Canada Day reflections
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Sweets are in, sours to follow Wild spring weather results in delicious crop of cherries BY DON RICKERS Voice Correspondent Bill Duffin, owner of Duffin Farms, characterized it as a “rollercoaster ride.” He’s referring to the spring weather, which featured some frost and snow in late April and early May, and placed his six acres of cherry trees in harm’s way. “The extremes [of weather] are really not compatible with tender fruit growing,” he said. “We had a wet snow covering blossoms, with two or three inches covering the whole tree. I've never seen that before in my 50 years of farming, blossoms blooming and covered with snow. Then the warmth came, and the snow melted. The blossoms didn't fall off, because they were insulated by the snow.” Bill’s wife, Kim, runs their retail store, on Rice Road south of Highway 20, while he tends to the farm, and their daughter, Sara, an architect by profession, helps out in high season by handling the pick-your-own logistics. “In farm families, everyone has to pitch in,” said Bill with a laugh. With Covid loosening its grip, business is on the upswing. Many visitors come on the weekend from Toronto. The Duffins used to have busloads of pick-your-
own tourists descend on the farm, but with social distancing still in place, the people drive as families in cars now. “We try and keep families separated by assigning each a tree,” said Bill. All of the Duffin crop is sweet cherries, but they bring in sours for their pies and other baked goods. Bill gave this city slicker the low-down on the normal schedule for crop ripening. “By my calendar, we’re about ten days ahead this year,” he said. “Rhubarb is the first to ripen, then the strawberries. Blueberries and raspberries are ready in July, along with plums, and peaches in August. Apples kick in during the first or second week of August, and the pears come later. Kim Duffin noted how sweet the cherry crop is this year. “We had that cold snap, but also some real heat that produced a lot of sugar in the fruit,” she said. Three-litre baskets of sweet cherries are $20, and take about ten minutes to hand-pick. Larger and smaller containers are available. Bill Duffin said that the trees are pruned See CHERRIES Page 13
Picker Noha Nahli and Sara Duffin display some of the sweet cherries available to pick-your-own enthusiasts at Duffin Farms. DON RICKERS
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The Voice
A June 30 2021
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NRPS impaired driving charges ~
PUBLISHER’S CORNER by Dave Burket
Canada Day with a difference: The recently confirmed presence of mass, unmarked graves at two and certainly more Native residential schools has cast a deserved pall over the usual trumpeting patriotism inherent in our national founding holiday. Towns large and small are outright canceling their planned celebrations—St. Catharines being the largest locally. Word is that their City Council will call on neighbouring Niagara municipalities to do likewise. Since we knew that this effort was in the works, we ran a flash online opinion poll over the weekend, asking our Facebook and website visitors whether, in light of the revelations about the graves, they thought Pelham should cancel its Canada Day events this year. The results remained consistent as the number of respondents added up, now sitting at 235, with 22 percent saying yes, cancel, and 78 percent saying no, don’t. There was a lone “don’t know” vote. As of this writing, on Monday afternoon, from what I’m hearing Pelham Town Council seems disinclined to cancel anything, but a lot can happen in three days...The moose in the room: The Voice is happy to be part of the Town’s holiday events, once again participating in a scavenger hunt—the Great Canada Moose Chase Challenge, to be specific! Tucked away inside this week’s issue are 12 moose (mooses? meece?) like the one above. Find them all and win big points in the Challenge! For details on this and all the Town’s holiday events, see pelham.ca/canada-day... The kindest cut: We received a ticked-off email one day last week from a Fonthill resident whose backyard abuts Pelham Street south of Pancake Lane, noting that the grass along the side of the road had reached jungle-like status, and why wasn’t the Town cutting it? A few hours later I happened to be driving past the area in question, where I saw one of those giant tractors crawling along said ditch, mowing away. I emailed the resident and asked how the road looked now. “How did you do that” she answered. Tempting though it was to let her think that our little paper had any sway whatsoever with Public Works, I fessed up that it was pure coincidence. The reader said that until age got the better of her, she used to go out and cut the steep slopes herself, earning her the neighbourhood nicknames “Fairy God Mower,” and “The Ditch Bitch.” You can’t make this stuff up...Snakes. Why did it have to be snakes: A bulk carrier for the Voice swears she encountered a rattler on her farm in Fenwick recently, so the rest of us might well take an interest in Adam Shoalts' column on the slithering creatures this week, p. 14. Brrr…Please return the cross: To whoever stole the white quartz cross with a brass nameplate and Harley emblem from the North Pelham Cemetery, the family would really like it back. Please see the classified ad on p.15...Paging Dr. Hildebrandt: Among three special scholarship winners (story, p.10) is one Molly Hildebrandt, Pelham Town Councillor Bob Hildebrandt's granddaughter, whose career interest is in medicine. Congratulations to all!...Kaboomers: If you'll be illegally setting off fireworks this week (still technically banned), at least take care not to lose a finger. And stay hydrated, too. This heat is no joke. See you next week. ◆
In June 2018, former Mayor David Augustyn, centre, with CannTrust officials at the Fenwick facility's official opening. Augustyn declared that the company's marijuana operation "provides hope to our community." VOICE FILE
Three former CannTrust officials charged BY JOHN CHICK Voice Correspondent Three former CannTrust executives were charged with multiple offences last week, some two years after the cannabis producer lost its licence following revelations of illegal growing at its Fenwick facility. The charges were laid by the RCMP’s Integrated Market Enforcement Team, and the Ontario Securities Commission (OSC). Former CEO Peter Aceto, one-time board Vice-chair Mark Litwin, and disgraced former Chair Eric Paul face various charges including fraud, making false or misleading statements to the OSC, and insider trading. “These allegations relate to efforts to conceal the illegal growing of cannabis,” the OSC said in a statement. None of the allegations have been proven in court. “I look forward, as does Peter and his family, to a
public hearing where the evidence will show that he acted with integrity at all times,” Aceto’s lawyer Frank Addario told the Canadian Press. Aceto, Litwin and Paul had all been dismissed by CannTrust since the 2019 revelation that the company engaged in illegal cannabis growing at its Fenwick facility. The scandal, sparked by a whistle-blowing former employee, resulted in the revocation of CannTrust’s Health Canada growing licence. While that licence was reinstated last summer, the beleaguered company was delisted by both the Toronto and New York Stock Exchanges. “CannTrust remains focused on resolving its civil litigation claims and fully restoring its operations as a leading Canadian recreational and medical cannabis producer,” the company stated in a June 22 press release.
Voice
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SIREN Pelham Fire Department Weekly Calls
The Pelham Fire department responded to five calls for assistance from Friday, June 18 to Friday, June 25. Friday, June 18 Medical assistance, Fonthill Saturday, June 19 Grass fire, Fallingbrook Dr., Fonthill Sunday, June 20 Motor vehicle accident, Hwy 20 W, Fonthill Monday, June 21 Medical assistance, Fonthill Wednesday, June 23 Medical assistance, Fonthill
The Niagara Regional Police Service is committed to reducing impaired driving offences through education and the apprehension of offenders through enforcement programs like RIDE. Impaired driving is still the leading cause of criminal deaths in Canada and destroys thousands of lives every year.
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Column Six
Growing up British
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BY JULIE MANNELL
Special to the VOICE
W
BALLOONING INTEREST Grade 6 student Jinja Shepherd explains her experiment on static electricity at the Glynn A. Green NATE SMELLE PHOTO Public School's annual science fair last Friday. See story, page 3.
Public meeting tonight on school issues BY VOICE STAFF As questions continue to mount regarding an email that Pelham Mayor Dave Augustyn quietly sent to a District School Board of Niagara trustee last summer, Augustyn has agreed to address the issue at a public meeting scheduled for this evening, Wednesday, Feb. 8, in Fenwick. Nancy Beamer, speaking for “Names Matter,” a Pelham citizens group lobbying the DSBN to reverse its decision to rename a local public school, confirms that the meeting will be held at Fire Station #2, known locally as the Fenwick Fire Hall, starting at 7:00 PM. While the Mayor has agreed to ap-
Under pressure, Mayor to address email revelation, other E. W. Farr matters pear, says Beamer, DSBN officials associated with the school-naming process have either declined to attend or have not yet responded to the group’s invitation. DSBN Chair, Dale Robinson, to whom Augustyn’s email was addressed last June, has declined to appear, says Beamer, asserting that she would be
“on holidays.” The Voice was unable to independently confirm Robinsion’s intentions. She did not respond to repeated requests for comment on E.W. Farr-related matters before presstime. Beamer, whose group maintains an email list of some 580 residents, says that all members of the public are invited and encouraged to attend the meeting. “We would especially welcome parents and children who are unhappy with the name change,” she says, referring to the contentious decision by the DSBN to consolidate two Pelham See MEETING back page
HEN I WAS young, my father and I would go for long drives along the rural routes of Pelham. We’d blast George Thurgood and roll down the windows because we loved the smell of the breeze, the sensation of crisp Niagara wind beating our cheeks and tangling our hair against our summer-kissed skin. My father was not a sentimental man. He worked in factories and had a Gordon Lightfoot mustache and never shed tears over injuries. Yet something about the Pelham landscape, the hilly backdrop to his childhood and the childhoods of our ancestors, drew him in. He’d stop by a farm or a gathering of woods and, surrendering his manly veneer, tell me a story about the town. This place is precious. This is the earth that granted us life. Here is the place where we happened upon love or here is a site of devastation. On one particular drive sometime in the late ‘90s we stopped at a tree with a plaque. “This tree looks dead,” I said to my father. “It sure is getting there, Julie.” The Comfort Maple is supposedly Canada’s oldest See COLUMN SIX Page 14
Part 2 of 2: Coronation to embarkation
BY VOICE STAFF
A construction error was discovered following the opening of a traffic calming chicane on Haist Street north of Hwy 20 last Monday that prevented large vehicles from passing through. One resident living in the neighbourhood said he contacted the Town after seeing a small schoolbus get stuck as it tried to get through the new traffic calming measure. Later that day while driving behind a cement truck, he said that he became concerned for the public’s safety when the truck had to turn around because it couldn’t get through. “If a small school bus and a cement truck can’t make it through what about a fire
BY HEATHER McLAREN ROHRER
Special to the VOICE
A
Repair measures underway last week to correct a construction error in the chicane. truck or an ambulance?” he said. While waiting for the contractor to return to fix
the mistake, the Town has taken measures to temporarily allow passage for vehicles through the neigh-
VOICE PHOTO
bourhood in the short-term. Manager of Public Works Ryan Cook said that after discovering the issue with
the chicane the morning it first opened, the Town See CHICANE Page 5
Petition-inspired changes coming to 2017 Summerfest BY NATE SMELLE
The VOICE
Representatives from the Pelham Summerfest committee Candy Ashbee and Bill Gibson presented council with a final report on the 2016 Summerfest at the Council meeting on Monday, Nov. 21. Prompted by a story in the Voice in August about a merchant petition to move Summerfest from Pelham Street, in September Town staff met with various stakeholders to hear their complaints, promising at the time that changes in the way Summerfest was mounted would be con-
sidered. The main concerns identified during the community engagement process were security, parking, ensuring customer can access all businesses in town, and liability for damages. How to get all Pelham Street businesses to participate and finding ways to make it beneficial for them to set up a booth were also determined to be of high priority for the committee as they plan for next year’s event. Gibson told Council that the committee is addressing these concerns in a variety of ways. To improve parking, they intend to create bet-
ter signage for out-of-town visitors to designated parking areas and shuttle services. To make participation in Summerfest more enticing to local businesses, they plan to implement a tiered-charge for booths. Under the new system, Pelham Street business owners will be charged the least, other local businesses will pay a slightly higher fee, and vendors from outside Pelham will pay the most. In response to more specific issues for individual businesses, they will also slightly alter the footprint of the event and make adjustments to security. Another way the committee plans
to improve the 2017 Summerfest is by sponsoring and working with the organizers of the Thursday Night Bandshell Concert series to select the artist performing on the first night of Summefest. They also intend to make more use of the smartphone app they launched in 2016. "We are really going to push it this year," Ashbee said. “It really helps to get people to see what events there are so they can plan out where they are going. We will be able to actually help the merchants and local businesses adSee CHANGES Page 5
FTER LUNCH ON Saturday, Mum and Dad had my afternoon cut out for me. Mum had more brass than anyone I knew, and it had to be cleaned. In addition there was the set of silver fish-knives and forks which were never used, but which had to be cleaned and put back in their velvetlined box. Next was a walk to the newsagents to pay for the daily delivery of the Daily Mirror. As I said, Dad was a printer, but when he was 37 he had been rejected for a job, as being too old, by the printers of the Beano. For that reason, my favourite comic was not allowed in the house, but while I was paying the papers, the newsagent let me have a 'shoofty' at the Beano. I'd explained my predicament and he understood completely. Sundays were different again. Dad would play golf on summer mornings and billiards in winter. Then he'd stop for a 'refresher' at the local and would pick up the prawns, cockles, winkles or whelks we'd be having for tea later. Meanwhile, Mum was roasting the 'joint' and potatoes. I got to make the Yorkshire pud, and mint See COLUMN SIX Page 14
BY VOICE STAFF
While shopping in Fonthill between Friday and Sunday, keep an eye out for Beavers, Cubs and Scouts in front of local stores with bushels of apples. As part of the annual Apple Day campaign, Scouting youth of all ages will be trading apples for donations. The yearly fundraising drive is an important way for young Scouts to connect with the communities they are serving, says Leah Marie of Scouts Canada. “The Apple Day campaign holds a great tradition of being able to have youth interacting within the communities they live in,” she says. “All of the Apple Day donations stay directly within the group that re-
The goal is to have these youth develop into confident and well-rounded individuals
ceives them, enabling youth to have experiences that build character, challenge them, and allow them to try new things. The goal is to have these youth develop into confident and wellrounded individuals, better prepared for success. Apple Day helps to achieve that.”
