October 19, 2012

LIKE FATHER,
LIKE SON?
FRIGHTENING FAMILY FUN
Howtofind
Niagara’shorror
haunts
JustinTrudeau
seeksCanadian
youthvote
PAGE 16
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T H E C OM MU N I T Y PA P E R OF N I A G A R A C OL L E G E
FREE
October19,2012
Vol44•Issue3
Red vs. Blue: Round 2 at Queenston Heights
NativeinterpreterTravisHillkneelsatthebodyofSirIsaacBrock,portrayedbyScottFinlay,attheBattleofQueenstonHeightsre-enactmentlastSaturday.About15,000spectators
andmorethan1,000re-enactorsshoweduptocommemoratethe200thanniversaryoftheWarof1812’sfirstmajorengagement.Storyandphotosonpage8.
Photo by Brayden McCullagh
Ontario colleges getting
several degrees cooler
By MELISSA SOLAZZO
Staff Writer
Students deserve the chance to
earn the recognition they deserve.
Early in October, all 24 colleges
in Ontario proposed a plan to the
Ontario government to grant colleges the authority to offer threeyear degree programs.
Three-year advanced college
programs in Ontario meet the
criteria of most degree programs
offered in other parts of the world
but here, students graduate with a
diploma.
This is a matter of Ontario colleges “transforming higher education,” says Linda Franklin, president and chief executive officer of
Colleges Ontario.
“They can offer three-year focused degrees,” says Franklin.
She explains there are a number
of benefits and one of them includes providing students without
‘Colleges were
never meant to meet
with the university
system, but they have
evolved’
– Linda Franklin,
President and CEO of
Colleges Ontario
the grades to get into university the
opportunity to earn a degree at the
college level.
Franklin says the change in
levels of academic recognition the
colleges will be allowed to offer
won’t affect the minimum requirements to be accepted.
Colleges can adjust and add
new material to the curriculum at
a fairly fast pace that will benefit
the college system because the few
minor changes needed for particular programs to be transformed into
a degree can be made immediately,
says Franklin.
“Colleges were never meant to
meet with the university system,
but they have evolved and employers wanted it and the job market
demanded it.”
“Every student is going to find
their own path. The most important
thing is get a job, train students and
prepare them for good jobs.”
Students would be saving money
by completing a three-year focused
college degree instead of taking a
four-year degree at a university and
then having to enrol in a post-graduate program at the college level to
gain more hands-on training.
Continued on page 2
McGuinty’s sudden departure
dumbfounds caucus, students
By EVAN LEE
Staff Writer
When Dalton McGuinty announced last Monday evening
that he would be stepping down as
leader of the Ontario Liberal Party,
reactions ranged from sheer excitement to utter disappointment.
Lindsay Gilliss, 20, of Niagara
Falls, says that she was glad he
stepped down because she didn’t
agree with his education policy.
She says that she was surprised
at his announcement and wishes
he would have taken more time to
explain his decision.
Rebecca Demers, 19, a student
of the Police Foundations program,
says she thinks McGuinty stepping
down is nothing but a cop-out. “He
realized he screwed up [with the
teachers] and now he’s backing
out.” She goes on to say that she
thinks he doesn’t know where to
go from here so stepping down was
the only option.
After 16 years as premier of On-
tario, the 57-year-old McGuinty’s
final act as leader was to prorogue
the legislature, a move that has already drawn a lot of criticism from
his oppositon.
Welland NDP MPP Cindy Forster
says that her party knew something
was up when McGuinty called the
meeting with such short notice, but
it still came as a surprise.
She says stepping down would
be one thing, but he did not have to
prorogue the legislature, calling it
a “backdrop to buy time,” adding,
“he wanted to avoid scandal.”
“We have called on McGuinty to
call the house back,” says Forster,
“but it is out of our hands.”
St. Catharines Liberal MPP and
Minister of the Environment Jim
Bradley said in a press release, “It
has been a privilege and an honour
to work with Dalton McGuinty
throughout his tenure as premier of
Ontario.”
One thing is clear: change is
coming to Ontario.
Page 2
NIAGARA NEWS
Oct. 19, 2012
NEWS
BarStars Niagara promotes nightlife
By JANE McTAVISH
Staff Writer
Students don’t go out as much as
they used to.
Today many of them need a specific reason to have a good time,
either to see an artist perform or
attend a themed party.
Several companies in the area
are dedicated to making this happen, such as BarStars Inc.
This photography and marketing
company says its main focus is to
promote the evolving nightlife in
the region, focusing on St. Catharines, Niagara Falls and Hamilton.
BarStars Inc. was created in
September 2010 by founders Matt
Jones and Patrick Doody, also
known as the Sour DJs, when they
realized there wasn’t an established
promoting company in the area.
They initially started the company as a promotional tool for
themselves but realized they were
filling a void in the market and
gained interest. Then they became
the first company in the region to
bring electronic music and artists.
“They started with something to
help evolve the Niagara nightlife
scene,” says Zach Pajtasz, 22, the
social media officer and media
relations agent.
He says they help bars and clubs
increase the demand and increase
awareness.
“We don’t have the demand; it
doesn’t thrive like other areas. We
don’t really have any big named
bars. That’s where we’ve kind of
moved in to help organizations and
bars to kind of give them more of a
push. Before, they didn’t need this
service but now students need to be
encouraged more that they should
go out and celebrate.”
Eva Glazkova, 22, a Hospitality
Operations Management student
from Niagara College, says it is al-
From left are Patrick Doody, one of the founders of BarStars Niagara; Zach Pajtasz, media relations and social media officer; and Steve Brown,
photographer and ticket sales co-ordinator.
Submitted photo
ways fun to check the photos from
their website, especially the ones of
her with her friends. “It makes me
go back to that night and remember
how much I enjoyed myself.”
Pajtasz says they choose which
artists to bring depending on who
the students want to see.
“It’s a matter of finding acts that
have a big following in the area but
that aren’t necessarily the really
big names. It’s a matter of finding
the right people at the right time,”
adding they always consider students’ budgets and offer the events
at an affordable price.
Adrian Nunes, entertainment
manager of the Red Hot Chili Pepper in St. Catharines, has worked
with BarStars for years.
“Because of all the events they
throw, we are getting people who
wouldn’t normally come from
other cities. They definitely pave
the way to have bigger DJs and
bigger events in the city.”
Krysta Gauthier, bartender at
Cache in St. Catharines, says
BarStars makes them aware of
what is going on with their website
and Facebook page that is “always
blowing up” with special events.
“Not only have they put their
time and consistent effort towards
clubs, but also promote for charity
events as well as raising awareness
for things such as Movember.
“Their amazing photographers
have done a fantastic job at captur-
It’s ‘about putting students
first,’ says college president
Continued from page 1
“At the end of the day, it’s about
applied education coming into its
own,” says Franklin.
She adds this will give students
the chance to finish school more
quickly and earn a degree at the
pace they want.
“The opportunity to make major
change does not come often and I
believe we are at one of those moments now,” says Dan Patterson,
president of Niagara College.
He says one of the benefits of
the proposal is that it would give
students who learn more effectively in an applied environment
equal opportunities to earn credentials appropriate to their postsecondary achievements.
“This initiative is about putting
students first,” says Patterson.
Dr. Steven Hudson, Niagara College’s vice-president academic,
and Patterson agree that “the time
is right to elevate post-secondary
education in Ontario to interna-
Niagara
College
President
Dan Patterson
Submitted photo
tional standards.”
The college would not have to
make too many changes to its curriculum to transform its programs
into three-year degrees.
“Niagara College would pursue
three-year degrees in lieu of our
three-year advanced diplomas in
all the fields we are currently involved in.”
The new proposal is expected to
increase enrolment at the college
level. This year is a record-breaking year for enrolment here but
thanks to the college’s “historic”
$90-million building expansion,
officials don’t anticipate any major construction in the foreseeable
future to accommodate the increased enrolment, says Patterson.
“Our goal will be to enhance
the utilization of our facilities and
to increase year-round programming.”
Patterson believes this proposal
is an opportunity to open more
teaching jobs at the college level.
Patterson and Hudson say
students, parents and employers
“prefer degrees over diplomas,”
according to research. The recommendations in the proposal were
made to ensure Ontario becomes a
province where all post-secondary
programs are “equally valued.”
“We do not aspire to be universities. We like who we are,” says
Patterson.
ing our best moments.”
The team also includes web designer Dexter Brock, and photographer and ticket sales co-ordinator
Steve Brown.
Pajtasz says they enjoy what
they do.
“I love it; it’s awesome. The
most rewarding thing is seeing
people having a good time.”
On Oct. 30 they will have the
Raving Dead Devil’s Night party at
Barracuda Pretty in St. Catharines.
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Listen online: broadcasting.niagaracollege.ca.
NIAGARA NEWS
Oct. 19, 2012
FEATURE
Lucille Kelly and Maria Boichuk at the Run for the Cure in St. Catharines.
Submitted photo
Page 3
Maria’s Bosom Buddies
raise money for a cure
By JESSICA MUIR
Staff Writer
People see 13 as an unlucky
number, but for the women of the
Niagara College Child Care Centre, it signifies strength and, they
hope, luck for one of them facing a
battle against breast cancer.
Maria Boichuk was diagnosed
with the disease last spring.
Lucille Kelly, 55, of St. Catharines, says she is the one who
decided to talk to the staff at the
centre, on the college’s Welland
campus, and get everyone involved
in the Run for the Cure.
They created a 13-member team
named Maria’s Bosom Buddies.
Of the women and staff, 12 made it
out on the date of the run sporting
specially designed T-shirts.
Kelly says she and the team
raised about $520, not including
other donations from friends.
“Now that the run is over, I
thought we could put the shirts
used at the run to good use,” says
Kelly.
Every Monday in October and
for a few weeks afterwards, the
centre’s team and staff will be
wearing them to generate breast
cancer research support and
heightened awareness.
