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bilko@rgcmail.com Vol.21 No.5
Wednesday, May 3, 2017
FREE
Residents seek answers to financing questions Public meeting concludes to the satisfaction of few
See QUESTIONS Page 7
Column Six Why the name matters
BY KEITH EBERT
Special to the VOICE
I
Pelham resident Paul Bryant asks a question through facilitator Ted Mouradian.
VOICE PHOTO
It's the last straw for Sydney Snow, Grade 3 Pelham restauranteurs take note: young activist is headed your way
BY NATE SMELLE
The VOICE
Most Grade 3 students don’t spend much time thinking about how they can help save wildlife and protect the environment. Then again, Sydney Snow is not like most kids her age. After seeing a video with her mother, Erin, of a sea turtle with a plastic straw being surgically removed from its nostril, she decided that she wanted to do something about it. “A lot of animals are choking on straws and it’s really sad,” said Sydney.
“It’s really painful for the animals. We don’t want people to throw them out into the environment. It harms Mother Nature.” Because plastics take hundreds to thousands of years to biodegrade, straws and other plastic waste end up polluting the ocean and other aquatic ecosystems, where they kill and injure marine animals, contaminate sea food and leach toxic chemicals into the wa-
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BY VOICE STAFF Responding to a motion tabled at Niagara Regional Council by Port Colborne Councillor David Barrick, which called into question the integrity of Pelham’s finances, the Town of Pelham hosted an “Evening with the Experts” on Monday night, April 28. Held at Fire Station #1, the meeting drew a crowd of 70–plus concerned residents hoping to gain clarity regarding the financing and construction of the Town’s new Community Centre. Presented as experts were a number of senior Town staff, including Director of Community Planning and Development,
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ter and soil. Making their impact on the environment even worse is the fact most of these straws are made from a petroleum-based plastic called polypropylene. According to a study in the Journal of Biotechnology, 1,000 kilograms of polypropylene releases 3,500 kilograms of CO2-equivalent greenhouse gas. Considering Americans alone use 500 million plastic straws every single day, their production
contributes a significant impact on the climate. Thinking about how she could make a difference, Sydney asked her mom to take her around to local restaurants to ask the owners to stop carrying disposable plastic straws. Starting her campaign on Earth Day, she and her mom dropped off flyers Sydney made herself requesting that local restaurant owners find an alternative to single-use plastic straws. So far, Sydney said the response has been very good. Everyone she has See LAST STRAW Page 18
N T H E S P R I N G OF 1912, the year of the terrible loss of the Titanic, my mother, Hulda May Hill, her sister, and my grandmother sailed to Canada. Times were bad in England and my grandfather was unemployed. My grandmother had a brother in Canada with whom she corresponded. She was told that an American firm had come to Canada and built a factory at Dain City, in Welland County, to make binder twine for the farmers to tie up their grain into sheaves. My grandfather and a friend named Jack Brooks applied from England for work and were accepted. My grandfather was to go to John Deere, the American firm, formerly called, "The Dain". His friend Jack Brooks would be accepted as a blacksmith in Fonthill. My grandmother booked passage on the Titanic but, before it was time to sail, her elder daughter (my aunt), came down with scarlet fever and my mom got diptheria. So my grandfather came out alone on the ship "Alhambra," and because they had not recovered, my See COLUMN SIX back page
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The Voice of Pelham, May 3, 2017
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IN THE NEWS
PUBLISHER’S CORNER by Dave Burket
And my other brother Darryl...The country and farm supply store, Minor Brothers is looking to acquire and open a new location at the Apple Bin, the venerable apple orchard and store on Hwy 20 just east of the Pelham border. Sufficient acreage for a retail operation is already zoned commercial. This would be in lieu of expansion at Minor Brothers’ current Fonthill location on Hwy 20 near E. L. Crossley high school. Not bad for a gas-bar... The new Circle-K station on Pelham Street at the corner of Welland Road is, it slightly pains me to admit, a reasonably attractive design. The bricks are real, the colours are in keeping with the location, and it looks like some landscaping is on the way. All the more pity, then, that the illuminated plastic signage is so garish, nearly wrecking the understated handsomeness of the structure. This Town desperately needs a better signage bylaw. On a roll...Even better is a recently revealed facade in downtown Fonthill, that of the new multi-story condo/ retail makeover on Pelham Street at the foot of Church Hill. It's a break from the cold, austere angularity of so much modern architecture, all grays and glass, which is about as soothing to the soul as an ice bath This design harkens back to the solid, classical look of so many downtowns of decades—even centuries— past. Designer Todd Barber,
who has worked on a handful of other facades on Pelham St., says that he doesn’t like to label new construction with classical architectural terms. “I would label this building as ‘downtown traditional.’ I wanted the building to have very approachable proportions and to be clad in noble finishes.” I asked Fonthill architect Gina Shaffrick for her take. She describes the look as having being influenced by Italianate architectural language, taking its cues from the New Renaissance. "This is due to the material use of stone/block/masonry, the regularity of the windows, the loggia on the second floor, the height of three storeys, and the formality of it all. In my opinion, it is reminiscent of an Italian palazzo, but a modern take on it.” Sounds about right to this layperson. Barber says that the building is set to be completed for August occupancy. Let’s hope that this is the start of a return-to-classics trend downtown. 30-love...The Pelham Tennis Association is looking to make your elbow sore. Get fit, have some fun. See their message on page 18. Too much Town pressure...When we moved in to our home several years ago we were surprised not to find a water pressure regulator already installed. The house wasn’t that old (mid-’80s), but even if code didn't require it back then, we thought that subsequent
owners would have added one. I’m reminded of this by the news (this page) that Fenwick’s water pressure is to be adjusted over the next few months. Apparently in some areas it’s already over 80 psi. Regulators are an inexpensive layer of protection, and there’s no shortage of plumbers in our Service Directory who will happily install one for you. Not lucky 7...Fonthill's ace realtor Debbie Pine puts the kibosh on the rumour that there are only seven houses for sale in all of Welland. Pine says that the no-conditional-sale inventory is still quite low, though, with Welland seeing 43 detached, 5 semi-detached, and 2 townhouses listed. In Fonthill, she says, there are 24 detached homes, 1 semi, and 1 townhouse for sale, with bidding wars common. High density housing... When we arranged Hwy 20 Self-Storage’s ad (page 1) a few weeks back, I asked the manager, Marijka, whether they had ever found or suspected people of living in their climate-controlled storage spaces. “Not yet,” she said, laughing. But never say never in this market. 10 and 20 years ago in the Voice...Enjoy this week’s time travel on pages 14 and 15. Recognize any of the lil' nippers? The St. Ann's group will be in their mid-20s now. Bovine intervention... Keith Ebert’s Column Six story is a fine read, and along the way we learn how Pancake Lane got its name. Happy May!
Qualifies for championships
have installed an additional water pressure control valve in Fenwick. The current range of water pressure in Fenwick is 40psi to 85psi. In North America, 60 psi is considered a standard pressure. Anything over 80 psi risks damage to connected appliances and pipes. To improve the water pressure for those with lower pressures, while providing protection to all those with higher pressures, the Town says that over the next few months water operators will be working in conjunction with Niagara Regional staff to slowly make adjustments and improvements to the lower pressures areas. Depending on your current supplied pressure, and the condition and material of your plumbing, the Town says that you may or may not notice these small adjustments.
Local athlete and Voice carrier, Jacob Cheung, has qualified to represent Ontario in the Eastern Canadian Gymnastics, Trampoline and Tumbling Championships to be held in Sackville, New Brunswick and Amherst, Nova Scotia from May 4 - 7. Jacob will be travelling to the competition with his coach, Jenna Stamp, who has competed in tumbling at the international level. This is Jacob's first year as a tumbler having just switched from Men's Artistic Gymnastics last year.
Street sweeping
The Town says that street sweeping is set to begin in Pelham shortly and will be completed by approximately May 19. Residents are asked to please not park on streets during sweeping operations. When: Now through May 19, 2017. 7 AM until 5 PM Monday through Friday, dependent on weather conditions. Heavy rains may cause some delays. Where: Starting in Fenwick, moving east down Canboro Road then completing Fonthill area west of Haist Street moving from north to south, then everything east of Haist Street from south to north. What: Sweepers will make two passes down each lane with the mechanical sweeper and then a second pass with the vacuum sweeper for the finer debris. The Town says to expect some delay between passes and remember that sweep-
McFundraising
Jacob Cheung. SUPPLIED PHOTO ers must empty their hoppers, refill with water, or stop for a break from time to time. They will return to finish your street. If the sweeper has had to maneuver around a parked car, the operator will attempt to return to the area at a later date to complete the street.
