Kawartha Haliburton Children’s Aid Society Appoints New Executive Director
/Amanda Baker-Colacicco has been named the new Executive Director of the Kawartha Haliburton Children’s Aid Society (KHCAS), effective on Monday.
Photo by David Tuan Bui.
Peterborough Blogs
Community Care Peterborough Announces 2026 Grandparent of the Year Award Winners
/Community Care Peterborough (CCP) has announced the winners of its 38th annual Grandparent of the Year Awards, presented at the Royal Gardens Retirement Residence on Thursday night.
Left Picture: Regan Doughty (left) and Annabelle Pigeon (RIGHT). Right picture: Brian Downer (left) and Laila McIlmoyle (right). Photo courtesy of Kayla Le Franc and CCP.
Students in Grades 1 to 6 from the City and County were invited to submit a hand-drawn picture and a short written piece honouring a grandparent, elder or special older person in their lives. Winners and honourable mentions were selected in both English and French for two age groups: Primary (Grades 1–3) and Junior (Grades 4–6).
“This event is such a meaningful celebration because it brings families together around the stories of the older adults they love,” said Chris LeBlanc, CCP director of donor and public relations. “One of the best parts of the awards ceremony is seeing the families of our winners smiling from ear to ear as they celebrate their children, their grandparents, and the special connections between them. We are also deeply grateful to the teachers who welcome this initiative into their classrooms and encourage their students to take part. Their support means so much to young people, and we truly could not do this without them.”
The 2026 Grandparent of the Year Award winners are:
Primary Category – Grades 1–3 (English)
Winner: Laila McIlmoyle, Grade 3, Immaculate Conception CES
Honouring: Papa Brian Downer
Honourable Mention: Everly Colquhoun, Grade 3, Monsignor O’Donoghue CES
Honouring: Grammy Sue Wheeler
Primary Category – Grades 1–3 (French)
Winner: Quinn Keast, Grade 2, Kaawaate East City Public School
Honouring: Grandma Clare Keast
Honourable Mention: Felix Myles, Grade 2, Kaawaate East City Public School
Honouring: Gramps Bruce Scott
Junior Category – Grades 4–6 (English)
Winner: Annabelle Pigeon, Grade 5, St. Alphonsus CES
Honouring: Grandma Regan Doughty
Honourable Mention: Levi Inglis, Grade 5, Kawartha Classical Christian School
Honouring: Grandpa David Miller
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Boardwalk Board Game Lounge Taking Kids On Imaginative Journey This Summer With Dungeons & Dragons Camp
/This summer, the Boardwalk Board Game Lounge is gathering young adventurers to open their imaginations for the Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) Summer Adventure Camp in downtown Peterborough.
Boardwalk Board Game Lounge co-owners Dylan Reinhart (left) and Connor Reinhart (right) are brothers. The Lounge is fully-equipped with a kitchen and bar and HOSTS TOURNAMENTS/GAMING events on a regular basis. Photo by David Tuan Bui.
Children aged nine to 13 can come and play D&D with other kids at this event, regardless of experience.
Camps can run as short as two days and as long as five.
Each D&D Camp has kids guided by a Camp Leader/ Dungeon Master to design a character and take that character on a quest through unexplored fantasy lands, according to Dylan Reinhart, Boardwalk Board Game Lounge co-owner.
“It’s tricky to learn to play D&D,” he explains. “It’s not like a Board Game where you can open the box and just start playing. Dungeons & Dragons really thrives when you have an experienced player at the table acting as Dungeon Master.”
Dungeon Masters in D&D play a dual role: presenting the world to the players and adjudicating the rules as the characters explore it. Reinhart says the game teaches children a wide variety of skills and helps them apply them in D&D and in real life.
“We’re using everything we know about teaching people Board Games and my background as an Outdoor Educator to design a camp that will provide a fun and unique experience while also giving kids the chance to practice real-life skills like teamwork, leadership, problem-solving, critical thinking and even basic math,” he said.
By the end of camp, kids will leave with a set of dice, a miniature representing their character, and memories of their experience.
The camp has 16 sessions starting on June 5 with the last one running from Aug. 17 to 21.
