Peterborough and District Wapiti Metis Council and Otonabee Conservation Plant Trees to Rehabilitate Gravel Pit in Ennismore

/

Volunteers from the Metis Nation of Ontario (Peterborough & District Wapiti Metis Council) planted 450 native trees with Otonabee Conservation at a gravel pit in the Township of Selwyn on Sunday.

A variety of native species were planted, including Eastern White Cedar, White Spruce, Tamarack and White Pine. These trees will enhance habitat and increase biodiversity as part of ongoing rehabilitation of a site currently used for aggregate extraction. 

“This is a really great opportunity for Metis citizens and families to collaborate with Otonabee Region Conservation Authority and the community” said Christa Lemelin, president of the Peterborough and District Wapiti Metis Council. “Many of our citizens live in urban areas outside of their traditional territories, so this is an opportunity for them to connect with the land, to give thanks for the important resources that this property once provided to this area, and to get their hands dirty to help rehabilitate the property for future generations.”

Students from Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board (KPRDSB) and Peterborough, Victoria, Northumberland and Clarington Catholic School Board (PVNCCDSB) planted 750 trees at the same site last week, bringing the total of trees planted at the gravel pit site to 4,556.

The tree plantings were funded by Tree Canada and One Tree Planted, in partnership with Otonabee Conservation and the Township of Selwyn.

“We are pleased to work together on efforts to rehabilitate and naturalize this site while also collectively contributing to climate change mitigation efforts in our watershed,” said Janette Loveys Smith, CAO/secretary-treasurer at Otonabee Conservation.

Engage with us on social media on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and Tiktok. Write to us at tips@ptbocanada.com. Sign up for PTBOBuzz newsletter here.

Local Tim Hortons Smile Cookie Campaign Raises Over $92,000 for Community Care Peterborough

/

Tim Hortons restaurant owners at Peterborough, Lakefield, Bridgenorth and Curve Lake locations raised $92,608.26 for Community Care Peterborough (CCP) through this year’s Smile Cookie Campaign announced Tuesday.

Tim Hortons restaurants broke local fundraising records through this year’s Smile Cookie campaign. Photo by Felicia Massey.

The annual Tim Hortons Smile Cookie campaign ran from Sept. 19 to 25 in participating restaurants across Canada this year. 

When customers purchased a chocolate chunk Smile Cookie for $1 plus applicable taxes, the local Tim Hortons restaurant owners donated 100 per cent of proceeds to Community Care Peterborough’s ‘Give A Meal’ and ‘Give A Drive’ subsidy program initiatives.

These services through the CCP assist seniors and adults with physical challenges in the Peterborough community to live independently, and at home by providing services such as transportation and meal delivery.

“Although we have many clients who do not struggle, we have an increasing number who do. Many more seniors and adults with disabilities are making difficult choices about cutting food costs or missing medical appointments to reduce travel costs in order to remain in their home,” said Alicia Vandine, CCP donor relations and communications lead. “To assist these clients, we created the Give A Meal and Give A Drive subsidy programs. These subsidy programs allow seniors and adults with disabilities to access these services for free or at a reduced rate depending on their financial circumstances. It also allows us to help us subsidize the costs related to these programs so that we also have affordable options for those clients who can pay for them on their own.”

The Smile Cookie campaign began in 1996 as a way to raise funds for the Hamilton Children’s Hospital. In the last 26 years, it has grown to become a major fundraising event at Tim Hortons restaurants, raising more than $75 million for local charities and community groups.

Last year, Tim Hortons raised over $12 million for over 600 charities and community groups, and almost $70,000 locally for mental health care at Peterborough Regional Health Centre.

“There’s absolutely no way that we could have done this without the volunteers and the staff that came in. The numbers are in the double digits, and we are absolutely thrilled,” said Mary Blair, local Tim Hortons owner. “It was a great campaign, and on behalf of all of us, it’s the best campaign we’ve ever had.”

This year Tim Hortons sold a record-breaking number of cookies, over $15M, across the country. Locally, this year’s campaign also broke records, exceeding last year’s earnings by over $20,000.

“We decorated cookies, we were ambassadors, we were welcoming people and encouraging them to support Community Care,” said Danielle Belair, executive director at Community Care Peterborough. “We cannot say thank you enough to our communities, the local Tim Hortons teams and our volunteers who together made this happen for us.”

Engage with us on social media on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and Tiktok. Write to us at tips@ptbocanada.com. Sign up for PTBOBuzz newsletter here.

Trent University’s Bachelor of Arts & Science Program Celebrates 10th Anniversary With Annual Lecture Series

/

Trent University is celebrating the 10th anniversary of the Bachelor of Arts & Science (B.A.S.) program with a new annual lecture series created in honour of the late Dr. David Ellis announced on Monday.

