Peterborough Child & Family Centres Celebrates 40th Anniversary With Grand Opening Of New PlayScape

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The grand opening of a new PlayScape helps mark the Peterborough Child & Family Centres’ 40th Anniversary with a ribbon-cutting ceremony held at their Antrim Street facility on Wednesday afternoon.

Phoebe M., 3, has been a regular visitor to the centre for the past year. Photo by David Tuan Bui.

Parents and children were invited to use the new PlayScape and tour the facilities during the grand opening.

“It was a passion project for so many people who work here so I think it's pure excitement right now,” said Nicola Lyle, Centre C.E.O.

The PlayScape features a repurposed downhill slide, a circular track for walking and biking, a play kitchen, a canopy and other playground equipment. It replaced a tall climber that had occupied the outdoor space for several years.

“As our population has changed, the children that come here are younger than they used to be 20 years ago,” explained Lyle. “We really identified that the outdoor space no longer worked for us in the way that we wanted it to. We had dreamt for some time for having a much more small child-friendly naturalized space that really made the most of this beautiful outdoors and the nature that we are in.”

The services provided are free as the organization is funded by several levels of government. They offer parent-child interaction programs, parenting education, breastfeeding and a well-baby clinic.

The facility services children from when they are born until the age of six but welcomes kids who are in their kindergarten years that want to use the space.

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Photos: Retirement Residence Princess Gardens Celebrates Its 25th Anniversary In Style

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Princess Gardens celebrated its 25th anniversary with a party, champagne and dessert while residents and guests danced away on Wednesday afternoon.

Staff were recognized for their efforts in helping the retirement resident reach the milestone.

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Market Hall Celebrates 25 Years in Peterborough with Sold Out Concert

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The Market Hall Performing Arts Centre is celebrating 25 years in downtown Peterborough with an all-star line up of musicians for their 25th Anniversary Concert Celebration on Feb. 3.

Photo by Luke Best.

After nearly two years of closure due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Market Hall is set to celebrate their audience for years of support, and for helping them return “stronger than ever” with in-person performances.

“We wanted to do something to thank the community, and what better way than to welcome them in for a show with so much talent on one stage,” said Market Hall general manager Chad Hogan.

Described as being “one of the most memorable shows to grace (the Market Hall) stage,” the anniversary concert will feature many big names including Greg Keelor of Blue Rodeo, Matt Mays, Terra Lightfoot, Melissa Payne, Brooks & Bowskill and local special guests.

The highly anticipated show sold out in under three hours, which Hogan expresses was a “true testament to the support (patrons) have given Market Hall over the years.”

Photo courtesy of Market Hall.

He mentions that the Feb. 3 show will also include a special announcement regarding a substantial equipment update.

“We wouldn’t have been able to survive without our patrons,” said Hogan.

For more information on the sold out show, visit the Market Hall website.

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The Avant-Garden Shop Celebrates 20 Years in Peterborough

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The Avant-Garden Shop celebrates 20 years of business; opening its doors in Downtown Peterborough on Dec. 12, 2002.

Proud shop owner Brenda Ibey. Photo courtesy of The Avant-Garden Shop.

The shop opened on George Street on that date and remained there for three and a half years. As demand grew for bird seed and bird feeders, the owners decided on a location with easier parking, thus prompting their move to the current location at 165 Sherbrooke St.

Over the years, the shop’s sale items extended. From Canadian-made outdoor wall art, hand-tuned wind chimes, east coast and Ontario pewter, garden flags, locally made garden art, jewellery, coasters, candles, quality bird feeders, non-GMO bird seed, birding books, greeting cards and more.

Owner Brenda Ibey has had many successes through her shop; winning four Business Excellence awards including her most recent title of 2022 Business Woman of the Year. The store has also been awarded Best Wild Bird store by Wild Bird Trading who services similar businesses across the country in 2021.

“Truly an honour to be recognized as one of the best birding shops in Canada,” says Avant-Garden in a press release. “Brenda and her team are very appreciative of her wonderful customers over the last 20 years who have supported the business and have helped it to grow to become one of the best gift and birding shops in the area.”

As 2023 approaches, the shop says they plan to continue seeking out unique, Canadian-made items while building on their past successes.

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Local Mexican Restaurant Celebrating 20 Years In Business in Downtown Peterborough

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For two decades, La Hacienda Mexican Restaurant has been serving downtown Peterborough a taste of authentic Mexican cuisine as they are celebrating their 20th anniversary this year.

