Junkin on six months in office page 3 Voice wins national awards page 10 Cannabis committee in the weeds page 17 EXCEEDING EXPECTATIONS
The Voice
Larry “BILKO” Bilkszto Your Local Sales Representative 905-563-3330 • 905-641-1110
SELL phone: 905-321-2261 www.pineSOLD.com
DEBBIE PINE SALES REPRESENTATIVE 905.892.0222
RE/MAX® Garden City Realty Inc., Brokerage
www.bilko.ca
NRC Realty, Brokerage
Independently Owned & Operated
debbiepine@royallepage.ca
THE PAPER THAT PELHAM READS
bilko@rgcmail.com Vol.23 No.24
Wednesday, June 12 2019
Darcy Richardson, CPA, CA | Broker
DARCYRICHARDSON.CA darcy@revelrealty.ca 905.321.6292
FREE
Council approves arches' return
Column Six
No alternatives proposed after public consultation
A smile to die for
BY JOHN CHICK
BY COLIN BREZICKI
Special to the VOICE
Town Council voted 5-1 during their June 3 meeting to endorse the Rotary Club of Fonthill’s privately funded plan to rebuild the arches over Pelham Town Square. Only Ward 1 Councillor Marianne Stewart voted against the endorsement, which came after she led an amendment to the motion which would have required the Rotary Club to sign a binding written agreement detailing their plans to fund the reconstruction of the arches through charitable donations, and provide a reserve fund for ongoing maintenance of the new, taller wooden structure. The Town of Pelham had attempted to solicit public response for alternative public decorations rather than the arches, but received none. “I believe we need to enter into a binding agreement,” Stewart told council. “I just want everything to be documented in writing as to what their responsibilities are, and what ours are.” However, Rotary had already submitted to council their intentions to construct the new arches with private funds and maintain it, and in the end the amendment to hold them to a binding le-
S
no longer drive underneath them. Public Works director Jason Marr said plans for the new arches call for stronger wood and supports than the old ones, which at a previous council meeting he noted were made of “not even construction-grade plywood.”
H E ’ S B E E N worshipped, abducted and assaulted. She’s dwelt in palaces and in the hearts of kings and emperors. She’s toured the world and gone to the moon. She is likely the most famous, instantly recognized woman in history. Artists have been obsessed by her, and one even committed suicide because he couldn’t have her. Her name is Lisa Gherardini del Giocondo, sometimes referred to as La Joconde for her enigmatic smile. She is Leonardo’s Mona Lisa. In real life she was an ordinary Italian woman of no great standing who married well, bore six children, three of whom died before she did at the age of 63. But that’s a whole other story that you can read in Dianne Hales’ enthralling new book, Mona Lisa: A Life Discovered. She’s the Sphinx of beauty, according to one art critic. “Lovers, poets, dreamers go and die at her feet,” a French curator wrote in 1861.
See COUNCIL Page 16
See COLUMN SIX back page
"OODLES" OF GIANT STRAWBERRIES DeVries Fruit Farm gets set to hold its annual Strawberry Social this Saturday, and the berries are bigger than ever. From left, Dan DeVries, Andrea DeVries, and Camryn Page. Story, page 10. BOB LOBLAW PHOTO
gal agreement was defeated 4-2— with only Stewart and Ward 3 Councillor Lisa Haun voting for the idea. “I don’t understand why we would ask Rotary for this,” Ward 2 Councillor Ron Kore said, given the club had already outlined their plan. “I think it’s a gift … we should appreciate the gesture and move on from it.” Rotary’s stated plan includes a minimum reserve
fund of $2,000 per year— raised through private donations —specifically for the ongoing maintenance of the new structure. Stewart pointed out, however, that the Town was on the hook for cleanup when the old arches blew down in a windstorm this past winter. “We were responsible for the last time they came down,” she said.
People are planners by nature. We make big plans, small ones, and the most important plans we reserve for our loved ones. Want to make it easier for them emotionally and financially? - plan to call us today.
Haun asked if the new arches would be included in the Town’s insurance policy, which Interim CAO Teresa Quinlin confirmed they would be. “Those arches would fall under that same umbrella for coverage,” Quinlin said. The new arches will be built with a higher clearance for trucks, a point of contention with the old ones after certain vehicles could
Special to the VOICE
Page 2
The Voice of Pelham, June 12 2019
www.thevoiceofpelham.ca
IN THE NEWS
PUBLISHER’S CORNER by Dave Burket
It’s about time: Just when we might have thought that the cool weather would never end, along came a brilliant weekend, with the thermometer just topping 30 on Sunday. Good thing, too, since in merely nine days we reach the longest day of the year—and then, yep, they start getting shorter again. Sol, we hardly knew ye...An eighth of the mandate gone: Call this our six-month anniversary issue. We speak with Mayor Marv Junkin about his experience being in office for six months, and present Town Council’s collective comments as summarized by Councillor Mike Ciolfi. (For the record, we offered councillors the opportunity to write whatever they wished, up to 500 words each.) We also present the results of our reader survey on the performance of Junkin and council thus far (page 15). Agree? Disagree? Let us know, at letters@thevoiceofpelham. ca...Prejudice disguised at patriotism: An anonymous sign appeared last Saturday beneath one of the two flagpoles at Pelham Town Hall. Ostensibly it protested the temporary removal of the Canadian flag for the raising of the LGBTQ rainbow flag, flown last week to mark Pride Week in Niagara. The Canadian flag continued to wave uninterrupted, however, on the other side of Town Hall. Asked for comment, Town Public Relations and Marketing Specialist Marc MacDonald said on Monday afternoon, “Shortly after the Town was notified of the sign [on Saturday], it was removed. Currently, the Town has one flagpole at the front of Town Hall and one at the back in Peace Park at the war memorial. The front flag has traditionally acted as the ceremonial pole. Moving forward, the Town is bringing a report to council outlining the need for additional flagpoles in front of Town Hall, allowing the Canadian flag to remain up 365 days a year, with the other poles available for other and ceremonial flags when necessary. The Town of Pelham is committed to being an inclusive and welcoming community, embracing all residents and visitors.” As an interesting side note, multiple studies have suggested a link between homophobia and homosexual desire. A summary of one study from 1996, printed in the Journal of Abnormal Psychology, which measured the response of straight men, and admittedly homophobic men, to sexually explicit videos, concludes: “Only the homophobic men showed an increase in penile erection to male homosexual stimuli. The groups did not differ in aggression. Homophobia is apparently associated with homosexual arousal that the homophobic individual is either unaware of or denies.” Quite a mouthful of food for thought, eh…Picture us pleased: The Voice has won two national awards, for photography and photo illustration. Sadly, there is no cash involved. A plaque would be nice, but I suspect a thrifty paper certificate is wending its way to us via regular Canada Post. In any case, we appreciate the recognition, and, as always, it’s a team effort getting these pages in your hands each week. Now let’s enjoy some sun...
Accipiter open house
Pelham’s Accipiter Radar Technologies will hold a public open house next Friday, June 21, at the Meridian Community Centre, to mark 25 years in business. In a media release, the company says that it will present “demonstrations, displays and light refreshments.” Accipiter develops and deploys “situational awareness solutions” for environmental protection, aviation safety, and national security, through sophisticated radar technology and data interpretation. The open house runs from 1 PM to 3 PM in the Accursi Room
New FunFest at Bissell's
Niagarans looking to host a family reunion or celebrate the Father’s Day weekend are welcome to a special event at Bissell’s Hideaway campground, in Ridgeville. Organized by the Fonthill Rotary Club, the Niagara Family FunFest comes to the Short Hills outdoor park for one day of activities and live music. On Saturday, a special admission price of $40 for a group of four, or $15 per single ticket, includes activities such as learning to fly a drone, bingo, unicorn and pony rides, live bands, and access to snacks and a barbecue lunch from the Niagara Shriners. According to a Rotary news release, there will be yoga demos, wagon rides, a reptile display, face painting, traditional picnic games
Voice on vacation!
and a bouncy castle. The event, running between 10 AM and 3 PM is a fundraiser for local organizations, including Big Brothers Big Sisters of South Niagara. Pre-purchase of tickets and further information can be found at niagarafamilyfunfest.eventbrite.ca.
Welland rodent rebate
To help curb rodent issues in Welland, the city is introducing a Residential Rodent Control Rebate Program, which offers a maximum eligible rebate for the service of a licensed pest control expert of $200 per residential property per calendar year. The rebate is retroactive to pest control services dating back to May 1, 2018. The Residential Rodent Rebate Program is a fourstep process. The following must be completed for eligibility: 1) Site Inspection by Welland By-law Officer 2) Property owner hires an authorized contractor and completes the application 3) Submit application and invoice 4) Application Review by city staff “We’re pleased to provide
the Rodent Rebate Program to homeowners,” said Ali Khan, Supervisor of Traffic, Parking and By-laws. “Discovering a rodent problem on your property can be emotionally and financially frustrating. We hope property owners will take advantage of this opportunity.” Welland City Council allocated $25,000 towards the Residential Rodent Rebate Program for 2019. According to a city news release, property owners are urged to apply quickly because city staff say the program could receive many applications and fatigue program funds to nil before the end of 2019. To begin the application and find more information on the Residential Rodent Rebate Program or to schedule a site inspection with a City of Welland Bylaw Officer, visit welland.ca
Wainfleet recommends Cridland for NPCA
At its meeting of May 28, the Council of the Township of Wainfleet recommended the appointment of Wainfleet Councillor Donna Cridland to the Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority Board of Directors. The recommendation came after a May 16 request by Niagara Regional Council for municipalities to advise of their recommendations for appointment to the board for the remainder of this term of office. “There were many conSee IN THE NEWS Page 10
CARRIER
OF THE WEEK!
Aiden
The
NICHOLS
Voice
Sponsored by FONTHILL FONTHILL
Hwy 20, Fonthill
905-892-8690 Find the Voice at these locations:
Open 7 to 10 daily
(905) 892-2570
Bakery, Deli, Deli, Hot Hot meals meals Bakery,
Indulgence Bakery Mossimo’s Pelham Street Grille Sobeys Fonthill Peter Piper’s Pubhouse DeVries Fruit Farm Beamer’s Hardware Pelham Libraries Churchhill Meats Bob’s Boys Antiques PharmaChoice Pharmacy Fonthill Fitness Fenwick Pie Company McDonald’s Duffin Appleworks Fonthill Legion Semenuk’s Gas Bar Shoppers Drug Mart Tim Horton’s Giant Tiger Fonthill LCBO Zee Lube Express Care Food Basics Minor Bros Stores Avondale Stores A-1 Market Boggio's IDA Sobeys South Pelham Grill on Canboro Shell on Hwy 20 Circle-K
Visit Us on Facebook www.facebook.com/voiceofpelham
If your message to Pelham isn’t in our pages,
Then it isn’t being seen.
Send us your picture holding The Voice, whether across town or abroad and we’ll share it with our readers! Email your photo with a brief description to
office@thevoiceofpelham.ca
Let's go travel—but first call us
The Voice
Amazing tour and cruise perks extended for 2019 and 2020
We just returned from the Baltic—loved it!
The paper that Pelham reads.
Remember you are TICO protected when booking with us.
Call Pam or Jim
(905) 892-8690 advertising@thevoiceofpelham.ca
905.892.7900
www.niagara.cruiseholidays.com 1400 Pelham St., Fonthill Book Local TICO Reg 4559761
The Voice PUBLISHED INDEPENDENTLY IN PELHAM
DEBBIE PINE
SALES REPRESENTATIVE 905.892.0222 SELL phone: 905-321-2261
Niagara Real Estate Center, Brokerage Independently Owned & Operated
debbiepine@royallepage.ca
DSBN wants portion of Town park Request made of community
Vol.20 No.48
CELEBRATING OUR 20TH YEAR
Wednesday, February 8, 2017
FREE
Get
Pined -Sol Pelham’sPelham’s Health Food Store
Food 111Health Hwy. 20 E., Unit Store 5, Fonthill 111 Hwy. 20 E., Unit 5, Fonthill 905-892-9054 www.healthycupboard.ca
905-892-9054
Mon-Wed 9:30-6:00pm • Thur-Fri 9:30-7:00pm • Sat 9:30-5:00pm
www.healthycupboard.ca
Debbie Pine SALES REPRESENTATIVE pinesold.com
Mon-Wed 9:30-6:00pm ◆ Thur-Fri 9:30-7:00pm Sat 9:30-5:00pm
New Location Coming Soon!
Niagara Real Estate Center, Brokerage Independently Owned & Operated
Column Six The Comfort Maple myth
The Voice PUBLISHED INDEPENDENTLY IN PELHAM
Vol.20 No.39
NIAGARA’S BEST-READ WEEKLY SINCE 1997
Wednesday, November 30, 2016
FREE
Oops: No fire trucks for you Haist Street traffic-calming measure a little too effective BY VOICE STAFF
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. Jesse F. GIBSON, 27, Welland Jeffrey A. FLEMING, 44, Youngstown, NY John G. BLAKE, 57, St. Catharines Yvon R. S. ST. PIERRE, 69, St. Catharines Andrew S. KIDD, 41, Welland Hitesh SONI, 25, Niagara Falls Jillian L. REID, 29, Niagara Falls Taylor-Bree C. GUTTIN, 25, Welland Kenneth J. PANTLIN, 56, Grimsby Kyle H. ANDERSON, 43, Fort Erie Helen C. MURPHY, 55, St. Catharines The Niagara Regional Police Service is committed to reducing impaired driving offences through education and the apprehension of offenders through enforcement programs like RIDE. Impaired driving is still the leading cause of criminal deaths in Canada and destroys thousands of lives every year.
Congratulations
Jim Chalcraft and Wendy Hammond in Zanzibar with some local artwork, en route from Cape Town to Singapore on a 31-day cruise!
NRPS impaired driving charges
Get
Pined -Sol Pelham’sPelham’s Health Food Store
Food 111Health Hwy. 20 E., Unit Store 5, Fonthill 111 Hwy. 20 E., Unit 5, Fonthill 905-892-9054 www.healthycupboard.ca
905-892-9054
Mon-Wed 9:30-6:00pm • Thur-Fri 9:30-7:00pm • Sat 9:30-5:00pm
www.healthycupboard.ca
Debbie Pine SALES REPRESENTATIVE pinesold.com
Mon-Wed 9:30-6:00pm ◆ Thur-Fri 9:30-7:00pm Sat 9:30-5:00pm
New Location Coming Soon!
Niagara Real Estate Center, Brokerage Independently Owned & Operated
Column Six Growing up British Part 2 of 2: Coronation to embarkation
The Voice PUBLISHED INDEPENDENTLY IN PELHAM
Vol.20 No.32
Apple Day comes to Fonthill Longtime Scouting tradition dates to 1932 BY VOICE STAFF While shopping in Font-
NIAGARA’S BEST-READ WEEKLY SINCE 1997
Wednesday October 12, 2016
FREE
Office 905.892.1702 Cell 905.933.3049
www.pennylanesold.com
H EATHER AND P ENNY L ANE S ALES R EPRESENTATIVES
Column Six It doesn’t get better than Autumn BY JOHN SWART
www.thevoiceofpelham.ca
The Voice of Pelham, June 12 2019
Page 3
The Conversation
A work in progress
In the last couple of months there has been great improvement between everyone
Six months into the job, Marv Junkin says that he and council are steadily meshing better, one meeting at a time BY DAVE BURKET
P
The VOICE
ELHAM RESIDENTS WENT TO THE POLLS last October and overwhelmingly voted for change—tossing out every incumbent from Town Council, from Regional Council, from the DSBN. It was a particularly stunning turn of events for Pelham councillors, some of whom had served multiple terms, becoming seemingly indelible parts of Pelham’s political landscape. Aside from Mayor Marv Junkin, who previously served on council before resigning in protest in late 2017, all of the newly elected councillors were neophytes, having never held political office. The new council has inherited a massive municipal debt, a number of contentious issues—cannabis grow-op odours, Airbnb proliferation, traffic congestion among them—as well as a lingering public distrust of, and loss of faith in, Pelham Town Hall. There was early friction between some councillors and Junkin, whose unfiltered sense of humour—often expressed in offhand jokes in email—wasn’t always received in the same spirit. Relations lately seem to be on the mend, though, with council opting to start its regular meetings an hour earlier to tackle the workload. The Voice requested comment from each councillor, in their own words, on their impressions of their first six months in office. We sat down last week with Mayor Junkin to get his. The following has been edited for brevity and clarity. BURKET: So, six months in, how are you feeling in general?
JUNKIN: I'm feeling a satisfied with the job that we as councillors have done in the last six months, the things that we have accomplished. Between stopping a couple of road projects and tweaking the community centre, we're probably well on the way to saving the Town over $1 million this coming fiscal year. I think we've been open and transparent with what we're doing so far. Which road projects? Number one was deferring the roundabout at Station Street and Summersides Boulevard. That roundabout might be needed in five years, might never be needed at all, and it definitely isn't needed now. So when we found out that work was underway to have this roundabout done immediately we, as a council, we pushed it back to five years, and that had a price tag of $800,000 on it. So that was substantial savings right off the bat. Speaking of Station Street, there are what look like sewer lines, stand pipes, that are sticking up
Pelham Mayor Marvin Junkin.
out of the ground. What's the story there? Why has that been delayed. That has been delayed, not by the contractor who has done the job—which was new water lines put into all those houses, a new water main and then lines into the houses where the water main has gotten installed. The contractor has been waiting an unreasonable amount of time for utility locates and, for whatever reason, the Town has not been pressuring the company that does the locates enough. So the contractor has been sitting idly, waiting for these locates and they haven't been forthcoming. And now that the gas company has started at the other end on Port Robinson Road, the [water] contractor isn’t allowed to do anything until the gas company leaves. So now we're back into the fall yet. It’s maybe one hand not knowing what the other hand is doing, and thus an unreasonable delay for the residents for sure. These first six months, you and council working together. I don't think it's any great secret that there was a little bit of friction between councillors, and between some councillors and you. How are relations faring now?
