GreenUP Celebrates $25,000 Grant For Urban Greening With Tree-Planting Ceremony

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Peterborough GreenUP celebrates their $25,000 Green Space Grant to grow urban mini-forests in town with a fruit tree planting at Dominion Park on Wednesday.

Laura Kersztesi juggles apples in dominion park after announcing the green space grant . Photo by Luke Best

The grant was from TD Bank Group and the Arbor Day Foundation. Peterborough is one of just 20 North American cities to receive the grant this year.

“It's really wonderful to see this come together and have the support from these types of grants to put trees in the ground,” said Laura Kersztesi, Greenup program coordinator.

GreenUP and Nourish are creating five neighbourhood-based mini-food forests and educating how to care for fruit within urban spaces. The mini-forest locations include Keith Wightman Park, an urban farm on Highland Road, Jackson Creek and a to-be-named retirement residence.

Three apple trees such as Royal Gala and Golden Delicious were planted at Dominion Park to kickstart the campaign.

Kereztesi says GreenUP will plant perennials and berry bushes in the fall including currents and elderberries. She is unsure if more planting will continue past the winter season due to funding and volunteer status but wants to if possible.

“New and experienced gardeners alike have been asking frequently about integrating fruit production into their gardens, and as a community of growers, we have been dreaming about collectively planting fruitful food forests for years,” said Jill Bishop, Nourish community food cultivator.

The five mini food forests support over 10 people in becoming certified in Beginner Fruit Tree Care according to GreenUP.

The staff will help anyone who signed up to help care for the mini food forests in each neighbourhood.

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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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Bird Friendly Peterborough Launches Contest To Name City's Official Bird

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The City of Peterborough is inviting residents to help select Peterborough’s first official “City Bird” by completing an online survey to select a species of bird that best represents the community.

A Rose-breasted Grosbeak. Photo by Dave Ellis.

The contest is being officiated by Bird Friendly Peterborough (BFP), with a goal of raising awareness about Peterborough earning Bird Friendly City status. The contest is open to all residents to select their favourite local bird species from a list that has been curated by BFP of 16 local birds.

The contest will run until September 5 to nominate the top five local birds.

The selection of Peterborough’s first official “City Bird” will be announced at the inaugural City of Peterborough Environmental and Climate Action Expo at Ecology Park on September 23

“Selecting an official city bird for Peterborough is a great way to get residents excited about the launch of BFP,” stated Councillor Kim Zippel, Chair of the Environment and Climate Change portfolio. “A city bird would also help increase the awareness of how important birds are to our ecosystems.”

On June 27, City Council approved the application from BFP, electing Peterborough as being bird-friendly through the Bird Friendly City Program. Nature Canada oversees the Bird Friendly City program, which requires communities to meet multiple criteria before achieving bird-friendly city status.

The BFP team, composed of representatives from local nature-focused organizations, identified Peterborough as meeting the entry-level requirements of the Bird Friendly City program through existing City policies and community programs.

The Bird Friendly Peterborough: Official City Bird Contest is available on Connect Peterborough’s Climate Change & Sustainability web page.

Visit connectptbo.ca/climate to submit your bird selection. Hard copies are available at City Hall, 500 George St. N.

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GreenUp Celebrates 30 Years Of Environmental Activism With A Birthday Party In The Park

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Peterborough GreenUp will be celebrating their 30th anniversary on August 11 from 4 - 7 p.m. at Ecology Park.

Photo courtesy of GreenUp.

GreenUP’s early roots in 1992 began in citizen-lead awareness-raising projects and in cooperation
between different community organizations.

As a non-profit organization, GreenUp offers hands-on environmental education programs, lead inspiring projects that showcase the potential for green, healthy, and active neighbourhoods, and coordinate events and campaigns that enable collaborative action and civic participation.

Their 30 year celebration will begin at 4 p.m. at Ecology Park and is welcome to the public.

Short remarks will be shared recognizing donors, supporters, and partners at 5:30 p.m.

Refreshments and light dinner will follow, and family-friendly programming will continue until 7p.m.

Those interested in attending should RSVP here.

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Peterborough City Council Pre-Commit $49,602 Of 2023 Budget To Community Gardens

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Peterborough City Council endorsed an agreement with YWCA Peterborough Haliburton for the administration of community gardens on municipal property and is pre-committing $49,602 in the City's 2023 Budget to fund the program.

The agreement for the Community Garden Administration would be from Jan. 1, 2022 to Dec. 31, 2027 with an option to renew for one additional three-year term.

According to a release by City Council, community gardens can make a community more vibrant and resilient, while benefiting local pollinators and other components of the environment.

At the time the Community Garden Policy was approved, Peterborough GreenUp in collaboration with the YWCA Peterborough Haliburton Peterborough Public Health, and the Community Opportunity & Innovation Network (COIN) had established the Peterborough Community Garden Network (PCGN). GreenUp was the lead organization under which the PCGN operated. GreenUp acted as the legal entity with whom the City entered into licence agreements specific to each garden site located on municipal land.

In 2014, the management responsibilities transferred from GreenUp to the YWCA Peterborough Haliburton, which has been involved with community gardening for more than 30 years. The YWCA manages the gardens on municipal lands as part of its Nourish Project program. The Nourish Project works in partnership with community gardeners to develop sustainable community garden groups that oversee the individual sites. This process is critical in ensuring that the uniqueness of each garden is recognized, the gardeners are empowered to take on leadership roles and feel a sense of pride and connection with the garden sites and sustaining the community garden projects in the long term. The YWCA also maintains a waiting list of interested new gardeners.

There are a total of 144 garden plots available within the gardens located on the following municipal lands:

  • Whitefield Park

  • 1900 Ashburnham Dr.