Kelly says supporting this is
extremely important to her because
her mother was also diagnosed
with the disease and has died.
“It’s a special to do thing,” says
Kelly.
For the staff that ran, they’ve
pledged to do the run each year.
She says the staff is “very close
here and have worked together for
many years.”
At the end of April, the centre
will be closing and the 13 full-time
and seven part-time employees
will be seeking other jobs.
The decision was made late this
year because of financial challenges.
Something’s brewing in the cupboard
New kiosk gives you more caffeinated options
By RICK DE VRIES
Staff Writer
Whether you are looking for
a gourmet blend or an iced favourite, the Coffee Cupboard has
everything you need, provided you
have one of those special Keurig
machines.
With more than 65 regular and
flavoured blends of coffee, 10 hot
chocolate and cappuccino, eight
iced teas and coffees, and 19 other
teas, the store provides everything
at your fingertips.
Chai Latte, White Hot Chocolate, Cinnamon Roll and Pumpkin
Spice are among the 12 flavours
hardest to keep on the shelves.
One of the newest flavours is
called Chocolate Caramel Brownie.
“I wanted to call my business
the K Cupboard when I first started
this but apparently that is an infringement of copyright law,” John
Peacock says. “I’m known around
the mall here as Johnny K-Cup
though.”
Peacock, 38, of Niagara Falls,
started his business as a way to
help his family.
Peacock’s wife, Tara, and his
nephew also help at the kiosk one
day a week.
The rest of the time he is the one
on duty.
“I went to school for journalism and photography, but it never
worked out for me.” Peacock says,
“I cooked for over 20 years, lately
of Great Wolf Lodge in Niagara
Falls, but it wasn’t what I wanted
to do. When my wife and I refinanced our house, we had a surplus
left over and that started us on our
John Peacock, owner of the Coffee Cupboard, stands in front of his
Kiosk at the Seaway Mall.
Photo by Rick DeVries
current journey.”
Peacock says one of the main
reasons he decided to go into business was that there was nothing
like the Cupboard.
“Like everyone else, I used to
drink Tim Hortons all the time.
Then I switched to the K-Cup
machines and began ordering my
favourites online, but I ended up
waiting weeks and weeks sometimes.”
Now, Peacock says, he gets to
take home whatever he wants and
doesn’t have to wait.
Located around the corner from
the cinemas and across the hall
from The Source and Hallmark,
the Coffee Cupboard has been in
operation since Aug. 5.
Peacock says, “I opened this
kiosk in Welland because of the
market. Niagara Square has over
23 empty stores, and it was just
not financially feasible to open in
the Pen Centre. In Welland, there’s
nothing else like us.”
He says he is looking into expanding at the Fairview Mall in
Toronto and also across the border
in the United States, specifically at
the Walden Galleria Mall outside
Buffalo, N.Y.
“Opening up in America requires
a totally new business licence and a
work visa however,” Peacock says.
Distribution is handled by
Green Mountain Coffee, based in
Breville, Que., who own the rights
to the K-Cups Peacock sells.
Keurig supplies Peacock with
his choice of 52 flavours, the machines and accessories.
Peacock sells his product in 18
packs, which cost between $12 to
$15, and 24 packs, which cost between $19 and $23.
You can mix and match if you
like however, picking from a multitude of flavours.
One dozen will cost $12, two
dozen costs $23 and three dozen
costs $33.
The Coffee Cupboard is offering
gift baskets for $17.99 and coffee
mugs for $6.99.
Loyalty Cards are also available
to repeat customers.
Buy 10 dozen and get a half
dozen free.
If you are a student with valid
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identification, you can get a baker’s
dozen and $5 off one of the miniplus machines as well as $1 off a
box of coffee.
Hours of operation are weekdays, 10 a.m to 9 p.m, Saturday 10
a.m to 5 p.m and Sundays 12 p.m
to 5 p.m
Follow the Coffee Cupboard on
facebook at www.facebook.com/
pages/Coffee-Cupboard or call
905-650-5333. You can also stop
by and visit the kiosk at the Seaway Mall.
YOU
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NIAGARA NEWS
Page 4
Oct. 19, 2012
EDITORIAL
T H E C O M MU N I T Y PA P E R OF N I A G A R A C OL L E G E
Editor: Melissa Solazzo
Associate Editor: Megan Briggs
Assistant Editor: Jeff Johnston
Photo Editor: Jessica Muir
Publisher: Greg Unrau
Program Co-ordinator: Paul Dayboll
Managing Editor: Charles Kopun
Associate Editor: Phyllis Barnatt
Editorial Consultant: Nancy Geddie, Gary Erb
Photography Consultant: Dave Hanuschuk
Technology Support: Kevin Romyn
S302A, 300 Woodlawn Rd.,
Welland, Ont. L3C 7L3
Telephone: (905) 735-2211 Ext. 7750
Fax: (905) 736-6005
Editorial email: [email protected]
Advertising email: [email protected]
2009 WINNER
BNC2009
2009 WINNER
CANADIAN
COMMUNITY
NEWSPAPER
AWARD 2011
Bars and alcohol replace
candy and scary movies
You are nine, on the eve of Oct.
31. Chances are you all have similar pictures in your head.
Girls are probably clad in a princess costume, and boys are a super
hero of some sort. You also look
twice as big as normal because
mom always made you wear that
jacket under your costume. In your
hand is a pillowcase, one of the big
ones, and maybe an extra for overflow. Afterall, you’re not going
home until you’ve hit every house.
You spent your day carving
pumpkins and parading around
school from class to class showing
the older kids your costumes. With
all of the excitement, it’s hard to be
tired, but you are because you’ve
been lying in bed wide-eyed for the
past few weeks. Those Halloween
movies have scared you silly.
At the end of my trick-ortreating I would always run home
with my friends and eat myself into
a candy-induced coma. Every day
until I was out of loot, I would rush
home from school and eat as many
sweets as I could before my mom
got home. I usually had a perpetual
belly ache until mid-November
each year.
Fast forward 10 years and everyone around me is half naked
and there is no candy and no scary
movies. I guarantee I will have
quite the bellyache tomorrow.
It is mind-boggling how Halloween has changed over the years.
It seems as we grow up, we forget
about the real meaning and pur-
pose. The idea is contorted over the
years. Isn’t it supposed to be about
ghosts and goblins, zombies and
witches? I have to say that I have
yet to see one of those characters
roaming the downtown bars on
Halloween eve. Instead it usually
looks like an occupational festival,
and revellers seem to have put
their clothing in the dryer for far
too long. There also appears to be
a problem in the city with rodents.
There are five-foot mice and rabbits roaming. They have learned to
walk in heels as well … sort of. It
all seems slightly ridiculous.
You know what part of these
shenanigans disappoints me the
most? The fact that I, the one who
always dressed up, am now dressed
as a giant rodent, a bunny rabbit to
be exact, but the only recognizable
feature is my pink ears. This is not
what I wish to be.
The whole focus seems to have
shifted to dressing provocatively
and drinking. To be honest, I miss
what it meant to me as a child. This
year I plan to revert to the way I
used to celebrate. The difference is
I will be the one handing out candy,
instead of going door to door.
I promise to watch loads of scary
movies and carve pumpkins if
I go out, I will at least add some
blood and guts to my costume. No
more trying to look pretty, because
there’s nothing pretty about Halloween.
MEGAN BRIGGS
Local cartoonist Vincent Thompson’s ‘Vinny and Bud’ cartoon two of five. Part 3 comes out Nov. 9.
Vinny and Bud Cartoon
TRUDEAUMANIA 2.0
Liberal MP announces leadership bid
“The essential ingredient of politics is timing,” said Prime Minister
Pierre Elliott Trudeau.
And the timing just might be
right for Justin Trudeau, following
in his late father’s footsteps.
Justin Trudeau, Liberal MP,
announced his candidacy for the
leadership of the Liberal Party of
Canada on YouTube.
Some may argue the delivery
method of that announcement, but
so much of people’s time is spent
on the Internet.
It captured the country’s attention and that’s what matters.
In Trudeau’s coming-out speech,
he says, “If the way we build it is
new, what we have to build is timeless,” referring to the new Canada
he plans to create.
Trudeau is very active on social
media and is constantly tweeting
about where he is, where he is off
to next and what his idea of the
country he is “in love with” is.
According to Elections Canada,
since Prime Minister Pierre
Trudeau’s time in office ended in
1984, Canada has experienced a
steady decrease in voter turnouts
for federal elections, with the exceptions of those in 2006 and 2011.
Elections Canada says there was
a 37 per cent turnout of youth voters aged 18 to 24 years during the
2008 federal election.
That is unbelievably low considering all of the knowledge youth
have at their fingertips.
We can watch and listen to the
candidates’ speeches and debates
on television or the Internet, at our
convenience.
We have the Internet that newspapers and news bloggers update
by the minute with the latest coverage of these politicians.
For the first time, in recent
years, we can follow them directly
on Twitter, or send them tweets
and Facebook messages, with the
possibilities of contacting them
personally.
Yet, with all of the knowledge
we have, in order to make a welleducated vote, many youth don’t.
Why is the turnout so low?
Youth are not the future; they are
the present, as Justin Trudeau says.
And he is right. We live in a time
when we have so many resources
available to make big, drastic
changes for the better. Why aren’t
we taking advantage of them?
Is it the idea we have in the back
of our mind telling us, “Someone
else will do it, so my one vote won’t
make a huge difference anyway?”
If all youth think like that (which
by reviewing the statistics it appears that about 63 per cent of the
youth population do), then we will
never see the changes we want in
the world.
Your voice does matter and your
vote counts.
Justin Trudeau is targeting youth
by using social media to let them
be the first to know what is going
on in politics.
That’s smart. That’s how many
youth prefer their news, in short
one-line updates.
‘Canada’s success
did not happen
by accident, and
it won’t continue
without effort.’
– Justin Trudeau
It is still early to tell but I think
this might be the Trudeaumania of
our time.
