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Region CAO allegedly received confidential info during recruitment D’Amboise “got that kind of information, it probably means Caslin shared something. We were not aware of the memo.”
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I don’t know what advantage sending the short list to Carmen would be except to prove he was on the short list However, public records of the recruitment committee show that D’Amboise attended meetings at least until June 2016. According to Councillor Tony Quirk, D’Amboise was present in the process up until interviews began. “The information that Jayson Phelps indicates that Caslin must have given to Rob was, in fact, directly emailed to Rob by Jayson Phelps,” said Quirk. On social media, Quirk critiqued the Standard’s story, posting that it implied that the memo was “leaked to [D’Angelo] by the Chair’s office,” and that D’Amboise improperly had access to the information. “No proof See MEMO Page 12
Bridget McCulligh.
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Small gymnast produces big results BY BERNIE PUCHALSKI
BPSPORTSNIAGARA.CA
Early on, Kevin and JoAnne McCulligh knew their youngest daughter Bridget would have an aptitude for gymnastics.
“She was always doing stuff around the house and as soon as she went to the gym, they recognized her abilities and put her in the competitive program right away,” Kevin said. “From there, she just took to it nat-
urally.” Bridget started doing gymnastics at age two and Kevin recalls her doing a press to handstand (handstand done starting from See FONTHILL Page 18
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HE “MAN IN SOCIETY” class at Pelham High School couldn’t have been taught by a better person than Mr. J. S. Curtis. As simply a history teacher, he was nonetheless an intellectual in his field that also covered at least philosophy, politics, and ethics. Being an accomplished musician, he brought his harpsichord to class on several occasions to try to enlighten our “pop/rock” music brains. He was quite an interesting individual. An exceedingly strong proponent of human rights, especially of what was taking place in the U.S. at that time in the 1960s, he certainly demonstrated his values and ethics most strongly in class. In this sense, this thin almost fragile man became an unwavering giant. Yet in 1968 a female in the class looked out the window one morning and gave one of those loud but quick laughs. Startled, everyone looked out the window to see a “Red Cap” flag flying on the flagpole at the front of the school. Note that Red Cap was a popular beer at the time. See COLUMN SIX Page 20
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Column Six The morning after, 50 years ago
BY VOICE STAFF A report in the St. Catharines Standard last week alleged that Niagara Region CAO Carmen D’Angelo received confidential information about other candidates for the position he had applied for during the hiring process in autumn 2016. According to the article, D’Angelo was provided with a briefing memo containing information about other candidates for the position. Such data, including the identities of applicants, is typically kept confidential during a hiring process. The memo was reportedly written by Rob D’Amboise, Regional Chair Alan Caslin’s policy director. The newspaper did not state who allegedly leaked the memo to D’Angelo, nor how it obtained the email to D’Angelo containing it. After the April 2016 departure of the Region’s previous CAO, Harry Schlange, Regional Council formed a committee to find his replacement. Its members were Councillors Tony Quirk, Bob Gale, Sandra Easton, Frank Campion, and Chair Alan Caslin. At the time, D’Angelo was the CAO of the Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority, where both Quirk and Campion were and continue to be board members. The recruiting company the Phelps Group was contracted to operate the interviewing process. Phelps’ Jayson Phelps told the Standard that if
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When municipalities message
PUBLISHER’S CORNER by Dave Burket
Clarification at the top: In our recent coverage of Town Hall’s stonewalling of the Voice, and the subsequent fallout as international and national journalism organizations rebuked Pelham for doing so, we mentioned that the Town notified us that news releases would no longer be sent out. This was based on a short statement tucked away at the top of a news release sent by Public Relations and Marketing Specialist Marc MacDonald on March 7, which read in its entirety: *Important Note: All future press releases form [sic] the Town of Pelham will be uploaded solely to the Town’s website; they will no longer be individually circulated via direct email. If you wish to continue to receive Town of Pelham press releases, please visit: www.pelham.ca/subscribe. From this link you can you subscribe to various Town news sources. Our coverage of Town Hall’s stonewalling related to the press, particularly to the Voice. It did not relate to the Town’s many and varied public notice lists (see When municipalities message, this page). MacDonald says that he has since had a number of “phone calls and conversations” with people on the matter of news releases. To be clear, MacDonald’s unexplained change of delivery method seemed to pertain only to the press. As we noted in our March 28 editorial, while placing the onus on the media to subscribe to a notice list was a minor inconvenience, it was part and parcel of a pattern of withdrawal and avoidance. For now, anyway, Town Hall is officially speaking to us again. They never stopped speaking with the public or releasing announcements. Fingers crossed that they continue to do so…Wet or dry? With such a precipitation-laden winter, what are the odds of a dry summer? Accu-Weather says we're in for a "very warm" summer with about normal precipitation, with the potential for a few "severe thunderstorm outbreaks," especially from July into mid-August. All I know is that the grass seed we put down last autumn from Young Sod Farms actually did grow as promised, staying perkily green through the entire winter, in fact. Our policy is to let nature take its course, but if you're determined to keep that lawn green, check out Rainmakers' irrigation systems, in the Service Directory, page 16, and maybe a landscaper or two while you're there. Now if spring would only actually arrive...
THE VOICE POLL This week's question
From one list to 18, a survey of Pelham's neighbours and their communications BY VOICE STAFF In an age of declining local news reporting, and increasing municipal desire to manage messaging, we wondered how Pelham stacked-up in the public notices department. The Voice surveyed websites and communications staff of neighbouring cities and towns to determine how easy it was for residents to stay informed of municipal happenings. The options ranged from simple and straightforward, to comprehensively elaborate. Lee Gudgeon, who not only handles Wainfleet’s Communications, but is also the town’s Health and Safety, and Human Resources Specialist, says that he maintains a single media list, which he takes the initiative to maintain. “We expand the list by request as media outlets contact us, or as we become aware of additional outlets,” said Gudgeon. There’s no resident email list, however. “The only exception would be planning and meetings on issues that are handled by the Clerk’s office. In such cases, people
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or find it from our Facebook page. Results in next week’s Voice!
Voice on vacation!
ner, Media Releases, News, Newsletter, Public Notices, Arena Programs/Public Skating events, Canada 150 events, Children’s Activities events, Community Events, Fitness Classes / Programs, Pool Schedule / Public Swimming, Town Events, Council Meeting notices, Committees/Boards notices, Open House notices, Public Meeting Under the Planning Act notices, and something new called, “My Inbox.” Town Public Relations and Marketing Specialist Marc MacDonald says that “My Inbox” will be launching later this week or early next, and that “details will be shared when ready.” Actually subscribing to these notices is another matter. There is currently no direct homepage menu option to do so. By clicking through to various existing announcements users are offered a small “Subscribe” button. Users may also navigate to a master subscription option through Services, News, then find the larger “Subscribe” button at right. This in turn presents two additional options for events and council notices.
can sign up with the Clerk to be notified of any meetings upcoming.” Thorold is similar. Nicole Gioseffi, who also multitasks as the Executive Assistant to the CAO as well as handling communications, says that one media list is maintained. There is no residential notification list. Port Colborne’s communications officer, Michelle Cuthbert, maintains a media release list, and says that there is a newsletter option containing public notices that residents can subscribe to. Two of our urban neighbours, Welland and St. Catharines, maintain two lists each: one for media, one for public notices. The third urban neighbour, Niagara Falls, offers business and tourist-related content in six lists, one rec centre events list, and then largely the same two options as Port Colborne, Welland, and St. Catharines: a media release list, and a resident newsletter that includes council news. Pelham, however, is at the top of the heap for residential notices. It maintains 18 lists: Council Highlights, Emergency Alert Ban-
Street sweeping begins
Should the Town, or should homeowners, be responsible for clearing snow from residential sidewalks? Find a link to the survey on our website,
NRPS impaired driving charges
asked not to park on streets during sweeping, which is to occur between 7 AM and 5 PM, Mon-Fri. Sweepers will make two passes down each lane.
Pelham Town Hall announced that seasonal street sweeping operations were to have started on Monday, and are scheduled to continue until April 28. Residents are
The Niagara Regional Police Service is committed to reducing impaired driving offences through education and the apprehension of offenders through enforcement programs like RIDE. Impaired driving is still the leading cause of criminal deaths in Canada and destroys thousands of lives every year.
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Column Six
Growing up British
Vol.20 No.32
Wednesday October 12, 2016
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Apple Day comes to Fonthill
BY JULIE MANNELL
Special to the VOICE
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BALLOONING INTEREST Grade 6 student Jinja Shepherd explains her experiment on static electricity at the Glynn A. Green Public School's annual science fair last Friday. See story, page 3. NATE SMELLE PHOTO
Public meeting tonight on school issues BY VOICE STAFF As questions continue to mount regarding an email that Pelham Mayor Dave Augustyn quietly sent to a District School Board of Niagara trustee last summer, Augustyn has agreed to address the issue at a public meeting scheduled for this evening, Wednesday, Feb. 8, in Fenwick. Nancy Beamer, speaking for “Names Matter,” a Pelham citizens group lobbying the DSBN to reverse its decision to rename a local public school, confirms that the meeting will be held at Fire Station #2, known locally as the Fenwick Fire Hall, starting at 7:00 PM. While the Mayor has agreed to ap-
Under pressure, Mayor to address email revelation, other E. W. Farr matters pear, says Beamer, DSBN officials associated with the school-naming process have either declined to attend or have not yet responded to the group’s invitation. DSBN Chair, Dale Robinson, to whom Augustyn’s email was addressed last June, has declined to appear, says Beamer, asserting that she would be
“on holidays.” The Voice was unable to independently confirm Robinsion’s intentions. She did not respond to repeated requests for comment on E.W. Farr-related matters before presstime. Beamer, whose group maintains an email list of some 580 residents, says that all members of the public are invited and encouraged to attend the meeting. “We would especially welcome parents and children who are unhappy with the name change,” she says, referring to the contentious decision by the DSBN to consolidate two Pelham See MEETING back page
HEN I WAS young, my father and I would go for long drives along the rural routes of Pelham. We’d blast George Thurgood and roll down the windows because we loved the smell of the breeze, the sensation of crisp Niagara wind beating our cheeks and tangling our hair against our summer-kissed skin. My father was not a sentimental man. He worked in factories and had a Gordon Lightfoot mustache and never shed tears over injuries. Yet something about the Pelham landscape, the hilly backdrop to his childhood and the childhoods of our ancestors, drew him in. He’d stop by a farm or a gathering of woods and, surrendering his manly veneer, tell me a story about the town. This place is precious. This is the earth that granted us life. Here is the place where we happened upon love or here is a site of devastation. On one particular drive sometime in the late ‘90s we stopped at a tree with a plaque. “This tree looks dead,” I said to my father. “It sure is getting there, Julie.” The Comfort Maple is supposedly Canada’s oldest See COLUMN SIX Page 14
Part 2 of 2: Coronation to embarkation
BY VOICE STAFF
A construction error was discovered following the opening of a traffic calming chicane on Haist Street north of Hwy 20 last Monday that prevented large vehicles from passing through. One resident living in the neighbourhood said he contacted the Town after seeing a small schoolbus get stuck as it tried to get through the new traffic calming measure. Later that day while driving behind a cement truck, he said that he became concerned for the public’s safety when the truck had to turn around because it couldn’t get through. “If a small school bus and a cement truck can’t make it through what about a fire
BY HEATHER McLAREN ROHRER
Special to the VOICE
A
Repair measures underway last week to correct a construction error in the chicane. truck or an ambulance?” he said. While waiting for the contractor to return to fix
the mistake, the Town has taken measures to temporarily allow passage for vehicles through the neigh-
VOICE PHOTO
bourhood in the short-term. Manager of Public Works Ryan Cook said that after discovering the issue with
the chicane the morning it first opened, the Town See CHICANE Page 5
Petition-inspired changes coming to 2017 Summerfest BY NATE SMELLE
The VOICE
Representatives from the Pelham Summerfest committee Candy Ashbee and Bill Gibson presented council with a final report on the 2016 Summerfest at the Council meeting on Monday, Nov. 21. Prompted by a story in the Voice in August about a merchant petition to move Summerfest from Pelham Street, in September Town staff met with various stakeholders to hear their complaints, promising at the time that changes in the way Summerfest was mounted would be con-
sidered. The main concerns identified during the community engagement process were security, parking, ensuring customer can access all businesses in town, and liability for damages. How to get all Pelham Street businesses to participate and finding ways to make it beneficial for them to set up a booth were also determined to be of high priority for the committee as they plan for next year’s event. Gibson told Council that the committee is addressing these concerns in a variety of ways. To improve parking, they intend to create bet-
ter signage for out-of-town visitors to designated parking areas and shuttle services. To make participation in Summerfest more enticing to local businesses, they plan to implement a tiered-charge for booths. Under the new system, Pelham Street business owners will be charged the least, other local businesses will pay a slightly higher fee, and vendors from outside Pelham will pay the most. In response to more specific issues for individual businesses, they will also slightly alter the footprint of the event and make adjustments to security. Another way the committee plans
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to improve the 2017 Summerfest is by sponsoring and working with the organizers of the Thursday Night Bandshell Concert series to select the artist performing on the first night of Summefest. They also intend to make more use of the smartphone app they launched in 2016. "We are really going to push it this year," Ashbee said. “It really helps to get people to see what events there are so they can plan out where they are going. We will be able to actually help the merchants and local businesses adSee CHANGES Page 5
FTER LUNCH ON Saturday, Mum and Dad had my afternoon cut out for me. Mum had more brass than anyone I knew, and it had to be cleaned. In addition there was the set of silver fish-knives and forks which were never used, but which had to be cleaned and put back in their velvetlined box. Next was a walk to the newsagents to pay for the daily delivery of the Daily Mirror. As I said, Dad was a printer, but when he was 37 he had been rejected for a job, as being too old, by the printers of the Beano. For that reason, my favourite comic was not allowed in the house, but while I was paying the papers, the newsagent let me have a 'shoofty' at the Beano. I'd explained my predicament and he understood completely. Sundays were different again. Dad would play golf on summer mornings and billiards in winter. Then he'd stop for a 'refresher' at the local and would pick up the prawns, cockles, winkles or whelks we'd be having for tea later. Meanwhile, Mum was roasting the 'joint' and potatoes. I got to make the Yorkshire pud, and mint
See COLUMN SIX Page 14
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While shopping in Fonthill between Friday and Sunday, keep an eye out for Beavers, Cubs and Scouts in front of local stores with bushels of apples. As part of the annual Apple Day campaign, Scouting youth of all ages will be trading apples for donations. The yearly fundraising drive is an important way for young Scouts to connect with the communities they are serving, says Leah Marie of Scouts Canada. “The Apple Day campaign holds a great tradition of being able to have youth interacting within the communities they live in,” she says. “All of the Apple Day donations stay directly within the group that re-
The goal is to have these youth develop into confident and well-rounded individuals
ceives them, enabling youth to have experiences that build character, challenge them, and allow them to try new things. The goal is to have these youth develop into confident and wellrounded individuals, better prepared for success. Apple Day helps to achieve that.”
