Empty Bowls Fundraiser Returns With In-Person Event in Five Years For YWCA

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For the first time in five years, YWCA Peterborough Haliburton is bringing back its renowned fundraiser, Empty Bowls, for an in-person seated lunch event, announced on Wednesday.

Photo by Keegan Beekers.

The event is on Feb. 23 at The Venue. It raises funds to support the Nourish food program operated by the YWCA which provides fresh food at affordable costs to families experiencing hunger.

“As we celebrate the 20th anniversary of this wonderful event, we are thrilled to be able to return to sharing food together with our community,” says Kim Dolan, YWCA executive director. “Food insecurity is a critical health issue and a core barrier for women experiencing gender-based violence. The majority of our food box recipients are single mothers, and we’re so grateful to our partners, sponsors and everyone who joins us for Empty Bowls to help women feed their families and live their lives with dignity.”

The Nourish program offers food box deliveries, educational workshops, food preparation skill-building, and community gardening. With community support, roughly 260 food boxes each month to individuals and families around the Peterborough area according to a press release. Nourish also runs a weekly market at Curve Lake First Nation, bringing produce from local farms to the community at affordable prices.

Tickets are available online or by calling the YWCA at 705-743-3526.

Doors will open at 11:30 a.m. for Early Bird VIP ticket holders ($75), for the best selection of lunch options and bowls and noon for General Admission ticket holders ($60).

The ticket price includes one lunch meal to enjoy on-site and a one-of-a-kind ceramic or wooden bowl, hand-crafted and generously donated by local artisans.

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Monaghan Road Housing Project Making Significant Strides In Public Update From The City of Peterborough

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Construction of the City of Peterborough’s affordable housing project at 681 Monaghan Rd. will show significant progress in the coming weeks as precast structural loadbearing walls and precast floor slabs are installed followed by prefabricated wall panels, announced by the City of Peterborough on Tuesday.

Photo courtesy of the City of Peterborough.

This is the first City construction project to use prefabricated construction techniques.

Construction started in the fall of last year with an official groundbreaking ceremony held on Oct. 11 for the six-storey building with 53 units including 37 one-bedroom, 11 two-bedroom and five three-bedroom units with amenity space and utilities on the ground floor. Construction is expected to be completed this year.

“It’s exciting to see the progress of construction at 681 Monaghan Rd.,” said Councillor Keith Riel. “This important housing project is being funded as part of the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation Rapid Housing Program, so it was essential that the team assessed construction techniques for both cost efficiency and the ability to facilitate a shorter construction period.”

“Unity Design Studio, formerly Lett Architects, has a rich history in Peterborough and is proud to be collaborating with the City of Peterborough on this project -  a crucial stride toward providing much-needed affordable housing,” said Roy Turner, Unity Design Studio senior project lead. “As the building takes form, we would like to express our gratitude for the dedication of the entire project team. Their commitment ensures that upon completion, this building will offer affordable housing to many and positively impact our community.”

“As proud members of this community, we are so fortunate to be able to help address this crisis with this much needed project,” said Craig Mortlock, Mortlock Construction president. “To date, we’ve spent many months working together with the City of Peterborough and the design team to design, coordinate, implement and construct this building. We are now at a very exciting stage of the project. We, and any other passerby, get to witness the fruits of the team’s planning and coordination, as the precast concrete structural panels are being delivered and placed on site. It is so rewarding to see this building taking shape so quickly, growing daily, eventually allowing so many people to call this building home.”

This affordable housing project received $18.9 million in federal funding through the third round of the Rapid Housing Initiative (RHI3), $40,000 in SEED funding, $854,810 through the Ontario Priorities Housing Initiative (OPHI) and over $4 million from the City of Peterborough.

The project will be home to vulnerable populations in Peterborough, including Black Canadians, people with disabilities, Indigenous Peoples, homeless people or those at risk of homelessness.

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Voice of Business: Two-Year International Cap On Students

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The Canadian government has decided to take on the growing housing crisis in the country. Their first target was aimed at the international students entering Canada.

The recent announcement from Federal Immigration Minister Marc Miller regarding the cap of international students in the 2024 caught many by surprise, including the two local post-secondary institutions located right here in the Kawarthas.

