‘Halloween in the BOOro’ Spooktacular Returns to Downtown Peterborough

Downtown Peterborough is going to get spooky this month as the Peterborough Downtown Business Improvement Area (DBIA) hosts their second annual ‘Halloween in the BOOro’ event many family-friendly activities.

Julia Murray, DBIA intern; Hillary Flood, DBIA Vibrancy manager and Jmaes Wallwork, Lift Lock Escape co-owner in front of a ghostbusters Ectomobile. Photo courtesy of the Peterborough DBIA.

Shop windows will have eerie displays beginning Friday.

This year’s window contest will challenge shop owners to embrace the haunting ambience of a dark forest.

Locals are invited to join in the festive spirit leading up to Halloween by voting online for their favourite dark forest-themed window display from 25 different businesses.

Voters can tour the downtown using the online Halloween window map. The DBIA will be providing cash prizes for the top three Halloween windows as a reward for the most creative shop owners.

• First place: $300

• Runner up: $200

• Third place: $100

The main Halloween in the BOOro event is on Oct. 28 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. with a variety of free family-friendly activities including trick or treating, late-night shopping and interactive Halloween scavenger hunt.

Shoppers are encouraged to dress up as their favourite character and go from door to door for a trick-or-treating extravaganza with over 40 locations scattered throughout the downtown core. To help families navigate their downtown Halloween adventures, a trick-or-treating map can be found online.

“You could tell everyone was having such a fun night out, both parents and kids,” said Holly Butler, Iceman Video Games manager. “It reminded me of when you see a trick-or-treating scene in a movie and there are kids just everywhere in costume.”

Trick-or-treaters will encounter a cast of characters ‘haunting’ the crosswalks. In keeping with the dark forest theme, families can expect to find witches, fairies and other woodland characters along George Street and a cast of water-based characters from mermaids to pirates haunting the intersections along Water Street according to a press release.

“Halloween in the BOOro is another example of the DBIA utilizing the magic of experiential entertainment to draw families back into our downtown core,” said Hillary Flood, DBIA Vibrancy manager. “My team has put so much effort into this. The level of interactive programming and Halloween curation is going to be top tier.”

Trick-or-treaters are also invited to join in a Halloween quest where locals can try their luck at completing a self-guided Halloween hunt anytime between 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Oct. 28. The Halloween hunt will feature 13 ghostly stops along the way and a small prize at the end for those who complete the scavenger experience (while supplies last). Participants can join the scavenger hunt with or without a mobile device.

For folks wanting a more interactive digital experience, the scavenger hunt can be played on your mobile device by downloading Goose Chase a mobile scavenger hunt app. Once in the app, search “BOOro Halloween Hunt” or search game code GJR376 to join in on the hunt. Scavengers can get a head start on the hunt by going to the Boro mural located at Sherbrooke and George Street to unlock the first clue.

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Voice of Business: Hiring People With Disabilities Will Benefit Your Business

Approximately one million job seekers experiencing a disability in Canada are unemployed or under-employed.

October is Disability Employment Awareness Month (DEAM) and it’s a good opportunity to reflect on a sizeable segment of our population that is being underserved. Back in 2017, Statistics Canada reported 3.7 million working-age Canadians identified as having a disability, yet only three in five were employed.

While the number of job vacancies has declined over the year from its peak of over 1 million, there is still a gap of hundreds of thousands of jobs across Canada that employers are struggling to fill. Employers are eager to hire.

According to the Discover Ability Network, 63 per cent of persons with disabilities do not require accommodations in their workplace. And when they do, the cost or shift in workplace setup is often offset by the productivity of the employed person.

There are more noteworthy statistics:

• 72 per cent higher employee retention rate among people with disabilities

• Businesses hiring people who have a disability experience a 72 per cent increase in productivity

• Inclusive businesses grow profits up to 3x faster than their competitors

• 22 per cent of Canadians have a disability

• Inclusive workplaces are twice as likely to meet or exceed financial targets

Hiring people with disabilities not only fills workforce gaps in your business, but will help create a thriving and profitable business with higher retention rates. What’s holding us back?

