New cannabis bylaw on the way page 3 Frustration in accessibility application page 8 Flying the Niagara skies page 10 EXCEEDING EXPECTATIONS
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Vol.24 No.11
March 18, 2020
Published every Wednesday
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The Great Shutdown Pelham, Niagara, nation in uncharted waters as authorities ramp-up response to global COVID-19 pandemic
Already shut for March Break, E. L. Crossley and all Ontario public schools have been closed by the province until at least April 5. BY JOHN CHICK
Special to the VOICE
With the number of global Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) cases passing 181,000 on Monday, governments and medical authorities worldwide ramped up efforts to stem the spread of the virus on an unprecedented scale. On Friday, the World Health Organization
(WHO) defended drastic measures that included nationwide lockdowns in Europe and cancelations of large-scale events in North America. “You must react quickly,” Dr. Michael J. Ryan, WHO’s executive director of health emergencies said at a Geneva news conference. “You must interrupt the chains of transmission. Speed trumps
perfection. The greatest error is not to move." The global mortality rate for the virus sat at 3.9 percent. While this number may sound relatively low, at that pace it could theoretically lead to hundreds of millions of deaths worldwide if the infection rate isn’t slowed. As of Monday, Canada had 415 confirmed cases and one death attributed to the
illness. Ontario health officials reported 179 cases as of Monday with no deaths. As of Monday morning, the Niagara Region reported three cases. Niagara Public Health and Emergency Services said the infected individuals were in contact with people who recently returned from Portugal, Egypt, and "Europe." On Friday, Prime Minister Jus-
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tin Trudeau—in self-quarantine himself, after his wife Sophie tested positive for COVID-19 — advised Canadians abroad to return to the country before international flights were further disrupted. U.S. President Donald Trump instituted a ban on flights to and from Europe last week. See SHUTDOWN back page
Page 2
The Voice, March 18, 2020
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How social distancing helps avoid overwhelming the health system
PUBLISHER’S CORNER
Prudence, not panic
O
n Saturday, as news of various Niagara closures started rolling in, my wife, Yasmin, and I took the dog for a walk around our neighbourhood. While the morning was on the cool side, the sun shone down brightly. That’s what happens in late winter, as the days get longer and the clouds fade. The sun seems to shine more strongly than even in the summer, for at this time of year the tree branches are still bare— there are no leaves to block the light—leaving the streets nearly glowing. “So many birds,” said Yasmin. We listened for another half block. She was right. We heard robins, mourning doves, crows, blue jays, all calling out to their friends: “It’s a beautiful day. Time to get going again.” Spring arrives this Thursday. The season of renewal begins. Yet I doubt that many of us are feeling particularly chipper about that right now. “All Canadians should stay home,” said the Prime Minister to the nation on Monday afternoon. No matter how you might otherwise feel about him, the Prime Minister is correct. His advice is prudent. Anyone doubting this should take a good hard look at the graph, upper right. It shows the effects of an unrestrained pandemic. It shows
what happened in Italy. Probably also in Iran. Possibly soon in the U.K., and in the U.S. This is not what we want to see happen in Canada. We need to “flatten the curve,” a phrase none of us had heard of two weeks ago and now can’t avoid. The way to flatten the curve is through “social distancing,” another term that seems to have been born in late February, but which has been around for decades—and in practice for centuries, as various plagues have come and gone. By limiting our contact with each other, we protect each other. We allow the health system to cope with the inevitable increase in COVID-19 cases that are headed our way. The only question is, how many and how fast. Given the steep rise in the infection curve in other countries, the math suggests that for every 1 diagnosed case, there are 50 undiagnosed infections. The rate of diagnosed cases doubles approximately every 3 to 4 days. Last Friday, the first Niagara case was confirmed. Three days later, on Monday, Niagara had three confirmed cases. Prudence, not panic, dictates that we take these numbers seriously, even if they seem low now. If the math holds, we will see 12 – 24 cases by this time next week.
Voice
Number of infected individuals
by Dave Burket
1,500,000
Number of sick people if we do NOT engage in social distancing
150,000
Hospital capacity to treat sick people
15,000
Number of sick people if we DO engage in social distancing
10 5
10
Hundreds by mid-April. The best way to slow the rate of infection is to keep our distance from each other, whether or not we’re feeling ill—and certainly if we are feeling ill. COVID-19 carriers can be infectious even in the absence of any symptoms. They themselves may not have any idea that they are contagious because they feel fine. Join the club if you’re suddenly alert to every tickle in your throat, every minor cough, any hint of a fever. It’s good to be aware, but let’s all agree not to overdo it. That’s the road to panic. Let’s also agree not to go nuts at the supermarket. Mental health experts have been falling over themselves explaining the psychology behind hoarding toilet paper. It’s a way for us to feel that we’re in control...of something. But let’s dial it back a
航 搜索
on vacation!
20
40
80
160
320
Days that the virus has been spreading notch. Less Lord of the Flies in the paper products aisle will leave us all in a better frame of mind. The finances are going to hurt. The world economy is almost certainly headed into recession, and Canada too. Staying at home means not patronizing local businesses the way we usually do. Mossimo’s Pizza has closed until early April. Peter Piper’s Pub has shifted to take-out orders only. We saw the cancellation of nearly $1,000-worth of ads in this week’s issue of the Voice. From airlines to local mom-and-pops, the pain is here. Yet do we really need to point out the obvious? Dead consumers don’t buy much. We’ll lick our wounds and, we hope, live to sell another day. Thankfully, if a mite belatedly, Pelham has opted to close the community centre. That’s good news for flattening the curve—for grandpar-
ADAPTED FROM THE CDC JIM SZEPLAKI
ents exposed to what the wee nippers might have taken home. (Literally as I wrote that line, an email arrived announcing that St. Catharines was closing down all municipal facilities—from City Hall to fire stations.) We might all best prepare to hunker down for longer than just two or three weeks. Two or three months is a better estimate. The odds of the public schools reopening this term look more remote by the day. Once more, that's a good thing. Let the storm rage, and blow on. The sun is bright again this afternoon as I get ready to send these pages to the printer. The kitchen window thermometer tells us it’s 10 degrees outside. The dog needs a walk, and so do we. We’re going to go listen to some birdsong, and talk about this summer’s garden. See you next week. ♦
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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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CARRIER
Theodore Huminilowycz at the Louvre Abu Dhabi, in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
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. Reid J. MCDONALD, 22, Niagara Falls Thomas J. ELLIS, 56, Niagara Falls Conrad J. NIEUWESTEEG, 24, Welland Shannon M. L. FEE, 31, Niagara Falls Marie G. P. LAREAU, 56, Niagara Falls Karrie L. GOBBI, 45, Welland Simon F. MORIELLO 27, Niagara Falls Gualtiero GIANSANTE, 55, Grimsby Silvana GROTTOLA, 56, Niagara Falls Gabriel D. JOHNS, 46, Niagara Falls Christine E. KEYES, 39, St. Catharines Taylor M. LASLO, 35, St. Catharines Sukhpreet S. GHUMAN, 22, Brampton William G. KRUCHKA, 67, Grimsby Angela ALBANO 36, Welland Conor M. VAN VEEN, 21, Niagara Falls
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The Comfort Maple myth
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Column Six
Growing up British
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 Public School's annual science fair last Friday. See story, page 3. NATE SMELLE PHOTO
Public meeting tonight on school issues BY VOICE STAFF As questions continue to mount regarding an email that Pelham Mayor Dave Augustyn quietly sent to a District School Board of Niagara trustee last summer, Augustyn has agreed to address the issue at a public meeting scheduled for this evening, Wednesday, Feb. 8, in Fenwick. Nancy Beamer, speaking for “Names Matter,” a Pelham citizens group lobbying the DSBN to reverse its decision to rename a local public school, confirms that the meeting will be held at Fire Station #2, known locally as the Fenwick Fire Hall, starting at 7:00 PM. While the Mayor has agreed to ap-
Under pressure, Mayor to address email revelation, other E. W. Farr matters pear, says Beamer, DSBN officials associated with the school-naming process have either declined to attend or have not yet responded to the group’s invitation. DSBN Chair, Dale Robinson, to whom Augustyn’s email was addressed last June, has declined to appear, says Beamer, asserting that she would be
“on holidays.” The Voice was unable to independently confirm Robinsion’s intentions. She did not respond to repeated requests for comment on E.W. Farr-related matters before presstime. Beamer, whose group maintains an email list of some 580 residents, says that all members of the public are invited and encouraged to attend the meeting. “We would especially welcome parents and children who are unhappy with the name change,” she says, referring to the contentious decision by the DSBN to consolidate two Pelham See MEETING back page
HEN I WAS young, my father and I would go for long drives along the rural routes of Pelham. We’d blast George Thurgood and roll down the windows because we loved the smell of the breeze, the sensation of crisp Niagara wind beating our cheeks and tangling our hair against our summer-kissed skin. My father was not a sentimental man. He worked in factories and had a Gordon Lightfoot mustache and never shed tears over injuries. Yet something about the Pelham landscape, the hilly backdrop to his childhood and the childhoods of our ancestors, drew him in. He’d stop by a farm or a gathering of woods and, surrendering his manly veneer, tell me a story about the town. This place is precious. This is the earth that granted us life. Here is the place where we happened upon love or here is a site of devastation. On one particular drive sometime in the late ‘90s we stopped at a tree with a plaque. “This tree looks dead,” I said to my father. “It sure is getting there, Julie.” The Comfort Maple is supposedly Canada’s oldest See COLUMN SIX Page 14
Part 2 of 2: Coronation to embarkation
Vol.20 No.32
BY VOICE STAFF
A construction error was discovered following the opening of a traffic calming chicane on Haist Street north of Hwy 20 last Monday that prevented large vehicles from passing through. One resident living in the neighbourhood said he contacted the Town after seeing a small schoolbus get stuck as it tried to get through the new traffic calming measure. Later that day while driving behind a cement truck, he said that he became concerned for the public’s safety when the truck had to turn around because it couldn’t get through. “If a small school bus and a cement truck can’t make it through what about a fire
BY HEATHER McLAREN ROHRER
Special to the VOICE
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
Wednesday October 12, 2016
FREE
Apple Day comes to Fonthill
See COLUMN SIX Page 14
BY VOICE STAFF
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
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.
