Beaucoup d'enthousiasme at A. K. Wigg page 3 Where did all the nog go page 8 Council speaks page 15 EXCEEDING EXPECTATIONS
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New council makes priorities clear Votes to stop or delay some $700K in expenditures BY JENNIFER CHORNLEY
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The first full meeting of Pelham's newly elected council was also its last for 2018. About 30 onlookers were in the gallery as the meeting was called to order on December 17. Two delegations were on the agenda with Trevor Ferguson representing Deloitte on their 2018 Audit Service Plan to council, while Chair of the Pelham Community Preservation Coalition Jim Jeffs, presented to council to opt out of allowing retail cannabis stores to operate within the town.
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Column Six Georgian Bay kayaking adventure to remember BY JOHN SWART
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Just say no
Chair of the Pelham Community Preservation Coalition, Jim Jeffs, made a presentation to council for the Town to opt-out of permitting cannabis retail stores within its boundaries. Jeffs posed the question, “What will Pelham look like in the future?” He said that over the past 50 years, “Pelham has grown from a small village with not even a single traffic light to a large bedroom and retirement community.” “I remember when Fonthill Nurseries owned well over 100 acres of along the west side of South Pelham Street and the downtown consisted of just a few stores, and immediately
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Posing for their official portrait are, from left, Councillors Bob Hildebrand, Lisa Haun, John Wink, Mayor Marvin Junkin, Councillors Ron Kore, Marianne Stewart, and Mike Ciolfi. SUPPLIED PHOTO behind those stores was an open field.” With that, he acknowledged that, “time does not stand still and the population continues to grow.” “The choices you make will determine [the future of Pelham],” Jeffs said. Opting out of having cannabis retail stores in Pelham or to allow them with no restrictions as to number or location is the “choice” Town Council has to face. He asserted that while the previous Council chose to
classify cannabis production as agricultural use of land, other municipalities deemed it as industrial. “The result [in Pelham] was cannabis production facilities taking over greenhouses that used to grow vegetables and orchards that used to grow.” Jeffs also asserted that since Colorado legalized marijuana in 2014, crime rates have been “rising, outstripping the national trend. Violent crime went up 12.5 percent from 2013
to 2016, while the national average was less than five percent.” In addition, car accident claims increased and the number of teens sent to emergency rooms “more than quadrupled.” “Is this what we want for the future of Pelham?” he asked. With the licensing of cannabis retail stores the responsibility of the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario, as of November 29 all relevant licensing and
application requirements were unknown. With these requirements, Jeffs added only some were published, including outlets must be at least 150 meters away from a school’s property line and there must be a notice posted on the proposed retail store’s location for 15 days. Jeffs expressed concern that the minimal distance is not very much, as it’s equivalent to the same dis-
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HE BEST THING about the torrential rain that drenched us mercilessly before we set up the tent was that it drowned the mosquitoes. Guessing that peaty soil and moss can hold 14 times their weight in water, we parked the four-wheeldrive truck where the tent was supposed to go, then pitched our tent on the gravel driveway of the marina. Tomorrow we’d begin our five- day, self-supported kayak trip down the French River and across Georgian Bay to the glacier-scoured granite of the Bustard Islands. Self-supported means that every single thing needed for five days goes into or on top of a little yellow fiberglass or plastic sliver of a boat that floats 30 centimeters above the water before you start loading it. Add tent, sleeping bag, chair, food, stove, dishes, clothing for every possible weather, toiletries, water purifier, air mattress, sandals, tetra-packed wine, See COLUMN SIX back page
Page 2
The Voice of Pelham, January 2 2019
THE VOICE POLL RETAIL CANNABIS SALES IN PELHAM
PUBLISHER’S CORNER by Dave Burket
Reflections on the year past, the year ahead
W
HEN HE WA S in his mid-80s, the legendary comedian George Burns appeared on the Tonight Show and reminisced about his career. Burns looked at Johnny Carson and, waving his trademark cigar, offered him some sage advice. “Johnny, in life, sincerity is everything.” He paused. “If you can fake that, you’ve got it made.” It’s an old joke—older that Burns—and I’m reminded of it as we begin a new year, leaving 2018 and its various local political dramas behind. Actually, that’s a small fib. I’ve been reminded of that line for the past two years. Watching Pelham politics over this period was like watching bad actors who thought that Burns was serious. On occasion the oleaginous falsity ran so freely that if you'd been able to bottle it you would have had a lifetime’s supply of cooking oil. Mm, taste the grandiosity! Granted, it’s not only early days but early minutes in the new Town Hall regime, but those attitudes seem to be literally a thing of the past, and may they permanently remain so. One minor but encouraging sign is the probable demise of the conspicuously consumptive “Mayor’s Gala.” It was a branding effort masquerading as a fund raiser. There
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are other, more inclusive ways to do charitable works. “And it’s not going to cost someone $200 to attend,” says Mayor Junkin, who says he’s considering various alternatives. In this issue we report extensively on the new council’s first full meeting, and councillors’ own comments as requested by the paper. (On countless occasions since 2016, we requested comment from all of council on any number of matters. Rarely one or two councillors would reply; the rest of the time none of them would.) Each new councillor brings his or her particular abilities to the table, and they will need all the talent they can manage in order to confront the challenges ahead. They certainly started with a bang—and made it clear who's in charge. (Don’t expect to see items tacked on to a council agenda again, mere hours before a meeting is scheduled to start.) Among other immediate issues is what to do with the old arena on Haist Street. No one is talking officially, but usually reliable sources say that what was a done deal has come undone. If so, this puts the new council—many of whose members campaigned on a promise to revisit any such sale—in a bit of a pickle. On one hand, the rumoured $3 million dollar sale price would have put some badly needed cash into
Voice on vacation!
The Town of Pelham is currently soliciting resident opinion on the topic of retail cannabis sales in Pelham. Some have criticized the Town's online survey as appearing to favour the approval of retail sales within the municipality. This week the Voice Poll simply asks: Should cannabis retailing be permitted in Pelham?