“Any money raised during Apple Day goes towards improving the Scouting program by providing more outdoor adventures for youth, camping equipment, canoes and paddles, training and many other endeavours that the youth want to experience,” says Marie. Scouts Canada has some 100,000 members across Canada, and carries out programs for boys, girls
The VOICE
Joining their principal, Karen Simpson, at the Sept. 19 Council meeting as part of a delegation from EL Crossley Secondary School, students Abby Loewen and Neenah Williams presented Council with a list of reasons that they should immediately approve the construction of the new sidewalk proposed along Hwy. 20. The asphalt side-
walk/trail is slated to be built between the south side of the road from Timmsdale Crescent to the high school. Because of the large volume of motor vehicle traffic travelling at high speeds through this area, and because of the necessity for students to tread this path on a daily basis, many residents would like to see the sidewalk go in sooner than later. After delivering to Council a petition containing
Many residents would like to see the sidewalk go in sooner than later the names of 450 students calling for a safer walk to school, Simpson handed the
podium over to Loewen and Williams to plead their case. Loewen told Council that because there are a lot of students who have work placements and coop placements during the school year, this is the only route for many of them to travel. As one of the students facing this predicament, Williams said she has had no other option but to walk along the dangerous highway.
www.pennylanesold.com
H EATHER AND P ENNY L ANE S ALES R EPRESENTATIVES
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VOICE Correspondent
and youth ages 5-25. This year the 3rd Fonthill Group, which includes Beavers to Ventures (youth ages 5- 25) will be hitting the streets to drum-up support. Over the weekend, Scouts will be set up in Fonthill outside Sobeys, Tim Hortons, Target Gas station, Fonthill Shopping Plaza and the Pioneer Gas station at the corner of Hwys 20 and 24.
Town Council approves sidewalk to serve E. L. Crossley BY NATE SMELLE
Cell 905.933.3049
T
Second year Beaver with the 3rd Fonthill Group, Russell Letford offers a fresh apple to shoppers SUPPLIED PHOTO in Pelham during the 2015 Apple Day campaign. A longtime Canadian tradition, Apple Day began in 1932 in Saint John, New Brunswick, when Scouts handed out 21,000 apples as a way to say thank you to the community. In return for their generosity, many people offered them donations. From then on Scouts have reached out through Apple Day to raise funds for their programs.
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Column Six It doesn’t get better than Autumn
Longtime Scouting tradition dates to 1932
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BY VOICE STAFF The District School Board of Niagara is requesting that the Town of Pelham cede a portion of Cherry Ridge Park for use as a soccer field to serve the students of the new Wellington Heights Public School, formerly the E. W. Farr Memorial Public School, in Fenwick. Currently under renovation and expansion, the new school will combine students and staff from the previous school and Pelham Centre, where classes are being held while construction continues. Two letters, containing virtually identical text but signed by different authorities, were sent last week to nearby residents of the park, as well as to parents of Pelham Centre students. “The DSBN is currently building onto Wellington Heights Public School on Alsop Drive,” states the letter. “The size of the school's addition means the existing small soccer field will be eliminated. The Town and the Board have been discussing the possibility of working together to create a field for both the school and the
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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. Kristin B. FLETCHER, 25, Niagara Falls Kirsty B. GOODMAN-MEEBOER, 25, Hamilton Rubayet I. JOY, 23, London Geoffery S. OVERHOLT, 29, Fort Erie Zayd A.-M. SIDDIQUI, 30, Etobicoke Edward C. ZELDENRUST, 47, Wainfleet Robert J. GAGNE, 32, Niagara Falls
“I start work at 2:30 PM and school lets out at 2:15 PM so I can’t take any other route,” Williams explained. “I have had friends, family, teachers and other community members reach out to me in the past about how this is unsafe and how there should be another alternative for us.” Looking ahead to winter, when she will need to walk this path three or four times See SIDEWALK Page 2
HERE IS NO BETTER time to cycle than Fall. It matters not whether you’re new to the sport, a seasoned recreational cyclist, racer, touring rider or mountain biker; we all have reason to look forward to autumn. Summer’s heat has faded, and the streams of sweat that ran from soggy helmets into our eyes are now just slight perspiration. Fitness is peaking from lots of saddle time, making those tough climbs of Spring a breeze in Autumn. It’s hard to beat the feeling of beginning a crisp, cool Fall ride with a slight shiver, knowing your efforts will soon warm you perfectly. The hues of Autumn are outstanding. A Pelham route as simple as following our southern boundary is one that would make most Toronto cyclists jealous, especially when our forests and fields are ablaze with colour. Begin from Harold Black Park, and zig-zag south along Effingham Rd toward the Welland River. If you’re new to cycling, it’s important to know south is the direction away from any hills. If you avoid the morning and evening weekday rush hours caused by those travelling through Pelham between Wainfleet See AUTUMN Page 3
Indulgence Bakery Mossimo’s Pelham Street Grille Peter Piper’s Pubhouse DeVries Fruit Farm Beamer’s Hardware Pelham Libraries Bob’s Boys Antiques PharmaChoice Pharmacy Fonthill Fitness Fenwick Pie Company McDonald’s Duffin Appleworks Fonthill Legion Semenuk’s Gas Bar Shoppers Drug Mart Tim Horton’s Giant Tiger Fonthill LCBO Zee Lube Express Care Food Basics Minor Bros Stores Avondale Stores A-1 Market Boggio's IDA Sobeys South Pelham Grill on Canboro Shell on Hwy 20 Circle-K
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P D S A W A N M L R O J O J
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every year. stroys thousands of lives deaths in Canada and deleading cause of criminal Impaired driving is still the ment programs like RIDE. offenders through enforceand the apprehension of offences through education reducing impaired driving lice Service is committed to The Niagara Regional Po-
Pelham David M. GEORGIEV, 36, St. Catharines Andrew DEGRAVE, 22, Welland Allan G. HIPPSLEY, 32, Niagara Falls Michael P. VANHELVERT, 33, Lincoln Richard W. PARRY, 48, Orchard Park NY Jamie HIDALGO, 39, Oakville Justin D. GODDERIS, 33, blood sample. refusing to provide a breath / alcohol in 100 ml of blood, or centration above 80 mgs of with a blood alcohol conby alcohol or drugs, driving nally with impaired driving have been charged crimiThe following individuals vention of the suspension. who are driving in contraStoppers to report those fic Safety Hotline or Crime gional Police Service Trafto contact the Niagara ReThe public is encouraged motor vehicle on a roadway. prohibited from operating a cense Suspension and are Administrative Driver’s Litry of Transportation 90-Day areNow alsothat’s bound by a Miniscruising, charged, Club these individuals Azamara Cruises Book now before this disappears. In addition to being proved in court. all seven continents lowing charges haveimmerse been yourself in No lines, no hurry, the Region. None of the folon smaller ship’s. Extended stays offence in port, some overnight impaired driving in with an alleged criminal people included. who are charged tuities Selectlast spirits, wines, Int’l Beers & Grayear! reports the names of those tique hotel at Police sea. Service one cruise at a time araExplore Regional thetime world onboard your bouThis Pelham St., Fonthill 2019—a year to explore the world, alcohol or1400 drugs, the NiagPAST www.niagara.cruiseholidays.com driving while impairedoffi byce@thevoiceofpelham.ca http://www.hooahhvideos.ca/ select voyages Enjoy a and veranda an interior price onyourSanta Raidy Manso (center), attention deterrence toreaders! and we’ll share it for with our Email photoCayo, with aCuba! brief description to BLAST FROM THE DOUBLE UPGRADE EarlyON's Fenwick United Church location. In an effort to bring further Send us Sue your Lough picture withholding daughter The Tamara, Voice, of whether Fenwick, across with new townCuban or abroad friend
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The Voice
A June 30 2021
Page 3
CANADA DAY 2021
As the nation enters its second pandemic summer, a time for reflection, reconciliation, hope Amid calls for Canada Day celebrations to be canceled this year in the wake of the discoveries of mass, unmarked graves at former Native residential schools, the Voice invited our elected officials and Pelham's CAO to share their thoughts about this year's holiday. Mayor Junkin's thoughts are on page 5. Councillors Huson and Wink declined citing time constraints. MP Dean Allison's response appears on the Voice website. Councillors Haun, Hildebrandt, Kore, and Stewart did not acknowledge the newspaper's invitation.
Town of Pelham CAO David Cribbs
A
s Canada Day approaches, there is a lot to reflect upon. As a nation we have recently experienced pandemic, tragedy, racism, economic loss, but also volunteerism, empathy, community building and hope. As a town, Pelham has persevered and really rallied when challenged by Covid-19. I think every Pelham resident should feel like their community is in a relatively good place, but I also think that we as a nation need to do some soul searching. From a municipal perspective, how can one not be proud of a community in which the Legion, Branch 613, made and delivered over 14,000 meals? It’s truly hard to fully appreciate both the volume of work involved and the impact that must have had on the most vulnerable members of our community. If that doesn’t speak to communal spirit and care for one’s neighbours, then
I have no idea what does. In a similar vein, the Town has recently unveiled both benches and picnic tables that are painted in bright rainbow colours, intended to demonstrate support and acceptance towards members of the LGBTQ2S+ community. It’s actions such as these and others by Pelham institutions that should make us both proud residents and proud Canadians. At the national level, I cannot help but think that this is the most challenging and significant year for the country in decades. Clearly all former residential schools need to be thoroughly investigated. When the extent of the evil (what other word can apply to mass graves hidden in school yards?) is understood, then Canada needs to help support First Nations to grieve and mourn for the loss of life at residenSee CANADA DAY Page 12
PROUDLY WAVING Reader Mike Masotti sent in this shot of the Maple Leaf supported by a beautiful sunset, taken as he headed west on Highway 20, just past Centre Street. MIKE MASOTTI
As Canada Day approaches, there is a lot to reflect upon. As a nation we have recently experienced pandemic, tragedy, racism, and economic loss, but also volunteerism, empathy, community building and hope. Canada Day is an excellent opportunity to raise awareness, educate, and celebrate Canada’s Indigenous culture. Pelham has family-friendly events planned for July 1, celebrating this community and country. However, as we celebrate, everyone is encouraged to reflect upon and remember Canada’s Indigenous roots and commit to learning and understanding our country’s history.
Page 4
The Voice
A June 30 2021
www.thevoiceofpelham.ca
OPINION
The opinions expressed in submitted commentary and letters to the editor are those of the contributors and not necessarily those of the Voice of Pelham.
The Voice of Pelham is a 1211858 Ontario Limited publication David Burket, Publisher 2-1428 Pelham St., P.O. Box 1489, Fonthill, ON L0S1E0
COMMENTARY / OP-ED Larry Coté
A bag full of technology
R
ecently, we experienced an odyssey-like adventure into the inner workings of modern technology. While this is comfortable territory for the younger set, it is alien turf for most seniors. It all started when our confounded cable box quit working and interrupted our TV viewing habits. Prior to this failure of equipment, I thought we were occasional TV watchers. But when you take away that capability you realize you are an addict, or close to it. There are many lame excuses to turn on this cursed machine such as the hockey games, baseball games, the news or one of the on air personalities at a cable news outlet. In any case, when talking to the cable service provider, the simple replacement of an aging cable box becomes a complex process. First off, the cable company no longer sells that device and you must rent one from them. More profit for them and more cost for you. Next, they advise that your modem is old, slow, and obsolete, and should be upgraded to a faster, newer model that will enhance
internet surfing. Your spam will download faster to annoy you even more quickly. These technicians talk baud rate bytes as if they were talking to a NASA scientist overseeing satellites orbiting far-off planets.