It turns out one of the biggest barriers is our mindset. An article titled Why Don’t We Hire People With Disabilities? by Angela Kryhul from the Smith School of Business, an affiliate of Queen’s University, gets right to the point. Part of the issue is that we all too often equate disability with an inability to work.

The article highlights three misconceptions:

• Few disabled people are qualified for, or apply to, job posts

• Accommodations are expensive and complicated

• There are negative impacts on productivity and workplace culture

There is a wealth of resources available to employers interested in hiring people with disabilities. The Canadian Association for Supported Employment offers training, resources, and toolkits for employers. The Government of Ontario offers programs, resources, tips and tools. Locally, we have organizations like Heads Up For Inclusion and the Council for Persons with Disabilities offering their expertise and resources working here in Peterborough and the Kawarthas. Our local employment agencies also offer a wealth of knowledge.

It’s time we get a bit out of our comfort zone, tap into local resources, educate ourselves and our teams, and update our hiring practices to include hiring people with disabilities. It will benefit your business, our communities, and our economy.

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

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Kinsmen Minor Football League Week Four Roundup

Week Four of the Kinsmen Minor Football League (KMFL) saw a return of Friday Night Lights at Thomas A Stewart Secondary School (TASSS).

Friday Night Lights action between the Sr RedBlacks and Sr Argos. Photo courtesy of KMFL.

The first game had the Junior Redblacks defeating the Argonauts 42-6.  The RedBlacks saw AJ Galloway, Harley Rock, Beau Janssen and Mateo Salgado-Scott rush for a touchdown each. Easton Schenk, Dillon King and Blake Blackborrow also added a receiving touchdown. Leo Kinapen scored the lone touchdown for the Argos.

The second Friday Night game saw the Sr. RedBlacks defeating the Argos 44-20.  Ashton McKinlay and Brock Hendren led the scoring for the RedBlacks with two touchdowns each. Brody Munnings, Isac Kennedy, Keaton Allen and Levi Paige each found the end zone.  Paige also ran in a two-point conversion. Landen Levesque, Ethan Bebbington scored touchdowns for the Argos. Theo Edwards also tacked on a touchdown and kicked for a convert.

Saturday morning opened up with the Jr. Tiger Cats defeating the Roughriders 34-20. Harrison Anchor scored all five touchdowns for the Ti-Cats while Connor Dodds kicked for two converts. Kaden Curtis scored two touchdowns and kicked for a convert while Jacob Cahorn also added a single score for the Roughriders.

Saturday's Senior action saw the Tiger Cats defeat the Roughriders 46-24. Gage Raby led the scoring for the Ti-Cats with three touchdowns and two converted kicks. Hunter Berardi and Liam McCartie each had a pair of touchdowns. Ian Watt led the scoring for the Roughriders with two touchdowns while Fox Theobold and Michael Maier each added a single touchdown.

After four weeks of play, the RedBlacks lead the Jr. Division and the Tiger Cats lead the Sr. Division.

The KMFL and Peterborough Wolverines will hold a bottle drive during the KMFL Game Day at Thomas A Stewart SS this Saturday from 9 a.m.to 1 p.m.  Donations can be dropped off at the parking lot and will be received by KMFL and Wolverines families. Proceeds will be used to purchase new equipment and a portion will also be donated to the Peterborough Yes Shelter for Youth and Families.

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"Rock the Docks" Event Raises $2,000 For Bridgenorth United Church Food Bank

The Bridgenorth United Church Food Bank received a donation of $2,000 raised from the Rock the Docks event in a cheque presentation at Bridgenorth United Church on Tuesday afternoon.

Photo by David Tuan Bui.

The donated money will help the food bank purchase perishable foods to distribute to their clients based on what has already been donated to them.

“We shop every week. Whatever we don't get from our membership with Kawartha Food Share and what we don't have for donations from neighbouring organizations and our congregation goes to the fresh produce,” said Rev. Cathy Gradante of Bridgenorth United Church. “So it's cheese, eggs, juice and things that are more easily spoiled so we have to purchase them on a regular basis.”

