Local Realtors Fourth Annual Lemonade Stand Juices Out Proceeds For Sick Kids Foundation

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For the fourth consecutive year, local realtors and brothers Dan and Dion Gemmiti utilized the classic concept of a lemonade stand to raise money for SickKids Foundation at the Westdale United Church on Friday morning.

The Gemmiti and Hatzianastasiou families coming together for the lemonade stand. Photo by David Tuan Bui.

Hundreds of people lined up to enjoy pizza from Taso’s Restaurant & Pizzeria, homemade chocolate chip cookies (made by Dan and Dion) and lemonade. The stand accepted donations for SickKids Foundation on a ‘pay what you want’ basis. Photos could also be taken in front of a large banner hanging on the side of a trailer.

The community came out in strong numbers, as this year’s turnout was significantly larger than in years prior, according to the brothers.

“Our community is the greatest,” said Dion. “The support they gave us was unbelievable, and we're just so grateful that people come out and support such a great cause like SickKids.”

“It's not just today, it's weeks before this,” explained Dan. “My Grade 1 teacher sent money to us just to support our lemonade stand. People are so enthralled with giving to SickKids, it's incredible. People are amazing.”

Guests show up and tell both brothers about their experiences and stories with SickKids that are inspirational and feel-good stories said Dan and Dion.

“We have so many people who are affected by issues that they need to go to SickKids and we hear so many great stories going to SickKids and how incredible this place is,” explained Dion. “It's helping our most vulnerable, our youth, which is wonderful.”

“It's year after year when people come and tell us a story,” said Dan. “Last year it happened and this year it happened, where we both got the tears in our eyes because people told us a story. My heart is breaking listening to it but it's SickKids, they save their kids' lives and then they're very generous with their donation.”

The brothers aim to continue the lemonade stand annually for as long as possible. Last year, they raised $5,295 for SickKids Foundation.

Donations can also be made by sending e-transfers to dananddionlemonade@gmail.com until Tuesday.

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Peterborough Petes Reassign 13 Players Following Thursday Scrimmages

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The Peterborough Petes have reassigned 13 players ahead of Friday’s annual Maroon and White game, announced on Thursday evening.

Photo courtesy ofthe Peterborough Petes.

The following players have been reassigned:

  • Jayden Mercier

  • Cohen Paquette

  • Ryan Wercholaz

  • Kasra Fathi

  • Owen Hunks

  • Matthew McKenna

  • Thomys Pyke

  • Anthony Lovisa

  • Thomas Lima

  • Cameron Martin

  • Jack McHyman

  • Gavin Haslam

  • Jackson Hone

“The last two days of scrimmages have been very competitive, forcing us to make some very difficult decisions,” said Michael Oke, general manager and vice president of operations. “We will continue to monitor the progress and development of these players over the coming season for future opportunities with the Peterborough Petes.”

The annual Maroon and White game takes place at 4:05 p.m. on Friday at the PMC. The game is open to the public and will also be streamed live on the Petes YouTube channel.

The Petes preseason kicks off on Saturday with the first of back-to-back home games against the Erie Otters. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. at the Peterborough Memorial Centre..

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List of City Services During Labour Day Monday 2025

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On Labour Day Monday, many City of Peterborough services and facilities will operate on holiday hours or will be closed.

File Photo.

City Hall 

City Hall offices, including Service Peterborough, Building Services and the Clerk’s Office will be closed on Monday, September 1. Online services are available at peterborough.ca. 

Waste collection and facilities 

There are no changes to the curbside waste collection schedule. 

The City/County Landfill at 1260 Bensfort Rd. will be closed. 

The Hazardous and Electronic Waste Depot at 400 Pido Rd. will be closed. The Hazardous and Electronic Waste Depot’s normal operating hours are Wednesday to Saturday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Transit 

Peterborough Transit will operate on a Sunday/Holiday service schedule on Monday, September 1. The Customer Service desk will be open from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 12:30 p.m. to 4 p.m. Visit peterborough.ca/transit for details or call Transit Customer Service at 705-745-0525. 

Airport 

Peterborough Regional Airport will be open regular hours, from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Visit peterborough.ca/airport for more information. 

