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.

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Peterborough DBIA Receives Over $96,000 In Tourism Support from The Government of Canada

Peterborough’s Downtown Business Improvement Area (DBIA) received $96,100 from the Government of Canada’s Tourism Relief Fund to attract visitors and support future growth in the community.

Photo courtesy of the Peterborough Downtown Business Improvement Area.

The money came from Regional Tourism Organization 8 (RTO8) through FedDev Ontario, a system through the Government of Canada that delivers programs and services to support the growth of local economies.

The DBIA is a not-for-profit organization that represents downtown businesses, with focus on promoting and advocating for the downtown and it’s businesses. According to a press release, this investment will help the DBIA adapt and recover to attract new visitors and drive economic growth in downtown Peterborough.

“Guided by our strategic plan, we are always working to create and maintain a vibrant and attractive downtown area for locals and visitors,” said Terry Guiel, DBIA executive director. “With the help of the Tourism Relief Fund, we are able to implement several new projects that will enhance the visitor experience when visiting Downtown Peterborough.”

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Peterborough’s Downtown Business Improvement Area Launches ‘Halloween in the Booooro’ Event

Celebrate Halloween with the Downtown Business Improvement Area’s (DBIA) ‘Halloween in the Booooro’ event in downtown Peterborough on Oct. 29, announced on Wednesday.

Photo courtesy of the Downtown Business Improvement Area.

The DBIA will have a lineup of free, interactive, spooky family-friendly activities and programming such as a scavenger hunt and trick-or-treating from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. An adult zombie escape game will take place after 8 p.m.

At the scavenger hunt, players can try their luck at saving the Simcoe Street Skeleton by completing the self-guided Halloween hunt, starting at Black Honey. The Halloween hunt will have 13 stops along the way and a small prize at the end for those who complete the scavenger experience. The Save the Simcoe Street Skeleton Halloween hunt will not require any registration or equipment to participate.

The zombie escape game at Peterborough Square will have multiple playtime options from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. to sign up and try to escape the zombie apocalypse. Participants must be 18 or older.

“It’s great to see our incredible business community come together to bring some Halloween fun and animation into our downtown,” said Terry Guiel, DBIA executive director. “Halloween is a beloved holiday and I think the community will really enjoy taking advantage of the free programming on offer as we celebrate our first ever Halloween in the Boooro event.”

Businesses will decorate their window displays with Halloween decorations leading up to the event and locals are encouraged to vote for their favourite downtown window display to determine which business embodied Halloween and the theme of fairy tales and folklore the most. Window displays will start on Oct. 21 and voting will be open online until Nov. 1.

Businesses that will be handing out candy and will remain open for late night shopping include Boardwalk Boardgame Café, Chumleighs, KC Costumes, Couture Candy, Iceman Games, The Toy Shop, Naked Chocolate, Dreams of Beans, Cheek PTBO, Tragically Dipped, Watson and Lou, Plant Goals, Statement House, Boba Tea, Wild Rock, Ritual Apothecary and Rawscoe’s Sport Collectables.

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Expanded Downtown Patio Spaces Removed Starting Oct. 18

The City of Peterborough is removing the expanded downtown patio spaces starting Oct. 18 to prepare sidewalks and roads for winter snow-clearing operations announced on Monday.

The expanded patio spaces were installed in June throughout downtown. Photo courtesy of the City of Peterborough.

Any businesses with temporary patios on sidewalks and in on-street parking next to their businesses are having their patio furniture removed by end of Oct. 17. The removal of the fencing and large planters starts the following day.

Hunter Street between George and Aylmer Street returns to a two-lane, two-way street. During the summer, that section was temporarily one lane, westbound one-way street for more patio and pedestrian space.

This was the third consecutive summer for the downtown patios. The additional space supports people who may want to be outside during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The City provided the space for downtown businesses and visitors is another way to support businesses that are recovering from the disruptions caused by the pandemic as stated in their press release.

Peterborough Downtown Business Improvement Area partnered with the City to maintain the plants in the large planters with the patio spaces.

Peterborough Public Health was consulted by the City for input on the temporary downtown public space changes.

The City coordinated the installation of road murals and artist gardens as part of the Renaissance on Hunter public art project for extra vibrancy.

