Oosterhoff campaign in final stretch
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Nurses rally in St. Kitts
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Remembering that tornado
The Voice Z Z
EXCEEDING EXPECTATIONS
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of Pelham and Central Niagara MAY 18 2022
Vol.26 No.19
Published every Wednesday
Rapid response team expands to Pelham, Welland
page 12
Darcy Richardson, CPA, CA | Broker
DARCYRICHARDSON.CA darcy@darcyrichardson.ca 905.321.6292
Column Six
My father and the ever elusive SuVaGa Mom said thanks but no thanks BY VICTORIA BALFOUR Special to the Voice
O people, which resulted in 73 percent diverted from hospital stays, and 84 percent de-escalated to the point where apprehension by police was not required. NRPS Superintendent Marco Giannico oversees the program, and told the Voice that the service received a grant from the Solicitor General’s office to fund the pilot project in Welland and Pelham, while the CMHA also received funding through their ministry. “Mental health is one of the NRPS’ highest 9-1-1 call volumes,” he said, noting that “persons in crisis” is the proper term. “We attend numerous calls on a daily basis in that capacity.” Giannico said that the NRPS provides training for the crisis intervention team, and that many other
ne day in October 1962 when I was eight years old and bored with watching Leave it to Beaver at home in Ancaster, Ontario, I went upstairs to snoop around in my father’s study. Most of the stuff in this room, like the news clippings on the tragic death of Marilyn Monroe that my dad stored in a shirt box under a tallboy dresser, I already knew by heart. But on this visit, on my father’s desk, right next to an old Valentine I’d given him, I spotted a booklet I’d never seen before. Its cover photo showed a rustic log gate in a deeply wooded area with a sign that said, “Sun Valley Gardens. Members Only.” I figured Sun Valley Gardens was one of the summer camps my parents had been looking into for me for the following summer. Boy, was I wrong. When I opened up the brochure, my eyes just about
See TEAM Page 14
See COLUMN SIX Page 15
Members of Niagara’s mobile crisis rapid response team (MCRRT), Vicky Looby of the Canadian Mental Health Association, and Constable Robin Bleich of the Niagara Regional Police Service. The MCRRT has expanded to include Welland and Pelham. DON RICKERS Throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, local politicians, social activists, and health organizations have warned that our communities are suffering through an escalating mental health and addictions crisis, which affects not just the afflicted, but our hospitals, police, health-providing agencies, and court system. Of particular concern is the volume of 9-1-1 calls received for people in distress. A successful crisis-response program is now in place in Niagara, a partnership between the Niagara branch of the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) and the Niagara Regional Police Service (NRPS). Working together, they have drawn on statistical analysis of police calls for service in relation to people in crisis and mental health-related incidents throughout
Pilot program offered jointly by NRPS and Canadian Mental Health Association BY DON RICKERS Contributing News Editor the Region, and implemented teams to de-escalate crisis situations, and immediately assess individuals’ mental health and addiction care needs. The Mobile Crisis Rapid Response Team (MCRRT) program was activated in 2015 in St. Catharines and Thorold, followed by Niagara Falls and Niagara-on-the-Lake in 2021. The teams consist of a full-time mental health worker, who works 12-hour shifts (noon until midnight), seven days a week alongside a specially trained police officer responding to 9-1-1 calls.
The program has recently been further expanded to include a oneyear pilot project in the NRPS 3 District, which covers Welland and Pelham. The latest data shows the team had some 1,800 face-to-face visits in 2021. Of those interactions, some 1,300 individuals were diverted from hospitals, and almost 950 were connected to various mental health and addictions services, without the need for police to make arrests. Between 2015 and 2019, the MCRRT had some 3,800 face-to-face interactions involving almost 2,800
Somewhere down the road Spring is a time of renewal. Time to tidy up the house and yard. But how much time have you allotted you’re going to have to to tidying up your affairs? think about it. You’ve probably revisited your Will, but have you detailed your final wishes? Prepared your Estate? Let us help you get your affairs in order.
Call Pelham Funeral Home at 905 892-5762 m pelhamfuneralhome@cogeco.ca
Page 2
The Voice
A May 18 2022
www.thevoiceofpelham.ca
NRPS impaired driving charges ~
PUBLISHER’S CORNER by Dave Burket
The gift that keeps on giving: This week’s Column Six once again involves the famed Sun Valley Gardens, one of Canada’s first nudist resorts. This time we hear from a committed non-nudist, and one who delightfully knows her way around a keyboard. An excellent read. Pelham Mayor Marvin Junkin grew up on his family’s farm on Roland Road, where the former resort was located at its western terminus. Junkin says he well remembers the virtually gridlocked traffic along the narrow country lane on summer Saturdays, as the couldn’twait-to-be-unclothed drove in from all over, with a large percentage from New York state. The resort has been closed for 40 years now but clearly lives on in the memories of those who did (and didn’t) enjoy unshackling themselves from the confines of clothing. Just over a year ago, a suspected arsonist torched one of the many remaining but long abandoned buildings which had served as shelter in recent years for a small transient population. The current property owner has since demolished most of those structures, reducing the appeal to would-be squatters—surely to the relief of nearby residents...A mighty wind: Remember that bit of breeze that descended on parts of town 26 years ago this week, the famed Twister tornado? Don Rickers revisits the event in this week’s centrespread. Following an appeal for photos in the space a couple of weeks ago, we have to thank Carolyn Botari, Bob Laing, and Asa Hansler for their various contributions. Eve Fenwick provided some handy archival newspapers, and Carolyn Mullin graciously responded with enthusiasm when asked to recap her experience on the night and in the days following, when she was editing the Pelham Herald, the corporate-owned weekly whose demise led to the founding of the Voice in 1997. I regret not having quite enough room to squeeze in a lovely photo of Mullin and her new spouse, Bernie, from the time. Those crazy kids!...The new garden centre in town: Find Fieldview Greenhouses on Victoria Ave., between Foss and Canboro, and their ad on page 6. We popped in for a peek a week or so ago and while stock was still being added the prices were excellent, considerably less for some items than elsewhere, including ferns. It’s worth checking out...Speaking of Green Acres: It’s a great name for a yard care company, and we meet the men behind it this week on page 10. Is it just me, or does owner Steve Piironen look very much like a younger Ray Liotta?...Car shopping: Larry Cote takes us with him this week to an auto showroom, page 4. We recently spent nearly $4000 repairing a 14-year-old Ford Escape that’s probably worth $5000 at best. But there are few alternatives on yours truly’s salary. Even used cars, as has been well documented, are a seller’s market now…Two weeks to go: Don’t miss the excellent election stories this week by Mike Balsom and Don Rickers...What, winter again? Single-digits coming overnight this week—bundle up! See you next week. ◆
Voice
What's That
Former Pelham Mayor David Augustyn, centre, with CannTrust officials at the Fenwick facility's 2018 opening. Far left, Eric Paul; in mirrored sunglasses, Peter Aceto; far right, Mark Litwin. Augustyn declared that the company's marijuana operation “provides hope to our community.” Paul, Aceto, and Litwin later faced criminal charges related to illegal cannabis growing at the site. VOICE FILE
CannTrust renamed Brand tainted by illegality
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Pelham Fire Department Weekly Calls
The Pelham Fire Department responded to 12 calls for assistance from Friday, May 6 to Friday, May 13. Saturday, May 7 Motor vehicle collision, Victoria Ave., Station 2 Sunday, May 8 Motor vehicle collision, Hwy 20 E, Station 1
BY JOHN CHICK Voice Correspondent CannTrust appears to severing ties with its controversial past in announcing a major rebrand. The cannabis producer released a statement May 3 noting that effective immediately, the company will be renamed Phoena. “Phoena reflects who we are today — stronger, more experienced and more focused — and forms the foundation for our future success as we enter the next era of our evolution,” a prepared text from CEO Greg Guyatt read. Pronounced “fee-nah,” the name is derived from the word phenotype, which describes traits taken from a plant's genetic code, according to the statement. A spokesperson from Hill + Knowlton — the PR firm that has been representing
SIREN
the company — told the Voice that the new Phoena nomenclature and associated signage will be updated at the company’s Fenwick facility “in the coming few weeks.” In February, it was announced that Netherlands-based holding company Marshall Fields International BV would take control of CannTrust. The company’s downfall began in 2019 when a former employee blew the whistle on an illegal growing scheme at the Fenwick site. Following the indictments of multiple executives, CannTrust paid $50 million into a trust to help settle a class-action lawsuit by former shareholders — who saw the stock delisted from the New York and Toronto exchanges.
Medical assistance, Station 1 Motor vehicle collision, Canboro Rd., Station 2 Monday, May 9 Vehicle fire, Canboro Rd., Station 1 Wednesday, May 11 Medical assistance, Station 1 Odour investigation, Fern Gate, Station 1 Thursday, May 12 Carbon monoxide alarm, Longspur Cl., Station 1 Medical assistance, Station 1 Smoke in the building, Hwy 20 E, Stations 1 & 2 Assistance call, Haist St., Stations 2 & 3 Friday, May 13 Structure fire, Boyle Rd., Stations 2 & 3
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Brian E. SMITH, 55, Pelham Robert W. CANK, 78, Niagara Falls Gorkem OKAN, 37, Niagara Falls Sara M. HARCUS, 52, Niagara Falls Riley H. STOKES, 22, St. Catharines Meghan L. DOVE, 24, Caledonia Justin D. YATES, 34, St. Catharines The Niagara Regional Police Service is committed to reducing impaired driving offences through education and the apprehension of offenders through enforcement programs like RIDE. Impaired driving is still the leading cause of criminal deaths in Canada and destroys thousands of lives every year.
Aidan
The King: Diane Kramer near Graceland in Memphis, Tennessee, at Gladys' Diner with one of Elvis Presley’s Cadillacs. If Elvis the Pelvis were still with us, he would be 87.
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.
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The Voice
Page 3
A May 18 2022
ONTARIO ELECTION 2022
With two weeks to go, Oosterhoff is in campaign mode Incumbent Niagara West MPP out sharing the Doug Ford vision BY DON RICKERS Contributing News Editor At present, Doug Ford and the provincial Conservatives are firmly in the driver’s seat. So say the pollsters, who are forecasting another Tory majority government in Ontario, with the NDP and Liberals jockeying for second place in the impending June 2 election. Numerous polls have shown the Tories in the lead, according to a poll aggregator created for the Toronto Star by Vox Pop Labs. Of course, things can change quickly in politics, and although Niagara West MPP Sam Oosterhoff feels confident going into his third run at office, that doesn’t translate into complacency on his part. He was on the hustings last Monday in Fonthill, and met with the Voice to discuss his key issues. “We're not taking anything for granted,” said Oosterhoff. “I think the families, workers, seniors, and job creators of this riding deserve the best, and that's something over
the past five years I've really tried to deliver. Working with Doug Ford, we're going to get the job done. We're the party that's cut license plate fees, the party that's talking about cutting the gas tax, and we're the only party fighting the carbon tax. When I meet with people, the cost of living issue is priority one for them, and we're the only party that's being a voice for those families.” In the 2018 election, the PCs won a majority with 76 seats, including Niagara West, which is considered by political pundits as one of the safest Conservative ridings in the province. Oosterhoff’s terms of office have not been without controversy. In May of 2019, Oosterhoff, who is the parliamentary assistant to the minister of education, spoke at an anti-abortion rally at Queen's Park, pledging to make abortion “unthinkable in our lifetime,” which ignited debate over where the Ontario government stands. NDP leader Andrea
Gaye Meloche, of Timsdale Estates, greets Conservative MPP Sam Oosterhoff last Monday morning as he campaigns for votes. DON RICKERS Horvath said that she was “horrified that Doug Ford continues to refuse to denounce his MPPs’ dangerous, anti-choice and anti-women position.” Recent Liberal party online advertisements have featured a clip of Ooster-
hoff’s remarks at the rally, suggesting an alignment of Tory policy with the U.S. Supreme Court’s leaked posture on overturning Roe vs. Wade. Doug Ford defended Oosterhoff, responding to critics that “The Ontario PC
Party is a big tent. We welcome members from a wide variety of backgrounds and beliefs.” Oosterhoff said that the issue was a red herring. “If the Liberals want to try to use an American federal court decision to dis-
tract the Ontario electorate from the Liberal’s record of 15 years of pushing manufacturing jobs out of the province, failing to build long-term care homes, and skyrocketing hydro rates, See OOSTERHOFF Page 18
Town of Pelham Grass/Weed Maintenance Requirements Pursuant to the TOWN OF PELHAM Clean Yards By-law, as amended, please be advised that: Every owner of property in the Town of Pelham shall cut, trim or remove the grass and weeds whenever the growth of the grass or weeds exceeds two hundred (200) millimetres (8 inches) in height except on land used for agricultural purposes. Prior to taking any remedial action, a By-law Officer will give the owner notice, which is deemed to be good and sufficient service, by ordinary mail, registered mail, email or hand-delivered to the address of the owner according to the last revised Assessment Roll of the subject property. The notice may also be posted at the subject property, and such service shall be deemed good and sufficient service. Only one warning notification will be issued per calendar year for each property that is in violation of the by-law. For every subsequent violation thereafter, the process will proceed directly to the Town arranging the cutting of the property without further notice. The following Administrative Fees, Penalties and costs can/will be charged against a subject property depending on the remedial action taken by the Town: 1. All contractor costs for cutting the subject property 2. Administrative Fee - $175.00 3. Initial Inspection Fee - $95.00 4. Re-inspection Fee - $95.00 5. Violation Notice Mailing Fee - $25.00 6. Administrative Penalty - $250.00 per day for each day the violation exists.
www.pelham.ca/bylaw For more information contact: Town of Pelham By-law Departement | 905-980-6649
Page 4
The Voice
A May 18 2022
www.thevoiceofpelham.ca
OPINION
The opinions expressed in submitted commentary and letters to the editor are those of the contributors and not necessarily those of the Voice of Pelham.