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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
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Second year Beaver with the 3rd Fonthill Group, Russell Letford offers a fresh apple to shoppers SUPPLIED PHOTO in Pelham during the 2015 Apple Day campaign. A longtime Canadian tradition, Apple Day began in 1932 in Saint John, New Brunswick, when Scouts handed out 21,000 apples as a way to say thank you to the community. In return for their generosity, many people offered them donations. From then on Scouts have reached out through Apple Day to raise funds for their programs.
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Column Six It doesn’t get better than Autumn
Longtime Scouting tradition dates to 1932
While shopping in Fonthill between Friday and Sunday, keep an eye out for Beavers, Cubs and Scouts in front of local stores with bushels of apples. As part of the annual Apple Day campaign, Scouting youth of all ages will be trading apples for donations. The yearly fundraising drive is an important way for young Scouts to connect with the communities they are serving, says Leah Marie of Scouts Canada. “The Apple Day campaign holds a great tradition of being able to have youth interacting within the communities they live in,” she says. “All of the Apple Day donations stay directly within the group that re-
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BY VOICE STAFF The District School Board of Niagara is requesting that the Town of Pelham cede a portion of Cherry Ridge Park for use as a soccer field to serve the students of the new Wellington Heights Public School, formerly the E. W. Farr Memorial Public School, in Fenwick. Currently under renovation and expansion, the new school will combine students and staff from the previous school and Pelham Centre, where classes are being held while construction continues. Two letters, containing virtually identical text but signed by different authorities, were sent last week to nearby residents of the park, as well as to parents of Pelham Centre students. “The DSBN is currently building onto Wellington Heights Public School on Alsop Drive,” states the letter. “The size of the school's addition means the existing small soccer field will be eliminated. The Town and the Board have been discussing the possibility of working together to create a field for both the school and the
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“I start work at 2:30 PM and school lets out at 2:15 PM so I can’t take any other route,” Williams explained. “I have had friends, family, teachers and other community members reach out to me in the past about how this is unsafe and how there should be another alternative for us.” Looking ahead to winter, when she will need to walk this path three or four times See SIDEWALK Page 2
HERE IS NO BETTER time to cycle than Fall. It matters not whether you’re new to the sport, a seasoned recreational cyclist, racer, touring rider or mountain biker; we all have reason to look forward to autumn. Summer’s heat has faded, and the streams of sweat that ran from soggy helmets into our eyes are now just slight perspiration. Fitness is peaking from lots of saddle time, making those tough climbs of Spring a breeze in Autumn. It’s hard to beat the feeling of beginning a crisp, cool Fall ride with a slight shiver, knowing your efforts will soon warm you perfectly. The hues of Autumn are outstanding. A Pelham route as simple as following our southern boundary is one that would make most Toronto cyclists jealous, especially when our forests and fields are ablaze with colour. Begin from Harold Black Park, and zig-zag south along Effingham Rd toward the Welland River. If you’re new to cycling, it’s important to know south is the direction away from any hills. If you avoid the morning and evening weekday rush hours caused by those travelling through Pelham between Wainfleet See AUTUMN Page 3
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The Voice, March 18, 2020
Page 3
New cannabis bylaw close to completion
They're experimenting, and nobody knows what the best practice is
Committee aims to meet deadline, crucial council vote comes next week BY DON RICKERS
Special to the VOICE
Pelham’s Cannabis Control Committee (CCC) met last Tuesday, March 10, to review the first draft of a new cannabis odour bylaw, presented by Nick McDonald of Meridian Planning Consultants. McDonald has 30 years experience advising municipalities across the province, and told the committee that he has a sound working knowledge of the cannabis industry. His firm worked with the Town of Halton Hills in 2018, when they were exploring various types of cannabis-related land uses from a policy and regulatory perspective. Along with the consultant and committee members, Mayor Marvin Junkin, town Chief Administrative Officer David Cribbs, and Planning and Development Director Barb Wiens were present at the meeting. Microclimates exist in the northern part of Pelham which make it difficult to assess and determine impacts from cannabis odour, said McDonald. With that in mind, he developed an Official Plan amendment that basically pre-identifies areas in the Town where cannabis processing could occur, subject to a zoning bylaw amendment process and fulfill-
ment of a host of criteria. But the pre-identification of where cannabis can grow does not extend into the Greenbelt area. “If a cannabis grower wanted to locate within the Greenbelt, in accordance with this strategy, they would have to amend both the Official Plan and the zoning bylaw,” said McDonald. “By pre-identifying where the growers can locate, we're clearly indicating to the industry that you'll have an easier time of getting approval outside of the Greenbelt,” said McDonald. He cautioned that this is predicated on the Town having credible experts who in court could provide sound technical arguments to defend this decision. And McDonald could provide no assurances that a court would rule in Pelham’s favour. CCC member and Pelham greenhouse operator Louis Damm said that the big cannabis producers have their operations entirely indoors. He maintains that the number one problem is that many of these operators have made mistakes with regard to sizing the facility, as they retrofitted old greenhouses that were too low and short. Advanced ventilation system technology is available, but
Pelham Mayor Marvin Junkin, gestures as he makes a point at last Tuesday's Cannabis Control Committee meeting. DON RICKERS it’s not a licensing requirement. The new facilities have much better control over odour. “They’ve rushed to market to establish their position. They're innovators. They have their brand, and they’re looking for a quick profit,” said Damm. Damm suggested that cannabis growers do not operate as do farmers. “Farmers have better communication. They work together. Whereas cannabis producers are out for themselves, they’re not interested in learning best practices from each other. They're experimenting, and nobody knows what the best practice is. And we’re seeing the result.” Discussion moved on to the establishment of buffer distances from densely-populated areas in the Town. With existing cannabis facilities in Pelham, McDonald said that there were a couple of different approaches possible.
“One is to recognize the existing use, but not allow any expansion beyond what exists…what I would call ‘shrink wrapping.’ The other option is to come up with something reasonable in terms of expansion that can proceed without being subject to penalties. Both have significant implications.” In the first case, there would be a high likelihood of a court challenge by the cannabis growers. Thus far, the Town has been challenged by three local cannabis operators either in court or at the Local Planning Appeal Tribunal (LPAT). Last Friday, committee chair Tim Nohara and Councillor Mike Ciolfi (the designated council member on the committee) met with the Voice to reflect on the committee’s work. Nohara asserted that last September, the community spoke loudly and clearly to Town Council that residents were suffering ad-
verse effects from cannabis odour being vented by the primary grow operations in town, amongst other issues. With other cannabis operations looking to gain a foothold in Niagara, residents wanted action. Odour is not the only concern Pelham residents have with cannabis operations. Light pollution, traffic noise, reduction of agricultural lands, adverse impacts from groundwater flow and contamination of drinking water and septic, environmental impacts and habitat loss for wildlife—all potentially leading to loss of property value—are all on worrisome. “Residents told council, do a good job with it,” said Nohara. “If our taxes need to go up, if you need to spend money on lawyers, do the best thing for Pelham. That's fair and reasonable and that's what we're trying to accomplish. We knew we would face legal challenges from the cannabis growers. We're pioneering, meaning there is no case law. The cannabis industry is new. The lawyers don't have a crystal ball either, and that's why it takes so much work. There's no simple process. We're creating, hopefully, a new best practice and a regulatory framework. And we See BYLAW Page 12
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Stay up to date on gypsy moth The recommendation to move forward with a gypsy moth spray program utilizing the $150,000 approved budget is moving forward. This option provides aerial spraying for 33 hectares of municipal property and 90 hectares of private property. Identifying spray blocks and the locations to receive the application will now commence. Once the spray blocks have been identified, maps identifying the areas receiving the aerial spray program will be made available. To stay up to date with all gypsy moth related information, subscribe to:
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The Voice, March 18, 2020
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OPINION
The opinions expressed in submitted commentary and letters to the editor are those of the contributors and not necessarily those of the Voice of Pelham.
