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Wednesday, October 4, 2017
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Public meeting held on East Fenwick planning Residents push back against development that "can't be stopped" BY SAMUEL PICCOLO
The VOICE
Less than three weeks after a contentious public meeting regarding plans for the Pelham Arena site, Town planning staff held another consultation last Saturday, this time to discuss the East Fenwick development. About 70 Fenwick residents filled the local fire hall on a golden Saturday afternoon, perusing the posters of information before the event began. Many in attendance were skeptical of the affair in advance. “They’ve already decided everything,” said one woman. Three others, residents of Welland Road directly across from part of the planned East Fenwick site, which is between Welland and Canboro Road at Balfour Street, announced themselves committed to more drastic measures. “There is a grove of maple trees right across from our homes,” said Irene Birrel. “And we’ll chain ourselves to them if we have to.” Jeff and Sue Pietz, Birrel’s neighbours, nodded in agreement. “Those trees are probably 150 years old,” said Jeff. Pelham’s Director of Planning and Development Barb Wiens stood at the front of the room and explained the East Fenwick process. This particular area of Fenwick has been within an “urban” classification for at least 25 years, she asserted, and now that development of the land is imminent, the Town is drafting a secondary plan to guide construction. Wiens then introduced Ute Maya-Giambattista, a partner at SGL Planning & Design, the firm that the Town contracted to develop this secondary plan. Maya-Giambattista explained that provincial regulations mandate that any new development within an “urban” boundary must be built at a density of 20 units per hectare. This density, which averages out to just under seven units an acre, is starkly divergent from the one-acre lots See FENWICK Page 14
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Column Six Aiming for Bopple Hill BY JOHN SWART
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L
Interested residents listen to a presentation on plans for East Fenwick, some more happily than others. SAMUEL PICCOLO PHOTO
Conservation Authority fires eight Move sees already embattled organization blasted anew BY VOICE STAFF Just days after Ontario’s Auditor General decline to audit the organization, the Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority terminated eight employees, seven of whom were employed in the Watershed Management Department. While the Authority’s CAO Mark Brickell maintained the prox-
imity of the firings to the Auditor General’s announcement was pure coincidence, the move has intensified already prevalent criticism of the NPCA. “This is an assault on workers, on the NPCA’s conservation mandate, and on the environment of the Niagara Region,” said Ontario Public Service Employees Union president Warren Thomas. Thomas, who goes by “Smokey,” expressed concern that the NPCA would have difficulty “fulfilling its mission of conserving, restoring, and managing the Niagara watershed” when half of the depart-
ment had just been eliminated. The termination of the eighth employee, an event co-ordinator, comes less than two weeks before the Ball’s Falls Thanksgiving Festival, one of the NPCA’s biggest events. “This group at the NPCA is out of control,” Thomas said. Brickell refused to even acknowledge that specific firings had occurred, instead stating repeatedly that the NPCA “had taken steps to bring about necessary changes.” Brickell said that the NPCA will be making announcements
ET ME TELL YOU about the Highlander Cycle Tour. The promotional blurb on the website begins: "You’ve survived California’s Deathride and the World’s Toughest Century. You’ve had a Triple Bypass in Colorado and Whimpered your way through North Carolina’s Mountains of Misery, but can you complete the King of the East, the retooled Highlander Cycle Tour?" It then goes on to state that if you manage to finish the Highlander, you can enter the next day's MVP Healthcare Rochester Marathon for free. Wonderful. Calling this masochistic bike ride a “tour” is like calling a canoe trip over Niagara Falls doing some whitewater. The Highlander is just over a "century" in length (160 kilometers/100 miles), and it climbs 3350 vertical metres, more than two miles, over 20 hills with gradients up to 23 percent as it winds through New York's Finger Lakes wine and ski country. That’s the equivalent of cycling up the Olympic Downhill Ski Run at Lake Placid twice, or pedaling up Fonthill's Saylor's Hill sixty-five times. I had yet to ride a century
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The Voice of Pelham, October 4, 2017
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IN THE NEWS
PUBLISHER’S CORNER by Dave Burket
What a turkey: As incredible as it may seem, Thanksgiving is again but days away. Maybe the late blast of heat lulled us into imagining that summer still had a ways to go, but it is well and truly October. If you’re not cooking at home there’s certainly no shortage of eateries vying for your custom, and most are offering specials. See their ads in these pages for the delicious details: The Grill on Canboro, The Lazy Loon, The Pelham Street Grille—presented, since someone is sure to ask, strictly in alphabetical order!… If you can’t stand the heat: And if you are cooking, there’s still time to score a $10 gift card for buying $50 in groceries at Sobeys (coupon on page 12 required!), plus meal-ending pies and cakes at Indulgence Bakery (also page 12)… Thankfully he doesn’t wear the raincoat: Speaking of Sobeys, Strange DeGym, the Fonthill Fitness-based jokester, describes being “Kored” by Fonthill Sobeys owner and current Kinsmen Citizen of the Year Ron Kore. “Remember Colombo?” DeGym asks, “The way he would always stop at the door as he’s leaving, then turn around and come back, and say, ‘Oh, just one more thing...’ Well, that’s getting Kored. You think a conversation is over, and he’s walking away—but no! Here he comes again!” DeGym stresses that he’s a happy victim of Koring and wouldn’t have it any other way… Have a corn dog: Overheard at the Wainfleet Fall Fair a couple of weekends back: “Since I’ve started working in politics, I’ve realized that politicians only ever answer the questions they want to”… Maybe yes, maybe no: As we go to press on Monday night, Pelham Town Council is set to debate whether to commission an audit of its East Fonthill financial transactions, and, if so, whether it will be a serious effort or just an exercise in public relations. In hopes of promoting the former, we’ve included a list of questions on page 5 that Council should responsibly answer, and have provided them to each councillor and the Mayor prior to their meeting. See this space next week—and our website at www.thevoiceofpelham.ca in the meantime—for the results of their deliberations… More on that telephone poll: After requesting corroboration last week of the results of a political telephone poll conducted among Pelham residents several weeks ago, what should arrive but a classically plain manila envelope with another copy of said results. No return address. The postmark’s postal code? Queen’s Park. Unfortunately, duplication is not corroboration. For that we continue to wait… Not giving up: Those opposed to the Lakewood Beach project in Wainfleet are soliciting donations to help fund their OMB appeal. I’d give you their Facebook group number, but it is approximately the length of Pi resolved to a very precise measurement indeed. Just search for “Save Wainfleet” on Facebook… Settle in with coffee, or Irish Coffee: Once again our Sam Piccolo presents us with outstanding reading this week. Enjoy.
Voice on vacation!
Burton wins “Best Folk Artist”
Ridgeville’s Spencer Burton won “Best Folk Artist” for his fourth solo record, “Songs Of,” at last week’s 10th annual Niagara Music Awards. It was Burton’s first year being nominated at the event, which has grown continuously in its decade from church halls to this year’s Greg Frewin Theatre, in Niagara Falls. Frewin, a Vegas-style magician, opened the evening with an unadvertised performance.
Spencer Burton seems stunned by the enormity of his award. SUPPLIED PHOTO “There was a buzz around,” said Burton. “No one knew if he was going to come on or not. And then the lights started up, and he was out making things disappear. It was amazing.” The night got even better for Burton, and he was pleasantly surprised to hear his name announced later on.
Police officer arrested
“I wasn’t expecting it, but it was an honour to be recognized and great to see how musical Niagara is.” Burton finished up his summer schedule with a ten-day tour of the Maritimes earlier in September, and performed his first show of autumn last Monday night in Toronto. He’ll likely do a number of one-off gigs in the coming months, but will now spend more time in Friday’s Child, the vintage store in Fenwick that he co-owns, writing songs in his new moleskin notebook and trying to keep warm.
As a result of a criminal investigation, police say that last Friday, at approximately 4:45pm, Niagara Regional Police Constable Matthew Belzil was arrested. Belzil will be charged with the alleged offences of: 3 counts of Assault 2 counts of Utter Threats 2 counts of Mischief 1 count of Sexual Assault The incident occurred while the officer was off duty. Constable Belzil has been a police officer with the NRPS for 11 years, and is presently assigned to uniform patrol. In accordance with the Police Services Act of Ontario, Constable Belzil has been suspended with pay pending further investigation. Police say that as the matter is now before the courts, no further comment or details will be provided.
Double helping of break, enter and theft
Paramedics receive medals
Five of Niagara’s para medics were recognized last week with the Emergency Services Exemplary Service Medal at the Ontario Association of Paramedic conference gala in Ottawa. Lieutenant-General Richard Rohmer, on behalf of the Governor General, presented awards to Niagara EMS paramedics Mary Homorodean, Jeff Marshall, Jon Brunarski, Lindsay Prioriello, and Daniel Kress. The Emergency Medical Services Exemplary Service Medal was created in 1994.
Police say that two unoccupied new homes under construction on Lametti Drive were entered between September 18 and 19. Thieves stole a quantity of copper plumbing and electrical wire.
Break and enter with intent
Sometime on September 21 persons broke into a house on Sawmill Road near Effingham Street while residents were not at home. The home was ransacked but nothing found missing.
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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. Jesse J. FERRARA, 23, St. Catharines Ryan R. ADAMS, 36, St. Catharines Brian P. ROONEY, 35, Niagara-on-the-Lake Stacy A. CARVER, 40, Howey-in-the-Hills Florida William G. WALKER, 69, Fort Erie Angelo S. BALISTRIERI, 38, Tonawanda, NY 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.
