Irish Heritage Week Kicked Off With Flag Raising at Peterborough City Hall

Peterborough is getting in the green spirit as City Hall raised the flag of Ireland to kick off Irish Heritage Week on Monday morning.

Maureen Crowley, Peterborough Canadian Irish Club past president (left), Mayor Jeff Leal (middle) and Bonnie Clark, Peterborough County Warden (right) joined members of the club prior to raising the Irish flaG at City Hall. pHOTO BY dAVID tUAN bUI.

Mayor Jeff Leal declared Irish Heritage Week for Peterborough from March 11 to 18.

“I think the last count, 62 per cent of the people here trace their heritage back to Ireland so it's a very important for the Peterborough community,” said Brendan Moher of the Peterborough Canadian Irish Club.

2024 marks the 199th year that politician Peter Robinson administered the passage and settlement of Irish Catholic families into Scott’s Plains, now known as Peterborough.

“We're doing the lead-up now to the 200th anniversary of the Peter Robinson immigration that came to Peterborough,” explained Moher.” (That’s) 2,000 men, women and children back in 1825. We're leading into that for next year so this is an important year.”

Sunday is the 21st annual St. Patrick's Day Parade at 2 p.m., starting at City Hall and running through George Street until the Peterborough Memorial Centre. This year's parade grand marshall is Neil Sanderson, Three Days Grace drummer.

More than 90 entries have been entered into the 21st parade. A 5k run to raise money for Right to Heal, which helps those with mental health and addictions, has been cancelled. All are invited to attend the parade regardless of race and background.

“There's a big tradition here in Peterborough that on St. Patrick's Day, everybody is Irish,” said Moher. “All you have to do is put on a little bit of green and you can certainly join in on all the festivities that will be happening.”

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Connection Unknown From Two Weekend Break-and-Enter Incidents

The Peterborough Police Service is investigating two break-and-enter incidents but is unsure if they are connected from over the weekend.

Photo by David Tuan Bui.

The first occurred in the Auburn and Dunlop Street area at roughly 3:30 a.m. on Sunday. A resident reported waking up to find the back and front doors open. They noticed some items in the home had been moved and only an old pair of sneakers was taken.

The second incident happened at about 3:20 a.m. on Monday in the Armour Road and McFarlane Street area. The resident awoke and discovered a man in her room saying he needed to deliver a pizza. The man was told he had the wrong house, was escorted out of the residence and was last seen heading north on Armour Road.

No injuries were reported in either incident.

The man was described as:

• 6 ft.

• White

• Approx. 35 years old

• Light brown hair

• Wearing blue jeans, a light blue button-up shirt, greenish dress shoes and a black jacket  

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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City of Peterborough Rewarded $1.88 Million From Provincial Government For Exceeded Its 2023 Housing Target

After Peterborough exceeded its 2023 housing target and broke ground on 506 new housing units last year, the provincial government rewarded the City with $1,880,000 through the Building Faster Fund, announced at City Hall on Monday morning.

(From left to right) Councillor Leslie Parnell; Dave Smith, Peterborough-Kawartha MPP; Matthew Rae, Perth-Wellington MPP and Mayor Jeff Leal. In 2022, Ontario saw the second-highest number of housing starts since 1988, with just over 96,000 new homes. Ontario also broke ground on nearly 15,000 new purpose-built rentals, the highest number ever on record. pHOTO BY dAVID tUAN bUI.

The announcement was made by Matthew Rae, Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing who was in attendance of the press conference.

“I want to congratulate Peterborough and all municipalities that have worked hard to get shovels in the ground faster,” he said. “Our challenge to these municipalities now is to redouble their efforts to build more homes than ever before so we can improve affordability and keep the dream of homeownership alive in Ontario. Our government will be there to support you every step of the way.”

Last August, the Ontario government announced the Building Faster Fund, a new three-year, $1.2 billion program to provide significant funding based on performance against provincial housing targets to address the housing supply crisis.

Municipalities that have reached at least 80 percent of their housing target receive funding, and municipalities that exceed it receive increased funding.

“We have a target that we have to achieve by 2031 of 4,700 units as part of the overall provincial pledge that the Premier announced last August,” explained Mayor Jeff Leal.”

