John Grant Jr. Adds Canadian Lacrosse Hall of Fame to Growing List of Honours

By Scott Arnold

Just two months after entering the Peterborough & District Sports Hall of Fame, Peterborough native John Grant Jr. is headed into another Hall of Fame.

Peterborough lacrosse legend John Grant Jr. (centre), pictured with Peterborough Lakers broadcasters Scott Arnold (left) and Pete Dalliday, is adding another Hall of Fame honour to a career that has already seen him recognized among the greatest players in the history of the sport.

Grant Jr. was announced Sunday as one of 12 inductees into the Canadian Lacrosse Hall of Fame’s Class of 2026, adding another major honour to a career that has already earned him recognition in several of the sport’s most prestigious halls.

The Canadian Lacrosse Hall of Fame announced its new class on August 16th, with Grant Jr. joining Glenn Clark, Grant Hamilton, Karolyn Karpun and Bruce Murray in the Player category.

The Veteran inductees are Michael John Howard, Jim Weller and Steve Manning. Walt Christianson and Bob McMahon were selected as Builders, Ray Durante was named in the Officials category, and the Team Canada Women’s Sixes 2022 squad was selected for induction.

The formal induction banquet and ceremonies are scheduled for October 24th at the Anvil Centre in New Westminster, British Columbia.

For Grant Jr., the announcement comes remarkably soon after his June induction into the Peterborough & District Sports Hall of Fame, where he joined his father, John Grant Sr., as a member.

After already being inducted into several Halls of Fame in the United States, Grant Jr.'s induction into the Peterborough & District Sports Hall of Fame in June marked his first Hall of Fame induction in Canada.

Now, just a couple of months later, he's about to add another Canadian Hall of Fame to the list.

And this one is specifically dedicated to the sport that has defined his career.

A young John Grant Jr. takes the floor as a Minor Peterborough Laker, long before the Peterborough native would go on to become one of the most decorated players in lacrosse history.

A Career Built in Peterborough

Grant Jr.'s connection to lacrosse began in Peterborough, where he played Junior A with the Lakers from 1991 to 1995 and Major Series Lacrosse with the Peterborough Lakers from 1994 through 2016.

His career eventually took him across North America and onto the international stage, but Peterborough remained a significant part of the story.

He represented Canada in both box and field lacrosse, playing on national teams at multiple World Championships. His championship résumé includes three World Indoor Lacrosse Championship gold medals, a World Field Championship gold medal, five Mann Cup championships and an NLL championship.

He was also a five-time Major League Lacrosse champion.

Individually, the list is just as extensive. Grant Jr. was an OLA Junior A MVP, MSL Rookie of the Year, USILA National Collegiate Player of the Year, NLL Rookie of the Year, a two-time NLL MVP and NLL Championship MVP. He was also a two-time Mann Cup MVP.

Over a playing career spanning more than 25 years, he accumulated more than 3,000 points.

The Canadian Lacrosse Hall of Fame induction adds to a list of Hall of Fame honours that already includes the NJCAA Hall of Fame in 2010, NLL Hall of Fame in 2021, Professional Lacrosse Hall of Fame in 2022 and US Lacrosse Hall of Fame in 2024.

His playing career eventually gave way to coaching, where he has continued to contribute to the sport at the professional and collegiate levels in the United States.

Peterborough lacrosse legend John Grant Jr. receives the key to the city from then-Mayor Daryl Bennett, another honour recognizing the impact his remarkable career has had both on the sport and the community he grew up in.

A Class That Spans Lacrosse History

Grant Jr. is the name that will immediately stand out locally, but the 2026 class represents a broad cross-section of Canadian lacrosse.

Glenn Clark is being honoured for a career that included championships with the Brooklin Redmen, Coquitlam Adanacs and Toronto Rock, as well as international success with Canada.

Grant Hamilton is being recognized for a career that included championships with the Victoria Shamrocks and Calgary Roughnecks, along with his contributions as both a player and leader.

Karolyn Karpun is being inducted after an extraordinary career in both box and field lacrosse, including 10 Canadian senior women's field lacrosse championships and appearances at three World Cups.

Bruce Murray is being honoured for a career that saw him evolve from a scoring forward into one of the era's most respected defenders, while also representing Canada internationally.

The Veteran category includes Michael John Howard, who won nine Minto Cups during his career; Jim Weller, a standout at the University of Massachusetts who represented Canada at three World Cups; and Steve Manning, who was part of two Mann Cup-winning New Westminster Salmonbellies teams as a player and later contributed as a coach.

