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Woolwich Youth Soccer season is winding down People. Places. Pictures. Profiles. Perspectives.

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VOLUME 24 | ISSUE

29

JULY 25, 2019

COMMUNITY EFFORT

Arena user groups band together to discuss options Community initiative leads to the formation of the Wellesley Township Recreation Centre Committee

BY VERONICA REINER vreiner@woolwichobserver.com

Invigorated by the possibility of a new arena, community groups have taken the initiative to form the Wellesley Township Recreation Centre Committee.

User groups as diverse as hockey associations and the fall fair board have banded together.

The move was spearheaded by Chris Martin, a long-time hockey referee and past president of the Twin Centre Hericanes Girls Hockey Association.

The committee’s goal is to outline what the community would like to see out of the new arena. Further down the line, the group will brainstorm ideas to raise money for arena construction.

At the group’s inaugural meeting last week, attended by Wellesley Mayor Joe Nowak and township recreation director Danny Roth, the wish-list for a new facility was discussed in great depth. Also broached was

whether a new building would sit on the current site or be located on new parkland slated for Queens Bush and Hutchison roads.

“The group’s requests were quite reasonable,” said Martin. “Modern dressing rooms – six dressing rooms minimum, which is the standard for most facilities now. Seating for 800; standing room for maybe 1,000. National Hockey League-size ice surface. The Applejacks want their own team dressing room.

“There was a request from all user groups and community partners to have more meeting space.”

To prepare for the meeting, each user group was prompted by the question: ‘What facilities does your organization need to be the most successful in what you do?’

Each organization brought their unique perspective to the table, generally focusing on the need for additional storage ARENA | 04

Joshua William James George Henshaw Lewis-Trinchi VIII presents the congratulatory letters received by the family for its 200 years in Canada. [VERONICA REINER]

Family traditions go back 200 years

BY VERONICA REINER vreiner@woolwichobserver.com

High tea is an old custom, one that seems suited to a family celebrating 200 years in Canada, a milestone recognized with congratulatory messages from Queen Elizabeth and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

The Lewis family’s history dates back to 1819 when William Lewis and Edith Leach came to Canada from Wicklow, Ireland.

“We originated from Wales, United Kingdom,”

explained Janice Lewis.

“There’s a lot of royalty in that family tree. So we came here quite prominent. Our ancestors took up crown property in Wellington North, where the family was established.”

Descendants of the family worked in many different industries – Henry Lewis (born 1845) served at Canada Post, George Lewis (born 1871) helped to construct roads and buildings shaping Canada, while his sister Barbara Lewis (born 1874) was an entrepreneur.

William Lewis (born 1906) dedicated his life to agriculture building, and George (born 1933) helped to build the unionized construction industry. The family has descendants all across Canada and America. In the present day, Janice’s daughter, Vittoria Tinchi, works at the Homewood Hotel Suites in St. Jacobs as a director of sales marketing.

“I’m very proud of [Vittoria]. She’s really done amazing things for this area,” said Lewis. “She’s

really established our family once again.”

One of the ventures at the hotel is the high tea experience, served on Thursdays and Saturdays.

The traditional mix of tea, savouries and sweets is aimed at group events – bridal showers, corporate meetings or bus tours to the nearby theatre, for example – and features the likes of finger sandwiches, scones, fruit preserves, desserts, and loose leaf tea.

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O BS E RV E R X TR A. C O M | THURSDAY, JULY 25, 2019 | 03

FROM THE ARCHIVES

CASHING IN Creating community connections starts and ends with our readers.

News tips are always welcome.

PAGE THREE

Phone: 519-669-5790 ext 103

Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLG) last week issued a first-quarter (April 1 to June 30, 2019) non-tax gaming revenue payment of $723,900 to the Township of Centre Wellington for hosting Elements Casino Grand River. Since December 2003, Centre Wellington has received more than $32 million in non-tax gaming revenue.

The vacant former Winterbourne Public School will hear the familiar sounds of school children again this fall. The building was purchased for $550,000

by Foundation Christian School of Waterloo Region (FCSWR) from the Waterloo Region District School Board (WRDSB) July 24 for the purpose of opening a nondenominational Christian school.

From the July 29, 2006 edition of The Observer

Online: observerxtra.com/tips

Township makes hire to head planning dept WO O LW I C H A D M I N I ST R AT I O N

Mark Pomponi, most recently in Brant, will see many of the same issues land on his desk in Woolwich

BY STEVE KANNON skannon@woolwichobserver.com

The players may be different, but the song remains the same for Mark Pomponi, who this month became Woolwich’s first director of development services.

An organizational review earlier this year saw the township divide the former engineering and planning services department into two parts. With the retirement in June of Dan Kennaley, Pomponi arrived from Brant County to head the planning aspects – planning issues, the building department and economic development and tourism. The engineering component, now infrastructure services, is now under the direction of Jared Puppe, an internal hire who was Woolwich’s acting manager of engineering.

Pomponi spent that past 16 years in Brant, most recently as general manager of development services, a role he says mirrors his new position in Woolwich.

“It’s exactly the same with the exception of economic development and tourism.”

He arrives in Woolwich

as he did in Brant: hired

by David Brenneman, who was director of community and development services in the County of Brant before arriving in 2007 to become Woolwich’s chief administrative officer.

“David hired me in Brant. We’ve kept in to touch, and I was always looking for an opportunity to work with David again,” said Pomponi.

Being familiar with his boss should help in the transition, he notes. While the planning issues will be similar, every municipality has its own unique population, history and culture with which to deal – getting to know then is part of settling into his new role.

A Hamilton native, his résumé includes previous stops in that city, Ancaster and Cambridge, the city he now calls home.

He’s been in the municipal planning field long enough to have seen its evolution over the past couple of decades, particularly the involvement of the province in local planning issues.

“There’s an increased provincial influence – they’re more involved,” said Pomponi. “There are more provincial policies

that are mandated on local municipalities.”

Notably, the province requires higher densities and a greater variety of housing types, a blanket policy that does not spare rural or small municipalities that may have different outlooks from, say, Toronto or other urban centres.

While Premier Doug Ford is reviewing many of the restrictions added by the previous government, current policies such as the Places to Grow document have forced changes over the years.

While in Cambridge, for instance, Pomponi saw the average lot size drop dramatically when applications for new subdivisions came in.

“A 40-foot lot was a small lot; now you’re lucky to have a 40-foot lot,” he said by way of example.

Increased density, he notes, brings issues with traffic, parking, drainage and neighbourhood complaints. Municipalities then have to cope with those concerns.

There’s also a push for different forms of housing, particularly apartments and condos. He lands in Woolwich just as two controversial apartment

Mark Pomponi took the helm of Woolwich's planning department earlier this month. [STEVE KANNON / THE OBSERVER]

projects are being proposed for Elmira, one on Church Street West and the other on Ernst Street, with neighbours unhappy with what’s proposed in both cases.

“The concerns aren’t unusual – they’re fairly typical,” he said, noting such infilling projects in existing neighbourhoods tend to draw the largest response from residents.

Equally controversial are gravel pit applications, a reality he’s no stranger to based on his previous role.

“Brant certainly had its share of gravel pits, with more coming,” he said.

Part of his transition into his new job will be getting a feel for how residents react to planning issues and how the municipality has traditionally dealt with such proposals.

Pomponi says he’s thankful for the experience of long-time senior planner Jeremy Vink and the help of John Scarfone, the former Woolwich manager of planning who retired last year, but who remains on in a part-time capacity.

“I certainly value the experience and knowledge that [they] bring. You can lean on them and draw on them.”

PLANNER | 04

The trail goes on, as province drops idea of selling off property

BY STEVE KANNON skannon@woolwichobserver.com

Hikers using the Kissing Bridge Trailway may be feeling the heat of the sun these days, but have no reason to be hot under the collar at the prospect of losing the local resource, as the province

has formally removed the trail land from its review of potential property selloffs.

Kissing Bridge Trailway (KBT) and stretches of the 148-kilometre Guelph to Goderich (G2G) Rail Trail were feared to be at risk as the Ford government carried out an assessment

of potentially surplus property.

That prospect prompted the Region of Waterloo and Woolwich Township to press the province not only to drop the idea, but to pledge support for the trail system. In particular, the region wants to see longer-term lease

Wooden Roof Truss

arrangements for the provincial land, much of it former railway corridors, moving away from the system of five-year leases. The current lease agreement between the province, the region and the County of Wellington is up for renewal in June 2020.

Earlier this month, the province said it would drop the trail lands from consideration, though the leasing issue remains.

“I’m happy to report that the line will remain under provincial ownership and will not be put up for sale,” Kitchener-Conestoga MPP Mike

Harris said in an email.

The decision was welcomed by Doug Cerson, executive director of G2G Rail Trail Inc. “I have been in direct communication with the Minister of Government and Consumer Services, Lisa Thompson, and she TRAIL | 05

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Maryhill man seeks bid to save St. Boniface school Waterloo District Catholic School Board continues to move ahead with plans to build a new school in Breslau subdivision

BY STEVE KANNON skannon@woolwichobserver.com

Just down from the main intersection in Maryhill, you’ll find Pat Weiler in his workshop repairing a lawn mower or maybe working on an old tractor. Maybe he’ll be polishing up his new prized possession, a 1963 Plymouth Fury – white on robin’s egg blue.

Then again, he might be fixing up a bicycle with the intent of passing it on to a local kid.

To the long list of activities you can now add “trying to keep St. Boniface school going.”

Ideally, he says, the Waterloo District Catholic School Board would keep the school open. Failing that, the old building would be a great community resource, says Weiler, who was born, raised and remains in the village to this very day.

To that end, he’s hoping to spearhead a campaign to convince the board to re-

verse plans to build a new school in Breslau to replace the current St. Boniface. A corresponding fundraising effort would aim to keep the building in community hands should a move be inevitable.

“I’ve talked to a lot of people, and all of them want to keep the school,” said Weiler in the workshop of his Maryhill Road home.

“There are new families coming to the church here, and they’d like to send their kids to the school here.”

He’s planning to start a petition to see if residents are willing to do more than discuss the planned closure of the school.

“All it is, is talk – nobody’s put in any action yet,” he noted. “I know everybody in town, so I plan to go around and talk to people.

“My goal is to keep the school here for future kids.”

For its part, the school board is pushing ahead with plans for a new build-

Pat Weiler can usually be found in his workshop, where the latest project is a 1963 Plymouth Fury.

ing in the south end of Breslau.

It’s secured land at the corner of Starlight Avenue and Trowbridge Street with plans to build a school for

PLANNER: It's right to work for new arrival FROM 03

Brant has recently seen a plethora of development following many years of inactivity due to a lack of servicing, a situation that mirrors what happened in Woolwich more than a decade ago once sewer and water services became available after years of development being on hold.

Woolwich, however, has a slow-growth strategy, opting for

some 250 students, with space for future expansion should it be necessary, says Shesh Maharaj, chief financial officer for the Waterloo Catholic District School

[STEVE KANNON]

Board.

The will be an EarlyON Family Centre, as well as an 88 space childcare on site.

“All of the design work has been done. The school

will be modeled after our newest school, St. Vincent de Paul in Cambridge, scaled for the appropriate number of students,” said Maharaj in an email this week.

“At present we are waiting for a Ministry of Education approval to proceed to tender for a contractor. The new school will be open and ready to accept students in September of 2020.”

Having the board reverse course is an uphill battle, but the current school’s heritage value – it’s designated as such by Woolwich Township – makes it worth having as a community resource, Weiler said.

The school long serves as centre of village activity prior to a relatively new community centre being opened, for instance.

The current yellow brick building constructed in 1898, the third iteration since a school was first built in the village in 1834, was augmented with additions in 1965 and 1968.

THAT'S AS FAR AS SHE GOES

a staging policy that Brant is now looking at, having previously opted against it.

“It’s a better way to manage it,” he said in praise of the township’s go-slow growth plan.

Now settling into his Woolwich role, Pomponi will be working to implement the changes suggested by the organization review, looking at the department’s processes and revenues.

FAMILY: High tea is part of the tradition FROM 01

Jacobs market to source our produce,” said Tinchi. “So we try to use a 100-kilometre philosophy in all of our food and beverage, whether it be banquets or just our complimentary meals. So we really like to highlight Woolwich as much as we can.”

Since its inception three years ago, the St. Jacobs high tea has been served to more than 1,200

people. The Lewis family had prior experience operating a tearoom in Mount Forest before doing so here in Woolwich.

“Our guests are our top concern,” said Tinchi. “We like to make known that we’re here. We want to make friends with people in our community, we want to make those partnerships, and we want to do it to enhance our experience that we give our guests.”

The family vacation got off to a rocky start Wednesday afternoon when this RAM pickup truck went up in flames as the driver was eastbound on Sawmill Road, just past Northfield Drive in Conestogo.

[JOE MERLIHAN / THE OBSERVER]

ARENA: Newly formed committee's first order of business is canvassing the user groups to develop a wish list FROM 01

space.

The Wellesley Lions Club requested a space to call their own, while Community Care Concepts addressed the need for a senior’s active living centre. Another suggestion brought forward was a space designed for youth. There was a call for a walking track. The Wellesley Curling Club, as well as the Wellesley Skating Club, both requested storage space.

“Then a pool,” added

Martin. “It wasn’t declared whether it would be an indoor or outdoor pool, but certainly people respected an indoor pool is probably a tough ask. So again rather than ask for something very challenging, the request came for an outdoor pool. Similar to what Listowel [Kinsmen Pool] and Milverton [Perth East Recreation Complex] have built.”

The one thing that has yet to be decided is where the new arena will be locat-

ed. When the council voted to allow funds to be used towards the new facility, the recommendation was that it be located at the new parkland on Queen’s Bush and Hutchison roads.

“It’s pretty much agreed on what to put in it,” said Martin. “I don’t think there’s much more debate over that ... although we’ll flesh some more ideas out.

The challenge will be the location, because this facility is encompassing all of the amenities.”

The arena would be designed for all of Wellesley Township including surrounding communities such as Linwood, Hawkesville, Crosshill, Heidelberg, rather than solely for the village. It would also be built up to modern standards.

“We’re modelling our arena facility after Mount Forest, Cayuga, and Dunnville,” explained Martin.

“Single ice pad centres with other community amenities attached – very

reasonable and conservative. We’re not Elmira, Listowel or Stratford. We’re not even Ayr. “Mount Forest, Cayuga, and Dunnville are modern, well-designed facilities.

Mount Forest And Dunnville have Junior C hockey clubs, Cayuga has a curling rink, both seat 500-1,000 ... all of them. That’s right in our wheelhouse.”

The Wellesley Township Recreation Centre Committee will be meeting once again in August to sort out

further details. A steering committee of six to 12 people is scheduled to meet before then.

“There’s this notion out there that it’s all been decided. I can say the township has not decided,” said Martin. “They’re earnestly looking to see what our group can come up with.”

For those who would like to get involved with the process, Martin recommended contacting the appropriate user group with any requests or concerns.

THURSDAY, JULY 25, 2019 | THE O BSE RVE R

C O M MUN IT Y N E WS | 05

POLICE REPORT

Waterloo Regional Police launch new robbery education campaign; know what to do if you are going to buy online Waterloo Regional Police have launched a robbery education campaign to bring awareness to three different types of robberies that have been occurring regularly in the region.