The Voice of Pelham is a 1211858 Ontario Limited publication David Burket, Publisher 2-1428 Pelham St., P.O. Box 1489, Fonthill, ON L0S1E0
COMMENTARY / OP-ED Larry Coté Once bitten, twice shy
T
wo years ago I used this space to write about my bout with one of the strains of the flu that was prevalent during that flu season. More generally, the article was to commend the absolutely marvelous care I received from Niagara’s medical community during the seven days of confinement in the Welland General Hospital. As a result of this experience, to my consternation and surprise, the doctors diagnosed me to have Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). As a result of having that disease, likely due to years of smoking, and my being of senior age, contracting the flu is both easy and potentially lethal. And so, with the onset of another strain of a lethal virus, COVID-19, it is crucial for this immune-compromised person, and others so afflicted, to take extra cautious measures to avoid situations where we might encounter people who may be carrying this new disease. Interestingly, medical experts report that COVID-19 has a moderately debilitating affect on the younger set. However, it can have very serious consequences
for the senior members of the community as well as others who may have some type of immune compromised condition. Some from the younger set might flippantly observe that seniors in their milieu
In my case, I do not wish to spend another furlough in the hospital
may be overreacting to this current viral event. In my case, I do not wish to spend another furlough in the hospital even though my recent treatment there was exemplary. Also, why should I be allowed to become a burden on my caregivers due to my own unmitigated negligence. I intend to follow the health practitioners’ guidelines in practicing hygiene, social distancing, and avoiding any unnec-
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essary contact with large public gatherings. Medical practitioners are fervently imploring that all those who may demonstrate virus symptoms will voluntarily self-isolate themselves to help diminish the spread of this dreadful disease. There is not enough space here to explore the consequences this pandemic is having on the national and international economies. For example, the TSX and NYSE are breaking new bear market records. To further demonstrate the perils of this pandemic, professional sports organizations, as well as schools, theaters, markets and other assemblage venues have cancelled or postponed operations. That listing of cancelled events and travel destinations is growing exponentially, almost by the hour. It is important to fully understand the name of this current virus and perhaps gain an even greater appreciation of its significance. The medical community labelled this as a “novel” coronavirus. The adjective novel describes or modifies the noun (the virus) to be strange, unfamiliar, and
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www.thevoiceofpelham.ca EDITOR & PUBLISHER Dave Burket publisher@thevoiceofpelham.ca ADMINISTRATION Lori Gretsinger office@thevoiceofpelham.ca CONTRIBUTORS Carolyn Botari, Colin Brezicki, Rosemary Chambers, John Chick, Larry Coté, Brian Green, Jenica Hrysko, Maeve Keating, Megan Metler, Bill Potrecz, Bernie Puchalski, Don Rickers, John Swart, Helen Tran, Mike Tucker, Rob Weatherby. Proof Sleuth: Julian Fitch NEWS INQUIRIES & TIPS editor@thevoiceofpelham.ca LETTERS TO THE EDITOR letters@thevoiceofpelham.ca ADVERTISING INQUIRIES advertising@thevoiceofpelham.ca
Appreciates Town's "Strike Camp" In a time of overwhelming negative headlines, I would like to draw attention to a fantastic program the Town of Pelham has offered—the one-day “Strike Camp.” As working parents of young children with no family support in the region, we have been incredibly thankful to have this childcare option available. It is well organized and great fun for the kids. Well done, Town of Pelham! Lara Gunton Fonthill
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Sam Oosterhoff, MPP 4961 King St. East, Unit M1 Beamsville, ON L0R 1B0 sam.oosterhoffco@pc.ola.org 905-563-1755 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
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The Voice, March 18, 2020
Page 5
OPINION Chicken and the egg...and dinosaurs
Special assessment easier to add to property tax bills than separate charge
Pastor Weatherby raises the perennial question, “Which came first, the chicken or the egg.” [Faith Lift, “Which came first…,” Mar. 4, p. 19.] Birds and chickens are the “closest living relatives of dinosaurs,” says the Oxford English Dictionary. Dinosaurs became extinct about 65 million years ago. Fossilized dinosaur eggs have been found worldwide. They are traded. I think the appropriate question should be: Which came first, the dinosaur or the egg? Whatever the answer to this question, it certainly occurred a long time ago. Alan Bown Fonthill
I watched the Town Council debate on the 2020 Gypsy Moth program and read the Voice’s coverage of it last week. The debate about adding additional spray areas, I thought, was waylaid by the way in which the additional $350,000 cost was proposed to be managed. The request to have special bills of $50 per home based on doing a manual process by staff was, to me, not well thought through. Had Council wanted
In memory of Ginger It is beyond, far beyond my comprehension, how any human being could run over a cat and just keep driving! To not even stop and at least move the kitty off the middle of the road is so disturbing. This person will actually drive home, go to bed, wake up the next day and feel no remorse, guilt or sadness. Psychopathic if you ask me! It is appalling, and angers me that this little kitty, lying in the middle of a busy road, may be someone’s pet, may be a stray. Every car just sped down the road like the cat was a dirty sock on the street. We help out these poor helpless stray cats by feeding them daily. This little guy was one of our feral cats. Tears filled my eyes as we watched numerous cars drive around him and even over him, until we could safely pick him off the road. I couldn’t help but feel alone in my sadness. My only hope is this person who killed our kitty doesn’t have pets. God help them. Catherine Dickinson Ridgeville
BITTEN
continued from previous page having recently come into existence. “Coronavirus” refers to a group of viruses causing a variety of diseases in humans and animals. There appears to be plenty of evidence that the general population is taking precautions and measures to avoid and hopefully, mitigate the eventual impact that COVID-19 will have on people in their community. Meanwhile, do your part. Regularly and thoroughly wash your hands, sneeze or cough into your sleeve or a tissue, maintain social distancing from others—including not shaking hands— and self-isolate if you experience any flu-like symptoms. ♦
to spend the additional $350,000 amount, perhaps they could have done so by instructing staff to apply a special assessment for that cost in the manner described by the CAO. In 15 minutes, using data from the Town’s website, I created a spreadsheet to show what a $350,000 cost would translate into as a charge to individual assessed valued properties. Rounding to the nearest dollar, for a home assessed at $450,000 the charge
Are we prepared?
I sit in my chair and often wonder why some people are ignorant. I’m blind, and have not had a problem up until the last year. Thank goodness for good neighbours. My garbage cans were in the ditch for the third time. I struggle everyday with one vehicle that insists on parking on the sidewalk, where I walk with my seeing eye dog every day. The Town has been informed. Niagara waste has done nothing but finally today the Town is trying to deal with the parked vehicle. But accessibility in this town sucks. It is easier to get around in other towns than here. I know people are people, and it’s different than when we grew up. But I have said time and time again that the disabled don’t have the same voice as the average person. From doors, to counter heights, sidewalks, ramps…. I have even asked for a blind sign to be put near my home so people slow down on Foss Road. And it has not happened. That’s been a three-year adventure. All I ask is that you inform people that they are not alone. There are people out there that need assistance to get around. Nikki Lelie Fenwick
“Be Prepared” is the motto that Guides were taught. As there is much we do not know about coronavirus, it is a challenge to know how to prepare. What risk do we take by travel? Do we cancel March vacation? No cruises would seem wise, given recent history. Has Telehealth been instructed as to how to direct the public? Are our hospitals onboard with common procedures? Be prepared by asking your doctor and your pharmacist. Each municipality should initiate public information. Louise Morgan Fonthill
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the Rim” will now have to be all-digital. The original promotion was going See TIM'S next page
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and each taxpayer paying the appropriate charge based on the assessed value of their property — the normal basis Town tax is charged. I may be wrong, but I would not visualize Mr. Kore, in his own well- run business, wanting to create more work and cost to manually calculate a business option were a computer system available to achieve his objective. Doug Symington Fonthill
Inconsiderate parking just the tip
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would be $65. A $750,000 home would be charged $109. A $1,050,000 home would be charged $153 With that approach, Town Council could have approved the additional spray cost — had that been their desire — and then had staff send out a Special Gypsy Moth Assessment, based on the computer systems in place. I think that would have been a more appropriate way to achieve the desired result. The spray program would then be done
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NEWSFLASH Tell us your story! Column Six presents tales of personal triumph, adventure, strange-but-true stories, life-changing events, and looks-back at our past. Did you conquer Everest or kick a bad habit? Everyone has a story. Tell us yours! NOW ALSO ACCEPTING FICTION— SHORT STORIES UP TO 2000 WORDS! Write it down, send it in: publisher@thevoiceofpelham.ca (You won’t get rich, but you will get paid.)
Page 6
Letters
The Voice, March 18, 2020
www.thevoiceofpelham.ca
continued
TIM'S
continued from previous page to have paper cups for the first two weeks of the contest. April 7 is still the last day that “Roll up the Rim” will end. My opinion on the matter was that of frustration. I wanted to have paper cups like Tim Hortons promised, but now I realize that health and safety are important. As a customer, I’m also at risk of catching the superbug by touching these cups just as much as the employees. Next, we need to ask ourselves whether the company going to go paperless altogether next year or in ten years. I’m not referring to the time of the year where there is no contest, therefore these paper cups are non-prize related. Until someone invents an alternative, there will be no other option. Even without this annual promotion, I
The company cannot risk having any individual get ill, because of possible infected people who purchase a drink and then spread the disease
enjoy the new loyalty program. Tim Rewards is an excellent program. The company needed to offer this because McDonalds has a free small or medium coffee after every seventh sticker on each cup. The difference between the two rewards is that Tim Hortons lets you pick any size of coffee or tea that you want after you reach your reward level of 70 points. I still plan on buying hot beverages at McDonalds, and other local chains such as The Black Sheep Lounge in Welland.