Take the poll: www.thevoiceofpelham.ca/cannabis-poll the Town treasury. On the other, does anyone seriously want to see more development at this point, let alone condos and townhouses? Special acknowledgment is due to those who kindly brought us gifts over the holidays: The Sportels, Melissa Stewart, Rosemary and her perfect butter tarts (seriously, perfect), and others who prefer not to be named. Thank you all. As has become a tradition, I spent our week off digging out from under the year that accumulated since the previous Christmas. Among other things, I purged the nearly 31,000 emails that accrued since December 2017. Gmail hoards them by default. Of those, roughly 23,000 were incoming, which works out to an average of 63 per day. I know. It’s nuts. We’re a tiny rural weekly, not the Globe & Mail. And that’s just one email address. I didn’t get to the general office email yet! As you’ll see above, the Voice Poll is back, at least for this week. The Town is running its own survey now on resident attitudes toward permitting retail cannabis sales in Pelham. We’ve heard from several people that they perceive a bias in the survey, a bias favouring permitting such
sales. I agree. The questions and presentation are either clumsily or deliberately worded such that a reasonable person might conclude that the Town seeks agreement with an intention already in place. Now, I say this as someone who does, in fact, personally support the retail sale of cannabis. If it’s legal, it’s legal. Making it next to impossible to buy something legally means that illegal sellers will continue to thrive, which means the black market will continue to thrive. However, I don’t bloody like being guided down a survey path to a gently coerced agreement. So tell us what you think. Take our directly worded poll. Results in next week’s issue—in time for council to consider them. A retired airline captain with 20-20 eyesight wrote in last week. He had seen the photographer credit in the photo we ran of the incredibly decorated Christmas house on Haist Street near Welland Road. The photo was credited to “Bob Loblaw.” “Before every flight at Air Canada,” wrote the captain, “the flight attendant gives a welcome-aboard spiel with flight information. It includes names of the captain
and the first officer. On occasion I would write ‘Bob Loblaw’ as the captain and wait for the fun. Since most didn't look at the info sheet till they were on the PA system it became extremely humorous to hear them announce ‘Captain Blah Blah Blah.’ Worked every time.” Speaking of youthful (or young at heart) hijinks, our reporter-turned-grad-student Sam Piccolo is back in town, visiting family while on winter break from his studies at Notre Dame University. I managed to talk him into writing a couple of stories, which will appear in next week’s issue. Sam says that the other foreign students accuse him of being a fake foreigner, since as a Canadian he’s not subject to certain restrictions that they are. “I’ve developed my southern accent,” he says. “If I throw in some ‘ya’lls’ no one knows where I’m from.” And so the new year begins. MPP Sam Oosterhoff invites you to his annual levee (ad on page 11); the Kinsmen invite your nomination for 2018’s Citizen of the Year (page 4); and we invite you to share your stories with us—either by letter, or in a commentary, or in a Column Six. Happy 2019. ♦
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Oops: No fire trucks for you Haist Street traffic-calming measure a little too effective BY VOICE STAFF A construction error was discovered following the
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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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. Raymond D. RIVARD, 45, Niagara Falls Jamie M.CARBONELL, 41, Buffalo NY Paul C. COUPLAND, 61, Pelham Madan K. GNAWALI, 37, Niagara Falls Barry C. CROWTHERS, 32, Thorold Lindsay E. LARONDE, 34, St. Catharines Andrew J. MCLEOD, 35, Niagara Falls Adnan K. PIRBHAI, 39, St. Catharines
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Apple Day comes to Fonthill Longtime Scouting tradition dates to 1932 BY VOICE STAFF While shopping in Fonthill between Friday and Sunday, keep an eye out for Beavers, Cubs and Scouts
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The Voice of Pelham, January 2 2019
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French teacher reviving theatrical arts at A. K. Wigg Spring production to involve 130 students BY JENNIFER CHORNLEY
The VOICE
This year Michel Arseneau entered his 21st year of teaching, now as A. K. Wigg Public School’s newest staff member. The Welland-born educator brings a francophone background and experience in theatrical productions to the elementary school. As Arseneau is descended from a francophone background, he says teaching French to students at the elementary level helps “convey that importance to the kids, especially living here in Canada and that we are part of the more than 200 million francophones in the world.” “I think it's an appreciation for another language is also for other cultures, not only here in Canada but around the world.” Looking towards the future and as the students continue to grow and learn, Arseneau hopes that “they see it as something that's useful for them, especially in their future careers.” Being able to speak a second language opens up new doors, he says. While Arseneau’s focus is teaching French, his second love is “anything to do with the arts.” In the past, when Arseneau was able to have his own homeroom, he was able teach his own art, drama and music. “I don't have any music skills to share with the kids as I have been described by a friend as being tone-deaf, however I do have the drama skills.” “I absolutely love creating and giving the kids the tools to create,” Arseneau said. “The expressive arts are my favorite thing to do at school. I teach French, of course, because it’s what I have to do, but the arts are something I really love.” For the past 15 years, Arseneau has has orchestrated numerous theatrical pro-
French teacher and Willy Wonka Junior director Michael Arseneau.
ductions including musicals and Shakespeare. Productions have included Beauty and the Beast, Romeo and Juliet, The Wizard of Oz, Willy Wonka Junior, and The Sound of Music. The inspiration to continue producing shows such as these began when he was teaching at a school in the Durham Board, where he taught for eight years. He assisted a fellow teacher, who also got him into doing community theatre productions. After the teacher moved, Arseneau took over the responsibilities of doing a yearly performance. After a few years, Arseneau returned to Niagara, bringing his love for the arts to Orchard Park Public School in Niagara Falls, where he taught from 2006 to June of this year. This year, Arseneau is coordinating the production of
Willy Wonka Junior, which will be his second time doing sp. Arseneau explained this is a junior version of the Broadway play, which has been condensed to about an hour and 10 minutes with no intermission. “The songs’ vocal ranges have been brought down to the average level of an elementary school kid’s voice,” he said. “The songs and scenes have been shortened, but otherwise, it’s essentially the same.” This year’s performance will involve 130 students ranging from Grades 4 to 8, which is the “biggest cast and crew I've ever had. My next largest was 97 at my school last year, and I thought 97 kids was a big group.” With the amount of interest expressed by the students, Arseneau said, “I have
just been amazed by the kids here and their willingness to join in [especially since] I'm brand new.” Wanting to bring the performing arts scene back to A. K. Wigg, he “started poking around” and I was able to find support from the staff, school council, administration, and the students. Fellow teachers Elizabeth Abraham (music director), Lisa Fuccili (costumes), Bronwen Cunningham, Sarah Breadner (choreography), Jaime Young (back stage manager) and Marci Tennier (lights and sound) are assisting with the production. Choosing a production to do this year was “crazy. We were going to do a few others but they didn't work out for different reasons,” Arseneau said. “I love Willy Wonka. I think it's good fun.” When choosing the production he was also working
to find ways to bring in male students for a variety of fun roles. Producing a show such as Willy Wonka Junior “is a great community builder. It's a collaborative process where it's coming together kids with all sorts of different skills and interests, kids can join in by singing, helping with lights and sound, acting and set design,” he said. Arseneau said that the arts allow students to build on existing collaboration, co-operation, confidence and leadership skills. “With so many extracurricular activities already, this is a wonderful school to be a student.” “I am just ecstatic that I can do it this year, because when I moved schools, you don't know what you're exactly what you're coming to. I'm thrilled to be able to
Honours for Air Cadets BY JENNIFER CHORNLEY
The VOICE
The 613 Welland and Lincoln Air Cadets Regiment in its 40th year, and so is the Philip C. Gainham Memorial Award Trophy. The honour was bestowed upon the Corps Unit Wednesday, November 28, at its weekly meeting and training session. Captain Leo Giovenazzo, Commanding Officer of the Regiment, said to receive an award with both recipient and contributor celebrating the milestone anniversary was “pretty exciting.” The Philip C. Gainham Memorial Award trophy was first awarded to the Royal Canadian Sea Cadets of the Renown in Port Colborne on October 14, 1978.
The trophy is presented by the Green and Gainham family yearly to the Sea, Army or Air Cadets unit in the Niagara Region that has shown the most improvement in training for the year. The award was established by longtime Niagara residents Jim and Charlene Green, in honour of Charlene’s son, Philip Charles Gainham. This year, Gainham’s nephew Philip presented the award to the unit. He explained that his uncle joined the Royal Canadian Navy after aging out from the Air Cadets Division. “While he was out at sea, he became very sick and they weren't sure what it was” said
Captain Leo Giovenazzo and Chief Warrant Officer Owen Lachapelle accept the trophy from Philip Gainham on behalf of the Unit. VOICE PHOTO Philip. “Since this was back in the ‘70s and they found out he had a rare form of cancer, there was nothing they coulc do about
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it at the time and he did pass away.” “Because the Cadets were always important to him, my
continue directing. It's one of my favorite things to do and if I couldn't do that here at school something big would be missing for myself.” As Arseneau also enjoys performing in community theatre he had wondered if he would find it equally as fulfilling to direct, “and yes, it is.” “I get to see how these kids rise to being the star of the show, confident and becoming leaders and just to develop as a person. It's really great. I love it,” he said. Reflecting upon his career so far and what he enjoys about teaching, Arseneau said, “I love working with the kids. You could be coming to school in the morning and have a bad morning, but you show up and you meet the kids and your mood improves immediately. I really enjoy working with them.”
grandparents wanted to honour his memory, so they came up with this award.” The award originally was presented based on a year-end parade, and the unit that scored the highest points won. “The award has since evolved and reflects more on the things that were really important to my grandparents and that was community involvement,” Philip said. “Rather than having the shiniest shoes or the best performed drill, it’s more based on bettering yourselves and helping the community. Our family really likes how the award is now presented.” This is the first time the Fonthill unit has received the award. It was a “surprise” to Giovenazzo. The selection process is done See HONOURS Page 7
Page 4
The Voice of Pelham, January 2 2019
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OPINION
The opinions expressed in submitted commentary and letters to the editor are those of the contributors and not necessarily those of the Voice of Pelham.
