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How tough could it be to find two suitable concert-goers? BY EMILY BOSS
Special to the VOICE
O
servation this would mean the removal of seven parking spots. “I could only count seventeen total,” he said. “If
N E D A Y, M O R E than a decade ago, I won four free tickets to a concert in Toronto. A friend of mine happily agreed to go with me, though because we were both single at the time there were still two tickets unused. But not if we could help it. Ideally, we wanted to take good-looking guys that we could flirt with and get free drinks from. After failing to poach a couple of my brother’s friends—an effort he was none too pleased with—we started to get creative. If we couldn’t go with good-looking people we knew, good-looking strangers naturally would be the next best thing. We had to go shopping in Hamilton that day, and figured we could kill two birds with one stone by offering the extra tickets to guys in the mall. We expected there would be quite a lot to choose from; it wasn’t until we
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Inside Pelham Seniors Apartments Page some tenants say enough is enough 12 Council debates Fonthill parking change Staff recommends some downtown parking spaces be removed for safety considerations BY VOICE STAFF Town Council discussed at length a staff recommendation to remove several parking spaces in downtown Fonthill, near the cor-
ner of Pelham Street and Church Hill, in an effort to improve pedestrian safety. The recommendation, which stemmed from a report by a consultant hired by the Town, advised the
removal of “on-street public parking within a minimum of ten metres from the intersection.” Councillor Jim Lane immediately expressed skepticism, saying that by his ob-
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'50s, country, Motown, Stones tribute coming this summer The Fonthill Bandshell Committee announced its 2018 Thursday night summer concert line-up—its 13th—at Lookout Ridge retirement home last Thursday afternoon. This year’s series begins June 21 and runs for the following 11 weeks until September 6. “Summer’s almost here,” said committee chair Gayle Baltjes-Bazinet. “We know it’s coming.” Baltjes-Bazinet and musician and committee member Jim Casson went through the list of the acts coming to town. “Our first show is ‘The Fab Four Fathers of Rock’n’Roll’, a fifties band,” said Baltjes-Bazinet. “We need to put on those shows for our mums,” said Casson. The two unveiled a lineup that includes another fifties band (The Return of Buddy Holly on August 16), a Dolly Parton tribute, a Chicago tribute, and The Official Blues Brothers Revue, for which Casson plans to play drums.
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IN THE NEWS
Inspiration at the library
PUBLISHER’S CORNER by Dave Burket
BY KIRK WEAVER
He’s literally willing to sell you the store: Robert “Chile Bob” O’Hara is looking to hang up his spurs—at least on the retail side. So-nicknamed for his preferred winter destination, Chile Bob’s shop, “Bob’s Boys,” has presented all manner of bric-a-brac to discerning lovers of gently (and severely) used items for the last few years at the corner of Canboro and Effingham, in Ridgeville. While Chile Bob says he’ll continue making the flea market rounds, he’d like to retire from retail. He invites anyone who fancies a go, as it were, to stop in and make an offer, any offer, for the business and the inventory… Add to your stock: Although there’s barely room to turn around in Bob’s Boys as it is, you may want to make sure you’re not missing a VanGogh or one of those upside-down-airplane postage stamps (1918's “Inverted Jenny,” which sold for $1.3 million at auction in 2016) by stopping by Fonthill United Church’s Giant Flea Market next Friday and Saturday, May 4 and 5 (see page 5), again running at the night-owl-unfriendly hours of 8 AM to noon. But somehow we manage to drag ourselves into consciousness and make it over each time, and always find something interesting…Duo at Trinity: Two events are on tap at Holy Trinity Church: their Spring Tea next Wednesday (see page 18), and a special evening music service this coming Sunday (page 10)… Rounding out the pulpits: After tea with the Anglicans try taking in some tunes later next Wednesday at Pelham Community Church, where the Thorold Reed Band will belt out some big band, swing, and other music starting at 7 PM (see page 14)… Going to the chapel and we're gonna get: Is marriage on the mind? If you or someone you know are thinking of getting hitched, Larry Fisher would like to hear from you. You may remember Fisher from his free guide to estate planning—we interviewed him on that topic a couple of months back. Now he’d like to know what questions people may have about getting married, from prenups to booking honeymoons. Contact Fisher at: larryfisher17@gmail.com, or 905-899-3929…Just in time: It looks like spring has finally decided to show up. Bloomin’ Crazy Garden Centre is set to open this weekend, in Fonthill and Seaway Mall, and I’ll be first in line for their mulch special (page 11)… The elephant in the lobby: We’re at 24 pages this week owing to a big story about an important issue. It’s also a long story, certainly the longest single article that has ever run in the Voice. It’s the result of weeks of interviews, research, writing, and editing to ensure that the facts are presented as clearly—and as logically—as possible. As more information came in, and more residents came forward, our man Sam Piccolo kept working steadily, diligent to the last comma. Put on some coffee or brew some tea, settle in, and take the time to read an article that demonstrates why community newspapers are so important, and so often the last resort available to those in need of help.
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CEO Pelham Library
A quote by someone named Matt Finch recently caught my attention. He said, “Storytelling in a library context means capturing the initial spark of inspiration, then allowing that spark to guide you. Together we surface new ideas, build relationships, and deliver sustained community engagement.” It made me wonder about the ways in which the Pelham Public Library captures that spark of inspiration. On further reflection, perhaps our role is not so much to capture inspiration but to create the environment for inspired thoughts and ideas. We offer more than forty thousand stories on our shelves that we hope make readers think and help them to learn. We provide programs for all ages on a wide range of topics that support learning and growth. We have space for people to gather in conversation, share stories, and solve problems together. We offer computers and wireless internet access so people can learn and grow, as well as and share conversations in a virtual space. Storytelling, in all its various forms, has long been used to share knowledge, pass on wisdom from generation to generation, and establish community values. Libraries are intended to be places of storytelling. We like to think that both our branches successfully facilitate storytelling and
inspirational ideas but we do not have data to prove it directly. We have reams of data on how many people visit and attend programs and how much our material is used, but understanding how people are inspired by those interactions can only be measured by hearing your stories.
CLEAN SWEEP The Baker Boys, Leeland and Jack, picking up trash on Earth Day in Brenda Sevcik's neighbourhood. Sevcik asked if they were part of an event and was told no, that the boys went out on their own a couple of times a year. "Today's youth are caring and kind," says Sevcik. "Kudos to these boys and to their parents." BRENDA SEVCIK PHOTO
Your feedback is important to help us understand our impact in Pelham
Niagara Furniture Bank fundraiser
Garage sale bargain hunters will find an eclectic array of antique furniture and one-of-a-kind bargains for sale at the upcoming Warehouse Sale Fundraiser being held by the Niagara Furniture Bank. Wicker and teak furniture, loveseats, retro kitchen tables and chairs, original art, crystal, urns, patio furniture, a pine hutch, a hope chest and decorative plates are among the hundreds of desirable items on offer, according to a news release. The annual event will be held on Saturday, May 5, 8 AM to 1 PM, at the Pen Centre, St. Catharines.
The last article asked for feedback on what keeps you from coming to the library. Thank you to those who took the time to respond. This week, I invite you to share how your interactions with the Pelham Library, in whatever form they may have taken, have sparked thinking or learning, or inspired you to action. You can send your thoughts by email to admin@pelhamlibrary.on.ca Your feedback is important to help us understand our impact in Pelham. Together, our individual stories make up the fabric of this great community.
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Growing up British
Vol.20 No.32
Wednesday October 12, 2016
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BY JULIE MANNELL
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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-
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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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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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COLITIS DONATION Lion Albert Haist of the Fabulous Fenwick Lions presents a $500 cheque to his 14-yearold niece Emma Haist as a donation to the Crohn's and Colitis Foundation. Emma was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease at the age of nine, and spent considerable time hospitalized. She now receives therapeutic injections every two weeks. With a better understanding of how the disease affects the body, she has been able to help other children cope with their treatment. Emma has helped raise some $18,000 dollars for the Foundation, has been an honorary chairperson for the Gutsy Walk Niagara Fundraiser, and has been featured on various radio and TV talk shows. SUPPLIED PHOTO
“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 Bob’s Boys Antiques RBC Bank Fenwick Family Health Pharmacy Fonthill Fitness Fenwick Pie Company McDonald’s Fonthill Legion Semenuk’s Gas Bar Shoppers Drug Mart Tim Horton’s Giant Tiger Fonthill LCBO Zee Lube Express Care Food Basics Minor Bros Stores Avondale Stores A-1 Market Pharmasave Sobeys South Pelham Grill on Canboro Maple Acre Library Ridge Berry Farm Circle-K
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Soldier honoured with Silver Cross Corporal Sean McClintock's family receive award on his behalf BY SAMUEL PICCOLO
The VOICE
At a ceremony at the Fonthill Legion on Sunday, three Silver Crosses were awarded in honour of the late Corporal Sean McClintock. The Fonthill native, who suffered from PTSD and took his own life in 2016, served five overseas tours with the Canadian Forces. McClintock was awarded numerous medals, including the South-West Asia Service Medal and the Canadian Peacekeeping Service medal. The Silver Cross, or Memorial Cross, is awarded to those close to a fallen soldier, historically mothers and widows. On Sunday, McClintock’s mother, Pam, his sister Jennifer, and Paulette Levin, the wife of his best friend Peter, all received Silver Crosses. Five memorial ribbons in addition to the Silver Crosses were presented, one of which went Sean’s father, Tom, with another going to Peter Levin. The McClintocks learned of the Silver Cross late last year, nearly two years after Sean’s death. Last week, Pam said that it was important for her and the rest of Sean’s family to take the opportunity to honour him. When Sean died in 2016 Pam’s mother was terminally ill, and to keep the news from her the family did not make public notice of it. “It’s most important to us that this service is about him,” said Pam. “He’s why it’s happening.” Sean joined the army in 1988 when he was 19. “He was always very military-minded,” said Tom.
“He knew all about the history of wars, had paraphernalia.” Pam said that Sean’s interest came as a surprise to them. “We don’t know why he was so interested—there’s no service history in our family that I know of,” she said. Sean initially wished to train as a weapons technician, but because there were no openings in that field at the time he instead became a combat engineer. When he enlisted, his parents thought that he would never leave Canada. “That was before anything happened,” said Pam. “We never entertained the idea that he would be leaving. We thought he would just be at bases around Canada.” The war in Kuwait changed all of this. Just after Operation Desert Storm, Sean served a six-month tour. This experience, said Tom and Pam, changed him immensely. “Combat engineers are the first ones in and the last ones out,” said Tom. “There were a lot of un-exploded bombs, because they weren’t designed to land on sand. He saw everything—the day turning to night from the burning oil fields, spiders the size of sparrows. They went over there with wool uniforms, and they didn’t have enough to eat at first.” But despite these stories, Sean talked very little of what he had seen. “He was not particularly See SILVER STAR Page 8
Three generations of Whitakers are model railroaders: from left, son James, father David, and grandson Matthew.
DON RICKERS PHOTO
Tiny tracks hold big place in hearts of many Like Orange Blossom Special, miniature train enthusiasts keep rollin' down that line BY DON RICKERS
Special to the VOICE
Dr. Sheldon Cooper (of Big Bang Theory fame)...the late astrophysicist Stephen Hawking...actor-director Tom Hanks... investor-philanthropist Warren Buffett... songwriter-musician Neil Young...pop-rocker Rod Stewart. What's the common bond? A love of trains. Model trains, to be specific. Big Bang’s Cooper viewed his model trains as representing order and control during a confusing and chaotic childhood, giving him "a sense of calm in a world that didn't.” Hawking explained this love as his first encounter with complex machines, which triggered a lifelong
“urge to know how systems worked and how to control them.” Hanks' passion prompted him to sign on as voice actor for the conductor role in the 2004 animated film, The Polar Express. Warren Buffett reportedly has a large model railroad in his home, and his company, Berkshire Hathaway, owns a controlling share of the Burlington Northern and Santa Fe (BNSF) Railway. Neil Young started collecting trains in the 1990s as a way to bond with his son, who has cerebral palsy. He recently sold his collection at auction for some $300,000, with the proceeds going to a California school charity. Rod Stewart's sprawling Beverly Hills estate features an opulent resi-
dence in which the third floor houses a 1,500 square foot railroad network, replete with buildings and landscaping, which recreates post-war Manhattan in lavish detail. Admirers have noted the scale and staggering craftsmanship of the collection. Stewart has proudly proclaimed that such recognition from his fellow hobbyists “means more to me than the cover of Rolling Stone.” Should they ever land in Niagara, all of these chaps would feel very much at home at the Model Railroad Engineers Club in Fenwick. The club was formed in the spring of 1967 with the merger of two Niagara Falls-based groups. Members met See TRACKS Page 11
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Page 4
The Voice of Pelham, April 25 2018
www.thevoiceofpelham.ca
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
As We See It Giving voice to the voiceless, making visible the unseen
W
HEN HE WA S in his mid-70s, Canadian musician Leonard Cohen mused about the transformation brought on by growing old. He began by describing the slow transition from youth to middle-age. Cohen’s assessment grew darker as he considered the decades beyond. “You become transparent—not exactly invisible, but as if you are seen through old plastic. Then you actually do become invisible,” he said. Cohen was half-joking, but the business of getting old is the most serious that there is. Almost all of us will do it, and almost all of us will be alarmed as it happens. There are the usual fears of losing loved ones, of our own mortality, but Cohen hits the nail on the head when he talks about invisibility. Tenants residing in Pelham Non-Profit Housing Corporation’s Fonthill apartment building have seen these fears realized. For several years, at least 11 of them felt that they have been subject to ille-
gal fees, unpredictable and improper apartment entries, a hostile atmosphere, and downright bullying in their own homes. Seeing no feasible alternative, they contacted the Voice so that some might hear, and see, their plight. Managing an apartment building is no easy task, and everyone has bad days. But the picture consistently painted by these tenants points to a systemic failure of leadership. Instead of being involved in the governance of their own building, they have been shut out. Instead of feeling as though the building is being managed in their best interest, they feel as though they are being pressed until they pas-
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sively submit to any decision. This must end. If a given culture’s civility is measured in part by how it treats its children, its animals, and its seniors, then change is overdue inside the culture of the Pelham Non-Profit Housing Corporation—and inside the building it manages. No one, least of all senior citizens, should be subject to such treatment. By any estimation, there is much work to be done in the building to regain the trust of tenants and to return it to the affordable respite for seniors that it once was. It’s clear where that process must start: by making the tenants visible again.