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Column Six
Growing up British
Vol.20 No.32
Wednesday October 12, 2016
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Apple Day comes to Fonthill
BY JULIE MANNELL
Special to the VOICE
W
BALLOONING INTEREST Grade 6 student Jinja Shepherd explains her experiment on static electricity at the Glynn A. Green Public School's annual science fair last Friday. See story, page 3. NATE SMELLE PHOTO
Public meeting tonight on school issues BY VOICE STAFF As questions continue to mount regarding an email that Pelham Mayor Dave Augustyn quietly sent to a District School Board of Niagara trustee last summer, Augustyn has agreed to address the issue at a public meeting scheduled for this evening, Wednesday, Feb. 8, in Fenwick. Nancy Beamer, speaking for “Names Matter,” a Pelham citizens group lobbying the DSBN to reverse its decision to rename a local public school, confirms that the meeting will be held at Fire Station #2, known locally as the Fenwick Fire Hall, starting at 7:00 PM. While the Mayor has agreed to ap-
Under pressure, Mayor to address email revelation, other E. W. Farr matters pear, says Beamer, DSBN officials associated with the school-naming process have either declined to attend or have not yet responded to the group’s invitation. DSBN Chair, Dale Robinson, to whom Augustyn’s email was addressed last June, has declined to appear, says Beamer, asserting that she would be
“on holidays.” The Voice was unable to independently confirm Robinsion’s intentions. She did not respond to repeated requests for comment on E.W. Farr-related matters before presstime. Beamer, whose group maintains an email list of some 580 residents, says that all members of the public are invited and encouraged to attend the meeting. “We would especially welcome parents and children who are unhappy with the name change,” she says, referring to the contentious decision by the DSBN to consolidate two Pelham See MEETING back page
HEN I WAS young, my father and I would go for long drives along the rural routes of Pelham. We’d blast George Thurgood and roll down the windows because we loved the smell of the breeze, the sensation of crisp Niagara wind beating our cheeks and tangling our hair against our summer-kissed skin. My father was not a sentimental man. He worked in factories and had a Gordon Lightfoot mustache and never shed tears over injuries. Yet something about the Pelham landscape, the hilly backdrop to his childhood and the childhoods of our ancestors, drew him in. He’d stop by a farm or a gathering of woods and, surrendering his manly veneer, tell me a story about the town. This place is precious. This is the earth that granted us life. Here is the place where we happened upon love or here is a site of devastation. On one particular drive sometime in the late ‘90s we stopped at a tree with a plaque. “This tree looks dead,” I said to my father. “It sure is getting there, Julie.” The Comfort Maple is supposedly Canada’s oldest See COLUMN SIX Page 14
Part 2 of 2: Coronation to embarkation
BY VOICE STAFF
A construction error was discovered following the opening of a traffic calming chicane on Haist Street north of Hwy 20 last Monday that prevented large vehicles from passing through. One resident living in the neighbourhood said he contacted the Town after seeing a small schoolbus get stuck as it tried to get through the new traffic calming measure. Later that day while driving behind a cement truck, he said that he became concerned for the public’s safety when the truck had to turn around because it couldn’t get through. “If a small school bus and a cement truck can’t make it through what about a fire
BY HEATHER McLAREN ROHRER
Special to the VOICE
A
Repair measures underway last week to correct a construction error in the chicane. truck or an ambulance?” he said. While waiting for the contractor to return to fix
the mistake, the Town has taken measures to temporarily allow passage for vehicles through the neigh-
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bourhood in the short-term. Manager of Public Works Ryan Cook said that after discovering the issue with
the chicane the morning it first opened, the Town See CHICANE Page 5
Petition-inspired changes coming to 2017 Summerfest BY NATE SMELLE
The VOICE
Representatives from the Pelham Summerfest committee Candy Ashbee and Bill Gibson presented council with a final report on the 2016 Summerfest at the Council meeting on Monday, Nov. 21. Prompted by a story in the Voice in August about a merchant petition to move Summerfest from Pelham Street, in September Town staff met with various stakeholders to hear their complaints, promising at the time that changes in the way Summerfest was mounted would be con-
sidered. The main concerns identified during the community engagement process were security, parking, ensuring customer can access all businesses in town, and liability for damages. How to get all Pelham Street businesses to participate and finding ways to make it beneficial for them to set up a booth were also determined to be of high priority for the committee as they plan for next year’s event. Gibson told Council that the committee is addressing these concerns in a variety of ways. To improve parking, they intend to create bet-
ter signage for out-of-town visitors to designated parking areas and shuttle services. To make participation in Summerfest more enticing to local businesses, they plan to implement a tiered-charge for booths. Under the new system, Pelham Street business owners will be charged the least, other local businesses will pay a slightly higher fee, and vendors from outside Pelham will pay the most. In response to more specific issues for individual businesses, they will also slightly alter the footprint of the event and make adjustments to security. Another way the committee plans
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to improve the 2017 Summerfest is by sponsoring and working with the organizers of the Thursday Night Bandshell Concert series to select the artist performing on the first night of Summefest. They also intend to make more use of the smartphone app they launched in 2016. "We are really going to push it this year," Ashbee said. “It really helps to get people to see what events there are so they can plan out where they are going. We will be able to actually help the merchants and local businesses adSee CHANGES Page 5
FTER LUNCH ON Saturday, Mum and Dad had my afternoon cut out for me. Mum had more brass than anyone I knew, and it had to be cleaned. In addition there was the set of silver fish-knives and forks which were never used, but which had to be cleaned and put back in their velvetlined box. Next was a walk to the newsagents to pay for the daily delivery of the Daily Mirror. As I said, Dad was a printer, but when he was 37 he had been rejected for a job, as being too old, by the printers of the Beano. For that reason, my favourite comic was not allowed in the house, but while I was paying the papers, the newsagent let me have a 'shoofty' at the Beano. I'd explained my predicament and he understood completely. Sundays were different again. Dad would play golf on summer mornings and billiards in winter. Then he'd stop for a 'refresher' at the local and would pick up the prawns, cockles, winkles or whelks we'd be having for tea later. Meanwhile, Mum was roasting the 'joint' and potatoes. I got to make the Yorkshire pud, and mint
See COLUMN SIX Page 14
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While shopping in Fonthill between Friday and Sunday, keep an eye out for Beavers, Cubs and Scouts in front of local stores with bushels of apples. As part of the annual Apple Day campaign, Scouting youth of all ages will be trading apples for donations. The yearly fundraising drive is an important way for young Scouts to connect with the communities they are serving, says Leah Marie of Scouts Canada. “The Apple Day campaign holds a great tradition of being able to have youth interacting within the communities they live in,” she says. “All of the Apple Day donations stay directly within the group that re-
The goal is to have these youth develop into confident and well-rounded individuals
ceives them, enabling youth to have experiences that build character, challenge them, and allow them to try new things. The goal is to have these youth develop into confident and wellrounded individuals, better prepared for success. Apple Day helps to achieve that.”
“Any money raised during Apple Day goes towards improving the Scouting program by providing more outdoor adventures for youth, camping equipment, canoes and paddles, training and many other endeavours that the youth want to experience,” says Marie. Scouts Canada has some 100,000 members across Canada, and carries out programs for boys, girls
Joining their principal, Karen Simpson, at the Sept. 19 Council meeting as part of a delegation from EL Crossley Secondary School, students Abby Loewen and Neenah Williams presented Council with a list of reasons that they should immediately approve the construction of the new sidewalk proposed along Hwy. 20. The asphalt side-
walk/trail is slated to be built between the south side of the road from Timmsdale Crescent to the high school. Because of the large volume of motor vehicle traffic travelling at high speeds through this area, and because of the necessity for students to tread this path on a daily basis, many residents would like to see the sidewalk go in sooner than later. After delivering to Council a petition containing
Many residents would like to see the sidewalk go in sooner than later the names of 450 students calling for a safer walk to school, Simpson handed the
podium over to Loewen and Williams to plead their case. Loewen told Council that because there are a lot of students who have work placements and coop placements during the school year, this is the only route for many of them to travel. As one of the students facing this predicament, Williams said she has had no other option but to walk along the dangerous highway.
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and youth ages 5-25. This year the 3rd Fonthill Group, which includes Beavers to Ventures (youth ages 5- 25) will be hitting the streets to drum-up support. Over the weekend, Scouts will be set up in Fonthill outside Sobeys, Tim Hortons, Target Gas station, Fonthill Shopping Plaza and the Pioneer Gas station at the corner of Hwys 20 and 24.
Town Council approves sidewalk to serve E. L. Crossley BY NATE SMELLE
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Second year Beaver with the 3rd Fonthill Group, Russell Letford offers a fresh apple to shoppers in Pelham during the 2015 Apple Day campaign. SUPPLIED PHOTO A longtime Canadian tradition, Apple Day began in 1932 in Saint John, New Brunswick, when Scouts handed out 21,000 apples as a way to say thank you to the community. In return for their generosity, many people offered them donations. From then on Scouts have reached out through Apple Day to raise funds for their programs.
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Column Six It doesn’t get better than Autumn
Longtime Scouting tradition dates to 1932
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Column Six
BY VOICE STAFF The District School Board of Niagara is requesting that the Town of Pelham cede a portion of Cherry Ridge Park for use as a soccer field to serve the students of the new Wellington Heights Public School, formerly the E. W. Farr Memorial Public School, in Fenwick. Currently under renovation and expansion, the new school will combine students and staff from the previous school and Pelham Centre, where classes are being held while construction continues. Two letters, containing virtually identical text but signed by different authorities, were sent last week to nearby residents of the park, as well as to parents of Pelham Centre students. “The DSBN is currently building onto Wellington Heights Public School on Alsop Drive,” states the letter. “The size of the school's addition means the existing small soccer field will be eliminated. The Town and the Board have been discussing the possibility of working together to create a field for both the school and the
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“I start work at 2:30 PM and school lets out at 2:15 PM so I can’t take any other route,” Williams explained. “I have had friends, family, teachers and other community members reach out to me in the past about how this is unsafe and how there should be another alternative for us.” Looking ahead to winter, when she will need to walk this path three or four times See SIDEWALK Page 2
HERE IS NO BETTER time to cycle than Fall. It matters not whether you’re new to the sport, a seasoned recreational cyclist, racer, touring rider or mountain biker; we all have reason to look forward to autumn. Summer’s heat has faded, and the streams of sweat that ran from soggy helmets into our eyes are now just slight perspiration. Fitness is peaking from lots of saddle time, making those tough climbs of Spring a breeze in Autumn. It’s hard to beat the feeling of beginning a crisp, cool Fall ride with a slight shiver, knowing your efforts will soon warm you perfectly. The hues of Autumn are outstanding. A Pelham route as simple as following our southern boundary is one that would make most Toronto cyclists jealous, especially when our forests and fields are ablaze with colour. Begin from Harold Black Park, and zig-zag south along Effingham Rd toward the Welland River. If you’re new to cycling, it’s important to know south is the direction away from any hills. If you avoid the morning and evening weekday rush hours caused by those travelling through Pelham between Wainfleet See AUTUMN Page 3
Indulgence Bakery Mossimo’s Pelham Street Grille Sobeys Fonthill DeVries Fruit Farm Beamer’s Hardware & TV Fonthill Library Black Pearl Fish & Chips Bob’s Boys Antiques Moku’s Fonthill Fitness Fenwick Pie Company McDonald’s Fonthill Legion Semenuk’s Gas Bar Target Store Tim Horton’s Giant Tiger Pelham Town Hall Shoppers Drug Mart Zee Lube Express Care Lazy Loon Minor Bros Stores Avondale Stores A-1 Market Sobeys South Pelham Broken Gavel Restaurant Grill on Canboro Petro Canada Mtvl. Hwy. Renewed Thrift & Vintage Ridge Berry Farm Circle-K
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The Voice of Pelham, October 4, 2017
Page 3
Special Olympics fundraising dinner packs Pen Lakes BY VOICE STAFF The entire restaurant—and most of the patio—at Peninsula Lakes Golf Club was filled last Wednesday evening with attendees at a fundraising dinner for the Welland/Pelham Special Olympics Community. This year’s event was dramatically larger than the inaugural dinner in 2016, when less than one dining room was filled. “We’re going to have to add on to the golf course next year,” joked Craig Gawley, a Sobeys official responsible for Niagara. Sobeys was the chief sponsor of the dinner, providing the pasta (the meatballs and sauce were donated by CC’s Dugout Italian Eatery) in addition to the 14 different stores which bought tables of eight. Ron Kore, owner of Pelham Sobeys and this year’s Kinsmen Citizen of the Year, bustled around all evening, greeting people, introducing them to others, and encouraging bidding on the silent auction. There were dozens of items open to auction, many of them food baskets and other arrangements that looked re-
markably like things to be found on Sobeys’ shelves. (There was also a painting of the Confederate General Stonewall Jackson on offer—which likely did not come from Sobeys’ stock—though by halfway through the evening there was not a single bid on it.) The patio, on which many of the items on offer were sitting, looked out on to the course below. More than a few were distracted from bidding by a sunset that screamed across the sky. As bowls of salad were distributed to the tables, a few speakers took the microphone. The crowd’s clear favourite was Tammy Beddall, a woman with Down Syndrome who announced that she had just turned the “Big Five-Oh” and had been a special athlete for 35 years. Special Olympics Ontario has nearly 18,000 members, aged eight to 80, and the Welland/ Pelham chapter has 273 athletes playing ten different sports. “I can’t name them all I’m sorry,” Beddall said when expressing her appreciation, the top of her head just reaching the edge of the podium, “But I would like to thank Ron—and myself—for
Attendees peruse the silent auction items on offer as twilight descends.
