Garden City - St. Catharines

August 2011
A runway success
3
Current
The
Garden City
Events calendar
4
A publication from the City of St. Catharines
CONSTRUCTION CORNER
Road resurfacing and curb repairs will start in
August and last about seven to 10 weeks on:
• Church Street from Ontario Street to King
Street
• Queen Street from King Street to Church
Street
• Ancaster Boulevard from Rendale Avenue to
Meredith Drive
• Arbour Glen Drive from Erion Road to
Francis Creek Boulevard
• Charnby Place from Belair Drive to the end
• Elma Street from Scott Street to Ernest
Street
• Garfield Lane from Ventura Drive to end
• Geneva Street from North Service Road to
Grote Street
Asphalt will be added in August and take about
seven weeks on:
• Geneva Street between Draper and Linwell
roads
• Margery Avenue from Carlton Street to
Cayuga Avenue
Storm sewer construction, road reconstruction
and new sidewalks will start in August and take
about 20 weeks to complete on:
• Alice Street from Mildred Avenue to Margery
Avenue
• Mildred Avenue from Carlton Street to
Cayuga Avenue
• Jones Street from Carlton Street to Russell
Avenue (seven weeks)
Watermain replacement and installation will
start in August and take about 17 weeks on:
• Bunting Road from Eastchester Avenue to
Roehampton Avenue
BE DOGGED IN EFFORTS
TO KEEP COYOTES AWAY
They aren’t your typical urbanites. But more
coyotes are becoming city slickers as their
search for food leads them to urban areas.
The sight of the wild dogs is enough to cause
alarm but their appearance means learning to
live with our new neighbours.
Trapping, poisoning and shooting coyotes has
proven ineffective at keeping the animals at bay
in other areas.
Simple measures that limit coyotes’ food
sources can work.
• Keep pet food indoors and pick up fallen
birdseed
• Pick fruit as soon as it ripens
• Secure garbage in durable containers with
locking lids or store indoors until collection
• Protect gardens with heavy-duty fences or
place vegetable plants in a greenhouse
• Consider eliminating artificial water sources, such as koi fish ponds
• Make your property unwelcoming by trimming brush and cleaning brush piles, which
can provide habitat for small rodents – a
coyote food source.
• Fence your property to make it less accessible. Fences should be at least two metres
high and 20 centimetres underground
• Close off spaces under porches and decks
• Use flashing lights, motion sensors or
noise makers to deter coyotes.
If you encounter a coyote, don’t turn your back
to it and run away. Remain calm and back away,
making noise and waving your arms.
Report coyote sightings to the Ministry of Natural Resources at 905-562-4147.
If you find an injured coyote, call the Lincoln
County Humane Society at 905-682-0767.
WANTED: YOUR FAUCETS
The City wants to tap into your water supply for
its annual lead testing program.
Samples from 50 homes using municipal water
are needed for testing to determine lead content. Five water samples are also needed from
non-residential buildings.
If you reside in a home built before the mid1950s you are more likely to have lead pipes
and service lines and if you reside in a home
built before 1989 you may have lead based solder that could leach into your water supply.
Exposure to lead in drinking water can be limited by replacing lead service lines, installing
an NSF-53 water filter or letting the cold water
tap run for five minutes to flush the lines before
drinking.
The Region administers a provincial program
to help low-income families purchase certified
filters for homes with lead exceedances.
The City will replace lead service pipes on
public property when an exceedance is discovered and whenever a home or business owner
replaces their portion of the line.
For more information call Dave Leemet, water
quality technician, at 905-688-5601, ext. 2199,
email [email protected].
Pilot project paves way for
greener parking lots
The City of St. Catharines is taking the
high road for the planet by installing a permeable pavement parking lot at the Lake
Street Service Centre.
The eco-friendly asphalt and concrete
were poured and interlocking brick was
laid in an effort to see how they perform
compared to their conventional – and less
pervious -- counterparts.
“We saw the opportunity to do something
different rather than put back a regular
parking lot,” said Dan Dillon, assistant director of Transportation and Environmental
Services.
Permeable pavement is more porous
than regular paving because all of the fine
material usually used to fill gaps between
coarser bits in conventional concrete or
asphalt is left out of the mix.
“It almost looks like Rice Crispy squares,”
Dillon said of the parking lot.
That leaves room for water to move
through it so there’s less run-off into storm
sewers, which, during heavy rains, can
overload the water treatment system and
cause sewers to overflow into the nearest
water body.
Below the soaked surface, water percolates through about 1.5 feet of stone
aggregate. That acts as a filter, removing
debris, oil and grease. It then trickles down
to a plastic liner and storm drains – the
last stop before recharging groundwater.
Catch basins will enable Dillon and crew
to see just how much water seeps through
in soggy conditions, all in an effort to
find the perfect material for future paving
projects.
Swales filled with grasses and other
greenery will abut the lot and act as an
additional filter for run-off.
“As parking lots come up for renewal,
this will let us know if we use permeable
pavement, which one we would want to go
with,” Dillon said.
But it could take a few years before anyone knows for sure.
Permeable pavement has been used
widely in the warmer climes of the southern U.S., Dillon noted, so it will have to
withstand winter weather and pothole
season.
He is also curious to see how it holds up
to a snow plow.
#1
Rainfall lands on
the parking lot
surface...
#2
...where it flows through
the “pores” in the pavement
Permeable Pavement
#3
...into the
“bed” below
#4
…recharging the aquifer
and groundwater
“Certainly after one or two
winters, we’ll have a better
idea of how it’s performing,” he
said.
If permeable pavement gets
the green light, it could help
the Garden City and projects
within it earn highly sought
eco-ratings, such as Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification.
“It’s also something we might
be encouraging developers to
do so if you have a new WalMart, you don’t have a sea of
asphalt,” Dillon said. “That’s ultimately the goal of permeable
pavement – sustainability.”