Registration and the schedule can be found on the Boardwalk’s website.
PVNC Catholic Mathletes Crunch Numbers For Success At Annual Math Olympics
/From high-speed multiplication to complex logic puzzles, students were crunching numbers at the annual PVNC Catholic Math Olympics at Holy Cross Secondary School on Tuesday.
Photo courtesy of PVNC Catholic.
The event was hosted by the PVNC Catholic Math Team, with over 200 students from 22 schools competing.
The Mathletes took a variety of challenges that included the following:
The Skills Challenge: A gauntlet of puzzles designed to push critical thinking to the limit.
Probability & Strategy: Fast-paced dice games where Mathletes calculated risks in real-time.
Number Hive: A buzzing multiplication challenge that rewarded speed and precision.
Spatial Reasoning: The legendary estimation jar, where students used their best formulas to guess the coin count.
The results of the competition are as follows:
Grade 3/4
1st Place: St. Alphonsus CES, Peterborough
2nd Place: St. Paul CES, Peterborough
3rd Place: St. Mary CES, Campbellford
Grade 5/6
1st Place: St. Anthony CES, Port Hope
2nd Place: St. Dominic CES, Lindsay
3rd Place: St. Anne CES, Peterborough
Grade 7/8
1st Place: St. Anne CES, Peterborough
2nd Place: St. Joseph CES, Douro
3rd Place: St. Martin CES, Ennismore
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Elementary School Students Shine at Rotary Club of Peterborough’s 12th Annual Spelling Bee
/There were 120 of the top spellers from Grades 4 to 8 across the Peterborough region that competed in the Rotary Club of Peterborough’s 12th annual Spelling Bee at Fleming College on Saturday.
(From left to right) Henry Sharpe, Adam Scott Intermediate; Hudson Inglis, Kawartha Classical Christian School and Tyler Phillips, St. Theresa CES. Photo courtesy of the Rotary Club of Peterborough.
The top spellers in the junior division (Grades 4-6) were:
Verna Conlin Hanley, St. Anne CES
Elise Stenko, Westmount PS
Daniel Casado, Monsignor O’Donoghue CES
The top spellers in the intermediate division (Grades 7-8) were:
Henry Sharpe, Adam Scott Intermediate
Hudson Inglis, Kawartha Classical Christian School
Tyler Phillips, St. Theresa CES
(From left to right) Verna Conlin Hanley, St. Anne CES; Elise Stenko, Westmount PS and Daniel Casado, Monsignor O’Donoghue CES. Photo courtesy of the Rotary Club of Peterborough.
Earlier in the spring, thousands of students participated in qualifying spelling bees at their schools to compete at the Rotary Club of Peterborough’s 12th annual Spelling Bee.
Prizes include a laser tag party at Zap Attack Laser Tag, a 9-day Trent Excalibur Camp, a week at Camp Kawartha Environment Camp, bikes from Canadian Tire on Lansdowne Street and lessons at the Art School of Peterborough.
In addition to prizes, top finishers earned literacy bursaries for their schools, with $1,000 awarded for first place, $500 for second place and $250 for third place. These funds help support literacy initiatives within participating schools according to the Rotary Club of Peterborough.
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Donor Wall Design Unveiled For Rotary Club of Peterborough and Riverview Park & Zoo's Accessible Playground Project; First Major Donors Honoured
/The Rotary Club of Peterborough and the Riverview Park & Zoo have unveiled a proposed design for the major donor recognition wall for the Rotary Accessible Playground, which was announced on Wednesday morning.
Rotarians, donors and zoo staff having a blast at the playground in the approximate area of where the accessible playground will be. Photo by David Tuan Bui.
Several major donors were recognized at the event for their contributions towards the playground. The project costs $1.5 million and was first presented to the Rotary Club of Peterborough in 2024.
“Rotary is thrilled to take the lead in making this playground accessible because we believe everyone and every child deserves a place to play, learn, and grow – regardless of ability,” said Betty Halman-Plumley, then-president of Rotary. “This project reflects our commitment to inclusion, community service, and building spaces where everyone feels welcome. Together with the Riverview Park & Zoo, we are building more than just a play space – we’re building a stronger, more inclusive community for families to thrive.”
