BIA briefs
Events and updates in the downtown core were shared among Thorold’s business community at a monthly BIA meeting held Wednesday.
Art on the Front invites shoppers to enjoy a rotating selection of art and artists appearing downtown from 5 to 8 p.m. on the second Thursday of each month. Participating venues include the Yoga Centre of Niagara, Chapel Street Designs, Figg Street Company, and Shannon Passero’s Post Office.
Plans are underway for Thorold’s annual Car Show July 21, continuing partnerships with the Thorold Lions Club and Youth Unlimited organizations and featuring a barbecue at the Thorold Community Credit Union.
Building on last year’s successful Puppy Parade, a second is planned—welcoming owners and dogs to parade throughout Thorold dressed in Halloween costumes—for Saturday, Oct. 27.
Jean D’Amelio Swyer urged business owners to make their shops more age-friendly. As chair of Thorold’s Age Friendly committee, she explained those efforts will benefit not only people aged 55 and older but all citizens—including those using wheelchairs and walkers and parents pushing strollers, among others.
Provincial rules mandate that by 2025, “They will have to be age-friendly,” she said. “Hopefully, within the next couple years we will have some improvements to sidewalks” and other public areas.
D’Amelio Swyer said those merchants who have met the criteria—such as ensuring entrances have ramps and buildings are free of indoor and outdoor hazards—will be presented with certificates and window stickers during an Info Fair to be held at the Seniors’ Centre on June 20. The fair starts at 9 a.m. and certificates will be handed out at 10 a.m. Bowls of chili will be available for $2, and city staff will announce the senior citizen of the year.
Scott Davidson of Lumina Media invited merchants to advertise on his outdoor bins, which double as receptacles for litter as well as recyclable products.
“It’s recycling, which cleans up the streets, plus it’s an inexpensive way to advertise 24-7,” he stated.
According to Davidson, business owners have told him that “Litter has gone down drastically” since the dozen or so bins have been installed on pads downtown.
Help Adam fight
Thorold Fire Chief Brian Dickson said it will be all hands on deck this Saturday to raise funds to help eight-year-old Adam Egerter as he battles Stage 4 brain cancer.
“Firefighters from every station, from both full-time and volunteer ranks, will be at Richmond Street School to help run a charity car wash and barbeque,” said the Chief; “everyone will be there.”
Dickson told ThoroldNews they’re holding the event at the school because, “Adam’s classmates and the school have been so amazing in their support of his fight. This is a member of our family; the son of a firefighter at (Fire) Station 4. ”
Adam has been undergoing treatment at McMaster Sick Kids and Juravinski hospitals in Hamilton.
“The car wash will be offered for a donation, but we will be selling food,” said Dickson. “There will also be fire trucks and mascot Sparky on hand for the kids.”
The event runs from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. this Saturday, May 19, and all proceeds will go to support the Egerter family. The school is at 153 Richmond St., Thorold.
Denis Morris take Henderson Pharmacy baseball tournament
It was Denis Morris emerging as the championship in the Henderson Pharmacy High School Baseball tournament this week. Four teams competed from Governor Simcoe, Sir Winston Churchill, Thorold Secondary School and Denis Morris.
Thorold and Denis Morris squared off in the finals after both teams had two wins and one loss in the earlier rounds.Thorold and Governor Simcoe played a tough semi-final game with the lead changing hands four times. Governor Simcoe jumped out to a 4-1 lead early, but in the end Thorold won 7-6 to advance against Denis Morris.
Kyle D'Angela from DM was named the tournament MVP and he lead the team in the final game to a 13-3 victory. He had an inside the park Grand Slam and &RBI's to take the award.
Community hops on board to Help Beaverdams Church
“How Great Thou Art” was the theme that united art-lovers with local photographers, sculptors and artists Sunday, as The Friends of Beaverdams Church kick-started their latest campaign: to replace aged, crumbling clapboard on the historic church’s exterior.
Artists and art-lovers alike filled Club Capri Sunday for the Friends ’ third fundraising lunch, art show and silent auction, united in restoring the heritage site to its former glory.
Despite the $90,000 estimate to replace the siding, Friends President David Cowan remains undaunted.
“It sounds scary,” he addressed the crowd, reminding them that the Friends have already raised $85,000 to lay a new foundation, $10,000 for a new metal roof, and a substantial sum for custom windows.
“This time last year, we were hoping to pay for some windows,” stated Cowan, “and now they are all paid for. An exact replica of an 1832 window costs $2,000 to build so we needed to raise between $50,000 to $60,000 and we were able to raise that in six months.”
After acknowledging the $25,000 and $10,000 contributions made by the Ontario Paper Company and Ontario Power Generation, respectively, Cowan said, “But mostly, they were just everyday donations from people like us.”
While a dozen windows have already been installed, the remaining 14 are expected to go in this month. Once complete, the windows will be “exactly as it appeared in 1832,” he said, since some “were covered over 110 years ago.”
“The new siding will arrive pre-painted with two coats of paint and a 50-year warranty against decay.”
Cowan also thanked consulting engineer Mark Shoalts for guiding the group since the restoration project’s inception. “He advises us who the best contractors are to do it properly and not too expensively. We just could not do it without him.”
Shoalts said the new windows and siding will make a dramatic difference in the church’s overall appearance.
“We’re looking forward to the real visual impact that’s going to make,” he said. “This is the one everybody’s going to see and get excited about.”
Addressing the issue of siding colour, “White is maybe boring,” said Shoalts, “but meeting houses were done almost entirely in white,” and the Friends want it to look authentic.
While pointing out that $2,000 will buy 100 square feet of clapboards, $250 will buy 10 square feet, and $200 will purchase trim for the gable, Cowan said donations of less than $100 will help buy needed hardware and nails. He emphasized that any and all donations will be gratefully received.
Downtown Thorold Market grand opening
Since ancient times, townspeople have made the trek to their local marketplace to buy food.