Fenwick water pressure
According to a “construction newsletter” released last week by the Town of Pelham, Public Works staff
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Column Six
Growing up British Part 2 of 2: Coronation to embarkation
Vol.20 No.32
Wednesday October 12, 2016
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Apple Day comes to Fonthill
BY JULIE MANNELL
Special to the VOICE
W
BALLOONING INTEREST Grade 6 student Jinja Shepherd explains her experiment on static electricity at the Glynn A. Green Public School's annual science fair last Friday. See story, page 3. NATE SMELLE PHOTO
Public meeting tonight on school issues BY VOICE STAFF As questions continue to mount regarding an email that Pelham Mayor Dave Augustyn quietly sent to a District School Board of Niagara trustee last summer, Augustyn has agreed to address the issue at a public meeting scheduled for this evening, Wednesday, Feb. 8, in Fenwick. Nancy Beamer, speaking for “Names Matter,” a Pelham citizens group lobbying the DSBN to reverse its decision to rename a local public school, confirms that the meeting will be held at Fire Station #2, known locally as the Fenwick Fire Hall, starting at 7:00 PM. While the Mayor has agreed to ap-
Under pressure, Mayor to address email revelation, other E. W. Farr matters pear, says Beamer, DSBN officials associated with the school-naming process have either declined to attend or have not yet responded to the group’s invitation. DSBN Chair, Dale Robinson, to whom Augustyn’s email was addressed last June, has declined to appear, says Beamer, asserting that she would be
“on holidays.” The Voice was unable to independently confirm Robinsion’s intentions. She did not respond to repeated requests for comment on E.W. Farr-related matters before presstime. Beamer, whose group maintains an email list of some 580 residents, says that all members of the public are invited and encouraged to attend the meeting. “We would especially welcome parents and children who are unhappy with the name change,” she says, referring to the contentious decision by the DSBN to consolidate two Pelham See MEETING back page
HEN I WAS young, my father and I would go for long drives along the rural routes of Pelham. We’d blast George Thurgood and roll down the windows because we loved the smell of the breeze, the sensation of crisp Niagara wind beating our cheeks and tangling our hair against our summer-kissed skin. My father was not a sentimental man. He worked in factories and had a Gordon Lightfoot mustache and never shed tears over injuries. Yet something about the Pelham landscape, the hilly backdrop to his childhood and the childhoods of our ancestors, drew him in. He’d stop by a farm or a gathering of woods and, surrendering his manly veneer, tell me a story about the town. This place is precious. This is the earth that granted us life. Here is the place where we happened upon love or here is a site of devastation. On one particular drive sometime in the late ‘90s we stopped at a tree with a plaque. “This tree looks dead,” I said to my father. “It sure is getting there, Julie.” The Comfort Maple is supposedly Canada’s oldest See COLUMN SIX Page 14
BY VOICE STAFF
A construction error was discovered following the opening of a traffic calming chicane on Haist Street north of Hwy 20 last Monday that prevented large vehicles from passing through. One resident living in the neighbourhood said he contacted the Town after seeing a small schoolbus get stuck as it tried to get through the new traffic calming measure. Later that day while driving behind a cement truck, he said that he became concerned for the public’s safety when the truck had to turn around because it couldn’t get through. “If a small school bus and a cement truck can’t make it through what about a fire
BY HEATHER McLAREN ROHRER
Special to the VOICE
A
Repair measures underway last week to correct a construction error in the chicane. truck or an ambulance?” he said. While waiting for the contractor to return to fix
the mistake, the Town has taken measures to temporarily allow passage for vehicles through the neigh-
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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
Joining their principal, Karen Simpson, at the Sept. 19 Council meeting as part of a delegation from EL Crossley Secondary School, students Abby Loewen and Neenah Williams presented Council with a list of reasons that they should immediately approve the construction of the new sidewalk proposed along Hwy. 20. The asphalt side-
walk/trail is slated to be built between the south side of the road from Timmsdale Crescent to the high school. Because of the large volume of motor vehicle traffic travelling at high speeds through this area, and because of the necessity for students to tread this path on a daily basis, many residents would like to see the sidewalk go in sooner than later. After delivering to Council a petition containing
Many residents would like to see the sidewalk go in sooner than later the names of 450 students calling for a safer walk to school, Simpson handed the
podium over to Loewen and Williams to plead their case. Loewen told Council that because there are a lot of students who have work placements and coop placements during the school year, this is the only route for many of them to travel. As one of the students facing this predicament, Williams said she has had no other option but to walk along the dangerous highway.
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and youth ages 5-25. This year the 3rd Fonthill Group, which includes Beavers to Ventures (youth ages 5- 25) will be hitting the streets to drum-up support. Over the weekend, Scouts will be set up in Fonthill outside Sobeys, Tim Hortons, Target Gas station, Fonthill Shopping Plaza and the Pioneer Gas station at the corner of Hwys 20 and 24.
Town Council approves sidewalk to serve E. L. Crossley BY NATE SMELLE
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Second year Beaver with the 3rd Fonthill Group, Russell Letford offers a fresh apple to shoppers 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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“I start work at 2:30 PM and school lets out at 2:15 PM so I can’t take any other route,” Williams explained. “I have had friends, family, teachers and other community members reach out to me in the past about how this is unsafe and how there should be another alternative for us.” Looking ahead to winter, when she will need to walk this path three or four times See SIDEWALK Page 2
HERE IS NO BETTER time to cycle than Fall. It matters not whether you’re new to the sport, a seasoned recreational cyclist, racer, touring rider or mountain biker; we all have reason to look forward to autumn. Summer’s heat has faded, and the streams of sweat that ran from soggy helmets into our eyes are now just slight perspiration. Fitness is peaking from lots of saddle time, making those tough climbs of Spring a breeze in Autumn. It’s hard to beat the feeling of beginning a crisp, cool Fall ride with a slight shiver, knowing your efforts will soon warm you perfectly. The hues of Autumn are outstanding. A Pelham route as simple as following our southern boundary is one that would make most Toronto cyclists jealous, especially when our forests and fields are ablaze with colour. Begin from Harold Black Park, and zig-zag south along Effingham Rd toward the Welland River. If you’re new to cycling, it’s important to know south is the direction away from any hills. If you avoid the morning and evening weekday rush hours caused by those travelling through Pelham between Wainfleet See AUTUMN Page 3
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The Voice of Pelham, May 3, 2017
WINNING COLOURS Kaia Pypalis was this year’s Meridian Easter Colouring Contest in the age 3-to-6 group. Staffer Kim Barnard awards Kaia her basket.
Page 3
PLANT A TREE The Town invited residents out to Woodstream Park last Friday to plant six trees in commemoration of Arbour Day. Above, Grade 3 students from Wellington Heights and the Eco Team from St. Ann’s School got dug in to the work. Jodi Hendriks, Pelham's Culture and Community Enhancement Programmer, said that three Bur Oak and three Scarlet Oak trees were slated to go in. MARC MACDONALD PHOTO
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The Voice of Pelham, May 3, 2017
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OPINION
The opinions expressed in submitted commentary and letters to the editor are those of the contributors and not necessarily those of the Voice of Pelham.
The Voice of Pelham is a 1211858 Ontario Limited publication David Burket, Publisher 2-1428 Pelham St., P.O. Box 1489, Fonthill, ON L0S1E0
As We See It
A
T T H E I R H A S T I LY arranged "Meeting with the Experts" last Monday evening, the Town lined up a number of employees and paid consultants to answer questions regarding the financing of the Community Centre. Those in the audience, although attempting to be engaged with the process, were ultimately frustrated by the complexity of the issues. Why has it come to this point? Last summer an Oversight Committee was formed to keep tabs on the Community Centre construction project. While this committee does not report to the public, the minutes of its meetings were made public until January. But after the Voice reported on the 9,000 sq. ft. miscalculation, which revelation was nearly buried in the minutes, silence. No more public information has been shared on the specifics of Committee doings. A new Town website, “ourpcc.ca,” is dedicated to the Community Centre, but it contains little information. Most of the site is a rehash of public relations news releases from the Mayor’s office. It also presents an apparently large discrepancy. The site states that the finished structure will be 117,000 sq.
ft. in size, yet at last Monday’s meeting the Treasurer, Ms. Pupo, said it was to be 143,000 sq. ft. So which is it—or does anyone really know at this point. It’s one thing to misplace 9,000 sq. ft., but another 26,000 sq. ft? Golly.
