[UPDATE: There is no "Glass Roof" project. Happy April Fool's Day though, and thanks to all the glass cleaners that came forward! And thanks to Jason Wilkins for the illustrations!]

Sources tell us that city officials are in the preliminary stages of a top secret project called "Glass Roof". They are working with engineers, architects, design teams and climatologists to investigate the feasibility of building a huge retractable roof over the city, and a source has provided us with drawings of what it could look like (which are included in this post).

With weather becoming more and more extreme every year, city officials believe constructing a retractable roof is a smart investment that will lead to ROI by protecting infrastructure, homes and property, and prevent skyrocketing insurance costs.

"Climate change is so extreme now," the source tells us, suggesting that a radical approach like this is needed to protect cities. The source adds: "No one ever thought the Lift Lock could be built back early in the 20th century, and look at what happened there. It's now considered one of the engineering feats. As is Centennial Fountain at Little Lake installed in 1967."

Peterborough is known for its creative ingenuity and as being a beta testing centre for cutting edge products and technology, and this "Glass Roof" project is another example of this. If, say, a forecaster projects a blizzard or severe rain system, the city can flip the "On" switch and the roof can start closing to protect the city.

"Because it's a glass roof they're talking about, people won't feel claustrophobic, and can still enjoy the benefits of natural light during storm systems," the source tells us.

"I think it's exciting Peterborough gets to possibly host this groundbreaking pilot project," says Mike Judson, CHEX TV Weather Analyst, adding "Climate change is real and precautions need to be taken to protect citizens. Many believe the frequency and severity of tornadoes, hurricanes and damaging rains can only get worse in the coming years. Imagine not having to worry about it by having such a roof?"

Our sources tells us the rough timelines given for construction are early 2025 for this multi-billion dollar project, with the project to be completed circa 2039. The city is hoping that the provincial and federal governments will help fund this, along with a lot of private investment.

City officials are refusing all comment on this matter. "No comment," they said in a terse email reply.

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