6 | NEWS
The Observer | Saturday, January 05, 2008
The year in review:
Looking back at some of the top news stories of 2007
2007 • 2007 • 2007 • 2007 • 2007 • 2007 • 2007 • 2007 • 2007 • 2007 • 2007 • 2007 • 2007 • 2007 • 2007 • 2007 • 2007 • 2007 • 2007 • 2007 • 2007 • 2007 • 2007 • 2007 • 2007 • 2007 • 2007
Police arrest suspect in bank robbery
A 26-year-old Listowel man was arrested Jan. 8 in connection with the robbery of the Royal Bank in Elmira. David Thomas Raycraft was picked up in Listowel with the assistance of the Ontario Provincial Police.
Drunk driver jailed for Maryhill woman’s death
A Toronto-area man was sentenced to 15 months in jail for killing a Maryhill woman while driving drunk in 2004. Birju Rampaul, 63, pleaded guilty to impaired driving causing the death of Brenda Steffler, 46, on Nov. 21, 2004.
Township to adopt twin-pad plan
Previously split on the viability of twin ice pads at a new rec. complex in Elmira, members of the Woolwich Recreation Facilities Steering Committee voted unanimously for that option in a meeting Jan. 24.
Floradale station gets room to grow
Woolwich Township reached a deal with the Grand River Conservation Authority to purchase three acres of land on Florapine Road, the future home of a new station for the Floradale Fire Department.
Brothers grab fistful of medals for Woolwich gymnastics club................ »14 Tales from the trailer park
»19 VOLUME 12, ISSUE 08
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2007
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Woolwich looking at 3% tax hike for 2007 Water rates also pegged for 3% increase; wastewater fees to remain unchanged STEVE KANNON Homeowners will take a threeper-cent hit on the township portion of their property taxes in 2007 under a plan that this week won Woolwich council’s tentative approval. The increase would mean an
additional payout of approximately $12 per year on a home at the average assessment level of $183,000. The increase would support a proposed operating budget of $8.3 million, said actingtreasurer Richard Petherick. The proposed increase would see a 1.5-per-cent jump in the
general tax levy; the remaining 1.5-per-cent jump represents a special capital levy for recreation projects – some $65,000 for the reserve fund earmarked for Woolwich’s extensive, township-wide recreational facilities program. That program was put in place in 2005.
Also approved Tuesday night was a water-rate increase of three per cent, to $1.03 per cubic metre from $1. That represents about a $6-per-year jump for the average household. The wastewater rate is to remain the same at $1.27 per cubic metre. The three-per-cent prop-
erty figure was pared down from a staff proposal of 3.46 per cent, deemed too high by councillors given a growth in revenues from a 5.91-per-cent jump in the township’s tax base. That assessment growth represents major residential and industrial expansion in See TAX HIKE »02
» FIT FOR THE FUTURE
New walking track brings in $250,000 DESIREE FINHERT
A FRIENDLY DONATION Daughters Katelyn (left) and Kandis stand with their dad Larry Farr and a photo of their mother Dawn at Elmira’s only walking track at EDSS Feb. 21. This week, the Fit for the Future campaign received a $250,000 anonymous donation from a group called the Friends of Dawn Farr earmarked for the walking track to be built as part of the new multi-use recreation facility in Elmira.
An anonymous donation has put fundraising for Elmira’s planned multi-use recreation facility over the $2 million mark. The latest support of $250,000 comes from unidentified persons known as Friends of Dawn Farr and is earmarked for the 250-metre indoor walking track. “It’s a pretty big honour especially being anonymous. The people who donated it certainly did so for the right reasons and not for glory. I surely can’t thank them enough,” said Larry Farr, Dawn’s husband. The donation comes nearly two years after the 44-year-old Elmira resident was killed when the car she was driving crashed head-on with a transport truck on Arthur Street, south of Listowel Road, June 30, 2005. Prior to her death, Dawn Farr was a long-time supporter of the Elmira Sugar Kings, a member of the Kings Booster Club and a host to billeted players. She was an advocate of a new See DONATION »02
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Regional taxes up 2.58%
The average household in Waterloo Region faced an additional $33.10 on the regional portion of its tax bill in 2007, after councillors approved a 2.58-per-cent tax hike.
