Peterborough Musicfest Announces Joel Plaskett Fundraiser Performance at Market Hall

Peterborough Musicfest announces that Canadian singer-songwriter Joel Plaskett will be performing at Market Hall on Feb. 23 as a fundraiser for the 2023 summer concert season. 

photo courtesy of peterborough musicfest.

The Nova Scotia native gained traction in the early 1990’s as a member of the alt-rock band Thrush Hermit. Come the new millennium, he started touring under own name back by his band The Emergency. All the while, he has been busy in studio on his many self-produced albums. 

Plaskett’s latest recorded project, 44, is described as his “most detailed musical weave” to date. A box set comprised of four 11-song albums connected visually and thematically, the collection serves up an imaginative rumination on slowing down; but still growing up in a rapidly accelerating world.

Plaskett also oversees the console at his New Scotland Yard recording studio in Dartmouth, where he has partnered with Halifax mainstay Taz Records to offer a curated selection of records for music fans. 

Accolades have numbered many for Plaskett, a Juno Award recipient who has also been honoured by the East Coast Music Awards, the Canadian Folk Music Awards and Music Nova Scotia. He’s also been shortlisted twice for nomination for a Polaris Music Prize.

Ticket’s for Plaskett’s Market Hall performance can be purchased for $45 at the box office, or ordered online. Proceeds from this event will go directly to Peterborough Musicfest’s 36th season this coming summer in Del Crary Park.

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Peterborough Petes Introduce Free Ball Hockey For More Than 2,000 Local Students

The Peterborough Petes have launched the Petes Ball Hockey Program for grade 4-6 students in Peterborough and the Kawarthas, providing equipment, training, and support required for the sport for free announced on Friday.

Petes Coordinator, Marketing & Community Engagement Morgan Blaind does the faceoff for players Quinton Pagé and Sam McCue. Photo courtesy of the Peterborough Petes.

The program is meant to help the grassroots development of hockey in Peterborough. The Petes want to eliminate all barriers to participation in hockey according to a press release.

A launch assembly will be run by the team for each participating school including the schools’ educator ambassadors, Petes’ business staff and current players.

The students regardless of their background, level of hockey experience or physical and cognitive abilities can participate in the program. The students can also meet Petes players, get an autograph and get their first official hockey photo taken after the assembly. They will also receive an official Petes t-shirt and equipment bag, ball hockey rules guide and a letter from Peterborough-born Chase Stillman in addition to free equipment and time each week to play ball hockey in school as part of one of their school’s teams.

“The Petes Ball Hockey Program is an innovative, systematic approach to eliminating barriers to hockey participation, which will help toward our goal of ensuring everyone in Peterborough and the Kawarthas and beyond, has the chance to enjoy the sport of hockey,” said Burton Lee, Petes executive director of business operations. “Whether it be cost, time, accessibility, knowledge, culture or another factor preventing a kid from trying hockey, we believe the Petes Ball Hockey Program will be a solution.”

The first phase of the program starts with 11 schools including:

• St. Paul Catholic Elementary School, Peterborough

• St. Paul Catholic Elementary School, Lakefield

• Kaawaate East City Public School

• Terry Fox Public School

• Burnham Public School

• St. Anne Catholic Elementary School

• Edmison Heights Public School

• Bobcaygeon Public School

• CR Gummow Public School

• Alexandra Public School

• Rhema Christian School

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Brennan Othmann Scores Hat Trick In Peterborough Petes 5-3 Win Over the Niagara IceDogs

It was the Brennan Othmann show as he scored a hat trick to propel the Peterborough Petes to a 5-3 win over the Niagara IceDogs at the Peterborough Memorial Centre on Thursday night.

The Petes won their last game against the IceDogs 8-1 on Pride Night held on Jan. 14. Photo courtesy of Kenneth Andersen and the Peterborough Petes.

Othmann wasted no time, scoring 57 seconds into the first period, tipping in a Tucker Robertson pass for a 1-0 lead. Niagara retaliated just under two minutes later as Michael Podolioukh scored on the backhand, beating goaltender Michael Simpson for a 1-1 tie. Othmann struck again for Peterborough after Avery Hayes forced a defensive zone turnover and eventually made the pass for the Petes’ second goal.

Niagara opened the scoring 6:49 into the second period as Andrew Leblanc was the recipient of a puck chipped out from a board scrum to beat Simpson for a 2-2 tie. Othmann got the lids flying after cleaning up a juicy rebound after a Samuel Mayer shot for a 3-2 lead, closing out the second.