The Builder category recognizes Walt Christianson, whose coaching career has included national and international success, and Bob McMahon, whose decades of coaching have included Team Canada's 2003 World Indoor Championship victory.

Ray Durante, who spent 31 years as an on-floor referee after a 12-year playing career, is being inducted in the Officials category.

And Team Canada Women’s Sixes 2022 is being honoured after winning the first-ever World Games gold medal in women's Sixes lacrosse.

For Grant Jr., though, the announcement brings the focus back home.

Peterborough has been part of his lacrosse story from the beginning, and this latest honour is another recognition of just how significant that story has become.

In June, Grant Jr. could say that the Peterborough & District Sports Hall of Fame was his first Hall of Fame induction in Canada.

By October 24th, he'll have another one to add to the résumé.

Scott Arnold is a Journalist and Content Creator at PTBOCanada Media Inc

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Jr. C Lakers Fall Short in Meredith Cup Final as Six Nations Claims First Championship

By Scott Arnold

The Peterborough Jr. C Lakers' run at a third straight Meredith Cup championship came to an end Friday night, but they leave the postseason having put together another deep playoff run and another memorable championship series.

Members of the Peterborough Jr. C Lakers gather following Friday night's Game 4 loss to the Six Nations Stealth at Healthy Planet Arena. The defeat brought an end to a season that included a Central Division title and a third straight trip to the Meredith Cup Final. (Photo courtesy of the Peterborough Jr. C Lakers)

The Six Nations Stealth captured their first Meredith Cup with a 13-7 victory over Peterborough at Healthy Planet Arena, winning the best-of-five final 3-1.

Six Nations took control early, scoring three times in the opening period while holding the Lakers off the scoreboard.

Peterborough came out stronger in the second, with Kennen Withers getting the Lakers on the board at 12:09, assisted by Quinn Jacobs and Ryder Perry. Cardiff Mader and Ryder Evans followed with goals of their own, cutting the Six Nations lead to 5-3.

The Stealth answered with two more goals before the end of the period to take a 7-3 lead into the third.

Peterborough continued to battle in the final period. Ryder Evans scored at 12:20, assisted by Perry, before Owen Thake and Kyson Campbell also found the net. Bobby Crowe scored the Lakers' final goal of the season with 25 seconds remaining, assisted by Campbell.

Six Nations, however, scored six times in the third period to secure the Ontario Junior C Lacrosse League (OJCLL) championship.

A packed house at Healthy Planet Arena brought plenty of energy for the Meredith Cup Final, with Lakers supporters backing Peterborough while a large contingent of Six Nations fans made the trip to cheer on the Stealth as they chased their first championship. The atmosphere stayed loud throughout the night (Photo by Scott Arnold)

Despite the result, the Lakers' season included another trip to the Meredith Cup Final, their third consecutive appearance in the championship series.

Peterborough opened the playoffs by sweeping the Huntsville Hawks in three games before defeating the Whitby Warriors in four games in the Central Division Final. The Lakers then swept the Cornwall Celtics in the Meredith Cup semifinals to earn their return to the championship series.

The final put Peterborough up against the Six Nations Stealth, who finished the regular season with the league's best record at 14-2. The Lakers split the first two games of the final, winning Game 2 at home 9-6 after dropping the opener 7-3 in Six Nations. The Stealth then won two in a row, winning Game 3 by a score of 9-7 before their Game 4 championship win.

The Six Nations Stealth celebrate with the Meredith Cup after defeating the Peterborough Jr. C Lakers in Game 4 on Friday night to capture the first championship in franchise history. (Photo courtesy of the ojcll)

The Lakers also continued to develop a young group throughout the season. Amongst their young stars is Braxtin Howard who was named Central Division Rookie of the Year while finishing as the division's runner-up for MVP after leading Peterborough with 54 points in 14 regular-season games, which included a team leading 29 goals.

For a team chasing a third straight championship, the season did not end the way Peterborough wanted, but another trip to the Meredith Cup Final means the Lakers once again finished their season among the league's final two teams, with a group that will have plenty to build on moving forward.

Scott Arnold is a Journalist and Content Creator at PTBOCanada Media Inc

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From a House Party Mishap to a Peterborough Success Story

By Scott Arnold

What started as a teenager trying to erase the evidence of a house party has turned into one of Peterborough’s longest-running local businesses.

Terry Munro’s journey into business started with a rented carpet cleaner after a teenage house party. Thirty-seven years later, Kawartha Carpet Cleaning has become a familiar name across Peterborough and the Kawarthas (Photo by Scott Arnold)

When Terry Munro was 17 years old, he found himself in a situation many teenagers would rather forget.