Saturday, June 9 marks the grand opening of Thorold’s Downtown Market, located at 6 Ormond Street South.
From 8 a.m. till noon, every Saturday morning until the end of September, shoppers can purchase local, fresh produce, homemade perogies and pies, freshly made hummus and peanut butter, artisan breads and specialty items like pickled carrots, green beans, tomato jam and marmalade, lavender shortbread and food-grade lavender, exotic jellies, jams and honey, along with herbed butters, relishes and pickles.
In addition to food, the market will feature succulents and plants, fresh cut sunflowers, bee items and handmade soy and citronella candles, along with essential oils and aromatherapy jewellery.
Other vendors and artisans will sell everything from weighted blankets to children’s books on a rotating basis throughout the summer.
No need to worry about inclement weather, since there’s also an indoor component to the market.
“We are so excited to be able to bring this venue to the Thorold community and people in the surrounding areas, said Carrie Cottage, operator of the Downtown Thorold Market. “As most of us know, Thorold’s downtown core has come a long way in a short time, thanks to local investors, new thinkers and local business people. It is so good to see new interest, growth and positive change.”
The intent of the market, she added, is to produce a positive cultural and economic impact for the local downtown core, with the market becoming a key piece in the vibrancy of the community. As more residents live in the downtown area, the market will naturally become a local option for their food and wholesome lifestyle supplies, and is expected to grow in popularity as more people choose to live, dine, work, play, and shop downtown.
“The Downtown Thorold Market is a definite draw to this area and will prosper with the community’s support as we all grow together.”
Cirque de Soleil comes to Thorold fundraiser
A glimmer into the world of Cirque de Soleil appeared last Friday evening at John Michael's Banquet Centre in Thorold South.
Revel Realty hosted a black-tie gala in support of Project Share.
Michelle Tworek, Executive Host for Revel Realty and MC for the evening told the Thorold News, “We're focused on giving back to the community and host various events through the year in support of Project Share and those in need, which is why we added the amazing dimension to the Revel brand – Our Revel Charity Ball.”
Revel president Ryan Serravelle welcomed Niagara Falls Mayor Jim Diodati as his special guest at the impressive event. The banquet centre was filled with 360 guests. They and 10 sponsors helped Revel to make a donation of $21,400 to Project Share.
Play volleyball, help Sick Kids
The passing of a beloved four-year-old boy 11 years ago has been responsible for raising more than $80,000 for sick children and their families.
“On May 1, 2007, we lost the most important person in our lives due to a sudden illness,” said Jennifer Douthwaite; “our four-year-old son, Aiden. Through our experience, we have made it our mission to honour our son’s short life by raising funds for Toronto SickKids Hospital Critical Care Unit.”
During their son’s illness, Jennifer and her husband Mark spent a great deal of time at the hospital, where she said “Aiden received the most amazing care by some of the top doctors and nurses in the world. They genuinely cared for our son and not only tended to his medical needs but showed a great amount of love and care for him and our family. I have never been to a hospital that showed so much compassion and truly cared about what was happening. His team of doctors went to every extreme to try and save him but unfortunately, it wasn't meant to be. They made sure they were with us right until the end, supporting us and guiding us through the most difficult and heartbreaking time of our lives.”
After their lives “turned in a direction completely unexpected,” the Doutwaites decided to raise money for families experiencing similar heartbreaking circumstances.
“Until you are there, you don’t realize how many children and families from the Niagara Region need the special care that SickKids offers,” said Douthwaite, who works as Recreation & Leisure Coordinator at the Thorold Community Activities Group (TCAG).
In 2008, a stag and doe type fundraiser kicked off the couple’s mission; then in 2009 changed to Smash 4 SickKids, a co-ed volleyball tournament; “a fun and easy way for people to contribute and include their families. We really wanted an event that would bring people together and share in the joy of family and friends.”
From 12 teams that first year, the event has grown to 28 teams, including many returning participants from across Niagara—with the majority from St. Catharines and Thorold—and new teams signing up each year. Their smashing success has enabled the couple to donate more than $80,000 to The SickKids Foundation’s Critical Care Unit, in memory of Aiden.
“The continued support is just incredible and we are so grateful to all our participants, donors, sponsors and volunteers giving us the opportunity to run this event every year,” said Douthwaite.
Saturday, August 11 will mark their 10th Annual Smash 4 SickKids at Sunset Beach in St. Catharines. The tournament takes place from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. and features both recreational and intermediate 6's divisions.
“Because of the support received through this event, important advances have been made in child health,” said Emily Clark, of the SickKids Foundation Events Department. “The future promise of SickKids rests upon the availability of more funds to provide support services for new advances in diagnosis, treatment and care. The proceeds from this event will help us fulfill this promise. The (Smash 4 SickKids) organizers are both passionate advocates of paediatric health and loyal supporters of SickKids. We hope that you will join them in making an indelible mark on The Hospital for Sick Children.”
Anyone wishing to donate a prize or sign up to play can call 289-213-4901 or e-mail [email protected]
Henderson headlining to help historic church
Donna Cowan foresees great things in the future for Beaverdams.
While she and her husband David continue leading the charge to restore the village’s 1832 iconic church, they envision weddings, quilt shows and a host of cultural events taking place at the completion of its heritage restoration.
“Anyone who lived in Beaverdams and went to that church said it was such a wonderful experience,” she explained. “We’ve got the oldest member who went to Sunday school and young families, and now we’re starting to draw on the next generation” among its many determined restoration supporters.
“We want it to be used by the community.”
To make that happen, the Cowans and their Friends of Beaverdams fundraising group plans to feature four events in the next five weeks.
First up, volunteers are welcome to help clean the church and grounds as the Friends hold their annual opening and cleanup morning on Saturday, May 26.
The event will run rain or shine, from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., though helpers will be welcome “even if they can come for an hour,” she added. “Lunch will be provided, thanks to the Beaverdams neighbours.”
