The Voice, February 6 2019

Interim CAO: "We need this money" page 3 Teacher awarded in Ottawa page 9 Niagara West Libs page 19 EXCEEDING EXPECTATIONS

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Glynn A. Green fight video sparks anger

Column Six

That good old hockey game

Questions over who started what, and how brawl could go undetected by teachers, staff, remain unanswered

Enjoyed best when parents are kept far, far away

BY VOICE STAFF Since an altercation between students in a Glynn A. Green washroom, in which 12-year-old Ethan Sumbler and other students were recorded on cellphone video engaged in a brawl, his mother, Joanie Sumbler, has been bombarded with email from parents across Canada and the U.S., complaining about bullying. However, what’s most alarming to her is that nearly a dozen such accounts are by Pelham parents, who say that they have removed their children from Glynn A. Green, because they no longer felt

that their children were safe in the school.

When Ethan came home bruised on January 16, he told his mother that he had fallen on the ice, because he was afraid he would get in trouble for fighting. He had a bruised face, and Sumbler later found bruises on his arms and stomach.

It wasn’t until a week after the incident that her older son showed her video of the fight, recorded by other Glynn A. Green students in a boys’ washroom, then posted online.

“I started crying right

away,” she said, but her emotions soon changed to anger. She knew the boy who had fought with her son, as they were once friends. She said she forbid Ethan from hanging around with him months ago, as she thought he was a bad influence. Since then, Ethan said his former friend has “had a beef” with him, been trying to instigate fights, and rally other students against him behind his back.

Ethan also asserted that his former friend pulled a knife on him at the Glynn A. Green playground, but they

BY COLIN BREZICKI

O

Special to the VOICE

Joanie Sumbler and her son Ethan.

SUPPLIED PHOTO

lance Service, who now runs Kwik Fit Niagara in Fonthill and is deeply involved with the Rotary Club, has been giving back for decades. That includes helping raise hundreds of thousands of dollars in the last few years alone for various charities, primarily Wellspring.

UR GOALIE WAS nicknamed the Walrus because he flopped around in the crease to smother the puck. He couldn’t stand on his skates for very long, or at all without clinging to the post, and he only did the splits when he lost his balance.

Our defence lacked the motor skills to skate backwards, but they knew enough about the game to realize where they should be even if they couldn’t get there. One gripped his stick like a broom while the rest used them as tripods.

Our forwards could skate fast without the puck, but slowed down a lot with it.

Back-checking remained a work in progress.

The year was 1969. They were the Ryerson Red Wings and they played in the Novice Division of the City Recreation League in London,

See ADAMSON Page 14

See COLUMN SIX Page 18

were too far away from the school’s security cameras for this to be detected.

Early last week, cellphone video of the altercation, recorded by at least one student watching from the sidelines, was widely shared on social media, provoking

a torrent of condemnation of the students involved, of the school’s principal, and of the school board.

CHCH news interviewed Nathan and his parents, as well as a spokesperson for See VIDEO Page 12

Citizen of the Year is a busy man

F O O R P Frank Adamson's full-time job is giving back to the community

BY JOHN CHICK

Special to the VOICE

Frank Adamson, at his office.

VOICE PHOTO

When Frank Adamson receives his Fonthill and District Kinsmen’s Citizen of the Year award on March 5, it’ll be another accolade for a lifetime of service to his community.

The former head of the Niagara Ambu-

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Page 2

The Voice of Pelham, February 6 2019

www.thevoiceofpelham.ca

NRPS impaired driving charges

PUBLISHER’S CORNER

by Dave Burket

Adamson is it: As you will have seen on the cover this week, Fonthill’s Frank Adamson has been chosen as the Kinsmen’s 2018 Citizen of the Year. The longtime Rotarian has been involved in countless community activities over the years. PharmaChoice pharmacist Glen Sisak remembers when Adamson helped introduce AEDs—automatic external defibrillators—to local public spaces, at least one of which, it turns out, Adamson paid for from his own pocket...Coronary pressure: There’s apparently no shortage of angina going around the corporate offices of Leviathan Cannabis, the company that wants to build yet another marijuana farm in Pelham, specifically on Foss Road, down the street from an existing grow-op. On Friday, the company’s CEO released a letter to shareholders at least partly intended, it seemed, to reassure them. Indeed, if I were a Leviathan shareholder, I’d be pretty hungry for some assurance. According to Bloomberg, after hitting a high of $2.32 per share last July, Leviathan stock opened this Monday at 35 cents a share—an 84% drop. Now, it’s true that cannabis stocks in general have taken some hits, particularly last fall, just after legalization, when investors woke up and smelled the rich aroma of supply not being able to meet demand. But still, 35 cents.

Ouch. So there was likely a certain amount of shareholder-aimed bluster behind the company’s preemptive threat to sue the Town of Pelham if it does not straighten up and fly right, by which they mean Town Council granting a bylaw exemption to Leviathan, so that it may proceed with building its grow-op on Foss, a process which was halted by previous council’s eleventh-hour passage last autumn of a one-year moratorium on the establishment of any

new cannabis production facilities.

“Should Council deny our exemption application,” reads Leviathan’s letter, “the Company will immediately commence legal action against the Town of Pelham to quash the offensive by-law. We fully believe the relevant law is in our favour. We have only held off litigating to date in an effort to reach an amicable solution with a community of which we intend to be a vital part for decades to come.” Well, now. That’s an interesting negotiating tactic. By press time, Leviathan had not responded to a request to cite the "relevant law." But the Mayor weighed-in.

“The Town has scheduled a public meeting for February 25,” said Junkin. “After hearing the public comments made at this meeting, and receiving a staff report, council will make a decision on March 18.

It should be pointed out that all of council fully supports the interim control bylaw, and the reasons for its existence.” On the Pelham cannabis situation generally, Councillor Bob Hildebrand said, “It seems obvious that there is a communications and understanding mismatch that needs to be addressed involving our MP, MPP, local municipal council, and local cannabis producers in Pelham as soon as possible.” Interim CAO Teresa Quinlin said, “The Town is dealing with their application as we would with any other application”...Speaking of whom: Hold on to your toques. Not only was the Voice invited into Town Hall late last week to interview the Interim CAO, but Quinlin also said that we were free to once again drop off copies of the paper for the public—not only in Town Hall, but at the community centre as well. Be still my heart. It may have been the Timmy’s talking—I brought along coffee and Timbits—but Quin-

Voice on vacation!

lin seemed genuinely interested in speaking as candidly as she could.

See our exchange, page 3. Cautious optimism is in the air...Taking hits: Last week was not a good week to be the principal of Glynn A. Green Public School. Video emerged of several students engaged in a fight (story on the cover), an altercation that the principal, Todd Halliday, concluded was pre-arranged among the parties. The parents of one boy, who seemed in the video to be targeted by the rest, strongly dispute this, calling it a case of bullying. In fact, a relative of a different Glynn A. Green student approached the Voice last autumn, alleging that their child was being targeted by one of the same boys seen in last week’s video. In response, Halliday is alleged to have told the bullied boy that he should do a better job of defending himself. I say alleged because Halliday has not replied to repeated requests for comment on any topic over the last several days.

Which brings us to our Christmas card contest. As you’ll remember, in November we offered a variety of prizes for the best Christmas card designs made by Pelham’s public school students. When it came time to deliver the prizes, writer Jennifer Chornley and I went from school to school, dropping off the loot and taking photos of the happy winners.

At most schools, an announcement was made over the PA system that we had arrived, and that so-andso were the contest winners, and they were report to the office. We could hear cheers echoing around the halls, which was a particularly wonderful feeling. At Glynn A. Green, Jennifer and I were given pause by Halliday’s approach. Responding to an announcement to come to the office, the winners, and the honorable mentions, assem-

bled in front of us and the principal. They did not yet know why they had been summoned. “Do you know why you’re here?” asked Halliday. “Do you think you might be in trouble?” Now, I’m no expert in 21st century teaching methods, nor am I a child psychologist. But I was once a 10-year-old child. I asked Jennifer last week whether she remembered the exchange, and she did, distinctly. There wasn’t a trace of humour or playfulness in Halliday’s questions. I don’t want to make this into a bigger deal than it was—first walk a mile in the other man’s shoes, etc.

Soon enough he revealed that the kids were winners in our contest. It was an odd moment, though, and it sticks in the memory. (Halliday did not respond to a request for comment on our recollection.) Bottom line, it’s pretty clear that the school has a bullying problem. More so than other schools, maybe not, and I don’t envy the challenges facing any principal in this era of social media and hyper-alert parents. Certainly, though, no one should blame the Sumblers for wanting to place their child elsewhere...Flip a coin: With giant rodent Fenwick Flossie’s appearance cancelled last Friday owing to the Polar Vortex, we’re a groundhog short on the forecasting front. Shubenacadie Sam predicted six more weeks of winter, while Wiarton Willie predicted an early spring. Judging by the spring-like temperatures that began the week, Willie might be right, but I wouldn’t bet any cannabis stocks on it...Have your say: As the Town’s ad on page 8 requests, come on out to the public meeting on the fate of the old arena, next Monday at the community centre...Singing Valentines: Serenade your sweetie. See A Cappella Niagara's ad on page 13. All of me, why can't you take all of me...

REPORTER WANTED Calling all journalists, feature writers, or wordsmiths of any kind: The Voice is hiring a full-time writer.

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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.

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The Voice of Pelham, February 6 2019

Page 3

The Conversation

Hitting the ground running—again Treasurer and now Interim CAO Teresa Quinlin has a mountain of debt to tame; a public, wary of past Town assertions, to convince; and an arena she'd like to sell

BY DAVE BURKET

L The VOICE

IGHTNING M AY NO T STR IK E T W ICE, BU T OPPORT UNIT Y certainly has for Teresa Quinlin. For the second time inside two years, Quinlin has stepped in to fill a position vacated by a Pelham Town Council firing. In May 2017 she retired from retirement to come on as Interim Treasurer, upon the dismissal of Treasurer Cari Pupo, and last week she was named Interim Chief Administrative Officer within an hour of CAO Darren Ottaway’s departure from Town Hall. After three months as Interim Treasurer, Quinlin was permanently hired for the job in August 2017. Will we see a permanent CAO Quinlin by the end of May? A Chartered Accountant with a B.A. from Brock and an MBA from Niagara University, in New York, Quinlin spent the majority of her career at Niagara College, from which she retired, in 2015, as Vice President of Business Development.

On her LinkedIn page, Quinlin describes herself as "a self-motivated, energetic leader with demonstrated expertise in corporate and financial services...with a keen sense of organization and a high degree of personal integrity and professionalism.”

Her tenure in Pelham has surely tested the limits of this expertise and professionalism—in 2017 Quinlin was immediately thrown in to the deep end of Pelham’s financial pool.

Months of evasive and incomplete explanations by the previous town council brought a wholesale change of government last autumn—with the final act of this drama arguably the former CAO’s firing last Monday.

