Peterborough Takes Action for Monarch Conservation Through 10 Kilometre Monarch Run

Local community members who are concerned about the environment and the plight of monarch butterflies are encouraged to join the inaugural Monarch Butterfly Festival and Race on Sunday, Oct. 15 at Millennium Park.

photo courtesy of the monarch ultra.

As many are aware the migratory monarch butterfly is now an endangered species, threatened by habitat destruction and climate change. The Monarch Ultra, a community-led group in Peterborough, is launching a new initiative as a call to action to protect monarchs and inspire positive environmental change.

After the initial 4,300 kilometre relay from Canada to Mexico in 2019 and the 1,800 kilometre relay within Ontario in 2021, the organization is embarking on a series of runs in Canada, the US and Mexico as well as organizing a Monarch Butterfly Festival in Peterborough to raise awareness for monarch conservation this year.

Runners can register for the 10 kilometre race and fundraise for Nación Verde, a non-profit conservation organization in Mexico that is helping to restore habitat loss from deforestation in the Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve. The organization works in several areas including conservation, regeneration and protection of the environment. This year, Nación Verde is planning to plant 100,000 Oyamel trees along 100 hectares. Overall, planting trees is beneficial for the environment because it helps to fight climate change, minimize soil erosion, promote healthy forest and biodiversity, and helps reduce carbon dioxide. 100% of donations raised through the Monarch Run will be for Nación Verde who is playing a vital role in protecting habitat for monarch butterflies and other forest dwellers at the Reserva de la Biosfera de la Mariposa Monarca. Registration for the Peterborough 10 kilometre race and 1 kilometre kids fun run can be found online.

“I would love to see a sea of orange and black along the race route. An image of humans running with wings will mimic the monarch migration which takes place around the same time as our race,” says race director for the Monarch Ultra Jodi McNeill.

photo courtesy of the monarch ultra.

The Monarch Ultra has worked diligently for several years now to bring awareness and inspire action for monarch butterflies across North America. As they continue to educate and advocate for these endangered species, they encourage the community to join the movement and consider planting a pollinator garden or few pollinator-friendly plants such as milkweed (monarch butterflies need milkweed plants to lay their eggs) and avoid using pesticides in your garden and property.

“Recognizing that monarch butterflies are endangered should inspire action on several levels, and one way is for communities to protect and increase biodiversity along the migratory path which ultimately helps all wildlife species,” says Carlotta James, co-founder of the Monarch Ultra. “There are so many ways for folks to do something impactful and creative to save monarch butterflies. We can plant pollinator gardens. We can push governments to create better policies that protect biodiversity and wild spaces. And we can run for monarch conservation. I am doing all three actions so that we can continue to enjoy these migratory marvels flying through our summer skies.”

The out and back course will take runners along the Rotary Trail and Otonabee River. Following the race, families and community members are invited to participate in the Monarch Butterfly Festival starting at noon at Millennium Park. Participants can expect music, dancers, performances and presentations at the festival, while the event will also showcase sustainability and biodiversity initiatives.

The organizers are seeking out sponsors to support the community-led event. If interested, contact Carlotta James via email.

Register for the 10 kilometre race on October 15th, and come out to our Monarch Butterfly Festival to celebrate, to learn more about biodiversity initiatives, and to have fun, all in honour of the monarch butterfly.

To learn more about the Monarch Butterfly Festival and Race visit the website.

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Peterborough Police Issued 40 Tickets During Distracted Driving Campaign

During the Peterborough Police Service’s “Keep Your Eyes” on the road campaign, they have issued 40 distracted driving tickets during its first week, announced on Tuesday.

Photo by Samantha Bianco.

The police urge motorists keep roads safe by:

• Never text while driving

• Pull over to use your phone

• Avoid tasks that may take your attention away from driving

The campaign runs through May with traffic and frontline officers conducting speed enforcement and watching for distracted drivers in high traffic volume areas and residential neighbourhoods. 

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Peterborough Petes Win Bobby Orr Trophy As Eastern Conference Champions, Defeating North Bay 3-2 in Game Seven; Will Face London Knights in OHL Championship

The Peterborough Petes are returning home with the Bobby Orr Trophy as Eastern Conference Champions after a 3-2 victory over the Battalion in Game Seven at the North Bay Memorial Gardens on Monday night.

The Peterborough Petes won back-to-back games on consecutive nights to win the series against the North Bay Battalion. Photo courtesy of David Pickering and the Peterborough Petes.

Both teams finished Game Six in Peterborough on Sunday and are on the second leg of back-to-back games.