The Voice of Pelham is a 1211858 Ontario Limited publication David Burket, Publisher 2-1428 Pelham St., P.O. Box 1489, Fonthill, ON L0S1E0
COMMENTARY / OP-ED Larry Coté Afflicted with Solastalgia yet?
P
SYCHOLOGISTS REPORT that more and more people are coming down with a newly diagnosed psychic distress disorder. At this time, it is a nefarious condition as most sufferers don’t know they have succumbed to it. Even worse, most doctors aren’t yet sufficiently equipped to diagnose it. The medical community has labeled the disorder as solastalgia (so lastal – gia). It is such a new disorder, that should one ask their doctor about it they will reach for their copy of Tober’s Cyclopedic Medical Dictionary to seek out its definition, causes and treatments. The label was coined by Professor Glenn Albrecht who conducted extensive research on the condition. Professionals treating such disorders previously referred to the condition as “environmental grief” or “eco-grief” prior to Professor Albrecht’s ruminations. It appears there is a strong connection between this disorder and the effects of climate change on our psyches. The progress of climate change is a slow moving decline and has an accumulative effect over time. For example, discussions about the
effects of air and water pollution didn’t begin in earnest until the early 1950s. Most discussions and concerns about the damaging effects of pollution were almost exclusively limited to the scientific community. For years, politicians and the general public ignored environmental erosion until the effects became more obvious and more and more deaths were suspiciously attributed to polluted air and waterways. For purposes of this writing, ignore those who deny global warming in spite of the overwhelming facts that have proven this to be beyond theoretical. There is no questioning the environment is polluted and the effects of that damage have contributed greatly to the condition known as climate change. Mental health professionals are researching why it is that increasing numbers of people are beginning to unwittingly feel the effects of climate change. As such feelings are somewhat new to the medical community, these are being likened to the feelings of homesickness. Ashlee Cunsolo, a professor at Memorial University, is one of many researchers investigating solastaglia. In one of her research reports she said,
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“People talked about deep sadness. People talked about anxiety. People were feeling displaced in their homes.” Oddly, people were feeling “homesick” while living at home. As a comparatively new psychic distress disorder, treatment schemes are somewhat spartan. Thomas Doherty, a mental health professional in Portland, Oregon, helps people feeling environmental grief. He suggests patients get more involved in their community and get outdoors more often. He claims “this gets you more in touch with life, with things that are larger than you.” So, should you be feeling a bit of anxiety and are uncertain of the cause of such discomfiture, maybe, just maybe, the culprit is climate change. If so, in accordance with doctor Doherty’s direction, take two walks around the block and call the Mayor to discuss a civic issue of some sort. Meanwhile, may your days be happy and free from solastalgia. ♦ Larry Coté is a retired college professor. He was awarded a Governor General’s Medal for his community involvements.
Letters Differences among Fonthill, Fenwick, Pelham lost in haze After reading Larry Cote's commentary on Pelham going to pot [Dec. 19, p. 4], I got the feeling that Pelham and Fonthill could be use interchangeably. I grew up in the old Pelham Township. If you traveled Canboro Road from Fenwick you went by the Pelham Town Hall. Next it would be Ridgeville and then Fonthill. I am not sure where the Fonthill boundary was then, but on Pancake Lane if you lived on the north side of the road you went to the Thorold-Fonthill schools and on the south to Pelham schools, even though both were in Pelham Township and the address was R.R.#1 Ridgeville. Elsewhere I have seen reference to the strip mall between the 406 and Allanburg
bridge referred to as Fonthill and I am sure that must be Thorold. Anyway, if we are talking about the greenhouses that light up the night sky I think referring them as Fenwick businesses would be closer. So although the municipal offices of Pelham are located in Fonthill, Fonthill is just part of Pelham. But we all knew that didn't we. Besides I am sure a lot of people in Toronto couldn’t care less where their weed comes from, or point out Pelham on a map. Bill McLeod Welland
CONTACT YOUR ELECTED OFFICIALS Member of Federal Parliament
Electoral District: Niagara West
Dean Allison, MP 4994 King Street Beamsville, ON L0R 1B0 Dean.Allison@parl.gc.ca 877-563-7900
Mayor of Pelham Marvin Junkin mjunkin@pelham.ca 905-892-2607 Ext 317 Members of Pelham Town Council
Fonthill and District Kinsmen are accepting submissions for our annual
Member of Provincial Parliament
Ward 1 Councillor Mike Ciofi mciofi@pelham.ca 905-892-2607
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Sam Oosterhoff, MPP 4961 King St. East, Unit M1 Beamsville, ON L0R 1B0 sam.oosterhoffco@pc.ola.org 905-563-1755
Councillor Marianne Stewart mstewart@pelham.ca 289-821-0840
The guidelines are... you cannot be a sitting politician, and must live or work in Pelham.
Electoral District: Niagara West
Members of Niagara Regional Council Councillor Marvin Junkin mjunkin@pelham.ca 289-929-2681 Councillor Diana Huson diana.huson@niagararegion.ca 905-324-3094 Town of Pelham 20 Pelham Town Square P.O. Box 400 Fonthill, ON L0S 1E0 905-892-2607
Ward 2 Councillor Ron Kore rkore@pelham.ca 905-892-5684 Councillor John Wink jwink@pelham.ca 905-892-2607 Ward 3 Councillor Lisa Haun lhaun@pelham.ca 905-892-2607 Councillor Bob Hildebrandt bhildebrandt@pelham.ca 905-892-2607
Our 21st Award Anniversary Year
The Citizen of the Year should exemplify volunteerism, and positive community activism. Submissions must be in writing, and postmarked no later than Friday, January 25, 2019
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The Voice of Pelham, January 2 2019
Page 5
OPINION Long time, no update “Conditionally sold” states the sign on the old arena on Haist Street. The public would appreciate an update as to status, and time line of development. In fact, we were told there would be a public meeting to address these issues. Let's hear it. Louise Morgan Fonthill
Tired of poop obstacle course I walk with a friend of mine twice a week throughout the town of Fonthill. One of the paths we like to take is the new blacktop path that joins the corner of Rice Road and Port Robinson Road to the community centre and the Food Basics plaza. My friend and I were absolutely appalled by the amount of dog poop that we last saw on this path. It looks like the poop belongs to two different dogs. I am disgusted that a dog owner would not stoop and scoop their dog’s poop. It
sure does spoil the walk along the path. In the nicer weather, I like to ride my bike along the path with my family and dread the fact that I will need to weave my way along to avoid the mess that’s been created. As a frustrated and disappointed resident, I appeal to dog owners to start picking up their dog’s mess and to take it home to place in their own trash. Lynda Ferguson Fonthill
Wascally wabbits
Those seeking beliefs have no shortage of sources I enjoyed reading Column Six from the December 19 Voice ["Warm wishes at Christmas," p. 1], but when I read the author’s quote from novelist Julian Barnes, “Religions were the first great inventions of the fiction writers. A convincing representation and a plausible explanation of the world for understandably confused minds. A beautiful, shapely story containing hard exact lies,” I thought, “fiction,” “confused minds,” and “hard exact lies” need an opposite world view to maintain a balance of choice for the reader. I happen to believe the “fiction and lies” Barnes referred to. A variety of belief systems including atheist and agnostic can be found using any search engine. Google has 162,000,000 results listed for “the truth about beliefs.” This being
Christmas, how would a historian begin investigating the birth of Christ truthfully? Just as there are the Three Rs of elementary education—reading, writing and arithmetic—there are the Three Rs of evaluating historical evidence. Michael R. Licona, MA, PhD, states in “The Case For The Real Jesus,” a book by Lee Strobel, that “relevant sources, responsible method and restrained results are needed for doing good history. First, historians must identify all the relevant sources. Responsible method means assigning the greatest weight to reports that are early, eyewitness, enemy, embarrassing and corroborated by others. Restrained results means that historians should not claim more than the evidence warrants.” As far as biases, Licona
states, “nobody is exempt, including theists, deists, atheists or whatever—we all have our biases, and there is no way to overcome them.” Hopefully these ideas help if searching for truth and meaning in life. As C.
