There Are Lonely New Benches In Downtown Peterborough Just Waiting To Be Sat On #BenchesPTBO

[UPDATE May 13th]: We asked City of Peterborough Urban Design Planner Brian Buchardt why some of the benches we're installed facing toward the buildings, and here's what he had to say: "I was able to get the benches for free from the company who recently installed the large burgundy waste and recycling containers in the Downtown. I gave the company the locations for the benches. However, I never dreamed they would install some of them facing the wrong way! We will ask them to come back at some point and have the benches turned around. They may have been following the examples of other municipalities, which have their benches facing inward—rather than outward to the street. The thing is though, benches facing inward are usually much closer to the street. I do not subscribe to this orientation anywhere because personally, I would always want to be facing the action on the street."

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[ORIGINAL POST: May 12th] The city has installed brand new benches along the sidewalks of our downtown core. Some of the new benches face inward toward buildings. The other benches have views looking outward toward the street. The benches are lonely right now. They want people to sit on them. We’d like to hear your thoughts about the benches. Which ones would you sit on—facing out toward the street or looking in toward the buildings? Or does it depend on your mood? And which bench locations do you prefer around the downtown? Tell us in our comments section below or on our Facebook page. See pictures below...

—Scott Arnold

Lots of Thrills

More Thrills

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Peterborough Poetry Slam 2014 Finals At Market Hall This Friday

The Peterborough Poetry Collective is hosting the Peterborough Poetry Slam 2014 Finals this Friday (May 16th) at Market Hall. The city’s best spoken-word artists take to the microphone for two rounds of competition, determining the five person team who will represent Peterborough at the Canadian Festival of Spoken Word in Victoria, B.C. in October. Slam poetry is a competitive verse where each poet has three minutes to recite their original work, before being scored by five judges randomly selected from the audience. Doors open at 7 pm for an 8 pm start at Market Hall. Contact Wes Ryan here for more details.

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Style File Four: Look -> What's Your Style Peterborough?

Kris Sieber

In the Spotlight: Kris Sieber
Ash's Style File Notes:  I found inspiration for my latest Style File at The Wednesday Market Opening Day. There were a lot of stylin' Peterborough Folk down there, but I chose Kris to be featured. His sporty, earthy style draws from a lot of clothing stores in Peterborough. His shoes are from S.O.S., pants from Plush Boutique, jacket (and bike) from Wild Rock Outfitters, and even his cup of coffee and knit cap are local. It's a delight to photograph someone who has mixed and matched from many of the stores in our downtown core.
What Kris says about his style... "It's functional, so as not to get caught in the bike."

—Ash Street

Contact fashionista Ash Street if you want to be featured in "What's Your Style Peterborough?" Or watch for her on the streets finding her next person to feature in Style File.

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PTBOCanada Play Spotlight: Shakespeare Vs. The Merchants of Venom

The Peterborough Theatre Guild is constantly abuzz with new productions taking the stage. With Oliver still running at Showplace, Shakespeare Vs. The Merchants of Venom kicked off last night in the Gwen Brown Studio at the Guild.

This one-act play is the work of Wyatt Lamoureux, who has had the ideas swirling in his thoughts for years and was delighted to finally bring it to fruition on stage. Directed by Keith Smith and co-starring with Lamoureux is Jessica Mauro as the Devil. 

The play keeps you on your toes throughout with quick wit and fast-paced scenes that also includes well placed audience engagement as well as some book tossing and a stellar sword fight. Both actors give an outstanding performance that captivates the audience and brings you right into the scenes alongside them.

Both have such passion and play their roles with such intensity. If you're a classical theatre buff, you will most enjoy this production and I highly recommend you go see this brilliant performance and see for yourself.

The show runs May 8th to 10th only. Seating is limited so make sure to get tickets early by contacting the Box Office.

[Contributed by PtboCanada's Julie Morris]

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Dawn To Dusk Fashion Photography Challenge For Peterborough Fashion Week

Dawn to Dusk is a Fashion Photography Challenge for Peterborough Fashion Week designed to bring a little couture to the Kawarthas. Each team, consisting of a Photographer, Designer, Hair Stylist, Makeup Artist and Fashion Stylist/Creative Director, as well as a model from the "Kawarthas Next Top Model" competition, will be assigned the morning of the event by D2D organizers. Teams will have just 12 hours (9am to 9pm) to complete a high fashion photo shoot. The resulting images will go on exhibit as part of Fashion Week and the winning team will be revealed at the STRUTT 4 Kids Fashion Show and receive a prize package worth thousands of dollars in media exposure, industry-specific training, and incentives. You can apply here. Watch the promo video shot below outside Peterborough featuring the likes of:
Catherine Hanrahan, Michelle Ferreri, Dani Stover and PTBOCanada.com's Neil Morton and Scott Arnold...

