Selwyn Township Receives $60,000 Grant For Installation of Accessible Kayak and Canoe Docks

In an effort to improve recreation accessibility, Selwyn Township has received $60,000 through the Inclusive Community Grants Program to install accessible kayak and canoe docking systems announced at The River Den in Lakefield on Thursday afternoon.

Sherry Senis, Selwyn Township mayor (left); Raymond Cho, Minister of Seniors and Accessibility (middle) and Dave Smith, Peterborough-Kawartha MPP (right). Cho hade made three appearances in Peterborough City and County during his visit that including Peterborough, Lakefield and Havelock. pHOTO BY dAVID tUAN bUI.

The announcement was made by Raymond Cho, Minister of Seniors and Accessibility; Dave Smith, Peterborough-Kawartha MPP; Bonnie Clark, Peterborough County Warden and Sherry Senis, Selwyn Township mayor.

The installations are part of the ‘Creating an Inclusive Waterfront in Lakefield’ project which aims to improve the enjoyment of water-based activities for older adults and anyone with limited mobility.

They will be installed at Lakefield Beach and Isabel Morris Park and are expected to be completed by early spring of this year.

The installations provide barrier-free access to recreational water activities along the Otonabee River.

“Our government proudly supports Selwyn Township in removing barriers to recreation through the Inclusive Community Grant,” said Cho. “Both projects will help people of all abilities stay active and close to home so they can continue to live healthy and independent lives.”

“There remain considerable barriers to participation in recreation and cultural activities for people with disabilities,” said Senis. “This is also true for seniors, people with limited mobility, and/or health-related issues. To achieve inclusivity for all, parks and recreation services must be accessible to residents and visitors of all ages and abilities.”

“Those with disabilities and limited mobility are often faced with obstacles or unwelcoming environments when they try to use outdoor spaces,” said Dave Smith. “This funding will allow individuals to have access to waterfront that will enable them to enjoy activities with their friends and families for years to come.”

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Photos: Minister Raymond Cho Mingles With the Residents and Staff of Canterbury Gardens

Raymond Cho, Minister of Seniors and Accessibility of Ontario, stopped at AON Inc’s Canterbury Gardens Retirement Residence while visiting Peterborough to mingle with the residents and staff.

Minister Raymond Cho (left) enjoys the hospitality of Marilyn Thomas's (right) residence at Canterbury Gardens. All photos by David Tuan Bui.

Cho was in town to make several announcements in the County including at the River Den in Lakefield and the Havelock Seniors Club in Havelock.

The minister told stories, opened a Q&A session for the residents and entertained them with an alto saxophone solo.

The Korean-born politician toured the Canterbury Gardens facility including visiting the residences and listening to the living conditions of the residents which were overwhelmingly positive.

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Hometown PTBO: Peterborough Petes Defenceman Carson Cameron Being Drafted to the Team and His Bobcaygeon Roots

This week on Hometown PTBO, Pete Dalliday talks with Peterborough Petes defenceman Carson Cameron about his Bobcaygeon roots, his hometown hotspots and getting drafted to the team.

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Man Asks To Finish FaceTime Call After Being Pulled Over By Officer; Peterborough Police Release Traffic Enforcement Initiative Results

While the Peterborough Police Traffic Unit conducted traffic enforcement initiatives in Lakefield and Peterborough, a man asked an officer if he could finish his FaceTime call after being pulled over on Wednesday.

File photo.

The man was holding his phone while operating a vehicle in Peterborough when he was pulled over according to a police report. When stopped, he asked if he could finish his conversation before speaking to the officer.

He was one of three people who were issued tickets when officers were at George and Simcoe Street. Two warnings were also issued in separate incidents.

In Lakefield, officers were in the area of Water and Bridge Street and issued two warnings connected to a three-way stop. 

Using a handheld device while driving can incur a penalty of $615 and up to six demerit points as a reminder from the Peterborough Police.

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Chase Lefebvre's Hat Trick Leads Peterborough Petes to Second-Straight Home Win Over Kingston Frontenacs, 5-3

Chase Lefebvre’s first career hat trick lifts the Peterborough Petes over the Kingston Frontenacs for a 5-3 win at the Peterborough Memorial Centre on Wednesday night.

pHOTO Bcourtesy of Kenneth Andersen and the Peterborough Petes.

The Frontenacs struck first as Petes goaltender Liam Sztuska opted to play the puck around his net and was picked up by Kingston’s Ethan Miedema. He took a sharp-angle shot but was saved. Matthew Soto quickly snapped it on the rebound and got it through for a 1-0 lead.

