> GBF launches its annual Back To School campaign /Pg 15
Proudly serving Grimsby, Lincoln, West Lincoln & Winona
July 25, 2024
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The Great Lakes are calling – all five of them
By Joanne McDonald NewsNow
The adventure will be-
gin Friday at sunrise with a quick dip in Lake Ontario, and finish at sunset the same day with a swim in Lake Superior.
In between, there’s a dunk in Lake Erie, Lake Michigan and Lake Huron. The question is just how does a fun-loving group of
A group of 24 family and friends will meet this Friday, July 26, for a 5:45 a.m. sunrise photo at the new Casablanca Beach Park to launch their epic trek to all five Great Lakes. Testing the water Saturday were (L to R) Paula Gilbert, Steve Gilbert, Suzanne Greenfield, Randy Donald, Shawn Trevellick, Amy Trevellick, Todd Stempski and Alex Gilbert. McDonald – Photo
adventurous Grimsby friends navigate the largest fresh surface water system on earth in a single day.
The Five Great Lakes challenge will be a feat of time and distance but plans have been in the works for months and the lakes are calling.
The group of 24 family and friends will meet this Friday for a 5:45 a.m. sunrise photo at the new Casablanca Beach Park in Grimsby, the start of a 1,889 km drive to all five lakes.
“It’s something we’ve always wanted to do,” says Todd Stempski, one of the ring leaders to get the project off the ground. “The more we talked about it, the
See CHALLENGE, Page 6
Bylaw variances rejected for near-completed home
By Mike Williscraft NewsNow
Grimsby’s Committee of Adjustment rejected several bylaw variances requested for a near-completed home at 30 Viking Drive.
The variances requested - after much of the home is in place - include front yard setback, rear yard setback, rear yard encroachment
for a chimney breast and maximum lot coverage.
While neighbours told committee members things were not right at the site from the get-go, Johnathan Netta, a design consultant who spoke on behalf of the home owner, said Town officials had reviewed zoning requirements at the site and claimed, “we are in full compliance.”
While committee members noted some aspects of the build were very close to compliance, much of it was debatable, save for one major point.
A completely new foundation was set, as opposed to rebuilding on the original foundation as was approved by Town building officials.
“What we were originally proposing was to maintain the exist-
ing foundation of the home. During construction, there were some deviations made to the foundation which has resulted in the “stop work” order and a new foundation was installed in place of the existing foundation,” said Netta.
“The foundation was found to be poor condition with cracks and water
See BUILD, Page 3
BUILD
From Page 1 damage. While we understand, of course, in hindsight, that revised plans should have been submitted to reflect availability of the concrete contractor was extremely limited and work was done in an expedited manner. We are apologetic in this regard but hoping to make the best of where we stand.”
Paul Nickerson of the Town’s building department said, at the point the Town discovered the foundation issue, a stopwork order was issued.
The neighbours told a much less hospitable version of events.
Another neighbour of the property, Mike Esch, said the numbers presented just didn’t add up.
“It overwhelms my house. The neighbour on the other side, it’s even worse because it extends into the backyard. They have lost all their privacy,” Esch told the committee.
“The front porch is five metres from the road. There’s a room under there. That’s his mechanical room. There was nothing left of that house, not
“The builder has not acted in good faith. He chose the route to build first and seek approval later. In my opinion, these are not minor variances,” wrote Andrea Martins in a letter to the committee.
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• 6 breakfasts, 4 dinners & 2 Kickbacks at the Drury Inn featuring a rotating menu of hot food, beer, wine, & mixed drinks. • Dinner/Lunch show on the General Jackson Showboat & River Cruise in Nashville • Nashville City Tour w/Local Step-On Guide • Reserved Tickets for the Grand Ole Opry Live Show • Hatfield & McCoy Dinner Show (Pigeon Forge) • Country Tonite • Great Smoky Mountains Tour with Local StepOn Guide • Moonshine Distillery visit at Ole Smoky Moonshine Distillery
Bush’s Beans & Sevierville guided tour
a stitch.”
Kevin Antonides, chair of the CoA, agreed with the residents.