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Hometown PTBO: Tony Bustos of Nielsen's Watches & Jewellery Retiring His Business After 25 Years

This week on Hometown PTBO, Pete Dalliday speaks with Tony Bustos of Nielsen’s Watches & Jewellery about retiring after being 25 years in business, his story of immigrating from Mexico to Canada and setting up shop in town.

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Downtown Patio Fences to be Taken Down in Anticipation of Snow Removal

After the summer patio season in the downtown, the City of Peterborough will remove the fencing and patio delineators on Hunter and Charlotte streets between Aylmer and George streets the week of October 18 in preparation for snow clearing operations this winter.

Photo courtesy of the City of Peterborough.

The changes will also include the removal of the fencing and planters for expanded patio areas in public on-street parking areas on George and Water streets in the downtown.

The temporary downtown public space changes were put in place in collaboration with Peterborough Public Health and the Downtown Business Improvement Area to provide additional pedestrian space and outdoor patio opportunities for businesses as a way to support physical distancing during the pandemic this summer.

“It was wonderful to see the activity on the streets and sidewalks this summer. By reconfiguring the space for cars, we were able to create more space for people and businesses while still allowing for smooth traffic flow through the downtown,” said Mayor Diane Therrien. “The wellbeing of individuals and our community as a whole has been our focus during this pandemic.”

City Council approved the temporary downtown public space changes in April as a COVID-19 pandemic response measure.

With the winter approaching, the sidewalk and streets need to be returned to their normal configuration for the City’s snow clearing operations.

“The temporary downtown public space changes were extremely well received this year. It was a great example of how to support restaurants while also providing for the needs of pedestrians, cyclists and vehicle traffic,” said Terry Guiel, Downtown Business Improvement Area executive director. “The DBIA was pleased to support this year’s efforts, especially the wonderful planters that added to the vibrancy of the space.”

Hunter and Charlotte streets between Aylmer and George streets will return to two-way traffic following the removal of the delineators and planters.

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Trent University Aims to Make Everyone a Winner With Bingo Scavenger Hunt

Trent University students will get to experience Peterborough with Discover Peterborough Bingo, an interactive scavenger hunt hosted by the University, Peterborough Downtown Business Improvement Area (DBIA) and Peterborough & the Kawarthas Tourism (PKT) announced Wednesday.

Photo Courtesy of Trent University.

From Sept. 7 and Oct. 22, Trent Students are encouraged to visit various locations around downtown Peterborough to complete a range of fun activities in an effort to complete two rows on their bingo card.

Once two rows are completed, students will be entered in a draw to win one of ten prize packs which include a $200 Downtown Boro gift card as well as prizes from the University, PKT and local businesses.

“Trent University is an integral part of the Peterborough community, and this partnership exemplifies our commitment to supporting local,” said Ruth-Ann Dafoe, Trent Community Relations manager. “We are excited for our returning students to explore and support the many great businesses and restaurants in downtown Peterborough through this initiative and contribute to the region’s prosperity.” 

“Trent students have always been fond of our downtown and its unique stores, services, culture and entertainment and we are certainly most appreciative of the life and vibrancy that they bring to us,” noted Terry Guiel, DBIA executive director. “Through this partnership, we want to welcome students to our community in a fun and engaging way while also acquainting them with our downtown businesses.” 

The goal of the Discover Peterborough Bingo initiative is for students to explore Peterborough, uncover new favourite shopping and leisure destinations and to support local businesses who have been impacted negatively by the effects of COVID-19 according to the press release. 

“There is so much for students to discover in Peterborough & the Kawarthas,” said Tracie Bertrand, PKT director of tourism. “Students and graduates become some of our greatest local ambassadors. We are excited to welcome these community members back and look forward to them exploring and enjoying this beautiful destination.”

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Two-Spirit, Indigenous Artist Caeleigh Lightning Featured at Watson and Lou

Prints by local artist Caeleigh Lightning are now available at Watson and Lou located in downtown Peterborough.

Photo courtesy of Caeleigh Lightning

Lightning is a 21-year-old, two-spirit, indigenous artist who came to Peterborough to attend Trent University.