“Any money raised during Apple Day goes towards improving the Scouting program by providing more outdoor adventures for youth, camping equipment, canoes and paddles, training and many other endeavours that the youth want to experience,” says Marie. Scouts Canada has some 100,000 members across Canada, and carries out programs for boys, girls
walk/trail is slated to be built between the south side of the road from Timmsdale Crescent to the high school. Because of the large volume of motor vehicle traffic travelling at high speeds through this area, and because of the necessity for students to tread this path on a daily basis, many residents would like to see the sidewalk go in sooner than later. After delivering to Council a petition containing
Many residents would like to see the sidewalk go in sooner than later the names of 450 students calling for a safer walk to school, Simpson handed the
podium over to Loewen and Williams to plead their case. Loewen told Council that because there are a lot of students who have work placements and coop placements during the school year, this is the only route for many of them to travel. As one of the students facing this predicament, Williams said she has had no other option but to walk along the dangerous highway.
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and youth ages 5-25. This year the 3rd Fonthill Group, which includes Beavers to Ventures (youth ages 5- 25) will be hitting the streets to drum-up support. Over the weekend, Scouts will be set up in Fonthill outside Sobeys, Tim Hortons, Target Gas station, Fonthill Shopping Plaza and the Pioneer Gas station at the corner of Hwys 20 and 24.
Town Council approves sidewalk to serve E. L. Crossley BY NATE SMELLE
The VOICE
Joining their principal, Karen Simpson, at the Sept. 19 Council meeting as part of a delegation from EL Crossley Secondary School, students Abby Loewen and Neenah Williams presented Council with a list of reasons that they should immediately approve the construction of the new sidewalk proposed along Hwy. 20. The asphalt side-
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Second year Beaver with the 3rd Fonthill Group, Russell Letford offers a fresh apple to shoppers in Pelham during the 2015 Apple Day campaign. SUPPLIED PHOTO A longtime Canadian tradition, Apple Day began in 1932 in Saint John, New Brunswick, when Scouts handed out 21,000 apples as a way to say thank you to the community. In return for their generosity, many people offered them donations. From then on Scouts have reached out through Apple Day to raise funds for their programs.
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Column Six It doesn’t get better than Autumn
Longtime Scouting tradition dates to 1932
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BY VOICE STAFF The District School Board of Niagara is requesting that the Town of Pelham cede a portion of Cherry Ridge Park for use as a soccer field to serve the students of the new Wellington Heights Public School, formerly the E. W. Farr Memorial Public School, in Fenwick. Currently under renovation and expansion, the new school will combine students and staff from the previous school and Pelham Centre, where classes are being held while construction continues. Two letters, containing virtually identical text but signed by different authorities, were sent last week to nearby residents of the park, as well as to parents of Pelham Centre students. “The DSBN is currently building onto Wellington Heights Public School on Alsop Drive,” states the letter. “The size of the school's addition means the existing small soccer field will be eliminated. The Town and the Board have been discussing the possibility of working together to create a field for both the school and the
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In an effort to bring further attention and deterrence to driving while impaired by alcohol or drugs, the Niagara Regional Police Service reports the names of those people who are charged with an alleged criminal impaired driving offence in the Region. None of the following charges have been proved in court. In addition to being charged, these individuals are also bound by a Ministry of Transportation 90-Day Administrative Driver’s License Suspension and are prohibited from operating a motor vehicle on a roadway. The public is encouraged to contact the Niagara Regional Police Service Traffic Safety Hotline or Crime Stoppers to report those who are driving in contravention of the suspension. The following individuals have been charged criminally with impaired driving by alcohol or drugs, driving with a blood alcohol concentration above 80 mgs of alcohol in 100 ml of blood, or refusing to provide a breath / blood sample. Matthew T. FLYNN, 31, St. Catharines Juan C. CAZAL, 30, Niagara Falls Christopher KLINGENBERG, 56, Lincoln Teri M. FRIESMAN, 35, Welland Sean J. O'QUINN, 44, Grimsby Robert R. GAUDET, 49, North Bay Todd A. CLARK, 47, Port Colborne Patrick J. ATKINSON, 27, St. Catharines Divine V. NYAMURERA, 21, St. Catharines Lindsay L. MAWHINNEY, 20, Fort Erie Doeun PARK, 24, Buffalo NY Linda C. SWEET, 27, Niagara Falls
“I start work at 2:30 PM and school lets out at 2:15 PM so I can’t take any other route,” Williams explained. “I have had friends, family, teachers and other community members reach out to me in the past about how this is unsafe and how there should be another alternative for us.” Looking ahead to winter, when she will need to walk this path three or four times See SIDEWALK Page 2
HERE IS NO BETTER time to cycle than Fall. It matters not whether you’re new to the sport, a seasoned recreational cyclist, racer, touring rider or mountain biker; we all have reason to look forward to autumn. Summer’s heat has faded, and the streams of sweat that ran from soggy helmets into our eyes are now just slight perspiration. Fitness is peaking from lots of saddle time, making those tough climbs of Spring a breeze in Autumn. It’s hard to beat the feeling of beginning a crisp, cool Fall ride with a slight shiver, knowing your efforts will soon warm you perfectly. The hues of Autumn are outstanding. A Pelham route as simple as following our southern boundary is one that would make most Toronto cyclists jealous, especially when our forests and fields are ablaze with colour. Begin from Harold Black Park, and zig-zag south along Effingham Rd toward the Welland River. If you’re new to cycling, it’s important to know south is the direction away from any hills. If you avoid the morning and evening weekday rush hours caused by those travelling through Pelham between Wainfleet See AUTUMN Page 3
Indulgence Bakery Mossimo’s Pelham Street Grille Sobeys Fonthill Peter Piper’s Pubhouse DeVries Fruit Farm Beamer’s Hardware & TV Fonthill Library PenFinancial Credit Union Bob’s Boys Antiques Moku’s Family Health Pharmacy Fonthill Fitness Fenwick Pie Company McDonald’s Fonthill Legion Semenuk’s Gas Bar Target Store Tim Horton’s Giant Tiger Fonthill LCBO Zee Lube Express Care Food Basics Minor Bros Stores Avondale Stores A-1 Market Sobeys South Pelham Grill on Canboro Pelham Library Ridge Berry Farm Circle-K
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The Voice of Pelham, April 11 2018
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The Conversation
Jessica Tillmans The Green Party's 18-year-old candidate in Niagara West is learning the campaign ropes BY SAMUEL PICCOLO
T The VOICE
HERE’S AN OLD JOKE ABOUT SOCCER in the United States: It’s the sport of the future, and it always will be. One can be forgiven for thinking that the same prognosis applies to the Green Party of Ontario. In 2007 the Greens garnered just eight percent of all votes cast, and four years it managed only three percent. Though it was back up to five percent in 2014, the party has still never had a member elected to Queen’s Park. (Full disclosure: On two days during the 2014 election, I campaigned for the Green Party of Ontario. I am not a member of this or any other party.) But despite this electoral impotency, the issues that the party has been talking about for decades, principally climate change, have made it to the mainstream. Indeed, up until Patrick Brown’s ouster as leader of the Progressive Conservative party, all three major parties had made environmental policy a focus of their platforms. Jessica Tillmans, the Green Party’s 18-year-old candidate in the riding of Niagara West, is all right with this. During our meeting last week at a cafe in Beamsville she showed herself to be Green to the point of bleeding chlorophyll (she joined on her 18th birthday), yet she is far from dogmatic. Her gentle partisanship is refreshing in an increasingly polarized political climate. In once sense Tillmans does not come across any older than her 18 years. She
is polite, deferential, shy— with none of the swagger that comes with being in the public eye. When, during our conversation, a woman in the cafe asked Tillmans if she was running, and then followed up by saying that she liked the Green Party, at first Tillmans seemed at a loss for words. Then, quickly remembering that there was a sales pitch to make, she gave the woman a campaign button and a pamphlet. Her youthful enthusiasm was a striking antidote to the cynical fever that can so easily grip an electorate. Tillmans is clearly thoughtful and deeply conscientious (and perhaps on her way to wrestling stardom). Anyone who starts thinking about politics at age six and then runs for office at 18 deserves to be taken seriously. Conversations Cafe, where we met, is an open and austerely modern establishment, and we were not sitting in a discreet spot. At one point, a man overheard one of our mentions of Tillmans’ candidacy and stopped to wish her well. “When Sam [Oosterhoff] ran in the by-election and people said he was too young, I thought, ‘You know what? In World War Two, people that age were out doing bombing missions,’” he said. “I think if you’re ded-
icated, that’s all that matters.” “Yeah, that’s right,” said Tillmans. “Thank you.” PICCOLO: I’m told that this is your first interview. Why don’t you talk about yourself for a little bit? This is going to be the first time that most people have heard of you. You’re eighteen. That’s pretty much all that I know about you. Where did you grow up. How did you get involved in politics. TILLMANS: I’m eighteen and I just graduated high school at Beamsville. As soon as I turned eighteen, I became a member of the Green Party. I was just really excited. You just couldn’t wait? Yeah. I was like, “I get to vote!” Most people go and buy a lottery ticket, but you— I was like, “Oh, I’ve got to become a member.” Were your parents members? No. I don’t think my mom votes ever, and my stepdad…I don’t know. And my real dad, he doesn’t vote. So was there someone who got you interested? I remember hearing about it on the TV, and my grandma is really in to politics. She helps out with the elections. With the Green Party? Just with Elections Canada. Ah, at polling stations and such. When I was younger she told me about all the parties, including the Green Party. And I was like, I really like that one. Ever since I was six. I was trying to convince everyone to vote Green. For any particular reason? When you were six, I mean. I really liked how they would talk about protecting the trees, and I remember being like, “I always want those to be there.” Well, sure. When you’re that young—it’s not just politics—everything’s impulse-based. Your world is small.