The Voice of Pelham is a 1211858 Ontario Limited publication David Burket, Publisher 2-1428 Pelham St., P.O. Box 1489, Fonthill, ON L0S1E0
COTÉ'S COMMENTS Larry Coté
New auto anxieties
O
ld Reliable out in the driveway is beginning to look a little peaked. She has been really good to me so I am kind of attached to old Betsy. She and I have travelled together for over a decade and she has never once left me stranded. She has made very few demands of my pocket book. Every once and awhile she blinks the dashboard to signal that its time to take her to her licensed caregivers. The attendants check things over and she is returned to me looking as good as new and will grace the driveway for another few thousand kilometres. However, as the old adage advises, “all good things must come to an end.” So I girded myself to visit an auto dealership that is decorated to look like an upscale emporium. The showroom is larger than the hanger that houses Air Force One. As I reluctantly entered this automotive atrium, I was greeted by an overtly friendly saleswomen who greeted me as a long lost friend. I must admit that her emotive cheerfulness gave me pause but I quickly regained my ultraconservative
temperament. I was there to investigate a new vehicle and not to cavort with old friends. She suggested we “adjourn” to the customer lounge to discuss my automotive preferences over a latte and she would select vehicles from their stock that would satisfy my every requisite.
"She proceeded to rattle off the almost endless features of this automotive marvel" After an inquisition of questions, she advised that she had narrowed down my choices to six vehicles which she claimed would fit my exact specifications. She then ordered up a vehicle on her cell phone. Moments later a shiny new vehicle was driven up and parked on the impeccable red carpeted area just outside this ritzy customer lounge. She proceeded to rattle off the almost endless features of this automotive marvel designed to match my ev-
NEED HELP? MAKE THE CALL Distress Centre Distress and crisis. 24-hour help line: 905-688-3711 Mental Health and Addictions Access 1-866-550-5205 (Toll Free) Alcoholics Anonymous Find a Niagara meeting. 905-682-2140
Narcotics Anonymous 1-888-811-3887. Gambler’s Anonymous 905-351-1616 Kids Help Phone Service for youth. 416-586-5437 800-668-6868 (Crisis Line) www.kidshelpphone.ca
Assaulted Women’s Helpline Mobile calls to: #SAFE (#7233) 1-866-863-0511 (Toll-free) Crime Stoppers 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS) www.niagaratips.com Text - 274637 (CRIMES), keyword Niagara, then your tip
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ery motor vehicle need and more. And then it happened! I was asked to sit behind the wheel. Actually, one doesn’t sit behind the wheel of today’s technically advanced automobiles but slithers into a cockpit. There were more voice-activated controls, and gauges, and buttons, and switches than those facing a NASA launch control engineer. After 30 minutes of exploring all this dashboard wizardly, I eventually decided I was not nearly ready to take this modern-day wonder out for a test drive without first completing a full course at Andrews Air Force Base’s pilot training facility. I’m just an old fashioned guy who prefers being in control of the vehicle I am driving and discomfited with being in the control of the vehicle I am supposedly driving. After this brief encounter with one of today’s modern automobiles, I was anxious to find my old Betsy loyally waiting for me in the parking lot. I eagerly jumped into the comfort of her slightly worn cloth seat and proudly took command of my driving destinies again. My faithful bucket of bolts will do just fine for now, thank you. ◆
Letters Wants freedom defined Mr. Poilievre continues to mimic Mr. Trump and France’s Ms LePen in his bid to lead Canada with a call to “freedom.” Our government is not despotic, we are not banning books, and women’s rights are protected. Canada is a democracy and we are allowed to vote for our leaders. Mr. Poilievre tries to depict government (Mr. Trudeau?) as a controlling master. Mr. Poilievre screams your vote for him is a vote
for “freedom.” He has yet to define what he would implement and how this would benefit taxpayers. Question is “freedom” from what, Mr. Poilievre? How would voting for you enhance democracy? L. Morgan Fonthill
7
CONTACT YOUR ELECTED OFFICIALS Member of Federal Parliament
Electoral District: Niagara West
Dean Allison, MP 4994 King Street Beamsville, ON L0R 1B0 Dean.Allison@parl.gc.ca 877-563-7900 Member of Provincial Parliament
Electoral District: Niagara West
Sam Oosterhoff, MPP 4961 King St. East, Unit M1 Beamsville, ON L0R 1B0 sam.oosterhoffco@pc.ola.org 905-563-1755 Members of Niagara Regional Council Councillor Marvin Junkin mjunkin@pelham.ca 905-658-2987 Councillor Diana Huson diana.huson@niagararegion.ca 905-324-3094 Town of Pelham 20 Pelham Town Square P.O. Box 400 Fonthill, ON L0S 1E0 905-892-2607
Mayor of Pelham Marvin Junkin mjunkin@pelham.ca 905-658-2986 Members of Pelham Town Council Ward 1 Councillor Marianne Stewart mstewart@pelham.ca 289-821-0840 Councillor Wayne Olson wolson@pelham.ca 905-933 6033
Today's forgotten business stopped advertising yesterday
Ward 2 Councillor Ron Kore rkore@pelham.ca 905-933-3805 Councillor John Wink jwink@pelham.ca 905-892-4475 Ward 3 Councillor Lisa Haun lhaun@pelham.ca 905-892-5877 Councillor Bob Hildebrandt bhildebrandt@pelham.ca 905-892-5647
Cabinetry Showroom & Design Centre 7-200 Hwy 20 East, Fonthill ON L0S 1E6 Open: Mon - Fri 9:00am to 5:00pm Call (905) 932-7069 to schedule an appointment for a design consultation.
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BARRISTER, SOLICITOR & NOTARY LETTERS TO THE EDITOR are welcome. Letter submissions should contain the writer’s full name, address and telephone number. Names only will be published. Names may be withheld if compelling reasons are provided. The newspaper reserves the right to change, condense or reject any contribution for brevity, clarity or legal considerations. All material in this publication is protected by copyright. Reproduction is prohibited without express, written permission of the publisher. ADVERTISING: The Voice of Pelham regrets any errors or omissions that appear in advertisements in this newspaper, however, we will not be held responsible for more than one absent or incorrect insertion or for any damages beyond the cost of space containing the error. The Voice is an independent, locally owned and operated publication. The Voice is a member of the National NewsMedia Council, a voluntary self-regulatory organization that deals with journalistic practices and ethics. If you have an unresolved complaint about news stories, opinion columns or photos, please visit their web site at mediacouncil.ca or call 1-844-877-1163. If you have a complaint about delivery or membership problems, please contact our office at (905) 892-8690. For a summary of Voice ethical guidelines, see www. thevoiceofpelham.ca/ethics
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The Voice
Page 5
A May 18 2022
OPINION Wood you believe it—eight stories of argument If you watched the Town’s last planning meeting, Councillor Bob Hildebrandt has become Green Bob. He’s jumped onto the climate change bandwagon. He got in an argument with architect about building an upcoming eight-story condo building out of wood. Green Bob read one article from British Columbia. The architect said he had numerous experiences that argue against
wood for a building of this size. Green Bob was not happy. It’s like saying that I know more about golf than Tiger Woods because I’ve read more golf books! Can a popsicle-stick CN Tower be in our future? Joe Spencer Fenwick
Change’s embrace Looking out my patio window into my backyard this past Sunday, I was pleasantly surrounded with an evolving development of colour and growth associated with spring. Long gone are the barren tree branches, the snow-covered grass and gardens. The yard was alive with splendour and transition. Lush green grass, budding tree tips and tulips replaced the stark remnants of a long, harsh winter. Amazing isn’t it, how this process reveals itself steadily and stealthily every year. Transformation was in full swing for me to witness with just a single, intentional panoramic gaze. Funny how the process of change never sleeps, both in the natural world and in life itself. With each passing day, each of us participates in an inevitably subtle dance involving the passage of time. Whether we pay attention or not, change taps each of us on the shoulder. Our physical appearance changes, as the mirror and photo album can attest. Hopefully, the process goes further, and we also evolve in terms of our thinking and behaviour. A small example from my own experience helps illustrate. Being a naturally reserved and guarded person, seeking steady social contact with strangers is not in my wheelhouse. I’d rather acknowledge with a nod
from a safe distance. Recently, though, at a social function, something changed. I noticed a gentleman standing alone amongst a crowd of folks. He stood out like a sore thumb, visibly distanced from those who were paired off and engaged in conversation. In the moment, without hesitating, I walked over and introduced myself. What followed was a mutually enjoyable conversation lasting a good 20 minutes. Refreshing it was. Later as I drove home, it suddenly dawned on me how the process of change had just punctured my bubble of comfort. Sometimes, it’s worth the effort to decide in the moment to resist the clinging inertia that grips each of us from time to time. Can’t quite put my finger on what specifically nudged me out of my comfort zone in that instance. Didn’t matter. I left that gathering feeling grateful that I remained receptive to experiencing something different. Perhaps changing the way I look at things is needed more often than I might have thought. The spectrum of change is all around us, and the good news is that we do have some choice in how we respond. Rob Shook Vineland
Never be near lawn mowers Accidents can happen in the blink of an eye. When I was four years old, I was playing outside when I slipped on the grass and fell underneath a riding lawn mower. I lost my left leg below the knee. I grew up in the War Amps Child Amputee (CHAMP) Program, and today I help pass on the Association’s PLAYSAFE message. With lawn-cutting season here, I want every kid across the country to know they should never be around lawn mowers. At 16, I accept who I am today, but I wouldn’t want anyone else to go through what I did. I hope that by sharing my story it will prevent even just one child from being injured. If you would like to learn more about how to play safely and hear stories from other young amputees like me who have lost limbs in accidents, visit waramps.ca/playsafe Zoe Gottwald PLAYSAFE Messenger
Gilberts Flowers
MUNICIPAL MATTERS Pelham
Musings on the need to update Pelham's zoning bylaw BY BARB WIENS Director of Community Planning and Development, Town of Pelham
T
he Town of Pelham’s zoning bylaw was last comprehensively reviewed and updated in 1987...some 35 years ago. Chart toppers that year included the Bangles’ “Walk like an Egyptian,” Glass Tiger’s “Someday,” and Bon Jovi’s “Livin on a Prayer.” Other key cultural moments included Wayne Gretzky and the Edmonton Oilers winning the Stanley Cup, and the airing of the first episode of Degrassi High. Brian Mulroney was Prime Minister. Justin Bieber was not yet born. Clearly, a lot has changed since that time, including the legal and planning environment that affects all construction and development in Pelham. While our zoning bylaw remains largely unchanged since 1987, during this period there have been at least seven provincial policy statements issued, new provincial plans including the Greenbelt Plan and the Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe, updates to the Region of Niagara Official Plan, and a new Official Plan for the Town of Pelham that was adopted in 2012 and approved in 2014. The zoning bylaw is required to conform with the Town Official Plan and provincial and regional policies, and given its age, it does not. Also, the zoning bylaw does
not reflect current development trends or changes made over the years to the Ontario Building Code. As a result, it is outdated and is not a helpful tool. The Town is currently in the process of preparing a new zoning bylaw that will bring it into compliance with Town, regional and provincial policies and requirements. This is and has been
"We also hope to address the need for some of the repetitive and routine minor variance requests"
a significant undertaking. Staff began the work last year and hope to be able to finalize a new document during this term of council. Some of the changes include establishing appropriate zones for significant wetlands and woodlands to provide for better protection of these significant natural resources. We all know that climate change is here and carbon sequestering from these natural features is going to be increasingly more important in the future and the need to protect them through zoning is more crit-
ical. Recognition of value-added agricultural and secondary uses that align with provincial guidance documents and the Town Official Plan will provide somewhat more flexibility to the agricultural community and support to our local agricultural economy. Other changes are aimed at improving definitions, general provisions such as updating parking requirements by including accessible parking and bicycle parking requirements for certain uses, and providing better provisions for home-based businesses and where they may be allowed. We also hope to address the need for some of the repetitive and routine minor variance requests, such as side yard setback reductions, with the goal of having appropriate provisions that will result in fewer minor variance requests. Care is being taken to build into the new zoning bylaw all of the recent approvals council has provided, particularly with regards to second dwellings, short term rentals, and other zoning bylaw amendments for approved development projects. The matters relating to cannabis however will only be included in the zoning bylaw once a decision is rendered by the Ontario Land Tribunal with regards to the current appeal to the Town’s See ZONING Page 20
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A May 18 2022
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Letters continued Some summer reading
A chance for better long-term care
Peggy McIntosh’s 1989 perception of a “damaged culture” in need of anti-racism training invites disagreement and division. And her conclusions are challenged by countless Black Americans who find many white privilege concepts patronizing and socially debilitating. One such critic is Dr. Shelby Steele. His credentials, stellar. His stance against Critical Race Theory, vital. Among Dr. Steel’s areas of expertise are identity politics, race relations and discrimination. His extensive research has netted, among many publications, the book: White Guilt - How Blacks and Whites Together Destroyed the Promise of The Civil Rights Movement. John McWhorter’s 2021 assessments in the book, Woke Racism: How a New Religion Has Betrayed Black America, may help us all become better humans. And then there’s Jason L. Riley’s book: Please Stop Helping Us: How Liberals Make It Harder for Blacks to Succeed. I could go on and fill with titles and authors alone the space allotted to Peggy McIntosh’s white privilege concept. But perhaps the more curious-minded should give it a try. Janet Gritter Wellandport
A week before the Ontario election began, Statistics Canada reported that one in five Canadians are nearing retirement and that there are now more of us aged 45 to 64 than there are Canadians aged 15 to 24. On May 4, the very day the election writs were dropped, a Nanos Research poll reported Ontario voters placed health as their most their most important concern by a wide margin. Yet so far, neither health nor older adult care has been marquee issues in the campaign platforms of two of the three major political parties. We are now in the third year of a pandemic, and 65 percent of Covid-19 deaths in Ontario were in long-term care institutions. Statistics Canada is warning of a coming crisis for older adult care. It’s not unreasonable for Ontarians to expect more attention and concrete plans for health and older adult care from the parties aiming to