The cleanup is being held to prepare for the annual church service at Beaverdams, which welcomes Trinity United Church members, and anyone else who wishes to attend, on Sunday, June 3 at 10:30 a.m.
On Saturday, June 9, St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church will present a concert by its former organist Andrew Henderson, who’s now organist at Madison Avenue Presbyterian Church in New York City.
Henderson is planning to visit his hometown Thorold that week, and “graciously offered” to lend his support towards the Beaverdams church restoration efforts by playing at his childhood church, explained Cowan. A reception will follow in St. Andrew’s church hall, located on the corner of Clairmont and Ormond Streets.
The fourth event takes place Saturday, June 16 as the Friends host a yard sale at Beaverdams Church from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Marlatts Road. Volunteers are needed to help make the event a success, and can call Donna at 905-227-7556 for information. A rain date is scheduled for June 23.
Grow Your Power with Introduction to Mediumship
Dorry Rice was not yet three years old when she had her first spiritual encounter.
“I saw spirit in my bedroom at 31 months old on the occasion of my 17-month-old sister’s death,” she told the Thorold News.
A native of Aberdeen, Scotland, she came to Canada at age six.
“When I was in my 20s, a medium who came to visit me because she felt I needed healing—which I did at the time—stood behind me after the energy healing and asked me to share what I was experiencing. First I smelled something; then I saw stone walls, low lights; a rectangular object in front of me with light shining down on it. I could hear murmuring, or chanting in the background.”
On her 2006 trip to Assisi, Rice said she was still numb and grieving the loss of her husband two years previously.
“He died in 2004, but I had a business to run and didn’t give into grief at the time, and I had been railing at God to tell me what I was supposed to do with my life.”
What happened next was life-altering.
“In the lower crypt I was sitting in a pew with my eyes closed, again, letting God have it, when a loud masculine voice boomed inside my head, ‘In all thy ways acknowledge him and he shall direct thy paths.’ That Bible verse was inscribed in a Bible I got when I was 17 and I had put it away and never looked at it again.”
“When I looked up, I saw stone walls, very low lights; there was murmuring from far off as the monks were saying a mass. There was a rectangular object in front of me: the bier of St. Francis of Assisi and there was a light shining down upon it. When I realized this was my vision from over 30 years ago, I burst into tears and my friend had to help me outside. When I calmed, an amazing sense of bliss overcame me—lasting maybe 10 seconds. The despair was gone and I never again felt it.”
As if to reassure her, that same Bible verse has repeatedly shown up in odd places ever since, stated Rice, who bought a throw with the phrase written on it, spotted while having lunch at a restaurant.
After having careers that ranged from secretary corporate law clerk to Florida real estate agent, and 13 years as a business owner, Rice studied mediumship formally with teachers from Lily Dale, NY, Florida, Canada and the UK. She practiced Buddhist Meditation and currently leads a mediumship development Circle at Spiritualist Society of Burlington, where she’s attended since 2011.
“Everyone searches for meaning and purpose in life and developing a relationship with your inner self is the first step on any spiritual journey,” she believes.
“It is my earnest desire to leave breadcrumbs on the spiritual path so you may find your own way to growth, empowerment, happiness and peace.”
Rice will lead an Introduction to Mediumship workshop this Saturday, June 2 at the Yoga Centre of Niagara, 24A Front Street South. The $70 event runs from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and covers a variety of topics, including: the differences between a psychic and medium, growing your power, meditation—the pathway to awareness, altered states of consciousness, and others.
Yoga Centre owner Laurie-Anne Lamothe said Rice taught her to trust her instincts and intuition, and she’s hosting this “life-affirming workshop” to teach people how to discover and develop their own sense of connection.
“At one time, self-doubt ruled me,” said Lamothe. “I didn’t really trust myself and I certainly didn’t trust my intuition. I was not grounded and easily swayed. All that changed when I met Dorry Rice. She slowly and carefully taught me how to rebuild my self-confidence and renew my connection to my intuitive voice. Dorry is a skilled and very patient teacher. She taught me the difference between discernment and dependence. I learned how to step into my own gifts and stand on my own two feet.”
“Spiritual development and mediumship development is also personal development and everyone benefits from meditation, reflection and introspection,” said Rice. “Becoming mindful, awake and aware makes for a kinder, more compassionate individual.”
Jenkins cooking up a new life in Thorold
The seventh best “home cook” in the country just moved to Thorold.
After proving she could conjure up everything from complicated desserts to fancy full-course feasts—all on extremely tight deadlines—Dawson Creek native Jen Jenkins was eliminated from this week’s MasterChef Canada competition, foiled by a single peppercorn.
Having never shucked or prepared an oyster in her life, the recent Grande Prairie, Alberta resident faced an intensely fast-paced oyster “shuck-off” against two competitors; then had to prepare three different types of oyster dishes. The competition was so close, the three chef judges said it came down to not grinding just one peppercorn coarsely enough that sent Jenkins packing—to her new home in Thorold.
After a month-long absence from her husband—Thorold native Devon Jenkins—and the couple’s three-year-old daughter Scarlett, “My husband could not be happier,” Jenkins told the Thorold News, to be back in his hometown with his family.
“This has been a long time coming for him. He planned on coming home after only a year out west, but once we met and started our relationship, it kept him there much longer than he anticipated. Totally worth the wait. He left Thorold with a hockey bag and came back with a wife and child.”
Jenkins, age 28, said she has “yet to be recognized here in Thorold, but back in Dawson Creek and Grande Prairie, I did many times” since her weekly appearances on the popular TV cooking program.
Plagued by self-doubts in the past, “I learned that I am so much better than I could have ever imagined,” she told ThoroldNews. “Years ago, I had the chance to go to cooking school but I thought, ‘Why would they want someone like me’? I’m done standing in my own way.”
