Ontario Museum Association Recognizes Peterborough Museum and Archives With Award of Excellence in Special Projects

The Peterborough Museum & Archives (PMA) has been recognized with the Ontario Museum Association Award of Excellence in Special Projects for its role in the “To Honour and Respect: Gifts from Michi Saagiig Women to the Prince of Wales, 1860” exhibition project on Friday.

File photo.

The Award recognizes innovative initiatives, approaches or techniques that profoundly advance the museum profession.

The exhibition featured 13 quilled wiigwassii makakoon (birch bark baskets) on loan from His Majesty King Charles III, through the Royal Collection Trust, United Kingdom. The makakoon were created by women of Hiawatha First Nation and gifted to the Prince of Wales on Sept. 7, 1860, when he visited on a cross-Canada Royal tour.

The exhibition focused on education, revitalization, and skill-building. Traditional quillwork and the Michi-Saagiig Nishnaabemowin language were integrated into the exhibition, project materials, and events. Interactions with the makakoon provided powerful moments to pass down traditional skills, strengthen intergenerational connections, foster healing, and promote cross-cultural understanding.

“The complex partnerships brought together for this project have helped to continue to strengthen the relationships between the PMA and local Indigenous communities,” said Dr. Amy Barron, Program Coordinator, Heritage Programs, Haliburton School of Art + Design, Fleming College. “Hopefully, this project can serve as a model for the loan of other Indigenous artifacts from overseas institutions, allowing these ancestors a chance to return home.”

‘To Honour and Respect: Gifts from Michi Saagiig Women to the Prince of Wales, 1860’ was a partnership between Hiawatha First Nation, the Mississauga Nation, the PMA, the Royal Collection Trust and the co-Curators, Dr. L. Beavis and Dr. L. Peers.

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Man Sent to Peterborough Regional Health Centre After a Collision; Another Man Charged With Careless Driving

A 78-year-old man was sent to the Peterborough Regional Health Centre after a collision at Park Street North and Chamberlain Street on Monday morning.

Photo by David Tuan Bui.

Officers with the Peterborough Police Service are investigating the collision and say the incident occurred around 8 a.m.

Police had issued a 56-year-old driver a Provincial Offence Notice for obstructed windshield, failing to yield to a pedestrian and careless driving.

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Check Out The Business Beat This Week Featuring Tidy Pawz, Summer Soul Yoga, NAKA Japanese and Eleven 14 Guidance and Care

PTBOCanada is delighted to be running the Business Beat columns each week here, spotlighting new businesses and startups in Peterborough and the Kawarthas. Here is this week’s edition…

Rhonda Stillman has opened a new business.

Tidy Pawz Pet Parlour, a pet grooming business that began serving clients on Oct. 1. It’s located at 1434 Chemong Rd. in Unit 6 in Peterborough. Rhonda has been grooming pets for more than 25 years. Tidy Pawz comes highly recommended, providing a stress-free experience for pets and their owners. Rhonda's attention to detail ensures that every pet receives personalized care. Check out Tidy Pawz if you want to have your pet looking and feeling their best.

Summer Soul Yoga and Wellness is launching Athletic Reformer Pilates to their lineup starting in January.

Reformer Pilates is highly regarded for its ability to build core strength, flexibility, and muscle tone while minimizing joint stress. When using a reformer machine – which includes a sliding carriage, springs, and adjustable straps – participants can perform a wide range of exercises that target specific muscle groups with precision. The machine's resistance allows users to control and adjust their workouts according to their fitness level, making it suitable for beginners and seasoned athletes alike. Find out more and book your appointment at summersoul.ca.

NAKA Japanese Restaurant is under new ownership.

Founder Susan Tung has sold it to Emily Tan. Susan founded the restaurant at 213 Hunter St. W. in downtown Peterborough with vision of bringing Japanese comfort foods, like ramen, to Peterborough. She will shift her focus back to Hanoi House, her first restaurant, which she opened back in 2020. NAKA will continue its regular hours with the same thoughtfully curated menu that combines traditional Japanese flavors with a modern touch, creating a unique dining experience.

Eleven 14 Guidance and Care has a new office at 680 The Parkway in Peterborough.

Their new office enables them to offer Red Cross first aid of all levels, including emergency, standard, BLS, EFR and EMR from a new and convenient location. Their experienced instructors are Canadian Red Cross certified and committed to teaching everyone first aid skills. They offer instructions for various needs, including firefighters, businesses, social groups, and people just wanting to develop lifesaving skills. They can travel to convenient locations and are set up to teach large groups.

If you want to have your business featured on the Business Beat or know of a business doing something new and interested, shoot an email to joel@pkchamber.ca.