Letters Happy to live in Fonthill After having lived in Fonthill for almost 29 years, I feel it is time for me to write and compliment the Mayor and councillors. I have seen such an improvement over the last few years and I feel really proud of my town. All those ugly signs disappeared, thank goodness (although a few have appeared again lately), and the soon-to-be- opened sports complex will be wonderful for us to have,
I have seen such an improvement over the last few years...
not least for the younger generation but also for us seniors.
And not to forget the beautifully plowed sidewalks in our neighbourhood, etc., etc. I realize that it isn't always easy for the politicians with such a barrage of criticism over many issues, but I am sure I am not the only one who feels grateful and happy to be living here. Gudrun Smith Fonthill
CONTACT YOUR ELECTED OFFICIALS Member of Federal Parliament
Electoral District: Niagara West
Dean Allison, MP 4994 King Street Beamsville, ON L0R 1B0 Dean.Allison@parl.gc.ca 877-563-7900
Mayor of Pelham David Augustyn mayordave@pelham.ca 905-892-2607 Ext 317 Members of Pelham Town Council
Member of Provincial Parliament
Ward 1 Councillor Richard Rybiak rrybiak@pelham.ca 905-892-2105
Sam Oosterhoff, MPP 4961 King St. East, Unit M1 Beamsville, ON L0R 1B0 sam.oosterhoffco@pc.ola.org 905-563-1755
Councillor James Lane jlane@pelham.ca 905-892-2607
Electoral District: Niagara West-Glanbrook
Members of Niagara Regional Council Councillor David Augustyn mayordave@pelham.ca 905-892-2607 Ext 317 Councillor Brian Baty brian.baty@niagararegion.ca 905-892-5317 Town of Pelham 20 Pelham Town Square P.O. Box 400 Fonthill, ON L0S 1E0 905-892-2607
Ward 2 Councillor Catherine King cking@pelham.ca 905-658-8599 Councillor Gary Accursi gaccursi@pelham.ca 905-892-5528
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BARRISTER, SOLICITOR & NOTARY LETTERS TO THE EDITOR are welcome. Letter submissions should contain the writer’s full name, address and telephone number. Names only will be published. Names may be withheld if compelling reasons are provided. The newspaper reserves the right to change, condense or reject any contribution for brevity, clarity or legal considerations. All material in this publication is protected by copyright. Reproduction is prohibited without express, written permission of the publisher. ADVERTISING: The Voice of Pelham regrets any errors or omissions that appear in advertisements in this newspaper, however, we will not be held responsible for more than one absent or incorrect insertion or for any damages beyond the cost of space containing the error. The Voice is an independent, locally owned and operated publication. The Voice is a member of the National NewsMedia Council, a voluntary self-regulatory organization that deals with journalistic practices and ethics. If you have an unresolved complaint about news stories, opinion columns or photos, please visit their web site at mediacouncil.ca or call 1-844-877-1163. If you have a complaint about delivery or membership problems, please contact our office at 905-892-8690. For a summary of Voice ethical guidelines, see www.thevoiceofpelham.ca/ethics
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The Voice of Pelham, April 25 2018
Page 5
OPINION Letters
FOLLOW THE MONEY Commentary by Jim Pitt
continued
No standard for light standards Someone obviously missed the memo on the lighting by the new stores and the Community Centre. Were they going for an Old World vibe or a Jetsons theme? With some thought and planning they could have made the area look quaint, like Niagara-on-the-Lake. Instead we are stuck with the Big Box Ghetto look. Any charm that Fonthill once had is long gone, thanks to this development and those who planned it. Janet Carroll O'Sullivan Snelgrove Via Facebook
Be alert for sticky-fingered contractors We had a painter do some extensive interior painting in our home. Shortly after completion, I noticed a watch was missing. Upon further inspection, an expensive bracelet, designer sunglasses and an amethyst ring could not be found. All of these items were in boxes, inside a box in my bedroom. I can’t prove the painter stole these items. I did hear on the radio that someone caught a painter stealing. We have filed a police report in case others have had a similar experience. To all homeowners: Do not trust anyone coming into your home! We have alarms to keep thieves out, yet we open our door to these workers. Watch them while they work. Say you have cameras installed. If you have an incident, report it to the police! Don’t be a victim. Be vigilant. Mrs. G. H. McDonald Fonthill
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How healthy is Niagara real estate? It depends on what you read.
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HERE HAVE BEEN a large number of statistical analyses regarding the housing market, debt loads and interest rates of late. It’s enough to make my head spin. But here goes anyway. A survey by MNP, a large accountancy and insolvency firm with offices all over, found that, "51% of respondents said they fear higher interest rates will affect their ability to repay debts, 43% of respondents admit to feeling the effects of already-higher rates and 29% said they have no financial
breathing room after paying monthly bills.” On top of this, nearly half, 47%, of outstanding mortgages are up for renewal this year at higher rates, as well as higher qualifying rates: 2% above the prime. "Monthly mortgage payments are set to rise for a huge portion of people. But a staggering percentage of people say they already don’t have any wiggle room at all,” writes Grant Bazian, MNP President. Not to worry, though. It seems people are continuing to tap into the equity in their homes to
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It seems people are continuing to tap into the equity in their homes
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NEWSFLASH Tell us your story! Column Six presents tales of personal triumph, adventure, strange-but-true stories, life-changing events, and looks-back at our past. Did you conquer Everest or kick a bad habit? Did you meet your spouse-to-be in jail or on an African safari? Do you know where Hoffa’s buried? Write it down, send it in: publisher@thevoiceofpelham.ca (You won’t get rich, but you will get paid.)
Page 6
The Voice of Pelham, April 25 2018
Letters
COLUMN SIX
continued
continued from Page 1 were ready to leave and still hadn’t seen any that we realized that at 2 PM on a Thursday, anyone worth taking to the show would probably be at work. Quickly becoming desperate, we wrote our names and phone numbers on the extra tickets, so we’d be ready for a quick handoff in the event of an adjacent car in the Hamilton traffic carrying eligible—and attractive— men. Still no luck. It seemed all attractive men aged 22-28 were indeed at their jobs. As that fact sunk in, a new idea formed and I shared it excitedly with my friend. “Why don’t we go to where they are? We can even pick their career this way. Let’s go to a fire station!” She was on board and agreed it was a brilliant plan. We thought our local fire station would be empty, save for the wise old Chief who would find us quirky and endearing and, most importantly, know two young firemen who would be glad to take us up on our offer. If things went really well, a double-wedding would not have been out of the question. Since the fire station was within walking distance, we drove back to our apartment and prettied ourselves up a bit, excited by our plan. As
Doctors shouldn't be strong-armed into helping assist dying In the CARP monthly event reminder I saw that a meeting would be held on April 17 at the Anchor Pointe Retirement Centre, featuring a presentation by Dying With Dignity (DWD) Canada, an organization committed to improving quality of dying, protecting end-of-life rights, and helping Canadians avoid unwanted suffering. I went on to the website of DWD Canada and learned that "84% of Canadians support choice at end of life.” I must have been absent from that day of polling... I am not challenging the Supreme Court decision to overturn the ban on physician assisted dying because this ban violated our chartered human rights. I do however challenge CARP to invite speakers from palliative care organizations in order to provide information on their vision of assisted dying. Palliative care, just like medical assistance in dying (MAID), uses physicians to help individuals achieve their optimal state of health when medical treatment is no longer viable. Only difference is physicians do not oppose palliative care. Doctors are, however, not only opposing to perform MAID but also for being pressured to make "effective referrals" to doctors who will assist suicide. Natalie Diduch Fonthill
we approached a station nearby, we saw that things weren’t going to be quite as we envisioned. There were 20 firemen, all outside together, washing the fire trucks. So much for discretion. We timidly walked on by, finding our courage waning. We hid out of sight around a corner and mentally regrouped. There was no denying that the odds were in our favour. The firemen were—for the most part—young guys, and there were some really good looking ones! We doubled back with renewed commitment to our objective. On our approach, some of them stopped what they were doing, watching us as we walked straight up to the smallest group. “Hi. We’d like to speak with the Fire Chief.” (No need to abandon the rest of our plan). The chief was at a conference that day, we were told, so we asked to speak to “the second-in-command”. “Well that would be me,” said a man stepping forward. I felt myself turn five different shades of red as I recognized the man, who was not only my brother’s hockey coach, but also a longtime friend of my dad. Thankfully— and perhaps somewhat insultingly—he didn’t recognize me. “We were wondering if we could speak to you… in private,” we said, adding that last part quickly, conscious of the watching eyes all around us.
You want me to go where now? “Uhh…okay…” The second-in-command looked very confused, but complied, bringing along another middle-aged fireman to keep things above board. “So. What can we do for you ladies?” he asked us. We awkwardly told them our reason for being there, that we were looking for a couple of upstanding, fun, attractive firemen to escort us to a free concert in Toronto. As we were explaining our mission, we saw their facial expressions slide slowly from ones of confusion to amusement. “Wow. Well that sounds like a lot of fun,” the second to the second-in-command started. “I wish I were a young guy, I would definitely say yes! We have some single guys here, I’m sure we can find a couple for you.” His
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what was going on. Upon hearing the commotion, a few went over to the group to find out what was so funny. As it was explained to them, they too joined in the laughter and we sadly conceded they probably weren’t interested either. The second-in-command and his accomplice came back slowly, gently expressing disbelief that no one was interested. “There are still a couple more guys over there we could ask,” they began, starting to turn away. Thankfully my friend cut in. “Sir, there’s only so much embarrassment we can take in one day,” she said. Mortified, we muttered our thanks for their efforts and walked away as quickly as possible, the laughter carrying on behind us. “Well. I really didn’t see that coming.” I said. Unwilling to admit defeat and call up female friends to accompany us, we let the two extra tickets go to waste and enjoyed the concert, humbled and alone. The following week my dad approached the second-in-command at my brother’s hockey game, and said he heard the Thorold Fire Department was starting a new dating service for women passing by. “How did you hear about that?” asked the fireman. “It was the weirdest thing. These two girls just showed up and asked if we could find dates for them! In twenty-five years of firefighting I’ve never heard of such a thing happening. I couldn’t believe they were serious.” Out of kindness to me— or maybe because he was uninterested in admitting the type of daughter he raised—my dad gave no further information. “That’s just the news,” he said. “It’s making the rounds.” ◆
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confidence was encouraging. They left us and walked over to a group of five or so firemen, where they issued a blanket invitation on our behalf. Not quite the subtle move we were hoping for. It was too late to walk away at that point though, so we stood there, growing more embarrassed by the second, watching from a distance as our situation was explained. The firemen leaned in at first, listening curiously. And then… they broke out into laughter. We saw arms go up and heads shaking as they howled even louder. “Uh-oh.” I said, as it finally struck us that this wasn’t as brilliant an idea as we’d thought. At this point there were several other small groups of firefighters unaware of
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Total Value consists of $3,272 manufacturer-to-dealer Delivery Credit (tax exclusive), $1,000 manufacturer-to-dealer Truck Month Credit (tax exclusive), $500 manufacturer-to-dealer Finance Cash (tax exclusive), and $1,000 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). Cost of borrowing is $0 for a total obligation of $83,633. Taxes, $1,700 freight and PDI, $100 air conditioning charge (where applicable), PPSA, licenset, insurance, registration and applicable fees, levies and duties (all of which may vary by region and dealer) are extra. Dealers are free to set individual prices. Limited time financing offer, which may not be combined with certain other offers. GM Canada 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. (Lease) Eligible 2018 GMC Terrain SLE FWD: Lease based on suggested retail price of $32,195 includes $1,500 manufacturer-to-consumer Bonus Cash (offer applies to individuals who apply for a Scotiabank GM Visa Card [GM Card] or current GM Card cardholders) (tax inclusive) and $750 manufacturer-to-dealer Lease cash (tax exclusive) towards the lease of an eligible new 2018 GMC Terrain SLE FWD at participating dealers. Bi-weekly payment is $159 for 48 months at 0.9% interest rate on approved credit to qualified retail customers by GM Financial. $1,150 down payment is required. Total obligation is $17,672, plus applicable taxes. Taxes, license, insurance, registration and applicable fees, levies, duties and, except in Quebec, dealer fees (all of which may vary by dealer and region) are extra. Option to purchase at lease end is $13,200. See dealer for details. Discounts vary by model. Dealer 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. Offers may not be redeemed for cash and may not be combined with certain other consumer incentives. ®Registered trademark of The Bank of Nova Scotia. *Eligible 2018 GMC Acadia SLE-1 AWD: 0% purchase financing offered on approved credit by TD Auto Finance Services, Scotiabank ® or RBC Royal Bank. Participating lenders are subject to change. Rates from other lenders will vary. Monthly payment and cost of borrowing will vary depending on amount borrowed and down payment/trade. Offer is unconditionally interest-free. Freight and air charge ($100, if applicable) included. 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. U.S. Government 5-Star Safety Ratings are part of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA’s) New Car Assessment Program (www.SaferCar.gov). 2 Full functionality requires compatible Bluetooth® and smartphone, and USB connectivity for some devices. Data plan rates apply. 3 Not compatible with all devices. 4. Before you buy a vehicle or use it for trailering, carefully review the trailering section of the Owner’s Manual. The weight of passengers, cargo and options or accessories may reduce the amount you can tow. 5 Whichever comes first. Limit of four complimentary Lube-Oil-Filter services in total. Fluid top-offs, inspections, tire rotations, wheel alignments and balancing, etc., are not covered. Conditions and limitations apply. See your dealer for details. 6 Whichever comes first, fully transferable. Conditions and limitations apply. See dealer for complete details. 7. Visit onstar.ca for coverage maps, details and system limitations. 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
The Voice of Pelham, April 25 2018
www.thevoiceofpelham.ca
FOLLOW THE MONEY continued from Page 5 down by 0.47% in March, but that’s in the fine print. The actual report from Royal Lepage was a nationwide take on the real estate market. The report mentioned Niagara in passing. It stated that prices went up nearly 11% from March 2017 to March 2018, not in the first three months of this year, as the headline implies. Remax Garden City also released an analysis of the Niagara real estate market recently and it was an interesting take on what’s going on here. The analysis mentioned all of the headwinds facing the market of late, things such as (1) A rapidly appreciating market. St. Catharines rose 65% from January 2016 to April 2017. My calculations show a price increase of 58%, but that's only a 7% difference. (2) The Foreign Buyers Speculation Tax, although no mention was made of the number of foreign buyers that have purchased in Niagara. (3) Increased mortgage rates were mentioned as well as the stress-test for high ratio mortgages, indeed for all mortgages. Then the report dove into the numbers. In January 2016, the average house in Niagara sold for $272,000. In Pelham the average house sold for $432,000. In March 2017, the average home in Niagara sold for $377,000, an increase of 38%. In Pelham the average home sold for $469,000, an increase of just 8.5%. This in a period of rapid house price appreciation. It is generally agreed that the market topped out a year ago April. The average price for a house then in Niagara was $453,000, and in Pelham it was $553,000. Using these numbers we can deduce that the price of houses in Niagara and Pelham have dropped 16% and 15% respectively since last April. The March 2018 averages are $401,000 in Niagara and $469,000 in Pelham. The report from Remax Garden City summarizes its analysis by stating that it believes the market is still undervalued and prices should rebound. I wouldn’t get too optimistic about these predictions. The other factor mentioned is house sales and inventory. Region-wide, sales dropped from 866 in March 2017 to 619 this past March, a drop of some 28%. In Pelham, sales dropped from 38 to 17, March over March. That’s a 55% drop. Listings have gone up 13% regionwide, but are about the same in Pelham. What to do and who to believe?