lead this province for the next four years. To date in the campaign, the Ontario PC Party are all about election goodies and building highways; the Liberals are promising a buck-a-ride public transit and rebuilding schools. In their not-yet-passed April budget, the Conservatives dangled $1 billion for homecare – an amount virtually equal to what it will cost for “free” yearly auto licence renewals. The NDP have promised free or low-cost dental care for low and middle-income Ontarians, provincial standards of care for long-term care, and have made health and seniors care major offerings in their platforms, but without costing or necessary details. The Liberals, like the NDP, want to eliminate for-profit long-term care. Ontario voters have a serious choice to make. The National Association of Federal Retirees is calling on all parties to
ensure older adults can access safe, high-quality health care when and where they need it the most. Together, our 60,000 members in Ontario and their loved ones are making sure all candidates — and Ontario's next government — understand that Ontario needs a plan for older adult care now: one that fi xes the cracks we’ve seen worsen during the pandemic, addresses the pandemic’s consequences, and leads to a healthier future for aging in Ontario. There was a time, not too long ago, when long-term care residents in Ontario were entitled to at least four hours of care a day from personal care workers, nurses, or doctors. That standard of care was a casualty of the Mike Harris Conservative years. The Ford government has promised to bring it back in four years. We need it back now. Ontarians must not forget
that in the first wave of this pandemic, conditions in some long-term care institutions were so bad, the military had to be called in. The conditions the military reported were nothing short of horrific — and it was all preventable. Within eight years, a quarter of our population is expected to be over 65. Ontario will be under new management for half of that time. With one in five Canadians near retirement, and more older adults than youth in Canada, we are very near another tipping point — one that every voter, no matter their age, should be thinking about. The pandemic was a huge wakeup call. At least it should have been for all of us. Let’s remember where we’ve been, and where we want to be, when you cast your vote on June 2. Anthony Pizzino, CEO National Association of Federal Retirees
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A May 18 2022
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COMMON DECENCY Rev. Michael Coren
Food, family, and faith
L
et us say grace, as it were. The 60s are beguiling. I don’t mean the 1960s. I was born in 1959 and couldn’t say “permissive society” back then, let alone live it. I mean being in my 60s, an age that seems, so far at least, to be dramatically different from its younger sibling. In my 50s I was just a mature adult, not especially different from what I’d been before. Now, just turned 63, I consider mortality, think about pensions, look at obituaries to see how old the deceased were, consider how old my heroes were when they died (often younger than I am now) and bathe in memory and nostalgia. And few things trigger thoughts of times past as vehemently as food. Back to those not-so-permissive 1960s. My dad was a cab driver — Jewish, as so many cabbies were, and from rough, wonderful Tottenham. That meant being a Tottenham Hotspur or Spurs fan,
and when I was a child he took me along to home games every second Saturday, and to few local away ones. After the games, as the splendid green of Tottenham’s holy fields faded into the cloak of dusk, we would drive to my grandparents, Dad’s mum and dad, for Shabbos dinner. Not Shabbat. We were Ashkenazi and this was before the Israeli pronunciation of Hebrew became dominant in the diaspora. Shabbos. We weren’t at all religious, proven by the fact that we’d been driving to watch football. If my dad had a rabbi, he wore a bright white shirt and dark blue shorts, and these Sabbath dinners should really have been on Friday rather than Saturday evenings. Post-sabbath, so to speak. For me it was even more confusing, because I was the product of a mixed marriage. So, it wasn’t religion as such, but it was faith. Family, friendship, tradition, culture,
community. Faith. There, in this little apartment in poor and battered Hackney, I’d sit down to a feast that seemed as foreign to me as West Ham or Chelsea. I was British all through. Bacon-eating, milk-and-meatmixing, non-Kosher-consuming British. Yet here on Saturday nights I’d be taken to the dining rooms of Odessa, to gefi lte fish, chicken soup with matzo balls (we called it kneidlach), brisket, roasted chicken, and latkes. Not at all the Mediterranean Diet but very much eastern European. Spend any time in Ukraine or Russia and you realize that much of Ashkenazi cuisine is as Slavonic as it is Jewish. There would be prayers over the wine and the bread, and then the game would start. Not the referee’s whistle but something rather similar in a way. I can’t claim that fine wines were drunk, or that the food was even especial-
ly good. That, however, isn’t really the point. It’s not the quality of the table but that there was family seated around that table. A people whose recent ancestors had fled pogroms and oppression, who had lost so many in those regular slaughters and then in the genocidal fi lth of the Holocaust, sat in safety and pushed up their cholesterol count along with those they loved and trusted. That was—yes—faith at is finest. Somehow, God knows how, they had survived history. Yes, God did and does know. Now, half a century later I sit in my large, warm, comfortable Canadian home and consume a much more delicate and subtle meal. Nuance, spices, delicate balances of flavour. And I’m no longer a little boy but a fairly successful journalist and an ordained priest in the Anglican Church of Canada. Good Lord that would have surprised them all back then. But
made them proud too; well, to be candid, some of them, and some of what I am. The priest bit would have gone down like a lead balloon landing on a church spire. But food is food, and one of the links in the chain of organized goodness and communal kindness is food and family and faith. My grandparents are gone now of course, as are my parents, and their siblings —even my dad’s brother who, great athlete as he was, played for Tottenham reserves. Gone but not forgotten in my 60s memory and in my 60s love. “Let the boy eat,” my grandma used to say about me to my dad. Yes, let us all eat. And less us all be as happy and as healthy as we can. It’s a matter of faith. Thank God. ◆
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A May 18 2022
ONTARIO ELECTION 2022
Niagara West candidates debate Range of issues discussed in meeting to air this Thursday BY MIKE BALSOM Special to the Voice Affordability, housing, education, and healthcare took much of the spotlight last Friday as three of the eight candidates for the Niagara West seat at Queen’s Park gathered at the Cogeco YourTV studios in Niagara Falls for a televised debate. Incumbent Progressive Conservative Member of Provincial Parliament Sam Oosterhoff was flanked on set by two hopefuls, each with municipal experience. Former Pelham Mayor David Augustyn rolled up the sleeves of his orange shirt to represent the NDP, while Doug Joyner, former Mayor of West Lincoln, sported a tie decorated with red maple leaves as the riding’s Liberal Party candidate. Green Party candidate Laura Garner was also invited to the studio but did not respond to producer Jack Custers’ invitation. The other four candidates who represent parties not
currently holding a seat in the Legislature were offered a two-minute pretaped segment to outline their platforms. Only Chris Arnew of the New Blue Party accepted the offer from Custers. From the onset it was clear that Oosterhoff and his PC party were to be put on the defensive during the 90-minute proceedings. The two challengers repeatedly attacked the Conservatives’ Bill 124, which caps annual salary increases for nurses, teachers and others in the public sector at 1 percent. As well, Doug Ford’s proposed Highway 413 was targeted often as an unnecessary project by both of his opponents. On the education front, Augustyn pointed to the 2022 Ontario budget, where he said premier Doug Ford cut $1.3 billion from education. He said an NDP government would reduce class sizes, hire additional
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From left, Liberal candidate Doug Joyner, PC Sam Oosterhoff, and NDP David Augustyn in a Niagara Falls TV studio. educational assistants and eliminate the EQAO tests at all grades. Joyner promised the Liberals would cap class sizes at 20 students, as well as eliminate mandatory online learning and hire 5,000 more special educa-
tion workers. “We’ll take Doug Ford’s misguided Highway 413 investment and put $10 billion into the repair backlog in our schools,” Joyner added. “And we’ll reinstate an optional Grade 13 as a more structured alter-
native to the more informal and often discouraged victory lap. And we’ll add Covid-19 to the list of universal school shots.” Oosterhoff pointed to a Liberal-NDP coalition from 2011 to 2014 having closed almost 600 schools across
MIKE BALSOM
the province. “We are building hundreds and hundreds of new schools,” Oosterhoff countered. “But more than that, we are getting back to the basics. We’re focusing See DEBATE Page 19
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A May 18 2022
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New Business FOCUS
Father and son team poised to expand Green Acres Total Yard Care serves all of Niagara BY DON RICKERS Contributing News Editor A father and son landscaping duo have returned to Niagara, eager to grow their business. Steve Piironen and his son, Mackenzie, operate Green Acres Total Yard Care from an office in Welland and a landscaping shop in Wainfleet. They offer a full array of services, including spring and fall yard cleanup, lawn mowing and edging, power raking, sod installation, shrub pruning and tree trimming, mulch installation, plant removal and replacement, and even tree stump grinding. An E.L. Crossley graduate, Steve grew up in Fenwick, and still has family and friends in the area. Employment opportunities took him west to Alberta around 2000, where he first introduced the Green Acres name as a landscaping and yard care company in the Edmonton area, on a part-time basis, about seven years ago. Mackenzie holds a college diploma in technology, and joined the business when
it evolved into a full-time operation. When Steve felt drawn back to Niagara, he decided to relocate the company in familiar territory, with positive demographics for growth. Green Acres is a registered and fully insured business in its inaugural season, with about 25 clients at present, but with expectations to grow well beyond that level. The company also sources its materials locally, in support of other small businesses. Robin, Steve’s wife, has 40 years of horticulture background, and will serve as the company’s plant and tree expert. “She'll do consultations with clients,” said Steve, “and will assist us as far as laying out plants in different configurations. Robin’s experience complements our business very well. She’ll go to the nurseries with the clients and hand-pick products, which introduces a very personal element to our service.”
Steve Piironen and his son Mackenzie of Green Acres Total Yard Care. Green Acres flyers will be appearing in local neighbourhoods soon, and the business already has positive word-of-mouth endorsements from current customers that have led to new clients, said Steve. He has not limited the scope of the operation only
to Welland and Pelham. “We are flexible in accommodating client schedules, and eager to attract customers, so our plan is to expend our service throughout all of Niagara,” said Steve. “I’m confident that our professionalism will impress.” Green Acres could have
continued very easily in Alberta,” said Steve. “We were experiencing steady annual growth. But from a demographic perspective, Niagara has a large and growing population in a smaller geographic area, and with fuel and operational expenses on the rise, this
DON RICKERS
move makes more business sense. Plus, it’s great to be back among family and old friends.” For an estimate, contact Steve at 905-327-3958, or via email at greenacressys@ hotmail.com The business website is greenacrestotalyardcare.com
Thank you to our kind, caring staff for your dedication, strength, and grace throughout the pandemic. Our Community is forever grateful.
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The Voice
Page 11
A May 18 2022
Nurses rally for change International Nurses Day demonstrators call public attention to Bill 124 BY HELEN TRAN Special to the Voice wage rises for registered nurses, nurse practitioners, and healthcare professionals to one percent annually, as well as worsened, say opponents, several existing issues, mainly healthcare staff shortages and an already low nurse-to- patient ratio. In a media statement released by the Ontario Nurses Association, President Cathryn Hoy, RN, said: “Ontario nurses are leaving the profession, primarily driven by the devastating impact of the policies of the Ford government. Ford’s wage-suppression legislation, Bill 124, is incredibly disrespectful and targets female dominated professions. It directly impacts nurse retention and recruitment and has had a profoundly negative effect on our members’ ability to provide care to patients, residents and clients during the worst global health crisis in a century.” While candidates from all political parties were invited to attend, the NDP was the only party in attendance. Ontario NDP Candidate for St. Catharines Jennie Stevens (joined by Wayne Gates of Niagara Falls) was vocal in her support of nurses. “As a former healthcare worker, I stood shoulder to shoulder with every sector,” said Stevens. “We hear nurses and see them — the Conservatives didn’t even show up for the debate this morning. There has been radio silence. We will re-
On International Nurses’ Day, some 80 local registered nurses and their friends and family gathered to hold a rally in front of Ontario Progressive Conservative candidate Sal Sorrento’s office in St. Catharines. While Sorrento’s office was locked and most of the lights turned off, foot traffic was busy on Facer street, with a sea of supporters in pink T-shirts. Demonstrators held signs with various slogans bringing attention to what they asserted was a nursing crisis, and the impacts of Bill 124: “Bill 124 is Bad for your Health,” “From Hero to Zero,” and “Giving 100% to get 1%.” Drivers passing the rally would often honk their horns in support. Led by Nurse Annie Mazmanian who helped organize the rally, the attendees shouted various rallying cries: “Hey hey, ho ho, Bill 124 has got to go!” “Shame, shame, shame!” “When do we want respect? NOW!” Turnout was high, said organizers, with some 80 nurses and nurse supporters showing up for the rally, which was meant to bring the public’s attention to the negative impact of Bill 124 on the nursing profession and patient care in Ontario. The bill, which the Ford government passed in 2019, capped
Demonstrators rally outside the campaign office of PC candidate Sal Sorrento, in St. Catharines. peal Bill 124 the same day we take our place in the government.” There was a break mid-rally for key figures to speak. Loretta Tirabassi, ONA Bargaining Unit President, said that Ontario was facing a “healthcare tsunami, that has been building for years. But we’re going to care for you, because that’s our job and that’s not going to stop. But what we’re facing is a lack of trust in this government. The moral baggage on nurses is far too heavy.” Leila Paugh, paramedic (ALS PCP) and Chair of the Indigenous Council of CUPE Ontario, spoke with passion. “Nurses are grossly understaffed and horribly overworked— this has to change. We are unable to help the community because of understaffing. This was happening before Covid-19— nurses were and continue to be overstretched and underpaid. And yet, the Ford government introduced Bill 124...and we are still reeling from it.”
