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If you didn’t know any better you may have thought you stepped into Mumbai, India if you happened to walk by the back of St. Street Paul in late August.Small metal shanties and fruit carts made up

a makeshift market. Posters with unfamiliar writing stuck to walls. Full clotheslines stretched across the laneway. Gun fire popped in the distance. And camera crews captured everything as it

happened.Sound like something you might see on the

six o’clock news? Actually, production crews were in downtown St. Catharines in August filming scenes for an upcoming episode of Nikita, a prime time action series on the WB. Later that same month, Fourgrounds Media used parts of downtown to film scenes for its upcoming full-length feature, the Hotel Dieu. And, hopefully, there’s more to come as the City makes itself a more appealing place for filmmakers to shout “action.”Filmmakers are focusing on St. Catharines

more and more because we have the ability to replicate a variety of areas around the globe, says Marco Marino, economic development officer. Whether it’s rolling farmlands and vineyards or ivy league schools, scenes shot in St. Catharines can look like they came from anywhere in the world.“Different parts of our city can easily be

made to look like other destinations that would be a lot more expensive to shoot, and travel costs for production companies coming from Toronto to St. Catharines is minimal

given the quality of the final product they achieve here,” Marino says.The Ontario Media Development

Corporation reported 273 projects, including movies, TV shows, music videos and more, generated about $1.28 billion in revenue for the province in 2012. Toronto is king, raking in $1.2 billion in production costs last year.But attracting filmmakers to the city brings

in other revenue for local businesses. Crews buy supplies locally to build sets, hire temps and extras and need places to sleep and eat between shoots. Because the film

industry moves quickly and location scouts usually have a few locales to shoot in mind, decisions need to be made quickly in order to bring that spending to St. Catharines businesses. That’s why City Council approved a new film policy aimed at making it easier to accommodate film requests.“We are streamlining the process,” said

Marino. “Attracting more film production work to the city offers us great exposure and helps boost our local economy.”

Making it easier for filmmakers to shoot in the CityComing into focus

Join us for a public meeting Nov. 18 and have your say on the final draft of the new city-wide zoning by-law and changes to the City’s Official Plan.Easier to use and understand, the City’s

proposed zoning by-law simplifies the existing 11 zoning by-laws into one document. The zoning by-law is a set of rules for how landowners use and develop properties throughout the city. It applies the general policies guiding the City’s vision for future land use set out in the Garden City Plan, the City’s Official Plan.Once the public meeting concludes, St.

Catharines City Council will consider adopting the proposed new by-law and changes to the Official Plan.You can review the proposed zoning by-law

online, at City Hall and at local libraries during regular business hours. For more information call 905.688.5601 ext. 1600. Public meetingMonday, Nov. 18 at City Hall, 50 Church

St. at 7:30 p.m.Can’t attend the meeting? Submit your

comments in writing before the public meeting to the City Clerk at City Hall. Please refer to File 60.35.11, Volume C.

End of outdated zoning by-laws is near

Final tax bill

Residents gave City planners, including Ellen Savoia at right, feedback that helped shape the proposed new city-wide zoning by-law.

The fourth and final 2013 tax installment for residential and commercial properties is due Friday, Oct. 11. Final tax bills were previous-ly mailed to owners on June 21. To avoid late charges, please ensure payment is received at City Hall on or before Oct. 11. Payments can be made in person at City

Hall and most financial institutions, as well as through internet banking, telephone banking and regular mail. Payments can also be deposited in the mail

slot at the James Street entrance of City Hall. Remember to include tax stubs with pay-ments.Do not send cash in the mail.

Pre-authorized paymentsNever miss a payment again.Pre-authorized debit payment plans are

available for your tax bill and water/waste-water bill.Signing up for the pre-authorized payment

plan provides you with the convenience of automatic withdrawals from your bank account, either monthly or per bill, giving you peace of mind that your bills will be paid on time. For more information call 905.688.5601 ext. 1416.

The City continues to make St. Catharines a desirable location for Hollywood and Toronto film, TV and video-related businesses.Only an about hour’s drive from Toronto and

a few hours away from New York City, St. Catharines is ideally located for production houses to base their operations.It’s all part of the Creative Cluster

Master Plan, a guiding document for civic investments to lure more residential developments, more jobs and stimulating private spending downtown. While the City is only five years in to

redefining itself as a creative economy, production houses like Fourgrounds Media Inc., KeyFrame Digital Productions Inc. and Open Concept Films are establishing themselves downtown and producing homegrown TV, film and video. “The way the industry is today, you can live

and work in St. Catharines for less than you would in Toronto or New York City while still staying connected to clients in those cities or anywhere in the world,” said Marino.

Production houses love the city too

Temporary phone service interruption Residents attempting to contact City facilities

over the Thanksgiving Day long weekend will experience a temporary phone inter-ruption due to the relocation of some of the City’s IT equipmentFrom Saturday, Oct. 12 to Tuesday, Oct.