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Get Ahead On Holiday Decorations With Oake Family Tree Farm Opening Weekend Beginning This Saturday

For holiday lovers who cannot wait to put up their decorations, the Oake Family Tree Farm is having its opening weekend starting this Saturday.

All photos courtesy of Oake Family Tree Farm.

The farm is located at 2474 Sherbrooke St. W. in Cavan and operates from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Trees are available every weekend until Christmas.

Pre-cut balsam or Fraser firs cost $80 or you can cut your own tree for $75 on a cash-only basis (all prices include HST).

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Big Brothers Big Sisters Peterborough Launch Holiday Gift Wrapping Fundraiser At Lansdowne Place

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Peterborough has launched its annual Holiday Gift Wrapping Station at Lansdowne Place from Dec. 9 to 24.

Photo courtey of Peterborough Bigs.

The fundraiser is for youth mentoring programs run by Big Brothers Big Sisters of Peterborough.

The station is above the stairs at Lansdowne Place and is staffed entirely by volunteers. They offer gift wrapping with a recommended donation based on the gift size.  

Throughout the campaign, the station will host appearances by local government representatives including Mayor Jeff Leal, MPP Dave Smith and MP Michelle Ferrari.

“This holiday season, we’re proud to help the community add a special touch to their gifts by making a meaningful difference for youth in our community,” says Zoe King, Peterborough Bigs executive director. “Every donation supports brighter futures and stronger mentorship opportunities.”

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Former Pete Scores Two Goals to Lead Brantford Bulldogs In 5-2 Over Peterborough

Former Pete Nick Lardis scored the game’s last two goals to put things out of reach for Peterborough as the Brantford Bulldogs earned a 5-2 victory at the Peterborough Memorial Centre on Thursday night.

Photo courtesy of Kenneth Andersen and the Peterborough PEtes.

Petes goaltender Easton Rye was making his first home career start in the game but had it rough facing his first shot of the game. Aiden O’Donnell received a pass and one-timed it home at point blank range to give the Bulldogs a 1-0 lead just 3:06 into the period. Petes captain Johnathan Melee got one back for Peterborough, scoring his team-leading sixth goal of the season off a centring pass from Ryder McIntyre just over five minutes later. It was 1-1 heading into the second period.

Neither team had scored until over halfway throught he frame as Brantford reestablished their lead. Joshua Avery took a shot that went wide but a fortunate bounce ended up on the stick of Nikolas Rossetto on the opposite side of the net and buried it for a 2-1 lead going into the third.

Peterborough refusing to go down without a fight tied things up again, this time on the power play. Aiden Young took matters into his own hands once he crossed the blue line, he beat a defender and took a wide-angle shot that beat Bulldogs goaltender Ryerson Leenders for a 2-2 tie. Rye was credited with the secondary assist the goal

It took less than three minutes for Brantford to regain the lead as the Bulldogs had Rye under siege in front of his net and after a few shots, wired one home thanks to Calvin Crombie to reestablish the 3-2 lead. Lardis put the dagger to the Petes on the power play as he got a quick one-timed goal to amke it 4-2 with just over 4 minutes in regulation. To add insult to injury, Lardis struck again with an empty-net goal to seal the victory for Brantford, 5-2.

The Petes hit the road to face Kingston Frontenacs at Slush Puppie Place on Fridya night. Puck drop is scheduled for 7 p.m.

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Police Seeking Suspect Stealing Cash and Jewelry After Residential Break-and-Enter

Officers with the Peterborough Police Service Street Crime Unit are seeking a suspect and investigating a residential break-and-enter on Thursday evening.

Photo by David Tuan Bui.

Police believe the incident happened around 6 p.m. in the Goodwin Terrace and Emery Way area. No one was home then but the suspect fled with over $60,000 in Canadian currency and some jewelry.

Police describe the suspect was wearing:

• A mask

• Gloves

• Jeans

• Brimmed hat

• Backpack

• Light-coloured “puffy” jacket.

They were last seen walking northbound on Goodwin Terrace.

Anyone with information is asked to call Peterborough Police at 705-876-1122 x555 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or online.

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Free Two-Hour Holiday Parking Returns to Downtown Peterborough

Free two-hour parking at all downtown municipal parking spaces beginning next week Friday.

Photo courtesy of the City of Peterborough,

This includes on-street parking, municipal parking lots, the King Street Parking Garage and the Simcoe Parking Garage. The free parking program runs until New Year’s Eve.

Parking fees voluntarily paid at pay-and-display machines, meters or through the HotSpot App during the free two-hour period will be donated to Kawartha Food Share.

