19th Annual YWCA Empty Bowls Raises Over $33,000 in support of YWCA Nourish Food Programs

The 19th Annual YWCA Empty Bowls campaign raised $33,104 to support their Nourish Food Programs held at The Venue on Feb. 25, announced on Wednesday.

PHOTO COURTESY OF YWCA.

“Our hearts are so full,” said Kim Dolan, YWCA Executive Director. “When I pause to think about all the people and all the time that goes into making this event possible year after year, I’m overwhelmed by the good in our community.”

Ticket holders received a handcrafted ceramic or wooden bowl and a restaurant coupon card, entitling them to discounts from 12 participating local restaurants. These include Amandala’s, Baked 4U, Black Honey, Central Smith, Fresh Dreams, Naked Chocolate, Pastry Peddler, Sam’s Place, That’s a Wrap and The Cheesy Fromage. 

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Peterborough Public Library Self-Serving Book Kiosks in The Community

The Peterborough Public Library has self-serving book Kiosks in the Peterborough Sport & Wellness Centre and at the Peterborough Regional Health Centre. 

photo courtesy of the peterborough public library.

Library staff restock the Kiosks weekly with popular adult and children's books. All you need is your library card for the easy to use the Kiosks.

How to check books in and out with your library card:

1. Scan the barcode on the back of your library card.

2. Enter your library PIN (your PIN is usually the last 4 digits of your phone number)

3. The door will unlock for you to open.

4. If you have books to return, place them on the shelves. It doesn’t matter where on the shelves you place them, please make sure they’re standing upright.

5. If you’d like to borrow any books, take them off the shelves and then shut the door.

6. The Kiosk will scan all the books inside. It automatically checks in any books you have returned and checks out any that you’ve removed.

7. Take your receipt.

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PRHC Closing COVID, Cold and Flu Clinic March 31; Alternative Assessment and Treatment Available

With declining patient volumes and a shift from acute crisis management to an integrated chronic approach for treating COVID-19, the Peterborough Regional Health Centre’s (PRHC) COVID, Cold and Flu Clinic (previously the COVID-19 Assessment Centre) will close on March 31.

file photo.

PRHC’s COVID-19 Assessment Centre opened in April 2020 to respond to the community need for COVID- 19 assessment and testing. Since then, it has provided safe and timely access to PCR testing, clinical assessments by nurses, paramedics and physicians, and treatment for COVID-19.

In December 2022, the clinic expanded its services to provide assessment, testing and treatment for patients with respiratory symptoms, including COVID-19, cold and flu.

“The work done to launch and operate PRHC’s COVID, Cold and Flu Clinic over the last three years represents a truly community effort, with a number of healthcare partners coming together to make this service possible for patients,” said Dr. Lynn Mikula, PRHC’s current Chief of Staff and incoming President & CEO. “I am incredibly proud of the work of this clinic, and I want to thank everyone who has been involved in its success – including every physician and staff member who stepped forward to provide their service and support at a very challenging and uncertain time for all of us.”

The Assessment Centre will remain open through to March 31. After this date, community members are encouraged to take advantage of one or more of the following services:

• Primary care provider (family doctor)

• For those individuals without a primary care provider, visit PRHC's website to see a list of care alternatives in the community for unattached patients.

• Call 811 or visit the Health811 website for safe, high-quality care from a registered nurse.

• Visit a local pharmacy. Many prescribe and dispense Paxlovid and offer onsite PCR and rapid testing.
  As respiratory illnesses continue to circulate in the region, vaccination remains one of the most effective ways to protect against viruses. All approved COVID-19 vaccines used in Canada are effective at helping to protect against severe illness, including hospitalization and death from COVID-19. COVID-19 vaccines remain available to the public through Peterborough Public Health and participating pharmacies.

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Peterborough Petes Raise $65,000 For PRHC From Pink In the Rink Campaign

The Peterborough Petes have raised $64,870 for the 2023 Pink in the Rink Campaign towards cancer care at the Peterborough Regional Health Centre (PRHC) announced on Tuesday.

Photo courtesy of the Peterborough Petes.

A cheque presentation took place at the PRHC on Tuesday, featuring campaign ambassadors, PRHC and Petes staff and Roger the Mascot.

A total of $954,136 has been raised after this year’s campaign. This year’s campaign raised a preliminary fundraising total of $62,600, with donations continuing to roll in after the annual Pink in the Rink game on Feb. 4.

