Cottage Toys Celebrates Official Grand Opening Ahead Of Victoria Day Long Weekend

The new Cottage Toys in Lakefield celebrated their official grand opening on Thursday.

Surrounded by friends, family, members of Community Futures Peterborough, and The Peterborough Chamber of Commerce, owner Donna Rourke cut the ribbon with her husband Andrew.

“There’s one saying that I absolutely love and keep on my fridge, ‘The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams’.” said Rourke. “ This store has been a dream of mine for a long time. This is a vision I set 15 years ago when I purchased this property.”

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Now, 15 years after purchasing, Rourke finally has a brick and mortar store in the heart of Lakefield.

Rourke says she is excited for her store to draw people to Lakefield, and hopes that will benefit the rest of the community.

Cottage Toys is open in Lakefield every day 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.

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You Can Airbnb It At An Awesome Geo Dome On A Farm Near Peterborough Overlooking A Pond

With staycations now becoming the It thing in this pandemic era, Millen + Smith Acres farm in Keene, Ontario near Peterborough is delivering on that in a beautiful way, bringing you back to nature with farm animals grazing near you while you chillax in their just launched Geo dome.

The Geo dome, which includes a king size bed, love seat and wood stove, is nestled right over a pond that’s perfect for bird watching and canoeing in the summer, and skating in the winter months. In true rustic fashion, there is no bathroom but there is an outhouse close by.

Owners Matt Smith and Jenn Austin-Driver have created quite the utopian-like getaway. Imagine staying in a Geo dome in the great Canadian outdoors with its own pond, while nearby you are sheep, alpacas, chickens, geese, ducks, goats, cows, horses and two pot belly pigs (Billy Ray and Jolene) that you can visit by hiking around acres and acres at the farm. Pretty idyllic, eh?

At night, you can rock your best Canadian plaid while strumming your guitar and singing along to Gordon Lightfoot songs in the private campfire area, with your cooler stocked full of say, Bobcaygeon beer, while you view the constellations. It’s magical stuff.

Jenn Austin-Driver tells PTBOCanada that the inspiration for the farm and Geo dome came from the growing trend of staycations and farm stays the couple were seeing and partaking in themselves on Airbnb.

“We wanted to incorporate additional options for Agri tourism on our farm and thought this would be a really cool and modern attraction,” says. “We started doing farm tours on Airbnb this summer and it’s been amazing—we’ve hosted over 150 guests for tours since August!”

Owners Matt Smith and Jenn Austin-Driver at the farm

The couple has had such amazing feedback from the day trippers and are seeing first hand the increase in people wanting to connect with nature and farm animals, and learn about the local food cycle.

“We want make connections with as many folks as possible through as many diverse avenues as possible,” Austin-Driver tells PTBOCanada. “The more time we spend connecting and talking about the farm and sustainable farming practices, the more people think about incorporating better food choices into their day to day, and in turn farmers are highlighted more and more—which only helps our local agricultural industry. Farmers feed cities.”

The Geo dome just opened overnight last week, and has already started to fill their remaining 2020 fall/winter dates. This thing is sure to be a hit right into 2021 and beyond.

“The Geo dome is a year-round stay, with tons of seasonal activities to partake in on and locally off the farm,” Austin-Driver tells PTBOCanada. For those concerned with Covid cleaning, the couple adheres to rigid Covid cleaning policies and procedures to protect hosts and guests alike.

For more on the farm, check out the Airbnb listing here, the Instagram page here (this farm is so gram worthy), and Facebook here.

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Riverview Park & Zoo To Offer Members Only Tours Starting August 15th

[Note: This post has been updated based on new media release from Peterborough Utilities Group.]

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The Riverview Park & Zoo has announced they are ready to welcome the City of Peterborough residents for guided tours of the zoo.

Their small team of staff and volunteers have been ramping up to offer exclusive, safe tours to the residents of Peterborough. Starting on Saturday, August 15th, they will be offering four tours per day, five days of the week, for groups of up to ten people, until September 7th.

Photo via Riverview Park & Zoo Facebook page

The tours will give preference to the residents of the City of Peterborough, annual donors and current animal adoptees.

Registration will begin at 8 a.m. on Friday, August 14th. For more information or to book a tour, visit riverviewparkandzoo.ca.

Photo via Riverview Park & Zoo Facebook page

The zoo attractions remain closed at this time, including the splash pad, miniature train ride, buildings and facility rentals. The zoo will open these attractions when they are able to do so in a manner that ensures the safety of the public, staff and the animals in their care.

At this time, only essential staff are on-site, taking care of the 150 animals, their exhibits, the grounds and facilities. These limited resources mean that the zoo must continue to focus on what is most important, caring for the animals and protecting the staff who keep them safe.

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How Local Photographer Captured These Stunning Images Of Comet NEOWISE In Skies Over Peterborough

UPDATE (July 15th)

Here’s a couple more comet images Jay captured on Tuesday night around 10:20 p.m. from the south shore of Little Lake.

