Registration For Spring/Summer Recreation Programs Open On March 22

City of Peterborough spring and summer recreation program registration that includes aquatics, fitness, leisure and instructional sport programs for children, youth and adults opens on March 22 at 7 a.m.

Lillian P. (left) and Ellie T. (right) showing off their butterfly wings at the Children’s Garden at GreenUP Ecology Park in August last year. photo by David Tuan Bui.

“We’re excited to offer a full array of recreational programming and summer camps this summer,” said Councillor Lesley Parnell, Chair of both the arenas, parks and recreation portfolio and the youth portfolio. “We have something for everyone, regardless of age or ability. Never before has it been so incredibly important to put down those electronic devices and get out to play, socialize and be active. Come out to have fun, get active, meet people and be engaged.”

The Peterborough Fun Guide provides information on all City-run recreational and leisure programs, children's day camps, parks and trails. Printed guides are available at various City facilities including Peterborough Sport and Wellness Centre, City Hall, Peterborough Public Library, Peterborough Museum and Archives and arenas.

Registration is ongoing for summer day camps and instructional sports camps, with specialized camp programs including arts, sports, inspiring play, leadership and science and technology.

Summer leadership programs are available to youth at the Peterborough Sport and Wellness Centre and Peterborough Museum and Archives.

Recreational and instructional programming is available for dance, fitness, judo, jiu-jitsu, tennis, pickleball, ball hockey, volleyball, badminton and more. The City offers free “try It” programs for pickleball, ultimate frisbee, cricket and horseshoes for anyone seeking a new activity.

For July and August, a Junior Parks Play Program is being offered as a free drop-in program for ages 4 to 8 years old, at various municipal parks. Recreation camp staff lead children in games, crafts and theme days in the parks on weekdays during the summer. The program requires that adult caregivers stay in the park with their children during the programs.

Members of Peterborough Sport and Wellness Centre have advance registration beginning March 21. Registration is available online or by telephone 705-742-0050.

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Over $18,000 Raised For Suicide Awareness In Douro Boxer Cody Crowley's "55 for 55" Fundraiser

Boxer Cody Crowley’s ‘55 for 55’ fundraiser is off to a good start, raising $18,840 for Team 55: Let’s Tackle Suicide Awareness of their $55,000 goal in a cheque presentation at Dr. J’s BBQ & Brews on Monday.

Scott Elliott won the grand prize for the flight to Vegas to see Crowley’s fight. Photo courtesy of Addison Brown.

The fundraising raffle occurred last Wednesday that featured prizes such as dinner for Dr. J’s, WBC-signed gloves from boxing legends such as Julio Cesar Chavez, Roberto Duran, Gerry Cooney, a One With Life tequila package and a grand prize for a round-trip flight, accommodations and ringside seats to see Cody’s fight.

“Cody Crowley, James Julie Crowley and Kevin Williams really did something amazing by raising $18,840 in just two weeks with help from friends and family,” said Addison Brown, Dr. J’s owner.

Crowley announced the fundraiser in honour of his late father who passed away last year ahead of his 22nd professional fight on March 25 in Las Vegas. The 21-0-0 Crowley is scheduled to box Abel Ramos in a 12-round World Boxing Council (WBC) title elimination fight at the MGM Grand Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nev.

The proceeds are going towards the Assertive Outreach Suicide Prevention program run by the Peterborough Regional Health Centre Foundation and Canadian Mental Health Association.

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The Great Benjamins Circus Performing at Peterborough Memorial Centre For One-Day Only on April 29

Gravity-defying and high-flying acts of The Great Benjamins Circus are coming to the Peterborough Memorial Centre for a one-day-only performance on April 29 at 4:30 p.m. announced on Tuesday.

Photo courtesy of The Great Benjamins Circus.

John and Jairo Davenport are third-generation circus performers that created the Great Benjamins Circus.

Acts such as clowns, acrobats, aerialists and daredevils from all over the world will entertain the audience of all ages during their 90-minute show.

An exclusive presale for PMC Scoop members runs online starting on Wednesday from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Tickets will go on sale to the public on Thursday at 10 a.m. and can be purchased online, over the phone at 705-743-3561 or in person at the Grant Thornton Box Office.

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Peterborough and the Kawarthas Home Builders Association Celebrated at National Conference

Peterborough and the Kawarthas Home Builders Association (PKHBA) announces that past president Garnet Northey has been named to the executive board of the Canadian Home Builders Association, and PKHBA member Trademark Homes has won a nationally renowned award at this years Home Building Week in Canada Conference.

photo courtesy of Peterborough and the Kawarthas Home Builders Association.

