The Voice of Pelham, May 2 2018

Non-Profit Housing board cancels AGM page 3 Doris Stringer remembered page 5 Italians en route page 18 EXCEEDING EXPECTATIONS

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Column Six Teachers and technology

BY VOICE STAFF The Pelham Art Festival Show and Sale will hold its 32nd event on Mother’s Day Weekend, beginning on the evening of May 11 and wrapping up on May 13 at the Pelham Arena. On the Friday evening, doors open at 7:00 and a $10 ticket includes entry to the art show, hors d’oeuvres, live jazz music, and a wash wine bar. On Saturday and Sunday, show runs from 11:00 to 5:00, and there will be live music throughout the day. Tickets on the weekend are $5 dollars. Festival chair Heidi TeBake, who has been a part of the event for 29 years, said that there will be some 75 artists displaying their work during the event. “We look forward to about ten artists who will be here for the first time and to about sixty-five artists who have been here before and they will be bringing their most recent creative talent for you to admire and to purchase,” she said. “We also have invited past scholarship recipients to let us know where their path has taken them and received a lovely response from one of them that demonstrates the influence that art can have.” TeBake explained that the festival was created

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BY COLIN BREZICKI

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Senthill began playing the sport in elementary school and then signed up for the badminton club when she arrived at Crossley. “Me and a bunch of my friends decided to try it out in Grade 9,” she said. “When badminton season came around, we decided to try out for the school team.” Senthill admits she loves the social aspect of playing sports.

E A C H E R S are a dedicated, well-meaning, but quirky bunch. Having enlisted in the ranks myself, I worked with them for 37 years and learned a little about what makes them tick. They like things as they are but will latch on to whatever promises to revolutionize their teaching, be it a philosophy or a gadget. A primal fear—and an occupational hazard—is to be regarded as deadwood, as someone tied to outdated methods and resisting the new. Teachers love to be on something called the cutting edge, and that’s not just a paper slicer anymore. I taught through all sorts of advances in technology, everything from the whiteboard to the overhead projector, the mimeograph machine, photocopier, scanner, cassette recorder, video player, word processor and keyboarding. Today, with advanced microchip technology established in the classroom, new devices and apps seem to revolutionize education every five minutes. If there was a history clock for all the inventions that enhanced learning methods since the begin-

See SENTHILL Page 16

See COLUMN SIX back page

Pooja Senthill won the senior girls Zone 3 badminton title on April 19 at Jean Vanier.

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Crossley’s Senthill tops Zone 3 Natural athlete is all-business on court BY BILL POTRECZ

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Pooja Senthill finally has it figured out. The E.L. Crossley student had some difficulty balancing the social aspects versus the athletic components of sport earlier in her school career, but now seems to have achieved the proper balance. Senthill, 15-year-old, Grade 11 student, defeated Julia Garisto of St. Paul 21-13, 21-14 to capture the Zone

3 senior girls singles badminton crown on Thursday, April 19 at Jean Vanier. “Pooja is a natural athlete,” Crossley director of athletics/badminton coach Pierre Blanchard said. “Off the court, you won’t have a more fun person to be around. On the court, she’s all business. That’s the part she’s learned from Grade 9 to now. She’s learned to separate that. Now she knows the difference between the two and does very well.”

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The Voice of Pelham, May 2 2018

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IN THE NEWS

PUBLISHER’S CORNER by Dave Burket

Spelling it rite: We managed to misspell our Carrier of the Week’s last name last week. He’s Anthony Siprak, with an S, not Ciprak with an C. Oprosti! (I’ve only known the family going on nine years!)… So many horns: Jim Casson, the drummer and Bandshell board member, advises that we got the number right but the distribution wrong in our Bandshell line-up piece last week. "Slight correction to the article,” commented Casson on Facebook. “I said there were 27 horn players including 8 trombone players being hired during the entire season, not just with the Jimmy Stahl Big Band. That wouldn't be a big band. That would be a HUGE band!"… She was a poet and we barely know it: Rosemary Chambers tells us that she’s just finished putting together a display at the Maple Acre Library, on behalf of the Pelham Historical Society, about the life and work of Ethelywn Wetherald. “Most people are unaware of this famous woman who lived in Fenwick from 1866 to 1940,” says Chambers. “Miss Wetherald was a noted Canadian poet who lived at ‘Tall Evergreens’ in Fenwick, where she wrote many of her poems. Her first collection was published in 1895 and established her among Canadian poets.”... Up at the crack of Don: You may have noticed a new byline recently. Don Rickers is a retired educator who has spent most of his life in Niagara. At Ridley College for 24 years, he was enrolment director, housemaster, teacher, and coach. Don lives in Fonthill and will, as mood and opportunity strike, send us dispatches on local goings-on. Welcome aboard!...Still time to get dirty: You can still register at the door at Bissell’s Hideaway right up until the mud starts flying at 9 AM on Saturday for Fonthill Rotary's Mudfest… Keep a lid on it: Birgit Page’s windy woes (page 9) could be answered by the mandatory bagging—instead of binning— of recycling. Costco, Walmart, Giant Tiger, all sell low-cost recycling bags that would stop blowing paper and plastic overnight, if government mandated their use… Skynet is here and wants to cut your lawn: First came robot vacuum cleaners, now it’s lawn mowers. Pic's on Highway 20 is carrying the “iMow,” a self-aware lawn mower (see the ad, page 13). When it returns to the garage and turns itself off, does it declare, “I’ll be back”?… With spring comes growth: Our man Sam Piccolo is soon to say farewell. I’ve gone through most of the grief stages already. Denial just postponed the inevitable. Anger wasn’t an option. Bargaining didn’t work (“Just stay through this year! You're still young!”). Depression settled in for quite awhile, but that didn’t help anyone. So Acceptance it is. Sam, you see, has a bright future ahead and is understandably eager to get on his way. He’s headed to a PhD program in the US this autumn, and will stop writing for the Voice, full-time anyway, in June. This means we’re once again in the market for a reporter. Spread the word! Now, if you don’t mind, I need to go muffle some sobs.

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Pelham driver 66 KM/H over limit

At 1:25 AM on Monday, a member of the NRPS Traffic Enforcement Unit stopped a vehicle on Victoria Avenue in West Lincoln. The driver, a 20-year-old male from Pelham, was observed travelling at 146 km/h in a 80 km/h zone. The officer had reason to believe the driver had consumed alcohol and conducted a roadside test. Police say the test confirmed that the driver had consumed alcohol. The driver was charged with stunting, speeding, and novice driver blood alcohol concentration above zero. His driver’s licence was suspended for seven days, and the vehicle was towed and will be impounded for seven days.

Rabid skunk in Welland

​A skunk in an urban area of Welland has tested positive for rabies. Niagara Region Public Health has seen an increase in the number of animals testing positive for rabies in Niagara. So far in 2018, there have been two raccoons and one skunk test positive for rabies. In 2017, there were a total of 21 animals that tested positive for rabies (19 raccoons, two skunks) and 12 in 2016 (10 raccoons, two skunks). Residents are cautioned not approach any wild animal, including those that appear to be in distress, as they may put themselves at risk for injury or contracting an infection like rabies. Public Health advis-

es residents to take the following measures to protect themselves from rabies: Ensure pet dogs and cats have current rabies vaccinations (typically needed annually by law); prevent pet dogs and cats from roaming off-leash or unsupervised; avoid all contact with wild animals and prevent contact between pets and wildlife; report wild animals exhibiting abnormal behaviour (particularly raccoons) to the Welland SPCA, 905735-1552. An animal with rabies may not display symptoms, and so all bites or scratches, however mild, from an animal must be assessed to ensure the person bitten/scratched is not at risk. Immediately report all animal bites and scratches of humans to Niagara Region Public Health at 905688-8248, ext. 7590 or toll free 1-888-505-6074. Niagara Region Public Health is available to take calls about animal bites 24/7.

charged with three counts relating to luring for the purpose of making child pornography, sexual interference, and making sexually explicit material available to a person under 18. Ing was held in custody pending the outcome of a bail hearing in St. Catharines. Investigators are requesting that members of the public contact the Niagara Regional Police Service and provide any available information related to the on-line activities of Devin Ing. Members of the public can report suspicious internet activities relating to child exploitation to the police, or online at www.cybertip.ca. Internet safety tips for parents, children and internet users are also available on the Cybertip website.

Nygård launches first Canadian store

Canadian fashion house Nygård will launch its new concept store, Nygård Plus, with a fashion show tomorrow at 12 noon, in Seaway Malls’ Cinema Court. “The plus-size retail environment is still really limited in terms of selection and we feel that our brands can satisfy the unfilled demand for trendy, affordable plus styles that the market is dictating” said Sajjad Hudda, President of Nygård Retail. The new Nygård Plus store is approximate-

Thorold arrest for child luring

In March, members assigned to the Internet Child Exploitation (ICE) Unit commenced an investigation into the on-line sexual exploitation of a child, say Niagara Regional Police. Last Thursday, Devin Ing, 23, of Thorold, was arrested in Niagara Falls and

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Column Six

Growing up British

Vol.20 No.32

Wednesday October 12, 2016

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BY JULIE MANNELL

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BALLOONING INTEREST Grade 6 student Jinja Shepherd explains her experiment on static electricity at the Glynn A. Green Public School's annual science fair last Friday. See story, page 3. NATE SMELLE PHOTO

Public meeting tonight on school issues BY VOICE STAFF As questions continue to mount regarding an email that Pelham Mayor Dave Augustyn quietly sent to a District School Board of Niagara trustee last summer, Augustyn has agreed to address the issue at a public meeting scheduled for this evening, Wednesday, Feb. 8, in Fenwick. Nancy Beamer, speaking for “Names Matter,” a Pelham citizens group lobbying the DSBN to reverse its decision to rename a local public school, confirms that the meeting will be held at Fire Station #2, known locally as the Fenwick Fire Hall, starting at 7:00 PM. While the Mayor has agreed to ap-

Under pressure, Mayor to address email revelation, other E. W. Farr matters pear, says Beamer, DSBN officials associated with the school-naming process have either declined to attend or have not yet responded to the group’s invitation. DSBN Chair, Dale Robinson, to whom Augustyn’s email was addressed last June, has declined to appear, says Beamer, asserting that she would be

“on holidays.” The Voice was unable to independently confirm Robinsion’s intentions. She did not respond to repeated requests for comment on E.W. Farr-related matters before presstime. Beamer, whose group maintains an email list of some 580 residents, says that all members of the public are invited and encouraged to attend the meeting. “We would especially welcome parents and children who are unhappy with the name change,” she says, referring to the contentious decision by the DSBN to consolidate two Pelham See MEETING back page

HEN I WAS young, my father and I would go for long drives along the rural routes of Pelham. We’d blast George Thurgood and roll down the windows because we loved the smell of the breeze, the sensation of crisp Niagara wind beating our cheeks and tangling our hair against our summer-kissed skin. My father was not a sentimental man. He worked in factories and had a Gordon Lightfoot mustache and never shed tears over injuries. Yet something about the Pelham landscape, the hilly backdrop to his childhood and the childhoods of our ancestors, drew him in. He’d stop by a farm or a gathering of woods and, surrendering his manly veneer, tell me a story about the town. This place is precious. This is the earth that granted us life. Here is the place where we happened upon love or here is a site of devastation. On one particular drive sometime in the late ‘90s we stopped at a tree with a plaque. “This tree looks dead,” I said to my father. “It sure is getting there, Julie.” The Comfort Maple is supposedly Canada’s oldest See COLUMN SIX Page 14

Part 2 of 2: Coronation to embarkation

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-

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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

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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

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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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

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-

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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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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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The Town of Pelham, working with its Pelham Active Transportation Committee (PATC), recently secured $67,500 in provincial funding to promote commuter cycling, safe cycling education and road safety for pedestrians and cyclists. Pelham is one of 120 communities in Ontario to receive funding for cycling infrastructure. In a news release, the Town asserted that the funding will help improve cycling route signage on 65 bike routes. Some $7,500 from the Ministry of Transportation’s Ontario Municipal Commuter Cycling program will be used to promote safe cycling education at various community events from May through September. “With motorists, pedestrians and cyclists all sharing the roads in Pelham, safety is key, said PATC Chair, Bea Clark. “Let’s all look out for each other.”

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ly 3700 square feet and will be located across from Coles Bookstore and beside Blakes Menswear. President of Seaway Mall, Mike Belcastro, said, “We are extremely delighted to be a part of this new concept and to be able to offer more plus size fashion options to our shoppers.”