The IceDogs were matching Peterborough goal for goal as Alex Assadourian opened the third-period scoring, ripping a wrist shot from the faceoff dot for a Niagara power play goal to tie it at three apiece. Peterborough peppered Niagara goalie Josh Rosenzweig looked unbeatable with 28 shots during the third, making him seem like a brick wall until Robertson tipped in Brian Zanetti point shot for a 4-3 Petes lead late in the third. Robertson added an insurance marker with an empty-net goal to seal the 5-3 Petes win.

The Petes next game is Pink in the Rink on Saturday against the rival Oshawa Generals at home.

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Peterborough City and County Celebrates 30 Years of Nourishing Students Through Food for Kids Program

St. John’s Catholic Elementary School staff and students and a number of local school boards celebrated 30 years of Student Nutrition Programs in Peterborough City and County.

photo by felicia massey.

Whether it’s rushed mornings, long bus rides or not having access to food at home, some students arrive at school hungry. It is through non-profit organizations and community partnerships that students at 51 local elementary and high schools are able to start the school day with a nutritious meal.

Thirty years ago in 1992-93, a local service club approached two local schools in downtown Peterborough with the hopes of starting a breakfast program under the guidance of Peterborough Public Health’s nutrition and community development expertise.

The name ‘Food for Kids’ was chosen for the program after the number of participating schools grew to 12 in 1997. While continuing to advocate for and support a healthy, vital student nutrition program, the Food for Kids steering committee grew to include community members from various organizations/sectors outside the local school boards. Now, 96 per cent of local, publicly funded schools offer nutrition programs.

“The morning meal at our school is so much more than nourishing food. It’s a valuable part of school life,” says St. John’s principal Jennifer Wright. “It’s a warm, inviting, social part of the school day, where positive relationships and a sense of belonging are nurtured.”

Photo by Felicia Massey.

Photo by Felicia Massey.

Photo by Felicia Massey.

Photo by Felicia Massey.

Photo by Felicia Massey.

Volunteers through the Food for Kids programs provide meals which include fresh produce, protein foods and whole grains in a welcoming and safe environment for all students. Locally, these program models vary between a grab and go system (food is set out in a central location on a table/cart for students to grab on their way to class), sit and serve (food is prepared and served in a room where students can sit and eat together) and a bin in the classroom (food is packed ahead of time and delivered to each classroom).

According to a Peterborough and County Student Nutrition Program annual report from 2021-22, these programs include 603 staff and volunteers who contribute 890 volunteer hours a week to ensuring approximately 19,000 students get a proper meal before school. These volunteers prepare and serve the meals, as well as wash dishes and shop for groceries.

Those interested in volunteering or donating can contact a local school or visit the Food for Kids website.

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Ontario Announces $13 Million Investment For Infrastructure Improvements and Other Expenses at Campbellford Memorial Hospital

MPP for Northumberland-Peterborough South David Piccini, along with officials at Campbellford Memorial Hospital (CMH) have announced Thursday that the province is providing more than $13 million for infrastructure improvements to the hospital.

file photo.

This investment is said to help the hospital significantly through upgrades to their HVAC system, replacing their aging generator and continuing with facility improvements designed to mitigate COVID-19 transmission.

HVAC work includes replacing air handling units, improving ductwork, air filtration and ventilation systems, as well as upgrading the air distribution system and installing an automated building control system. These upgrades will reportedly reduce CMH's yearly natural gas consumption by 10,000 cubic metres, and lower its greenhouse gas emissions by more than 19 tons annually.

"As we make progress on securing a new hospital in Campbellford, it is vital that we ensure those in our community receive safe, high quality medical care," said MPP Piccini. "This critical infrastructure investment will ensure that patients at Campbellford Memorial continue to receive the right care they need, when they need it."

These investments mark a series of improvements that CMH has undertaken over the past 12 months, including the installation of a new nurse call system, renovations in the kitchen and cafeteria and the purchase of new state of the art diagnostic equipment such as a bladder scanner and digital slit lamp.

CMH has also earned "Accredited with Exemplary Standing" status from Accreditation Canada following their accreditation review last month. Accreditation Canada is an independent, not-for-profit organization that conducts reviews of health organizations around the world and sets standards for safety and quality in healthcare. Accreditation for Exemplary standing is awarded to an organization that attains the highest level of performance, achieving excellence in meeting the requirements of the program.

"This recognition is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our entire team and confirmation that we have appropriate procedures and plans in place to provide high-quality care to our community," stated CMH CEO Eric Hanna. “(The) investment will allow us to purchase a new, state of the art generator, as well as upgrade our emergency power distribution, to ensure that when the power goes out; our ability to provide high quality patient care is not impeded.”