He had hosted a house party and needed to clean the carpets before anyone found out.

So he rented a steam cleaner, got to work and discovered something unexpected: he was actually good at it.

“The rest is pretty much history,” Munro said with a laugh.

Thirty-seven years later, that one cleaning job has grown into Kawartha Carpet Cleaning, a company that has become a familiar name in homes, businesses and institutions across Peterborough and the Kawarthas.

It is a story that could only happen in a community like this one.

Unlike many teenagers who were working part-time jobs after school, Munro was already thinking differently. He had his own vehicle and saw an opportunity in a service that virtually everyone could use at some point.

Before long, he had launched a business and rented his first office on Erskine Avenue, above Better Carpet. The company later moved to The Queensway, where it spent many years beside the Queensway Restaurant, before settling into its current Rye Street location in 2011.

Over nearly four decades, the business has seen Peterborough grow and change around it.

While carpet cleaning remains at the heart of the operation, the company’s work extends far beyond living rooms and hallways. Kawartha Carpet Cleaning services residential and commercial properties, cleans furniture, works on boats and vehicles, and handles specialty jobs throughout the region.

Its crews regularly work with hotels, businesses, marinas and municipal facilities, making the company a familiar presence in countless corners of the community.

Like many local businesses, Kawartha Carpet Cleaning faced challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic. Long-standing routines had to be adjusted, staffing structures changed and operations adapted to new restrictions.

But the company endured.

For Munro, that resilience comes down to two things: loyal customers and dedicated employees.

He credits generations of repeat clients and referrals for helping the business thrive for nearly four decades. At the same time, he is quick to point out that the company’s success has always been driven by its staff.

“This whole thing’s been staff driven the whole time,” he said.

That commitment to people may be one of the most meaningful parts of the story.

Over 37 years, Munro estimates he has employed thousands of people. Many were young workers getting their start in the workforce, and he still runs into former employees throughout the community.

In some cases, they remind him that Kawartha Carpet Cleaning was their very first job.

Even his mechanic.

For a lifelong Peterborough resident who has spent decades building a business here, those connections matter.

Munro played hockey in the city, built relationships throughout the community and has watched generations of workers and customers come through his doors. While he now lives in Havelock after spending years in Ennismore and Bridgenorth, Peterborough remains home in many ways.

Looking back on nearly four decades in business, his answer to what he is most proud of is surprisingly simple.

“I’m still here.”

In an era when small businesses face constant challenges and competition, there is something refreshing about that response.

No grand speech. No elaborate explanation.

Just a local business owner who started with a rented steam cleaner, worked hard, built a loyal customer base and kept showing up year after year.

And if Munro has his way, the story is far from over.

His goal remains the same as it has been for years: when people in the Kawarthas think about carpet cleaning, he wants them to think of Kawartha Carpet Cleaning.

Considering how the company got its start, that is a remarkable journey from one unforgettable house party.

Scott Arnold is a Journalist and Content Creator at PTBOCanada Media Inc

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Peterborough Woman Charged With Mischief After Smashing a Window With a Brick

A 41-year-old Peterborough woman is facing a mischief charge after smashing a window with a brick on Friday morning.

Photo courtesy of the Peterborough POlice Service.

At approximately 3:55 a.m., officers were called to Charlotte Street and George Street about a smashed window. They learned that the window had been smashed with a brick. They located a woman matching the description given to police a short distance away and took her into custody.  

The Peterborough woman was arrested and charged with:

• Mischief Under $ 5,000

• Fail to Comply with Probation Order

The accused is currently bound by a probation order with the following condition: to keep the peace and be of good behaviour.

The accused was released on an undertaking with conditions and is scheduled to appear in court on Nov. 3.

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Peterborough Petes’ Dr. Bob Neville Named 2026 Recipient of Bill Long Award

By Scott Arnold

Dr. Bob Neville has been recognized for nearly four decades of service to the Peterborough Petes and the Ontario Hockey League, receiving the 2026 Bill Long Award for Distinguished Service to the OHL.

Dr. Bob Neville accepts the 2026 Bill Long Award for Distinguished Service to the Ontario Hockey League at the OHL’s Champions Reception in Muskoka Lakes. (Photo courtesy of the PEterborough petes)

The OHL announced the honour on August 14th, with Neville presented with the award at the league’s Champions Reception in Muskoka Lakes this past week.

