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October 28, 2020
Vol.24 No.43
Published every Wednesday
Column Six
Rosemary's babies
The tale of the soup and the pen
HAIST ST. HAUNTING RETURNS
A pair of Sundays not soon forgotten BY MARJORIE POULIE
Special to the VOICE
A
After a decade of decorating, cryptmaster Rosemary Dougan is an experienced hand at raising Halloween goosebumps. BY DON RICKERS
Special to the VOICE
If Public Works staffers at the Town of Pelham are interested in observing effective “traffic calming” measures, all they need to do is drop by the home of Rosemary Dougan and husband, Jim, at 1122 Haist Street. The Dougans have resided at this
address for 35 years, but it’s only in the past decade that their house has become something of an area attraction, causing curious motorists to pause as they pass. Halloween is the current motif, with plenty of jack-o-lanterns, skeletons, ghouls and ghosts, but the Dougans also have front yard seasonal displays for Christmas, Easter,
Thanksgiving, and other celebrations. “On Valentine's Day, Jim puts out hearts on the lawn…and bunnies for Easter. He’s just a big kid at heart,” said Rosemary. Normally at Halloween, the Dougans have a haunted house built on the driveway for local children to visit, but COVID precautions have put
DON RICKERS
that on hold for this year. Rosemary says that it isn’t unusual for them to have almost 400 visitors on Halloween. She figures that 150 is a more realistic projection for this year. She will be encouraging social distancing and all pandemic safety protocols, and is hopeful that cautious parents will still bring their kids by for a look at the scary scenario.
t home in Fenwick, after church one Sunday, I started the snazzy coffee maker my daughter Lia and her husband Trent gave me. While the coffee glugged and dribbled, I went to get the Sunday Soup from the cold back porch. I was brought up on Sunday Soup. After my California mother, Wilhelmina, had spent years making the American full Sunday dinner of potatoes, roast, gravy, and veg, she moved to Neerlandia, a northern Alberta farming community, where the farmers’ wives all said that the only food they ate for Sunday dinner was the soup and buns they had prepared the day before. This sounded wonderful to mom, but before she could introduce this change to our family, she had to right this change with her conscience. See COLUMN SIX back page
COVID-19 Safe Practices
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The Voice, October 28, 2020
Bikers ride for prostate research NRPS impaired
PUBLISHER’S CORNER by Dave Burket
Another word for flip, 6 letters: A reader emailed to suggest that it would be easier to work on the crossword if the clues appeared at the top and the grid at the bottom, leaving the clues uncovered as he puzzled away. So this week find these elements flipped. Your thoughts? Let us know. (And, “invert”)...Does 2020 really need an extra hour? Daylight Savings Time ends this weekend. Prepare to reset the microwave, coffeemaker, and stove clocks on Sunday morning. At least we get to sleep in a little longer...Speaking of timelines: I’ve been living in at least three realities over the last several months, as I suspect many others have too. How so? First, there is the unavoidable present, the hellscape of COVID-19 that turned life as we knew it on its head, with the end still only dimly, and uncertainly in sight, vaccine or no vaccine. Odds are good that we’ll still be wearing masks this time next year. Then there is the historical past—I always try to have a history book going on the bedside table. The latest, which I just finished, was The Only Way to Fly, a history of Western Airlines, the oldest US airline at the time the book was written (1976, by Robert Serling, brother of Rod). More interesting than it may sound, particularly for aviation buffs. My third and most unsettling reality has been The New Yorker magazine. Like many subscribers, my wife and I are stereotypes, in that we are perpetually behind in trying to keep up with its weekly banquet of news, interviews, fiction, and cultural criticism. I’m seven months (28 issues) behind. But here’s the thing. Lately, I’ve really enjoyed being seven months behind, because it has been seven months during which the words “coronavirus” and “COVID-19” were unknown in The New Yorker’s pages. Life was normal. A normal autumn, a normal Christmas—except for impeachment. Remember impeachment? A normal New Year. A few weeks ago I arrived at January’s issues, and started to tense up. Then February’s issues—surely it couldn’t be long now. The March 2 issue, still nothing. Then, bang, March 9. A memorable cover illustration (Trump, wearing a face mask over his eyes), and a short mention in the front, by a staff writer, that started, “COVID-19. Should we freak out or stop freaking out? Is this the big one, a prelude to the big one, or just another one? A devastating plague or a souped-up cold or something in between?” So that’s it. This particular refuge from reality is gone. Each issue from here on in will surely get darker—and thinner, as restaurant, play, and film reviews fall away, along with their advertising. I get to live the rise of the coronavirus all over again, with what will no doubt be a focus on America’s ineptitude—who are we kidding, Trump’s ineptitude—as the pandemic shuts down the world. Does anyone know of a good history of Pan Am or Lufthansa? I’m going to need some more distraction very soon. Happy Halloween. Keep your trick-or-treaters safe. ◆
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BY DON RICKERS
Special to the VOICE
Fonthill resident Pierre Garneau bought his first and only motorcycle, a Harley-Davidson 1200cc Sportster, from Clare’s Cycle in 2004. He has been in the saddle ever since, and for the past ten years has participated in the Telus Motorcycle Ride for Dad, which raises money for prostate cancer research and awareness. The retired Air Canada captain, pictured above, has led the Niagara chapter in pledges for the past five years, bringing in over $10,000 this year, and about $55,000 since 2015. “I probably nagged a few people a little more than I should have,” said Garneau with a chuckle. The Ride for Dad route took Garneau to the four corners of the Niagara Peninsula, covering a bit under 200 kilometres. He completed the ride on August 22, and commented that the only downside of the event this year was the COVID-necessitated social distancing element, which prevented the bikers from travelling in large groups and close formation. Garneau knows firsthand that the Ride for Dad elevates the awareness level in the community. “I have a neighbour down
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a million dollars in the past ten years, and has hosted some 2000 registered riders in the event. The Telus Ride For Dad events take place in multiple cities across Canada, and since the year 2000 have raised some $35 million dollars to address prostate cancer in local communities coast to coast.
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the street who supports me in the ride,” said Garneau. “He recently told me that two years ago, he was diagnosed with stage one prostate cancer. He’s been cured, due to the local treatment he received in hospital. He said that it was the Ride for Dad that helped him recognize the symptoms of prostate cancer, and prompted him to see his doctor.” Matt King, Co-Chair of the ride (Niagara chapter), said that the group exceeded its $25,000 goal by almost $500 this year. They had 47 riders participate, and 328 donations overall. “We can hold our heads high knowing that we did our part to spread awareness of men's prostate cancer, and support cutting-edge research that is being done in our very own backyard,” said King. 2020 was the Niagara Chapter’s 10th anniversary year, and the 20th anniversary of the National Motorcycle Ride for Dad. The Niagara chapter has raised over half
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CELEBRATING OUR 20TH YEAR
Wednesday, February 8, 2017
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Column Six
Growing up British
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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
Part 2 of 2: Coronation to embarkation
BY VOICE STAFF
A construction error was discovered following the opening of a traffic calming chicane on Haist Street north of Hwy 20 last Monday that prevented large vehicles from passing through. One resident living in the neighbourhood said he contacted the Town after seeing a small schoolbus get stuck as it tried to get through the new traffic calming measure. Later that day while driving behind a cement truck, he said that he became concerned for the public’s safety when the truck had to turn around because it couldn’t get through. “If a small school bus and a cement truck can’t make it through what about a fire
BY HEATHER McLAREN ROHRER
Special to the VOICE
A
Repair measures underway last week to correct a construction error in the chicane. truck or an ambulance?” he said. While waiting for the contractor to return to fix
the mistake, the Town has taken measures to temporarily allow passage for vehicles through the neigh-
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bourhood in the short-term. Manager of Public Works Ryan Cook said that after discovering the issue with
the chicane the morning it first opened, the Town See CHICANE Page 5
Petition-inspired changes coming to 2017 Summerfest BY NATE SMELLE
The VOICE
Representatives from the Pelham Summerfest committee Candy Ashbee and Bill Gibson presented council with a final report on the 2016 Summerfest at the Council meeting on Monday, Nov. 21. Prompted by a story in the Voice in August about a merchant petition to move Summerfest from Pelham Street, in September Town staff met with various stakeholders to hear their complaints, promising at the time that changes in the way Summerfest was mounted would be con-
sidered. The main concerns identified during the community engagement process were security, parking, ensuring customer can access all businesses in town, and liability for damages. How to get all Pelham Street businesses to participate and finding ways to make it beneficial for them to set up a booth were also determined to be of high priority for the committee as they plan for next year’s event. Gibson told Council that the committee is addressing these concerns in a variety of ways. To improve parking, they intend to create bet-
ter signage for out-of-town visitors to designated parking areas and shuttle services. To make participation in Summerfest more enticing to local businesses, they plan to implement a tiered-charge for booths. Under the new system, Pelham Street business owners will be charged the least, other local businesses will pay a slightly higher fee, and vendors from outside Pelham will pay the most. In response to more specific issues for individual businesses, they will also slightly alter the footprint of the event and make adjustments to security. Another way the committee plans
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
BY VOICE STAFF
While shopping in Fonthill between Friday and Sunday, keep an eye out for Beavers, Cubs and Scouts in front of local stores with bushels of apples. As part of the annual Apple Day campaign, Scouting youth of all ages will be trading apples for donations. The yearly fundraising drive is an important way for young Scouts to connect with the communities they are serving, says Leah Marie of Scouts Canada. “The Apple Day campaign holds a great tradition of being able to have youth interacting within the communities they live in,” she says. “All of the Apple Day donations stay directly within the group that re-
The goal is to have these youth develop into confident and well-rounded individuals
ceives them, enabling youth to have experiences that build character, challenge them, and allow them to try new things. The goal is to have these youth develop into confident and wellrounded individuals, better prepared for success. Apple Day helps to achieve that.”
“Any money raised during Apple Day goes towards improving the Scouting program by providing more outdoor adventures for youth, camping equipment, canoes and paddles, training and many other endeavours that the youth want to experience,” says Marie. Scouts Canada has some 100,000 members across Canada, and carries out programs for boys, girls
Joining their principal, Karen Simpson, at the Sept. 19 Council meeting as part of a delegation from EL Crossley Secondary School, students Abby Loewen and Neenah Williams presented Council with a list of reasons that they should immediately approve the construction of the new sidewalk proposed along Hwy. 20. The asphalt side-
walk/trail is slated to be built between the south side of the road from Timmsdale Crescent to the high school. Because of the large volume of motor vehicle traffic travelling at high speeds through this area, and because of the necessity for students to tread this path on a daily basis, many residents would like to see the sidewalk go in sooner than later. After delivering to Council a petition containing
Many residents would like to see the sidewalk go in sooner than later the names of 450 students calling for a safer walk to school, Simpson handed the
podium over to Loewen and Williams to plead their case. Loewen told Council that because there are a lot of students who have work placements and coop placements during the school year, this is the only route for many of them to travel. As one of the students facing this predicament, Williams said she has had no other option but to walk along the dangerous highway.
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and youth ages 5-25. This year the 3rd Fonthill Group, which includes Beavers to Ventures (youth ages 5- 25) will be hitting the streets to drum-up support. Over the weekend, Scouts will be set up in Fonthill outside Sobeys, Tim Hortons, Target Gas station, Fonthill Shopping Plaza and the Pioneer Gas station at the corner of Hwys 20 and 24.
Town Council approves sidewalk to serve E. L. Crossley BY NATE SMELLE
The VOICE
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Second year Beaver with the 3rd Fonthill Group, Russell Letford offers a fresh apple to shoppers SUPPLIED PHOTO in Pelham during the 2015 Apple Day campaign. 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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BY VOICE STAFF The District School Board of Niagara is requesting that the Town of Pelham cede a portion of Cherry Ridge Park for use as a soccer field to serve the students of the new Wellington Heights Public School, formerly the E. W. Farr Memorial Public School, in Fenwick. Currently under renovation and expansion, the new school will combine students and staff from the previous school and Pelham Centre, where classes are being held while construction continues. Two letters, containing virtually identical text but signed by different authorities, were sent last week to nearby residents of the park, as well as to parents of Pelham Centre students. “The DSBN is currently building onto Wellington Heights Public School on Alsop Drive,” states the letter. “The size of the school's addition means the existing small soccer field will be eliminated. The Town and the Board have been discussing the possibility of working together to create a field for both the school and the
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The Niagara Regional Police Service is committed to reducing impaired driving offences through education and the apprehension of offenders through enforcement programs like RIDE. Impaired driving is still the leading cause of criminal deaths in Canada and destroys thousands of lives every year.