B.A.S. is one of 23 programs at Trent that offer a paid co-op stream, through which students can gain valuable connections and graduate with 12 months of hands-on job experience in as little as four years. File Photo.

Ellis, a professor of Chemistry, served as acting dean of Science and dean of Humanities at Trent before passing in 2019. The Nov. 16 lecture is inspired by one of Dean Ellis’ signature sayings “Ask Me Anything”, and will feature a discussion on visual argumentation by Dr. Leo Groarke, Trent president and vice-chancellor, as the inaugural speaker.

“I am honoured to be the speaker at the inaugural lecture,” said Groarke. “This event is a fitting tribute to honour the legacy of Dr. David Ellis, a man whose open-mindedness and natural curiosity for intersections between the arts and sciences was the driving force behind the dynamic degree program that embodies core elements of the Trent experience.”

Since the degree’s launch in 2012, 70 students have graduated from the program. Since then, the program has grown to 109 current students, 52 of which are currently in their first year – the largest-ever number of first-year students in the program’s history according to Trent.

“The 10th anniversary of our program provides a moment to reflect on how we have grown since we launched, and to celebrate the successes of our students and graduates,” said Dr. Jessica Marion Barr, B.A.S. program coordinator. “Our faculty and students understand the value of thinking critically, approaching problems creatively, and communicating effectively as we navigate the overlapping social and scientific complexities of today’s world.”

In 2021, a new Bachelor of Arts & Science (B.A.S.) / Medical Sciences dual degree program was launched in a collaboration with Trent University and Swansea University in the United Kingdom.

The dual degree program offers students the opportunity to complete two degrees in four years for careers as medical professionals while gaining international experience.

Engage with us on social media on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and Tiktok. Write to us at tips@ptbocanada.com. Sign up for PTBOBuzz newsletter here.

Newly-Acquired Brennan Othmann Bringing Firepower to the Peterborough Petes

/

In a trade that sent Artem Guryev and three draft picks to the Flint Firebirds on Saturday, newly-acquired forward and New York Rangers prospect Brennan Othmann arrives in Peterborough for the first time as a Pete. He will make his home debut against the Oshawa Generals on Thursday night.

Engage with us on social media on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and Tiktok. Write to us at tips@ptbocanada.com. Sign up for PTBOBuzz newsletter here.

Water Sample Courier Service Paused for the Winter

/

Peterborough Public Health (PPH), the Municipality of Trent Lakes and the Township of North Kawartha have paused their joint well water sample drop-off program for the winter announced on Tuesday.

Photo by David Tuan Bui.

The final date for county residents to drop off their samples to the North Kawartha Municipal Office and the Trent Lakes Municipal Office is Nov. 24.

The free well water sample drop-off service returns on first week of April. During the winter months, residents can continue to drop off their samples at the following locations:

  • Peterborough Public Health, 185 King St., Peterborough, between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and from 8:30 a.m. to noon on Fridays

  • Public Health Ontario Laboratory, 99 Hospital Dr., Peterborough, between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Monday to Friday

  • Havelock-Belmont-Methuen Township Office, 1 Ottawa St., Havelock between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Monday to Thursday.

“Even when the ground is frozen, contamination may be present. Sampling water from your well is the best way to ensure that the water is free of pathogens, which can cause illness if consumed,” said Chris Eaton, public health inspector from PPH. “We look forward to resuming our courier service with the municipalities in the spring to ensure ease for residents when submitting well water for testing.”

Well water samples are tested for two types of bacterial contamination: total coliforms and E. coli which indicates the water has been contaminated with fecal material, which can contain disease-causing microbes. These can cause severe gastrointestinal illness. Anyone can become ill if they consume contaminated water but the young, elderly, and immuno-compromised are at a higher risk.

After samples are submitted, residents will receive water quality results by mail or they can call Public Health Ontario’s Interactive Voice Response at 1-877-723-3426.

For interpretation of the test results, or to find out how to test for contaminants other than total coliforms or E. coli, please call Peterborough Public Health’s Safe Water Program at 705-743-1000, ext. 232 or visit www.peterboroughpublichealth.ca.

Engage with us on social media on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and Tiktok. Write to us at tips@ptbocanada.com. Sign up for PTBOBuzz newsletter here.

Jackson Creek Trail Closed For Construction and Resurfacing

/

Jackson Creek Trail/Trans Canada Trail is closed for construction and resurfacing and everyone is urged not to use it during this time announced by Otonabee Conservation.

File Photo.