“The cumulative impact of the three variances, or four, combined with the fact that he is pushing the envelope with the height; it doesn’t match the average grade. It isn’t appropriate for the development use of the property. It isn’t minor in nature. It doesn’t meet the initial intent and zoning bylaws, so I can’t support it at all,” said Antonides.
“He’s flagrantly abused the process.”
The committee unanimously rejected the variance requests. There is a 20-day appeal window.
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3 Days, 2 Nights August 19 - August 21
Barbecue and politics
A good crowd turned out Saturday for a summer barbecue at Cherry Avenue Farms in Vineland - an annual tradition for Niagara West MPP Sam Oosterhoff (with his son Sullivan). Local residents, including Kailash and Rakesh Ohri, enjoyed the lunch, entertainment and a chance to talk politics. McDonald – Photo
Help shape the 2025 Budget
The Town of Lincoln provides more than 90 programs and services that impact your life every day, including road maintenance, recreation programs, public libraries, by-law enforcement, fire services and parks.
That is why the Town’s budget is so important! The budget is a financial plan that determines how we will fund and provide services to our residents. It guides decisions on key infrastructure investments and how they will be funded.
As we prepare for the 2025 Budget, have your say to help us prioritize the Town of Lincoln’s portion of your tax dollars.
Complete the survey* by July 31 for your chance to win four NPCA NaturePlus Passes! SpeakUpLincoln.ca/2025Budget
* Hard copies available at Town Hall, Fleming Centre, Lincoln Community Centre (Seniors’ Centre), Lincoln Museum & Cultural Centre, & Rittenhouse Library
CHALLENGE
From Page 1 more people wanted to go.” And that now means travelling in two 12-seater vans with no time to spare to reach Lake Superior by night fall.
“We’re four families and our kids,” Stempski said. “We’ve been travelling together for years and this will be one of those adventures.”
“Many people sit around talking and never do it. I’m lucky to have a group of friends that follows through with ideas.”
It started with a WhatsUp chat group. Everybody pitched in to get up to speed, booking vacation time, updating passports and determining best ways to travel.
“Once we got organized, it was unanimous,” Stempski said. “We’re doing it.”
“It’s going to be fun
Publication of Financial Statements
The 2023 Financial Statements for the Town of Lincoln, along with notes to the financial statements, the auditor’s report & tax rate information for the current & previous year are available at Lincoln.ca
for everyone. Some may just dip a toe but the majority of us are going in the water,” Stempski said. “We’re hoping for open safe beaches and no impediments with getting into the water.”
The families met through minor hockey and stayed connected as the kids grew up. “We’ve all stayed friends through the years and now our kids are friends too,” Stempski said.
“As parents, we feel incredibly lucky our kids want to spend any time with us,” he jokes, adding his son, 20, and daughter, 16 are all in for the trip.
“We contacted every town and asked for the best places to access the water.” Recreation staff across the board and borders gave them good advice, complete with park passes and invitations to visit any time. Everyone wants
to be part of the fun.
“The Bay City, Michigan officials are excited and hope to come out to meet us,” Stempski said.
“Larry and Keran from Fully Promoted in Stoney Creek made our beautiful hoodies,” Stempski said. They read “The Great Lakes H.O.M.E.S. Experience 2024” (Huron, Ontario, Michigan, Erie and Superior) and “Five Lakes No Breaks” on the back.
Leaving from Grimsby (Lake Ontario), they will drive 79 kms to Port Dover (Lake Erie); then it’s 415 kms to Linwood, Michigan (Lake Huron); back in the vans they will travel 239 kms to Petoskey, Michigan (Lake Michigan); 137 kms to Brimley, Michigan; and 35 kms to Sault Ste. Marie (Lake Superior.)
A well-deserved hotel and a few beers are waiting in Sault St. Marie. From there it’s 309 kms to Sudbury and a further 457 kms home to Grimsby. Double the 109 kms for pickup and return of the vans to Scarborough and it’s a total of 1,889 kms.
We offer a variety of free employment services including resumes, interview skills and local job postings on our job board. Walk in or call us today to get a team of employment experts on your side.