The campaign, entitled #OnceUponACrime, showcases real stories of real people who have fallen victim to different types of robberies in Waterloo Region. The robberies fall into three categories: online buy/sell, food delivery, and person-on-person. Along with stories, safety tips will be provided to help prevent residents from falling vic-

tim to crime.

During the month of July, the focus will be on how to protect yourself when buying or selling an item online. Many of these robberies stem from online classified ads, which allow criminals an opportunity to remain anonymous while taking advantage of unsuspecting buyers and sellers, police note in a release.

John’s Story Looking for a little extra money, John decided to post his iPhone 6 online for $400. Shortly after posting, he received a text message

from a male who was interested in purchasing the phone. John didn’t know it, but the ‘buyer’ was using a fake account.

John and the ‘buyer’ continued to text and eventually decided to meet outside an apartment complex in Kitchener. John wasn’t familiar with the area but agreed to the meeting spot anyway.

John arrived around 6:30 p.m. but couldn’t see anyone. He texted the ‘buyer.’

“Where are you?” he asked.

A message came back.

“Meet me at the right of

the building. I’m wearing a black sweater.”

There was no way for John to know that this was an attempt by the ‘buyer’ to get John away from security cameras and into a darker area.

John approached and the two shook hands.

Then, things took a turn for the worse.

John was sprayed with a substance in his eyes. The robber grabbed the cell phone and ran off.

John found his way back to his vehicle and called police.

If you are looking to buy

or sell an item online, you are encouraged to: • Check the buyer’s/seller’s name through an online search engine such as Facebook, Instagram or Google.

• Don’t provide any personal information.

• Ask about the history of the item being sold.

• Do not transfer/provide money to the person before receiving the product.

• Meet in a well-lit public location that has surveillance cameras (a police detachment is always an option).

•

•

•

•

Be wary of locations changing at the last minute.

Bring a friend, or let someone know when and where your meeting is taking place.

If anything appears suspicious, call police immediately.

If you become a victim of a robbery, you are encouraged to call police immediately. Providing a description of the suspect(s) and the last direction of travel will also assist police in their efforts in locating potential suspects.

TRAIL: Province has dropped land from its review of potential targets

COLLISION BACKS UP TRAFFIC

FROM 03

has reassured us that the Goderich to Guelph lands have been removed from the assessment process.

In addition to relieving G2G Rail Trail and all other leases from the burden of uncertainty, Minister Thompson has

committed to finding a long-term solution which will replace the current multi-lease situation,” he said in an email.

The KBT is part of the G2G Trail system, with stretches running through Elmira and West Montrose.

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Traffic was delayed for some time as emergency personnel responded to a collision late Monday afternoon when a white Ford Mustang rear-ended a blue pickup truck on Lobsinger Line near St. Peters Lutheran Cemetery.

[VERONICA REINER / THE OBSERVER]

JULY 14 ■■3:45 PM | A Wellington County OPP officer monitoring traffic on Wellington Road 7 south of Elora near Ponsonby observed a grey sedan travelling above the posted 80 km/h speed limit. The vehicle was locked on radar in excess of 130 km/h. A 20-year-old Hamilton woman was pulled over and charged with ‘race a motor vehicle.’ She is is scheduled to appear in the Ontario Court of Justice in Guelph on September 18, 2019. The accused’s driver’s licence and vehicle were seized for a period of seven days as per statute.

JULY 15 ■■10:00 PM | A Wellington County OPP officer monitoring traffic on Wellington Road 7 south of the Village of Elora observed a white commercial van travelling above the posted 80 km/h speed limit. The vehicle was caught on radar travelling in excess of 130 km/h. The driver, a 29-year-old Flesherton man, was charged with ‘race a motor vehicle,’ and is scheduled to appear

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Police responded to a minor collision between two vehicles July 18 on King Street in St. Jacobs.

in the Ontario Court of Justice in Guelph on October 2. His driver’s licence and vehicle were seized for a period of seven days.

JULY 20 ■■8:00 AM | Perth County OPP are investigating the theft of a pickup from a rural residence on Line 29 near Road 110. Sometime in the early morning hours, unknowns attended the address and removed a vehicle from the property. The stolen vehicle

is described as a grey 2002 GMC 2500 pickup truck with licence plate 484 5FS. Police are continuing to investigate and is seeking assistance from the public. If anyone has any information regarding this incident, they are being asked to contact the Perth County OPP Detachment at 1-888310-1122. Should you wish to remain anonymous, call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS) or submit a secure webtip at http://hc-cs.ca/, where you may be eligible to receive a cash reward of up to $2,000.

[VERONICA REINER]

JULY 22 ■■3:00 PM | A Wellington County OPP patrol vehicle was involved in a collision on Wellington Road 18 east of Elora.

An unmarked cruiser and a dark SUV collided near the entrance to the Elora Quarry of the Grand River Conservation Authority. Both drivers were taken to a local hospital with minor injuries. Investigators continue to examine the cause of the collision. Traffic to and from the park was delayed before the scene was cleared.

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O BS E RV E R X TR A. C O M | THURSDAY, JULY 25, 2019 | 06

THE MONITOR

VERBATIM Keep the conversation alive on topics of relevance to the community; write a letter to the Editor.

Deadline: Tuesdays 4pm Online: observerxtra.com/write-a-letter/

“Across the region, we are seeing the devastating impact of extreme weather events on children and families. As weather events become more extreme, unpredictable and erratic, it is children who are paying the heaviest price.”

Jean Gough, UNICEF regional director for South Asia, on the millions of people hit by flooding in India, Nepal and Bangladesh

While unemployment rates continue to fall overall, many Canadians aged 15 to 29 are staying in school or giving up looking for work altogether.

The number of people aged 25 to 29 who are not in employment, education, or training (NEET) has remained high since the 2008-2009 recession.

Canadian Labour Congress

O U R V I E W | E D I TO R I A L

P

Say no to public money for sports megaprojects The deal, agreed to in principle by the city, Calgary Sports and Entertainment Corporation and the Calgary Stampede, also sees the municipality on the hook for $15.4 million in demolition and land costs.

To make matters worse, the draining of cash comes as city council is looking to cut $60 million from its operating budget.

The deal follows on the heels of another dodgy arena financing scheme executed by Edmonton council to help out poor, starving billionaires.

Of course, it’s scam that’s been perpetrated on taxpayers in many cities in support of all kinds of sports and investors making out like bandits at the public’s expense.

In Calgary’s case, residents who voted down a plan to bid

erhaps taking a page from Doug Ford’s quicking-moving, don’tstop-to-answer-any-questions approach to fast-tracking often unpopular moves, the city of Calgary appears intent on cramming a taxpayer-supported arena down the public’s throat.

Where municipal council initially opposed even a nickel’s worth of tax money going into a new venue for the Calgary Flames, a massive handout now seems a fait accompli. The city is giving opponents a whole week to digest plans before a vote expected on Monday.

The plan calls for the city to pay for half the cost of a $550-million arena to replace the Saddledome, itself paid for by taxpayers as part of another boondoggle, the Olympic Games.

G LO B A L O U T LO O K

on the 2026 Winter Olympics might have hoped nay-saying politicians would stick to their guns, but were bound to be disappointed by putting their faith in bureaucrats and elected officials.

Calgary Sports and Entertainment Corporation alone stands to profit from investing in their product. But the company is happy to take all the free money it can get.

Those opposed to spending public money to provide for private profits have plenty of evidence for their stance. Quite simply, such deals almost never make sense, and many of them have been disasters, leading to public losses running into the hundreds of millions.

Economists agree on few things – ask 20 economists for their outlook on next year’s fi-

nancial situation, and you’ll get 20 different answers – but most will tell you that new arenas and stadiums have few if any benefits to a community, despite what proponents will tell you.

(The same applies to most mega-projects, including one right here in Waterloo Region.)

Those looking for the handouts will rattle off claims about economic development, jobs, downtown revitalization and economic spinoffs. They’re lying. Or, in more genteel thinking, practicing some wishful thinking to convince the public to go along with their schemes.

Owners of professional sports teams and facilities have a real incentive to try to lobby hard for public money.

That’s what it boils down to: team owners are more than happy to fleece governments

for every penny, no matter how profitable their franchises.

Every dollar picked up by the government – i.e. the taxpayers – is one less they have to spend, allowing them to pocket the difference. Greed, plain and simple.

As noted, such deals rarely work out to anyone’s favour but the team owners. That doesn’t stop poor ideas from turning into a real waste of public money.

As with the scam that is the Olympics, World Cup and host of even more dodgy sports event, only a few benefit while the coffers are raided. We see the same philosophy at work as is common in the financial services industry: privatized profits, socialized losses. The crooks laugh all the way to the bank, at our expense. And we let them keep doing it.

T H E V I E W F R O M H E R E | S C OT T A R N O L D

The last prime minister of the UK

I

t has been suggested that Boris Johnson (who became the prime minister of the United Kingdom this week) is what you would get if Donald Trump had been educated at Eton and Oxford. Maybe, although there is a great gulf between Trump’s bombastic self-promotion and Johnson’s self-deprecating, rather shambolic persona.

There is such a thing as a national style, and Trump’s shtick would fail as badly in Britain as Johnson’s would in the United States.

But questions of style aside, the two men are almost identical.

They are both inveterate, shameless liars. They are both what lay people call narcissists and the experts call ‘sociopaths’: men (they

GWYNNE DYER GLOBAL AFFAIRS

are mostly men) who accumulate numerous wives, girlfriends and children as they go through life, but never really engage with anybody. And neither of them has any real purpose in politics.

They are quite good at winning, and they target the same sector of the electorate: older, less well educated people, frightened about their economic future, and often racist. Some of those who support them DYER | 07

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Letters to the Editor: editor@woolwichobserver.com | observerxtra.com/write-a-letter The Observer is the independent community newspaper serving the communities within Woolwich and Wellesley Townships in Waterloo Region. The Observer is published every Thursday. The Observer is located in Elmira and was founded in 1996.

It really will be a group effort coming up with the best – and affordable – plan for a new arena in Wellesley.

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THURSDAY, JULY 25, 2019 | THE O BSE RVE R

C O M M E NT & O P IN IO N | 07

LO C A L V I E W P O I N T

Wider choice of housing doesn't help with affordability issues

A

ffordable housing is a top-of-mind subject in the region, even in rural areas such as Woolwich and Wellesley.

While there’s been a push for more housing options, in part driven by provincial policies being forced on municipalities, affordability isn’t always part of the equation.

In the townships, there have been a few housing projects aimed at seniors, but, again, affordability hasn’t been the top priority. Two Elmira projects recently in the news, for instance, aim to provide apartment-style options, but pricing isn’t a selling feature of the applicants in either case. One is an apartment building aimed at the rental market, with the emphasis on market rates, and the other a higher-end condominium complex.

Neither addresses the affordability option, except for making an argument that apartments are typically less pricey than renting or buying a single-family home.

Aside from projects by the likes of MennoHomes – the Foundry in Elmira, for instance – or Habitat for Humanity, affordability isn’t a given when expanding the range of options.

A new study from the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives (CCPA) shows, however, that affordability is a growing concern.

Across the country, the cost of renting an apartment is outpacing wage growth, particularly those working at or near the minimum wage.

There isn’t a single neighbourhood in Canada’s biggest cities – the Greater Toronto Area and Metro Vancouver – where a full-time minimum wage worker could afford a modest one- or two-bedroom apartment without spending more than 30 per cent of their earnings, which is Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation’s income threshold for spending on core housing needs, the CCPA report notes.

In Vancouver and the GTA, a minimum wage worker would have to work 112 or 96 hours a week, respectively, to afford a two-bedroom apartment – 84 or

79 hours a week, respectively, for an average one-bedroom unit.

While the two prime intake cities represent the largest problems, a similar scenario is playing out across Canada, where the average wage needed to afford a two-bedroom apartment is $22.40 per hour, or $20.20/h for an average one bedroom.

For Kitchener-Waterloo-Cambridge, the one-bedroom wage was $20.21, or 58 hours working at minimum wage; for two bedrooms, the figures were $23.92 and 68 hours, respectively.

“When we talk about housing affordability the focus is usually on home ownership,” says study author and CCPA senior economist David Macdonald in a release. “But a third of households, or 4.7 million families, rent. Many of these renters – particularly those working at or near minimum wage, on fixed incomes or single-income households – are at risk of being priced out of modest apartments no

STEVE KANNON EDITOR'S MUSINGS

matter where they look.”

The report, Unaccommodating: Housing Rental Wage in Canada, determines the hourly wage a full-time worker must make to be able to rent an average apartment, in 795 neighbourhoods across the country. There are only 24 of the 795 neighbourhoods (three per cent) in Canada where a full-time minimum wage worker can afford to rent an average two-bedroom apartment, and in only 70 neighbourhoods (nine per cent) can they afford a one bedroom. One in four Canadians earn within $3 of their province’s minimum wage – that’s $14 an hour in Ontario.

Vancouver has the highest two-bedroom rental wages ($35.43/h), followed by Toronto ($33.70/h), Victoria ($28.47/h), Calgary ($26.97/h) and Ottawa ($26.08/h).

One of the most significant drivers of rental wage increases since the 1990s has been the drop in new purpose-built rental construction (apartments) in favour of condominium buildings New federal government spending on affordable housing is having an impact, but annual unit construction will remain insufficient and far below the pace set in the 1980s and 1990s, the report finds.

“Across the country, skyrocketing rents for decent apartments show no signs of falling. Building more dedicated affordable housing would increase vacancy rates, cool rental prices and better accommodate the many people shut out of Canada’s overheated housing market,” adds Macdonald. “Affordability for

L E F C O U RT L A N D | JAC K L E F C O U R T

LO C A L V I E W P O I N T

■■ What was the point of clearcutting in Elmira?

To the Editor, Recently there was a disgraceful clear-cutting job of the natural landscape area over at the retention pond near Kingfisher Drive in Elmira. The township destroyed trees, flowers, bushes, homes and security for wildlife.

One of the trees that was butchered to the ground was a tremendously important chestnut tree that my sister and her family had replanted after our late Oma had grown it from a

seed in their yard. This was a special spot we would all go in memory of her.

This tree was carefully relocated and placed in a safe spot for years. It was set back far enough from the walking trail so as not to disturb anything or anyone. It has grown to over 6 feet tall over the years and was thriving, only to be chopped down.

Of course, the township would not have known of the significance of this tree to our family, but what was the damn point of chopping it down along with so many other trees? This is a natural space that should be main-

tained carefully, not butchered. I have no doubt in my mind that animals were hurt in the process with the lack of care that was taken, not to mention their homes destroyed. There must have been a better way of taking care of this space.

Woolwich kicked off their “Greening Initiatives” in May, planting trees and encouraging the community to make Elmira a greener place. This action totally contradicts everything they were trying to implement. The township has a hard-enough time maintaining the medians and parks, why bother at-

tacking a space that is supposed to be overgrown?

For now, our tree has been picked up off the ground and replanted in hopes that it might have a chance to survive. The rest of the pond area still looks like a disaster, with plants, bushes and trees all over, left to decay.

Hopefully this note resonates with someone in hopes that something can be done about the mess that has been left behind and such actions can be prevented from happening again.

Disappointed Elmira residents, Tina Bartmann Stephanie Smith

renters, not just home buyers, should be top of mind for all parties headed into the federal election. In a country as rich as Canada everyone deserves a reasonable place to live. In too many communities, this is just not the case.”