helping to set up.” The room laughed and ap-
It’s Turkey Time at the Grille!
plauded, and Beddall returned beaming to her seat, having done
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Page 4
The Voice of Pelham, October 4, 2017
www.thevoiceofpelham.ca
OPINION
The opinions expressed in submitted commentary and letters to the editor are those of the contributors and not necessarily those of the Voice of Pelham.
The Voice of Pelham is a 1211858 Ontario Limited publication David Burket, Publisher 2-1428 Pelham St., P.O. Box 1489, Fonthill, ON L0S1E0
As We See It No matter who pays for it, do the audit right
I
N R E C OM M E N DI NG that Council initiate a third-party audit of the Town’s purchase of 3.3 acres in East Fonthill, but rejecting developer Rainer Hummel’s offer to pay for it, Mayor David Augustyn is appealing to a powerful democratic ideal. “It is ethically inappropriate,” he writes, “to accept the $50,000 because it sets an unacceptable precedent of granting wealth great influence and privilege in municipal decision-making.” Augustyn’s point is seductive because he seems to be saying, “We won’t let wealthy individuals unduly influence political actions,” a position with which everyone who believes in “one person, one vote” surely agrees. But there is show-stopping hypocrisy in the Mayor’s argument. For some months now the Town has actively solicited money from wealthy individuals—$3 million dollars worth of it, to be precise. In return, these wealthy individuals (and corporations) have been offered naming rights to parts of the new Community Centre. A sit-
ting member of Pelham Town Council personally contributed $300,000, and will see a banquet room named after him and his wife. This same Councillor
For some months now the Town has actively solicited money from wealthy individuals
and his wife have recently added to their real estate holdings in Pelham, and the Councillor has told the Voice that he is considering seeking a variance to build a residential complex on one such lot. The Councillor says that he will, of course, declare a conflict of interest and leave Council chambers during debate on the matter. But is it credible that his status, and his $300,000 payment to the Town, may not in some measure grant him
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The Voice
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www.thevoiceofpelham.ca PUBLISHER & EDITOR Dave Burket publisher@thevoiceofpelham.ca NEWS WRITER Samuel Piccolo ADMINISTRATION Lori Gretsinger office@thevoiceofpelham.ca CONTRIBUTORS John Swart, Larry Coté, Nick Saltarelli, Carolyn Botari, Kirk Weaver
“influence and privilege in municipal decision-making”? Other major donors to the Community Centre, such as a large local insurance agency, and a multimillion-dollar technology company on Highway 20, might one day need their own variances—or seek to solicit Town business in the future. Democracy says that their cash gifts won’t matter. Reality wonders otherwise. The only real difference between accepting cash for the Community Centre and accepting cash for an audit is a matter of perception: Funding the Centre is good; examining the books is bad. Ironically, in recommending that an audit take place, Augustyn has already allowed Hummel to influence Town decision-making. The Mayor asserts that Town staff do not fear an audit, yet considering all the foot-dragging to date, it is abundantly clear that the Town would not now be seeking an audit if left to its own devices. On the red herring of See AS WE SEE IT back page
Letters Why take out saplings along 12 Mile Creek? Sulphur Springs Road is arguably the prettiest one-lane road you’ll have the good fortune to walk in the entire Niagara region. This is largely due to the clearest, coldest babbling creek, affectionately known as the 12 Mile, that flows along the side of the road. Sadly, two major rainfalls have caused havoc for property owners as well as those folks who used to take Sunday afternoon drives along Sulphur Springs. Erosion is the dirty seven-letter word down here in the valley. Here’s my beef, and I’m not alone with this. Why were over 100 trees and shrubs cut down a few weeks back, along the banks of
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Dean Allison, MP 4994 King Street Beamsville, ON L0R 1B0 Dean.Allison@parl.gc.ca 877-563-7900
Mayor of Pelham David Augustyn mayordave@pelham.ca 905-892-2607 Ext 317 Members of Pelham Town Council
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Members of Niagara Regional Council Councillor David Augustyn mayordave@pelham.ca 905-892-2607 Ext 317 Councillor Brian Baty brian.baty@niagararegion.ca 905-892-5317 Town of Pelham 20 Pelham Town Square P.O. Box 400 Fonthill, ON L0S 1E0 905-892-2607
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the 12 Mile? The west end of Sulphur Springs took a beating and the other area, just east of the road closure, lost a few dozen too. The saplings were from one to three inches in diameter, and were hacked off by a side-cutter attached to a tractor. This company was hired by the Town of Pelham to cut off vegetation, not trees. These trees are now dead, and their important role of securing the banks is extinguished. Please, Town Hall, be informed of the importance of preserving our trees along waterways throughout our beloved Pelham. Lynncy Powell Pelham
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The Voice of Pelham, October 4, 2017
Page 5
OPINION Letters
TOWN OF PELHAM FORENSIC AUDIT: What must be asked
continued
Wonders about a snow job As reported in last week's Voice, the Public Works department has projected a substantial budget shortfall for winter roads maintenance for the rest of 2017, [Cycling, snow removal, no discussion of audit, Sep. 27, p. 7] and its Director, Andrea Clemencio "attributed this shortfall to heavy snowfalls in March, and the addition of material and labour demands not included in funding projections." This is surprising since the requirements for snow
removal for the rest of last winter were minimal (probably the lowest for many years), and would have offset the requirements for last March. It would be interesting to see any data from the Director to substantiate her statement. As for, "the addition of material and labour demands not included in funding projections,” what gobbledygook. Were these demands a result of unforeseen circumstances ? Were they missed
or overlooked when preparing the budget? Some clarification of this statement would be appropriate. Snow removal should be considered an essential service and be funded accordingly. It should certainly take priority over the funding of such Fonthill Follies as The Chicane on Haist and The Glynn A. Green Bollards on Pelham. Graeme Lamb Fonthill
It's not the NPCA, it's the rest of it I don’t subscribe to the Postmedia dailies, however someone sent me an article this morning that made my eyes pop. One paper quoted Mayor Augustyn: “‘Some days I feel like people are picking on me,’ Augustyn said. ‘Maybe they’re doing that because I’ve been vocal on some issues, including the NPCA (Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority). I guess that’s my nature.’” Mr. Mayor, the more silly statements like this that you write the more residents become infuriated. The statement above again shows that you are not listening to residents. I’ll use your words, “I guess its my nature.” Residents are, as you claim, “picking” on you because— I have to be blunt— they do not trust you. They
2018 will surely be an election year of change
feel you have manipulated and lied to them over everything to do with the East Fonthill development. They do not approve of you placing the Town in the land development business. They do not approve of you selling Town assets like the Haist Street arena and parklands. They do not approve of you being within 100 miles of the audit that residents and taxpayers want to pay for. They have not given you any
mandate to use our tax dollars to defend yourself or to fund an audit that you created the need for. 2018 surely will be an election year of change to elect a Mayor, Council and to replace senior staff with a more open leadership team that works for the residents, and which will be (by our definition) more accountable, open and transparent. See PICKING Page 19
The Voice reached out to various expert sources for their input on what would properly constitute a thorough examination of the Town of Pelham's controversial land transactions in East Fonthill, as well as an examination of previous financial statements it has made in support of obtaining provincial approval for debentures obtained to fund its venture. We urge Council to incorporate the following into any audit it commissions. Scope The audit should examine the land for municipal credits deal from inception to buy-back of credits by the Town, including and specifically the journal entries to account for the land. There needs to be produced and examined a complete timeline of transactions and events. Questions that need to be answered Did the Town use the "excess parkland dedication by-law" appropriately? Why was it necessary to change the by-law prior to executing the agreement? What changed? Did the Allen Group (Fonthill Gardens) own the property at the time the agreement was executed? When did the Allen Group assume title of the property referenced in agreement? Who completed the appraisal? Who retained the appraiser? Who arranged for the peer review? Did the Town obtain a separate appraisal of its own? When did the Town assume title to the land? Is the appraised land actually being used as a park?
