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bilko@rgcmail.com Vol.21 No.8
Wednesday, May 24, 2017
Column Six Preparing for what comes next
Lincoln Regional Councillor quits after being "bullied and harrassed" BY NATE SMELLE
The VOICE
Protesters showed up early to Ball’s Falls Centre for Conservation last Wednesday morning to voice their discontent with the Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority’s (NPCA) controver-
FILE PHOTO
sial code of conduct. Lincoln Regional Councillor Bill Hodgson also turned up before the meeting to express his dissatisfaction with the NPCA in his own way — by resigning from the board. Since the integrity of the NPCA board fell under scrutiny for its support of biodiversity offsetting and questionable hiring and firing practices, Hodgson has been seen by many in the region as the only board member making a sincere effort to rebuild the public’s trust in the Authority. Hodgson in-
dicated in a Facebook post that he was resigning for the sake of his family and health after being bullied and harassed by his fellow board members. Ed Smith, a community activist and environmentalist who was slapped with a lawsuit by the NPCA for drawing attention to the board’s alleged development-before-conservation stance, sat quietly in the back of the hall watching the proceedings. Catching up with Smith after the meeting, he said Councillor Hodgson’s resignation was unfortunate but understandable. “He has consistently been the single voice on that board to challenge them and struggle to keep the NPCA accountable to the people,” said Smith. “No person could be expected to stand up to the bullying and harassment he says he was put through. Bill was the peoples’ champion on that Board, he was the beacon of integrity. I am calling on every citizen in Niagara to remember the ‘NPCA 11’ when it comes time to vote provincially in June 2018 and municipally in October 2018. The eleven elected officials on the NPCA Board as well as David Barrick, who took a senior management position while a sitting Board member and Regional Councillor, need to See RESIGNS Page 11
A new graduate recalls order and chaos at Brock BY SAMUEL PICCOLO
Special to the VOICE
I
N MY FIRST YEAR at Brock University, I had a terrible timetable. This was entirely my fault. I neglected to read closely the orientation guide to online registration and began selecting courses weeks after I should have. I was still able to find a place in each required class, but in the end I was on campus every day of the week, often with gaps of seven or eight hours in between lectures. I considered myself to be relatively studious, but I couldn’t bear to stay inside, working, for that length of time. Eventually I took to taking long walks on the grounds of the school. This was in the winter of 2014, what you will remember as a terrifically frigid year––Canada’s coldest, in fact, since 1996. Snowfall records were set in parts of southern Ontario, and the Great Lakes achieved 92 percent ice-coverage, the most in a generation. Lake Moodie, Brock’s lake, nearly froze over. The best way to get to the lake, or at least the
CATCH ME IF YOU CAN E.L. Crossley athlete Brock Deba is already setting records. Story, page 10.
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The Voice of Pelham, May 24, 2017
PUBLISHER’S CORNER
Diving for dollars
by Dave Burket
The Kindness of Strangers We thought that PayPal—or the subscriber—had made an error. Last weekend came notice that a single individual had taken out 20 voluntary Voice subscriptions at once, for a whopping $799. But it turned out to be a most intentional decision, made by the co-owner, who does not wish to be named, of one of the largest and oldest companies in town. “You are a the real voice of Pelham,” came the explanation. “We need your paper.” Those are kind words on top of a wonderfully generous gesture. Even now, days later as I write this, I’m tearing-up again. Thank you.
Have a mini-Puzzler... While Puzzlemeister Bob Loblaw dithers over creating a new Puzzler, he offers us a sushi-snack of a mini-Puzzler. How’s your Japanese? If you are one of the first three readers to identify the Japanese character that appears in this week’s Bloomin’ Crazy ad, on page 6, owner Gary Rabb will hand you a handsome Japanese willow bush for free. See Gary-san directly, and if you win, don’t forget to say Arrigato. Staying in the East… Grill on Canboro owners Ben and Young Han have added some Asian and other items to their menu and are now open longer hours, the better to serve ex-Keith’s customers wandering the countryside in search of home-cooked fare and friendly service. They’ve also set up patio dining with a view of fabulous downtown Fenwick, or at least the flagpole. Possibly of most interest: their liquor license is in. It's Carnival time... The Fabulous Fenwick Lions
host their annual spring fair this Friday, Saturday, and Sunday at Centennial Park in Fenwick. Parade and fish-fry on Friday, the Midway all three days. Birthday confidential to HDB from the usual suspects… "If 80 is the new 60, you don’t look a day over 70!" I don't even know you anymore... Strange de Gym, our observant Fonthill Fitness correspondent, reports that he met one of his workout mates on the street recently, walking a Labrador like it was an exotic animal. It turned out to be his nephew’s pooch, while the nephew and family were off seeing the local sights. “Can you make it behave,” the man said to Strange, who replied that the dog was behaving perfectly. “I wouldn’t know,” said the man, who revealed he had five cats. “A ‘Cat Gentleman’!,” says Strange. “I couldn’t believe it! All these months and he seemed so normal. It just goes to prove you never really know people after all, eh.”
The Town of Pelham says that it has received “up to” $69,600 in Canada 150 Community Infrastructure Program funding for the rehabilitation of the Marlene Stewart Streit Park pool. As the Town’s only community pool the facility receives steady traffic, welcoming nearly 10,000 visitors during the summer season. In addition to the general public attendance, there are some 900 swim lessons taught in the pool for free each year. “The Marlene Stewart Streit Park Pool offers important recreational and physical fitness opportunities for the citizens of Pelham,” said Niagara Centre MP Vance Badawey. “The Canada 150 Community Infrastructure Program allows for important projects and facilities to be supported and improved so that they can be enjoyed for generations to come.” Badaway was on-site at the pool last Friday for a photo-op with Pelham Mayor Augustyn and Niagara West MP Dean Allison.
Interim Treasurer appointed
The Town of Pelham has appointed Teresa Quinlin to serve as the acting Director of Corporate Services and Town Treasurer during the transition period of permanent recruitment for the role, vacated when the Town fired former Treasurer Cari Pupo last week. According to a Town media release, “Ms. Quinlin is a knowledgeable professional in the corporate and financial services
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IN THE NEWS oid overdoses by providing emergency first responders such as firefighters, paramedics and police officers with the proper training for them to administer naloxone — a drug that can reverse an opioid overdose. It also requests the provincial government to ensure all first responders and agencies that support vulnerable people in the community, have access to publicly funded naloxone, and training in its use. Furthermore, the resolution asks for additional provincial funding for addiction and mental health services that would assist in treating people with mental illness to reduce or eliminate self-medication with opioids.
sectors and has experience leading and executing significant capital projects.” She was previously employed at Niagara College. “I’m happy to be joining the Town of Pelham and I am looking forward to working with such a dynamic team of people,” said Quinlin. Her first day of work was last Wednesday. The Town has not commented on how long it may take to make a permanent hire.
Wellspring signs lease
Council talks opiods
Cancer treatment support service provider Wellspring Niagara and the Town of Pelham have signed a 20year lease that paves the way for construction of Wellspring’s new headquarters in East Fonthill. The Town purchased the property for Wellspring at a cost of just over $1 million dollars following a 2014 memorandum of understanding. $732,750 of this amount was to pay for the land, and the remaining $307,369 to cover the cost of servicing. The Town plans to pay for the purchase with existing funds and the through the sale of surplus lands in East Fonthill. The cost of the new facility, paid for by Wellspring, is expected to come in at around $2.4 million.