He continued to explain that this is a step toward making housing in Peterborough more available and affordable to rent or purchase.

“We want to move that vacancy rate from one per cent to a three per cent level which would be much more healthy and that would moderate rent in the City of Peterborough and provide opportunities for young people to buy that first home,” said Leal.

Any unspent funding can contribute to housing-enabling infrastructure to all municipalities, including those that have already received funding due to reaching their targets, through an application process.

In addition, ten per cent — or $120 million — of the Building Faster Fund is being set aside for small, rural, and northern municipalities to help build housing-enabling infrastructure and prioritize projects that speed up the increase in housing supply according to a press release.

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Peterborough Petes Split Weekend Games, 10 Points Out of Playoff Spot

The Peterborough Petes won and lost in back-to-back games over the weekend against the Niagara IceDogs and Brantford Bulldogs respectively and are now 10 points out of a playoff spot.

pHOTO Bcourtesy of Kenneth Andersen and the Peterborough Petes.

The Petes are 10 points behind the Barrie Colts who occupy the last playoff spot in the Eastern Conference with 56 points but the latter has yet to clinch a postseason berth.

Peterborough has six games remaining while Barrie has eight in the regular season.

The Petes started their weekend with a 7-5 win over the last-place Niagara IceDogs in a high-scoring affair at the Peterborough Memorial Centre on Saturday night.

The home team was down 2-1 late in the first period. At the end of the second, they tied the game at three and then exploded with four goals. Braydon McCallum could have scored an empty-net goal for a hat trick but he selflessly gave Ryder McIntyre the honour for his own and first career OHL three-goal game.

The defending OHL champions travelled to Brantford to take on the Bulldogs but lost 7-2.

After the first period, the Petes found themselves in a 2-1 deficit again. They failed to score in the second while letting in a goal for a 3-1 score. Unlike against Niagara, the Petes allowed several goals in the third including a four-goal flurry from the Bulldogs to Peterborough’s one.

The Petes will attempt to keep their playoff hopes alive when they host the Kingston Frontenacs on Wednesday at home. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.

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Check Out The Business Beat This Week Featuring The Black Horse Pub, Harmony for Healing, Summer Soul Yoga and Chamber of Commerce

PTBOCanada is delighted to be running the Business Beat columns each week here, spotlighting new businesses and startups in Peterborough and the Kawarthas. Here is this week’s edition…

The Black Horse Pub in downtown Peterborough is under new ownership.

Sajen Ganeshalingam has purchased the pub from Desmond Vandenberg, who bought it six years ago from long-time owner Ray Kapoor. The Black Horse is a downtown landmark that has remained relatively unchanged for decades and the new owner plans to continue the tradition of being a live music venue. Drop by 452 George St. N. for some good food, drinks and live entertainment.

A big congratulations to Phillip Jolicoeur and everyone involved in the inaugural Harmony for Healing event at Market Hall.

The event raised $13,500, far exceeding the $10,000 goal. The event is in partnership with the Canadian Mental Health Association Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge with funds going toward the Assertive Outreach Suicide Prevention program. The sold-out event is a beacon of hope for suicide and mental health awareness. Plans are already underway for next year’s event titled Wish You Were Here, which will feature music from the 70s. Tickets are already more than half sold! Get yours at harmonyforhealing.ca.

Summer Soul Yoga and Wellness Studio at 394 George St. N. is kicking off March Break with a series of workshops.

They are hosting a beach party, family yoga, and a teen yoga mini retreat. The following week they are hosting a Somatic Healing workshop on March 23. Additionally, they’ll be hosting a Candlelight Market on April 20. Get the details on upcoming events or find out more about their regular schedule of 19 yoga and pilates classes at summersoul.ca.

The Peterborough and the Kawarthas Chamber of Commerce is hosting Dan Tisch, the newly appointed CEO of the Ontario Chamber of Commerce, for their Annual General Meeting on March 27.

Dan is known globally as an expert in corporate communications, public policy, community engagement, crisis and reputation management. He spent the last 20 years as the entrepreneurial force behind Argyle Communications. Dan has lectured at Queen’s University’s Smith School of Business since 1996 and regularly provides commentary on national media. Tickets are available at pkchamber.ca.