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Is the agreement a front-end agreement or not? How much of the "municipal credits" were used by the Allen Group and those to whom the Allen Group sold them? For what purposes? By whom? A full accounting is required for each credit and where it was applied. If credits were used to offset development charges, the Town is required to put an equivalent amount in their development charges reserves—did this occur? Where did the cash come from to purchase the outstanding "municipal credits" once the Town decided to end the scheme? Was the Town of Pelham borrowing from its Development Charge Funds and/or restricted reserves at the end of 2015? Did it declare this borrowing on its Financial Information Report (FIR) submitted to the province, a document essential to determining a municipality’s Annual Repayment Limit? How much interest is the Town charging itself for borrowing against its own reserves? In the addendum that the Town provided to its initial 330-page response to the Region’s Audit Committee, the Mayor said that the Municipal Credits liability was changed to an asset and the amount was now an Accounts Receivable. Who is it receivable from? When? Did the Town of Pelham violate the provincial Development Charges Act by creating a front-end agreement without following the process prescribed under Section 44, or any other section of the Act? Did the Town of Pelham misstate their
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Page 6
The Voice of Pelham, October 4, 2017
www.thevoiceofpelham.ca
Wild about horses Mike Tucker looks back—and ahead BY SAMUEL PICCOLO
I
The VOICE
N MOR E T H A N 40 Y E A R S of working with horses, Mike Tucker has only once been truly afraid. One day in 1985, acquired a horse that had been giving the previous owners trouble. It could be perfectly calm, and then, without warning, throw a fit. Tucker seeks to establish relationships with every new horse he encounters, and this one was no different. He had gotten to know it well, and began riding it without trouble around the paddock at his 11-acre North Pelham farm. And then, suddenly, the horse flipped out. As Tucker stepped down from the saddle, it charged, chasing him to the fence, stomping on his leg as he scrambled to get away, breaking his fibula. Had he not made it through the fence, the horse would likely have killed him. Tucker was troubled. “I just couldn’t figure out what was going on,” he said. “So I went to someone who knew the horse’s history, and he told me, ‘that horse had his tongue cut.’” Sure enough, when Tucker looked in its mouth, the horse had a great scar running across its tongue, leaving exposed nerve endings. Tucker realized that the horse’s problem had been the bit— the rod of metal put in a horse’s mouth to allow a rider to steer. In most cases, the pulling of the bit causes only minor discomfort, but with this horse it was causing extreme pain and likely flashbacks to the cutting. “Once I knew what the problem was, he never wore a bit again. And he never got upset again, either.” Tucker will never try to break the spirit of a horse, or try to bully it into obedience. He approaches training a horse more like navigating a marriage than driving a car, spending time learning a horse’s past, what it likes and doesn’t like, and to what sort of pressure it will respond. The living room of his home is a shrine to all things equine. There are horse-coasters which sit inside horse-boxes which sit atop picture books of horses that sit on the coffee table. There are penand-ink horse sketches framed on the wall, and coloured paintings of horses too. There are little horse statues and plates with horse illustrations, and horse trophies, some of which were won by Tucker, and others, like one of Secretariat, that commemorate the achievements of famous horses. A cowboy hat and lasso hang on the wall, and nearby there is a stand with a leather silver-plated saddle on display. The entire effect of this horse-room is so overwhelming that at first it seems as though the only thing in the room not covered in horses is the television— yet surely it is no stranger to horse programming. Tucker’s passion for the animals is not superficial. There is a retired racehorse that boards in his barn, and the farm is also home to three miniature ponies that belong to him and his wife, Carol Bennett. He has loved horses for nearly his entire life. When he was a child growing up on a dairy farm near Beamsville, he always wanted a pony.
Above, Tucker reaches for the head of Bird, the retired racehorse that boards in his barn. Left, He gives a scratch to Jackson, a miniature.
“My father wouldn’t buy me one,” Tucker said. “Once, we went out to a farm, just to look, but it cost too much money.” When he was about seven or eight, Tucker went out into his father’s field and found the most placid cow of the bunch. He managed to put a bridle and a set of reins on it. “I’d get on that cow and steer left and right and make it go forward with an apple switch. And it went around pretty nicely. I trained that cow well.” Many years later, when he was being interviewed to become a judge of Paint Horses—a specific breed often in competition— Tucker proudly told the panel that his first horse was a cow. This made them laugh, and he could also hear chortles from the other room where even more representatives of the American Paint Horse Association were watching his interview. Horse show judging is a serious business—over $600,000 was awarded at this year’s World Paint Horse Championship. Despite having begun his career atop a pseudo-horse, Tucker was soon accredited by the association. He began judging in Canada even before that, in 1981, and has worked competitions in every province but PEI. Horse shows are deeply political events, and so organizers will typically enlist judges on a rotating schedule to ensure that the same person does not work the same show in consecutive years. To help eliminate biases, judges are brought in from great distances to work competitions, with the idea being that the further from home the judge is, the less likely it is that they know one of the competitors.
“I stay completely out of the politics,” said Tucker. “I’ve never owed any favours, and I’ve never had any owed to me, either. That’s the way I like it.” Tucker’s sinewy arms and compact chest make him appear perfectly proportioned. At 69, his hair has gone thoroughly grey, but it is still dense enough that it resembles the many grooming brushes that populate his barn. He favours jeans and polos—and more often wears a baseball cap than a cowboy hat. This combination means that he doesn’t seem out of place walking around Fenwick, where he meets a group every morning for coffee, but the smears of rust and flecks of paint that tend to dot his denim make him look at home on the farm too. Last week, once the seemingly endless late-September heatwave had finally broken, Tucker went through his barn, out to the paddock, to find the retired racehorse skipping about the grass. “He’s just a little frisky now that the weather’s better,” he said. Tucker bought the 11 acres of farmland in 1972, and then built the house three years later. He currently uses just three of the acres, letting another farmer in North Pelham grow soybeans on the other eight, free of charge. This way, he can keep his agricultural classification, and in the winter the farmer is happy to clear his yard of snow in exchange. “I built the barn in the ‘70s, too,” he said, walking back towards it. The cool air inside was noticeably missing that sharp barn smell. The farmer who grows on his land also removes the horses’ manure regularly, and evidently had just
taken a load away. Cobwebs collected in the corners, and bits of hay were strewn about the floor. Though it is still home to the retiree and the three miniatures, the barn is emptier than it once was. Six weeks ago, Tucker and Burnett lost their prized horse, Zip. Tucker’s voice dropped as he explained what happened. Horses groom themselves by rolling around on their backs, but sometimes, on unfortunate occasions, they can jolt their intestines out of place and create a blockage. If this is caught quickly enough, a veterinarian can conduct life-saving, $10,000 surgery. Horses can be extremely valuable—Zip himself was worth $10,000—but the prohibitive cost of the surgery means that few horse-owners have it done. Since Zip’s ailment was an accident, Tucker would have been required to pay the cost on his own, though in other circumstances, municipalities can be required to compensate livestock owners. Since 1977, Tucker has worked for the Town of Pelham in this capacity. When farmers report instances of their animals hurt or killed by coyotes or other wild predators, Tucker determines whether compensation is warranted. He also investigates cases in which domesticated dogs have killed or caused injury to livestock. “Most people don’t know that they’re liable for what their dogs do,” Tucker said. “And if they refuse to pay for vet bills or to replace animals that have been killed, the Town can assess the dog owners this amount on their property taxes.” This is easiest to imagine happening with chickens or other birds, but horses are easily spooked by aggressive dogs too, and will often injure themselves while running away. Tucker has seen many horses who tried to jump a fence make it just halfway, leaving their hindquarters suspended in the air and badly bruised. “They have a natural instinct to flee,” he said. “And this can lead to real disasters.” His concern for animals is earnest, that of one who developed an affection as a child and has held on to this youthful tenderness ever since.
SAMUEL PICCOLO PHOTOS
“I’ve seen pretty cruel things done to horses at shows,” he said. “I’ve told people that they have to take the rigging of a horse or they’ll be off the grounds.” Firmness is important, but patience and kindness are even more essential. Tucker was an electrician, and when he worked for the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers he made sure to take the time off needed to travel to horse shows. Even though he retired from the IBEW in 2014, he intends to keep working horse shows for at least another five years. The work can be gruelling—some competitions Tucker has judged have him work four days in a row, from eight in the morning until after midnight—and for a time rheumatoid arthritis made any movement painful. But he has been taking a trial medication for three years that he said has brought his life back. Last week, Tucker’s horses were pleased with the cooler temperatures, and so was he. During the day, when his wife is working and the house is quiet, and there are no competitions to be judged, Tucker putters around the farm and looks for projects. His latest is restoring old one-horse ploughs, which he finds in various stages of decrepitude and sands and paints until the machines look as if they'd never been used. Tucker opened up the back of a trailer parked in his driveway and stepped up to stand beside a plough he had just bought. “This is a #17 McCormick,” he said, running his hand along the worn wooden handles. “They were made in Brantford.” Looking pleased, he locked up the trailer again. A cat that had previously been in the barn trotted up to press itself against Tucker’s ankles. He bent down to stroke its ears. Tucker’s dog, a pug, was sleeping inside the house. “He thinks he’s my dog,” he said of the cat, as it purred, and then, satiated, sauntered away. “The horse we just lost, Zip, was exactly the same way, following me around the yard.” Tucker didn’t sigh, but he did stop for moment to exhale silently. He looked at the barn. “Zip was my bud.”
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The Voice of Pelham, October 4, 2017
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Page 8
The Voice of Pelham, October 4, 2017
Bed kits presentation at Pelham church
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On Sunday, September 10, Pelham Community Church welcomed Diane Warkentin, from Sleeping Children Around the World. Young children and adults from the community circled her and asked questions, as she told of the hardships that other kids endure daily. A good night’s sleep leads to healthier, happy children and that's exactly what the founders wanted. The organization was started in 1971 by Murray and Margaret Dryden. Their dream was to provide a clean, new "bed kit" for children. The kit varies depending on the country and its climate and needs. Most are comprised of a mat or mattress, sheet, pillow, mosquito net, an outfit of clothes and school supplies. For $35, SCAW arranges for one of these kits to be manufactured by the local people in the country of need. Therefore shipping costs are minimal and it provides an in-
come to desperate families. The Drydens donated their West End Toronto home, today the head office of SCAW. Run by volunteers, 100% of the funds raised go towards supplying the bed kits. Volunteers from Canada fly at their own expense to the receiving country and supervise the distribution of bed kits to the children. They take a photo of the child with their kit that is later mailed to the donor. Today the organization is headed up by the three Dryden children. Sons Ken and Dave Dryden were NHL players in their youth. In 1988 the Drydens sold three Christmas tree farms for $3.5 million and all of the proceeds went into the SCAW organization. This created the endowment fund that pays for any expenses that can't be avoided. So far some 1.5 million bed kits have been distributed by volunteers all over the world. For more information please see www. scaw.org.
