IC swats away gypsy moth bill complaint
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Last days of old arena
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Column Six
Lost in place A January adventure best not repeated BY MARJORIE POULI Special to the Voice
B Ron Mascoe at his community mailbox on Concord Street.
DON RICKERS
No good deed goes unreported BY DON RICKERS Voice Correspondent Neighbourhood Watch appears to be in full swing in the vicinity of A.K. Wigg Public School. Ron Mascoe, of Oakridge Boulevard, braved the grey drizzle last Wednesday afternoon to access his community mailbox on the street. He had emptied the contents of his
own compartment when something down the row caught his eye. A Toyota microchipped key and remote, along with an assortment of other keys, a plastic whistle, and a tiny Eiffel Tower ornament, dangled from the mailbox door. A curious fellow with time on his hands, and in a mood to play the role of Good Samaritan, Mascoe de-
cided to try to find the owner of the ring of keys. “I walked the entire length of Concord Street and Oakridge Boulevard, trying the alarm key on the remote control, listening for a response as I walked,” said Mascoe. “When I hit Canboro Road with no luck, I turned around to walk back home, and came face-to-face with a
Niagara Regional Police officer.” A resident had seen Mascoe walking the street, pointing his hand at the homes and garage doors, and had called 9-1-1 to report a suspicious, unmasked man casing the area. The affable young policeman did See SAMARITAN Page 16
efore the concert, John dropped me off at the auditorium door and went to park the car. ‘Twas the week before Christmas, when listeners were stirred by a concert of carols and rousing spirituals, sung in the Niagara Centre Academy auditorium, on Epworth Circle, in The Falls. Our children were home, nestled snug in their beds. We were snuggly too, but mostly because we were having a rare romantic and musical night out by ourselves. “The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow gave the lustre of mid-day” to the school below. Like a hub, the school grounds were surrounded by two circular streets, connected by short roads like spokes. Around this was the straight city grid. The oddly shaped city blocks surrounding the school just beg for people to get lost. But we didn't get lost. Well, not really. See COLUMN SIX back page
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Page 2
The Voice
A January 20, 2021
IN THE NEWS
PUBLISHER’S CORNER by Dave Burket
Abusive image spam
Embarrassing corrections at the top: I know our Word Search feature can be tough, but last week it was really tough. That’s because while we updated the word grid, we managed not to update the word list, which meant that would-be word-searchers were looking for words that were definitely not there. Oh, the agony. If you still have last week’s paper and didn’t slice that page to ribbons with a butcher knife, here are the droids, I mean words, that you are looking for: BAG, BOX, BUDGET, CONSIDERATE, COWORKER, DECORATE, FAMILY, FRIENDS, GIFT, GREETING, HOLIDAYS, IDEA, LIST, PRIZE, PURCHASE, RECEIPT, RECIPIENT, RETAIL, RIBBONS, SHOPPING, STORE, TISSUE, UNWRAP, WRAPPING PAPER...Meme me up, Scotty: As much of a total time suck that social media is, it does occasionally birth a good meme or two. One that’s circulating now consists of an image of #45 standing on the stage at one of his Nuremberg-lite rallies, with these words superimposed: How sad it must be, believing that scientists, scholars, historians, economists, and journalists have devoted their entire lives to deceiving you, while a reality TV star with decades of fraud and exhaustively documented lying is your only beacon of truth and honesty. Yeah, no doubt. What a miserable mindset. Which brings us to our second mention-worthy meme, a quote attributed to Mark Twain: It’s easier to fool people than to convince them that they have been fooled. While this appears to be a paraphrase of what Twain actually wrote, we immediately understand the truth of it. It’s why we’re reluctant to believe that admired public figures turn out, say, to be prone to sexual assault. It’s why we stubbornly resist accepting the truth in any situation where we have so much invested in our own judgment. And I’d argue it’s why the average #45 supporter still can’t come to grips with how comprehensively and completely they have been conned over the last five-plus years. Whoever comes up with an effective deprogramming technique for #45 cult members is going to make a fortune. One thing’s for sure: the catastrophe continuing to unfold south of the border isn’t going away soon, no matter who’s in the White House. Mr. Trudeau, let’s keep that border closed for a good while longer...Why is everyone so spotty: We're trying out a new illustration technique this week, called stippling, for columnist headshots. You never know how these things are really going to look until they're in print. Do we all appear to have the measles? Can't wait to find out...Why yes, that is an albino squirrel: Reader Maria Bredin spotted it in her backyard last Friday. “There was apparently a white squirrel in St. Catharines in the fall,” says Bredlin. “I moved from St. Catharines to Fonthill—maybe he did too. Who wouldn’t?” A discerning member of the Sciuridae family indeed. Stay safe everyone. ◆
Voice
The Ontario Provincial Police says it has received numerous complaints where members of the public from across the province received unsolicited emails which, when opened, contained links to images of child sexual abuse. According to an OPP statement, the emails, which were received from the email account mail@ aloette.me, contained directions, that when followed unknowingly exposed the recipient to child sexual abuse imagery. Recipients of emails from mail@aloette. me are asked to contact their local police and to abstain from opening the emails. Police are asking anyone who may have information regarding this investigation, or information regarding internet child exploitation, to contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.
Pelham Support Network back in action
The Town of Pelham is supporting the Fabulous Fenwick Lions Club as they team up with local businesses to relaunch the Pelham Support Network (PSN). The network is made possible by volunteers taking needed supplies to those in self-isolation or quarantine due to a positive COVID-19 test or who have had close contact with someone who has tested positive or has symptoms. The service is free. Orders placed before 1 PM will be delivered the same day. Orders placed after 1 PM will be delivered the follow-
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ing afternoon, Monday-Saturday. The driver will place items at the recipient’s door and call the recipient to confirm delivery. Organizers say that there is no need to greet the driver, and ask that physical distancing be observed for the volunteers’ safety. For more information, contact Halee Braun, at the Town of Pelham, 905892-2607 x347 or email the Lions at psn@fabulousfenwicklions.org. To start the process, residents call in their order to participating PSN businesses and specify delivery details. Payment must be made for the goods before they are taken for delivery by PSN. Participating business are PharmaChoice Fonthill, (905) 892-1888, familyhealthpelham@gmail.com; Shoppers Drug Mart Fonthill, (905) 892-5791, asdm1191@shoppersdrugmart.ca; Sobeys Fonthill, (will accept orders Wednesday and Friday, 7 AM to 11 AM only), (905) 8922570; Pelham Cares, (905) 892-5300.
and Director of Training before being appointed to Deputy Fire Chief on Oct. 3, 2016. The Fire Chief is responsible for fire and emergency operations for the municipality and oversees 54 full-time and 55 volunteer Firefighters.
New Welland Fire Chief
Saturday, Jan. 9 Burning complaint, Woodstream, Fonthill
The City of Welland announced the appointment of Deputy Fire Chief, Adam Eckhart, as Welland’s new Fire Chief. Council approved the appointment at its meeting on Tuesday, Dec. 22, 2020. Through a statement, the City said that Fire Chief Eckhart has been with the Corporation since Aug. 2002, when he joined the municipality as a probationary firefighter. Eckhart served as Training Officer
What's That
SIREN Pelham Fire Department Weekly Calls
The Pelham Fire Department responded to seven calls for service from Jan. 8 to Jan. 15. Friday, Jan. 8, Medical assistance, Fonthill Medical assistance, Fonthill
Monday, Jan. 11 Structure fire, Pelham St., Fonthill Tuesday, Jan. 12 Medical assistance, Fonthill Thursday, Jan. 14 Medical assistance, Fenwick Friday, Jan. 15 Medical assistance, Fonthill
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In an effort to bring further attention and deterrence to driving while impaired by alcohol or drugs, the Niagara Regional Police Service reports the names of those people who are charged with an alleged criminal impaired driving offence in the Region. None of the following charges have been proved in court. In addition to being charged, these individuals are also bound by a Ministry of Transportation 90-Day Administrative Driver’s License Suspension and are prohibited from operating a motor vehicle on a roadway. The public is encouraged to contact the Niagara Regional Police Service Traffic Safety Hotline or Crime Stoppers to report those who are driving in contravention of the suspension. The following individuals have been charged criminally with impaired driving by alcohol or drugs, driving with a blood alcohol concentration above 80 mgs of alcohol in 100 ml of blood, or refusing to provide a breath / blood sample. John R. BOREHAM, 74, Thorold Tapan MHAMUD, 35, Buffalo, NY Vincent A. GOMES, 26, Scarborough Geoffrey COWLEY, 52, Niagara Falls Johnie J. THOMAS, 54, St. Catharines Keanna C. C. MCINTEE, 22, Port Colborne Karen M. CHIPKAR, 53, Welland Joshua M. REGULAR, 24, Innisfil Bryan S. SCHNEIDER, 27, St. Catharines Rodney D. FERGUSON, 61, St. Catharines Jamie-Lee BARKER, 27, Welland Inderpreet S. GREWAL, 25, Brampton Shannon M. BOOS, 41, Welland Margaret A. MAGEE, 61, St. Catharines The Niagara Regional Police Service is committed to reducing impaired driving offences through education and the apprehension of offenders through enforcement programs like RIDE. Impaired driving is still the leading cause of criminal deaths in Canada and destroys thousands of lives every year.
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Renita Damm-Kiers and Sherry Damm take a break from their busy Valentine orders to read The Voice. Fun Fact: Their floral shop then is the Voice office now!
NRPS impaired driving charges ~
See something, Say something. The science is clear.
Masks save lives. Social distancing saves lives.
If you witness violations of Provincial or Regional COVID-19 safety protocols during weekdays, notify Pelham Bylaw Enforcement, at (905) 892-2607 x203. At night and on weekends, call the Region Dispatch line, at (905) 984-3690.
Listen to Public Healh advice. Stay home. Stay safe.
Indulgence Bakery Mossimo’s Pelham Street Grille Peter Piper’s Pubhouse DeVries Fruit Farm Beamer’s Hardware Pelham Libraries Bob’s Boys Antiques PharmaChoice Pharmacy Fonthill Fitness Fenwick Pie Company McDonald’s Duffin Appleworks Fonthill Legion Semenuk’s Gas Bar Shoppers Drug Mart Tim Horton’s Giant Tiger Fonthill LCBO Zee Lube Express Care Food Basics Minor Bros Stores Avondale Stores A-1 Market Boggio's IDA Sobeys South Pelham Grill on Canboro Shell on Hwy 20 Circle-K
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The Voice
A January 20, 2021
TOWN COUNCIL NEWS
Stop the Spread
COVID-19 can be deadly. Stay home. Stay strong. Save lives.
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In this decade-old plan for land use, a residential road is shown crossing the Steve Bauer Trail (red arrow, centre). Such plans are relied upon by developers as guides to what is permissible in a given municipal area. TOWN OF PELHAM/VOICE GRAPHIC
Bauer Trail balancing act Pelham Town Council's prohibition of trail crossings may mean construction on wetlands BY JOHN CHICK Voice Correspondent As reported in The Voice last week, Pelham Town Council passed a motion on Jan. 11 to preserve the Steve Bauer and Gerry Berkhout Trails as they currently exist, throwing a monkey wrench into development plans for expansion of the Kunda Park subdivision in Fonthill. The motion, brought by Ward 2 Councillor John Wink, effectively bans new road crossings — two of which have been proposed in concert with the planned southward extension of Station Street. “I’d like to go on record by saying I’m not against development … but the trails are Town property and are extremely utilized by residents,” Wink said during the debate. Under the Kunda Park developer’s proposal, two streets would cross the Bauer Trail between Port Robinson and Merritt Roads, connecting with the Station Street extension and a second subdivision development to the east. Wink said he spoke with the developer at length, and that there were limited alternatives. Provincial government approval has already been granted to cross designated wetlands within the new Kunda site, but such a traverse would provide an extra access/egress into the existing neighbourhood. Wink added that developer overtures to the District School Board of Niagara to purchase a strip of Glynn A. Green School lands was rebuffed, and that the presence of an archaeologically-significant site east
of it—where indigenous artifacts have been found— also complicates matters. “I will state as part of Newton’s Law, every action will have a reaction,” Wink said, expecting the result to be even higher density within the new developments due to removing the roads. All of council, with the exception of Mayor Marvin Junkin and Ward 1 Councillor Wayne Olson, agreed with Wink’s motion. “For decades, development that I believe should be guided by the town, has so often been guided by the for-profit developers,” Councillor Marianne Stewart said, inaccurately describing the development process. “I think it’s time for us as the supposed leaders of the town to say, ‘This is the way we need our town to grow, and if you want to develop here, then you need to fit in with our guidelines.’” (In fact, almost every element of development is codified under federal, Provincial, or Regional regulations, removing almost all major decision-making authority from the hands of local municipalities.) Ward 2’s Ron Kore also added his two cents, saying he would “fully support” the motion. Before the vote however, it was urged council enter a private session to receive legal advice. Director of Community PlanSee COUNCIL Page 12
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The Voice
A January 20, 2021
www.thevoiceofpelham.ca
OPINION
The opinions expressed in submitted commentary and letters to the editor are those of the contributors and not necessarily those of the Voice of Pelham.
