The Voice, July 21 2021 by The Voice of Pelham

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PUBLISHER’S CORNER Corrections at the top: The left hand got it right while the right hand fumbled last week. In the caption for Larry Cote’s magnificent photo of the Comfort Maple, we correctly located the grand old dame in North Pelham. However, in a story about a joint project between the Pelham and Lincoln Libraries, the tree suddenly found itself in Fenwick. We know its roots must be vast, but they don’t quite reach that far south. North Pelham it is...Rebranding the pest: So gypsy moths are getting a new name—at least in the US—as Don Rickers tells us on this very page. I’m surprised it took this long, honestly, given the increasingly appropriate attention paid to how labels and, say, the names of sports teams, can convey meanings beyond their words. On this point, Great Slave Lake, Lesser Slave Lake, Lesser Slave River, and the town of Slave Lake might consider their own makeovers. Yes, the names are evidently derived from a shortening of “Slavey,” in reference to local Indigenous people, but this word itself was a settler translation of the Cree “awahka-n,” which does in fact refer to captives or slaves... Voice on Vacation: Is coming back! Get your photos in to office@thevoiceofpelham.ca. See you next week. ◆

A July 21 2021

POETRY BLESSINGS By luck, by chance I met her, While she was working in our town, This lovely girl, Brianna, Who's always up, and never down. Whose smile is there, though hidden Beneath the mask she wears To protect both me and others She wears it 'cause she cares. From the market she brings our food In bags of apple green And puts them on our small front porch Where my happy face is seen. It's also hidden by my mask But I hope my eyes can tell This lovely girl, Brianna That I'm protecting her as well. She is charming, bright and gracious, She is thoughtful, she is kind So many other wondrous words Could ﬁll my elder mind But I know that she's a blessing The Lord has given us, A beautiful disciple, One whom we always trust.

Anosan Kugathas accused of sending prostitutes to neighbour BY DON RICKERS Voice Correspondent Attorney Gurinder Gill appeared in a Welland courtroom last Friday morning representing Anosan Kugathas, the Pelham realtor who was charged on May 10 with two counts of mischief over $5000. The charges stem from a Niagara Regional Police Service investigation which commenced in January, involving a suspect who allegedly sent unsolicited female sex trade workers to a neighbour’s residence in the Lookout subdivision in Fonthill on 15 different occasions. The house on Joyce Crescent in which Kugathas, 29, had been living has since been sold by Engel Volkers Niagara real estate brokers in Niagara Falls, the company that employed Kathagas. He is no longer listed as an employee on the company website Gill asked for time to collect and review disclosure documents in the case, and the presiding judge, Justice Nancy Rogers-Bain, granted a second appearance for 9 AM on August 13, at which time a Crown pre-trial would be scheduled. The Voice was unable to reach Kugathas for comment. Previously viewable profile pages on LinkedIn, and the Engels Volkers website, were no longer available, and Kugathas had no immediately identifiable active social media presence.

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Gypsy moths being renamed for slur concern BY DON RICKERS Voice Correspondent The Entomological Society of America (ESA), which as one of its functions has the dubious honour of overseeing the naming of bugs, announced recently that, for the first time, it has changed the familiar name of an insect because it was viewed as offensive by contemporary standards. The gypsy moth will now

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be known by its scientific name, Lymantria dispar, or L. dispar. “It’s an ethnic slur that’s been rejected by the Romani people a long time ago,” said ESA President Michelle S. Smith, as reported by CTV News. Considering the term “gypsy” dehumanizing, she said “Nobody wants to be associated with a harmful, invasive pest.” Smith proclaimed that the

Society is “working to ensure all ESA-approved insect common names meet our standards for diversity, equity, and inclusion.” The Romani, also known as Roma and Gypsies, are an Indo-Aryan group of people who lived mostly in Europe for a thousand years, with diaspora populations in the Americas. “Gypsy” is considered by many to be a derogatory term and a racial slur,

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with a connotation of illegal and irregular behaviour. The moths likely got their name because as larvae, they have hair with small air pockets that act like balloons, allowing them to float or wander for miles, a pattern akin to the nomadic Romani people. Another theory that has been postulated compares the tan colour of male adult moths to the skin tone of the Romani.

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Growing up British

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BALLOONING INTEREST Grade 6 student Jinja Shepherd explains her experiment on static electricity at the Glynn A. Green NATE SMELLE PHOTO Public School's annual science fair last Friday. See story, page 3.

Public meeting tonight on school issues BY VOICE STAFF As questions continue to mount regarding an email that Pelham Mayor Dave Augustyn quietly sent to a District School Board of Niagara trustee last summer, Augustyn has agreed to address the issue at a public meeting scheduled for this evening, Wednesday, Feb. 8, in Fenwick. Nancy Beamer, speaking for “Names Matter,” a Pelham citizens group lobbying the DSBN to reverse its decision to rename a local public school, conﬁrms that the meeting will be held at Fire Station #2, known locally as the Fenwick Fire Hall, starting at 7:00 PM. While the Mayor has agreed to ap-

Under pressure, Mayor to address email revelation, other E. W. Farr matters pear, says Beamer, DSBN oﬃcials associated with the school-naming process have either declined to attend or have not yet responded to the group’s invitation. DSBN Chair, Dale Robinson, to whom Augustyn’s email was addressed last June, has declined to appear, says Beamer, asserting that she would be

“on holidays.” The Voice was unable to independently conﬁrm Robinsion’s intentions. She did not respond to repeated requests for comment on E.W. Farr-related matters before presstime. Beamer, whose group maintains an email list of some 580 residents, says that all members of the public are invited and encouraged to attend the meeting. “We would especially welcome parents and children who are unhappy with the name change,” she says, referring to the contentious decision by the DSBN to consolidate two Pelham See MEETING back page

HEN I WAS young, my father and I would go for long drives along the rural routes of Pelham. We’d blast George Thurgood and roll down the windows because we loved the smell of the breeze, the sensation of crisp Niagara wind beating our cheeks and tangling our hair against our summer-kissed skin. My father was not a sentimental man. He worked in factories and had a Gordon Lightfoot mustache and never shed tears over injuries. Yet something about the Pelham landscape, the hilly backdrop to his childhood and the childhoods of our ancestors, drew him in. He’d stop by a farm or a gathering of woods and, surrendering his manly veneer, tell me a story about the town. This place is precious. This is the earth that granted us life. Here is the place where we happened upon love or here is a site of devastation. On one particular drive sometime in the late ‘90s we stopped at a tree with a plaque. “This tree looks dead,” I said to my father. “It sure is getting there, Julie.” The Comfort Maple is supposedly Canada’s oldest See COLUMN SIX Page 14

Part 2 of 2: Coronation to embarkation

Vol.20 No.32

BY VOICE STAFF

A construction error was discovered following the opening of a traffic calming chicane on Haist Street north of Hwy 20 last Monday that prevented large vehicles from passing through. One resident living in the neighbourhood said he contacted the Town after seeing a small schoolbus get stuck as it tried to get through the new traffic calming measure. Later that day while driving behind a cement truck, he said that he became concerned for the public’s safety when the truck had to turn around because it couldn’t get through. “If a small school bus and a cement truck can’t make it through what about a fire

BY HEATHER McLAREN ROHRER

Special to the VOICE

Repair measures underway last week to correct a construction error in the chicane. truck or an ambulance?” he said. While waiting for the contractor to return to ﬁx

the mistake, the Town has taken measures to temporarily allow passage for vehicles through the neigh-

