Ron Leavens passes away
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Junkin media gambit prompts NPCA action
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Pickles and fate Tangy brush with celebrity lingers on palate BY MARGARET FERGUSON Special to the Voice
M
y love of pickles began when I was quite small— especially of the sweet pickles that have baby onions and bits of cauliflower in the jar. We grew many vegetables in the garden on our farm. Cucumbers liked the heavy clay soil of our upper farm and produced prolifically each year. We seemed to have a continual collection of crocks full of vinegar and cucumbers as they turned themselves into pickles. Later most of them were put into jars stacked neatly on the cellar shelves. Fast forward to when we had our first boy and my mother lived with us. Once a week we three would drive to the grocery store in St. Catharines for our weekly shopping. One time I saw the rows of pickle jars and noticed some that looked just like mother’s pickles that I remembered — cucumber pieces, baby onions and cauliflower. The trade name was “Bicks.” Of course, I bought a bottle and
Pelham Mayor Marvin Junkin speaks to a CHCH-TV reporter on Saturday, along a washed-out section of Sulphur Springs Drive. The road has been closed for five years, awaiting repairs that Junkin says the NPCA has been unnecessarily delaying. Story, page 12 . DON RICKERS
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The Voice
by Dave Burket
Plea deal sees Lush release BY VOICE STAFF A man arrested at Hipwell’s Motel last December is back on the street, his time served. Donald Lush, 45, of no fi xed address, was arrested by Niagara Regional Police and charged with seven counts of theft under $5000, plus four counts of possession of property obtained by crime. Much of the stolen property has since been re-
covered by police. Lush, who had outstanding warrants, was held in custody at the Niagara Detention Centre in Thorold since being apprehended. His lawyer, Sara Ramalho, told the Voice that Lush pleaded guilty to some charges via teleconference last week, and others were withdrawn by the Crown. Lush was sentenced to time-served and given probation.
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BY VOICE STAFF With a commanding 712 votes, John Mastroianni has been elected to fi ll the Ward 3 seat left vacant by the February resignation of Lucas Spinosa. In results still considered unofficial posted to the City of Welland’s website, Steve Soos came second, with 386 votes, Cathy Connor third, with 341 votes,
NRPS impaired driving charges ~
Nancy Dmytrow Bilboe fourth, with 271, Douglas Thomas fi fth, with 205, and Mastroianni. Phill GladSUPPLIED man sixth, with 91. The City said that of the ward’s 8085 eligible voters, just under 25 percent turned out to vote.
What's That
SIREN Pelham Fire Department Weekly Calls
The Pelham Fire Department responded to six calls for assistance from Friday, August 6 to Friday, August 13. Friday, August 6 Burning complaint, Rice Rd., Station 1
Kuthugas mischief hearing delayed until September 10
Saturday, August 7 Motor vehicle accident, Welland Rd., Station 1 Monday, August 8 Medical assistance, Station 1
Fonthill man allegedly sent prostitutes to harass neighbour BY DON RICKERS Voice Correspondent A man charged on May 10 with two counts of mischief over $5000 will be back in court on September 10. Attorney Gurinder Gill appeared in a Welland courtroom via teleconference on Friday, August 13, representing Anosan Kugathas, the Pelham realtor who was charged pursuant to a Niagara Regional Police Service investigation which commenced in January. Kugathas allegedly sent unsolicited female sex trade workers to a neighbour’s residence in the Lookout
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PUBLISHER’S CORNER A sudden and sad loss: The death of former mayor Ron Leavens last Friday has left many, including me, stunned. It was just a few days ago that he called to let us know about an accident on Pelham Street related to those exposed maintenance hole covers. He was the same ol’ Ron—politely but firmly insistent that a wrong had to be made right. We will present an overview of Ron’s life, and tributes to him, in next week’s issue. Do you have a favourite Ron Leavens memory? Please share it with us: editor@thevoiceofpelham. ca...Something’s fishy: As you will see in this week’s lead story about the inexplicably delayed permit process for repair work on Sulphur Springs Drive (p.12), the Mayor and the contractor involved have fingered the Niagara chapter of the environmental advocacy group Trout Unlimited Canada as largely to blame for the NPCA’s arthritically slow bureaucratic responsiveness. So we put a simple question to chapter chair Dennis Edell over the weekend: Has Trout Unlimited engaged in activity (lobbying, etc.) that a reasonable observer might construe to be a systematic, deliberate effort to prevent the project from going forward this season? The answer? Free-range, environmentally protected crickets. Not a word. I'm a proponent of responsible land management, and the Trout folks do good work. But it is disturbing that they may have been instrumental in delaying a commonsense repair to a residential road, and then won't even acknowledge their lobbying and for what purpose the effort was made... Anonymous, we need you: In April, you contacted us regarding a local business owner banned from three restaurants in Welland. Please get back in touch: editor@ thevoiceofpelham.ca...As ever: Stay safe. ◆
A August 18 2021
Thursday, August 12 Arcing hydro lines, Centre St., Station 1
subdivision in Fonthill on 15 different occasions. The house on Joyce Crescent in which Kugathas, 29, had been living has been sold by Engel Volkers Niagara real estate brokers in Niagara Falls, the company that employed Kathagas at the time of his arrest. Gill told the court that a Crown pre-trial conference had taken place on August 5, in which the prosecution and defence counsels met to negotiate a potential resolution. Gill said he is waiting to hear back from the assigned prosecutor with regard to a victim input statement, and further
Friday, August 13 Medical assistance, Station 1
discussion as to the possibility that the case could be resolved amicably. The case was placed on the docket for September 10 at 9 AM. Kugathas has removed his social media presence, and is no longer listed as a sales advisor on the Engel Volkers Niagara company website. Attempts by the Voice to reach him for comment proved unsuccessful.
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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Apple Day comes to Fonthill
BY JULIE MANNELL
Special to the VOICE
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BALLOONING INTEREST Grade 6 student Jinja Shepherd explains her experiment on static electricity at the Glynn A. Green NATE SMELLE PHOTO Public School's annual science fair last Friday. See story, page 3.
Public meeting tonight on school issues BY VOICE STAFF As questions continue to mount regarding an email that Pelham Mayor Dave Augustyn quietly sent to a District School Board of Niagara trustee last summer, Augustyn has agreed to address the issue at a public meeting scheduled for this evening, Wednesday, Feb. 8, in Fenwick. Nancy Beamer, speaking for “Names Matter,” a Pelham citizens group lobbying the DSBN to reverse its decision to rename a local public school, confirms that the meeting will be held at Fire Station #2, known locally as the Fenwick Fire Hall, starting at 7:00 PM. While the Mayor has agreed to ap-
Under pressure, Mayor to address email revelation, other E. W. Farr matters pear, says Beamer, DSBN officials associated with the school-naming process have either declined to attend or have not yet responded to the group’s invitation. DSBN Chair, Dale Robinson, to whom Augustyn’s email was addressed last June, has declined to appear, says Beamer, asserting that she would be
“on holidays.” The Voice was unable to independently confirm Robinsion’s intentions. She did not respond to repeated requests for comment on E.W. Farr-related matters before presstime. Beamer, whose group maintains an email list of some 580 residents, says that all members of the public are invited and encouraged to attend the meeting. “We would especially welcome parents and children who are unhappy with the name change,” she says, referring to the contentious decision by the DSBN to consolidate two Pelham See MEETING back page
HEN I WAS young, my father and I would go for long drives along the rural routes of Pelham. We’d blast George Thurgood and roll down the windows because we loved the smell of the breeze, the sensation of crisp Niagara wind beating our cheeks and tangling our hair against our summer-kissed skin. My father was not a sentimental man. He worked in factories and had a Gordon Lightfoot mustache and never shed tears over injuries. Yet something about the Pelham landscape, the hilly backdrop to his childhood and the childhoods of our ancestors, drew him in. He’d stop by a farm or a gathering of woods and, surrendering his manly veneer, tell me a story about the town. This place is precious. This is the earth that granted us life. Here is the place where we happened upon love or here is a site of devastation. On one particular drive sometime in the late ‘90s we stopped at a tree with a plaque. “This tree looks dead,” I said to my father. “It sure is getting there, Julie.” The Comfort Maple is supposedly Canada’s oldest See COLUMN SIX Page 14
Part 2 of 2: Coronation to embarkation
BY VOICE STAFF
A construction error was discovered following the opening of a traffic calming chicane on Haist Street north of Hwy 20 last Monday that prevented large vehicles from passing through. One resident living in the neighbourhood said he contacted the Town after seeing a small schoolbus get stuck as it tried to get through the new traffic calming measure. Later that day while driving behind a cement truck, he said that he became concerned for the public’s safety when the truck had to turn around because it couldn’t get through. “If a small school bus and a cement truck can’t make it through what about a fire
BY HEATHER McLAREN ROHRER
Special to the VOICE
A
Repair measures underway last week to correct a construction error in the chicane. truck or an ambulance?” he said. While waiting for the contractor to return to fix
the mistake, the Town has taken measures to temporarily allow passage for vehicles through the neigh-
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bourhood in the short-term. Manager of Public Works Ryan Cook said that after discovering the issue with
the chicane the morning it first opened, the Town See CHICANE Page 5
Petition-inspired changes coming to 2017 Summerfest BY NATE SMELLE
The VOICE
Representatives from the Pelham Summerfest committee Candy Ashbee and Bill Gibson presented council with a final report on the 2016 Summerfest at the Council meeting on Monday, Nov. 21. Prompted by a story in the Voice in August about a merchant petition to move Summerfest from Pelham Street, in September Town staff met with various stakeholders to hear their complaints, promising at the time that changes in the way Summerfest was mounted would be con-
sidered. The main concerns identified during the community engagement process were security, parking, ensuring customer can access all businesses in town, and liability for damages. How to get all Pelham Street businesses to participate and finding ways to make it beneficial for them to set up a booth were also determined to be of high priority for the committee as they plan for next year’s event. Gibson told Council that the committee is addressing these concerns in a variety of ways. To improve parking, they intend to create bet-
ter signage for out-of-town visitors to designated parking areas and shuttle services. To make participation in Summerfest more enticing to local businesses, they plan to implement a tiered-charge for booths. Under the new system, Pelham Street business owners will be charged the least, other local businesses will pay a slightly higher fee, and vendors from outside Pelham will pay the most. In response to more specific issues for individual businesses, they will also slightly alter the footprint of the event and make adjustments to security. Another way the committee plans
to improve the 2017 Summerfest is by sponsoring and working with the organizers of the Thursday Night Bandshell Concert series to select the artist performing on the first night of Summefest. They also intend to make more use of the smartphone app they launched in 2016. "We are really going to push it this year," Ashbee said. “It really helps to get people to see what events there are so they can plan out where they are going. We will be able to actually help the merchants and local businesses adSee CHANGES Page 5
FTER LUNCH ON Saturday, Mum and Dad had my afternoon cut out for me. Mum had more brass than anyone I knew, and it had to be cleaned. In addition there was the set of silver fish-knives and forks which were never used, but which had to be cleaned and put back in their velvetlined box. Next was a walk to the newsagents to pay for the daily delivery of the Daily Mirror. As I said, Dad was a printer, but when he was 37 he had been rejected for a job, as being too old, by the printers of the Beano. For that reason, my favourite comic was not allowed in the house, but while I was paying the papers, the newsagent let me have a 'shoofty' at the Beano. I'd explained my predicament and he understood completely. Sundays were different again. Dad would play golf on summer mornings and billiards in winter. Then he'd stop for a 'refresher' at the local and would pick up the prawns, cockles, winkles or whelks we'd be having for tea later. Meanwhile, Mum was roasting the 'joint' and potatoes. I got to make the Yorkshire pud, and mint See COLUMN SIX Page 14
BY VOICE STAFF
While shopping in Fonthill between Friday and Sunday, keep an eye out for Beavers, Cubs and Scouts in front of local stores with bushels of apples. As part of the annual Apple Day campaign, Scouting youth of all ages will be trading apples for donations. The yearly fundraising drive is an important way for young Scouts to connect with the communities they are serving, says Leah Marie of Scouts Canada. “The Apple Day campaign holds a great tradition of being able to have youth interacting within the communities they live in,” she says. “All of the Apple Day donations stay directly within the group that re-
The goal is to have these youth develop into confident and well-rounded individuals
ceives them, enabling youth to have experiences that build character, challenge them, and allow them to try new things. The goal is to have these youth develop into confident and wellrounded individuals, better prepared for success. Apple Day helps to achieve that.”