Jessica Tillmans. SUPPLIED PHOTO Yeah. A year and a half ago when Sam won and was the youngest-ever MPP— That was amazing. I just talked to him a half hour ago, and I told him that he was no longer the youngest candidate in this race. He said, “That’s good. I hope that all of the candidates are under thirty.” He said he’d heard that the NDP was going to nominate someone young. Oh really? That would be so great. Another thing he said to me once was that he has a lot of young people who come up to him and say, “Sam, I disagree with everything you stand for, but because you’re young I’ll vote for you, because I think we need more young people.” Is that something you can understand? I think that you should be educated. You don’t want to just vote for someone because they’re young. Right, you should vote with someone because you believe them. Or vote against someone just because they’re young. You should vote for what you believe, because that's what’s really going to make a change and a difference. If you believe that young people are going to change things, then vote young, I guess. That is interesting. You hear that idea of youth representation a lot. I wonder
about politics. Is it somehow different? If I got to the hospital I don’t really want a doctor who’s in training. If I have to be defended by a lawyer, I probably want the most experienced one. But politics is funny in a way. You want someone with experience, but at the same time there’s a sense that being around makes you jaded or cynical and unable to puncture through the status quo. What do you think about that? It’s a hard part. It depends on the person and how dedicated they are. If they’re thinking about the best interests of the people, or if they’re thinking about their pocket. I really do think there’s a fine line there, but it’s hard. There’s so much stigma around politics. I hear young people talking about it all the time, like “Every politician is a liar.” It’s hard to fight that stigma. What do people your age say when they find out you’re running? Some of them say, “Wow, that’s amazing, how are you managing all this?” Because you have a fulltime job too? Where are you working? I work at Parker Hannifin. I just got a job there a few weeks ago. What do you do there? I work on the carousels. It’s hard to explain, but I basically pull parts off of all these shelves, then put them in orders, and ship them out. And I just do that for eight hours a day. Obviously the election hasn’t started yet, but after May ninth you’ll be out campaigning and door-knocking. Have you done any of that before? No, never. I’m really excited to do that. I campaigned very briefly. Before the first door, your heart leaps up into your throat. You feel like a beggar or something, like you’re intruding in someone’s life. Are you expecting resistance at first? I’m kind of nervous about
that, about how people will react. I’m always really nice to anyone that comes to my door, but I know that a lot of people aren’t. Interviews and pictures are weird too. I’m not used to all this attention, I guess. But it’s something to adjust to. It’s good. It’s no secret that this riding is a pretty conservative riding. It’s been that way for a long time. Absolutely. Is that on your mind? That this is a tough spot to break in? I’m hoping that the young people—my school, and their family and such—will hear me out, and take some time to listen to what we’re running for. Maybe that will change their mind. I know that, if your family is conservative, sometimes you just vote conservative. But there are some Green specks in the area. I’m feeling hopeful. And there are going to be debates as well. I think there’s going to be two. I hope that there are two—the first one is going to be a little bit rocky, but the second one, after I get used to it. I watched some of Sam’s first debate and you could see the same thing. Now he’s had a year and half of speaking in the legislature, and he has the advantage of talking in front of people all of the time. Yeah, he’s really good at it—I’ve seen him before. Going back to the party— you mentioned that when you were six you were attracted to it because of nature, and wanting to stand for conservation. That’s probably the general perception of the Green Party, that it’s this one-trick pony. That’s the perception, but you have a comprehensive platform. Do you think you have to change the name to the [all-colours] party or something? I don’t know if we should change it. We are getting See TILLMANS Page 14
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OPINION
The opinions expressed in submitted commentary and letters to the editor are those of the contributors and not necessarily those of the Voice of Pelham.
The Voice of Pelham is a 1211858 Ontario Limited publication David Burket, Publisher 2-1428 Pelham St., P.O. Box 1489, Fonthill, ON L0S1E0
COMMENTARY / OP-ED Larry Coté Will Pelham go "plogging"?
I
T’S T H AT T I M E OF Y E A R AG A I N when we experience the resurfacing of the refuse of those Eco-ignorant slovens who discarded their flotsam onto the snow-covered landscape over the winter. These Eco-illiterates ignore the beauty and fragility of the landscape and leave it to others to clean up after them. Their slovenly habits are difficult to countenance. If we could find out where they live we might drive by their residences and return their discards onto their front yards. Likely, they wouldn’t even notice and just step through the odious refuse until the cows came home. More seriously, there might be another, more reasonable Eco-friendly solution. Recently, we learned about a Swedish-born phenomenon that we could do well to pick up on. It’s called ‘plogging’ and so named from the Swedish phrase “plocka upp” which, when translated to English, literally means to pick up. While our Swedish friends are generally more fitness-inclined than their Canadian sofa-surfing cousins, they combine picking up trash with their regular jogging stints. Rather than just passing by the rubbish along their jogging routes, these ploggers pick up some of the trash and properly dispose of their collections at the end of their jog. While we regularly see a number of joggers on the streets of Pelham this exercise could just as easily be adopted by the large number of walkers strolling the streets of our town. Just think how those passing through the town would admire such an initiative and the prideful-caring demonstrated by these forward-thinking Pelhamites. Such
an inclination for less clutter would possibly reduce the Town’s maintenance costs and free up workers to undertake other enhancements to the municipality.
...this exercise could just as easily be adopted by the large number of walkers strolling the streets of our town
Letters Plogging has been taking hold in some few Canadian cities and is a marvelous lesson in civic responsibility for the younger set. If a few adults take the lead in such an effort to clean up our town then one day we might see students on their way to and from school doing the same. As a result of that experiential education it is highly unlikely that they will become litterers in the future. So, might people in Pelham be up to this experiment in civic pride? All it takes is a little refuse bag on your next jog or walk and you will be helping to clean up your town. Larry Coté is a retired professor of business. He was awarded a Governor General’s Medal for his community involvements.
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Wants another helping of Town Hall collegiality I read with great interest the article “Town’s Human Resources Director resigns” [April 4, p. 1] hoping it would celebrate her many contributions during her time in Town Hall. Instead, I read about her salary. The article went on to list several former Town employees, I suppose trying to weave a connection to the toxic work environment quoted by an unnamed source "intimately familiar" with Town Hall. Though not asked to do so,
I write this letter to offer a different perspective. Let’s be honest, the coming and going of employees within any organization is a revolving door. We don’t sign lifetime contracts and it’s not uncommon for lives to reroute quicker than our GPS after a wrong turn. Whether personal, financial (many families with young kids, myself included, will conduct the cost- benefit analysis of staying home vs. returning to work), or simply being presented with
the opportunity of a lifetime, people move on for various reasons all the time. When our friends and colleagues move on, we share in the sadness of their departure and celebrate their future, wishing them much success and happiness. If you’re under the impression that Town Hall is toxic, let me share a quick story with you that highlights my opposition to the very notion. See MORE, PLEASE Page 6
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Dean Allison, MP 4994 King Street Beamsville, ON L0R 1B0 Dean.Allison@parl.gc.ca 877-563-7900
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OPINION Letters
FOLLOW THE MONEY Commentary by Jim Pitt
continued
Town Hall pay, jobs are #PelhamHuh? I have been giving the Town of Pelham Sunshine List entries some thought. It seemed excessive to me, but then the little light bulb over my head started to glow. Instead of being concerned about the cost, maybe we should be trying to set a world record for the smallest town with the most top-heavy and highly paid administration. I will have to do some research, but am hoping there will be a huge monetary reward, not just a certificate to hang on the wall. Our Human Resources Director has gone on to greener pastures. She will be with a company that has over 800 employees. This raises a question for me, do we really need a full time Human Resources director for the number of people employed by the Town? The Human Resources Director was paid the Sunshine List threshold of $100,000 plus approximately another 35% on top. In 2016 she received a pay increase of 26% above her 2015 salary. For arguments sake, let’s round
the increase to $26,000. Now let’s all take a look around at the people we know, and the people we see out and about. We see families starting out, trying to provide housing and the necessities of life. We see seniors trying to hold on to their homes and trying to maintain a comfortable lifestyle. Our newly increased minimum wage of $14 per hour results in an annual income (for full time work) of $28,000. For those relying on government pensions alone, their income doesn’t come close to minimum wage. I can’t help it, I’m chuckling here. A "Public Relations and Marketing Specialist." Really now. I don’t see how such a small town needs one of those. Isn’t the alternate description of this job “spin doctor”? I believe that straightforward answers to straightforward questions should come from the Mayor, Council, and Town staff, and should not require any spin. Hmm, is all I can say. Marianne Stewart Fenwick
Pay rises of 10x inflation? Why? Who’s minding the store? Who determines the pay grades, the salary increases and the high number of senior managers we need relative to our population? Salary increases of 22-24-
26% to management when the CPI (Consumer Price Index) is running at 2.5% annually is simply indefensible, especially when the
In real estate crystal ball, only clear message is "avoid condos"
T
HE RE A L ESTATE PICTURE in the Golden Horseshoe is still somewhat foggy. Although the real estate cartel would have you believe that the market is now “balanced,” it rarely defines what that means. One way of measuring a market is through the sales-to-new-listings ratio. The closer that ratio is to 50% the closer it is to balanced. A high ratio means that we are in a seller’s market, allowing sellers to ask more for their property. A lower ratio means the market is in a buyer's market. The buyer can demand lower prices and add conditions to the deal. The largest increases in the ratio are in Ottawa, Montreal and Gatineau. These markets are now in a seller's market. The largest declines are in Toronto, Hamilton and—wait for it—Niagara. This means that Niagara is now closing in on a buyer's market. Out of curiosity I checked the MLS listings for the region for residential properties. As of this writing, there are 1,324 residential properties on the market. Of those, 701 are priced under $500,000, 521 are $500,000 $999,000 and 87 are priced over $1 million. In the GTA, sales of SFD (Single Detached) homes have dropped 40%- plus for each of the last three months compared to last year. Prices have also dropped by 14% to an average of $785,000 compared to last year
in the GTA. In Niagara, numbers have yet to be published for March, while numbers are readily available elsewhere. An article in the Toronto Star highlighting the plight of new home buyers acts as a cautionary tale in this new “balanced” market. It seems a number of people purchased new homes in Oakville last year, at the top of the market, from a Mattamy Homes development. They paid between $1 and $1.6 million for these pre-builds. They anticipated selling their existing homes for prices that would more than cover the cost of these new homes. Some of these folks lived in earlier-built homes of the same type in an earlier-built phase of the overall development. Alas, it was not to be. The homes they are trying to sell are not selling. The price is too high and the new homes are almost ready for possession. What to do? Well, like a lot of people, these buyer-sellers decided that the government needs to do something, anything, to bail them out of this unfair predicament. So far, all of their e-mails and calls to government ministers and opposition leaders have gone unanswered. They even have a rather expensive looking website dedicated to their plight, full of heart-rending stories and unusual demands. Let’s hope the silence from officialdom stays that way.
The condo market in the GTA is a bright spot in the real estate world. Sales and prices have been climbing steadily and, at times, rapidly. Prices in the GTA are up 27%.