Fleming College President Maureen Adamson didn’t hide her disappointment while speaking to the Chamber of Commerce shortly after the announcement.

“This will have a sweeping impact on our region,” stated Adamson, adding this will be a loss of $100 million to Peterborough and the Kawarthas.

The Canadian government declared a two-year cap on student permits to international students in 2024; only approving 360,000 in total – a decrease of 35 per cent from 2023.

This move, he said, is an attempt to ease the strain on the housing crisis in Canada and to weed out what he calls, ‘bad actors’ applying for spots in our Colleges and Universities.

Adamson is expecting a 50 per cent drop in international student enrolment for Fleming, and she stated it will be “a staggering loss” to Peterborough, Lindsay and Haliburton.

Currently, approximately 1,000 international students are enrolled at Fleming College across their Peterborough, Lindsay and Haliburton campuses. And approximately 4,000 students are enrolled at their campus in Toronto.

And many of those students, she adds, are filling in the gaps in Ontario’s labour market. Sectors like, health care, social assistance, hospitality, and the trades sector will all be affected by this cap.

“International students that come to Ontario are essential to bringing in top talent for key sectors of the workforce, here in our area and across the province. They usually come with a diploma or degree and are ready to move quickly into the labour market,” stated Adamson in a statement.

The Council of Ontario Universities also released a statement, stating they are ‘disappointed’ with the cap on international student permits. They added in their statement that this decision, “it may have unintended consequences for the sector and for international students.”

Ontario Colleges and Universities have yet to hear how the 2024 permits will be divided among the provinces by the Ontario Government.

Trent University sent the Peterborough and the Kawarthas Chamber a comment; stating that with all the information they have currently:

“Trent University is currently reviewing the Government of Canada’s announcement regarding international student permits, and supports the position taken by the Council of Ontario Universities. Trent has been a responsible player in the postsecondary sector, preparing for growth in domestic and international enrolment for some time, and basing international student enrolment on the unique needs of our communities and regional labour market demands. The international students who come to Trent bring enormous advantages to our campuses and beyond, introducing highly-skilled, worldly talent, and bridging cultures in ways that benefit our local economies and our communities as a whole. We take a measured and sustainable approach to international enrolment and none of Trent’s degrees, certificates or programs operate through public-private partnerships. Currently, there are 2,799 international students enrolled at Trent (20 per cent of total enrolment).”

The university assures they will release updates when more information becomes available to them.

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

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Renowned Professional Wrestler Cody Deaner To Guest Speak At Local Elementary Schools Through Sponsorship Tour

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Through a sponsorship by Kiwanis Club of Peterborough, Chris Gray better known as professional wrestling/speaker Cody Deaner is doing a fourth tour of several Peterborough schools announced on Tuesday.

The Kiwanis Club of Peterborough is celebrating 103 years of service to the Peterborough community. It is part of a global membership of over 550,000 in 80 countries. Photo courtesy of Kiwanis Club of Peterborough.

The Total Nonstop Wrestling star will speak at Edmison Heights Public School on Feb. 12 and St. John’s Catholic Elementary School and Adam Scott Intermediate School on Feb. 13.

Gray also launched a top-rated podcast in 2023: Wrestling is Life is Wrestling.

“We’re very excited to bring Chris back to Peterborough for another tour”, said Jeff Westlake, Kiwanis past-president. “His previous tours in 2019, 2020 and 2023 were tremendously popular with both students and staff.”

“I’m delighted to be returning to Peterborough next month,” said Gray. “The partnership with the Kiwanis Club of Peterborough has been outstanding these last few years and I’m eager to inspire area kids with my stories and message of ‘Dare to Dream Big.’”

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19 Sweet Creations To Compete In Peterborough DBIA's Second-Annual Hot Chocolate Fest Throughout February

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The Peterborough Downtown Business Improvement Area (PTBO DBIA) has brought back its Hot Chocolate Fest for a second year as 19 sweet creations vye for the title of ‘Top Hot Chocolatier’ throughout February, announced at the Venture North Building on Tuesday.

