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Elmira, Ontario, Canada | observerxtra.com | Volume 26 | Issue 28

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Living Here | 17

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Council defers decision on gravel pit in Maryhill Councillors looking for more answers after public meeting Tuesday night Steve Kannon Observer Staff

A sign advertising a COVID-19 vaccination clinic is seen in front of the entrance of Bingemans in Kitchener.

Alex Filipe

Region tallies largest one-day vaccination total Officials plan to expedite service and offer more drive-through clinics Justine Fraser Observer Staff

WATERLOO REGION SAW ITS HIGHEST number of vaccines given out at clinics in one day last Saturday during the ‘Every Dose Counts’ clinic at Bingemans in Kitchener. Some 12,820 people were inoculated.

Even without pharmacies and medical offices

included, 20,077 people were vaccinated on the weekend, including children ages 12 and up.

Those looking to get vaccinated still can, as the clinic at Bingemans will be continuing offering vaccines until Sunday.

Those looking to go after work, can go Tuesday and Thursday from 1 to 7:30.

The clinic’s hours Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Satur-

they were scooped up in 30 minutes so we know people do like the drivethru option, and we will do that again,” said regional Chair Karen Redman.

By midweek, almost 81 per cent of adults in the region had received at least one shot, while 56 per cent of those over 18 had been fully vaccinated.

“We will have more

day, and Sunday 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

“We will definitely do another drive through at Bingemans. We haven’t decided on what that date will be, but we know that that the uptake was fantastic because a week ago, Sunday we had 500 spots that were scooped up in about 45 minutes. And we then released another 300 spots for that day, and

→VACINNE ROLLOUT 2

LEFT WITH MORE QUESTIONS THAN answers, Woolwich councillors this week put off a decision on an application to mine gravel on a site near Maryhill.

There’ll be no decision on Capital Paving’s bid until at least August 10.

Having listened for six hours to a string of public comments during a special session Tuesday night, councillors appeared unswayed by planning staff’s assertion the company had satisfied all requirements for its plan to be approved.

Capital Paving wants to develop an extraction operation on a 230-acre site centered on 1195 Foerster Rd., south of Maryhill.

The firm estimates the site contains three million tonnes of aggregate materials. While the pit application looks to extract 500,000 tonnes per year, Capital predicts it would remove about half that much annually, meaning the pit would be in opera-

tion for 12 to 15 years.

Following a presentation by the applicant, residents and other opponents set about meticulously challenging the reports filed by Capital Paving, making cases on a number of fronts that the proposal was bad planning, threatened the local environment and reduced the quality of life for those living and working in the area. In the latter category, organizations such as the Merry-Hill Golf Club, St. John’s-Kilmarnock School and Schaman Clinic outlined the potential negative impacts of the development, including issues unaddressed by Capital’s studies submitted to the township.

“It’s not enough to say the risks are acceptable, not significant or minimal – the health and safety of children demands a higher standard,” said SJK head Cheryl Boughton, who argued the studies carried out by the applicant were sub-optimum, including failing to look at the impact of the likes of dust → GRAVEL 8

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THE OBSERVER | Thursday, July 15, 2021

2 | COMMUNITY NEWS

Region set to move to stage 3 of reopening on Friday as COVID-19 cases stabilize Alex Filipe Observer Staff

HAVING JOINED THE REST OF the province on Monday in stage 2 of the reopening plan, Waterloo Region will be in lockstep with other municipalities in moving to stage 3 tomorrow (Friday).

“The plan is to move along with the province going forward,” said medical officer of health Dr. Hsiu-Li Wang during July 9’s weekly pandemic briefing. “The metrics that I was look-

ing for us to start moving forward were stabilization of our situation and rising vaccination rates, and that’s what we see now.”

While this may be cause for celebration, Region of Waterloo health officials still advise caution and continue to stress the importance of vaccinations.

“We need the community’s help,” said Wang. “We need the community to not let up on the gas and get vaccinated as soon as they can, continue to be very cautious and practice in

VACCINE ROLLOUT: Region looks to streamline process, speed it up → FROM 1

Murray, who is the operational lead for all of the clinics, wants to get a bus and go around not just to the high-risk neighbourhoods, which is what we’ve been doing to make sure they get vaccinated, but also to places like Conestoga Mall and Fairview Park Mall where people may get off of a train or transfer to a bus and go, ‘well, I’ve got half an hour, I’ll just walk in and get my shot.’ We’re looking at continuing to do everything we can to make sure that there are no barriers for anyone that wants to or is thinking about getting vaccinated.”

There were over 600 volunteers over the weekend helping to run the hockey hub clinic at Bingemans and helping to give out vaccinations.

“What they were getting in return was hope that we will be able to have the summer we wanted, the businesses will be able to

open and stay open. And hopefully, that we will avert a fourth wave because people will continue to be vaccinated,” added Redman.

“We’re still in a fragile position, we still have hospitals that are full of patients with COVID – our ICU units are full. And we have sent recently patients to other hospitals. So, I would say, we’re not out of the woods yet. We still have to keep our foot on the gas.

Our team will still continue to find additional ways to make vaccine available, but I really plead with the community, continue to get your first and second doses because that’s how we will tamp down the spread of delta and prepare ourselves for any other variants that come along. The vaccines have been proven to be very effective against Delta [variant] – the vaccines are great, they’re effective, they work, but they only work if they get into people’s arms.”

public health precautions.”

At midweek, the region had 279 active cases of COVID-19, with outbreaks in 16 locations. There were 25 people hospitalized by the virus, which has thus far claimed 280 lives since the pandemic began last year.

“We are seeing increased admissions of younger people and families because of the Delta variant,” said Dr. Sharon Bal, primary care physician lead for the Region of Waterloo’s vaccine rollout task force. “And in

some cases because of non COVID as well.”

Coming off the success of last week’s drivethrough vaccine clinic at Bingemans in Kitchener, the region is once again offering up their space to help accelerate large-scale vaccination sites.

During a weekly COVID19 briefing, task force head Shirley Hilton noted that the hockey hub at Bingemans is operaing a little differently than standard mass vaccination clinics.

“It’s a bit different where

→ FROM 3

and small animals to see how it goes.

“There is so much that the high school students can take from this. Rather than just telling your parents why they should get you a pet, high school students will be able to demonstrate to their parents how responsible they can be. This is a good way to trial having a pet and see if they fit into their life,” she noted.

“This will give them an opportunity to take their mind off what’s happening in the world today and just be able to focus on interacting with an animal, and also teach them about giving back to their community. By fostering an animal, they will help us increase the number of animals that were able to take into our shelter.

“Part of the reason we decided to pilot this program out of Stratford-Perth was because that is where we have the

Stacy Murphy with a cat available from the Humane Society of Submitted Kitchener Waterloo and Stratford-Perth.

greatest need for foster volunteers – we don’t have enough at this time and if were not able to place an animal into foster care, which is our hope for every animal. They just stay in our shelters; they’re clean but they’re not the same

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as having an animal in someone’s home,” Barradas added.

The program will offset declines in the number of staff and volunteers that have occurred due to the pandemic, which has put a strain on those that have

been working through the lockdowns, she said, noting that’s another reason to find more foster homes.

“Right now we’re in kitten season – from as soon as the weather starts to warm up until middle of fall is kitten season – and there are a lot of kittens coming in. We have multiple litters of kittens coming in every day. These are typically placed with our adult volunteers who have more experience with bottle feeding, but there are still adult cats that are healthy that come in on a regular basis, that are in need of a foster home.

Kittens are our fast movers – unfortunately it makes it a little bit harder to adopt out the adult cats. They’re perfectly healthy it just might be taking a little longer to find their forever home, so were hoping that’s where the students can step in and help us look after those animals as we find their forever home.”

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The light continues to grow at the end of the tunnel, but health officials advocate that there is still a large risk the pandemic poses. Getting vaccinated and helping those around you to also receive the jab is the best way to move forward and stay forward.

“We all need to understand that we’re not out of the woods yet. Delta is still circulating, and therefore everyone needs to continue to be very diligent with their public health precautions,” warned Wang.

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the person doesn’t have to walk to a variety of different stations,” said Hilton. “We’ve got a great opportunity this weekend, let’s do it.”

In the past week vaccination efforts have increased dramatically with adults in the region who have received their first dose jumping to 80 per cent from 59.

“This is remarkable progress. But we’re not at the finish line yet,” warned regional Chair Karen Redman.

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THE OBSERVER | Thursday, July 15, 2021 | 3

Page Three

If it matters to you.

It matters to us.

News tips are always welcome.

Email: newsroom@woolwichobserver.com

Taken in the MLB draft

From the archives

Heidelberg native Calvin Ziegler, 18, was selected this week by the New York Mets in the second round (46th overall) in the Major League Baseball draft. The righthanded pitcher attended TNXL Academy in Florida and is committed to play at Auburn University.

The swings are up, the slides are ready and the children are having fun. The new communitybuilt Kate’s Kause charity playground in Gibson Park is finally open for business. The playground includes a junior and senior play section, swings and a flower garden, and will be officially called Kate’s Playground For Everyone.

Online: observerxtra.com/tips

From the July 14, 2012 edition of The Observer

Humane Society launches new foster program Justine Fraser

and Stratford-Perth foster program.

In addition to finding foster homes for the animals, the new program’s goal is to help educate students about animal welfare while providing interactions that promote a healthy mental wellbeing.

“By opening it up to

Observer Staff

HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS IN THE Stratford-Perth area are being invited to complete their community service hours this summer by fostering a cat or small animal through the Humane Society of Kitchener Waterloo

students were hoping to get more community engagement, help more animals find a temporary, loving home while they’re looking for their forever home, expand the capacity of the number of animals we are able to care for, but also to give students the opportunity to spend their volunteer hours and give

them some animal interaction, which can be very beneficial,” said Humane Society spokesperson Anya Barradas.

Anyone 14 years in age and up living in the area can apply to foster an animal; anyone older than 18 would go into the adult category.

“For the student foster

program we wanted to make it manageable for students and for the parents who would need to co-sign. We are giving them the option to foster either a cat or a small animal. All of these animals will be medically cleared by our veterinary team and are just looking for their forever home –

somebody to look after them, take care of them, feed them, and give them some interaction until they are able to find their forever home.”

Barradas said this is just the start of a pilot program that could change or be extended. For now, they are starting out with cats → FOSTER A PET 2

Regional workers move into strike position; talks stall Justine Fraser Observer Staff

Ethan Deep, Lisa Parker, Debra Watson, Ailish Kennelly and Aurora Ibbotson at the Wellesley health centre.

Alex Filipe

Wellesley Kids Summer Club returns Alex Filipe

centers across the region.

Wellesley will be the first to host activities from July 19 to 23. The St. Clements Community Centre will be next up from July 26 to 30. After a week of online activities, Linwood and Hawkesville community centres will round out the event with activities taking place between August 9 to 13 and August 16 to 20 respectively.

years now,” said Lisa Parker, a community health worker at the Wellesley Township Community Health Centre. “This year, we’ve decided to run a hybrid model of in person and online weeks.”