“Any money raised during Apple Day goes towards improving the Scouting program by providing more outdoor adventures for youth, camping equipment, canoes and paddles, training and many other endeavours that the youth want to experience,” says Marie. Scouts Canada has some 100,000 members across Canada, and carries out programs for boys, girls
walk/trail is slated to be built between the south side of the road from Timmsdale Crescent to the high school. Because of the large volume of motor vehicle traffic travelling at high speeds through this area, and because of the necessity for students to tread this path on a daily basis, many residents would like to see the sidewalk go in sooner than later. After delivering to Council a petition containing
Many residents would like to see the sidewalk go in sooner than later the names of 450 students calling for a safer walk to school, Simpson handed the
podium over to Loewen and Williams to plead their case. Loewen told Council that because there are a lot of students who have work placements and coop placements during the school year, this is the only route for many of them to travel. As one of the students facing this predicament, Williams said she has had no other option but to walk along the dangerous highway.
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and youth ages 5-25. This year the 3rd Fonthill Group, which includes Beavers to Ventures (youth ages 5- 25) will be hitting the streets to drum-up support. Over the weekend, Scouts will be set up in Fonthill outside Sobeys, Tim Hortons, Target Gas station, Fonthill Shopping Plaza and the Pioneer Gas station at the corner of Hwys 20 and 24.
Town Council approves sidewalk to serve E. L. Crossley BY NATE SMELLE
The VOICE
Joining their principal, Karen Simpson, at the Sept. 19 Council meeting as part of a delegation from EL Crossley Secondary School, students Abby Loewen and Neenah Williams presented Council with a list of reasons that they should immediately approve the construction of the new sidewalk proposed along Hwy. 20. The asphalt side-
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Second year Beaver with the 3rd Fonthill Group, Russell Letford offers a fresh apple to shoppers 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
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BY VOICE STAFF The District School Board of Niagara is requesting that the Town of Pelham cede a portion of Cherry Ridge Park for use as a soccer field to serve the students of the new Wellington Heights Public School, formerly the E. W. Farr Memorial Public School, in Fenwick. Currently under renovation and expansion, the new school will combine students and staff from the previous school and Pelham Centre, where classes are being held while construction continues. Two letters, containing virtually identical text but signed by different authorities, were sent last week to nearby residents of the park, as well as to parents of Pelham Centre students. “The DSBN is currently building onto Wellington Heights Public School on Alsop Drive,” states the letter. “The size of the school's addition means the existing small soccer field will be eliminated. The Town and the Board have been discussing the possibility of working together to create a field for both the school and the
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In an effort to bring further attention and deterrence to driving while impaired by alcohol or drugs, the Niagara Regional Police Service reports the names of those people who are charged with an alleged criminal impaired driving offence in the Region. None of the following charges have been proved in court. In addition to being charged, these individuals are also bound by a Ministry of Transportation 90-Day Administrative Driver’s License Suspension and are prohibited from operating a motor vehicle on a roadway. The public is encouraged to contact the Niagara Regional Police Service Traffic Safety Hotline or Crime Stoppers to report those who are driving in contravention of the suspension. The following individuals have been charged criminally with impaired driving by alcohol or drugs, driving with a blood alcohol concentration above 80 mgs of alcohol in 100 ml of blood, or refusing to provide a breath / blood sample. Marais K. C. WALPOLE, 22, Lowbanks Roger J. JONGERDEN, 30, West Lincoln Jenna F. MORRIS, 31, St. Catharines Kelly A. REID, 45, Burlington Jeffrey S. MCQUEEN, 56, Niagara Falls Kimberly S. DANNA, 33, Buffalo NY Nadine S. GUPPY, 40, St. Catharines Michael R. STICKLAND, 26, Fort Erie Stephen J. CYMBA, 31, Niagara Falls Feisal A. ALI, 31, Toronto Ryan M. LABELLE, 22, Niagara Falls Bonnie A. FRIESEN, 45, Pelham Simon A. PENA, 50, Niagara-on-the-Lake Michael BLACKMON, 34, Buffalo NY Erin SAUDELLI, 25, Grimsby Demian ZUBIRI ALVAREZ, 37, North York Tyler J. VAN GELDER, 39, St. Catharines Haydn Q. DERUITER, 25, Port Colborne Scott W. PALMAN, 51, Fort Erie Brent V. M. STAATS, 37, No Fixed Abode Ashley V. S. LEPERA, 29, No Fixed Abode Joshua B. J. NUGTEREN, 25, St. Catharines Kyle K. COOK, 32, Schomberg
“I start work at 2:30 PM and school lets out at 2:15 PM so I can’t take any other route,” Williams explained. “I have had friends, family, teachers and other community members reach out to me in the past about how this is unsafe and how there should be another alternative for us.” Looking ahead to winter, when she will need to walk this path three or four times See SIDEWALK Page 2
HERE IS NO BETTER time to cycle than Fall. It matters not whether you’re new to the sport, a seasoned recreational cyclist, racer, touring rider or mountain biker; we all have reason to look forward to autumn. Summer’s heat has faded, and the streams of sweat that ran from soggy helmets into our eyes are now just slight perspiration. Fitness is peaking from lots of saddle time, making those tough climbs of Spring a breeze in Autumn. It’s hard to beat the feeling of beginning a crisp, cool Fall ride with a slight shiver, knowing your efforts will soon warm you perfectly. The hues of Autumn are outstanding. A Pelham route as simple as following our southern boundary is one that would make most Toronto cyclists jealous, especially when our forests and fields are ablaze with colour. Begin from Harold Black Park, and zig-zag south along Effingham Rd toward the Welland River. If you’re new to cycling, it’s important to know south is the direction away from any hills. If you avoid the morning and evening weekday rush hours caused by those travelling through Pelham between Wainfleet See AUTUMN Page 3
Indulgence Bakery Mossimo’s Pelham Street Grille Peter Piper’s Pubhouse DeVries Fruit Farm Beamer’s Hardware Pelham Libraries Bob’s Boys Antiques PharmaChoice Pharmacy Fonthill Fitness Fenwick Pie Company McDonald’s Duffin Appleworks Fonthill Legion Semenuk’s Gas Bar Shoppers Drug Mart Tim Horton’s Giant Tiger Fonthill LCBO Zee Lube Express Care Food Basics Minor Bros Stores Avondale Stores A-1 Market Boggio's IDA Sobeys South Pelham Grill on Canboro Shell on Hwy 20 Circle-K
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Ron Leavens, in his Fonthill PetValu office, in 2017.
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Former Mayor Ron Leavens passes away BY VOICE STAFF Retired business owner, teacher, and former mayor Ron Leavens, 75, has died. Shortly after 3 PM on Friday, various EMS and fire vehicles arrived at Leavens’ residence in Fonthill. For some years he had experienced a chronic heart condition and cardiac asthma. Leavens' son, Shane Leavens, told the Voice that his father's death was likely related to these concerns. Leavens served as mayor of Pelham from 2003 to 2006, was a retired teacher, and owned the Fonthill PetValu franchise until recently, when he sold it to a new owner but continued to work limited hours at the store. There was an immediate outpouring of
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A August 18 2021
condolences on social media, particularly among Leavens' former students, who recalled an exceptionally kind and patient teacher. The Voice will present an extended tribute to Leavens in next week's edition. Current Pelham Mayor Marvin Junkin recalls speaking with Leavens as Junkin was thinking about running for the position back in 2018. “After listening to him for over an hour, I knew I had made a great decision to seek his advice,” Junkin tells the Voice. “He was a great mayor because he was a great communicator. My condolences to his wife and family members.” Leavens leaves behind his wife, Karen, two children, four grandchildren, and three siblings.
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toEarlyON go chargesCentres closing driving 83 days Fenwick and South Pelham NRPS Raidy Manso (center), Santa Cayo, Cuba! At impaired
Sue Lough with daughter Tamara, of Fenwick, with new Cuban friend
NPCA offers virtual information session Community input sought for new strategic plan
Open call for artistic workshop presenters
BY DON RICKERS Voice Correspondent The CEO of the Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority (NPCA), Chandra Sharma, can barely contain her enthusiasm when discussing her organisation’s top-priority project, a new strategic plan. The document will be the blueprint which guides the NPCA’s mission over the course of the next decade. “We took a fresh approach with the strategic plan’s design, seeking out a high degree of community engagement in the formative stages, so as to achieve a shared vision,” said Sharma. “NPCA staff are integrally involved in the planning and implementation activities, as is the board of directors, and our public advisory committee. And I must say that public input so far has been incredible, and very encouraging.” The organisation’s current strategic plan, entitled Partners In Conservation – A Shared Responsibility, ends in 2021. Commencing in 2019, the NPCA took the first steps to create a new plan. One of the outreach components was a survey available to the
NPCA CEO Chandra Sharma. SUPPLIED
public in an effort to gather input on potential goals and priorities. “Over 4300 people visited the NPCA website to review information on the plan, and 501 completed the survey directly, indicating overall positive support for the proposed strategic priorities,” said Sharma. “Staff reviewed the feedback, made adjustments to the proposed strategic priorities, and have refined the key components of the draft plan.” “More work needs to be done to create an understanding of conservation
authority roles and responsibilities out in the community, so we are going to be working on that,” said Sharma. “From the survey responses, it was clear that there is a lot expected of the NPCA. We know that people really wanted us to focus on protecting, enhancing, and restoring the watershed. One of the takeaways was that we need to use plain language, even though we are a technical organization that sometimes uses complex, scientific terminology. We are community-based, grassroots organization, and need to remember to keep information easily understandable.” Sharma has arranged for a virtual public information session this Thursday, August 19, at 6:30 PM, to discuss the evolution of the plan, and seek additional comment prior to presenting the draft document to the board of directors in the fall. The completed strategic plan is set to be released in October. “This is our second point of direct community engagement, allowing participants See INPUT Page 14
From fine art, music, theatre and more, all Niagara artists are encouraged to apply to provide a workshop experience.
Apply Now Selected artists will provide a hands on workshop for community members in October. For more information contact Stephanie Yole at 905-892-2607 x341 or visit www.pelham.ca/arts
Page 4
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A August 18 2021
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OPINION
The opinions expressed in submitted commentary and letters to the editor are those of the contributors and not necessarily those of the Voice of Pelham.