ATHLETES AT THE FALLS Fonthill's Ric Gretsinger happened upon this happy group of French Invictus Games competitors last week in Niagara Falls. One fellow held up the medals he'd won earlier in Toronto. RIC GRETSINGER PHOTO
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The Voice of Pelham, October 4, 2017
In the air and on the ground Local duo recall their role in the Silver Dart replica BY SAMUEL PICCOLO
The VOICE
R
AY L A R SON A ND D OUG Jermyn were sitting in Larson’s Fonthill living room, trying to talk about the time that they built an airplane together. The plane the two helped to construct was a fully-functional replica of the first to fly in Canada, the Silver Dart. “This story is just so big, it’s hard to know which part to tell,” said Larson. “But it probably begins with the original Silver Dart.” The bicycle mechanics Wilbur and Orville Wright were the first to achieve powered flight with their Wright Flyer at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina in 1903. The Wright brothers fiercely guarded their plane’s plans, and even a few years later there had still been few powered flights in the United States, and none in Canada. Alexander Graham Bell, the inventor of the telephone, had along with his wife Mabel been working at creating his own heavier-than-air flying machine. He formed a research group called the “Aerial Experiment Association,” or the “AEA.” He and Mabel were joined by John McCurdy and Casey Baldwin, Canadian mechanical engineers, the American Lieutenant Thomas Selfridge, and by Glenn Curtiss, an American inventor and the Wrights’ chief rival. In 1908, a plane designed by Baldwin and one by Curtiss both flew south of the border. (Litigation between Curtiss and the Wrights lasted until the Wrights’ deaths. The Wrights were so consumed by the legal process that they literally stopped inventing.) It wasn’t until February 23, 1909 with the Silver Dart, designed and flown by McCurdy, that powered flight was achieved in Canada. Near Bell’s home in Baddeck, Cape Breton, where he would fly kites in the summer, McCurdy took off on the ice and flew for 800 metres. A few weeks later, he flew the Dart on a circular loop of 35 kilometres. In August of that year, McCurdy flew the first Canadian voyage with a passenger, though on that day in Petawawa the sandy soil was too much for the plane’s rudimentary wheels and it crashed. The Silver Dart never flew again. On the 50th anniversary of the first flight, in 1959, a replica was built and flown at Baddeck, though it crashed during its first effort, and was re-assembled only to be installed in the Aviation Museum in Ottawa. In 2003, a few plane-loving friends from Welland made the trip to Kitty Hawk to see the celebrations for the 100th anniversary of the Wright’s flight. The US Centennial of Flight Commission fielded bids from companies interested in re-creating the Wright’s accomplishment. The event, still available to view as a “fail” on YouTube, is almost difficult to watch. The pilot is shown lying on his chest as his replica Wright Flyer trundles down its track. Just as it is about to reach the track’s end, the plane’s ailerons fold open, ready to push the plane into the air. Instead it falls off the track’s end limply, tilting to one side and submerging a wing-tip in a puddle. The project cost $1 million dollars. Those friends from Welland saw this debacle, turned to each other, and said, “We can do better than that. And we can do it for a lot less than a million bucks.” When they got home, they contacted Larson and Jermyn, and the five of them
together formed the Aeronautical Experimental Association 2005.” Though they were all retired, and working as amateurs—Jermyn joked that the project kept them “off the street and out of the bars”—the group was made up of professionals. Larson, now 87, was for many years a mining engineer, and finished his career as a metallurgical engineer at Atlas Steel in Welland. Jermyn, who is a decade and some younger than Larson, was himself an aerospace engineer at Pratt & Whitney, one of the largest manufactures of aircraft engines in the world. And they all had extensive experience with private airplanes. Larson had previously built a plane himself, albeit a modern one with metal parts, while Jermyn had
We didn't want anyone to die flying the thing
his pilot’s license and had built most of a plane, too. Another member, Jack Minor, was an aerial photographer in the Canadian military, and was able to acquire rudimentary plans for the Dart from the archives in Ottawa, while Larson flew to Baddeck and mined the Alexander Graham Bell Museum for information there. The group found some garage space in Welland and began construction. “We used all the original material,” said Larson. “Ash wood for the main frame, and bamboo for all the struts. We formed other struts from spruce, which we hand to plane meticulously by hand.” The group also sought to make the plane “intuitive to a modern pilot,” and so despite a commitment to the original plans, they did make some concessions. “We didn’t want anyone to die flying the thing,” said Larson. The original Dart had a sort of shoulder harness that the pilot used to steer, the idea at the time being that if the plane began to bank one way, it was likely that the pilot would instinctively lean the other, using the harness to level the aircraft’s attitude. This proved true just about as often as it proved false, with the false instances typically resulting in an even further dive to one side and an occasionally fatal crash. The group’s replica, then, had all modern-style controls, as well as instruments that the original lacked. Finally, nylon was used for the fabric on the wings, rather than the balloon silk used in 1909. None of these changes are immediately apparent upon seeing their replica Dart. Just like the original it looks more like an overgrown dragonfly than anything that a human could actually control. It has two layers of rigid wings, and then smaller ones positioned out front that move to adjust the plane’s altitude.
Clockwise from above: Doug Jermyn and Ray Larson in Larson's Fonthill basement, where much work was accomplished on the Silver Dart replica. Jermyn planes part of the plane during construction. Larson with the Silver Dart's propeller, carved from a single piece of wood. Jermyn sits in the plane's cockpit at a 2009 airshow. Bjarni Trygvasson flies the Silver Dart replica on February 22, 2009, at Baddeck, Cape Breton. VOICE AND SUPPLIED PHOTOS
An unenclosed engine hangs precariously off the back, featuring a propeller that the group carved from a single piece of wood. The whole thing is kept together only by bamboo rods and hundreds of feet of wire. The project was not without problems—Jack Minor, the aerial photographer, resigned before complettion. “You and me, we even argued too, didn’t we?” said Larson to Jermyn. “Oh yes,” said Jermyn, laughing now, as he remembered the conflicts then. “Many times.” But after having spent thousands of hours working on it, changing plans, and re-working, by the end of 2008 the plane had come together. They had even found someone to fly it, someone arguably with unmatched qualifications. By chance, Jermyn had encountered Bjarni Tryggvason, an astronaut with 4000 hours of flight time and who spent 12 days in space in 1997. “When Bjarni gives talks now, he says that he has flown ‘high and fast, and low and slow.’ Our Dart was his ‘low and slow,’” said Larson. Jermyn explained that they want-
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When Bjarni gives talks now, he says that he has flown "high and fast" and "low and slow." Our Dart was his "low and slow."
ed the most experienced pilot possible to fly the Dart, and so they were happy to cede the controls to Tryggvason. (Jermyn managed to avoid old envy, too. He had applied to be an astronaut at the same time as Tryggvason, but was not selected for the program.) A few weeks before the planned February 23 flight in Baddeck, intended to coincide precisely with the 100th anniversary, Tryggvason flew successful test runs at the Hamilton Airport. But this was not a guarantor of flight at Baddeck—and even getting the plane out there was a challenge.
“It took two semi-trailers to haul this airplane. It’s not that it was heavy, it was just big. It had a wingspan of nearly 50 feet,” said Larson. The Bell Museum at Baddeck had an agreement with the group, and Larson said that when the plane still was in Hamilton, ten days before the planned flight, the Museum must have been getting nervous. “But it arrived on time,” he said. Baddeck is a summer resort town, and generally most of its businesses See DART next page
Page 12
The Voice of Pelham, October 4, 2017
DART continued from previous page hibernate during the coldest months. But during that week in February there wasn’t a single room to be found, with spectators and news crews arriving from around the country. Canada Post unveiled a commemo-
rative stamp, and the Royal Canadian Mint released a special anniversary coin. On February 22, a day before the 100th anniversary, Tryggvason took off and flew for a few minutes down the bay, getting about 40 feet off the ground. Hundreds lined the runway of ice, which the town had happily plowed for the
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plane. “I’ve never really revealed this before,” said Jermyn, “but Bjarni wanted to fly it again. Had the weather on the twenty-third been good, he wanted to fly it on a loop around the bay.” Unfortunately, winds were just too high on the day, and, as Jermyn said, the opportunity had passed. “I said that the airplane’s just too valuable now. We’re not going to fly it anymore.” In the summer of that year, the group took their Dart to a series of airshows around Ontario, though the plane did not leave the ground. “We used to love parking it nose-to-nose with a CF-18,” says Larson, referring to the RCAF’s 1800/km/h fighter jets. Jermyn recalled his time in the Dart’s seat. “I only taxied the plane twice. Once in Hamilton, and then at the Brantford airshow, where we had the plane by the jetline with the Snowbirds. In the afternoon, they were getting ready to fly these jets, so we had to get the Dart out of the way. By this time, all the crowds were there, running towards me, waving and taking pictures. I felt like the Queen of England taxiing down the runway,” he said, miming a royal wave. At the end of the airshow season, the plane was brought back into a hangar in Niagara and converted to its museum configuration. This meant removing all of the “modern” parts of the plane—the engine, the controls, the rudimentary instrument panel made out of
a cookie-tin—and replacing them with exact replicas of the original, shoulder straps and all. Once done, they brought it back up to Baddeck, where the Bell Museum had reserved a spot for it hanging from the ceiling. The museum had to cut a hole in its wall just to get the Dart inside. When they were back in Baddeck this time, the group had become local celebrities. “They had a little pizza place in town,” says Jermyn, “and we were all in there when a guy came in and recognized that we’d done the airplane. He got his pizza and went out to his car, emptied the pizza, and then came back and had us all sign his pizza box. We thought ‘Man. We just became rock stars!” Larson laughed. “Yeah, I’d forgotten that. Wasn’t that funny.” The Bell Museum also gifted each of the five with a small original piece from one of Bell’s box kites that he flew at Baddeck over a century ago. The two went silent for a minute, remembering. During construction, the five men stopped keeping track after 3500 hours of cumulative work. They made the Dart for a lot less than that $1 million the US government spent on the Wright Flyer, though it helped that the labour was free. They initially self-funded, though eventually they received funds from three major donors: the Ontario Trillium Grant, Pratt & Whitney, and Leavens Aviation, along with a
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I said that the airplane's just too valuable now. We're not going to fly it anymore.
few smaller contributors, combined for about $50,000 in funds. “That’s what we built the plane for, and we did a much better job than the army did in 1959.” says Larson. After construction, they still had enough left over to pay for their trips out to Baddeck. Now, Larson says, their memories are really the only thing left. Jermyn sold his airplane some time ago, and while Larson does still have the first one that he built in a hangar at Welland’s Dorothy Rungeling Airport, he doesn’t fly it any longer. “I have the shakes, and I’m a full-time caregiver for my wife, who’s in a wheelchair. My life is too valuable to her now.” “We had a website for our Dart, but that’s been down for while,” said Larson. “Well, you can still access it, but not at the original URL,” said Jermyn. “You’ll have to show me,” said Larson. “I’m so computer illiterate. I’m on Windows Ten now—I was fine with XP. I read the “For Dummies” book and everything. But I find Ten impossible.”