Agave by Imperial won teh inaugural event last year with their ‘Hot Churro-late’ consisting of Mexican hot chocolate made with cocoa and dark chocolate. It was served with two cinnamon and sugar-topped churros. Photo courtesy of the Peterborough DBIA.

This year’s event runs from Feb. 1 to 29 with various hot chocolate drinks and hot chocolate-inspired menu items will be featured in Downtown Peterborough eateries for dine-in or take-out.

Several entries include ‘classic’ hot cocoa options, imaginative hot chocolates and even ‘h’adult’ versions with a cocktail twist.

Participants can plan their chocolatey adventure using the Hot Chocolate Trail Map online to scout out options before heading downtown.

New this year are four distinct categories with voting options for Top Hot Chocolate, Most Unique, Best Classic and Tastiest H’adult Chocolate 19+. The winning Hot Chocolatier will be determined by the most votes overall and will receive a handcrafted Hot Chocolate Trophy. Votes can be placed online.

Also new is an interactive digital rewards program will run to incentivize participation. Through the digital rewards app, festival goers will be able to win weekly prizes and gain access to exclusive ‘sweet deals’ during the month of February. Hot chocolate revellers earn ballots into four weekly draws by visiting hot chocolate locations and collecting ‘digital stamps.’ Every three stamps collected participants will earn themselves another ballot into the programs weekly giveaway draw for a $25 Boro Gift Card.

Those who download the app will also access exclusive ‘sweet’ deals and promotions provided by local businesses such as free samples of artisanal chocolate at Naked Chocolate, discounts on sweet treats, buy-one-get-one offers and more.

“Downtown Peterborough is regionally renowned for its culinary scene. Culinary programs like our Hot Chocolate Fest provide a platform for our restaurants, cafes, and pubs to really show-off their gastronomic passion and innovation in a playful and engaging way,” said Hillary Flood, DBIA vibrancy manager. “Every year we try to add our own innovative spin on program delivery, and I believe this year we’ve taken our hot chocolate program to the next level with the addition of our new digital rewards program. Incentivizing downtown visitation is what gives our downtown a competitive edge in the marketplace, and we are delighted to be offering exclusive perks, deals and prizes to festival goers.”

The following are the participating businesses and their entries:

1. Blackhoney Coffeehouse: Blackhoneycomb

Indulge in this decadent black honey-infused hot cocoa which is served up in an edible chocolate cup! Choose between a white chocolate cup infused with tangerine, or dark chocolate.The Blackhoneycomb is topped with velvety whipped cream and infused with even more black honey. Garnished with a chocolate honeycomb of your choice: white, milk or dark chocolate and dusted with edible gold.

Photo courtesy of the Peterborough DBIA.

2. The Dirty Burger: Chocolate Forest H'adult Cocktail

A multi-sensory cocktail experience featuring cinnamon spiced, Belgian-style hot chocolate made with 1.5 oz of espresso vodka for a nutty and earthy kick. Ignite your taste buds with foresty notes of herbaceous lavender and vanilla, topped in a mountain of maple whipped cream and garnished with crushed honey comb and edible flowers.

Photo courtesy of the Peterborough DBIA.

3. La Hacienda: Chocolate-Maple Champurrado

A spiced, warm, and creamy chocolate-based beverage that holds a special place in Mexican culinary traditions. Made with Mexican chocolate, cinnamon, vanilla, and its key ingredient, corn flour, for a thick and slightly gritty texture; sweetened with local Red Mill maple syrup. Our indulgent drink is infused with ancho pepper, which is the final touch for a warm, bold flavour. Served with traditional buñuelos, a thin, rosette-shaped, crispy fried pastry coated in cinnamon sugar.

Photo courtesy of the Peterborough DBIA.

4. Kit Croissanterie & Café: Chocolate Orange Hot Chocolate

A sweet hot cocoa with a zesty burst of citrus about it. Made with orange zest syrup and dark chocolate sauce topped with whipped cream and a healthy sprinkle of cinnamon, garnished with candied orange

Photo courtesy of the Peterborough DBIA.

5. Dreams of Beans: Hazelnut Infused Triple Chocolate

Indulge in this dreamy hot cocoa made with hazelnut chocolate sauce and white chocolate milk topped with whipped cream and milk chocolate shavings. Kick it up a notch with a shot Irish cream with whiskey, and optional espresso!

