City Employee Given Award for Distinguished Service in Municipal Information Technology

The City of Peterborough has recognized Jamie Hagg, Manager Enterprise Technology, with the esteemed Regena Lerke Award for Distinguished Service by the Municipal Information Systems Association of Ontario (MISA).

Photo courtesy of MISA.

The Regena Lerke Award recognizes those who demonstrate outstanding service to MISA Ontario, going above and beyond in their support of the organization and its members while embodying the values of integrity, humour and humanity. Recipients are selected by a panel of representatives from municipalities across Ontario.  

Hagg has had a 25-year career with the City. His longstanding involvement with MISA Ontario includes more than eight years on the Board of Directors, serving in several key roles including Director, Central Region (2017 to 2019), Vice President (2019 to 2021) and President (2021 to 2023). Hagg just completed a two-year term as Past President in June.  

“Over the past eight years, this individual has served on the MISA Ontario Board with consistency, thoughtfulness, and a calm, kind approach to leadership,” MISA stated. “Jamie has been a steady presence — someone who listens carefully, considers all perspectives, and helps guide decisions with clarity and respect.” 

“This award is a well-deserved recognition of the incredible work and dedication shown over the years. Jamie’s leadership in municipal IT and his commitment to collaboration across Ontario have made a lasting impact, not just here in Peterborough, but across the province. On behalf of Council, I want to thank Jamie for his outstanding service and congratulate him on this remarkable achievement,” said Councillor Andrew Beamer.

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Peterborough Downtown Business Improvement Area Launches New Website

The Peterborough Downtown Business Improvement Area (DBIA) has officially launched Phase 2 of its website TheBoro.ca, announced on Monday.

Photo courtesy of the DBIA.

The reworked website helps visitors and locals to plan and enhance their downtown experience according to a press release.

Support from Regional Tourism Organization 8 (RT08) through their Partnership Allocation Program helped DBIA create the website.

The website was originally developed during the pandemic as an online shopping portal. It has become a digital destination for visitors and residents, aligning with the DBIA’s mission to enhance downtown Peterborough’s economic vitality, community connection and cultural vibrancy according to Nour Mazloum, DBIA executive director

“TheBoro.ca is more than just a website. It’s a crucial part of our long-term strategy for fostering economic growth and cultural vibrancy in the heart of Peterborough,” she said. “We really want people to feel excited about exploring our downtown, whether they’re visiting us for the first time or just looking for a great way to spend their weekend.”

The new platform serves as a central hub for downtown Peterborough to discover events, local businesses or trip ideas.

It also gives downtown business owners, artists, and local event organizers a central stage to share their offerings, helping them reach new audiences and network within the community and among visitors.

Some new features of  TheBoro.ca include:

• An Interactive business directory with mapping tools and highly curated categories

• A dynamic events calendar with DBIA-led events and community submissions with everything from live music and customer appreciation events to theatre shows, family festivals and exclusive pop-up events

• Trip-planning content such as self-guided tours and itineraries, local stories and business/artist spotlights and guides

• Integrated connections to the Boro Gift Card, exclusive Boro merchandise and newsletters

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CMHA HKPR Surpasses Goal, Raising Over $30,000 From Third Annual 'Change the Cycle' Fundraiser

The Canadian Mental Health Association, Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge (CMHA HKPR) crushed its $25,000 fundraising goal from its third annual ‘Change the Cycle’ event, raising $30,537.08 on Saturday at Nicholls Oval.

Ryan Waudby, Tom’s Heating & Cooling president (left) and Jack Veitch, CMHA HKPR manager of community engagement and education (right) after the former kickstarted the fundraiser with a $5,000 donation. CMHA HKPR's Change the Cycle raised over $25K for youth and family mental health supports. Photo courtesy of CMHA HKPR.

There were 86 riders who hit the Rotary Greenway Trail to support CMHA HKPR.

These funds will directly support Planet Youth through the Haliburton, Kawartha, Northumberland Peterborough (HKNP) Health Unit. It is an initiative dedicated to enhancing the mental wellness of youth and families in these areas.

“This is a huge win for youth and family mental health in our region, and it would not have been possible without you all. A heartfelt thank you to our incredible Agents of Change, Linda Kash and Michelle Mackey, for lending their voices and hearts to this cause. Your support means the world to us,” in a statement in a press release.