The
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In an effort to bring further attention and deterrence to driving while impaired by alcohol or drugs, the Niagara Regional Police Service reports the names of those people who are charged with an alleged criminal impaired driving offence in the Region. None of the following charges have been proved in court. In addition to being charged, these individuals are also bound by a Ministry of Transportation 90-Day Administrative Driver’s License Suspension and are prohibited from operating a motor vehicle on a roadway. The public is encouraged to contact the Niagara Regional Police Service Traffic Safety Hotline or Crime Stoppers to report those who are driving in contravention of the suspension. The following individuals have been charged criminally with impaired driving by alcohol or drugs, driving with a blood alcohol concentration above 80 mgs of alcohol in 100 ml of blood, or refusing to provide a breath / blood sample. Daniel M. MUSYOKI, 21, Niagara Falls Elkhan ISMAYILOV, 63, Niagara Falls Carson J. HUNTER, 19, Niagara Falls Marleigh M. BROCCOLO, 25, St. Catharines Michael BENTZ, 21, Seneca Falls NY Andrew D. WITT, 45, Pelham
“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
905-892-8690 Find the Voice at these locations: Indulgence Bakery Mossimo’s Pelham Street Grille Peter Piper’s Pubhouse DeVries Fruit Farm Beamer’s Hardware Pelham Libraries Bob’s Boys Antiques PharmaChoice Pharmacy Fonthill Fitness Fenwick Pie Company McDonald’s Duffin Appleworks Fonthill Legion Semenuk’s Gas Bar Shoppers Drug Mart Tim Horton’s Giant Tiger Fonthill LCBO Zee Lube Express Care Food Basics Minor Bros Stores Avondale Stores A-1 Market Boggio's IDA Sobeys South Pelham Grill on Canboro Shell on Hwy 20 Circle-K
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TOWN COUNCIL NEWS Pelham Town Council unanimously passed a public code of conduct related to enforcement of COVID-19 regulations at its Oct. 19 meeting. Continuing his leave of absence, Councillor Ron Kore was not in attendance. Town CAO David Cribbs had brought the matter of a public conduct policy to council’s last meeting, citing increased “incivility and disrespect” toward staff at the community centre from some citizens regarding mask and social-distancing protocols. The new document defines “inappropriate behaviour” on Town property, and gives staff and bylaw enforcement the authority to enforce rules and issue trespass notices if needed. “Really what it says is don’t abuse Town volunteers and Town staff … in tenor, tone or language, et cetera,” Cribbs said. The directive takes effect immediately. Director of Culture, Recreation and Wellness Vickie van Ravenswaay said that since warning signs were posted, only “one minor incident” had been reported
in recent weeks, and that “it was taken care of.” Elsewhere on the COVID-19 front, council passed an amendment to its municipal mask bylaw to include the mandating of appropriate face coverings in enclosed common areas of multiunit residential buildings. Councillor Marianne Stewart sat out the vote again, given her sideline in producing and selling face masks.
Wink raises concern
Multiple councillors requested the lifting of different agenda items for separate discussion, with Councillor John Wink making a point of highlighting Pelham’s August financial report. It’s currently forecast that the Town would require a 3.5 percent tax increase in order to pay for legal costs related to both cannabis regulations and Local Planning Appeal Tribunal (LPAT) challenges, as well as a comprehensive parking study. Wink said the buck needs to stop somewhere. “Going forward, council needs to be cognizant of approving ex-
BY VOICE STAFF penditures outside of budget,” the Ward 2 representative said. “We can’t keep on playing catch-up on this, at some point in time we’ve got to stop the bleeding with respect to tax increases.” Mayor Marvin Junkin called Wink’s remarks “words of wisdom, for sure.” Wink also asked staff to provide details of how much money a particular project comes in under budget. “We’ve got to start counting pennies somewhere,” he said. Provincial LPAT appeals are common when developers are denied permission to construct per their plans. Two notable challenges the Town of Pelham is currently facing stem from council’s denial of rezoning requests at 1307 Haist Street, and 22 Alan Crescent in Fonthill. Cribbs said that council will receive a “closed session report” from external legal counsel regarding the Alan Crescent property on Nov. 2.
Motions
The mayor and two councillors tabled motions for the next meeting. Ward 3’s Lisa Haun moved to create a working group tasked with improving the second-floor servery/bar area at the community centre in honour of late councillor Mike Ciolfi, and nominated herself to chair it. “Pelham lost an amazing individual in April of this year. Mike Ciolfi was a friend and fellow councillor who dedicated countless hours to the betterment of our town,” Haun said. “The MCC is a sport and social area, one that was near and dear to Mike.” Along with herself, Haun proposed Stewart, vanRavenswaay, resident Jen Pilzecker, and Ciolfi’s widow, Michele, sit on the committee. “I hope I can count on council’s support next meeting through the formation of this working group —and budget — so we can move forward with a project to honour our councillor and friend Mike,” Haun said. Stewart, meanwhile, moved that Pelham consult with the City
of Burlington regarding a system in which developers and residents living near a proposed development meet to discuss logistics before a project gets off the ground. “I think it’s a great initiative,” Stewart said. Junkin’s motion was somewhat ominous, telling council he plans to request staff undertake a technical study of the drainage pond at Highway 20 and Rice Road. The large pond, known informally among some residents as “Lake Augustyn,” was constructed before the MCC and other East Fonthill developments came online, due to the sensitive watershed in the area. The Mayor added he has inspected the stream outlet across the highway, and the results are not good. “The erosion that is happening on the north side of 20, it’s not an over-exaggeration to say that it is horrendous,” Junkin said. “It’s gonna cost this town several thousands to stop that erosion.”
See COUNCIL Page 12
Please treat our team with respect.
The town of Pelham now has a Public Code of Conduct policy. The policy covers all municipal property and special events.
The policy’s purpose is to clearly define a code of conduct for community members accessing Town services and outline procedures for dealing with inappropriate behaviour arising from the use of Town services. The policy includes examples and processes in place for staff in dealing with minor to major incidents. The policy also covers incidents occurring on social media, written communications, and by phone.
The Town of Pelham received a Platinum award – the highest honour – in this year’s MarCom Awards for its Moving Forward: A Framework for Reopening during COVID-19 operations and communications plan. Read it at: www.pelham.ca/covid19
www.pelham.ca/public-code
As of October 19, 2020
Blue, Green, Grey every week Garbage pick-up every-other-week
Visit niagararegion.ca/waste or download the “Niagara Region Waste” app to determine your garbage collection week, sign up for reminders or use the disposal search tool.
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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
COMMENTARY / OP-ED Tim Nohara Filing cannabis odour complaints with the Town: a How To
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hope this update finds you well. As you are aware, Pelham passed its Odorous Industries Nuisance Bylaw 4202 (2020) on March 23, 2020, to address complaints from residents with respect to cannabis odour. The bylaw has a public complaints component and a contractor monitoring program component for enforcement. We had hoped to have the bylaw fully implemented in just 90 days, but COVID-19 contributed some delays. Thank you for your patience. Recently, the Town implemented the public complaints component of the bylaw which allows you to file an odour nuisance complaint with the Town that our enforcement officers can respond to. Now that this is in place, it is important for residents to file complaints properly, accurately, and as quickly as possible so that they can be responded to if enforcement officers are available; and so they can be tracked by the Town. The purpose of this commentary is to show you how to properly file an odour complaint with the Town, if and when you experience cannabis odour that is bothering you. In order to file a cannabis
odour complaint, you will need to use the Town’s “Report a Problem” link on the home page www.pelham.ca. There are two links on the home page as illustrated below; and while they look different, they serve the
The Create page may seem a little intimidating, but it is really quite simple
same function. They both take you to Pelham’s PSR (Public Service Request) page, which allows you to enter the required details of your complaint. After the information is entered, you submit your complaint, and it is automatically forwarded to Pelham’s bylaw Enforcement Team headed by Chief Bob Lymburner. Craig Genesse and Greg Young are the Town’s enforcement officers. You will hear from
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one of them after they receive your complaint. Let me now take you through the process in a little more detail. When you click on the “Report a Problem” link, you will be taken to the PSR page illustrated on page 14, below. Once there, you will next need to click on the blue button entitled “Let’s get going!” which will take you to the Create page where you will be able to enter your complaint information. The Create page may seem a little intimidating, but it is really quite simple and shouldn’t take you more than a few minutes to complete once you get the hang of it. (Note: If your pages do not look like these [e.g., you are missing buttons, lists to select from, or areas to enter information], then please try a different web browser. Unfortunately, web pages do not always behave the same on different computers [PC vs Mac] or browsers.) When you first see the Create page, it will list four types of information you can enter to describe your complaint: What, Where, See HOW TO Page 14
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www.thevoiceofpelham.ca EDITOR & PUBLISHER Dave Burket publisher@thevoiceofpelham.ca ADMINISTRATION Lori Gretsinger office@thevoiceofpelham.ca CONTRIBUTORS Jane Bedard, Carolyn Botari, Colin Brezicki, Rosemary Chambers, John Chick, Larry Coté, Brian Green, Miriam Han, Megan Metler, Bill Potrecz, Bernie Puchalski, Don Rickers, John Swart, Helen Tran, Mike Tucker, Rob Weatherby. Proof Sleuth: Julian Fitch NEWS INQUIRIES & TIPS editor@thevoiceofpelham.ca LETTERS TO THE EDITOR letters@thevoiceofpelham.ca ADVERTISING INQUIRIES advertising@thevoiceofpelham.ca
Buy Niagara, buy fresh—but buyer beware Just over a week ago I purchased apples from the local Sobeys store believing my purchase would be crisp, fresh produce locally grown. How wrong I was. The apples I purchased were grown in New Zealand, which meant they had to be at least six months old, and they were what you would expect, dry and tasteless. (Other descriptions come to mind but I doubt the paper would print them!) I contacted Sobeys to ask them what act of corporate greed justified such action, and why they would not promote Ontario grown product. To date have not received a reply.
I do realize that I could have avoided this product if I had paid more attention to the labeling, however I did not think it necessary in the height of the growing season in Ontario. How wrong I was. One would like to believe that this action is limited to the large multinational chains, but alas not. Several weeks earlier, I had purchased from a locally owned fruit stand, on Highway 20, apples which, believe it or not, were nearly 12 months old. When I contacted the owner, they kindly sent me See FRESH next page
CONTACT YOUR ELECTED OFFICIALS Member of Federal Parliament
Electoral District: Niagara West
Dean Allison, MP 4994 King Street Beamsville, ON L0R 1B0 Dean.Allison@parl.gc.ca 877-563-7900 Member of Provincial Parliament
Electoral District: Niagara West
The Voice
Letters
Sam Oosterhoff, MPP 4961 King St. East, Unit M1 Beamsville, ON L0R 1B0 sam.oosterhoffco@pc.ola.org 905-563-1755 Members of Niagara Regional Council Councillor Marvin Junkin mjunkin@pelham.ca 905-658-2987 Councillor Diana Huson diana.huson@niagararegion.ca 905-324-3094 Town of Pelham 20 Pelham Town Square P.O. Box 400 Fonthill, ON L0S 1E0 905-892-2607
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Councillor Wayne Olson wolson@pelham.ca 905-892-2607
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Ward 2 Councillor Ron Kore rkore@pelham.ca 905-933-3805 Councillor John Wink jwink@pelham.ca 905-892-4475 Ward 3 Councillor Lisa Haun lhaun@pelham.ca 905-892-5877 Councillor Bob Hildebrandt bhildebrandt@pelham.ca 905-892-5647
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Have an Opinion?
BARRISTER, SOLICITOR & NOTARY LETTERS TO THE EDITOR are welcome. Letter submissions should contain the writer’s full name, address and telephone number. Names only will be published. Names may be withheld if compelling reasons are provided. The newspaper reserves the right to change, condense or reject any contribution for brevity, clarity or legal considerations. All material in this publication is protected by copyright. Reproduction is prohibited without express, written permission of the publisher. ADVERTISING: The Voice of Pelham regrets any errors or omissions that appear in advertisements in this newspaper, however, we will not be held responsible for more than one absent or incorrect insertion or for any damages beyond the cost of space containing the error. The Voice is an independent, locally owned and operated publication. The Voice is a member of the National NewsMedia Council, a voluntary self-regulatory organization that deals with journalistic practices and ethics. If you have an unresolved complaint about news stories, opinion columns or photos, please visit their web site at mediacouncil.ca or call 1-844-877-1163. If you have a complaint about delivery or membership problems, please contact our office at 905-892-8690. For a summary of Voice ethical guidelines, see www.thevoiceofpelham.ca/ethics
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Page 5
OPINION NEWS FROM THE STACKS Amy Guilmette, Acting Library CEO
PELHAM AND COVID-19
Missing smiles and books? Try the Library!
