Historic Birchbark Canoe Arrives at Canoe Museum In Peterborough

A historic Birchbark Canoe from the 1700s has arrived at the Canadian Canoe Museum. It is believed it was crafted somewhere along the St. Lawrence River, brought to England in the 1700s, then recently transported back to Canada. Although it is degrading, it is an excellent example for researchers to study.

The Canadian Canoe Museum is looking for outreach opportunities and would like to use this canoe to establish discussion to learn more about the canoe's history and also build a full sized replica for an exhibit.

Learn more from the outdoors blog Trail Swag.

[Contributed by PtboCanada's Evan Holt]

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Peterborough Museum & Archives New Exhibition Avro Arrow: A Dream Denied

The current exhibition at Peterborough Museum & Archives is Avro Arrow: A Dream Denied, which tells the remarkable story of one of Canada’s greatest technological achievements. 

Decades have passed since the development and destruction of the Avro Arrow and Iroquois engine yet many still wonder "what-might-have-been."

Should the projects have been cancelled? Were they as good as their builders said they would be? What were the real reasons behind the cancellations? These and other mysteries are explored in this exhibition full of images, artifacts and explanations.

Avro Arrow: A Dream Denied was developed and produced by the West Parry Sound District Museum as part of the Travelling Exhibition Partnership Project.

Check it out at Peterborough Museum & Archives (Ashburnham Memorial Park on Museum Drive, 300 Hunter Street East). Admission is by donation, with free parking and barrier-free access. The exhibition runs through September 30th.

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A Look At Charming Fleming Place In Downtown Peterborough (And Impact Of Development)

I am writing to increase awareness around the development plans at Fleming Place in downtown Peterborough.

Fleming Place is a charming laneway lined with homes built in the early 1900s and equally old and historical trees.

Preparation for a development which includes the construction of a new apartment building in the open green space is already underway.  The plans includes the removal of the majority of these beautiful trees and an entire re-landscaping of the property.

In my humble opinion, Fleming Place is a gem—an urban oasis—the likes of which I have never seen anywhere else. Anyone who has ever lived or visited there (particularly in the summer) can attest to this. It feels like you have walked into an urban forest even though you are in fact directly downtown. The trees provide an incredible amount of shade, cool breeze, habitat and a living example of our community's history. There are several gorgeous perennial beds on the property that have been built, cared for and maintained for my tenants. These are likely to go along with the trees.

Mass cutting of trees has already occurred, and much more is to come. I encourage people to come and wander down the laneway and enjoy it while you can. The removal of all these trees is an irreversibly devastating decision. Trees and green spaces are part of the new plan, but a century of growth cannot be replaced. It is not likely that anything can be done to stop a development plan already underway, but expressing how important you think neighbourhoods like Fleming Place and urban trees are to our community and collective quality of life can't hurt!

—Jillian Bishop

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Neat Footage From Circa 1920 Depicting Lives Of British Girls At Peterborough Orphanage

This silent film, The Tide Of Immigration from Library and Archives Canada, is a compilation of various newsreels produced from 1919 to 1921 depicting the lives of immigrants in Canada. The final story in the film (starts at the 7:27 mark) is set right here in Peterborough, and introduces us to British girls living at Hazel Brae, an orphanage founded by Dr. Thomas Barnardo for homeless or destitute English children.

[YouTube]

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Dinosaurs Live! Exhibit At Indian River Reptile Zoo All Summer

They move! They roar! Yes, a neat new exhibit Dinosaurs Live! runs from June 30th to September 3rd at the Indian River Reptile Zoo, featuring life size dinosaurs with motion and sound. Make sure to check it out.

Here's the team working to assemble the life sized Tyrannosaurus rex for the exhibit.

[YouTube; Indian River Reptile Zoo]

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Today Is National Canoe Day!

Although numerous canoe related festivities took place this weekend, National Canoe Day is officially today (June 26th). The Canadian Canoe Museum—housed right here in Peterborough—is hosting an open house to celebrate, so stop in and explore some of our canoe heritage and culture.

[Contributed by PtboCanada's Evan Holt]

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Video: The Famous Reydon Manor (Aka "Strickland House") In Lakefield Is For Sale For $3.25 Million

In 1857, Colonel Samuel Strickland's son Robert built the extraordinary, opulent Strickland house in Lakefield. (Robert's famous aunts, author sisters Catherine Parr Traill and Susanna Moodie, both stayed there on occasion.) This historic house is a landmark in Lakefield. It has 6 bedrooms, 7 bathrooms, an attached heated triple garage, a carriage house, 3 woodburning fireplaces, and is located on a 11.7 acre lot. And it's currently for sale—listed at $3.25 million. You can see it from the road on Queen St. driving through Lakefield, but we have often wondered what it looks like inside. Well, a video has been made by the listing agent which takes us inside it...

[YouTube]

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A Really *Really* Old Maytag Washing Machine At Lang Pioneer Village In Keene

[YouTube; Lang Pioneer Village]

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PtboCanada.com Proud Sponsor Of Ode'min Giizis Festival Again This Year

[Ode'min Giizis website]

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Here's An Email From A Trent Prof Circulating About Proposed Development On Charlotte Street

Letter from  Trent Environmental & Resource Studies Professor Stephen Hill...

I'm writing about a proposed development in downtown Peterborough. Shoppers Drug Mart is seeking to abandon their existing store at Charlotte & Aylmer and move to a new larger site kitty corner from where they are now. The new site, if approved, will demolish all of the buildings on the north side of Charlotte, between Bethune and Aylmer (from the paint store to Jim's Pizzeria/Have you Seen). The corner of Charlotte and Aylmer will be a 37 car parking lot, with the new Shoppers building occupying the rest of the block (& loading docks fronting on Bethune). In urban design terms, it's an unmitigated disaster to create a building for no other purpose than to fit the brand image of Shoppers Drug Mart.

For those with more time on their hands, I've written up more on the backstory and posted it to this blog site: SaveCharlotteStreet.blogspot.com.  I'd welcome comments or additional information if you have any.

The whole idea of destroying a vibrant street to build this seems beyond comprehension. Regardless, some city councillors think it's a good idea. I am fairly confident that a concerted effort by a group of citizens can help change their minds (go Margaret Mead!), to ensure the development either doesn't happen or happens in a manner that will result in a building of enduring value. 

If you'd like to do something, please spread the word and take the time to write or call your Councillor, the Mayor and/or the City's Director of Planning. Their contact information is available by clicking here. There also needs to be people willing to speak articulately against this at the Planning Committee when this development is being considered.  

[Save Charlotte Street Blog]

[Photos by PtboCanada's Evan Holt]

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