In conclusion, I think the fabled coffee chain Tim Hortons has made the right choice in discarding all “Roll up the Rim” cups. The company cannot risk having any individual get ill, because of possible infected people who purchase a drink and then spread the disease to the employees. There is the risk that myself, or another customer gets sick with the dreaded coronavirus. How many of you agree that all paper cups for this contest need to go in the trash? Brendan Young Fonthill
BEAUTY AWARD FOR FIREFIGHTERS There may be no more flaming hunk calendars out of the St. Kitts’ fire department, but Pelham Station 3, Shorthills Fire and Rescue, was February’s recipient of the Town of Pelham’s “Thank You Card” initiative from the Pelham Beautification Committee. Station 3 volunteer firefighters continued their community tradition of creating an outdoor skating rink, in a field adjacent to the fire station, for residents and visitors to use at leisure. “The ice rink is a popular winter skating destination and is a great example of fostering civic pride through community involvement,” said Vice-Chair Cynthia Roberts. Pictured are volunteer firefighters William Nuun (at goal), while Greg Haegns (with shovel) and retired captain Jack Junkin look on in the background. SUPPLIED
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The Voice, March 18, 2020
Page 7
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Page 8
The Voice, March 18, 2020
www.thevoiceofpelham.ca
TOWN COUNCIL NEWS
Council hears from frustrated homeowners Planning meeting held over Quaker Road duplex, permit for accessibility upgrades BY JOHN CHICK
Special to the VOICE
Misfortune met bureaucracy last Monday when Pelham Town Council held a planning meeting regarding an unauthorized duplex residence on Quaker Road. As reported in the Voice in December, Del Laney and her husband, Rick, are caught between a rock and a hard place with the home they’ve lived in since 1987 (coincidentally, the last time that Pelham’s zoning bylaws were updated). In 1999, they constructed a “granny suite” for Del’s mother to live in. After her mother passed away, they rented the space out to another couple. Two decades later, Rick is living with a severe disability after an automobile accident. Their home now needs substantial accessibility upgrades, something that requires a building permit under provincial law. However, that permit cannot be granted until the
house is re-zoned —along with related fees paid —to reflect the duplex that it is. Council agreed to fasttrack the matter in December, but the Laneys are now frustrated to the point where they’re willing to sacrifice the second unit— and evict their friends — in order to get the needed accessibility upgrades constructed. “We want an accessibility permit. This is very difficult,” Del Laney said, sighing. “My husband needs it. The insurance had put forward a plan that was enormous, to the tune of $500,000. And that was turned down. Eventually Rick will be in a wheelchair. Whether or not we have this rezoning, I don’t really care anymore. I’m tired of it. We want accessibility. That’s what we need. We want to stay in our house, we’ve lived there for 32 years … I will give [the granny suite] up if I can get accessibil-
ity. I don’t like the idea of evicting people, especially when you have no affordable housing in town. This is something that should have been put on your books a long time ago.” Mayor Marvin Junkin credited Laney for taking the “correct steps,” while other councilors did seem willing to work toward a resolution that would keep the existing duplex. Councillor Ron Kore asked staff if it was possible to grandfather the house as is, but bar the arrangement if it is sold. Director of Community Planning and Development Barb Wiens said no. “There is no mechanism to that through zoning,” Wiens said. “The Planning Act does not allow for that.” Curiously however, the home immediately next to the Laneys is zoned as a triplex— because it was grandfathered in before 1987.
Resident Del Laney speaks before Pelham Town Council on Monday, March 9. Laney summarized the family’s frustration by saying of Wiens, “Barb told us, if we’d never come forward with that accessibility plan, then no one would’ve been the wiser.” Bureaucracy aside, the Laneys have also faced pushback from nearby residents. Normand Mailhot —who didn’t show up at the planning meeting to speak —wrote to the Town that he is opposed to any zoning amendments. “I am afraid of the impact it will have on any future real estate values in the homes surrounding this property, and no one can say to me that it will be
beneficial,” Mailhot wrote. “I built here in 1987 under a certain set of known facts about the zoning and the future plans for the neighborhood and I made a decision based on that.” Laney seemed exasperated by her neighbours’ opposition. “I don’t know the people who are opposing us. They probably don’t even know us. There’s four people in our house. We live on an acre. You want densification, and I’m trying to give it to you,” she said, citing the official provincial government plan calling for higher densities in built-up areas.
We would like you all to know that we have an abundance of apples still available at the farm. Apples are one of the most nutritious fruits to stay healthy. We are taking all of the important measures of wiping down door handles and any other surfaces that people could come in contact with—the farm is a very safe place to shop. We also have fresh mushrooms, carrots, beets, cucumbers and many more items available for purchase. Please consider taking the drive out to the farm, and we thank you for your support during this time of uncertainty.
Let a taste of summer warm your spirits! From our own orchards— Canned peaches, pears, apple sauce, sweet cherries and more!
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“I feel like I’m being bullied on one side, and bullied on another because no one wants to meet us in the middle.” Yet not all area residents seemed to be opposed to the Laneys. Nigel Shelton — the only neighbour to speak at the meeting — wanted more information about the situation. He seemed concerned that the property could be subdivided and sold separately, but Wiens told him that this wasn’t the case. “[It] can’t be sold as separate units,” she said. Council voted to take the matter under consideration.
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The Voice, March 18, 2020
Page 9
Area seniors residences taking varying precautions BY JOHN CHICK
Special to the VOICE
While North America enters an unprecedented phase of response to the global coronavirus outbreak, local seniors’ residences are taking varying steps to protect against the spread of COVID-19. Lookout Ridge Retirement Community, on Highway 20 in Fonthill, is not in “lockdown,” General Manager Chandra Hardeen stressed, but said the facility began barring all visitors on Saturday. “The decision to prohibit visitors is not a step that we have taken lightly, as we
know how important it is for residents to visit with their loved ones,” Hardeen said in a statement. “However, our immediate priority and responsibility is to minimize the risk of infection and keep our residents and staff safe. We are monitoring the situation very closely and are prepared to change our response and protocols as the situation evolves.” Residents are free to come and go from the building. Woodlands of Sunset, on Pelham Street, is also closed to visitors. Shorthills Villa on Pelham Street isn’t barring visitors, but says it has enacted
a “screening process” for them. “We are screening everyone coming in with a short questionnaire,” employee Lisa Horvath said. The questionnaire asks potential visitors about their recent health and travel history. If the answers are not to staff’s liking, or if the visitor displays any cold symptoms, they won’t be allowed in. Potential visitors at all facilities are advised to call ahead to all facilities given the fluid situation. Seniors and those with compromised immune systems are at an elevated risk from COVID-19. While the global mortality rate for the
First Niagara COVID-19 cases BY JOHN CHICK
Special to the VOICE
Niagara Region Public Health and Emergency Services confirmed Monday the area’s third case of Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19). According to a statement from the Region, a 47-year-old man with a recent travel history to "Europe" is now in self-isolation at home. The statement said the patient only interacted with family members during the time he may have been contagious, and it is believed nobody else in the community was exposed. “All protocols were followed by health care providers resulting in no exposure of themselves nor other patients,” it said. “As we continue to see growing COVID-19 cases around the world, we expect to continue to see travel-related cases in Niagara,” said Dr. Mustafa Hirji, medical officer of health (acting), Niagara Region Public Health and Emergency Services. Niagara’s first case of COVID-19 was confirmed just last Friday. In that case, a connection to international travel may also be involved. An 84-year-old male was admitted to Niagara Health’s St. Catharines hospital site for another issue. A Regional statement said that a family member of the man recently returned from Portugal. That individual is now said to be self-isolated. The Region advises anyone with a fever, or new cough, or shortness of breath and
difficulty breathing, and any of the following, to contact Niagara Region Public Health and Emergency Services by calling 905-688-8248 ext. 7019 or toll-free 1-888505-6074: • Travelled outside of Canada in the 14 days before onset of illness • Close contact with a confirmed case of COVID-19 • Close contact with a person with acute respiratory illness who travelled to affected areas within 14 days prior to their illness onset The best way to prevent the spread of respiratory viruses, including COVID-19 is to: • Avoid all non-essential international travel, as recommended by Provincial and Federal health authorities • Wash your hands often with soap and water or with alcohol-based hand rub • Stay home if you’re sick • Cover coughs and sneezes with a tissue or sleeve • Do not shake hands • Clean and disinfect high touch surfaces daily. Use a disinfectant and follow manufacturer’s instructions. Call ahead if visiting your health care provider for infectious symptoms so they can plan to protect others from spread “As this is an evolving situation,” reads the statement, “we continue to remind everyone the importance of using credible sources to stay informed.”
virus was at 3.7 percent as of Saturday, it rises to approximately six percent of those infected over age 60. In a fairly drastic move Saturday, Quebec Premier Francois Legault urged those over 70 in the province to not leave their homes. “For younger people, the risks are very low. I would like to reassure young people, even if you are infected, the risks are quite low,” Legault said at a press conference. “But as a society, we should do everyone we can to protect older people.” Canada’s only death attributed to the outbreak as of Saturday was an 80-year-old male resident of a seniors’ home in North Vancouver, B.C., that has seen three other residents or employees fall ill. Further to that, the Niagara chapter of the Canadian Association of Retired
Persons (CARP) said Saturday that they are cancelling
The decision to prohibit visitors is not a step that we have taken lightly meetings and events until further notice. “It is in the best interest of our membership that we cancel upcoming general membership events and meetings until such time as we can be sure that our members, who are at a greater risk for experiencing severe effects from the coronavirus, are not placed at an elevated risk by attend-
ing large public gatherings,” CARP Niagara education coordinator Helen Ringall said. “It seems incumbent on us to be part of the vigilance needed for older adults in the face of the pandemic.” Niagara had two confirmed cases of the coronavirus as of Sunday—an 84-yearold man and a 55-year-old woman. According to Niagara Region Public Health and Emergency Services, the man had a family member recently return from Portugal, while the woman has a recent travel history to Egypt. Niagara Health also announced over the weekend that visitor restrictions and screening will be in place at all the Region’s hospitals beginning this week. Policies include limiting visitors to one at a time in inpatient units, and only allowing one other person to accompany a patient to a clinic.