The largest declines are in Toronto, Hamilton and—wait for it —Niagara
Why? Simple: condos are still affordable when compared to SFD homes. People, especially younger people, believe that a condo is the first rung on the property ladder. You have to start somewhere and, if a 600-square-foot concrete box is all I can afford, then sign me up. Condos are a terrible investment. You are not buying real estate, you’re just buying space. You don’t own any land. You own the unit, but you are responsible for the entire See FOLLOW THE MONEY next page
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On my first day as a Town employee, I was met by Derek Young, supervisor of engineering. I’d never met Derek before that morning. With a shake of the hand he welcomed me, showed me around the building, introduced me to people as they arrived, and provided me a glimpse of the work family I’ve grown to love. This day sticks with me. He could have easily just said hello, or not, and let me navigate the first few moments on the job alone, but he didn’t. I highlight this story, albeit the truncated version, because, outside of my interviews, this was my first real taste of the Town— I’ll have seconds please. The Town of Pelham is a great place to work. The people are amazing, the initiatives are innovative, and the goal to enhance the quality of life in Pelham is centered in all that we do. My experience in Town Hall sits at the polar opposite of the unnamed source. I cannot speak for the source, just as he or she cannot speak for me. You’ve heard one side of the story, and now you have the other. Who you believe is up to you. Marc MacDonald Public Relations & Marketing Specialist Town of Pelham
Voice indicates we are paying relatively above our weight for these jobs when compared to other municipalities within Regional Niagara. How were these raises arrived at? The squeaky wheel gets the grease, politics, or the someone throwing darts at a dart board? How does the Town develop a budget when management salaries are free-flowing? Internal equity and external comparisons are the bedrock for any such program. Positions are evaluated and ranked according to their value, and salary increases are recognized based on performance. Salary surveys within the community determine what others are paying for similar positions. A structured salary admin program would not allow for such big hits in such a short span of time. Consistent high performers advance through a salary range via Sustained Superior Performance, not in one fell swoop. Residents are not being served by this mushroom theory of salary administration. Frank Feeley Fonthill
FOLLOW THE MONEY
been posted in virtually all the usual media outlets over the last week or two. This is unusual because these are the same sources that were pumping real estate as a good place to get rich. I think they’re trying to tell us something. As it turns out, a substantial number of “investors” have been buying condos in the GTA. Prices rose an average of 26% in 2017. That’s big money. Condo investors—those who buy, rent out and later sell for profit—bought 48% of the new condos on the market last year. 20% paid in full. These investors are between 40 and 60 years of age, on average. They are either buying as a retirement investment or for their kids. 44% of these investors are in negative cash flow and 34% of them are short, over $1,000 per month, while 20% are down between $500-$1,000 per month. They must make up the difference out of pocket. So what’s the attraction? Negative cash flow for an investment is not good in-
continued from previous page building. Items like elevators, roofs, parking garages, indoor pools, etc., are all very expensive to replace and replace them you will. Floor-to-ceiling windows and glass balcony rails are prone to failure. All of the expenses associated with maintaining the building are part of the monthly management fees. A new build, all shiny and sexy, will have relatively low monthly fees, but those fees will go up; they never go down, and, on occasion, you may be stuck with a special assessment. If a major failure occurs and the building must fork out a substantial chunk of cash to cover it, the monthly fees will not be enough. A special fee is added to your cost of ownership. All of the windows might need replacing, or the parking garage floods, or the pool cracks, or the balcony rails fail, or the heating system breaks, or the roof springs
a leak. It’s endless and expensive. New builds soon lose their lustre and become old and tired looking, not sexy, not desirable. The resale price soon reflects this new reality. If the fees are getting too high, the unit is even less desirable. Living in a condo is the same as living in an apartment building; after all, that’s what a condo really is. You have no control over what your neighbours get up to. They can be noisy, crack-snorting, Zumba dancing, Airbnb-renting morons. If you were renting beside them, you would just move. In a condo, you must sell before you can move. You also have to pay property taxes, insurance and possibly utilities and rent a parking space, or even buy it. Best to rent a condo from some poor fool who bought one. And how are those poor fools doing anyway. An unusually high number of articles about the condo market, debt levels and housing correction have
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vesting. Well, many people are convinced by real estate salespersons, family, peers and friends that they will get their investment, expenses and a tidy profit when they sell. So far that has worked, but only for the investors who have sold. You have to sell to realize your profits. Meanwhile they keep shovelling their own after-tax-income into their investment. What happens when they do sell, you ask. CRA, the Canada Revenue Agency, has been targeting this particular type of investment lately. There is a lot of tax revenue to collect from this crowd. If the property you sell is not your primary residence (you don’t live in it), then you owe taxes on the profit you made on the property sale. As an example, if you were making $80,000 from your employment with a 31% marginal tax rate, and you make a profit of $100,000 from the sale of that property, your income is now $180,000 for the year and your tax rate is 48%. The CRA is not allowing many of these sales to be considered capital gains so there is no tax exemption for you. Some 60,000 more condos are coming to market over the next three years in the GTA. Niagara Region is just starting to jump on the condo bandwagon, late to the dance as usual, but the marketers will be touting these glorified apartments as the investment opportunity of a lifetime, like Nortel, Br-ex, Bitcoin and the rest. If you want to live in a space, then rent. If you want to own some dirt as well, then save up and buy, but buy only what you can comfortably afford. And, if you own one, never buy a new home until you sell your current home. In this market, to do otherwise is dangerous. ◆
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The Voice of Pelham, April 11 2018
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License, insurance, registration, PPSA, applicable taxes and, except in Quebec, dealer fees (all of which may vary by region and dealer) are extra. Bonus Credit consists of $1,500 manufacturer-to-consumer GM Card Application Bonus (offer applies to individuals who apply for a Scotiabank GM Visa Card [GM Card] or current GM Card cardholders) (tax inclusive). Dealers may sell for less. Limited time offer, which may not be combined with certain other offers. General Motors of Canada Company may modify, extend or terminate offers in whole or in part at any time without notice. Conditions and limitations apply. See dealer for details. ®Registered trademark of The Bank of Nova Scotia. RBC and Royal Bank are registered trademarks of Royal Bank of Canada. 1 Sierra 5-star Overall Vehicle Score applies to 1500 series vehicles. 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Services vary by model, service plan and conditions as well as geographical and technical restrictions. Service plan required. 8. Comparison based on wardsauto.com 2017 Small Pickup segment and latest competitive information available at the time of posting. Excludes other GM vehicles. 9. Available on select Apple® and Android™ devices. Some features may require a paid OnStar service plan. Features and capability may vary by vehicle, device, conditions as well as geographical and technical restrictions. Device data connection required.
Page 8
Letters
The Voice of Pelham, April 11 2018
continued
Drainage issue? Stop. Research first. Regarding the recent article about drainage issues [Town holds Ridgeville watershed meeting, April 4, p.9], I strongly suggest that the residents of Ridgeville take the following precautions and steps: First, do not sign any petition requesting a Municipal Drain until you have read The Drainage Act, RSO1990, c.D.17 (https://www.ontario. ca/laws/statute/90d17#BK5). The term “municipal drain” sounds generic, but it is very, very specific. Read the Drainage Act: don’t be intimidated by the legal jargon, just grasp the total power that you are handing to the engineering firm regarding the future of your property, as well as the legal and financial obligations you are attaching to the deed to your property, and to the deeds of neighbouring and not-so-neighbouring properties. Find out this information now: if not, you will certainly find out (a) when you receive your property tax bill, and (b) most certainly, should you choose to sell your property, and you discover that your deed has a condition attached to it. Second, read the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs factsheet, Top 10 Common Law Drainage Problems Between Rural Neighbours. (http://www. omafra.gov.on.ca/english/
e n g i n e e r / f a c t s /9 8 - 0 15 . htm). This factsheet, and many more, was written by Mr. Sid VanderVeen, and Mr. VanderVeen is both knowledgeable and accessible…read as much of Mr. VanderVeen’s work as you can, apply it to your situation, and if you have questions, Google his phone number and discuss your concerns with him.
...do not sign any petition requesting a Municipal Drain...
Finally, read, or re-read, the March 28 Follow The Money commentary by Jim Pitt, “Know when you’re the buyer, and when you’re the product.” It is on the Voice website. In the interest of full disclosure, my family has had firsthand experience with K. Smart Associates Ltd., engineer Neal Morris of K. Smart Associates Ltd., and Town of Pelham Drainage Superintendent Mike Zimmer, regarding drainage issues. David Horton Fenwick
www.thevoiceofpelham.ca
Pelham Cares turns 35 Organization also recognizes National Volunteer Week BY VOICE STAFF Pelham Cares is celebrating its 35th anniversary in 2018, and considering that the week of April 15 is National Volunteer Week, coordinator Lori Grande called it a good opportunity to celebrate the birthday. “The idea for Pelham Cares started way back in the 1980s,” said Grande. “The mayor at the time was asked by the Region if Pelham could have some sort of social service committee.” Then-Mayor Eric Bergenstein solicited community involvement in the initiative, primarily from church groups in Pelham. “The things suggested were very different from what Pelham Cares is today,” said Grande. “It recommended services such as visits with the lonely, running errands for people who need it, providing respite for parents or spouses who need it.” Grande, who has been with Pelham Cares since 2014, said that it has evolved to fulfill mainly one of the original suggestions, to “provide food and other necessities” to people in need. Even so, in 2017 Pelham Cares had 20 volunteers
CAMPAIGN OFFICE GRAND OPENING
Volunteers Bill Hughson and Colleen McCarthy sort through hampers at Pelham Cares last Friday morning. VOICE PHOTO provide 388 medical-related drives within Niagara, and as far away as Toronto, covering 10,000 kilometres. “A lot of that evolution was probably based on viability—on what’s possible,” said Grande. As it currently exists, providing more than 500 food hampers per year, volunteers are the engine of the organization. “We have about 50 registered volunteers, but in broader service during our December food drive we have up to 300,” said Grande. Nancy Yungblut, a mem-
ber of Pelham Cares’ board, said that when you include all the other people who indirectly help out, the number is in the thousands. “There’s the Lions, the Lionesses, the Kinsmen, Rotary,” said Yungblut. Grande said that the broad value that volunteering adds to the community is on her mind during the national week. “It brings people together, and it really means something to have people contribute. Seniors who volunteer live longer, and the social interaction and sense of purpose adds so
much,” said Grande. Yungblut recollected a time when her 16-year-old grandson needed additional community service hours for high school and helped out at Pelham Cares to get them. “There he was, a sixteen-year-old boy, very tall, helping out with the other volunteers, some of whom were eighty-plus,” she said. Grande highlighted this diversity among volunteers, how some are new retirees and some have been helping out at the centre for 25 years. See BIRTHDAY next page
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www.thevoiceofpelham.ca
The Voice of Pelham, April 11 2018
Scouts' craft show approaches BY VOICE STAFF Three Scouts from Fonthill’s local troupe are finishing up the organizing for the upcoming craft show on April 14 at Fonthill United Church. The craft show is one of their fundraising efforts for their 2019 trip to the World Scout Jamboree in Glen Jean, West Virginia. The cost for each Scout to attend is $3850. “They have to raise all of it,” said Kent Ratcliffe, the Scout’s leader. Assisting Ratcliffe in the fundraising efforts is Erin Snow, whose son Liam is one of those planning on attending the jamboree. The Jamboree’s venue in West Virginia, the Summit Bechtel Family National Scout Reserve, is the permanent host of the American National Scout Jamboree. Spread out over 14,000 acres, the reserve is the product of some $100 million in donations. There are ten adventure areas, with mountain biking, BMX, skateboarding, archery, rifle shooting, and zip lines, among other activities. “There are man-made lakes,” said Rat-
KELLER continued from Page 13 “But we don’t just want this to be open to tech-savvy people. Anyone who wants to donate can mail a donation to the school, or drop off a donation, or contact myself or another teacher,” said Yallup. The scholarship will be for $500 dollars, and Yal-
BIRTHDAY continued from previous page Yungblut said also that because Pelham is relatively small, Pelham Cares is often the first place that people think of when they’re looking to get involved. “We’re so blessed that we’re the first thought in people’s mind when they’re looking for something to do or to donate,” said Yungblut. “Our volunteers really like
cliffe. “The place is like Disneyland for outdoorsy kids—so really nothing like Disneyland.” Scouts are to attend the event in a nineto-one ratio with an adult leader. Because there are only three local Scouts planning to go in 2019 (Fonthill is a small troupe), the group has teamed up with Scouts from Newfoundland, who will make up the remainder of the troupe’s nine. The Newfoundland Scouts have been doing their own fundraising, including, Ratcliffe said, an online auction that Scouts here intend to do as well. “Once we’re down there, we’ll be joined up to camp with three other groups of ten from elsewhere in the world, and the Scouts will have a real opportunity to get to know each other,” said Ratcliffe. He expects that this experience will remain with them for their whole lives. Erin Snow said that there are still a few spots for vendors at the fair. Those interested may contact her by email at heirloomshow@gmail.com.
lup, adding that the hope is to collect enough money to keep it going for at least ten years. “Ideally the money would keep coming in and we could do it for longer, but we’re starting with a ten-year goal,” she said. “We haven’t decided whether it’s going to be five hundred for one person, or two-fifty for a boy,
and two-fifty for a girl.” Yallup said that the fund has collected about enough for its first year already, and is confident that once alumni hear of the award’s existence, support will come in. “We want people to be talking about it,” she said. “We want them to remember a dedicated and passionate teacher.”
to cloak themselves, but we try to recognize them.” “We’ll do something simple,” said Grande. “Put them up on our sign and give them a letter and a Tim’s card.” Last Friday morning, as Grande and Yungblut gathered to talk about the anniversary and volunteer week, three of those volunteers were working away arranging the week’s hampers. Keith Moore and Bill Hughson, both of whom
have helped at Pelham Cares for more than a decade, and Colleen McCarthy, who has volunteered for more than two decades, all fussed when Grande tried to get them to pose for a picture. “Do you have a paper bag?” asked Moore. “We could be the unknown volunteers.” Grande laughed. “You see?” she said. “They don’t want to be seen for what they do.”
