Essex Free Press - February 25, 2021

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Vol. 141

A LOOK INSIDE

Colchester’s kindergarteners send Valentine’s Day cards, celebrate 100-days of school

Essex Council Notes for Tuesday, February 16 PAGE 3 ______________

Thursday, February 25, 2021

Virtual event features the black cemeteries of Essex County PAGE 8 _______________ 2021 Health & Wellness PAGES 11 - 13 _______________ Four local historians honoured with Community Heritage Preservation Award PAGE 14 _______________ North Star project creates over 130 care baskets for local nursing homes PAGE 15 _______________ Essex County Council Notes for Wednesday, February 17 PAGE 17 _______________

Looking For A Good Home

“SUNNY GIRL” See Page 5 for adoption info.

by Sylene Argent Photos submitted.

Last week, the students of one of the kindergarten classes at Colchester North Public School made Valentine’s Day cards for residents at The Leamington Mennonite Home, and their educators were pleased with the teaching opportunity and the outcome of the outreach project.

Teacher, Janice DiLaudo, noted every February, her

Issue No. 07

kindergarten lessons always surround health and love. This includes anything that has to do with being a well-rounded person; mentally, physically, and in addition to eating well.

Part of being healthy and full of love, includes doing things for others. So, in keeping with that lesson, DiLaudo typically encourages her students to bring in 100 canned goods to care for others in need, which also coincides with the students celebrating reaching the 100days of school milestone.

Because of COVID, and there being periods of time when the students had to learn from home via virtual learning, when the students returned to in-class studies recently, they began to make Valentine’s Day Cards for the residents at The Leamington Mennonite Home, instead.

Throughout her whole career, DiLaudo has had her students interview seniors or head into seniors’ homes to perform songs. This year, she knew some residents were feeling extra lonely, due to the pandemic, and knowing loneliness can impacts mental and physical health, wanted her students to do something to put a smile on the faces of seniors in long-term care.

Her daughter, Tahlia, is a student at Kingsville District High School, and works at The Leamington Mennonite Home. She delivered the cards to the residents before one of her shifts.

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I Thursday, February 25, 2021

Local historian Chris Carter highlights Essex’s lost communities during virtual event

Pictured is Chris Carter as a costumed volunteer during the Canadian Transportation Museum & Heritage Village’s Murder Mystery last October.

by Garrett Fodor The Town of Essex hosted an array of activities as part of Heritage Week, that allowed residents to look into the past and celebrate the development of the communities that shaped the region into what it is today.

Since 1985, Ontario has chosen one week each year to celebrate history. As a part of the Province’s Heritage Week, which took place from February 15-21, the Town of Essex chose to shed light on the “Lost Settlements of Essex.” Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, activities associated with this year’s edition of the event were hosted digitally on the Town’s YouTube channel.

On Wednesday, award winner, local historian, and author, Chris Carter, presented on “The Lost Communities of Essex.” His presentation was based

around a driving tour of sites from around the community that Carter wrote about and illustrated in his book, “Tour Essex: The Lost Settlements of Essex.”

“We are surrounded by history and diversity,” Carter said. “We have some communities on the water, which were put there because we needed a dock, the roads were not good. There’s communities that are on the railroad track to pick up people and drop off freight. We have one that’s not really a community, but rather a family settlement, the Iler settlement, located by the John R Park homestead. They all shaped our land.”

Carter noted the settlements would work to complement each other. In one case, he said the settlers of New Canaan were working in sawmills in Gesto, cutting down the trees and clearing the farmland for the farmers with the resources going to the logging industry.

“New Canaan settled next to the train tracks and around what is now the Chrysler Greenway and Malden Road,” Carter said, describing one of the historic settlements along the train tracks. “You can find the pond where the steam trains would get water and you can find the cemetery next to the tracks that you can still see today.”

While Carter admits some of the sites may be hard to find at first glance, beneath the surface and even up close, there are features and landmarks hundreds of years old, still standing proud.

“While our community’s past can often

Davis also presented on Essex County’s Lost Black Cemeteries. Those who were unable to attend the video sessions, can visit the town’s YouTube channel to find the full recorded version of the talk, which Carter illustrates with maps and pictures from his book, “Tour Essex: The Lost Communities of Essex.” The Town of Essex also published a driving tour map, outlining the route residents can take to see the historical landmarks across the region.

be explored by visiting heritage buildings or cultural sites, other histories may not be so apparent,” Laurie Brett said, who is the Chairperson of the Municipal Heritage Committee. “The Municipal Heritage Committee is excited to bring some of these stories to life with our knowledgeable guest speakers and illustrate it safely.”

The Essex Municipal Heritage Committee hosts the local Heritage Week events with the Town of Essex. In addition to Carter’s presentation, Elise Harding-

Colchester’s kindergarteners send Valentine’s Day cards...

Continued from Front Page

“They were so happy,” DiLaudo said of the seniors, who received a card. She added some of the residents ended up shedding a tear, while others giggled in delight. “They hung them up in their rooms or cafeteria. It seemed to be a huge deal.”

DiLaudo added there is a, “We All Belong” theme at Colchester North.

Teachers ensured this theme was included when teaching the kindergarteners about care of seniors this year.

Also, as part of Valentine’s Day, the students made a crown to wear, decorating them with hearts they made

by learning about symmetry.

Recently, the Kindergarten students also got to celebrate the 100th day of school, and as part of celebrations, teachers had a chance to turn them into looking 100-years-old through an online feature.

DiLaudo used the experience to talk about seniors and how the students need to care for themselves if they wish to reach the age of 100. They also got a math lesson through the experience, using charts to see how old they are now, and how far into the future reaching 100-years-old would be for them.

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Thursday, February 25, 2021

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Community I 3

Essex Free Press

Celebrating 55 Years in Business!

- Tuesday, February 16, 2021 For All Your Financial & Insurance Needs...

INSIDE THIS WEEK’S COUNCIL NOTES...

• Council adopts Climate Adaptation Plan • J.C.S. Construction Inc gets Harrow Streetscape tender • Ferriss and Huffman Cemeteries to be ‘listed’ as having heritage value • NoM: Committee meeting videos: admin to look at Police Board... & MORE

by Sylene Argent Council provided with update on “Heritage Colchester” Perry Basden, one of the founders of the newly formed “Heritage Colchester” group, updated Council on the progress of the committee.

It was originally going to be called, “Friends of Colchester Schoolhouse,” but was instead renamed so it could look after heritage matters throughout Village of Colchester.

In the update presentation, Basden noted the hope is to, one day, be able to undertake the restoration of the 1881 Colchester Schoolhouse.

A Board of Directors has been established, as well as a mission statement, constitution, and bylaws.

An application for not-forprofit corporation status as been applied for through the Ontario Historical Society. Members are now waiting for registration as a not-for-profit corporation with the Province, as an affiliate with the Ontario Historical Society.

Members, he added, are hosting weekly virtual meetings to formulate plans, mark milestones towards goal achievements, and set objectives.

The plan for the Colchester Schoolhouse is

fluid, and can be adapted as needs change, he said.

Basden said the plan is for a graduated restoration over the next-five years, if it could move forward.

He would like to begin conversations to discuss options for the building, to meet needs of all the Town, the Committee, and the community.

Councillor Steve Bjorkman said it the Committee has quite the list of things on the go.

Council received the presentation.

Council adopts Climate Adaptation Plan Essex Council adopted the document “Climate Ready – A Climate Change Adaptation Plan for the Town of Essex 2021- 2026,” and direct administration to begin the implementation processes identified in the document. In addition, Council declared a Climate Emergency and committed to urgently working towards adapting to the impacts of climate change, mitigating climate risk, and preparing for the future.

Chief Administrative Officer, Chris Nepszy, was also appointed the Climate Change Adaptation Champion for the Town of Essex. In this role, he will lead outreach activities and help solidify the awareness and long-term commitment

to the Climate Change Adaptation Plan.

In the Report to Council, it notes the Town of Essex has been experiencing the effects of global climatic changes on a local level in the form of rising average temperatures and more intense precipitation events.

Following a presentation to Council on November 18, 2019, Council directed administration to develop a Climate Change Adaptation Plan for the Town of Essex.

Lori Chadwick, Director of Development Services, explained there have been months of receiving internal, public, and stakeholder feedback, in addition to a through impact assessment and analysis of action items, to identify effects of climate change.

Declaring a climate emergency, “Also solidifies our commitment to implementing the action items to meet the objectives over the next five-years,” Chadwick added. This will ensure the plan does not collect dust.

A grant through the Federation of Canadian Municipalities allowed the Town of Essex to hire Climate Change Analyst, Niharika Bandaru, as a contract employee for around 18-months. Her last day, is February 26.

So, it was asked the CAO champion the document after that point.

Chadwick added the Town has to adapt the way it does business in a way to become more resilient, should climate trend towards being wetter, wilder, hotter, and more unpredictable.

Each action in the document can be measured for its success, she added.

“Definitely over the longterm, we may be able to conclude that implementing these action items has made us more adaptable, more resilient, and, in some way, potentially, could put us in a better position financially,” Chadwick added. “So, if we are going to ask the community, administration, Council to embark on a plan that will call for some changes to how we think and do business, and maybe the materials we use and how we build, then what we would like to do is provide you with data and reporting over the next five-years to keep this dialogue going.”

Mayor Larry Snively said Council can adopt the plan, but it is always Continued on Page 5

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4 I Opinion Essex Free Press

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Howling at the Moon ••• Comment by Sylene Argent ••• The pros and cons of recording committee meetings Council members, I think, had a pretty healthy discussion about the posibility of recording and posting online meetings of the committees associated with the Town of Essex.

There were some really great points made on either side of the argument, but I have an idea or two regarding the matter I would like to share.

Firstly, the Town has several committees, mostly containing volunteers, who want to help make a difference in their communities, in addition to a staff liaison and a Council rep. There are several committees associated with the town. They range from the Essex Festival Committee to the Essex Municipal Heritage Committee, to the Essex Centre BIA, to the Essex Police Services Board.

They may deal with planning issues, policing matters, or in running Co-An Park, or planning events or activities for the community to enjoy, while promoting the local business district, history, or art, depending on the mandate of the committee.

Depending on the nature of the committee, members work on specific goals and report to Council by sending along their meetings minutes to be received.

Members of the committees are typically appointed at the beginning of each Term of Council, which lasts four years. Members can stay on the committee longer, if they choose. Those interested can look to see if there are vacancies, as members sometimes are

not able to stay onboard for the full fouryear term.

So, Councillor Sherry Bondy initially brought up the idea as a Notice of Motion at last week’s Council meeting, to record and post the meetings of the Town’s committees, so anyone who wanted to watch can tune in.

Typically, the Town’s committee meetings are livestreamed as they are taking place virtually currently, due to the COVID climate as of the past year.

Sherry thought it would be great to post the committee meetings on YouTube, like the Council meetings are, for everyone to view. In order to watch the committee meetings, residents need to RSVP to tune in, and if they can’t make the livestream, they are out of luck.

Councillor Steve Bjorkman noted, however, that he spoke to some of the members of three of the committees, who seemed to be uncomfortable with the meetings being recorded.

These committees are run in the same format as a Council meeting, but they are meeting places, too. Members use them to bring ideas forward, hash out details, and plan for future activities. Because they are used as planning sessions, in some sense, I get why committee members would not want them recorded, and why some Councillors thought some members may be afraid to bring ideas forward at a preliminary level.

If we started to provide information about potential events and activities committee may plan to the public at

Commentary - OFA

Protecting the health of farmers and agri-food sector workers during COVID-19

an early stage, it could create a lot of confusion as to what is being considered, what is moving forward, and what has been dropped and why.

And, I am not sure members of the public need to know which member will be in charge of getting gate volunteers for the Fun Fest, or which are in charge of arranging schedules down at Co-An Park.

Even when I cover a meeting, I don’t make announcements of things that are not ready to be public information. That wouldn’t be fair to the members working on them, because sometimes things just can’t move forward as initially planned and get altered along the way.

