New Partnership From Peterborough Lakers Provides Free Game Tickets to Five Counties Children

The Peterborough Lakers have partnered with Five Counties Children’s Centre (FCCC) to provide kids who receive treatment within the organization free tickets to each home game this season, announced on Wednesday.

Photo courtesy of David Pickering and the Peterborough Lakers.

The initiative is part of the Five Counties Ticket Assist Program according to a press release.

There is also the first-ever Little Lakers Night planned for the team’s final regular season home game on July 27. Five Counties staff, volunteers and families will be present at the game, holding a raffle, organizing face painting and other activities and taking part in the ceremonial pre-game ball drop.

“The Peterborough Century 21 Lakers and Five Counties Children’s Centre are a winning combination, and we’re very pleased to be partnering with the team on some wonderful initiatives for our kids and families,” said Scott Pepin, FCCC CEO. “Five Counties is honoured to be part of the Lakers’ ‘drive for five’ this season.”

“The Peterborough Century 21 Lakers believe in giving back to the community – on and off the floor – so we are thrilled to work with Five Counties to spotlight its services and welcome kids and families who use the Centre’s services to enjoy thrilling lacrosse action live and in person,” said Jordan Winch, Lakers’ coordinator.

The Lakers kick off their home opener against the Brampton Excelsiors at the Peterborough Memorial Centre on Thursday. Peterborough opened their season on the road and beat Brampton 11-8 last Friday.

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Trent Valley Archives Offering New Walking Tour Through Jackson Park

Trent Valley Archives (TVA) is offering a new hour and a half walking tour through Peterborough’s Jackson Park on Thursday, June 15.

photo courtesy of trent valley archives.

Jackson Park began as an industrial site before it became a public park in the 1890’s. Later the site of an amusement park and a spot to show outdoor films, the park then became a camp for children with alternative needs in the 1960’s when the City took over the park.

Led by noted historian Karen Carter-Edwards, the tour will explore the fascinating history of this wonderful Peterborough landmark. Participants can discover where the gamblers den, Devil’s gap and famous beach were located.

The tour meets in the upper parking lot through the main gates off Monaghan Road and will commence at 2 p.m.. It will run rain or shine, so TVA asks that participants dress appropriately for the weather and wear comfortable walking shoes.

The cost is $20 per person and registration/payment in advance is required. Tickets are available on the website by reserving with Heather at 705-745-4404, or by email.

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Peterborough Folk Festival Announces Headlining Act Loreena McKennitt To Take the Stage August 20

Award-winning composer and singer Loreena McKennitt is set to headline the Peterborough Folk Festival at Nicholls Oval Park on Sunday, August 20.

photo courtesy of the peterborough folk festival.

McKennitt says that in one way or another, we are all an extension of each other’s history. “Wanting to learn about our neighbours is also a desire to learn about ourselves,” says the singer from Morden, Manitoba.

To date, she has sold over 14 million albums with a catalogue that includes seven studio recordings, three seasonal recordings, a live in-concert DVD and two DVD documentaries.  She’s won two Juno Awards, Canada’s premier music award, and garnered two Grammy Award nominations.

“We are so honoured to have Loreena McKennitt perform at PFF 2023,” says Ryan Kemp, artistic director of the festival. During her recording career spanning more than two decades, McKennitt’s ‘eclectic Celtic’ music has received critical acclaim world-wide, with gold, platinum and multi-platinum sales awards in 15 countries across four continents.

Now in its 34th year, Peterborough Folk Festival strives for gender parity, diversity and inclusivity in the performance line-up and throughout all aspects of the festival. Of the 28 artists who performed at the Festival in 2022, 11 were local.

“Not only is Ms. McKennitt a critically acclaimed singer and composer, she is revered for her passion for human rights and the protection of the environment,” says Kemp. “As the second-largest cultural event in the region promoting inclusivity and diversity, we are so grateful to have Ms. McKennitt share her incredible talent and generosity of spirit with all of those who attend the Festival.”