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The Voice, March 18, 2020
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The sky is the limit Young pilot hopes to pursue career flying heavy metal BY DON RICKERS
Special to the VOICE
Few 16-year-old highschoolers get to regularly gaze down upon Niagara from 3000 feet, but it’s all part of William Hamilton’s flight plan. A Grade 11 student at E. L. Crossley Secondary School, in Fonthill, Hamilton has been dreaming of a career in aviation since he was a boy. What’s the attraction? “I love the freedom…you can go wherever you want. And you don't have to constantly worry about people who are going to cut you off, like you do on the roadways,” he said. Born in England, Hamilton’s first passion as a child was trains. But when the family moved back to Canada, the plane ride from London to Toronto had a big impact on him. By the time he was 10, he had several trans-Atlantic flights under his belt. He was hooked on flying, and made the decision to make it his career. The wheels were finally set in motion by a minor sports injury. “I broke my finger playing soccer in September 2017. My dad felt sorry that I was sidelined, so he said we should both take up flying. Dad flew until last summer, and then he stopped because he just didn't have enough free time. I kept going,” said Hamilton. At age 14, he was by far the youngest in the ground school class of 30 students. Two nights a week, he was at the Niagara District Airport learning aerodynamics, navigation, air law, meteorology, and aircraft systems. Forty hours of classroom theory culminated in a three-hour written examination, which Hamilton recently passed. He has 55 hours logged in the air thus far, of which seven were solo flights. David Papaiz, Hamilton’s primary flight instructor at the St. Catharines Flying Club, said that the Pelham youngster is probably the top learner he has worked with out of almost 50 students. “William works very hard on his aviation theory, and is highly motivated,” said Papaiz “He’s performing aerial maneuvers at the commercial pilot level, but unfortunately won’t be able to take the commercial test until he turns 18.” Papaiz has logged about 800 hours and has ambitions of working for an airline as well. Flight instruction, and military service, are two traditional routes to commercial flying jobs. To obtain a Recreational Pilot Permit (RPP), one must be at least 16 years old, and have logged at least 25 hours in the air (of which at least five must be solo hours). This certification allows the pilot to fly a single-engine aircraft exclusively under visual flight rules (VFR) during daylight hours, with not more than one passenger on
William Hamilton stands in front of the Piper Warrior on which he earned his wings board, and all flights must be conducted within Canadian airspace. A Private Pilot License (PPL) requires that the candidate be a minimum of 17 years old, with a minimum flight time of 45 hours (12 of which must be solo, including five hours of cross-country flights). Medical examinations are required for both licenses. As hobbies go, flying is an expensive one. The average cost to obtain a Recreational Pilot Permit (RPP) is about $7,000. Bank on an additional $15,000 for a Private Pilot’s License (PPL). A Commercial Pilot’s License (CPL) will cost upwards of $25,000 more, and candidates need to have already logged at least 200 hours of flight time. To be considered by a commercial airline, a pilot would need to present over a 1,000 logged hours at the controls, and a number of special ratings. Cumulative costs approaching $100,000 would not be unusual. Working part-time defrays some expenses. “I was paper delivery boy for the Voice up until a few years
ago,” said Hamilton. “I work at Lookout Point Golf Club now in the summers.” His parents, Ian and Laure Hamilton, know that aviation jobs are on the upswing, and the high cost of certification should pay off down the road for their son in a lucrative career with an airline. A December 2019 article published by Global News indicated that Canada will need 7,300 new commercial pilots by 2025 as demand for air travel increases, and senior pilots retire. Worldwide, estimates are that the global demand for new pilots will hit 255,000 by 2027, with the majority yet to start the long process of training and logging flying hours. Upon graduation from high school, Hamilton has pretty much decided that he wants to attend Western University, in London, which offers a four-year commercial aviation management program (the only one of its kind in Canada) as an offshoot of its standard business degree. His mathematics and physics marks are solid, so admission shouldn’t be an issue.
Flight training sometimes involves being purposely placed in situations which would make many shriek in panic. Spin avoidance would be one, when the plane stalls, the nose falls, and the plane starts to drop. Recovering from these “power-on” and “power-off stalls” is drilled into flying students until recovering from them is automatic. There is no Plan B. With few exceptions—such as high performance aerobatic aircraft—once a plane enters a spin, it doesn’t come out. “One of the most tense procedures is called the ‘forced approach,’” said Hamilton. “We fly to a designated area where the government allows us to practice maneuvers at low altitudes. At about 3,000 feet your flight instructor will pull back on the throttle and tell you that you just lost your engine, and then you have to safely maneuver the plane with no power towards a safe landing approach on a field or roadway.” Another training maneuver that takes plenty of practice to get right is the “soft field”
DON RICKERS
landing, as on sandy beaches or grassy meadows. The goal is to keep weight off the landing gear as much as possible until the plane comes to a halt, avoiding digging-in and nosing-over into the ground surface. The landing approach is made as slowly as is safe, with the pilot holding the nose up as lift gradually dissipates under the wings. Hamilton recently completed his first solo cross-country flight, from St. Catharines to St. Thomas, with a touch-and-go in Hamilton. He flies a low-wing Piper Warrior, which seats four, and has a 160-horsepower, four-cylinder engine. “I usually cruise at 100 knots (185 km/hr) with a ceiling of about 3,000 feet, although I was at 6,500 feet during my solo trip to St. Thomas.” Within the next few months, Hamilton expects to have achieved all the necessary requirements for his PPL…with one exception. He won’t yet be 17 years old. So he’ll just have to wait until his next birthday before the formal documentation goes through.
www.thevoiceofpelham.ca
The Voice, March 18, 2020
STOP. SHAKING.
HANDS. COVID-19 spreads easily through hand-to-face contact. Carriers of the virus may not know they are ill or show symptoms. The two most effective means to reduce transmission are to eliminate physical contact (hugs, kisses, and handshakes), and to wash your hands often with warm soapy water.
Page 11
Page 12
The Voice, March 18, 2020
BYLAW
continued from Page 3 will be tested.” The odor bylaw is coming to council on March 23 for discussion and potential approval. Work is also being conducted in concert with the Niagara Escarpment Commission. The committee now has a first draft and a process to review that draft, make revisions, and receive input from Town
staff. “I think what will be presented on the 23rd is the right balance,” continued Nohara. “It’s critical that it gets passed, and quickly. We are running out of time. There will be differences of opinion. Are we pushing hard enough? Have we gone too far? Some people will be upset with the compromises that we've made.” Ciolfi said that the committee and Town staff need to quickly reflect on the
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consultant’s draft, since they saw it for the first time last Tuesday. “At the public meeting last September, Town staff did research and gave us an excellent starting point. The committee now is up to speed on the research and the approaches and the trade-offs,” said Ciolfi. The committee intends to deal with the odour bylaw first, and Official Plan and zoning bylaw amendments second. “We have an interim control bylaw that expires on July 15th this year,” said Nohara. “And there are serious consequences if we don't pass everything by that date.” Nohara stressed that there is an incentive for the Town to reduce its legal risk in the face of potential challenges. If cannabis producers appeal any one of the Town’s bylaws that are passed within the interim control bylaw period, the interim control bylaw is automatically extended until the appeal is heard, which could be a year or two down the road. But if the new bylaw is not passed until after July 15, and that bylaw gets appealed by the cannabis growers’ lawyers, there's no extension. The bylaw dies. “That’s why it’s so critical
CHRISTENSEN, Trevor
Consultant Nick McDonald. DON RICKERS we get the work done now,” said Nohara. Nohara and Ciolfi were quick to praise the contributions of their fellow CCC members. “We have great farmers, who know the tender fruit industry of the Greenbelt, and understand farm practices,” said Nohara. “We have engineers on the committee. So we're really fortunate to have a broad set of expertise that helps us research and push the envelope of what's possible, and then assess and balance that against planning practices and legal challenges. We’re trying to find the right sweet spot, if you will, that will improve the lot for residents against the adverse effects they've experienced.”
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PINE, Gary Samuel Surrounded by his loving family, with strong faith in God, Gary went home to be with the Lord on Wednesday, March 11, 2020 at Hospice Niagara. Devoted husband and best friend of Debbie for 32 years. Loving father to Samuel (Sarah), Domenic, Danielle (Cory) and grandpa to Gabriel. Loving brother to Brian (Jeannie) and brotherin-law to Melodie Lucescu, David Lucescu, Steve (Nahanni) Lucescu, Mark (Kristen) Lucescu and Renee Lucescu (Craig Wandtke). Dear uncle to Jennifer and Zelda, Ashley, Kyla, Marcus, Matthew, Chloe, Janelle and Aram. Nephew of Les (Pat) Hegedus and cousin to many. Predeceased by his parents Samuel and Cecelia Pine. Gary was a member of St. Alexander Catholic Church and spent many years in the financial service industry. Gary was an entrepeneur getting his Niagara start with East Main Billiards and from there owning some local restaurants. He was a devoted family man and he was very Spiritual and dedicated to his faith. A Funeral Mass was celebrated on Tuesday, March 17, 2020 at St. Alexander’s Catholic Church with Interment at Pleasantview Memorial Gardens. Memorial donations can be made to Hospice Niagara. Please share your condolences, memories and photos at www.pleasantviewcemetery. ca.
It is with great sadness that the family of Trevor announces his passing on Monday, March 2, 2020 at the age of 36. Trevor passed away at the family home with his loving parents by his side, after a long battle with cancer. Trevor will be forever in the hearts of his parents Mary Jane and Bob Christensen, his brothers Bob (Rhandi) and Greg (Sachine), and his niece Lyra and nephew Leo. Dear nephew of Bob (Susan) Phillmore, the late Kim (Sylvia) Christensen, and Glen (Jane) Christensen. He will be forever missed by cousins Leslie, Alison, Sarah, Sonja, Heidi, Emma, and Andrew. Cherished grandson of the late Jesse and Jean Christensen and the late Bob and Jean Phillmore. He will also be deeply missed by his canine companion Freki. In his short career, Trevor worked as community moderator for Ironclad Video. He was involved in program design and graphic design for “Sins of a Dark Age”. Trevor’s happiest times were working as a professional drone pilot for UVIFY, racing drones for team Canada in Montreal and Hawaii, and recreational drone flying with his friends in the Niagara FPV Squad. To his Drone friends he was known by the handle “Viking”. Viking also designed and assisted in building many course tracks and created promotional videos for Multi GP Drone Racing League Races across North America. There will be a Celebration of Life where friends will be received by the family Sunday April 5, 2020 from 1:00 pm. until 4:00 p.m. at the Fonthill Legion, 141 Hwy 20 E, Fonthill. Trevor was extremely appreciative of the care and kindness shown to him by the doctors, nurses and staff at both Princess Margaret Hospital and Mt. Sinai Hospital in Toronto. As an expression of sympathy, donations may be made to Princess Margaret Hospital. Online condolences and memories may be shared at www.pedlarfuneralhome.ca
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Page 13
Business SPOTLIGHT
Any time is Guinness time at Butcher & Banker Fonthill pub under new ownership Troy Thompson.