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Page 9
Page 10
The Voice of Pelham, April 11 2018
www.thevoiceofpelham.ca
ANALYSIS
A Ford on the road Ontario PC leader Doug Ford draws the crowds. What does he do with them? BY SAMUEL PICCOLO
W
HEN HE APPEARS through the doors the music begins—always ‘Eye of the Tiger,’ always from the nine-second mark. The crowd roars, lion-like, as they catch a glimpse of him. From a distance he is somewhat handsome, despite his odd, block-like proportions. The mid-winter tan, the appropriate amount of oil in his pale hair, the only-just-visible eyebrows, the well-fitted suit, all mildly appealing. Doug Ford, who has to smile a lot—meaning that often he looks like he’s grimacing—beams a genuine grin as he enters the hall, a ballroom at the Holiday Inn in St. Catharines, and sees the 400 or so people who have come to listen to him on short notice on a windy Wednesday night, a month before the provincial election campaign actually begins. Ford ambles—brother Rob always seemed to teeter—along the front line of seats, shaking hands firmly, clapping backs vigorously, finally mounting the stage and grabbing hold of the microphone. News of the man’s impending arrival was put out by local Progressive Conservative candidates only the previous weekend. Niagara West-Glanbrook MPP Sam Oosterhoff called it one of the “famous Ford Nation rallies,” and suggested that people forward the notice to their family and friends so as to gift them the chance to “experience the excitement and energy” of the gathering. Ford’s staff certainly amplified this message. Colin Brown, a stubbled young staffer who was cueing-up “Eye of the Tiger” on a cellphone, said that he’s never seen a politician talk like Ford. “Just wait and see.” Other staffers walked down the aisles of chairs carrying tall and narrow “FORD” signs, hawking them like ballgame hot dogs. “We try and have them spread out,” said Brown. “They always go fast.” Ford’s roving press secretary, Melanie Paradis, who was spiritedly ricocheting around the room before Ford’s arrival, phone in hand, phone plugged into laptop, laptop hugged to chest, said that they get it every night. “Five hundred people in Hamilton yesterday,” she said. “It happens everywhere we go. I’ve never seen anything like it.” But people believe they have seen something like it. Since Ford won the PC leadership last month, comparisons to Donald Trump have rolled in.
The VOICE
Above and right, Rob Ford addresses his St. Catharines audience last Wednesday.
On the day after Ford’s appearance in Niagara, a regular columnist for the Toronto Star reeled off ten points of comparison between Doug and Donald, calling them “interchangeable.” The list ranged from the pair’s efforts to “guard against defeat by suggesting votes might be stolen from them,” to alleged criminal acts—the accusations of sexual assault against Trump, and the Globe and Mail’s expansive investigation that alleged that Ford was a well-known drug dealer in the 1980s. The columnist conceded from that start that, “Ontarians who loathe Donald Trump are now liking Doug Ford.” Certainly at M.T. Bellies in Welland, Ford’s first stop in the region, supporters at the bar were having none of the comparison. “They want to paint [Ford] as some kind of extremist, but he’s just not,” said one man, who had come to meet the politician he said was going to change the political culture at Queen’s Park. Trump, by comparison, was just a lot of talk and chaos. “I don’t think that wall is ever going to happen,” the man said. “Congress won’t go along with it.” Paradis called the Trump comparison “lazy,” and said that Ford is mobbed every night by hundreds of supporters “because he's approachable, and he listens.” Ford was approached at M.T. Bellies. He was there for a half-hour or so, guided around the room by Oosterhoff, shaking hands, signing coasters. Two men named Brad and Bill wore custom Ford t-shirts printed with one of Ford’s favourite catchphrases: “We’re going to cap taxes and trade Kathleen Wynne.” One of the men stretched a shirt taut so that Ford
could scribble his signature on it. After Ford was ushered along, Brad held up the shirt. “Hey Bill! I got it signed,” he called across the room. As the end of the budgeted time approached, Oosterhoff tried to usher Ford more quickly to the rest of the tables. “No one controls Doug,” said Oosterhoff, perhaps trying to add to the mystique. “But we can help him along.” The Trump parallel, however persuasive in print, is less convincing in person. Around Ford’s rally there is a buzz and the attendance to produce it, but there is none of Trump’s frenetic electricity. Trump is the great improviser, P.T. Barnum-meets- Cornel West-meets-Pat Buchanan—growling, ranting, careening, gesticulating, snarling—suspending the audience on the high wire, calling on them to prowl with him past the sign warning, “Danger: Thin Ice.” Ford does none of this. While he uses no notes and doesn’t falter, and looks more comfortable than in press conferences—where he tends to read in a stilted voice, eyes on the page—at his rally Ford delivers only the PC’s greatest hits with smooth lane-changes: hydro rates, the carbon tax, hospital wait times, unnecessary bureaucrats, the blocking-out of the grassroots. Where Trump revels in catcalling, mocking, mimicry, and demeaning nicknames, and boasts of past victories real and imagined, Ford barely mentions his surprise triumph in the snap PC leadership race. He barely mentions his business background, and the only echoes of Trump’s
TAVIS NEMBHARD PHOTOS
“bigs” and “beautifuls” are when Ford makes note of his “massive social conscience.” (Last Thursday, Ford defended his planned absence at a debate put on by organizers in Toronto’s black community, telling reporters that he has “massive support” among black Torontonians. "I love them, they love me,” he said. Trumpian tone aside, the Ford family does actually have a history of support from many in Toronto’s black community.) Back Ford into a corner and he is known to hiss like a mongoose. In 2012 he alleged that a Globe and Mail reporter who investigated brother Rob’s use of city staff for his football team was lying, suggesting that she get off her “lazy ass.” The reporter was pregnant at the time. He alluded to a Toronto Star reporter as a “little bitch,” and later asserted he had been referring to someone else. He accused a TV reporter of a “jihadist attack” against him and later apologized. He said that a home for autistic teenagers in Etobicoke had “ruined the community,” and told the father of an autistic child to “go to hell” when the man filed a code of conduct complaint over Ford’s comment. He launched an attack on former Toronto Police Chief Bill Blair during brother Rob’s crack-tape debacle, only to later say that he wished he hadn’t, and that, “sometimes I get a little rambunctious, sometimes.” Ford was not backed in any corner on Wednesday. He made friendly mention of the ever-present Liberal staffer who follows him around. “Where is he?” called out Ford. A man a few rows back raised a hand, but didn’t look up from his lap, where
he was noting away. “He’s a good guy. He’s just doing his job, collecting a paycheque. We’ll even give him a ride home tonight,” offered Ford, before shifting back to Wynne. Above all, Doug Ford is vague. He is vague at M.T. Bellies, where he is asked by a reporter if he would remain committed to GO Train service to Niagara by 2021. Ford says that he would want to “review the plan to make sure it’s a solid plan.” When reminded that every municipality in Niagara has already voted in favour of it, he says that he’d want to talk to the people. Ford’s vagueness resulted in a mild furor the next day among politicians in Niagara, with the consensus being that the GO issue has already been settled. Ford’s spokesperson re-
leased a statement saying that while Ford will review the matter, “the people of Niagara should not be worried.” When asked by the Voice about the Places to Grow Act, legislation that mandates high-density development in certain areas, he again veered into banalities. “Definitely up to the people,” says Ford. “I’m always in favour of empowering the local government. Letting them make decisions with the people. I would like to review everything, speak to the people.” At M.T. Bellies and at his rally, Ford says that it’s about empowering people above government—a broad statement few would disagree with—but gives no indication of what this would mean. Vagueness extends to his yet-to-be-revealed platform. Though he offers
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specifics about the PC plan on the minimum wage, he explains his oft-repeated pledge to find $6 billion in efficiencies by saying only that he’ll go through the budget “line-by-line,” and use “best practises” and “technology.” “We don’t need focus groups or polls,” Ford tells the crowd, saying that he’ll talk directly to the people—a tough proposition in a province of 13.6 million. Ford’s attacks on the “elites” are well-documented, as is the irony that he himself—like Donald Trump—was born into a wealthy family. University of Waterloo political science professor Emmett MacFarlane told the Huffington Post that Ford is a man “patently unqualified for public office and who seeks to breed an anti-intellectual, anti-evidence cynicism into our politics.”
But if you listen closely enough, it seems that the attacks on elites really just refer to people who support Liberal policies. Ford tells the crowd that the people know better than the government, but then he says that it’s going to be doctors and nurses—i.e. experts—whom he listens to on health care policy. Kathleen Wynne’s longtime health minister was Dr. Eric Hoskins. The current minister is Dr. Helena Jaczek. “I surround myself with people in their areas of expertise,” said Ford. Even his lampooning of Kathleen Wynne is vague and half-hearted, especially in comparison to Trump’s frothing about “Crooked Hillary.” At the rally, Ford shouts out, to applause, that Ontarians are finding “Kathleen Wynne’s hand in their pocket,” and then, when
The Voice of Pelham, April 11 2018
they check the other, find that Justin Trudeau is fleecing them too. He calls out Wynne on Sunshine List salaries and insider paydays, but the actual accusations are unspecific. There is no mention of gas plants, of deleted emails or wiped hard drives, of the OPP, no mention of the Sudbury bribery trials. Even the previous two PC leaders were willing to be more pointed: both Tim Hudak and Patrick Brown were sued by Wynne for defamation, though neither suit turned into much. You hear about Ford that he has this ineffable tell-itlike-it-is-ness about him, yet it just doesn’t materialize in person. The rally’s most jagged barb didn’t even come from Ford himself. He was stringing along a series of grievances about Liberal
management, about Wynne appointing herself Minister of Agriculture despite having “never grown a tomato plant,” and taking a picture on a tractor at some ill-advised photo-op, when a woman in the front row delivered the punchline. “She should be on the manure spreader,” she yelled out. Ford guffawed. “I’m going to stay away from that one. That one could get me in trouble,” he said, smiling, before realizing that the zinger wasn’t going to do anything of the sort. “But I agree with you.” When Ford finished speaking, giving the last applause line that brought the crowd to its feet, “FORD” signs held high, he was mobbed. Several handlers tugged at his sleeves and the stage was swarmed, photos snapped from all directions.
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The Trump parallel, however persuasive in print, is less convincing in person
But then, quite quickly, someone politely asked the crowd to line up around the wall, be patient, and wait their turn, and everyone did so without a fuss. Across the United States in 2016, a writer followed the Trump phenomenon from city to town, trying to get a handle on the animosity that had grown between red and blue America. Half the people he met thought Trump was the Antichrist. The other half tended to
carry signs reading, “DONALD J TRUMP A GUARDIAN ANGEL FROM HEAVEN.” “Although to me, Trump seems like the very opposite of a guardian angel, I thank him for this,” the writer wrote. “I’ve never before imagined America as fragile, as an experiment that could, within my very lifetime, fail. But I imagine it that way now.” We cannot imagine Ontario that way now. Let us be thankful for that. ◆
The Voice of Pelham, April 11 2018 information. [D’Amboise] signed the same non-disclosure agreement we all did—staff and councillors on the committee…. The paper says, ‘it is unclear who gave the document to D’Angelo.’ This means they know it wasn’t Rob or they would say so.” Quirk also pushed back against any suggestion that D’Angelo having alleged access to the shortlist was an advantage. “I don’t know what advantage sending the short list to Carmen would be except to prove he was on the short list. If the fix was in, what would it matter who the other candidates were? If the fix wasn’t in, what advantage is there in knowing who the other candidates are? Every candidate got a copy of the questions ahead of time in the first interview and every candidate was given the task they had to prepare for the second interview,” said Quirk. “Whoever sent it—if it was sent—wasn’t doing Carmen any favours.” Councillor Bob Gale, another member of the committee that selected D’Angelo, said that, “I know from being involved in the CAO selection process that it was fair and the integrity of it was never compromised.” “I too have questions as to some of the items in the article but in no way did it discredit our process, and Carmen D’Angelo was the best candidate.” Grimsby Mayor Bob Bentley said, “If any of the assertions in the recent press reports are accurate then I would definitely support an investigation into the hiring process. There were a number of questions and concerns raised by council members, including short list of candidates that went unanswered due to ‘confidentiality.’ If that process as approved by council was not structured properly or influenced or compromised by anyone, including the Regional Chair’s office and staff, we need to know why. If confidential information about candidates was leaked prior to formal decisions being made, that suggests changes need to be made. I would think it appropriate for council at the very least to be briefed by the consultant hired to oversee the process as well.” Councillors Selina Volpatti, Sandy Annunziata, and Bart Maves said that they have full confidence
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in D’Angelo. “CAO D'Angelo's employment was approved unanimously by the hiring committee, and democratically approved by Niagara Region Council,” said Volpatti. “The report in our local newspaper of irregularities in the process are negated by the lack of any real evidence, and by a misunderstanding of the role of staff in the hiring process.” Annunziata criticized the journalism, saying, “I take the headline and the tone of the Standard article to suggest 'leaked memos' did occur and it is their opinion the public should be outraged over that prospect? But those same reporters actually encourage that behaviour, and in the past have publicly stated they have contacts at Regional government that have been leaking information to them. I find it incredible that Standard reporters would rise to that level of hypocrisy—as beneficiary, by first encouraging the practice of leaking memos and privileged documents, and then as judge and jury, by screaming foul and indicting the behaviour in their headlines and in their articles.” While Pelham’s Regional Councillor Brian Baty agreed with Sendzik that an investigation into D’Angelo’s hiring process is needed, like Annunziata he said that an investigation ought also to include the source of the Standard’s information, “as well as the intentions or motivation of these individuals.” Of the CAO’s hiring process, Baty said that he found it strange that the Region’s human resources staff were not “directly involved in the hiring process and even stranger that the consultant was not present at the time the matter was deliberated at Regional Council.” Nevertheless, Baty said that he didn’t question the hiring committee’s integrity, and added, “conjecture about potential candidates and their probability of appointment is commonplace in any hiring process, much like the speculation that centres around potential winners in a horse race.” “It is my hope that these matters can be resolved before the election,” concluded Baty. “But, then again, maybe [the Standard] article is the first salvo in the race for Regional Chair.”
