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Letters & Op-Ed, October 13 2021

Recognition only first step I commend and appreciate Pelham Town Council and staff's respectful marking of September 30's Day for Truth and Reconciliation. A very good inaugural of this day.

Recognition only first step

I commend and appreciate Pelham Town Council and staff's respectful marking of September 30's Day for Truth and Reconciliation. A very good inaugural of this day.

CAO David Cribbs' words were good, and strong, with the recognition of the “enduring effect on Indigenous peoples across the country.” My reflection was that many of us, non-Indigenous, harbour the same enduring attitudes, but reversed—the opposite side of the myths.

In the Residential Schools, the children of the First Peoples were taught that their practices, their language, their spirituality, their knowledge, that they themselves as well as their parents, were somewhat inferior to the white British and European newcomers. And in our public and religious schools, we were taught that our education, our religions, our knowledge, our persons, were therefore somewhat superior to them.

And these attitudes—based on these still perpetuated myths—are all around us today. Do not many of us believe that "they" would be better off speaking English, or French, dressing like "us,” learning about the great "classical" civilizations of Greece, Rome and Egypt? How many non-Indigenous even know, or care to know, about the great pre-Columbian civilizations in the Americas — on the west coast, the Mississippi valley, in Central America, and the Andes? Great cities, older and larger than anything in Europe at the time, centers of learning. These were the ancestors of the people whose children were taken away to Residential Schools.

So we have much to do, don't we. Pelham has made a good start.

Alan King Port Robinson

 

Speeding is a town-wide issue

I have to state that I think the vehicle speeding problem is Pelham-wide. I spend a lot of time on Pelham roadways and I drive the speed limit, much to the dismay of the vehicles behind me. I am constantly and closely tailgated by vehicles that wish to drive faster than the posted speed limits, and sometimes I receive the angry finger salute from drivers as they pass me at a high rate of speed. I feel as if I'm being bullied to drive faster in my own neighbourhood.

This is not a rush hour problem. This happens at any time of the day in many areas of Pelham.

The majority of stop signs in low traffic areas have been reduced to rolling stops or yield signs as nobody ever really comes to a complete stop. As we all know, a 50 kph speed limit is easily stretched to 70 kph; 60 kph becomes 80 kph, and so on. I have even clocked a local Fonthill pharmacy delivery vehicle travelling at more than 80 kph in a 50 kph zone in downtown Fonthill.

I can remember a constant NRP presence along Hwy. 20 and Pelham Street ticketing speeders. Sadly, I rarely see them enforcing speeders any more.

Are we waiting for a major incident to occur before changes are made?

Pete Dove Fonthill

 

Appreciation from Pelham Cares

Thank you to our community for their recent support in our “Thanks for Giving” Raffle. We were able to raise over $6,000 in proceeds that will support our youth subsidy programs.

Families today are not only struggling to keep a roof over their head and staying on top of their bill payments, but children have been socially isolated. Now that things are beginning to open up, we are having families reach out to us for support. We at Pelham Cares are able to provide support for youth 18 years and under who meet eligibility. With your help we are able to provide financial support for their registration fees for various social, athletic or educational activities within our community or schools.

Congratulations to our winners, here are the ticket numbers:

#674 - $1,500 Voucher for Vintage Hotels

#327 - $1,200 Voucher for Great Wolfe Lodge

#395 - $1,000 Voucher for Travel through Lorraine Simpson Travel

#443 – Ride for 2 with Niagara Helicopter Tours

#174 - $250 Voucher with Gretzky Winery Estates

Jennifer Dube Coordinator Pelham Cares

 

Be a responsible dog owner

City of Welland and the Niagara SPCA & Humane Society is reminding all dog owners to please be responsible by leashing your dog(s) when out in public, including City parks— unless in designated leash-free zones.

As dog owners, set a good example by being courteous and abiding by the City of Welland Dog Control and Licensing Bylaw. This includes leashing, licensing and picking up after your dog. This will also help make your community a cleaner and safer place to walk, cycle and play in. Check your city's bylaw for the maximum leash lengths.

A leash helps keep your dog safe from: running away and getting lost; wandering into traffic; confrontations with wildlife (e.g., coyotes) and unfriendly dogs; approaching dead or diseased wildlife; eating things such as poison, animal feces or drinking from contaminated puddles.

