In order to recognize the numerous sustainable achievements of its partners in 2018, Sustainable Peterborough was proud to host the 4th annual Sustainable Peterborough Partnership Recognition Awards.
There were eleven winners, one in each of Sustainable Peterborough’s theme areas! Awards were presented during the Sustainable Peterborough Partnership Recognition Event and Awards on May 2, 2019 at the Peterborough County Agricultural Heritage Building, Lang Pioneer Village Museum. The winners were as follows:
Agriculture and Local Food
Tiny Greens Plant Café
Tiny Greens’ dedication to agriculture and local food has brought urban agriculture to the forefront with their downtown store that hosts Peterborough’s first and only urban farm. They have made microgreens common knowledge locally and are a leader in educating the public about urban agriculture and how to grow food year-round at home with a zero-mile footprint. Tiny Greens Plant Café has successfully created a thriving retail plant enterprise by fusing urban farming inside an interactive plant shop and social hub, and incorporating teaching workshops, running school field trips, farm and food tours, supporting local farmers’ markets, selling produce, and meals and beverages with ingredients grown on premises. In 2018 they were selected as the Official Local Downtown Culinary Food Ambassador as part of Local Food Month celebrations.
Climate Change
The collaboration of Kawartha World Issues Centre (KWIC), Trent University, and Fleming College
Kawartha World Issues Centre, Trent University, and Fleming College, in collaboration with Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board, supported and contributed to the success of the new Youth Leadership in Sustainability (YLS) program, created by local teacher, Cam Douglas. YLS is an experiential education program that piloted in 2018 to prepare grade 11 and 12 students for leadership roles in sustainability initiatives, taught as an integrated 4 credit package than allows for extended field trips and outdoor excursions. This hands-on, immersive educational opportunity provides youth with the essential knowledge, tools, and confidence they need to address issues such as climate change. Climate change education was fundamental to the students’ learning, as addressing climate change, locally and globally, requires strong youth leadership.
Cultural Assets
Lang Pioneer Village Museum
In 2018 Lang Pioneer Village Museum completed the Peterborough County Agricultural Heritage Building. The building tells the story of our agricultural history and how we became a rich agricultural region; it was designed to resemble a circa 1910 barn “gambrel” style as those built by the first century of farmers. Its interior features historical agricultural implements and the Agricultural Wall of Fame – the equipment and the people who have made this sector the largest economic driver in Ontario! The building also offers a unique cultural space that supports local arts. A true cultural asset and tourism destination, the Peterborough County Agricultural Heritage Building is a valuable addition to Lang Pioneer Village Museum and our region.
Economic Development & Employment
Black Honey Bakery and Café
Black Honey is a staple sustainable business in our region, a renowned tourist destination, operated with a community and local economy centered approach. They strive to make their delicious food with ingredients mostly sourced from local growers and producers. Black Honey has consistently contributed to countless local festivals, charities and events. In 2018, Black Honey won 1st prize in the Kawarthas Northumberland Butter Tart Tour – Arts and Tarts category – with their “Group of Seven” tart, featuring locally-sourced honey, spruce tip syrup, gin, and rosemary leaves for a flavor and presentation that evoked the earthy tones of the Canadian Shield.
Energy
Peterborough Utilities Inc.
Peterborough Utilities Inc. (PUI) invested approximately $35 million in the expansion and life extension of the London Street Generating Station. The new 6 MW London Street plant opened in 2016 and interior restoration of the original 4 MW plant was completed in 2018. The two upgraded plants generate over 57,000 MWh of renewable energy, enough electrical power for approximately 5,700 homes in Peterborough. The electricity at London Street Generating Station is produced by the flow of water in the Otonabee River. PUI hosted public tours of the newly expanded and renovated London Street Generating Station as part of the 2018 Peterborough Doors Open event. Tours were free and open to the public, and over 600 individuals visited the facility!
Healthy Communities
Nourish
Nourish’s diverse programs allow everyone the opportunity and support needed to achieve their physical, social, mental, emotional and spiritual potential. Nourish hosts numerous community dinners and food literacy series throughout the year. Their community gardens and growing workshops improve people’s relationship to food, land, and each other. Their JustFood and Market Dollars programs increase dignified access to healthy and local food. In 2018, 3,184 JustFood boxes (offered on a sliding scale) were distributed to 295 adults and 144 children, and the Market Dollars program injected over $6,000 into local farmers’ markets. Nourish activities connect community members, thereby reducing social isolation and providing a greater sense of community and belonging.
Land Use Planning
The collaboration of Peterborough Downtown Business Improvement Area (DBIA), GreenUP, Mortlock Construction, Lett Architects, The City of Peterborough, Three Sisters
2018 saw the completion of the largest Depave Paradise project in Canada, part of the Downtown Vibrancy project which was born through a diverse community collaboration led by the Peterborough Downtown Business Improvement Area (DBIA), in collaboration with several other Sustainable Peterborough partners including GreenUP, City of Peterborough, Mortlock Construction, Lett Architects, Three Sisters. Other project contributors and sponsors include Drain Bros., Basterfield & Associates, Jackson Creek Press, Public Energy, Green Communities Canada, Sunbelt Rental, Battlefield Tool Rental, Regenerative Landscapes, Engage Engineering, The Warming Room, Compass ELC, and countless other local supporters and volunteers. The Downtown Vibrancy project replaced an unused road to nowhere with a rain garden featuring native plants. This record-breaking garden at 787m² was also the first road ever depaved through the Depave Paradise project in Canada!
Natural Assets
Peterborough Pollinators
Peterborough Pollinators is committed to promoting and creating pollinator-friendly habitats. In 2018 they registered 365 pollinator gardens on their garden map. They also hosted
Peterborough’s first Pollination Summit in the spring of 2018, with over 100 participants in attendance! Peterborough Pollinators designed & built 9 pollinator gardens across the City of
Peterborough through the Participatory Budgeting process, thereby converting over 1,500 sq. ft. of grass into pollinator habitat. A new pollinator garden was also built at Dorothy Taylor’s house in Curve Lake. The garden was created with the concept of the medicine wheel and includes over 20 species of native plants blooming in four different seasons.
Transportation
Transit One
Transit One has developed thebus.ca website, which, together with their social media, has made it easier for residents and visitors to gain access to complete local public transit information, all in one place, and reduced dependence on paper maps. The application features routes and schedules, and an events directory with built-in transit directions.
Waste
Revive Hair Lounge
Revive Hair Lounge is a leader in reducing waste produced by hair salons. They are a Green Circle Salon – the world’s first, and North America’s only sustainable salon solution to recover and repurpose beauty waste. Cut hair, foils, excess colour, colour tubes – everything is recycled, whereas at regular salons these items are typically thrown out as garbage, resulting in several large bags of garbage every day. Because of Revive’s commitment to the reduce/reuse/recycle approach, they usually produce about one small bag of garbage per week!
Water
The collaboration of Farms at Work and Otonabee Conservation
Farms at Work and Otonabee Conservation, as members of the East Central Farm Stewardship Collaborative, received a 3-year EcoAction Community Funding Program grant from the federal government. In 2018 Farms at Work and Otonabee Conservation delivered funding and technical support to three local farmland owners helping them to keep water clean. They worked with farmland owners to promote the many benefits of clean water by preventing pollution of water from animal manure and inorganic nutrients from fertilizers. This is accomplished through projects such as fencing livestock out of waterways, providing alternate watering sources, and by redirecting clean rainwater away from barnyards.