Jenkins said contestants were not supplied with any instructions after being told what dish to make.
“There were absolutely no recipes; you had to go off of what you knew, and what you could come up with, even if it meant improvising. They allowed us to taste and look but no direction given to aid in our completion. The most surprising for me was how well I work under pressure. I always assumed that I would crack under pressure but I didn’t. I surprise myself more and more.”
From cooking dozens of donuts for dog owners in a park kitchen to preparing a three-course feast for seven famous Order of Canada recipients at the McMichael Art Gallery, Jenkins passed several high-pressure solo and group tests during her MasterChef stint.
“We have no doubt that you are one of the finest home cooks in this country,” said chef/judge Michael Bonacini, congratulating her for also being “a team player and a friend; which is why you are a great role model for your daughter;” the main reason Jenkins cited for entering the contest.
Fuelled by newfound confidence, Jenkins said there’s “absolutely” a food truck in her future, her lifelong dream.
“I plan on getting into the harvesting community as well as the restaurant world before I start (culinary) school in October of this year, and look forward to honing my skills and eventually creating my food truck to be a farm-to-food truck.”
Lion Dance Steals Show at Pho 18
Joined by their daughter Tiffany and sons Kevin Tang and Dylan Tang, owners Andy Tang and his wife Jenny Tran held their restaurant’s official grand opening Saturday. Located at the corner of Clairmont and Ormond Streets, Pho 18 serves fresh Vietnamese and Asian fusion food.
Servers Sammie Nguyen and Linh Pham wore traditional Vietnamese garb for the official opening.
Celebratory drumming and the clashing of cymbals accompanied a special Lion Dance at Pho 18 Saturday. The centuries-old tradition dates back to ancient times, “when animals would come and destroy the crops,” said Kin Sze, of Bamboo Kung Fu, hired by Pho 18 owners to entertain invited guests at the opening. “So they used loud noises and lion puppets to scare them away. When there is a business opening, it’s part of the culture” and designed to bring good luck, he told ThoroldNews.
Measner Left Green Mark on Thorold
Don Measner was a native of Wisconsin, but during his decades as a Thorold resident, he planted many deep roots and left a legacy of community contributions.
Raised on a family farm on the St. Croix River, Measner moved to Thorold in 1970 and passed away on May 4, 2018 in Hamilton at age 93.
As a Thorold Horticultural Society board member for several continuous terms, he initiated the Tree of Life planting program at Lakeview Cemetery to honour members who died in the preceding year, which still continues to this day.
Under his leadership, the Society’s annual plant sale grew from a small pre-meeting event to a major fundraiser, and long-time THS member Patsy Ingoldsby said Measner also revived Arbor Day plantings in Thorold, joining THS members in donating trees and shrubs to plant at Thorold schools, assisted by students and teachers. Afterward, he took “keen delight” in driving past the schools to see how “our trees” were doing.
For 27 years, he produced the Green Thumb newsletter; writing, editing, photocopying and delivering monthly issues to help local gardeners.
Ingoldsby found it “Amazing how he went from isolated poverty (in childhood) to being a prof at Brock” University, where he met—and married Josephine (“Jo”) Meeker, who was a professor there as well.
With $110 in his pocket ($100 for tuition and $10 to live on until he found part-time employment), the young Measner attended the University of Michigan, determined to study Landscape Architecture. At one time, he held five different part-time jobs and a full schedule of studies.
At the end of the first year, he was drafted and served in the European Front as a radio operator in the heavy artillery battalion. When war ended in Europe, he returned to the U.S. battalion for re-deployment of the battalion for the invasion of Japan.
He returned to university and during the Korean War, served as Landscape Architect for a new area of Arlington National Cemetery in Washington, D.C., before being assigned as a geographic attaché with the American Embassy in Turkey. Following the services, Measner entered private life as a cartographer and map editor at Rand McNally, and at Hagstrom’s in New York City, also working for a company which sent him to Toronto to establish a branch of mapping and architectural drafting.
He took pride in helping edit The Historical Atlas of Canada, Vol. 2, the 19th Century, which has won universal acclaim and is found in libraries all over the world.
Measner passionately promoted horticultural and environmental issues to Thorold city council, and was awarded the Canada 125 Medal by the Canadian government for his environmental efforts, including his pursuit to having the milkweed plant removed from the noxious weed list, years before it actually happened.
At Don’s request, there will be no funeral. A celebration of life will take place in July at McMaster University, where he and Jo were married.
Canadian comedy premiere coming to Thorold
Almost everyone has taken trips that were nothing like the travel brochure.
Actress/singer Catherine Clarkson and her husband spent a week in Puerto Vallarta that went so horribly wrong, she wrote a comedy show about it.
Called Mr. & Miss Adventure, the World Premiere of her one-woman show was unleashed in Mexico to a sold-out audience last year, and in two weeks she’ll perform the Canadian Premiere in Thorold.
The special dinner theatre show is being presented by Thorold Community Theatre and Trinity United Church as a fundraiser for the church on Friday, June 15 and Saturday, June 16 at Trinity’s Community Hall.
“The fundraiser is my way of paying Thorold Community Theatre back for all the years I worked on their stage,” Clarkson told the Thorold News. “Whenever I auditioned, they gave me a part and Thorold’s kind of a sweet spot.”
Born in Toronto, Clarkson moved to Niagara as a child, and began vocal lessons at age 15. Classical voice lessons followed, launching her into Niagara’s music scene as sole vocalist for several bands. In addition to acting in and directing many Niagara theatre productions, Clarkson starred in solo musical performances at the Oakville Performing Arts Centre, captured both Best Actor and Best Supporting Actor in Starfire Theatre One Act Festival, and played Blanche in a vignette from Street Car Named Desire for Shaw Festival’s Grown-Up Theatre Club Showcase.