The infiltration bed is
filled with clean,
uniformly graded stone
Geotextile fabric
lines the bed
Permeable interlocking brick (left) is one of three permeable pavements installed at the Lake Street Service Centre this summer. Its
permeability and endurance will be compared to conventional asphalt
(shown right) to determine if it’s suitable for use in future city projects.
Curtain rises for new arts centre director
Steve Solski brings passion, experience to project
Growing up, Steve Solski was more
“I’m very passionate about what the arts
inclined to pick up a hockey stick rather
can do for a community, the transformative
than a paint brush or perform a hat trick
effect it can have on a community,” Solski
instead of a dance number.
said. “It’s something we’re building for
But one gig running the lighting board for decades to come.”
a musical as a teen changed
Solski speaks from
Solski’s career course faster
experience. His name can
than an actor changes
be found in the credits of the
costumes between scenes.
establishment of Brampton’s
“I didn’t even know what a
Rose Theatre, a purpose-built
musical was,” Solski recalled. “I
facility for which Solski starred
played hockey. I wasn’t a jock
in the conception and design.
per se but I was athletic. But
Soon after the curtain rose on
I did get hooked right away…
the theatre, it was touted as
. I played those lights like you
one of the most successful
play an instrument.”
openings in Canadian history
These days, Solski has
with attendance and event
turned his talents to directing
numbers exceeding initial
SOLSKI
and his latest production is the
projections.
St. Catharines Performing Arts
Like the St. Catharines
Centre.
Performing Arts Centre, the Rose Theatre
Solski is the founding executive director
was an infill development, filling a gap in
of the soon-to-be-built facility that will
the city centre and bringing a vibrancy and
house performance and film theatres and
life to the downtown that had long been
a concert hall, and today is Day 4 on a job missing.
that includes playing a major role in taking
He called it a “once in a lifetime” chance
the centre from architect’s drawings to
yet he’s getting to do it again.
bona fide building.
The opening of the Rose Centre brought
All the while, he’ll be headlining
with it “immediate development” in the
fundraising initiatives, developing
surrounding area, including the building
programing and generating buzz about a
of seven condominium complexes, Solski
facility already touted as the saviour of St.
said.
Catharines’ downtown.
“In Brampton, it really did happen and I
believe it will happen in St. Catharines,” he
said. “It’s very exhilarating. It’s the process
of building the thing and seeing it come
to life, seeing the audience watch a show.
Really, the bricks and mortar are one part
but it’s the people that make it.”
Even though he’s been on the job less
than a week, Solski said these early days
will set the tone for the project.
There will be “a lot of hard work, a lot
of careful decisions” in the weeks and
months to come to make the arts centre
“the people’s building.”
“There has to be the sense that it
belongs to community and everyone is
welcome there. There has to be the sense
that everyone wants to go there and
everyone wants to be there,” he said.
For now, he’ll be spending his time
getting to know the artists who will use
the building, the people who will be their
patrons and getting acquainted with the
issues surrounding the project, including
its detractors.
“The naysayers will always be there
but you win over the naysayers with the
success of the venue,” Solski said. “I saw
that in Brampton where many people
benefited. You have so many people out
there saying ‘Well, that’s not right. Look
what happened to me,’ and that isn’t just
people in the audience. It changes the
whole economy of the area.”
The Garden City Current is available at www.stcatharines.ca
Page 2
The Garden City Current
Mayor
From the desk of
Brian McMullan
I appreciate the opportunity to share with all of
you the valuable input
from residents, that my
office has received regarding the City’s priorities.
The tax bill insert, designed to get feedback
from residents, provided
a list of the priorities
council developed at a
planning
session
where
we
renewed
our
focus
on the
future
of our
Garden
City.
MAYOR
During
BRIAN
those dis- MCMULLAN
cussions,
council
determined its top priority was a sports and
entertainment complex,
followed by the development of the Shickluna
hydro generating station,
downtown revitalization,
green initiatives, old
Courthouse restoration,
creation of a black history
museum and improvements to Centennial
Gardens.
Residents were asked to
determine from Council’s
list what they considered
to be their top priority.
Results show the most
popular priority was
Shickluna, followed by
downtown revitalization
and the sports and entertainment complex.
With respect to Shickluna, we’re hopeful the
City will get the necessary approvals to move
this green energy project
forward, which has the
capability of generating
revenue for the municipality.
As for downtown, we’re
confident the Performing Arts Centre, which
will complement Brock’s
Marilyn I. Walker School
of Fine and Performing
Arts, will bring activity to
our community’s core.
Council knows, however,
we need to continue to
focus on opportunities
that will ensure our downtown remains vibrant and
prosperous well into the
future.
With respect to a sports
and entertainment complex, residents provided a
lot of feedback about the
importance of having a
space for sports, entertainment and cultural
events.
Residents demonstrated
support for this project
and emphasized the need
to ensure it’s funded without causing any undue
hardship on taxpayers.
When asked to list their
own priorities, some of
the common themes from
residents included more
focus on road repairs and
upgrades, as well as lowering residential tax rates.
To assist with future
planning, residents also
provided feedback about
enhancements for their
specific ward. We appreciate all ideas and comments.
I want to thank the individuals who took the time
to respond.
The 291 responses provided us with a lot of insight into what residents
feel are important issues
Your dedication to the
community and involvement in city initiatives is
appreciated.
Feedback from residents
will assist us in making
important decisions and
further enhance our community for the citizens of
today and the generations
that are to follow.
Together we can accomplish great things.
MERRITTON
NEWS
Merritton Ward Councillors Jeff
Burch and Jennie Stevens hope that
all residents are having a happy and
safe summer.
Labour Day festivities will occur in
Merritton beginning on September
2nd, and conclude on September
5th .