S. Lewis said, “You never know how much you really believe anything until its truth or falsehood becomes a matter of life and death to you.” P. Bryant Fenwick
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I was looking forward to having another healthy supper with kale this evening. I went out to garden and was shocked to see it all gone. It seems that other creatures realize the health benefits of kale in their diet. So, the rabbits here are very smart—up-to-date on modern trends. They are very thankful, too, as proven by how thoughtful they were to help with fertilizing for next year’s crop. (They hope.) W.M. Fenwick
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The Voice of Pelham, January 2 2019
Letters
www.thevoiceofpelham.ca
continued
Nightmare on Station Street
Pandora's Box—a global concept
I live in Fonthill at the corner of Station Street and Lyndhurst Avenue. Our house has been a main exposure to the construction that is taking place at the “Fonthill Yards” development, site of the former Fonthill Lumber. Obtrusive and excessive noise during the day have been my wife's companion for many weeks now. Most recently, at 2 AM one morning just before Christmas my wife woke me up to the sound of water rushing into our basement. The water was coming up through the floor drain, spilling litres of water a second onto the floor. This was a result of poor and inexperienced work to tie-in water mains across Station Street to the new development. Not only was our basement flooded, but neighbors north of us on Station Street have been grievously affected as well. I could go on about what has happened and make it sound tragic, however, my greatest beef with this entire debacle is who is accountable. The Town of Pelham, their infrastructure services, the engineering department, any Town or construction inspectors, have done very little to oversee or inspect the construction that has taken place, or its impact on immediate homes and businesses—or, most importantly, if the projects are being completed according to Ministry standards.
Our Liberal Government has adopted the U.N. Migration compact recently in Marrakech. I can hear the multinational corporations singing in the streets. Opening the doors for mass migration to Canada from Third World countries for any reason at all. Unfortunately it only seems to flow one way. I somehow don’t see a million Canadians migrating to Africa. When President Macron indicated he would be signing on, his generals called it an act of treason. By the way, how is France doing today? Depending on where you go for your news my sources in France say the reason behind the protests are deeper that our mainstream media wants you to believe. Even Marine Le Pen was quoted as saying, “The pact was conceived as an important step towards a generalized global nomadism. Contrary to what the powers that be insist, those powers that would conceal its true significance the pact has legal value and is legally binding on the signatories. But above all the pact contains a binding commitment to the effect that the conditions of entry into the host countries cannot
Now, there's a huge ****ing mess, one that has involved the contractor responsible, outside remediation contractors, Town employees, the Fire Department, and so on. In my opinion, the Town of Pelham has entirely dropped the ball on keeping an eye on an inexperienced contractor, which has lead to an emergency situation greatly affecting my family, which in turn displaced us through Christmas. And it isn’t just my home and family, but others along Station Street. How many, I'm not certain. Too many. The residents are left to sort through and attempt to clean up inside their own homes. It’s ludicrous that they have been faced with these hazardous and life altering circumstances. The Town has to be held accountable in some respect for this catastrophe. It can’t happen again. Not only on my street, but anywhere in town. I'm born and raised in Fonthill with deep roots in the community. It doesn't make me any more special than anyone else, but I can’t take this cavalier attitude of, "Don't worry, we’ll fix it,” lying down. The Town didn't even know how to respond to this emergency when called out at 3 AM. This is a serious matter that is affecting many people in our community. Curtis Cheel Fonthill
ever be altered. Not only is this compact legally binding, it allows no room to reverse those policies and blocks the signatory countries from restricting the conditions of entry into their lands.” As a result our hate speech laws will shortly include negative opinion on migration. You have a very short window of opportunity to discuss this issue before the new speech laws are in place. The UK, France, Belgium, Germany, and Sweden among others have dramatically changed as a result of mass migration. Look closely and decide if that is what you want for Canada. We had a process that was working well until now, That’s all about to change. If you haven’t read the U.N. Migration Compact in detail I encourage you to do so. Only then will you understand what our Prime Minister has done and how important it is as you cast the appropriate vote 11 months from now. Think of it as the Pelham Town Council scandal on a global scale. Vincent Gircys Fonthill
FASHION CASH Lookout Ridge staff and residents presented Wellspring Niagara with its donation from proceeds raised at the facility’s Fashion Show held in September. The event raised $2,805, which was matched by Lookout Ridge Owner Todd Shoalts, totalling $5,610. From left: resident Elizabeth Heddema, Third Floor Recreation Manager Brian Mosier, Wellspring Niagara Executive Director Ann Mantini, Manager Lynda Caperchione, resident Janis Marriott, Dietary Aide Teri Windjack, Dietary Aide Michelle Wright, Marketing Manager Melissa Stewart and Human Resources Manager Anna Oakes. The funds will be used towards Wellspring Niagara’s new Outreach Support Centre in Pelham. VOICE PHOTO
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The Voice of Pelham, January 2 2019
Page 7
Santa does brunch AK Wigg Public School held its annual Santa Brunch on Thursday, December 13. The Christmas tradition, which has been held over 10 years, brought families together for a meal of pancakes, sausages and juice, making of Christmas crafts, then story time with Santa. Principal Mary Zwolak said because of the efforts among the parent council, parent volunteers and Grade 8 student volunteers, it is a great community school gathering. The parent council and volunteers cooked the breakfast menu items, while all Grade 8 students helped serve food and assist the younger students and their families with the Christmas crafts. Santa held story time in the library and recounted to the kids how the North Pole became the home for him, Mrs. Claus, his elves, and the toy workshop. He even brought out the big book of who was naughty and who was nice, saying that for the most part he believed everyone was nice, especially if they do good deeds. Santa did tell the kids that he hasn’t had to put anyone in the “Naughty Book” for 50 years. Above: Karl Fiddes, Rylee Fiddes, Brooke Moore, Keira Dales, Sharon Dales, Pete Mosley and Lily Mosley, enjoy pancakes and sausage. Below, Santa with his audience. VOICE PHOTOS
TASTEFULLY FESTIVE Fourteen Pelham businesses and residences participated in this season’s annual Town of Pelham Christmas Light Contest. First-time entrants the Brown family, of 17 Philmori Bolulevard, were this year’s winners in the traditional category, while 320 Church Street in Fenwick captured the Griswold Display category, and J & J Florist, in Fonthill, won the Business/Commercial Property category. The 14 entries were registered for the Annual Christmas Light Tour and were judged on Monday, December 17. VOICE PHOTO
TOASTY TOES Central Auto Niagara recently completed their PJ and sock drive, collecting 103 pair of PJs and many pair of socks. Management and staff presented the items to Pelham Cares, who was to include them in Christmas hampers. SUPPLIED PHOTO
HONOURS
continued from Page 3 by working with the detachment in Toronto discussing area cadet units then determining which is the most deserving of the award for that training year. “It's not only Remembrance Day, but it's the
other things, like serving at the veteran's and Friday dinners at the Legion, and events such as Canada Day and the flag party for the inaugural meeting for new town council,” Giovenazzo said. “It's these things that you do that is what really allows us the opportunity to receive awards like
these.” Joining Philip in the trophy presentation were sisters Aleta Thompson, Charmaine Siddall and brother Mark Gainham. The 613 Welland and Lincoln Air Cadets Regiment meets on Wednesdays weekly at the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 613 in Fonthill.