Photo courtesy of the Peterborough DBIA.

6. Turnbull Café: Raspberry Brownie Fudge

A delicious blend of rich dark chocolate infused with raspberries, topped with real whipped cream (well of course!) & layered with chunks of espresso fudge brownie & fresh raspberries, delicately drizzled in a blanket of pure chocolate sauce under a halo of cocoa snow. Comes in both Hot Chocolate and Mocha options.. Ask for a spoon.

Photo courtesy of the Peterborough DBIA.

7. Black Horse Pub: Peanut Butter & Caramel Screwball

If you're looking for a hug in a mug that is cozy, sweet, decadent & smooth: this hot chocolate screwball is something to celebrate. This is a creamy, rich hot chocolate with sundae vibes and a bit of a kick: made with Screwball peanut butter whiskey and topped with whipped cream, marshmallows and peanut butter cups.

Photo courtesy of the Peterborough DBIA.

8. Cork & Bean: Smores Hot Chocolate

Rich and velvety hot chocolate, topped with lightly toasted marshmallows, crumbled Graham cracker and a drizzle of chocolate sauce. 

Photo courtesy of the Peterborough DBIA.

9. Cork & Bean: Peppermint Hot Cocoa

A creamy and delicious hot chocolate with a candy cane twist - what better way to cozy up for winter! Featuring classic hot cocoa, peppermint syrup, steamed milk of your choice and topped with whip cream, chocolate drizzle and crushed peppermint candy.

Photo courtesy of the Peterborough DBIA.

10. Agave by Imperial: Mexican Hot Chocolate

Mexican hot chocolate made with masa corn, whipped cream, crushed chilies for a little extra kick and topped with homemade buñuelos.

Photo courtesy of the Peterborough DBIA.

11. Speak Easy: Gimme S'more

The ultimate campfire-inspired drink. Steaming mug of ultra-whipped hot chocolate, crowned with fire-toasted marshmallows, and completed with a chocolate fudge-coated graham cracker cookie. We'll "toast" to that

Photo courtesy of the Peterborough DBIA.

12. Milk + Tea: Earl Grey Hot Chocolate

Cozy up with this rich tapioca hot chocolate drink blended with Earl Grey for a subtle hint of tea and lavender. Topped with a thick sweet and salty cream. Enjoy hot or cold!

Photo courtesy of the Peterborough DBIA.

13. Boardwalk Lounge: Soon-to-be-Famous Chocolate Chip Hot Choc

Dive into this glorious, toasted marshmallow rimmed mug, filled with rich hot chocolate, cookie syrup, and topped with whipped cream and crumbs from Connor's soon-to-be-famous chocolate chip cookies. Yum yum!

Photo courtesy of the Peterborough DBIA.

14. La Mesita: Death by Chocolate

Sip on this deliciously rich, Mexican style hot chocolate that's spiced to perfection with cinnamon sugar and topped with a chocolate skull. Served with a churro donut for dunking.

Photo courtesy of the Peterborough DBIA.

15. BOBO Tea: Cocoa Brûlée

Crack into this decadent drink made with loads of cocoa chocolate, fresh milk, brown sugar pearls and crowned with a hand-torched crème brûlée top.

Photo courtesy of the Peterborough DBIA.

16. DR. J’s BBQ: Mint-Kissed PB&J Hot Chocolate

If hot chocolate and PB & J sandwiches had a baby, this would be their love child. Indulge in the richness of your favourite childhood snack that combines a rich hot chocolate base with a kiss of mint. Served with peanut butter chocolate chip cookies and a peanut cocoa dusting.

Photo courtesy of the Peterborough DBIA.

17. The Vine: Teddy Bears Winter Picnic

If you go down in The Vine today, you're sure of a big surprise! This delightful white chocolate drink is made to order with steamed milk and topped with whipped cream, a healthy dusting of shaved dark chocolate and teddy grahams!

Photo courtesy of the Peterborough DBIA.