"Zoi and her team guided us through the whole process from start to finish, ending with outstanding results. Their professionalism, dedication, and attention to accuracy and detail was paramount in the selling of our house. This team is incredibly organized and operated at the highest standard of integrity. They went above and beyond. Due to these exceptional abilities, we had complete confidence in Zoi and her team. We are thrilled with the exemplary outcome, thank you so much!” - Reg & Gail M.
BUNGALOW
Grimsby Museum can help beat heat
If you’re looking to beat the heat, Grimsby Museum’s array of exhibits can help.
History Grimsby Beach Exhibition: From Methodist camp to amusement park, the story of Grimsby Beach told through original artifacts and archives from the Grimsby Museum collections.
Grown in the Garden of Canada Exhibition: the history of the fruit industry in Grimsby: Grimsby was once recognized worldwide for its position in the fruit and distilling industries.
Summer hours are: Tues-Fri 10-5; Sat & Sun 1Noon-4. All are on until Nov. 2 and admission is by donation only.
Signs a home exterior needs updating
Regardless of why a homeowner chooses to renovate, the need to do so is often evident to the naked eye, especially when the time comes to update home exteriors.
• Curling shingles: The roof may not be the first thing people think of when pondering curb appeal, but a damaged roof can contribute to problems that ultimately affect the exterior and interior of the home.
Multiple curling shingles indicate it’s time to replace the roof.
• Dated entry door: Many home improvement experts insist they can determine when a home was built or most recently renovated simply by looking at the front door. Steel and glass doors are popular in modern homes, so homeowners with front doors with ornate designs and oval glass inserts can likely benefit from
HOME IMPROVEMENT RENOVATE
an upgrade to their entryway.
• Unsightly landscaping: It’s not only the physical components of the home that may suggest an update is necessary. Homeowners without a green thumb may have exterior landscaping that has seen better days. If a spring or summer day spent tending to your landscaping is not your ideal weekend pastime, then consider replacing unsightly landscaping with low-maintenance plants or hardscaping. These alternatives to more needy plants can create curb appeal without requiring any extra work for homeowners.
• Cracked driveways/walkways: If the driveway looks like a busy road at the end of snow plowing season, chances are that’s adversely affecting the impression people have of your home.
YOUR HOME
Time for those old drafty windows that cost you money in energy costs to go. North Star energy-efficient windows will save you money in the long term by keeping your home cooler in summer and warmer in winter. They’re made here in Ontario and have a limited life time warranty. Call or visit our showroom today for a FREE ESTIMATE on your home!
FLEXIBLE FINANCING AVAILABLE (OAC)
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Don’tforget to use your Gift cards before ourlastday August23 2024
From July 25 toAugust23 Get 20% off whenyouspend$25 or more. * See disclaimer
The basics of fertilizing a lawn
FAREWELL PARTY
Thursday, July 25th - 6 pm to 9 pm COME ENJOY BEVERAGES
Closing Sale: 40% OFF the entire store when you spend over $25.
* Excludes Key Locket & Clothing.
5 Main St. W., Unit 1, Grimsby 289-235-7772 homesweethomedecor.ca keyandlocketclothing.ca
Fertilizing is a very simple task that any homeowner can tackle.
• Identify which type of grass is in the yard.
Turfgrass is divided into two categories:
cool-season grass and warm-season grass. A garden center can help identify which type of grass is in the yard, and this often depends on location.
Fescue, bluegrass and perennial ryegrass are some examples of cool-season grasses, while Bermuda, bahia, St. Augustine, and zoysia are considered
warm-season grasses. Identifying which type of grass is in the lawn is important because that will indicate when to fertilize. Coolseason grasses are typically best fertilized in early spring, while warm-season lawns can benefit from an application just before especially warm temperatures arrive.
• Water the lawn prior to fertilizing.
• Survey the lawn to identify which spreader to use. Your entire yard may not need a full fertilizer application.
The Township of West Lincoln’s newest summer event series combines a market, car show, food trucks and live music! Find high quality produce and products from local vendors, experience live music and check out special vehicles, new and old.
Dates: July 30, August 6, 13, 20
Time: Market 4 to 7 p.m. Musical performance begins at 7 p.m.
Location: West Lincoln Community Centre, 177 West St., Smithville Musical Guests (in order): Fiddlestix, Marty Allen Band, Rock ‘N’ Rays Retro Rockers, Kelsi Mayne
Details
Want the outdoors without sweltering sun, annoying rain or aggravating bugs? Get the best of both worlds with an exterior living space that’ll keep you outdoors longer.