The Club pledged $500,000 and has raised over half of its total, with approximately $288,250 raised, according to Club president Tony Grady.
The following donors were recognized at the event:
Climber Level ($5,000)
Grady’s Feet Essentials
Darling Insurance
AON Inc.
Rotarians Jim Coyle and Wendy Hill
BWXT
Activators ($10,000)
Part Time CFO Services
The proposed donor wall for the accessible playground at Riverview Park & Zoo. Photo courtesy of the Rotary Club of Peterborough.
Special recognition went to Merrett Home Hardware for building materials donations, Rotarian Mike Evans and his family foundation pledged $40,000 and Paul Hickey announced a contribution of $50,000.
“Our family is honoured to pledge $40,000 in support of this project because we believe everyone - of all ages - should be included and able to enjoy this space within our community,” said Evans.
Barry Craft, representing the Kinsmen Club of Peterborough, is hosting the annual Father’s Day car show. The Kinsmen pledged to donate proceeds from their annual Father’s Day Car Show, $6000, to the project.
Last August, the Rotary Club of Peterborough and the Riverview Park & Zoo first unveiled their preliminary plans for a new, totally redesigned playground at the zoo which would be accessible to people of all ages and all abilities.
Upgrades include widened pathways between play areas for people using strollers and mobility devices, new surfaces throughout the playground to make getting around easier, and relaxing, shady spaces with great sightlines to make it more comfortable for visitors and their caregivers.
Mary Kate Whibbs, Zoo operations and support manager, has invited residents to learn about proposed upgrades to the accessible playground at Riverview Park & Zoo and provide feedback to help shape the project at a public drop-in session set to take place on Thursday from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at Riverview Park & Zoo, Rotary Education Centre.
“The level of support we’ve seen so far has been incredibly motivating. It really speaks to the kind of community we have supporting this project, one that values inclusion, accessibility, and spaces where everyone feels welcome,” said Whibbs. “It’s been especially inspiring to see this project bring people together around a shared vision. That momentum is helping us move forward with confidence, and we’re excited to keep building on it as we work toward a space where every child and family can play, connect, and enjoy the playground together.”
@ptbo_canada The Rotary Club of Peterborough has unveiled its donor wall design for its accessible playground to be built at the Riverview Park & Zoo! #ptbocanada #journalism #fyp #news #dailynews ♬ original sound - PTBOCanada
City Hosting Public Drop-In Session For Riverview Park and Zoo Accessible Playground
/Residents are invited to learn about proposed upgrades to the accessible playground at Riverview Park and Zoo and provide feedback to help shape the project.
Photo courtesy of the Rotary Club of Peterborough.
A public drop-in session will take place on April 23 from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the Rotary Education Centre in the Riverview Park and Zoo. Project staff will be available to answer questions and gather feedback from residents on the proposed accessibility improvements.
A public survey is also available online. Paper copies are available at City Hall (500 George St. N.) The survey will be open until 11:59 p.m. on May 1.
Accessible playground upgrades are part of a multi-year project focused on reducing steep slopes and improving access to the existing playground.
Riverview Park and Zoo, in partnership with the Rotary Club of Peterborough, is working to raise $1.5 million to bring this vision to life. Project ROAR, a community-driven fundraising campaign, will support the development of an accessible, inclusive playground.
“This project is about making sure every visitor to Riverview Park and Zoo has the opportunity to play, explore and feel included while enjoying the playground,” said Community Services co-chairs Councillor Lesley Parnell and Councillor Alex Bierk in a joint statement. “We encourage residents to share their ideas to help shape a space that reflects the needs of our community and supports a more accessible and welcoming experience for everyone.”
Donations to support the Playground Accessibility Project can be made online.
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Nominations Open For Community Care Peterborough's 38th 'Grandparent of the Year'
/City and County of Peterborough children in grades 1-6 can honour their elders through Community Care Peterborough’s 38th ‘Grandparent of the Year’ contest.