  • King Edward Park

  • Nevin Park

  • Stewart Park

  • 480 McDonnel St. (abuts Bonaccord Street – Referred to as the Bonaccord Garden)

  • Barnardo Avenue and Wolsely Street intersection (flower garden)

  • There is at least one other application in progress for a community garden

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Random Acts of Green Encourages People To Participate in Plastic Free July

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Random Acts of Green, a social enterprise, that began in Peterborough, is encouraging individuals and businesses alike to participate in Plastic Free July.

Stock Photo.

Random Acts of Green is an app that encourages people to participate in sustainable actions, like refusing single-use plastics.

Plastic Free July is a global movement that teaches people how to reduce and refuse single-use plastic items, like grocery bags, straws, and plastic bottles. The goal is to send a clear message to businesses and governments that there is a need to reduce global plastic pollution.

The Random Acts of Green App also includes 45 other different Green Acts, like composting and growing your own food, that users can log to earn Green Points. Green Points are awarded based on the amount of greenhouse gas emissions that is reduced by each activity, and the app calculates a user’s impact. In addition, Green Points can then be redeemed at participating businesses.

“Plastic pollution is an environmental catastrophe. Not only does plastic require a large amount of fossil fuels to produce and transport, further contributing to climate change, but in addition, plastic bottles, straws, and plastic bags, are littering our streets, oceans, and bodies.” Says Jessica Correa, CEO with Random Acts of Green. “We need to come together to shift our reliance on plastic and our app encourages people to log the amount of plastic they refuse and reduce during Plastic Free July.”

The theme of this year’s Plastic Free July ‘Turn the Tide, one choice at a time’. The campaign celebrates the collective impact of millions across the world choosing to refuse plastics. To get involved with Random Acts of Green participants can pledge to Plastic Free July or download the app on their smartphone.

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Peterborough City Council Endorses The Reduction Of Single Use Plastics In The City

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Peterborough City Council has endorsed recommendations on ways to reduce the use of single-use plastics items, including municipal government activities, sharing information, a public awareness campaign, and a 24-month contract position to coordinate the implementation of the single-use plastics reduction strategy.

File Photo.

Under the recommended strategy, the City would:

  • implement a single-use plastics reduction strategy at a select number of City-owned locations including City Hall and the Waste Water Treatment Plant;

  • start the creation of a City of Peterborough - Zero Waste Event Planning Guide;

  • develop and implement an enhanced public awareness campaign including updated promotional and educational signage for public spaces including parks, recreational facilities and City-owned locations; and

  • create a temporary 24-month contract position to assist with the design and implementation of the single-use plastics reduction strategy recommendations.

The total cost of the proposed contract is estimated to be $100,000, which would be funded through the Waste Management Reserve.

Single-use plastics are a significant contributor to the global plastic pollution problem. Although considered convenient for short term use, many of these items including plastic straws, utensils, stir sticks, cups, water bottles, plates, bowls, take out containers are not easily recyclable and ultimately end up in landfill, according to a City press release.

City Council adopted the following resolution on February 25, 2019: That staff report on existing waste diversion practices and the potential for an awareness-building program focused on encouraging the reduction of hard to recycle single-use plastics.

A Single-Use Plastics Reduction Working Group, chaired by Councillor Gary Baldwin, that included eight volunteers from diverse sectors of the community met six times to consider information and contribute to recommendations.

In September 2021, the City hired Exp. Services, a third-party professional Ontario based consulting firm, to undertake the review and update of the existing Peterborough Waste Management Master Plan (WMMP), which was last updated in 2012.

This initiative will be undertaken through 2022, including a review of industry proven diversion opportunities, public consultation, and culminating in an updated WMMP to optimize diversion opportunities. All recommendations made by the Single-Use Plastics Reduction Working Group will be included in the assessment for consideration for inclusion in the updated plan recommendations.

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City Of Peterborough Accepting Informal Bids For Annual Bulk Wood Sale

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The City of Peterborough invites informal quotes for the annual sale of bulk wood from trees removed from municipal property by City forestry staff.

Stock Photo.

This sale includes approximately 250 trees of various sizes, averaging 18 inches in diameter. The bulk wood sale excludes the ash trees in accordance with the City’s Emerald Ash Borer Program.

The successful bidder will purchase all the wood for the year, and is required to take all the wood, not just selected parts.

The award of the bulk wood sale will be based upon the following criteria:

  1. Distance from the Public Works Yard, 791 Webber Ave, to the bidder’s drop-off location. The drop site will be cleared of wood once a week.

  2. Ease of access to the drop-off site, including summer and winter road conditions, any laneways must be maintained by the successful proponent.

The City of Peterborough reserves the right to renew this contract for up to an additional two years.

For further details, or to submit a quote, please email Sean Adey, Supervisor – Public Works Division, City of Peterborough sadey@peterborough.ca.

The submission deadline is July 15 at 3 p.m.

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Photos: Rally Staged In Downtown Peterborough To Call For An End Of Climate Delay

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Members of the Peterborough Alliance for Climate Action and For Our Grandchildren gathered outside the Ministery of Natural Resources (MNR) building to call for a shift off of fossil fuels on Wednesday.

The rally was supported nationally by 350.org, similar rallies were staged across the country. Photo by Luke Best.

Wednesday marked the one-year anniversary of the heat dome in British Columbia where record-breaking temperatures surpassed 40 C.

There were 231 people who died on June 29 last year due to extreme temperatures. Nearly 10 people every hour according to The British Columbia coroners’ service.

The rally began at 11 a.m. where protestors proceeded down Water Street before returning back and disbanding around noon.

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