Writers - A Reading List. Published by the Writers’ Federation of Nova Scotia.
So Since I’m Still Here Livin’: A YouTube Reader. Ed. Kelly Xio, Domain, 2021.
Sisters of the Yam: black women and self-recovery. bell hooks, South End Press, 1994.
Talking Back | thinking feminist, thinking black. bell hooks, Between the Lines, 1989.
Freedom is a Constant Struggle: Ferguson, Palestine, and the Foundations of a Movement. Angela Y. Davis, Haymarket Books, 2016.
How We Get Free: Black Feminism and the Combahee River Collective. Keeyanga Yamahtta Taylor, Haymarket Books, 2017.
Flood Watch Issued For Peterborough Area In Anticipation Of Heavy Rainfall
/A flood watch has been issued by Otonabee Conservation for all waterbodies and watercourses in the Peterborough region.
Photo courtesy of The City of Peterborough.
Areas that may be affected include Municipalities of Selwyn, Douro-Dummer, Asphodel-Norwood, Otonabee-South Monaghan, Cavan Monaghan, City of Kawartha Lakes, City of Peterborough and Trent Hills.
A low-pressure trough will bring soaring air temperatures reaching 6-7 degrees Celsius. Air temperatures will continue in this range over the next 36 to 48 hours ahead of an arriving cold front.
Also, ahead of the cold front is a total of 15 to 25 millimeters of rain. Depending on how the system tracks, there is a possibly that as much as 50 millimeters of rain will fall. As the cold front pushes into the region, there will be strong winds, a drop in air temperatures, and we will receive snowfall of 15 to 20 centimeters. This mix of vastly varying air temperatures, strong winds, differing forms of precipitation will make for messy conditions.
Uncertainty in total rainfall amounts translates to a possibility of flooding.
Current conditions include frozen ground covered by a snowpack that is 25-30 centimeters deep with a water content of 85-90 millimeters. Modelling of the warm air temperature/rain event shows 35-40 millimeters of rainfall/snowmelt will be available for run-off, possibly as much as 65 millimeters. However, the snowpack will absorb 5 to 10 per cent, helping to lessen the amount of rainfall/snowmelt to be released into area rivers, streams, creeks, and wetlands. Ice cover break-up is not expected.
Water levels can be monitored on-line at:
1) Trent-Severn Waterway’s Water Management InfoNet
2) Water Survey of Canada Real-Time Hydrometric Data
3) Otonabee Region Conservation Authority website
This flood watch will expire on Feb. 21.
Electric City Football Club Signs League1 Ontario All Star and OCAA Leading Scorer
/Electric City Football Club has signed highly touted Canadian Premier League prospect and 2021 League1 Ontario All-Star Bradley Heath and OCAA-leading scorer and CCAA All-Canadian Kayla McQueen.
ECFC's two newest signings Kayla McQueen and Bradley Heath pose in ECFC gear after inking deals with the new League1 Ontario side. Photo courtesy of ECFC.
McQueen, a 23-year-old Striker from London, Ontario, led OCAA Women’s Soccer last season with 17 goals in 5 games for Fanshawe College. The Fanshawe College standout and team captain was also named OCAA Women’s soccer West Division Player of the Year and received CCAA All-Canadian honours for the 2021-22 season.
“Kayla is a very dynamic player that I’ve worked with in League 1 Ontario and at the Collegiate level for the past few years.” ECFC Women’s First Team coach Randy Ribeiro said. “Kayla brings a strong desire to win and has been a constant at the League1 Ontario and Collegiate level in helping the team win multiple championships over the past four years.”
McQueen helped lead Fanshawe to the gold medal at the 2021 OCAA Championships where she scored the winning goal as her side won 2-1. McQueen was also a part of the Falcons side that won the OCAA Championships the previous two years; making it 3 OCAA Championships in 4 years. McQueen also played with FC London in League1 Ontario Women’s Premier in 2021 and helped FCL to a first-place finish in the regular season.
“The fans can expect to see someone who is passionate about the sport of football and community outreach,” said McQueen, “I am excited to show the city of Peterborough what I have to offer as a player and as a person.”
New ECFC Women's signing Kayla McQueen dribbles the ball in an OCAA match for Fanshawe College. Photo courtesy of ECFC.
On the men’s side, ECFC has added 23-year-old Defender Bradley Heath from Markham, Ontario. Heath played for FC London in League1 Ontario Men’s Premier last season, where he was named a Western Conference All-Star. Prior to his two seasons in London, Heath had a brief stint in Sweden at Bodens BK FF and played one season for League1 Ontario side Unionville Milliken S.C.
“The opportunity to be a part of a project like this was hard to turn down,” Heath said. “I feel like this is the right move for me at this moment in my playing career. The club’s plans and goals, along with the community engagement was what really drove me to come here.”
In his first season with FC London, the defender was a key part of an FCL defence that conceded 18 goals in 15 matches. In 2021, he was once again a key part of a defence that ranked 3rd in the league for goals against.
On the collegiate side, Heath spent four seasons with the Fanshawe Falcons scoring 7 goals and was named OCAA West Defender of the Year in 2018 and 2021.
“Bradley is a physical and dynamic centre back who will pair well with Ellis-Hayden to form a strong back line for the team,” ECFC President Rob Jenkins said. “He is great at defending in 1v1 situations and is very comfortable with the ball at his feet. He is also a threat off corner kicks and we are excited to see him add some goals for Electric City FC this season.”
New ECFC Men's signing Bradley Heath dribbles the ball in a League1 Ontario match for FC London. Photo courtesy of ECFC.