I am interested to see how our
generation will react to Justin
Trudeau; he is charming, charismatic and seemingly down-toearth.
He just might have what it takes
to bring youth to the polls.
He may not win the election
but if he can get the youth to care
enough about politics to actually
vote, then that is a service to this
country that will have a lasting
impact.
To find out where Justin Trudeau
will be next, you can follow him on
twitter at @justinpjtrudeau.
MELISSA SOLAZZO
Oct. 19, 2012
NIAGARA NEWS
POLITICS
Page 5
Facebook posts
hurt the most
Amanda’s suicide brings media
attention to the increasing
incidence of cyberbullying
Liberal leadership candidate Justin Trudeau, pictured at the 2006 Liberal leadership convention.
Submitted photo
Trudeau legacy still
entices Canadians
Liberal candidate Justin Trudeau seeks youth vote
By EVAN LEE
Staff Writer
Lately most people have turned
their political focus southwards
watching the no-holds barred battle
of the American presidential election.
But what about our own backyard?
The Liberal Party lost 43 seats in
the 2011 federal election, leaving
many analysts to call for a shake
up, and to many, Justin Trudeau is
that shakeup.
Recently the 40-year-old Quebec MP announced his bid for the
leadership of the Liberal Party. He
brings an element often lacking in
Canadian politics: youth.
With only 38 per cent of youth
showing up at the polls in the last
federal election, some see this as
an untapped resource that could
dramatically change Canadian
politics.
This seems to be what
Trudeau is hoping for. During
his
announcement
for
the leadership, Trudeau said,
“Some people say that youth carry
our future. I say that youth are an
essential resource for our present.”
Jessica Richards, 31, of St. Catharines, says she has been a Liberal
supporter her whole life and was
happy when Trudeau made his announcement.
“I think he has youth, so he can
relate to people today that are going
to make a difference in the future,”
she says, adding, “I think he will
bring the youth in, like [Barack]
Obama did in the U.S.”
Richards says she would welcome a shakeup.
“I think [Prime Minister Stephen] Harper has done well, but
he worries about the outside of
the country instead of the inside, I
absolutely think Trudeau will bring
a new viewpoint.”
Liane Abbey, 20, of Niagara
Falls, says she agrees a new perspective could be good for the
country, because as a young person, she feels politically insignificant. But, she adds, she is skeptical
of a change.
“When people get elected they
have empty promises,” Abbey
says, and that Trudeau’s youth may
be an asset but it will depend on
how he decides to use it.
Mike Sorge, 29, of Port
Colborne, says he has never had
much interest in politics. Despite
this, Sorge does know of Prime
Minister Pierre Trudeau’s legacy.
He says that “[Justin’s] dad was
a great leader in a lot of people’s
eyes.” Although he does not know
much about the younger Trudeau,
he says, “He’s been around it since
he was born, so he must know
something about it [politics].”
Sorge says times are changing,
and so should the government.
“The world right now is a
forward-thinking place because
of technology, so the government
should adapt to that.” He says
the government needs to focus
more on social issues during these
tough times.
Collin Stachura, 31, of Welland,
says Trudeau may be able to use
the power of youth to become the
next prime minister of Canada.
“I think he will get elected,”
says Stachura.
People remember his father and
“people will feel like the apple
doesn’t fall far from the tree.”
By JEFF JOHNSTON
Staff Writer
With the death of Vancouver
teenager Amanda Todd occurring less than a week ago, her
tragic story is forcing federal and
provincial politicians, as well as
online activists, to take action on
cyberbullying.
Amanda, 15, posted a chilling
YouTube video nearly a month
before her death telling a detailed
story about the constant torment
and humiliation she had received
from online attackers.
When Amanda was 13, she
was prompted by a man she was
chatting with over the Internet to
expose herself to him via webcam.
Several months later, the man had
posted nude pictures of her all over
the Internet, and Amanda was relentlessly harassed by him and also
many of her peers who later found
the images.
Online activists from the hacker
collective known as Anonymous
have allegedly released the identity
of the man who harassed, manipulated and blackmailed Amanda.
Amanda transferred schools several times, but was unable to avoid
the torment that caused her to
develop severe depression, anxiety
and drug problems. Amanda took
her life on Oct. 12.
Justice Minister and Attorney
General of Canada Rob Nicholson
issued a statement on the subject of
cyberbullying and how to protect
young and vulnerable Canadian
teens from abuse and harassment.
“Our government remains committed to protecting children and
youth from all forms of abuse. Bullying is unacceptable and should
not be tolerated,” says Nicholson.
“Through the National Crime
Prevention Centre, the federal
government is providing funding
for anti-bullying initiatives. The
Senate is also looking at the issue
of cyberbullying in Canada, and
I look forward to receiving their
report.”
The courts have also set a new
legal precedent by allowing victims of cyberbullying to remain
anonymous in the media to prevent
further victimization.
On Sept. 27, the Supreme Court
of Canada granted a Halifax teenager the right to protect her identity
while she presses charges of defamation against her cyberbully.
The victim, known only as A.B.,
discovered a fake Facebook account created in her likeness posting inflammatory statements about
her appearance and sexuality.
“Since common sense and the
evidence show that young victims
of sexualized bullying are particularly vulnerable to the harms of
re-victimization upon publication,
and since the right to protection
will disappear for most children
without the further protection of
anonymity, the girl’s anonymous
legal pursuit of the identity of her
cyberbully should be allowed,”
says Supreme Court Justice Rosalie Abelle.
Niagara College counsellor Jennifer Babin agreed with the court’s
decision and encourages any victims of cyberbullying to report it.
“Cyberbullying has been a growing problem, especially with the
growth of Facebook,” says Babin.
“If a person can remain anonymous, it encourages them to report
it and get help.”
Babin says that she has had Niagara College students come to her
with concerns about cyberbullying.
Anonymous published the name
and address of the offender along
with some evidence to support
the allegation. According to CTV
News, the man is facing charges
of sexual assault and sexual interference with a minor, unrelated to
Amanda’s case.
Amanda Todd’s YouTube video that has gone viral.
Submitted photo
NIAGARA NEWS
Page 6
Oct. 19, 2012
NEWS
Co-ordinator Wayne Toth, and representatives from General Motors Canada stand beside the donated Pontiac Vibe.
Photo by Johnathan Tonge
Niagara has vehicles to success
Students know they are learning the latest
and greatest in automotives
By JOHNATHAN TONGE
Staff Writer
The college’s garage just got a
little fuller.
General Motors Canada (GM)
recently donated two vehicles for
the Motive Power programs, a
2004 Saturn Ion and a 2009 Pontiac Vibe. The cars have an estimated combined value of $20,000,
according to a press release from
the college.
“The vehicles have the latest
technology,” says Wayne Toth,
Motive Power program co-ordinator. This technology will allow
students to get hands-on experience with the kind of vehicles they
will be working on after school.
“Students know they are learning
the latest and greatest,” says Toth.
“GM has been a major supporter
for years. Over the last seven years,
they’ve donated a dozen vehicles
and 50 engines.”
Toth says GM is very supportive
of the Motive Power programs
here. “If we need an update we call
them and they make an offer, or if
they have surplus vehicles they
contact us.”
The Motive Power program’s
budget benefits significantly from
the donations as well. “It saves us
from having to buy cars.
We can use the funds for other
areas to focus our budget on the
newest technology,” says Toth.
It isn’t just the college that benefits from the donations, as GM
will also get something out of it.
David Beach second-year Motive Power student says GM donations “are mostly in good condition,
easy to work on and not outdated.
[GM’s donating them] gives them
a better name and shows consumers they’re helping out.
It also makes us more familiar
with their cars.”
Toth notes the donations are a
boost for GM.
“It will benefit them in the long
run because we are teaching and
promoting their cars.”
Beach says he and his classmates
have already begun working on the
two recent donations doing brakes
and emissions tests.
David D’Amico, president of
David Chevrolet Corvette Buick
GMC and Sales, and Leasing Manager John Morcone attended on
Oct. 10 as the local representatives
for GM in Niagara to “see what’s
new” with the college’s programs,
says D’Amico.
“People aren’t getting into the
[automotive] trade anymore,” he
observed.
He says the average car today
has “over 20 computers” and he
hopes that the donations of modern
vehicles will help the college to
produce good technicians.
Out with the old, in with the new ... eventually
By JAMES CHUNG
Staff Writer
It’s out with the old, in with
the new. The Mackenzie Gym at
Niagara College’s Welland campus
is shut down and awaiting demolition.
Ray Sarkis, co-ordinator of athletics and recreation, says the facility was rarely used during the day
and it affected the college’s funding because it’s based on square
footage and the amount of square
footage being used for academics.
“Yes, it’s busy at night” says
Sarkis.
“They can rent it out every night
and on weekends, but where it
counts the most is during the day.
It’s not being used.”
“The other part is the maintenance of the building.
It’s an old building. The only
good thing about it is the gym
floor. It’s the best gym floor you
can buy.”
They’re tearing it down, the
whole building.
“The college senior administration and board of governors – that’s
who makes those decisions, most
certainly not at my level.
It’s supposed to happen this fall,
but they haven’t [started] yet.
That’s why they have nothing
scheduled in there at all,” says
Sarkis.
“Two years down the road,
they’re going to build a third gym
attached to the new gym.
What they’re going to do is
make it strictly an academic gym
for during the day, and at night it
can be rented out.”
Sarkis says when the college
hosts national championships, the
information fair and other events in
the gym, those events conflict with
academics.
Expansions are set to take place
at both campuses.
“Right now, the plans are there’s
going to be expansions going on at
the NOTL campus first, and once
those expansions have finished,
they start here [Welland campus].”
According to the Niagara College annual business plan and
budget for 2012-13, the budget for
Master Plan capital projects is $5.2
million. Of the $5.2 million, there
is a proposed budget of $3 million
for a 12,000 square feet expansion
at the NOTL campus to expand
the Athletic Fitness space, create
a Learning Commons and increase
Student Services space.
