City of Peterborough to Operate a Community Bio-Blitz Starting Friday

Peterborough is taking part in a community bio-blitz from Friday to Monday as part of the City Nature Challenge competition, announced by The City of Peterborough on Wednesday.

Photo courtesy of the City of Peterborough.

The City describes a bio-blitz as a ‘survey that identifies wildlife with the goal to understand the biodiversity of a location,’ according to a press release. Nature observations made are uploaded using the iNaturalist app and posted to the Peterborough event page. All natural areas in the city are eligible for nature sightings.

At the end of the bio-blitz, wildlife observations will be tallied to determine the winning communities in Canada.

On Saturday, the City of Peterborough and Peterborough Field Naturalists will host a bio-blitz at Jackson Park from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

It features family-friendly nature walks for residents to learn how to make nature observations while exploring the park. Walks will be approximately one hour, with the first tour at 9 a.m. and the last at 2 p.m., with a break at noon. Guided tours start at the event base camp booth located near the Jackson Park pond and Pagoda Bridge. Residents can also participate in wildlife surveys throughout the park.   

A tree will be planted in Jackson Park to celebrate the event as part of the City of Peterborough’s Urban Forestry program.

More information is at peterborough.ca/bioblitz.

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'Walter' Released Into Canal Ahead of the 34th Annual OFAH Under the Lock Fishing Derby

The first school of fish arrived at the Peterborough Lift Lock as top prize rainbow trout ‘Walter’ was released into the water on Wednesday afternoon to help kick off the 34th Annual Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters (OFAH) Under the Lock Fishing Derby.

GORDON BOWLEY, FISHING DERBY co-CHAIR toses one of 30 trout that went into the Lift Lock canal on WEdnesday afternoon. Photo by Samantha Bianco.

Walter is a rainbow trout weighing roughly eight to 10 lbs. at a length of 20-24 inches. Anyone who catches him gets the grand prize of $1,000. There are 500 tagged trout for instant prizes and a chance to win one of four grand prizes. Instant prizes include fishing nets, tackle boxes, fishing rods and other fishing gear.

This is the second consecutive year the derby has run since the COVID-19 pandemic. It took a two-year hiatus prior to its return last year.

“Fishing season for trout opened last weekend so we're near the beginning of the season and for me, it's my psychological rehabilitation over a long cold winter,” laughed Gordon Bowley, OFAH fishing derby co-chair.

Walter returns as the top prize fish earning the angler who catches him $1,000. Photo by Samantha Bianco.

The derby begins this Saturday with the youth event — for children 15 and under — at 9 a.m. and the all-ages kicking off Sunday at 9 a.m. and runs until May 7. It includes 25 tagged fish, each with a $200 cash prize sponsored by local businesses.

Registration is required for all participants, just $15 for the first child, $10 for siblings and $25 for adults.  

Tickets can be purchased online at ofah.org/underthelock or in person at Peterborough Canadian Tire locations. 

“This is a great opportunity to be outside,” said Bowley. “It's a great year to be doing it and we're so glad to do it again for our second year after the pandemic.

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Trent Valley Archives Presents the Cathedral Precinct Architectural Tour

Trent Valley Archives (TVA) announces the ‘Cathedral Precinct Tour’ on Thursday, May 11 and June 1– with a focus on the area bounded by Park & Stewart Streets and Murray & Hunter Streets.

photo courtesy of trent valley archives.

At 1:30 p.m. on both Thursdays, the block between Rubidge and Reid will receive special consideration because of its three churches and the intertwined history of the nearby buildings for the first and brand-new walking tour of the 2023 season.

There are numerous area houses which will be profiled on the tour. Fine vintage stone dwellings such as Hutchison House, the Eastland House and the Ridley House will be described as are the Queen Anne-style house on Stewart St. and the Second Empire duplex with its mansard roof which sits across the street. Of particular interest will be the Strickland House on Hunter and Downie Streets.

The ‘Cathedral Precinct’ tour will begin and end at the Eastland House, at Hunter and Stewart. Elwood Jones, TVA’s archivist will lead the tour assisted by Don Willcock, noted historian and raconteur.

TVA takes the safety of attendees and volunteer guides very seriously by adhering to appropriate physical distancing throughout the tour. While everyone is welcome, they encourage those interested to enjoy the tours with members of your circle. This tour runs rain or shine.