I do like the idea of the Police Services Board meeting posted online.

It is a more formal meeting with police providing facts and figures. I also think that any committee that has an AGM, that meeting should likely be recorded and uploaded as well. Perhaps if a committee would like a meeting recorded and uploaded, for whatever the reason may be, the Town should be able to provide them an opportunity to do so, which I am sure could be arranged.

What I hope is that the Town is ensuring all committee meetings are being livestreamed, as it is my understanding they are to be open to the public, so anyone with a vested interest in a certain matter can tune in.

by Ernie Hardeman, Ontario Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs

This past year was a challenging one for all of us.

Everyone was impacted by this virus and our agri-food sector was no exception. While we have faced incredible challenges and have weathered the COVID-19 pandemic, the challenges we face are far from over.

Our government has taken many steps to keep our Temporary Foreign Workers safe, who are a vital part of Ontario’s agri-food sector. Over the last few months, I have worked with the sector to ensure we are as ready as ever for the 2021 spring growing season and I’d like to highlight some of those actions.

In partnership with the federal government, we are providing up to $26.6 million in funding through the Enhanced Agri-Food Workplace Protection Program to cover the cost of much-needed supplies and other extraordinary costs required to protect the health of workers. Many farmers and greenhouse operators have been reimbursed for expenses such as personal protective equipment (PPE), masks, disinfecting sprays, wipes and hand sanitizers. The program has also provided farmers with funding to rent buses to provide safe and reliable

transportation for employees travelling between work and living accommodations.

The program also allowed farmers to access funds to renovate working areas and living quarters for on-farm workers, to allow for social distancing and to upgrade heating, air conditioning and ventilation systems in these accommodations.

The Enhanced Agri-Food Workplace Protection Program closes on February 26 and funding is still available. I encourage farmers who have not applied and would benefit from funding to help make workplaces safer for employees, to contact OMAFRA’s Agricultural Information Contact Centre at 1-877-424-1300 for more information.

Our government has also invested in enhanced workplace protection for Ontario meat processors. This allowed provincially licensed meat processors to purchase PPE, cleaning and disinfection solutions, plexiglass partitions, and other physical barriers for their plants. Forehead thermometers, change room renovations and lunchroom expansions to allow

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Thursday, February 25, 2021

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Opinion / News I 5

Essex Free Press

Continued from Page 4

Commentary - OFA for social distancing were also included in this program.

We will also be continuing the roll out of a new $25.5 million program in the spring to enhance workers’ safety through innovation and technology. Under this program announced in our government’s fall budget, my ministry will accept applications for funding to support early adopters of innovations such as light-based surface sanitation or wearable technology.

We recognize that, in addition to handling the complex health and safety challenges that the COVID-19 situation has raised, there are other challenges impacting the sector, such as fluctuating market prices or increased costs of production.

Working with industry partners, we are advancing on the 35 actions outlined in our comprehensive Prevention, Control and Outbreak Support Strategy for COVID-19 in Ontario’s Farm Workers. We continue to update our online COVID-19 toolkit for farmers (Ontario.ca/ covidfarmertoolkit); and we are offering a series of webinars directed at agri-businesses to help them navigate their farms during the pandemic.

Until we beat this pandemic, my work will never be done keeping our workers safe from this virus. We’ve taken concrete steps to keep agri-food workers safe and I will continue to make their safety my top priority.

I want to thank our farmers and all essential workers in the agri-food sector that show up consistently at work in these challenging times. We know your work is more complex and your workload is heavier than ever. We appreciate all your efforts to keep yourself and others around you safe, and to keep Ontario’s food supply strong.

Essex Council Notes...

Council’s final decision as to where money is spent in the future.

Bandaru commented the idea of climate adaptation is to ensure the right funding and resources are procured, while planning for the changing climate. She added while conducting the vulnerability and risk assessments for the plan with departments of the Corporation of the Town of Essex, she said it was learned every year, the cost of procuring resources to do road maintenance was going up. Shoreline assistance and flooding mitigation are other examples, where there are increases in cost.

Deputy Mayor Richard Meloche noted this is a frame work, and he has no problem with it. He said it is a living-document and it will ensure consideration

will be given to climate adaptation. He did hear some concerns from the community on it.

Councillor Joe Garon had a concern with potential impact on the budget and perhaps on some tendering processes, as it may limit who can bid on projects. It is about taking things into consideration through using this framework, he noted.

Councillor Chris Vander Doelen said the document will not change anything anymore than Council’s arguments over how COVID was handled.

“This has been a bureaucratic wish for decades across Canada, and this is going to give them fast control over all aspects of life and taxation, and it is going to reduce our liberty, it is going to damage our economy, and people will wonder why

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we agreed to this,” Vander Doelen said, adding the climate change plan is an unnecessary reaction to a “fake emergency” and that climate alarmists have been making unsupportable claims for 40-years and

have been wrong.

He suspects most of these plans are going to seriously damage or possibly destroy the two industries that he said sustains nearly everyone

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Essex Council Notes... who lives locally; automotive and agriculture. He added Council received a note in the agenda from local farmers, who would like a decision on the plan to be postponed until April 10, so they can have time to consult.

He thought Council should give it more time, and farmers should have more input.

Chadwick said she spoke to Anne Anger of the Essex County Federation of Agriculture (ECFA). She said the Town needs ECFA and other agencies to help identify the visibility of any changes. It is important to note most actions on the community-side, the Town would hope to have a regional approach to having conversations to have a wider-lens.

Councillor Kim Verbeek, who sits on the Essex Climate Adaptation Team – which created the document, was not crazy about attaching fear to the document. She appreciated all the work on it. She moved the three aforementioned recommendations.

Councillor Sherry Bondy said she thinks the plan was thoroughly vetted and that the Town pushed it out as much as possible for public feedback. She said there are good ideas in the document. She hopes to develop a youth climate team to plant trees and carry out other initiatives planned through the document.

In a recorded vote, Councillors Bondy, Morley Bowman, Garon, Verbeek, and Steve Bjorkman were in favour, as were Mayor Snively and Deputy Mayor Meloche. Councillor Chris Vander Doelen was opposed. The motion passed.

J.C.S. Construction Inc gets Harrow Streetscape tender Council awarded the Request for Tender for construction of the Harrow Streetscape project to J.C.S. Construction Inc. in the amount of $4,664,479.36, including nonrefundable Harmonized Sales Tax. J.C.S. Construction Inc. submitted the lowest tender.

During the 2021 Capital Budget deliberations, Council approved funding towards the Harrow Streetscape in the amount of $5,492,018. Based on the tendered costs, the total estimated for

Continued from Page 5

construction is $4,857,234.15; of which $ 4,664,479.36 will go towards construction and $ 192,754.79 for Engineering Inspection and Contract Administration.

The Report to Council notes $634,783.85 of the budgeted amount has so far been unspent. It was recommended that the unspent budgeted amount remain to cover any unforeseen issues related to the Harrow Streetscape project. In addition, any cost savings of this project will reduce the debt required to fund the improvement project.

Mayor Larry Snively said this is exciting and he cannot wait until the shovel breaks ground on the project.

Town of Essex Flag and HalfMasting Protocol Policy adopted Council adopted the Town of Essex Flag and Half-Mast Protocol Policy.

The Report to Council on the matter notes the protocol will establish a uniformed and harmonized protocol and procedure for the raising, displaying, half-masting, replacing, and disposing of all flags at all Town-owned properties and facilities, in addition to Town events.

The Report to Council adds the policy will also provide the authorization of requests for community organizations and special event flag raisings at Town-owned properties.

Ferriss and Huffman Cemeteries to be ‘listed’ as having heritage value Essex Council moved that the properties known as the “Ferriss Cemetery” and the “Huffman Cemetery” be listed on the Essex Municipal Heritage Register, pursuant to the Ontario Heritage Act. “Listing” identifies properties that have cultural heritage value, and further serves as an important tool for the conservation of such facilities.

The Report to Council noted the Essex Municipal Heritage Committee (EMHC) recommended Council list the Ferriss Cemetery (located on the East side of Ferriss Road, just North of the Essex Public Works Yard at 2100 Ferriss Road) and the Huffman Cemetery at 687 County Road 50 East, be listed at its November 2020 meeting.

The Report to Council notes pioneers, Joseph and Catherine Ferriss, chose to settle in Colchester South and are buried in the cemetery. The Ferriss family is the first recorded family to have settled in this area around the Second Concession.

The Report continues Rudolph Huffman, a

United Empire Loyalist, came to area from Virginia on May 4, 1792. He obtained 400 acres along the shores of Lake Erie. On October 9, 1820, he purchased another 200 acres. This cemetery is situated on a part of that original 600-acre family farm.

The Huffman Cemetery contains a stone marker that memorializes the burial place of unknown shipwrecked sailors that were buried by the Huffman family, the report notes.

A notice will be sent out to the owners informing them of the decision.

NoM: Ad-Hoc Committee gets withdrawn At the January 18 meeting, Councillor Sherry Bondy put forward a Notice of Motion, which Council discussed during the Tuesday, February 20 meeting. She asked Council to consider establishing an AdHoc committee to investigate and propose direction to administration surrounding regulations and policies in regards to Short Term Rental accommodations in the Town of Essex.

Director of Planning Services, Lori Chadwick, said administration is

I Thursday, February 25, 2021

researching and preparing changes to the Zoning Bylaw to be brought to the public and stakeholders for feedback.

Members of administration, she said, is looking at policies, from an array of angles.

She expects changes to be implemented around May 1 in the Town’s Zoning Bylaw.

Administration wants to consult, engage, collaborate, and empower many individuals through the process. She wants to expand the consultation stage for this matter, which she suspects would start in around a month.

Mayor Larry Snively said forming a committee looks like the Town is doing double the work.

Bondy said it was nice to have a public conversation on the matter. She was willing to pull the motion after hearing a plan is in place. She hopes there is a lot of consultation involved.

NoM: Committee meeting videos: admin to look at Police Board Councillor Sherry Bondy presented a Notice of Motion at the February 1 meeting,

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Community / News I 7

Essex Free Press

Computers for Kids collects and refurbishes donated tech equipment for youths in need - Drop-off located at the Essex Centre Sports Complex by Garrett Fodor While students and teachers are still adapting to the new mixture of digital and in-person learning streams, one local organization continues to help youth to get the technology they need to succeed.

With dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a shift to focus on digital learning, rather than in-class.

Computers for Kids is trying to help children and other non-profit organizations across Windsor-Essex, ensure all children are offered a chance at obtaining the technology needed, so they do not fall behind.

Since early 2004, Computers for Kids goal as been to turn unwanted computers, accessories, and electronics into usable technology for children who are in need.

The goal is to refurbish and distribute the technology to those in need. The organization diverts waste from going into the landfill, while helping children get access to technology. When they cannot refurbish the equipment the receive through donations, they will harvest and sell the materials to continue to fund the non-profit organization, and in getting other supplies and equipment needed.

“The goal of this organization is that no child will be left behind their peers because they don’t have the same technology in their homes, so they are unable to learn at the same learning-level,” Chris Vilag said, President of the Board of Computers for Kids. “As we know now, children with access to computers in their home learn much faster, as they are able to explore more at home than they would be able to at school.”

During the pandemic, Vilag noted

there has been an increased need for computers. He added that while people are spending more time at home, they may be doing cleaning and want to get rid of old electronics. Rather than seeing the equipment go to landfills, Vilag said Computers for Kids has now opened fivedrop off containers across Windsor-Essex, including their newest at the Essex Centre Sports Complex. He adds that when the pandemic began last year, the board met to develop a plan to safely operate, while still picking-up goods out of their office on Sandwich Street in Windsor.

Since their founding in 2003, Computers for Kids has helped divert more than 2 million pounds of electronic waste from going to local landfills. Computers for Kids has placed over 2000 computers to children with special needs.

“It’s been almost 20 years now, and there should be no child in Essex County without a computer in their homes if they want one,” Vilag said. “We will be here as long as there is a need and unfortunately, there’s always a need.”