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PTBOCanada Proud Sponsor Of Citiots Improv

We're pleased to announce we're sponsoring the awesome local improv comedy troupe Citiots, who perform regularly at the Gordon Best Theatre on Hunter Street in downtown Peterborough—and make guest appearances elsewhere. Current members of Citiots include Danny Bronson, Kate Ethier, Luke Foster, Kenn Gibb, Ray Henderson, Paul Nabuurs, Andrew Root and Dan Smith. Learn more about them on their website. Their next performances are May 17th at Viamede for dinner and a show, and then May 23rd at Gordon Best Theatre, a 9 pm start. Here's great pictures below courtesy J. Lee Photography of the Citiots performance recently at the Gordon Best with some members of Toronto's Mantown, including Adam Cawley, Jason DeRosse and Rob Norman.

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PTBOCanada Featured Post: The Summer Company Program For Young Entrepreneurs

Attention aspiring young entrepreneurs, the Summer Company program is back. The Summer Company program is a youth entrepreneurship program offered by the Ontario Ministry of Economic Development, Trade, & Employment. Peterborough Economic Development has been proudly administrating the program in the Peterborough region for over a decade.

The program provides students aged 15 to 29 with the opportunity to open and operate their own summer business. Students are provided with funding, business training, and mentorship throughout the summer.

With respect to funding, successful applicants receive up to $1,500 to start their summer businesses. They are also eligible for up to a $1,500 award upon completion of the program. The business training portion of the program is provided through a series of workshops throughout the summer. Past workshop topics include: mastering social media; marketing and sales; managing business risk; networking; and taxation. The workshops are facilitated by local business professionals who are experts in their respective fields.

Students are also assigned volunteer mentors from within the community to provide them with support and guidance as they run their summer businesses. The mentors are business owners and professionals who understand the unique stresses and challenges that accompany running a small business. Students are often matched with a mentor in a similar industry. For example, past pairings include: a fire spinner with a full-time magician; a boat cleaner with one of the top 100 boat dealers in North America; as well as a promotional videographer with a media and marketing specialist.

In addition to funding, business training, and mentorship, the Summer Company program offers students several other competitive advantages. Firstly, students participate in the annual Summer Company Program Celebration otherwise known as Media Day. Media Day is an opportunity for the students to interact with local media and dignitaries and to promote their businesses. Several media outlets, including CHEX, Peterborough This Week, and the Peterborough Examiner, are invited to cover the event. Secondly, an article on each student and his/her business is featured on the Peterborough Economic Development website. Thirdly, Summer Company students have the opportunity to connect with other program participants and alumni. The annual Summer Company Training Day brings together participants from several different regions for a day of learning and networking.

Several students have been recommended for the program thus far. For example, Christina Kylie of Stellar Pixels plans to provide website design, re-design, and update services to small businesses in the community. Christina has noticed that many business owners allow their websites to go dormant by failing to regularly update their web content and security.

Christina was initially interested in the program because she is considering entrepreneurship as a career path and she wanted to gain practical work experience. Christina’s business is well aligned with her educational objectives. She is currently attending Durham College for web design. Christina can be reached at (705) 313-5563, admin@stellarpixels.ca, or @StellarPxStudio.

Students interested in the program can apply online here.

As part of their applications, students must complete a business plan, start-up budget, and cash flow forecast. The deadline for applications is May 23rd, 2014. However, students are strongly encouraged to submit their applications as soon as possible as viable business plan are accepted on a first-come, first-served basis. Summer Company Coordinator Carrington Hickey is more than happy to answer any questions students may have and to walk students through the application process.

For more info on the program, contact Carrington Hickey, Summer Company Coordinator, at Peterborough Economic Development:
Phone: 705.743-0777, ext. 2124
Email chickey@gpaedc.on.ca
Website: PeterboroughCanada.com
Twitter: @PtboEcDev

If your business/organization is interested in a PTBOCanada Featured Post Advertorial, email sales@ptbocanada.com!

PTBOCanada Featured Post: Brave New Words

You can take the boy out of the town, but you can’t take the town out of the boy.  That sounds as cliché as it gets. But doesn’t it almost always ring true? It has always been the case for Dylan DeMarsh in his many travels and returns to his hometown of Peterborough.

As the owner of Brave New Words, a new local Public Relations/Communications Agency, Dylan has a massive amount of experience gained across the country in various settings that have brought him to where he is now—back home. After graduating from university where he majored in Journalism, Dylan made his way to Toronto and then across the country to Vancouver before making his way back east and finally settling back here in his hometown. During the past 15 years or so, he worked for the Rick Hansen Foundation and also in a more local setting for PARN, constantly increasing his experience in the communication and fundraising fields. This experience has led him to where he is now: the owner of his own company.

