Wally Braun enters Ward 1 race page 3 Checking in with Ron Leavens page 8 CannTrust licenses reinstated page 15 EXCEEDING EXPECTATIONS
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The Voice, August 12, 2020
RESULTS
by Dave Burket
And that’s a wrap: We’ve now interviewed each of the Ward 1 by-election candidates, ending this week with Wally Braun. (Candidate Cari Pupo has declined to be interviewed.) In 2018, when there was a bucketful of candidates (32) running for different offices (six council positions, and one position each for Regional Council, various school boards, and Mayor), it was impossible for one writer to interview all of them. Not so this year, as our contributor Don Rickers proved by sitting down with six candidates over the last few weeks. This provides for an unusual consistency this time around, arguably removing one of the variables from the reporting mix: the potential inconsistencies between writers. Early on, I noticed an interesting tendency—after each interview, Don would include a comment that the latest candidate had interesting things to say and was pretty impressive. By the end, he’d had the same reaction to all the candidates, a great sign, it seems to me...First results are in: Our first tracking poll results are in and appear at the right. As ever, take these with a grain of salt. Those voting in the poll are asked to obey the honour system and only vote if they live in Ward 1. I suspect that there have been some naughty folks outside the ward voting as well, since 112 responses is a good result for a regular Voice poll across the entire town. It’s also important to remember that even the best polls are meaningless if voters don’t actually get out and vote...Fancy some outdoor work? DeKorte’s Landscaping is hiring (ad, p. 20). I’m tempted...Can we bottle some of this enthusiasm? Our regular columnist and contributor John Swart was so jazzed after getting out to Merrittville Speedway over the weekend that he got back out of bed to start writing the story, and dropped me an email to express what an interesting time he'd had. I suggested that he expand on those thoughts and so he did. I now turn the floor over to John: During preparation for this week’s story about the passionate community of racers, fans, and volunteers associated with Merrittville Speedway, including the track owners, it became clear why writing and reporting for a quality local newspaper is so rewarding. Meeting and learning the thoughts and opinions of those I report on invariably expands my understanding of a subject or position. The credibility of the Voice often affords me an entry into people’s lives as if I were an old friend, and the honesty with which most share their stories is truly humbling. As someone who grew up during 1960s, seeking to understand the protests of Black Power advocates and the Black Panthers, but without the life experience to fully comprehend their rage and validity, the era passed me by. It was only in July of this year, through the eyes and genuine concern of five young Pelham men articulating to me as a reporter why they would endure a 200-kilometre bicycle ride to fundraise for Black Lives Matter, helping to end injustice toward people they would never meet, that I finally got it. Family legend has it that I attended my first car race at age three, so I was destined to spend my early 20s racing the dirt ovals of Merrittville, Humberstone, Speedway Park, and Ransomville NY. Financing the car and trying to win, while leaving a bit of time for girls and a job, was all
Voice
NRPS impaired driving charges
ELECTION TRACKING POLL: 6 Weeks to Election Day
PUBLISHER’S CORNER
www.thevoiceofpelham.ca
Last week we asked if the election were held today, who would get your vote? Results are in percentages rounded to the nearest whole number. 112 total votes cast.
Wally BRAUN
Maria BRIGANTINO
Cari PUPO
Wayne OLSON
Colleen KENYON
Steven SOOS
ADVISORY: While safeguards are in place to eliminate multiple votes, this is a self-selected poll, meaning it has no scientific validity compared to a formal random survey undertaken by a professional polling firm.
THE VOICE WARD 1 BY-ELECTION TRACKING POLL
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5 weeks to Election Day
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If the election were held today, who would get your vote?
Answer at: www.thevoiceofpelham.ca/ward1 that mattered. There hasn’t been a season since then that I haven’t attended a race a Merrittville, or met old racing buddies along the way. Yet it was trying to share with Voice readers the sense of community that everyone involved in the dirt scene embraces, and how this dedication has helped them all endure the
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BY JULIE MANNELL
Special to the VOICE
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BALLOONING INTEREST Grade 6 student Jinja Shepherd explains her experiment on static electricity at the Glynn A. Green Public School's annual science fair last Friday. See story, page 3. NATE SMELLE PHOTO
Public meeting tonight on school issues BY VOICE STAFF As questions continue to mount regarding an email that Pelham Mayor Dave Augustyn quietly sent to a District School Board of Niagara trustee last summer, Augustyn has agreed to address the issue at a public meeting scheduled for this evening, Wednesday, Feb. 8, in Fenwick. Nancy Beamer, speaking for “Names Matter,” a Pelham citizens group lobbying the DSBN to reverse its decision to rename a local public school, confirms that the meeting will be held at Fire Station #2, known locally as the Fenwick Fire Hall, starting at 7:00 PM. While the Mayor has agreed to ap-
Under pressure, Mayor to address email revelation, other E. W. Farr matters pear, says Beamer, DSBN officials associated with the school-naming process have either declined to attend or have not yet responded to the group’s invitation. DSBN Chair, Dale Robinson, to whom Augustyn’s email was addressed last June, has declined to appear, says Beamer, asserting that she would be
“on holidays.” The Voice was unable to independently confirm Robinsion’s intentions. She did not respond to repeated requests for comment on E.W. Farr-related matters before presstime. Beamer, whose group maintains an email list of some 580 residents, says that all members of the public are invited and encouraged to attend the meeting. “We would especially welcome parents and children who are unhappy with the name change,” she says, referring to the contentious decision by the DSBN to consolidate two Pelham See MEETING back page
HEN I WAS young, my father and I would go for long drives along the rural routes of Pelham. We’d blast George Thurgood and roll down the windows because we loved the smell of the breeze, the sensation of crisp Niagara wind beating our cheeks and tangling our hair against our summer-kissed skin. My father was not a sentimental man. He worked in factories and had a Gordon Lightfoot mustache and never shed tears over injuries. Yet something about the Pelham landscape, the hilly backdrop to his childhood and the childhoods of our ancestors, drew him in. He’d stop by a farm or a gathering of woods and, surrendering his manly veneer, tell me a story about the town. This place is precious. This is the earth that granted us life. Here is the place where we happened upon love or here is a site of devastation. On one particular drive sometime in the late ‘90s we stopped at a tree with a plaque. “This tree looks dead,” I said to my father. “It sure is getting there, Julie.” The Comfort Maple is supposedly Canada’s oldest See COLUMN SIX Page 14
Part 2 of 2: Coronation to embarkation
Vol.20 No.32
BY VOICE STAFF
A construction error was discovered following the opening of a traffic calming chicane on Haist Street north of Hwy 20 last Monday that prevented large vehicles from passing through. One resident living in the neighbourhood said he contacted the Town after seeing a small schoolbus get stuck as it tried to get through the new traffic calming measure. Later that day while driving behind a cement truck, he said that he became concerned for the public’s safety when the truck had to turn around because it couldn’t get through. “If a small school bus and a cement truck can’t make it through what about a fire
BY HEATHER McLAREN ROHRER
Special to the VOICE
A
Repair measures underway last week to correct a construction error in the chicane. truck or an ambulance?” he said. While waiting for the contractor to return to fix
the mistake, the Town has taken measures to temporarily allow passage for vehicles through the neigh-
VOICE PHOTO
bourhood in the short-term. Manager of Public Works Ryan Cook said that after discovering the issue with
the chicane the morning it first opened, the Town See CHICANE Page 5
Petition-inspired changes coming to 2017 Summerfest BY NATE SMELLE
The VOICE
Representatives from the Pelham Summerfest committee Candy Ashbee and Bill Gibson presented council with a final report on the 2016 Summerfest at the Council meeting on Monday, Nov. 21. Prompted by a story in the Voice in August about a merchant petition to move Summerfest from Pelham Street, in September Town staff met with various stakeholders to hear their complaints, promising at the time that changes in the way Summerfest was mounted would be con-
sidered. The main concerns identified during the community engagement process were security, parking, ensuring customer can access all businesses in town, and liability for damages. How to get all Pelham Street businesses to participate and finding ways to make it beneficial for them to set up a booth were also determined to be of high priority for the committee as they plan for next year’s event. Gibson told Council that the committee is addressing these concerns in a variety of ways. To improve parking, they intend to create bet-
ter signage for out-of-town visitors to designated parking areas and shuttle services. To make participation in Summerfest more enticing to local businesses, they plan to implement a tiered-charge for booths. Under the new system, Pelham Street business owners will be charged the least, other local businesses will pay a slightly higher fee, and vendors from outside Pelham will pay the most. In response to more specific issues for individual businesses, they will also slightly alter the footprint of the event and make adjustments to security. Another way the committee plans
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
Wednesday October 12, 2016
FREE
Apple Day comes to Fonthill
See COLUMN SIX Page 14
BY VOICE STAFF
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
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-
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
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Second year Beaver with the 3rd Fonthill Group, Russell Letford offers a fresh apple to shoppers SUPPLIED PHOTO in Pelham during the 2015 Apple Day campaign. A longtime Canadian tradition, Apple Day began in 1932 in Saint John, New Brunswick, when Scouts handed out 21,000 apples as a way to say thank you to the community. In return for their generosity, many people offered them donations. From then on Scouts have reached out through Apple Day to raise funds for their programs.
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Column Six It doesn’t get better than Autumn
Longtime Scouting tradition dates to 1932
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-
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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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The Niagara Regional Police Service is committed to reducing impaired driving offences through education and the apprehension of offenders through enforcement programs like RIDE. Impaired driving is still the leading cause of criminal deaths in Canada and destroys thousands of lives every year.
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trials of COVID-19, that I fully appreciated why being a small part of this enthusiastic group has stayed in my heart. We should all have the opportunity to be small town newspaper contributors...And on that note: Get those Column Six contributions in, folks! We all have a tale to tell. ◆
In an effort to bring further attention and deterrence to driving while impaired by alcohol or drugs, the Niagara Regional Police Service reports the names of those people who are charged with an alleged criminal impaired driving offence in the Region. None of the following charges have been proved in court. In addition to being charged, these individuals are also bound by a Ministry of Transportation 90Day Administrative Driver’s License Suspension and are prohibited from operating a motor vehicle on a roadway. The public is encouraged to contact the Niagara Regional Police Service Traffic Safety Hotline or Crime Stoppers to report those who are driving in contravention of the suspension. The following individuals have been charged criminally with impaired driving by alcohol or drugs, driving with a blood alcohol concentration above 80 mgs of alcohol in 100 ml of blood, or refusing to provide a breath / blood sample. Ewa SCHABOWSKA, 60, Fort Erie Cody J. DUSANKO, 31, Hamilton Kenneth E. LIZANO-MENDEZ, 28, St. Catharines David B. YOUNG, 38, St. Catharines Christopher R. ORAM, 47, Port Colborne Nicholas M. GILLIGAN, 30, St. Catharines Steven A. RANKIN, 42, Port Colborne Tyler M. A. REITER, 26, St. Catharines Krystal L. ROUSSEL, 39, Niagara Falls Shane D. NELSON-ZABOLOTNEY, 33, Stoney Creek Stuart M. BOYD, 33, Fonthill Francesco ROMEO, 49, Niagara Falls
“I start work at 2:30 PM and school lets out at 2:15 PM so I can’t take any other route,” Williams explained. “I have had friends, family, teachers and other community members reach out to me in the past about how this is unsafe and how there should be another alternative for us.” Looking ahead to winter, when she will need to walk this path three or four times See SIDEWALK Page 2
HERE IS NO BETTER time to cycle than Fall. It matters not whether you’re new to the sport, a seasoned recreational cyclist, racer, touring rider or mountain biker; we all have reason to look forward to autumn. Summer’s heat has faded, and the streams of sweat that ran from soggy helmets into our eyes are now just slight perspiration. Fitness is peaking from lots of saddle time, making those tough climbs of Spring a breeze in Autumn. It’s hard to beat the feeling of beginning a crisp, cool Fall ride with a slight shiver, knowing your efforts will soon warm you perfectly. The hues of Autumn are outstanding. A Pelham route as simple as following our southern boundary is one that would make most Toronto cyclists jealous, especially when our forests and fields are ablaze with colour. Begin from Harold Black Park, and zig-zag south along Effingham Rd toward the Welland River. If you’re new to cycling, it’s important to know south is the direction away from any hills. If you avoid the morning and evening weekday rush hours caused by those travelling through Pelham between Wainfleet See AUTUMN Page 3
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The Voice, August 12, 2020
Page 3
WARD 1 BY-ELECTION 2020
"Taxes, development, and cannabis are the key issues" Contractor Wally Braun the seventh and final entry in Ward 1 by-election
We do need higher density if we develop any area, but we need to ensure that it looks attractive
BY DON RICKERS
Special to the VOICE
Give Wally Braun full marks for persistence. Undaunted by three unsuccessful prior runs for a council seat in Pelham (2003, 2014, 2018), he is back again to challenge for a place in the local political arena. Braun lives in Ward 3, but professes support for, and an understanding of, the rural dwellers in Ward 1, having grown up in Lincoln’s countryside. He has been a Pelham resident for 38 years. With a background in general contracting, Braun specializes in the design of buildings and interiors featuring classical architecture. He has studied a broad range of courses at Brock University over the years, with concentrations in philosophy, political science, English literature, and classics. It was the latter which fueled his passion for art and architecture, and their impact on urban development. Expansion of the commercial core of Pelham is a sore spot for Braun. He bemoans the “American-style” strip mall approach. “Look at the way Highway 20 has been developed, with huge acreage of parking lots, which create heat islands. They're just ugly,” said Braun. He said the problem in the past has been very little oversight over these kinds of developments, with elected officials often not having an awareness of the issues. Braun is on record as being of the view that property developers have been “coddled,” and “given a free ride” at the expense of taxpayers.