During their May 15 meeting, Pelham Town Council discussed a resolution circulated throughout the province by Lanark County pressing the provincial government to offer more support communities in their effort to solve the opioid crisis. “If we think there are no drugs on the streets in Niagara, then we are awful foolish, because there are,” said Councillor John Durley. “There is a danger, as pointed out in the resolution that fentanyl is being used to enhance some already strong drugs and people may be taking it without even knowing it.” Durley said that the strategy defined in the resolution helps to counter opi-
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In an effort to bring further attention and deterrence to driving while impaired by alcohol or drugs, the Niagara Regional Police Service reports the names of those people who are charged with an alleged criminal impaired driving offence in the Region. None of the following charges have been proved in court. In addition to being charged, these individuals are also bound by a Ministry of Transportation 90-Day Administrative Driver’s License Suspension and are prohibited from operating a motor vehicle on a roadway. The public is encouraged to contact the Niagara Regional Police Service Traffic Safety Hotline or Crime Stoppers to report those who are driving in contravention of the suspension. The following individuals have been charged criminally with impaired driving by alcohol or drugs, driving with a blood alcohol concentration above 80 mgs of alcohol in 100 ml of blood, or refusing to provide a breath / blood sample.
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Vol.20 No.48
CELEBRATING OUR 20TH YEAR
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Column Six
Growing up British Part 2 of 2: Coronation to embarkation
Vol.20 No.32
Wednesday October 12, 2016
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Apple Day comes to Fonthill
BY JULIE MANNELL
Special to the VOICE
W
BALLOONING INTEREST Grade 6 student Jinja Shepherd explains her experiment on static electricity at the Glynn A. Green Public School's annual science fair last Friday. See story, page 3. NATE SMELLE PHOTO
Public meeting tonight on school issues BY VOICE STAFF As questions continue to mount regarding an email that Pelham Mayor Dave Augustyn quietly sent to a District School Board of Niagara trustee last summer, Augustyn has agreed to address the issue at a public meeting scheduled for this evening, Wednesday, Feb. 8, in Fenwick. Nancy Beamer, speaking for “Names Matter,” a Pelham citizens group lobbying the DSBN to reverse its decision to rename a local public school, confirms that the meeting will be held at Fire Station #2, known locally as the Fenwick Fire Hall, starting at 7:00 PM. While the Mayor has agreed to ap-
Under pressure, Mayor to address email revelation, other E. W. Farr matters pear, says Beamer, DSBN officials associated with the school-naming process have either declined to attend or have not yet responded to the group’s invitation. DSBN Chair, Dale Robinson, to whom Augustyn’s email was addressed last June, has declined to appear, says Beamer, asserting that she would be
“on holidays.” The Voice was unable to independently confirm Robinsion’s intentions. She did not respond to repeated requests for comment on E.W. Farr-related matters before presstime. Beamer, whose group maintains an email list of some 580 residents, says that all members of the public are invited and encouraged to attend the meeting. “We would especially welcome parents and children who are unhappy with the name change,” she says, referring to the contentious decision by the DSBN to consolidate two Pelham See MEETING back page
HEN I WAS young, my father and I would go for long drives along the rural routes of Pelham. We’d blast George Thurgood and roll down the windows because we loved the smell of the breeze, the sensation of crisp Niagara wind beating our cheeks and tangling our hair against our summer-kissed skin. My father was not a sentimental man. He worked in factories and had a Gordon Lightfoot mustache and never shed tears over injuries. Yet something about the Pelham landscape, the hilly backdrop to his childhood and the childhoods of our ancestors, drew him in. He’d stop by a farm or a gathering of woods and, surrendering his manly veneer, tell me a story about the town. This place is precious. This is the earth that granted us life. Here is the place where we happened upon love or here is a site of devastation. On one particular drive sometime in the late ‘90s we stopped at a tree with a plaque. “This tree looks dead,” I said to my father. “It sure is getting there, Julie.” The Comfort Maple is supposedly Canada’s oldest See COLUMN SIX Page 14
BY VOICE STAFF
A construction error was discovered following the opening of a traffic calming chicane on Haist Street north of Hwy 20 last Monday that prevented large vehicles from passing through. One resident living in the neighbourhood said he contacted the Town after seeing a small schoolbus get stuck as it tried to get through the new traffic calming measure. Later that day while driving behind a cement truck, he said that he became concerned for the public’s safety when the truck had to turn around because it couldn’t get through. “If a small school bus and a cement truck can’t make it through what about a fire
BY HEATHER McLAREN ROHRER
Special to the VOICE
A
Repair measures underway last week to correct a construction error in the chicane. truck or an ambulance?” he said. While waiting for the contractor to return to fix
the mistake, the Town has taken measures to temporarily allow passage for vehicles through the neigh-
VOICE PHOTO
bourhood in the short-term. Manager of Public Works Ryan Cook said that after discovering the issue with
the chicane the morning it first opened, the Town See CHICANE Page 5
Petition-inspired changes coming to 2017 Summerfest BY NATE SMELLE
The VOICE
Representatives from the Pelham Summerfest committee Candy Ashbee and Bill Gibson presented council with a final report on the 2016 Summerfest at the Council meeting on Monday, Nov. 21. Prompted by a story in the Voice in August about a merchant petition to move Summerfest from Pelham Street, in September Town staff met with various stakeholders to hear their complaints, promising at the time that changes in the way Summerfest was mounted would be con-
sidered. The main concerns identified during the community engagement process were security, parking, ensuring customer can access all businesses in town, and liability for damages. How to get all Pelham Street businesses to participate and finding ways to make it beneficial for them to set up a booth were also determined to be of high priority for the committee as they plan for next year’s event. Gibson told Council that the committee is addressing these concerns in a variety of ways. To improve parking, they intend to create bet-
ter signage for out-of-town visitors to designated parking areas and shuttle services. To make participation in Summerfest more enticing to local businesses, they plan to implement a tiered-charge for booths. Under the new system, Pelham Street business owners will be charged the least, other local businesses will pay a slightly higher fee, and vendors from outside Pelham will pay the most. In response to more specific issues for individual businesses, they will also slightly alter the footprint of the event and make adjustments to security. Another way the committee plans
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to improve the 2017 Summerfest is by sponsoring and working with the organizers of the Thursday Night Bandshell Concert series to select the artist performing on the first night of Summefest. They also intend to make more use of the smartphone app they launched in 2016. "We are really going to push it this year," Ashbee said. “It really helps to get people to see what events there are so they can plan out where they are going. We will be able to actually help the merchants and local businesses adSee CHANGES Page 5
FTER LUNCH ON Saturday, Mum and Dad had my afternoon cut out for me. Mum had more brass than anyone I knew, and it had to be cleaned. In addition there was the set of silver fish-knives and forks which were never used, but which had to be cleaned and put back in their velvetlined box. Next was a walk to the newsagents to pay for the daily delivery of the Daily Mirror. As I said, Dad was a printer, but when he was 37 he had been rejected for a job, as being too old, by the printers of the Beano. For that reason, my favourite comic was not allowed in the house, but while I was paying the papers, the newsagent let me have a 'shoofty' at the Beano. I'd explained my predicament and he understood completely. Sundays were different again. Dad would play golf on summer mornings and billiards in winter. Then he'd stop for a 'refresher' at the local and would pick up the prawns, cockles, winkles or whelks we'd be having for tea later. Meanwhile, Mum was roasting the 'joint' and potatoes. I got to make the Yorkshire pud, and mint
See COLUMN SIX Page 14
Full service. Full-time Realtor. Your Fonthill real estate connection.