I would say that on this council there are very strong personalities involved, which I think is a good thing. Maybe people are used to getting their own way without going through the proper channels, without trying to become cohesive with their other council members. But I see that improving tremendously in the last couple of months. And I think that it was just a case of everybody learning parliamentary procedure at council, and maybe getting to know each other's personalities. In the last couple of months there has been a great improvement between everyone, whether it be between councillors, or between councillors and myself. We've—I think it's honest to say that we've all matured a lot more into the roles we have, and myself included. I think at some point there was talk of bringing in a sort of counselor for the councillors, to help everyone get along. Is that still going to happen? Well, I will confirm that we were thinking of doing that, but just because the conditions have improved so much I really would be against that now. I think that we can figure it out going ahead ourselves without
SUPPLIED PHOTO
bringing in an outside consultant. Have there been one or two issues in particular that have been causing some of this friction? Oh, I think right at the beginning when we had the 1120 Haist [old Pelham arena] sale. I, and then a few other councillors were thinking that it was a done deal. And then, the night of the vote, it wasn't a done deal. And the ones who thought it was a done deal felt kind of, what's the word, blindsided by the ones who voted to stop the sale. I'm looking at the Municipal Election Survey we did before the election last October. One of the questions was on the arena. “I support stopping the planned sale of the old Pelham arena in order to assess the public's genuine preference for the site’s future.” Stewart, Ciolfi, are strong yesses. Ron Kore, Wink, Hildebrandt. Everyone, you too. So given that the Town did its information sessions, and took a poll, and the Voice did a poll, both showing overwhelming support for selling the arena, why was that not enough, do you think? Well that was the question, the million dollar question, that was asked the next day after that vote
GIVE HIM A GIFT T HAT WILL 1709 Niagara Stone Rd. | NOTL
www.MoriGa rdens.com
L AST FOR YEARS TO COME
AWARD-WINNING DESIGNS, EXCEPTIONAL SELECTION & EXPERT ADVICE
Niagara Family FunFest
10 AM - 3 PM SATURDAY JUNE 15 Purchase your tickets today at
niagarafamilyfunfest.eventbrite.ca
A fundraising event of the Rotary Club of Fonthill
of council. That's why I felt blindsided. I thought that we had done more than due diligence—that obviously 85% of respondents to the poll who wanted us to sell it. So yeah, I just, yeah, there was, I couldn't understand it at the time. But looking back, maybe they had legitimate reasons, they didn't have enough information. It just, that particular instance, it would have helped if we had communicated a lot more together to find out that there wasn't consensus on that going into the vote. Here we are, with council having voted to sell it after all. Are there any active offers? The second week of June is when it’s officially back on the market. The realtor that is handling the sale tells us that there is still a lot of interest. I have no doubt that it will be sold relatively quickly. The one big change is that it's being sold now without the previous conditions, without the approved designs that the Town came up with. That's right. So now whoever buys that comes to council with their own design, hopefully not having the back alleys. The builders See SIX MONTHS Page 7
Page 4
The Voice of Pelham, June 12 2019
www.thevoiceofpelham.ca
OPINION
The opinions expressed in submitted commentary and letters to the editor are those of the contributors and not necessarily those of the Voice of Pelham.
The Voice of Pelham is a 1211858 Ontario Limited publication David Burket, Publisher 2-1428 Pelham St., P.O. Box 1489, Fonthill, ON L0S1E0
COMMENTARY / OP-ED Nick Saltarelli Faith and politics revisited
I
T’S BEEN AWHILE SINCE my first opinion piece ran in the Voice (“Faith and Politics,” December 14, 2016), proposing no room be allowed for religion in politics and anticipating a time when this part of Niagara might find itself embroiled in controversy. I expect there’ll be more to come. We are all only human, after all. There is no separation of church and state in Canada or Ontario. Ours is a system of religious accommodation, most remarkably our province goes so far as to grant a major religious organisation special status in education, allowing it the freedom to inculcate its children beyond parish and household. If they are not enamoured by either the secular public or the separate Roman Catholic school systems, Ontario parents have the unfettered option to educate their children themselves, instilling in them the parents’ core values and beliefs, while insulating them from the rough and tumble of greater society. Standardised provincial examinations ensure the curriculum is consistent across the board. No attempt is made to measure
the socialisation aspect of a child’s education, whether good or bad, though I suspect home-schooled kids go on to excel over the system-schooled in many, but not all, professions. It may seem unreasonable to argue that people of faith should not have their own representation in government. There’s no argument that they deserve the strongest legal protection for their beliefs, freedom of assembly, freedom from prejudice, and especially freedom from persecution. That’s not to say that any given religious organisation should have its own Member of Parliament, though it could be argued he could represent all the people in a jurisdiction who share common values, particularly if they represent a plurality, as they do in Niagara West. It could be further argued this would help preserve those religious freedoms which we, as a tolerant society, embrace. But the argument would be specious. By law we already require all individuals, especially those elected to craft laws, to do just that, which in my view obviates the need for government representation of
NEED HELP? MAKE THE CALL Distress Centre For depression, distress, and crisis. 24 hour help line: 905-688-3711   Mental Health and Addictions Access 1-866-550-5205 (Toll Free) 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)
Alcoholics Anonymous Find a Niagara meeting. 905-682-2140 Crime Stoppers 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS) www.niagaratips.com Text 274637(CRIMES), keyword Niagara, then your tip
The Voice
1428 Pelham Street, P.O. Box 1489, Fonthill, ON L0S 1E0 Office open: Monday - Thursday 8 AM - 2 PM
(905) 892-8690
www.thevoiceofpelham.ca PUBLISHER & EDITOR Dave Burket publisher@thevoiceofpelham.ca ADMINISTRATION Lori Gretsinger office@thevoiceofpelham.ca CONTRIBUTORS Mike Balsom, Jane Bedard, Carolyn Botari, Colin Brezicki, Rosemary Chambers, John Chick, Larry Coté, Kathryn Hrycusko, Gloria J. Katch, John Piccolo, Bernie Puchalski John Swart, Rob Weatherby NEWS INQUIRIES & TIPS editor@thevoiceofpelham.ca LETTERS TO THE EDITOR letters@thevoiceofpelham.ca ADVERTISING INQUIRIES advertising@thevoiceofpelham.ca
specific religious beliefs. They’re not under threat. They’re already protected under law. Where it gets more than a little dicey is when people outside of a political fringe are affected in ways they perceive are contrary to their own values, morals and interests, especially when those interests are intensely private and personal. The question also goes to who should pay the salary and costs of a parliamentarian who, even part-time, represents the interests of a given congregation, or of a wider regional population-at-large, that shares a common value. As it is, it’s the general public, the taxpayers who got the member elected and those who voted against him—and those who didn’t bother to vote at all— who pay the bills. Religious organisations themselves don’t contribute, because they’re treated like charities for taxation purposes. That privileged status begs subsidiary questions. Should a church that’s politically engaged in influencing government and See REVISITED next page
Letters A rousing roar of thanks from Fonthill Lionness The Fonthill Lioness say thank you to the people from the area who attended and the local businesses that donated to us for their generous support of all of our fundraisers. It is because of your generosity that we were able to donate over $11,000 this year. Pelham Cares, Pelham Library (for large print books), Town of Pelham Day Camp, NHS Welland site, Urgent Care, Wellspring Niagara, Eye Care Niagara, Homes for the Deaf, E. L. Crossley and Notre Dame scholarships for a Pelham student that excels in volunteering, and Women’s Place were all recipients of $500.
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
Members of Pelham Town Council
Member of Provincial Parliament 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
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
MUSIC ‘n MOTION New Summer Day Camp Sports and Art/Music Camps
Mayor of Pelham Marvin Junkin mjunkin@pelham.ca 289-929-2681
Ward 1 Councillor Mike Ciolfi mciolfi@pelham.ca 905-892-0077
Electoral District: Niagara West
Receiving $300 each were Lions Camp Huronda (Diabetes), Camp Dorset (Dialysis), Camp Trillium (Cancer), Lake Joe (blind), Lions Effective Speaking, Lions Youth Exchange, FACS. Hospice Niagara received $400, Crohn’s & Colitis $200, Alzheimer’s $100, Lions Foundation Of Canada (toward the purchase of another Canine Vision dog) and finally $1,500 to the Fonthill Lions Club. Thank you again— we couldn’t have done it without you. We look forward to your continued support. Fonthill Lioness
Discover more about YOU! M-F 9:30-3:30 extended hours available July 2nd - August 16th 940 Haist St., Fonthill
Ages 6-12
195
$
per child
MusicAndMotionSummerCamp.com Today's forgotten business stopped advertising yesterday
Ward 2 Councillor Ron Kore rkore@pelham.ca 905-933-3805
TOP 5 BOSLEY REALTOR 2018
Councillor John Wink jwink@pelham.ca 905-892-4475
GARY SNIDER BROKER
Ward 3 Councillor Lisa Haun lhaun@pelham.ca 905-892-2607
905-988-2205
Councillor Bob Hildebrandt bhildebrandt@pelham.ca 905-892-5647
Bosley Real Estate Brokerage Ltd
Jill C. Anthony Law Office
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)
10 Highway 20 E., P.O. Box 743, Fonthill, ON L0S 1E0 T: 905-892-2621 • F: 905-892-1022
janthony@jillanthony.com
JA
NIAGARA FALLS (Satellite Office)
Pio Plaza, 8685 Lundy’s Lane, Unit #2, Niagara Falls, ON L2H 1H5 T: 289-296-2629 • F: 289-296-0222
www.jillanthony.com
NEW LOCATION
Well don't just sit there. Share it with the Voice! letters@thevoiceofpelham.ca
905-892-8690
www.thevoiceofpelham.ca
The Voice of Pelham, June 12 2019
Page 5
OPINION Legal status of abortion not set in stone In regards to the recent comments made by our duly elected Member of Provincial Parliament, many Voice readers are grossly misinformed and apparently quite angry. Contrary to what they believe, Canada has no laws on abortion. The Supreme Court of Canada did not rule definitely on this issue. After the 1969 laws restricting access to abortion were struck down in 1988 by the court, the onus was placed on parliament to enact a new law. That never happened. For the last 31 years there have been no laws regarding when abortion is legal and when it isn’t. People can stick their heads in the
sand all they like, but that is the truth. And when a duly elected member of parliament dares to stand up and speak his mind, dares to speak an opinion that isn’t shared by everyone, he is labelled backwards, and juvenile. Mr. Oosterhoff is not the one who is backwards on this issue; Canada is. Bravo to him for giving a voice to the voiceless and daring to be different. And the quiet majority of people who live here agree. Mr. Oosterhoff, I am proud of you. Thank you. Paul Mullin Ridgeville
REVISITED
rhetorical questions if such encroachments on freedom didn’t actually exist in our world, but they do. It’s in no way ironic that it’s almost exclusively in theocracies where extreme religious intolerance and persecution are everyday realities. Theocracies just know they are right, that their faith is The Truth, and any who oppose them are wrong, and are often persecuted for it. There are several theocracies on earth, but ours is not one of them. Ours is a democracy, for better or worse, in the process of outgrowing and emerging from its socially conservative roots. I don’t believe anything is going to stop it, because it has achieved critical mass. To safeguard its interests and preserve its civility necessitates restricting government access to the most personal aspects of peoples’ lives—keeping free and private the rights and freedoms granted them under law. This isn’t a dig against faith per se. There are many different faiths represented within our national borders. Different faiths espouse widely differing perspectives of reality and morality and right and wrong. They
continued from previous page the formulation of laws still be considered a charitable organisation? Even in the high unlikelihood a church should lose its taxfree status, should it still be allowed to influence laws governing people, particularly when it goes against the larger majority view? I propose the answer to both questions is no. When a politician represents a special interest, he ceases to be a politician. He becomes a lobbyist. When religion makes its way into politics it invariably favours a single faith to the exclusion of others. If we are not to challenge a politician petitioning for laws consistent with his religious beliefs, will we grant the same to those whose beliefs substantially differ? Would we, as a free society, stay silent about a legislator who espouses laws that dictate what articles of clothing one must wear, what foods one is allowed to eat, what effigies one is forbidden to possess, daily rituals one must observe, what constitutes the crime of blasphemy, what surgical adjustments are to be performed on genitalia? These would be absurdly
DOES YOUR LOCAL BUSINESS NEED
AN ATM MACHINE? FRISCO-ATMS
is Canada’s #1, most trusted provider with 1000s of teller machines in every province & territory.
CALL US TODAY 416 - 738 - 6355 ASK ABOUT OUR “TURN-KEY” OPTION
COMMENTARY / OP-ED Ian Bingham, Liberal MP candidate A woman's right to choose is a fundamental human right
P
RIOR TO 1988, ONE OF OUR beautiful country’s ethical guidelines —the Criminal Code of Canada— enforced Section 251. Section 251 set out that taking steps to cause an unsanctioned “intentional miscarriage” (read: abortion) would result in a conviction liable to imprisonment for life. When Dr. Morgentaler set up an abortion clinic in Toronto, he aimed to provide unfettered access for women to choose whether an abortion was appropriate in their individual circumstances. This clashed with Section 251 of the Criminal Code, and so, as a free and democratic country governed by the rule of law, Canada did what it always does in situations where social desire clashes with legislation—it took a step back and looked at our constitution.
cannot possibly agree and, in many cases, are entirely incapable of compromise. And the inability to compromise is precisely where democracy begins to break down. Those religious organisations that shun the powers of governance, those faiths that seek to persuade and enrol rather than intrude and enforce, who otherwise shake the dust off their feet and ultimately leave extraordinarily difficult matters of conscience to be settled between the individual and her God, have my deepest respect. Those
A country’s constitution is its beating heart; it reminds us what we stand for and, under that mandate, insists that unjust laws be struck down. In the case of R. v. Morgentaler [1988] 1 S.C.R. 30, the question to be decided was whether or not Section 251 offended Section 7 of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, which reads that, “Everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of the person[…]”. The Supreme Court considered the issues at play, balancing foetal interest against the rights of pregnant women. I cannot express their conclusion any better than one judge, Wilson J., who wrote at paragraphs 299-301: “I would conclude, therefore, that the right to liberty contained in S. 7 guarantees to every individual a degree of personal autonomy over important decisions
who do not should expect continued opposition, not to who they are, or to what they believe, or to the good they do and have done, but to imposing their will on a society that has chosen a different path. If I might in closing be allowed a sidebar. Those who cast themselves into the political limelight, and those who presume to defend — or, for that matter, offer— critiques of any given politician’s qualifications and performance, are best advised to mind the thickness of their skins. They should in particular recognise the
See RIGHT next page
difference between a tough performance appraisal, and animosity. My opinion that a lawmaker should be worldly and eminently qualified, and that there should be a separation of church and state, while citing the record and evident facts, should not be interpreted as an attack against a person or his church. Any church. Or mosque or temple or synagogue. Nor should expressing that opinion be misconstrued as prejudice against deeply religious people and social conservatives. Many such people are my immediate family,
and friends with whom I get along swimmingly. Tolerance cuts both ways. One might avoid confusing the vile misdeeds of anonymous others from authored and considered criticism and valid disagreement. In addition to equating a contrary moral perspective to a lack of moral substance, it blindly attacks the messenger rather than his message, seeks to marginalize him as a person, and, in the process, greatly diminishes the legitimacy and force of the counterpoint. Having a voice is different from wielding a club. ♦
Professional SERVICES Directory 905-892-1060 EVENING AND WEEKEND APPOINTMENTS AVAILABLE
Dr. Ann Volk Dr. Randy Pauls Dr. Jeanette Ngo
Direct billing for multiple Extended Health Care benefit plans
Optometrists
1428 South Pelham St, Fonthill (across from TD Bank)
Mon, Wed, Fri • 8am - 5:30pm Tue • 8 am - 7pm Thu • 8:45am - 7pm
Entrance to the clinic is at back of building. Free parking. Wheelchair accessible.
Dr. Ken Sawatzky Dental Surgeon
• Absolutely • Same week (perhaps no costs to you! day) installation • We load the cash • Money in your mailbox (or bank account) • Brand new machines every month!
Joe Della Marina DD,LD Denturist
WWW.FRISCOATMS.CA
Family Dentistry
ATM machines increase gratuities and reflect positively on customer satisfaction. Refer us to a friend’s shop! Referrals that lead to business are paid for in cash.
intimately affecting their private lives. The question then becomes whether the decision of a woman to terminate her pregnancy falls within this class of protected decisions. I have no doubt that it does. This decision is one that will have profound psychological, economic and social consequences for the pregnant woman. […] It is not just a medical decision; it is a profound social and ethical one as well. Her response to it will be the response of the whole person. […] Thus, women's needs and aspirations are only now being translated into protected rights. The right to reproduce or not to reproduce which is in issue in this case is one such right, and is properly perceived as an integral part of modern woman's struggle
905-892-5002 1428 Pelham St. 905-892-1414
1428 Pelham Street, Fonthill www.drkensawatzky.com
1405 South Pelham, Fonthill • 905.892.5191
Page 6
Letters
The Voice of Pelham, June 12 2019
continued
NOTL's loss Pelham's gain? Providing any kind of rental housing, regardless of price, is extremely difficult to accomplish. It's the reason rental apartments have not been built in decades. To provide a portion of them as affordable is even more difficult. Communities such as Peterborough and Kitchener have given the development industry 10 years with no property taxes, no park dedication or development charges, no permit or application fees, and even gone so far as to provide cash incentives, to spur on construction of rental buildings. These communities had no willing developers and initiated a Community Improvement Plan (CIP) in the hopes of attracting investors. They were successful. We approached the town of Niagara-on-the-Lake with a plan for rental apartments. We did not seek concessions of the magnitude freely offered by other communities. However, we had carefully worked out the costing and determined the bare minimum to make such a project possible. A recent article in The Lake Report newspaper cites several sources that cause us grave concern. Mr. Jeffery Sinclair, from the Region of Niagara, seems to be confused in thinking this is meant as housing for the homeless or most vulnerable. It isn't. It is an affordable housing initiative under the Federal Housing Strategy. I'm not sure what he is talking about, however, persons moving from lesser rental accommodations to a new, more substantial property, would free up the less expensive rental units for a more vulnerable tenant. In short, the rental housing supply would increase, offering more choice at different price points. Ms. Woiceshyn seems to clearly grasp the intent of the legislation and its potential positive effects. We appreciate her input. This was an effort on our companies’ part to try to fill a local need. The messaging from the NOTL mayor’s office suggests to us that we apply and work through a process. Without some assurance there is a willingness to achieve an objective, we will have invested a large amount of money and be left with an unworkable financial situation. Providing rental housing requires a commitment, and I hope that at some point in the future, our NOTL council sees fit to follow the path of other communities who have had success in attracting rental development. However, we feel that the messaging we heard from the mayor’s office will drain our energies and resources. It seems clear we would end up with an outcome less than what would be required for success. With that said, we are regretfully withdrawing our proposal to provide rental apartments for Virgil. We will continue to explore the interest in the Town of Pelham, with the staff and community leaders there. We would like to thank the Town of Niagara-on-the-Lake staff for their positive efforts and creative input in looking for solutions. We would also like to thank Regional Councillor Gary Zalepa for his immediate and unwavering support to try to create an environment where this could have become a reality. Rainer Hummel Hummel Properties Inc.
