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H eather and P enny L ane S ales R epresentatives
Vol.20 No.28
NIAGARA’S BEST-READ WEEKLY SINCE 1997
Wednesday September 14, 2016
The VOICE
Earlier okay nixed as new info comes to light BY VOICE STAFF On September 6, Thorold City Council voted to withdraw their endorsement for the Allanburg Energy from Waste Project that had been granted back in February. The project was seeking to construct a $180 million facility that would have burned household garbage to create steam and produce electricity through turbines. Both Thorold and Regional Councils had endorsed the project earlier this year, following presentations from the project’s spokespersons that had promised to turn Niagara’s trash into “treasure.” But as more information about the project came to light, Councillors began questioning their decision. Councillor Sergio Paone is also a Senior Demonstrator in the Department of Chemistry at Brock. Paone had abstained from February’s vote citing a need for further information. He feels that Council now has a better understanding of what such a project would entail. “Information back in February was incomplete and misleading,” said Paone. He noted that there were alarming discrepancies between what Council had been told in February and what they were told last week. “Originally, we were told there would be no emissions, but now they’ve said that, yes, there will be emissions,” he said. Paone further stated that he had not liked the proposal from the start. “For me it was two things,” he said. “For one, there were environmental concerns—the pollutant levels were too high. Secondly, it doesn’t make See TRASH Page 8
The Town’s Summerfest Committee held a meeting on Monday to address objections to the event raised by some Pelham Street business owners, as reported in the August 22 edition of The Voice. Hoping to answer concerns raised by 16 local business people who signed a petition suggesting that the event be moved from Pelham Street to a new location, the event’s organizing committee invited one representative from each local business to take part in the discussion. The group of 32 people in attendance was composed of members of Pelham Council, the Summerfest Committee, Town staff and the Pelham Street business community. Hired by the Town to facilitate the meeting was Larry Crase of Basadur Applied Creativity. Crase got down to business right away working with the group to make a list of specific challenges to the business community
Summerfest 2016 BOB LOBLAW PHOTO
Town fast-tracks meeting with Pelham Street merchants to “work on a solution” created by Summerfest. Some of the challenges identified included finding ways to improve security to prevent people from
bringing their own alcohol; public drunkenness; vandalism prevention and how to assign liability for damages; reduction of mess and
cleanup costs; how to ensure adequate parking throughout town; and how to make sure customers have access to all of the businesses on Pelham Street. Co-owner of Cruise Holidays Niagara, Pam Overholt is one of the local business owners that would like to see Summerfest moved to a new location. She says that the massive crowds which come to town and the increased demand for parking in town prevent her customers from accessing her business. “I think it is just that the whole success of this has morphed beyond the comfort level for the downtown area, and I just hope we can come up with some type of solution,” Overholt said. “I don’t think anyone here wants [Summerfest] to go away. We just need to work together and ensure that it benefits everyone.” Following the brainstorming session, Crase gave everyone stickers and See SUMMERFEST Page 3
Sidney Zides. SUPPLIED PHOTO
Crossley student wins health sciences bursary BY ZACH JUNKIN
The VOICE
It wasn’t your typical summer vacation for Sidney Zides. While other teenagers
were at camp, or working a summer job, or just hanging out with friends, 16-yearold Sidney spent seven weeks helping with advanced medical research as
part of Hamilton Health Sciences’ High School Health Sciences Research Bursary program. “They work alongside a health care professional
Pelham Puzzler Now up to
$125! Page 11
FREE
No trash Summerfest petition spurs action incinerator for Thorold BY NATE SMELLE
The
who is affiliated with Hamilton Health Sciences, and they basically job-shadow them,” said Sharon Keller, See SIDNEY Page 3
Column Six Township finances dusted off BY JIM CASSON
Special to the VOICE
G
EORGE H. REECE got $8.00 for building a bridge over 15 Mile Creek. The Township of Pelham spent a lot of money on roads and bridges in ‘58. I figure about $113, out of total municipal expenditures of about $473. That’s close to 24%. Yes, I said ‘58, but not 1958. 1858. That’s 158 years ago. (There are a lot of eights in this story.) At this time of year, when various municipal governments are preparing their budgets, I think some lessons could be learned by reviewing the 1858 Township of Pelham audited financial statement. The local members of the Township Council received $20 each, multiplied by five councillors you get a total yearly cost of $100. Unlike today, they did not get paid until the job was done; the 1857 council stipend was not paid until January 1858. No attendance problems here. The local council members in 1858 probably took all the blame for high taxes. Pelham Township raised almost $3,900 in taxes, but turned over better than 87% of those taxes to the County and the School Board. If you are ready to take the heat, run for Council; if you want to hide from blame, run for County (Region) or School Board. Some things never change. Revenue sources in those days were limited. It appears that there were four taverns in the Township and each paid a $20 dollar license fee. They must not have paid without a fight because Roland McDonald received $20 dollars for “fee as Counsel and attendance at Town Hall on license suits.” Litigation was alive See COLUMN SIX Page 2