North Bay opened the scoring 10:56 into the period as the Battalion recovered the puck in their own zone and started their rush. Josh Bloom made a cross-ice pass to Justin Ertel who took a shot. It was blocked by Gavin White and went back to the stick of Bloom who had a wide open net and scored for a 1-0 lead. That remained the score after the first with Peterborough leading in shots, 14-8.

Peterborough got in rhythm early in the second as Montréal Canadiens prospect Owen Beck started the attack from his own end. He took advantage of a Battalion player who slipped, gained the offensive zone and rifled it past North Bay goaltender Dom DiVincentiis top shelf for a 1-1 tie. Brennan Othmann continued to stay hot during the playoffs as he sniped a shot from a sharp angle to give the Petes a 2-1 lead. That was Othmann’s seventh goal of the playoffs and the eighth point of the series. He has failed to register a point in two of 17 playoff games this postseason for Peterborough. North Bay would tie the game with 7:11 left in the period as Ty Nelson made a point shot and got tipped by Battalion captain Liam Arnsby as both teams headed into the third.

The Petes made their stamp early in the third period as just under six minutes in, Selwyn’s J.R. Avon had a partial breakaway and chipped it over DiVincentiis to give Peterborough a 3-2 lead. The Petes clamped down defensively despite coughing up a penalty as the limited North Bay to five shots in the period. The Battalion pulled their goalie with under two minutes to go in desperation to tie the game. Several Petes blocked many shots to prevent a score and Peterborough held on for a 3-2 win.

Captain Shawn Spearing had taken two blocked shots to the face during the contest and was taken to a local hospital to treat his injuries. During the presentation of the Bobby Orr Trophy for the Eastern Conference Champions, the team held up Spearing’s jersey, honouring their captain’s sacrifice and effort for the win.

Avon, Brian Zanetti and Arnsby were awarded the three stars of the game.

The win gives Peterborough a spot for the franchise’s 14th OHL Championship series and will face the Wayne Gretzky Trophy-champion London Knights for the J. Ross Robertson Cup in a 2006 rematch.

This is Peterborough’s second Bobby Orr trophy since it was introduced in 1999. The Petes made 12 appearances in the OHL Final before the trophy was introduced. The team is looking to capture its 10th J. Ross Robertson Cup.

The full schedule for the OHL Final against the London Knights is as follows:

• Game One – Thursday, May 11 at London, 7 p.m.

• Game Two – Saturday, May 13 at London, 7 p.m.

• Game Three – Monday, May 15 at Peterborough, 7 p.m

• Game Four – Wednesday, May 17 at Peterborough, TBD

• Game Five – Friday, May 19 at London, TBD*

• Game Six – Sunday, May 21 at Peterborough, Time TBD*

• Game Seven – Monday, May 22 at London, TBD*

*If necessary

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Adam Scott Captures Canadian High School Ultimate Frisbee Championships In Ajax

The Adam Scott Collegiate Vocational Institute Lions are returning to Peterborough with gold from the Canadian High School Ultimate (Frisbee) Championships as they defeated Bowmanville High School 13-4 at the Ajax Community Centre Soccer Fields on Sunday.

Photo courtesy of Sarah Hickey and Ultimate Canada.

Adam Scott was the only Peterborough representative for the two-day tournament as one of 16 teams across the country. Schools from Manitoba, Quebec and New Brunswick were in attendance.

The Lions were in Pool A with Collége Sturgeon Heights Collegiate from Winnipeg, Mitchell-Montcalm from Quebec and Merivale High School in Ottawa.

They captured the number one seed after three round-robin games on Saturday and one inter-divisional game on Sunday before qualifying for the playoffs.

The last championship was held by Kelvin High School who are two-time defending champions for 2018 and 2019. Following their finals loss, Bowmanville has been runner-up for three consecutive years.

The Canadian High School Ultimate (Frisbee) Championships have not run since 2019 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Fleming College Students Shine at Skills Ontario

Fleming College students took home medals in multiple categories this week during the annual Skills Ontario competition at the Toronto Congress Centre.

Photo courtesy of Fleming College.

The Skills Ontario competition pit some of the best skilled trades and technology students from across the province against each other during two and a half days of competition. 

The event is also a chance for students to put their learned skills and knowledge to the test in a high-pressure environment while they’re up against the clock, as family, friends and potential future employers cheer them on.   

Owen Mitchell, a graduating student in Fleming’s Welding and Fabrication Technician program, took home a Silver medal in the Welding category.  