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“I have the book for Ten,” Jermyn told him. “Boy, I’ll have to get it,” Larson said. “Ten frustrates me. It does things that I don’t want it to do. And it won’t go back…I can build an airplane, but I can’t run a computer.” Jermyn got up to leave. “I know we’ll be getting together soon, though we’ll be sad about that,” said Larson. One of their team members is currently suffering from a terminal illness. “We’re dying like flies. I wish we could get together and dedicate something to the ones we’re losing, but what are you going to do.” Larson shrugged. “Anyway. It’s time for me to take on my third job—chef. Number one was engineer, number two is home caregiver, and number three is in the kitchen. And I’m only a ‘pseudo-cook.’” He looked at the pork chops that were marinating on the counter, and then turned to Jermyn. “So long, partner,” he said. “So long,” Jermyn said, stepping out into the late afternoon sun. 4
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Syrian refugee family arrives BY VOICE STAFF The Pelham Syrian Refugee Constituent Group’s welcoming committee met the Syrian refugee family it has sponsored last Tuesday morning, just after the new arrivals touched down at Pearson International Airport. Hamd Alhamoud pushed a baggage cart piled high with his family’s belongings, while his wife, Hala Alnasir carried their 17-month-old daughter, Aseel. The three other children, Eryam, 9, Fisal, 8, and Mohamad, 7, walked alongside with the Immigration Refugee and Citizenship Canada officer charged with officially handing over the care of the family to the PSRCG. Though the family was clearly exhausted after 11 hours of air travel, they broke into smiles upon seeing their sponsors. The four-person welcoming committee waived a sign that read, “Welcome Alhamouds,” with the names of each family member. With the help of an interpreter, the committee’s members told the new permanent residents of Canada how happy they were that they had finally arrived, a sentiment with which the family wholeheartedly agreed. The PSRCG first began fundraising in January 2016 to sponsor two refugee families. The group applied for their first family in April of that year, but the high volume of appli-
cations and thoroughness of the government screening meant that the process was delayed considerably. During the delay, however, the group was able to raise $39,710, more than twothirds of its $55,000 target. PSRCG hopes that another sponsored family will arrive within the year, and that in the next few months it will be able to reach its fundraising goal. At about the same time as the family was landing, students of Glynn A. Green Elementary School’s “Kids Helping Kids” club were working on their part of the effort. Over the past several weeks, the club has collected nearly a dozen boxes of non-perishable food items to stock the family’s new Welland Apartment. “We really wanted them to feel at home in the apartment as much as possible,” said Carly Elcich, a member of the club in Grade 8. “They’re moving from all the way across the world, so we can’t even imagine what it’s like for them.” Elcich has been a part of “Kids Helping Kids” since she was in Grade 2, and along with Natasha Bronn, another member, emphasized how important this work was to them. “Our club is really about helping people—especially kids—who are less fortunate than us. And a family forced from their home by war definitely needs help,” said Bronn. Shawn Hain-
ing, a teacher involved in the club, said that the club’s work helps students empathize with those in need. Todd L’Ecuyer, another teacher involved, made up a list of non-perishables that would make the Syrian family feel more at home. He added that now that the family was in Canada and would be shortly moving in to its apartment, the group was going to add some fresh food to its fridge. “We tried to collect food that they would recognize,” said Bronn. “If we put a lot of Kraft Dinner in there, they’d probably be really confused.” In the spring of 2016, “Kids Helping Kids” ran a dance-a-thon at the school, and in just one day raised $5,525 towards PCRCG’s goal. The club has run the dance-a-thon, which is named after the Glynn A. Green graduate Isaac Riehl, who was struck and killed by a car a few weeks after beginning high school, for a number of years. Each time, a different initiative is chosen, with some being local and others—like the Syrian refugees—farther away from home. “It’s important to think about people all over,” said Sarah Rice, Grade 7 member. Rice said that the crisis of Syrian refugees had first come to her attention a few years ago, and that she has talked about it often with her family and at school. Last year, PCRCG mem-
ber Janet Zanutto, whose daughter Violet attends Glynn A. Green, came into the school to make a presentation about Syrian refugees, and explained what PCRCG was doing to sponsor a family. “Students are eager to get to know the Syrian children, to interact and continue to learn from and befriend the newcomers,” she said. Though the family will be moving to Welland, meaning the children likely won’t be attending Glynn A. Green, many of the students are hoping to meet the family. “I want to ask them what it was like to have to leave their home and come all the way to Canada,” said Elcich. The Alhamouds speak little English, and so communication at first will be difficult, but the PCRCG will be ensuring that they will be soon enrolled in ESL classes. The Canadian government informed PCRCG of the Alhamouds estimated arrival date just three weeks ago, and so there was little time to find the family a home. Welland was chosen because of the relative ease of public transportation and proximity to the Welland Heritage Council and Multicultural Centre. The Centre provides newcomer settlement services including translation, ESL classes, and employment counselling. Further, at least three other Syrian refugee families live in the
Page 13 city already. The PSRCG took possession of the duplex home on September 20 and spent many hours moving in furniture, small appliances, and household goods in preparation for the family’s arrival, most of which were donated by residents of Pelham. Twelve of the PSRCG’s 20 members are representa-
tives from four local churches, while the remaining eight come from the community at large. The group still needs to raise $15,000 to fully support both families, and urges Pelham residents to continue their support. Information on how to donate can be found online at the website of Fonthill United Church.
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The Voice of Pelham, October 4, 2017
FENWICK continued from Page 1 that currently characterize Fenwick. She detailed SGL’s efforts to retain the character of the village while still meeting these provincial guidelines. Following an earlier public meeting held in June, SGL created two potential plans for East Fenwick. In the first, there are two dense zones of development, both of which span land between Canboro and Welland at Balfour. In the other, there are three zones of a lesser density, with one being added between Canboro and Memorial Drive. “We have tried to create a soft transition in the plan,” said Maya-Giambattista. In Option A, the prospective homes that will border existing roads would be on one-acre lots, to better meld with the current houses in the surrounding area. On another ring to the interior, there would be homes with much smaller lots. And then,
furthest away from existing roads, the plan would allow for apartment buildings of four storeys. “Is four storeys a limit or a suggestion?” asked a man in the audience. “Well, it would be up to you,” said Maya-Giambattista. “Make it a limit then,” the man said. Maya-Giambattista smiled and continued on with her presentation. When she got to the fifth point of SGL’s process, the examination of Fenwick’s cultural and ecological heritage, the seal of questioning was broken and hands popped up all over the room. “What about the wetlands?” a woman asked. “Nothing can be built there,” Maya-Giambattista told her. “What about the Fonthill Kame?” said another man. The recognized Kame does not extend this far, he was told. Cris Beal, who said that he moved to Fenwick two years ago because he wanted to live in the country, asked a
series of very specific questions about a woodlot that has been cut down near the East Fenwick plan and the current development project on Balfour. Wiens stepped in to answer, and when the two could not agree on where exactly Beal was referring to, he came to the front of the room and pointed on a projected map. “Approval for that construction was given some time ago,” said Wiens. Beal didn’t seem entirely satisfied with the response, but he went back to his seat anyway. John Klassen, a crowd member with substantial construction experience, asked about any archaeological study that had been done on the land. “Because you’ll probably find arrowheads, pottery, all sorts of stuff,” he said. After referencing the cultural heritage assessment done by the Town in 2012, an assessment that identified areas where developers must conduct studies, Wiens tried to get the meeting back
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on track. “I know that this is all very exciting,” Wiens said. “But we’re getting ahead of ourselves. The scope of the secondary plan is high-level analysis.” Wiens turned the floor back to Maya-Giambattista, who appeared just slightly deflated by the cacophony of critiques. She brought two representatives from the engineering firm working with SGL to detail the plan’s assessment of roads and water systems. Jeff Suggett, from St. Catharines’ Associated Engineering, gave all of the roads surrounding East Fenwick “A’s.” “They’re all sufficient for growth,” he concluded. “And that’s all for traffic. Now on to Rick for water.” He waited hopefully for the crowd to laugh. No one did. When Maya-Giambattista again stepped up to conclude the presentation, she acknowledged how uncomfortable this planned development made Fenwick. “I know it’s hard,” she said. “It’s different. But it’s part of the provincial mandate—so it’s like this for everyone.” “So it doesn’t matter if we don’t want any development at all?” someone asked. “No,” Wiens said. “But what if the government changes,” piped up another voice. Maya-Giambattista laughed. “Well then that could be a different story,” she said. Klassen put up his hand again. “You’re just doing what you’ve been instructed to do,” he said, looking at her and Wiens. “The problem isn’t with you. It’s with our government in Queen’s Park. So we need to vote them out.” The room broke out into applause. But Maya-Giambattista emphasized that development cannot be stopped. “The question is: how can we minimize the impact.” She cited suggestions from St. Ann’s Catholic Elementa-
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Ute Maya-Giambattista speaks with resident Gary Chambers.
ry School (SGL plans to meet with Wellington Heights’ students too), where students asked that Fenwick be made more accessible to bikes and pedestrians. “Kids aren’t taxpayers,” a woman blurted out. “No,” Maya-Giambattista said. “Though this plan is looking ten years down the line. And by then they will be.” She said that part of the plan’s goal is to create diverse housing that will allow for residents to spend their entire lives in Fenwick. “We need to have options so that seniors looking to downsize have somewhere to go. And the diversity will allow for affordable housing too.” After the presentation, Wiens, Maya-Giambattista, and the two engineers moved around the tables and answered questions as residents wrote their comments on the plans. Not all present were interested in providing written suggestions. Gary Chambers, a prominent resident dubbed “the Mayor of Fenwick,” seemed resigned that development had already been decided upon, even as most residents wanted nothing to do with it. “The only thing missing from this event was a ‘How Might We’,” he said. Chambers went on: “Maybe the kids want things.
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But all the young people are leaving. There are no jobs, and not one level of government—municipal, provincial, or federal—has done anything to provide work here. All we’ve got is a geriatric society. And that is not going to change. We’re all getting old. We’re all embedded in the way that Fenwick used to be.” A junior employee of SGL, the planning firm based in Toronto, sidled up to Chambers and asked him what he was thinking. Chambers leaned back, sighing as he looked at her, stretching to his full, substantial height. She came up to about his chest. “I’m just venting,” he said. “It’s too much, too fast.” “And it’s important to vent,” she said earnestly. “One thing we didn’t even get to was phasing. It shouldn’t be developed all at the same time.” Chambers went on a long soliloquy about the history and beauty of Canboro Road. The planner, evidently impressed by his passion and knowledge, asked more about the area. The two stood in a slash of sunlight and talked for a long while, as the room emptied around them. There will be another round of public consultation in November.
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Page 15
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Bethany Christian Reformed Church 1040 Balfour St., Fenwick
First Presbyterian Church 602 Metler Rd., Fenwick
Glad Tidings Church of God 1 Pancake Lane, Fonthill
Pelham Evangelical Friends Church 940 Haist St., Fonthill
Concordia Lutheran Church 105 Welland Rd., Fonthill
Fonthill Baptist Church 1414 Pelham St., Fonthill
Holy Trinity Anglican Church 1557 Pelham Street, Fonthill
Ridgeville Bible Chapel 418 Canboro Rd., Ridgeville
Fenwick Church of Christ 765 Welland Rd., Fenwick
Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses 1369 Rice Rd., Fonthill
Kirk on the Hill Presbyterian Church 1344 Haist St., Fonthill
St. Alexander’s Roman Catholic Church 50 Pelham Town Sq., Fonthill
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The Voice of Pelham, October 4, 2017
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continued from Page 1 next month that will “leave no room for doubt as to this organization’s dedication to conservation, restoration and the long-term stewardship of the amazing Niagara Peninsula Watershed.” Brickell’s comments,
which were published in a press release and presented nearly verbatim by a number of media outlets, were unsatisfying to many, including Welland MPP and frequent NPCA critic Cindy Forster. “It is baffling me that they didn’t come out in public and talk about this plan in advance,” she
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Your Classified Ad or Display Ad would appear in weekly newspapers each week across Ontario in urban, suburban and rural areas.