The Voice of Pelham is a 1211858 Ontario Limited publication David Burket, Publisher 2-1428 Pelham St., P.O. Box 1489, Fonthill, ON L0S1E0
COTÉ'S COMMENTS Larry Coté
If we love our children
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ccording to recent estimates, there are 2.2 billion children on this globe. It is their destiny to be our descendants and our responsibility to leave them a viable, healthy environment in which to live. However, some recent events highlight how we have failed in that obligation for some while now, and are continuing that shortcoming to this day. Some experts predict that unless we change very soon, it will be too late and the devastation will be irreparable. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change released a report signaling ‘a code red for humanity.’ In that account, the panel claimed “Global heating is affecting every region on Earth, with many changes becoming irreversible.” We are witnessing increases in wildfires, heatwaves, animal extinction, ocean warming, air and water pollution, flooding, pandemics and other calamitous events that have made headlines over the last number of decades. The records show that such
devastating outcomes are increasing in frequency and intensity and need be taken notice of by each and every one of us. Its not someone else’s problem to address this issue. It is yours and mine. All of us are the culprits and each of us must take notice that we can’t continue our excessive and pathogenic treatment of the environment. Pollution doesn’t just happen. You and I cause it and only you and I can remediate such harm to our environment. Remember, this is the one we are leaving to our children. And at this point, this legacy doesn't look too promising. If we love our children, then starting today each of us must make a commitment to curtail the many ways we harm our environment on a daily basis. Be mindful, this is the one our children will inherit from us. What will be the quality of that legacy. Poor or rich? Global warming is primarily caused by and the result of human activities. The extent of these deleterious activities have overwhelmed the earth’s abilities to absorb and repair the damages we infl ict on
NEED HELP? MAKE THE CALL Distress Centre Distress and crisis. 24-hour help line: 905-688-3711
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Gambler’s Anonymous 905-351-1616 Kids Help Phone Service for youth. 416-586-5437 800-668-6868 (Crisis Line) www.kidshelpphone.ca
Assaulted Women’s Helpline Mobile calls to: #SAFE (#7233) 1-866-863-0511 (Toll-free) Crime Stoppers 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS) www.niagaratips.com Text - 274637 (CRIMES), keyword Niagara, then your tip
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www.thevoiceofpelham.ca PUBLISHER Dave Burket publisher@thevoiceofpelham.ca ADMINISTRATION Lori Gretsinger office@thevoiceofpelham.ca CONTRIBUTORS Jane Bedard, Carolyn Botari, Colin Brezicki, Rosemary Chambers, John Chick, Larry Coté, Brian Green, Miriam Han, Megan Metler, Bill Potrecz, Bernie Puchalski, Don Rickers, John Swart, Helen Tran, Mike Tucker, Rob Weatherby. Proof Sleuth: Julian Fitch NEWS INQUIRIES & TIPS editor@thevoiceofpelham.ca LETTERS TO THE EDITOR letters@thevoiceofpelham.ca ADVERTISING INQUIRIES advertising@thevoiceofpelham.ca
its resources and systems. The pace of global warming that has taken place need be curtailed and reversed only if each of us eradicates our harmful behaviors and conscientiously replaces these with measures that contribute to restoring the health of our globe. Whether we like it or not, our politicians are responsible for allocating the resources and activities needed to stop the damage and restore the health of our planet. It is we who are responsible to ensure that our elected representatives establish the issue of global warning at the top of their priorities. Then we must continuously prod these politicians to enact measures that penalize polluters and encourage environmentalists. The health and welfare of our children should be more than enough motive for us to change our harmful ways and leave our progeny a healthy environment in which to live. These benefactors will gratefully applaud our gift of a healthier planet long after we have left this earth. ◆
Letters Small policy adjustment could make big difference I have had many people say to me that it is very sad, looking at the current urban development, that it has taken away the “charm” of Pelham. Not the number of homes, or the size and style, but the details that make a structure appealing. It has got me wondering why the Planning department has not used their authority to put in place “architectural controls.” It is a little late now but with small architectural details and colours in place for builders to follow, without adding to construction costs, people would not be sad that the new area has now got the “Big City feel.” Ann Gledhill Fonthill
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CONTACT YOUR ELECTED OFFICIALS Member of Federal Parliament
Electoral District: Niagara West
Dean Allison, MP 4994 King Street Beamsville, ON L0R 1B0 Dean.Allison@parl.gc.ca 877-563-7900 Member of Provincial Parliament
Electoral District: Niagara West
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
Mayor of Pelham Marvin Junkin mjunkin@pelham.ca 905-658-2986
Invites you to join us this summer for our “Mystery Box” book sale series! Sundays from July 11-August 29, 2021 (except August 1) 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. Apple Self Storage (4655 Kent Ave., NF)
Members of Pelham Town Council Ward 1 Councillor Marianne Stewart mstewart@pelham.ca 289-821-0840
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womensplacesn.org/womens-place-book-riot Today's forgotten business stopped advertising yesterday
Ward 2 Councillor Ron Kore rkore@pelham.ca 905-933-3805 Councillor John Wink jwink@pelham.ca 905-892-4475 Ward 3 Councillor Lisa Haun lhaun@pelham.ca 905-892-5877 Councillor Bob Hildebrandt bhildebrandt@pelham.ca 905-892-5647
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BARRISTER, SOLICITOR & NOTARY LETTERS TO THE EDITOR are welcome. Letter submissions should contain the writer’s full name, address and telephone number. Names only will be published. Names may be withheld if compelling reasons are provided. The newspaper reserves the right to change, condense or reject any contribution for brevity, clarity or legal considerations. All material in this publication is protected by copyright. Reproduction is prohibited without express, written permission of the publisher. ADVERTISING: The Voice of Pelham regrets any errors or omissions that appear in advertisements in this newspaper, however, we will not be held responsible for more than one absent or incorrect insertion or for any damages beyond the cost of space containing the error. The Voice is an independent, locally owned and operated publication. The Voice is a member of the National NewsMedia Council, a voluntary self-regulatory organization that deals with journalistic practices and ethics. If you have an unresolved complaint about news stories, opinion columns or photos, please visit their web site at mediacouncil.ca or call 1-844-877-1163. If you have a complaint about delivery or membership problems, please contact our office at (905) 892-8690. For a summary of Voice ethical guidelines, see www. thevoiceofpelham.ca/ethics
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A August 18 2021
OPINION Big thank you for Storywalk participation and help As some of you may know, we at the Pelham Public Library ran, in partnership with the Lincoln Public Library, a "Storywalk Explorer" program so that members of the community could read a picture book while exploring a local sight. Two weeks ago we put up a storywalk around the downtown community. A great deal of fun was had by all and we heard many success stories. I would like to give a big shout-out to the very supportive community businesses that took part in this great event. Thank you to Beamers Hardware, Lifetime Vision, Everyday Market, the post office, and Studio W Salon. Also a big thank you to the residents of College Street who let me use their lawn—you know who you are! Only two storywalk locations left to visit this summer.! Check us out Aug 16 - 22, at St. John's Conservation Area, and Aug 23 -29 at Charles Daley Park. We thank you immensely. Jennifer Bennett Children and Youth Coordinator Pelham Public Library
City, town—same difference The following comment, written by Lori Keenan of Vancouver, appeared in the Globe and Mail “Letters to the Editor,” on Friday August 13: “The greatest threat to the health of our cities is the lack of affordable housing. Until this changes, our youth —the most vital part of the population — will exit cities in droves.” Please substitute the word “cities” with “Pelham and area.” Ric Gretsinger Fonthill
Natural selection is not the same as "chance" In last week’s edition of the Voice, Pastor Rob Weatherby outlined how many ingenious designs found in nature have inspired human inventions [“Made in Heaven,” Faith Lift, Aug. 11, p.19]. He then posed the question “How did this design get there?” He suggested two possible answers: 1. It evolved by chance over a long period of time. 2. It was created by intent by a very intelligent designer. He preferred the latter. Pastor Weatherby completely misrep-
resents Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution. Darwin never suggested that evolution occurs by chance. He demonstrated that evolution occurs through natural selection. Natural selection: “The process whereby organisms better adapted to their environment tend to survive and produce more offspring,” from the Oxford English Dictionary. Alan Bown Fonthill
The gift that keeps on giving In reference to John Chick’s article about Town Council, in the August 4 edition of the Voice [After summer break, lengthy agenda results in four-hour marathon, p.3], it appears that the citizens of Pelham are the gift that keeps on giving when it comes to subsidizing the Welland Airport, recently renamed the Niagara Central Dorothy Rungeling Airport. Apparently it services Welland, Pt. Colborne, Wainfleet and Pelham and is run by a commission. Less you get confused, this “airport” does not conjure up the image of an “airport” in the traditional sense.
It has two paved runways and one turf runway, no illumination for night landings, no air traffic control tower. It cannot land aircraft on Instrument Landing System (ILS) approaches. However, it does accommodate outside tiedowns and inside hangar space for itinerant light aircraft for clients requesting same. Most clients seem to be recreational flying enthusiasts who enjoy this pastime and who pay normal landing and storage fees as do others. It was a flight training school for pilots during WWII not unlike the one in Dunnville.
PELHAM AND COVID-19 Mayor Marvin Junkin
Niagara vaccination rate plateau, Sulphur Springs delay
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iagara Health System announced that as of August 15, they would be permanently closing the Covid vaccination clinic at the Seymour- Hannah arena. The Health System, going forward, will shift their focus to “pop-up” vaccination clinics that offer walk-in vaccinations with no appointment required. Last week, there was just such a clinic held at our MCC. Refer to the Niagara Region website for more information. Obviously as time moves on these clinics are seeing fewer and fewer numbers. Health officials across the country are hoping that total vaccinations will top out at the 80 percent range. In Niagara, the latest figures show that 71 percent have had their fi rst shot with 63 percent having both. For various reasons, it appears that the Niagara Region is going to come up short of the 80 percent goal. That is unfortunate, with so many our population, here in the Region, being made up of seniors. his past Thursday, August 12, I had the pleasure of welcoming
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However the cost of running this “airport” far exceeds the revenues it generates and the citizens of See GIFT next page
Pathstone Mental Health Services to the Town. They will set up their clinic sometime in September, upstairs in the Kinsman Room at the MCC. The Town would like to thank the several community groups who made
The federal agency involved, the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, issued their permit months ago
generous monetary donations to make this clinic a reality. We all know that this pandemic has caused all of us increased levels of anxiety with our youth also affected, what with school closures and sport activities shut down completely for several months. Thankfully, sporting events are approaching returning levels, and as of now schools will be reopening, come September.
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here was a media event held at the washout on Sulphur Springs Drive this past Saturday. CHCH news, at my request, sent a crew down to look at the site and interviewed some of the affected residents about the five-year closure and their anticipation about the road reopening, hopefully this fall. Just hours after it was announced that the TV news crew was coming to Sulphur Springs, the NCPA announced that all conditions have been resolved and they were ready to award the long-awaited work permit to the contractor. The contractor, Duffin Construction, is now waiting for a similar permit from the Niagara Escarpment Commission, which Kim Peters, a Director with the Commission, has assured me is just a rubber-stamping process following the approval by NCPA. If this is correct, then hopefully work can begin this week, albeit a month behind the scheduled starting date. Once again, allow me to point out that the federal agency involved in this project, the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, issued their permit months ago... just saying. ◆
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A August 18 2021
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Letters continued GIFT
continued from previous page Pelham pick up the major portion of this tab. Repaving a $180,000 botched paving job now costs $2.4 million to correct and Pelham’s portion is $600,000. However I could find no actual cost for the paving job back in 2018. The most recent financial statement (paragraph 9, page 11) states that as of December 31, 2018 there was a balance owing the contractor of $180,322, but in 2019 the contractor and the commission mutually agreed to settle this dispute on the basis that the Commission pay $79,789, which was 50% of the remaining balance at that time. If the total cost of paving in 2018 was $180,000, as the Mayor implied, then how did it jump to $2.4 million in 2021? Was there no Request for Quotation (RFQ) for this project in 2018, which would have been contrary to standard operating practice? The big question is: Didn’t the council pass a motion to transfer ownership of this airport to Niagara Region back in 2015? Did it ever get done? Why not? How can the current council rescind it six years later? How does this airport benefit the average citizen in Pelham who may never use it? It is not like our fire department, which the average citizen may never have to call upon but we certainly understand the benefit a fire department provides to the community. Possibly but to a lesser extent the same argument may apply to our community centre. How many citizens in Pelham actually use that airport and how often? I am sure there is a large number of citizens who would dearly love to have a municipal subsidized golf course, which they could play at reasonable rates and not be saddled with high membership fees. And let’s face it, the property would definitely be an appreciating asset for the Town. Are industries attracted to Pelham because we have this airport nearby? On the contrary. We moved here in 1975 because Fonthill was known as a bedroom community. Now it is known as a retirement community. It was never promoted as the industrial hub of Niagara, and was never intended to be. What do we have to lose by not investing in this airport? Some councillors say we have an appreciating asset. However, our $27,000 annual expense eats up more than the annual rate of this appreciating asset plus we have a one-time charge of $600,000 which we have to absorb. And as one councillor told me, “If we wished to dissolve this arrangement then the property would revert back to the Crown for $1.” To be perfectly clear, I have no issue with those who use the airport, recreationally or otherwise. My concern is that our council and staff need to come up with more creative ways to address this problem which do not place the financial burden on the citizens of Pelham. Frank Feeley Fonthill
Bandshell damage reprehensible My wife and I were out for a walk this morning, enjoying a sunny Sunday morning in beautiful downtown Fonthill, and came across this scene [photos above] around the Bandshell at Peace Park. It is disheartening to find this kind of littering and vandalism in our neighborhood. It is also hard to imagine how something like this could have occurred with no witnesses. If you witnessed this, please contact the Town of
Pelham with any information you have. If you witness something like this in the future, please notify the police and report it to the Town. Yes, we cleaned it up. The trash bins are conveniently located right next to the Bandshell. Unfortunately the newly installed bench will require repairs. Dave Schulz Fonthill
PUBLIC NOTICE Notice of Public Information Centre #1
Baker Road Wastewater Treatment Plant Pollution Prevention Control Plan & Master Servicing Plan Update Niagara Region has started an environmental assessment for the Baker Road Wastewater Treatment Plant Pollution Prevention Control Plan and Wastewater Master Servicing Plan Update. This Wastewater Treatment Plant services the Town of Grimsby, the Town of Lincoln and the Township of West Lincoln (Smithville area). The recommendations from the study will ensure we can accommodate further growth expected by 2014 and beyond and meet the regulatory requirements established by the Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks. This study will satisfy Phases 1 and 2 of the Municipal Engineers Association Class Environmental Assessment process (October 2000, as amended in 2007, 2011 and 2015), which is an approved process under the Ontario Environmental Assessment Act. This study will include an evaluation of alternatives to support the long-term sustainability and management of the wastewater systems. Public feedback is important. Information about the project will be available on Niagara Region’s website as part of Public Information Centre # 1. You can learn about how this project will contribute to Niagara Region’s overall growth plan, key servicing issues being considered, and how you can have your voice heard. Information regarding the 2021 Baker Road Pollution Prevention Control Plan and Wastewater Master Servicing Plan Update will be made available on the project website beginning August 25, 2021. This will be followed with a two-week period to submit Public Information Centre related comments to the Project Team. Access the project website using the link below or by scanning the QR Code with your smart phone.