“I start work at 2:30 PM and school lets out at 2:15 PM so I can’t take any other route,” Williams explained. “I have had friends, family, teachers and other community members reach out to me in the past about how this is unsafe and how there should be another alternative for us.” Looking ahead to winter, when she will need to walk this path three or four times See SIDEWALK Page 2

HERE IS NO BETTER time to cycle than Fall. It matters not whether you’re new to the sport, a seasoned recreational cyclist, racer, touring rider or mountain biker; we all have reason to look forward to autumn. Summer’s heat has faded, and the streams of sweat that ran from soggy helmets into our eyes are now just slight perspiration. Fitness is peaking from lots of saddle time, making those tough climbs of Spring a breeze in Autumn. It’s hard to beat the feeling of beginning a crisp, cool Fall ride with a slight shiver, knowing your efforts will soon warm you perfectly. The hues of Autumn are outstanding. A Pelham route as simple as following our southern boundary is one that would make most Toronto cyclists jealous, especially when our forests and fields are ablaze with colour. Begin from Harold Black Park, and zig-zag south along Effingham Rd toward the Welland River. If you’re new to cycling, it’s important to know south is the direction away from any hills. If you avoid the morning and evening weekday rush hours caused by those travelling through Pelham between Wainfleet See AUTUMN Page 3

Indulgence Bakery Mossimo’s Pelham Street Grille Sobeys Fonthill Peter Piper’s Pubhouse DeVries Fruit Farm Beamer’s Hardware & TV Fonthill Library Bob’s Boys Antiques RBC Bank Fenwick Family Health Pharmacy Fonthill Fitness Fenwick Pie Company McDonald’s Fonthill Legion Semenuk’s Gas Bar Shoppers Drug Mart Tim Horton’s Giant Tiger Fonthill LCBO Zee Lube Express Care Food Basics Minor Bros Stores Avondale Stores A-1 Market Pharmasave Sobeys South Pelham Grill on Canboro Maple Acre Library Ridge Berry Farm Circle-K

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The Voice of Pelham, May 2 2018

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Pelham Non-Profit Housing cancels Annual General Meeting Board president calls off AGM after attempting to eject observers; tenants engage in occasionally heated discussion BY SAMUEL PICCOLO

The VOICE

Last Thursday morning, two days after the Voice published an investigation of the Pelham Non-Profit Housing Corporation, the corporation was to hold its Annual General Meeting, the only board meeting that tenants are permitted to attend. The newspaper’s story last week detailed tenant allegations of improper fees and apartment entries, bullying, and governance perceived to be secretive. The main targets of tenant concerns were building manager Catherine King, superintendent Mike Fairman, board president Geoff Kirkwood, and vice-president Jake Dilts. Before calling the meeting to order in a large common room on the building’s ground floor, Kirkwood requested that all non-tenants leave the gathering. Five non-tenants, including two Voice staff, were present at the invitation of building residents. “This is only open to residents of the building,” said Kirkwood. “We extend the courtesy to the tenants to come and observe, it is not open to other people.” Scott Beamer, whose father and mother —Pelham Mayor Ralph Beamer and his wife Barbara—live in the building, told Kirkwood that he was present as an advocate for his parents, who are both in their 80s. “I know who you are sir, but you’re not a tenant of this building, and I’m asking you to leave,” said Kirkwood. Former Pelham Town

Councillor Sharon Cook, who also served on the building’s board for ten years, was at the meeting in place of tenant Pam Young’s son. Kirkwood asked her to leave anyway. Voice Publisher Dave Burket told the board that the meeting was a matter of public interest, and that the Voice would remain. Tenants Pam Young and Elaine Champagne asked Kirkwood to show them where in the corporation’s by-laws it stated that non-tenants were not permitted to attend board meetings. “If that’s in the by-laws, would you please read it for us?” said Young. Kirkwood said that he didn’t have the by-laws with him. On April 16, Young sent a letter to the board asking them to have copies of the by-laws present at the AGM. Young also requested that the floor be opened to questions from tenants. On the meeting’s agenda, no such time was allotted. Speaking again to non-tenants, Kirkwood said, “If you don’t leave, then I will cancel the meeting. The meeting is cancelled.” Tenant Lea Berkhout asked Kirkwood why the presence of non-tenants was such a concern. “What harm is it going to be for them to listen?” she said. “What are we talking about that’s so [secret]?” “It’s a private corporation with rules and by-laws,” replied Kirkwood. “We extend the courtesy to tenants to

Tempers flare as some residents object to non-tenants observing last week's PNPHC annual meeting.

It’s a private corporation with rules and by-laws. We extend the courtesy to tenants to come and observe.

come and observe.” “The problem with this [place] is the secrecy that goes on,” said tenant Elaine Champagne. “No other comments in this room except here at the executive table,” declared board vice-president Jake Dilts. “This open session is cancelled,” continued Kirkwood. “As a board, we will have our financial meeting and by-laws, and we’ll have that in a different venue and proceed accordingly.” Kirkwood did not call the meeting to order, and did not take a vote either to cancel or move it. Kirkwood did not respond later to the Voice when

If your message for Pelham isn’t in our pages,

asked to identify the by-law giving him the authority to unilaterally cancel meetings, nor did he identify the by-law that prohibited non-tenants from observing the AGM. Kirkwood also did not respond when asked to clarify a rationale for any such policy. Kirkwood’s insistence that non-tenants leave the room exposed divisions among the approximately 30 tenants in attendance. All non-tenants, including the Voice, were present at the request of one or more residents. Some expressed displeasure that a story about the building had appeared in the paper. Tenant Gary Puhl called

on the board to remove Voice staff. “Get them out. Call the police,” said Puhl, who asserted that the Voice had made life difficult for him. “We can’t go anywhere because of you bastards,” he said. “Out, out,” said board vice-president Jake Dilts. “I’ll call the police.” But by the time Dilts spoke, Kirkwood had already cancelled the meeting. Those present at the board table rose and left, as did some residents, leaving some two dozen tenants remaining. Discussion turned immediately to the story published in last week’s paper, with strong opinions expressed loudly by all sides. Sharon Cook asked tenants to remain respectful of each other. Tenant Jenny McLagan said, “Why did [they] get the paper involved?” “Apparently, some people have had more difficulties in some situations that others,” said Cook. “Why put it in the paper?” said McLagan. “Perhaps because [they] weren’t getting any satis-

VOICE PHOTO

faction,” replied Cook. Barbara Beamer, one of the tenants who initially approached the Voice, said that she felt compelled to go public because there was no venue for residents to have their concerns heard, saying that they may not have gone to the paper, “if we had a tenants’ association we could’ve taken some of our issues to.” A universal complaint among the tenants who spoke to the newspaper was that the president of the tenants’ association, Sandy Jacobs, was uninterested in addressing operational concerns. When Beamer explained that she and others went to the paper because the tenants’ association was not effective, Jacobs grew agitated. “Because that would be all the time you bitching,” she yelled at Beamer. Cook told her that such words were not respectful. “It’s true,” said Jacobs. “I don’t care. I’m really pissed.” Jacobs turned to Voice staff. “Don’t print anything of

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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 Stop the secrecy

J

UST TWO DAYS AFTER last week’s publication of our article on the Pelham Non-Profit Housing Corporation, the building’s board was scheduled to hold its Annual General Meeting. The hopes of tenants who spoke to the Voice were high. They thought that the board might finally take them seriously. They thought wrong. Also worried about being rolled over and ignored, the tenants invited community members, including the Voice, to observe the meeting. After reading a 12,000word story detailing concerns of tenants residing in a building he governs, one would think that board president Geoff Kirkwood would be in a mood to listen, and to rebut the perception of secrecy by engaging in maximum transparency. Instead, Kirkwood went in the opposite direction. Rather than allow non-tenants to observe the AGM— not participate, but merely observe—Kirkwood unilaterally cancelled it. Board vice-president Jake Dilts threatened to call the police.

Stop and think about that for a minute. The president and vice president of a non-profit housing organization would rather cancel a meeting and call the police than allow the public to observe it, and them.

Sometimes sunlight is the only disinfectant there is

When asked by tenants to provide the corporation’s by-laws, Kirkwood said that they weren’t present. Some tenants at the meeting were upset with those who chose to go public with their grievances, expressing dismay that the whole town was reading about their building. This is understandable. No one wants the goings-on in their own home to be on everyone’s

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www.thevoiceofpelham.ca PUBLISHER & EDITOR Dave Burket publisher@thevoiceofpelham.ca NEWS WRITER Samuel Piccolo ADMINISTRATION Lori Gretsinger office@thevoiceofpelham.ca CONTRIBUTORS Carolyn Botari, Larry Coté, Colin Brezicki, John Swart, Kirk Weaver NEWS INQUIRIES & TIPS editor@thevoiceofpelham.ca LETTERS TO THE EDITOR letters@thevoiceofpelham.ca ADVERTISING INQUIRIES advertising@thevoiceofpelham.ca

lips, from barber to grocer. But sometimes sunlight is the only disinfectant there is, and last Thursday morning’s aborted meeting showed just how much disinfecting there is left to do inside 45 Pelham Town Square. On Thursday afternoon, perhaps finally realizing that it had lost control of the situation, the board invited all tenants to an hour of “open dialogue” this past Monday evening, as the Voice went to press. The tenants of the building don’t need an hour of dialogue. They need permanent dialogue. They need all board meetings to be held publicly. They need the by-laws of the corporation and its articles of incorporation to be released. And they need to have representation on the board of their own building. As numerous tenants noted last Thursday, after the board had decamped from the room, it’s a closed club. Only the board has the power to appoint itself. It has no legal requirement to release its by-laws, or to hold public meetings. This too has to change. See EDITORIAL Page 6

Letters Grateful to EMS, Welland ER staff I have to write a letter of thanks and appreciation to the paramedics and Welland Emergency staff who were amazing during a scare I had following complications from a surgery that took place two weeks ago. I had collapsed at home and the paramedics arrived within five minutes, although young they were extremely professional and helpful. We were at the hospital in no time and the hospital was swamped. Standing room only in the waiting room. I

I don't think our emergency services get enough praise for what they do waited an hour to be admitted but saw a doctor within 20 minutes. The EMS kept talking to me and checking

I was okay. Once admitted the staff were wonderful as busy as they were. I had to stay overnight in the ICU, where the staff was also amazing, and I was able to go home the following day. Thanks to my husband, EMS and Welland Hospital I am doing much better. I’m writing this as I don’t think our emergency services get enough praise for what they do. Once again thank you all. Mrs. Margaret L. Grace Fonthill

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

Mayor of Pelham David Augustyn mayordave@pelham.ca 905-892-2607 Ext 317 Members of Pelham Town Council

Member of Provincial Parliament

Ward 1 Councillor Richard Rybiak rrybiak@pelham.ca 905-892-2105

Sam Oosterhoff, MPP 4961 King St. East, Unit M1 Beamsville, ON L0R 1B0 sam.oosterhoffco@pc.ola.org 905-563-1755

Councillor James Lane jlane@pelham.ca 905-892-2607

Electoral District: Niagara West-Glanbrook

Members of Niagara Regional Council Councillor David Augustyn mayordave@pelham.ca 905-892-2607 Ext 317 Councillor Brian Baty brian.baty@niagararegion.ca 905-892-5317 Town of Pelham 20 Pelham Town Square P.O. Box 400 Fonthill, ON L0S 1E0 905-892-2607

Ward 2 Councillor Catherine King cking@pelham.ca 905-658-8599 Councillor Gary Accursi gaccursi@pelham.ca 905-892-5528 Ward 3 Councillor John Durley jdurley@pelham.ca 905-892-5388 Councillor Peter Papp ppapp@pelham.ca 905-328-6008

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Have an Opinion?

