Ontario Government Offering Free Admission to Provincial Parks July 19

To mark Healthy Parks Healthy People Day, Ontario government is offering free day-use access to provincial parks on July 19 announced on Monday.

The Ontario government is enhancing those recreational opportunities by building 300 new campsites and bringing electrical services to 800 existing campsites at several parks throughout the province. File Photo.

This annual celebration is part of a global movement to promote health benefits of getting outside with nature according to a press release.

“I invite all Ontarians to take advantage of this free pass to Ontario Parks, an opportunity to immerse yourselves in the joy and wonder of exploring the great outdoors,” said Andrea Khanjin, Minister of the Environment, Conservation and Parks. “Whether you’re looking to get some exercise or seeking a fun and affordable day with your family, I hope this free day will give more people the opportunity to explore everything that their local provincial park has to offer.”

Several programs and facilities offer hiking, cycling, paddling, swimming and more.

Throughout the summer, Ontario Parks offers numerous ways to engage with nature including:

• In-park Discovery Programs which allow kids and adults to gain confidence in nature and around wildlife through activities such as guided hikes to explore a new trail and other educational programs.

• The 30x30 Nature Challenge to encourage people to spend 30 minutes in nature for 30 days during the month of August.

• Take a Hike Day on August 10, providing guided hikes at provincial parks around the province. Visitors can join in on one of the many events happening across the province.

To ensure access to Healthy Parks Healthy People Day, visitors are encouraged to obtain a daily vehicle permit up to five days before the celebration, at no charge, for the 75 parks that offer this service.

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City of Peterborough Planning Litter Action Initiative On July 14

After the City’s first Great Community Litter Clean-up events held during the spring, a Community Cigarette Butt and Litter Clean-Up planned by local group Clean Up Peterborough, will be held on July 14 with the City providing supplies and waste collection.

Photo by David Tuan Bui.

This event is planned in conjunction with Unsmoke Canada Cleanups, a program that supports litter cleanup projects and helps raise awareness on littering in Canada, with an emphasis on cigarette butt waste according to the City. Cigarette butts are among the most frequently littered items in the world, taking decades to decompose and leaching toxins into soil and water says Umsoke Canada. It is harmful to wildlife if ingested.

Residents are invited to participate in the Community Cigarette Butt and Litter Clean-Up between 8 a.m. and 11 a.m., meeting at the Del Crary Park municipal parking lot, 100 George St. N. A table will be set up near the parking lot for participants to get supplies and drop off garbage.

The clean-up will target locations in Del Crary Park and the Marina, Millennium Park, and the shoreline of Little Lake. City of Peterborough’s Recreation and Parks Services Division will provide disposable latex gloves and garbage bags for volunteers. To ensure sufficient supplies and to record participation numbers, residents are asked to sign up by emailing cleanuppeterborough@gmail.com.

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Hometown PTBO: GreenUP's Tegan Moss Named to the Pathway of Fame and Her Environmental Impact on Peterborough

This week on Hometown PTBO, David Tuan Bui talks with GreenUp executive director Tegan Moss about her induction into this year's Peterborough Pathway of Fame, her environmental journey and how she made our City a little greener.

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New Electric Vehicle Chargers Opens In Selwyn Township

Selwyn Township has made itself a little greener as they have introduced its new electric vehicle chargers at the municipal office on Tuesday morning.

(From left to right) Emilie Fargeout, Senior Project Manager for Earth Day Canada; Shilpi Singh, Aviva Canada Assistant Vice President of Sustainability; Sherry Senis, Selwyn Township Mayor; Ron Black, Deputy Mayor; Biran Henry, Smith Ward Councillor; John Boyko, Lakefield Ward Councillor and Ennismore Ward Councillor Mary Coulas. Photo courtesy of Selwyn Township.

The announcement was made with Township members, Aviva Canada and Earth Day Canada representatives.

In November, the Township installed six electric vehicle chargers at four locations. These include the Township Municipal Office, Ennismore Community Centre, Bridgenorth Library, and the River Den in Lakefield.

The new chargers help expand access to public charging in Selwyn Township which supports a transition to electric vehicles and reduces greenhouse gas emissions according to Mayor Sherry Senis.

“Today, we're not just launching new electric vehicle chargers; we're plugging into a sustainable future for Selwyn Township,” she said. These chargers mark our commitment to driving change, empowering our community to embrace clean transportation and steer towards a greener horizon.”