Peterborough got a powerplay roughly halfway through the period to try to get the equalizer. Quinton Pagé ripped a shot but was stopped by Kingston goaltender Mason Vaccari. However, Lefebvre had a juicy rebound and buried it at a wide-open net for a 1-1 tie.

The visitors got a powerplay opportunity late in the first frame. They regained the lead after Jacob Battaglia circled the offensive zone and shot against the grain, top corner to restore Kingston’s lead, 2-1.

Lefebvre responded once again for the Petes late in the second period on the man advantage. Nico Addy made a long pass in the offensive zone and Lefebvre's tip-in tied the game at two apiece heading into the third period.

The Petes earned their first lead of the game as Ryder Macintyre threw one at the net and Cam Gauvreau tipped it in front and scored for a 3-2 lead.

Kingston pulled their goalie with less than two minutes left in the game but Braydon McCallum got the puck in the defensive zone and sent it nearly 200 feet for the empty-net goal.

The Frontenacs kept things interesting. With the goalie still pulled, a point shot got deflected and created a loose puck situation. Both teams scrambled for it and Gabriel Frasca was able to get it past Sztuska for a 4-3 game with 1:26 left in regulation.

Lefebvre put the game out of reach, taking a shot from the neutral zone and buried the empty-netter for his first career OHL hat trick and a 5-3 Petes win.

The Frontenacs can get revenge on the Petes when the two teams head to Kingston on Friday for a 7 p.m. game at the Slush Puppie Place.

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Applications Open For the 2024 Peterborough Youth Council

The City of Peterborough is now accepting applications for the Peterborough Youth Council 2024 term for anyone between 12 and 21 who lives or attends school in town.

File Photo.

The Peterborough Youth Council is a voice for youth in our community. Members bring their ideas and energy to organizing and participating in community events. Youth Council members attend monthly meetings and collaborate with Recreation and Parks Services staff to plan community events.

This Council counts towards volunteer hours for an Ontario Secondary School Diploma.

“I’ve enjoyed working with outstanding young people on the Peterborough Youth Council over the years,” said Councillor Lesley Parnell. “The Youth Council contributes a lot of valuable perspectives to community events, in turn members gain valuable experience and make new friends. I encourage anyone who is interested to apply.”

“The young people in Peterborough are the future of our community. We value their perspectives and welcome their input,” said Councillor Gary Baldwin. “Peterborough Youth Council is an opportunity to develop our leaders of tomorrow, while offering lots of fun along the way.”

Applications are due by April 26 at 4:30 p.m.

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Sexual Assault Charges Against Peterborough Priest Withdrawn

Sexual assault and sexual interference charges that were laid on Roman Catholic priest Father Neil Pereira in late July have been withdrawn.

Youtube Screenshot.

The Office of the Crown Attorney had dropped all charges against Pereira after conducting a criminal investigation.

The Toronto priest was on loan to the Diocese of Peterborough and has been working in town since late 2022. Pereira also served as campus minister for Trent University and Fleming College. He was charged with sexual assault and sexual interference on July 26.

Sexual Interference is when a person, for a sexual purpose, touches, directly or indirectly, with a part of the body or with an object, any part of the body of a person under the age of 16 years.

Pereira was removed from pastoral ministry after receiving the allegations following diocesan protocols. The Diocese of Peterborough and the Archdiocese of Toronto cooperated fully with authorities and the police during the investigation.

The Diocese of Peterborough and the Archdiocese of Toronto have released a joint statement regarding the matter on Wednesday afternoon:

“As the charges have been withdrawn and the criminal investigation and process have been concluded, the Archdiocese of Toronto will conduct its ecclesial investigation in accordance with its policy. A further update at the conclusion of this investigation will be provided by the Archdiocese of Toronto.”

Police had released Pereira’s identity since the offences could lead to other possible victims.

“Every accused is entitled to due process. We recognize that any allegation of misconduct against a priest is newsworthy. At the same time, it is essential to update stories and reports to reflect that the charges have been withdrawn to assist in restoring the reputation of Fr. Pereira. Both the Archdiocese of Toronto and Diocese of Peterborough look upon any allegation of misconduct as an urgent matter that requires serious attention,” according to the joint statement.

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City of Peterborough's Rain Garden Subsidy Program Open For Fifth Year

The City of Peterborough’s Rain Garden Subsidy Program, in partnership with GreenUP, is launching its fifth year that provides eligible property owners with educational resources and up to $1,000 toward the cost of installing a rain garden.

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE CITY OF PETERBOROUGH.

