Aylmer Express March 30 2022

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THEIR TIME HAS COME – AND GONE

There is every indicator that our Thames Valley District School Board has lost the plot and should disband.

This is the entity that is entrusted with the expense of almost a billion dollars a year. It demonstrated several years ago to be largely out of touch with the rural communities with the threatened closing of several area schools. It was only demonstrative and persistent public protest that overturned those decisions which threatened the educational backbone of several communities, especially Springfield.

But that was then. Now we find this clumsy powerunto-itself is obsessed with secrecy, a threat to any healthy democracy.

They operate mostly in a vacuum and recent action would suggest they want it kept that way.

The stumbling point covered in this week’s Express, was a report submitted to the board by a two-year internal task force studying rural education. That’s us.

The task force had been mandated to listen to the ideas and concerns of rural communities and develop a strategy and recommendation to strengthen and better fund rural schools.

It had been intended to inspire “honest and open dialogue”.

But board staff had halted the report before it was finished, without explanation.

Trustees Megan Ruddock (Elgin-St. Thomas) and Sean Hunt (Middlesex) attempted a motion to continue the study. Mr. Hunt said that the task force had improved relations with rural communities with the reassurance that “the board is listening”. Despite that the board staff stopped assisting the project.

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Board buries rural schools study

by Rob Perry Local Journalism Initiative reporter

Thames Valley District School Board trustees, in a split vote on Tuesday, March 22, effectively entombed under a mask of “confidentiality” three years of work by its rural education task force.

Trustee and task force member Sean Hunt called the move “a slap in the face” to those who participated on the task force and provided input at community meetings.

The contents of a draft report from the task force made up of four trustees and one elected official each from Elgin, Middlesex and Oxford counties was suppressed by board staff members earlier this month.

But the mandate of the committee itself, outlined in its draft report (and released by the tree municipal elected officials on it), included, “Report findings and make recommendations to the board regarding rural schools.”

(Elected municipal leaders who had been task force members sent the draft report to their county councils, concerned that its suppression would obliterate the work that had been done. As a result, the Express has seen and reviewed the draft report and found nothing that would require any degree of confidentiality.)

At the meeting March 22,

trustees voted to circulate the draft to the three First Nations communities with education service agreements with TVDSB, its special education advisory committee, the board’s equity and inclusion committee and board administrators for comment.

“The advisory committees of the board (planning and priorities advisory committee and/or program and school services committee) would receive the feedback from those stakeholder groups and consider it along with the full report,” TVDSB said in a statement.

However, trustees who had been task force members had pleaded with their colleagues to allow them to conduct the additional consultations as a task force, and then issue a final report to the board in June.

The discussion on the report and its fate didn’t start until 10:30 p.m. March 22, three-anda-half hours into the meeting.

Trustees on the task force included Arlene Morell (Middlesex) as its chairman; Meagan Ruddock and Bruce Smith (Elgin-St. Thomas); and Sean Hunt (Middlesex). Municipal leaders on it were: Central Elgin Mayor Sally Martyn, Zorra Mayor Marcus Ryan and North Middlesex Deputy Mayor Adrian Cornelissen.

Trustee Morell thanked members of the public, includ-

“March for Ukraine” raises at least $20,000 to aid that war-torn country

by Rob Perry Local Journalism Initiative reporter

All 250 tickets were sold out and the CASO Station in St. Thomas was standing room only for a “March for Ukraine” relief fundraiser Tuesday, March 22, for that beleaguered European country, invaded first by Russia in 2014 and then again starting in February.

The event included vendors, tastings of traditional Ukrainian foods including borscht (beet soup), sausage and varenyky (boiled dumplings) and most of

all passion from speakers Steve Peters, Petrusia Hontar and Daria Hryckiw.

It raised at least double its goal of $10,000 for Ukrainian relief, Petrusia reported. Petrusia opened up the presentations, asking the audience to stand during a video where a choir sang the Ukrainian national anthem.

“It really hits hard now,” she said of the anthem. “We want to be free in our land.”

The anthem went to the essence of what Ukrainians were. “We just want to be left alone.

We don’t want to be part of another country.”

Steve, former MPP and Speaker of the Ontario Legislature and currently a city councillor, talked about the history of Ukrainians in Canada and, in particular, St. Thomas.

“I’m going to cry,” he said as he tried to start his remarks and, while he didn’t, his voice remained tinged with emotion through his presentation.

“A lot of you have known me a long time, but a lot of you don’t know my origin.” His grandfather, on moving

ing elected municipal leaders, who had joined the task force trustees on the front steps of the board administration offices in London prior to the board meeting.

She outlined the mandate that the board had given to the rural education task force three years earlier, including:

Listen to the ideas and concerns of rural communities;

• Generate fresh perspectives related to rural schools and communities;

• Develop innovative solutions for consideration for a TVDSB rural education strategy;

• Report findings and make recommendations to the board regarding rural schools.

The task force was also sup-

posed to bring TVDSB into line with provincial direction on strengthening rural schools, to allow them to qualify for Rural and Northern educational support funding.

The report was currently a draft document, and had been intended to start “honest and open dialogue,” she added.

Continuing, she said the work of the committee in conducting

final consultations and preparing a final report had been paused “through staff direction.”

Despite that, the trustee members of the task force believed their mandate should continue until June, so they could do the work they needed to complete their mission. That would include seeking feedback from “focus groups”

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Enjoy

to Canada from Ukraine, had to change his name to Peters “because he was a foreigner,” Steve continued. His maternal grandmother left Ukraine in 1928 while still a teenager, a priest having changed her birth certificate to say she was 18 so she could leave.

Despite being two generations removed from Ukraine, “There’s a loyalty to the old country I can’t explain.”

He recalled his grandmother sending cash and care packages back to Ukraine. “It was just CONTINUED ON PAGE 3

the 12°C high, to a low of -24°C on March 3. This week alone has already seen severe winds and -16°C cold on Sunday, white-out snowfall on Monday, shining sun on Tuesday, and predictions of freezing rain, snow, more sun and temperatures reaching 12°C for the remainder of the week. (AE/Renée Hueston)

No changes to TVDBS’s trustee distribution rural-urban power balance is maintained

by Rob Perry

of The Aylmer Express Thames Valley District School Board members voted unanimously on Tuesday, March 22, to make no changes to the current 6-6 balance between rural and urban trustees. That vote followed a failed proposal by a London trustee to move tracts of city voters into surrounding rural regions (including Elgin).

The board, founded through an amalgamation of Elgin, Oxford and Middlesex boards with their London counterpart in 1998, has always had six urban and six rural trustees, plus an appointed trustee from the local First Nations communities. That balance has been achieved by declaring Middlesex as an “underpopulated municipality,” which gives it two trustees, not just the one it would otherwise receive under a provincial formula.

Some municipal elected officials had worried that could change this year.

The board was required, every four years before municipal elections, to decide how it wanted to distribute trustees through the Thames Valley region.

If Middlesex wasn’t again declared an “underpopulated municipality, London would gain a seventh trustee and effective control of the board.

General Legal Counsel Ali Chahbar told trustees that the number of trustees a school board could have, was based on the number of electors (i.e., qualified voters) within it.

With 454,087 electors in London and the three counties, TVDSB fell into the 400,000 to 999,999 category, with 12

elected trustees.

With no “low-population” designation, Middlesex with 50,563 electors would have one trustee, Oxford with 83,4790 would have two, Elgin with 62,355 would have two and London with 257,690 would have seven.

With the low-population designation, Middlesex would lose a trustee and London would gain one.

TVDSB, he noted, had to submit a report outlining how trustees would be distributed this election to the Ontario Ministry of Education by March 31.

He added that the population data needed to make the decision had only been delivered by the Municipal Property Assessment Corporation to the board on Feb. 15.

Gonzales’ boundary change proposal

London Trustee Laura Gonzales, recently appointed to fill a vacancy, noted that watching board meetings for the last eight years, she had seen “these very interesting relationships” between urban and rural trustees. This, she said, was an opportunity for all trustees to come together and represent the board area as a whole, and make changes to ensure that representation was by population.

Trying to buy into the urban versus rural mindset “is a disservice to our students,” she claimed. “It’s not even real.”

The actual situation was more, “counties versus London, which is dangerous,” she believed.

She proposed that Middlesex not be deemed to be a lowpopulation municipality. Instead, she moved the fol-

lowing: that London’s Ward 3 be reallocated with its 15,979 potential voters to Middlesex and its 50,563 voters; and That London’s Ward 14, with 16,245 possible voters, be reallocated to Elgin and its 62,355. She also proposed shuffling two more London wards within the city’s total of 14, with two trustees each elected from three “groupings” of wards.

The changes would also equalize the workload between trustees and the number of

schools and residents they represented, she said. London Trustee Corrine Rahman seconded the motion. “Make a bold decision in order to support more collaborative decision-making across Thames Valley,” she urged. When she had first run for trustee, she had expected to represent the entirety of TVDSB, but afterward found a “pattern of discussion that divided the board,” and wasn’t

Cerna will run, won’t apologize

Councillor Rick Cerna announced at a Malahide council meeting Thursday, March 17, that while he didn’t know the plans of anyone else now on council, he did intend to run for re-election in October.

