Peterborough Police to Let Kids Take Charge With "Chief For a Day" Program Essay Contest

The Peterborough Police Service is returning the ‘Chief For A Day’ program which gives a Grade 5 student an opportunity to experience a day as Police Chief for the Peterborough Police Service. 

Photo courtesy of the Peterborough Police Service.

Students from Peterborough, Lakefield and Cavan-Monaghan are eligible to enter. Entrants are asked to write a 300 to 500-word essay on what they would do if they were Chief for a day.

The contest winner will be fitted with a full Peterborough Police Service Uniform and experience a day in the life of our Police Chief, including being sworn in, meeting the officers and different units, as well as presenting your essay to the Peterborough Police Service Board.

Completed essays can be sent to chiefofpoliceoffice@peterboroughpolice.ca with the entrant’s full name, school, the city the school is in and the school board the student attends. The deadline is on March 25.

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Fleming College's Haliburton School of Art and Design to Offer Courses During March Break

Fleming College’s Haliburton School of Art + Design is offering courses for kids, youth and adults to have fun this upcoming March Break, announced on Thursday.

Photo courtesy of Fleming College.

Young artists (ages five to nine) can get their hands dirty and creative in Kids Art Camp: Wild About Clay. According to Fleming, participants will explore three-dimensional art through various hand-building techniques such as pinching, coiling and slab work as they create unique clay masterpieces. They will find natural objects to press into clay and sculpt their favourite animals.

Teens and adults (ages 17 and up) can engage in Canadian winter through Painting the Winter Landscape. Participants will paint in real-time or work from photographs, drawing inspiration from Haliburton’s scenery, including the Sculpture Forest.

Artists are guided by the techniques of artists such as Tom Thomson, Lawren Harris, Doris McCarthy and Kim Dorland to develop their own interpretations of the winter landscape.

These courses run daily from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Haliburton Campus from March 10 to 14. 

Registration is now open and can be done online.

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MPP Dave Smith Gets Three-Peat and Is Elected For Third Consecutive Term For Conservative Party

Peterborough-Kawartha MPP Dave Smith has reached the political three-peat as was elected for a third term representing the PC Party after the provincial election held on Thursday.

Smith wins a third-consecutive term for the PC Party. John Melville Turner (1977-1987) was the last Conservative member to win three-straight terms. Photo by David Tuan Bui.

Smith won the riding with 40.5 per cent of the votes (22,383). This was an increase from 38.5 per cent (20,188 votes) in his last election in 2022. He beat Liberal Party candidate Adam Hopkins, who had 36.4 per cent of the votes (20,135) as the runner-up.

“It is truly an honour to be able to do this. I've said it multiple times, I owe a debt to the people of Ontario that I can only repay by doing something like this, by giving back to our community,” exclaimed Smith. “I really appreciate the people of this area have decided they'll put their trust in me for four more years. To be able to move the needle so that we have a better place for all of us to live in.”

Smith held his election party at the Peterborough Golf & Country Club and had roughly 80 people in attendance. He was declared the winner roughly 80 minutes after the polls had closed, securing his third term. Premier Doug Ford was re-elected to a third term six minutes after polls closed and immediately had a majority government declared.

“When people take a look at the hard work that we've put into it, what we've tried to accomplish, the steps that we have taken so far, the groundwork has been laid,” explained Smith. “We have help coming and we have things starting to make a difference now.”

As Smith remains MPP, he says it’s obvious that healthcare needs to be worked on but employment opportunities are an even greater priority.

“We saw 3,900 jobs that could have come to this area because we did not have the appropriate land for it. We also had an agricultural company that came to look at it, they needed 65 acres of land. The largest that we had was 44. That company chose to go another location as a result of it,” explained Smith. “We need to have to find a way to have more employment land available so that when we have those opportunities to bring a company here, they actually decide this is the location for them.”

Despite Peterborough having a college and university, many graduates are not staying in town for work; something that needs to change according to Smith.

“We need to reverse that trend,” he said. “That's one of the main things we'll be working on the next four years.”

When asked about the people that did not vote for him, Smith says he’s happy they exercised their right to vote and he is willing to listen to their concerns.

“My door is always open, please feel free to reach out to us, talk to me about what your issues are,” he said. “If it's something that we can help with that's going to make a positive difference, we are going to take every opportunity then to look at that and make this place a better place for everyone.”

The following were the results of the Peterborough-Kawartha Riding:

• Dave Smith (Conservative) - 22,383 votes (40.5 per cent)

• Adam Hopkins (Liberal) - 20,135 votes (36.4 per cent)

• Jen Deck (New Democratic) - 9,480 votes (17.1 per cent)

• Lucas Graham (Green Party) - 1,738 votes (3.1 per cent)

• Andrew Roudny (New Blue) - 864 votes (1.6 per cent)

• Brian Martindale (Ontario Party) - 684 votes (1.2 per cent)

Smith (left) beign congratulated by Hopkins (right) moments after the former was declared the winner of the provincial election.