18. Tragically Dipped Donut: Choc Mocha + Hot Chocolate Donut Chocolate on Chocolate!

Indulge in the Tragically Dipped ultimate chocolate experience with their decadent chocolate donut. The donut pastry is filled with a velvety, chocolate ganache finished off with a cocoa dust - creating a rich symphony of textures and flavours. Hot Chocolate with a kick: This delightful drink is served up mocha style, made with homemade marshmallow, chocolate ganache, espresso, and milk. 

Photo courtesy of the Peterborough DBIA.

19. COMING SOON: The El P and Canoe Cafe

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Three Mini Track Loaders Stolen From Business; Police Investigating Incident and Seeking Information From the Public

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The Peterborough Police Service is investigating after three mini track loaders were stolen from a business over the weekend. 

Photo courtesy of the Peterborough Police Service.

Officers were made aware of the theft on Monday which is believed to have happened in the area of the North Monaghan Parkway and Elmdale Road on Saturday around 6:30 a.m.

The value of the theft is estimated at $165,000.

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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Doors Open Peterborough Invites Community For Site Submissions

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Annual event Doors Open Peterborough is introducing a new approach this year by inviting the Peterborough community to ‘submit a site’ to have their property be considered for inclusion in this year’s Doors Open Peterborough program announced on Tuesday.

Photo courtesy of The City of Peterborough.

This annual event provides free access to many city heritage and cultural landmarks that are not usually open to the public to be held on Sept. 14.

Stewart Hamilton, Chair of the Peterborough Architectural Conservation Advisory Committee and Chair of the Doors Open Peterborough organizing committee, hopes this new approach will generate new energy and excitement to the program and foster a sense of inclusivity and accessibility.

“To elaborate on our ongoing theme ‘Every Door Has a Story’, we’re hoping to receive submissions of sites not previously featured on Doors Open Peterborough,” he said. “We’re pleased to be offering this opportunity to showcase Peterborough’s many community stories through new places, tours and events not seen before.”

To learn more about Doors Open Peterborough 2024 and access the “Submit a Site” online form everyone can visit peterborough.ca/DoorsOpen2024.

Doors Open Peterborough is funded by the Peterborough Architectural Conservation Advisory Committee and is part of Doors Open Ontario which is coordinated by the Ontario Heritage Trust.

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Fleming Phoenix Roundup: Jan. 29

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The Fleming Phoenix sports teams had mixed results but saw a good outing from their extramural hockey team.

The Fleming Phoenix logo was unveiled for the college on Sept. 8, replacing the Fleming Knight. Photo courtesy of Fleming College.

The Phoenix men’s extramural hockey team hosted an ice hockey tournament at the Lindsay Recreation Complex on Friday.

The Phoenix won their first game 1-0 against the Seneca Sting with Adam Edgerton getting the lone goal and. Brett Otterbein with the shutout. 

Fleming went on a winning streak, defeating the Georgian Grizzlies (Barrie) 3-2. P Tyler Haliburton, Ashten Murdock and Bryce Baron each had tallies for the Phoenix.

In the semi-finals, the Phoenix were defeated by their local rival and eventual tournament winners in Trent University, 4-1. The lone Phoenix goal was scored by Brady Sage.

Trent University went on to win the tournament, defeating the Durham Lords 5-1. 

The Seneca Sting were named the Fair Play team of the tournament. 

The Phoenix men’s basketball team had another road loss, taking a defeat by the Georgian Grizzlies, 98-90 on Friday.  

The Phoenix led after the first quarter but the Grizzlies gained control and led in each of the three remaining quarters. 

High scorers for the Phoenix were Shawn Blackwood with 19 points, Paul-Ryan Molay with 18 and Jason Diaz and Lystra White each had 16 points.

Fleming continues playing on the road as they head to Toronto to take on the Seneca Sting on Friday. Game time is 7 p.m. 

The men’s and women’s Phoenix volleyball teams travelled to Ottawa this past weekend to face the Algonquin Wolves on Saturday and the La Cite Coyotes on Sunday.

The women’s Phoenix volleyball team lost 3-0 to Algonquin with set scores of 25-18, 25-22, and 25-22. They took another loss, 3-1 to La Cite. The Phoenix women won the first set 25-19 and then lost the next three sets 25-22, 25-15, 26-24. 