VOICE PHOTO

bourhood in the short-term. Manager of Public Works Ryan Cook said that after discovering the issue with

the chicane the morning it ﬁrst opened, the Town See CHICANE Page 5

Petition-inspired changes coming to 2017 Summerfest BY NATE SMELLE

The VOICE

Representatives from the Pelham Summerfest committee Candy Ashbee and Bill Gibson presented council with a ﬁnal report on the 2016 Summerfest at the Council meeting on Monday, Nov. 21. Prompted by a story in the Voice in August about a merchant petition to move Summerfest from Pelham Street, in September Town staﬀ met with various stakeholders to hear their complaints, promising at the time that changes in the way Summerfest was mounted would be con-

sidered. The main concerns identified during the community engagement process were security, parking, ensuring customer can access all businesses in town, and liability for damages. How to get all Pelham Street businesses to participate and finding ways to make it beneficial for them to set up a booth were also determined to be of high priority for the committee as they plan for next year’s event. Gibson told Council that the committee is addressing these concerns in a variety of ways. To improve parking, they intend to create bet-

ter signage for out-of-town visitors to designated parking areas and shuttle services. To make participation in Summerfest more enticing to local businesses, they plan to implement a tiered-charge for booths. Under the new system, Pelham Street business owners will be charged the least, other local businesses will pay a slightly higher fee, and vendors from outside Pelham will pay the most. In response to more speciﬁc issues for individual businesses, they will also slightly alter the footprint of the event and make adjustments to security. Another way the committee plans

to improve the 2017 Summerfest is by sponsoring and working with the organizers of the Thursday Night Bandshell Concert series to select the artist performing on the ﬁrst night of Summefest. They also intend to make more use of the smartphone app they launched in 2016. "We are really going to push it this year," Ashbee said. “It really helps to get people to see what events there are so they can plan out where they are going. We will be able to actually help the merchants and local businesses adSee CHANGES Page 5

FTER LUNCH ON Saturday, Mum and Dad had my afternoon cut out for me. Mum had more brass than anyone I knew, and it had to be cleaned. In addition there was the set of silver ﬁsh-knives and forks which were never used, but which had to be cleaned and put back in their velvetlined box. Next was a walk to the newsagents to pay for the daily delivery of the Daily Mirror. As I said, Dad was a printer, but when he was 37 he had been rejected for a job, as being too old, by the printers of the Beano. For that reason, my favourite comic was not allowed in the house, but while I was paying the papers, the newsagent let me have a 'shoofty' at the Beano. I'd explained my predicament and he understood completely. Sundays were diﬀerent again. Dad would play golf on summer mornings and billiards in winter. Then he'd stop for a 'refresher' at the local and would pick up the prawns, cockles, winkles or whelks we'd be having for tea later. Meanwhile, Mum was roasting the 'joint' and potatoes. I got to make the Yorkshire pud, and mint

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The goal is to have these youth develop into confident and well-rounded individuals

ceives them, enabling youth to have experiences that build character, challenge them, and allow them to try new things. The goal is to have these youth develop into conﬁdent and wellrounded individuals, better prepared for success. Apple Day helps to achieve that.”

“Any money raised during Apple Day goes towards improving the Scouting program by providing more outdoor adventures for youth, camping equipment, canoes and paddles, training and many other endeavours that the youth want to experience,” says Marie. Scouts Canada has some 100,000 members across Canada, and carries out programs for boys, girls

walk/trail is slated to be built between the south side of the road from Timmsdale Crescent to the high school. Because of the large volume of motor vehicle trafﬁc travelling at high speeds through this area, and because of the necessity for students to tread this path on a daily basis, many residents would like to see the sidewalk go in sooner than later. After delivering to Council a petition containing

Many residents would like to see the sidewalk go in sooner than later the names of 450 students calling for a safer walk to school, Simpson handed the

podium over to Loewen and Williams to plead their case. Loewen told Council that because there are a lot of students who have work placements and coop placements during the school year, this is the only route for many of them to travel. As one of the students facing this predicament, Williams said she has had no other option but to walk along the dangerous highway.

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and youth ages 5-25. This year the 3rd Fonthill Group, which includes Beavers to Ventures (youth ages 5- 25) will be hitting the streets to drum-up support. Over the weekend, Scouts will be set up in Fonthill outside Sobeys, Tim Hortons, Target Gas station, Fonthill Shopping Plaza and the Pioneer Gas station at the corner of Hwys 20 and 24.

Town Council approves sidewalk to serve E. L. Crossley BY NATE SMELLE

The VOICE

Joining their principal, Karen Simpson, at the Sept. 19 Council meeting as part of a delegation from EL Crossley Secondary School, students Abby Loewen and Neenah Williams presented Council with a list of reasons that they should immediately approve the construction of the new sidewalk proposed along Hwy. 20. The asphalt side-

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Second year Beaver with the 3rd Fonthill Group, Russell Letford offers a fresh apple to shoppers SUPPLIED PHOTO in Pelham during the 2015 Apple Day campaign. A longtime Canadian tradition, Apple Day began in 1932 in Saint John, New Brunswick, when Scouts handed out 21,000 apples as a way to say thank you to the community. In return for their generosity, many people oﬀered them donations. From then on Scouts have reached out through Apple Day to raise funds for their programs.

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Column Six It doesn’t get better than Autumn

Longtime Scouting tradition dates to 1932

While shopping in Fonthill between Friday and Sunday, keep an eye out for Beavers, Cubs and Scouts in front of local stores with bushels of apples. As part of the annual Apple Day campaign, Scouting youth of all ages will be trading apples for donations. The yearly fundraising drive is an important way for young Scouts to connect with the communities they are serving, says Leah Marie of Scouts Canada. “The Apple Day campaign holds a great tradition of being able to have youth interacting within the communities they live in,” she says. “All of the Apple Day donations stay directly within the group that re-

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BY VOICE STAFF The District School Board of Niagara is requesting that the Town of Pelham cede a portion of Cherry Ridge Park for use as a soccer field to serve the students of the new Wellington Heights Public School, formerly the E. W. Farr Memorial Public School, in Fenwick. Currently under renovation and expansion, the new school will combine students and staff from the previous school and Pelham Centre, where classes are being held while construction continues. Two letters, containing virtually identical text but signed by different authorities, were sent last week to nearby residents of the park, as well as to parents of Pelham Centre students. “The DSBN is currently building onto Wellington Heights Public School on Alsop Drive,” states the letter. “The size of the school's addition means the existing small soccer field will be eliminated. The Town and the Board have been discussing the possibility of working together to create a field for both the school and the

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“I start work at 2:30 PM and school lets out at 2:15 PM so I can’t take any other route,” Williams explained. “I have had friends, family, teachers and other community members reach out to me in the past about how this is unsafe and how there should be another alternative for us.” Looking ahead to winter, when she will need to walk this path three or four times See SIDEWALK Page 2

HERE IS NO BETTER time to cycle than Fall. It matters not whether you’re new to the sport, a seasoned recreational cyclist, racer, touring rider or mountain biker; we all have reason to look forward to autumn. Summer’s heat has faded, and the streams of sweat that ran from soggy helmets into our eyes are now just slight perspiration. Fitness is peaking from lots of saddle time, making those tough climbs of Spring a breeze in Autumn. It’s hard to beat the feeling of beginning a crisp, cool Fall ride with a slight shiver, knowing your efforts will soon warm you perfectly. The hues of Autumn are outstanding. A Pelham route as simple as following our southern boundary is one that would make most Toronto cyclists jealous, especially when our forests and fields are ablaze with colour. Begin from Harold Black Park, and zig-zag south along Effingham Rd toward the Welland River. If you’re new to cycling, it’s important to know south is the direction away from any hills. If you avoid the morning and evening weekday rush hours caused by those travelling through Pelham between Wainfleet See AUTUMN Page 3

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Page 3

A July 21 2021

“Sunny Days Ahead” Locals' video features in Hamilton Fringe Festival

Welcome Back!

BY MEGAN METLER Voice Correspondent

toEarlyON go chargesCentres closing driving 83 days Fenwick and South Pelham NRPS Raidy Manso (center), Santa Cayo, Cuba! At impaired

Sue Lough with daughter Tamara, of Fenwick, with new Cuban friend

July 14 to 25 is the Hamilton Fringe Festival for 2021, with some 30 companies sharing their theatre productions online and socially distanced outdoors. Family-friendly performances of all genres are being showcased over the 12 days of the festival. Sunny Days Ahead, a video produced by two friends, began streaming online on July 15. The show, written by Josh Loewen, videoed by Alex Sykes, and directed and performed by Loewen and Sykes, is a 35-minute short film that takes on the joys and fears of the future. “We’ve found out that one of the scariest times in our lives looking into the future was when we were graduating high school,” said Sykes, who is 21. “There’s a lot of uncertainty and also during this time of a pandemic we found that looking into the future was just this scary, vague, clouded sort of thing and so we wanted to explore how we could maybe make the future less scary and what joy lies ahead.” The story follows a teenager named Walt as he tries to plan out his life after high school with his best friend Pete. Full of comedy and diving into relationships, life, dreams and the future, Sunny Days Ahead shines a light on what’s to come as Walt and Pete attempt to figure out what the future holds for them. It starts at the very beginning of time and through genres including animation, musical, western, romance and comedy, the different stages of life are explored. Both Loewen and Sykes have lived in the Niagara Region or more specifically in Pelham for a large portion of their lives and is where their show was created and filmed. They met in high school and were both on the improv team. Additionally, they both attended Brock University in the dramatic arts program. Loewen, being older than Sykes at 24, graduated last spring, while Sykes will be going into his fourth year. The first show that Loewen and Sykes did together was in the summer of 2019 and this year, they created their own production company called Pondside Media. “We’ve gotten a bunch of equipment recently and so we’re hoping to actually work with other artists or maybe small businesses to help them create the video content that they are trying to make and have envisioned. So this project, Sunny Days Ahead, is actually the first project under Pondside Media,” said Sykes. He also shared that making this show with Loewen, who he is really close to, was an opportunity that not many people in the art industry get to do. “Making this piece with a really close friend of mine was really special and I

