Temporary Downtown Patios To Be Removed Starting On Oct. 24

The temporary downtown patio spaces will be removed to prepare sidewalks and roads for winter snow-clearing operations starting on Oct. 24.

The expanded patio spaces were installed in May. File Photo.

Any businesses with temporary patios on sidewalks and in on-street parking adjacent to them will remove their patio furniture by the end of the day on Oct. 23 to clear the way for the removal of the fencing and large planters startingthe next day.

After removing the expanded patio areas, Hunter Street between George and Aylmer Streets will return to a two-lane, two-way street. During the summer, it was temporarily made into a one-lane, westbound, one-way street to add more patio and pedestrian space.

This was the fourth summer that the City implemented temporary changes to the downtown public space to allow for more patio and pedestrian space.

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Nathan McFadden Named New Director of Trent University Athletics & Recreation

Trent University has appointed Nathan McFadden as the director of Athletics and Recreation.

Photo courtesy of Trent University.

McFadden has overr 25 years of experience in professional and high-performance sports operations, leadership and administration according to a press release.

“We are thrilled to welcome Nathan to Trent University and the Excalibur family. His substantial background in the sports industry, paired with his innovative leadership style, aligns well with Trent's commitment to excellence in athletics and recreation,” said Tariq Al-idrissi, vice-president, finance and administration. “As we look to the future, we are confident that Nathan's leadership will elevate our programs, enhance student experiences, and continue to build upon our strong tradition of athletic achievement."

McFadden will lead Trent's Athletics & Recreation department, overseeing the Excalibur varsity program and a wide range of sports and recreational activities that enhance student experience and promote health and wellness on campus and in the community.

McFadden's career includes numerous achievements, such as 12 national championships. Prior to joining Trent, he was the director of athletics and recreation at Fanshawe College for a decade where he built the Falcons into a national brand, leading them to 11 national championships, 67 national appearances and over 90 per cent of the College’s teams ranking nationally. While president of the Ontario Colleges Athletic Association (OCAA), he created and chaired the OCAA’s EDI Committee, commissioned the OCAA’s Racial Equity Project, implemented a mandatory sexual violence prevention course for all student-athletes, mandatory Safe Sport training for all coaches and administrators, and an OCAA parental leave policy.

McFadden has worked in professional hockey with the Toronto Maple Leafs, the American Hockey League (AHL) also spent time working with the University of New Brunswick (UNB).

“It is truly an honour to join Trent University as the director of athletics and recreation,” said McFadden. “I am deeply inspired by Trent's commitment to fostering both athletic excellence and a holistic student experience. I look forward to collaborating with our talented student-athletes, dedicated coaches and the entire Trent community to elevate our athletics programs and offer a wide range of recreational opportunities. Together, we will continue to build a culture of inclusivity, achievement, and pride in Trent's sports programs.”

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Peterborough Petes to Host Alumni Homecoming Weekend for Oct. 20 - 21

The Peterborough Petes are hosting an Alumni Homecoming Weekend that features a mixer at the Maple Moose Pub, a day of golf at Peterborough Golf & Country Club (PGCC) and a Petes game.

The itinerary is as follows:

• Friday, Oct.20

• 7-10 p.m. - Mixer at the Maple Moose Pub

• Saturday, Oct. 21

• 9:30 a.m. - Golf Registration at Peterborough Golf & Country Club

• 10:00 a.m. - Brunch at Peterborough Golf & Country Club

• 11:00 a.m. - Shotgun start at Peterborough Golf & Country Club

• 7:05 p.m. - Peterborough Petes vs Oshawa Generals at the PMC

Prior to the game, the 1973-74 Petes are being honoured with a pregame ceremony on the ice. This team was the first Canadian representative in the history of the IIHF World Junior Championships in 1974, taking home a bronze medal.

“We’re really excited to be able to welcome back so many great alumni with this event,” said Morgan Blaind, Petes coordinator of marketing and community engagement. “It’s been a few years since we’ve been able to put on an event like this. That being said, it’s so important for us to see our alumni interact and reconnect with each other. It’s also a great opportunity for us to recognize our amazing history through celebrating the 1973-74 team.”