Over the course of the next six weeks, online and in-person events will be taking place at four different community

Observer Staff

THE LESSONS LEARNED IN LAST year’s switch to digital have made some lasting changes to many annual events. This year’s Kids Summer Club held in Wellesley Township is no exception.

“We’ve been doing different variations of summer club for many

“Some locations can be really super popular,” said Parker. “We’ve had upwards of 28 kids at certain locations, and some locations may not be quite as busy.”

The in-person activities staff have planned for kids range from summer sports to guest speakers. All of these events will be facilitated with social distanc→ CLUB 4

SOME 1,200 REGION OF WATERLOO workers, including paramedics, will be in a strike position at week’s end as contract talks have stalled between the union and the region.

Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) Locals 1883 and 5191 filed a “no-board” application June 30, setting in motion a 17-day countdown to a strike or lockout. A no-board report is filed by a conciliator if the process of conciliation fails between the two sides.

CUPE 1883 represents about 900 workers in public health, childcare, social services, finance, IT, housing, administration, museums, libraries, bylaw enforcement, engineering, airport, landfill, and transportation.

CUPE 5191 represents about 300 paramedics and logistics staff.

Among the issues was the region’s decision last year to close five childcare facilities, including Elmira Children’s Centre,

in an effort to cover a $25-million shortfall in the region’s 2021 budget.

“The Region of Waterloo doesn’t seem to care for the services we provide.

They voted to close all five of the childcare centres they operate. These were the only centres that were open for essential workers to have care for their children when all others were closed. Their decision will leave over 200 parents stranded while laying off 80 childcare workers,” said CUPE 1883 president Noelle Fletcher.

The union is calling for their employer to address higher workloads, poor workplace morale and lack of mental health supports.

CUPE 5191 says paramedic members are feeling burnt out after stepping up for the community over the last year and a half, they have worked nonstop with little support from their employer. The paramedics would like to see improvements made to paid sick days, and compensation on par with neighbouring → NEGOTIATIONS 4

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THE OBSERVER | Thursday, July 15, 2021

4 | COMMUNITY NEWS

ↆ P O L I C E

R E PO R T

Police plan blitz to counter increase in truck-related fatal collisions The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) is reporting a significant increase in commercial motor vehicle-related fatal collisions, a clear sign that many drivers are disregarding the additional risks these types of collisions carry, say police.

From January 1 to June 30, the OPP responded to 32 fatal crashes that involved a commercial motor vehicle (CMV), compared to 23 such collisions at this time last year.

Heading into the second half of 2021, 2,956 CMV-involved crashes have occurred, up nine per cent over 2020 and accounting for close to 13 per cent of the total number of collisions on OPP-patrolled roads this year.

Improper lane changes, following too closely, speeding and driver

inattention on the part of CMV operators and drivers of other involved vehicles are leading factors in this year’s large truck-related collisions, said police in a release.

A CMV can weigh in excess of 60,000 kg and, travelling at speeds of 80 to 105 km/h, generates significant momentum and energy, increasing the risk of fatality when involved in a crash with other vehicles.

During the one-week Operation Safe Driver campaign, OPP officers will be highly visible conducting enforcement and education aimed a CMV operators and other drivers, exercising zero tolerance with any motorists observed engaging in risky driving in and around these large vehicles. CMV inspections will also be conducted in partnership with the Ministry of Transportation.

JULY 6 3:17 PM | Waterloo Regional Police are investigating after a break and enter was reported at a residence on Deborah Glaister Line in Wellesley Township. The suspect(s) used force to gain entry into the residence and a yellow 2003 Suzuki dirt bike, along with other property, was taken.

Investigators are looking to speak to the driver of a royal blue mid-sized pickup truck (4 door cab) with a large dent above the passenger rear wheel area. Anyone with information is encouraged to call police at 519-5709777 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477. Anonymous tips can also be submitted online by visiting www.waterloocrimestoppers.com.

JULY 9 5:00 AM | Police are

investigation reports of stolen pickup trucks that were used in other property-related crimes. Police received a report of a

theft of a red GMC Sierra pickup truck and a trailer from the area of Riverside Drive West and Snyder Avenue North in Elmira.

The suspects arrived in the area in a stolen F350 pickup truck. One suspect exited the F350 pickup and forced their way into a red GMC Sierra.

The suspect then stole the pickup truck and the attached trailer, while the other suspect drove away in the stolen F350 pickup truck. The suspects then used the GMC Sierra in an attempted break and enter at a gas station on Earl Martin Drive in Elmira. The GMC Sierra was later found destroyed by fire on New Jerusalem Road in Elmira. The trailer was also recovered. The stolen silver F350 diesel pickup truck is believed to have been used by the same suspects in a previously reported rooftop break and enter at a gas station on Arthur Street South in Elmira. The investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information is asked to call police at 519-570-9777 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-

222-8477.

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JULY 12

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OPP received a report of a motor vehicle that had just been stolen. Police attended a residence on Road 111 in the Township of Perth East, where an unknown person(s) took the unlocked vehicle from a rural farm property.

The keys were left in the ignition at the time of the theft. The stolen vehicle is described as a 2012 black GMC Sierra pickup truck, with lift-kit, chrome wheels, no exhaust, a CanAm sticker in the back window, and a stainless steel toolbox in the back.

Anyone with information regarding this or any incident is asked to call the OPP at 1-888-310-1122 or online at www.opp.ca/ reporting. Should you wish to remain anonymous you can call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS) or leave an anonymous online message at www.

P3tips.com where you may be eligible to receive a cash reward of up to

Regional Police charged a motorist with stunt driving and other driving offences in Wellesley Township after stopping an Infiniti in the area of Herrgott Road and Industrial Crescent in St. Clements. The vehicle was observed travelling allegedly 107 km/h in a 50 km/h residential zone. The driver, a male youth, was charged with several offences, including ‘stunt driving,’ ‘speeding,’ ‘drive left of centre,’ ‘improper tires’ and ‘G1 driver unaccompanied by qualified driver.’ As a result of the stunt driving charge, the male’s vehicle was impounded for 14 days, and his licence was suspended for 30 days under the new provincial legislation, Moving Ontarians More Safely Act, that took effect on July 1. The youth is due in court in August 2021.

NEGOTIATIONS: Job security, fairness, mental health support more important than money, says CUPE leader → FROM 3

municipalities.

“The Region of Waterloo has shown little interest in negotiating with us,” said Luke McCann, president of CUPE 5191 and an active paramedic.

“We feel grateful for the opportunity to serve our communities and want to continue working. All we are looking for is the respect of the employer in recognizing the value of our workforce. We deserve a fair deal.”

Fletcher said It was clear that the two sides were nowhere near conciliation in April this year.

“At that time, a conciliator was assigned, and we bargained one more day with the conciliator and one without, and unfortunately at that time it was clear that we were nowhere near coming to a

deal so that’s why we are in the process of filing a no-board,” said Fletcher.

“It is not about money.

Everyone always assumes when a union goes on strike it’s about money – we have never even spoke about monetary issues.

This is about job security, being treated fairly, mental health initiatives and coverage. We know that mental health crisis is at an all-time high. We are looking at some improvements and initiatives there for our members.”

Fletcher said she wants the community to know that CUPE 1883 and 5191 would prefer not to strike but have been left with few options.

“We really want to bargain. We do not want to go on strike – it’s the last thing we want to do.

We just want the region to

commit to bargaining with us and our sister union 5191 too; we’re basically experiencing the same thing.

“We have over 900 members. Our members are throughout the entire region, so we have public health, we have housing, we have social services, we have finance, we have I.T., we have people at GRT, we have the call centre, we have water, we have landfill, we have libraries, we have museums – we are basically inside workers throughout the entire region. We cover almost everything,” noted Fletcher, speaking about the Local 1883 members.

“This has never really happened with us in bargaining before, especially the lack of bargaining dates and I do want to stress to the community we don’t want to go on strike, but we are at a place where the Region of Water-

Noelle Fletcher is president of CUPE Local 1883, which is at an impasse with the Region of Waterloo. Justine Fraser

loo filed for reconciliation and unfortunately this is the next step. So were hoping it brings them to the table,” she said.

“The problem is when you file a no-board it starts a 17-day period, and at the end of the 17 days were in a strike position. We’d like to bargain before then and we’d like to see 5191

bargain before then.”

CUPE 1883 and 5191 filed the no-board together to add pressure on the region to negotiate with them. Fletcher said that the members of her local are largely concerned about job security, lack of investment in mental health and looming layoffs as the region continues to

cut services.

The region has largely avoided addressing the standoff, not responding to inquiries. It did issue a statement on Monday.

“As negotiations continue with CUPE Local 1883 and CUPE Local 5191, the Region of Waterloo remains fully committed to reaching an agreement with both unions.

“We value the critical work of all of our staff and our relationships with all bargaining units. These partnerships are key to enable region staff to deliver essential services and exceptional customer experiences for every resident in the community.

“In accordance with the Ambulance Services Collective Bargaining Act, an Essential Services Agreement must be in place with CUPE 5191 so that emergency services will be maintained in the event of a strike.”

CLUB: Emphasizing the importance of kids being around others, socializing → FROM 3

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ing guidelines in mind.

“We’re going to be doing volleyball, we have a lot of guests coming in to do presentations, we’re hoping for the fire department to come in and use their hose and have a fun day. We also have people coming in to do art, and

also farm safety. So more hands-on activities,” explained Ailish Kennelly, a summer leader at the health centre. “We’ll be following all our social distance guidelines.”

The Kid’s Summer Club is open to children aged from 5 to 13. There are a limited number of

spots available, so those interested should contact Lisa Parker at wchckidssummerclub@gmail.com.

The Wellesley Township Community Health Centre also suggests parents make a $25 donation to go towards funding for future events.

“I think it’s really

important for kids, especially that young, to actually get into these social environments – being at home, they don’t get to be around other kids.” said Aurora Ibbotson, another of the summer leaders.

“Being around others [and] actually socializing is really important.”

Thursday, July 15, 2021 | THE OBSERVER

COMMUNITY NEWS | 5

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THE OBSERVER | Thursday, July 15, 2021 | 6

Opinion

When local news matters ... ... it matters where you get your local news.

Connect: observerxtra.com/staff

Verbatim

The Monitor

“The bottom line is that [research projects] that are found to be high risk will not be funded and those which come with a low to medium risk assessment will be required to have risk mitigation measures put in place.”

Canadians (56%) are more satisfied with the health care system in their province than Americans (47%) are with the health care system in their state. Canadians are least satisfied with the wait time in emergency rooms (22% satisfied), while Americans are least satisfied with the cost of medications (37%).

Federal Innovation Minister François-Philippe Champagne on new guidelines for Ottawa’s scientific research granting agency amid growing concerns that Canadian universities and researchers are transferring intellectual property to China.

