Repairs to Kirkfield Lift Lock To Begin; Temporary Lane Closures on Kirkfield Road

Parks Canada advises that there will be intermittent single-lane closures on Kirkfield Road, at Lock 36 near the community of Kirkfield in the City of Kawartha Lakes between Feb. 21 and Feb. 24.

Photo courtesy of Parks Canada.

The single-lane closure is required to facilitate the placement of a crane as work continues on repairs to the Kirkfield Lift Lock.

Flaggers will be in place, and the public can expect short delays.

Parks Canada thanks nearby area residents and visitors for their patience during this closure.

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Quaker Foods City Square Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony Cancelled Due To Impending Protest; Activities To Proceed

The ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Quaker Foods City Square this Saturday has been put on hold due to an impending protest however, family activities will proceed as normal announced on Wednesday.

THE PARK WAS OPEN TEMPORARILY ON CANADA DAY FOR A RIBBON-CUTTING CEREMONY OF A NEW UN PEACEKEEPERS MONUMENT. PHOTO BY DAVID TUAN BUI. Photo by David Tuan Bui.

The protest arranged by Michelle McQuaid is known as the ‘Concrete Priorities Protest’ to protest the City’s celebration and spending on the park , especially the heated concrete while Peterborough is undergoing a homelessness crisis.

The $6.4-million project was supported by a non-repayable contribution of $750,000 from the Government of Canada, through the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario) as part of the Canada Community Revitalization Fund, to support the construction of the rink, as well as landscaping and water features.

The City also used $677,909 from the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation from its share of gaming revenues provided as a host community for a casino, and $50,000 from the Peterborough Downtown Business Improvement Area to support the project. PepsiCo Foods, through its Quaker brand, is providing approximately $240,000 over 15 years for the naming rights to the public square.

Former Mayor Diane Therrien declared a state of emergency on homelessness in Peterborough after calling a special city council meeting on Oct. 13. This occurred a few weeks prior to the municipal election when Therrien said she would not run for another mayoral term.

McQuaid stated the following on the social media event on the City’s alleged inaction on the homelessness issue:

“I know tents are not ideal, but they would be alot more comfortable on HEATED PAVEMENT! We have community members sleeping outside, in cars, tents... Whatever shelter they can make... ...and The City of Peterborough decides to celebrate? I'd like to know exactly what they are celebrating and acknowledge what they are choosing to ignore.”

The protest is still scheduled to occur despite the City withdrawing certain activities and the ribbon-cutting ceremony according to the Facebook event.

The City has stated that speeches will be rescheduled to thank the partners and sponsors that contributed to the park’s construction but has yet to release a date.

The family activities are still scheduled to run from 11 a.m. to 3 p..m. There is outdoor skating, face painting and a DJ to play music during the event. Hot chocolate, sweet treats, stilt walkers and performance artists were scheduled for the event but have been withdrawn due to the protest.

The square is located at the former Louis Street Parking Lot off the corner of Aylmer Street and Charlotte Street. It is a year-round space for community events and activities. The space includes a refrigerated outdoor skating rink during winter and a water play feature for the summer.

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Quaker Foods City Square To Officially Open On Dec. 17

A community celebration for the official opening of Quaker Foods City Square on Charlotte Street is occurring on Dec. 17 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., announced by the City of Peterborough on Tuesday.

The park was open temporarily on Canada Day for a ribbon-cutting ceremony of a new UN Peacekeepers Monument. Photo by David Tuan Bui.

The celebration includs outdoor skating, music, hot beverages, face painting for children and other activities.

The public square is located on the site of the former Louis Street Parking Lot and is a year-round space for community events and activities with family-friendly features. It will included a refrigerated outdoor skating rink for the winter and water play for the summer.

The celebration is being run by the Peterborough Downtown Business Improvement Area (DBIA).

All activities are free, with treats and hot beverages available while supplies last, including:

• Sweet treats

• Hot chocolate

• Face painting

• Live DJ

• Stilt walkers and performance art

• Skating (weather permitting and must bring own skates)

The ribbon-cutting ceremony and brief remarks will be held at noon to officially open the square and recognize funding partner contributions and sponsors.

The $6.4-million project was supported by a non-repayable contribution of $750,000 from the Government of Canada, through the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario) as part of the Canada Community Revitalization Fund, to support the construction of the rink, as well as landscaping and water features.

The City also used $677,909 from the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation from its share of gaming revenues provided as a host community for a casino, and $50,000 from the DBIA to support the project. PepsiCo Foods, through its Quaker brand, is providing approximately $240,000 over 15 years for the naming rights to the public square.

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Riverview Park And Zoo Releases Second Jigsaw Puzzle Fundraiser For New Locomotive Next Season

The Riverview Park and Zoo have released a puzzle of their miniature train ride puzzle for a second consecutive year, fundraising a replacement locomotive and its passenger coaches for next year announced Wednesday.

Photo courtesy of the Riverview Park & Zoo.

The 308-piece, 11 x 17-inch puzzle of the current 1860 locomotive replica is a limited-edition gift for $20. They are available at the Riverview gift shop beginning on Thanksgiving weekend (the gift shop closes for the season after Oct. 10) or at certain local retailers while quantities last.

“We felt that including the F86 Sabre Jet Plane, flown in the Korean War, would introduce a whole new point of interest for our community,” says Shauna Moodie, Zoo advisory chair.

The zoo’s miniature train ride was established in 1974 and has provided regular income that sustains the operations and helps to make necessary capital improvements to exhibits and the park. The ride is just over two kilometres long and is $2 to ride or free for children under two.