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United Way's Day of Caring Helped Community Projects Throughout the City

Volunteer teams set out ot help the community’s non-profit organization projects as part of the United Way Peterborough and District Day of Caring on Friday.

Photo by David Tuan Bui.

The annual event sees volunteers from several organizations support local organizations by painting, landscaping, cleaning, organizing and other projects that enhance capacity and uplift vital community spaces according to Jim Russell, United Way CEO.

“This day is all about action and collaboration,” he said. “It’s incredible to see so many businesses and individuals come together to make a tangible difference for local non-profits — it’s community spirit in its purest form.”

This year, around 40 volunteers from Scotiabank, BMO, RBC, CIBC, the Peterborough and District Labour Council and Jani-King of Eastern Ontario aided six community projects, including:

• One City Peterborough Yard work and cleanup projects at separate sites, including 360 Reid St., to help maintain safe and welcoming community spaces

• YES Shelter for Youth and Families Interior painting at the main shelter and the Carriage House Drop-in Centre at 196 Brock St., to brighten spaces for youth and families

• Elizabeth Fry Society of Peterborough Beautification of the Bridge Site at 210 Wolfe St., including planting, outdoor furniture painting, sweeping, raking, litter collection, and the creation of a plywood gratitude wall

• Peterborough City Councillor Kevin Duguay Garden Box Project Construction of garden boxes at 560 Romaine St., with all proceeds from their sale going to United Way Peterborough

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How to Stay Cool Outdoors In the City of Peterborough

With temperatures rising above 30 C lasting over the next few days, there are several ways to keep cool this summer.

Photo by David Tuan Bui.

The drop-in program at Trinity Community Centre, 360 Reid St., is open daily from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. for individuals to access resources, community connection and systems navigation support. The overnight program is open 8 p.m. to 8 a.m.  

Outdoor water bottle filling stations are available at City facilities in the following locations: 

• Quaker Foods City Square, 215 Charlotte St. 

• Eastgate Park, 2150 Ashburnham Dr. 

• Peterborough Marina, 92 George St. N. 

• Beavermead Park washroom facilities, 2011 Ashburnham Dr. 

• Rogers Cove washroom facilities, 131 Maria St.  

Water bottles can also be refilled inside the following City facilities during hours of operation: 

• Peterborough Public Library, 345 Aylmer St. 

• Peterborough Sport and Wellness Centre, 775 Brealey Dr. 

• Healthy Planet Arena, 911 Monaghan Rd. 

• Kinsmen Civic Centre, 1 Kinsmen Way 

• Social Services office, 178 Charlotte St. 

• Miskin Law Community Complex, 271 Lansdowne St. W. 

Beavermead Beach is currently not supervised. Lifeguard supervision begins on Saturday and continues daily from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. until Aug. 31.  

The beach at Rogers Cove will not be supervised by a lifeguard this year but will continue to be maintained by the City of Peterborough.

Peterborough Public Health monitors the water quality at Beavermead Beach and Rogers Cove.

Splash pads are open daily from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. The splash pad at Riverview Park and Zoo is open daily from 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. 

Splash pad locations:

• Rogers Cove, 131 Maria St.  

• Nicholls Oval Park, 725 Armour Rd.   

• King Edward Park, 455 George St. S.  

• Turner Park,673 Chamberlain St.   

• Hamilton Park, 575 Bonaccord St.   

• Barnardo Park, 955 Barnardo Ave.   

• Kinsmen Park, 1 Kinsmen Way   

• Riverview Park and Zoo, 1300 Water St. N.   

• A water feature also exists at Quaker Foods City Square, 215 Charlotte St. 

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Check Out The Business Beat This Week Featuring New Canadians Centre, The Chocolate Rabbit, On Point Kitchen and Kawartha Wellness Summit

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…

June 27 is Canadian Multiculturalism Day and the New Canadians Centre are putting on their fourth annual Canadian Multiculturalism Festival from 2 to 6 p.m.

The block party includes a talent show, multicultural crafts, henna, face painting, a bouncy castle, and delicious food. Check out the Cultural Fair to learn about some of Peterborough’s multicultural and faith-based groups and their programming. You will have an opportunity to get festival-branded t-shirts and tote bags. Come out and support the New Canadian Centre, an organization that served more than 2,000 clients from more than 99 countries in the last year.