Leger poll

OBSERVER EDITORIAL

Pitting what's democratic against what gets approved

N

o matter how impassioned or rational their pleas, nothing Maryhill residents said at a public meeting this week will have any bearing on the decision about a sprawling gravel pit near the village.

Still, the township had to go through the motions Tuesday night, letting the public have its say.

In the end, the decision is likely to be made outside of Woolwich in a process with little if any public accountability.

Left to make the decision, Woolwich councillors would reject Capital Paving’s bid to mine gravel from a 230-acre site centered on 1195 Foerster Rd., south of Maryhill. As local representatives, they would be doing the will of most residents by voting ‘no.’ Moreover, gravel operations provide little in the way of economic benefit to the township, while at the same time damaging roads as heavy trucks travel back and forth to the mining location, all the while increasing traffic and the resultant safety risks.

The reality is different, however. If the township rejects the application, the company will appeal the decision to an unelected and unaccountable provincial tribunal. There’s also the very real risk the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry would simply override any democratic process anyway.

If council approves Capital Paving’s application, there’s a good chance residents may launch an appeal of their own, again placing the decision in the hands of the tribunal. In that instance, however, there’s a good chance the residents would lose.

The latter scenario is further complicated by the fact Woolwich planning staff has recommended approval of the application, meaning the township would have to hire outside planners to argue against its own staff’s position. That adds costs to what is already an expensive legal process, a pragmatic consideration that does indeed factor into council’s deliberations about whether or not to approve gravel pit applications.

As it stands, the company has simply to check the boxes of a process set out by a developer-friendly bureaucracy, and the citizens have no say.

The issue would be much less complicated if the province simply turned over decision-making power for planning applications to the municipalities, which would then be able to chart their own course without interference from third parties.

As many critics of the Local Planning Appeal Tribunal and its predecessor, the Ontario Municipal Board, have noted, municipalities make decisions on many issues without the oversight of a provincial tribunal, rendering the century-old practice irrelevant, as well as undemocratic.

Planning matters are different, apparently.

In that vein, applications for the likes of gravel pits and other developments , the rejection of which are often overturned by the tribunal, raise the issue of local land decisions. In the townships, this often means questions about prime farmland. Here, the provincial process that favours developers is at odds with the protection of land by preventing sprawl and the hypocritical push for growth at all costs.

Prime farmland is a rare commodity, less than five per cent of land in the province. And a shrinking one, a situation not helped by the likes of gravel pits, which are never returned to their previous state despite mandatory rehabilitation programs, which are themselves not always enforced.

The Ontario Federation of Agriculture argues gravel pits should be prohibited on prime farmland, noting that agricultural land was being lost in Ontario at a rate of 175 acres per day.

The organization found generally negative impacts of gravel mining and aggregate trucking on agricultural land uses and on individual farm operations.

Such considerations add to the reasons for Woolwich to reject the application, and for provincial legislation to encourage the same ... or get out of the way by scrapping the developer-centric appeal process.

ANALYSIS OF CURRENT WORLD EVENTS

Murder of president another display of Haitian disfunction

T

he presidential dogs were still alive, which meant that something was very wrong with the official explanation of the assassination of Haitian President Jovenel Moïse on 7 July. In very poor countries even moderately prosperous people whose houses contain things worth stealing usually have large dogs, and those dogs are trained to attack intruders.

The dogs would certainly have attacked Moïse’s attackers if they didn’t know them, but they didn’t have a scratch on them. Neither did his bodyguards, who somehow didn’t hear the 12 shots that killed the president and the several more shots that severely wounded his wife. In fact, they heard nothing, saw nothing and knew nothing.

But the Haitian police rapidly arrested 15 Columbian ex-soldiers and killed three others.

There were two Haitian-Americans with them, and six more Columbians are still on the run. “Foreigners came to our country to kill the president,” lamented police chief Léon Charles.

Why would anybody import white foreigners to assassinate the president of a black country? Haiti has lots of gangsters

GWYNNE DYER

Global Outlook on World Affairs

and hit men of its own, and two dozen white foreigners would stick out a bit. In fact, have you ever heard of a hit team of more than two dozen men before? Yet that’s the story Moïse’s people are sticking to – which suggests that they might be involved.

The assassins allegedly arrived in two large groups in May and June, and spent their time hanging around a suburban hotel in Port-au-Prince.

Then early one morning last week they went to the palace, killed the president – and returned to their hotels, where most of them were arrested peacefully some hours later.

The story told via their wives and families back in Colombia is a bit different. They say that the mercenaries were hired as bodyguards for some prominent Haitian (they didn’t know who) for $2,700 per month.

They showed up in Haiti and got paid, but there was no actual work for them to do until July 7. They were then handed an arrest warrant from a judge and told to go to Moïse’s residence, take him into custody,

and bring him to the National Palace, where he would presumably be arraigned.

This might have been a tricky task, since it involved getting past the president’s guards, but oddly it wasn’t a problem.

The Columbians’ leaders went into the president’s rooms, found Moïse dead and his wife wounded, and so they all left again, presumably telling the guards on their way out.

That story implies an incredible naïveté among the Colombian mercenaries, but in fact all the explanations on offer are incredible. Assassins without an escape plan, who according to the security cameras arrived at 2:40 a.m., an hour and a half after Moïse was killed? A leading opposition politician says Moïse’s own guards did it.

Oh, and now the ‘authorities’ have arrested Christian Emmanuel Sanon, a 63-yearold Haitian oligarch who flew into the country on a private jet in early June with “political motives.” Have they arrested the ‘intellectual author’ of the killing? Is he just another patsy?

And who is ‘they’ anyway?

Don’t waste time wondering. It doesn’t matter.

Haiti has the vicious, →DYER 8

Thursday, July 15, 2021 | THE OBSERVER

OPINION | 7

We’ve learned nothing from past mistakes about heritage buildings

A

city known for failing to preserve its heritage buildings, Kitchener is currently going along with plans to demolish most of a downtown Queen Street building in favour of yet another ugly, soulless highrise development, of which there are already many rising to mar the skyline.

The result of poor decision making, the destruction of the historic built environment is the fault of poor planning and policy failures at the provincial level, much of it influenced by the political sway of wealthy developers.

The same lack of importance placed on protecting older buildings is at play with efforts to protect old steel bridges in the townships.

Our negligence has a long history, one at odds with what’s seen in other countries, particularly across the pond.

The old city centres and architectural gems are the mainstay of tourism in Europe. Likewise, neighbourhoods with meticulously kept old homes are always in demand by homebuyers. But that didn’t happen by accident, nor was the preservation of such areas a foregone conclusion.

Today we take it almost as self-evident that heritage buildings should be protected, that aesthetic appeal and craftsmanship trump the standard fare now offered up by architects and builders.

Our take on the conservation of the built environment didn’t just appear, however, but evolved over years and decades and even centuries.

For those concerned with conservation, there’s a concerted effort to protect and restore heritage buildings, a practice that’s particularly prevalent in Europe. On this side

STEVE KANNON Editor's Point of View

of the pond, there’s been an increase in awareness of heritage matters. Ontario, for instance, has plenty of intact main streets that date back to the mid-19th century. The buildings may not be as old as those found in Europe, but they could someday take on more significance. That is, of course, if we take steps to preserve and maintain them – far too often, we haven’t and we don’t.

In this region alone, there are numerous examples of lovely old building knocked down due to neglect and ignorance.

To be sure, some of the buildings that disappeared needed to go. Others weren’t anything special.

But all too often progress for progress sake saw old, character-filled structures

JOE MERLIHAN

STEVE KANNON

JUSTINE FRASER

ALEX FILIPE

Reporter 519-669-5790 x101

PATRICK MERLIHAN

Print/Web Manager 519-669-5790 x105

CASSANDRA MERLIHAN

Graphic Designer 519-669-5790 x109

realized what those elsewhere figured out long ago: people like old buildings, and the factories of yore make great conversions into funky offices and lofts.

That kind of reuse of old buildings – factories turned lofts, old rowhouses becoming trendy restaurants – is destined to become, well, a thing of the past given the ugly, poorly built structures that have been the norm for most of the postwar period.

Like so many things today, architecture is disposable. Look around at the newer buildings: do you really think they’ll be here in a century? As is the case with electronics, clothing and cars, for instance, the buildings are typically made on the cheap, intended to be discarded as they quickly wear out or suffer the fickleness of fashion and trendiness.

That’s an issue for the

aesthetics of the city, but also erases history and often proves harmful to the environment.

Writing for the UW Heritage Resources Centre blog heritage architect Catherine Nasmith makes the case that Ontario has things backwards in allowing older buildings to be demolished rather than protecting them.

“Shouldn’t conserving built resources for cultural or environmental reasons be the rule, not the exception? In a better world we would re-use buildings whole, or at least carefully deconstruct and recycle building materials,” she writes.

“The much larger societal issue is that wasting buildings is extraordinarily bad environmental practice, one that is being recognized in other jurisdictions as part of ever more pressing climate change issues. Demoli-

With issues such as gravel pits, citizens typically get an eye-opening lesson in the real scope of democracy.

Founded in 1996.

Publisher 519-669-5790 x107

fall to make way for ugly buildings (think about Kitchener’s old city hall making way for a failed urban shopping mall). Or, perhaps even more insultingly, for a vacant, weedfilled lot.

That history is especially problematic in Kitchener and Waterloo, where the built environment is generally ugly or, at best, neutral. There are a few nice older buildings that have survived overzealous demolition – the Walper Hotel and the CIBC bank across the road in Kitchener, for instance, examples we can agree on – but there’s no real brilliant architecture, no grand mansions or other notable specimens that can be found in other places.

Instead, they’re working-class cities that relied on industry. What K-W did have was lots of factories, though many of those were knocked down before we

Editor 519-669-5790 x103

Reporter 519-669-5790 x102

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Sales Manager 519-669-5790 x104

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tion creates a staggering amount of waste, accounting in Ontario for 20-30% of municipal landfill.

Depending on what source you quote, no matter how energy efficient the new building, it takes about 50 years of energy savings to pay down the debt to the environment created by the creation and transportation of construction materials.”

Older buildings, made of simple, workable materials – steel, wood, bricks and glass – can be made to last, and are much friendlier to the environment.

That provides for cleaner living, the absence of the materials found in today’s sick buildings. And the structures are more durable, making them a better choice for the environment that continually demolishing and replacing them.

In a 2017 case study prepared for the Ontario Heritage Trust, Olivia Ashton of Carleton University notes the environmental issues at play with the conservation of heritage buildings.

“The several misconceptions surrounding old buildings include anything from being considered too drafty to that they require more energy to operate and heat. Perhaps this explains why older buildings are often overlooked when studying green construction because it is believed that new buildings are the way to a sustainable future.

However, in retrospect, existing buildings are inherently more energy efficient – thanks to durable materials, operable windows, and natural lighting, to name a few.