Teresa Quinlin, vice-president of
corporate services, says
“We had this building earmarked
for demolition in the Fall of 2012
but this has now been deferred for
another year since we have some
internal renovations to do in the
Student Services area and the International Department that we are
considering the Mackenzie gym as
temporary storage and interim staff
space.”
Two years down
the road, they’re
going to build a
third gym attached
to the new gym.
— Ray Sarkis
Quinlin says the gym was built
as a temporary facility and it has
been around for around 40 years.
“The high student growth this
year of over seven per cent has
forced us to use the Black Walnut
building for classrooms.
“We were going to use Black
Walnut as the flexible space during our International and Student
Services renovations, but academic
delivery is our core business and
we needed to accommodate the
scheduling demands first.”
“What has been the sucess for
Niagara College’s $90million Master Plan construction is the ability
to be flexible to the dominos that
occur when one space is being renovated where the temporary spaces
are to accommodate the moves so
the renovations can happen.”
The Mackenzie gym and Black
Walnut building are still earmarked
for demolition as part of the original Master Plan — the dates have
been deferred to accommodate our
significant enrolment growth.”
Oct. 19, 2012
NIAGARA NEWS
Page 7
FEATURE
Heather Baiano and her horse Rainmaker are shown competing in a local show-jumping event held this summer.
Photo by Emily Rickert
A new Grand National Champion
Family and friends help aid a determined couple to achieve life goal
By JARROD CUNLIFFE
Staff Writer
After 20 years, Heather Baiano’s dream
has finally come true.
Baiano competed in this year’s Grand
National Morgan World Championships
with her horse Rainmaker in the low
working hunter division and the hunter
hack finals on Oct. 8–9.
They had two Top 10 finishes in the
hunter division and were reserve champions in the hunter hack final. Baiano
says it was a surprise when she heard
Rainmaker’s name called.
“I was looking around and suddenly
realized, ‘oh my gosh, that’s me.”
She says she found herself at the championships “by the love and sacrifice of
many people. I could never have done
this alone.” The championships are like
the Olympics for those who own a Morgan breed of horse, the same breed she
first bought when she was 19. It was then
her dream to compete began.
According to their website, the championships have been held in Oklahoma
for the last 35 years.
More than 5,000 people attend, with
over 1,000 horses competing from 45
states and four countries.
There is an extra challenge for the duo,
however, as Rainmaker – Raine for short
– is blind. Baiano, 39, of Welland, says
Raine’s blindness will always be a factor,
but they just work around it.
“I know how to support Raine, and he
trusts me enough to give his all with my
direction.”
A photo of Heather Baino to the left and her horse Rainmaker to the right.
Submitted photos
Baiano says Raine is very special, the
“most challenging, yet talented and willing horse I’ve ever owned.”
“I felt with his history, he deserved the
chance to show how determination and
patience and forgiveness can lead the
way to great things.”
Raine was also the 2010 and 2011 Ontario Morgan working hunter champion
and national Morgan hunter champion.
This year’s date was especially hard for
Baiano, falling on the first anniversary of
her father’s death. “I still miss him so
much.”
Baiano learned only recently that her
father, Terry Dilts, had left her some
money to help cover the costs of attending the championships.
“I want to complete a dream my father
and I shared.”
Another friend, Kristen Duever, started
a Facebook auction to help cover costs.
It raised just over $1,000, paying for
Raine’s trailer ride to Oklahoma City.
Baiano estimates the total cost of the trip
is at least $5,000.
Raine was driven to the nationals by a
friend of Baiano’s who was also competing and stabled overnight at Champion’s
Hill, in Akron, N.Y. after a 20-hour drive.
Baiano drove ahead to prepare the stables
at the championships and says the horses
had travel issues the next morning.
“The poor things had an even longer
ride since the truck broke down and they
were stuck on the side of the road until a
new truck was dropped off.”
Baiano says she wants her and Raine to
have the best rounds possible. The experience of competing at such a prestigious
show will never be repeated in her life.
“I know my father would be proud, he
was always proud of me and my horse.
He always believed on us, in me. He
inspired me to be more than I thought I
was, and made me who I am today.”
The plaque and ribbons that Heather Baiano was awarded after winning the Hunter
Hack Finals during the Grand National World Championship Morgan Horse Show.
NIAGARA NEWS - Oct., 19, 2012
Page 8
Page 9
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200th anniversary
of historic action
By JARROD CUNLIFFE
Staff Writer
The Battle of Queenston Heights reenactment weekend was a resounding
success, with over 15,000 spectators witnessing the battle and enjoying the day’s
events. Taking place on Oct. 13, the 200th
anniversary of the battle, it was an extra
special event for many.
The re-enactment, which ran from
3 – 4 p.m., showcased many different
phases of the battle, including Maj.-Gen.
Sir Isaac Brock’s death, the Native warrior
involvement and the arrival of the British
reinforcements from Fort George.
Some of the re-enactors took that part seriously, marching from Fort George to the Heights
at 9 a.m. For others that weren’t quite able to
march, there was free shuttle service available to re-enactors and the public alike.
By about 2 p.m., however, there was an
almost hour-and-a-half wait to get on a shuttle
from Fort George to the Heights.
After the battle, there was a short commemoration service and fireworks to cap off the day.
The weekend celebrations finished on Sunday,
Oct. 14, with the funeral of Brock and his aide-de-camp
John Macdonnell. It was a solemn but uplifting ceremony, as the funeral procession made its way through
town and finished at Fort George in Brock’s Bastion, the
spot where the fallen general was first laid to rest in 1812.
Photos by Brayden McCullagh
NIAGARA NEWS
Page 10
Oct. 19, 2012
TRAVEL
Start saving now to travel later
Do what it takes to make your dream trip a reality
By ALANNA RICE
Columnist
Travelling as a student is not a
dream.
It can be your own reality, if you
work hard.
Like many students, I worked
part-time in high school, saving
nearly every penny.
After finishing my first year
here in the Journalism program
last April, I could afford to travel
to London, England, for a week of
sightseeing and fun.
It’s a reachable goal for anyone,
if you start today.
James Bradley, a student in the
Electrical Engineering Technician
program, says getting a group of
friends to travel with helps cut
costs.
“Make sure they’re friends you
like so they don’t make for a bad
trip.” Bradley adds it’s best to
“plan ahead.”
He says, “Freedom, fresh air and
exploring different places” are the
best parts to travelling.
To get that freedom, it’s all about
watching what you spend.
Rather than buying lunch every
day, bring one. Rather than going
out every other night, find ways to
have fun for free.
It also helps to keep a record of
your finances and know how much
you can spend each month while
still saving enough money for your
trip.
Yes, London is an expensive
city. But there are many solutions.
Before your trip, do your research.
By using the Internet, you can
find cheap restaurants that fit your
budget, and instead of choosing
an expensive hotel, you can save
hundreds of dollars by staying at a
cost-effective hostel.
Ashley Birnie, a student in the
Hospitality Management program
at the Niagara-on-the-Lake campus, says her favourite aspect of
travelling is the ability to “meet
really cool people.”
Birnie, 19, says using couchsurfing.org offers ways to save money
when travelling. The site lists
people worldwide who are willing
to offer their couch for a fellow
traveller to sleep on in order to
save money.
She also says she keeps a travel
fund, in which she puts aside money from each paycheque to help
fund future travels.
When choosing a destination,
make sure it fits your personal
budget.
For me, one of the best aspects
about London is the number of
free attractions within walking
distance. There are famous sites,
architecturally significant buildings and historical sites along with
countless museums, churches and
neighbourhoods all waiting to be
seen for free.
Thousands of tourists visit London’s most famous landmarks every day.
If you want to take it further, you
can find coupons for attractions
and restaurants on the Internet, in
order to save even more money.
Avoid the tourist money pits that
plague every destination. In Lon-
don, skip the London Eye, which
costs upwards of £19 (around
C$30) and lasts 30 minutes.
Instead, check out my favourite
– the Imperial War Museum, free
of charge – and you can spend all
Photo by Alanna Rice
day immersed in history.
Where there’s a will, there’s a
way. Start saving now and you
could find yourself strolling the
streets of a faraway city in a few
short months.
Extra reading week has students eyeing a vacation
How to fund their vacation has some students considering debt
By JESSE JOHNSON
Staff Writer
Relaxation, sunshine, sandy
beaches and clear blue water are
only a plane ride away from the
reality of mid-term exams and the
cold weather that is creeping up.
This year the college introduced
the seven-one-seven semester format. Students now get one reading
week each term.
Students are given an extra
reading week to catch up on their
homework so they don’t get too
far behind in their studies. Some
students use the week to go home
and visit their family, and only a
rare few are able to go on a relaxing vacation.
Students from different cities or
towns either depend on their par-
Students will be spending their time relaxing at home rather than lying on tropical beaches during reading
week.
Photo by Jesse Johnson
ents to pick them up or they have
to take other forms of transit — a
bus, train or taxi — if they want to
go home for the week.
Students who live at home usually end up working more shifts
or spending more time with their
friends.
For students who love to travel
or enjoy partying at all-inclusive
resorts, many affordable Caribbean
destinations are ideal.
Accommodations at all-inclusive
resorts can range in price depending on the destination, quality and
the season.
OSAP is usually the reason
struggling students get a break
from reality so they can enjoy
themselves being pampered on a
resort.
John Owens, 21, an Advanced
Community and Justice Services
student, doesn’t have any plans
for reading week except for visiting friends, relaxing and possibly
studying. He isn’t going away on
vacation because OSAP gave him
barely enough money to go to
school.
“Money is tight. I can’t really
afford to go away,” he says.
Owens says students who are going away for vacation either don’t
have stresses of paying for school
because their parents pay for it or
they have been able to save for
vacation.
“Paying back debt is more important because if you have debt,
you technically shouldn’t be able
to go on an expensive vacation.”