Rock the Docks was put on by the Bridgenorth Beautification Commitee at Great Outdoors Landing on Aug. 12. The event featured food (by Chemong Lodge), live music, door prizes, 50/50 draw, dancing, a silent auction and kids activities. Adam Brown, Chemong Lodge owner was happy to contribute especially after learning the increasing number of families that rely on food banks such as Bridgenorth Food Bank.

“It is somewhat discouraging when you see how many families need it but it’s great that the community is there so I’m really encouraged by that side of things,” he said.

The church on average feeds 75 families monthly in the Selwyn township, a number that has been alarmingly increasing according to Patta Latour, church co-chair.

“We used to be able to help people from Peterborough but we just got over capacity and we couldn’t,” she said. “The number of people that we helped just from Selwyn Township last month was the same number from Selwyn and in Peterborough.”

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Peterborough County OPP Funded Over $60,400 to Deploy Trained Mental Health Crisis Workers From Emergency Calls

Peterborough County OPP has received $60,401.08 from the Ontario government to provide specialized support to people who are experiencing a mental health crisis, announced at the Canadian Mental Health Association, Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge Branch (CMHA) on Tuesday afternoon.

Andrew Reynolds of the CMHA (left) hs been dispatched with OPP officer Roy Maddan (right) to address mental health calls. Photo by David Tuan Bui.

The funding goes towards the Mobile Crisis Response Team Enhancement Grant program that has police utilize trained crisis workers when responding to those in need.

“Our police are increasingly confronted with the need to assist vulnerable people in a mental health crisis,” said Dave Smith, Peterborough-Kawartha MPP. “This funding will assist the Peterborough County OPP deliver appropriate services focused on de-escalation. Meeting the unique needs of an individual who is in crisis will help ensure a better outcome for everyone involved.”

Anyone calling 9-1-1 can request a mental health crisis worker and they will be accompanied by an OPP officer.

“Our unit will make our best efforts to make it out there in a timely manner and get you the help that you need,” said Roy Maddan, OPP officer.”

In 2023-24, the Ontario government is allocating more than $4.5 million to 39 municipal and First Nations police services, as well as Ontario Provincial Police (OPP), to help strengthen Mobile Crisis Response Teams across the province.

“We will be working with community partners to deliver a MCRT that will meet the unique needs of the communities,” said Mark Graham, CMHA CEO. “The team responds to calls from individuals experiencing a mental health crisis that will provide immediate support and follow-up.”

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Community Care Peterborough Receives $74,243 From Federal Government's Community Services Recovery Fund

Community Care Peterborough (CCP) received $74,243 from the Government of Canada’s Community Services Recovery Fund to hire a one year contract Program Coordinator and to enhance their existing Specialized Transportation and Access to Primary Care programs announced on Tuesday.

Photo by David Tuan bui.

The fund is a one-time $400 million investment from the Government of Canada to support community service organizations including charities, non-profits and Indigenous governing bodies, as they adapt and modernize their organizations for pandemic recovery according to a press release. It is administered by the Canadian Red Cross, Community Foundations of Canada and United Way Centraide Canada. They provide funding to Community Service Organizations including non-profit organizations, Indigenous Governing Bodies or Registered Charities located in Canada.

“As of long-term recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic continues, we welcome the Government of Canada's push for a more inclusive model of economic growth that creates opportunities for everyone in Canada,” said Danielle Belair, CCP executive director.  “We have seen an immediate improvement in our ability to respond to the growing needs of our community as we adapt to the long-term impacts of the pandemic.”

Hope Robbins joined the Community Care Peterborough team in May and took on the role of Program Coordinator of Brokered Services and Grocery Shopping and Delivery for the City of Peterborough. 

“As a result of her efforts, Hope has reduced the waiting time for our clients needing Home Help and Home Maintenance programs from three months to one month,” said Belair.  “We also had on average five to 10 clients waiting for Grocery Shopping & Delivery services each month and now there is no waiting list.”