ES T
given” of the former, wrote Quirk, who also asserted that the latter was false. Quirk said that some candidates for the CAO position became aware of each other during the interview process inadvertently in Regional hallways. “Nothing about the process was tainted, with the exception of unfortunate timing on the part of Phelps during the interview stage allowed some of the candidates to meet face to face during the process,” said Quirk. In a stateCarmen D'Angelo ment on FriSUPPLIED PHOTO day, Chair Alan Caslin echoed Quirk’s position, saying, “at numerous steps of the [recruitment] process, Mr. Phelps and the recruitment firm corresponded directly by email with my office, including providing documents that were circulated to the Committee.” “As such, I anticipate that the recruitment firm will correct their incorrect statements to the St. Catharines Standard,” said Caslin. But the newspaper’s report raised other concerns, broadly suggesting that the competition was rigged in D’Angelo’s favour. Regional Commissioner Jason Burgess, who will soon leave the Region, reportedly told some Regional Staff members in September 2016 that he was pulling his application for CAO because D’Angelo had been selected, even though final interviews had not taken place. When interviewed by the Standard, Burgess said that he had only been talking about rumours at the time. “Perhaps I was more forceful with my opinion,” Burgess said, who added that he had withdrawn from consideration for “personal reasons.” In the meeting at which D’Angelo was confirmed, the consultant Jayson Phelps was not present to answer questions from Regional Councillors who had not been on
Pelham Mayor Dave Augustyn. Also involved in the email discussions about D’Angelo and Smith’s allegations against him was Ted Mouradian, a consultant in St. Catharines later hired by Pelham to facilitate its “Evening with the Experts,” held last summer in an attempt to address scrutiny of the Town’s East Fonthill financial practices. The emails depict some Regional councillors planning to stall D’Angelo’s appointment by missing a vote so that quorum could not be achieved. “[This] shows [C o u n c i l l o r Heit] was actively trying to stop the appointment of Chair Alan Caslin Carmen with his ‘TrustSUPPLIED PHOTO ed Ten,’’ said Quirk, “and using Ed Smith’s document to justify a delay.” “The reason we didn't need to stop the meeting was because we knew the information was not true.” Smith declined repeated requests to comment for this story, saying, “this ride is just beginning.” In a follow-up to its initial article, the Standard quoted St. Catharines Mayor Walter Sendzik calling for a probe into D’Angelo’s hiring. “We need to have an investigation by someone who is totally independent, that is independent of the Regional Chair's office, and that is independent of staff and the CAO," Sendzik reportedly asserted. The Voice requested reaction to Sendzik’s call from all of Regional Council and Chair Caslin. An investigation was endorsed by some Regional Councillors and rejected by others. “What is there to investigate?” said Quirk. “Unless the Standard offers any proof, there is nothing and no method to perform an investigation. All we know is that the paper claims it has a memo authored by Rob D’Amboise, and that somehow D’Angelo got the memo. There is nothing to investigate regarding Rob’s involvement, as he was allowed to be there. Phelps sent him digital versions of the long list and other pertinent
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the recruitment committee. D’Angelo was reportedly not recruited by Phelps, becoming a candidate later in the process. The NPCA’s annual budget at the time was some $10 million dollars. The Region’s yearly budget is over $1 billion. D’Angelo’s tenure at the NPCA resulted in controversy. He was first appointed to the board in 2007 as a representative from Hamilton, before taking a leave of absence in 2014, during which his consulting firm received an un-tendered $41,000 contract to complete human resources work at the Association. In 2014, he was hired as the NPCA’s CAO. In 2015, his consulting firm received a $25,000 un-tendered contract from the Niagara Regional Police Services board. Environmental activist and NPCA critic Ed Smith later alleged that D’Angelo’s police services board contract had been improperly swapped for a contract that the NPCA awarded to a third-party, and that D’Angelo’s firm was not licensed to work in Ontario at the time. Smith’s complaints originated around the time that D’Angelo was being considered for the Regional CAO position. D’Angelo—and the NPCA—subsequently sued Smith for defamation. Although the judge ruled that Smith’s allegations were not accurate—saying that Smith’s assertion about D’Angelo’s company was based on “an inaccurate listing in an on-line business directory,” and, “obviously, these two contracts were not corruptly swapped”— he dismissed the lawsuits, rebuking the NPCA for suing a member of the public, and saying that Smith’s factual errors had not been deliberate. As it happened, Ed Smith and Regional Councillor Brian Heit were in contact during the CAO’s hiring process. In emails between them, provided by Smith in his affidavit during the lawsuit, Smith writes to Heit, “What if you were to find out that [D’Angelo] is the subject of a police investigation…Is that enough for you guys to make a reasonable case to at least defer [the hiring decision]?” Heit circulated the information he received from Smith to 10 other Regional Councillors, including
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The Voice of Pelham, April 11 2018
TOWN COUNCIL
Suspect in Fenwick shoot-out won't stand trial
East Fenwick, potholes discussed BY VOICE STAFF At its meeting last Tuesday evening, Pelham Town Council heard an update from SGL Planning, the firm hired to create the secondary plan for the East Fenwick development. The secondary plan will create guidelines for developers planning to build in East Fenwick, east of Balfour Street between Memorial Drive and Canboro Road, and Canboro and Welland Road. SGL’s Ute Maya-Giambattista presented to Council the same plan that was discussed at a public meeting in late January, outlining SGL’s preferred plan. In September, Maya-Giambattista showed residents a plan that had two dense areas between Canboro and Welland, and another plan that had three less-dense areas, with two between Canboro and Welland and the third between Canboro and Memorial. “We were trying to learn what makes Fenwick Fenwick,” said Maya-Giambattista in January. “Maple Street seems to be a good representation of what Fenwick is. It has a sidewalk, large trees, and generous front setbacks.” Last week, she told Council, “You have to be careful with how you transition
Page 13
from something more dense to less dense.” Provincial regulations mandate that certain areas of urban development must have a density of 20 units per hectare, while another section of East Fenwick will have between eight and 15 units per hectare. At 20 units per hectare, Maya-Giambattista said that this would be about 52 percent single detached homes, 33 percent townhomes, and 15 percent apartment units. The land to be developed into eight and 15 units per hectare is about 72 percent singles, 25 percent townhomes, and three percent apartments. Maya-Giambattista said that the secondary plan will be strict in guiding developers into building single detached homes along existing roads in Fenwick, in an attempt to retain the current look of the village. More dense townhomes and apartment-style buildings will, under the plan, be built closer to the centre of the developments on new roads. “[At the public meetings] what we heard was, ‘Fine, we get it, you have to grow. But we want to maintain the character of Fenwick,’” said Maya-Giambattista. Part of the area surveyed by SGL must still undergo See COUNCIL Page 20
BY VOICE STAFF The man charged with attempted murder for shooting two Niagara Regional Police officers at Canboro Gardens Apartments in 2015 has been judged unfit to stand trial, according to media reports. In a St. Catharines courthouse last week, Dr. Gary Chaimowitz reportedly testified that the alleged shooter, Corey Richardson, is incapable of standing trial because of injury sustained during the shoot-out. “This man suffered a significant amount of destruction to his brain that is not reparable. I don’t expect any improvement in his ability to understand court procedures,” the forensic pathologist told the court, according to
the St. Catharines Standard. "It is clear from the evidence that Mr. Richardson doesn't meet and is not likely to ever meet the criteria to be fit to stand trial,” said Judge Tory Galvin. Defendants can also be deemed unfit to be tried if they are incapable of communicating with their lawyer. Richardson's case will be heard by the Ontario Review Board, a panel typically made up of a psychiatrist, a lawyer, a community member with a background in mental health, and a senior lawyer or a retired judge. The court heard last week that Richardson is more or less confined to a bed and lives with his mother. In October 2015, the NRP were called to Canboro Gardens. Soon after their
arrival, Richardson locked himself in his apartment. Constable Neal Ridley talked to Richardson through the door and tried to convince him to surrender. Though Richardson exited his apartment with his hands up, he quickly pulled a handgun from his waist and fired nine shots at the officers. Ridley was hit in the shoulder, with the bullet also passing through his neck. While the gun of officer Jacob Braun jammed, officers Allan Rivet and Daniel Bassi shot at Richardson, hitting him in the head. Seven guns were eventually found in Richardson’s apartment. Last November, all four of the officers involved were awarded medals of bravery in Ottawa by Governor General Julie Payette.
Scholarship created in memory of teacher BY VOICE STAFF E.L. Crossley Secondary School has created a scholarship in the memory of Sharon Keller, who died last November after having taught science at the school for some three decades. “We wanted to do something to keep her name and legacy alive,” said Kim Yallup, an English teacher at the school who worked alongside Keller for 23 years. “It doesn’t have to be awarded to a student who’s going into the sciences. It could be someone involved in Sharon’s [eco-club] too.”
Sharon Keller an E. L. Crossley fixture for 30-plus years Yallup spoke of Keller’s ideals—her deep commitments to the classroom and to bettering the school through grant funding and environmental activism— and of the school’s wish to keep these alive. “Sharon worked at the Ministry of Natural Resources before she started teaching, so it could be somebody going in to that field too,” said Yallup. Keller’s family requested that no memorial be held for her at the school,
and so Yallup said that this scholarship is important to staff, students, and alumni. With the absence of a memorial for Keller, Yallup said that the school and its teachers received countless messages from former students looking to share their recollections of Keller. “That makes you realize the effect that she had on kids,” said Yallup. “This is a way [for people to remember her]—when they
donate they’ll be able to say what they want to say.” “We got her family’s permission to do this, and we went live with it last week,” said Yallup. “After we posted it to the alumni Facebook page, the first person who commented was someone who Sharon taught in 1984. It shows how long her legacy is.” Yallup said that donations may be made to Keller’s scholarship on the E.L. Crossley website, where individuals can note that they wish their money to go to the Sharon Keller Scholarship. See KELLER Page 9
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The Voice of Pelham, April 11 2018
TILLMANS continued from Page 3 more recognition now. People are starting to see, even the changes in the weather. This year’s been crazy. My flowers started blooming in my garden in November. And then the frost killed them. Global warming is happening. People are starting to realize it. In the younger generations, people are thinking that they want to conserve our land so their kids can maybe see a polar bear in its natural habitat. One line that stuck out to me on the party website was something like, “We’re the only ones with a track record of taking climate change seriously. But now—I was looking at the Green Party platform, and at the Liberal platform, and the NDP platform, and even looking back at some of the Liberal policies— it seems as though they are all taking climate change seriously. Until Doug Ford threw his grenade in the ring, the PC party was taking climate change seriously. It seems as though the other parties of co-opted the foundational reason for the Green Party. Where’s the place of the Green Party in an environment where everyone’s taking climate change seriously. [We’re] just the party of the people. Getting big money out of politics, and spreading it among the people that actually need it. I find that part of their policy really inspiring. They’re not in it for the money. They’re in it to make change in people’s lives who really need
it. I don’t see a lot of other parties doing that. They just want to increase taxes, or decrease taxes. But it’s all pulling away from things low-income families need and want. [We] really support mental health issues, and that’s a huge thing right now, especially for young kids. Getting educated on that stuff, increasing funding for that, affordable housing would be great. Do you think the Green Party takes those things more seriously than the NDP or the Liberals? Because, to be honest, I was looking at the NDP’s platform and comparing it to the Green’s platform, and it was pretty much the same thing with a different colour. One of the NDP’s big things is mental health. Then there’s affordable housing and health care. And of course action on climate change. [It’s] whatever [party] people want to vote for more. Some people won’t vote Green just because they don’t want to waste their vote, but if the NDP’s doing the same thing and we’re still going to make a difference then that’s good too. The role of the Green Party is almost advocacy in some way, even if the chances of forming government are low. Yeah. Just inspiring other parties to change would be great. That’s interesting. The purpose isn’t to win the election—it’s a different mindset. Yeah. Now, I know in 2014 a lot of the party’s resources
were pushed into Guelph in the hopes of getting Mike Schreiner a seat. Is that something that’s going to be done this time around? Yeah. I would like to see Mike in there. That would be amazing. He’s just so passionate about what he does, and he really just wants to make a difference. One of the other common criticisms of the Green Party—and probably the same of the NDP—is that it’s easy to be critical when you’ve never had to actually wield power. When you’ve had to say, “Okay. We have limited resources. We have limited goodwill from the public. We have do either to this, or that, and we can’t do both.” Pre-1990 in Ontario the NDP may have been thinking one way, and then Bob Rae becomes Premier and he realizes that they have to make hard choices. And by the end of his tenure he’s hated by a lot of people. He’s hated by a lot of teachers for his Rae Days. He’s hated by the left wing of his party—Peter Kormos famously didn’t like him. Or even in a place like Alberta, where the NDP is very different, in some ways supportive of the oil and gas industry, by necessity. Yeah. I suppose what I mean to ask is, how much easier is it to make these sorts of critiques when you’re on the outside looking in? The Green Party is all about being an honest party. If we can’t do something, we’re going to be honest about it. If it’s going to cost this much money, we’re going to be honest about it.