The Town owes it to Pelham taxpayers to keep us informed
The price has been set at $36.2 million but with the addition of 9,000 sq. ft. costs have gone up. Will the builder be able to find the right bricks in Canada at a lower cost? This seemed important to the CAO, as he didn’t want the arena’s 40-foot walls to lend the Centre the appearance of a warehouse. Understandable. Pelham may now host a Dollarama, but we’re bloody well not stooping to a Costco, wot, chaps. The new website exhorts us to "Cheer Community,” "Cheer Growth,” and "Cheer our Champions.” Nice sentiments but
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without the engagement of the entire community there is little to cheer. There remain many questions about the Community Centre, and not just its financing. Why was this design chosen and who is it actually serving? Listening to many in Pelham, especially those over 50, there is concern that there is little in the Community Centre for them. To answer these questions a couple of new exhortations should be added: “Cheer Transparency” and “Cheer Truth.” The Town owes it to Pelham taxpayers to keep us informed on a regular and frequent basis regarding the Centre’s construction. The residents of Port Colborne were kept up-todate monthly. Last Monday’s panel was a start, but information provided must be clear and straightforward. It must be easily accessible for everyone. Post proper updates on the new Community Centre website—isn’t that what it’s for? If the Town wants residents to become excited and enthusiastic about this Community Centre, the Town needs to trust its residents and tell them the truth. After all, it’s our Community Centre, paid for with our taxes, built on our land.
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Letters Get your marching boots ready It's that time of year again! The Fabulous Fenwick Lions are inviting you to take part in a wonderful opportunity. We are looking for area businesses and clubs to enter in our annual Carnival parade taking place on Friday, May 26, 2017 starting at 7:00 pm from Bethany Christian Reformed Church on Balfour Street. You could put a float together, even a few local businesses getting together on the same float, ride in a car or truck, on an ATV or piece or equipment or just walk. The parade route is approximately 2 KM, winding through Fenwick and arriving at Centennial Park, where our Carnival will be in progress with the midway rides and food booth. If you would like a chance to promote your business or club by participating we would love to have you come out and network while getting in the spring spirit. There is no cost to participate in our Parade! For applications please e-mail jeff.pickup@ sympatico.ca or download the application from our website at fabulousfenwicklions.org. Jeff Pickup President Fabulous Fenwick Lions Club
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Letters
The Voice of Pelham, May 3, 2017
FOLLOW THE MONEY By Jim Pitt
continued
Funding 101: A Brief Explanation of the Highly Unlikely
Happy to fork over some dough I certainly do value the work of the Voice and have been impressed by the fact that it has continued to represent us as a community, allowing people to speak out and keeping us informed of the “goings on” at Town Hall, and in Pelham in general. When we got together years ago to decide what we could do when the Pelham Herald was closing down, we knew we wanted a
voice, and so it was obvious what we had to call our newspaper, and that we should invest to make sure that it would work. You are doing a wonderful job. Keep up the good work, and I am happy to pay the voluntary subscription. Ann Gledhill Pelham
Not impressed by expert explanations I attended last Monday night’s Town of Pelham public information meeting. It was for the most part what I expected. A not-so-impartial moderator hired by the Town, who knew what the mood of the public would be. He suggested that we should have a little fun. Perhaps he thought we would be happy to be blindfolded and enjoy a spirited game of pin the tail on the donkey. There was a good turnout in spite of the last-minute advertising of the event. A screen was set up outlining the four areas of questions allowed, but again, at such short notice, and no framework for the allowable questions, the audience in attendance had little time to prepare. One thing I found incredible was that the over-330-page report to Regional Council was put together in only one evening. How could anyone possibly do that much research in that time-span to produce such a comprehensive report? Or... was it just what had been suggested, a “data-dump,” a pile of words so large that the intention was to discourage anyone from taking the time to weed out what information was truly relevant. An unanswered question was, “How much did this report cost in terms of man-
power, printing and binding?” The issue of the 9,000 sq. ft. design error came up. I would like to know where we can view the amended drawings with
Perhaps he thought we would be happy to be blindfolded and enjoy a spirited game of pin the tail on the donkey this additional space included. How could that much space have been missed? Ten feet wide by 900 feet long, or 20 feet wide by 450 feet long, or a building lot 66 feet by 132, these are what add up to 8,712 sq. ft. Sounds pretty incredible to me. The funding for the additional square footage is to come from saving money on
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A little over a year ago we were told that the Town would be paying for its two new arenas through the sale of Town lands and through development fees. The Town owns 32 acres in the East Fonthill Development and eight acres where the Haist Street Arena sits. These lands are worth $12 million, so we have been informed. Another $12 million will come from development fees. $3 million will come from fundraising and naming rights, and the last $9.6 million has already been borrowed and will be spent as the project progresses. While the Town waits for the land sale proceeds and development fees to come in over the years ahead, it will borrow a further $24 million and pay this back over 30 years. This money has been approved by the Region and is presently the subject of a motion brought forward by some Regional Councillors, including the Chair of the Budget Committee, Councillor David Barrick. Today we’re going to look at the $12 million in development fees that the Town has promised are en route to Pelham’s coffers. At fi rst glance develop-
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straightforward. The process works like this. When a developer seeks approval to build a home there are attendant fees to be paid to the Town and Region. For this article I will only deal with the Town fees. These fees are commonly referred to as “Development Charges.” Within these charges there are different line items: Roads and related, $5,358. Fire Protection, $398. Outdoor Recreation, $2,752. Indoor Recreation, $1,067. Library, $770. Administration, $641. Water and Sewer, $2,944. These
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This reality paints a starkly different picture to what the Town has promised
total $13,930. This amount is applied, as an expense to the builder, to build a Single Family Detached home or SFD. I will use the SFD fees as we go on, as this the most desirable type of home people buy, and also for the sake of simplicity. These costs are later embedded by the developer into the selling price of the new home and ultimately paid for by the new home buyer. The Town has stated that it will raise $12 million from development charges, but how this revenue may actually be spent is defined by various regulations, including by provincial law. This reality paints a starkly different picture to what the Town has promised. I will be only dealing with two of these fees: the Outdoor Recreation fee, and the Indoor Recreation Fee. The only portion of each new home’s development charges that may be directly allocated to funding the Community Centre is the Indoor Recreation Fee. That’s it. The other fees are spoken for, and must be allocated accordingly (to roads, to fi re protection, and so
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The Voice of Pelham, May 3, 2017
Letters
www.thevoiceofpelham.ca
continued
Experts meeting left questions unanswered Should I have expected anything more from the way Pelham Council and staff think they communicate? Last Monday’s “experts” meeting was a well-orchestrated format with a set agenda made up of four blocks of topics only. It was a question-only session, with the Town’s hired guns, not the CAO or elected representatives participating. I asked two polite questions and had to keep pressing for an answer. This is not transparency. Transparency is when the
information flow is forthcoming and voluntary. You shouldn't have to squeeze it out of them, like a lemon. Ask yourself one question: Would this meeting have happened at all if Regional Council had not sent Pelham's financial situation to the Regional Audit Committee meeting scheduled for June? If Jim Pitt's figures are correct [Follow the Money: As its own developer, Town is in conflict with itself, April 26, p. 4], forget about Mrs. Pupo's debt-ratio. If in fact the Pelham debt total is over $47 million dollars
and for every dollar it takes in it is in debt 4-to-1, does this not put Pelham in a precarious credit situation? I would like an independent accountant to answer, based on Pelham's total debt, what the financial consequences are to the residents. This was not on Monday's agenda and therefore could not be asked. It doesn't surprise me that the Mayor thinks he is being transparent while the residents who attended had a different take. The meeting was ill-advertised and offered no agenda until
I asked two polite questions and had to keep pressing for an answer residents arrived. I happened to be the resident who asked that the Town Council consider more financial update meetings, not only un-
til this Community Centre is completed, but on any financial subject as it pertains to residents. We should also have input in setting the agenda and be given advance notice of the meeting dates. I am distressed that the terms “wealthy” and “affluent” are being used by some Councillors in describing our community. The Term "AFFORDABLE" needs to be paramount in Pelham’s future. This Council needs to serve not just Fonthill's centre, but rural/agricultural Pelham. First-time home