Vilag adds that they will collect all working and unworking electronics from the drop-off site daily. They also offer corporate pickup for local businesses. They will collect all wiring and electronics, big or small, you can buy at stores.

Vilag asked that people refrain from donating things like appliances, power tools, or screen projector televisions.

He added that all the safety precautions are taken in the hard drives of the computer, as they either erase and reprogram them if they are working. If those drives are not able to be use it, they will be shredded.

Essex Council Notes... for Council to discuss at the Tuesday, February 16 meeting. She asked Council to consider recording its committee meetings and uploading them online.

Bondy wondered if administration could look into what other area towns are doing in regards to recording their committee meetings and uploading them online. She said she watches them to learn what is going on.

It is about engaging the community and being transparent, she said.

She noted that for committee meetings, though residents can sign up to view online, if they are not able to watch the livestream, they miss it.

Councillor Steve Bjorkman said there are probably committees that are worth having recorded. He talked to individuals from three committees, and overwhelmingly, members were not in favour of having meetings uploaded to YouTube. Committee meetings are much looser than Council meetings. There is a real concern that things they say can be taken out of context, and he was told some would not seek to be on committees again, if they were to be recorded.

Because of that, he thinks this should not be moved on now. If it were to move

Continued from Page 6

forward, the change should happen at the beginning of a Council term, when there is a call for volunteers to join the Town’s committees.

Councillor Chris Vander Doelen had a cost-concern. He thinks it is a solution to a problem that does not exist. CAO Chris Nepzy said there could be additional costs associated as far as IT involvement and possibly in terms of resources as well.

Deputy Mayor Richard Meloche said recording these meeting could cause staleness in creativity as members may be nervous about bringing forward new materials or ideas. He thinks it would be worth it to have the Police Services Board recorded.

Bondy was appreciative of the conversation. She said there could be potential in the future for the Police Services Board as it is a more formal meeting. She wondered if administration could look into costs and provide an opinion for just the Police Services Board committee. She said the meetings are already recorded. Council moved this suggestion.

Councillor Kim Verbeek, who is Chairperson of the Essex Police Services Board, will ask members of this committee their opinion on the matter.

8 I Community Essex Free Press

I Thursday, February 25, 2021

Virtual event features the black cemeteries of Essex County

by Sylene Argent Last Thursday, Elise Harding-Davis, an AfricanCanadian Heritage Consultant, hosted an online presentation, highlighting Essex County’s lost black settlements and cemeteries.

The event was hosted as part of the Town of Essex’s Heritage Week celebrations, which had a “Lost Settlements of Essex” theme.

Through the online event, Harding-Davis was able to share the stories of black pioneers, freedom-fighters, and escaped slaves, “All of whom became part of the black thread in the Canadian tapestry,” Rita Jabbour said, who is the Manager of Planning for the Town of Essex, in addition to the Town’s liaison on the Essex Municipal

Heritage Committee.

Black cemeteries are scattered throughout Essex County, Harding-Davis said. “Many people have a love of cemeteries. There is a certain sense of connection and satisfaction one gets from prowling around in a graveyard, reading the information on the old, weathered headstones.”

In Canada, there were no actual segregated cemeteries as far as legislation goes, but they were deliberately apart, Harding-Davis said. “Ceremonial acts helped repatriate us to the human family after enslavement, where we were not considered human-beings. Dignified and ritualized holy burials gave us back our status as persons, rather than objects or property, to be discarded thoughtlessly or irresponsibly.”

She added, “Our cemeteries act as the keepers of our history. Our tombstones are the tellers of our tales.”

Harding-Davis noted in the County of Hesse, which would become Essex County, there were less than 4000 residents in the entire County in the 1790s, with LaSalle being a First Nations Indigenous reserve.

In the 1850s, Harding-Davis explained, there were eight black

cemeteries in Essex County. Former slaves created productive, lucrative homesteads. “These pioneering freedom-fighters carved out lives they would not have ever imagined. They owned land, educated their children, praised God as they saw fit, and buried their dead with dignity. Vestiges of these settlements still remain,” Harding-Davis said.

With property in high demand, Harding-Davis said old cemeteries are most at risk of becoming parking lots or subdivisions. She added there are unscrupulous developers out there, who go after these abandoned sanctuaries, for those who were back and white, thinking no one is connected to the site or will stand up for them.

The black presence in Canada, Harding-Davis said, dates back as early as 1604. Mathieu Da Costa, a seaman trained in Portugal, assisted Samuel de Champlain in helping the French arrive in Canada.

Da Costa, Harding-Davis said, spoke many languages and acted as an interpreter between the French and what were then known as the Mi’kmaq Indians. “In my mind, that might indicate that a black man had a large responsibility in the French even settling in Canada. In 1787, refugee slaves escaped into Canada. They had fought during the War of Independence. “African-origin people came to Canada as explorers and to seek freedom from enslavement, in addition to escaping oppression and persecution, based solely on the colour of their skin.”

Early attempts, Harding-Davis explained, to use European bond servants and indentured slaves were not very successful, as white people could leave their communities and blend into other places. Enslavement of Native Americans proved also to be less than satisfactory, based on their own philosophy that was not conducive to slavery, Harding-Davis explained. “Theirs was to share all and leave the rest.”

Black’s colouration stood out, she explained. They wanted the same opportunities as white individuals, instead they were placed in bondage in the U.S. African-Canadians owned thousands of acres as farmers in Essex County in the late 1700s and beyond.

With the agricultural know-how they brought with them as plantation workers, it is said the tobacco and tomato industries were introduced by blacks, when they settled in South Western Ontario, she added.

In Essex County, there were several small black Continues on Page 9

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Thursday, February 25, 2021

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Community I 9

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Virtual event features the black cemeteries of Essex County... communities. Hopetown was established in the late 1700s, and it was located in Colchester Township, encompassing the original Town of Harrow. The New Canaan settlement, near Gesto, had almost 300 black pioneers. Colchester Township had more black residents than white in the 1861 census.

Vereeker had a Post Office in 1871, in addition to a sawmill. It was located on Pike Road, near Gilgal.

Gordon, which also had a Post office in 1874, was home to a quarry, gristmill, and sawmill, and was located just outside of Amherstburg. Marble Village was located in Anderdon and New Salem and New California were located in Gosfield Township.

Puce, Windsor, Old Sandwich Town, New Detroit, Little River, and River Canard, were all inhabited by African-Canadians.

African-Canadian came to Essex County and settled in the early to mid 1700s as refugee slaves or as oppressed free blacks.

Around the time she wrote her book, in 2014, there were 14 known black cemeteries in Essex County, and more have been found since.

Over the years, settlements came and went, leaving cemeteries vulnerable to time, weather, and desecration and vandalism. Top soil, she added, has been scooped up and sold from local black cemeteries.

Thankfully, she added, there are a small number of caregivers that protect ancestor remains and their burial grounds.

Harding-Davis shared information about the local black cemeteries. The New Canaan Cemetery (also known as the Davis or Chavis Cemetery) is located on County Road 12. New Canaan was a prosperous settlement, with a population of around 350. Around 250 of its residents were coloured, Harding-Davis said, adding “Canaan” was a synonymous code-word to Canada.

When Harding-Davis first saw the BME Cemetery on Walnut Street in Harrow years ago, it was overgrown with weeds, and there were broken cemetery markers piled up against a tree. “It took 40-years to have this space municipally dedicated. She said it is a wonderful site, and many, black and white, were dedicated to working on the property.

St. Marks Cemetery is on Dunn Road in Colchester Township. The site contains the remains of black pioneers of the early 1800s, and burials still take place there. St. Marks Cemetery is older than the original church that was built in 1890.

Harding-Davis noted one individual buried at the back of the site, which was in the area of the original cemetery, is Nelson Pettiford, who was born in 1795 in the US. He was a Private in Captain Caldwell’s Company, and later was in Captain Nelson’s Company.

He was listed in the 1845 Colchester census as a farmer.

Reverend William Ruth is also buried in the old part of St. Marks Cemetery. He was born in 1779 in the US, and came to Colchester in 1825. By 1856, he owned and cleared 50-acres in Colchester Village and had 70 acres in the bush in New Canaan. He urged people to get educated as a key to wellbeing. He passed in 1863.

Central Grove Church and Cemetery is located on Walker Road, just outside of Harrow. Around 1880 William McCurdy donated a portion of his property for the cemetery. In 1888, trustees of the church purchased the present site, next to McCurdy’s property. Anthony Banks is buried there, who was born in Colchester in 1840. The family claims to never have been enslaved.

They claim to have been the decedents of Major General Sir Isaac Brock and his cook, Almania Malawice, who is said to be a princess of Ghana.

Gilgal is on Walker Road, located 2.5 miles north from present Central Grove Church Site. Reverend

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William Alexander Kersey was the Pastor, who helped to build the church with others. It was used to worship on Sundays and as a schoolroom. Delos Rogest Davis taught school here before he was accepted to the Bar as a lawyer in 1886. He is buried at the New Canaan cemetery. He was Essex County’s first black lawyer.

The Amherstburg Freedom Museum is an important site, because its neighbouring Nazrey African Methodist Episcopal Church, built in 1833, was the first national historic site dedicated to black history, dedicated in 2000. There is a memorial cemetery behind the church.

The Puce Memorial Cemetery is located on County Road 42. It was established in 1850. It is believed that slaves from the Underground Railroad are buried there.

The Refugee Home Society provided the opportunity for escaped slaves to get land and become self sufficient.

By 1853, families could purchase 24-acre farm lots in Maidstone from the society. By 1850 there was a large black community in Maidstone, who provided hired help on the farms of Scottish settlers.

Here, there is a tombstone for Elizabeth Lee, wife of Ludwell Lee. The marker is under reconstruction.

Ludwell’s mother, Kizzie, was born in 1798, the daughter of Henry “Light Horse Harry” Lee and a slave woman, and half-sister to General Robert E. Lee, the Confederate Army Commander during the Civil War. Harding-Davis and her family are decedents.

Puce River Black Community Cemetery is located on County Road 42, in a provincially recognized historic site. There is a marker there, belonging to Lewis Jackson, that reads “Born a Slave in Kentucky.” It is the only remaining marker there, she said. It was stolen, returned, and replaced. In Canada, Harding-Davis has never seen another marker stating someone was born in slavery.

Jackson escaped into Canada via the Underground Railroad and settled on the 8th Concession in Maidstone.

The Shiloh Baptist Church Cemetery is located within Kingsville Memorial Gardens. In 2005 an amateur dig was hosted at this site. All that was found were a few old bottles, rustled implement parts, and the base of a grave marker, because of which, proof of the cemetery was established.

The Town of Kingsville gave the site Heritage Status, thanks to the efforts of volunteers, she said.

The John Freeman Walls Historic Site is located on Puce Road. The descendants of John Walls own and operate the site. In 1846, a fugitive slave from North Carolina built a cabin on purchased property. It served as a terminal for the Underground Railroad and was the first meeting place for Puce Baptist Church. Walls and his family chose to remain in Canada after the end of the Civil War, she said.

The Smith Cemetery, on Banwell Road, in Tecumseh is provincially recognized as a heritage site. The small cemetery was discovered in the area described as Negro Lot 143. The oldest stone belongs to James F. Roth, who was born in 1866 and died in 1908.

She noted the Hopetown Cemetery, Heavenly Rest Cemetery, Rose Hill Cemetery, Windsor Memorial Gardens, and St. John’s Church in Windsor are also other significant cemeteries for blacks as well.

Harding-Davis hopes residents will take a ride around the county to see where the cemeteries are situated. Everyone belongs here together – black, white, indigenous – building a better country in the future.