Do you have issues of the VoiceOCNA from 1997 to 2007? Also ed Ads Network Classifi the Pelham Herald (any year). (AD CENTRAL) publisher@thevoiceofpelham.ca Hideaway.
Week of NIAGARA REGIONAL EXHIBITION October 2 countability and said. Instead of protect-
could be the rationale for transRodeo, games and entertainment headline this yearsthese exciting event. letting people go?” It at the organizaing the environment, For-liveparency Posted Trout Unlimited say tion. ster runs said from that Sept. the NPCA 11-14 at the Welland Fairgrounds. TheSeptember NPCA came has “been too busy firing 28 under they had recently communicated with NPCA Chair fire from non-political environmental specialists Sandy Annunziata, who entities, too. and suing private CANCER citizens RIDE BIG MOVE Central had at the time assured The Niagara Chapter of who dare to speak up for Ads included The Big Move Cancer Trout RideRegion isUnlimited a non-competitive taking on Sept. them of theplace importance of Canada, ride accountability,” referring ecological restoration. an organization currently to the NPCA’s ongoing 7. Proceeds for the Big Move stay in Niagara and support the Walker FamIt was also reported working towards restorconflict with activist Ed ily Cancer Centre. lastallweek that Annunziaing brook trout 12 printed Mile by Smith. This ad is totobe participating Ontario ta met with Regional staff Creek (in conjunction with Niagara West - Glanthe NPCA, among other in September in an effort brook MPP Sam OosterWALKING CLUB hoff was similarly critical organizations), released a to convince the Region to Interested in walking instatement Pelham? expressing Join them Tuesdays Pelham Arena take at onthe more watershed of the NPCA’s actions. its restoration responsibility. “I am disappointed that dismay. from 9-10 am and Thursdays at Fonthill Bandshell for 9-10:30 am. There The Region’s chair of the the NPCA has not been “The technical experno fee for thiswith program. Foraccumulated more information, please contact jcook@ tise and local planning and economic moreis forthcoming development committee, knowledge of these NPCA the reasons behind these pelham.ca or call 905 892-2607, ext 329. Selina Volpatti, said that human resources changstaff in this watershed is invaluable,” said Dennis this transfer is an effort es,” he said. Edell, chair of the chapter. by the NPCA to reduce ex“This is a concerning HAMPER DAY FOR PELHAM CARES penditure, something that “The restoration group decision that does not fresh fruit andwas vegetables at thefor Market a non-perishable shebring understands. “When seemPurchase to indicate a willa success story the or we signed MOU [makingness to build a greater NPCA. It was even popular food item to fill the hampers at the Pelham Farmers Market the on Sept. 4. with landowners and key ing the NPCA responsible public trust.” for watershed manageOosterhoff repeated his to the protection of this ment] ten years ago, they past calls for greater acimportant resource. What
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had the expertise and we needed the help. It made sense then. It costs the NPCA too much now.” After the meeting was publicized, Annunziata attempted to allay concerns by assuring the public that any transfer of responsibilities would not affect actual conservapapers tion, which is governed by provincial standards. St. Catharines MPP Jim Bradley wasn’t so sure. “The conservation authority is really the best vehicle for it.” He called the NPCA “an independent organization” that used to be free of political interference. “You want the authority making its judgments based on science and information available to them from their own expertise.”
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The Voice of Pelham, October 4, 2017
Page 17
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The Voice of Pelham, October 4, 2017
www.thevoiceofpelham.ca
Fenwick fire company celebrates century of service Community enjoys a perfect autumn afternoon as volunteers recall history BY SAMUEL PICCOLO
The VOICE
While last Saturday’s event at the Fenwick Fire Hall—the East Fenwick planning meeting—brought out less welcome passions, the next day residents returned to the hall in a more celebratory mood. The Fenwick Fire Fighters Association held its 100th anniversary on Sunday afternoon, with a barbecue and open house for the community in honour of the date. A replica of Fenwick’s first-ever fire truck was parked outside the hall. Greg Beaulieu, a sergeant with the Niagara Regonal Police and a long-time volunteer firefighter, walked over to the truck and pointed to the pump. “This is the original pump from 1917,” he said. “The only things that’ve changed are the handles. They used to be much longer, because there’d be eight men pumping.” The truck’s siren is original too, and Beaulieu leaned over and cranked its handle. He stopped before it reached full volume, but the noise was nevertheless impressive. “We set it off about 20 minutes ago when my mother-in-law was driving over here. She was two miles away and she pulled over to the side of the road because she thought a truck was coming. So it has some range to it.” Standing outside the fire hall, which was opened in 2011, is the original siren from the original hall, which was located by the old train station on Maple Street, now long gone. When a call came in during that era, one firefighter would set off the signal at the hall to indicate to all members that they needed to assemble. The methods of communication may have changed, but many of Fenwick’s volunteer firefighters still live within a few kilometres of the station, and Beaulieu said the average response time is less than ten minutes. But many other things are different for local firefighters, and most evident among these on Sunday was the equipment. Just
behind Beaulieu were the hall’s gleaming new trucks, towering up above as kids climbed in to take photos behind the wheel. A fire suit from the 1960s was on display, too, right next to modern gear. Whereas the new suit ensures coverage from eyelash to toenail, and can withstand temperatures of up to 1000 degrees Fahrenheit, the coat from the ‘60s appeared more like a piece of tough cloth. There were no pants then, either, and the boots that firefighters were issued left vulnerable spots on the upper thigh. Despite the advances in technology, in other ways firefighting is more difficult that it once was. Homes now are built to be more fire-resistant, and this helps, said Beaulieu. “But now there are so many things made of plastic inside houses. And plastic burns much more quickly and much hotter than wood.” Even with a response time of ten minutes, by the time firefighters arrive, fires are often too intense to attack from within the building. “At that point, we just have to surround and drown,” said Beaulieu. Inside the hall, there were memorabilia and photographs from the hall’s history. A CPR dummy from the ’60s lay sprawled on a table, its auburn wig less faded than its clothes. There were newspaper clippings, too, from some of the more severe fires and accidents that the association has worked over the years. There was a twopage clipping from the Toronto Sun on the Hagersville tire fire, which drew international attention when it blazed for more than two weeks in 1990. “I’m not sure if any Pelham firefighters helped out there,” said Beaulieu. “I’ll have to check with some of the older guys.” He walked outside through the hall’s kitchen, where people sat on picnic tables near a barbecue. Beaulieu went up to one of the tables, where an older man in street clothes sat talking to a younger man in a fire uniform. He asked
A future generation of Fenwick firefighter learns the basics of using a hose. Ken Angle, the older man, if Pelham’s units had been involved. “No,” said Angle. “But we were there for the Woerlen fire, when that mother and seven kids died. Worst day of my life.” He shook his head and looked down. The Woerlen fire occurred in 2004 at a farmhouse in West Lincoln. The family’s father was away when it happened, but his seven children, aged 19 months to 11 years, all burned to death. His wife was pregnant when she died. “The counselling we got after that fire saved us from losing any firefighters,” said Owen Simmonds, who is still a volunteer in Fenwick and also remembered the Woerlen fire. “West Lincoln didn’t have what we had, and they lost four guys after that.” “It’s so much better now,” Angle said of the support network. “Not like when I started fifty-one years ago. It was just ‘suck it up.’ The ‘good old days’ my ass.” The two men spent a moment recounting the calls that most impacted them over the years. Simmonds stood up and went over to pick up another hamburger.
His wife, who had been sitting beside him, spoke up. “I remember one time there was a car accident, and the boy killed was about the same age as our son at the time. And he was driving the same sort of car that our son had just learned to drive in. Owen was really shattered then.” Angle nodded knowingly. Simmonds sat back down at the table. “There was that boy—the one we saved from the well,” Angle said. “Yeah,” said Simmonds. “He used to come around here, but I haven’t seen him since this new hall opened.” “I saw him once since,” said Angle. “And I just broke down.” He trailed off, and the two were quiet for a minute. An antique car rolled past. “That’s John Burger there,” said Angle, looking to the driver. “Do you remember when he turned on the lights? My god.” They had responded to a call that concerned a suicidal boy. The boy had turned on all the gas jets in his house and then hid up in the attic, waiting to suffocate. The
SAMUEL PICCOLO PHOTO
firefighters climbed up there to talk him down, purposefully leaving the lights off for fear of sparking an explosion. Angle continued. “And Burger came in and said, ‘Gee, it’s dark in here!’ and switched on the lights.” He laughed. “Ah, we’ll never let him forget that.” Another Fenwick firefighter in uniform came over to Angle and pointed to the kids who were being helped to shoot a fire hose at a plywood mock-up of a burning house. With each jet of water the fiery windows spun in place, reversing and the flipping back to reveal flames once more. “No matter what those kids do, Ken, that fire just keeps coming back,” he said. “Yep,” said Angle. “Every time they get it dormant it self-ignites again.” A few politicians came and went. A good 80 burgers were served. As the event wound down, parents scooped up their hose-handling charges and squired them off home. Monday was a school day and there were some Sunday chores left to do.
Opening 2018
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To be a truly inclusive community, we must build facilities that are accessible to all residents. The new Pelham Community Centre does that. It will be the HEART of our Town. -Sharon Cook Pelham resident, member of Joint Accessibility Advisory Committee
Learn more about this vibrant, innovative, and caring project by visiting:
www.pelham.ca/pcc
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Letters
The Voice of Pelham, October 4, 2017
MUST BE ASKED
continued
Why the rush in East Fenwick? By the way, what about the huge development in the socalled "East Fenwick" development that's being rammed down the residents of Fenwick's throats. Nobody had asked for this huge development that will effectively almost double the population of Fenwick. Not to mention the massive increase in traffic along Canboro Road. Why are the Mayor and Town Council so adamant to squeeze as many tax paying residences into Fenwick? Is it to grab as much tax revenue as possible to help pay down the debentures that were assumed to build the unneeded and unwanted Community Centre? Who knows. I wish I did. Time for transparency. It's time to allow the public the knowledge of what's going on down at Town Hall. Nick Rimar Via Facebook
Do a proper audit Pelham Town Council—Do the right thing! Give the people what they want, an independent forensic audit. Because the Mayor and Town Council have been sidestepping the issues and the people's wishes, all the books should be open and audited. Because of your non-action to the allegations Mr. Hummel has levied against the Town of Pelham and the Mayor, an atmosphere of suspicion has descended upon this town. These allegations should not be met with arrogance and avoidance. So, it needs to be cleared up. Uphold your due diligence of the office of the Mayor. Do the right thing. The people want an independent forensic audit. Pamela Robb Via Facebook
Grilled, or pan-fried? The Mayor has said all transactions have been open to anyone who wants to see them. Has Mr. Hummel reviewed them? Or is he also accusing the Mayor of cooking the books? Erik Thomas Via Facebook
PICKING continued from Page 5 Sorry, Mr. Mayor, but that’s what we hear the clear majority of people saying. Your days of ruining our villages by your legacy- building and self-centeredness is over. The trust is gone. To close let me quote one of the Mayor’s Golden Oldies: “The Town would require 67% federal and provincial funding before proceeding with a recreational center.”