All Petes alumni and their guests are invited to attend the weekend according to a press release. Golf slots will be allocated to alumni before opening to guests. Interested alumni can contact Blaind via e-mail or by calling 705-743-3681 ext. 221.

The Petes host the London Knights on Thursday at the Peterborough Memorial Centre. This is the return of the 2023 Playoff MVP and former Petes goaltender Michael Simpson. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.

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Historic Red Dog Closing Its Doors at the End of the Month; Send-Off Show Scheduled For Oct. 24

After 140 years of business, the Historic Red Dog Tavern is permanently closing its doors on Nov. 1 and is hosting a send-off show on Oct. 24.

HIstoric Red Dog Facebook Photo.

The news was made public in a Facebook post from an employee posted on Tuesday.

“Hi friends, it’s with a mix of immense sadness and gratitude that I can now safely say what everyone in town has been hearing - the Red Dog has been sold and we will be closing the doors permanently on Nov. 1st. It’s been a great run.”

The property has been sold although it is unknown if it will continue as a pub or operate as something different.

A send-off show has been scheduled for Oct. 28. It is an open-stage event where musicians can sign up in person to perform at the venue for the final time.

The Red Dog originally opened as Clancy’s Hotel in 1883 and was owned by John Sullivan and John Clancy.

Also known as the Peterborough House, The American Hotel/House and Brownie’s Tavern, ‘The Red Dog’ came from former owner “Red Dog” Ray McGregor.

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"People Are Just Getting Poorer" Peterborough's Housing Crisis Worse Than a Year Ago Says United Way

The United Way Peterborough & District’s 18th Edition of Housing is Fundamental report says that the city’s housing crisis has become worse than a year ago according to author Paul Armstrong.

Paul Armstrong authored the Housing is Fundamental report annually. The report was relased publicly a day after World Homelessness Day, held on Oct. 10. Photo by David Tuan Bui.

The announcement was made at United Way Peterborough & District as part of their annual report written by Armstrong that started 18 years ago.

It provides an overview of Peterborough's local rental market while also highlighting the impacts of the commodification of housing and income inequality.

“People are just getting poorer. That's all there is to it,” said Armstrong. “When your rent keeps going up and up and up, you're not in a position of having the same disposable income and without that disposable income, you're going to have to back away from something else in the marketplace. “

Armstrong’s key findings include:

• Peterborough's vacancy rate is the lowest in Ontario for the second year in a row at 1.1 per cent

• Newly vacant apartment rents were 19 per cent higher than the rent of occupied units

• Recovery in employment and renewed student inflows supported rental demand

• 70 units were added to the market, which is the largest increase in the last 15 years

Armstrong’s localized statistical figures based on data from Statistics Canada and the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CHC).

“Never has housing commanded so much attention,” said Armstrong. “Almost daily, reports highlight shortages of purpose-built rental units and widespread affordability challenges. The current dilemma, while newsworthy, isn't new. Its roots can be traced to federal government decisions made in the 1990s. Three decades later social or rent-geared-to-income housing has never been so needed. And 'affordable' housing, which is 10 per cent - 20 per cent below market rents is all but unattainable.”

His report also found that rental demand kept pace with supply growth last year and two-bedroom rentals are 23 per cent higher upon turnover to new tenants.

“Both homelessness and severe housing burden now exist in dangerous proportions. Governments hopefully have learned that reliance on the private market to meet all housing needs is imaginary and unfounded. They (governments) must get back into the game with appropriate policy and adequate funding.”

Armstrong continues to mention that this year's perspective is critical as there is a growing cost of living, particularly in housing and food costs.

Jim Russell, United Way CEO described rising housing costs' impacts on our community members.

“Housing is Fundamental to well-being,” he said. “As we strive to build a better community together, a basic starting point is safe, affordable housing for all.”

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Careless Driving Charge Laid From Vehicle Turnover At Warsaw Road Swing Bridge

A driver was charged with careless driving after a single-vehicle rollover at the Warsaw Road Swing Bridge occurred on Tuesday afternoon; no major injuries were reported.

Photo by David Tuan bui.

The incident occurred around 4 p.m. The driver was charged with careless driving under the Highway Traffic Act and for not having insurance according to the Peterborough Police Service.

One person was taken to the hospital for undisclosed injuries.

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‘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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