The Voice of Pelham is a 1211858 Ontario Limited publication David Burket, Publisher 2-1428 Pelham St., P.O. Box 1489, Fonthill, ON L0S1E0
COMMENTARY / OP-ED Larry Coté
Grandkids to the rescue
I
f you don’t have a grandchild or two then you would do well to adopt, rent or borrow one from a neighbour. These progeny are there for a good reason and are essential to your technological survival in today’s world. As each new technology comes about, many of us seniors can be challenged by a newfangled whatchamacallit. If so, call the grandkids. You will be up and running in no time. Forget the frustration of trying to set up the remote for the new TV or trying to make a call on your new cellphone. The grandkids will sit you down and walk you through learning about these gadgets. While doing that, of course, they will be wondering how you made it through life without seriously harming yourself along the way. When I offer to pick up the kids to bring them over to our place they politely, but adamantly, decline. They say they will just catch an Uber ride and save me the trouble. I have since learned that the last time they rode with this grandpa, it took them two days of intensive counselling to overcome the trauma of that experience. Our daughter, forgetting
that I grew up in the World War II era, gave me Alexa as a gift. Now, I need to quickly point out to that this is not a paramour but rather a modern day “personal assistant.” For the uniniti-
If asked, she will sing me a song or tell me a joke
ated, an Amazon Echo Dot is a small device, about the size of a hockey puck, that sits on my desk and dutifully responds to my questions and commands through the guise of an artificially intelligent voice summoned by saying, “Alexa.” I can ask her what time it is or what is the weather forecast, not only outside my window but any place in the world. If I want to turn on or turn off the lights, or any other household device,
NEED HELP? MAKE THE CALL Distress Centre For depression, distress, and crisis. 24 hour help line: 905688-3711 Mental Health and Addictions Access 1-866-550-5205 (Toll Free) Gambler’s Anonymous 905-351-1616
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Alcoholics Anonymous Find a Niagara meeting. 905-682-2140 Crime Stoppers 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS) www.niagaratips.com Text 274637(CRIMES), keyword Niagara, then your tip
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www.thevoiceofpelham.ca EDITOR & PUBLISHER Dave Burket publisher@thevoiceofpelham.ca ADMINISTRATION Lori Gretsinger office@thevoiceofpelham.ca CONTRIBUTORS Jane Bedard, Carolyn Botari, Colin Brezicki, Rosemary Chambers, John Chick, Larry Coté, Brian Green, Miriam Han, Megan Metler, Bill Potrecz, Bernie Puchalski, Don Rickers, John Swart, Helen Tran, Mike Tucker, Rob Weatherby. Proof Sleuth: Julian Fitch NEWS INQUIRIES & TIPS editor@thevoiceofpelham.ca LETTERS TO THE EDITOR letters@thevoiceofpelham.ca ADVERTISING INQUIRIES advertising@thevoiceofpelham.ca
I just speak to her and she responds accordingly—although this depends on said devices having their own little whatchamacallits too. If asked, she will sing me a song or tell me a joke. Every morning our daughter sends me a voice message that Alexa promptly delivers and I give Alexa a message to my daughter in return. Great stuff for this old dad who grew up with windup contraptions and never even dreamed of solar-powered contrivances, let alone talking hockey pucks. I can proclaim with pride that my cellphone has a hundred-plus applications. It can guide me to far off destinations or record the length of my neighbourhood walks, all the while recording my heart rate and advising me that I have not yet been exposed to a virus. Remarkably, our son uses his to call us from the crest of one of the Rocky Mountains without having to find a phone booth. Meanwhile, I have so far mastered two of the hundred-plus applications on my phone. I can 1) make, and 2) answer a telephone call—not yet certified as a See ALEXA Page 4
Letters Round one goes to a greener, healthier town With much appreciation to Councillors John Wink, Bob Hildebrandt, Lisa Haun, Marianne Stewart, and Ron Kore, and to all those citizens of Pelham who answered the call to protect and preserve our nature trails in Pelham, and to Steve Bauer, a big thank you! Council’s Monday night vote was a vote for demanding more responsible urban development—development that first and foremost puts protection of the ecosystem and the needs of people above the wants of developers. While we celebrate this accomplishment, we cannot rest on our laurels.
Round two is likely just around the corner. This is when the developer will be back to council to press their demands and in likelihood attempt to undo what council has done. To this we say to the citizens of Pelham: stay informed, stay vigilant, and stay together. United we can prevail. Graham and Edie Pett Fonthill
7
CONTACT YOUR ELECTED OFFICIALS Member of Federal Parliament
Electoral District: Niagara West
Dean Allison, MP 4994 King Street Beamsville, ON L0R 1B0 Dean.Allison@parl.gc.ca 877-563-7900 Member of Provincial Parliament
Electoral District: Niagara West
Sam Oosterhoff, MPP 4961 King St. East, Unit M1 Beamsville, ON L0R 1B0 sam.oosterhoffco@pc.ola.org 905-563-1755 Members of Niagara Regional Council Councillor Marvin Junkin mjunkin@pelham.ca 905-658-2987 Councillor Diana Huson diana.huson@niagararegion.ca 905-324-3094 Town of Pelham 20 Pelham Town Square P.O. Box 400 Fonthill, ON L0S 1E0 905-892-2607
Mayor of Pelham Marvin Junkin mjunkin@pelham.ca 905-658-2986 Members of Pelham Town Council Ward 1 Councillor Marianne Stewart mstewart@pelham.ca 289-821-0840 Councillor Wayne Olson wolson@pelham.ca 905-933 6033
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Ward 2 Councillor Ron Kore rkore@pelham.ca 905-933-3805 Councillor John Wink jwink@pelham.ca 905-892-4475 Ward 3 Councillor Lisa Haun lhaun@pelham.ca 905-892-5877 Councillor Bob Hildebrandt bhildebrandt@pelham.ca 905-892-5647
Jill C. Anthony Law Office
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BARRISTER, SOLICITOR & NOTARY LETTERS TO THE EDITOR are welcome. Letter submissions should contain the writer’s full name, address and telephone number. Names only will be published. Names may be withheld if compelling reasons are provided. The newspaper reserves the right to change, condense or reject any contribution for brevity, clarity or legal considerations. All material in this publication is protected by copyright. Reproduction is prohibited without express, written permission of the publisher. ADVERTISING: The Voice of Pelham regrets any errors or omissions that appear in advertisements in this newspaper, however, we will not be held responsible for more than one absent or incorrect insertion or for any damages beyond the cost of space containing the error. The Voice is an independent, locally owned and operated publication. The Voice is a member of the National NewsMedia Council, a voluntary self-regulatory organization that deals with journalistic practices and ethics. If you have an unresolved complaint about news stories, opinion columns or photos, please visit their web site at mediacouncil.ca or call 1-844-877-1163. If you have a complaint about delivery or membership problems, please contact our office at (905) 892-8690. For a summary of Voice ethical guidelines, see www. thevoiceofpelham.ca/ethics
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The Voice
Page 5
A January 20, 2021
OPINION REGIONAL COUNCIL UPDATE Diana Huson, Regional Councillor for Pelham
PELHAM AND COVID-19 Mayor Marvin Junkin
Vaccine delay is temporary; hospital vote right way to go
Partisan politics drove recent hospital decision
L
ast Thursday, January 13, Niagara Regional council considered a number of important policies impacting the levy budget, which we expect to finalize this week. The levy budget consists of all of the Regional programs and services, Regional operations, as well as the agencies and boards that are funded through the Regional tax levy, otherwise known as the Regional portion of your property tax bill. One policy on the table was a hospital funding formula, which was proposed in response to a funding request for the West Lincoln Memorial Hospital. The funding request was also considered at this time. For context, Regional council had known for months, if not years, that a funding request would come forward. The municipal councils of Grimsby, West Lincoln and Lincoln had all committed local tax dollars in the amount of $26 million to the hospital build. The West Lincoln Memorial Hospital Foundation Board (WLMHF) had requested a $14 million dollar Regional contribution. Also, of important note is that Regional council had committed funds to the St. Catharines hospital build years ago at a rate
of 18 percent of the local contribution. The WLMHF asserted that this amount was actually 21 percent, and therefore argued they were entitled to a minimum of $12.6 million dollars. With this in mind, and recognizing that these funds are public tax dollars that need to be allocated in a responsible and fair manner, council committed to developing a funding formula to address the request and also prepare the organization for future hospital funding requests expected to come in the near future. A consultant was hired to do research and recommend options for consideration. A preliminary funding model was approved by council back in November. Senior management staff had worked tirelessly since that time, and in collaboration with the consultant to develop a scoring matrix that took into account many factors to ensure a fair and equitable distribution of public tax dollars and evaluate the WLMHF funding request through the lens of the funding matrix. The matrix identified an upper limit of 18 percent contribution and
This was probably the most disappointing council meeting I have ever attended
See REGION Page 17
The “lost culture” of Pelham After a two-week hiatus I was pleased to be reading The Voice with its informative content regarding Town issues as well as resident concerns. First off, I was encouraged to discover that Town Council heard the voices of their constituents and voted down the construction of roads slated to go across the Steve Bauer Trail. Even though I am encouraged by this, it was the article by Magdalena Woszczyna that made me realize how much work remains to be done if we are to preserve the unique culture of Pelham. Woszczyna’s article painted a very accurate picture of why people come to live in this special area and how it is currently being stripped away. As I continued to turn through the pages of The Voice I came to a headline that read: Port Robinson development may soar to ten storeys. I guess the people on the tenth storey will be able to see the whole Bauer trail from there. How did this situation get so bad in such a short time? Are we now a part of the GTA? I can remember going for Sunday drives to my favourite spots in the Niagara Peninsula, which were the towns of Niagara-on-the-Lake and Font-
hill. Niagara-on-the-Lake has had a great deal of new development but has managed to maintain their culture and Old World charm. How did they do this? It might be that their planning department has different rules or that the engineers submitting the plans are qualified and experienced urban planners who are not looking to take advantage our Town. In light of this I ask the good people of Pelham, “What are we going to do about the vast amount land that is slated for current development?” An interesting thing I’ve heard is that in the United States when developing engineers move into a town and fail to preserve its culture it is not only immoral but is a punishable offense by law. From Port Robinson Rd. to Merritt Rd., including Kunda Park, there are box houses without any taste or style no matter what angle you look at them. This is not how we have historically built in Fonthill—there were always larger setbacks with yards with plenty of room for playing, gardens, tree planting, and parking. Is our culture of Pelham really gone forever? Houses need social distancing too! It is my hope that we
speak to our council, as they have proven that they will listen as our elected representatives. We need to unite in order to save our unique culture and not be the victim of development that is driven by dollars and not by the residents’ quality of life! Rose Galway Fonthill
W
ell, well, the stars and the planets must have been in perfect alignment this past week, because Marv the politician had a great week. Before I get into the details, let’s discuss our world of COVID-19. New Niagara cases on Friday, Jan. 15, totalled 152. This number was down considerably from the high of 467 from Monday, the 11th, but is distressingly higher than the generally under-30 new daily cases that we were getting in November, and early December. (This 467 number also included a backlog of cases not previously reported.) As of Sunday, the weekly average was 128 infections per day. While Regional hospital admissions have certainly increased during the last three weeks, our hospitals, thankfully, are not being pushed to their limits, as is the case in the “hotspots” of the Province. While our positivity percentage has climbed to 6.3 percent, that same number in Brampton is over 17%. The news on the vaccination front is somewhat disheartening, but hopefully will get better. As of last Wednesday, the total number of doses administered within the Region was 142. By Friday, that number had climbed to 608. With 460,000 residents in the Region, this could take awhile!
I have a lot of faith in our Public Health workers, so I am sure they will iron out the kinks and we will see a great improvement in the rollout.
I still remember the startled look on Town staff faces
On a side note, Florida has made it a policy, at least according to its governor, that anyone over 65 will be given the vaccine, whether they be resident or non-resident. Many Canadian snowbirds have received the vaccine, a fact that isn’t setting well with some elderly full-time Floridians. I can see their point, but even more disturbing is the number of people flying into Florida for a day, getting the vaccine, then leaving right after getting poked. A jet service out of Toronto is reportedly offering a service similar to this for between $25,000 and $80,000. Thanks, but no thanks. I will somewhat patiently wait my turn. Okay, now the good news! Back last May, during a council meeting, I stated, somewhat optimistically, and some would say defi-
nitely pre-maturely, that I would not be happy with any property tax increase over two percent. I still remember the startled look on Town staff faces. Well, folks, with the help of upper government and their COVID-19 support payments, council last week passed both our capital and operating budgets, which will be serviced with a 1.98% property tax increase, coming as it does following increases of over 13% the last two years combined, which saw unavoidable expenditures. The other good news came at the Region. The Mayor of Grimsby phoned last Thursday morning, asking if I would second a motion, asking the Regional government to supply funding for the West Lincoln Memorial Hospital, to the tune of 21 percent of the publicly sourced funds. This project has been kicked around, and debated, for over 20 years. Unless I am reading public sentiment incorrectly, I believe that any money spent on healthcare, especially when that project is a regional hospital, is fully supported by our residents. Long story short, I did indeed second the motion, spoke to its worth, and it passed. The Region will now kick in $12.7 million dollars to this project. Surely, after 20 years of talking, it is time for action. I say, “Get er done.” Until next time… ◆
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Page 6
The Voice
A January 20, 2021
www.thevoiceofpelham.ca
PEOPLE AND POLITICS
by David Siegel
This is the first of a two-part series. This week’s column will deal with how Donald Trump has changed American society and where the American political system is today as it turns the page on the Trump presidency. Next week I will write about how President Biden will need to respond to these issues and the impact that his response will have on Canada.