The closure extends from Ackison Road in Selwyn Township in the west to the concrete bridge at the entrance to Jackson Park, in the City of Peterborough in the east.

Signs, detour maps and barricades are in place during its closure no access to the trail at this time. You can view the Jackson Creek Trail Closures and Detours Map online.

Large equipment is moving along the entire length of the trail and will include bridge deck and railing replacements and resurfacing the trail for the week of Nov. 14.

Photo courtesy of Otonobee Conservation.

Detours are in place with alternate routes using local roads, sidewalks, and multi-use trails that extend from Ackison Road in Selwyn Township, to Parkhill Road West and Monaghan Road in the City of Peterborough.

The revitalization of Jackson Creek Trail has been made possible with a $523,917 investment from the Government of Canada, through the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario) Canada Community Revitalization Fund (CCRF), with additional funding of over $60,000 from Trans Canada Trail.

The community has also raised over $40,000 in donations to revitalize the Jackson Creek Trail. However, $25,000 must still be raised to ensure benches, educational signage, trail markers and accessible wayfinding signs can be designed and installed once the trail bed is repaired and re-opens this December. Those wishing to donate can go online.

Engage with us on social media on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and Tiktok. Write to us at tips@ptbocanada.com. Sign up for PTBOBuzz newsletter here.

Trent University Business Student Wins Pitch IT! Entrepreneurial Competition Title and $2,000 Prize

/

Trent University business student Safiya Khaki wins Pitch IT! Student Entrepreneurial Competition with her business pitch through the Innovation Cluster’s FastStart Program.

Safiya Khaki is a Trent business student, specializing in finance. Photo courtesy of The Innovation Cluster.

Five finalists from Fleming College and Trent University pitched their innovative business ideas to a panel of local business professionals on Nov. 9 for the chance to win the title of Best Pitch and a $2,000 cash prize.

Khaki impressed the judges with the pitch of her business idea “BioStraw,” plant-based fiber beverage straws that are strong, biodegradable and do not dissolve and become soggy in your drink.

Winning a $1,000 prize and claiming the second place title is Fleming College student Sneha Pradeep, who is currently enrolled in the Wireless Information Networking (WIN) program.

Pradeep pitched her business idea Adjus, a social platform connecting users to a variety of cultural cuisine, recipes, clothing, events and more, offering a sense of familiarity and a greater sense of community to newcomers of Canada.

“Thank you to all the students, judges, and community members for getting involved in this great event,” said Lindsey Irwin, manager of the FastStart Program. “These students brought their A-game, and I can’t wait to see what they accomplish in the future.”

The event was held at the Trent Student Centre (Symons Campus) through the Innovation Cluster’s FastStart Program. The program is designed to assist young entrepreneurs in their business plans, helping them to navigate the economy and bring their products and services to market.

Engage with us on social media on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and Tiktok. Write to us at tips@ptbocanada.com. Sign up for PTBOBuzz newsletter here.

Peterborough Fiddler “Irish Millie” Raises Over $2,300 For Terry Fox Foundation

/

Millie Shadgett, better known by stage name “Irish Millie” uses her fiddling talents to raise $2,343 for the Terry Fox Foundation through ‘Fiddling for Fox’ campaign.

Irish Millie has been nominated for a Canadian Folk Music Award for the second year in a row along with her band, The Receivers. Photo courtesy of Irish Millie.

The 15-year-old Lakefield College School (LCS) student began performing for her first live audience about six years ago, at the Peterborough Farmers Market.

It was around this time that she learned about Terry Fox. Having been touched by cancer in her own life, Millie says his story inspired her.

“I thought ‘I don’t have much money to give’ but if I use my fiddling gift to allow people to donate to this amazing cause, then I can raise money through that,” said Millie.

After the first successful Fiddling For Fox event, she decided she wanted to do an annual fundraiser for the Terry Fox Foundation.

This year, she ran two fundraising events at the Peterborough Farmers Market and LCS, raising a total of $2,343 for the Terry Fox Foundation.

At the Farmers Market, Millie included a number of local names as special guests in her performance including Washboard Hank and Ty Wilson.

“It was almost like a bunch of little shows in one big day,” recalled Millie.

Wanting to do something different through Fiddling For Fox this year, she wrote “If I Don’t Make It,” a song to honour Terry and his legacy.

“I was really inspired by Terry and his courage and his bravery, and so I wanted to write a song to convey that,” she said. “It was the way that I could show my inspiration from him, through music.”

The original song features a drum beat in the background that represents Terry’s feet as he ran.

“It was a lot of work, and it took a lot of time and effort, but it really was great to have that showcased for Terry Fox,” Millie continued.

Engage with us on social media on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and Tiktok. Write to us at tips@ptbocanada.com. Sign up for PTBOBuzz newsletter here.

