YMCA Chairs For Charity Event Is This Saturday

Rusland’s Auctioneers and Appraisers will start the bidding at 7 p.m. Saturday (December 7th) when the YMCA hosts their 2nd Annual Chairs 4 Charity auction. This innovative fundraiser is the brainchild of Emily Gray, who not only finds the chairs but, with the help of volunteers, also refurbishes them to get them auction ready.

When Gray and her team are done refurbishing the chairs, they look totally different and appear brand new; it’s amazing what these creative, talented people can accomplish. This year was extra special as Gray's crew also received help from 21 youth from the New Canadian Centre, who are also one of the event sponsors. Other sponsors include Barbeside Salon, Circus, Gypsy Barn, KMD Community Planning and Consulting INC, Lakeshore Designs, Rainbow Youth Coalition/PARN, Rambling Rose Flowers and The UK Shoppe.

Proceeds from the auction go to the YMCA Strong Kids Campaign and thanks to the sponsorship of many local businesses, the cost of the chairs and materials is covered. Last year they raised over $2,000, which allowed several children to participate in camps and programs that they otherwise would not be able to afford.

The event will take place inside the YMCA but it’s open to the public so anyone is welcome to attend and place a bid. If you can’t make it there on Saturday, advance bidding is available with a credit card by phoning the YMCA at 705-748-9622. Here are the chairs that are up for auction at the YMCA’s 2nd Annual Chairs 4 Charity event.

For more information, you can check out the YMCA’s Special Events page.

—PTBOCanada's Scott Arnold

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PTBOCanada Pics & Coverage: Peterborough Cycling Summit 2013

The Third Annual Peterborough Cycling Summit was held on Friday (October 25th) at the Holiday Inn and featured afternoon workshops to do with cycling both here in Peterborough and the Kawarthas, and stretching throughout the province. Although we couldn't attend all of the workshops, here is a look into a few of them...

Cycle Touring: The Kawarthas and Beyond

This workshop had three speakers...

Kieran Andrews:  “Cycle touring is way more than riding bikes. It’s about quiet roads, unique experiences and beautiful places. That’s what we’re all after.” While Kieran is quite content with just heading down an unknown road to see where it leads, it may not be your ideal decision when trying to plan a route with a limited time span. His main suggestion during his talk was to use MapMyRide.com as both a planning tool and a progress meter. Through the website, you can pick prospective cycling destinations (or find ones in your own area that others have recorded) to see both via map and elevation how challenging it may be, the road type (gravel, paved, etc.) and how much traffic it may see. 

Louisa Mursell: Projects Director with Transportations Options, which is a non-profit organization that has been around for 20 years that helps to further develop sustainable transportation. Lately they have been working on tourism initiatives including cycling. Amongst their programs are Bike Train (to increase bike options for cyclists in Ontario), and Park Bus (bus transit to Ontario Parks locations).

Through the Welcome Cyclists network, they have discovered that cyclists were not fully satisfied with lodgings in areas. You can visit the Welcome Cyclists website to help plan trips, and find accommodations that are bicycle friendly and provide secure bicycle lock-up area. The accommodation must have local cycling maps or websites to help with this information, as well as access to repair tools or be in close vicinity to a bicycle shop. Healthy food and free access to water is also key as well. Prospective businesses that would like to join just have to sign up online (for free) and attend a Welcome Cyclists seminar. There are currently 65 businesses in the Kawartha-Northumberland-Peterborough area (most are in Northumberland County). 

Susan Sauvé: Talked about touring through France by bicycle. She found the hospitality very good along with growing places that have public laundry and Wi-fi (although because of the differences in power outlets, sometimes it was tricky to charge your devices). Sue was pleasantly surprised to find so many bicycle trails and bicycle sharing programs throughout Paris. The three then fielded questions from the audience about cycling touring.