As a confirmed addict, being without TV for that length of time is out of the question
Following such a brain-exhausting conversation and some extra charges to your monthly bill you can book a technician to set up your devices in three to four weeks’ time or pick up the machinery and do it yourself. As a confirmed addict, being without TV for that length of time is out of the question. What is one to do with their time? There’s a lockdown due to the virus and you are confined to quarters. Having conversa-
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tions with your other half, listening to the radio or doing another picture puzzle are not particularly appetizing options. So off to the cable company to pick up the whatschamcalits. At the shop you are presented with a shopping bag filled with remotes, and strange looking devices with a bunch of wires and, crucially, no directions. At home and laying this array of gadgetry out on the living room floor looks much like the forensic reconstruction of a disaster scene. Through the process of elimination you find parts that seem to fit together. Calling on your self-conferred engineering degree, square pieces do not connect to others that are round. After much trial and error the devices finally to come together. A lot of luck and not an ounce of skill has prevailed. Holding your breath you plug this into that and things begin to flash and light up. After installing this new gadgetry you now have to go about resetting wireless phones, iPads, laptops, desktops, Alexa devices, printers, cellphones and
Letters Still a long way to go on path to genuine acceptance An interesting, if not surprising, account of the breadth and depth of same-sex desire [A double life, June 23, p.3]. The decision to bear witness anonymously makes plain that the long slog to rid ourselves of homophobia, directed both at others and ourselves, still has a ways to go. The larger context is our cultural practice of conflating morality with sexual behavior rather than with an aversion to violence and deceit. If that were not the case, how one exercises one's sexual drive would long ago have been of no more salience that eye or hair color and left-or-right-handedness. What totally silly fools we mortals be. Alan McCornick Voice website
See BAG O' TECH next page
7
CONTACT YOUR ELECTED OFFICIALS Member of Federal Parliament
Electoral District: Niagara West
Dean Allison, MP 4994 King Street Beamsville, ON L0R 1B0 Dean.Allison@parl.gc.ca 877-563-7900 Member of Provincial Parliament
Electoral District: Niagara West
Sam Oosterhoff, MPP 4961 King St. East, Unit M1 Beamsville, ON L0R 1B0 sam.oosterhoffco@pc.ola.org 905-563-1755 Members of Niagara Regional Council Councillor Marvin Junkin mjunkin@pelham.ca 905-658-2987 Councillor Diana Huson diana.huson@niagararegion.ca 905-324-3094 Town of Pelham 20 Pelham Town Square P.O. Box 400 Fonthill, ON L0S 1E0 905-892-2607
Mayor of Pelham Marvin Junkin mjunkin@pelham.ca 905-658-2986 Members of Pelham Town Council Ward 1 Councillor Marianne Stewart mstewart@pelham.ca 289-821-0840 Councillor Wayne Olson wolson@pelham.ca 905-933 6033
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The Voice
Page 5
A June 30 2021
OPINION Learning to love the wall On Monday morning, June 21, just two weeks after the passing of the variance that would allow the erecting of a massive wall along the northern border of the car wash property at 151 Highway 20 E., work began. “Three days,” a worker claimed it would take for completion, and bing, bang, boom, almost true to his prediction, four days later, there it stood. I admit I had my doubts about ever seeing it. I thought the cost would be a major deterrent but somehow it wasn’t. Mind you it does have a kind of “reclaimed” look about it with damaged, mismatched panels and an odd looking row of welds—but hey, if the price is right and it does the job, why not? Everyone loves a bargain, and what’s unusual about a gigantic highway-style wall looming in the middle of a municipal neighbourhood? Not in medieval days anyway. Council barely gave it a second thought. To be clear, the whole sound barrier/wall thing was not the suggestion of our community. Our preferred approach was quietening the air-dryers, which by the way the opera-
tors now admit is possible with a modest drop in RPM. Rejecting such a simple solution in favour of building an enormous freeway-style noise barrier suggests that Ms. Levay must have gotten some super, can’t-refuse bargain from Rankin Construction —like I mean, almost-free-kind-of-bargain—because building a $60,000 wall makes no apparent financial sense for the owner or the operators. But then again, going with the most complex, disruptive solution over the simple one has been the hallmark of this clash since the outset: dispute over enforcement; wall over RPM reduction. Perhaps they think that Occam’s razor is a shaving product rather than a problem-solving principle. Anyway, however the wall came to be, it’s there now and will be for a long time, so all that’s left for us to do, given the Town’s “Let the kids fight it out on their own” approach, is to hear how little we can hear, and if it’s still a problem, battle on. I sincerely hope it won’t be so we can all stop worrying and learn to love the wall. Robert Reinhart Fonthill
DSBN Trustee Nancy Beamer responds I would like to respond to the many comments that have been directed at me since the articles written by Trent Moretti and Tyler Cook, about growing up gay in Pelham, appeared in the Voice. These comments are mine personally, as only the Chair can speak for the District School Board of Ni-
agara. First of all, people must understand the role of a trustee. We deal with governance and policy issues and any constituent concerns that come to the board. The issues of individual students are considered to be part of the operational side of the Board and we, as trustees,
BAG O' TECH
continued from previous page Kindles. OMG! Look at the TV screen. One of your least favourite personages is sounding-off again. While not impressed with this person’s opinions you feel immense pride in that you can change channel with the push of a button. ◆
can not interact with teachers or principals on issues or interfere with how the school handles matters. The only way to have an issue brought forward is to go through teacher, principal, superintendent, director. These steps must be See BEAMER page 7
PELHAM AND COVID-19 Mayor Marvin Junkin
Flying Canadian flag denotes pride of country
A
couple of years ago, maybe 2013, I built a flagpole and placed it in such a location that you couldn’t miss seeing it as you drove up the driveway and into our farmyard. As it turned out, this location allowed the flag to be in my line of vision when I am seated in my shop with the garage door open. So whether I am sitting in my shop first thing in the morning planning my day, or at the end of the day having a pop and watching the sunset, there it is my Canadian flag flying true, assuring me that whatever events had transpired that day, good or bad, Canada was still going strong. It is just natural I think, that the longer you live and the more you experience life within this country, the more you understand and appreciate what our flag stands for. On a personal note, some four or five years ago the wife—oops, Candy—and I took a month to travel across this great country by car, eventually arriving on the
western shore of Vancouver Island. Depending on the mood, the flag can instantly bring back countless memories of that trip, anything from the beach at Tofino,
I think it's great that over the last decade Canadians are also getting flag fever first sight of the Rockies as we crossed the border from Alberta into British Columbia, or actually crossing the Rockies, marveling at the engineering feats that the construction of roads and the laying of track represented. When much younger, I always thought it was strange how much Americans were fixated with displaying their flag. It was visible everywhere from their shopping malls to a very large percentage of private residenc-
es. I now understand where they were coming from, and I think it is great that over the last decade Canadians are also getting flag fever. I believe that by flying the flag a person is saying “I am Canadian and proud of it.” On July 1st I think most Canadians celebrate the day realizing how blessed we as Canadians are to be able to enjoy the everyday freedoms we have, the political stability of our country, and the opportunities that exist for our children. would be remiss if I didn’t mention the recent horrors that have come to light connected to the ill-conceived residential schools. All of these deaths of children taken from their homes and families are a dark stain on our past, but I am confident that we will, as a country, learn from this horrendous tragedy and make amends to our Indigenous peoples and move forward in a way that respects the differences that exist between our two cultures. ◆
I
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Page 6
The Voice
A June 30 2021
www.thevoiceofpelham.ca
Letters continued Time to take responsibility The recent news that the remains of 215 children were discovered in unmarked graves outside the Residential School in Kamloops, British Columbia, shook Canadians profoundly. While still trying to come to terms with this, we now have news of hundreds more, and the total will likely be in the thousands. When families lose a loved one—a soldier in wartime for example—they receive notice of this; in the cases of the residential school children, the parents were not even notified. Their children were buried without ceremony, like so much road kill. We must not listen to those who say, “I wasn’t there; it’s not my responsibility.” It is our responsibility to acknowledge that horrors were visited upon Indigenous children that we can’t imagine happening to our own children. We must acknowledge that this is not in our deep past and that in fact survivors of these terrible places still exist today. We must insist that the religious organizations that ran these “schools” take responsibility for what happened. In times of crisis such as war or the pandemic that we are enduring now, we find the resources to fight back and we must do so now. The government must work with the Indigenous leaders to find out how we can help. Implementation of the 94 recommendations of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission would be a good start. Then, we can ask our Indigenous people how we can move on from there. David Fowler Wainfleet
CASH FOR CARES Coordinator Jennifer Dube accepts a donation from Pat Norton on behalf of the Fonthill Lioness. “We were sad to hear that nationally they will be discontinuing the Lioness organization,” said Dube, “but happy to hear our local Fonthill Lioness will stay connected as the ‘Lionettes.’ We appreciate what these ladies do and bring to our community.” SUPPLIED
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Engage with the Town of Pelham about the Tree Cost ManagementTerms Policy and join the conversation:
Approved By: ‘R.C. O’Hara’
Date: Mar 29, 2016
https://engagingpelham.ca
PRODUCTION DEADLINES Ad Bookings Thursday Noon, week prior. Ad Materials Thursday 4 pm, week prior, for ads requiring design, production and proofing. Ad Approvals Friday Noon, week prior. Repeat Ads Monday Noon for ads with no changes or minor changes. 1 proof only.
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Proposed Tree Management Policy www.thevoiceofpelham.ca
The Town’s urban tree canopy is a source of civic pride and a major component of Pelham’s environmental health and future sustainability. Not surprisingly, the care and maintenance of municipal trees are a priority throughout the municipality. The existing policy states that the Town of Pelham provides the community with safe and healthy trees on municipal property, maintained and inspected regularly. However, it does not provide specific guidance for staff or direction regarding its application previously found within the Tree Planting, Maintenance and Replacement Guideline approved in 2000.
The 2000 Tree Planting, Maintenance and Replacement Guideline provides several labour and financial challenges to the department. The prescribed inventory development has not been completed, and the five-year inspection cycle is not feasible with the current staff complement. The proposed revision of Policy S802-01 is meant to provide an integrated set of objectives and procedures to form a comprehensive guide for the management of publicly owned trees in a fiscally responsible manner. Review the policy at https://engagingpelham.ca/tree-policy and have your say.
Contact Ryan Cook at 905-892-2607 x362 to provide input if online engagement is not an option.
www.thevoiceofpelham.ca
BEAMER
continued from Page 5 followed to show a path of trying to resolve a problem. I understand the frustration many people experience when going through the process as I experienced it myself, and that is why I ran to become a Trustee. I really encourage people to contact their trustee(s) at the beginning of the process and keep them informed of what happens at each step. The trustee cannot change anything but this will help them understand how the process is working or not working, and then steps can be taken to revise policies to make them more effective. I also encourage everyone to document every meeting, phone call, etc. —names, dates, times, what was discussed, tone of the meeting. (Be fair in your assessment.) This is a very important step, because as much as we like to think we will remember everything, the memory is a tricky thing. The next step would be to bring the issue to the Board by a delegation but this can only be done if the lead-up steps have been followed. From what I am hearing, there appears to be issues that are ongoing in our schools. As the Director is responsible for the operational side of our system, I will be asking him some direct questions as to how the policies are working during our next meeting. When the young men who wrote the articles went to school, society was much different in its attitudes towards not only 2SLGBTQ+ people but also towards autistic, Indigenous and any “different” people. This does not make it right, but it was the reality of the times. We are evolving but for anyone affected the process must seen overwhelmingly slow. However, the DSBN has put into place policies (G29) to stop bullying and hate and harassment. Teachers are given the tools they need to address problems. There are annual professional development sessions for all teachers to help them learn to identify problems, strategies on how to handle situations, and where to go if they feel they need more help. Our schools have a diverse number of student groups and we listen to the student voice to gain an understanding of what they feel their needs are and we try to implement their ideas. Unlike years ago, the DSBN now offers students a multitude of resources. There are things I, like many of you, was not aware of until I became a trustee. Parents and guardians, and students themselves, should not hesitate to question the school administration as to what resources are available if they are encountering issues. We presently have 28 social workers on staff and they are assigned to specific schools. Each school also has a Youth Counselor, who can help students in need of support in the areas of selfesteem, anger management, social skills, peer relationships, etc. The Youth Counselor can also determine if a problem is systemic in their
The Voice school, bring it to the attention of the administration, and work on ways to effect change. Most schools have a system where students can reach out for help in a way that their privacy is protected. This is one way a student who is not ready to come out to their parents or peers can now get totally confidential help. There are also steering committees such as SEAC— the Special Education Advisory Committee— comprised of representatives from groups such as Pathstone Mental Health, Learning Disabilities Association of Niagara, Autism Ontario, Down Syndrome Niagara, Niagara Support Services, etc. These groups provide input and up-to-date information from their associations. Many parents of special children belong to these groups, and it is through them that their ideas for change come forward. Recently, we have formed an Equity, Inclusion and anti-racism Advisory Committee. The goals of this committee are:
A June 30 2021
Continuing to grow in our knowledge about the systems and structures that create and sustain racism, oppression and exclusion; collectively taking action to revisit and re-evaluate our practices through an anti-oppression, anti-bias and anti-racism lens; creating the conditions to ensure every child, regardless of their social identity, is challenged to reach high standards; embedding culturally and historically relevant content so students see themselves reflected in the curriculum. Is everything perfect? Of course not! But I can personally state that senior staff at the DSBN are constantly working on identifying past wrongs and inequities and are trying to be proactive in their approach to developing a school atmosphere where every child feels safe, valued, welcomed and accepted. Please feel free to contact me at anytime, at Nancybeamer5@gmail.com Nancy Beamer DSBN Trustee
Happy Canada Day May your family enjoy a safe and happy holiday Councillor
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Page 7
Page 8
The Voice
A June 30 2021
www.thevoiceofpelham.ca
Fonthill Legion wins Niagara Impact Award Delivery of some 14,000 free meals during Covid recognized BY BRIAN GREEN Voice Correspondent Niagara Region Chair Jim Bradley said it best in his remarks at Regional Council on June 24: “The Fonthill Legion jumped into action when the pandemic hit, offering a service far outside of their core mandate.” Bradley was announcing the eight winners of the Niagara Impact Awards, created “to recognize individuals, non-profit organizations and private sector businesses who have gone above and beyond to improve the quality of life of those living in the Niagara region.” Royal Canadian Legion
Branch 613, the Fonthill Legion, was nominated multiple times “for the extensive community impact of preparing and delivering over 14,000 meals, free of charge, to individuals who were housebound due to the ongoing pandemic.” The lockdown was declared on March 17 and by the week of March 20 the Legion, under tireless President Toni McKelvie, had mobilized volunteer cooks and drivers to begin distributing meals to those in need. McKelvie See LEGION Page 15
From left, Al Crowe, Joan Smith, Toni McKelvie, Jim Garner, Ann Smelsky, Peggy Palmer, Susan McKnight.