15, residents will not be able to call City of St. Catharines facilities with 905.688.5600 or 905.688.5601 phone numbers.Operating hours for facilities will not

change due to the phone interruption, and residents will still be able to contact City staff via email.The following emergency phone numbers will operate as normal:• 911 emergency services• The City’s 24-hour emergency line for

reporting issues with water, roads, sewers or trees - 905.935.3813

• The Victoria Lawn Cemetery - 905.682.5311

Work has been scheduled outside of regular business hours to minimize the disruption to residents. Information about the service inter-ruption will be posted at all City facilities.

The former Lower Level Parking Lot was dressed up to film a scene for an upcoming episode of Nikita. More and more, filmakers are choosing St. Catharines as a shoot location, which could mean an economic boost for the city.

As fall is upon us I find an unusual excitement in the air. The typical fall slowdown and impending winter blues will be cast aside in favour of a renewed optimism for the future of St. Catharines. We have embarked on a rebirth of

the downtown core that will make us the envy of all other cities. Massive cranes, heavy construction equip-ment and expansive steel beams give St. Catharines an image of rising from the ashes. It’s our time to once again become

the jewel of the Niagara Region and with the Meridian Centre, the Per-forming Arts Centre and the Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine Arts we will claim our spot as a premier city. The taxpayer can be rest assured

that the massive projects we have undertaken are being monitored, supervised and vetted to insure tax dollars are spent wisely and these projects are completed on time and on budget. It looks to me that St. Catharines

is becoming a Cadillac city once again. On a different note there has been

considerable dialogue regarding the sale of St. Catharines Hydro’s generation Assets. This includes the sale of the functioning Heywood Generating Station and the not-yet-constructed, yet-to-be-approved Shickluna Project.As a Hydro Director, many con-

stituents have openly asked me why would we sell an asset that gener-ates revenue for the City. This is a great question.The idea of a potential sale and the

motion for a Request for Proposal (RFP) was approved by City Council.I understand that parties may be

interested in buying our generation assets, however we have a duty to insure a proper, open and transpar-ent process is followed. This will insure we get a proper valuation and the citizens of St. Catharines interests are protected. Disposing of a money-making asset

for short-term gains may be a disser-vice to taxpayers or it may be a real opportunity for the City. We’ll only really know once the

results of the RFP are known.Join me Nov. 29 at the Merritton

Community Centre for the Pearl Glove boxing fundraiser for MS, where I will take on Niagara Falls firefighter Andy Gill. Call the St. Catharines Boxing Club for more information at 905-988-1244.

- Matt Harris

Another September has passed and the 63rd annual Niagara Wine Festival was a great success. The highlight for many was

of course the Grande Parade sponsored by CIBC. It is always uplifting to see our community gather along the parade route hours before the event to find their favourite spot and seek out old friends and acquaintances. People smiling and greeting each other with open arms is truly the highlight of the two-week festival. The parade itself was blessed with perfect weather, and young and old all enjoyed over an hour and half of music and entertainment.Montebello Park was again the

spot to be for both weekends as the wine, along with the food and music, set the atmosphere for a true homecoming. The park was jammed all but one night due to the rain on the first Saturday. As organizers, our board always plans on one day of rain, and we got it. Not to be dampened in spirit, the rest of the

festival saw perfect weather and evenings that required only a light jacket. As the Council representative on

the board I would like to thank our partners, The Wine Council of Ontario and The Grape Growers of Ontario for their continued dedication and support of the festival. Although we all have slightly different goals for the festival, our great working relationship and mutual understanding enables us to meet all our objectives. As well, a big thanks to Kimberly

Hundertmark and her staff for seamlessly executing over 100 events within two weeks. I can tell you that the small team of staff put in long days and nights to pull this off and they do this with a smile and little recognition. Some of them even break their ankles and then work from the hospital emergency room to co-ordinate the parade! Lastly and most importantly, thank

you volunteers and sponsors. You are the core of our success and we can’t thank you enough! If you missed any of this I hope that

next September you will be able to join your friends and neighbours to enjoy what our city and region have to offer. Between now and then our board

and staff will be working to bring you another great two weeks next September along with our other two annual events. Please check the website for dates and times.