Any analysis from the real estate industry must be tested for bias in favour of continued high sales and prices
Any analysis from the real estate industry must be tested for bias in favour of continued high sales and prices. Large corporate newspapers rely on advertising revenue from the real estate industry—look at the size of those realty inserts. Those don’t come cheap. Happy real estate stories with the facts buried somewhere well away from the headline keep everyone happy, or so a cynic might theorize. As of this writing, there were 1,004 residences for sale in Niagara and the average price was $401,000 in March 2018. In Pelham there were 45 residences for sale and the average price was $469,000 in March. If you want only an average-priced residence in Niagara, you have 186 at $401,000 from which to chose. In Pelham, you have three. Doesn’t really sound right, but those are the numbers. Of course the asking price and the selling price are two different things. The real estate industry tells us what the seller wants for the house, but does not tell us what the seller gets for the house. That’s a secret. If you are in the market to buy a home, here is the 8-step strategy shared by my financial advisor, who is not in the real estate industry: 1. Get an agent to front you, but do not sign a Buyer Realtor Agreement of any kind. These were developed by the real estate crowd to benefit them, not you. 2. Suggest a reasonable price you think is fair and you can afford. Don’t overly low-ball; the seller might take offence and the deal will not happen. 3. Include lots of conditions, even if you don’t need them. Financing, home inspection water, and septic if in the country. You can remove them as negotiations move along and get a better price. 4. Don’t make the irrevocable too short. People under pressure don’t cooperate. 5. Never make an offer after the first showing. Go in two or three times. Build the drama. You can do this in a market with little buyer competition. Do not join a
bidding war. If there is one, leave. 6. Big deposits help get lower prices. 7. Don’t be too quick with the sign-back. Wait until the end of the allowed period to respond. Let the seller remain uncertain. 8. If the negotiations fall through, take a few days or weeks off and try again. You could be pleasantly surprised. Buying a house is time consuming and frustrating but can be rewarding. It’s the biggest-ticket item you will ever likely buy. Last fall I wrote about a couple in the GTA that paid $2.25 million for a house that was listed at $2.0 million. Their agent told them to overbid with no conditions to win it. They did and then, a couple of days later, they informed the seller that the deal was off. They couldn’t raise the money. The seller re-listed and sold for $1.77 million a few months later. The seller also sued the first buyers for backing out. Last week a judge awarded the seller $470,000—the difference between the agreed upon price and the final selling price. Since last April there have been 866 buyers in the GTA who have backed out of deals. The sellers who have re-listed their homes have sold for an average of $140,200 less than the first deal they thought they had. Many of these “buyers” are in the initial stages of being sued for the difference. If there were no conditions on the original deal, they all will lose and have to pay the difference. Contracts are sacrosanct in Canada, as they should be. Now I could be proven wrong. Maybe houses are set to sell fast and cost plenty more. But with all the headwinds mentioned earlier, and the fact that inventory is growing while sales are falling, I will apply the basic rule of supply and demand and predict that house prices are going to continue to fall, and that many more houses are going to be added to the inventory. So, if you are buying, you can try out the strategy above. If you are selling, you’d better hope I’m wrong. ◆
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Sean McClintock, in darker camo, center right, with U.S. servicemen and their dogs in Afghanistan. SUPPLIED PHOTO
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continued from Page 3 effusive before, and wasn’t any more after,” said Pam. “He could not talk about anything.” Later in the 1990s, Sean served three tours—a total of 18 months—in the Balkans, in Croatia, Bosnia, and Kosovo, and his parents say that it was during this time that his PTSD solidified. “That was genocide there, and he saw it all,” said Sean. “He definitely had PTSD after that. He had flashbacks, and the smallest things, like flies buzzing, could put him in a rage.” All soldiers had their psychological well-being assessed after each tour, and Sean was cleared to go to Afghanistan. “He was the first tour in Afghanistan. There was no infrastructure, they were living in tents with dirt floors, and no refuge from the 130 degree heat,” said Tom. “But the physical stuff you can deal with—it’s the emotional that stays with you. “There was a friendly-fire incident in Afghanistan,” said Pam. “The Canadians were in the desert doing nighttime exercises, and the Americans accidentally dropped a bomb. Four Canadians were killed, and eight wounded.” The McClintocks got a call from the Ministry of National Defence early in the morning. “They said, ‘He’s okay,’” said Pam. “But there were ramp ceremonies for those soldiers, and a huge ceremony in Edmonton.” Sean never talked about this incident either, but Pam said that he must have known those who died. After Afghanistan, the McClintocks say that Sean’s PTSD was finally diagnosed. “He wanted to go back to Afghanistan but he couldn’t. He was red-flagged as a liability,” said Pam. “He didn’t want to sit in an office, and so the only thing to do was to retire. That was not the best thing.” “He said, ‘I don’t know how to do any of this,’” she said, explaining that Sean felt lost in general society. A 2016 investigation by the Globe and Mail, in which the McClintocks participated, found that 70 veterans committed suicide after having served in Afghanistan. This figure is nearly half of the 158 Canadians who died in Afghanistan. “Sean did it all and then some,” said Tom. “By the end, he was qualified on just about every vehicle the army had.”
Sean’s friend Peter Levin retired from the army in 2007 and now lives in Cape Breton. He came to the Legion for the ceremony on Sunday. “Sean was a go-to guy,” said Levin. “A lot of times in the army you have to do a lot you’re not prepared for, or aren’t properly equipped, or don’t have the manpower to do. Sean could get done what needed to be done without all those things. He was dependable—some would even have called him sly.” Before he became so adept, McClintock acquired the nickname “Klunk” early on in his career after tipping a truck over and spilling its cargo on the road. Levin said that of the 350 guys in their unit, everyone knew who “Klunk” was. “People would ask him what he thought about something, even if it wasn’t his job,” said Levin. “He could turn his hand at anything—they’d just want to pick his brain to see what he could come up with.” Levin joined up six weeks before McClintock did, and the two were best friends after deploying together in Kuwait. “We were like brothers. My family was his family and his family was mine. My wife was like his surrogate wife. We always used to joke that if anything happened to me, he would just slip right into my place. The clothes would fit,” said Levin. Upon his return to Niagara, Sean helped to found the Niagara Military Vehicles Association, a group of retired servicemen who bought vintage vehicles and fixed them up. “They would go to all the events in uniform, and with them he was starting to come along,” said Pam. Bother of Sean’s parents praised the association for helping Sean deal with his PTSD. Several members of the group were at the Legion, their military trucks parked in the lot. Retired Captain Stefan Weiclawek is the president of the association, and led the ceremony on Sunday. “We’re going to give him a good send-off,” said Weiclawek. “He didn’t get that. We’re going to give it to him today.”
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IN THE NEWS continued from Page 2 reation equipment for the Welland Community Wellness Complex (WCWC) over the past three years, says the organization. Since the WCWC opened in 2011, the RCSCF has invested a grand total of $341,781 in purchases. In order to keep WCWC members active and engaged in programming, the RCSCF has introduced 11
The Voice of Pelham, April 25 2018 new Aqua Bikes to the Therapeutic pool and installed a new pool table for the Billiards Room. “Thanks to the dedication of volunteers, and the direction from the Foundation, the Wellness Complex offers so much more to its members,” said Richard Dalton, Manager of Recreation and Culture. “Among other things, the Foundation has introduced new exercise equipment to the Wellness Complex, and helped create a welcoming
facility where people can enjoy a hot meal and socialize.” The Foundation’s Chair says the only sources of income are from a small clothing boutique, the donor wall, and interest from investments. The RCSCF also funds several bursaries to assist post-secondary students who pursue studies toward a career that will benefit seniors. The Foundation researches the needs See IN THE NEWS next page
News depends on facts. Where are your facts coming from? News Media Canada is a passionate advocate for the news industry. We support our member publications in their pursuit of quality journalism. We believe that when society has facts they can trust, better decisions will be made.
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Daffodil Tea
Th ursday, April 26, at 2 PM
Guests will enjoy music with Gary Smith, along with light food and refreshments. All are welcome to attend. Admission for the public is $3. All proceeds will go to the Cancer Society. Please RSVP at 905-892-9218.
The Niagara Peninsula’s premier retirement facility 1505 Lookout Street, Fonthill, ON / www.lookoutridge.ca / (905) 892-9218
Page 9
Page 10
The Voice of Pelham, April 25 2018
www.thevoiceofpelham.ca
Gayle Baltjes-Bazinet and Jim Casson announce the Bandshell line-up last Thursday. VOICE PHOTO
SKATING FOR A CAUSE The 3rd Annual Jeff Yungblut Memorial Hockey Tournament was held in late March. Some 22 teams registered for the event, with proceeds going to education bursaries at Thorold Secondary School and Denis Morris Catholic Secondary School, and raffle draw proceeds donated to 8-year-old Thorold student Adam Egerter, who is battling brain cancer. Pictured, Kory Yungblut, Jim Yungblut, Mike Law, Nancy Yungblut. BERNIE LAW PHOTO
IN THE NEWS continued from previous page of senior members at the complex and makes decisions to purchase equipment through a voting system. For more information on this facility and the programs and services offered visit welland.ca.