The rising cost of buying a home is ultimately reflected in higher rental rates – the issues are linked. Not by any stretch of the imagination could it be said that buying a house in this area is affordable, particularly for first-timers. The crunch gets even larger the closer one gets to the GTA. Housing prices have been over-inflated largely by easy credit, a situation the federal government has moved on, but prices continue to rise. There has been some movement on creating more affordable house – rent-geared-to-income projects, for instance – but demand far outstrips supply.

Most recently, Ontario’s Ford government has targeted planning and growth restrictions imposed by its predecessor as a culprit. Opening up more land to development and easing restrictions on developers would increase supply and, thus, lower costs over time. It’s a dubious assumption, particularly in the GTA where the influx of newcomers will undoubtedly outpace new construction.

Even leaving aside the environmental concerns and the benefits of axing sweeping policy restrictions imposed on all municipalities, regardless of whether or not they made sense locally, there’s still a real fear that Ford’s moves will favour a handful of supporters at the broader public’s expanse – sprawl, congestion, changed neighbourhoods – and still do nothing to make more housing available, particularly the affordable kind.

There’s a gap between increasing housing prices and stagnating wages at the heart of affordability crisis. Nothing will be resolved until population easing dramatically reduces demands and wages grow to close the gap.

Everything else is so much talk.

DYER: Much like Trump in the U.S., Johnson no cure for what ails the UK FROM 6

are none of those things, of course, but the courting of white nationalists by both men is unmistakable. The shriek of the dog-whistles is deafening.

What Trump and Johnson conspicuously lack is set of objectives that goes beyond merely winning and keeping power.

Trump’s determination to expunge every trace of Obama’s legacy (healthcare, the Iran deal, etc.) gives him a kind of agenda, but an entirely negative one. Boris Johnson doesn’t even have that. His only

role in British politics is to save the Conservative Party by ‘delivering’ Brexit.

Johnson wouldn’t be in Downing Street today if there had not been an election in Britain two months ago. It was only an election for the European Parliament, but Britain had to vote in it because it still hadn’t left the European Union despite two postponements.

The EU election did, however, give British voters an opportunity to express their views on Brexit, and it was catastrophic for the DYER | 11

O BS E RV E R X TR A. C O M | THURSDAY, JULY 25, 2019 | 8

CYCLISTS PARK-ED

OFF TO LIMA We're keeping score about local kids in sport in our communities. Submit your team results and photos online.

Online: www.observerxtra.com/score Deadline: Tuesdays by 4pm

Patrick Anderson of Fergus and Tyler Miller of Kitchener are part of the men’s wheelchair basketball team taking part in the Lima 2019 Parapan American Games Aug. 23-Sept. 1. In both men's and women's action in Lima, Canada will compete in Group A for the preliminary round alongside Mexico, Argentina, and Colombia. The top four finishers in the women's event will move onto the semifinals, while the men's tournament will see all eight nations re-seeded for the quarterfinals.

Elmira’s Brady Brezynskie drafted by Listowel Cyclones Defenceman was a call-up last season, now joins the junior B ranks full-time basis

BY VERONICA REINER vreiner@woolwichobserver.com

Brady Brezynskie will play in the GOJHL this season, having been drafted by the Listowel Cyclones. [SUBMITTED]

99ers.

Now, the 17-year-old is onto the next step: the Listowel Cyclones, a team that won the Sutherland Cup in 2018, and advanced to the semis last season.

“I’ve been pretty lucky: both Waterloo and Brantford are great organizations,” said Brezynskie.

“Everything fell into place, and Listowel felt

right to me – Brantford felt right, Waterloo felt right. It was just pretty easy to make a decision.”

Brezynskie comes by his talent naturally, coming from a family of players who laced ’em up in junior hockey.

“My dad Lance Brezynskie, uncle Chad Brezynskie, and Paul Brezynskie have all played for the Elmira Sug-

ar Kings,” said Brady.

“My dad was the biggest impact on my hockey career whether it was going and watching the Kings on a Sunday night, watching the [Toronto Maple] Leafs on Hockey Night in Canada, building a rink in the backyard, staying out playing with me for hours or just playing mini sticks; he was always tryBREZYNSKIE | 9

N OT- S O - G R E AT O U T D O O R S M A N

Grasshoppers like making sport of innocents

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ately, you might have noticed an increase in the number of grasshoppers malingering about your lawn. If you are like me, you probably do not enjoy this. Not to stereotype, but as a rule, grasshoppers are generally up to no good.

It’s true that grasshoppers serve a purpose. They are great trout bait, for instance.

Sadly, this is offset by the fact that they are also troublemakers of the highest order. I’m not talking about their habits of nibbling on green leaves and grass either. As far as I’m concerned this just means I have less lawn to mow in summer and fewer leaves to rake in the autumn – a good thing, for which I am grateful.

No, what I am referring to is their nasty habit of startling perfectly innocent people who are trying to bask in the summer sun.

I strongly suspect that startling people is the national pastime of grasshoppers. That is the only reason I can think of to explain why they are so good at it. Pound for pound, in fact, they are far better at startling people than any creature I know of, including bears, which in my experience are pretty good at it too.

If you doubt this, imagine if grasshoppers were the size of bears. I think you would then concede that if a grasshopper this size jumped out to startle

STEVE GALEA NOT-SO-GREAT-OUTDOORSMAN

a bear of equal size, we’d know the answer to that question about where bears do their business. It would be wherever the bear was standing when the grasshopper jumped out.

But I digress.

I have been observing grasshoppers closely of late – perhaps too closely, in fact. As a result, I have concluded that they seem to have a rudimentary scoring system for their sport and it goes something like this.

If a grasshopper leaps up onto your face and makes you flinch, that is one point. Bonus points are awarded for any yelp-like sound emanating from the human such as “Eeee!”

“Ahhhh!” or “Yipes!” Extra points are also awarded to the grasshopper who lands in or makes you spill your drink. The same if they land or on your body. Suffice it to say, more points are probably awarded if they land in your hair or in your cleavage, be it in the front of your shirt or the back of your pants. As far, as I can tell, the most points are given to that brave hopper who somehow jumps and lands down the back of your shirt, with even more bonus points GALEA | 9

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Listowel is the next stop in Brady Brezynskie’s hockey journey, the Elmira resident having been drafted by the Listowel Cyclones Junior B for the 2019/2020 season.

“Brady played ten games for us last year as an AP (affiliate) which is the max games an AP can play,” explained Listowel Cyclones head coach Jesse Cole of the player’s call-ups from midget AAA. “He fit well into our lineup last year. He brings more mobility to our defence as well as a player who moves pucks well and gives us good depth on our backend. We’re looking forward to him being with us full time.”

A 5’9”, 152 lb defenceman, Brezynskie’s hockey journey started with his hometown in Woolwich before he shifted to the Waterloo Wolves system.

He was with the minor midget AAA team for the 2017/2018 season, where he he scored two goals and 11 assists.

After playing for the Waterloo Wolves for several years, Brezynskie was looking for a fresh perspective and opted to join the Brantford 99ers midget AAA team for the 2018/2019 season in the Alliance Hockey Midget Pavilion League (AHMPL).

The right-shooting defender put up four goals and 11 assists for the

The sixth annual Twilight Grand Prix Criterium – amateur and professional cycling races take to the streets around Kitchener’s Victoria Park on Saturday. Most of the streets around the park will be closed to allow the races to take place and spectators to watch the action. Some 5,000 spectators are expected along the 1.3-kilometre route.

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THURSDAY, JULY 25, 2019 | THE O BSE RVE R

LO C AL S P O RTS | 9

Woolwich Youth Soccer organization emphasizes fun With the kids’ programs wrapping up, the organization’s next push is registration for adult house league offerings

BY VERONICA REINER vreiner@woolwichobserver.com

With several of the youth divisions wrapping up at the Woolwich Youth Soccer Club, the organization now has its sights set on the upcoming adult house league season.

The youngest soccer players in the Active Start program for 3- to 6-yearolds just finished their season on Monday. WYSC president, Angela Richards, said that enrollment continues to grow.

“I think we’re at about somewhere between 360 and 380 between our Elmira and Breslau program for that age. Our young guys are still flourishing,” said Richards.

The 7- to 10-year-old age group, called the FUNdamentals, overall had similar enrollment numbers to previous years.

Richards did note, however, that the numbers have been down for the older ages for the past two years. As a result, the club has been collaborating with other organizations in surrounding areas, including the Fergus Elora District Soccer Association and the St. Clements Soccer Club.

Richards noted she is unsure of what will hap-

The 3- to 6-year-old division, known as Active Start, of the Woolwich Youth Soccer Club continues to have high enrollment numbers. The kids wrapped up their season Monday evening with a final game at St. Teresa of Avila school in Elmira. [VERONICA REINER / THE OBSERVER]

pen in the future with older divisions in the numbers continue to stay the same. Those who do show up for the older age divisions, however, are very dedicated to the program – that includes Richards’ own son, Mason.

“The 16-18 are really enjoying just going and play-

ing soccer for the fun of it. They really don’t take it seriously at all. They’re just going, getting some exercise, having fun, and they’ve met so many new friends,” said Richards.

The atmosphere is not overly competitive in any of the leagues; in fact, all teams under age 12 do

GALEA: Startling people is what they do best

FROM 08

ing grasshoppers last Saturday, did you? On a side note, I am also pretty sure I saw a garden gnome wink at me.

The point here, if there must be one, is that grasshoppers seem to have

us not to keep scores and standings,” said Richards.

“That’s something we have to follow, so that’s for U12 and under.”

The younger ages (U11) practice one day a week; this consists of a halfhour warm-up in the beginning, followed by an hour-long game. Richards

BREZYNSKIE: The next step in his hockey development

FROM 08

awarded if they make you run around in circles shaking your shirt or cause you to take it off all together in a public place. As always, even more bonus points are earned should this also cause you to make yelp-like sounds, which, in my experience, it always does.

I know many of you probably think this might be a little farfetched, but I bet you didn’t spend 12 hours in the hot sun watch-

not keep score in any of their games. The Ontario Soccer Centre published a document outlining how soccer would operate for youth across the province.

“There’s this thing called long term player development that’s come down from Ontario Soccer so that actually mandates

nothing better to than eat grass and startle perfectly innocent people who have spent a lot of time under the hot sun trying to ascertain if a garden gnome just winked at them.

Which it did. I swear.

ing to get me around the game that I fell in love with from a young age.”

Brezynskie trains at the Nexus Health and Training Centre in Elmira, which now features synthetic ice to prepare for the upcoming hockey season properly. He attends almost daily, in addition to teaching power skating to young hockey players.

Currently attending

EDSS, he will soon be making the move to Listowel District Secondary School, which will complement the upcoming ice hockey season.

“It’s nice; the towns are very similar. The vibe around a small team ... the hockey teams are both the prized possession, the town jewel,” said Brezynskie. “I get a similar vibe, so I feel like it’ll be a pretty easy transition for me.”

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said that the more lax schedule in itself draws in participants from across the region.

“So generally, what sets us apart from let’s say, starting at age 7 in Waterloo … they do two days a week,” said Richards. “We get a lot of people that don’t want to do two days a week come to us because we only do one day a week.”

The organization’s adult house league registration is opening up once again for the third year in a row.

The program is for those 18 and over, drawing participants from all across Waterloo Region and beyond, including Drayton, Elora and Fergus.

“Registration is open again for the fall league – it’s fun, participants can go get some exercise, play with other people who want to get some exercise and have fun,” she explained.

Members are organized into four separate teams based on self-rated skill level to keep an even playing field. Anyone is welcome to register, whether entirely new to the sport (D-level) or soccer veterans (A-level).

More information is available online at www. woolwichyouthsoccer.com.

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As the Cyclones and Elmira Sugar Kings are in the same Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League Midwestern Conference, Brezynskie is sure to compete against many familiar faces in the upcoming season.

“I’d like to wish my former teammates good luck in wherever they play.

I know I’ll be playing against a few of them this year – that’ll be fun,” said Brezynskie.

O BS E RV E R X TR A. C O M | THURSDAY, JULY 25, 2019 | 10

SPEEDING THINGS UP

GETTING REC.-ED

Let's keep the local economic engines firing? We want to shine a light on new local enterprises.

Online: observerxtra.com/enterprise

Recreational properties across Canada are seeing a healthy year-over-year price increase, with 74% of regions surveyed experiencing an uptick. Compared to 2018, the median price of recreational properties, including waterfront, non-waterfront, water access and ski-in properties, has increased 7% across the board. Median prices were calculated for the periods of July 2017 to June 2018, and July 2018 to June 2019.

The province this week announced support for rural and remote communities in the form of $315 million in funding for high-speed internet and better cellphone.

The plan includes a $150-million commitment for a new broadband fund, which will leverage private sector funding along with support from other levels of government, to drive investment and expansion to unserved and underserved communities, according to a release from Kitchener-Conestoga MPP Mike Harris.

Investments have consequences M O N E Y M AT T E R S

Socially responsible investing, which today comes without tradeoffs, is becoming mainstream, says Kindred study

BY STEVE KANNON skannon@woolwichobserver.com

Investment dollars can beget more than financial returns: there’s a societal benefit to be had if enough people put their money where their values are.

An organization with faith-based roots, Kindred Credit Union long operated on the assumption its members were more attuned to socially responsible investing – whether avoiding the likes of arms manufacturers or backing environmentally friendly undertakings – but a recent study shows that is in fact the case.

Moreover, the membership numbers are part of a broader shift to socially responsible investing, or SRI. A 2018 report from the Responsible Investment Association of Canada, for instance, notes that SRIs make up more than half (50.6 per cent) of the investment industry holds, up from 37.8 per cent just two years earlier.

The study carried out for Kindred puts some hard numbers to the belief its members are more likely to back ethical investments, said Frank Chisholm, the financial institutions director, brand and marketing.

“We thought it would be a good thing to delve into this even deeper ... to test some of the presumptions,” he said of last week’s release of the study’s find-

O

ntario mandates that all fuel refiners and suppliers maintain an average of five per cent ethanol in their fuel pool. Proportionately, that’s not a lot. And it really pales in comparison to the U.S. where many gas stations offer what’s called E85, a blend of almost 85 per cent ethanol and 15 per cent gas.

Ethanol is produced from renewable feedstocks, most notably corn. In the circular economy we’re

A new study for Kindred Credit Union finds socially responsible investing is gaining ground. [SUBMITTED]

ings.

“That was our hope, that our members were more aware of socially responsible investing,” added Brian Barsness, director of investment services.

The study also included a survey of those in the wider community.

“We wanted to get an understanding of those outside our membership

group.”

Kindred members are more attuned to SRI offerings, and the percentage is growing, along with awareness in the general public.

In surveying its members, Kindred found more than half deemed it “very important” to avoid companies involved with pornography/adult entertain-

ment, military and weapons, gambling, and tobacco – a so-called negative screen to limit investments in such firms.

On the flipside, positive screens evaluate companies based on the good they do and strive to include those that engage in practices that support animal welfare, international labour standards, and the

environment, for example.

Some two-thirds of Kindred members said it was “very important” to have positive screens for transparency with the public and leadership being held accountable, as well as protecting or enhancing human rights.

Screening is a filtering process based on social and environmental criteria that are used to identify if an investment can be deemed socially responsible, Kindred notes.

Responsible investing involves a variety of values-based decisions, often boiling down to the preferences of individual investors.