The speeches referenced and drew attention to several key issues affecting nurses: depression and anxiety, burnout, early retirement, and being stretched thin as nurses were pulled between fighting for what they say was fair, while adhering to the ethics and codes of their practice as they continue to care for patients despite what many describe as abysmal working conditions. Many nurses spoke out in their support of repealing Bill 124, under condition of anonymity. “It’s terrible,” said one young nurse. “Nurses deserve a lot more than less than 1 percent of a wage increase. There’s a nursing crisis and Doug Ford isn’t helping us at all —we need this bill gone. We need Doug Ford gone.” “Healthcare and nurses have been pinned down enough,” said another nurse. “We’ve seen this crisis coming for years and no one has been doing anything about it — the Conservative government
HELEN TRAN
has been selling us out to the highest bidder and the healthcare system is crumbling.” “Pray that no one in your family gets sick right now,” said another rally attendee, in reference to the worsening nurse-to- patient ratio in Ontario. In another section of the ONA’s media statement, President Hoy noted that it was a “sad irony” that nurses were holding a rally to protest the disrespect of nurses by the Ford government “on a day which people across the globe honour nurses.” As the day wore on and the sun beat down, rally attendees continued walking along Facer street, waving their signs and shouting supportive slogans. As traffic picked up, more drivers honked their support, adding to the cacophony. “Nurses, united, will never be defeated!” The group chanted. “Nurses, united, will never be defeated!”
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Page 12
The Voice
A May 18 2022
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Twenty-six years ago this week: Pelham’s Sweeping down Highway 20, May 20 1996 storm left trail of destruction
T
oday the CanView Drive-In on Highway 20 stands desolate, a ghost from a bygone era when such openair theatres were pavilions of entertainment, capitalizing on the cult of worship of the automobile. Its 84 acres are currently for sale, listed at $10.8 million dollars. Back in the 1960s, driveins numbered in the thousands across North America. Today a just over a dozen remain in Ontario. They were a cheap night out for young families, and front-seat passion pits for amorous teenagers. For kids, they held an aura of magic, replete with neon lights, flickering images on a mammoth silver screen, and the smell of popcorn and French fries wafting in the air. Some in Pelham may not be aware of the Can-View’s brush with international fame back in May of 1996, when a tornado howled across the landscape and shredded one of the movie screens, on an evening when the Hollywood hit Twister, starring Helen Hunt, Bill Paxton, and Philip Seymour Hoffman, was slated to play. At first blush, it was a pretty simple story of the power of Mother Nature. That is, until the media and human nature intervened. Early factual news stories of a single movie screen’s destruction quickly morphed into a tale of a tornado flattening a drive-in, while the blockbuster movie was actually playing, sending people fleeing for their lives. The incident, which happened on Monday, May 20, was widely reported by news media, fueled by the testimony of purported witnesses. Though discredited by numerous sources, including internet fact-checker Snopes, the urban legend mushroomed. A 2016 short documentary produced by Jay Cheel for The Atlantic magazine, entitled "Twisted," detailed the distorted and exaggerated claims. Even drive-in employees Ann Atamaniuk and Sonny Tutti maintained that the theatre closed early when the weather hit well before sundown, and that no movies were screened that night at all. In fact, the movie Twister was never even scheduled for the particular screen that was destroyed by the tornado. Atamaniuk said that the screens were engineered to withstand 190 kilometre per hour winds. Brock University psychology professor John Mitterer, interviewed for the Cheel documentary, discussed the imperfect recollections of drive-in patrons. “How do you know that a memory that you’ve had
BY DON RICKERS Contributing News Editor
Can-View Drive in manager Ann Atamaniuk.
STANDARD
The blockbuster hit Twister was released on May 10 1996, and went on to be the second-highest grossing film that year. Store this away for a bar trivia night: It was the first film ever released on DVD in the US. It lost out at the Oscars, though, to Independence Day and The English Patient, also 1996 releases. SUPPLIED is, in fact, a true memory?” he asked. “We are natural storytellers, about our lives and our histories, both as individuals and as a culture. Stories get elaborated over time, especially if you’re being rewarded for telling a more interesting story. There’s no doubt that repetition, with a tendency to
embellish, can produce tales that get pretty flamboyant over multiple tellings.” So there we have it. Memory is fallible, truth can be subjective, and human storytelling has enduring power. “I think most people will See TWISTER Page 14
Top, among other damage the tornado lifted the roof from the strip plaza opposite Pleasantview Memorial Gardens, on Highway 20 east of Fonthill, then home to Kremble Automotive. Above centre, a toppled trailer at the RV Complex, also on Highway 20. Centre right, metal pieces from the strip plaza helped take out a hoop house at the former Beamer's Market, near the 406 interchange, where today a thrift store makes its home. Madelyn Beamer, daughter of owners Don and Nancy, is less than pleased. Madelyn is now a professor of health sciences at Brock University, while her mom Nancy is a District School Board of Niagara Trustee. Lower right, already in the wood-selling game, the storm helpfully left plenty of raw material at a business on Effingham Street. Above, a massive barn lost its roof on Metler Road in North Pelham. ALL PHOTOS COURTESY CAROLYN MULLIN EXCEPT THE BARN PHOTO, COURTESY ASA HANSLER
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The Voice
Page 13
A May 18 2022
s terrifying twister spins an urban legend If we can't be first, let's be best, recalls former Pelham Herald editor BY CAROLYN MULLIN Special to the Voice
W
hile initially disappointed that we had missed the fireworks on Victoria Day in 1996, the storm that ripped through Pelham that night gave us more adventure than anyone had bargained for. My husband Bernie and I, having a rare day off from our jobs at Niagara newspapers (mine as editor of the Pelham Herald), decided to take the drive to Niagara-on-the-Lake to catch the fireworks at the Virgil Stampede. We had seen a flyer somewhere that week — there being no website, Tweets, Facebook events, or Instagram posts to provide the salient details — but we were mistaken on the timing. The fireworks had gone off spectacularly the night before. Back at home, sitting on the front porch of our home in downtown Fonthill, we chatted about the vacation adventures to come in our first summer as a married couple, plotting and planning on just how much camping gear we could fit into the bed of the new (to us) Ford Ranger in the driveway. We were marveling at how much beautiful blue, pink and white light still remained in the sky shortly before 8 PM, when that same sky turned almost immediately black. Thunder rumbled, lightning cracked, and a downpour arrived minutes later. We heard a loud bang — the sound you hear when a transformer blows — so naturally our power went out, followed quickly by the sounds of multiple sirens around town. Journalistic instincts took over as we grabbed notebooks and our own camera—my work camera was locked safely away in the newspaper office at the corner of Highway 20 and Pelham Street—and jumped in that new pickup for a drive around. With a tree down on Port Robinson (the source of our power outage) our path to the east was blocked, even as we kept hearing
Above, the St. Catharines Standard's cover the next day. Top, page 1 of the Pelham Herald's special section a week after the storm. VOICE ARCHIVES / BOB LAING
more sirens from that direction. Heading over to Highway 20, we again found the road blocked at Rice
Road, later learning trees had come down near Cataract Road and even further east near Pleasantview Memorial Gardens. We tried snapping a few photos, but while the rain had stopped and the sky’s lightning show was settling down, true darkness was now upon us, and we were not able to get very far without being blocked by emergency vehicles (rightly so). We decided to call it quits and head out again in the morning. By today’s standards of citizen journalism See HERALD next page
Page 14
HERALD
continued from previous page and online immediacy, this seems like an amazingly lame response to on-thespot news, doesn’t it? Without any outlet for publishing, though, this type of live news was something left to the big outlets — television stations or radio stations with proper recording equipment to capture and disseminate the story. While our publishing company had been working on a website, it wasn’t yet live, and it was going to be a static landing page in any event. I was ten years away from even starting a Facebook account, and other social media was in its infancy or non-existent. Besides, I reasoned, with a weekly newspaper already laid out, and printing set to take place the next day, I wasn’t able to publish anything for another whole week anyway. Driving around Tuesday morning, snapping photos of the damage and talking to business owners and property owners, the idea of a special section started to take hold. If the other news outlets were beating us to the spot news coverage, why not take our time, and provide some extra — and hopefully useful — content for readers? The publisher liked the idea, and we set about putting it together. By we, I mean me (with a few shots from Bernie), as the lone paid writer at the Herald. Yet at the same time, I wasn’t alone. Community connections came through
The Voice with regular phone-in updates to the office on how people had fared, or how people were starting the recovery, after this freak storm. Several Highway 20 businesses seemed hardest hit. The Can-View Drivein story was already taking hold — you know, the urban legend that the movie Twister was playing on the only screen at the four-plex that was damaged. While one of the screens was damaged, and Twister was scheduled to screen that night, it wasn’t on that screen, and no movies had started by 8 — sufficient cinematic darkness had not yet descended, funnel clouds notwithstanding. Property owners snapped photos and brought them in. A former schoolmate working on the spiritual staff at Fonthill United Church offered to write a column on how one’s sense of faith intersects with such trials. And local historian Asa Hansler was quick to inform us that this storm followed an established pattern of storms every 102 years in the town. His call to the paper’s office also turned into a contributed column. The other informative pieces came together easily enough with stories around insurance claims after damaging storms, on the Town’s emergency response plan, and information about how first responders had been kept busy throughout the night and into Tuesday. After seeing recreational vehicles turned upside down, barns completely destroyed and a few other collapsed roofs, we were all immensely relieved to hear there were no
TWISTER
continued from Page 12 continue to believe whatever stories support their beliefs and narratives, and question everything that challenges their ideals,” Cheel told The Atlantic, in discussing his documentary. “And when truth depends upon memory, things seem to get very complicated.” As reported by the Associated Press at the time, the storm followed a weekend of severe thunderstorms and flooding. Environment Canada spokesman Phil Chadwick said at least one tornado occurred locally, with one demolishing two barns housing 30,000 chickens, and tearing the roof off another containing a collection of vintage cars, destroying two of the vehicles. The storm took a path down Highway 20 and up through North Pelham. Mayhem followed. Wade Daboll still lives on his ancestral bicentennial farm in Ridgeville. He was 35 years old when the twister roared across his family property, decimating some 600 trees. “We had a willow tree that was 55 inches in diameter lifted up by the roots,” said Daboll. “My dad
TEAM
continued from Page 1 patrol officers receive the same instruction. “The mental health and addiction specialists on this team act to properly screen the individual. The goal is more than just diversion or apprehension, but de-escalation, to bring the situation
significant injuries reported anywhere that night. When planning the layout, it was clear that community spirit and resilience would take centre stage in the four-page section, with a story on how North Pelham’s residents spent the rest of the week moving from property to property, clearing debris and branches near houses, churches and farms, and assisting the farmers on Metler Road whose historic barns were leveled. Luckily, because we used our own camera for some of the shots, those photos survived and, because of a pandemic project cleaning up part of our basement — in the same home that was new to us back in 1996 — I was certain I would be able to locate them for this recollection. I did, in a roll that also contained images of Bernie standing beside his shiny red truck. (It ended up being the perfect vehicle for our trip down east later that summer, in case you’re wondering. Of course, the two-seater no longer fit our lifestyle when we became a family of three a few years later. But that’s another story.) The photos I captured on my work camera, on the other hand, were on black and white fi lm that I bought in bulk and processed as negatives without prints in a makeshift darkroom in the Herald’s damp basement. Since the parent company closed the paper at the end of that same year, those negatives are long, long gone. Of course, with the end of that chapter came the birth
had a massive pile of logs after the storm, and ended up going out and buying a sawmill.” The clean-up evolved into a custom woodworking business, which Daboll maintains to this day. “At that time, I had a pizzeria in Pelham near the old HoHo’s Chinese restaurant,” he said. “I thought there was a freight train coming down Highway 20, the noise was incredible. I thought that the front window of the restaurant was going to blow in.” Daboll recalled that Kremble Automotive, located in an industrial mall on Highway 20 across from Pleasantview Cemetery, lost its roof, and the Barrett family barn on Metler Road was destroyed and scattered across a wide area as the storm reached its peak around 8 PM. Asa Hansler, a Pelham author and historian, was at his home on Highway 20, down the street from Clare’s Cycle, when the twister swept through, tearing limbs off majestic willows on the property close to his house. “The storm took out buildings in the area and uprooted huge trees that were probably 200 years old,” he said. “It sounded like a giant freight train when it went through here. The sky was very dark, and I
to where the person is no longer in crisis.” CMHA Niagara clinical supervisor Brandy Sand told the Voice that while there's less crime statistically in Pelham compared to other parts of the region, it doesn't mean that there's less unwellness. “Mental health workers look to prevent crime by taking a therapeutic
A May 18 2022
of the Voice as an independent, award-winning community-owned publication — one of the few still in existence today. Looking back, our preference for telling stories of community positivity, celebrating those who give of themselves for others, shines through in that fourpage special section. Rather than focus squarely on what was gone, we put a spotlight on help and hope in times of trial. And if you happened to keep a copy of that section, or have seen a copy some time in your own past, you will note that the last article on the bottom of page 4, is a short but heartfelt submission from the Daboll families, expressing thanks for the many offers of help: “Pelham truly is a caring community,” they wrote. I agree. Today no less than yesterday. ◆
ran outside to herd the animals into the barn. The air was completely calm, there was no wind before it hit, and then it just blew straight through like a wind tunnel. It was a very scary experience.” Such storms happen once every century in Pelham, said Hansler. “My great-grandfather Asa P. Hansler, who came through a tornado here in 1896, told me that every 100 years or so Pelham gets hit. Historic records indicate there was an earlier twister in 1792. My greatgreat-great-great grandfather, George Hansler, came through that one. He was living where Bissell’s Hideaway is now, and lost a lot of trees.” That was Canada's first recorded tornado, and "Hurricane Road" was built along part of its path and named after it. Coverage the next week by Pelham Herald editor Carolyn Mullin captured local reaction. “I could see a storm coming, but never expected anything like this,” said Greg Beamer, whose parents Don and Nancy owned Beamer’s Market, now a thrift store on Highway 20 near the 406 interchange. Nancy Beamer is now a DSBN Trustee. Pieces of the roof at the market
approach,” she said. “Our data shows that such calls were trending upwards in Welland and Pelham, just as they had done in other centres in the region, and that's what brought us to where we are today.” Sand said that the MCRRT program has been unfortunately referenced by some in the media as a “suicide squad,” but that they in
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Top, Albert Hansler takes a chainsaw to a tree felled by the tornado on the Hansler family farm, est. 1786, in Fenwick. Above, local historian and Albert's brother, Asa Hansler on the farm last week where the old generation willow trees have made a comeback. HANSLER FAMILY ARCHIVES / DON RICKERS
were sent flying, and two Scoops ice cream hut employees, Shanna Maher and Leigh Au Coin, huddled in fear in the gazebo-like structure as a funnel cloud appeared down Highway 20. Deafening winds shook the hut, and broken glass filled the air. “I thought we were going to die,” Au Coin told Carol Alaimo of the Standard. “Kids were screaming, picnic tables were flying. It was like something from The Wizard of Oz.” Rural roads were washed out, power lines were downed and transformers blown, and tree debris was everywhere, especially in North Pelham, prompting then-Director of Operations for the Town, Jamie Hodge, to declare it “nearly a disaster area.” Hydro workers were on the job repairing power outages during the night, and then-Mayor Ralph Beamer was on the job as soon as the tornado passed, surveying the damage, listening to stories from residents, and pledging help. Niagara Regional Police reported that tractor trailers on Highway 20 had their roofs ripped off. “Two-ton trailers were smashed to smithereens,” Sergeant Sandy Race told the Standard. “The wind tossed them around like toys.”