During the conference, members from across the nation submitted their best work of 2022 for judging. Winners in over 50 categories were announced at the conference in Banff, AB last month.

One of PKHBA members, Trademark Homes, won the National Award of Housing Excellence for best custom home over 5,000 square feet for their project on Balsam Lake in the City of Kawartha Lakes. Trademark Homes has been a member of PKHBA since 2022 and continues to provide residents of the Peterborough and Kawartha Lakes with outstanding service in their field.

Past president of PKHBA and owner of Spotlight Home & Lifestyle Inc. Garnet Northey was named as the new treasure for CHBA at this same conference.

“This association is really a grassroots association. I’m from Peterborough, a little town in Ontario, very involved provincially and now nationally,” said Northey. “It’s a learning experience but it really allows me to get a good cross sectional matrix of all of our members at all levels so that I can represent our members properly at the province and now at nationals. So, I'm really looking forward to it and continuing to serve in this capacity.”

For more information on what PKHBA learned and presented at the national conference, contact Rebecca via email.

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Local Musician Releases Song Highlighting Toronto Maple Leafs Fans' Woes

While the Toronto Maple Leafs have yet to win a Stanley Cup in over 56 years, local musician Bobby McBain released a music video, singing about the NHL team’s troubles on Friday.

The video features Maple Leaf fans getting together to watch the game and then becoming frustrated after clips of heartbreaking moments of Toronto being played.

“March is always a tough time of year for Leaf fans,” said McBain in a Facebook post. “There is always a false sense of hope that this will be the year they finally make a run for the Stanley Cup and put an end to over half a century of losing. Then reality sets in and we realize we are going to play Tampa or Boston or some other team with more depth and better skillsets and the Leafs do what they always do and that's choke coming down the stretch.”

The song begins optimistically with stories of watching Leafs games when they were young. It highlights clips of the team during the 80s and beyond.

The song notes the team’s turning point involved an alleged missed high-sticking call on Wayne Gretzky to Doug Gilmore during Game 6 of the 1993 Western Conference Final between the Los Angeles Kings and the Leafs. Toronto eventually lost the series. Clips of the fans lamented over the playoff woes the team has faced since that series loss.

The video ends with a message from McBain attempting to give hope to Leafs’ fans stating, “To all the Leaf fans across Canada and around the world… You are not alone. We are in this together.”

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Otonabee Conservation Offering Spring Water Awareness Program Resources to Help Keep Children Safe During Spring Melt

Otonabee Conservation partners with Ontario Power Generation (OPG) to offer Spring Water Awareness children’s program (SWAP) resources for parents to help keep children safe during the spring melt.

photo courtesy of otonabee conservation.

Each year, Otonabee Conservation partners with OPG to offer SWAP to local schools, helping children understand and recognize the dangers around creeks, streams and rivers during the spring.

The spring melt, also called the spring freshet, occurs this time of year when temperatures increase, melting snow and ice, causing water volume and flows to increase in local watercourses. At this time of year, it is important to remind children to stay clear and stay safe around dams, hydroelectric stations and waterways.

Otonabee Conservation staff will be delivering the SWAP program to many local schools over the next several weeks, and digital SWAP Activity Booklets are available for parents to download from the website to share with their children. The 11-page booklet includes colouring sheets, activities and worksheets that help children to understand the rules for being safe around watercourses. The OPG Kid’s Guide to Staying Clear and Staying Safe is also available for download.

“Fast flowing, cold, deep water, slippery streambanks and unsafe ice present real dangers for everyone this time of year,” says Meredith Carter, manager of Watershed Management Programs at Otonabee Conservation. “We would like parents to talk with their children about avoiding watercourses this time of year, especially if they are outdoors playing during the March Break.”

Children and youth should also be reminded to obey all cautionary signs around waterways and dams, and stay safe by playing with a friend, letting an adult know where they are going and when they will return and dressing properly for the weather.

For further resources, including and a short video by OPG, visit the website.

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Peterborough U9 Petes Go On Undefeated Run To Capture League Title

The Peterborough U9 MD Durham Industrial Petes swept the Lakeshore MD Championships in Kingston going a perfect 5-0 in a three-day tournament from Friday to Sunday.

Photo courtesy of Peterborough Minor Petes.

The team rang off four straight wins in the round-robin of their division (McDavid division), defeating the Quinte West Golden Hawks (7-0), Belleville U9 MD Jr. Bulls (8-2) Whitby Wildcats (3-2) and Ajax Pickering Raiders (16-0) for the top seed in the championship game.