Gun Amnesty mid-campaign
Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) along with the Niagara Regional Police Service
ual n n
nd A
(NRPS) have safely secured dozens of weapons and hundreds of rounds of ammunition midway through a month-long Gun Amnesty campaign, according to an NRPS news release. As of April 18, the NRPS had received eight firearms that were surrendered as a result of the initiative. Meanwhile, there have been 218 gun amnesty calls for service in OPP jurisdiction, 42 of which were received through the online reporting option on the OPP website. Since the launch of the gun
amnesty, 267 items were recovered through appointments made with OPP officers. Just over 5,200 pieces of ammunition were surrendered during this period, including a quantity of hollow point bullets. The gun amnesty will be in effect until Monday, April 30, for any Ontario resident who wishes to voluntarily surrender unwanted or illegally-owned firearms, weapons, accessories, or ammunition. The public is reminded that no See IN THE NEWS Page 17
www.pelhamartfestival.com
32Pelham
Art Festival
Show & Sale
Mother’s Day Weekend May 11, 12 & 13
Pelham Arena
1120 Haist Street, Fonthill
Proceeds to benefit Pelham libraries, art scholarships & community arts projects
BANDSHELL continued from Page 1 But the biggest get of the year, said Baltjes-Bazinet, is The Blushing Brides, a tribute band for the Rolling Stones playing on July 5. “We’ve been trying to get them for five years,” she said. Casson added his own effusive praise. “I started playing in a Pink Floyd tribute band,” he said. “There was a level down here,” he gestured to the floor. “Then there was us.” He gestured at his midriff. “Then there was the The Blushing Brides.” He gestured above his head. “They are the best Rolling Stones tribute band in North America,” said Casson. New to the Bandshell this year is Niagara country musician Brad Battle, who won country artist and song-
writer of the year at the 2017 Niagara Music Awards. Casson praised Battle’s performance at those awards, and also praised the Jimmy Stahl Big band, which will perform on June 28. “There are twenty-seven horn players with them,” he said. “That includes eight trombones. If you’re a musician you know that trombone players need [the] work.” Casson, who has been involved with the committee since its inception, said that the growth over the years has been tremendous. “It was the second show of the second year when we realized there was something catching on,” he said. “We got about a thousand people, and before that there had been only a few hundred.” Baltjes-Bazinet said that the concerts now average
Sunday Evening Music Service
Sunday, April 29 at 6:30 pm Featuring upbeat music in a casual, child-friendly atmosphere
Holy Trinity
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1557 Pelham St. Fonthill
www.holytrinityfonthill.org / 905-892-6011 Facebook: HolyTrinityChurchFonthill
around 3000 attendees. Last year’s ABBA tribute drew the biggest crowd in the series’ history, with Baltjes-Bazinet estimating that some 6000 people watched. “It was at the point where I was begging people, ‘Is it all right if this person sits on your lap?” she recalled. This year’s Motown band, The Intentions, will play the week of Summerfest. The presence of so many concert-goers last year raised the ire of some businesses downtown, after parking lots were filled with concert-goers, not customers. “We’re going to have parking at the new community centre and two shuttles from there,” said Baltjes-Bazinet. The announcement in Lookout Ridge’s chapel was attended by a handful of the committee members, as well as the Mayor and Councillors Peter Papp, John Durley, Jim Lane, and Gary Accursi. Baltjes-Bazinet thanked them for attending. “It’s good to have twothirds of the Council,” she said. “Is it an election year?” 2017 Kinsmen Citizen of the Year Judy Reid was there as well. Reid stood to thank the committee for all of its volunteer work. Baltjes-Bazinet reminded everyone that the committee is again promoting the “Bandshell Booster” pack, which includes a button that is to be worn on Thursday nights. “If we see you with a button on Thursday nights, we won’t be bothering you for a donation,” said Baltjes-Bazinet. More information, including a full list of performers, can be found at fonthillbandshell.com.
75 ARTISTS UNDER ONE ROOF!! OPENING NIGHT • Fri. May 11, 7-10 pm • $10.00 Admission Jazz vocalist Loralee McGuirl, with Adrean Farrugia, Jim Casson • Cash Wine Bar • Light Refreshments Sat & Sun • May 12 & 13 • 11 am - 5 pm • $5.00 Admission Sat. - Jazz Piano, Peter Shea; Sun. - Finger Style Guitar, Dan Kozar • Children’s Activities • Cash Wine Bar • Salvador Deli Mother’s Day Brunch by Churchhill Natural Meats Tickets are $20 and available in advance or at the door www.facebook.com/PelhamArtFestival Visit Festival website for details Delicious food at Salvador Deli by Churchhill Natural Meats Baked goodies by Nature’s Corner Bakery & Cafe Platinum Sponsor
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TRACKS continued from Page 3 in a church basement on Victoria Avenue in Niagara Falls, and later in member's homes on a rotating basis. It was decided that the home rotation was impractical due to a growing membership, and the club relocated several times to more spacious facilities over the following years. In 1973, the Town of Pelham leased the current site at 1141 Maple Street in Fenwick to the club, and significant renovations to the circa-1875 building occurred. It’s a kind of gentlemen’s club at present, with no ladies currently in the membership (although they
COUNCIL continued from Page 1 we took almost half of them out, we wouldn’t be doing any favours to the businesses downtown.” Director of Public Works Andrea Clemencio, who presented the report, said that she didn’t think that the proposed removal was for seven spots, though clarified that she wasn’t sure how many spots would be affected. She told Lane that she could find out the precise number of spots and provide that information to Council. “The recommendation came forward without how many spots because a safety recommendation came from the consultant,” she said. Councillor Peter Papp also expressed concern that the removal of parking spaces would adversely affect downtown businesses. Councillor Gary Accursi spoke at length about the downtown core. “Any reduction in parking will be impactful,” said Accursi. He suggested that the Town consider narrowing the road further by painting new lines to discourage truck traffic.
The Voice of Pelham, April 25 2018 are welcome to join). Grey hair abounds—of the 15 active members, the majority appear to qualify for CPP and OAS. The pride and joy of the membership is the Fenwick Central (FC), a fictitious Niagara railroad meant to replicate a bygone era of freight moved by trains throughout the region in the 1950s and 1960s. The club maintains an operating HO scale layout (1/87 life size) in a 35by-25 foot area on the main floor of the building, with some 500 feet of track. Davis Stremlaw, with 21 years in the club, said, “There is something for everyone in this hobby. Model railroading attracts people from a wide variety of occupations.”
“It’s a cheap undertaking and it [could] slow traffic down. If it does, then perhaps we could look at diagonal parking on [Pelham Street], instead of parallel. This could increase the number of spots, and we could give up the problem child,” said Accursi, referring to the spots near the intersection of Church Hill. But Clemencio said that narrowing the road has been looked at. “Without significant construction, it wasn’t possible,” she said. “If we’re considering major reconstruction to slow the core down, then a whole wealth of possibilities opens up.” Of the options aside from the removal of parking spaces, Clemencio said, “We have exhausted these possibilities and come full circle.” The report also recommends the installation of a raised crosswalk, at a cost of $30,000 to $40,000 in 2019, and the conversion of the current crossing to a more pedestrian-friendly one this year. Council eventually voted to ask staff to provide more information on the suggestions, including the specific number of parking stalls and the cost estimate for the
Some members took multi-decade breaks from the trains. Life happens. College, marriage, kids, and other time demands don't leave a lot of room or money. But they return to model railroading at middle age or retirement. This is a hobby that encourages a wide range of talents and problem-solving. Some enjoy researching different railways and trains. Woodworking skills are required to lay the track and electrical skills are valuable to successfully install the wiring. Artistic and set construction skills are required as background scenery takes shape. It’s the little details that bring a set to life. One youngster working with the trains was Matthew Whitaker,
crossing conversion. Monday’s meeting also featured a brief discussion of the chicane intended to calm traffic on Haist Street, just north of Highway 20, with Clemencio providing a report compiling speed data and comments from residents. According to Clemencio, the data shows that post-chicane-installation the percentage of northbound vehicles over the speed limit has decreased 28 percent, while south-bound speeders have diminished by 39 percent. “It does appear that the chicane is working when it comes to speeds,” said Mayor Dave Augustyn, a sentiment echoed by Jim Lane. Gary Accursi praised staff for addressing concerns around snow removal in the vicinity of the chicane. Councillor Richard Rybiak asked Clemencio about the concern of some residents that the chicane would be close to potential driveways. Clemencio acknowledged that there was worry that property values would be affected by the chicane, but said that staff had ensured that a driveway could still be built on vacant plot nearby, even if it “might not be exactly where the resident had
Page 11
who is 11 years old and an associate member (full members must be 14). His interest in model railroads appears to be genetic— his father James, the club president, has been a member since 1985, and Matthew’s grandfather, David, has been on board since 1975. When asked to explain an adult’s attraction to tiny trains, James Whitaker responds, “You have to see it in action. It defies explanation.” Some grown men spend their leisure time chasing golf balls, others prefer model trains. Pleasure is in the eye of the beholder. Model trains have been around since the 1860s. Early in the 20th century, L ionel made its first electric
planned.” Councillor Catherine King made note that councillors were still receiving emails from residents opposed to the chicane, and Clemencio’s report included resident comments. Some of the comments Clemencio presented were complimentary of the chicane, though a majority were from residents opposed to its presence. "This is an unsightly, senseless, embarrassing road hazard,” wrote one annoyed individual in December of 2016. "I have never encountered such an eyesore road hazard as what you have concocted on the street. This concoction will be causing excessive wear and tear on my car suspension and will also result in a non-resident crashing and landing their car in someone’s front yard. It is dangerous and unsightly. Quite frankly the most stupid thing I have ever seen.”
train for store display windows. The hobby surged in the 1950s, when the market split between cheaper toy trains for children and the more detailed and accurate reproduction trains collected by adults. Not unexpectedly, the vast majority of the model trains sold today are produced in China. Most of the members have their own train setups at home, albeit on a much smaller scale than the layout at the club. Open houses run in April and November, and prospective members are invited to attend meetings from 7 PM to 9:30 PM on Wednesdays. Arrangements can be made for community groups to tour the facility. All are welcome.
The final infrastructure issue discussed by Council was the lampposts on Pickwick Place. Council previously heard a presentation by Pickwick resident John Abbott during budget consultations last fall. At that time Abbott spoke on behalf of the street’s residents, saying that they were alarmed by the prospect that the current 11-foot lampposts could be replaced by ones 25 feet or taller. “We looked at that proposal and said, ‘My God. Isn’t this unnecessary?’ Posts like that would certainly change the ambience of the street,” said Abbott in October. “The proposal as I saw it cost around $130,000,” said Abbott. “I find that astounding. If the Town is moving ahead with installation, I can’t overstate the importance of the height issue. Residents will be happy going the way of the status quo, perhaps with some medi-
GARDEN CENTRE
um of tree replacement and shrubbery on the median. You are used to people asking for money—here I think that there is an opportunity to save money.” At the October meeting, Council asked staff to revisit the design of the poles in consideration of the residents’ preferences. Clemencio’s report to council on the matter last week detailed two alternative designs, one with 16foot poles, and one with 14foot poles. The report added that LED replacement of all streetlamps is forecast for 2020 and 2021. Town Treasurer Teresa Quinlin closed the meeting by presenting a draft water and wastewater budget for the year. Quinlin proposed a three percent increase on the fixed portion of the water and wastewater bills, which she said would amount to about an additional $8.76 per year per household.
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The Voice of Pelham, April 25 2018
www.thevoiceofpelham.ca
Pelham Seniors Apartments tenants allege mistreatment In brief statement, building management responds that majority of residents are "Satified or Very Satisfied"
E
BY SAMUEL PICCOLO
The VOICE
LEVEN TENANTS—nine current and two former—of the Fonthill apartment building operated by the Pelham Non-Profit Housing Corporation have come forward alleging what they describe as bullying, illegal apartment entries, illegal fees, and other violations of landlord-tenant legislation. Most of the complaints relate directly to the conduct of Pelham Town Councillor Catherine King, who is the building’s property manager; Mike Fairman, the building superintendent; and Geoff Kirkwood, president of the corporation’s board.
Catherine Manager.
King,
Building
TOWN OF PELHAM PHOTO
Tenants Pam Young, Irene Shepperd, former Town of Pelham Mayor Ralph Beamer and his wife Barbara, Marielle Kohl, and Jeanne May all agreed to speak on the record. (May moved out of the building at the end of January. Kohl left in 2013.) Five other current tenants also echoed the concerns of these individuals and have requested that their names be withheld. Over the course of several weeks, the Voice has personally interviewed all tenants who have come forward, in some cases multiple times. While the tenants and those who have attempted to assist them have provided the newspaper with copious documentation—including written correspondence, video and audio recordings, and photographs—none of the following allegations have been proven in court, with the exception of certain rulings by the Ontario Landlord and Tenant Board referred to in the story. Citing privacy laws, the president of the corporation’s board declined to answer virtually any question put to the board or staff by the Voice.
How and where The Town of Pelham Non-Profit Housing Corporation was established in 1980. Local area churches were the “movers and shakers” that sought to provide affordable housing for seniors, according to former Town Councillor Brian Walker, who served on the corporation’s board for nearly a decade.
Mike Fairman, Superintendent.
Building FILE PHOTO
Walker said that the apartment building was financed by a 35-year mortgage though the Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation, an arm of the federal government. Until 2009, a relationship existed between the Town of Pelham and the corporation, a relationship Walker called “minimal,” with one councillor sitting as Town representative on the board. According to Land Registry Office data, the corporation’s name was changed to the “Pelham Non-Profit Housing Corporation” in early 2010, dropping any reference to the Town. The building, located just to the east of Pelham Public Library’s Fonthill branch, offers 63 one-bedroom apartments, and one two-bedroom apartment, for those 55 years and older. Some tenants pay full market rent, others are subsidized by Niagara Regional Housing (NRH)on a rentgeared-to-income program. According to NRH administrator Shelly Upton, when the provincial social housing program was transferred to the municipal level in 2001, NRH assumed Canadian Mortgage and Housing’s responsibilities. Upton said that once the building’s mortgage was paid off, Pelham Non-Profit Housing entered a threeyear contract with NRH in 2016. Under the contract, NRH provides subsidies for 20 tenants under a “rentgeared-to-income” program. According to Upton, the housing corporation does
Geoff Kirkwood, board president. FILE PHOTO
Jake Dilts, board vicepresident. FILE PHOTO
not have shareholders in the traditional sense. The not-for-profit corporation’s board is the building’s ultimate authority. It appoints and regulates itself, without further oversight.
“One morning there was a moving truck and Mike was moving out. It was very disrespectful that no one was notified. Catherine [King] didn’t even call the tenants association to say what was going to be happening.” The two-bedroom unit previously occupied by Fairman was not, to the knowledge of the tenants who spoke to the Voice, listed for rent, but instead immediately occupied by existing tenants perceived to be close to Catherine King.
