The Garden City Current is available at www.stcatharines .ca

3See who is back in May

Celebrate Earth Day

4

April 2012

Despite St. Catharines’ population being on the decline, according to Statistics Canada, housing starts in the city are up.

CurrentTheGarden City

A publication from the City of St. Catharines

St. Catharines’ population hasn’t had a major growth spurt in years but that doesn’t mean construction of new homes is stagnating.Since 2006, St. Catharines became

home to 1,150 new homes, said Bruce Bellows, a city planner. This despite Statistics Canada saying there were only 680 new housing starts here in the same time when it released population data from the 2011 census in February. “Some of their numbers don’t add up,”

Bellows said. “The dwelling units are much lower than we think we have.”Discrepancies in data initially released

by Statistics Canada aren’t uncommon, Bellows noted. Early numbers are often lower, resulting in a three to five per cent increase in the agency’s tallies once it makes adjustments to its data. Those changes can happen up to a year after Statistics Canada initially releases numbers. Given that, Bellows said there’s a good

chance St. Catharines’ population is higher than the original head count of 131,400 Statistics Canada released this winter.“It’s likely our population is 138,000 when

you take into account the under-count. That’s probably a more realistic estimate of the city’s population,” Bellows explained.Still, once adjustments are made,

our population remains down half a percent, he noted. So how can there be more homes being built in a city with a population in decline?

Bellows said St. Cathariners have changed the way they live. “Birth rates are decreasing, families are

getting smaller and there are more empty nesters,” he explained. With fewer people having children – 29

per cent of St. Catharines households are comprised of couples without children while another 31 per cent are single-person households – and an aging population, homes aren’t housing as many people as they once did.“Then add in the problem that we have

an increasingly larger older housing stock in relation to new homes being built, and there are fewer people per unit in those older homes,” Bellows said. “Generally, younger families tend to move into newer housing rather than older housing.”That means population growth

and decline is happening at the neighbourhood level in the city. West and east St. Catharines are growing, with its new houses beckoning younger families, while in older, more established neighbourhoods, such as Old Glen Ridge and the north end, the number of residents is on the decline. Given that St. Catharines is hemmed in

by the greenbelt to the west and bound by Lake Ontario to the north, the city is running out of land to build new homes. But that doesn’t mean it won’t bode well for our Statistics Canada numbers woes. Increasing housing density is in St.

Catharines’ future with single family homes

on smaller lots and more townhouses, duplexes and apartments to accommodate the shifts in household demographics here.“Our new housing units will be smaller

and typically the number of people in those housing units will be smaller,” Bellows said.As for reversing our shrinking population,

the answer lies within the Garden City Plan, the city’s new official plan, which Bellows co-authored with planner Rick Tapp. In it, more areas of the city have been designated to support a greater diversity of employment opportunities. With more employers and a greater

range of job opportunities comes a greater chance of attracting and retaining young people and, hence, young families and population growth. And why wouldn’t they want to live here,

given all of our world class amenities, including Lake Ontario, the Welland Canal, the Niagara Escarpment, some of the best farmland in the country, nearby tourist meccas, Brock University and Niagara College, and our proximity to national and international economic markets?“We need to promote what is attractive

to live here, aside from creating more employment opportunities,” Bellows said. “These are some of the things we need to do to attract and retain youth here. When we start to do that, we’ll see our population level off and then start to increase.”

Housing starts increasing

CONSTRUCTION CORNER

Watermain and storm sewer replacement is expected to begin in late spring and last about 12 weeks on:• Church Street, from King to Niagara

streets• Geneva Street, from Niagara to Church

streets• Niagara Street, from Geneva to Church

streets• St. Paul Street, from Court to Geneva

streets.Storm sewer construction is expected to start in late spring and last about six weeks on:• Glen Avenue, from the west end of Hamil-

ton Street to the east end. Storm drainage system replacement and driveway resurfacing are expected to start in late spring and last about six weeks at Victo-ria Lawn Cemetery. Watermain and sanitary sewer replacement is expected to begin this month and last about six weeks on: • Emmett Road from Queenston Street to

about 630 metres south on Queenston.

GET DISASTER READY

When an emergency happens, the City of St. Catharines is ready. Hundreds of highly trained emergency responders work together to ensure the safety of the citizens. When there is a crisis, the city has a plan to deal with it. So should residents because knowing what to do is your best protection during any emergency or disaster.To mark Emergency Preparedness Week May 6-12, the city will raise awareness about be-ing disaster ready with a community event May 9 at Market Square. Visit interactive displays from a host of com-munity partners and learn about emergency preparedness and response as well as family, pet and road safety. The event is free and also features special activities for children, tours of emergency ve-hicles and more. For more information, visit www.stcatharines.ca or call 905-688-5601, ext. 4235.Can’t make the event but still want to learn more about emergency preparedness? For help on becoming disaster ready, use our free emergency preparedness guide, available at www.stcatharines.ca.

HELP OPEN THE DOOR TO KNOWLEDGE

Be the author of a reader’s good fortune and consider donating to the St. Catharines Pub-lic Library. The library has a number of donation pro-grams for residents to support, particularly as the new Grantham branch, located at Carlton and Niagara streets, gets closer to opening. Honour with Books, a book plate program, the library’s endowment and trust fund, Friends of the Grantham Branch donor wall, and sponsorship and naming rights for the Grantham branch are all ways to give to the library. For more information on library donation programs, pick up a brochure at your local branch, visit our website at www.stcatha-rines.library.on.ca/donate or call 905-688-6103 and ask for the administration depart-ment.

