The perfect place to spend a soggy, gloomy Tuesday evening is in a warm, inviting, gourmet pub, so we head out to meet a friend at Brio Gusto...[Update: May 31, 9:15 a.m. — there will be beer served at Ribfest.]
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Pictured left to right: Former Peterborough Pete Brent Tully, local soccer legend Dave Di Bella of Freedom 55, Sandra (McDonald's), Brian Horton and Larry Gillman from Freedom 55.
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On the Gerti's patio. Photo by Evan HoltWith the arrival of spring, people shed their jackets and hats to once again take to the outdoors. In downtown Peterborough, the restaurant patios are busy, the streets are bustling, and "people watching" has returned as a seasonal pastime.
First impressions are that this is simply people enjoying the warmer weather and, perhaps, spending some of their hard earned income in anticipation of an active summer. The reality is that much more is going than meets the eye. The activities that we see are at the heart of the future of the local economy. It is from the interaction of people with diverse backgrounds, experiences and perspectives that economic innovation is begun.
Richard Florida of the Rotman School of Management, at the University of Toronto, and advisor on economic growth to the British Prime Minister, has attributed economic innovation and growth of cities to the role of the "creative class". Florida’s study of seven regions of 100,000 to 250,000 people in Ontario indicates that Peterborough is well positioned when compared to similar communities in terms of the creative class.
From rigorous measures used by Florida, Peterborough placed first in terms of its technological capacity—far ahead of Kingston and Guelph. In terms of the talent necessary to support growth, and cultural diversity and tolerance, Peterborough finished just behind Kingston and Guelph.
It is through venues where people gather together for social purposes rather than just employment that the creative class interacts. It is in places like downtown Peterborough, and the diversity of activities there that new ideas will come from interactions—planned and fortuitous.
Casual observations of the recent buzz downtown shows many young people working and gathering, and interacting with people of many ages and backgrounds. Art and music is thriving here in a way that is the envy of many other communities.
The attachment of young people to venues like those found in downtown Peterborough has positive economic consequences that are often overlooked by those who only see the activities as social, rather than economic.
The Municipal and Provincial governments are doing their part to develop the infrastructure—physical and social—necessary in supporting the activities of the creative class. Every local organization—private, public, and not-for-profit—needs to take into account the significance of supporting the creative class when making decisions that have community impacts beyond that of the organization itself.
Innovation, technologically and organizationally, is a reality even for small communities like Peterborough. It is time that we recognized the nature of economic growth in our time, practice innovation rather than just preaching it, and focus our efforts on promoting sustainable growth by nurturing the creative class.
[Contributed by PtboCanada's Tom Phillips Ph. D.]
[Editor's Note: This is Tom's first column for PtboCanada.com. He is Economist & Sustainability Director - Greater Ptbo Innovation Cluster]
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Pictured with Petes GM Dave Reid above and below
[photos courtesy Harry Perkins]
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[Peterborough and District Farmers Market]
[Contributed by PtboCanada's Julie Morris]
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It was a special night at The Venue wine bar Friday as former I Mother Earth band members Brian Byrne (vocals) and Christian Tanna (drums) played covers ranging from U2 to Ozzy to Johnny Cash to Led Zeppelin in their cover band The Flaming Hoops (see pics below), which mixes rock with a country twang. Their cover of U2's "Bad" was a highlight of the night. Christian's brother, Jag Tanna, guitarist from I Mother Earth, was also in attendance (Jag resides here in Peterborough). It had been rumoured throughout the day that I Mother Earth was going to reunite to play a set at The Venue, but that didn't happen. Both Jag and Brian told us the band is working on new material, but it remains unclear when they will play again in public. Also in attendance was the Toronto hard rock band Easy Sleezy, who are working on a new album.
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How many of us have been craving the sights, sounds, and smells of the outdoor downtown Farmers' Market? Well the wait is over! This Wednesday (May 4th), the market kicks off the season at the Louis Street Parking Lot. Each Wednesday until October 5th, it runs from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.
What is your weekly must-have item from the market?
[Peterborough Downtown Farmers' Market]
[Contributed by PtboCanada's Julie Morris]
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Electric City Gardens
373 Queen Street, Peterborough
Reservations are recommended;
call 705-749-1909
Welcome to one of Peterborough’s hidden dining gems. Electric City Gardens offers an internationally inspired menu in an intimate, romantic setting that is relaxed and elegant. The owner, Chef Toby Tylor, approaches food with love and respect; he shops daily for local ingredients that are in season and every dish is made from scratch.
Friends of ours join us for dinner to celebrate a birthday. Toby greets us at the door with a warm smile and a hug, and escorts us to our table in the back room. Charming and homey, our table is adorned with gleaming silverware, candlelight and the menu, hand written on the white board, propped on a chair for our review. Chef Toby focuses his attention to a select few dishes each night, so while the menu may not offer numerous choices, rest assured that each dish is crafted with only the finest ingredients. And, lucky for us, because we are a party of four, we are afforded the luxury of ordering every item off the menu so we can taste it all.
I start my meal with the blue cheese, pear and dill salad; it is fresh, crisp and lightly drizzled with a creamy, citrus-infused dressing—a wonderful start to any meal. My husband savours a salad of field greens and mild, creamy goat cheese—as tasty as the ones we had in Barcelona—and our friend indulges in a steaming bowl of white bean soup loaded with fresh pepper and succulent pieces of ham. Toby carries the cheeses into the main courses, pairing the blue cheese with linguini for a decadent dish, and pairing the goat cheese with grilled shrimp and linguini for a more subtle, gentler dish (and may I add kudos to Toby for taking the tails off the shrimp before serving them). The Cajun salmon is cooked to perfection; flaky with just the right balance between flavour and spice. Tangy and dressed with smooth chutney, the Tandoori chicken is moist with a subtle hint of vinegar that works beautifully with the fragrant basmati rice.
At this point in the meal, we are beyond satisfied, but we are celebrating a birthday and no birthday is complete without chocolate. We dive into Toby’s new creation of chocolate cobbler: traditional apple cobbler, only better. This one is drenched in freshly made chocolate sauce and dusted with icing sugar. The result—thick and rich and chocolaty heaven— is such that the apples are almost lost in this version. The crème-au-pot is a sinful cup of a thick chocolate mousse topped of with fresh whip cream. My favourite of the evening though is the light and fluffy almond cheesecake on a coconut graham crust. And yes, it is as good as it sounds.
Tucked away on Queen Street a little off the beaten path of downtown Peterborough, Electric City Gardens is the perfect spot to nourish your soul with creative, delicious food and an eclectic wine list. Toby and his team provide wonderful individual service focused on attention to detail. We left pleasantly full yet hungry for more. We will be back.
[Reviewed by PtboCanada's food writer Tammy Simon]
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