BARRISTER, SOLICITOR & NOTARY LETTERS TO THE EDITOR are welcome. Letter submissions should contain the writer’s full name, address and telephone number. Names only will be published. Names may be withheld if compelling reasons are provided. The newspaper reserves the right to change, condense or reject any contribution for brevity, clarity or legal considerations. All material in this publication is protected by copyright. Reproduction is prohibited without express, written permission of the publisher. ADVERTISING: The Voice of Pelham regrets any errors or omissions that appear in advertisements in this newspaper, however, we will not be held responsible for more than one absent or incorrect insertion or for any damages beyond the cost of space containing the error. The Voice is an independent, locally owned and operated publication. The Voice is a member of the National NewsMedia Council, a voluntary self-regulatory organization that deals with journalistic practices and ethics. If you have an unresolved complaint about news stories, opinion columns or photos, please visit their web site at mediacouncil.ca or call 1-844-877-1163. If you have a complaint about delivery or membership problems, please contact our office at 905-892-8690. For a summary of Voice ethical guidelines, see www.thevoiceofpelham.ca/ethics

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The Voice of Pelham, May 2 2018

Page 5

OPINION Letters

REMEMBRANCE

continued

A lifetime of education, engagement, and accomplishment

AG Night thanks

BY BRUCE STRINGER

The Fonthill Lions would like to thank all the people who attended the 67th annual Agriculture Night on April 17. Guest speaker Dylan Weins talked about his involvement in the Advanced Leadership Training Program. This 19-month course enabled him to tour New York and Washington state, Pennsylvania, Vietnam and Thailand. The Fonthill Lions would also like to thank the many businesses who donated prizes for our draw table. Ric Gretsinger Fonthill

Reaction to seniors' apartments story Editor's note: Our story last week about tenant grievances at Pelham Seniors Apartments [Pelham Seniors Apartments tenants allege mistreatment, April 25, p.12] drew considerable online reaction. At press time, the story had received 9,314 hits, 49 shares, and 38 comments on Facebook. A representative sample follows. My mother lived in the building for 11 years. In all that time I never heard her once complain about service or staff. And actually she spoke well of them. The family visited with her on separate days of the week, every week, and never witnessed any incidents. My

son also delivered groceries to many residents in the building for a numbers of years and all spoke highly of the building and staff. Fred Arbour My husband and I have only lived there for a few months. We have no problems at all with the building or persons who work there. My family are so happy we are at this residence, the building is clean. No one has been miserable to either of us, just the opposite. For the ones who don’t like the residence move out!!!!!!! Joan Gallagher

D

Special to the VOICE

ORIS STRINGER PASSED AWAY gracefully March 10 in the company of her family after 99 years of a productive life. Until dementia stole the last few years of meaning, Doris lived according to a life plan which meant educating and giving to society. In her later years there were several tumbles as she was still hurrying to accomplish something as the urge to be “doing” never left her. Doris was born in the mining town of Springhill, N.S. where her father was an engineer. His restless nature took the family to Philadelphia, Copper Cliff, Ont., and then Welland. Doris went to Guelph University for

two years and then teacher’s college for a year. The family had moved to Hamilton and this is where she started a long teaching career. Teaching must entail a genetic component as she was the third generation of teachers in her family to be followed by a son and two granddaughters. Doris had met Gar Stringer in Welland and they were married in 1944. (At right, Doris and Gar in the 1990s.) Several more years of teaching ended when the first of two sons was born in 1946. The next adventure began when they bought a lot in Pelham Corners from Mrs. McCombs. This lot was a scrubby piece of woods and swamp which had been part of the old McCombs nursery See DORIS Page 8

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NEWSFLASH Tell us your story! Column Six presents tales of personal triumph, adventure, strange-but-true stories, life-changing events, and looks-back at our past. Did you conquer Everest or kick a bad habit? Did you meet your spouse-to-be in jail or on an African safari? Do you know where Hoffa’s buried? Write it down, send it in: publisher@thevoiceofpelham.ca (You won’t get rich, but you will get paid.)

Page 6

The Voice of Pelham, May 2 2018

www.thevoiceofpelham.ca

Accipiter inks Vancouver deal Pelham-based radar experts to protect aircraft from birds Accipiter, the Pelham-based radar company, has been awarded a contract to supply and deliver bird detection and observation services to Vancouver International Airport. Accipiter’s President and CEO Tim Nohara called the contract a significant step for a Canadian airport, since, he said, avian monitoring has been receiving growing attention abroad. “After the airports were privatized, the issue was left to private companies,” said Nohara. “In the US, the [Federal Aviation Administration] has been at this. Transportation Canada used to be more involved in the R&D of this kind of thing, but the FAA is very active now.” Nohara said that the move by a big airport like Vancouver’s to enlist Accipiter’s technology could prod other Canadian airports to follow suit. “Big airports have very skilled teams,” he said, explaining that on-site biologists and bird experts are intimately familiar with the behaviour of the animals. Nohara said that a bird the size of a sparrow could take down a single-engined fighter plane. “Our technology gives them glasses,” he explained. Accipiter provides both equipment and software expertise to translate raw radar data, which shows the location of birds in a ten kilometre radius, into useable information. The system highlights

EDITORIAL continued from Page 4 A seniors’ non-profit housing corporation isn’t like a regular non-profit, its business isn’t just helping people—it is providing homes to people entering what may be the last years of their lives. Residents have a right to know what’s going on in their own home. They also deserve to have a live-in maintenance superintendent who can respond quickly to problems from inside the building, not from kilometers down the road. The province of Ontario should recognize this. The Ontario government should pass legislation that entrenches in law the demands of Pelham Non-Profit’s tenants. By-laws must be made public. Meetings must be held openly. Tenants must have representation on the board. Live-in supers should be mandatory. These commonsense reforms are needed both to answer the grievances of current tenants, as well as to ensure that future tenants won’t face the same battles all over again. ◆

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"

sp gra e to of lur Fa i i c u s e r k o n ir o a r t w lly a ro ret asion occ es on a ris rn e t . ns . I n t e l d ya w r Wo

Everyone who's anyone reads the Voice

BY SAMUEL PICCOLO

The VOICE

patterns in bird movement to better help airport staff predict—and react to—incoming birds. “Birds are just like us,” said Nohara. “They get up in the morning and they start moving around. They go to work. They like the beach.” He said that mornings and evenings are the times when bird activity is most likely, but during migration season they may be flying all night. “Seventy-five percent of the time that planes hit birds it’s below five hundred feet. That decreases exponentially as you get higher. But still, planes have hit birds as high as eighteen or twenty thousand feet up,” said Nohara, who added that there remains a lack of awareness around the threat that birds pose to passenger aircraft. “It’s been luck so far. There have been losses of life but they are infrequent,” he said. Nohara pointed to US Airways Flight 1549, which struck a flock of Canada geese just after taking off from New York’s LaGuardia Airport in 2009. The plane lost all engine power and was landed in the Hudson River by Captain Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger. All 155 people aboard the plane survived. When asked whether birds came to mind when Nohara learned of

Letters

the recent emergency landing of a Southwest Airlines flight in Pennsylvania, he said that it did, though added that there were many other malfunctions that could lead to such an event. The cause of the engine failure was not bird-related, so far as is known now. After bird strikes in the United States, extensive tests occur to identify the type of bird involved. “They take the ‘snarge’—that’s like the bug on the windshield— and send it to the Smithsonian for DNA testing,” said Nohara, adding that such DNA testing does not occur in Canada. The test results are incorporated into Accipiter’s approach. “We use strike data to guide risk mitigation,” he said. Nohara called bird radar an emerging market, saying that there are three main players—a company in Europe, one in the US, and Accipiter. In addition to Vancouver, Accipiter will also be providing its services to a new airport in Istanbul, Turkey, which is planned to be the largest in the world and is scheduled to open this fall. Nohara said that Accipiter is not developing avian radar for onboard aircraft. “It just doesn’t make sense right now,” he said. “The TCAS system that airplanes use to prevent collisions—people always ask if we could do that with birds. I think not.”

Accipiter CEO Tim Nohara.

DAVE BURKET PHOTO

TCAS, or the Traffic Collision Avoidance System, allows for communication between planes in close proximity. If aircraft separation drops below a certain threshold, or appear to be on a collision course, the system will automatically negotiate a mutual avoidance manoeuvre, instructing each pilot what evasive action to take. “It’s about the aircraft cooperating,” said Nohara. “One plane will climb and another plane will dive. You can’t do that with birds.” The unpredictability of birds means that even if a plane altered its course to avoid an oncoming flock, it could just as easily be turning in to where the birds intend to go. Prior to Accipiter’s current fo-

cus, Nohara’s company did work in underwater sonar, among other things. “We never thought that we’d be tracking birds,” he said. “Then a naval base called us up and asked us if we could. We said, ‘We don’t know. But let’s try.’” Nohara grew up in Niagara, though says that he moved away “as fast as he could.” He completed a PhD at McMaster University, and moved back to the region in 1995. He spoke of the challenges in creating a new technology company, especially well away from the industry’s main hubs, but said that he couldn’t be happier to have located Accipiter in Pelham. “It’s great,” he said. “I’ve got my friends’ kids working here.”

continued

SENIORS continued from previous page Those are some disgusting tactics; just disgraceful. No one should have to endure that sort of treatment. I’m grateful for the excellent work by Sam Piccolo and the Voice. This is an amazing article and very thoroughly researched. Defending those who can’t defend themselves is a very noble pursuit. These people are clearly at the end of their tether and have no other options. They need our help. Given this long, documented history of misconduct, I must ask, what can we do to protect the seniors in our town from future abuse? If you were the victim of these intimidation tactics and illegal practices, and if you were part of the vulnerable sector, and if you waited years for a rentgeared-to-income apartment, I don't think you'd appreciate someone callously telling you, "For the ones who don’t like the residence move out!!!!!!!" Scott Barbacki My grandmother lived in this building many years until her passing a couple years ago. I used to love going in and seeing the tenants visiting in the lobby; it gave me the opportunity to get to know some of my grandmother’s neighbours. I thought it was the saddest thing when the tenants were banned from visiting there. Melody MacLeod-Vahrmeyer

I think it's a fair and reasonable request to be able to use common areas together. We're not talking about vandalizing teenagers here. This is a group of ADULTS that will feel enriched and connected to their community by gathering together in a common area. Joanne Falletta

These people are clearly at the end of their tether and have no other options From the day the doors opened this apartment was a wonderful place to live. It used to have good honest people in charge...not a warden. What a sad state of disgrace this is! How can they be allowed to continue this behavior towards the tenants? Debbie Book It made me ill to read this story. In my opinion it is elder abuse. Start fresh by replacing those involved. I'm wondering why the Mayor and the councilors never addressed this issue? Thank goodness for the upcoming election. People deserve much more than this. I applaud the brave people that stepped forward to tell their story!" Erika Furney

Not happy to hear that parking spaces may be reduced Boy, why not shut down the town, they already have little or no parking. Especially in a town with so many seniors, to even consider taking further parking away...this Town Council should have checked all this before putting the lights up at Church Hill. I guess places likes Beamer’s, the bank, and hairdressers are not important. Dorothy Christie Via Facebook Great! Even less parking! Just spent all kinds of money to make it look pretty and then this! Why wasn't angle parking put in? James van den Brink Via Facebook

People making $100K a year go to Council unprepared. It's not that difficult to count the number of parking spaces. This council is worried about pedestrian safety, but allows a patio in front of a now defunct business that forces people to practically walk on the road. Can you not see the irony? Valerie Jean Coffey Via Facebook One way to make the intersection safer at the bottom of Church Hill would be to have a traffic light for the traffic coming down the Hill too, rather than just for the traffic on Pelham Street. Mary Christine Beattie Via Facebook