No longer needing administrative permission or clearance to speak as she wishes, Quinlin’s message is blunt: the Town of Pelham needs money, and soon. How it’s raised will be up to council, but one way or another, we need cash.

Next Monday, February 11, the Town will host a presentation and listening session at the community centre regarding the fate of the old arena property on Haist Street. The Voice spoke to Quinlin about this and related topics last Thursday at Town Hall, barely into her third day as Interim CAO. The following has been edited for brevity and clarity.

BURKET: What do you hope to accomplish at the public meeting on February 11?

QUINLIN: Well, this is a great opportunity for the public and the new council to get an update on the consultative process that the Town undertook to arrive at the preferred plan. So it's a time for us to share with everyone what the process was, because I think there's been some misunderstanding on how the Town informed the public on what was happening with the land. We just want to talk about what was done, and then we want to share what the current preferred plan is that has been approved by council. Our Director of Community Planning and Development, Barbara Wiens, she'll come and do the presentation. I think it's important that the public knows the importance of selling this land. As the Treasurer, I will be talking about the financial impact to the Town about this land sale. It's not only for the cash flow, but also it's to avoid additional costs and expenses that the Town would incur if they kept the property. We would have to demolish the arena building, and we would have to have remediation on the soil that's there. So there are costs that are going to be incurred if the arena does not get sold.

Let's talk about that a little bit, because I think particularly the neighbors in the area who attended these meetings last year were under the impression that they were being sort of forced to choose— I think it was three options that were not very palatable, none of which included keeping the arena as-is. You just said that there would be expens-

es connected to retaining the facility. What sort of expenses are we talking about. For what and how much?

I would have to get more details from the Director of Public Works, because there's physical structure issues to that building, and that's one of the reasons why the Town moved to build a new community center as opposed to putting money into retrofitting that building. I know that when it was built in the early ‘70s there was an initial design, and then they changed the design.

And in doing that, something happened with the cinder blocks and there was a structural issue. This meant that steel beams had to be used to support it—to buy time until they could build a new community center. I think it would not be safe without putting in additional funds. That's my understanding.

Let's assume that's the case. Now we move on to holding onto the property—not selling it to a developer—and demolishing the building. How much would that cost?

The estimate that we received would be about $500,000 to demolish the building. Then what—convert it to a park? Just have it all as a park? Then there would be remediation of the soil. The soil would have to be treated because of what the facility was.

The estimate from what I heard would be another half a million dollars. So we're talking approximately a million dollars if you wanted just to demolish the building, remove it, and do the remediation. But these are just estimates.

Could be more, could be less.

Interim CAO Teresa Quinlin.

Could be more, could be less.

One of the points of contention going back about a year was whether or not there was any actual cash in the reserves. The previous mayor was saying, "Well, what we don't have in cash, we have in assets.

And that's what we're going to call reserves." So I'll ask you. Do we have any cash in our cash reserves?

next day, reporting that the Town’s current cash balance was in the negative, specifically a debit balance of $893,000 dollars. This would suggest that the Town does not have cash on hand, but rather has a credit line—similar to a consumer credit card—on which to draw as necessary. Quinlin added that the Town’s available credit line is $7 million dollars, meaning that a little over $6 million dollars remains available.

Infrastructure Ontario is working with us, and they understand the situation that we're in.

Our goal is by the end of this year.

That's the goal.

The answer's no. The cash was spent to purchase assets.

So how does the ordinary person understand this definition of “cash reserves.” Basically, we have no reserves.

That's correct. The plan is that when the development happens, then the reserves will be replenished by the revenue that's coming from the development. Because some of the costs had been up-fronted. That's what happened before I came here. As I've mentioned in my presentations, right now the Town is asset rich and not as much cash.

Do we have any cash?

Ballpark, how much.

Can I just get back to you on that? I've been working on the capital budget, and the number fluctuates. [Quinlin responded with the figure the

“This is allowed by the Municipal Act,” wrote Quinlin, “where we can borrow up to 50% of our tax levy to September 30, then it is a maximum of 25% by December 31.”]

So we need the cash for capital projects.

Yes, the capital budget's coming to town council. We have a list of carry-forward capital projects of about $2.6 million dollars. Carry-forward means that they're projects that were approved in prior years, but not completed by the end of December. I would use the arena land money to offset those expenses.

Would it be possible to further delay those expenses?

No, because the projects have started. They've been awarded.

There's also payment of the bridge loan coming due,

SUPPLIED PHOTO

for the community center.

That's $13.5 million dollars. Right now, we're paying interest on it, and so it's coming due when we sell the land. Infrastructure Ontario is working with us, and they understand the situation that we're in. Our goal is by the end of this year. That's the goal.

How much interest are we talking about, and is it in monthly payments?

Yes, monthly payments.

[The next day, Quinlin provided numbers on principal and interest payments. Each month, the Town pays nearly $31,000 in interest on the community centre’s construction bridge loan. Total principal and interest for the Town’s community centre debt—including two debentures (i.e., loans)— for fiscal 2018 was just over $2.7 million dollars, with a like amount budgeted for 2019.]

If residents were determined to hold onto the arena property, you're saying that the costs to them, to the Town, would be a million dollars minimum.

That's just an estimate right now. It could be more.

But then there's the loss of $3 million dollars of sales revenue.

So setting aside whether it sells or not, and for how much, just turning it into an empty field, it’s a million dollars. How much would that add to the average property owner's tax bill to pay for it?

Every $130,000 in expense is a 1% tax increase. So just divide a million by $130,000.

[By this formula, taxes would rise just under 7.7%, for one year, to retain the land and demolish the arena.]

That's assuming you would expense it all in one year. Would you actually do that?

See QUINLIN Page 14

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The Voice of Pelham, February 6 2019

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OPINION

The opinions expressed in submitted commentary and letters to the editor are those of the contributors and not necessarily those of the Voice of Pelham.

The Voice of Pelham is a 1211858 Ontario Limited publication David Burket, Publisher 2-1428 Pelham St., P.O. Box 1489, Fonthill, ON L0S1E0

COMMENTARY / OP-ED Aaron Wudrick It's time to tear down 24 Sussex

I

MAGINE YOUR HOUSE was 150 years old, and hadn’t seen major renovations in 50 years.

Imagine it still had asbestos in the walls — that are also cracking in at least six spots — and that there’s water damage throughout.

Imagine ancient electrical wiring and deficient plumbing. Imagine it being too hot in the summer, and too cold in the winter. Imagine spending hundreds of thousands of dollars just to keep the heat and lights on, and the snow in the driveway shovelled.

Welcome to 24 Sussex Drive, the official residence of Canada’s prime minister.

To be fair, 24 Sussex Drive is only where our prime minister is supposed to live. Understandably, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has opted not to subject his young family to his crumbling childhood home. Instead, he’s opted, for the time being at least, to live at Rideau Cottage, located just down the street on the grounds of the Governor General’s residence, Rideau Hall.

This temporary arrangement may become a permanent one for the simple reason that there are no

plans to actually fix 24 Sussex Drive. Trudeau himself has been quite candid, noting that “no prime minister wants to spend a penny of taxpayer dollars on upkeeping that house” for fear of public backlash. Recently, even the New York Times

What should be done, instead, is to build a new residence at 24 Sussex Drive

took note of the absurdity of the situation, describing the dilapidated building as “unfit for a leader or anyone else.”

A review of the historical record shows just how long spending taxpayer money on the PM’s residence has been controversial: private donors financed the installation of a swimming pool during Pierre Trudeau’s time; the Progressive Con-

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The Voice

1428 Pelham Street, P.O. Box 1489, Fonthill, ON L0S 1E0 Office open: Monday - Thursday 8 AM - 2 PM

(905) 892-8690

www.thevoiceofpelham.ca PUBLISHER & EDITOR Dave Burket publisher@thevoiceofpelham.ca ADMINISTRATION Lori Gretsinger office@thevoiceofpelham.ca CONTRIBUTORS Jane Bedard, Carolyn Botari, Colin Brezicki, Rosemary Chambers, John Chick, Larry Coté, Gloria J. Katch, Samuel Piccolo, John Swart, Sarah Whitaker NEWS INQUIRIES & TIPS editor@thevoiceofpelham.ca LETTERS TO THE EDITOR letters@thevoiceofpelham.ca ADVERTISING INQUIRIES advertising@thevoiceofpelham.ca

servative Party of Canada paid for renovations when Brian Mulroney was the occupant. When Paul Martin lived there, the building’s state of disrepair was the subject of a Rick Mercer skit where he accompanied Martin to a hardware store to procure do-it-yourself supplies. And Stephen Harper simply ignored any and all advice to fix the building.

Generally speaking, fear of political fallout for wasteful spending can serve as an excellent deterrent to politicians with a tendency to play fast and loose with taxpayer money, and it’s definitely preferable to the alternative of widespread public indifference.

But when it comes to government buildings, there’s no getting around the fact that putting off repairs just makes the final bill bigger in the long run.

What should be done, instead, is to build a new residence at 24 Sussex Drive.

Contrary to the prime minister’s comments, we’re already paying for the house due to the exorbitant cost of upkeep. It’s a tab that will go on forever, and only grow See 24 SUSSEX next page

Letters Good Samaritan missing a trailer mount?

On Thursday, January 31, my vehicle left the road and came to rest in a deep snow drift on Roland Road.

Within minutes a gentleman driving a white pickup truck stopped and pulled

my car back onto the road.

Unfortunately, he left his trailer mount and ball head in my hitch. I drove around the area today but had no luck locating his truck.

I would like to return his

mount. Perhaps if he sees this letter and contacts me, I can get it back to him. He can contact me at 905- 8923958 Peter Ferguson Fonthill

One story after another sees online tsunami of reaction Editor's note: Between council's decision to opt out of retail cannabis sales, permit the expansion of an existing cannabis grow-op in Fenwick, the firing of CAO Darren Ottaway, and

the emergence of a public school fight video online, last week was a busy one on the Voice's website and Facebook page. The following is a sampling of reaction to these stories.

Opting out

The [cannabis grow-op] facility at Balfour and Highway 20 looks like a detention See REACTION next page

CONTACT YOUR ELECTED OFFICIALS Member of Federal Parliament

Electoral District: Niagara West

Dean Allison, MP 4994 King Street Beamsville, ON L0R 1B0 Dean.Allison@parl.gc.ca 877-563-7900

Mayor of Pelham Marvin Junkin mjunkin@pelham.ca 289-929-2681 Members of Pelham Town Council

Member of Provincial Parliament

Ward 1 Councillor Mike Ciolfi mciolfi@pelham.ca 905-892-0077

Sam Oosterhoff, MPP 4961 King St. East, Unit M1 Beamsville, ON L0R 1B0 sam.oosterhoffco@pc.ola.org 905-563-1755

Councillor Marianne Stewart mstewart@pelham.ca 289-821-0840

Electoral District: Niagara West

Members of Niagara Regional Council Councillor Marvin Junkin mjunkin@pelham.ca 289-929-2681 Councillor Diana Huson diana.huson@niagararegion.ca 905-324-3094 Town of Pelham 20 Pelham Town Square P.O. Box 400 Fonthill, ON L0S 1E0 905-892-2607

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The Voice of Pelham, February 6 2019

Page 5

OPINION REACTION

continued from previous page centre, with its fencing and security lights. It is too close to the roadside and residences. This should be categorized as industry, not farming, and be confined to industrial zoning. They should never have been allowed to change the nature of this neighbourhood this way. The last council was asleep at the wheel, too busy with their behemoth community centre and development focus.

