>Cancer claims historian, long-time columnist Skip Gillham, Pg 5 >Quick summer snacks: Nancy’s Kitchen Pg. 9 > Lincoln chamber divvies up golf funds Pg. 13 > Residents unhappy with OMB tone Pg. 15 Thursday, August 4, 2016 Vol. 5 Issue 13
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Niagara Gateway info centre still on chopping block Niagara Region’s off-again, on-again policy on supporting tourism as an economic driver may be about to switch off, again, where Grimsby Gateway’s tourism information centre is concerned. Long-time tourism advocate Bruce Manion was hired by Niagara Region to staff the gateway kiosk on Tuesdays and Fridays, roughly, for the months of April and May. Now in the dog days of summer, he is still there to meet, greet and steer thousands of visitors dropping into the facility at Casablanca Boulevard and the South Service Road. “This is a typical day, look,” said Manion Tuesday morning, pointing to photos he took early that morning after shelves were picked nearly clean of tourism brochures. “I come in every day just to replenish the shelves and stay on top of inventory. I have to order 20-30 boxes at a time because it is gone in days and can take a couple of weeks See TOURISM, Page 3
Bruce Manion, right, gives regular Niagara visitors Jim and Ann Welsh of Newcastle, ON, some helpful tips of places to visit in the region. Williscraft - Photo
Grimsby diamond losing its sheen due to ongoing MVA issues Grimsby Ald. Dave Kadwell has his hopes pinned on the provincial government when it comes to possible changes to Grimsby’s traffic “diamond”. The “diamond”, which has proven unusually treacherous over a long period of time, spans the area that includes the exits and on ramps for the Christie-OntarioMaple exit of the QEW. After a series of serious accidents in 2014, Kadwell called up MPP Tim Hudak in hopes that some attention from the Minis-
try of Transportation could spur some action highlighting stop signs and the unique road structure. Going through staff and Minister of Transport Steven Del Duca himself in September 2015 has still amounted to little action taken. Now another rash of accidents this summer has resulted in another push with the provincial government. “Hopefully action follows a lot quicker than past actions by our provincial government,” said Kadwell.
Hudak hopes the government reacts to his most recent letter on the file, sent last Tuesday. “It is now almost two years since this issue was first brought to my attention and to the attention of the MTO, warning signs have been added to the intersections in question and yet accidents continue to happen in this area causing real concern for residents and community leaders. In fact, two more vehicle accidents were reported just last week,” wrote Hudak.
“The number of traffic accidents at this location continues to go up, all with some degree of property damage, many with personal injury and, in one case, a fatality. That fatal accident two years ago is what prompted Alderman Kadwell to ask for my assistance and he continues to be concerned that another death is imminent if nothing is done. Minister DelDuca, urgent action is required here to ensure another fatal accident does not happen in this area.”