Bank Robbery Suspect Sought by Peterborough Police Service

Peterborough Police are seeking a suspect on the loose from a bank robbery and are investigating.

Photo courtesy of the Peterborough Police Service.

At roughly 3:40 p.m. on Friday, officers were called to the bank in the Chemong Road and Wolsely Street area. Officers learned that a man had entered the bank, threatened to burn it down and demanded money. The man was given some cash before he fled. Through investigation, it was learned that the suspect had changed his clothes behind another store and left the area. 

The suspect is described as (images below during incident and after changing clothes)

• White male

• 40-50 years old

• Tall, thin build

• Wearing during the incident: white plaid shirt, black pants, dark beanie with visor, sunglasses, medical mask, black shoes, white vinyl gloves

• Wearing after the incident: navy/black t-shirt, green cargo shorts, grey ball cap, black shoes with white soles and possibly a yellow and pink backpack

Photo courtesy of the Peterborough Police Service.

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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Fleming Phoenix Name New Varsity Soccer Coaches For Men's and Women's Teams

Fleming College has named two local residents Victor Waselenko and David Brown as head coaches for the men’s and women’s varsity soccer programs, respectively.

Photo courtesy of Fleming College.

Waselenko has been a faculty member at Fleming College since 2013 with the School of Business and has also owned Soccer Plus, a soccer sporting goods store in Peterborough.

His prior soccer leadership experience includes being president and technical coaching director of the Peterborough Youth Soccer Club, director of coaching for the Peterborough City Soccer Association and coaching at various levels from U9-U21. Victor is currently the coach of Peterborough City U15 Boys Soccer.

Brown is currently the head coach of varsity girls at Trinity College School in Port Hope. His prior experience also includes being the director of coaching with Maple Leaf Cavan FC, head coach, Varsity Girls Soccer in Belgium at St. John’s International School and volunteer assistant coach with the Men’s varsity soccer program at Trent University.

Brown has also been the co-technical director of the Northumberland Soccer Club, Port Hope and held head coach positions for soccer teams at Lakefield College School, Brentwood College School and international schools in Belgium.

The school’s priority for the program will be to strengthen the relationship between Fleming Phoenix and local soccer leagues to increase awareness and interest for local players to take their game to the next level with the team according to a press release.

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4th Line Theatre to Brings Peterborough History to Life In World Premiere Production 'Jim Watts: Girl Reporter'

4th Line Theatre is bringing Peterborough History to life with its world premiere production of 'Jim Watts: Girl Reporter' running from July 30 to Aug. 24.

Photo courtesy of 4th Line Theatre.

According to a synopsis, the play takes audiences from Toronto to Madrid to Peterborough and features a local connection in Jim Higgins who raised his family in Peterborough and was truly heroic as a member of the Mackenzie-Papineau brigade in Spain.

“Thankfully I've had one of the best tools you could possibly have which is Jim Higgins's daughter Jeanette, compiled a memoir of his so reading through that, reading his entire life story is the biggest resource that any actor could possible have from his own words,” said Thomas Fornier (Jim Higgins).

Eugenia “Jim” Watts, was most famously known for being a Canadian correspondent for the Spanish Civil War and the only woman to join the MacKenzie-Papineaus, Canada’s Republican regiment in Spain. Her political beliefs and actions were heavily inspired by Emma Goldman, a prominent feminist at the time. Jim Watts began her political work as a theatre artist in Toronto, later founding Theatre of Action. She was a prominent figure in the theatre movement during the 1930s. Watts did more than write about the Spanish Civil War, as she was also an active participant in nursing and driving ambulances for the wounded civilians and soldiers.

“I didn't know a lot about this piece of history myself so I'm sure that other people will be learning about it for the first time as well,” said Katie Ryerson (Jim Watts). “Getting to play someone who is a real person is a real honour and a real gift and premiering a new work for the first time is always a real honour and real privilege.”

The play is written by Beverly Cooper and directed by Kim Blackwell. The production has 28 cast members and a crew of 15 people.

“I think I'm ideally suited to direct it because I helped dramaturge it and help support Bev in the writing of the piece in the past five years,” said Blackwell. “I really like directing world premieres because I always imagine it like a field of fresh snow where there are no other footprints and I get to put my footprints in that fresh snow.”