Selwyn Township: Our Trail moving forward, connecting you to better health

John McMullen let us know that that because of healthy lifestyles, and the effort to reduce greenhouse gasses, trails have become a major part of the Selywn township masterplan. The four main trails are the Lakefield Trail, the Bridgenorth Trail, the Ennismore Heritage Trail and the Trans-Canada Trail, but there are also many additional popular hiking trails. They have already had public consultations—through surveys and open houses—from which they learned that Bicycle lanes were one of the higher ranked things, followed by linking the areas together.

Displayed around the room were maps of each of the hamlets of Selwyn township. John asked everyone to put a sticker on the area in each hamlet where they would like to prioritize improvement. 

Peterborough: Setting the Course

Tegan Moss from the P-BAC (Peterborough Bicycle Advisory Committee) and Peter from Green-Up are trying to create a cycling culture here in Peterborough by providing input into both infrastructure and advocacy projects.

This workshop's focus was on "Complete Streets" which is the design infrastructure and maintenance necessary for all road users to enjoy using the road safely. Each table tackled projects that are slated for construction in Peterborough during the next five years that currently do not have a design. Using cardboard placeholders, the idea was to design the layout of streets such as Chemong, Ashburnham, George and Water to incorporate access for both vehicles, bicycles and parking alike. Each game board had markers to indicate scale so each street layout had to comply with real-world dimensions. Afterwards, photos were taken and the layouts will be submitted as possible designs.

Tour of Downtown

Attendees were welcomed to join a tour lead by Susan Sauvé and Urban Design Planner Brian Buchardt. They were treated to a short walk downtown to showcase elements of the current and future design downtown, such as our new footpath beside the train bridge.

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The evening's events were opened by Donald Fraser who thanked such a passionate and growing number of attendees for coming. A message from Jeff Leal (who was unable to attend) was read that mentioned that the Ontario government is aiming for a 2031 date to both recognize cycling as a core mode of transportation and a goal to make Ontario the Number one province for cycling in Canada. The Ontario Cycling Strategy which was just recently released promotes a healthy and active lifestyle, tourism strategy and health benefits. This strategy will roll out through action plans throughout the coming years, with the first kicking off next Spring.

Eleanor McMahon from Share the Road read a letter on behalf of Glen Murray, the Ontario Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure who gave a nod to P-BAC, The Peterborough-County City Health Unit and the Ontario Professional Planners Institute-Lakelands District for their hard work. He also echoed the hopes to make Ontario a lead cycling destination.

City Councillor Lesley Parnell spoke on behalf of the Mayor and Peterborough City Council. They are pleased to support cycling culture in Peterborough and proud to promote all the health benefits that cycling brings. Mayor Bennett is a believer in the “A bike friendly city is a livable city, and a liveable city is a bike friendly city.”

Sue Suavé: The City passed a new updated Compressive Transportation Plan in 2012 which has 183 KM of bikeways in the City alone. They have $500,000 a year to spend on capital to make projects happen such as on multi-use trails and on-road bike facilities. Right now we have 55 km of the network built (30%). Sue showed how over the years our cycling network has expanded. In addition to the trails, we also now have 156 new bike parking spaces within areas such as downtown and East City which brings the total to 629 downtown.

For a sneak peek into future projects, Sue let us know about such things as…

• Ashburnham drive, which is being reconstructed in 2015 and the City is looking to add what is known as a cycling track (a slightly elevated bike lane)
• The Parkway trail, which currently ends at the railroad tracks, will continue to Crawford drive next year
• They will complete the Trans-Canada Trail; this will continue on the South side of Maria street as a three meter paved trail
• George Street improvement project will include bike lanes in both directions
• Otonabee River Trail is currently under an environmental assessment, and hopes to be extended from Del-Crary Park right around to the Little Lake Cemetery (and one day will extend all around Little Lake)
• The bike lanes on Water and George street will be upgraded in 2014

Mayor Mary Smith from Selwyn Township and Chris Bradley from Director of Public Works for Peterborough County. Mary pointed out how many County Councillors were in attendance as they are committed to building trails and do the appropriate planning.