buyers and seniors need to have $300,000 homes built, not $500,000-to-$800,000 mansions. They should not have to leave Pelham looking for affordable living. If Pelham Council, "The Developer," hears this, then please listen. Pelham needs to be affordable to all residents. I love where I live, but I again state that we can no longer AFFORD Mayor Dave and Council’s politics, should they continue on amassing this huge debt on the backs of taxpayers. Richard Kavanagh Fenwick
Community Centre vs. centre of community Last Monday night was akin to the Wizard of Oz, where the little dog continued to pull back the curtain only to find Mayor Dave pulling the strings, working the smoke and thunder controls. A phony news attempt...a try at an information dump...bring in a PR team to blow smoke in the public’s eyes. Over this past week it has become increasingly clear in the community that the residents of Pelham and throughout the region are not buying what Mayor Dave is selling. It seems to many that the residents believe the Mayor and his small internal band of frightened staff and handful of councilors are not satisfying the public with answers that add up. The Town quickly arranged a town hall meeting to impress the Regional councillors around the big table where mayor Dave sits. Mayor Dave wants to tout that he is transparent, open, informative and not withholding—all words that to date have not been quantifiable. What happened? A
town hall public meeting that was barely announced, a meeting that ended in having possibly 60 residents visibly upset and asking many questions focused on money management or lack of. Reports from those who attended said the facilitator and non- Pelhamite was rude and abrupt with residents asking questions, some were flat-out cut off while others not allowed to field a question. The room had an obvious scent of theatrical setup, optics that “experts” were ready to set aside all concerns. However, more questions came of the night because of the shills in the room than questions that got answered. What this Wizard has managed to create is indeed a Community Centre where his exalted being can rule the land and in doing so we the people have lost our centre of community, our right to have representation, our representatives managing our vision rather than their legacy and self-interest. Fast leaving our village is that small rural feel where
residents looked forward to seeing neighbours at Horton’s Hardware or enjoying a slice of homemade pie at Keith’s Restaurant. Now we’re seeing multi-story developments, forests being replaced by subdivisions, and being told things that simply aren’t accurate. The Wizard has become too predictable. His next move will be a shell game of announcements. Stop the presses—he will announce a funding phenomenon. A drib-‘n’-drab trickle of money to throw us off the scent of insufficient funds. Documents show that the Town has the contractor (Ball Construction) preparing the financial verification numbers and monthly progress status report to Infrastructure Ontario, where the source of the loan to pay the contractor comes from. Isn’t this like having the fox count the chickens in the coop? Really? I took the opportunity to stop by the Kinsmen Home Show, which had a very successful turn out. I informally polled people and eight out of ten all had concerns over how the Town is man-
Fenwick subdivision: Staff says approve it BY NATE SMELLE
The VOICE
Council received a report at its April 18 meeting from the Department of Community Planning and Development regarding the subdivision agreement between the Town of Pelham and Lucchetta Construction Ltd. for The Woodlands, Phase 2 subdivision in Fenwick. The report was intended to help Council regarding its decision whether to approve the subdivision planned for the lands located on the south side of Canboro Road, east of Balfour Street. Acknowledging that all the conditions had been, or will be, fulfilled, the report recommended Council approve the agreement. Councillor Gary Accursi said he approved of the development, however he advised that a clause be inserted in the offer of purchase and sale indicating that the density would be higher for lots adjacent to the subdivision. “These lots are signifi-
cantly larger than what most likely will be developed on the property behind them,” he said. “We wouldn’t want to mislead people who are buying these lots to expect they are getting the same size lots as their neighbours.” Director of Planning and Development, Barbara Wiens said that one of the reasons these lots were larger was that this was the completion of a subdivision agreement dating to 2005, and therefore was reviewed under the density targets defined in the old official growth plan of 2006. She said the current developer is in the process of selling the lots to a builder and that builder hopes to close on the sale at the end of this month. “They have indicated to us that these are very desirable lots and they already have some potential offers on them and would be able to move in quickly to develop them,” said Wiens. In the future, she said all the lands to the east of this would be considered part of
the East Fenwick Secondary Plan area. Furthermore, Wiens explained that because this development had Draft Plan approval status it is allowed to proceed outside of the Secondary Planning process. Wiens said that other development beyond these lands would have to wait for the Secondary Plan to be finalized. The Secondary Planning process is underway, and Wiens told Council that a report was to be expected in the near future. Citing the developers’ expenditure of time and resources, Wiens identified the risks to the municipality if the Town were not to allow the development to go forward. She said there would likely be an appeal to the Ontario Municipal Board land tribunal. Given that staff had recommended the approval of the subdivision agreement, the Town would also have to hire an outside planner and legal representation to defend their position. There would also be the potential of litigation for not proceeding in good faith.
A new group is growing in Pelham and we are welcoming residents of the villages and taxpayers in the region to join our movement
aging the financial aspects of this huge project. All had concerns over the debt load the town is taking on and none were happy with the tax increases in Pelham. And there was surprising support for the Region to look into the financing of the Community Centre. When asked if residents thought an independent auditor should be brought in to “Check the Books,” everyone said absolutely, and that this prudent risk management solution would satisfy residents of Pelham and Niagara. An interesting fact: I
asked a former local who owned a large real estate brokerage firm what he thought of the Mayor’s claim that people are drawn to a community that has an all-purposeful Community Centre and his immediate response was “no.” He expanded by saying that in his 30-year career and having dozens of agents working for him, not once did he recall ever hearing someone considering a move to Pelham ask, “Do you have a Community Center?” He paused and said just look at the boom in Pelham and the number of new homes— these people all came here
knowing that Pelham was a rural village WITHOUT a community centre, historically low taxes, and no debt. That’s what draws people to Pelham. No one comes to Pelham for chicanes, speed bumps, transportation systems or shopping plazas. The town hall meeting reaffirmed that residents distrust Town Hall staff and most councillors, distrust that grows deeper, and many now talk of change that will occur in the 2018 election cycle. A new group is growing in Pelham and we are welcoming residents of the villages and taxpayers in the region to join our movement. The group focuses on the lack of funding sources, the credibility of information, the rapidly increasing taxes, the apparent trading of development charges to local developers favored by the Town. The new group is D.E.B.T. —Dave Enough Borrowing & Taxes. We welcome concerned citizens through our email address debt.pelham@gmail.com Curt Harley Pelham
Two locations, one card BY KIRK WEAVER
CEO Pelham Library
With the re-opening of the renovated and expanded Maple Acre Branch in January, we are pleased to say that we have two full service public library locations to serve this community. We are very happy to see a number of new faces coming through the doors. This has meant we have been hearing some questions that we may have assumed everyone knew. We, of course, should not be making such assumptions. Here are a few of the questions and corresponding answers. Will my library card work in both Fenwick and Fonthill? Yes, if you have a valid Pelham Public Library card, it allows you full privileges at both of our locations. We operate a single library system with two physical locations within the Town of Pelham. If I borrow material in Fonthill, do I have to return it to that location? No, any item borrowed from one of our locations can be returned at whichever branch is most con-
venient to you. Do all the materials in one branch remain in that branch? No, we have established what is called a floating collection that covers the majority of our materials. That means that we regularly rotate our items between branches. This can happen through the natural flow of people picking up materials at one location and returning them to the other location. It is also done intentionally where we will swap out sections of our collection to make sure there is fresh, new material at both branches. Can I request a title from one branch but pick it up at the other branch? Yes, if there is a title you are looking for and we don’t have it in the branch you are at, please ask us to have it sent over. With our current hours of operation, your item can usually be available at the branch of your choice the next business day. If we don’t have a title you want in our collection, please ask about it and we may be able to get it from another library. We are here as a community resource for all residents. Please feel free to ask questions about our services.