Graduating to Conservatory with Second City, she was hostess for a live television talk show on Cogeco Cable TV and a principal actor in corporate videos, commercials and many independent films, and appeared in the world’s largest and longest running Lip Sync Production as well as regular live singing gigs with Larry Sulky in Mexico, where she’s actively involved in the theatre and live music scene.
And while she’s performed in several comedic shows with TCT and other troupes, Mr. & Miss Adventure marked her first stab at stand-up.
“The first time ever that I attempted stand-up, it was pretty scary,” she confessed, “but it’s my story, so it makes it easier if it’s a true story. I was always keen to make people laugh and I always gravitate to them (Thorold Community Theatre). TCT has an incredible following and they fill the seats. It’s a wonderful experience and I’m still pinching myself. I feel so blessed to perform it.”
The “misadventure” happened about five years ago, she said, during a trip that turned into “a series of unfortunate events. The things that happened to us, you wouldn’t believe.”
“But that has nothing to do with Mexicans themselves,” she hastened to add. At the Mexican premiere, “We had the theatre director announce that we still love the Mexican people. It could happen to anyone on any trip anywhere. There are only two bits that are stretching the truth, so I will get people to guess what they were” at the end of the show.
Book Depot become Thorold’s largest employer
The book business is here to stay, says Book Depot CEO Wilf Wikkerink.
Most people envisioned the demise of books as the rolling digital age swept away newspapers, magazines, phone books, encyclopedias and television guides. And while those reading e-books and online publications rose quickly in numbers, they have begun to recede at a substantial pace.
One might expect the CEO of the world's second largest book reseller to make these claims but Wikkerink has the facts, figures and success stories to back his claim. The Book Depot took over the abandoned paper mill on Front St. North in 2002 and has grown into Thorold's biggest employer. Today is boasts 210 employees with another 40 set to start later this month so a second shift can be added.
Niagara Music Awards launches
Niagara is teeming with talent, says Todd Brown, and its thriving musical fan base fuels the economy.
The man at the helm of the Niagara Music Awards has made it his mission to marry the area’s many venue owners and promoters with the wealth of performers who draw tourists as well as locals.
Welland singer Jessica Wilson kicked off this year’s official Niagara Music Awards launch party at Johnny Rocco’s Restaurant in St. Catharines Wednesday night.
The proud winner of the People’s Choice trophy at last year’s Awards, Wilson is in demand, playing hundreds of gigs a year, including the upcoming Springlicious Street Festival in Niagara Falls.
“I started singing before I could talk,” she told ThoroldNews. Performing publicly since age 11, she “picked up the guitar at 15, and was playing across Niagara at age 16.” Trained in the Triple Threat musical theatre arts program, she also dances and acts, and now has her sights set on musical theatre.
It’s precisely people like Wilson that Brown loves to promote.
Brad Battle is another. Last year, he captured Country Artist of the Year and Songwriter of the Year, two major NMA awards, and just this week launched his first single, Crazy Beautiful, that’s getting airplay on the radio.
The St. Catharines resident is headed to the Country Music Association of Ontario awards on June 3.
The 2018 NMA will highlight a week-long Niagara talent showcase, kicking off Sept. 22 and ending with the 11th Red Carpet Event Sept. 30. A live NMA website—including countdown—was launched May 24.
This year, 32 awards will be handed out, up from 25 last year, said Cooper Smith, “and we’re keeping the location a secret.”
Smith, the NMA’s marketing, media and sponsorship guru, said, “We’re excited to welcome back our performers and a number of new locations have opened up—brand new venues, and we’re super excited to partner with a number of musical artists,” he added.
“This (NMA) platform allows everyone in all genres to come together and enhance their work and their creativity, as well as bring recognition to the artists. This year, we have so many sponsors saying they want to be included and we’re providing the hub for artists and helping them be successful.”
Smith named notable NMA winners, such as Ron Sexsmith, Tim Hicks, Spencer MacKenzie, and Street Pharmacy. “They have all gone on to huge platforms,” like the TD Jazz Festival and the winter Winefest.
“Since day one of these awards, it’s infusing tourism, economic development and being part of the downtown cores and the wineries that have come on board, and we cannot wait to work with the Canal Bank Shuffle,” he added, which collaborated with the NMA for the first time last summer by sponsoring a blues showcase at Donnelly’s Pub in Thorold.
Brown has been involved since year five. “Everything is based on ‘Together, we accomplish more.’ We can do that through NMA to make them more successful.”
With 300,000 NMA Facebook visits, “Artists are getting more hits on their Spotify page and now we’ve taken on the role of ambassador through the Canadian Chamber of Commerce. We’ve met with the mayors and tourism boards and engaged people to build that for us and engaged in our exciting growth and physical presence, which will be unprecedented in the region.”
Brown cited Daisy Duke’s as one example. The popular new St. Catharines bar “was an empty space so we did our pop-up there and made minor changes and made it country-based and brought in Nashville musicians, and now they’re running three nights a week and hired five staff and musicians. So we know it works. We drive traffic to it.”
More info is available at https://niagaramusicawards.ca
See Thorold from two wheels
If anyone’s ever wanted to see the world from a Segway, Guillaume Donnat can teach you how in about a minute. His new Thorold business is rolling right along, and taking tourists and residents for a ride.
During the spring/summer season, Niagara Segway Tours offers different tours on two wheels; one that glides along the Welland Canal’s Twin Locks—which takes an hour—and a second that tours Lock 7, about an hour and a half in length.
His personal transporter tours aren’t limited to Thorold, though; as Donnat also escorts groups of up to eight Segway riders through Port Dalhousie, as well as around Henry of Pelham’s rolling vineyards, saving a tasting in the underground cellar as the final stop.
For those who prefer firmer ground, Donnat is also hosting walking tours which start in the historic Battle of Beaverdams Park and stroll to Lock 7 while also highlighting local businesses downtown.