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n case you didn’t know, your local Pelham library is open for business and we would love to see you! In order to follow safety protocols we have reduced hours, but we are open five days a week at the Fonthill Branch and three days a week at the Maple Acre Branch. You can come in the building and browse for materials, use our public computers, or use our copying/ printing services. Borrowing items from the library just got easier. If you choose to use our curbside pick-up, we will bring the items you’ve requested right to our front doors. As the weather gets colder we will extend this service to having library staff bring the materials to your vehicle. Borrowing items through LiNC (a cooperative of several Niagara libraries) and through interlibrary loan are both options. Since we’ve been back we’ve had many
On Sunday, Ontario cases top 1000 per day, Niagara sees 23
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of you visit us and we appreciate all the positive comments about how important library services are to you at this crucial time. To help bring the community together, Pelham Public Library has two ongoing projects we’d like you to know about: Smile Behind the Mask, and PenPals for Seniors. For our Smile Behind the Mask campaign, anyone in the community who would like a button can send in a photo of themselves, and the library will put it on a button for free. We are hoping it helps people recognize others in the community and makes everyone’s day a little bit brighter during difficult circumstances. If you would like to request to have a button made, please contact Brynley at beckhart@pelhamlibrary.on.ca. See STACKS Page 7
Do developers have to destroy the Steve Bauer Trail to save it? Did anyone really think this last little jewel of nature, last little bit of the Carolinian forest running through Fonthill, would be preserved? The first clue was arbitrarily cutting down trees along the length of the Steve Bauer Trail and destroying the canopy that
was created by those trees that also ran the length of the trail. The second clue was paving it, and removing the benches along the trail so those who use it won’t linger. I walk the trail daily and have talked with many who are not happy with the trail having been paved or
continued from previous page say, when someone tells me they are selling fresh product, I for one will be looking twice. Len Wright Fonthill
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the benches being removed. They have rooted out the wildlife that lived along the trail. Two weeks ago during the paving, I had a bewildered deer run past my house toward Pelham St. with people chasing it trySee TRAIL next page
ealizing that this is getting to sound repetitive, which is a good thing, the Region’s COVID-19 numbers continue to shine. For the week of October 1117, Pelham had an increase of two cases, bringing us up to three. All of these cases are practicing home isolation. At the Regional level, for the week there were 56 new cases (plus 36 more cases over the weekend), with 89 percent recovering at home, eight percent were hospitalized, and 2.3% were in intensive care. Also last week, Public Health estimated 5000 to 6000 tests were completed, with positive results found in fewer than five percent of the total number tested. As a point of interest, just to the west of us, the City of Hamilton has 668 hospital beds reserved for COVID-19 patients, and at the time of this writing, only eight were occupied. That there is that much of a cushion is great news, and it shows us that individual behaviour is working to
achieve these results. On the very good news front, there were two studies publast Marvin Junkin lished week, both peer-reviewed, so therefore deemed creditable, stating that ICU mortality levels for COVID-19 patients has fallen dramatically. They found that, back in March, the mortality rate for any COVID-19 patient was 25 percent—i.e., the patient had a one in four chance of dying. As of August 7, the mortality rate for this same type of patient was then 7.1 percent, a decrease of 18 percent. This huge decrease in such a relatively short amount of time is a credit to doctors having a better idea of what method of treatment works the best, along with the best pharmaceuticals to use in any given instance. This is one of many factors that, even though the number of cases is rising,
lead to the mortality numbers remaining relatively low. I have always been a firm believer in modern science, and once again this discipline is at the forefront of our battle with this virus. Although a vaccine may not be imminent, with all the people and companies, and with the resources they represent, in search of a viable vaccine, many experts assert that this goal will be achieved early in the new year. Following its discovery, when it does happen, the next problem is the logistics of deployment. Oh well, one step at a time… On the Town front, with the rainy days of last week, the indoor walking track at the community centre was in high demand. Staff are allowing 24 residents at a time on the track, with would-be users having to phone ahead to reserve their spot. Of course, face masks must be worn while using the track. Until next time…
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NEWSFLASH Tell us your story! Column Six presents tales of personal triumph, adventure, strange-but-true stories, life-changing events, and looks-back at our past. Did you conquer Everest or kick a bad habit? Everyone has a story. Tell us yours! NOW ALSO ACCEPTING FICTION— SHORT STORIES UP TO 2000 WORDS! Write it down, send it in: publisher@thevoiceofpelham.ca (You won’t get rich, but you will get paid.)
Page 6
Letters
The Voice, October 28, 2020
Cannabis Control Committee preparing Resident Guide
continued
Why is Canada Post delivering "propaganda" This week I received an unsolicited copy of the “Epoch Times” in my mailbox. Curious, I checked Mother Google to find a CBC story from April this year about who the publishers are and how other Canadians are being targeted with the same unsolicited newspaper. For the record, I do not wish Canada Post to be paid for, or tasked with, spreading what the CBC report suggested was conspiracy-laden, anti-Chinese Communist Party “news” at a time when there is so much confusion around COVID-19 and just about everything else in the media. To me, it's important to have accurate science, medicine, research, and policy information, and not an oppressed group from China directing anyone's opinions here. I may be sympathetic to the publishers' concerns (identified by the CBC as
www.thevoiceofpelham.ca
BY DON RICKERS
Special to the VOICE
the religious organization Falun Gong), and I have read they are being targeted in their own country unfairly, and perhaps even violently. However, here in this neighborhood it's important our press remains as free from propaganda as humanly possible, and that clear science-based decision-making is being communicated by media, politicians, business people and other citizens. This stuff belongs on YouTube, and not delivered
TRAIL
continued from Page 5 ing to have it go back to the trail area. I’m not sure what the outcome was for the deer but I saw an OSPCA vehicle in the parking area at the trail later in the day. I’m hoping it wasn’t euthanized because humans are destroying its home. There are/were two deer that call(ed) that area home, and they had crossed the path many times when I walked it. I haven’t seen them recently. The developer who is building on the east side of the trail is now wanting to put the storm drains and sewers onto the land that actually belongs to the trail, and not under the future Station St. road allowance, because it will not allow them to build as many cookie cutter houses on postage stamp-sized lots, as they had planned. God forbid they put it under the road and leave the trail alone.
by hard working employees from Canada Post. Richard Mitchell Fonthill
EDITOR'S NOTE: Coincidentally, on Sunday the New York Times published an in-depth examination of The Epoch Times (above), saying, "Embracing Mr. Trump and Facebook has made The Epoch Times a partisan powerhouse. But it has also created a global-scale misinformation machine that has repeatedly pushed fringe narratives into the mainstream," including several baseless conspiracy theories. The NYT investigation is well worth a read.
The drawings that I saw in this paper show the developer who is building on the west side of the trail planning to cut right through the trail with roads and ultimately sewers. The trail will be reduced to nothing more than a right of way with a few trees planted to try and artificially reproduce the original environment of the trail, something humans are not good at. It befuddles me as to why developers need to clear cut and flatten everything in sight before they can develop anything. Do they not have the skill any more to leave things alone that were not meant to be developed (were to be preserved), such as the area surrounding the Bauer trail? Once it’s gone, it’s gone. It can never be replaced. Nothing humans create has the natural beauty of what nature has created. Guido Mueller Fonthill
In a recent issue of the Voice, the work of Pelham bylaw officers in the enforcement of local cannabis odour regulations, using a high-tech device called the Nasal Ranger, was documented. Building on that report, Cannabis Control Committee (CCC) Chairman Tim Nohara spoke with the newspaper about the next steps in the committee’s work. His public commentary, appearing this issue on page 4, details how residents can file online odour complaints. The public complaints component of the cannabis bylaw leads to certain enforcement protocols and actions, said Nohara, triggering Town of Pelham bylaw officers to issue $250 fines under the Administrative Monetary Penalty System, or AMPS, where warranted. The Contractor Monitoring Program, to be designed and implemented by the CCC in conjunction with consultants, will involve an independent contractor. The contractor will use a different methodology for measuring odour, and the results will be available on a website for all to see. The costs of the Contractor Monitoring Program would be funded by the cannabis industry, according to the bylaw, and fines would be much greater than those administered under AMPS. Pelham’s Odorous Industries Nuisance Bylaw, passed in March, applies to existing cannabis operations, as well as new cannabis facilities. “That's a key feature, because not all the tools in our toolbox apply to existing cannabis,” said Nohara. “What we have talked about in the months leading up to the end of July was the Official Plan Amendment and the Zoning Bylaw Amendment,” said Nohara. “Looking forward, we have another bylaw that’s in draft form, dealing with light pollution. We've had issues in the Town with odour and light related to cannabis, and we are treating them separately.” The light bylaw, which will be broad, will
be on the committee’s fall/winter agenda. Referred to as “Dark Skies,” the bylaw will emphasize the reduction of light pollution and preserving the night sky. Cannabis producer Redecan (located on Foss Road) has already taken steps to address the light issue by installing horizontal night curtains that are like an awning, basically acting as night shades. There have not been complaints about light pollution from CannTrust recently, said Nohara, but that's because the Fenwick facility was essentially shut down for over a year when their operation license was suspended. The license has since been restored, and unless CannTrust installs something similar to what Redecan has implemented, one can expect to see skyglow above Highway 20 and Balfour once again. Outdoor cannabis cultivation of an industrial scale is a new concern for Pelham. “We haven't had a problem with outdoor grows because, until now, they weren’t located here,” said Nohara. “We had an interim control bylaw that is still in play because of the appeals by cannabis growers. It should have expired in July, but because of the appeals, it's still in play.” Outdoor grows are governed under Cannabis Act regulations. They were meant to be small operations to support the medicinal cannabis requirements of individuals with health issues. If a person had a prescription, they could designate someone to grow the cannabis for them. Nohara said that at the CCC’s meeting on September 30, priorities were established. “Finishing the implementation of the odour bylaw and the contractor monitoring is the first item,” he said. “The second is to complete the cannabis light pollution law, and the third is to develop a resident’s guide to cannabis regulation, which provides information in layman’s terms for the com-
We haven't had a problem with outdoor grows because until now, they haven't been located here
See CANNABIS Page 12
A message from the members of the Royal Canadian Legion, Branch 613
Honouring and supporting our Veterans continues to be our duty even during a pandemic
A
s we near the end of October, a number of the residents of Pelham have been inquiring about our plans for the annual Poppy campaign and Remembrance services. We hope that after you read this article, many if not all your questions will be answered. Our Poppy campaign committee has been meeting regularly since the beginning of September developing our 2020 plans. It has been a challenging task given the uncertainties and concerns associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. We are also working with the Town’s Fire and By-Law Services staff to ensure that our plans are consistent and align with the Town of Pelham’s expectations related to COVID-19. We know that in previous years in late October and early November, the citizens of Pelham have pinned a poppy to their lapels and then on the eleventh day of the eleventh month, they have paused for two minutes to honour and remember those who have served and continue to serve our country. For that, our Branch members and especially our veterans say, “thank you.” This year, the Executive Committee of our Talbot Trail Branch has made the difficult decision to hold only one Remembrance service. This service will take place on November 11, 2020, beginning at approximately 10:45 am.,
in Veterans Park on Legion grounds. To all those individuals, businesses, organizations and entities that have supported the services held in Fenwick at Centennial Park; in Ridgeville at the Cenotaph and in Peace Park behind the municipal offices in prior years, we apologize that these services will not be conducted this year. The November 11th service will look somewhat different from past years as we build the necessary safeguards into the program to protect service participants and other service attendees. Some of the measures we have adopted for this year include the elimination of the March On/March Off parade and the pre-laying of wreaths prior to the commencement of the service. While attendance at the service will be limited this year to comply with municipal, regional and provincial directives including the wearing of masks, our plans also include livestreaming the service to allow Pelham residents to participate virtually, courtesy of Niagara College’s students and staff from the BroadcastingRadio, Television and Film (BRTF) program. The livestream link is https://livestream.com/ accounts/15502389/legion613 Our annual Poppy campaign will take place
during the period of October 30th to November 11th inclusive. We have canvassed businesses and organizations who have accepted Poppy collection boxes in previous years and we are pleased to advise that the vast majority of them have agreed to take the boxes once again. We are very grateful for their participation. For those businesses unable to accept these boxes this year, we fully understand the reasoning behind the decision. As a further precaution, you will not see active canvassing by our members, veterans and army cadets outside businesses like Sobeys, Food Basics, the LCBO and the Beer Store in 2020. We are asking the citizens of Pelham for their continuing support of our Poppy campaign which raises funds to sustain a variety of programs and initiatives to assist veterans and their families as well as sponsoring cadet and youth programs and providing bursaries for the children, grandchildren and great grandchildren of our veterans. We also make financial donations to entities like Wellspring Niagara, the Niagara Health Foundation and the Juravinski Cancer Center through our Poppy Fund. More information on the uses of the Poppy Fund
Lest We Forget
can be found at www.on.legion.ca If you are inclined to support our campaign in 2020 without accessing the Poppy collection boxes, you can send us a cheque payable to the Royal Canadian Legion, Branch 613 on or before November 11, 2020. We also accept payment at our Branch via cash, credit card or debit card. This year, you can also affect payment by using e-transfer at br613rcl@cogeco.net Under the “comments” section, please insert “Poppy Fund donation.” Please note the best times to visit the Branch are between the hours of 12:30 pm., to 6:30 pm., Monday to Saturday inclusive. On behalf of all our veterans and members of Branch 613, we thank you in advance for your continuing support of this very important initiative during a very challenging year. We know throughout the years, Pelham residents have always responded favourably to community-based initiatives, and we are hoping you will do so again for our Poppy campaign! Best regards. Members of the Royal Canadian Legion, Branch 613 141 Hwy. 20 E., P.O. Box 42 Fonthill, Ontario L0S 1E0 Phone number: 905-892-6293 Email: br613rcl@cogeco.net
www.thevoiceofpelham.ca
The Voice, October 28, 2020
STACKS
continued from Page 5 PenPals for Seniors is a program that will match up seniors to one of our teen volunteers for correspondence. This is a fantastic way to bring generations together. Handwritten letters will help ease the sense of isolation, while at the same time allowing young and old to continue sharing stories and skills. If you are a senior, or know of any seniors, who would like to receive letters from one of our teen volunteers, please contact Melanie at the library to set this up. For those not yet comfortable coming into the library, we will continue to challenge you on our reading app —Beanstack — and offer books and more through both Hoopla and OverDrive. For teachers, or parents who are homeschooling, we offer curriculum resource advisement through our experienced children’s staff — let us help you pick the correct books for your children’s learning abilities. And, if you haven’t been by our library lately, we have weekly Take & Make crafts for the kids, and Boredom Busters Kits for the adults. Both of these are free and can be picked up curbside. We have a few programs starting up in November that will be conducted when the library is closed to browsing and will offer plenty of room for physical spacing: November 7: Meditation Morning (adults)
The solution to COVID-19 starts
with keeping your distance.
Amy Guilmette, at the Maple Acre Branch, showing off her new Smile Behind the Mask button. SUPPLIED November 18: Bouncing Babies Storytime (birth - 1 year) November 19: Chapter Chat Bookclub (grades 3 & 4) November 19: Festive Gnomes Craft (adults) All programs are free, require registration ahead of time, and follow safety protocols set up during COVID. We would like to remind everyone that as they return library materials, all returns go through a 96-hour quarantining before being checked in. However, fines are waived at the point of
check-in, so when you return an item, please be patient. If you have any questions about any of our services, please call the library at (905) 892-6443. Current Pelham Public Library Hours: Fonthill Branch: Mondays 11 AM – 4 PM, Tuesday 2 PM – 8 PM, Thursdays 2 – 8 PM, Fridays 11 AM – 4 PM, and Saturdays 11 AM – 4 PM. Maple Acre Branch: Mondays 1 PM – 8 PM, Thursdays 1 PM – 6 PM, and Fridays 1 PM – 6 PM.