The adaptive reuse of an existing building, deters demolition, avoiding massive amounts of debris from ending up in landfills, thus decreasing land and air pollution,” she writes.

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THE OBSERVER | Thursday, July 15, 2021

8 | OPINION

Down in front, and other tips from the canoe

I The Observer published an April Fools Day story about a local cow whisperer who could make cows produce more milk. An area radio station fell for it looking to make contact with our fictitious subject.

The town of Bloomingdale in Woolwich was named by a descendant of American luxury department store chain Bloomingdale’s after settling in the area in 1861.

An Elmira journalist made a public weight loss challenge to raise money for the local food bank. In losing the challenge he sat in a kiddie pool full of Jell-O in Gore Park. ↆ LAST WEEK: Spotting the lie was a challenge this past week. The lie was that the Tragically Hip album "Road Apples" name was inspired by a drive to the Maryhill Commercial Tavern. The Tragically Hip never performed there. Word has it that record execs didn't know what road apples were and approved the name thinking it souned cool.

Most readers didn't believe that The Big M Frank Mahovlich made a special trip to The Observer — we put him on the cover of the paper in front of our sign. He was a super nice man. The RIM Park complex in Waterloo was indeed a scoop for the Observer.

You can play online by reading any online post at www.observerxtra. com. Vote for the lie and be notified if you are correct immediately.

DYER: Small group of elites continue to keep the majority in misery →FROM 6

convoluted, ultimately meaningless politics of a 16th-century Italian city state, with about the same standard of living (60 per cent of the population under the poverty line, which is $2.41 a day). It has the same riven, ruthless ruling caste, and the same levels of illiteracy, child labour and general violence. This is just another turn of the wheel.

The puzzle of who killed Moïse and why may never be solved, although which candidate emerges victorious from the current cluster of three rivals claiming the presidency will be a pointer in the right direction. None of them will change the fact that the country is really run by the rich and the gangs, often in partnership.

Haiti is not a ‘develop-

ing’ country. It is a society where two wealthy elites, one black and the other mulatto, compete for power but cooperate in oppressing and exploiting everybody else. Together they amount to about three per cent of the population; almost everybody else lives in poverty, and most in ignorance as well.

And there is no development.

Ursula Le Guin once wrote a short story about an extraordinarily wealthy and healthy city where everybody lived in peace and bliss, which was guaranteed to last so long a single child was kept imprisoned in filth, darkness and misery.

Haiti is like that, except that ten million must live in perpetual misery to guarantee the happiness of about 300,000.

Twenty-five years of delivering local.

Your community newspaper.

f I were writing a how-to book on canoe trips, the first chapter would be titled, “Make sure you get the back seat.”

There are standard reasons for this: you always have something to break your fall when you go over waterfalls, and you have a person between you and a surprised cow moose and her calf.

But the most important reason is that, from your position in the back seat, you get to watch the person in front paddle.

Equally important: that person does not get to see what you are up to – which, if you are doing things right, is not paddling.

I know this seems wrong, but someone has to enjoy the trip.

I learned this many years ago from my uncle, who always had me sit in the front seat. One day, after a particularly tiring paddle against a hard wind, we hit shore – and that’s when I noticed his paddle was completely dry.

“You never paddled

STEVE GALEA

Not-So-Great Outdoorsman

once, did you?” I asked.

He replied, “Not once.”

Between ducking my canoe paddle swings, he explained that he had just taught me everything I ever needed to know about canoe trips. And he was right.

Since then, I have put this vital outdoors skill to good use. In fact, I have refined it.

My first innovation was in ensuring you get the back seat. In the old days, this meant always canoeing with a lighter person.

For the lightest person always sits up front.

Unfortunately, there are times when you cannot find a person lighter than you.

A lot of amateurs would give up at that point and resign themselves to sitting up front and paddling.

Not me. I have discovered, if you quietly slip a big stone in the front of the canoe, you can

create the illusion of being surprisingly heavier.

Then, when you hit the water and the bow is ploughing, you suggest that, as the heavy one, you ought to sit in the back.

After that, when you beach to switch seats, you need to quietly remove that rock by creating a distraction with a sentence like, “Is that a beaver?”

This also provides cover for the splash when you remove the rock.

Of course, you can’t rest immediately after acquiring the back seat.

Instead, you have to create the illusion of effort so the other person thinks they are not doing this alone.

The best way is to use your paddle to throw water on your paddling partner’s back. I know this takes a bit of effort but believe me, it is worth it.

For it is usually enough to convince the other person that you are trying, perhaps even a bit too hard.

Also, every 10 to 15 minutes it helps to

say, “Would you mind paddling for a second while I take a quick break to rest my shoulders?” But instead of doing that, use your paddle to create drag, so the person feels like they are pulling a heavier load paddling solo.

That way, they’ll appreciate your lack of effort even more.

Take a minute to enjoy this before saying, “All right, I’m ready to paddle again.”

And then splash their back before resting your paddle across the gunnels.

It also helps to complain about and critique your partner’s paddling efforts.

That way they really dig in and don’t dare look back.

And they never hear your snoring when they are swearing.

The point is, if you do it right, you’ll have an enjoyable canoeing experience.

My next chapter, by the way, would be called, “Portaging injuries anyone can fake.”

I’m working on that now, but writing is not easy when you have a sprained ankle.

GRAVEL: Meeting convices council more answers are needed before a vote → FROM 1

and other pollutants on children.

“A gravel pit at the proposed site is incompatible with our school location. SJK will suffer from multiple adverse effects, including reduced air quality, noise pollution and increased risk of traffic accidents. It will have a significant impact on our school.”

Likewise, Brandon Peister of the Merry-Hill Golf Club said he remains unsatisfied with Capital Paving’s answers, noting the golf course was ignored in many of the studies submitted to the township.

The application was dissected by speaker after speaking taking part in the videoconference meeting.

Coun. Patrick Merlihan called the presentation informative, noting he’d learned far more than what was presented in reports to council, a situation that left him with questions that need to be answered before any decision can be made.

“This application is far from complete,” he said.

Councillors raised concerns about the prospect the company will opt for a below-thewater-table licence if groundwater levels prove

Capital Paving is seeking approval for a plan to mine gravel from on a 230-acre site centered on 1195 Foerster Rd.

too high or the opportunity exists to extend the life of the pit, with Mayor Sandy Shantz noting the township is a little “gun shy” after a similar shift at a pit initially approved for regular extraction in the Winterbourne valley.

Citing presentations outlining skepticism about Capital’s hydrogeological studies, Coun. Scott McMillan said approving the application as is means the township would have no further control over

any changes to the scope or type of operation at the site. The province would be making all the decisions.

“If the water is that close to the surface, we’re going to be right back where we were in Winterbourne,” he said.

Manager of planning Jeremy Vink acknowledged that the township would have no recourse if the operator wanted to go below the water table to mine aggregate, noting

Capital said it has no such plans. Furthermore, changes to provincial regulations mean municipalities can no longer mandate vertical zoning (depth) or sunset clauses for gravel pits.

Despite those regulatory changes, councillors noted Premier Doug Ford last year indicated that gravel pits could be rejected if unwanted by the community, though that’s not a policy.

Speaking about an application for a site near Milton, Ford said “I am not in favour of (the Campbellville quarry). I believe in governing for the people.

And when the people don’t want something you don’t do it. It’s very simple. I know the Mayor doesn’t want it, no one wants it. I don’t want it. We are going to make sure it doesn’t happen one way or another.”

In deferring a decision, councillors both asked for more information and allowed time to contact Ford directly about his statement and whether that would apply in Woolwich. Shantz encouraged residents to write to Ford as well.

A special council session is planned for August 10 to address the Capital Paving application.

THE OBSERVER | Thursday, July 15, 2021 | 9

Business

Leading the way.

Shining a light on local enterprise, stoking the economic engines.

Email: newsroom@woolwichobserver.com New Business: observerxtra.com/enterprise

HH supports youth sports

Tourism org. grants

Home Hardware this week announced the launch of the Home Hardware Return to Sport Matching Grant – $25,000 in grants will be available to help get kids back in the game after being sidelined by COVID19. Youth sports teams across Canada can register on the FlipGive app. The first 250 teams to raise $100 will receive a $100 matching grant from Home Hardware.

Canadian tourism businesses and organizations can now apply for support to welcome back visitors via the country’s regional development agencies (RDAs), which will deliver $485 million directly to businesses and organizations to help them adapt their operations to meet public health requirements.

More money for expansion, more flights from Breslau Ottawa pledges $3.9 million as part of extensive new spending, with Flair Airlines adding more options JUSTINE FRASER Observer Staff

NEW FLIGHTS AND NEW FUNDING have officials optimistic business will start to return to the Region of Waterloo International Airport as the province reopens.

Flair Airlines last week announced it is adding more flights out of the airport, identified by its call letters YFK. Flair Airlines began operating in 2017 as Canada’s only independent ultralow-cost carrier (ULCC) operating with a low-cost business model and offering cheaper airfare prices.

The company began flying out of Breslau in the spring.

“Flair is very excited to be working with the Region of Waterloo International Airport and to bring the freedom of affordable travel to local residents,” said Stephen Jones, the company’s president and CEO of last week’s new flights. “As the world starts to come out of the pandemic this summer,

Flair and YKF will be there with low fares to give more Canadians the opportunity to travel, visit friends and family, and to see what Canada and the U.S. has to offer.”

Last week also saw new federal funding allocated to the airport.

“In recognition of the impact COVID-19 has had on Canada’s airports an additional $186 million over two years is being made available under the ACAP, increasing the annual program by almost 250 per cent,” said Waterloo MP Bardish Chagger at the July 8 funding announcement.

The Airports Capital Assistance Program (ACAP) started in 1995.

Since then, Ottawa has invested more than $1.1 billion in 199 airports across the country.

“Smaller communities depend on their airports to facilitate travel for medical or business appointments, vacation and tourism while resource operations in isolated areas count on → AIRPORT 11

New federal funding will help with expansion plans already underway at the Region of Waterloo International Airport.

Justine Fraser

Farm equipment group links technology, sustainability and bandwidth where applicable).

Use too little of a particular input, and it’s not very effective. Use too much, and the environment takes a hit, not to mention the bottom line.

Use just the right amount – with technology’s help – and the results are significant.

Here’s why it’s important. The precise amounts of inputs needed by plants to maximize production and sustainability can vary drasti-

OWEN ROBERTS Food For Thought

cally, even throughout the same field.

Using tools such as satellite maps of fields connected to sensors and computers on machinery like tractors and sprayers, farm equipment can be made to determine how much goes where. It’s called variable rate technology.

Farmers also have access to auto-guidance technology. It basically allows machines to drive themselves and plant, spray or spread inputs to the centimetre. This prevents seed and chemicals being wasted where they’ve already been applied.

New farm equipment sales are booming.