“We do need higher density if we develop any area, but we need to ensure that it looks attractive,” said Braun. “And that's where the architectural emphasis comes in.” He is insistent that it is possible to develop high-density lowrise structures which look appealing and are congruent with a town’s character. Current proposals for 10-storey buildings in Pelham makes his blood boil. “Look at Paris, France in terms of population density,” Braun argued. “It has one of the highest densities in the world. What is the height limit in Paris? Any building with occupancy is limited to five storeys.” Braun said that the “modern penitentiary” look of many contemporary storefronts could be replaced by something much more appealing, and cited the LCBO as a case in point. “They accommodate different styles of development. The LCBO in Niagara on the Lake on historic Queen Street has a character that's consistent with the town. Corporations will accommodate our needs…all we have to do is ask,” he said. If you look around Pelham, said Braun, it appears that the principal concern has been not aesthetics, but revenue generation. And he has serious concerns about the Town’s fiscal position. He referenced a conversation with then-mayor Ron Leavens about 15 years ago, when Leavens was a driving force for development in East Fonthill, including a
Ward 1 candidate Wally Braun, 2016. SUPPLIED new community centre. “I asked him, specifically, what is your maximum budget?” said Braun. “He said $9 million, with $3 million federal contribution, $3 million provincial, and $3 million from Pelham taxpayers. I said that's fine. But can you guarantee that this will be the position of all future councils after you're no longer Mayor? Of course he couldn’t… that was a rhetorical question. Well, anyway, here we are at $36 million.” [In an interview also in this week’s edition, Leavens laments how the council and mayor after him fumbled the ball on securing outside funding for the MCC project.] Braun insists that the real cost of the community centre was over $50 million, given that $17 million in reserves were directed to the project, which have not been
replenished. He wants the Town’s Treasurer to account for this discrepancy, and if deemed necessary, an external audit to be conducted. Although he has no campaign website yet, Braun has been busy meeting with residents in Ward 1, and has identified the hot-button issues. “The first is taxes, the second is development, and the third is cannabis….in that order of priority,” said Braun. “What development and cannabis have in common is that they both involve major outside financial interests coming in and taking advantage of our lack of regulation.” What Braun is suggesting with respect to cannabis is for the Town to gain local jurisdiction over the granting of permits. “What CannTrust did for us with their debacle was to demonstrate that the province as a regulatory body is an abject failure,” he said. “That puts us in a very good position to approach the province and say that we want to regulate this on our own. Once we get that, we can take away permits from corporations who commit violations.” Braun said he totally supports the work See BRAUN Page 15
Specialty camps: Arts, Theatre, and Tennis!
Register today! Does your child have an interest in the theatre or the arts? What about tennis?
If so, the Town of Pelham’s specialty camps are the perfect place to hone their passions in a safe and fun environment. Art & Theatre Camp –ages 7-12 August 17 - 21
Do you have a interest in theatre and the arts? This is a camp for you! Camp includes visits from special guests who will teach campers aspects of acting, pottery and more!
Tennis Camp – ages 7-12 August 24 - 28th
Youth will learn the game of tennis using developmentally appropriate equipment (smaller racquets & court size) all while developing skills & strategies through playing games and having fun!
For more information, visit: pelhm.ca/camps or contact Brittany MacLean, active living programmer at: bmaclean@pelham.ca or 905 892 2607 x372 Specialty Camp - Weekly Fee: $195 (discountable) Multi-Person Discount - 25% of discountable charges Ages - 7-12 years old
Extended Care - Weekly Fee: $38 Camp Lunch - $7/Friday Lunch Location - MCC (tennis), Old Pelham Town Hall (art and theatre)
Page 4
The Voice, August 12, 2020
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 On social media, as in war, truth is the first casualty
T
he debate over how social media is handling—and should handle—false political advertising and misleading statements by elected officeholders, covers a lot of ground. As the debate plays out, it’s worth asking: is social media, which is primarily designed to give anyone and everyone their 15 minutes of fame, the place to get vetted information on our government and its leaders? The internet is vast, wild and full of false information. The CIA-confirmed narrative of Russian trolls’ coordinated intervention in the 2016 US election, and European elections, is just one cautionary tale of social media as the new Trojan horse. But now we don’t just invite disinformation into our cities— we bring it into our homes. Facebook may or may not cave to mounting pressure to adopt a Twitter-like ban on political advertising. But Facebook is just one—albeit one giant—platform. The real problem lies in our willingness to trust unvetted information from social media, especially when it comes to political news, and of late COVID-19. As long as
that’s true, we are susceptible to the next platform flavor of the week—and not all will be run by companies with leaders easily hauled before investigative com-
We're here to remind you a place does exist where facts are still valued and truth still matters
mittees. Beijing-based TikTok, anybody? Expecting Facebook or Twitter to vet information is not the answer. That’s an impossible task, especially given the speed users expect answers. But it’s not all “1984” apocalyptic disinformation-age mayhem. We’re here to remind you a place does exist where facts are still valued and truth still matters: the humble local newspaper. Traditional me-
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dia has its share of critics and is certainly not without fault. Critics cry bias, others dismiss paper as something from the dinosaur age. Since the advent of the internet, it’s had to compete for what was earlier a captive audience. But for those who have forgotten what newspapers do—both in print and on the internet—here’s a reminder: they report the news, as accurately and as quickly as they can. Every day, local reporters and photographers head out into the community to spend time in schools, courtrooms, businesses, government buildings and homes—all with the goal of seeing, understanding and reporting the realities of life in their towns. Every day, editors work to ensure stories are clear and accurate. Every day, designers and press staff work to put those stories into an easy-to-read format. Are there errors and flaws? Of course. That’s true of any human endeavor, especially one that releases a new product 50 weeks a year. But we’re not nameless, faceless trolls sitting See AS WE SEE IT next page
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Amphibian mix-up It’s great to see articles related to nature and especially related to animals that don't get much press such as the frog [Once in a Blue... Bullfrog. Frog?, August 5, p. 1]. This is indeed a rare condition as your article indicated and correctly referred to as "axanthism," but the photo shows that it was a Green Frog and not a Bullfrog that was found. They are
two different species. I lead a group of Herpetologists that study this phenomenon. Should you need any information on amphibians Not a bullfrog. or reptiles that occur in Ontario for future articles feel free to contact me. Hope this is useful. Dr. Stephen Hecnar Thunder Bay
CONTACT YOUR ELECTED OFFICIALS Member of Federal Parliament
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Mayor of Pelham Marvin Junkin mjunkin@pelham.ca 905-658-2986
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Sam Oosterhoff, MPP 4961 King St. East, Unit M1 Beamsville, ON L0R 1B0 sam.oosterhoffco@pc.ola.org 905-563-1755 Members of Niagara Regional Council Councillor Marvin Junkin mjunkin@pelham.ca 905-658-2987 Councillor Diana Huson diana.huson@niagararegion.ca 905-324-3094 Town of Pelham 20 Pelham Town Square P.O. Box 400 Fonthill, ON L0S 1E0 905-892-2607
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The Voice, August 12, 2020
Page 5
OPINION WARD 1 CANDIDATE OP-ED Wally Braun
COMMENTARY / OP-ED Dr. Mustafa Hirji, Niagara Region
Some challenges facing Pelham, and how to address them Editor's note: The Voice has invited each Ward 1 by-election candidate to submit an opinion-editorial on the theme of their choice. Each week until the election, a different candidate's submission will run, starting this week with Wally Braun's. (Of the seven candidates, only Cari Pupo did not respond to the invitation.)