The Merritton Lions will be hosting
their annual carnival weekend at
Community Park.
There will be carnival rides, games,
draws for great prizes and Bingo in
the Community Centre. On Friday
evening, September 2nd, the annual
Beef On A Bun will be held at the
Community Centre.
The Merritton Fireworks Committee
will be providing fireworks on Sun-
ST. ANDREW’S NEWS
Recently, Bill Wiley, who served on
council for 12 years, passed away.
Bill was an outstanding councillor,
known for his intellect, debating
skills and his passionate advocacy
to preserve the unique character of
his beloved Merritton.
Those who knew Bill certainly
shared the sentiment expressed at
the Lions’ memorial service that the
city was most fortunate to have Bill
serve his community as he did.
With the university students gone
for the summer, student behavioural
problems have subsided.
However, student housing landlords continue to be problematic
with respect to property maintenance. Some landlords had to be
ST. GEORGE’S
NEWS
In early July, members of Council
had the opportunity to adorn hard
hats and work boots to tour the new
Kiwanis Aquatics Centre and library.
It’s hard to tell from the street what
a truly amazing building we will all
be receiving this fall. As we drive or
walk by, the roof and the walls are
pretty obvious but what you don’t
see is the glass that will be filling in
the voids between the bricks and
mortar.
We walked in around 5 p.m. and
natural light filled the entire building.
Both the library and the pool areas
will need minimal amounts of added
light during the day. The library will
be almost twice as big as our cur-
ST. PATRICK’S
NEWS
Councillors Elliott and Siscoe
have been busy over the last few
weeks, spending time in the ward
addressing concerns related to road
reconstruction, tree plantings and
removals, transit issues and bylaw
concerns. If ward residents have
any concerns regarding these issues or others, please don’t hesitate
to contact either councillor at the
email addresses and/or phone numbers listed at the end of this column.
June and July also brought about
the initial St. Patrick’s Ward meetings, attended by a number of ward
GRANTHAM
NEWS
Summer has arrived and we hope
that everyone is keeping cool and
enjoying their summer.
In Grantham we have yet another
hidden gem that is being brought to
the forefront, Municipal Beach.
A new group called the Friends of
Municipal Beach has been formed
and they are working with staff in
a co-operative effort to restore this
beach to the glory of yesteryear. Its
goals include keeping the beach
maintained and investigating
alternative options of opening the
permanent washrooms again.
Coun. Phillips and I are hopeful
that by working together, the
City and the Friends can restore
PORT DALHOUSIE
NEWS
I hope you are enjoying the hot,
sunny weather. Summer recreational programs provided by the city and
by service clubs, sports, religious
and cultural organizations are in full
swing. I certainly want to express
gratitude for all the volunteer coaches, leaders and instructors who
dedicate their time and expertise to
enhance our community.
The Canada Day fireworks cosponsored by the Port Dalhousie
Lions Club were another great
success. The restoration of the Port
Dalhousie Lighthouse (1846) will
maintain this important historical
landmark and nautical symbol for
years to come. As well, the new
August 2011A
day evening,
September 4th,
at Community
Park starting
around dusk.
The Committee would
like to extend
sincere thanks
and appreciation to all of the
COUN. JEFF
businesses,
BURCH
unions and individuals who are
helping to make this happen for the
third consecutive year.
The Committee has still not
reached its goal for the quoted price
so all donations are welcomed and
encouraged.
Coun. Stevens and Coun. Burch
can be contacted for information as
to how to make
a donation. Or
cheques can
be made payable to The City
of St. Catharines – Merritton Fireworks.
Tax receipts for
donations will
be issued.
COUN. JENNIE
The parade
STEVENS
route has been
changed this
year and is scheduled to leave from
the Pen Centre, proceed down Glendale to Merritt Street, then travel
through old Merritton to Seymour
and ending at the reviewing stands
and Carnival grounds on Park
Avenue.
If you or your group is interested
in participating in this years parade please contact Jeff White
([email protected]).
Merritton Legion Branch 138 will be
holding their annual street dance,
barbecue and corn roast on August
20th.
A Labour Day barbecue will take
place at the legion as well following
the parade.
Councillor Burch and Councillor
Stevens look forward to your participation in all of the 2011 Labour Day
Events in Merritton.
warned to cut
their lawns or
the city would
send in crews
to do so. Unfortunately, the
same landlords
continue to
be delinquent
and yet the city
cannot charge
COUN. MATT
them extra for
HARRIS
being repeat
offenders.
The zoning decision on 61 Village Rd. is now before the Ontario
Municipal Board.
I would hope the city and developer can reach a compromise before
the issue is considered.
Costs would be avoided and the
residents would
at least be
guaranteed a
better development.One
never knows
what the board
will approve.
The next
meeting of the
replacement
COUN. JOE
of Burgoyne
KUSHNER
Bridge has
been delayed
to late September or early October.
The consultants require more time
to do the environmental assessment of possible locations.
I argued against a recent grant for
a school playground, citing other
areas in our ward that were a higher
priority for parks equipment. Furthermore, other schools did their
own fundraising and did not approach the city. Council, however,
voted to grant the school money.
The grant could become a precedent for other schools that want
playground equipment.
If we can’t afford to finance our
city needs, we should not be financing schools, which are not our
responsibility.
rent Grantham
branch. In the
very centre
of the building is the main
entrance hall
where you can
see the entire
roof/ceiling. The
really interesting
part of the roof COUN. PETER
is that all the
SECORD
water collected
is saved for flushing toilets.
There isn’t a stair to be seen anywhere and that trend carries right
through into the therapy pool. The
therapy pool is designed to accommodate anyone with physical
disabilities or those with just plain
old aches and pains. We understand
this pool will
be warmer and
more inviting
for seniors and
those with cold
feet.
