Peterborough School Board Communication Services Team Wins National Award

Peterborough Victoria Northumberland and Clarington (PVNC) Catholic District School Board won an Award of Distinction for its Everyday Hero Staff Recognition Program during the 2022 BRAVO! Awards Gala hosted by the Canadian Association of Communications in Education (CACE) on Monday.

Communications officer Alyssa Cymbalista (left) and communications manager Galen Eagle (right) celebrate their awards during the CACE gala on Monday. Photo courtesy of PVNC.

CACE recognizes and honours exemplary work in all aspects of school public relations, communications, marketing and engagement through this awards program each year.

“Our communications staff provide effective communication strategies to stakeholders across the district,” said Joan Carragher, PVNC director of education. “This award recognizes their exemplary work. It is a very well-deserved honour for a communications program that highlights our amazing staff and supports our multi-year strategic plan.”

The Everyday Hero Staff Recognition Program was developed as a strategic communication project to acknowledge the efforts of a range of school board staff and to help further the “Valuing Relationships” strategic priority set out in the board’s 2021-2025 strategic plan.

The CACE BRAVO! Awards are the only Canada-wide awards program specifically designed to recognize excellence in school board communications.

“We are thrilled and honoured to receive this national recognition from the Canadian Association of Communicators in Education,” said Galen Eagle, PVNC manager of communications. “We were looking for a creative way to demonstrate to our employees how much they are valued. The Everyday Hero Staff Recognition Program has been a huge success story for us, allowing us to pay tribute to employees who lift-up those around them and go the extra mile for their peers, students and the families we serve.”

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Warsaw Road Swing Bridge Temporarily Closed For Two Weeks Beginning Nov. 7

The Warsaw Road Swing Bridge under advisement of Parks Canada is closed from Nov. 7 at 9 a.m. to Nov. 18 at 2 p.m., announced on Thursday.

File Photo.

The bridge is located on Parkhill Road East between Armour Road and Television Road.

The closure is for completing repairs to the bridge’s metal grating deck. Traffic control measures and detour routes will be in place during the bridge’s closure.

Pedestrians and cyclists using the west pathway along the canal — between Parkhill Road East and Woodbine Avenue — may have occasional interruptions the week before and after construction for site preparation and teardown. This work will not impact traffic flow on Parkhill Road according to Parks Canada.

The sidewalk on the bridge will be accessible except for roughly two days at the start and end of the closure to remove and reinstall the grating panels.

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Hometown PTBO: Former OHL Defenseman Dan Growden Raising Money For His Daughter Diagnosed With Angelman Syndrome

This week on Hometown PTBO, Pete Dalliday talks to former OHL defenseman Dan Growden about his OHL career, transitioning into speed skating and raising money for his daughter Sawyer. She has been diagnosed with the rare Angelman Syndrome.

To help donate, click here.

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City of Peterborough Accepting Applications For Low Income Senior & Low Income Property Tax Assistance

Applications are open for The City of Peterborbough Low-Income Senior & Low-Income Property Tax Assistance Program.

Qualifying applicants receive a $400 tax credit on their municipal property tax accounts to be applied to the February 2023 interim tax bill.  Anyone who previously received more than a $400 credit is grandfathered in at their higher credit amount. 

Property owners can apply under one of the following qualifications:

1. Low-Income Senior aged 65 years or older

2. Low-Income Senior aged 55-64 years of age

3. Low-Income Persons with a disability receiving benefits under the Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP)

Applications are available on the City’s website or at the City Hall Tax Office, 500 George St. N. Anyone that received tax credits this year, automatically receives a 2023 Property Tax Assistance application in the mail.

Feb. 10 is the deadline for submitting this application.

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Douro-Dummer 2022 Remembrance Day Ceremony To Be Held In-Person

The Douro-Dummer Remembrance Day Ceremony is returning to an in-person event at the Warsaw Cenotaph after a two-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Prior memorials were done over Youtube streams that were not in person. Photo by David Tuan Bui.

The ceremony will take place on Remembrance Day (Nov. 11) at 10:40 a.m. at the Warsaw Cenotaph (895 Water St., Warsaw). The event will take place rain or shine and will also be posted on the Township’s YouTube channel.

Organizers are inviting community members, including local schools and traditional wreath carriers, to join the Remembrance Day Ceremony. Organizers ask that while at the Cenotaph attendees maintain physical distancing and wear a mask if applicable to help slow the spread of contagious illnesses.

Anyone is welcome to place a wreath at the Cenotaph before or after the official ceremony. The single wreath is meant to symbolize the respect and honour traditionally demonstrated by the placement of many wreaths during the ceremony.

The parade and post-ceremony luncheon remains postponed.

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Nominations Open For the 2023 Business Hall of Fame JA-NEO Awards

Nominations are now open for the annual Junior Achievement of Northern and Eastern (JA-NEO) 2023 Business Hall of Fame (BHF) in the City of Kawartha Lakes.

Photo courtesy of JA Northern and Eastern Ontario.

The community is invited to submit nominations for the Business Hall of Fame, helping to recognize the City of Kawartha Lakes’ business leaders who have strengthened the economy and community through their business.

JA-NEO has recently expanded outside of Peterborough and into the City of Kawartha Lakes.

After the nominations come in, candidates are submitted to Junior Achievement of Northern and Eastern Ontario, and then presented to an independent selection committee.

“JA-NEO is looking to honour individuals who, through their careers, have made a positive and everlasting impact on the community and the local business landscape,” said John McNutt, president and CEO of JA-NEO. “By recognizing and celebrating those who make an impact today, we are helping to inspire youth who will be our community’s leaders of tomorrow. JA-NEO is excited to expand our Business Hall of Fame outside of Peterborough and what better place than the City of Kawartha Lakes.”