Virtual Public Information Centre # 1 Wednesday, August 25, 2021 niagararegion.ca/projects/baker-road-wastewater-treatment-plant Ilija Stetic, B.Sc., PMP Project Manager Water and Wastewater Services Division Niagara Region 1815 Sir Isaac Brock Way, PO Box 1042 Thorold, ON L2V 4T7 ilija.stetic@niagararegion.ca
Julien Bell, P.Eng. Project Manager GM BluePlan Engineering Limited 1266 South Service Rd., Unit C31 Stoney Creek, ON L8E 5R9 519-748-1440 ext. 4264 julien.bell@gmblueplan.ca
Personal information collected or submitted in writing at public meetings will be collected, used and disclosed by members of Regional Council and Regional staff in accordance with the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (MFIPPA). The written submissions including names, contact information and reports of the public meeting will be made available. Questions should be referred to the Privacy Office at 905-980-6000, ext. 3779 or FOI@niagararegion.ca. If you require any accommodations in order to participate, please let us know in advance so that arrangements can be made in a timely manner. Special accessibility accommodations and materials in alternate formats can be arranged by contacting the Niagara Region’s Accessibility Advisory Coordinator at 905-685-4225 ext. 3252 or accessibility@niagararegion.ca. This notice was first issued on August 19, 2021.
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New Pelham communications specialist on the job Promoted from within, Leah Letford is new face of Town Hall BY DON RICKERS Voice Correspondent Some people move thousands of miles across the country when they switch jobs. For Leah Letford, it will be a short jump from her previous digs on the community centre’s second floor to Pelham’s municipal nerve centre, Town Hall. Pelham’s next Communications Specialist currently organizes special events and festivals for the Town within the Recreation, Culture and Wellness division, a role she has held since 2020. Letford’s formal duties in leading communication initiatives commence on September 13, 2021, although she jumped right into work and has already issued a number of media statements. In a press release, Pelham CEO David Cribbs called Letford “a strong communicator with a passion for public relations and community events. Leah demonstrated herself to be the ideal candidate, possessing a strong commitment to excellence.” The announcement noted that Pelham is “pleased to fill this position from within, continuing to focus on a culture of mentorship and career succession.” Born and raised in Pelham, Letford confesses to having a “little bit of the farm girl” in her. With a solid background in marketing, hospitality, and tourism, the Niagara College graduate competed provincially in marketing competitions while a student, later returning as a judge and supporter for the College’s business administration program.
“I was the special events manager with Great Wolf Lodge in Niagara Falls, and was actually part of their opening team back in 2006,” said Letford. She worked for an advertising agency in Niagara Falls, as well as the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation, and prepared print materials, mass mailings, and overall promotion plans in the days prior to online marketing. In the interim, she has polished her skills in social media. Her role in event organization for the Town of Pelham saw her front and centre with the Pelham Farmers Market, along with special events such as the Canada Day Drive-Thru Parade, and the Hoppin’ Easter Event. She was also instrumental in pulling together the popular Summer Chill Series, which includes the Summer Chill Eats, a culinary market highlighting Pelham's local establishments at the Peace Park prior to and during the Bandshell Concert Series. “It has been very different programming during the pandemic, but the events we have had in place have been really appreciated by the community, and that has made it quite fulfilling,” said Letford. And although she feels that she will miss certain aspects of her current job, she considers the communications role to be a sensible transition. Letford has collected accolades along her career path, including a “Top 30 Under 30” honour from the hospitality industry, and most
The Town of Pelham's new spokesperson, Leah Letford. recently, a place on the 2021 Niagara Business Link “Top 40 Under 40” list. Referencing those who regularly come from outside the municipality to join in Pelham’s myriad events and celebrations, Letford said, “Sometimes you forget how wonderful it is to actually live here in Pelham, until you start seeing it
through the lens of other people. It’s why I have chosen to stay and raise my family here, and make it my home.” She has done a great deal of volunteer work within Pelham, noting “that's been a big part of my involvement in the community, connecting with a variety of clubs—most recently, the Third
DON RICKERS
Fonthill Scouts.” Despite the lingering pandemic, Letford optimistically added, “It's just so nice to see people out and enjoying themselves again.” The Town will be hiring a new special events and festivals programmer to replace Letford in her previous role. A posting should be going up soon.
PUT YOUR MONEY WHERE YOUR HOUSE IS Support the local businesses that keep your community and its newspapers thriving.
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Experience all the ways to "Chill in Pelham"
From local shopping, patios and parks... Walk, roll, bike or hike & discover all that Pelham has to offer!
Complete scavenger hunt style missions around Pelham
For more information or to register call 905-892-2607 x 341 or visit www.pelham.ca/summerchill
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Page 9
A August 18 2021
Work set to start on Lathrop Preserve Nature Conservancy will hold a virtual public meeting BY BRIAN GREEN Special to the Voice Restoration work on the Lathrop Nature Preserve, in Fonthill, is scheduled to begin this fall. The Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC), owners of the property, have embarked on a $660,000 project to reduce the effects of two man-made ponds on the fragile environment, and improve the trails along the old railway berm, which is deteriorating. Working in partnership with the Niagara Chapter of Trout Unlimited Canada (TUC) and Niagara College, along with their contracted project managers, GEI Consultants, NCC has completed the study and planning stages of the project and are now ready to begin on-site restoration work. While $100,000 remains to be raised by the organization, they are ready for the initial stages of construction. The two ponds on the property were created more than a hundred years ago when the railway berm was constructed to service the cannery that is now Spring Valley Apartments. Water trickling from these ponds through the berm enters a tributary of Twelve Mile Creek, and the NCC and their partners are concerned about the warming effect this has on what the Conservancy refers to as the
“last remaining cold-water creek in Niagara” during the summer months. In addition, the berm supports the main trail used by walkers in the Preserve, and the water leaching through has severely weakened the integrity of the embankment and could pose a danger to those using the trails. The proposed design for reconstruction will divert water from the ponds and channel it to connect with the creek without compromising the berm. Plans call for the trail to be strengthened and a boardwalk added where necessary. During the construction phase of the project, the trails will be closed off and signage will direct walkers to detour around the area. Access for machinery to reach the site will be built from Haist Street rather than the normal pedestrian entrance off North Pelham Street. NCC Conservation Biologist, Liv Monck-Whipp, says that the access will be carefully planned to cut as few trees as possible, and minimize damage to the dense forest floor. According to Heather Whitehouse, a senior ecologist with GEI, the ponds created an interesting challenge that forced the company to rethink its original intention to remove them.
Studies to get a full picture of wildlife species on the property were undertaken by GEI Consultants prior to designing the restoration project. BRIAN GREEN “At the outset of our restoration project, we conducted new baseline wildlife studies at the two ponds,” said Whitehouse. “In the process, we observed that the ponds provided overwintering and foraging habitat for two turtle species of concern. So … the restoration target to improve downstream cold-water fish habitat by removing the ponds would conflict with the restoration vision of
maintaining and enhancing the biodiversity of the project site.” The resulting redesign preserves the ponds while creating a new tributary that will connect the source water to the Twelve Mile Creek tributaries. Unfortunately, the ponds have become a dumping ground for unwanted pet goldfish, and this invasive and destructive species is now the primary fish in the ponds.
According to Whitehouse, the project has presented other challenges, too. The sensitive Carolinian environment and the many species that live in it needed to be protected, not only once the project is completed, but also during the construction phase. “As the proposed headwater tributary is within existing wetSee LATHROP Page 20
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NOTICE OF PUBLIC INFORMATION CENTER NO. 2
WATER
PELHAM ELEVATED TANK MUNICIPAL CLASS ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT AND ENHANCED CONCEPTUAL DESIGN
Niagara Region is undertaking a Class Environmental Assessment for a new Pelham Elevated Water Storage Tank and transmission system upgrades. This project is part of the recommended improvements from the Water and Wastewater Master Servicing Plan to the Pelham Service Area of the Welland Water System. The purpose of the study is to address adequate storage, pressure, and capacity to support growth. The study follows the Schedule ‘B’ Municipal Class Environmental Assessment process as set out by the Municipal Engineers Association (October 2000 amended in 2007, 2011 and 2015).
MAP OF AREA EVALUATED FOR POSSIBLE ELEVATED TANK SITES
The new Pelham Elevated Water Storage Tank is an important project to both the community and Niagara Region. We heard your comments at the Nov. 2019 Public Information Centre for additional consultation and review of the potential sites for the new elevated water storage tank. Based on this, the Project Team has reconsidered and re-evaluated suitable sites within the Town of Pelham for the construction of a new elevated water storage tank and the necessary improvements to the existing water system and identified a recommended solution. Starting on Aug. 31, 2021, project presentation, information and comment forms can be found on Niagara Region’s website: niagararegion.ca/projects/pelham-elevated-tank We invite you to view the virtual Public Information Centre presentation and provide comments.
VIRTUAL PUBLIC INFORMATION CENTRE TIMELINE Aug. 31, 2021 Project information, project overview video, and transcript posted on Niagara Region’s website. Aug. 31 to Sept. 14, 2021 Submit questions or comments via the online form. Sept. 28, 2021 Responses to questions and comments will be posted to the website. The virtual Public Information Center provides an introduction and overview of the Class Environmental Assessment process, the existing improvements that need to be addressed, potential sites that were considered for a new elevated water storage tank, and evaluation of the shortlisted sites. Public consultation is critical to the success of the study, and we encourage any interested parties to provide input by contacting one of the project team members.
Michelle Miller, CET Project Manager Water and Wastewater Engineering Public Works, Niagara Region 3501 Schmon Pkwy., PO Box 1042 Thorold, ON, L2V 4T7 905-980-6000 ext. 3737
Rika Law, P.Eng., PMP© Project Manager and Associate R.V. Anderson Associates Limited 43 Church St., Suite 104 St. Catharines, ON, L2R 7E1 905-685-5049 ext. 1209
newpelhamelevatedtank@niagararegion.ca Personal information collected or submitted in writing at public meetings will be collected, used and disclosed by members of Regional Council and Regional staff in accordance with the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (MFIPPA). The written submissions including names, contact information and reports of the public meeting will be made available. Questions should be referred to the Privacy Office at 905-980-6000 ext. 3779 or FOI@niagararegion.ca. If you require any accommodations for a disability in order to attend and participate in meetings or events, please let us know in advance so that arrangements can be made in a timely manner. Please contact the Accessibility Advisory Coordinator at 905- 980-6000 ext. 3252 or accessibility@niagararegion.ca. This notice was first issued on Aug. 18, 2021.
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The Voice
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A August 18 2021
Niagara Health's Big Move Cancer Ride saddles up in September Rest stop on River Road part of Pelham route BY DON RICKERS Voice Correspondent The President and CEO of the Niagara Health Foundation, Andrea Scott, has the organization’s Big Move Cancer Ride on her mind these days. With some $128,000 already raised in pledges, she is optimistic that the $250,000 target is attainable, even during a pandemic. Proceeds fund the Walker Family Cancer Centre of Niagara Health. The ride is in action September 3-19, and has already attracted 200 cyclists, with more expected to sign on in the coming weeks. This is the 13th year for the event, which has raised some $4 million dollars since its inception. Scott enjoyed the hospitality of Glen and Ellen Robins last week at their rural home on River Road in Fenwick, situated on the banks of the Welland River, meeting with event volunteers. “Glen and Helen have graciously offered their property as a rest stop on the Pelham route, which will be appreciated by many riders,” she said. Routes of 25 KM, 50 KM, 75 KM, and a 12-KM family ride are posted on the Foundation’s website, but partici-
Back row, from left: Jere Brown, Jim Chalcraft, Niagara Health Foundation CEO Andrea Scott, David Hunt, Pelham Councillor Wayne Olson, John Clark, Pelham Mayor Marvin Junkin. Front row, from left: Pelham Regional Councillor Diana Huson, Niagara Health Foundation Development Officer Holly Calvert, rest stop hosts Glen and Ellen Robins. DON RICKERS pants are free to make their own route as well. “It's really up to the cyclists to get their kilometres and donations, which are all entered online,” said Scott. “Glen and Ellen have even offered up their property here on River Road for those who wish to participate on stationary bikes.” Scott encouraged cyclists
to share their photos on social media during their ride. The entry fee for adults is $40, and $10 for youth riders. All participants receive a limited-edition cycling jersey (when a minimum $500 fundraising goal is met), a customizable cycling bib, a Big Move Cancer Ride 2021 T-shirt, and an event-branded face mask and tote bag.
Pelham Mayor Marvin Junkin told the Voice that “the Town of Pelham is honoured to once again have the Big Ride for Cancer taking place within our limits, and it is great to see a resident and his household willing to host a rest stop, which is located on the route. I am sure the riders will appreciate the effort.”