BY HELEN TRAN
HELEN TRAN
Special to the VOICE
From the street, the Butcher & Banker Pub, in downtown Fonthill, already stands out. The large, white building features a wooden front patio (closed now, but expected to reopen in warmer weather) and flags advertising this week’s St. Patrick’s Day Party. The side doors are decorated to look like iconic British telephone boxes. The atmosphere upon entering the pub is bright and welcoming. Numerous posters make references to Guinness beer. Polished wood paneling contrasts sharply with plush red seats, and a decorative wall proclaims “It’s Guinness Time,” with clocks labeled Fonthill, Dublin, Moscow and Los Angeles. The pub is quiet at 3 PM, with a few afternoon patrons enjoying a tipple, but staff are wiping down tables and preparing menus in advance of the expected dinnertime crowd. A tall man in a collared shirt comes out of the kitchen to introduce himself. “Hi. I’m Troy,” he says, with a smile. Troy Thomson is the pub’s new owner. According to Thompson,
the opportunity arose when the original owner found two pubs too difficult to manage and wished to downsize. Thompson had been running the family business (Kanrep Norris Plumbing Distribution) in Stoney Creek for many years, but found he “missed interacting with all the people.” In 2019, when he had a chance to take ownership of the pub, he “jumped right in.” Since Thompson took possession last December, his focus has been on improving the existing system and maintaining stability rather than making any sweeping changes. While rumours such as closure and reopening as a plumbing store foamed like a head of Guinness, Thompson focused on a smooth transition and maintaining the restaurant’s identity and “upscale traditional British pub” feel. He kept the name, the style and the emphasis on a pleasant dining atmosphere for all ages rather than an “in your face” party scene. Thompson is no stranger to the restaurant industry. Growing up in Manitoba, he moved to Ontario when he was 18 and worked
his way up from dishwasher to a general manager position. He then took a break from restaurants to manage the family business before coming into possession of the Butcher & Banker. His return to the industry has been successful so far. Business has been steady at the pub, and a customer appreciation event in January, Thompson says, generated huge numbers and wait times. He looks forward to the warmer weather, which will bring increased foot and street traffic, as well as a chance to move their live music to the front patio area. Although he is still based in Stoney Creek (described as “its own small town”), Thompson very much enjoys being part of Pelham. He likes meeting the regulars who come into the pub and listening to their stories. “I grew up in a very, very small town, so I know exactly what it’s about. So far everyone I’ve met in the community has been absolutely amazing.” This comes as little surprise, seeing as Thompson’s favourite aspect of managing the pub is “meeting all the new people.” Although he never formal-
ly completed business school, Thompson says that his experience in the restaurant industry gave him a valuable set of skills that can be carried through all walks of life: making contacts, learning how to interact with people, time management, and organization. “Running restaurants gives you a little bit of everything. You have to be in advertising. You have to be a bit of a psychiatrist. There’s tons of math, tons of forecasting. You have to be a numbers person.” Indeed, the pub seems to offer a bit of something for everyone. The majority of the food is made from scratch in house, and there is live music in the evening. The pub supports a different charity every few months ($1 from each Guinness sold on St. Patrick’s day will go to the Wellspring Cancer Support Foundation). Thompson aims to introduce a happy hour, and hopes to add a prime rib special to the menu. There is a $10 lunch offer. When asked what he would pick from the menu as his favourite item, the answer is “a hot beef Yorkie.” Closer to 4 PM, the pub begins
to fill with more patrons. Thompson lingers to chat with two diners who are enjoying a pint. The conversation flows naturally, as if they had known each other for years. The pub is decorated with bright green streamers, tinsel, and shamrock hats in anticipation of St. Patrick’s Day. There will be traditional Irish offerings on the menu, green beer, Irish music, and a chance to dress up. With the looming fears associated with COVID-19, Thompson is alert to the fact that “people might be scared to come out,” but he says his staff have taken abundant precautions with disinfection and hygiene practices in order to ensure safety. He believed that the party “might be a good release with everything else going on in the world.” Asked what his inspiration to come into work was, Thompson said, “I like coming to work because every day in restaurants can be a new day. Meeting new people, new challenges.” A sign near a door seems to offer another avenue of inspiration: “A Guinness a day…”
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Page 14
The Voice, March 18, 2020
www.thevoiceofpelham.ca
Crossley girls edged in SOSSA semifinals Cyclone team comes close BY BERNIE PUCHALSKI
Special to the VOICE
The E. L. Crossley Cyclone girls hockey team lost 1-0 to the Holy Cross Raiders in the Southern Ontario Secondary Schools Association A/AA semifinals in Fonthill last Tuesday. BERNIE PUCHALSKI to ice a strong squad again next season. “I think we will be about the same or maybe even
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loved to make the SOSSA final but it wasn’t meant to be. “We worked hard but we just couldn’t get it in the net,” she said. “There were some unlucky shots but there’s nothing you can do about it.” Members of the Zone 3 championship team, coached by Yallup, John Piccolo, Kyle Hingley, Jordan Lew and Chelsea Weir, were Olivia Abrunze, Meganne Bachur, Maiya Bolibruck, Emily Breitenbach, Samantha Carmichael, DeRuiter, Marin Green, Molly Hildebrandt, Paige Keus, Julia Natale, Summer Ort, Camryn Pelletier, Kylee Ring, Makenna Secord, Isabel Song, Sarah Swayze, Abigail Thibodeau, and Payton Veld.
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they are also good players.” One of Crossley’s two graduating players, Kaitlyn DeRuiter, saw her career come to an end Tuesday. “I’m all right,” the 17-year-old said. “It’s upsetting but it was a good year. We have a lot of strong girls on the team and everyone worked together.” The Grade 12 student said a number of factors made the Cyclone successful in the 2019-20 season. “People were committed and everyone came out and tried their best,” DeRuiter said. “People who had to take their turn to sit sat. I had to do that too in Grade 9 and it was everyone working together to get it done.” DeRuiter would have
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champions Cyclone. “It was evenly matched,” Yallup said. “They knew our best girls and we knew their best girls and we tried to shut each other out. I am very proud of our girls.” After going unbeaten in Zone 3 play for the first time in school history, E. L. Crossley defeated Cayuga in a sudden-death shootout to advance to the SOSSA championships. “We have some excellent players and a really good team but unlike other teams, we don’t have a team of travel players,” Yallup said. “We have a mix of house league and travel players and everyone played their roles, played as a team and trusted each other. That made the difference because when you play as an individual it doesn’t go well.” The Cyclone will only lose two players to graduation and Yallup expects
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The E. L. Crossley Cyclone girls hockey team saw its excellent season come to an end last Tuesday with a 1-0 loss to the Holy Cross Raiders in the Southern Ontario Secondary Schools Association A/AA semifinals in Fonthill. Alicia Juras’ goal halfway through the second period stood up as the game winner for the Niagara Catholic Athletic Association (Zone 2) champions from St. Catharines. “It was obviously a close, hard-fought battle between two teams and it was a battle of the goalies,” Crossley head coach Kim Yallup said. “They have the one girl who plays junior hockey and she got away on a bit of a breakaway. Our goalie made the first stop but unfortunately the second stop didn’t happen.” There wasn’t much to choose from between the Raiders and the Zone 3
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been exploring and performing time-honoured melodies from the stomping grounds of Quebec’s musical past. Using fiddle, accordion, harmonica, guitar, bouzouki and a number of other instruments, our three virtuosos blend boundless energy with the unmistakable joie de vivre found only in traditional Quebec music. Show runs from 7-9 p.m.
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PELHAM LIBRARY CARD MAKING WORKSHOP Make six cards with fall themes, learning a variety of techniques. Materials are provided. At time of registration, please enquire about tools needed. Tues., Sept. 16 10 – 12:30. $10. Please register ahead. Visit www.pelhamlibrary.on.ca or call 905-892-6443 for more details.