The nominations window closes on Nov. 26 at 3 p.m.

Successful nominees will be announced in January 2023, and will be officially inducted into the JA BHF on May 25, 2023.

Nomination forms can be found online at https://ja-neo.org/kawartha-lakes-ja-business-hall-of-fame/.

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Bras Around the Building Campaign in Support of the Canadian Cancer Society Runs Throughout October

The 12th annual Bras Around the Building Campaign is running from Oct. 3 to 28, supporting the Canadian Cancer Society, breast cancer research and awareness and the services cancer patients use every day.

Photo courtesy of Bras Around the Building.

Residents of Peterborough and the Kawarthas are encouraged to donate their gently used bras throughout the campaign. For every bra collected, Merrett Home Hardware Building Centre will make a $1 donation, with proceeds going to the Canadian Cancer Society to support breast cancer research and cancer services.

Over the years, the campaign has raised over $150,000 through bra collection and donation matching.

Bra donations can be dropped off until Oct. 27 at the following locations: Move 99.7/Pure Country 105 (59 George Street North), Merrett Home Hardware Building Centre (1460 Lansdowne Street), My Left Breast (203 Simcoe Street) and the Canadian Cancer Society of Peterborough and District (730 The Kingsway, Unit 2).

On the morning of Oct. 28, collected bras will be strung together around the exterior of the MOVE 99.7/Pure Country 105 building in Peterborough as symbol of support for women battling breast cancer, and to honour survivors and remember those who have lost their battle to cancer.

Bras will remain on display until Oct. 31. Upon completion of the campaign a cheque will be presented to the Peterborough and District Unit of the Canadian Cancer Society for breast cancer research based on the final number of bras collected.

Donations can be made online at www.Cancer.ca/BarsAround2022.

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Federal and Provincial Government Investing Over $56 Million For High-Speed Internet to Over 16,000 Homes In Eastern Ontario

Both the federal and provincial governments announced more than $56 million in combined funding to provide high-speed internet access to over 16,000 households in rural communities across Eastern Ontario, announced at Selwyn Public Library on Wednesday.

Government of Canada claims that they are ensuring that 98 per cent of Canadians have access to high-speed internet by 2026 and 100 per cent by 2030. Photo by David Tuan Bui.

Honourable Gudie Hutchings, Minister of Rural Economic Development and Amarjot Sandhu, Parliamentary Assistant to Ontario’s Minister of Infrastructure were in attendance to make the announcements on behalf of their respective governments.

Three projects are done by Bell and Cogeco to bring high-speed internet. Bell’s projects are set to be completed between March and December 2025 while Cogeco’s project is set to be completed by March 2024.

"We all know that internet is no longer a luxury in this day and age, it’s a necessity,” said Hutchings. “Access to fast, reliable internet helps rural Canadians by levelling the playing field so they can access essential services like health care and education, participate in the digital economy, or simply connect with loved ones."

“Our government is building a stronger Ontario by delivering on our commitment to achieve 100 per cent connectivity across the province by the end of 2025,” said Sandhu. “These projects will expand high-speed internet access to more unserved and underserved communities across eastern Ontario and they will ensure Ontarians have the ability to learn, work, participate in the agriculture sector, access critical health services and connect with loved ones.”

Rural communities from Omemee to Gooderham are eligible for the high-speed Internet upgrade.

A list of rural communities and service providers bringing high-speed Internet to their respective locations and investments made. Screenshot.

When asked about Internet affordability, Hutchings said there is ‘Connecting Families 2.0’ to allow low-income housing a form of a rebate through Canada Revenue Agency through Child Care Benefit or include low-income seniors receiving the maximum Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS). Households will receive letters through the CRA and can use them to contact their respective Internet service provider to claim the benefit according to Hutchings.

The existing $10 Internet plan offering under Connecting Families 1.0 also remains available.

“That’s for low-income families that can avail of $10 or $20 a month Internet and it’s a partnership of the Internet Services Providers,” said Hutchings.

Since April 1, Connecting Families 2.0 was launched that significantly faster speeds and increased data usage amount. It boasted download and upload speeds that are five and ten times faster, respectively, than in the first phase of Connecting Families. The data cap also doubled from 100 to 200 GB of usage per month.

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Kawartha Downs Donates $25,000 Towards Construction Completion of Peterborough Animal Care Centre

Caring about more than just horses, Kawartha Downs Raceway has donated $25,000 towards the Peterborough Humane Society (PHS) to help complete construction of the Peterborough Animal Care Centre (PACC) announced on Wednesday.

The Peterborough Animal Care Centre will be over 24,000 square feet and include a state-of-the art Animal Adoption & Education Centre, Publicly Accessible & High-Volume Spay/Neuter Clinic and a Provincial Dog Rehabilitation Centre. Photo courtesy of Peterborough Humane Society.

In recognition of the donation, a dog adoption suite will be named in honour of Kawartha Downs and will also be recognized on the Donor Wall located in the lobby of the new PACC.

“Kawartha Downs provides entertainment for families and supports the community. We are also all animal lovers her,” shared Summer Nickerson-Hagen of Kawartha Downs. “Kawartha Downs would like to recognize the hard work and dedication of the Peterborough Animal Care Centre in caring for our community’s most vulnerable pets.”

“Support from local businesses like Kawartha Downs is extremely important to the success of this project,” said Shawn Morey, PHS executive director. “This new Centre will set a new standard in animal wellness and care, Peterborough will be part of a Canadian-first, which will support our local businesses and community.”

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