OBITUARIES
DE MoEl, Nicolaas Gjalt
It is with heavy hearts that our family announces the death of Nicolaas Gjalt de Moel on July 10th, 2024. Predeceased by loving parents
Anna & Gjalt de Moel and survived by his Partner Linda Robinson, two sons Tanner and Braeden de Moel (wives Bryanne & Amy), brother Ed, sisters Anna, Edna, and Teresa, as well as 6 grandchildren and nieces and nephews. His garage door was always open to everybody and he was always there to lend a hand to anyone that could use one. He had a heart the size of a giant and he will be truly and deeply missed by many. A celebration of life for Nicolaas will be held at his home in Beamsville on Sunday August 18th @ 11am. In lieu of flowers please consider making a donation to the Canadian Cancer Society at www.cancer.ca
VANDERSLOOT, Nicolas George Oscar
Passed away peacefully at West Park Health Centre, St. Catharines, with many loved ones at his side on Monday, July 15, 2024, in his 94th year. Beloved husband of Patricia for 58 years. Loved father of Marguerite Sekulic (Stevo), Sonia Vandersloot, Annelies Simon (Volker) and Adriaan Vandersloot (Deanine). Cherished grandfather of Milan, Donnovan, Joey, Dominic, Julian, Max, Elisa, Samara and Teyla and great-grandfather of many greatgrandchildren. Predeceased by his son Nico Vandersloot. Cremation and burial at Grimsby Mountain Cemetery will take place. If lieu of flowers, memorial contributions to GBF Community Services (Grimsby Benevolent Fund) would be sincerely appreciated by the family. Arrangements entrusted to STONEHOUSE-WHITCOMB FUNERAL HOME, GRIMSBY, 905-945-2755. www.smithsfh.com
OBITUARIES
LAWLESS, Patricia Lee (Atkins)
Passed away peacefully at the age of 79 at Bancroft Hospital July 16, 2024.
Pat was predeceased by her parents Catherine and Lee, her sister Rita and great grandson Jaxxon.
Mourning her loss are her sisters Marguerite and Karen and her brother Joe. Children Darin (Melody), Catherine, John (Susan), Jason and Patricia (Rick),
Nine Grandchildren, 6 great grandchildren and a large extended family. Pat had many loves in her life. Working with children in both speech arts and music. She was a beloved school bus driver and later, the first female operator in the Eastern division of Greyhound. A dream job that she was extremely proud of. She had many challenges in her life which she faced with grace and dignity. She was a warrior until her very last breath.
The family would like to thank Dr. Keila and the nursing staff at Bancroft hospital for their considerate care in making our mother’s last hours ones of peace and dignity.
A celebration of her life will be planned for a later date.”
IN MEMORIAM
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Brett Melitzer July 27, 1987
until we meet again
We think about you always, We talk about you still, You have never been forgotten, and you never well.
We hold you close within our hearts and there you will remain,
To walk and guide us through our lives, until we meet again.
APT. FOR RENT
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truCks, old farm machinery for scrap or repair. we pay cash. Flatbed service. 905-386-6181 or 289-686-5059.
CELEBRATE RECOVERY
strugglIng wIth hurts, hAng-uPs or hAbIts? “Celebrate Recovery (CR)” 12 step Christian Recovery for Healing, Help and Hope. ALL WELCOME! Wednesdays at 7 pm. Forestview Community Church, 132 Lake St, Grimsby. For info. or help, CR@forestviewcommunitychurch.ca 905945-9529
tgland@hotmail.com gArden CleAnuPs * Weeding * Pruning * Tree Trimming * Shrub Removal * Edging * Mulching * Free Quotes * Insured * Patio Stone * Weed removal and makeover. Call Chris
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TOWNSHIP OF WEST LINCOLN 2023 FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
This is to advise that the Township of West Lincoln’s 2023 Audited Financial Statements have been posted on the Township’s website at www.westlincoln.ca under “Township Office > Budgets and Finances > Financial Statements” or a hardcopy may be picked up from the Township Administration Building at 318 Canborough Street, Smithville, during regular working hours being 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
If you have any questions, please contact Donna DeFilippis, Treasurer/Director of Finance, at ddefilippis@westlincoln.ca.