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The Voice
Page 9
A June 30 2021
TOWN COUNCIL NEWS
Hildebrandt dominates near-three-hour meeting BY JOHN CHICK Voice Correspondent Pelham Town Council unanimously endorsed a 25 percent population intensification target and 40 new hectares of urban land over the next 30 years, as set out in a staff report, during its June 21 meeting. Growth is being imposed upon Niagara municipalities by Niagara Region, which in turn is required to adhere to provincial guidelines. While all council members appeared to be in agreement with Pelham’s targets, Ward 3’s Bob Hildebrandt used the discussion to again urge Niagara Region to lower the area’s overall intensification target to 50 percent from 56 percent, tabling an amendment to do so. Mayor Marvin Junkin disagreed with the idea. “I’m all for intensification. You’re either going to intensify or you’re going to have urban sprawl going from Fort Erie to Grimsby to Waterloo to wherever,” the Mayor said. “You’ve got to take a stand … the planners, the province, that’s why they have intensification to try and cut down urban sprawl.” Hildebrandt replied that he wasn’t anti-intensification. “I understand intensification,” he said. “The Region has to walk before they can run. I agree with intensification, but let’s walk before we can run.” Ward 1’s Wayne Olson then entered the fray. “We’re recommending to the
Region what they should do, is that what this is?” he asked Hildebrandt. “They’ve asked all municipalities for comment,” Hildebrandt responded. “If you read the minutes from [the June 7 meeting] … they’re asking for council’s comments.” Olson replied sharply, making note of Hildebrandt’s previous attempt to lower the Regional target. “Thank you for the comment about the minutes. I did read the minutes, and I do read my mail. It was defeated at the last council meeting, I think,” Olson said. “Sorry, Councillor Olson, it was not defeated, we delayed it, the CAO advised us that we would be getting a report,” replied Hildebrandt. “Thank you for that further correction,” Olson retorted. “I will still be voting no.” Ward 3’s Lisa Haun came to her ally Hildebrandt’s defense, pointing out that the provincial government has recommended an intensity target of 50 percent. However, Director of Community Planning and Development Barb Wiens then explained that the 56 percent number exists solely because of the combined average of all Niagara municipalities. For example, Pelham and Niagara-on-the-Lake are pegged at 25 percent intensification, while St. Catharines and Welland are at 90 and 60 percent, respectively. Grimsby, meanwhile, has the highest target, at 98 percent intensification, per-
haps explaining the explosive lakeside condominium growth in that community. “Aren’t we just splitting hairs?” Ward 2 Councillor John Wink asked. “We’re all in agreement of the 25 percent [for Pelham].” Hildebrandt’s amendment then lost in a 4-3 vote, with Marianne Stewart breaking ranks from the usual bloc of herself, Hildebrandt, Haun and Ron Kore. In a map provided as part of the staff report, five areas are targeted for expansion of the urban boundary, including an area east of Rice Road that borders both Thorold and Welland. This zone figures to be prominently involved in the Region’s future plan to extend Merritt Road and create another corridor to the 406.
Budget schedule passed
Another Hildebrandt amendment also failed at the meeting, this one regarding an attempt to push back approval of next year’s capital budget to January from December. The Ward 3 councillor’s argument was that the Town was wise to delay this year’s budget due to the prospect of incoming Covid-19 funding. However, with the pandemic appearing to be winding down, Town Treasurer Teresa Quinlin explained that sooner is better for approval of the capital budget because of project planning. Haun then again tried to help Hildebrandt by suggesting a decision be deferred to the next council meeting, on July 21.
“We’re not approving these budgets at this point in time anyways,” Wink said in rebuttal. “Whatever happens in the next month has no bearing on this schedule.” The motion was defeated, this time with Councillor Kore choosing not to side with Hildebrandt. The schedule was then approved, with the capital budget expected in December.
Third time a charm
Hildebrandt did manage to score a win by convincing the full bloc, and by extension council, not to endorse a Niagara Escarpment Commission (NEC) proposal to streamline minor development permit applications. As it stands, all development proposals on lands under the NEC’s purview must be approved by the commission— even something as minor as the addition of a deck to a house. The NEC’s proposed streamlining applications to remove the need to notify the Town of Pelham of such minor variances, theoretically reducing staff workload. “That means they’re going to do something in our area they consider minor, they don’t want to send us any notice. I do not agree with that,” Hildebrandt said. Junkin disagreed. “I’m [located within] the NEC, and they do have the number one say on my farm, and if they say something, the Town rubber stamps it,” the Mayor said. “And if they say it’s minor … believe me, you can’t do too much with-
out—well, you can’t do anything, usually, without them looking over your shoulder.” Hildebrandt rebutted by voicing concern about construction on wetlands east of Toronto. “It seems to me the provincial government is forcing development into areas I don’t think are appropriate,” he said. The vote to shoot down approval came via the familiar 4-3 vote of Hildebrandt, Stewart, Haun and Kore vs. Olson, Wink, and Junkin.
Another MCC generator needed
Hildebrandt provided an update on his work with the Town’s Utility Sustainability Committee (USC), and detailed how the community centre likely requires a secondary power generator. Hildebrandt said that power usage has doubled at the facility since it became a vaccination site, mostly due to the HVAC system running 24 hours a day. However, in studying the vagaries of the building’s electricity, the USC determined that the current generator was primarily designed to service the lighting. “The electrical system was never designed by an engineer,” he said. “Remember we’ve got an emergency management plan that’s planning on using this facility as an emergency base … it’s a major cost, a major task.” Hildebrandt posited that such a generator would cost $100,000 or more. Public Works Director See COUNCIL Page 17
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The Voice
A June 30 2021
www.thevoiceofpelham.ca
Class of ‘96 gives back Three E.L. Crossley scholarships awarded to mark 25th anniversary of graduating class “The Class of ’96,” those E.L.Crossley students who graduated from the Pelham high school in 1996, have provided three $1000 scholarships to deserving students at Crossley’s 2021 virtual graduation ceremony, held last Thursday, June 24. The idea of creating something special came to Debb Hoffman— Debb Crowther, back in ’96—during reflection on the upcoming 25th anniversary of her graduation. She wondered, “Would there be interest [among her previous classmates] to honour the 25 years and also support one of the graduates this year?” Hoffman, now living in Guelph, envisioned a one-time, one- scholarship initiative to be presented by a local member of the class of ’96. She contacted previous classmates via a little-used Facebook page created years ago to keep the class connected. The response was enthusiastic, both to assist in fundraising and renew past acquaintances. Sue Bell, now in United States, and Ryan Huxley jumped in to form a committee of three. Huxley lives locally and is employed by the DSBN, so he became the liaison with current Crossley staff and teachers who have been most helpful in making the 2021 scholarships happen. A GoFundMe page was established, and more than 30 classmates responded with donations totaling over $3000. Hoffman says re-engaging classmates was fun. Typical “Wow, 25 years. Really? I feel old,” Facebook comments were balanced with generous contributions. The disciplines in which the awards were offered were influenced by the committee. The 1996 Alumni Arts Award went to
Thomas Calaguiro who embodies the same free spirit as dawn e crysler, an unforgettable friend to those in the class of ’96. She extended her compassion, creativity and contagiously fun manner to the whole student body, and later the Niagara arts community and beyond. The 1996 Alumni Skilled Trade Award, went to Colton Sawatzky, who has shown dedication, determination, and a passion for the field of technology, a natural category for Huxley, a technology teacher himself, and the committee. The 1996 Alumni Health Science Award commends this year’s graduates on completing their high school studies during a difficult global pandemic while recognizing the nurses, doctors and care givers who risked their lives during Covid by presenting a scholarship to Molly Hildebrandt, who intends to enter the medical field. In each case, Crossley teachers and staff selected the recipients from a group of deserving students. “We were really close as a class,” said Huxley. “A lot of us have grown apart, and haven’t spoken in many years, but whenever we do come across one another, it’s like nothing has changed. It’s a wonderful feeling, it really is a special class. Being able to give back the way we have has been important to us. The community was helpful to us in similar ways when we were that age, so it’s just a great experience and really rewarding for us.” With a gentle prod to the class of ‘97, Hoffman added, “It would be nice to encourage the next year’s class to consider something like this. I would love to see it turned into a tradition of some sort.”
MEGAN METLER
BY JOHN SWART Special to the Voice
Crossley cover designed by student Emily Shatford interprets iconic mural as nod to pandemic experience BY MEGAN METLER Voice Correspondent This year the graduating class at E.L. Crossley Secondary School in Fonthill received a “Grad Book” with photos and memories submitted by students to highlight their final year of high school. Emily Shatford, a Grade 12 student at Crossley was asked to design the cover. Shatford recently won first in the Rotary Club of Fonthill’s Watershed Poster Design Contest and will be heading to Niagara College
in the fall to study graphic design. Her aim for the cover was to connect her class’ time in high school with the Covid-19 pandemic, which affected their typical educational experience for almost a year and a half. Shatford produced a special design that incorporated the school’s own mural with a powerful message for her classmates. “When I created this cover, I wanted to create something that was unique to Crossley, and to a Grade
12 year in such a strange time,” said Shatford. “While I know that Covid-19 doesn’t define this past year, it sure played a big role in it. I felt that it needed to be acknowledged in the design, but I also wanted to give the clear message that Crossley’s spirit exceeds the challenges that we have faced. That is why I used only a portion of the mosaic. There is much more to the mural, just as there is much more to our time in high school. The mosaic is bigger than the mask.”
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The Voice
Page 11
A June 30 2021
Pretty flower that is pretty stinky BY DON RICKERS Voice Correspondent
From left, Mayor Marvin Junkin, Councillor Marianne Stewart, Pride Niagara chair Enzo DeDevitis, and Councillor Wayne Olson DON RICKERS
Pride benches unveiled BY DON RICKERS Voice Correspondent Last Friday was a day of celebration for Pelham Town Council, and an opportunity to demonstrate its commitment to inclusivity. Mayor Marvin Junkin said that he was proud to raise the Pride flag earlier in the month at Town Hall, and equally happy to unveil a new multi-coloured bench at the Peace Park, to celebrate Pride and the LGBTQ+ community. The benches were unanimously approved by council back in April. “Pelham is a community of diversity and inclusivity, and council wanted to show that all are welcome,” said Junkin, in his remarks to those assembled. “It's going to get lots of use, and we're hoping that the community will see this, and realize that we're reaching out to all groups.” One bench has been placed in the Peace
Park, with others at the Meridian Community Centre. Fundraising in underway to support another bench in Fenwick this fall. “I grew up in Niagara, and to see this bench, and rainbow crosswalks, and all these other initiatives happening, is amazing,” said Enzo DeDivitis, Chair of Pride Niagara. “Fifteen years ago, I would never have thought that we'd get here. Thank you for making the effort, as leaders in the municipality. It's equally your responsibility, as it is ours, to raise awareness and acceptance. Thank you for taking the lead.” Junkin responded, “This was something that obviously took too long to get going, but I know I am very proud to be part of this initiative, as are my fellow council members.”
