Peterborough Youth Commission Meeting May 30
/The Peterborough Youth Commission will host a meeting on May 30 from 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. at City Hall in the Doris Room.
photo courtesy of the city of peterborough.
Peterborough Blogs
Residents in the Otonabee Region Watershed Plant Over 12,000 Trees This Spring
/This year Otonabee Conservation’s Tree Seedling Sales program received 109 orders from property owners across the watershed, and residents ordered over 12,075 native trees and shrubs that were planted throughout the region.
Meredith Carter, Manager of Watershed Management Program (left) and Candace Clark, Watershed Biologist (right) take inventory of tree seedlings as they were distributed to local residents who purchased bulk tree seedings through Otonabee Conservation this spring. photo courtesy of otonabee conservation.
Each year, Otonabee Conservation encourages landowners to enhance their property, increase biodiversity and mitigate climate change impacts by planting trees. The Conservation Authority offers a wide selection of native tree and shrub species for landowners to purchase at affordable prices, thanks to a subsidy provided by Forests Ontario.
“Trees play an important role in maintaining a healthy and resilient natural environment. Trees provide shade that can provide cooling for our homes, watercourses, and greenspaces,” explains Meredith Carter, manager of the Watershed Management Program at Otonabee Conservation. “This year, many people are replacing trees that were damaged or destroyed in the May 2022 Derecho, while others were planting trees to enhance their property. These are all great reasons to plant trees, and the seedlings planting this spring will sequester over 2.5 million kilograms of Carbon over their lifetime.”
Mitigating climate change is one positive outcome of planting trees. Trees also provide clean air, and spending time in forests has physical and mental health benefits. Landowners also plant trees to protect water quality in rivers and streams, provide habitat for birds and other wildlife, and add to the health of our communities by purifying the air and enhancing the environment that surrounds us.
Each year, Otonabee Conservation’s Tree Seedling Sales are available starting in January. Otonabee Conservation also works with local landowners and community partners throughout the year to plant trees on private and public properties.
For more information, visit the website.
Peterborough Man Becomes Millionaire Hitting Jackpot With LOTTARIO Draw
/Peterborough Robert Farr hit the jackpot of $1,225,254.80 from the Jan. 21 LOTTARIO draw, announced on Wednesday.
Photo courtesy of OLG.
“When choosing numbers, I often close my eyes and poke at my ticket with a pencil,” said Farr.
The 53-year-old checking his ticket at the store when he discovered his win.
“The store clerk handed me a long validation slip and I thought, ‘What just happened?’ I felt numb,” explained Farr.
He plans to help family members, donate to local charities and invest a portion of his winnings.
“I’m happy to be financially stable,” said Farr. It feels very good.”
The winning ticket was purchased at Brookdale Kwik Mart on Chemong Road in Peterborough.
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17th Jukebox Mania Raises Over $44,000 For Community Counselling and Resource Centre
/The music got the community generous as the 17th edition of Jukebox Mania raised over $44,000 for Community Counselling and Resource Centre (CCRC) announced on Tuesday.
Photo courtesy of CCRC.
The event was held last Friday at The Venue. The $44,000 raise was grossed with a net revenue of just under $25,000. The money supports CCRC programs and services.
This was the first in-person Jukebox Mania since 2019 and the first-ever hybrid experience. It had some teams playing in person, while others joined from locations as far as Kelowna, B.C.
“We were so thrilled to see so many people back in person this year,” said Kirsten Armbrust, CCRC Executive director. “Thank you to all of our sponsors, donors and participants for making JBM 2023 fabulous. We are looking forward to seeing you all again next year.”
We Drink Wine, a virtual community team took the top prize this year, followed closely by the Lyrical Labourers and The Wolf/Global/Fresh Radio rounded out our top three.
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Voice of Business: Investing In a DEI Strategy Makes Businesses More Competitive
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A quick look around the workplace can provide a snapshot of a business investment in diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI).
Some businesses have been actively and strategically investing in DEI for decades while others have come on board more recently.
While there’s no question that creating workplaces that welcome and support people of various backgrounds and identities is inherently a good thing — it’s also good for business.
A study by McKinsey & Company found that companies with higher racial and ethnic diversity are 35 per cent more likely to have financial returns above their respective national industry medians. Additionally, gender-diverse companies are 15 per cent more likely to outperform their peers.
Workplaces that foster an environment where people with different life experiences, different cultures, different abilities, and different identities all are empowered to contribute meaningfully will create stronger, more resilient businesses.
An article in the Harvard Business Review titled How Investing in DEI Helps Companies Become More Adaptable highlights companies that invest in DEI are more adaptable to change. Companies with the highest DEI scores were considered to be 80 per cent more able to change. In an era of constant change and volatility on a global scale, the ability to change and adapt is crucial.
