Peterborough Blogs
"A flood warning remains in effect for the City of Peterborough. The Otonabee Conservation has advised that water levels will continue to rise along the Kawartha Lakes and Otonabee River over the next fews days. Residents are advised to stay well back from the shorelines of the Otonabee River and Little Lake, as well as area creeks and dams, as the water flow rates are extremely fast and increasing. Shorelines are dangerous, as they are very unstable due to ground saturation.
Proof of City of Peterborough property address is required. Filling, delivery, placement, and removal of sandbags will be the owner’s responsibility.
Here Is A Look At The Rising Waters Along The Otonabee (And A Notice From Peterborough Public Health)
/UPDATE (May 6th): Here is the latest flood warning update/info from the City of Peteborough.
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ORIGINAL POST
With more rain falling, the lake levels and water flows are still rising—and officials expect that to continue with the current weather conditions. Here are some pictures below and a notice from Peteborough Public Health on drinking water.
Here are the docks at Little Lake...
Here are the banks along the Holiday Inn in Peterborough...
The Holiday Inn has put up flood barrier...
photo by Scott Arnold
The Otonabee River South of Lakefield looking angry... (Officials remind people not to go out on boats and canoes on rivers and lakes.)
These culverts around side roads are also dangerous officials say, as the suction can easily hold someone under water...
Here is Lock 19 where the water is as high as the locks and is flowing straight though...
Peterborough Public Health is reminding the public about drinking water safety following the recent notification from the City of Peterborough that the Peterborough Wastewater Treatment Plant is in by-pass mode.
“The good news is that wastewater entering the Otonabee River is still 99% treated so with the current volumes and rate of flow there should be no significant risk to those downstream and there is no serious risk to public health,” says Dr. Rosana Salvaterra, Medical Officer of Health. “However, this is still a good reminder to all residents who draw water from wells to take the necessary precautions when flooding occurs to prevent illness.”
People who live south of the sewage treatment plant and draw their water from the river should check that their water treatment systems are functioning properly.
Residents are advised to ensure their wells are safe by testing regularly and using a method of disinfection prior to drinking, especially during flooding periods. Water from flooded wells can be treated and made safe for drinking by rapidly boiling the water for at least one minute or by adding two drops of household bleach per one liter of water, stirring, and allowing the water to sit for 30 minutes before use.
Residents who live on the municipal water system are not impacted.
This is a developing story. Follow @Ptbo_Canada on Twitter for the latest news.
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Peterborough Economic Development Relocating To VentureNorth Hub In Downtown Peterborough
/Peterborough Economic Development (PED) has announced they will be relocating both locations—PED’s corporate office at 210 Wolfe Street, as well as the Peterborough & the Kawarthas Tourism (PKT) Visitor Centre located at 1400 Crawford Drive—to the VentureNorth building in downtown Peterborough.
Renovations to exterior of VentureNorth building
This move will unify the team, and cost-effectively consolidate operations under one roof at 270 George Street North.
PED and PKT will now be located on the main floor of VentureNorth, as an anchor tenant of the new downtown business hub in the former Promenade building located at 270 George Street North. VentureNorth aims to make doing business in Peterborough easier for startups and existing businesses, allowing clients to access a suite of services and resources in a single location.
The new location will be open to the public on Monday, May 8th at 8:30 a.m. The Visitor Centre will close their doors to walk-in traffic at 1400 Crawford Drive on Friday, April 28th at 4:30 p.m. in order to prepare for the move and setup in the new location.
PED’s team is committed to a seamless transition. For this reason, the relocation will be phased-in, working with the VentureNorth’s construction team to have a service-oriented timeline for the move. In the transition time, PED staff will continue to be available by phone, email and by appointment.
VentureNorth Building
The Peterborough & the Kawarthas Tourism Visitor Centre can be reached by phone at 1.800.461.6424 or by email info@thekawarthas.ca.
Peterborough Economic Development can be reached by phone at 705.743.0777 or by email info@peterboroughed.ca.
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Here Is A Short Article On The Large Article Pick-Ups For This Year
/The first of six large article collection events for 2017 is on Monday, April 24th. The remaining 2017 dates are as follows:
• Monday, May 29th
• Monday, June 26th
• Monday, July 24th
• Monday, August 28th
• Monday, September 25th
For a fee, the City will pick up items larger than the weekly allowance, such as furniture and appliances. The cost for this service is $15 for the first item and $5 for any additional item. (Note that mattresses and box springs are $15 each and do not count as a first item.)