Tillie Maria We are in central Fenwick and there is a bit of an odour, but we would rather smell a bit of this rather than live next to a pig farm, no disrespect the pig farmers. The light pollution stops at 8:30 PM, so our sleep is never impacted at all. We are concerned about other local crops that need to go dormant...is this confusing to them having a ton of extra light? Plus I would want to be reassured that during the “processing” that no carcinogenic chemicals are being spewed into the air.

Just the same as I would not want to live right next to a golf course or right next to a nursery, re: pesticides. Those would be my concerns.

Cathy Thompson I worked at a grow-op.

They pay peanuts while you’re in a 47-degree room worth $2.5 million dollars, sweating your butt off for the same wage as a gas station attendant, and I can see their light pollution from Smithville. The weed industry is worse than working for McDonalds. I got hired to fix machines, but ended up doing thoughtless labour with

drugged-up morons working for greedy ***holes. So happy I quit and got a better job.

Johnny Lee Summersides

I would love to have a [cannabis] shop in Pelham. Nice and close to home. All you naysayers are talking about a substance much safer then the alcohol you guzzle all the time.

Mat Hallas I was a naysayer before but honestly it's legal now and it's no different then a Beer Store in town. And just to be clear I have never tried it and am not planning on trying a joint. However a friend of mine uses a cream that helps him with pain and he says it works well. It's not all about getting high like I first thought.

Leo Giovenazzo I think, way, way back, when Pelham (Fonthill) went by the name of Temperanceville, the founding fathers were not rolling joints smoking, toking and bonging. And, I think now that pot is legal, Pelhamians too are free to smoke, toke and bong, but I'd rather see them get their pot in Welland, or St. Catharines.

Pamela Robb We have an LCBO and Beer Store. What's the difference?

People who are against this, including our mayor, have little to no knowledge of the benefits of marijuana. These same people don't care to educate themselves. I guess those who seek it will be forced to drive another five minutes to obtain it. Same as voting down the extra much-needed parking at the arena. Well done. Almost

forgot... pretty sure we grow 10% of all pot for Canada?

Nice confusing message! We also sell cigarettes at several locations! Wake up!

Kyle Sheldrick Great! It’s too bad the Town doesn’t want to profit off recreational cannabis sales. It’s going to be purchased regardless, why not get a piece of the pie. Maybe the smell wouldn’t bother so many Pelhamers if they didn’t have their nose up in air. Times change and people change with them.

Dylan Francis

Grow-op expansion permission granted

Disgusting. What would be the point of complaining.

Would have happened anyhow. Seriously, 80,000 sq feet. What has happened to our lovely town that I have lived in for 50 years. I can already smell the stench.

JoAnne Caldwell This is really too bad. The grow-op is an eyesore between the buildings, the parking of employees cars the light pollution the huge tank on the property, the smell, the list goes on. It never should have happened.

Koosje Stassen The zoning is agricultural.

They are paying cut-rate taxes. I have never seen a farm that looks like a bad U.S. prison. I shake my head at the planning in this town.

Scott Strike Sounds like income.

Justin McDowell Every time I drive through the East end of Fonthill, I despair at the huge behemoth that is the community centre, totally out of proportion with the size of our community.

Light standards to fit everyone's taste, as there are several different designs in the same area. Next comes the ugly shopping centre that has no aesthetic appeal at all, and with buildings squashed up against the highway. (Contrast that to the building that houses the new coffee shop with its little shopping area in behind, near Haist and Highway 20—that has some style to it and interesting colour choices.) I hope that the developers of East Fonthill are happy that we now can vie for the Mississauga wannabe award.

Tillie Maria Why is the Town allowing this expansion when the putrid smell, and excessive light pollution from this pot factory is already having such a negative ef-

fect upon the quality of life of our community? Or is this a leftover decision from the last-money hungry council?

We left Mississauga, Oakville and Burlington for the small town feeling. Thanks to the last town council, our sweet town is ruined and a thing of the past.

Janet Carroll O'Sullivan Snelgrove You could argue that anyone who’s moved here in the last 40 years or so who isn’t a farmer or in a farming-related industry has changed the very nature of the town, unfortunately.

Jacqueline Bunting Poor planning by the Town—didn't look at delivery and employee traffic patterns or parking. The intersection of Balfour and Hwy 20 was already brutal. The daily stench and light pollution just tells the residents how little this company cares about being a good corporate citizen.

My friends in Port Colborne send me pics of the glow from this grow-op periodically, it's embarrassing. This used to be a greenhouse that supplied the majority of North America's kalanchoes, and it managed to exist without being such a nuisance.

I'd have far less issue with this operation if they made an

effort to respect the community. These are fixable issues: get it together, CannTrust.

Elliott Smith

CAO dismissed

It comes as no surprise after reading comments in another paper last week. It seemed to me that senior management were acting and conducting themselves as if there had not been an election. There is a new mayor and council that residents voted in, and those employees who do not wish to adapt had better leave now.

As for an Integrity Commisioner, why is it needed if you have integrity built in to your H.R.? The electorate are the best judge of integrity. Let's get Pelham and its finances back on track first, before any more money is spent!

Richard Kavanagh I remember a public meeting which was characterized as "input" into the use of the former arena property. A gentleman I know very well, who is an intelligent, most polite and respectful person, asked the CAO a question based upon information he had read in the Voice. Ottawa's arrogant and dismissive response was, "Oh, that paper, I don't read that."

What leader of a private or See REACTION Page 13

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continued from previous page larger over time.

A recent estimate by the National Capital Commission put the cost of building a new house at $38.5 million, compared to $34.5 million to fix up the current building. But imagine the kind of new house that could be built for even half that price. And it’s not as if we’d be losing a unique architectural gem, either. Maureen McTeer, wife of former prime minister Joe Clark, and author of a book on official residences, describes the building as “completely lacking in architectural value.”

As to the cost, the sky can’t be the limit. But setting a reasonable budget and holding a competitive bidding process, culminating in a fixed-price contract, could help ensure that taxpayers don’t get bulldozed along the way.

With bigger-than-promised deficits and no sign of a balanced budget any time soon, the Trudeau government hasn’t exactly been tight-fisted since coming to power, and there’s a long list of areas where they need to get spending under control. But when it comes to 24 Sussex Drive, the can has been kicked down the road long enough, and the delay is getting too expensive. It’s time to make a decision.

Aaron Wudrick is the Federal Director for the Canadian Taxpayers Federation.

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NEWSFLASH Tell us your story!

Column Six presents tales of personal triumph, adventure, strange-but-true stories, life-changing events, and looks-back at our past.

Did you conquer Everest or kick a bad habit?

Did you meet your spouse-to-be in jail or on an African safari?

Do you know where Hoffa’s buried?

Write it down, send it in: publisher@thevoiceofpelham.ca (You won’t get rich, but you will get paid.)

Page 6

The Voice of Pelham, February 6 2019

The Victoria Hall Hotel, year unknown, in Riceville, now Fonthill.

PELHAM HISTORICAL SOCIETY PHOTO

Twenty-four old Pelham names We see some of them daily, others have vanished into history

N

AMES HAVE A FASCINATION for most of us. We wonder how they originated and if there could be much older names behind them. The Township of Pelham was once Township No. 10 in the Electoral District of Nassau, Province of Quebec. That was before the Constitutional Act was passed by the British Parliament in 1791, dividing the Province of Quebec into Upper and Lower Canada. The first parliament in the new Upper Canada met at Niagara on September 17, 1792, under the first Lieutenant-Governor Colonel

BY CATHERINE RICE

Special to the VOICE

John Graves Simcoe. The name Pelham was given to Township No. 10 by Colonel Simcoe, who chose many of the names in the Niagara District.

Eber (Ebor) Rice had purchased Lot 2, Concession 8, in 1821 and built Rice’s Inn or Tavern about where Canboro Road and Haist Street meet now. It was in this building that the earliest Pelham Township Council meetings were held. The area took on the name Riceville, and a post office was

opened there on April 6, 1836, with the name Pelham.

Fonthill was called Osborne’s Corners for a short time after Jacob Osborne built the Temperance House (Hotel) at the corner of Pelham Street and Highway 20. In 1841 the Pelham post office was moved down the hill to the village, which some called Temperanceville.

In a letter to his brother in England in 1843, Henry Giles suggested the name Fonthill because, “There is a large temperance hotel at the top of the hill to which they are about to

www.thevoiceofpelham.ca

conduct a stream of water and construct a fountain.”

However, the name Temperanceville lingered. In 1852, Dexter D’Everardo registered a “Plan of Temperanceville” under the name Font Hill.

Fenwick was originally Diffin’s Corners, since two brothers, Benjamin and George Diffin, had built two inns near the corner of Canboro Road and Church Street.

In 1853, a post office opened while Dr. John Frazer was the Reeve. As he had come to Canada from Fenwick in Scotland, it is most likely that he suggested the new name Fenwick.

Ridgeville’s previous name was Steele’s Corners. Jonas Steele operated a large mercantile business in the village. The name Ridgeville was given official status on August 1, 1865, perhaps because of the high hill to the north.

At one time Effingham was called Beckett’s Mills. Samuel Beckett built the first sawmill in Pelham Township in 1794, a year after he arrived in the area.

George Redpath, the storekeeper and first postmaster, decided to call the place after Effingham in England, from which he had emigrated. The post office, which opened on September 1, 1867, bore that name.

North Pelham was formerly Cook’s Corners due to C.J. Cook, who ran a general store in the community.

Two other businesses become prominent— the North Pelham Fruit Evaporator, and the North Pelham Cheese

Factory. The name they selected was the name given to the post office, which was opened in 1853, with Adam McGlashan as the first postmaster.

Pelham Union is situated at the meeting place of four townships: Clinton, Louth, Gainsborough and Pelham. A school, built in 1852 at the junction of the Twenty Road and Regional Road 24, served the children of the four areas for many years.

Chantler’s name honoured Elwood Chantler, whose 200-acre farm on Lot 8, Concessions 12 and 13, was known as a “model farm.”

When the Toronto, Hamilton and Buffalo Railway was built in 1895, a strikingly beautiful station was built on the Chantler property.

Chantler remained a postal village from 1898 to 1940. Chantler Road is all that remains now of the past glories.

The name Sanderson’s Corners, like Riceville, has disappeared from the present scene. It was the area around where Sixteen Road and Effingham now meet, a busy corner years ago. One of the first stores in Pelham Township was operated there by Moses Brady.

The Sanderson family settled nearby and gave their name to the community, now just memory.