BY VOICE STAFF
While shopping in Fonthill between Friday and Sunday, keep an eye out for Beavers, Cubs and Scouts in front of local stores with bushels of apples. As part of the annual Apple Day campaign, Scouting youth of all ages will be trading apples for donations. The yearly fundraising drive is an important way for young Scouts to connect with the communities they are serving, says Leah Marie of Scouts Canada. “The Apple Day campaign holds a great tradition of being able to have youth interacting within the communities they live in,” she says. “All of the Apple Day donations stay directly within the group that re-
The goal is to have these youth develop into confident and well-rounded individuals
ceives them, enabling youth to have experiences that build character, challenge them, and allow them to try new things. The goal is to have these youth develop into confident and wellrounded individuals, better prepared for success. Apple Day helps to achieve that.”
“Any money raised during Apple Day goes towards improving the Scouting program by providing more outdoor adventures for youth, camping equipment, canoes and paddles, training and many other endeavours that the youth want to experience,” says Marie. Scouts Canada has some 100,000 members across Canada, and carries out programs for boys, girls
Joining their principal, Karen Simpson, at the Sept. 19 Council meeting as part of a delegation from EL Crossley Secondary School, students Abby Loewen and Neenah Williams presented Council with a list of reasons that they should immediately approve the construction of the new sidewalk proposed along Hwy. 20. The asphalt side-
walk/trail is slated to be built between the south side of the road from Timmsdale Crescent to the high school. Because of the large volume of motor vehicle traffic travelling at high speeds through this area, and because of the necessity for students to tread this path on a daily basis, many residents would like to see the sidewalk go in sooner than later. After delivering to Council a petition containing
Many residents would like to see the sidewalk go in sooner than later the names of 450 students calling for a safer walk to school, Simpson handed the
podium over to Loewen and Williams to plead their case. Loewen told Council that because there are a lot of students who have work placements and coop placements during the school year, this is the only route for many of them to travel. As one of the students facing this predicament, Williams said she has had no other option but to walk along the dangerous highway.
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H EATHER AND P ENNY L ANE S ALES R EPRESENTATIVES
BY JOHN SWART
VOICE Correspondent
and youth ages 5-25. This year the 3rd Fonthill Group, which includes Beavers to Ventures (youth ages 5- 25) will be hitting the streets to drum-up support. Over the weekend, Scouts will be set up in Fonthill outside Sobeys, Tim Hortons, Target Gas station, Fonthill Shopping Plaza and the Pioneer Gas station at the corner of Hwys 20 and 24.
Town Council approves sidewalk to serve E. L. Crossley BY NATE SMELLE
The VOICE
Cell 905.933.3049
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Second year Beaver with the 3rd Fonthill Group, Russell Letford offers a fresh apple to shoppers in Pelham during the 2015 Apple Day campaign. SUPPLIED PHOTO
A longtime Canadian tradition, Apple Day began in 1932 in Saint John, New Brunswick, when Scouts handed out 21,000 apples as a way to say thank you to the community. In return for their generosity, many people offered them donations. From then on Scouts have reached out through Apple Day to raise funds for their programs.
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Column Six It doesn’t get better than Autumn
Longtime Scouting tradition dates to 1932
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Request made of community still peeved at name change
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Column Six
BY VOICE STAFF The District School Board of Niagara is requesting that the Town of Pelham cede a portion of Cherry Ridge Park for use as a soccer field to serve the students of the new Wellington Heights Public School, formerly the E. W. Farr Memorial Public School, in Fenwick. Currently under renovation and expansion, the new school will combine students and staff from the previous school and Pelham Centre, where classes are being held while construction continues. Two letters, containing virtually identical text but signed by different authorities, were sent last week to nearby residents of the park, as well as to parents of Pelham Centre students. “The DSBN is currently building onto Wellington Heights Public School on Alsop Drive,” states the letter. “The size of the school's addition means the existing small soccer field will be eliminated. The Town and the Board have been discussing the possibility of working together to create a field for both the school and the
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“I start work at 2:30 PM and school lets out at 2:15 PM so I can’t take any other route,” Williams explained. “I have had friends, family, teachers and other community members reach out to me in the past about how this is unsafe and how there should be another alternative for us.” Looking ahead to winter, when she will need to walk this path three or four times See SIDEWALK Page 2
HERE IS NO BETTER time to cycle than Fall. It matters not whether you’re new to the sport, a seasoned recreational cyclist, racer, touring rider or mountain biker; we all have reason to look forward to autumn. Summer’s heat has faded, and the streams of sweat that ran from soggy helmets into our eyes are now just slight perspiration. Fitness is peaking from lots of saddle time, making those tough climbs of Spring a breeze in Autumn. It’s hard to beat the feeling of beginning a crisp, cool Fall ride with a slight shiver, knowing your efforts will soon warm you perfectly. The hues of Autumn are outstanding. A Pelham route as simple as following our southern boundary is one that would make most Toronto cyclists jealous, especially when our forests and fields are ablaze with colour. Begin from Harold Black Park, and zig-zag south along Effingham Rd toward the Welland River. If you’re new to cycling, it’s important to know south is the direction away from any hills. If you avoid the morning and evening weekday rush hours caused by those travelling through Pelham between Wainfleet See AUTUMN Page 3
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The Voice of Pelham, May 24, 2017
Page 3
For peat's sake Local grower says coco peat to boost Niagara production BY NATE SMELLE
The VOICE
As urban expansion increasingly gobbles up more fertile farmland in Niagara and the population continues to rise, the demand for sustainably produced, healthy food also grows. The owners of Nature Lovers Garden Centre/Floral Dimensions on Hwy. 20 in Fenwick, Amanjit and Gurwinder Josan, are striving to tackle this problem and help Niagara achieve food security in an innovative way. Rather than using a conventional growing medium such as peat moss, which destroys the wetland ecosystems from which it is extracted, the Josans have been experimenting with a mix of coconut husks and organic fertilizers known as coco peat. So far, Amanjit says, their experimentation has been a success. He says that the aim of his research is to help local farmers sus-
Amanjit and Gurwinder Josan display different forms of coconut husks—pressed into bricks for distribution, and loose as a growing medium. tainably grow more food. Amanjit says that he has been trying out different ratios of coco peat and fertilizers with several types of vegetables and plants
to find the most productive combinations. Once he has gathered the results, he says he is going to share them with the farming community through-
out Ontario. Employing the expertise he has acquired from growing food in India, Holland, Belgium, Germany and now Canada, Amanjit says he possesses a wealth
NATE SMELLE PHOTO
and teaching horticulture at Punjab University in his native India, Amanjit was not surprised to see how
of knowledge regarding what it takes to inspire a successful harvest. Having seen how productive coco peat could be while conducting his research
See PEAT Page 14
The Community of Lookout Ridge presents our
Annual Classic Car Show Event and Open House Saturday, June 3rd
Open House
11am to 1pm
Car Show 1pm-3pm
Admission is free and all are welcome to attend! For more information, please call (905) 892-9218 www.lookoutridge.ca Rain date for Car Show only: June 10, 1pm-3pm
▶
1505 Lookout Street, Fonthill
Page 4
The Voice of Pelham, May 24, 2017
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OPINION
The opinions expressed in submitted commentary and letters to the editor are those of the contributors and not necessarily those of the Voice of Pelham.