“Through incredible fan support, and the work of our Campaign and Physician Ambassadors, it is exciting to see that the 2023 Pink in the Rink campaign put us within reach of the $1 million fundraising mark,” commented Burton Lee, Petes executive director of business operations. “The Peterborough community did what it does best on February 4 and that is get behind an important cause, all in support and recognition of some truly inspiring hockey moms.” 

Five local hockey moms: Dara Gosselin, Jennie Ireland, Elke Rye, Karen Tarkington and Dana Thorn were named Hockey Mom Ambassadors for the 2023 Campaign. They joined Physician Ambassador Dr. Neera Jeyabalan, PRHC Foundation President; CEO Leslie Heighway and Chris Hinze, Minor Hockey Pink in the Rink organizer and husband of late hockey mom Melissa Hinze, on the ice before the 2023 Pink in the Rink Game for a ceremony recognizing all of their cancer journeys.

The Petes play their last home game of the regular season against the East-leading Ottawa 67s with puck drop for scheduled for 7:05 p.m.

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Peterborough Winter Parking Restrictions Lifted Beginning April 1

Winter parking restrictions for road maintenance within Peterborough are being lifted on April 1.

File Photo.

This includes prohibited parking all City streets from 2 a.m. to 6 a.m. The fine for a violation is $25.

During snow-clearing operations, vehicles cannot park or stop on any City street as it typically takes place between midnight and 8 a.m.

Vehicles must be removed from city streets throughout the day and/or evening during snowstorms. Free overnight parking is available in municipal parking garages and surface lots. Drivers can use the parking garage entrance ticket for a free ride home on Peterborough Transit.

The fine for a violation is $80 and the vehicle will be towed to one of two locations;

• vehicles parked north of Parkhill Road will be towed to Milroy Park, 242 Milroy Dr.

• vehicles south of Parkhill Road will be towed to Morrow Park, 171 Lansdowne St. W.

Vehicles must be picked up within 24 hours. All unclaimed vehicles will be towed to an impound yard at the owner’s expense.

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Voice of Business: Ontario Budget Must Focus on Business Predictability and Growth

Ontario needs to foster an environment that supports longer-term, sustainable economic growth.

That’s the message the Ontario Chamber of Commerce (OCC) is sending to the provincial government with its 2023 budget submission.

The recent Ontario Economic Report (OER) showed Ontario business confidence has dropped to a record low in 2023. Driving that are labour shortages, inflation, healthcare system vulnerabilities, and fears of a potential economic slowdown.

“We know from the OCC’s 2023 OER that many small businesses would like to see public policies that support their immediate financial and operational needs, while large businesses are more interested in broader workforce development and health care challenges,” said Rocco Rossi, President and CEO of the OCC. “What we are looking for in Budget 2023 are measures that support greater productivity and long-term, sustainable economic growth. That means we want to see the government continue to prioritize growth-enabling investments to address labour shortages, the health care crisis, and infrastructure deficits, and modernize regulations and government services in the year ahead.”

The budget submission groups recommendations to the Government of Ontario under the following categories: Sustainable Growth, Complete Communities, and Modernization.

Some key proposals include:

• Fostering an inclusive workforce and addressing labour market challenges by supporting innovative training and education models, boosting immigration, making regional immigration pilots permanent, continuing to remove barriers to labour mobility and foreign credential recognition, and adopting supplier diversity programs to create opportunities for entrepreneurs and businesses that support diversity and inclusion.

• Strengthening health system capacity and resilience by continuing to tackle the health human resources crisis, combating growing rates of mental health and addictions challenges, supporting the aging population, and continuing to address the backlog of surgeries and routine immunizations, as well as deferred cancer treatments, diagnostics, and procedures.

• Investing in growth-enabling infrastructure by continuing to accelerate broadband rollout across the province, building affordable housing and complete communities, expanding regional transportation connectivity, and investing in energy generation, transmission, and distribution infrastructure to support long-term growth and resiliency.

• Modernizing government services and regulations by building an integrated health data system, bolstering interprovincial trade, improving supply chain infrastructure and public sector procurement processes, and lowering administrative burdens on business.

The recommendations outlined in the OCC’s budget submission were developed with businesses, associations, post-secondary institutions, and chambers of commerce and boards of trade from across the province. See the full submission here.

