Trent University Excalibur Hires New Rugby Head Coach For Varsity Women’s Team

Trent University Excalibur women’s rugby team has hired Doug Lang as the new head coach for the upcoming 2022/23 season announced on Wednesday.

Lang has been the assistant coach for Trent in the past five seasons. Photo courtesy of Trent University.

“We are thrilled to have Coach Doug Lang as our new Excalibur women’s rugby head coach,” said Deborah Bright-Brundle, Trent director of Athletics and Recreation. “His experience with our rugby program and technical knowledge of the game will support the development of our student-athletes and our rugby program.”

Lang joined the Excalibur in 2017 as the assistant coach of the Excalibur men’s rugby team. He moved to the women’s team in 2020 serving under former head coach Pete Hercus.

“The last five years have given me a great insight into rugby at Trent and the landscape in which the sport operates,” said Lang. “Working in a range of different experiences and environments has very much shaped my coach philosophy. I believe this will allow the student-athletes to play a game truly suited to their ability and encourage them to develop their skills to play a complete game.”

Prior to coaching with Trent, Lang gained experience in the United Kingdom. He has served as head coach in and near Peterborough with the Cobourg Saxons (2017-19) and the Peterborough Pagans (2020-21).

“I like to think a successful Trent Excalibur student-athlete will thrive in any academic environment, business setting, having empathy for other team members, and support their colleagues to better strive for excellence,” said Lang.

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Electric City Football Club Signs League1 Ontario All-Star and U Sports National Champion

Two more additions to building the Electric City Football Club’s (ECFC) inaugural rosters continue by signing two-time League1 Ontario All-Star Ethan Gopaul and U Sports Women’s Soccer National Champion Hailey Walsh on Thursday.

Hailey Walsh (left) and Ethan Gopaul (right) are the fourth players for their respective teams signed to the the club. Photo courtesy of ECFC.

Gopaul, 22, from London, Ont. has spent time at the prestigious Vancouver Whitecaps residency program from the age of 16-19, then made the jump to their USL Championship affiliate, Vancouver Whitecaps 2 in 2017.

“Ethan has been a standout in League1 Ontario over the last couple of years. His pace and 1v1 attacking ability are exceptional which makes him a handful for defenders to deal with. Ethan has proven he is capable of scoring goals at the League1 Ontario level year after year,” Rob Jenkins, ECFC President. “We truly believe he is a CPL-calibre player and that he will be one of the most entertaining players for our fans to watch this season.”

Gopaul (right) dribbling the ball around a defender during his tenure with the Vancouver Whitecaps FC 2. Photo courtesy of ECFC.

Gopaul with FC London in 2019 helped the club reach the League1 Ontario Finals by scoring two goals in their playoff run and was named to the League1 First Team All-Stars.  

In 2021, he helped FCL to third place in the league by scoring 11 goals in 12 matches (second in the league in scoring). Gopaul received a West-Division First Team All-Star nod.

“Electric City FC excited me because it was an opportunity for change, new challenges, and more exposure to that professional environment that’s being built here,” said Gopaul. “With the goal to be a CPL franchise and all the effort that’s been made to make me feel comfortable with this change, it has made me feel very honoured to be a part of the first group of players to wear this badge on my chest.”

Walsh dribbles the ball during a game for the Ottawa U Gee-Gees. Photo courtesy of ECFC.

Hailey Walsh, 22, of Courtice, Ontario was recruited from a top-ranked University of Ottawa Women’s soccer program.

During her time as a Gee-Gee, Walsh was a 2018 OUA champion, a 2018 U Sports National Champion, a 2019 OUA Bronze Medalist and Champion of the inaugural 2019 FISU University World Cup in China.

“Hailey is a player we monitored closely this past season during her time with U of Ottawa. What really attracted us to recruit Hailey into our program was her capability to play short and long passes with both feet,” said Randy Ribeiro, ECFC women’s head coach. “Her technical ability to play out of tight spaces is exceptional and we truly believe she fits our player profile perfectly. We are really excited to have Hailey join us this summer at ECFC.”

Walsh has played a number of successful seasons in League1 Ontario for Durham United, FC Oshawa and Darby FC.