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The Voice, October 28, 2020
www.thevoiceofpelham.ca
“Helpful info for my daughters” Larry Fisher updates his free estate planning checklist BY SAM PICCOLO
Special to the VOICE
In 2010, Larry Fisher’s brother died unexpectedly at age 63. Prior to his death, Fisher’s brother had arranged his will and asked Fisher to be the executor. “I felt kind of honoured that he asked me,” says Fisher. “I also [believed] that it would be many more years into the future that I would deal with this issue, and I’d have lots of time to learn.” But Fisher did not have lots of time. Shortly after his brother’s death, he went to his brother’s bank in Fenwick to retrieve account information so that he could begin to make the necessary arrangements. “I was told that they would let me pay one month of my brother’s utility bills, but that the rest of the estate was going to be frozen.” The bank manager contacted their Toronto office and decided to “probate” the will, meaning that it had to be legally verified. “The next day, I got a phone call from the bank’s office. They said, ‘We’re very sorry for your loss, Mr. Fisher, but would you like us to take over your respon-
sibilities as executor?’ And when I realized that the minimum cost was going to be over five thousand dollars, I decided to do it all myself.” Fisher, who grew up in Fenwick and now lives in Wainfleet, did do it all himself, and since doing so has devoted hundreds of hours to helping others do the same. He developed a seven-page “Estate Planning Checklist” of 144 items, which, up until early 2018, he had presented in more than a dozen seminars, and provided freely to anyone interested. “I don’t charge for my time,” Fisher told the Voice two years ago. “It’s just my way of helping the community.” After an earlier version of this story ran in the paper, in January 2018, Fisher said he was given some grief by the Law Society of Ontario, asserting that he was offering legal advice. This prompted Fisher to stop offering his seminars. The Voice didn’t learn of this until recently, when the newspaper contacted Fisher to see whether he had updated his
Larry Fisher says that estate planning doesn't have to be expensive. checklist for these pandemic times. After all, it seems more sensible than ever to have one’s own, and one’s loved ones affairs in order, in the event that COVID-19 strikes with lethal effect. “After I got my ‘cease and desist’ letter from the Law Society, I changed the name from ‘Estate Planning Checklist’ to “Helpful Info for My Daughters,” said Fisher last week. “I believe I should be entitled to share the information that I learned or researched, as I do not consider it legal advice. So I prepared this for my two daughters.”
The Voice emphatically agrees. The newspaper is providing a PDF copy of Fisher’s checklist to anyone who wishes to download it. A link appears at the end of this article. As Fisher sees it, the death of a loved one brings such emotional turmoil that executors often don’t know what to do. “I don’t believe [most people] will be so honoured or excited about this unknown territory they will have to enter into. Most people take no action to try and learn the duties and requirements of an executor. Many people assume that it’s easy, that
SAM PICCOLO/VOICE FILE
you read the will and do what it says.” Fisher, who is 71, explains that the checklist “is so that people can have all of their affairs in order before they die, making sure that their executor has all the information that is needed. Executors have a right to know about what their job entails, and they shouldn’t be left with such a heavy burden.” Fisher’s position on this is echoed by most experts on the matter. The author of the “Canadian Guide to Will and Estate See CHECKLIST Page 17
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Page 9
Trouble on Stella Street Proposed subdivision draws ire of adjacent neighbours
Residents concerned about the Kunda Park development gather on Stella St. on October 8 to discuss their concerns. BY DON RICKERS
Special to the VOICE
Some two dozen Stella Street residents — former engineers, construction workers, retired teachers, and others — had an informal meeting on the roadway in front of their homes a couple of weeks back. They were masked, socially distanced, and angry. A land developer’s proposal for the adjacent Kunda Park and Forest Park subdivisions was the source of their displeasure. The Voice was invited to attend
the Stella street-meet as witness to neighbours sharing their grievances. They are passionate about their community. The area was constructed around 1975, and a few of the residents have lived on Stella for over 40 years. For some residents, it’s the safety aspect, the worry of children walking down an increasingly busy street. Others object to potential destruction of the pavement due to heavy construction equipment travelling on the roadway, and the flooding that already occurs in some local backyards
and basements. Negative impact on the natural wetlands and fields, and the wildlife species that live there, is a concern for many. But the erosion of personal privacy is perhaps the main distress. Many spoke of moving to Fonthill because they wanted to live in a community with a small-town feel, a characteristic which they believe is rapidly diminishing due to the Town’s prioritizing high urban intensification. On October 13, some of these residents took the opportunity to share their frustration and dis-
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Page 10
The Voice, October 28, 2020
www.thevoiceofpelham.ca
SPECIAL REPORT
Rowan's Law—Concussion management an BY JOHN SWART
Special to the VOICE
B
rian Bleich, President of the Pelham Panthers Basketball Association, has a unique and personal knowledge of youth concussion. “I’ve only dealt with five concussions this year out of all the players we have,” he says, “my son right now being one of them. So I’m going through it as a father too.” Bleich continues talking about his son, a Grade 9 student playing basketball in a Pelham tournament at the MCC. “He went up, came down on the floor. A player came down on top of him, knocking his head to the hardwood. It was observed, [he was] taken off, signs of a possible concussion, stayed out, and then I followed the protocols, the 48 hours no light, no screens, dark room at home.” At that point, Bleich took his son to a local physiotherapy practice, where he was diagnosed with a concussion. Bleich’s son missed four weeks of school, until February 1, as a result of the concussion, and did not return to play with his school’s team. He is fully recovered now, and began skills practice with the Pelham Panthers August 1. Observing concussion protocol is the most important factor in successfully dealing with youth concussion. Bleich’s experience and knowledge as a coach, player and PPBA administrator equipped him to provide an appropriate response to his son’s injury. Rowan’s Law, Ontario legislation being phased in between July 1, 2019 and July 1, 2020, has been enacted to guide all parents of athletes under 18 years of age, athletes themselves, coaches, team trainers and officials in following concussion Codes of Conduct and enhancing their concussion awareness. Sports organizations, municipalities, and educational institutions are also mandated to follow Rowan’s Law protocols when dealing with youth concussion. It is hoped that Rowan’s Law will be the first step in a cultural change surrounding youth concussion in Ontario. The legislation is named in memory of Ottawa student Rowan Stringer, who passed away from Second Concussion Syndrome after sustaining multiple concussions while playing for her high school rugby team. On September 25, it was announced that Ontario, the first province to tackle youth concussion with legislation, will lead a discussion on the development of a National Concussion Awareness Strategy at an upcoming meeting of Provincial and Federal Ministers Responsible for Sport. In a statement, Lisa MacLeod, Minister of Heritage, Sport, Tourism and Culture Industries for Ontario said, "We have made real, impactful progress towards improving the safety of athletes and addressing the culture of amateur sports in this province...It is now time to take this approach across Canada." As the parent of an active child or teenager, or a young athlete in Pelham, you need to review and understand the Concussion Awareness Resources provided by Rowan’s Law legislation. You will want to know how compliant the Town of Pelham and our local Sports Organizations are, and what concussion-related questions you should ask while enrolling your-
self or your children in community sports and camps. The information presented below is based on interviews with representatives from the Town of Pelham, Pelham Panthers Basketball Association, Niagara Centre Skating Club, Pelham Minor Hockey Association, E. L. Crossley Secondary School, a local physiotherapy practice, plus original research. Details of where to access Rowan’s Law information are included at the end of the article. irst off, what is a concussion, and why are they so dangerous to youth? Concussion is defined as a form of mild traumatic brain injury (TBI), usually happening because of a hit to the head, neck, face or another part of the body, causing the brain to move inside the skull and become injured. The short and long-term consequences of concussion and other TBI can be severe, especially for children and youth. Although concussion signs and symptoms usually resolve within 10 days to four weeks, children and youth often take longer to recover than adults. That definition is from the 2018 Public Health Agency of Canada study, “Baseline Survey on Understanding and Awareness of Sport-Related Concussions.” Amongst concussion experts, many would argue that the term “mild” should be removed from the definition above, especially when discussing multiple concussions. The same study provided the following data, based on public opinion research with parents, coaches, athletes, school staff and health professionals: Fifty percent of Canadians have little or no knowledge about concussion; 25 percent don’t know how concussion is treated; only 15 percent can correctly identify the best ways to treat concussion; and just 40 percent are aware of available concussion tools or resources. o gain an anecdotal sense of how these findings related to Pelham, I spoke with Patrick Maddalena, certified in Concussion Management, and Mark Georgiev, Concussion Management Practitioner, both practicing in Fonthill. Maddalena and Georgiev responded that their experience suggests only 12 – 15 percent of Pelham parents know how concussion is treated, which is about half the number suggested by the Public Health Agency survey. While the study claims 40 percent of those polled are aware of available concussion tools or resources, Maddalena opinion differs. “No way, I’d say 20 percent.” Georgiev adds, “It’s starting to get there, but it’s not that high. I bet less than one in ten [concussions] are reported.” When asked “reported to who?” he included coach, trainer, parent, first responders, health care practitioners, anyone involved. Their comments are supported by a follow-up Public Health Agency of Canada study, “Understanding and Awareness of Sport-Related Concussions, With a Focus on Youth (May 23, 2019).” The age group studied was 5 – 19 year olds, our kids at their most vulnerable age. The research concluded that Canadian youth know very little about
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where to obtain concussion information or who is responsible for identifying a concussion and how to treat it; 80 percent have little or no knowledge of concussion; 70 percent incorrectly believe wearing a helmet will prevent a concussion; 70 percent identify that a concussion is a hit to the head that causes headache or blurry sight. These are not encouraging numbers, but they are improving. Georgiev says parental responses to concussion have changed over the last decade, and that parents are paying more attention to concussion. He also noted that parents are pulling their kids from certain sports because they’re afraid of concussion. ow is Rowan’s Law improving this situation, and what are the benefits to youth? Rowan’s Law ensures that resources on concussion awareness are easily accessible to parents, youth, coaches, anyone, and mandates compliance with specific policies and procedures to make children safer. The implementation of Rowan’s Law has been incremental within the following timeline. As of July 1, 2019, organizations were required to have a Code of Conduct and Concussion Awareness Resources policy. Under the Concussion Awareness Resources section of the law, a sport organization (which includes municipalities and schools) “must not register athletes under 26 years of age into a sport activity unless they, as well as their parent (for athletes under 18), provide confirmation that they have reviewed one of the Concussion
H
Awareness Resources within the previous 12 months. Sport organizations must also not allow coaches, team trainers and officials to serve ... unless they provide confirmation that they have reviewed one of the Concussion Awareness Resources every year.” The Code of Conduct template carries the same annual requirement, and the material is available to anyone via e-booklet, video, and e-module. As of January 31, 2020, “All school boards are required to establish: Concussion Codes of Conduct for individuals participating in board-sponsored inter-school sports; a process for removing students with suspected concussion from physical activity and, for those diagnosed with a concussion, a Return-to-School Plan, which includes their return to learning and to physical activity; and a process to document and track a student’s progress.” As of July 1, 2020, “Removal from Sport/Return to Sport Protocols” came into effect for all sport organizations, including municipalities and schools. A significant improvement under Rowan’s Law is in concussion reporting, so that a better understanding of the magnitude of the problem is understood. Consider the following numbers, pre-Rowan’s Law. The Canadian Hospital Injury Reporting and Prevention Program (CHIRPP) which includes just 11 pediatric and eight general hospitals in various-sized Canadian communities, reported that in 20162017, before Rowan’s Law, 46,000
children aged 5 to 19 visited one of the 19 hospitals with a concussion: 26,000 boys and 20,000 girls. Canada has approximately 1,400 hospitals, and the 46,000 number represents the reporting of just 19. Hypothetically, apply Georgiev’s assertion that only 10 percent of concussions are reported. The number of youth concussions becomes enormous. hich sports and activities are most likely to cause concussion? Nationally, based on CHIRPP data, the sports with the highest incidence of concussion proportional to participation are, in order: For females 10 – 19 years old, ringette, ice hockey, and rugby. For males 10 – 14, hockey, rugby and lacrosse. For males 15-19, rugby, hockey and boxing/martial arts. Georgiev says his local experience indicates more girls than boys are concussed. Basketball, volleyball, cheerleading, and figure skating are the top four. Maddalena adds this is in part because participants don’t wear helmets. For adolescent males in Pelham, hockey is the major source of concussion, but Georgiev postulates this may be because concussion in hockey is watched and reported more. Second is football, soccer is third. Rowan’s Law demands that young athletes view, and hopefully understand, 45 minutes of information about concussion-related dangers, symptoms, and protocols. To assist this effort, on September 30, 2020, the Ontario government announced a $200,000 grant through Concussion Legacy Foundation Canada towards producing
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The Voice, October 28, 2020
Page 11
nd your child parents, pressure from coaches, if you’re [the concussed youth] not having proper executive functions because you’ve had multiple concussions, that pressure, instead of you being able to regulate it, turns into ‘What do I do with myself, I don’t know what to do’, and eventual suicidal thoughts.” outh concussion is a serious medical and social issue. With the final implementation of Rowan’s Law completed just four months ago, amid all the concerns of COVID-19, how prepared are a sample of Pelham sports organizations, E. L. Crossley, and the Town of Pelham? The drop-down menu on the Pelham Minor Hockey Association’s website includes, “Panther Parents,” and when one clicks on it, “Concussion Awareness” comes up immediately. The first offering found there is a link to Rowan’s Law and the Ontario government Concussion Awareness site. Paul De Divitiis, Executive Vice President of the PMHA, says having Rowan’s Law information prioritized and easy to find is consistent with the manner in which PMHA is dealing with youth concussion. “Unfortunately a tragedy makes people more aware...but with Pelham Minor Hockey, we were cutting edge on it. Even before the OMHA mandated it, we were there. We already have the systems and protocols in place. People have the knowledge, they understand what the ramifications are.” De Divitiis says that the PMHA already had their Return-to-Sport Protocol established, months before being legally required to do so. Also, in the PMHA, a doctor’s certificate is required before a young person can return to training, practicing or playing —a requirement not yet mandated by Rowan’s Law legislation. Plus, the trainers have each child’s medical and past injuries history. I ask De Divitiis what would actually happen if I tried to enroll my hypothetical 12-year-old daughter in Pelham Minor Hockey. “Before registration [the child, and parent, if the player is under 18] have to read Rowan’s Law, and understand it, and be aware of what concussions are about, and how we monitor them. They have to sign to this, right then and there upon registration. If anyone has not, we make sure the coaches follow through, and everything has to be collected. So we make sure every child registered in Pelham Minor Hockey signs Rowan’s Law [requirements].” During all interviews for this story, parental pressure on athletes and its relationship to individual concussion treatment was discussed. De Divitiis’ response is thoughtful and cautionary to parents. “I think that’s with everything today, not just sport. People put a lot of expectations on their children. Society’s that way now, unfortunately. We want to raise the bar, things are a lot more fastpaced...everyone wants that level of excellence for their child.” De Divitiis explains that he felt having a written, established protocol is significant when dealing with parents. “The protocol is the protocol, the process is followed every time. The transparency and accountability benefits everyone involved. It’s no longer left to someone’s discretion.”