He wasn’t certain about which ward he would run in, “but not in Port Bruce. They are not happy campers down there. (But) I still stand by what I said.”

Cr. Cerna was elected Ward 4 Councillor in the last election, which encompasses the southern end of the township (south of Sparta Line), including that lakeside hamlet.

He had made some critical remarks at a Catfish Creek Conservation Authority board meeting, where he represents Malahide, on Thursday, March 10 about the behaviour of some residents in Port Bruce during flooding there Feb. 17 and 18.

Those comments included:

“They don’t think sometimes” –of people who refused to leave their homes until they realized

how bad the flooding was, called 911 for help, and when firefighters arrived refused to leave again.

In another instance he recounted driving through a flooded area with the conservation authority manager, and a resident complained they were going too fast and creating a wake. “And he’s worried about a wake? That’s the mentality of some of the people down there. You can’t fix stupid,” he added. His comments were not meant to be a blanket statement, he said, but when a resident was offered rescue help from firefighters but turned it down, then called for a rescue and then again turned it down when firefighters arrived, that wasn’t good.

“I know they’re a little ticked. I will not apologize for what I said, but it’s only intended for those people.”

Mayor Mennill noted that Cr. Cerna’s decision not to run in Port Bruce’s ward “may be a wise decision.”

St. Thomas Councillor Steve Peters was the keynote speaker for the event. He spoke of the history of Ukrainian immigrants coming to Canada, including from his own family. He even wore sneakers in the colours of the Ukrainian flag, blue and yellow. (AE/Rob Perry)

Daria Hryckiw, left, of London’s Ukrainian Centre, sold traditional handicrafts to participants at the March for Ukraine fundraiser held at the CASO Station in St. Thomas on Tuesday, March 22. About 250 attended, which raised at least $20,000, double the original goal. (AE/Rob Perry)

No changes to TVDBS’s trustee distribution rural-urban power balance is maintained

in the best interest of students, she asserted.

“Novel approach”

Middlesex Trustee Sean Hunt said, “This is a novel approach,” but none of the communities that had been affected had been consulted beforehand.

He also said that under the Ontario Elections Act, the “upper tier” of local government was responsible for holding elections that crossed municipal lines.

That would end up with Middlesex or Elgin counties running trustee elections in London, he said.

He’d consulted with municipal clerks in Middlesex, and they didn’t see how such an election could function.

Trustee Hunt asked if the other current London Ward 3 trustee, Peter Cuddy (Trustee Rahman is one) had been consulted, or residents.

Mr. Cuddy replied, “No one’s been consulted.”

London Trustee Sheri Polhill, while she saluted the intent to close the urban-rural divide, said that while the changes would require some county trustees to adopt more of an urban mindset, no London trustees would have to do the same for rural issues.

“I just don’t see this as equitable,” she said.

Elgin-St. Thomas Trustee

Meagan Ruddock said when looking at a map, county representatives might not have as many schools or as big a population, they had a much larger geographical area to travel.

The proposed changes would add even more area for them to cover, she worried.

“Enough issues now”

Trustee Cuddy said he appreciated the time and effort put in by Trustee Gonzales, “but I’ll be voting against it. We have enough issues with our rural partners now, that we don’t need to make any change to Middlesex.”

He offered to drive any city trustees on a tour of Middlesex, noting that was where he grew up.

“We do work together. But right now, we have bigger issues. We do not need to make changes that’s going to make a bigger divide.”

Oxford Trustee Graham Hart said he’d been on TVDSB when a similar decision was faced in 2018, and was chairman of the Oxford board leading up to amalgamation in 1998.

That 1998 blending of three county boards and one from the city “was a contrived marriage, and a difficult marriage,” he said. Middlesex had a lower population than the other two counties and London even then, but the decision was made then to have six representatives from

Elgin, Middlesex and Oxford and six from London.

He believed that distribution was part of the reason for TVDSB’s success over the years, because it had been a compromise from the beginning.

None of the three counties

“wanted to be dominated by London, and that was part of the issue,” he remembered.

However, everyone recognized the amalgamation would lead to the equalization of how much was being spent per student on education, he continued. At the time, Oxford was spending $1,000 less per student per year than London.

He noted that any resident in board area could run for trustee.

“That’s what brings equity to it all.”

Prince Edward Island has always had a disproportionate number of Members of Parliament, for historical reasons, and even now, no one was looking to change that, he added.

He congratulated Trustee Gonzales on her attempt at redistribution, “but I think it would be very divisive if we moved in that direction.”

Protected farmland

Trustee Ruddock pointed out that the three counties would never have the same growth as London, because the rural areas were rich in farmland that was protected against development

Dr. Tran handed reins by Dr. Lock

by provincial planning policies.

Trustee Hunt agreed. “Our land is reserved for growing food.”

Elgin-St. Thomas Trustee Bruce Smith added, “Southwestern Ontario is actually the garden of Canada,” and if land was chewed up by housing, the entire country would suffer.

He’d been a music teacher when TVDSB was first formed, and he recalled sitting on a committee trying to harmonize music programs. “There was a lot of divisiveness at that time, and much of it has disappeared.”

Trustee Gonzales based on what she was hearing, she would withdraw her resolution, but she hoped different configurations of wards would be considered in future.

Trustee Polhill then moved and Trustee Moore seconded that Middlesex County be designated a “low-population” municipality and trustee distribution remain unchanged for the coming election.

Trustee Polhill said, “I have long held the opinion that equal and fair are two different things.”

Reducing Middlesex’s representation might be equitable, but it wouldn’t be fair, she believed. “We need to have a fair board. We need to have the voices.”

Councillors voted unanimously to adopt the motion.

by Rob Perry Local Journalism Initiative reporter Dr. Joyce Lock, outgoing Medical Officer of Health at Southwestern Public Health conducted her final media briefing Wednesday, March 23, before retiring from that role, and her replacement, Dr. Ninh Tran, his first such briefing.

Dr. Lock recalled when the briefings, held every week or two weeks over the course of the pandemic began, that no one had any antiviral medications to help fight Covid infections, and vaccines were still a year away from being produced.

“We have covered a lot of ground together,” she said, and “The pandemic is not over.”

Hundreds of cases of Covid were still active in Elgin, St. Thomas and Oxford, based on testing and anecdotal information, she said. The rate at which tests for the virus came back as positive were lower than during their peak in January of this

year, “but still much higher than any other point in the outbreak.”

However, outbreaks at institutions such as long-term care homes and hospitals had dropped significantly, which she said was thanks to high Covid vaccination rates. The vaccines were also playing a role in reducing the risk of developing severe symptoms or even dying as a result of the virus.

Vaccination remained the strongest defence against Covid, she said. “It’s not too late to get vaccinated.”

Dr. Lock said that with many mandated public health measures being lifted, and all expected to be by April 27, many questions had been asked about what comes next.

“Our data shows that older adults are at the greatest risk of severe outcomes,” she said. In the Southwestern area, 48% of Covid hospitalizations and 76% of deaths had involved adults over 70 years old.

Aylmer Police report

Aylmer Police Chief Zvonko Horvat reported the following on Monday, March 28:

Fail to stop

An Aylmer man, 55, is facing five charges after allegedly fleeing from police in a 2017 Kia on Monday, March 21, at about 9:30 a.m.

Chief Horvat said a man wanted on outstanding charges was seen getting into the Kia as a passenger, and then the 55-year-old got into the driver’s seat.

The motorist drove out of town and was intercepted by a marked police cruiser while northbound on Rogers Road. But when the officer activated emergency lights to try to stop the vehicle, the driver fled at a high rate of speed.

He then failed to stop for a sign at the intersection with Glencolin Line and, in the interest of public safety, the pursuit

Opening April 4th

was ended, Chief Horvat said. The driver was later identified and a warrant issued for his arrest for fleeing from police, dangerous operation of a motor vehicle, obstructing police, disobeying a stop sign and driving while under suspension. The passenger is also still being sought.

Mischief Police were called to investigate a complaint of mischief at a home on John Street South sometime between March 18 and 20. Chief Horvat said someone went to the back of the house and smashed a glass door there. No signs of entry were found, and no items were missing from inside.

Fail to comply

An officer on patrol on Monday, March 21, at about 1:30 p.m. saw a man and woman walking on Talbot

Vaccination played an important role in protecting those older adults from infection, she said. She also encouraging continuing to follow some basic precautions, such as distancing, use of a face mask and frequent washing of hands, especially around older residents.

“Be careful, be sensitive,” she urged.

SWPH Chief Executive Officer Cynthia St. John thanked Dr. Lock for her contributions during her tenure at the health unit. “It’s hard to believe it’s been eight years. You will be missed.”

She then introduced Dr. Tran, who’d been an associate medical officer of health for Hamilton Public Health for the last 12 years, as well as a practising primary care physician and an instructor in McMaster University’s public health department.