Hopkins made a brief visit congratulating Smith’s win. He is newer to the political world, being elected two weeks prior to the election. Despite being unable to defeat Smith, he was happy with the results since he was named the Liberal Party candidate in a short amount of time. He said he didn’t know how it was going to go or had a lot of confidence to start but it grew quickly with the election results since the Liberals gained some seats and regained official party status as a result with 14 (12 being the official threshold).

“There's some good numbers and we've got some momentum behind some additional seats,” he said.

Liberal Party Leader Bonnie Crombie lost her Mississauga East-Cooksville riding to PC Party candidate Silvia Gualtieri by a vote count of 46.5 percent (16,763) to 43.1 per cent (15,536).

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PATH and One City's "Tiny Home" Project Available For Tenancy Starting Friday

Peterborough Action for Tiny Homes (PATH) and One City Peterborough have completed their first ‘Tiny Home’ project, with tenancy availability opening on Friday.

Photo by David Tuan bui.

This project was initiated in September last year following planning approval by the city under its 2023 Additional Rental Unit (ARU) guide. The project was funded by charitable donations from PATH and One City donors and building gifts and materials from Kingdon Timber Mart and Gus’s Kitchen and Bath.

PATH provided design and contract management, along with arranging for 1500 volunteer hours toward the completion of this project, ensuring that the house was completed on time and within budget. The resulting 400-square-foot home is a fully equipped, accessibly designed, affordable private home that adds to One City’s growing supportive housing stock.

One City currently provides housing support to 34 people in their congregate housing program, all of which are congregate housing sites. This project is their first single-occupancy housing unit.

“There is a distinct need for this kind of private accommodation for people who are transitioning from being unhoused,” said Michael Van Der Herberg, One City property development manager. For many people who were previously unhoused, living in a shared space, while cost effective, is not ideal for personal recovery.”

Plans are underway for similar units to be constructed in the coming year at an estimated cost of $100,000 or less per unit, according to PATH. Low-cost construction is key to making these tiny homes affordable. PATH will continue to work with community partners, local builders, and city staff to provide design studies, permit applications and construction support to help make this possible.

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Peterborough Man Charged With Uttering a Death Threat During An Online Sale

A 26-year-old Peterborough man is facing charges after uttering death threats to another man on Tuesday.

Photo by David Tuan Bui.

The threats were uttered during an online sale attempt between two men known to each other. The threats toward the victim included images of weapons and threats of harm. 

The High Risk Unit, Street Crime Unit and Emergency Response Team (ERT) were called in and the suspect was taken into custody without incident in the Burnham Street and Hunter Street area. Officers also conducted a search warrant at the suspect’s residence, during which officers seized a live round of ammunition.

The man has been charged with:

• Utter Threats to Cause Death

• Fail to Comply with Release Order x2

• Breach of Recognizance

The accused is currently bound by a release order with the following conditions: to not possess a cell phone or device with access to the internet and to not possess any weapon or ammunition as defined by the Criminal Code. 

The accused is also currently bound by a recognizance with the following condition: not possessing any weapon or ammunition as defined by the Criminal Code.

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

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Satisfy Your Green Thumb at Seedy Sunday at Peterborough Square March 9

The 20th anniversary of the annual swap and seed sale of Seedy Sunday hits Peterborough Square on March 9 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., announced on Wednesday.

Photo courtesy of Urban Tomato.

The free-admission event will have a diverse range of locally grown heirloom vegetables, flower and herb seeds, vermicomposting supplies and bulbs available for perusing and purchase from local farms and vendors.

The locally-grown seeds are adapted to our unique climate and grown to thrive on your farms and gardens according to a press release.

Community groups will display information about their work and provide visitors opportunities to get involved with local food, farming, water and environmental programs and to answer questions about gardening, seed saving and growing this season.

Attendees can expand their gardens at the Seed Exchange Area to swap seeds with other growers, pick up some new and unique seed varieties and chat with other seed savers.

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Millbrook's Serena Ryder to Headline 2025 Musicfest Opening Night

Millbrook-born Serena Ryder has been named to headline Peterborough Musicfest’s opening night for its 38th season scheduled for June 28 at Del Crary Park, announced on Thursday.

Photo courtesy of Peterborough Musicfest.

The singer-songwriter has headlined the opening night of Peterborough Musicfest in 2016. This is her fifth appearance on the Fred Anderson stage and her seventh performance for Peterborough Musicfest.

Ryder graduated from Peterborough Collegiate’s Integrated Arts Program She gained national acclaim with her ballad Weak in the Knees in 2007. She won the first of her seven Juno Awards the following year, taking home Best New Artist of the Year in April 2008. By July 2010, she was performing at the Lilith Fair. In February 2011, she toured across Canada with none other than Melissa Etheridge.

