Peterborough Blogs
Celebrate Summer Solstice with Right to Heal at Farmhill Weddings
/Right to Heal Peterborough invites the community to experience a Summer Solstice event at Farmhill Weddings on June 20– where Heaven and Earth unite on the longest day and shortest night of the year.
photo courtesy of right to heal.
“Summer solstice is a time to honour the sun, and our ancestors celebrated these times in the Wheel of the Year with community gatherings,” explained Liz Shaughnessy, organizer with Right to Heal. “We planted our seeds of intentions in the spring, and the springtime is a time for action. Summer is the time of nourishment and to take care of the things we planted.”
The fundraising campaign focuses on community healing, with all proceeds going towards funding the Right to Heal organization.
“Right to Heal was born as a way to bring funding to our area to help people who are struggling,” Liz explains. “My mom has been fighting for 20 years for this to happen, so that’s also why we’re doing this fundraiser.”
“It’s a time to reflect on the first half of the year, set your intentions for the summer, and sunset meditation. Then we end the evening by letting go of what no longer serves us during a powerful fire ceremony,” she continued. “That’s why (the event) is happening on the summer solstice, because we’re looking to nourish our community and to get excited about what we’re trying to achieve locally. We are helping the people on the streets, or those that are hiding behind closed doors who people don’t know have an addiction.”
Those interested in this event can celebrate Summer Solstice with Right to Heal at Farmhill Weddings (2709 Dillon Road, Peterborough) from 6:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. on June 21.
The summer solstice is a sober event, and will feature a guest speaker who has been through Right to Heal’s services, as well as raffles from local businesses and a number of outdoor activities including a sunset meditation.
For tickets and more information visit the link.
Sisters-In-Law Found New Private School Evergreen Education Beginning this September
/Teachers and sister-in-laws Kayley Dunn and Sarah Dunn are opening a new private school Evergreen Education located at the Edmison Heights Baptist Church basement and are accepting enrollments for September.
Teachers Kayley Dunn (left) and Sarah Dunn (right) prepping for the next school year as they will open their private school Evergreen Education this September. Both of their husbands are brothers. Photo by David Tuan Bui.
The school is accepting children from kindergarten to grade three and looking to get around 22 students total with classes of no more than 15 students, enrolled for the upcoming school year.
Kayley and Sarah focus on self-paced and ‘mastery-based’ learning rather than every child learning at the same rate.
“Teachers are teaching students at their level and so if you have a big class of 26, the idea is that that teacher is meeting all those 26 students' needs because they're not all necessarily at the same academic level,” explained Sarah. “That's really hard to do and it's not the teacher's fault, there's so many things at play. Each student in our class will have their own tracking system, their own goals each day and so they know where they are in their learning.”
Both teachers want to teach self-awareness, others-awareness, social skills and empathy to the children in ‘emotional intelligence.’
“We have a whole curriculum we're following, exercises and a chunk of time every morning designated for emotional learning for students,” said Sarah. That's also unique to our school and our program and outdoor education.”
"It won't just be outdoor play, we will be teaching our subjects outside and integrating outdoors throughout,” said Kayley.
The idea of the school stemmed from both women spending time together since both their husbands are brothers. Two duo had their children and maternity leave around the same time and collaborated on the idea. It was inspired from the COVID-19 pandemic as several children had alternate learning conditions and restrictions placed for a few years that could not give students the full school experience.
“We also saw a lot of gaps in the learning as we went back from the pandemic, seeing so many kids grade levels behind or above because home life was different for everyone,” explained Kayley. “We looked at the system right now and how everything's being taught and were, 'we could close those gaps so easily with a different model of teaching.’”
Sarah and Kayley wanted to deliver quality education at Evergreen to Peterborough in the same respect as they would want their own children to receive.
“I wanted to give my kids a quality education and felt like Sarah and I could give them that,” explained Kayley. “We felt like we could actually do a wonderful job at providing a quality education to everyone.”
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Free Fishing In Ontario For Father's Day Weekend
/For those who want a way to celebrate with their dads, the Ontario Government has permitted free fishing this Father’s Day weekend.
“Fishing is a great family pastime,” said Graydon Smith, Minister of Natural Resources and Forestry. “With fishing being free this Father’s Day weekend, it’s a great time to get out on one of Ontario’s lakes or rivers and enjoy this wonderful sport.”
Several species such as yellow perch, carp, northern pike, lake trout and walleye are eligible for this weekend’s fishing. The Ontario Government reminds the public to follow all limits on how many fish you can keep as some waterbodies have exceptions. The Fishing Regulations Summary has a list of limitations for this weekend.
All conservation license catch limits and carry ID issued by the provincial or federal government, showing your name and date of birth are still in effect.
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Innovation Cluster Announces Search for New Executive Director to Succeed Interim CEO
/The Innovation Cluster Peterborough and the Kawarthas have announced their search for a new Executive Director to replace Interim CEO Nicole Stephenson, who will be stepping down later this year to return to her role as the Chair of the Board of Directors.
photo courtesy of innovation cluster.