www.thevoiceofpelham.ca
The Voice of Pelham, May 3, 2017
Bandshell line-up for 2017 BY VOICE STAFF For the past 12 years, the Fonthill Bandshell Concert Series has been drawing huge crowds to Peace Park in downtown Pelham every Thursday night throughout the summer. Last Thursday, the organizing committee was joined by members of Council, Town staff and the public at the Lookout Ridge Retirement Home to hear which musicians would be gracing the stage in 2017. The concert series complements other weekly community gatherings in Peace Park as part of the Town’s “Thursday Night Experience.” These include the Pelham Farmers Market and the Supper Market. As one of the volunteer organizers of the concert series, Gayle Baltjes-Bazinet is excited to see such a diverse pool of talent performing in Pelham this year. “It’s truly a family-friendly experience,” she said. “We want to make everybody to feel welcome. If we don’t recognize someone, our volunteers in the red shirts will go up and introduce ourselves and help them find a seat. We want new people when they come to feel like they are a part of the community.” Kicking off this year’s series on Thursday, June 22 will be Glory Days, a Bruce Springsteen tribute band. The following week, Bill Culp’s O Canada Rock n’ Roll Show will be using their music to get everyone in a patriotic frame of mind for the Canada Day weekend. New to the Bandshell stage this year is the award-winning Canadian
QUESTIONS continued from Page 1 Barbara Wiens, and Treasurer/Director of Corporate Services, Cari Pupo, as well as financial and legal consultants contracted to the Town. Acting as the facilitator was a relationship management consultant, Ted Mouradian, of St. Catharines. The Mayor, members of Town Council, and CAO Darren Ottaway were in the audience. The Town asserts that Regional Councillors David Barrick, Tony Quirk, and Bob Gale, as well as Regional Chair Alan Caslin and Region CAO Carmen D’Angelo were sent invitations to take part in the meeting. None attended. Councillor Quirk earlier told the Voice that he would be away on a long-planned cruise with his family. Councillor Barrick responded that given the short noice he was unable to attend. “But then I am not a resident of Pelham,” Barrick said. “The forum for me to ask my questions will be the Regional audit Committee in June. By then, we should have Pelham's 2016 audited financial statements and we can compare their latest debt figures.” The panel fielded questions from the public in regard to the state of Pelham’s finances and debt load. When one citizen asked how the Town would
jazz-fusion band the Shuffle Demons. Other acts will bring the sounds of Motown to life, deliver a dose of the blues, soul, country and even disco. The ever-popular Beatles tribute band, the Caverners will also be returning to the stage this year. David Swan is one of the Fonthill Bandshell Concert Series volunteers. He said the unique partnership between the organizing committee, the Town and other sponsors has helped to make the event such a suc-
cess. “We are working together with one another now, he said. “It’s all about cooperation. With the whole arrangement we have now, we know where the parameters are and we work within them.” Mayor Dave Augustyn believes there are several reasons why the Concert Series has become a huge success. For one, he said Peace Park is an ideal location for this type of dynamic event. Augustyn said the hard work
be able to pay for the $36.2 million community centre, Pupo explained that the sale of public lands by the Town is expected to generate approximately $12 million, with development charges bringing in another $12 million and fundraising initiatives collecting $3 million. The remaining $9 million was acquired in 2016, she said, through a 30-year debenture with Infrastructure Ontario. Even if the Town was unable to sell its surplus lands and had to take out another loan, Pupo said they are prepared. According to her calculations, the interest on such a loan in 2019 would cost in the ballpark of $175,000. She said that the reserve the Town has set up for the Community Centre currently holds $915,000, which is enough to fund such a loan for three years. “In those three years, we have no doubt that those lands will be sold off,” asserted Pupo. “We anticipate that they will be sold off before then, but we are being conservative and making sure that we are protecting our ratepayers. By having that income in that bank account, that will cover any interest if we had to go that way.” Currently, Pupo said, the $9 million Infrastructure Ontario loan is the Town’s only debenture for the project, and that only $3 million of these funds have been used on the cost of con-
struction to date. The rest of the funds have been re-invested in a higher interest rate investments. Aside from the 1.1 percent increase Pelham ratepayers saw in 2016 because of this debenture, Pupo said there will be no need for another increase. The Development Charge “scheme” presented in Barrick’s motion was also addressed by the panel. Speaking to the matter, Town lawyer Don DeLorenzo, of Daniel and Partners, stressed that the allegations in Barrick’s motion came from an individual Councillor, not the whole of Regional Council. “The Town obtained more property for park land than it was entitled to under the law,” DeLorenzo said. “Because of that they would have had to pay for that park land. They didn’t. Rather than paying out the money, they gave [the seller] D.C. credits, which is perfectly legal.” Pupo provided further clarification with respect to the land transfer deal between the Town and Fonthill Gardens. She indicated that the Town did not lose any revenue when they received the land valued at $3.6 million, because Fonthill Gardens was given $500,000 in D.C. credits in exchange for the excess land. “Instead of exchanging cheques back and forth, we are taking care of it internally. It wasn’t that we were doing anything wrong. We
and dedication of the volunteers is what makes it such a popular attraction in Niagara. “We really have the right combination here with the Bandshell the Supper Market and the Farmers’ Market,” said Augustyn. July’s schedule features local favourites, The Mandervilles on July 6; The Caverners on July 13; the big band sounds of Sophisticated Swing on July 20 and the soulful blues of Shakura S’Aida on July 27. The lineup for August is just as exciting with performers including: The Last Waltz – a musical tribute to The Band on Aug. 3; Abbamania on Aug. 10; The Shuffle Demons on Aug. 17; Sounds of Motown on Aug 24 and Johnny and the Gem Tones on Aug. 31. The season wraps up on Thursday, Sept. 7 with a Garth Brooks and Shania Twain tribute show by Blame It On Their Roots. Each week, the concert begins at 7 PM. Free parking is available in several locations near the Bandshell. Funding for the Concert Series is provided through contributions from supporters and the Town. There is no admission fee for the shows, however those wishing to support the series can provide a donation during the show or purchase a Bandshell Bucket Button for a donation of $100 or more. Baltjes-Bazinet said buttons are available from Star Tile Carpet One on Hwy 20 in Fonthill. For more information on the Fonthill Bandshell Concert Series and a printout of the schedule for 2017 visit www.fonthillbandshell. com.
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Council calls on Trump to stop proposed funding cut BY NATE SMELLE
The VOICE
Following the recommendation of Councillor John Durley, Council voted to support a resolution by the Town of Fort Erie opposing U.S. President Donald Trump’s decision to virtually eliminate funding for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI). In the late 1960s, it was discovered that toxic industrial chemicals, raw sewage and farming nutrients had been transforming the world’s largest reservoir of freshwater into a human health hazard and an ecological disaster. Since governments on both sides of the border came together to create the GLRI in the early 1970s, water quality in the Great Lakes has substantially improved. Trump’s proposed budget for 2017 would cut funding for the initiative by 97 percent, rendering it essentially meaningless. “I know he is busy going back and forth to Florida, but we need to send a message to Mr. Trump that this is not acceptable,” Durley said. “The Great Lake’s mayors on both sides of the border have gotten together to oppose this.” Durley pointed to how the GLRI has been successful in helping to restore Lake Erie. If funding is pulled from this initiative he believes the pollution and algae blooms that were poisoning people, fish and wildlife would soon return. The resolution draws attention to the fact that the President’s budget proposal threatens the clean drinking water supply for some 45 million people living near the Great Lakes. Identifying the President’s proposal as “reckless, unwarranted and dangerous,” the resolution also highlights both the economic and ecological impacts that would likely follow the elimination of the GLRI. The resolution states, “Whereas it has only been through stringent standards and regulations requiring the protection of waters in the Great Lakes system; continuous research, testing and remedial initiatives; federal, state and provincial commitment to the ideals of environmental stewardship, safe and clean drinking water, protection of wildlife habitats adjacent to the Great Lakes and the economic opportunities that arise from such a magnificent freshwater reservoir that have permitted the Great Lakes to regain its importance as a life-sustaining resource.”
We are confident that we are well within our debt repayment limit at this point in time and we look to every project moving forward
stopped it because it was an accounting nightmare for staff. Instead of causing the work between the building department, the finance department and other departments involved, we thought let’s just pay out these credits, then that makes it easier on the Town administratively and then we don’t have to deal with that.” Pointing to relatively recent developments such as the two new libraries, Town Hall renovations and three new fire halls, Pelham resident Bernie Law raised the question of how much debt the Town has, and more importantly how much it can afford. Having used only a quarter of the 25 percent threshold for municipalities set by the Province, according to Pupo, she said the Town is nowhere near reaching its debt repayment limit. “That’s something that we look at every year when
we are doing the budget process to make sure that it is absolutely affordable for the ratepayers in that year,” she said. “We are confident that we are well within our debt repayment limit at this point in time and we look to every project moving forward. We do have a 20-year capital plan. We do have a 20-year debt repayment limit schedule that we monitor and track and look to each year before we release a budget to the public.” Several questions concerned the additional 9,000 square feet recently added to the Centre’s design. Resident Carolyn Botari asked what the cost of the additional space would be, however the Town did not have the number available. Despite this figure yet to be determined, Pupo, who answered the lion’s share of the questions while the rest of the panel remained silent, maintained
that the project would remain within its budget. As questions mounted, facilitator Mouradian occasionally suggested to residents that certain answers had already been provided and that time was short. He had announced a 9 PM end to the meeting at the start. This, along with what many in attendance described afterward as evasive or incomplete answers, frustrated a number of audience members, who periodically rose to leave early. However, Mayor Augustyn had a different take, saying afterward that the presentation had been a successful exercise in transparency. “As long as the public continues to have questions, we will continue to answer them,” he said. Near the end of the meeting, one resident suggested that the Town host regular information sessions every six months or so to help keep the public informed on the status of the Community Centre project. Augustyn said he liked the idea and was going to speak with Council about it. Afterwards, Pupo said the 335-page report prepared by the Town could be found at the local libraries, the municipal office and online at www.pelham.ca. She also stated that if the public has questions about the Town’s finances, or needs clarification regarding a specific matter, they are welcome to drop by her office.