He says if you pay off your debt
first, then save for a vacation, it’s
probably more satisfying.
He says he thinks students use
OSAP to pay for their vacation.
“If you get enough to pay for
school, get enough to buy books
and get enough to survive, then
why not? You have to pay it back
anyways [and] might as well buy
something nice.”
Owens says he likes having two
reading weeks because it provides
“more time to catch up with whatever a student has going on and
some time to take the pressure off
yourself with exams.”
Cathy Partridge, professional
trip adviser at Grant Morris Cruise
and Travel, says the average cost
spent for reading week is about
$1,200 to $1,500 and it is always
paid by credit card.
She says about one in 10 students takes a trip during reading
week. “Most are likely spending
OSAP funds or credit card funds,
or occasionally a parent pays.”
Partridge says that the relaxation,
learning experience and pleasure a
vacation provides, is as important
as paying off debt.
NIAGARA NEWS
Oct. 19, 2012
Page 11
NEWS
Falls tourism brightens horizon
200 years later, falls still bringing in tourists from around the world
Tourists take in the majestic view over the falls.
By JESSICA REECE
Staff Writer
The thunderous, roaring waters
of mighty Niagara Falls have always attracted people from all corners of the globe, from those who
come to admire the size and beauty
to those seeking the challenge of a
thrill.
Niagara Falls, Ont., has always
been known for its tourism. The
city thrives on it.
Since the early 19th century,
people have been coming to see the
wonderous falls and the attractions
surrounding it. Tens of thousands
would flock to see not only the
falls, but also the daredevils who
would risk their lives on tightropes
and in barrels.
Tourists could come and stay in
the first hotel built in 1833 at the
foot of what is now Clifton Hill,
called the Clifton House. The main
attractions at the time were the
Burning Spring, the walk behind
the falls (or Termination Rock) and
the famed Maid of the Mist.
Over a century later, the tour-
ism industry connected to the
falls skyrocketed, and the city was
booming with people. However, in
the past couple of years this has not
been the case.
“The real struggle has been the
passport issue,” says Councillor
Wayne Thomson. “Our tourism
had decreased heavily after the
whole 9-11 impact.” After 9-11
people needed to have passports
to cross the border and for a whole
family in the U.S. “passports are
very expensive. Only 28 per cent
of Americans have passports.”
Thomson says the majority of
visitors came from just across the
border.
“We used to have about 60 per
cent of our tourists coming from the
U.S. and now it’s down to a mere
22 to 25 per cent.” Luckily visitors
from Canada and places overseas
like Asia have been “coming on
strong” and we’ve been able to
“maintain the industry.”
Paul Kyle, operations manager
for Niagara Clifton Group, says the
situation has been slowly getting
Photo by Jessica Reece
better. “It’s been a good summer,
definitely better than the last few
years,” says Kyle, “a good rebound.” The numbers are up from
the last few years and it looks as if
the numbers could continue to get
better.
“We’ve been starting to see more
Americans this year, nothing like
what we had before the passport
issue but Americans have been doing more two- and three-day trips,
which is a good sign.”
Not everyone was as drastically
affected by the passports as the
hotels and attractions have been.
Mark Bridgman, who has been
restaurant manager for Burger
King on Clifton Hill for the last
28 years, says, fortunately “people
need to eat.”
Most families today are not willing to spend hundreds of dollars on
food. “They would rather look for
the cheapest option in places like
here, at Burger King. With that
being said, we’re not really down;
this summer we’ve pretty much
broke even and, if not, we’re prob-
Maid of the Mist battles the current to get tourists close to the falls.
Submitted photo
Falls Facts
• The falls at Niagara are about 12,000 years old.
• They errode about one foot per year.
• The river flows at 35 miles per hour.
• Blondin was one of the first tight-rope walkers in the mid 1800’s,
performing stunts, from crossing blindfolded to carrying a cooking
stove and preparing an omelette on the high wire, and even to carrying
his 148-pound manager on his back on Aug. 19, 1859.
• Annie Taylor , “Queen of the Mist, ” was the first person to travel over
the falls in a barrel on Oct. 24, 1901.
• The 20th Century Fox movie “Niagara,” starring Marilyn Monroe, was
filmed in Niagara Falls in 1952.
• Two scenes from Superman 2 were filmed in Niagara Falls.
ably actually above that.” Bridgman believes the biggest factor
for them is weather. “That’s what
brings our business down more
than anything.”
There might just be hope for
Niagara Falls afterall. Organizations like Niagara Tourism and
the Regional Tourist Organization
are constantly working to bring in
events and ideas to attract more
people to the falls.
“A $4-million market is set up
for advertising and contracting
entertainment such as current-day
daredevils Jay Cochrane and Nik
Wallenda, the famed skywalkers,”
said Thomson.
Other events include the worldfamous Red Bull Crashed Ice Niagara Falls event, which runs Dec.
1-2, from 7 p.m. to 3 a.m.
By sticking to its roots of showcasing the daring and extravagant,
a brighter future for Niagara Falls
might just be within reach.
Brewing up awards from The Golden Tap
Niagara brewery recognized for work
by the beer and wine industry
By ALEXANDRA
STAVROULLAKIS
Staff Writer
Theory is great but there’s nothing like experience to produce a
winner. Just ask the editors at The
Bar Towel.
They recently recognized Niagara College’s Teaching Brewery
for its achievement in training students to work in the wine and beer
career fields, presenting them with
the Editor’s Circle Award.
“The school is thrilled. It’s
quite an honour,” says Steve Gill,
general manager, Wine and Beer
Operations.
The Golden Tap awards are
presented for achievements within
Ontario’s beer industry.
The Teaching Brewery is the
only program in Canada offering
hands-on training in wine and beer
production and management.
Sebastian MacIntosh, 26, a
second-year Teaching Brewery
student, says, “You can tell the
teachers are industry people, professionals who have worked with
beer before.”
MacIntosh says the two-year
program teaches in depth and he
feels more comfortable in second
year being able to use the knowledge he gained first year.
Gill says, “Innovation is what
sets Niagara College apart. Instead of students only learning
theory we, instead, have the ability to let students use their five
senses to really learn how to put
theory to use, which differs from
other schools.”
Hands-on training is provided
in an array of programs serving the
industry such as brewpub operations, retail sales, public relations
and beer making.
MacIntosh says, “The work you
do in the program is not just for
school, It’s for your career.”
Niagara College students can get
a taste of the variety of wines available at the Benchmark Restaurant
along with the First Draft Brand
beer available in lager and ale
available at The Core, The Armory
and the Benchmark restaurant.
Luke Spiers, 19, an Electrical
Techniques student, says he has
tried the Niagara College First
Draft Beer.
“I think it’s good to support
student-made products rather than
more mainstream companies,” Spiers says.
Editors for The Bar Towel did
not respond by deadline regarding
the evaluation criteria for the Editors Circle award.
NIAGARA NEWS
Page 12
Oct. 19, 2012
HEALTH
Free flu shots for students
Linda Brooks gives Natalia Dileo the flu shot.
By JESSICA MUIR
Staff Writer
That’s right, the flu shot is back
and was offered at both campuses.
All first-round clinics were
concluded yesterday. The Welland
campus will be holding another
one on Oct. 30 from noon till 4
p.m.
Penny McKee, the Student Ser-
vices nurse at Welland, says the
clinic is sponsored by Niagara College Health Services/ Student Services in partnership with Primary
Care Niagara [PCN].
McKee says that PCN provides a
team of nurses and staff.
“With this huge college community, it’s impossible for me to run
the clinic myself,” says McKee.
The shot is free for students if
they provide a provincial health
card or an eligible photocopy of
it; without these documents a $15
charge will apply.
“We encourage people to come
in,” says McKee.
The clinic is open to members
of the general community, subject to a $15 charge.
Photo by Jessica Muir
A 15-minute post-injection wait
time is mandatory, she explains.
If any reactions occur, the nursing team can provide care quickly.
Slight reactions may occur hours
later and may include redness and
irritation. This is normal, she says.
“I feel people should attend and
take advantage of what’s provided
by Niagara College.”
‘Historic and important day,’ says Patterson
The Métis and Niagara College sign memorandum
By TRAVIS MILES
Staff Writer
The seasons are changing, and
so are Niagara College’s relations
with the Métis community.
The Niagara Region Métis Council held its annual harvest dinner
at Club Richelieu in Welland. But
something was different about this
year’s event, as it was highlighted
by a significant progression for the
Métis Nation of Ontario (MNO), as
well as the college and surrounding
community.
Several public figures took to
the festively decorated stage to not
only welcome all in attendance but
also introduce a memorandum of
understanding (MOU) between the
MNO and the college that would
be signed later that day.
While the college and MNO already have a co-operative relationship, the goal of this memorandum
is to improve and formalize that
relationship through various initiatives.
College President Dan Patterson,
who spoke at the event before the
signing, referred to it as a “historic
and important day.”
“In past years the college’s focus
within the aboriginal education
circle has been around First Nations students,” said Patterson,
while explaining that the college
is “excited” about its strengthened
relationship with the Métis community.
“We can now learn, through
MNO President Gary Lipinski,
more about the unique needs of
the Métis student and serve them
better through co-operation and
partnership.”
Having flown in from Thunder
Bay, Ont., Lipinski said he was
grateful for the good weather and
for the number of people in attendance.
In his short speech he talked
much about the importance of
focus on youth in a progressing
world and thanked Niagara College for giving Métis youth in the
region a vessel to a brighter future.
“Every child should have the
sort of days where they know they
can become whatever they want,”
said Lipinski, explaining that a
progression like this memorandum
can give aboriginal children the
resources they need to be “the best
they can be.”
Also in attendance was Welland
MP Malcolm Allen, who said it
was “a great opportunity to join
the Métis community, especially in
harvest time.”
He said the signing would make
noticeable an already longstanding
relationship between the college
and the Métis community.
“Signing this memorandum will
allow Métis individuals interested
in post-secondary education to
know that Niagara College wants
to work in partnership,” said Allen.