Chris Bradley: The Transportation Masterplan was recently completed which contained updated walking and cycling processes (which are different between the County and the City). Some of the improvements to come are shared road-lanes (which are already being constructed in Smith Township), paved shoulders, designated striped bike lanes, separated buffered bike off-road multi use trails, and a lot of active transportation planning still to come. Chris shared a sidenote: that when the Public Works Department Building on Armour Road was redesigned for use, showers were added for when people cycled or ran to work. Chris mentioned that they are trying to link the communities and are always trying to consider the needs and the potential for bike lanes (and walkability of the roads). Cycling lanes are suggested for the Gifford Causeway (which runs between Bridgenorth and Ennismore) and reconstruction on Ward Street which is slated to be widened. Input from last year's cycling summit has already gone into the new masterplan. One important area that Chris highlighted was Airport Road. They are just completing the final design now for reconnecting it and the project is moving forward.

 The keynote speaker was Dr. Karen Lee whose topic was "The Role of Design and Infrastructure in Addressing Cycling and Health". She talked about how history repeats itself with the infectious diseases of the 19th century and the chronic diseases of the 21st century. Through infrastructure changes, there was a decrease in infectious diseases, however something needs to be done for our current issues. Dr. Lee displayed a disheartening animation of Diabetes trends among U.S. adults from 1994 to 2009 which also equates to higher medical costs. This trend also applies to Canadians as we aren't getting enough exercise. It was suggested that we could again correct this through infrastructure changes to encourage active transportation and greater access to physical activity. Side benefits included a reduction of infrastructure costs and job creation. Our favourite slide had some Peterborough statistics that compared 1947 to now. While our  65+ population has slightly risen, Peterborough has less people per acre, has more employment in the Service Sector, and the percentage of City's Non-Food Retail Space in Downtown has actually dropped considerably. Be sure to view Dr. Karen Lee's presentation and also take note of New York's Fit-City initiative that has promoted healthy living through design.

You can view each presentation on the P-BAC website. 

[Contributed by PtboCanada's Evan Holt]

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PTBOPics: Wild Rock Annual Women's Night

Women with a passion for cycling and the outdoors gathered at Wild Rock Sunday night for their annual women's night, which was catered by Brio Gusto. Here's some pictures we snapped...

[Contributed by PtboCanada's Julie Morris]

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Spanky's Hosting Backyard Tent Party For Saint Patrick's Day

Spanky's have a special license for a party in their back parking lot on Saint Patrick's Day, where they will have a heated tent. There will be live music, Jonny Trash will be DJ-ing, people will be dancing, and Koski will be wearing his No. 34 toque.

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All The Deets On The 30th Annual Easter Seals Telethon This Sunday

The 30th annual Easter Seal Telethon takes place this weekend and will be broadcast live from Lansdowne Place Mall and CHEX TV studio’s this Sunday, March 3rd, on CHEX TV and TV Cogeco from 11:00 am to 5:00 pm.

The annual Telethon provides an opportunity to get to know some Easter Seals families from the community and hear their stories, including local Easter Seals Ambassador, 8-year-old Aidan Cameron from Cobourg.

In addition, the Telethon will celebrate the year’s fundraising successes, recognize generous supporters, and raise essential funds that help children with physical disabilities and their families who need assistance.

“When you have a child with a physical disability, everyday can be a challenge,” said Coralie Jacobs, Senior Development Officer, Easter Seals Ontario. “The Telethon gives us a glimpse into the lives of Easter Seals families and how donations from our supporters make such a big difference in the quality of life for their child.”

Donations can be called into the show live throughout the broadcast to 705-874-2121 or 855-239-3972, or can be made online at Eastersealstelethon.org. Also follow along on Twitter @eastersealsptbo and the hashtag #telethon2013 on Twitter.