Opening night is Aug. 1 with July 30 and 31 as preview nights. Shows run from Tuesday to Saturday at 6 p.m. and tickets are available online at 4th Line Theatre’s website.

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Rotary Greenway Trail to Undergo Enhancements Including George and Hilliard Intersection

The City of Peterborough has an upcoming project to upgrade a section of the Rotary Greenway Trail between Bethune and Hilliard Streets including improvements to the intersection at George and Hilliard Streets. 

Photo courtesy of the City of Peterborough.

The project, which is being completed with support from the Federal Active Transportation Fund, is being designed to enhance the active transportation network. 

Residents are invited to view the project scope and plans, additional project information and resources, and submit questions and feedback through the interactive features on the City’s community engagement hub at connectptbo.ca/rotary-trail-improvements.

The general scope of the project is to: 

• Slightly realign the southbound approach of George Street towards Hilliard Street. 

• Implement a signalized intersection at the George Street and Hilliard Street intersection to enable trail users to cross the intersection with dedicated crossings. 

• Improve accessibility of the intersection, including improvements to the Rotary Trail approaches to the intersection. 

• Implement new trail lighting along the Rotary Trail between Bethune Street and Hilliard Street. 

• Implement new rest areas, benches, pavement markings, and signage along the Rotary Trail between Bethune Street and Hilliard Street. 

The Rotary Greenway Trail lighting implementation between Bethune Street and Hilliard Street will improve the trail for users of all ages and abilities, making the trail a higher functioning and more efficient key north-south crosstown route. The lighting implementation will improve the key trail links between downtown, surrounding neighbourhoods, secondary schools and Trent University. Also included in this project will be trail pavement markings and additional signage on the trail throughout the project area. 

With the information collected through the Connect Peterborough question engagement tool, the project team will review and consider all feedback and implement changes to the project plans where feasible. The feedback period will close on Aug. 31. Construction is expected to be completed in 2025. 

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Russelle Toyota Sponsors Pad Naming Right at Miskin Law Community Complex

Russelle Toyota has become the Naming Right sponsor of the north pad at the new Miskin Law Community Complex which will open later this year.

Photo courtesy of the City of Peterborough.

The Complex is a new facility being built at the southeast corner of Lansdowne and Park Streets which will include a twin-pad arena, a Peterborough Public Library branch, an indoor track for walking and running and multi-use space. When the building opens, the north pad will be called Russelle Toyota Pad. 

“We are honoured to be involved and be able to support this great community,” said Jason Russelle, Russelle Toyota general manager. “Supporting our community has always been at the heart of our values. It is exciting to have our name associated with this new facility and the positive impact it will have for so many.”

“Thank you to Russelle Toyota for supporting our community through this exciting sponsorship at the new Miskin Law Community Complex,” said Councillor Lesley Parnell and Councillor Gary Baldwin. “We are thrilled that Russelle Toyota will be alongside our community when residents step through the doors of this new facility.”

Russelle Toyota is the second major sponsor supporting the city’s newest community complex. Miskin Law has secured the overall naming rights for the complex, now known as the Miskin Law Community Complex. Naming rights sponsorships for the major features of the complex will collectively contribute more than $1 million toward the project’s capital budget. 

A groundbreaking ceremony for the new community complex was held on Dec. 8, 2022 to mark the start of construction on the new facility officially. The project remains on time and on budget, with construction expected to be completed this fall.  

When construction is completed, a brief period will be required to move into the space after the contractor hands over the facility. The twin-pad arena and library branch will be prepared for public operations. The City expects to open the facility for limited casual use by the community, such as drop-in public skates and other activities to open the doors to the public, before beginning booked use of the facility by sports organizations and other users. 

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Thomas Hoggarth Leads the Lakers to a 12-5 Over Owen Sound; Peterborough Takes Game One

Thomas Hoggarth’s five-point night helps the Lakers take game one of their best-of-five series in a 12-5 win over the Owen Sound North Stars at the Peterborough Memorial Centre on Thursday night.

Photo courtesy of David Pickering and the Peterborough Lakers.

Peterborough jumped out to an early lead, scoring the first three goals thanks to Rob Hellyer, Turner Evans and Hoggarth on a shorthanded goal. Owen Sound was able to get one back before the period’s end for a 3-1 score.