It has been all quiet on the set of the new downtown performing arts centre, but soon, construction will be in full swing.A groundbreaking ceremony for this cornerstone of a new

and improved downtown is set for Tuesday. “We’re excited to get the shovels in the ground and for

construction to begin for this state-of-the-art cultural facility,” Mayor Brian McMullan said. “Construction of our performing arts centre will be the next tangible example of our down-town revitalization efforts taking shape in our city’s core.”Last month, the city cleared the way for construction to

begin when it signed a deal with Brock University finaliz-ing details of the centre’s use along with that of the former Canada Hair Cloth building, which will house Brock’s Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine and Performing Arts.In the agreement, the city transferred ownership of the

Hair Cloth building to Brock and the university agreed to pay $750,000 a year to use the municipal performing arts centre during its first 10 years of operation.“That’s going to go a long way to help the arts centre be

sustainable and serve the community in a much more fulfill-ing way,” said Steve Solski, arts centre executive director.St. Catharines council awarded the contract for the first

phase of construction last week to Peter’s Excavating Inc., a local firm from Stevensville. It won’t be long after Tuesday’s groundbreaking that the

full-fledged excavation of the site, now a gravel swath on St. Paul Street, will be underway.The less glamourous jobs of stabilizing the ground and

erecting construction hoarding will also be done. The first phase of construction should finish in August.Foundation will be laid in the fall with the sleek building

beginning to emerge later this year after the contract for above-ground construction is awarded in July.The city has divided construction into two phases – below-

ground and above-ground work – to provide more time for the design process, Solski said.“By having two phases, we’re giving the architects more

time to complete the construction drawings of the main building while we start the excavation,” Solski said. That should also speed up construction by at least five

months as the City aims to open the centre in the fall of 2014, he added. “It’s an exciting time because all the design work leading up

to this point is really a theoretical discussion and now, the reality of what St. Catharines is embarking on is here,” Solski said. “Now, there’s no more discussion to be had … . Now is the time to get it built for St. Catharines and open on time.”

Arts centre’s first act set to beginBelow-ground construction begins this month; groundbreaking set for April 10

Page 2 The Garden City Current April 2012April 2012

MayorFrom the desk of

Brian McMullan

MAYOR BRIANMCMULLAN

As we move through the second year of the 2010-14 term of City Council, it’s clear that St. Catharines has some positive opportunities and faces some difficult issues. One of our biggest annual challenges is balancing our budget.Former city treasurer Larry Tuf-

ford used to say “every Monday night is budget night.” He meant that spending decisions made at weekly council meetings throughout the year really determine whether council balances the books. It’s not simply based on the decisions made at the annual meeting when we vote on the budget.Whether you feel this council has

brought forward a responsible fiscal plan depends on your perspective.

Personally, I’m deeply con-cerned about the impact the rapid growth of our long-term debt will have on the social and economic health of our residents. This is espe-

cially significant knowing that, since municipalities are creatures of the debt-laden provincial government, we are not likely to receive generous infrastruc-ture stimulus funds or the levels of transfer money we’ve received in recent years.The circumstances surrounding the

loss of Jeremiah, our neighbour’s beloved pet dog, has compelled a

good number of caring individu-als to press for changes that will hopefully lead to a more compassionate approach to the identification of missing pets and improved communications with owners.

Jeremiah’s brief yet exuberant pas-sage through our lives shouldn’t be for naught. At upcoming council meetings,

I will once again vote in favour of retaining public ownership of John Page Park and Fairview Golf Course land, as opposed to adding more asphalt and hard surfaces to our city.

Along with a spirit of renewal, spring brings with it our Folk Arts Festival, Earth Day at Malcolmson Eco-Park, the Horticulture Society’s annual plant sale, and Pitch-In Week organized by the Clean City Committee, on which I am proud to serve. Mark your calendars for the MS Walk, April 22 at 9 a.m. at St. Francis Secondary School, the Rankin Cancer Run (or stroll), May 26 at 10 a.m. at the Grantham Lions Park and the Walk for Kids Help Phone will take place on May 6 at 8:30 a.m. at Jaycee Gardens.

– Bruce Williamson

St. Patrick’s ward councillors have been busy the last few months working on concerns from ward residents as well as larger city and regional issues. Coun. Elliott continues to be im-

mersed in the Performing Arts Cen-tre project as the City prepares for shovels in the ground this spring. He also had the opportunity to attend a conference in February dealing with creating and sustaining a creative economy and is looking forward to working on some interesting ideas from other communities in the con-tinuing effort to bring real economic change to St. Catharines. Coun. Siscoe attended the Down-

town Association’s annual gen-

eral meeting in February and is working to re-form the gover-nance structure of St. Catharines as chair of the Governance Re-view Committee. The committee is tasked with finding better, more efficient ways for the city and regional gov-ernments to work together. On the revitalization front, the

Downtown Development and Revi-talization Committee will return to work shortly, continuing in the same vein as the Downtown Licensed Establishment Committee, to make

the core a more pleasant area for residents to live, work and visit. The Downtown Associa-tion, of which Coun. Siscoe is a member, helped by run-ning a success-ful Downtown

D’Lish event in January, coinciding with opening of the new Carlisle Street Parking Garage. Councillors Elliott and Siscoe also

helped local group Our Community Food Store obtain a grant from the City to continue its efforts to bring a grocery store downtown. Both

councillors have also been active in discussions about a number of other possible downtown plans, including the idea of a civic square and other amenities that will make the core a better place for all residents. Finally, a reminder that ward meet-

ings are held the third Thursday of each month, from 6-7 p.m. in Com-mittee Room 1 on the third floor of city hall. Residents unable to attend can contact either councillor by phone or email.