The Meridian Community Centre is OPEN What to expect when visiting Reserve your activity in advance Wear a face-covering to enter Check in at the screening desk Maintain a safe distance of 2M Follow the traffic-flow directions

Public Skating *Opening Aug Walking Track Skating Programs Top, Alex Sykes, and above, Josh Loewen, during production. SUPPLIED think that the show also kind of explores that maybe the relationships that we have in our lives are the most important thing. I think that it’s an interesting dynamic that the show is sort of exploring and the same thing that we were exploring as we were making the show.” According to Sykes, making the short film was an interesting challenge for them, but with their experience in theatre and improv applied to the project, he believes trying this new medium really paid off. In addition to creating their first film, finding time away from their regular lives to work on the project and filming with Covid-19 restrictions also contributed to the challenge. Sykes said that he and Loewen had to figure out solutions to stay safe while filming. “It made things a little bit interesting at times and we still had to do a lot of planning of how we would be

able to do the filming that we wanted to do.” With Sunny Days Ahead largely focusing on finding happiness and exploring the joys of life, Sykes said that, for him, it can be difficult to see all the good things all the time and to find the happy moments day-to-day. He added that this show is a great reminder to actively look for moments of happiness and times of joy especially right now with the Covid-19 pandemic. “We’re really hoping that a lot of people will come and see the show because I think that it’s relevant to a lot of people and maybe in different ways than it’s relevant to us. I hope that a lot of people will be able to find something from the show and walk away feeling joyful from this year and a half that has not really been that.” Sunny Days Ahead is available to view until July 25, with tickets through https://boxoffice.hamiltonfringe.ca/event/866:54/.

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The Voice

A July 21 2021

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OPINION

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

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

COTÉ'S COMMENTS Larry Coté

Rebels Without a Mask

small number of people have declined wearing masks and getting a vaccine that reduces the prospect of spreading the Covid-19 virus and its variants. Some of these people claim to have medical conditions that precludes the donning of a mask. The remainder of those who disregard these lifesaving measures have some peculiar reasoning to support their rejection of these standards. To put at risk their own lives is their right, but to put others at risk exceeds the limits of that right. At the onset of the pandemic, some anti-mask advocates claimed it was a hoax. Perhaps some unidentified agency was attempting to control the behaviour of a presumably witless population. The origin of such a theory remains a mystery. This rebellious lot claim to be more canny than the majority of people and first to recognize this groundless plot. Others of their number claim the vaccines were employed to depress the intellectual and reasoning capacities of those naive enough to allow themselves to be jabbed by some surreptitious syndicate. Oddly, whatever their reasoning to reject measures to control the virus, these people willingly abide by most other civil contrivances. Drivers need obtain a licence in order to comply with that practice. Why not reject that measure? To enjoy recreational fishing, adults are required to obtain a licence to participate in that activity. Why not ignore such a requirement? Social conventions frown upon public nudity. Why not cavort about town topless and without trousers? The 20 percent of the population who re-

main unvaccinated and reject medical science will likely encounter inconveniences, if not difficulties, in the future. They may be denied access to a number of activities and services, both public and private. For instance, some cruise lines will not allow unvaccinated persons to use onboard amenities such as pools and casinos in order that they not contaminate such facilities and endanger others. As these people knowingly accept the risk of contracting this vicious virus, there are rumblings that their health insurance may not cover the costs of treatment and hospitalization if they contract the virus or its variants. There is another serious sidebar to the rejection of the vaccines and the wearing of a masks syndrome. The longer the original Covid-19 virus is allowed to linger the greater the probability that more vicious and resistant variants will develop and spread. Some objectors to the wearing of masks and being vaccinated are being offered incentives to encourage compliance with these measures. Medical science has determined that in order to effectively control this pandemic, a plateau referred to as herd immunity need be reached. Such is said to be reached when 80 percent or more of the population has been fully vaccinated. Should these incentives not convince enough of these vaccine delinquents to avoid putting their neighbours at risk, laws may be enacted to require compliance. Thankfully, the majority of the population have accepted as their civic, moral and humanitarian responsibility to do all they can to comply with the measures to halt the devastation of this deadly virus. ◆

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Gambler’s Anonymous 905-351-1616 Kids Help Phone Service for youth. 416-586-5437 800-668-6868 (Crisis Line) www.kidshelpphone.ca

Assaulted Women’s Helpline Mobile calls to: #SAFE (#7233) 1-866-863-0511 (Toll-free) Crime Stoppers 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS) www.niagaratips.com Text - 274637 (CRIMES), keyword Niagara, then your tip

The Voice

Duc, sequere, aut de medio ﬁat

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

(905) 892-8690

www.thevoiceofpelham.ca PUBLISHER 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

Letters Excellent turnout for Library book sale We've just returned from the Pelham Library's book sale. A huge shout-out to all the volunteers who ran this event. Absolutely amazing. The crowds were there before opening and my guess is that they will be there long after closing. The number of volunteers, tables, boxes of books, reloading of tables that make you want to check the table again. On and on—an amazing event and a good fundraiser. On the negative side I almost got run over by a stupid cyclist who is good enough to be on the road. He didn't need the trail to ride on and interfere with all the Sunday "old folks" and "young folks" walking. Very very dangerous. No manners at all. J. Vlym Fonthill

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

Today's forgotten business stopped advertising yesterday

Ward 2 Councillor Ron Kore rkore@pelham.ca 905-933-3805 Councillor John Wink jwink@pelham.ca 905-892-4475 Ward 3 Councillor Lisa Haun lhaun@pelham.ca 905-892-5877 Councillor Bob Hildebrandt bhildebrandt@pelham.ca 905-892-5647

Cabinetry Showroom & Design Centre 7-200 Hwy 20 East, Fonthill ON L0S 1E6 Open: Mon - Fri 8:30am to 5:00pm Sat 10:00am to 4:00pm Call (905) 932-7069 for a design consultation

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Have an Opinion?

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

REAL ESTATE, PURCHASES, SALES & MORTGAGES, BUSINESS ACQUISITIONS & SALES, ESTATE ADMINISTRATION, WILLS & POWER OF ATTORNEY FONTHILL (Main Office)

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Well don't just sit there. Share it with The Voice! letters@ thevoiceofpelham.ca

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The Voice

Page 5

A July 21 2021

OPINION The town at the top of the Twelve Discovering our many waterfalls draws thousands of visitors to Pelham and the Niagara Region in the spring and fall. Back in the day there were many water courses draining from the escarpment year-round. But sadly, development, deforestation, and population growth have caused these streams to dry up during the summer. The cold, spring-fed Upper Twelve Mile Creek may be one of Pelham residents’ favourite environmental features, but it’s also one of only a few Niagara streams that still flow year-round and support native cold-water fish species like Brook Trout. Yet as our town grows so are we degrading this valuable resource. Urban development—like what we see up and down Highway 20 in Fonthill— brings about a fundamental shift in the natural water balance. As vegetated land is replaced with hard surfaces like buildings, roads, and parking lots, surface runoff becomes the primary drainage mechanism. As water runs off paved surfaces it picks up sediment, road salts, metals, oils, pesticides, and other harmful pollutants, which are conveyed directly from above the watershed into Twelve Mile Creek. Before these vegetated lands were urbanized, most storm water falling on the Fonthill Kame moraine either evaporated with the help of the vegetation or percolated into the leaky glacial soils. As we paved these areas and put impervious rooftops over our structures, we diverted most of this evapotranspiration and percolation into a much larger volume of fast-moving surface runoff to very fragile stream channels. These large runoff volumes have contributed to increased erosion, higher risk of flooding, property damage, and the destruction of the natural biodiversity of Twelve Mile Creek. You can easily observe the excessive water flows and the corresponding damage to the properties of Pelham Cares and the Lions Club at the outlet of the pond below the community centre on the north side of Highway 20, or at the outlet of the stormwater pond at the north end of Station Street. Conventional approaches to the management of urban runoff include structural practices such as wet ponds and detention chambers, focused on detaining stormwater and controlling the rate at which water is discharged into receiving waters. In recent years, unique flood events attributed to climate change have shown that these approaches are not enough. Urban water runoff management must become more holistic, and we must have a greater emphasis on green infrastructure and low impact development (LID) if we are to pre-

serve Twelve Mile Creek for the next generation to enjoy. The good news is that existing conventional stormwater management approaches can be successfully adapted to incorporate more of these practices in order to promote widespread adoption of the water balance approach by engineers,