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Rowan Stringer, in 2013.
a documentary film showcasing Rowan Stringer's life and highlighting the importance of recognizing the signs of a concussion in young athletes. For cultural change to occur, young athletes themselves must take some responsibility for their brain health, something that doesn’t always happen. “It comes down to the actual athlete,” Georgiev says. “Is [he or she] going back to the bench and tell the coach they’re fine when they’re not? Are they going to be true to themselves and say ‘I have dizziness, I don’t feel good?’ Sometimes they’ll mask that, especially at the higher levels, so they don’t lose their spot [on the team].” The pressures young athletes face can be enormous, as can be the support. In general, parents don’t want to harm their kids, and will act in the child’s best interests. However, the traditional stereotypes live on.
“There’s a battle going on between the medical professional and the parent and the kid all the time,” says Georgiev. “I have this kid who has a severe concussion, and he came to me. Now the trainer has been calling me, pressuring this kid to get back [to playing]. The trainer says if he’s off more than a week, he’ll have to go on the injured reserve list, and then we’ll cut him. This player’s now reporting to me that he’s no longer got symptoms. I’m reading between the lines, so I put him in the blackout goggles, and there’s still vestibular symptoms, I see them there, so I know he’s not good. [The trainer] is still calling me.” Does concussion in youth cause depression? Lead to suicide? Maddalena and Georgiev don’t see a direct physiological link, a conclusion shared by most studies. However, they become passionate when discussing the role that family life and coaches play in mental recovery from concussion by youth. “It’s the outside factors,” says Georgiev. “They’re not able to do what they’re used to. Initially they were stuck in a dark room for 24 hours, no phone, no TV, no nothing, no stimulation... this is changing now... it’s like prison, it’s depressing. Their life isn’t the same. An athlete wants to get back and if they’re told they can’t go back for two to three weeks, the mind starts to change, they get depressed. They’re told they can’t do this, they can’t do that, it becomes a depressive/anxious cycle —when am I going to be ready.” He continues, “Pressure from
Brian Bleich, President of the Pelham Panthers Basketball Association, doesn’t mince words when discussing how the PPBA handles Rowan’s Law protocols. “No kid can go in the gym without a coach. We don’t have pick-up basketball here. If the coach sees a blow to the head, the protocol must be followed. As the president, if I was to find out a coach didn’t follow the protocol, there would be a suspension in place.” The PPBA has 750 kids playing basketball—40 percent girls and 60 percent boys—in both House League and the Elite Juel Prep
As the president, if I was to find out a coach didn't follow the protocol, there would be a suspension in place
(grades 9-10) and Juel (grades 1112) high school programs before COVID. The 400 players registered now use the Meridian Community Centre exclusively, and focus on skills development and practice during their twice-weekly, onehour sessions. There are 20 to 24 kids per session, no scrimmages or games, and the school facilities at E. L. Crossley, Wellington Heights, and Glynn A. Green are temporarily unavailable. As part of the Ontario Basketball Association, their governing body sets the policies. Bleich describes the PPBA sign-up process, which includes the OBA. “This year has been a massive push for Rowan’s Law for us. So when I register the players with OBA, every parent gets an email from the OBA stating they must read Rowan’s Law and check that they’ve read it. It goes back to the OBA, and before I can register that team, every person must have a checkmark in their column.” What happens when a player appears to sustain a blow to the head when playing? Bleich responds that anyone in the gym can call a hit to the head. The game will stop, and the player will be out of the game. The incident is noted on the game sheet, and Bleich must forward the information and protocol steps to the OBA. The athlete must go see a doctor, and get a signed note whether there is a concussion or not. Bleich is adamant about Returnto-Play protocol, the last phase of Rowan’s Law, which was implemented July 1. “There is more to rehab than just staying home,” Bleich says. “You actually have to work at bringing your eyes and brain to function. It doesn’t just come back. I watched my son train to come back.... I’ve learned it’s the second hit, before the first one is healed, that does the damage.” The 300-member Niagara Central Skating Club, which uses the community centre as one of its facilities, functions as a member of Skate Ontario, which is governed by Skate Canada. Jessica Sackett, a professional coach and member of the NCSC Board of Directors, has a certificate
of achievement showing that she has completed the Skate Canada course, “Rowan’s Law —Coaches and Officials.” Obtaining this certificate is a prerequisite for all coaches. COVID protocols have necessitated that skaters (and their parents if appropriate) register for NCSC online at present, and they must indicate that they have reviewed the appropriate Concussion Awareness Resources and Code of Conduct as part of their registration. In addition, when skaters show up at the arena their first time, they must sign a hardcopy of a Rowan’s Law Acknowledgement Form confirming the above. “We’ll let you register, but if this is not signed, you’re not getting on the ice,” says Sackett. NCSC is in a unique situation regarding safety equipment for young athletes. Skate Canada rules for helmet use by young skaters give the choice to wear or not wear a helmet to their parents once a skater has successfully demonstrated Stage 5 skills. There is a link within Skate Canada’s Helmet Use Policy to the Concussion Awareness Policies of Rowan’s Law, and also their Skate Canada Concussion Pathway form. Sackett says there have been no concussion issues in the last few years. he Town of Pelham’s requirements to comply with Rowan’s Law are significant, as it is designated as both a municipality and a sports organization under the legislation, and the Town focuses on many sports. Pelham is a sports organization when it runs its own sports programs, such as Youth Summer Cycling Camp and Tennis Camps. As a municipality, it must also ensure that all community youth sports organizations which rent ice, use the community centre’s gymnasium facilities, and Town sports fields, are in compliance with Rowan’s Law. Julie Cook, Recreation and Wellness Programmer for Pelham, says that the Town’s Concussion Information Sheet and Agreement is posted on the Town website. The document, which also serves as an indemnifying agreement, must be signed by an authorized representative of any group or organization prior to using Town facilities. Cook points out that concussion in youth sports is not a new issue. “Everybody knew that concussions were an issue, but everyone had their own policies, there were no standards. The Niagara Region approached us a few years ago and said, ‘We can help you develop a concussion policy,’ and council agreed we should have one.” Cook says this policy was developed and in place before Rowan’s Law was passed, and staff are well trained. “For public skating, we have monitors on the ice. If we feel we have someone who has sustained a concussion, all of our staff are completely aware of our concussion policy...they know what they need to do. [Anyone with a suspected concussion] can’t go back on the ice, number one. And secondly, they would have to provide a doctor’s statement before they could go back on.” Cook acknowledges that for public skating, this is hard to police without the cooperation of the in-
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See CONCUSSION Page 13
The Voice, October 28, 2020
COUNCIL
Reverse Christmas parade
continued from Page 3
Three-way stop petition
Council also received a petition signed by dozens of residents asking for a three-way stop to be placed at Pelham Street and Shorthills Place. Public Works Director Jason Marr said that a previous study had concluded a three-way stop wasn’t warranted just south of there, at Pelham and Hurricane Road, but that data would be gathered to look at the Shorthills T-intersection. Other traffic calming measures remain possible if a stop is not warranted.
Council approved major changes to the 2020 Christmas in Pelham event given the continuing pandemic. A key difference this year is that the annual Fenwick Santa Claus parade will be done in reverse: instead of a road procession, families may get in their vehicles and drive through Centennial Park, where floats will be stationed.
Kudos for comms staff
Cribbs opened the meeting by congratulating Town staff for winning two “MarCom” awards, handed out by the Association of Marketing and Communi-
cation Professionals. The honours related to Town materials regarding its financial reporting, as well as its “Moving Forward” crisis communications plan, near the dawn of the pandemic. “[Town Communications and Public Relations Specialist] Marc MacDonald deserves credit. We’re all cogs in the machine and we all play a role, but these were [projects] where he was front and centre.” Junkin thanked staff. “You guys have done so much to improve the communications,” the Mayor said. “Council thanks all of staff for doing a yeoman’s job in getting the messages out to the residents.”
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CANNABIS
continued from Page 6 munity.” In accordance with Pelham’s Official Plan amendments, if a grower wants to build a new indoor facility, there is a public process. The proposal would require a number of studies and ultimately a zoning bylaw amendment in order for a grower to be allowed to develop a new indoor facility. “Outdoor is different,” said Nohara. “We recognized the cultivation of cannabis as an agricultural crop. You can grow outdoor without requiring a zoning bylaw amendment, but the committee did establish regulations or standards for outdoor cannabis in the zoning bylaws. One of the requirements is that an outdoor grow has to be set back 300 metres from the nearest sensitive area.” The problem is that odour
can travel great distances outdoors, driven by the prevailing westerly winds… certainly much farther than 300 metres. Positioning of an industrial crop will influence how
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CONCUSSION
continued from Page 11 dividual, but points out that for organized sports clubs, legislation now puts the onus back on each association. Cook also confirms that all full and part-time Town employees providing youth sport camps will have the training as mandated by Rowan’s Law legislation. . L. Crossley, and the District School Board of Niagara in general, are bound by the Education Act as well as Rowan’s Law. Effective September 2019, the Ministry of Education updated its concussion policy to be consistent with Rowan’s Law, and required all schools and school boards to replace their 2015 policies with the updated version. Also within the Education Act, but beyond the requirements of sports organizations and municipalities, school boards must have “a process for removing students with a suspected concussion from physical activity and, for those diagnosed with a concussion, a Return to School Plan, which includes their return to learning and physical activity.” This also includes a process to document and track a student’s progress from removal to return. Pierre Blanchard, Crossley’s Physical Education Program Head, believes the high school, and the DSBN, are significantly ahead of the legislative requirements. The measures that Crossley takes to educate the general student population about concussion have continued,
E
The Voice, October 28, 2020 despite the changes to high school sports that COVID has necessitated. “When you walk into our gym, you’ll see the posters and resources we have there for Rowan’s Law,” says Blanchard. “We have student-led activities that surround the Rowan’s Law date in September, plus in-class lessons that day, as well as an assembly that describes the details of Rowans Law. This is led by student council, athletic council, and student leadership classes.” There were related lunchtime activities, in-school announcements, and social media posts. This was followed by mandatory Grade 9 in-class concussion lessons for all phys-ed students. Blanchard points out that this is done throughout the DSBN, adding that Crossley marks the day by wearing purple, Rowan’s favourite colour. Although an assembly was not possible this September because of COVID, Blanchard adds, “We still did an awareness day through our student council, everybody wore purple. We put out Rowan’s Law awareness information virtually through our school website as well. Everybody still felt part of the team.” When asked about parental pressure on students that might conflict with the goals of Rowan’s Law, Blanchard is quick to reply. “Bottom line, the parents from E. L . Crossley have been very supportive in following through with concussion protocols established by the school. If the student suspects or has a concussion, they must have a meeting
with a teacher-guide, prior to any activity and schooling. The activity is secondary, it’s the ‘Return to Learn’ which is the primary piece.” Blanchard notes that this doesn’t relate just to sports, but any fall or activity that may cause a concussion. Parents can advise the school of such incidents, and students are encouraged to self-declare. Iwan Jugley is a Concussion Advisor at Crossley, and works with the students and parents to document all cases and provide information packages, then manage the student’s Return to Learn. A doctor’s clearance is requested prior to Return to Sport, but Blanchard laments that it is within the parent’s prerogative to not follow Rowan’s Law guidelines. However, he says that it is the responsibility of coaches and teachers to pull a student out of participation if any symptoms are observed. The DSBN has taken additional steps, adapting their activities based on concussion knowledge. For example, Crossley has gone non-contact in boys’ high school hockey. They are one of six Niagara schools to do so, and compete in a non-contact high school league with other municipalities throughout Ontario. Unfortunately because of COVID, a motion to have boys’ non-contact hockey recognized for provincial championships by OFSSA and SOSSA, Ontario’s governing body for high school sport, has been put on hold. Blanchard cites another example.