The Bill Long Award recognizes an individual who has made an outstanding contribution to the OHL. It honours the legacy of Bill Long, who spent more than three decades in the league as a coach and manager with the Niagara Falls Flyers, Ottawa 67’s and London Knights.

For Neville, the recognition caps a remarkable 39-year connection with the Petes.

He joined the organization in 1987 as the team’s physician, travelling with the club and being part of the Petes’ Memorial Cup appearances in 1989 and 1993. He joined the Petes Board of Directors in 1995 and chaired the successful bid to bring the 1996 Memorial Cup to Peterborough, later serving as chairman of the tournament.

Neville also served on the Peterborough Memorial Centre Renovation Committee in 2000 and was president of the Petes Board of Directors from 2002 to 2005. He currently serves as governor of the Petes Board.

His involvement has extended well beyond Peterborough. Neville was elected to the OHL Board of Governors’ Executive Council in 2005, serving as secretary, treasurer and later chairman, while also sitting on several league committees.

OHL Commissioner Bryan Crawford called Neville a “most deserving recipient” and praised his passion for the league, his focus on players and the perspective he has brought to the OHL Executive Council.

Away from hockey, Neville has worked as a family physician, occupational health physician, coroner and medical review officer. He has also taught family medicine at Queen’s and McMaster universities and held a number of leadership roles in Peterborough’s healthcare community.

Neville is the fifth Petes representative to receive the Bill Long Award, joining Pat Casey, Jeff Twohey, Norm Bryan and Herb Warr.

For a Petes organization that has been fortunate to have Neville involved in so many different capacities over the years, this latest honour recognizes just how significant that contribution has been.

Scott Arnold is a Journalist and Content Creator at PTBOCanada Media Inc

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A Fitting Peterborough Detour for the Trans-Canada Highwaymen

By Scott Arnold

The Trans-Canada Highwaymen brought their music to Peterborough Musicfest on Wednesday, but while they were in town, the Canadian supergroup found a particularly fitting way to explore the city.

trans-Canada Highwaymen members Chris Murphy, Steven Page, Craig Northey and Moe Berg took a walk along Peterborough’s Trans Canada Trail during their visit to Peterborough for Wednesday night’s Musicfest performance (photo via instagram @ptbomusicfest)

Steven Page, Chris Murphy, Moe Berg and Craig Northey, whose combined careers include Barenaked Ladies, Sloan, The Pursuit of Happiness and Odds, took a walk along Peterborough’s Trans Canada Trail from Del Crary Park toward downtown.

The destination was the Silver Bean Cafe, a popular stop along the trail, where the four musicians stopped for a photo before continuing their Peterborough adventure. Along the way, they also posed at one of the Trans Canada Trail signs, making for a pretty fitting backdrop for a group called the Trans-Canada Highwaymen.

steven Page, Chris Murphy, Moe Berg and Craig Northey of the Trans-Canada Highwaymen stop for a photo outside the Silverbean Cafe after making their way along Peterborough’s Trans Canada Trail (photo via instagram @ptbomusicfest)

The timing made even more sense given where they had just come from.

The group took the Fred Anderson Stage at Musicfest Wednesday night, bringing four of Canadian rock’s most recognizable songwriters together for a set packed with familiar hits from their respective catalogues, along with other Canadian favourites.

And judging by the reaction in the park, the Highwaymen delivered.

The performance has already earned plenty of praise from Musicfest fans, with many calling it one of the best shows they have seen at the festival. Between the musicianship, the four distinct voices and the sheer number of songs people knew, it was a night that lived up to the considerable anticipation surrounding the supergroup’s Peterborough appearance.

Of course, there is still more music to come.

Peterborough Musicfest returns to Del Crary Park on Saturday, August 15th, for its second-last show of the summer, with Crystal Faith bringing the music of Styx and Bon Jovi to the Fred Anderson Stage at 8pm. The Colton Sisters will get the evening started on the Future Sound Series side stage at 6:30pm.

Scott Arnold is a Journalist and Content Creator at PTBOCanada Media Inc

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Kawartha Sexual Assault Centre's Annual 'Take Back the Night' Awareness Event Runs On Sept. 17

Kawartha Sexual Assault Centre (KSAC) and partnering community organizations will host their annual Take Back the Night (TBTN) advocacy and awareness event at the Peterborough Square Courtyard on Sept. 17 from 5 to 9 p.m.

Photo courtesy of Fleming College.

This year’s event theme is ‘Our Voices, Our Strength, Our Community.’ According to KSAC, it serves as a reminder to uplift survivors' voices and to remind survivors of the strength and control they have in their lives.