Peterborough poured it on in the second without relinquishing any defense. Peterborough hammered home seven-straight goals with the last two from Hoggarth to complete the hat trick. Lakers goaltender Doug Buchan kept it clean, allowing nothing past him that period to make it a 10-1 game.

The North Stars finally found some footing in the third period as they opened things with three straight goals. Joe Resetarits and Colton Armstrong had Peterborough’s only goals in the final frame. Owen Sound tacked on one more goal late in the period but it was nowhere near enough to catch the Lakers and Peterborough got the victory.

Game two in the series is at the Harry Lumley Bayshore Arena in Owen Sound on Saturday night at 7 p.m. Game 3 is back in Peterborough next Thursday at 8 p.m.

Cobourg leads Oakville 1-0 and Brooklin leads Brampton 1-0 in the other quarterfinal matchups.

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Peterborough Man Charged An Indecent Act; Linked to Same Incident In May

A 60-year-old Peterborough man is facing charges after two separate indecent acts on Thursday.

Photo by David Tuan Bui.

At roughly 3:45 p.m., officers were called about an indecent act occurring in a public space in the south end of Peterborough. Officers attended the area and identified the suspect. Police believe he was also linked to an incident in the same area in May.

The man was arrested and charged with:

• Indecent Act in a Public Place x 2.

The accused is being held in custody and will appear in court on Friday.

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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Federal Government Announces $8.5 Million Funding of Two Projects For Conservation Efforts and Ecosystem Protection In Peterborough.

The Federal Government has invested over $8.5 million in funding for two projects that will help advance conservation efforts and protect ecosystems in Peterborough, announced at Jackson Park on Thursday afternoon.

File Photo.

The announcement was made by Rechie Valdez, Minister of Small Business, and Adam van Koeverden, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Environment and Climate Change and to the Minister of Sport and Physical Activity, on behalf of the Honourable Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Environment and Climate Change.

“Protecting nature is one of the best and easiest ways that we can fight climate change,” said Valdez. “These vital ecosystems, like those here in Peterborough, absorb carbon and increase our communities’ resilience to the effects of climate change.”

The Government of Canada has launched the largest conservation campaign in the country’s history in order to meet its emissions reduction targets and reverse biodiversity loss by 2030 according to Valdez.

“Our government has launched the largest ever conservation campaign in Canada’s history, with a goal of protecting 30 per cent of lands and waters in Canada,” she said. “That starts with protecting spaces like these. The long-term benefits are enormous, getting us closer to our climate goals and protecting forever the critical habitat of so many species.”

The projects being funded under the Nature Smart Climate Solutions Fund are:

• $7 million for the Kawartha Land Trust to support its work to advance conservation efforts under way by securing an additional 566 hectares of intact temperate forest and freshwater coastal habitat to support 28 species at risk

• $1.586 million for the Association of Conservation Authorities of Ontario to protect vital ecosystems from destruction and fund activities that protect at-risk species, including Snapping Turtle, False Hop Sedge and Chimney Swift

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Hiawatha Man Wins $150,000 In The Bigger Spin Instant Game

Arlan Musgrave of Hiawatha is $150,000 richer after after winning big with the THE BIGGER SPIN INSTANT game.

Photo courtesy of OLG.

Musgrave has been a weekly lottery player for several years and this was his first big win according to a press release. 

“I was at home, sitting in my chair and began to play my ticket,” he said. “I saw that the numbers matched and the prize was a big one. I was definitely excited. I looked at the ticket over and over again to confirm what I was seeing was real.”

Eager to know if he had won big, Musgrave headed to the store to validate his ticket.

“When the clerk checked my ticket, she was so excited for me,” he explained.

When Musgrave’s friend heard the news, she was initially in disbelief.

“She thought it was a prank ticket at first. She was extremely happy for me too,” he said. “After playing for so long, it feels good to have won.”

Musgrave says he plans to save his winnings.

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City of Peterborough Opens Public Survey Canada Day Celebrations

The City is inviting community members to share their ideas and feedback through a survey on how they would like to see the community celebrate Canada Day next year, announced on Thursday.

Photo by Samantha Bianco.

A survey about the Canada Day celebrations is now open online until Aug. 6 at 12:55 p.m. The survey takes about five minutes to complete. 

Feedback from the consultation will help inform recommendations to City Council on how the City organizes and hosts Canada Day celebrations. 

Visit City Hall reception at 500 George St. N for a paper copy of the survey. 

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