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Resident raises concern about possible ‘glitch’ in region’s 911 system Man worries after police help sought, but no one came BY TERESA LATCHFORD
tlatchford@yrmg.com
A STAFF PHOTO/MIKE BARRETT
On Jan. 5, David Fritz made a 911 call seeking police assistance for a dispute on a work site. He and the others involved waited for nearly an hour, but the police never showed up, he said.
n Aurora resident fears there may be a glitch in the York Region 911 system. The owner of Three Little Pigs Masonry, David Fritz, was on a job site just north of the intersection of Steeles Avenue and Yonge Street in Thornhill when a dispute between two separate work crews occurred. Fearing the situation would escalate beyond his control, he called 911 to request the assistance of police. Surrounded by members of his work crew, he used the speaker phone on his cell due to hearing issues and everyone heard him have a conversation with a dispatcher that lasted no longer than 50 seconds, he said. “I was told an officer would be
dispatched to my location but no one ever showed up,” Fritz said. “Luckily, my situation calmed down, but what if it hadn’t or what if I had called for something like a heart attack?” Cellphone records from his service provider clearly show a phone call was placed at 8:25 a.m. Jan. 5 and a call to the Richmond Hill detachment of York Regional Police at 9:19 a.m. after waiting for the officer who he was told had been dispatched. He later visited the local detachment to make his complaint and when he enquired about his 911 phone call, he was told there was no record of it. “I’m not out to get anyone. I think the police, firefighters and paramedics do a damn fine job here, but I wouldn’t be able to sleep
See page A11.
ENVIRONMENT
SOCIAL ISSUES
Resident urges town to join Blue Dot Movement
Survey finds ‘significant’ homeless population
BY TERESA LATCHFORD
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tlatchford@yrmg.com
ennifer Sault wants Aurora to be blue. Concern for the environment began for the Aurora resident during a family trip to Michigan. She and her family drove through an area known as Chemical Valley in Sarnia, Ont. that housed 60 oil refineries and factories. The area is deemed the home of the most polluted air in Canada, according to the World Health Organization. “Of course I didn’t know this when I was 10 years old, I just knew I was petrified about
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For more details on the Blue Dot Movement or to sign a petition, visit bluedot.ca.
what I saw,” she said. “Seeing the piles of smoke in the air, wasn’t this bad for us? Isn’t this dangerous?” The image stuck in her mind and she asked her parents question upon question for days following the trip until they encouraged her to write a See page A4.
109 volunteers spent one night counting number of homeless across region BY LISA QUEEN
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lqueen@yrmg.com
ith the wind chill making it feel about -10C, Cassandra Vink was relieved to hear the homeless man she met on the streets of Richmond Hill had a warm, if only makeshift, place to sleep. The Richmond Hill woman was one of 109 volunteers who spread out across York Region one night this month to count as many people in shelters and living outside as they could find. The “point in time” count, overseen by the United Way of Toronto and York Region, was the first time the initiative has been held in the
JUSTICE
Offender’s family will now appeal, as well
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region. To make sure they didn’t bias the results by skipping anyone, the volunteers asked everyone they met whether they were homeless and then carried on with a more in-depth, 20-question survey with those who identified themselves as having no permanent home. Results of the survey are expected to be released in the spring and will
be used to improve services. Preliminary results indicate there are people who are homeless in communities across the region, Pedro Barata, the United Way’s vicepresident of communications and public affairs, said. “We certainly found people along the continuum of homelessness, from people who were sleeping on the streets, to people who were in temporary shelters, violence against women shelters, youth shelters and transitional housing,” he said. Barata volunteered at the field office at The Link in Sutton. The other field offices were at the See page A9.
SPORTS & BUSINESS
Crown to appeal Styles trial decision fter four years worth of investigation, court and trial time, the Garrett Styles trial finally came to a conclusion in June with a first-degree murder conviction and then a sentence in November. Now, two months later, the Crown has decided to appeal the decision based on the belief the sentence was unreasonable and didn’t hold the youth involved to account. The offender, only identified as S.K., as he was a minor when he committed the offences, was not handed any custodial time, rather nine years of conditional-supervision. Justice Sosna allowed him to remain at his parents’ Newmarket home, ruling the Milton facility the Crown had suggested was not suited to care for his “significant” medical needs, considering he is a
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For more stories on the Garrett Styles’ trial, visit yorkregion.com Comments? Email tkibble@yrmg.com
quadriplegic confined to a wheelchair. The Styles family and some police remained unsatisfied with the sentence. After the verdict Garrett’s wife said the sentence was a “huge letdown”. “My children and I have been given a life sentence to have to live without Garrett,” Melissa Styles said in a statement released by York police. Police Chief Eric Jolliffe also released a statement. “Notwithstanding the physical condition of the accused,” the release read. “This sentence does not reflect the principles of accountability referenced in the Youth Criminal Justice Act.” The family of the offender has also now decided to appeal.
Lose
Putting best foot forward business’ goal BY JOHN CUDMORE
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jcudmore@yrmg.com
ith apologies to John Scott, you know you’re a bigtime player when the call comes for your first all-star game. SUPPLIED PHOTO While Scott, whose controverNewmarket based SummerSkates heading to the NHL All-Star Game sial inclusion in this weekend’s this weekend in Nashville, TN, with a special gift for players. NHL All-Star Game in Nashville, Tenn., has created a media talkDoak said his company has ing point in recent weeks, Myles entered a multi-year deal with the Doak will be outfitting the feet of NHLPA to do the name and numthe NHL’s elite stars assembled ber of any player in the league. ❑ For more on this endeavour, for a few days of glitter starting For fans, it is a chance to display visit their site at summerskates. Thursday. their favourite player on their feet, com Doak and his partner Kevin whether it’s a pair of Sidney CrosHennessey, both Newmarket resiby 87 sandals or a Leo Komarov 47 dents, are busily compiling Sumcomprising a flat rubberized sole model. merSkates for each of the 44 playand skate laces providing the “I’m absolutely super, super ers competing in Sunday’s game attachment band. Each all-star’s at Bridgestone Arena. name and number will be dyed The SummerSkates concept is into the laces in his team’s colours. See page A10. simple — a flip-flop-style sandal
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