The choices of the credit union’s members and the wider community reflect that philosophy, accounting for the growth in SRIs. And what’s driving that?

“That question comes down to the individual investors and their values,” said Barsness, who adds that the share of investments going into SRIs has more than doubled in the seven years since he joined the company, for instance.

“It has been growing in leaps and bounds, not only at Kindred but across Canada in the industry as a whole.”

Given the Anabaptist roots of Kindred – formerly Mennonite Savings and Credit Union – there’s long been a peace and social

Brian Barsness

Frank Chisholm

Ian Thomas

justice component to the membership.

Today, there are issues that are top of mind, from climate change and the environment to the MeToo movement and the link to pornography, for example.

“We believe there is a connection between inINVESTING | 11

Time to take another look at ethanol pursuing in our region, where the drive towards sustainability is paramount and waste is to be kept to a minimum, maybe we should be making a more significant commitment to ethanol.

Critics would say we should be making more of a commitment to other forms of transportation besides automobiles, and they’re right about that.

But the transition towards alternatives to gas-powered engines will take time.

OWEN ROBERTS FOOD FOR THOUGHT

But meanwhile, an alternative fuel – ethanol – is a possibility.

A rap against ethanol is that it can be hard on an engine’s rubber parts, such as seals. Another mi-

nus is that corn availability rises and falls with the market, and that the price of corn can be variable. A low supply with high corn prices can make the cost of producing and buying ethanol expensive, even non-competitive against petroleum.

But the same goes for oil.

And it is not a renewable resource.

Others say ethanol doesn’t perform as well as gasoline. I had a chance to ask some IndyCar officials

that question recently at the Honda Indy Streets of Toronto race.

They know their fuel.

The tiniest tweak to an ethanol-burning Indy car, one of auto racing’s most exquisite examples of finely tuned technology, can have a huge impact on performance.

Racing crews spend untold resources seeking an edge in the likes of body design, engine calibration and braking systems, to knock as little as a fraction

of a second off a lap … because even that fleeting moment in time can be the difference between a coveted checked flag and all the trimmings that go with it, and running behind with the rest of the pack.

All of the cars on the IndyCar circuit run an E85 mix (83 per cent cornbased ethanol, 15 per cent extra high-octane carbon-based gasoline and two per cent denatured alcohol). The gasoline part ROBERTS | 11

THURSDAY, JULY 25, 2019 | THE O BSE RVE R

BU S IN E S S V E NT URE S | 11

INVESTING: The industry itself needs to do a better job of letting people know there are responsible options FROM 10

vesting, be it with time or money, and making a difference in the world.

We want to support and empower our members to make financial decisions that have a positive impact on the world,” the Kindred study asserts.

Where once there was a component of sacrifice in socially responsible investments – both in terms of returns and in diversity in a portfolio – there’s been a 180-degree turn on that front, says Barsness, who notes elements of SRI have now gone mainstream.

In fact, SRI is “a better way to invest” due to the decreased risk, he added.

“There are numerous studies that show you don’t have to give up anything financially to invest responsibly.”

Controversies and public backlash can dramatically shift stock prices and even companies’ fortunes.

Fines, lawsuits and other

legal wranglings can ensue when a company isn’t operating on the straight and narrow. By avoiding such stocks in the first place, investors can buffer themselves from the downswings.

The ethics of some companies – think of the likes of Enron and the Wall Street firms responsible for the 2008 financial meltdown – can be a factor in one’s investments taking a nosedive. Again, avoidance can be a prudent move.

Given the shifts in investor thinking, a whole industry has emerged to assess the social responsibility exhibited by companies, the better to guide SRI. The key now, says Kindred CEO Ian Thomas, is getting the word out so that more people can make informed choices.

“One of the elements here is our role as educators,” he said of a concerted

effort to let people know their investments can make a difference.

“We tie it back to our members – what’s important to [them]. It’s linking values to objectives, painting a picture that the members have options,” added Thomas.

“We want people to be able to say ‘I can really feel good about what my investment is doing.’”

From individual investors making choices and the likes of Kindred Credit Union pushing for responsible investment, small moves can have a big influence on the broader market, Thomas maintains.

“Business can be a force for good.”

The financial services industry needs to make people aware of their options in that regard, added Barsness, noting Kindred has a role to play.

“We have to let our investors know that they can invest with their values.”

DYER: Brexit crisis continues to hang over their heads FROM 07

the Conservatives. On the whole the vote split pretty evenly between pro-Leave and pro-Remain parties, but the Conservatives came fifth, behind the Greens and just ahead of the Monster Raving Loony Party.

Panic at Conservative headquarters! Their traditional voters are mostly Leavers, and they are so angry at their party for failing to get the job done, three full years after the referendum, that they are abandoning it for Nigel Farage’s newly formed Brexit Party. If there is a national election in the UK the Conservatives will be wiped out – and given the deadlock in parliament, an early election is quite likely.

So where’s Boris when we need him? We all know that he’s lazy, feckless, insanely ambitious, utterly unprincipled and liable to make huge mistakes, but we desperately need to rally the troops and he’s the one they love.

Boris generously agreed to help the party out, so they unceremoniously dumped Prime Minister Theresa May and set up a contest for a new party leader that Johnson was bound to win. That automatically makes him prime minister as well, but he may be the last prime minister of a genuinely united kingdom.

Johnson can only succeed by taking Britain out of the EU by October 31. He swears that he can get a better exit

deal than Theresa May negotiated (which parliament refused to pass three times), but the EU says no further negotiations are possible.

He could try the traditional remedy of shouting loudly at them in English, but it may not succeed.

If that doesn’t work, he says he’ll take the UK out of the EU anyway, without a deal. That would inflict serious economic hardship on the British population, but true Brexiters reckon that’s a small price to pay for leaving an organisation they detest. Half the English population doesn’t agree – and two-thirds of the Scots voted Remain.

If a largely English government drags the United Kingdom out of the European Union and into economic misery, then the Scots will probably decide to leave the UK and stay in the EU. The Scottish National Party is already promising another referendum on the question.

What happens in Northern Ireland with a no-deal exit from the EU and a ‘hard border’ between the North and the Republic is harder to predict. The shooting and bombing could start up again, or there could be a bitterly fought referendum on a united Ireland, or hopefully something less dramatic than either of those options would happen. But it will not stay the same.

So there’s rather a lot at stake, including the 300-year-old Union, and

the man in charge is the farthest thing imaginable from a safe pair of hands. “Boris is the life and soul of the party, but he’s not the man you want to drive you home at the end of the evening,” as Energy Minister Amber Rudd put it recently.

If parliament can stop Johnson from doing a nodeal Brexit, of course, then none of this comes to pass.

But it’s not at all certain that parliament can do that. The British are living in interesting times.

BANKING SOME BLOOD

Eric Martin was among those who donated blood at the Elmira Lions Hall last Friday.

[VERONICA REINER]

ROBERTS: Our circular economy would suggest it's a good idea to take a closer look at expanding ethanol use FROM 10

isn’t the same as you find at the pumps in the U.S. belonging to outlets such as Speedway, but the ethanol part is. Chemically, ethanol is ethanol. And this fuel is the lifeblood of the cars’ 550-700 horsepower engines. At 12,000 rpm, IndyCar fuel needs to deliver. And E85 does it.

IndyCar made a corporate decision last fall to change the supplier of its fuel, switching from its

age-old fuel supplier relationship with racing stalwart Sunoco and taking on Speedway LLC, owned by oil giant Marathon Petroleum Corporation.

Marathon had no experience with IndyCar fuel, and that raised eyebrows among the sector’s entire value chain.

But just past the halfway mark in this season’s 17race season, it looks like all systems are go.

“It’s performing very well, it burns clean, there’s

been no hiccups,” driver Graham Rahal said in the paddock before qualifying for the race. “I was always a Sunoco guy, but I haven’t noticed any difference in fuel.”

So if professional drivers trust ethanol under some very, very tough conditions, and millions of U.S. commuters see no problem with it, should we, with our circular economy imperative, maybe take another look at expanding its use?

O BS E RV E R X TR A. C O M | THURSDAY, JULY 25, 2019 | 12

INTELLIGENT FUNDING

RURAL CONNECT

We're in the heart of agriculture science and innovation in Canada.

Make a connection to producers, scientists and entrepreneurs.

The federal government this week announced an investment of up to $49.5 million in the Canadian Agri-Food Automation and Intelligence Network (CAAIN), a network bringing together the private sector, academia and research institutions to accelerate automation and digitization in Canada's agricultural sector. CAAIN's $108.5 million project will build on Canada's strengths in artificial intelligence (AI), robotics and precision agriculture.

BEEF-ING IT UP Ottawa will provide funding of $8.3 million for six projects that will help support Canada's beef industry.

The largest portion of this investment, $5.3 million, is going to Canada Beef to grow beef sales in important international markets, by expanding programs with retail partners and increase foreign consumer confidence in Canadian beef. This funding will help the Canadian beef sector further capitalize on the trade agreement Canada has advanced with Europe, the Asia-Pacific market, and North America.

I N N OVAT I O N S

New funding supports latest dairy research cluster Dairy farmers this month welcomed federal funding for the industry’s latest dairy research initiative.

The Dairy Research Cluster 3 builds on the success of the Dairy Research Cluster 1 and 2 (2010-2018) to stimulate productivity, sustainability and profitability on farms, and to improve knowledge on the health benefits of milk and dairy products. Joint industry and government commitments to the Dairy Research Cluster 3 total $16.5 million, including the contribution of major partners such as Lactanet Canada and Novalait, and $11.4 million from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada announced earlier this month, the Dairy Farmers of Canada said in a release.

“The investment provided to the Dairy Research Cluster 3 is essential to enable strong, robust and evidenced-based research material that ultimately helps dairy farmers increase efficiency of their farm practices, particularly milk production, animal welfare and sustainability,” said Pierre Lampron, president of Dairy Farmers of Canada.

“Results of these research projects will also contrib-

Federal funding will support the third iteration of the dairy research clusters. The project has been allocated $16.5 million.

ute to expand knowledge about the health benefits of dairy products. Today's announcement is another important step towards ensuring the continuous improvement of our dairy industry.”

“Innovation on Canadian dairy farms requires cutting-edge knowledge of world-class research.

Novalait is proud to be a partner of the Dairy Research Cluster 3 to develop this knowledge. This important investment by Novalait in the quality of milk will benefit the entire dairy sector,” said Charles Langlois, president of Novalait.

Investments will be made in 15 research proj-

ects to address DFC's strategic research priorities identified in the National Dairy Research Strategy.

“The Canadian dairy sector is a key driver of jobs and economic growth, especially in our rural communities, and this investment will help it remain on the cutting-edge of research. We continue

[STOCK PHOTO]

to work closely with industry to ensure Canada's agricultural sector remains strong, stable and competitive for years to come,” said federal Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food Marie-Claude Bibeau.

Dairy is the second largest agricultural sector in Canada, generating 41,000 jobs on farms and process-

ing plants, the backbone of many rural communities across Canada.

This research cluster is funded through the AgriScience Program, a five-year, $338-million initiative, to support leading edge discovery and applied science, and innovation driven by industry research priorities.

Ottawa launches immigration pilot project for agri-food sector A new three-year economic immigration pilot designed to fill labour shortages within the agri-food sector, particularly in meat processing and mushroom production, was launched this month by the federal government.

Over the past several years, industries such as meat processing and mushroom production have reported ongoing difficulty in finding and keeping new employees. The pilot project aims to attract and retain workers by providing

them with an opportunity to become permanent residents.

The Agri-Food Immigration Pilot complements Canada's economic immigration strategy, which includes the Atlantic Immigration Pilot, the Rural

and Northern Immigration Pilot, the Global Skills Strategy, a revitalized Express Entry and an expanded Provincial Nominee Program.

“The success of our Canadian farmers and food processors depends on

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OPINION

Look behind the misperceptions about vital seasonal labour program KEN FORTH

It’s a common sight in rural communities across Ontario at this time of year: large groups of international workers tending crops in orchards and fields.

Drive along the QEW towards Niagara Falls any day of the week in the spring or summer and you’ll see men and women working in the vineyards that serve the province’s thriving wine industry. Pass through the Leamington area and you’ll see them in the vegetable fields, orchards or the growing number of greenhouses that put fresh, local produce on our dinner tables.

For those of you who know nothing about farming, you may want to know this is a great story. Misconceptions abound, deliberately spread by persons and organizations trying to control or, if that fails, destroy the valuable program that supplies Ontario farms with seasonal workers to make up for a chronic labour shortage.

The truth is that the vast majority of men and women who come to Ontario through the Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program

Seasonal workers are an integral part of Ontario farming. [STOCK PHOTO]

(SAWP) are grateful for the opportunity for well-paying work they can’t get at home.

Proof of this can be seen in the large number of workers who speak positively about the program and return year after year — some of them to the same employers for decades.

Approximately 85 per cent of the workers opt to return on repeat contracts in an average year.

Seasonal workers can earn as much as 10 times or more working here than they could in their own countries, if they are fortunate enough to find employment. This income

allows the workers to improve the standard of living of their families, educate their children and buy and operate businesses and farms at home.

Some of these workers have benefitted from working through the program for two or three generations, ending the cycle of chronic poverty that had historically kept their families trapped.

But don’t just take my word for it. Listen to what the workers themselves say about their work experience. The Canadian Horticultural Council put together a video that features several workers who share

why they continue working through the program and how it helps their families.

Check out the video for yourself at hortcouncil.ca.

SAWP is absolutely critical to the success of Canada’s agri-food industry. It was established in 1966 to respond to a severe shortage of domestic agricultural workers and it continues to serve the same role today.

Farmers who rely on the program aren’t trying to replace Canadian workers with cheaper labour from overseas. They do hire Canadians. The challenge is that there are not enough domestic workers.

A 2016 report by the Conference Board of Canada found that agricultural labour shortages had doubled over the previous decade and are projected to double again in the coming decade. The report, based on three years of labour market research, projects Canada’s agricultural sector will be short approximately 114,000 workers by 2025.

The persistent shortage of domestic workers is costing Canadian farms approximately $1.5 billion per year and hurting Canada’s overall economic compet-

itiveness, according to the study.

Without a steady source of reliable seasonal workers, many fruit and vegetable growers would move into less labour-intensive crops or get out of farming altogether. Ontario would lose an important industry and families would lose a source of local produce.

We should be celebrating the success of a program that generates benefits for so many – the workers, consumers, farmers, rural communities and our economy as a whole – not second guessing it.

The time is long past due to call out groups that attack SAWP to further their own agendas and misrepresent how the program operates.

The reality is our fruit and vegetable industry would wither and die without supplemental seasonal labour.

Ken Forth is president of Foreign Agricultural Resource Management Services, the non-profit organization that administers the Seasonal Agricultural Workers Program. He is also an owner/operator of a broccoli farm in Lynden, Ont.

PILOT: Aimed at temporary foreign workers FROM 12

ant contributor to Canada's economic growth, supporting one in eight jobs across the country. Agricultural exports hit a new record in 2018, reaching $66.2 billion.

“Today we are delivering on something that employers, unions, and migrant workers have been calling on government to do for over a decade – temporary foreign workers who come to this country and work hard filling permanent jobs should have a fair and reasonable chance to become a Canadian regardless of the job they are filling,” said Rodger Cuzner, parliamentary secretary to the minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Labour.