The Voice of Pelham is a 1211858 Ontario Limited publication David Burket, Publisher 2-1428 Pelham St., P.O. Box 1489, Fonthill, ON L0S1E0
As We See It $928,000 an acre? The Town doesn't want to talk about it.
F
OR SOME MONTHS the Voice has been examining various agreements entered into by the Town of Pelham for land acquisition and usage. Of particular interest is a deal reached in September 2015 to acquire three acres of land in the new East Fonthill development. When it came to getting answers about this deal from Town Hall, we quickly ran into a proverbial brick wall. We've obtained a copy of an agreement between the Town and two subsidiaries of the Allen Group, a major GTA developer. The agreement covers property that was to be defined as “excess parkland.” Oddly, the seller, not the Town, was to choose its own appraiser, whose valuation would be used to determine how much the Town would pay for the land. (The last time you bought a house, did your lender rely on the seller’s asking price, or did the bank do its own appraisal?) The appraised valuation came in at $1.1 million dollars per acre. That’s right—a price essentially quadruple the value of any undeveloped acreage in the history of Pelham. Trying to get to the bottom of this valuation has been like pulling teeth, a pile of
which continues to accumulate at the base of that brick wall. (Paging Dr. Accursi, STAT.) After further delays and dodges, the Town came back to confirm that the final negotiated price was not $1.1 million per acre, but an equally eye-watering $928,717 per acre, for a little over 3 acres. Recall that this was two years ago, before the recent spike in real estate values. We’ve learned that just a few months back, an adjacent parcel was bought for approximately $200,000 an acre—less than 25% of the cost agreed to by the Town in 2015. As we began making our inquiries, the Town quietly sent an addendum addressing this matter, and others, to the Region, to accompany its lengthy reply to a Regional Councillor’s motion questioning the Town’s financial practices and health. Then Pelham terminated the employment of its Treasurer, with no explanation other than that she was “an excellent accountant who [had] faithfully served the Town.” What in the name of heaven is going on? Invoke all the deities you want, Town Hall still won’t explain its decisions.
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In response to repeated requests for a copy of a 57page appraiser’s report that apparently rationalizes the price, we were provided a single sheet, almost entirely redacted, and told that if we wanted the other 56 pages we would need to file a Freedom of Information request. The Town asserts that because it doesn’t “own” the appraisal it can’t release it, yet as of this writing neither Mayor Augustyn, CAO Darren Ottway, nor any Councillor, will provide even a summary of the logic used to reach this near-million-dollar valuation. Perhaps the contortions employed are too intricate for even the smoothest of political phrase-makers to manage with a straight face. We are not suggesting that laws have been broken. In capitalism, canny sellers who take rube buyers for everything they can are generally portrayed as heroes. We’re continuing to examine this and other deals, and will present updates as we have them. In the meantime, the reproduction to the right, of the single appraisal page grudgingly provided to us, speaks volumes about the Town of Pelham’s actual delivery on its oft-repeated promise of transparency.
The single page, of 57 requested, provided to the Voice by the Town of Pelham.
SUPPLIED IMAGE
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Letters
Page 5
FOLLOW THE MONEY By Jim Pitt
Cost of the dismissed continues to climb The Town of Pelham has once again fired another staff member...this time the long-standing, well-paid Treasurer Cari Pupo. As transparency is once again not forthcoming, we the residents, we the taxpayers, want to know the circumstances requiring the dismissal of this individual. It is disturbing to hear myriad rumours. Let’s hear the truth. Who made this decision and why? How much money is Ms. Pupo receiving as a result of this firing? L. Morgan Pelham
Fonthill Lions thank AG Night sponsors The Fonthill Lions would like to thank all the people who attended the 66th annual agricultural night on April 18th, where guest speaker Aaron Breimer talked about giving his expertise advise in helping farmers in Zambia improve their corn production. The Lions would also like to thank all the businesses that donated to our draw table: Avondale Stores, Beamer's Hardware, Bertie and Clinton, Boggio Pharmacy, Briggy's Sportswear, CIBC, Country Corner Market, Enviro Niagara Heating and Air Conditioning, Enviro Niagara Hearth and BBQ, Flat Rock Winery, Giant Tiger, Good's Sports, Hernder Winery, James L. Pedlar, Lampman's, Lifetime Vision, Meridian Credit Union, My Place, Pelham Auto, Pet Value, Picard's, Ryan's Auto Body, Red Trac International, Rice Road Greenhouse, Ruffin's Pet Food, Sapphires, Shopper's Drug Mart, Sobeys, St. Catharines Ford New Holland, Subway, Sweet Thoughts, Team Berkhout Bosse Remax, TD Bank, Tim Hortons, Vermeers, Vineland Estate Winery, Volcano Pizzeria, Will's Chevrolet, Your Inspiration at Home. Rick Gretsinger Fonthill Lions
Indigenous archdeacon speaks out on "Wellington Heights" renaming When we celebrate Remembrance Day we remember all the people who have made the ultimate sacrifice for this Country we call Canada. At other times we remember all the people whose lives were taken during the Holocaust. Many of us know about South African Apartheid, Rwandan genocide, slavery and many other atrocities that have taken place around the world. My question would be how many Canadians know the history of our Indigenous people of this country? See ARCHDEACON Page 8
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strictions. But the town can grow internally. How do we do that? Easy— change the bylaws and allow infills, houses built on any lot available. Allow for lots to be created for micro houses, like they build in Vancouver in alleyways and at the end of driveways. Squeeze in row houses with no yards and laneways in the back, like they built last century in Toronto. Build taller, closer, “smarter.” The Mayor and Council looked forward to the next phase of this report. However, there is a better solution to our spending problem not mentioned. It’s called right-sizing. One of the main reasons the Town has a financial deficit of $10.5 million is that we spend too much on governance. Our Mayor and Councillors are forward-thinkers, and forward-thinking takes cash. In anticipation of becoming a small city, we have already hired and are paying now for a small city administration. Pelham has 11 names on the 2016 Sunshine List. This means 11 administrators make over $100,000 in salary. These jobs not only pay well, they come with full benefits and an indexed defined pension. Remember defined pensions? This means you get your minimum pension amount no matter what, and it’s indexed to the inflation rate. In the private sector, employees get a defined contribution pension, if they get one at all. That means you pay into an expensive mutual fund, the employer matches the amount, and you hope for the best.