Superintendent Many of the allegations made by the tenants centre around the conduct of the maintenance superintendent, Mike Fairman, who began working at the building in the fall of 2010 and remains in the same position today. Tenants describe a pattern of Fairman entering apartments without permission, neglecting his responsibilities, and having an often rude demeanor. The tenant handbook provided to Pam Young when she arrived in 2011 described the superintendent as a “live-in position which the board of directors feels is an added sense of security for tenants. This also allows for a timely response to tenant concerns. The superintendent is the only two-bedroom unit. He is available by phone and is on-call 24 hours a day. He is off four days per month, as well as for annual vacation.” But three years ago this spring Fairman moved out of the building. A revised copy of the tenant handbook from 2015 omits mention that the superintendent is a “live-in” position. According to the tenants, they were not informed of this change in on-site security. “We had a live-in superintendent at that building for thirty years,” said Young.
Apartment entries Tenants say that even prior to his moving, Fairman was unreliable and sometimes hostile when asked to complete various tasks, including the act of letting paramedics into an apartment. According to Jeanne May, in February 2015, just before Fairman moved out, a tenant fell while locked in her apartment. Paramedics and the fire department responded. While they were able to enter the building, they were not able to enter the woman’s apartment due to a locked door that she was unable to reach. “I heard them say, ‘We can’t get in, the master key’s not working,’” said May, who is 64. “I was walking past and I said, ‘I’ll knock on Mike’s door. He’s got the master key.’” Prior to this tenant’s fall, another tenant had fallen in a different apartment. According to tenants speaking to the Voice, emergency services were unable to en-
In the lobby: Present and former Pelham Seniors Apartments tenants, fro
They think that they can do whatever they want. I’ve never [lived] anywhere I’m afraid to go to bed at night because I don’t know who’s coming in.
ter the premises in time to help. The man died. “I didn’t want anybody to die over it again,” said May. According to May, when she knocked on Fairman’s door, he was belligerent. “I said, ‘They can’t get in Dorothy’s apartment. You’ve got the master key, will you let them in?’ And he started yelling at me and said, ‘It’s not my job.’ Then he went back into his apartment, then he came back out and unlocked the [woman’s] door.” Though Fairman had ultimately responded to May’s request for help, he evidently complained to building manager Catherine King. A week later, May received a letter from King.
King wrote that it had been reported that May “interfered with EMS personnel responding to another tenant…and interrupted the tenant of apartment 101 for no apparent reason at approximately 11:15 PM.” Apartment 101 was occupied by Superintendent Fairman. King made no acknowledgement in her letter that this was Fairman’s unit. King accused May of “vexatious conduct.” “Vexatious conduct, such as this,” King went on, “is known or ought reasonably to be known to be unwelcome and will not be tolerated. Please be aware that it is a policy of the Corporation to provide a safe environ-
www.thevoiceofpelham.ca
The Voice of Pelham, April 25 2018
Page 13
om left, Barbara Beamer, former Mayor Ralph Beamer, Jeanne May, Pam Young, Irene Shepperd, and Marielle Kohl. Five other current residents did not wish to be photographed. ment, free from harassment for everyone associated with the organization. Any further incident will be taken seriously and result in additional action being taken.” Building management’s perceived attitude toward tenants in medical distress troubled all those who spoke to the Voice. They pointed to a September 2014 memo written by King in which she denied that the building’s staff were able to assist in such circumstances. “From time to time we are faced with tenants appearing to be in medical distress and while we want to be able to provide assistance, we are not a care facility and have no right to enter the apartment in this situation or provide medical assistance,” wrote King. “Please understand that that by unlocking a tenant’s door or entering an apartment for a possible medical concern puts not only the corporation but you and our staff at risk of liability. It is unfortunate but it is in all of our best interest not to intervene.” In fact, the Ontario’s Residential Tenancies Act does allow for apartments to be entered in cases of emergency.
“A landlord may enter a rental unit at any time without written notice in (a) cases of emergency; or (b) if the tenant consents to the entry at the time of entry,” reads the Act. Executive Director Michael Foster, of Justice Niagara, an organization providing free legal services to low-income individuals, said that a medical emergency could fall under this clause, and that a policy not to enter apartments in medical emergencies is a decision that a building may make on the advice of a lawyer. “Is that a good policy? You can argue that,” said Foster. “I’ve never seen a building have a policy one way or the other for medical emergencies. That doesn’t mean they don’t exist.” Foster said that a building shouldn’t necessarily be criticized for such a policy, thought he did describe it as “overly cautious.” While tenants say that Fairman was reluctant to assist in cases of emergency, on numerous occasions he entered tenants’ apartments without the required 24 hours written notice, which would be in violation of provincial law.
According to Irene Shepperd, a resident for five years, there were at least two instances in which Fairman entered her apartment without her knowledge or consent. “One time I came in and I thought, ‘What’s that smell?’” said Shepperd. “I looked around and around, and it was coming from the kitchen. I noticed somebody had come in and caulked between the kitchen counter and the wall. I didn’t put a work order in, and I didn’t say anything to anybody about [needing caulking]. I noted the dates and talked to Catherine—she told me that no one had come in.” Shepperd says that King grew angry when she suggested that it had been Fairman in the apartment. “She told me that I could be sued for making that accusation when I couldn’t prove it,” said Shepperd. In another instance, Shepperd says that Fairman confessed that he had entered her apartment without her knowledge. “I’d found the doors to my patio and everything around it different,” recalled Shepperd. “I talked to Catherine and she again told me that I could be sued
DAVE BURKET PHOTO
Tenant Pam Young reviews some of the hundreds of pages of documents she has gathered over the last seven years in support of what she and other tenants allege is improper conduct by board members and management at the Pelham Non-Profit Housing Corporation. VOICE PHOTO for making accusations like that. I said, ‘Well, who else would go into my apartment and go out on to my balcony?’ She said, ‘Well, I’ll talk to Mike, but I don’t think it’s him.’” This time, Fairman called
to apologize. “He admitted to coming into my apartment because the contractor for the balconies was there, and while he had him there he decided to take him out on my balcony,” said Shepperd. “I’m
sorry [but] that’s after the fact. I spoke with a lawyer, and I picked up this little brochure called ‘Tenant Law Series.’ It’s on harassment and discrimination, See SENIORS next page
Page 14
The Voice of Pelham, April 25 2018
Opened in 1980, the Pelham Seniors Apartments are located just east of Pelham Public Library's Fonthill branch. VOICE PHOTO
SENIORS continued from previous page and it has listed in here, describes harassment and says that it’s illegal for your landlord, or anyone acting for your landlord, such as a superintendent, or a property manager to harass you. One of the examples is entering your home without giving you proper notice.”
In another instance, which Shepperd says occurred recently, she was in her apartment when a knock came at the door. “He knocked a couple of times—the first time I thought, ‘I don’t feel like talking to anybody.’ It was just one of those days. But then I went and I looked out and I saw Mike standing there. When I opened the door he had his key in his
hand. He said, ‘Oh, I hope I’m not bothering you, I just have a little something I need to do inside.’ He was changing the screws on the light-switch plate in the bathroom from metal to nylon screws because of a safety issue,” said Shepperd. “I thought, ‘Hmm, if I hadn’t opened the door you would’ve come in.’ I thought, here’s another
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time that he just does what he wants when he wants, with no notification.” Shepperd also called Fairman, “A little too touchy.” “He was calling me ‘hon’ all the time, always touching me, holding on to my hands—in stores downtown he’ll come up and touch me.” Shepperd said that Fairman’s behavior “creeps me out.” Another tenant, who has lived in the building for less than a year, plans to move out as a direct result of Fairman’s conduct. “Mike has been in my apartment twice without twenty-four hours notice,” said the tenant, who asked to remain unnamed. “The first time, another tenant saw him come out of my apartment.” (The witness confirmed to the Voice that they had seen Fairman departing the tenant’s apartment.) “The other time I was in bed, ill,” said the tenant. “I heard someone tapping at
www.thevoiceofpelham.ca the door, and I just didn’t feel like getting up. The next thing I knew, he was [inside the unit]. ‘What are you doing here?’ I said to him. And he said, ‘Oh, I just have to change a few screws in the bathroom.’’’ The tenant said that in all the places that she’s lived, she’s never experienced such unannounced entries. “They think that they can do whatever they want,” said the tenant. “I’ve never [lived] anywhere I’m afraid to go to bed at night because I don’t know who’s coming in.” Jeanne May also had her apartment entered without notice. On June 12, 2013, May submitted a work order for various repairs, including on the rubber strip running along the exterior of her doorsill. "I had put in a work order for that rubber outside the door, which had come loose," said May. In addition to the rubber strip, May requested other repairs on the same work
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request. "I put in for these other little things too. I gave [Catherine King] the work order at about a quarter after twelve. I said I didn't want anybody in my apartment today. It wasn't that bad, but I wanted it cleaned up a bit, floors washed," recalled May. On her work request, she did not provide authorization for Fairman to enter her apartment. “Let me know first ahead of time because I am out often, or busy,” wrote May. The other requests on this form were for the removal of a pepper shaker behind her stove, tightening of a towel rack, painting of water spots on her ceiling, a fi x of her patio door handle, and an examination of her sink’s drain. But when May returned home, she saw that her apartment had been entered in her absence. "There was a letter under my door telling me how Mike had been in there and that Mike had said all these things that weren't even true about my apartment." "Please be aware that safety issues are prioritized,” wrote Catherine King, in a letter copied to the Board of Directors, “and as you noted a problem with the of the entrance door, our maintenance personnel visited your apartment. Other than the threshold, the other items you have requested attention to cannot be addressed until the excessive amount of clutter in your apartment is sorted out. Additionally, you are in violation of the fire code because pathways and exits were blocked and flammable items and papers were near and on the stove.” May disputes that pathways and exits were blocked, and feels as though the comments about papers near the stove were unfair. In any event, Pelham’s Fire Prevention Officer, William Underwood, told the Voice that there are no provisions in the fire code that deal with storage in individual dwelling units. “The Ontario Fire Code does not apply to individual dwelling units with respect to the quantity of items stored in them,” responded Underwood when queried, nor to the location of those items, including papers in a kitchen. May confronted King about the letter, and about the fact that her apartment had been improperly entered. "She started yelling at me that they had a right to come inside my apartment because it was a safety issue," said May. "I said, 'Yeah, outside the door. Not See SENIORS next page
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The Voice of Pelham, April 25 2018
Page 15
Fairman and King allegedly entered Marielle Kohl's apartment in September 2012 without proper notice. Their entry was video recorded by Kohl's friend Larry Sztogryn. SUPPLIED VIDEO/VOICE SCREEN CAPTURE
SENIORS continued from previous page inside my apartment. Nothing I put on the work order inside the apartment was a safety hazard. it was loose screws—minor little things. But they came in.” For the remainder of the requests on May’s work order, King provided written notice. But the last repair, of part of a window screen, wasn’t completed until March 2014—fully nine months after May requested it. Video evidence The entry of apartments without permission extends back several years. Marielle Kohl, who moved out of the building in 2013, said that Fairman and board member Jake Dilts used a key to come in while she was ill. One day in December 2011, Kohl was lying in bed. “I was sick and closed my bedroom door a bit. And then I heard, ‘click, click.’ I thought, ‘What the heck is that?’ I opened my bedroom door and there’s Mike and Jake. They said, ‘Uh-oh.’” Kohl told her friend and helper Larry Sztogryn what had happened. Sztogryn said at first he didn’t believe it. “I thought, how could they blatantly do this? That’s breaking the law, that’s break and enter,” said Sztogryn. With Sztogyrn’s assistance, Kohl sent a letter to building management in January 2012, stating that she believed the December entry to be illegal and citing the specific parts of her lease that had been violated. Nine months later, in September 2012, notice was given to Kohl’s floor announcing when annual inspections were to take place, providing a date and a two-and-ahalf-hour window when they were to occur. In response, Kohl sent King a letter advising her that the memo addressed to the entire floor was “not legal notice for a request to enter my apartment unit.” Sztogryn said that Kohl predicted—despite her letter to King— that her apartment would still be entered. “I said, ‘No way that they’ll do this. They have it in writing.’ But Marielle said that they would, so I said, ‘Let’s set up the video camera,’” recalled Sztogryn. Kohl and Sztogryn waited all morning in Kohl’s apartment. “There was no knock,” said Sz-
Toward the end, I was hiding my jewelry, I was hiding my stuff. It's crazy doing that in your own home.
togryn. “We heard the key in the door, the tumbler turned, and then she knocked. I had the video camera pointed right at the door. I said, ‘You’ve just illegally entered this apartment. Please leave.’ [King] argued for a little while, and then they left.” “Catherine was really upset,” said Kohl. “She was telling us we stopped her from doing her work. We said, ‘We’re not stopping you. We just want a notice when you want to come in, because this is not your home. This is my home. [I] didn’t have any privacy there. Toward the end, I was hiding my jewelry, I was hiding my stuff. It’s crazy doing that in your own home. I’ve lived my whole life in apartments. I worked in every province except for Newfoundland, and the all the laws are the same in all provinces. I know the law.” Kohl says that she did not feel safe in the apartment for fear that it could be entered at any time. “It affected her for a long time,” said Sztogryn. “It still does.” Handicap access With Sztogryn’s assistance, Kohl prepared a package of the building’s infractions and filed a complaint with the Landlord and Tenant Board. In addition to the unannounced entries, Kohl, who has had hip and knee replacements and is disabled, also noted that the handicap access door to the building was locked. On February 5, 2012, she sent a letter to the building advising them that this violated the Human Rights and Disabilities Act. “Access to my apartment building by locking the push button handicapped door discriminates against all disabled people,” wrote Kohl. “The handicap access door is repeatedly locked when I return home in the evening.” In the letter, Kohl requested written confirmation that the “discriminatory action” would
cease. Despite Kohl’s letter, observations by Sztogryn at various times of day found that the door continued to be locked almost every day for another month, in one case at 1:30 in the afternoon. Sztogryn says that no explanation was ever given. "That’s never supposed to be locked. It’s supposed to be accessible by the button or the key. Her key didn’t even work.” On the day of the Landlord and Tenant Board hearing, in November 2012, the building’s representative settled with Kohl, giving her four months’ rent for free. At the end of those four months, Kohl moved out. “I was against her settling because we had a very solid case, and she could’ve got a lot more than what she did,” said Sztogryn. “However, she was satisfied with what she got, and then she [moved out.]” But by moving out, Sztogryn said, Kohl had to give up her place in the rent-geared-to-income program, and now pays much more in rent. Toilet dispute At the end of last year, former Town of Pelham Mayor Ralph Beamer and his wife Barbara, who are 82 and 81, were having trouble with their toilet clogging. The couple called Fairman to resolve the issue, believing that it was Fairman’s responsibility, and that he had tools suitable to unclog the drain. But according to the Beamers, Fairman asserted that he could not find the correct tool. Instead he called Roto-Rooter. In a letter to the Beamers on December 18, King said that Roto-Rooter’s report had found that too much toilet paper was being flushed down the drain. “Please work with us to eliminate the problem by following these recommendations,” wrote King.