Pelham Councillor Wayne Olson, a strong proponent of events that support cancer research, commented that, “We all need a lift from the hard realities of the pandemic that has so bruised our spirits. One constant and uplifting element of our collective response has been the purposeful response of our volunteer sector. They have
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A August 18 2021
www.thevoiceofpelham.ca
Long-delayed Sulphur Springs rep
Frustrated by months of delay in obtaining NPCA clearance, M
S
BY DON RICKERS Voice Correspondent
ulphur Springs Drive, in North Pelham, which runs between Effingham Street and Roland Road, just south of Short Hills Provincial Park, may finally be getting critical repairs to rejoin the roadway which was washed out and collapsed in May 2016, and has been closed since. But it took a gambit by Pelham Mayor Marvin Junkin to move the project ahead. With a narrowing window of time to get the work underway, and the Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority (NPCA) needlessly dragging its feet, to some eyes, on providing the necessary permit to allow the work to proceed, Junkin contacted CHCH-TV in Hamilton and mustered a press conference on-site last Saturday to convey the sense of urgency which prevails regarding the road repair. The construction is complicated by the fact that the roadway abuts the headwaters of Twelve Mile Creek, an ecologically sensitive waterway in Niagara that supports an array of aquatic life, including fish which spawn in the stream. “Because the Town was committed to building a community centre at the time for $36 million dollars, we did not have the funds to repair the road in 2016,” said
Junkin, noting that the initial estimated cost of the rehabilitation back then was between $400,000 and $500,000—with the figure today to be significantly higher. “So the road was closed,” said Junkin. “We got the community centre built, and the Town is getting to the point where our financial situation is improving, and we could afford to finally give the citizens back their road.” Repairs to another long-closed road, Poth Street, were similarly delayed for budget reasons, and undertaken in 2019 after a two-year wait. The Town of Pelham issued a designbuild project tender in May 2020, and the job was won by Duffin Contracting, a local company. “And then we applied for permits—and that, unfortunately, is where things hit a roadblock,” said Junkin. Junkin told CHCH-TV, along with a small throng of onlookers, that the Duffin team had undertaken this kind of work before, and knew what had to be done. “They hired an engineering firm from Guelph that had experience with this sort of project, and they came up with a very modern fi x for this problem, a design method being used in the U.S and Europe.” Duffin Contracting submitted a request for a permit to the federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans, which was necessary given the roadway’s close proximity to Twelve Mile Creek.
“They got the permit right away,” said Junkin. “Unfortunately, for whatever reason, they didn’t receive the same cooperation from the two local agencies, the Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority [NPCA] and the Niagara Escarpment Commission [NEC]. The Town realizes, as does the contractor, that this is a highly sensitive area ecologically. The contractor took that into consideration in their planning, and that, of course, is why the Department of Fisheries had no problem with the design.” The Ministry of Fisheries and Oceans provided a work timeframe from July 15 to September 15, so that construction would not disrupt trout spawning in the adjacent creek. “So here we are at August 14,” said Junkin, “and because of the delays, we're already a month behind the starting date. It was unfortunate that most of the inquiries from NPCA came a week before we were supposed to get the permit. We thought we were very close to having a permit. We hadn't had any feedback. And then a week before the work is supposed to begin, the questions started. The contractor responded with prompt replies, and often a week would go by before they heard back from the NPCA, usually with another set of conditions to be met. So it was getting to be quite frustrating.” The Voice has learned that behind
A portion of Sulphur Springs Drive is blocked to traffic. The road has been closed to vehicles since May 2016.
DON RICKERS
the scenes Junkin believed that the environmental advocacy group Trout Unlimited Canada (TUC) was the primary driver behind the continued delays, with their apparent intent being to run out the clock on work being able to start this season. In a July letter to the editor published in the Voice, TUC Chair Dennis Edell made clear his organization’s preference. “A road washout is often not a desirable thing but, in this case, there was an unintended benefit,” wrote Edell. “A route favoured by weekday heavy truck traffic and weekend motorcycle riders was transformed into a quiet. naturalized walking or cycling path. And in the years since the road has been closed, many streamside residents express preference for the current situation. Trout Unlimited had hoped that a bike and hike trail would become the new normal. We advocated for this option to Pelham Town Council and the Active Transportation Committee. But to no avail. The Town is determined that road traffic should be restored.” Despite being given repeated opportunities for comment over the weekend, Edell declined to answer when asked whether Trout Unlimited had engaged in lobbying intended to deliberately prevent the project from going forward this season. In the face of continued delays, and as
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pair may (or may not) be imminent
Mayor takes case to media. Whether it works remains to be seen. the roadway has continued to deteriorate, Mayor Junkin had recently said that because safe passage of fire-fighting equipment could no longer be guaranteed, he was prepared to declare a state of emergency, which would permit the Town to authorize the repair work with or without approval by other agencies. Pelham Fire Chief Bob Lymburner tells the Voice that as of now there are two additional routes of entry, but “if site two washes out then we will have an issue.” Asked for comment on the lengthy approval delay, NPCA spokesperson Erika Navarro told the Voice that the agency first received the application on March 31. “However it was incomplete and missing critical details,” asserted Navarro. “Since then, NPCA staff have spent substantial time guiding the applicant on various technical requirements to expedite completion of this permit application.” Project Manager Kim Duffin pushed back, providing the Voice with voluminous copies of email exchanges with the NPCA dating back over a year, and asserting that the firm had met every new demand in a timely manner—often working overnight. “I take strong objection to the claim that we only submitted a complete application on August 11th,” said Duffin. “The NPCA continuously put up roadblocks, telling us that they wanted to see items on the drawings that we quickly did and
accommodated their requests immediately. It seems to be a common practice of the NPCA to say that an application is ‘incomplete’ when they wish to stall the project and not issue the permit in a timely fashion.” Duffin asserted that the Authority sought to stop the project on spurious grounds. “The goal of the NPCA for whatever reason—we think it is because Trout Unlimited wants the road to remain closed—was to stall our application, because they are aware that we have a tight window for working near the stream from the Department of Fisheries and Oceans.” NPCA spokesperson Erika Navarro countered that the Authority was not swayed by Trout Unlimited. "In general, [TUC] has only ever mentioned this site as an example of the increase in erosion the system is experiencing," Navarro said. "I do understand they have been raising awareness about the issue, but it’s very important to note that [TUC] has had no influence on our planning review and permitting duties and processes." Junkin explained how he broke the deadlock. “[On Friday], I informed the NPCA that Channel 11 News was coming down to do a story on-site. Two and a half hours later, we received an email from the CEO of the NPCA, and son-of-a-gun, the permit was
ready [pending approval from NEC]. I wish I had done this three weeks ago.” With the permit from the Ministry of Fisheries and Oceans, and the NPCA signalling approval contingent on NEC approval, the final step is to receive the go-ahead from the NEC. Junkin said he has been assured by NEC Director Kim Peters that the project meets their requirements and will be approved. Junkin said he planned to send an email to the NEC, asking them to expedite the process at their end. “Hopefully, within days we can have the contractor in here so we can give these residents their road back. I know that [Duffin] is going to get on the job, and will be here from sunrise to sunset. I'm hoping that they can still get it done within the allotted time frame.” Contractor Bill Duffin described the job as a significant engineering challenge, given that there are actually two streams in the equation—the Twelve Mile Creek headwaters, and the Sulphur Spring stream, which is primarily responsible for degrading the narrow, undulating, fourmetre-wide roadway. “I wanted to start in May of this year, to do the dewatering for the road,” said Duffin. “We plan to install a culvert to catch all the surface water, and a French drain system along the side, which will take the underground water. We need ditches as well. If this work had been done in May
when it was scheduled, the ground would be dry now. Presently, it’s unstable—a heavy construction machine could slide right down into the creek bed. And there are overhead high-voltage wires which need to be lifted to allow the machines to work safely.” The project will necessitate excavating the roadway to a depth of about eight feet, and rebuilding it in layers with a special plastic grid and compacted gravel before applying an asphalt topcoat. “This whole area is deemed as swamp soil. It's not compactable—it’s all organic vegetation, which needs to be removed to provide stability for the roadway,” said Duffin. “We are not changing the grade of the road, or its contour, or its width, or anything to do with the footprint.” Paula Diamond has resided on Sulphur Spring Drive for 22 years, and expressed frustration that people continue to access the barricaded roadway, on bikes and motorcycles, and also on foot. “The road isn’t safe. I was after [the Town] to put up more barriers and whatnot. But I'm happy the road is being repaired. I need access to my woodlot up on the other side.” Dr. David Stark, a semi-retired physician, has lived for 24 years on Sulphur Springs, and has witnessed the deterioration of the roadway, and its ultimate closure five years See DELAYS next page
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DELAYS
continued from previous page ago, which adds a 10-minute drive to his trip into town. “The biggest concern is access of emergency services like fire and ambulance,” said Stark. “Getting emergency vehicles up here is a very
difficult process, and they have no place to easily turn around. It's a narrow road— it's treacherous. You need to be really careful.” The road blockage has forced Stark and his neighbours to transport their garbage a quarter of a mile down the road for pickup. He describes
A August 18 2021
www.thevoiceofpelham.ca
OBITUARY
the delays in repairing the road as “a case of paralysis by analysis,” involving multiple layers of government intervention. But he praised the Mayor’s actions throughout the process. “Marv [Junkin] has been amazing, forthcoming and straightforward, and very
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Sulphur Springs Drive resident Dr. David Stark at the impending construction site. DON RICKERS approachable. I'm just glad to see that this is finally coming to fruition.” Reflecting on the natural beauty and abundance of wildlife along the roadway, Stark said, “This is a very sacred place to me, as an environmentalist. My first university degree was in the biological sciences, so I understand the concept of the ecosystems that are
at play out here. We've even got a resident Great Blue Heron that fishes in the creek.” Stark noted that Sulphur Springs was featured in an article in the St. Catharines Standard back in the late 1990s, “and was considered one of the most scenic drives in the Niagara Peninsula. The fall colours are spectacular.”
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Passed away peacefully at home after a short, but courageous fight against cancer on August 11, 2021. If you knew Laura, you know that she loved life to the absolute fullest. Her energetic spirit and authentic personality were unmatched. She was passionate about her girls, husband, sisters, family and close friends. Laura was, without measure, completely selfless, genuine and witty. Her incredible life will be remembered by her husband, Ryan Trinder, and three beautiful daughters, McKenna, Cate and Vivian; sisters, Amy Youngren and Natalie Vanderwier (Darrick); mother Elaine Bond (Schulze); parents-in-law, Brent and JoAnne Trinder. Her legacy will live on in her nieces and nephews whom she adored; Lauren, Marcus, Issac, Lincoln and Carter (Natalie and Darrick Vanderwier), Royce (Mark and Jaimie Trinder) and Jesse (Josh and Emily Trinder). Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to ARMSTRONG FUNERAL HOME & CHAPEL, 179 Clarence Street, Port Colborne. Laura loved magic hour so an outdoor Celebration of Life will be held on Tuesday evening, August 17th at 6:30pm at 3580 Ninth Street, St. Catharines, ON L2R 6P7. Open invitation. Comfortable attire. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Distress Centre of Niagara where Laura volunteered. https://www.canadahelps.org/ en/charities/id/17350/
INPUT
continued from Page 3 to hear a summary of survey results. We want to provide a first-look at the key components of the strategic plan before it's finalized. People will have an opportunity to ask questions and provide feedback on what we have prepared thus far—we are looking forward to that.” The link for the virtual information session is accessible through the organization’s website, at getinvolved.npca.ca. Participants are encouraged to pre-register online. The NPCA has been in existence for 60 years, serving as a natural resource management agency with a mandate to protect and sustain healthy watersheds. It offers services that focus on flood and hazard management, source water protection, species protection, ecosystem restoration, community stewardship, and land management. NPCA is one of 36 conservation authorities in Ontario, and manages 41 conservation areas within the Niagara Peninsula.
www.thevoiceofpelham.ca
ORGANIST
continued from Page 16 there’s a choir, and in the conservative Dutch Reformed there’s not,” he explains. “It’s exclusive congregational singing, as well as exclusive psalmody, meaning no hymns. Just psalms.” James believes the Book of Psalms is the best songbook out there, but appreciates both perspectives. “Just singing God’s word back to Him is a beautiful thing,” he says. “I don’t think there’s anything more beautiful than that. But I also love the expression that is found in so many hymns. So I quite like being able to express it through music during worship.” Van den Brink is willing to step out of his comfort zone when the time is appropriate. One need only to look at his selections for the Wednesday gatherings this month to see evidence of that. “I started following a YouTube channel called Beauty in Sound,” van den Brink reveals. “[Host Richard McVeigh] was a church organist in the UK. He built a hauptwerk organ system in his home during Covid.” Hauptwerk is a software program that allows organists to digitally sample pipe organs from around the world. Van den Brink claims most people have a difficult time detecting the difference between the simulated sound and the real thing. Through following McVeigh, he came across a
The Voice young musician and composer from Germany named Paul Fay, and began discovering other composers. Then, when a friend gave James a gift certificate for a British music store, he discovered a set of compositions all written for a worldwide competition during Covid.