Temporary foreign workers will be able to apply under this pilot in early 2020.

A maximum of 2,750 principal applicants, plus family members, will be accepted for processing in any given year. This represents a total of approximately 16,500 possible new permanent residents over the the-year duration of the pilot.

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O BS E RV E R X TR A. C O M | THURSDAY, JULY 25, 2019 | 14

READY TO DANCE

Your local hub for our creative communities. Let us know when inspiration strikes.

Online: observerxtra.com/showtime

PICNIC WITH FRED

SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE, the 16-time Emmy Award-winning show that sparked the renewed fascination with dance, is set to captivate audiences again this fall – live on tour.

Celebrating its 16th season, members of SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE’s top 10 finalists will make their way to the Centre In The Square on Oct. 19.

Award-winning singer-songwriter Fred Eaglesmith is set to host his annual charity picnic in Aylmer Aug. 16-18. Eaglesmith will be headlining each night of the picnic, with performances lined up all throughout the day by artists including Abigail Lapell, Bill Chambers, Bill Durst, Bill Poss, Conor Gains Band, Jane's Party, Layrite Boys and Lucas Chaisson.

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O N STAG E

A little something to tickle every fancy ... and funny bone The entertainment goes beyond the varied music as Fiddler on the Loose takes the stage in Drayton

BY VERONICA REINER vreiner@woolwichobserver.com

Jesse Grandmont and company in rehearsal for Fiddler on the Loose, now playing at the Drayton Festival Theatre. [SUBMITTED]

player Erik Larson, violinist Leah Grandmont (Jesse’s little sister).

“Fiddler on the Loose is a heartfelt tribute to the power of music and its ability to unite us,” said Alex Mustakas, artistic director of Drayton Entertainment.

The show has a little something for everyone.

Country fans will recognize “Thank God I’m A Country Boy,” “Jolene,” and “The Gambler,” while the uninhibited rock n’ roll section covers hits “Rock This Town,” and “Rock Around

the Clock.” There are emotional ballads on offer, including “You Raise Me Up,” and “Hallelujah,” as well as Broadway show tunes, with a Fiddler on the Roof montage, naturally.

“It’s all kinds of fun,” said Grandmont. “All of the songs are really familiar, so we have people singing along, clapping along, dancing, if they so please.

“Not every song is the full tune – we do a lot of medleys and things like that because we want to be able to hit as many tunes as

we can, but it can’t be 400 hours long. This show is really fun to put together; all the music is really great.”

In addition to playing the role of the showman, Grandmont acts as the musical director. He was in charge of putting together the charts and leading the music rehearsal.

He noted that while the transition between genres was straightforward, it was combining multiple elements of a performance that proved to be the biggest challenge for the cast

ELMIRA

Jesse Grandmont picked up a violin at the age of three, and he’s been fiddling around ever since. The musical talent he’s honed over the decades will be on display in Drayton Entertainment’s newest offering, Fiddler on the Loose.

This lively revue is packed with 60 songs spanning all genres, including country, pop, bluegrass, Celtic, jazz and classical. It also explores classic violin tunes including “Orange Blossom Special,” and “The Devil Went Down to Georgia.”

“You’re getting the great music of a concert, but it’s totally a theatrical performance,” said Grandmont.

“We’re engaging with our audience, there’s no ‘fourth wall,’ as they say in the theatre. There’s no block between us and the audience – we’re right there with you.

The audience is our scene partner; we’re having fun and doing the concert with the audience, so to speak.”

Directed and choreographed by David Hogan, the show puts more than fiddling on display: there’s a blend of singing, dancing, and comedic skits – particularly tongue-in-cheek style humour – thrown into the mix.

Not only does Grandmont fiddle and sing up a storm, he also showcases the musical talents of fellow artists such as percussionist Dan Baerg, sister duo Devan and Paige Ballagh, multi-instrumentalists Brian Barber and Dee Klinger, Alberta-based actress Alison Lynch, bass

in general.

“It’s easy to do the choreography on its own, it’s easy to play the fiddle on its own, it’s easy to sing the song on its own, but doing all three at once, it takes a lot of out you every day,” said Grandmont with a laugh.

The London-based musician began playing the violin as a child and followed the passion throughout his life. After completing his degree in music at Western University, Grandmont got into theatre accidentally around a decade ago and

hasn’t looked back.

The natural-born entertainer has also toured internationally with the Ontario Festival Symphony Orchestra and the fiddle group, Barrage.

Fiddler on the Loose is now on stage at the Drayton Festival Theatre until August 10. Tickets can be purchased at any Drayton Entertainment box office, by calling (519) 638-5555 – toll-free at 1-855-drayton (372-9866) – or online at www.draytonentertainment.com.

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O BS E RV E R X TR A. C O M | THURSDAY, JULY 25, 2019 | 15

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INVENTORY CONTROL

Cabinet Installer THE TOWNSHIP OF WOOLWICH NEEDS SPARE SCHOOL CROSSING GUARDS The Township of Woolwich is looking for spare crossing guards. The ideal candidate is at least 18 years old and able to work 30 minutes before and after school in all types of weather. All training and equipment is provided. This is a paid community service position ($21.97/day).

Crossing Guards are covered under the Township of Woolwich insurance program.

We would love to hear from you if you are interested in becoming a spare. For more information, please call Kathy Fahey in our Enforcement Services Division toll-free at 1-877-969-0094 or 519-669-6009.

To be considered for the position, send your cover letter and resume to kfahey@woolwich.ca The dedication of our School Crossing Guards and Spares is the backbone to a safe and successful Crossing Guard Program.

Please consider joining our team!

Observer advertising rates, policies and specifications are available at: www.observerxtra.com/media-kit

Join a young, dynamic team that keeps growing! Woodland Horizon Ltd designs, manufacturers, finishes and installs high quality custom cabinetry and solid wood stairs. Our shop and showroom are located in the town of Drayton. At Woodland, one of our core values is Respect. Respect for our team members and respect for our customers. Continuous improvement is also a big part of who we are. We are constantly looking for new and innovative ways to make our team members jobs easier and more efficient.

We are looking for a Cabinet and Stair Installer to add to our team. Reporting to our install manager you would be travelling mostly in a team of 2 people, and would be responsible to uphold the high moral and ethical standards of Woodland as you interact with customers.

Required skills • Respectful • Ability to read blueprints • Capable of lifting 50 to 75 pounds • Motivated and enthusiastic • Courteous and friendly • Dependable • No post secondary education required • Previous wood working, trim carpenter and install experience will be an asset This position is full time, with benefits after probationary period.

We’re looking to add an individual with the following skills & leadership qualities to our Inventory Team.

Prior experience in an inventory related position. Supervisory experience an asset.

Experience with inventory control computer programs and Microsoft Excel, Outlook, and Word.

Excellent interpersonal and communication skills.

Ability to manage and build a motivated team.

Ability to work cohesively with employees and managers as part of a team.

Ability to meet timelines and deadlines and able to use time effectively and efficiently.

Ability to work efficiently and effectively under pressure with simultaneous deadlines.

Demonstrates the ability to frequently take initiative. Assists others and takes action.

Strong aptitude for working with numbers with a high level of accuracy.

Tasks require moderate physical demand, including lifting, walking, and standing.

Some occasional light to moderate lifting required.

This is a diversified position, great for the person who enjoys a fast paced environment.

If you’re the One, email your resume to: info@conestogoagri.ca

If you are interested in joining a vibrant and growing company, please send your resume to

Licensed 309A Electrician Required Require Experience Installing rigid conduit. Must be able to read drawings and turn into finished jobs.

Require WHIMIS, Fall Arrest Training, and Skyjack / Lift training certification. Experience running small jobs desirable. Travel to Job-Sites required. Benefit plan and company sponsored RRSP after 3 months.

Please direct resumés to: Tim Ropp Operations Manager Ziegler Electric Ltd. 101 Bonnie Cres.

Elmira, ON N3B 2Z5 FAX: 519-669-1343

laverne@woodlandhorizon.com or call 519.638.5961 ext 4

HELP WANTED HELP WANTED

Nieuwland Feeds Elora has an opening for a

Full Time Truck Driver

We require a valid DZ license.

We offer competitive wages, benefits and Monday to Friday schedule.

Email your resume to:

info@nieuwlandfeeds.com or apply in person to Cliff at:

7460 County Road 21, Elora

CLASSIFIED LISTINGS HELP WANTED

LOOKING FOR PARTTIME CLEANER. 10 a.m. - 1 p.m. Cleaning of cafeterias and washrooms. Must have excellent attendance and attention to detail.

Must be physically capable sweeping, mopping and taking out garbage.

Please call 519-5320622.

NURSERY WORKERS NEEDED SEASONAL fulltime. Pay rate $14.00/ hour. Working hours 7 a.m. - 5 p.m., 6 days per week. Work includes field potting, weeding in field and containers, truck loading, digging etc.

Must be willing to work in all weather conditions and weekends. No education , no experience required. Own transportation required. Please

**We offer competitive wages, benefits and an RRSP program**

Only those receiving an interview will be contacted.

send resume to: West FOR SALE Montrose Farms Ltd., 1614 Halm Road, West ICE CREAM SALE. Montrose, ON. N0B 2V0.

HILLCREST HOME Baking 519-669-1381.

PIANIST REQUIRED, From August 1 - 17, stock SUNDAYS PER MONTH up for your reunions. for small country church. Chapman's original $2.95 For further information 2L; Premium $3.95. Also please call 519-664- check out our sugar and flour specials.

2402.

LISTINGS CONTINUE PG. 16

HELP WANTED

Oral Health Peer Worker Required Job #19OHPW07

Contract Part-time (one year-renewable, upon confirmation of funding) 15 hours per week In partnership with Woolwich Community Health Centre (WCHC) staff and the Region of Waterloo Public Health Dental staff, the Oral Health Peer Worker will provide outreach, linkages and information specific to oral health in the communities of Woolwich and Wellesley Townships. The Peer Worker will promote the Healthy Smiles Ontario program specifically, and the Region of Waterloo Public Health Dental program generally.

Interested applicants are invited to contact WCHC at recruitment@wchc.on.ca for position specific duties, qualifications and application process details. Please use subject line Oral Health Recruitment package.

Applications are requested by end of day on Friday, August 2, 2019.

Need a gig that pays?

Steady paycheque opportunities found here.

Floradale Feed Mill Limited is an independent, family owned and operated feed company serving livestock and poultry producers in Ontario.

We currently have an opening for:

Production Worker

This fulltime position will involve shift work week days (Monday to Friday) with an occasional Saturday shift. Responsibilities will include warehouse duties, pelleting/batching and receiving.

The successful applicant will have • Strong oral and written communication skills • Ability to develop effective work relationships with co-workers, and • Ability to represent the Company positively with customers.

At Floradale Feed Mill Limited we take pride in providing the finest in quality feeds and service to our customers in the livestock and poultry industries. Therefore, a background in agriculture is considered an asset.

Benefits We offer a competitive wage, pension plan and group insurance benefits.

To apply, forward your resume and three references to: Human Resources Floradale Feed Mill Limited 2131 Floradale Road, Floradale, ON N0B 1V0 Or e-mail: ffmjobs@ffmltd.com We appreciate all who apply but only those selected for an interview will be contacted.

TH E O BS E RV E R | THURSDAY, JULY 25, 2019

16 | C L AS S IF IE D NOTIC E S

HELP WANTED

CLASSIFIED LISTINGS CONT. FROM PAGE 15

HELP WANTED

M & G Millwrights has designed, manufactured and installed custom process & material handling equipment for the food, animal feed, aggregate and automotive industries since 1967.

Dedicated to providing exceptional service and support to our employees and clients; we are currently seeking one individual to join our growing team.

MECHANICAL DESIGNER/DRAFTER Responsibilities

• Production of detail drawing and bills of material for fabricated equipment • Liaise with in-house estimating, technical and shop staff • Assist fabricators and installers in solving problems

Requirements

• Must have throrough knowledge of drafting principles • Must have the ability to use 3D modeling software • Experience with Solidworks an asset • Successful applicant will posses strong organizational • skills and attention to detail.

Full-Time Industrial Maintenance Mechanic Wallenstein Feed & Supply Ltd. is accepting applications for the position of full time Maintenance Mechanic.

We are looking for a hard-working, responsible individual with excellent attention to detail and strong organizational skills.The focus of this position will be preventative maintenance and repair of equipment like gear boxes etc. Qualified applicants must have 3 years of experience. A basic understanding of electrical is preferred. This is a day shift position with responsibility for after-hours on-call coverage. Must live within 35 km of Wallenstein.

If you are interested in a rewarding work life, please submit your resume via email to recruiting@wfs.ca by August 9th, 2019.

We are committed to diversity and inclusion, and thank all applicants in advance. Accommodations are available during all stages of the recruitment process.

HELP WANTED

Administrative Assistant

VACANCY

CAMEO COURT APARTMENTS 30 Church St. W., ELMIRA

Qualifications:

Rare Premium Downtown Elmira, spacious one Bedroom open-layout Apartment becoming AVAILABLE in modern (2012) Apartment Building complete with Elevator, Main floor Common Room, individual Central Heating / Air Conditioning in each Apt., as well as 5 appliances (washer/dryer in each Apt.)

• Graduate drafting apprentice/technologist or equivalent with related experience • Experience in a millwrighting and metal fabrication environment an asset Please forward resume to:

M&G MILLWRIGHTS LIMITED P.O. Box 247 Elmira, ON N3B 2Z6 Attention: Human Resources or Fax: 519-669-1450 or Email: bob@mgmill.com

We thank all applicants for their interest, but only those considered will be contacted.

RENTALS

HELP WANTED

HELP WANTED

CONTACT: (519) 525-2222 or (226) 989-4627 (After 4PM) OR: evans@hurontel.on.ca AUCTION

DAVID CARSON FARMS & AUCTION SERVICES LTD. Looking for motivated, hardworking and experienced licensed 310T Truck & Coach Technician for a LEAD HAND role.

2 FULL TIME KITCHEN POSITIONS AVAILABLE Looking for committed, hard-working and responsible individuals. Willing to train.

Send resume to: rgerber.schmitsville@gmail.com or in person to Schmidtsville Restaurant, 3685 Nafziger Rd. Wellesley.

Must have experience mentoring and leading Technicians on the floor and be willing to help with additional responsibilities. Shifts consist of days and afternoons on rotation. Extremely competitive wages based on years of experience and knowledge. We provide comprehensive health and dental benefits, uniforms, and an annual tool and work boot allowance.

Techs use leading edge shop software and technology. Come for the opportunities and build your career with us!

Please call 519-885-9166 and ask to speak to Kyle, or email us at kyle@apextruckandtrailer.ca

SAT. JULY 27TH – 9:30 A.M. – Farm Property & Machinery Sale for Peter & Cornelia Thiesen of Meaford. Sale will be held at the farm located at 085213 Sideroad 8, Meaford.

Farm Property offers 232.2 Acres including approx. 165 acres workable. Machinery offers a large selection of organic tillage equipment as well as haying and harvesting equipment. See website for full sales listing.

FRI. AUGUST 2ND – 9:30 A.M. - Machinery

Consignment Sale. On offer will be tractors, haying & harvesting, tillage & seeding equipment and misc. items. All Items must be in yard by July 30th.