Tickets for $20/person are available on the website by reserving with Heather at 705-745-4404, or by emailing admin@trentvalleyarchives.com. Registration and payment in advance is required.

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Call For Expressions of Interest; The Road Mural Mentorship Program

Expressions of interest for the City of Peterborough Public Art Program peer mentorship program are due by May 1.

photo courtesy of the city of peterborough.

The Road Mural Mentorship Program seeks applications from local professional artists interested in gaining hands-on experience in planning and developing a large-scale public artwork. Ten artist mentees will be selected and work directly with mentors on the 2023 road murals. This is a paid mentorship opportunity.

Applications from artists and cultural practitioners living in Peterborough City, Peterborough County, Hiawatha First Nation, and Curve Lake First Nation are welcome.

The application deadline is May 1 at 4 p.m. All applications must be submitted online.

The call for expressions of interest for the program and more information about the program parameters with tips about the application process are on the City’s Public Art webpage.

The Renaissance on Hunter public art projects are administered and funded through the City of Peterborough’s Public Art Program and presented in partnership with the Downtown Business Improvement Area and GreenUP.

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Council for Persons with Disabilities Launches Second-Annual Capable Con For June 3

Disability awareness and equality are coming back in a family-friendly event as the Council for Persons With Disabilities (CPD) has launched its second-annual Capable Con set for June 3, announced at the Venture North Building on Wednesday.

(FrOm left to right) Rachel Quilty, CPD event facilitator; Jason King; Zaun, King’s seeing-eye dog; Leslie Yee, CPD vice chair and Akira, Yee’s guide dog. The Capable Crew was created and illustrated by local artist Mariah Yee. Photo by David Tuan Bui.

This event is from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Millennium Park, taking place during the last day of National AccessAbility Week. It is a free, educational convention and designed to create open, healthy dialogues about disabilities and accessibility according to Leslie Yee, CPD vice chair.

“Disability is all around us and interconnected to everything,” she said. “Every person deserves a fair and equal chance, be it access to services they need, accessible sidewalks, or home and job opportunities.”

Fictional characters known as ‘The Capable Crew’, are returning to the con as a group of everyday superheroes with disabilities. They will circulate around schools and other business locations to celebrate the differences in our community to create safe spaces to learn, share and promote inclusivity according to a press release. Anyone is encouraged to take photos with the Crew and post them to social media using the hashtag #CapableCon2023.

The convention consists of scavenger hunt missions, arts and crafts, giant board games, educational activities, sports demonstrations stage entertainment, interactive and inclusive games, draw prizes and more. Irish Millie was announced as one of the live music acts performing at the event.

A virtual relation simulation is being featured called the CPD’s Time in My Shoes Program. It is an experiential learning program that simulates the daily challenges while having a disability.

“At CPD, we recognize that disabilities can be a person’s superpower and we hope that we can create an inclusive and celebratory environment bringing the community together,” said Rachel Quilty, CPD event facilitator. “I encourage all residents to plan on joining us on June 3 from 10 a.m – 2 p.m. for a day of fun, education and celebration!”

For more information, visit the Capable Con website.

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Roy Weirenga Becomes New CAO For Student Transportation Services of Central Ontario

Student Transportation Services of Central Ontario (STSCO) has introduced Roy Wierenga as their Chief Administrative Officer beginning May 8, announced on Tuesday.

Photo courtesy of PVNCCDSB.

Weirenga is bringing 35 years of student transportation experience to the position according to a press release.

The company is responsible for planning school bus routes for Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board, Peterborough Victoria Northumberland and Clarington Catholic District School Board and Conseil scolaire catholique MonAvenir schools.

“I have always felt so fortunate and blessed to be able to work in a profession that supports students and education," said Wierenga. "When we do our jobs well in transportation, and students arrive safely and on time at school, this has such a positive impact on student success.”

The position is a bit of a homecoming since he began his career working in Peterborough for Trentway-Wagar Bus Lines and then as Manager of Transportation for the Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board. Weirenga was involved in the establishment of STSCO in 2005 before accepting a position with the Ottawa Student Transportation Authority (OSTA) as General Manager.

In the past decade, Wierenga has been employed with Student Transportation of Peel Region (STOPR), working with industry and government committees that examined changes for improving student transportation across Ontario.