–Mathew Siscoe & Mark Elliott

COUN. MATHEW SISCOE

COUN. MARK ELLIOTT

COUN. MARK ELLIOTTemail: melliott@stcatharines.caphone: 905.327.1763

COUN. MAT SISCOEemail: msiscoe@stcatharines.caphone: 905.329.8162

ST. PATRICK’S NEWS

This spring will see the continua-tion of new initiatives and improve-ments within Merritton Ward. A dedication ceremony will be

held on Saturday, May 5 at 2 p.m. at Merritton Community Park to name Diamond No. 1 Taylor Field in honour of former Merritton resident George Taylor.This renaming is a well-deserved

tribute to George Taylor, who so generously donated his time and volunteer work to benefit the youth of Merritton. Naming this baseball field in his honour and in recognition of his hard work and coaching skills will ensure that his contributions to

the community of Merritton will not be forgotten.The city’s 2012

operating bud-get has included funding for several needed improvements and services for Merritton residents. Rail-way arms at the C.N.R crossing on Moffatt Street will mean that the trail connection be-tween Centennial Park and Moun-tain Locks Park will be restored.Merritton has received two new

playgrounds this past year: one at

Community Park and the other at Secord Woods Park. Both have been welcome ad-ditions to our community. The early and warm spring weather has provided an opportunity for these two

playgrounds to be well utilized. A groundbreaking ceremony will

occur this spring for the new fire hall to be built on Hartzel Road. Greening initiatives have been

scheduled for both Hartzel Road

and Centennial Park.Glendale Avenue reconstruction,

which will include sidewalks, will provide one more access route to the Canal Parkway trail system and complement the one already in place on Rockwood Avenue.Councillors Burch and Stevens

extend best wishes for an enjoyable spring season along with a Happy Easter.

– Jeff Burch & Jennie StevensCOUN. JENNIESTEVENS

COUN. JEFF BURCH

MERRITTON NEWS

COUN. JEFF BURCHemail: jburch@stcatharines.caphone: 905.327.5153

COUN. JENNIE STEVENSemail: jstevens@stcatharines.caphone: 905.328.6722

St. Patrick’s Day is always an issue in south St. Catharines and this year the students partied as usual. But for the most part, they were well-behaved and had cleaned up their properties by the next afternoon. The Niagara Regional Police are

to be commended for their visible presence in the neighbourhood throughout Saturday afternoon and evening. This was certainly a deter-rent to those who may otherwise have been less inclined to act in a responsible manner. Brock University paid for some of

the extra NRP brought in to patrol student neighbourhoods. Brock also took an aggressive but proac-tive approach by warning students that, in response to neighbourhood complaints, police would be issu-

ing fines and, where appropri-ate, criminal charges that could lead to jail time, which would affect the student’s future employment options.I would like

to commend Curtis Gadula, Brock’s new off-campus housing officer (688-5550 x5280), who in the last year has developed strategies to deal with student housing problems. Curtis has also been tenacious in visiting problematic student houses.With the warm weather coming

early this year, we can expect more outside activity by students. If you

experience any problems, please contact either me or Coun. Matt HarrisIt’s good

to hear that construction is underway on the new student housing project in Thorold. The complex will

eventually house 850 students, and thus reduce the profitability of con-verting single residential homes to student housing. This complex will house the equivalent of 170 single residential houses. My hope is that this new complex will result in some student houses being converted back to family homes, which would

be good for our neighbourhoods. On another matter, City Council

agreed to spend approximately $300,000 for sidewalks on the west side of Vansickle Road in west St. Catharines. I voted against the sidewalks

because the additional cost to Club Roma and Westburne Alliance to complete their section may be detrimental to their expansion plans. Furthermore, the money could be better used for other purposes, or not spent at all. But then again, I think our taxes are too high.

– Joe Kushner

ST. ANDREW’S NEWS

COUN. JOE KUSHNER

COUN. MATTHARRIS

COUN. MATT HARRISemail: mharris@stcatharines.caphone: 905.329.6802

COUN. JOE KUSHNERemail: jkushner@stcatharines.caphone: 905.327.9638 or 905.685.1817

As councillors, we sit and listen to presentations on a weekly basis. If you watch Cogeco, I’m sure you

know that there is a wide variety of topics and interests brought forward. Recently, we had our annual pre-

sentation by MACOA, the Mayor’s Advisory Board on Accessibility. As a councillor, I’ve listened to many annual presentations of the City’s accessibility plan and I have learned that during their presentation they will usually mention some small tid-bit that will knock me from la la land into a quick reality check! Well, they did it again. Have you ever considered what

you would do if your eyesight got so poor that you had trouble differentiating between the ladies’ and the men’s room?Well, as one

that keeps updating my prescription eye wear I had not! I think I can relate, but honestly I’m probably venturing back over to la la land. I never would have considered that

a sign’s size was so important.MACOA provides expertise and

perspectives to the City on ac-cess for people with disabilities. It’s estimated that by 2025, 20 per cent of us will likely have a disability. The annual ac-

cessibility plan is intended to iden-tify, remove and

prevent barriers that may impede residents and visitors from access-ing and using municipal services. Part of what MACOA does is

review the designs of projects such as the Kiwanis Aquatics Centre and

Grantham branch of the St. Catha-rines Public Library, Carlisle Parking Garage, the new fire hall in Mer-ritton, the Performing Arts Centre, improvements to Happy Rolph’s and soon, the spectator facility.With their valued guidance, I’m

confident walking into the wrong restroom will never be an issue for any of us. Thanks MACOA!