[EasterSealsTelethon.org]

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Videos From CBC's Hockey Day in Canada In Peterborough

Lanny McDonald and Darcy Tucker at the canal...

[YouTube]

PMZ catching up with Ron MacLean...

[YouTube]

Hockey Day in Canada opening montage with Ron MacLean in Peterborough...

[YouTube]

Hockey Night in Canada intro featuring Don Cherry entering Memorial Centre and speaking to fans...

[YouTube]

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The Winners At Peterborough Motor Sports Club Awards Night

Pictured are: Tom Kennedy, Len Arminio, Evan Daemke, Peter Gulliver, Louis Cabardos, Dan Demers and Glenn Austin

The Peterborough Motor Sports Club is celebrating their 60th year this year, and last night recognized their 2012 award winners.

• Club Champion - Dan Demers (6th straight year!)
• Club Runner-up - Travis Grubb
• New Member Award - Tom Kennedy
• Solo Driver Champion - Glenn Austin (Fourth time)
• Solo Driver Runner-up - Travis Grubb
• Solo Driver Rookie - Evan Daemke
• Rally Driver Champion - Alain Cabardos
• Rally Navigator Champion - Louis Cabardos
• Ice Race Champion - Dan Demers
• Ice Race Runner-up - Tim Fleguel
• Street Studs Champion - Dan Demers Rubber to Ice Champion - Tim Fleguel
• Ice Race Rookie - Warner Anderson Organizer Award - Len Arminio
• Organizer Runner- up - Peter Gulliver
• President’s Prize Driver - Alain Cabardos
• President’s Prize Navigator - Louis Cabardos

The club holds Ice Racing, Autoslalom, Navigational and Performance Rally races throughout the year. If you're interested in getting in to motorsports, this club is a great and safe way to get started.

[Contributed by PtboCanada's Evan Holt]

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Red Pashmina Announces Next Phase Of Their Campaign, Recognizing Women In Peterborough

Thanks to the Peterborough community, the Red Pashmina Campaign was able to raise $6,700 in 2012 for women in Afghanistan. The money will go toward supporting their Lantern Fund, an initiative that funds teacher training programs in Afghanistan.

The next phase of the campaign will focus on the local component—to recognize and celebrate the incredible women in Peterborough by sharing their stories. Ten women nominated by the community before January 31^st will be profiled in the Red Pashmina photo exhibit during the SPARK Photo Festival. The campaign will be working with five local photographers on photo essays to be displayed at Natas Cafe this April. Proceeds from the auctioning of the photos will go toward educating women and girls in Afghanistan. If you wish to sponsor a photo essay or for more info, email redpashminacampaign@gmail.com.

Watch these videos from the Red Pashmina team of Maryam Monsef and Jessica Melnik to learn more...

[Red Pashmina Campaign]

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Canadian Canoe Museum Hosting Free Open House This Sunday

The Canadian Canoe Museum is having an open house this Sunday (January 13th) from noon until 5 p.m.

Come visit the museum and explore the exhibits for free. The Peterborough Model Railroaders and the Lindsay & Region Model Railroaders will also be there.

[Contributed by PtboCanada's Evan Holt]

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Deets On The 2013 ReFrame Peterborough International Film Festival

ReFrame Peterborough International Film Festival takes place this month, from Friday, January 25th to Sunday, January 27th at Showplace Performance Centre, Market Hall and The Venue. The festival includes 63 films from around the world.

A festival pass costs $30 and rush tickets are $8 per film. Ticket passes are now available online, and at Peterborough Green-up, Green Eyewear, Kawartha World Issues Centre, Trent Central Student Association, Fleming Bookstore in Peterborough and Happenstance Books and Yarn in Lakefield.

For more info, call 705.933.4222, go to the ReFrame Facebook page or email info@reframefilmfestival.ca. If you're interested in volunteering at the festival, click here.

[ReFrame Festival]

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