The funding is to be broken down as follows: $9,639,900 will go towards CMH as one-time capital funding to address the HVAC and generator, $1,874,929 for reimbursement of CMH's COVID-19 related capital expenses, $771,797 in COVID-19 incremental operating funding, up to $600,000 in one-time funding to support the hospital's in-year financial and operating pressures, $163,600 in pandemic prevention and containment funding, $81,132 through the Health Infrastructure Renewal Fund and $46,884 in health human resources funding.

For more information on the Campbellford Memorial Hospital and this investment, visit the website.

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United Way Investing $1.8 Million Into Eight Community Partners Addressing Critical Needs For Homelessness

United Way Peterborough has invested $1,798,667 in eight community partners to address critical needs to help end homelessness announced at the John Howard Society on Thursday morning.

48,914 people aided during the 2021-22 United Way Peterborough Campaign. Photo by David Tuan BUi.

The government-funded money is part of the ‘Reaching Home: Canada's Homelessness Strategy.’

The funding runs through until March 31 next year.

“We all have a stake morally, economically and in particular as a human rights issue to end homelessness,” Jim Russell, United Way Peterborough CEO.

The following are the eight organizations being funded:

• Canadian Mental Health Association Haliburton Kawartha Pine Ridge (CMHA HKPR)

• Community Counselling and Resource Centre (CCRC)

• Elizabeth Fry Society of Peterborough (EFry)

• One City Peterborough

• Fourcast

• John Howard Society of Peterborough

• Research for Social Change Lab - Trent University

• Peterborough Housing Corporation

This funding has been provided in addition to the ongoing, multi-year Reaching Home partnerships that the United Way holds with YES Shelter for Youth and Families, Fourcast and the Elizabeth Fry Society according to a press release.

"Our current shelter system is strained to meet the needs of all those community members experiencing homelessness. It is imperative that any investment is strategic, encourages partnerships, and puts the needs of those individuals, our neighbours, at the forefront of service and intervention" said Russell.

The following are the program descriptions and funding amounts:

• Pilot Garden Home Project - $150,000 (CMHA HKPR)

  • СМНА HKPR will enter into an agreement of purchase and sale with Metrosuites Inc., to build a modular pre-built garden home, that would be constructed and delivered as a turnkey one-bedroom building suitable for one individual currently on the City of Peterborough's by-name-priority list

• Finding Home - $488,489 (CMHA HKPR, CCRC and One City)

  • Support individuals who have been identified as being involved with Housing Unit Takeovers (HUTS), both the individual legally entitled to the unit and the individuals ‘squatting’. Through the coordination of services, the three organizations will work with the individuals involved in the HUTS to reach out and support them in a variety of ways with the ultimate goal of connecting them to appropriate housing.

• Pathway Peer Housing Program - $257,034 (EFry)

  • This project expands the ‘Wings of Change’ program to include criminalized men experiencing homelessness. EFry will employ a Housing coordinator and a housing worker with lived experience to provide secure safe/stable housing for criminalized men, with priority given to Indigenous men. The housing worker will assist with housing searches, provide advocacy and landlord mediation and housing rights training.

• Reaching Home Stabilization Fund - $139,808 (Fourcast)

  • The funding will be used to support and retain three to four identified landlords who are interested in housing clients on the By-Name-Priority List. The project will provide a dedicated fund to mitigate costs such as property damages due to tenant behaviour or the actions of guests wanted or otherwise) or hostile unit takeovers. Funds will also be used to fund the "Bridge Housing Option", a short-term accommodation designed to transition people from homelessness to permanent housing.

• Actualizing Community as a Housing Strategy - $235,977 (One City)

  • The project aims to provide better and more affordable housing by Building Client Capacity, Improving Agency Capacity and Increasing Community Capacity. To achieve these, funding for the project will be used to:

    • Hire a full-time case manager (Resident Life

    • Coordinator) to provide care in a 24/7 supervised house, giving residents a consistent support system and point of contact

    • Hire a part-time Housing Support Worker position to increase the current capacity of One City's housing team

    • Hire a capacity-building position, housed at One City and working jointly with John Howard as well as other community organizations providing housing services to explore community-building strategies within congregate housing

• Community Homes - $219,000 (One City)

  • The funding will be used towards the purchase and renovation of a house on Collison Crescent as an eight-bed facility which will provide transitional/supportive housing for individuals who are homeless or at risk of homelessness.