McKennitt is a member of the Order of Canada and the Order of Manitoba. In 2002 and 2012 she was the recipient of Queen Elizabeth II’s Golden and Diamond Jubilee medals and in 2013 she was appointed to the rank of Knight of the National Order of Arts and Letters by the Republic of France. Recently, she was inducted into the Canadian Songwriter’s Hall of Fame.

Each year, Peterborough Folk Festival welcomes more than 12,000 people to Peterborough and the surrounding region, making it the second-largest cultural event of the Summer season.

The Festival will feature three days of music, culture and community starting August 17th at Market Hall and continuing August 19th-20th at Nicholls Oval Park next to the Otonabee River.

For more information on how to get involved as an artist, volunteer or vendor, head over to the website.

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Saints Edge Griffins In Fifth-Place Match 7-6 In OFSAA Boys Field Lacrosse Championships

The St. Peter’s Saints (SPSS) led once all game but it was enough for a comeback 7-6 win and fifth place over the host Thomas A. Stewart Griffins (TASSS) in the OFSAA Boys Field Lacrosse Championships on Tuesday.

Photo by David Tuan Bui.

The Griffins came out to a 3-0 start in the first quarter, getting an early lead over the COSSA Champion Saints. They battled back to cut the deficit by one to make it a Griffins 3-2 lead but TASSS pulled away with a goal to make it 4-2 into the first half. Jeff Ralph, Griffins’ head coach knew that any lead against the Saints having played them before is never safe.

“We’ve been up against them before. We knew it was going to be a full 60 minutes to get the win against these guys,” he explained.

The Griffins kept their foot on the gas pedal, quickly scoring in the third quarter to restore their three-goal lead, 5-2. At this point, TASSS had dominated in time of possession and shots on goal.

St. Peter’s displayed their resilience and battled back with three goals to make it a 5-5 game.

“Lacrosse is a game of runs, “ explained Rod Willis, Saints head coach. “You might go on a three or four-goal run so we had to be patient, wait until it came and really take advantage of the situation.”

Both teams had traded goals halfway through the fourth quarter with a 6-6 tie, including a game-tying score from Hayden Addison for the Saints.

With just 6:30 left, Addison scored again to give St. Peter’s the first lead of the game. TASSS pressured hard to try and tie the game. With under a minute left in the game, they had a chance to tie it from a high-scoring chance but Saints goaltender Geordy Addison made a clutch save and St. Peter’s was able to run out the clock for a 7-6 win.

Photo by David Tuan Bui.

Both coaches had respect for their respective Peterborough school counterparts.

“All the credit to them, they have a great team,” said Ralph. “They're very well-coached with Rod McGillis in his last high school game.”

“They're very well-coached,” said McGillis. “They have a couple very, very good players and on offense, a good offense. It's hard to stop. It takes a lot of character and a lot of patience and skill to get back into that game.”

McGills has announced his retirement from coaching following the game.

Both teams had won their first game on championship day in order to play each other for fifth place. The Saints beat the Denis Morris Reds based out of St. Catherines 11-9. The Griffins took down the Neil McNeil Maroons from Scarborough, 8-6.

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QUAKERborough Releases New Commercial Highlighting Plant Employees in the Peterborough Community

Quaker Oats (PepsiCo Canada) has released a new commercial for the QUAKERborough brand, which includes employees from the local Quaker Plant at 34 Hunter St. W.

Photo courtesy of citizen relations PR.

“In 1902, Peterborough welcomed Quaker into the proud community we now like to call QUAKERborough – a place with great food and welcoming neighbours who make you feel right at home,” says Logan Chambers, Senior Director of Marketing with PepsiCo Canada. “Acknowledging the warmth and support that Quaker has received over the years, the brand is on a mission to personally welcome newcomers to the city with open arms with the help of our dedicated plant employees and the New Canadians Centre in Peterborough.”