Our old township names are part of our cultural heritage.

They tell us something about the locality of which they are the name, and of the people who first settled our community, memories to keep and share with future generations. ♦

Helping keep the balance Program increases physical and mental confidence

BY VOICE STAFF With more seniors choosing to maintain their independence and stay in their own homes for as long as possible, maintaining balance and fall prevention are important aspects of everyday living.

Centre de santé commaunitaire Hamilton/Niagara (CSCHN) is now using two Pelham locations to make its free Keeping the Balance program available to area seniors. They are the community centre and Royal Canadian Legion Branch 613.

Even though the program has been running for six years in French, two years ago an English program was implemented and now runs in five Niagara locations.

Keeping the Balance is an interactive informational and physical education program focusing on balance, strength, co-ordination, stability and posture. There are a variety of sensory activities participants do that also work on their tactile function, all of which are important in aiding in fall prevention. There are four components to the session, which are warm-up, bal-

ance, strengthening and stretching.

Items used in the activities include marbles, chair, balls and bean bag. Some motions also incorporate various Tai Chi techniques.

The participants are encouraged to perform the exercise with their eyes closed to simulate potential low vision in the future or in low-light or dark environments if they need to get up at night. This helps promote enhanced proprioception (the sense through which we detect the movement and position of our body) and vestibular systems (parts of the inner ear and brain which control balance and eye movement).

CSCHN's Coordinator of Primary Care Services Natalie McCarthy said hundreds of senior participants have seen the benefits of participating in the program. Since implementing the free service funded by the provincial government, McCarthy is hopeful they will be able to build on it.

“It is a great program, and obviously the government felt the need to financially

Program participants working on squats. support one such as this.”

McCarthy said the program is adaptable and can accommodate individual abilities of all levels.

Pelham resident Sharon Rodem joined the program in January due to her balance issues.

“It’s a challenge as I am just starting, but I am going to continue to keep going as it is a worthwhile program.”

Donna Hutchings is in her second year participating, and said, “It’s a great local

program.”

Marjorie Tuck has been in the program since October.

“It has been very helpful to me. The strengthening portion of the program is the best part and has given me more confidence.”

Ridgeville resident David Ripley has also been attending the program since the autumn and says it has helped him with his balance issues and “keeps me going.”

Since the CSCHN's man-

date is to provide health, social and community services in French, to improve the health and quality of life of Francophones in Hamilton and Niagara, McCarthy said this was a way to engage with the community and promote the non-profit organization’s multitude of educational resources and health services for all ages.

The program accommodates a maximum of 16 participants and runs for 12 weeks.

VOICE PHOTO

Currently, there is a waiting list for the English-speaking program at both locations.

The next sessions at the Legion and community centre begin in April. Those on the waiting list will be given registration priority.

For those who do speak French, there is no waiting list to enroll in the French program.

For more information on the organization’s programs or to placed on the waiting list, call 905-734-1141.

www.thevoiceofpelham.ca

The Voice of Pelham, February 6 2019

Page 7

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The Voice of Pelham, February 6 2019

www.thevoiceofpelham.ca

New Business FOCUS

Hammering out his own path

BY GLORIA J. KATCH

Special to the VOICE

While initially hesitant to announce his home-based business until it showed promise, Charles Stewart is now confident and ready to carve a name for himself in the Niagara Region. While his business, Steworks, began last May, it was a matter of launching a website and finalizing the business and communication details, he said.

Since then the response has been “overwhelming,” and he is pleased with the different projects he’s completed to date. His wife, Melissa, a marketing manager at Lookout Ridge Retirement Community, will be assisting him with the promotional and administrative aspects of the operation.

As a registered carpenter who has worked with other construction companies and builders, Stewart is experienced in performing many jobs that doesn’t require an entire construction team.

Window and door installations and casings, framing a basement, building decks, stairs, as well as remodelling homes, are all on his agenda.

Stewart recently completed a fireplace project, and particularly enjoys doing them. He apprenticed with his uncle, Rick, owner of Stewart Custom Homes in Fort Erie, who taught him

a great deal about the construction industry. “It was all hands-on experience.

[My uncle] built homes from the base all the way up.”

The experience was invaluable, as it involves seeing how the carpentry work fits into the project, and how all the other areas of construction relate together.

Stewart also worked with his father, and while working with relatives has its challenges, he admits he learned,“You don’t cut corners,” and was taught that perfectionism and quality is what makes the grade.

As a project coordinator for a year and a carpenter for seven years at Miller Restoration Niagara, in St. Catharines, Stewart was given the opportunity to develop his analytical skills when it came to budgeting, scheduling and estimating the costs of jobs.

“It helped with organizing projects better,” he says, which is a strong asset to have if one is planning on operating their own business. While Stewart concedes that a bigger company could hire or subcontract him to oversee or manage a job, he has always wanted to be his own boss. He enjoys the flexibility of choosing the projects he can do, and consulting with customers on how to improve their ideas. Making helpful suggestions and seeing a proj-

ect materialize from start to finish is rewarding, he says.

Since he attended workshop class at Port Colborne Secondary School, Stewart knew he wanted to be a carpenter.

“I always loved working with my hands,” he says, adding it definitely runs in his family. Later on, he pursued a certificate in carpentry at Mohawk College, because he felt the training there was better than any local post-secondary programs. He eventually became licensed.

In dealing with customers in the past, he said there are times when people have extravagant plans, but they don’t realize that the costs of certain materials make their idea unaffordable.

Stewart says he can offer customers numerous alternative. Constantly attending trade show events, he points out that he is up to date on the newer, modern materials used in construction.

For example, there are many more choices of wood siding that are durable and have a wider selection of colours.

Some of the windows made in Canada are made from vinyl, but the aluminum versions from Europe are higher quality.

He recently learned of an epoxy that comes in a variety of colors that “pops, when it’s buffed out,” which can be used for certain table

Steworks founder, Charles Stewart. tops for custom made bars.

As far as competition is concerned, Stewart believes there are many carpenters and companies that have their “niches,” meaning they only concentrate on one or two types of jobs, where he can work in many different areas.

He says he is also more reasonably priced and more economical to hire than many big companies in the area. If he is hired to do a big project, Steward says he will hire workers that are capable and dependable.

“That’s the benefit of having worked in the field, you know which people are good, and which ones are bad,” he says, adding, “I’m very precise and picky about my job, and I do want someone who is good, but I also want to be able to groom them.”

GLORIA J. KATCH PHOTO

He has contacts for blueprint designers, and can expedite things quickly. Many bigger construction companies have too many contracts running simultaneously, he says, which often means they’re not giving the care and attention that’s needed.

After watching DIY shows like “Holmes on Homes,” which focuses on the horror stories caused by inefficient jobs, and many of them constructed by unscrupulous contractors, Stewart says, “I don’t see how people could have the heart to do that.”

After working with Miller Restoration Niagara, who specializes in dealing with water, mold and other types of erosion and damage, Stewart can remedy the situation for less cost than the famed Holmes. At times,

his reconstruction “goes overboard,” he notes.

Stewart likes the rapport of having a good working relationship with people and customers. As a part of his personalized approach, he plans on being a part of the Home Show in Pelham on April 6 and 7. In the meantime, he is busy with a few projects. He just completed a personal one, which is an entertainment wall unit in his recreation room, which is a haven for his two young daughters to play in. They happily consume a great deal of his free time.

Now that his business is up and running, he said his second goal is to build his own dream home from top to bottom. In the meantime, he is willing to work on other people’s dreams and goals.

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1120 Haist Street • Old Pelham Arena Lands Update, financial impact, Q&A Monday, February 11, 2019 1-3 p.m. and 6-8 p.m. • Meridian Community Centre • Accursi Room

T

he Town of Pelham is pleased to welcome residents to a public information session at the Meridian Community Centre regarding the town-owned land at 1120 Haist Street (old Pelham Arena property).

Presentations from the director of community planning and development and the treasurer will begin 15 minutes into each session, followed by a question and answer period. Join the conversation on social media by using #PelhamArenaLands or visit www.pelham.ca/arena-lands to learn more about the history of the project and to stay up to date on what’s next.

www.thevoiceofpelham.ca

The Voice of Pelham, February 6 2019

Page 9

Ridgeville resident receives Governor General's Award

BY JOHN CHICK

Special to the VOICE

History classes don’t always have to limit themselves to what happened in the past.

That was Paul Paterson’s logic two years ago during Canada’s 150th anniversary celebrations, when he devised a unique class project for his Grade 10 history students at Hamilton’s Westmount Secondary School. On Monday, January 28, the fruits of his idea were rewarded when he received the Governor General’s History Award for Excellence in Teaching from Julie Payette, in Ottawa.

“In 2017, during the celebration … I was really moved by the Vimy Ridge commemoration, and there was a lot of stuff I really, really liked, but I just had this feeling that something was missing,” Paterson said last week at his Ridgeville home.

“Then I got a copy of Canada’s History magazine, and there was an article in there by Lt. Gen. Romeo Dallaire called ‘Marching Orders.’ And it was a criticism, I guess. What are we doing beyond this? He talked about how he would ask his colleagues, ‘What are we doing?’ and everybody said ‘celebrating’ or ‘commemorating,’ whatever. And his point was, what is the next big challenge? What are we committing ourselves to?”

The ongoing concept borne out of it was what would Canada’s next 50 years look like, using the past as a sort of inventive prologue.

“Canada has always been a

country that has done things,” Paterson said. “We built a railroad. Built a road across this country. And even the things we were commemorating, like World War One, we were really a country that didn’t have an army per se, yet we managed to put together a fighting force that made us quite proud during the Great War.” “I got asking the question, in 50 years, on our 200th birthday, what are we going to be celebrating then? What’s going to be the big thing? Are we still going to be looking back at Vimy Ridge and the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, and Juno Beach, and all of those things — which are amazing events — but if that’s where it ended, did we peak in 1982?”

Paterson tasked his students to create a think tank that would find Canadian solutions to the challenges of tomorrow. Pupils are allowed to work either alone or in pairs, but are encouraged to maintain constant communication with the larger group to find connections between ideas.

Perhaps not surprisingly, the youth of today sought a heavy focus on environmental concerns and sustainability. Still, Paterson stresses that he urged — and received — realistic results.

“They developed these policies, and came up with fairly aggressive, in some cases, and very creative, in other cases — solutions that are actionable,” he said. “I told them early on that this isn’t pie-in-the-sky, this is not The

Paul Paterson is presented with Governor General’s History Award for Excellence in Teaching by Julie Payette. SUPPLIED PHOTO Jetsons, and we’re all not going to have flying cars.”

Yet the ideas the students chose to tackle were also diverse. One focused on Arctic sovereignty amid climate change and escalating Russian aggression. Some covered First Nations conditions, and others on the future of film production in Canada. The projects they worked on also created built-in history lessons, such as one that aims to make Canada a world leader in health technology and innovative therapies and

treatments.

“The neat part of that for me as a history teacher — I know a lot about World War Two, World War One, and all that kind of stuff — is I know absolutely nothing about medical technology,” Paterson said. “And they drove the bus on this, and had to go find the history of Canadian innovation.