10 I News Essex Free Press

I Thursday, February 25, 2021

Celebrating stories of Ontarians: Oscar Peterson

A still from Historica Canada’s newly released Heritage Minute celebrating renowned jazz musician Oscar Peterson

submitted to EFP When Oscar Peterson quit high school in the early 1940s to be a full-time jazz pianist, his father gave his blessing on one condition: that his son would “be the best.” Peterson rose to this toughest of challenges. Over

a six-decade career, he would earn the adulation of fans worldwide and the awe of peers - Duke Ellington called him “the Maharaja of the keyboard.” Along the way, he picked up 8 Grammys including a Lifetime Achievement Award, over a dozen honorary doctorates, and the UNESCO Music Prize. In 1992, he was inducted into the Order of Ontario as Canada’s “ambassador of jazz.” Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II unveiled a statue of him in Ottawa in 2010, and he is the subject of a new Historica Canada Heritage Minute, released in time for Black History Month.

Peterson was born in 1925 in Montreal to parents from St. Kitts and the Virgin Islands. His classical piano teachers were sympathetic to his love for jazz, and he developed both a tremendous virtuoso technique and a redoubtable ability to swing. He launched a long touring career in 1949 at Carnegie Hall, where he played as a surprise—and at the time unknown—guest during an all-star jazz concert; a standing ovation testified to his promise. He would go on to perform and record with legends from Ella Fitzgerald and Billie Holiday to Louis Armstrong and Dizzy Gillespie to Herbie Hancock, who viewed him as a mentor. Peterson truly made his mark, however, with his own small-group recordings—including The Canadiana Suite (1964), a

ERCA Approves Draft Budget submitted to EFP The Essex Region Conservation Authority has approved its 2021 Draft Budget for circulation to its member municipalities. The budget totals just over $10 million, and includes a levy request of $3,454,619. This is equivalent to $10.75 per person, an increase of 26 cents from 2020.

The budget responds to the changes to Conservation Authorities

Act included in Bill 229, which have widespread and significant implications for operations and program delivery with provincially-required identification and bifurcation of services into mandatory and non-mandatory categories.

“The proposed 2021 programs and services have been categorized into mandatory and non-mandatory services, based on the information

that is currently available and in the absence of detailed Regulations, or further guidance from the Province,” explains Tim Byrne, CAO. “The mandatory programs identified by the Act are quite limited and confined to: risks of natural hazards; conservation and management of lands; Drinking Water Source Protection; and other Continued on Page 23

“Peterson was passionate about fostering inclusion in Canada. In 1990, he wrote in The Globe and Mail about the need to “unite and resurrect” what he saw as a “fragmenting nation.” May all Ontarians look to his shining example and build bridges between us, inspired by his uplifting music.”

- The Honourable Elizabeth Dowdeswell, Lieutenant-Governor of Ontario

series of original compositions evoking different regions from sea to sea.

Although most ambitious Canadian jazz artists of Peterson’s era moved to the United States, he stayed in the country he called “a land of many cultures, languages and peoples.” In 1958, he moved to Ontario, and he would live in the GTA—in Scarborough, Etobicoke, and then Mississauga—until his passing in 2007.

A firm believer in giving back to his community, he ran a pioneering jazz school in Yorkville in the early 1960s and later taught at York University, where he also served as chancellor. He spoke out about the racism he encountered both on tour and at home, and he campaigned successfully behind the scenes to increase representation of non-white people on Canadian television. His most famous composition, “Hymn to Freedom,” from 1962, with lyrics by Harriette Hamilton, became an anthem for the civil rights movement.

One of the significant privileges granted a Lieutenant Governor is celebrating Ontarians from all corners of the province and from all backgrounds. Honours and awards strengthen the fabric of Ontario’s communities and shape the aspirations of Ontarians, serving to formally and publicly acknowledge the excellence, achievements, and contributions of role models from all walks of life. Learn more: www.ontario.ca/page/honours-and-awards.

Thursday, February 25, 2021

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Special Feature I 11

Essex Free Press

Nine creative ways for families to get active outdoors Survey finds 52 per cent of Canadians participate in outdoor recreation only once a week or less, and 28 per cent participate less than once a month

submitted to EFP Photos courtesy of Scouts Canada As the pandemic continues to impact daily life, with more time at home and increased screen time, many families are seeking new activities to keep their children engaged and active outdoors. While staying indoors is one way to beat the cold, safe outdoor play offers a multitude of physical, mental and social benefits.

A 2021 Maru Voice Canada survey examining the frequency that Canadians and their families are engaging in outdoor recreational activity for at least 30 minutes found: • 16 per cent are engaging daily • 52 per cent are engaging once a week or less • 28 per cent are engaging less than once a month To inspire families with new ideas to get outside safely, Scouts Canada and Hydro One partnered to launch a free Activity Finder. The searchable database, available at Scouts.ca/ActivityFinder, offers more than 150 thoughtful, educational and fun activities that also help youth of all ages develop well-rounded skills. Each activity provides simple guidelines challenging young people to plan and facilitate the activities themselves and then reflect on how to do it even better the next time.

Research shows outdoor recreation is a

fundamental need for children. It not only supports physical development, but also contributes to building greater resilience – essential for navigating uncertainty and change during the pandemic, cognitive functioning, creativity, problem solving, positive self-esteem and more.

With Canadian guidelines recommending children ages five to 17 engage in 60 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity daily along with several hours of light physical activity, getting outdoors is one way to achieve it. Whether you are a novice explorer or a seasoned adventurer, winter is a great time to challenge the imagination, develop survival skills and explore your capabilities.

Scouts Canada and Hydro One are sharing nine creative ways for households to safely enjoy the winter: Compete in a winter Olympics!

Challenge your household to participate in events like deep snow races, snowman building, snowball target range, and more.

Scout tip: pile and pack snow to create smooth, standing targets and use natural food colouring to make fun designs.

Engineer the ultimate snowball competition. Put STEM skills to the test by building catapults to launch mini snowballs or bean bags. Make it a competition to see who can launch them the furthest and learn how different design elements will impact

the trajectory.

Practice ice safety drills. Do you know how to tell if a frozen pond is safe to walk on or what to do if someone falls through?

Lay down a tarp to simulate ice, and practice safety skills like crawling with your feet spread wide and using items found nearby like a branch or a hockey stick to make a long-assist rescue.

Create a snow art masterpiece. Mix natural food colouring with water to create environmentally-friendly paintings in the snow. Use foraged materials to build picture frames.

Chart the winter skies. Stargazing isn’t just for the summer. Bundle up on a clear night

to spot constellations that are prominent in the winter like Orion and planets like Mars, Saturn and Jupiter. Get creative and make up your own constellations from patterns you spot in the sky.

Search for buried treasure. Geocaching is an outdoor treasure hunt that uses GPS coordinates to find hidden containers. Many caches are still accessible in winter. Test your navigation skills and see how many you can find.

Save the world with a winter-themed LARP. LARPing (live action role play) is a role playing game that uses imagination to create a scenario – like a quest – and

Continued on Page 12

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I Thursday, February 25, 2021

5 tips to create an at-home spa experience associated with a visit to the spa. Candles are quick and easy mood-enhancing items that not only add softness to lighting, but can also be used to introduce aromatherapy.

Lavender is a great aromatherapy option because it promotes a sense of wellness and calm.

Get steamy - While a warm bath is a go-to ritual for many, you can also dial up your in-home spa game by converting your shower into a mini steam room. Turn

A visit to the spa might not be an option for many of us, so here are five quick tips to create a spa-like experience in the comfort and safety of your own home.

Atmosphere - Lighting, scent and calming music are all key elements

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your shower on with high heat to steam up your bathroom, grab an exfoliating scrub or loofah to remove dead skin cells and finish with a shower.

DIY facial - Consider turning your bedroom into a treatment room. When trying a new or trusted facial mask, remember to choose one that targets your skin-care concerns — such as dry skin, clogged pores, or anti aging. You can also add a foot mask, hand mask, under-eye mask or lip mask for an extra-targeted boost of hydration.

Try new tools - Explore adding a new and affordable skin tool to your at-home spa. Depending on your skin’s needs, choose from a variety of devices such as sonic cleansers to remove impurities and

minimize pores, or microdermabrasion tools to reduce the appearance of acne scars and age spots.

You can also try an online skin analysis tool, which uses new technology to provide a customized summary of your skin health.

“The virtual skin tool from Shoppers Drug Mart is the next step in learning more about your skin and having personalized products recommended,” said Chanel Cruz, a Shoppers beauty pro.

Mani/pedi time - Complete your spa experience with a manicure or pedicure.

After your skin is prepped and hydrated, finish by trimming and shaping your nails and pushing down your cuticles. Top with nail colour and topcoat if desired.

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Get active outdoors... characters to take part.

Track neighbourhood creatures. Look for footprints in the snow or mud and other evidence of animals. Create a cheat sheet with pictures of tracks to help with identification and see how many you can find.

A quinzhee – a shelter made from piling snow, letting it settle and then hollowing out the middle with a shovel – is a great way for experienced winter campers to take the adventure to the next level. It’s also a great day activity for kids to build! Making a quinzhee is fairly simple but it takes time

Continued from Page 11

and proper steps to build it safely.

Prioritizing safety in all activities is essential for a successful adventure. Follow the COVID-19 safety directives from governments and health agencies, maintain physical distancing and take appropriate winter precautions including checking the forecast; dressing in warm, waterproof layers; planning for any scenario and bringing an emergency kit.

For activity instructions, additional ideas, winter warmth and safety tips, or to join Scouts to learn firsthand, visit Scouts.ca.

Thursday, February 25, 2021

I

Special Feature I 13

Essex Free Press

Tips to keep your family safe and healthy this winter After a long, challenging year, experts are predicting a hard-hitting winter. If you’re worried about how to keep your family safe and healthy during a goodold-fashioned Canadian winter – as well as another wave of a pandemic - check out these essential survival tips: Make your home a haven Survival is just as much about your mental health as your physical, and one way to keep your mood bright is by adopting a Scandinavian approach to the season. Call it hygge or Lagom (dubbed 2020’s version of hygge), it means making the most of extra time indoors by creating a cozy home you want to hang out in. Deck your place out with fuzzy

blankets, fluffy pillows, illuminating candles and mementoes that remind you of happier times. Warm, relaxing touches will transform your living space into the perfect place to curl up with a book, watch a good movie or video chat with a friend.

Escape with a drive The pandemic has helped us better appreciate simple pleasures, like taking a drive to check out some beautiful scenery or exploring a new park or trail. With increased travel restrictions, the car has truly become an even more essential tool for family fun. With the proper preparation and equipment, you can even enjoy a road trip during the winter. According to Lexus Academy driving expert, Michael

Bernier, drivers should be sure to switch to winter tires once temperatures drop below 7°C and always keep a winter safety kit (flashlight, batteries, warm clothes, winter boots, blanket, and a small shovel) in their vehicle. “Remember to clear all of the snow off your vehicle – including your roof and hood – before heading out to ensure maximum visibility,” Bernier adds. “And always practice safe winter driving by reducing your speed on icy or snowy roads, allowing extra space between vehicles, and giving yourself extra time to safely get to your destination.”

Continue spending time outside The outdoors have been a lifeline for most of us throughout this past summer and fall, providing us with opportunities to

exercise and socialize while maintaining our distance from those outside our social circle. In the winter, spending time in nature can boost your mood, and physical activity can also improve your immune system. To keep enjoying the outdoors safely, be sure to dress in layers, paying special attention to keeping your hands, feet and ears warm. Whether you’re walking around the block or tackling a tough hike, invest in boots with good tread to help prevent slips and falls. Always check the weather forecast before you head out, and drink plenty of liquids to avoid dehydration, which can happen no matter what the temperature.

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5 ways you can manage pain without drugs strengthen your muscles, which is crucial to supporting your joints. Stay as active as your health allows. Some physical activity is always better than none.

2. Meditation - While meditation can’t take away pain, research shows it can help you approach and manage it in a healthy way.

3. Heat and cold therapy - The use of gentle heat may help relax muscles and stimulate circulation, thereby decreasing pain. Cold therapy – in the form of frozen gel packs or ice – can reduce inflammation and swelling during a flareup. After using

For anyone living with a chronic condition, medication can make a world of difference to ease your symptoms. But according to the Arthritis Society, there’s also a lot you can do to manage pain

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The Town of Essex Community Services is proud to offer a wide range of activities and events for the whole family! Due to COVID-19, there is limited recreational and aquatics programming, with registration and information available online at essexconnect.ca or by calling 519-776-7336 ext 1052.