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And then people can vote to make that happen or not. Do you think people want that honesty? They’re going to get it. You need to be honest if you want things to happen. All these side deals that go on. It just causes problems. Not that people are always going to want it, but I think honesty is the best. It’s tough when the news isn’t good. Back to the platform for a minute. For a number of elections, the Green Party has been pushing for proportional representation. I can’t remember the exact vote-share the Green Party got in 2014, was it five percent? I think it was three. So say it was three percent. And there are going to be 124 seats at Queen’s Park. So in this election that would give you four seats. I’m torn. I used to be a fan of it. On one hand, it allows these small parties to have a voice, and it allows the release of steam-pressure for extreme parties. You might have groups on the far right and far left without an outlet, or a chance at getting any seats, so they go underground, and something is gurgling down there and you don’t see it until it pops up in undesirable ways. Or you see a situation like the US, where there’s a two-party system and one party has been taken over by a wing of it and cannibalized the other. Proportional representation might fight against that. At the same time, it allows for that polarization, and allows for these extremes to have voices. In society I think that’s okay, but in the legislature it’s different—some places you have the balance of power in the hands of an extreme party. So as far as the risks
www.thevoiceofpelham.ca go, where are you? How do you balance it? I don’t know. I think that if we want true democracy I think we have to allow for it to happen. Yes, there is a power struggle, but making sure that everyone’s heard and in the final say, maybe it will help us work together and we won’t be such separate parties. Maybe we can share ideas. More generally speaking about the election, I just came from a Doug Ford event in Welland. He has a rally in St. Catharines tonight. What are your thoughts on him? I don’t know him personally… Most people won’t, before voting. That’s right. I think that… good luck to him and everything. I don’t want to say anything. And Kathleen Wynne? She is doing well. As far as campaigning goes, are you going to have a lot of your friends volunteer for you? Yeah. They’re very excited. Are they surprised that you’re running? I guess if you joined on your eighteenth birthday, it couldn’t have been a surprise to anyone. Well, I never thought I would run. How did that happen? They needed someone to run in this riding. The lady that I work for—her daughter usually runs, but she’s in Australia becoming a dentist. And they said, “Would you be interested?” I was like, “Wait? I can do that? I can run?” Of course I want to run. I went through all the paperwork, all the screenings I had to pass. What was the screening like? It was a lot of paperwork.
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Did they have to fingerprint you? No, no, just a background check and records and everything. Yeah. In past elections there was that video of the candidate who was a contractor in someone’s house, and the old tweets from people. Nowadays with so much stuff on social media, you have to be careful. Especially young people. I’m not on it too much, but most people around our age are. They put so much on there that if you go through it, everyone will have something that they wouldn’t want getting out. Actually, I’m not really on it that much either. The only reason I’m on them now is because the Green Party wanted me to get an account so I could talk to people. Other than that, I’m not really on anything. Instagram here and there, but I don’t post that much. I was pretty safe. So you went through that screening, and you signed all the forms, and then what? Did you get a call from Mike Schreiner? Did you get to meet and go over the platform? It’s intimidating, I imagine. I read through the platform today, and I got the gist of it. But I just have to cherry-pick a few things to ask you about. I don’t have to answer questions on it. People can ask you about it at their doors. Absolutely. I usually go over it for two hours every night, and take some points that I’m passionate about. On Mike’s tour we had lunch and he gave me some pointers. He’s a super nice guy. And then we went to Niagara and had the fireside chat. I didn’t really See TILLMANS Page 16
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ANNUAL AG NIGHT Fonthill Lions Club Annual Agricultural Night Tuesday, April 17 Fonthill Legion, Highway 20 Guest Speaker: Dylan Wiens Symposium – 6:30pm Dinner – 7pm Tickets: $20/person 289-214-2616 fonthilllions@gmail.com Call by April 8
HELP WANTED General Labourer Local contractor is looking to hire a full-time home renovations worker to be a part of their team. Must be available Monday to Friday from 7:30am until 5:00pm. Interested candidates must send their resume by mail to PO Box 91, Ridgeville, Ontario L0S 1M0. Only those considered for an interview will be contacted. Thank you.
FOUND Lady's wedding ring at Fonthill Post Office. Please come in and describe to claim. Call 905-892-6951.
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guitar, bouzouki and a number of other instruments, our three virtuosos blend boundless energy with the unmistakable joie de vivre found only in FITNESS traditional Quebec music. Show runs from 7-9 p.m. Community FRUIT FARM/GENERAL Beautiful Mind Personal Events Listings Training for Women and PELHAM LIBRARY CARD MAKING Looking for seasonal/ Girls WORKSHOP Putting on an event? full time help. Make six cards with fall themes, learning a in variety of techniques. Materials Private Home Studio Applicant must be able town! Strength andenquire Tell to are workprovided. min. 40-60 At time ofFonthill. Build registration, please aboutthe tools needed. hours/week in any Community Event Endurance with Sarah Rose, OCNA Network Classifi ed Ads Tues., Sept. 16 10 – 12:30. $10. Please register ahead. Visit www.pelhamweather conditions and Classified ads are Personal Training Specialist. weekends.Lifting 50 lbs (AD CENTRAL) library.on.ca or call 905-892-6443 for more 1 on 1 Training, Semi-details. available in blocks of 30 comfortably is required. words for $10 incl. HST. Jobs included pruning, Private Training and Fitness
FARM LABOURER
Week of Planting trees, thinning Ad booking and payment FABULOUS and harvesting fruit,FENWICK LIONS April Classes. 9FISH FRY deadline is Thursday For more information packing and sorting Tasty treats with funds heading straight back into the community. Haddock, Noon prior to week of fruit. No Experience Please Email Sarah at Posted publication. required. Education frenchNofries and much more. Runs Sept. 9 from 4-7 p.m. beautifulmindtraining@gmail.com required, Must have April 5 Payment may be made or Text or Call 905-701-2460 own transportation. Min over the phone by credit wage $14.00/hour. PELHAM MINOR HOCKEYCentral EQUIPMENT SALE card, or in person at our Please drop resume HOUSE CLEANER offBuy, at 825sell Canboro Rd, used equipment or trade at the Pelham Arena. Aimed tocheck. provide Region Ads included office by cash or House Cleaning available, Fenwick Ontario L0S Thanks for Sept. supporting cheaper options for players in or this upcoming Runs 6 from 1C0 weekly bi-weekly. Call season.
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Call us to see the products that This ad is to be printed by all participating Ontario papers are available & visit our showroom. 905-892-4906.
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ITEMS TO SELL? office@thevoiceofpelham.ca PELHAM MUDFEST Do you have items to sell? Men and women will be back in the mud as the second run on the year is 905-892-8690 Overstocked? 40, Hwy #20 West, Fonthill held at Bissil’s Hideaway. Trig Wa g e r rnin this gs for is " G r s u e: " D a a p e s" chs "Pa hun d " pe "Cin rback" nam o n"
sp gra e to of lur Fa i i c u s e r k o n ir o a r t w lly a ro ret asion occ es on a ris rn e t . ns . I n t e l d ya w r Wo
Antique / Flea Market / Yard Sale Items. Weekends May toREGIONAL October NIAGARA EXHIBITION Vendors wanted. Seasonal, Rodeo,orgames and live entertainment headline this weekend, day rentals. 905-892-2222 runs from Sept. 11-14 at the Welland Fairgrounds.
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No Sunday Calls, Please TF
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OLD PAPERS BIG MOVE CANCER RIDE Do you have issues of the Everyone who's anyone ride taking place on Sept. Cancer Ride is a non-competitive Voice The from Big 1997 Move to 2007? Also the Pelham Herald (any year). 7. Proceeds for the Big Movereads staythe in Niagara Voice and support the Walker Fampublisher@thevoiceofpelham.ca ily Cancer Centre.
service clubs
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Page 16
The Voice of Pelham, April 11 2018
www.thevoiceofpelham.ca
SERVICE DIRECTORY Electrical Electrical
ACB
Heating & & Cooling Cooling Heating
Renovations Renovations
Plumbing
We Make House Calls!
Electrical
Fenwick Alex Bover-Master Electrician
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tel: 905-892-4988 Email:abover@cogeco.ca cell: 905-714-2145 for urgent calls
ROBERT WILLIAMS PLUMBING & HEATING LIMITED
We Service All Makes And Models
Automotive
Landscaping
874 Hwy # 20 W, Fenwick, ON L0S 1C0 874 Hwy #20 W, Fenwick, ON L0S 1C0 874 Hwy # 20 W, Fenwick, ON L0S 1C0 l Landscape Design l Landscape Construction l Driveways, Patio & Walkways Landscape Design Landscape Construction Driveways, Patio & Walkways l Natural Stone l Retaining Walls l Outdoor Wood Projects Natural Stone Retaining Walls Outdoor Wood Projects l Water Features l Outdoor Lighting Water Features Outdoor Lighting l
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Steven& & Ryan Ryan Van Lochem Steven Van Lochem Owners/Operators
Concrete Supplies Concrete Supplies
Fonthill Electric Ltd Taryn Wilton
Master Electrician Residential, Commercial & Industrial
(905) 401.5748
l
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www.fonthillelectric.ca ECRA/ESA licence #7011142
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Advertising
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The Voice of Pelham ad size Service Directory ad w:2.5” h: 1.75” could be your Our xreaders
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799 Hwy 20, Fenwick, ON advertising@thevoiceofpelham.ca
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Heating & Cooling
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Due Date Friday, March 18 at noon
Call (905) 892-8690 Rundate(s)
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PROPERTY MAINTENANCE Mowing, Sodding, Mulch,Shrub/Hedge Trimming, Garden Maintenance, Spring & Fall Cleanup
Thank you, but we don’t need the menus, waiter. We received an advance, leaked copy of all the choices.
benslawncare.ca
Places of Worship and Events Bethany Christian Reformed Church 1040 Balfour St., Fenwick
First Presbyterian Church 602 Metler Rd., Fenwick
Glad Tidings Church of God 1 Pancake Lane, Fonthill
Pelham Evangelical Friends Church 940 Haist St., Fonthill
Concordia Lutheran Church 105 Welland Rd., Fonthill
Fonthill Baptist Church 1414 Pelham St., Fonthill
Holy Trinity Anglican Church 1557 Pelham Street, Fonthill
Ridgeville Bible Chapel 418 Canboro Rd., Ridgeville
Fenwick Church of Christ 765 Welland Rd., Fenwick
Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses 1369 Rice Rd., Fonthill
Kirk on the Hill Presbyterian Church 1344 Haist St., Fonthill
St. Alexander’s Roman Catholic Church 50 Pelham Town Sq., Fonthill
Fenwick United Church 1050 Church St., Fenwick
Fonthill United Church 42 Church Hill, Fonthill
Pelham Community Church 461 Canboro Rd., Fenwick
St. Ann’s Roman Catholic Church 834 Canboro Rd., Fenwick
TILLMANS continued from Page 14 say much there…but a lot of other people did. It was a really great experience. I got to meet the other candidates running in Niagara. Are the other candidates young too? Or is there a real mix? It’s a mix. There’s a middle-aged guy, an older
woman, and a younger guy. They’re really cool people. They really helped me out, giving me pointers. What are the pointers? What are they telling you? Just like, smile a lot. The problem with smiling all the time is that eventually it becomes a grimace. Yeah. Your cheeks start to hurt. Smile a lot. What else?
Make sure that you talk about what you’re passionate about. And don’t get pressured by other people. If someone’s really grilling you, just let them. Just take it easy. Don’t get fired up. So don’t fight fire with fire. Fight it with water? Yeah. I must imagine it’s overwhelming. Are you planning to go back to school?
I’m going to Brock in September. I’m on their varsity wrestling team—I’ve been training with them since Grade Twelve. I did see that. You won… Yeah, I won OFSAA. All of Ontario for the school board. And then I came third at nationals in Montreal this year, which was really cool. But I just started wrestling four years ago.