So they looked at things like the development of insulin [invented

by Canadian Frederick Banting] and pablum [developed by a trio of Canadians in the 1930s], and all

those sorts of things throughout the 20th century.”

The last step of the project, which is now wrapping up its fourth and fifth classes under Paterson, is for the students to identify people, politicians and organizations that they can send a final draft proposal to. Many of those recipients, such as former astronaut Marc Garneau, as well as the premier of Ontario, have seemingly welcomed the ideas.

“Doug Ford actually got back to one of my students on an issue around Golden Horseshoe transportation,” Paterson said. “And it was obviously not like a form letter, it was personalized.”

Paterson has been teaching for 13 years, but has been a Pelham resident since he was a teenager in the 1980s. He enjoys his daily commute to Hamilton Mountain, saying it actually gives him a necessary breather.

“It sort of clears my head, makes me feel better about my day, wakes me up, and makes me feel better about my day at the end of it,” he said.

He was nominated for the Governor General’s Award last year, and found out in September he had won the prize. Paterson was effusive in his praise for his school administrators for the opportunity to pursue what he calls a teaching philosophy that doesn’t ask students what they want to learn, but instead what problems they want to solve.

“If I don’t get the support for this from my administration at the Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board and department heads, principals and vice-principals, then this doesn’t happen,” he said.

“It is kind of outside-the-box.

So I’ve always put it: they give me enough rope to hang myself with.”

Page 10

The Voice of Pelham, February 6 2019

www.thevoiceofpelham.ca

www.thevoiceofpelham.ca

The Voice of Pelham, February 6 2019

Page 11

ALWAYS ON GUARD Even when it’s too cold to run the school buses, school crossing guards are still working.

Last week’s bitter cold saw Violet Steingart on duty as usual at A. K. Wigg Public School. In September, she’ll mark her 20th year on the job, something she initially thought she would do just for a few months. “It’s such a great job, the kids make me laugh every day. I have great support from the parents. Only complaint is the speed of some cars.”

VOICE PHOTO

Page 12

The Voice of Pelham, February 6 2019

www.thevoiceofpelham.ca

The Voice has blurred the faces in these still frames taken from video of the altercation at Glynn A. Green School on January 16. Ethan Sumbler, wearing a black shirt in the first two images and shirtless in the third, is targeted by multiple students. VOICE GRAPHICS

VIDEO

continued from Page 1 the school board, for a piece that aired last Wednesday evening.

All students involved have faced “consequences,” stated Kim Yielding, Chief Communications Officer for the District School Board of Niagara (DSBN), who declined to further specify what these consequences were.

Due to confidentiality of student records and privacy laws, Yielding said she isn’t permitted to discuss the exact penalties handed to indi-

vidual students.

The Voice was contacted by parents asking how such a loud fight could occur in a school washroom in the middle of the afternoon, yet go unnoticed by teachers or staff.

Yielding didn’t have an answer.

School Principal Todd Halliday did not respond to multiple requests for comment.

“Every school has a code of conduct and it’s part of the culture, not just anti-bullying, but treating other students with respect,” said

Yielding.

Yielding said that based on the school’s investigation, the DSBN concluded that the students involved in the fight had mutually agreed beforehand to meet in the washroom for the altercation.

Yielding said the principal called the parents of all children involved when the incident came to his attention.

A police officer also attended the school after the video emerged and suggested that all involved be disciplined.

No charges have been laid.

DSBN Trustee Nancy

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Beamer said that the board became aware of the video after it was posted to social media.

“The principal immediately invited parents of students depicted in the video to come to the school office, view the video with their child, to discuss what happened, and collaborate on the next steps,” said Beamer.

“The outcome of the principal’s investigation was that the incident was pre-arranged by most students who were shown in the video and who recorded the video. The principal continues to review Glynn A Green’s supervision protocols, and to reinforce expectations for student behaviour. The police evaluated this as a school-based issue.”

Following the attention brought on by the video,

Joanie Sumbler said, “It’s not just my child—now it’s every other child I’m worried about.”

She said that Ethan has been getting emails through Snapchat from some of the people in the washroom that day, but his mother has told him not to accept them as friends. She said she has read notices on Snapchat from those involved, bragging about how they beat up her son. There have been derogatory comments about her as well, but Sumbler said she doesn’t care.

After she posted video of the incident on her Facebook Page, several parents flagged it, which prevented her from posting anything for the next few days.

“I’m in Facebook jail,” she said, realizing the irony.

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rence, Sumbler said that several people from the DSBN, despite its current stance on the incident, have called her older son, Cole, to express their empathy and regret. Cole attends Eastdale Secondary School and sits on student council, and has previously interacted with school board officials. Initially, many of them didn’t realize Ethan was Cole’s brother.

Sumbler asserted she also received a call from a DSBN official, whose name she couldn’t recall, offering assistance in helping Ethan transfer to another school.

Sumbler isn’t taking calls yet from Glynn A. Green Principal Todd Halliday, because she’s still angry and afraid of what she might say.

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VIDEO

continued from previous page Sumbler notes that over the past eight years, many principals have come and gone from the school. Indeed, Halliday replaced Principal Pam Voth, who retired suddenly barely six weeks into the current school year, mystifying some parents who viewed her as an asset to the school.

Much of Sumbler’s anger stems from DSBN statements to the press that everyone involved “received consequences,” when she

REACTION

continued from Page 5 public enterprise refuses to read the newspaper that reflects that enterprise's community? A leader who thinks he has all the answers and wisdom, I suppose. And we can see where that led him.

Congratulations to council!

Tillie Maria This whole thing makes me wonder why the previous Town Planner was let go under the now-former CAO. Guido Mueller I'm usually not a betting gal. I've been to Casino Niagara twice since I moved to Fonthill, almost 17 years ago. But, now that I've said this, I'm betting the Town of Pelham is in more debt than anyone could even fathom at a conference for logical thinking.

I'm betting the Town of Pelham is in so much debt, it will make taxpayer heads explode. Heads exploding... man, oh, man, what a mess that is going to be. Okay, call me nuts. It would not be the first, second, or third time.

I'm a dog-walker. I walk my dog in a large radius around my neighbourhood.

It is only logical, when I see houses and properties in my neighbourhood, in a neighbourhood that in the past boasted a pride in house and home, and now there are houses in different stages of disrepair, whether it is in the form of curling shingles, peeling paint, overgrown weedy lawns and gardens—it is not rocket science, money is tight at that address.

So, when I walk through my neighbourhood and I see sidewalks cracked and heaving, potholes breeding, street

The Voice of Pelham, February 6 2019 asserts that only five persons did, including Ethan and a friend who helped him during the fight.

Ethan indicated to the principal the names of three or four others who videotaped the altercation.

All told, some dozen students can be seen in the room. Sumbler asserted that these students staged the event, and are the ones who should be punished.

The school board’s statements to the press are “just to cover their asses,” she said.

Video of the incident is

posted on the Voice’s website, the image blurred to protect the identities of the students involved.

When asked how Ethan was handling the incident, and the idea of transferring to another school, Sumbler said that he is “accepting of it.”

If he returns to Glynn A. Green, he knows he would “have to keep looking over his shoulder,” because he believes that some students will attack him again.

“There are a lot of blind spots at that school, where teachers can’t see what’s

going on,” asserted Sumbler. In spite of the hassle, Sumbler realizes a formal complaint has to be made in order to see changes in the school board system to prevent events like this from continuing.

She believes that Cole, who is “outraged,” has already made one, but she will continue to address the issue. The school has to consider hall monitors, as well as how washrooms are to be supervised, given their vulnerability and potential for incidents like this.

lights burnt out and not emitting light, and the Steve Bauer trail being swallowed up by rubbish and invasive weeds, then this Town does not have the money for routine maintenance.

If the Town can not afford to keep up with the routine maintenance the money is just not there.

Pamela Robb

may have. When a serious criminal act causing injuries is committed at an elementary school like Glynn A. Green, it is a tragedy, it is a crisis situation, and it should be treated as one.

This very sad situation was planned and premeditated violence and it could have gone very wrong—a kick to the head or the neck, or a fall where the head strikes a hard surface, could have caused serious injury or death.

What makes this situation more horrifying, this premeditated criminal assault was planned and carried out by children. This is a situation that cannot be shoved under the rug.

The violence of this attack should tell parents and school officials that the whole school, including parents, needs to take part in bullying counseling and bullying education. The sooner the better.

The school board also should conduct an investigation, call in the professionals in order to find out why this ugly behaviour is happening at this school; analyze it, report on it, and make changes to their curriculum and discipline policies so that this behaviour does not happen again.

Pamela Robb

Their future doesn't look too bright. How can this happen in this day in age. This school should be making all persons involved be accountable and action be taken.

Brenda Leigh Warankie

Grade school fight video

These types of incidents are rampant throughout the DSBN...maybe not all to this severity, but videotaped proof of bullying that is occurring.

DSBN sides with its administrators and sweeps many incidents under the rug!

Becky Meredith According to the report on CHCH, the police were involved. The police handed it back to the school board to deal with.

The violence of this attack carried out by young people on the grounds of a public school, and the fact the reporting of this incident to the public was delayed, tells me the school board was not equipped to handle this situation quickly.

This type behaviour was criminal in nature, and should not and cannot be tolerated.

This particular school has failed in getting the message across to students and parents that a bullying environment is not only unhealthy for students, it is unhealthy for the community.

When a student at a school loses his/her life, the school board is always quick to bring in crisis councillors to administer to any fears students may have about the tragedy; these councillors are ready to answer any troubling questions students or school staff

It’s not much better at Crossley, but the difference is that the kids hide it as the bullying gets worse when the teachers or parents intervene.

I feel the schools have a difficult time but I also hear excuses and “do you really want us involved” stance.

Lorraine Simpson I was shocked to see that here what's happening to our kids—if that was planned those parents should get their kids into an anger management or some kind of help.

Home-schooling is the way to go these days...too many negative distractions at schools...school anti-bully program is a joke and just words. Teachers don't teach anymore, they follow a strict timetable.

Jason Walker I don’t really see the big deal. When I was in grade school, kids fought all the time. We just didn’t film it and put it on the internet for a bunch of snowflakes to freak out. I'm not trying to be harsh and I never want to see children get hurt, but there is nothing wrong with standing up for yourself and sometimes it gets physical. I would never be okay with a bully that just beats up on weaker kids, but once in a while that bully runs into a kid that has been taught to not put up with it.

Even if you lose the fight to a bully at least you stood up for yourself and you no longer are an easy victim. And a punch really doesn't hurt that bad. These kids aren’t UFC fighters. Relax, people.

Shane Baxter

Page 13 Sumbler can’t understand how a loud fight could occur in the middle of the afternoon without anyone notic-

ing or reporting anything.

“We have to start standing up,” she said.