Commodity prices are strong, meaning farmers have some money in their pockets. When they do,

history shows that’s when they buy new machinery.

“All indications are that the farm economy is going to continue to be strong into 2021 and perhaps for years to come,” says Curt Blades, senior vice-president of ag services for the Association of Equipment Manufacturers. “Ag equipment sales numbers typically go hand-in-glove with the ag economy.”

So expect to see more modern technology in

the fields, not less. New technology in planting, harvesting, and in tractors in general is, according to Blades, “absolutely part of the story and that is driving a whole lot of sales right now.”

A huge irony in all this technological progress is that farmers are among the least served group in North America for bandwidth and Internet. A farm needs to be broadband powerhouse → ROBERTS 11

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Call 1-866-207-5855. xplornet.com Speeds vary based on your technical configuration, traffic, servers, and other factors. Traffic management policy applies, see xplornet.com/policies. 2This pricing is exclusively for new customers and expires August 31, 2021. Includes rental cost of equipment, except optional Xplornet Wi-Fi router. Xplornet® is a trademark of Xplornet Communications Inc. ©2021 Xplornet Communications Inc. 1

Thursday, July 15, 2021 | THE OBSERVER

B U S I N E S S | 11

ROBERTS: Industry is making a push AIRPORT: Region hopes passenger count will rise in backing new spending → FROM 9 to incorporate more tech in agriculture → FROM 9

to really exploit available technology.

Lately, in the U.S., the agricultural industry has taken up the cause.

Manufacturers trying to convince farmers to buy sophisticated equipment realize that they, among others, should also help lobby for the infrastructure to maximize technology’s value.

The cause, called the American Connection Project, was launched a year ago by Land O’Lakes.

Now, it’s backed by more than 50 companies and organizations advocating for $80 billion to be earmarked and spent across the country for border-to-border broadband.

Other aspects of its mission include providing free wireless in some rural areas, and training young people to help rural communities establish broadband. That will help them take advantage of the economic opportunities it brings – not only improved precision farming possibilities, but features such as on-line sales and e-commerce that the connected world

takes for granted.

The most recent development from this effort is a program called the American Connection Corps. It vows to fund up to 50 lobbyists (it calls them fellowships) for two years to each pound boardroom tables and develop relationships for better connectivity.

It’s not all giant manufacturers who have stepped up; Illinois Extension, Microsoft and the Mayo Clinic for example are also American Connection Corps sponsors and supporters, each recognizing how important broadband is to health and education, not to mention food production.

In Ontario, the province’s planned overall investment in broadband is now nearly $4 billion over six years. The province says about 700,000 households and businesses still lack access to adequate broadband speeds…or have no access at all.

The kind of industry-wide assertiveness being shown by the American Connection Project would surely be welcome.

local airports to be there to move skilled workers.

Safe and efficient airports support their communities in many ways; this is more important than ever during these unprecedented and challenging times, living through the COVID-19 pandemic and to do this, there facilities and equipment must meet certain safety standards.

That is where the airports capital assistance program or ACAP comes in,” said Chagger.

The Canadian government will be investing just over $3.9 million to improve safety and efficiency at YFK. This is just one of the 86 projects at 63 airports that were selected for funding in 2021.

The investments in Canada’s smaller airports is to improve the safety and efficiency airport transportation options for travellers, to create more tourism for local economies and to help grow the region.

“Communities such as ours in the Waterloo Region are working to position ourselves to rebuild and repair for the post-pandemic economy and world,” noted Chagger.

Through Transport

Plans include doubling the size of the terminal and runway extensions.

Canada’s ACAP, the feds will provide $3,931,274 to the region’s airport for rehabilitation of taxiways and four aircraft stands.

“The Region of Waterloo is one of the fastest growing communities in the country and we are forecast to remain a growth leader in the coming years, in fact in the coming decades. Alongside this growth is the Region of Waterloo International Airport. Our current and projected demand for our airport is now exceeding our capacity and the ACAP will help to support specific programs to help our airport reach new heights,” added regional Chair Karen Redman.

The terminal expansion is set to double the size of the current airport, with local officials touting additional jobs, support

for businesses and local tourism.

“It also supports the growth of our knowledge in tech sectors and makes the Region of Waterloo a more desirable place for companies to put down roots,” said Redman During the COVID-19 pandemic smaller airports, such as YF, have been vital to distributing supplies and delivering vaccines to Canadians, officials say.

“We’re not waiting around; we’re taking that cheque and we’re cashing it, and we start work on Monday (July 12). So, we are putting shovels in the ground starting Monday on this exciting work as well as our terminal expansion work – and that’s a $35-million expansion to our terminal building. Our demand is now outpacing our capacity,” said airport

Justine Fraser

general manager Chris Wood.

“We’re upgrading everything. We’re doubling the size of our terminal building, we’re adding baggage capacity, we are adding investments in restaurants and retail for our passengers, additional baggage screening capacity – we’re upgrading our Canada Customs facility as well,” noted Wood of plans for the airport “The Region of Waterloo International Airport is an important hub for residents in Waterloo Region, connecting us to other airports across the country and the world.

This investment will help ensure continued safe and reliable airport operations so our airport can keep serving our community,” said Kitchener-Conestoga MP Tim Louis.

Rent soft water starting at

$9.95

mth

*for first three months

.com 519.744.2248

427 Gage Ave • Kitchener

ELMIRA ART EXHIBIT

Outdoor Art Walk 10 Spectacular Murals Across Downtown Elmira Follow & tag us on your selfies: @downtownelmirabia #MyElmiraArt SPECIAL THANKS TO:

Learn More

THE OBSERVER | Thursday, July 15, 2021 | 12

Classifieds

Advertising

Placing a classified ad

Seven days.

One paper.

Please call or email for display advertising quote for Help Wanted, Auctions, Real Estate, Public Notices and Obituaries.

A bestseller every week.

Please talk to our ad dept for pricing and to order a Pro Services Directory.

All classified advertising is prepaid. Ads will be accepted in person, email, or phone during regular office hours. Deadline is Wednesdays by 10am. Order online at: observerxtra.com/classifieds.

Phone: 519-669-5790 ext 104 Email: ads@woolwichobserver.com Job Listings: jobs.observerxtra.com

Help Wanted

For Sale LAWN FERTILIZER AND LAWN SEED Call George Haffner Tr u c k i n g , 519-574-4141 or 519-669-2045.

Floradale Feed Mill Limited is an independent, family owned and operated feed company serving livestock and poultry producers in Ontario.

For Sale MATTRESS AND BOX SPRING, NEW, NEVER used, still in sealed bag. Sacrifice $195.

Delivery available $35.

519-635-8737.

Family Album Announcements pricing and info can be ordered online at: observerxtra.com/order-family-album.

For Sale OVEN READY CHICKEN, SOUP chickens, summer sausages, ground beef. Call for pricing.

519-669-0991.

Help Wanted

Production Worker

This fulltime position will involve straight shift work weekdays (Monday to Friday), evening and nights available with occasional Saturday shift.

Responsibilities will include warehouse duties, pelleting/batching and receiving.

Benefits We offer a competitive wage, pension plan and group insurance benefits.

To apply, forward your resume and three references to: Human Resources Floradale Feed Mill Limited 2131 Floradale Road, Floradale, ON N0B 1V0 Or e-mail: ffmjobs@ffmltd.com We appreciate all who apply but only those selected for an interview will be contacted.

Help Wanted

Floradale Feed Mill Limited is an independent, family owned and operated feed company serving livestock and poultry producers in Ontario.

We currently have an opening for:

Warehouse Personnel

Currently we are looking for individuals to join our team as warehouse personnel. Candidates for these full time positions will work straight shifts from 7am to 4pm, with OT opportunities weekly.

No experience is necessary but would be an asset.

Duties would include: • Bagging finished feeds • Warehouse work • Work area clean up • Helping customer’s with orders At Floradale Feed Mill Limited we take pride in providing the finest in quality feeds and service to our customers in the livestock and poultry industries. Therefore, a background in agriculture is considered an asset.

Benefits We offer a competitive wage, pension plan and group insurance benefits.

To apply, forward your resume and three references to:

$9 per 20 words (20¢ per extra word)

Commercial:

$15 per 20 words (30¢ per extra word)

Farm Services

BAGGED PINE SHAVINGS AGRICULTURAL Spray Lime, 22.5kg. bag; feed grade lime, 25kg. Delivered. Call George Haffner Trucking, 519-574-4141 or 519-669-2045.

KILN DRIED CORN & CORN SCREENING Delivered by Einwechter. Minimum 15 ton lots. Call George Haffner Trucking 519-5744141 or 519-669-2045.

We currently have an opening for:

The successful applicant will have • Strong oral and written communication skills • Ability to develop effective work relationships with co-workers, and • Ability to represent the Company positively with customers.

At Floradale Feed Mill Limited we take pride in providing the finest in quality feeds and service to our customers in the livestock and poultry industries. Therefore, a background in agriculture is considered an asset.

Farm Services

Residential:

OAT & PEAS FOR F O R AG E C OV E R CROPS - Call George Haffner Trucking, 519-574-4141 or 519-669-2045.

Trades & Services RON'S DRYWALL AND RENOVATIONS. OVER 35 years experience. Please call 519-496-7539 or email ron.spncr@gmail.com

Garage Sales ELMIRA - 6 GEORGE ST THIS THURSDAY, Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m -5 p.m. . Lots of good finds!!

100% Local

Help Wanted Join a young, dynamic team that keeps growing!

Woodland Horizon Ltd designs, manufacturers, finishes and installs high quality custom cabinetry and solid wood stairs. Our shop and showroom are located in the town of Drayton. At Woodland, one of our core values is Respect. Respect for our team members and respect for our customers. Continuous improvement is also a big part of who we are. We are constantly looking for new and innovative ways to make our team members jobs easier and more efficient. If this sounds like an environment that you would be interested in being a part of, please contact us.

We are looking for a full time, permanent

Edgebander Machine Operator

You would be responsible for setting up, running and daily maintenance of our CNC Edgeband machine.

This is a high tech German built machine and is an integral part of the kitchen cabinet manufacturing process. You will work closely with our machining and production managers to ensure that parts are edgbanded as needed by our assembly team.

Required skills • Respectful and team focused.

• Motivated and enthusiastic.

• Courteous and friendly.

• Dependable.

• Ability to read blueprints.

• Capable of lifting 50 to 75 pounds.

• No post secondary education required.

• Previous wood working experience will be an asset.

• Previous Machine operation experience will be an asset.

Experience: • Machine Operator: 1 year (preferred) • Woodworking: 1 year (preferred) This position is full time, with benefits after probationary period.

Human Resources Floradale Feed Mill Limited 2131 Floradale Road, Floradale, ON N0B 1V0 Or e-mail: ffmjobs@ffmltd.com

If you are interested in joining a vibrant and growing company, please send your resume to laverne@woodlandhorizon.com or call 519.638.5961 ext 104

We appreciate all who apply but only those selected for an interview will be contacted.