You can also schedule your pick-up using the City’s online tool at peterborough.ca. Under “Online Services”, select “Large Article Collection”. Select the collection date you prefer, the items you want collected and set up an account with your credit card for payment.
Large article collection can also be scheduled in person at City Hall, 500 George Street North, or the Public Works Office at 182 Townsend Street until 4:30 p.m. on Thursday, April 20th.
For more details, please call the City Waste Management Division at 705.742.7777 at extension 1657.
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Get Your Piece Of The Pig's Ear History: There Will Be A Content Auction In Early May
/The Pig's Ear Tavern is closing for good April 22nd as local developer Parkview Homes has bought the building. Parkview is now inviting the community of Peterborough and Peterborough at large to participate in an auction of the remaining contents of the Piggy—a unique opportunity for past and present revelers of “The Piggy” to own a piece of its storied history.
The auction will be held after the current owners have closed the doors on the establishment in early May. It will be hosted online by Russland Auctioneers here.
Parkview Homes says that all proceeds from the auction will be split 50/50 between two local charities—YWCA Crossroads Shelter and YES Shelter for Youth and Families.
Check back here for auction date details in the coming weeks.
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A Peterborough Couple Just Won $1 Million Playing Encore
/Congrats to Peterborough couple Mary Richardson and Tim Noble, who won $1 million in OLG's March 6th daily Encore draw.
Richardson and Noble picked up their big cheque at the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Prize Centre in Toronto on Tuesday (March 28th).
Their winning ticket was bought at Jackson Park Convenience on Parkhill Road.
The couple plan to use their windfall for travel—they have already booked a trip to Mexico—and savings. Retirement plans are much clearer now the couple say, as they plan to invest most of their winnings into savings.
What would you do if you won $1 million? Tell us on our Facebook page.
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A Woman Near Peterborough Saved Her Yearling Horse That Was Being Attacked By A Coyote
/A Douro-Dummer woman's Facebook post (see below) about her yearling horse Indy getting attacked by a coyote is getting hundreds of shares on Facebook.
Screengrab via Facebook post
Sara Whetung, a freelance horse trainer, tells PTBOCanada her harrowing story of the attack she witnessed on Friday, March 24th at her barn on Whetung Road near Stoney Lake Market at Crowe's Landing:
"It happened at approximately 7:15 pm at our farm (Canadian Frost Farm) at Crowe's Landing on Stoney Lake. My horses (I have 3) come in the barn in the evening to have their evening grain, then are turned back out for the rest of the night. My horses came in as usual on Friday night (when this happened) and were turned back out. When getting back into the paddock, my Appaloosa yearling Indy (she is 1 year, 9 months) ran down to the run-in shed—which is a short distance down the hill from the paddock gate they are led in—and did not return."
Sarah with her beloved Indy
"I was not alarmed at first, as I often put hay out down by the run in, however she did not return. I proceeded to pick up manure and check the water trough (by the gate), when I heard loud screams coming from my filly, Indy, along with thrashing noises. I immediately (with manure fork in hand) ran down to the run-in where I found her down on the ground with the coyote on top of her ripping her leg. I was also yelling and screaming at the time. The coyote, after hearing and seeing me, jumped back and off of the filly, and took off into the bush. The filly continued to flail on the ground and I had to get her up. The filly suffered a large 8 inch gash to the bone on her right front leg, as well as a small gash on her back leg and nose."
Indy's deep gash
While the vet has stitched up Indy, Sara tells PTBOCanada she is not in the clear by any stretch:
"It's a 50/50 chance she will heal properly. The infection risk is high. Because the wound is right on the joint, the stitching is less likely to hold. She was very close to having tendons/ligaments exposed, but thankfully they were not."
Indeed, Indy's current vet bills and future bills will be high, so Sara—a Trent student—has set up a GoFundMe page in the hopes people will help cover the costs and ensure Indy receives the best care and support required to make a full recovery.
Indy stitched up, and safe in her stall
Whetung adds that there are lots of coyote tracks this morning (March 26th) up by her barn: "The horses are in now 24/7, as I am not confident turning them out until this coyote is dispatched. Coyotes are very thick out here this year, and while this is most likely a random attack, they have also been taunting my neighbor's horses and getting in the paddocks with them, too."
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Police Remind Public Not To Transport Unknown Items To The Police Station After They Had To Evacuate Station Today
/This Peterborough Police release on Friday (March 17th) is a good reminder to all citizens not to transport unknown items to the police station...