A
merica has been changed forever over the past four years. The Trump presidency has brought forward and legitimized elements of American society that have always been there. The American state was founded on a violent revolution and about a hundred years later was tested by a violent insurrection. It was supported for many years by the exploitation of enslaved people. Anti-immigration and general xenophobia, religious intolerance, and an urban-rural divide have always had a role in American society. The focus on “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness” emphasized individualism over collective concern for others. Canadians should not be feeling smug at this point, because all these elements have played a role in Canadian history as well, but as good Canadians we have kept them under wraps a bit better. These elements of American society were not invented by Donald Trump, but he has mined them and brought them to the surface. Armed groups across the country
have organized to take up the cause of their president. For Trump’s supporters, this is their last chance to protect American society from the wretched hordes that are pounding at the gate. These violent groups operated on the fringe of American society for many years, but Trump has given them the encouragement and legitimacy that they needed to move into the mainstream and recruit large numbers of followers. These groups are clearly a challenge to American society, but in the final analysis, the armed might of the American state will win out over these forces, although there will likely a significant cost measured in terms of both lives and dollars. It will be more difficult to turn back the clock on other aspects of the Trump legacy. Trump has shown no leadership in the face of the pandemic. His administration has overseen the development of vaccines in record time, and deserves great credit for that. However, he has been counter-productive in attempting to contain the virus while the vaccines were being developed. In Trump World, the dominance of individual rights takes precedence over being required to wear a mask or
social distance even if the result has a major impact on the health of others. When criticized for holding superspreader rallies, the response was that the First Amendment protected free speech— conveniently overlooking the fact that just because something is legal does not make it the wisest course of action. Trump has increased the polarization in the political system. This was already happening, but Trump has moved it forward by leaps and bounds. Politics has always been about a clash of values involving arguments over the efficacy of policies. When done properly, this is a positive way of discussing a problem and arriving at the best course of action. Trump has changed the nature of public discourse. Trump’s world does not involve discussions of policies. His opponents are dismissed as “short” or “weak” or, if they are women, “nasty.” He doesn’t attack the policy views of opponents— instead he dismisses them as having no legitimate right to run for office. Barrack Obama was born in Kenya; Hillary Clinton should be locked up. This is a qualitatively different argument from saying that my policies are better than my opponent’s. Steven Lev-
The large middle class is watching the rich "one-percenters" get richer
R. G. JOHNSTON
The legacy of Trump World
itsky and Daniel Ziblatt in their book, How Democracies Die, argued that one step in the death of democracies is promoting the idea that your opponents have no legitimate right to participate in the political system. This is very different from saying that your opponents’ policies are unwise. Questioning your opponents’ legitimacy is much easier than addressing their policies, especially when you don’t have any policies of your own. However, there is a more serious problem that Trump has dug up. Western societies generally, including the United States and Canada, are facing significant and growing levels of economic inequality. The large middle class is watching the rich “one-percenters” get richer, while they haven’t had a real pay increase in decades, and their children are trying to make their way in the gig economy—minus job security or benefits. Trump did not
create this inequality, but he has done nothing to redress it. Trump, if you believe his accounts, is a member of the one-percenters, but he has simplistic solutions to the problems facing the middle class that tie nicely into the xenophobia mentioned above: the culprits are the Chinese with their cheap products, and the Mexicans with their cheap labour. The middle class has done everything they were supposed to do to live the American dream—yet still ended up losing their previously-secure, well-paying factory jobs. Of course, it’s more likely that they lost their job to a robot rather than to someone from China or Mexico, but that’s just an inconvenient truth. This group provides the core of Trump’s support. They have well-founded grievances about the increasing inequality in society, and no one except Trump really
listened to them. Trump was correct in saying that this group would continue to support him if he shot someone in public or bragged about grabbing women’s genitals. They simply have no place else to go. Other political leaders have ignored them, but they have found their voice with Trump. Dealing with this inequality will be one of the great challenges facing political leaders going forward. This is American society of 2021. Trump did not create these discontented threads in American society, but he did figure out how to weave them together for his own advantage. This is the world faced by the new president. Next week, I will look at Biden’s likely approach to these issues and the impact that those initiatives will have on Canada. ◆ David Siegel is Emeritus Professor of Political Science, Brock University.
Letters continued Greater focus needed on struggling local businesses
Niagara Police Chief: Stay home
There should be a great sense of urgency around the state of our local small businesses. I am talking about our main street businesses and the small businesses off the main street. These folks are telling me that they will shortly have to make the decision whether to go on. Some of them are now existing on their personal savings. Some are young entrepreneurs who might never recover the losses due to the pandemic. As a community, we cannot afford the loss of such a vibrant local source
An open letter to the people of Niagara: Over the last 10 months, COVID-19 has found a way to infiltrate and weave its way into the very fabric of our daily lives. Our homes, our workplaces and our relationships have all been touched and altered by the reality of this deadly virus. On December 18, 2020, Niagara surpassed 100
ALEXA
continued from Page 4 competent user but hoping to get further along before my flip phone becomes obsolete. In addition to our landline telephone, our side table is littered with more remote control devices than NASA launch control. If we want to watch a movie, our grandkids have directed us on how to get to Netflix by using only three of these remote controls. Next, I have to learn how to start the movie before the device times out. While watching a movie, lord forbid if we get a call on our cellphone as we have to go through the process of answering the confounded phone
of employment and leadership. I sense in speaking to them that for some our small businesses it is very much a dayto-day proposition. Every dollar that we spend gets them closer to the end of this emergency. On Friday, the Ontario Government opened the application process for the Ontario Small Business Support Grant. Information about the grant can be found at news.Ontario.ca. I shouldn’t get into the details because you can read them for yourselves. Look for “Applications Now Open for Ontario’s Small
and trying to pause the movie by choosing the right remote from the myriad of these look-alikes lined up on the coffee table. We recently ordered a tabletop caddy on my iPad (yup, another hi-tech device at my finger tips!) to organize this plethora of devices. I won’t be as surprised as the guy in Tulsa, Oklahoma, who receives this caddy at his doorstep because I inadvertently hit the wrong keystroke on my iPad to confirm the purchaser’s delivery address. However, if by chance it makes it to our door, I expect visitors might be intimidated by the presence of this caddy-full display of weaponry that looks like it might belong in the bunker of the head of na-
Business Support Grant.” What I can do is strongly commend this program as a next-step program for our small businesses. I would suggest that this is an opportunity that might not pass this way again, so take it. Once you have qualified, your details are on file for future programs. As with everything these days, small things mean a lot. You will be amazed at the value of a phone call to someone who lives alone. Councillor Wayne Olson Pelham, Ward 1
tional security. We have also taken to teleconferencing via Zoom, Skype, Team, and Facetime. (Please take note of how fluent this senior has become with these technologies, courtesy of our young ones of course!) We meet with our trans-Canadian family members on Sunday afternoons and watch with glee the antics of our great- grandchildren in northern Ontario and out east in Nova Scotia. Just the other day we met with some long lost friends in California. Recently, we were reacquainted with some good folks in London, England. These live hookups are somewhat therapeutic and relieve some of the stress of being locked down due to this
terrible virus. The newest device to add to our labyrinth of technologies is called a Fire TV Stick. Now before you call the fire department and accuse me of being a closet arsonist, allow me to try and explain. A Google search will tell you this device is a dongle that allows you to stream an endless and ageless array of movies and TV shows. Now the downside of adopting this newest thing means you have another remote control to add to your growing arsenal of little black boxes. However, if you are going to be technologically up to snuff you have to go with the flow and accept such cluttering of your living space. It has sometimes been a chal-
deaths, and just 25 days later on January 12, 2021, we recorded our 200th death. Tragically, that is 200 members of our community, who have died at the hands of a virus that we, collectively, have the power to stop. When I think about the loss of life in our community that we would expeSee CHIEF Page 17
lenging experience to get on board with some of these technologies. Most of them have made life more entertainingly delightful. Nonetheless, I look forward to adopting the next innovation. It’s easy, just call the grandkids. For a soda and a taco they will show you everything you need to know. Well, I must go now to see if I can figure out the settings on this new microwave oven without triggering the fire alarm and greeting the firemen at the door like the last time I tried. On second thought, I ought to text one of the grandkids. Aha, another of my newfound practices— texting. Now, which of these devices is the cellphone again? ◆
www.thevoiceofpelham.ca
The Voice
Page 7
A January 20, 2021
Pelham municipal staff lauded for handling of pandemic
COMMENTARY / OP-ED Gary Accursi
Steve Bauer Trail motion was premature
I
recently watched the Pelham Town Council meeting of Jan. 11, during which a motion was brought forward by Councillors Wink and Hildebrandt concerning the roadways proposed for the new subdivisions Kunda Park 4 and Forest Park. The motion essentially stated that the Town would not allow any roads to cross the Steve Bauer Trail or the Gerry Berkhout Trail. I found this motion somewhat troubling with its timing and wide-ranging implications. The discussion surrounding it proved quite interesting. Most municipalities have a process established which a new subdivision proposal must go through in order to receive both draft plan and final plan approval. The first public part of the process is to hold a Public Meeting under the Planning Act. During this meeting the public is informed about the proposal, and how it fits with current planning documents at the Provincial, Regional and local municipal level. Feedback from the public, various stakeholders, commenting agencies and council is collected with respect to the plan. The developer and staff are available to answer questions which arise and to record the feedback. The information collected is then analyzed, meetings with the developer are held, and often modifications are undertaken to address legitimate concerns if possible. Following this public process, Town staff will write a Recommendation Report in which they review all legislation, public and council input, and outline the draft plan design and conditions attached to it. Council then votes to accept or reject the plan or to return the plan to staff for further discussion with the developer for modifications. Once the draft plan is approved, the developer has a timeline in which to satisfy all conditions
and to put forward a final plan of subdivision. This is then presented to council for final approval. This process has been well established and is fair and equitable to the public, the Town, and the developer. In my opinion, the motion put forward last week ignored this process and prematurely rejected the crossing of these trails without being adequately informed regarding the implications of such a move. Did the fact that council broke from normal accepted practices in the planning sphere create grounds for the developer to appeal the entire process to the LPAT? Was this a reasonable approach to the concerns expressed by some members of the public? I would argue that it was not. Let’s review a few facts. ■ Councillor Stewart stated in the discussion that all development is controlled by the developers and that it was time for the Town to take back control. These sentiments were echoed by Councillor Kore as well. This is simply not factual and is misleading. Provincial, Regional and municipal legislation controls and manages development. Developers must comply with all these levels of legislation and control. Numerous commenting agencies have input on the development based on their area of governance. Where this idea comes from is simply beyond me! Such a statement made by councillors is misleading and uniformed. ■ At least one crossing of the Steve Bauer trail was already planned for in the East Fonthill Master Plan and Demonstration Plan. It was designed to facilitate traffic moving in an east-west direction, and to reduce traffic movement through Stella
Such a statement made by councillors is misleading and uninformed
See PREMATURE Page 14
Pelham Town Clerk Nancy Bozzato's management of last September's Ward 1 by-election is described in the January issue of Municipal World, a trade magazine for public service professionals. SUPPLIED BY JOHN CHICK Voice Correspondent The Town of Pelham’s roundly lauded handling of the COVID-19 pandemic has put staff in the spotlight of national and provincial trade publications. The Town Clerk’s department and the department of Recreation, Culture and Wellness were recently profiled by Municipal World and the Ontario Recreation Facilities Association, respectively, for their work in handling various challenges during the pandemic The Clerk’s department under Nancy Bozzato managed to successfully execute a municipal by-election last September, while the work of keeping the community centre running under unprecedented circumstances earned Vickie van Ravenswaay and her staff plaudits. “Getting good press from those in the know is always a reflection of quality,” said CAO David Cribbs. Pelham’s top bureaucrat said that conducting the Ward 1 by-election — which saw Wayne Olson elected to council to fill the seat of the late Mike Ciolfi — was no small feat. “Having just watched the American election process, I think the importance of having impartial, dedicated staff to run a free and fair election has
been clearly reinforced,” Cribbs said. “What impressed me the most was that Nancy Bozzato was able to work as an equal with clerks from far larger municipalities, and be at least as much help to them as they were to her. Pelham isn’t the only municipality in Ontario that needed to run a by-election, but it did get there first, and had fewer resources with which to do it. This is a great example of the Town punching above its weight.” Almost 1,200 Ward 1 residents voted in the by-election, a solid turnout given the circumstances. “What Pelham did was hard, somewhat scary, and had not been done before,” Cribbs said. “Luckily for Windsor and Ottawa, they could learn from our successful example.” As far as the community centre goes, its presence as a Town revenue stream turned out to be crucial in a year that saw so much financial upheaval. Cribbs said approximately 20,000 people per month passed through the doors of the facility when it was allowed to be open during the pandemic, all while health and safety measures had to be enforced. “[The previous town council] deserves part of this accolade because of
its vision and capacity for what could be achieved, while the current council has both helped cut costs and invested resources, which enabled the MCC to thrive, even in a pandemic,” the CAO said. “The MCC, the staff and Ms. van Ravenswaay as its leader deserve to be in the spotlight because they have maximized the building’s potential, and expanded its appeal well beyond use for sport. The fact that the MCC hosts seniors’ events, music nights, comedy nights, private functions and assorted cultural opportunities means that there is truly something there for everyone.” The spotlighting of Bozzato and van Ravenswaay joins industry awards bestowed on Communications and Public Relations Specialist Marc MacDonald and the Town’s communications staff last year for their work on pandemic messaging. “The tie that binds these two celebratory articles is that they focus upon Town departments led by strong women who bring out the best in their staff in addition to possessing years of experience and good judgment,” Cribbs added. “2020 was obviously a bad year for the entire planet, but hardship can also inspire brilliance.”