Ontario's business community needs a clear and predictable path forward to support economic recovery and growth. We want to see the government direct sufficient resources towards the hardest-hit sectors, while laying the groundwork for a sustainable and inclusive economy.

Content provided by the Peterborough and the Kawarthas Chamber of Commerce.

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Former Fleming College Athletics Coordinator Inducted Into OCAA Hall of Fame

Former Fleming College Athletics Coordinator Fred Batley is among the newest inductees to the Ontario Colleges Athletic Association (OCAA) Hall of Fame.

fred batley. photo courtesy of fleming college.

Batley was recognized this week in the Builder category for his effort, influence, commitment, dedication and passion for collegiate sports at Fleming College.

An employee in Fleming’s Athletics Department for 42 years, Batley was committed to ensuring the student-athlete experience was a priority and front of mind, often noting the importance of doing what it takes to get the job done.

During his lengthy career, he took on numerous roles with the OCAA and Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) executive committees. His career included serving as OCAA President for two separate terms (1993-1995 and 2011-2013), serving as Past President (1995-1997) and sitting on the selection committee for numerous sports including Men's Hockey, Men's Basketball, Men's and Women's Soccer and Men's and Women's Volleyball. Batley was also the OCAA Men’s Rugby Convenor (2017) and Women’s Rugby Sevens Convenor (2018). 

His work with the OCAA also included roles on the Constitution Committee, Eligibility Committee, Finance Committee and the Safety & Risk Management Committee.  

Batley also served as a CCAA Convenor for a total of eight seasons, from 2008-2010 and again from 2014-2020. Prior to that, he was also a member of the CCAA Executive for nine years. Batley was the VP Governance (1999-2002), the CCAA President (2002-2006) and Past President (2006-2008). 

Before retiring in 2019, he closed out his duties working not only as Athletic Coordinator at Fleming but as the Women’s Volleyball Convenor for the CCAA.

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Pizza Hut Fundraising For 'Purple Day' For Epilepsy Awareness Month; Proceeds Towards Peterborough Epilepsy

Pizza Hut’s colours are changing from red for ‘Purple Day’ on Epilepsy Awareness Month to fundraise for Epilepsy Peterborough on Sunday.

Miranda Zeppieri (left) with Marc Hartenberg, Pizza Hut co-owner (right) prepping for Purple Day. Photo courtesy of Epilepsy Peterborough.

Four Pizza Hut locations from the Peterborough and surrounding area are participating where 10 per cent of all sales go towards supporting those in the community who are diagnosed with epilepsy.

The following are the participating locations:

• 901 Lansdowne St. W., Peterborough

• 705 George St. N., Peterborough

• 132 Queen St., Lakefield

• 1 Commerce Rd., Lindsay

Miranda Zeppieri and her brother Michael were diagnosed with epilepsy at six years old and five weeks old respectively. Initiatives like these have Miranda grateful that they exist and create awareness.

“We’re really just emphasizing getting awareness out there about those like myself and my brother who live with it,” she explained. “Yes, it brings its challenges but it’s something that is a part of everyday life and how it affects it is vastly different based on an individual basis.”

Guests are encouraged to wear purple on that day, eat pizza and enjoy the company of the staff.

Epilepsy Peterborough representatives will be on site to provide information for anyone who wishes to learn more about epilepsy and/or the services they offer.

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City of Peterborough Launches Interactive MyAddress Verification Tool

The City of Peterborough has launched an interactive online tool, myAddress Verification, to quickly verify officially recognized addresses in Peterborough announced on Tuesday.

The myAddress Verification tool was created by the City of Peterborough’s Geomatics/Mapping Division. Photo by Keegan Beekers.

The addresses are used by first responders to locate people quickly and accurately for emergency calls.

Residents can go online and use the tool to verify a property address and ensure that additional units at a single address are accounted for.

Data collected is also being provided to external service providers like 911 Emergency Services, Canada Post and Hydro One according to the City.

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Castleton Man Charged With Uttering Threats After Refusing to Leave Residence

A 32-year-old Castleton man is facing charges of uttering threats after an incident Monday evening.

At roughly 10 p.m., Peterborough Police Service was called to a residence in the Goodfellow Road and Sherbrooke Street area about an unwanted person. Officers learned that an ex-partner was refusing to vacate the home and had verbally threatened the victim upon arrival.  The man was apprehended without incident.

He is charged with Uttering Threats - Cause death or Bodily Harm-Spousal.

The accused is being held in custody and will appear in court on Tuesday.

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