RIGHT
continued from previous page to assert her dignity and worth as a human being.” It was firmly established by the Supreme Court that Section 251 of the Criminal Code did not pass constitutional muster; it simply didn’t represent Canadian values. We find ourselves 31 years down the road, and this topic is still discussed as though the liberty of Canadian women enshrined under Section 7 of the Charter ought to be devalued. I am fervently opposed to that idea. A woman’s right to choose has gone a long way to improving and safeguarding equality in Canada. I have heard no fresh perspective or constitutional consideration arise that warrants a re-examination of the decision. The constitution has spoken. Canadians have spoken. They have decreed “pro-choice” in Canada. ♦ Ian Bingham is the Federal Liberal candidate for parliament in the Niagara West riding.
www.thevoiceofpelham.ca
THE SIX MONTH MARK
Pelham Town Council offers list of accomplishments As part of the Voice's focus this week on both the actual and perceived effectiveness of Pelham's new mayor and council, six months after taking office, the newspaper reached out to each town councillor, requesting statements, in their own words, on their impressions of the job so far. Councillor Mike Ciolfi responded with the following commentary on behalf of all of council, which he wrote in consultation with his colleagues.
L
OOKING BACK AT THE last six months, council hit the ground running, meeting weekly in closed and open sessions up to eight hours at a time. December 2018 to end of May 2019, total meetings: 51 We were able to knock off a lot of tasks from the to-do list. We as councillors have worked very hard to build positive relationships and trust from the residents and the local papers. Some of our accomplishments to date: ■ Review line-by-line operating and capital budgets ■ Approve both budgets ■ Complete strategic plan ■ Resolve old litigation issues ■ Plan ahead for future East Fonthill land sales to reduce the bridge loan ■ Establish new community committees such as Cannabis Control, Utility Sustainability, MCC User Group, MCC Hospitality, Audit ■ Re-establish Beatification committee. ■ Approved capital projects: Poth Road and Pelham Street
Pelham Town Council. From left, Bob Hildebrandt, Lisa Haun, John Wink, Mayor Junkin, Ron Kore, Marianne Stewart, Mike Ciolfi. SUPPLIED PHOTO North ■ Approved $25,000 for the gypsy moth spraying ■ Approved the re-construction of the arches Like anything in life, in order to be successful you need a good, sound plan in place prior to making major decisions that could have an impact not only now but in the future. As for mandates that we were given, your councillors are working diligently and to-
gether to achieve the results that all of the residents expect. ■ Paying off the bridge loan. ■ Adopt policies for reserves, debt, and cash management. ■ Controlling the cannabis issue that we all experiencing. ■ Reducing expense at the MCC. ■ Reviewing MCC contracts. ■ Updating infrastructure. ■ Trying to manage the overall debt.
■ Establishing new community committees. ■ Re-opening Poth Street ■ Investigating options with Sulphur Springs Road ■ Implementing cost savings measures. Just to name a few!!!! We are proud to be part of a great team who are extremely dedicated to make Pelham a great place to live, work, and visit!!!! Councillor Mike Ciolfi
Failure to attend Volunteer Fire Association Annual Memorial Service is noted Shame on Pelham Town Council for not sending a representative to the latest memorial honoring deceased members of the Fire Association. This event is held every year on the second Sunday of June at 1 o'clock at the Fonthill Cemetery. My wife and I have attended this event every year since our son Bryan has passed away since he was a volunteer firefighter at Station #1. Every year we have attended, there have always been representatives from the Town Council in attendance who have said a few words about the dedicated men and women who volunteer their time and lives to help the Town of Pelham, whether it be in case of fire or medical emergency.
Unfortunately, not one of our elected officials found in necessary to give up any of their time to attend this event. Believe me, their lack of presence was noted by the family members who were there. I am sure someone on council could have taken an hour of their time to help honour not only the volunteers who have passed away, but those who continue to serve this community. Rick Page Fonthill Editor's note: After this letter arrived Sunday evening, the Voice reached out to council and Mayor Junkin for comment. The Mayor responded as follows:
There is no excuse. I received the invitation about two weeks ago, and I forgot to put it in my calendar, plain and simple. My deepest apologies to those in attendance, and to all fire service members in the town. The invitation was addressed to me, and I failed to forward it to the rest of council. If they had received it, I am sure the majority, if not all, would have attended this important event. Again, my deepest apologies to everyone connected to this event, especially the families of the deceased members of the fire service. I accept full responsibility, and I promise it won’t happen again.
Ask our children As I sit down to write this I realize that the “deadline” for proposals to replace the arches closes today. I'm curious as to why we are in such a hurry! Pondering, reflecting and contemplation should by their very nature require more time. The day after the fire that destroyed Notre Dame cathedral, private citizens pledged almost a billion dollars to help rebuild it. At the time I thought if we could just have the same immediate passion to pledge our money, time, and expertise toward the preservation of our water, air, land and wildlife, we could certainly have a lasting positive affect on the restoration of the planet and a slowing of climate change issues. And then the arches came
down. Again it was announced that non-public money would be made available to replace the arches. Hmm...I thought once again. What if we could dream bigger. I have visited Notre Dame cathedral, I have gazed upon our rainbow-lit arches and have enjoyed them both for what they are. Things that we have built. Perhaps by asking our children and grandchildren what is important to them, what would they like to see Pelham known for, we could arrive at a much more creative possibility. I would love to hear from them, our future. Teachers, this could be a great project! We have the Voice, our paper
to receive suggestions. While waiting for their ideas, I came up with a few suggestions from my own reveries. We could be the first municipality to ban single use plastics. Over 3 billion single-use plastic bags are used every year by Canadians (1 trillion worldwide). By 2050, experts believe there will be more plastics in the world's oceans than fish. Only about 10% of plastic is even getting recycled (you saw us in the news, in Malaysia!). We could all reduce or eliminate our grass lawns. Plant more flowers for the bees/insects; plant veggies to have great fresh food to eat. And think of all that extra time when you don't have to cut it or the resources to run a mower!
We could create more bike lanes throughout Pelham so we can all enjoy the great outdoors and feel safer while riding. We could plant trees and trees and more trees. Great shade reduces or eliminates the need for air conditioning. Birds need the trees and we love our birds. They produce oxygen and use up carbon dioxide. I appreciate each and every person that has taken the time to read my thoughts and suggestions. I am grateful for every act, no matter how small, that each person contributes towards having a healthy and thriving planet for us to share with all of life. Edie Pett Fonthill
www.thevoiceofpelham.ca
The Voice of Pelham, June 12 2019
Page 7
SIX MONTHS
continued from Page 3 didn't like the last design, so now they can bring forward something that they can live with. This is still subject to Town approval and public consultation? Maybe there is a public meeting. Definitely council approval. [Interim CAO Teresa Quinlin later confirmed that, “public process is a requirement of the subdivision approval,” and that the public would have a say as to the preferred design for council to approve.] The second biggest issue that you faced probably would be cannabis. Is that fair to say? The interim control bylaw? Yes, but that was unanimous council feeling. Not giving the [Leviathan] exemption, setting up the cannabis committee, that went as expected. There was a little controversy there, I guess, just because I felt that we should have had growers on that committee. Other council members voted not to have growers. I still think it's a mistake, but we'll be fine the way it is. We've got a lot of good people on that committee and, yeah, I think everybody's anxiously awaiting to see what they bring forward to council. You're set to have a meeting next Wednesday, a special council meeting, on a personnel issue. I think it’s safe to say this probably relates to the search for a new CAO, maybe coming to an end? Yes, I think you noted in the paper we had 46 original resumes submitted, and then we quickly took that down—the HR person took that down pretty quickly to 30, I believe. Actually, she took it down a lot more so that the selection committee—I believe we had 12, and the selection committee has now got that down to a lower number and these will be doing presentations to council [on Wednesday]. Then council as a whole will select the new CAO. So it's conceivable that by the time this issue comes out next week, by Wednesday evening, we'll have a new CAO. Yep. I imagine we will have, yes. It was surprising just how our choices were compatible with each other, on the selection committee. The scoring, everything was pretty well unanimous. There was no knock-him-out arguments about why one person supported another, but pretty unanimous all the way down to where we are. Remind me who's also on the committee—it’s Wink, Ciolfi— Yep. Wink, Ciolfi, and we also have an HR person, from Town staff, guiding us. I can't say for sure that this council has more committees than previous councils, but it seems like you've got a couple of extra ones. The cannabis committee, the audit committee. Sustainability committee, MCC user committee. We’re running a survey now, as you know, asking readers about council’s performance so far, and the issues that people have topof-mind. We’re talking here on Thursday, so it's early days yet, but the pattern looks pretty well set that the biggest concern is the size of Pelham’s debt and the Town’s financial stability. How confident are you that the new audit committee will be able to answer the concerns about finances that voters had last October? So I think that had the audit committee, with the residents also on that committee, I think they're going to have a better idea as to how Town money has been spent in the past. I think they're going to be going down that road and asking questions. I surely hope they will, because I know that the huge number of people in the community are still wondering how we got in this mess.
A candidate survey run by the Voice during last year's municipal election. The community centre expense isn’t helping. As far as the MCC, we have to realize that the figures that the other council put forward for operating expenses were not realistic. And that I would think myself, after seeing the books, that the costs of that building have got to be somewhere between $500,000 and $600,000 a year, above what we get for revenue. You're saying the losses will be $500,000 to $600,000 a year? Definitely. The Town is going to have to subsidize that building— That's in perpetuity? That's never going to change? If we can get our losses down to $500,000, we would be doing an amazing job. I think more realistically it's going to be closer to $600,000. I knew after talking to various other municipalities, when I was on council [starting in 2014], and they all told us that it was going to be between $500,000 and $600,000. So it wasn't a surprise to me. It might be a surprise of members of the community. The figures weren't right. The Town’s projected [MCC] operating costs in early 2018 presented a hydro estimate that was significantly lower than many of our readers at the time, and a couple of accountants, thought was realistic, just a prosperously low figure. History has proven that correct, that the actual utility costs are much higher than what were forecast. Is there any way to change this? The estimate was not based on reality of any of any sort. Right now, Councillor Hildebrandt is in those discussions with hydro. We're hoping for at least another $50,000 to $70,000 worth of savings on what we have now. Is there any potential for changing the electricity supplier? We've looked into that. Unfortunately, if we were to go outside our territory now to a different supplier, it would probably go to a lawsuit that would not end up well for us. Beyond the old arena, the Town is also still trying to sell its East Fonthill lands. One project that was already underway, the 10-story, so-called “seniors” apartment building project, we’ve heard won’t be happening. It's definitely been quiet on that front. Yeah. Yes. That's all I can say, that it's been quiet on that front. If I was a betting man, I would bet that the original owner is not going to do anything. Now whether he flips the property and someone else takes that on, we'll have to wait and see.
Can you say what's changed? No, I really can't. I don't know why this original company has had second thoughts of doing the project. We really don't know what the hold-up is. There are other parcels that have already sold, fronting Highway 20 before Rice Road, and there are new requests for two drivethroughs. Are we getting fast food restaurants coming in there? I don't know what the plan is, to tell you the honest truth. But I know the dollar value of that land is substantially more than if it wasn’t on Highway 20. And because of that [the developer] likes to put in fast food restaurants or that type of thing, because they get the best return. Those two drivethroughs weren't on the original plan, so it has to be amended by council, which it will be. When do you think that'll happen? Oh, probably sometime during the summer. Have any other parcels sold? Let's say that there will be some announcements made in the next two or three months, once the deals close. So, for sure, confirmed sales. Can you say commercial or residential? They are confirmed sales but, we can't at this time discuss what's going on in there. Another topic from our pre-election candidate survey was Town communications. You, and each candidate elected, strongly supported a comprehensive review and overhaul of the Town's communication strategy with residents. Has council undertaken any sort of effort in that direction? We are in the process of completely rebuilding our website, because I think anyone who has tried to use that—we haven't had very many favorable comments on it in the past. So hopefully with the rebuilding and restructuring it will be a lot more user-friendly in the not-so-distant future. And, of course, this council has tried to reestablish communication with the Voice. We realize that it's a vital link from council to the community. We're glad to see that relations have improved immensely between the Voice and the council. Well, it's interesting you say that because I would agree that, certainly with [Interim CAO] Theresa Quinlan and [Public Relations and Communications Specialist] Mark MacDonald, the difference has been night and day, so that's been quite encouraging. I'm a little less encouraged, however, by council as a whole. There have
VOICE GRAPHIC
been some occasions over the past couple of months where we've reached out for comment on various issues and received either no comment, or comment from just one or two councillors, and that's a little bit worrying. Do you have any insights, any advice, on that? No, not really. I know that on this particular article, the story of our first six months, I encouraged the councillors to use this opportunity to reach out and tell the community their thoughts—is it more work, less work, than they expected. Actually, I can honestly say that they all say it's more work, I'm sure. What else is on the horizon. Are there any Airbnb bylaws planned? We're working towards that. Unfortunately, the planning department is bogged down with the cannabis issue and are working very closely with the cannabis advisory committee to come up with bylaws before the deadline of October 15. Plus there’s the usual work on the new subdivisions that are happening in East Fonthill. So we haven't had as much movement on the Airbnb problem as we would have liked. It may be a summer of discontent there, but it is on our horizon to deal with it. Everyone who was elected supported or strongly supported reestablishing a Heritage Committee. Any progress there? No, that’s another item that has been shuffled to the back burner, but hopefully in the fall it will be moved up to the front. I think there’s lots of council support for that. The Haist Street chicane, which has earned the ire of so many residents—any plans to change that? Council will not act unless we have a petition signed by a lot of the residents of that area. We have more-or-less been waiting for a resident group to make a presentation to council, and then we would definitely discuss the options. Do we remove it, do we put a three-way stop at Brewerton, or just what would replace it. I think a lot of people thought we should have put stop signs at Brewerton to begin with. Related to traffic, the pre-election survey also asked candidates whether they supported calling on Niagara Regional Police to dedicate a full-time traffic enforcement constable to Pelham, even if this meant a cost to the Town. Looking at the answers, all the candidates supported or strongly supported this—except Mike Ciolfi, who was on the fence. Do you see anything happening with that?