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FABULOUS FENWICK LIONS FISH FRY Tasty treats with funds heading straight back into the community. Haddock, french fries and much more. Runs Sept. 9 from 4-7 p.m. PELHAM MINOR HOCKEY EQUIPMENT SALE Buy, sell or trade used equipment at the Pelham Arena. Aimed to provide cheaper options for players in this upcoming season. Runs Sept. 6 from 9-12 in the morning. PELHAM MUDFEST Men and women will be back in the mud as the second run on the year is held at Bissil’s Hideaway. NIAGARA REGIONAL EXHIBITION Rodeo, games and live entertainment headline this years exciting event. It runs from Sept. 11-14 at the Welland Fairgrounds. BIG MOVE CANCER RIDE The Big Move Cancer Ride is a non-competitive ride taking place on Sept. 7. Proceeds for the Big Move stay in Niagara and support the Walker Family Cancer Centre. WALKING CLUB Interested in walking in Pelham? Join them Tuesdays at the Pelham Arena from 9-10 am and Thursdays at Fonthill Bandshell for 9-10:30 am. There is no fee for this program. For more information, please contact jcook@ SILVER-TONGUED pelham.ca or SPEAKERS call 905 892-2607, ext 329. The Fenwick and Fonthill Lions and Lioness recently held their annual Effective Speaking Contest at theHAMPER Fonthill Legion. standing were a double trio of winners. Top, from left, Junior winners DAYLeftFOR PELHAM CARES Connor (third), Andrea (first), and Antonia (second). Above, Intermediate winners, from left, vegetables Market or bring a non-perishable EmmaPurchase (third), Juliafresh (first),fruit andand Chelsea (second). at the SUPPLIED
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Page 16
The Voice, March 18, 2020
www.thevoiceofpelham.ca
SERVICE DIRECTORY Electrical Electrical
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continued from Page 18
The Voice Comic
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FAITH LIFT
continued from Page 19
The Voice of Pelham ad size Advertiser E OF PELHAM I just explained, so watch mission was to evangelize Irish people who Servicethe Directory ad Fonthill Rlectric Ltd ctor for Garmin to add this app followed Celtic polytheism. w:2.5” x h:Pagan 1.75” Druids reContact Name buffed his efforts and persecuted him. At times soon. Info poisoned and imTaryn Wilton If you’re really losing he was stoned, beaten,Color robbed, black only sleep over Oakleys or Ruprisoned but he would not give up. His lifestyle Contact Phone voiceofpelham.ca dys, and Sram905.401.5748 compared and teaching were simple. Like Jesus using parDue Date rector to Shimano, you’re either ables, Patrick explained theMarch Christian doctrine Friday, 18 at noon Contact email of the Trinity to the common people by showing training for the still-onRundate(s) info@fonthillelectric.ca as-of-this-writing Olymthem a three-pedaled shamrock. Mar. 23, Apr. 6, 20, May 4, 18, pics (good luck on that hevoiceofpelham.ca An astonishing result June 1, 15 and 29. one), or need to ride more
:
Gradually, the tide turned. A chieftain’s son and think less. Cost of influence responded Date: came to faith. More people Shop the internet or lo$42 per insertion plus HST. the to his preaching. As he travelled throughout cal dealer? Ebay can’t fix island, he taught, baptized and ordained growTerms: Due on publication your bike when something ing numbers. In the end, Patrick planted over 300 breaks at 4:30 PM the day churches and baptized more than 100,000 believbefore a race or tour. Sorers. ry, what was the question One historian summed up his ministry this again? way: “When Patrick arrived in Ireland there were Bottles or cans? Bottles no Christians; when he died there were no paif they’re post-ride chillgans.” Although no doubt exaggerated, it spoke ing in a cooler; cans if it’s of the enormous impact this one man had on the a two-four headed home Irish people. After nearly 30 years of evangelism, on your handlebars. That’s Patrick died in 461 AD and (according to tradione we can all agree on. ♦ tion) was buried at Downpatrick.
Today, Patrick is known as the “apostle of Ireland” where he is esteemed as their primary patron saint. Several years ago, we visited the historic St. Patrick’s Church in Dublin. A nearby plaque marked the place where Patrick had baptized new believers. Several centuries later, when Europe was wallowing in the spiritual darkness of the Middle Ages, it was missionaries from Ireland who
brought the light of the Gospel back to the peoples of Britain and Europe. Now when we celebrate St. Patrick’s Day on March 17 (the anniversary of his death), we remember the man who, in spite of great danger, obeyed the voice of God and started it all. ♦ Rob Weatherby is a retired pastor who likes to wear green on St. Paddy’s Day.
www.thevoiceofpelham.ca
“Just play. Have fun. Enjoy the game.” Michael Jordan
The Voice, March 18, 2020
Sporting Green The Niagara
Page 17
John Swart gets ready to meet the riding season 18
The Voice and TheVoiceofPelham.ca | March 18, 2020
The Pelham Panthers novice (under-10) girls basketball team.
SUPPLIED
Pelham Panthers mine provincial silver Novice girls basketball team second in Ontario BY BERNIE PUCHALSKI
BPSPORTSNIAGARA.COM
The Pelham Panthers novice (under-10) girls basketball team is the second-best team in Ontario. The squad, coached by Jodi Wilton, Kim Pawluk, Tammy Naughton, and Shannon MacDonald, went into the provincials ranked third in Ontario and finished second. In pool play, Pelham defeated Guelph 24-9, and Scarborough 18-13, before losing 19-11 to North Toronto. The Panthers then defeated Brampton 22-18 in the semifinals before falling 28-16 to Hamilton Transway in the final.
Head coach Jodi Wilton pointed to a number of attributes that made the team successful, including having an athletic group of girls that all wanted to score and learn the game of basketball. “They all worked hard in practice and really tried to work as a team in games,” she said. “Most of the girls already knew each other from playing on the same soccer team so the chemistry of playing together was already there too.” Wilton couldn’t single out any one particular part of the season
that was a turning point for the Panthers. “We really focused on building up their fundamentals of the game,” she said. “We started the season playing with the best teams in Ontario Basketball League and realized that we were going to be competitive. “We had four girls play up last year at the under-10 novice girls level and once we caught up the other eight girls in skills, we realized that we could compete with anyone in the province.” The team ended up ranked
fifth in the province in the initial rankings and slowly worked its way upwards. “I always told the girls on the team that they needed to believe in themselves and could compete with any team with tough defence and teamwork,” Wilton said. That belief started to pick up for the Panthers when they won their last two games of OBL league play. “We all knew then that we had a shot even to be number one in the province,” she said. Pelham’s leading scorers from the provincial championships
were Taylor Wilton (13), Lily Eich (12), Ainsley McDonald (11), Payton Smyth (11), Ella Howe (11) and Maddie Hall (10). Hall’s point total included a buzzer-beater shot from just inside the halfline. Excellent rebounding was provided by Adelaide Dearborn, Marlowe Zekan contributed excellent defence, and also playing well were Addison Lucchetta, Mya Laewetz, Ava Dobrocky and Kendall Snopek. The team is now looking forward to spring and summer training.
Spring Open House
Saturday, March 21, 2020 • 10am - 3pm • Register for leagues & lessons • Renew or take out new memberships • $99 Junior Memberships • Catch up with friends • Free coffee and cookies, while they last!
2745 Merrittville Hwy, Fonthill | brockgolf.com | Pro Shop: 905-641-8088
Page 18
The Voice, March 18, 2020
www.thevoiceofpelham.ca
FROM THE HANDLEBARS
by John Swart
Important pre-season decisions
S
o here we are, poised for another riding season, unless you’re waiting three weeks for a bike tune-up. Did you hit “delete” a tad too quickly when your favourite dealer begged for your bike back in January? Thought you still had lots of time before spring? Should’ve checked with Greta—she’d tell you there are no sure things with climate anymore. You may already be in peak form if your spin classes and training videos kept your Sugois glued to your Brooks all winter, or if you cycled the dust and rocks of Tucson (under age 30) or bike paths of Florida
(decades older than 30) this winter. Now is when we riders have to focus and decide our season’s objectives. Will it be to annoy the hell out of neighbours, non-riding friends, and absolute strangers, who so much as say hello or ask how we’re doing, by launching into an interminable gush of unrestrained excitement as we regale them with our anticipated hill-climbing acumen, or demurely explain how COVID-19 ruined our training trip to Sardinia, or describe the crucial weight saved by our new carbon-fibre riding shoes? This season we’re not talking the simple choic-
es like shaving or waxing, who we’ll hit up to sponsor our seven charity rides, or whether to splurge for a proper bike fitting. Actually, proper fitment didn’t go that well for me. My bike-fitting professional sadly told me my right leg was so much shorter than my left that I should have surgery. My surgeon, a former triathlon teammate I’d trust with my life and my colonoscopy, told me to get a new bike and forget the operation. My medical plan wouldn’t cover purchasing a new bike, so I had the surgery. For most of us, it’s the big choices that leave us sleepless, the ones that rip at our cycling souls: Gatorade or Powerade, coloured sidewall tires or blackwalls, compression tights or socks, bib shorts or regular, baby powder or cham-
ois crème, Oakleys or Rudy Pilots, Shimano or Sram, internet or local dealer, bottles or cans?
