A 35-foot-tall tree was installed at the Quaker Foods City Square and put up by the City of Peterborough to add vibrancy to the downtown community space, including winter outdoor skating on Thursday.
Sourced from Ennismore, a tree lighting ceremony at the Square is planned for Dec.15 at 5:30 p.m. The City is releasing further information within the next couple of weeks.
“Quaker Foods City Square brought a tremendous amount of energy to the downtown last winter with thousands of people enjoying the new outdoor skating rink,” said Mayor Jeff Leal. “The tree will add to the festive spirit and vibrancy. I look forward to celebrating the season with the community at the upcoming tree lighting event.”
The square opened in December last year. The City says it provides a year-round space for community events and family-friendly features including a refrigerated outdoor skating rink in the winter. The space is meant to bring the community together, similar to Springer Market Square in Kingston and Mel Lastman Square in Toronto.
The refrigerated skating rink is anticipated to open for the season by mid-December (depending on weather conditions). City staff are preparing the site and monitoring conditions to make and maintain safe ice conditions.
For the first time, Runner’s Life is offering skate rental services for visitors to the Square’s outdoor rink through a sponsorship with the City. Rental skates, helmets and skate sharpening services are available through this service.
“Runner's Life is excited to provide skate rentals and sharpening to downtown Peterborough. Downtown has always been a vibrant place, the heart of the city, and with the addition of Quaker Foods City Square, it’s only become better,” said Dave Dame of Runner’s Life. “The rink was very well received last year and we hope to open the door for more people to try skating and enjoy the dynamic spirit of downtown.”