Celebration of Life Being Held For Longtime Arena Worker Roy Bateman On Wednesday Night

Longtime arena worker and community member Roy Bateman is being honoured with a celebration of life at the Peterborough and District Sports Hall of Fame and Museum on Wednesday from 7 to 9 p.m. 

Photo courtesy of the Peterborough Lakers.

He passed away on April 10, a few months shy of his 74th birthday.

During his youth, Bateman was a Special Olympics athlete and won several medals for swimming. He also had a passion for hockey, as he played it on Leighton Road as a goalie with neighbourhood kids. He was also a passionate fan of the Peterborough Petes and Peterborough Lakers.

Bateman worked as a recycler at the Evinrude Centre for several years before retiring in 2021. He was treated like family by arena staff and people he met through his work. Several Petes that went on to the NHL often sent him pictures or Christmas cards.

Roy is survived by his sister-in-law, Maureen Rea. He was predeceased by his mother and father, Allan and Alma Bateman and his big brother, Wayne.

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Megabike Hitting the Peterborough Streets This Summer to Benefit Big Brothers Big Sisters of Peterborough

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Peterborough (BBBS) is bringing back its 30-seater MEGABIKE and is hitting the streets on June 5.

Photo courtesy of BBBS.

The fundraister sees local businesses, community members and supporters pedalling 2.5 km through the streets of Peterborough.

All proceeds go to BBBS’s mentoring programs, allowing the organization to continue matching young people with caring adult mentors, fostering meaningful relationships and positive outcomes. 

“I am so excited to see the MEGABike roll through Peterborough and bring the community together,” said Zoe King, BBBS executive director. “Whether you're a high-energy team ready to take on half or a full bike sponsorship, or an individual looking to pedal for a purpose, there’s a seat waiting for you.”  

The event begins at 10 a.m. at the Healthy Planet Arena in one-hour timeslots. Registration can be done online.

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The Antique Store Closing Its Doors After 49 Years; Store Holding Online Auction To Sell Remaining Items

After 49 years of business, Michael Seeley is closing the doors of The Antique Store at the end of the month and an online auction has been posted to sell out his stock.

Seeley holds a clock that has been sold through the online auction. All items in the store are up for bids but cannot be made in person. Photo by David Tuan Bui.

Seeley has announced the closure, as he is retiring, with the store’s lease set to expire at the end of April. He spent the last year downsizing inventory through in-person sales and is selling the remaining items through an online auction, catalogued by Curated.

The Antique Shop opened in 1977 and settled into his current location at 277 George St. N. in the 1980s. During that time, the business survived a fire, the Peterborough flood and a pandemic.

Seeley plans to travel and spend time with his grandchildren following retirement.

“I’m going to lie down. I’ve heard about this thing called a weekend,” joked Seeley. “I really want to thank the people who have supported me and given me the opportunity to do what I’ve done. A lot of people don’t get to do what they love.”

He’s holding regular preview hours at the shop, Monday through Saturday, from noon to 4 p.m. Shoppers can preview the items in the store and then place bids online. The auction closes Thursday. Winning bidders can pick up their items on Friday and Saturday.

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Routine Watermain Flushing Begins Tuesday

The City will be performing routine flushing of watermains in various areas of Peterborough beginning Tuesday and continuing through Friday.

File Photo.

Flushing will take place between 7:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Routine watermain flushing is preventive maintenance that removes scale and sediment buildup, helping to maintain water quality in the water distribution system.

Water may become iron-coloured or cloudy for a brief period. If this occurs, residents should run the cold water tap closest to the source for 20 to 30 minutes until the water is clear.

If this does not resolve the issue, please call 705-748-9301 ext. 1295 to report the problem.

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Check Out The Business Beat This Week Featuring Mac + Cheese Festival, New Canadians Centre, POI and Canadiana Cabinets

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 Mac and Cheese Festival is back in downtown Peterborough and it’s bigger, bolder and cheesier than before.