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ORIGINAL POST

Comet NEOWISE has been lighting up the early morning skies around the globe this month and Peterborough photographer Jay Callaghan was up bright and early on Thursday (July 9th) to capture it.

Currently NEOWISE is roughly 141 million kilometres from Earth and is gradually making its way closer to our planet as each day passes. The best time locally to see the comet has been in the early morning hours before sunrise, so in the wee hours, around 3:30 a.m., Jay was out capturing stunning images from the top of Armour Hill of the comet as well a great shot over Little Lake with the planet Venus to the right.

View from Armour Hill

“Locating the comet can be a bit of a challenge but with use of websites dedicated to the comet, such as The Sky Live as well as Sky Map app for Android phones, I was able to pinpoint when and where the comet would be when it rose at 2:59 a.m. this morning,” Callaghan tells PTBOCanada.

”Once the location is known, it was easy to find the comet and even see it with the naked eye,” he adds. “The humidity on the horizon made it a bit difficult to see at first but the camera had no issue capturing it.”

View from Armour Hill

View from Armour Hill

Callaghan, known for his beautiful pictures of the outdoors and wildlife in the area and for tweeting—and stormchasing—about the weather locally, used a Canon 80D and Sigma 18-35 and 70-200 lens to take the comet photos.

“The shots ranged in exposure times of anywhere from 1-6 seconds depending on the amount of light as well as other settings on the camera (ISO, aperture, etc),” he tells PTBOCanada.

View from Little Lake

For those interested in viewing the comet, here’s what Callaghan recommends:

-> As the comet gets closer to earth, the chances of seeing it after sunset will increase but unfortunately, at this time, it appears that the magnitude (or brightness) of the comet looks to be getting lower so the sooner you can get out to see it the better. 

-> Make sure to visit the The Sky Live website, enter in your location and keep an eye on the rise and set times of the comet, as well as what constellation it will be residing in, for a chance to catch a glimpse.

-> Your best bet is to get away from city lights and don't forget the binoculars and camera. 

-> The comet will make its closest approach to Earth on July 23rd when it will be approximately 103 million kilometres away and then will slowly disappear from our view.

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Ontario Parks Opens For Day-Use On Monday

Premier Doug Ford has announced that Ontario Parks will be opening over 520 parks and conservations for day-use on Monday, May 11th and that operational parks will open on Friday.

This means that parks such as Serpent Mounds will be open for walking, hiking, and birdwatching, while parks such as Emily Provincial Park and Mark S. Burnham will open on May 15th. The opening for camping reservations will be announced at a later date.

Day-use will also be free until May 31st.

—by Evan Holt, PTBOCanada.com

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Local Digital Startup BiosphereGPS Launches Mobile App To Help Users Explore Southern Ontario’s Environments

Peterborough-based startup BiosphereGPS has launched a mobile app of the same name that encourages users to get away from the daily grind of urban environments and explore the ecosystems around them. The Beta version of the app has officially launched on the App Store.

Entrepreneur Jordan Ahee founded BiosphereGPS in 2018 after years of focusing on the environmental sector. After graduating from Trent University’s Environmental & Life Sciences Program, he worked at the Otonabee Region Conservation Authority as an Environmental Technician, Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters as an Invasive Species Specialist, and the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry in the Science and Research Branch as a Spatial Ecologist.

Jordan Ahee at Peterborough’s Innovation Cluster

The app’s mapping feature shows the distribution of 10 different environment types across Southern Ontario, including Agriculture, Broadleaf, Coniferous, Mixedwood, Shrubland, Grassland, Barren, Urban, Wetland and Water. BiosphereGPS provides a complete view of the landscapes users plan to visit, to help them pick ideal places to explore.

“We spend hours every day staring at our smartphones, swiping through feeds designed to keep us hooked—BiosphereGPS is headed in the opposite direction,” says Ahee.

“I think smartphones can have a huge positive influence on people’s lives,” he adds. “This is a Beta version that we will build on in the coming months. For example, we are currently updating the app so it handles dark mode.”

Not only does the app encourage users to explore nature with maps, it also provides interactive features. Users can take photos in their environment to be rewarded with a series of outdoor exploration awards, from bronze, to silver and gold rankings. The app can be used as a way to reduce stress, increase energy and improve moods.

Ahee joined the Innovation Cluster in 2018 to build the mobile app, working out of the Cluster’s downtown incubator as a full-time digital client. “We are seeking seed stage investment, which will help to develop a pipeline of new features and expand into new markets across North America,” says the entrepreneur of where he wants to take it.

Get the app here, and start exploring with it in nature!

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Expanded Head Of The Trent Regatta For Trent’s 49th Annual Homecoming

Trent University’s 49th Annual Homecoming and Head of the Trent Regatta take place October 4th to 6th. The event features alumni activities, campus tours, varsity sports and a two-day rowing head race—all free to spectators and fans. Free parking is available to all on Trent’s East Bank, via East Bank Drive.