The eight-lane
main pool is in
the wing closest
to the splash
COUN. GREG pad and is very
impressive.
WASHUTA
They are just
starting some of the interior finishes
and we noticed some tile sheets for
the pool leaning on the walls for that
phase.
The entire pool area is very large
and inviting for children, parents and
seniors with plenty of room to watch
as individuals compete, exercise
and learn.
Each councillor takes on different
projects during our term and Coun.
Bill Phillips has spent countless
hours in meeting with the architects, the contractor and the user
groups. We’d like to thank him for a
job well done. We hope you will all
be pleased with the new facility and
frequent the pools and library often.
The investment will prove to be
valuable for our citizens as well as
future generations to come.
residents with
a variety of
concerns. Both
councillors attended the initial
meetings and
were heartened to meet
residents with
a great deal of
passion for issues that impact COUN. MARK
ELLIOTT
not only St.
Patrick’s Ward
residents, but residents of the city
at large. A reminder to all that ward
meetings will resume their monthly
schedule in September and are
scheduled for
the third Tuesday of each
month from
6 to 8 p.m. in
the basement
cafeteria at City
Hall. The next
meeting will be
on Sept. 20.
Finally, a
COUN. MATHEW reminder to all
SISCOE
residents that
Geneva Street
will be closed for the latter part of
the summer and the first part of the
fall as roadwork is completed along
with replacements of watermains
and sanitary sewer lines. There will
be detours set up to help residents
get around, but if possible, please
try to find alternative routes that
steer clear of this section of Geneva
Street and the surrounding neighbourhood.
To all of the St. Patrick Ward residents, enjoy the warm weather and
have a wonderful summer!
Municipal Beach
so it can once
again be a
place residents
can go to enjoy
lazy days at
the beach with
family and
friends, beautiful
sunsets and
COUN. DAWN
warm summer
DODGE
breezes.
If you have not
been down to the beach in a while,
we encourage you to go and check
it out.
The Walker’s Creek
Neighbourhood Association held
their first town hall meeting in the
park on July 21 where attendees
heard updates on the ongoing
project
throughout the
park. Despite
record high
temperatures,
there was good
attendance by
residents at the
meeting, held
at the Cindy
COUN. BILL
Road location.
PHILLIPS
Cement slabs
have been
poured for memorial benches in the
area of Cherie Road, which will be
installed for everyone’s enjoyment.
Updates on the Rose Garden
in Wright Brothers Park (formerly
Spring Gardens Park) were also
discussed and more information
and details will come shortly.
Also, the new playgrounds were
discussed, with the locations and
design included in an upcoming
council report. Walker’s Creek
Neighbourhood Association asked
that they be part of this decision in
co-operation with the city.
If you’d like more information on
the Friends of Municipal Beach or
the Walker’s Creek Neighbourhood
Association, please call Coun.
Phillips or I at the numbers listed
below.
bridge and walkways connecting
Jaycee Gardens
Park to Rennie Island have
opened an alternative transportation option into
and out of Old
Port Dalhousie
and our waterCOUN. LEN
front. The gates
STACK
to prevent late
night activities and improve safety
are to be installed shortly.
Recently, our family was excited
to witness an angler catch a pike
at Martindale Pond–evidence that
works done to clean up the Twelve
Mile Creek watershed are paying off.
Construction on the new aquat-
ics facility and
Grantham
library branch
is progressing
well for an anticipated Christmastime opening. Perhaps,
we should hold
a contest to
COUN. BRUCE determine who
WILLIAMSON gets to dive into
the water first
to christen the new pools. What do
you think?
As I stated during the election,
I believe further major projects
need to be put on hold so as to not
increase the city’s escalating longterm debt obligation and interest
servicing charges.
Concerns have been expressed to
me about the process by which the
Port Place project may unfold. I will
do my part to ensure the conditions
of the Ontario Municipal Board order
are complied with.
I also will be requesting that ward
councillors be notified of liquor
licensing matters by city staff in
advance, so that residents will have
the opportunity to have their voices
heard.
Have a safe and happy summer!
– Jennie Stevens & Jeff Burch
COUN. JEFF BURCH
email: [email protected]
phone: 905.327.5153
COUN. JENNIE STEVENS
email: [email protected]
phone: 905.328.6722
– Joe Kushner
COUN. MATT HARRIS
email: [email protected]
phone: 905.329.6802
COUN. JOE KUSHNER
email: [email protected]
phone: 905.327.9638 or
905.685.1817
–Peter Secord & Greg Washuta
COUN. PETER SECORD
email: [email protected]
phone: 905.327.9854
COUN. GREG WASHUTA
email: [email protected]
phone: 905.327.9905
–Mat Siscoe & Mark Elliott
COUN. MARK ELLIOTT
email: [email protected]
phone: 905.327.1763
COUN. MAT SISCOE
email: [email protected]
phone: 905.329.8162
–Dawn Dodge & Bill Phillips
COUN. DAWN DODGE
email: [email protected]
phone: 905.327.9704
COUN. BILL PHILLIPS
email: [email protected]
phone: 905.327.5363
– Bruce Williamson
COUN. LEN STACK
email: [email protected]
phone: 905.327.5235
COUN. BRUCE WILLIAMSON
email: [email protected]
phone: 905.934.2787
August 2011
The Garden City Current
Getting into the zone
City drafting new comprehensive zoning bylaw
Anyone hoping to build a telegraph office in St. Catharines better
get on it.
The days of the antiquated communications hubs being an
approved service – at least, according to some of the city’s 11
zoning bylaws – are numbered.
That’s because planner Ellen Savoia is busy doing away with
the mixed bag of outdated development rules that have gone
from applicable to anachronisms.
She’s replacing them with a new comprehensive zoning bylaw
h – one set of rules for builders and businesses no matter what
neighbourhood in the city they hope to set to work.