Dr. Tran said he was thrilled to be at SWPH, and recalled that, working with Dr. Lock

Street West, knowing they were not supposed to communicate with each other after a previous domestic incident where the man had been charged.

As a result, the man has been charged with failing to comply with the conditions of his release.

Online dog fraud

An Aylmer woman, 57, told police she had contacted someone purporting to be selling a dog on a Facebook “marketplace” listing. The dog “owner” asked for payment in electronic gift cards, and the woman, figuring this was a fraud, did not proceed and reported the incident to police.

Chief Horvat said she had taken the proper action and, as a result, was not out any money.

Fuel theft

Aylmer Police received a complaint that gasoline had

Dr. Ninh Tran is the new Medical Officer of Health for Southwestern Public Health, which covers Elgin, St. Thomas and Oxford. (AE/Rob Perry)

in the past on a variety to capacities, she had always spoken highly of the local health unit’s friendly professionalism.

been stolen from a 2014 Ford truck parking on Beech Street on Thursday, March 24. Investigation revealed that sometime between March 20 and 24, someone siphoned about $75 worth of gas from the truck, leaving its tank empty.

Attempted break-in

Someone tried to break into a shed at a Talbot Street West home during the early-morning hours of Thursday, March 24. An effort was made to pry open the shed door, causing minor damage.

Pickup stolen

Someone stole a 2012 Dodge pickup from the lot at Goodwill’s Used Cars on Talbot Street East in Aylmer at about 4:30 a.m. on Saturday, March 26.

Anyone with information in the case is asked to contact Aylmer Police.

“March for Ukraine” focuses on aid for war-torn country

something Ukrainian families did.”

Standing in the former train station, he thought of the countless people arriving in Canada for the first time who had passed through it, to settle in St. Thomas and Elgin.

The first wave of Ukrainian immigration into Canada started in 1891, and continued until the First Great War, with most settling in the Prairies.

They got their quarter section of land, amounting to 160 acres, and began their new lives.

His paternal grandfather’s family and his paternal grandmother’s family had come to Saskatchewan in the early 1900s, with 10 children in each.

Their first winter spent in Canada was spend in an overturned wagon covered in clay and straw to provide protection from the elements.

His mother’s family came in the second wave that started in 1920, as Ukrainians fled first revolutionary Bolsheviks and then occupation by the Soviet Union.

His grandmother told his mother, “never look back,” and she didn’t, but “she never forgot.”

A third wave began arriving in Canada, and particularly in St. Thomas, in the late 1940s, “because they were living in DP (displaced persons – essentially refugees) camps in Germany, because they had been taken to Germany as forced labour, and they did whatever the Germans told them to do because they had no choice.’

He’d spoken that day to a Ukrainian woman, now 98, residing in St. Thomas who told him how she came to Canada in 1949, having married four years before that.

She settled here “because St. Thomas reached out to bring people in to work on farms, to work in the factories, because

they knew the Ukrainians would come here and work hard.

“They’re here in 1950 because the IODE, the Imperial Order of the Daughters of the Empire, Kanata Chapter, St. Thomas, brought those families to St. Thomas.”

No Ukrainian had ever been handed anything on a silver platter, and would never expect that, Steve said.

He showed historic newspaper photos of Ukrainians at work in the city, “building houses and building our community and building our country,” and socializing.

About 10 families, despite their small numbers, had in the 1950s built an Orthodox Church with materials left over from the construction of the new St. Thomas Elgin General Hospital.

“Ukrainians never forgot where they came from,” he stressed.

“This is a community that St. Thomas welcomed, and this is a community that gave back to St. Thomas, and we’ll never forget.”

He was asking St. Thomas and Elgin residents in turn to find a way to give back, “To give back to my motherland, our motherland, and think about what we can do to help out.”

As the event was unfolding in St. Thomas, Steve said, in Europe some Ukrainians were wearing pots on their heads and cutting up parts of cars to make body armour.

“They’re never going to give up. The freaking Russians, and pardon me, any Russians in the room, have no idea who they’re fighting with.

“Anything you can do tonight to support them, you should. Please do anything you can.”

“Hat’s off to Petrusia” for spearheading the organization of the March for Ukraine event, he added to applause.

Petrusia, in turn, urged par-

ticipants to enjoy the food on offer, and to participate in raffles and silent auctions, as well as patronizing vendors who were donating the proceeds of their sales to Ukrainian relief.

“This is only a fraction of the donations we received,” she said of the offerings on display, adding the silent auction would continue online for even more goods and services.

Organizing the event had started four days after the February renewed invasion of Ukraine. In 2014, Russian forces had occupied two eastern provinces of the country and Crimea, and for Ukrainians that really marked the start of the war with their massive neighbour.

Daria Hryckiw, London branch president of the Ukrainian Canadian Congress, spoke on behalf of the London Ukrainian Centre, one of three charities benefitting from the

March for Ukraine.

Ukrainians “are in very big trouble,” she said, her voice, too, wavering at times. “To Canadian people, I want to say, thank you very much.”

One woman had come to the Ukrainian Centre in London and told her she had one brooch and one bracelet, and had sold them to give $600 for relief efforts.

The Canada Ukraine Foundation would also benefit fundraiser, and it was engaged in humanitarian efforts in Ukraine and had been for the last 27 years.

Lastly, UKRCanada would be the final recipient.

Larysa Zariczniak, speaking on behalf of her husband who had organized UKRCanada, said in November of 2013, a protest against the Ukrainian president’s decision to not move

toward closer relations with Europe resulted in thousands turning out, “And that’s when the revolution started.”

Not long after that, Russia invaded the county, seizing Crimea and two eastern provinces.

Her husband, who fought against the invasion, returned to Canada in 2017 and sought to create a website to connect Ukrainians around the world with their motherland.

He wanted to raise funds for his friends still on the front lines, for medical aid and drones.

“And then February started, and our world completely changed,” Larysa continued.

Like others of Ukrainian descent, they were spending sleepless nights worried about their homeland and the people they know there.

UKRCanada had so far raised a little over $20,000.

Rather than dealing with the logistics of shipping to Ukraine, they were sending money to companies there, such as one that took car parts and turned them into protective vests for $300 each. The vests were being used by territorial volunteers. “That’s all they’re asking,” and UKRCanada had invested over $10,000 there so far.

The response from other Canadians had been overwhelming, she added. “We are grateful. We are thankful. We cry about it.”

With a donation of $10 or more made at the Aylmer Express office your name will be added to an Easter raffle April 11, 2022.

Donations can also be made to the Canadian Red Cross online: donate.redcross.ca

handicrafts, music and presentations from speakers. The goal for the night, $10,000, had at least been doubled, organizers said.

(AE/Rob Perry)

(AE/Rob

Express-O-Gram

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Astoundingly, board chairman Lori-Ann Pizzolato responded “no criticizing of any of our members at this table.”

So much for free thought and free speech.

Yet Oxford Trustee Graham Hart, appointed as a trustee, said he’d found much to disagree with in the report. That would suggest criticism of the task force.

When the motion to continue the study was called, mover Mr. Hunt requested a recorded vote, usually a formality. Instead Chairman Pizzolato called for an unrecorded vote, to hold a recorded vote, which she declared failed to pass. Then the motion to continue was also defeated in a show of hands, according to the chairman.

The task force was immediately terminated and the report declared confidential, even though reviewed by several municipalities and our reporter, Rob Perry.

That reporter said he had never witnessed a recorded vote refused. Neither has this writer. That is over multiple decades of reporting.

Their refusal to take criticism, their comfortable relationship with secrecy and apparent insensitivity to rural desires shows this board has failed in its duties to rural constituents.

We fully support Central Elgin Mayor Sally Martyn and Township of Zorra Mayor Marcus Ryan, questioning the school board’s usefulness to rural students and rural taxpayers.

It’s long overdue to dismantle this ponderous behemoth. Spending and empire-building there are long out of control.

There was never anything wrong with the Elgin County Board of Education. It was representative and a responsive, understandable and controllable size.

Whatever the process to abandon the Thames Valley District School Board, let’s get it in motion. Time and money are wasting.

A refusal to take a recorded vote – in the home of education – unbelievable.

SEE CODA IF YOU CAN

Around Christmas I viewed a, what I would call, small movie, on the recommendation of my daughter. As usual, she was correct.

It was a film about the trials and tribulations, challenges and little victories of a young lady and her deaf parents and brother, and their struggling fishing business. Sounds dull – it was great.

I found it such a lovely experience that I intended to recommend it to our readers, but was told that wouldn’t be fair as the digital broadcast I’d witnessed may not be accessible to all.

With the Monday night naming of CODA by the Academy Awards as best film of the year, I think the secret is out. Do whatever it takes to see it. You won’t be disappointed. There is an especially poignant scene which gives the audience a little indicator of the intense challenge faced by the deaf, and the special situation of a musically-gifted Child Of Deaf Adults.

Many years ago I had a schoolmate who was hearing impaired and was shocked to learn that she’d rather be blind than deaf from birth. Such is the difficulty in learning and communication.