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Page 8
The Voice
A January 20, 2021
www.thevoiceofpelham.ca
Letters continued Open letter from Niagara Health to Niagara community leaders We are writing to request your urgent help. Niagara has received its first shipment of Pfizer COVID-19 vaccines. It is a day we have been waiting for since the first vaccines were administered in Ontario on December 14, 2020. Over the past month, COVID spread in Niagara has become increasingly serious and we need your help to advocate for Niagara’s fair share of vaccines. As physicians and healthcare workers on the front lines of this near year-long battle with the pandemic, we want to recognize all the hard work done by our colleagues to protect the health and safety of our community and the numerous lives they have saved under the most difficult of circumstances. As of Jan. 13, we are caring for 62 COVID-positive patients in hospital, with 12 patients in Intensive Care. During the first week of the New Year, we cared for as many as 93 patients in a single day at the hospital. Sadly, 90 patients being treated for COVID have died, with 50 of those deaths taking place since the onset of the second wave in the fall of 2020. Additionally, Niagara Health has been called upon to manage and protect the residents of two long term care homes. Our teams risked their own health and wellbeing to enter these homes and provide the life-saving support to residents. In particular, one of the homes we are supporting is experiencing one of the most significant outbreaks anywhere in Ontario, with 96 percent of the home’s 122 residents testing positive for the virus. Thirty residents have died and 121
staff were infected. In short, the virus is heavily impacting our region. Our teams are burned out; people are worried for their loved ones and they need hope. Hope that the vaccine offers. While we are pleased to receive the initial shipments of the Pfizer vaccine, the reality is that it’s not enough. It’s not enough to vaccinate our vulnerable population and not enough to guarantee continuous operation of your hospital system. This is compounded by the inexplicable diversion of the Moderna vaccine, which would have gone to the most vulnerable population that we care for in Niagara. It has been particularly disheartening for us in Niagara to see that we are not being treated equitably with other areas in the province. There are 32 long term care homes in Niagara and not one healthcare worker, not one resident, received the vaccine prior to today. In contrast, Windsor has 19 long term care homes and has already vaccinated all of them. The same is true for York Region’s 28 homes. This frustration is multiplied by regular reports of individuals, who are not eligible under the government’s own criteria, being vaccinated against COVID prior to those who desperately need it in Niagara. Shockingly, some people in other jurisdictions have received
their second dose of the Pfizer vaccine before a single dose made its way into our community. Our older adults and healthcare workers deserve better. The virus is taking its toll on staff and physicians at the hospital. More than 220 of our teammates have tested positive for COVID and nearly 200 others are having to isolate for potential exposure. While we appreciate that the public sometimes refers to healthcare workers as heroes, we are not superhuman. With the spread of infection, it has become increasingly difficult to maintain services in the hospital and continue to save lives. We are not far from our system being overwhelmed. The hospital system is currently dealing with eight units on outbreak, including one of our COVID units, one of our ICUs and two of our emergency departments. Along with our colleagues, we have provided care for patients at their worst moments of suffering and vulnerability. We are committed and dedicated to doing everything we can to care for our community. The government can help us by directing additional vaccines to Niagara. By vaccinating healthcare workers, you are protecting services in the hospital and ensuring that we are able to continue providing care to those who most
Join is in requiring the Ontario government allocate more Pfizer vaccines to Niagara
Join our Team! The Town of Pelham offers an inclusive, supportive, and enriching work environment. With opportunities for growth and learning, as well as a comprehensive benefit package, Pelham invests in its employees. We guide our staff to success through training and professional development opportunities, mentorship, and coaching. The Town is currently accepting applications for:
• Parks Operations Staff
• Instructors/Lifeguards
• Camp Supervisor and leaders
• Parks Labourer
• Aquatic Supervisor
• Water Student
• Head Lifeguard • Seasonal Bylaw Enforcement Officer www.pelham.ca/careers for job descriptions and dates
need it. In closing, we ask our community and leaders to support this urgent call for action. Join us in requiring the Ontario Government allocate more Pfizer vaccines to Niagara and restore the allocation of the Moderna vaccine that was unfairly taken away. We can administer vaccines as quickly as they are provided. Volunteers are lining up to support this initiative. All we need are vaccines. We ask that you share our message on social media, encourage your friends to write to our Members of Provincial Parliament and request that they take our message to the highest levels of government. Niagara deserves to be treated equitably and we need additional vaccines as soon as possible. Dr. Johan Viljoen, Chief of Staff and EVP Medical Dr. Don DuVall, Chief of Anesthesia Dr. Julian Dobranowski, Chief of Diagnostic Imaging Dr. Rafi Setrak, Chief of Emergency Medicine Dr. Lorraine Jensen, Chief of Medicine Dr. Maxine Lewis, Chief of Mental Health and Addictions Dr. Karen MacMillan, Interim Head of Service, Obstetrics Dr. Olufemi Olufowobi, Interim Head of Service, Gynaecology Dr. Michael Levesque, Chief of Oncology Dr. Madan Roy, Chief of Paediatrics Dr. Satish Chawla, Chief of Laboratory Medicine Dr. Ian Brown, Chief of Surgery Dr. Maynard Luterman, President, Medical Staff Association Dr. Alison MacTavish, Vice President, Medical Staff Association Dr. Adnan Hameed, Treasurer, Medical Staff Association
Asked by The Voice for comment, MPP Sam Oosterhoff responds: First off, I want to thank the hard
working men and women of Niagara Health and so many secondary healthcare organizations that support their important work. They are truly heroes, and deserve all the respect and support in the world. Niagara has been receiving thousands of vaccines this week, which are being distributed to long term care residents and medical staff across the region every day. This while many areas in the province still have not received any vaccines at all, including areas with higher per capita caseloads than Niagara, such as Lambton-Sarnia. The long term care residents and healthcare workers in provincial hot spots of Peel, Toronto, Windsor-Essex and York were prioritized in the ethical framework for the vaccine distribution due to vulnerable populations and higher case counts in those areas. Although there have been challenges in ensuring a steady supply (Ontario has capacity to distribute 40,000 doses a day, but we have not received enough from the federal government, both of Moderna and Pfizer), I am pleased to say that all long term care residents and healthcare workers in the Province, including Niagara, will be vaccinated prior to February 15. Indeed, much of that work is already underway. I have spoken with the Ministry of Health, the Solicitor General, and the Premier about the importance of ensuring Niagarans are being vaccinated in an equitable and timely fashion, and I am confident that Niagara’s voice is being heard. That said, I will continue to advocate for our community and ensure Niagara’s needs are being recognized and met.
March k break CAMP
Registration for the Town of Pelham’s March Break Camp will open to Pelham Residents on January 18, and will open to everyone outside of Pelham on February 1, 2021.
Additional information schedule of the week will be released on the Town’s website
Camp will run from March 15-19, 2021. Registration is $185 and includes five days of camp from 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. Extended Care is available from 7:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. for $8.50/day, as well as a daily hot lunch option for $7/day. Review COVID-19 camp protocols and register at:
www.pelham.ca/camps
www.thevoiceofpelham.ca
The Voice
Page 9
A January 20, 2021
Spray complaint rejected by Integrity Commissioner Resident Frank Feeley alleged that Pelham failed to observe its Code of Conduct in gypsy moth matter
I admire Mr. Feeley's tenacity, but it is clearly time to move on
BY DON RICKERS Voice Correspondent Although Integrity Commissioner (IC) Edward T. McDermott rejected Fonthill resident Frank Feeley’s request, he gave the Blackwood Crescent homeowner full marks for effort. “You clearly have adopted an intrepid approach to the cause you are advancing to council and the public,” said McDermott in his letter of judgment. “No one can question your expertise and dedication to the cause and complaints you are advancing.” Feeley, a retired management consultant, had filed his complaint against the Pelham mayor, Town Council, and staff for allegedly failing to adopt a proper spraying program for the Gypsy Moth infestation in the Town, and for not allocating in a fair manner the cost of the program amongst the residents most directly affected. Having read the 50-page brief in which Feeley requested that the IC intervene and conduct a full investigation, McDermott wrote that, “the bottom line is that Pelham Council and staff do not support your oft-repeated positions in this debate,” and advised that, “I have no jurisdiction or mandate to address your numerous complaints about staff on this issue.” McDermott concluded that allegations made by Feeley against
Mayor Marvin Junkin were “vexatious” (defined in the Code of Conduct as “something that is instituted without sufficient grounds and serving only to cause annoyance, frustration or worry”). In dismissing Feeley’s complaint, the IC determined that the case did not warrant a formal investigation. Pelham CAO David Cribbs was pleased with the outcome, and underscored that the Integrity Commissioner serves an important function for the community, providing an accountability forum and mechanism for elected officials. “In the case at hand, the complainant had been provided with multiple opportunities for input and participation in the public process,” said Cribbs. “In essence, this was less a complaint about the Mayor than it was about a unanimous policy decision made by council. Disagreeing with a policy decision and its implementation is a political issue clearly outside the jurisdiction of the Integrity Commissioner.” In a similar tone, Mayor Junkin said he was somewhat surprised that Feeley chose to go the IC route. “Over the course of the last two years, Mr. Feeley and I have had several conversations pertaining to the gypsy moth spraying
Mulling his options, Frank Feeley with some of his decades of research. program,” Junkin told The Voice. “We had reached a point where we agreed to disagree, but he obviously wanted a third-party opinion on the situation. I admire Mr. Feeley’s tenacity, but it is clearly time to move on.” This seems unlikely. The Voice spoke with Feeney last week, and though disappointed at the IC’s ruling, he still appeared to have plenty of fight left in him. He said he had spent some 500 hours thus
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far researching and defending his case, and is mulling over his future options. At this juncture, Feeley said he will consider a presentation to the Ontario Municipal Board, going the small claims court route on his own, and engaging in a class-action suit along with the 294 homeowners in his neighbourhood who were all invoiced $260 by the Town for aerial spraying. Feeley produced photographs,
taken on his own property, which vividly illustrate the level of destruction to deciduous and evergreen trees caused by gypsy moths when they are left uncontrolled. “People can’t enjoy their pools and patios in the summer. They have frass [insect larvae excrement] on their shoes, and caterpillars on their clothes, when coming into the house. Each moth lays hundreds of eggs, and the cycle continues,” said Feeley. “They eventually kill the town’s tree canopy.” He said he has been dealing with this issue for decades, and that the Town has badly mismanaged the gypsy moth problem. The species usually adheres to a cycle in which their numbers are high for several years, then fades to a lower level for seven to ten years. “I have a letter on record from the Town dated 1990, saying it will require continuous spraying for several years. Well, they didn't do anything for 18 years,” said Feeley. He questioned why Pelham had not build significant-scale gypsy moth See COMPLAINT Page 14
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Page 10
The Voice
A January 20, 2021
The Centrespread
www.thevoiceofpelham.ca
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The Voice
Page 11
A January 20, 2021
THE FINAL ACT Officially opening on January 16, 1976, "the old barn" on Haist Street provided the stage for countless unforgettable memories over its 43 years of life. Last week a wrecking crew moved in, though, tearing apart a facility that enjoyed widespread support even before it was built. In 1975, Pelham Town Hall, service clubs, sports organizations, and the public came together in community fundraising efforts to help pay for its projected $525,000 construction cost. By September 16, 1975—the date of the Pelham Herald pages below—some $12,000 had been raised. The Pelham Arena was also the first recreational facility to benefit from the "Share Wintario" program, funded by the Ontario Lottery. In total, almost exactly half of the arena's cost was funded through provincial grants. Now starts the next chapter of the 4.5-acre site once home to orchards—a development of bungalows and townhouses, 37 in all, with construction starting in the spring. The developer says that "entry level" prices will likely start at $600,000—or $75,000 more than the cost of the entire BOB LOBLAW arena.
Page 12
The Voice
A January 20, 2021
Airport’s future in limbo BY DON RICKERS Voice Correspondent While one Pelham councillor is pushing for greater financial accountability at the Niagara Central Dorothy Rungeling Airport (NCDRA), there are signs that the Region may be considering a takeover of the facility’s operational costs and responsibilities. If it happens, the plan would ease the tax burdens on Welland, Pelham, Port Colborne, and Wainfleet, which current share funding of the NCDRA, and spread it amongst all 12 lower-tier municipalities. But it’s not wheels-up yet, not by a long shot. That flight plan has yet to be filed. The airport is located at the far south of Pelham’s borders, on River Road, and is entirely within the municipality. It is managed by the NCDRA Commission, whose seven members are elected councillors from each of the four municipalities—three from Welland, two from Port Colborne, one from Wainfleet, and one from Pelham. Councillor Lisa Haun is Pelham’s representative. Erik Acs, a project manager for the Region, and Greg Ballentine, a project manager for the aviation consulting firm WSP, spoke at commission’s most recent meeting, last week, via Zoom, about an economic impact study and master plan for the airport currently underway, with projected release in April.