The Chocolate Rabbit just opened a new location at 749 Erskine Avenue in Peterborough.

This is a move from their previous location in East City. It’s great to see a local business like this continue to grow. They also have stores at 11 Queen St. in Lakefield and 16 Bridge St. W. in Bancroft. They are a family-owned and operated handcrafted Swiss chocolate factory making their own unique confections. The Chocolate Rabbit is your place for delectable treats, from rich chocolates, to creamy truffles, to mouthwatering fudge. Drop by any of their three locations and get some high-quality artisan chocolate as a gift or to treat yourself.

2024 Starter Company graduate Elena Thomas is opening a new culinary destination in Lakefield.

On Point Kitchen and Catering is now open at 15 Charlotte St. On Point brings a fresh take on locally prepared meals with a focus on private chef and catering services, gourmet frozen meals, a vibrant lunch counter, and fusion-style sandwiches. Drop by for a quick bite or relaxing meal. The bakery offers a selection of sweets. On Point Kitchen and Catering serves the Lakefield, Peterborough, and surrounding communities with tailored meal options to match your event, diet and schedule.

The Kawartha Wellness Summit is coming up July 6 at Kawartha Downs.

Kawartha Downs will be transformed into a vibrant hub for connection, creativity, and community empowerment that redefines what self-care and wellness can look like. The full-day summit will feature nearly 20 vendors, 10 workshops, and 10 speakers that will explore health, wellness, self-care, and fitness.

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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PTBOSpotlight: Shop the Lake

Welcome to PTBOSpotlight! Every Friday, this segment showcases a business or organization in Peterborough and the Kawarthas. You will have the opportunity to learn more about the people behind the organization and the work they do for our community.

This week, we are featuring Shop the Lake. The local business is owned Niki and Jason Pulchinski.

Shop the Lake is a patio furniture and lifestyle store in Peterborough, located at 1525 Chemong Rd.

“Shop The Lake offers a great selection of outdoor furniture and shade solutions for homes, cottages and businesses,” said Denise Gater, Shop The Lake’s head buyer and design director. “We have many suppliers and price points with both in stock and special-order options. Our knowledgeable staff can help customers make the best selection for their particular space taking style and functionality into consideration. We offer a complimentary design service for those requiring extra help planning a new build project or refresh of a current space.”

Gater says the store is unique as Shop The Lake is the only dedicated outdoor furniture store in the area.

“Niki and Jason Pulchinski purchased the building to house their other businesses and decided before taking possession that they would open an outdoor furniture retail business as there had been one at the location for over 20 years,” she explained. They renovated and updated the showroom and added an outdoor space to display the beautiful products that are offered.”

Even though patios are seasonal, that does not slow down Shop the Lake as they get creative and festive during the holidays.

“When patio season winds down, Shop The Lake becomes a beautifully curated Christmas Boutique showcasing decorations, décor, gifts and treats,” said Gater. “The highlight is the arrival of hundreds of beautiful live Christmas trees delivered fresh from Nova Scotia.”

Whether you live in the city, at the cottage, in a condo or a family home, Shop the Lake offers furniture suited to your lifestyle.

“Our goal is to provide the best quality outdoor furniture, shade solutions and accessories at the best value with excellent product knowledge and personal service,” concluded Gater.

To learn more about Shop the Lake, find it online:

Website: www.shopthelake.ca
Instagram: @shopthelake
Facebook: Shop the Lake

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Trent University Breaks Ground On Its Latest College, Gidigaa Migizi

Trent University has officially broken ground on Gidigaa Migizi College and the new Otonabee College residence as staff and faculty celebrated the occasion on Thursday afternoon.

Staff and faculty head the groundbreaking ceremony of Gidigaa Migizi College just behind Otonabee College. Photo by David Tuan Bui.

The new college is considered one of the largest infrastructure developments for both the University and the Peterborough area since Trent’s founding in 1964. 

“We are about to embark on a defining chapter at Trent University,” said Dr. Cathy Bruce, Trent president and vice-chancellor. “Gidigaa Migizi College and the new Otonabee residence will offer modern, inclusive spaces where students live, learn, and form lasting connections. It’s our most ambitious campus project yet. This new project will contribute tremendously to Trent’s vibrant learning and living environment.”