On election day, be careful who, and what, you vote for Soon Ontario will go to the polls to elect a Provincial government. I hear people complaining about the current government. I heard people complain when the conservatives were in power. So back and forth for years we go around in circles. We elect democratically who we want and when we give them a majority it seems like they become dictators. Is this then a democratic dictatorship? Why is it we the people who have the right to vote and put people or a party in power then soon hate them. Who changed— you, the politician, or the political party. We demand our right to vote. We have the right to put someone in Queen’s Park who does not have to know how to pass a bill, does not have to actually know how government works, and they might not actually do what they said they would do. I might have to live with the politician you voted for and the party they represent, so let’s all do our best to make sure the elected politicians are qualified. When a wanna-be politician knocks on your door and wants your support and vote on election day, what qualifications do you

want that person to have? If you want your government to have a balanced budget, then ask this person who wants your vote to sign a pledge card that they will support a balanced budget even if it goes against their party. If you have never worked in a campaign office during an election you have no idea how many interest groups want a meeting to know whether you will support their issue or who want the candidate to call them for their position on an issue. Where is the accountability for these wanna-be politicians? Let’s make them responsible if they get elected. They can say anything they want to get elected are you going to let them off the hook if they do not do what they promised you to help them get elected. I will vote this coming election and I am hoping for a minority government. I feel the best governments are not the elected democratic dictators by a majority, but having at least two parties that will have to work together to keep things in check for the people of Ontario. Larry Fisher Wainfleet

www.thevoiceofpelham.ca

The Voice of Pelham, May 2 2018

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Other trims may have effective rates higher than 0%. Participating lenders are subject to change. Rates from other lenders will vary. Down payment, trade and/or security deposit may be required. Monthly payment and cost of borrowing will vary depending on amount borrowed and down payment/trade. Example: $46,775 financed at 0% nominal rate (3.03% APR) equals $488 monthly for 72 months. Total value consists of $4,370 manufacturer-todealer cash credit (tax exclusive), $1,500 finance cash, $1,600 Truck Nation Credit (tax exclusive), $1,000 GM Card Application Bonus (offer applies to individuals who apply for a Scotiabank GM Visa Card [GM Card] or current GM Card cardholders) (tax inclusive). Cost of borrowing is $0, for a total obligation of $38,420. Freight and air charge ($100, if applicable) included. License, insurance, registration, PPSA, applicable taxes and dealer fees not included. Dealers are free to set individual prices. Limited time offer which may not be combined with certain other offers. General Motors of Canada Company may modify, extend or terminate offers in whole or in part at any time without notice. Conditions and limitations apply. See dealer for details. ®Registered trademark of The Bank of Nova Scotia. RBC and Royal Bank are registered trademarks of Royal Bank of Canada. $8,470 Total Value Limited time only. Offer available to qualified retail customers in Canada. $8,470 Total Value is a combined total credit for finance purchases on select new 2018 Silverado 1500 Double Cab Custom Edition trucks; includes: $4,370 manufacturer-to-dealer cash credit (tax exclusive), $1,500 finance cash, $1,600 manufacturer-to-dealer Truck Month Credit (tax exclusive), $1,500 manufacturer-to-dealer finance cash (tax exclusive), $1,000 GM Card Application Bonus (offer applies to individuals who apply for a Scotiabank GM Visa Card [GM Card] or current GM Card cardholders) (tax inclusive) towards the finance of an eligible new 2018 Silverado Double Cab Custom Edition 4x4 at participating dealers. 2018 Colorado Extended Cab Custom 4WD: Lease based on suggested retail price of $38,125, includes $1,250 CDA, $500 Lease Cash, $1,500 Truck Bonus and $750 GM card application bonus (this offer applies to individuals who have applied for the Scotiabank® GM® Visa* Card [GM card] and to current Scotiabank® GM® Visa* Cardholders) (taxes inclusive) towards the lease of an eligible new 2018 Colorado Extended Cab Custom 4WD. Bi-weekly payment is $145 for 48 months at 1.90% lease rate on approved credit to qualified retail customers by GM Financial. Annual kilometer limit of 20,000 km, $0.16 per excess kilometer. $4,100 down payment required. Payment may vary depending on down payment trade. Total obligation is $18,302. Taxes, license, insurance, registration and applicable fees, levies, duties and, except in Quebec, dealer fees (all of which may vary by dealer and region) are extra. Option to purchase at lease end is $17,156. See dealer for details. Discounts vary by model. Dealer may sell for less. Limited time offer, which may not be combined with certain other offers. General Motors of Canada Company may modify, extend or terminate offers in whole or in part at any time without notice. Conditions and limitations apply. Offers may not be redeemed for cash and may not be combined with certain other consumer incentives. ®Registered trademark of The Bank of Nova Scotia. 2018 Silverado 2500HD Crew Cab LTZ 4x4 Standard Box Diesel - 0/72 Finance (excluding Quebec): Offer available to qualified retail customers in Canada from May 1 and May 31, 2018. 0% purchase financing (0.21% APR) offered on approved credit by TD Auto Finance Services, Scotiabank® or RBC Royal Bank for 72 months on eligible 2018 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD models. Other trims may have effective rates higher than 0%. Participating lenders are subject to change. Rates from other lenders will vary. Down payment, trade and/or security deposit may be required. Monthly payment and cost of borrowing will vary depending on amount borrowed and down payment/trade. Example: $78,288 financed at 0% nominal rate (0.21% APR) equals $1,087.33 monthly for 72 months. Total Value consists of $4,272 manufacturer-to-dealer cash credit (tax exclusive), $1,000 GM Card Application Bonus (offer applies to individuals who apply for a Scotiabank GM Visa Card [GM Card] or current GM Card cardholders) (tax inclusive) and $500 manufacturer-to-dealer finance cash (tax exclusive). Cost of borrowing is $0, for a total obligation of $76,163. Freight and air charge ($100, if applicable) included. License, insurance, registration, PPSA, applicable taxes and dealer fees not included. Dealers are free to set individual prices. Limited time offer which may not be combined with certain other offers. General Motors of Canada Company may modify, extend or terminate offers in whole or in part at any time without notice. Conditions and limitations apply. See dealer for details. ®Registered trademark of The Bank of Nova Scotia. RBC and Royal Bank are registered trademarks of Royal Bank of Canada. ± Requires Double Cab LTZ 2WD or Crew Cab Short Box LTZ 2WD with available 6.2L V8 engine and Max Trailering Package. Before you buy a vehicle or use it for trailering, carefully review the Trailering section of the Owner’s Manual. The weight of passengers, cargo and options or accessories may reduce the amount you can tow. º Comparison based on WardsAuto.com 2017 Large Pickup segment and latest competitive information available at time of printing. Excludes other GM models Ŧ Requires 1500 Double Cab 2WD with available 5.3L V8 engine and Max Trailering Package. These maximum payload ratings are intended for comparison purposes only. Before you buy a vehicle or use it to haul people or cargo, carefully review the Vehicle Loading section of the Owner’s Manual and check the carrying capacity of your specific vehicle on the label on the inside of the driver door jamb.ŧ With available 3.6L V6 engine. Based on WardsAuto.com 2018 Small Pickup segment and latest competitive information available at time of posting. Excludes other GM vehicles. ∞ Based on WardsAuto.com 2018 Small Pickup segment and latest competitive information available at time of posting. Excludes other GM vehicles. Colorado 2WD with available Duramax 2.8L Turbo-Diesel 4-cylinder engine. Before you buy a vehicle or use it for trailering, carefully review the Trailering section of the Owner’s Manual. The weight of passengers, cargo and options or accessories may reduce the amount you can tow. 2018 Colorado 2WD with available Duramax 2.8L Turbo-Diesel fuel consumption rating is 7.9 L/100 km highway and 10.8 L/100 km city. Fuel consumption ratings are based on GM testing in accordance with Government of Canada approved test methods. Refer to vehicles.nrcan.gc.ca for details. Your actual fuel consumption may vary. ¥ Visit onstar.ca for vehicle availability, details and system limitations. Services and connectivity vary by model and conditions as well as geographical and technical restrictions. Requires active connected vehicle services and data plan. Data plans provided by AT&T or its local service provider. Accessory Power must be active to use the Wi-Fi hotspot. 0\†910 lb.-ft. @1600 rpm with available Duramax 6.6L V8 Turbo-Diesel. ** The 2-Year Scheduled LOF Maintenance Program provides eligible customers in Canada who have purchased, leased or financed a new eligible 2017 MY Chevrolet, Buick or GMC vehicle (excluding Bolt EV) with an ACDelco oil and filter change, in accordance with the Oil Life Monitoring System and the Owner’s Manual, for 2 years or 48,000 km, whichever occurs first, with a limit of four Lube-Oil-Filter services in total, performed at participating GM dealers. Fluid top-offs, inspections, tire rotations, wheel alignments and balancing, etc., are not covered. This offer may not be redeemed for cash and may not be combined with certain other consumer incentives available on GM vehicles. General Motors of Canada Limited reserves the right to amend or terminate this offer, in whole or in part, at any time without prior notice. Additional conditions and limitations apply. See dealer for details. +The Chevrolet Equinox, Chevrolet Traverse, Chevrolet Silverado and Chevrolet Malibu received the lowest number of problems per 100 vehicles in their respective segments in the J.D. Power 2018 U.S. Vehicle Dependability Study, based on 36,896 total responses, measuring problems experienced during the past 12 months by original owners, surveyed October-December 2017. Your experiences may vary. Visit jdpower.com/cars.

Page 8

The Voice of Pelham, May 2 2018

DORIS continued from Page 5 land. The price was right. They erected a prefab house, which Gar mostly finished himself over the next 10 years. That first winter they roughed out the interior enough so that they could move in on Valentine’s Day, 1952. Doris had a very academic background and was pleased when Gar taught her how to staple the insulation into the wall. In 1953, she decided to return to teaching and accepted a job at Fenwick’s E.W. Farr School. They could only afford one car so the school board let her ride the high school bus to Fenwick. Marion Shapland and Doris taught Grades 1 and 2 respectively at the tiny Baxter Lane School, which was the old original school. Many Fenwick area children thank these two ladies for the great educational foundation they provided. Doris taught there from 1953 to 1968. She prepared lessons and corrected work late into the evening every day of her working career. It seems a good lesson can always be better. Good arithmetic skills were her primary goal, but this did not preclude bringing literature and her love of nature into the classroom. After transferring to the Fonthill’s A.K. Wigg near the end of her career, she loved taking the class on nature walks to the woods along Pancake Lane.

Love of nature and especially of birds and trees led her to write a newspaper bird column for many years. She was secretly proud to be known as the Bird Lady. Gar and Doris spent many days, binoculars in hand, at some marsh or hawk fly-by site along the escarpment. Gar loved the drives and Doris the birds.

She loved taking the class on nature walks to the woods along Pancake Lane

At Pelham Corners, the gardens expanded over the years until motorists began stopping to snap pics. Her pride was the 100-foot rock garden which stretched along the side of the house. Each one of those limestone rocks had been brought from the Morgan’s Point cottage in the trunk of one of Gar’s always-older cars. In later years, education and service led Doris to the genealogy of the Stringer/ Burns families. She tirelessly researched her own family and assisted others with the intricacies of their searches. As the workload increased, Doris hired a

graduate history student (now a PhD) to assist. I often wondered if she needed the help or wanted to assist the assistant. Many genealogical meetings at several societies were her joy and Gar’s cross to bear. Gar and Doris mapped the Ridgeville cemetery to assist other searchers. Perhaps finding herself to be not busy enough she picked up the cause of “waste to energy.” Her brother-in-law, a retired engineer, was the Ontario spokesman for a group promoting the burning of waste to produce thermal power. Doris couldn’t resist a new challenge in her mid-80s. Doris moved to Saint John NB to be closer to her son, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, who had all migrated back to their family’s maritime roots. She lived there for the last 12 years. Even then the genealogy bug flourished as she cut obits from the paper, certain that this Patriquin or that McLeod must be a long-lost relative from Nova Scotia. Doris’ lively personality was noticed here too as her senior’s residence featured her in the video for their TV ad. I’m sure that Doris would like to be remembered as a caring teacher who did her best to prepare those around her for a productive life. Doris will be buried beside Gar in the Pelham Quaker cemetery following the 10:30 service, on June 24th. ◆

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FINE FELLOWS INDEED At the Fabulous Fenwick Lions meeting on April 18, three members, Rob Henson, Jeff Pickup, and Ken Suthons, were awarded the Melvin Jones Fellow award. Lions International recognizes outstanding individuals by bestowing on them an award that is named for its founder, Melvin Jones. This Fellowship Award (LCIF) is the highest form of recognition, and embodies humanitarian ideas consistent with the nature and purpose of Lionism. The recipient of this award becomes a model because of the exemplary service to his club and the community for which it serves. From left, Rob Henson, Jeff Pickup, and Ken Suthons. SUPPLIED PHOTO

Letters

continued

When development arrives, where will kids go? Sunday was a busy day at the Haist Street above-ground tennis courts. Many cars parked and stayed for several hours. The basketball court was also humming with kids of all ages coming and going. A convenience for those pick-up games, as is the green belt which saw pick-up football, soccer, and kite-flying . With the housing development imminent, where will our kids be able to play, and hang

ual n n

nd A

out safely and visibly ? With the limited parking presently under consideration for new housing development, cars may try to park on adjacent streets which already are filled with residents vehicles. More thoughtful and long-term solutions need to be found. Louise Morgan Fonthill

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The Voice of Pelham, May 2 2018

Birgit Page's yard seems to be the end of the line for wind-tossed recycling.