Page 13
SIGNS OF A CONCUSSION
www.thevoiceofpelham.ca
Headache
Dizziness
HEADACHE
DIZZINESS
Ringing IN in the RINGING THEears EARS
Memory Loss MEMORY LOSS
Nausea NAUSEA
LightSENSITIVITY sensitivity LIGHT
Drowsiness DROWSINESS
DEPRESSION DEPRESSION
We all have a responsibility in recognizing a possible concussion following a hit to the head or body. If you’re experiencing even one of these symptoms, stop playing, sit out and find help. ontario.ca/concussions
Concussion awareness poster distributed to schools and sports organizations by the Province of Ontario. SUPPLIED “When we do soccer we don’t emphasize or teach headers in class. If you want to quote me on my own personal views, I’ve made recommendations that reduce contact in soccer. There’s no need to receive a header off a goal kick, and a header should not be received across a centreline.” Within the spirit of the game, he is not opposed to
heading shorter, more controlled balls within the offensive zone. Blanchard’s point is that the long balls are travelling at high velocity, increasing the risk of concussion. His view is supported by a 2016 study of amateur soccer players led by Magdalena Ietswaart, professor of psychology at Scotland’s University of Stirling, and pub-
lished in EBioMedicine, an open access journal. Ietswaart concluded, “Researchers found that heading a soccer ball —just once — causes instant changes to the brain … They discovered alterations in brain corticomotor inhibition and cognitive function. In particular, memory-test performance was reduced by up to 67 percent.” Crossley is also involved as a pilot school in a program called Privit during the shortened second semester February 1t to March 13, which has since been put on hold. This is concussion/ injury tracking software that allows parents to input and make available updates on student progress, which coaches and teachers can access. Blanchard reflects the thoughts of educators and concerned coaches throughout youth sport in Pelham when he says, “The whole concept of Rowan’s Law is... we are doing our best to educate and increase awareness now, while they’re young. Ten years from now, the majority of the population will be educated on it, it will be the norm. As these students get older and become coaches, the culture will be established through them for the future.” Until that future arrives, ensuring that our children receive the proper treatment and concussion management is ultimately the responsibility of vigilant and educated parents. More information on Rowan’s Law can be found at https:// www.ontario.ca/page/rowans-law-concussion-safety
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The Voice, October 28, 2020
1
www.thevoiceofpelham.ca
OBITUARY
3
4
2
5
LUNDY, Beverley Ceclia 1943-2020
1. On the Town of Pelham's home page, choose either option to Report a Problem. 2. This brings up the PSR screen. Click Let's get going. 3. This brings up the Create checklist. Start with What by choosing Select.
It is with immense love and great sadness we share the sudden and unexpected passing of our beloved wife, mother and Nana on October 16, 2020, in her 78th year. Best friend and devoted wife to Keith Lundy for 56 years. Cherished mother to Julie, Susan (Darryl), Jennifer (Jon), as well as adored Nana to Steven, Stephanie, Michael, Sebastian, Gabe, Evie. She will be sadly missed by her sister Sally (Ralph) Hauser. Beverley was an avid quilter with a passion for crafting. She was a great friend to many. The family extends a heartfelt and sincere Thank You to EMS, Pelham Fire Department and the incredible staff at the Welland Hospital Emergency Department for their incredible, compassionate care. In lieu of flowers donations in Beverley’s memory can be made to the Heart and Stroke Foundation. The family is planning a private celebration due to the present circumstances. Thank you to all for your kind words and gestures.
4. This brings up a drop-down list. Choose By Law / Code Enforcement, then Cannabis Odour Issue from the sub-menu. 5. Continue to enter Where and details in the Info sections of the Create screen. Click You can send your request now when finished. BOB LOBLAW GRAPHIC
HOW TO
continued from Page 4 I m ag e/ V i d e o/ D o c u m e nt, and Info. To enter information for each type, you click on the respective blue button on the right. As it is not likely that you will need to include images, videos, or documents to describe your cannabis odour complaint, I suggest you leave that one alone and focus on completing the other three. Please start with What by clicking on the blue “Select” button on the right. You will be taken to the What page, and a list of issues will appear alphabetically. Use the scroll bar on your browser (or the down arrow on your keyboard) to scroll down to “By Law Enforcement” and select it by clicking on it. This will cause a window to drop down listing different types
of By Law Enforcement issues. You will see that “Cannabis Odour-Issue” is the first one in the list. Click on that one to select it. You will be returned to the Create page with the What area now containing “Cannabis Odour-Issue” as shown below instead of “Not selected yet.” Next, do the same for Where by clicking on the blue “Define” button on the right and you will be taken to the Where page. You can enter the address where the odour was experienced, and then click the blue “Use this” button which will bring up a map showing the location of your complaint. You should see a purple balloon marker shown on the map at the entered address (you may have to scroll the map to the left or right to see it in the window). Once you have en-
tered the address, you click on the blue “next” button at the top right of the page and you will be taken back to the Create page with the address of the complaint filled in under Where, as illustrated below. Now click on the blue “Edit” button on the right hand side of the Info row to enter a full description of your complaint. Please be sure to describe what you smelled, how strong the smell was, the date and time you smelled it, any problems you experienced because of the odour, et cetera. Once complete, you will be returned to the Create page with your information entered. Finally, you will notice that a new row has appeared on the page entitled Requested Info. You need to click on the blue “Edit” button on the right to enter the required informa-
tion (your name, address) after which you will be returned to the Create page completely filled out. A blue “You can send your request now” button will now appear at the bottom. Click on the “You can send your request now” button and your complaint will be submitted. You will get an email confirmation a short time later. And that’s all there is to it. A word of caution. Please be reasonable with your expectations regarding our enforcement team’s ability to quickly respond and independently validate your complaint. For example, if a complaint occurs on the weekend or in the evening, please do file your complaint when you experience the problem, even though enforcement staff may not be on call or may be unable to respond until after the smell is long gone. The
important part is your data will be accurately reported and captured, and this will help the Town to optimize scheduling of enforcement personnel. The contractor monitoring component of the bylaw is being designed by an odour expert retained by the Town and will be implemented in a few months. This component will allow for day and night monitoring of odour at randomized days/times and locations. Your accurate complaint data will help the Town and its monitoring contractor optimize their dates and times to maximize odour detection and enforcement. Thank you all for your cooperation and assistance. You are part of the solution — the Town can not succeed on this without you. I thank my colleagues on the CCC who worked very hard to develop this bylaw, along with council for approving it and staff for implementing it. ◆
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event which also involves friends in the right direcneighbors for candy, and get dress-ups and treats. tion. LIBRARY high PELHAM on sugar (without your CARD MAKING WORKSHOP They may even give out So, stay safe everyone, parents complaining too Make six cards with fallathemes, learning of techniques. Materials Christian cartoona variety bro- and have a “Happy Holy much). It’s neither holy or chure with their please candy. Or Evening”! ◆ tools needed. are provided. At time of registration, enquire about unholy — just a lot of fun. they may post a sign (like So,Tues., what should a ChrisSept. 16 10 – 12:30. $10. register www.pelhamwe do) thatPlease says, “The only ahead. RobVisit Weatherby is a retired tian family do on October ghost living here is the Holy pastor who secretly believes library.on.ca or call 905-892-6443 for more details. 31? Some don’t participate Ghost.” When it comes to Halloween is a conspiracy at all and I respect that poHalloween, I try to be balof dentists to drum up more sition. They don’t touch it — not paranoid, business. FABULOUS FENWICKanced LIONS FISH FRY not
Tasty treats with funds heading straight back into the community. Haddock, french fries and much more. Runs Sept. 9 from 4-7 p.m.
WhenMINOR it comesHOCKEY EQUIPMENT SALE PELHAM toBuy, Halloween , I tryused equipment at the Pelham Arena. Aimed to provide sell or trade options for players in this upcoming season. Runs Sept. 6 from tocheaper be balanced—not 9-12 in the morning. paranoid, not naïve
PELHAM MUDFEST Men and women will be back in the mud as the second run on the year is held at Bissil’s Hideaway. EXHIBITION with NIAGARA a ten-foot REGIONAL pole (sixPURCHASING & SHIPPING COORDINATOR NURSERY HELP foot pole this year). Rodeo, games and live entertainment headline this years exciting event. It Others try to redeem it. nursery growing container grown perennials, vines, 11-14 atWholesale the Welland Fairgrounds. nursery growing container grown perennials, Theyruns dressfrom their Sept. children upWholesale
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7. Proceeds for the Big Move stay inhasNiagara support Walker Faman individual who organizational skills andthe dedication succeed, we look forward to and hearing from you. We offer excellent as well as a willingness to work as a team player, we look wages, health benefits and incentives for the right candidate. ily Cancer Centre. forward to hearing from you. Wages will commensurate Resumes may be emailed to: hr@willowbrooknurseries.com or with experience. Resumes be of dropped of betweenMonday the dropped off between themay hours 8:00a.m.-4:00p.m. to hours of 8:00a.m.-4:30p.m. Monday to Thursday or 8:00a.m Thursday or 8:00-noon on Friday at: -12:00 noon on Fridays at:
WALKING CLUB Keep Everyone Safe Interested in walking in Pelham? Join them Tuesdays at the Pelham Arena
Willowbrook Nurseries Willowbrook Nurseries Inc. Inc. Wear maskamwhile froma9-10 and Thursdays at Fonthill Bandshell for 9-10:30 Attention: Human 935 Victoria Ave., Resources Fenwick, ON am. There Victoria Ave. Resources Attention: Human is no fee for this program. For more935 information, please contact jcook@ trick-or-treating No phoneFenwick, calls please. R.R.#4, ON L0S1C0 pelham.ca or call 905 892-2607, ext 329. (We thank you for your application, however
this year!
No phone calls please. We thank you for your application, only those considered will be notified.) however only those considered will be notified.
HAMPER DAY FOR PELHAM CARES Purchase fresh fruit and vegetables at the Market or bring a non-perishable food item to fill the hampers at the Pelham Farmers Market on Sept. 4.
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pelham Cares insert, we can drop off non-perishables this year at the MCC! Let's GO!
Phone: 905.892.2188 • www.naturesownidea.com
Places of Worship Bethany Christian Reformed Church www.bethanycrc.ca
First Presbyterian Church 602 Metler Rd., North Pelham
Holy Trinity Anglican Church holytrinityfonthill.org
Pelham Evangelical Friends Church www.pelhamfriends.ca
Concordia Lutheran Church 105 Welland Rd., Fonthill
Fonthill Baptist Church www.fonthillbaptistchurch.ca
Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses 1369 Rice Rd., Fonthill
Ridgeville Bible Chapel ridgevillebiblechapel.com
Fenwick Church of Christ www.fenwickchurchofchrist.ca
Fonthill United Church www.fonthillunited.com
Kirk on the Hill Presbyterian Church 1344 Haist St., Fonthill
St. Alexander Roman Catholic Church www.stalexander.on.ca
Fenwick United Church www.fenwickunited.com
Glad Tidings Church of God www.gladtidingschurchofgod.com
Pelham Community Church (United Church) www.pelham.cc
St. Ann Roman Catholic Church www.stannfenwick.com
UNIQUE
continued from Page 18 habitat is soon shattered, as I witness a society member, dressed to emulate a tree, removing a shotgun from his pickup as I pedal by. If I were a grouse, I’d be questioning the Ruffled Grouse Society’s motives, and seriously consider finding my own habitat somewhere further down the road. Distant screeches announce the Canadian Raptor Conservancy long before its sign on Front Road in Vittoria is visible. The driveway gate is open, and the parking lot looks like a telephoto lens convention. On the left is a lifesize statue of a large, fierce-looking bald eagle. As I quietly cycle in, the statue erupts terrifyingly and flies toward me until the live raptor’s short tether pulls tight. The Conservancy’s stated mission is, “to focus on conservation and educating the public on the important roles that birds of prey
play in our world.” James Cowan, Director of the Conservancy, is about to lead a group on a tour and show as I enter, but takes a second to share that yesterday’s (October 27) episode of Still Standing, the CBC show featuring comedian Jonny Harris, focused on Norfolk County and featured a segment on the Canadian Raptor Conservancy. The entrance to Fishers Glen is a smooth, sweetly banked, downhill hairpin turn. From the turn’s apex, the broken pavement of narrow Lane C wends between sagging, decades- old cottages along the ravine’s edge to Lake Erie. The “private road” sign offers a welcome consistent with the nearby farm entrance posted, “Trespassers will be shot, survivors prosecuted.” My thoughts immediately return to my first visit 13 years ago, and an aged resident lazily reeling his lawnmower down a weedy slope on a rope. He was labori-
ously hauling it back up for another pass when he noticed me. I waved. He squinted in my direction, then raised a wiry arm in a threadbare jacket sleeve, holding a beer, in acknowledgement. It was just 10 in the morning, the faded ’62 Valiant in his driveway had current license plates on it, and I still kick myself for not stopping to chat that day. The beautifully restored Union Hotel in Normandale, its restored brown clapboard siding accented by creamy yellow trim and pillars, was built in the 1840s and is now a bed and breakfast. A coast down the twisty road to the beach takes me past the site of the Normandale Ironworks Blast Furnace, built in 1816. At its peak, the foundry employed 200 men smelting local bog ore into cast iron kettles, pots, and the famous Van Norman cooking stoves. Just up the road is where the police caught and killed eight bootleggers after a 1920s run to
United States. Locals claim those bootleggers still walk Normandale’s Spooky Hollow Road, seeking revenge under the full moon. The Normandale Century Inn and Restaurant is the village hub of now. The classic 1860s building is general store, patio bar, restaurant and Inn. It’s perfect for basking in the warm sun with a sandwich and drink while my legs recover. The character of the ride completely transforms for the eighteen kilometers west of Turkey Point to Port Rowan. Front Road rises to the top of a sand bluff formed by thousands of years of erosion and shifting sand, which combined with Long Point is the largest such deposit in the Great Lakes. The views of Long Point Bay and its many islands and marshes are spectacular, and the areas that have been drained and reclaimed flourish with patches of cabbages and brussels sprouts, even a small vineyard, reminding one of Holland’s IJsselmeer.