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come a city, and the sooner the better. I happened across a document presented recently to the Mayor and Council that provides a sort of early road map to our urban future. This document was from one of the nine “teams” that CAO Darren Ottaway has set up to look into a number of pressing Town issues. One of these teams is charged with addressing the abysmal state of “customer service” among Town staff. (We’re all called “customers" now.) The team in question was releasing a preliminary draft proposal called “Growing a Stronger Pelham,” or some such title of deliverable visioning. The proposal is in anticipation of bylaw changes to allow for a modern small city. Why we need to become a small city was immediately obvious. Pelham is spending like a small city, so we had better grow the town into a small city so that this self-fulfilling prophecy becomes reality. A number of proposals were put forward. When a municipality needs more income it can do a few things. It can gamble, like the Town is currently doing on real estate sales and development fees to pay for the new Community Centre. It can do nothing and worry about it later. It can build more to attract investment, or it can improve what it has by growing “smart.” Beyond gambling, the Town also seems to favour the last solution, which involves growing internally. We know by now that Pelham can’t grow outside the town’s urban boundary because of Greenbelt re-
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The Voice of Pelham, May 24, 2017
Attention: VETERANS The Ontario Provincial Service Officer of the Royal Canadian Legion, Rebecca Caulder, will be visiting the Legion in Fonthill during the week of June 19 – June 23, 2017. Should you have questions or benefit needs for Rebecca, please contact Rick Hatt, Service Officer for Branch 613 Fonthill, no later than June 8, 2017 for an appointment. Rick can be reached at 905-892-6100 or by e-mail at: hattrich@sympatico.ca
Royal Canadian Legion Branch 613 Talbot Trail 141 Hwy. 20 E., P.O. Box42 Fonthill,ON, L0S1E0 Tel: 905-892-6293 Fax: 905-892-9470
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FOLLOW THE MONEY continued from previous page Let’s follow the money and see if Pelham is ripe for right-sizing. N i a g a r a- o n-t h e -L a k e is about the same size as Pelham. They are also restricted by land use rules. NOTL is a growing, thriving tourist town with stores, restaurants, theatres, and no end of attractions. They have six names on the Sunshine List including a CAO who earns $124,000. In total they spend $680,000 on their senior administrators. NOTL has had a growth rate of 4.6% since 2011. Port Colborne is a growing town again after years of job losses in industry. This industry left them with a legacy of paying for a full-time fire department, so they have 16 names on the list. Remove the firefighters and they have five names on the list, including a Fire Chief. Their CAO earns $144,000. Combined, their administration costs $618,000. Thorold is twice the size of Pelham, growing at 5%,
and has 13 firefighters. Their CAO makes $161,000. Combined, their four administrators cost $545,000. Welland is three times the size of Pelham and has a large fire service; their CAO earns $165,000. Welland is growing at 3.3%. Grimsby, with 10,000 more residents than Pelham, has six names on the Sunshine List that make a combined $694,000. Their Town Manager earns $113,000. Grimsby is growing at 8%, the fastest rate in the Region. These towns and small cities are keen to grow and increase revenue just like Pelham and they seem to be doing a good job of it. And they are doing it with leaner, more cost-efficient senior administrators. What about Pelham? Since you asked, fasten your seatbelt. Pelham, as mentioned, has 11 senior administrators. In 2014 we had four. These administrators cover every future contingency. We have a Director of Culture and Recreation, $115,600. A Director of Public Works, $127,100. A Director of Human Resources, $134,000. A Manager of I.T., $101,400. A Fire Chief, $145,400—the highest paid Fire Chief of the towns mentioned, by the way. A Director of Corporate Services, $144,000. A Building Inspector, $114,000. A Clerk, $117,000. A Library CEO, $101,000. A Director of Planning, $134,000. And of course a CAO, who comes in at $176,000. Mr. Ottaway is especially
I suggest that our Mayor and Council create a tenth problem-solving "team" and add a couple of us "customers" to it
well paid. He is the fourth highest-paid CAO of the 13 separate governments in the Niagara Region. He is just behind the CAO of the Region itself, St. Catharines, and Niagara Falls. His pay, along with the others in Pelham Town Hall, has been rising at the highest rate in the Region. From 2014 to 2016 it has gone up 30%. Pelham’s spending on senior administrators has leapt from $457,000 in 2014 to today’s city-like cost of $1.4 million. Throw in the $1.1 million we spend on consultants, and we spend some $2.5 million of a $14 million budget on salaries and consultant fees alone. Pelham has 17,100 residents and is growing at a rate of 3%. (The numbers above are for 2016. The Town has budgeted an increase of $365,000, or 8%, for salary and benefits increases for 2017.) Other towns and cities in the Region have civil service jobs basically equal to the ones here in Pelham,
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but they don’t pay as much, at least not enough for their names to appear on the sunshine list. When private companies have a revenue problem they right- size. Jobs are eliminated and pay is reduced. Either that or they go out of business. It’s not pleasant, but the alternative is that everyone loses their job. I suggest that our Mayor and Council create a tenth problem-solving “team” and add a couple of us “customers" to it. If this new team was to rightsize Town administrators, we could save quite a lot of money. I suggest that the Town return to the levels of 2014 and keep four administrators at the following rates, which are comparable to the towns and cities around us. The CAO’s pay would be set at $120,000. The Fire Chief at $125,000. The Finance Director at $110,000 and a combined position involving H.R. and other duties at $110,000, for a total of $465,000. Government administrators like to claim that if you want good people then you have to compete with private sector wages. Fine. If our current administrators don’t like the new pay scale then they are free to get what they're worth in the private sector, defined contribution plan and all. Eliminate consultants and make sure that the administrators hired are qualified to deal with these tasks. Eliminate the other positions or downgrade the pay scales to levels comparable to other towns. The $2 million in savings could help pay for the Community Centre, just in case the gamble doesn’t pay off. If it does, then put the savings into one of a dozen other infrastructure projects that need attention—repair Poth Street, properly maintain our town pool, which used by thousands of people. Maybe add a splash pad for the little ones. Taxes could be reduced, reserves could be replenished. Right-sizing is the answer. Waiting for the town to grow into a city to pay for a city administration in waiting is not “smart” growth.