Urban water runoff management must become more holistic, and we must have a greater emphasis on green infrastructure

planners and other practitioners in the development industry. The water balance approach seeks to recreate the original pre-urbanization balance of evapotranspiration (from vegetation), percolation back into the cooling and cleaning soils of the Fonthill Kame moraine, and runoff in stream channels. We can start to return to a more natural state as it was before the massive changes precipitated by intense human land development. More good news—the Town of Pelham is considering taking an important and bold step to preserve the precious natural heritage that is Twelve Mile Creek. Councillors and the Mayor are working in partnership with Town engineers and planners to engrain green infrastructure and LID as policy in the Town’s design manual. Rather than hoping for an arbitrary or haphazard adoption of these principles, a green infrastructure and LID policy will ensure that developers, builders, and Town planners adopt natural or built systems at the design stage. This policy will yield huge ecological benefits and help to maintain pre-development water flows. Pelham can pride itself on being the “Town at the Top of the Twelve” only if there is a Twelve to be proud of. By taking a holistic approach to stormwater management, we will join a growing list of progressive municipalities that have taken the important step to ensure our grandchildren and their grandchildren will enjoy natural resources like Twelve Mile Creek. Dennis Edell Chair, Niagara Chapter Trout Unlimited Canada

PELHAM AND COVID-19 Mayor Marvin Junkin

Cases, camps, and crops all looking good

ith the province’s implementation of Step 3 last Friday, the residents of Ontario are that much closer to getting their lives back to normal, whatever that might look like. From all of the smiling faces shown in restaurants and the packed gyms also appearing on local TV, this step has been anxiously anticipated for some weeks now. With the continued forecast of wet weather the opening of inside dining has occurred just in time. Daily new Covid cases in the region continue to come in at ten or below, no doubt due mostly to the good vac-

cination rates among Niagara’s residents. As of July 14, nearly 68 percent of Niagara’s residents have received one shot and nearly 49 percent have been fully vaccinated. These numbers are somewhat below the provincial numbers that show some 78 percent of all eligible residents have had one shot and 50 percent age 12 and up are fully vaccinated. The province continues to vaccinate between 175,000 and 200,000 individuals daily. With the move to Step 3, the Town is again renting ice time to various skating groups, and the swimming pool is also now open. All users are expected to follow

certain Covid guidelines as issued by the Niagara Health department. All of the Town’s summer day camps are full with waiting lists of children who couldn’t get in due to the great response to the programs. With all the recent moisture, field crops in Niagara are looking better than they have in the past 25 years, although it has made the harvesting of an excellent wheat crop somewhat challenging. It is great to see so many roadside stands throughout our town offering for sale the various food choices grown in our region. Until next time... ◆

SHOP LOCAL. SAVE LOCAL Support the local businesses that keep your community and its newspapers thriving.

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Page 6

The Voice

A July 21 2021

www.thevoiceofpelham.ca

Emerald Trails project underway in Fonthill Construction of 25-unit townhouse and bungalow development to take a year BY DON RICKERS Voice Correspondent John Lally’s broad smile reflects his pride in the new residential community he is building at 1120 Haist Street in Fonthill, which will feature 18 bungalow townhouses and seven detached bungalows on lots enveloped in a park-like setting. In fact, Lally plans to live in one of the homes himself. As President of Lally Homes, he purchased the 4.5-acre parcel, which had been the home of community’s arena, last year from the Town of Pelham. The old rink, built in 1975, has been demolished to make way for the new development. “There’s a big demand right now for bungalows, and there aren’t a lot being built because they take up more frontage…you need a bigger lot for a bungalow,” said Lally. “Provincial development policies and the cost of land today are additional factors. But I am really happy to see this project move forward, and it has been a pleasure working with Pelham’s Mayor and council, Town staff, and local neighbours, who all provided valuable input regarding the site plan. It became clear early in the process that protection of this beautiful parkland was a significant issue for all.” Lally also underscored that consultants, planners, engineers, and tradespeople associated with Emerald Trails live exclusively in the region.

“Hiring local talent for this development was important to me,” he said. “We're trying to create jobs in Niagara.” The energy efficient, open-concept townhouses and detached homes, built with green products for sustainability, will feature nine-foot ceilings, sunrooms and home offices, double garages, an adjoining park and walking trails, and tennis/pickleball courts. The subdivision will be accessible from both Haist Street and Welland Road, and will provide garage access by an alleyway to the rear, along with private backyards. “We plan to start the roads and sewer network in early September, and hopefully commence construction of houses this fall,” said Lally, who noted that the square footage for the townhomes and detached bungalows should be around 1500 and 2200 square feet respectively. Housing affordability is a critical issue in Pelham these days. The first half of 2021 saw Pelham house prices jump over 26 percent from the same period in 2020, with sales volume up 56 percent. The average sale price of a Pelham home in the past six months is over $900,000. “With the price of land and building materials today, plus the cost of labour, compared to a few years ago, it’s not even in the same ballpark,” said Lally. “Unfortunately, it is getting very hard for young families to get a foothold in

Lally Homes President John Lally, on site last week on Haist St. the housing market.” He said that any developer building homes at a very low price-point is likely getting some sort of municipal subsidy. Lally Homes has long had a focus

DON RICKERS

on the retirement home industry, and has also developed a number of golf course communities. Lally said he understands the demand for housing for seniors who want independent living.

The entire development is expected to be completed by the summer of 2022. Pricing levels have not been set, but should be available in the next couple months, said Lally.

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The Voice

Page 7

A July 21 2021

NPCA seeks input for 2021-2031 planning BY DON RICKERS Voice Correspondent New York Yankees baseball icon Yogi Berra, renowned for his pithy malapropisms, perhaps said it best: “If you don’t know where you are going, you’ll end up someplace else.” The Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority (NPCA) has taken Berra’s distilled wisdom to heart, and embarked on a new strategic planning process that will steer the organization’s direction for the next decade. CAO Chandra Sharma told the Voice that the current strategic plan is coming to an end in 2021. She said that when she took over as the CAO in 2020, her mandate from the board of directors was to deliver a new strategic plan that will guide the organization for the next ten years. “We are taking a fresh approach…it's being led by a team of staff from various parts of the organization, with guidance from a board subcommittee and our public Advisory Committee,” said Sharma. “An overall goal is to reaffirm our commitment to the mandate that gave rise to the Ontario conservation authorities in the middle of the last century. We are building on the success of a unique watershed approach that has served us well in the past 60 years.” Sharma said this will be an outcomes-oriented plan, with a strong focus on key performance measures that clearly demonstrate

success in delivering projects and programs. She emphasized that the NPCA is dedicated to maintaining a strong environmental philosophy, building capacity and areas of expertise, and contributing to public education in local communities through a green infrastructure mandate. With 41 recreation and conservation properties across the Niagara region, the NPCA provides many services to municipalities in its watershed area, such as preservation of sources of fresh drinking water, and protection of property from natural hazards like flooding and erosion. Natalie Green is the NPCA project manager responsible for the collection of information from internal and external partners related to the strategic plan, and leadership of the internal staff working group. She has been with the organization for four years, focusing primarily on the restoration of the Niagara River and a remedial action plan for the waterway. Working with all departments within the organization, Green said that a SWOT (strengths and weaknesses, opportunities and threats) analysis was conducted, which generated strategic objectives. “In one large staff session, we had over 90 percent of our current full-time staff participate. They were excited to be involved,