– Peter Secord & Greg Washuta

ST. GEORGE’S NEWS

COUN. PETER SECORDemail: psecord@stcatharines.caphone: 905.327.9854

COUN. GREG WASHUTAemail: gwashuta@stcatharines.caphone: 905.327.9905

COUN. PETER SECORD

COUN. GREG WASHUTA

St. Catharines Transit has been serving the community for more than 50 years and currently pro-vides more than 5.5 million passen-ger trips annually. The system has grown substantially over the past decade and there is more growth on the horizon. Since 2002, ridership has grown by nearly 80 per cent.This growth saw the fleet increase

by 12 buses. In 2012, Transit will expand its operations facility and in 2013 will expand its fleet to provide service to the new hospital.All buses are now fully accessible

and have bike racks installed year-round. The growing post-secondary student market represents a large

number of rid-ers on certain routes. To meet these needs, four articulated buses, with 50 per cent greater passenger capacity than regular buses, were purchased in 2011.Transit has taken a green approach

to fleet replacement over the past few years: 23 diesel-electric hybrid buses are now in the fleet. Paratransit service is an important

part of Transit’s mandate. Using eight vehicles, we carry about 37,000 riders each year. In 2012,

council sup-ported the purchase of a new paravan. Transit will be

using technol-ogy to provide improved infor-mation to our riders. In the next 12 months, all buses will

be equipped with automated vehicle location technology which allows riders to access next bus informa-tion from a mobile app, cell phone or on Transit’s website. Email and text message alerts will provide up-to-the-minute information and real time information signs will also be

installed at major stops. The St. Catharines Transit Com-

mission recently took a leadership role in the planning and develop-ment of the Niagara Regional Tran-sit pilot project. The commission’s support and vi-

sion for regional transit will hopefully lead to expansion of transit service throughout Niagara and a potential integration with Metrolinx within the next decade.

– Dawn Dodge & Bill Phillips

COUN. DAWN DODGE

COUN. BILL PHILLIPS

GRANTHAM NEWS

COUN. DAWN DODGEemail: ddodge@stcatharines.caphone: 905.327.9704

COUN. BILL PHILLIPSemail: bphillips@stcatharines.caphone: 905.327.5363

PORT DALHOUSIE NEWS

COUN. BRUCE WILLIAMSON

COUN. LEN STACK

COUN. LEN STACKemail: lstack@stcatharines.caphone: 905.327.5235

COUN. BRUCE WILLIAMSONemail: bwilliamson@stcatharines.caphone: 905.934.2787

We want to sweep into spring on the right foot and the City of St. Catharines is getting ready for our an-nual community cleanup.I am confident, as in years

past, residents will be out in full force for our Pitch-In Week, which is led by our Clean City Committee and well-supported by volun-teers from the community. It’s a day where commu-

nity spirit and pride shine through as people collect litter from the streets and parks in our Garden City. Every year during Pitch-In

Week, I have the pleasure of hosting the Mayor’s Clean Sweep at a local school. This year, I will be visiting Applewood School and, alongside our young citizens, doing my part to beautify our community and help the environment.The Mayor’s Clean Sweep

is a great opportunity for me, as your mayor, to dem-onstrate the importance of making our community litter-free. It also encour-ages others to take action and clean up around their schoolyards, homes and parks. What is truly inspiring is

the leadership shown by our young people when it comes to making environ-mentally responsible deci-sions. If anything, we can learn from their example and have confi-dence that their “go green” knowledge will make a difference.Small efforts can lead to

big changes if everyone does their part to help keep our Garden City beautiful. It can be as simple as bringing a bag with you when you go for a walk and picking up litter along your trek. You can spend a little

more time ensuring recy-clables end up in the grey or blue bin and that organ-ics are placed in the green bin.As well, the City of St.

Catharines encourages residents to consider pur-chasing rain barrels, which will reduce use of treated water to tend to your flow-ers, garden or lawn.Mark your calendars for

Saturday, June 9, when we will host our annual rain barrel sale at Seymour-Hannah Sports and Enter-tainment Centre. Protecting the environ-

ment is a responsibility that belongs to each and every one of us. At the City, we incorporate environmen-tally responsible practices in our day-to-day business, when planning a major infrastructure project and when we consider initia-tives that make a com-munity more walkable and pedestrian-friendly. We also have the Green

Committee, Clean City Committee and Graffiti Committee, whose mem-bers aim to make a differ-ence in the Garden City. In St. Catharines, we

should strive to make every day Earth Day as a last-ing legacy for our children, grandchildren and future generations.

April 2012 The Garden City Current Page 3

and Centennial Park.Glendale Avenue reconstruction,

which will include sidewalks, will provide one more access route to the Canal Parkway trail system and complement the one already in place on Rockwood Avenue.Councillors Burch and Stevens

extend best wishes for an enjoyable spring season along with a Happy Easter.

– Jeff Burch & Jennie Stevens

Grantham branch of the St. Catha-rines Public Library, Carlisle Parking Garage, the new fire hall in Mer-ritton, the Performing Arts Centre, improvements to Happy Rolph’s and soon, the spectator facility.With their valued guidance, I’m

confident walking into the wrong restroom will never be an issue for any of us. Thanks MACOA!

– Peter Secord & Greg Washuta

installed at major stops. The St. Catharines Transit Com-

mission recently took a leadership role in the planning and develop-ment of the Niagara Regional Tran-sit pilot project. The commission’s support and vi-

sion for regional transit will hopefully lead to expansion of transit service throughout Niagara and a potential integration with Metrolinx within the next decade.