“Currently, only 25 per cent of Peterborough’s stormwater is filtered for pollutants before entering natural waterways, such as the Otonabee River or Jackson Creek,” said Curtis Mei, City’s stormwater systems coordinator. “Rain gardens are an important part of a greener stormwater management strategy. Rain gardens reduce the amount of polluted runoff entering local waterways, which keeps the watershed healthy and can also reduce the risk of localized urban flooding.”

Rain gardens must be designed and located in a particular way to function properly. This subsidy process provides support for property owners, including design templates, educational resources, and on-site consultation from GreenUP staff.

“We know folks can be intimidated by the idea of designing and building their own rain garden, but it’s doable with a bit of support,” explained Laura Keresztesi, GreenUP coordinator with Neighbourhood and Residential programs. “That’s why GreenUP has partnered with the City to support this subsidy program. We help applicants through the process, step-by-step.”

This year, the maximum subsidy amount is $1,000 per garden, and GreenUP provides up to two on-site visits to advise on design and construction.

“The number of subsidies is limited and are awarded on a first come, first serve basis,” explained Keresztesi. “We encourage you to reach out as soon as possible.”

Interested property owners, organizations and businesses can learn more and begin the application process online at peterborough.ca/RainGarden.

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Fleming Phoenix Roundup: March 12

The Fleming Phoenix took home several top finishes including a first overall team finish for the men’s team at the 62nd Macdonald College Loggersports Competition at McGill University on March 9.

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

With a first overall finish for the Phoenix men’s A team, they had wins in the following competitions:

• First: Stock Saw, Log Decking, Pulp Throw, Standing Block Chop and Underhand Chop

• Second: Team Crosscut, Team Swede, Water Boil, Wheelbarrow Race and Pole Climb

• Third: Single Buck and Quarter Split

The team consisted of Kaden Bulmer, Blake Fellman, Brayden Holubowsky, Charlie Scott, Thomas Switzer and Tristan Godin-Mercer.

The men's B team saw wins in the following competitions:

• First: Pole Climb

• Second: Log Decking and Pulp Throw

• Third: Stock Saw

The B team included Adam Groth, Mitchell Blackman, Jordan Brown, Thomas Kitchen, Coltan Ross and James Hollingsworth.

The Phoenix women's A team saw the following results:

• First: Pulp Throw

• Second: Axe Throw, Single Buck, Wheelbarrow Race, Standing Block Chop and Team Swede

• Third: Team Crosscut, Log Decking, Super Swede, Underhand Chop

Team members include Sarah D’Hondt, Madelyn McInnes, Mattea Miller-Evans, Darian Carpenter, Rory Lauckner, Maggie Hope and Katrina Leslie.

The women's B team had the following wins:

• First: Pole Climb

• Second: Log Decking

Their team comprised Rene Urwin, Suzanne Mooser, Holly Smith, Isabel Andonian, Hunter Delicate and Thyme Kennedy.

All teams compete on March 23 at Dalhousie University.

The Phoenix men’s extramural cricket team played in the RECCup championship, held on March 7 at Fanshawe College.

They fell in their first match to Humber 34-33. In their second match, the Phoenix lost to Conestoga 29-28.

In the elimination match, the Phoenix bounced back, beating Fanshawe 41 to 39 to advance to the semi-finals where they lost to Conestoga 35-31.

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Peterborough Humane Society Launches Inaugural 50/50 Lottery In Honour Of Late Dog Ambassador

On what would have been Ambassador Owen the Griff’s 17th birthday, the Peterborough Humane Society (PHS) has launched its inaugural 50/50 lottery, announced on Wednesday.

Owen the Griff’s Instagram account has over 114,000 followers and has been succeeded by another dog, Gigi. Photo courtesy of the Peterborough Humane Society.

Owen was popular through his Instagram account and a vital advocate in PHS fundraising throughout his dog life.

The PHS 50/50 Lottery allows participants to win money while providing financial support at PHS’s Animal Care Centre. In addition to the 50/50, the draw features Owen's ‘Ruff’le, a chance to win two patio chairs valued at over $1,700. 

“We're incredibly excited to launch our first-ever PHS 50/50 Lottery,” said Shawn Morey, PHS executive director. “It's a fantastic way for our community to come together and make a difference for animals in need while also having the chance to win beautiful patio chairs through Owen’s ‘Ruff’le.”

The draw will occur on April 17 at 1 p.m. PHS’s social media pages and website will update the public on the 50/50 pot throughout the draw. At the time of this article's publication, the pot was $2,220.

Tickets can be purchased online in packages of 25 for $25, 10 for $10, three for $5 or one for $2.

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