• Hunt Terrace Supportive Housing - $197,512 (Peterborough Housing Corporation)

  • The project commits 40 units of The Hunt Terrace building at 555 Bonaccord St. as inventory to the Corporation City of Peterborough's By Name Priority List of people experiencing chronic homelessness, broken down as follows:

    • 20 units dedicated to Alternative Level of Care (ALC) beds from Peterborough Regional Health Centre

    • Six units are dedicated to the VON wait list for people requiring assisted living services

    • 15 units dedicated to the City of Peterborough By Name List of people experiencing homelessness

• Stop Gap - Overnight Drop In - $61,659 (One City Peterborough)

  • This funding is supporting One City's operation of Stop Gap, the overnight drop-in program at Trinity United Church. The program operates between 8 p.m. and 8 a.m., seven 7 days a week, from Jan. 16 until April 30.

• Investigating Shelter (In)Justice in Peterborough - $49,188 (Research for Social Change Lab and Trent University)

  • Documenting how Peterborough's Coordinated Access System works in practice.

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Hometown PTBO: Peterborough Police Chief Stuart Betts About Becoming Chief and Meeting His Wife In Peterborough

This week on Hometown PTBO, Pete Dalliday talks with new Peterborough Police Service chief Stuart Betts about meeting his wife in Peterborough, his hobbies and interests and becoming police chief.

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Gibson and Sons Comedy Production Comes to The Peterborough Theatre Guild

The comedy production Gibson and Sons, written by Kristen Da Silva, is coming to the stage at Peterborough Theatre Guild starting Feb. 24.

photo courtesy of the peterborough theatre guild.

Directed by Jerry Allen and produced by Pat Hooper, this comedy performance stars Luke Foster, Dan Smith, Lyndele Gauci, Jade O'Keeffe, Brian McIntosh, Bethany Heemskerk and Sheila Charleton.

Gibson and Sons at the Peterborough Theatre Guild has multiple dates with showtimes beginning at 7:30 p.m. (Feb. 24, 26, March 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11), as well as matinee performances (Feb. 26, March 5) beginning at 2 p.m.

The cast and crew work together to tell Kristen Da Silva’s story of Harry Gibson, who helps his father run the family business (a struggling small-town funeral home) through he sees it beginning to interfere with his love life. Missing his recently departed mother, and hungry for companionship and the chance at having his own family, he secretly turns to an unconventional method of meeting a woman: an online Russian bride service. When his bride Katya and her acerbic older sister Eva arrive on Canadian soil, the sisters are plunged into culture shock while the Gibson family is thrown into a tailspin.

The Theatre Guild notes that the March 9 performance will have a reduced capacity with COVID-19 protocols in place, although masking is encouraged at all performances.

Tickets will be $25 for adults, $22 for seniors and $15 for students and can be purchased online or by phone.

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Peterborough Petes Holding "100 Days of Giveaways" Campaign; Giving Season Ticket Holders 100 Prizes Valued Over $25,000

The Peterborough Petes are treating their season ticket holders as they launched their ‘100 Days of Giveaways’ campaign valued at over $25,000 in prizes announced on Wednesday.

Photo courtesyt of the Peterborough Petes.

Anyone who puts a deposit down on 2023-24 season tickets before Feb. 15 is entered in every draw to win one of 100 prizes with a combined value of over $25,000. There is no limit to how many days one person can win according to a press release.

Prizes have been contributed by Leon's, Rawscoe's Sports Collectibles, Bobcaygeon Brewing Company, Mark’s, Swish, Couture Candy PTBO, Walden’s Kitchen Centre, Charlotte Products, the Petes Store and more. Prizes range from pressure washers, Dyson vacuum cleaners, gift cards, air compressors, Petes game-worn jerseys and other prizes. 

Season Ticket Members can pay in full upfront or put in a non-refundable deposit of $150 per seat to reserve their tickets. The final payment deadline is July 7. The season ticket renewal deadline is May 12.

The Petes’ next game is at home to the Niagara IceDogs at the Peterborough Memorial Centre on Thursday.

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Fleming College Students Tree Create Urban Forest Management Plan For Lindsay Golf and Country Club

The fairways are looking a little greener at the Lindsay Golf and Country Club as Urban Forestry Technician students from Fleming College are completing a tree inventory and creating an urban forest management plan for the golf club on Thursday.

Photo courtesy of FLeming College.

The plan helps the golf club decide which trees to plant and where they will go on the course.

The club’s tree population is predominantly Ash-most of which are infested by the Emerald Ash Borer, an invasive species that has significantly impacted urban and forested canopies across Ontario according to Fleming College. The insect is the cause of the trees becoming dead or dying and needing to be removed and replaced.  

The club anticipates planting 20 to 25 trees per year over the next several years.

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