reality they respond to all calls that are going through 9-1-1. “We go to car accidents, child welfare calls, sudden deaths,” she said. “We're specialists in mental health and addiction, but we can help anybody who's experiencing any type of distress on any call. And we are proud of the fact that our average response time is
Ed Luska, who owned a recreational vehicle business on Highway 20, told the paper, “I've never seen a storm like this,” and noted that several of his trailers had been toppled and crushed by the storm, and truck caps blown into nearby fields. Glen Gordon’s massive 27-ton steel granary located near the drivein was crushed, a $170,000 loss. “It was an unbelievable sight,” said Gordon. Hail fell along with the fierce winds and thunderstorms, which stretched from Lake Erie up to Georgian Bay and across central Ontario. Terry King, customer operations manager at the Ontario Hydro district office in Beamsville, told the Standard said the storm cut power to between 4000 and 5000 customers in Pelham for about 16 hours. Power went out just after 8 PM Monday and was restored shortly after noon the next day. Pelham was not the only Ontario community to be hammered by a tornado 26 years ago. It was the Spring of the Twister in Southern Ontario in 1996, as two tornadoes touched down in Grey, Wellington, and Dufferin counties on April 20, resulting in significant property damage and injuries to nine people. ◆
only seven to ten minutes.” Resources are available in Niagara to support people with mental health concerns and crises. Urgent Support Services provide mental health counsellors from 11:30 AM to 5:30 PM Monday through Friday, at (905) 641-5222, extension 2231. COAST (Crisis Outreach and Support Team) is a 24/7 crisis outreach and interven-
tion service offering immediate telephone counselling, at 1-866-550-5205, extension 1. The Mental Health and Addictions Access Line provides 24/7 confidential support, information, and referrals to dozens of services available in Niagara, at 1-866-550-5205, extension 2. In addition, various support services are listed each week in the Voice on page 4.
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The Voice
Page 15
A May 18 2022
COLUMN SIX
continued from Page 1 popped out of my head. Sun Valley Gardens, it turned out, was a camp for grownups who didn’t wear clothes. I gaped at a photo of a woman diving into a kidney shaped pool wearing nothing but a white bathing cap. I gawked at a picture of a group of men and women baring their breasts, bottoms and other private parts as they stood around a volleyball net. What I couldn’t get over is that no one in the photos was acting the least bit embarrassed about being naked for all the world to see. I ran to the kitchen to quiz my mother about this camp for naked grownups. In our family, I was known as the quiet and obedient child. But every once in a while I liked to puncture my good-girl reputation by asking my mother blunt questions on shocking subjects, just to stir things up. And I knew the question I was about to ask was going to be a bombshell. “Mom, what’s ‘SuVaGa?’” I asked. This was the acronym that Sun Valley Gardens used on their mailing envelope. I pronounced it, “SUEVaGa.” I fully expected the usual frosty, “Never mind” response I got whenever I asked my mother how babies were born. But to my surprise she seemed relieved. “SuVaGa is short for Sun Valley Gardens,” she said. “It’s a nudist camp in Fonthill, near Niagara Falls. People don’t wear any clothes there. Your father is a member. He’s tried to make me join but I won’t.” She then launched into a wild tale about how the year before, while driving home from a trip to Cape Cod, my father had made a mysterious detour on a road that ended up with them right at the wooden gates of Sun Valley Gardens.
FADING INTO THE BUSH Right, the famed kidney shaped pool at Sun Valley Gardens, in 1974. Left, its remains in late 2020, as nature reclaimed the former resort. RUEHLE FAMILY ARCHIVES (1974) / BRUCE FORSYTH (2020)
“Your father wanted me to go in with him,” my mother told me. “I refused. We had a huge fight. So he went in without me and I hid in the woods by the gate. I was never so embarrassed.” That my father had joined a club where people ran around nude did not come as a total shock to me. Ever since I could remember, every morning in the hallway on the second floor of our house my father made a point of sauntering back and forth multiple times between the bathroom and his study in his birthday suit. In clothes, his body encased in trousers and belt and a button-down shirt, my father looked trapped and timid. But in the
hallway, naked, my father walked with a freeness and a swagger that you might see on a male model on a runway. Nevertheless his au naturel strolls made my siblings and me very uncomfortable. My mother, powerless to get my father to quit walking around in the nude, tried mockery, dubbing him “The Marble Statue.” My father would just laugh. In summers up at the family cottage in Muskoka my father never wore a bathing suit when he went for a swim. There were no exceptions to this rule—even when we had guests. Like clockwork, late in the afternoon on a summer Saturday, my father would stride down
from the cottage to the dock where the guests in Adirondack chairs would be having drinks. He always wore the same skimpy wraparound over his lower half that was only slightly bigger than a tea towel. Then with a defiant expression on his face, he would climb to the top of the diving tower. I knew what was going to happen next, but the guests did not. As long as I live, I’ll never forget the nervous titters and guffaws from our guests as my father executed one of his signature soaring swan dives from the top of the tower, always performed in the raw. Had my father done this at Sun Valley Gardens, of course, no one
would have batted an eyelash. Sun Valley Gardens nudist resort was founded by a German couple named Karl and Marlies Ruehle on a secluded 24 -acre site in Pelham in 1955. In the beginning there were only 18 members. When my father joined in 1960, that number had grown to over 100. According to Michael Ruehle, the owners’ son, who wrote about his experience growing up at the resort for the Voice two years ago, at the club’s peak in the early ‘60s to the mid-’70s, there were about 500 adult members. At one point it was believed that Sun Valley Gardens See COLUMN SIX Page 17
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A May 18 2022
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GARDENER'S NOTEBOOK by Aleksia Shoalts
Fertilizing 101
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f you’re out shopping for your garden supplies this year, you may wonder whether or not to get some fertilizer as well. However, with all the different options, it’s easy to get overwhelmed. Why are there three numbers on the bag and what do they mean? Which one is better for my plants? Should I do organic or synthetic? I’m hoping to answer some of these questions for you in this week’s article. Every time you grow something in your garden, it takes nutrients out of the soil, most of which are not naturally replaced for the following year. In order to have healthy, lush
and productive growth year after year, you may need to add certain nutrients back into the soil for your plants to take up. Let’s start with the three basic ingredients needed to grow healthy productive plants: nitrogen (N), phosphorous (P) and potassium (K). On bags of synthetic fertilizer, the relative percentage of each of these ingredients is known as the N-P-K ratio and it represented by the numbers you see on the bag. For example, a bag of 10-5-5 fertilizer means it is made up of 10% nitrogen, 5% phosphorous and 5% potassium, with the other 80%
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being inert ingredients that help distribute the fertilizer and make it easier to take up. Plants need these three nutrients among other smaller nutrients in order to grow healthy roots, robust leaves, flowers, fruit and have good disease resistance. Nitrogen is probably the most important of the three, as plants use nitrogen in order to build proteins that make up strong vegetative growth such as leaves and stems. It is taken up very easily and quickly out of the soil and tends to be in the shortest supply. Phosphorous is an important ingredient in developing a strong root system, allowing the plant to form buds, flowers and produce, among other things. A strong root system helps stabilize the plant in the ground and increases winter hardiness for perennials. Phosphorous uptake in plants occurs best when soil is warm and the pH swings on the more acidic side of neutral. Potassium helps move water and nutrients around the plant as well and plays a key role in photosynthesis, adding to the overall vigour of the plant. Soil moisture plays a role in how well plants can take up potassium. When the soil is moist potassium up-
take is better than during a period of drought. Deficiency in one particular nutrient can be hard to determine, as they can display similar symptoms to each other as well as other environmental setbacks, such as too little/too much water, the wrong pH balance, or not enough sunlight. The only way to truly know what is lacking in your soil is by doing a soil test, which tells you how acidic your soil is as well as what nutrients may or may not be there. You can usually find these kits anywhere garden supplies are sold, or easily online. Testing your soil not only gives you a better picture of what’s going on in your garden and how to fix it, it also helps prevent over-fertilization, which can end up burning the roots of your plants as well as polluting our waterways during periods of heavy rain. There are some rules of thumb when it comes to feeding your plants if you don’t want to get too technical, but still want good results. At the beginning of the growing season, you’ll want to have more nitrogen available so that your plants can grow faster and fill out in your pots or gardens. If you’re buying commercial
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amount of potassium already added to the soil during your first applications should be enough for the whole growing season. How often you fertilize depends on the type of fertilizer you’re using. If you’re going the organic route by spreading manure in the spring, or adding bone meal, fish meal, banana peels, etc. during the growing season, one application a year is enough. If you’re using a commercial fertilizer, follow the directions on the package for the best results. Applications are usually spread out by two-to-four weeks for most fertilizer brands. Which one is better? That’s a matter of personal preference, there are pros and cons to each. Commercial fertilizers wouldn’t exist if they didn’t do the job well, but they need to be applied on a schedule and can be expensive. Even more so this year, as the Russian war on Ukraine is contributing to global fertilizer shortage. For my gardens, I personally like to apply organic sources of fertilizer. Not only for the environmental benefits I mentioned earlier, but also because it saves me time and money. Things which are usually in short supply when you have a 14-monthold running around! ◆ Aleksia Shoalts is a Director for the Pelham Garden Club and also writes a blog about gardening and DIY projects. Contact her at thepressedfern@ gmail.com
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fertilizer, this would mean that the first number would be the highest out of three in the N-P-K ratio. For your garden veggies, hold off on the nitrogen after a few applications so that they can begin to focus on producing flowers and fruit. If you want to go the organic route, then apply some well-rotted cow or chicken manure (an excellent source of both nitrogen and phosphorous) at least a week before you plant your seedlings. This type of manure is easy to find in the spring at your local hardware and grocery stores, as well as garden centres. About early-mid growing season, when you want your plants to start flowering and setting buds, change to a ratio that is higher in phosphorous (the middle number). You don’t want to encourage more leafy growth at this point, especially for perennials, because the plant needs time to “harden off” in order to be ready for the winter. Alternatively, sprinkling some bone or fish meal around the base of your plants also increases the amount of phosphorous available for them to take up. If you want to make sure that your plants have some potassium available for disease/pest resistance and overall vigour, bury some chopped up banana peels around your plants while you’re planting them. These will break down slowly allowing for a steady supply of potassium. If you’ve applied a commercial fertilizer, the
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COLUMN SIX
continued from Page 15 was one of the largest nudist clubs in North America, with members coming from all over Canada and the US. My father was a member of the resort twice, first from 1960 to 1963, and then again from 1966 to 1970. Unbeknownst to my mother, both times my father signed her up for a membership, too. While the Sun Valley Gardens brochure I’d stumbled upon claimed that the pictures of the place will “let you see the wholesome and decency generated by human nudity,” I’m pretty sure my father joined for the same reason that he took along a pair of his mother’s opera glasses when the whole family went to see a production of Hair in Toronto at the Royal Alex in 1969: to see naked women. Before marrying my mother when he was 21, my dad had only kissed one other girl, a fact that I suspect by the time he hit his mid-30s, he was regretting. But when he finally got a chance to see naked women at Sun Valley Gardens, he confided to me years later that he had been a bit disappointed. “The women certainly weren’t models,” he said. I suspect my father also joined to break up the monotony of his life. He was living in the same town where he had grown up, one that he had always yearned to escape. He was working at a dead- end job as a salesman for his father’s wholesale food company. He was trapped in an unhappy marriage. I think he
The Voice saw Sun Valley Gardens as an escape, a means to spice things up. I don’t know what my father was thinking when he signed up my mother for a membership. When I was growing up, my siblings and I never once saw her naked. The closest I ever came to seeing her in the nude was when I was seven, when I walked into my parent’s bedroom as my mother was getting dressed. She was in a bra and skirt, but given the look of panic in her face and how fast she moved to cross her arms over her bra you would have thought I was some thug who’d walked in off the street and caught her totally naked. Despite my mother’s ongoing refusal to visit Sun Valley Gardens, my father and the owners kept working on her to change her mind. Imagine my mother’s astonishment when one day my father announced that the Ruehles themselves were going to be making a house call to show home movies and to preach to her about the benefits of nudism. My mother told me years later that she dreaded their visit and on the appointed day, stayed out shopping as long as she could in the hopes of missing them entirely. But when she got home, there were the Ruehles on our chintz couch in our living room, with big smiles, their movie projector set up and ready to go. My mother had no choice but to sit and squirm through their home movies about the joys of nudism. But in the end she was not swayed by their pitch. As
long a s she lived, my mother never set foot inside the gates of SuVaGa. Over the years though, she would make jokes about my dad belonging to a nudist club. Sometimes, out of the blue, she would warble, “Su-Va-Ga” (using my original pronunciation of the resort’s acronym) to the tune of “Do-Re-Mi” from The Sound of Music. This would make everyone in the household, including my dad, break out into a fit of giggles. Sun Valley Gardens did not permit single men to visit on their own, so my dad ended up going to the resort only a handful of times
PUBLIC NOTICE
Page 17
A May 18 2022
during his lifetime. But that original Sun Valley Gardens brochure I had spotted in 1962 always remained a fi xture on his desk, year in and year out, through the assassinations of the Kennedys and Martin Luther King, through the Vietnam War, and the Watergate hearings. In 1977, my mother left my father for another man. This meant that in theory my father was free to find a partner who shared his enthusiasm for nudism. By that time, however, he’d developed an almost pathological fear of skin cancer. No more skinny dipping and diving during the daylight hours for him. When he went out in the sun, he
Above left, club members enjoy a dip, 1956. Above, Marlies and Karl Ruehle, and their son Michael. Left, the guest card kept by the author's father. RUEHLE FAMILY ARCHIVES / VICTORIA BALFOUR always covered up with long sleeves, long pants and a hat. After my mother left, he never returned to Sun Valley Gardens. The resort itself closed for good in 1982. In 2013 my father died, at 90, from complications from a fall in my childhood home where he lived alone. He left behind a mountain of stuff collected over the years. In my childhood bedroom I found a 1962 Life magazine with a wistful looking Marilyn Monroe on the cover that I had loved to pore over in my father’s study as a child. Even better: I found an old, unused guest card for Sun Valley Gardens. The message on the card, signed by owner Karl Ruehle in red
ink, does not mince words: “This one day visit is to introduce you to nudism.” I keep this Sun Valley Gardens Guest Card in a box with a brick from my childhood home that was torn down in 2014. Like my mother, I’ve never visited a nudist resort and have no plans to. Nevertheless, along with his stint in the Navy during World War II and becoming a chartered accountant well into his 50s, I consider my father’s long-ago membership in Sun Valley Gardens to be an essential and colorful element of his complex personal history, one of the many facets that made him who he was. ◆
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Motorists and the general public are hereby advised that Niagara Region’s Annual Strengthening and Resurfacing Program has commenced. For updates on this project please visit niagararegion.ca/roads. This project is required to increase the lifespan of the road sections by improving the structural integrity.