“Our zoning bylaws are pretty out of date. We have old uses in
some bylaws. We have telegraph offices listed as an approved
service but yet we don’t have anything for a pet daycare,” Savoia
said, noting the most recent zoning bylaw was established in the
1980s.
“We’re looking at one bylaw for the whole city with standard
requirements. We’re looking to create a user-friendly document
that uses common language for the whole city and reflects how
the city does things today.”
Not only is Savoia bringing zoning bylaws into the modern day,
she’s also ridding the rules of quirky idiosyncrasies that have
kept builders on their toes, such as the different sizes of side
yards for bungalows and two-storey homes.
In the new comprehensive zoning bylaw, Savoia will streamline
those requirements so that both will have four feet of side yard.
Such changes also reflect the new reality of growth and development set out in the Garden City Plan, the city’s official plan
approved by council last year, which calls for a more densely
developed urban centre rather than one that sprawls.
The comprehensive zoning bylaw is “going to implement the
Garden City Plan,” Savoia said. “We said in that plan we wanted
to achieve certain things. The zoning bylaw will help get us there
and I’m trying to avoid confusion as to what applies to developments.”
Still, Savoia said her efforts in making the zoning rules more
uniform won’t mean the north end will soon look like downtown.
“We’re trying to create a set of standards that can work in both
areas while still respecting the differences between them,” she
assured.
The biggest changes, Savoia noted, will happen mostly in commercial areas where provisions will be included in the bylaw for
increased landscaping, reduced parking for cars and more for
bikes.
“If you look at commercial areas, 80 per cent of the year the
parking lots are mostly only half full. It’s just not an efficient use of
land,” she said.
The draft of the comprehensive zoning bylaw will be completed
by early fall. Then public input will be sought on the
proposed changes.
Savoia said meetings will be held in different corners
of the city, likely starting in October, with the hope of getting as much feedback as possible.
That feedback will be considered when polishing off
the final draft of the comprehensive zoning bylaw before
submitting it for council approval later this year.
Intensified neighbourhoods throughout St. Catharines (above)
and building commercial areas with smaller parking lots than the
one shown are some of the provisions included in the new comprehensive zoning bylaw, which will replace the 11 zoning bylaws
the city currently has in place.
Page 3
Studying suitable
Port Dalhousie
harbour
development
For now, it’s home to a local watering hole, restaurant and factory.
But no matter what may take the place of those
landmarks on the Port Dalhousie Harbour lands,
the waterfront swath will always be home to development that fits its surroundings.
To ensure that, the city hired Toronto firm Brook
McIlroy this summer to help determine guidelines
for developers hoping to one day build where the
Port Dalhousie Legion, Treadwell’s Farm to Table
Cuisine and Lincoln Fabrics now call home.
“This is an area where development is quite likely
to happen and we just want to be ready,” planner
Kevin Blozowski said.
The city’s new official plan, the Garden City Plan,
also requires that an urban design study be done
before any of the harbour lands are redeveloped.
The Port Dalhousie Harbour lands are part of the
Port Dalhousie Heritage District.
That means priority will be given to creating
guidelines that ensure future development connects
the buildings to their surroundings and to people,
protects cultural heritage, and enhances waterfront
access and views.
“We obviously want any future development to fit
in with the look of the district. That doesn’t mean a
modern look can’t fit in but you have to find a balance,” Blozowski said. “We want to make sure that
whatever’s approved in this area respects the public
realm and that important view.”
Brook McIlroy was chosen to do the work because
of its experience in waterfront design work and its
track record of getting residents and businesses
involved, Blozowski said.
Public participation will happen as Brook McIlroy
gathers information, presents its findings and options for the lands, and again when the first draft
goes to council in the new year.
“A study like this goes through many phases. The
challenge at the end of it is you want as much consensus as possible.” Blozowski said. “The last thing
you want to do is tell people what the final product
should be without engaging them along the way
and listening.”
In the meantime, a hold has been put on any new
development in the area for one year until study is
completed and approved by council.
The study will cost about $40,000.
New policy in works to keep hoarders and firefighters safe
Nancy Macdonald-Duncan has seen the
garbage piled floor to ceiling.
She has been in homes with rooms that
resemble giant storage lockers or dumpsters
more than kitchens, living rooms and
bedrooms.
As the city’s chief fire prevention officer,
Macdonald-Duncan doesn’t have to tune into
prime-time television to see the effects of
hoarding.
She experiences it first-hand when she
accompanies her inspectors to homes where
concerns about the amount of stuff piling up
have been raised by family, neighbours or
landlords.
Not only does that raise red flags about the
safety and well-being of the homeowner, it’s
a huge concern for the city’s firefighters, who
may one day be called to the jam-packed
home of a hoarder to battle a blaze.
Those homes can be like a labrynth filled
with combustible material, making it difficult
for firefighters to enter, move around and
escape if the danger becomes too great.
“Rooms are no longer used for what’s
intended.
“They’re used for storage. There are no
pathways. In extreme cases, there’s no
definitive ceiling to floor,” Macdonald-Duncan
said. “The problem is, when you’re in there
and it’s a fire, everything is black.”
To help, Macdonald-Duncan is creating a
protocol for dealing with homes of known
hoarders.
The policy will ensure the safety of
emergency responders and help those who
feel compelled to accumulate.
It would see to the creation of a database
of known hoarders’ homes so firefighters
know what they could be getting into before
arriving on the scene of a fire.
A regional “hoarding coaltion” has
also been created, with the Region, fire
departments, emergency shelters, social
support services and property standards
enforcement developing a consistent
approach to dealing with – and helping –
hoarders.
“Who do we bring with us when we get a
complaint and determine what the severity
of the hoarding is?” Macdonald-Duncan
explained. “We’re trying to get a list together
so when we run into a situation, we know
who to call.”