This is kind of a rallying cry for the community
He played Fay’s composition “Elegy” at a recent gathering, and will debut more originals, including one from a hauptwerk-style composer from the Netherlands. The Gateau and Grace evenings include a serving of cake, or gateau, safely of course, along with a chance to mingle on the lawn. Guests are then invited to enter the Greek revival-style church to experience the music, along with a short grace led by Ervine. Van den Brink has lined up guest musicians for each performance. Cynthia Vermeer, a Fonthill resident and flautist with the Burlington Symphony Orchestra, appeared August 4. Trumpeter Nathan Pol sat in on August 11, and soprano Emese Zaduban-Vanden Beukel, of Grimsby, will ap-
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pear this Wednesday. James admits that he can often feel intimidated working with musicians such as these who have more formal training than he does. He often refers to himself as “not a professional” in conversation, but says that all of his guests have been welcoming and easy to work with. The mid-week gatherings are a chance for a return to some semblance of normal for the community after a tough pandemic stretch. “We open it up to everyone,” van den Brink says. “Many people have lost a sense of community, either from clubs or church or family. Clyde and I want to have that sense of community, and to be welcoming to the community.” “What do people rally around and feel good about?” he asks. “Food and music. This is kind of a rallying cry for the community.” Meanwhile, the humble organist and his family are not currently able to fully experience their own normal. As he divides his time between St. Andrew’s, NatureKast and his role with the RCCO, James and Tammy are temporarily living in a trailer at Bissell’s Hideaway with their four children, aged 2 to ten, as they await approval to begin construction on a new home on Canboro Road, their third build in the past five years. When they finally cross the threshold of their new home, it will be another occasion calling for gateau and grace.
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Page 16
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www.thevoiceofpelham.ca
Wednesdays offer “return to normal” Fonthill organist helps NOTL congregation get beyond Covid isolation BY MIKE BALSOM Special to the Voice For a number of years now Niagara-on-the-Lake’s St. Andrew’s Presbyterian has been a church in transition. With the hiring of 38-year-old organist James van den Brink, of Fonthill, the first puzzle piece for the future has been set into place. After substituting for previous St. Andrew’s organist Gerzinus Hoekstra, van den Brink took on the role permanently in February 2020. Just as he was settling in behind the organ’s French terraced console, though, the pandemic shut down all church activities. Working with interim pastor Reverend Dr. Clyde Ervine, van den Brink is reaching out to the St. Andrew’s congregation and the larger NOTL community this month with Wednesday night Gatherings for Gateau and Grace. One might be surprised to learn that the skilled, knowledgeable and passionate musician has had very little formal or academic training in music. In fact, van den Brink holds a business degree from Brock University and is a Certified Professional Accountant (CPA). He currently works as the controller for NatureKast, an outdoor kitchen manufacturer based in St. Catharines. But music, specifically of the organ and choral variety, has been a part of van den Brink’s life for as long as he can remember. His father and his paternal uncles all played instruments. But the youngest of six children had very little time to get to know his father or his mother. When James was only 15 months old, his father suffered a heart attack and died. Then, three weeks before his second birthday, a carport collapsed under the weight of ice and snow, crushing and killing his mother.
James was subsequently raised by his sister Marguerite, 23 years his senior. Their Dutch Christian Reformed faith helped the family cope with the loss of their parents. And James began learning to play the organ at Marguerite’s side. “My sister was an organist,” he says. “She studied with André Knevel [a renowned concert organist and native of the Netherlands who lives in St. Catharines]. I grew up with a big, two-manual Baldwin full pedal board organ in the house. We had LPs and tapes in the house. All we listened to was organ and choral music.” Other than a brief phase during high school when van den Brink flirted a bit with the techno and dance genres, he has always first and foremost been a fan of organ and choral music. “She taught me, and I started to pick up stuff,” van den Brink recalls. “Sometimes she’d be in the kitchen yelling, ‘Hey, that’s wrong, fi x that rhythm, that should be a sharp.’ I loved it.” Van den Brink draws out the word “loved” with much enthusiasm. Almost immediately he decided that one day he wanted to be a concert organist. Realizing that he would have to be “really good” to get to that point, he looked for another “fall back” pursuit, and settled on business. While attending Rehoboth Christian School (RCS) in Norwich, ON, he became fascinated with accounting. “My Grade 11 Accounting class got me hook, line and sinker,” he says. “I was just smitten with it. I remember the first time I understood how the Income Statement tied into the Balance Sheet, through retained earnings. Sud-
James van den Brink, of Fonthill, is the new chief ivory-tickler at NOTL's St.Andrew's Presbyterian Church. denly, when that clicked, I said ‘That was cool.’” As he was discovering his new love for crunching numbers, van den Brink continued honing his craft at the organ, often being called upon to provide music for RCS spiritual services and assemblies. It was during this time he would also discover another great love. While working at a grocery store owned by his brother, he met a coworker named Tammy who would become his wife. Another coworker at the time was beginning a small interdenominational community choir. He asked van den Brink to play organ for their sessions. Soon, that friend was convincing James to sing tenor on songs such as “Holy Holy Holy,” and another step in van den Brink’s musical evolution had begun. James and Tammy ended up at-
tending Brock University, and van den Brink’s informal musical education continued. While studying business, he joined the university choir, where he connected with accompanist Leslie Kingham, now the organist at St. Thomas’ Anglican Church in St. Catharines. It was also at Brock where he sang under Choir Director and Professor Dr. Harris Loewen, whom he credits as a major influence, along with Dr. Rachel Rensink-Hoff, artistic director of the Avanti Chamber Singers, with whom van den Brink sings. “Those two have been my mentors,” he says, “in terms of choral musicianship. In terms of specifically the organ and playing, it’s been my sister and Leslie Kingham. I took lessons from Leslie off and on for a few years.” Along the way, he continued to play organ at the church he at-
MIKE BALSOM
tended in Jordan. And in 2012 he joined the Royal Canadian College of Organists (RCCO) local chapter. As often happens with anyone with an Accounting background, van den Brink got roped into becoming the RCCO’s treasurer. He’s also the organization’s current president. After ten years of playing at the church in Jordan, van den Brink stepped aside in favour of joining the RCCO substitute list. He spent nine months at St. Paul Lutheran in Niagara Falls and otherwise took the organ seat at various churches around Niagara. And that’s how he ended up connecting with St. Andrew’s. Van den Brink admits that there are a few differences between his Dutch Reformed background and the Presbyterian faith. “In the Presbyterian church See ORGANIST Page 15
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A August 18 2021
A FOND FAREWELL At the Fenwick Lions’ annual BBQ last week, the club bid farewell and good luck to Lion Tim Crowther, “Treasurer Extraordinaire.” Crowther has been a member since 2008, and became club treasurer shortly thereafter. Crowther went above and beyond the duties of his office on numerous occasions, says 1st Vice-President Steve Schilstra, and received many prestigious Lions awards in doing so. At the BBQ, Crowther, right, receives the Judge Brian Stevenson Fellowship award, which recognizes outstanding Canadian Lions, from Lion Chief Jeff Pickup. Schilstra says that this recognition is one of the greatest honours that can be bestowed in Lionism in Canada today. “We’d like to wish Tim and his wife Joan good luck on their new adventure as they move to Calgary to be closer to their daughter and grandkids,” says Schilstra. SUPPLIED
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A August 18 2021
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Bethany Christian Reformed Church www.bethanycrc.ca
First Presbyterian Church 602 Metler Rd., North Pelham
Holy Trinity Anglican Church holytrinityfonthill.org
Pelham Evangelical Friends Church www.pelhamfriends.ca
Concordia Lutheran Church 105 Welland Rd., Fonthill
Fonthill Baptist Church www.fonthillbaptistchurch.ca
Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses 1369 Rice Rd., Fonthill
Ridgeville Bible Chapel ridgevillebiblechapel.com
Fenwick Church of Christ www.fenwickchurchofchrist.ca
Fonthill United Church www.fonthillunited.com
Kirk on the Hill Presbyterian Church 1344 Haist St., Fonthill
St. Alexander Roman Catholic Church www.stalexander.on.ca
Fenwick United Church www.fenwickunited.com
Glad Tidings Church of God www.gladtidingschurchofgod.com
Pelham Community Church (United Church) www.pelham.cc
St. Ann Roman Catholic Church www.stannfenwick.com
FAITH LIFT
continued from Page 23
The apostle
Matthew’s Gospel serves as a bridge between the Old and New Testaments. While Paul would focus on reaching Gentiles (non-Jews), Matthew became an apostle (or missionary) to Jewish people. Appropriately, his Gospel presents Jesus as the Messiah and King, and the fulfillment of many Old Testament Messianic prophecies. The Jews had been waiting centuries for their Messiah (anointed one). Matthew’s Gospel boldly proclaimed His arrival. The New Testament (and especially the book of Acts) is silent regarding Matthew’s missionary travels following the ascension of Jesus. However, historical sources tell us that Matthew teamed up with
Andrew (Peter’s brother) and they journeyed as missionaries northeast of Israel to a region near the Caspian Sea in central Asia. Local tradition also reveals that Matthew was martyred there for his faith and preaching. Why were Matthew and the other apostles willing to die for their beliefs in Jesus? Simply because they knew the Man and the message were true. Jesus had transformed his life from being a self-serving materialist into a selfless missionary. He had witnessed firsthand the life, teaching and ministry of his Messiah. He had seen Jesus die and he had seen him come back to life again. From that moment on, Matthew had been a man with a mission that was worth dying for. ◆ Rob Weatherby is a retired pastor.