The process started in April of this year, when Peterborough’s New Canadians Centre advertised a casting call on social media for a family new to the community.

Now two months later, the commercial shows the QUAKERborough van driving around the community, and assisting the new family in moving a couch into their home.

To view the full commercial, visit the link.

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4th Line Theatre Seeking Retro Prop Donations For Upcoming Summer Production

Dig out your attic for some relics as 4th Line Theatre is seeking prop donations or loans of items from the 60s for their upcoming production, ‘The Tilco Strike’ which is running from June 27 - July 22.

CAST MEMBERS FROM IAN MCLACHLAN AND ROBERT WINSLOW'S CROW HILL: THE TELEPHONE PLAY OF 2018. PHOTO COURTESY OF WAYNE EARDLEY AND 4TH LINE THEATRE.

The Theatre is asking for 1960s items either for loan or donations. These include bowling shoes, bowling pins, a bowling bag, an adding machine, bolo ties, a punch clock and a cardholder.

Volunteers are also needed for the productions. Anyone who signs up can also view any show for free.

Those looking to volunteer, need more information or donate are asked to send a photo to e-mail admin@4thlinetheatre.on.ca.

Written by D’Arcy Jenish and directed by Cynthia Ashperger, The Tilco Strike recounts the year-long fight between 35 poorly paid women and their hard-nosed male bosses at Tilco Plastics in Peterborough. The company was determined to crush the women and their union according to 4th Line Theatre.

The strike began in December 1965 over a $25 bonus and escalated into an epic battle between organized labour and strike-breaking employers. The women lost their fight but changed labour relations in Ontario forever.

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Peterborough Legion Branch 52 Finishes Second In Provincial Darts Tournament

Members of Peterborough Legion Branch 52 hit the mark and took home silver in mixed darts at Branch 498 in Grand Bend, Ont. held on Saturday.

Photo courtesy of the Peterborough Legion.

Teams from all over the province were invited to attend and compete in the annual The Royal Canadian Legion Darts tournament.

Peterborough’s Terry Ainsworth, Holly Lucy, Melody Nauta and Shane Scanlan were representing Branch 52.

June 1 is the next scheduled for next year’s event.

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Peterborough Teams Split Games In OFSAA Field Lacrosse Championship, Teams Aim for Consolation Championship Tuesday

St. Peter’s Secondary School Saints (SPSS) and Thomas A. Stewart Secondary School Griffins (TASSS) will have to compete for the consolation championship as both teams had a split record of 1-1 during the round-robin portion of the OFSAA Field Lacrosse AAA Championship on Monday.

Photo by David Tuan Bui.

Both teams had great starts to the championship.

COSSA champions SPSS defeated the Mayfield Mavericks 14-2 in the tournament’s opening contest at TASSS’s field.

“We came lights-out ready and we were a stronger team,” said Rod McGillis, Saints head coach. “We played well, it was a good game for us to work on our plays and get ready for game two.”

Host school TASSS had coasted their way to a win in this first game against Sacred Heart Crusaders with a 14-7 win. The Griffins had let in the first two goals before going on a six-point streak to run away with the contest.

Roughly over 250 students were in attendance at this game during school time to watch and cheer on the Griffins.

“We had the school community out here, the vibes were good and our big dogs stepped up today,” said Jeff Ralph, Griffins head coach. “That's what you need to do in a big tournament like this, you have to rely on your best players.”

Both teams ran into snags in their second and final round-robin games. Wins would propel them into the semifinals but losses would send them down to the consolation championships.

The Saints had lost a close game to the Wellington Falcons after failing to find the back of the net despite multiple scoring chances in the fourth quarter. SPSS fell 11-8 and would have to compete for fifth place on Tuesday.

“You have to give them credit, they're very well-coached, they're disciplined, they play the way we do,” said Gillis. “They did all the things right, they were a really tough opponent and you have to give them credit.”

Photo by David Tuan Bui.