WED. AUGUST 14TH – 11:30 A.M. – Dairy

Sale. Offering registered and grade, fresh and springing young Holstein cows and heifers. Open & Bred heifers will start at 11:30 A.M. prior to the Dairy Sale. Consignments Welcome!

Carson’s Auction Service R.R.#3 Listowel, ON N4W 3G8

Tel: 519-291-2049 | Fax: 519-291-5065 Website: www.davidcarson.on.ca | Email: info@davidcarson.on.ca

SMALL ADS, BIG IMPACT. THE OBSERVER CLASSIFIED ADS

LAWN FERTILIZER AND LAWN SEED - CALL George Haffner Trucking, 519-574-4141 or 519669-2045.

MANY ITEMS FOR SALE. BLACK & DECKer 4 1/2" Angle grinder, $40. Skill 10" miter saw, $60. Milwaukee 3/8" hammer drill, $50. Milwaukee Sawsall, $60.

Jigsaw, $25. Kubota 8gal Shop vac, $40. 2gal air compressor $40. Pin nailer $50. Pet carriers, small dog, $10 each. King size, top quality, mattress cover $25. Large toaster oven, $20. Large slow cooker, $15. Patio cushions, new, 24"x25". 18 cu.ft. Fridge, like new, $175. Ornaments to decorate 20 tables or more for wedding or anniversary, never opened, offer.

Please call 519-323-8849 or 226-647-4001.

MATTRESS AND BOX SPRING, NEW, NEVER used, still in sealed bag.

Sacrifice $195. Delivery available $35. 519-6358737.

MOTOR HOME - 1988 ROYAL CLASSIC. ASKing $5000. Call 519-5023073, 1 - 7 p.m.

SIDE WALK SALE AT WALLENSTEIN GENERal Store Inc. Friday Aug 2 & Sat Aug 3. Fabric Sale 15 % off. Lots of new fabric!! Dress size Bundles on porch up to 25% off. Bulk Food and Candy 10% off. Lots of surprises on porch!! Check it out. 519 669 2231 AUCTIONS

MON. AUG 5TH ONLINE AUCTION opening at 7:00 PM (closed August 12 at 7:00PM): to include banks; First Gear; CAT; Spec Cast tractor trailers; Auto World cars and other collectable cars and much much more. www.jantziauction.hibid. com for more info. Jantzi Auctions Ltd. 519 656 3555 HAY & STRAW

STRAW - SMALL BALES. ONE WAGON load. Can deliver. Please call 519-669-2328 LISTINGS CONTINUE PG. 18

THURSDAY, JULY 25, 2019 | THE O BSE RVE R

C L AS S IF IE D N OTIC E S | 17

PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AUTOMOTIVE SERVICES

THOMPSON’S

Auto Tech Inc. Providing the latest technology to repair your vehicle with accuracy and confidence.

519-669-4400 30 ORIOLE PKWY. E., ELMIRA www.thompsonsauto.ca

GENERAL SERVICES

CALL TO BOOK! TODAY.

TIRE

WHERE TIRES

VAN AND MINIBUS TRANSPORTATION “Specializing in small group charters”

Farm • Auto • Truck Industrial On-The-Farm Service

5196695557 Visit our website! countrymilebl.com Elmira, ON

35 Howard Ave., Elmira

519-669-3232

SLJ Electric Ltd. Steve Snyder

3141 Hemlock Hill Dr., Elmira sljsnyder@gmail.com Office: 519-664-2000 Cell: 519-575-3141

Various sizes & rates

CLEAN • DRY • SECURE Call

519-669-4964

100 SOUTH FIELD DRIVE, ELMIRA

GENERAL SERVICES

HOME IMPROVEMENT

Residential / Agricultural / Commercial / Industrial / Pole Lines

THIS SPACE IS FOR RENT

ARE A

SPECIALTY, NOT A SIDE LINE.

MarCrest Backhoe

FLORADALE SELF STORAGE

BIKE SALES & REPAIRS PROFESSIONAL BIKE MECHANIC ON STAFF

Septic Installations · Tile Repairs Small Footings · Silo Footings

Maynard Martin 2512 Kressler Road RR1 St. Clements, ON N0B 2M0

SEE US FOR

Window & Screen

1551 FLORADALE ROAD ELMIRA, ON. N3B 2Z1

CLIMATE

REPAIRS 22 Church St. W., Elmira

519-669-5537

Tel. 519-699-0507

STORE HOURS: M-W 8-6, TH-F 8-8, SAT 8-6, SUN 12-5

CONTROLLED

226-266-5525 www.floradaleselfstorage.com

E-Mail: floradaleselfstorage@gmail.com

HOME IMPROVEMENT SERVICES COMMERCIAL • RESIDENTIAL

ST. JACOBS

GLASS SYSTEMS INC. 1553 King St. N., St. Jacobs, ON N0B 2N0

Driveways • Sidewalks • Curbs Patios • Finished Floors • Retaining Walls • Steps • Decorative/Stamped and Coloured Concrete

• Store Fronts • Thermopanes • Mirrors • Screen Repair • Replacement Windows • Shower Enclosures • Sash Repair TEL:

www.marwilconcrete.ca

519-577-0370

519-664-1202 / 519-778-6104 FAX: 519 664-2759 • 24 Hour Emergency Service

HOME IMPROVEMENT SERVICES

AMOS INC

R O O F I N G

- Design and build -

AGRICULTURAL | RESIDENTIAL FRAMING • ROOFING RENOVATIONS • EAVESTROUGHS

Wayne Martin | 519-504-2016 darwayconstruction@icloud.com | Alma, ON

• Specializing in residential re-roofs • Repairs • Churches A Family owned and operated business serving KW, Elmira and surrounding area for over 35 years.

DESIGN CENTRE

John Schaefer Painting FREE ESTIMATES

KITCHEN, BATH & WINDOW FASHIONS

Blinds, shades, drapery & more • Custom cabinetry made in Canada Free In-home consultations • Our experienced designer will help you work within your personal taste and budget

Interior/exterior Painting, Wallpapering & Plaster | drywall Repairs

Call someone you can trust - your local Home Hardware Popular Brands Available

BLANCO, MAAX, MIROLAN, STEEL QUEEN

WORKMANSHIP GUARANTEED

CALL JAYME FOR YOUR FREE ESTIMATE.

519-503-6033 (CELL)

22 Church St. W., Elmira

519.501.2405 | 519.698.2114

519-669-2251

Tel: 519-669-5537 or 1-844-866-5537 STORE HOURS: M-F: 8-8, SAT 8-6, SUN 10-5

In Business since 1973 • Fully Insured

36 Hampton St., Elmira

HOME IMPROVEMENT SERVICES “25 years in Business”

Visit our website

www.biobobs.com or call today!

519-648-3004

or

800-232-6396

CONSTRUCTION INC. (519) 569-0772 • Commercial & Industrial General Contracting • Specializing in Concrete Work & Excavation • Retaining Walls

info@trappconstruction.ca www.trappconstruction.ca

• • • •

Stamped Coloured Concrete Demolition Bin Service Machine Bases

Concrete Breaking & Removal

Steve Co.

Plumbing and Maintenance Inc.

RESIDENTIAL • COMMERCIAL • INDUSTRIAL

For all your Plumbing Needs.

24 HOUR SERVICE Steve Jacobi

ELMIRA

519-669-3652

The Right Window Treatment Can

Save you

Blinds

by Elite or Mera

In home consultations Wide selection of styles & fabrics 1011 Industrial Crescent St. Clements | 519-699-5411 www.LetUsFloorYou.ca

FREE

INSTALLATION When you buy 3 or more

Hours: M-F 8:30 - 5:30 Sat 9:00 - 3:00

Evenings By Appointment

TH E O BS E RV E R | THURSDAY, JULY 25, 2019

18 | C L AS S IF IE D NOTIC E S

PUBLIC NOTICE

F A M I LY A L B U M “PROUDLY REMEMBERING OUR PAST; CONFIDENTLY EMBRACING OUR FUTURE.�

DEATH NOTICES

Community Information Page

P.O. Box 158

24 Church St. W. Elmira, Ontario N3B 2Z6

KUEPFER, RAYMOND K. - Passed away peacefully on July 22, 2019 at Stratford General Hospital after a brief illness.

Raymond Kuepfer of Millbank at the age of 64 years.

Notice of Public Meeting Township of Woolwich

“PROUDLY REMEMBERING OUR PAST; CONFIDENTLY EMBRACING OUR FUTURE.�

Community TechnicalInformation Advisory Group Page(TAG) Thursday, August 1, 2019 6:30 p.m. Public Meeting

Phone: 519-669-1647 or 877-969-0094 Fax: 519-669-1820 After Hours Emergency: 519-575-4400 www.woolwich.ca

Council Chambers, 2nd Floor Administration Building, 24 Church Street West, Elmira

#1 NEWS

Phone: 519-669-1647 or 877-969-0094 Fax: 519-669-1820 After Hours Emergency: 519-575-4400 www.woolwich.ca

SOURCE

I N T H E R E G I O N

PROFESSIONAL SERVICES OUTDOOR SERVICES Since 1998

•Final grading •Lawn repair & complete seeding well equipped for large stoney areas •Spike Aerator/Overseeding •Natural & Interlocking Stone •Retaining Walls, Walks & Patios •Help for Top Water & Drainage issue

• Residential • Commercial • Industrial Randy Weber

ECRA/ESA Licence # 7000605

www.rwelectricltd.com 18 Kingfisher Dr., Elmira | 519.669.1462

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FARM EQUIPMENT

1978 JOHN DEERE WELL KEPT 1630 Tractor /Loader/ Canopy/ 3PT Tiller/ Stone fork and extra bucket Approx.

2500 hours repainted asking $ 12,500.00. 2000 John Deere 250 Skid steer / Grousser Tracks, under 1000 hours / asking $18, 500.00. Danuser Auger and Troy built 7 HP tiller - best offer. Contact Dave 519-853-4994

2999

â&#x20AC;˘Â With or without UV gloss (1 side) â&#x20AC;˘ Single sided â&#x20AC;˘ Full Colour â&#x20AC;˘ 12 pt C1S stock â&#x20AC;˘ Print ready file

ROLEX, TUDOR, OMEGA, BREITLING, I.W.C. etc. Pocket watches, silver and gold coins, jewellry, scrap. Call Terry 519-242-6900 or gallamore@golden.net TRADES & SERVICES

Specializing in Posters, Banners & Trade Show Booths

Our Everyday Low Price!

Make a Great First Impression at a Great Price!

WANTED

WE DO SIGNS OF ALL KINDS!

$

500 FULL COLOUR BUSINESS CARDS

for more info call 519595-3307.

ACCOUNTING TAXATION SERVICES 25 FARM SERVICES years experience for your business and personal BAGGED PINE SHAV- 519-721-1895 or lewINGS AGRICULTURAL isecommercesolutions@ Spray Lime, 22.5kg. bag; gmail.com feed grade lime, 25kg.

Delivered. Call George RON'S DRYWALL AND Haffner Trucking, 519- RENOVATIONS. OVER 574-4141 or 519-669-2045. 35 years experience.

Please call 519-496-7539 KILN DRIED CORN & or email ron.spncr@ CORN SCREENING gmail.com Delivered by Einwechter.

COMING Minimum 15 ton lots. Call EVENTS George Haffner Trucking 519-574-4141 or 519- SUMMER KARATE 669-2045.

CAMP! AUG UST 19TH 23RD. Heidelberg ComHORSES munity Centre 2915 WATERLOO COUNTY Lobsinger Line SCHMARTIAL HORSE SALE TO BE WEITZER'S held at OLEX Sat. July ARTS Self-confidence, Charac27, 2019. To consign or Self-defense,

plus tax

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Car Wraps Also Available!

Indoor & Outdoor Signage Huge assortment of materials to print on Laminating, sewing, wind slits, grometting available Hardware included â&#x20AC;˘ Installation available

www.haskettfh.com ter building, Have fun! available. 519-580-1418 BEGINNERS WELCOME! becky_schweitzer@hotAges 4 to adult Taught by mail.com Renshi Becky Schweitzer, 4th Degree Black Belt & SMALL ADS, World Karate Champion BIG IMPACT. $125+HST/week Family THE OBSERVER rates & half day camps CLASSIFIED ADS

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â&#x20AC;˘ These banners are excellent for trade shows and presentations â&#x20AC;˘ They are affordable, lightweight, durable and easy to setup or take down â&#x20AC;˘ Includes padded carry bag â&#x20AC;˘ Full colour, single sided

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ARTWORK EXTRA

Have You Written A Book?

Call for a copy of our Idea Guide for a full listing of available products â&#x20AC;˘ â&#x20AC;˘ â&#x20AC;˘ â&#x20AC;˘

Peacefully at Huron Residential Hospice, Clinton, on Sunday, July 21, 2019 of Bayfield, formerly of Cambridge and Elmira at the age of 67. Cherished and devoted husband of Elaine (Wilkins) Mihm for 33 years. Dear brother and brother-in-law of Francis and Herb Metzger, Carol Service, John and Barb Mihm, Diane and Norm Belanger, Bob Wilkins, Ron and Nancy Wilkins, Ray and Rose McAllister, and Joan Burbank. Pat will be missed by several nieces, nephews, and countless close friends. Predeceased by Arthur and Edna (Sass) Mihm, brother Father Jim Mihm, and sister-in-law Rosemary Wilkins. Pat was the first full time sheet metal worker with the University of Waterloo. He was employed by them for 30 years. Upon retirement, Pat was recognized as an Honorary Member of the University. He sat on the pension and benefits committee, and is a former member of the Board of Governors. Pat was a dedicated member of the Knights of Columbus, and the Historical Golf Society (Hickory Hackers). Even when retired, he continued to raise his hand freely as a volunteer for various events and organizations.

Visitation will be held at Haskett Funeral Home, 49 Goshen Street North, ZURICH on Wednesday from 2- 4 and 7 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 9 PM. The Funeral Mass will be held at St. Peterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Catholic Church, 73334 Bluewater Highway, Zurich (St. Joseph) on Thursday, July 25th at 10 AM, Father Ben Huyge presiding. At Patâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s request, in lieu of flowers, donations to Huron Hospice or St. Peterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Catholic Church would be appreciated by the family. Condolences may be forwarded at www.haskettfh.com.

CLASSIFIEDS CONT. FROM PAGE 16

line

Phone: 555-555-5 555 Fax: 555-555-5 555 my@email.com www.mydomain.com

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ALMA, ONTARIO | PHONE: 519.846.5427

Planning a special event?

PUZZLE SOLUTIONS

Happy Birthday Betty!

SAUDER, SYDNEY - Sydney Brubacher Sauder, age 85, of Tavistock and formerly of Stratford passed away peacefully at the Stratford General Hospital on July 21, 2019. He was born in Woolwich Township.

P.O. Box 158

24 Church St. W. Elmira, Ontario N3B 2Z6

HOME IMPROVEMENT SERVICES

BIRTHDAY

BIRTHDAY

We can help you get your book into print!

Lawn Bag Signs

â&#x20AC;˘ Family History Books â&#x20AC;˘ Cookbooks Inquire about our â&#x20AC;˘ Manuals â&#x20AC;˘ Catalogues Publishing Packages â&#x20AC;˘ Childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Books and free Authorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Guide

M&T Printing Group is Ready to Serve You

675 DAVENPORT RD., WATERLOO â&#x20AC;˘ 519-804-0017 www.mtprint.com

DOOR HANGERS

Catch the attention of your prospects and drive traffic to your business!