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Page 14

The Voice of Pelham, February 6 2019

QUINLIN

continued from Page 3 You could do all that work in one year. You could. Don't forget you also have the loss of revenue from the residential properties you didn't build, you lose that property tax. So the loss in revenue is not only the actual sale of the land, which is approximately $3 million dollars. It's also the future loss of property taxes, in perpetuity.

What's important for us is just to explain to everyone the current state of things. So this is the current state. The current state is we have an approved plan of development. We have land that's been declared surplus, ready for sale.

These are the pros and cons of selling the land. All this information and feedback from the public, it will go back to council, and then the council can decide. Whatever council decides is what we do.

Are there any other extraordinary expenses that'll be coming up in 2019, impacting the budget?

We're coming to council on the 4th of March with the operating budget. We're working on it. We'll focus on the capital budget first, and then we'll bring the operating and water/waste water budget.

The operating budget is day-to-

ADAMSON

continued from Page 1 “I get an endorphin rush, it just makes me feel good,” Adamson said. “I’ve got everything I need, and I believe in the causes we support.”

Several years back, he and the Rotary Club devised the popular Tough Mudder fundraiser than ran at Bissell’s Hideaway. This year, that will give way to a family fun day on June 15, in benefit of the Boys & Girls Club of Niagara.

day expenses. So it would be your salaries, your road maintenance, fire, anything to do with the operations of the Town. Capital is any expenditures relating to an asset— equipment, roads, water main, sewers. Think of capital as the infrastructure.

And taxes are probably going up anyway, right?

I haven't brought that to council yet. We're still working on that number.

But they are going to go up.

They're going up.

I guess the central message here—or at least what I'm hearing— is the Town needs to sell the arena property. The Town needs the money.

That's true.

If the Town had quite a bit of cash in the kitty, it would happily spend a million dollars to turn that into a park rather than develop it.

But it's also a very nice neighborhood, and people do like to live in there. It's a nice area that you can build homes and people would purchase them. It's not as if that doesn't fit in. It does. There's a park there that's remaining. I think that's the important part for people to understand, that the park will stay there.

The soccer field and the playground.

“It was a lot of work on [Bissell’s owner] Ed Miklavcic’s part. So this year we’re going to do a family fun day on the day before Father’s Day,” Adamson said. “He’s opening up the park for us, we’ll have the pool, the splash pad, the paddle boats. He’s providing the staff, and the gate goes to charity.”

As a former paramedic, much of what Adamson does for charity purposes — and for a living — revolves around a healthy lifestyle.

He and Larry Boggio rode their bikes all the way to Mi-

www.thevoiceofpelham.ca

The Town's "preferred plan" for the old arena site, a mix of townhouses and detached homes that preserves an existing soccer field, playground, and tennis courts.

TOWN OF PELHAM GRAPHIC The goal has always been to keep the existing park. We really don't have a choice in this matter. I don't

ami a few years ago to raise money for Wellspring. That led into the Tour de Lac, a 1,150-kilometre bicycle trek around Lake Ontario that has pledged $250,000 for Wellspring in the next couple of years.

At Kwik Fit, which specializes in resistance training, he donates $50 to Wellspring for every new member who signs up. Still, he doesn’t look at it as a job.

“This is my retirement business,” he joked.

The Rotary Club under Adamson also contributed approximately $50,000 to-

mind. You can quote me on that. We really don't have a choice. If we're going to accomplish anything as a

town in the next year, we need this money. And I don't mind going on record saying that. ♦

This is my retirement business ward the construction of the community centre. Some of his charity work has even taken him overseas, including medical missions to Honduras, where Rotary is involved in the fight against polio.

“It’s one of those years where it was a really tough

decision,” Kinsmen club president Brian Iggulden said about choosing the 2018 Citizen of the Year.

“But Frank has committed his time to numerous things … [the award] really highlights volunteerism as well. He’s a well-respected, well-rounded member of the

community. It was tough, but we feel we made the right decision.”

Adamson passes along much of the thanks for his tireless efforts to his wife of 47 years, Judy.

“Without the support and encouragement from my wife over the years, I wouldn’t have been able to do it all,” he said.

This year’s awards dinner will take place on March 5 at the Old Town Hall in Ridgeville. Tickets are $20 and are available now at Sun Life Matt Dam Financial Services at 165 Highway 20 W.

Break-ins at two Fonthill businesses

BY GLORIA J. KATCH

www.clarescycle.com

Special to the VOICE

It really was déjà vu all over again for Bob Duhamel, who had his antique and collectable shop broken into for the second time.

The first time occurred about 20 years ago, when he owned a previous shop on Niagara Street in Welland, said his wife, Sharon Duhamel. Early last Monday morning, using a crowbar or hammer, robbers bashed in the front glass door of Déjà vu Antique and Collectables, and the glass door of adjacent business, Bark Boutique Grooming and Daycare, in the strip mall on Highway 20 opposite Fonthill Sobeys.

Sharon Duhamel said an antique women’s pistol from the 1850s, a watch, army medals and a few other items were stolen from an old drawer behind the cash register, which was probably worth several hundred dollars, but “a treasure,” to her husband.

While they don’t have an alarm system, the business on the other side of them, Future Tech Niagara, had cameras that captured a white van, which drove into their parking area in the early morning hours. A police report was made on the occurrence.

Duhamel hoped that police would get some information from the traffic cameras directly in front of their store, as well.

The window pane in the glass door had already been replaced by the end of the next business day. The Duhamels have owned and operated their second-hand and antique store on Highway 20 for 15 years. Luckily, no one was hurt in this or previous breakins.

Duhamel said Monday her husband feels like he’s been violated, and wasn’t talking much about the incident.

“Generally, he’s a positive man and still has a few more years of collecting to do.”

They plan to purchase an alarm system for both their business and home now for their “sanity,” said Duhamel as she con-

Déjà vu, in Fonthill.

GLORIA J. KATCH PHOTO

tinued to straighten out the store, and pick up tiny pieces of shattered glass from her carpet.

Later, Bob Duhamel told the Voice, “I didn’t have a clue what was stolen right away. But they were things I didn’t want to sell.”

In addition to alarms, he is getting steel bars on the door, adding, “They made a heck of mess.”

Perhaps the robber or robbers were too tired from ransacking the antique shop to do much damage in Bark Boutique. After finely decorating the storefront business, the owner, Stacey Reece, is fortunate the robber only rifled through the back of a cupboard and didn’t cause any other damage. The thief stole an empty cash drawer and went through a drawer of doggie treats. Stacey’s mother, Bonnie Reece, joked, “Maybe they were hungry.”

Despite the fact that nothing was stolen, Stacey was upset about the glass door being broken and is still waiting for the invoice to determine the damage. Otherwise, she was busy and back to grooming pets within two days of the incident. She is just glad her cat didn’t run off when they busted in the door.

They didn’t steal the animal, so apparently they weren’t cat burglars either.

www.thevoiceofpelham.ca

The Voice of Pelham, February 6 2019

Page 15

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Places of Worship and Events Bethany Christian Reformed Church 1040 Balfour St., Fenwick

First Presbyterian Church 602 Metler Rd., North Pelham

Glad Tidings Church of God 1 Pancake Lane, Fonthill

Pelham Evangelical Friends Church 940 Haist St., Fonthill

Concordia Lutheran Church 105 Welland Rd., Fonthill

Fonthill Baptist Church 1414 Pelham St., Fonthill

Holy Trinity Anglican Church 1557 Pelham Street, Fonthill

Ridgeville Bible Chapel 418 Canboro Rd., Ridgeville

Fenwick Church of Christ 765 Welland Rd., Fenwick

Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses 1369 Rice Rd., Fonthill

Kirk on the Hill Presbyterian Church 1344 Haist St., Fonthill

St. Alexander’s Roman Catholic Church 50 Pelham Town Sq., Fonthill

Fenwick United Church 1050 Church St., Fenwick

Fonthill United Church 42 Church Hill, Fonthill

Pelham Community Church 461 Canboro Rd., Fenwick

St. Ann’s Roman Catholic Church 834 Canboro Rd., Fenwick

NURSERY HELP Greenhouse/Nursery Maintenance nursery growing container grown perennials,

Wholesale vines,Large flowering shrubs, nursery, evergreens & dwarf trees seekinghas a wholesale greenhouse operation individuals who desire a career in horticulture. We are in full time year round position open in their maintenance need of general labourers as well as those skilled in the department.

Person must have experience electrical, growing, management and shipping of nurserywith stock. and carpentry.

Other handyman Plant plumbing/irrigation, knowledge and experience is an asset.

If you are skills would also asset. Licenses are dedication not necessarily an individual who be hasan organizational skills and required.

Candidate mustashave good organizational as well as a willingness to work a team player, we look and forward to hearing from you.andWages commensurate communication skills good will work habits. Excellent with experience.

Resumes may befor dropped of between thePlease compensation and benefits the right candidate. hours send of 8:00a.m.-4:30p.m.

Monday to Thursday 8:00a.m in confidence a complete resume withor salary history to: -12:00 noon on Fridays at:

Willowbrook Willowbrook Nurseries Nurseries Inc. Inc.

Attention: Human Resources 935Victoria Victoria Ave., Fenwick, ON ON L0S1C0 935 Ave., R.R.#4, Fenwick, Attention: Human Resources Or email: hr@willowbrooknurseries.com No phone calls please. 8AM-4PM, Fri: 8AM-12N Office hours: Mon-Thur, (We thank you for your application, however No phone calls please. We thank you for your application, only those considered will be notified.) however only those considered will be notified.

OFFICE SUPPORT NURSERY HELP STAFF

Wholesale nursery looking for Office Support Staff for the spring/summer shipping container season. grown Responsibilities Wholesale nursery growing perennials,would assisting in evergreens shipping, data entry,trees preparing trucking vines,include flowering shrubs, & dwarf seeking paperwork, printinga career tags, and general office individuals who desire in horticulture.

Weduties. are in The organizational need successful of general applicant labourers must as wellpossess as thosegood skilled in the skills,management be capable ofand multi-tasking be able stock. to work as growing, shipping and of nursery of a team. position is would require Ifworking Plantpart knowledge and The experience an asset. you arelonger hours during spring shipping season.

Position could lead an individual who has organizational skills and dedication to as full atime office employment. will commensurate as well willingness to work as a Wages team player, we look with experience. Resumes can be emailed to hr@ forward to hearing from you. Wages will commensurate willowbrooknurseries.com, dropped off between the hours of with experience.

Resumes may betodropped the- noon 8:00 a.m.- 4:00 p.m. Monday Thursdayoforbetween 8:00 a.m. hourson of Fridays, 8:00a.m.-4:30p.m.

Monday to Thursday or 8:00a.m or mailed to: -12:00 noon on Fridays at:

Willowbrook Nurseries Willowbrook Nurseries Inc. Inc. Attention: Resources 935 VictoriaHuman Ave., Fenwick, ON Attention: Human 935 Victoria Ave.,Resources R.R.#4 No phone calls Fenwick, ONplease.

L0S1C0

(Wephone thankcalls you for your We application, however No please. thank you for your application, only those considered will be notified.) however only those considered will be notified.