“It feels incredible to be a part of Electric City FC. I have seen how the city of Peterborough has bought into this club and their enthusiasm makes me so eager to get started,” said Walsh. “Being a part of Electric City FC’s inaugural season is a very surreal feeling, as we get to make our mark in League1 Ontario and that’s very exciting to me.”

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Peterborough Public Health Warns Public of Increased Suspected Opioid Poisonings

Peterborough Public Health (PPH) has detected increases in Emergency Department Visits and Paramedic Calls for Service from possible opioid poisonings.

Stock photo.

“Peterborough Public Health has seen an unusual increase in opioid-related harms,” said Jocelyn Qualtrough, PPH health promoter. “We have been communicating with partners and now we are reaching out to the public as part of our enhanced response in hopes to prevent further harm for the community.”

Six unique overdose-related incidents for which medical attention was sought, including Emergency Department Visits and Paramedic Calls for Service on Tuesday.

In the last week, there have been 13 overdose-related emergency department visits and ten opioid-related paramedic calls for service. Due to this increase, Peterborough Public Health is issuing a public warning in the hopes of preventing further harm in the community.

For the prevention of drug-related harms, Peterborough Public Health advises if you use substances:

• Do not use drugs alone.

• If using with a friend, do not use at exactly the same time.

• If using alone, have a plan. Ask someone to check on you or call the National Overdose Response Service at 1-888-688-6677.

• Carry a naloxone kit. Keep it visible and close by.

• Avoid mixing drugs.

• Test your drug by using a small amount first.

• Call 911 immediately if someone starts to show signs of an overdose and/or cannot be resuscitated after naloxone is administered.

Photo courtesy of Peterborough Public Health.

Peterborough Public Health encourages everyone to recognize the signs of opioid overdose and know what to do:

• Skin is cold and clammy

• Fingernails or lips are blue or purple

• Body is very limp

• Cannot wake the person up

• Deep snoring or gurgling sounds

• Breathing is very slow, erratic or has stopped

• Pupils are very small

“Recognize the signs of opioid overdose,” said Qualtrough. “If an overdose is witnessed, call 911, give naloxone and stay with that person until help arrives.”

Under Canada’s Good Samaritan Drug Overdose Act, anyone who seeks medical help for themselves or for someone else who has overdosed, WILL NOT be charged for possessing or using drugs for personal use.

PPPH is also encouraging members of the public to use the recently launched ‘Drug Reporting Tool’. This tool is an anonymous survey to report overdose incidents and harms in the community.

Any information shared through the survey supports Peterborough Public Health and community partners in responding to and preventing overdoses in the Peterborough Area.

For more information, or to find out how to access naloxone, please visit PPH’s website and search for “Opioids.”

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Home Energy Efficiency Program Survey Now Open

The City of Peterborough is developing a new Home Energy Efficiency Program (HEEP) with a vision to support homeowners to finance home energy renovations.

Stock photo.

The retrofits will target improving the energy efficiency of low-rise homes, with the goal to lower greenhouse gas emissions linked to Peterborough’s residential housing sector.

The public engagement phase of the HEEP kicks off with a virtual public meeting and the launch of two public surveys.

The kick-off virtual session will be held on March 3, from 4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. The meeting will be hosted on Zoom and accessed at www.connectptbo.ca/homeenergy.

Residents who are unable to participate online can access the session by phone at 1-647-558-0588 using meeting ID 894 1615 9559.

“The HEEP is an important climate action project that can significantly lower community emissions from Peterborough’s housing stock and is aligned with the Climate Emergency Declaration goal of accelerating community mitigation.” said Councillor Kim Zippel, Chair of the Environment and Climate Change portfolio. “Once established, the HEEP will also support economic recovery with the likely increased activity in our skilled trades and auxiliary renovation services.”

A page on the City’s public engagement website Connect Peterborough www.connectptbo.ca/homeenergy provides background information on HEEP, details for the virtual engagement sessions and surveys for homeowners and rental property owners to capture additional information.

The surveys ask participants about experiences related to home renovations, perceived barriers preventing home energy retrofits, financing preferences, and identifying appealing program features for HEEP consideration.