“It’s a history tour but I’m trying to involve as many businesses as possible,” he explained. “I’m doing some tours as well on the Mini Pro (a smaller version, with no handle), which is “easier for older people. Lots of people have it on their bucket list,” he said, adding that frequently his customers come to celebrate their birthdays.
“When you just want to have fun but it’s safe and slow, it’s fun to ride Segways.”
The city’s tourism agent, Sue Morin, said, “Heritage was identified as a priority by city council, and therefore, it’s part of our mandate to deliver on anything that capitalizes on our Prince Charles heritage award and designation,” Morin added. “I think it’s visionary for Donnat to include the businesses” in his tours, she said. “As a person who’s been in tourism for many years, I can tell you that’s what sells.”
Having spent time living in his wife’s native Chile, Australia and Dublin, Ireland, Donnat bought the Segway business last year when the former owner retired, and moved to Thorold from Mississauga with his wife and two children.
Further details are available at www.niagarasegway.ca
Port Robinson walkway, part 2
Exactly one month after Port Robinson residents packed their community centre to question why their pedestrian bridge was blocked, a second public meeting was held, updating them on the pathway’s progress.
Taking into consideration concerns ranging from residents’ safety to turtles’ nesting seasons, city staff has been pondering the best way to proceed, and decided to construct a temporary asphalt walkway—about 1.5 metres in width— at a cost of $125,000.
A much smaller crowd attended the second public meeting Wednesday night, in which engineering manager Sean Dunsmore outlined the city’s options.
“We took the feedback from our last public meeting and identified that there is a need for a connection” from the south side of Port Robinson to the hamlet’s hub, he said, where a park, restaurant and other services are located. He said that asphalt is the “easiest, cheapest, and it accommodates wheelchairs.”
He also addressed Port Robinson resident Ron Devereux’s concerns about construction destroying the area’s nesting turtles, expressed at the previous meeting.
“We’ve been talking to the NPCA and the Ministry of Natural Resources, and are thinking of creating a habitat for them so we can use that trail. We can see them starting to burrow into the road, so we’re contemplating putting in a habitat for them. Our schedule for the temporary work is as soon as possible, but not interfering with the turtles. I believe their nesting season is in June, but haven’t got clarification from the MNR on that, so we may do it immediately after that.”
Dunsmore has a contractor ready to do the work, and said construction of the walkway would take from three to four weeks. The next phase is “to go through the environmental process as to what to do with the bridge,” which means more public meetings will be held throughout the summer and fall.
Devereux said that building the temporary sidewalk along the lower shelf is “Doing a lot more work than you need to do. What happened to the one lane of traffic on the road with the traffic lights?”
It would be “about double the cost to do the light scenario,” replied Dunsmore, referring to Coun. Jim Handley’s suggestion made at the April 23 meeting to install stoplights and barriers to reduce traffic to one lane, forcing cars to slow down and make the road safer if pedestrians were rerouted to the busy street. That project’s cost would range from about $250,000 to $275,000.
Asked, “Why not just go ahead and get the bridge fixed?” Dunsmore said, “That’s going to take us two years,” so a solution is needed in the meantime.
He explained an environmental assessment isn’t required to demolish the bridge, but acts “as a tool to help with decisions. The decision needs to be made as to whether we’re going to repair the bridge or not.”
Dunsmore said the city is bound by the Environmental Assessment Act. “Once we decide we’re not going to tear down the bridge, we have to go through the process and further study, and we will absolutely do that. It’s going to evaluate the option of rehabilitating versus replacing or demolishing it. All we’re trying to do is create a temporary solution so that you aren’t inconvenienced.”
Inviting residents to record all their comments in written forms provided at the meeting, Dunsmore said the city met with “three or four contractors,” and quoted the bridge’s demolition at a cost of $400,000.
He added, “There is opportunity for doing some structural rehab but that’s going to be expensive, too. As a quick estimate from my experience, repairing is a half million (dollars). Replacing is in the $200,000 to $300,000” range, and rehab—if done—would “probably” take place next summer.
While some residents continued to argue that the bridge is safe to walk across, Dunsmore reiterated the city’s position that the deteriorating support structures below “the relic” bridge make it unsafe.
“Something has to be done to get you safely across the canal for the time being,” said Coun. Tim Whalen. “It’s a temporary and safe solution. The last thing we want is for someone to get hurt.”
Bargains, books, barbecue in Port Robinson
If you love a good bargain, Port Robinson’s the place to be on the weekend of June 2 and June 3.
Garage sales spanning multiple homes in Port Robinson as well as the nearby Cooks Mills community will start bright and early at 8 a.m. and run—regardless of the weather—until 2 p.m. on Saturday.
On average, about 40 homes take part in the annual event, said Port Robinson Proud member Nancy Waters.
Volunteers from the Port Robinson Community Centre Board will also host a fundraising barbecue at the Centre Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., as well as a book sale, offering “all the books you can carry in a bag” at the discount price of just $2 per bag.
On Sunday, all are welcome to attend a free community Pancake breakfast at the community centre immediately following the monthly Port Robinson Community Church service, led by Allanburg resident, Pastor Clint Sears from 11 a.m. to noon. The event will also feature children's activities and crafts.
Further information can be found at: www.facebook.com/portrobinsoncommunitycentre
Restricted parking pilot program in West Confederation
The fire department’s inability to respond to a fire call has resulted in a restricted parking pilot program being created in the West Confederation community.
Narrow streets compounded with the problem of double-parking prevented fire trucks from getting through to a call last year, which created safety concerns, explained the city’s Engineering Technician, Kory Yungblut.
At its May 15 meeting, Thorold council passed a bylaw to regulate parking and traffic related to restricted parking on various streets narrower than 7.8 metres in width, which will be enforced when all the signs are installed, said Yungblut, “probably in the next one or two weeks.”
The city is in the process of distributing notices in the next couple days to inform residents who live within the pilot program area, he added.