S
A short tribute
adly, this by-election is occasioned by the passing of Councillor Mike Ciolfi. I only had the pleasure of meeting Mike a few times while campaigning in 2018, but was consistently impressed by his steady, warm and personal presence. Mike was known to be hard worker for his constituents and was a stabilizing influence on Town Council. He is sorely missed. Those of us aspiring to fill his shoes have a very high standard to meet indeed. Harold Lasswell somewhat famously defined politics as the study of “who gets what, when, and how.” Ideally, in a democracy the deciding factor is what citizens want, and yet we consistently see outside priorities crowding in. We were sold
a community centre guaranteed not to raise taxes. What we bought is at least $33 million in debentures that must be paid out of our taxes until maturity in 2050, plus a depletion of $17 million in previously accumulated reserves. Wally Braun. SUPPLIED That no one wanted to be burdened by such a liability was made abundantly clear in the last election. And yet, here we are, threatened by much higher taxes as a result. If we want to avoid that eventuality, we must be ever alert to any new revenue sources. The three most important issues to residents of Ward 1, then, are taxes, uncontrolled development, and industrial grow-op light and air pollution. What all have in common is the frustration of voters in determining how these issues play out in our community. Specifically, it seems that it is outsider interests that prevail over what we want. See OP-ED:BRAUN next page
Learning from our history Seven-fifteen PM EDT last Wednesday, August 5, marked the exact 75th anniversary of the cataclysmic Hiroshima atomic bombing. Three days later another bomb was dropped on Nagasaki. Hundreds of thousands of people died from the explosions and the subsequent injuries and radiation sickness. Then aged 13, and now living in Toronto, Setsuka Thurlow is a rare survivor of the bombing, a retired social worker. She saw the devastation and suffering
which followed, and she vowed that never again should such dreadful weapons be used. She has worked passionately to remind people of the immense and indiscriminate horrors caused by their use, to which there is no effective medical response. Her efforts led to her being chosen to accept the Nobel Peace Prize given in 2017 to the International Campaign against Nuclear Weapons (ICAN). Since then nuclear weapons have proliferated and become vastly more pow-
erful. Nine countries have them now, and attempts to limit and reverse this situation have been weakened by the politics of today. “A nuclear war cannot be won and should never be fought,” said President Ronald Reagan. He went on to say, “Would it not be better to do away with them entirely?” Hope for the future lies in the groundbreaking UN Treaty to Prohibit Nuclear Weapons (TPNW),which See REMEMBER Page 7
I
t has now been five months since COVID-19 arrived in Niagara, and over seven months since Public Health commenced protecting Niagara from this infection. In those few months, we have experienced a level of disruption to our lives not seen in decades. Tragically, 64 members of our Niagara community have passed away from this virus. Fortunately, thanks to efforts by all of us together, we have slowed the spread of COVID-19, protecting many more lives, and enabled a safe reopening of most of our economy. As we head into the fall and the next chapter of this pandemic, I want to share what we can expect, and how all of us can help to keep our communities safe. At the most basic level, there are three ingredients to having an infection spread through our community: (1) the pathogen (e.g. the virus) must be introduced into our community; (2) there must be close interaction amongst us so that pathogen can move from an infected person to an uninfected person; and (3) members of our community must have low enough immunity so that the infection can make us sick. Our response to this pandemic has attempted to prevent each of these in turn. From January until late March, our focus was to prevent the COVID-19 virus from coming into and taking hold in Canada. That involved federal government efforts to track people arriving from risk areas around the world. Locally, Public Health worked with healthcare providers to identify returning travelers who had symptoms of illness and get them tested. Efforts in this regard prevented establishment of COVID-19 in Canada for about two months, buying time for us to learn more about the infection and for our healthcare systems to prepare. Unfortunately, as COVID-19 established itself in many other countries across the world, particularly in the United States, most travelers to Canada became at risk of bringing infection with them, overwhelming our ability to hold the infection at bay. Pelham was particularly affected with the largest number of travel-related COVID-19 cases per capita in Niagara, and thus the highest overall per capita case count through the spring. With risk now everywhere in the world, border closures and general travel advisories have been put in place to limit introduction of
new infections into Canada. By mid-March, with COVID-19 now taken hold across Canada, focus turned to preventing the close interaction that allows the infection to spread. A big part of this is the on-the-ground Dr. Hirji. SUPPLIED work of local Public Health: finding people with symptoms, referring them for testing to diagnose if it is COVID-19, isolating infected persons so they have no interaction with others to spread the infection, and tracing contacts so that they can also be isolated before they become ill and can spread the infection further. Provinces complemented this by instituting emergency measures to prevent large gatherings and close businesses and services where individuals might be in close contact. Many of us began to work from home. By reducing the close interactions amongst us in society, COVID-19 could no longer spread as easily, and infection numbers have fallen. Thanks to the Ontario government acting early with such measures, coupled with our healthcare system having prepared during the previous two months when travel-related cases were held at bay, our hospitals and ICUs were never overwhelmed the way they were in New York, Italy, and many other locales. Today, the province is reopening our economy and allowing some more close interaction again, but keeping other restrictions in place to find the balance where we can have as much close interaction as possible, while not seeing infections grow uncontrollably. Ultimately, we hope to shift to managing COVID-19 by that third element: addressing immunity in our population. Unparalleled global efforts are underway to develop vaccines that can provide us that immunity, which would, in the perfect case, allow close interactions to fully resume and all restrictions in our economy and society to be lifted. While we hope for this outcome, we should temper our expectations as the first vaccines will be first attempts, and likely not yet perfect. GovSee VIGILANT Page 12
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OP-ED: BRAUN
continued from previous page
Our corporate grow-op problem as a potential revenue source
Citizens want to preserve and build upon our natural and agricultural environments, but no one is particularly enthused about outside corporations invading our town and spewing light and air pollution, all while making off with billions of dollars of revenue at our expense. It is reasonably clear that we were targeted because of our relative lack of regulation compared to other municipalities that were passed over. We are now catching up on that front thanks in no small part to volunteer efforts, and regulations are finally starting to appear. What is still needed, however, are regulatory teeth to ensure compliance with these new regulations. I propose that we thoroughly investigate the possibility of gaining control of the growing permits of what is now a legal crop. Currently, the province issues those permits, but the ironically named “CannTrust” has provided us with clear evidence that the provincial system of control is an abject failure. I suggest that we (and any other similarly impacted municipalities that may want to join us) are in a strong position to demand the downloading of the distribution of the permits already within our municipality. We could then offer those same permits to any of our own farmers
The Voice, August 12, 2020 who might want to diversify from crops generally retailing at $5/lb, into a legal crop retailing at $5,000/lb. Odour concentrations stand to be greatly reduced because local farmers would be much more likely to be responsive to our concerns than outside corporations, on the same logic that owner/occupied B&Bs are also more responsive to concerns than those run by absentee landlords motivated only by profit. Even then, should any one farmer still have persistent problems, the fact that the Town retains ownership of the permits means they could be transferred on to applicants more successful in controlling any issues of community concern. Recalling our intent to be alert to new revenue sources, the fact that we control a crop retailing at a price a thousand-fold higher than other produce means that there are now margins to discuss. Farmers would be willing to share some of the profit margins with us in exchange for permits that give them access to those profits. Periodic bidding in an open market for whatever permits may become available would establish a market price for that opportunity. Instead of discussing mere taxes based upon properties zoning, we would receive some fraction of a multi-billion dollar annual cash flow currently being siphoned out of our local economy by non-compliant corporations. This market price could reasonable be anticipated to greatly exceed anything currently under consideration, even assum-
ing an upgrade to industrial zoning. Once a free market price for the quota is established, that price would be applied across the board to all permit holders. Our farmers tend to run much leaner operations than topheavy corporations and by that fact alone would likely outbid them for the permits. Everyone wins (with the possible exception of the apparently deaf corporations). Farmers’ bottom lines would be much healthier and would therefore be less inclined to sell their land to developers. The Town would get a new source of revenue accelerating the paying down of our community centre and by that same token greatly reducing the pressure to increase our property taxes. Imagine that! All of these benefits would flow directly from doing the right thing and taking care of our farmers first, rather than pandering to outside corporations with a demonstrated contempt for our legitimate concerns. We need to be prepared for the possibility of resistance to such a change. Senior levels of government are generally loath to give up control of jurisdiction, even though we have a strong case for doing so. In that event, we will likely want to act together with other municipalities through the agency of the Ontario Federation of Municipalities whose function is to lobby senior levels of government in precisely these sets of circumstances. The costs of proceeding would be shared by affected municipalities,
if not by all municipalities in Ontario. Having such resources backing this proposal would bolster a posture more likely to succeed without having to actually resort to litigation. This course of action may indeed be difficult, but it is my belief that no stone should be left unturned in the pursuit of lower taxes, and in particular when such a course dovetails so elegantly in improving our community in number of other ways.
Our development problem
As a Political Science major I know that the regulatory functions of the OMB (Ontario Municipal Board) are being downloaded to municipalities in a provincial effort to force much higher-density development upon us. As an observant 38-year resident of our town, I know that the current allowable height throughout our town is 10 storeys, and that an 8-storey apartment block has already been approved behind the Fonthill Food Basics. Owing to my university training in provincial/ municipal relations, I also know that once a municipality approves an 8-storey building we lose control at that threshold. Having conceded that height, provincial jurisdiction takes over and regulations permitting the developer to build up to 12 storeys then prevail, with no municipal recourse. Similarly, because I am concerned with preserving the character of our town, I am aware that a new development of over 230 acres is planned for Fenwick, bounded by Memorial Dr., Cream St., Welland Rd., and Balfour. Over 800 units are envisaged with a potential increase in population of over 2,400 in a village of only 2,000. This is nothing like a natural rate of growth. This is explosive growth. Further, if our experience with the 450 acre development in East Fonthill is any indication, more inspired types of development are needed to avoid further urban sprawl. Having specialized in the production of classical architectural designs, I know that higher densities can be achieved much more attractively than is currently practiced in most urban environments (Google “Royal Crescent, images” for one available option highlighting our British heritage). If elected, I will move to return the maximum building
www.thevoiceofpelham.ca height back down to the previous 5-storeys throughout our municipality, and then advocate for more creative alternatives to the American-style urban sprawl that is a perennial threat to the character of our community. Astute investors would not likely be surprised to learn that in making the necessary architectural improvements that margins actually increase due to higher bids for a more attractive product now occupying a smaller footprint. But this would require more effort to execute, and so convention prevails. For their part, regulatory bodies like our Town Council need to be more open to returning to a mixed zoning by strata, with commercial uses below and complementary uses above. We need to find ways of accommodating our young adults and provide them with ways of building home equity. Small leasable studios with an option to buy located above our strip malls and big box stores are a missed opportunity, but may still be possible. Likewise, we need to begin requiring that parking be placed underground as a matter of course, preserving green pedestrian spaces at grade level. More community-minded corporations like the LCBO will accommodate community concerns and build architecturally appropriate buildings just like they did in NOTL, rather than the “penitentiary” that we are now saddled with in our town. We need only learn to ask for what we want. Infill development utilizing existing roads is one thing, but paving over the interiors of our major rural agricultural blocks with roads in pursuit of purported “development” is quite another. We need to have an adult conversation within our community to determine what direction we would like to take. I have started that conversation here and would be pleased to foster that discussion moving forward. Accordingly, I have started a Facebook Forum page specifically for residents of Ward 1 to connect and advocate more effectively. This can be accessed at “Town of Pelham Ward 1 Community Forum” in your Facebook search bar. At issue is the ownership of the appearance and character of our town, as distinct from the ownership of lands assembled for development. We need to understand the effect of pressures gener-
ated by changes in zoning from agricultural uses to any other use. When land use is changed, property values skyrocket several orders of magnitude from $20,000/acre to several million/acre. Clearly, the time to insist upon what we want is prior to any change in zoning. Only candidates demonstrating an understanding of these issues and prepared to commit to insisting upon what we want should be considered electable if we are serious about our community objectives. To waffle on this point by suggesting that “some conventional development is okay,” is to give away the game entirely right at the outset. We can no longer afford to think this way. All development must have a substantial agricultural component at its core, and if at all possible, agricultural production tuned to maximize production in the dead of winter to protect against the next global virus, which may well be borne in imported food products. Conventional development may have been acceptable in an archaic context where we were under existential threat from the environment. Today the shoe is on the other foot where if we are not careful, it is we who are at risk of becoming a plague upon the face of the earth. It is our local jurisdiction that controls land use, and we must choose wisely and with foresight to preserve what is left for our children. Only then can we reasonably expect to control what we get, and where and when we get it. Throughout I have refrained from touting my qualities in the abstract in favour of laying out concrete ways and means of achieving our goals. I have never been impressed with the self-assessments of candidates when I am in the position of the voter, preferring to come to my own conclusions based on such concrete evidence. I am banking on others within our community being no more credulous than I. Whether or not any other candidate has the required combination of skill sets and experience, or even the tenacity required to dig up the requisite information, is an open question. We need all of these skill sets represented at our council table in the coming changes in our regulatory environment if we are to preserve what makes our Town unique. ◆
St. Kitts rabid raccoons According to a Niagara Region statement, two raccoons in St. Catharines have tested positive for rabies. So far in 2020, a total of three raccoons have tested positive for rabies in Niagara. In 2019, a total of five animals tested positive for rabies (one bat, one dog, one raccoon, and two skunks). The Region says that residents should not approach any wild animal, including those that appear to be in distress, as they may put themselves at risk for injury or contracting an infection like rabies. The Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry (MNRF), along with SPCAs and Humane Societies, continue to conduct increased surveillance activities for animals with rabies. Public Health advises residents to take the following measures to protect themselves from rabies: Ensure pet dogs and cats
have current rabies vaccinations (typically needed annually by law); prevent pet dogs and cats from roaming off-leash or unsupervised; avoid all contact with wild animals and prevent contact between pets and wildlife. Report wild animals exhibiting abnormal behaviour (particularly raccoons) to local animal control services, such as the Welland SPCA: 905-735-1552, or the Lincoln County Humane Society: 905-682-0767. An animal with rabies may not display symptoms, and so all bites or scratches, however mild, from an animal must be assessed to ensure the person bitten/scratched is not at risk. The Region requests that all animal bites and scratches of humans be reported immediately to Niagara Region Public Health at 905-688-8248, ext. 7590 or toll free 1-888-505-6074.
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The Voice, August 12, 2020
REMEMBER
Dave Nicholson.
continued from Page 5
SUPPLIED
was signed by 122 nations in 2017 and comes into force when 50 have ratified it. This number has reached 40. Although not applying to non-signatories, it will stigmatize all their leaders and likely affect commerce as well. So Setsuka, we honour your vow, we commemorate the victims of 1945 and we seek to reawaken resolve to banish these hideous weapons from all countries, the only way to free ourselves from the risk of their use. Ron Hubbard and I rang the bell of Holy Trinity Church in Fonthill 75 times on Wednesday, starting at 7:15 PM. Dave Nicholson Fonthill
As more businesses and services reopen, we must all continue our efforts to protect each other.
