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Vol.23 No.45
November 20, 2019
FREE
Grant for seniors
Column Six
Yet another thing to avoid while driving
Active Living Centres getting cash infusion
Keep an eye out for the slick, Slick
BY VOICE STAFF Niagara West MPP Sam Oosterhoff arrived at the community centre last Wednesday morning with his pockets figuratively filled with cash. With scant advance notice, his office alerted the media and the Town of Pelham that he would make a funding announcement related to seniors. Mayor Marvin Junkin introduced Oosterhoff to a crowd of 20 or so onlookers in the canteen seating area, upstairs next to the walking track, where the assembled group drew the momentary attention of walkers as they passed, peeping curiously through the plate glass windows. Councillors Wink, Hildebrandt, and Stewart were also present. The province is allocating $14.1 million dollars to some 300 Seniors Active Living Centres. According to a statement released by Oosterhoff’s office, such programs support some 100,000 seniors across the province, and this funding “will provide a variety of programming and activities to help seniors stay active,
BY DAVE BURKET
The VOICE
R community. The money will be used wisely to achieve maximum benefits for the seniors in our community.” Mayor Junkin was pleased. “The $52,000 grant that was personally presented to the Town by our MPP,” Junkin said, “is to be used to facilitate seniors’ programming provided by the Town. Portions of it will go to programmer's wages, and supplies for the Seniors
EGULAR READERS will recall that last week in this space ran the story of a man who went out for a drive in 1953 and got rammed by a train—luckily at slow speed. Robert Norminton’s tale was on my mind last Tuesday morning as I delivered bundles of the Voice to various retail locations around town (everyone does at little of everything at a paper our size). This was the morning after the big dump of snow, this winter’s premature beginning. I was driving with extra caution, lest an unseen locomotive suddenly appear. Pelham’s roads were not, to put it mildly, particularly well plowed. En route I happened across the Mayor, at the Timmy’s in Fonthill, and said as much, suggesting that if this is what union-
See ACTIVE Page 14
See COLUMN SIX page 12
MPP Sam Oosterhoff, left, is shown a vision of the future last Wednesday at the community centre by Vickie vanRavenswaay, Director of Recreation, Culture and Wellness, and Teresa Quinlin, Town Treasurer. BOB LOBLAW PHOTO socially engaged, safe, and healthy.” The bottom line for Niagara: $147,481. The Towns of Pelham and Grimsby will receive $52,727 each in funding for 20192020, while the Town of Lincoln will receive $42,027. “This funding will go a long way in helping seniors in Niagara stay active and socially connected, while also preventing social isolation,” said Oosterhoff, reading from prepared remarks. The senior population in
Ontario is the fastest growing age group. By 2023, there will be three million Ontarians over the age of 65, or about 20% of the population. “We are an 'aging' community, and any assistance for Seniors programs is very much welcomed and appreciated,” said Councillor Marianne Stewart. “It always feels like it's a 'gift' to be grateful for, even though it's taxpayer money just stored in a different pocket.”
Councillor Mike Ciolfi was also appreciative. “This funding and other sources like it will be beneficial to allow the active seniors program in Pelham to purchase equipment, maintain and initiate new programs, services and seminars to encourage active engagement and healthy lifestyles for seniors in our community.” Councillor Ron Kore acknowledged Oosterhoff, saying, “I know Sam Oosterhoff works hard for our
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