Norfolk calls itself Ontario’s Garden, and the large, well-kept farms upon the bluff have transitioned from tobacco to traditional crops or ginseng, asparagus, sweet potatoes and grapes. Burning Kiln Winery, Inashpere Winery & Farm Market, and Blueberry Hill Estates Winery, all near St. Williams, tempt passing cyclists to slow down and compare Norfolk’s wines to Niagara’s best. The quirkiness of Port Ryerse, Fishers Glen and Normandale were absent during the last few agricultural kilometers to Port Rowan, but the recently renewed road surface of this leg is silky smooth, adding to the allure of this wonderful bicycle ride. Post Script: The moderating influence of Lake Erie meant the autumn foliage along the route was still brilliant as of writing. If by chance your bicycle is out of service (wink-wink), exploring this route by car would be almost as enjoyable. ◆
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CHECKLIST
continued from Page 8 Planning,” Douglas Gray, says that being an executor is "probably the most stressful experience you'll ever have." The list’s 144 items vary widely, from the obvious items, including date of birth and Social Insurance Number, to others that most wouldn’t think of. Many of these obscure responsibilities have been added by Fisher in the years since his brother’s death, though some came directly from his experience. “Some time after my brother died, I got a call from an old friend of his. She asked me if I knew that she had stored some things with him—an old telephone and three brass portholes. I had no idea, and was actually just about to have those things valued at about a thousand bucks each,” says Fisher, adding that such seemingly little things can become a major headache. Fisher has spent countless hours researching and compiling this information, a daunting task for someone who is not legally trained.
The Voice, October 28, 2020 “I’m always for the little person,” says Fisher. “And I don’t like to see people spending money on lawyers when they don’t need to.” But despite this lack of legal training, Fisher was an experienced researcher before taking on estate planning. For years, he worked for the United Food and Commercial Workers’ Union, mostly representing employees in arbitration cases on disciplinary action. “I had a good record, too,” says Fisher. “The lawyers would have to take on three, four, maybe five cases a week, whereas I took on about one a week. I would spend a long time reading up and researching past cases beforehand.” Since his brother’s death, Fisher has put together 19 documents —some 400 pages—to inform people of the legal significance at difficult or emotional intense times of their lives, such as getting married or getting divorced. “When it comes to separation, one partner tends to keep the other in the dark until they’re in a really good position,” says Fisher. “They’ll have hidden money away, or done something else that will
STELLA
continued from Page 9 District School Board of Niagara’s only request was that a fence be erected along the lot line of the proximally located Glynn A. Green School. Reached after the public meeting for comment, Mayor Marvin Junkin was upbeat, telling the Voice that he thought the meeting went well. “The residents aired their major concerns and the developer’s agent answered them,” said Junkin. “Continued communication is essential.” Stella Street residents do not necessarily share that perspective. Natalie Stickles, one of the residents leading the charge against the current proposal, said that she was happy to see a number of councillors supporting her neighbours’ concerns. “My main issue is the traffic congestion on our dead-end street that leads to the school yard [at Glynn A. Green],” she said. “Parents will park on our street to pick up their kids from school at the end of the day, so as to avoid the buses on Port Robinson Road. We definitely need other exits out of the proposed development…I am just unsure that what they are proposing is the best solution.” Rob Montgomery, of 11 Stella Street, a retired school principal and one of the first residents of the neighbourhood back in the 1970s, said, “At the start we were looking at traffic accessibility, to and from this new subdivision, and its effect on Stella Street. But residents have brought forward one unresolved issue after another. It points to more than just a Stella Street problem. It clearly demonstrates that something is wrong in the planning procedures of the Town of Pelham,” he said. Magdalena and Janusz Woszczyna, of 13 Stella, said that the Kunda Park Phase Four development does not provide any amenities for the future inhabitants. “There are no parkettes or playgrounds, even though the Town of Pelham Official Plan states that council will require the dedication of five percent of the land within a
make things difficult for other partner.” To Fisher, the emotional turmoil of such times inevitably makes it more difficult to navigate the legal labyrinth that follows a divorce or death. The more prepared one can be ahead of time, the less stressful the process may be to endure. Find Fisher’s checklist here: https://bit.ly/3iRN5fU In addition, Fisher has compiled four marriage-related checklists into one document: 1. Things to know about your partner before you get married (80 items); 2. Things to know after you are married (21 items); 3. Things you should do after you are married (35 items); and 4. Planning for separation and or divorce (49 items). This is list may be found at: https://bit. ly/3k5nBgy Be advised that neither Fisher nor the Voice is offering legal advice, and Fisher’s list should not be considered as such. To ensure that their estate planning is in accordance with the law, those preparing their wills are advised to consult an attorney. With additional reporting by Dave Burket.
residential subdivision to be dedicated as parkland,” they said. (Editor’s note: Cash-in-lieu of parkland is also permitted.) The Woszczynas believe that a holistic approach to urban planning in Pelham is lacking. “It seems that in the rush to expand the tax base, our planners completely forgot about the people who already live here,” they said. The Woszczynas pointed to the Community Vision component of the Official Plan, in which it is stated, “The primary purpose is to provide the basis for managing growth that will support and emphasize the Town's unique character, diversity, civic identity, rural lifestyle and heritage features, and to do so in a way that has a positive impact on the quality of life and health for the citizens who live and work in Pelham.” Lina and Rich Lianga, retired teachers who live on Stella, said that their main focus was to address how the proposed development may destroy the biodiversity of the sensitive wetlands on the development site. “We are asking that the mature trees be saved, by incorporating a natural landscape buffer behind the houses on Stella Street,” said Lina. “This is a small yet important compromise. We’d like to see these trees protected under the Niagara Region’s tree bylaw. Our forests, wetlands, and meadows are the lungs of the world, but now they’re fading, and our ecosystems are dying. Fonthill has an opportunity to build better.” Bill Heska, a retired engineer living on Stella, stressed that the rezoning proposal has not been satisfactorily justified by the developer or Town planners, and he objects to the decreased size of lots from the original plan. Storm water management is another of Heska’s concerns, arguing that redirecting the Kunda Park drainage to a storm water pond east of the Steve Bauer Trail does not make good sense from an engineering perspective. “My neighbours and I strongly oppose the change in designation from R1 to R2,” said Heska. “Although [the developer’s consultant] Matt Kernahan says that the lots are large given today’s stan-
Page 17
SMILES FOR WELLSPRING According to a company statement, millions of Canadians across the country broke a new Tim Hortons Smile Cookie record by raising $10.56 million for local charities. In Fonthill, Tim Hortons owner Stephanie McWilliams and guests helped raise $13,347 to support Wellspring Niagara. The funds will be used to continue the free cancer supportive programming offered at Wellspring Niagara for individuals, caregivers, and loved ones living with cancer. “Since March 14, 2020, we had to suspend face-to-face programs due to COVID 19,” said Ann Mantini-Celima, Wellspring Niagara Executive Direcor. “However, we managed to take many of our programs virtually into the homes of patients and families living with cancer. Cancer doesn't wait. With the incredible funds raised from the 2020 Tim Hortons Smile Cookie campaign, Wellspring Niagara will able to continue meeting our program needs and ensure that they remain free of charge.” Pictured, Phil Gourlay, Wellspring Development Officer, and Stephanie and Bill McWilliams, Tim Hortons Fonthill owners. SUPPLIED
dards, that does not change the fact that people purchased homes on Stella Street knowing that the designation on this empty tract of land was also R1. Changing it at this point would only benefit the developer. Allowing this to happen constitutes a breach of trust.” The change from R1 to R2 is not just a Kunda Park issue, emphasized Heska, but a decision that will affect all of Pelham. “People are moving here because of the larger lots, with room for a garden, a play area for their kids, and space for areas to sit outside,” said Heska. “This is our town, not the developer’s town. We should not be left with a Toronto-style suburb built behind us, while the developer laughs all the way to the bank. The growth must be thoughtful of all residents. Council has an obligation to see that happens.” Christine Kreutzer, of 14 Stella, said she found the responses to the majority of the residents’ concerns disappointing. “The broad, sweeping statements from the consultant and Town staff, such as ‘that has already been addressed and approved’ and ‘those are details worked out at another stage’ neither addressed our concerns nor provided any details,” she said. Kreutzer believes an important issue is the order in which the two developments [Kunda Park and Forest Park] commence. “Given that these developments were originally submitted together and much of the infrastructure for Kunda Park is dependent upon Forest Park, the details should be presented and considered in tandem, yet this is no longer occurring,” she emphasized. Resident Barbara Arndt thought that the applicant’s representative at the public meeting “showed no empathy for the issues that were raised by current residents, and seemed to brush off all of our concerns as irrelevant. I was somewhat insulted by his cavalier attitude.” She has serious concerns about the drainage issues, as “this property is always wet, even in dry weather.” Arndt is opposed to the smaller lots proposed behind Stella Street.
“If our properties are devalued by this hodgepodge mess behind our lots, who will be responsible for compensating us? When we bought our properties many years ago it was with the understanding that future development would include lot sizes the same as the existing lots.” Pelham’s Director of Community Planning and Development, Barb Wiens, spoke with the Voice to address the questions and concerns raised. Wiens noted that the current plan proposes two new entrances in the northwest portion of the Kunda Park subdivision, in addition to the street “stub” that currently exists on Stella. Construction traffic would not access the site from Stella Street. “That's not the intention at all,” she said. “The proposed low-residential development is not anticipated to create increased traffic that would cause safety issues.” Niagara Region and Town engineering staff determined that a Traffic Impact Study was not warranted. Drainage flow from the Kunda Park subdivision will be directed north to a new storm pond that's going to be constructed in the Forest Park development, said Wiens, which she asserted will adequately address storm water concerns. While construction activities are not anticipated to created impacts on adjacent homes, the contractor carries liability insurance in the event that there may be such an issue. Finally, the overall grading plan for the subdivision will be developed during the detailed engineering design phase. There was concern raised by Stella Street residents that a small lizard identified as an endangered species, the five-lined skink, inhabited the site. Wiens said that a two-year study had been conducted involving biologists and ecologists from the Ministry of Natural Resources, and the result of this work indicated that the skink wasn’t present. Accordingly, the site has been cleared with respect to threatened and endangered species. According to Wiens, Sterling Realty (Niagara) submitted applications for Kunda Park and Forest
Park concurrently, and Town staff have been reviewing them concurrently. She said that there are a few items that require further information on the Forest Park subdivision, so the Town is waiting for those details before setting up a public meeting on this part of the plan. “We know what the various agencies are going to be requesting, as a part of a condition of approval,” said Wiens. “On October 13, we received resident feedback during the public meeting, which is an important part of the process. We'll be meeting with the developer to review all the consultant and public comments, and determine whether adjustments need to be made to the plan.” There is a two-step approval in Ontario for development proposals, said Wiens, involving in the first stage what is referred to as a “draft plan approval,” with a number of conditions. Often, the level of detail that neighbouring residents and other stakeholders are looking for is not available at this initial stage, but this information will be included at the final approval stage, which includes detailed engineering design. A preliminary engineering review has already been completed, she said, which provides a functional servicing analysis of the site. “I know that residents are looking for a lot of answers about issues like grading and drainage, and those details will come forward at the next stage of approval. There's capacity in the proposed water and sewage systems…the facility on the Forest Park land would be sized and designed to accommodate the flows from Kunda Park,” she said. Wiens acknowledges that the proposed lots are smaller than what was in the original Kunda Park design, but commented that they are “much larger than what is being proposed further east of here.” From a natural heritage perspective, she is confident that the wetland area is being conserved. “This development is not allowed to take place in the wetland, and there's a buffer area around the wetland.”
Page 18
The Voice, October 28, 2020
www.thevoiceofpelham.ca
FROM THE HANDLEBARS
by John Swart
Twenty-three degrees in October makes for unique ride
R
emember last Friday? Twenty-three degrees, felt like 26? Cycling in late October wearing just shorts and a jersey is irresistible. Re-discovering a ride within 60 minutes of home that’s packed with scenery, history and culture is a double bonus. The scenery is a blend of historic villages, lakeshore vistas, and prime farmlands. The history dates to United Empire Loyalists, bootlegging gangsters, and resettling runaway slaves. The culture isn’t the cathedrals and castles of Europe, but the unique Norfolk County brand exemplified
by a classic ‘59 Cadillac with its back seat and trunk cut off to install a truck camper. This gem of a bicycle ride is the 40 kilometers of Lake Erie shore between Port Dover and Port Rowan. Heading west from Port Dover along Radical Road, bright morning sun on your back, immense maples are aflame in crimsons, oranges, and yellows, their tones heightened by the contrast to enormous, emerald green pines and my indispensable rose-tinted sunglasses. The tobacco plantations are mostly gone—the sandy soil now sprouting retirement subdivisions being
filled as quickly as developers can build them, and gentle horse farms. Swing south to the idyllic hamlet of Port Ryerse, founded by Colonel Samuel Ryerse in 1795, a wealthy United Empire Loyalist refugee from New Jersey. When Ryerse arrived in Upper Canada, Governor J. G. Simcoe urged him to settle in Norfolk, and he chose to build a cabin and grist mill on Young’s Creek in the settlement now named after him. The road into Port Ryerse drops sharply then forks— the left passing an elegant brick homestead and a well-maintained white church, the right sweeping past a collage of character cottages. The Ryerse Memorial Anglican Church, built in 1870 in memory of the early pioneers and Colonel Ryerse, continued to
The Union Hotel was built in the 1840s to accommodate business travellers to the Normandale Ironworks Blast Furnace. JOHN SWART offer 9:30 AM Sunday services until COVID hit. It shelters a United Empire Loyalist cemetery, and the unmarked graves of the Charles Brown family, a runaway slave who settled in Port Ryerse and con-
tributed to the church and community. Members of Brown’s family still live in nearby Simcoe, and were honoured in April 2011 when a monument to the Brown family was unveiled at the church.