The event is free and open to everyone, with light refreshments available for participants.

The event will run from 5 pm to 6:30 p.m. with a variety of community agencies tabling to share information about their resources and how folks can connect for support. Art supplies are also available for attendees to make posters for the march later in the evening.

From 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. KSAC is hosting its evening of poems, speakers and performers, followed by our candle-lit solidarity march.

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Peterborough Man Wanted On Two Warrants Arrested

A 27-year-old Peterborough man wanted on two warrants was arrested Thursday after calls about suspicious activity on Thursday night.

Photo courtesy of the Peterborough POlice Service.

At roughly 11:40 p.m., officers were called to the area of Erskine Avenue and The Queensway about suspicious activity. They located two men in the area matching the description given to police. During the investigation, officers learned that one of the men was wanted on warrants for failing to appear in court.

As a result, officers took the man into custody on the strength of the warrants.

He was held in custody and appeared in court on Friday.

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Free Summer Soiree Brings Local Artists Together at Traill College

By Scott Arnold

A lineup of local artists will take over Traill College’s Jalynn Bennett Amphitheatre next Thursday for the first-ever Summer Soiree, a free outdoor evening celebrating local talent.

The Jalynn Bennett Amphitheatre at Trent University’s Traill College will host the first-ever Summer Soiree on August 20th (photo via instagram @newstagestheatre)

The Summer Soiree takes place Thursday, August 20th at 7pm as the closing event of the William and Nona Heaslip Summer Festival.

The evening will feature short new works for the stage, with a mix of theatre, dance, musical theatre, sketch comedy and spoken word.

The lineup includes Kate Story, Dreda Blow, Beau Dixon, Susan Newman, Rob Fortin, Bill Coleman, Marc Rico Ludwig, Kerry Griffin, Marty Adams, Kate Suhr, Andrew Fitzpatrick and Ziy Sah von Bieberstein.

Admission is free, and the runtime is approximately 80 to 90 minutes.

The Jalynn Bennett Amphitheatre is located at Traill College in downtown Peterborough, east of Reid Street between London and Dublin streets.

If rain forces the event indoors, it will move to Scott House 105, next to the amphitheatre.

The Summer Soiree is sponsored by Mather and Bell IDA Pharmacy.

For more information, visit Trent University’s Summer Festival website or contact traill@trentu.ca.

Scott Arnold is a Journalist and Content Creator at PTBOCanada Media Inc

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Two Local Pickleball Athletes to Represent Team Ontario At National Championships On Aug. 27

Two local pickleball athletes, Marie Aubie and Cole Lester, have been chosen to represent Team Ontario at the Canadian National Pickleball Championships at Pickleplex Downsview in Toronto on Aug. 27.

Photo courtesy of the Peterborough Pickleball Association.

Both athletes are affiliated with the Peterborough Pickleball Association. Lester is competing in Men’s Singles while Aubie is partnering with Whitby’s Steve Robinson for Mixed Doubles.

“I am honoured to have been selected for the Team Ontario Masters Team, competing at Canadian Nationals in August,” says Marie Aubie. “Both Cole Lester and I have worked hard this past year to improve our respective games despite injuries. The competition at Nationals will be fierce but I know that collectively as a team, we are in the running for a podium finish.”

“The competition level across the province is strong which pushes Marie and I to elevate our games every day,” says Cole Lester. “We are both excited to be members of the provincial team heading to the national stage to represent our province, compete at the highest level, and help bring home gold for Ontario.”

“To have not one, but two Smash Courts coaches selected again to represent Team Ontario at the Pro level is an incredible achievement for them, Peterborough, and our club, states Jodi Allen, Owner, Smash Courts, Peterborough. “Cole and Marie were selected among the top athletes in the province, to compete against some of the best players in Canada, an accomplishment we couldn’t be more proud of. They are an inspiration to players of all ages, especially our young summer campers who get to watch them train, up close and personal, day after day. Our youth witness firsthand that success isn’t handed to you; it’s earned through commitment, perseverance, and hard work.”

“The Provincial Team Competition brings together the nation’s top provincial talent in an exciting inter-provincial team competition,’ says Danielle French, Peterborough Pickleball Association president. “Our local exceptional athletes, Cole and Marie, earned their place through dedication, sportsmanship, and outstanding performance. We are confident they will represent our city and province with pride and excellence on the national stage.”

Selected provincial team members will compete head-to-head against other provinces in a team format, which also doubles as an evaluation for the National Development Program Pool.

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