(Woolwich Community Services)
Woolwich proposed 3% tax hike
Province ponies up $2 million
Woolwich homeowners learned Feb. 20 they were facing a three-per-cent jump in the township portion of their property taxes. The tentative changes approved by council amounted to $12 a year on a home assessed at the average level of $183,000.
The financial picture for a new twin-pad rec. complex in Elmira got clearer when the province agreed to kick in $2 million. Funds were made available from the Ontario Infrastructure Projects Corporation’s Rural Infrastructure Investment Initiative.
Woolwich signs deal with unionized workers
Hwy. 7 gets the go-ahead
Woolwich Township reached a deal with its 18 unionized workers, approving a contract for a threeper-cent raise over each of the next three years. The deal also called for adjustments of 0.9 to 3.18 per cent to bring local wages in line with workers in comparable municipalities.
MARCH
Wintry weather lashes Woolwich
March came in like a lion, as freezing rain and high winds downed hydro poles in St. Jacobs and Elmira Mar. 2. Customers were left without power for hours.
Post vacates Conestogo
With the closing of Conestogo Variety, the post office
NOW ACCEPTING NEW PATIENTS
In its budget of Mar. 22, the province approved plans for a new Hwy. 7 linking Kitchener and Guelph, a plan in the works for more than 30 years.
Wellesley opts for 3% tax jump
Wellesley councillors, meeting Mar. 27, approved a three-per-cent hike in property taxes, an increase of $19.41 per year on the average home assessed at $203,000.
Cancer claims active community volunteer
Jim McLeod, a longtime volunteer with a range of community groups, succumbed to cancer Mar. 27 at his home in Elmira. He was 58.
APRIL
Kings fall to Cambridge in Cherrey Cup final
East steps down; Haddaway named new coach
Following the end of the season, John East stepped down as coach of the Elmira Sugar Kings after four years in the job, saying he wanted to spend more time with his family. The team subsequently announced the hiring of Geoff Haddaway, formerly with the Kitchener Dutchmen, as the new head coach. Play captures Newfoundland’s First World War tragedy......................... »20 Elmira Home Hardware takes home the hardware
»15 SATURDAY, APRIL 14, 2007
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A festival of taste for Woolwich
Woolwich renews lease for site near farmers’ market
DESIREE FINHERT
STEVE KANNON Woolwich will continue to operate visitor services in St. Jacobs, renewing a lease with Mercedes Corp. for the “yellow house,” a refurbished farm home at 844 Weber St. N. adjacent to the farmers’ market. While the two-year-old arrangement has been deemed successful, services will not be expanded this year. As with last year, the facility will be open seven days a week, with a staff person on site four days a week – Tuesdays and Thursdays, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturdays, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., then a flex day to be determined by tourist traffic. The current setup is sufficient, councillors decided this week. There will be some tweaking, however. Reacting to a report from the student who staffed the facility in 2006, they recommended establishing ties with The Mennonite Story at visitor centre in downtown St. Jacobs: many visitors to the township visitor information centre (VIC) express an interest in the Mennonite culture. AN APPLE A DAY For Steve MONTDY-AD-WLOB-bnnr-Feb21 2/21/07 2:50 PM ...Page 1 Martin of Martin’s Family Fruit Farm, eating locally grown food is a key ingredient in mainRather than encourage “Mentaining a healthy lifestyle. Local produce will be in the spotlight during the Taste of Woolwich event next week. See TOURISM »02
N
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» BUY LOCAL
Council visits tourism plan
L DE O PE M O W NO
A three-hour food festival may not be enough time to enjoy the smorgasbord of local treats and local talk during A Taste of Woolwich next week, but it may be enough to start a couple of trends. Touting the tagline Buying Local Food = A Healthy Community, organizers are looking to educate people about the benefits of buying local products while tantalizing taste buds with the same. A few savoury delicacies and some solid discussions will be used to encourage people to spend food money locally in support of the community. The event will be held at Woolwich Community Centre Apr. 16 from 5 to 8 p.m. Family restaurants such as At the Crossroads, Cedar Barn, Stone Crock and Three Bridges Restaurant will be serving meal samples made from local products. Organic food chef Heidi Scheifley will be giving a cooking demonstration while discussing the taste and cooking benefits of moving away from big-box grocery stores. The family event will be augmented with panel discussions, speeches and hands-on activities for kids. Bringing the various aspects together will be keynote speaker Steve Martin of Martin’s Family Fruit Farm. “There is a reason why local food is not being grown to the extent that it could be: generally speaking, it doesn’t pay to grow it,” said Martin, who sits on the executive of Foodlink Waterloo Region. Martin will share his thoughts on the importance of buying local from a vaSee TASTE »06
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Graham and LuAnn Snyder returned Apr. 16 from a seven-month fundraising tour of North America’s National Hockey League cities. The Elmira couple drove a 37-foot recreational vehicle across the continent raising funds for the Dan Snyder Memorial Foundation.