Additionally, investing in DEI helps a business attract and retain talent. According to the Canadian Chamber of Commerce Canadian Survey on Business Conditions Report, Q3 2022, 39 per cent of respondents identified recruiting skilled employees as an obstacle to business over the next three months, 37 per cent listed a shortage of labour force and 31 per cent identified retaining skilled employees.
If a prospective employee looks around your workplace or hops on your website to see staff and board profiles and doesn’t see people they can relate to, it’s going to take more effort to convince them that your workplace is a good fit. Employers are having to recruit differently to find talent, including targeting different demographics than they might have in the past.
The Peterborough and the Kawarthas Chamber of Commerce recently held our annual Business Summit, which featured a well-attended workshop on DEI and a workforce panel discussion where DEI was one of the most popular topics of discussion for the business community.
An article from Insight Global highlights nine benefits of strong DEI in the workplace:
Reach a more extensive and inclusive talent pool
Diverse workplace teams are more likely to perform better financially
Inclusivity fosters a sense of belonging for employees
Higher employee retention and lower turnover
Diverse workplaces breed innovation
Inclusion can improve business decision-making
Equity and inclusion can tackle workplace burnout
Creates a competitive business advantage
DE&I protects company culture
The Canadian Chamber of Commerce SME Institute has a brief titled DEI: What it is and why you should have a strategy which gives an overview of how to move forward with DEI goals.
A diverse, equitable and inclusive workplace won’t happen by accident. Businesses looking to take this seriously need to be intentional and create a strategy to get where they want to be. For those looking for a bit of help getting started or getting connected, the Chamber network has resources and there are many local organizations with the knowledge and tools to help.
Content provided by the Peterborough and the Kawarthas Chamber of Commerce.
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Electric City Culture Council and the 2023 Artsweek Team Present LOOK OUT!
/The Electric City Culture Council (EC3) and the 2023 Artsweek Team are pleased to present LOOK OUT! a suite of works by 4 local visual and media artists popping up in unexpected places in downtown Peterborough from May 8 to 14.
photo courtesy of ec3.
Artsweek brings some of Peterborough’s most engaging artists down from the walls and out of the galleries to appear on city streets and sidewalks. Curated by Artsweek Executive Producer Su Ditta this project introduces both established and emerging artists to the public with work that is evocative, cheeky and thought provoking. Look Out! and check out artists: Sioux Dickson, Cassandra Lee, LA Alphonso/Age of Moss (Paul Moss) and Sammy Tangir.
Project: Shadow Selves
Artist: Sioux Dickson
Description: A photographic conversation about being a part of and apart from.
Date: Opens May 8.
Location: 210 Hunter St. West, front window of PBO Kawartha (Prosthetics, Bracing, and Orthotics).
Project: An Ode to Trees
Artist: Casandra Lee
Description: “An Ode to Trees involves hanging painted tree cookies on five of my favourite trees in our urban landscape of downtown Nogojiwanong-Peterborough. Trees intrigue me whenever I am outside and are an important point of interest for me. I want to share the joy I feel from seeing a beautiful tree. The installation is an invitation to the public to pause and take a moment to acknowledge and appreciate the life of the trees we live amongst downtown. The artwork will be placed at various heights and tied to the trees in a non-harmful way. Cookies will be cut from a fallen cedar tree that was a victim of the May 2022 Derecho. The paintings will be colourful depictions of spring.”
Date: Opens May 8.
Location: Trees in downtown Peterborough:
· Tree to the right of the Peterborough Public Library (in front of the parking lot, 345 Aylmer St N).
· Tree in front of Sandy's Variety Store (near the corner of Aylmer St and Hunter St W).
· Tree behind Black Honey Café in the courtyard (through the alley off of Hunter St W, or the driveway off of Aylmer St next to GreenUP).
· Tree between La Hacienda and Sam’s Place (on Hunter St W).
· Tree in front of Kit Coffee (on Hunter St W between George St and Water St).
Project: POV
Artists: LA Alfonso, Age of Moss (Paul Moss)
Description: In places that act as a default audio/visual history archive, video artists LA Alfonso and Age of Moss (Paul Moss) infiltrate and activate the site’s media file systems for random ephemeral public consumption.
Date: May 8 from 10 pm to Midnight, and then May 9 to May 12, from 9 pm to Midnight.
Location: Paradigm Pictures, 161 King Street.