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The Voice of Pelham, May 3, 2017
IN THE NEWS continued from Page 2 ing CAO. He has taken on a challenging role, and has shown professionalism and commitment to the organziation the entire time", stated NPCA Chair, Sandy Annunziata. "On behalf of our Board, I would like to thank Peter for his dedication and focus. I have every bit of confidence that
Mr. Brickell will be able to continue moving the organization forward in the interim." Graham will assume his previous role as Director, Watershed Management. Mark Brickell is currently the Director of Operations and Strategic Initiatives. The CAO position has been vacant since November 2016. A CAO selection process is underway. The selection committee will
be interviewing candidates in May, and anticipate that the selection process will be complete by July. "We have a large group of highly qualified candidates that will be involved in the search for our next CAO.", said Annunziata. "The 2014-2017 Strategic Plan is nearing completion. I look forward to reviewing the assessment of the effectiveness of the inaugural plan and engaging
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our partners in drafting a new Plan for 2018." Break & Enter - Several Collectable Sports Photos Stolen
of power tools and framed sports photographs were stolen. Police are asking members of the community to contact Police if someone you know has suddenly come into a large number of older sports photographs including the likes of Bobby Orr, Joe Dimaggio or similiar era players. Please contact Fort Erie Criminal Investigations officers at 905-871-2300
Yankee Clipper snatched
The Niagara Regional Police are investigating a residential break and enter which occurred mid April 2017 in the Town of Fort Erie. During the break and enter a number
extension 2326 or contact Crime Stoppers.
Religious desecration
On April 24, police responded to a complaint of a male causing damage at a place of worship in Niagara Falls, Ontario. Arkadiusz Bednarczyk, 41, was arrested for causing an estimated $15,000 damage at the property. He was held in custody on various charges pending a bail hearing.
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INCREDIBLE continued from Page 5 construction materials. How much will be saved by replacing an interior masonry wall with studding and drywall? How much in savings by changing from American brick to Canadian? Has the purchase order for the American brick been cancelled, or will there be some excuse about not finding suitable Canadian brick? How about a cost analysis for all the savings to fund that 9,000 square feet. Oh yes, and there’s now a $93,000 line item to air condition the change rooms. Was there no one with any construction experience to examine these plans before they were given the green light? Oh, wait. The shovels had to be in the ground right away so they didn’t have to pour concrete in the winter (which ended up happening anyway). I guess the adage of “haste makes waste” doesn’t apply in Town Hall. The question of donations received came up as well. I can understand the idea of making “announcements” to acknowledge large donations, but I could see no reason for not simply letting us know the total raised to date. Another question was whether the landscaping cost is included. The answer seemed somewhat vague. The landscaping “around” the Community Centre is included. But does this include the hard surfaces and landscape features in the undersized parking lot?
The Voice of Pelham, May 3, 2017 There seems to be a real push to get the “East Fenwick” development started. Could this be desperation to collect development fees? What will it cost to upgrade the sewer line and water main to service this area, long before any development fees are collected? We currently have part of Poth Road closed until next year. Next year is a long way off—is there no contingency money to fund essential repairs? How is the Town
to pay for an entirely new system of sewer and water lines if it can’t afford to repair one existing road? As I mentioned at the meeting, we are not all “digital.” In my opinion, the best way to get information out to the public is in the newspaper, well in advance of upcoming events. We currently have three newspapers that serve us. The Pelham News, Niagara This Week and The Voice of Pelham. The first
Page 9
two are parts of conglomerates which have no stake in the community. The Voice of Pelham is truly the voice that reports the local news. I would like an honest explanation of why the Town puts information in the Voice of Pelham ONLY when it is in their best interest to do so, not necessarily in the best interests of the citizens. Marianne Stewart Fenwick
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The Voice of Pelham, May 3, 2017
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Marching for science, marching for truth: Our man Nate BY NATE SMELLE
The VOICE
O
S a t u r d a y, A p r i l 2 2 , I was one among the hundreds of thousands of people in some 600 cities worldwide celebrating Earth Day by taking to streets to let the Trump administration know that the facts are the facts, and science matters. Arriving at my hostel in Washington, D.C. on Friday night, I found myself amid a diverse crowd of scientists, environmentalists, teachers and journalists who had also decided to take part in the March for Science the next morning. Sitting in the lounge until well after midnight, discussing our reasons for being there, it was clear that we all shared one thing in common — an appreciation of objective reality. Waking up the before the alarm the next morning I packed up my camera gear and headed for the Washington Monument. Passing through the gates just before 8:30 AM, I spent the next few hours listening in on the scientists explaining their research at the teach-in tents adjacent the main stage. Leading one of the sessions that morning was The Ocean Foundation’s Program Associate, Alexis Valauri-Orton. A passionate advocate for the oceans, she has focused much of her research on the devastating impact of ocean acidification on marine ecosystems and the climate. Valauri-Orton said that by reducing carbon dioxide emissions, the Trump administration could help to mitigate the effects of climate change, solve the problem of ocean acidification and strengthen the economy. “It’s not about temperature n
change, it’s about a change in the very chemistry of the ocean,” she explained. “When CO2 dissolves into the ocean it forms an acid. What this does is change the fundamental chemistry of the ocean and it has widespread effects. It affects shellfish which form the base of our food web, it effects coral reefs which support entire ecosystems and it affects fish, sharks and other species in really scary ways.” Acidification hinders the ability shellfish to form their shells, which stresses the shellfish industry and fisheries. Valauri-Orton said the first step in getting people to start caring about the ocean is to remind them that all water eventually leads to the ocean. Therefore, by poisoning the atmosphere with greenhouse gases and polluting inland waters with plastics and chemicals, we also destroy the oceans which foster the Earth’s capacity to sus-
tain life. Skipping the last workshop of the morning, I weaved my way through the 20,000 or so already in place until the only thing between me the stage was a waist-high steel barricade and a faction of orange-clad security guards. Acting as one of the MCs for the pre-march event, musician and political activist Questlove of The Roots used the opportunity to speak out against Trump’s anti-science agenda. “We are here to talk about what science is at its heart — the analytical approach, the respect for facts, research and the willingness to set aside outdated beliefs when new information appears. Rational scientific thought gets us out of the highest corners into the open wide spaces. It’s important to remember this because many people — that guy over there," he said pointing to The White House in the distance,
“seem to be forgetting those facts.” “It's been frustrating to watch as certain forces in our society try to squelch science or their refusal to believe in it or propose alternative realities and facts alternative facts, whatever that bullshit is. All this works against science and we need to work for science. More than that we need to make sure that science belongs to the people." As proposed, Trump’s budget released in March slashes funding to science-based agencies such as the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), National Institutes of Health (NIH), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and NASA. The EPA will see the biggest reduction under the budget losing almost a third of its funding ($5.7 billion), eliminating President Obama’s Clean Power Plan. The NIH, which focuses primarily on disease research, was next in line losing 18 percent ($25.9 billion) of its funding. Furthermore, NOAA’s budget was axed by $250 million, depleting its ability to continue with several coastal and ocean research. NASA is also slated to lose $102 million in funding. American-Iranian astronaut/engineer Anousha Ansari delivered one of the most powerful speeches of the day, providing a cosmic yet eco-centric perspective on the role of science in sustaining our future. Growing up in Iran, Ansari said she would dream that one day she would be a science officer on the Starship Enterprise. She said the reason she was marching was because she wants to make sure that future generations have even better opportunities than she had, to follow their dreams while living on a healthy planet.
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Page 11
e braves the border once more to take on the Trumpists
t around the globe enial of science, climate change
“The language of science knows no race, no gender, no religion,” Ansari said. “It doesn’t discriminate based on where you live or whether your poor or wealthy. The apple falls from the tree under the same laws and accelerates the same way whether it’s in the U.S. or Iran. That is why I love science.” After having the privilege of observing the Earth from the International Space Station, Ansari said she came to see our home planet in a whole new way. “Our blue planet is so beautiful against the dark background of the universe,” she said. “It allows you to truly see and believe that there are no borders and that we have one home — a very fragile home — that we need to protect, and that it takes all of us to protect it. Science teaches us how to test and find the truth. It gives us power to break all barriers and reach beyond the stars.” Scientist/activist/TV show host Bill Nye, "The Science Guy,” was another of the speakers pumping up demonstrators before the march. Nye was welcomed to the stage by the masses enthusiastically cheering, “Bill! Bill! Bill! Bill!” Pausing for a moment to take in the magnitude of the movement, he brushed the raindrops from the microphone and began to speak. "Today we have a great many lawmakers — not just here but around the world — deliberately ignoring and actively suppressing science," said Nye. "Their inclination is misguided and in no one's best interest. Our lives are in every way improved by having clean water, reliable electricity and access to electronic glob-
al information. Each is a product of scientific discoveries, diligent research and thoughtful engineering." Nye said these essential services are connected to policy issues which can only be addressed competently by understanding the natural laws at play. He said lawmakers must learn and accept that because science is universal and serves everybody, it should be used to shape policy. “Science brings out the best in us;” he continued. “With an informed, optimistic view of the future, together we can – dare I say it — Save the world.” By the time the rubber hit the road, everyone was drenched to the bone. Packed elbow to elbow, the 40,000-plus crowd started marching down Constitution Avenue. Moving forward together as a wave composed of particles, the chanting resumed. “What do we want?” yelled one party. “Science!” shouted back another. “When do we want it?” roared a different voice. “After peer review!” declared the majority. Complementing the collage of vocalizations was a moving backdrop of signs. By far the most creative and witty signs I had witnessed at any demo in the last 17 years, I found myself laughing about the slogans later that evening on my walk back to the hostel. Some of the signs read: “Stop Destroying the Earth! It’s Where I get my Tacos.” “Grab em by the Hypothesis.” “It’s time for the pitchforks and torches.” “The oceans are rising and so are we.” The March for Science wrapped up at the Capitol building, where a
thousand or so demonstrators took over the street, beating on drums, singing and dancing. The party was short-lived and shut down quickly when the police drove around the circles pushing the marchers onto the sidewalk where the space was limited. Limping back to the hostel on blistered feet, I thought about how we as Canadians can relate to the current social climate in the U.S. After surviving eight years of the Harper regime and its attack on science, we are no strangers to the sickness of spirit that comes with a government frightened by facts. Though arguably the scientific community has somewhat recovered since the federal Conservatives were ousted from office in 2015, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has continued to disregard the abundance of evidence demanding significant and immediate action on climate change in favour of appeasing the fossil fuel industry.