The St. Johns Conservation Area, on Barron Rd. in Fonthill, is one of the jewels in the NPCA crown. and to provide input,” said Green. “We really have taken a different approach with this strategic plan, letting staff guide it and providing opportunities for public comment early in the process…it’s really quite unique.” Green said that she enjoys working on highly collaborative

projects which involve a multitude of stakeholders. She expects that the NPCA will produce a strategic plan draft this month, with continued refinement and consultation to follow. Key themes that have been put forward for public input include a healthy and climate-resilient

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Page 8

The Voice

A July 21 2021

www.thevoiceofpelham.ca

Pelham Fire Department assists in St. Kitts blaze Historic Welland House burns to the ground BY DON RICKERS Voice Correspondent In its heyday, the Welland House was a spa and hotel which attracted the rich and famous to St. Catharines. Today, the iconic site at 30 Ontario Street has been reduced to a pile of rubble, the aftermath of a fire which tore through the building last Monday, July 12. Firefighting operations and cleanup took three days to complete, and almost 50 fire crew members and ten vehicles were involved in battling the blaze. The Pelham Fire Department, as part of a mutual aid agreement in the region, supported the efforts of St. Catharines firefighters. Pelham Fire Chief Bob Lymburner told the Voice that fighting the blaze at the abandoned hotel was a defensive operation, with no fire crew members penetrating the interior of the building. “We sent our aerial truck down with six firefighters and a training vehicle to assist. Firefighters and heavy equipment operators knocked most of the building down, because it was in danger of spilling onto the adjacent roadways and buildings,” he said. Lymburner believed that there were no injuries as a result of the fire, and that the building was unoccupied. “There might have been a squatter, a vagrant, in there, but they don't usually live in a building without any services,” he said, noting that the gas, water,

and electricity utilities had been turned off. At this writing the cause of the inferno is unknown, as the Ontario Fire Marshal’s office continues its investigation, supported by St. Catharines Fire Services investigators and Niagara Regional Police detectives. Ironically, the building was being considered by the St. Catharines Heritage Advisory Committee for a heritage designation that very night, a process which had started back in 2019. The property owner had formally contested the designation. At a press conference, St. Catharines Fire Chief Jeff McCormick said that fire crews were called to the scene just after 5 AM last Monday, and proceeded cautiously due to the intensity of the fire, which had already engulfed the multi-storey structure. A “shelter in place” advisory was sent out to nearby residents, but was rescinded Monday night when it was clear that the blaze had been contained. Firefighting hoses sprayed some 25,000 litres of water per minute as the fire raged. The Welland House was founded in the 1850s, one of three St. Catharines hotels (the Springbank and the Stephenson House were the others) to serve as spas for wealthy guests. Mineral springs had been discovered underground, and were touted as

having medicinal healing qualities. The newly constructed, second Welland Canal brought new business to the area, and local businessman and entrepreneur Thomas Rodman Merritt and his friends raised money for the hotel’s construction. It was built using predominantly Black labour, comprised of men who had escaped slavery in the United States. (Many Blacks found employment at the hotel once it was completed, but were not allowed to rent a room in the establishment themselves.) The Welland House was a community hub in the early to mid-1900s, where lavish events were staged in banquet halls and ballrooms. The first Girl Guides troop in North America, founded in 1909, had their meetings in the basement of the building. St. Catharines's first radio station, CKTB, operated out of the building in the 1930s. Many famous guests stayed at the Welland House over the years, including a number of Canadian and British prime ministers, Jefferson Davis (who had led the Confederacy during the U.S. Civil War), and actress Grace Kelly, who had come to St. Catharines to watch her brother row in the Royal Canadian Henley Regatta. She later became Princess of Monaco. The spa was closed in 1941, and the hotel operated until the early 1990s, most recently serving as an off-campus, privately operated residence for Brock University and Niagara College students. Unoccupied since 2018, the building had fallen into disrepair, and the main-floor windows had been boarded up.

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Top, a tinted postcard, printed in Britain, of the "Welland Hotel," ca. 1910. Centre, room accommodations and a public area, date unknown. Above, an advertisement extolling the hotel's amenities, date unknown but perhaps before telephones were in common use. ST. CATHERINES MUSEUM/BROCK UNIVERSITY

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www.thevoiceofpelham.ca

The Voice

Page 9

A July 21 2021

All that remains of Welland House after last Monday's fire.

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Page 10

The Voice

A July 21 2021

www.thevoiceofpelham.ca

BOFFO DAY FOR BOOKS The Pelham Public Library ran its first book sale since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic on Sunday, and business was brisk from the start. Coordinator Melanie Taylor-Ridgway was confident that by the end of the one-day event, takings would equal two days' of sales pre-pandemic. Right, Fonthill resident Cium Manis forks over payment to volunteers Anita Levassur and Elsie Bell. BOB LOBLAW

KIRK ON THE HILL PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH in Fonthill, is hiring a Coordinator to plan and implement a family based 2 hour program once a month. The incumbent will choose biblically based stories, crafts and songs, as well as a formal lesson for ages 5 –12. The pay will be $15/hr for 15 hrs/month. The program runs from September 2021 until May 2022.

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The Voice

Page 11

A July 21 2021

WELLAND WARD 3 BY-ELECTION 2021

Six candidates vying for vacant council seat With Welland City Council deadlocked, voters to decide who replaces Spinosa BY DON RICKERS Voice Correspondent Welland’s Ward 3 by-election has attracted six candidates, all eager to fill the seat left vacant by Lucas Spinosa, who resigned in February, asserting that he was the target of harassment and threats against him. Nancy Dmytrow Bilboe, Cathy Connor, Phill Gladman, John Mastroianni, Steven Soos, and Douglas Thomas have all filed nomination papers. City Council initially planned to appoint a local citizen to fill the empty council seat, and 19 residents put their names forward for consideration. The list was whittled down to two, but an impasse occurred in trying to choose between Mastroianni and Thomas. A motion was passed to allow a vote-by-mail election due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Voting day is Monday, August 9, 2021, a bit over two weeks from now. First to declare, and considered the front-runner by many, is long-time Ward 3 resident John Mastroianni, who has served terms previously on council, and has also been a Regional councillor John Mastroianni. SUPPLIED for Welland. He is a proponent of investment in the downtown core, especially supporting those people with businesses who have suffered financially during the pandemic. He also wants to see significant development along the waterfront in the

ANNUAL REPORT

city, with the hope of providing some relief for Welland taxpayers. Traffic issues in Ward 3 are also a concern for Mastroianni, not simply involving the volume of vehicles, which is increasing with the proliferation of housing developments, but also the enforcement of drivers exceeding the speed limit, who are jeopardizing public safety. He identified Colbeck Drive, Riverside Drive, Webber Road, Prince Charles Drive, and Clare Avenue as being plagued by cars racing along the roadways. Suggesting that his past experience can help solve some of the divisiveness on council of late, Mastroianni underscored that politics involves compromise. “As an elected official, you’ve got to be willing to listen to people. Every resident has in their mind a legitimate and honest complaint or opinion. We’ve got to sit at the table and work to find common ground, something that we can agree on.” Douglas Thomas last ran for office to represent Ward 1, in 2014. He has practised law in Welland since 1987, and said that he maintains a good connection with the downtown. An avid cyclist, Douglas Thomas. SUPPLIED Thomas said that he logs about 8000 kilometres annually around the region, and would like to see cycling routes better promoted and priori-

2020

tized for sport tourism benefit to the city. He’d also like to see more waterfront events and development, especially those involving summer camps which engage children in aquatic activities. Thomas is supportive of increasing mental health access in Welland, as well as careful oversight of major building projects in the city. “An overarching problem is the cost of housing,” said Thomas. “We need to work to attract more jobs with decent wages—it’s the only way that we can put young people into houses, if that's even possible these days. We also need to preserve green space.” Steven Soos, who is still in his 20s and a “proud Metis on the ballot,” competed for a spot in Welland’s Ward 6 when he was only 19, and in the 2018 municipal election lost the mayoral race in a Steven Soos. SUPPLIED landslide to Frank Campion. Born and raised in Welland, Soos cited his commitment to public service being motivated by the late political firebrand NDP MPP Peter Kormos, to whom Soos refers as “my hero.” With a record of being a vocal advocate for social issues such as mental health, homelessness, addiction, and food security, Soos has a loyal following on his online talk show True Politics, and hopes to convert that grassroots appeal into victory on election day. Soos proclaims a long list of political supporters, including Welland Regional Councillor Leanna Villella, Mayor Marvin Junkin of Pelham, Councillor Jim Handley of Thorold, Niagara Falls Councillor Wayne Campbell, former Wainfleet Mayor April Jeffs, and