“It’s a pilot program for now, and after a while, we’re going to review it and see what other neighbourhoods” might require parking reduced to one side of the street.
Below is a chart outlining the affected streets.
Books are Thorold’s biggest business
A city that was built on paper is now being carried forward by the book business.
“The book business is here to stay,” says Book Depot CEO Wilf Wikkerink.
One might expect the CEO of the world's second largest book reseller to make these claims but Wikkerink has the facts, figures and success stories to back his assertion.
Most people envisioned the demise of books as the rolling waves of the digital age swept away newspapers, magazines, phone books, encyclopedias and television guides.
And while those reading e-books and online publications rose quickly in numbers, they have begun to recede at a substantial pace.
It’s fitting that The Book Depot took over the abandoned paper mill on Front St. North in 2002. This city once relied on the paper industry as its key employer but now the Book Depot has grown into Thorold’s biggest workplace. Today it boasts 210 employees with another 40 set to start later this month when a second shift is added.
The business buys remainder books from publishers and resells them online at www.bookdepot.com, through its own retail Book Outlet on Welland Avenue in St. Catharines, or back to original retail outlets like Chapters or Coles.
In an interview with ThoroldNews, Wikkerink said, "We've seen a marked decline in the amount of e-books sold in the last three or four years. They peaked at about 30 per cent of the overall revenue of a particular book. But that's been in decline and I believe the recent stats show that less than 20 per cent of books are read electronically."
In addition to the decline in e-readership, Wikkerink says they have grown through acquisition of other resellers and through automation.
In 2010, the warehouse operation began to automate its sorting and inventory capabilities. They have invested nearly $1 million annually since then. Robots, scanners and an extensive conveyor system have greatly increased efficiency and freed up space.
You might expect automation to result in job reductions but the opposite has happened at the Book Depot.
"Automation helps with better utilization of space, allowing us to grow and so we need more people. When we use the space more efficiently, processing more books through the sorting machine, that drives up demand which means we have to pack and ship more books," explained Wikkerink. "All that means we still need lots of good people."
"In fact, up until two years ago, we sorted books manually. But that takes up a ton of space. It used to take up 50,000 square feet of our operation but automation has reduced that to 10,000 square feet. So we're sorting more books in a much smaller footprint."
And the growth doesn't end with automation. Last week they entered into a new chapter in their growth.
"We purchased the intellectual property of a small publishing house now making us publishers of children's books. This is new. As much as we have millions of books in this warehouse, we weren’t previously publishers," explained the CEO.
"It's a milestone for us as a company. We now own content and we can create products. It's a new line of business for us and it opens up new opportunities here. Selling more books in the market place means we need more hands here to sell, to package the books, to ship them out, etc. Since it was an intellectual purchase there was no physical property but there are writers, creators, and illustrators who will stay with the business," he explained.
Wikkerink says, "We're all about physical books - that's the business we're in. We're good at it."
He concluded, "We're excited to be part of the Niagara community and providing employment to many people. We want to thank the many loyal customers who frequent our Book Outlet store in St. Catharines but also to our many, many loyal team members, some of whom have been here for many years. We have a lot of great people and great customers."
Buy meat, support a local athlete
Just in time for barbecue season, the Thorold Elite Track Club is selling boxes of Big Red Meats.
Coach and club founder Steven Fife said organizers of the fundraiser will accept meat orders until Friday, May 11. By e-mailing him at [email protected] or calling 905-348-2214, people can purchase 11-pound boxes of bacon, chicken fingers, burgers, and Lesters jumbo hot dogs for $45 each; peameal bacon for $40; and breakfast sausage for $35. Orders will be available the following week.
The Thorold Elite Track club was founded in 2016 with the goal of increasing participation in the sport by creating a club for any and all athletes in track and field that was affordable and would remove some of the other potential barriers to participation, explained Fife.
The money raised from the meat sale will help fund equipment as well as defray the cost of competing at the Youth National Track and Field Championships in August in Brandon, Manitoba—an event that will cost approximately $1,000 per athlete. Last year, five athletes from the club competed, including one who was selected to represent Team Ontario. This year, Fife said the club expects to have double the number of athletes qualify to compete among the best in Canada.
Although originally based in Thorold, the club welcomes athletes all across Niagara and currently has almost 50 members ranging from grade 3 to grade 12. Most athletes are in the grade 6-10 age group and range in skill levels from those who are new to training to those who have competed at the provincial or national level. The club offers training for all event groups in track and field, including sprints, hurdles, distance/cross country, jumping, and throwing.
Besides Fife, who coaches all the event groups, there are now four part-time coaches as well. As the club continues to expand, Fife hopes to further increase the coaching staff and raise funds to meet the growing group’s needs and support future training and competition endeavours.
In addition to the meat sale, the club is holding an ongoing bottle drive. If you have any empty liquor cans or bottles you would like to donate, Fife asks that you contact him and a club member would be happy to pick them up.
More information about the Thorold Elite Track Club is available at www.thoroldelitetc.ca.
Serravalle Signs three-book deal
As a child, Dean Serravalle “used to secretly escape to the Thorold Library all the time,” drawn by his profound passion for literature.
Since then, the author has twice been nominated for the prestigious Journey Prize of Canada and The National Magazine Award.
“I used to cover the Raptors,” said the former journalist/sports writer, “but my first love is fiction.”
His first book, Reliving Charley, was published eight years ago, and tells the tale of “someone who made a choice to live his life in reverse—from old age to youth, retaining the knowledge he attained.”
Now 45, the Thorold native has just signed a new three-book deal.
The first, Chameleon (Days), was released last month, and Serravalle will be signing books at Coles Book Store at the Pen Centre from 1 to 4 p.m. on May 26. Published by Now or Never Press in Vancouver, it’s about “An author who has a psychotic break,” Serravalle told the Thorold News, adding it’s filed under the “thriller” and “literary” genres at Chapters.