TASSS was the last game of Monday but they fell to the Brooklin Bears 12-9 after falling behind early with a five-goal deficit. They attempted to mount a comeback in the second half getting as close with a three-goal deficit but just fell short.

“I was proud of the boys,” said Ralph. “We played Brooklin earlier in the season in the Trent tournament. We lost by a goal and it was a battle. We knew what were getting into today, the boys looked a little down early, we called a timeout, regrouped, picked their heads back up and we bounced back in the second half.”

Both teams have won their day-two games and will compete against each other for fifth place at TASSS at 2 p.m.

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Jasbir Raina Unanimously Appointed City's New Chief Administrative Officer After Monday's Council Meeting

Peterborough City Council has unanimously approved the appointment of Jasbir Raina as the City of Peterborough’s new Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) effective immediately announce at a Council meeting on Monday night.

Photo courtesy of the City of Peterborough.

Raina began working for the City in June last year as the role of Commissioner of Infrastructure and Planning Services as part of the City’s senior leadership team after working in senior roles at the City of Brampton and the City of Mississauga over the last15 years. He is an engineer and has a Master of Business Administration degree, has extensive professional experience in the public sector in various positions over 30 years.

The CAO is the top administrative position that reports directly to City Council, overseeing the implementation of policies set by Council through the delivery of services by the City of Peterborough’s municipal workforce according to a press release.

“Mr. Raina’s commitment and dedication to the citizens of Peterborough has clearly been demonstrated in his previous role as Commissioner of Infrastructure and Planning Services,” said Mayor Jeff Leal. “We look forward to his leadership and guidance in his new role as Chief Administrative Officer.”

Raina replaces Sandra Clancy, who retired as CAO following a 38-year career with the City of Peterborough.

“It is a great honour to lead the team of professional and dedicated staff who are fully committed to delivering services to the City’s residents,” said Raina “I am beyond excited to take on this value-creating role at the City. I would like to thank the Mayor and members of Council for entrusting me to be City’s next CAO. I look forward to working collaboratively with the Mayor, Council, our community, and all stakeholders to advance priorities of Council to build a Future Ready Peterborough.”

Raina’s professional experience includes serving in the following positions:

• Commissioner, Public Works and Engineering, City of Brampton

• Director, Facilities Services/Operations and Maintenance, City of Brampton

• Manager, Capital Planning and Asset Management, City of Mississauga

• Manager, Facilities Operations and Property Management, City of Mississauga

Raina has a Master of Engineering from the Naval Institute of Technology and a Master of Business Administration from Athabasca University. He also has a Project Management designation through the Project Management Institute and a law certificate from Harvard University.

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Crossing Guard Appreciation Week June 5 to 9

The City of Peterborough is encouraging residents to show their support and appreciation for their neighbourhood crossing guards during Crossing Guard Appreciation Week from June 5 to 9.

photo courtesy of the city of peterborough.

“It's important to recognize the many people working as crossing guards who help our students have a safe journey to and from school each day. As a community, we count on their friendly, dedicated commitment to the safety of our children,” said Councillor Keith Riel, transportation portfolio chair. “We hope that students, parents, and drivers take a moment this week to tell our crossing guards how much you appreciate them.”

If you are interested in becoming a crossing guard with the City of Peterborough, apply online or contact the City via phone 705-742-7777 ext. 1787 or by email.

Quick facts:

• The City of Peterborough currently employs 52 school crossing guards and is looking to fill more positions for September 2023.

• All vehicles and cyclists are required by the Ontario Highway Traffic Act to stop and wait until children and Crossing Guards have cleared the entire roadway at school crossings before proceeding

Support your local crossing guards by:

Stop when a crossing guard raises his or her stop sign.

Take notice of whether a guard is on duty and slow down when approaching school crossing locations.

Obey the law. Remain stopped until all children and the crossing guard have completely exited the roadway.

Proceed with caution – obey posted speed limits and observe all no stopping and no parking signs – park in designated areas only.

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