Community Care Peterborough’s Grocery Shopping & Delivery program is for clients who can cook meals for themselves but help in getting groceries. Volunteers can either shop for a list of groceries needed or simply pick up orders prepared by the grocery store for clients who do not drive. It is an option in their food security program of Meals on Wheels that also offers prepared hot and frozen meals to residents not able to cook on their own.

“With more medical professionals now conducting their appointments in person, this funding is also helping us build back our Specialized Transportation and Access to Primary Care programs for clients,” said Belair.  “The demand remains high but our wait times are also decreasing from these services too.”

Community Care Peterborough’s Specialized Transportation program uses their accessible vans for clients whose physical needs cannot be met through their volunteer driving service.  Their Access to Primary Care program employs Personal Support Workers (PSWs) to provide transportation and accompaniment for people who require support to attend primary care and other medical appointments.  The service is for those who require assistance beyond what is offered by a volunteer driver due to mobility or cognitive limitations. PSWs can take notes during the appointment.

“We are grateful for the additional funding that we were able to access through the United Way of Peterborough & District,” said Belair.  “We didn’t stop our services during the pandemic and as we, like all health support agencies, feel the impact of increased demand and we want our clients to be able to access the services they need to remain safe and independent in their own homes and out of hospitals and long term care facilities.” 

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Peterborough Police Seeking Two Suspects Involved In a Saturday Morning Assault

The Peterborough Police Service is looking for two suspects involved in an assault early Saturday morning. 

Photo by David Tuan Bui.

At roughly, 2 a.m., officers went to the George Street and King Street area regarding a disturbance. Upon arrival, officers found a male with stab wounds and was taken to Peterborough Regional Health Centre for non-life-threatening injuries. The victim was approached by a woman asking for help/ There was an altercation when he attempted to help and he was struck. 

The suspects are described to police as:

Suspect #1:

• Shorter male, wearing a Raptors jersey and a black hat

Suspect #2:

• Taller male, wearing a black hoodie

The suspects were last seen heading along King Street toward Millennium Park. Officers and K9 unit searched the area but could not locate the suspects.

Anyone with information is asked to call Peterborough Police at 705-876-1122 x555 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or online.

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StoosNews Spotlight: Check Out The Business Beat This Week Featuring Precision Medical Aesthetics, Sullivan Law, Jo Anne's Place and Community Futures Peterborough

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…

Precision Medical Aesthetics is a nurse practitioner-led clinic offering cosmetic injectable enhancements, laser skin resurfacing and laser hair removal.

They recently launched SKINTHETICS Collective Studios which hosts multiple beauty and wellness businesses offering everything from permanent make-up, eyelash extensions, hair-cuts and styling to counselling and psychotherapy, gel manicures and design, spray tans, and hormone replacement therapy. Check out the Open House this Thursday from 4:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at 169 Lansdowne St. E., or online at precisionptbo.ca.

The team at Sullivan Law Ptbo reopened last week in their new location at 362 Queen St. in Peterborough.

They also added a new member to the team. Barry Lynn is a lawyer who practices Family Law and brings 13 years of experience to the firm. Sullivanlawptbo.ca

Jo Anne’s Place recently launched the third pillar of their free online wellness program.

Called The Wellness on Purpose Program and lead by their Nutritionist, Marissa Laughlin, the program is a free educational resource designed to offer accessible and accurate wellness information on topics such as Nutrition, Sleep, Stress and Movement. The third pillar focuses on stress, the different types, and how to manage it, and features collaborations with several Peterborough wellness businesses including Sweat Happy Pilates, Salti Yoga, Mental Wealth Counselling, and more.

Community Futures Peterborough has partnered with BDC to bring together professionals from the local business community to discuss business valuation and succession.

They have planned a free breakfast event on Oct.17. at the Peterborough Golf and Country Club. The event is intended to provide you with a space to learn more about the steps required to evaluate, buy, sell or transition your business. For details visit communityfuturespeterborough.ca

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RBC Donates $20,000 to Jumpstart Local Net Zero Farms Pilot Project

RBC has donated $20,000 to Net Zero Farms for a new pilot project that will assist farmers in incorporating sustainable practices into their operations at Woodleigh Farms on Thursday afternoon.