When I first got elected to council, in 2014, we did have some NRP representative up here before council, and took questions from councillors. I'm kind of sad that we're so far into our mandate and we haven't had them come before us. We've been so busy with other pressing issues, cannabis and what have you. Now that I'm reminded of it, I'm going to be asking them to make a presentation so that council can get a better handle on what their problems are, and hopefully they can appreciate what our problems are— when we have citizens phone up on a pretty steady rate, complaining about speeding issues. And the congestion, of course, is a symptom of all the new housing. I believe that once the Region punches a hole through from the 406 along Merritt to Rice Road, I think that will take a lot of traffic off of Highway 20. Is there an actual timetable for that happening? That’s been discussed for many years. The environmental assessment will be done this year. So I'm thinking that next year, or for sure within two years, it will be done. I think that'll be a big improvement on the traffic pattern of Pelham. Will there be a Pelham—or a municipality called Pelham—in two years? From the meetings you’ve attended, what’s the likelihood of amalgamation happening? And what do you think it would look like? Oh, I think that definitely this October, maybe November, we will hear what the province has in mind for Niagara. The two main positions put forward are either one Niagara, with possibly 16 wards, and the other is four cities that follow federal and provincial ridings, which would put Pelham with Wainfleet, West Lincoln, Lincoln, and Grimsby. Mostly a rural riding in the south, but in the north with Grimsby, that would be our urban center more than Pelham and Lincoln, just by the numbers. Potentially we could become the city of Grimsby. Yeah, it would be a big change, that's for sure. Either way. Then of course you can almost foretell that Grimsby will have the mayor, because they have the most voters. Pelham will have one or two council members sitting on the new city council. If we go the other way, if you can envision Niagara being one city, then I'm thinking at the most, we would have two councillors on a regional board. Either way, we run the risk of getting lost the shuffle, no doubt about it. Do you prefer either option? Not really, but maybe the one city, because if we do go to four cities, we're still going to have to have some kind of a commission that would look after police services, social services, trash and water services that spanned the cities. So then you still would have two tiers if we went to four cities. Whereas if you just want one regional city, then those items would already be taken care of within the region. This isn’t a huge issue, but there’s been some talk about whether the Region will take over the airports in Niagara-on-the-Lake and here in Pelham. Do you have any insight, as a Regional councillor, as to whether that may happen? Well, the Region is right now doing a business plan for both airports. The Regional councillors, they don't want to take over something that's losing money and I don't, and unless the Regional staff can come up with a business plan that—if not immediately, but in the future—shows that these two airports can be viSee SIX MONTHS Page 22
Page 8
The Voice of Pelham, June 12 2019
www.thevoiceofpelham.ca
ANOTHER ROUND
by JOHN PICCOLO
Modern parenting
W
HEN I BECAME A parent, Mother’s and Father’s Days turned into days of introspection. What was my childhood like versus the one I’m providing my children? Am I learning the lessons or am I repeating the mistakes? When I was young I was a hockey nut. I literally remember sitting in the kitchen of our house on Vansickle Road at the age of four or five on Saturday night, waiting until the clock hit 8 for Hockey Night in Canada to come on. I started out a Leaf fan (I evolved into a Canadien fan as my critical thinking started kicking in) and I was desperate to play hockey. We had four young kids very close together in our family and not a lot of cash, so playing organized hockey with equipment wasn’t happening meaning I spent my thousands of hours like many other kids out on the driveway scoring Cup-winning goals. I was eight when bits and pieces of hockey equipment starting showing up. I always had skates but then I got blue and white gloves, and then some Bobby Hull elbow and shin pads and something resembling a margarine container for a helmet. I also got one of the worst presents I’ve ever received. Don’t get me wrong— I loved it when I got it. I think my mom picked it up at the Avondale store while getting me my 10-packs of hockey cards for 50 cents. It was a Bobby Hull skate sharpener. It was a four inch long skinny piece of plastic with a sharpening stone
tucked up inside. The equipment led up to the big announcement that I was finally going to be allowed to go to hockey school. In my infinite wisdom, I thought players in the NHL sharpened their skates to a point like the blade of a knife. I thought the two edges that came on the blade from the store were to help people who didn’t know how to skate keep their balance. (I was eight. Cut me some slack). So in the months leading up to the magic date I took this skate sharpener and tilted it and spent countless hours trying to sharpen my skate edges to a knife point. I can only imagine how round they were by the time I was allowed to go to hockey school. I begged for years to play hockey and when I finally got there I could not stand up and I hated it. My father is an Italian immigrant who I don’t think has ever skated in his life. He put my equipment on the best he knew how, tied up my skates, and sent me on my way. When I started to dread going, I’m sure he just wanted to kill me. I didn’t realize it until the next year when I was looking at skates at the old K-Mart, and I asked the guy where were the ones with the sharp edges? He looked at me like I was a nutjob and said all skate blades are like that. Oh. Can you imagine this happening today? If little Johnny is having trouble skating today, get out the Visa, put the skates in the oven, and call up the personal power skating coach and don’t forget the
nutritionist. When my father handed down his first set of clubs to me I held them cross-handed. They were mens length and weight, and I was seven and about 4’ 6 and 60 pounds. To top it off, I wanted to play left handed and held the club with my hands reversed. My father’s answer of course was to tell me my hands were backwards. I don’t write these things to belittle my father. He did the best he could under the circumstances, and worked very hard to provide us with what we had. It’s more to show the absurdity of the extent some parents have gone the other way. I have coached a lot of hockey and have been around junior golf for a lot of years now. Some of you folks have got to back off. There is a fine line between supporting and smothering your child. The people who run the game of golf at the Royal Canadian Golf Association have been roundly criticized for being out of touch with what the average golfer wants out of this game. They do have a great program, however, for kids who are looking to make it a career. Be the best you can be by 23 is the name of it (or something like that) and that is just about right. You kids and parents who are so worked up about winning tournaments and championships before you start your growth spurt are wasting your time. It is great to play tournaments to learn how to function and react under pressure and learn the
challenge of focus and routine, and winning is great, but sorry, your abilities are meaningless. When my son was 13 years old he faced a few babyfaced kids who could pass as ten and a whole whack of grown men masquerading as boys in both golf and hockey. How does how well you do as a bantam-age kid have any correlation to how you will do as an adult? There is just too great a gulf between physical and mental maturity among kids this age. If you are serious about golf, get on a path that will see you start to maximize your abilities by the age of 23. Yes, there are some exceptions, but most great players aren’t showing any signs of it until at least that age. I know it is very difficult for a young kid to look that far ahead and that is where the parents need to help. Allow them to be kids. They will learn as much about how to lead a good life from losing as winning, as long as they are guided through the process wisely. Support them the best you can financially but more importantly emotionally. Give them that hug (or kick in the pants) when they’re down, and tug them back down to earth if they get a little too high. It is not the outcome, it is the process which is important. (There is a new book out by David Epstein—Range: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World (Penguin)—about the path to greatness. It’s an interesting take on the tendency to have our children specialize at an early age. Any of you out
Invites you to our
there with thought of greatness for your children might want to give it a read.) I learned a lot of things from my parents. My mom taught me kindness and to put my passions in line behind the needs of others. I learned from my father that who you are is not an act to put on and change based on where you are. I learned humility (that one took awhile) and to be harder on yourself and the ones you love and care about (much to my children’s dismay) than on others. I learned my father would have parented differently under more favourable circumstances by watching the way he cherishes his grandchildren and I cherish my children more because of it. I haven’t been able to master the skill of piloting a five tonne Mercury Meteor with one hand while whacking delinquent children in the back seat into submission with the other. (Damned mini-vans.) There are things our parents did that we really don’t need to emulate. The one thing I do think we can get back to is mellowing out a bit and letting our kids find their way. Yes, make sure their skates are sharp, and figure out what hand they are, but then let them go a little. If you create the right atmosphere they’ll let you know when they need you. ♦ John Piccolo is the golf instructor and runs Piccolo’s Custom Golf Shop at Eagle Valley Golf Club in Niagara Falls. Email him at: picgolf@vaxxine.com
25th Anniversary Open House Friday June 21, 2019 Meridian Community Centre Accursi Room
Cake Cutting at 1:00 PM Drop in and see what Accipiter is all about Demonstrations & Displays 1:00-3:00 PM Light Refreshments
www.thevoiceofpelham.ca
The Voice of Pelham, June 12 2019
Page 9
Strawberry Social
Saturday, 10 AM — 2PM
k Your Own ic P d n a d e k Fresh Pic in Season y a d y r e v E le Availab Strawberries
Pickyour-own starts June 17!
Fundraiser for Hospice Niagara
Apples & Vegetables Strawberries Asparagus Tomatoes Cucumbers Peppers
Preserves Honey Rhubarb Radishes Lettuce
We are
Berry Excited!
See us at the Pelham Farm Market every Thursday!
Bouncy Castle for the kids! Pictures with the Strawberry Queen!
Strawberries, Ice Cream and Wagon Rides! Fundraising also for Pelham Cares—Bring non-perishable food items!
The Growing Season has Begun, It’s time to have some berry fun! Che
825 Canboro Road, Fenwick • 905.892.8724 Store Hours: Mon - Fri 8 - 6 • Sat 8 - 5 • CLOSED SUNDAY
Page 10
The Voice of Pelham, June 12 2019
www.thevoiceofpelham.ca
Voice wins two national press awards Newspaper takes home 1st and 2nd place prizes for photography The Voice has been awarded for excellence in photography through News Media Canada’s 2019 Canadian Community Newspaper Awards competition. The paper won 1st Place in the Best Photo Illustration category (all circulation levels) for “Photo of Brenda,” which accompanied the
Column Six article, “A Valentine’s Day story,” by Bill Eluchok, published February 14 2018. Eluchok’s story recounted an early teenage romance in the mid-1950s, and its rekindling decades later. The illustration superimposed a photograph that the 16-year-old Elochuk took of his 13-year-old girl-
BY VOICE STAFF friend in 1955, as she stood in front of her uncle’s brand-new home on Haist Street, in Fonthill, against a modern colour image from a similar vantage point. Since the article ran in February, and the 1955 image was taken in the summer, Voice
publisher Dave Burket adapted a summer Google Streetview image, as permitted under the company’s licensing terms, to match Eluchok’s photo. The Voice won 2nd Place in the Best Spot News Photo category (circulation 4000-12,499) for “Hands Up,” an original staff image that
ran on the cover of the newspaper’s July 25 2018 edition, accompanying the article, “Saturday at Summerfest.” The explanatory text accompanying the entry appears below. News Media Canada is a professional association representing some 800 publications in every province and territory.
DeVries Strawberry Social coming this Saturday BY VOICE STAFF
Photo of Brenda. VOICE PHOTO ILLUSTRATION
DeVries Fruit Farm will hold its ninth annual Strawberry Social fundraiser this Saturday, June 15, raising money for Hospice Niagara, a new recipient of the family’s yearly charitable event. “We started off donating to Pelham Cares for the first five years of the event,” says Dan DeVries, the second generation of the family to operate the farm in Fenwick. Three years ago the event raised $5000 for the family of local child injured in a lawnmower accident. Two years back the benefit was held for a local youth being treated for Lyme Disease. DeVries encourages visitors to support Pelham Cares as well, by bringing along a non-perishable food donation. He says that the wet and cool spring hasn’t hurt the strawberry crop, especially since the berries are grown in fast-draining sand. “We’re a week behind, but once the heat hits and the berries come on, there will be oodles of them.” As if right on schedule, last weekend saw temperatures in the high 20s. DeVries added that there will be wagon rides, a bouncy castle, and other activities for kids at the event, which will run from 10 AM to 2 PM. “There will be lots of parking on site,” said DeVries of the farm, which is located at 825 Canboro Road, just past downtown Fenwick. “We have just about every type of fruit that you can imagine. Peaches, pears, plums, sweet cherries, apples,” said DeVries. “But it’s strawberry season right now.” Starting next Monday, June 17, visitors will also be able to pick their own berries. For more information, see: www. devriesfruitfarm.com.
IN THE NEWS
continued from Page 2
Hands Up.
W
HILE THE TOWN OF PELHAM'S annual Summerfest is a planned event, the sudden, unannounced arrival to it of Ontario's recently elected Premier, Doug Ford, was not. On a hot July day, Town and Regional politicians scrambled to get to the event to avail themselves of photo-ops. His Ontario Provincial Police protectors on the periphery, Ford slowly glad-handed the crowd. His primary aide (blue suit, with satchel), seriously overdressed for a midsummer weekend street fair, occasionally whispered in Ford's ear. The local pols trailed closely, alert to prospective selfies. What only Ford knew, as he strolled along, was that in just a few days' time he would upend Niagara Region politics by cancelling its race for Regional
DAVE BURKET PHOTO
Chair—and in this image are the two leading candidates for the job. So we see, centre, Ford, his back turned to them and us, speaking with a resident. At centre right, in white, is the town mayor, hair oiled, much a metaphor among many for his perceived slipperiness. Behind him, also in white, the then-incumbent Regional Chair, whose controversial tenure virtually guaranteed his defeat, even had Ford not cancelled the election. In the foreground, meanwhile, blissfully ignorant of the power and power-seeking tableau behind him, a young boy blows soap bubbles. They float in the humidity, borne as much by rhetorical hot air as the summer breeze. Like political promises, one by one the bubbles dissolve, almost as if they'd never been made at all.
siderations and conditions to be weighed by Council for an appointment of this nature,” said Wainfleet CAO William Kolasa, through a Township news release. These considerations included an April 17, 2019, resolution by the NPCA board calling on municipalities to recommend elected or citizen appointees in accordance with an approved selection matrix and reports discussing the composition of various Ontario conservation areas as it related to the numbers of citizens versus elected representatives. “Council was also cognizant of the historical appointment processes for the NPCA Board and also bore in mind that four local area municipalities had already recommended citizen appointees which had been ratified by Niagara Region,” Kolasa added. Wainfleet Mayor Kevin Gibson, who has sat on the NPCA board since being elected in 2018, said this gave him some firsthand perspective as to the needs and requirements of the position, which proved invaluable to working with council to make the recommendation to the board. “While all citizen candidates that submitted applications to the Township
were of high calibre, council also considered the need to act to ensure that the final structure of the NPCA board demonstrated a balanced composition of both elected and non-elected representatives,” said Gibson. “We owe a sincere thank you to all those citizens who put their names forward. Council was unanimous in its decision that Councillor Cridland will represent Wainfleet with integrity and professionalism in this new capacity." “I am honoured to have been recommended by my council colleagues to fulfill what I consider to be a key role on behalf of the Township,” said Councillor Cridland. “With Regional Council’s approval, I will be eager to begin preparing for the next NPCA board meeting.”
Pelham Strategic Plan available online
Pelham Town Council has adopted a strategic plan focusing on working with the community to "strengthen trust and enhance the quality of life and economic well-being for Pelham residents today and the future," according to a Town news release. During the current term of council, staff will carry out actions tied to each of council’s six identified See IN THE NEWS back page
www.thevoiceofpelham.ca
The Voice of Pelham, June 12 2019
Page 11
Page 12
The Voice of Pelham, June 12 2019
a n i W t f i G $30 ! Card
www.thevoiceofpelham.ca
Snap a selfie with Dad and win a $30 Minor Bros gift card! Get all the details on our Facebook page at
facebook.com/dadsday
HAPPY FATHER’S DAY!
EVERY MAN JACK
hair. body. skin. shave. beard.
Bring Dad out for some fun! LIVE MUSIC on
Friday and Saturday night. Father’s Day Sunday, all of our usual SPECIALS are STILL ON!
25%
OFF
Through June 19
We strive to use as many naturally derived and plant-based ingredients as possible, while still delivering exceptional performance. No parabens. No phthalates. No dyes. No aluminum. And never test on animals.
Your local pharmacy at Fonthill Marketplace—Next to Food Basics pharmachoice.com
(905) 892-1888
Like us on Facebook facebook.com/pch663/
www.thevoiceofpelham.ca
The Voice of Pelham, June 12 2019
Page 13
Give your Dad the perfect Father’s Day gift
– the BEST steak in town! PRIME T-BONE • WAGYU RIBEYE PRIME STRIP LOIN • TENDERLOIN • SIRLOIN Come visit Chef Ray, today!
Happy Father’s Day!
289-897-8999
3 Church Hill St., Fonthill Mon-Sat: 8am-6pm, Sun: 11am-4pm
SteWorks Carpentry Inc. steworkscarpentry@gmail.com 905-931-1666 www.steworkscarpentry.com
DRUG FREE MEAT & DELI
Chef Ray
www.churchhillnaturalmeats.com
PELHAM OLDTIMERS HOCKEY LEAGUE Recreational non-contact hockey league. Goalies can be 45+. Six team division. Eleven skaters per team. One Goalie per team. All skill levels welcome. Full equipment required. Helmets with half shields required. Team jerseys and socks provided.
Wednesdays 9 a.m. - 12 p.m. Begins Sept. 4, 2019 Runs for 28 weeks
PLAYERS FEE: $350 ( INCLUDING HST) GOALIE FEE: $175 ( INCLUDING HST) For more info, contact Julie Cook: jcook@pelham.ca or 905-892-2607 x329 Registration opens June 4, 2019: pelham.ca/arena-programs
SPECIAL FOR FATHER’S DAY Pedicure Just $22
Couples pedicure $45 Special Deluxe pedicure for your man $35 Offer valid NOW till June 15th
111 Hwy 20, Unit 1b, Fonthill 905-892-9656
Happy Father’s Day Treat Dad to our Father’s Day special!
CORNED BEEF HASH, topped with 2 eggs any style, and served with toast and a side of homemade baked beans
1507 Pelham Street, Fonthill (289) 897-9191
Happy Father’s Day Take the guess work out of Father’s Day. We have what every country man needs right here at home!
15%
off
Excludes feed & shavings, valid at any MB Country Living location. Offer valid until June 30, 2019. Clip this coupon to redeem.
L.L.B.O. Licensed
Page 14
The Voice of Pelham, June 12 2019
www.thevoiceofpelham.ca
A Little Book About Us
O
UR CHILDHOOD DEFINES OUR personalit y. It shapes who we become. When Vilma Moretti had grandchildren, she realized that her childhood and theirs were worlds apart. They had absolutely no idea what life was like for Vilma when she was their age. Theirs was a world of computers, iPods, cellphones, texting, Instagram, and YouTube. Vilma thought that when they were grown they might be interested to know what it was like for other generations to grow up. She started collecting recollections—her own, and those of some of the many people she met every day while running Keith’s Restaurant, her family’s business at the intersection of Pelham Street and Highway 20, in Fonthill. The result was, “A Little Book About Us,” published in 2009, from which this series is excerpted. Keith’s is gone, but the stories remain.