Only those receiving an interview will be contacted.

Help Wanted All positions available.

Full time, and part time daytime hours.

Apply in person with resume to: 3685 NAFZIGER RD. WELLESLEY or email: rgerber.schmidtsville@gmail.com or Call 519-656-2430

Help Wanted

Customer Service/ Sales Position This is a full-time inside position in our power tool, industrial / contractor supply store and would include counter sales and customer service in the store. This can also include phone and email order taking.

Knowledge of power tools, computer skills and drivers license are assets.

Apply with resume in person or email: joseph@millbankhardware.com Or call 519-595-4212. Ask for Joseph Gerber

Help Wanted

Purchasing Position This is a full-time inside position in our power tool, industrial / contractor supply store and would include product selection and purchasing of product. This includes responsibility for communication and relationship with the vendor, purchasing of product and stock level management within the category.

A general knowledge of construction, industrial and agricultural products are assets. Willing to train.

Apply with resume in person or email: joseph@millbankhardware.com Or call 519-595-4212. Ask for Joseph Gerber

Thursday, July 15, 2021 | THE OBSERVER

Help Wanted

C L A S S I F I E D S | 13

ↆ REAL

ESTATE

HELP WANTED Lorentz Farms Ltd. Mill operators and night shift loader tractor driver/general labourer needed.

Mechanically inclined, computer knowledge helpful, some equipment operation required.

Julie M. Heckendorn, Broker

3 Arthur St. S., Elmira 519-669-5426

Sue From

Alli Bauman

226-750-9332

519-669-5426

SALES REPRESENTATIVE

suefrom17@gmail.com

Call 519-575-8441 or 519-577-2889

DIRECT (519) 588-7562 EMAIL: Julieheckendorn20@gmail.com

New Listing

ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT

WHAT IS YOUR HOME WORTH? CALL US FOR A COMPLIMENTARY HOME EVALUATION.

Help Wanted

$669,900 5 Finch Place, Elmira Great court location for a young family. 3+ Bedrooms, 2 bathrooms. Large rec. room, and office in lower level. L-shaped living room/dining room. Lovely pie shaped lot with several mature trees, and private patio area. Long driveway, and single garage. MLS

40 Arthur Street South, Elmira | 519.669.8225

SOLD

Join our Café team! Full time prep cook, and full time customer service positions available.

Drop off your resume at Kitchen Kuttings Café Inc. Or Contact Shirley 519-578-6400 shirley@kitchenkuttings.com

In print. In Depth. Online.

BROKERAGE

R.W. THUR REAL ESTATE LTD.

BRAD MARTIN

Office: 519-669-2772 | Cell: 519-741-6231 45 Arthur St. S., Elmira | www.thurrealestate.com

Broker of Record, MVA Residential

35 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE YOU CAN RELY ON!

Help Wanted

NEW LISTING

NOW HIRING Looking for an energetic individual to help full time in my on farm Custom Wood and Metal Shop.

Planing Services/Metal Furniture Components. Willing to Train.

Call or text Ian 226 750 3074 Third Line Enterprise 7212 Third Line Elmira Ont.

3 Arthur St. S., Elmira N3B 2M4 | 519.669.5426

2 Oak Drive, Elmira Check out this 3 bedroom bungalow which has had major renovations completed in 2019 including opening the wall between the new kitchen & living room. New painted cabinetry w/ island, vinyl laminate throughout the main floor. Renovated bathroom, replacement windows & doors. Finished rec room which requires trim & flooring.

Workshop w/workbench. Combination furnace/laundry room. Furnace & C/A replaced in 2007. Fenced yard with a shed and firepit area. New front porch - wooden deck. New MLS. $579,900.00 112 Oriole Pkwy, Birdland Plaza

Help Wanted

$12.00/per sq. ft. plus C.A.M. fees space for lease. 2 units available immediately. 1310 sq. ft. & 1821 sq. ft.

Front & rear access. Newly renovated.

Lots of parking. MLS

NOW HIRING!

CALL FOR YOUR

FREE MARKET EVALUATION

I am happy to announce that I have joined the team at RE/MAX Solid Gold Realty (II) Ltd. Having grown up in Kitchener, I moved to Elmira in the 1980’s where I served as a pastor for more than 30 years. During those years, connecting with and supporting others was my greatest joy.

As a real estate salesperson, I continue to be passionate about helping others. Let me get to know you. I will listen to your needs, care about your goals and provide you the professional and honest service that you deserve.

Please call me anytime without obligation. I am ready to go to work for you today!

Rick Frey SALESPERSON

226.581.4448 realtoRick.frey@gmail.com www.realtoRick.ca

Millside Industries in Wallenstein currently has a position opening for

Customer Service/General Office Worker Position would require Friendly customer service.

Computer skills, quickbooks/excel spread sheets etc.

Be able to work in a fast paced environment.

Must be able to work with a group and independently. Experience in sales.

If interested please send your resume to john@millside.ca or fax to 519-669-0742

We thank all resumes, but not all persons may be contacted.

The Observer is Open for Business, but our doors remain locked.

The Observer continues to conduct business through limiting contact with the public in order to protect our staff and clients during this COVID-19 pandemic.

Announce it in the Observer.

Family Announcement Advertising: Ads will be accepted in person, email, or phone during regular office hours. Deadline is Wednesdays by 10am. Order online at: observerxtra.com/order-family-album Single:

$28 per insertion

Double:

$38 per insertion

Triple:

$48 per insertion

Please call or email Donna Rudy: 519-669-5790 ext 104 drudy@woolwichobserver.com

Thank you for your understanding and contacting us through phone, email and website.

General Contact:

Phone: 519-669-5790 Email: info@woolwichobserver.com Web: www.observerxtra.com

Advertising Contact:

Phone: 519-669-5790 ext 104 Email: drudy@woolwichobserver.com Web: www.observerxtra.com/ads

Thank you for supporting the local news.

T H E

P OW E R

OF

P R I N T.

Read award-winning local news | www.observerxtra.com

THE OBSERVER | Thursday, July 15, 2021

14 | C L A S S I F I E D S

ↆ LO CA L ↆ

PR O F E SS I ONAL

SERVICES

GENERAL SERVICES

AVAILABLE FOR YOUR ESSENTIAL TRANSPORTATION VAN, MINIBUS & WHEELCHAIR LIFT BUS TRANSPORTATION “Specializing in small group charters”

5196695557

Visit our website! countrymilebl.com

ↆ

IN-STORE SERVICES

MarCrest Backhoe

CALL TO BOOK! TODAY.

Elmira, ON

Visit our website

www.biobobs.com or call today!

519-648-3004

or

• Window & Screen Repairs • Glass & Plexi Cutting • Key Cutting • Knife & Scissor Sharpening • Lawnmower Blade Sharpening • Paint Colour Matching • Interior Design Consultation • Bike Repair

Septic Installations · Tile Repairs Small Footings · Silo Footings

Maynard Martin 2512 Kressler Road RR1 St. Clements, ON N0B 2M0

800-232-6396

22 Church St. W., Elmira

519-669-5537

Tel. 519-699-0507

STORE HOURS: MON - SAT 8-6, SUN 12-5

GENERAL SERVICES Thorncreek Farms

Poultry Barn Pest Solutions

Visit us online to see our entire rental lineup.

Poultry Pest Management Pest control with residual built in

Various sizes & rates

CLEAN • DRY • SECURE Call

519-669-4964

519-504-2698

Serving KW and surrounding area

100 SOUTH FIELD DRIVE, ELMIRA

ↆ

WHERE TIRES ARE A

SPECIALTY, NOT A SIDE LINE.

Farm • Auto • Truck Industrial On-The-Farm Service 35 Howard Ave., Elmira

519-669-3232 ↆ

ↆ

AUTOMOTIVE SERVICES

TIRE

519-669-0524 www.woolwichrentals.ca 100 Union St, Elmira, Ontario

THOMPSON’S

Auto Tech Inc. Providing the latest technology to repair your vehicle with accuracy and confidence.

519-669-4400

HOME IMPROVEMENT

John Schaefer Painting FREE ESTIMATES Interior/exterior Painting, Wallpapering & Plaster | drywall Repairs

519-503-6033 (CELL) 519-669-2251

30 ORIOLE PKWY. E., ELMIRA

36 Hampton St., Elmira

- Design and build -

AGRICULTURAL | RESIDENTIAL FRAMING • ROOFING RENOVATIONS • EAVESTROUGHS

www.marwilconcrete.ca

Wayne Martin | 519-504-2016

519-577-0370

darwayconstruction@icloud.com | Alma, ON

HOME IMPROVEMENT COMMERCIAL • RESIDENTIAL

ST. JACOBS

GLASS SYSTEMS INC.

INC

• Store Fronts • Thermopanes • Mirrors • Screen Repair • Replacement Windows • Shower Enclosures • Sash Repair

Randy Weber

ECRA/ESA Licence # 7000605

www.rwelectricltd.com TEL:

18 Kingfisher Dr., Elmira | 519.669.1462

AMOS R O O F I N G

1553 King St. N., St. Jacobs, ON N0B 2N0

• Residential • Commercial • Industrial

ↆ

Driveways • Sidewalks • Curbs Patios • Finished Floors • Retaining Walls • Steps • Decorative/Stamped and Coloured Concrete

• Specializing in residential re-roofs • Repairs • Churches A Family owned and operated business serving KW, Elmira and surrounding area for over 35 years.

WORKMANSHIP GUARANTEED

CALL JAYME FOR YOUR FREE ESTIMATE.

519-664-1202 / 519-778-6104 FAX: 519 664-2759 • 24 Hour Emergency Service

519.501.2405 | 519.698.2114 In Business since 1973 • Fully Insured

HOME IMPROVEMENT Since 1998

•Final grading •Lawn repair & complete seeding well equipped for large stoney areas •Spike Aerator/Overseeding •Natural & Interlocking Stone •Retaining Walls, Walks & Patios •Help for Top Water & Drainage issue

Murray & Daniel Shantz

ALMA, ONTARIO | PHONE: 519.846.5427

DESIGN CENTRE

• FLOORING • Custom KITCHENS • BATHROOM VANITIES • SICO Paint • Custom WINDOW BLINDS

KITCHEN, BATH & WINDOW FASHIONS

Blinds, shades, drapery & more • Custom cabinetry made in Canada Free In-home consultations • Our experienced designer will help you work within your personal taste and budget

Call someone you can trust - your local Home Hardware Popular Brands Available

BLANCO, MAAX, MIROLAN, STEEL QUEEN

www.LetUsFloorYou.ca

Hours: M-F 8:00 - 5:00 & Sat 9:00 - 3:00

Evenings By Appointment

1011 Industrial Cres. Unit #2 | TEL: 519.699.5411

Tel:

22 Church St. W., Elmira 519-669-5537 or 1-844-866-5537

STORE HOURS: MON-SAT 8-6, SUN 12-5

Thursday, July 15, 2021 | THE OBSERVER

C L A S S I F I E D S | 15

ↆ LOCAL PROFESSIONAL SERVICES

“PROUDLY REMEMBERING OUR PAS T; CONFIDENTLY EMBRACING OUR FUTURE.”

