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THE VOICE of Pelham Wednesday, September 3, 2014 Page 3
First a meat market on Church Hill; now a possible Five Plex. What’s next? A notice from the Town of Pelham has informed some Fonthill residents that a Rental Five Plex has all but been rubber stamped for 6 Church Hill St. This is a well travelled street with historical significance in the town. But let’s stick to the facts here. A rental complex requires a 98 foot frontage; 6 Church Hill has less than 50 feet. The proposal is for five 600 square foot apartments with eight parking spots. The asphalt will cover almost half the lot. As most people know Fonthill is built on a kame and water flows down, not up. What will happen with the first big rain when the asphalt disturbs current water flow? You don’t have to be an engineer to determine that the water will flood neighbours homes, including the units behind 6 Church Hill in Victory Garden. Who will pay for that damage – the Town? Once Town Council alters the bylaw you can expect Church Hill will have other rooming houses. And perhaps the next one will be in your neighbourhood. I agree that Fonthill is in need of apartments but there are many appropriately zoned areas for that sort of development. Why disturb a residential street that is already dealing with parking issues and traffic? If you are opposed to this development make your voice heard by writing to Town Clerk, Nancy Bozzato, PO Box 400, 20 Pelham Town Square, Fonthill, ON, L0S 1E0 no later than September 5, or attend the Council meeting on Sept. 8 at 6:30 p.m. Phyllis Paroshy, Fonthill
Last week I read in ‘The Voice’ that the LCBO wants to ‘jazz up’ the signage outside their new building on Hwy. 20. Good luck. It would be like putting Christmas lights outside a mausoleum. In the former Soviet Union, a monstrosity of a building like this would have won an architectural award. But the real issue here is why was this building built in the first place. In Europe, the U.S., and most countries outside of Iran, alcohol is available in grocery stores. We already have such a store in the same parking lot as the LCBO – it’s called Sobeys. Craig Gordon, Fonthill According to an article in The Voice of Pelham, on August 27th, a recommendation went to Town Council on September 2nd regarding the removal of Town councillors on advisory committees. I am assuming that the decision included a reduction in remuneration paid to councillors coinciding with their reduced workload. Tara Druzina, Pelham In response to the pets missing, I live in the 600 block of Canboro Rd. We’ve heard coyote howls and yelps of pups for years. They have become hybrid now mixing with dogs and wolfs called COY. Three series have been on nature shows on television showing how they are adjusting to living with people. Some cities bothered are New York, Chicago, and Toronto as urban growth is pushing them out. Last week, we saw one run down the road at dusk and it’s not uncommon to hear killing sounds at night. Pets are very vulnerable so our cat, who is 14-years-old, is always in by dusk. Merelle Stirtzinger, Fenwick
Election candidate field grows Library construction continues BY WAYNE CAMPBELL
for the VOICE Peter Papp, the incumbent Ward 3 councillor, is the latest candidate to file nomination papers for the Oct. 27 municipal election. He joins fellow incumbent John Durley in a two-seat contest in Ward 3. Town council changed the boundaries of the town’s three wards for the first time since the 1970s. It balances the population of each and allows for an expected population increase in East Fonthill. Ward 3 now runs south from Port Robinson Road and Pancake Lane to Foss Road and from Effingham Street in the west to the town’s eastern boundary. In Ward 1, which covers Fenwick and rural Pelham, the two incumbents Richard Rybiak and Jim Lane have filed pa-
pers as has Tara Druzina for the two-seat contest. Ward 2 in Fonthill also has a potential race with incumbent Catherine King, and newcomers Justin O’Donnell and Larry Frost seeking the two seats. So far, Mayor Dave Augustine is the only candidate for Mayor. For Pelham regional councillor incumbent Brian Baty is running along with newcomer Jim Inman. For trustee positions on the four school boards serving Pelham, there is a candidate signed up for each one: Dale Robinson, District School Board of Niagara; Rev. Paul MacNeil, Niagara Catholic District School Board; Derrick Fournier, French Language Public District Board; and Jules Letourneau. Deadline for filing nomination papers is Friday, Sept. 12. The election is on Monday, Oct. 27.
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Students at Glynn A. Green Public School will not be using the library quite yet. Work to completely renovate the facility into a state-of-the-art learning commons continues as the completion date creeps closer. “It’s a little behind schedule but there is so much work going on at the school that we can’t complain,” school librarian Ann Holmes said. “When it’s finished, it’ll be a 21st century learning centre for the kids, which will be great.” The $68,470 project will see changes to make the library more inviting. Couches and other comforts aim to draw students into the library for homework and reading. Something former principal Todd Bright wasn’t witnessing during his stay in Pelham. Concrete floors and metal classroom chairs drew few, so students began fundraising. Within several months, the project has raised over $45,000, including $3,000 for new books. The library also received a name over the summer. The facility will be called the Fox Family Learning Commons after they donated $25,000 towards the project. The unselfish actions of others, such as the Fox family, have allowed future students to learn in the best environment possible, Holmes said. “Not only are the kids excited, but so are all the teachers. It’s something that was needed and the community has done a great job in making it happen.” With completion expected in November, Holmes will head into classrooms to do her teaching. Furniture also sits waiting in the gymnasium as crews finished repairing the schools roof and adding the YMCA daycare into the building. “They put in the floors last week and aren’t putting in the circulation desks until next week,” Holmes said. “We’re counting down the days as it’s going to be fantastic when it’s done.” The school remains on the lookout for donations as they have just under $20,000 to raise. If you’d like to donate to the new library learning commons, contact the school at 905-892-3821.