“I have mixed ancestry,” said Lightning. “On my moms side we’re am Samson Cree Nation from Maskwacis, Alberta and on my dads side we’re from Dublin, Ireland.”

“I try to communicate a lot of my experiences as a mixed person with those two cultures in my art,” she said.

Lightning hopes that her art shows different identities and bodies, and allows people to accept the beauty in individuality and uniqueness.

Photo courtesy of Caeleigh Lightning

She recently graduated from Trent University’s Indigenous Environmental Studies and Sciences program and is now heading to Concordia University to complete her Masters of Design.

Art was never considered a realistic career path for her.

“I started incorporating art into a lot of my projects at Trent,” she said. “Anything that I wouldn’t really know how to put into words, I would ask if I could communicate it visually instead.”

She says that by her professors giving her that opportunity she began to consider herself an artist by trade.

Photo courtesy of Caeleigh Lightning

Copies of her prints are now available to purchase at Watson and Lou, a shop located downtown Peterborough that carries locally made goods.

“Having my work in a shop with other local artists I admire has been surreal,” she said.

“When I was younger I didn’t see this as a possibility, I didn’t think people would be interested in my art,” she said. “My sister always used to tell me to take myself more seriously. I used to not even call myself an artist.”

Lightning’s art can be found at Watson and Lou or on her art account on Instagram.

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Downtown Curbside Pickup Parking Zones Being Removed

The designated curbside pickup parking zones in downtown Peterborough will begin to be removed this week with the regular parking rules resuming for those spaces.

Photo courtesy of the City of Peterborough

The City created the curbside pickup zones in January 2021 to assist residents and businesses during the provincewide lockdown.

With the easing of public health regulations allowing the return of indoor dining, retail and many personal services, curbside pickup activity has reduced according to the City.

The City consulted with the Downtown Business Improvement Area and several downtown businesses on the current need for the designated curbside pickup parking spaces since the province has emerged from the lockdown and public health regulations have eased to allow more indoor activities.

By resuming regular parking rules for these spaces, customers will be able to use the spaces for up to two hours instead of the reduced 15-minute limit for the designated curbside pickup parking zones.

Residents and visitors are reminded that on-street parking in the downtown is limited to a maximum period of two hours unless otherwise posted, and parking rates are $1.50 for each hour.

Customers can pay for parking at a parking meter or a pay-and-display machine with coins. The HotSpot App allows customers to pay for parking with credit or debit.

Parking is free evenings after 6 p.m., weekends and statutory holidays. The first hour of parking is free at the King Street Parkade on King Street between George and Aylmer streets.

The City will continue to monitor parking requirements and any changes to public health regulations to consider further adjustments to parking services, if necessary.

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Temporary Parking Lot Available During Simcoe Parking Garage Rehabilitation

The City of Peterborough has provided a temporary parking lot during the closure of the Simcoe Parking Garage for rehabilitation announced Tuesday.

The Simcoe Parking Garage under construction on Simcoe Street. Photo by David Tuan Bui.

The lot is at the northwest corner of Simcoe Street and Aylmer Street North for downtown residents and visitors. It opened Tuesday and will remain in use during the closure of the Simcoe Garage. Driveway access to the lot is from Aylmer Street.

The temporary parking lot will provide approximately 30 new spaces, including two accessible spaces. That adds to the 1,490 public parking spaces in parking lots, garages as well as on-street spots in the downtown area.

Beyond the public, municipally-owned parking facilities, there are privately-owned, publicly available parking lots and garages in the downtown area, such as the Peterborough Square parking garage, that provide additional parking capacity.

A pay and display parking meter has been installed in the new temporary lot and customers can also pay for their parking in this lot using the HotSpot mobile parking app. The pay and display machine is located in close proximity to the accessible spaces.

The planned parking rates for this temporary lot will be consistent with other municipal downtown parking lots, with the $1.50 hourly rate applied between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m., on weekdays, to a maximum of $10.50 per day. Patrons would receive free parking in the weekday evening hours, after 6 p.m., weekends and holidays.

During the rehabilitation project, customers who normally use the Simcoe Parking Garage are encouraged to use other parking spaces that are available in surface parking lots throughout the downtown area as well as the King Street Parkade. A map of public parking lots is available at peterborough.ca/parking.

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