The men’s Phoenix team were swept 3-0 to Algonquin. Scores for that match were 25-18, 25-16, 23-23. They reversed their fortunes, routing La Cite with set scores of 25-16, 25-9, 25-18. This brings the men’s Phoenix volleyball team to 5-12 in the regular season. 

Both the men and women’s team will play their final game of the regular season at home against the Durham Lords at the Peterborough Sport and Wellness Centre on Wednesday. The women play at 6 p.m. and the men at 8 p.m. 

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Two People Arrested With Multiple Charges Including Drug and Unauthorized Weapon Possession

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Two Peterborough people in their 30’s are facing several charges after a traffic stop by the Community FIRST team on Monday.

Photo by David Tuan Bui.

At roughly 11:30 a.m., officers with the unit were on general patrol in the Brock Street and Aylmer Street area when they spotted a vehicle that was being driven in a suspicious manner. They learned that the rear license plate had been reported stolen several weeks earlier and was different from the plate on the front of the vehicle.

ItPolice also determined that the driver was suspended. Officers also found an open bottle of liquor in the driver’s area of the vehicle. The driver was taken into custody without incident. During a search after arrest, officers located a small amount of methamphetamine and 145 Percocet pills.

As a result, a 33-year-old Peterborough man was arrested and charged with:

  • Possession Property Obtained by Crime Under $5,000 - in Canada (joint charge with co-accused)

  • Possession of a Schedule I Substance - Opioid (other than heroin)

  • Possession of a Schedule I Substance - Methamphetamine

  • Driving while under suspension (Highway Traffic Act)

  • Driving motor vehicle with open container of liquor (Liquor Licence and Control Act)

The accused was released on an undertaking and is scheduled to appear in court Feb. 27.

The 32-year-old female passenger was found to be in possession of an extendable baton and was also charged with:

  • Possession Property Obtained by Crime Under $5,000 - in Canada (joint charge with co-accused)

  • Unauthorized Possession of Weapon

The accused was released on an undertaking and is scheduled to be in court Feb. 20, 2024.

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Peterborough Police Partner With Wounded Warriors Canada to Provide Additional Mental Health Support to Officers and Their Families

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In an effort to provide additional mental health services to first responders, the Peterborough Police Service and Wounded Warriors Canada have announced a partnership on Monday afternoon.

Wounded Warriors Canada is a nationally recognized organization and mental health service provider dedicated to serving ill and injured trauma exposed professionals and their families. The group is currently working with over 100 police services across the country. Photo by David Tuan Bui.

The partnership will aid Peterborough Police Service members and their families. 

The Peterborough Police Service Peer Support Team has been actively seeking partnerships with external agencies to benefit all Service members. Wounded Warriors Canada has been chosen as its first priority partnership according to a press release.

“I was part of organizations both at York Regional Police and London Police Service where we partnered with Wounded Warriors so when this came to my attention here in Peterborough, it was a natural that I would support this here as well for the benefit of our members,” said Chief Stuart Betts of the Peterborough Police Service.

Peterborough Police officers often encounter traumatic experiences which is something the public may or may not be aware of, explained Betts.

“Most people are going to see one or two really terrible things that happen in their lives,” he said. “Our police officers can see one, two, three or five in a single 12-hour shift and there's an accumulative effect that goes along with that. Some of our folks are responding to things where people do the most horrible, imaginable things to other individuals out there.”

“That's what the police are affront to and exposed to,” said Scott Maxwell, Wounded Warriors executive director. “What they could see in a shift could be more trauma than an individual maybe hopefully in their lives. But the reality of that requires very tailored, culturally-specific, occupationally aware, training and counselling assistance to make sure that we are getting in front of this reality.”

Anyone from the Police Service can confidentially apply for Wounded Warriors’s services.

Some available programs include:

  • Trauma Resiliency Program

  • Spousal Resiliency Program

  • Couples Overcoming PTSD Everyday

  • Couples Resiliency Program

  • Warrior Kids Camp & Virtual Program

  • Surviving Family Program

  • PTSD Service Dogs

  • Operations Stress Intervention Dog

“We specialize in residential facilitated group counselling programs for individual members, couples counselling, supports for spouses, surviving families (line of duty death and deaths by suicide) and support for kids aged 8-16 years old,” said Maxwell.

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