A handbook containing recommended guidelines has not been updated, as far as the Voice could determine, since 2015. VOICE GRAPHIC
A handicapped access button inside the front entrance. She told the Beamers to flush multiple times and hold the handle down until the toilet cleared. But it was King’s final two suggestions that angered them. “Invest in a small auger to aid in clearing the drain; dispose of the toilet paper in a garbage pail,” she concluded. “Thank you for your cooperation.” “She said that she wanted me to go out and buy one of those special plungers. I said, ‘In your wildest dreams,’” said Ralph. Barb said she felt humiliated by the suggestion that soiled toilet paper be put in a garbage bin. “They did bully us, and they made us feel like we were doing something totally wrong,” said Barbara. “I felt it was elder abuse, the way they spoke to us.” Barbara said that she felt so embarrassed that she was crying as she read the letter from King. That night, Pam Young visited the Beamers. “Barb was just sobbing,” said Young. “And they were so diligent about the problem. That’s when I knew that what’s been going on needed to change. To think that you’re thinking, ‘Oh no, I’ve got to take a poop.’ And then you’re feeling really anxious because, ‘Oh no, what if it plugs the toilet.’” “I called Justice Niagara about it,” said Young. “They told me that unless there were towels being shoved down the toilet, it’s never the tenant’s responsibility.” After the incident, the Beamers’ son spoke to King about the issue, and was told that it would be looked into. The Beamers consequently received an offer from the building to replace their toilet.
VOICE PHOTO
Personal relationship According to numerous tenants of the building, Fairman and King were—and may still be—involved in a romantic relationship. “Since I moved in, people were telling me that they were going together,” said Jeanne May. According to May, whose apartment was directly above Fairman’s when he still resided in the building, she observed King entering his apartment at night and leaving early in the morning. “Her car was parked in the visitor area, not in her normal spot,” said May. “She came in through his gate through his patio door. I could always hear when the patio door opened.” Tenants said that in light of this apparent personal relationship, they did not trust that King would exercise sufficient authority over Fairman, giving him preferential treatment. “I figured she was backing him up all the way,” said May. An advertisement soliciting candidates for the superintendent’s position ran in the Voice in August 2010. The email address to which candidates were to respond was not a housing corporation email address, but an email address at a company owned by Catherine King, CatMark Office and HR Services. As of mid April, King’s Linked In page identified her as the “Owner/Manager” of CatMark, stating that she has been employed by the company from 2009 to present, See SENIORS Page 18
Page 16
The Voice of Pelham, April 25 2018
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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
caution that under no circumstances should anyone deliver guns or ammunition directly to police facilities.
transplant in time. April is Be A Donor Month, and Niagara Health, in partnership with Trillium Gift of Life Network, is encouraging residents to register as organ and tissue donors. Age alone does not disqualify someone from becoming a donor. The oldest organ donor was over 90 and the oldest tissue donor was over 100. Current or past medical history does not prevent one from registering to
IN THE NEWS continued from Page 10 amnesty is offered for people who turn in weapons that have been used in the commission of a crime and no anonymous submissions will be accepted. Police urge interested gun owners to call the NRPS non-emergency line (905) 688-4111 to arrange for officers to attend and safely retrieve the weapons. Police
Be A Donor Month
Some 1,500 people are waiting for a life-saving organ transplant today in Ontario, says Niagara Health. This is their only treatment option, and every three days someone will die because they did not get their
be a donor. Each potential donor is evaluated on a case-by-case basis. “We’re grateful for our partnership with Trillium Gift of Life Network and the lives that have been saved because of others’ decision to be a donor,” says Heather Paterson, Niagara Health’s Director of Clinical Services. For more information, or to register as a donor, see www. beadonor.ca
Waiter, between 420, Earth Day, the Kinsmen Home and Garden Show, and the outbreak of real spring weather, we're exhausted. Just scotch. Leave the bottle.
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The Voice of Pelham, April 25 2018
SENIORS
a good job. But if that’s what was going on, take it out of the building.”
continued from Page 15 and employed by the Pelham Non-Profit Housing Corporation from August 2010 to present. King was first elected as a Ward 2 Pelham Town Councillor in 2010, and reelected in 2014. Former Pelham Town Councillor Sharon Cook, who served on the building’s board for ten years, said that King’s relationship with Fairman was widely known during her time on the board. “I had heard so much about it that I had a private meeting with Catherine. I just let her know that this is what’s going on, I said, ‘Whether you’re doing it or you’re not doing it, I could care less. That’s not my issue. If it’s being done in a place of work and residents are becoming more aware of it, then that’s the issue I have. So if you want to knock knees with this guy, go someplace else.’” Cook said that King didn’t say much in that meeting. “She didn’t deny it,” said Cook. “I think she said, ‘We were watching a movie’ or something. The point was, ‘Take it out.’ I liked Catherine, I thought she was doing
Challenged charges In addition to the Beamers’ concern that they were asked to buy their own plumbing tools, tenants also described a general pattern of improper fees being imposed, with the building’s administration only acknowledging their illegality after Landlord and Tenant Board opinions or decisions, or if the impropriety was otherwise brought to their attention. Under the Residential Tenancies Act, a tenant may not be charged an added fee that was not included in the original lease agreement, unless the fee is agreed to by both parties. Air conditioning On February 18, 2016, all tenants were notified that the Board of Directors had decided to implement a $25 dollar charge per month between May 1 and October 1 for “tenants operating an air conditioner and/or free standing cooling unit.” On Friday April 29, someone—reportedly a tenant’s
Spring Tea
family member—posted a notice regarding the proposed charge at various spots in the building. “I have spoken to the Landlord and Tenant Board regarding this matter and was unequivocally assured that any and all tenant occupying the premise on or before February 18, 2016 will not have to pay any such fee,” read the notice. “The Board of Directors may pass any motion it pleases, however it cannot unilaterally re-write Ontario Landlord and Tenant Legislation.” The letter was signed, “Citizens Advocating for the Elderly,” and its author said that they would be, “watching this situation closely.” “They were put up on every floor,” said Pam Young. “When Catherine found them on Monday morning she took them down right away.” A little over two weeks later, tenants who had lived in the building before February 18 received a notice from King. “While the newer tenants are required to pay the additional charges for the extra hydro used to operate an air conditioner/freezer or other large appliance which use the most energy, you do not fall in to that category,”
Wednesday, May 2nd
Parking The building also imposed a parking fee on tenants whose leases did not permit such a charge. When Jeanne May arrived at the building in 2010, her tenancy agreement (and others at the time) included a parking space in the monthly rent. Beginning in 2012, the building imposed a monthly parking fee. In February 2017 after consulting with Justice Niagara, May petitioned the Landlord and Tenant Board for the refund of her monthly fees from May 2013 onwards. A month later, the Landlord and Tenant Board ruled in her favour. “I agree with the Tenant,
Sales
and find that the monthly parking fee is an illegal charge under Section 134 of the Residential Tenancies Act,” read the ruling. May’s reimbursement was limited only to one year of remedies, and the ruling ordered the building to pay her $210. When it was first proposed, Larry Sztogryn and Marielle Kohl informed management that the planned parking charge was improper. In a meeting in March 2012, board member Jake Dilts told Sztogryn and Kohl that the entire parking system was going to be revised, and that the building was “applying to charge for parking.” “It looks like it’s going to go through, and we’re going to be able to do it after June 1, 2013,” said Dilts, whose remarks were recorded. Despite Dilts seeming to acknowledge that the parking fee could not be imposed until more than a year later, the building imposed it on June 1, 2012.
Another parking charge Beginning in January of this year, management imposed another parking increase upon some tenants, only for King to back down when challenged on the point by Barbara Beamer.
•
Service
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“She wanted to raise it from fifteen dollars to twenty-five [per month],” said Beamer. “In my contract it says fifteen. I went down there with my contract and showed her. She was very adamant that it didn’t matter, that [the fee] was going to be raised. She turned and went over to her desk, and said, ‘Here. Here’s the number to the Landlord and Tenant Board. You call and find out yourself.’ She was rather hostile. When she gave me the number it was almost to me like a dare, [like she was saying] ‘I’m sure you won’t do it, but I’ll give it to you.’ That’s the way I felt about it. That she was pushing me. She didn’t think I would actually do it. That’s what she thinks with all us old people—that we’re just pushovers.” Beamer called the Landlord and Tenant Board twice, and both times was told that the fee increase was illegal. She was also told the same by Justice Niagara. On February 28, Beamer sent King a note, saying that she had called the Landlord and Tenant Board and also sought legal advice. “Both of these offices advised me that the parking increase is not legal,” wrote Beamer. Three weeks later, the Beamers received a notice See SENIORS next page
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wrote King. Instead, King asked these tenants to volunteer to pay. “Did you know? The cost per month to operate a room air conditioner ranges between $26.67 to $40.00 per month,” asserted King. “We have already seen the building’s electricity cost rise 37.8% so far this year!” “I didn’t even have an air-conditioner. I wrote back on the form, ‘I’m not paying this,’” said May. None of the tenants who spoke to the Voice agreed to pay the voluntary fee.
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SENIORS continued from previous page from King in which she acknowledged that the Beamers had overpaid for parking. Included was a cheque reimbursing them for the month that they paid they increase they should not have been charged. “She just was pushing me and pushing me. If she could’ve got away with it, she would’ve,” said Beamer. Laundry machines Part of Marielle Kohl’s complaint to the Landlord and Tenant Board—the complaint package that was settled on the day of the hearing—was about the installation of coin-operated laundry machines. In a January 2012 letter, Kohl advised the board that under her lease agreement she was already paying six dollars per month for laundry in the utilities portion of her rent. “I do not agree with the implementation of coin-operated laundry facilities based on what the Law says and my continuing Tenancy Agreement,” wrote Kohl. According to Larry Sztogryn, the six dollar per month laundry fee was returned to tenants only after he and Kohl threatened to take the building to the Landlord and Tenant Board over it.
Board composition When Pam Young moved in to the building in 2011, the handbook she was given detailed the composition of the Board of Directors. The handbook said that the corporation was “gov-
The Voice of Pelham, April 25 2018 erned by a Board of Directors with five citizen members, three tenant members, and one council representative who are appointed for a four-year term by the Town of Pelham.” The 2015 version of the handbook, which was being provided to new tenants as late as 2017, contained a different description. Sometime between 2011 and 2015, the board’s composition changed to “no less than five citizen directors and no more than seven citizen directors,” removing the Council representative and tenant members. (Former board member Sharon Cook said that the tenant handbook was a collection of guidelines, not a hard-and-fast set of regulations. A tenancy agreement provided to the Voice makes no mention of a handbook.) In March 2015, in minutes taken of a meeting with tenants, King wrote that there were five members of the board. (Advertisements soliciting volunteers for the board ran periodically in the Voice. No such ad has run since 2013.) According to several tenants, they were confused as to which version of the handbook applied, and Pam Young says that existing tenants were not issued with revised copies. In the minutes of another meeting, in December 2015, King said that she would “endeavour to complete the revision of the handbook within the first quarter of 2016.” In mid-2017, at least one new tenant was given a copy of a handbook from 2015, with an “Under Revision” watermark. But despite the handbook
suggesting that a minimum of five members were required, a Corporation Profile Report obtained by Young in 2016 showed that at the time there were just four members of the board, none of whom were tenants of the building. In this report, the board’s President is Geoff Kirkwood, Jake Dilts is Vice-President, with Mark Rewbury and Wendy Thomas the two other members. Beamer applies In April 2017, frustrated by the way in which the building was run, and at the urging of other tenants, former Pelham Mayor Ralph Beamer submitted an application to join the board. In his application, Beamer outlined his qualifications, including his three terms as Mayor, one term as Councillor, three terms on the Regional Finance Committee, Director and President of the Niagara Peninsula Fruit Grower’s Association, and Director the Canadian Horticulture Council. A week later Beamer received an email from board president Geoff Kirkwood, rejecting his application. “It was agreed that a past decision to not have tenants sit on the Board will be upheld, for reasons of conflict,” wrote Kirkwood. “I asked what the conflict would be, and they kind of hemmed and hawed,” said Beamer. “Finally I said, ‘Maybe if I got a new fridge when I was on the board you’d have to put a new fridge in the whole building?’ They got a little huff y. They said, ‘Oh, no, no, no, it’s just that too many conflicts come up.’ There’s no
Page 19
conflicts at all.” Former Pelham Town Councillor Brian Walker, who served on the building’s board for nearly 10 years, said that there were tenants on the board in his time. Walker said that he thought this was a good thing, and that it allowed tenants to be directly involved in the governance of their own building. “When tenants came on, we never felt that anybody would have a conflict, because if you made a decision, for example, concerning the rent, that would affect all the tenants in the building and not a specific individual. That wouldn’t be a conflict for a tenant.” “Our meetings were always open,” he said. “The tenants who were interested could all come and sit in on the meeting, and raise the questions they had about how it was being run.” Former board member Sharon Cook said that the board’s approach was starkly different during the years that she was on it. “They won’t even let them in on the meetings,” said Cook, referring to the fact that tenants are now only permitted to attend the Annual General Meeting. Cook said that when she was on the board, there was often a group of tenants in attendance at all monthly meetings. Since Cook left the board she has attempted to rejoin twice, with her candidacy rejected both times. “I’ve been asked twice by Jake [Dilts] to get back involved,” said Cook. “The
first time I got a [rejection] letter from Catherine at the board’s direction,” said Cook. “The second time I guess Jake had taken it to the board and they said, ‘No way.’” Tenants’ Association Rather than join the board, Geoff Kirkwood suggested to Ralph Beamer that he consider involvement with the tenants’ association. Kirkwood described the tenants association “the most common way for tenants to be involved” in the building, asserting that the association served several purposes. One purpose was to “force tenants to wrestle with problems to find solutions, rather than just dumping them on the board.” Kirkwood also asserted that one of the purposes of the tenants’ association was that it “allow[s] the Board to explain what is going on and why things are the way they are.” The tenants who spoke to the Voice shook their heads at the mention of the tenants association, saying that it did nothing to address real concerns. “It’s the luncheon special,” said one of the tenants who asked to remain anonymous. “It’s just food and tea parties and pizza parties,” said Pam Young. Sandra Jacobs, the Tenants’ Association head, did not respond to requests for comment.