Community Information Page

ↆ GENERAL SERVICES

RK COUNTRY BUS LINES 519-502-8262

Reach local people at the right time every week.

COVID-19 Woolwich Township Update Township Office – Open for select services

15,000 Observers are delivered to homes in Woolwich, Wellesley and Waterloo.

Call Donna Rudy at 519-669-5790 ext104 to find out how your business can book this space.

Elmira, ON

In print. In Depth. Online. ↆ P U Z Z L E

S O LUT I ONS

TOWNSHIP OF Solutions for this week's puzzles.

ESLEY

$ < ( / $ 3 : 3 / , ( ( & / / 2 1 ( ' & 5 , % ( 1 6 8 6 2 / % / 3 $ % ( 7 3 $ < ( $ 7 5 7 $ 5 3 ( 5 , ( 5 6 ( ( < ( 5

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P.O. Box 158

24 Church St. W. Elmira, Ontario N3B 2Z6

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TOWNSHIP OF

WELLESLEY SALE OF LAND BY PUBLIC TENDER THE CORPORATION OF THE TOWNSHIP OF WELLESLEY Take Notice that tenders are invited for the purchase of the land described below and will be received until 3:00 p.m. local time on July 22, 2021, at the Municipal Office, 4639 Lobsinger Line, St. Clements Ontario.

Submitted tenders will be opened via Zoom. Join Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89379997210?pwd=ZW8xb1o3Tlo3M m1PWkVkVHAwNHBiQT09 Meeting ID: 89379997210 Passcode: 150694 Or join by phone: Dial by your location +1 587 328 1099, +1 647 374 4685, +1 647 558 0588, +1 778 907 2071, +1 438 809 7799, +1 204 272 7920 Description of Lands: Roll No. 30 24 020 001 05601 0000; Weimar Line, Wellesley; PIN 22173-0093 (LT); File No.19-03; Minimum Tender Amount: $27,262.73 Except as follows, the municipality makes no representation regarding the title to or any other matters relating to the land to be sold. Responsibility for ascertaining these matters rests with the potential purchasers. This sale is governed by the Municipal Act, 2001 and the Municipal Tax Sales Rules made under that Act. A full copy of the tax sale advertisement and further information about this matter is available on line at www.OntarioTaxSales.ca or www.wellesley.ca or you may contact Fiona Gilbert, Deputy Treasurer/Tax Collector, The Corporation of the Township of Wellesley, 4639 Lobsinger Line, R.R. #1, St. Clements ON N0B 2M0, Phone: 519-699-3943 Fax: 519-699-4540.

1 ( 6 6 ) 2 6 6 $

The Township office is open to walk-in public traffic, with staff working a mix of in office and from home. It is recommended that you use our services offered online or phone to book an appointment before visiting the office to ensure we are available to assist you.

There is a drop box located at the side of our building along Maple Street, which offers Phone: 519-669-1647option or 877-969-0094 Fax: 519-669-1820 After Hours Emergency: 519-575-4400 www.woolwich.ca a contactless for dropping off payments, building permits or documents.

The following services can be accessed through our website: • Tax & Water Bills can now be paid online: www.woolwich.ca/taxes • Building Permits can be applied for and paid online: www.woolwich.ca/buildingpermits • Parking Tickets can now be paid online: www.woolwich.ca/parkingtickets • Report Issues or Service Requests (By-law Enforcement, Potholes, Signs, Streetlights, Trees, Winter Maintenance, etc..) online: www.woolwich.ca/reportit For current information on facilities and services, please visit www.woolwich.ca or call 519-669-1647. For health information, call the Region of Waterloo Public Health 519-575-4400.

To stay informed on the township’s response to COVID-19, visit: www.woolwich.ca/COVID19

Council Meetings – Remote For registration, help or alternative participation options, call 519-669-6004.

Recreation Programs and Facilities The Township of Woolwich recreation facilities are closed and all rentals and programs within these facilities are cancelled pending continued monitoring of provincial regulations.

Outdoor recreational amenities such as the Bolender Park splashpad, skate park, tennis/ pickleball courts, basketball courts, off-leash dog parks, playgrounds, outdoor parks, baseball diamonds, soccer fields and recreational areas are now open. Please note that park amenities are not sanitized, and users should have personal hand sanitizer on hand.

Residents are encouraged to stay active by getting outside and enjoying the outdoors or by visiting our website at www.woolwich.ca/stayactive for games, virtual fitness and other activities to keep you engaged this spring.

Woolwich Seniors Association: Older Adults 55+ are encouraged to stay active and connected from home. Free, virtual programs are offered. Check the website for updates at www.woolwichseniors.ca or email contact@woolwichseniors.ca.

Local Business Resources FREE masks: if your business is located within Woolwich and has 50 or fewer employees, order your free supply of masks online at: https://forms.woolwich.ca/Small-Business-PPE-Mask-Request.

FREE screening kits: The workplace self screening program offered by the Greater Kitchener Waterloo and Cambridge Chambers of Commerce is only available to businesses in the Region of Waterloo. Visit www.chambercheck.ca to learn more and to schedule your pick-up.

COVID-19 Small Business Ambassador Program: Free program for small and medium sized businesses in the Region to minimize COVID-19 risks and boost staff and customer confidence. Get a window decal to show you completed the program.

Sign up at www.regionofwaterloo.ca/ambassador Businesses grants: https://reliefwithinreach.ca/waterloo-region/ Visit www.shoplocalwoolwich.ca to buy gift cards and to list your business! For more information about government programs and other business supports call Jenna Morris at 519-669-6020 or email: EconomicDevelopment@woolwich.ca

Regional Face Mask By-law Face coverings are required in transit, taxis, ride sharing and enclosed public places. Children under five and people with certain medical conditions or disabilities are exempt. Please be kind to those unable to wear a face covering. To make a complaint, call 519-575-4400.

Public Health Information Full vaccination is the greatest protection you can have against COVID-19, including the Delta variant. Health Canada approved vaccines can be safely mixed for a first and second dose.

If you had Moderna or Pfizer for your first dose, you can safely take either Moderna or Pfizer for your second dose for strong protection.

If you had AstraZeneca for your first dose, you can safely take either Moderna, Pfizer or AstraZeneca for your second dose for strong protection.

Book your dose today, visit: regionofwaterloo.ca/VaccineBook

THE OBSERVER | Thursday, July 15, 2021

16 | C L A S S I F I E D S

ↆ FA M I LY

A LB UM In Memoriam

Birthday

Obituary

INA Kieffer

Congratulations!

Martin, David

July 19, 2014

This “Guy” (Lee) Is 90 yrs young!

Mom Nothing can take away The love a heart holds dear.

Fond memories linger every day Remembrance keeps her near.

Love your daughter, son in law, granddaughters and grandsons

Birthday

Happy 60th Birthday Debra Milan!

Join us for a DRIVE BY on Sunday July 18th between 1 and 2 pm at 39 Anna St. Elmira, Ont.

July 17

Happy Birthday from your family!

Birthday

Happy Birthday Nicole Merlihan!

July 17 Happy 60th birthday to my loving wife Debra.

FROM PAPER TO PRINT Love Phil

Obituary

Passed away peacefully following a brief illness on Monday, July 12, 2021 at McMaster Children’s Hospital, Hamilton, at the age of 2 years, 4 months. Beloved son of Maynard B. and Anna (Weber) Martin of Elmira. Dear brother of Laurene, Miriam, Dorcas and Ellen, all at home. Paternal grandson of Abner and Erla (Brubacher) Martin and maternal grandson of Paul and Naomi (Bearinger) Weber. Great-grandchild of Mrs. Annie Martin (the late Sydney) and Mrs. Elisabeth Bearinger (the late Noah). Will be missed by many uncles, aunts and cousins.

Predeceased by one aunt and one cousin. A drive past visitation took place at the family home, 7524 Reid Woods Drive, Elmira, on Wednesday, July 14, 2021 from 2 - 5 p.m. and 6 - 8 p.m. and will take place on Thursday, July 15, 2021 from 1 - 5 p.m. Please remain in your vehicle and follow the directions of the attendants. A private family service will be held at 9 a.m. on Friday, July 16, 2021 then to Springfield Mennonite Meeting House for burial and further services.

Peacefully passed away on Friday, July 2, 2021 at her residence in Waterloo at the age of 43. Loving partner of Bob Carey. Beloved daughter of David Snyder and the late Jane (Radtke) Snyder (December 25, 2020). Sister of Christine Snyder and Jeremy McCullough all of Elmira. Michelle will be missed by her aunts, uncles, cousins and their families. Michelle loved to volunteer at the Working Centre, Hacienda Gardens and was always available to lend a hand no matter what the job. Cremation has taken place. A family graveside service will be held at a later date. In Michelle’s memory, donations to the Working Center would be appreciated and may be made through the Dreisinger Funeral Home, Elmira.

❖ www.dreisingerfuneralhome.com

❖ www.dreisingerfuneralhome.com

Snyder, Michelle Nancy

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Death Notices DIETRICH, HELEN MARGARET (BAESSLER) - IT IS WITH GREAT SADNESS THAT THE FAMILY ANNOUNCES THE PASSING OF HELEN M. Dietrich at the Freeport Campus of Grand River Hospital on Monday, July 5, 2021, at the age of 94.

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DETWEILER, BARRY - PASSED AWAY PEACEFULLY WITH JOHN BY HIS SIDE ON WEDNESDAY, JULY 7, 2021 AT HIS RESIDENCE IN KITCHENER. LINGELBACH, RUBY ANNA LOUISE (POMMER) - A GOLDEN HEART STOPPED TODAY, SATURDAY, JULY 10, 2021, AT THE AGE OF 82. RUBY Lingelbach of Wellesley.

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Living Here

It's about all of us.

Leading the way reporting about the people and places of home.

Email: newsroom@woolwichobserver.com Report it: observerxtra.com/tips

Preventing overdoses

Repurposed bunker?

Overdose deaths increased significantly since the onset of the pandemic, with the federal government this week announcing more than $2.3 million over 26 months in funding for a safer supply project in Kitchener-Waterloo. The project will provide a pharmaceutical alternative to the toxic illegal drug supply and help prevent overdoses.

The region owns a Cold War-era nuclear bunker built in 1966 that’s no longer in use as a bunker. The underground structure in Kitchener has fallen into disrepair and requires work to stabilize it and remove mold and asbestos. The region is looking for ideas from the community about how the structure could be adapted for modern uses. www.engagewr.ca/the-regions-nuclear-bunker

For these volunteers, it’s time well spent Members of the Society of Clock Winders keep things humming atop landmark Elmira tower ALEX FILIPE Observer Staff

TOWERING ABOVE ELMIRA, THE CLOCK on the former municipal building downtown has been marking time with the ring of its bell for more than a century.