SPECIALIZING IN SELLING YOUR HOME!!! RURAL, AGRICULTURAL OR RESIDENTIAL—OVER 25 YEARS EXPERIENCE (IT MATTERS) EMAIL: rbrown@royallepage.ca Richard Brown SALES REPRESENTATIVE OFFICE: 905-734-4545 or 905-892-0222 Direct: 905-651-5143
D'Arcy
Born May 13, 1960 I was born in Hamilton, and grew up in a relatively new subdivision in the outskirts of Toronto. There were many young children around the same ages as my older brother, younger sister and me, so there were lots of us to hang around together, play and be involved in after school groups. We lived in a smallish four bedroom house that backed on to a park and our school yard just beyond, and typically we would either jump the fence or take a short walk up the street to go to school. Our school would have housed less than 400 children and went from kindergarten up to Grade 6. It was a great school with wonderful teachers that seemed dedicated to teaching and helping us youngsters develop. In fact, I later became friends with the principal of our school in my early 20s, when I curled with and against him. We played all kinds of different sports in school and during recess, most of my classmates would get together and play games in the playground. Invariably after school, most of the neighborhood gang would get to-
Specializing in Residential Concrete
Memories of street hockey. gether and play road hockey with a tennis ball and nets on our street, which was fairly long and did not have much traffic on it. It was great for playing road hockey because the street had curbs on both sides and you could use them like boards to bounce the ball off of. After playing for a couple of hours wewould have our dinner and then either go back out for more play or join up with members of the cub or scout pack and walk to our meeting. The walk was about a
YULYAO / VOICE PHOTO ILLUSTRATION
mile long and there were usually three or four of us who went together. Being a member of scouts allowed us to go on many weekend-long camps, where we camped in tents and learned how to do crafts and played games such as capture the flag. There were about 30 boys in the pack. When I was about ten years old there were hardly any concerns about safety from predators and the like as there is now, so as long as we were in a group we went just about any-
where. We did most of our shopping at a corner convenience store that was only a block and a half away, and were able to buy our candy and pops there. Just about the time I turned 11, they did build a big mall near us. When I say a big mall, I am referring to a strip plaza of about 15 stores, with a cinema attached, which was the big deal. Don't remember much about it other than it seemed awfully big to us back then. Winter days were spent playing games that involved the snow, building forts, snowball fights, building snowmen. We had a lot of snow growing up, or when there wasn't any snow, playing road hockey. Our winter activity was hockey and we played it on the weekend in a league. In the summer there was a camp arranged by the school in the school yard that gave us the opportunity to play quoits (a form of horseshoes), tether ball, and many other organized games that kept us occupied during the day and out of trouble while our parents were working. After dinner we were involved in organized sports such as softball, of which my father was usually the coach, and swimming courses. ♦
The Community of Lookout Ridge presents our
Annual
Strawberry Social Event Thursday, June 20, at 2 PM Music with BRAD BOLAND
Free Flatwork Estimates CALL RICHARD
905-980-4522
cottoninc.ca
Tickets: $4.75 All are welcome. Please call (905) 892-9218 to reserve your ticket today www.lookoutridge.ca ◆ 1505 Lookout Street, Fonthill
www.thevoiceofpelham.ca
The Voice of Pelham, June 12 2019
THE VOICE POLL Results
25% Size of Pelham debt and Town's financial stability 12% Cannabis grow-operations 11% Transparency of council and Town staff
SIX MONTHS IN OFFICE Last week the Voice asked readers to assess the performance of Pelham's new Town Council and Mayor. In the newspaper's most detailed survey to date, readers were presented with 10 questions covering current issues of concern, the perceived effectiveness of councillors and the Mayor, and an 11th question on perceptions of the Voice's accuracy in reporting on Pelham Town Hall. 109 qualified responses were tabulated. Top-of-mind issues One issue stood out markedly from the rest, earning twice as much concern as the next issue, namely the size of Pelham's debt and the Town's financial stability. 25% of respondents chose this as one of their three top concerns. Cannabis grow-operations and council/staff transparency were nearly tied for second and third concerns. Selling the old Pelham arena also ranked relatively high. Surprisingly low were concerns over property taxes, fiscal management of the community centre, and Airbnb restrictions. Council and Mayor performance The survey sought to measure the perceived effectivness of Mayor Junkin, and whether councillors were seen to be working together to reach concensus for the common good. Nearly 7 in 10 respondents said that Mayor Junkin was working to fulfill his campaign promises, while a little over 50% said the same of Town Council. The most effective member was seen to be Councillor Ron Kore, followed by Councillors Haun and Hildebrandt. The least effective member was John Wink, followed closely by Marianne Stewart and Mike Ciolfi. Quality of life While most respondents said that as a place to live Pelham was either improving or staying about the same, nearly 4 in 10 said that the quality of life in town was declining. Voice fairness Over 8 in 10 respondents perceived Voice coverage of Town Hall to be fair or mostly fair. Some 6% found the paper's reporting unfair or mostly unfair. ADVISORY: While safeguards are in place to eliminate multiple votes, this is a self-selected poll, meaning it has no scientific validity compared to a formal random survey undertaken by a professional polling firm.
Respondents were asked to choose their top three issues of concern in Pelham
17%
99
11%
54%
Percentage satisfied that councillors have worked hard so far to fulfill the promises they made to voters. Green is satisfied; yellow no opinion; red unsatisfied.
299
$
Reg. $399
Ranked from 1 (least) to 10 (most), satisfaction so far with the performance of Pelham Town Council.
1-4
9-10 5-8
Ranked from 1 (least) to 10 (most), satisfaction so far with the performance of Pelham Mayor Marvin Junkin.
39%
30% 31%
Percentage who voted for Marvin Junkin for Mayor in last year's election. Green is yes,yellow is no.
Of the council candidates respondents vot- Respondents say that generally speaking, ed for, all were elected (green), some were as a place to live, Pelham is improving elected (yellow), none were elected (red). (green), staying about the same (yellow), declining (red).
66% 18% 9% 5% 1%
Generally speaking, the LEAST cooperative and effective councillors so far (respondents asked to choose two)—longer bar is UNFAVOURABLE.
Generally speaking, respondents perceive Voice coverage of Town Hall as fair (green), mostly fair (blue), no opinion or don't know (yellow), mostly unfair (violet), unfair (red).
Friday at 9 PM it’s
GREAT SOUND FOR THE HOME OFFICE! • Wall Mountable • Room Filling Hi-Fi Sound • Radio, CD, Bluetooth
JIM CASSON
AND SPECIAL GUESTS
Shane Scott & Teddy Leonard Saturday at 8 PM it’s
SCHC400
169
$ Reg. $199
SAVE 100!
5-8
49%
39%
76%
Percentage satisfied that Mayor Junkin has worked hard so far to fulfill the promises he made to voters. Green is satisfied; yellow no opinion; red unsatisfied.
Generally speaking, the MOST cooperative and effective councillors so far (respondents asked to choose two)—longer bar is FAVOURABLE.
NOW
$
69%
9-10
1-4
13%
John Wink Marianne Stewart Mike Ciolfi Lisa Haun Bob Hildebrandt Ron Kore
RP-HTX80
NOW
Selling the Pelham arena to help pay for Town projects Major road repairs and maintenance Reducing the number of Sunshine List employees Property tax rates Traffic congestion OTHER: Create bylaw to control cannabis grow-op pollution Fiscal management of the new community centre OTHER: Gypsy moth spraying of protected forest Rebuilding arches above Pelham Town Square Airbnb licensing / restrictions Keeping the Pelham arena to limit growth OTHER: Update Town's zoning bylaw Remove traffic calming measures Public transportation Adding traffic calming measures OTHER: Making the town more accessible/welcoming OTHER: Reduce auto traffic speed OTHER: Improving the Town's website
24%
Ron Kore Lisa Haun Bob Hildebrandt John Wink Mike Ciolfi Marianne Stewart
NOW $
PERFECT FOR THE MAN CAVE! Enjoy the iconic Marshall amplifier design with this 3.2 cu ft bar fridge
10% 7% 6% 5% 5% 4% 3% 2% 2% 2% 2% 1% 1% <1% <1% <1% <1% <1%
20%
28%
STYLISH HEADPHONES Featuring High Quality Sound And A Comfortable Fit Reg. $129
Page 15
HAVE IT ALL UNDER CONTROL Replace up to 10 remotes with this advanced IR remote with colour screen HAVE US PROGRAM IT FOR YOU - ask us for details
WHERE'S THE PARTY • Big Sound You Can Carry With You • Urban Audio Collection • Party Features - Jukebox App And More UPGRADE YOUR AUDIO SYSTEM OR TV WITH PREMIUM
130 THOROLD RD, WELLAND 905 788 3221 www.thomastv.com
99
$
ONLY
$
299!
SCUA3
CABLES Tues-Thurs: 10-6 Fri: 10-7 Sat: 10-5 Sun/Mon: Closed
ROB REPOV
Enjoy all of our daily specials on
FATHER’S DAY SUNDAY! Daily Dining Specials
$5 Burger Mondays $6/lb Mussels Tuesdays $7/lb Wings Wednesdays $5 Beef on Weck Thursdays $10 Haddock Fish Fry Fridays ON SUNDAYS THE WEEKENDER! All specials on one day!
Page 16
The Voice of Pelham, June 12 2019
COUNCIL
continued from Page 1 “In my opinion, I don’t see any problems with [the new plans],” he said at the June 3 meeting. The official name of the structure will be the Fonthill Rotary and Summerfest Arches. They will not be ready for this summer’s event. An autumn fundraising gala is being planned at the community centre.
Basement apartments
The arches dominated an otherwise light agenda at the June 3 meeting, although meeting as Committee of the Whole, council discussed a recent community planning staff
report, which included references to increased housing and population density, part of the Ontario government’s official plan. Councillor Kore asked about the prospect of basement apartments eventually popping up around Pelham. “How is that going to affect our community? Are we going to go towards that?” Kore asked Town Director of Planning and Development Barb Wiens. “‘More Homes, More Choices’ is a strategy released by the provincial government on May 2,” Wiens said, referring to the title of the governing Tories’ plan. “And certainly basement apartments are a critical piece to their platform and strategy in in-
creasing affordable housing.” She added that local zoning bylaws would eventually have to be changed, given that many parts of Pelham currently don’t allow for secondary dwellings on existing properties. Kore appeared most concerned by the idea of a single-family home being purchased and converted into multiple housing units. Wiens said again that zoning would play a role in that, as well as fire code regulations. She suggested that the government’s housing strategy is geared toward helping both those in need of housing and landowners looking to monetize their properties. “The goal of the province
www.thevoiceofpelham.ca
is to provide for the option of having the second dwelling unit … to increase opportunities for affordable housing,” she said. Mayor Marvin Junkin, meanwhile, made a passionate case as to why he is on board with any affordable housing initiatives. “With my time on Regional Council, you don’t realize how a big a beast this affordable housing is,” he said. “For a family with kids … two children, to get into co-operative housing, it’s a 16-year wait. That’s ridiculous … I love to see this kind of initiative. The more housing, the more rental units we have on the market. It will hopefully drive down the cost of housing. Unfortunately, the dream of owning your own home is fast disappearing.”
Odds and ends
The council meeting began with a presentation from policy consultant
EVERY MAN JACK
hair. body. skin. shave. beard.
How is that going to affect our community? Are we going to go towards that?
David Heyworth regarding ongoing work on Niagara Region’s new official plan. Councillor Mike Ciolfi asked Heyworth about the plan’s employment and agricultural strategy related to Niagara’s growing cannabis industry. Heyworth said it’s not a top priority. “The employment areas are the more traditional employment areas, the manufacturing type of employment areas,” Heyworth said. “It’s not our
25%
OFF
Through June 19
We strive to use as many naturally derived and plant-based ingredients as possible. No parabens. No phthalates. No dyes. No aluminum. And never tested on animals.
Alaina Hillier
Your local pharmacy at Fonthill Marketplace Next to Food Basics
Doctor of Audiology, Audiologist, Reg. CASLPO
• Easy prescription transfer • Locally owned and operated • Free prescription delivery • Fast, friendly, courteous service • Free on-site compliance packaging 8:30 AM - 8:00 PM Monday-Thursday 8:30 AM - 6:00 PM Friday 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM Saturday
pharmachoice.com
(905) 892-1888
Like us on Facebook facebook.com/pch663/
SEARCH FOR BETTER HEARING Schedule your free hearing health assessment today! Visit our NIAGARA FALLS LOCATION website to 4725 Dorchester Road, Unit B15 check your 905.354.2757 hearing online FONTHILL LOCATION for free! #20 Hwy 20, Unit 3, PO Box 162 289.897.8665
hearagainclinics.com
intent right now to specifically focus on that issue but I will say we [will be] workshopping with various regulatory agencies.” The Committee of the Whole approved a staff request for an extra $50,000 to be put towards completing additional studies for Foss Road sanitary sewer upgrades. Interim CAO Teresa Quinlin said the money would come from a reserve transfer. “Whatever surplus we have [over a] year for wastewater, it goes directly into a reserve, and that should offset this increase,” she said. Council also made official its change to earlier start times. Beginning with the June 17 meeting, the Mayor, councillors and staff will convene at 5:30 rather than 6:30 PM. With that changed, Junkin closed the meeting by exhorting councillors to raise their hands properly when voting. “We get comments from people who are watching the [recorded] video, and when we vote as a council, will you please raise your hands? The request from the public is … when we vote, please put your hand up in the air.” Not mentioned by Junkin was that the Town’s fixed video camera position inside council chambers, which provides the council recording for its YouTube channel, is set up in a way that cuts off Councillors Stewart and Ciolfi —who sit at either end of the podium.
Store-Made Sausage SUPER SAVER SIZE Lowes
$4.49 lb. STARTS THURSDAY
($9.89 KG.)
t
Price in Town!
Perfect for Father’s Day! 110 Highway 20, Fonthill
Open daily 7 AM - 10 PM
RON’S
Bathroom
R enovations Fonthill
25 yrs exp. Reliable, Honest, Prompt
289-968-6018
snoei.renovations@gmail.com
www.thevoiceofpelham.ca
The Voice of Pelham, June 12 2019
Page 17
Willowbrook Nurseries donating new trees for Fenwick beautification Poor choices made with original plantings have left village centre looking more beast than beauty BY JOHN CHICK
Special to the VOICE
When the previous Pelham Town Council gave the go-ahead for the beautification of downtown Fenwick a few years back, John Langendoen was involved in the process. As founder of Willowbrook Nurseries, he knows a thing or two about plants, trees and what can grow where. However, his suggestions seemed to fall on deaf ears as planners insisted on using certain native plantings in the beautification. “No, I fought with them,” Langendoen said with a laugh last week, in Fenwick, as he met with Pelham Mayor Marvin Junkin and Interim CAO Teresa Quinlin regarding his Victoria Avenue nursery’s plans to replace many of the plantings along Canboro Road in the village centre. “They said, ‘It has got to
be native, that’s the trend,’” Langendoen recalls. “That’s fine, I get that, and I do encourage that where it’s appropriate. But this is not a native site. This is an urban area, so you have to use plants that will fit the urban site.” The result, four years after the ribbon was cut on the beautification, is that some of the plants and trees are either dying off or being improperly managed. “A plant over here, called aronia,” Langendoen said, pointing. “It’s not conducive to this environment. It pooched out. Over here on this gingko tree behind my truck, the top is missing on it. And that gets to be a massive, massive tree.” It’s a similar story with the London planetrees that were placed in the concrete and iron planters on the
roadside. In this climate, winter salt will erode the roots, causing the trees to slowly die. Langendoen said there are other options, given the side effects of our harsh winters, such as more salt-tolerant ornamental grass. Willowbrook Nurseries will provide the new plantings to Pelham free of charge, with Town workers doing the removal of the old and installation of the new. Langendoen and Willowbrook have a long history of donating back to the community, including the gas lamps for the original beautification, and a donation to the new community centre. Junkin and Quinlin both said the goal is ideally to have the work done by the middle of July. That timing works for Langendoen.
Mayor Marvin Junkin, Willowbrook Nurseries’ John Langendoen, and Pelham Interim CAO Teresa Quinlin meet in Fenwick. JOHN CHICK PHOTO
“The best time to plant a tree is 40 years ago,” he joked. “The second best time is today.” Junkin said Willowbrook would have carte blanche on which plantings will be used, based on the brickwork-rich location. “You can go in and you
can lay it out and say this is what we’re going to do plant-wise,” the Mayor told Langendoen. “If you just supply the plants, we’ll go from there.” The plan will also include replacing the plants around the Fenwick flagpole, which sits in the middle of the in-
tersection of Canboro and Maple. The pole is considered a heritage structure, and a ceremonial plaque exists for it. For whatever reason though, the Town has never affixed the plaque to the pole. Junkin said that will change once the new plantings are complete.