Large enough to include plenty of information, but small enough to provide budget friendly pricing and easily distributed.

THURSDAY, JULY 25, 2019 | THE O BSE RVE R

C L AS S IF IE D N OTIC E S | 19

R E A L E STAT E S E RV I C E S

Alli Bauman

Sue From

SALES REPRESENTATIVE

SALES REPRESENTATIVE

226-750-9332

519-577-6248 allibauman17@gmail.com

suefrom17@gmail.com

Solid Gold Realty (II) Ltd., Brokerage Independently Owned and Operated

OPEN HOUSE

SAT, JULY 27 10am-12pm 71 Country Club Estates Dr., Elmira

Solid Gold Realty (II) Ltd., Brokerage | Independently Owned and Operated

ELMIRA - Time to downsize?

Built in 2016, this 1210 sq.ft. bungalow has all you need. 2 bedrms, 2 full baths, open concept layout, laundry only a few steps down & an oversized single garage. Featuring quartz counter tops & a breakfast bar, soft close cabinetry, step in shower in ensuite bathrm, central air, HRV system, water softener & more. A perfect sized composite deck for relaxing & watching the sunrise. The wide-open unfinished basement with one egress window allows many future layout options. Walking distance to schools, walking trails, golf course, & downtown area.

$499,900

3 Arthur St. S., Elmira | 519-669-5426

SELLING? CALL US FOR A FREE MARKET EVALUATION.

Bonnie

519-669-3192

Brubacher

BROKER

Shanna Rozema

BROKER

519-669-3192

Monique Roes

SALES REPRESENTATIVE

519-747-2040

OPEN SAT, JULY 27 • 10AM-12NOON HOUSE 50 McGUIRE LANE, ELMIRA

4 Murray Court, Milverton

New Build, 1723 Square foot, three Bedroom, two Story townhouse in Milverton's sought a�er Milverton Meadows. Large Bedrooms, 9' ceilings on Main level, Open Staircase with railing.

Master Bedroom Ensuite, Second floor Landry. Appliances, Fridge, Stove, Washer, Dryer and microwave are all included.

Granite counter tops, Premium Quality Vinyl Windows and Exterior Doors. Rough in for basement bathroom, Located in quiet town with all ameni�es including High Speed Fiber-Op�c Internet availability. MLS# 30715649

$475,000

66 ANNA STREET, ELMIRA

Welcoming and cozy one bedroom 3 Bathroom, townhouse .. Spacious 1056 square feet, with a finished basement complete with, a recrea�on room, bathroom, den/second bedroom and ample storage … Stop paying Rent and invest in YOUR home … In-suite Laundry .. parking .. a�ached Double garage and your own yard! Book your private showing today MLS# 30728374

ADDRESS: 3 Arthur St. S., ELMIRA | DIRECT: 519-503-2753 EMAIL: leonmartin@remax.net

HELPING YOU IS WHAT WE DO…

NEW PRICE

TH

A portion of each sale commission is donated to The Woolwich Community Services.

$399,152

OPEN HOUSE

THURS, JULY 25 TH • 5-7PM SAT, JULY 27TH • 10AM-12 NOON 16 SANDPIPER CRT , ELMIRA

NEW LISTING! “HELPING YOU IS WHAT WE DO.”

Melanie Shanna Beisel

SALES REPRESENTATIVE

$479,000 ELMIRA Are you an empty nester? This

property is perfect for singles or couples as it offers an upper level bedroom oasis with a lofty living room space, full bath and laundry. The open concept main floor boosts a lovely kitchen complete with island/breakfast bar, granite counter top & appliances open to the dinette and living rm with walkout to a spacious deck. Large finished recreation room & 3rd full bathroom in the basement. MLS

WALKOUT BASEMENT, RAISED BUNGALOW $529,900 ELMIRA 70' x 158' lot! Own this beautiful piece of property on a Court location steps to the Riverside Public School. Main floor offers a spacious living room, separate dining room, updated kitchen with quartz counter tops, appliances and walkout to side deck, 3 bdrms, full bathroom. Finished walkout basement has a 4th bdrm/den, 3 piece bath and rec rm with gas fireplace. NEW MLS

FAMILY HOME-COURT LOCATION $714,000 ELMIRA Welcome to this desirable seldom found area, where families purchase and stay a long while. This home offers 5 levels of exceptional living space. Workshop/storage, in-law suite/ 4th bedroom recroom with walk-up, laundry, family room walk-out, formal living, updated white kitchen/dining with walk-out and 3 bedrooms up. 3.5 baths, beautiful yard with shed. NEW MLS

IF YOU ARE THINKING ABOUT SELLING OR BUYING THIS SUMMER,

NOW IS THE TIME TO CONNECT WITH US, YOUR LOCAL REALTOR TO KEEP YOU INFORMED ON MARKET CONDITIONS.

Bert Martin Re/max Solid Gold Realty (II) Ltd., BROKER

BROKERAGE

OFFICE: 519-669-5426

Office:

45 Arthur St. S., Elmira www.thurrealestate.com

BRAD MARTIN Broker of Record, MVA Residential Res: 519.669.1068

JULIE HECKENDORN Broker

Cell: 519.588.7562

LET OUR 60+ YEARS OF EXPERIENCE WORK FOR YOU!

$509,900

If you have a semi to sell, this would be a great move! 3+ bedrm. Home backs to a huge open greenspace.

Newer kitchen with backsplash, dishwasher & new vented microwave.

Large liv. room w/bow window. Laminate in bdrms. Sliding door from master bdrm. leads to a deck (2016) and patio area. Finished rec. room, games room and office. Deep garage. Furnace replaced in 2015, shingles in 2017.

$509,900

ONLY ONE UNIT LEFT. No condo fees.

This 2 bedroom, 2 bath townhome offers everything on one level! Lots of cabinetry w/granite & island. 9’ ceilings, gas fireplace, 3 walk-in closets.

‘King sized’ master bdrm. w/ensuite.

Open staircase (hdwd stairs & railing of your choice). Still time to choose your flooring & colours. 14’ wide garage (w/10’ door). MLS

CALL FOR YOUR

FREE MARKET EVALUATION

Thinking of Selling?

Call for your FREE Property Evaluation

OPEN HOUSE

Sunday, July 28, 2-4pm 71 Centre St., Elmira

$779,900 FABULOUS PROPERTY!

Beautifully detailed fully renovated Four Level Side Split on quiet street in great location central to schools and all amenities, offers three bedrooms, three bathrooms, remodeled kitchen with a peninsula,dining room with walkout to the gorgeous multilevel deck, hot tub and pool area.

The family room also offers access to the outside living area where you can relax in the sun or shade. This is a beautiful home and needs to be seen to be appreciated. The landscaping and lawns are well manicured. MLS. Call Bert to view.

$669,000 ELMIRA

This very unique century home is an Arts and Craft Design remodeled by the original owners. Built in 1913 this home has been completely updated including all windows, electrical, plumbing, hydro service and roofs. Located on a quiet street close to schools, rec centre and a 10 minute walk to down town. Beautiful landscaping with professionally installed patio, interlocking driveway and private back yard with water feature. A cozy sunroom ideal for your morning coffee. MLS. Call Bert to view.

Come see this Beautiful Property.

shannarozema@royallepage.ca

PRICED FROM $489,900 for interior unit $499,900 for exterior unit.

FREEHOLD Executive style living! 5 units available, all offer 1.5 garage, double driveways, custom kitchens, hardwood floors, gas fireplace, central air conditioning, iron spindles. EXCLUSIVE

THE MORTGAGE PEOPLE WE DO DIFFICULT MORTGAGES.

www.remaxsolidgold.biz

EMAIL: bert@remaxsolidgold.biz

519-572-2528

mbeisel@royallepage.ca

PRE-SELLING NEXT PHASE OF PARADIGM (ELMIRA) HOMES BUNGALOW TOWN HOMES

DIRECT: 519-572-2669 3 Arthur St. S. Elmira

R.W. THUR REAL ESTATE LTD. 519-669-2772

Brokerage

Independently Owned and Operated

Rozema

BROKER

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We will go to your home.

• 1st, 2nd & 3rd mortgages • Residential, Commercial, Industrial, Farms & Land • Good Credit, Bad Credit, Self-Employed

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www.themortgagepeople.ca | 1-800-361-5114

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Your referrals are appreciated!

BOOK AN AD: observerxtra.com/advertising-media-kit

O BS E RV E R X TR A. C O M | THURSDAY, JULY 25, 2019 | 20

LEGION SUPPORT Be involved in community activities, events & support local initiatives. Tell us about what's happening and about the people in your neighbourhood.

Online: observerxtra.com/tips

The Royal Canadian Legion recently presented Project Trauma Support (PTS) with the first of three $100,000 donations to help the organization conduct its therapeutic program, which helps military veterans and RCMP officers cope with operational stress injuries. The program, based in Perth, Ont., is designed for those living with post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

LIVING WITH LOSS The Bereaved Families of Ontario Midwestern Region’s living with loss support groups is hosting an event entitled “Coping with Guilt” on Aug. 6, 7-9 p.m., in Kitchener at the Westmount Memorial Celebration Centre.

A RT I ST I C T H E R A P Y

Every dog has its day ... and a portrait

Breslau artist Jacqueline Gori’s illustrations of man’s best friends help draw attention to mental health issues

BY VERONICA REINER vreiner@woolwichobserver.com

Breslau artist Jacqueline Gori’s two great passions combine to create a feelgood art exhibit at the Kitchener Public Library that appeals to all audiences.

“When Passions Collide” displays 41 portraits of dogs through four different mediums – acrylic, watercolour, graphite, and photography. The official launch took place last week, and the artwork is on display until the end of the month.

“It was super busy. There were people there from 6 p.m. right with the way through till 8:30 p.m. – the library had to kick us out,” said Gori of opening night.

“We even had somebody travel from Georgetown, Mississauga to come and see their dogs in the exhibition. So that was fun.”

“A constant stream of people are coming down to see the show of all age groups. We hosted a kid’s show the other night – the kids love it as well,” added Elmira art designer Stephanie Donkers-Schmaltz.

“It’s a show that appeals to all ages – everybody loves dogs.”

To create an illustration, Gori spends ample time interacting with the dog to observe its unique traits and does a full photo-shoot. In the case of a memorial portrait, Gori looks at photos and interviews the pet’s owners so she can get a better sense of its personality. It’s what makes her images so lifelike: time and dedication to getting to know the

Jacqueline Gori and Samson at the exhibition of her work hosted at the Kitchener Public Library's main branch.

subject.

Each work is accompanied by a brief story behind the painting, making it accessible for the visually impaired. There are also educational links to timelapse drawings.

“A graphite portrait takes between 20 and 30 hours because I draw every single hair,” said Gori. “Acrylics, depending on the size, can take up to two weeks. Watercolours are probably the quickest because they’re liquid and fluid. They’re a

little tricky. They’re fun; they have a totally different feel to them. They’re brighter, but then there are fewer details.”

Most of her illustrations have appeared in fundraising books available on Amazon such as “In Service: Portraits of Dogs that Change Lives” written by Nancy Silcox, for the Cambridge National Service Dogs charity.

Gori’s work is also featured in “Workin’ Like a Dog; Doin’ Nuthin’ Like a

[VERONICA REINER / THE OBSERVER]

Cat: Canadian Pets Who Go to the Office,” also by Silcox, for Kali’s Wish, a not-for-profit dedicated to supporting families whose pets are undergoing cancer treatment.

The next book, “I Love Labs,” is scheduled to be released in October. It is aimed at raising money to train a service dog, part of an effort to help clear a waiting list of potential recipients.

The motivation behind the exhibit is very personal

to Gori: creating art has provided her relief from her mental health issues.

South African-born, Gori is open about her struggles that stem from a sexual assault that left her with post-traumatic stress disorder. She has a service dog, a four-year-old yellow lab named Samson, who helps her snap back to the present from any flashbacks she may experience and to help her navigate everyday life. Samson is trained to detect rises in

cortisol, the stress hormone, and drops in serotonin.

“Samson has saved me from seven suicide attempts,” said Gori. “When I zone out, the flashbacks are so intense I don’t really want to live through them.

He has literally knocked knives out of my hands, knocked pills out of my hands, and he uses his full weight in those situations.”

She recalled one incident where she grabbed a razor blade in the shower in the midst of experiencing a traumatic memory.

Samson threw his full body weight into the shower door and interrupted those thoughts.

“It just takes that split second for me to think ‘Wait a second, what am I doing? I need to find my counsellor and get help.’

That’s really what this exhibition is all about. It’s to raise awareness for mental health and to get people talking about it,” said Gori.

She noted that none of the works on display are for sale; the majority are past commissions on loan from the owners.

“It’s really about bringing people out to the library in the society of mental health that we have right now – come and get a dose of happiness. That’s my heart,” said Gori. “I’m not interested in making money; I just believe dogs make people happy. And I want to raise awareness and make people happy.”

“When Passions Collide” is on display at the lower gallery of the Kitchener Public Library at 85 Queen St. until July 31.

We have a treat for you!

Starting August 1st - 31st with every appointment we will gift you a coupon for a free soft serve ice cream cone to Kitchen Kuttings Cafe!

We hope you all are enjoying your summer!

–Mackenzie Martin

Two locations in Elmira to serve you better

20 Oriole Parkway E. | 47 Industrial Drive

Tel: (519) 669-1082

www.leroysautocare.net

Accredited Test & Repair Facility

THURSDAY, JULY 25, 2019 | THE O BSE RVE R

L IV IN G H E RE | 21

C H E F ' S TA B L E

Summer provides berry good reasons to keep things light

S

2/3 cup slivered almonds 1/3 cup wheat germ 1/4 cup flaxseed meal 3 Tbsp. pure maple syrup 1 Tbsp. vanilla 2 Tbsp. canola oil 4 cups 0% fat plain or Greek yogurt 3 cups fresh berries, such as raspberries, blueberries or blackberries

ummertime brings with it an evolving menu of fresh fruit.

Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s also a perfect time for staying on the lighter side of things, not to mention the benefits of eating healthy to provide you with an added boost during all the time spend outdoors.

As a bonus, this crunchy granola with a hint of maple is sure to satisfy your sweet tooth. While this irresistible recipe makes 10 servings, there's no need to dish it out all at once.

Simply make the granola ahead of time, and store in an airtight jar. When you're craving a quick snack, serve up with Greek yogurt and berries.

You can also switch up the berries with other fresh fruit like chopped peaches or plums. Or, use frozen fruit if thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s more convenient at the time.

As well, you can transform the granola into a trail mix by adding cashews and dried fruit such as raisins and apricots.

1. On a large baking sheet, spread steel-cut, large flake oats, almonds, wheat germ and flaxseed meal in single layer. Bake in preheated 350°F (180°C) oven, stirring a couple of times, for about 15 minutes or until light golden. Scrape into a bowl.

2. In a small bowl, whisk together maple syrup, vanilla and oil. Pour over oat mixture and stir to coat evenly. Spread mixture onto baking sheet and return to oven for about 15 minutes or until golden brown, stirring at least twice. Let cool completely.

3. When ready to serve, divide half of the granola among 10 small glasses or parfait dishes.

Divide yogurt among glasses and sprinkle with some of the fruit. Top with remaining granola and fruit and enjoy. Alternatively, cover and refrigerate for up to a day.