I later took an adult education sign-language course from her where I met a wonderful local couple. In retrospect, their situation must have been very similar to this movie. Long out of touch, I hope our community was helpful and understanding with that family.

Ribald and frustrating, touching and rewarding, the movie gained extra richness with the three deaf family members played by deaf actors. Written and cast with care, the father, Troy Kotsur, was awarded best supporting actor. He gave a speech of thanks through sign language that choked up the translator during a tribute to his father, the best signer in his family, later paralyzed from the neck down, in a car collision.

The daughters’ passion for music makes a sharp counterpoint in this celebration of human warmth and understanding.

Board chair apologizes for remarks made after Port Bruce flooding

As Chair of the Catfish Creek Conservation Authority, I apologize for the regretful comments made by board members at a recent Full Authority Board meeting regarding the flooding in Port Bruce. We serve the people in the Catfish Creek watershed to carry out programs that serve provincial and municipal interests, including natural hazard

management, and preparing and protecting against the impacts of natural hazards. As the effects of climate change make our weather warmer, wetter, and wilder, we continue the work of resource management providing services and programs for the watershed.

The recent flooding in Port Bruce was a huge challenge.

The impact to the residents resonates with us all. Visiting the village several times after the flooding, I witnessed first hand the aftermath. I understand the heartbreak this most recent flooding caused to the residents and, to the entire community.

Hockey provides a great experience, for all involved

This past hockey season, I had the opportunity to work the gate (collecting the admission fee) at East Elgin Community Complex for the AMHA (Aylmer Minor Hockey Association). When I started, we were in the midst of the vaccination controversy. Not once did a hockey player make a fuss over having to show their passport. Wish I could say the same about some adults. Have you

ever seen the amount of gear these young people carry in their hockey bags? They come into the lobby, quietly put their bags down and withdraw their proof of vaccination and identification to present to the security guard then hurry off to the dressings room. These young people are poised, confident and courteous and I am so very proud of them. Not one of them stepped out of line. I cannot say enough about

how much I admire the parents and grandparents who pay hefty registration fees for their sons and daughters to play hockey. This is in addition to all their expensive gear like skates, helmets and protective gear. The support of these athletes involves all members of the family including rushed dinners, or maybe fast food, having to leave work early, making sure all of the equipment makes it to the car.

The younger players often struggle with the weight of their equipment bag, but their faces show how much pride they feel. They are representing not only their team but also their community.

Discipline, comradery, concentration, commitment, loyalty to your coaches and teammates, pride in your team; these things they all have in abundance. I don’t know where else they could learn all of this while having so much fun.

The benefits of your child taking part in an organized sport cannot be stressed enough and I have barely scratched the surface. I haven’t even mentioned learning how to lose with dignity and how to win with humility.

Thanks to AMHA for giving me the opportunity to observe the next generations in action. Special thanks to Ryan Laur, Stephen Douglas and the staff at the community center for a great experience.

Wendy Sharpe Aylmer

March 26, 1997 -

March

Lori Baldwin Sands Chair, Catfish Creek Conservation Authority

25, 1987 - Tony Lehnen, who's in charge of the tour program at the Catfish Creek Conservation Authority's Springwater maple syrup making demonstrations, shows Christine Davis, 10, and Corey Shipp, both grade 5 pupils from McGregor Public School, how maple syrup was made in pioneer days. About 1,500 school children will have a tour of the authority's sugar shanty by March 27.

Tundra swan viewing at Aylmer Wildlife Management Area, adjacent to Ontario Police College, has been excellent this year, Mark Emery of Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources said. Low temperatures have kept the swans from flying north so 1,200 to 1,300 of them should be easily observed there daily. He expected large flocks in the area for Easter weekend before ice disappears from Northern Ontario lakes.

Board buries rural schools study

and lawyers, she noted.

Without an extension, the task force’s mandate would expire that night. “We hope we can have reasonable timeline and an opportunity to proceed.”

Trustee Ruddock said the task force had expected to engage “focus groups” as part of final consultations, but further meetings had been cancelled by staff. They had already held consultations with the public over the past two years and she asked that the task force be allowed to continue its work.

Trustee Hunt moved and Trustee Ruddock seconded a motion to that effect.

Trustee Hunt said the task force had, in its consultations, held nine hearings at facilities provided by municipalities.

All of them resulted in a considerable turnout, in addition to an electronic survey at the start of the task force’s work, including from newcomers to rural life and First Nations residents.

The task force had improved the perception that the “board is listening,” he continued, despite “being unsupported by staff over the last month-and-a-half.”

Chairman Pizzolato interrupted, “No criticizing of any of our members at this table.”

Trustee Hunt insisted he’d just been relaying facts.

Oxford Trustee Graham Hart, said he’d found much in the report that he disagreed with (though didn’t offer any examples). He did not favour extending the work of the task force.

“This issue has fallen off the rails. It isn’t what we expected.”

The best that could be made of the report would be to send it to committees or individual trustees to consider, he said. The report should be focused on student learning, not on “municipal governments getting re-elected.”

Trustee Smith asked board members to extend the work of the task force. It had made great strides in improving relations between TVDSB and rural communities.

“Some people had a lot to say,” he continued, but many were just pleased that so many trustees and staff members had come out to listen to them.

London Trustee Corrine Rahman said the last few weeks had been difficult for the board. When the task force was originally established, she had voted for work she believed would build faith in TVDSB. That “has been severely undermined.” She, too, did not favour extending the task force’s mandate.

Trustee Hunt said, “We’re operating under a mandate that was unanimously approved by the board.”

Chairman Pizzolato asked if the task force had been given funds to do its work.

Education Director Mark Fisher said no funding had been allocated to the rural education task force, beyond the assignment of one staff member for support services.

Any actual effort to continue the task force’s work by consulting with focus groups “would require considerable effort” to ensure they were done with “rigor,” he said.

When the time came for a vote on his motion, Trustee Hunt asked for a recorded vote or, as the board referred to it, a “poll vote.”

But Chairman Pizzolato in-

sisted that the board would have to vote to approve carrying out a recorded vote and, when they did, she declared that had failed to pass.

(The Aylmer Express staff, in all their experience covering municipal and county councils and various boards for decades, have only known a recorded vote as a formality to request. Such a request has never been turned down, nor has it needed its own vote to approve or reject doing so.)

The motion to allow the task force to continue its work was then purportedly defeated in a show of hands according to Chairman Pizzolato, and that meant the task force was immediately dissolved.

Trustee Rahman then moved a motion to declare the draft report “satisfies the board of trustees,” and that all those who had participated in it should be thanked.

Trustee Hunt objected, saying that with the draft report being declared “confidential” by the board’s administration, nothing could be done with it, and that amounted to “a slap in the face.”

Trustee Hunt, questioned what exactly those being thanked would be told about the results of their work, and was reponded to saying they would simply be thanked for their time over the past three years.

He said, “We’ve been advised that no one can publish or read the report, so it kind of seems like a slap in the face to the people who have provided input – that we won’t tell them what action will be taken as a result of this.”

The vote on Trustee Rahman’s resolution was again done only by the raising of hands, and resulted in a tie, which Chairman Pizzolato broke by voting in favour of it. The opposing votes came from all four trustees who participated on the task force, as well as Barb Yeoman (Oxford) and Sheri Polhill (London).

Earlier statement

TVDSB, in a March 7 statement on what it described as the “premature” release to the public of the task force’s report, claimed, “According to the Education Act, committees that are comprised exclusively of board trustees have the exclusive authority to make recommendations to the board of trustees relating to matters of education, finance, personnel, and property whereas committees that include individuals who are not members of the TVDSB board are statutorily limited to dealing with matters other than education, finance, personnel and property.

“In addition to a number of legal and procedural concerns identified, TVDSB administration determined that the draft report was found to lack key components, including an absence of consultations with key stakeholders and impacted community groups, including Indigenous communities, labour partners, equity seeking groups and student voices to name a few.

“The draft report contained a number of problematic recommendations, many of which were inconsistent with the board’s obligations under the Education Act and Ontario Human Rights Code that would, amongst other things, limit student choice about where they attend school, and differentiate and disadvantage students based on their home address.”

Jeffrey James Dale

Brian Ashford

DALE, Jeffrey James died tragically in his 66th year on Friday March 25th as result of an apartment fire in Sudbury.

Left to morn are his loved daughters, Haley, wife Aya of Toronto; Shelby partner John of Mount Hope; his father, Jim Dale partner Patricia of Delaware; sisters Marilyn Willsey of Plattsville; Vicki McKenna, husband Dave of Belmont; brother Scott Dale partner Marie of Belmont; and, Aunt Karen Evans of London.