Currently, when the city’s fire prevention
office gets a tip about a possible hoarding
situation, an inspector goes to the home to
determine how fire safe it is.
Efforts are made to have a member of
the homeowner’s family present when the
inspection is done to help convince the
hoarder of the importance of clearing out
what they’ve been piling on.
Property standards officials are also
included to issue any required orders for
clean-up. Follow-up is done when orders are
issued.
If no improvements have been made, cleanup could be done by the city and the cost
charged to the homeowner.
In extreme cases, an ‘immediate threat to
life’ order can be issued by the fire inspector,
which can mean the removal of the hoarded
items or the people living among them.
If there’s a fire at a hoarder’s home, fire
crews may have to fight the flames from
outside rather than going in, depending
on the severity of the blaze and the
accumulation.
“There’s no accounting for what they’re
hoarding,” Macdonald-Duncan said.
“Most of them are aware. This is something
they’re not proud of. They just have an
inability to deal with it.”
A runway success
Renovated Niagara District Airport has St. Catharines businesses taking off
Business at the Niagara District Airport is
new business endeavours searching for
really taking off.
somewhere to set up shop.
With a new terminal building, new taxiways
Add the festivals, such as the Niagara
and apron areas, talk of adding an air shuttle Wine Festival, beckoning people and an
service between the Niagara-on-the-Lake
expanded airport can beckon even more to
travel hub and Toronto Island and Buffalo,
St. Catharines.
and room to keep growing, the airport is
“St. Catharines also has 135,000 people
increasingly on travellers’ radar.
– more than one-third of the potential
s The changes come thanks to an
customers (in the region) flying in and out of
$11.6-million grant from Ottawa, the province here,” Suter added.
and Region and an airport commission
Plans to take the airport to new heights
piloted by visionary chairman
have been in the works since
Ruedi Suter, who sees a facility
1992. Suter updated those ideas
brimming with potential.
in 2008, roughing in a potential
“Before we had these
1,000-foot extension to one of
improvements in, we couldn’t
the runways to accommodate
even talk to people. They’d
scheduled flights and Aviation
laugh at us,” said Suter, an
Park West.
architect and former Swissair
Now a swath of grass, Aviation
pilot. “We’ve done our
Park West could one day be
homework. We’ve made this a
home to new hangars and plane
real regional airport and we can
maintenance companies.
sit down and talk to them about
But Suter isn’t about to wing it
coming here.”
with his ambitions for the airport.
SUTER
That’s to the benefit of
The application that secured
St. Catharines, one of three
the government grant focused on
municipal funding partners for the airport.
additions and improvements that would be in The new terminal building at Niagara District Airport in Niagara-on-the-Lake is one of the many improvements at the
airport made possible by an $11.6-million government grant. The Airport Commission is working to improve services
With the city’s sizeable industrial base
high demand now.
and businesses at the airport with the hope of increasing use by travellers.
and an airport able to accommodate more
Take the new terminal, for example, with
traffic year-round, on-time delivery for local
room for air travel-related business, a small
on what could generate revenue to offset the us to compete with other airports,” Suter
manufacturers is no longer a far-off reality.
café and portable kiosks to promote local
subsidies from the municipalities.”
said. “That’s not going to happen. The role
Being home to Brock University, and new
attractions.
of Niagara District Airport is to be a real
Suter is also well aware of the airport’s
media and tech companies with their global
Now, the airport will grow as needed rather
regional feeder airport to connect to other
place in the grand transportation scheme as
connections makes the Garden City a
than building everything at once.
travel hubs. We’re not doing this because of
the
commission
plows
ahead
with
plans
for
business destination.
“I didn’t want to have a white elephant
ego,” he added. “We’re doing this so we still
wooing
carriers.
Both are selling features of the airport
here,” he said. “Our main focus is to make
have an airport 50 years from now.”
“All the funding partners, they don’t want
for those already established here and
this place self-sustaining. We were focusing
Page 4
KNOCK FIRE OUT OF THE
PARK
St. Catharines Fire Services and the Toronto
Blue Jays have teamed up to hit home the
importance of fire safety.
Fire Services, the Fire Marshal’s Public Fire
Safety Council and the major league baseball
team are partners in Swing Into Summer, a
provincewide campaign aimed at encouraging
children and their families to step up to the
plate when it comes to staying safe this
summer.
Residents can throw risky behaviour a curve
ball by visiting local fire stations, the St.
Catharines Fire Services Fire Prevention office
at 8 Academy St. or one of the fire prevention
displays set up throughout the community
where they will receive a package of Blue Jays
baseball cards for showing what they know
about fire safety.
PROJECT ZERO LAUNCHED
St. Catharines Fire Services wants to reduce
residential fire and carbon monoxide deaths to
zero.
They’ll be doing it with Project Zero, a newly
launched public education program with Enbridge Gas and the Fire Marshal’s Public Fire
Safety Council that will see more than 300 combination smoke and carbon monoxide alarms
installed in St. Catharines homes.
Thanks to more than $8,500 donated by Enbridge Gas, the alarms will be put in the homes
of residents who may not have the resources to
purchase, install and maintain one of these lifesaving devices.
In Ontario, it is the law that every home has a
working smoke alarm on each storey and outside all sleeping areas. While carbon monoxide
alarms are not mandatory, they are strongly
recommended by the Ontario Fire Marshal to
protect against carbon monoxide poisoning.
Combination smoke and carbon monoxide
alarms, when properly installed and maintained,
provide the early warning needed to safely escape from a fire or carbon monoxide exposure.
Applications will be available at Community
Care of St. Catharines and Thorold, 12 North St.,
and at the St. Catharines Fire Prevention office
at 8 Academy St.