Sandra Arciniega, La Hacienda owner streaming her cooking classes as one of the services offered at her business. Photo courtesy of La Hacienda.

“Seems like yesterday when we opened our doors for the first time back in 2002,” reflects Sandra Arciniega, La Hacienda owner. “Those years when our town was not as multicultural as it is today, times when finding tortillas, avocados or any other Mexican ingredient were such a challenge.”

Dubbed as ‘a little corner of Mexico,’ the restaurant serves food that owner Sandra Arciniega grew up eating.

“Those times when I felt homesick, dreaming of tasting those memorable and unique flavours of home, that is when the idea of opening an authentic Mexican restaurant was born,” she explained. “The love for my culture and my passion about its food needed to be shared with family and friends around the table.”

Arciniega when she opened La Hacienda in 2002. Photo courtesy of La Hacienda.

The restaurant carries signature dishes such as enchiladas, Sopa Azteca (tortilla soup), locally-sourced cricket tacos and guacamole.

La Hacienda is a gathering place that celebrates the culture, creativity, and diversity of Mexico according to Arciniega.

The restaurant hosts events to bring Mexico to life in Peterborough such as Mexican folk dance, live mariachi band, Day of the Dead Night Gala and cooking classes on and offsite.

In 2018, Arciniega expanded with a retail store adjacent to the restaurant called Mercado La Hacienda. It sells a variety of Mexican products such as salsa, chips, and even crickets.

As part of its celebration, La Hacienda is re-launching its in-house artisan product line that offers items such as roasted salsa verde, mild salsa, salsa Macha, roasted salsa, salsa para enchiladas, pickled serranos, handmade tortillas and corn chips.

“I feel grateful and proud of what La Hacienda has become,” said Arciniega. “We are not only a restaurant but a destination that conjures up memories.”

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Ennismore Community Centre Celebrates 50th Anniversary

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Community members and Selwyn Township council and staff gathered to celebrate the 50-year anniversary of the construction of the Ennismore Community Centre on Sunday.

Photo courtesy of the Ennismore Community Centre.

Deputy Mayor Sherry Senis, Ennismore Ward Councillor Donna Ballantyne, local historian Paul Crough and community members whose families were instrumental in helping build the centre celebrated the milestone with the unveiling of a commemorative plaque.

In October 1972, the community of Ennismore came together with the goal of providing indoor recreational space in the area. It was a big community effort, with residents and local businesses donating their time, money, labour and equipment, and the municipality (Township of Ennismore at the time) donated profits from the sale of surplus lands while the province provided a grant towards the project.

Since the original building was constructed, the Community Centre has seen several renovations, each one reinvigorating Ennismore’s community spirit and generosity.

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GreenUP Celebrates 30th Anniversary of Environmental Sustainability and Growth

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GreenUP put its growth on display as it celebrated the 30th anniversary with an all-ages event at the Ecology Park on Thursday evening.

GreenUP is an environmental organization meant to inspire and empower environmentally healthy and sustainable action in the community according to its website.

“The resilience it takes to get to 30 years for any organization is really incredible,” said Tegan Moss, GreenUP executive director. “I'm really proud of all the people who've done this work for this long and to be a part of it and continuing it for decades yet to come.”

The event featured guided tours, a beanbag toss, scavenger hunts, arts and crafts, a stunt ventriloquist, remarks from GreenUp staff and dinner.

Speeches from the event staff thanked the staff and supporters who have maintained the organization for 30 years.

Funding for GreenUp has come through the city via the Community Service Grant Program, donations, GreenUP store and park services.

“The environment is worth protecting,” said Moss. “We can work together as a community to realize really important reductions in CO2 emissions and the preservation of biodiversity so I'm really excited to engage and empower people in the work that results in those important things happening.”

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Photos: Nagasaki Commemoration Lantern Ceremony at Little Lake

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The Peterborough Peace Council hosted its annual Hiroshima and Nagasaki Commemoration Ceremony at Little Lake on Tuesday evening.

Traditionally the lanterns have been released towards the fountain however this year’s strong winds sent them along the shoreline. Photo by Luke Best.

“It’s important to remember exactly what happened,” said Gianne Broughton, a Peterborough Peace Council member.

The commemoration began with Broughton acknowledging the 77th anniversary of the dropping of an atomic bomb on Nagasaki and Hiroshima, Japan by the U.S Military.