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Page 7
Page 8
The Voice of Pelham, May 24, 2017
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ARCHDEACON continued from Page 5 Approximately 6,000 Aboriginal soldiers from across Canada served in the First World War alone that doesn’t include numbers of Indigenous people who served in the Second World War and the Korean War. Despite having fought for Canada in two World Wars and the Korean, they were still deprived the right to vote until 1960. Throughout Canada's history, Indigenous peoples have helped shape this land into the country we know today.More than 10,000
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First Nations warriors from the great lakes region and the St. Lawrence Valley participated in nearly every major battle in the War of 1812 More than 150,000 Aboriginal children attended residential schools between 1857 and 1996. On June 11th 2008 the Government of Canada offered an historic formal apology, to all former students of residential schools and asked their forgiveness for the suffering they experienced and for the impact the schools had on Aboriginal cultures, heritage and languages. The apology also made clear the
government's commitment to address the legacy of residential schools through continuing measures, including the work of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. It is by first taking all the above information into consideration I wish to state my response to the statement of Trustee Helga Campbell of the District School Board of Niagara (DSBN). I would also like to share with you from the 94 Calls to Action from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and other documents. Remarks of Helga Campbell at DSBN Board Meeting When giving her justi-
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ARCHDEACON continued from Page 8 sion of Canada: Education and Reconciliation, Recommendation #63 iii Building student capacity for intercultural understanding, empathy, and mutual respect. Our Vision: Through education we can move towards a Canada where the relationship between Indigenous and Non-Indigenous Canadians is founded on mutual respect. Focus of Our Advocacy: Every Ontario student will acquire knowledge and understanding of Treaties and the historical contact that gave rise to Residential schools and the impact on First Nations, Metis and Inuit children and their families and the on-going
legacy THAT IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF ALL CANADIANS. Action: Develop policy positions and responses to government legislation and regulations; Establish successful and mutually respectful relationships with individuals and organizations at the core of major issues affecting education in Ontario; Promote the confidence of parents and taxpayers in the effectiveness of public school. Ontario Government The Journey Together: Ontario’s Commitment to Reconciliation with Indigenous People (Kathleen Wynne). Under the section of the action plan “Reconciling Relationships with Indigenous People”: “We will discourage the use of names that are of-
The Voice of Pelham, May 24, 2017 fensive to Indigenous people in organizations funded by the government “ If we take time to reflect on what I have compiled above I believe there is reason enough to reconsider whether the name chosen for this new school is appropriate. The DSBN has already been given the history of Arthur Wellesley, Duke of Wellington, and reasons not to use his name on this school, however, I feel there are other matters to take into consideration as well. Contrary to what Trustee Campbell says it is our role to try to right the wrongs of the past and ensure our children learn the real history of Canada including the abuses that have taken place and how they can have a part in righting
some of them. If we try to forget about the past, I believe, there is always a chance of repeating our mistakes. It may surprise you to know that there are many Indigenous people who will not selfidentify for fear of discrimination. Imagine that and this is 2017 in Canada! You all can be part of changing that. The following statements are from a speech delivered by Indigenous leader Roberta Jamieson to Canada's Universities as part of Canada's 150th “Bright Minds. Bright Future." "Opportunities for Education includes a history predating 1867, languages, values, sciences. "We no longer have to accept a culture of colonial custom and be subjects of a colonial past.
Page 9 "Reconciliation is a verb, not a noun; it is not an event, it cannot be a slogan...it requires constant action, perseverance, initiative and a state of mind for all occasions." Murray Sinclair: "Education is what got us into this mess and Education will get us out." "A special kind of racism applied to Indigenous People exclusion, superiority, ownership." "Like a capsized canoe... when you make it right you don't always capture all you lost, and over time you may regain your possessions but they won’t be the same as the old ones, and maybe you can create something new. It is not just about the past (culture, headdress and mukluks) it is about an innovative agenda ... a live contribution of knowledge
available to enrich Canada's future." So instead of saying it is not “our” responsibility to undo wrongs of the past let’s stand up and say we respect the Indigenous people of Canada and vow to do everything within our power to right the wrongs of the past including respecting the dignity of our First Peoples. The Venerable Val Kerr Archdeacon of Truth, Reconciliation and Indigenous Ministry for the Anglican Diocese of Niagara. Rector of St John the Evangelist, Niagara Falls. Member of the Mohawks of the Bay of Quinte which is part of the Six Nations of the Iroquois Confederacy, Wolf Clan
Page 10
The Voice of Pelham, May 24, 2017
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Noticing that he was excelling at his elementary school track meets, Brock Deba decided to pursue running as a career. For the past six years, the now-16-year-old track star has dedicated nearly all his time and energy to enhancing his performance as an athlete. Currently in Grade 11, Deba is running for the E.L. Crossley Track team, and for the Niagara Olympic Club out of St. Catharines, where he is working with his coaches Bill MacDonald and Sharon Stewart to improve his times. “It’s definitely a passion for me,” said Deba. “I’m pretty much training six days a week I get one off day, three workouts and the rest are all just runs.” Last year, Deba achieved the best time in Canada in the 800-metre race for his age division, clocking in at 1:54:76. This year, he will be competing in the 800-metre and 400-metre races. Aside from running and working out, to stay in top form Deba said he also needs to keep a close eye on his diet. “My diet isn’t too strict, but I have to be careful with what I eat,” he said. “It’s more about keeping track of what I’m eating and doing my best to stay healthy.” His hard work seems to be paying off. Already he has
Brock Deba in OFFSA's 800m final, last June. been approached by scouts from the University of Waterloo and the University of Windsor. Since scouts from universities in the United States cannot approach young athletes until Grade 12, Deba said he is waiting to make up his mind. He is hoping for an offer from an American school, since they tend to offer bigger scholarships than Canadian schools, he said. Next year, Deba hopes to earn his place on Team Canada, so that he can compete in the World Championships and then one day at the Olympic level. To make the cut, he said he will have to earn one of the top two times in Canada for his age. This time of year always seems to be extremely busy for him, he said. On top of his academic and athletic pursuits, Deba also manages to squeeze in time to work as a lifeguard at a
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water park in Niagara Falls. When the track and field season comes to an end in August, he plans to take a month off before the beginning of the cross-country running season. In his downtime, Deba said he likes to relax with his friends. This Thursday, Deba will be running at the South Regional Championships in hope of qualifying for the OFSSA Track and Field Championships in Belleville this June.
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The Voice of Pelham, May 24, 2017
Page 11
mosquito & tick control service
MR ROBOTS Owen Metler and Joshua Van Tuyl, Intermediate students from St. Ann Catholic School, Fenwick, earned Gold at the Ontario Skills Competition 2017. This accomplishment placed them as the top intermediate team in the province. They earned the award with their “Broken Gears” robot on Monday May 1st at the Congress Centre in Toronto. SUPPLIED PHOTO
RESIGNS continued from Page 1 be held accountable.” As one of the many elected officials calling for change and accountability at the NPCA, Pelham Mayor Dave Augustyn said he can empathize with Hodgson’s decision to resign. Augustyn said losing an engaged representative like Hodgson is not just a loss for the board of directors at the Conservation Authority, it is also a loss for the citizens of Niagara. Still, he says he can understand why he chose to walk away. “It’s hard on his mental health and it’s his family’s health. It’s just brutal what they were doing to him,” said Augustyn. Prior to Hodgson’s resig-
nation, Welland NDP MPP Cindy Forster spoke on his behalf at the Legislative Assembly of Ontario on May 3. Her reason for speaking out, she stated was “to send a strong message to the NPCA board Chair, Sandy Annunziata, and his cohorts: We will not tolerate bullying and we will always stand up for transparency and accountability.” Forster explained to the Assembly that although communities throughout Niagara have raised serious concerns about the NPCA board’s lack of operational accountability and financial transparency, the board declined an offer by the Auditor General to conduct an impartial audit. In late April, the NPCA board altered its code of conduct,
forcing members to swear “unconflicted loyalty to the interests of the authority,” or risk being removed from the board. Hodgson was also censured at this time for raising questions about a Request for Proposals issued by the board. Forester said, “It’s clear that the NPCA board chair, Annunziata, in an attempt to cover up his and some of his board members’ own actions, will stop at no end to silence anyone who seemed to disagree. The majority of elected municipal officials and our communities are fed up. It’s time for the government to appoint a supervisor to oversee the NPCA.” Neither Councillors Hodgson nor Annunziat responded to Voice requests for comment.