DROWN YOUR CAMPFIRE
Keep these fire safety tips in mind the next time
you’re roughing it in the great outdoors:
Build campfires on bare soil or exposed rock,
protected from the wind. Keep a pail of water
and a shovel on hand to control the fire.
Douse campfire with water and stir the ashes
with a stick or shovel to allow the water to soak
in and cool the ashes and the ground.
Campfires should never be left unattended and
must be thoroughly extinguished before leaving
the site.
Check with your local municipal office or Ministry of Natural Resources for burning restrictions
or bylaws before burning grass or brush around
your cottage.
Extinguish cigarette butts by dousing them
with water or crushing them thoroughly in bare
mineral soil or on bare rock.
Never discard a burning cigarette in the bush or
from the window of a moving vehicle.
Allow portable generators, stoves and lanterns
to cool before refueling. Refuel on bare soil or
exposed rock.
HAVE YOU VISITED…
SIR CASIMIR GZOWSKI PARK
WHERE: Sir Casimir Gzowski Park is on Niagara
Street between Garnet and Currie streets.
WHAT: The greenspace, once a tired patch of
grass with scruffy trees and a few weathered
benches, has gotten a makeover, compliments
of the City’s Green Committee, the St. Catharines Horticultural Society and members of
the local Polish community, who have donated
money to the sprucing efforts.
The park is now home to a walkway, new flower
beds and flag poles to accompany the existing
memorial to Polish pioneers.
The beautification project has cost about
$120,000.
DID YOU KNOW: The park is on the site of what
used to be Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church.
Holy mass was first celebrated in August 1914.
But before that, the church was known as St.
Joseph’s Mission and had first served the Irish
and Italian communities.
Sir Casimir Gzowski Park was dedicated in 1967.
The Polish Gzowski was exiled to the U.S. in
1833 after being taken as a prisoner of war in
1831 as Poland fought for independence from
Russia. He was a civil engineer, who came to
Canada to win a construction contract to work
on the Welland Canal. He didn’t submit the winning bid but had his hand in other transportation projects throughout the province, including
the building of Yonge Street in Toronto.
Gzowski served as the first chairman of the
Niagara Parks Commission, from 1885 to 1893.
He is the great grandfather of late CBC radio
personality Peter Gzowski.
The Garden City Current
August 2011
The young and the entrepreneurial
Summer Company program provides business experience without the risk
Samantha Hyland knows how
to find the best bargains.
As a fan of shopping at estate
sales, she has developed a
knack for homing in on bragworthy finds.
This summer, though, the
Brock student and shopper
extraordinaire is trying her
hand at marketing the great
deals.
Hyland has spent the past few
months building a business
running estate sales for people
downsizing, moving and simply
ridding their homes of stuff.
With the help of a Summer
Company grant, Hyland has
been holding sales in Niagara
and beyond, making other
bargain hunters’ dreams
come true. Mostly, though, the
third-year Brock University
student is satisfying her
entrepreneurial spirit by being
her own boss.
“You go into a house and
they say ‘I want you to sell
everything’ and then you find
all of this neat stuff that you
have to look up the value of
because you have no idea,”
Hyland said. “You learn all of
these different things and it’s
different every day.”
Summer Company is a
provincial program that awards
local entrepreneurs between
the ages of 15 and 29 with
grants up to $3,000 to run
their own businesses for the
summer – and beyond if they
choose to stick with it.
This year, 44 budding
business leaders applied
to be part of the program
Samantha Hyland is running her own estate sale company this summer
thanks to a Summer Company grant.
by submitting a business
plan to the city’s Enterprise
Centre, which administers the
program. Eleven were given
the green light to make a go
of their ideas, including a
photographer, personal trainer,
web designer, sommelier and
hip-hop dance camp founder.
Program participants get
$1,500 to cover start-up costs
and a pool of mentors to dip
into to help with marketing,
accounting and honing of their
business prowess. Enterprise
Centre staff also answer
participants’ questions that
arise during their days of
summer self-employment and
ensure budgets and hour logs
are up to snuff.
Participants who meet the
requirements get another
$1,500 at the end of the
summer.
“The whole point of the
program is to provide
mentorship to help students
with their businesses,” said
Traci Christensen, Summer
Company co-ordinator at the
Enterprise Centre.
It also makes going it alone in
the business world less scary,
Hyland noted.
“I’ve always wanted to have my
own business,” she said. “This
gives me the opportunity to
try it with less risk than what it
would be when I graduate.”
That often gives the budding
entrepreneurs the confidence
to carry on their businesses
beyond the summer,
Christensen said.
A 2008 provincial government
study of Summer Company’s
economic impact found that
22 per cent of participants
from the 2001-2006 program
years were still running their
businesses. The economy also
benefited from the creation of
375 small and medium-sized
enterprises that program
participants in those years had
started operating since.
Hyland, who works on
commission doing estate
sales, may carry on her
business, which includes
sales at people’s homes and
unloading leftover items online,
when she’s back at school
come September. Come
graduation, she still sees
herself being her own boss.
“I like being able to make
decisions myself and work as
many hours as I want instead
of working 10 to 15 hours
because that’s all they can give
me,” Hyland said. “I really like
being busy.”
Events Calendar
Now-Aug. 19 – Tending our
Garden City: Local artists
exhibit their vision of St.
Catharines’ future. Second
floor, City Hall. Free. www.
stcatharines.ca
Now-Aug. 28 – Sitting Pretty:
The history of the toilet exhibit.
St. Catharines Museum. 905984-8931.
Now-Oct. 16 -- Something
Old, Something New, Something Borrowed, Something
Blue: Bridal Bliss in St. Catharines exhibit. St. Catharines
Museum. 905-984-8931.