FACT-FINDING ISN'T FREE
continued from Page 5
Residents agreed with that statement and expected that you would live up to it. Then, without our approval, you went down the huge debt hole that our grandchildren will be paying for. The town is organizing. Residents are hitting the LIKE and SHARE buttons at: https://www.facebook. com/PelhamDebt/ And open transparent news is found at: http://www.pelhamdebt. ca/ Curt Harley Pelham
2016 financials by including a receivable for monies not actually owed—i.e., did it pull future revenue into 2016 that properly belonged to 2017 or beyond in order to appear profitable, and to what end would this false appearance of profitability serve? The Mayor has stated that the value of the credits would increase over time. Is this allowed under a front-end agreement? If it is not a front-end agreement, can the Town of Pelham consider future development charges to be collected as a current Receivable? If the Town purchased excess parkland, why does it not appear in the tangible capital assets table in Schedules 2 or 3 of its audited financial statements, which are provided annually? What was the $4.5 million in contributed capital assets received in 2016? From whom? For what infrastructure? The Town's own reports consistently refer to the Town as a "developer.” In what way is the Town a developer? Is the Town a partner in Fonthill Gardens? Where and what is the Town of Pelham developing? An inartfully phrased summary of a blog post by Mayor Augustyn appeared in the printed version of the paper and has been removed. The Mayor did not originally state that property acquired through the Town's land-for-credits scheme was valued 20% higher at time of purchase, but rather that in light of real estate prices rising since this deal was made, the price agreed to then seems relatively low in today's market. While we strongly disagree that the price paid then was reasonable, or that it would be reasonable today, even after recent spikes in property prices, we did not accurately quote the Mayor's blog post. We regret the error.
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Page 19
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HE VOICE OF PELH A M is our town's eyes and ears. The Voice represents taxpayers, homeowners, parents, and the retired. This newspaper remains the single best way to communicate with virtually every Pelham resident—and it’s one of the few things that everyone in town still has in common. The Voice covers stories big and small, publishes history, commentary, reader letters, and reports on the actions of our elected representatives without fear or favour. All of this delivered weekly to your door. That’s our commitment. Please help us achieve it, for less than a dollar a week. Thank you.
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Page 20
The Voice of Pelham, October 4, 2017
www.thevoiceofpelham.ca
The Voice of Pelham
REAL ESTATE To advertise here call (905) 892-8690
DEBBIE PINE
NIAGARA REAL ESTATE CENTER, Brokerage 1815 Merritville, Hwy 1 FONTHILL, ON
SALES REPRESENTATIVE
905.892.0222
NIAGARA / FONTHILL, ON 2142 MEADOWBROOK LANE, BURLINGTON $624,700
327 FITCH ST., WELLAND $239,000
debbiepine@royallepage.ca SELL phone: 905-321-2261 18 STELLA ST., FONTHILL $633,000
Brand new listing… 2142 Meadowbrook Lane in Burlington. This three bedroom two bath home is full of updates and ready for your admiration. Beautiful chef kitchen with walk-in pantry and access to rear yard oasis. Splish splash in your inground pool and enjoy your family gatherings in this amazing backyard. This home is move-in ready. Call for details or visit: www.2142meadowbrook.com
Great location for this cute 1 1/2 story home situated on a large lot in northwest Welland. This home features 3 bedrooms with one on the main floor, 1 bath, large eat in kitchen, dining room, living room and main floor laundry. Fridge and stove are included. Walking distance to churches, schools, shopping and amenities. Call for a private viewing today!
Once in a while PERFECTION comes along. Well, wait no more! With over 2000 sq ft of finished living space this home is packed with pizzazz. Enjoy the large picturesque lot with in-ground pool, new privacy fence, freshly paved driveway and professional landscaping. Inside, be wowed from the entry as you enjoy a brand new open concept living room/dining room/kitchen. The custom kitchen has loads of cabinets, granite countertops, and brand-new SS appliances. Retreat to your backyard oasis from your garden door in your kitchen and take a dip in the large pool. There are 3+1 bedrooms and 2 brand new baths. Downstairs enjoy your new family room with gas fireplace and wet bar. This home is priced to sell at $633,000. Come and see this amazing home! www.18stella.com
326 KINGDRIVE ST., WELLAND $239,000 PLEASE CAREFULLY!
COMMERCIAL PROPERTY! - 200 FITCH ST., WELLAND
COMMERCIAL PROPERTY! - 1450 PELHAM ST., FONTHILL
VARIOUS UNITS AVAILABLE FROM 2,000 sq/ft - 13,000 sq/ft. $8/SQFT BASE RENT + $6 TMI Fantastic location for your business. Great exposure in Northwest Welland. Long standing strip mall. Commercial space available in busy plaza. Perfect location for medical offices, retail outlets, hair salons, nail salon, barber, etc. Unit has rear access door for unloading stock. Owner willing to provide three months free as an incentive (base rent only). Call for details.
$1500/MONTH Prime downtown location for your business. Great exposure. Building has been given a face lift and unit is at street level. Unit has own washroom, other businesses include a ladies clothing store, investment office, barber shop and 2 residential units. Space is approx 980 sq ft and available October 1st. Tenant pays own gas and hydro (by separate metre), as well as 20% of water bill. Call for details.
pineSOLD
Large commercial building, over 4,500 sq/ft plus a full basement. This two story building has many uses. Tons of potential here with lots of incentives from the City of Welland. Available for immediate possession if needed. Call the Listing Agent for details or visit the website www.326king.com
pineSOLD
pineSOLD
AS WE SEE IT
BOPPLE continued from Page 1
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this season, so it was time to do something epic. My longest previous ride this year had been 125 kilometers of rolling Kitchener hills, with the wind at my back. The Highlander sounded like the challenge I needed. That’s how I wound up with almost 500 other slightly unhinged cyclists at the starting line of the Highlander Cycle Tour. Reflecting, while waiting to roll off line at Bristol Mountain Ski Resort south of Rochester, I had to wonder how I expected that any event involving pedaling that starts at the base of a ski hill could be fun. The Finger Lakes lie in glacial scars stretched between mountains that form the foothills of the Catskills, and the scenery is gorgeous. Forested landscapes just beginning to display fall colours, classic hillside farms emulating Vermont, grand vistas over the lakes, and wineries are everywhere. None of which matters a lick when your legs are burning and you’re gasping for breath on brutal uphills. Or your knuckles are white, your knees are squeezing the top bar of your bike for dear life, and your thighs have a death grip on the seat as you hit 70 kilometres per hour on a terrifying downhill. The route began with four or five
“influence,” however, Hummel’s wealth is irrelevant. Hummel’s credibility rests not in his bank account but in his business acumen. Hummel’s challenges against the Town revolve not around his own money or how much of it he has, but taxpayers’ money and whether the Town has mishandled it. In recommending an audit, Augustyn is accepting that Hummel’s allegations have influenced the Town. Why, then, does he reject Hummel’s and the Region’s Terms of Reference (i.e., what to audit) and his offer to pay? It seems that the Mayor is willing to accept only a certain amount of Hummel’s influence. Hummel’s questions may have prompted the audit, but if the Town insists on paying for it, then only the Town gets to decide what’s examined. The Terms of Reference of an audit determine what auditors will investigate. If the Corleone family commissioned a third-party audit and the Terms of Reference concerned only its grocery bills, then even Don Vito himself could walk off with a clean bill of financial health. For his part, Hummel says that in order to be legitimate any audit the
Bopple Hill Cemetery. JOHN SWART PHOTO flat warm-up kilometers along the base of the valley, then turned right up the first mountain, a 365-metre delight to the Village of Cheshire. Next it dropped 200 metres to Duell Road, then climbed another 400 metres prior to descending into Bristol Springs on the sweetest pavement in New York State. Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus. Three thousand metres of climbing guarantees 3000 metres of downhill. I was told not to let the innocuous-sounding Bopple Hill, with an eighteenth century cemetery at its summit, deceive me. It was a 22 percent leg-destroying gradient, long enough that your vocabulary on the climb will make the Wolf of
Wall Street sound like Mary Poppins. Sadistic organizers station a bagpipe player at the top to encourage you up its steep ascent. Personally, I'm convinced the piper is there to play last rites so they can bury you on the spot if you don’t survive the climb. During six hours and 48 minutes I climbed my 3350 metres, rode 172 kilometers, and passed a lot of riders: male, female, older and younger than me. And I got passed by a lot of riders: male, female, older and younger than me. Everyone said hi, smiled, complained, and joked, obviously enjoying doing their thing with so many like-minded, using the term loosely, cyclists. By the 140-kilometre mark, our second winds had
come and gone, yet everyone knew there had to be one last outrageous climb, and the organizers didn’t disappoint. It was a newly constructed road with a wide shoulder, a steep but constant grade, and it went up and up forever. Definitely not the stairway to heaven. When I rode by my second 30-something pushing his bike, one of them shoeless because his swollen feet wouldn't fit into his cycling shoes any longer (truth), I felt pretty smug. That lasted until near the top when a goddess on two wheels blew by me, slowing just long enough to shout, “I'll be doing the Marathon for free! I'll be doing the Marathon for free!" Lucky her.
Town commissions needs to be done in accordance with the Terms of Reference that the Region recommends. If the Town agrees to these conditions, and the audit indicates that all is well in our town of $928,000-peracre land valuations, then we call on Hummel to pledge his $50,000 to the Community Centre instead. (Perhaps the security system could be christened in his name.) In this issue we provide guidance on the proper scope for the audit, and what questions must be answered by Council and staff in order to retain the public’s trust. These questions were determined in consultation with various authorities on finance and accounting from within and outside the Region. Unfortunately, as we go to press Monday night, it appears that Council will once again bend to the Mayor’s will and decide to prove the obvious, decide to commission an audit of the grocery bill only. If, as the Mayor assures us, there is nothing improper to be found, then the Town has only Hummel’s $50,000 donation to gain by provided full and truthful answers to the questions that appear on page 5. However, no matter the result of Monday’s vote, Council can still decide to do the right thing.