Predeceased by mother Ginny Dale and brother-in-law John Willsey. He is remembered by his nieces and nephews, Alison Willsey (Randy); April Willsey; Jonathan Willsey (Brittany); Steven McKenna; Cassandra Easton (Shawn); Daniel Dale (Claire); and, Logan Dale (Dani). He is remembered by his many friends from Belmont and where he played minor hockey, then Junior Hockey with the London Glencoe Squires and St Mary’s Lincolns. He will be remembered fondly by his many close friends, including John (Tonner); Paul (Spook); Rick, Darcy (Calgary); Steve (Sylvan Lake); Ed (Captain); Dave (Huck), Dennis (Mence), Dan (Druff)), Paul (Crack), Greg (Rolly), Brian (Speedy), Tim (Birdy), Gilbert (Harv), Barry (Smitty); and, cousin Mike (Micker). Donations to the Elgin Street Mission in Sudbury or the Sudbury Food Bank are welcome. Celebration of life to be held at a later date.

Malahide roads report

Consultant Dave Anderson of 4 Roads Management Services Inc. presented a lengthy report to Malahide councillors at a recent meeting on the “2021 State of the Infrastructure and Asset Management Plan for Roads” in the municipality.

He said the township’s current annual spending on maintaining and rebuilding its roads was sufficient at $1.46-million now for the short term, but really should increase to $2.6-million a year to make them sustainable over the long term.

He also noted that the replacement cost for all of Malahide’s roads was $131-million.

He urged as well the continued conversion of the township’s remaining gravel roads, which accounted for 20% of the total network, to a hard surface to reduce long-term maintenance costs.

Mayor David Mennill tried to summarize the complex report by suggesting, “I think we’re ahead of the curve, but don’t let our foot off the gas?”

Mr. Anderson replied, “I think that’s a good assessment.”

Deputy Mayor Dominique Giguère noted the report contained 19 recommendations, and asked if township managers would now prepare a report on how to implement them.

Public Works Director Matt Sweetland said that was exactly the case, adding several had already been incorporated into the township’s long-term budget planning and its new asset management plan for roads.

Councillor Mark Widner said he’d found over the years was that the township sometimes received inferior products or work from road contractors, and he asked if that was common in other municipalities.

Mr. Anderson said he’d spent 30 years in municipal work before becoming a consultant, and found, “You got what you inspect, not what you expect.”

One of his recommendations involved testing to ensure Malahide was getting what it had ordered from contractors.

ASHFORD, Brian of St. Mary’s passed away at his residence on Tuesday, March 22, 2022 in his 65th year. Dear father of Adam (Chrissy), Josh (Tiffany), Chelsey (Jason) and Graham. Brother of Ruth Anne Perrin (John) and Jim Ashford (Dianne). He will be

missed by his 7 grandchildren and a number of nieces and nephews. Predeceased by his brother Larry Ashford. Born in St. Thomas on September 12, 1957, son of the late Laurel “Shorty” Ashford and Clara (Sadler) Ashford. Brian lived in Woolleyville, near Summers Corners for many years. He was an auto body mechanic and truck driver; he enjoyed being on the road doing long hauls. Brian loved his St. Bernards and Molson Canadian. Cremation has taken place. Visitation will be held at the H.A. Kebbel Funeral Home on Wednesday from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. A graveside service will be held at the Aylmer Cemetery on Thursday, March 31, 2022 at 11:00 a.m. Donations to the Diabetes Association would be appreciated. Share memories or condolences at kebbelfuneralhome.com

DENNISS, Leon of Sparta, passed away peacefully at home, surrounded by his loving family on Wednesday, March 23rd, 2022 in his 91st year. Beloved husband and best friend of 57 years to the late Mary Vivian (Olde) Denniss (2012). Dearly loved father of Debbie Rimnyak, Dale Denniss, Dean Denniss (Maureen), Darlene Denniss, Diane Taylor (Mark) and Dan Denniss (Michelle). Cherished grandfather of Tahlia (Patrick), Tenessa (Jordan), Adam, Emily, Josh, Erin, Cody, Chelsea, George and Ruby. He will be lovingly remembered by several nieces, nephews, cousins, neighbours and dear friends. Predeceased by his brother, Ron Denniss (Grace).

Leon was born in Yarmouth Centre on April 6th, 1931, son of the late George and Flossie (Munro) Denniss. He married the love of his life, Mary, on September 11th, 1954. They were blessed with 6 children and 10 grandchildren and shared a full and wonderful life together for 57 years. Leon farmed his entire life. He was a long-time member of the Sparta United Church and active member of the Sparta community. Leon was a fan of many sports, playing baseball and basketball in his youth and an avid spectator in the many sports his kids and grandkids took part in. He was a passionate fan of the Leafs and Blue-Jays. Leon was a past president of the Elgin Holstein Association, 4-H Leader for 25 years, Catfish Creek Conservation Board Member and a Catfish Creek Conservation Award winner. Resting at Williams Funeral Home, 45 Elgin Street, St. Thomas where funeral services will be held on Wednesday, March 30th, 2022 at 11:00 a.m. Interment to follow in Union United Church Cemetery. The family will receive friends at the funeral home on Tuesday from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Memorial donations may

Leon Denniss

Malahide council excerpts

by Rob Perry of The Aylmer Express Malahide councillors discussed and/or decided the following at a meeting Thursday, March 17:

NOW HIRING!

The Catfish Creek Conservation Authority is now accepting applications for seasonal staff for all shifts including weekends and statutory holidays for the Springwater Conservation Area.

Park Technicians & Gate Attendants

In Loving Memory of Betty Hudson

Variances granted Councillors, sitting as committee of adjustment, granted minor zoning variance applications sought by owners of three rural residential properties.

Stephanie and Ken Farrow sought two variances to allow them to replace a garage on their property at 46998 Crossley Hunter Line with one that was larger.

Malahide Administrator Adam Betteridge said the new garage would be set back further than the existing one from the east property line, but at 1.5 metres still wouldn’t be in full compliance with what zoning required, which was five metres.

The garage would also be slightly higher at 6.29m than the maximum of 6m.

Michael Lemko and Melissa Harris-Lemko, in a similar application, asked to put a new accessory building on their property at 9846 Springwater Road that would have 223 square metres or (2,400 sq. ft.) of floor space just 1.8m from their southern property line. That would exceed the normal limits of 200 sq. m. for floor area and be less than the usual five metres for a side yard setback.

Finally, Tony and Esther Wiebe wanted to build an addition on the back of their house at 48737 John Wise Line.

Mr. Betteridge said that unusually for a rural residential lot, the Wiebes’ property was wide and shallow rather than narrow and deep.

As a result, the addition they wanted to put on their house would come within 7.3m (24ft.) of their rear property line when 10m (32ft.) was usually required.

Broken pumper

Fire Chief Jeff Spoor, updating a report at a previous meet-

ing, said that a fire pumper truck which suffered damage while rescuing victims of flooding in Port Bruce Feb. 17 and 18, would not need its motor replaced, just fuel injectors.

The engine has been repaired, he said, but since it was at the dealer’s, an ongoing problem with a pump on the truck was being remedied as well. It should be back in service in several weeks.

Mayor Mennill asked if Malahide still was using a pumper truck on loan from Central Elgin.

Chief Spoor said that was the case, and that arrangement could continue as long as needed.

SCADA upgrades

Malahide councillors approved awarding a “singlesource” contract for $126,400 to Summa Engineering Ltd. to replace programmable logic controllers (PLC) at seven sites for municipal water and sewage systems in the township, Aylmer and Bayham.

Water and Wastewater Operations Manager Sam Gustavson said the municipalities would each contribute toward costs related to their sites, and in Malahide that would be $18,057 each for a water booster pumping station in Copenhagen and Springfield’s sewage pumping station. Malahide administers various water systems on behalf of itself and neighbouring municipalities, as well as the Springfield sewage system for itself.

Council remuneration

Township council members received a total of $114,366 in pay and expenses related to their offices and for serving on outside boards as well as mileage in 2021.

In a mandatory annual report adopted by councillors, the following was reported:

Mayor David Mennill, who attended 22 regular meetings of council and four special or committee meetings, received $24,611 in pay and $900 in

In Memory of Charles Racz

April 4, 2002

mileage for a total of $25,511; Deputy Mayor Dominique Giguère, who attended the same number of meetings, received $18,351 in pay, $900 in mileage and $407 for conferences and workshops, plus $775 from outside boards and committees for a total of $20,433.

Councillor Rick Cerna, who attended 22 regular and two special or committee meetings, received $12,709 in pay, $600 in milage and, $1,810 in remuneration from outside boards and committees plus $69 in related expenses for a total of $15,188.

Cr. Chester Glinski, Cr. Max Moore, Cr. Mark Widner and Cr. Scott Lewis, who all attended 22 regular meetings and four special or committee meetings except for Cr. Lewis who attended two of the latter, each received $12,709 in pay plus $600 in mileage for a total of $13,309.

Inaugural meeting

Councillors approved moving the inaugural meeting of the new council to be elected in municipal voting on Oct. 24 to the third Thursday in November from the first Thursday in December.

Clerk and Manager of Legislative Services Allison Adams said following the last municipal election, the Ontario government had changed when the new terms of councils started to Nov. 15 from Dec. 1.

Community signs

Cr. Widner said some residents of Crossley Hunter were asking for community name signs to be installed on roads just outside the crossroads community.