– Dawn Dodge & Bill Phillips

Pitch in for a cleaner Garden CityHolly Washuta has a big job ahead of her

and she’s eager for some help.The co-ordinator of this year’s edition of

Pitch-In Week needs lots of assistance, given her goal is to do away with another year’s worth of litter in the Garden City when she takes to the streets, during the Clean City Sweep on Saturday, April 28. “It’s always the same group of people,”

Washuta said of the volunteers who help with the city’s spring cleanup. “We’d love to see more businesses, more groups, more organizations and more students helping.”The Clean City Sweep is Pitch-In Week’s

flagship event. Teams of volunteers take to all corners of St. Catharines to pick up leftovers from litterbugs. Coffee cups, wa-ter bottles and plastic bags are the usual items that seem to accumulate in the city’s nooks and crannies. Last year, Washuta spent her efforts

rounding up rubbish in the south end of the city, a place she said could use more helping hands this year, despite having seen an overall decline in recent years in the dirt and detritus winter leaves behind.“We pulled out a huge amount of stuff,”

Washuta recalled. “It’s pretty interesting what comes out of it. With all the services offered for (disposing of) bulky items, there shouldn’t be any excuse for dumping these materials.”Think plastic kiddie pools, pizza boxes

galore and old clothes in addition to the usual suspects. Though Washuta is happy to help, she and the Clean City Commit-tee, which spearheads the Clean City Sweep, are putting more effort into recruit-ing fellow filth fighters for this year’s event. A rally will be held at city hall from 8 to

10 a.m. on sweep day, featuring a flag raising and several green-themed ven-dors, including Niagara Electronic Re-use and Recycling Depot (NERRD), which will be on hand to collect old electronics for new purpose, used battery collection for recycling by Raw Materials Company, the

Region’s water wagon to fill up re-usable water bottles for thirsty friends of the planet and free coffee from Tim Hortons.Students from Ryson’s Music Niagara

will provide the entertainment, all with the hope that once people are downtown for the rally, they’ll stay for the cleanup, which runs from 10 a.m. until noon. Garbage bags and gloves are provided. Volunteers will also receive information

about how to report graffiti they may see while picking up litter.“We’re absolutely trying to make this big-

ger,” Washuta said. “If you can volunteer some time, get a group of friends, co-

workers and neighbours.”Those who can’t help on April 28 can join

Mayor Brian McMullan during his annual 20-Minute Clean Sweep on Wednesday, April 25. McMullan will join students at Applewood School as they scour their schoolyard. Businesses and residents are encouraged to take 20 minutes to tidy their properties as well.For more information about the Clean

City Sweep and other Pitch-In Week activities, visit the Clean City Committee in the Govern In section at www.stcatha-rines.ca, email cleancity@stcatharines.ca or call 905-688-5601, ext. 1630.

The province’s building code has a decidedly greener sheen to it.But the changes introduced to bolster energy effi-

ciency in new homes or additions can leave DIY-ers seeing red if they’re not up to speed on the updated requirements.The new energy efficiency requirements, which

took effect in January, mean changes to the way buildings are designed and constructed. Mostly, though, it means padding out construction projects with more insulation in new and updated living spaces. “If they’re building new, there’s more insulation

required in the walls and the roof,” explained Brian Thiessen, the city’s chief building inspector.This is the second increase to insulation values

for new construction and additions since 2006. The changes are all done in the name of preventing heat from seeping out of homes in winter, a prob-lem that can cause furnaces to kick in more often, resulting in more energy used and higher heating bills for homeowners.Other changes to the rules include using windows

with higher thermal efficiency and upgraded home and water heating systems.“These are big changes for the industry, in gen-

eral,” Thiessen said. The new requirements don’t apply to internal home

renovations, he assured.“The homeowner finishing his basement doesn’t

necessarily have to comply but he can bring it up to these standards,” Thiessen said. “The benefit is energy savings.”Still, for handy-types tackling their own additions

or homebuilding projects, the new requirements can get confusing. Energy efficiency benchmarks aren’t easily calculated, Thiessen explained; for example, determining the insulation value required in a wall can depend on where it is in the home, the types of construction materials used and other energy efficient building elements. “It’s gotten more complex. That’s the problem. Most

homeowners doing new construction and additions on their own won’t understand,” he said. So Thiessen offers this simple advice: When in

doubt, ask.“The code is not something everybody is familiar

with. We’re here as a customer service to help as much as we can. We may, depending on the extent of the work, recommend a more qualified person do the work,” he said. “Whatever the case, if people have a question, they can call us.”To learn more about new energy efficiency require-

ments for new homes and additions, visit Planning and Development Services on the first floor of City Hall or call 905-688-5601, ext. 1660.

Bond with Mother Earth by visiting Fairview Mall later this month.The City of St. Catharines will have several

displays set up in honour of Earth Day on April 22 to help residents become better friends of the planet.The Green committee will hand out saplings

for green thumbs and tree lovers to plant, while letting visitors know what eco-activities they are up to. There will also be a children’s activity centre, including a wetland obstacle course in which children must collect gar-bage and dispose of it in the proper recycling or trash bins. A draw for a rain barrel, information about

water conservation, fats, oil and grease disposal, beaches and water quality, drinking water and wetland conservation are also on the bill. Other organizations, including the Ni-agara Peninsula Conservation Authority and the Region will also be on hand for the free event, which runs from noon to 4 p.m.

Holly Washuta picks up garbage behind a mall in south St. Catharines. Washuta, who is helping to organize Pitch-In Week activities, is hopeful residents will volunteer to don gloves and pick up trash on April 28 during the Community Clean Sweep.

It’s time to plant the seeds of beautification in the Garden City. The St. Catharines Green Committee can help, thanks to its annual flower pot program for businesses starting again. Businesses can rent professionally designed

and planted 27-inch pots filled with plants for the spring and summer to add a touch of green – and other colours – to their store or office fronts. Costs are: $80 for one pot, $150 for two pots,

$210 for three pots and $260 for four pots. Pots will be delivered in late spring and

picked up in the early fall. Businesses are responsible for watering the pots throughout the season. Email rcs@stcatharines.ca.