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Peterborough Petes to Celebrate Indigenous Heritage Night For Thursday's Game

The Peterborough Petes will host their annual Indigenous Heritage Night with puck drop scheduled for 7:05 p.m. at the Peterborough Memorial Centre against the Windsor Spitfires this Thursday.

Photo courtesy of Kory Parkin and the Peterborough Petes.

This year, the Petes will again use the attached logo designed by Kory Parkin, an Indigenous Painter & Digital Creator from Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory. The logo highlights the traditional name of Peterborough, Nogojiwanong, meaning ‘place at the foot of the rapids.’

“Since the land today is preoccupied by many Indigenous groups I thought it would best represent those who came before by changing Peterborough to the name it went by before,” said Parkin. “Known as a great fishing spot and the word meaning, place at the end of the rapids, that’s why I included the canoe and the water behind to give a rapid look to the water.”

The pre-game ceremony will include a land acknowledgement, a ceremonial faceoff including representatives from Crowe’s Gas, Alderville First Nation, Curve Lake First Nation and Hiawatha First Nation and the National Anthem, which Curve Lake First Nation School will sing.

Throughout the game, fans can see dance ceremonies and dancers from Alderville First Nation on the ice at the intermissions and in the lobby. There will also be storytelling on the video board throughout the game, including Sky Woman and Turtle Island.

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Community Care Peterborough Returns Meals to Go Fundraiser In Commemoration of 60 Years of Meals On Wheels

To celebrate 60 years of Meals on Wheels, Community Care Peterborough has announced the return of its Meals to Go fundraiser on March 26.

In Ontario, more than 68,000 people rely on Meals on Wheels, and Peterborough was home to one of Canada’s earliest programs, established just months after the country’s first. Community Care Peterborough delivers over 50,000 meals annually throughout the City and County of Peterborough. Photo by David Tuan bui.

This semi-annual event allows local businesses to enjoy lunch delivered to their workplace by dedicated Meals on Wheels volunteers to support seniors and adults with physical challenges in the community.

Each meal sold helps subsidize the cost of Meals on Wheels in Peterborough according to Community Care Peterborough.

This year’s meal features a Greek Chicken Pasta Bowl with a Triple Chocolate Fudge Cake dessert. Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and lactose-free alternatives are also available. The menu has been crafted in collaboration with Mapleridge Retirement Residence, which prepares hot Meals on Wheels in Peterborough.

Meals must be ordered in advance by groups of co-workers, with one representative submitting the full order. The order deadline is March 18 and orders can be placed online.

Businesses and community members are invited to donate non-perishable food items in support of the Saint Vincent De Paul Food Pantry in Peterborough. A donation collection will be available at the time of meal delivery.

Community Care Peterborough continues in our community.

“We are so grateful for the incredible support that has sustained Meals on Wheels for 60 years,” said Chris LeBlanc, Director of Donor and Public Relations at Community Care Peterborough. “It takes the entire community—businesses, volunteers, donors, and partners—to keep this essential service going. Meals to Go is a fantastic way for businesses to enjoy a great meal, support Meals on Wheels, and now, give back even more by donating non-perishable food items to help those in need.”

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Half-Load Restrictions For Commercial Vehicles In Effect Starting Saturday

Commercial vehicles will be restricted to halfloads on the following streets in the City of Peterborough starting Saturday until April 30.

File Photo.

The City says half-load restrictions help protect roadways from damage during the spring thaw.

The following are the affected roads:

• Airport Road from Sir Sanford Fleming Drive to the south city limits

• Armour Road from Nassau Mills Road to Paddock Wood

• Ashburnham Drive from McFarlane Street to Maria Street

• Ashburnham Drive from Neal Drive to the south city limits

• Bensfort Road from River Road South to the south city limits

• Brealey Drive from Parkhill Road West to Lansdowne Street West

• Carnegie Avenue

• Crawford Drive from Sir Sanford Fleming Drive to 0.6 km east of The Parkway

• Cumberland Avenue from Ungava Avenue to Carnegie Avenue

• Dobbin Road

• Guthrie Drive

• Harper Road

• Hetherington Drive from Richard Road to Woodland Drive

• Johnston Drive

• MacFarlane Avenue - from Trentview Road to Television Road

• Maniece Avenue from Ashburnham Drive to Television Road

• McNamara Road from Guthrie Drive to Driscoll Road

• Nassau Mills Road

• Old Norwood Road from Ashburnham Drive to Television Road

• Otonabee Drive

• Parkhill Road East from Armour Road to Trent Severn Waterway Swing Bridge

• Pioneer Road

• River Road South from Lansdowne Street to Bensfort Road

• Sherbrooke Street from Glenforest Boulevard to the west city limits

• Simons Avenue

• Towerhill Road from Chemong Road to Fairbairn Street

• University Road

• Wallace Point Road from Bensfort Road to Driscoll Road

• Whittington Drive

• Woodland Drive

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