Jun Espiritu (left); granddaughter Kailyah Espiritu, Junior English Category Winner of last year (middle) and Danielle Belair, CCP CEO. Photo courtesy of Community Care Peterborough.
Children are asked to submit a hand-drawn picture and a piece of writing that addresses what is important about their relationship with their grandparent, elder or special older person and why they believe their nominee should win the award.
“The Grandparent of the Year Award is a treasured program and a chance to connect generations and reflect on the guidance, inspiration, and value of seniors in our community—many of whom are clients or volunteers with Community Care Peterborough,” said Chris LeBlanc, Director of Donor and Public Relations. “The stories we receive each year are a powerful reminder of the influence older adults have on young people, and we encourage all eligible students to take part.”
Nomination packages have been distributed to schools throughout Peterborough County and are also available for download.
Submissions will be accepted in both English and French and a winner and honourable mention will be selected in each language from two grade groups: Primary (Grades 1-3) and Junior (Grades 4-6).
The deadline for submissions is May 5. Winners will be announced at a special awards ceremony on June 4 at Royal Gardens Retirement Residence.
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Grade 5 Student Can Take Charge of Peterborough Police Service With 'Chief For a Day' Contest
/The Peterborough Police Service is allowing a Grade 5 student in Peterborough and the Kawarthas to lead them in their ‘Chief For A Day’ program, which returns for 2026, announced on Tuesday.
Izzy Condon from Kaawaate East City Public School was last year’s winner of the ‘Chief for a Day’ contest. Photo courtesy of the Peterborough Police Service.
The contest is an opportunity for Grade 5 students to experience a day as Police Chief for the Peterborough Police Service.
Contest Details:
Who Can Enter: Students in Grade 5 at a school in the City of Peterborough, Village of Lakefield and Township of Cavan-Monaghan for the 2025/2026 school year
Essay Topic: If you were Chief for a day, what would you do?
Word Limit: 300-500 words
Deadline: March 25, 2026
The week of April 7 to 10, the authors of the top five essays will be asked to attend the Peterborough Police Station and read their winning essays before a panel of judges, including Chief Betts.
Prize:
Serve as Police Chief for a Day on May 19. You 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 at their regular meeting. Further opportunity to attend the Community Open House at the Police Station on June 6.
How to Enter:
Write your essay: Be creative and thoughtful and be sure to include specific ideas.
Submit your essay: Send your completed essay to chiefofpoliceoffice@peterborough.ca Please include your full name, the name of your school, the city the school is in and the school board the student attends.
Deadline: March 25
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Easter Seals Ontario Score With Peterborough Petes Alumni Celebrity Hockey Classic Fundraiser
/Six teams filled with NHL greats, Petes alumni and more hit the ice for the Peterborough Petes Alumni Celebrity Hockey Classic fundraiser in support of Easter Seals at the Peterborough Memorial Centre (PMC) on Thursday.
The two-day fundraiser opened with a VIP Draft Party, giving registered teams a chance to select an NHL alumnus to join their team at The Venue on Wednesday night. Among the NHL alumni who attended the event were Brad May, Kris King, Keith Acton, Troy Crowder and André Roy. Also playing in the tournament was former Toronto Maple Leafs forward Doug Gilmour, who is no stranger to the PMC from his Ontario Hockey League tenure.
“It's a little different being back in the dressing room where I coached for three years and the GM side but coming back to Peterborough is always great,” he said. “Growing up in Kingston, our league consists of Oshawa, Peterborough, Belleville, Trenton and Kingston so it's always nice to come back.”
The two-day tournament proceeds go towards Easter Seals Ontario to help children and youth with physical disabilities across the province.
“It's all about having fun out here and everybody works hard on raising money,” explained Gilmour. “There are no losers out here today; the winners are Easter Seals.”
@ptbo_canada Doug Gilmour was one of several NHL legends at the Peterborough Petes Alumni Celebrity Hockey Classic in support of Easter Seals Ontario. Proceeds go towards children and youth with physical disabilities across Ontario. #ptbocanada #journalism #fyp #fyp #easterseals ♬ original sound - PTBOCanada