Malahide had done the same for most other small communities, he noted, and he asked that money for Crossley Hunter be included in this year’s budget.

Mayor Mennill directed staff to prepare a report on the request.

Farewell to Cecil

Mayor Mennill thanked Malahide Information Technologies Manager Cecil Coxen for his 22 years of service to the township.

Mr. Coxen had decided the time had come to move on to new territory, Mayor Mennill said, but he had been instrumental in keeping council and the township operating during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Thank you so much for your dedicated service, and we wish you the best of luck going forward.”

Nash Beer of host Aylmer Minor Hockey’s

Under-11 Local League Red team spun the puck away from an East Lambton player just after a faceoff in a game at East Elgin Community Complex Thursday, March 24.

Covid update

Southwestern Public Health released the following information related to COVID-19 in the Elgin, St. Thomas and Oxford area in the past week.

It was announced Monday, March 28, that an Oxford man in his 80s had become the 155th death linked to Covid in the region since the pandemic began two years ago. His death was connected to an outbreak at Tillsonburg District Memorial Hospital, SWPH stated.

The health unit had previously announced Wednesday, March 23, the Covid-related death of a St. Thomas man in his 70s.

The health unit also reported Monday that the number of area residents hospitalized with the virus had risen to 11, but none of them were in intensive care units, up from six the previous week.

An outbreak has also been declared at Aylmer Retirement Residence. As of Monday, four residents and two staff members had confirmed cases of

Aylmer lost that game 2-5, tied another Saturday, March 26 2-2 and then on Sunday, March 27, won 5-3. The series as of Monday morning was all even, with each team having one win, one loss and two ties. (AE/Rob Perry)

the virus.

Ongoing local confirmed cases being tracked by the health unit include 84 in St. Thomas and area, 12 in Aylmer and Malahide, seven each in Central Elgin and West Elgin, six in Dutton Dunwich and two in Southwold.

The rate of Covid tests coming back as positive for the virus climbed to 13.4% as of March 13, up from 11.7% as of March 6.

Western University researchers tracking findings of Covid in sewage in London recently announced that readings in March were triple what they had been in February.

Clinic changes

Southwestern Public Health has announced the following changes to its Covid vaccination clinics:

• Starting Friday, April 1, appointments will no longer be offered for vaccinations at mass immunization clinics. All will be operating on

a walk-in basis only.

• The St. Thomas mass clinic will move to SWPH’s local headquarters at 1230 Talbot St. effective Friday, April 1, and will be open for Covid shots Mondays, Wednesday and Fridays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.., except for a lunch period from 12 noon to 1 p.m.

• A “pop-up” mobile vaccination clinics is planned for the Fred Bodsworth Public Library in Port Burwell on Thursday, April 7, from 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

• A provincial “GOVAXX” vaccination bus will be at the Saxonia Hall just west of Aylmer on Friday, April 1 and Saturday, April 2, from 11 .m. to 7 p.m., and at the East Elgin Community Complex Monday, April 4, through Thursday, April 7, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. It will also be at the Port Stanley arena on Sunday, April 17, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

by,

mind,

Thank You

The family of the late Kelly Vyse wish to express their sincere thanks and appreciation to the Port Burwell Firemen and Paramedics for their swift care and compassion.

Thanks to relatives, friends and neighbours for their kindness, flowers, cards, memorial donations and heartfelt condolences and to XQZT Floral Design for the beautiful funeral flowers.

Special thanks to St. Thomas Elgin Act for their many years of support.

Thank you to Maurice J. Verhoeve Funeral Homes for their excellent service and help during this difficult time.

Thanks to Doris VanDenEehout for the memorial service and the Port Burwell Legion for the luncheon.

Sincerely, The Vyse Family

by Colleen DeVos

Did you hear about the guy who swapped the labels on the pumps at the gas station?

It was an April Fuels’ joke. With the high price of gas right now it seemed like the perfect joke for April 1. Happy April Fool’s Day Springfield.

Springfield newS

munities have used their handcrafting skills to create some beautiful, crocheted ribbons in the colour of the Ukraine flag.

Ribbons for Ukraine Relief crocheted by this small group of dedicated women are available to anyone interested in making a small donation in support of their heartfelt and humanitarian mission. All proceeds from the ribbons are being donated to the Ukrainian Centre in London, who oversee distributing the funds.

To date, and very short amount of time, this devoted crocheting team have raised $220, and are accepting orders both large and small. You can find more information on how to order your own ribbons by visiting the Kraus Stitch social media page.

Kraus country support

Kudos to local resident and talented artisan Anne Krauskopf who, along with a group of likeminded ladies from the Springfield and Aylmer com-

If you want to make a change in the world, start first at home.

Easter egg hunt

The Springfield Fun Day Committee will be holding a

Here’s the dirt on backyard composting

free East Egg hunt on Saturday, April 16 for children ages 13 years and under at Malahide Community Place at 10:30 a.m. There are five age categories. Pre-registration with the committee is required. Registration will begin at 10 a.m. prior to the event. Bring your own basket and come and meet the bunny Roast Beef Supper

Advanced tickets are now on sale for the return of the Springfield Swans Community Roast Beef Supper on Saturday, April 30 at Malahide Community Place. There will be drive-thru pick up between 5 to 7 p.m. with all proceeds in support of Family Central in Aylmer. A worthy cause and a delicious meal that will see cars lined up to the curb. Tickets are sure to sell quickly—contact a Swan today.

Springfield Library

The branch is open Tuesday and Thursday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Saturday 2 to 5 p.m. Curbside service is available upon request. Spring It On! – jump into spring at the branch with a couple of fun games. Tell us what you like most about

springtime and add it to our display board. Somebody already wrote mud! Use your library card and receive a chance to play our Easter Egg gameboard. Find one of the bunnies hiding behind an egg and you’ll receive a chocolate one at the desk.

Seed Library-Our popular seed program returns this year with a chance to get your garden started early. This program offers a variety of seeds for your 2022 flower and vegetable garden. Quantities are limited, registration is required EarlyON – Free April programs: Play and Learn for 0 to 6 years and their caregivers. Infant Massage for birth to pre-crawlers. Pre-registration required at KEyON.ca or call the branch. Limited space available.

Adult Book Club – our current selection is the best-selling novel “The Pull of the Stars” by Irish Canadian author and playwright Emma Donahue who sets a gripping story during the 1918 flu pandemic in Ireland doubly ravaged by war and disease. Copies available at the desk.

How spiders spin webs

Although spiders make many people squeamish, these eight-legged arachnids are undoubtedly fascinating. Here’s an overview of how spiders create their beautiful webs.

First, the spider climbs up to a high point and creates a long thread of sticky silk called a bridge thread. This thread is carried by the wind until it sticks to another point.

Once in place, the spider spins another thread while crossing the bridge. The weight of the spider bends this thread into a V shape.

At this point, the weaving begins. The spider creates radial threads by attaching them to surrounding anchor points. When all the threads are made, the web looks like a star with several branches.

The spider then reinforces the web by weaving a spiral in the middle. This is where it will sit comfortably to await its prey. On average, it takes 30 to 60 minutes for a spider to spin a web.

Harvey Tribe, left, on behalf of the Aylmer Area Community Foundation donated $2,500 to Max Wood, representing the Unseen Warriors Society, at the HMCS Ojibwa submarine museum in Port Burwell on Saturday, March 26. Mr. Wood said the new society, founded in May of 2021, was made up largely of ex-submariners from across Canada, with most residing in Ontario. Separate from the Elgin Military Museum and the Museum of Naval History, which owns and operates the Ojibwa exhibit, the society had entered into a partnership with them to refurbish and enhance the Port Burwell site. The foundation grant will be used to purchase four shipping containers to display artifacts and information related to the Ojibwa. (AE/Rob Perry)

Community halls, offices reopen; Straffordville Easter egg hunt returns

by Jeff Helsdon Local Journalism Initiative reporter

BAYHAM COUNCIL

Councillors discussed the following during a Thursday, March 17 meeting:

New guardrails

Three roads in Bayham will be receiving guardrails before the end of the year.

tender of $123,747 from Royal Fence Ltd.

Election planning

The municipal election may still be nearly six months away, but planning has begun for Bayham. Council was presented with a report outlining critical dates.

The election date is Oct. 24.

used paper ballots and traditional polling methods. If the municipality wanted to change that, a bylaw would need to be passed by council prior to May 1. (Council has already passed a motion indicating voting method would remain unchanged.)

Reopening

Firefighters wanted Bayham is looking for a few good men and women to bolster the ranks of its volunteer fire department.

Silk is secreted from glands in the spider’s abdomen. This silk is a liquid. However, it becomes solid when exposed to air.

Church Directory

The 2022 capital budget has a $130,000 allotment for guardrails on portions of Best Line, Coyle Road and Eden Line. Council approved the low

Nominations open for council and school board positions on May 2 and close on Aug. 19 at 2 p.m. Candidates also have until Aug. 19 at 2 p.m. to withdraw their names.