So far, Trudeau’s actions and inactions have spoken far louder than his campaign rhetoric. Nevertheless, as infuriating as Trudeau’s hypocrisy is, Trump’s careless interpretation of reality and ecocidal tendencies pose a more sinister threat to the planet. When the President of the United States calls climate change a hoax perpetrated by the Chinese, and refuses to accept the overwhelming evidence from the scientific community proving human activity is creating the climate crisis, it sends a very dangerous message to other world leaders. That message being: Truth is what The Donald says it is. Allowing any individual — especially a narcissistic and greedy snake oil salesman like Trump — to trash the consensus of the scientific community and manufacture facts to serve his own interests will spawn dire consequences for humanity and the planet.
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The Voice of Pelham, May 3, 2017
LIONS QUEST AWARD Fonthill Lioness Eleanor Arbour was presented with a Lions Quest Fellowship from District Governor John Harvey last month at the District A-2 Lions Club's Friendship Convention. The Lions Quest Fellowship was established in 2003 to recognize Lions and other deserving recipients who provide leadership, knowledge and resources to develop capable young Canadians of positive character. Eleanor serves as the District Chair of the Lions Effective Speaking and Peace Poster Programs. SUPPLIED PHOTO
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AMPED UP Holy Trinity Fonthill recenty hosted a country music extravaganza featuring the band Mountain Mama, with Niagara's own lead vocalist, Sarah O'Hara, Daniel Lostracco on bass, Rob Cargnekki on lead guitar, and Jeff Saylor on drums. Over 150 people, young and old, packed the church to hear outstanding musical performances in Tribute to Country Classic Ladies. PAUL VERROCHE PHOTO
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The Voice of Pelham, May 3, 2017
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The Voice of Pelham, May 3, 2017
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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
www.thevoiceofpelham.ca
The Voice of Pelham, May 3, 2017
Page 17
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T SALE YOUR AD HERE Reach thousands of readers Pelham Arena. Aimed provide weekly with a Voice to classified! Up to 30 words for only ming season. Runs Sept. $10! 6 from
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evenings by chance. • 97 PAPERS PANCAKE,PICKWICK Willowbrook Nurseries Inc. Payment may be made over 935 Victoria Ave., Fenwick, ON the phone by credit card, BERKWOOD, LAWNBEECHNUT, CUTTINGKATHY, VISTA, Attention: Human Resources or in person at our office by DEVERARDO (SOUTH)• 96 PAPERS No phone calls please. Lawn Cutting cash or check. In Welland, Port Colborne, (We thank you for your application, however Pelham and surrounding areas. BROCK, DONAHUGH,SHALDANE, Thanks for supporting only those considered will be notified.) Reasonable rates. Call 905-735PETRONELLA • 109 PAPERS your Voice! 0655 or 905-328-1362.
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Page 18
The Voice of Pelham, May 3, 2017
www.thevoiceofpelham.ca
Last straw for Sydney is good news for wildlife
The
Pelham Puzzler
continued from Page 1
Total prize value now:
$240!
Complete the correspondence:
spoken with has taken their flyers and promised to hand them out. Already she has convinced one restaurant owner to make a change. When Sydney came in to speak with Jake Bevan, owner of Fonthill’s Black Pearl Fish ‘n’ Chips, Bevan said he was caught offguard by the young activist. He said the fact Sydney was
so passionate about the issue made him take her concerns seriously. “People think it’s just a straw it’s not a big deal, but then you see the impact of plastics on the environment – and with straws in particular on the fish world — it all makes sense,” he said. “I’m not Tim Hortons or McDonalds here but every little thing helps. It jogged my brain to start thinking
about biodegradable straws and plastic utensils. It was one of those things where you think, oh, it’s just a straw, it’s just going to end up in the garbage. Unfortunately, that’s not where
they are ending up.” Sydney has no plans to call it quits on her campaign any time soon. In the coming weeks and months, she said she intends to visit every restaurant in Pelham.
...is to concrete, as:
...are to what? Read full Puzzler rules and conditions at: http://www.thevoiceofpelham.ca/the-pelham-puzzler/ Fonthill
Fonthill
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Removing a straw from a sea turtle's nostril.
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FOLLOW THE MONEY continued from Page 5 on). What does this mean? This means that on average, only $1,067 from each new home may be used to pay for the new arenas. Let’s follow the money. Simple math concludes that 11,246 new homes, situated on land zoned residential, within the town’s urban boundary, will have to be built in order to fulfill the Town’s promise that $12 million dollars will be generated by development charges. If that strikes you as a large number of new homes, you’re not wrong. It would triple the size of the town. And, as we’ll see, there’s also the unanswered question as to where all the available land is to build such a number of houses. The other fee, Outdoor Recreational, is a little more complicated and also comes into play. The Outdoor Recreational fee is meant to be applied by the Town to build and maintain parklands, and to help offset the negative environmental impact of all the new houses being built. This fee is more than double the Indoor Recreation fee because it is deemed more important. However, there is loophole of sorts that towns and developers may exploit to make better use of this line item. It allows the Outdoor Recreation fee to be “monetized” through the cash-in-lieu provision.
The Voice of Pelham, May 3, 2017
Stay with me here. This provision allows the Town and developers to use a formula to determine a cash value of land being developed. The Town then collects a small percentage of this value, which the developer pays in cash to the Town prior to approval of permits. The Town of Pelham, predictably, does not make this number known publicly, but The City of Welland does, so I will use theirs, figuring that Pelham is charging competitive rates. Welland charges 5% cash-in-lieu to developers. If a lot is valued at $500,000, the cash-in-lieu for the Outdoor Recreation fee would be $25,000, to be paid in cash to the Town. This is not per house. This is per parcel of land, parcels that may see several houses built on them. Taking the Town’s assertion at face value that it can sell off Town-owned land for $12 million dollars, the best-case scenario that I can calculate at this point is that the Town could raise $600,000 in cash-inlieu fees. This reduces the $12 million in development charges needed to $11,400,000, meaning that now the Town needs “only” 10,684 new single family detached houses to be built to meet its asserted development charges revenue prediction. Complicating this (did you expect anything else?), it’s not yet clear to me, when the Town sells its own land, how it accounts
for the cash-in-lieu transaction. After all, the Town is acting both as the developer and as the seller. It’s also unclear how the Town may be legally able to spend such cash-in-lieu revenue on anything other than parks and their maintenance, which would seem to exclude ice pads,
If that strikes you as a large number of new homes, you're not wrong
air conditioning systems, and Canadian (or American) bricks. You may ask: Why not build houses in other parts of Pelham in order to raise the $12 million in development charges the Town says it needs to build the Community Centre. Easier said than done. In March the Mayor wrote about his commitment to Urban Boundaries and Preserving Agricultural lands. He was decrying the fact that Niagara Falls, Ft. Erie, Welland, Pt. Colborne and Thorold are attempting to get the Region to allow their designated Gateway zones and Centres to be serviced for future
development. His was the lone dissenting vote at Regional Council. These lands are not in the Greenbelt Plan. All this cheap serviceable land could, at some later date, become available for developers to build houses, particularly desirable single-family-detached houses. That would certainly increase the housing stock in this part of the region. This, in turn, would create a lot of competition in the housing market. Do I want to live in a house with a driveway and yard in, say, Thorold, with services and easy road accessibility, or do I want a row house with a back laneway and no yard on a narrow congested street for the same price, or more, in Pelham, which is the fundamental design concept for East Fonthill. It’s little wonder that our Mayor seeks to discourage surrounding communities from developing potentially more appealing living spaces. The Mayor, and we, are caught between a rock and a Greenbelt. Pelham’s boundaries are fixed by the Greenbelt plan. Some of the town’s land is Greenbelt but most is designated tender fruit/vineyard. The Town simply cannot expand—it can only maximize development charges by intensifying housing development within our boundaries. Larger single-family-detached houses use too much land for the fees collected, as a recent by-
Page 19 law made clear to future builders and home buyers in Fenwick. The Mayor’s only option is to champion urban intensification, i.e., the construction of small attached houses and condominiums. The Town needs top dollar for the land it is selling and it needs a lot of devel-
opment charges from a lot of houses built on this land in order to pay for its two new arenas separated by a lobby, a.k.a, the Community Centre. It is far from clear where these homes are to be built, and when, if ever, these development charges are to be collected.