“I am thrilled that my journey in student transportation has now brought me back home to Peterborough where my career started many years ago," said Wierenga. "I look forward to working with the team at STSCO, our member school boards and bus operators, to find solutions that will ensure a safe and sustainable transportation network for our students and school communities going into the future."

Wierenga will replace long-serving CAO Joel Sloggett, who will be retiring from STSCO after 18 years.

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Voice of Business: Diversifying Healthcare to Ease the Burden On Emergency Rooms and Family Doctors

Our healthcare system is in crisis.

Hospitals are struggling to fulfill all the healthcare needs we are asking of them. At the same time, many people in Ontario are without access to a family doctor. Lack of access to healthcare is leading to greater lost time and limiting workforce mobility. While our hospital and family physician services are in need of investment, there are other healthcare professionals in our communities that are underutilized and can help fill in the gaps when it comes to primary and non-urgent healthcare needs.

This is why the Peterborough and the Kawarthas Chamber of Commerce is submitting the following as a policy resolution to the Ontario Chamber of Commerce (OCC). It’s a document we worked closely on with fellow chambers, boards of trade, and industry associations. The OCC takes policy submissions once a year which goes to members at the annual convention later this week to be debated and voted on. If approved, they become part of the OCC’s advocacy efforts for the next three years.

Hospitals are regularly at capacity for dealing with emergencies and staffing struggles have led to regular temporary closures to new admittance.

While COVID-19 and a particularly difficult influenza season created challenges, adding further pressure is the lack of family physicians. According to the Ontario College of Family Physicians, more than three million Ontarians could be without a family doctor by 2025.

People without a family doctor are left to piece together their healthcare services with what is available to them, including attending Emergency Rooms for non-urgent healthcare needs.

Increasing the service capacity of hospitals and access to family doctors should be a priority for the government, but there are other healthcare services that can help take some of the pressure off in the near term.

Nurse Practitioners can shoulder some of the demand for family doctors by funding more Nurse Practitioner-led clinics as a primary care option, as well as funding the additional Nurse Practitioner seats at Ontario's universities.

Similarly, pharmacists have the expertise to ease some of the healthcare burdens by increasing their ability to prescribe and administer medication. Steps have recently been taken to expand this capacity, but more can be done.

Community Health Centres are able to provide physical and mental healthcare to some of our most vulnerable citizens. There are still many communities around Ontario that do not have this service, which serves individuals who live with complex mental health and/or addictions, extreme poverty, and disability. It is welcoming to newcomers, racialized individuals, Indigenous persons, and individuals who identify as 2SLGBTQ+. The need for Community Health Centres is especially important for businesses located in historic downtowns that are dealing with the consequences and filling in some of the gaps for marginalized individuals.

Enhancing funding for Community Paramedicine Programs will assist communities with an additional safety net that will meet people’s healthcare needs without a visit to the hospital.

We need our government to work with local healthcare providers to ensure people have access to walk-in clinics. This is a vital stopgap for people unable to access a family doctor, but in need of non-emergency healthcare — yet many communities are un- or underserviced. Enhancing access to walk-in clinics is a necessary preventative measure that will ensure the treatment of various ailments that may otherwise be escalated and lead to readmittance, putting further pressure on an already strained healthcare infrastructure.

Mobile clinics offer resources to rural communities that are often without significant local healthcare services.

Employers in Ontario are facing significant challenges in attracting and retaining their workforce. Providing adequate and efficient healthcare will minimize absenteeism and create a stronger, healthier workforce.

Workers are reluctant to relocate due to the potential loss of access to a family doctor, limiting workforce mobility in Ontario.

Healthcare challenges increase in rural communities, adding more barriers to attracting skilled workers — particularly for our struggling tourism sector.

A healthy workforce will drive a healthy economy.

Our recommendations to the Government of Ontario:

1. Provide more funding for Nurse Practitioner-led clinics, and fund additional Nurse Practitioner seats at Ontario's universities

2. Expand funding for community paramedicine programs.

3. Support Community Health Centres as a means of addressing healthcare needs for those with barriers and needs that fall outside the scope of traditional healthcare systems.

4. Ensure communities have access to walk-in clinics.

5. Invest in mobile clinics to meet non-urgent healthcare needs in rural communities.

6. Make medical schools more financially accessible to students interested in entering the medical field.

7. Work with the federal government to Improve the mobility of physicians within Canada by broadening the national licensure program.