Project: Winter Weeds and Spring Shoots
Artist: Sammy Tangir
Description: Winter Weeds is intended as a spark of inspiration to notice plants at a time of year when they are not growing and are likely to be passed by and underappreciated. This takes form as a zine with a collection of photos of plants in their winter wares! Spring Shoots is an activation that brings the intention of Winter Weeds into the present environment, inviting people to explore and notice the great diversity of spring plants thriving amongst the concrete around Water and Charlotte Street.
Date: Tuesday May 9th and Wednesday May 10th from 4:30-6:30pm.
Location: Outside Ministry of Natural Resources 300 Water St.
Peterborough Primed To Win OHL Championship Against London Knights In 2006 Rematch
/Shortly after winning the Bobby Orr Trophy as OHL Eastern Conference Champions, the Peterborough Petes begin their quest to win the OHL Championship with Game One against the London Knights in a deja vu situation beginning Thursday.
Both teams split the series with teh home team winning their respective games in their regular-season matchups. Photo courtesy of Kenneth Andersen and the Peterborough Petes.
This is a rematch of 2006 where both teams faced each other in the OHL Championship with Peterborough sweeping London for the title.
The Peterborough Petes defeated the Sudbury Wolves in four games, Ottawa 67’s in six games and North Bay Battalion in seven games to advance to the OHL Championship.
Peterborough and London faced each other twice during the regular season, splitting the series with both victories at home. London won 5-2 on Dec. 10 while the Petes shutout the Knights 3-0 on Jan. 26 at the Peterborough Memorial Centre.
“We haven’t played them much in the last couple of years due just with all the Covid and stuff going on,” said Chase Stillman, Petes forward. “I felt like we match up pretty well against them in the regular season, in the two games we played them and it’s going to be sticking to the same structure in the playoffs so far.”
“We’ve got work to do,” said Rob Wilson, Petes head coach.”We know they’re a good team. The whole organization is a tough opponent but we have to start with the coaches and then the players have to bring what they can bring. It's one game at a time.”
The Petes brought in several players at the trade deadline with Brennan Othmann, Gavin White, Avery Hayes, Owen Beck and more. Several of the acquisitions have made major impacts for the Petes during the playoffs, something Petes general manager intended to do for a playoff push.
“We knew that we owed it to the players and to the organization and fans that because of the play that we demonstrated in the first half, we were going to do whatever could do to strengthen and solidify the roster,” said Michael Oke, Petes general manager.
The Petes depth has been tested during the series. Johnathan Melee sustained a lower-body injury in Game Five (and was out for the series), captain Shawn Spearing sustained a head injury after blocking a shot in the first period in Game Seven and Avery Hayes had a lower-body injury from blocking a shot in Game One. Hayes returned to the lineup in Game Three. Spearing has yet to be cleared to play and Wilson said he has yet to receive a prognosis on Spearing’s condition.
Cam Gauvreau and Chase Stillman also served two-game suspensions in that were doled out in Games Six and Three respectively.
“Anytime you go into the playoffs, depth is key,” said Oke. “It's going to be challenged, there's going to be adversity. We've got a resilient group, it seems that if one guy goes down, someone else picks it up.”
Wilson credits the players for coming together at the right time when it matters most.
“It's a credit to players that were here and it's a credit to the players that were brought in,” he explained. “These guys have really come together and they've really wanted to play for each other and I think they've proved that.”
Rob Wilson ahs been head coach of the Petes since 2018. Photo by David Tuan bui.
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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Peterborough Canada Day Parade Seeking Float Entries
/The 2023 Peterborough Canada Day Parade will take place on Saturday, July 1, and local community groups and businesses are invited to participate by entering a float.
photo courtesy of the city of peterborough.
The Canada Day Parade welcomes both community groups and commercial floats. Commercial floats will be charged a fee of $125 with fees payable online. Each parade entry will require a representative to attend a safety orientation meeting on June 17 from 11 a.m. to noon at the Board Room of Healthy Planet Arena (911 Monaghan Rd.)
Parade entry forms are available online, and paper copies are available at the Peterborough Sport & Wellness Centre (775 Brealey Dr.), and City Hall (500 George St. N.) Entries will be accepted until June 9 at 4:30 p.m.
“This year's parade will be something for everyone to enjoy. It is more important than ever for our community to celebrate Canada's 156th birthday as the return to normal continues. Cogeco proudly supports the parade through our sponsorship and live coverage on YourTV,” said David Feeley, senior manager at YourTV.
The Canada Day Parade organizing committee encourages the community to wear red and white to celebrate Canada’s birthday.
For more details, visit the website.
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Peterborough Hosting Inaugural MEGABike Fundraiser On June 1
/Get up to 30 riders to join in on Big Brothers Big Sisters of Peterborough’s (Peterborough Bigs) first annual MEGABike fundraiser for June 1, announced on Monday.
Photo courtesy of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Peterborough.