Art Gallery of Peterborough 

Art Gallery of Peterborough at 250 Crescent St. will be closed on the Labour Day Holiday. For information about gallery exhibitions and programs visit agp.on.ca. 

Peterborough Public Library 

The Peterborough Public Library,345 Aylmer St. N., and the Miskin Law Community Complex branch, 271 Lansdowne St. W., will be closed on Monday, September 1. Information and digital resources are available online at ptbolibrary.ca.  

Peterborough Museum and Archives 

The Peterborough Museum and Archives at 300 Hunter St. E., will be open noon to 5 p.m. on the Labour Day Holiday. Information on exhibits and events is online at peterborough.ca/museum. 

Recreation facilities and arenas 

The Peterborough Sport and Wellness Centre at 775 Brealey Dr. and the Miskin Law Community Complex at 271 Lansdowne St. W. will be open from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Monday, September 1. 

The Kinsmen Civic Centre, Healthy Planet Arena, McDonnel Street Community Centre and the Recreation Facility Booking office will be closed. Ticket sales are available online at memorialcentre.ca.

Beaches, splash pads and wading pools  

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

The lifeguard program at Beavermead Park has ended, the beach is unsupervised. City wading pools are closed for the season. 

Marina  

Customer service at Peterborough Marina will be open from 8:00 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.  

Riverview Park and Zoo 

The Riverview Park and Zoo is open from 8:30 a.m. to dusk. Guest Services is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Otter Enrichment takes place at 1:30 p.m. The splash pad at the Zoo will be open from 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. 

The Hatch Coffee Shop will be open from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. 

The Miniature Train is closed for the season for construction work on the Water Street dam. 

There is a barbeque ban in effect for all Zoo and Park areas until further notice, including picnic shelter rentals.

Parking Services 

Parking in City-operated parking garages, surface lots and on-street parking spaces is free on holidays. The Parking Services office located in the King Street Parkade will be closed on the Labour Day Holiday. Visit peterborough.ca/parking to find more information, including locations. 

Provincial Offences office  

The Provincial Offences office at 99 Simcoe St. will be closed on Monday, September 1 and will reopen at 8:30 a.m. on Tuesday, September 2.  Fine payments can be made online at peterborough.ca/POA.  

Social Services  

Social Services office at 178 Charlotte St. will be closed on Monday, September 1. Beginning Tuesday, September 2, Social Services will be open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

City-operated child care centres will be closed.  

Emergency shelter services remain open: to access emergency shelter services outside of regular business hours or on holidays, please call After Hours service at 705-926-0096.  

Public Works

Public Works can be reached at 705-745-1386. This line is answered 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

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Ontario Government Invests $878,878 For New Canadians For Training to Land Jobs In Trades Sector

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The Ontario Government has invested $878,878 through the Skills Development Fund Training Stream to support new Canadians in Peterborough-Kawartha in acquiring skills for jobs in the construction industry, announced at Toromont Cat and Battlefield Equipment Rentals on Thursday.

Trainer Shawn Shaw (left) gives a lesson on heavy machinery to New Canadian students getting into the trades sector. Since its launch in 2021, Ontario’s Skills Development Fund has helped connect more than half a million job seekers with skills and training for careers. Photo by David Tuan Bui.

This funding is a part of our broader effort to strengthen Ontario’s workforce, improve productivity, and protect workers from U.S. tariffs, according to David Piccini, Minister of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development.

“Our government is protecting Ontario by investing in the tools, training, and resources needed to keep our workforce strong,” he said. “Through targeted funding, we’re strengthening our supply chains, growing a job-ready workforce, and building the foundation for a more self-reliant and productive province – one that can compete, deliver and win.”

The investment is made in partnership with Utimus, a business that aims to provide new Canadians with proper training to enter the workforce. Augmented by some online training and job resumé help, students can go through training as quickly as two to three weeks said Brian Macdonald, Utimus CEO.

“We have a number of partners and through those partners, we deliver both online and in-person training,” he explained. “In this case, we do heavy equipment training and some basic carpenter skills to get New Canadians into worksites as quickly as possible and ultimately careers in the skilled trades.”