COUNCIL
continued from Page 3 ning and Development Barb Wiens had told council that the Town’s demonstration plan from 2011 illustrated one road crossing over the Bauer Trail, raising the spectre of possible litigation from developers by removing it. Stewart, however, disagreed with the idea of going in closed session, saying that “all of this discussion should be in the public realm.” Cribbs, working on a variation of the old legal adage that one who defends himself has a fool for a client, strongly recommended against this. “I do advise you going in closed session to receive some legal advice on this topic,” the CAO said. “I am entitled to give you that. And for whatever reason, if you’re disinclined to do that, I’d like you to go in closed [session] to receive legal advice about the implications of not going in camera to get legal advice when a lawyer advises you to do so.” Despite chuckling at this, Stewart — along with Kore — were the only holdouts against going into closed session. After about 45 minutes, the public meeting resumed, and it became apparent that whatever council heard privately was not enough to sway the majority. Olson attempted to defer the vote until Town staff had a chance to submit a formal report on the matter, but failed to obtain a seconder. Calling the road-cancelling move a “deviation from process,” Mayor Junkin said he wouldn’t support it. “This motion also does not take into accounts the concerns of residents on Stella Street or John Street,” Junkin said, citing concerns from those quarters about construction vehicles accessing the new site through their neighbourhood. Without the Bauer crossings, those vehicles will need to do just that. Council is scheduled to see plans for both subdivisions and hear from developers at its Feb. 16 meeting. The entire area at the south end of the portion of the Bauer Trail in question —along Merritt Road — is likely to look much different a decade from now, and will likely come with its own set of com-
Contacted by the Voice in December 2020, Pelham Regional Councillor Diana Huson recalled past discussions of an upload of Niagara airport costs to the Region (involving both the NCDRA in Fenwick, and Niagara District Airport in Niagara-on-the Lake). She believed that a feasibility study was underway, amidst concerns that the venture might not be profitable, and would create a significant tax burden. “The Region has made significant investments in long term care home construction, transit expansion, infrastructure repairs, and reinvestment,” said Huson. “With the South Niagara wastewater treatment facility proposed for our current budget, and stuck as we are in the middle of a pandemic, I’m not convinced Regional Council will see an airport takeover as being on the list of priorities.” Meanwhile, Pelham Town Councillor Wayne Olson, a retired chartered accountant, has voiced concern about the economic management at NCDRA, and the absence of detailed financial statements and a comprehensive business plan. At last week’s Pelham Town Council meeting, a motion by Olson to discuss the airport’s financial arrangements was deferred to a future date. Olson requested detailed financial statements on the airport’s operation be made available, and Councillor Haun agreed to relay the request
plaints. The Region is currently undertaking an environmental assessment on filling in the missing link of Merritt Road between Rice and Cataract Roads — with the intention of creating a corridor to the 406 interchange rebuilt in 2011. Councillor Lisa Haun asserted that a Regional employee told her that project is estimated to be completed in 2025. Subsequent urbanization and reconstruction of Merritt Road to its terminus at Pelham Street is in the Town’s ten-year forecast. “We anticipate that would take more traffic than there currently is,” Public Works Director Jason Marr said. Either way, Pelham is not shrinking. According to CAO Cribbs, BMA Consulting Group concluded that last year the town broke the 18,000 mark in population. “For the record, we’ve overtaken the City of Port Colborne, which is suffering population decline,” the CAO said.
Budgets approved
Council finally approved its 2021 capital and operating budgets, and the wait appeared to be worth it. The tax hike on property owners this year will be just 1.97 percent, an immense decrease from the recommended 4.59 percent tabled in November. The drop can be attributed to Pelham receiving a second round of COVID-19 funding — to the tune of just under $1.3 million — from upper levels of government. “This is an amazing accomplishment,” Wink said in thanking Town Treasurer Teresa Quinlin and her staff for their work on the budgets. “Kudos to them.” Cribbs said that delaying the final budget approval was indeed the right call. “Council’s decision to delay the passage of the budget was the right one. By doing so we were able to wait for further COVID-19 funding before making final decisions,” Cribbs said in an email to The Voice. “With our strong levy growth we were able to reduce the 2021 tax increase to 1.97 percent, and if it were not for the cost of cannabis litigation, it would be a zero percent tax increase this year.” During the capital (long-term) budget discussion, Ward 3’s Bob Hildebrandt brought up the tenta-
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to the commission. “I have arrived at the belief that the commission has been asked to do the impossible, running an airport on the basis of funding from four small, relatively indifferent, communities,” said Olson, who comes from a family of aviators. He said that the airport has the potential to be a huge cash drain. “The Region predicts $15 million in capital is required between now and 2040, with about $7.5 million over the next three years. Pelham’s share of the capital would be $2.7 million to 2040, with just under $1 million for the first three years. The operating costs including financing would be $840,000 per year, with Pelham’s share being $150,000 per year.” Pelham’s municipal contribution to NCDRA in 2020 was just under $28,000, with the same amount being budgeted for 2021. Welland contributes $86,000 annually, while Port Colborne pays $29,000, and Wainfleet chips in with $11,000. Olson openly questioned the legality of the Niagara Central Airport Commission applying for, and receiving, a COVID-related federal emergency business grant. He asserted that the grant was improper, given his contention that the commission is a government body, which would disqualify it from receiving such funding. Furthermore, according to Olson, the commission has the authority to operate, but not to borrow money from any source. Asked for his opinion, David Siegel, Emeritus Professor of Political Science at Brock University, said that it's a complicated legal issue.
tive plan for a splash pad at Marlene Stewart Streit Park, in Fonthill, and asked about the eventual replacement of the existing swimming pool at the site. The splash pad would require construction of a $200,000 water service line outside of grant money for the actual pad. Quinlin said once the grant money was secured, it could be built anytime between this coming June and 2027. At the same time, the existing 60-year-old swimming pool is marked on the capital budget to be replaced around 2026. Hildebrandt wondered aloud if it was worth considering building a new pool in Fenwick instead. “Is the pool in the right place? To me it seems that Fenwick and Centennial Park … is the only park I really see as expandable,” Hildebrandt said. “I’m not saying [Fonthill is] the wrong location.” Quinlin said that the grant application only covered the replacement of the current pool and that moving it had not been raised before. Either way, both projects remain long-term goals. In addition to approving a new group benefits plan for staff and a reserve for human resources capacity building, council passed a new bylaw regarding delegation of authority among staff, a document Cribbs said will better define roles inside Town Hall. “This is the culmination of ten months of work,” the CAO said, estimating that 27 similar bylaws from around Ontario were studied as a template. “This is as well-drafted and as exhaustively written as any in the province of Ontario,” he said. Olson agreed, calling it a “sleeper.” “I was probably involved in 50 to 100 business ‘turnarounds’ over the years,” Olson told the Voice. “Once we had contained the problems, the first thing we did was to define roles and responsibilities. It never failed to improve the organization.”
Airport delay
Olson moved to defer further discussion on Town funding for and the future of the Niagara Central Dorothy Rungeling Airport, citing ongoing circumstances with COVID-19. At a fiery coucil meeting before the holidays, the Olson had asked for the airport board— which includes Haun as
“Airport commissions are emanations of government, but they're created to be separate from the government apparatus,” said Siegel. “Everything depends on the precise wording of the legislation related to CERB and the airport. This is the sort of thing that keeps judges and lawyers busy.” Unlike Niagara Regional Airport, which is classified as an international airport, NCDRA has “aerodrome” status. Security is provided by cameras, not personnel. There is no control tower. NCDRA has a total annual budget of approximately $340,000, with about 45 percent of this amount contributed by the four sub-municipalities. By comparison, Niagara District Airport, in the northeastern corner of the peninsula, has a budget of about $1.6 million, subsidized by St. Catharines ($245,000 annually), Niagara Falls ($162,000), and Niagara-on-the-Lake ($32,000). The airline FLYGTA offers daily flights to Billy Bishop Airport on Toronto Island, with plans for expansion. There is no commercial passenger service operating from NCDRA. The 416-acre Niagara Central Dorothy Rungeling Airport’s roots date back 80 years. The main hanger is an original structure, erected in the early 1940s, when WWII pilot training was conducted. The field has two paved runways (3500 and 2670 ft.), one 2300 ft. turf runway, and also has seaplane landing access on the Welland River, across River Road. NCDRA can accommodate glider training and parachuting for its user groups, which include the 87 Eagle Squadron Air Cadets, Niagara Skydive Centre, the Canadian
the Town’s liaison — for a balance sheet and other documents regarding the aerodrome. Haun asked Olson for an itemized list of what he was requesting, and clarified that the airport’s financial request from the Town of Pelham remains $27,828 this year.
COVID-19 update
Fire Chief and Chief Bylaw Enforcement Officer Bob Lymburner provided his regular pandemic update, saying that as of Jan. 11 the Town had issued six bylaw charges and ten warnings for different violations. Kore asked Lymburner if the Town had “a strategy with the curfew,” ultimately a moot point after Premier Doug Ford eschewed a provincewide curfew in favour of similar stay-at-home orders to those issued early in the pandemic last spring. Lymburner said that vaccines were set to arrive in Niagara last week, with the Region’s health unit prioritizing long-term care facilities and frontline workers. “It’s going to take some time to get to the general public,” Lymburner said. Cribbs added in his update that the Town has had discussions about the possible secondment of staff to the Region as the crisis continues. “[The Region is] finding itself of additional need and support,” the CAO said. Haun passed along concerns from constituents that with schools on hiatus, some local children were playing near stormwater drainage ponds. “Thank you for bringing that to our attention, we’ll have [warning] signs up tomorrow,” Cribbs said.
Soos calls for state of emergency
Area activist and previous Ward 1 council candidate Steven Soos made a presentation calling for a state of emergency in Niagara over mental health, homelessness and addiction. Soos said that 475 overdoses were recorded in Niagara between last January and June, and estimated there were more than 800 homeless people in the Region. “We will have a real crisis on our hands if we don’t take action today or tomorrow,” he said, asserting that the City of Hamilton —with a population similar to that of the Niagara Region — receives twice
the upper-level funding for applicable social services. When Kore asked Soos for a dollar figure, he was unable to provide it. “I’m not sure on specifics,” he said. Soos said he has seven of 12 Niagara municipalities on board with the idea, and wanted Pelham to be the eighth. “This doesn’t cost the taxpayers any money,” he said. Council sounded generally supportive, and voted to receive the presentation. “It is unfortunate but the pandemic has pushed the opiate addiction problem off to the side,” Junkin said.
Odds and ends
In regards to another concern surrounding the Steve Bauer Trail —the threat to the Carolinian forest vegetation—Olson highlighted a conversation with Mike Jones, of the Pelham Tree Conservation Society. “I’m of the opinion we’ve done very well on our various endeavours,” Olson said, and urged a “high standard” for Pelham in this area. “I think it should be something in the nature of a United Nations qualification as an urban tree city or something of that nature,” the Ward 1 councillor said. Public Works Director Marr told council that staff is in the process of reviewing a first draft of a tree policy, due in late winter or early spring. “The tree canopy is a very important discussion in this town, that’s for sure,” Mayor Junkin added. The meeting began with Junkin forgetting his mask. With the Mayor and Clerk Nancy Bozzato as the only two members attending the virtual meeting from council chambers, Bozzato reminded him to don his face gear before the meeting commenced. Junkin then proceeded to thank Public Works crews for their efforts on Pelham’s White Christmas, a major snowfall that landed overnight Christmas Eve. Cribbs echoed the sentiments. “There were calls, emails and Facebook messages,” the CAO said. “That effort generated a lot of goodwill from the community and of course kept people safe. I join the Mayor in wanting to say thank you on the community’s behalf.”
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The Voice
Owners and Pilots Association (COPA) Flight 149, and the St. Catharines Flying Club. The airport also serves a number of clients requiring inside hangar space, outside tie-downs, and private hangars, including Fonthill’s Accipiter Radar (which has the newest hangar on site). A 2014 economic impact study by consultant Archbold Leclerc and Associates asserted that the NCDRA provided economic activity of approximately $4.5 million per year, far outweighing the annual municipal financial support. The study anticipated growth by 2018 estimated at over $8 million per year. The airport is administered by a seven-member appointed commission, with Welland City Councillor Leo Van Vliet as chair. The airport used to have a full-time general manager, but day-to-day operations are currently being directed by the commission. Van Vliet said that they are considering a part-time manager role. Given competition from proximal airports in Hamilton, NOTL, Buffalo, and Niagara Falls NY, some Niagara politicians think a small aerodrome like Niagara Central can’t achieve profitability. “Yeah, I've heard all of that from the naysayers,” said Van Vliet. “Quite frankly, I haven't got a strong opinion on it. But Niagara has a lot of businesses that need someplace where they can fly their parts and people in...and if we want to make Niagara a primary destination for business and tourism, you pretty much need a nearby airport.” Van Vliet said that many pilots were complaining about the high cost of fuel, and the pumps closing at 5 PM. “In response, we’ve dropped the price, and have installed a new pump with 24hour access as long as you have a credit card.” Jim Morrison is a COPA member and pilot flying out of NCDRA. He said that part of the problem is that local municipal governments funding the airport view it as an expense, not an asset. Morrison also thought that up until now, airport stakeholders like the pilots have had very little input as to matters at the airport. With the recently proposed establishment of a new “advisory panel,” this may change.