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245 Talbot St. W., Leamington

heat or cold, gently move the arthritic joint to reduce stiffness.

4. Rest - While physical activity can be beneficial, listening to your body and resting when you notice pain, swelling or increased heat around an affected joint can reduce the length of a flareup.

5. Massage therapy and acupuncture - These treatments are helpful for some people. Consult your physician before trying them for yourself and use a registered practitioner if you do.

Find more ideas at arthritis.ca.

Register online through

14 I Community Essex Free Press

I Thursday, February 25, 2021

Four local historians honoured with Community Heritage Preservation Award - Elise Harding-Davis, Chris Carter, Perry Basden, and the late Bill Gay recognized -

Perry Basden

by Sylene Argent On Tuesday evening, before business of the regular Council meeting began, staff members and Council reps took a moment to recognize four local individuals, who have volunteered countless hours to help celebrate and protect the community’s rich heritage.

Each of these individuals – Elise Harding-Davis, Chris Carter, Perry Basden, and the late Bill Gay - were recognized virtually, and will be presented with a Community Heritage Conservation Award as part of the Town of Essex’s Heritage Week activities.

This is the third year the Town and its Essex Municipal Heritage Committee has presented the awards as a way to, “raise awareness of the importance of heritage preservation to our social and economical development,” Mayor Larry Snively said, who added recognizing these individuals amplifies what it means to celebrate the community’s

past.

He thanked the four honourees for the service they provide to the Town of Essex. “You all work hard. It is great for our community,” Snively said.

Essex’s Planning Manager and liaison for the Essex Municipal Heritage Committee, Rita Jabbour, introduced the honourees.

Perry Basden was nominated by a member of public for his interest in the Town’s collective history and as the founding leader of the newly formed group, “Colchester Essex,” which is dedicated to protecting the heritage aspects of the Village of Colchester.

“Mr. Basden is recognized in the community as a trusted advocate for conservation of the community’s heritage assets,” Jabbour said.

Basden thanked the members of the Essex Municipal Heritage Committee, Town staff, and anyone involved in his nomination.

Chris Carter is a local historian and author of several books that provide details regarding the history of past villages and settlements within the Town of Essex.

“Without Chris’s works, the history of these places would be largely unknown and untold, since a vast majority have fallen into decline with changing social and economical conditions,” Jabbour commented.

Calling small business owners COVID-19 support could be available to you.

• Grants of up to $20,000 through the Ontario Small Business Support Grant • Up to $1,000 in support for purchasing PPE through Ontario's Main Street Relief Grant

Elise Harding-Davis, an AfricanCanadian Heritage Consultant is, “One of the foremost authorities on AfricanCanadian history and events connected to the development and progress of North America. Her unique perception reveals the early presence of Africanorigin pioneers and freedom-fighters in British Canada, revealing the invaluable roles of the black thread in the Canadian Tapestry,” Jabbour added.

Harding-Davis had written several articles and books on black cemeteries and history, including, “The Colours of Essex County,” which focuses on 13 African-Canadian cemeteries in the region The local author was honoured to be selected for the award, which was especially meaningful to her as it came from her own community. She said protecting and preserving AfricanCanadian heritage is her passion.

She also applauded the effort of fellow award recipients. “Many people don’t understand what it is to be driven to do something from a passionate stance,” she said.

In addition, Harding-Davis presented a copy of her book to the Town of Essex, so it can be stored in its library.

The fourth recipient was the late Bill Gay, who was passionate about local history and willing to share his knowledge with residents and visitors as an employee of Heritage Essex, which maintains the historic Essex Railway Station.

“Those who knew Bill know he had a passion for our local history, and especially in respects to the railway,” Jabbour said. “Like the railway, Bill invoked progress by sharing his endless wealth of knowledge with anyone who walked through the doors of the Essex Train Station, including myself.”

The Trains Station was a place Gay devoted a lot of time and effort, and was instrumental in raising funds for its restoration years ago.

Gay passed away earlier this year, so his wife, Marlene Markham-Gay, accepted the award on his behalf.

The award, “Would have made Bill very pleased to received it,” MarkhamGay said, adding she hoped the award could be displayed at the Essex Railway Station.

Several Council members thanked the recipients for all their hard work, and noted their dedication is inspiring and important to the community.

“It just shows how rich we are in our volunteers in our communities, who come forward and give us such a great boost in their talents and to keep in focus of what has gone in the past and how it affects our future,” Councillor Morley Bowman said. “A big ‘thank you’ to all these people for being committed to their communities and making us a richer community for their presence.”

Members of the Municipal Heritage Committee accepted nominations from the community for the Heritage Preservation Awards. They received four applications, and were happy to appoint all nominees as honourable recipients during their January meeting.

“They are all deserving,” Laurie Brett said, who is the Chairperson of the Essex Municipal Heritage Committee during that January meeting. “I think four nominees is incredible.”

In conjunction with presenting the Community Heritage Awards as part of Heritage Week, the Town of Essex also arranged for Harding-Davis and Carter to each host historically-minded talks that were presented through the Town of Essex’s digital outlets last week.

These presentations are also featured in this edition of the Essex Free Press.

• Rebates for property tax and energy costs

Town launches Virtual Tours of three historic sites for Heritage Week

We’re working to ensure small businesses can keep employing people and serving their communities now and when COVID-19 is behind us.

Visit ontario.ca/COVIDsupport to apply Paid for by the Government of Ontario

by Sylene Argent As part of Heritage Week, the Town of Essex produced Virtual Tours of three local sites of heritage significance, offering residents a chance to visit them from the comfort of their own homes during the pandemic.

Alex Denonville, Manager of Communications for the Town of Essex, noted the 2021 Heritage Week Virtual Tours offers remote visits to the John R. Park Homestead, Essex United Church, and St. Clements Church.

The Virtual Tour includes a photo gallery with 360-degree photos. The website allows visitors to scroll around and zoom in to read about featured aspects of the sites.

The tours feature the interiors of some of the most beautiful and prominent heritage buildings in the community, Denonville said.

Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Town of Essex has tried to provide online activities, and the Virtual Tours is another program that sits that model.

“We decided, if we couldn’t bring visitors to our local heritage sites, we’d bring the sites to them, in the comfort of their own home” Denonville said.

The Virtual Tours are available for viewing at www.essex.ca/heritageweek The website also includes a map that residents can use to embark on a historic driving tour to visit where some of the Town’s lost settlements used to be located.

Thursday, February 25, 2021

I

Community I 15

Essex Free Press

North Star project creates over 130 care baskets for local nursing homes - EDHS Leadership students donate $300 to the project help [Brett] reach all the residents and make such a big difference to our most vulnerable community members.”

Asking for money is hard this year, Drozdz added, and her class only had four days to host a collection, one of which ended up being a snow day, “But the students and staff at EDHS came through and our ‘spare change drive’ raised just over $300. The leadership students are super impressed and inspired by [Brett’s] initiative at such a young age, and congratulate him on his success on this project.”

His mom, Amy, said undertaking the care basket project with her son was a great experience. “It was so much work, but so worth it,” she said. “We are so incredibly grateful to the community for all

Photos submitted by the Brett family. Jameson Brett and his family were able to create over 130 care packages, thanks to the generosity of the community. Last Saturday, he delivered eight care packages to Essex Manor and 60 to Iler Lodge.

by Sylene Argent When local Beaver, Jameson Brett, started his community project to earn his North Star Badge, he had a goal to make as many care baskets for residents in local nursing homes as he could.

He wanted to create care baskets for local residents in long-term care, because he misses his great-grandmother, and thought she, and other residents, could use a pick-me-up during a time when visitation has been limited, due to the pandemic. His greatgrandmother lives at Royal Oak in Kingsville, and the last time Brett saw her in person was at Christmas in 2019.

Though he has been able to pay window visits and talk to her over the phone, it is just not the same as getting to see her in person and enjoy a hug.

Initially, he figured he would be able to

create around 40 baskets, which would have been split between Iler Lodge in Essex Centre and Royal Oak. Thanks to overwhelming support from the community, however, he and his family have been able to create nearly 130 baskets, and more are still being made.

On Saturday, Brett and his supportive family members dropped off eight baskets for the residents at Essex Manor, and another 60 baskets to Iler Lodge.

In addition, staff gift baskets and flower arrangements were also delivered to each home, as a way to thank frontline workers.

Brett has another 60 baskets ready to go to Royal Oak, which will be delivered next weekend.

“I feel excited,” Brett said of the project, “because it started off with just 11 baskets and

it turned into 128 baskets, plus the three staff baskets. And, we still can do more baskets.”

He added he was, “Very surprised that we got as much stuff and money as we did. People realized that they might have people in the nursing homes that they can’t see and they could send them a basket.”

In addition, a generous $300 donation from the EDHS Leadership Class will allow Brett to make another 15-20 baskets.

Lindsay Drozdz, EDHS Leadership Class Teacher, said her students were excited to get behind Brett’s project. “They loved the idea of supporting a future Raider, who will likely be a leadership student himself several years down the road.

Many of our students have grandparents and relatives at Iler Lodge, so the leaders wanted to

of the support.”

Amy added she and her family hope her son’s project encourages others

to do what they can to help the less fortunate and isolated populations.

16 I Classifieds

I Thursday, February 25, 2021

Essex Free Press

Classifieds

PLACING A CLASSIFIED AD: Classified ads can be submitted in person, by phone or fax or email from Mon. to Thurs. 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Fri. 9:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. All classified and personal ads require payment, prior to print. We accept Visa | MasterCard | Debit | Cash | Cheque.

CLASSIFIED DEADLINE IS TUESDAY BY 10:00 AM

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FARMING _____________________ WANTED Farm Land to Rent Cash or Share Crop Call Jeff Siefker (cell) 519-796-1240 or (home) 519-776-9501.

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SERVICES _____________________

SERVICES _____________________

MARTY’S SMALL ENGINE REPAIRS  Tune-ups, repairs, & service on snowblowers, riding lawn mowers, chainsaws, & more! 519-733-0986, (c) 519-965-5918.

4-tf _____________________

INCOME TAX  Confidential preparation of Personal, Farm and Senior Returns.

Pick-up, delivery and contact free filing available. E-file or regular filing. Over 35 years experience. Call Tim Mousseau 519-975-2414 or toll free 1-855-9752414 4-12t ______________________

HELP WANTED ______________________ HELP WANTED: Aphria Inc. is looking for Greenhouse Production Associates to join their team. Duties include daily crop maintenance, harvesting, crop rotation, inventory counts, and cleaning of greenhouse. No public transportation available. Located in Leamington, ON. Compensation starts at $14.39/hour.

Full time hours Monday through Friday.

Please apply at careers@aphria.com or mail resume to P.O. Box 20009 269 Erie St. S. Leamington, ON N8H 3C4.

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SERVICES

_____________________ INCOME TAX PREPARATION: Good rates on personal, rental, and business returns.

E-file or paper file. Contactless tax prep available. Call or text Jeannette Grass 5 -12t (519)-890-9111.

KENNETH YARDWORKS  Clean Up. Sod, mulch, eavestrough cleaning and repairs, power washing. Trees & bushes trimmed or removed. Loads to the dump. Fully licensed & insured. Free estimates. Call Kenneth: 519-982-0362.

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Our office is CLOSED to the public. Please email us your Classified Ads for our upcoming editions.

Let’s all do our part to help stop the spread of COVID-19.

E. contact@essexfreepress.com We will get back to you as soon as possible with a proof and price.

We accept Visa & MasterCard over the phone.

Phone 519.776.4268

HELP WANTED ______________________ HIRING! LANDSCAPE MAINTENANCE and LANDSCAPE LABOURERS, $18/hour, Experience necessary. Fax your resume to 1-tfn (519) 723-2336. _____________________ HELP WANTED: Greenhouse and Packing line Labour. General greenhouse labour, duties include pruning, picking, planting and cleaning of greenhouse. Packing line labour, duties include inspecting, weighing and packing produce on assembly line. Lifting, bending and standing is required. Must be able to work all shifts. Rural area. No public transportation available. No specific education required. Experience is an asset. Rate of pay- $14.20. To apply please email: Lindsay@policellafarms. com Or Mail to Domric International, PO 24/tf Box 218, Ruthven ON N0P 2G0.