The ‘Training New Canadians for Construction Jobs’ program aims to prepare newcomers to Canada to work in the construction sector in Eastern Ontario such as carpenters, electricians, plumbers and other in-demand skilled trades said Dave Smith, Peterborough-Kawartha MPP.

“By investing in new Canadians, we're not only helping them build a new life in Ontario but also addressing a critical labour shortage in the construction industry,” he said. “This funding will ensure that our newcomers have the skills to thrive and contribute to a stronger, more prosperous Ontario.”

@ptbo_canada The Ontario Government has invested $878,878 through the Skills Development Fund Training Stream to support new Canadians in Peterborough-Kawartha in acquiring skills for jobs in the construction industry. #ptbocanada #peterborough #journalism #news #fyp ♬ Trendsetter - Connor Price & Haviah Mighty

The Skills Development Fund Training Stream is open to a wide range of applicants, including employers, industry associations, labour unions, hospitals and more.

“We are training excellent people that are ready to go on your jobsite,” said Macdonald. “They've got the safety training, they've got basic skills, they're going to provide good labour so let's get them building.”

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Man Arrested and Charged With Aggravated Sexual Assault With a Weapon

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The Peterborough Police Service has arrested 39-year-old Jomo Frederick after a sexual assault investigation on Wednesday.

Photo by David Tuan Bui.

Frederick was arrested and charged with:

  • Aggravated Sexual Assault with a Weapon

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

The Peterborough Police Service believes there could be more victims. Any victim, or anyone with information about Frederick — who is also thought to use the alias of ‘g’ — 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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Mapleridge Recreation Centre Releases Fall Schedule to Showcase Its Programs

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Mapleridge Recreation Centre have released its fall lineup of programs and invites the public to check out its schedules.

Photo courtesy of the Mapleridge Recreation Centre.

An open house is scheduled on Sept. 11, running from 5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Instructors will be on-site to highlight each class and answer questions.

The lineup contains new classes and returning favourites. Classes available are ‘Bone Building Strength & Balance’, watercolour, acrylic painting and more.

The Centre reminds visitors that Brealey Drive is undergoing construction. Access to Mapleridge is through Kawartha Heights Blvd. by driving around the barrier.

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Peterborough Petes 2025 Training Camp Recap: Scrimmages Day One

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The Peterborough Petes wrapped up day one of their 2025 Training Camp on-ice scrimmages on Wednesday at the Peterborough Memorial Centre (PMC).

Peterborough Petes forward Braydon McCallum racing for the puck during scrimmage. He leads all players with five points after the first day. Photo courtesy of David Pickering and the Peterborough Petes.

Team Hybrid wrapped up the day with two wins in two games, taking the overall lead in the standings. Braydon McCallum (2G, 3A) finished the day leading camp in points, with Caden Taylor (3G, 1A) in second place. Colin Fitzgerald (1G, 2A), Kaden McGregor (1G, 2A), Genc Ula (1G, 2A), Leon Kolarik (2G, 1A) and Joseph Cadorin (1G, 2A) are all tied for third place with three points each.

The following are summaries of each scrimmage:

Game One - East Side Mario’s (ESM) vs Sign-A-Fied (SAF)

  • ESM (6) - Braydon McCallum (2), Alexander Smyth, Cristian Giancola, Aiden Young, Liam Ladds

  • SAF (3) - Gavin Haslam, Kaid Pawlanta, Jackson Hone

  • Winning goaltender - Easton Rye

Game Two - Hybrid (HYB) vs Ricart (RIC)

  • HYB (3) - Caden Taylor (2), Leon Kolarik

  • RIC (2) - Chase MacKay, Brody Partridge

  • Winning goaltenders - Masen Johnston, Thomas Lima

Game Three - Ricart (RIC) vs East Side Mario’s (ESM)

  • RIC (6) - Matthew Soto, Brody Partridge, Joseph Cadorin, Sebastian Dzieciol, Kieran Raynor, Tommy Drienik (EN)