2m
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OLSON FOR
Page 7
WARD 1
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The Voice, August 12, 2020
The Conversation
A Leavens check-in
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Now 73, he tells anyone who asks that his days in politics are done. A teacher in Niagara schools from 1975 to 2000, he sold his PetValu franchise in Fonthill awhile back, although he continues to work there, part-time, after 23 years and counting. The occasional Leavens reality check is a useful way to stay grounded, and I realized a couple of weeks ago that it had been over a year since I’d had the pleasure of an extended chat about Town politics with the curiously pro-business NDP stalwart. We met at the Voice office, keeping our masked distance. The following has been edited for brevity and clarity. BURKET: It’s been awhile since we last talked, so let’s get right into it. We're a year and a half or so into the mandate—what are your impressions so far of how things are going. LEAVENS: I think overall positive, because there aren't any great controversies related to the Town itself. There are controversies that that involve personalities, but that shouldn't be here nor there. Overall, I like what's happening. I mean, the development is going to happen and it seems that it’s taking place in an orderly fashion, so that's good. You know, I don't have anything negative to say about the Mayor at all, really. I mean, he got himself into some
Pelham’s Business Honour Roll
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Inside The Voice
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BY DAVE BURKET
E LEFT OFFICE 14 YEARS AGO, but former Pelham Mayor Ron Leavens seems to be as plugged-in as ever on local goings on. Leavens served as Pelham’s mayor from 2003 to 2006. Then, as he says, he was “voted out of office.� The issue that killed his re-election was the municipal purchase of the acreage now known as East Fonthill. In part, Leavens sought to protect it from developers bent on making a quick buck with cheap, slipshod construction. He wanted the Town to determine how, and when, the tract was developed.
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of Pelham
Wednesday, January 26, 2005
From The Heart of Niagara
Vol. 8 No. 46
Town buys 32 acres
SUPER SKATERS
Inside SKATERS with the Pelham Figure Skating Club competed in the Great Lakes Winter Skating Festival in London Jan. 7 to 9, coming home with Thinking of Buying? some hardware. Phoebe Kirkup (left) took first in WO Preliminary Limited; Beth Thorne won third in WO Canskate A, age 8 and over; Karley Thinking of Selling? Blair won first in STARSkate Silver Interpretive; Mackenzie Chow won Call Me Today! first in WO Pre-preliminary limited; Martyna Raskob took third in Call Me Today! 905-733-8996 STARSkate Junior Silver, Sharina Raskob (front) won first in WO Pre-prewww.pennylanesold.com liminary limited and Heather Sicoli (absent from photo) won first in Office: 905-892-0222 STARSkate Bronze interpretive. David Hurd/VOICE Photo
After more than eight months of negotiations, a deal has finally been made by the Town of Pelham to purchase just over 30 acres of land at Rice Road and Regional Rd. 20. At a special council meeting Monday night, councillors voted 5-2 to purchase the land, at a cost of $110,000 per acre. Councillors Malcolm Allen and Peter Papp were the two members of council to vote against the deal. Mayor Ron Leavens, talking with The VOICE just before press time, said the deal to purchase the land from Westerra Equities Corporation, a subcompany of the Allen Group, closes on March 31. The deal is for a minimum of 30 acres and a maximum of 33 acres, depending on the land survey. Leavens noted the price was negotiated down from an original cost of more than $135,000 per acre to the purchase price of $110,000 per acre. That still puts the total cost to the town at around $3.5 million. Town staff and an independent professional both did appraisals on the property, said Leavens, and in both cases what the town paid for the land is below the estimated value. To pay for the land, the town has negotiated a financing deal with CIBC for a 15-year term that is completely open, allowing the town to pay off the debt if the property isn’t needed, and is sold. Leavens said the land was purchased now, with the intent of building a The recreation Voice centre, because there won’t be another opportunity to buy a large chunk of land under the proposed Greenbelt legislation. If the town chooses not to build, the land will be sold said Leavens, adding the property is “probably the most desirable piece of property in the municipality� and it will sold on the open market to get the highest dollar possible. Nothing will be done with the land until the ad-hoc committee currently reviewing options for a community centre, which include a public-private deal, presents its report at the end of
Wreathed in Smiles Page 8
February, said Leavens, adding if the town decides to go ahead with a rec centre plans will have to be settled fairly quickly to ensure Pelham is ready for the next round of CanadaOntario Municipal Rural Infrastructure Fund (COMRIF) grants. Leavens said the second round of COMRIF grants will likely be for community centres, and if accepted, Pelham could receive two-thirds of the cost from the provincial and federal governments. Re-iterating a comment made by Councillor Uwe Brand, Leavens said the town has done its part, now we need the stakeholder groups to step forward and make a commitment to the town. The land purchase does not change council’s commitment to completing the Centennial Park Master Plan; does not change Leavens’ commitment that a rec centre won’t be built on the backs of taxpayers; and does not mean Pelham will be building the Taj Mahal of community centres overnight. What it does mean, is that if Pelham decides to go ahead with the construction of a community centre, the land is available and the town won’t need to try to put together piecemeal parcels of land to accommodate future recreational needs. Leavens said he is pleased council voted in favour of the purchase, but said he’s nervous as well. RICHARD “There’s no denying it’s a risk,� he BROWN said. “It is the largest purchase the Sale Representative municipality’s ever made.� HOME 905-892-0751 The value of the land, however, outFAX weighs the risk with 905-892-1011 the town preEMAIL pared to sell the richard@homesacrossniagara.com land on the open market if a rec centre is not 135 Highway 20 in East, Fonthill Pelham’s future. 905-892-0700 If a rec centre is to be built on the 1-800-365-1270 land, however, it is quite clear that the municipality is asking taxpayers to “step up to the plate,� said Leavens. “It can be a great project to bring this community together,� said the mayor.
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M a y o r Ror o n1.800.754.5061 Leavens of an art, pointed with about t hOffers e s e valid j o b ,until s a i Wed. d L e aFebruary v e n s . 2ndP e l h a m c a n g e t o n Tel: 905.892.7900 BY SARAH GIBSON says he is- TICO definitely out Leavens, adding issues - also helps. B y b e i nCruising g pers• i s -Priceless the pro vince’s radar Unique Destinations • Premium Memories 1409 Pelham St., Fonthill Reg. 4559761 VOICE Staff beginning to feel left having connections Pelham’s new CAO, tent and applying and hopefully garout in the cold. someone at Queen’s Anne Lo u i s e H e r o n , e v e r y t i m e t h e r e i s ner success in hav“But I haven’t lost Park brings both of g r a n t m o ney avail- i n g p r o j e c t s f u n d c m yyou k can pick up Pelham will not be hope,â€? he says. “We the phone and talk t h o s e s k i l l s t o t h e able, Leavens said ed. getting any of the still have rounds two more than $200 miland three to go.â€? lion handed out to Leavens pointed out Ontario municipalithat by looking at the ties for 120 infracommunities in structure projects Niagara which did through the COMRIF receive COMRIF grants. money: Niagara-onThe governments of the-Lake; Niagara Canada and Ontario Falls; St. Catharines announced investand West Lincoln, it ments of up to is clear the grants in $ 2 4 8 , 1 7 8 , 0 2 4 this round were for through the Canadabridges, something Ontario Municipal Rural Infrastructure that wasn’t made clear when Pelham Fund (COMRIF) at was writing its applithe end of April, and cation. Pelham was not one Leavens said the of the communities first round of grants receiving cash. was to be for roads, Pelham had applied bridges and water for funding in the and sewer infrastrucfirst round of COMture and he underRIF to rebuild Rice stood that any proRoad, a project that jects that fell into will be necessary those categories before development would be given equal occurs in that area. weight. The total project cost In Niagara, he is estimated at close noted, that wasn’t to $4 million. If the the case as bridge project had been projects seemed to approved, the federhave garnered all of al and provincial the funding. governments would Leavens said Pelham have kicked in a total will apply again in of two-thirds, or the next round to almost $2.7 million. have the Rice Road With the new project funded, Ontario Municipal adding the municiPartnership Fund pality will be much (OMPF) that awards more careful in writnothing to Pelham, AVALON Peddle snuggles with her mom Christine during the Fonthill Montessori School’s Mother’s ing the application and the announceDay Luncheon last Friday, where the students sang several songs for their moms, and then enjoyed ment that the com- in the future. a lunch sponsored by Sobeys. Writing grant applimunity will get nothSarah Gibson/VOICE Photo cations is somewhat ing from COMRIF,
hot water and I think it was unintentional. I don't think there were any nefarious motives or anything. It was just a mistake. When you see Junkin’s fundraising efforts for the Bandshell, is that different in any material way from the previous mayor's Mayoral Gala, when he was fundraising for different organizations? No, I don't see it as different. As mayor you do have to be careful, and I think the thing that got [Junkin] into trouble was who approached him to contribute funds when they already had an issue with the Town at that point. It probably would have been better for him to say, “You know, I don't want to go there.� I think it was a mistake on his part but it wasn't a critical error by any means, and it's something that any of us might have done— here's the chance to get some money for a volunteer group in town. I didn't see it as a great problem and apparently the Ethics Commissioner and the Ombudsman didn't it see it as a great problem either. I think there's animosity between certain members of council and so they look for any opportunity to go after each other. You got to put that aside when you're at council meetings. That's why this whole thing was totally blown out a proportion, totally. It was just personalities that were involved. On my council there were councillors that I didn't get along with but we respected See LEAVENS Page 13
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Page 9
WARD 1 BY-ELECTION 2020: ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL The Voice has invited a weekly campaign photo from each candidate running in the Ward 1 by-election. This week, three of the seven candidates submitted photos.
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Page 10
The Voice, August 12, 2020
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The Centrespread
At the speedway Randy Giroux, Mod Lite #24, and his crew are clearly happy to be back racing.
After pandemic shutdown, drivers back behind the wheel, (some) fans back in the stands STORY BY JOHN SWART PHOTOS BY ELS SWART
M
Special to the VOICE
errittville Speedway is gradually putting COVID-19 in the rear view mirror for Saturday night dirt track racing. The complete racing family— minus only their American cohort, who are still unable to cross the border—was back together with fans in the stands last weekend for the first time in 2020. It was hard to tell who was most excited, the drivers and fans, or owners Don Spiece and his wife, Lorraine. The Speedway posted on their website that 100 tickets, the maximum set by Niagara Regional Public Health, would be distributed by lottery in bundles of five, four, and two to lucky fans, and those fans snapped them up. Kimball Legiroux, wife Vanessa, and their kids Megan and Luke, of St Catharines, got tickets. “We don’t come every weekend, but we try to,” said Legiroux. “We were supposed to be in Michigan this weekend, at the NASCAR race.” NASCAR is still racing without fans, but the Legirouxs prefer dirt tracking when it’s available. “I put in for five tickets, and got them,” said Michael McQueen, in the stands with his wife, Cathy, and friend Rick Thompson, a former Niagara resident visiting from Saskatchewan with his grandkids Todd and Kara Thompson. “We’re all hard core fans, been coming since the ‘80s,” McQueen said. Cathy said she’d first been to Merrittville as a 12-yearold. On the other side of the dirt oval, drivers and pit crews filled the pit area. Merrittville first nudged its way into racing this year by having limited practices, with track time by appointment, and following all provincial protocols. The next step was racing without fans, beginning in late July. GForce TV broadcast the events, but for fans, without the roar of the engines and dust flying, it’s just wasn’t the same. Spiece recounted, “During practice nights, we had cars lined all the way down Holland Road, just wanting to see the racers, but we couldn’t let them in.” As with other organized sports and entertainment groups, COVID-19 has turned the season upside down, the first time in its 69 year history that anything similar has happened at Merrittville. “It hasn’t been easy,” said Spiece, who is in his fourth season operating the track, but he and Lorraine have been touched by how the racing community looks after one another.