P. 519-776-4268 www.essexfreepress.com

Fax: 519.776.4014

CLASSIFIED RATES Word Ads - 25 words or less ........................ $6.00 + HST Extra words .................................................... 20¢/word Display Classifieds ....................................... Call for rates

www.essexfreepress.com

REAL ESTATE

_____________________ Buying or selling a farm? Do you know the right questions and answers? Farm Experienced Realtor Carl Idzinski, Keller Williams Lifestyles Realty - Brokerage.

519-817-8891.

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Email: contact@essexfreepress.com

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STORAGE

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WANTED

_____________________ FOR RENT: SECURE OUTDOOR STORAGE in Essex available any time. Ideal for boats, cars, trailers. Call 519-776-4875 36-tfn for details. _____________________

BUYING ALL

GOLD SILVER

WANTED _____________________ CASH PAID for antiques, costume jewellery, furniture, gold, sterling, coins, tools, complete estates. We take it all!

Free appraisals. Call 519-727-8894. 1-tfn _____________________ CASH PAID for scrap cars and trucks. Free removal. Please phone: 519-776-1361 or 519-791-5046.

46_____________________ BUYING/WANTED - Buying old pop signs; Sprite, Team, Mountain Dew, Pure Spring, Dr. Pepper, Crush, Pepsi, etc. All older shotguns, rifles, handguns, and amunition. Call Dave: 519-738-3224.

ALL JEWELRY ALL COINS TOP PRICES PAID Friday & Saturday Feb. 26 & Feb. 27 9am-4pm K of C Hall 190 Richmond St., Amherstburg 53 YEARS’ EXPERIENCE

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Continued on Page 17

Sell It! Find it!

Rent It! Buy It!

CLASSIFIEDS WORK! Advertise here!

Sell It! Find it!

Rent It! Buy It!

Dan W. Jones B.A.B.Ed.

in The Classifieds

519-818-1805

519-776-4268

Advertise Your Business Here For Effective Advertising Contact us today!

16 Centre St., Essex

519.776.4268

www.essexfreepress@on.aibn.com

in The Classifieds

519-776-4268

2021 Division Road North Kingsville, Ontario N9Y 2Y9 (519) 733-2305 www.kingsville.ca kingsvilleworks@kingsville.ca

www.tecumseh.ca

NOTICE OF CONSIDERATION OF AMENDMENTS TO FEES AND CHARGES BY-LAW BUILDING SERVICES FEES BY-LAW WATER AND SEWAGE RATE BY-LAW TAKE NOTICE that the Council of The Corporation of the Town of Kingsville will consider amendments to the following By-laws: • Fees and Charges By-law 15-2021 • Building Services Fees By-law 16-2021 • Water and Sewage Rate By-law 17-2021 at its Regular Meeting on: Monday, March 8, 2021 at 6:00 p.m.

A Summary of the Proposed Amendments will be available online at www.kingsville.ca/fees on Friday, February 26, 2021. Please call the Municipal Office if you require a printed copy. Any written comments must be received by 12:00 noon on Wednesday, March 3, 2021. Comments which are made at the meeting become part of the public record which is available for anyone to view on the Town of Kingsville website.

In light of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the Meeting will be held electronically. Members will meet via electronic participation. Members of the public can view the meeting at www.kingsville.ca/meetings and select the VIDEO icon.

DATED at Kingsville, this 19th day of February, 2021.

Information on this and all Town of Tecumseh news and events is available at www.tecumseh.ca, www.tecumsehapp.ca, Twitter (@TownofTecumseh), and Facebook (Town of Tecumseh).

Tiffany Hong, Manager of Financial Services The Corporation of the Town of Kingsville 2021 Division Road North Kingsville, Ontario N9Y 2Y9 www.kingsville.ca

Thursday, February 25, 2021

I

Classifieds / News I 17

Essex Free Press

Essex County Council Notes for Wednesday, February 17

by Sylene Argent EWEMS to receive $3.1M in funding for community paramedic service County of Essex Windsor EMS Chief, Bruce Krauter, explained The Ministry of Long-Term Care has announced funding for the local ambulance service to provide a Community Paramedic Long-Term Care (CPLTC) program and services, which he said will enhance its Vulnerable Patient Navigator (VPN) program.

“The intention of the funding is to serve those who remain at home and waiting for placement at a long-term care [facility],” Krauter explained.

For the past five-years, EWEMS has provided

Classifieds Continued from Page 16 _____________________

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WANTED

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_____________________ WANTED - Local Collector looking to buy Vintage or Antique toys, large or small collections of Tin Wind-up or Battery Operated toys. All Die-cast vehicles and more. call Todd at 519-982-8590 for free estimate.

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PERSONAL _____________________ PRAYER TO THE BLESSED VIRGIN (NEVER KNOWN TO FAIL) O most beautiful flower of Mt. Carmel, fruitful vine, splendor of heaven, blessed mother of the son of God, immaculate virgin, assist me in my necessity. O star of the sea, help me and show me that you are my Mother. O Holy Mary, Mother of God, Queen of Heaven and Earth, I humbly beseech you from the bottom of my heart to help in my necessity (Make your request). There are none that can withstand your power. “O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to you.” (Three times).

“Holy Mary, I place this prayer in your hands.” (Three times). Say this prayer for three consecutive days and then publish it and it will be granted to you. With grateful thanks. T.O.

PERSONAL

PRAYER TO the Holy Spirit. Holy Spirit, You who makes me see everything and who shows me the way to reach my ideals. You who gives me the Divine Gift to forgive & forget all that is done to me, and you who are in all the instances of my life with me. I, in this short dialogue, want to thank you for everything, and confirm once more that I never want to be separated from you, no matter how great the material desires may be. I want to be with you and my loved ones in your perpetual glory. A person may pray this prayer three consecutive days without asking for their wish. It will be granted no matter how difficult it may be, and promise to publish this dialogue, as soon as your favor has been granted.

J.B. _____________________

PERSONAL

_____________________ LOOKING FOR COMPANIONSHIP: Single, mature male, looking for a local lady for companionship and social interaction.

Age 65-70. Call: 226-280-5112.

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community paramedic services via the VPN program, Krauter explained. The program, he added, had a mantra to facilitate, advocate, collaborate, and educate for those patients who used EMS quite regularly. VPN has found a lot of efficiencies and reduction in repeat usage by up to 60 percent. It has a high patient satisfaction rate, and has reduced offload delays at hospitals, increasing ambulance availability across the region.

In December, EWEMS was invited to a webinar on community paramedicine for long-term care. The framework of this program is almost identical of VPN, Krauter noted.

The program and funding, he added, are to provide services to individuals who are waiting for placement into long-term care homes, or will soon be placed into such facilities.

He said the new services will only enhance services and build on successes of VPN. CPLTC program is a natural fit for enhancement. The program will be staffed by two fulltime VPN paramedics, for twelve hours a day, seven days a week. There will also a clerk, for eight-hours a day, and a Nurse Practitioner, who will step in as a medical lead coordinator for clinical oversight. The funding also includes 10hours a week for a Captain to work for the program.

The CPLTC program will be funded through the Ministry of Long-Term Care, with 100 percent funding for the next four years. As such, the County of Essex will receive up to $3.1M in one-time funding for the four-year pilot program.

County Council received the report, and EMS will execute the transfer of the payment.

Lakeshore Deputy Mayor Tracey Bailey applauded EWEMS for the innovative work. “It is exactly what we need,” she said.

Amherstburg Deputy Mayor Leo Meloche wondered how long the funds would trickle in for the program, after the pilot has been completed. He noted the County and its EMS service are putting the infrastructure in place to host this program, which he was not criticizing the value of it, but wondered if the County would have to decide to pay for the service or drop it, after the initial funding runs out, if funding does not continue after the four-year mark.

Some of the nonemergency procedures includes checking vital signs, finger-prick blood tests, and point-of-care-testing. Staff for the program will not be

going out-of-scope with what the current VPN does now. It will not take over care from what LHIN Care Coordinators and RNs provide.

Through patient monitoring, Nurse Practitioners can assess patients and provide different medications, without having to go to the hospital.

Warden warns to avoid complacency with entering the COVID reopening “red zone” Last Tuesday, the Provincial government allowed the Province to move into the “red zone” of Ontario’s COVID-19 reopening plan.

County Warden, Gary McNamara, extended condolences to the family members and friends who have lost a lovedone to the virus.

“The number of fatal cases has been declining in recent weeks, thanks to the selfless efforts of Essex County residents. But, every death is tragic and the community shares in a collective sense of mourning,” he said.

While moving into the “red zone” feels somewhat liberating, since there has been a stay-at-home order in effect since Boxing Day, McNamara said, “It is important to remember the “red zone” is not the greenlight it is not even a return to normal. It is an acknowledgement that our case numbers have fallen, but is certainly no guarantee they will stay there.”

He added, “It is up to each and every one of us to keep those numbers down and we need to abide, again, with public health guidelines and restrictions, especially with the rise of variants that are believe to be considered more transitable.”

He urged everyone to wash their hands, wear a mask, and to stay home when they feel sick.

New CAO welcomed Mike Galloway, newly appointed CAO for the County of Essex, attended his first meeting last Wednesday night.

His first official day in office was the previous day.

Continued on Page 22

18 I Personals

FromThe Heart

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BIRTHDAY

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Happy

h

t t e Swe 16 Birthday

PAYTONH! SCRATCm Love, Mo

Essex Free Press

I Thursday, February 25, 2021

To place a personal notice, email your photo and content to contact@essexfreepress.com.

Personal notices must be received by Monday at 12:00 noon to appear in the Thursday edition. _______________________________________________

BIRTH ANNOUNCEMENT

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WILLIS (YOUNG) Rick, Dana, and big brother Russell are thrilled to announce the safe arrival of their second child, a beautiful, precious boy; Bennett Richard, born February 19, 2021 @ 2:14pm weighing 7lbs 3ozs. Proud grandparents, John and Sue Young (Brights Grove) and Ron and Mary Willis are looking forward to showering him with love.

Special thanks to the Midwives of Windsor, Dr. Hasen and the nursing staff at MET Hosptital for his safe delivery. Also, a big thank you goes out to our family and friends for their love and support.

Another very lucky boy to be surrounded by so much love!

Voice Of Inspiration “You need to spend time crawling alone through shadows to truly appreciate what it is to stand in the sun.”

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OBITUARIES

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BOULAY, Gilberte “Gail” (nee Payeur) passed away with her sons by her side on Thursday, February 18, 2021 at Erie Shores Hospice at 76 years of age. Beloved wife of the late Denis (2011). Loving Maman of Real (Jill), Gilles (Michelle), and Andre (Nichole).

Adored Grand Maman of Sophie, Parker, Millie, Tegan, and Zoe, and step-Maman to Carly, Kassia, and Gabriel. Gail’s heart and some of her fond memories remain in her hometown of Hearst in northern Ontario where many of her family still live. She is survived by her siblings, Jeannine, Jean-Claude, Madeleine, and predeceased by her siblings Jean-Paul, Lucien, Roger, and Denis. Her favourite activity was trying to win at bingo and she also enjoyed playing cards with friends at Essex Retirees and the gang at her home, Residence Richelieu. Her grandchildren were her biggest treasure and her times spent with them were her favourite times. She will forever be remembered for always be willing to help within her French community and her feisty disposition. Due to Covid restrictions, a service to celebrate Gail’s life will take place at a later date. Arrangements entrusted to Reid Funeral Home, 87 Maidstone Ave. E., Essex. If desired, memorial donations made to Erie Shores Hospice would be appreciated. Family and friends are invited to share their memories online at www.reidfuneralhome.ca

~ Shaun Hick

At this time, our office is CLOSED to the public. Please email us your personal greetings for our upcoming editions.