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The proposed work includes: • Replacing selected cross culverts • Milling off the top course of asphalt or doing a cold in place strategy of the road section • Repairing cracks in the base course asphalt and replacing concrete curbs that are in poor condition • Paving new top course asphalt, line marking and adding granular to shoulders Please expect traffic delays and that daily road closures and detours as identified will be required for paving operations during construction. The contractors’ anticipated hours of operation from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., weather permitting. Businesses and residents will have access during the closure but may be directed to take an alternate route to get to their destination. Emergency services will also have access if required.
Friday night, 8 PM
Any inquiries concerning this project may be directed to Niagara Region Dispatch at 905-984-3690 or Melissa Tomascik, C.E.T., Project Manager Transportation Engineering, at 905-980-6000 ext. 3189.
Your co-operation and patience during this period of inconvenience is appreciated. Bruce Zvaniga Commissioner of Public Works (Interim) Niagara Region
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Page 18
The Voice
OOSTERHOFF
continued from Page 3 that's up to them,” said the MPP. In June of 2020, Oosterhoff's riding staff called the police after a group of retirees and seniors clutching books showed up to stage a “read in” over provincial library cuts. He faced more criticism in October of the same year, appearing in a photo, unmasked, with a group of 40 guests in a banquet hall, who also were maskless, contrary to pandemic health directives. He later apologized for not masking-up. Oosterhoff admits that he is a strong social conservative, having been weaned on the doctrines of the Canadian Reformed Church in West Niagara, and benefiting from its support in his fi rst two runs at elected office. He was fi rst elected as an MPP in the 2016 by-election, defeating highly favoured former MP and then-president of the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario, Rick Dykstra, thanks to a grassroots effort mobilized by Oosterhoff’s church community. “I've always been clear about my stance on the importance of protecting the unborn, and I've always been upfront with people in my community about that,” said Oosterhoff. “And they've sent me back to Queens Park, fi rst in 2016, and then in 2018. The reality is that in this election, what I'm hearing from people is that their top concerns are the cost of living for their families, the importance of building-up community infrastructure, and making sure that all have access to critical healthcare services. Those are the things that I'm really fighting for.” In the 2018 election, Oosterhoff took 53 percent of the popular vote, beating the NDP candidate by some
10,000 votes, and the Liberal candidate by almost 20,000 votes. Two seasoned political veterans are competing for the local seat this time around, with controversial former Pelham Mayor David Augustyn carrying the NDP banner, and former West Lincoln Mayor Doug Joyner stepping up for the Liberals. “The NDP and the Liberals like to talk a big game, to strike committees, to argue and debate. But at the end of the day, Doug [Ford] is the one who's going to get it done,” said Oosterhoff. The pollsters have confi rmed that the cost of living has become the top Ontario election issue, given skyrocketing prices for food, fuel, and shelter. Bur Oosterhoff notes other key issues, such as healthcare. “The new West Lincoln Memorial Hospital is a priority for local folks in Niagara West, and other projects in the region include the expansion at the Hotel Dieu Shaver hospital, and of course the new South Niagara hospital in Niagara Falls,” said Oosterhoff. “We have an aging population that needs to be supported, and so we’ve allocated a billion dollars in the budget towards expanding home care, so that they can age in place with dignity. That's a huge priority.” High speed internet in rural areas has also been on the PC must-do list, said Oosterhoff. “We've done a lot of work getting high-speed internet into communities in West Niagara, from Fenwick to Canborough and Attercliffe, out towards Kimbo and Grassie, to a lot of these smaller centres that had poor connectivity. Our government is setting aside funding to have every house in the province connected by 2025.” Oosterhoff stressed a focus on education by the
A May 18 2022
www.thevoiceofpelham.ca
CELEBRATION OF LIFE
OBITUARY
BALL, John Rae
SMITH, Doreen Anna (nee Elliott)
April 22, 1931 - January 11, 2022
Please join the family of Rae Ball for a Celebration of his Life on Saturday, May 28th in Fonthill. Rae passed away at Lookout Ridge Retirement Home in Fonthill on Tuesday, January 11, 2022 at the age of 90 years. Predeceased by Gladys (nee Trimble 2018), his beloved wife of 61 years. Survived by his recent partner Marjorie Doddridge. Lovingly remembered by his sons Philip (Kerry McKee), Brent (Holly Meyer) and his daughter, Jennifer (William Cooper). Proud grandfather of Brian Ball (Amy), Michelle Ball, Shannon Cooper, Kyle Ball, Emma Fernandes (Adam), Eric Cooper and Bradley Ball. Great grandfather of Kaylee and Madison Ball. He is survived by his sister Evelyn Walker. All are welcome to attend the Celebration of Life at the PELHAM FUNERAL HOME, 1292 Pelham Street, Fonthill on Saturday, May 28, 2022. The service will begin at 1:00 pm, followed with visitation and fellowship from 2 - 4 pm. To reserve a seat please call the funeral home Phone (905) 892-5762. Online condolences may be shared at www.pelhamfuneralhome.ca
"Doug has a good rapport with everybody. He's very down-to-earth. I'm a born and raised farm kid, so my views are down-toearth, common sense, get things done."
Ford government. “We have the new West Niagara high school in the works, a new Catholic school coming to Beamsville, and a new joint Catholic-public school in Wainfleet. So education is a huge priority. With more young families moving to the region, we need a worldclass education system to support them.”
Asked about his perceived positive relationship with Premier Doug Ford, Oosterhoff responded, “Doug has a good rapport with everybody. He's very down-to-earth. I'm a born and raised farm kid, so my views are down-toearth, common sense, get things done. My approach to politics is the same as the Premier’s. We've been
1929 - 2022 Passed away at the Welland Hospital on Monday, May 9, 2022 at the age of 93. Beloved wife and soul mate of 65 years to Jack. Loving mother of Stewart (Norma). Cherished grandmother of Leah and Paige. Dearly missed by her brother Andrew (Marion). Predeceased by her brother Roy (Florence). Doreen was a primary teacher with the Niagara South Board of Education for 17 years and worked with Special Education Students for a number of years. Born in Petrolia, Ontario to Ken and Ena Elliott, she moved to Welland as a teacher where she met Jack. Together they bought property in Pelham and, side by side, built a house where they raised a family and lived for 60 years. Doreen was interested in travel and travelled internationally for pleasure and to visit family frequently. She was an avid reader and gardener and devoted many hours to her Church. In keeping with Doreen’s wishes, cremation has taken place. A memorial service to honour Doreen’s life will be announced on a later date. A special thanks to all of the kind and caring folks at Lookout Ridge where Doreen lived happily with Jack for five years. As an expression of sympathy donations may be made to the Fonthill United Church Memorial Fund. Condolences may be shared at www.pelhamfuneralhome.ca able to work really well on a number of different local projects, like the new Canada Games Centre that just opened. We delivered $41 million for that facility. Doug is someone who doesn't make excuses, he just gets to work and gets it done. And that's the approach I try to take in Niagara West.” His election in 2016 curtailed Oosterhoff’s fulltime student status, but he has been persevering towards a degree, with a concentration in politics and economics. “I transferred to McMaster from Brock, simply because of the proximity to Queen’s Park in Toronto,” he said. “I've been trying to
take a course each semester, but I still have a couple more years to go. I'm plugging away at it, bit by bit. I want to make sure that I get that qualification.” Oosterhoff said that his wife, Keri, has been a rock of support in his life as a politician. “My wife is an absolute champion,” he said, “just the most intelligent and beautiful woman ever. Our son, Sullivan, is 15 months old now, and we miss each other because I'm on the campaign trail a lot, but good things come to those who work, and wait, and pray. At least that's my attitude, so I'm going to keep my nose to the grindstone and keep delivering.”