Page 13
A January 20, 2021
Knowing that some view the airport as the purview of a small group of privileged pilots, Morrison noted that, “over the years, we have taken numerous charity group children for free flights, and our pilot group has volunteered numerous times to assist other groups who may wish to use the field.” He cited the example of the 2019 Air Race Classic, which involved 180 female aviators completing a five-day race across the United States, which finished at NCDRA. “The ladies spent several days here in Niagara, and local restaurants and hotels benefited.” The unfortunate reality is that Niagara’s two airports have been perennial money-losers, and the political debate has been heated at times over whether the Region should step in to ramp-up development and ignite profitability. In a 2019 St. Catharines Standard article, Niagara Falls Mayor Jim Diodati came out as a cheerleader for a Region takeover, commenting that, “Yes, the airports currently do not make money, but neither do ice arenas, soccer pitches, ball diamonds, or transit buses. We are not in the business of making money. We are in the business of creating services and economic development.” Welland Mayor Frank Campion was also supportive, advocating financial investment by the Region for both airports. "If we get into the airport business, we should do it as one system," he told The Standard. "There is a need to protect these assets. If we lose an airport, we won't be able to assemble the land for a new one. We have to be smart and think 25 years down the road." Lincoln Regional Councillor Rob Foster was opposed to a takeover, saying, "We are $350 million in debt, and will spend $1.3 billion on other transportation in the coming decades. Zero airports in the hands of the Region is the way to go." Similarly, Fort Erie Mayor Wayne Redekop considered an upload of the airports to the Region as “pure politics,” and with competition from bigger and busier airports in Hamilton and Buffalo, added he couldn’t see a business case for pumping millions of dollars into air services in Niagara.
Pelham elevates COVID enforcement Public health and workplace safety measures were ramped up by the Ford government last Tuesday. In response to the COVID-19 crisis and heightened levels of infection, a state of emergency was declared, which will be in effect for at least 28 days. It is the second emergency declaration since the pandemic started in 2020. Restrictions include a limit on outdoor social gatherings to five people, and closure of non-essential retail stores and businesses to walk-in customers. Curbside pickup is allowed at businesses deemed non-essential, while essential stores are limited to 25 percent customer capacity. Ontario Premier Doug Ford has advised, “If you have to ask yourself, ‘Is this trip essential, then it probably isn’t.” Schools are closed in Southern Ontario, and all students will be required to study online. The government’s stayat-home order does permit activities such as trips to the grocery store or pharmacy, medical appointments, outdoor exercise, and work which cannot be done remotely. Face masks are required in all indoor areas of businesses that are open, and are recommended in outdoor spaces where social distancing cannot be maintained. Only essential travel outside the local municipality is allowed, and those returning from outside the province are required to self-isolate for 14
days once back home. Workplaces must continue to conduct daily health screenings of employees, maintain records of the screening results, and make available to government authorities a COVID-19 safety plan. Construction activities and related projects are permitted if they are associated with the healthcare or longterm care sector, or involve transit, transportation, and resource, energy, and justice sectors beyond day-to-day maintenance. The expectation by government and police is that citizens will take the stayat-home order seriously, and that voluntary compliance, which came into effect last Thursday, will be at a high level. Those who choose not to abide by the lockdown will risk prosecution under both the Reopening Ontario Act and the Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act. Under the terms of the emergency declaration, the government has empowered police officers, municipal bylaw officers, and provincial workplace inspectors to issue tickets to those individuals and businesses that do not comply with the restrictions in place. Fines start at $750 for “failing to comply with an order,” but can reach $10,000 and beyond. Although police officers have been instructed to levy fines on pandemic lockdown transgressors, a government
memo cited by the Toronto Star last week indicated that police do not have the authority to randomly stop a vehicle solely to check compliance with stay-at-home measures. Further, drivers are not required to inform officers why they are on the roadway. Should a police officer have “reasonable and probable grounds” to suspect a person is in violation of the emergency measures, they may ask that person to provide personal identification. If the person declines, they can be arrested for obstructing a police officer. Niagara Regional Police spokesperson Jesse Vujasic told The Voice that officers have handed out 61 fines and 58 warnings in Niagara since the COVID-19 pandemic took hold. Pelham Fire Chief Bob Lymburner said that Pelham bylaw officers have thus far not issued any citations to those not in compliance with COVID directives, but that the Region’s enforcement team did 67 inspections in response to complaints across Niagara over the Christmas holidays, which led to ten warning and six tickets being issued. “We don’t anticipate any real issues in Pelham,” said Lymburner. “Most of our communication involves people looking for policy clarification. But bylaw officers will be stepping up patrols in our parks and facilities, and will be issuing tickets if there are clear violations.”
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Page 14
The Voice
A January 20, 2021
www.thevoiceofpelham.ca
COMPLAINT
continued from Page 9 spraying programs into its annual budgets, asserting that this was common practise in many municipalities. The disagreement which prompted the IC complaint stems from the Town of Pelham’s effort to address the gypsy moth plague in 2019 through an aerial spraying program. Feeley first made his displeasure known in April 2020, when he wrote to the Mayor and council proposing that he would pay for the 2019 spraying of his property on the basis of the size of his residential lot, which is a quarter of an acre. Feeley estimated his cost as $95.85, much lower than the $260 he and 294 other residents in the vicinity of Hillcrest Park had been billed. Junkin responded that council was not agreeable to making individual “deals.” “Based on my research, costs to the homeowners were 50 to 60 percent overstated,” said Fee-
BALANCED LIFE
continued from Page 18
Mind you, if the Premier sniffed my water bottle, he might suspect the wine was simply a refill for the winter hydration blend of water and fermented grapes that I concoct to ensure the contents don’t freeze, and that I won’t notice when the feeling seeps from my toes and fingers on winter rides. What if he wasn’t stopping me for breaking the stay-at-home order? Had I broken the law in some other manner? Now I was worried. I knew my flashing tail light was working, and I had a bell on my handlebars, so my bike was legal. Then I remembered the moment he’d passed me. I was cycling one-handed, perhaps wobbling a bit, speaking into my trusty, hand-held audio recording device—unquestionably against the law while in control of a vehicle, two wheels or four. I had known from the moment I left home this cold January afternoon that today’s es-
A full house at the community centre listened to the Town's gypsy moth plans, Oct. 23, 2019. ley. “The Town charged them for considerably more than what was sprayed. They have just simply refused to acknowledge the facts,” said Feeley. A 2020 assessment produced by tree specialist consultants BioForest indicated that Pelham
sential bicycle trip to fetch my wife’s snowshoes would have a story buried in it somewhere, and I didn’t want to miss it. Ever cognizant of my increasingly unreliable memory, I never leave home without my recorder so that I can capture the rare interesting insights or thoughts that might float through my mind—much like Peter Mansbridge must have done during his final years hosting the National. Actually, I knew this even before I left. As I was dressing for the ride, my wife noticed that I’d put my bike shorts on backward. She looked at the thermometer outside, then queried, “You’re going for a long ride today aren’t you?” Had the thermometer been above 5 C, she would have assumed that I’d just gotten my bike shorts on backwards, and wondered to herself what fragile part of my brain or anatomy would be the next to fail, then left it at that. However, since it was nearly zero degrees, she knew I’d reversed the shorts
PREMATURE
continued from Page 7 and John Streets and ultimately onto Pelham Street. The road was planned to have a dedicated bike lane and a walking path to enhance the connectivity across Fonthill and to encourage active transportation. No objection to this proposal was raised during the Master Plan planning process and adoption. Does the new motion mean that an Official Plan amendment is necessary, and does it open grounds for an appeal by the developer, as he could easily argue that he was trying to comply with the Master and Demonstrations plans, only to be frustrated by this motion? Is there even a risk that he could sue for recovery of design costs which he has expended trying to comply with the existing planning documents? ■ The Active Transportation Committee— which concerns itself with transportation safety, walkability and bike ability— apparently has examined the proposal and found it to be reasonable, and apparently liked the connectivity, enhanced bike routes, and walkability. In fact, one of the proposed new roads leads directly
could expect another significant battle with the invasive species that year. The cost for an extensive aerial spray program in the town’s urban and rural areas was estimated at over $1 million, which Town staff indicated would necessitate a tax increase of over
to purposely have more padding at the front for this winter ride of two hours or more; a trick I’d recently adopted to keep the plumbing from freezing, so to speak. Then she asked me why the backpack. I explained that I would use the exercise clause of the stay-athome order, combined with the essential nature of getting her snowshoes so she could carry them in her van along with her flares, florescent warning triangles, jumper cables, emergency solar blanket, spare masks and hand sanitizer in case of an emergency while driving for groceries or to the library, as a means to get out on my bike while following the guidelines. The backpack was to carry her snowshoes on the ride home, and to take the thank
to a public park. ■ A group of vocal objectors to the roads and any modification to the trail want to preserve the tree cover and natural forest surrounding the trail. Examination of the plan shows that less than five percent of the trees are to be removed when building these crossings. In addition, it is my understanding that the developer has agreed to enhance the vegetation along the trail. ■ Limiting the plan to one means of entry and exit will drive traffic from the subdivision thru John and Stella Streets to Pelham Street. This is unsafe from a volume standpoint but also from an accessibility standpoint for emergency vehicles. During construction of Kunda Park, all construction traffic will have to use Stella and John Streets as well as Pelham Street. This would be dangerous, disruptive and not an ideal situation. ■ To put a road across the wetlands as an alternative would damage the wetlands. Certainly the proposed design would be less disruptive to the natural environment than to cross a wetland. ■ Both existing trails have numerous crossings already, and to
six percent ($118 for the average assessed household in Pelham). Council decided that this was too rich for the cash-strapped municipality. At a March 2020 meeting of council—one of the last before council moved to meeting remote-
you wine to the store. She thought for a second, then said, “I hope no one hits you.” I was touched that she’d still worry about my cycling safety after all these years. It was only mid-ride that I realized she may have been more concerned about wasting a good bottle of wine, or damaging her snowshoes again, should I collide with s ome one driving for an equally essential reason. She suggested that I call to see if the store would be open before setting out. What would be the point of that? I was going for a ride anyhow, and if I was certain the store was closed, the essential trip half of my defence would be invalidated. My sigh of relief morphed into a loud, “Yahoo” when the cruiser continued
It was only mid-ride that I realized she may have been more concerned about wasting a good bottle of wine
my knowledge nothing untoward has occurred to walkers or bikers as a result. In fact, if you drive parallel to the Bauer Trail from beginning to end the majority of it is quite urbanized with homes almost right up to it, and large sections with few or no trees. The section from Merritt Road to Port Robinson Road is forested on both sides and this will be preserved and enhanced as a buffer to the trail and homes. I am sure the developer sees access to and enhancement of the trail as an amenity to his plan. The Gerry Berkhout Trail is bordered by farmers’ fields in many areas and as such is not forested—in fact several farmers have crossing over the trail to access their farms. Does this motion put an end to this as well? ■ Councillor Wink alluded to the fact that the densities will likely have to be increased in the Kunda Park development. This is most likely as a result of not being able to consider Forest Park and Kunda Park together to meet the Provincial density targets. Note that I said Provincial density targets— not the Town of Pelham’s. These targets are established by the Province from time to time as they look for ways to stop urban sprawl
DAVE BURKET
down Hollow Road without stopping, and I pedalled on to pick up the snowshoes without worrying about what the MRI might have confirmed. As I stood outside the store’s entrance in my bright neon riding jacket, cold nose running onto the touch screen of my frozen phone, I had to call to tell the woman looking out at me through the entrance door that I was there. Apparently following protocol is non-negotiable. She was not judgmental, though, simply noting that I was the first customer today to arrive on a bicycle, and she then asked how was I going to get the big box of snowshoes home on my bike. I suggested she take them out of the box so I could put them in my backpack, and after a quick call to Honourable P.S. Sarkaria, Associate Minister of Small Business and Red Tape Reduction (look it up – it’s a real Ontario Ministry), she confirmed that de-boxing them was allowed under the new legislation.
and to optimize tax revenues for the municipalities to support infrastructure maintenance and replacement. I am sure that the current residents of Kunda Park will not be pleased to see a greater density with its inherent increase in traffic.