Representatives from RBC cut the ribbon to represent the launch of the Net Zero Farms Pilot Project alongside non-profits GreenUP and Farms at Work. Pictured from left to right:  RBC Community Manager Karalee Murray, Green Economy Peterborough Net Zero Farms Program Coordinator Natasha Sheward, GreenUP Director of Programs Natalie Stephenson, GreenUP Executive Director Tegan Moss, Green Economy Peterborough Hub Coordinator Jackie Donaldson, RBC Relationship Manager for Business Markets Deanna Baker, Farms at Work Executive Director Heather Ray, RBC Relationship Manager for Agriculture & Agri-Business Specialist Scott McCaig. Photo courtesy of GreenUp.

The program coaches business leaders in the agriculture sector to measure their greenhouse gas emissions, set reduction targets, further understand their role in sequestering carbon and develop a plan for reducing their impact on the environment, all while sharing experiences and the greater community according to a press release.
 
“We know farmers like to learn from farmers. We’re thrilled to be developing this networking piece to help support their sustainable practices, and to develop a culture where farmers don’t feel alone in their efforts to become more environmentally friendly,” says Heather Ray, Farms at Work executive director. “Farm-to-farm engagement and mentoring is essential for an agricultural business looking to adapt to a changing climate.”
 
The Net Zero Farms pilot seeks to support up to 10 farms in their efforts to take climate action while building local capacity within the greater agricultural community, as stated by GreenUp.
  
“Measuring greenhouse gas sources in agriculture is different from measuring the emissions of a downtown retail store,” says Natasha Sheward, Net Zero Farms program coordinator. “We want to include all of the relevant aspects of this sector within our GHG measurement in order to ensure relevance and accuracy. This will provide insight and opportunity for our farmers to identify actions that will reduce their costs and increase their resilience.”

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Three Artists Selected For City’s New Change Makers Artist Residency Program

Three artists-in-residence have been selected for the Change Makers Artist Residency Program which will create opportunities for artists to innovate and contribute to municipal projects, particularly Climate Change Awareness, Adaptation and Sustainability-related initiatives, announced by the City of Peterborough on Friday.

Ox and the Fox and the Kangaroo by Ann Jaeger. Photo courtesy of Ann Jaeger.

Ann Jaeger, Dimitri Papatheodorou and Josh Morley have been selected as the artists-in-residence. During their three-month residency, each artist will be provided an artist fee as they explore the work in the City’s Asset Management and Capital Planning Division and develop project proposals according to a press release.

“An Artist Residency Program is envisioned to amplify communication around climate-related vulnerabilities, especially those due to flooding but also to begin earnest conversations about climate change risks in general,” said James Byrne, thee City’s climate change Coordinator. “Artists help us to think, to remember and to see things in different ways. What changes can we make by facing challenges together?”

Jaeger is a multi-disciplinary artist whose eclectic work intersects literary, theatre and visual arts. An honours graduate of OCAD, she has presented solo exhibitions of painting and sculpture in the Peterborough area, most recently at Evans Contemporary and the Arts and Culture Centre of Warkworth.

Her textile art was featured in the 1982 Visual Arts Ontario publication Art in Architecture. In addition to writing articles on regional arts and culture for her blog Trout in Plaid and for local media, she has published poetry in the League of Canadian Poets, Cornell University's Epoch Magazine, and the Capilano Review.

Papatheodorou is an artist pursuing hybrid forms of expression through painting, sculpture, music, and architecture. Born in Toronto, he is an Adjunct Faculty at Toronto Metropolitan University and operates from a rural studio in Warkworth.

Morley is an Anishinaabe artist working in screen printing and mural work in Peterborough. His work explores regional ecological issues, his relationship with nature and his ancestral connection to the land. 

The Change Makers Artist Residency Program is administered by the City’s Public Art Program and developed in partnership with the Asset Management and Capital Planning Division.

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