“We stick together and help each other out. People just want to be out here.” Brian Pugh, of P.M. Lighting in Stratford, Ontario, une x p e c te dly gave Spiece $1200 just hours before the Saturday night pr og r a m . “They told us, give some to the drivers, give some to Track owners Lorraine yourselves.” and Don Spiece. Others have donated money to be added to the prize money as well, including past track champion Davey Moore. Spiece hasn’t approached track sponsors yet this season, but says many have already sent cheques without knowing how, or if, a racing program would happen. Fortunately, most drivers said that their sponsors were sticking with them too, come what may, allowing them to continue with their passion. Spiece worked with the management of Brighton Speedway, a similar facility near Belleville, and a small committee of other dirt tracks, lobbying MPPs and Public Health departments to work towards reopening. This is continuing, and Spiece believes Merrittville will soon see more fans in the stands, perhaps as early as next week. In expectation of a successful 2020 season, the owners made significant improvements to the track, one of Niagara’s oldest continually operating family entertainment venues. Spiece built a new Amis -style building to serve as an authentic wood-fired pizza kitchen. Honker’s Bar was renovated and expanded, and now features a 130-foot-long tribute wall, where photos depicting the history of the track and its fans and drivers are featured. For dirt track aficionados, the thematic room will now serve as a venue for weddings, receptions, and other social functions. Competition on the track is fierce, with a large field of cars in each class, but in the pit area, where the racers park and prepare their cars, friendships are being renewed and camaraderie is evident everywhere. Many of the racers are second and third generation, and there is a lot of
racing history to remember. Don Deagle, who is 83, built a new race car for this season that he and his son share. Deagle raced for decades, travelling from Montreal to Florida in the Great American Truck Series, then retired from the sport in 1989. When asked what it felt like to be back behind the wheel at his age, Deagle responded that he
was a little rusty. He said that a form asked, “If I’d fallen and hit my head o Deagle announced that he was returni Deagle’s wide smile and enthusiasm explains how for many, the infectiou may be stronger than COVID-19. Dave Bailey, many-time track cham
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The Voice, August 12, 2020
Page 11
y, an extended family reunited
mer racing buddy on a rock” when ing to driving. m for the sport usness of racing
mpion on the cir-
Top, the Legiroux family, Luke, Kimball, Megan and Vanessa. Above, lucky ticket lottery winners Todd Thompson, Kara Thompson, Rick Thompson, Cathy McQueen, Michael McQueen. cuit, summed it up as he pulled his rig through the pit gate. “As long as there’s one place running, we’ll go.” Pete Bicknell, Merrittville champion and previous owner of the facility, is back for another season at age 65. He’s already raced once this year in Cornwall and Brockville, but says this season is crazy.
“We saw lots of rainouts before, nine in a row one year, but this is ridiculous. We just have to cross our fingers for next year.” When most of us think of communities working together to reduce the impact of COVID-19 on friends and family, the fans and racers of Merrittville Speedway may not be the first group that comes to mind.
But outside the track, cars lined Holland Road, and fans sat in lawn chairs amid the roadside weeds beyond the security fence to glimpse the race cars rocketing out of corner four. Another couple was standing on the hood of their car for a better view, hoping next Saturday night Public Health regulations might allow them a seat in the grandstand too. ◆
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The Voice, August 12, 2020
VIGILANT
continued from Page 5 ernments and researchers are rightly prioritizing that any vaccine must meet all our usual extensive safety requirements. But ensuring safety and speed in roll-out will make it hard to perform the hat trick of also achieving high effectiveness at the same time. However, even an imperfect vaccine will allow more interaction and fewer restrictions in society, and hopefully over time, vaccines will be refined towards being highly effective, in addition to extremely safe. While we await a vaccine, we are heading into the fall still relying on limiting close interaction in our society to slow the spread of COVID-19. Meanwhile, travel restrictions and border closures insulate our efforts from being undermined by what is happening in other countries. There is often talk about a “second wave in the fall” and needing to prevent that. This is informed by observing past pandemics such as the 191819 Spanish Flu pandemic or the 2009 H1N1 Influenza pandemic. We should be cautious about such comparisons to influenza pandemics. Influenza viruses seem to be very sensitive to the hot weather, so infections go away through the summer before resurging in the fall. Coronaviruses don’t seem to be so affected by the hot weather. This summer, areas most heavily affected by COVID-19 include the southern US (Florida, Texas, Arizona, California), the Middle East, Mexico, India, the Philippines, and Indonesia— all warm areas in the midst
of hot summers. Spain, Israel, and Iran are currently experiencing second waves during their hot summers. The lesson we should take is that a second wave for us in Niagara can arrive at any time. This means that, unfortunately, there is no point at which we can let our guard down. All the ingredients that allow COVID-19 to spread are still here, right now: the infection is in our communities; with businesses reopening, we are now having more opportunity for close interaction than we have had for several months; and thanks to so few of us having had COVID-19, almost all of us have no immunity yet. In the face of those growing opportunities for interaction, it is more important than ever that we each do our part to limit the kinds of interaction that allow infection to spread, so that the province can keep our economy and society as open as possible. In particular, keeping our children safe as schools and childcare reopen depends on us doing what we can to keep the spread of infection low in the community so that it cannot spread into schools. We all therefore need to continue working hard to keep two metres distance from each other. We should keep washing or sanitizing our hands often. We’re now required to wear a face covering when indoors, but if we’re forced to be within two metres of others outdoors, we should wear it then too. And we should always be mindful of our health, and if we get symptoms of illness, we must stay home and get tested. Keeping this up after so long
is understandably hard for all of us. But by practicing these measures, we’ll be avoiding the kinds of interactions that create the greatest risk of infection spreading. Our social lives will be able to continue, but with some modifications that keep our friends, neighbours, and loved ones safe and healthy. One of the themes of this pandemic has been how central communities are to it. As the virus has threatened us, it has disrupted the normal in-person interactions we have within our communities. However, our communities have also been a source of strength: supporting vulnerable elderly members with groceries, errands, and other support. And it has been through collective action as a community to keep distance, wash hands, and wear face coverings that we have and continue to protect each other. Niagara has the distinct advantage of well-defined communities like Pelham that have been resilient enough to endure the disruption of losing physical interaction, and strong enough to pull together to support each other. It is therefore no surprise that we have had more success in managing COVID-19 than other parts of the province like the GTA. I believe this will be our greatest strength as we head into the fall and the rest of the pandemic: remaining united as a community to practice measures that protect each other, and to exercise compassion in supporting each other. ◆ M. Mustafa Hirji is the Medical Officer of Health (Acting) for Niagara Region
Mask required in enclosed public places and on Regional and municipal public transit
OBITUARY
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OBITUARY Donald Hazen Pickersgill
HANSLER, Mary Jane (Nee Young) Passed away August 5th, 2020 at Welland Hospital with her family at her side. Mary, daughter of Frank Young and Jessie (Metler) Young, was 91 years old. She was predeceased by her husband Asa A . Hansler, (1997) her siblings and their spouses and her great grandaughter Keshia Barnes. Mary is survived by her children Margaret (Allen) Chambers, Albert Hansler, Sheldon (Debbie) Hansler, Pauline (John) Hughes and Asa Hansler. Her grandchildren Keith (Elizabeth) Chambers, Kevin (Krista) Chambers, Cheryl (Gord) Allen, Shawn (Lorraine) Hansler and Michelle (Joe) Fess. Her great grandchildren Daisy, William Chambers, Adam Syme, Sheldon Chambers, Tricia, Sydney Allen, Sebastian, Paris, Keely, Violet Fess and Piper White. Mary was born in Jordan, resided in Pelham Township for 80 years with the last 68 years on the farm in Fenwick. Private family arrangements have been entrusted to Pelham Funeral Home. As an expression of sympathy, donations may be made to North Pelham Presbyterian Church or the Salvation Army. Online condolences can be shared at www. pelhamfuneralhome.ca
a
It is with saddened hearts that we announce Don’s peaceful passing in his 80th year, on July 31st 2020 at Woodlands of Sunset Nursing Home. He is now reunited with his beloved first wife, Alice Hopkins, and his parents Hazen and Pearl Pickersgill. Don cherished and admired his large extended family, which consisted of his children, Jocelyn Lesage (Gary) and Joel Pickersgill (Naomi), Don’s wife, Trudy, and children Lynda Ferguson (Peter), Rowena Bell-Christman (Ron), Marcia Sanderson (Jim), Mark Bell (Pat), and Diana Hanson (Greg), as well as 12 grandchildren -- Lindsay & Lauren Lesage, Kaitlin Pickersgill, T.J and Travis Hewitt, Michael, Jared, Jerika and Mackenzie Sanderson, and Conrad and Daniel Bell. Don’s family also included his church buddies, his barbershop buddies and the students that he taught for thirtytwo years. Don was a very special teacher of mathematics and received “The Engineers Award For Excellence In Teaching”. For many years Don sang in church choirs and with the “Gentlemen of Harmony Barbershop Chorus” and as one of “The Due North Quartet”. Students who knew Don would say, “He was a very professional teacher and taught us much more than math”. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, the Pickersgills need to limit the internment of ashes to immediate family at an outdoor service. Donations in Don’s memory may be made to Fonthill United Church, the Alzheimer’s Society or to Crohns & Colitis Canada. Share valued memories and condolences on-line at www. pleasantviewcemetery.ca We’ll keep the whole world singing here Don. You keep on singing in the heavenly choir!
Vote by mail: on-demand ballot available for Ward 1 Protect each other Wear a face covering that covers your nose, mouth, and chin Required by the Face Covering By-law Does not apply to children under the age of five and those who are unable to wear a face covering as a result of a medical condition or a disability.
niagararegion.ca/COVID19
OBITUARY
To ensure the safety of voters and election staff, the Town of Pelham is offering a vote-by- mail option for the September 15, 2020, by-election in Ward 1. According to a Town statement released Monday, on-demand ballots are available to those voters who are in isolation or self-quarantine and cannot leave their residence to vote because they have been in close contact with a positive COVID-19 case, are awaiting test results, or live with someone who has tested positive. To receive the special ballot kit via Canada Post, voters must register before August 24. Special Provisions will also be made on a case-by-case basis between
August 24 up to and including September 11, 2020. Election Day is September 15. For more information on special provisions, contact Town Clerk Nancy Bozzato at 905-892-2607 x315 or njbozzato@pelham.ca The on-demand ballot provides voters with the ability to complete their ballot at home and submit in a secrecy envelope via Canada Post. Alternatively, a friend or relative can drop off the secrecy envelope with a completed ballot at the ballot drop box located at Town Hall, or at the Maple Acre Library, during operating hours. Town Hall is open from 8:30 AM - 4:30 PM by appointment only. Visit the library's website for hours of operation.
Colleen Lily McCarthy It is with sad hearts that we announce the passing of Colleen on August 5, 2020. Predeceased by her parents, Ivor and Irene, and sister Dorothy. She will be missed by her sister Charlene (Andy) Cooper and brother Ross (Lynn) McCarthy. She was loved by her nieces and nephews: Brian (Jen), Christine (Brewster), Corinna, Dan (Katrina), Michelle (Bryan), and Heather (Sagar); and her many great nieces and nephews. She graduated Mack School of Nursing in 1973 and moved to Sturgeon Falls to begin her career; before moving home and working in St. Catharines at the General Hospital in the ER. Her career as a nurse made her into the caregiver we all knew and loved. She retired from nursing in 2013 and became a full time volunteer. Colleen was an avid volunteer and supporter of her community. Family and friends will be received at the PELHAM FUNERAL HOME, 1292 Pelham Street, Fonthill on Friday, August 14th from 2-4 and 7-9 pm. As per the Province of Ontario COVID regulations visitation attendance is limited to 30 % building capacity. Attendance will be monitored to maintain capacity and social distancing for the health and safety of our guests and staff. As per Colleen’s wishes a private memorial service will take place. We ask that you raise a glass and enjoy some cheese and crackers while sharing a memory of Colleen. Thank you to the staff and volunteers at the Niagara Health System and Hotel Dieu Shaver for their care and compassion. A special thanks to the PSW’s and Palliative Care nurses for their amazing dedication. For anyone who wishes, a donation in Colleen’s memory would be appreciated by the family to Pelham Community Church or Pelham Cares. Online condolences may be shared at pelhamfuneralhome.ca
Ontario,” said
C
Grant Review Team Chair. “OTF fund-
based initiatives.