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DEBATE
continued from Page 9 on things like coding, financial literacy and skills training, all practical skills that will ensure students are prepared for the jobs of today and tomorrow.” Joyner also pointed to a Toronto Star investigation that revealed that Ford’s government denied public schools rapid antigen tests for Covid-19 while shipping 175,000 such tests for free to private schools. “What can the Parliamentary Secretary for Education say to that statement to the Toronto Star,” Joyner posited to silence from Oosterhoff. Questions for the candidates were collected from YourTV viewers prior to the recording of the debate. As well, a few were submitted via video by community stakeholders. Lynda O’Donnell, of Community Care of West Niagara, pointed to social and rent-geared-to-income housing as options that can help people avoid homelessness and the need to use food banks. Her video question asked what each candidate would do to meet the housing needs of the West Niagara community. “We have to change the way we are building housing,” Augustyn responded. “We need to invest and allow municipalities to build the types of starter homes that maybe you and your family started in. We’ll offer fi rst-time home buyers a ten percent joint-equity loan that you won’t have to repay until you sell that fi rst starter home. And for seniors we’re offering a property tax deferral so they can live in their homes longer. And we’ll bring back rent control.” Joyner promised to put land speculators on notice and to close rent control loopholes he said were created by Doug Ford. The Liberals, Joyner said, would double the pace of home building until 1.5 million new houses had been con-
The Voice structed. “The Liberal plan will create a new Ontario Home Building Corporation to finance and build housing of all types, end the waitlist for social and supportive housing and build affordable homes for fi rst-time buyers,” he added. “We will work with municipal partners to allow homes with up to three units and
"We'll offer first-time home buyers a ten percent joint-equity loan"
two stories to be built in residential areas across the province.” Oosterhoff threw out the same figure of 1.5 million new homes to be built by the current Ford government within the next 10 years. “It is a challenge that we are taking very seriously,” Oosterhoff said. “We see the NDP and the Liberals talk a good game. I respect that they want to address the issue, as it’s quite non-partisan. The reality is when they had the opportunity to vote for legislation that would encourage more homes, discourage renovictions, encourage good-faith agreements between tenants and landlords, and would provide $3 billion to address homelessness in Ontario, they voted against those measures.” Oosterhoff touted his governing party’s record of the highest housing starts in the past 30 years as proof of their commitment to the issue. Joyner countered by saying that in 2018 Ford promised to make housing more affordable, but asserted that in four years prices have sky-
Page 19
A May 18 2022
rocketed to a point where the average home price in West Lincoln’s urban area is $921,000. The discussion turned to regulatory red tape holding up construction and renovations. Oosterhoff accused Liberal governments under Kathleen Wynne and Dalton McGuinty of imposing the highest number of regulations in Ontario according to the Canadian Federation of Independent Business. “We brought forward two red tape reduction packages each and every year,” stated the MPP. “We made sure they were able to do more [government services] online. We started a one-stop-shop portal for registering your business in Ontario. We know there is more to be done, and as a government we are committed to reducing that burden on businesses and residents.” For his respose, Augustyn reflected back on his 12-year stint in the mayor’s chair in Pelham. “When we looked at building permits, staff said, ‘We need another person to keep doing the same thing that everyone is doing’,” remembered Augustyn. “I said that’s not good enough. We needed to innovate, to do things better. So instead, we kept the same building inspectors but had a person at the counter to organize everything and to make sure they could do their jobs efficiently. We need to do the same thing when it comes to the government as well.” The end of Augustyn’s time as mayor saw controversy erupt over a $3 million dollar land-for-development credits scheme brought to light by a developer whistleblower, reported in a series of stories that won the Voice a provincial Best Investigative News Story award for 2018. “For much of the past two years, Ontario hasn’t been open for business,” Joyner said during his 90-minute response. “The pandemic’s impact was made worse by Doug Ford’s chaotic deci-
sion-making. It’s time to get the fundamentals right for small businesses again. The Liberal government will eliminate corporate taxes for small businesses hurt deeply by the pandemic and backstop loans to tens of thousands of small businesses and make strategic investments into hard-hit businesses like tourism, music, culture and sports.” Joyner went on to accuse Ford’s government of siding with big-box stores and big businesses during the pandemic at the expense of mom-and-pop shops. Kim Rossi, from Pathstone Mental Health, wanted to know what each candidate planned to do to address and fund the increasing mental health care needs for youth. “This year we have allocated over $80 million for student mental health in the classroom,” Oosterhoff said. “We’re also working with organizations like [Pathstone]. Another project that I was thankful that we were able to bring into the region was a rural mental health mobile clinic, so rural areas of Pelham and Wainfleet that might not have access to mental health supports were able to see the mobile clinic for support.” Augustyn referenced his current role as development director at Family and Children's Services Niagara (FACS) before speaking of the NDP’s commitment to invest in mental health care. “We will include it in
OHIP,” he promised. “You won’t have to use your credit card, you won’t have to wonder how you are going to pay for it. Mental health care is health care. It will have a child focus, it will have a family focus. The pandemic shone a spotlight on this.” Joyner, who was the former co-chair of public health and social services
"We brought forward two red tape reduction packages each and every year"
in Niagara Region, said the Liberals will reverse cuts to mental health care by investing an additional $3 billion dollars in four years on mental health and addiction services. He also promised to hire 1,000 more mental health professionals for children. Both Augustyn and Joyner brought up the 4,000 residents who died in long term care (LTC) homes during the pandemic. “The vast majority of them were in private long term care homes,” said Augustyn. “We will end private long term care homes. We’ll get the profit out and the care back in by having
only public and not-forprofit long term care.” Joyner said under the Conservatives, seniors have not been able to age with dignity. “In the past we’ve seen our seniors in long term care suffer to the point our military had to be called in,” said Joyner. “We cannot let this horrible memory fade from our mind. While Doug Ford’s Conservatives continue to spend billions on for-profit providers that delivered the worst outcomes, only Ontario’s Liberals will treat seniors with dignity and respect.” “We’ll provide our seniors with relief by increasing the Old Age Security top-up by $1,000 a year for those who need it,” Joyner continued. “We’ll increase the income threshold to $25,000 for single seniors and $50,000 for a couple. And we’ll help them to live independently by paying for home repairs and tools like wheelchairs.” Oosterhoff, who was the last to answer the question, said it was governments of all stripes who neglected the LTC sector. “No one has gotten it right,” said Oosterhoff, “but we are making a commitment to get it right. We have put into law four hours of hands-on care, substantially up from what it is currently. We’re hiring 27,000 PSWs [Personal Support Workers] to ensure that each and every resident receives the care See DEBATE Page 21
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The Voice 18 2022 DE TEMPS ANTAN www.thevoiceofpelham.ca Yard A May FONTHILL BANDSHELL PRESENTS Burke’s Masonry SALE, Since 2003, Éric Beaudry, André Brunet and Pierre-Luc Dupuis have PLACE YOUR AD BY EMAIL OR PHONE Bricklaying, tuckpointing, of Chr been exploring and performing time-honoured melodies from the stompoffice@thevoiceofpelham.ca Hours: Mon-Th urs, 8 AM 2 PM (905) 892-8690 decorat step repair, granite ing grounds of Quebec’s musical past. Using fiddle, accordion, harmonica, coatings, brick slices items, S guitar, bouzouki and a number of other instruments, our three virtuosos 1PM 6 905-682-7061. blend boundless energy with the unmistakable joieREPAIR de vivre found only in MASONRY FLOORINGP18-28 NORTH traditional Quebec music. Show runs from 7-9 p.m. ALLTYPE MASONRY
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BALANCED LIFE
continued from Page 22 I can get off those pathetically slow and congested Florida bike trails. Let’s go to Texas Hill Country or Sedona or Tuscon where I can get in some decent riding.” Maybe you were driving out to Wellandport, cruising along the 80 kph section of Canborough Road, tapping your fingers on the steering wheel of your SUV to Katy Perry, when you noticed a bulk feed agri-service truck barreling toward you at 20 over the limit. At the exact second it passes you, you instinctively duck into your aerodynamic riding tuck so that the wind blast from it won’t knock you off the road, totally forgetting that you’re in a car. If this is you, admit it’s time to transition from someone who simply goes for bike rides to serious bicycle enthusiast. Not sure? Here are a few more indis-
Brick, Block, Stone and Chimney repairs. Wet and damaged basement repairs. PELHAM LIBRARY CARD MAKING WORKSHOP Phone Tom Deamude at 289-241-4767. 35 years of experience. Materials Make six cards with fall themes, learning a construction variety of techniques.
West Fonthill. Commercial and
Trig Wa g e r rnin this gs for is " G r s u e: " D a a p e s" chs "Pa hun d pe " "Cin rback" nam o n"
Residential space.
YARD/PLANT SALE
8 AM - noon, Fonthill Legion Hwy 20
AND PLANT SALE
FABULOUS FENWICK LIONS FISH FRY LOSE Tasty treats with funds heading straight backAN intoIPHONE? the community. Haddock, french who's fries and much more. Runs Sept. 9 from 4-7 p.m. FOUND: Everyone anyone
Rockway Church Yard and Plant Sale, Saturday, May 21, 8:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. at Rockway Community Centre,
putable indicators. When you hear a friend discussing power bars, you think quick energy supplement rather than something that connects ever more electronic devices to a single wall outlet. Likewise, in your vocabulary, chamois is padding material for bike shorts not for getting postcar-wash water spots off metallic finishes. You’ve been riding full commando for a while now, no more jockey shorts or panties under your Louis Garneaus. You finally have the courage to confront yourself about ditching your high-visibility orange or green safety vest in favour of team-logo-covered cycling jerseys. You may tell your friends it was because the vest flapped in the breeze and offered too much wind resistance, but in your soul you’ve come to peace with the fact you just didn’t want to look like one of
sp gra e to lur of Fa i i c u s e r k o n ir o a r t w lly ro a ret asion c oc es on a ris rn e t . ns . I n t e l d ya w r Wo
are provided. At time of registration, please enquire about tools needed. Tues., Sept. 16 10 – 12:30. $10. Please registerCLUB ahead.SALE Visit www.pelhamGARDEN library.on.ca or call 905-892-6443 forClub more Pelham Garden Plant,details. bake and garden sale, Saturday, May 21,
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reads The Voice
iPhone between Highway 20 and Port Robinson Road.
PELHAM MINOR HOCKEY EQUIPMENT To claimSALE contact 289-547-7761. 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 at 35 kph is a whole differor Bonobos unconstructed “those” cyclists longer. 9-12 in theany morning.
Italian wool blazer. You get ent matter. When someone Your bike has become is riding only a half metre it, so you’ll take a pass on your best friend and therapist. PELHAM You have serious con- showing up with non-gen- in front or behind you, you MUDFEST don’t want the beat of Kanye versations with your bicyMen and women will be back in the mud as the second run on the year is West or Dua Lipa timing cle, even when you’re not held Bissil’s Hideaway. your pedal strokes for you. riding. Youat gently stroke its You love your indoor Brooks leather saddle as you trainer, but decide to lower apologize for the times you REGIONAL EXHIBITION your outdoor winter ridrode NIAGARA it with mismatched ingyears threshold fromevent. +4C toIt water-bottles or tires.andItlive entertainment headline this Rodeo, games exciting -4C as long as the roads are completely understands from Sept. 11-14 at the Welland Fairgrounds.clear. Riding year round is your runs predicament and anxexhilarating, but that first iety as you struggle to extime out in December at beplain there’s ample room for BIG MOVE CANCER low zero separates the seriit and a new carbon-fi bre RIDE ous from theplace pack. on Sept. gravel bike your Cancer heart, The BiginMove Ride is a non-competitive ride taking You notice that you have that it’s not just a fling or 7. Proceeds for the Big Move stay in Niagara and as support Walker many the calluses on Famyour mid-life crisis. hands as you do your sit Then you tellCentre. someone ily Cancer bones, and ladies, your on a group ride the next hands are strong enough day that your older alumifrom shifting gears that der specific high heeled num WALKING bike took it CLUB hard, and you’ll never again have to clipless cycling shoes, but they totally get what you’re Interested in walking inyou’ll Pelham? Join them Tuesdays at the Pelham Arena ask a male to open a new jar still ride with diatalking about. pickles or jamam. for you. mond studs in yourBandshell ears, of for When earlyam spring fromit’s9-10 andorThursdays at Fonthill 9-10:30 There You still put your phone because what the hell, life is late fall and someone tells is no fee for this program. For more information,inplease contact jcook@ a plastic bag before you competitive. you not to overdress for pelham.ca or call 905 892-2607, You ditch ext your329. ear buds. slide it into a jersey pocket, a ride, you know they’re Running or jogging at 12 kph but now the bag is to protect talking about too many laywith ear buds is one thing, it from perspiration rather ers rather than flaunting HAMPER DAY but cyclingCARES in a small group than rain. a special handbag or FOR LBD PELHAM
"You've been riding full commando for awhile now, no more jockey shorts or panties under your Louis Garneaus"
Purchase fresh fruit and vegetables at the Market or bring a non-perishable food item to fill the hampers at the Pelham Farmers Market on Sept. 4.
ZONING
ance with provincial plans and the new Region of Niagara Official Plan. This too will be a significant undertaking. cannabis- related zoning byHaving alignment between law amendment. these two key planning docStaff anticipate being in uments ultimately makes Event Submissions Standards a position to bring the new easier and zoning council If your organization is hosting anbylaw eventtothat wouldfor be ofdecision-making interest to the community, more predictable. this summer. The you may submit an eventsapproval profile by sending your community events to Lastly, it isinformation with pride statutory public meeting is that the Town wishes to aneditor@thevoiceofpelham.ca Sometorestrictions expected be held in apply. June. Event submissions that meet nounce that it will be introOnce the Voice work of onPelham the new the acceptability standards of The will then be posted until the date ducing a new building permit zoning bylaw is complete, of your event. The Community Events Calendar is updated weekly. Please provide digital submission module in attention will turn to the reJune that will help streamas much notice and information possible view ofasthe Town’sincluding Official the date, time and description process of your event. The Voice of Pelham reserves the right toline editthe for permitting space. Plan to bring it into compli-
COMMUNITY Events continued from Page 5
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When you ride past an attractive cyclist you no longer pretend that your overly long stare is checking out their bicycle rather than their legs and butt, because as a serious cyclist you really were looking at the bike — sort of, maybe. You can stare someone straight in the eye and tell them that your favourite plant-based protein powder, the stuff that smells like your green compost bin, actually tastes good. When you can no longer hop on a bike without your ride having an official objective, it’s over, you’ve become a serious cyclist and gone to the Dark Side. But hey, in Pelham you won’t be alone. ◆
and allow for applicants to see what stage their building permit is at in the review process. This too is aimed at providing improved customer service to the building industry and anyone wanting to do construction in the municipality. We hope to see many people at the June public meeting. It’s a great opportunity to contribute to the Town’s future. ◆ With files from CAO David Cribbs.
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The Voice
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A May 18 2022
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2
PLACES OF WORSHIP
2
Bethany Christian Reformed Church www.bethanycrc.ca
First Presbyterian Church 602 Metler Rd., North Pelham
Holy Trinity Anglican Church holytrinityfonthill.org
Pelham Evangelical Friends Church www.pelhamfriends.ca
Concordia Lutheran Church 105 Welland Rd., Fonthill
Fonthill Baptist Church www.fonthillbaptistchurch.ca
Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses 1369 Rice Rd., Fonthill
Ridgeville Bible Chapel ridgevillebiblechapel.com
Fenwick Church of Christ www.fenwickchurchofchrist.ca
Fonthill United Church www.fonthillunited.com
Kirk on the Hill Presbyterian Church pccweb.ca/kirkonthehill
St. Alexander Roman Catholic Church www.stalexander.on.ca
Fenwick United Church www.fenwickunited.com
Glad Tidings Church of God www.gladtidingschurchofgod.com
Pelham Community Church (United Church) www.pelham.cc
St. Ann Roman Catholic Church www.stannfenwick.com
FAITH LIFT
DEBATE
Thessalonians 1:8; I added the words in parentheses). Sound familiar? The same ripples of revival that happened in Israel were now happening from a different source in Greece.
they deserve. Four thousand new beds are under construction in Niagara and Hamilton right now.” The candidates also sparred on the topic of lockdowns, with the challengers both insinuating that Oosterhoff’s Conservatives moved too quickly this spring to remove pandemic restrictions. Oosterhoff defended his government’s plan to keep schools and businesses open safely in the wake of the Liberals and NDP wanting to keep lockdowns going. Highway 413 came under fire again when the topic turned to climate change. “We have to stop the highways that Doug Ford and Sam Oosterhoff are building,” Augustyn said. “We will cancel the 413 and
continued from Page 23
Ripples in Niagara?