Thorold Councillor Ken Sentence. Other issues which have Soos’ attention include bringing back a community watch program, with an emphasis on crime prevention, finding solutions to the speeding problems in Ward 3, and more responsible development of large-scale building projects to ensure that adequate parking is part of the design. Revitalization of the downtown core is a priority for the city, said Soos, noting that, “The mayor had promised downtown wi-fi when he ran in 2018, and it still hasn't come to fruition.” Soos views the technology as “something people want, that supports business growth in the downtown.” Tradesman Phil Gladman has lived in Welland for the past 25 years, and has been a community volunteer for local food drives and the Rose Festival, as well as being the co-founder of Phil Gladman. SUPPLIED Welland Floatfest. He ran unsuccessfully for a seat in Ward 4 in the 2018 election. In part, his motivation to run was spurred by Lucas Spinoza, “and the unfortunate trouble that he had to face as a young person and small business owner.” Gladman is concerned about Welland’s long-term growth strategy. “We're seeing residential and commercial development and big changes happen in our community, and I'm not sure we're planning with foresight, looking 50 years ahead,” he said, noting an influx of new residents is expected. Poverty, affordable housing, lack of food banks and food security, and menSee WARD 3 back page

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Page 12

The Voice

A July 21 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 15 word’s original meaning from “flesh and blood” to “bricks and mortar.” However, house churches continued throughout history.

The modern church

Interestingly, house churches are still very common around the world in the 21st century for the same reason they were in the 1st century — persecution. In countries where political ideology (such as mainland China) or a non-Christian majority religion (such as Saudi Arabia) prevent or restrict religious freedom, believers still meet in homes. They are often referred to as “underground churches,” not because they are physically underground (although they may be) but because they meet in secret and illegally. These believers sing softly, speak quietly, and come and go sporadically to avoid detection. In spite of persecution, they often thrive spir-

itually and multiply quickly. It is estimated that Christians in China now number over 100 million. Reports from Iran describe an “underground revival” taking place. Some believers today wonder if this New Testament model is again relevant even in the West, where most believers enjoy freedom to gather and worship. There are some compelling positives: fellowship can be more intimate, money can be saved (and channeled into evangelism, missions and meeting practical needs), and believers can be discipled and trained more easily into ministry. Jesus once said, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them.” (John 14:23) Regardless of your preference of churches (big or small), make sure that the Lord is at home in your heart because you’ve welcomed Him there. ◆ Rob Weatherby is a retired pastor.

BALANCED LIFE

continued from Page 14 Woods’ ride for an Olympic medal, have stayed on to compete in the Tour. Karol-Ann Canuel and Leah Kirchman are the two Canadians that qualified for the women’s road race, a difficult 137- kilometre route with 2692 metres of climbing. Their July 25 race will start and finish at the same locations as the men’s event. Time trial, a shorter, sprint-paced road cycling event, will run July 28 for both men and women. The course is 22.1 kilometres long, starting and ending on Fuji Speedway while incorporating the surrounding roads and hills to provide 423 metres of climbing per circuit. Canuel and Kirchmann will represent Canada in the women’s one lap event, while Houle will be the lone Canadian in the men’s two lap event. Canada will be represented by seven women and six men from across the country in 12 various track bicycle racing events spanning August 2-8. Original plans were to construct a new track cycling facility within the Olympic grounds, but the event will now be held at the Izu Velodrome, in Shizuoka, 120 kilometres

outside Tokyo. Latest reports in the cycling press suggest there is a chance fans will be allowed into the 3600-seat velodrome because Shizuoka is not under lockdown, Mountain bike racers will compete on the outdoor Izu MTB course, also 120 kilometres from Tokyo, allowing spectators to be admitted as well. Canada’s MTB team will be led by Catharine Pendrel, a 40-year-old two-time world champion and three-time world cup titlist who will be competing in her fourth Olympic games. Haley Smith will race with Pendrel in the July 27 women’s event, while Peter Disera will be the lone Canadian in the men’s event July 26. The only cycling events to be held entirely in the locked down area are BMX racing and Freestyle, July 29-August 1, in the Ariake Urban Sports Park near Tokyo Bay. This new 5000seat facility will sit empty while Drew Mechielsen and James Palmer, both of British Columbia, compete for Canada. Canada’s Tokyo 2020 Paralympic cycling team is an incredibly talented and successful group of nine athletes. A July 7 press release from the Canadian Paralympic Committee stated, “CySee BALANCED LIFE next page

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A July 21 2021

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continued from previous page cling was Canada's most successful sport at the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games, winning nine medals (one gold, three silvers, and five bronze). Eight of those podium performances were from team members returning for the Tokyo Games.” Each parathlete cyclist must go through a rigorous classification process based on their personal disabilities to ensure fair competition within cycling’s four categories: handcycling (H1–H5), tricycling (T1-T2), cycling (C1-C5) and tandem (B); twenty sub-classifications in total. Team leader Tristen Chernove claimed C2 gold at Rio in 2016, plus a silver and bronze, while teammates Ross Wilson captured two silver medals in C1 and Charles Moreau two bronze in C1. Two rookie team members, Joey Desjardins and Alex Hyndman will represent Canada in men’s handcycling (H3). Shelley Gautier of Niagara Falls, a T1 tricyclist, will arrive in Tokyo having won gold in both time trial and road events at the 2021 Para Road World Championships in Portugal just a month ago. The paralympic team is completed by C4 competitors Kate O’Brien and Keely Shaw, both whom have won gold medals in past inter-

The Voice Z

FONTHILL BANDSHELL PRESENTS DE TEMPS ANTAN of Pelham and Central Niagara Burke’s Masonry 2003, Éric Beaudry, André Brunet and Pierre-Luc Dupuis have THE VOICE Since IS 100 PERCENT Bricklaying, tuckpointing, been exploring and performing time-honoured melodies from OF the PUBLICATION stompCOMMUNITY-OWNED CELEBRATING 25 YEARS step repair, granite ing grounds of Quebec’s musical past. Using fiddle, accordion, harmonica, coatings, brick slices guitar, bouzouki and a number of other instruments, our three virtuosos 905-682-7061. joieREPAIR de vivre found only in MASONRY FLOORINGP18-28 OBITUARYblend boundless energy with the unmistakable traditional Quebec music. Show runs from 7-9 p.m. ALLTYPE MASONRY

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Brick, Block, Stone and Chimney repairs. Wet and damaged basement repairs. PELHAM CARD MAKING WORKSHOP Howard C. Daw, in his 101st year, passed away atLIBRARY Welland Phone Tom Deamude at 289-241-4767. General Hospital on Friday, July 9, 2021. Howard, a lifelong resident 35 years of experience. Materials Make six cards with fall themes, learning a construction variety of techniques. of Fenwick, was born in Thornloe, Ontario on Jan. 22, 1921. The are provided. At time of registration, please enquire about tools needed. Daw family relocated to Fenwick after the Great Fire of 1922 swept CUSTOM MILL through the area. Howard was well knownTues., in the local community, Sept. 16 10 – 12:30. $10. Please register ahead. Visit www.pelhamPortable sawmill service. running several businesses in plumbing, heating and construction, library.on.ca or call 905-892-6443 foryour more details. I will come to home or farm and custom mill your logs. before building Westbrook Golf Club (now Waterpark) and eventually Firewood & lumber also available. Call Rob Patterson, Steeplechase Par 3 in Fenwick. He and his wife, Helen (Swick) 905-401-4948, retired on the Steeplechase property before her death in 1979. FABULOUS FENWICK LIONS FISH FRY riverwood@primus.ca Howard eventually remarried and he and his wife, Barbara (Barrett), treats with lived on their beloved property on Balfour Tasty St. for many years. He isfunds heading straight back into the community. Haddock, survived by wife Barbara, son Jeff Daw (Dorine) daughter SALE frenchand fries and Jillmuch more. Runs Sept. 9 FOR from 4-7 p.m. Daw, stepchildren, Darlene Proveau (Terry), Carol Glanfield (Jeff) and Paul Barrett (Liz). Howard is also survived by his brother Jim Golf lessons offered by World Golf Teachers Federation top 100 (Ruth) and sister-in-law Bev Caldwell. He PELHAM was predeceased by his HOCKEY EQUIPMENT SALE MINOR teacher. All ages and all skill levels. Lessons held at Brock Golf parents, David and Mae, and his siblings, Ronnie, Isobel Brown Buy, sell or trade used equipment at the Pelham Arena. Aimed to provide (George), Carm (Violet), Betty Tunnacliffe (Lloyd) and Lawrence Course. Call Doug at 905-327-1492. (Irene). Also surviving are grandchildrencheaper Bronwyn Drew (David), options for players in this upcoming season. Runs Sept. 6 from Adam Hammond (Marta), Chris Daw (Sheena), Stephanie Stokes 9-12 in the (James) and 8 great-grandchildren. Step-grandchildren morning. include: Joel Glanfield (Heidi), Matthew Glanfield (Holly), Aaron Glanfield (Rachelle), Robert Glanfield (Kira), Mark Proveau (Krysanne), PELHAM MUDFEST Lisa Proveau (Dakota), Lily Barrett and Rose Barrett (James). A private family memorial service will be heldMen at a later Funeralwill be back in the mud as the second run on the year is anddate. women arrangements have been entrusted to Lampman Funeral Home. FOUND held at Bissil’s Hideaway. www.lampmanfuneralhome.com Found: a pair of prescription sunglasses in black case. These