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Page 12
The Voice of Pelham, May 24, 2017
www.thevoiceofpelham.ca
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Places of Worship and Events Bethany Christian Reformed Church 1040 Balfour St., Fenwick
First Presbyterian Church 602 Metler Rd., Fenwick
Glad Tidings Church of God 1 Pancake Lane, Fonthill
Pelham Evangelical Friends Church 940 Haist St., Fonthill
Concordia Lutheran Church 105 Welland Rd., Fonthill
Fonthill Baptist Church 1414 Pelham St., Fonthill
Holy Trinity Anglican Church 1557 Pelham Street, Fonthill
Ridgeville Bible Chapel 418 Canboro Rd., Ridgeville
Fenwick Church of Christ 765 Welland Rd., Fenwick
Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses 1369 Rice Rd., Fonthill
Kirk on the Hill Presbyterian Church 1344 Haist St., Fonthill
St. Alexander’s Roman Catholic Church 50 Pelham Town Sq., Fonthill
Fenwick United Church 1050 Church St., Fenwick
Fonthill United Church 42 Church Hill, Fonthill
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The Voice of Pelham, May 24, 2017
Page 13
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Page 14
The Voice of Pelham, May 24, 2017
www.thevoiceofpelham.ca
From left: Amanjit Josan checks in on one of his coco peat experiments; Coco husk fibers; Grow bags containing variable mixtures of fertilizers and peat to determine which combination is most effective for a given crop; coco fiber bird houses. NATE SMELLE PHOTOS
PEAT continued from Page 3 effective it can be in Canada. Though the climate in Southern Ontario is very different from that in India, Amanjit says because coco peat is an organic fiber that retains water and allows sufficient aeration, it creates the perfect conditions for most plants to thrive. "We Canadians are working hard but at the end of the day look at what we are
eating,” Amanjit says. “When you go to the grocery shop things are coming from China, India, Pakistan, Chile, South Africa. Sure, not everything we can produce inside regularly, but there are many vegetables that we can grow yearround. Instead of depending on other countries we can do it ourselves." Engaging in a wide range of experiments in and around the greenhouses on their 100-acre parcel of land, Amanjit has observed
that the coco peat has proven itself an effective growing medium for vegetables commonly grown in North America, such as tomatoes, beans, squash, lettuce and a variety of herbs. Interestingly, he has also observed that Asian vegetables, such as okra, tinda, bitter melon and fenugreek, grow extremely well in coco peat. Considering the demand for these types of vegetables is increasing along with the international community choosing to make Niagara their home, Amanjit says coco peat has the potential to significantly decrease Niagara's dependency on other countries to grow the food people are eating here. This is good for people’s health and the environment, he says. Adding to the value of coco peat is its versatility as a raw mate-
rial. Walking through the main greenhouse, Amanjit pointed to several products they have for sale that were made from the same coconut fibres used to make the peat. Some of these include bird houses, door mats, scrub brushes and hanging baskets. “We would like to eliminate using as much plastic as possible, because it is not healthy and it creates global warming,” says Gurwinder. "My father, my brother, my mom, and so many other relatives have died from cancer, so I just want to contribute to helping people be healthy.” The Josans intend to start selling the vegetables they have been growing at their location on Hwy 20 by the end of July. With the ability to grow food in their greenhouses year-round, they are plan-
It's a shame nobody teaches students about healthy food or nutrition ning to make locally grown produce available to the people of Pelham on a permanent basis. Why should people in Niagara and Canada to go hungry when farmers have the ability to grow more than enough food annually, Amanjit says. With an abundance of land available for growing food, the Josans are looking for opportunities to partner with local schools and notfor-profit organizations to
help feed people in need. "People might say why would I spend two dollars here when I can spend one dollar at the [supermarket], but, they are not thinking about the quality and the pureness of their food,” Amanjit says. “We have to think about quality when we buy a television, or if we want a Mercedes car, but when it comes to our bodies we say go to the cheap grocery store. It's a shame nobody teaches students about healthy food or nutrition in the classroom. We are taught about fashion, technology, this, that, but what about health technology and food. We have to bring our kids from the schools to the farms and the greenhouses to show them. This is the most important area where we are lacking."
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The Voice of Pelham, May 24, 2017
Page 15
Pelham Farmers Market to host Kids Can Grow program BY NATE SMELLE
The VOICE
Although the strong winds whipping through Niagara last Thursday afternoon prevented vendors from setting up their tents, it did not stop local shopping enthusiasts from coming out in droves to enjoy a sunny day at the Pelham Farmers Market. This year’s market line-up features 20 vendors offering a variety of fresh-cut flowers, baked goods, locally grown lavender products, VQA wines, fruits and vegetables, and more. Farmers Market chair Margot Andrews-Peekstock was happy to see so many people out shopping in the sunshine. She said the market has several events planned for 2017. For example, tomorrow the Farmers’ Market is partnering with the Town for the Healthy Kids Community Challenge Kids Can Grow program. The pro-
gram brings youth between the ages of two and 12 together with local farmers and volunteers to learn firsthand where the food they eat comes from. “The kids are each going to get a strawberry plant, a tomato plant, and a basil plant so that they can learn about growing,” she said. Andrews-Peekstock encourages children who may be interested in participating in the program to sign up as soon as possible, since there are only 120 spots available. Now in its 15th year, the Farmers’ Market is searching for a new market clerk. Meanwhile, the Market’s former manager, Fred Arbour, has stepped in to serve. Having been involved with the Market since it began in 2003, Arbour has seen it evolve over the years. In the beginning, he said it was bare bones. He remembers halfway through the night the chair
The third week we started frying onions to get the smell rolling through the air of the market at that time telling him that someone should be selling food. The next week Arbour showed up with a BBQ. Sales were decent at first, however when Arbour got the idea to start frying onions, his business took off. “The third week we started frying onions to get the smell rolling through the air to get people hungry,” Arbour said. “I started out with just one small portable BBQ,
Mary Jane Smith from Riverside Berry Farm shares a laugh with shopper Mercedes Barber.
so in the beginning, if we sold 50 or 60 units a night that wasn’t too bad a night. When we quit, we were selling somewhere between 500 and 600 units.”
Located in the parking lot of Pelham Town Square, the Pelham Farmers Market runs from 4:30 PM until dusk every Thursday from May to October.
NATE SMELLE PHOTO
For more information about the market, including a full list of vendors, a schedule of events and how to register visit www.pelhamfarmersmarket.ca.