There are six bench dedications left on the new train available for sponsorship, used to recognize anyone or your company’s contribution to the Park and Zoo or dedicate it in honour of a special project or a loved one. Dedications are $2,500 each.

Riverview Park and Zoo’s goal is to raise $300,000 with $225,000 already raised.

Since 1933, Riverview Park and Zoo is Canada’s only free-admission accredited zoo with nearly a quarter of a million annual visitors.

They received the fighter jet monument in 1971 and display it to honour the people from Peterborough who fought for Canada.

Donate to the train campaign: https://forms.riverviewparkandzoo.ca/Donations.

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Urban Park Naming Rights Sold To Quaker Foods

Peterborough City Council approved selling the naming rights of Urban Park to Quaker Foods for $240,000 during a meeting at City Hall on Monday.

The Urban Park temporarily opened a small section during Canada Day to commemorate the unveiling of the peacekeeper monument. Photo by David Tuan Bui.

Located at the corner of Charlotte and Alymer Street, the property is being renamed ‘Quaker Foods Urban Park.’

This agreement includes inflationary increases on annual payments over a 15-year term atop the $240,000. The City typically aims for a 10-year term for naming rights according to the Council meeting minutes.

PepsiCo Canada’s (Quaker Foods) recent Quakerborough campaign celebrated the 120-year anniversary of Quaker Foods in Peterborough. Quaker Foods has been a local brand presence, creating many sponsorship opportunities for the City.

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New Public Art Installation To Be Viewed and Celebrated at Jackson Park

The public art installation Handwritten Moon will be displayed at Jackson Park on Sept. 22 at 7:30 p.m.

Photo courtesy of The County of Peterborough.

Handwritten Moon is a collaboration between the sculptor Garrett “Owen” Gilbart who fabricated the artwork, and poet Justin Million who wrote the text.

The piece was commissioned as an artist-initiated project through the City of Peterborough’s Public Art Program.

In daylight the reflective text piece takes on hues found in the nearby landscape. On a clear night it reflects the moon. Handwritten Moon also responds to flash photography or a flashlight, and the public is encouraged to bring flashlights or headlamps to experience the piece.

The event will be held rain or shine at Jackson Pond near the Pagoda bridge in Jackson Park.

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Peterborough City Council Endorses Naming Rights Opportunity For Quaker Foods

Peterborough City Council in favour of changing the park’s name from Urban Park to Quaker Foods Urban Park at Monday’s meeting.

A section of the park was temporarily open for a ribbon-cutting ceremony of a UN Peacekeepers Monument on Canada Day. It was commissioned from the City in 2017 and cost roughly $100,000 to build. Photo by David Tuan Bui.

Naming rights would sell for $240,000. The park is located at the corner of Charlotte and Alymer Street.

Renaming Urban Park requires financial and term commitment limits the number of businesses that sees a strategic or appropriate fit. The City typically aims for a 10-year term for naming rights according to the Council meeting minutes.

The agreement includes inflationary increases on annual payments over a 15-year term on top of the $240,000.

A number of businesses and organizations have discussed this opportunity with the City, noting that Quaker is a local brand presence that would encourage sponsorships for Peterborough.

Through the Quakerborough campaign, Quaker Foods has participated in a number of marketing and advertising opportunities as they celebrate 120 years in Peterborough.

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Donwood Park Renovations are Complete

Construction at Clintonia Park in Donwood is complete thanks to a $76,900 Capital grant from the Ontario Trillium Foundation received in 2019.

Clintonia Park under renovation on July 9, 2021. Photo Courtesy of Ang Davis.

Plans have been underway to renovate the park since 2019 when original playground equipment was aging and no longer met current safety standards.

With the support of council community volunteers and Township staff replaced the equipment and addressed the landscaping and drainage issues in the park.

“Having grown up in the community, I am happy that we were able to bring the neighbourhood together to make this space a fun space for everyone for generations to come,” said Angela Bullock, a volunteer working on the committee.

The park serves approximately 500 residents in the Donwood community.

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Ontario Parks Opens For Day-Use On Monday

Premier Doug Ford has announced that Ontario Parks will be opening over 520 parks and conservations for day-use on Monday, May 11th and that operational parks will open on Friday.

This means that parks such as Serpent Mounds will be open for walking, hiking, and birdwatching, while parks such as Emily Provincial Park and Mark S. Burnham will open on May 15th. The opening for camping reservations will be announced at a later date.

Day-use will also be free until May 31st.

—by Evan Holt, PTBOCanada.com

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Here's Info On Preparation Beginning On Urban Park Construction

Construction work on the Urban Park at Charlotte Street and Louis Street in Downtown Peterborough is commencing soon, with the demolition and removal phase starting on December 4th.

The contract for the demolition and removal of a portion of Louis Street, the entire Louis Street Municipal Parking Lot and the building at 220 King Street (the former Shish-Kabob Hut) has been awarded to Accurex Inc.

Urban Park Conceptual Plan

Completion of the demolition and removal phase will prepare the site for a Stage 2 Archaeology Investigation that is required in advance of deeper excavations needed to build the Park.

As part of the project, Louis Street will be widened to accommodate two-way traffic beside the King Street Parking Garage. Once this is complete, the section of Louis Street north of the Rivulet Apartments driveway will be permanently closed. Parking on Louis Street and in the Louis Street Municipal Parking Lot will be permanently removed.

Construction fencing will secure the site and prevent parking and pedestrian travel in the area. The King Street Parking Garage will be fully operational throughout construction.

For more information regarding the Urban Park, check out the online design brochure here.

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