Howard C. Daw

national competitions, and Marie-Eve Croteau (T2) who will be entering her third Paralympics. All paralympic events will be held at the Izu Velodrome and Fuji Speedway between August 25 and September 3. These venues are outside the lockdown zone, and are expected to allow some spectators even if the Tokyo lockdown is extended beyond August 22. It’s noteworthy that Tokyo 2021 will be the first

found on grass boulevard at corner of Haist and Canboro on NIAGARA REGIONALwere EXHIBITION

time CBC television will 10th. headline Call 289-897-9398 to claim. Rodeo,the games and liveThursday, June entertainment this years exciting event. It broadcast Summer Paralympics in prime runs from Sept.time, 11-14 at the Welland Fairgrounds. a wonderful recognition of DAYLILIES the quality athletic performances these competitors Daylily Garden now in bloom. Over 50 varieties-open daily. Pots for BIG MOVE CANCER RIDE provide. sale - $7 only. 459 Highwayride 20 West, Fenwick. The Big Move Cancer Ride is –aCash non-competitive taking place on Sept. This is one of the few times7. the author of this col-Big Move stay in Niagara and support the Walker FamProceeds for the umn will recommend sitCHALET FOR RENT ily Cancer Centre. ting on the couch in front of a TV, but hey, Tokyo 2020 Collingwood chalet for rent. Sleeps 6, 2-baths. Full kitchen, is finally here, and our CaWALKING CLUB jacuzzi, fireplace, wi-fi, BBQ, pools, golf on site, near boat launch, nadian cyclists and paracyinmake walking Join them at the7. Pelham clistsInterested are ready to us in Pelham? Recreation Centre.Tuesdays JULY 31 - AUGUST $1200 Arena proud. ◆ from 9-10 am and Thursdays at Fonthill Bandshell for 9-10:30 am. There

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“T VI

905

Page 14

The Voice

A July 21 2021

www.thevoiceofpelham.ca

THE BALANCED LIFE by John Swart

The cyclist's guide to Tokyo 2020

anada has sent its largest Olympic contingent of athletes in history, excluding the boycotted 1984 games, to Tokyo 2020 in Japan. Twenty-three of those 371 athletes are cyclists, and another nine cyclists will compete in the Paralympics. These Canadian athletes will be among approximately 15,000 others from 200 countries, and another 53,000 officials will also be attending (down from the original 175,000 scheduled pre-Covid). Canadian cyclists will be in a unique position within the community of Olympic athletes—they will have

live, in-person spectators at many of their events. The Olympics scheduled to begin this Friday represent the most extraordinary situation organizers and competitors have faced since the infamous Los Angeles games, or possibly ever. The turmoil swirling in the minds of our athletes must be unimaginable. The lessons in focus, visualization, self-talk, and goal-setting their sports psychologists drilled into them will be tested to the maximum. The news media is keeping us abreast of the Covid situation in Tokyo: the citywide state of emergency will extend to August 22, depriv-

ing events other than those being held outside Tokyo of spectators; confirmed Covid cases are now over 1000 per day in Tokyo, yet the number of seriously ill patients and deaths is declining due to increased vaccinations of those 65 years and older; and the Delta variant is surging. Perhaps our brave athletes are encouraged by knowing 80 percent of arriving athletes will already be fully vaccinated, and Pfizer has provided Japan with 40,000 doses to inoculate others and officials as required. A combination of factors has caused three of the four cycling venues to be located wholly or partially outside the city of Tokyo. These venues do not face the same lockdown restrictions as the main urban Olympic facilities. This unique situation may bring its own concerns,

such as transportation risks and a feeling of exclusion for the athletes, but they will be able to perform in front of spectators. The July 24 men’s road race course, a grueling 234-kilometre circuit which includes the lower slopes of Mount Fuji, begins at Musashinonomori Park and finishes at Fuji International Speedway after climbing

4000 metres. Musashinonomori Park is located close to the main Olympic venues within the lockdown area, but the race heads north and soon enters the countryside of Japan, allowing spectators to line much of the course in traditional Tour de France fashion. Canadians are well-represented in this event by team leader Michael Woods,

Hugo Houle, and Guillaume Boivin. All three competed in the just-concluded 2021 Tour de France. As of this writing, Michael Woods quit the Tour after stage 19 to conserve energy for the Olympics, leaving his Israel Start-Up Nation team leaderless. Houle and Guillaume, who will support See BALANCED LIFE Page 12

V oice HOROSCOPE ARIES – Mar 21/Apr 20 You are inspired to study a new culture after reading about it in the news, Aries. Continuing your education may provide the challenge you’ve been looking for. TAURUS – Apr 21/May 21 Taurus, some good news about a friend puts a smile on your face. Congratulate this person and share his or her good fortune with others. Your support is appreciated. GEMINI – May 22/Jun 21 This week you discover your instincts about something important have been spot on, Gemini. You usually can trust your gut when making challenging decisions. CANCER – Jun 22/Jul 22 Cancer, once you make a plan you typically stick with it. This week, however, your willpower may weaken a tad and you may find yourself going off-script. LEO – Jul 23/Aug 23 Don’t be surprised if family members divulge some interesting news this week, Leo. You may alter your thinking about upcoming plans. Remember to follow your instincts. VIRGO – Aug 24/Sept 22 Virgo, some exciting opportunities are on the horizon. Let go of any hesitation you have and dive right in with both feet. Make the most of this exciting time. LIBRA – Sept 23/Oct 23 Someone may need your help in the weeks to come, Libra. Embrace this opportunity to help someone in need. They may show their appreciation in unique ways.

SCORPIO – Oct 24/Nov 22 Scorpio, success and good fortune are likely in store for you very shortly. You’ll feel satisfied when the good news arrives, and it will carry you through the times ahead. SAGITTARIUS – Nov 23/Dec 21 This is an excellent week to explore emotions and romantic feelings, Sagittarius. The more you give of yourself, the more you will get in return. CAPRICORN – Dec 22/Jan 20 It is alright to feel uncertain about recent developments, Capricorn. You can take your time to process new information, and it is good to be informed. AQUARIUS – Jan 21/Feb 18 You’re adept at reading feelings and anticipating things that are on the horizon, Aquarius. Utilize your skills for the benefit of others. Your efforts won’t go unnoticed. PISCES – Feb 19/Mar 20 Pisces, this week you may feel a little out of sorts. Take some time to get away from it all and reset. It will be time well spent and you will feel recharged. FAMOUS BIRTHDAYS JULY 18 Kristen Bell, Actress (41) JULY 19 Romee Strijd, Model (26) JULY 20 Julianne Hough, Dancer (33) JULY 21 JULY 23 Daniel Radcliffe, Actor (32) JULY 22 David Spade, Actor (57)