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The Voice, August 12, 2020
LEAVENS
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terrible. I know that's not this council's fault, it was done by the previous council, but those are the kinds each other at meetings and of things that you need to gave each other the opportake a look at. The whole tunity to to voice our opinidea was to make the downions with respect to Town town look better for busibusiness, do what’s right for nesses. Well, the businesses the people of the town. have done their part, beWhat do you make of the cause there's a lot of better fact that Councillor Kore looking buildings that have decided to pursue this at been been completed since all? then, but the streetscape is I think there's personaljust terrible. ities involved and that's all What do you make of the it is. I know that Councillor arches? First, should they Kore and the Mayor don't be rebuilt, and second was see eye-to-eye on many isthe design that was subsues, and there's some permitted the one to go with? sonal animosity there, for I don't want to comment whatever the reason is, and about the design because it's one of those “you got that's one's personal preferme, now I'll get you games,” ences, but I think the arches and I think it's totally inapFormer Mayor Ron Leavens with then-Councillor Sharon Cook, were a drawing card. They propriate. were something of note that Was council’s decision to on the job at a ribbon cutting, almost exactly 15 years ago to you could hold your Sumpenalize the Mayor the way the week, in August 2005. VOICE FILE merfest around and I think it did appropriate? they added something very It was petty. That's expositive to the downtown. actly what it was —petty. I Beyond that there are a during the summertime, When you've got a volunteer was quite frankly surprised couple of things that I real- and they'll have a festival on group that wants to go and k everyone forofmaking this possible," Doctor by some the people on day ly— and it's not said this countheFoluso weekend.Ola Theduring lakefrontthe official openraise money to put in a perthat that to go inic incouncil Fonthill lastvoted week. "It'scil's been a longour road getting we're looking forward to fault—but downgetshere, messedand up. But Monday manent structure for you, as along with it. I think it was town, for example, looks morning, they've got crews nthill community for a very long time to come." Dr. Ola (left), with wife Abi long andasdaughter you can maintain it absolutely unnecessary. He like hell again. Half the in there everything's put in the future, yeah, go for it. office assistant Denise and landlord Larry Stillwell, officially cut the ribbon to open the new got his hands slapped by the trees are dead in the down- back into pristine condition. Given your description of ormerOmbudsman Avondaleand store at 121town Regional Aug. a12 along with Councillor the Etharea. MyRd. wife20, andon I Friday, I know there's difference, ics Commissioner and that walk downMayor there Ron all the but when youRegional look at doing s physician recruitment coordinator, Leavens and physician recruitshould have been the end of time. The interlocking brick improvements in the town, pa. R.K.Walker/VOICE Photo it. It’s like in the court sys- is is like a war zone, it’s all look at the long range, okay? tem the Crown appealing up and down. If you’re go- Putting in interlocking of sentence because they ing to do improvements, brick in the downtown, if didn't like what the judge you need to make sure you you don't have the funds to handed down—rather than put money in the budget maintain it, is stupid. Why the guy getting two years, for maintenance. Both my don't you put something like oveseatlet's - Tapiary Sage Reg $2098 SALE $1398 give him life. That's kids live in Burlington— LaZBoystampcrete, or something in ndy Loveseat $849 SALE $299 what itReg amounted to and I and I know it’s a big city thatSofa doesn't require a lot of al Sofa thought & Chair Reg $1498 SALE $699compared to us—but we Reclining it was totally inapgo maintenance and can look All Topgood, Gradebecause Leather it looks ter& Loveseat (Almonte Cloud) Reg $1498 SALE $999lakefront quite propriate. down to the bed & Loveseat Regthat. $2299 SALE $1399 So beyond a bit when we're up there rible right now, absolutely Reg. $3199 continued from Page 8
the maintenance of Pelham Street, you wonder whether the arches would fare any better in five or six years. That’s something to consider, yeah. I noticed in the Voice over the last few weeks there's a lot of commentary about trees, and I know where people are coming from, but one of the problems with having a tree policy is there's no timelines on it. So, when it comes to budget time what gets cut first is the discretionary stuff—we're going to plant two trees for every tree that gets taken down. But when are you gonna do it? Fifteen years from now? Thirty years from now? There should be a timeline. The Town should have to replant those within, let's say, six months of the completion of the project. They just took four trees down on Pelham Street in front of our residence, and I understand why they had to come down, but I would like to see replanting done before wintertime, you know, after the construction crews are out of there. We have these policies but no money to make
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them effective, so they're just a bloody waste of time. In general, I think some observers would look at council’s performance so far and wonder whether they're getting too far down into the weeds on some things, and not relying as much on staff and the professional opinions of staff as maybe would be advisable. What's your opinion on that? From what I've heard, and this is only second-hand information, I totally agree. It doesn't matter what council, what government level it is, you have to depend on the expertise of your staff to run the day- to-day operations and provide you with information and advice that's going to help you to make sound decisions. Your job is not to get down into the nitty-gritty, like, “Well, I want this building to be this color, or they're not going to get a building permit.” That’s not their job. I remember a few years ago we had a controversy over the business in the old See LEAVENS next page
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The Voice, August 12, 2020
LEAVENS
continued from previous page
It doesn’t matter whether you've been a chartered accountant or a school teacher or a physician. Those are qualifications that are unrelated to what you're going to be doing on council. But the ability to take a problem, analyze it, and make solid decisions that are to the benefit of the people of the municipality, that's the important thing. That's why I think public presentations for candidates are so important, because you get to know a little bit about their thinking process. It's great to look at their background and that in the paper, but to have them answer specific questions for you that you're interested in, that relate to the municipality— That they've not seen in advance. In other words, to problem- solve on the fly. Yeah, and also in this day and age, to listen and take in sound, expert advice. My son's always on about how the age of experts is gone, it's disappeared. We discount them now. We've got all these people with all this training that we've hired to give us advice on the best course of action, and then we discount it. We do it everywhere, everywhere, it's not just in politics. Because some disaffected dropout is able to design a polished looking meme on Facebook. Yeah, and it doesn't mean that you always have to go along with what the experts tell you. But you better be prepared for the consequences when you don't, and you better be able to own them when you don't take that advice, when it was the correct advice. A huge example of that is occurring south of the border right now with their pandemic response, or lack of response. It's just unbelievable. I mean, that is the epitome of the death of expertise, what's going on in the
States right now. You go from an organization like the CDC, which has a world-renowned reputation, and then you just discount everything they tell you. And I really get upset with the powers that be in the CDC, because they go back and revise [their advice] so it fits the political tune of the day. Don't. I gave you my advice, here it is, and it's based on scientific data, take it or leave it. If expertise isn't as useful as common sense, who among the candidates seems to have more than others. Should we be concerned about racial diversity in Pelham? Is that in that council’s purview? I knew you were going there [laughs]. No, it’s not, as far as I'm concerned. You know, we are primarily a white community because that's what we've always been, but we're becoming more and more diverse as time goes by, and there's absolutely nothing wrong with that. That's great, but it's not something you have to force. It'll happen on its own. I think we should be a warm and welcoming community for anybody that wants to live here. Race and diversity should have nothing to do with it. You’re a human being living in this country, have a right to live here, so we welcome you. So I'm not going to get you to comment on any favourites— I don't have any favourites—out of my ward anyway. But here's another thing I've thought about over the years. The way we elect our councils. I'm not so sure anymore that I agree with the ward system. You think council should be elected town-wide? The only person that is actually elected by the entire town is the mayor. So the mayor has legitimacy to speak for the town, you know, whereas the other members
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of council really don't. The more I think about it, the more it disturbs me that these people represent Ward 1 or 2 so they really shouldn't be concerned about the rest of the wards. I'm not sure that I buy that anymore. I'm not sure anyone is making that suggestion, though. I think if anything, this council has shown its willingness to get its fingers into multiple ward pies, not just their own ward’s. And I might even push back a little farther in the sense that particularly in Ward 1, which is largely rural, does it not make sense that they would be best served by someone who lives in their ward and who understands those issues? But the ward system doesn't require that you live in that ward. Right, so should living in the ward be a requirement? I would go so far as to say I think it should be, yes. If you’re going to have a ward system. I was really surprised a couple years ago when I learned that you didn't have to live in the ward to run there— Well, you don't even have to live in town. Right. Then this year, you know, innocent naive me, further shocked to learn that you don't even have to live here at all, as long as you rent something that's on the tax rolls, even just a room in a house, or commercial space. If you stop and think about it— you know these landlords that own buildings in multiple municipalities? I know most of them don't bother to vote in municipal elections, but look at the power that they could have if they actually applied it, not just in electing but their ability to contribute to election campaigns. How’s the new CAO doing. He’s
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CIBC building at the corner here. They had this yellow awning. It was a terrible color, it was, but it was a corporate color. Why do we even concern ourselves with it? Let your staff give you sound advice and if you decide you're not gonna go with that advice, that's fine, but don't get it involved in the nitty-gritty of day-to-day operations. One recent example that I can think of is the new townhouse project coming south of the community centre, right there by the roundabout. There was quite a bit of discussion about parking, and entrances and exits. Did you follow that at all? I understood that some members of council wanted more parking spaces when the developer had already complied with the number that's required by the Act. And you know what? It's right adjacent to the community centre. Was council looking for additional parking for the community centre that wouldn't cost them a cent? I don't always agree with developers but if a developer abides by the rules and does what they're supposed to be doing then why do you change the rules on them in the middle of the game? This is the kind of thing that councils can't do. Don't go changing the requirements every time somebody else comes along. At their [July 27] meeting, council opted to send a Pelham-specific face mask bylaw back to staff for further review, with the Mayor the lone objector to that. He maintained that because the Region had its bylaw in place that Pelham didn't need one. I totally agree with Marv on that. I think the Region was slow in getting off the mark. They had an opportunity a few weeks ago
to pass a bylaw and for whatever reason they held off on it, deferred it. It doesn't make sense for each individual municipality to have their own mask bylaw. Region-wide, province-wide is better for everybody in the long run. My niece manages a business here in town. Most of her clientele come from the GTA. She said you wouldn't believe the problems her staff have had dealing with people. Their business has had a policy for quite a while that you have to wear a mask when you come in, but [customers] don't want to do it. I’ve been left almost speechless the last couple of months related to this mask debate—this silly, stupid, fake debate. I think we're going to look back in ten years, 20 years, and historians are going to look at us and say, “What were you idiots thinking? What's wrong with putting a goddamned mask on?” Exactly, exactly. You know, I hear these people, “You're infringing on my rights.” Well, I'm going to print off a copy of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms tonight, and we’re going to have it by the front door [at PetValu] tomorrow, and if anybody uses that line I'm going to ask them show me the clause in the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms that gives you the right to infect me with a deadly disease. And then you can come in without a mask on. We have several candidates running to fill Mike Ciolfi’s Ward 1 seat. What's your impression of their platforms as far as you know them, and their qualifications for the for the job. All I know is what I’ve read in the paper. How should I put it. I don't think qualifications make a great deal of difference. I think common sense and intelligence do. By qualifications you mean—
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Phone: 905.892.2188 • www.naturesownidea.com continued from Page 3 of Pelham’s Cannabis Control Committee that established new bylaws for the industry in the municipality. To control the cannabis odours, HEPA filters need to be used, said Braun. He asserted that the industry balks at implementation because the technology is expensive, and disrupts their business model, which is “very top heavy” with executive salaries. Asked by the Voice if farmers spreading manure on their fields should be held to the same standard as cannabis producers when it comes to malodourous issues, Braun responded that the use of organic farm waste is a transient concern. “You notice it for a couple of weeks and then it's gone,” he said. By comparison, Braun said, cannabis odour is perpetual, as the growers regularly vent their buildings to release heat, which also lets loose the pungent smell. Speaking of farmers, Braun said that Pelham definitely needs to make more options available to local farms to ensure that they stay viable as businesses. He felt that farmers should have an opportunity to grow cannabis at a decent profit, such that they would be less inclined to sell out to developers. Agri-tourism should also be an option for rural farmers, with a provision for camping and RV parking on their property. Prior to the border closure, Braun said many of his American friends often crossed the river to seek out dining experiences at the many upscale, winery-based restaurants on the Beamsville Bench. “What's conspicuous to me is that they're driving right by us to get there,” said Braun. “I would like to see the devel-
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opment of world-class, five star restaurants in Fenwick…and encourage our farmers, with the space and cooking skills, to develop that kind of thing. The general objective is to increase the sales and profit per visit, and to attract people who are willing to spend.” Braun has a clear vision for the Fenwick library. “I'm a big fan of our libraries. I would like to see hours extended, with at least one staff member on duty at all times when it’s open.” Conversation turned to COVID, and Braun indicated he was fully supportive of donning a mask and socially distancing. He lamented the “cultural backwardness” and controversial political discourse related to dealings with the pandemic, coming primarily from the far right in the USA. “It's good to see most people in Canada getting on board with the scientists. We're effectively running a global experiment on how to control pandemics. The anti-maskers see it as a civil rights issue. They also see it as the precursor to the government forcing vaccine injections on the population. That is an hysterical perspective.” Braun has been involved as a volunteer and coach for community organizations involving tennis and badminton, as well as competitive sailing. He previously served on a Pelham committee dealing with the regulation of billboards and portable signs, and is an advocate for the prevention of display signage that is intrusive and unattractive in the Town. What strengths would he bring to the Pelham council table? “On the issue of taxes, I’m pretty much a bulldog,” said Braun with a grin. He is also a self-proclaimed “policy wonk.” “I do my research,” he said.