Fellow Welding and Fabrication Technician graduate Kenzie Backus scored a Bronze medal in the Metal Fabricator competition.  

Joel Tucker, a recent graduate from the Carpentry Apprenticeship program, nabbed a Bronze medal in the Individual Carpentry competition.  

Fleming students weren’t the only ones recognized for their innovation and creativity this week. Fleming’s high trafficked booth was awarded first place for its unique design and interactive displays, educational value provided, relevance to skilled trades and technologies and the overall memorable experience. The award resulted in a trophy, free booth at the 2024 Career Exploration Showcase, and recognition in the Skills Ontario Newsletter, Summer 2023. 

Fleming College is proud of all that our students, staff and faculty accomplished this week.  

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CMHA HKPR Now Accepting Nominations for Community Mental Health Awards and Annual Tam Grant Bursary

The Canadian Mental Health Association Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge (CMHA HKPR) is now accepting nominations for the Annual Community Mental Health Awards and Tam Grant Bursary.

photo by samantha bianco.

Staff are encouraged to nominate someone who is deserving of recognition for their efforts in improving mental health in the community, including volunteers, community leaders, individuals with lived experience of mental illness and their family members.

CMHA HKPR invites applications for the annual Tam Grant Bursary for students entering post-secondary education with a diagnosed mental illness.

The deadline for award and bursary submissions is 4:30 p.m. on June 23.

CMHA HKPR is calling for submissions for the following awards:

• The Achievement Through Adversity Award honours a client of CMHA HKPR services, or a survivor of mental illness, who has shown continued courage and tenacity in reaching their goals. In education, employment, volunteering, or through the tasks of daily living, this individual is a role model for others on the journey to a healthy life.

• The Maurice Lovnes Award is presented to an individual or individuals who have volunteered with CMHA HKPR, and who have exemplified the following traits during the year: Vision, Dedication, Caring, Support and Commitment.

• Caregiver Champion Award honours a family member or caregiver who has shown continued support to a person living with mental health concerns.

• Naresh James Award recognizes an individual who has championed critical issues, pioneered initiatives, and has achieved lasting impacts in support of those who live with mental health issues, as well as assisting their families and friends. This individual has demonstrated commitment to support individuals who live with mental health challenges through their leadership, advocacy, and perseverance. 

• Champion of Mental Health – CMHA HKPR acknowledges individuals or organizations that have made outstanding contributions in the community by supporting mental health. These contributions should support Knowledge, Hope and Belonging: the three pillars that form the foundation of our organization to enable Mental Health for All.

• Tam Grant Bursary – Access to educational programs is one way for individuals living with schizophrenia or other serious and persistent mental illnesses to realize their own potential. The Tam Grant Memorial Bursary seeks to encourage and support these individuals as they pursue higher education.

Tam Grant Bursary details: Bursaries are awarded each year at our Annual Meeting for registration for the upcoming school year. The maximum amount awarded annually is $1,000.  Applicants must be residents of the Haliburton, Kawartha and Pine Ridge areas (HKPR). For this year’s Tam Grant Memorial Bursary application visit their website.

Successful nominees and applicants will be presented with their award or bursary at the CMHA HKPR Annual Meeting, which will be held on Sept. 23 at the Peterborough Golf and Country Club in Peterborough. Nomination forms for the awards can be found online.

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Peterborough Petes Force Game Seven With 4-3 Comeback Win in Overtime Over North Bay

The Peterborough Petes staved off elimination and forced a game seven after coming back in overtime to get a walk-off goal for a 4-3 victory at the Peterborough Memorial Centre on Sunday.

The Peterborough Petes are 7-1 at home during the playoffs. Photo courtesy of Kenneth ANdersen and the Peterborough Petes.

New Jersey Devils first-round pick Chase Stillman returned to the lineup after serving a two-game suspension that he got in game three for slew-footing.

The Petes got the start that they wanted six minutes into the game, when Shawn Spearing made a long stretch pass to J.R. Avon despite being deflected off a North Bay stick. He ripped it past Battalion goalie Dom DiVincentiis for a 1-0 lead. One minute later, Stillman made his presence felt after being reinserted into the lineup as he tipped home a Connor Lockhart shot to make it 2-0 going into the second.

Peterborough had 14 shots to North Bay’s six in the second period but the score did not reflect the story. Spearing on a powerplay lost control of the puck and turned it over in the neutral zone. Josh Bloom picked up the loose puck and scored shorthanded to get North Bay on the board. In the final minute of the period, North Bay kept on the attack as Liam Arnsby took a shot that deflected wide, bounced off the half-wall and squirted out in front for Anthony Romani to pick up the loose change to make it a 2-2 tie into the third.