I
ly by Zoom—a $150,000 budget was approved for aerial spraying of 33 hectares of municipal property and 90 hectares of private property in Pelham. An estimated cost of $880 per hectare was provided by Zimmer Air Services, covering an aerial spray area of approximately 125 hectares. BioForest’s report had recommended 1,185 hectares receive aerial spraying for the moths, given the level of risk for significant damage. Feeley referenced a section of the Town’s Code of Conduct dealing with professional ethics and expertise, on which part of his IC submission was based. He said has over 100 emails from Town staff and the Mayor dating back a number of years. “My point is that Town staff made recommendations to council, and provided misinformation,” said Feeley. “Council made its decision based on this faulty information. When I brought it to their attention, the Town didn't do anything. They didn’t correct the situation. They just said, ‘That's the way it is.’”
t appears that this motion was the result of political pressure brought to bear on council by interest groups who appear well organized and very opinionated, but not necessarily well informed. If you examine the developer’s proposal, it appears that the crossings will be beneficial with respect to traffic flow and accessibility for all forms of movement —vehicular, bike, and walking. In addition, it appears that the impact on the trail will be minimal, and that there will be an improvement to the forestation surrounding the trail. Safety for both the exiting Kunda Park residents and for the new residents of the Kunda Park extension and Forest Park subdivision will be enhanced with better traffic movement and easier and assured access for emergency vehicles. In conclusion, I am again disappointed that council has respond-
I tucked as much of the snow shoes into my backpack as I could, headed due south, and took a quick look at my GPS to see what route I would need to take to get in my 50-kilometre training target for the day. The GPS is a Garmin Forerunner 305, which, for those unfamiliar, is the age and technological equivalent of a rotary telephone. It hates the cold and doesn’t understand why we’re not cycling somewhere warm this winter, so it’s pouting, and goes dead with minimum warning. Fortunately this day it’s still functional an hour into the ride, and directs me to Rockway, then west of Fenwick, before going into black-screen hibernation. As I pedal through Fonthill with the snowshoes protruding well beyond the top of my backpack, a friend out for a walk looks my way, and without hint of a smile, asks me, “How far do you think you’ll have to ride to find snow?” Now that sounds like another opportunity coming my way. ◆
ed to public concerns with a knee jerk reaction without fully understanding the long- and shortterm implications of their action. They have not weighed the pros and cons of the proposals, have ignored and disrespected their professional staffs’ recommendations, and have merely reacted to political pressure. Whatever happened to good old negotiation and coming to a compromise. Would one crossing have been sufficient? Councillor Wink referred to Newton’s Third Law of Motion, which states that every action results in an opposite and equal reaction. He is very right about that, as you can see by the discussion here. I reiterate what I have said before and what Mayor Junkin wisely stated in his written statement—council must rise above political posturing, inform themselves about process and the legislation, respect their staff, and must make informed decisions for the betterment of the entire community. I believe this did not happen in this matter. Maybe it’s time for a reconsideration. ◆ Gary Accursi is a former Pelham Town Councillor, and was a candidate for mayor in 2018.
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The Voice
A January 20, 2021
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Bethany Christian Reformed Church www.bethanycrc.ca
First Presbyterian Church 602 Metler Rd., North Pelham
Holy Trinity Anglican Church holytrinityfonthill.org
Pelham Evangelical Friends Church www.pelhamfriends.ca
Concordia Lutheran Church 105 Welland Rd., Fonthill
Fonthill Baptist Church www.fonthillbaptistchurch.ca
Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses 1369 Rice Rd., Fonthill
Ridgeville Bible Chapel ridgevillebiblechapel.com
Fenwick Church of Christ www.fenwickchurchofchrist.ca
Fonthill United Church www.fonthillunited.com
Kirk on the Hill Presbyterian Church 1344 Haist St., Fonthill
St. Alexander Roman Catholic Church www.stalexander.on.ca
Fenwick United Church www.fenwickunited.com
Glad Tidings Church of God www.gladtidingschurchofgod.com
Pelham Community Church (United Church) www.pelham.cc
St. Ann Roman Catholic Church www.stannfenwick.com
FAITH LIFT
continued from Page 19 married Emily’s sister. Alfred and Emily raised two sons, Hallam (named after his close friend) and Lionel. Tennyson lived during the long reign of Queen Victoria, who met him only twice. The first time was in 1862, when Tennyson was 53. The queen wrote in her diary that Tennyson was, "very peculiar looking, tall, dark, with a fine head, long black flowing hair and a beard, oddly dressed, but there is no affectation about him." Lord Tennyson became one of the most popular and best loved British poets and is often quoted. Some of his more famous lines include: 'Tis better to have loved and
lost, than never to have loved at all. Knowledge comes, but Wisdom lingers. Theirs not to reason why, theirs but to do and die. Tennyson died in 1892 at age 83 and was buried (appropriately) in Poets’ Corner in Westminster Abbey.
His New Year poem
Almost 200 years ago, Tennyson penned these words for the new year: Ring out old shapes of foul disease, Ring out the narrowing lust of gold; Ring out the thousand wars of old, Ring in the thousand years of peace. Ring in the valiant man and free, The larger heart, the kindlier hand;
Ring out the darkness of the land, Ring in the Christ that is to be. They sound strangely relevant to our situation today. They were the last two stanzas of an eight-verse poem entitled, “Ring Out, Wild Bells” (1850). Tennyson was looking forward to the day when Christ would replace war with peace, greed with kindness, and darkness with light in our world. Yes, Lord Tennyson still speaks to us today! Rob Weatherby is a retired pastor.
=
SAMARITAN
continued from Page 1 a brief interrogation of Mascoe, and ran his name and address on the computer in his cruiser. Everything checked out. A second police car arrived as a backup, but drove on when it was clear that Mascoe wasn’t bent on burglary. Back home, Mascoe had just taken his coat off when the doorbell rang. An admitted Amazon addict and tech fanatic, he checked the motion-activated camera at his front door. “It was the young policeman again…he wanted to know what I had done with the keys. I told him I put them inside the mailbox where I found them, and had to leave the door ajar because I couldn't lock it,” said Mascoe. A return to the community mailbox followed, where the officer left a note in the compartment with contact information, locked the door, and departed with the keys. Mascoe’s reaction to the chain of events?
“It was kind of fun, actually. Nothing like a little adventure with the police to break up the monotony of isolation.” The story of the missing keys came to a conclusion last Thursday. The same friendly officer who had first confronted Mascoe on the street appeared at his doorstep to inform him that a woman on Concord Street had retrieved her keys from the police station. “The policeman said she wanted to thank me in person, and to drop by anytime for a socially-distanced visit,” said Mascoe. “My wife and I were told her name, which sounds French…so the little Eiffel Tower trinket on her keychain made sense.” Tammy Dekker, Canada Post’s Fonthill Postmaster, told The Voice that the normal protocol in such situations is to simply slide the keys into the outgoing mail slot of the community mailbox. They will be retrieved by a postal worker the next day, and brought to the main branch. “Hopefully, residents are aware that they can simply call us to ask if their keys were turned in,” she said.
www.thevoiceofpelham.ca
continued from Page 6 rience in “normal times," I think about issues like traffic fatalities or incidents of homicide. Over the last decade, in Niagara, we experience about 20 traffic related fatalities and about five deaths related to homicide each year. To put COVID-19 fatalities into that context, it means that the deaths we have seen in just 10 months across the Niagara Region are the equivalent of 10 years of traffic fatalities and more than 40 years of homicide related deaths. Morally and ethically it is the right thing to do Our citizens and our community leaders, rightfully so, would be shocked and outraged if we experienced this level of death as a result of criminal conduct in our community, and we need to take a similar approach to COVID-19 and the actions we collectively take to prevent further death. Not for a moment am I equating the public’s ac-
REGION
continued from Page 5 identified a proposed contribution of $9.072 million towards the project. With this information in mind, Mayor Jordan of Grimsby and Mayor Junkin of Pelham, put forward a motion arguing in favour of dismissing the work of the consultant, the work of Regional staff, the direction of council, and instead arbitrarily award $12.6 million dollars to the WLMHF. After debate, this motion was approved. In recognition of the importance of being accountable and transparent for how we spend public tax dollars, I tried to salvage the work done developing a policy for future hospital funding, which failed. Had the funding policy been approved, the Region would have had the most comprehensive and robust hospital funding policy across Ontario. Instead, council opted to arbitrarily set a funding policy at a maximum of 21 percent. This was probably the
Page 17
A January 20, 2021
tions during the pandemic to criminal conduct. However, not unlike the cause of death in many fatal traffic collisions, the deaths we are experiencing from the pandemic are often tied to human error— to the decisions we make, and our inattentiveness to ensuring safety remains a priority. Leadership is about having the courage to take a stand, to do the right thing and to be an example to others. Staying home during the provincial lockdown is not just the right thing to do because if you don’t you will be punished, but because morally and ethically it is the right thing to do. To the citizens who call Niagara home, I am calling on each and every single one of you to be a leader. Stay home —lives depend on it. Chief of Police Bryan MacCulloch M.O.M., BA., MA.
X
CHICKEN ON WHEELS Fonthill Lions Don McGovern and Pat O'Hara put the packaging touches on two of the 180 chicken dinners the club served during its drive-though fundraiser last Sunday—all pre-booked and sold out a week ahead of time. RIC GRETSINGER
most disappointing council meeting I have ever attended. As Pelham’s Regional representative, I take my position very seriously. I am charged with the public’s trust. I have a responsibility to ensure your tax dollars are spent responsibly and efficiently, not just for Pelham but for the entire Region. I am also responsible to act in the best interests of the corporation, to ensure that at this table I wear a “Regional hat” and hopefully leave the organization in a better place (financially, operationally, culturally, et al.) than when I first took my seat. That is my duty as a public official and that is the duty of all of Regional council members. There were very few Regional hats voting on that day. There could have been some councillors who felt in principle that 21 percent was a valid number. However, I would argue that most acted in the interest of their respective municipality knowing that it would set a precedent to access future Regional dollars. Not surprisingly, most of West Ni-
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agara voted in favour, of despite championing the need for a funding policy early on. Niagara Falls will bring a hospital funding request in the near future so more money for this hospital means even more money for that project (which means a Regional contribution could be in excess of $54 million dollars). Similarly, Welland could be asking for funding as well, which may also involve a financial ask for the Town of Pelham. In reflection, I can live with the decision to award WLMHF $12.6 million dollars. I am one vote. Council is a collective. If $12.6 million is the will of council than I accept that. However, I take issue with two very important points here. One, local municipalities shouldn’t be required to fund hospitals in the first place. Hospital funding is
a provincial responsibility and yet the Province requires local funding of 10 percent of the construction costs in addition to covering the cost of equipment. The Province has broad taxation power such as sales tax, income tax, etc. The cost of a hospital spread across a population of 14.57 million people is minimal, potentially a few dollars or cents here and there. Municipalities have one revenue source— i.e. your property tax bill. To fund a hospital through property taxes is expensive and costly to a much smaller tax base. For those of us in Pelham, the hospital funding will be part of your Regional share of the property tax bill. For those in Lincoln, West Lincoln or Grimsby, it will form part of both your local and Regional property tax contribution. At best this is Provin-
cial downloading. You could also argue this is a form of pay-for-access healthcare. If a local municipality can’t come up with 10 percent construction costs or funding for hospital equipment, does that mean they can’t have access to a local hospital or an X-ray machine? It’s ridiculous. The Province should pay for that which it is responsible for. Secondly, there was a real opportunity here to leave the organization with clear direction on a funding formula, to leave the organization better off than when we got here, and to ensure the funds were spent responsibly. The consultant we hired cost public money. The time staff put in to work with the consultant also cost public money. With the action taken by council at this budget meeting, that money was figuratively flushed down
the toilet. I find this completely reprehensible and insulting. I know how hard the people of Pelham work to earn a living. If we’re asking for tax dollars it should be because every dollar is needed. This was a waste of everyone’s time and money to land on an outcome that appears to have been predetermined. It’s not often that I am critical of a council decision, but when something like this occurs, I feel it needs to be brought to the attention of the public. I hope this council takes much greater responsibility over their use of public funds in the future and will continue to fight on behalf of responsible spending for our residents. And I urge the Province to reconsider downloading the cost of hospitals onto municipalities when it falls entirely within their mandate. ◆
HAPPY 100th BIRTHDAY Howard C. Daw
T
he family of Howard C. Daw wish him a Happy birthday on January 22, 2021. Howard, a lifelong resident of Fenwick, was born in Thornloe, Ontario. The Daw famGreat ideas ily willrelocated be served.to Fenwick after the Great Fire of 1921 swept through Friday May 1st at 12:00pm the area, destroying their home, business and almost all their belongings. Howard was well known in the local community, This seminar is being presented running several businesses in plumbing, heating and as a webinar. construction, before building Westbrook Golf Club (now Waterpark) and eventually Steeplechase Par 3 in Fenwick. He and his wife, Helen (Swick) retired on the Steeplechase property before her death in 1979. Howard eventually remarried and he and his wife, Barbara, lived on their beloved property for many years. They now live independently, in Welland, and he has survived the pandemic in good health and with good cheer. Many happy returns! From Barbara, son Jeff (Dorine) and daughter Jill, stepchildren, Darlene (Terry), Carol (Jeff) and Paul (Liz), and all of his grandchildren and great grandchildren.