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CannTrust has all licenses reinstated BY JOHN CHICK
Special to the VOICE
CannTrust is back up and fully running after it announced last week all of its previously suspended cannabis licenses have been reinstated by Health Canada. The news mostly covered the company’s Vaughan manufacturing facility — CannTrust already had its Fenwick operation’s license reinstated in May. “Health Canada has reinstated the license for Canntrust’s Vaughan Manufacturing Facility in addition to the earlier reinstatement of the license for the Fenwick Perpetual Harvest facility,” a statement from CEO Greg Guyatt to the Voice read on Sunday. “We are extremely proud of the hard work and dedication of the entire CannTrust team during the last year to improve every aspect of our business, with particular emphasis on ensuring corporate governance and regulatory compliance is a fundamental pillar of our corporate culture.” Guyatt added that cultivation at the Fenwick site “is proceeding well and on plan.”
One big tub o' bud at CannTrust's Fenwick site. The final reinstatement caps a 14-month odyssey for the company, which began last summer when a former employee in Fenwick blew the whistle on the company’s illegal growing operations. Beyond suspension of licenses by federal regulators, the fallout has included the firing of CannTrust’s executive team, the destruction of some $77 million-worth of illegally grown product, hundreds of layoffs, and a share-price plummet that resulted in the company’s delisting from the Toronto and New York stock exchanges. Now that they’re fully operational again, CannTrust said they intend to be
VOICE FILE
returning their products to market by the fall. “Our focus now is on resuming manufacturing so that we can, once again, provide patients and customers with the high-quality products they expect from us before the end of the fourth quarter of 2020,” Guyatt said. Prior to the scandal, CannTrust was one of the largest cannabis companies in Canada, with an active medical clientele of 67,000 customers. Despite the reinstatement, the company continues to operate under creditor protection, while also initiating a Sale and Investment Solicitation Process (SISP) to gauge the market value of its physical assets.
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COMMUNITY Events April 13
Posted Event Submissions Standards April 8United Church Fenwick
If your organization is hosting an event that would be of interest to the community, www.fenwickunited.com www.gladtidingschurchofgod.com you may submit Centralan events profile by sending your community events information to editor@thevoiceofpelham.ca Some restrictions apply. Event submissions that meet Region Ads included the acceptability standards of The Voice Pelham will then be posted until the date however, that of the church FAITH LIFT HANDLEBARS has something important This ad is to be printed by all participating Ontario papers continued fromevent. Page 19 continued fromPlease Page 18provide of your The Community Events Calendar is updated weekly. to offer in this important as much notice and information as possible including the date, time and description battle. These secular studnurse from New Zealand, wrote “The A relevant twist of your event. The Voice of Pelham reserves right to edit for space. ies (ironically) alsothe mean Impossible Ride, the First Bicycle Ride This study (which fo-
cused on healthcare workers) was massive. It followed over 66,000 women over a 16-year period and over 43,000 men over a 26-year period. These findings are particularly relevant today during the pandemic, when healthcare workers are under increased psychological strain and when church attendance has been denied or restricted. The evidence shows that religious participation plays “a massive role” in reducing deaths of despair. It obliges us to rethink whether the ministries of churches are essential services or not. The research does not mean that faithful, active, practicing Christians have no risk of these kinds of deaths. The risk is still there but simply much less. The research does mean,
that increasing secularization (at least in America) is nothing short of a public health crisis. I expect the same conclusions apply to Canada, which shares a similar culture to our neighbours to the south. In the Bible, the Psalmist says that God is “near to the broken-hearted and saves the crushed in spirit.” (Psalm 34:18) And the apostle Peter declares, “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.” (1 Peter 1:3) These truths are Good News for us all and can literally be life-saving both now and for eternity. ◆
Rob Weatherby is a retired pastor.
Across the Amazon Jungle,” in 1982, to share her 4000-kilometre bicycle trek along the Trans-Amazonian Highway, which she undertook in her early 50s. She has since provided two Mobile Health Clinics to the Indigenous people of the Amazon via book-related fundraising. “My Home is Your Home, A Journey around Syria,” was written in 2011 by Mary Russell, another Irishwoman. In it she shares a decade of travel throughout Syria by bicycle, foot and public transportation. Her first trip to Syria was the year Basher Assad became president, and she was there just two weeks after 9/11, yet her stories speak only to the compassion, friendliness, and generosity of the Syrians she engaged while travelling as economically as possible. Robyn Davidson trekked 2700 kilometres across the Australian Outback in the late 1970s, alone except for her dog and four camels. Even by my loose standards, Davidson’s account of her physical and emotional roller coaster during this solo journey, and
When travelling by bicycle, the ability to laugh at one’s misadventures is often crucial
the lives of the Australian aboriginals that she met and depended on, is disjointed and incredulous—which makes her ability to complete such a journey all the more amazing. Her book is titled, “Tracks.” When travelling by bicycle, the ability to laugh at one’s misadventures is often crucial to rising the next morning with the will to carry on, and there is no shortage of authors combining humour and bicycle travel. At age 35, British author Tim Moore decided he should ride the 3600-kilometre route of the 2000 Tour de France. “French Revolutions, Cycling the Tour de France,” is the hilarious result. No matter Moore didn’t own a bike until two weeks before he began his ride, and his training consisted of half an hour of jogging each evening
for a week, and a single spinning class, before he began his pre-ride taper. He completed the route, with some cheating here and there to honour the tradition. “French Revolutions” sold well, and Moore enjoyed the cycling so much, that he did it all over again to write, “Gironimo, Riding the Very Terrible 1914 Tour of Italy.” Jim Malusa’s, “Into Thick Air, Biking to the Bellybutton of Six Continents,” borrows from Jon Krakauer’s famous mountain climbing thriller, “Into Thin Air,” for its title, yet is anything but a thrill ride. Malusa recounts his rides to the lowest point of each continent with great humour and intimate, slow-paced observations about Australia’s Lake Eyre, the Dead Sea, the Caspian Sea, Djibouti’s Lac Assal, Salinas Grandes in Argentina, and Death Valley. Each time I leave home, clipped into my bicycle beneath me or beside it in an airport, I know I’ll make a new friend and have a laugh or two, and gain an insight into some facet of our wonderful world, be it in Wainfleet or Wollongong. Search “Best bicycle touring books,” or start with the suggestions above. Get one or two of them, and come along for a bicycle, or camel, ride. ◆
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“Putts get real difficult the day they hand out the money.” Lee Trevino
The Voice, August 12, 2020
Sporting Green The Niagara
Page 17
John Swart hits the road through reading 18
The Voice and TheVoiceofPelham.ca | August 12, 2020
Bennett tops Ontario amateur qualifier
Gannon University scholarship golfer Ethan Bennett was second at a qualifier for the Ontario amateur golf championship.
BERNIE PUCHALSKI
Twenty Valley golfer second at Grand Niagara N
iagara’s top finisher at the recent Ontario men’s amateur golf qualifier at Grand Niagara might become a godsend to the event’s first alternate. Twenty Valley member Ethan Bennett, who shot a one under par 71 to finish one shot behind leader Michael Cammalleri, is expected to be attending classes at Gannon University is Erie, Pa., as the tournament started this Tuesday, Aug. 11, at the Otter Creek Golf Club in Otterville. “I initially registered for it as a tuneup for the fall season but now we are not going to be playing sports in the fall,” the 20-yearold Twenty Valley member said. “The Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference has just cancelled everything so with all the uncertainly I figured it was still a good idea to go. If school gets cancelled, then I will still have
a tournament to look forward to and a tournament in the schedule that I can at least compete at.” If the Gannon senior is able to go to the Ontario amateur, it will mark his third appearance at the event. He missed the cut in his first try in 2017. “I wasn’t quite ready for it at that point,” he said. “I was playing well but I missed the cut by quite a few strokes and I wasn’t ready to compete with the men yet.” In 2019, the 2016 Niagara Junior Tour overall boys champion tied for 50th at the men’s amateur. He started hot, grabbing the lead after 11 holes with a score of three under par before he cooled off. “Last year, I made the next step of making the cut,” he said. “I didn’t play great over the final two days but just being there for
BY BERNIE PUCHALSKI
BPSPORTSNIAGARA.COM
the weekend was a good experience.” The tournament was an eye-opening experience. “It was learning that you are able to compete against a lot of the players that you see and you know that are really, really good,” Bennett said. “It’s seeing that you can hang with them, compete with your best stuff and have a chance to win at any given time.” Bennett was happy with his play Wednesday. “I played really consistent,” he said. “I made three birdies on my first 10 holes and then I made a couple of bogeys when the wind picked up, but overall it was pretty solid and a good round.” It was Bennett’s first compet-
itive round in more than nine months and it was a long time coming. “This past winter, I wasn’t tired of golf but I wasn't quite as engaged or driven as I was,” he said. “Not being able to play at all in the spring kind of reignited my passion and my competitive attitude towards playing tournament golf.” He stoked that passion by spending a lot of time playing golf with his friends and playing competitive matches. “I haven’t been hitting as many balls on the range and I haven’t been spending as much time on the putting green, but I have been playing more golf and spending more time on the course,” Bennett said. “Playing golf and not just being a range rat has definitely helped.” He works and plays out of
Twenty Valley and also golfs at Lookout Point in Fonthill. At Lookout Point, he has been working with associate pro Adam Steinshifter. “Lookout and Twenty Valley have both helped,” Bennett said. “They are similar yet different in terms of your short game has to be pretty tight, but at Lookout you have to learn how to hit a lot of different shots around the green.” Other Niagara earning spots in the provincial championship were: Grand Niagara’s R.J. Derhodge, tied for third with an even par 72 which included four birdies and an eagle; St. Catharines Golf and Country Club’s Brandon McGregor and Ben MacLean, tied for 11th with 75s; and, St. Catharines Golf and Country Club’s Hayden Molen, tied for 19th with a 77.