Peterborough Peace Council member Sheila Nabigon-Howlett then shared how Canada has not yet signed the UN Nuclear Ban Treaty and called for the end of nuclear tech.

“This is an opportunity to look at the globe and see what is happening. It’s not pretty,” she said.

An open invitation was offered if anyone would like to speak their mind, about the past or about the future. Two speeches were made after an open mic invitation was offered to speak their mind, about the past or about the future, followed by a song.

Peterborough Peace Council and supporters were invited to release paper lanterns into the water after the sun had set. This Japanese custom is a gesture of respect for those who have died and gives participants a moment to think about their ancestors and loved ones.

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Peterborough Golf & Country Club Tees Off 125th Anniversary With Throwback Golf Tournament

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Over a century of drives, chips and putts have happened at the Peterborough Golf & Country Club (PGCC) as they celebrate their 125th anniversary with a kickoff golf tournament this Saturday.

125th Anniversary co-chair Diane Topping (pictured) wearing traditional ladies’ golf attire during the late 1900s while taking a swing at the 12th tee at the Peterborough Golf & Country Club. Photo by David Tuan Bui.

The event features a step-aside scramble golf tournament with some features relative to 1897, the year the golf club was founded. The tournament will feature stymies (other golf balls could not be marked and were natural obstacles for other golfers) with curling rocks on two of the greens and old-style putters used by course staff.

“In 1898, a picnic basket was had so we’re going to replicate that, folks will come off and we’re going to have sandwiches the way it was with a picnic basket,” said Ron Dempsey, 125th anniversary committee co-chair.

@ptbo_canada Happy 125th anniversary, Peterborough Golf & Country Club! Here is to another 125! #ptbo #ptbocanada #golf #golftiktok #golftok #peterboroughgolf #anniversary ♬ Mario Golf 64 - Koopa Cup - Goodknight Productions

The club will host several other events to commemorate the course’s milestone. In June, the course will have a curler’s golf day (as the course also has its own curling rinks). July 1 features a celebration day with a cake and other festivities.

Non-club members can have a chance to try the course as August allows members to bring a guest for $18.97 to celebrate the year the course was founded.

The Rye Street band will perform in September at the course. October is hosting a “Swing & Sweep,” where members can golf for nine holes and curl for six ends.

“This is a very exciting year,” said Dave Robinson, PGC president. “We’re really looking forward to a great year starting with our May 28th event.”

There are roughly 900 members at the PGCC (with an overlap between golf and curling). The club was founded on May 28, 1897.

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The Wolf 101.5 Rocks 30th Anniversary With Commemorative Beer to Benefit Kawartha Food Share

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The Wolf 101.5 is rocking its 30th anniversary with a commemorative “Howler” beer in a partnership with Bobcaygeon Brewing Company where part of the proceeds goes towards Kawartha Food Share (KFS) in a product launch on Saturday.

Brian Ellis, Wolf morning show host (left) with Brigitte “Gitty” Donaghy, Wolf promotions coordinator (right) broadcasting live on site at Bobcaygeon Brewing Company for the radio station’s 30th anniversary. Photo by David Tuan Bui.

The beer titled ‘Howler’ is a four per cent cream ale developed by the local brewery. The Wolf promoted the beer’s launch at the brewery into Saturday afternoon while broadcasting on site.

"They actually created three different beers for us to sample," said Brian Ellis, Wolf morning show host. "We picked the one we picked and we're glad we did because that's the one Bobcaygeon Brewing would hope we picked too."

‘Howler"‘ is a four per cent cream ale that celebrates the Wolf’s 30th Anniversary. The commemoration is printed on the can including the charity aspect on its side. Photo by David Tuan Bui.

Each beer sold gets 25 cents towards Kawartha Food Share. The demand for food banks has risen in Peterborough and fundraising for them was an easy decision according to Ellis.

"There's unfortunately a need in the city for their services," he said. "When you look in the past few years, there are more people using Kawartha Food Share, our local food bank in our area and surrounding area than there were two years ago."

Ellis and other Wolf staff a the launch say they are grateful for the community supporting them for three decades. The beer and donating to KFS were one way they wanted to give back to the community.

"You look across the country, across North America and there are not very many radio stations that have been around like we have," explained Ellis. "It goes back again to us trying to give back to the listeners, our sponsors, our advertisers that have kept us in business for 30 years.”

The beer is available at the brewery while supplies last.

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