VOICE PHOTO

Windswept recycling lands in yard Resident asks that greater care be taken on windy days BY VOICE STAFF When the wind picks up it is common to see items meant for recycling blowing around Pelham streets. Most homeowners have only to pick up the few pieces that blow on to their front lawn. But for Birgit Page, who lives at the end of the cul-de-sac on Leslie Place, it’s much more of an ordeal. “It’s an ongoing problem,” said Page last week. “We went away for a few months this winter, and when we came back our yard was full. We cleaned it all up, and then went away for two and a half weeks. When we came back, it was all over again.” Page said that because of some combination of the prevailing winds and the layout of the street, their corner of the dead-end is where everything ends up. “One year we had six recycling bins—the whole bins—end up in our yard, from as far away as Lorimer Street,” she said, referring a road a block over. “We’re asking homeowners to be more responsible—to try stacking their recycling and then putting

something heavy on top to stop it from blowing away,” she said. Page said that the wind deposits recycling in her neighbours’ yards as well. “We get just about anything that goes in a recycling bin, except for glass,” she said. Last week, Page’s yard was indeed strewn with all manner of items, including pop cans, pizza boxes, water bottles, and an empty bottle of windshield washer fluid. Behind her home is a ravine, at the bottom of which is a municipal drain. “That isn’t our property down there, but we try to clean it up anyway,” she said. “We take great pride in our home and yard.” Page said that she has contacted the Town, which directed her to speak to the Region, which is responsible for garbage and recycling. “I’m going to be in touch with the Region and make some suggestions for their newsletter. I don’t know if the solution is lids for the bins, or bags. People definitely shouldn’t be putting their recycling out the night

before if it’s a windy night,” said Page. “It’s a very important issue.” Page said also that if blue bins are regularly filled to the brim, people should consider having two bins and filling them both halfway. “This happens to other people too—I’m just the one bringing attention to it,” said Page, gesturing to her yard. “It’s disheartening to come home and see this.” Niagara Region offers several recommendations for windy days. “Stack your Blue and Grey Boxes on top of one another to prevent flying debris. When there are strong winds, place boxes out on the morning of your collection instead of the night before,” says the Region. “To help reduce windblown litter from recycling boxes, residents can use recycling box covers or any container with a lid that is clearly marked ‘Recycling.’” Any alternative containers used for recycling must be less than three feet tall and two feet in diameter, and may weigh no more than 50 pounds when full.

GET MUDDY Welland Honda has come on board as a sponsor of the Rotary Club of Fonthill’s “Niagara Mudfest Challenge” in support of Big Brothers and Big Sisters Niagara South Branch. From left, Frank Adamson, Challenge Committee, Chris Merritt, Sales Manager, Lori Zarith, Carstar Store Manager, Clint Bowman, Fixed Operations Manager and Paul Snack, Rotary President. The event is this Saturday, at Bissell’s Hideaway. SUPPLIED PHOTO

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The Voice of Pelham, May 2 2018

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Exhibit of 1812 warship enthralls naval historians BY DON RICKERS

Special to the VOICE

Artifacts, models, pictorial displays, and a virtual reality experience of a British warship that participated in the Battle of Lake Erie during the War of 1812 are being featured at the Welland Museum. Museum curator Penny Morningstar said that the HMS General Hunter was the museum’s first marine shipwreck exhibition. She had originally planned for a scale model, a physical replica of the ship’s excavated hull to be built by volunteers and placed on display, but financial and logistical issues precluded the project. Instead, she opted for a “three-dimensional experience” which allows the viewer to enjoy a virtual reality tour of the ship, as it would have existed in the early 1800s. Derek Schneider of Nauta Design Group created the virtual model and app for the exhibit, which can be viewed using a tablet, laptop computer, or VR headset. Nauta is also a corporate sponsor of the event. Ken Cassavoy, a nautical archaeologist who now resides in Welland and sits on the museum’s board of directors, was the driving force behind HMS General Hunter’s restoration. “I love this little ship. I’ve lived with it now for almost 20 years,” he said. “The exhibit is such an education for young people. They learn the significance not just of this ship, but of how it was connected to battles during the War of 1812 that occurred in and around the Niagara region.” Built at Amherstburg, Ontario in 1806, HMS General Hunter was a two-masted brig built of solid oak, and manned by a crew of 28 un-

Above, Ken Cassavoy with a model of the HMS General Hunter. Left, map of the excavated hull. DON RICKERS PHOTOS

der the command of Lieutenant George Bignell. She measured 54 feet long and 18 feet wide, with a displace-

ment of 93 tons, and possessed an armament of 10 cannons. General Hunter was cap-

tured by the Americans during the Battle of Lake Erie in the waters off Put-In Bay, Ohio, when the British fleet surrendered. Renamed Hunter, she served her new masters for several years plying the upper lakes as a supply vessel.

Hunter was sailing from Michilimackinac to Detroit in August, 1816 when a violent storm on Lake Huron threw the ship off course, and the crew ran her aground near Southampton, with no loss of life. American seamen salvaged what they could from the wreck before abandoning it. The hull lay buried under the beachside sand for almost two centuries. Low water levels and retreating winter ice exposed tips of the wooden ship’s skeleton in 2001, and Cassavoy’s preliminary excavation commenced shortly thereafter in an attempt to identify the ship. It became obvious that the ship was quite old, and, because of its age, a significant piece of history. Based on the hull construction and the artifacts found, Cassa-

voy knew they had a military vessel from the late 18th or early 19th century, but her name was still a mystery. Cassavoy’s investigation uncovered important details of the ship in the U.S. National Archives in Washington, DC. Remarkably, a complete story of the demise of the ship was documented by the crew and master of the Hunter, and was preserved in the national archives. Because the ship’s remains are so close to the shoreline, a temporary berm was constructed during the excavation to keep waves from washing onto the site. But after three weeks of digging, the berm gave way, and within hours the ship was completely reburied. Once a sturdier berm of concrete blocks had been erected, the digging began again, carried out by Cassavoy and a large group of volunteers spearheaded by the Southampton Marine Heritage Society. A full interior excavation of the hull in 2004 provided hundreds of artifacts, which have all been conserved and restored by the Canadian Conservation Institute in Ottawa. The artifacts and a 3⁄4-size ship deck replica of General Hunter are on permanent display at the Bruce County Museum and Cultural Centre in Southampton, Ontario. HMS General Hunter’s hull remains buried in the Lake Huron sand, where it is stable and safe. Removing the hull from water, after the aged wood has been saturated for 200 years, would cause what remains to rapidly deteriorate. The exhibit also includes information and models of two other famous War of 1812 shipwrecks, Hamilton and Scourge, which to this day sit upright in 300 feet (92 metres) of water off Port Dalhousie in Lake Ontario. The exhibit runs April through December. The Welland Museum is open Tuesday through Saturday, 10 am – 4 pm.

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Page 11

Motorcycling pioneer John Clare still saddles-up His store on Highway 20 remains a mecca for enthusiasts May is Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month in Canada, and so it was appropriate for Niagara’s oldest and arguably best-known bike shop, Clare’s Cycle, to offer a free spring service workshop and “tech talk” for customers on April 21, in preparation for the impending riding season. Clare’s is a family operation, says founder and patriarch John Clare. His son Randy and daughter Robin are owner/managers, while his niece, nephew, and two grandchildren are also involved with various aspects of the 64-year-old business. Clare still takes an active role, arriving at the rural Fenwick shop most mornings to greet staff and customers. “I’m not just a dealer, I’m an enthusiast,” he proudly proclaims. At 84 years of age, the ebullient Clare still gets out for the occasional ride with friends. His passion for motorcycles started in 1949 when he was barely 16. Clare received a 1930 Harley-Davidson motorcycle as payment for a plumbing repair,

BY DON RICKERS

Special to the VOICE

and quickly fell in love with the machine. Soon he had purchased a British BSA Gold Star bike for racing, which became his all-time favorite motorcycle. He opened his own shop in 1955 in Welland, and a few years later relocated to the current site in Fenwick. Clare initially stocked British bikes like Triumphs, BSAs, and Nortons, but by the early 1960s he was convinced that reliable Japanese motorcycles were the wave of the future. By 1965 he was the largest Yamaha dealer in Canada. Over the years, Clare has participated in nearly every branch of motorcycle sport. In 2011 he was inducted into the Canadian Motorcycle Hall of Fame. His retail business expanded in 2008 with a 30,000 square foot Harley Davidson sales and service operation in Niagara-on-the-Lake. He also has a “boutique” store in Port Dover, and participates in the Friday the 13th events, which see thousands of motorcyclists descend on the

Lake Erie resort town. Clare was instrumental in establishing a long-running course at Niagara College for motorcycle training and safety, providing machines, service, and expertise. “I tell new customers that six weeks from now, you’ll think you know everything about motorcycles. And you’ll be wrong. Taking instruction from experts is the way to maximize safety, and the best way to enjoy the total motorcycling experience,” he says. Clare’s stocks five brands of machine. At the Fenwick site, he sells Japanese manufacturers Suzuki, Honda, and Yamaha, along with Austrian-made KTM (which offers on- and off-road racing bikes). At the Niagara-on-the-Lake operation, the sole product is the venerable American-made Harley-Davison, which accounts for about 60% of his total sales. Close to 25% of his motorcycles these days are bought by women, who also purchase copious accessories and clothing. “And the ladies tend to

John Clare with a Honda Gold Wing touring bike. attract the guy riders,” says Clare with a smile. The rider demographic is also getting older. “My typical customer used to average about twenty two years old...now it’s closer to forty five.” The spring service workshop was conducted by Clare’s marketing manager Lisa Tache, and master mechanic Cory Walton. Walton was hired by John Clare straight out of high school, and has been 22 years with the shop. He possesses Yoda-like encyclopedic knowledge of most motorcycles, their strengths, quirks, and what makes them tick. Those in attendance were given tips on spring hazards,

everything from potholes and gritty roads to inattentive automobile drivers who haven’t had to share the road with bikers for four months. “Assume you’re invisible,” warns Walton. Maintenance items included special attention to tires, fluid levels, brakes, lights, and drive train (be it chain, belt, or shaft drive). Routine inspections pre- and postride were encouraged. Don’t underestimate the importance of a good helmet, stressed Walton. The manufacturers suggest replacing a helmet every five years, since the materials tend to degrade over time. The type of helmet should also be a consideration. Re-

DON RICKERS PHOTO

search revealed about 50% of helmet impacts happen at the visor level or below, space not protected by an open-face helmet. If you enjoy admiring your smile in the mirror, and flashing a set of pearly white teeth, a full-face version is the way to go. Full riding gear (sturdy jacket and pants, gloves, eye protection) is advocated even in summer’s heat, since “road rash” is a real and painful phenomenon when one is separated from machine. Motorcycle safety, in a nutshell? Maintain your machine, drive defensively, be alert and visible to motorists around you. And while you’re at it, enjoy the ride.

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Page 12

The Voice of Pelham, May 2 2018

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Crossley hosts Career Day BY VOICE STAFF E.L. Crossley Secondary School held its ‘Career Day’ last Tuesday morning, hosting professionals from a variety of fields to provoke thought in Grade 11 students preparing for post-secondary decisions. A number of disparate occupations were represented, including optometry, speech pathology, forensic pathology, the RCMP and military, construction, and acting. Many of the presenters were alumni of the school. “We always try for Crossley grads,” said Janet Cripps, head of the guidance department. “We also try to break down stereotypes— having female electricians, or male nurses.” Cripps pointed towards one of the speakers in particular, forensic pathologist Lesley Souter. “She was part of an allgirl science program run by Miss Keller in the early nineties,” said Cripps. “The idea was to get more girls involved in those subjects— and it worked. They all ended up be doctors, or optometrists, or dentists, or some other sort of science professional. Now we need to do something for the boys.” Pathologist Souter spoke in Keller’s old chemistry classroom. “It’s a long time since I was in here,” she said. “There used to be tiered seating.” Souter briefly explained her job to the students, calling it “one of those science jobs that you don’t know exist until you have it.” She said that when she was in Keller’s high school chemistry class, she thought that she loved chemistry, an enthusiasm which drained when she went to university. “Chemistry no longer spoke to me,” she said, encouraging students to explore the many options in