Mary Powley has lived on Kevin Drive in Fonthill for 33 years, and takes great pleasure in her backyard, which features several splendid perennial beds. She planted a dracunculus vulgaris last year, and it has finally bloomed. You can’t miss the smell. Trust a visitor who has experienced it—the odour is much worse than the cannabis stench which periodically wafts through Pelham. “It's part of the corpse flower family…and the stinkiest flower in the world,” Cowley said with a laugh. She ordered it as a bulb, and didn’t think it would survive the winter. The plant is about 18 inches long. Dracunculus vulgaris is a species also known as the dragon lily, dragon arum, black arum, voodoo lily, snake lily, stink lily, black dragon, black lily, dragonwort, and ragons. It is endemic to the Balkans, extending as far as Greece and the Aegean Islands. It has also been introduced to parts of the United States, along with Ontario and
You won't forget a whiff of dracunculus vulgaris. British Columbia in Canada. The species is characterized by a large purple “spathe” or sheath which encloses the flower cluster, or “spadix,” on a fleshy stem. The plant’s unpleasant smell is reminiscent of
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The Voice
CANADA DAY
continued from Page 3 tial schools. As a society we need to acknowledge the harm done, and to honestly examine, confront and somehow remedy this harm if we are to move forward as a collective. We are privileged to live in a country that is amongst the best in the world, but love of country does not mean ignoring its failings — Canada clearly has some dark history that needs to be honestly examined and confronted. Many communities across Canada have struggled with the decision on whether or not to forego
Canada Day activities this year. From where I sit, this is one of those decisions where reasonable people can agree to disagree. On one hand, it is hard and potentially inappropriate to celebrate shortly after finding unmarked mass graves. On the other hand, most Canada Day celebrations, including those planned by Pelham, are aimed at children who have no understanding of the issue and have been suffering from pandemic isolation. For my part, Canada Day will be spent appreciating all of the good while reflecting on the bad, as I think befits this complicated time. ◆
Ward 1 Councillor Wayne Olson
A
t 10 AM, on the morning of January 2, 1967, a gleaming 13car, purple and gray special train departed from Ottawa for Victoria. As the Upper Canada Railway Society noted in its Newsletter of January 1967, “The anticipation is over—Canada’s year-long 100th -birthday party is moving into high gear. And, fittingly, January 1st marked the most ambitious Centennial Project of them all—the $1.5 million Confederation Train.” The Confederation Train was to travel from the west coast to the east coast and
be open for exhibit for a total of 316 days. For those not able to visit the Confederation Train, there were eight truck caravans that began to crisscross Canada in the late spring. The train and caravans were greeted with excitement and anticipation especially in the smaller towns unused to such big productions. Canada, in 1967, was still labouring under the shadows of the calamitous wars of the century. The economy was humming and serious reforms to pensions and health care had been made during the ‘60s. Look-
A June 30 2021
ing back on it, there was a rather unattractive air of smugness and self congratulations over the Centennial celebrations. As State Secretary Judy LaMarsh said in her remarks in Victoria on at the official opening of the Confederation Train, “The story this train has to tell is not one of perfection. Our past is not free of error and injustice—I am certain our future will not be either.” She called upon Canadians to “draw faith from the past to meet the challenges of the future.” The aide-memoire created by the Centennial Commission describes in detail what Canadians were to see in each car. It was “a story of great development and a bright future.” In Car 1, the explorers were said to have “discovered that [Canada] had its own riches in furs and gold and the missionaries who followed saw a potential harvest in men’s souls.” In the final car, “We also see images of the future suggesting that a greater story is about to begin. Who will make that story?” A more appropriate question would be who is not going to be a the table when the greater story is written. I am shaken by the news from Kamloops and Saskatchewan. The Indigenous experience is of a community operating against all odds against a confining architecture of privilege. At this important historical
moment, it is past the time to reckon with the legitimate demands for redress of historical oppressions. Just imagine how many events are intersecting in 2021. Municipalities have the capacity to inform, shape,
We can no longer step over issues. We must take a stand for all people.
lead and create a climate of greater understanding. Human rights are not optional. We need to interpret our important obligations in a more expansive way. Every citizen has the right to equitable outcomes, to feel part of the community, to contribute to society and to have their contributions valued. In the final analysis, leadership is action. We have to create intentional actions to make space at our table to allow for full contribution to the development and well-being of our community. We owe it to ourselves to listen with empathy. We can no longer step over issues. We must take a stand for all people. ◆
www.thevoiceofpelham.ca
Niagara West MPP Sam Oosterhoff
I
n 2017, Canadians celebrated the 150th birthday of Canada with vigour and patriotism, acknowledging the many blessings that we possess in this great land, and gathering with neighbours and friends at festivities across Niagara West, and across the country. Four year later, the celebrations have a very different tone. Although there are the beginnings of more in-person celebrations as Ontario moves through the stages of its roadmap to reopening, the large gatherings of years past have yet to return. Here in Pelham, the annual parade has been replaced with a drivethrough parade, to encourage social distancing and prevent large crowds. Canadians and Ontarians have sacrificed a lot over the past 16 months as a result of Covid-19, and this Canada Day we will still be reminded of the over 26,000 Canadians who have lost their lives to the disease, as well as the contributions of frontline heroes across the nation. Casting a somber shadow over the celebrations this year as well are the recent tragic discoveries of the remains of 215 Indigenous children at the residential school in Kamloops, and some 751 unmarked graves of indigenous peoples at the Marieval residential school in Saskatchewan. Undoubtedly, in the days to come, as more resources are put into examining the grounds of various schools, all Canadians will have to grapple with the reality of more terrible discoveries detailing the historic treatment and mistreatment of Indigenous peoples in Canada —a difficult legacy, and one that must be acknowledged. Canada has a long and rich history, that goes back far beyond its official founding in 1867. From sea to sea to sea, Canadians are blessed to live in a peaceful country with amazing natural beauty, resources, a high standard of living, and freedoms and rights that are protected by law. We have much to be thankful for as Canadians, and it is right to celebrate and express gratitude for these gifts. However, as we have learned again, there are also serious stains on our collective history that deserve reflection and calls to action going forward. I will be praying two prayers this Canada Day. First, a prayer of thankfulness and joy at the opportunity we have been given to live in the country of Canada, with the many blessings we can continue to enjoy. Second, a prayer for healing, hope and reconciliation as our entire nation continues to grow and learn. May God truly keep our land “Glorious and Free!” Happy Canada Day! ◆
a d a n a C y p p a H Day!
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The Voice
Page 13
A June 30 2021
Public, Catholic school boards set budgets BY DON RICKERS Voice Correspondent District School Board of Niagara (DSBN) trustees passed a 2021-2022 budget totaling almost $523 million dollars at their June 21 meeting, which represents a $22 million increase over the current year. The average cost per student is expected to be just under $13,000. The budget focuses on the continuation and expansion of academic programs and supports, while investing in Covid-19 recovery. “Trustees worked to balance Covid-19 recovery, with investment in student programs that provide ongoing resources to help them be successful in school,” said Kevin Maves, Chair of the Finance Committee and Trustee for Niagara Falls, in a press release. The projected enrolment for 2021-2022 is 39,250 students, an increase of 1,404, or 3.71 percent, from the current year. A consequence of this surge is the hiring of an addition 70 teachers. An additional $153,000 in mental health funding was allocated, bringing the total to over $1.3 million for board programs. “One of our core priorities is student mental health and well-being,” said DSBN Education Director Warren Hoshizaki in a media statement. “Investing in the skills and strategies that will be applied by staff is an important part of the support.” The budget includes a $70,000 allocation to fund a concussion partnership with Hamilton Health Sciences (HHS), which will allow enables DSBN staff and students who have a suspected concussion to go to HHS to have an immediate concussion review. An investment of $190,000 in professional development funding will allow teachers to enroll in DSBN-sponsored Additional Qualification (AQ) courses in mental health, First Nations education, mathematics, literacy, and equity.
The budget also provided $100,000 for a Try-a-Trade program, given the demand for skilled trade careers as part of Ontario’s economy, and $65,000 for a Tutors in the Classroom program, which will stress literacy and numeracy in elementary grades. Niagara Catholic’s Board of Trustees approved a $268-million budget on June 22, representing a slight increase over the 2020-2021 budget. Targeted priorities include mental health supports, reading and mathematics remediation, $31 million for special education, Indigenous studies, and $4.8 million in funding for Covid recovery. Director of Education Camillo Cipriano said that the budget was created after a consultative process with stakeholders, whose input was valuable in identifying priorities. “We believe that this budget addresses the needs of the system for the coming year, and we will continue to monitor and review spending and adapt as necessary to address any changing needs that may emerge,” he said in a press release. Enrolment is expected to continue to decline slightly in the Catholic system, a trend which commenced in 2017. About half of its elementary schools have fewer than 250 students, and five of its eight secondary schools are expected to be below 750 in 2021-22. The total student loss next year is expected to be 200 students, with a projected enrollment of 19,944. Blessed Trinity Catholic Secondary School in Grimsby and Notre Dame College School in Welland will be getting new artificial turf sports fields worth $3 million, which are expected to be ready for play in the 2022-2023 school year. The board has said it plans to ensure all eight high schools within its jurisdiction have artificial turf fields. The DSBN currently has eight synthetic turf fields and tracks, with an expectation to add more. A new development at the DSBN includes a revision of its school naming and renam-
ing policy, to include more community involvement in the process. The framework allows schools not involved in an accommodation review to ask the board to create an ad hoc naming committee for their school, with recommendations to then be brought to trustees for approval. The rationale underscores the role of school councils as an important advisory body and a link between parents, the community and the board. In the past, new school names were simply presented to trustees at a board meeting, and a decision was rendering via a vote. DSBN’s Trustee for Thorold and Pelham, Nancy Beamer, voiced concern that the school ad hoc naming committees could supersede authority from trustees, essentially allowing them to thwart the will of elected officials. But DSBN Chair Sue Barnett said school names are important to communities, and accordingly the school ad hoc committees should be given the lead on such discussions. Many Pelhamites will wish this policy change was retroactive, given the furor in recent years over the renaming of E.W. Farr Memorial Public School. Trustees voted to change the name to Wellington Heights Public School in 2017, and quashed a grassroots effort to revert it back to its original name. At that time, Beamer said the school’s new namesake, the Duke of Wellington, had no historical significance locally—indeed, never setting foot in Canada— and was an anti-Semite who perpetuated the marginalization of Indigenous people. Wellington, whose given name was Arthur Wellesley, was a British statesman and prime minister in the 1800s. Despite defeating Napoleon at the Battle of Waterloo in 1815, he was unpopular in England, the public regarding him as aloof and rude. E.W. Farr was a respected local educator, who served as principal of Fenwick Public School for 34 years.
More vaccination clinics scheduled In a statement released Friday, June 25, the Niagara Region encouraged anyone 12 and older, who has not received their first dose, to book an appointment as soon as possible. New Covid-19 vaccination appointments are available for the following clinic dates and locations: June 29-30 – Port Colborne, Vale Health and Wellness Centre July 1-10 – Pelham, Meridian Community Centre July 8-13 – Niagara Falls, MacBain Community Centre Eligible residents can book appointments either online through the provincial portal at Ontario.ca/bookvaccine or by calling the provincial booking system at 1-833-943-3900.
It's okay to eat out with friends again With local COVID-19 case numbers and reproductive rate meeting designated thresholds, the restriction on dining with household members only as part of Section 22 orders in Niagara were lifted for parties dining outdoors as of Thursday, June 24, according to a Region statement. All other additional restrictions for food and drink premises remain in effect, as do additional restrictions for shopping malls and retail stores. Local restaurants, bars, wineries, breweries, and other food and beverage service operators will still be required to follow other restrictions in the Section 22 order, the Region says. These include, but aren’t limited to, asking if diners have any symptoms of illness and recording information such as name and contact information.
CHERRIES
continued from Page 1 low, so that it’s not really necessary to use a ladder to fill a basket. Many varieties of sweet cherries are available, including Hedelfingers, Cavaliers, and the traditional standard, Bings (which generally ripen a bit later in the season). Duffin said that they also have new varieties of cherries that are especially resistant to splitting. Sara highlighted that cherry-themed T-shirts are for sale, which, like the fruit itself, are made in Canada. A few kilometres down the road in Fenwick, Dan DeVries, manager at DeVries Fruit Farm, said that his cherry crop is not quite ready. “We haven't really started harvesting cherries yet,” he said. “We're still probably a week out on sweet cherries, and about three weeks away for sours. Around July 12 is when we’ll start the sour cherry harvest, and maybe July 5 for the sweets.” DeVries does not offer pick-your-own, and charges six dollars for a quart of sweets, with bigger baskets going for $10, $12, $18, and $24. “There was some frost that was a little bit concerning in late April, early May,” he said, “but it's looking a lot better now than it did two weeks ago. The cherries are starting to color up. It's not a bumper crop this year, just a nice overall average crop.” The DeVries farm has almost 60 acres of cherry trees, with most of them sours, sold pitted, by the pail.
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Page 14
The Voice
A June 30 2021
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REFLECTIONS OF A NATURALIST
by Adam Shoalts
Rattlesnakes in Pelham?