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IN LOVING MEMORY

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P. 519-776-4268 www.essexfreepress.com

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OBITUARIES

OBITUARIES _________________________________________________________

BREWIN, Joseph Jr. “Bud” - With deep sadness, we announce the sudden passing of our beloved “Bud” on February 20, 2021 at the age of 83. Dear husband of the late Freida Brewin (Foster). Loving father of Tom Brewin (Lauri) and the late Mary-Lou Brewin (2000). Also survived by several members of the Foster and Brewin families, as well as many nieces and nephews. Bud retired from Chrysler after many years of service.

He was a member of Unifor Local # 444.

Cremation has taken place. Donations may be made to the Windsor Regional Cancer Centre Foundation. Arrangements under the care of the Kennedy Funeral Home Ltd. (519-776-7378) 128 Talbot St. North Essex. You may send your condolences online at www.kennedyfh.com

COPELAND, Grant Gordon - 71 years, passed away peacefully at home on February 16, 2021. Loving son of the late Walter and Vivian Copeland. Dear brother of Janet Tillman (Dave), Don Copeland (late Jackie), Joanne McGuire (Don). Uncle of Heather, Shannon, Andrea and Brandon. Grant was a proud firefighter with the Essex Fire Department for 25 years, and was a long-time employee of the Beer Store and Kimball Lumber and was a member of the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 201. A family celebration of Grant’s life will be held at a later date. If desired, memorial donations made to Essex Food Bank would be appreciated by contacting Reid Funeral Home, 87 Maidstone Avenue East, Essex (519-776-4233). Share words of comfort at www.reidfuneralhome.ca

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What’s Going On...

JAN. 29  FEB 28  WINDSORESSEX BLACK HISTORY GUIDE - visitwindsoressex.com/ event/windsor-essex-black-history-guide-2021 FEB. 1  FEB. 28  2021 VIRTUAL POLAR PLUNGE- for Special Olympics Ontario, sponsored by the OPP. Visit www.polarplunge.ca for more information or to sponsor.

MARCH 24  ESSEX BLOOD DONOR CLINIC - at Essex Centre Sports Complex, 60 Fairview Ave W. To book a time and for more info: www.blood.ca.

MARCH 30  HARROW BLOOD DONOR CLINIC - at Camoes Portuguese Club, 390 Sinasac Street ,West. Harrow. To book a time and for more info: www.blood.ca.

HIATUS HOUSE: offers counselling services in Essex County. Women’s Fresh Start group therapy is once a week. For info or to schedule an intake appointment, call the 24-hour Hiatus House helpline at 519-252-7781.

Thursday, February 25, 2021

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Community Hub I 19

Essex Free Press

sponsorship by:

the Annual Meeting.

Our hall and building remain closed to meetings and rentals.

The secretary can be reached Tuesdays and Thursdays, 9 am 1 pm. Our number is (519) 723-2284 and our email is bmuc@ xplornet.ca. We are located at 933 Talbot Road, Maidstone, near the corner of Manning Road and Talbot. You can find us on the web at www.bethelmaidstone.com.

St. Paul’s Anglican Church

Fresh food. Friendly neighbours 191 Talbot St. S., Essex

519-776-4255 Salvation Army Essex Church submitted by Carolyn Barnett

We are not holding church services or Bible Study because of the lockdown, but our Food Bank is still operating. Call Vicki at the church office, at 519-776-4628, to make an appointment.

Trinity Church In church services are cancelled while we are in Red Zone.

Please be sure to catch us on social media.

Do you know someone with a cognitive impairment (adult or child), who may benefit from a fidget blanket? We offer them for free to anyone who requests them. Please call the church at: 519-839-5303 Prayer pouches are still available; please call the church to reserve one.

Please keep those who are struggling with illness, addiction, or hardship in your prayers.

Maidstone Cross submitted by Wendy Cunningham

Our church is open and reservations are required if you are new. Church attendance is limited at 30% capacity and masks are mandatory.

Tax receipts and envelope boxes can be picked up during the week at the parish office in Essex or after Sunday Mass at the back of the church.

Sandwich South Historical Society will launch their new website on February 26th. Check out all kinds of historical photos, stories and facts.

Lenten card parties are on hold due to the COVID restrictions.

Our sympathies and prayers go to the Austin family on the passing of Helen.

Please keep in your prayers and all the people who are sick, shut in and in Hospice and their caregivers. Thank you to all of our front line workers!

Bethel-Maidstone United We are currently closed to in-person worship. Our worship ministry has moved online and can be streamed at anchor. fm/bethel-maidstone. Past sermons are also available in case you missed any.

Thank you to all the committee chairs for submitting their reports for the Annual Report. Stay tuned for information on

Even though our building is currently closed and all services are suspended until further notice, please know that we are still providing spiritual resources online.

Visit our website (www.stpaulstrinity.org) and our social media for updates and worship resources. Messages are checked at the church office. 519-776-7711. Please stay safe until we can meet again! God Bless.

Essex Christian Reformed Church submitted by Beverley Van Huizen

We invite you to join us online on Sunday morning beginning at 10:00 am. Visit us at www.essexcrc.ca for a link to our Essex CRC social media page. Make sure your notifications are on so you will be the first to know when we go live.

We will continue our Lenten series called “The Way of the Cross”. On Sunday, we will look at the “Clearing the Temple” from Mark 11: 12 – 26.

We would like to send a huge ‘Thank You’ to all who donated diapers for our Diaper Drive to Fill the Pastor’s office.

We were able to collect 48 boxes of diapers from new-born to size 5 and delivered them to the Essex Food Bank. We pray a blessing on the Essex Food Bank as they distribute these diapers to the community.

Woodslee United Church submitted by Sue Holman

Sadly, there is no inside Worship Service in the Church until further notice. Rev. Carl will place his video message on our website: woodsleepastoralcharge.ca.

Visit us online for updates and bulletins. Keep safe.

Harrow United Church submitted by Larry Anderson

Harrow United Church has suspended its services/activities within the building. Video services can be viewed online by visiting our church website. We look forward to worshipping together in 2021 when it is safe to do so.

If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact our Minister, Rev. Darrow Woods, who would be pleased to speak with you. The number of Harrow United Church is: 519-738-4223.

Please find information about Harrow United Church on our website at www.harrowunited.org.

Essex Baptist Church Essex Baptist Church continues to offer ministry to our congregation and community during lockdown. Each week we post a video message from our pastor, Rev. Gary Lidstone, for Sunday Morning on our church website at www.essexbaptist.com. You will find this week’s message and others from the past. The first Sunday of the month is our communion service and you can participate with us by video from your home.

Every Thursday evening we have our online Prayer Night at 7:30 pm and all are welcome to join us. Call the office with your prayer need

or email us and we will pray for you. This meeting is by Zoom and should you wish to join with us, simply send your email address to pastor@essexbaptist.com so we can send you an invitation.

If you need someone to pray with you at any time, feel free to contact the church by phone at 519 776 8563 or by email.

We care and want to assure you that God cares for you more. May God bless you and keep you all safe.

St. Stephen’s - Church of the Redemer submitted by Reverend Kimberly Myer

We are still in lockdown for a little while longer and it is great to see our numbers going down in the Windsor/ Essex County area. We send our heartfelt thanks to all of the frontline workers. You have done so much for our community and please know you are upheld in our prayers.

Please take care of yourselves, be safe. Love to you from everyone in the Parish of St Stephen’s and Church of the Redeemer.

Essex United Church

Due to the new Covid restrictions, our church services are suspended and the church office is closed. For more information, call the church office at 519-776-5121. Stay safe and take care.

We are in the process of constructing our new website.

Stay tuned for updates.

The Essex Area Food Bank is available to anyone who needs assistance at this time, located in the gym of the church, on Tuesdays and Thursdays. The Food Bank’s hours of operation are: 8:30 - 11:45am.

Community Support Centre of Essex County

Services include a Food Pantry, Meals on Wheels, transportation services, foot care, home support, congregate dining, adult day programs, outreach counselling, and social programs. Visit www.communitysupportcentre.ca for details and up-to-date services offered to residents.

Voice Of Inspiration “Never give up on someone. Sometimes the answers you are looking for are the same answers another person is looking for. Two people searching together are always better than one person alone.” ~

Shannon L. Alder

20 I Business Directory Essex Free Press

I Thursday, February 25, 2021

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Essex Free Press

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22 I News / Opinion Essex Free Press

Essex County Council Notes for Wednesday, February 17...

“The County is very fortunate to have a man of Mike’s calibre to step into the CAO role. He is an experienced municipal professional, with a passion for public service, community building and collaborations, combined with a distinguished track-record of excellence in municipal governance,” Essex County Warden, Gary McNamara said.

Previously, he was the CAO for the Town of Caledon, the Town of Niagara-onthe-Lake, and the Township of Pelee. He has 15-years of service on the Board of Directors for the Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO), and has been involved as an instructor for the Diploma in Municipal Management Program through AMCTO, and is also a lecturer at Brock University.

On behalf of everyone at the County, McNamara said he is looking forward to working together with Galloway to accomplish great things for Essex County residents.

Galloway thanked everyone for the warm welcome, and is looking forward to working with fellow staff members and Council reps.

Galloway has a Master of Business Administration from the University of Fredericton.

County receives remuneration report Essex County Council received the 2020 Statement of Councillors’ Remuneration.

In the Report to Council, it notes County Council salaries are calculated by averaging the remuneration paid to members in the seven local municipalities. In adds virtual platforms have been used for meetings and for conferences, due to COVID, which has allocated for a decline for expenditures for mileage, indemnities, and conference expenses last year.

Total County Council earnings for all reps was $283,686.31, which includes earnings for salary, indemnities (stipends for participation in a variety of boards and

Fond memories of a 1947 Hudson Cameron Lindsay was born in 1940 and lives today in British Columbia. In 1947, the family moved from Chatham to Wheatley, Ontario, where Cam’s dad operated a grocery store.

Cam thinks their 2-tone green 1947 Hudson sedan was bought new in Chatham and he referred to it as the grocery wagon because it hauled 1000’s of orders when they were too large for the delivery boy on his bike (that was Cam).

The car had (or was given) a creeper gear that allowed it to move forward at about 3 mph without a driver. Cam loaded many 6 and 11 qt. baskets of peaches and tomatoes in this fashion.

“My younger brother and I got into a fight in that car and I pushed him out the door when we were going about 30-40 miles an hour. He sustained only minor injuries but mine were major.”

The Hudson Motor Car Company of Detroit built its first car in 1909 and named it after J. L. Hudson, a department store tycoon who put up most of the money to get the company started. His large Hudson store was a famous landmark in downtown Detroit for several decades.

Northland Shopping Center opened in suburban Detroit in 1954 as people moved out of the city, forcing Hudson’s downtown store to close one floor at a time starting at the top until it closed for good.

The Hudson Company opened an assembly plant in Tilbury, Ontario, in 1932 to build Hudson, Essex, and Terraplane cars for the Canadian and Commonwealth markets and the Lindsay family’s Hudson was probably built here. This plant continued in operation until 1954, when Hudson merged with Nash to form American Motors.

The Hudson-EssexTerraplane Club I am happy to say is still going strong after all these years. I love their motto: “Join for the cars! Stay for the people!”

I’m always looking for stories. Email billtsherk@ sympatico.ca.

committees, including EWSWA, Health Unit, Accessibility Advisory, Housing Advisory, WEC Environment Committee), and mileage.

By Council rep: Warden and Tecumseh Mayor Gary McNamara: $96,852.68.

Deputy Mayor of Lakeshore Tracey Bailey: $18,679.26. Mayor of Kingsville Nelson Santos: $17,947.80. Mayor of Lakeshore Tom Bain: $16,196.74. Deputy Mayor of Leamington Larry Verbeke: $14,051.30.

Essex Mayor Larry Snively: $13,970.63.

Mayor of LaSalle Marc Bondy: $13,933.41.