"On Friday March 17th, 2017, just prior to 12:00 p.m., a citizen entered the Peterborough Police Station with an item to be turned in for disposal. The item was packaged in a manner that made it difficult to determine what it was and had the appearance of an explosive device. In the interest of public safety, the Police Station was evacuated and the immediate area was closed to the public until the device could be safely examined. This evacuation included the relocation of the 911/Communication Center to the Fire Station on Sherbrooke Street.
The Durham Regional Police Explosives Disposal Unit (EDU) was notified and attended to examine the item. The examination by EDU Specialists has determined that the item is not an explosive device although it had several characteristics of such a device. The investigation regarding this matter is complete and there was no criminal intent by the citizen who brought the item to the station.
As a reminder to all citizens, please don’t transport unknown items to the Police Station if you are concerned about what it might be. Please contact the police and we will come and examine the item at its current location to determine what the best course of action is.
During this event, the Non-emergency lines into the Communication Center had to be unattended for a short period of time. However, the 911 lines were always available for any emergency calls. Effective immediately, all normal operations in the Commutations Center and at Police Headquarters are resuming. We apologize for any inconvenience this disruption may have caused and appreciate the patience and cooperation of everyone during this situation."
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UPDATED: Whitney Family Devastated After Family Legacy "Grandpa's Homemade Fudge" Trailer Stolen
/UPDATED (February 26th): Amazing news -> The Whitney family tells PTBOCanada the trailer was found this morning by police after someone had called them who spotted it. It was located in a remote area of Campbellford, and has now been returned home with everything in it. "Everything is intact and as far as we can see there is minimal damage," they tell PTBOCanada. They also thank all those who shared this story on social media, and for all the kindness that was shown.
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ORIGINAL POST
A Havelock family is reeling after their mobile business—and a huge part of their family legacy—has been stolen. At approximately 4 a.m. on February 24th, their "Grandpa's Homemade Fudge" trailer was stolen from Sama Park in Havelock.
Grandpa's Homemade Fudge is run by the Whitney family—it was started by family patriarch Perry Whitney, who passed away in 2014 to cancer at age 68—and has been a staple in the Peterborough and Kawarthas area for many years.
Grandpa Whitney, who passed away in 2014
Granddaughter Meaghan Tippett tells PTBOCanada the trailer was at Peterborough Farmers' Market up until Perry got sick and then unfortunately they had to scale back their shows as every weekend became too difficult for him.
The Whitney family use the trailer at most of their shows now since his death, but for some of the indoor shows they have a different set-up, including the wood and glass display case that Perry made by hand—this display case was in the trailer and is also gone.
"Since my Grandpa passed away, my grandmother Anne and the rest of my family have been working avidly to keep the business going," Meaghan tells PTBOCanada. "This trailer is my grandfather's legacy and holds incredible sentimental value. We would very much like to see it returned so we can continue to serve the community with delicious homemade fudge and mini donuts."
"Our family is shocked," Meaghan adds. "My grandfather started this business 15 years ago, and passed away from cancer. This business is our family's legacy, and that trailer was customized by my grandfather. It holds extreme sentimental value and our family would very much like to see it returned so we can continue to uphold his legacy."
The OPP have been informed and are currently on the lookout for the stolen trailer.
If you could share this and spread the word on your social media channels, the Whitney family would very much appreciate it.
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About 3,000 People Used Peterborough Transit's Free New Year's Eve Service
/The City of Peterborough has announced that the 2nd Annual free New Year's Eve Transit service carried approximately 3,000 riders between 7:20 p.m. and 3:20 a.m. All 12 regular routes were in service and saw good usage throughout the evening with an average of about 375 passengers using the system per hour.
The City of Peterborough is pleased that so many residents chose to drink responsibly and take advantage of free transit service on New Year’s Eve. The ridership this year was about the same as what was carried last year.
Councillor Don Vassiliadis on New Year's Eve
Councillor Don Vassiliadis, who represents Monaghan Ward and is the Chair of Transportation, is happy with the numbers:
"Once again, the ridership numbers are indicative of the need for this service in Peterborough. Free New Year’s Eve bus service was a big success, giving rides to both young and young at heart. It was a chance for those who had not used Peterborough bus service in many years to get back on the bus. I am looking forward to offering free New Year's Eve busing again in 2017 and having even more people take advantage of this wonderful service."
The estimated cost for the evening of service was $15,000, which included the staff costs for the drivers and dispatch staff, as well as the costs for police at the downtown terminal and on-bus security. Funding for this service was made possible again this year through the generous sponsorship from Wolfe Personal Injury Lawyers, who also funded the first service in 2015/2016.
Councillor Don Vassiliadis on New Year's Eve