Grill on Canboro
Come celebrate
Mother’s Day AT THE GRILL!
Special Breakfast & Dinner menus
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The Voice of Pelham, May 3, 2017
www.thevoiceofpelham.ca
The Voice of Pelham
REAL ESTATE To advertise here call (905) 892-8690
423 DEERE ST., WELLAND $329,000
196 RIVERSIDE DR, WELLAND $249,000
23 HATTER AVE., WELLAND $299,000
THIS IS A CUSTOM BUILT RAISED BUNGALOW WITH OVER 1950 SQ FT OF FINISHED LIVING SPACE. THIS HOME FEATURES 2 + 1 BEDROOMS, 1.5 BATHS, OPEN CONCEPT LIVING ROOM, DINING ROOM AND KITCHEN AREA. BEAUTIFUL DECK OFF KITCHEN OVERLOOKING YOUR BACK YARD. LARGE FAMILY ROOM DOWNSTAIRS AND BRIGHT LAUNDRY ROOM. ATTACHED SINGLE CAR GARAGE. CLOSE TO SHOPPING AND AMENITIES. LOTS OF HOUSE FOR THE VALUE.
THIS IS A CUSTOM BUILT RAISED BUNGALOW WITH OVER 1550 SQ FT OF FINISHED LIVING SPACE. THIS HOME FEATURES 2 + 1 BEDROOMS, 1.5 BATHS, OPEN CONCEPT LIVING ROOM, DINING ROOM AND KITCHEN AREA. LARGE FAMILY ROOM DOWNSTAIRS AND BRIGHT LAUNDRY ROOM. ATTACHED SINGLE CAR GARAGE. SITUATED NEXT TO A PARK. LOTS OF HOUSE FOR THE VALUE.
20 MICHIGAN AVE., WELLAND $389,900
29 HATTER AVE., WELLAND $299,000
THIS IS A CUSTOM BUILT RAISED BUNGALOW WITH OVER 1950 SQ FT OF FINISHED LIVING SPACE. THIS HOME FEATURES 2 + 1 BEDROOMS, 1.5 BATHS, OPEN CONCEPT LIVING ROOM, DINING ROOM AND KITCHEN AREA. BEAUTIFUL DECK OFF KITCHEN OVERLOOKING YOUR AMAZING PRIVATE BACK YARD WITH NO NEIGHBOURS. LARGE FAMILY ROOM DOWNSTAIRS AND BRIGHT LAUNDRY ROOM. ATTACHED SINGLE CAR GARAGE. CLOSE TO SHOPPING AND AMENITIES. LOTS OF HOUSE FOR THE VALUE.
THIS IS A CUSTOM BUILT RAISED BUNGALOW WITH OVER 1550 SQ FT OF FINISHED LIVING SPACE. THIS HOME FEATURES 2 + 1 BEDROOMS, 1.5 BATHS, OPEN CONCEPT LIVING ROOM, DINING ROOM AND KITCHEN AREA. LARGE FAMILY ROOM DOWNSTAIRS AND BRIGHT LAUNDRY ROOM. ATTACHED SINGLE CAR GARAGE. CLOSE TO AMENITIES. LOTS OF HOUSE FOR THE VALUE.
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CUTE ONE AND A HALF STORY WITH GREAT CURB APPEAL. THIS HOME WAS RENOVATED & HAS GREAT HIGHWAY ACCESS. THE UPDATES & IMPROVEMENTS OF THIS 2 BEDROOM, 1 BATH HOME INCLUDES: C/A, FURNACE, ROOF, WINDOWS, DOORS, WIRING, INSULATION, SIDING & STUCCO, KITCHEN, BATH, PAINT & FLOORS. THIS HOME IS MOVE IN READY & SITS ON A FABULOUS LOT. COME & VIEW TODAY.
COLUMN SIX continued from Page 1 grandmother, mom and aunt came sometime later on the "Virginian,” later sunk by the Germans in the First World War. Jack Brooks bought a home at Stop 17 (Line Ave). He then sent for his family, and opened a boarding house where my grandfather stayed on arriving from England. My mother recalled her trip to Canada well. Even though she was only six years old she remembered that her mother was very ill and in bed most of the time during that voyage across the sea. She was amazed at the gigantic icebergs she saw and remembered them to be very close as she stood on her bunk and watched through the porthole of the cabin. For the trip to Canada the family was three weeks on the ocean. Mother and her family landed in Halifax, then took the train to Dain City and met my grandfather, who took them to their new home. My grandmother started to settle in and redecorate the home across from the factory but her illness got worse. She was taken to the old Welland Hospital, along the Welland River, where she died in October 1912. Mother and aunt were taken to their uncle's home in Fonthill where my aunt contracted diptheria and
The author and Miss Wazut, having a discussion on how to share at the E. W. Farr playground. SUPPLIED PHOTO sadly died in December. In the early days the work at the Dain was only seasonal, so my grandfather applied at the Fonthill Nurseries as a rose propagator. He was hired under Mr. Robert King in the greenhouses, which were situated where Pedlar's Funeral Home stands today on Pelham Street near Pancake
Lane. Mr. King had bought two acres from the Fonthill Nurseries north of Pancake lane and built a new home adjacent to the nursery. In 1914 the First World War broke out and the government was asking men to enlist. My grandfather told Mr. King if he could find a good home for my mother,
he would enlist and then would send payment for my mother's keep to the home where mother lived. The Kings, who were childless, agreed to care for my mother, now eight years old. She would grow up there until she was married and moved to Fenwick many years later. Mr. King did not keep the money for my mother's board, but invested it in Victory Bonds. My grandfather enlisted, went overseas and spent four years in the Army. He never returned. In 1918, Mr. King, my mother's "foster father,” died very suddenly. My mother was not yet twelve years old but she had to take on all the chores of Mr. King in the home. It was a terrible shock to Mrs. King. Next door lived the Wellingtons— they were from Toronto, and ran the nursery. Young Bill Wellington and my mother spent many hours on the front porch of the Wellington house. They often talked about how the local farmers would have their cows walk up the lane, and leave their "pancakes" behind. Thus was born the name "Pancake Lane.” In 1938 Mrs. King had a stroke. It became my mother’s job to look after her. However, after Mrs. King died, my mother had to sell the home in order to pay all debts owed. This is where my father, James Ebert, steps into the picture. My mother married him and moved to Fenwick, where they lived in
pineSOLD
She was amazed at the giant icebergs she saw
the family-owned hotel. It’s now an apartment building downtown in the village. My father and his siblings, all seven of them, had Mr. E.W. Farr as their teacher at one time or another. Dad often told stories of a no- nonsense, dedicated teacher, a man kind to all his students. He was so very well-respected in the community of Fenwick during the 1900s. It was no wonder, when a new school was built in 1950, it would be named E.W. Farr Memorial in his honour. Along with my three brothers and all my cousins, I attended E.W. Farr Memorial School for my elementary school years and have many fond memories of the dedicated teachers— Miss Young, Mrs. Castles, Miss Wazut, Mr. Horne, Mr. Dudiak and principal, Mr. MacArthur. My brothers and I have terrific memories of the E. W. Farr school playground—softball, soccer, touch football, as well as happy Field Days. We had lots of room to play. It was an idyllic school life.
During the 1950s my mother was a member of the former Pelham Township School Board. We were all taught to respect the school and its staff and knew, to the community, the importance of honouring Mr. Farr. Mother passed away in 1998 at the age of 91. She had always been deeply involved in the life of the community — as a school board member, as dispatcher for the police and fire departments, and as a mother raising four busy sons. In those days one had a great deal of impact on the decisions made in your community and affecting your family. Fast-forward to 2017. The DSBN, in its wisdom (or should we say lack of), has changed the name of the E.W. Farr Memorial School to "Wellington Heights" after a person who had never even been in Canada let alone set foot anywhere in Pelham. The school board has failed to pay attention to the wishes of residents regarding the name change to the school. All appeals to the board to reconsider have, sadly, been met with resistance. As a taxpayer, whose family has supported the public board for almost a century and sees value in preserving our community heritage, I find it a travesty that its trustees fail to seriously consider the wishes of its taxpayers and act accordingly. Keep the name “E.W. Farr Memorial”! ♦