Speech pathologic Amber Wiggins speaks about her career to a room of grade eleven students last Tuesday at E. L. Crossley Secondary School. VOICE PHOTO the field of science. “There are infinite specializations,” she said. Souter also praised the classes in drama that she had taken in high school, pointing to the way in which it prepared her for the presentations she must now give. “I have to speak in front of a lot of scary people, who are experts in their field, and who are pompous, so that drama background really helps,” she said. Grade 11 student Kate Knafelc was one of those in attendance during Souter’s presentation. “I was looking through the speakers—and I may want to go in to some kind of science,” said Knafelc. “I didn’t know too much about forensic pathology, so she really taught me a lot.” Knafelc also went to presentations on biotechnology and scholarships, and said that the entire day helped her when considering what she wants to do after high

school. “Not all of them stayed on the same path‚ it takes time sometimes. It was good to see how they came to success,” she said. In addition to the speaker day, all students must take a careers course, a half-semester Grade 10 class all about jobs. Knafelc said that the school’s guidance teachers, Janet Cripps and Michelle Gibson, always talk to students about career paths when helping them decide which courses to take. RCMP Constable Frank Di Biase spoke to a large group of students in the library, and similarly emphasized that police officers can have diverse backgrounds. “People always say to me, ‘I want to join the RCMP. What program should I take?” said Di Biase. “And I say, ‘There is no right program for you to take. Take what you’re interested in.’” Di Biase explained that

FUNDS FOR FOOD Niagara Nutrition Partners presented Glynn A. Green school with funds to start up their snack program. Among some 200 programs across Niagara, Glynn A. Green is the newest to offer nutritious food to make sure that children "Eat Right and Learn.” Student Nutrition Program Coordinator Julie Gledhill, left, and Principal Pam Voth have worked to secure community support and sponsorship. SUPPLIED PHOTO

RESTING EN ROUTE Last Friday, students from St. Ann Catholic Elementary School joined people across Canada in WE Walk For Water, an initiative that hopes to break the cycle of poverty by improving sanitation, preventing waterborne illnesses and giving people the opportunity to go to school and to earn a living. SUPPLIED PHOTO

See CAREER DAY Page 14

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www.thevoiceofpelham.ca

The Voice of Pelham, May 2 2018

Page 13

Panthers are number two in Ontario BY BERNIE PUCHALSKI

BPSPORTSNIAGARA.CA

The Pelham Panthers under-13 girls basketball team that recently won a silver medal in Division 1 of the Basketball Ontario championships was anything but an experienced group. “I want to pay tribute to the girls because four of our nine girls who played on our team this year were new to basketball last year and one girl was new to basketball this year,” head coach Mike Hurley said. “They worked really hard.” Last year, the team a won silver medal in Division 2, representative of being the 10th best team in the province. “We didn't have a team for my daughter (Sarah Hurley) so we looked at soccer fields, we looked at track and field meets and we got two girls from A.K. Wigg where Sarah goes to school,” Mike Hurley said. “We were looking for athleticism and for girls who didn't play somewhere else.” Last season, the team went from a Division 4 or 5 team (25th to 40th best in Ontario) to Division 2 (ninth to 16th) where it finished the year with a silver medal. “This year, we started playing all Division 1 teams (top eight in Ontario) at the start of the year and it was

tough, but we were in the mix and competing,” Hurley said. “By the end of the year, we had won the Brantford tournament with all Division 1 teams and the Blessed Sacrament tournament which had the No. 1 team in the province and Transway, which beat us in the final.” The squad also performed well in the OBLX league. “The girls have skyrocketed in the two years that I have been blessed to work with them,” Hurley said. Pelham went into the provincials finals as the hottest team in the province and went 3-0 in pool play, defeating top-seeded East York team 36-32, fourth-seeded York North 42-33 and eighth-seeded Guelph 34-31. “This was absolutely anybody’s tournament,” Hurley said. “There were nine or 10 teams in the province that could have won this tournament and only eight got in.” In the final, the Panthers fell 48-32 to third-seeded Transway. “It was a fantastic game for three quarters and we were winning going into the fourth,” he said. “Then everything went wrong. “On offence, the ball would slip through our hands and they would get a layup. The next time down we would miss a shot and they would go down and hit

The Pelham Panthers under-13 girls basketball team finished second in Ontario despite having five players with less than two years of experience. SUPPLIED PHOTO a three.” It was a run unlike anything Hurley had ever seen before and he used all three of his second-half timeouts in the first three minutes of the fourth quarter trying to stop the bleeding. “They got unconsciously hot and we went stale at the wrong time,” Hurley said. “I felt awful for the girls

because they played three awesome pool games and we were doing a great job for three quarters.” The team felt bad but could take solace in the fact it played great for three and three quarters of its four games. Team members are Jamie Addy, Carly Casciano, Taurie Cunningham, So-

phia Franklin, Sarah Hurley, Cameron Kipp, Julia Moldenhauer, Grace Sodtke, and Maddie Tait. Coaches Mike Hurley, Andrea Hurley, Heather Addy and Chris Cunningham and the players are already looking forward to next season. “I want to keep the momentum moving forward,” Mike Hurley said. “The girls

are really engaged, they’ve bought in, they're excited and parents are already starting to call and are itching to get back on the floor.” Hurley plans to give his team a few weeks off before he starts in with a little bit of spring training and fun events such as three-onthree tourneys or events in the States.

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Page 14

The Voice of Pelham, May 2 2018

ART FEST continued from Page 1 with a mind to raising funds for the Pelham Library system, and in the 32 years of its existence it has contributed some $425,000. “The new Maple Acre Branch in Fenwick also benefited from these donations which are used for extra items that are not part of the regular capital budget. We have also provided an annual scholarship for a student graduating from E.L. Crossley who is planning to move on to post secondary fine arts for the past 29 years. Since about 2015, Notre Dame Second-

ary School has also received a fine art scholarship and since 2017, a student of the Niagara College Art and Design program has also been eligible to apply for a scholarship,” said TeBake. The festival’s scholarship donations have totalled some $30,000 throughout its history. Committee member and artists selection coordinator Linda Ellsworth offered up a preview of some of the artists who will be at the show. “Jane Dickson from Beamsville is a self-taught, mixed media artist who discovered her passion for intuitive painting,” said Ellsworth. “Blending her

lifelong interest in the healing arts with a more recent love of the visual arts, she paints with an intention to mend the spirit and capture the imagination.” “Kristen Laborde, based in Toronto, has her own creative jewellery label, founded in 2009. Using ancient techniques such as wax casting and metal fabrication she brings her ideas to life. Materials used span from silver and brass to semi-precious stones,” said Ellsworth. She said also that there will be a wide range of art on display at the show, from oil, acrylic, watercolour, photography, and pottery.

www.thevoiceofpelham.ca

Artist Sueda Akkor with her work at last year's Pelham Art Festival.

SUPPLIED PHOTO

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All fees paid at time of registration by cash or cheque For more information visit www.pelhamtennis.ca

THE ART OF PRESENTATION Heidi Tebrake, Chair of the Pelham Art Festival committee presents a cheque for $10,000 to Kirk Weaver, CEO of the Pelham Library. Each year the festival makes a donation to the library with proceeds from the annual Pelham Art Festival, which is running again this Mother's Day Weekend (May 11-13) at the Pelham arena. The library uses the funds to purchase equipment, such as the new chairs in both the Fonthill and Maple Acre branches. GREG LEWIS PHOTO

CAREER DAY continued from Page 12 while some RCMP officers come from policing programs, his background is in kinesiology, and many others come from similarly diverse areas of expertise. “You should follow your passion,” he said. Di Biase described his time policing in Vancouver, where he was working on a drug squad. “The RCMP gets called in to do all sorts of things,” he said. “Do you remember the Vancouver Stanley Cup riots? We worked that. Not to say anything bad about the Vancouver police, but they weren’t prepared for that. They lost control of their city. They made the call to us, and we came in and took it back, block by block.” Di Biase went through the recruitment process, saying that applicants do have their driving records checked. “When I applied I had a speeding ticket. But it was only one,” he said. “I had a girl tell me last week that she has six, and wanted to know if it would hurt her. That sort of thing will, because it shows that you’re not learning from your mistakes.” Di Biase took the opportunity to caution students against the dangers of using their phones while driving. “If there’s one thing you take away from this, it’s that you shouldn’t text and drive. People think they can do it. They can’t.

You should follow your passion

You’re not that good of a driver,” he said. Speech pathologist Amber Wiggins said that she went to University with her specific career in mind, after her cousin had married someone working in the industry. She spoke of how she likes being able to work with many different types of people, from children to adults. “I work with technology, too,” she said, alluding to the device used by the late physicist Stephen Hawking that allowed him to speak. When asked about the opportunities available in the field, Wiggins said that a lot the funding comes from the government, and that it is often dependent upon shifts in power. Cripps also touted the school’s efforts to have more students interested in the trades. “By 2024, forty-eight percent of jobs are going to be in technology and the trades,” she said. “They are our least-stressed graduates, too. With apprenticeships, they can start working almost right away, and don’t have much debt.”

www.thevoiceofpelham.ca

The Voice of Pelham, May 2 2018

Page 15

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CELEBRATION

Celebration of Life Luella Veijalainen Please join us to celebrate the life of Luella Veijalainen who passed away Jan 27, 2018. Saturday May 5th, 2018 Pelham Community Church 461 Canboro Road, Ridgeville Time - 1- 4 pm Program begins at 2pm

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LONG HAUL AZ/DZ drivers ALL across Canada and the USA NEEDED! Deliver new and used trucks. No out-of-pocket expenses. Call Drive Star TODAY! Toll-free 1-855-781-3787 or email: VOICE of Pelham Wednesday, August recruiting@drivestardelivers.com

COMMUNITY Events

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EXPERIENCED TRANSPORT TRUCK DRIVERS NEEDED For Short to Medium Haul Flatbed LARGER AMOUNTS AND Wo r k . P e r m a n e n t F u l l - Ti m e . 1st, 2nd, 3rd MORTGAGES COMMERCIAL FUNDS AVAILABLE Language: English. Wages: Based Debt Consolidation !!Decrease monthly payments on 25% per load - Approximately CELEBRATE SPRING ON Refinancing, Renovations up to 75%!! $25/Hour. Home Most Weekends. CANADA’s RIVERS Tax Arrears, No CMHC Fees Based on 5% APR. OAC A Z C l a s s L i c e n s e . Tw o y e a r s 4 7 night cruises on a replica $50K YOU PAY: COMPUTER CLINIC Flatbed experience. Must be able PELHAM LIBRARY’S 1-888-307-7799 steamboat $208.33 / MONTH to cross border. More info Email: 7 SPRUCESIDE CRESENT Excavating contractor. ONTARIO-WIDE “One-to-One Help” tutor. Get FINANCIAL help with web browsing, (OAC) with a volunteer tech Meals, attractions, and entertainment jeffjones@acrosscountrytransport.ca 1801347inc included Christmas OR CALL TOLL-FREE 1-800-565Water, sewer upgrades, FONTHILL. webmailNo account set-up, media, editing Income, Bad Credit e-books, social FSCO Licence #12456and sharing your 3634 Ext. 245. Employer: Spring Destinations: Power of Sale Stopped!!! www.ontario-widefinancial.com items, crafts, household, foundation repair, Country Transport, 4641 water Montreal, Quebec City, Ottawa photos and more. Includes use of laptop or!! LET BYOG (bring gadget). US HELP !! your own Across Fallatta Court, proofing, Beamsville, ON., L0R BETTER OPTION MORTGAGE and more, very readrainage systems, clothes Saturdays 12:30 – 3:30. Register and pay ahead in person. $5.001B4 per 1/2 Ask about our special offers on sonable, SATURDAY FOR MORE INFORMATION cruise fares, rail travel AUG. and quarry stone supply, placehour. Visit callMORTGAGES 905-892-6443 more details. PERSONALS CALLwww.pelhamlibrary.on.ca TODAY TOLL-FREE: accommodations 1st or & 2nd from for 2.40% P18-27 30, 8AM-3PM ment. 905-384-1972. P18-23 5 year VRM and 3.14% 5 year FIXED. CALL 1-800-267-7868 1-800-282-1169 MISTY RIVER INTRODUCTIONS All Credit Types Considered. Let us www.StLawrenceCruiseLines.com We can make this the summer you help you SAVE thousands on the right www.mortgageontario.com FONTHILL BANDSHELL PRESENTS DE TEMPS ANTAN Yard & Shed MOVING meet someone special. Choose mortgage! Purchasing, Re-financing, 253 Ontario Street, Kingston, ON Since 2003, Éric Beaudry, André Brunet and Pierre-Luc Dupuis have Ontario's Top Matchmaker. CALL SALE, collection FONTHILL Debt Consolidation, Construction, (Licence # 10969) (TICOLarge # 2168740) TODAY(416)777-6302, (705)734Home Renovations...CALL 1-800of Christmas and holiday E. L. Cross been exploring and performing time-honoured melodies from the1292, stomp225-1777, www.homeguardfunding.ca www.mistyriverintros.com. No (LIC #10409). computer required. decorations and household Churchill Na ing grounds of Quebec’s musical past. Using fiddle, accordion, harmonica, CONSOLIDATE YOUR DEBT NOW!!!