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The Ladies of Peterborough Had a Blast At The Tiffany Show International Women's Day Party

It was a party for the ladies of Peterborough during International Women’s Day as Tiffany Arcari, host of The Tiffany Show, held a celebration to inspire and uplift women from all walks of life on Friday.

(fROM LEFT TO RIGHT) cARISSA mCiNTYRE, jc hANNIGAN, sHEENA hOWARD, tIFFANY aRCARI, lISA cOUTURE AND aSHLEY lAMOTHE. aRCARI WAS THE HOST OF THE EVENT WHILE THE OTHER FIVE WOMEN WERE SPEAKERS, SHARING THEIR STORIES AT THE EVENT. pHOTO BY dAVID tUAN bUI.

Arcari’s event, ‘The Tiffany Show International Women's Day Party,’ had 150 women participate with swag bags, refreshments and treats given out. Women were lined up outside the Venue down George Street before doors opened.

The event showcased stories from five local women (Ashley Lamothe, Carissa McIntyre, Sheena Howard, JC Hannigan and Lisa Couture) sharing their experiences. A watch party of The Tiffany Show International Women’s Day Special highlighting the achievements and journeys of extraordinary women.

A photo booth and special furry guests, puppies from the Peterborough Humane Society, were other amenities to add to the entertainment.

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Photos: Peterborough International Women's Day March 2024

Kawartha World Issues Centre and Kawartha Sexual Assault Centre rallied and marched in Downtown Peterborough for International Women’s Day from Peterborough Square to City Hall on Friday afternoon.

All photos by David Tuan Bui.

The two organizations and participating marchers acknowledge women's achievements and advocate for equality in the annual global celebration. This year's theme, ‘Inspire Inclusion,’ highlights the crucial need to foster a diverse and inclusive society, according to a press release.

Deputy Mayor and Councillor Joy Lachica gave a rousing speech to the 120+ marchers at City Hall, a significant increase from last year’s march which saw roughly 60 people participate. Roughly 10 per cent of this year’s attendees were men, another uptick from the prior event.

A poem reading from Peterborough's current Poet Laureate, Ziysah von Bieberstein, was also performed. Mayor Jeff Leal also spoke, proclamating March 8 as International Women’s Day in Peterborough.

During the march, signs were held up with statements such as, “Where there is a woman, there is magic,” “We are the voice of those who are no longer here,” “It’s a beautiful day to smash the patriarchy,” and “The future is female.”

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Trent University Celebrates Its Student-Athletes In 55th Annual Athletics Awards

In celebration of Trent University student-athletes, the campus celebrated the 55th annual Athletics Awards to recognize Excalibur student-athletes for their hard work and sportsmanship throughout the year at the Trent Athletics Centre on Thursday night.

Photo courtesy of Trent University.

The event held a special tribute to outgoing Trent president and vice-chancellor Dr. Leo Groarke.

“Throughout his tenure, President Groarke has been a champion for Excalibur student-athletes,” said Nathan Mcfadden, Trent director of athletics and recreation. “His vision and dedication have been instrumental in fostering a culture of excellence, sportsmanship, and inclusivity that defines our Trent Excalibur community.”

McFadden also mentioned Trent Board chair Debra Cooper Burger's donation to the Excalibur Fund to support varsity athletics. President Groarke and Dr. Cathy Bruce, president-designate and current vice president of Research & Innovation at Trent, matched the gift.

 “This collaborative effort between the university’s top leadership members exemplifies their dedication and commitment to enriching the student-athlete experience and fostering a culture of success and excellence,” said McFadden. “Excalibur student-athletes aren’t just competitors; they are ambassadors of our character and values here at Trent University and the embodiment of the Excalibur spirit. This funding will allow them to continue to foster the Excalibur culture of excellence and we are so appreciative of this significant donation and the support that we receive from these three exceptional leaders.”

Recipients of Trent’s 2023/24 Athletics Awards, including the inaugural Rookie of the Year and Athlete of the Year awards, are as follows:

Arthur Cup

Varsity student-athletes Jocelyn Whent (women’s lacrosse) and Grayson Tucker (men’s rugby) were honoured as the recipients of the Arthur Cup, the University’s most prestigious award for students in the final undergraduate year who have made significant contributions, sportsmanship, participation, and leadership in athletics programs.