Governor General Award-winning author Di Brandt calls Chameleon (Days) “An extraordinarily ambitious and moving story. Gangster toughness and complex international military intrigue meet domestic sensitivity and the exigencies of familial love, all woven together with intense doses of self-reflexivity and shape-shifting of mythical proportions. A deep novel for our troubled time.”
Author Mark Anthony Jarman calls it “A high-concept tale spun with whimsy and empathy and stylish magic. Messengers and martyrs move through plain rooms and deserts and the cedars of Lebanon, and domestic worlds are spliced with larger worlds of international intrigue in a slippery narrative of stories within stories, exuberant and ambitious and beautiful.”
Serravalle described the novel’s writing process as “Definitely therapeutic. I was at a point in my life when one of my closest cousins passed from cancer and things started to spiral. I felt like I was kind of on the verge of a breakdown. Then I wrote this about a guy who chases a terrorist who had 23 surgeries to disguise his identity. It was a way of making sense of all the tragic things happening at that time. One of my sons has Downs (Syndrome) and I based a character on him in Chameleon (Days).”
The father of four kids, aged three, six, eight, and 14, Serravalle teaches English Literature at St. Michael’s Catholic Secondary School, teaches poetry and songwriting at Niagara College, and freelances as a copywriter for his brother’s realty business.
“I come from a business family. I had to keep up appearances by doing normal teenage things but I’ve always been an observer. My dad was pretty ambitious and his accident forced us to find our own way before we were ready to,” said Serravalle, adding the life-changing accident happened to his father when Dean was 21. Some parts of his books are based on real events, like when he “earned a fellowship but got poor grades for a while because my dad was sick.”
“You dream a lot when you are in a small town and want something bigger. I’m proud to say that I’m from Thorold,” he said, adding it can be “risky writing certain things because people ask, ‘Did this happen to you’?”
To honour his contract, he’s working on two more books—including one coming out in the fall, called Lock 7, “about a mercenary who has been away from his hometown and comes home after 20 years to attend his high school sweetheart’s wedding.”
Next spring, he’ll release Where I Fall, Where She Rises, published by Inanna Press in Toronto, about a journalist who gets kidnapped in Baghdad with a male reporter.
Thorold stands behind Adam
For more than four hours, the stream of cars didn’t stop. Even when the raindrops started falling during the final hour or so of the fundraiser, people kept pulling into the Richmond Street School parking lot Saturday to get their cars washed in support of Adam Egerter.
The eight-year-old Thorold boy, who’s been battling brain cancer, took his turn at the controls of the aerial fire truck, releasing a spray of water over the vehicles while an army of volunteers soaped and scrubbed.
“It’s been like this all morning,” said Tanya, Adam’s mom. “Insane. Crazy. This is truly overwhelming that the community itself is rallying; not just the fire hall but the community as well.”
She added that at one point, cars were lined up along Collier Road “almost to Highway 58.”
“It’s a fantastic turnout,” said Terry Dixon, professional full-time firefighter from Station 1. “It’s been lined up like this since 10 a.m. Everybody from every station is here.”
Taking his turn selling hotdogs and drinks, “We’re making our third trip back to the grocery store,” Dixon added, to keep up with demand.
Thorold Fire Chief Brian Dickson called the event “A great outpouring of support from the community for The Thorold Fire Department. In our time of need, it’s nice to see everyone come out to help us. It’s been like a family event here. For me as the Fire Chief, it’s great to see everybody pitching in, from full-time to volunteers, with their families. Nobody thought there would be this many cars.”
The fundraiser was held to help Tanya and her husband Jeramy with expenses since they’re currently taking time off work to take their son to McMaster Sick Kids and Juravinski hospitals for his ongoing treatments.
Thorold opening for tourist season
The Tourist Information Centre is ready to show off its newly renovated facility, and is scheduled to open May 7.
The Chapel Street Centre has undergone extensive construction this winter, including a new deck along with a ramp and an accessible washroom for visitors.
In May, the Centre will be open from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and visiting hours will increase to 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. starting June 4, continuing through the fall.
Historical walking tours highlighting Thorold’s heritage will be available to visitors and locals alike.
“We are publishing a new brochure of our designated buildings and objects to guide people,” Heritage LACAC Chair Craig Findlay told the Thorold News. The city’s historically significant sites now number 50, he added, and a different walking tour is being developed by a private agent.
LACAC and Thorold’s tourism committee are expected to meet next month to “discuss apps and walking tour possibilities,” said Findlay. The two groups will also examine the Battle of Beaverdams Park in terms of “architectural design, to see what can be done with it.”
“Heritage Thorold has done well because of strong leadership,” said Findlay, naming recently-retired long-time LACAC volunteer Pam Minns, along with fellow board members and city councillor Michael Charron for helping Thorold to rise so prominently in heritage in recent years.
“Right now, our emphasis is heritage tourism, so we want to maintain our heritage character,” he stated. “So many cities have lost it.”
“Hendersons were pioneers,” said Findlay, remarking how owner John Henderson got the ball rolling by restoring his family pharmacy storefront to its vintage look years ago.
“When you think of a city, you think of its downtown, like it or not. Quaint sells and heritage sells. I have talked to so many people outside of Thorold who have come to see the Quebec Bank, which has been restored to its original authentic condition. “
He also credits Shannon Passero for bringing “destination shopping” to Front Street’s former Post Office, now a women’s retail store of the same name.
“They worked with us every step of the way to keep its character.” Constructed in 1936 as a federal building, “That’s the anchor store and it’s heritage,” he added. “It’s absolutely what we needed.”
After hearing rumours of its possible departure from Front Street, Findlay is glad the Summit Tavern is staying. Built in 1855, the building was called the British North American Tavern years ago, he said.
“Not a lot happened at one time downtown. Changing perception has happened by chance but it’s been purposeful as well and I think it’s the best thing that has ever happened. We’re not a mill town anymore.”