Services

Garage Sales

LOO A

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guitar, bouzouki and a number of other instruments, our three virtuosos blend boundless energy with the unmistakable joie de vivre found only in FITNESS VENDORS WANTED traditional Quebec music.FRUIT Show runs from 7-9 p.m. FARM/GENERAL

Bricklaying, tuckpointing, step repair, granite Shoppers D coatings, brick slices items, SAT. AUG. 30, 8AM- Fonthill Lib 1PM 625 METLER RD, P18-28 905-682-7061. FLOORING GUESS WHAT? Town of Pe NORTH PELHAM

Beautiful Mind Personal ARTISANS/DESIGNERS FARM LABOURER Josh DeHaan Flooring Training for Women and NEW STUDIO space “For all your flooring needs” Girls LIBRARY CARD PELHAM MAKING WORKSHOPavailable. OPEN weekends, Looking for seasonal/ Private Home Studio in OCNA Network Classifi ed Ads full time help. 11 - NOV 4,Materials 40 Hwy We offer in-stock specials: Make sixStrength cards with learning a variety ofMAY techniques. Fonthill. Build and fall themes, Applicant must be able (AD CENTRAL) 20 West (Hill Top).Yard Sale Endurance with Sarah Rose, to work min. 40-60 are provided. At time of registration, please enquire toolsREDUCED needed. Itemsabout * Antiques. hours/week in any Personal Training Specialist. • pre-finished hardwood table rental for MAY. Week of Tues., Sept. 16 10 – 12:30. $10. Please register ahead. Visit www.pelhamweather conditions and 1 on 1 Training, Semiflooring solid, engineered weekends.Lifting 50 lbs April 30 WANTED Private Training and or Fitness library.on.ca call 905-892-6443 for more details. VENDORS from $2/ft2 comfortably is required. 905-892-2222 Classes. Jobs included pruning, • laminate flooring from For more information Posted Planting trees, thinning $.89/ft2 Please Email Sarah at FABULOUS FENWICK LIONS FISHfruit, FRY and harvesting April 26 Community beautifulmindtraining@gmail.com • carpet and vinyl flooring packingstraight and sorting Tasty treats with funds heading back into the community. Haddock, or Text or Call 905-701-2460 fruit. No Experience Events Listings from $4.95/yd2

Central required. NoSept. Education french fries and much more. Runs 9 from 4-7 p.m.

required, Must have Region included Putting on Ads an event? own transportation. Min wageEQUIPMENT $14.00/hour. Tell the town! PELHAM MINOR HOCKEY SALE Please drop resume Community Event off at 825 Canboro Buy, sell or trade used equipment at theRd, Pelham Arena. Aimed This ad is to to provide be printed MOTHER'S DAY Fenwick Ontario L0S Classified ads are cheaper options for players Runs Sept. 6 from 1C0 in this upcoming season. available in blocks of 30

qr

Mother’s Day Gift For the 9-12 ininyour thefamily. morning. Bird Lover “Birds of your Garden” FOUND Collectors Plates by Edwin PELHAM MUDFEST Knowles. Titles Available: Lady's wedding ring at Cardinal, Baltimore MenBlue andJay, women will beFonthill back Post in theOffice. mudPlease as the Oriole. $10 each for 3 for $25 come in and describe to held at Bissil’s Hideaway. Call 905-892-8041 claim. Call 905-892-6951.

• fibre flooring from $1/ft2 • ceramic tile from $.89/ft2

...and other specials!

words for $10 incl. HST.

office@thevoiceofpelham.ca

Phone: 905-892-7898 Fax: 905-892-4811

second run on the year is 905-892-8690

NIAGARA REGIONAL EXHIBITION Rodeo, games and live entertainment headline this years exciting event. It

O START T

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Cafe on Ma Beamer’s Pr Sobey’s McDonald’ Fonthill Leg Tim Horton Semenuk’s Pic’s Klagers

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Thanks for supporting your Voice!

P18-23

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Page 16

The Voice of Pelham, May 2 2018

www.thevoiceofpelham.ca

SERVICE DIRECTORY Electrical Electrical

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Heating & & Cooling Cooling Heating

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Plumbing

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Steven& & Ryan Ryan Van Lochem Steven Van Lochem Owners/Operators

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Concrete Supplies Concrete Supplies

Plumbing Plumbing

Power Equipment

Niagara’s Complete Concrete Contractor

residential • commercial • farm 905-386-6483 • 905-651-8558

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PROPERTY MAINTENANCE Mowing, Sodding, Mulch,Shrub/Hedge Trimming, Garden Maintenance, Spring & Fall Cleanup

Waiter, my wife and I have decided to borrow that scooter on page 18 and head down to Crystal Beach before the rain hits. Cheque please!

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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

Pelham Community Church 461 Canboro Rd., Fenwick

St. Ann’s Roman Catholic Church 834 Canboro Rd., Fenwick

SENTHILL continued from Page 1 “Most of my close friends are from badminton. It’s me and my badminton buddies.” Senthill finished third at zone in Grade 9 and third again last year in the doubles. She was unsure what to expect this time around.

“I didn’t know if I was going to win because I didn’t go to practice,” she said with a smile. “I’m just trying to keep a positive attitude because I can get down on myself.” Senthill defeated Melissa Loeffen of Lakeshore Catholic and Lauren Taylor of Westlane en route to the final. “I just worry about my

side. I try to make to make as few mistakes as I can and make them make the mistakes because that’s how you win,” she said. Senthill, a native of England who has also lived in Missouri and Alberta before settling in Fonthill seven years ago with her family, also enjoys volleyball. She has been a member of the Niagara Fury

club team for the past four years. “I find badminton easier to make contact with the birdie, but I like the atmosphere of volleyball better because it’s a team sport” she said. “In badminton you can’t blame anyone else. When you screw up it’s on you.” The top two finishers in each category advance

to the Southern Ontario Secondary School Associations playdowns in Ancaster next week. Other E.L. Crossley senior athletes advancing to SOSSA were: Lilianna McIntosh, second in girls singles; Mitchell Waldt and John Higenell, first in boys doubles; and, Josheph Lascavo and Sean Grabell, second in boys doubles.

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The Voice of Pelham, May 2 2018

Page 17

MEETING continued from Page 3 what I said,” she said. “Or I’ll go after you. I mean it. I don’t want anything printed of what I have said. Do you understand me?” Susan Gibbard-Welsh said she is moving out because of superintendent Mike Fairman’s alleged repeated entries of her apartment. She chastised Jacobs for attacking the tenants who were speaking out. But while several tenants were upset with their neighbours who spoke to the Voice, the meeting progressed to a point where most agreed that a change in governance was required. “There should be more directors,” said former Mayor Ralph Beamer. “There should be one or two directors from the tenants. At least try it for a couple of years. Let’s make this place friendly. It’s a great place, but [the management] needs an attitude adjustment.” Sharon Cook contrasted the board’s current approach with how things were when she was a director. “We had seven people, and our door was open for all meetings. Nobody was sent away. You could sit, and you could listen, and at each meeting there was an opportunity for tenants to speak.” “This is a non-profit building. It’s paid for,” said Bill Champagne. “[The board] must have a fiveyear or a ten-year plan. Why don’t we know about this? That the plan is to replace the roof in five years? What’s wrong with telling people that?” Sandy Jacobs announced that she would be resigning as president of the tenants’ association. Most of those present agreed that they would seek to elect a new president in June who would address all concerns. “Sandy does a wonderful job with social things,” said Jenny McLagan. “She cooks things for us, she arranges dinner.” The other tenants agreed that Jacobs is a capable convenor of social events. In a follow-up telephone conversation, in which the Voice requested comment, Jacobs said she had nothing further to say. McLagan’s husband, Hugh, spoke as well. “We agree with that if they’re coming into your apartment they’ve got to give you notice. If you’re not there, come back another day. But if you’ve got a prob-

Former Mayor Ralph Beamer rises to speak at last week's aborted Pelham Non-Profit Housing Corporation's annual meeting. lem, get the tenants together. Don’t go to the newspaper. That didn’t help.” “It did help,” said Pam Young. “It brought attention to our plight.” “It brought hard feelings,” said Jenny McLagan. Elaine Champagne said that she was uncomfortable with some of the details included in the article. “I have to tell you that I didn’t like all the information in the newspaper,” she said. “But I have come to the conclusion that sometimes that’s what it takes to get people’s attention.” Champagne said that building manager Catherine King had resolved some of her concerns. “When they can’t be resolved, why then can’t we go to the governing body?” said Champagne. “Catherine has a boss, and so does Mike,” she said. “The board doesn’t even have anything to do with us. We’re not even allowed to speak here this morning unless we have special permission. Then they know what we’re going to ask. That takes our clout away. In that case, where else do we go? We go to the newspaper, because we need a voice.” Tenant Brian Hunt said that he didn’t think that the goings on at the building were relevant to the general population, and called for a

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stronger tenants’ association instead. “It should all be resolved here,” he said. “It should be resolved by the tenants’ association. Nothing will ever be resolved whilst we have a board that is not responsible to the tenants’ association. You’re going to have to go politically—contact your MP, the Region, Councillors, put pressure on them to get things changed. All that’s happened here is bickering.” Cook urged the tenants not to let the Voice’s original investigation of the building be the last the people read of it. “Now the newspaper knows that the tenants here have their power back,” she said. “You’ve organized yourselves. Don’t let the last issue be the last thing that people read. Let people read that things are going to improve.” Hunt said that the tenants’ association’s main objective ought to be getting representation on the board. “The tenants’ association will have to have a plan to do that,” he said. “If you’re even going to come close, it has to come from political pressure. It’s a closed club. Nobody gets involved without the people that are on there [approving them].” Ralph Beamer said that it was “pretty easy” to make a decision on a board with just four directors. “The smaller

number you have, the more power those people have.” “They can do that because they’re not responsible to anyone,” said Hunt. Pelham Regional Councillor Brian Baty is calling on Niagara Regional Housing, which provides funding for 20 tenants in the building, to investigate the allegations made by tenants in the Voice. “At the outset I would expect a summary of what concerns have been brought forward in the past and how were they acted upon. Built on that historical review, I would expect a full investigation moving forward so that current and future residents’ concerns can be allayed,” said Baty. “Personnel matters, as always, should be undertaken with regard for due process. It is my hope that these matters will be resolved expeditiously.” Pelham’s other Regional Councillor, Mayor Dave Augustyn, declined to comment. Niagara Regional Housing board member and Niagara Falls Regional Councillor Selina Volpatti called Kirkwood’s cancellation of the open AGM “unbelievable.” “Obviously something is going to have to be done about this,” she said. “As a member of the NRH board, I’m very concerned. As NRH

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and the Region, which provides the money for the subsidies, we cannot tolerate putting our tenants in a place where they’re not treated well. That’s the bottom line. We send them to these places in all good faith that they’re going to be treated well by their landlords.” Later last Thursday, a notice was delivered to all tenants. “It is unfortunate that the meeting could not move forward this morning but that does not diminish the importance of sharing information,” read the letter, which went on to invite tenants to an hour of “open dialogue” this past Monday evening, as the Voice was going to press. It was unclear who from the board or management planned to attend. “We understand that the community in which you live has been sadly upset and we are most interested in finding out what we need to do to put that life back on track,” concluded the letter. Tenant Pam Young said of the gesture that it was,“too little, too late.”

VOICE PHOTO

Young said that the board’s refusal to meaningfully engage with tenants for years has demonstrated what she termed its inability to properly govern the building. She said that Geoff Kirkwood’s decision to cancel last week’s meeting rather than allow observers to attend, and Jake Dilts’ threat to call the police, were only the latest instances of this inability. At the planned “open dialogue” on Monday, Young said that she and a group of tenants were going to demand that the board’s bylaws be released, that all of its meetings be held openly, that a new board be appointed, and that spots for tenants are provided on the new board. Young said that going to the newspaper was the last resort for those who came forward. “But if it wasn’t in the paper, no one would have even been talking about it,” she said. “Once we get a new board—with tenants participating—that will be the last thing in the paper. Then we can go back to our lives.”