A BALANCED LIFE continued from Page 22
not devote a single word to assessing Canada’s progress towards our greenhouse gas emissions reduction target. Surprise. It is filled with statistical projection formulas. Canada's targets (megatons of carbon dioxide equivalent) for 2010 to 2029 are marked as N/A until 2030 when we magically hit the promised 511 megatonnes. Caveats like this abound, “While the Energy, Emissions and Economy Model for Canada is a sophisticated analytical tool, no model can fully capture the complicated interactions associated with given policy measures between and within markets or between firms and consumers,” which is code for “don’t blame us.” Climate Action Tracker, an independent, scientific analysis organization that tracks government action and results worldwide against
Paris Agreement goals, is more succinct when appraising our government: “It can either continue with the slow implementation of an inadequate climate plan, or adopt a recovery package that accelerates the transition to a zero emissions future. During the last election (October 2019), the government made a number of promises to scale up climate action, but has done little to deliver on this in the intervening months. CAT rates Canada as ‘Insufficient.’” Don’t accept platitudes when a candidate speaks at a Town Hall or comes to your door. Ask them direct questions. Do you purchase carbon offsets when you travel? Have you reduced the amount of meat and dairy that you consume? Do you avoid buying bottled water or sports drinks in single-use plastic containers? If they don’t answer yes, ask how you can believe they have a genuine, thought-out concern about, much less a plan to deal
with, climate change? How will someone who doesn’t understand, or care about, something as simple as plastic pollution, ever stand up to the oil lobbies in Canada, or the coal producers of the world, as part of an intergovernmental organization? Canada can be an international player. Lester B. Pearson, Prime Minister of a minority government from 1963 -1968, gave our country a voice heard and respected around the world. Pearson was instrumental in bringing various countries together to end the Suez Crisis, and he refused to follow our largest ally and economic partner into the Vietnam War. As a country heavily reliant on fossil fuels and natural resources, Canada, with just 37 million people, is the seventh largest emitter in the world. Who better than us to show a willingness to change course, even sacrifice, for the common good? We need to make political candi-
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dates feel uncomfortable if they waffle and obfuscate on climate change, and we must realize that a non-answer means they’re more interested in protecting their election chances than dealing with issues. Let them know you’re tired of inaction and the status quo on so many fronts. Businesses will react and incorporate climate change into their business plans when it affects their profitability, which is something we can all impact. Activist and ethical investors, and “green” investment fund managers are influencing decisions by corporate boards. Banks are incorporating climate risk and sustainability projections into loan decisions and bond ratings for many large companies, especially those located or producing in countries most susceptible to the affects of climate change. In a 2019 survey of 1200 international CFOs, Deloitte discovered that those CFOs were getting the most pressure to include climate change factors in their operations by customers/clients, board members, employees, and government regulators, in that order. As customers or clients or employees we can be heard, and by electing politicians who will enact climate change regulations, we only increase that power. We are living an example, right now, of how business,
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international crisis. The parallels couldn’t be more clear, we must learn what
The parallels couldn't be more clear, we must learn what Covid is teaching us
Covid is teaching us. Many countries had vaccine technology in the wings to fight Covid, and it was deployed quickly with government and international agency support. We have the technology today to significantly reduce greenhouse gases, but we aren’t deploying it, especially in North America. Why not? The world sprang into action when news coverage bombarded us with video from Covid-devastated ICUs in Italy, yet we shrug off dramatic television coverage of forest fires threatening the Parthenon in Greece. Why? Each event equally portrays devastation to come. As pressure grows on those emitting greenhouse gases, prepare for another
we are experiencing with Brick, Block, Stone and Chimney repairs. Covid. Most importantly, Covid CARD MAKING Wet and damaged basement repairs. PELHAM LIBRARY WORKSHOP has shown us what to exPhone Tom at techniques. 289-241-4767.Materials with fall themes, learning aDeamude variety of pect Make whensix cards individuals, 35 years of construction experience. companies, governments are provided. At time of registration, please enquire about tools needed. and political groups are Tues., Sept. 16 10 – 12:30. $10. Please CUSTOM register ahead. MILLVisit www.pelhamforced to work together to put the interests oforothers library.on.ca call 905-892-6443 for Portable more details. sawmill service. before their own. For all I will come to your home or farm and custom mill your logs. those that have given genFABULOUS FENWICK LIONS FISH FRY also available. Call Rob Patterson, erously of themselves, and Firewood & lumber worked to share with their Tasty treats with funds heading straight back into the community. Haddock, 905-401-4948, community, there are peofrench fries and much more. Runs Sept.riverwood@primus.ca 9 from 4-7 p.m. ple and institutions that have shown no compassion, and hoped to profit from the PELHAM MINOR HOCKEY EQUIPMENT T-SHIRTS SALE misfortune of others. EffBuy, ectingsell theor large-scale trade used FRIENDS equipment at the Pelham Arena. Aimed to provide OF THE STEVE BAUER TRAIL T-SHIRTS ASKING FOR changes necessary to escape cheaper options for players in this season. Runs Sept. 6 from the dire scenario the UnitDONATIONS OFupcoming $20 -15 by Pelham Tree Conservative Society. Call ed Nations pre9-12 inand the IPCC morning. Mike Jones, 905-658-3330, or pelhamtreeconservationsociety@ dict, we must educate ourgmail.com to order sizes. selves and prioritize climate change issues when we vote. PELHAM MUDFEST To do less would be to tell Menofand will be back in the mud as theOPENING second run on the year is millions kids women and grandGRAND kids held around worldHideaway. that at the Bissil’s MODELLA’S, Sunday, August 15, 3995 Victoria Avenue, Vineland, when they needed us most, we gave up. ◆ 11 AM – 5 PM. Signature Ddesigns by Joseph Ribkoff and other
NIAGARA REGIONAL EXHIBITION houses. Modella’s have been in Toronto for 30 years. Rodeo, games and livefashion entertainment headline this years exciting event. It runs from Sept. 11-14 at the Welland Fairgrounds. FARM FRESH PRODUCE Williams Orchards. Now Open For Season, 9 am – 6 pm, 7 Days a
BIG MOVE CANCER RIDE Week. Plums; Peaches; Nectarines; Fugi Apples; Local Corn; Honey; The Big Move Cancer Ride a non-competitive ride 1724 taking place on Sept. Brown is Eggs; Preserves and Firewood. Pelham Street. Phone 7. Proceeds for the Big905-892-5811. Move stay in Niagara and support the Walker Family Cancer Centre. KEYS FOUND WALKING CLUB Found a set of keys with identifying tag on the Steve Bauer trail Woodlawn and Quaker Road Tuesday 20th. Contact Interested in walking in between Pelham? Join them Tuesdays at the July Pelham Arena 905-892-6146 from 9-10 am and Thursdays at Fonthill Bandshell for 9-10:30 am. There is no fee for this program. For more information, please contact jcook@ pelham.ca or call 905 892-2607, ext 329.
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LATHROP
continued from Page 9 land and lowland Carolinian forest, we determined the minimum tributary dimensions to reduce disturbing the footprint within this … wetland habitat. Even our construction methods changed. Much of the new tributary will be hand-dug to minimize the impacts of construction on key windows for wildlife habitat,
breeding, and overwintering.” Ian Smith, of Fonthill, is a professional fluvial geomorphologist (a.k.a., “stream guy”) with some 30 years’ experience in stream restoration and projects such as this. He is also a member of the Executive of the Niagara Chapter of TUC dedicated to protecting and improving Twelve Mile Creek. To him, this project is a win for the creek and for
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A August 18 2021
Town. “The Lathrop property represents not only a critical part of the Town of Pelham’s rich natural heritage,” said Smith, “but one of the last natural areas that supports the Niagara region’s only sustainable cold-water stream with the remnants of the Peninsula’s last native trout population. The Nature Conservancy of Canada and its supporters have stepped up and are working to protect this irreplaceable part of Fonthill, Pelham and Niagara.” Speaking for the NCC, biologist Liv Monck-Whipp emphasized the importance of the NCC’s work in the context of the entire Twelve Mile creek watershed. “We’re very excited about partnering with Niagara College and Trout Unlimited Canada’s Niagara Chapter,” said Monck-Whipp. “Together, we have conducted extensive restoration work within the Twelve Mile Creek watershed. This project will contribute to that bigger effort to improve water quality and fish habitat in Niagara’s last cold-water creek.” The Nature Conservancy of Canada takes a unique approach to the protection of natural spaces. Where other organizations like TUC seek to work with landowners through education and assistance with projects
This project will contribute to that bigger effort to improve water quality and fish habitat
to improve and protect the environment, NCC acquires the properties through purchase, grant, or legacy, and manages them as the owner. It is the nation's leading not-for-profit, private land conservation organization, working to protect important natural areas and the species they sustain. Since 1962, NCC and its partners have helped to protect 14 million hectares (35 million acres), coast to coast to coast, with some 84,000 hectares (207,000 acres) in Ontario. The Lathrop property was donated to NCC in 1998 by Dr. D. Whiting and Margaret Lathrop. To learn about the project’s purpose, design, and timelines, the public is invited to a virtual information session on August 19th from 7 to 8 PM. Registration at the NCC website natureconservaancy.ca/lathrop is required.
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RECIPE OF THE WEEK
4 Chocolate Pomegranate
Quite often people hear the word “dessert” and immediately think of a calorie- and fat-laden decadence that may set them back several hours on the treadmill. While it is true that some desserts can pack a heavy punch, others need not make people fear for their waistlines. Desserts that feature healthy ingredients can tempt your sweet tooth and provide nutritional benefits. Such is the case when combining pomegranate and dark chocolate, two ingredients that are rich in antioxidants that can contribute to a healthier immune system. “Chocolate Covered Pomegranate Clusters” can be served as the culmination of a fancy dinner in decorative martini glasses, or taken along as a healthy trail mix of sorts in school or work lunch boxes. Enjoy this recipe, courtesy of John La Puma, M.D., ChefMD. At only 108 calories per serving, this dessert likely won’t compromise any meal plans. Chocolate Covered Pomegranate Clusters Servings: 4 1 2⁄3 1⁄4 1⁄8 1⁄4
cup (8 ounces) pomegranate arils cup (4 ounces) organic bittersweet chocolate chips, such as Ghirardelli 60% teaspoon turmeric teaspoon black pepper cup fresh basil, stemmed and julienned
* 2⁄3 cup (4 ounces) high quality dark chocolate, chopped fine, may replace the chocolate chips Set the pomegranate arils on paper towels to absorb any excess moisture. Melt chocolate chips in a heavy-bottomed small saucepan over low-to-medium heat, stirring frequently, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove saucepan from the burner. Add pomegranate seeds and stir in spices. Use a fork to scoop out small chocolate-covered clusters, and place each on a wax paper-lined plate. Garnish with mint. Refrigerate until chocolate is firm, about 15 minutes.
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www.thevoiceofpelham.ca “A kid grows up a lot faster on the golf course. Golf teaches you how to behave.”
Jack Nicklaus
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Sporting Green The Niagara
Page 21 John Swart on what Code Red means for us all
22
The Voice | August 18 2021
Sawmill’s Andrew Burciul hits his ball out of a trap during a Niagara Junior Golf Tour stop at Twenty Valley. Sawmill golfers swept the boys divisions at the event.
BERNIE PUCHALSKI
Sawmill golfers tops at Twenty Valley Locals sweep boys divisions on junior tour BY BERNIE PUCHALSKI bpsportsniagara.com Nathan Freure continued his breakthrough season on the Niagara Junior Golf Tour in mid August at Twenty Valley by defeating Andrew Scott on the first playoff hole. The two golfers finished regulation play tied at two over par 74 before the Grade 12 student at E.L. Crossley recorded a birdie on the par 5 first hole. The Sawmill golfer just missed a 12-foot eagle putt, but his birdie was good enough to beat the par posted by Scott. “It was my first playoff so I was a little nervous, but I hit a good drive and a good second shot and almost made the eagle,” he said. “I wasn’t shaking but I was pretty nervous. I just tried to keep it calm and collected and play my game.” It was the second win of the season for the 16-year-old Wellandport resident, who went into the tournament second overall in the points race in the under-19 division. He is in his fourth year on the junior tour and is enjoying the success he’s having this season. “It is nice to finally play the golf I have been wanting to play and win a few times.” His improved scoring is no accident. “I worked a lot indoors this past winter, figured out a few things and did a lot more practice.”
His motivation was simple. “Last year, I played one of my worst years and I didn’t improve at all. I wasn’t very happy about that.” With his win, Freure now has a shot at catching points leader Michael Martel for the overall title when the tour concludes Monday, Aug. 23, at Beechwood. “I am going to have to have a good round again at Beechwood to have a chance but I think that I can do it,” he said.
First-time winner
Sawmill’s Blake Furtney carded a 79 at Twenty Valley to record his first career victory in the under-15 division of the Niagara Junior Golf Tour. The 14-year-old Pelham resident has been golfing since he was eight but this is his first year of competitive golf. “I just decided I want a new challenge,” the Grade 9 student at E.L. Crossley said. Furtney came into the event seventh in the overall points race and was excited to get his first tour victory. “I am very happy,” he said. “I wanted to get a win.” He was confident he could compete on the tour in 2021 after he placed third in the first event. On the course he used a simple approach for success. “I was hitting the ball straight off the tee today and hitting fairways.” Things didn’t start our well for him, however, when he sat four over par after the first three holes. “I made a par and then I started playing better.”
He has been pleased with the progress of his game this season. “I have definitely improved off the tee.”
Little Ben strikes again
Sawmill’s Ben Julie won his second event of the season when the junior stop made a stop at Twenty Valley. Julie’s 76 was good enough for a twostroke victory over club mate Matthew Gray in his fifth under-13 tour event of the season. He has been golfing for about eight years and last year he won one event and tied for first in two others on the local tour. “Everything was just going very well today,” the 12-year-old Pelham resident said. “My short game was really good.” The Grade 7 student at Wellington Heights Public School was two under par after the first four holes before recording a double bogey on his fifth hole. He likes how he is playing this season. “I feel like my short game is really good.” That short game is extra important for Julie because at 4-foot-7 and 70 pounds, he’s obviously not as long off the tee as some of his more larger competitors. “I usually just try to chip it close and make the putt.” Julie is looking forward to a busy August on the links. He is playing in the U.S. Kids Canadian Invitational and then Sawmill will be hosting the Ontario peewee (under-13) tournament on Aug. 30 and 31. Julie will be one of four Sawmill golfers playing in the event.
Girls division
Burlington Golf and Country Club’s
Anisha Gosh was the only girl competing and she fired a solid 88. The top two point getters on the tour, Sawmill’s Casey Kenney and Port Colborne’s Mikayla Lacey, were away at the Ontario Junior Girls Championship at the Brockville Country Club. Kenney (88-84) and Lacey (92-102) both missed the cut. Below are the leaderboards from play at Twenty Valley: Under-13 boys division: Sawmill’s Ben Julie 76; Sawmill’s Matthew Gray 78; St. Catharines Golf and Country Club’s Chase Partridge 83; Sawmill’s Trent Clarke 83; Twenty Valley’s Gavin Christie; Peninsula Lakes’ Brennan Turner; Sawmill’s Joseph Zupanic; St. Catharines Golf and Country Club’s Dawson Dermatas 90; Golf Canada ClubHouse’s Ryan Kirkpatrick 91; Players Club’s Carson Fulkerson 94. Under-15 boys division: Sawmill’s Blake Furtney 79; Players Club Ottawa’s Angelo Butera 80; Sawmill’s Cole Thompson 80; Sawmill’s Will Burleigh 81; Sawmill’s Andrew Burciul 86; Lookout Point’s Kian Oelofse 88; Players Club Ottawa’s Vincent Cuviello 89; Players Club Hamilton’s Jack Ilskens 89; Players Club Ottawa’s Aidan Smith 92; St. Catharines Golf and Country Club’s Christopher Elliott 93. Under-19 boys division: Sawmill’s Nathan Freure 74; Port Colborne’s Andrew Scott 74; Lookout Point’s Benjamin Hebert 75; Sawmill’s Hudson Mielko 75; St. Catharines Golf and Country Club’s Morgan Daly 75; Lookout Point’s Aidan Lopinski 76; Lookout Point’s Michael Martel 79; Players Club Ottawa’s Noah LeBrasseur 80; Sawmill’s Ben Kelly 82; Lookout Point’s Deryck Burke 82.