Jocelyn Whent (Gzowski), a Kinesiology student with the women’s lacrosse team, has had an outstanding career as an Excalibur. During her four seasons with women’s lacrosse, Jocelyn earned two OUA gold medals, a silver and a bronze medal. As a key part of the team’s strong offence, she contributed significantly to their success in the OUA Championships. As a senior on the team, Jocelyn acts as a mentor for incoming members of the team, demonstrating leadership and grit on the field. Off the field, she has been a member of the 1EX Council for two years, helping organize varsity events for fellow athletes. Jocelyn has been a dedicated staff member with the Athletics Department during her time as an Excalibur. Holding positions like varsity event staff, game day lead, Excalibur Camp counsellor, and most recently varsity student administrator.

Grayson Tucker (Champlain), an Environmental & Resource Science Studies student on the men’s rugby team, has been an integral member of the Excalibur varsity program since his first season. Grayson was voted onto the team's leadership in his second season with a positive presence on the pitch that was made obvious early in his career as an Excalibur. In the following years, he was named the team’s most valuable forward for three consecutive years and received the coach’s and men’s rugby Garth Vader awards. Grayson was named team captain in his fourth and fifth seasons and OUA second-team all-star in 2022. As both a teammate and a captain, he demonstrated heart, commitment and passion on and off the pitch. Grayson also volunteers as a coach for the U18 Pagans boy’s rugby team and volunteers at Excalibur recruitment days and open houses for the men’s rugby team. A strong advocate for men’s health, Grayson has raised over $4,000 for the Movember Fund Charity over his five years at Trent. He is actively involved as a volunteer at Thomas A. Stewart Secondary School with their suicide prevention awareness events.

Gary Wolff Leadership Award

The Gary Wolff Leadership Award was presented to Jacey Mabee (women’s rowing) and Daniel Austin (men’s volleyball), recognizing their courage, determination, and leadership in sport.

Jacey Mabee (Champlain), a biomedical sciences student, is a respected leader in the rowing program. Jacey’s teammates note that she can always be trusted to give her all during practice and race time. She carries her dedication and commitment off the water, acting as president of the Trent University Rowing Club and overseeing all the club's inner workings. Jacey was an integral part of organizing fundraisers for the team, like the Head of the Trent Regatta beer garden, as well as fundraisers for local charities, including a car wash for the Alzheimer Society, a Firetruck Pull for the Alzheimer Society, and a Movember fundraiser.

Daniel Austin (Gzowski) has been an active leader on and off the court during his five years as an Excalibur. As the men’s volleyball team captain for the past three seasons, Daniel helped introduce a new culture to the team, giving Trent a very positive reputation of respect and decorum in the league. He works in Admissions at Trent, providing tours and helping incoming students with inquiries about Trent. As a member of the 1EX Council, Daniel has taken the lead on outreach programs, engaging local schools often running elementary and high school tournaments. 

Community Betterment Award

Rianna Rogers (women’s rugby) and Holden Lowes (men’s lacrosse) are the 2023-24 Community Betterment Award recipients.

Rianna Rogers (Otonabee) has been deeply involved in multiple initiatives at Trent and in the Peterborough Community during her time as an Excalibur student-athlete. Rogers is passionate about rugby and has been serving as an assistant coach at Crestwood Secondary School and with the U18 Peterborough Pagans. She dedicates significant time to teaching youth through rugby, notably with the 'Play Like a Girl' program. Additionally, she actively engages in various community service projects, including volunteering at the YES Shelter and the Lakefield Animal Welfare Society, organizing clothing drives, and contributing to the 1EX Council's efforts to organize events for varsity student-athletes.

Holden Lowes (Lady Eaton) is a fifth-year Master’s student who has impacted the men’s lacrosse program and the Peterborough community during his time at Trent. Holden is studying cardiopulmonary exercise testing in heart failure patients to determine its predictive value for patient prognosis and eligibility for advanced therapies such as heart transplants. In his spare time, Holden maximizes his community involvement by working for Community Care, volunteering at the Peterborough Regional Health Centre and sitting on the board at the Kawartha Sexual Assault Centre. At Trent, Holden is a Trent Graduate Student Association member and sits on the Trent University Research Ethics Boards.