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The Voice of Pelham, January 2 2019
www.thevoiceofpelham.ca
An Avondale Christmas
Boxer shorts, engine oil, HDMI video cables, BBQ sauce, an Elvis jigsaw puzzle, Friskies— it was all there but the egg nog BY DAVE BURKET
The VOICE
C
HR ISTM A S DAY H A D A PROM ISING DEBU T, with enough flurries to leave a thin frosting on a local business owner’s back deck. On Facebook he posted a photo of the scene, captioned, “A white Christmas in Fonthill.” It was an optimistic assessment, one that turned out to be true only briefly, as the sun, in hiding for so many of these past weeks, came out to melt what had fallen, and chase away what might have followed it. By midday Highway 20 was doing a convincing impersonation of an empty runway running the width of Fonthill. No tractor-trailers barreling down the hill, no teens in 10-year-old Toyotas, texting in their laps under the mistaken impression that no one can tell what they’re doing. East from Pelham Street to Rice Road, five sets of traffic signals habitually cycled between red and green, regulating zero flow. The lights weren’t fast enough, though, for the lone driver on the scene. He had left Lin’s Chinese a few minutes earlier, and now waited to turn left out of the Food Basics plaza onto 20. In fairness, it had been a long wait while he was ignored by technology—longer that many would accept—before he pulled out and made his turn any-
way, against God and the Highway Traffic Act. If the single constable theoretically assigned to all of Pelham had seen him, it surely would have been a Christmas miracle (and 3 demerit points). Traffic was also in short supply on residential streets. With nowhere to go aside from home and Netflix, people went walking instead. As usually happens on holidays, especially sunny ones, sidewalks became the busiest arteries. Every few blocks another couple or family could be seen walking their dogs or toddlers or both. No one hurried. Dogs indulged their noses without their leads being tugged. On Haist, just south of Canboro, a tiny sausage dog stuffed into a puffy red casing didn’t seem to mind the extra padding intended to keep him warm,
BOB LOBLAW PHOTO ILLUSTRATION
NS
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even as he looked like a slow-motion cannonball on four tiny legs. He waddled along, ground clearance just adequate to keep Velcro from scraping concrete. Across the street a man in a hurry proved the exception to the slow-Christmas rule. He was now darting from his minivan to the entrance of pretty much the only game in town. While Giant Tiger and Sobeys and Food Basics are all abandoned ghost ships on Christmas day, the lights at the local Avondale stay on, a beacon to those in sudden need of that thing they swore they wouldn’t forget the eve before. With the departure of their North Pelham location last March, two Avondales remain in town— one in Fenwick, the other at Haist and Canboro in Fonthill. The sausage dog bobbles on. Another visitor enters the store. Greeting him the way she does
The Voice of Pelham, January 2 2019
Page 9
everyone—with an apple-cheeked smile—store manager Darlene Sarvis returns to ringing up the man from the minivan, whose emergency purchase turns out to be disappointingly ordinary: milk. Sarvis has worked at Avondale for 18 years, first as a cashier, then as a manager for three years in St. Catharines, then as manager in Fonthill since 2010. As management she’s on salary and doesn’t get paid overtime anytime, let alone on Christmas day. So why not assign the holiday to staff instead? “Because I felt that I can’t ask them to work on Christmas day. They should be with their families.” Sarvis said that at 18 and 21 her kids are older now, and Christmas morning isn’t the family event that it was a few years ago. See AVONDALE next page
Store Manager Darlene Sarvis.
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The Voice of Pelham, January 2 2019
AVONDALE
OBITUARY
continued from previous page
STRICKLAND, Clayton (Clay) John With his children and daughter-in-law at his bedside Clayton (Clay) John Strickland passed away at Welland General Hospital on Thursday December 20th, 2018. Clay fought a brave, dignified, battle against a number of overwhelming health conditions. The family is deeply grateful for the efforts, often above and beyond, of the doctors, nurses and entire team at the Welland General 3rd floor ICU. Born in 1939, Clay is well known in the Niagara Region as an A&P Store Manager, a Fonthill Lion, a competitive card player and an active member at Lookout Point Country Club for over 50 years. Clay always had a joke ready to tell, a helping hand to extend, so he made friends easily and kept them for life. Clay moved to Niagara in the late 1950s from Glace Bay, Nova Scotia. He is predeceased by his mother Mabel and his father Adolphus. Clay’s sister Joan MacIntosh lives in Glace Bay with her husband Johnny. Clay came to Niagara with his best bud Uncle Ross (Herridge) and stayed with Aunties in St Catharines and Galt, who supervised his arrival and kept him on the straight and narrow, so the story goes. Throughout his life Clay stayed in touch with everyone and he was loved and cared for by a wonderful extended family, who he felt the same way about. Above all Clay was a dedicated, loving and constant family man. Father to Joel, Carla (Mark) and Calvin (Cheryl). Grandfather to Levi, Arabella and Cole. Each benefitted from “pops” example of hard work and genuine concern for others. Clay met the love of his life Fey Liani (Furney) at the Dominion Store in Thorold, Ontario. Fey and Clay got married in June 1961 and built a life together over 52 years, interrupted when Fey passed in 2013. They shared a wonderful life full of great times and adventurous vacations and were blessed by the love of dear friends, like Walt and Carol Lastewka, the Furney brothers and their wives, and so many, many more. Over the years the card games became epic and the characters were better than television. Clay missed Fey with his whole heart every day of the past 5 years and his family is glad that they are reunited in paradise. Clay’s family invites anyone who would like to help us CELEBRATE THE LIFE OF CLAY STRICKLAND to join us at Lookout Point Country Club on SATURDAY JANUARY 5TH. The CELEBRATION will begin at 1:00 pm. Drinks, light food, desserts, coffee and teas will be served. Rumour is that there may be some rum involved. Storytelling will commence at about 1:30 pm. Please dress comfortably. For anyone so inclined, PELHAMCARES.ORG, is receiving donations in Clay’s name.
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Blake and Stephanie Henry try their luck.
Barrie McDowell gets his coffee.
Yet in almost the same breath she acknowledges that this is her eighth Christmas appearance in a row. “I don’t mind that I’m working, because everyone who comes in is happy we’re open. They need something. And some people bring gifts. Someone brought in a Tim’s gift card and someone brought in a snack.” She greets a customer who wants a pack of cigarettes then decides to buy two. “I heard prices are going up,” he says. Sarvis nods. While Christmas needs vary, each year there are a couple of constants. “Everyone wants a newspaper,” Sarvis says. “And people are amazed that they don’t print on Christmas. They also want Tim Hortons coffee.” Even during the rest of the year her store doesn’t sell fresh coffee, offering instead a Keurig machine. “But the Keurig takes forever, people don’t want to wait.” Last year the demand for coffee was so great that this Christmas Sarvis decided to play Caffeine Santa. “I brought in my own percolator,” she says, waving at a white canister set up next to a machine dispensing something called “Slush Puppies,” a name suggesting, more than anything, “We’re carefully not infringing on anyone’s trademark here, okay?” A revolving rack of greeting cards, and a wire shelf of DVD movie titles as old as Sarvis’ kids, sit off to the side. She shrugs. “But so far no one has wanted any.” This year’s hot item is eggnog. Apparently the local nog wells prematurely ran dry sometime on Christmas Eve. Sarvis breaks the bad news to another seeker. “Sorry, we’re all out. Even Sobeys and Shoppers ran out yesterday.” Another constant is the lottery. Sarvis does a brisk business, both in Lotto tickets and scratchers. It seems that every third customer wants to buy or cash-in a ticket. Lady Lotto’s recorded voice regularly competes with the radio station playing over the P.A.—“Winner! Gagneur!” “We do a lot of lottery,” says Sarvis. “A lot.” On the radio, Billy Joel’s “Only the Good Die Young” segues into Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believin.’” “It’s Top-40!” says a customer in his late-20s, dressed like a tidy lumberjack, eyeing the Cadbury bars stocked under a hinged cover in front of the cash register, “if this was 40 years ago.” The young woman with him laughs ironically. They give off a suspiciously Toronto vibe. Sarvis says the lottery business is the result of gift-giving. Tickets show up in stockings and cards, and inevitably there are winners, and winners want their winnings— even on Christmas day. “Winner! Gagneur!” (The OLG marketing people evidently took Sinatra’s “Luck be a Lady” literally.) Another man in his late 20s, this one more customarily dressed, wins $50. He was already in the store a few minutes earlier, with a different winning ticket. He’s on a roll. “Give me $40 in cash and $10 in tickets,” he says to Sarvis, then goes back out to his car. He sits behind the wheel and scratches, watched over by a young woman in the passenger seat. Sarvis says that Christmas day business ebbs and flows, but on schedule each year it falls off a cliff right around 4 PM. “By then everyone has what they need. That’s why we close at five.” The scratcher man is back from his car, this time accompanied by the passenger, who turns out to be
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his wife. They have another winning ticket. “We never win anything,” says Stephanie Henry. “We never buy them.” Her husband, Blake, walks away from the register with their third round of tickets. They’re from Kitchener, in just for the day visiting family. Awhile back Stephanie’s parents moved to Fonthill from St. Catharines, where Stephanie grew up. Blake was raised in Welland. “We got married in September,” says Stephanie, looking at the tickets in Blake’s hands. They agree to be photographed midscratch. Sadly the streak comes to an end. No gagneur. They say they’re driving home that evening. A quick calculation puts them $42 ahead in the scratcher department. Enough to bankroll the gas back to Kitchener, anyway. An older man walks in and looks around uncertainly. “Do you have coffee?” he asks. Sarvis smiles and says, “Finally!” She comes out from behind the counter and heads for her percolator. “Cream, no sugar,” says the man, whose name is Barrie McDowell. “How much do I owe you.” Sarvis hands over a tall cup and tells him that it’s on the house. “There’s no charge at Christmas.” McDowell is a retired cop, and lives a short walk away.