NURSERY HELP NURSERY HELP

Wholesale nursery growing container grown perennials, vines, nursery flowering shrubs,container evergreens & trees is seeking Wholesale growing grown perennials, who likeevergreens to work with& plants.

We are in need of vines,individuals flowering shrubs, dwarf trees seeking part time June)inand full time general individuals who(April, desireMay, a career horticulture.

We arelabourers in well as labourers those skilled theasgrowing, management need as of general as in well those skilled in the and shipping of nursery stock.

Plant knowledge and experience is growing, management and shipping of nursery stock. an asset but not necessary. If you are an individual who has Plant organizational knowledge and experience is an asset. are skills and dedication as well Ifasyou a willingness an individual skills and dedication to work who as a has teamorganizational player, we look forward to hearing from as wellyou. as aWages willingness to work as a team player, we look will commensurate with experience.

Resumes forward to be hearing from you. Wages will commensurate may emailed to hr@willowbrooknurseries.com or dropped with experience. mayofbe8:00a.m.-4:00p.m. dropped of between the off betweenResumes the hours Monday to hours Thursday of 8:00a.m.-4:30p.m.

Monday to Thursday orat: 8:00a.m or 8:00a.m -12:00 noon on Fridays -12:00 noon on Fridays at:

Willowbrook Nurseries Willowbrook Nurseries Inc. Inc. Attention: Resources 935 VictoriaHuman Ave., Fenwick, ON Attention: Human 935 Victoria Ave.,Resources R.R.#4 No phone calls Fenwick, ONplease.

L0S1C0

(Wephone thankcalls you for your We application, however No please. thank you for your application, only those considered will be notified.) however only those considered will be notified.

Page 16

The Voice of Pelham, February 6 2019

www.thevoiceofpelham.ca

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The Voice of Pelham, February 6 2019

Students with collected donations.

Page 17

VOICE PHOTO

PJ and Book Party round-up A. K. Wigg students collect for those in need throughout Niagara

BY VOICE STAFF Students at A. K. Wigg Public School worked together to gather books and pajamas in support of children in need throughout Niagara.

For the second year, students rounded-up four large storage totes under the leadership of teacher Brenda Bradley and her Grade 8 assistants, Kaede McLellan, Hannah Holmes, Finn Mitchell-Moore, and Ben Iannizzi.

McLellan said she was “amazed by the support from the school staff and students.”

Holmes said she hoped the receiving families have a good Christmas and receive some great books.

Children’s Services NCPC Co-ordinator Karen Schmidt said this initiative was first introduced to the area by the Small Business Club Niagara (SBCN) and was modelled on the PJ Program available in the US. The club hosted an annual event to showcase members of SBCN. The admission was books and pajamas that were then donated to organizations in Niagara that work with vulnerable children.

“It went for five years and had a good run,” Schmidt said.

The SBCN closed about 12 years ago and the program moved in-house to Niagara Region and was just supported by staff.

Twice yearly, the Niagara Region Children’s Services

works with First Book Canada to do a Niagara book distribution, in which some 100,000 brand new books are brought in. The books are then distributed to organizations and schools that work with low income children and families with the intent to build a homebased library and increase literacy levels.

“Many people coming to the book distribution commented that it would be great to have the PJ Program back to go with all of the great books, and that is how it was restarted on a larger scale,” Schmidt said.

In November 2017, the first PJ Party Shopping Night was held with the price of admission being new pajamas. Donations from this event combined with donations from the staff of White Oaks, Niagara Region staff, St. David’s Anglican Church in Welland and A.K. Wigg Public School helped provide almost 500 Niagara children with new pajamas and books, just in time for Christmas.

This year’s PJ Party Shopping Night was held on November 8, hosted by Seaway Mall. Pajamas raised that evening including donations from White Oaks staff, Niagara Region staff, A.K. Wigg Public School, St. David’s Anglican Church, and the Retired Women Teachers of Niagara will go to help vulnerable children at Fort Erie Native Friendship Centre, Port Cares, Pelham Cares, Gillian’s Place West Niagara, Strive Niagara, and Bethlehem Place.

LIBERALS

continued from Page 19 As a bit of a pep talk, he told Niagara West candidates Ian Bingham and Erica Commons to “stay positive and stay united.” He found running for the nomination harder than the election itself, because he was running against four others on the same team to qualify to represent the party.

Banham pointed out that polls can often be discouraging. “Polls are for dogs,” he said, suggesting candidates concentrate on the underlying factors behind the numbers, and continue to knock on doors. Banham believes the Liberals will achieve positive results in the upcoming election.

“We have the best leader. I know we’re going to win Niagara West.”

The showstopper came when Banham revealed his socks, which were knitted with Justin Trudeau’s face on them.

“You know you’re a die-hard Liberal when you have Justin on your feet,” he said.

Apparently Banham has had the opportunity to share that sentiment with the Prime Minister.

“I told Justin that, and he said it was creepy.”

Keith Ebert takes a break between creations.

GLORIA J. KATCH PHOTO

Snow sculptor in his element “Like Michelangelo said ‘You’re never happy with your work,’” said Keith Ebert, a retired school teacher on Berkhout Terrace in Fonthill, who loves to create snow sculptures. While he took some sculpting and art lessons years ago, the snow sculptures aren’t a result of a learned talent or craft, and they are more about embracing his inner child, and having fun in the snow.

“Once a child, always a child,” he said.

Although lately Ebert has not been happy with the quality of the snow, which is powder dry and not molding well.

“It’s like working with sand.”

When the snow doesn’t pack well, it’s difficult to chip away and engrave any of the details and refine his images. In windy conditions, the outer layers of snow also blow away, so the end of last week took a treacherous toll on his dog, people, snowmen and

BY GLORIA J. KATCH

Special to the VOICE

other icy artifices—and the warm-up on Sunday likely delivered the coup de glace.

Unlike many seniors, who avoid venturing out into the cold, Ebert at 70 tries to make the most of the season.

He also skis and is involved in the Niagara Men’s Chorus, which performs many concerts all over the Niagara Region, to raise money to help students continue their post-secondary studies in music.

“We’re just a group of guys who love to sing,” exclaimed Ebert.

That group began as 15 members and grew to about 50. The Niagara Men’s Chorus now shares a music director with the Robert Wood Singers, and in the spring is planning a concert with them. The Niagara Men’s Cho-

rus are also planning to sing back-up for an Elvis Festival, performing some of the King of Rock ’n’ Roll’s favourite gospel tunes.

Ebert taught K-though-8 at Glynn A. Green School and E. W. Farr School, among others in the area, and still has a penchant to stay active, according to his neighbours, who watch him diligently chipping away outdoors at his figurines. It was a neighbour who alerted the Voice to Ebert’s work.

While his street is a cul de sac and does not see much traffic, Ebert said: “I would build snow forts and igloos, if I wasn’t worried the neighbourhood kids would crawl in, and the snow might cave in on them.”

However, everyone residing nearby seems to get a kick out of his hobby, and vice versa.

“My pleasure is to show the neighbours,” he said.

Draft operating budget discussed by Town Council Preliminary figures suggest a property tax hike of at least 4% is on the way

BY GLORIA J. KATCH

Special to the VOICE

Highlighting portions of the upcoming operating budget, Teresa Quinlin, Interim CAO and Treasurer, outlined a plan that appeared relatively easy on the pocketbook at a 4 percent increase.

However, the Policies and Priorities committee meeting, held on January 21, covered only the Town’s portion of the budget, and the Region’s levy had yet to be added.

At the onset of her summary presentation, Quinlin said that waste water and Regional costs were not factored in to her presentation.

While the operating budget will have more additions and deletions by spring, a four percent increase in taxes would mean an additional $27.42 a year on the average home valued at $338,645, which is from a 2016 Town assessment. Quinlin noted the assessment value was different from a market value assessment, which is considerably higher. She said the four percent estimate increase in taxes took

into consideration a Cost of Living Allowance at 2 and 2.5%.

The 2019 budget will reflect 12 months of operating the new center, which is experiencing increases in costs from insurance and utility charges, particularly compared to pre-construction projections.

Just under 40 percent of property tax collected goes to the Town, with the remaining amount divided among the school boards, the Region, and utilities, Quinlin said. The growth rate of new property taxes in Pelham is estimated at 2 percent or $252,000 of new revenue added to the tax base for 2019.

Mayor Marvin Junkin said that he was slightly disappointed by the growth rate, and expected it would be higher, considering, “everything that was happening in town, especially on the east side of Pelham.”

Director of Community Planning and Development Barb Wiens explained the value of construction is entered into the system when a permit is issued. How-

ever, the Town only levies development charges at that time, which are also collected on behalf of the Region and school boards. However, the growth rate is based on “occupancy,” when the building is completed and someone resides there.

Ward 1 Councillor Mike Ciolfi asked, despite the additional $250,000 added to the tax base, weren’t there more expenses attached with all the new development?

Quinlin affirmed there would be additional associated costs, such as cleaning the streets and snow removal, once subdivisions were completed. Councillor Ciolfi asked if $27.42 was a “reasonable increase” to expect in the operating budget for 2019.

Quinlin said the total tax levy would depend on what the Region requests.

As far as the “provincial landscape,” and new provincial government is concerned, no new capital improvement grants have been announced, “so we are assuming the same level of funding as last year,” she

said.

Town council last year approved $146, 571 through a grant to provide for a second bus in its transit system. Quinlin hasn’t heard if this has been approved as yet, but said the money would go back into the public purse if it isn’t.

In response to questions about the Community Improvement Plan, council was told that the plan was an incentive program for commercial areas and historical sites. It was often used to renovate private businesses in the downtown area.

Wiens reported the Residential Intensification Program by the Region also offers up to $15,000 to new businesses locating downtown, and there were other Regional matching improvement programs, as well.

Ward 2 Councillor Ron Kore asked if some of this funding could go toward beautifying the bandshell, but Wiens said the bandshell was on land owned by the Town, so in essence, “We would be granting ourselves.”

Page 18

The Voice of Pelham, February 6 2019

COLUMN SIX

continued from Page 1 Ontario.

This is a story about kids playing hockey, for fun.

Harry, Jim and I were students at Western, and we boarded with a nice family close to the campus. At breakfast one morning their ten-year-old son told us that his school wouldn’t have a hockey team that season because no one wanted to coach them.

We talked it over and agreed to volunteer. The principal was grateful and invited us to come in one day to meet the team. “Some of them aren’t very sure of the rules,” he cautioned.

The kids were obviously happy to have not just one coach but three. Their hockey experience ranged from zero to, well, a little above zero, like the Fahrenheit temperature most Saturday mornings when our games were scheduled on an outdoor rink.

We introduced ourselves, then chalked out a rink on the blackboard and outlined the basics: off-side, icing, face-off, infractions, power play, playing short-handed—all that.

We knew we were facing a challenge when one boy asked, in all sincerity, how many on the team were

“short-handed,” which prompted several boys to examine their hands and compare them with others.