Bayham has previously

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING COMMITTEE OF ADJUSTMENT

Planning Act (RSO 1990), s. 45(5)

TAKE NOTICE that the Township of Malahide Committee of Adjustment will hold a “Virtual” public hearing as follows:

Date: April 7, 2022

Time: 7:30 PM

Location: Virtual Meeting (https://www.youtube.com/ channel/UC2WWxGHYoaNBixWD8viFlGw)

File No.:D13-MV-04-22

Owner(s):Calvin and Hanna Holmes

Location of Property: Part Lot 11, Concession 1, Part 3 of RP 11R2824, former Geographic Township of Malahide, Township of Malahide (49395 Nova Scotia Line) (see map below)

We value your input

Any person may express their support, opposition, or comments regarding this application.

Protocol during the COVID-19 Pandemic Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the Provincial Emergency Orders for public gatherings, the Township Council Meetings are closed to the public. As such, a Virtual Hearing is scheduled.

As the Ontario lifts its COVID-19 restrictions, Bayham is gradually returning to previous practices.

Municipal offices reopened on March 7 for limited inperson business. Though most staff have returned to the office, residents are still encouraged to use online services where possible. Public works and water/ wastewater staff have been working on a split-shift basis since January to limit staff contact and reduce Covid-related absences – this ended on March 21.

The Port Burwell Marine Museum is expected to open as normal this tourist season.

In conjunction with the Straffordville Hall Foundation, it was decided to open the community hall to rentals as of April 4.

The municipality also repealed its face covering and Covid vaccination policies as of March 21.

Bayham, along with other Elgin municipalities in County, declared a local state of emergency on March 21, 2020. That declaration is still in place.

Thayer said the municipalities want to lift the declaration at the same time and more information would be coming to Bayham council in the near future.

Straffordville egg hunt

The Straffordville Community Hall Foundation and Straffordville Community Committee are hosting the event at the Straffordville Community Park on Saturday, April 15 at 10 a.m.

In his annual report to council, Fire Chief Harry Baranik listed finding new recruits as his first priority for 2022. A recruitment drive in 2021 resulted in 11 people signing up. However, by the time training started, that number had dropped to seven.

The report highlighted statistics from last year including:

• The number of calls for 2021 was 202, which was up from the previous year but down from a high of 204 in 2018.

• Medical calls (80) were the top reason firefighters were called; fire calls were second (35) and vehicle collisions third (25). By location, there were 105 calls for Straffordville and 93 for Port Burwell.

• Both structure and vehicle fires increased by two for 2021. The number of calls for authorized burning decreased.

• Training time decreased in 2021 due to COVID-19.

This played a part in the compensation staying on budget despite the increase in calls.

Website grant hopes Bayham council is hoping that the Ontario Trillium Foundation’s Resilient Communities Fund will assist with the costs of rebuilding its website. Councillors were considering this path and directed staff to source quotes to provide guidance on the funding range to apply for. Quotes varied from $12,000 to $60,991 for a redesign plus annual maintenance of $2,100 to $8,504. Council directed that staff apply for the grant and the web site redesign be considered in 2023.

easy and inexpensive way to reduce.

Backyard composting is beneficial in many ways:

• It keeps a resource out of the landfill.

About 20% of waste tossed out could have easily been composted in the backyard. It’s an easy and inexpensive way to reduce.

• It’s good for your garden.

Backyard composting is beneficial in many ways:

• It reduces the methane gas generated from the landfill.

• It keeps a resource out of the landfill.

• It’s good for your garden.

• It reduces the methane gas generated from the landfill.

Currently, home composting in backyards helps divert up to 4% per year in food scraps (by weight), yard trimmings and leaves. Let’s keep going!

Currently, home composting in backyards helps divert up to 4% per year in food scraps (by weight), yard trimmings and leaves. Let’s keep going!

Purpose and Effect: The Application seeks relief from the requirements of the Township of Malahide Zoning By-law which prohibit accessory structures (such as shops) from being located closer to the front lot line than the minimum distance required for the dwelling, in the front yard, and closer to the road than the dwelling.

The property owners seek to construct a shop 4.57 metres from the front lot line, where 6.0 metres is required for the dwelling, in the front yard, and closer to Nova Scotia Line than their existing dwelling. The shop location is being requested to facilitiate vehicular access. The property owners endeavour to maintain the existing line of trees on the property boundaries.

Additional Information: Additional Information relating to this Application is available by contacting the Township’s Development Services Technician/Assistant Planner, Christine Strupat, by phone at (519) 773-5344, ext. 239 or by email at CStrupat@malahide.ca.

DATED AT THE TOWNSHIP OF MALAHIDE, THIS 23RD DAY OF MARCH, 2022.

Allison Adams, Secretary-Treasurer Township of Malahide Committee of Adjustment, 87 John Street South, Aylmer, Ontario, N5H 2C3 519-773-5344

Email malahide@malahide.ca

TENDER NOTICE

SEALED TENDERS, clearly marked as to its contents will be received at the Township of Malahide Office, 87 John Street South, Aylmer, until 11:00am local time on FRIDAY, 08 APRIL 2022

GRANULAR SUPPLY AND PLACE for the supply of all labour, equipment, and materials required to supply and place Road Granulars for Spring Gravel and Construction.

Tender documents are available electronically from www.malahide.bidsandtenders.ca or on application to the undersigned.

The lowest or any tender not necessarily accepted. Contract award subject to Budget Approval

Matt Sweetland, P.Eng. msweetland@malahide.ca

PUZZLE NO. 590

Rice shake easter egg decorating

Looking for a little less mess this year? Try rice shake Easter eggs! Easy clean cup and more controlled ha! Grab a bag of rice and have fun! After the rice is dry, pour it into a tub to make a sensory bin for the kids. Or you can also keep adding food coloring to dye more eggs!

Materials

Ziploc Bag

Rice

Food coloring

Spoon

Hard boiled eggs

Instructions

Pour about a cup of rice in the ziploc bag then add 7-10 drops of food coloring. Stir it with a spoon.

Put the egg inside and let the kids toss and shake! Take out and let dry.

Notes

An easy clean-up would be to use gloves taking the eggs out. You can make multicolored speckled eggs too but using a tongs and putting the eggs in different bags!

PUZZLE NO. 590

Tie Dye Easter Eggs

These tie dye Easter eggs are so fun and they’re so simple to make!

Materials

Hard Boiled Eggs

Food Colouring

Paper Towel

Water Spray Bottle

Tiny Elastics or Twist Ties

Table Fan

Instructions

Tear apart the paper towels into small rectangles. Place a cool, dry egg in the middle of the paper towel.

Wrap the paper towel up and around the egg so it’s completely covered. Twist the top of the paper towel so it’s tight against the egg and secure it with a tiny hair elastic or a twist tie.

Why should you go in

woods when you’re tired? For rest!

ANSWER TO PUZZLE NO. 590

HOW TO PLAY:

Fill in the grid so that every row, every column and every 3x3 box contains the numbers 1 through 9 only once.

Why couldn’t the beaver work on his computer? He forgot to log in.

Each 3x3 box is outlined with a darker line. You already have a few numbers to get you started.

ANSWER TO PUZZLE NO. 590

Remember: You must not repeat the numbers 1 through 9 in the same line, column or 3x3 box.

contains line. You you started. numbers 3x3 box.

Why did the lumberjack fall asleep? He was board!

HOW TO PLAY:

Wearing rubber gloves, gently squeeze drops of food colouring directly onto the paper towel wrapped egg (3 or 4 drops at a time), leaving some white space between each colour. Repeat until there are large food colouring dots around the whole egg.

HOW TO PLAY:

Using a spray bottle, gently spray a small amount of water into the center of each food colouring dot. Keep spraying until the colours bleed and there is no more white space. The less water you spray, the brighter the colours on the egg will be.

Fill in the grid so that every row, every column and every 3x3 box contains the numbers 1 through 9 only once.

PUZZLE NO. 592

HOW TO PLAY:

Fill in the grid so that every row, every column and every 3x3 box contains the numbers 1 through 9 only

PUZZLE NO. 592

Gently squeeze the wet paper towel wrapped egg over the sink to drain any excess water. Even if there’s no extra water, gently squeeze the egg to make sure the colour on the

ANSWER TO PUZZLE NO. 592

This Week’s Answer

Crossword

ANSWER TO PUZZLE NO. 592

Fill in the grid so that every row, every column and every 3x3 box contains the numbers 1 through 9 only once.

Each 3x3 box is outlined with a darker line. You already have a few numbers to get you started. Remember: You must not repeat the numbers 1 through 9 in the same line, column or 3x3 box.

line. You you started. numbers 3x3 box.

HOW TO PLAY: Fill in the grid so that every row, every column and every 3x3 box contains the numbers 1 through 9

Notes

Each 3x3 box is outlined with a darker line. You already have a few numbers to get you started.

Remember: You must not repeat the numbers 1 through 9 in the same line, column or 3x3 box.

paper towel transfers to the egg. Place the wet, paper towel wrapped eggs in a baking dish. Point a table fan at the eggs and allow them to dry for 3 to 4 hours. (Without a table fan, you’ll have to wait overnight for them to dry).