Pelham's Cannabis Control Committee slugs away Marijuana grow-operations, outdoor gardens, marijuana festivals and how these affect a myriad of plans, bylaws and legislation regarding agriculture, the environment, and road conditions were just some of the topics aired in last Wednesday’s meeting of Pelham’s new Cannabis Control Committee. Waving a handful of paperwork, Tim Nohara, Chair of the committee, stated because of the long list of concerns, reports and a public consultation process, amendments to the town’s Planning Act and bylaws to control cannabis were not likely to be completed before their due date. As a result, the committee approved recommending to council that it extend the interim control bylaw for one more year, to October 2020. The motion will be received by council on July 15, if needed. In the meantime, Nohara said if the committee reviews the upcoming government research, and reports by the Town’s Planning Department, and the committee feels it can complete its goals, “then super,” he said. Otherwise, the laborious issues, public and stakeholder feedback and summer holidays were going to make it difficult to fulfill the obligations of the committee prior to September 16, when council is scheduled to receive the proposed amendments to the Cannabis Official Plan Amendment, related zoning bylaw and nuisance bylaw. “I don’t see how we can review such an ambitious set of proposals in this time frame,” he said. Barb Wiens, Director of Planning and Development, said, “I’m hopeful that we can do it in this timeframe.” According to the current timeline, a draft of the Official Planning Act, Zoning Bylaw Amendment and Nuisance Bylaw would be forwarded to the committee by June 26. In mid- August, a public consultation meeting would be held to receive input. The Cannabis Control Committee would re-
Members face long climb up mountain of paperwork, options, meaning permanent bylaw may be delayed view the comments and adjust any recommendations for the Policy and Procedures Committee, which would then fine-tune the amendments for council by September 16 for final approval. Councillor Mike Ciolfi told the Voice, “It’s kind of like trying to build a $10 million bridge in six months,” adding, “all of the people on the committee are volunteers and many of them work, so it’s difficult.” Resident member Bill Heska asked if the Town was considering legislation from other municipalities to assist them in developing policy terms, although he added there appears to be a great deal of inconsistencies within different municipalities. Wiens replied, “There is not a lot of consistency, and we have to look at the existing landscape in Pelham. You can’t put in zoning bylaws that will be prohibited. That is not going to fly.” Resident member Jim Jeffs said that according to MPP Sam Oosterhoff, municipalities wanting to protect agricultural lands from being used for cannabis growth and facilities could do so by limiting cannabis facilities to industrial-zoned areas. Wiens replied, “I don’t know if that would withstand a court challenge.” She reminded the group that marijuana was legal in Canada, and said, “My understanding is if someone gets a licence at the federal level we can’t interfere.” Wiens assured the group she was monitoring court cases on marijuana grow-ops, and would get clarity on licensing, which she would bring to the next meeting. Such legal decisions could affect how future amendments are written. Wiens also cautioned against over-regulating, which puts
BY GLORIA J. KATCH
Special to the VOICE
the Town at risk of defying the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Over-regulating can also have a negative affect on greenhouse businesses that don’t grow marijuana. Last week, council passed a bylaw stating that greenhouses were now required to have a site plan agreement before they could set up operations in Pelham. Wiens noted the Town’s authority primarily deals with amending the Town’s Official Plan. Albeit, Wiens admits the interim control bylaw is meant to address large policy gaps that need to be “tightened up,” which gave the group some reassurance that changes could be made to control where marijuana facilities are located. The committee is examining all areas and possibly any legal loopholes to control large grow-ops, including wastewater usage, environmental laws, and traffic monitoring. Councillor Ciolfi asked if cannabis grower CannTrust, in Fenwick, was on a sewer system. Wiens replied that the operation is on a septic system, and its effluent is less than 10,000 meters a day per property. CannTrust monitors its system’s effluent, and both the Region and Ministry of the Environment require this data. “All the irrigation water is recycled for their own use, and they recycle their own internal water,” she said, adding, “Their standards are high.” Pelham greenhouse operator Louis Damm said he is aware of septic systems that have “crashed,” but Wiens pointed out CannTrust submits water samples for monitoring. She also added that the Region can conduct inspections of septic system at any
time. Retired Pelham business owner and one-time mayoral candidate Carla Baxter, Vice-Chair of the committee, asked if country roads could sustain the additional traffic required to haul away the effluent. Wiens replied Pelham’s roads are designed to handle the capacity. About every ten years, she said, there is a road study done in Pelham that includes engineering reports, and that information is used to determine the Town’s capital budgets. Interim CAO and Town Treasurer Teresa Quinlin added there is a “pavement condition index” on all roads, which can be compared to road conditions five years previously to determine the shape they’re in. Roads are rated according to when they need to be repaired, noted Wiens. With respect to Leviathan, a cannabis grower seeking to build a greenhouse facility in Fenwick, Councillor Ciolfi said traffic monitoring should consider the number of employees working at the facility as well. Carla Baxter added, “Leviathan already has a negative impact and there are a lot of people in the area who want to move out, and it prevents people moving in.” Opening the meeting, Wiens outlined the three tiers of government and how agricultural lands must be protected and comply with land use plans, which in Niagara include: the Greenbelt, the Niagara Escarpment Planning and Development Act, and A Place to Grow Plan. More importantly, the Town is waiting for the Region to complete its official plan, and Pelham will have to align with it, she said. Nohara said the Region’s plan is “very good and will not limit us in what we want to do.” Jeffs asked if marijuana facili-
ties were allowed to make oil under agricultural tenets. Wiens replied that CannTrust was allowed to treat and package marijuana, and that oil products were actually produced at its facility in Vaughn. Agricultural guidelines permit production of by-products, noting that wineries and fruit farmers are also allowed to make juice. The definition of agriculture is “pretty broad,” in scope, pointed out Wiens, which includes crop growing, livestock, poultry, aquaculture, maple syrup production, etc. Louis Damm stated the Town needed to look at the effluent levels, as there is a difference between a small business and a large industry. “The wine industry went through this,” he said, suggesting this is an area the Town needs to pay attention to. Wiens admitted that “the scale and intensity” of grow-ops are important considerations for the committee. When Baxter asked if CannTrust could host a festival, Wiens stated that the company is allowed to do sampling as do wineries, and they could host such an event. However, any large gathering would require a permit, she said. At the close of this second committee meeting, Quinlin stated she was “very impressed” by the amount of the work already completed. Councillor Ciolfi told the Voice he is still awaiting a report from MPP Oosterhoff on what can be done at the provincial level to assist Pelham on this issue. When asked if he was monitoring complaints, he replied, “no,” but receives emails constantly from residents, particularly from the Cherry Ridge and Balfour Street area subdivisions. “Now that it’s summer, people want to be outside, and they can’t enjoy their pool or hang their clothes on the line, because of the smell,” he said. But Ciolfi was optimistic. “We’re starting to get things accomplished.”
Page 18
The Voice of Pelham, June 12 2019
www.thevoiceofpelham.ca
SERVICE DIRECTORY Heating & & Cooling Cooling Heating
Electrical Electrical
ACB
Electrical
Renovations
DE VRIES R E N O VAT I O N S
Fenwick Alex Bover-Master Electrician
-ECRA #7003130 Service Upgrades • Energy Efficiency Upgrades Troubleshooting • New Wiring & Re-Wiring Commercial • Industrial • Residential
&
ADDITIONS
FENWICK 905-892-2391
Family built since 1955
PORT COLBORNE 905-835-2391
Plumbing
We Make House Calls!
THE PUMP DOCTOR 905.892.2655
devriesrenoltd@gmail.com
1.800.676.4029
CUSTOM HOMES • ADDITIONS • KITCHENS BATHROOMS • WINDOWS & DOORS • SIDING • DECKS • TRIMWORK BARNS & GARAGES • RESTORATION
ROBERT WILLIAMS PLUMBING & HEATING LIMITED
LICENSED & INSURED
tel: 905-892-4988 Email:abover@cogeco.ca cell: 905-714-2145 for urgent calls
We Service All Makes And Models
Power Equipment
Landscaping Landscaping
Flooring
Plumbing Plumbing
LANDSCAPES Inspired By Your LIFESTYLE
CERAMIC TILE • LUXURY VINYL PLANKS • LAMINATE • HARDWOOD PORCELAIN TILE • BACKSPLASHES • COUNTERTOPS Motorcycles, ATVs, Power Equipment, Snowblowers, Sales, Service, Parts & Accessories, Honda, Yamaha, Suzuki, KTM ● www.clarescycle.com
799 Hwy 20, Fenwick, ON
905.892.6908 www.dekorteslandscaping.com 799 Balfour St, Fenwick
905-892-2664
Concrete Supplies Concrete Supplies
Lawn Sprinklers
Niagara’s Complete Concrete Contractor (905) 262-2000
or Toll free
1-800-881-1628
cottoninc.ca
155 HIGHWAY 20 E. • FONTHILL, ON 905-892-5756 • STARTILECENTRE.COM
Licenced plumber & gas fitter with 25 years experience
905-386-6483 • 905-651-8558 www.joesplumbingniagara.ca
Advertising
Landscaping
The Voice
www.landscape95.ca
Our readers could be your customers. Tell them why they should choose you!
LANDSCAPE
Call (905) 892-8690
GRASS CUTTING & TRIMMING GREAT RATES – CALL NOW
advertising@thevoiceofpelham.ca
Landscaping
l
residential • commercial • farm
95
905.651.9595
Roofing
Automotive
Landscaping
Landscaping
Top Top Soil Soil
Property Maintenance
874 Hwy # 20 W, Fenwick, ON L0S 1C0 874 Hwy #20 W, Fenwick, ON L0S 1C0 874 Hwy # 20 W, Fenwick, ON L0S 1C0 l Landscape Construction l Driveways, Patio & Walkways Landscape Design l Landscape Design l Landscape Construction l Driveways, Patio & Walkways l Natural Stone l Retaining Walls l Outdoor Wood Projects l Natural Stone l Retaining Walls l Outdoor Wood Projects l Water l Water Features Outdoor Lighting Features ll Outdoor Lighting
Steven& & Ryan Ryan Van Lochem Steven Van Lochem Owners/Operators
Owners/Operators Phone: 905.892.2188 • www.naturesownidea.com
Phone: 905.892.2188 • www.naturesownidea.com
Electrical
Screened Organic
TOP SOIL
Fonthill Electric Ltd Taryn Wilton
Master Electrician Residential, Commercial & Industrial
(905) 401.5748
www.fonthillelectric.ca ECRA/ESA licence #7011142
voiceofpelham.ca
www.paulsgardencentre.com • 905-732-5123 OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK 103 Shaw Street, Welland (corner of Prince Charles)
also Crushed Stone
Delivery or Pick-Up
DiMartile Farms
Over 75 years supplying soil to the Niagara area
Lawn Cutting Yard Clean-ups Trimming-only Service
(you cut your grass, we do the rest)
Mulch Application
Fully Insured Professional Service
905-218-3662 ♦ Fenwick
Places of Worship and Events
E OF PELHAM BethanyAdvertiser Christian Reformed Church
ctor
TREE PLANTING
905-734-4870
FINISHING TOUCHES Property Maintenance
1040 Balfour St., Fenwick
The Voice of Pelham ad size Presbyterian Church Service First Directory ad 602 Metler Rd., Fenwick w:2.5” x h: 1.75”
Glad Tidings Church of God 1 Pancake Lane, Fonthill
Pelham Evangelical Friends Church 940 Haist St., Fonthill
Concordia Lutheran Church Taryn Wilton 105 Welland Rd., Fonthill
Fonthill Baptist Church Color Info 1414 Pelham St., Fonthill black only
Holy Trinity Anglican Church 1557 Pelham Street, Fonthill
Ridgeville Bible Chapel 418 Canboro Rd., Ridgeville
Kirk on the Hill Presbyterian Church 1344 Haist St., Fonthill
St. Alexander’s Roman Catholic Church 50 Pelham Town Sq., Fonthill
Pelham Community Church (United Church of Canada) 461 Canboro Rd., Fenwick
St. Ann’s Roman Catholic Church 834 Canboro Rd., Fenwick
Fonthill Rlectric Ltd Contact Name
Contact Phone
rector
905.401.5748 Fenwick Church of Christ 765 Welland Rd., Fenwick
Due Date Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses Kingdom 1369 18 RiceatRd., Fonthill Friday, March noon
hevoiceofpelham.ca
1050 Church St., Fenwick
Rundate(s) Fonthill United Church Mar. 23, Apr. 6, 20,Hill, MayFonthill 4, 18, 42 Church June 1, 15 and 29.
Contact email info@fonthillelectric.ca Fenwick United Church
Date:
Cost $42 per insertion plus HST. Terms: Due on publication
www.thevoiceofpelham.ca
The Voice of Pelham, June 12 2019
Page 19
COMMUNITY EVENTS & CLASSIFIEDS
Place your ad by email or phone office@thevoiceofpelham.ca Hours: Mon-Thurs, 8 AM - 2 PM (905) 892-8690
EXTEND YOUR REACH - ADVERTISE PROVINCIALLY OR ACROSS THE COUNTRY! For more information visit www.ocna.org/network-advertising-program
FINANCIAL SERVICES
MORTGAGES
BUSINESS OPPS.
FREE Consultation
$$ MONEY $$ • 1ST, 2ND & 3RD MORTGAGES FOR ANY PURPOSE • DEBT CONSOLIDATION • BAD CREDIT • TAX OR MORTGAGE ARREARS • DECREASE PAYMENTS UP TO 75% • SELF-EMPLOYED • NO PROOF OF INCOME We Can Help! Even in extreme situations of bad credit. FOR MORE INFORMATION OR TO APPLY NOW BY PHONE OR ONLINE: 1-888-307-7799 www.ontario-widefinancial.com ONTARIO-WIDE FINANCIAL 1801347inc FSCO Licence #12456 !! WE ARE HERE TO HELP!!
OBITUARY
LOWER YOUR MONTHLY PAYMENTS
ATTN: ONTARIO INVENTORS!!
AND
Need Inventing Help?
CONSOLIDATE YOUR DEBT NOW!!!
1st, 2nd, 3rd MORTGAGES Page Debt Consolidation Refinancing, Renovations Tax Arrears, No CMHC Fees
Call Davison!!
14
Ideas Wanted!
HEALTH
ADVERTISING
GET UP TO $50,000 from the Government of Canada. Do you or someone you know Have any of these Conditions? ADHD, Anxiety, Arthritis, Asthma, Cancer, COPD, Depression, Diabetes, Difficulty Walking, Fibromyalgia, Irritable Bowels, Overweight, Trouble Dressing...and Hundreds more. ALL Ages & Medical Conditions Qualify. CALL ONTARIO BENEFITS 1-(800)-211-3550 or Send a Text Message with Your Name and Mailing Address to (647)560-4274 for your FREE benefits package.
CALL DAVISON TODAY:
REACH MILLIONS OF CUSTOMERS IN ONTARIO WITH ONE EASY CALL!
Classified Ad or Display August Ad THE VOICE ofYour Pelham Wednesday, 27,
1-800-256-0429
CAR COLLECTOR SEARCHING ... I want your old car! Porsche For more information Call Today 356/911/912, Jaguar E-Type or XKE. Inventing.Davison.com/Ontario 647-350-2558. Tell me what you have, I love old clasFREE Inventor's Guide!! sics especially German and British. Services No Income, Bad Credit PELHAM LIBRARY’S COMPUTER CLINIC Whether it's been in the barn for 25 Power of Sale Stopped!!! years, your help pride with and joy is Excavating contractor. “One-to-One Help” with a volunteer tech tutor.or Get webthatbrowsing, STEEL BUILDINGS fully restored. I'll pay CASH. Call BETTER OPTION MORTGAGE webmail account set-up, e-books, social media, editing and sharing your Water, sewer upgrades, David 416-802-9999. MORTGAGES STEEL BUILDING SALE FOR MORE INFORMATION repair,... "MEGA water photos1st and&more. Includes use of laptop or BYOG (bring your own gadget). foundation SALE - BIG CRAZY CALL TODAY TOLL-FREE: 2nd MORTGAGES from FIREARMS WANTED FOR JUNE MADNESS drainage systems, 2019 LIVE & ONLINE AUC-perDEALS Saturdays 3:30. and 22nd, pay ahead in person. $5.00 1/2 proofing, ON ALL BUILDINGS!" 2.90%12:30 5 year –VRM andRegister 2.94% 5 year 1-800-282-1169 quarry stone supply, placeRifles, Shotguns,for Handguns, 20X21 $5,868. 25X27 $6,629. 30X31 FIXED OAC. All Credit Types Consid- or TION: hour. Visit www.pelhamlibrary.on.ca call 905-892-6443 more details. Militaria. Auction or Purchase: P18-23 905-384-1972. ered. Serving all Ontario for over 36 $8,886. ment. 32X35 $9,286. 35X35 www.mortgageontario.com years. Purchasing, Re-financing, Debt Collections, Estates, Individual $ 1 2 , 5 7 6 . O n e E n d W a l l ContactANTAN Paul, Switzer's Included. Pioneer Steel 1-855-212Consolidation, Construction, Home Items. FONTHILL BANDSHELL PRESENTS DE TEMPS (Licence # 10969) Renovations...CALL 1-800-225-1777, Auction: Toll-Free 1-800-694- 7036 www.pioneersteel.ca Burke’s Masonry Since www.homeguardfunding.ca 2003, Éric Beaudry, André Brunet and Pierre-Luc Dupuis have (LIC 2609, info@switzersauction.com or been exploring melodies from the stomp- Bricklaying, tuckpointing, www.switzersauction.com. #10409). and performing time-honoured $50K YOU PAY: $208.33 / MONTH (OAC)
OR VISIT US AT:
ing grounds of Quebec’s musical past. Using fiddle, accordion, harmonica, guitar, bouzouki and a number of other instruments, our three virtuosos blend boundless energy with the unmistakable joie de vivre found only in MASONRY REPAIR CUSTOM MILL traditional Quebec music. Show runs from 7-9 p.m.Portable sawmill service. ALLTYPE MASONRY
I will come to your home or farm and custom mill your PELHAM LIBRARY CARD MAKING WORKSHOP Phone Tom Deamude at 289-241-4767 or 905-892-1924. 35 years of construction logs. Firewood & lumber Make six cards with fall themes, learning a variety ofalso techniques. Materials available. Call Rob experience. Patterson, are provided. At time of registration, please enquire about tools needed. 905-401-4948, Tues., Sept. 16 10 – 12:30. $10. Please register ahead. Visit www.pelhamDRIVER WANTED riverwood@primus.ca Brick, Block, Stone and Chimey repairs. Wet and damaged basement repairs.
or abstract call 905-892-6443 more Looking for a truck driver with a GZlibrary.on.ca licence. Clean required. Wefor can assistdetails. in obtaining Z.20-40 hours/week - negotiable. $20/hour. Please contact: 905-658-5363.
CHEEL, Dennis William Passed away to our Lord peacefully at 4:00 p.m. on June 4, 2019 at the age of 70. Beloved husband of 50 years to Nancy (nee Tobias). Dear father of Amber Joy Gerhart (Bradley) and Curtis Charles William Cheel (Krystalynn). Proud grandfather of Avery, Lilly and Gracie. Brother of Joseph (Janis), Pamela (John) and Claudia (Robert). Also survived by nieces, nephews and great nieces and great nephews. Dennis graduated from Niagara College with degrees in Journalism and Labour Relations. After he retired, Dennis became a “Professional Santa Claus”. He was a light in the room for both young and old. He worked at W.S.I.B. in Hamilton in collections for over 20 years. Dennis will be missed by all. Cremation has taken place. There will be a memorial for Dennis at a later date. Memorial donations may be made to Canadian Epilepsy Society. Arrangements entrusted to PLEASANTVIEW FUNERAL HOME (905-892-1699). Please share your memories, photos and condolences at www. pleasantviewcemetery.ca
CLA
would appear in weekly newspapers each week across Ontario in urban, suburban and rural areas.