A
while ago I heard a tantalizing rumour: on a rural property in Fenwick a rattlesnake had been spotted. It was, according to the rumour, not an escaped or released pet, but an actual wild rattlesnake in the woods. Could it be? Although encountering a rattlesnake today on say the Steve Bauer trail would be decidedly unexpected, difficult as it may sound to believe, there was a time when rattlesnakes were common in Pelham. An old history of Upper Canada notes: “It is, perhaps, not generally known that the Niagara district was infested with adders, black snakes and rattlesnakes in the days of early settlement.” In the 1780s, John DeCou, an early pioneer, described how after finishing his log cabin near what’s now North Pelham, it was invaded by rattlesnakes. The snakes were presumably attracted by the warmth the cabin offered. Also in the late 1700s, Lady Simcoe, wife of Upper Canada’s governor, visited Niagara and noted the incredible number of rattlesnakes. Simcoe further recorded that in Burlington some seven hundred rattlers were killed in just one summer. Historically, there were two species of rattlesnake found in Ontario: the Massasauga rattlesnake (Sistrurus catenatus) and the Timber rattlesnake (Crotalus horridus). Both are venomous, with enough toxin to make them potentially dangerous to humans. Of the two, however, only one still survives in Ontario, the Massasauga rattlesnake. The Timber rattlesnake, which is larger and more venomous, is extinct in
the wild in Ontario (though they are still common in the US). Deaths from rattlesnake bites in Ontario (especially from Timber rattlesnakes) historically did happen at least occasionally (though estimating precise figures is difficult). This grim reality reflected both the fact that such snakes were numerous and easily encountered in an era when people spent the vast majority of their time outdoors working in fields or forests, as well as the lack of effective medical treatment. Antivenoms hadn’t been invented yet, and most folk-cures for snakebites weren’t effective. Lady Simcoe on her visit to Niagara noted one such local cure: “Mr. McDonnell said that pounded crayfish applied to the wound was a cure for the bite of a rattlesnake.” Both rattlesnake species native to Ontario saw their population decline drastically over the 1800s due to not only deliberate campaigns to kill them (often by destroying their nesting sites), but also habitat encroachment as forests were transformed into farmer’s fields, and especially the introduction of pigs, which killed many of the snakes. (Pig’s flesh is sufficiently thick that a rattlesnake’s fangs aren’t long enough to penetrate it, and feral pigs will eat rattlesnakes.) The Timber rattlers, perhaps owing to their much larger size, were exterminated completely from Ontario by the 1940s—the last confirmed sighting of one was in the Niagara Gorge. As for Massasaugas, they still occur in the wild in Ontario along the rugged shores of Georgian Bay, as well as a smaller population near the Detroit River, and last but
not least, a small, isolated population right here in Niagara in the Wainfleet Bog. The Bog is a unique habitat, the last refuge of the rattlesnake. Originally it covered over 52,000 acres, a vast morass of swamp forest and peat bogs. Today, only a few thousand acres remain, but crucially, this wetland forest provides habitat for species that have disappeared elsewhere in Niagara. If a rattlesnake really had recently turned up in Pelham, the Wainfleet Bog is likely where it originated. With rattlesnakes on my mind, I decided to explore the Bog with my friend Wes to see if we could locate any. It’d been years since I was last in the Bog, but I know it fairly well. When I was 17, I was lucky enough to have a summer job with the Ministry of Natural Resources. In that capacity, I got to work in the Wainfleet Bog as part of a rattlesnake study looking at soil conditions. Wes and I entered the Bog from the north, parking at the end of a dusty farmer’s road. We crossed a field, then entered into the deciduous woods. It was swampy, and we crossed a stagnant pond before pushing deeper into the thick forest. Wes and I scoured the bog, searching for any rattlers, feeling secure in the knowledge that if we found one and it bit us, some pulverised crayfish applied to the wound would see us right. (Note: that’s a joke, don’t actually stick dead crayfish into a snakebite.) Ducking under a fallen oak tree, suddenly we spotted a snake coiled up on the forest floor near a patch of poison ivy. It was a rattlesnake all right: it had a thick, muscular body, with a striking
A rattlesnake the author and his friend found recently in the Wainfleet Bog. patterning to its scales, and a flat diamond-shaped head. The snake looked at us and rattled its tail. It was a potent reminder of the wildness that was once Niagara. We kept our distance, photographed it, then left in peace. But could one of these snakes have ended up in Pelham? The Wainfleet Bog is only 4.4 kilometres from Pelham’s southern boundary, which is the winding course of the Welland River. The river is no impediment as rattlesnakes can swim, in fact they are excellent swimmers. So there is nothing physically impossible about a rattlesnake showing up in Fenwick. On the other hand, there hasn’t been any documented cases of rattlesnakes in Niagara outside
the Wainfleet Bog in a very long time (at least that I can find). Invoking Occam’s Razor, I think the most likely explanation is that the rumour was sparked by a snake that was misidentified. Niagara is home to several species that could be easily mistaken for a rattlesnake. In particular, the eastern hognose snake resembles a rattlesnake, and even imitates their behaviour by coiling up, poising as if to strike, and vibrating their tail as if it were a rattle. I’ve found a few of these hognoses snakes in the woods before, and can readily understand how someone might mistake one for a rattler. Milk snakes too, with their colourful patterning, could be mistaken for
ADAM SHOALTS
one. So could an eastern fox snake; a strikingly beautiful snake with a yellow-black colour patterning. My guess is that someone saw one of these more common species, and not recognizing it, misidentified it, giving birth to the rumour. That said, it wouldn’t be impossible for a rattlesnake to turn up in Pelham. Stranger things have happened after all. ◆ Pelham native Adam Shoalts is the author of three national bestselling books, most recently Beyond the Trees: A Journey Alone Across Canada's Arctic. He is the Explorer-in-Residence of the Royal Canadian Geographical Society.
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continued from Page 8 notes that while the need was increased by the restrictions of the pandemic, “When we started, I didn’t realize how many need this service. We could still be sending out meals to the many in need in this community.” Legion Vice President Jim Garner revealed that the delivery drivers heard heartbreaking stories from those who were financially unable or physically incapable of providing for themselves. “More than once I drove away from a delivery with tears in my eyes,” he said. The Legion was helped to supply the meals that ranged from roast beef to pasta to quiche to chicken to cabbage rolls, by donations from the community. Retired restaurateur Vilma Moretti produced her cookbook “Keith’s Pies – a Recipe Book” and donated half of the proceeds— $6700—to the Legion’s efforts (with the other half going to Pelham Cares). CannTrust in Fenwick provided a $5000 cheque, and many residents gave to support the effort. Garner added that often the recipients insisted on giving what they could, including some who “slipped an envelope into the hands of the driver containing a few quarters or loonies.” Often, he said, the drivers would be engaged in a 20- or 30-minute conversation with people who just needed someone to talk with. About ten Legion volunteers put in the hundreds of hours required to send out meals every Friday, with five usually working in the kitchen (with Niagara Health inspectors being frequent visitors) and three drivers distributing the meals. Recipients were found first by direct contact, and then word of mouth took over and the meals were in demand across Pelham, and even beyond. McKelvie said that while the award was welcome, “This service was part of the Legion’s effort to help our community.” Volunteer Ann Smelsky added, “It’s nice to be recognized, but we did this because we wanted to!” Vice President Garner chimed in, “People really rally behind Toni.” The Fonthill Legion was in impressive
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FONTHILL BANDSHELL PRESENTS DE TEMPS ANTAN of Pelham and Central Niagara Burke’s Masonry 2003, Éric Beaudry, André Brunet and Pierre-Luc Dupuis have THE VOICE Since IS 100 PERCENT been exploring and performing time-honoured melodies from OF the PUBLICATION stomp- Bricklaying, tuckpointing, COMMUNITY-OWNED CELEBRATING 25 YEARS step repair, granite ing grounds of Quebec’s musical past. Using fiddle, accordion, harmonica, coatings, brick slices guitar, bouzouki and a number of other instruments, our three virtuosos 905-682-7061. boundless energy with the unmistakable joieREPAIR de vivre found only in company in winningblend the inaugural NiagaMASONRY FLOORINGP18-28 ra Impact Award. Intraditional the Community Leader Quebec music. Show runs from 7-9 p.m. ALLTYPE MASONRY
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BY PHONE ■ Weekly delivery to your mailbox by Canada Post Call our office at (905) 892-8690, ■ Exclusive link to high-quality digital PDF version of the paper.Services PELHAM LIBRARY’S COMPUTER CLINIC ■ Twelve free Classified ads up to 30 words ($120 value) Mon-Thurs, 8 AM to 2 PM. “One-to-One Help” with a volunteer tutor. Getfrom helplocal withbusinesses web browsing, Excavating contractor. ■ Periodictech special offers ■ For delivery in Canada outside Niagara: $79.95 your Water, sewer upgrades, INwebmail PERSONaccount set-up, e-books, social media, editing and sharing cards not for non-Niagara residents.) foundation repair, water and more. Includes use(Gift of laptop or included BYOG (bring your own gadget). Our offiphotos ce is located at Saturdays 12:30 – 3:30. Register and pay ahead in person. $5.00 per 1/2 proofing, drainage systems, 1428 Pelham Street, Fonthill, VisitHardware. www.pelhamlibrary.on.ca or call 905-892-6443 for more details. quarry stone supply, placeacross from hour. Beamer’s ment. 905-384-1972. P18-23
category, builder Tom Rankin was recognized Brick, Block, Stone and Chimney repairs. for his contribution and efforts in raising $2.8 Wet and damaged basement repairs. million to purchase aPELHAM new MRI machine for CARD MAKING WORKSHOP LIBRARY Phone Tom Deamude at 289-241-4767. Niagara. 35 years of experience. Materials Make six cards with fall themes, learning a construction variety of techniques. There were three winners in the IndiarePreston, provided. AtErie, time of registration, please enquire about tools needed. vidual category: Justin of Ft. CUSTOM MILL for his role as Kids Help Phone ambassador Tues., Sept. 16 10 – 12:30. $10. Please register ahead. Visit www.pelhamand anti-bullying spokesperson; Natasha sawmill service. library.on.ca call 905-892-6443 for Portable more details. Bell, of St. Catharines, for creation or of Black I will come to your home or farm and custom mill your logs. Owned 905 to promote Black-owned busiFirewood & lumber also available. Call Rob Patterson, nesses in Niagara; and Amanda Cole, of St. FABULOUS FENWICK LIONS FISH FRY905-401-4948, Catharines, for raising thousands of dollars riverwood@primus.ca for those in need through raffl es and baseTasty treats with funds heading straight back into the community. Haddock, ball tournaments. much more. Runs Sept. 9 from 4-7 p.m. FOUND Anisha O’Brien, of french Welland,fries won and the Youth TO A GOOD HOME award for crocheting and donating 100 scarves to the Hope Centre for homeless individuals. 2 Male and Female 10-Speed Street. Change Purse. PELHAM MINOR HOCKEY EQUIPMENT SALE On Haist Beside the Fonthill Legion, the ValhalBikes, good condition. Phone 905-892-4721. la Project won in the Non-Profi category Buy, sell ort trade used equipment at the Pelham Arena. Aimed to provide Phone 289-969-8025. for providing treatment for first responders optionsprofor players in this upcoming season. Runs Sept. 6 from suffering from PTSDcheaper through multiple FOR SALE FOUND grams, including an 9-12 innovative service dog in the morning. initiative. Golf lessons offered by World Found: a pair of prescription In the Business category, Dillons Small Golf Teachers Federation top sunglasses in black case. These Batch Distillers was recognized their inPELHAMfor MUDFEST 100 teacher. All ages and all skill were found on grass boulevard novative production of hand sanitizer at their at cornerrun of Haist and year Canboro levels. Men and women will be backLessons in the held mudatasBrock the second on the is Lincoln facility that was given away to first Golf Course. Call Doug at 905- on Thursday, June 10th. Call held at Bissil’s Hideaway. responders and long-term care homes. 289-897-9398 to claim. 327-1492. Chair Bradley noted that “Staying upbeat and positive was a challenge over the past NIAGARA EXHIBITION BOAT FOR SALE 17 months and these nominees REGIONAL and winners should be proudRodeo, of what they have done games and live entertainment headline this years exciting event. It for our region.” When the awards were an17 ft. Triumph, 2002, 30-Horsepower Mariner motor, 2-Horsepower runs from Sept. 11-14 atmotor, the Welland Fairgrounds. nounced at the State of the Region address 2 down riggers and Fish Finder. Used very little and stored in April, it was thought that three awards indoors. $10,000. Phone 905-892-6084. would be presented, but Bradley revealed BIG with MOVE CANCER that he was so impressed the quality of RIDE CLEANINGride SERVICE submissions that theThe awards were expandBig Move Cancer Ride is a non-competitive taking place on Sept. ed to eight recipients in Community Lead7. Proceeds for the Big Move stay in Niagara and support theFonthill Walker Cleaning lady looking to clean homes in the area.Famership, Individual, Youth, Non-profit, and References are available. Call Liliana 416-879-4932 Business categories. ily Cancer Centre. or 905-920-6536. “I was frankly overwhelmed,” Bradley said, “with the quality of the nominations that were submitted WALKING on behalf of more than CLUB FOUND 250 individuals, businesses and non-profit Interested in walking in Pelham? Join them Tuesdays at the Pelham 1 gold earring, was found on Steve Bauer Trail. Arena organizations. I was moved by the sacrifice, from 9-10 am and Thursdays at FonthillPhone Bandshell for 9-10:30 am. There generosity, and innovation.” 289-820-6848.
is no fee for this program. For more information, please contact jcook@ pelham.ca or call 905 892-2607, ext 329.
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A June 30 2021
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PLACES OF WORSHIP
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Bethany Christian Reformed Church www.bethanycrc.ca
First Presbyterian Church 602 Metler Rd., North Pelham
Holy Trinity Anglican Church holytrinityfonthill.org
Pelham Evangelical Friends Church www.pelhamfriends.ca
Concordia Lutheran Church 105 Welland Rd., Fonthill
Fonthill Baptist Church www.fonthillbaptistchurch.ca
Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses 1369 Rice Rd., Fonthill
Ridgeville Bible Chapel ridgevillebiblechapel.com
Fenwick Church of Christ www.fenwickchurchofchrist.ca
Fonthill United Church www.fonthillunited.com
Kirk on the Hill Presbyterian Church 1344 Haist St., Fonthill
St. Alexander Roman Catholic Church www.stalexander.on.ca
Fenwick United Church www.fenwickunited.com
Glad Tidings Church of God www.gladtidingschurchofgod.com
Pelham Community Church (United Church) www.pelham.cc
St. Ann Roman Catholic Church www.stannfenwick.com
FAITH LIFT
continued from Page 19
A personal relationship
The last part of the verse is very meaningful too. When welcomed in, Jesus promises to come in and have a meal with the person. This speaks of Jesus’ desire to have a personal relationship with each of us. Sharing a meal is a sign of acceptance and friendship in the Middle East where hospitality is much more important than in our culture. Jesus does not invite us to a religion or a ritual or a bunch of rules. He invites us to a personal faith walk with Himself. Back in the kitchen-turned-hospital room, everyone listened carefully to my brief explanation. I prayed that the dying man would open the door of his heart to the Savior if he hadn’t done so already. The man passed away a few days later and the family asked me to do the funeral. In my homily I again shared the story of the painting in the kitchen and prayed that everyone present would open their heart’s door to the Savior. And that’s my prayer for you too. ◆ Rob Weatherby is a retired pastor who responded to “the knock on the door” in 1967.