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THE BALANCED LIFE by John Swart
Canada, Code Red, and the federal election
C
ode red, eh? That could rattle a Balanced Life. Now is the time to make our politicians, our business leaders, and ourselves seriously uncomfortable about climate change. We need to confront ourselves over the distant countries and future generations we’re screwing: the women and kids the world over that don’t have any say in what will happen to them, because they have no power, no income, and no education; those in poverty without the resources to flee the most stricken areas: and the animals that regret not trying harder to devour
us and dismember every last one of our opposable thumbs a million years ago, before we began driving them to extinction. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has told us unequivocally that climate change is real, that it is man-made, and that it threatens our planet and humanity. As Boomers, we can coast, continue to listen but not hear, recycle our beer cans and wine bottles and pat ourselves on the back. We’ll be dead before the worst of it. As 30- and 40-somethings, it will be messy. Not just the natural stuff like
higher sea levels, droughts and fires, and dead coral, but the human stuff. The blame-gaming, the fear and helplessness, the inability to work together for the equal benefit of all earth’s inhabitants, eyewitnessing a battle of self-interest and greed versus the common good that will pit us against each other with more urgency than World War II. Under 20? Look to the Kent State University massacre 50 years ago, when Ohio State National Guardsmen killed four students and wounded nine for protesting American involvement in the Vietnam War, for inspiration. The national student strike which followed turned the tide of public opinion, leading to the end of the war. But don’t forget the Arab Spring or the Tienanmen Square massacre—people power doesn’t
always beat the determined force of malevolent institutions, at least not without casualties and potentially decades of struggle. What can we do, and what will it take to turn the IPCC report into meaningful action immediately? Canada will face a federal election on September 20, and climate change will be on the agenda. We’ll ask
those running for office about their climate plans and goals, and get familiar generalizations and the party line in response, but little will happen. Ask the Cree of Wasagamack First Nation in Manitoba how the clean drinking water thing is going, or the Lower Kootenay Band how they’re making out getting an apology from the Pope for the
deaths at St Eugene’s Catholic mission school. A 2021 federal government, 16-page, Environment and Climate Change Canada report entitled, Progress Towards Canada's Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reduction Target - Canadian Environmental Sustainability Indicators, does See BALANCED LIFE Page 18
V oice HOROSCOPE ARIES – Mar 21/Apr 20 Attempt to break down any barriers you have built up around yourself, Aries. It’s time for a fresh perspective and you can dive head first into new opportunities. TAURUS – Apr 21/May 21 There is something magical in you that needs to come to life, Taurus. In the next few weeks you will develop a plan to put major changes into action with the help of a few others. GEMINI – May 22/Jun 21 Gemini, you may feel on top of the world at the beginning of the week and then out of sorts by the weekend. It is okay to go through a range of emotions. CANCER – Jun 22/Jul 22 Cancer, the stars are offering an opportunity to make some major changes in the days to come. Hop on board with ideas that come your way. LEO – Jul 23/Aug 23 You are rarely one to sit back and avoid the limelight, Leo. This week presents yet another opportunity to step up and make your voice heard. Take a leap of faith. VIRGO – Aug 24/Sept 22 While life may have been difficult in the past weeks and months, a breath of fresh air is blowing in new opportunities for you, Virgo. See which direction you are headed in. LIBRA – Sept 23/Oct 23 There could be some important news coming your way this week, Libra. However, it may not be as obvious as opening up a newspaper or reading a letter. Keep your eyes open.
SCORPIO – Oct 24/Nov 22 An influx of money could bring about a lot of changes in your life, Scorpio. Speak with a financial planner regarding how to utilize these funds in positive ways. SAGITTARIUS – Nov 23/Dec 21 Renew your dedication to the path in front of you as it pertains to selfless endeavors, Sagittarius. Perhaps you can increase your volunteerism efforts. CAPRICORN – Dec 22/Jan 20 Capricorn, you are inspired to change, but you may not know which path to take. Get some advice from others and you will find a suitable path. AQUARIUS – Jan 21/Feb 18 Cast a wide net into a pool of potential friends and you’re bound to grab a great catch, Aquarius. It is time to widen your social circles and learn a few things along the way. PISCES – Feb 19/Mar 20 Pisces, set your sights high this week and you may be surprised at what you can accomplish. Projects may be completed quickly. FAMOUS BIRTHDAYS AUGUST 15 Joe Jonas, Singer (32) AUGUST 16 Steve Carell, Actor (59) AUGUST 17 Sean Penn, Actor (61) AUGUST 18 Clairo, Singer (23) AUGUST 19 Matthew Perry, Actor (52) AUGUST 20 Amy Adams, Actress (47)
SOLUTIONS DOWN 1. DAL 2. ALE 3. BEG 4. AROMAS 5. ASIDES 6. MAC 7. ARAS 8. HOLED 9. SN 10. SALAD 11. ELABORATING 13. GUANINE 15. RAD 17. DEADER 18. SCI 21. TAKE THE CAKE 23. CID 24. TAE 27. HAKIM 29. TOLAS 32. OCA 34. CAT 35. CRESTS 36. REPROOF 39. LAT 40. PAT 43. TASTES 44. DETECT 46. AAHED 47. RMA 49. AARON 51. COL 54. SARI 59. TAB 60. SAE 61. NBE 62. ALM 64. LS
CROSSWORD ANSWERS
SOLUTIONS ACROSS 1. DABA 5. AMAHS 10. SEALER 12. SARONG 14. ALLEGORICAL 16. UD 18. SLA 19. MAD 20. SETAE 22. CAB 23. CADET 25. DANA 26. I DO 27. HIS 28. SAT 30. KID 31. ROAD 33. EOCENE 35. CRACK 37. LATER 38. RETAIL 40. PATH 41. EPI 42. MAT 44. DAS 45. EAR 48. SRNA 50. TACET 52. CAM 53. TOGAS 55. SOT 56. AHA 57. SO 58. RATTLESNAKE 63. FLORAE 65. CABLED 66. SNIBS 67. TEEM
Enjoy our Take-out Fish & Chips Fridays! From our family to yours...stay safe
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A August 18 2021
ANSWERS ON PAGE 22
FAITH LIFT
by Pastor Rob Weatherby
Matthew, man on a mission
M
atthew is the first book and Gospel to appear in the New Testament. His other name was Levi. He was Jewish like Mark and John (not a Gentile like Luke). He was one of Jesus’ twelve disciples like John (not like Mark or Luke). His life took a major turn when he met Jesus.
The tax collector
Matthew was a publican or tax collector (see Matthew 9:9). That means he was educated and literate in Aramaic and Greek (and maybe Latin too). He would have been despised by his fellow Jews as a collaborator with the occupying Romans. Tax collectors were notorious for being corrupt and skimming excess taxes into their own pockets. Matthew’s life goal was to become wealthy and influential, and he was willing to compromise to achieve it. You could say he was the first century poster boy of a materialist, hedonist and pragmatist. That was about to change.
tor, but the sick. But go and learn what this means, ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” (Matthew 9:13) Jesus’ reply clearly implies that tax collectors like Matthew were spiritually sick and sinful. These were the people Jesus came to seek and save. His quote from two Old Testament prophets comes from Hosea 6:6 and Micah 6:6-8. In these passages God is saying that He desires the inner character qualities of mercy, faithfulness, love, kindness, justice and humility much more than the outward acts
of animal sacrifices. Matthew the publican lacked these qualities but so did the Pharisees. At least Matthew was willing to admit and forsake his sins while the Pharisees proudly justified theirs. Therefore, Jesus’ reply is an act of mercy and forgiveness to repentant sinners (like Matthew) and a rebuke to religious hypocrites (like the Pharisees). Mark and Luke also record Matthew’s conversion in similar words. Mark includes the detail that Matthew’s father was Alphaeus. See FAITH LIFT Page 18
The disciple
Matthew describes his conversion in chapter 9 of his own Gospel. His account is concise (five verses). Jesus called him and he followed. He might have seen and heard Jesus before this time but we don’t know. He must have realized that this rabbi (teacher) was somehow different, special and worth following. Following Jesus would mean leaving his profession, comforts and security. Jesus came to dinner at his home and Matthew invited many of his fellow tax collectors to come too. The Pharisees criticized Jesus for associating with such sinful, compromising Jews. Jesus replied, “It is not the healthy who need a doc-
Here’s How It Works: Sudoku puzzles are formatted as a 9x9 grid, broken down into nine 3x3 boxes. To solve a sudoku, the numbers 1 through 9 must fill each row, column and box. Each number can appear only once in each row, column and box. You can figure out the order in which the numbers will appear by using the numeric clues already provided in the boxes. The more numbers you name, the easier it gets to solve the puzzle!
Word Search: Eye to Eye
Find the words hidden vertically, horizontally, diagonally, and backwards. AQUEOUS HUMOR BROW CATARACTS CONJUNCTIVA CONTACTS CORNEA
CORRECT DUCT EYEGLASSES FOVEA IRIS LASHES
LENS LIDS MACULA NERVE OPTIC PUPIL
RETINA SCLERA STYE TEARS VISION VITREOUS
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CROSSWORD
11 Highway 20 W Fonthill Tues-Fri, 8-2 Sat, 9-2 (905) 892-9466
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we had them for lunch with our toasted cheese sandwiches. It was a real treat. From then on Bicks pickles were eaten at our house. Enter another character in this tale. It’s name is Happenstance. It is now the 1980s, after our youngest son is married and living in British Columbia as a Mountie. His wife, Nancy, knew a young man, Robert Bick, who was interested in starting a business making fruit leather. It was a new venture in Canada in that decade, and because fruit was readily available in B.C., he wanted to pursue this idea. “My husband has a friend in the Niagara Peninsula who has a large fruit farm and has also started a fruit leather business and is doing quite well,” Nancy said. “Could I contact him through you?” he asked. “Of course. I’ll set that up for you.” So between our son and ourselves we made arrangements for them to visit John Thwaites, on his farm in rural Niagara-on-the-Lake. They would rent
a car and drive to our place, where we would then take them a few miles to Thwaites’ farm to introduce them. Fruit leather is a snack food that is easily carried in pockets for hikers, fishermen, farmers and for children’s snacks. The base fruit can be applesauce. Then other fruits can be added such as any berry, cherries, strawberries, grapes, blueberries, etc. It is cooked together, dried well, then rolled thin and cut into squares to make a healthy snack. The appointed day came and we saw three people, not one, exit the car and come to the door. “Hello. I hope you were expecting us,” he said. “This is my mother and father, Mr. and Mrs. Bick.” We shook hands and ushered them inside. Of course my mind was whirling. Bick? Bick’s pickles? Surely not a coincidence! But over coffee I had to ask them. “Yes, that’s us.” Mr. Bick answered. “We started a small business years ago in our own back kitchen with our own cucumbers and ingredients. As the business grew, we fi xed the barn into a big-
ger and better workplace. More stores wanted a steady supply, so we had to hire more people. It felt so satisfying to have a good product but we could see that the two of us, plus those we hired, were
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not enough to handle the workload. After a few more years we accepted a fair offer from Robin Hood Company, and our only stipulation was that they keep the trade name Bick’s.”
Later the business was bought by the J.M Smuckers Company, who sold 41 products and was the number-one brand in Canada. The products are comprised of pickles, relishes and specialties. “Oh, we are so glad to meet you both. We had no idea that Bick was an actual family name. We’ve been eating your pickles for many years.” We spent a lovely hour over coffee, comparing farming in Ontario and British Columbia. We then had them follow our car the two miles to John Thwaites’ farm, where we left them to discuss the business of fruit leather. I do not know whether Robert Bick ever developed his fruit leather business, but it was an interesting experience for us to meet them. It was yet another happenstance in my life. Walter Bick died Monday, October 17, 2011, aged 94. Established in 1951, this is the 70th year that the family’s pickles have been on the market. I think of Mr. and Mrs. Bick whenever I take the Bick’s jar from the refrigerator and bite into that crunchy pickle. The Bicks were real people, not just a trade name. ◆
Fonthill 406
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Lampman's Furniture
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COLUMN SIX
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