“Métis individuals can now selfidentify that the college is a warm
and welcome place for them,” he
said.
Allen then congratulated both
parties. “Your partnership is al-
ready a success, and now it will
become even more successful.”
Gary Lipinski, president of Métis
Nation of Ontario, and Niagara
College President Dan Patterson
attend the annual harvest dinner
at Club Richelieu and the signing
of the memorandum.
Photo by Travis Miles
Telemedicine
improves
health care
access
By ANNIE PASQUARIELLO
Staff Writer
For those living in small communities across Ontario, health care
has been a concern, from hospital
closures to overcrowded waiting
rooms to a lack of specialists.
The province is trying to change
that with more access to care
through telemedicine. Residents in
the Hamilton Niagara Haldimand
Brant Local Health Integration
Network (HNHB LHIN) will
benefit from this program as the
province has invested more than
$800,000 in eight new telemedicine nurse practitioners and nurses
to expand services and care.
Through Ontario Telemedicine
Network (OTN), this means improved access to health care, less
travel and an increase in the types
of health-care services available in
inaccessible areas of the HNHB
LHIN.
Rhona Lahey, manager of communications for OTN, says the
program is helping people get connected with care.
“People don’t have to use telemedicine, but it is better access to
care for those people living in rural
or remote areas. You don’t need to
travel just for an assessment if the
closest specialist is hours away.”
Telemedicine is often used for
initial consultation and follow-ups
and can be scheduled through a
family doctor as a regular referral. There is no cost for patients to
use this service if they are covered
under the Ontario Health Insurance
Plan (OHIP). Fort Erie resident
Helen Rowling, 61, who doesn’t
drive, says she would like to see a
doctor in person.
“I don’t like the idea of being
diagnosed through technology. It
seems very impersonal.”
On that point, Lahey says OTN
is the first to admit that seeing a
doctor in person is ideal but sometimes that is not feasible and OTN
is just offering an alternative.
“It is the patient’s prerogative
what they decide to do, but we
do have 40 different specialists
connected and family can be with
the patient in the appointment too.
Our patient satisfaction is at 92 per
cent.”
Telehealth services do come at
a cost. Canada Health Infoway, an
independent not-for-profit corporation that helps increase the use
of electronic health information
systems, collaborates with federal
and provincial governments to coinvest in these projects. In 2011 to
2012, the use of telemedicine in
Ontario resulted in an estimated
$44 million in avoided travel costs.
OTN is used by more than 3,000
health care professional across
more than 1,400 sites in Ontario. In
2012, OTN will deliver more than
200,000 patient visits.
Lahey says OTN is “hoping to
grow the program and develop
even more enhanced programs.”
NIAGARA NEWS
Oct. 19, 2012
Page 13
SPORTS
Potential, confidence, results
From the track to the
classroom, former Olympian
joins Niagara College
By JANE MCTAVISH
Staff Writer
Going from good to great: How
and why some athletes make the
leap and others do not.
That’s the title of Nicole Forrester’s dissertation. She is an
eight-time Canadian high jump
champion who has represented
Canada on 20 national teams.
She is now a Sport Management
professor in the college’s Business,
Hospitality and Tourism division.
Forrester, 35, raised in Cookstown, Ont., has a master’s of education degree in exercise and sports
psychology, a bachelor of science
degree in movement science and
a bachelor of arts degree in sport
management and communication.
This December, she will be
graduating with a PhD in sports
psychology from Michigan State
University.
This former Olympian and professional track and field high jump
athlete was discovered at age 17
working at a McDonald’s in Oak
Ridges, Ont.
A year earlier she was scouted
for modelling but says her mother
didn’t like the idea.
She says that even though modeling is influential and does have
a “slimey part,” it helped her improve in different aspects.
“I think it was great. It helped
me with my confidence and how to
walk properly.” Through her “good
to great” dissertation research, she
has concluded the main points
involved psychological skills and
confidence.
“My personal belief is that confidence is the cornerstone behind
any great performance.
“People need to be more task focused and less outcome focused,”
adding, the “recipe for failure” is
when people confuse obstacles
with a lack of confidence.
“If you want to change your
confidence, the greatest influence
is past experience, but you can’t
go to the past so the next greatest
way is self-talk.” Forrester says she
has learned that people don’t do the
extra effort.
“It’s like nails on a chalkboard
to me. I’m having a hard time
adjusting to it because I’m retiring
from my sport and I’m exiting my
bubble of the athletic world.
“I’m very involved and act like
there are 48 hours in a day.”
She says she is ambitious and
has a strong distaste for mediocrity
and settling.
“I hate it. It is so repulsive to me,
but I feel that we are in a society
that people settle.”
She works out five days a week
and eats healthfully, adding, it is
very important to take care of your
health.
“Once it’s gone you can’t take
care of yourself, so you can’t take
care of anyone around you, and
most of us don’t value it until it
is gone or compromised. Be very
proactive and aware of the lifestyle
decisions you are taking.
“Make sure you are pushing
yourself to your highest potential
because it’s never too late to do
what you’ve always wanted to do.
“You only have this time, so
make the most of the moment that
you have.”
The move to Niagara College
was the fact Sport Management is
a new program.
“This was the biggest attraction
for me. It provides me a platform
for promoting the culture of sport.
Jeff Stewart, chair of Hospitality,
Tourism and Administration, says
the team is “really” happy to have
Forrester.
‘My personal
belief is that
confidence is
the cornerstone
behind any great
performance.’
— Nicole Forrester
“We are really excited to have
Nicole join our faculty. Her passion about not only sports but also
Canadian engagement in sports is
such an important piece for the college working with the community.”
Dillon Zambon, 19, a Sport
Management student from London, Ont., says his expectations are
high for the program in general.
“The fact that she is a high-level
athlete makes the course even better. Being an athlete at a high level,
I find it easier to relate and learn
from former and current athletes.
I’m pumped for the rest of the
program.” “I’m very passionate about sport
culture in Canada,” says the sixfoot, four-inch Forrester, who has
also worked as a reporter, television host and blogger with CBC.
She says she would like to be
remembered for being influential
and changing the culture of sport
in Canada, adding that Canadians only focus on and care about
hockey.
“There is not enough value to
other sports in why they are important.”
When she was young, she says,
she participated in all sport teams
during school but thought that
because she didn’t dedicate herself
to one from the beginning she
wouldn’t be successful.
“I loved gym class. I wasn’t an
exceptional athlete at any sport
and I didn’t become probably good
until Grade 10.”
Her immigrant parents (her
mother from Jamaica and her father from the Netherlands) are her
greatest influences, encouraging
her to pursue her dreams.
“Working hard and education
was what I had drilled into me; it
was my mantra tattooed to myself.”
Forrester says she originally
wanted to be a doctor, initially a
cardiologist because she found the
heart interesting.
“I loved cutting. If I was dissecting with my group [during high
school], I was always the cutter. I
loved dissecting; I love science.”
Then, she adds she wanted to
become an optometrist or an eye
surgeon but ended up being interested in Kinesiology, which is the
study of the mechanics of body
movements.
Because she considers herself
a “strong Canadian,” she did not
want to study in the United States
but her parents made her study
there because of the scholarship
opportunities.
“It was the best decision of my
life. I never thought I’d be an
Olympian, but having achieved
that has made me think that anything is really possible.”
Nicole Forrester, Niagara
College’s new Sport
Management professor,
shown above clearing
the bar.
Submitted Photos
NIAGARA NEWS
Page 14
Oct. 19, 2012
SPORTS
Coach leads players to success
By JAMES CHUNG
Staff Writer
Coaches are supposed to provide
their players with opportunities to
develop and become the best at
what they do, and Jim Briggs does
this well.
Briggs, the head coach of the
men’s golf team at Niagara College, deserves recognition for
knowing more than just a thing or
two about the game of golf. The
coach has competed at and won
several golf invitational tournaments. He represented Canada at
the 2003 Volvo World Amateur
Golf Championships held in Spain.
Competing with more than 100
golfers from Canada and the U.S.,
Briggs recently placed fourth overall at the Canadian Senior Amateurs Tournament earlier this Fall.
Briggs remains humble about his
achievements, but Sarkis, the college’s co-ordinator of athletics and
recreation, says, “It’s big news, especially because he’s only played
twice this season.”
Briggs has made it clear that he
prefers his players be in the spotlight.
Briggs had high words for his
players, including Robert Ellis and
Chad Currie.
The players know they can always ask their coach for tips and
any words of wisdom regarding the
game of golf.
Sarkis says, “It’s a good relationship. They [the players] listen to
him because he’s so knowledgeable. He knows the game inside
out, and that’s what these kids want
to hear.”
“He’s No. 1. He’s a classy guy.
He knows a lot about the game,
and he’s a really good player. So
you’ve got to take a lot from him.”
Currie, who is in his third year
playing on the golf team, says he
plays golf with his coach whenever
he’s not busy and says it’s a treat to
watch him.
Currie, who shot a score of 81
on Sept. 26 at the Niagara College Invitational Golf Tournament
at Hunters Pointe Golf Club in
Welland, says the playing conditions were “tough.”
Currie says holes one to four
presented the toughest challenges
for him because of the wind, but
toward the end of the course, it
The team photo of the Niagara golfers at the provincials held at Roseland Golf Club shows from left, Lukas
Jakobs, Natalia Ghilzon,m of Big Break Bahamas, Walker Arnott, Cole Kent, Robbie Ellis, Chad Currie, and
Coach Jim Briggs.
Photos by James Chung
became easier because those holes
played downwind.
“I would’ve liked to shoot
around par, but it was not very
good. It was bad golf,” says Currie.
He says he needed to hit the
greens and pace his putts well.
“My putts felt choppy, says Currie.
Currie, who has appeared at the
provincials and nationals before,
says his goal is to return to both
competitions this season.