Aug. 7 – Montebello Park
Band Concerts. Sandy Vine
Trio. 7 p.m. Montebello Park
Pavilion. Free. 905-688-5601,
ext. 1927. www.stcatharines.ca
Aug. 7 – Music in the Park
Slovenian Festival. 2 p.m. - 10
p.m. Lipa Park. www.lipaparkmember.com
Aug. 9 – Montebello Park
Band Concerts. British Invasion. 7 p.m. Montebello Park
Pavilion. Free. 905-688-5601,
ext. 1927. www.stcatharines.ca
Aug. 10 – Campfire & Singa-Long. Fire pit in Burgoyne
Woods. Bring your own hot
dogs to roast. Marshmallows
and pop provided. 905688-5601, ext. 1563. www.
stcatharines.ca
Aug. 12-14 – St. Catharines
International Busker Festival.
Downtown. Free. www.lyndesfarnetheatreprojects.com/
buskerfestival
Aug. 13 – Full Moon History
and Haunts Walk. 9 p.m. Meet
at Market Square for 75-minute tour. Tickets $8. 905-6858424. www.mydowntown.ca
Aug. 13-17 – Summerlicious. 3-course, prix fixe
menus ranging from $15-$30.
Participating downtown restaurants. 905-684-8424. www.
mydowntown.ca
Aug. 13-Sept. 24 – St.
Catharines Game & Fish Fall
Salmon Derby. Details at
905-937-6335 or http://scgameandfish.proboards.com/
index.cgi
Aug. 14 – Montebello Park
Band Concerts. Marty Allen
Band. Montebello Park Pavilion. Free. 905-688-5601, ext.
1927. www.stcatharines.ca
Aug. 16 – Montebello Park
Band Concerts. The Bill Culp
Band. Montebello Park Pavilion. Free. 905-688-5601, ext.
1927. www.stcatharines.ca
Aug. 21 – Montebello Park
Band Concerts. Solid Brass.
Montebello Park Pavilion.
Free. 905-688-5601, ext.
1927. www.stcatharines.ca
Aug. 23 – Montebello Park
Band Concerts. Old Thyme
Fiddlers. Montebello Park
Pavilion. Free. 905-688-5601,
ext. 1927. www.stcatharines.ca
Aug. 28 – Montebello Park
Band Concerts. The Retro
Future and current developments will be featured in Urban Metamorphosis: St. Catharines’ Changing Urban Landscape, the latest City Hall art exhibition, opening Aug. 29. See it Monday to Friday
from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Rockers. Montebello Park
Pavilion. Free. 905-688-5601,
ext. 1927. www.stcatharines.ca
Aug. 29-Dec.2 – Urban Metamorphosis: St. Catharines’
Changing Urban Landscape,
second floor, City Hall, 8:30
a.m. to 4:30 pm. www.stcatharines.ca
Aug. 30 – Montebello Park
Band Concerts. Frankie Phelan
Five. Montebello Park Pavilion. Free. 905-688-5601, ext.
1927. www.stcatharines.ca
Sept. 9-11 – Greek Festival.
Niagara Greek Community
Centre. 585 Niagara St. www.
niagaragreekfestival.com
Sept. 9-11 – Niagara Lifestyle
Fall Home Show. SeymourHannah Sports and Entertainment Centre, 240 St. Paul St.
West. 1-800-465-1073. Email
[email protected] or visit
http://www.jenkinsshow.com
Sept. 10-Jan. 3 – Ornamenting
the Ordinary: Crafts of South
Asia exhibit. St. Catharines
Museum. 905-984-8880.
Sept. 12 – Full Moon History
and Haunts Walk. 9 p.m. Meet
at Market Square for 75-minute tour. Tickets $8. 905-6858424. www.mydowntown.ca
Sept. 15 – Taste of Port
Dalhousie. Guided tour of
restaurants paired with Niagara
wineries. 905-937-4783. www.
portdalhousie.com
Sept. 16-25 – Niagara Wine
Festival. 100 events, including one of Canada’s largest
parades. 905-688-0212. www.
niagarawinefestival.com
Sept. 20 – Taste of Port
Dalhousie. Guided tour of
restaurants paired with Niagara
wineries. 905-937-4783. www.
portdalhousie.com
Sept. 22 – Taste of Port
Dalhousie. Guided tour of
restaurants paired with Niagara
wineries. 905-937-4783. www.
portdalhousie.com
Market Recipe
GRILLED FIVE-SPICE PORK
WITH PEAR SALSA
(Source: Foodland Ontario)
When it’s hot outside, simply fire up the barbecue for this quick Asian-inspired dish.
Ingredients:
1 Ontario Pork Tenderloin, about 1 lb (500 g)
2 bsp (25 mL) soy sauce
1 tsp (5 mL) five-spice powder
Salt
Pear Salsa:
1/2 cup (125 mL) Ontario Tomato, diced
1 Ontario Sweet Orange Pepper, diced
1/4 cup (50 mL) fresh Ontario Basil, chopped
2 tbsp (25 mL) Ontario Red Onion, minced
1 tbsp (15 mL) olive oil
2 tsp (10 mL) red wine vinegar
Salt and cayenne pepper
2 firm but ripe Ontario Pears
Preparation:
Place pork with soy sauce in dish just large
enough to hold it. Cover and marinate in refrigerator overnight or simply marinate while grill is
preheating.
Rub five-spice powder all over pork; sprinkle
with generous pinches of salt. Place pork on
greased grill over medium heat; close lid and
grill, turning occasionally for about 25 minutes
or until barely pink in centre and meat thermometer registers 160°F (70°C).
Pear Salsa: Meanwhile, in bowl, combine tomato, orange pepper, basil, red onion, oil, vinegar
and pinches of salt and cayenne. Peel pears;
cut in half then core. Brush lightly with more oil.
Grill during last 5 minutes of cooking pork, turning occasionally until barely tender.
Chop pears; stir into tomato mixture. Slice pork
diagonally and serve with salsa.