8. Continue to improve recognition of equivalent qualifications held by international medical graduates to integrate them into the Canadian medical field and meet fast-growing demand.

9. Increase admission capacity for different types of healthcare professionals,

10. Expand programs to offer incentives for healthcare professionals — including physicians, nurses, specialists, and technicians — to locate in rural and northern regions experiencing higher levels of healthcare workforce shortages.

11. Ensure that communities across Canada possess the digital infrastructure necessary for enhanced and integrated telehealth programs that bring physician teams and patients closer together.

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

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Peterborough Petes Face the North Bay Battalion In Eastern Conference Championship; Game One On Friday

The Peterborough Petes have drawn the North Bay Battalion in the Eastern Conference Final matchup with game one beginning Friday.

The Petes failed to beat the Battalion in four games during the regular season. Photo courtesy of the Peterborough Petes.

The matchup was confirmed after the Battalion defeated the Barrie Colts 3-1, scoring three goals in the third period in game seven on Tuesday night.

This is the Petes’s first trip to the Eastern Conference Finals since 2016-17 and the second time since their OHL Championship in 2006. The last time the Petes and Battalion met in the playoffs was the 2015-16 Eastern Conference Quarterfinal. The Battalion won the series four games to three.

The following is the playoff schedule for the Eastern Conference final:

1. Friday, April 28 - Peterborough @ North Bay - 7 p.m.

2. Sunday, April 30 - Peterborough @ North Bay - 2 p.m.

3. Tuesday, May 2 - North Bay @ Peterborough - 7:05 p.m.

4. Wednesday, May 3 - North Bay @ Peterborough - 7:05 p.m.

5. Friday, May 5 - Peterborough @ North Bay - 7 p.m.*

6. Sunday, May 7- North Bay @ Peterborough - 7:05 p.m.*

7. Monday, May 8 - Peterborough @ North Bay - 7 p.m.*

*If necessary

Tickets for games three and four go on sale to the general public on Wednesday at 9:30 a.m. Fans can purchase tickets starting Wednesday online or by contacting the PMC Grant Thornton Box Office in person or at (705) 743-3561.

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Former Peterborough Humane Society Designated As New Site For 30 Sleeping Cabins For the Unhoused

Habitat for Humanity Peterborough & Kawartha Region (Habitat PKR) is planning to lease property to Peterborough Action for Tiny Homes (PATH) to build 30 sleeping cabins for unhoused people, announced on Tuesday.

(From left to right) Trish Campbell, PATH chair; Susan Zamboni, Habitat PKR CEO, Keith Dalton, PATH land acquisition working group lead and Jenn MacDonald, Habitat KPR Communications and donor services manager. Photo by David Tuan Bui.

The location is behind the former Peterborough Human Society building on Lansdowne Street East. Habitat KPR has agreed to sign a three-year lease with PATH for the latter to use the tiny homes. The former has future plans to build a mixed-use development according to Susan Zamboni, Habitat PKR CEO.

“We will be purchasing the property at the end of June,” she said. “We have an accepted offer and then PATH will start renting it at that point and doing some renovations inside the building to meet their needs for three years.”

The houses are meant to create a transitional living center for individuals in the community who are unhoused. 

“Our goal is to build a bridge between homelessness and stable, permanent housing,” said Campbell.

The area will require rezoning for ‘temporary use’ with the City of Peterborough’s permission which has already started according to Campbell.

“They've already gone through the pre-consultation for that so I feel very confident that they're going to get it and have the support of the City Council when it comes time,” she explained.

The buildings are 30 sleeping cabins for individuals behind the former Peterborough Humane Society (PHS planned for 2024. PHS moved to their new Animal Care Centre in mid-January.

City Council denied a motion for 10 tiny homes to be built but the dismissal did not stop PATH’s determination for getting tiny homes into Peterborough according to Trish Campbell, PATH chair.

“We met a lot of the City staff, planners and Council and it's all good in the end,” she said.

The project is in the early development stages and will host an open house in the coming weeks to provide further information and receive provide feedback. Residents can submit questions, comments or statements of support to pathadm22@gmail.com.

“We want to see as many people in affordable home ownership as possible and in the next three years, we want to see as many people go through the PATH program from sleeping cabins to maybe rent geared to income, rentals to maybe even market. That's the path that we seek,” added Campbell.

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