CHICKENS FOR HOPE The Fonthill Lions donated 30 fully roasted half- chickens to The Hope Centre, in Welland, following the club’s June 13 drive-thru dinner service. “[We] will be able to portion these half-chickens into many meals for the less fortunate,” said the Centre’s Colleen McMillan. “Thank you to the Fonthill Lions for thinking of us.” From left, Lion Pat O’Hara, Colleen McMillan, and her husband, Wendol.. SUPPLIED
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COUNCIL
OBITUARY
continued from Page 9
PORKOLAB, Rose Annette (nee Parker) October 20, 1935 - June 13, 2021
Passed away on June 13, 2021 at the Welland Hospital in her 86th year. She was predeceased by her husband Louis (1991). Sadly missed by her daughter Margaret Sonnenberg (nee Porkolab). Lovingly remembered by her grandchildren Marshal “Joey” Sonnenberg (Kitty), Estelle Sonnenberg (Kyle) and David Sonnenberg. Loving sister of Geraldine “Jerry” Crease (Floyd), Victoria “Vickie” McCaully (Robert) and Marjorie “Teena” Parker (late David). She will be missed by her many much loved nieces, nephews, great nieces, great nephews, cousins and friends. Predeceased by her parents Loyd and Elaine (nee Johnson) Parker, sisters Rosette Parker, Marion (Nick Misdorp) and brothers Patrick Parker (EllaMae), Ralph Parker (Gladys) and Kenneth Parker (Lori). Rose was born in the Pelham Township and lived along the Welland River most of her life. She loved the farm life; she felt very close to her maker, by working and caring for all of God’s creations. She had a great love for her farm and everything related to farming. From her caring and healing animals to her green thumb for her many house plants, gardening and history/ geography. She was very involved in market gardening for many years and enjoyed everything from hoeing in the gardens to custom farm work, helping others with haying and fall harvest. She did everything from driving the thrashing machine to hay baling, buying her first baler in 1942. During the 1950’s, she did custom baling of hay and straw and the thrashing machine of crops for local farmers within a 40 mile radius until her daughter was born. She was well known across Ontario due to the family farm, which provided fresh fruits, vegetables and bedding plants to local stores, canneries, in addition to the farmers markets, where over the years, she made many
Page 17
A June 30 2021
friends from the Niagara Region and across Ontario. Rosie and her husband Louie expanded by building a greenhouse in 1973 and called it the Rose City Greenhouse that closed in 1991 when her husband died. Rose’s farm was a happy place and her home was always open to welcome children to stay while their parents recovered from illness or were going through a difficult time. In total, there were 45 children throughout the years up until 2008. In 1969 she started Rose City Riding Club, which she ran for many years with the help of her daughter, to provide a place for children to ride horses and ponies and a place to stay. In 2011, the farm was sold and Rose moved to Welland. During 1986 – 2001, Rose had worked as a Home Healthcare Worker, which brought her great joy helping people and their families. Rose was full of life and enjoyed every minute; she often went dancing with Louie to many local barn dances in Wainfleet and community halls around the Niagara area. They enjoyed the Niagara Falls Jamborees for many years, concerts to see Minnie Pearl, Johnny Cash, Roy Rogers, Dale Evans and Gordie Tapp and followed the band Gord Stevens and the Starlighters. Rose was a great mom. With everything Rose did, her greatest pride and joy were her grandchildren and she was always there to love and support them. She often talked about missing her siblings, nieces and nephews, recounting the great times she had with them. Rose loved them no matter where they ventured. If desired, donations in memory of Rose can be made to Help A Child Smile. Online condolences available at www.cudneyfuneralhome.com. Due to Covid 19 restrictions a private family service will take place. To view the service, please go to the Facebook page HL Cudney Funeral Home Inc. Thursday, June 24th at 12:55 p.m.
Jason Marr said that no remaining money from the building’s budget was held back for reconfiguring electrical work. The discussion also came on the heels of a presentation by Pelham’s Climate Change Coordinator Bani Maini. As extreme weather events increase due to climate change, the MCC’s role as an emergency centre becomes more foreseeable. Councillor Olson thanked Maini for her work, first making note that the day was National Indigenous Peoples Day. “I just mention that because of the sad events we’ve heard about, most recently in Kamloops,” Olson said of the discovery of 215 unmarked graves at a former residential school (the meeting occurred before the more recent discovery of 751 more graves at a different site in Saskatchewan). “You and your team have done a terrific job,” Olson told Maini of the Town’s plan to increase the capacity to adapt to climate change. “I think it’s one of the most detailed plans I’ve ever seen.”
No money for MCC library move yet
Still with the community centre, Treasurer Quinlin told council she still hadn’t heard back on a grant application that would pay for moving the Pelham Library to a future addition at the MCC. Council endorsed the idea last year as upper-level funding could pay for the addition, thereby freeing up the existing Fonthill library to be liquidated in a land sale.
Performance standards
In a motion tabled by Hildebrandt, council approved directing Town Human Resources staff to develop a formalized performance evaluation process for the position of CAO. However, following apparent negotiations before the meeting, the motion was revised at the eleventh hour to implement the plan for next year— as opposed to this year, as Hildebrandt originally tabled. Changing criteria at the end of an evaluation period rather than at the start could be viewed as categorically unfair to current CAO David Cribbs, who is nearing completion of his second year on the job. The change apparently occurred so close to last Monday’s meeting that Wink did not receive the refreshed document. “What we’re being asked for now, is
we’re changing that target,” Wink said in defence of Cribbs. “I don’t think that’s being fair to the individual. If you ask me how he did, look at our 2020 report, and I would say his leadership was instrumental in all the things we accomplished this year.” Hildebrandt apologized for the late change, but snafu aside, all members agreed with a standardized procedure going forward. “It’s deemed so important to have a performance review for a [municipal] CAO in the province of Alberta that it’s legislated,” Haun said.
Sulphur Spring
Public Works Director Marr told council that the contractor working on the long-awaited Sulphur Spring Drive reconstruction had not received its permits as of June 21. In-water working restrictions means much of the project must be completed between July 1 and August 30. The road has been closed since 2016 due to severe erosion alongside Twelve Mile Creek. Still, Marr was confident the project would be completed on time. “The contractor is working diligently … we feel we are handling the process properly and will deliver a good-quality project by the end of this year,” he said.
Odds and ends
Hildebrandt took a moment to contradict Trout Unlimited’s Brian Green, who presented to council on June 7 regarding Hildebrandt’s obstinate objection to St. Catharines spending $250,000 on Twelve Mile Creek remediation measures in Pelham. Hildebrandt asserted that an NPCA report said an old cannery pond—where the work is set to take place — while warming, is not presently too warm for trout. “All they’re saying is the heat doesn’t reach the lethal limit for brook trout,” Hildebrandt said. “Mr. Green stated the pond temperature exceeded the lethal limit for brook trout.” Council voted to continue the Town’s mask bylaw until the expiration of Niagara Region’s mask bylaw. Virtual Council meetings were approved to be able to continue through March 2022, depending on the status of the pandemic. Council observed a moment of silence for former longtime Councillor Gary Accursi, who passed away June 7.
Food insecurity affects 50,000 in Niagara Small Scale Farms advocates food hubs over food banks BY DON RICKERS Voice Correspondent Renee Delaney is the owner and founder of Small Scale Farms, on Lundy’s Lane in Allanburg, where she leases 19 acres, and along with dozens of volunteers is working to “create an ecosystem that's essential to human welfare.” She calls her business a “social enterprise,” and stresses that food security is a topic that deserves much more attention. “There is no perfect existing system, it has to be built. What we're doing is essentially modeling a genuine food hub, with multiple distributors, multiple farmers, multiple customers,” she said. “This is a profit centre. Why force me to be a charity? The charity is the broken model.” Welland-based social advocate and recently filed Welland City Council candidate Steven Soos agreed, saying, “That's why we are pushing for greater promotion of the Local Food Act through the municipalities, because it is provincial legislation, and was actually implemented to create more food systems and markets for projects like Renee is operating.” Delaney asserts that greater responsibility is required in the distribution of food to Niagara resi-
dents in need, not just more money for food banks. “Food is currency,” she declared, noting that the United Way of Niagara estimated 50,000 people were food insecure in 2020, while local grocery store shelves are heaped with produce. Soos and Delaney gave a presentation to the Niagara Region Agricultural Policy and Action Committee on April 30, the topic being expanding access to nutritional food throughout the Niagara Region. Key points included the need for community-supported agriculture, petitioning the Minister of Agriculture to increase purchasing power around access to food, improved identification of local products in existing supply chains, and encouraging the development of new markets for local food producers. Growing up in a family of modest means in Niagara Falls, Delaney attended Stamford Collegiate, and later moved west in an effort to escape “that mental health/ drug addiction/poverty cycle” she saw all around her in the border city. But she returned to Niagara as a single mom, and retrained as
Community activist Steven Soos, and proprietor Renee Delaney of Small Scale Farms, in Allanburg. a homeopath. Delaney discovered the connection between healthy food and healthy lives, and realized the impact of local farms on a community, giving residents an opportunity to plant, harvest, and share their own nutritious food. Delaney displayed her seed greenhouse and a pesticide-free wild garden, with celery, rhubarb, sunflowers, garlic, and many other nutritious plants and vegetables. She also has chickens and bee hives on site. Delaney noted that someone stole strawberries growing in the greenhouse recently. “It’s a sign of a broken community—you don't steal if you have enough, right? The fact of
the matter is if people don't have sufficient to eat [and] going to the food bank is not the solution.” Children in particular are vulnerable to food insecurity, and studies have shown a correlation between low school performance and a poor diet. “And if adults aren't eating a healthy nutritional diet, how are they supposed to be labour productive?” asked Delaney. Small Scale Farms hosted a drive-thru food event on April 17, which Delaney said attracted hundreds of vehicles and patrons eager to purchase food at a price of $40 per bag. The farm has a subscription-based delivery service,
DON RICKERS
with those who can pay full price helping subsidize the pay-whatyou-can program. “People understand our model of sustainability,” said Delaney. The Niagara Farm Project is another resource that has Delaney’s involvement. “It’s more than a community garden, it’s an eco-friendly initiative, a shift in perspective, a synergy in food cooperation,” she said. For more information on Delaney’s own food security movement, go to smallscalefarms.ca. Details of the Niagara Farm Project can be found at www.niagarafarmproject.ca.
Page 18
The Voice
A June 30 2021
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THE BALANCED LIFE by John Swart
Parry Sound journal—thoughts while kayaking Day One – An idle mind turns to philosophy
P
addling alone in the clear waters of Georgian Bay and area for a few days was the objective. Introspection and answering life’s big questions wasn’t on the agenda, at least until I left our driveway in Fonthill. The anticipation of leaving Niagara to kayak surrounded by the Canadian Shield’s pink granite, feeling winds blown across 50 kilometres of open water was exhilarating, yet it can be lonely out there. This little paddle holds no comparison to true explorers, those with
the courage to go where no one has gone before, but that little tinge of trepidation remains. These two emotions, anticipation and trepidation, make a powerful pair. Are they related? Do you need to experience one to feel the other? Does more trepidation heighten anticipation, potentially increasing the enjoyment of the activity? How does one strike the balance that most invigorates, and is that balance unique for each of us? Being on water changes everything for me. On land you think “I’ll figure something out, what’s the worst that can happen?” Water
is less forgiving, it simply doesn’t care. As I reach the southern end of Georgian Bay, the forests change. The spruce trees stand tall and green, yet many of the deciduous trees appear to be just beginning to bud. The thought temporarily disappears, and I arrive at my camp spot for the night. A nearby trail is a carpet of gypsy moth caterpillars and each squishy steps causes the unavoidable demise of many. Their falling excrement is so loud and the volume so great it sounds like rain. This invasive pest, brought purposely from Europe to North America in 1869, by New England artist L. Trouvelot, in a failed attempt to breed a more hardy silkworm, has stripped the forest bare. The effect is devastating, and the immediacy of the
mess is a slap in the face, the blow that finally makes the destruction we’ve caused to our environment real. It makes me sad as I realize how truly helpless the flora and fauna of this earth are to our callous indifference, and the questions tumble into my mind. Simple ones, like what will happen to the fall colours this year. More important
ones, such as how many years can a tree survive this onslaught before it simply gives up and dies? With all nature provides us, and the knowledge that our generation now has, why do we continue to defile her? For a brief moment I think of Pelham and our gypsy moth problem, and how that no matter how bad our situation is, someone some-
where else is always worse off. Then I recoil from that thought. How can we possibly measure our success by being relatively better off than someone else? Isn’t the measure of our humanity about lifting everyone up together? As my first day ends, balance returns, and I wonder See BALANCED LIFE Page 20
V oice HOROSCOPE ARIES – Mar 21/Apr 20 Aries, this week your mind may be pulling you in one direction while your heart may be dragging you in another. It can be challenging to choose which one to listen to. TAURUS – Apr 21/May 21 Taurus, seek the truth and you will find it easily. You have many questions and the answers are just waiting around the corner. You just need to know where to find them. GEMINI – May 22/Jun 21 Gemini, your modus operandi is working, even if it’s somewhat unconventional. Keep on doing what makes you happy, especially if it’s producing your desired results. CANCER – Jun 22/Jul 22 Cancer, give your body a good workout this week, especially if you’ve been letting things slide lately. Expending some energy will give you more energy. LEO – Jul 23/Aug 23 Familiar thoughts are flowing through your mind, Leo, and they seem like a broken record. Do your best to gain a new perspective and clear your mind. VIRGO – Aug 24/Sept 22 Virgo, do you feel like you’re working hard on something but not making much progress? Change your approach and even seek advice from others. LIBRA – Sept 23/Oct 23 Every day presents a new start and a chance to try new things, Libra. Learn from past opportunities, but don’t get discouraged about mistakes you once made.