This month-long celebration of comfort food is underway now, with downtown restaurants putting their own creative spin on mac and cheese dishes for the public to try, rate, and enjoy. There are classics and some creative takes on the dish like mac and cheeseburger samosa and a mac and cheese poutine. The festivities wrap up with a Grand Finale Bash on Saturday at the Quaker Foods City Square. There will be a mac and cheese showdown with live judging for the Judge's Choice Award, a beer garden, live music, vendors and family-friendly fun. Visit theboro.ca for more details.

The New Canadian Centre has purchased its building from St. James United Church.

This historic building at 221 Romaine Street was built in 1917. The New Canadians Centre moved in back in 2012 and will continue sharing the space with St. James United Church and the St. James Players theatre group. The New Canadian Centre has been instrumental in welcoming thousands of newcomers and hosting numerous cultural celebrations, shared meals, and community events.

POI is celebrating it’s new Peterborough office at 418 George St. N. in downtown Peterborough.

POI has been led by three generations of the Scholl family for six decades, creating inspiring workspaces. Their goal is to create spaces that help businesses achieve their goals and create a place where people want to go. They offer everything from pencils and paper clips to desks and filing cabinets. They have solutions for home offices as well.

We’re profiling local business that make stuff right here in Peterborough and the Kawarthas. This week it’s Canadiana Cabinets.

Founded in 1995 by Bill Barker, they have been producing a versatile lineup of standard and custom cabinets ever since. Their high-quality cabinets are the result of merging traditional and hi-tech construction methods. Their cabinets are custom built-to-order and constructed on an efficient production line with the latest in industry technologies. Drop by and see their beautiful showroom at 2712 Brown Line and see what this local, family-owned business can do for you.

If you want to have your business featured on the Business Beat or know of a business doing something new and interested, shoot an email to joel@pkchamber.ca.

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Sarah McLachlan Returns to Peterborough Memorial Centre On Nov. 9

Grammy and Juno-award winning artist Sarah McLachlan is returning to Peterborough and the Memorial Centre as part of her Fumbling Towards Ecstasy 30th Anniversary 2025 Canadian tour on Nov. 9.

Photo courtesy of Live Nation Entertainment.

Joining her is the acoustic harmony trio Tiny Habits for all listed dates.

“I’m really excited to bring the tour across Canada, it was so disappointing to have to cancel the 2024 tour due to my vocal health, and I’m grateful that we were able to reschedule,” said McLachlan. “I’m fully recovered and recharged and can’t wait to share the Fumbling Towards Ecstasy 30th Anniversary tour with my home country, and maybe a few new songs as well. This tour is a real walk down memory lane as Fumbling is a very special record for me... I’m hoping that the songs will bring back a lot of good memories for everybody.”

The tour celebrates McLachlan’s third studio album, Fumbling Towards Ecstasy, first released Oct. 22, 1993.

One dollar per ticket sale will be donated to the non-profit Sarah McLachlan School of Music which provides music education and mentorship free to children and youth facing barriers to access.

PMC Scoop Ticket presales start Thursday at 10 a.m. with the apporpriate promo code.

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Two Brampton Men Arrested For Theft at a Home Depot; One Man Wanted On a Warrant

Two Brampton men have been arrested and charged with theft at a Home Depot, as reported on Thursday.

Photo by David Tuan Bui.

At roughly 4:15 p.m. on Wednesday, officers saw two men matching a given description exiting Home Depot and took them into custody.  

During the investigation, officers were informed of an incident that occurred on April 8, in which two men entered the store, paid for only some of the items in their cart at the self-checkout and then left. 

A 57-year-old Brampton man wanted on a warrant for multiple theft incidents between August 2024 and April 2025 was arrested in Peterborough on Wednesday.

On the strength of the warrant, he was arrested and charged with:

• Theft under $5,000 x15

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

The second man, a 27-year-old Brampton man was charged with:

• Theft under $5,000 x3

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

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PVNC Concludes Naming Consultation; No Change to Board Name

After several months of public consultation, the Peterborough Victoria Northumberland and Clarington (PVNC) Catholic District School Board has decided not to proceed with a name change, announced on Thursday.