A leash also benefits you, your dog and the community by: preventing your dog from scaring or jumping on children; biting other people or pets; preventing lawsuits—fines ranging from $150 to upwards of $610—or vet bills from injuries that could occur

In the event of a dog attack, please contact the Niagara SPCA and Humane Society's Animal Service Department at 905-735-1552 extension 3.

John Greer Executive Director Welland SPCA

 

COTE'S COMMENTS | Larry Coté

Why not testimonials rather than memorials

I recently attended a memorial service for a dear friend who died a short while ago. It was a wonderful event and honored the many capacities the deceased person consummated throughout her lifetime. This “Celebration of Life” was lovingly prepared and hosted by my friend’s children. They did a wonderful job to touch upon all the goodness their parent depicted during her lifetime.

Following this memorial event I got to thinking about these occasions. Such thinking is always a dangerous awakening of my often comatose mind. The thought that was entertained in that vacuous space questioned why do we celebrate memorials and rather avoid testimonials? Wouldn’t it be more apropos, meaningful and rewarding to celebrate that history with the honoree and in their presence rather than after they have passed from this life?

Imagine how uplifting hearing all the accolades our dearest ones would enjoy should they hear these laurels while alive and still sharing our lives. Such an occasion would be a delicious life-sharing event for the both the honoree and those presenting the testimonies.

Some elders among the readership will remember a television series that was popular awhile ago called The Dean Martin Celebrity Roast, modeled on the famed New York Friars’ Club Roasts. Ignoring the fact that the lives and character of the celebrity honorees were highlighted in humorous and disrespectful tones by their friends and colleagues over the show’s decade-long run, the purpose was, nonetheless, to honour the recipient who was present and among them.

Another TV program from the past that was popular for a time was titled This is Your Life. Again, milestone events and achievements of a person’s life were highlighted and remembered with vigor.

I am not advocating that we roast our friends and family members, but consider giving them their just due while they are alive and can fully appreciate how they are esteemed by their friends and families. Wouldn’t it be comforting and reassuring in their subsequent years to know how much they are loved, respected and honored by those they encountered during their lives? In return, they could acknowledge in person and face-to-face all those who recollected the best memories that contributed to the honoree's goodness in life. Such a reciprocal arrangement seems to make a lot of sense.

I am not naive enough to think articles such as this one will alter the customary celebrations of this culture that we are mostly familiar with. However, such milestone achievements such as advanced age birthdays and anniversaries could easily embrace the idea of celebrating the lives of people when they are alive.

The memorial celebrations I have attended did a wonderful job of highlighting the lives of the deceased persons. I think they would have enjoyed and taken modest pride in those deliberations were they to be present. After all, a compliment is music to the ears of the recipient.

 

PELHAM AND COVID-19 | Mayor Marvin Junkin

Provincial capacity rules ease, but MCC security remains

Canada’s chief public health officer is on record stating that the Covid cases are declining nationally for the first time in months, although some areas across the country are still a concern. Because of these falling new case numbers, Ontario has announced that as of last Saturday, professional teams could allow capacity crowds into their building, with the stipulation that all attendees be fully vaccinated. As of this writing these changes do not extend to indoor dining or gyms.

On the local front, Pelham continues to have zero active cases. The number of fully vaccinated residents in Pelham is at 82.5 percent with 79.3 percent having had one dose, both numbers being higher than the Regional equivalents. The Region continues to test between 6000-7000 residents per week for the virus.

The Town will continue to employ a security firm to assist at the MCC for a least two more weeks. Although rare, there have been instances where individuals have been escorted from the building for failing to comply with municipal and provincial Covid standards. When the province relaxes these standards, which they will eventually, we will obviously follow suit.

It is great to see so much activity at the MCC with hockey and basketball programmes in full swing, and walkers returning to the track.

As pictured in last week’s paper, the contractor doing the work on Sulphur Springs Drive has finished the retaining wall and is concentrating on repairing the road, with the work forecast to take a solid two weeks. I can visualize a lot of people sitting on the wall watching the water flow by. This stream and its natural inhabitants are indeed great assets to this town, and undoubtedly more work will be needed to preserve it and them.