Gidigaa Migizi College is projected to open in the fall of 2028. It covers 700,000 square feet and is situated on the East Bank of the Symons Campus.

According to a press release, Trent University’s Housing Strategy, approved by the Board in 2019, is a long-term plan to modernize on- and off-campus housing, improve its accessibility, support the University’s growth and the City’s housing needs.

Trent is positioned to contribute up to 32 per cent of the City housing target of 4,700 new homes by 2031, through the addition of 1,300 beds between Gidigaa Migizi College and the new Otonabee residence, as well as other strategic and creative housing solutions, including the addition of a 224-bed long-term care home on campus.

“Today’s groundbreaking marks a major milestone in our journey to create a more connected, inclusive, and sustainable campus,” said Tariq Al-idrissi, Trent vice-president of finance and administration. “These buildings will meet the needs of a growing student body while reflecting Trent’s vision for education and community placemaking.”

Gidigaa Migizi College is named in honour of the late Elder, alumnus, and professor Doug William. The professor, elder, and community leader was known for his dedication to Trent students and for protecting Anishinaabe's treaty rights.

The decision to select an Anishinaabe name for the new college was a recommendation of the University’s Champlain Report to honour the treaty and traditional territory on which Trent University sits. Meaning ‘spotted eagle’ in English, the name Gidigaa Migizi College was recommended by the University’s Elders and Traditional Knowledge Keepers Council and approved by Trent’s Board of Governors.

The new residence will house more than 600 beds and include indoor connections to existing dining facilities. Signature red metal accents will pay tribute to the original college, while its pedestrian-friendly design and outdoor communal quad will create new spaces for connection and reflection.

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Second-Period Surge Sinks Peterborough Lakers At Home to Brooklin L.C.

The Peterborough Lakers could not get the comeback after a six-goal period from the Brooklin L.C. and fell 13-9 at the Peterborough Memorial Centre on Thursday night.

Photo courtesy of David Pickering and the Peterborough Lakers.

The Laker had the lead after the first period. Taite Cattoni opened the scoring, Joe Resetarits had a power play goal and recently-acquired Dustyn Birkhof scored the third goal of the period for Peterborough to have a 3-2 lead.

The second saw a flurry of goals from the visitors after Austin Hasen had extended Peterborough’s lead. Brooklin scored six unanswered to take an 8-4 lead heading into the third.

“It got a little ugly,” said Adam Thistlethwaite, Lakers defenceman. “It got away from us there.”

Peterborough tried to come back but Brooklin was able to go step-for-step. The visitors scored the first three of four goals to extend their lead as Braedon Saris had the Lakers’s only goal. Peterborough went on a three-goal run with Taite Cattoni, Jake Withers and Matt Gilray scoring but Brooklin scored the last two of three to clinch the 13-9 win over the Lakers.

“We need to stay focused on the end goal,” said Thistlethwaite. “When you see things get messy in the game, you want to support your teammates through those rough spots and help them stay focused on the end goal of the game. You don’t like to see teammates being taken advantage of. We try to score goals for each other, for the city.”

The loss drops the Lakers to third in the league with a 7-2 record. Peterborough takes on the two-time defending Mann Cup Champion Six Nations Chiefs on Tuesday on the road.

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Two Male Teens Charged With Robbing Another Teenager On the Street

Two male teenagers are facing robbery charges after an incident on Thursday afternoon.

Photo by David Tuan Bui.

At roughly 5:30 p.m., officers learned of a street level robbery around Chamberlain Street and Western Avenue.

They learned that the 14-year-old victim had been approached by two males on bicycles who grabbed the victim’s phone, backpack and sweater before fleeing the area. Shortly after, officers located two teens matching the description given to police in the Park Street and Romaine Street area and took them into custody. Some of the property was located and returned.

A 14-year-old Peterborough male was arrested and charged with:

• Robbery with Violence

A 15-year-old Peterborough male was arrested and charged with:

• Robbery with Violence

• Failure to comply with release order – other than attend court

The accused is currently bound by a release order with the following condition to remain in their residence at all times with limited exceptions.

Both accused are being held in custody and will appear in court Friday.

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