The Voice of Pelham, January 2 2019
He’s a regular, says Sarvis after he leaves. There are plenty of regulars. A woman drops a small mountain of sweet treats on the counter and Sarvis already knows that they’re for her daughter, who’s taken ill and lost her appetite. “She needs to get something in her,” says the woman. Sarvis sends her off with get-well-wishes and a Merry Christmas. A middle aged man stands in front of a refrigerated case, silently looking into it. He starts to make a call on his cellphone, then changes his mind. A moment later he’s gone, empty-handed. Maybe another a nog chaser. Bruce Springsteen starts up over the P.A., but not with a Christmas tune. In fact, it’s possible that not a single Christmas song has played
for the better part of an hour. Customers might be forgiven, after all, for wondering whether they’ve blundered into a time warp. As a destination, 1978 wouldn’t be half-bad, all things considered. Golden-hued thoughts of decades past are interrupted by a call from across the aisles. It’s Blake Henry, heading back to his car for a fourth and final time. He holds up some cash. “Hey, we won another $20,” he says, grinning. The sun retreats and gray skies return. After Sarvis has closed up her store and gone home to her family, duty done, another brief round of flurries will fall later in the evening. Not a classic white Christmas by any stretch, but one well filled with the spirit of the day. ♦
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Page 11
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The Voice of Pelham, January 2 2019
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CELEBRATING OUR 20TH YEAR
Places of Worship and Events Bethany Christian Reformed Church 1040 Balfour St., Fenwick
First Presbyterian Church 602 Metler Rd., North Pelham
Glad Tidings Church of God 1 Pancake Lane, Fonthill
Pelham Evangelical Friends Church 940 Haist St., Fonthill
Concordia Lutheran Church 105 Welland Rd., Fonthill
Fonthill Baptist Church 1414 Pelham St., Fonthill
Holy Trinity Anglican Church 1557 Pelham Street, Fonthill
Ridgeville Bible Chapel 418 Canboro Rd., Ridgeville
Fenwick Church of Christ 765 Welland Rd., Fenwick
Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses 1369 Rice Rd., Fonthill
Kirk on the Hill Presbyterian Church 1344 Haist St., Fonthill
St. Alexander’s Roman Catholic Church 50 Pelham Town Sq., Fonthill
Fenwick United Church 1050 Church St., Fenwick
Fonthill United Church 42 Church Hill, Fonthill
Pelham Community Church 461 Canboro Rd., Fenwick
St. Ann’s Roman Catholic Church 834 Canboro Rd., Fenwick
COMMENT
continued from Page 15 I hope they make a big splash in the local news big enough to get the notice of our provincial government, our federal government, and our representatives. Downloading is one of my big soap boxes that with the help of Pelham residents we are going to make some noise on. We are going to start responding back to downloading against Pelham. It is
time to stand up and choose our battles on our terms and fight. I am totally opposed to any increase of any amount for myself . I did not run for council for remuneration of any amount. I was willing to serve no matter what the personal cost. I ran for office because I had a firm belief that I could and would make a significant difference. As Mark Twain stated, “We can achieve what we conceive and believe.”
Councillor Marianne Stewart
I believe that council refused the raise in our salary to underscore our commitment to fiscal responsibility.
Councillor Lisa Haun
The reason I ran for council was to make a positive difference in my community by applying a commonsense and fiscally responsible approach to decision making. Remuneration for this role was certainly never a motivator for me. I’m both pleased and also not surprised that the vote was
unanimous against a salary increase. Although this was only our first council meeting, residents of Pelham will recognize our commitment to fiscal responsibility through our recent decisions that will save them over $700,000 dollars. Get ready for action and not just words...we’ve only just begun.
Councillor Ron Kore
Regarding the temporary parking lot requested for the community centre, when See COMMENT next page
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The Voice of Pelham, January 2 2019
Page 13
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council was told that it was only net cost of $40,240 this is a small fraction of the real facts. At the last minute, at 2:09 PM on December 17—three hours before our first council meeting—the Town added a memorandum with recommendations to the agenda
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Support 9-12 in the morning. your local OLD PAPERS PELHAM MUDFEST service clubs Men and women will be back in the mud as the second run on the year is held at Bissil’s Hideaway.
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WALKING CLUB Interested in walking in Pelham? Join them Tuesdays at the Pelham Arena 892-8690 fromCall 9-10(905) am and Thursdays at Fonthill Bandshell for 9-10:30 am. There is no fee for this program. For more information, please contact jcook@ pelham.ca callStick 905 tournament 892-2607, ext 329. issue because or ver to act on it. We
regarding the parking of the upcoming Silver Stick tourna- all knew that the Silver Stick tournament. These same recommendations ments were coming with 58 teams in FOR PELHAM CARES should have be presentedHAMPER to the pre-DAY December and 98 teams in January. vious council last summer, so they Wefruit should told theatcitizens of or bring a non-perishable Purchase fresh and have vegetables the Market could have dealt with the issue—the Pelham that we still needed to write food item to filla check the hampers at the Pelham Farmers Market on Sept. 4. issue they created. for $78,690—money we don’t Everyone knew about the parking have because of our large debt level. situation over seven months ago and Those are the facts. no one did anything about it—then (Councillor Mike Ciolfi did not respond we waited two weeks before the Sil- to the request for comment.)
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The Voice of Pelham, January 2 2019
Jim Jeffs, Chair of the Pelham Community Preservation Coalition, presents to council on the issue of retail cannabis sales.
COUNCIL
continued from Page 1 tance you must be behind an emergency vehicle while driving. “Any objection to the proposed store location will only be valid if it relates to a matter of public interest as defined by the Federal Government.” The timeline for council’s ability to vote and discuss opting out was concerning to Jeffs, especially since January may be subjected to days where weather may be inclement. He inquired if a special council meeting could be called specifically to discuss the issue earlier. Mayor Marvin Junkin acknowledged it is “cutting it close,” however he explained that Town staff
Open House
needs time to develop a report to council from the information and guidelines set out by the province.