“The annual Homecoming and Head of the Trent Regatta has been running for almost 50 years,” says Lee Hays ’91, director of Alumni Engagement & Services. “This exciting fall tradition has something for everyone to enjoy, during one of the most scenic times of the year. In addition to rowing and varsity games, all Colleges are open and look forward to welcoming their alumni back to campus.”

The annual weekend has grown to feature not only two days of rowing—it includes over 500 boats and more than 2,000 athletes from clubs and universities across Canada and the northern United States—but also a full slate of varsity and alumni games including lacrosse, rugby, soccer and volleyball.

Head of the Trent photo courtesy Trent University

Highlights of the 2019 Homecoming & Head of the Trent Regatta include…

• Campus Tours: Future students are invited to experience the spirit of the Trent campus and community. Tours run hourly from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday from the Athletics Centre.

• Alumni: Visit the Alumni welcome tents on the Bata Library podium to pick up your Alumni bracelet for special perks, take part in giveaways, purchase swag, or enjoy live music at the Alumni pub gathering in the Ceilie.

• College Rally & Reunions: Stop by your college between 11:00 a.m. – 1:30 p.m., purchase swag and meet the college principals. Reunions culminate in an all-colleges rally at 2 p.m. on the Bata Library podium for a special announcement.

• 1969 Men’s Rugby Team Reunion featuring an alumni exhibition game, coffee and refreshments, as well as recognition of the team during half time of the 5:45 p.m. game between Trent Excalibur Men’s Rugby game as they play the University of Toronto.

• Varsity Games: Stop by the Justin Chiu Stadium and the Athletics Centre, wear your Trent green, cheer on the Excalibur.

• Family Zone: Crafts, games and face painting for the kids at Justin Chiu Stadium.

• Rowing, rowing and more rowing: New this year the Head of the Trent Regatta runs Saturday and Sunday!

• Rower’s Beer Garden: Saturday from 12:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m., located in Lot G behind Lady Eaton College. Enjoy live music and food, collect this year's Head of the Trent mug and support rowing at Trent and in Peterborough. Alumni can bring their alumni cards to receive a green ID bracelet to access the fast track line.

Click here for a full schedule of events, and here for more details about the regatta. 

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Lock & Paddle Has A Neat New Twist This Year: Light Up The Night At Peterborough Lift Lock

The 4th Annual “Lock & Paddle” event this Saturday, August 24th, has a new twist this year with its “Light Up the Night” theme. Hosted by Peterborough Lift Lock National Historic Site of Canada in co-operation with The Canadian Canoe Museum, it will be a colourful lighted paddlecraft parade taking place over multiple lockages.

This year, they are opening up the site to encourage a “festival feel” by welcoming local vendors and entertainment as they host hundreds of paddlers and spectators. On-site camping is also being offered for the first time ever at the Historic Site to the first 150 registrants. The format will change to make the event more inclusive, giving everyone the chance to lock-through. 

Photo courtesy Parks Canada

HOW TO PARTICIPATE

To participate in this year’s Lock & Paddle, paddlers are encouraged to register on-line in advanced of the event. (Last minute registration will be taken on a first-come, first-served basis beginning at 1 p.m. on the day of the event.) Registrants will receive a glow-in-the-dark wristband and a vessel marker which will provide them access to the event.

Paddlers are also encouraged to decorate their vessels with glow sticks, lights, reflectors or anything that can light up the night (but no open flamses are allowed).

At 6 p.m., the lighted paddle parade will begin, where paddlecraft will pass by judges for a chance to win some great prizes. Following the paddle parade comes the lighted night-time lockage where they will lift paddlers almost 20 metres into the night sky in the world’s highest hydraulic Lift Lock.

To register, click here.

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The Ferris Wheel Is Returning To Peterborough Ex

Organizers of the Peterborough Ex have contracted Magical Midways to be their midway operator for this summer’s Peterborough Ex, which runs August 8th-11th at Morrow Park.

Peterborough Ex attendees can expect to see a new mix of rides for thrill-seekers, families and little children—and the always-popular Ferris Wheel will be making a return.

Photo courtesy Peterborough Ex

“We’ve been hearing that Peterborough has been looking for more variety and better value from our midway,” says Ryan Moore, President of the Peterborough Agricultural Society, which runs the Ex. “Magical Midways has a wide selection of midway games and rides that we are excited to be bringing to this year’s Ex.”

The family-run operator has been providing midway fun for three generations and have been involved in fairs and exhibitions throughout Ontario, Quebec and the Maritimes.

Photo courtesy Peterborough Ex

Advance ride-all-day midway passes will be available for $25 (regularly priced $40) and are available online or at The Peterborough Ex Office, Starfra Feeds, Sunderland Co-Op, Morello’s Independent and Craft Works at the Barn.

Admission passes for all four days are $10 per person and children under five are free. For more information, to volunteer or sponsor the Ex—now in its 174th year—visit peterboroughex.ca.

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