The installation of the new electric vehicle chargers was funded through Aviva Canada’s Charged for Change program in partnership with Earth Day Canada.

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Siemens Canada Employees Plant 100 Trees and Shrubs at Riverview Park & Zoo

Employees from Siemens Canada in Peterborough planted 100 native trees and shrubs at the Riverview Park & Zoo on Wednesday.

Photo courtesy of Otonabee Conservation.

The planting was in partnership with Tree Canada and Otonabee Conservation.

A variety of native trees and shrubs, including buttonbush, speckled alder, tamarack, Saskatoon serviceberry, and silky dogwood will increase species diversity and enhance habitat for local wildlife in the area adjacent to the Otonabee River on the Riverview Park and Zoo grounds according to Otonabee Conservation. 

“Siemens employees have planted a wide selection of trees in the Peterborough-area in the past ten years, and more than 17,800 trees in total across Canada,” said Ian Almond, Siemens plant manager. “Beautifying our community and contributing to a more sustainable future is a responsibility and an honour. We are grateful to our employees and our local partners who help make it happen.”

“We are thrilled to continue working with Tree Canada and Siemens to make habitat enhancements in our watershed,” said Janette Loveys Smith, Otonabee Conservation CAO/secretary-treasurer. “We value our ongoing partnership and our shared commitment of supporting community engagement and the environment.”

“Riverview Park and Zoo, welcomes over 300,000 visitors a year with no admission fee for outdoor education and recreation. We are home to many native species of wildlife that share our natural spaces on the shores of the Otonabee River,”  said Cathy Mitchell, Riverview manager and curator. “This project, with support from our valued partners, will help achieve the goal to further naturalize the shoreline and create more bird and pollinator friendly spaces.”

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Peterborough Ranked Seventh In Total Observations In The Country From City Nature Challenge

Peterborough’s City Nature Challenge initiative that wrapped up on April 29, exceeded last year’s community bio-blitz numbers with higher public participation, more species sighted and greater total observations logged that resulted in a seventh-place finish in the country. 

PHoto by David Tuan Bui.

In total, 2,076 wildlife observations were made, recording 577 species within the community during the four days of citizen science for the second annual community bio-blitz to record wildlife in Peterborough.  

Out of the 40 participating Canadian communities, Peterborough ranked 13th in total observations, 12th in total number of species observed and 11th in the number of participants making observations. Peterborough ranked seventh per capita for the total number of observations made during the bio-blitz, beating out nearby cities like Kingston and Toronto.

On May 6, wildlife experts completed their identification and verification of recorded nature observations gathered during the bio-blitz and submitted it to the event organizers. 

“Community events like the City Nature Challenge showcase how truly alive our city is, with wildlife in every nook and cranny waiting to be discovered,” said Councillor Joy Lachica. “Residents should celebrate that they share their homes with so many plants and animals, which makes Peterborough an extra special place to live for all.”

Peterborough's most observed species from April 26 to 29 are as follows: 

• Plant species: 31 Yellow Trout Lilies (Erythronium americanum) 

• Bird species: 25 Mallards (Anas platyrhynchos) 

• Tree species: 23 Eastern White Cedars (Thuja occidentalis) 

• Fungus species: 16 Black Knot (Apiosporina morbosa) 

• Mammal species: 12 Eastern Grey Squirrels (Sciurus carolinensis) 

• Insect species: 7 Asian Lady Beetles (Harmonia axyridis) [introduced species] 

• Amphibian species: 7 Green Frogs (Lithobates clamitans) 

A full list of observations can be found on the Peterborough iNaturalist project page.  

The City of Peterborough partnered with the Peterborough Field Naturalists to curate guided nature walks led by Ecology and Beavermead Parks volunteers on April 26 and 27. In addition, nature-focused children’s programming was offered over the two days to excite kids about the beauty of nature found in Peterborough.  

The next City Nature Challenge is scheduled for April 25 to 28, 2025.  

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Twenty Community Groups Made Peterborough Parks Greener For the Great Community Litter Clean-Up

The first Great Community Litter Clean-up saw 20 community groups and organizations come together during Earth Week to pick up litter in Peterborough parks and along trails.

Photo courtesy of the City of Peterborough.