Residents wanting to green their thumbs and their yards have the chance to do both thanks to the St. Catharines Green Committee’s 2012 tree giveaway.The contest, open to Garden City residents,

businesses or other organizations, comes with the prize of a young native species or fruit tree. The five trees to be awarded will each stand about six feet tall and have a trunk size of at least 50 millimetres, which means it has a lot of growing in its future.To win, residents are encouraged to write,

photograph, draw or film why they want a tree, where it will be planted and how they will care for it. Written submissions should be no more than two pages, while photo or hand-drawn entries should include a maxi-mum of five images, each with up to 50 words describing them, and videos must be no more than two minutes long. Winners are responsible for planting the trees.Entries can be sent to rcs@stcatharines.

ca or Green Committee, C/O Recreation and Community Services, 320 Geneva St., St. Catharines, ON, L2R 7C2. Deadline for submissions is April 30.

CELEBRATE EARTH DAY WITH THE CITY

WIN A TREE

FLOWER POTS ARE BLOOMING AGAIN

HOW AND WHEN YOU CAN PITCH INSaturday, April 21 – Join the Friends

of Malcolmson Park as they clean up the park, plant trees, shrubs and wildflowers, and do pathway improvements. A dedica-tion ceremony to name a section of the park the TD Friends of the Environment Learning Area is also on the bill with a tree-planting ceremony at noon. The Walker’s Creek Neighbourhood As-

sociation kicks off a week-long cleanup of the creek and parks and plans the identifi-cation tagging of 30 trees in the parks.

Monday, April 23 – Lancaster Park Cleanup. Join city staff as they tackle the tidying of this popular sports park next to the Recreation and Community Services building at 320 Geneva St., starting at 11 a.m.

Wednesday, April 25 at 11 a.m. – May-or’s 20-Minute Clean Sweep. Schools, businesses and community groups are encouraged to take 20 minutes to tidy their properties. Mayor Brian McMullan will join the students at Applewood School in a spring cleaning of their schoolyard at 11 a.m.

Saturday, April 28, 8 a.m. to noon – Community Clean Sweep. Meet at City Hall for a rally between 8 and 10 a.m., tak-ing in live music, a flag raising ceremony and several displays. Free coffee will be available and bring used batteries and electronics for recycling by Raw Materi-als Company, Inc. and NERRD. Then, the Clean City Committee provides the garbage bags and gloves and volunteers provide the elbow grease as teams set out to clear up litter in all corners of the city from 10 a.m. until noon.The Green Com-mittee will be giving away 100 free tree seedlings before helping to clean up the Pearson Arboretum and Westchester Av-enue – Geneva Street naturalization area.

Pitch In Week is also a great time to erase the unsightly scrawls spray-painted on walls, cable boxes, mail boxes and elsewhere in the city. For information about the city’s graffiti cleanup assistance programs or to report graffiti, call the Graf-fiti Hotline at 905-688-5601, ext. 3115. The Graffiti Committee will be joining in the Clean Sweep activities, cleaning scribbles throughout the city.

Save energy, save money

HAPPY EARTH DAY APRIL 22

Using more insulation in the walls and roof of your home will reduce how much heat seeps out, keeping your home warmer and saving you money.

They’re a concept that holds water, especial-ly when it comes to green gardening.Rain barrels, those vessels designed to

catch and store rainwater and spare turning on the hose, will be sold by the city on Sat-urday, June 9 at the Seymour-Hannah Sports and Entertainment Centre from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. or until sold out. The barrels cost $40, cash only, and proof

of residency in St. Catharines is required to purchase one at this reduced rate.

RAIN BARRELS ON SALE JUNE 9

It’s that time of year when we’re all itching to come out of a winter-induced hibernation and soak up the sunny spring weather. The season of fresh starts brings with it lots of op-tions to get out and get active.

ParksGet re-acquainted with the

great outdoors after months of seeking heat inside.Although city parks and

greenspaces don’t ever really close in the winter, let’s face it, a snow-covered playground is about as inviting as a ‘Keep Out’ sign. Park season officially starts May 1 in St. Catharines and runs until Thanksgiving.During that time, sports fields

are available to rent, permits can be purchased for family picnics at Burgoyne Woods and arrangements can be made for wedding photos at camera-friendly spots, in-cluding Montebello Park and Happy Rolph’s.The city is home to more than

1,000 acres of parkland and 250 manicured floral displays. But there are also soccer pitches, basketball and tennis courts, trails and playgrounds galore to help you get active. Parks are open daily from dawn until dusk for those look-ing to commune with nature.And for those who don’t

want to unplug entirely while in the great outdoors, all city parks have been added to Foursquare. Let the battle for mayorships begin.For information on parks rent-

als, visit Parks and Greens-paces in the Play In section at www.stcatharines.ca.

Kiwanis FieldLooking to hit the soccer pitch

sooner than May 1? The city’s only artificial turf field, Kiwanis Field, can play host to soc-cer, football and field lacrosse starting much earlier in the season without soggy sod to contend with. It also provides a softer surface than most natural grass fields to cushion tumbles, thanks to rubber infill. With four soccer change

rooms that can be converted into two football locker rooms, room enough on the field for FIFA regulation soccer, a Ca-nadian Football League match or field lacrosse, Kiwanis field is the model of a good host.Kiwanis Field is located at the

Seymour-Hannah Sports and Entertainment Centre, 240 St. Paul St. West. To book time on the field for a tournament or regular season matches, visit Courts and Playing Fields in the Play In section at www.stcatharines.ca.