47. NAB

44. EAR

39. REDD

40. RERAN

38. REALLY

36. IAMBIC

37. ANGOLA

34. ID

35. LIAO

33. ABM

31. PFC

32. UNLIKE

28. TET

29. SEA

24. CAN

27. OLLA

23. GAO

20. OKRA

22. NATURAL

18. TI

19. SSR

14. DAT

15. EPIGRAM

11. DECK

8. PPB

9. AKS

6. THIEF

4. ERA

5. DALLAS

3. ENAMEL

2. SAHARA

1. ESCHEW

SOLUTIONS DOWN

52. CAY

50. ILL

51. NEB

48. OBOL

49. DAKAR

45. AMGA

46. DRINA

43. EEL

44. ELM

41. ABC

42. DIANE

39. RRNA

32. ULTRAFAMILIAR

30. LEU

31. PEA

29. SRNA

26. GAR

27. OTTO

STICKS

25. AAR

21. WALKING

19. SAP

20. OAFS

16. LEK

17. ERECT

14. DEB

13. HAME

10. CHAD

12. PALIS

7. SAN

8. PRAHA

1. ESE

4. EDT

ACROSS

CROSSWORD ANSWERS

SOLUTIONS

Enjoy our Take-out Fish & Chips Fridays! From our family to yours...stay safe

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The Voice

Page 15

A July 21 2021

FAITH LIFT

by Pastor Rob Weatherby

Dynamic house churches

hristians haven’t always met and worshipped in buildings called churches, tabernacles, temples or cathedrals. Throughout history many believers have preferred (or been forced) to use houses or homes for their gatherings. And many of these were very dynamic, multiplying and growing quickly.

The early church

The early Christian movement had a lot of faith and courage but not a lot of money or real estate. The New Testament reveals to us how most early believers gathered, worshipped and learned. The very first house church was in Jerusalem, when the Holy Spirit filled the small group of believers meeting in the upper room of a house (see Acts 1:13). When the Christian movement began to grow quickly after the day of Pentecost, believers “broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts.” (See Acts 2:46) As the Christian faith began to spread throughout the Roman Empire we begin to see house fellowships emerging. The apostle Paul sent greetings to believers in Greece from the Roman province of Asia and wrote, “Aquila and Priscilla greet you warmly in the Lord, and so does the church that meets at their house.” (1 Corinthians 16:19) Paul again refers to this key Christian couple and their house church in his letter to believers in Rome (see Romans 16:3,5). Paul begins his shortest letter by saying that he is sending it specifically to Philemon as well as two other believers “and to the church that meets in your home.” (Philemon 1,2) Similarly, Paul writes in his let-

ter to believers in Colossae, “Give my greetings to the brothers and sisters at Laodicea (a nearby city), and to Nympha and the church in her house.” (Colossians 4:15) It’s clear from these verses that Paul’s use of the word “church” referred to a group of believers and not a building. The Greek word is “ekklesia,” which means “those who are called out.” It refers to God’s call to believers to leave “the world” (non-Christian values and lifestyle) and to follow Jesus as their Savior and Lord. History reveals that for the first three centuries, Christians typically met in

homes. One early church father, Clement of Alexandria, wrote of worshipping in a home. One key reason was persecution, which forbade the erection of buildings for worship. It was also easier to worship secretly in a home to avoid detection and probable arrest and imprisonment. When Emperor Constantine legalized Christianity in 313 AD, believers were then free to begin constructing buildings for worship. Such a building was called a “church,” which unfortunately changed the See FAITH LIFT Page 12

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CROSSWORD

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Page 16

The Voice

WARD 3

continued from Page 11 tal health support systems are also issues on his radar, along with concerns about the economy and the environment. “I work, live, and breathe Ward 3,” said Gladman, adding, “We're in the middle of really making positive change downtown, and I feel that the cause needs to be championed just a bit more.” Nancy Dmytrow Bilboe worked for 45 years as a professional nurse in Ontario, the U.S., and the Middle East, and has political experience, having served as a Ward Two councillor in 2000.

Nancy Dmytrow Bilboe. SUPPLIED A self-described consensus builder, she said, “Right now we have a very divisive council. That's why we're having this election—they couldn't decide between two candidates. So instead, it's going to cost the taxpayer over $50,000.” With Welland’s popula-

A July 21 2021

tion projected to add 18,000 by 2030, Dmytrow Bilboe advocates for more development to provide rental and affordable housing for families, hotels, and jobs. She also stressed a need for greater opportunities for seniors in Welland, “who make up 19 percent of the local population.” Control of speeding traffic in the city is also on her short list. Another issue that has Dmytrow Bilboe’s attention is governance. “We have too many politicians—more than 125 across Niagara Region, for a population of only 448,000. It’s too costly for taxpayers.”

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They couldn't decide between two candidates. So instead, it's going to cost the taxpayer over $50,000.

nor, who advocates for construction of smaller homes for young families and retirees. “With the way real estate is right now,” she said, “as the mother of two 30-yearolds, I’m asking myself, ‘are they ever going to be able to own a home?’”

Welland VoteBy-Mail kits Cathy Connor.

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Born and raised in Welland, Cathy Connor has served on a few boards within the city, including those of minor basketball and baseball organizations, and the Croatian National Home. She ran for council back in 2014, in Ward 3, finishing fourth. “I'm really passionate about the city, and feel that Welland has a lot of untapped potential,” she said, noting that new families drawn to the city will expect more in the way of amenities. Connor wants to see greater development of recreational facilities along the city’s waterways, and a more vibrant downtown core. She noted that Welland residents pay high property taxes, and would like to find ways to “stabilize or reduce” this burden. A lack of affordable housing is a big concern for Con-

Starting last week, Welland Ward 3 residents started receiving VoteBy-Mail kits to cast their vote for the 2021 Ward 3 By-Election. The Vote-ByMail kits include instructions for voters to cast their ballot. Additional resources for voting, including a video on how to complete the Vote-By-Mail kit, is available on the City’s website at www.welland.ca/Elections/ ElectorsResources.asp According to a City statement, ballot return locations are as follows: Drop-boxes at Civic Square, 60 East Main St.; the Welland Community Wellness Complex, 145 Lincoln St.; the Welland Library Main Branch, 50 The Boardwalk; Welland Library Seaway Mall Branch, 800 Niagara St. Voter may contact the Clerk’s Office for further information by emailing election@welland.ca or calling 905-735-1700, ext. 2153.

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RECIPE OF THE WEEK

Baked Peppers with Rice Stuffing When the mercury rises, savvy cooks know lighter fare is the name of the game. Light recipes can be made even better by incorporating fresh produce that’s full of vitamins and minerals. It’s even possible to grow many of these foods right in your own backyard garden. “Baked Peppers With Rice Stuffing (Bajoques Farcides)” is a delicate stuffed peppers recipe that originated in Alcoy, Spain. Rich flavors from pork and chicken pair with sweet peppers, tomatoes and corn for a filling, yet not overly dense dish that’s perfect for warm a weather lunch or a light dinner. This recipe comes courtesy of M. Teresa Segura’s “Spain: Authentic Regional Recipes” (Fall River Press). Baked Peppers With Rice Stuffing Serves 6 3 1 5 4 7 2 2 1 3 2 6 6

tablespoons olive oil large chicken breast, diced ounces lean pork, diced ounces ham or smoked bacon, diced ounces short-grain rice garlic cloves, ﬁnely chopped pounds ripe tomatoes, skinned, seeded and chopped green bell pepper, ﬁnely chopped tablespoons corn kernels teaspoons paprika Pinch powdered saffron Salt and freshly ground black pepper tablespoons chopped fresh parsley large red bell peppers

Heat the oil in a large saucepan and fry the chicken, pork and ham or bacon until colored on all sides. Take the pan off the heat and reserve. Meanwhile, cook the rice in plenty of boiling salted water until done — usually about 15 minutes, but follow the instructions on the package. Drain and reserve the rice. Add the garlic, chopped tomatoes, green bell pepper, corn kernels, paprika, saffron, salt and pepper, and parsley to the pan containing the meat. Let the sauce simmer and reduce the volume of liquid by about half. Stir the rice into the sauce. Oil a deep ovenproof dish big enough to take all the peppers. Cut off “lids” at the stalk ends of the peppers and remove the seeds. Stuff them with the meat and rice mixture and replace the lids. Tuck the peppers into the dish, cover with foil, and bake at 325 F for 1-1⁄4 hours.

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