There were 1.2 tonnes of litter collected which equals more than 133,000 plastic water bottles according to The City of Peterborough.

“As always, our community really came together for the betterment of the environment,” said Councillor Joy Lachica.“We all play a role in having a beautiful, litter-free City, whether by picking up litter, putting trash in the proper receptacles or packing our blue boxes to reduce blowing recyclables on collection day.” 

Groups can organize a litter clean-up in a park, trail or public space any time. Registration can be found on the City’s website to receive a free litter clean-up kit and arrange a designated time and location for Public Works staff to collect the garbage.  

A new online collaboration tool is available on the City’s community consultation website. Residents can log their completed litter clean-up event on an interactive map and connect with other people and clean-up groups in the community.

Through this forum, residents can also share news about their event plans, share ideas, and offer to help others. 

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Lakefield Trail Stewardship Committee Hosting Native Plant Spring Garden Work Day For May 11

The Lakefield Trail Stewardship Committee has announced a Native Plant Spring Garden Work Day set for May 11 at 9 a.m.

File Photo.

This community event aims to gather volunteers to help prepare the committee’s plant garden for the upcoming growing season.

Volunteers will meet at Service Ontario, located across from Foodland, at 9 a.m. The day will focus on revitalizing and maintaining the garden. Tasks include picking up recycling and litter, weeding and removing dead plant material to ensure the garden flourishes throughout the season.

“We're thrilled to invite members of our community to join us for a couple of hours of rewarding work in our native plant garden,” said Bruce, Lakefield Trail Stewardship Committee member. “It's a great opportunity to give back to our environment and make a tangible difference in our community.”

Participants are advised to dress according to weather conditions and to bring gardening or work gloves. Additionally, volunteers are encouraged to bring their favourite weeding tools, loppers, shovel, rake and kneeling pads if available. Extra tools will be provided on-site for those who need them.

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Fleming College Recognized As One of Canada’s Greenest Employers

Fleming College's awareness of the environment was evident as it landed a spot on Canada’s Top Green Employers list for 2024.

Photo courtesy of Fleming College.

The college was able to integrate sustainable practices across its campuses and curriculum to appear on the list.

Employers were graded on several factors: unique environmental initiatives or programs, success in reducing their environmental footprint, employee involvement with green programs and whether those environmental initiatives have become linked to the employer’s public identity, attracting new employees.

Fleming was the only Peterborough organization to crack the list.

A full list can be found online.

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Community Futures Peterborough Launches New Green Funding Program For Any Peterborough City/County Business Of Up to $100,000

Community Futures Peterborough (CFP) for Earth Day, unveiled its Climate Change and Environment Fund to help any Peterborough County and City businesses reduce their carbon footprint, announced at Charlotte Products Ltd. on Monday morning.

Photo by David Tuan Bui.

“Like many organizations and leaders in the community, we want to be a part of helping fight climate change and encourage green investment in the Peterborough area,” said Devon Girard, CFP executive director. “Launching this new lending program is one way we can play a role in supporting existing businesses while also trying to attract new green companies to the region.”

The Climate Change and Environment Fund is open to any business to finance a project to reduce carbon emissions or waste. These projects could consider energy-efficient upgrades (including capital upgrades) to reduce energy bills, renewable energy improvements, or considerations of circular economies, including localizing supply chains or buying reusable bins. Under this fund, CFP will lend money at a prime rate, up to $100,000 per project.

Charlotte Products Ltd. has reduced carbon emissions by investing in the creation of its local manufacturing facilities instead of sourcing from the United States and globally.

“On behalf of the Charlotte Products team, we are honoured to host this exciting launch of the Climate Change and Environment Fund by Community Futures Peterborough,” says Matt Strano, Charlotte Products Ltd. CEO. “Sustainability is a primary concern for numerous businesses in our community,and initiatives like this fund will further bolster and reinforce their ongoing efforts.”

“The climate crisis is bringing a variety of increased financial pressures to our businesses including supply chain disruption and the rising costs of both shipping and natural gas,” said Tegan Moss, GreenUP executive director. “The Climate Change and Environment Fund is an opportunity for businesses to invest now in solutions that can help their businesses manage these costs while being a part of the solution. Imagine the possibilities: energy-efficient upgrades, renewable energy installations, circular economy initiatives – all aimed at reducing emissions, lowering costs, and enhancing the brand image of our businesses.”

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