Harry had to go out into the hall for a moment.

After a couple of practices we played our first game, in frigid conditions, and won.

Our forwards skated hard and occasionally hit the net with their shots, enough to score three goals. The Walrus, for his part, flopped magnificently when the opposing forwards skated between our defence pylons but couldn’t lift the puck over his sprawling figure.

Our first goal created near hysteria on the bench.

The players jumped up and down and banged their sticks against the boards.

One peed himself in his excitement, something I discovered when he couldn’t take his next shift because his pants were frozen to the bench. When I pulled him to his feet they made a sound like Velcro.

We had a good first line, and a second that tried hard.

So we mixed them up in the belief that everyone must play, win or lose. Our strategy got us into the playoffs—along with all the other teams.

The kids battled their way to the semi-finals, winning two games against better sides, and everyone was on

a high.

Then the adults got involved.

The parents of our best players asked that we bench a couple of our worst for the semi-final. We declined, explaining that if we were to win as a team we would also lose as one, but everyone would play.

We lost the game 6-2, and our season ended. A couple of parents were ready to take us to court, the others thanked us for giving their sons a chance to play competitive hockey.

No one on the team blamed anyone else for the loss. They were all disappointed, of course, but for the right reason—we weren’t nearly as good as the team that beat us.

That all happened exactly 50 years ago. Those kids are now approaching 60, and I wonder if they took something away with them.

Harry and I meet up quite often now, as we live close to each other. Jim passed away five years ago. He became a school principal, loved by staff and students alike. No surprises there.

I recently spoke to the coach of a traveling team that plays in some of the big arenas in the GTA. He told me that whenever he visits an unfamiliar arena he looks at the championship team photos in trophy cases and on “walls of fame.” He looks for the kids who aren’t smiling, the ones who likely

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Rear, from left, the author, Harry Maynard, and Jim Byrne.

didn’t get to play in the big game. You learn a lot about teams from those photos, he says.

Hockey, like most sports, is a different game now. The investment in time, money and commitment that families make these days is out of sight. You think of the hundreds of miles that teams travel in a season, the weekends devoted to hockey right through the long winter. For many kids the benefits are huge: teamwork, fitness, discipline, leadership, time management—and for a tiny percentage, maybe a shot at the big time. With so much invested who can afford to lose?

Yet something can get lost along the way. Everything comes at a cost.

Many kids experience emotional burnout and suffer debilitating injuries.

Some feel they’ve lost their childhoods. Others don’t find the game fun anymore, especially when they see their parents screaming at their coach, or opposing players, or even them.

And most, I suspect, would rather play on a losing team than sit on the bench.

Coming second isn’t a consolation prize anymore.

Who watches the battle for bronze in the Winter Olympics or World Juniors when gold is all that matters?

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A year ago, Sweden lost to Canada in the gold medal game. After the medal ceremony and national anthem, I watched in disbelief as the Swedish captain tossed his silver medal into the crowd.

People like to say no one ever remembers who came second. But that’s one team I’ll never forget.

Or that other team that came second: our Ryerson’s Red Wings of a half century ago.

Maybe those kids are playing in some Old Timers’ League on a Wednesday night. Just because they still love hockey.

Isn’t that the point of it all? ♦

Chris Wilmans

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The Voice of Pelham, February 6 2019

Page 19

Commons aspiring to House of Commons Prospective Liberal candidate hopes to become first female MP to represent Niagara in three decades

BY JOHN CHICK

Special to the VOICE

Erica Commons is dealing with a cross-country commute at the moment, but if things go her way, she’ll be running as the Liberal candidate in Niagara West in this year’s federal election.

Commons, 27, is one of two people so far to seek the Grit nomination for the riding that includes Pelham. That means until the Liberals make a decision on their candidate, the St. Catharines native will be commuting once a week to Niagara from her current job at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, where her husband is from.

She and other wouldbe nominee, Ian Bingham, were at a “meet the candidates” event at the community centre a few weeks ago, and after two cross-country flights, she was back this past weekend for a riding association meeting in West Lincoln.

Her platform is a mix of both progressive values and

some of the concerns unique to a mostly-rural area like Niagara West. They meet in what she calls an environmental bill of rights.

“I remember when I was in high school, the front page of the St. Catharines Standard was a huge, full-colour photo of the last peach being grown on a farm because housing development was moving in,” she said. “It’s a unique farming community we have in Niagara, to be able to grow the kind of fruit we grow. I strongly believe in protecting that, and people in the area want to see that protected.”

Another related area she believes the feds could do a better job in is prodding the Ontario government further on its long-planned GO Train expansion into Niagara.

“I think people are really excited for the GO Train service in Grimsby,” she said. “While it’s a provincial initiative, I think there’s more the federal government could do to either in-

From left, Ian Bingham, Tyler Banham, President of the Liberal Party of Canada for Ontario, and Erica Commons. Both Bingham and Commons are running to represent the federal Liberal Party in Niagara West.

GLORIA J. KATCH PHOTO fuse money to support better public transit, whether that’s supporting the Niagara Region Transit system, or if it’s increasing VIA Rail service.”

The federal Conservatives under Stephen Harper cancelled VIA service to Niagara in 2012.

“I think it’s important for people to have access to all the wonderful employment opportunities that extend from Niagara all the way up through the GTA,” she said.

Commons also said she believes there’s a “remedy” in finding middle ground

between concerned residents and Niagara’s rapidly-growing marijuana production industry.

Commons knows that the Liberals will see tough going in the Niagara West riding, which has been a Tory stronghold for decades. A Liberal hasn’t represented Pelham federally since after the 1993 election, when it was part of the now-abolished Erie riding. Yet from a representation standpoint, Commons says it’s important for her and other women to throw their hats into the political ring.

The last time any Niagara riding had a female federal MP was Conservative Shirley Martin, from 1984-93.

“I thought that’s way too long, and I felt the responsibility falls on me,” Commons said. “So I thought I should raise my hand. And hopefully more women in Niagara in the future, especially younger women, will raise their hand as well.”

Commons graduated high school from Denis Morris in St. Catharines in 2009, the same week her mother was laid off from her job. She said the expe-

rience helped inspire her to learn and ultimately get into public service. This included studying at UBC, Queen’s, and even a research residency in public health studies at the University of Hawaii.

“Political engagement is a great way to do positive things,” she said.

It’s not yet known when the Liberals will choose their Niagara West candidate, although it’s expected to be in the coming months at the latest. The federal election can happen no later than Oct. 21.

Niagara West Liberal breakfast brings out candidates, Minister

BY GLORIA J. KATCH

Special to the VOICE

Under the Liberal government of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Canada was going to “move faster to get [Indigenous nations] out from under the Indian Act,” said the Honourable Carolyn Bennett, Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations. These efforts were expected to give respect deserving of Indigenous people, but also allow for the Trans-Mountain pipeline and similar projects, which are “paramount” to the Canadian economy.

Bennett gave an informative talk on her experience as an Indigenous minister and elected MP, which was a part of her bolstering about 40 members of local party faithful at a late January Liberal breakfast meeting in Fonthill.

Bennett, who is supposed to be on break from the House, has been travelling across many parts of Canada in the last two weeks to deal with issues regarding First Nations and the pipelines. She said there are two pipelines—the Liquid Natural Gas pipeline that exists in British Columbia, and the Trans-Mountain Pipeline, which has been the most controversial, since it navigates through Alberta to British Columbia’s coastline, running through lands that are indigenous-owned.

“Within each community of Indigenous tribes, there are some people who are for and against it. A whole consortium of Nations would like 51% equity,” said Bennett, so they would have some financial control and be involved in the decisions affecting the pipeline and their land.

The provinces of Alberta, Saskatchewan and British Columbia were also interested in buying the pipeline to keep jobs, and so there

are a lot of players involved, she noted. The Liberal government is attempting to arrive at an amicable agreement between First Nations, since it purchased the $4.5 billion project from Kinder Morgan Canada last fall. However, the government has stated it’s not interested in operating the pipeline on a long-term basis.

Bennett views her job as assisting First Nation’s people in having “a voice, and a right to determination, which is so important.” On the Liquid Natural Gas pipeline, she said the tribes themselves will have to decide, “who speaks for them.”

Answering questions from the Fonthill group on the Trans-Mountain pipeline, she said there is still “a fair amount of support and objections.”

Bennett said Canadians have to be “weened from fossil fuel.”

Currently, the government’s goal is to use less fossil fuel, but we are in a “transition period,” she noted. “For every complex human problem, there is a simple solution, but that solution can be wrong,” she said quoting journalist and social critic H. L. Mencken.

Turning out the vote

In modern times, the enemy of change, said Bennett, is not just “voter repression,” but more about creating apathy and cynicism of government so that people don’t turn out at the polls.

She said there is a lot of fake news on social media that contributes to citizens not participating in the democratic process.

Bennett believes that the Liberals have to take a better approach in knocking on doors and asking people about their concerns.

“It’s about listening and making a plan,” which will be a part of the rebuilding process. “In many

households people are not worried about the end of the world, but the end of the month,” she added.

In order to get people on board, Bennett said campaigns have to include language that reflects how real people talk, avoiding political jargon and “big words.”

She said candidates need to pay attention to those around them in order to engage citizens. When people talk about immigration, for example, as an issue they deem as negative, she informs them of the things she has learned about immigration that has changed her mind.

“We are humble, because we have to earn the vote every time, and earn the trust every time,” she said.

Capturing Niagara West

“There is a good foundation here in Niagara West for Liberals,” Bennett said.

Comparing the citizens in the riding to intensive care units, Bennett believes the government has to care enough to help people thrive and become engaged citizens.

“Liberalism is alive and well here,” pronounced Tyler Banham, President of the Federal Liberal Party for Ontario, in addressing the room. Banham ran as a Liberal candidate for Hamilton Mountain, 13 years ago, and was defeated during the Progressive Conservative sweep under Mike Harris.

Despite his defeat, Banham is glad he ran, because he learned so much about politics. As a part of the rebuilding process, he said everyone has to start outreaching into communities prior to official campaign periods.

Banham said that the Liberals plan to focus on rural ridings in the upcoming election and

Tyler Banham, President of the Liberal Party of Canada for Ontario, showing off his "die-hard Liberal socks," featuring Justin Trudeau. GLORIA J. KATCH PHOTO are hoping to start “breakfasts, and coffee clubs,” to gain rural feedback, and find leaders in the community to represent the party. The goal is that every decision

the party makes has “rural feedback,” he said.

See LIBERALS Page 17

Page 20

The Voice of Pelham, February 6 2019

www.thevoiceofpelham.ca

SOCK IT TO ‘EM On Tuesday, January 22, the Fabulous Fenwick Lions delivered 100 lbs of collected socks, scarves, gloves, blankets, and coats to The Hope Centre. Over the holidays, Lions and Lioness managed to fill a 45-gallon container placed in their clubhouse. From left, Fenwick Lion President Ken Suthons, The Hope Centre’s Gina Couldrey, and Lion past-President Jeff Pickup.

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