  • ESM (4) - Aiden Young, Colin Fitzgerald, Genc Ula, Brandt Rooyakkers

  • Winning goaltenders - Thomys Pyke, Anthony Lovisa

Game Four - Sign-A-Fied (SAF) vs Hybrid (HYB) - HYB wins 5-4 in a shootout

  • HYB (5) - Leon Kolarik, Kaden McGregor, Caden Taylor, Ty Gendron

  • SAF (4) - Dylan Turcotte (2), Lucas Karmiris, Ryan Wercholaz

  • Winning goaltenders - Thomas Lima, Masen Johnston

Scrimmage standings:

  • Hybrid (maroon) - five points

  • East Side Mario’s (white) - three points

  • Ricart (grey) - three points

  • Sign-A-Fied (black) - one point

Scrimmages continue on Thursday with four more games.

The Petes preseason kicks off on Saturday with the first of back-to-back home games against the Erie Otters. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. at the PMC.

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Riley's Pub Owner and Operator Passes Away From Battle With Cancer

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Jim Kakouros, Riley’s Pub owner and primary operator, has passed away after battling cancer, as announced on a Facebook post on Thursday morning.

Photo courtesy of Riley’s Pub.

According to the post, Kakouros battled cancer for two years before his passing. Details regarding his funeral are to detailed at a later time according to the business.

Kakouros lived to be 54 years old.

It is asked that his family be given some distance at this time as they deal with the loss.

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David Tuan Bui


Otonabee Conservation Continues to Recommend Residents to Reduce Water Usage

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Since Thursday, Otonabee Conservation recommends a 20 per cent voluntary reduction in water consumption to help ease pressure on local water supplies.

Photo courtesy of Otonabee Conservation.

Otonobee Conservation declared a Level 2 Low Water Condition on Thursday and remains in effect for the region. 

During these dry conditions, residents and visitors are reminded that smoking and vaping are strictly prohibited in all City of Peterborough parks, sports fields, playgrounds, splashpads, wading pools and beaches (except in designated smoking areas).

These restrictions help reduce the risk of fire and support public health. It is enforced under the Smoke-Free Ontario Act and the Peterborough Smoking Bylaw.

Due to arid conditions, a barbecue ban is in effect at Riverview Park and Zoo. Barbecues are not permitted anywhere on the grounds, including picnic shelters. 

Open-air burning is not permitted in the City of Peterborough. This includes any outdoor fires such as bonfires, campfires and the burning of yard waste. According to the City, these activities pose a risk to public safety and can have serious consequences, especially in densely populated areas. 

Technical Standards and Safety Authority (TSSA) approved fire bowls, fire-pit tables, and barbeques that burn propane or natural gas are examples of approved appliances that may be used. Chimineas and other wood-burning devices are not approved appliances for open-air fires. 

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United Way Giving Kids a Back-to-School Head Start With "Backpacks For Success" Initiative

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The United Way Peterborough & District’s 22nd Backpacks for Success initiative filled hundreds of backpacks with supplies to help kids get a head start on the back-to-school season at the Calvary Pentecostal Church on Tuesday.

Rhonda Gilchrist, United Way senior director of operations and revenue generation (left) and Tonya Kraan, United Way director of Community Impact (right) stuff one of hundreds of backpacks to be shipped off for kids in time for school. Photo by David Tuan Bui.

New this year was an incentive for the community to be involved. This included ‘Good Apple’ certificates that gave families the chance to thank educators while supporting local students to 25 donation drive drop-off locations throughout Peterborough and the County.

“Every backpack tells a story of collaboration,” said Jim Russell, United Way CEO. “When individuals purchase a Good Apple Certificate, when businesses sponsor, when families drop off supplies at one of 25 donation drive locations, they’re all contributing to a circular investment that comes back to support our kids, our schools and our partner agencies.”

He continues to state that the program was designed to respond to a growing need in the community. Schools and agencies across the region.

“The impact goes beyond the backpacks themselves,” he explained. “This program reduces pressure on teachers, helps principals support families, and strengthens our partner agencies like the YWCA and the New Canadian Centre. It’s about setting kids up for success while also reinforcing the community supports that help families thrive.”

Community members can still participate by making a monetary donation to help cover the higher costs of items such as scientific calculators and math kits.

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