Painted Paddles 2023

Welcome to the third Painted Paddle auction to raise funds to support the DBIA's partnership with One City's Green Team!

The Green Team is a downtown initiative led by One City's Employment Program, to create a seasonal gardening team to care for the patio planters, flower pots and other green spaces throughout The Boro. Over the last two years they have done an incredible job caring for the planters, so we are excited to have them back again this summer!

The Employment Programs are one of the many ways One City Peterborough fosters belonging and dignity in our community. They create job opportunities and training to people who have experienced barriers to traditional employment, whether due to homelessness, criminalization, or social exclusion.

Thank you for visiting the auction site and for any bids you place on these beautiful paddle artworks. There are 20 paddle art pieces, created by 20 local artists, up for auction. Good luck!

Thank you to our 20 volunteer artists this year!

Established in 1981, the DBIA represents about 400 business in the downtown core. Our focus is promoting and beautifying the downtown as well as assisting and advocating on behalf of our members. We are a non-profit organization governed by a board of management made up of members of the downtown business community and a representative from City Council. Though we operate independently of the City of Peterborough, the DBIA is considered a local board of the City. Our core funding is from the businesses within the DBIA boundaries set by the City. All commercial properties within this area automatically pay membership fees on their tax bill.

What Do We Do?
1. Plan, organize, assist and/or sponsor more than 30 events downtown every year, 2. Promote downtown through a variety of marketing initiatives, from our multi-million dollar Holiday Passport Program to social media campaigns, 3. Provide free outdoor WiFi, 4. Assist downtown businesses within everything from grants to help with regulation, 5. Lobby on behalf of the downtown business community on matters ranging from municipal planning to labour regulation, 6. Provide the downtown with an extra level of cleaning, 7. Encourage commercial and residential growth downtown, 8. Pursue innovative projects and ideas to enhance the downtown.