No 2019 pay increase for council
In a unanimous decision, council voted against a salary increase that would have been in lieu of the onethird tax exemption salaries previous council members were entitled to. This tax exemption was to help cover the cost of work-related expenses. In a report to council, staff stated the 2017 Federal Budget eliminated this tax exemption provision, resulting in salaries becoming 100 percent taxable as of January 1, 2019. Currently, the Mayor receives an annual salary of
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$34,670, of which $11,557 is tax-free. Councillors receives an annual salary of $15,890, of which $5,297 is tax-free. Town council was presented with two scenarios. In scenario 1, where gross pay remains the same, the Mayor will see a reduction in net pay of some $2,296 and each councillor will see a reduction in net pay of some $304. Town costs are expected to increase by $2,232— $595 for the Mayor and $1,637 for councillors, due to increases in benefits, Employee Health Tax and WSIB. In scenario 2, the net pay after tax would have remained the same with the Mayor and council members seeing no change in their take-home pay. In order to ensure net pay remained the same, the Mayor would have needed a salary increase of some $3,118 and each councillor some $410. Under this scenario, the costs to the Town would have expected to increase by some $13,730, of that $7,126 for the Mayor and $6,604 for the six councillors, due to an increase in salary and benefits. All councillors agreed
VOICE PHOTO
that they “were not in it for the money, but instead to make positive changes in the town.” Their decision received a round of applause from the gallery after the motion was declared passed by Junkin.
Radio replacement purchase order approved
Council unanimously approved a motion to issue a purchase order to secure pricing for the Town of Pelham’s Fire and Emergency Services radio system. The radio system is price-tagged at just under $292,000, while installation would be just over $6,200. Even though the purchase order was approved in 2018, the cost of equipment and installation will be incorporated in the Town’s 2019 budget. The reason for securing a purchase order before December 31 was that the Town’s previous contract is expiring with the Niagara Regional Police and if the Town granted approval in 2019, the cost would have increased 20 percent. Pelham Fire Chief Bob Lymburner told council that in 2015 the NRP started a project to replace their
www.thevoiceofpelham.ca aging and outdated radio system, a system that had reached its end-of-life as repairs and maintenance were becoming too costly, and the issue of safety was at the forefront. During this time, the NRP also reached out to the region’s fire services concerning their radio systems, which indicated they were in a similar situation. Further, there was no opportunity for inoperability between the services. “Department communications is our first line of safety when operating on an emergency scene,” said Lymburner. The Chief expressed concern about the 35-year-old radio system, as it is an analog system operating on a low-band frequency. “We have very serious issues regarding coverage, parts, repairs and overall reliability on the fire ground,” he said. “To compound matters, we also share this single frequency with three other fire departments.” These issues pose a serious health and safety concern for all firefighters operating at emergency incidents, asserted Lymburner. One scenario Lymburner described was that if a firefighter fell through the floor in a burning structure, and another area’s signal was stronger and blocked Pelham’s ability to signal a mayday, it could result in a fatality. Lymburner said the new system would offer tactical channels to operate on with no interruption, channels solely theirs. “Replacing our current radio system with a new P25 system will allow fire personnel to operate safely and efficiently at all emergency scenes,” Lymburner said.
Parking overflow option defeated
In a last-minute agenda addition, the Town’s Chief Administrative Officer, Darren Ottaway, asked for council’s approval for change order totaling no more than $80,000 to address the issue of inadequate parking at the community centre. Ottaway explained the issue had come up as the fa-
Because it's changing the scope of work that's already been awarded, there's no requirement to [get competing bids] cility is hosting two major hockey tournaments after Christmas and in the New Year. Due to the size of the tournaments, along with regular scheduled activities, parking will be an issue. The first Silver Stick tournament began December 27, while the second major international event is from January 10 to 13. The option that Ottaway asserted was the most “palatable” involved removing the topsoil on land north of the community centre, then laying down 100 millimetres in depth of a granular material. The land north of the community centre is a proposed future plaza area for the Town to host major events. Until the plaza is constructed, the area would remain as parking overflow and accommodate the required extra parking spaces. Another cost-saving option Ottaway proposed was using recycled granular material, which would reduce costs to $40,000. Also, this granular material would be reused later. He said the proposed solution didn’t require any new money to be set aside as it was already in the 2018 budget. Also, if approved, the project could have been done in three days. Councillor Lisa Haun questioned Ottaway if there were any other quotes obtained by the Town, to which he responded no, and asserted that other quotes would be higher. “Because it’s changing the scope of work that's already been awarded, there's no requirement to [get competing bids].” See COUNCIL next page
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COUNCIL
continued from previous page Also, he said, to obtain more quotes would consume construction time. Councillor Marianne Stewart questioned the temporary location, as once the plaza was developed where would the overflow parking be relocated. Ottaway responded that another option was to take land owned by the Town and create a lot to ensure a permanent solution. However, if a portion of that land was taken off the market it would be loss of revenue for the Town, and incur the additional cost of building the parking lot, which “would make for very expensive parking stalls.” Ottaway said a report on this option would be coming forward to council. Director of Recreation, Culture and Wellness Vicky vanRavenswaay said this short-term solution would accommodate parking needs during the time of the centre’s regular programs and the two major hockey tournaments. Junkin said he thought it was a “good short-term solution,” however four of six council members voted against the resolution.
Humane Society contract
Council voted unanimously to renew the Welland and District Humane Society’s contract beginning January 2019, ending December 31, 2021 with an optional one-year extension for 2022. Contract costs for animal control services will be to a maximum of $36,000 for 2019, a maximum of $36,900 for 2020 and a maximum of $37,800 for 2021. The 2022 contract extension cost will be a maximum of $39,000. About 60 percent of the costs reflect animal control, 30 percent are shelter expenses, while other costs represent 10 percent. Other costs cited in the total incorporate medication and blood work services performed on any animal that is received for care. The Welland and District Humane Society provides Pelham with two part-time officers along with a variety of administrative and bylaw enforcement services. Administrative services includes licensing matters record keeping, issuing Offences Notices (Certificate of Offence) for infractions of the Dog Nuisance By-law, Animals at Large By-law, Exotic Pet By-law, and Dog Control By-law currently in place and provide representation in court for the enforcement of such By-laws. Animal control services include quarantine services as directed by the medical officer of health, euthanasia and disposal of stray dogs and cats and disposal of “road kill” animals, which have been delivered to the Society by municipality staff.
Audit Committee to be established
Town council approved a motion establish an audit committee terms of reference effective January 2019. This committee of council would approve, monitor, evaluate and provide advice on matters affecting the
The Voice of Pelham, January 2 2019 external audit, risk management and the financial reporting and accounting control policies and practices of the Town. Newly-elected councillors have made it known that municipal finances will be a focus of their term. The committee would provide a focal point for communication between council, the external auditor, and Town staff, and facilitates an impartial, objective and independent review of management practices. Two options were presented to council on how the committee would be comprised. The first option was a committee including all members of council, and no more than two members of the public who possess a CPA in good standing. The second option was the committee could be limited to three members of council only, reporting the activities of the committee to council as whole, and no more than two members of the public who possess a CPA in good standing. Councillors approved the first option. Mayor Junkin stated that the new committee would allow financial figures to be communicated in a better way that everyone can understand. The Chartered Public Accountant members must be qualified so they can “talk the same lingo as the Treasurer.” The Mayor added that because some councillors have an above average ability to interpret financial reports, “I see nothing but positive aspects of this audit committee.” Councillor Rob Hildebrandt said that establishing the committee sends a “positive statement” to the public, staff, and future councils, and that “accountability is here to stay.” Town Treasurer Teresa Quinlin has worked with audit committees in past jobs and volunteer positions. She said she was “happy” and “excited” that council is moving forward, as many municipalities have adopted such measures already.