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Quaker Oats Celebrates 120th Year On Hunter Street With Limited Edition Clothing Line

Quaker Oats is celebrating the 120th anniversary of its Peterborough factory with the release of a limited edition, Canadian-made clothing line called QUAKERborough.

The limited-edition clothing collection is inspired by the durability grit, and confidence of the hard-working employees at the Quaker Peterborough plant, with 100 per cent of the proceeds being donated to Food Banks Canada.

With an emphasis on the generations of Canadians that have worked at Quaker, the QUAKERborough line is manufactured entirely in Canada by Province of Canada, a manufacturing company located in Toronto.

Jason Wilkins, illustrator, live event artist, muralist and workshop instructor from Peterborough is the creative mind behind the QUAKERborough design.

Wilkins illustrations are featured on the backs of the hoodie and long sleeve.

“I was approached December 2021 to illustrate for their high quality hoodie and long sleeve,” said Wilkins in a social media post on Tuesday. “Something that would incorporate all the awesome that we have here in Peterborough, while presenting that feeling we all get while walking across the Hunter Street bridge. the smell that can not only make a bad day better, but immediately transport us back to childhood.”

The exclusive collection is available online now and with limited quantities of each piece available at quakerborough.ca.

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St. Paul Elementary School Lakefield Students Thank Selwyn Fire Department For Putting Out Fire on School Property

Students at St. Paul Elementary School Lakefield sent cards to the Selwyn Fire Department on Tuesday to thank them for responding to a fire on school property on Feb. 16.

Photo courtesy of PVNCCDSB.

At approximately 8:30 p.m. last Wednesday, officers were called to a shed fire at St. Paul Catholic Elementary School in Lakefield.

Selwyn Township firefighters responded and prevented the fire from spreading to the school building. While the shed was destroyed, there was no damage to the school or portable classrooms as classes resumed the following day.

“On behalf of the students, staff members and families of St. Paul Catholic Elementary School, I would like to express our sincere gratitude to the Selwyn Township firefighters who worked hard to protect our school,” said Principal Lisa Gemmiti-Folz.

Fire prevention officer Andrew Bowyer and firefighter Greg Frost picked up the cards in person at the school on Tuesday.

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The Verandah Sessions – Songs From The Verandah Society Album Now Available To Download

4th Line Theatre has announced the release of a new album – The Verandah Sessions, comprised of songs from The Verandah Society in Residence at 4th Line Theatre created by Megan Murphy and Kate Suhr.

The album cover design was created by Jennifer Moher.

The Verandah Society in Residence at 4th Line Theatre had its world premiere at 4th Line Theatre in the summer of 2021. The play was first developed as a way for Murphy and Suhr to connect with and perform for people during the pandemic, as they traveled around the region to perform on people’s porches, verandahs, and backyards.

“I am really excited for everyone to hear Kate’s transcendent songs, which she created for last summer’s production of The Verandah Society at 4th Line Theatre,” said Kim Blackwell, managing artistic director. “For those who were not able to see the show, Kate’s songs will give you a real sense of the beauty of the work. And for those lucky enough to see the production, this music with transport you back."

"It was an unbelievable gift to be able to create art with my dear friend Megan Murphy at the Winslow farm this past summer,” said Kate Suhr. “After immersing myself in Meg's inspirational stories and then spending time with my own thoughts and feelings surrounding the last few years - 4 new songs were born. I am truly thankful for 4th Line Theatre's generosity and continuous support. I am also indebted to the incomparable Saskia Tomkins and James McKenty for embracing my music and breathing life into everything I was hoping to convey. Without all of these wonderful people, this recording, and these songs would never have seen the light of day. I am humbled and I am grateful."

The album is available for download on Bandcamp and Apple Music.

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Peterborough Police Urge Residents To Drive With Caution During Late Season Winter Storm

After reports of icy conditions in the area on Wednesday morning, Peterborough Police released a statement urging drivers to use caution when travelling.

Photo by David Tuan Bui.

In an unusual late season storm threatens for more snow across southern Ontario Wednesday through Friday road conditions are unpredictable.

There is a possibility of freezing rain Wednesday morning.

Police suggest allowing for extra time before going anywhere and keeping a safe distance between vehicles.

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