COMMUNITY Events WANTED
YOUR AD HERE
Reach thousands of FABULOUS FENWICK LIONS FISH FRY readers with a Tasty treats with funds heading straight back into the community. Haddock, GARAGE SALE Voice classified! fries and much SALE more. Runs Sept. 9 from 4-7Up p.m. MOVING ANDfrench DOWNSIZING GARAGE to 30 words for only:
Yard, Power and Hand Tools, Pine Buffet & Hutch, Household items, Trunks and much more. Saturday, June 15,MINOR 2019, 7am - 4pm PELHAM HOCKEY EQUIPMENT SALE 48 Millbridge Crescent, Fonthill, Ontario
$10
TAX INCL.
Buy, sell or trade used equipment at the Pelham Arena. Aimed to provide cheaper options for players in this upcoming season. Runs Sept. 6 from IMMUNIZATION FACTS OLD PAPERS 9-12 in the morning. IMMUNIZATION ACROSS THE LIFESPAN – Importance and myths. Wed., Jun 19, 2019 @ 10am – 12pm PELHAM MUDFEST Seaway Mall Library Branch Call Welland McMaster FHT to register @ 905-734-9699, Ext.in3.the FREE Men and women will be back mud
as the
Do you have old issues of the Voice published from 1997 to 2007? How about the Pelham Herald (any We'dyear love to second runyear). on the is add them to our archive. Contact: publisher@thevoiceofpelham.ca
held at Bissil’s Hideaway. UPSCALE GARAGE SALE NIAGARA REGIONAL EXHIBITION GARAGE SALE Rodeo, games and live entertainment headline this years exciting event. It Grand two-day upscale multi-family community sale from 9 – 2 p.m. on June 15 and 16th runs from Sept. 11-14 at the Welland Fairgrounds. on Buckley Terrace in Fonthill. Be prepared to see a great mixture of quality small and
Route 46, Fonthill
large indoor and outdoor items. For the larger items ask each individual vendor what the
step repair, granite coatings, brick slices P18-28 905-682-7061. FLOORING
Ga
7 SPRU FONTH items, clothes sonable 30, 8AM
Yard SALE, of Chr decora items, 1PM 6 NORTH
Josh DeHaan Flooring “For all your flooring needs”
We offer in-stock specials: • pre-finished hardwood
flooring solid, engineered from $2/ft2 • laminate flooring from $.89/ft2 • carpet and vinyl flooring from $4.95/yd2 • fibre flooring from $1/ft2 • ceramic tile from $.89/ft2 ...and other specials! Call us to see the products that are available & visit our showroom.
Phone: 905-892-7898 Fax: 905-892-4811
No Sunday Calls, Please TF
Attention! Great for students, children,
BIG MOVE CANCER RIDE adults, seniors, and everyone Church Hill area, items are as they may be in the garage. If you don’t ask you may be missing some great Network Classifiride ed Ads The Big Move Cancer RideOCNA is a non-competitive taking place on Sept. who likes fresh air and exercise. buys. Note signage throughout the community. Don’t miss out. See you on the street. 31 homes (AD CENTRAL) 7. Proceeds for the Big Move stay in Niagara and support the Walker Family Cancer Centre. MINDFULNESS Week of MINDFULNESS SERIES – Cope with daily living. June 10 WALKING Weds.,CLUB Jun 19-Jul 24 @ 6:30 – 8pm Call (905) 892-8690 Mall Library BranchJoin them Tuesdays at the Pelham Arena InterestedSeaway in walking in Pelham? Call Welland McMaster FHT to register 905-734-9699 Posted from 9-10 am and Ext. Thursdays at@Fonthill Bandshell for 9-10:30 am. There 3. June 6 is no fee for this program. For more information, please contact jcook@ FREE pelham.ca or call 905 892-2607, ext 329. Central Region Ads included HAMPER DAY FOR PELHAM CARES Purchase fresh fruit and vegetables at the Market or bring a non-perishable food item to fill the hampers at the Pelham Farmers Market on Sept. 4. This ad is to be printed by all participating Ontario papers
PAPER ROUTE AVAILABLE!
ST
“T
VI
C
PL
GA
S
AD
w
C
905
Page 20
The Voice of Pelham, June 12 2019
www.thevoiceofpelham.ca
New Active Living Lounge opens in time for Ontario Seniors Month In celebration of Seniors Month in Ontario, Pelham’s Seniors Advisory Committee is hosting the grand opening of its Active Living Lounge, June 14 from 2 to 4 PM. The new lounge will be located on the second floor of the community centre, overlooking a panoramic view of Highway 20, and a glassed-in activity room where motivated seniors exercise. Symbolic? Perhaps, but Sharon Cook, Chair of the committee, believes the group will be equally active fulfilling its goals and objectives designed to improve the quality of life for community elders. While there are many issues affecting seniors, the committee is “genuinely interested in making things better, wherever we can,” Cook said. The new lounge will have several tables, including card tables, as well as a computer area for seniors to source out and share information. More importantly, the lounge is designed for seniors to drop in and interact with other seniors. Cook noted that geriatric specialists and psychologists’ research indicate seniors are prone to loneliness, isolation, and a sense of disconnect from their communities. The committee believes the lounge will provide a solution to this problem for locals. Julie Cook, who is the Recreation, Culture and Wellness Programmer for the Town of Pelham, decided to develop the space, said Sharon Cook (no relation). “One of our goals is getting people to come out and have a cup of tea, and have them come out and participate,” said Sharon. The committee is hoping all the
BY GLORIA J. KATCH
Special to the VOICE
leisure activities, like exercise classes, the walking track and pickle ball, will have a “spillover effect,” and result in more people dropping in after working out. With the number of seniors currently in Pelham, and a population that is constantly aging, the committee feels this area will be well utilized. They are also interested in hosting a speaker’s series there, where they can discuss topics like scams, assistive devices, health and mental health care, transportation, and all things important to senior living. “We have to get seniors involved and interested,” which to Cook includes stimulating their minds and broadening their interests. Cook told the Voice that scams in particular are “a big deal, because they target seniors. They’re a real big deal,” adding, “I know of a person who had to pay off their home,” because of a scam. In reference to one fraudulent group, which poses as officials from the Canada Revenue Agency, millions of dollars have been bilked from Canadians and particularly seniors, she asserted. The senior’s committee also has representatives from other groups and organizations, like Melissa Stewart from Pelham Cares, and Ann Villalta from the Joint Accessibility Committee, to input new information. Councillor Marianne Stewart is council’s representative on the committee, and will add guidance and support. Elena Simone-Simonetti and Kenneth Olsen are also members. This year’s theme for se-
nior’s month includes, “Aging Strong, Respect and Protect Seniors.” For the grand opening of the lounge, Cook noted all the details have yet to be finalized, but she believes the committee’s goals concerning advocating for seniors, and giving them a voice shows respect. Developing networks, considering health, housing and transportation are the three key issues affecting seniors. One of the committee’s priorities is to improve senior’s housing, and Cook is working with three different builders of senior’s residences, including high rise apartments, townhouses, and a builder that develops homes resembling cottages. Appropriate housing can often be smaller homes that are accessible with everything on one level, as many seniors are opposed to moving into retirement homes. The key is to build affordable houses, as many townhouses are in the $600,000 range and not accessible to seniors on a fixed income. Member Del Leney said that a “Home Share program” exists in Hamilton, for seniors who want to share their living space with another tenant after their spouse has passed away. Currently, the members were unsure if a similar policy was ever adopted for elders in Pelham. Regardless, Cook added, “We want people to stay in Pelham.” When asked if they were working with the Community Care Access Centre (CCAC), Cook responded, “I don’t know if it’s the job of the committee to deal with CCAC, but this is not our main focus. Let’s keep people from needing CCAC.” If anything, this committee wants its goals to be reflective of all older persons
From left, Susan Buckingham, Gwen MacDougall, Del Leney, Sharon Cook, and Dave Nicholson. GLORIA KATCH PHOTO and their needs, said member Susan Buckingham, reiterating the committee’s, “It’s not a one size fits all,” mentality. One of the biggest challenges for seniors in Pelham is transportation, pointed out Cook, who approached council a few months ago to purchase a second bus, so there would be more routes available, particularly from rural Fenwick to the downtown area and the MCC, where services are available. She notes there is a need to improve the level of service for people in wheelchairs, since this service has to be booked in advance and is not always readily available. Ensuring that Pelham is accessible to persons with mobility issues is one of the requirements under the World Health Organization. Sharon complimented Town Clerk Nancy Bozzato for her
efforts on improving accessibility. “When there is an issue, she is right on top of it. She is A-1 in my books.” Julie Cook stated the Town’s terms of reference were established by council to determine the committee’s actions, and these requirements needed to be addressed. When asked if a needs assessment was undertaken, Sharon Cook replied there was a senior’s fair last September, during which people were asked for their opinions in reference to seniors’ programming. The response was more opportunities for physical activity, such as pickle ball and exercise classes. “We’re seeing it now,” she said. In future, the advisory committee wants to obtain more expertise on persons who suffer from demen-
tia and strokes. Julie Cook noted it was difficult to find leaders on these respective medical issues, as well as finding the resources to pay for them. While the senior advisory committee’s mandate is “very broad,” in other respects, the goals also have to “align with council’s wishes,” she said. The group also broadly defines “senior,” and at what age that status is conferred. A few members laughed at how the age of seniors has increased from 55 as an excuse for companies to save money when offering discounts to “seniors.” The committee prefers to use the term “older persons” when referring to the proposed activity lounge and its participants. “As you get older that [senior] year gets pushed up,” said Sharon Cook, with a chuckle.
VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL
“To Mars Beyond”
and
Pelham Community Church 461 Canboro Rd., Fenwick July 8th to 12th from 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Ages 3 to Grade 8 Registration form can be found on website at www.pelham.cc
FREE
C E L E B R AT I N G 1 2 Y E A R S
and Gift Store HAPPY FATHER’S DAY! Great Gifts for Dad
15%
BBQ Dads Deserve the Best
OFF!
MANICURE PEDICURE ACRYLIC POWDER DIPPING POWDER EYELASHES
Concrete Statues
Shade Trees
WAXING SHELLAC
NOW OPEN 160 HIGHWAY 20 . UNIT 7 . FONTHILL
WWW.UNIQUENAILSSPA.CA | 905.892.7772
Landscape Boulders www.paulsgardencentre.com • 905-732-5123 OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK MON-FRI 8AM - 8PM, SAT 8AM - 6PM, SUN 9AM - 5PM 103 Shaw Street, Welland (corner of Prince Charles)
Focaccia buns, Pretzel buns Hamburger buns, Brioche buns Gluten-free buns Call ahead for best selection 11 Highway 20 West, Fonthill (905) 892-9466 Hours: Tues-Fri, 8-3; Sat, 8-2. www.indulgencebakeryfonthill.com
www.thevoiceofpelham.ca
The Voice of Pelham, June 12 2019
Voice
FAITH LIFT
CROSSWORD
by PASTOR ROB WEATHERBY
SPONSORED THIS WEEK BY
Page 21
HWY 20 FONTHILL
Open 7 days 892-2570
Science and scripture: contradictory or complementary
C
AN YOU BE A serious student of science and a committed Christian at the same time? Some people don’t think so. They see the two fields as contradictory, obliging a person to choose one or the other. I emphatically disagree. And much more significantly, so did Isaac Newton. Many consider Newton (1642-1727) to be the greatest scientist who ever lived. Best known perhaps for discovering the law of gravity, he is credited with laying the foundation for modern physics, astronomy, math and optics. What is much less known, however, is that he was a Christian of deep faith who also wrote about theology. After the release of documents written by Newton, one commentator concluded that his writings show, “a scientist guided by religious fervor, by a desire to see God’s actions in the world.” Instead of being contradictory, Newton believed that science and Scripture were complementary. In fact, it was this foundational belief in a created and ordered universe that inspired many of history’s great scientists in their
work. The list is a long one: • Joseph Lister (antiseptic surgery) • Louis Pasteur (bacteriology) • Johannes Kepler (celestial mechanics) • Charles Babbage (computer science) • Michael Faraday (electromagnetics) • Lord Kelvin (energetics) • Blaise Pascal (hydrostatics) • plus many other lesser-known names. Look carefully and you can think of products, terms or units of measurement named after these pioneers in their fields of research. Finally, consider some of the following scientific theories of earlier centuries which contradicted Biblical statements... ■ The earth was believed to be a flat disk sitting on a large animal, whereas Scripture described it as a sphere (Isaiah 40:22) floating freely in space (Job 26:7) ■ The number of stars was numbered at 1100 and considered all the same size, whereas Scripture called them innumerable (Jeremiah 33:22) and of varying size (1 Corinthians 15:41) ■ Light was thought to be fixed in space, whereas Scripture described its
movement (Job 38:19-20) ■ It was common belief that air was weightless and that wind blew in straight lines, whereas Scripture claimed that air had weight (Job 28:25) and that wind blew in a circular fashion (Ecclesiastes 1:6) ■ Early science believed the ocean was only fed by rivers and rain and that the ocean floor was flat, whereas Scripture taught that the ocean contained springs (Job 38:16) and that the ocean floor contained deep valleys and mountains (2 Samuel 22:16, Jonah 2:6) ■ Early medical science taught that sick people must be bled and that still water was adequate for hand-washing, whereas Scripture insisted that blood was the source of life and health (Leviticus 17:11) and when dealing with disease hands should be washed under running water (Leviticus 15:13). And so it seems that when supposed contradictions existed between science and Scripture in the past, later scientific discoveries confirmed the accuracy and truthfulness of Scripture. That conclusion encouragSee FAITH LIFT back page
y a D s ' er FathFT IDEAS GI
2514 Hwy. 20 E Fonthill Mon - Fri 8am to 5pm Sat 8am to 12pm
905-892-3041
www.picsmotorclinic.com
ANSWERS ON PAGE 22
Page 22
The Voice of Pelham, June 12 2019
www.thevoiceofpelham.ca
SIX MONTHS
continued from Page 7 it was a very generous offer. But it would have been remiss of this council to just take it without giving people an opportunity to come forward with any other
$30,000 over the course of the season. That's the course of the season. We're not making huge money. It is more-orless sustaining the Thursday
Whereas the Town, I don't think there were any surprises for me there. I knew that we had a great staff, and I think we do even more so now.
ideas. Speaking of the arches, one of the rationales or benefits is that they provide some measure of shade for Summerfest beer drinking. One of the questions on the election survey last year related to whether the municipality should be in the business of selling alcohol—mostly on Thursday nights during the summer, with the Supper Market and bandshell performances. Your answer was that you did not think that the municipality should be involved with that. So after talking to our Director of Recreation, Culture, and Wellness, Vickie vanRavenswaay, I asked how much we make on alcohol sales and where does the money go. Basically the alcohol sales that happen on Thursday night look after security—if we didn't have alcohol sales, the Town or someone would have to find $30,000 to pay for security.
night experience, which the community seems to really enjoy. And the service clubs are also selling or partaking of selling or the serving of the alcohol, and they get a pretty good reward for their evening’s work also. Another question asked last fall was on increasing public input at council, allowing members of the public to come before council at meetings without requiring them to provide prior notice of their questions. You and candidates Wink and Hildebrandt were on the fence on that one, everyone else was in favour. Oh, is that right? Well, I would like to see that happen yet. I think that it would be nice if we could have, at the very end of the council meeting, if someone wanted to make a presentation that wasn't on the agenda. But with the current procedural bylaw, I really don't know if we can do that. I'd have to talk to the Clerk, but I like
the idea of someone coming to council at the end of the meetings, saying listen, I would like to address council on such-and-such an issue, and give that person three or four minutes and state the case. So there are three and a half years to go—assuming you’re not amalgamated out of existence before then. Council’s working more smoothly. Does the future seem promising? I’m optimistic. It's been a good six months. I think we've accomplished a lot, and we have a long way to go, but I think we're good. Yeah. No regrets, let's put it that way. I would like to say that the greatest thing about this job is the people that I meet, especially the volunteers. It just blows me away how they must get up in the morning and say, “What can I do to make this town better?” And that kind of attitude, it just, that blows me away. But then the flip side is other people, the two or three percent, that get up in the morning and say, “I wonder who I can complain to today, and what can the Town do for me today?” Those people are rather disappointing to deal with. There you go. Small minorities can make disproportionately great amounts of noise. When we passed the budget, we had one guy come back and say, “I see you gave the fire department $300,000 for new radios. What a crock of crap.” I actually wrote back to the guy and I said, look, I'm sorry you feel that way. If someone got killed on the job, I wouldn't want to be the one responsible because we didn't give them the right
equipment. And then he came back, “Oh, that's a crock of shit. How often do these people go into a burning building,” blah, blah, blah. I mean, yeah, $330,000
suit dragged on for 18 years. It should have been solved a lot sooner. I think it's a feather in this council's cap that we put that situation to bed relatively soon after
I think it's a feather in this council's cap that we put that situation to bed relatively soon after taking office
bucks. A lot of money. But that was another thing that went unanimous on council. The amount of money we save by having volunteers— if you have to spend that money to keep them safe, what are you going to do? It was a no-brainer. It wasn’t a major issue, but it did come up during the election, when a couple in Fenwick erected a billboard at the edge of Canboro Road, criticizing the previous mayor for inaction on a claim that they had against the Town. Has the property owner’s claim been resolved? So that claim was resolved probably in the first two or three months of council. I believe everyone—the council and the plaintiff—ended up reasonably happy with the settlement. And, again, it was just from my point—my personal point of view—it was just very sad, very disappointing that that law-
taking office. My wife and I moved here ten years ago, and we’ve seen a lot of change. For people who’ve lived here for 30 or 40 years—or grew up here—it must really be mind-boggling. Maybe that’s why there’s another pretty clear pattern shaping up in our survey this week, to the question about whether Pelham is improving or declining as a place to live. As of now, a large number are saying that Pelham is declining. No, I don’t know. I think I have to disagree with that statement. The MCC is going to improve everyone's quality of life as far as recreation goes. So I think that's a big positive. I think that the soul of the town is still the same as it has always been—people looking after each other, people concerned about the neighborhoods. Like I say, I’m optimistic. This town is still a great place to live. ♦
To the patients of DR. BAK and DR. GRANT
130 Highway 20 E. Fonthill
With this coupon
June 11tth—June 16th
Ruffins Knows RAW
Please be advised they will be moving their practice to The Log Cabin at 155 Hwy 20 West, Fonthill.