“Hopefully, I get there. I’m not
sure I’ll get there, but I’d like to
play well on Friday [Sept. 28 at the
Durham College Golf Tournament]
to help me get there.”
Currie, who placed fourth overall at the nationals two years ago,
says despite not doing well at the
provincials, it was still an accomplishment to make it to provincials. Coach Jim Briggs at Hunters Chad Currie teeing off at Hunters
Pointe Golf Club on Sept. 26.
Currie refuses to settle with Pointe Golf Club on Sept. 26.
where he is with his golf game.
He says his game plan is to work played here [Hunters Pointe G.C.]. was good.”
I only played for the tryouts. I live
Ellis says it was important to
really hard at the driving range.
Currie says the strongest part of in St. Catharines, so I’m surprised I “keep it low.”
He says because of the high
his golf game is his short game, never played it [before tryouts], but
I
played
it
[the
course]
for
the
first
winds,
controlling the ball flight
chipping and putting in particular.
“Hitting off the tee is something time for school tryouts, so I figured and placing the ball in the right
I have to work on. Going into the playing it twice, I knew where to spots on the greens were critical.
“If you’re five feet in the wrong
next tournament, I’ve just got to miss. I had a general idea of what
the
course
is
like
and
how
it
plays,
direction,
it’s like an impossible
play a lot better,” says Currie.
Ellis, who is in his first year but when it gets windy here, it can putt, so managing the course is
important.
playing with the golf team, was the be tough.”
Ellis shot a 73 at the tournament.
“There were a lot of tricky pins.
first to tee off at the Niagara Col“It was a little windy, but it was There were a lot of spots where you
lege Invitational Golf Tournament.
“This is the third time I’ve good. The greens are quick, but it can’t miss. Some of the longer par-
3s were downwind today, which
was nice, but I tripled nine [the
ninth hole]. It was 250 [yards] out,
downwind, and I don’t know what
happened. I guess the wind was
swirling or something. I landed in
the water and ended up making a
triple [bogey].”
“It kind of hurt me, but the thing
with that is you just have to forget
about it and just focus on your next
shot. That’s how you make birdies, and I think I got a birdie and
an eagle after that. It’s all mental.
You can’t let the wind or whatever
affect your game because it’ll just
eat you up. That’s a big part.”
Ellis says he hasn’t been playing
his best golf the past two tournaments, but his goal is to win a
championship, especially the Ontario Championships.
To achieve this, he says “you
have to focus on practicing and
making sure you’re confident in
your swing. If you don’t practice
and you’re not confident, then
you’ll just play terrible.”
Ellis says he wasn’t happy shooting a 73 and says he was shooting
72s during the tryouts.
“I felt like I could have finished
better. Two holes ate me up. I only
had a triple [bogey], a double [bogey] and one bogey.”
Par at Hunters Pointe G.C. is 72,
and Ellis finished one over par.
Ellis says he would’ve been
happy with anything below 70,
but going into the ninth hole, one
under par, he says “it took us all out
there.”
Moving forward towards the
next competition, Ellis says his
mindset is to “just keep doing what
I’m doing, practice, make sure I’m
confident. And just realize the mistakes that I made at this tournament
and learn from them. Hopefully, I
can do better at the next tournament.
Results from Provincial
Championships
Currie and Ellis went on to perform well at the provincials.
The Knights finished third overall, receiving a bronze medal. As a
result, they’ve led the Knights’ golf
team into the nationals, which teed
off Oct. 16 at Oshawa Golf and
Curling Club.
Knights playoff dreams unexpectedly cut short
By ANDRES TORRES
Staff Writer
The Niagara College men’s
soccer team’s season has been
cut short by a surprising Sheridan
victory over Humber College leaving the Knights mathematically
elimated from the playoffs.
The Knights have scored eight
goals in seven games, making them
one of the lowest scoring teams in
the league, as they managed to
score in only three games.
The Knights achieved their first
and only win of the season against
last place Redeemer College from
Ancaster on Oct. 4 in their last
home game.
This win was a fundamental
part of advancing to the Ontario
Colleges Athletics Association
playoffs. Although the Knights got
the three points, they also needed
Sheridan College, of Brampton, to
lose to first place Humber College
of Toronto, to still have a chance of
advancing to playoffs.
“My main criticism is we don’t
shoot enough,” says Frank DeChellis, head coach. “Good players
make a good attempt from a halfchance. Head up, ready to strike
with either foot.”
“All of our guys are capable, it’s
whether they’re willing to shoot
and miss. That’s why some people
make a million dollars and others
are in beer leagues.”
“With our shape, we have to stop
the attacking mids from creeping
up too far at the same time they
take support away from the striker
and open up a gap behind them. It’s
a very impatient stage in a man’s
life and it comes through in how
this league plays. Fast, furious
and physical. The ball and players
never stop or change pace.”
The Knights ended their season
on the bottom three of the table
with five points of a possible 24.
“We need to work on our
chemistry and our fitness in the
preseason,” says Jamal Gaskin,
midfielder, a broadcasting student.
“It is not a failed season because
we now know what to expect from
these teams and a lot of us will be
back next season. We have learned
a lot from our defeats.”
DeChellis says he knows there
are many who did not come out for
this season and wants to get the attention of all the students to try out
and help the team grow.
Oct. 19, 2012
NIAGARA NEWS
Page 15
ENTERTAINMENT
Zombies back for more bullets Babel rocks
The Resident Evil series is back with a thrilling new instalment
By SHANE LEONARD
Staff Writer
Evil goes global, to a mixed reception by gamers.
Resident Evil 6, Capcom’s latest
entry into the series, is a far cry
from its origins. However, that
isn’t necessarily a bad thing.
The game begins with an epic
prologue filled with intense game
play. This serves as a way to explain the games controls and many
of its new features.
The controls follow in the same
vein of its processors with a more
streamlined and action-oriented
style of game play. Adding to this
is the dreaded quick time events,
which serve as a core aspect of
many different aspects of game
play, from shaking off a monster,
to hacking a computer.
Surprisingly, these events come
off very well, and rather than hinder game play like many others,
they get you closer to the action
and immerse you in the scene.
After the prologue, the player is
given the choice of three unique
campaigns to play, each with a
different style of game play and
villains associated with it. Leon’s
story, for example, sees the return
of the slow-moving zombie, while
in Chris’s story the enemies are the
fast and intelligent J’avo.
Zombies, finally, says Chris
Aubertin, 30, of Welland. “I’ve
wanted the zombies back since
they introduced the stupid Plagues
(from Resident Evil 4) and it’s
about damn time Capcom brings
back the enemy that made the
freaking game popular,” says Aubertin.
The campaigns each link at some
point, as characters, storylines interweave at different times, adding
to the great sense of story because
all events are connected. This
aspect, in turn, makes the replay
ability amazing. The player gets to
see the other half of the story and
thus get the full experience.
It’s pretty awesome in an epic
Helena Harper and Leon S. Kennedy, characters of Capcon’s Resident Evil 6, fighting off zombies.
Submitted photo
scale, says Aubertin. “But some
parts don’t feel like Resident Evil
to me; [they are] a mixed bag for
me.”
The game features an online
mode which accommodates dropin drop-out game play, and the
game allows for a two-player splitscreen function to play locally.
“It’s nice to see a return to local coop, but I just don’t know why there
is online in a Resident Evil,” says
David Robbins, 21, of Welland.
The choice of characters is also
lame, Robbins adds. “Chris, and
Leon are back (from Resident Evil
and Resident Evil 2), but where are
their original partners? … Instead,
we are treated to generic characters
with no idea who they are or why
we should care.”
The game also features a return
of “Mercenary Mode,” which al-
lows the player to play online with
up to four people in a time trail
against an endless wave of monsters for points. The points can be
used to upgrade character skills for
both online and offline game play.
The online has an interesting
function to it as well. When playing when connected to the Internet, players will automatically be
added to the level making grouping
easy. If a level has four non-player
characters (NPC), then four real
players will be added to the level
seamlessly.
“The first time this happened,
I didn’t even know I was playing
with real people,” Robbins says
after a laugh. “As much as I think
the game doesn’t need online, it is
done well and is fun to play all the
same.”
The audio in the game is top-
notch, for a series that when it
began was criticized for having the
worst voice-over in the history of
video games. Lines are delivered
with strong emotion, anger, sadness and hope with amazing care
and detail. “You wouldn’t think
this would be so important, but
it’s done wrong in so many other
games … it just takes you out of
the experience,” says Jack Infantino, 19, a photographer.
The music ranges from spinetinglingly creepy, to high octane
and energy infused. “I missed the
old themes from the original games
… not to say these ones are bad,
it’s just not the same.”
Resident Evil 6 stumbles out of
the gate, but it is still a well-crafted
adventure, although lacking in the
traditional horror. It is still an entertaining game with many stories.
your soul
By MICHAEL PAGE
Staff Writer
Mumford & Sons’ Babel is
an expected new page worth the
money.
British indie folk band Mumford
& Sons’ new album hits highs
and lows throughout its 12-track
journey. Marcus Mumford offers colourful and textured lyrics
that reveal a raw emotional feel,
although at times it can come off
a bit clichéd. Many of the songs
feature some of the band’s most
heartfelt and earnest words, held
tightly together by delicate dynamic harmonies.
Mumford doesn’t blaze any new
trails this outing, but for such a
modest collective, the listener gets
the expected anthems that hold
them in with a fury of instruments
that combine for a cohesive flow.
Babel starts off strong with chorus-spiked songs that explode into
foot-stomping gospels crooned
perfectly. Babel, Whisper in the
Dark and even Holland Road do
everything right. Ghosts that we
knew and Reminder hold a familiar
raw passion, harping lyrics of gritty love that feels gloriously real.
Both songs feature an acoustically
stripped-down Mumford.
Later tracks struggle to gain a
footing even though they feature
horns, pianos, banjos, pounding
drums and strumming guitars. The
result at times can feel like overkill.