&(905) 512-9565
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You can call DSBN if you want...
I noted last week I hope to get some straggler Letters To The Editor in print in the next couple of weeks.
That remains true.
I do want to note, I will not be printing any of the letters from cheesed off parents who are upset District School Board of Niagara chose not to send out any grad photos for the annual feature section, which has traditionally been done for the last half-century or so.
internal systems so they can be fed what the party line will be on a contentious issue.
Accountability is gone there, I’m afraid, so expend your time and effort as you see fit, but don’t expect much, if anything.
They were all very redundant, as one might expect, full of frustration and anger pointed at an organization which really lost all sense of community about 10 years ago and the impact of its institutions on the communities they serve.
Tradition continues
Niagara West MPP Dean Allison continued his longstanding tradition of hosting a summer barbecue. Local residents, including Simon Trochanowski, left, and Jerry Lemick were out Saturday to Cherry Avenue Farms in Vineland for lunch, entertainment and a chance to talk politics. McDonald – Photo
No choice
Grimsby’s Committee of Adjustment really just did what it had to do last week in rejecting multiple requested bylaw amendments for a home in the final stages of completion. It would seem a major error to proceed with work when approvals were based on building on an original foundation when a fully new one was installed. A series of cumulative issues led to an obvious decision to reject the builder’s request. It really was not close and the committee did right by the Town, its residents and the intent of its bylaws. M.W.
They have pretty much ignored the public, the Niagara West MPP, Ministry of Education and the provincial government as a whole where West Niagara Secondary School’s process and building was concerned.
The ship has sailed, in all its glory.
Now that the facility is physically in between communities, not “belonging” to anyone but the bus line which shuttles kids (depending if parents opt to drive them to improve transportation time), it will remain disconnected in more ways than one.
The grad feature, al-
ways extremely popular with parents and grandparents alike, was a way to help with that connection.
DSBN says it made the decision to not do a grad feature because “The reasons are privacy concerns, and a redirection of funds towards student scholarships and bursaries.”
This is especially comical because the feature would not and never did cost DSBN a dime - unless the board chose to do an optional congratulatory ad. Some years they did, some years they did not.
So, to say they needed to redirect imaginary funds is nothing more than a smokescreen.
Some letter writers asked if contacting their trustee would help.
I provided contact info, but I also noted they likely would not get a reply since trustees now have to go through some protocol of running everything through their
On a far more fun note, for me, I wanted to note that we are closing our office on Fridays only for the rest of the summer. I really cannot get away for a whole week, so I try to sneak a little time here and there when I can. While we’re closed, you can always call my cell, 289-442-4244, if anything is pressing - a note on our door denotes the same.
I expect to be around. It is just so much easier and faster for me to be able to work from home because I would never cut a reader short when they come in or call to voice an opinion.
It can make workflow long and drawn out to stop/start but I would not have it any other way. So, feel free to drop in, call or email as that level of engagement is a big reason why we are here in the first place. If you happen to be by on a Friday, or are dropping off something in the mail slot, I may be there anyway. The idea is to have an option to take off for a day if we can. Hopefully we get a chance to a few times in the summer that remains.
MIKE WILLISCRAFT
Delivered via Canada Post
GBF’s Back To School program launched
The annual Back To School Program run by Grimsby Benevolent Fund has kicked off with donations needed by Monday, Aug. 5.
“We are asking our community to consider donating new backpacks, stationary supplies, water bottles, running shoes, school lunch snacks, and monetary donations to support program costs, and school related
fees that occur throughout the year,” said Ashley Marr, GBF’s director of programs.
Registered students will pickup their backpacks and running shoes the week of August 12th.
Donations can be dropped off at 40 Elm St., Grimsby or made online at: www.gbfgrimsby.com
GBF is experiencing an increase in local households re-
quiring assistance with food and housing support. To date, 350 households, and over 8,200 visits to the food bank have been supported.
“With the community’s help, we can ensure local students will feel encouraged and relieved for their return to school because they have the support they need for a successful school year,” said Marr.