PELHAM
Board meetings According to the tenants, they are permitted to attend a single board meeting per year—the annual general meeting,—at which they must apply to be able to speak. Last year’s AGM came a month after Jeanne May had been refunded some $200 dollars of the roughly $600 dollars she was forced to pay in illegal parking fees. “I knew there was a bunch of people who [moved in] before me or around the same time, and they didn’t have to pay [the fees] either. I was telling Pam and the other tenants about it,” said May. “My sister said, ‘Why don’t you get a petition for all of the other tenants to have them say they want their money back too?’” According to May and several others present at the AGM, arrangements were made for the president of the tenants association to raise the parking fee refund question. “[The president] was supposed to mention to the board that the other tenants wanted their money back. Instead she got up and started talking about all the stuff she’d been doing with the lunches, and said, ‘I’m retiring, so I hope everybody gives me a big party,’” said May. “We’re all sitting there thinking, ‘You’re supposed to be telling him about the parking.’ [Another woman] got up and started saying that we’re here because we See SENIORS next page
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Page 20
The Voice of Pelham, April 25 2018
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Left, after tenant Marielle Kohl notified management in early 2012 that a handicap access door was "repeatedly locked when I come home in the evening," her friend Larry Sztogryn began recording on paper when handicap access was, and was not, available. Right, Geoff Kirkwood's letter to tenant Jeanne May, characterizing her mention—at last year's Annual General Meeting— of a victory before the Landlord and Tenant Board to other tenants as "meddlesome" and an "outburst." SUPPLIED DOCUMENTS/VOICE GRAPHICS
SENIORS continued from previous page want our parking money back. [The Board was] kind of hemming and hawing, saying ‘Well, we’ve got to do this, and we’ve got to that.’ I’m thinking, ‘[the board is] not going to give it to them.’” During this standoff, May called out from her seat. “I said loudly, ‘I already took you guys to court and I won,’ They didn’t like that,” said May. Several days later, May received a letter from Geoff Kirkwood, reading in part, “The Board expects ethical and professional behaviour of itself and those in attendance at meetings. Your outburst at the Annual General Meeting was not acceptable.” “The matter filed with the Landlord and Tenant Board pertaining to parking charges had been treated as a matter of privacy on the part of the corporation. Unfortunately, you did not see fit to protect your own information and as a result have cause undue stress to our staff and placed financial strain on the organization.” Geoff Kirkwood accused May of being “meddlesome” and of having “interfered with the harmony” of the building’s tenants. Justice Niagara’s Executive Director Michael Foster said that tenants are under no obligation to keep Landlord and Tenant Board rulings confidential. “They’re public,” said Foster. On the same day that Kirkwood sent the letter to May chastising her for speaking at the meeting, Pam Young received reimbursement of $180, included in a letter from Catherine King. This reimbursement came after the Landlord and Tenant Board had already ruled in Jeanne May’s favour. Young said she told King nearly a year earlier that she should not have had to pay the charge. “I told Catherine in July 2016 that I should not be paying a month-
ly fee for parking as my Tenancy Agreement explicitly states that parking is included in my monthly rent. She said she would check it out. She sent me a letter on July 27, 2016 that was very typically written in her ‘speak’. Lots of talk—but no answers. I’m very ashamed that I was too afraid to make waves about it at that time,” said Young. Indeed, though King’s July 27 letter was captioned, “Parking Fee,” King did not directly address Young’s contention that she should not be paying the added fee. According to Jeanne May, nine or ten tenants ended up being reimbursed for the parking charge.
Bullying and retaliation Jeanne May says that she felt persistently bullied by building super Mike Fairman. In one instance, she was in the laundry room and had to use the washroom. She went to use the public washroom nearby, but before she could open the door to it, Fairman came out. “Mike came out and yelled at me and said something like, ‘What? No privacy,’” said May. “He told me that I had to go upstairs to my apartment and use my bathroom. It was a public bathroom.” May also says that he mocked her over her practice of collecting beer cans to return for a refund. “I would go [out walking] early in the morning, and I used to find beer cans. I thought, ‘That’s ten cents.’ I was on welfare, so I was making very little money,” said May. “I thought, ‘If I get enough of them, I can buy a loaf of bread.’ I used to bring them and [Mike] and Jake [Dilts] used to see me, because this would be early in the morning. They used to make fun of me and joke around, and make snotty comments, I felt, about me being an alcoholic, when I didn’t even drink. I took great offence at this. I had complained to them a number of times to stop. Jake stopped, but Mike kept it up. My friends would
give me their wine bottles because they knew I was using them for bread and stuff. The last time somebody had given me some, I was walking back to the apartment and Mike saw me and he made another snotty comment about an alcoholic.” May also recalled another instance of Fairman chastising her, in spring 2012. “It was in the middle of the night, about two o’clock in the morning,” said May. “I was still up and I went into the kitchen to get some tea. And I heard this really loud bang. The elevator was [not far] from my door. So I opened my door, and Mike was there at the elevator with the elevator repair guy. I said, ‘Is there something wrong?’ He said, really nastily, ‘Oh you have to know everything.’ I thought, ‘What? Where did that come from?’ I was just looking to see what the loud bang was.” At the beginning, May says that she kept quiet about her broader concerns of the building’s management. “But you get to a certain point and that’s it. When they came in my apartment and sent that letter [about its clutter], I said, ‘That’s it.’” May thinks that her outspokenness resulted in retaliation from the building’s administration. Last summer, some months after speaking up at the Annual General Meeting, May received a warning letter from Kirkwood. At the time, May’s father was severely ill and she was spending time caring for him at his home in Fenwick. Kirkwood’s letter came on August 8. “Niagara Regional Housing has a very long waitlist for affordable housing,” wrote Kirkwood, “and as such there are rules in place to ensure that units are available to those most in need. The rules for subsidy don’t allow more than 90 days absence in a year and you have already been absent well over that time.” Kirkwood told May that she must either reside in her apartment full-
time, or provide a written intention to pay market rent for the unit. “On August 30th, 2017, we will assess again whether you are living in the apartment full-time,” concluded Kirkwood. May said that she spoke to a lawyer about the letter. “The lawyer said, ‘Yeah, there is that rule. But there’s also an exemption, and it’s you’re taking care of an ill family member in their home.’” Indeed, policy C-33 of Niagara Regional Housing allows for extenuating circumstances in the case of caring for an ill family member in their home. On August 23, Justice Niagara staff paralegal Keri-Lynn Lee sent a letter to Kirkwood advising him that May was caring for her 88-year-old father. “[May] has been informing the administrative staff at [Pelham Non-Profit Housing Corporation] each time her father enters and leaves her rental unit as [she] had been advised to do after a previous confusion regarding her father staying in her rental unit. The tenant has not been informing the administrative staff each time she enters or leaves her rental unit independently,” wrote Lee. “It is hoped that the information above will assist with clarifying any confusion regarding [May’s] status of residing in the unit fulltime.” According to May, the building’s board was well aware that her father was seriously ill and that she was providing care for him. On September 1, Kirkwood replied to Justice Niagara, writing, “We question the validity of Ms. May’s statement to you,” and said that more information would be provided. Last autumn, the corporation hired the law firm Lancaster, Brooks, and Welch regarding the matter of May’s tenancy. On December 8, lawyer Ryan Pearson sent a letter to Justice Niagara in which he said that May had only
begun residing permanently in her apartment as of September 1. “I think they didn't end up doing anything because they’d heard I’d went to [Justice Niagara],” said May. “I told [Justice Niagara] that it was retaliation because I had just taken them to court for the parking, and I opened my big mouth and told everyone.” However, Ryan Pearson also implied that May had not been truthful with Justice Niagara. "Contrary to the information you have been provided by Ms. May, it appears that Ms. May resided in her father's Fenwick home for a period of approximately 260 days. It is the writer's understanding that Ms. May would usually return for one night a week (if at all) to the apartment with her father. On these occasions Ms. May would call the office to report that she and her father were in the apartment unit and the length of time they would be staying. It is therefore our position, that unless Ms. May had come to the apartment unit without a guest, she has not actually lived in the apartment…." On January 9 of this year, Justice Niagara replied to the law firm, asserting that May had always been a permanent resident of her apartment, and restating, "The tenant has not been informing the administrative staff each tie she enters or leaves her rental unit independently.” Though the matter was dropped, May moved out in February. Her father died on March 6. May says that this was an added stress on her and her father during the last months of his life. “My father said, ‘Get out of there,’” said May. “It was really bothering him. He saw what it was doing to me. I would tell him what was going on. He couldn’t take the stress. He kept telling me over and over to get out of there.” May’s father left her his house in his will. May says that if he hadn’t, See SENIORS page 22
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The Voice of Pelham, April 25 2018
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Several video surveillance cameras have been installed in the building, including in the laundry room. Some tenants express concern that the system is used to monitor residents in a manner contrary to guidelines set out by the Privacy Commissioner of Canada. VOICE PHOTOS
SENIORS continued from Page 20 she’d have been stuck—unable to afford leaving rentgeared-to-income, yet unable to continue living in such a stressful place. “This is a fear of others,” said Pam Young. “If you ‘Go along to get along’ you enjoy a sense of security, in that you’re ‘In like Flynn’ with management. If you challenge the board and management regarding their unenforceable rules and illegal charges, you deal with a sense of dread. For rent-geared-toincome tenants, the constant worry is that [the corporation] will simply not renew its agreement with Niagara Regional Housing to supply a rent subsidy for RGI tenants.” Young’s fears about losing her NRH subsidy stem from a comment made to her by Catherine King in a March 2017 letter, a letter primarily concerned about using a debit card to pay rent. “You will pay a monthly rent of [amount] until such time as your income necessitates otherwise or we cannot continue offering our tenants rent geared to income assistance,” wrote King. Young says that she was furious when she read the letter. “The added comment ‘or if we can no longer afford to offer rent geared to income
assistance’ had nothing to do with pre-authorized debit. Always the jabs. Always under her thumb. Always be ‘on your knees in gratitude’ mode,” said Young. Upset as she was, she wrote an angry letter to King, which she did not send. Instead, Young went to speak to King directly. “I went to her. I started to cry. I asked her why she had to add the comment about no longer being able to offer RGI,” said Young. Young recorded the meeting. “You really hurt me and distressed me,” Young is heard to tell King. King said that she included mention of possibility that RGI may not be offered because the relationship between NRH and the building could end. “Is there any reason why NRH wouldn’t renew it?” Young asked her. “It’s not a question of them,” replied King. “They need us. It’s a question of, would we—would the board—want to renew it?” Young asked King why the board wouldn’t continue the relationship with NRH, considering that the building receives market rent on subsidized units. King said that she agreed with Young, but did not say why the board would consider ending the relationship. However, NRH’s Shelly Upton said that current
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RGI tenants have “security of tenure,” and that NRH’s subsidy for them would continue even if the contract between the building and NRH is not renewed. Currently, NRH has a contract to provide Pelham Non-Profit with subsidies for 20 tenants. “If we decided to divorce… if one of those twenty turns over, we’ve mutually agreed that they would be filled with market rent. If one of those tenants stays for the next twenty years, we’ve agreed to continue to provide funding for the life of the tenancy,” said Upton. “That’s one of the really nice things about the rent supplement.” “Ms. Young does not have anything to worry about,” said Upton after being shown King’s letter by the Voice. “She has security of tenure under the rent supplement program.” Young said that she feels trapped in the building. “Fonthill is my home and there is nowhere else to go that offers affordable housing. That being said, I love my apartment, and the vast majority of my neighbours here are lovely people, and we all get along well,” she said. “I do not wish to move.” Restricted lobby use Another tenant, who asked the Voice to withhold their name, said, “Within a month of me moving in, I was told by Catherine that we weren’t supposed to sit in the lobby unless we were waiting to be picked up or we were catching our breath after coming in,” said the tenant. When the tenant asked King why such a rule was in place, King reportedly said that visitors coming in to see her would be waiting in the lobby, and that if tenants were sitting there her guests would have no space to sit. In a memo to Pam Young last November, King wrote that “lengthy visiting is not permitted in the lobby.” In an audio recording of a meeting with Young in May of 2016, Geoff Kirkwood is heard to say, “The areas out there are not for sitting and having long discourses and whatnot. That’s a waiting area for somebody coming to pick you up or take you back or whatever.” Kirkwood provided his guideline for permissible times for tenants to talk in the lobby. “The weather takes two seconds,” he said. “Am I going to object to that? No. Two minutes? No. Ten minutes? Yes. Twenty minutes? Yes.”