Mayor of Amherstburg Aldo Dicarlo: $13,815.05. Deputy Mayor of Essex Richard Meloche: $13,592.75. Deputy Mayor of Tecumseh Joe Bachetti: $13,569.13.

Leamington Mayor Hilda MacDonald: $13,418.13. Kingsville Deputy Mayor Gord Queen: $12,839.72: Deputy Mayor of Amherstburg Leo Meloche: $12,428.31.

Deputy Mayor of LaSalle Crystal Meloche: $12,391.40.

Tax policy changes - historic/new multires tax ratio adjusted, low-income seniors/ persons with disabilities Tax Assistance Program amended Sandra Zwiers, Director of Financial Services/Treasurer, led discussions surrounding 2021 tax policies and recommendations.

In October, she said, County Council approved in principle a preliminary tax policy report of the tax ratio implementation for 2021, as there is a discrepancy between tax rations for the historic multi-residential class and the new multi-residential class.

She noted the historic class is burdened almost double the ratio as the new class. It was decided to move closer to equity in that class, by reducing the ration by 25 percent

I Thursday, February 25, 2021

Continued from Page 17

each over the next four years.

This is the only ratio change recommended, Zwiers said.

She added the Ministry of Finance postponed the 2020 value assessment update, due to the pandemic. So, property assessments for the 2021 taxation year will continue, based on their fully-phased-in values that were in effect from January 1, 2016.

She noted there is no indication when the Province will release new, updated assessment information. There has been a lot of growth regionally and a general increase in property values across all tax property classes in the area. The Regional Treasurers Group is looking forward to setting new tax ratios and rates, once that new info comes out.

She also spoke of new tax tools and initiatives.

The Regional Treasures Group assessed the value of reinstating COIVD-19 Financial Relief Measures. Currently, none are in place, as they were suspended late last year.

Members of the Regional Treasurers Group, based on feedback they were getting locally, are going to keep monitoring the situation, and if any should be reinstated, it will be reported to County Council.

Each year, she added, the various tax assistance and rebate program bylaws are assessed. She did forward a recommendation that the Essex County Tax Assistance Program for low-income seniors and low-income persons with disabilities be amended.

It was found, last year, that some applications were denied, based on particular criteria that Zwiers proposed be Continued on Page 23

Thursday, February 25, 2021

I

News I 23

Essex Free Press

ERCA Approves Draft Budget... duties and responsibilities under other legislation.”

The draft budget includes a reallocation of funding from nonmandatory services, using Covid-19-related service and staffing reductions as an opportunity to pivot and redirect levy from outreach/events/ communications to mandated functions, primarily in watershed

management and corporate services.

Improving business processes, updating IT infrastructure and information systems, completing a floodplain prioritization study, addressing hazards and restoration issues related to high lake levels, significant rainfall events and climate change, restoring over 125 acres

of natural habitat, and completing a significant habitat restoration and shoreline protection project on Pêche Island, in partnership with the City of Windsor, are just some of the top priorities ERCA has outlined for 2021.

The Authority is currently developing a funding transition plan, in accordance with the legislated requirements

Essex County Council Notes for Wednesday, February 17... Continued from Page 22 removed from the bylaw, which requires that all tax arrears, including penalties and interest, be paid in full prior to approval of an application under the program.

“In recognition of the financial hardship already facing applicants, administration is recommending that the bylaw be amended to remove this requirement,” she explained, adding this was unanimously supported by all the regional Treasurers and Tax Collectors at a recent meeting.

County Council later passed the Bylaw, adopted the tax ratios for the 2021 taxation year, that the reductions for subclasses for excess commercial, excess industrial, and vacant industrial land be set at 30 percent, 35 percent, and 35 percent, respectively, and that Essex County Tax Assistance program for low-income seniors and low-income

persons with disabilities be amended, and that the Essex County Charity Tax Rebate Program continue with no amendments.

Coco Paving awarded tenders for 2021 Rehabilitation Coco Paving was awarded the tenders for the Cold In-Place Recycling with Expanded Asphalt for $3,149,800. This is for a variety of roads and paved shoulders throughout the County. There were three tenders, with Coco Paving being the lowest.

Coco Paving was also awarded the Hot Mix Asphalt Over the Cold In-Place Recycling with Expanded Asphalt and for the amount of $4,721,135 There were two applications for this, with Coco Paving being the lowest.

The funds for this work were included in the 2021 Infrastructure Services Budget.

Continued from Page 10

of the revised Act and concurrently will develop an updated Sustainability and Strategic Plan, to align with provincial implementation timelines.

“Following this transitional year, any approved non-mandatory services will need to be funded with either fees, grants, donations or where levy may still be required, individual municipal agreements,” Byrne added. “According to the current interpretation of the Act, restoration work on non-Conservation Authority owned lands, water quality monitoring, recreation programs, museum operations and education and outreach services would be subject to these conditions.”

Chair Tania Jobin believes that ERCA is best positioned to deliver regional environmental priorities in a cost effective way.

“The expertise that ERCA provides in regards to managing our watersheds is an effective and efficient way of ensuring our sustainably as a region,” she says.

“For each municipality to individually employ this type of expertise on its own would be cost prohibitive. What’s more, ERCA has a longstanding track record of providing a significant return on investment through outside investments in our region, in addition to its important programs and services.”

The Essex Region Conservation Authority

is a public sector organization established by the Province in 1973, and governed by local municipalities, to provide for the organization and delivery of programs and services that further the conservation, restoration, development and management of natural resources in watersheds in Ontario.

Town of Essex

NEWS & NOTICES COVID-19 Update

Snow Removal Reminder

With the region now in the RedControl level of the Provincial pandemic response framework, the Libro Rink and walking track at the Essex Centre Sports Complex will open for individuals and designated user groups. The Essex Municipal Office and Building/Bylaw Enforcement Office will also be open for essential visitors starting on March 1. For a full update on changes to operations and facilities, please visit: essex.ca/COVID

Residents and property owners are reminded of their responsibilities under the Snow Removal By-law.

Snow and ice must be cleared from sidewalks within 12 hours after snowfall, while commercial properties must be cleared within 4 hours. Snow should be shoveled away from fire hydrants, drains, and sewers, and should not be deposited on roads or sidewalks. To assist with the Town’s road clearing, residents are asked to avoid parking on streets and blocking sidewalks. To learn more, search “snow” at: essex.ca

Interim Property Taxes Due If you own property in the Town of Essex, you should have received your interim property tax bill in early February. The first installment of tax payments is due on February 26.

As a reminder, credit card payments are no longer accepted over the phone or in-person.

For questions about your tax bill or payments, please contact taxation@essex.ca or call 519776-7336 ext 3050 during regular business hours. For more property tax information, visit: essex.ca/Taxes

Last Call for Youth Summer Jobs The deadline to apply for the Town’s summer youth jobs program is Friday, March 12. For position and application details, please visit: essex.ca/SummerJobs

Crossing Guards Needed The Town is currently seeking Crossing Guards in Harrow and Essex Centre. Full job details can be found at: essex.ca/Jobs

Climate Change Adaptation Plan Adopted

Test Your Internet Speeds with New Online Tool

At their Regular Meeting on February 16, Council for the Town of Essex officially adopted the Climate Ready plan. The plan provides a roadmap for both Council and administration to prepare and adapt to the future impacts of climate change. The plan was developed from late2019 to 2021 in consultation with residents and local stakeholders, as well as with members of the Essex Climate Adaptation Team and Town of Essex administration. Read the whole plan and learn more online at: essex.ca/ClimateReady

The Town, in partnership with the Canadian Internet Registration Authority, is asking residents to test their Internet service with a new online tool.

The data collected will be used to identify and compare priority areas as well as assist the Town in advocating for broadband infrastructure investments.

Test submissions will be accepted throughout the next year. Learn more about the project and complete the test online at: performance.cira.ca/Essex

Windsor-Essex Seeking Feedback on Safety and Well-Being Plan Residents of Essex have the opportunity to shape the first regional Community Safety and Well-Being Plan by participating in a survey or virtual public meeting on Monday, March 8 at 6:30pm.

The consultation will gather input from residents on their

priorities and concerns across a number of topics, including financial security, mental and physical health, education, crime, housing, and other factors that impact their community’s safety.

Learn more about the plan and its development at:

CSWBWindsorEssex.ca

33 Talbot Street South | Essex, ON | N8M 1A8 | 519-776-7336 |

24 I Community Essex Free Press

I Thursday, February 25, 2021

Essex MP will fight proposed gun legislation “tooth and nail” on behalf of law-abiding owners

by Sylene Argent Essex MP Chris Lewis (Conservative) said he will stand-up for law-abiding firearm owners, as the Liberal-led Federal Government tries to move forward with Bill C-21, An Act to amend certain acts and to make certain consequential amendments (firearms).

According to the Public Safety Canada website, the proposed legislation will subject owners of the around 1500 firearm models prohibited on May 1, 2020 to non-permissive storage requirements, should they choose not to participate in the buyback program. They will also be required to comply with strict requirements, beginning on April 30, 2022. Possession would include no permitted use, no import, no further acquisition, no sale, and no bequeathal.

Owners would also have to successfully complete the Canadian Restricted Firearm Safety Course and upgrade to a Restricted Possession and Acquisition Licence, register the firearm with the Firearms Registrar, and comply with enhanced storage requirements.

The proposed legislation will also give municipalities the opportunity to ban handguns, and increase maximum penalties for firearms trafficking, smuggling, and other firearms offences from 10 to 14 years imprisonment.

“At the end of the day, this legislation is nothing more than a smokescreen for the Trudeau Liberals to try to turn the page on their lack of vaccines, their lack of COVID-19 response for small businesses, just on so many fronts,” Lewis commented.

He said the proposed legislation does nothing to address the smuggled, illegal firearms that come across the boarders; the same guns, he said, are used to commit the majority of crimes.

“Hunters, sport shooters, we are not the ones that commit these crimes. In matter of fact, we are probably the most lawabiding citizens because we don’t want our guns taken away,” Lewis said. “So why they are attacking us? It is just nonsense and beyond belief. It’s deplorable.

It is inexcusable. And, I will fight tooth and nail to the very nth degree to make darn sure that people who are law-abiding citizens, law-abiding firearm-owners have the due respect.”

Lewis wants to talk about gangs and criminal behaviour, and stopping them.

“Honesty, they are the bad apples, not Mr. and Mrs. Jones down the street that have a couple of long-guns that just want to go out perhaps rabbit hunting with their grandchild.”

He suggested that, “If the government wants to buy back something, buy back your own shortfalls,” Lewis said. “If you are going to invest money, we better be investing in the CBSA, so we stop the illegal handguns from coming across the border.”

When the issue of gun control rests in the lap of the federal government, Lewis question why Liberals would pass the responsibility of having the ability to ban handguns to the municipal-level. “[Municipal governments] are struggling to find every last opportunity to keep businesses open…when they are trying hard to scrape the pennies [together]

to keep our streets clean of snow, why in the world would you dump that on their laps?” Lewis believes the answer is a deflection tactic.

“Quite frankly,” Lewis said of the

proposed legislation, “They should be very much embarrassed on this front. We have much, much, much larger fish to fry.”

Bill C-21 will still be debated in the House of Commons.

Humane Society celebrates 10th anniversary of spay/neuter clinic Submittedby the Windsor/ Essex County Humane Society.

In February of 2011, a decade ago, the Windsor/ Essex County Humane Society broke ground on its public spay/neuter clinic.

Since that time, surgery has been performed on more than 42,000 community animals within the clinic.

To celebrate the 10th anniversary - in addition to recognizing World Spay Day, which takes place in February - a special $10 spay/neuter event for freeroaming cats was hosted last week, where more than 50 cats were scheduled to undergo surgery.

This is all an effort to help reduce the number of kittens born outdoors this spring.

The Windsor/Essex County Humane Society Veterinary Clinic was built to provide access to affordable spay and neuter services for dogs and cats.

It is open to all members of the public, without

income or geographic limitations. It has been proven, in communities across North America, that providing greater access to spay and neuter is the best way to address pet overpopulation.

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