Babel’s later tracks take a turn
with a lot of religious subtext that
peels back a lot of the well-written
lyrics into Bible babble and heavy
church overtones.
Frankly, for Mumford & Sons’
Babel, the bottom line is simple:
if previous outings with the bands
Sigh no More didn’t hit home then
Babel won’t offer anything of
value for you. For fans of the band,
this album will rock your soul and
bleed your heart, offering everything you want from Mumford &
Sons.
Psychopaths kill it on the big screen this fall
By MICHAEL PAGE
Staff Writer
Colin
Farrell,
Christopher
Walken, Sam Rockwell and Woody
Harrelson are psychotically genius
in Martin McDonagh’s (In Bruges)
second feature-length film, Seven
Psychopaths.
McDonagh takes the star power
rarely seen in movies this generation and harnesses it with impeccably smart writing and stylized
visual flare.
Seven Psychopaths erupts from
the start, never letting up from
its darkly comedic violent romp
through the Hollywood hills into
the blistering heat of the California
desert. McDonagh takes a different
approach this time by featuring
Hollywood and its almost lawless
persona departing from the Belgian
city of Bruges.
Seven Psychopaths follows Mar-
ty (played by Farrell), a struggling
alcoholic screenwriter who hopes
to finish his new script, Seven
Psychopaths. After being kicked
to the curb by his girlfriend (Abbie
Cornish), Marty finds refuge on
the couch of his unemployed actor,
con-artist dog-thieving friend Billy
(Rockwell), who, with the help of
his partner in crime Hans (Walken),
accidentally steals a notorious crime
lord’s (Harrelson) Shih Tzu.
Each actor pulls off a uniquely
funny and quirky psycho.
Walken is the emotionally
calm character hiding a dark past,
whereas Rockwell shows the polar
opposite with his sadistic loyalty to
his friends. Harrelson goes to the
extreme with his blood-fueled rampage to simply get his dog back.
Rockwell and Walken steal the
show with one-liners and heartfelt epiphanies that in all of their
greatness undercut Farrell’s stellar
performance as the hung-over Irish
balancing point in this wild situation.
The storytelling is the strength
of Seven Psychopaths, delving into
social commentaries on entertainment and violence, satires on the
overgrown market of meaningless
films and even touches on life after
death between the unadulterated
dark humour and heads exploding.
McDonagh uses the wincing violence as an artistic reality check to
the crazy events unfolding around
the characters.
Films such as this, rarely seen
in theaters, are usually found on
the dusty shelves of rental stores
or recommended by a friend. It’s
a ride worth taking at any price,
delivering gut-wrenching brutality
and sidesplitting laughs, memorable moments and outstanding performances in a well-executed film.
Colin Farrel and Sam Rockwell in a scene from Seven Psychopaths.
Submitted photo
Page 16
NIAGARA NEWS
HALLOWEEN
Not your average trick-or-treat
Bradley, 3, Desiree, 4, and Alise, 8, pick out their pumpkins from the pumpkin stairs at Warner’s Ranch and Pumpkin Farm.
Photos by Jessica Reece
By JESSICA REECE
Staff writer
Boo, screech, eek, moan,
haunted house, graveyard, witches,
ghosts and goblins —when most
people think of Halloween, they
think of things that go bump in the
night, trick-or-treating, parades,
bobbing for apples, costumes and,
most important, free candy.
However, this has not always
been the case.
Halloween began about 2,000
years ago with an ancient Celtic
festival known as Samhain [pronounced sah-win], which was
celebrated on Nov. 1.
The Christian church turned
Samhain into All Saints Day,
which was then turned into All
Hallows in the eighth century. The
night before All Hallows (Oct. 31)
became known as All Hallows
Eve, which was then shortened to
what is now known as Hallowe’en
or Halloween.
On All Souls Day, Nov. 2, the
needy would beg for pastries called
soul cakes. In return they would
pray for people’s dead relatives.
This was known as souling.
It wasn’t until the 1950s that
Halloween became a familyfriendly, child-centred event and
big business in areas across the
globe. Consumers are spending
more than $2.5 billion on costumes
annually. Add in the cost of candy
and decorations and it is estimated
to be at about $6 billion each year,
making it the second largest commercial holiday after Christmas.
When it comes to good pumpkin
farms, people in the Niagara region
tend to stick with a select couple of
places.
First is Warner’s Ranch and
Pumpkin Farm on the corner of
Schisler Road and Montrose Road.
It’s not only famous for Belgian
horses and winter sleigh rides, but
also is for its pumpkins and other
seasonal activities.
“We have been open for about
Halloween Fun Facts
pumpkin contains about
•Each
500 seeds.
per cent of people decorate
•Fifty
their homes for Halloween.
harvested about
• Canadians
2,634 hectares of pumpkins in
2009.
than 35 million pounds of
• More
candy corn are sold annually.
was $317 million worth
• There
of candy and snack sales
in October — a 25 per cent
increase over the monthly
average for the year.
per cent of children sort
• Thirty
their candy after returning
home from trick-or-treating.
20 years,” says Donna Warner,
co-owner of Warner’s ranch. “We
started with the Belgian horses
and the winter sleigh rides and just
grew from there. We started small
with the pumpkins, gourds, straw
and hay stalks. People kept asking
us to try new things and add new
things. And we loved it.
“Now we have the horses, the
corn maze, petting zoo, all the
pumpkins and even our haunted
hayride, which has become a real
hit. We are hoping to be around for
many more great years.”
Warner says the visitors are
mostly local residents for the Halloween season, but the staff has
welcomed people from all over the
world for the famous sleigh rides.
The most famous pumpkin patch
would be Howell’s Family Pumpkin Farm. Howell’s has been the
best place for families to go and
have a great time with pumpkins.
Most famous for their animatronics, Howell’s has created life-sized
dinosaurs and creatures that move
and make sounds. It is a place for
people of all ages and has tons of
activities, attractions, hayrides,
haunted houses, food and the
pumpkin patch.
“I really liked Howell’s,” says
Samantha Neelin, a Niagara College student. “It was a lot of fun.
I especially liked the games they
get you to play while you walk
through the corn mazes because
it takes up more time and makes
it more interactive. I would definitely go again. I may not get the
adventure pass, however, because
it’s not really worth it unless you
have small kids.”
The other most famous thing to
do around Halloween is to visit the
scariest haunted houses.
Haunt Manor has become one
of the scariest haunted attractions
in Niagara Falls in the past three
years. Located on Lundy’s Lane,
it’s easily recognized by the huge
red barn.
Phil Van Kleef has been managing
Haunt Manor for the past few years.
“I saw a bit of a void in the Falls.
I would survey people in the area
to see what they would want to see.
Since Niagara is focused on tourism, I thought it would be good
to focus just on locals, something
mostly for us. We are constantly
adding to the attraction, and all our
acting is improvised, so things are
always different.”
Haunt Manor is one of the scariest attractions to come to Niagara
Falls. It was voted the best haunted
attraction and hayride in Canada.
“We have the haunted hayride,
which is our main attraction, and
two haunted houses, which focus
on hitting people’s phobias,” says
Van Kleef. “We also have the
Ravenhearse Sideshow, which
features something different each
night, such as the creep show and
the reptile kingdom show.
“We also offer our Monster
Café, which offers snacks and
refreshments. It’s a good place to
hang out if you need a break from
the intensity of the attractions.
We have monsters and costumed
performers walking throughout
the entire thing to scare you and
make the experience a little more
frightening. The whole thing is
very creepy and interactive, but
that’s the whole point, to indulge
in your fears.”
For those looking for something
a little less fearful, Niagara Falls offers a few year-round haunted houses such as Nightmares, Screamers,
the House of Frankenstein, the
House of Dracula and The Haunted
House, all near the Clifton Hill area.
One of the newest attractions to
hit the scene is the Zombie Walk.
People dress as the living undead
and parade through selected routes
to scare locals and indulge their
urge to experience the newest rising fad of the Walking Dead.
If you’re looking for some great
experiences for this upcoming Halloween season, head out to your
local pumpkin farms and haunted
houses for some experiences you
will never forget.
Oct. 19, 2012
SAC
ready for
Halloween
By ALANNA RICE
Staff Writer
Get ready for two weeks of
scares.
Niagara
College’s
Student
Administrative Council (SAC)
has planned Halloween-inspired
events.
Free shuttle service to the Haunt
Manor in Niagara Falls is one. The
Manor features haunted houses
and a hayride. Amber Ziomick,
SAC vice-president at the Welland
campus, says SAC chose Haunt
Manor as an alternative because
the annual trip to Halloween Haunt
sells out quickly.
Ziomick says the popular trip to
Canada’s Wonderland sold out in
record time. The $25 tickets sold
out at the Welland campus the
same day they were released. The
trip leaves the college today at 4:30
p.m. at the Welland campus and 5
p.m. at the Niagara-on-the-Lake
campus, for those lucky enough to
buy a ticket.
SAC has also planned a pumpkin-carving contest for Oct. 29 at
12:30 p.m. The event will be in The
Core, where the winner will receive
a $100 gift certificate to Dark Zone
costume store at Seaway Mall for a
Halloween costume.
The horror ends on Oct. 30 when
SAC has planned a 19+ Halloween
costume party in both student centres. Music will be provided by DJ
Victorious, and the winner of best
costume for the night will receive a
trip for two to Montreal.
Glenn Murray, SAC’s events
logistics manger, says the monthlong events will cost SAC between
$5,000 and $7,000. He says the
trip giveaway to Montreal will be
provided by TNT Tours, and this
donation helps SAC keep costs
down.
Michael Basha, a second-year
Paramedic student, says the money
isn’t a waste.
Basha, 22, says having so many
Halloween events is not a bad idea,
but rather October is a “good time
for events.” Although he hadn’t
heard much about them, he’s interested.
For more information, check
SAC’s website at www.ncsac.ca or
visit a SAC office at either campus.
The
Student
Administrative
Council’s posters at each campus
provide details about the events.
Photo by Alanna Rice