Citizen Kame: Crossley teacher aims to expand minds BY KAYE CHANG
E.L. Crossley Correspondent Oddity films are a rare thing to come by in today’s world, where the cinema franchises put art into obscurity. At E. L. Crossley high school, however, such movies are made more accessible. Once a week on Wednesdays, movies are played in the lecture hall from 2:45 to 4:00, depending on the length of the feature. The following Tuesdays are dedicated to discussing the film’s content, other movie news and movies members have watched during the week. These discussions are recorded for a podcast that can be found online, for any interested parties. When asked about film club, avid
movie-fan and consistent club participant, Hunter Barnes exclaimed that film club was “pretty hip-hop. During the podcast we talk about shots, music, sound effects, tone, acting...all sorts of film components.” Beyond being a fun outlet for like-minded people, there still remains to be a higher purpose for the club. Mr. Anderson, the coordinator of this initiative, noted that the society was significant in the way that it represents films that are not popularly distributed through the Cineplex stream. “The movies that are easily available aren’t bad; Hollywood just doesn’t want to pursue telling stories that aren’t part of the status quo. There are plenty of indepen-
dent films with different perspectives and flavors that just don’t get as much circulation.” The club certainly provides the opportunity for young people to experience movies in a way they wouldn't have been able to. For a movie like A Girl Walks Home At Night, an Iranian vampire horror, one wouldn’t bother spending money on an artsy black and white that doesn’t appeal to most audiences. With the film oddity society, however, kids at the school can come together as a collective to further analyse and discuss what traditionally would have been overlooked in the outside world. “There’s something nice about watching a movie and then talking about it," said Mr. Anderson, while
addressing the importance of the film society. He went on to explain how people often watch movies and shows excessively, but never get anything out of them; how movies have turned into another form of consumption. Watching a movie and telling someone about it the next day, isn’t quite as impactful as sitting down with that person, watching the movie, and then having compelling things to talk about after enjoying the experience. Of course, not all the movies that are being watched at film club are expert pieces of art. Anderson himself confessed to showing movies that he didn’t even particularly like. In response to watching The Swiss Army Man Anderson said that
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Page 16
The Voice of Pelham, May 24, 2017
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COLUMN SIX continued from Page 1 most scenic, is to head west from the gym’s entrance and cross the soccer fields. With my inadequate footwear I relied on the footsteps of others to stomp a path through that winter’s record snow. There were times though, often in the morning, when I was the first to make the trek, and in these instances I would sprint across the field, hoping that if I ran quickly enough the snow would be less likely to stick in my shoes. Because the soccer fields were free of natural or artificial barriers, the wind would blow the snow from one side to the other, and in places where the topography dipped, drifts would accumulate. Eventually, I came to know where these were likely to be, but it was still common for me, running at fulltilt, to sink into a sudden mound six inches deeper than I had been expecting and struggle to remain upright. On the other side of the pitches the path entered the woods, then through them to a barbed-wire fence meant to stop hikers too curious for their own good from getting any nearer to the hydro dam. The very first time I came to this point, long before winter, when the trees were still full from summer, I turned left and, through a gap in the branches, spotted what I thought was a large, white shed. As I approached it, though, I was stunned to see that at the end of the trail there stood not a shed, but a sizeable lake. What I had seen was merely a square of its surface, glinting white in the sun. This was my discovery of Lake
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Moodie, and nearly every day after I would return to it. At a particular point that jutted out into the water, I would put down my bag and lie in the sun on great stone slabs seemingly there just for the purpose. When the season changed, and that bitter winter descended, I would leave the trail and walk out on to the lake. As with the fields, the snow was blown across the ice, but its uninterrupted flatness meant that there were few drifts which could jump up and sink me. My favourite spot to walk was along the river that brings water into the lake. For some reason, little snow would accumulate on the sand that banked this channel, and in the many hours I spent wandering there, I found all sorts of things that had accrued over the years. There were old ropes and beer bottles and bleach bottles, fishing line tangled in bushes, a shoe or two, and often a rubber boot. Some of the smaller things I picked up. I wore a great ski coat that winter, and it was so full of pockets I always had a spot to store something else I found. By the school year’s end, I was carrying around a hockey puck, a lump of coal several times the size of a hockey puck, bits of flint, part of a fish’s skeleton, and a deer antler, one so small that it must have come from a buck in his first year of growth. Few walks went by when I didn’t see the tracks of deer, and often the animals themselves. My coat was pretty heavy by spring, and it was bulky, too. I must have looked quite a sight, coming back inside from those roamings, pulling off my balaclava and scarves and that coat. As much
as I tried to keep my feet dry, I was never successful, and always ended up in a handicapped washroom where I could hold my socks under the air-dryer without arousing concern. Then, I would return to class, sit alongside everyone else, and pay attention as best I could.
I
have been reading the Bible lately, not out of any particular religious conviction, but because my convocation––and that of several thousand other Brock students––approaches, and I thought it unfortunate to go through an entire undergraduate degree without becoming familiar with the stories foundational to our civilization. To the uninitiated, the book of Genesis is a confusing read. Are we meant to take its words at face value? At a deeper level? Both? What are the implications of what it is saying? Fortunately, the bestselling book of all time has been adequately reviewed over the years. I started with Wikipedia. Genesis’ first verse, “In the beginning when God created the universe,” is relatively easy to understand. Verse two, “the earth was formless and desolate,” is a little more confounding. This is where I turned to The Free Encyclopedia for assistance. “Genesis 1:2 presents an initial condition of creation,” it told me. Before the light has been let in, the world is “tohu wa-bohu,” a Hebrew phrase that describes a condition of chaos. This didn’t exactly clarify everything, but I figured that it was best to not get bogged down in every complexity, and so I moved past the seven days of creation and
into the Garden of Eden. “So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them.” The question here is obvious: what exactly is God’s image? Wikipedia’s segment on this matter was, I thought, a little dense, so I ricocheted around the web looking for a succinct interpretation. I found one from a blogging theologian, who argued that the answer was one involving order and chaos. Just as God was supposed to have turned the chaos of ‘tohu wa-bohu’ into the earth we know, humans turned the chaos of the natural world into comprehensible order. That this is happening in a garden makes sense. A garden contains just the right combination of chaos and order; just the right amount of nature and artificiality. I began to think of the university. While the division of study within the university seems to be done in a self-evident manner, at a closer glance it is clear that there is a considerable imposition of order upon chaos. Where, exactly, are the natural boundaries between physics and chemistry? In high school, my physics teacher liked to quip that, “chemistry is just another branch of physics,” and my chemistry teacher was equally fond of saying that “physics is just another branch of chemistry.” In nature, of course, there is no “physics” and there is no “chemistry.” There is just the world–– but merely stating this does not help us to understand it. The university divvies up all that there is to study into distinct departments, because otherwise it would all be too overwhelming. The depart-
ments we create to study the world are our imposition of order upon the world. But there is such thing as too much order. Most students can think of professors we’ve had who are so preoccupied with the order of their discipline that they’ve forgotten to acquire conventional social skills. Or consider the sufferer of obsessive compulsive disorder—someone so concerned with cleanliness and order that it’s impossible to get on with the rest of life. Or, in contrast to the chaos of nature, picture the city––so much concrete, so many skyscrapers––where the excess of urban order is stifling and claustrophobic. No wonder we “escape” to the country. Brock, like all good things, is both orderly and chaotic. For most students, the four years spent there are a hiatus from the two poles of life: we are between the protective order of childhood, where parents are in charge (and responsible), and the coming chaos of the real world, where no one is in charge and we cannot evade that responsibility. I have never attended another university, but it seems to me that Brock is pretty close to having the right balance. It’s true that it’s some ways from St. Catharines and even further from the true cosmopolitanism of Toronto, but there aren’t many universities around now where you can find a deer’s antlers and the animal they came from on the same day. When learning the techniques of ordering our lives that universities so effectively teach, it is helpful to take note of the chaos that must be there too. For me, Brock did both. ♦