An Elmira man’s best friend returned home Apr. 18 after going astray for almost 15 weeks. Jurgen Mannhardt never gave up hope when his one-yearold pal Charlie went missing in January. The owner spent some $4,700 and covered 7,000 kilometres searching high and low for Charlie, who was eventually found by a Fergus family.
MAY
Maryhill centre underway
Construction of a new community centre got underway at Maryhill Heritage Park with a sodturning ceremony May 2. The project was the first of a heavy slate of new facilities set to be built by Woolwich Township.
NEWS | 1
The Observer | Saturday, April 14, 2007
VOLUME 12, ISSUE 14
Snyders return home from NHL odyssey
Charlie makes his way home
After winning the first two rounds of the MidWestern Junior Hockey League playoffs, the Elmira Sugar Kings fell in four straight games to the Cambridge Winter Hawks during the battle for the Cherrey Cup. The final game was an 8-1 loss Apr. 5.
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The Waterloo Region District School Board approved $750,000 to improve the sports fields at Elmira District Secondary School. The decision called for a $450,000 regulation-size football field and a five-lane cinder track to be built on part of the former Elmira Raceway lands. A further $300,000 was earmarked to revamp the existing sports field.
PHOTO | RORY STANLEY
A fire Jan. 7 destroyed New Hamburg’s historic grandstand. Damage was pegged at $400,000. Police deemed the fire suspicious.
NEWS | 1
The Observer | Saturday, February 24, 2007
EDSS to field new track
The month that come in like a lion left like a lamb, much to the delight of organizers of the Elmira Maple Syrup Festival. Cool, clear weather saw more than 70,000 take to the streets of Elmira Mar. 31.
Lake
Suspicious fire destroys New Hamburg landmark
A raging barn fire kept emergency crews on scene for nine hours at the site of a Breslau butcher shop Feb. 12. No one was injured, but the fire destroyed the structure, a workshop and storage facility for B and R Farm Ltd. at 2784 Victoria St. N. Damage was pegged at $300,000.
Weather smiles on EMSF
Cone stogo
Police started off the new year investigating a daylight robbery at the Elmira branch of the Royal Bank. The suspect made off with a small quantity of cash. He entered the bank at 6 Church St. W. about 1 p.m. Dec. 30, handing the teller a note requesting money. No weapon was seen, and nobody at the bank was harmed.
On-farm business goes up in flames
outlet there closed its doors Mar. 9. Canada Post was unable to find another suitable retail site prior to the closure.
to
Elmira bank victim of daylight robbery
FEBRUARY
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JANUARY
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Rec. campaign goes public
Special events in Elmira and Breslau May 12 launched the public portion of the Fit for the Future campaign, the drive to raise $5.6 million for a series of new recreational facilities in Woolwich.
JUNE
Charities reap record haul from EMSF
A good day for maple syrup in March translated into a good day for area charities June 13, as the Elmira Maple Syrup Festival handed out more than $40,000. It was the organization’s largest payout of proceeds from the festival, especially satisfying after a few years of poor turnouts.