Well, what about us? Does the Holy Spirit have the same power to give his people today? Will Jesus’ strategy still work 20 centuries later? Have you ever noticed that Fonthill is in the middle of the Niagara region? What regions would be our “Judea” and “Samaria” today? What might happen if a vibrant group of Jesus followers began to meet, worship and witness in Fonthill? Is it already happening? Lots of questions, eh? Maybe you’re part of the answer. ◆ Rob Weatherby is a retired pastor.
continued from Page 19
all the highways that just help this buddy, that buddy, or this buddy. It ruins the environment. We also need to stop the sprawl. There’s 1,000 acres that are proposed to be developed around Smithville. We have to stop that and support the farmers so they can survive.” Joyner said Ontarians know the climate emergency is happening now. “An Ontario Liberal government will cut greenhouse gas emissions by 50 percent below 2005 levels by 2030. We’ll slash all public transit fares across the province to a dollar until January 2024, getting 20,000 cars off the roads.” Joyner also defended the development in Smithville against Augustyn’s promise to stop new builds there, saying his opponent knows that is one of the only areas in Niagara that can accommodate future growth.
Oosterhoff touted the Conservatives’ investment in an electric-arc furnace at the Dofasco steel plant as an example of his government’s commitment to new green technologies. He claimed the furnace’s reduced emissions is equivalent to removing one million cars off the road. Three other candidates —Populist Ontario representative Jim Torma, Dan Dale of the Ontario Party, and Libertarian Stefanos Karatopis, did not submit a video to be run at the end of the in-studio proceedings. New Blue Party candidate Chris Arnew, a chartered professional accountant who recently retired as superintendent of business at the Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board, said he has become disappointed with Doug Ford’s alliance with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and federal NDP leader Jagmeet Singh.
“The Conservatives have become a party of the left,” said Arnew, “and moved far away from traditional conservative and Christian values. New Blue will allow me to represent the people of Niagara West. We’ll get rid of the woke Liberal activism that’s infused itself in our public education system. We’ll hold public education accountable by providing a tax credit for parents who opt for alternative education.” Arnew also said his party would keep Ontario safe during any future pandemics while avoiding “the unnecessary, ineffective and divisive lockdowns at schools and businesses.” The Niagara West riding debate will air on YourTV this Thursday, May 19 at 7 PM. It will be reaired May 21 at 3:30 PM, May 24 at 8:30 PM, and Saturday, May 28 at 11:00 AM. It is also available online on yourtv.tv/niagara
Page 22
The Voice
A May 18 2022
www.thevoiceofpelham.ca
THE BALANCED LIFE by John Swart
Cycling toward the Dark Side
I
t’s sort of like reaching puberty for cyclists — those days when you knew your life was in for a shake-up. Your development as a person will forever change when you’ll realize there’s more to cycling than contentedly pedaling along the Steve Boring Trail just to enjoy some fresh air. You won’t necessarily get acne again or sprout armpit hair for a second time, but your life will be forever altered the day you embrace the next step in your cycling journey, accept the inevitable, and become a kindred soul to Pelham’s vast community of serious cyclists. No more riding in baggy
tops and last-year’s sneakers with a floppy, crooked helmet for you. The first hints can be subtle. You’ve heard that hardcore riders post their routes and personal data on mysterious websites catering specifically to cyclists. You discover Strava and Ridewith-GPS, tracking sites where shameless cyclists excitedly post their distances ridden, time taken and elevation climbed for the world to see. You decide to sign up for a trial subscription, then climb into your Corolla and slowly drive around Fenwick and Wainfleet while your
Garmin or phone records your trip. Your friends know your riding capabilities, so you drive at a speed that reflects your cycling ability. Hang a slow-moving vehicle sign on the back and do a 50K loop, maybe throw in a couple hills, then post your route data on Strava as if you were on your bike. Give the link to a few friends, and the amazed reactions of your new followers will become addictive. Maybe your first clue was the desire to revamp your cycling wardrobe. Sock length and colour became critical each time you went for a ride, and you’d dither and fuss for ten minutes before you could decide. You’d checked the DeFeet cycling sock website and learned about Aireator 6-inch, Aireator 1-inch, 3-inch DTeam socks, Wooleator knee-
There once was a rider from Nantucket, who faced with an array and unable to choose, finally said, "Oh..." SUPPLIED
highs and more. In a world of 7,900,000,000 people that manages with just eight basic blood types, you have to question why DeFeet decided we needed a selection of 146 different cycling sock styles.
Did it hit you like a flash of routine-destroying lightning? “Honey—(Honey can refer to either the male or female partner in this about-to-explode relationship)—I know we’ve gone
to your mother’s condo in Fort Myers for the last 16 winters, and I loved the helicopter rides to Buffalo airport during Covid, but let’s change it up next winter so See BALANCED LIFE Page 20
V oice HOROSCOPE ARIES – Mar 21/Apr 20 This week could be a strange time in regard to your finances, Aries. It might be a good idea to get all of your financial affairs in order to figure out where you stand. TAURUS – Apr 21/May 21 Check around the house for any areas that could benefit from a little improvement, Taurus. Some renovations could provide a whole new look and even outlook. GEMINI – May 22/Jun 21 Figure out a way to show support for a valued colleague, Gemini. Sometimes just a kind word can transform someone’s day. Your kindness will be repaid. CANCER – Jun 22/Jul 22 Excessive spending could come back to haunt you this week, Cancer. Spend wisely and avoid impulse purchases. A fi nancial windfall could soon be in your future. LEO – Jul 23/Aug 23 Leo, if you have been feeling bored and restless for the last several days, a change of scenery could be in order. A vacation can fit the bill, but even a day trip will prove effective. VIRGO – Aug 24/Sept 22 Your ability to focus is high today, Virgo. This means you can learn many new skills and apply them how you see fit. Take advantage of this chance to better yourself. LIBRA – Sept 23/Oct 23 Give some thought to how you can increase your income, Libra. It can help to have a few extra dollars coming in each
month. A part-time job may be the right fit for now. SCORPIO – Oct 24/Nov 22 Setbacks at work may have you feeling a little nervous, Scorpio. However, everything goes through a natural cycle and soon all will be well again. Maintain the status quo. SAGITTARIUS – Nov 23/Dec 21 Information you glean from the news lately could change your perspective on certain situations, Sagittarius. Take it all in before making a final assessment. CAPRICORN – Dec 22/Jan 20 A task that has been in the works for some time finally comes to fruition this week, Capricorn. You will have mixed feelings about gett ing things done and moving on to new projects. AQUARIUS – Jan 21/Feb 18 Aquarius, a goal regarding your career will finally become a reality. At first you might not believe it, but it’s certainly true. You’ve worked hard for this. PISCES – Feb 19/Mar 20 Pisces, you tend to be your worst critic, but that pushes you to achieve as much as you can. It can be a blessing in disguise. FAMOUS BIRTHDAYS MAY 16 Danny Trejo, Actor (78) MAY 17 Jordan Knight, Singer (52) MAY 18 Tina Fey, Actress/Writer (52) MAY 20 Cher, Singer (76) MAY 21 Mr. T, Actor (70)
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The Voice
Page 23
A May 18 2022
ANSWERS ON PAGE 18
FAITH LIFT
by Pastor Rob Weatherby
The ripples of revival
W
e all know what happens when we throw a pebble into a still pond. We see a beautiful pattern of concentric circles moving out in waves. The same thing happens with sound as the sound waves move out from its source. In the spiritual realm, a similar phenomenon takes place when you have a vibrant group of Jesus-followers meeting, worshipping and witnessing. Scripture gives us some encouraging examples. Here are two…
Ripples in Israel
After his death and resurrection, Jesus appeared to his followers for a period of 40 days. He was preparing them for their ministry, the launch of the Christian church, and the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. During that time Jesus said these very important prophetic words: “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 1:8) The order of events here is important. First comes the Holy Spirit’s power (the word is “dunamis” in the Greek) and then comes dynamic witnessing. The latter is not possible without the former. This is exactly what happened during and after the Day of Pentecost when Christianity exploded from a small local group to a burgeoning worldwide movement that has continued to this day. And just as Jesus predicted, the ripples of revival began in Jerusalem (where the small band of disciples lived) and then moved out to Judea (the region around the capital city), and then on to Samaria (the next re-
gion which had a similar but slightly different culture) and finally into the rest of the Roman Empire (which covered much of the civilized world at that time).
Ripples in Greece
Interestingly, there is a verse later in the New Testament where you see the same thing happening. It has the same chapter and verse as the verse above but comes from the book of First Thessalonians. The apostle Paul wrote this letter to a church he had planted a few years before in the city of Thessalonica in northern Greece. For you history buffs, the city was named
after a lady (Thessalonike) who was a half-sister to Alexander the Great and the wife of General Cassander. There was a thriving young church there which was part of the fulfillment of Jesus’ prophecy in Acts 1:8 concerning “the ends of the earth.” Notice what Paul says to this church family— “The Lord’s message rang out from you (in Thessalonica) not only in Macedonia (the region around Thessalonica) and Achaia (the next region to the south)—your faith in God has become known everywhere…” (1 See FAITH LIFT Page 21
Here’s How It Works: Sudoku puzzles are formatted as a 9x9 grid, broken down into nine 3x3 boxes. To solve a sudoku, the numbers 1 through 9 must fill each row, column and box. Each number can appear only once in each row, column and box. You can figure out the order in which the numbers will appear by using the numeric clues already provided in the boxes. The more numbers you name, the easier it gets to solve the puzzle!
Word Search: Play ball!
Find the words hidden vertically, horizontally, diagonally, and backwards. BALK BALL BASES BATTERY BUNT CATCHER
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ORDER PINCH PITCHER RELAY RELIEF WALK
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Page 24
The Voice
A May 18 2022
www.thevoiceofpelham.ca
Voice
RECIPE OF THE WEEK
4 Carbonara
ART FOR THE AGES On Saturday, May 7, the Town of Pelham’s Mayor’s Youth Advisory Council hosted their inaugural Youth Art Show at the Meridian Community Center. Young Pelham artists were invited to display their work, and as word spread youth from across the region embraced the opportunity to submit their art pieces for the show. The Mayor’s Youth Advisory Council envisioned a place where youth could showcase their creativity, passion and artistic talents and welcome positive feedback from the community. With this in mind, the team created a Comment Box into which visitors are able to drop positive comments about the artist’s work. During the showcase day on Saturday, a “Meet the Artist” session gave visitors the chance to speak to the artists about their work. There were some 35 pieces submitted, with a wide range of media from jewelry, to paintings, to digital art. The artwork will be on display until June 6. SUPPLIED
Moms often work tirelessly to care for their families, with many juggling careers and time spent at home. It’s a balance that is sometimes tricky to manage, and at times mothers need to have their loads lightened. Children or spouses who learn to cook can take some pressure off of Mom. Pasta dishes generally are easy to prepare and can feed a crowd. Such is the case with this recipe for “Carbonara” from “Rachael Ray: Memories and Meals From a Sweet and Savory Life” (Ballantine Books) by Rachael Ray. Carbonara Serves 4 1⁄4 1⁄3 4 1-1⁄2 1 6 1 1 1⁄2
ADDING TO THE PRIDE At a recent dinner meeting the Fabulous Fenwick Lions welcomed new member Lion Garry Campbell, and a transfer from another club, Lion Mike Manzoni. From left, Manzoni, Arbour, Campbell and his sponsor Lion Frank Swob. SUPPLIED
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cup approximately olive oil pound chunk of meaty pancetta or guanciale, cut into 1⁄4-inch dice large cloves garlic, thinly sliced or chopped teaspoons coarsely ground black pepper cup white wine large egg yolks cup grated Pecorino Romano, plus more to pass pound bucatini or spaghetti cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped (a fat hand ful of leaves)
Bring a large pot of water to a boil for the pasta. In a large, deep skillet over medium heat, heat the olive oil, four turns of the pan. Add the pancetta or guanciale and render for about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and pepper and stir 1 minute more. Add the wine and reduce by half (about 7 minutes), then reduce the heat to low. In a medium bowl, combine the egg yolks and grated cheeses to the liberally salted boiling water and cook to 1 minute less than al dente per the package recommendation. Remove about 1-1⁄4 cups of starchy cooking water from the pot and whisk it into the egg yolks in a steady stream to temper them. Reserve an extra 1⁄2 cup of starchy water just in case. Drain the pasta or transfer it with a spider or tongs to the pan with the pancetta and garlic. Remove the pan from the heat and add the tempered egg yolks and parsley. Toss to combine. If the sauce seems too thin, return the heat to the lowest setting and, stirring constantly for 2 to 4 minutes, until the sauce thickens. Add salt to taste. Note: Many recipes for this dish include heavy cream. Such recipes may be delicious, but they’re not authentic. The creamy consistency here comes from tempering the eggs and emulsifying them with oil, cheese and cooking water.
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