Station Street roundabout update
Public Works Director Jason Marr provided an informal update on the status of the potential Station Street roundabout. Mayor Junki n said it was brought to his attention that many Station Street residents were unclear on the cost of this project. From his perspective, a roundabout now isn’t justified, even though it was intended to accommodate increased traffic flow four to five years from now. A meeting with the Town Clerk, CAO and a member of Public Works was what allowed the issue to return to council, even though the past council approved the project. Junkin said his concern was spending money on a project that isn’t required until four or five years time and putting aside “serious infrastructure” work that needs to be done now. Ottaway suggested that council ask the Public Works Director for a report on the project to be brought forward to an upcoming coun-
cil meeting so it can be discussed in regards to incorporating it into the 2019 budget. Councillor Mike Ciolfi asked if there was an estimated figure for the project, which Public Works Director Jason Marr stated was almost $700,000 as designed. Hildebrandt asked Marr to provide a project breakdown of all costs and also provide insight on how pedestrian traffic will flow. Marr responded that it would be better to bring a report to council on how the roundabout was designed, how it came about, and the associated costs, which can be reviewed and commented on by councillors. If the roundabout doesn’t proceed, Marr said, there would be no need for a fourway stop, as the intersection would function as it stands now with a two-way stop. Currently there are just over $1 million in purchase orders for work that may or may have not been completed yet, said Marr. Some $700,000 of that total is attributed to the roundabout itself, while there is another $300,000 of additional work needing to be completed, including $110,000 of landscaping and sidewalks in the East Fonthill area. Marr said he would add to the report a plan to put in a temporary sidewalk along Summersides Drive to ensure safe pedestrian movements. Hildebrandt asked Marr if work in the $300,000 figure could be delayed, to which Marr responded that $97,000 had already been committed to completing sidewalks, with an additional $11,000 required in the spring for topsoil and sod restoration. Councillor John Wink asked Marr if the roundabout was delayed, would the Station Street water mains be fixed quicker, especially since they have been there for decades and there were “serious issues” regarding water quality. Marr said there is a separate contract that’s been issued for work between Highway 20 and Port Robinson Road, which is proceeding and is separate from the roundabout work. Council approved that Marr was to move forward with a report for an upcoming council meeting in the new tear.
Audit Service Plan presentation
Trevor Ferguson, from the financial services firm Deloitte, made a presentation to council for its audit service plan for the 2018 fiscal year ending December 31. Ferguson explained to council that the audits of the Town’s financial statements are performed in accordance with the Canadian Public Sector Accounting Services. At this point, Ferguson said they were not aware of any “significant events” that would impact the 2018 audits. He explained the process and relayed some audit risks that may be encountered. Ferguson also highlighted the new and revised auditor reporting standards, which were approved on April 11, 2017. New and revised accounting standards were also implemented in 2017.
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COUNCIL COMMENT The Voice requested comment from council and the Mayor concerning their first full meeting and the issues that arose, including the proposed pay rise, the Station Street roundabout, and the proposed temporary parking lot at the community centre.
Mayor Marvin Junkin
What with the savings on the roundabout, the parking lot, new radios for the fire department, and the first bricks put in place for the audit committee, it was indeed a good night for the Town.
Councillor John Wink
The proposal for the gravel parking lot was a last-minute add to the agenda. I believe request was defeated because the Town did not complete an RFP for the proposed temporary parking lot nor was there any other alternatives presented. There is a definite need for more parking at the Meridian Community Centre, however we need to consider all options prior to proceeding with any final decision. The scheduled roundabout on Station Street is an approximate cost of $700,000. Council has directed Jason Marr to provide a staff report on the roundabout. My concerns are from a financial and safety perspective. To eliminate the roundabout will result in a considerable savings to the Town. The safety issue comes with the seniors residences located in proximity to the intersection of Station and Summersides. I believe our seniors would have a difficult time negotiating the crossing of the roundabout. The reason why I voted against the [council salary] increase was twofold. Firstly we need to send a message to the community that we are fiscally responsible. Secondly, the councillors did not run for election because of the remuneration— we ran because we felt we could make a difference in our community.
Councillor Bob Hildebrandt
Many residents had come to spend their evening at Town Hall just before Christmas. This demonstrated to council how
important Pelham’s residents considered the new council’s first meeting. The fact that we as council get the opportunity of doing life together with such amazing town people and staff was truly humbling. The commitment made by not only the Mayor and councillors, but also staff who publicly state their willingness to participate, was refreshing. At one juncture this brought applause from the public in attendance. As the evening's agenda progressed the atmosphere continued to be filled with openness, optimism and expectancy. The power of the story of our first council meeting aligned to show what happens when people work together. It provided the ambition with a mission to achieve new heights. The strong narrative produced the glue that will bind our town together as we move forward. Regarding the proposed council salary increase, it seemed like a nice gesture to provide a motion and to recommend an increase to all council members salaries to keep them at the same amount as received by our previous council. This move was in line with the 2017 Federal budget that requires all municipal politicians to pay taxes on their entire salary . Municipalities had until January 1, 2019 to make the necessary changes. This is what I refer to as downloading a problem to municipal governments. The federal government hoped that council would pass on this increase to their residents. It would help feed their budgets. It's time to say NO! We will not accept future downloading without a fight and I will do everything I can not to pass these increases on to our residents. Our loud no will not only resonate with our residents but with the help of the press See COMMENT Page 12
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The Voice of Pelham, January 2 2019
COLUMN SIX
continued from Page 1 camp fuel, utensils, spare paddle, ground sheets, more food, and self-rescue equipment (as if the kayak would ever come back to the surface if it flipped with all this stuff in it!), and it’s easy to understand our amazement as one paddler strapped a beer cooler onto his kayak too. A month before the trip, I’d told a fellow paddler I was practicing wet exits. A wet exit is what you do as bloody quick as you can when you’re hanging upside down in the water under your overturned kayak. She suggested I’d be smarter to practice packing. Sure
enough, there was no way all the stuff that fit neatly into the boat in my garage would go into it on the dock, entertaining a dozen snickering, experienced kayak campers. This wasn’t a guided tour, but a group of friends following dated topographical maps; great for hiking elevations, not so good for waterway navigation. Our only portage along the lower French River was a 280-meter planked walkway around a waterfall. The Friends of the French had provided a rickety cart fashioned from a bedspring, one tire split open so it rolled on its tube duct-taped in place, providing just enough stability to precariously portage each kayak.
Engage your Hearing, Engage your Mind
Els Swart of Fonthill kayaking the Bustard Islands in Georgian Bay. As we paddled from the waterfall, through narrow rock channels to the open water of Georgian Bay, thunder bellowed menacingly as black skies rolled in, wind whipping the waves to almost a meter in height . We crossed the two kilometre channel to the Bustards
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in defiance of Mother Nature, and she responded by drenching us with buckets of sweet, warm rainwater. Next morning, shortly after daybreak, the fishing fanatic of our group was returning to camp with two fishing poles mounted on his kayak, reminiscent of
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Florida’s deep-sea Marlin boats. His electronic fish finder had sighted numerous fish, but none would take his lures, unwilling to become the main ingredient in the fish pancakes he ate every morning. Later in the trip, a huge smallmouth bass he was attempting to land jumped unexpectedly from his ungloved hand. We knew he was a tough dude as we watched him extract two barbed hooks left impaled in the skin between his thumb and forefinger by the escaping bass. Although most pitched their tents on rocky outcrops, my wife and I chose the soft center of a blueberry patch. Two days later, as we silently watched a mother black bear lead her cubs along rocky crags less than a kilometer from our campsite, we rethought sleeping on their dinner plate. Paddling in water so clear it needed only filtering to be potable, through the old-
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est rocks on the planet, we shook our heads in amazement. Micro climates were everywhere; the daintiest flowers clinging to fissures in rock a meter from breaking waves, while completely different species blossomed 50 meters onshore in fertile soil. Bears watched us paddle, mink competed with water snakes for tasty crayfish, and turtles ignored our approach as they jostled for sunlight on deadheads. Marine weather fronts, confused but unchecked by our flat island, gave us crackling lightning to the west and simultaneously blazing sun and cerulean skies to the east. Moonlight glistened on the waves, making a flashlight at midnight redundant. The five days passed quickly, and our complaints were replaced with wonderment for this spectacular stretch of northern Georgian Bay. ♦
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