The manpower that’s involved in keeping that bell ringing dates back as long as the tower itself.

But as many clocks moved to digital, thus eliminating the job of an analogue timekeeper, a volunteer force took up the mantle to ensure the Elmira clock tower keeps its history.

“My uncle Joe did this forever, for 30-some years,” said Patrick Kelly, a volunteer with the Society of Clock Winders.

“It’s been handed down through generations, through my uncle’s family down to me. We set up this group to do it because it gets busy.”

The Society of Clock Winders is a tongue-in-

cheek secret organization of five friends who look after the winding and maintenance of the clock and its mechanism atop what is today the Clock Tower Wellness Centre.

Every week the volunteers climb up the ladders leading into the clock steeple to wind up the weights that keep the hands turning. Along with Kelly, Jeff Hutchison, Brad Lebold, Dylon Smith and Scott McMillan all work at ensuring the clock keeps time.

Once entering the clock steeple you are greeted by a standing iron box containing a mass of gears, oil, poles and a small clock face. The mechanism is the brain of the operation, allowing the volunteers to change the time and wind up the weights that keep it running.

“This mechanism, one side controls the bell, and the other side controls the timepiece upstairs,” said

Kelly. “When you turn the clock ahead or back, it turns all four of the faces of the clock at the exact same time so they’re all in unison. It’s a sevenday clock, so every week we come down and wind both the bell wire and the minute piece.”

Moving up the next ladder brings you into the bell room. The buzz of the street below can be heard through the fenced off windows that allow the bell’s chime to ring out over the town. The massive bell hangs alongside a mallet connected to the clock mechanism below.

“On the hour, that mechanism falls out of place just enough that it trips this wire, and when it trips the wire it pulls the mallet back and ...,” said Kelly as his laugh was drowned out by the ringing of the bell. “Now somebody downtown thinks it’s half past.”

Brad Lebold winds the clock mechanism as Patrick Kelly looks on inside the Clock Tower Wellness Centre in Elmira. Alex Filipe

→ CLOCK WINDERS 20

Underactive thyroid disease, medication and risk to women DEAR MAYO CLINIC: My sister was diagnosed recently with Hashimoto's thyroiditis. She mentioned having to take medication and being on a special diet.

Is there anything else she can do to manage symptoms? Am I am at risk for this condition too?

ANSWER: Hashimoto's thyroiditis is a condition in which your immune system attacks your thyroid. It is named after a Japanese physician who first described the condition in the early 1900s.

Hashimoto's thyroiditis, also known as Hashimoto's disease, is the most common cause of hypothyroidism, or underactive thyroid.

Women experience thyroid problems in far greater numbers than men, and it is estimated that 1 in 8 women can develop a thyroid condition during their lifetime. While Hashimoto's thyroiditis primarily affects middleaged women, it also occurs in women of any age, as well as in men and children.

▢ The Mayo Clinic

Professional Clinical Health Advice

People who get Hashimoto's thyroiditis often have family members who have thyroid disease or other autoimmune diseases. Patients with thyroid issues should tell their children and immediate relatives about their condition, so they can be aware and determine if testing is appropriate.

While you may not have any symptoms of thyroid

issues now, you can speak to your health care provider about whether you should have your thyroid checked.

Hashimoto's thyroiditis typically progresses slowly, over years. In some cases, people may not notice the signs or symptoms of Hashimoto's thyroiditis, as thyroid function can be normal. However, in most cases, a decrease in thyroid hormone production results in chronic inflammation. People may first notice a swelling at the front of the throat.

Other signs and symptoms of hypothyroidism may include fatigue, feeling cold, unexplained weight gain, dry skin, depressed mood, memory issues, constipation, menstrual changes, muscle weakness, or aches and pain. Fertility may be a sign for some women. Some patients with hypothyroidism may go undiagnosed for prolonged periods of time.

Typically, if you have the symptoms of hypothyroidism, undergoing a simple blood test to check

your thyroid-stimulating hormone, or TSH, as well as free T4 levels can determine if your thyroid is underactive or not.

Thyroid-stimulating hormone is secreted by the pituitary, which is part of your brain. This hormone provides a measurable signal within the blood to help assess thyroid health.

In the most common forms of hypothyroidism, thyroid-stimulating hormone promptly rises when thyroid hormone becomes insufficient for → MAYO CLINIC 19

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The WRSF will initially address the anticipated unprecedented needs that many Woolwich residents will experience due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the WRSF will continue to address ongoing needs experienced by Woolwich residents long after the pandemic has ended.

In general, the fund will provide one-time financial support to an applicant. However, we realize that no two cases are the same. Unique situations may require further support that otherwise would not be accessible for the ongoing needs of the individual.

Prior to an applicant drawing from the WRSF, the Fund Review Committee will access other community services and funds that may be able to support and/or provide for the individual.

While eligibility practices and an application process are in place, it should be noted that in unique, complex, crisis and acute circumstances funds may be provided at the discretion of the Fund Review Committee, assuming the core criteria of the fund are met.

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ↆ The Community Events Calendar is reserved for non-profit local events that are offered free to the public. Placement is not guaranteed. Registrations, corporate events, open houses and similar events do not qualify for free advertising. See complete policy online. All submissions are to be made online at observerxtra.com/event-listing/.

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▢ 5 whole graham

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with crumbs, about 10 1-second pulses.

3. Transfer mixture to foil-lined baking pan.

Use your hands to press crumbs into an even layer covering the bottom of baking pan, then use the bottom of a dry measuring cup to press crumbs firmly into pan until very flat.

4. Bake until crust begins to brown at edges, 15 to 20 minutes. Place baking pan on a cooling rack and let crust cool for at least 15 minutes.

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heesecake is delicious, but baking a big traditional one can be tricky. You have to bake a large cheesecake inside another pan filled with water to make sure it bakes evenly -- a fussy and delicate maneuver in the oven.

Smaller cheesecake bars are just as delicious, with a crisp graham cracker crust

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▢ 2 large eggs 1. Add cream cheese and 3⁄4 cup sugar to the clean, dry food processor and process until smooth, about 3 minutes. With processor running, add eggs and vanilla and process until just combined, about 30 seconds.

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and puffed slightly but the center still jiggles slightly when baking pan is shaken, 30 to 35 minutes.

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⚠ Fresh berries are a great topping for baked goods such as cheesecake bars, olive oil cake or individual flourless chocolate cakes, but tossing strawberries with sugar (called macerating) takes it to the next level. The sugar draws out juice from the berries and turns them a bright ruby red. ⚠ To make a strawberry topping: Use a paring knife to hull 2 cups (10 ounces) strawberries. Slice strawberries and place in a medium bowl. Add 1 tablespoon sugar and stir until combined. Let sit until sugar has dissolved and strawberries are juicy, at least 30 minutes or up to 2 hours. Spoon over your favorite baked good or ice cream!

Thursday, July 15, 2021 | THE OBSERVER

L I V I N G H E R E | 19

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MAYO CLINIC: Addressing underlying issues is first step → FROM 17

a person. This means a person may have a free T4 thyroid hormone level that still falls within the population normal range, but if the level is not appropriate for that person, the thyroid-stimulating hormone can be expected to be consistently elevated on blood testing.

Should thyroid blood test results raise the question of hypothyroidism, your health care team will advise you if additional testing is warranted.

Recommendations for managing thyroid levels are based on clinical factors, so each person may be different. In some cases, close monitoring with serial thyroid blood tests will be advisable, while in other cases, initiation of thyroid hormone replacement therapy may be indicated. Your sister should visit with an endocrinologist who can help her effectively manage her condition.

Most patients with hypothyroidism requiring therapy can be successfully managed with an oral medication called levothyroxine. Choices include generic or brand-name forms of this medication that need be taken once daily. Your health care team can advise you in more detail about these options.

If hypothyroidism is the cause of a person's symptoms, the symptoms should gradually resolve once thyroid hormone

levels are back in the normal range. After thyroid hormone replacement therapy is started, thyroid blood tests are typically checked about every six weeks until the levels are in target range and felt to be stable. Subsequent tests may be performed every six months to one year.

If your sister is receiving hormone therapy for hypothyroidism caused

by Hashimoto's thyroiditis, she should schedule follow-up visits as often as her health care provider recommends. It's important to make sure she is receiving the correct dose of medicine. Over time, the dose she needs to adequately replace her thyroid function may change.

The only other caveat is

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that if your sister's symptoms persist despite medication and thyroid levels evening out, it is possible that the symptoms may be related to another underlying condition other than the thyroid.

Further evaluation for other potential causes of the symptoms is then warranted. Anemia, iron deficiency, obstructive sleep apnea, sleep disruptions, chronic pain, fibromyalgia, behavioral health concerns such as depression and anxiety, as well as significant stress have been found to be present in hypothyroid patients with appropriate thyroid levels and persistent symptoms. For the patient to feel better, these underlying issues need to be addressed.

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46. Representative 48. Roswell sightings 50. Costa del ___ 51. goose bumps 54. Without bloodshed 55. G8 member 56. Assist, in a way 58. Pay as you earn 59. Where you __?

60. Besmirch 62. "Frasier" actress Gilpin 63. Gaelic 64. Ogler DOWN 1. Mont Blanc, e.g.

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et veritas" 3. "Paradise Lost," e.g.

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53. ___ Bear 57. Power source 61. Plus "nic", poison from the bottom 62. ___ Dee River

D IREC TORY

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Jeff Hutchison, Brad Lebold and Patrick Kelly all stand divided by the mechanism that drives the four clock faces hands inside the Clock Tower Wellness Centre in Elmira. Alex Filipe

wound up sit here and, over the course of the week, will drop down the tower as the clock unwinds them,” explained Hutchison. “So it’s basically just gravity powered, and we crank them up every week.”

For the volunteers what keeps them coming back is the preservation of history, their actions help keep the clock timekeeping and bell chime from turning digital.

“Kind of a really neat thing for us to be a part of,” said Hutchison. “We’re fortunate to be part of looking after this neat

“The thickness of the bell is pretty phenomenal,” said Lebold. “It’s impressive.”

The most impressive spectacle can be found at the top floor of the tower: the four clock faces. Light streams in from every wall through the large windowlike clock faces each with their own metal pole that meets in the center, cutting the room into four.

It is all connected to the clock gearbox two floors down.

“The mechanism down there drives all the gears, and the weights that we

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piece of history and the community.”

The group plans to keep their society alive, passing it down to their kids. The group hopes that the clock’s bell will keep its character and not be reduced to a recorded chime.

“It has such a nice sound compared to clock towers that have been turned over and digitized,” said Hutchison.

“You always noticed the bell ring,” said Kelly. “But you didn’t notice it to the same extent now. When you hear it ringing, it just means something different.”

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