Peterborough DBIA Launches Holiday Shopping Passports; Hosting Holiday Window Contest

/

The Peterborough Downtown Business Improvement Area (DBIA) has launched its holiday season programs including Holiday Shopping Passports and Window Contest announced at the Venture North Building on Monday.

(from left to right) Terry Guiel, DBIA executive director; Jocelyn Gilmour, Peterborough & the Kawarthas Tourish visitor experience officer and Hilary Flood, DBIA communications and marketing manager kicking off the DBIA’s holiday. Every $100 locally spent is up to $48 stays in our community, compared to just $14 at big box stores according to the DBIA. Photo by David Tuan Bui.

The passport returns is a rewards incentive program to shop and enjoy downtown Peterborough with 152 participating stores.

Last year’s program saw shoppers stamp more than $2.6 million worth of Holiday Shopping Passports. Each $10 spent earns a stamp and every filled card — of $200 spent — earns a ballot for a grand prize of a $1,500 Boro Gift Card drawn on Jan. 11. Early Bird Draws draw on Dec. 7, 14 and 21 where a $500 Boro Gift Card is being given out to one person on its respective day.

Free stamps are available at the Peterborough Public Library, Peterborough & the Kawarthas Visitors Centre and the DBIA office.  

“This year, we decided to launch both our Passport program and Holiday Window contest in tandem to really increase a sense of excitement and holiday ambiance in the downtown core,” said Terry Guiel, DBIA executive director. “Our small businesses put a lot of care and love into the holiday season to capture the magic and charm of in-person shopping.”   

Photo courtesy of DBIA.

Shoppers can vote online for their favourite storefronts from Nov. 14 to Dec. 6. for the DBIA’s Holiday Window Contest with the theme as Winter Woodland. They can be seen online or in-person at downtown locations for the holiday displays.

The prizing for the winning stores are as follows:

  • First place: $1,000

  • Second place: $500

  • Third place: $300

Photo courtesy of DBIA.

The DBIA has partnered with Peterborough & the Kawarthas Tourism to increase tourist shopping for the downtown core as out-of-town shoppers play a major role in the economic health of downtown according to the DBIA.

Peterborough and the Kawarthas Tourism designed ‘The Peterborough HAULiday Gifting Getaway’ hotel package that offers visitors an opportunity to receive a $100 Boro Gift Card and a swag bag with local gifts. Tourists receive this when they book an overnight stay at any one of the participating hotels in the City of Peterborough between Nov. 14 and Dec. 23.

“We are excited to be working alongside our partners at the DBIA to support local hotels during a need period in the late fall shoulder season and to encourage increased spending in the downtown during the holiday shopping season,” says Joe Rees, director of tourism, Peterborough & the Kawarthas Economic Development.

The City of Peterborough is providing free two-hour parking downtown beginning Black Friday (Nov. 26) until the end of December courtesy of Wolfe Lawyers.

Engage with us on social media on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and Tiktok. Write to us at tips@ptbocanada.com. Sign up for PTBOBuzz newsletter here.

Selwyn Township Receives $100,000 Grant to Enhance Local Tourism

/

Selwyn Township receives a non-repayable contribution of $100,000 from the Regional Tourism Organization 8 (RTO8) towards the enhancement of there downtown, announced Monday.

File photo.

This funding will go towards the enhancement of the public realm within the downtown area of the Village of Lakefield, and include the replacement of neglected, aged and cracked interlocking brickwork with stamped concrete and the installation of metal art banners on streetlights along Queen Street.

“Investments in public spaces within our community help create a memorable experience for visitors and residents alike. With tourism being an integral part of our local economy, this project will ensure Lakefield remains a top destination in Kawarthas Northumberland.,” says Andy Mitchell, Mayor of Selwyn Township.

The $100,000 contribution for Selwyn Township is through the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario), as part of the RTO8.

RTO8 supports the regional tourism industry, supporting them in attracting visitors, generating economic activity and creating local jobs. They received $3 million from FedDev Ontario to help local tourism organizations and businesses safely welcome back visitors, recover from the impacts of the pandemic and prepare for future growth.

FedDev Ontario is contributing approximately $120 million across southern Ontario through the Tourism Relief Fund.

“With this funding, southern Ontario’s Regional Tourism Organizations and Indigenous Tourism Ontario are providing hundreds of local businesses and organizations with the support they need to create jobs, attract more visitors and grow local economies, now and into the future,” says The Honourable Filomena Tassi, Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario.

Engage with us on social media on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and Tiktok. Write to us at tips@ptbocanada.com. Sign up for PTBOBuzz newsletter here.