Walk this way
Woolwich unveiled an aggressive plan to expand construction of new sidewalks in the township. Meeting June 19, councillors discussed earmarking $80,000 in each of the next five years to build new walkways. The money would be above and beyond the usual sidewalk repair and replacement budget of $50,000. NEWS | 1
The Observer | Saturday, June 09, 2007
Battle is on over the future use of terminator seeds.................................. » 14 Elmira teen makes the grade testing for black belt
»19 VOLUME 12, ISSUE 22
SATURDAY, JUNE 09, 2007
No one’s answering Bamberg’s phone calls
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Cuts on horizon for Woolwich rec. projects Majority of councillors call for sharper pencils as costs soar past budgeted amounts STEVE KANNON
Weimar Line residents unable to dial for assistance as phone woes continue to aggravate MARC MIQUEL HELSEN Longstanding telephone service problems in the Bamberg area took on an urgent tone last week, as a resident was unable to summon help when he needed it. Residents of Weimar Line in Wellesley Township continue to experience trouble connecting with Bell Canada and making the provider understand the nature of their phone troubles. They’ve endured months of poor phone service, with lines that click noisily, cut out intermittently and simply become inactive. ON HOLD Frank Nixon of Bamberg sent “On the weekend Bell Canada a petition with approximateit finally happened: ly 80 signatures of residents of Weimar there was a health Line who have had endless phone woes issue. One of my since October 2006. His letters and calls neighbours tried have gone largely unheeded by the phone to call his sister for company. help and the phones weren’t working … the next day when the family dropped in to see him he was taken straight to the hospital,” said Weimar Line resident and former Wellesley councillor Dusan Cizman. See ON THE HOOK page »06
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» FIT FOR THE FUTURE
Lancers take stock
LOCAL STARS Wilber Force lead singer Dan Bossenberry performs during EDSS’ Lancerstock Wednesday. The annual concert held on the back field of the Elmira high school took on a fairground feel this year with cotton candy and a dunk tank on hand. See story and photos on page 7.
Cuts appear in store as Woolwich councillors grapple with runaway cost increases for a slate of township building plans. At issue is an attempt to fit a $32-million square peg into the $26.8-million round hole that is the budget for seven construction projects. The $5.2-million shortfall represents the gap between current cost estimates and the amount of budgeted financing the township has in place to pay for the work. The Elmira project, the Woolwich Memorial Centre, currently has a budget of $22 million, up substantially from the $12 million originally forecast – even without the addition of a second ice pad, the project would still be set at $18 million. The latest construction estimates put forward at Tuesday’s council meeting show the project at $23.3 million. While smaller in scale, the six other projects are all experiencing cost overrun issues. Originally expected to cost $2.5 million, the new township administrative offices may cost $3.9 million. The Breslau community centre’s original budget of $925,000 has been revised to $2.2 million. Some $1.3 million is earmarked for a new fire station in Floradale, due to open in March 2008, up from the original forecast of $360,000. At the only project underway, the Maryhill Heritage Park Community Centre, the original budget of $350,000 swelled to $876,000, though actual tendered costs came in under
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Woolwich reaches Winterbourne deal
Winterbourne residents officially got some recreational space in the community June 19, as Woolwich councillors approved an agreement with Foundation Christian School. The deal formalized the public’s longstanding use of what used to be the Winterbourne Public School site.
Pools to be fenced in
Woolwich adopted its first pool fence bylaw, mandating that pools deeper than 37 inches (94 centimetres) be enclosed by a fence of at least five feet (1.52 metres) in height.
JULY
Farmer dies following bull attack
A Floradale-area farmer died July 5 after being gored by a bull. Edward Martin, 46, succumbed to his injuries shortly after an ambulance rushed him to hospital. He had suffered severe chest trauma.
Elmira Juniors advance to nationals
The Elmira Advance Millwrights Juniors advanced to the national fastball tournament in Prince Edward
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