Lakeside Park CarouselIt’s a little early to be contem-

plating a day at the beach but there’s still lots happening at Lakeside Park come spring. One of the city’s most popular

tourist attractions opens Friday, May 18 at 4 p.m. for Victoria Day weekend. Still just five cents a ride, this

century-old tradition opens weekends until mid-June, after which you can go for a spin on your favourite horse, lion or chariot every day until Labour Day from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.Tennis CourtsChannel your inner Steffi Graf

by taking to one of the city’s several tennis courts. With parks officially opening May 1, so do the tennis courts at Lin-lake, Berkley, Port Dalhousie Lions and other parks. The city also offers annual

memberships at Realty Park, home of competitive courts, for those planning to play the net more regularly and show what their backhand is made of. Adult season’s passes cost $60, while for youth, it’s $30 and families can get a season of play for $100. For more information, call

905-688-5601, ext. 1927.

Happy Rolph’sThe happy times return to the

Garden City when a menag-erie of four-legged, furry and feathered guests arrive in late spring for their summer stay at this popular north St. Catha-rines attraction. In the meantime, new pad-

docks and feeding stations are being built for the animals, in addition to other improvements to their living quarters. A new controlled contact

area is also being created for visitors to get up close to the critters who spend their sum-mer at Happy Rolph’s. Work is expected to be finished by the time the animals arrive on the May long weekend.The petting farm is home to

goats, cows, rabbits, donkeys, sheep and, of course, migra-tory birds. A picnic area and the picturesque 9/11 memorial walking trail along Lake On-tario provide the perfect spots to take a load off.

And don’t forget to stop and smell the flowers. Happy Rolph’s boasts one of Cana-da’s most exotic collections of flowering rhododendrons.Admission to the park is free.

Feed for the animals costs 25 cents per handful. The park is open from dawn until dusk.

Golf coursesHit the links at two city golf

courses this year: Fairview Golf Course and Mini-Putt and Municipal Golf Course. Both are just mere moments

from anywhere in St. Catha-rines and enable you to tee off easily when the urge strikes.Fairview Golf Course, located

behind Fairview Mall, is a flat, short nine-hole course. The course offers holes ranging in length between 79 to 169 yards and during the week, a round of golf is $8, going up to $9 on weekends. Don’t have clubs? Rent them for $3. Call 905-937-5796 to book a

tee time.Municipal Golf Course in Mer-

ritton was recently revamped, thanks to the addition of berms creating more challenging holes on what were once wide open, Florida-style fairways. This par 60 course boasts 18 holes and a licensed club-house for a post-game pop. A round of golf costs $22 or

$13 for a quick nine holes dur-ing the week. On weekends, play 18 holes for $25 or nine for $14. Rates for seniors are avail-

able as are activity packs and memberships.Call 905-685-0076 to book a

tee time. To learn more, check out Golf

Courses in the Play In section at www.stcatharines.ca.

Charles Simpson was never late for work during his decades-long career at General Motors.An impressive feat, really, given his first few years

as a tool setter at the automaker, Simpson had to hitchhike from Fruitland to GM’s Glendale Avenue foundry for his shifts. “Apparently he always made it,” said Alicia Floyd,

Simpson’s granddaughter, who works at the St. Catharines Museum. “It shows dedication, that he really wanted the job.”For the last few weeks, Floyd has been regaled

with similar stories of GM workers past and pres-ent, offering up memories, photos and artifacts to help her put together an homage to the manufac-turer’s roots in St. Catharines. It will culminate with an exhibit called At the Core:  GM St. Catharines Foundry, which opens April 28. Earlier this year, the museum put out a call to

residents with a connection to GM to contribute to the exhibit, which will run until Oct. 21.The influx of photos, pay stubs, oil cans, tools,

molds and other foundry mementos for display, including Simpson’s coveralls and the watch the company gave him as a service award, tell Floyd people took joy in the work they did for the auto giant.“It’s cool to have these guys come in and they

have so much to say,” she said. “When they come in, they’re actually passionate about what they did and they really took pride in it.”

While the exhibit is a tribute to the cornerstone of St. Catharines’ once booming manufacturing sector, Floyd said it’s about more than what the foundry produced. Really, it’s about capturing the stories behind the work and focusing on the people who made the plant run like a well-oiled machine. The impetus for the exhibit came last summer

when the museum began cataloguing a room-size model of the foundry, where castings of car parts were made.“When we had it all together, we thought it was

pretty neat and should be on display,” said Kath-leen Powell, curator and supervisor of museum operations. “Plus it has been a while since the museum had an exhibit like this.”In addition to the GM exhibit, the museum will

also be unveiling another display that will test visi-tor’s eye for the real McCoy, starting April 14.Fakes and Forgeries: Yesterday and Today is

a new travelling exhibit from the Royal Ontario Museum that features 11 displays of art, currency, fashion knock-offs, counterfeit software and DVDs. It will give visitors the chance to play sleuth and de-termine the genuine article from the phony one. “It puts it into more of a popular culture kind of

realm,” Powell said. “It’s a pretty interesting exhibit.”Fakes and Forgeries runs until Aug. 26. Admission

to all museum exhibits is by donation and educa-tional programming is available.

Page 4 The Garden City Current April 2012

Market RecipeRHUBARB CHUTNEYPreparation Time: 20 Minutes Cooking Time: 10 Minutes Servings: 3 cups (750 ml)

Ingredients:3 cups (750 mL) chopped Ontario Rhubarb1/2 cup (125 mL) granulated sugar 1/4 cup (50 mL) water 1 Ontario Apple, peeled and chopped (about 1 cup/250 mL) 1/2 cup (125 mL) raisins 1 tbsp (15 mL) minced gingerroot 1/2 tsp (2 mL) salt 1/2 tsp (2 mL) ground cinnamon 1/4 tsp (1 mL) ground cloves

Preparation:In medium saucepan, combine rhubarb, sug-ar, water, apple, raisins and gingerroot. Cook, covered, on medium heat, stirring occasion-ally, for about 10 minutes or until thickened and fruit has softened. Stir in salt, cinnamon and cloves. Pour into sterilized jars and keep refrigerated for up to 1 month.