SCORPIO – Oct 24/Nov 22 Situations this week are very fluid, Scorpio. One moment you feel quite at ease and the next you may seem uncomfortable and alone. Just keep moving on. SAGITTARIUS – Nov 23/Dec 21 Sagittarius, you’re skilled at zeroing in on the details and nuances in conversations. Your receptiveness and intuition are skills to be proud of. CAPRICORN – Dec 22/Jan 20 A relationship gets all fired up this week, Capricorn. A discussion sparks some heated debate, but things will not get out of control. Each of you is respectf ul of the other. AQUARIUS – Jan 21/Feb 18 Aquarius, team work is the name of the game this week. Embrace opportunities to work with others and welcome any help that comes your way. PISCES – Feb 19/Mar 20 Have fun this week, Pisces. But make sure that you are professional and polite if the activities involve coworkers or colleagues. FAMOUS BIRTHDAYS JUNE 27 H.E.R., Singer (24) JUNE 28 Elon Musk, Entrepreneur (50) JUNE 29 Nicole Scherzinger, Singer (43) JUNE 30 Mike Tyson, Boxer (55) JULY 1 Debbie Harry, Singer (76) JULY 2 Alex Morgan, Athlete (32) JULY 3 Olivia Munn, Actress (41)
SOLUTIONS DOWN 1. DAD 2. ACED 3. RRNA 4. DISC 5. SEEKER 6. RETIRED 7. OCARINA 8. HARAN 9. VMAARS 10. OLDS 12. DEE 14. TAKA 19. SATI 23. MYC 24. CETERA 25. PST 26. OCA 27. LIB 28. YAO 29. STRATA 34. DAR 35. ICE 36. TAN 37. SST 39. DRESSED 40. CALIBER 41. CST 42. APES 44. NICELY 45. IAMBI 46. SCAMP 47. REMS 48. RIDS 51. AAR 52. BIAS 53. ELBA 54. REBS 58. DIS
CROSSWORD ANSWERS
SOLUTIONS ACROSS 1. DARD 5. SRO 8. HMO 11. ACRID 13. EEC 14. TAAL 15. DENSE 16. ETA 17. ARAD 18. DACES 20. KIR 21. KARS 22. AMERICANS 25. POLYSTYRENE 30. SCIATIC 31. DAT 32. TABOR 33. EDITS 38. ADC 41. CARACAS 43. TRANSPARENT 45. ISRAELITE 48. RACE 49. SIC 50. SABER 55. IMAM 56. SBE 57. AILED 59. DBMS 60. EEL 61. RABBI 62. SIP 63. DRY 64. SASS
Enjoy our Take-out Fish & Chips Fridays! From our family to yours...stay safe
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The Voice
Page 19
A June 30 2021
FAITH LIFT
by Pastor Rob Weatherby
The knock on the door
O
ne thing I enjoyed as a pastor was that every week looked a bit different. Yes, there were the normal activities like visiting, message preparation, planning, children’s program, youth group, counselling and Sunday service. But then there were also the unplanned and the unexpected. Here is one example…
A pastoral visit
One day the phone rang. It was a local family reaching out for support in a time of need. An elderly man was dying and the wife and family (who were unchurched) wanted a pastor to visit. Living in a small, rural community, they knew me a bit. Their grandchildren had attended some of our youth programs. For them I was probably their “last resort” to say some sort of “last rites” over their loved one. I went right over. When I arrived I expected to be taken to the man’s bedroom for a private chat and prayer. Instead I found his hospital-sized bed in a large kitchen/dining room area. The room was full of family members — grown children and grandchildren of various ages. After greeting each family member and offering a few words of support, I was taken to the man’s bedside. He was still conscious but very weak.
fore. So I asked if anyone knew the meaning of the beautiful painting. No one did. So I took a few moments to explain it. The work was inspired by a verse in the last book of the Bible where Jesus says, “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him and he with me.” (Revelation 3:20) Sallman painted Jesus standing by a home and knocking on the door. The home represented someone’s life and the door was their heart. The pathway
leading to the door was surrounded by thorns and thistles which symbolized sin. Surprisingly, the door has no handle. Critics at first pointed out the omission until the artist explained that he had left out the handle on purpose. It meant that only the person on the other side could hear Jesus knocking and open the door. In the same way, only when a person decides by their own free will to repent of their sins and invite the Savior into their life, does He come in. See FAITH LIFT Page 16
A visual aid
I held the man’s hand and told him I had come to pray for him and his family at this difficult time. He nodded in affirmation. Before I prayed, I asked the family a question. I had noticed a large painting by the door as I came in. It was a famous work by Warner Sallman and entitled “Christ at Heart’s Door” (c. 1940). His wife had liked it and bought it at a garage sale years be-
Here’s How It Works: Sudoku puzzles are formatted as a 9x9 grid, broken down into nine 3x3 boxes. To solve a sudoku, the numbers 1 through 9 must fill each row, column and box. Each number can appear only once in each row, column and box. You can figure out the order in which the numbers will appear by using the numeric clues already provided in the boxes. The more numbers you name, the easier it gets to solve the puzzle!
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Voice
CROSSWORD
ANSWERS ON PAGE 18
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The Voice
Voice
RECIPE OF THE WEEK
4 Turkey Vegetable Pot Pie
Pot pie makes for a delicious meal, especially when home cooks go the extra mile and prepare homemade pie crust. Some may be intimidated by the idea of making their own pie crusts, but the following recipe for “Turkey Vegetable Pot Pie with Whole-Wheat Crust” from Michelle Dudash’s “Clean Eating for Busy Families” (Fair Winds) simplifies that process, ensuring a fun and easy time cooking and, ultimately, a delicious meal. Turkey Vegetable Pot Pie with Whole-Wheat Crust Serves 6 For the crust: 1 cup whole-wheat flour 1 cup all-purpose flour 1⁄4 teaspoon salt 2⁄3 cup corn oil 1⁄3 cup orange juice For the filling: 1 carton condensed cream of chicken soup (organic preferred) 1⁄2 cup low-fat milk 11⁄4 pound boneless, skinless turkey breast, thinly sliced into bite -size pieces 1 cup thinly sliced carrots (or frozen sliced carrots, thawed) 1 cup leeks, quartered lengthwise, then thinly sliced crosswise, using white and pale green parts only 3⁄4 cup thinly sliced celery 1⁄2 cup frozen peas, thawed 3 tablespoons whole-wheat flour 2 teaspoons dried herbes de Provence (or 1⁄2 teaspoon each thyme, rosemary and basil) 1⁄2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1⁄4 teaspoon salt To make the crust: Combine flours and salt in a medium bowl. Pour in oil and orange juice and stir until moistened. Press dough to flatten and chill. To make the filling: Blend soup and 1⁄2 cup of milk in a large bowl. Mix in the remaining ingredients. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Divide dough into 2 balls, one slightly larger than the other. Roll the larger ball between 2 large sheets of waxed paper until it is 1⁄8-inch-thick or until it fits in the bottom of a 9-inch pie pan. Remove the top sheet of waxed paper. Turn dough over and carefully place in the pie pan, removing remaining piece of waxed paper. Press out any bubbles and patch holes with scraps of dough. Pour filling into the prepared pan. Roll remaining dough and lay it on top. Cut any excess dough hanging from the edges and crimp the crust between your thumb and forefinger to seal. Cut a heart into the center to allow steam to escape. Place the pie on a sheet pan and bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes, until center of crust becomes golden and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the pie’s center reaches 165 F, covering browned edges only with foil about halfway through cooking. Remove the pie from the oven and allow it to rest for at least 5 minutes before cutting.
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A June 30 2021
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that although I may never learn the answers, knowing that I recognized the question is a beginning.
Day Two –Bring out the paddle
The plan is to drive to the launch at Snug Harbour, north of Parry Sound, paddle out to Franklin Island in Georgian Bay, and weather permitting, explore the exposed west-facing coast. At the launch seven guys around 60 years old are milling about, filling their kayaks and canoes with gear and beer for a few days on Franklin. We introduce ourselves, I tell them to take their time, I’ll squeeze my kayak into the water beside them, and then watch their reactions as a woman pulls up with a kayak on her car’s roof. Immediately the seven grey-haired guys become goofy schoolboys, each wanting more than the next to assist her, tell the best joke or quip, and generally smitten her with their charm. I wanted to ask myself why this routine never changes, but today had been declared question-free, so I just enjoyed the idiocy. A quick stop on the island to stretch my legs reminded me in dramatic fashion how quickly a sloppy decision can become a serious problem. My kayak was safely perched on rocks a half metre above calm water in a sheltered niche. As I strolled the granite shore close by, a huge power yacht roared past, its captain waving graciously. It was only as the wake was close to shore that I realized my boat was about to be lifted out to sea or smashed on the rocks. A quick scramble to lift the boat ensued, and all was well as I held it at waist height as the yacht’s wake crashed around my knees. Better still, I had been recording some thoughts just prior, and unwittingly left the recorder on. I now have two minutes of waves crashing about followed by 34 more minutes of rhythmic paddle stroke sounds with gulls crying in the background recorded to play any time I need nature’s calming in the future. It’s clear that on Georgian Bay’s outer islands the birds and animals haven’t ceded control yet. A bold, beautiful black raven scolds my entrance into her private fishing bay, unwilling to taking any guff. Red-winged blackbirds, walking on lily pads searching for bugs, pay no attention to either of us. A solitary snapping turtle guards the next rock cut along the coast. It defiantly stares me down, unprepared to seek shelter in the water like its timid Niagara painted turtle cousins. A deer
Nature strikes back in a neglected boat house. cautiously looks my way, assesses I’m no risk, and continues grazing. This is what I came here for. While talking back at the launch, two guys preparing to paddle out ask me how rough the water and wind was. I start to reply when I realize that I’d recorded my route on my Ride with GPS bicycling app, which also calculates elevation gain. I checked my phone and replied that it was fairly rough, but not bad, as my kayak had only climbed 187 metres during the 14K paddle. They were still processing that piece of useless analytical information as I drove away. A hike on Lookout Point Trail in Killbear Provincial Park became a run when I couldn’t resist the soft black earth carpeted with pine and spruce needles. Hard granite outcrops provided an excuse to walk and catch my breath — it was sublime.
Day Three – History lesson
Forecast average wind speed of 30 kph with gusts to 60 kph ruled out wide-open Georgian Bay today, so Nine Mile Lake, a sinuous channel-like lake with only a half-dozen modest water access cabins was today’s target of exploration. An extremely peaceful and quiet paddle led me to a 1927 hydro power generation dam which still stands, unused. I marveled respectfully about the men and engineers that built this remote project nearly 100 years ago. The kayaking this day was incredibly calm and natural, with no other humans around. When I realized what appeared to be an abandoned, decaying dock was actually a duck hunters’ blind, I startled myself with a spontaneous scream: “I hope the f***ing bears get you.” A second paddle to discover a dere-
JOHN SWART
lict, century old stone culvert under an abandoned rail line finished the day. Upon reaching the culvert, philosophy reared its ugly head again. The only reason to attempt paddling through this dark, debris-strewn passage was simply because it was there. All went well during this pointless risk, and the answer to why we do such things simply because the opportunity exists remains a mystery.
Day Four - Cottage country, just as imagined
I expected the price of paddling beneath the historic wooden trestle swing bridge that connects the Wasauksing First Nation of Parry Island to the mainland would be merely tolerating the ridiculous volume of boat traffic in Parry Harbour. The unmuffled roar of a seaplane approaching from behind corrected my assumption in a flash. After two more seaplanes whizzed overhead before splashing down, I figured I’d ventured onto their water landing strip, and my yellow kayak was functioning as a marker buoy. No ravens or snappers greeted me this day. It was an enormously gross yellow inflatable duck with a pirates patch over one eye that welcomed me into a cottage-strewn channel. These narrows were power boat territory, and if I wanted to be there in my kayak, that was my problem not theirs. I’d seen this movie before while riding my bicycle on the wrong road, and realized it was time to leave. As I paddled past an unkempt, neglected boathouse with its doors askew, nature provided a subtle sign of encouragement, an indication that perhaps she was more resilient than I’d guessed. In the slip where a yacht should have been tethered, a large, messy beavers’ home was under construction. ◆
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