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The Voice of Pelham, May 2 2018

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The stop-over Italian scooterists bring back memories for Tove Bowman BY SAMUEL PICCOLO

The VOICE

On a recent Friday evening, Tove Bowman welcomed some visitors to her Fonthill home. Bowman, who is 82, was sparking with energy as her three final attendees arrived. Her first guests, Francesca Montanari and Filippo Genito—an Italian couple who are riding a 1969 Lambretta scooter around the world—came in from London just after three in the afternoon. Your local correspondent stepped through the door just past seven, followed closely by Steve and Sharon Malone. “What is the connection between all of us?” asked your correspondent. “There is none,” said Jim Dickson, a retired doctor and Bowman’s companion. Bowman took her guests’ coats and shooed them to the living room. A platter of cheese and crackers was sitting on a coffee table. Classical music tinkled quietly from a stereo. “I’ll give you the story in a minute,” said Bowman. “Now let me get the wine open. Where is that corkscrew?” “You don’t need one,” called Steve. “It’s one of those ‘modern’ twist-off bottles.” “If you say so,” Bowman said, bustling back to sit down. Genito and Montanari were introducing themselves to the Malones, Montaneri speaking in choppy but fluent English and interpreting for her husband. “All right,” said Bowman. “I know Steve from when I was involved in the Rotary Club. He’s a paramedic—he

came in to talk about his time working in poor countries. I went up to him after and told him how I’d seen these places on our trip.” The trip Bowman was referring to happened nearly 60 years ago. In 1959, newspaper reporter Ron Bowman quit his job, sold his car, and bought a 150cc Lambretta scooter, planning to ride it from Thorold to South America. Three weeks before he was to leave, he met Tove. He wrote her letters every day for the first two weeks of the trip, before asking her to fly to Mexico City, marry him, and continue on the rest of the trip together. She did. They remained married until Ron’s death in 2004. The story was written by Ron and published as, “The Scooter Diaries,” in 2014, a book edited by their son Gordon. Bowman moved on to the Italians. “And Francesca and Filippo have just come from South America,” said Bowman. Genito, 51, and Montanari, 32, have been on the road for eight months. They began their trip last summer, in Turkey, moving through the post-Soviet republics, slicing through Pakistan and India, skirting around China to South Asia, before hopping to Australia and New Zealand. They’ve been to 45 countries so far. “Five more,” said Francesca, the tips of her cornrowed hair swinging about. “When we get to a new country, Filippo sends a message to the Lambretta Facebook group, to ask for information. What roads, where to stay.” The president of the Canadian branch put them in

Does Your Carpet Look Like You Could Ski On It?

The night’s guests examine the Italians’ 1960 Lambretta scooter, which they are riding around the world. VOICE PHOTO

touch with Bowman. “He told them, ‘If you come to Canada, you have to see Tove,’” said Bowman, who grew up in Denmark and moved to Canada as a teenager. The Italians told the group of their plans for the final two months of their trip. After Niagara, they were shipping off to Boston and New York, before crossing over to France, and ending back home in Italy. They have to be back to work in July. Genito is a stonemason. Montanari manages a chocolate store. “Shipment of the scooter is the biggest cost,” said Montanari. “By boat is cheaper, but it takes too long.” Bowman nodded. “Yes, that was the problem for us too,” she said. “You have to take all the gas out. And you think, ‘How are we going to drive it when we get there?” In broken sentences, Genito described taking the scooter from Indonesia to Australia. “We were worried about quarantine,” he said. The Australians are notoriously

strict about what can enter the continent. “We sprayed the whole scooter with DDT in Indonesia, in Bali,” Genito said. “I thought that stuff was banned,” said your correspondent. “It is here,” said Malone. “We were worried about our tent and sleeping bags too,” said Montanari. “We checked, ‘new,’ even though they're not. New is more clean.” “The most difficult customs was in Uzbekistan,” she continued. “All of the cars had many things piled on top. They stopped and checked everything. They checked every kind of medicine we had. They checked our phones. If you have pornographic pictures, or pictures of the border, they won’t let you in.” “They’re doing that even at the US border now,” said Malone. “In Canada just say, ‘Come on in.’” Malone and his wife spent a year in Baja California a few years ago. “At the border at Tijuana their rules were always different,” he said. “When we drove back to Canada,

at Sarnia, the guard said, ‘You’ve been gone a year, great. Do you want to know where the closest Tim Horton’s is?’” But Malone’s border crossings weren’t all so easy. “I was crossing in Honduras one time with my truck, and they wouldn’t let me in. They said that I still had checked an ambulance out of the country. I said, ‘No I don’t,’ and then I remembered,” he said. “I had driven an ambulance across the border to Guatemala for a call and then forgot to sign it back in when we returned. But I didn’t still have it. Why would I be driving around an ambulance?” He shook his head. “They are so unorganized about some things, and then they know that I took an ambulance out years before,” he said sadly. He brightened up. “Tell them about the time you had to change currency, Tove.” Bowman beamed and began to gesture. “We broke the steering shaft on our scooter and were trying to get a ride

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with a bus to Quevedo [Ecuador],” she said. “But it wouldn’t fit in the back. So someone said, ‘What about on top?’ Four men came and lifted our scooter up on to the top of the bus. Then the driver told Ron to stay on top and hold on.” When the Bowmans got to the next village, they were told that it would cost six American dollars to fix the scooter. “Well, we didn’t have six American dollars,” said Bowman. “Our travellers cheques didn’t work, and this was before Visa.” Eventually the two made it to a bank in a nearby city. “We tried to change all of our money, but they weren’t giving us American money. So Ron took off his shoe and banged it on the counter.” Bowman raised her arm and pumped it up and down in a Kruschevian manner. “He said, ‘I. WANT. MY. AMERICAN. MONEY,’” said Bowman. “The bank manager came down and said, ‘What’s going on? Get these people out of here.’ They finally gave us all the money, this big stack of it. I stuffed some in my brassiere, in my socks. Ron didn’t have a brassiere, so he just put in his socks.” Bowman ended her story and took a big breath. “You’re really wound up,” said Dickson to Bowman, smiling at her. “You bet,” said Bowman. Montanari demurred when asked what their favourite country has been so far. “We cannot pick one,” she said. “But some place to go back and live? I would like to live in Indonesia. There is the jungle, the sea, the mountains.” Malone recounted his time working in Indonesia after the 2004 tsunami. “Yes,” said Montanari. “We saw signs, ‘This way, tsunami evacuation.’ The other way, ‘Volcano evacuation.’” Malone asked how long the Italians would be staying. “I’m hoping to keep them here until Monday or Tuesday,” said Bowman. “Or Sunday,” said Montanari. “We have to keep moving.”

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The Voice of Pelham, May 2 2018

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COLUMN SIX continued from Page 1 ning of time, I’m pretty sure that 90 percent of them would have appeared after 11:59. Okay, I made that up, but you get the idea. I did feel, before I retired, that the notion of how we should teach, and what tools we should teach with, seemed to change by the day, as new technologies were introduced, and everyone tried, unsuccessfully for the most part, to keep up with them. Professional development for educators has become a growth industry. What I couldn’t determine, try as I might, is what impact the new ideas and teaching tools had on producing more accomplished learners. I know that more students than ever go to universities and colleges, because universities and colleges have expanded exponentially in order to accommodate them, and they’re still bursting at the seams; but not everyone is sure that this actually proves anything. I’ve always been more trustful of teachers than technology, though it now appears I backed the wrong horse, and they seem to have become an endangered species. Increasingly, online learning seems bent on producing the teacherless classroom to go with our driverless cars. And I find that a little sad, to be honest. I can recall only a little of the curriculum I studied in high school, but I certainly remember the teachers I had. Some of them were so good they made me want to become one. Their secret was to be themselves and allow themselves to be known to their students. Beyond that, a textbook, a piece of chalk and a passion for their

The Voice of Pelham, May 2 2018 subject seemed to work for them. Recently, my mother, who is 92 and still has all her dogs on the same lead, remarked on the teachers she had as a girl growing up in Scotland, where she attended a school called Breadalbane Academy. Miss Cosh (her actual name) taught modern languages, which somehow included Latin back then, from behind her desk fortress. She barked out declensions and conjugations in a stentorian voice and didn’t suffer fools gladly or at all. Kindly Mr. Stuart, who taught history, would come down from on high and sit amongst his students, leveling with them you might say, and being comfortable in their midst. Mr. Brown taught geography on the move, like the Sundance Kid, pacing the room as he enlightened the class about tectonic plates and Brazilian rainforests. Another teacher, whose name she forgot, would move the desks into a rectangle, and take his seat at the table with his students. This became a favourite classroom arrangement of mine for decades, so I was surprised to find that education theorists have now elevated this basic formation to an educational philosophy, and given it a name. The Harkness Method consists of a vast oval table of polished maple, oak or cherry, with matching chairs, and comes at a cost of an arm and a leg, excluding shipping, handling and installation. It cost Socrates nothing 2500 years ago to invent the process of a shared dialogue between interested parties seated in a circle, but times have changed. Some remarkable classroom setups evolved following my last school’s decision to immerse itself in laptops. With no one looking at each other and everyone looking

into a screen, the classroom dynamic underwent what some called a “paradigm shift.” One innovative math colleague hung a series of mirrors on the wall at the rear of his classroom so he could see that his students were “on task” while he stood in front of them. He also paced around the room a lot to make sure they weren’t playing Candy Kisses or Super Mario Brothers on their laptops when they should be parsing the binomial theorem. Education had once again become a microcosm of the real world, this time by bringing computers into the classroom and then figuring out ways to use them. The initiative succeeded in some subjects more than others, but all teachers were assured that technology would make learning more fun for students, and more relevant because they knew more about the devices than the teachers did anyway. As a teacher of English, clinging to this antiquated idea that there’s nothing more interactive than a book, I did my best to adapt, though increasingly I felt that technology was finding ways to replace the books rather than improve how we read them. I found a grammar website that was fun and relevant and interactive, and my students showed me how to navigate it. We collaborated beautifully. They taught me how to point and click, and I taught them how to punctuate and “language.” Inspiration, another app, digitized the ideograms I had always used as a technique for note-taking and essay-planning. My class showed me how to embed images and snippets from YouTube into my diagrams, which cluttered things a little for me but appealed to their passion for pictures and things that moved. My attempt to teach Mac-

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I'm definitely not playing a video game, Mr. B. Move along. beth using Garageband failed utterly. I was way too stupid to use a Smartboard, and a little skeptical of it anyway. Ironically, it seemed to be a throwback to the days when a teacher dominated the classroom while the class sat dumbstruck, like Dorothy, as she and her mates watched the great wizard work his magic behind the curtain. Through all my experimentation I asked the same question I always did whenever I was urged to buy into a theory or tool. Will this improve what I’m actually here to do—enable students to think for themselves and acquire intellectual curiosity? I wanted to be the teacher who helps students realize they’re more intelligent than they supposed. Technology showed them they already knew a great deal about technology; but I was never really sure how that related to their knowledge of the world and themselves. I reached retirement without being able to answer than question.

Something that has changed, and very much for the better, is the teacher’s understanding that kids aren’t all intelligent, nor do they all learn, in exactly the same way. Technology in the classroom has unquestionably enabled “under-performers” to find motivation, and “alternatively gifted” students to discover learning techniques that actually meet their needs. There’s that familiar cartoon of a fish, elephant, lion, crocodile and monkey being told by their teacher that in the final exam of the course they will be asked to climb a tree. With technology now they can all pass that exam. And what’s called remedial education has fundamentally changed over time, in that it actually exists now. My grandmother, who attended the same Scottish school as my mother a generation earlier, told me about witnessing a frustrated parent challenge her daughter’s teacher for setting homework that was too hard for the child to handle. The teacher tried to explain

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to the mother that little Mary was sometimes inattentive in class. The woman looked at the teacher and bluntly replied, “Brains is a gift, Miss MacGoury, and it’s ain oor Mary hasny got.” Then she turned on her heel and marched out of the classroom. A helicopter parent with a difference. For all of its benefits, cynics, and maybe realists, have judged that the internet and the many “insta-devices” we use to access it, have shortened the attention spans of everyone on the planet, including teachers themselves. Others argue that our brains are merely evolving to an advanced stage of not having to do the things they once did. Maybe one day they’ll advance to a point where we won’t need to use them at all, and teachers won’t have to worry about strategies because there’ll be nothing left to teach. ◆

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WELLNESS PACKAGE 110 Ramsey Dr., Dunnville, ON N1A 1K8 Phone: (905) 774-7642 1-800-263-6496 vets@dunnvillevetclinic.com Mon - Fri: 8 AM to 6 PM • Sat: 8 AM to 2 PM • Closed Sunday

www.dunnvillevetclinic.com