“I am proud to have served the Innovation Cluster during this transitional period. We continue to foster an environment that encourages entrepreneurship, innovation, and growth, and I am excited to see fresh leadership continue our vital work,” said Stephenson.
She is said to have been a driving force in guiding the Innovation Cluster through its transitional phase following the departure of previous CEO Michael Skinner and President John Gillis. Her leadership during this time has been invaluable as she led the organization through a new strategic direction and mindset shift.
Now, the Innovation Cluster seeks a dynamic and experienced Executive Director to lead its community of over 100 startups, entrepreneurs, investors and partners and support them in their journey. This pivotal role involves responsibilities including strategic planning, fiscal management, stakeholder relationships, and overseeing day-to-day operations.
The successful candidate will have at least 10 years of experience in a senior leadership role, ideally as a founder, innovator, or executive, with a deep understanding of the entrepreneurial journey and success factors. Other preferred qualifications include a post-secondary degree or diploma in business, management, entrepreneurship, public policy, engineering, or a related field and a proven track record in securing funding and managing complex organizations.
“The new Executive Director will play a key role in moving the strategic vision of the Innovation Cluster forward,” Stephenson added. “We are confident that the individual selected will continue to build upon the solid foundation established and drive the Cluster to new heights."
The Board of Directors is now accepting applications for the role of Executive Director. Full job details and application instructions can be found in the job posting. The deadline for applications is Sunday, July 16.
Peterborough Lakers Down Cobourg Kodiaks With Third Period Surge at Home, 10-8
/The Peterborough Lakers took down the Cobourg Kodiaks for a second time this week thanks to a third-period surge, beating them 10-8 at the Peterborough Memorial Centre on Thursday night.
Photo courtesy of David Pickering and the Peterborough Lakers.
The Kodiaks got off to a hot start on both sides during the first 15 minutes of the game. Cobourg kicked off with three straight goals, twice from Tyler Hendryks and one from Tanner Buck for a 3-0 lead. The Kodiak’s Emerson Clark got himself into some penalty trouble, getting a roughing, fighting and instigator penalty including a second major that helped Peterborough’s power play came alive with 5:33 left in the period. Peterborough had a 10-minute power play that saw Josh Currier twice and Holden Cattoni got three powerplay goals to tie it 3-3 at the end of the first.
Peterborough continued their power play onslaught with Turner Evans to kick off the second period for a 4-3 lead. Cobourg mustered a shorthanded goal at the tail end of the major penalty as Curtis Romancych tied the game. Hendryks got his hat trick not halfway through the game to give Cobourg the lead. Thomas Hoggarth and Tanner Buck scored a goal apiece for the Lakers and Kodiaks respectively that saw Cobourg lead 6-5 after two periods.
The Lakers took over the game once the final frame began. Despite being short-handed, Hoggarth got his second of the game followed by Austin Hasen getting on the score sheet, 29 seconds later. Cattoni capped his second of the game and Hoggarth joined the scoring again, getting a hat trick. Hasen scored the second time this period to round out the five-goal run for the Lakers to lead 10-6. Cobourg mustered two goals but it was too little, too late as the Lakers hung on for the 10-8 win.
The win keeps Peterborough in second place in the league with a 4-2 record while Cobourg is in fourth with a 1-4 record.
The Lakers head to Brampton to take on the Excelsiors on Sunday in their third matchup of the season. Both teams defeated each other on the road in their first two games.
Peterborough Petes Alumni John Parker-Jones Signs One-Way Contract With Laval Rocket
/Former Peterborough Pete John Parker-Jones signed a one-year one-way contract with Montréal Canadiens American Hockey League affiliate Laval Rocket on Tuesday.
Photo courtesy of the PEterborough Petes.
Parker-Jones spent 2017-21 with the Petes —with the last year out due to Covid — playing 141 games with Peterborough. He scored 12 goals and 14 assists and played in five playoff games.
The Brantford native recorded two goals and one assist in 20 games with the Rocket last season. He signed his first contract with Laval in October last year.
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Third-Annual 'Be a Saint" St. Joseph's At Fleming Golf Fundraiser Tournament In Full Swing
/Roughly 80 golfers hit the links at the third-annual "Be a Saint" St. Joseph's at Fleming fundraiser at the Quarry Golf Club on Thursday afternoon.
Celebrity golf entertainer and instructor Todd Keirstead getting the trust of Jennifer Armstrong as he rockets a tee shot off her as one of his many trick shots. Keirstead was a guest entertainer at the 15th hole at the Quarry Golf Club. Photo by David Tuan Bui.
All proceeds go towards St. Joseph’s to upgrade its infrastructure since the long-term care home is roughly 20 years old and needs work according to administrative coordinator Sarah Cox.