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The Voice, August 12, 2020
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FROM THE HANDLEBARS
by John Swart
Extended bicycle travelling—COVID-style
R
aise your right hand if you don’t have Netflix. Raise your left hand if it’s because you’d rather read and let your own imagination do the cinematography and editing, dreaming or cringing at your pace rather than one designed to bring you back next episode. Any niche or genre of book is fine, whatever you enjoy: mystery, historical fiction, romance, memoir. In these times, when we’re all still on short tethers, be it at home, the cottage, or in a brand-new travel trailer— and travelling south is the farthest thing from most of our minds—adventure
travel stories are a lifesaver for me. Make that travel on a bicycle, on foot, or even camelback, and if the book is reasonably well written, I’m all in until I’ve completed it. Paul Theroux, Bill Bryson, Will Ferguson, everyone has their favourite travel authors. Those that effortlessly make the reader feel they’re looking over their shoulder, experiencing places and engaging foreign cultures with the author. These successful writers fly, drive, or cruise to exotic places, do enormous research on their destinations, and weave enticing or harrowing stories of their
travels. Few cyclists or trekkers or camel-riding women are professional, well-financed travel writers, yet the nature of their travel means they seldom struggle for material, and their experiences are frequently real and raw. These authors may not have perfectly turned phrases, or even the ability to congeal each experience into a sequenced and coherent narrative; but as a reader, you never doubt the sincerity of their thoughts, and how the situation they find themselves in impacts their every moment. Refreshingly many adventure cycling authors are women, brave and honest beyond words, whether discussing the people and circumstances they encounter, or their own fears and revelations. In January 1963, Dervla
There’s more than one way to travel by bicycle during these challenging times. Murphy cycled away from her home in Dunkirk, Ireland, at the age of 31, and headed for India via Persia, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and the Himalayas. She had no political agenda, and believed in the decency of those she met, yet her resourcefulness and intelligence were tested every day to ensure her survival. From her diary of this
trip she wrote, “Full Tilt” in 1965. Nowhere are there more intimate accounts of daily rural life as it was 60 years ago in these countries, long before Google and 9/11 interferred. “Ukimwi” is the Swahili word for AIDS. Dervla wrote, “The Ukimwi Road, From Kenya to Zimbabwe,” in 1993, documenting her 4500-kilometre bicycle trip
JOHN SWART
at the time AIDS was ravaging Africa. Her unflinching comments on the devastation of the epidemic, the futility of much of the well-intended foreign aid, and the missed opportunities of corrupt leadership make extremely relevant reading again today. Louise Sutherland, a See HANDLEBARS Page 16
Voice
HOROSCOPE
ARIES – Mar 21/Apr 20 A business associate or romantic partner may make a play for more power this week, Aries. Instead of playing defense, see what happens if you cede some control. TAURUS – Apr 21/May 21 No matter how tempting the opportunity, do not mix friendship with finances, Taurus. This goes both ways, whether you are asking to borrow money or doing the lending. GEMINI – May 22/Jun 21 Pressure at work could be mounting and leaving you feeling awfully stressed, Gemini. Now might be the time to take a brief step back and enjoy the respite. CANCER – Jun 22/Jul 22 Cancer, you may be inspired to fight the system this week. Be sure you have done all your research before diving in full force. Patience is a virtue, after all. LEO – Jul 23/Aug 23 While it may seem like you can mix business and pleasure Leo, there are some complications that you may not anticipate. It’s better if you keep things separate. VIRGO – Aug 24/Sept 22 Virgo, no matter what you do this week there will be challenges. Embrace any hurdles you need to clear en route to getting the job done well. LIBRA – Sept 23/Oct 23 If you do not make a big deal of a difference of opinion then you can work easily with a person whose perspectives differ from your own, Libra. Learn to cooperate. SCORPIO – Oct 24/Nov 22 Someone’s extreme emotions can turn your weekly schedule on
its head, Scorpio. As you help this person through a tough time, keep a cool head and listen. SAGITTARIUS – Nov 23/Dec 21 Sagittarius, this week loved ones may want to make a big deal about something you are doing. But you’re not willing to join the drama parade. Stick to your convictions. CAPRICORN – Dec 22/Jan 20 Capricorn, neglecting your work can have far-reaching consequences. So buckle down even though the last thing you want right now is responsibility. AQUARIUS – Jan 21/Feb 18 Keep a close eye on the things that you value the most, Aquarius. Keep these things close to your mind and heart and do your best to avoid taking them for granted. PISCES – Feb 19/Mar 20 Pisces, you may have a lot of pent up energy his week. Find some creative ways to spend your time and expend your energy. FAMOUS BIRTHDAYS AUGUST 9 Michael Kors, Designer (61) AUGUST 10 Suzanne Collins, Author (58) AUGUST 11 Chris Hemsworth, Actor (37) AUGUST 12 Yvette Nicole Brown, Actress (49) AUGUST 13 Lennon Stella, Singer (21) AUGUST 14 Steve Martin, Actor (75) AUGUST 15 Joe Jonas, Singer (31)
SOLUTIONS DOWN 1. Babble 2. ER 3. Volta 4. Elis 5. Lev 6. Seesaw 7. Sopped 8. IPO 9. Epos 10. Golem 11. Es 12. Separate 13. Praus 15. Scribes 18. Rad 21. Universal 24. Liberates 26. Fan 27. Sad 30. Maikra 32. Renan 35. Act 37. LAN 38. Aseptic 39. Labrador 42. EDT 43. SAT 46. Padres 47. Retire 49. Arable 50. Balas 52. Tawny 54. Col 55. Sager 57. Shim 59. Bise 62. Ice 63. Gem 66. RH 68. AG
CROSSWORD ANSWERS
SOLUTIONS ACROSS 1. Bevels 7. Sieges 13. Parolee 14. Opposes 16. RB 17. Liverpool 19. PC 20. Abuts 22. SAP 23. Selar 25. Ulna 26. Fades 28. Miri 29. Sei 30. Maw 31. DAR 33. Bab 34. Vain 36. Delete 38. Aleck 40. Nares 41. Sartre 43. Sana 44. EBS 45. ADP 47. Ran 48. Tab 51. Prat 53. Tacet 55. Sera 56. Talas 58. Dot 59. Basal 60. ID 61. Whirligig 64. BA 65. Cornice 67. Reseals 69. Rhymes 70. Emerge
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The Voice, August 12, 2020
Voice
FAITH LIFT
by Pastor Rob Weatherby
CROSSWORD
Why church is good for you
B
elievers have known for a long time that being an active part of a local church is both essential for spiritual growth and beneficial for overall health. Interestingly, in recent years secular studies have confirmed it.
An alarming stat
Rebecca McLaughlin has done extensive research on this topic. She holds a PhD from Cambridge University and a theology degree from Oak Hill seminary (London, England). Last year she published an important book, Confronting Christianity: 12 Hard Questions for the World’s Largest Religion. McLaughlin found that “deaths of despair” have risen dramatically in recent decades. This term was coined in 2015 to describe deaths by suicide and abuse of drugs and alcohol. All are motivated by feelings of depression, despair and hopelessness. Many factors have been identified which contribute to this sad reality. They include declining job opportunities, declining social and family support, declining marriage rates, and increased access to opioids. However, one important factor is often left out— the effect of secularization.
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Miracle Drug” confirmed his conclusion. Harvard professor Tyler VanderWeele and journalist John Siniff outlined from their research the multiple mental and physical health benefits resulting from attending church once a week or more. The most striking benefit was that it reduced mortality by 20 to 30 percent over a 15-year period. While most of the study participants attended Christian church services, the results were similar for Jewish people attending a synagogue. Social support seemed to account for only about a quarter of the ben-
efits of religious participation, meaning that most of the benefits were spiritual. The mental health benefits were particularly striking. Their studies found that church-attenders were more optimistic, have lower rates of depression, and are less likely to commit suicide than non-churchgoers. In particular, it found churchgoing women were five times less likely to be suicidal. Researcher VanderWeele concluded, “It may be one of the most protective factors known for suicide!” See FAITH LIFT Page 16
A surprising discovery
In 2007, social psychologist Jonathan Haidt (who happens to be an atheist) made a surprising discovery from his research. He wrote, “Surveys have long shown that religious believers in the United States are happier, healthier, longer-lived, and more generous to charity and to each other than are secular people.” More recently, a 2016 article in “USA Today” entitled “Religion May Be a
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Page 20
The Voice, August 12, 2020
LEAVENS
continued from Page 14 been here just over a year now. You know, there was something that he said that was very interesting and I totally agree with him. At one point he was asked if there was anything new he'd experienced here, and he said—I forget his exact quotation—“There are a lot of new things I’m experiencing here.” It really does explain a lot of what goes on. I think it was, “I've been experiencing a number of professional firsts in Pelham.” Yeah, yeah, I thought that was very telling. Probably the worst job in public ser-
vice, at any level of government, is at the municipal level, because the turnover now is so great, the turnover amongst senior staff. And it’s not just in Pelham. It happens all over the place, and again it goes back to not valuing experts like we used to. You don't want staff members that are going to agree with you on everything, or take your side in every argument. You want staff members that are going to give you valid advice— Independent of politics. —Yeah, don't tell me what I want to hear, tell me what I need to hear. The CAO we hired when I was there, Anne Louise Heron, we had this conversation
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in my office a couple days after she was hired. She came in and she said, “Mr. Mayor, what do you want from me?” I told her, “Anne Louise, I want you to tell us, council, what we need to hear, not what we want to hear.” And quite frankly, that's what got her let go by the succeeding council, because she continued with that.” So for the second half of the mandate, what are the top priorities, in your view, that council should be addressing? I think we have to start planning for two years down the road now, because I believe very strongly, and some of my contacts in the business community tell me the same thing, that two years down the road we're going to see huge amounts of infrastructure money coming out, from the prov-
ince and the feds. We have to be ready to jump on that. We have to start planning now for projects that we might want to implement two or three years down the road. The business community is telling me that you won't see it in the next year and a half to two years, because we have to get over this deficit that we've run up now. But business is really going to feel the effects of the pandemic a year and a half, two years down the road. That's when it's really going to hit them and that's when the infrastructure money is going to start coming from the feds and the province to start doing things. When you say infrastructure you mean roads and bridges— Roads and bridges, all kinds of municipal projects. It'll help the construction business and supplying
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www.thevoiceofpelham.ca materials. We're going to see money going into hospitals, and schools, senior care facilities, hopefully, if they've learned their lesson. There'll be lots of money flowing to the municipality and we need to be prepared for that. We can't fly by the seat of our pants like we have in the past and say, oh, there's money there. I mean the last time around, with the infrastructure money, we missed it because we weren't ready. That was the whole idea of getting this land in East Fonthill, so that we would be able to take advantage of that infrastructure money, and we missed the boat. The last money came out, I believe it was in 2009, and we weren’t ready for it. So we ended up paying the full cost of the community centre. If we'd been ready, we could have had funding in the neighborhood of probably two-thirds of the actual cost. And then where would we be financially? Obviously a lot better shape. A lot better shape. To be fair to this council, they've had a lot to deal with, as far as getting the finances straight. It's unfair to expect them to be carrying out a lot of projects when they're trying to get their financial house in order. What else would you prioritize—cannabis? I think it's a legitimate concern that people have had over the cannabis business—the lighting and the odours, and all of that—but it's still a valuable contributor to the local economy. I can't for the life of me understand why in this modern age, with the technology we have, why we can't control the odours and dampen down the lighting so it doesn't bother people. My own impression is that the cannabis industry hasn't done their homework. Well, they may have done their homework and decid-
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ed that the teacher in Pelham didn’t really care—or didn’t care before—whether the homework was done correctly, because certainly the technology does exist. It's just not being implemented here. Anything else we should cover? I really would like to see an effective tree bylaw, I really would, with timelines attached to it. Speaking of trees, any thoughts about our old nemesis the gypsy moth? I'm really against using insecticides where they don't need to be used, if you can control it with spot-spraying. I don't agree with past councils that this is something that individual homeowners should pay for, because if you don't do it sooner or later it's going to affect everybody. It's for the benefit the of the entire town. Don't nail individual homeowners with the cost, because a lot of it's coming from public lands anyway. It's like anything else. I mean, if you've got potholes on Haist Street and you go and repair them, do just the people on Haist Street pay for it? No, the entire town does, so why should this be any different. Yeah, it's difficult to rationalize socializing road repairs or street lights, sewers, and water, but not saving the trees. A couple of the people that have written to the paper in the past couple weeks with respect to the trees coming down, I disagree that the public should have to review every tree that comes down. I think again, you've got experts that are telling you this tree needs to come down. If the Town needs to get a second opinion from another arborist that's fine. But at the same time, I agree with them that our tree replacement bylaws are totally ineffective. Okay, I appreciate your time. Thanks. Thank you. ◆
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