Front Road passes the Ruffled Grouse Society of Canada’s wildlife habitation project as it heads west. My vision of nurturing old codgers protecting wildfowl See UNIQUE Page 16
Voice
HOROSCOPE
ARIES – Mar 21/Apr 20 Aries, rest and relax now because it may be a bumpy ride over the next few days. Rely on your energy reserves to make it through. Things will calm down soon enough. TAURUS – Apr 21/May 21 Taurus, allow friends to lavish attention on you. You deserve a little more time in the limelight because of all the hard work you have been putting in. GEMINI – May 22/Jun 21 Gemini, by making yourself more vulnerable, you can show others how you are compassionate and in tune with your softer side. This may help create alliances. CANCER – Jun 22/Jul 22 Cancer, try a new and interesting hobby that aligns with your current interests. Don’t worry if it has nothing to do with your profession. It’s okay to branch out. LEO – Jul 23/Aug 23 Make some changes to your wellness routine, Virgo. Changes could help you feel better in your daily life and set the course for many positive things in the future. VIRGO – Aug 24/Sept 22 It is always good knowing someone has your back, Virgo. This can be a best friend, a romantic partner, a family member, or even a colleague. It is a relief to have support. LIBRA – Sept 23/Oct 23 Libra, a pleasant routine is essential for improving your mood and outlook. It’s easier to handle stressful situations when you make smart choices. SCORPIO – Oct 24/Nov 22 There are many things happen-
ing around you, and it is best to focus on the positives even in the most hectic times. Immerse yourself in your favorite hobbies. SAGITTARIUS – Nov 23/Dec 21 Being in tune with your feelings is a very good thing this week, Sagittarius. It can help you focus on goals that will make you happy and avoid situations that make you upset. CAPRICORN – Dec 22/Jan 20 You are a natural leader who prefers overseeing projects to getting your hands dirty. But to strengthen authority, you sometimes have to handle some of the nuts and bolts. AQUARIUS – Jan 21/Feb 18 Now is the time to increase your income rather than the pressure on you. That means thinking outside the box in terms of additional work. Consider self-employment. PISCES – Feb 19/Mar 20 Pisces, most of the time you like making your contributions from the background. But lately you are ready to step into the spotlight. FAMOUS BIRTHDAYS OCTOBER 25 Mia Wasikowska, Actress (31) OCTOBER 26 CM Punk, Wrestler (42) OCTOBER 27 Lonzo Ball, Athlete (23) OCTOBER 28 Julia Roberts, Actress (53) OCTOBER 29 Tracee Ellis Ross, Actress (48) OCTOBER 30 Nia Long, Actress (50) OCTOBER 31 Peter Jackson, Director (59)
SOLUTIONS DOWN 1. TWA 2. Aare 3. Aden 4. Line 5. Racket 6. Aliened 7. Pergola 8. Abets 9. Rabi 10. MSEC 12. Sam 14. Anoa 19. Yare 23. Dad 24. Myopia 25. DAR 26. Ice 27. Sci 28. Pun 29. Assail 34. Alt 35. Sui 36. CRO 37. Hen 39. Gnostic 40. Afhans 41. Fra 42. Ammo 44. Orient 45. Haber 46. Obey 47. Arts 48. Hurl 51. Aar 52. Klan 53. Elba 54. Nabs 58. Hit
CROSSWORD ANSWERS
SOLUTIONS ACROSS 1. Taal 5. Rap 8. Arm 11. Wadis 13. Ale 14. Abas 15. Arena 16. Cir 17. Nebe 18. Enemy 20. Keg 21. Otic 22. Adenomas 25. Disparately 30. Accused 31. Dao 32. Reins 33. Pasch 38. Aga 41. Failure 43. Information 45. Hologram 47. Ahab 49. Shi 50. Oaken 55. Rube 56. Tae 57. Allah 59. Trey 60. Inn 61. Rabbi 62. SLR 63. CST 64. Nast
Enjoy our Take-out Fish & Chips Fridays! From our family to yours...stay safe
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The Voice, October 28, 2020
Page 19
FAITH LIFT
by Pastor Rob Weatherby
Halloween: Holy or unholy?
H
alloween has always been somewhat controversial. When we lived in Cornwall, Ontario, we enrolled our son into Senior Kindergarten at our local school. We were glad to see the school promote a “zero tolerance” policy for aggressive or violent behavior. When Halloween rolled around, I was a bit shocked to see images of fanged monsters dripping blood “decorating” the hallway. I politely pointed out the disconnect to the principal who really hadn’t noticed it before. So, what is Halloween at its core — holy, unholy, or something else?
event began to morph or change in the popular culture. “Hallowed Evening” got abbreviated to “Halloween,” which tended to obscure its original meaning. Today most children have no clue there is any religious or spiritual connection to the event. This is understandable because (to be honest) most of their parents have no clue either. Instead of honoring “dead saints,” there emerged a strange fascination (some would say “obsession”) with the realm of the dead. This opened the door to the creation of creepy goblins, blood-sucking vampires,
scary ghosts, Frankenstein monsters, and eerie graveyards. The other very unholy aspect of Halloween is that is it observed quite seriously by those who follow Wicca (witchcraft), spiritism and the occult. Thankfully, these folk are a small minority but there is clear evidence that seances, sacrifices and evil practices are observed on this night dedicated to the dead.
Something else
For most Canadian children, however, Halloween is simply a fun night when you get to dress up, ask your See FAITH LIFT Page 15
Holy
A little research shows that some of the roots of the event are, in fact, holy or spiritual. “All Saints Day” is a festival in the Catholic Church celebrated on November 1. As the name suggests, the numerous Catholic saints were remembered and honored on that day. Protestant believers understand the word “saints” to refer to all believers (see Romans 1:7 in the King James Version) but that’s a topic for another day. Most of the Catholic saints, of course, have been long dead. After all, that’s one requirement for being a saint —you’ve got to be dead. And so, the evening before this big festival became known as “Hallowed (old-fashioned word for “holy”) Evening.” Good Catholics would prepare themselves spiritually through prayer on the evening before the special festival day. So, you could argue that some of the origins of it all are holy.
Unholy
Over the centuries, the purpose of this religious
Here’s How It Works: Sudoku puzzles are formatted as a 9x9 grid, broken down into nine 3x3 boxes. To solve a sudoku, the numbers 1 through 9 must fill each row, column and box. Each number can appear only once in each row, column and box. You can figure out the order in which the numbers will appear by using the numeric clues already provided in the boxes. The more numbers you name, the easier it gets to solve the puzzle!
Word Search: Publishing
Find the words hidden vertically, horizontally, diagonally, and backwards. ADVANCE ANNOTATED AUTHOR BINDING BOARDS BROADSIDE
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ANSWERS ON PAGE 18
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The Voice, October 28, 2020
COLUMN SIX
continued from Page 1 Well, she thought, the women said that this way they didn’t have to work on Sunday, and could relax with their families. Good. They didn’t seem to mind that the men, who still had to do some chores, didn’t complain about the lean dinner, so she wouldn’t worry
Voice
about them either, especially since her husband, Harry, the preacher, didn’t like to preach on a full stomach. And, of course, as preacher’s wife, she wouldn’t dream of changing the women’s Godly habit. Her caring heart positively rejoiced at the thought of all the future Sundays in which the family would eat soup and bread for dinner. A fringe benefit was
RECIPE OF THE WEEK
Hearty Chili for Autumn Days When the weather starts to cool, soups and stews become staples of many people’s diets. With this recipe for “Four Bean Chili” from “Vegan Cooking for Beginners” (Publications International, Ltd.) by the PIL editors, home cooks can experiment with a meatless chili that doesn’t skimp on flavor even if it isn’t brimming with beef, pork or lamb.
that not only did all of her five daughters follow in her wonderful footsteps, they also became mean hands at creating soups. So that gourmet soup her second daughter was getting from the back porch was to be our big Sunday dinner, along with some fresh foccacia—the dough, of course, prepared the day before. The bright orange soup, a lovely, spicy, cream of squash soup, was in a tall Tupperware container—lots of soup, right to the top, to feed our seven children. Then it happened. Three feet from the counter, my hands slipped, the soup container fell straight down, whomping with a heavy thud, flat onto the floor. It didn’t even tip. A second later, laughing hysterically, blinking soupy eyes, I urgently called my husband, John, to the kitch-
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en. Hearing him approach, I said, “Come around and see the front of me. I’m covered, from my hair to my slippers. It’s crazy!” He didn’t come in. Instead, from the doorway, he said, “Honey, you have to look up. Marjorie, look up. Just look up.” Smearing a sight-hole in my squashy glasses, I did. I was stunned. The room was an explosive riot of orange. Reacting quite a bit more than “equally and opposite” to its fall, the soup had gone wild. Three lovely orange soup sprays decorated the ceiling; orange muck was splattered across the whole kitchen floor. Orange blobs were splashed onto every cupboard door and dribbled down every window and wall, on all four sides, the top and the bottom, of the kitchen. John was good about it.
No recriminations. No point in crying over spilt squash soup. He told the family to stay out of the kitchen, took off his shoes and socks and got to work with me. Our four bare feet slipped and slid in the squishy orange liquid as we cleaned the mess. We had to laugh: we had invented a new spa treatment—Squash Bath. Or perhaps a new sport— cross-kitchen skiing. The next Sunday, after church, I started the snazzy coffee maker Lia and Trent gave me. While the coffee glugged and dribbled, I went to get the soup from the cold back porch, but met John coming into the kitchen, sporting a sheepish face. Little did I know—he was going to pay me back for last week’s “Soup Sploosh!” He was holding, not wearing, his white shirt and new sports coat. (Well, new
proudlY serving the niagara region since 2005
Four Bean Chili
Makes 8 to 10 servings
Your trusted, reliable
2 1 2 1 3 2 2 3 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
source for qualitY roof
tablespoons olive oil onion, finely chopped medium carrots, chopped red bell pepper, chopped cloves garlic, minced tablespoons tomato paste tablespoons packed dark brown sugar tablespoons chili powder tablespoons ground cumin tablespoon dried oregano teaspoon salt can (28 ounces) diced tomatoes can (15 ounces) tomato sauce can (15 ounces) small white beans, rinsed and drained can (15 ounces) light kidney beans, rinsed and drained can (15 ounces) dark kidney beans, rinsed and drained can (15 ounces) pinto beans, rinsed and drained cup vegetable broth can (4 ounces) diced mild green chiles ounce unsweetened baking chocolate, chopped tablespoon cider vinegar.
Heat oil in large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onions, carrots and bell pepper; cook and stir 10 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Add garlic, tomato paste, brown sugar, chili powder, cumin, oregano and salt; cook and stir 1 minute. Stir in tomatoes, tomato sauce, beans, broth, chiles, and chocolate; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium; simmer 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in vinegar.
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www.seniorsonthemoveniagara.com seniorsonthemoveniagara@gmail.com
replacement & repair at affordable prices.
call todaY! • Free Estimates • Licensed & Insured • Guaranteed Workmanship • Lifetime Guarantee
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We’re also f your Flat Roo Specialists! Call us for all your roofing needs today!
(905) 931-3121
on Materials
Locally Owned/Operated By Adam Townsend
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from the Thrift Shop, but it took 18 years to get him to get it—a classy, blue, wool herringbone.) “I’ve got a bit of a problem,” he said. “My ball point pen leaked.” It had much more than leaked. It had flooded, making a huge oily, wet mess inside the suit, all over his shirt front, with just a little spotting the outside of his jacket. Throwing away the shirt as hopeless, I tackled the jacket. I wasn’t going to wait another 18 years for him to get another “new” jacket! The powerful, penetrating, stubborn, staining ink took me longer to blot out than it did to wipe up the soup the week before. Had to do it right away while the ink was still wet. Used a can and a half of hair spray (the kind in pressurized cans) and two large rolls of super-absorbent paper towels. The jacket looks great, at least from the outside. The inside isn’t too bad, but is a little worse for wear, the second wear, that is. That’s nothing new in John’s closet. He says we are even now. I’m not sure. He still wears the jacket, donkey’s years later, and didn’t buy a replacement. ◆
RENOVATE YOUR HOME Whether it’s new windows and doors or siding, soffit, fascia and eavestrough; it’s a great time to buy. North Star energy-efficient windows are built in Canada and will save you money year round. North Star windows help keep your home cooler in summer and warmer in winter. Call or visit our showroom today for a FREE ESTIMATE on your home! FINANCING AVALABLE (OAC)
WITH LOUWES
Open Monday thru Friday from 8:00 am - 5:00 pm for curbside pick up. Our showroom is available by appointment only. Email all other inquiries, orders & quote requests to: info@louwes.ca
905.562.5831
3435 King Street Vineland WINDOWS & SIDING SINce 1966 • WWW.lOuWeS.ca