At the start of high school? Yeah. So I’m still learning. But I’m excited. What are you going to study? Kinesiology. And career path? I think I want to be some sort of massage therapist, osteopath, or a chiropractor. Something like that. Can you see yourself remaining involved in poli-
tics? I think so. Even if it’s not running, even behind the scenes. They’ve really given me so much support that I’d want to give back. Is there anything we didn’t talk about that you think is important? No, I think we got it all. Thanks for your time then. Thank you. ◆
www.thevoiceofpelham.ca
The Voice of Pelham, April 11 2018
Page 17
What keeps you from coming to the Library?
OBITUARY
BY KIRK WEAVER
CEO Pelham Library
BAILEY (nee Kenny), Elizabeth “Beth” On March 25, 2018, surrounded by her family, Beth passed away at the age of 66, after a four month battle with cancer. A Mom first and foremost, she will be forever missed and loved by her daughters Tara (Sam) and Carling (Chris). Second only to being a mother, Beth’s happiest role was that of Mimi to her 2 grandchildren, Brennan and Lucy Elizabeth, the lights of her life. “Bethio” will be forever missed by her mother Shirley. The eldest of 5 children, Beth’s loss will be felt always by her siblings Brenda, Raymond (Polly), Sharen (Brian), and Judi (Marlon). Beth had a selfless spirit and always put others before herself. She was a loving friend to so many, a wonderful aunt & great aunt, a caregiver, a listener, and dog owner. Her dog and most trusted companion Sassi will miss her immensely. A lover of the outdoors, of walking, the lake, blueberry picking, baking, her life was grounded in her deep and unshakeable belief in the love of Jesus Christ. Beth is home now with her Saviour and Messiah. “But I trust in you, Lord; I say, “You are my God.” My times are in your hands; Let your face shine on your servant; save me in your unfailing love.” Psalm 31:14-16. A very special thank you to all the staff on the 7th floor at University Hospital, the Palliative Care Unit at Victoria Hospital, and the amazing staff that made her last weeks comfortable at St. Joseph’s Hospice, all in London, Ontario. Beth’s celebration of life service was held on Saturday, April 7, 2018 at TRINITY COMMUNITY CHURCH, London, Ontario. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the St. Joseph’s Hospice, London. For information please visit www. westviewfuneralchapel.com
There are a multitude of reasons to come the library. They include free access to an almost endless amount of information in many formats, a place for community newcomers to make connections, free access to computers and the internet, and opportunities to participate in programs that support lifelong learning. Libraries, including Pelham Public Library, spend a great deal of time
and energy highlighting all of the positive things that happen in the library. Locally our efforts have generally been successful as we see numbers grow each year. Clearly our messages are reaching much of the community. As the Library Board plans for the future we have been considering how to understand the needs of those in the community who are not coming to the library. Community support for the library in Pelham is strong. However,
in a community of 17,000 people and growing we think it is important to understand what would draw new users into our facilities. This year, we will be looking for ways to gather this feedback. It can be a challenge to find out what non- users are thinking since we obviously have not
figured out the best way to reach them. We will try to go out in the community to meet people in outside of the Library. We will consult the research on barriers to library use. We will make use of technology tools available to reach more people. We may even conduct surveys.
INDIVIDUAL SERVICES ARE AVAILABLE
BOOK ONLINE!
www.xandaro.com/myfamily1 Hours: Mon-Fri 11-7, Sat 9-1
Continued below
Tea Room
Screened-in Porch - Heated Porch in Fall and Spring
Tues. - Sun. 10am - 5pm L.L.B.O. Barbering... • Hot Towel Shave • Hair Cuts • Mustache and Beard Trims
Despite all the technology and tools available, we still find the most effective way to reach people who do not use the Library is word of mouth. We can use your help. If you are reading this article and have not been to the Library for a long
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Fonthill Lioness presents
“Step Into Spring” Fashion Show & Wine Tasting Wednesday, April 25th, 7 PM Fonthill Legion, Hwy 20 E., Fonthill Fashions by
Le Village, Ridgeville Fashion U-Turn, Fonthill Alia N Tan-Jay, Seaway Mall Tickets $20 Door Prizes, tea, coffee, desserts Cash Bar
continued from above
time or ever, please take two minutes to drop us an email (admin@pelhamlibrary.on.ca ) with one or two reasons that keep you from coming to visit. We won’t be offended. If someone in your social network is not a library When user, we encourage you to you invest in Niagara Shares, you’re enabling PenFinancial to grow for all the right reasons – to support and guide more members, to open more branches, to employ more of your neighbours have a conversation about and to enhance some of our amazing community programs and initiatives. what it would take to bring Niagara Shares are a unique and limited time investment opportunity, but the impact of your him or her to the Library will last a lifetime. Learn more at trulylocalinvesting.ca. *Conditions apply. and then pass that oninvestment to us. *The expected dividend rate is calculated based on PenFinancial’s 2016 fiscal year. Niagara Shares will earn the same rate as all outstanding Class B We are always interested Shares, Series 1 of the Credit Union. Niagara Shares are not deposits. Dividends are not guaranteed and may, but need not, be declared on an annual basisof by the Board of Directors of the Credit Union in its sole and absolute discretion. The securities are not insured or otherwise guaranteed by the in expanding our body Deposit Insurance Corporation of Ontario or any similar public agency. There is no market through which these securities may be sold. Niagara Shares knowledge – even if someare only available by obtaining an Offering Statement, for which a receipt has been obtained from the Financial Services Commission of Ontario, that details all of the terms, conditions and Be risks ofone this investment. THISfirst IS NOT AN OFFERING STATEMENT. of the 20 callers times it might be pointing out a shortcoming. We and receive $25 OFF any service. do not want to store the 905-646-6655 work knowledge away; we want to use it to make improve18 Perma Court, ments in our services and St. Catharines strengthen the community pcsniagara.com we serve.
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Page 18
The Voice of Pelham, April 11 2018
www.thevoiceofpelham.ca
Fonthill athlete uses lack of size to her advantage continued from front page either a standing or sitting position) at a gymnastics club when she was fourand-a-half years old. “The coach stopped what she was doing and brought the other coaches over because they hadn’t seen a girl that young do it because it takes a lot of strength” he said. “She has always had a lot of strength.” The 10-year-old Fonthill resident arrived at the Niagara Falls Lightning Gymnastics Club four years ago as an ODP (Ontario Development Program) gymnast and she has flown through
the various levels. Last year competing in Level 6 at the provincial championships, she was first on the beam, second on the floor and 10th overall to earn the club’s Level 6-10 Achievement Award. On the weekend, the Grade 5 student at St. Alexander’s competed in Level 7 at the provincials in Windsor. In the qualifiers leading up to the provincials, Bridget was: first on the vault and floor and third overall in the first qualifier; third on the vault and beam and fourth overall in the second qualifier; second on the vault and fifth overall
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in the third qualifier; and, first on the vault and floor and fourth overall in the fourth qualifier. Andrei Gorodetskii, who coaches Bridget along with Valentina Kashkevich, feels she has great abilities and potential in gymnastics. “She has advanced quickly in her levels and we have brought her to Level 7,” he said. “It’s a pretty big jump.” Gorodetskii credits Bridget’s dedication for helping her advance quickly. “Now she is in the gym 20 hours a week training,” he said. “That’s lots of hours to put in and that’s why she is progressing. “Her attitude is good.” Bridget enjoys the sport. “It’s fun to come and I
like competing,” she said. That attitude has Bridget heading towards even higher levels in gymnastics. “We are focusing on the national program in the future, but it will take years to get there,” Gorodetskii said. “Sport is sport and who knows what will happen?” Unlike many sports where being small is a disadvantage, Bridget’s small build is an advantage. She was born prematurely and weighed two pounds, eight ounces. She is now 4-foot-5 and weighs 67 pounds. “She is tiny, but that’s what gymnastics is about,” Gorodetskii said. “It’s not like she is too small, but when you are smaller it is
“It’s fun and I get to smile,” she said. Gorodetskii loves working with Bridget. “It is a pleasure to work with her. She is a nice kid,” he said. “She has a nice sense of humour and it is fun to socialize with her.” Bridget, who played travel soccer for Club Roma last summer, had lofty goals heading to the provincial championships. “Last year I won two medals and I am hoping to win another one again,” she said. Although she didn’t medal at the provincials, she performed well. She describes Level 7 as “kinda harder” than Level 6. “Tumbling is a lot different,” she said.
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easier to flip, it’s easier to lift and it’s easier in gymnastics to master more difficult skills.” Bridget said the secret to her success is lots of hard work and love for the sport. “I just like doing it,” she said. That love is most evident at the McCulligh’s home. “That’s all she does when she is home, whether it’s doing extra handstands or we have a beam and a bar at home in the basement,” Kevin said. “She is always listening to music on YouTube from all of the top gymnasts and doing her own mini routines with them using her own choreography.” Bridget’s favourite apparatus is the floor.
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COLUMN SIX continued from Page 1 I immediately knew what it was about. Let’s call them Jim and Randy. Their developing teenage brains told them that flying the Red Cap flag on April Fool’s Day was indeed too funny for words. No politics or social implications involved, just hee-haw funny. The last I heard was that Jim was trying to get his sisters to sew said flag. The first problem was they missed the April 1st deadline by three days, but that wasn’t going to stop a good prank. So on the night of April 4, Jim and Randy went out and ran the flag up the pole, but there was still a problem. The flag was too small and nobody would see it way up there. And as you may have surmised, the solution was to lower it quite a bit so it would be visible to everyone. Back in class, Mr. Curtis
The Voice of Pelham, April 11 2018 became so perturbed and red in the face, he was certainly about to explode. He loudly and most forcefully said something like, “If someone laughs I’ll throw them through that window.” He referred to the very small window in the classroom door as he rushed out to deal with the Red Cap flag flying at half-mast. What few of us knew on the morning of April 5, living in our own teenage world—but what Mr. Curtis certainly knew—was that Martin Luther King Jr. had been assassinated the night before. You can imagine what he thought. From humor to tragedy. If it weren’t for King’s tragic death, odds are I wouldn’t have remembered the Red Cap flag incident for longer than a few months, let alone for 50 years. RIP, MLK. ◆ Share your story in Column Six. Contact: editor@thevoiceofpelham.ca
COUNCIL continued from Page 13 environmental assessment. Maya-Giambattista explained that SGL had created a “buffer policy” that would allow the Town to decide what’s appropriate for the plan after the results of the environmental studies are completed. “These areas could be developed, or they could remain environmental,” she said. Several councillors praised the vision laid out by SGL, and Councillor Peter Papp praised the possibilities of the plan. “I just returned from Vancouver two weeks ago, and I saw a lot of effort in the integrating of older communities with new development,” said Papp. “Taking the historical development of community—this reminds me of that. Not to take away from the typical subdivision.” Mayor Dave Augustyn raised the issue of drainage,
which was a major concern at both public consultation sessions. “[People were] looking for environmental protection, bio-swales rather than sending the water down,” said Augustyn. “The hope during the sessions was that certain [drainage] polices would be written into the plan.” Maya-Giambattista said that the secondary plan will have an entire section on “how to deliver a stormwater management system.” “[This will include] how to incorporate bio-swales. Our servicing team came up with a strategy as to how to have ponds for heavy rains in all of the parkettes, a Plan B strategy for flash-flooding. This was very much present from the beginning.” Councillor Gary Accursi asked Director of Planning Barb Wiens about the next steps for the secondary plan. “The draft document has been circulated out to agencies,” said Wiens. “Once
www.thevoiceofpelham.ca [SGL] receives those comments they’ll be finalizing the policy set. It will come back to Council with a formal statutory public meeting.” During discussion of Director of Public Works Andrea Clemencio’s monthly report, Peter Papp raised the issue of potholes on town roads. “The pothole situation is the worst that I’ve seen,” said Papp. “It’s really starting to deteriorate. I trust that you’ll get back into the swing of things [once the weather improves].” Clemencio said that Public Works was trying to find a balance between investing resources in fixing potholes and looking at the forecasts for entire resurfacing of roads. “You’re trying to decide what treatment you can do to extend the life versus trying also to re-prioritize risks in a twenty-year forecast,” said Clemencio. “Welland Road is the classic example.
We were counting on the work being done, but it was re-prioritized.” The resurfacing of Welland Road was supposed to occur in 2018 but was deferred. In the 2018 budget, Treasurer Teresa Quinlin writes, “since the capital projects were only able to be funded in 2018 by in-year reserve transfers and new grants, there were capital projects that were in the 2018 priority list that had to be deferred to future years.” More than $3 million dollars worth of capital projects were bumped back from 2018 until 2019 or later. Clemencio said that the Town had recently begun use of a new asphalt mix as its pothole-filler, and said that this material is an improvement over the previous approach. Gary Accursi asserted that the pothole situation was “epidemic” in other towns. “If you go to other municipalities, ours is doing better than most,” said Accursi.
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