When the paper towels are completely dry, remove the elastics and unwrap each egg.

It’s best if you can make these the day you plan to serve them. If they MUST be refrigerated, place the eggs in an egg carton. Make sure you remove them from the fridge (and open the egg carton lid) at least 3 hours before you plan to serve them to give time for the condensation to dry.

PUZZLE NO. 593

is being jointly hosted by the Township of Malahide, Town of Aylmer and Municipality of Bayham at the East Elgin Community Complex (EECC) 531 Talbot St. W., Aylmer. This workshop will give

understanding of Council’s roles and responsibilities. It will also explain how duties and responsibilities of public office will impact your life.

Register to attend the workshop at malahide.ca/voteinfo

MALAHIDE TOWNSHIP

MUNICIPAL WATER

CUSTOMERS: SPRING

HYDRANT FLUSHING PROGRAM

ANSWER TO PUZZLE NO. 593

apologizes for any inconvenience that this may cause.

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Malahide’s Water Department at (519) 773-5344, Ext. 226.

LOAD RESTRICTIONS ON TOWNSHIP ROADS

The Township of Malahide would like to remind Commercial Vehicle Operators, that the Township places Load Restrictions on ALL of its roads from March 1 to April 30. Drivers found to be in contravention of the By-law are subject to fines as set out in the Highway Traffic Act. Some specialized farm vehicles are exempt.

For more information, please contact the Public Works Coordinator at 519-773-5344, ext. 232.

2022 DOG TAGS – INVOICES DUE MARCH 31ST

Dog tags are issued via invoice to all dog owners in our system early in the new year. The amount owing, along with the due date, is noted on the invoice. Payments may be made by: online banking, e-transfer (e-transfer finance@malahide.ca referencing your invoice number), debit, cash, mailing a cheque, or dropping off a cheque in our after-hours mail slot.

HOW TO PLAY:

With mask mandates and other restrictions lifting, many are looking forward to reconnecting with family and friends. At Aylmer Family Dental, we believe smiles are important, and want to help you express this happiness! We are pleased to offer:

Fill in the grid so that every row, every column and every 3x3 box contains the numbers 1 through 9 only once.

• Dental Cleaning & Polishing

• Teeth Whitening

• Invisalign

Each 3x3 box is outlined with a darker line. You already have a few numbers to get you started.

• Crowns & Veneers

Remember: You must not repeat the numbers 1 through 9 in the same line, column or 3x3 box.

• Missing Tooth Replacement (Implants, Dentures, Bridges)

And much, much more!

The Ontario Clean Water Agency (OCWA) will be flushing municipal fire hydrants starting on April 4, 2022 through to April 22, 2022 for the following areas: Dexter Line, Waneeta Beach, Port Bruce, Rush Creek Line, Nova Scotia Line, Copenhagen, Dixie Estates, Jamestown Line, Imperial Rd., Dingle St., Hacienda Rd., Talbot St. E., Talbot St. W., Rogers Rd., Orwell. This flushing program will continue for a period of approximately 3 weeks. Flushing will normally occur between the hours of 8:00 am and 4:00 pm.

During the flushing program, you may experience a temporary discoloration and/or low pressure on your water supply. If your water appears to be discolored, the Township recommends that you flush your taps for a few minutes to clear up the water. The Township

Are

If you are a new resident to Malahide or have a new dog to register, please contact 519-7735344, ext. 235.

519-773-5344

PUZZLE NO. 591

Aylmer Curling Club Report

By Paul Bode

Final Week

The club is heading into the final week of action for the season. In a few days the ice will be taken out until the fall. Hopefully all the COVID interruptions of the past two years will be behind us.

Fundraising

There should also be a new compressor system installed during the off-season. The fund raising thermometer for the new equipment was at 80% as of March 24. I am pretty confident a few more members will step up and we’ll hit our target and then some. I know I did my part.

Senior Men

In the Senior Men’s League on Monday morning, March 21

the team of Dave Mennill, Rick Jakos, Matt Gubbels and Herb Schlinderer; the team of John Eitel, Henry Helder, Harvey Tribe and Don McInnis; the team of Allan Cross, Les Cunningham, Cam White and Kirk Barons; and the team of Dennis Boadway, Murray Edgar, Scott Brown and John Waite, won their games. The following morning the team of Paul Steinhoff, Henry Helder, Red Hooghiem and John Waite; the team of Dale Beringer, John Eitel, Scott Brown and Larry Dickhout; and the team of Dennis Boadway, Murray Edgar, Harvey Tribe and Herb Schlinderer won their games.

On Thursday morning, March 31 the Senior Men will complete their playoffs followed by a yearend luncheon.

Men’s League

Here’s an update of Men’s League as of Sunday evening as I prepare to submit my report.

On Friday, March 25 in the “C” flight in the 1-2 game, the team of Blake Bennett, Terry Shackleton, Mike Vannoord and John Van Rooijen defeated the team of Fred Petersen, Ken Vandendool, Rick Cooper and Robert Berschi. With the win, Blake’s team gets a trip to the “C” final on April 2 and Fred’s team will play the team of Scott Taggart, Adam Walker, Jeff Klooster and Marv Simpson who won the 3-4 game by defeating the team of Paul Toth, Mike Stover, Andy Beck and Paul Bode. The winner of the Petersen -Taggart game will play Bennett for the “C” championship.

On Monday, March 28, in the “A” flight the teams in the 1-2 game were the team of Peter Van Ymeren, Ed Woods, Jesse Van Ymeren and James Wood and the team of Dale Beringer, Mike Hilliker, Ron Beringer and Devin Hilliker. The teams in the 3-4 game were the team of Gary Shackelton, Brad Walker, Ken MacPherson and Ryan Barrett and the team of Ron Mervis, Andy Haayema, Rick Plaquet and Dan Boehm.

The teams in the “B” flight 1-2 game were the team of Jeff Van Noord, Jim Vording, Darryl Mantel and Karl Berkelmans and the team of Adrian Weesjes, Chris Van Geffen, Greg Minnema and Jim Buis. The teams in the 3-4 game were the team of Trevor Calhoun, Bryan Thompson, Andrew Sleegers and Tim Sleegers and the team of Chris Wismer, Derek LeClair, Doug Lusk and Scott Massecar.

Following a page playoff format, the “A”, “B” and “C” championship games will be played on Saturday, April 2.

Business Women

In the Business Ladies’ League on March 23, the lone winning team was the team of Kerry Kerr, Kayla Edgar, Sue Tereschyn and Sharon Shackleton. The other game that night was a tie between the team of Lou Deanne, Bernita Jordan,

Morgan Kerr, Ruthann Waldick and Breanna Walker and the team of Brenda Haayema, Nikki Dawson, Kelly Smith and Hunter Smith.

Mixed League

In the second-last night of the Mixed League this past Thursday, the winners included the team of Andy and Brenda Haayema with Dick and Renee Saarloos: the team of Ben and Kathi Vandermeer with Tim and Leah Hunt; the team of Ron and Lisa Mervis with Dan Boehm and Lisa Crane; and the team of Mike Silverthorn, Nikki Kunkel, Andrew Kunkel and Jenna Sleegers.

The Mixed League will be wrapping things up on April 1. The traditional skate on the curling ice will have to be postponed this year as the Men’s finals are be played on April 2.

Men’s Bonspiel

This past Saturday, the club hosted the Annual Cam’s Heating and Air Men’s Bonspiel. Dale Beringer, event convenor, provided some notes from the bonspiel that was sponsored by Cam and Bryan Thompson and their family business:

A full 16 teams participated, with players from Pickering, Sarnia, Welland, London, St. Thomas and Aylmer. Teams played three six-end games.

An Aylmer rink with Jeff Van Noord, Jim Vording, Darryl Mantel and Karl Berkelmans won the first draw and a team skipped by Tanner Nathan from Sarnia was the overall winner.

Players were treated to lunch and a roast beef dinner by caterers Helen Voros and Marg Reynaert. Prizes included steak for the participants and the winners were also awarded trophies. Dale thanked the volunteers, the sponsors and all the participants.

I’m going to add two comments, one is a thank you, to Dale for all the time and effort to organize the event. The second is my observation that you know it was a great event when you see that several responsible people left their vehicles locked in the parking lot overnight.

2022 Municipal Election

Become a Candidate Information Session

If you are interested in running for a municipal council in the 2022 Municipal Election, please consider attending the “So you want to run for Council” Information Session, presented by Ontario’s Ministry of Municipal Affairs & Housing.

This event is being jointly hosted by the Township of Malahide, Municipality of Bayham, and Town of Aylmer

April 27, 2022 – 7:00 – 9:00 p.m. East Elgin Community Complex (EECC) 531 Talbot St. W., Aylmer

Pre-registration is requested. Links to register can be found on the websites for Township of Malahide, Town of Aylmer, or Municipality of Bayham. Alternatively, email elections@town.aylmer.on.ca or call 519-773-3164 ext. 4913 for more information.