Events CalendarNow-April 20 – Impres-sions of Culture: Culture Stamp - The St. Catha-rines Postcard Project exhibit. Free. City Hall, 2nd floor. 905-688-5601. www.stcatharines.ca.

April 5-7 – Niagara Lifestyle Spring Home Show. Seymour-Hannah Sports and Entertain-ment Centre. 240 St. Paul St. West. 1-800-465-1073. www.jenkins-show.com.

April 6 – Full Moon History and Haunts Walks. 9 p.m. Market Square. $8 per person for 75-minute walking tour. 905-685-8424 to reserve. www.mydown-town.ca.

April 14-Aug. 26 – Fakes and Forgeries: Yester-day and Today. St. Cath-arines Museum. 1932 Welland Canals Pkwy. Admission by donation. 905-984-8880.

April 21 – Friends of Malcolmson Eco-Park native plant and tree sale. 8 a.m. – 1p.m. Malcolmson Eco-Park, 325 Lakeshore Rd.

April 21-May 26 – 37th

annual Spring Salmon Derby. St. Catharines Game and Fish Asso-ciation. 905-937-6335. http://scgameandfish.proboards.com/index.cgi.

April 27-29 – In the Soil Homegrown Arts Fes-tival. 15 venues down-town. 20 events, 75 acts, 250 artists. www.inthesoil.ca.April 28-29 – Get Fresh. Twenty Valley Wineries. Food and wine pairings. Passports required. 905-562-3636. www.twentyvalley.ca.

April 28-Oct. 21 – Gen-eral Motors Foundry: Personal Histories. St. Catharines Museum. 1932 Welland Canals Pkwy. Admission by do-nation. 905-984-8880.

May 3 – Outdoor Travel-ling Walks with the Walker’s Creek Neigh-bourhood Association and Friends of Malcol-mson Eco-Park. 10 a.m. – 11 a.m. Free. Meet at Malcolmson Eco-Park, 325 Lakeshore Rd.

May 5 – Full Moon History and Haunts Walks. 9 p.m. Market Square. $8 per person for 75-minute walking tour. 905-685-8424 to reserve. www.mydown-town.ca.

May 5 – Friends of Malcolmson Eco-Park native plant and tree sale. 8 a.m. – 1p.m. Malcolmson Eco-Park, 325 Lakeshore Rd.

May 5-6 – Get Fresh. Twenty Valley Wineries. Food and wine pairings. Passports required. 905-562-3636. www.twentyvalley.ca.

May 10 – Outdoor Trav-elling Walks with the Walker’s Creek Neigh-bourhood Association and Friends of Malcol-mson Eco-Park. 10 a.m. – 11 a.m. Free. Meet at Malcolmson Eco-Park, 325 Lakeshore Rd.

May 12-17 – Niagara Folk Arts Festival. Vari-ous events throughout the city. 905-685-6589. www.folk-arts.ca.

May 17 – Outdoor Trav-elling Walks with the Walker’s Creek Neigh-bourhood Association and Friends of Malcol-mson Eco-Park. 10 a.m. – 11 a.m. Free. Meet at Walker’s Creek South, Linwell Road entrance.

May 18 – Lakeside Park Carousel opens for the season. 4 p.m. Port Dalhousie. www.stcatharines.ca

May 24 – Outdoor Travelling Walks with the Walker’s Creek Neigh-bourhood Association and Friends of Malcol-mson Eco-Park. 10 a.m. – 11 a.m. Free. Meet at Walker’s Creek North, Parnell Road entrance.

May 31 – Outdoor Travelling Walks with the Walker’s Creek Neigh-bourhood Association and Friends of Malcol-mson Eco-Park. 10 a.m. – 11 a.m. Free. Meet at Cindy Drive Park, Lake-shore Road entrance. June 2 – 60th annual

Children’s Pet Show. Lakeside Park. 9:30 a.m. Free. 905-688-5601, ext. 1570. www.stcatharines.ca

June 4 – Full Moon History and Haunts Walks. 9 p.m. Market Square. $8 per person for 75-minute walking tour. 905-685-8424 to reserve. www.mydown-town.ca.

June 7 – Outdoor Trav-elling Walks with the Walker’s Creek Neigh-bourhood Association and Friends of Malcol-mson Eco-Park. 10 a.m. – 11 a.m. Free. Meet at Cherie Road Park, Cindy Drive Entrance.

June 14 – Outdoor Trav-elling Walks with the Walker’s Creek Neighbourhood Asso-ciation and Friends of Malcolmson Eco-Park. 10 a.m. – 11 a.m. Free. Meet at Malcolmson Eco-Park, 325 Lake-shore Rd.

June 15-17 – Doors Open Niagara. Free ac-cess to many treasured landmarks. 1-877-884-2736. www.doorsopen-niagara.ca

Impressions of Culture: Cul-ture Stamp - The St. Catha-rines Postcard Project is a free exhibit on now at City Hall.

GM workers’ passion on display at museum

The watch Charles Simpson (left) received as a service award during his career at GM’s Glendale Avenue foundry is part of a new exhibit at the St. Catharines Museum.

Black and white photos of work at the foundry from the Standard collection are also part of the exhibit.

Springing into action