Rookie of the Year

The inaugural recipients of the Rookie of the Year award are Tyler McDonald (women’s lacrosse) and Leo Frans (men’s soccer).

Tyler McDonald (Gzowski) had an exceptional rookie season with the Women’s Lacrosse program. The midfielder lead the team with an astounding seven goals in the OUA bronze medal game. She was named an OUA All-Star and was the OUA Rookie of the Year.

Leo Frans (Champlain) was an instant offensive threat in his first season with the Excalibur. Frans was second in the OUA for rookie scoring with seven team-leading goals, earning him OUA Second Team All-Star in his first season with the Excalibur. Leo’s offensive mindset and ability to find the back of the net has been a massive asset to the Excalibur and their success this season.

Athlete of the Year

The inaugural Athlete of the Year recipients are Kieran Gerow (women’s lacrosse) and Curtis Conley (men’s lacrosse).

Kieran Gerow (Trail), women’s lacrosse goalie, is the last line of defence, and the team has complete confidence in her. She is a calming and confident presence in the net, making big saves in big moments. She is a strong leader on the field and helps elevate the players around here on the defensive end of the field. Kieran’s solid defensive efforts in the net helped lead her team to an OUA bronze medal this season. Kieran was also named OUA Defensive Player of the Year and an OUA All-Star.

Curtis Conley (Champlain) is a four-time Canadian University Field Lacrosse Association (CUFLA) Defender of the Year, four-time CUFLA All-Canadian, four-year team captain, Baggataway Cup National Champion and All-Baggataway Cup team. He has a 40-6 record during his time at Trent.

This past season, Curtis played through a chronic injury but was the cornerstone of Trent’s defense earning them a tying spot on top of the East Division during regular season play. Unfortunately, he suffered a season-ending injury towards the end of the season and could not play at the Baggataway Cup. Throughout his time with the Excalibur, Curtis has solidified himself with one of the most successful athletic careers at Trent University.

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The Peterborough Petes Keep Pace Until the Third Period and Fall Short to the Ottawa 67's, 4-2

The Peterborough Petes were able to hold their own against the Ottawa 67’s until the third period as they took a 4-2 loss at the Peterborough Memorial Centre on Thursday night.

Photo courtesy of Kenneth Andersen Photography and the Peterborough Petes.

Ottawa drew first blood halfway through the first period as Kimi Körbler snapped a shot at the point and got by everyone including Petes goaltender Liam Sztuska for a 1-0 lead.

Peterborough matched it 72 seconds later on the power play as captain Jonathan Melee ripped a one-timer but got saved with the pad. Quinton Pagé pounced on the rebound and buried it to tie the game after the first.

Ottawa struck again to start the second as Brady Stonehouse got a juicy rebound of his own and got it by Sztuska to have the 67’s regain the lead, 2-1.

Peterborough answered the bell again 3:30 into the period as the Petes blocked a shot and got the puck int he neutral zone off the rush. Tommy Purdeller opted to pass instead of shoot and it was the right call as Ryder McIntyre got the one-timer goal to tie things up at two going into the third.

The 67’s again started the period’s scoring as Körbler wound up with the puck in the slot after a broken play. He spun and shot to score and make it 3-2.

Peterborough tried to battle back but could not get the equalizer and Ottawa added an empty-net goal to seal the deal and leave Peterborough with a 4-2 win.

The Petes continue their homestand this Saturday against the Niagara IceDogs for the final time this season. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.

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15-Year-Old Girl Facing Charges After Stabbing Male Teen In Church Parking Lot

A 15-year-old Peterborough teen is facing an assault charge after an incident over the lunch hour at the St. Stephen’s Presbyterian Church parking lot on Thursday.

Photo by David Tuan Bui.

At around noon, officers received reports of a disturbance involving a large group of young people.

They discovered that a 15-year-old male had been stabbed. He was taken to Peterborough Regional Health Centre with non-life-threatening injuries.

The female was arrested and charged with:

• Aggravated Assault

The accused was released on an undertaking and is scheduled to appear in court March 25.

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