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Vol. 51 No. 44
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Basic Black . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pg. 6 Business Directory . . . . . . . . . . Pg. 6 Carol Hughes Column . . . . . . . . . Pg. 4 Classified . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pgs. 9-11 Crime News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pg. 5 Crossword . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pg. 11 Legion News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pg. 7 Nuts ‘N Bolts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pg. 2 Pathways . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pg. 3 Storytime . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pg. 8 Sudoku . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pg. 9
Food Bank Update February 2016
L-R: Maury O’Neill, Chief Executive Officer, Economic Development Corporation (EDC) of Wawa; Mayor Ron Rody, and Jim McHardy, Board member of the EDC.
Wawa BIA Lunch And Learn Article & photo by Joan Brooks The Wawa Business Improvement Area (BIA) held a very informative Lunch and Learn last Thursday in the Banquet room of the Michipicoten Memorial Community Centre. The event was well attended despite the wintery weather and lunched on Pizza, coffee and donuts. Maury O’Neill opened the event in the absence of BIA President Betty McGie. O’Neill serves the BIA board as Secretary-Treasurer and as a representative of JJAM-FM. She welcomed everyone in attendance gave a broad understanding of what the BIA is all about and provided an overview of what to expect on this day. She then introduced Mayor Ron Rody who provided us an overview of some of the projects the town is looking at. Rody referenced the two programs which follow him. That is the Age Friendly program and the Wawa Energy Plan. Other projects include the Sewage Lagoon – “we need to get this done”, waiting for funding; The Wawa Landfill, operating on an emergency basis: the Street Lights, project completed this fall, and plan to put those lights on all off street and municipal buildings; Connecting Link program. Waiting for approval for funding; Municipal Buildings – the town hall has serious problems, needs to make it accessible, and so much more to bring it up to code; the OPP Station, ideas underway exploring various possibility; The Goose, we put out request for proposals to be fabricated off site and installed on site; the Marina – they have agreement with the department of Oceans and Fisheries; the Golf Course, run by volunteers. We’re trying to set up so they do not have to pay taxes. So
they are reviewing the By-Law; Retirement Home for seniors that also provide Assisted Living possibilities – working with White River and Dubreuilville on this file – Quality of Place: Maury thanked Mayor Rody for his information. She then provided information on Age Friendly Wawa (AFW) survey for which they received a provincial grant of $25,000. How do we make Wawa more age friendly? The Economic Development Office was hired to complete the Survey. In Wawa, it is anticipated that at least 50 per cent of our population is over 50 years of age before the next senses. Quality of place! How can we improve the quality of life of people in Wawa? Over 196 seniors responded to the survey. The looked at eight dimensions. They are i) outdoor space and buildings ii) transportation iii) Housing iv) social participation v) respect and social inclusion vi) civic participation and employment vii) communication and information, and viii) community support and health services. For an in-depth report check out this site. http://edcwawa.ca/ wp-content/uploads/2016/01/ AFW-Survey-Results. Next Emily Cormier, Energy Project Manager for the EDC updated us on the 15 month Wawa Energy Plan. She also presented a by-the-numbers handout the reflected the committee meetings, consultations, surveys and a multitude of other stakeholder engagements. Key partners in the development of this plan include Algoma Power Inc. the Municipality of Wawa, NITGC, Community Development Committee and so many more. This plan was presented to Municipal Council on Tuesday, January 26th, 2016. The vision reads Wawa, a sus-
tainable community, powered by people. For more information go to http://edcwawa.ca/ wp-content/uploads/2016/01/ Wawa-Energy-Plan-Final-PlanPresentation2.pdf. Presenting for the Regional Employment Help Centre were Crystal Lutz and Brandy Black who spoke very briefly on incentives for employers, and provided handouts on skills training and youth job connection through Employment Ontario. For more information contact www.wawarehc.com. The BIA Annual General Meeting is scheduled for Thursday February 18th at the Wawa Motor Inn. New Directors are needed. Businesses in the BIA area, mainly along Broadway Avenue and Mission Road are eligible to vote and sit on the Board. A budget and work plan will be presented at the AGM that will seek $15,000 from BIA members in 2016 to continue to operate and assist its member with initiatives designed to improve the local business economy. In 2015 the BIA undertook a number of initiatives including a refurbishing of the Goose Lights and Christmas Lights. The Goose Lights were refurbished by Tom Terris of Wawa Rent-All- with new LED lighting that will save money (hydro). The BIA also sponsored a number of local events including the Wawa Music Festival, Wawa Winter Carnival and Wawa Sno-Down. The Shop (Eric Mitrikas) built some new seating benches that were placed along Mission Road. The BIA also paid for the flowers placed in planter boxes along Broadway and Mission Road. We will see you at the AGM at the Wawa Motor Inn on Thursday, February 18th, 2016.
Wawa Community Food Bank must thank several people and organizations for their financial support. We very much appreciate the donations from Fern Albert, Fountain Tire, John and Kaireen Morrison, Gerry Morin for the proceeds from her sale of garden produce to MNR employees and Superior Children’s Centre for the Valu Mart gift cards. In addition, this past week the Food Bank received a most unusual donation from an individual who had been staying at the Wawa Motor Inn. As employees entered his quarters after he checked out, they discovered a room full of fresh and frozen food and a vast assortment of non-perishable items dedicated to the Food Bank. The following note accompanied the largesse: “To Community of Wawa, my name is Danny Larose from Geraldton, Ontario. I came to this great community. I met some great people and not so much. I heard you have a food bank and I would like to make a large donation to help families and their children get through these difficult times. ‘Small town community, not so small hearts.’ TAKE CARE!" Food Bank volunteers are astounded by this generosity from a stranger to our town. We would also like to thank the Wawa Motor Inn employees who delivered the many boxes
61 Mission Road Wawa, Ontario P0S 1K0 Tel: 705-856-2394 Cell: 705-856-5595 Fax: 705-856-4290 alainbouffard@missionmotors.com www.missionmotors.com
directly to our shelves. On a completely different note, we are fortunate to further benefit from the Wawa Family Health Team outreach program. Every Food Bank Wednesday, from 2 – 4 p.m., a walk in clinic will offer the services of Laurie Cavan, registered social worker. Our EDC is kindly providing private office space for this program which began January 20 and is available to anyone in the community, including but not limited to Food Bank clients. As a community social worker, Laurie views her role as solution focused, offering confidential crisis intervention and short term counselling. Her purpose is to advocate for those dealing with issues connected to poverty, housing and those in need of personal support. If required, further contact with the Wawa Family Health Team can be arranged. The brochure describing this venture states, “We have a broad definition of crisis: if it is a crisis to you, it is a crisis to us.” Appointments are not necessary; it is a walk in clinic. Once again, this valuable service is available to anyone in the community. The Food Bank, located at 96 Broadway Avenue in the former medical building, is closed the first Wednesday of each month and is open each Wednesday following this closure.