Wolfe Personal Injury Lawyers has sponsored the holiday parking program.

“It’s more important than ever to support and shop local. Wolfe Lawyers will continue to invest in local opportunities which give back to the citizens of our great community,” said Bill Wolfe of Wolfe Lawyers. “Wolfe Lawyers proudly sponsor ‘the gift of parking’ to let you enjoy our many great stores and restaurants during the holiday season, and we encourage people to support Kawartha Food Share with some form of donation to help those in need in our community.”

“Supporting local businesses is crucial, especially during the holidays, and this initiative allows residents to explore and shop locally without worrying about parking fees. We encourage everyone to take this opportunity to discover the unique offerings in the heart of Peterborough and make this season a local one,” said Town Ward Councillors Joy Lachica and Alex Bierk in a joint statement.

“We want to thank Wolfe Personal Injury Lawyers and our partners at the City of Peterborough for offering this free holiday parking program. This initiative makes it even easier for visitors and locals to shop, dine and explore our downtown during an important time of year for our downtown businesses” said Nour Mazloum, Peterborough DBIA executive director. “We encourage everyone to celebrate the season by enjoying all that downtown Peterborough has to offer.”

Anyone requiring more time is asked to park in the City’s surface lots or parking garages.

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The Avant-Garden Shop Celebrates Another Milestone, Running 22 Years Strong In Business

It’s been 22 years and The Avant-Garden Shop still running strong as they celebrated its anniversary with a customer appreciation event at its store on Thursday.

owner Brenda Ibey (far right) celebrates customer apprciation day on her 22nd anniversary as customers continually come in and out of the shop on the milestone date. Photo by David Tuan Bui.

The store offered no tax on all items, refreshments and door prizes to celebrate the milestone. Soroptimist International Peterborough was there to help with gift-wrapping as a fundraising effort to support education for women and girls, locally and internationally.

The shop opened on George Street on Dec. 12, 2002 and operated for three and a half years before moving to its current location at 165 Sherbrooke St. due to increasing product demand.

Brenda Ibey, Avant-Garden Shop owner, attributes the community and her store’s uniqueness to remain in business for the past 22 years.

“We've really focused our product line on a lot of Canadian-made items, things that are a little different than what you get everywhere else,” she explained. “We have wonderful customers. I really attribute a lot of our success to our wonderful customers.”

Avant-Garden sells items such as outdoor wall art, hand-tuned wind chimes, East Coast and Ontario pewter, garden flags, locally made garden art, jewellery, coasters, candles, quality bird feeders, non-GMO bird seed, birding books, greeting cards, and more.

The store has won four Business Excellence awards, including 2022 Business Woman of the Year. Wild Bird Trading has also awarded it the title of Best Wild Bird Store.

“You have to be dedicated. You have to willing to be open almost every day and stick to a theme,” explained Ibey. “Talk to other business owners. They're often willing to help and I've spoke to a lot of business owners over the years trying to help them and young entrepreneurs.”

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Elizabeth Fry Society of Peterborough Reveal Rebel Awards Recipients

The Elizabeth Fry Society of Peterborough (EFRY) unveiled its Rebel Awards recipients ahead of its eighth-annual Rebel With A Cause fundraising event at Showplace Performance Centre on Nov. 27.

Photo courtesy of the Elizabeth Fry Society of Peterborough.

EFRY says the ceremony honours outstanding local individuals and organizations who have engaged in advocacy and action to address issues of criminalization, challenged practices in the criminal justice system, and worked towards gender equity.

There are live performances by Peterborough’s Babe Chorus and Poet Laureate Ziysah von Bieberstein. A silent auction, a 50/50 draw and a photo booth are fundraising efforts that will be at the ceremony. This year, all proceeds raised will support the Morning Drop-in Program at Trinity Center. 

The 2024 Rebel with a Cause Award recipients are; 

• Cheyenne Buck, Drop-in Program Coordinator- One City Peterborough

• Kelli Marshall, Indigenous Enrollment Advisor/ Dancer - First Peoples House of Learning

• Jocelyn Enright, Community Engagement Coordinator, Kawartha Sexual Assault Center

This year, EFRY is introducing two new awards categories that highlight the work of community partners and businesses that work thoughtfully and creatively to support and uplift vulnerable communities experiencing challenges associated with mental health, addiction, homelessness and criminalization.

The Inaugural recipients we are honouring this year are:

• PATH Peterborough Action for Tiny Homes - Radical Audacity Award

• Arising Collective- Business Excellence Award

Tickets are available online or at the Showplace Performance Centre Box Office at 290 George St. N. Tickets include a light dinner and refreshments.

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