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Page 18
The Voice
A January 20, 2021
www.thevoiceofpelham.ca
THE BALANCED LIFE by John Swart
Cycling misadventure with the Premier—almost
I
nto everyone’s life comes a time when they have the opportunity to engage in the asinine, to do something that makes no sense for no good reason. An abundance of such opportunities seem to come my way, and I pounce on these chances, whether wittingly or unwittingly, eager to experience whatever consequences may result. I was on my bicycle last Thursday, day one of our province-wide stay-athome order, pedaling along cold and deserted Hollow Road, when a police cruiser, lights ablaze, swept past me. I just knew the officer was
after me, and every possible outcome raced through my mind. I had visions of the cruiser slamming on the brakes in my path, then Officer Doug Ford, a self-described 800-pound gorilla intent on disemboweling violators of his COVID orders with the wrath of an alpha-male silverback, would emerge from the cruiser. Hot breath rising from beneath his mask hitting the cold winter air would immediately fog up his wire-rimmed aviator glasses, enraging him further. As he approached, I would see his flushed cheeks quiver, struggling with how to confront me. Would he maintain his
composure and employ his patented folksy greeting? “Come’on buddy, what were you thinking?” Or maybe, “You must be one of those yahoos whose cheese has slipped off the cracker.” Would his weeks of frustration take control? Would he throw me into the back seat of the cruiser, then deliver me straight to the hospital? I could almost hear him screaming, “I’m sending you for an MRI to get your brain scanned because I don't think there is anything in there." I was ready. I had pored over the exact wording of the Order, foraging for those buried phrases that would allow me to conform to both the spirit and legalese of his 28-day decree, yet ride my bike, alone and socially responsibly through this sleepy corner of Pelham. It
How far do you think you'll have to go to find snow? was clear. Outdoor exercise was allowed, as was essential travel. That would be the nutshell of my defense. “Listen Doug,” I’d say, as I slid my mask with the Progressive Conservative logo over my nose and mouth, playing my trump card immediately without hesitation. “I’m a senior citizen, getting my exercise to stay healthy as best I can, riding in one of your rural Ontario communities
that’s struggling with hospital capacity and a lack of vaccines.” I had blurted this fine defense before he was even able to get his lectern from the trunk of the cruiser, or his squad of ministers in position behind him. I knew I had the upper hand. I continued, “This isn’t just exercise, it’s an essential trip too. I’m going to pick up supplies to get me safely through the winter and your Ontario-wide
JOHN SWART
state of emergency. If he searched my backpack the proof was there. It contained a bottle of fine Australian red wine (why hadn’t I chosen an Ontario chardonnay for this ride?), gift-wrapped for the owner of the outdoor store in St Catharines that had just called to say my wife’s snowshoes were repaired and I could pick them up, curbside of course. See BALANCED LIFE Page 14
V oice HOROSCOPE ARIES – Mar 21/Apr 20 Aries, you will get great satisfaction from various activities this week. Therefore, fill your schedule with plenty of things. Take initiative and invite friends along for an adventure. TAURUS – Apr 21/May 21 Take care of yourself this week, Taurus. Practicing self-care may mean booking a spa treatment or simply catching up on a little rest and recuperation. GEMINI – May 22/Jun 21 A few different scenarios may play out in the days to come. They may be greatly influenced by how you interact with other people, Gemini. You are the catalyst for action. CANCER – Jun 22/Jul 22 Cancer be careful with the way you behave and present yourself this week. You just don’t know who may be watching what you do. Keep a low profile. LEO – Jul 23/Aug 23 Receiving mixed messages, Leo? Enlist a trusted advisor to help you sort through the hazy level of communication that is coming your way. Another perspective is handy. VIRGO – Aug 24/Sept 22 Virgo, this week the stars may be playing tricks on you. You may stumble though a few things, but it won’t take long to get back on the right path. LIBRA – Sept 23/Oct 23 Libra, as soon as things get serious this week, you may be ready to make a fast exit. It’s better if you stick around and lend your opinion to the situation at hand. SCORPIO – Oct 24/Nov 22 A lot of unknown factors have
been slowing you down over the last few weeks, Scorpio. Now that you are no longer impeded, you can put a plan in motion. SAGITTARIUS – Nov 23/Dec 21 You may get caught up in some conflicts that you’re either not ready for or have no interest to deal with, Sagittarius. Take it all in quietly for now. CAPRICORN – Dec 22/Jan 20 Don’t try to rationalize the feelings that are moving through you this week, Capricorn. There is no right or wrong way to feel. Acknowledge the emotions as they come. AQUARIUS – Jan 21/Feb 18 Aquarius, do not hide your feelings in a particularly moving situation. Others will empathize with you and appreciate your emotional honesty. PISCES – Feb 19/Mar 20 This week you may want to get away from it all to have a different perspective on your life, Pisces. You may travel even further than first imagined. FAMOUS BIRTHDAYS JANUARY 17 Jim Carrey, Actor (59) JANUARY 19 Dolly Parton, Singer (75) JANUARY 20 Rainn Wilson, Actor (55) JANUARY 21 Geena Davis, Actress (65) JANUARY 22 Steve Perry, Singer (72) JANUARY 23 Doutzen Kroes, Model (36)
SOLUTIONS DOWN 1. SPCC 2. RIAL 3. BLUE 4. MASA 5. HAGAR 6. ECOTYPE 7. RENEWAL 8. CHAPEL 9. SAFARI 10. CLADE 11. HERS 13. FEVERISHLY 17. SEVEN 24. ERG 25. HUMANITIES 26. CAB 27. AMA 28. TBA 29. ELL 35. JAG 36. UTA 37. GOD 38. ARE 40. RAVAGED 41. SLAVERY 42. SBE 43. ERNES 44. SOAKED 45. ALBANY 47. PRATO 48. LEMAN 49. CHAT 52. GEES 53. HSIA 54. TANK 55. HWEI
CROSSWORD ANSWERS
SOLUTIONS ACROSS 1. SRBM 5. HER 8. CSCH 12. PILAF 14. ACE 15. HALE 16. CAUSES 18. GON 19. AFAR 20. CLEAVE 21. ATE 22. PADS 23. EVERYWHERE 26. CATERER 30. PAULI 31. AMBLING 32. ELM 33. BAALS 34. AJUGA 39. HRS 42. SENATOR 44. SALAL 46. BRIGADE 47. POLYVALENT 49. CRAB 50. AVE 51. EIGHTH 56. HAKA 57. GEM 58. SEESAW 59. ATEN 60. ERA 61. SEINE 62. TODY 63. DYN 64. SAKI
Enjoy our Take-out Fish & Chips Fridays! From our family to yours...stay safe
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The Voice
Page 19
A January 20, 2021
FAITH LIFT
by Pastor Rob Weatherby
Lord Tennyson speaks today
M
ost people have heard of Alfred, Lord Tennyson but few know much about him (and that included me). When my daughter sent me an intriguing snippet of his poetry, I decided to dig a little deeper into this famous man’s life. This is what I discovered.
His early years
Alfred was born into a large family in England in 1809. His father and grandfather were both ministers. Tennyson and two older brothers were already writing poetry as teenagers. A collection of their poems was published locally when Alfred was only 17. He also excelled at writing short lyrics but his dramas were not very successful. His father, George, valued education and made sure his children were all well trained. Tennyson was educated at Trinity College in Cambridge but he never finished his degree. His father had died and he decided (at age 22) to return home to care for his mother and her estate. Tennyson had a very sensitive nature as many literary geniuses do. Some criticized his work as too sentimental. In his early years, one of his works was severely criticized. He kept writing but didn’t publish again for ten years. He struggled with depression throughout his life. T. S. Eliot once described Tennyson as "the saddest of all English poets."
His breakthrough year
The year 1850 was a breakthrough year for Tennyson (now age 41). The publishing of his masterpiece, In Memoriam A.H.H., represented the pinnacle of his career. This collection of poems was dedicated to Ar-
thur Hallam, a close friend, fellow poet and his sister’s fiance. Hallam had died suddenly while on vacation in Vienna at age 22. This sad event inspired Tennyson to do his best work. That same year, Tennyson was appointed England’s “Poet Laureate” (succeeding William Wordsworth). He served in this honored role for 42 years until his death (longer than any other laureate). Last (but hopefully not least) Tennyson married his childhood sweetheart, Emily Sellwood, in 1850 as well. His older brother had
Alfred, Lord Tennyson, painted by P. Krämer, 19th century.
See FAITH LIFT Page 16
WIKIMEDIA
Here’s How It Works: Sudoku puzzles are formatted as a 9x9 grid, broken down into nine 3x3 boxes. To solve a sudoku, the numbers 1 through 9 must fill each row, column and box. Each number can appear only once in each row, column and box. You can figure out the order in which the numbers will appear by using the numeric clues already provided in the boxes. The more numbers you name, the easier it gets to solve the puzzle!
Word Search: Wintertime
Find the words hidden vertically, horizontally, diagonally, and backwards. BOARD BUNDLED CHILLY COAT DOWNHILL DRIFT
FLUFFY FLURRIES FROSTBITE FROSTY GUSTS HOCKEY
ICE MITTENS SCARF SHOVEL SKATING SKIING
SLED SNOW TUBE WARMTH WINTER WONDERLAND
ANSWERS ON PAGE 18
Voice
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Page 20
The Voice
Voice
RECIPE OF THE WEEK
4 Dolmades
The start of the new year often begins with resolutions made to fix bad habits and/or adopt new, healthier ones. Resolutions designed around healthy eating are popular. The Mediterranean Diet has long been touted as an informed and balanced way of eating. While not actually a diet, it is an approach to eating that includes foods indigenous to the Mediterranean region. It is marked by large portions of fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, legumes, olive oil, as well as fish and other seafood. Poultry, eggs and cheeses are enjoyed in moderation, and fattier meats and sweet are allowed but should be limited. The guidelines also include plenty of water and a moderate amount of wine. A transition to the Mediterranean diet doesn’t need to involve drastic changes. In fact, one can start slowly with a tasty side dish or appetizer. This recipe for “Dolmades” from “The Mediterranean Diet Cookbook” (Rockridge Press) by the editors of Rockridge University Press is a popular dish in Greece. Dolmades Makes 20 1 3 2 3⁄4 1⁄4 1⁄4 2⁄3 4 1 1 20
tablespoon olive oil shallots, chopped cloves garlic, minced cup short-grain rice cup gold raisins cup pine nuts, toasted Juice of 1 lemon Sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste cup water green onions, chopped small bunch mint leaves, finely chopped small bunch flat-leaf parsley, chopped preserved grape leaves (Krinos brand available)
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the shallots and garlic, and sauté for 5 minutes. Add the rice, golden raisins, pine nuts, and lemon juice. Season with sea salt and freshly ground pepper. Add 2⁄3 cup water, bring to a boil, and cover. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Turn off heat and allow rice to cool. Add the green onions and herbs to the rice filling and mix well. Rinse the grape leaves in water and stuff each leaf with about 1 tablespoon of the filling. Roll tightly and place each in a steamer, seam side down. Steam for about 10 minutes, until leaves are tender. Serve warm.
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A January 20, 2021
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COLUMN SIX
continued from Page 1 After the performance, the cold outside quickly brought us down from our musical high. People were streaming every which way to find their cars. John said he would get the van because of the drizzle and my wonky knee, but I insisted on going with him, not wanting him to get lost. Besides, walking in the dark with your loving hubby is good stuff. And, yes, he had memorized where he had left the van. “Two blocks left on the circle and turn right. The van is parked a few houses down.” We walked there, but no van. “Must be three streets down then.” No van. “One more street over?” No van. Soon we were back where we started—we thought! Were the two sides of the school mirror images of each other? Did we see the little striped brick outbuilding before, or are there two of them? “Let's go around once more and try to keep track of street names. Too bad our umbrellas and maps are in the car,” I said wearily. The streets were by now empty of concertgoers and their cars. They were empty of everybody and everything, except for the darkness and drizzle: forbidding, sinister and cold. The snuggly, romantic feeling had dried up. “The van must be here. How could we miss it?” John groaned. We frantically checked out a beige van with a crumpled bumper parked in a driveway—maybe some teenagers had taken our van for a joyride and left it there. No, not ours. The covered car on the side street—too small. The van without the Dodge star on the hood —maybe it had been knocked off. No, not ours. An inner prayer,
Epworth Circle and surroundings, Niagara Falls. Feeling dizzy yet? “Oh God, please, please let us find the van!” “I feel like we are just going in circles,” John said. “Of course you do. We are! Let's go around the outer circular road, just in case you forgot a corner.” I felt a little righteous even though I was assigning a bit of blame. Around once. And around twice. An hour and a half of walking and peering down side streets left us cold, sore, wet, hurting, and discouraged. It was almost midnight. We had to face reality—the van must be stolen. Wearily, we trudged to the main road and an all-night Blockbuster Video store, where we phoned the police. We also asked to use a washroom. “No!” So we had another walk down deserted streets to find an all-night donut shop with an available restroom and then back to the video store to await the police. After a friendly policeman fruitlessly drove us
around the area, he said, “Too bad. Someone stole it. Minivans and Hondas vanish swiftly. If thieves used your van for a smash-andgrab, just hope you don't see it again, as it will be wrecked. Not a nice Christmas present. Nice to meet you folks, but too bad it had to be this way.” “Just one of the perks for parents of a policeman,” another officer explained, as he gave us a courtesy drive home to Fenwick. There we mourned our plundered van and fell miserably into bed. The next day we'd begin looking for a replacement. We missed our van already. Our prayer changed to one for acceptance and patience. A phone call jarred us awake at five a.m. The police had found the van! Undamaged! By six-thirty, bleary eyed from lack of sleep, we were in The Falls, with a map, locating the street the policeman named. And there was our van: undamaged
GOOGLE EARTH
and waiting patiently for us. I wanted to give it a big hug. It had stayed in its place and it was innocent. John was the guilty one. He had been disoriented by the turn-around he had made when he entered the first one-way-circle—the wrong way. He did go two blocks down and around the corner, just as he said, but went two blocks up a spoke, not around the circle. In doing so, he ended up on a one-block-long tiny, hidden, alley-like street that even the policeman hadn't found when he drove us around. “See,” said John, “I wasn't wrong when I said two blocks and around the corner.” And they say women have to have the last word. So what did we get out of the evening? A great concert with an unexpected adventure; our van back, albeit with a parking ticket; and both our prayers answered. A great Christmas present! ◆
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