The Petes gave the Wildcats no chance at redemption in the finals as Peterborough earned a 6-0 shutout for the championship.

The win is the first title for Peterborough Minor Petes hockey for the 2022/23 season.

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New Stages Theatre Presents Staged Reading of ‘New Magic Valley Fun Town’ at Market Hall

New Stages Theatre is presenting a staged reading of ‘New Magic Valley Fun Town’ by Daniel MacIvor for one night only at the Market Hall Performing Arts Centre March 26.

photo courtesy of new stages theatre.

MacIvor is one of Canada’s greatest playwrights and winner of the Siminovitch Prize.

Set in a trailer on Cape Breton Island, old friends reunite after 30 years apart for a night of drinks, laughter and memories, but some of those memories aren’t easily washed away. MacIvor’s bittersweet comedy tackles sensitive topics that many Canadians will be familiar with, yet he handles them with such compassion and humour that you are left feeling shaken but somehow lighter and more hopeful by the end. The play premiered in 2019 to great acclaim.

“I wish only that both the audiences who have followed MacIvor and those who have never heard of him to see this play and marvel at a voice maturing into a new form of greatness,” said J. Kelly Nestruck, The Globe and Mail Theatre Critic.

New Stages is welcoming an all-star cast to town for this staged reading. Dora-winning actor, Maritimer Shawn Wright, who joins us on his day off from playing Voldemort in the spectacular Mirvish production of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. Local legend Beau Dixon returns to Peterborough’s stages after years of performing onstage in Toronto, Stratford and on hit TV productions like Station Eleven and The Expanse. Linda Kash is well-known to Peterborough audiences and Peyton LeBarr, who has been a performer for over 20 years working across Canada and the UK, and she now calls Peterborough home.

Tickets for this one-night-only event at Market Hall (140 Charlotte St.) are $22 ($11 for students, under-waged and artworkers) and are available online. The show starts at 7:30 p.m.

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Photos: The Irish Spirit Returns in 20th Annual St. Patrick's Day Parade

After a three-year hiatus, the 20th annual Peterborough St. Patrick’s Day Parade returned with former sports anchor and hometown boy Dan O’Toole as the Grand Marshall.

All photos by Jordan Cooper.

The following were voted by a panel of judges on the best floats in the parade in their category:

• Best Family - The Shaughnessy Family

• Best Walking - Lang Pioneer Village

• Best Tribute to Ireland - Kawartha Home and Health Care Services and O'Doherty's (Tie)

• Best Overall Float - Peterborough Irish Club

• Best Band - Oakridge Band

• Best Business - Doyle's Tree Service

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StoosNews Spotlight: Check Out The Business Beat This Week Featuring Maker Space, SPARK, ONE Salon Suites and Bhojan

PTBOCanada is delighted to be running StoosNews columns each week here, spotlighting new businesses and startups in Peterborough and the Kawarthas. Here is this week’s edition…

As of March 10, Artspace has its new Maker Space open to the public.

The space will be open on Fridays and Saturdays for artist drop-in hours from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Artists, makers, and community members are encouraged to stop by, bring their own work and/or use the equipment and materials available. Everyone will receive a short orientation before gaining access to equipment. Find out more at artspaceptbo.ca or drop by Artspace at 378 Aylmer St. N.

Peterborough’s annual celebration of photography, SPARK Photo Festival, is back this April with the voices and vision of more than 90 participating photographers.

Spark is a month-long festival of artists displaying their art in venues across the region, both in traditional galleries and in some surprising spaces, such as shops, offices, cafés, restaurants, schools and even outdoors, for the enjoyment of the community. Get a sneak peek at the kick-off pub night and pop-up sale event on March 29 at The Publican House Brew Pub. Find more information and get tickets to the launch event at sparkphotofestival.org.

Dianna Cairns and Ashley Hunter are bringing their ONE Salon Suites to Peterborough following the success of their first location in Kingston.

ONE Salon Suites is a Beauty & Wellness Gallery that brings together independent beauty professionals under one roof. You get to operate your own personalized suite while benefiting from a collaborative community of experts in the industry. They have 25 suites that range in price and size at 950 Lansdowne St. W.(behind Walmart, facing The Parkway). Check them out at onesalonsuites.com.

You’ll be seeing double heading down George Street these days as a family have opened two new business across from each other and both called Bhojan.

One side of the street is an Indian restaurant and the other side is a grocery store. They specialize in vegan and gluten-free food. The authentic Indian cuisine restaurant is located at 427 George St. N. while the grocery store featuring food from across India is located at 428 George Street N.

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