Better savings start here
Bob Kilyk, Agent 21 Highway 20 West Fonthill ON L0S 1E0 905-892-5721 www.bobkilyk.com
The practice will be open as of Monday, June 3rd. Phone number remains the same: (905) 892-3242
1201717CN.1
able businesses, then I don't think the will is going to be on Regional Council to take them over. And if we don’t, then Niagara-on-the-Lake has said that they will sell to private businesses who are more than willing to operate that airport. Now, I don't think anyone has made an offer on Pelham’s airport. So that airport would continue to be run by the four municipalities. As mayor, you do double-duty as a Regional councillor. How’s that going? The workload at the Region for the first six months was very heavy, a lot heavier than at the Town really, because you've got to get up to speed on social issues, housing, wastewater, the police—all those big-ticket items. It’s a lot of reading, so at least you're a somewhat aware of what's going on throughout the peninsula. It took a lot more than I thought to get up to speed at the Regional level, whereas the Town, I don't think there were any surprises for me there. I knew that we had a great staff, and I think we do even more so now. Do you think council handled the arches issue well, the offer to replace them? In the back of my mind, I always thought that the arches would win out, if that's the right phrase, but at the same time as a council we had to allow the rest of the community to have a say, in case there was another idea, a better idea, other than the arches, but absolutely nothing came forward. I think it was just automatic that council approved the Rotary Club offer. As far as I'm concerned
Lower your premiums when you insure both your car and home with us. Stop in, call or click to get a quote today.
Certain conditions, limitations and exclusions may apply. Desjardins Insurance refers to Certas Home and Auto Insurance Company, underwriter of automobile and property insurance or Desjardins Financial Security Life Assurance Company, underwriter of life insurance and living benefits products. Desjardins, Desjardins Insurance and related trademarks are trademarks of the Fédération des caisses Desjardins du Québec, used under licence.
Between Dollarama and Food Basics SOLUTIONS DOWN 1. CRO 2. Herb 3. Adar 4. Rete 5. Persuaders 6. Sly 7. Yo 8. CPM 9. Head 10. Ergo 12. Vows 13. Smack 16. Abeam 17. Slier 20. Ells 22. ER 25. Ad 26. Bah 27. Summertime 29. Ump 31. Boa 34. Tae 36. Iggs 37. Plata 38. Mourn 40. GE 43. Bronc 45. GE 48. Roca 50. Bohr 51. Eyre 53. Most 54. Elda 55. Soak 57. Sis 58. BTU 59. Rya 61. SC
CROSSWORD ANSWERS
SOLUTIONS ACROSS 1. Char 5. Psyche 11. Redevelopers 14. Oratory 15. Magmas 18. Brews 19. Doable 21. Sue 23. Ceil 24. Arabs 28. Kael 29. UD 30. Daub 32. Mrs 33. Met 35. HMO 36. IPM 39. Prag 41. Ma 42. Glob 44. Sedge 46. Gaur 47. Err 49. Strobe 52. Tomes 56. Annoys 58. Bicolor 60. Christmas day 62. Rescue 63. Taka
905-892-3733
www.thevoiceofpelham.ca
The Voice of Pelham, June 12 2019
Page 23
ACT NOW: Become a Member of the Voice Join our Membership Benefits Program
Voice Voice on vacation! on vacation! Independent, award-winning, investigative journalism.
The Voice
Larry “BILKO” Bilkszto Your Local Sales Representative 905-563-3330 • 905-641-1110
THE PAPER THAT PELHAM READS
RE/MAX® Garden City
Help us bring it to you.
Become a Subscribing Member of the Voice. Receive the benefits below and more, provided by ON NOW! our generous community partners, who share our commitment to bring you informative news, features, and analysis.
Realty Inc., Brokerage
www.bilko.ca
bilko@rgcmail.com
E s t a b lis h e d 19 97
Easily enjoy $300 in benefits for $39.95 including HST
Voice Member benefits include: ■ Coupons and gift cards shown at left ■ Six free Classified ads ($60 value; private advertisers only)
$10 Gift Card
■ Periodic special offers from local businesses sent exclusively to Voice Members
$10, unlimited same-as-cash We’ll be open on Christmas Eve, coupon 10 AM to 1 PM, for pickup
■ Exclusive link to high-quality digital version of the paper every week
of pre-orders only.
Order by Dec. 15 for Christmas!
■ Automatic qualification to receive future gifts as more businesses join the program $100 off of any 2018-2019 river cruise Free one-time delivery of new purchase, $40 value
GrillononCanboro Canboro Grill 11 Highway 20 West, Fonthill (905) 892-9466 Hours: 8-3; FA M I LY RTA E SSat, UN RT ANT FA M ITues-Fri, LY RES UTA R 8-2. A WWW.GRILLONCANBORO.COM WWW.GRILLONCANBORO.COM www.indulgencepastries.com
COME CHECK OUR CHECK OUR 10% offCOME purchases ofOUT $20OUT or more
2020
S MS MITE ITEW NEWNE D!DED! AD ADDE
NEWMENU MENU NEW
L.L L.L
FAMILY HEALTH PHARMACY 20% off of purchases of $20 or more.
(Not applicable to prescriptions or narcotic medications)
CO.
THE
SOUP & SANDWICH SOUP & SANDWICH SALADS BURGERS SALADS BURGERS WRAPS WINGS WRAPS WINGS
Possibly the finest pies in Pelham. You be the judge.
787 Canboro Rd. / Tue - Fri, 11 AM - 5:30 PM / Sat, 1 PM - 5PM 10% off purchases 905-892-1289of $20 or more
★ STARTS FROM ★ STARTS FROM 4.504.50 ★ ★
EGGS STYLE FRENCH TOAST EGGS ANYANY STYLE FRENCH TOAST BACON SAUSAGE PEAMEAL BACON SAUSAGE PEAMEAL OMELETTES PANCAKES WAFFLES OMELETTES PANCAKES WAFFLES MONTE CRISTOS MONTE CRISTOS +i dKsi dM s eM + Kpurchases ne uofn u 10% off giftware
$20 or more
LUNCH& &DINNER DINNER LUNCH ★ STARTS FROM ★ STARTS FROM 8.958.95 ★ ★
BURGERS NEW YORK STRIPLOIN WINGS BURGERS NEW YORK STRIPLOIN WINGS SANDWICHES FISH & CHIPS SANDWICHES FISH & CHIPS PITAS POUTINE WINGS PITAS POUTINE WINGS WRAPS SANDWICHES SOUPS WRAPS SANDWICHES SOUPS PORK CHOPS TERIYAKI PORK CHOPS TERIYAKI s eM + K +i dKsi dM ne u nu WRAPS SALADS WRAPS SALADS
10% off any service
66
55
$ $ $ $ ER BEO BE Y FR ILER A DIA DAILY FROM LS M LS IA EC ILS ILS E SPECSP E T IN IN K WILY W C OACKTA YA $ 95 95 DAILD $ L CO l C m m L ti 4ptil 4p PECIA PECIA
33
S
S
D
E E Y LIC Y LIC FULFLULL.B.O.B.O
7 IN D N 7WDAIN ER EE YN A D W AK SER EE Y K S
Free introductory workout session, $40Nvalue DSED SEN
ALLDAY DAYBREAKFAST BREAKFAST ALL
A
CANBORO ROAD @ MAPLE 905-892-9282 794794 CANBORO ROAD @ MAPLE 905-892-9282
10% off coupon
Three easy ways to join
1 In Person 2 By Mail 3 Online Visit or call our office. We're located at 1428 Pelham Street, opposite Beamer's Hardware in Fonthill.
Send us a cheque for $39.95, made payable to "The Voice." Add optional Canada Post rates as applicable (see below).
Our hours are 8AM to 2PM, Monday to Thursday, closed Fridays.
You may use the coupon below, or just drop your cheque into an envelope. Be sure to include your full street address, with postal code.
Payment may be made by cash, cheque, or credit card. You may also call us during these hours at (905) 892-8690 to pay by credit card.
www.thevoiceofpelham.ca Look for the VOICE MEMBERSHIP button at the top left of the home page:
VOICE MEMBERSHIP
Your new Member Packet will be sent by Canada Post within 7 days of joining by mail or online. New Members joining in person will receive their packets on the spot.
The Voice
10% off purchases of $20 or more
Mail to: The Voice P.O. Box 1489 Fonthill, ON L0S 1E0 Please do not send cash.
Quick and convenient: simply visit the Voice website and pay securely using a credit card.
1-YEAR VOICE MEMBERSHIP: $39.95
First and Last Name Delivery address with postal code 10% off purchases of $30 or more, Fonthill store only
15% off regular-priced parts, accessories, and apparel
W! W! NE NE
T
HE VOICE OF PELH A M is our town's eyes and ears. This newspaper remains the single best way to reach virtually every Pelham resident at the same time every week—it’s one of the few things that everyone in town still has in common. Independent, trusted, locally owned and edited. Written in Pelham, for Pelham.
For less than $1 per week—the cost of a single coffee— you'll help your newspaper continue to report on what's happening in town, and in Town Hall. Become a Voice Member now.
Each week you will receive a link to the digital version of the paper. If you live on an existing Voice carrier route, you will continue to receive home delivery. If you do not live on an existing route, or wish to guarantee postal delivery, please choose from these additional options:
Optional: add guaranteed postal delivery:
❑ In Niagara: $49 ❑ In Canada: $59
Credit card number
Type: ___Mastercard ___Visa
Credit card expiration date
Credit card security code Please mail completed form to:
Telephone number where you may be reached during the day
Email address (optional, but required to receive special offers exclusive to Voice Members)
THE VOICE P.O. Box 1489 Fonthill, ON L0S 1E0 If paying by cheque, be sure to include it. Please do not send cash through the mail. Thank you for your subscription.
Page 24
The Voice of Pelham, June 12 2019
COLUMN SIX
continued from Page 1 “A dangerous picture” was the opinion of a French historian. “I go to her as the bird to the serpent.” In 1852 the artist Luc Maspero leapt to his death from a fourth floor window in a Paris hotel, leaving a note that said, “For years I have grappled desperately with her smile. I prefer to die.” Leonardo himself wrote that “the mystery of the universe was the mystery of Mona Lisa,” and he spent some sixteen years of his artistic life trying to fathom it. In 1911 she was stolen from the Louvre by an Italian workman who believed she should be returned to her birthplace in Florence. During her absence, grief-stricken visitors to the Louvre lined up to view the empty space on the wall. For three years people randomly reported Mona Lisa sightings, like Elvis in our own day. After she was found in Florence, and the thief duly arrested, her departure from Italy was attended by tens of thousands of Italians like it was a state funeral, and her arrival in Paris was celebrated like a coronation, again with over 100,000 people gathered to welcome her. But during that three year disappearance something remarkable happened to her. She left France as a work of art hidden inside an overcoat, and she returned a celebrity. Like Kim Kardashian, famous now for being famous. She is now the most visited, instantly recognized and perhaps the finest portrait ever painted. Such is her fame that inevitably some who finally get to see her “in the flesh” are disappointed. The portrait is small, and not all that good, they say. It’s kind
CAUTION: The Mona Lisa's smile. of dark, she’s sort of plump, a little plain—no Paris Hilton, that’s for sure. But as also happens with celebrities, everyone wants a piece of her. Today she is the queen of kitsch, “caricatured, cannibalized, morphed, manipulated, multiplied, and mocked in countless spoofs.” Artists have portrayed her wearing sunglasses, hair curlers, a burka, nose ring, Mickey Mouse ears, a Santa hat, and, of course, naked. She’s straddled a motorbike, skateboarded, skied, smoked a joint and performed X-rated activities. Illustrators have “Monalized” other celebrity figures—Mao Tse-tung, Hillary Clinton, Monica Lewinski and Barack Obama. Maybe she finally “arrived” when a Simpsons’ episode featured the “Moanin’ Lisa.” She’s sold toothpaste, deodorant, cigars, rum, condoms, mouse pads, shower curtains and a vaginal replenishment product. Her face has been reproduced in pasta, jelly beans, jewels and coffee mugs.
DUNNVILLE VETERINARY CLINIC Est. 1952 Closer than you think! Same-day appointments
- Same-day test results, most while you wait - Large, well-established practice
ASK ABOUT OUR
WELLNESS PACKAGE 110 Ramsey Dr., Dunnville, ON N1A 1K8 Phone: (905) 774-7642 1-800-263-6496 vets@dunnvillevetclinic.com Mon - Fri: 8 AM to 6 PM • Sat: 8 AM to 2 PM • Closed Sunday
www.dunnvillevetclinic.com
It’s Time for a SPRING Tune-up!
And in 2013 NASA chose to transmit her face to the moon in its first test of a laser system. Advances in our technology have led to some other absurdities. An Italian con-artist named Siliano Vinceti claims to have located Lisa Giacondo’s grave and plans to complete a computer-generated 3D construction of the woman’s face, accurate to a margin of error of 5%, so that we can see exactly what she looked like. Somehow, I thought Leonardo had already done that. Leonardo himself was no stranger to science. His drawings show countless attempts to capture the bones, ligaments and muscles of the human arm, leg and torso. He personally skinned three cadavers so he could examine the anatomy for himself. He perfectly understood the bone structure of the human skull and captured it in his work. These days we appear to have more diagnostics than imagination. Doctors who studied the painting have
C2RMF PHOTO
diagnosed deafness (causing the tip of her head and inquisitive smile), pregnancy (she has swollen fingers), an enlarged thyroid, high cholesterol and Bell’s palsy. One even suggests that the closed smile is the result of damaged teeth caused by mercury, a 15th century treatment for syphilis. Emotion recognition software has calculated that the famous smile is 83 % happy, 9% disgusted, 6% fearful, 2% angry, and less than 1% neutral. Who knew? More useful technology preserves the painting from the ravages of time and climate conditions, and has repaired some of the damage done by vandals. Most fascinating are the results of X-rays, infrared photographs and ultraviolet fluorescent scans that show Leonardo worked endlessly on that smile. A computer generated relief map indicates that the shaded areas around her mouth and eyes have the thickest layers of paint, yet the countless touches of his fine silk brushes are so gentle that not a single stroke can be
www.thevoiceofpelham.ca detected. “He was able to see the play of different feelings and responses to different stimuli on her face. The emotions, the intelligence, the obvious wit that he captured are what makes Lisa’s face so alive and so fascinating to us,” writes art historian Timothy Verdun. Her smile is a specific human presence that was never achieved before, an elusive holy grail for artists who could never find it. I was lucky enough to visit the Louvre back in the ‘70s, when you could walk right up to the painting and gaze at it for as long as you wanted. A silence prevailed that allowed you to wonder at her, and observe the mischief in her eyes, the coy turn of the head, the smile of course. With cameras prohibited back then she was the only picture in the room. It’s mayhem in there now, like red carpet night at the Oscars, with cameras and phones flashing, as shouting crowds throng at the railing. Looking at the portrait seems less important now than getting a photograph of it. It’s a challenge to do either, with a forest of arms waving this way and that as phones are aimed for the immortal shot. What must she think after four centuries of observing visitors who came to see her, now watching them come to see themselves? Whatever she thinks, her expression doesn’t change. She remains inscrutable and silent, as before, but closed off now in a hermetically sealed, climate-controlled, bullet-proof casing. Far from the madding crowd. So who is she anymore? Maybe Nat King Cole foresaw it all when he sang his tribute to her: Are you warm, are you real, Mona Lisa— Or just a cold and lonely, lovely work of art? ♦
IN THE NEWS
continued from Page 10 priorities: support a strong organization, ensure financial sustainability, enhance communication and engagement, build strong communities and cultural assets, develop a risk management framework to prioritize decisions, and grow revenue by "promoting our cultural assets while protecting our environmental assets." The strategic plan also outlines the values that strengthen the Town’s culture, focusing on "honesty, caring, respect, transparency, trustworthiness, and teamwork." Council, along with senior staff, held three days of strategic planning sessions, developing a document containing "measurable goals and performances." The Town of Pelham’s strategic plan is available at www.pelham.ca/strategic-plan
FAITH LIFT
continued from Page 21 es me today to believe that proven laws of modern science (and not just theories) and the teaching of ancient Scripture continue to complement, and not contradict, each other. When you think about it, that conclusion should not surprise us. After all, who should know the creation best than the Creator? The one who created “Mother Nature” is none other than our heavenly Father. God (and not Newton or any other mortal) is truly “the Greatest Scientist” since He is the One who fashioned the universe in the beginning and continues to sustain it every day! ♦ Rob Weatherby is a retired pastor, member of Fonthill Baptist Church and loves to read books on many subjects, including science.
RENOVATE YOUR HOME
THIS SPRING >> Whether it’s new windows and doors or siding, soffit, fascia and eavestrough; it’s a great time to buy. North Star energy-efficient windows will save you money in the long term by keeping your home cool in summer and warm in winter. Call or visit our showroom today for a FREE ESTIMATE on your home! FINANCING AVALABLE (OAC)
MAKE YOUR APPOINTMENT TODAY
ratures Tempe ing!! is r are
Financing & Rebates AVAILABLE!
High efficiency Gas Furnace and Air Conditioning packages at GREAT PRICING!
BOB REID Heating & Air Conditioning RESIDENTIAL - COMMERCIAL
905-892-7787
FAMILY OWNED AND OPERATED
905.562.5831
3435 King Street Vineland WINDOWS & SIDING SINce 1966 • WWW.lOuWeS.ca