Dylan DeMarsh

After years away, Dylan felt drawn back to Peterborough and saw a chance for a sort of flexibility he had never experienced before in working for himself in a town he loved. The vibrant sense of community he sees in Peterborough and the overall engagement of its residents made it easy for him to decide to venture out on his own to help build a town he wants to live in.

With Brave New Words, Dylan’s goal is to use the successful strategies and techniques he has developed throughout his career to aid local businesses in his specialty of Public Relations and Communications. Dylan knows that not all businesses and not-for-profit organizations are experts in every aspect of their day to day operations, nor do they have the time to concentrate on everything as much as they would like. This is when his services come in handy as an expert outside source!

Brave New Words comprehensive services include:

-        Strategic Communication Planning
-        Media Relations
-        Crisis Communication and Issues Management
-        Social Media Integration and Support
-        Media/Interview Training
-        Workshops and Training

Allowing an expert such as Dylan and Brave New Words to work with an organization can help alleviate daily pressures and grant more time and concentration to be put into other day to day activities by the business itself.

The benefits of Brave New Words services are immediate and something that can’t be ignored. They can help increase overall sales/sponsorships/donations, assist in growing your consumer base, and establish your brand and protect your reputation amongst many other things!

If your business is in need of a communications or public relations pick-me-up, Dylan invites you to contact Brave New Words and find out what they can do for you. Their efficient and cost effective package of services guarantee great value for your dollar that you’ll be happy you invested!

For more information on Brave New Words, contact:
Website: Bravenewwords.ca
Twitter: @BraveNewWordsPR
Phone: 7O5.772.724O
Email: dylan@BraveNewWords.ca

**If your business/organization is interested in a PTBOCanada Featured Post Advertorial, email sales@ptbocanada.com!

BREAKING: Peterborough Police Issue Public Safety Warning Regarding Steven Edward Yearley

A bald Yearley in police photo supplied to us in March 2013

Yearley with hair in photo supplied by police May 6, 2014

Special Police Media Release for Tuesday, May 6th, 2014

PUBLIC SAFETY WARNING

 (Peterborough, Ontario) - The Peterborough Lakefield Community Police Service is issuing the following warning in regard to the release of a Federal Reformatory inmate.

On the 10th of May 2014, Steven Edward Yearley, 24, will be released from custody after serving a provincial jail term, for Breaching his Recognizance.  This is the second warning that has been issued for Yearley.  The first warning was provided in March 2013 when he was released after serving a federal prison term for Sexual Assault Causing Bodily Harm, Robbery, Uttering Threats, Escape Lawful Custody, and Break and Enter.

Information contained in his file indicates this man represents an overall high risk to re-offend in a sexual or violent manner. It has been confirmed that Yearley will be returning to Peterborough where he intends to reside.

His past includes convictions including:
Sexual Assault Causing Bodily Harm, Robbery, Uttering Threats, Escape Lawful Custody, and Break and Enter, Possession of Property Obtained by Crime, Possession of a Schedule II Substance and Breach of Recognizance.

Yearley is described as male, white, 5’9”, blue eyes, short brown hair with several tattoos from his neck to his feet. See photograph above.

Yearley is on a Recognizance Order under Sec 810.2 CC with 24 conditions. Some noteworthy conditions include:

·     no alcohol/ non-medically prescribed drugs

·     no parks or trails unless accompanied by a family member

·     must carry a copy of the recognizance when outside of his residence

•    curfew at residence of 10 pm to 6 am daily and must present himself to police attending his residence to confirm compliance

Further information about this man's criminal record is confidential. In the vast majority of cases no information about a former inmate's history is ever released. However, the Peterborough Lakefield Community Police Service has issued this warning believing the immediate safety of the general public outweighs the need to maintain the usual anonymity afforded persons released from the institutions following completion of their sentences. The exemption for release of this information is contained in the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act and the Community Safety Act.

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PTBOCanada Pics & Coverage: Walk So Kids Can Talk For Kids Help Phone

On Sunday, May 4th, more than 50 people came to Nicholls Oval to participate in the 2014 Walk So Kids Can Talk in support of Kids Help Phone. This was the fourth year Peterborough hosted a walk site, and walkers raised about $15,000. The event saw representation from several organizations and individuals in the community, such as BMO, the Ontario Secondary School Teachers' Federation and Team 55 Tackles Suicide Awareness. Counsellors at Kids Help Phone are there for youth 24/7/365, when they feel like there is no one else they can turn to. Check out pictures below from this special walk.  —photos & coverage by Beth McClelland

David Pogue of Team 55 and his grandson cut the blue ribbon to mark the official start of the walk and honour his son Mitchell

Adults, kids and pets alike take off for their first kilometer of the walk

Amazing walk for a great cause

 Team 55 gathers by the finish line at the end of the walk

Sharon from Checkers Entertainment Services facepaints two high school walk volunteers

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