Momentum carried in North Bay’s favour into the third as Matvey Petrov on the rush was able to beat Michael Simpson through the five-hole for a 3-2 lead. Sam Mayer’s poise showed up again this series similar to when he scored the game-winning goal in game three. He took a cross-ice pass from Brennan Othmann and wristed it home as DiVincentiis was screened for a 3-3 tie. No goals were recorded for the rest of the period as the game required overtime to settle it.

In overtime, Avery Hayes blocked a shot and created an odd-man rush with him and Othmann leading the charge. The latter passed it to Hayes who one-timed it past DiVincentiis and gave the Petes a 4-3 win in game six.

Hayes, Mayer and DiVincentiis were named three stars of the game.

The Petes and Battalion finish their series in North Bay for Game Seven on Monday night.

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Riverview Park and Zoo Reopened After Being Temporarily Closed From Fire

UPDATE: 11:02 a.m. 08/05/23

Riverview Park and Zoo announced that it has reopened after being temporarily closed by a fire according to a Monday morning tweet.

IN CAPTIVITY, RIVER OTTERS HAVE A LIFE EXPECTANCY OF ABOUT 25 YEARS. PHOTO COURTESY OF Riverview Park and Zoo.

No animals or staff were harmed from the fire according to a tweet just before 11 a.m. Monday.

The Park and Zoo is now open. Due to a fire at the zoo was temporarily closed this morning. Emergency response plans were successful and all animals and staff are safe. Thanks for your patience and understanding while we care for our team. Please check our website for updates.

— Riverview Park & Zoo (@RiverviewZoo) May 8, 2023

The zoo stated in a Tweet that they were closed just before 9:30 a.m. Monday morning. “We are closed until further notice. please keep an eye on social media for updates. Thank you for your patience and understanding.”

The closure affected the gated zoo area however the playground remained open, according to the zoo’s comment on their Facebook post.

Since 1933, Riverview Park and Zoo is Canada’s only free-admission accredited zoo with nearly a quarter of a million annual visitors. It features a disc golf course, a park, a miniature train, splash pads and live music alongside its animal exhibits.

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StoosNews Spotlight: Check Out The Business Beat This Week Featuring Pure Home Grown, Aspire Executive Coaching, CC’s Café and Trent Lakes Cheese

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…

Pete and Darlene Cremers started their business, Pure Home Grown, a few years ago, but the business has been growing…

Growing fresh local produce, including a variety of lettuces, basil, kale, spinach, swiss chard, arugula, cilantro, dill, leaf celery, parsley and more. Their Young’s Point “farm” is located in the old Young’s Point school and utilizes a very unique aquaponic cycle that circulates water between the plants and thousands of Koi fish. You can now purchase their fresh produce through a weekly farm subscription called a pure pack and it is available at numerous local retailers, for details visit purehg.com.

Emma Collyer’s business is called Aspire Executive Coaching.

Collyer works with executives and senior leaders to grow in their careers, enabling them to overcome challenges and empower their teams. Offering Executive Coaching, Career Development Coaching, Leadership Development, Change Management, Team Building, Corporate Training, Life Coaching, Management Consulting, and more, Emma can help you become more effective, by breaking down issues, raising awareness around blind spots and building confidence. For details, or to book a free initial meeting visit aspireexecutivecoaching.ca.

Carolyn Challice is known to her friends as CC.

And it turns out to be a great name for a Café as well. Carolyn took over the former Makin’ Bacon location in the Brookdale Plaza and CC’s Café continues to grow in popularity. Open daily from 7 a.m. – 3 p.m., you’ll find a full breakfast and lunch menu including eggs bennie, breakfast bowls, omelets, pancakes, quesadillas, soups, sandwiches, wraps, burgers and more. Stop at 833 Chemong Rd., Brookdale Plaza, Peterborough.

Kim Locke has taken her weekly farmers market cheese stand and opened her own retail location in Bobcaygeon.

Called Trent Lakes Cheese, Kim offers a variety of international cheeses, Quebec cheeses and Ontario cheese. It includes Gunn’s Hill Artisan Cheese which Kim has been selling at the Market since 2018. Open Wednesday to Sunday, the shop also sells a variety of jellies, charcuterie packages and locally-made cheese and charcuterie boards. Check them out at 60 King St., next to the Ultramar in Bobcaygeon, or online at trentlakescheese.ca or on Facebook or Instagram.

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