Fruit and Yogurt Granola Parfaits 1 cup steel cut oats 1 cup large flake oats

COMMUNITY EVENTS CALENDAR

â&#x20AC;&#x153;A GOOD JOB DONE EVERY TIMEâ&#x20AC;?

JULY 28 Â&#x201E;Â&#x201E; ELMIRA SUNDAY CONCERT SERIES AT GORE PARK. COME join us with Lance Russwurm performing from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Bring a lawn chair and be sure to come early for better seating.

Kleensweep Carpet Care

Rugs and Upholstery

â&#x20AC;˘Mattress Cleaning â&#x20AC;˘Residential â&#x20AC;˘Commercial â&#x20AC;˘Personalized Service â&#x20AC;˘Free Estimates

AUGUST 4 Â&#x201E;Â&#x201E; ELMIRA SUNDAY CONCERT SERIES AT GORE PARK. COME join us with Fred Lewis and Ridin High performing from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Bring a lawn chair and be sure to come early for better seating.

West Montrose, ON

T. 519.669.2033

COLLEEN

Cell: 519.581.7868

Truck & Trailer Maintenance Cardlock Fuel Management

COMMERCIAL 24 CARDLOCK FUEL DEPOT HOUR M&G MILLWRIGHTS LTD.

AUGUST 11 Â&#x201E;Â&#x201E; ELMIRA SUNDAY CONCERT SERIES AT GORE PARK. COME join us with The Chaparrals performing from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Bring a lawn chair and be sure to come early for better seating.

AUGUST 18 Â&#x201E;Â&#x201E; ELMIRA SUNDAY CONCERT SERIES AT GORE PARK. COME join us with U-Turn performing from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.

SEPTEMBER 8 Â&#x201E;Â&#x201E; COMMUNITY & FAMILY BARBECUE FUN DAY, 11 A.M. TO 4 p.m. at the Royal Canadian Legion, Elmira. Activities includes a jumpy castle, games for the kids, free outdoor concert, petting zoo, war memorabilia display, silent auction and food merchants. Hosted by the Elmira Service Clubs.

Got a great story lead?

RRSPs, RESPs, RRIFs, LIFs and Annuities.

TOTAL VERMONT Castings

519.664.2008

HOW TO PLAY: Fill in the grid so that every row, every column and every 3x3 box contains the numbers 1 through 9 only once. Each 3x3 box is outlined with a darker line. Numbers are preplaced to get you started.

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33 Industrial Dr., Elmira 519.669.1591

Woolwich Township Ward 1 Councillor

HOME ENERGY SYSTEMS

11 HENRY ST. - UNIT 9, ST. JACOBS

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AUGUST 25 Â&#x201E;Â&#x201E; ELMIRA SUNDAY CONCERT SERIES AT GORE PARK. THE series finale. Come join us with Rick Loucks & Southbound performing from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Bring a lawn chair and be sure to come early for better seating.

www.mgmill.com

OBSERVER SUDOKU

Vacuum Sales,

The Community Events Calendar is reserved for non-profit local events that are offered free to the public. Placement is not guaranteed. Registrations, corporate events, open houses and similar events do not qualify for free advertising. See complete policy online. All submissions are to be made online at www.observerxtra.com/event-list.

New to the Community?

Do you have a new Baby?

Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s time to call your Welcome Wagon Hostess.

Elmira & Surrounding Area

SHARON GINGRICH 519.291.6763 | psgingrich@hotmail.ca

519.514.6051

pmerlihan@woolwich.ca

www.merlihan.com

Woolwich

Healthy Communities healthywoolwich.org

The place to get involved. â&#x20AC;˘ Volunteer Opportunities â&#x20AC;˘ Projects & News â&#x20AC;˘ Sub-Committee updates

TH E O BS E RV E R | THURSDAY, JULY 25, 2019

22 | LI VI NG HE RE O B S E R V E R C R O S S WO R D

ACROSS 1. Cart 5. Corpulent 10. Flower part 16. Freud's daughter 17. Started 18. Virtual cash 19. Randy 21. How many times do you hit this?

22. Vegetable lifeforms 23. Pimple 24. Aussie cattle dog 25. Fruitless search 29. Ant-eater food 30. Backboard attachment 31. Arizona tribe 32. V like zee 35. "A simple '___' would have sufficed number one." -J.L. Picard 36. The Beebs!

37. Make your ___________ 39. "Fantasy Island" prop 40. Rainbow rock 41. Stick fast to 42. Sun-orbiters' aphelion 47. The rich thrive on the backs of these

48. Big hairdo 49. Cheat, slangily 50. Liver disease 53. Quasar by another name 54. Flow partner 57. "___ alive!"

58. Death comes by crow 59. "Much ___ About Nothing" 60. 2D measure 61. Bonus wins 64. Japanese sensibility in art 67. Amscrayed 68. Boxers put theirs in these 69. Japanese female entertainer 70. Belgian sweets bakery 72. Potato brown 73. Make up for past sins 74. Kicks off with Fat Tuesday 75. Stick fast to 76. "Two Women" Oscar winner 77. Aussie affectionate slang for the unfashionable

DOWN 1. Chicken who laid it on the line got this far 2. Dye type 3. Take apart mechanically 4. Lords to the Scots 5. ___-Wan Kenobi 6. Characterized by benzene 7. Morality founded in self-interest 8. Fry to the French 9. Bigger dashes, not the biggest 10. Mould anew 11. Truly forgetful soul 12. Aussie bush call 13. Carbon compound 14. Middle Eastern tapas 15. Looker 20. See Aussie unfashionable clue 26. Spin around 27. Cheapskate, but smaller 28. Fox hunt call out 32. Henry ___ 33. Ages 34. Front and back 36. Big clock 37. Fights for fun

38. Cookbook abbr.

39. 100 kurus 40. More distant part of sea in view 42. Beat for one 43. "Sorry, my bad!"

44. Like Cheerios 45. Noble gas 46. A.T.M. need 47. Better ratio than pi Golden, in fact 51. Burner, light bringer 52. Parrot 53. Purine nucleobase 54. Asmara is its capital 55. Hopeful money-losing, for fun 56. Hounds 59. One who suspends an action, at law 60. Off course 61. Shield stripe 62. A Muse 63. The really big dash 64. City on the Yamuna River 65. Clash of clans 66. Drop a line?

70. Euro-TV standard 71. Senator

BRAIN FOOD

Colonizing other planets is tough, populating them a challenge Q. As humans look to explore and colonize Mars and other planets, daunting challenges exist for long-term sustainability: Is reproduction possible in outer space?

A. First, the harsh reality: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Space is a hostile place, even for trained astronauts,â&#x20AC;? says Amber Jorgenson in â&#x20AC;&#x153;Discoverâ&#x20AC;? magazine. The toll on bone density and muscle mass has been considerable. â&#x20AC;&#x153;And cosmic rays, ubiquitous in space and within space stations, cause cancer and tissue disease, and would eventually prove damaging to DNA and the nervous system, too.â&#x20AC;? Furthermore, without gravity, just getting a

couple together to â&#x20AC;&#x153;do the deedâ&#x20AC;? might be difficult, and then functional sperm and egg cells would need to work in perfect synchrony to kick-start a pregnancy.

How such an environment would affect the human reproductive system is unknown.

In earlier experiments, fish, roundworms, frogs and salamanders all managed to produce healthy offspring. But on an 18.5day mission, the mammals involved â&#x20AC;&#x201C; male and female rats â&#x20AC;&#x201C; either uncharacteristically chose not to have sex or failed to fertilize.

Recently, reproductive biologist Joseph Tate embarked on Micro-11, launching frozen human

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sperm into space. In an International Space Station lab, astronauts thawed the samples and mixed them in a chemical cocktail that got the sperm to act as if they were heading toward an egg. Film of their movements is currently under review. But once Micro-11 is complete, Tate plans to look at the next cosmic conundrum: female fertility in space.

Stay tuned for more on our â&#x20AC;&#x153;cautious crawlâ&#x20AC;? toward becoming an interplanetary species.

Q. Though Earth and Mars are neighbours, conditions on the two planets differ drastically.

As â&#x20AC;&#x153;Discoverâ&#x20AC;? magazine

NURSERY PROVIDED

SUNDAY SCHOOL

HEARING ASSISTED

Service at 10:30am Rev. Paul Snow

Worship: 9:30am

Elmira Mennonite Church An MDS Experience

58 Church St. W., Elmira â&#x20AC;˘ 519-669-5123

Set Free To Be...

Discovering God Together

4522 Herrgott Rd., Wallenstein www.wbconline.ca â&#x20AC;˘ 519-669-2319

Speaker: Ron Seabrooke

STRANGE BUT TRUE

puts it, â&#x20AC;&#x153;When stacked up, life on Mars might make you rethink your dream of becoming an astronaut.â&#x20AC;? How so?

A. Mars, the fourth planet from the sun, sits some 143 million miles away, with an average surface temperature of -81 degrees F., reports the magazineâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Amber Jorgenson. The Earth at 93 million miles away averages a comfortable 57 degrees F., with gravity 2.66 times that of Mars. And whereas the Earth boasts abundant, flowing water on both the surface and below, on Mars, only water ice exists on the surface and underground, with tiny

When all stacked up, a would-be Martian â&#x20AC;&#x153;homesteaderâ&#x20AC;? would face daunting challenges indeed.

Q. What vital role do hippos play in maintaining the health of their habitat?

A. Every evening, hungry hippos eat around 40 kilo-

grams (88 pounds) of grass and other plants rich in silicon dioxide, or silica; then the next day, â&#x20AC;&#x153;they laze in the water, where they digest and excrete it,â&#x20AC;? reports Ruby Prosser Scully in â&#x20AC;&#x153;New Scientistâ&#x20AC;? magazine.

When Jonas Schoelynck of the University of Antwerp and his team studied 80 hippos in a stretch of the Mara river in southwest Kenya, they found that the animals transported 400 kilograms of silica a day, or 76% of the total moved throughout the ecosystem (â&#x20AC;&#x153;Science Advancesâ&#x20AC;?).

Single-celled algae in the river depend on that silica and they in turn provide food for other plants and animals. As Schoelynck says, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Hippos act as a kind of conveyor belt, transporting silica from land to water.â&#x20AC;?

Bill is a journalist, Rich holds a doctorate in physics. Together the brothers bring you â&#x20AC;&#x153;Strange But True.â&#x20AC;? Send questions to sbtcolumn@gmail.com

Travelling this summer?

Take us with you!

[ sundays 10:30am ] www.ecelmira.com | 519.669.5030 2 First St W, Elmira

Sunday, July 28th 10:45 am

BILL&RICH SONES

Regarding the atmosphere of the two planets, major Martian components include carbon dioxide (95%), nitrogen (2.7%) and oxygen (0.13%). Earthâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s atmosphere, on the other hand, has 77% nitrogen, 21% oxygen and a mere 0.038% carbon dioxide. Finally, consider average radiation exposure, computed in millisieverts (mSv): The Earth has 3.1 mSv a year, where 1 mSv equals about three chest x-rays.

Mars has some 267 mSv!

REACH WITH LOVE. TEACH THE TRUTH. SEND IN POWER. 290 Arthur St. South, Elmira â&#x20AC;˘ 519-669-3973 www.ElmiraAssembly.com (Across from Tim Hortonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s)

Jonathan Brubacher and Youth sharing

amounts of water vapor in the atmosphere.

Looking for a faith community that's close to home? Start here. If you want to see your church listed here and want to reach over 12,000 homes every week call Donna at 519-669-5790 ext104.

GET IT IN THE On vacation, take a photo of you and your group holding a copy of the Observer. observerxtra.com/submit-observer-abroad Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d love to put it in the paper!

THURSDAY, JULY 25, 2019 | THE O BSE RVE R

L IV IN G H E RE | 23

SUMMER + SUNDAY = MUSIC IN GORE PARK

Wendy Lynn Snider drew a large crowd to Elmira's Gore Park July 20 for the latest offering from Sunday Night Concert Series. Lance Russwurm takes the stage this weekend.

[VERONICA REINER / THE OBSERVER]

Home concert in Wellesley will be a fundraiser for Wilmot Terry Fox Run

BY VERONICA REINER vreiner@woolwichobserver.com

The hitting-the-road aspect is certainly in keeping with the Terry Fox legacy, but this fundraiser throws in some music in support of the cause.

The On The Road concert series makes a stop in Wellesley next month in support of the Wilmot Terry Fox Run. Hosted in the intimate confines of a family home, the August 11 concert will treat the audience to performances by Canadian singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Dan Walsh, and Kitchener Centre MPP Laura Mae Lindo.

Walsh has added his signature, bluesy-bluegrass style to some 40 albums and toured internationally across North America, Europe, and Australia. He has performed more than 420 shows across the country, with his musical influence

cited as rock multi-instrumentalist J.J. Cale.

“I’m essentially a solo looping slide guitar player with a broken-muffler-ona-gravel-road style voice,” said Walsh with a laugh.

“My show is essentially an engaging show; it’s not a show where I sit staring at my feet playing the guitar all afternoon long. I engage the audience; I try to have some humour, while at the same time presenting some of the songs,” said Walsh.

Lindo, on the other hand, is better known for her political endeavours.

She will be demonstrating her skill with the piano.

Each performer will do a 45-minute set, with a short intermission in between.

The concert will take place at the Nafziger Road home of Dawn and Garry Malo. Because there is a limited capacity given the setting, organizers are asking those attending to register online beforehand.

Dan Walsh will perform at the fundraiser on Aug. 11. [SUBMITTED]

While admission is free, the Wilmot Terry Fox Run is accepting free-will dona-

We have photos to share.

Being in the paper is one of life’s highlights.

tions.

“It’s a great way of getting close to the music. The

wonderful thing about having a concert in an unusual venue – someone’s home – it’s a bit more intimate, you get to know the artist, they get to chat with you and just spend time with you,” said Nigel Gordijk, organizer of the Wilmot Terry Fox Run. “You get a great experience from the music, but also getting to know the person who’s performing them – you get the hear the stories about the songs they’ve written, that kind of thing.”

“Frankly, house concerts are the new rock n’ roll concert at this point of our lives,” added Walsh. “As opposed to being in a bar surrounded by 15 big-screen TVs. For a guy like me, it’s a much more intimate atmosphere, much more one-on-one with the audience – they’re really there to see the show, as opposed to being distracted by the show.”

We’re partnering with UNITRON and are currently looking for 9 individuals* to participate in True research.

GET IT IN THE

Relive it with a reprint.

observerxtra.com/photo-reprints

*Eligibility subject to hearing severity and experience.

Please call our clinic for details at 519-669-4425.

The performance is part of an ongoing home concert series, with the first kicking off earlier this month. The concerts take place in venues all across the Waterloo Region, with the Wellesley location being the third in the series.

There will be two more in the series, taking place August 13 and August 20 in Baden.

Runs are held annually across the country as a fundraiser for cancer research in the name of Terry Fox, continuing his effort to raise money by running across Canada.

“It’s a way of getting a lot closer to the performer, but also a fantastic way to raise money for cancer research in Terry’s name,” said Gordijk of the upcoming house concert.

The Wellesley fundraiser is scheduled for August 11 from 4-6 p.m. Registration can be done online at EventBrite.com.

Celebrating 20+ years in business

JULIANE SHANTZ DOCTOR OF AUDIOLOGY

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