Google "baby powder or chamois crème" and you'll get 970,000 results
Unfortunately, there’s seldom a clear answer. Let’s say you decide on Powerade, then discover when you fill your new, clear water bottles that various Powerade flavor colours don’t match your bike,
or worse yet, clash with your tire colour. Or you go with compression tights, and realize on the Tour d’Afrique that all the seams and panels look like a doit-yourself butcher’s template for Congolese cannibals. Don’t even consider wearing compression socks with cycling shorts— riders that do so shouldn’t be allowed to reproduce, period. Bibs or shorts is difficult if you’re over 60. By the time you struggle to get bib shorts over your shoulders and back on, you’ll have to go again. And young riders will never understand the pathetic smile on your face that comes from wearing bib shorts too tight on purpose. Google “baby powder or chamois crème” and you’ll get 970,000 results, more than twice as many as for “Steve Bauer” and “Emily
Batty” combined. Obviously we’re more concerned with our cheeks than our racers, so this is clearly a significant decision. Can’t speak for the ladies, but the silver-haired Florida bike guys can determine a scientifically sound answer by plotting a graph with temperature on the vertical axis and ride distance on the horizontal axis. They draw a straight baseline from 20 C down to 110 KMs, then plot each day’s temperature and distance on the graph before putting on their bike costumes in the morning. If the temperature and distance lines intersect outside the base line it’s a chamois crème day; inside, it’s baby powder. If you’re in the Tucson age bracket, you haven’t a clue what See GET READY Page 16
Voice
HOROSCOPE
ARIES – Mar 21/Apr 20 You may be facing the consequences of a little overindulgence this week, Aries. It may take a bit for you to get back on track. Use every opportunity to rest up. TAURUS – Apr 21/May 21 Taurus, if you are moving from one job to another, you may have to put your social life on hold for a bit until all components of this transition are working smoothly. GEMINI – May 22/Jun 21 Gemini, obligations at work or at home are building up and you may be experiencing extra stress. The key to feeling better is to take some of the responsibilities off of your plate. CANCER – Jun 22/Jul 22 Cancer, a lack of communication between you and a close friend or relative may have you wondering if this person is okay. Just be persistent with your inquiries. LEO – Jul 23/Aug 23 Leo, caution is called for any time a financial presentation is made that affects your finances. Properly vet all potential investments and anyone guiding you in this process. VIRGO – Aug 24/Sept 22 Virgo, you may be putting your best self forward, but unless you get others to take notice, you won’t be able to make an impact. Enlist others to help. LIBRA – Sept 23/Oct 23 Libra, your ingenuity and imagination have been wavering lately. Thankfully, that doesn’t mean you won’t be able to get things working again. Stay the course. SCORPIO – Oct 24/Nov 22 Financial matters come to the
forefront this week, Scorpio. You may have depleted your reserves a bit faster than expected. It’s probably time to curtail your spending. SAGITTARIUS – Nov 23/Dec 21 Sagittarius, you may need to say something to a loved one that shows how much you support this special purpose. Give careful consideration to what you want to say. CAPRICORN – Dec 22/Jan 20 Use this week as an opportunity to catch up on some rest, Capricorn. Your schedule has been jam-packed for some time now, and your energy stores are depleted. AQUARIUS – Jan 21/Feb 18 Aquarius, you may be stuck in the middle of a situation with two people you care about. Be an impartial listener to both instead of taking sides. Offer advice if it’s sought. PISCES – Feb 19/Mar 20 Pisces, you may be hit with a bit of melancholy this week, but it quickly subsides when you touch base with someone whose energy is contagious. FAMOUS BIRTHDAYS MARCH 15 Eva Longoria, Actress (45) MARCH 16 Lauren Graham, Actress (53) MARCH 17 Mia Hamm, Athlete (48) MARCH 18 Sutton Foster, Actress (45) MARCH 19 David Ross, Manager (43) MARCH 20 Ruby Rose, Model (34) MARCH 21 Scott Eastwood, Actor (34)
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The Voice, March 18, 2020
Voice
FAITH LIFT
by Pastor Rob Weatherby
CROSSWORD SPONSORED THIS WEEK BY
St. Patrick, the lesser known story
S
t. Patrick’s Day is celebrated on March 17 in Canada and around the world. As usual there will be lots of shamrocks on display and green will be the colour of choice. Everyone knows that the celebration is about St. Patrick and all things Irish but many don’t realize that Patrick himself was not even Irish. What else might we not know about this mystical (but not mythical) figure?
A rough start
Most historians agree that Patrick was born into a wealthy family in Roman Britain in the late 4th century AD. His Latin name was Patricius. His father was a deacon and his grandfather was a priest in the Christian church. The future seemed promising for young Patrick who (in spite of his rich spiritual heritage) was only a nominal (in name only) believer. That was about to change. Around 403 AD, Patrick (age 16) was kidnapped by Irish pirates and taken captive to Ireland as a slave. He was sold to a sheep farmer on the west coast. Lonely and homesick, Patrick spent the next six years tending his master’s herds in the beautifully rugged Irish countryside. There he also spent much time in prayer and reflection, surrendered his life to God, and became a true believer. His fellow slave-shepherds noticed the difference and mocked him as a “holy boy.” In his autobiography, called “Confessions,” Patrick recounts how God told him in a dream to flee to the coast where “his ship was ready” to take him back home. In spite of knowing the gruesome fate of recaptured slaves, he obeyed the heavenly vision and
escaped. Patrick travelled about 200 miles through rugged terrain by foot to the eastern coast and persuaded a reluctant captain to take him on board. Arriving in England, the crew lost their way and roamed in a “wilderness” for 28 days. In desperation and starving, they implored Patrick to pray. He did and soon after they found a herd of wild boars which provided fresh meat. Finally, Patrick was reunited with his family who thought they would never see him again.
An unexpected decision
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ter his homecoming, Patrick (now in his early 20s) had another dream. In it he heard Irish voices pleading, “We appeal to you, holy servant boy, to come and walk among us.” One would expect that Ireland would be the last place Patrick would want to return to. But again, he obeyed the divine calling and (against the wishes of his parents) left for Auxerre in Gaul (France) to study to be a priest. In 432 AD, Patrick returned to the land of his slavery but this time as a bishop and missionary. His
What happened next was surprising. A few years af-
See FAITH LIFT Page 16
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Weekly Word Search
Find the words hidden vertically, horizontally, diagonally, and backwards. ACIDIC AERATION ALKALINE AMENDMENT CLIPPINGS CLOVER
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ANSWERS ON PAGE 18
Page 20
The Voice, March 18, 2020
SHUTDOWN
continued from Page 1 The Ontario government announced Friday that all publicly funded schools will be closed until at least April 5. Locally, Niagara’s publicly run child care centres are closed, while Region-operated long-term care facilities are closed to visitors. The Region’s hospitals have enacted regulations for visitors. On Monday, the Niagara Health System announced that elective surgeries would be postponed for at least "a number of weeks," while late Sunday the Royal College of Dental Surgeons of Ontario issued a statement to its members strongly recommending that all non-essential and elective dental services should be suspended immediately. "Emergency treatment should continue. The College will revisit this recommendation in the first week of April."
While some companies are instituting work-fromhome policies during the crisis, other entities are enacting other measures. The Dunnville Veterinary Clinic has cancelled non-essential appointments, while Fallsview Casino and Casino Niagara announced Sunday that they would “close within 24 hours.” One of Pelham’s largest annual public events, the Fonthill and District Kinsmen Home and Garden Show, has also been cancelled. “In light of the COVID-19 situation and to ensure our exhibitors, patrons and community stay safe, the 2020 Pelham Home and Garden Show has been cancelled and will not be rescheduled,” said Booking Chairman Dave Ripley in a brief statement emailed last Friday. The event had been scheduled to run April 4 and 5, at the community centre. The Pelham Public Library Board has moved to close both its Fonthill and
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Fenwick branches effective immediately. Acting CEO Amy Guilmette told the Voice that regular hours will resume approximately three weeks from now, on April 6. Stay Fit health classes, held at the community centre, the Fonthill Legion branch, and Lookout Ridge Retirement Community, have been cancelled until further notice. On Monday, the Town of Pelham announced that it was closing all recreational facilities, including the community centre, until further notice. "This decision was arrived at as a result of Niagara Region Public Health advice and the quickly evolving public health requirements and expectations," read the statement. Old Pelham Town Hall was also closed, and scheduled events cancelled. "In due course staff will determine a mechanism to refund monies to affected parties," read the statement. Town Hall is open and Public Works remains in operation. Mayor Marvin Junkin said, “The Town has an effective Emergency Management Plan and also an experienced team and responsive council upon which it can rely to make important strategic decisions in the coming days, weeks and months. I urge residents to adhere to the advice of the Niagara Region Health Unit, and provincial and federal Ministries of Health. Please wash your hands, and to the extent you can and are allowed to look after your loved ones and neighbours. It’s during times of crisis that our better natures have the opportunity to rise to the occasion.” Overall, the situation in Pelham and Niagara remains fluid, and people are advised to check with businesses and destinations they plan on going to before leaving.
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Frozen vegetables were almost entirely sold out at Food Basics last Saturday.
VOICE
Coronavirus prep stocks dwindle in Fonthill Hand sanitizer, rubbing alcohol, antibacterial wipes in short supply or sold out BY DON RICKERS
Special to the VOICE
First, the good news: a quick survey confirms that there appears to be no imminent shortage of toilet paper in Pelham. Reports from around the globe about panic-purchasing and store rationing of toilet paper are in the news, due to mass quarantine worries over the coronavirus. Words like “pandemic” can understandably trigger a kind of survivalist psychology. But here at home, calmer heads seem to have prevailed. Unfortunately, hand sanitizer is pretty much unavailable locally, as are antibacterial wipes and rubbing alcohol. Frank Sicoli, Fonthill Shopper’s Drug Mart franchisee, said, ”We basically are down to nothing. I imagine that the manufacturers are probably on a 24-hour work schedule now.” He did note that their toilet paper had been flying out the door, but that they still have stock available. Sicoli said that he and his wife have booked a trip to Croatia for the fall, and is hopeful that the coronavirus risk has dissipated by then. In the short term, with many meetings, conferences, and sports events cancelled, he expects
“a lot of people will be staying at home, watching Netflix.” Morgan Murphy, a pharmacist at Boggio’s Family of Pharmacies, noted that they are out of hand sanitizer and rubbing alcohol, but are in the process of sourcing supplies. “We do have lots of toilet paper,” she said. Glen Sisak, pharmacist and owner of PharmaChoice, in East Fonthill, confirmed that hand sanitizer and rubbing alcohol products were on backorder. “Occasionally we get a release from our wholesaler of a limited supply,” he said. “We still have some antibacterial wipes.” The last carton of toilet paper sat near the front counter last Friday afternoon, and Sisak said it would likely be gone by closing. “More is on order, though, and should be here Monday.” Fonthill Sobeys franchisee Ron Kore told the Voice on Sunday evening that he did not foresee interruptions in deliveries of food. "There are no issues with in stock positions in any of the departments," said Kore. "We’re just getting some late truck deliveries which is normal in our business."
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