“Being a building that runs every day of the year, 24/7, there are some capital upgrades we need,” she explained. “Flooring, our HVAC systems, new technology, medical equipment, things like that are what we are trying to raise money for the 200 residents that live at St. Joseph's.”
Cox said last year’s event raised roughly $26,000 and aims to meet if not exceed that goal for the tournament’s third inception. The ultimate goal over the next few years is to raise $3.5 million.
“We're about $1.6 million into that so there's still a few years to go,” said Cox. “We do different fundraisers all year around, Christmas mailings, stuff with the families at St. Joseph's to get them involved. Just different fundraisers to raise money towards that $3.5 million.”
A silent auction was held after the tournament as an additional source to raise funds for the not-for-profit long-term care home.
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Public Art Project Renaissance On Hunter 2023 Is Underway
/The 2023 Renaissance on Hunter public art projects are underway, with the installation of a series of road murals and poetry gardens on Hunter Street between George and Aylmer.
photo courtesy of the city of peterborough
Now in its third year, Renaissance on Hunter is a public art initiative that is coordinated through the City of Peterborough public art program with support from the Downtown Business Improvement Area (DBIA) and GreenUP.
The Poetry Gardens Project
Designed and installed by GreenUP, the gardens were planted in late May, with prairie grasses and native flowering plants. The meandering wildflower meadow will serve as a backdrop for a rotation of poetry from June to September. This month the gardens feature works by the 2023 Poet Laureate, Ziysah von Bieberstein, and Peterborough’s first Poet Laureate, Sarah Lewis. The names of the nine poets whose work will be featured over the summer will be announced at the end of the month.
The Road Mural Project
The 2023 road murals are being installed through a mentorship program. Ten artists were selected to be mentored under the artists who created the 2022 road murals. The teams will work together to refresh the 2022 murals and incorporate elements designed by the mentees. Road murals are expected to be completed by the end of June, weather permitting.
Artist teams by site
Site 1: Odoonabii II by mentor Aaron Robitaille, with mentees Kelly King, Em Farquhar Barrie, and Holly Edwards.
Site 2: Glacial Formation II by mentor Josh Morley, with mentees Sarah St. Pierre and Bethany Davis.
Site 3: Flight of the Pollinators II by mentor Brooklin Holbrough, with mentees Justine- Marie Williams and Deanna Henry.
Site 4: Nothing Out of Reach II by mentor Nuin-Tara Morin, with mentees Aryan Bhagat and Cassandra Shaw.
Parkhill Road West to Undergo Major Infrastructure Upgrade Beginning Monday; Detour Routes Posted
/Parkhill Road West from Aylmer Street North to George Street is closed to through traffic for a major infrastructure project to being on Monday.
File photo.
The work includes excavation, grading, removal and installation of storm sewers, sanitary sewers, watermain, storm, sanitary and water services, low impact development (LID) features, stormwater management, new curb and gutters and sidewalks. The project will also include structure adjustments, asphalt milling, base and surface asphalt installation, tree plantings, signage installations and pavement markings. Access to local traffic is being maintained during that time.
The project was awarded to Trisan Construction with completion expected by spring of next year.
Detour routes will be posted.
"The Parkhill Road West Reconstruction project is a crucial investment in our City's infrastructure,” said Mayor Jeff Leal. “The upgrades and improvements will enhance safety, promote efficient traffic flow, and contribute to sustainability through Low Impact Development Features as well as upgraded storm water management.”
Traffic management and calming measures will be in place including reconfiguring Parkhill Road at Bethune Street and at Aylmer Street to improve traffic and pedestrian safety, adding a raised median and closing the south leg of Bethune Street at Parkhill Road.
"We understand that road construction can cause inconveniences and we appreciate the patience and cooperation of the community during this project,” said Blair Nelson, City of Peterborough’s engineering and capital works director. “Our team will work diligently to minimize disruptions and maintain local traffic access to the greatest extent possible.”
Delays may be experienced by local traffic during the construction period.
Residents and stakeholders are encouraged to stay informed about the project and related updates by visiting the City's community engagement portal online.
Detour routes will be the following:
The eastbound traffic detour on Parkhill Road is Reid Street to McDonnel Street to Water Street to Parkhill Road.
The westbound traffic detour on Parkhill Road is George Street to McDonnel Street to Reid Street to Parkhill Road.
The alternate detour route for George Street southbound traffic is Barnardo Avenue to Wolsely Street to Chemong Road to Reid Street to Parkhill Road.
Elcombe Crescent will be closed from Water Street to Parkhill Road West for the duration of the detour routes. Access to local properties will be maintained.
Transit detours
Route 9 Parkhill will operate on a detour route during the construction
Eastbound route will travel from Parkhill Road south on Reid Street, east on McDonnel Street, and turn north on Water Street where it will continue east on Parkhill Road
Westbound route will travel south on George Street from Parkhill Road to turn west on McDonnel Street, north on Reid Street to Parkhill Road where it will continue westbound travel.