File Photo.

The consultation invited thousands of students, families, staff and community members to share their perspectives on whether the Board’s name should change. After consideration, no single name got enough support to proceed

The consultation process was conducted as part of the Board’s broader multi-year strategic planning process. No additional costs were incurred.

“We committed to a transparent process and took the time to listen to our communities,” said Stephen O’Sullivan, Director of Education. “What we heard was a deep pride in Catholic education and strong connections to our Board’s identity. We may not have reached consensus on a new name, but the feedback we received was thoughtful and sincere, and the engagement from our communities was deeply appreciated.”

“We were encouraged by the number of people who engaged with this process and by the passion they shared from every part of our Board,” said Kevin MacKenzie, Chairperson of the Board of Trustees. “It’s clear that our communities care deeply about Catholic education and the future of PVNC Catholic. We want to thank everyone who took the time to participate.”

Despite maintaining the name, PVNC states that a visual brand refresh—including a new logo—will occur in the months ahead as part of the Board’s ongoing strategic planning efforts.

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Peterborough Petes Hold Number One Pick In 2025 OHL U18 Priority Selection; Team Takes Two Players

The Peterborough Petes selected two players in the 2025 OHL U18 Priority Selection that included first-overall pick Sebastian Dzieciol on Wednesday.

Sebastian Dzieciol. Photo courtesy of Jordan MacDonald and the Peterborough Petes.

The 6’, 182 lbs centre from Ottawa, featured in 28 games for the Ottawa Myers Automotive U18’s this season, scoring 13 goals and adding 15 assists for 28 points. In the playoffs, he played in 13 games, scoring three goals and recording six assists for nine points, which helped Myers win the HEO U18 Championship. In the U18 AAA Ontario Championships, Dzieciol played in five games, picking up an assist. 

“Sebastian is a big, strong forward who isn’t afraid to play physical and battle for the puck,” said Michael Oke, general manager and vice president of operations. “He was a big part of Myers HEO Championship this season, leading the team in scoring during the season and in the playoffs.” 

“I am very honoured and excited to be selected by the Petes,” said Dzieciol. “I am looking forward to being a part of the team and learning and contributing as best I can.”

With the 21st overall pick in the second round, Peterborough selected forward Jayden Mercier from the Upper Canada Cyclones U18.

Jayden Mercier. Photo courtesy of Dan Hickling and the Peterborough Petes.

“Jayden is a strong forward who uses his size well,” said Oke. “He’s a good skater who plays hard and isn’t afraid to go into the corners.”

Mercier, a left winger from Rockland, played in 30 games for the Upper Canada Cyclones U18’s this season, scoring 15 goals and adding eight assists for 23 points. In 11 playoff games for the Cyclones, he scored four goals and added six assists for 10 points, helping his team to the HEO Championship Series.

“It’s literally a dream come true,” exclaimed Mercier. “I can’t believe it. I have been working hard my whole life for this and it hasn’t been easy. It’s a dream come true to be drafted by the Petes.”

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Pathway of Fame Pushing For Nominations

The Pathway of Fame, Peterborough and District is pushing to receive nominations from the community for this year’s class of inductees.

The Pathway of Fame was created in 1997 to honour those who have given of themselves so selflessly for a period of years, or a lifetime. Photo by David Tuan Bui.

Nominations can be made for deserving individuals in any one of the following categories:

• Visual Arts

• Dramatic Arts

• Literary

• Entertainment / Musical

• Cultural Betterment

• Community Samaritan

• Community Builder

• Media

A one-page nomination form can be downloaded as a PDF from the Pathway of Fame website or as a hard copy from Package Plus at 171 Rink Street. The cost is $10 per nomination.

The Pathway also encourages groups and organizations to nominate a deserving individual in any available category. While nominations can be made throughout the year, the annual deadline is historically April 30, to provide ample time for The Pathway to process and vet the various nominations received.

Successful inductees are honoured each September with an event hosted at Showplace Performance Center. Their names are engraved onto individual granite markers permanently installed along the Pathway of Fame at Del Crary Park.

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