May recalled an instance when she and two other tenants were seen seated in the lobby. “The next time I saw Catherine, she yelled at me, because I was out there and we were talking,” said May, who said that King had also reprimanded one of the others in the group. “We were not allowed to sit out there.” Security cameras Many tenants also expressed concern at the number of security cameras present in the building. Last August, Pam Young sent King a letter asking her to hold a meeting to “address the numerous questions and concerns swirling among the tenants” regarding the recent installation of the cameras. Young also made mention of her concern about the length of time that protective padding was being left up in the elevator. Earlier in the summer, a tenant had fallen one night when the elevator didn’t open flush to the floor, and lay there for some three hours before she was found. The tenant who fell told Young that the padding, put in place during move-ins and move-outs, prevented her from grabbing hold of the railing to prevent her fall or to pull herself back up. King wrote back the next day, ignoring Young’s request for a meeting, and not addressing her concern about the elevator padding. “The Video Surveillance System was installed for the purpose of increasing the safety and security of tenants, staff and members of the public, to protect public safety, our corporate assets and property and to detect and deter criminal activity and vandalism,” said King. King asserted that several tenants had expressed their appreciation for the “value-added service” and told Young to have concerned tenants meet directly with her. This, Young says, is a strategy King often employs, and speculating that she does so, “to contain the unrest and keep it to a minimum.” “I can only guess as to why, but there is strength in numbers, and perhaps it’s more challenging for her to deal with the masses and be accountable to the many as opposed to smoothing the ruffled feathers of a oneon-one.” Young replied, pointing out that her request for a public meeting had been ignored and that her concern about the elevator padding had also been ignored. She repeated her request for a
public information session. A week later King answered. “Dear Pam,” she wrote. “Thank you for your letter of August 21st. Your concern has already been addressed.” In verbal conversations, Young says that King refused to answer some of her questions and concerns. “She said that the cameras were there to deter criminal activity, so I asked her if there had ever been any crime in the building,” said Young. “She wouldn’t answer. She said, ‘I don’t have to answer that.’ Young said she told King that she did, in fact, have to answer, prompting King to say that at one time she thought someone was watching her from their car in the parking lot. “She also said that it appeared that someone had tampered with the money machine in the laundry room. I asked her if the cameras were on all the time. She wouldn’t answer.” A security camera is present in the laundry room. A tenant who requested their name be withheld says that they asked King why a camera was necessary in this location. “She replied, ‘Well, we have to make sure that things are done properly, and to keep an eye on people.’” Young obtained a copy of the Guidelines for the Overt Video Surveillance in the Private Sector, from the Privacy Commissioner of Canada, and believes that the building’s use of the cameras violates several of these guidelines, which do not carry the force of law. One guideline says that cameras observing parking spaces “cannot be used to track the movements of tenants.” Young and May believe that management planned to use the cameras to observe May’s comings and going as she cared for her father. Another guideline says, “Individuals have a right to know who is watching them and why, what information is being captured, and what is being done with recorded images.” “We all feel like they’re using the security tapes against us,” said Irene Shepperd. Young said that it’s unsettling to constantly be worried about what the next “scheme” will be. “There definitely is a pattern here. Who will be brave enough to step up the next time and say ‘This isn’t right’? We’re tired and don’t want to have to fight for justice,” said Young, who, like
May, is also 64. “We love our apartments. We love living here. We just wish we had a landlord we could trust, one who would respect the laws of the province of Ontario and abide by them rather than trying to take advantage of seniors and count on them to just go along. Our tenancy agreements are legally binding contracts. The tenants are not the ones continually trying to change the legal terms— the landlord is.” There are many residents, said Ralph Beamer, “who don’t want to stir the pot at all, because they’re afraid of losing their apartments— they’re being intimidated. This is crazy, eleven of us sitting around here [trying to get something done].” Irene Shepperd said that she had taken to wearing a heart monitor so that she can note the physical effects that the stress of living in the building has has upon her. “It’s about the safety of our emotional health. We’re all just trying to live happy, normal lives, but there’s so much uncertainty all the time,” she said. “We can’t have a normal conversation.” Prior to moving to the building five years ago, Shepperd lived in an apartment in St. Catharines. She says that there were a lot of Brock University students tenants. The building was noisy, rife with drug use, and the site of frequent parties. “There were two fires— one across the hall from me, and one kitty corner,” said Shepperd. “It was a scary place. The hydro would go out, and the parking garage was all underground. When this happened, I’d have to walk eleven floors up a dark stairwell.” When she was offered a unit in the Fonthill building off the waiting list, she thought it was the perfect spot—only seniors, just four floors, and in a quiet area. According to Shepperd, when she moved in King told her that transitioning to rent-geared-to-income in the building would not be a problem. “I wanted to be able to retire,” said Shepperd. “She said it would be no problem to get into rent-geared-toincome—that I would just have to tell her beforehand, and that when a spot came open, I would be able to move right in. I was suspicious that she wouldn’t give it to me in writing, but she just kept assuring me. [Because of this] I just let things go. I didn’t want to make any waves. After my See SENIORS back page
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SENIORS continued from Page 22 shoulder operation, I said, ‘It’s time for me to retire,’ and I asked to be transferred. Catherine said, ‘Oh, we’re not doing that anymore.’ All those times keeping my mouth shut, all those times being yelled at. It was all for nothing.” Shepperd said she contacted Niagara Regional Housing and was informed that she wasn’t even on the waiting list for rent-gearedto-income, despite being under the impression that she had been for the previous five years. At 71 she is still working, at a long-term care facility. She jokes that she might go to work one day and not come home—just move right in to her workplace. Pam Young echoed Shepperd. “You toe the line, because you want to get in rent-geared-to-income, and you don’t want to make any waves. So you allow yourself to be bullied.”
Housing challenges Brock University professor of public health and gerontologist Paula Gardner, who does research on Niagara Regional Housing and age-friendly communities, said that senior housing creates opportunities and challenges. “Often [seniors are] in a residence for the first time, so they’re a bit out of their element,” she said, speaking generally. “Coming from their own home, they’re not sure of what the Landlord Tenancy Act is. They’re not sure of what their rights are.” Gardner said that these challenges extend to the managing of such buildings, since managers must work with tenants who feel as though they’re out of their element. She described the concept of first, second, and third places. For most people, a home is their first place, work their second, and the neighbourhood their third. But because seniors are typically retired, their neighbourhood—their apartment building—ends up becoming much more significant. “For older people, when they don’t work outside the home, and when the home is sometimes iso-
The Voice of Pelham, April 25 2018 lating, it’s these other places that can become second places or first places,” she said. “We always talk about how age-friendly communities or housing are just friendly communities,” said Gardner. Gardner said that participation in the governance of buildings has a positive effect on the friendliness of communities. “One of my graduate students is talking to seniors for her thesis project. One of the things that is really significant for them is having a place to voice their opinions about things. They’re just so happy to be asked,” she said. Gardner said that having tenants as board members is happening more and more. “Like condo boards, I think that’s happening—I’m sure it is. I think places are receptive to that.” Gardner said that the presence of tenants on boards has a positive impact on the friendliness of buildings. “It normalizes things. Growing older—there are great losses. We can be losing our houses, we can be losing our spouses, we can be losing our friends. We lose some of our identity around our workplace. We’re losing some of our functional abilities. So anytime that we can have gains or growth, or provide opportunities for that. To be respected dignifies community members. I think there’s great value in that.”
Ownership and authority The question of who actually owns the building has also troubled tenants Town Public Relations and Marketing Specialist Marc MacDonald confirmed that there is no formal or official relationship between the Town and Pelham Non-Profit Housing Corporation. Niagara Regional Housing’s Shelly Upton said that the corporation has no individual beneficiaries, and that its profits must be re-invested into the building. Upton said that there would be clause in the building’s articles of incorporation that would stipulate how any property would be sold. “It may very well say, ‘can only be sold to another non-profit hous-
ing corporation,’” said Upton. Contacted by telephone and asked by the Voice what would happen if the building were put up for sale, board member Jake Dilts answered, “If the building goes up for sale, let's go back to the Town of Pelham.” Asked for clarification, Dilts grew agitated by the line of questioning. “Who asked you to ask all this information? Is our tenants? Is it the Town of Pelham? Who’s asking for all this information you’re tying to come up with? Why are you asking all these questions? Did somebody bring something up against us? I know you work for a newspaper, but I don’t need propaganda. We’ve got a couple of people in that building that are trying to create problems for the rest of the organization. It’s quite a well-run building, and gives a place where seniors can stay and live very comfortably.” Dilts repeatedly asserted that there were troublemaking tenants. “We have people in that building that are trying to create problems for us. I’ve sat on that board for a lot of years. And I don’t need the gossip that comes out of the papers and comes out of the people to be presented.” Subsequent requests for comment from Dilts went unanswered. The Voice also made multiple requests for comment, both by telephone and through email, of Catherine King, Geoff Kirkwood, and Mike Fairman. Reached by telephone, Geoff Kirkwood said, “I’m making no comment whatsoever at this time,” and declined to provide an email address. A day later, Kirkwood sent an email to the Voice, copied to Catherine King, stating that the corporation was seeking legal counsel and requesting that the paper indefinitely delay publication of this story, “to allow us the time to respond appropriately.” When contacted by phone, Mike Fairman said, “Not interested, buddy,” and hung-up. Reaching Catherine King by telephone, the Voice advised her that an email requesting comment would come shortly. King neither acknowledged nor responded to the email, nor to two follow-up emails containing additional questions.
www.thevoiceofpelham.ca In total, the Voice submitted some 42 specific comment requests between King, Fairman, Kirkwood, and Dilts. Nine days after the lion’s share of these questions were posed, board president Geoff Kirkwood responded. In a four-page letter sent to the Voice last Saturday, Kirkwood opened with a definition of what constitutes defamation, noted that the organization was a “private corporation,” and summarized certain legislation governing its activities. He also referenced an undated but “recent Tenant Satisfaction Survey” which showed that “the majority of the tenants indicated that they feel safe and are either Satisfied or Very Satisfied with the Property Condition, Maintenance & Repairs, Staff Contact and the Social Activities offered by the Tenants’ Association.” Of the 42 questions posed by the Voice, Kirkwood addressed four (Kirkwood’s letter is available on our website: www.thevoiceofpelham.ca/ kirkwood_letter ). First, Kirkwood summarized the corporation’s relationship with Niagara Regional Housing. Second, concerning the departure of building superintendent Mike Fairman from his on-site, two-bedroom unit, Kirkwood wrote, “The decision to apply Tenant Eligibility rules to the Superintendent’s Premises was a financial decision and identified the unit as part of the overall available number of housing units.” Kirkwood did not address Fairman’s alleged relationship with Catherine King, though did add, “... the Board is required to keep confidential information of any private information about the affairs of the Corporation, its members, tenants and staff.” Third, in response to a tenant who told the Voice that they were ill in bed and didn’t feel like answering the door, only to find Fairman inside their apartment a moment later, Kirkwood acknowledged the legislated 24-hour-notice rule, and wrote, “There was an incident when notice had not been given due to extenuating circumstances. An apology was provided to the tenant along with an offer to return at another time but the tenant al-
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lowed the work to be carried out.” Finally, as to why the building installed so many video surveillance cameras, Kirkwood responded that the system was there, “for the purpose of increasing the safety and security of tenants, staff and members of the public and to detect vandalism." At press time, no further comment had been received by King, Fairman, Kirkwood, or Dilts.
Looking ahead The tenants who spoke to the Voice said that they just want their concerns to be heard, even if they’re not confident that change will come. “There’s a tenant who lives here [who has concerns] who said, ‘What’s the point? Unless we’ve got fifty percent, what’s going to change?’ They take the fatalistic view,” said Pam Young. “Catherine may quote [the complaint protocol]. We’re long past that. We don’t trust her. She has made this comment to me, ‘The tenants are treated like children because they act like children.’” Irene Shepperd described having a similar interaction with King around the time that she moved in. Shepperd said that she was in King’s office when a tenant’s relative stopped in to speak with King. “[The relative] left, and then Catherine made a comment like, ‘They seem to think that I’m here to babysit their parents,” recalled Shepperd. “Then she sort of paused, because I was just staring at her, like I couldn’t believe what she was saying. Then she looked at me funny, and said, ‘Oh, I keep forgetting you’re one of them.’ I assumed she meant senior.” Young said that King’s position as a Pelham Town Councillor makes tenants doubtful that the municipality could offer assistance to them. “I have heard several tenants say they would feel very uncomfortable going to the Town for help by virtue of the fact that Catherine is a councillor,” said Young. “We need a new superintendent—who lives in the building. We need a new manager. We need a new board,” said Young. “We need a fresh start.” ◆
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