- Peter Secord

MAYOR BRIANMCMULLAN

Page 2 The Garden City Current October 2013

MERRITTONCOUN. BURCHjburch@stcatharines.ca905.327.5153

COUN. STEVENSjstevens@stcatharines.ca905.328.6722

ST. ANDREW’SCOUN. HARRISmharris@stcatharines.ca905.329.6802

COUN. KUSHNERjkushner@stcatharines.ca905.327.9638 or 905.685.1817

ST. GEORGE’SCOUN. SECORDpsecord@stcatharines.ca905.327.9854

COUN. WASHUTAgwashuta@stcatharines.ca905.327.9905

ST. PATRICK’SCOUN. ELLIOTTmelliott@stcatharines.ca905.327.1763

COUN. SISCOEmsiscoe@stcatharines.ca905.329.8162

GRANTHAMCOUN. DODGEddodge@stcatharines.ca905.327.9704

COUN. PHILLIPSbphillips@stcatharines.ca905.327.5363

PORT DALHOUSIECOUN. STACKlstack@stcatharines.ca905.327.5235

COUN. WILLIAMSONbwilliamson@stcatharines.ca905.934.2787

Labour Day activities in Merritton were once again a huge success. The parade was longer than ever with the welcome additions of new bands and floats. The weather co-operated at the eleventh hour, and as

usual, Merritton residents responded to Community Care by giving the food bank a much needed shot in the arm.The fifth annual fireworks display by

Red Boss Pyrotechnicians Inc. was magnificent. The Fireworks Commit-tee would like to thank and acknowl-edge the following sponsors for their generous donations which made it all possible: The Pen Centre, Merritton Community Pharmacy, Kaupp Electric Limited, Merritton Lions, Classic Amusements, Niagara IceDogs, Mer-ritton Legion Branch 138, Pirie Ap-pliances Ltd., Midas Hartzel Road, Sheri’s Creative Edge, Niagara Battery and Tire, The Dog Pound, Carpenters Local 18, I.B.E.W.

Local 303, St. Catharines Federal Liberal Association, St. Catharines Professional Firefighters Local 485, S.E.I.U. Local 1, Home Hardware, Sunrise Café, M.P.P. Jim Bradley and the Simpson family. Without the tremendous support of the businesses and residents of Merritton this annual event would not be possible.Merritton businesses have been

known for their community sup-port. A free swim day at Lion Dunc Schooley Pool was provided for all of the younger Merrittonians courtesy of Merritton Community Pharmacy. Thank you.The city’s newest fire hall at the

corner of Hartzel Road and Oakdale Avenue is set to open this fall. The

City of St. Catharines’ I.T. depart-ment, in preparation for the grand opening, is scheduled to finish with their changeover of technology from City Hall to the fire hall and this is expected to be completed on Thanks-giving weekend. The official opening ceremony will be held on Saturday, Nov. 2. Residents will be given the opportunity to inspect the new facility with families being invited to partici-pate in fire prevention activities.Councillors Stevens and Burch

would like to extend their best wishes for a wonderful Thanksgiving.

- Jeff Burch & Jennie Stevens

Contact your Councillor

We are very fortunate in Grantham Ward to have three community groups who are involved in specific areas of our ward with the goal of enhancing their areas of interest. The Walker’s Creek Neighbour-

hood Association is comprised of residents who share an interest in ensuring the area of Walker’s Creek, which extends from Scott Street to Lake Ontario, is properly main-tained, beautified and appreciated by residents.They do this by organizing fall and

spring “strolls“ with City staff and ward councillors to indicate areas of improvements. The association has also planted and maintains butter-fly gardens in the park. They also organize regular educational walks through the park for city residents. Recently, they assisted the TD bank and Niagara Peninsula Conserva-tion Authority plant 450 native trees and shrubs in the park.The Friends of Malcolmson Park

assist the City by maintaining Mal-colmson Park through regular park cleanups and plantings. This park is located in the northeast corner of the

city beside Lock One of the Welland Canal. This group has funded and provided educational material at the entrance to the trails in order to give residents an idea of what they might see during their hike. This association celebrates the begin-ning of Earth Week by sponsoring a community plant sale, park cleanup, park maintenance and tree planting. Rarely does a day go by without a member of this group being in the park improving the landscape.The newest community group in

our ward is the Friends of Munici-pal Beach. This group is often seen working in areas of the beach in the evening, picking up litter and cleaning weeds from the various areas of the beach. This group has been instrumental in improving the quality of the beach. They have researched methods of maintaining the beach and suggested that the City purchase a mechanical beach rake. Recreation and Community Services acted on the recommenda-tion and the purchase of this device has improved the condition of all the beaches within the city this year. Beach volleyball courts are now available at Municipal Beach, as well as washroom facilities.If you don’t have a community

group in your ward we strongly sug-gest you organize one. Groups can act as the eyes and ears for ward councillors. A group is an asset to City staff in getting issues identified. If you want St. Catharines to be a better place, get involved with a community group.

- Dawn Dodge & Bill Phillips

Autumn has arrived and so far the days have been a little cool but the sun is shining brightly. According to the wine growers, our temperatures have been excellent for grape growing and they predict a bountiful wine making crop this year. Speaking of wine, St. Catharines has celebrated another successful Niagara Wine Festival, including a great parade and good times had by all in our festive Monte-bello Park.Some exciting activities have taken

place over the last little while. One major announcement is that regarding the naming rights for the new spectator facility. It will now be known as the Meridian Centre. Other exciting happenings include

the many road improvements taking place throughout our city in an effort to fulfill our promise of creating “walk-able friendly” neighbourhoods. Intensification is becoming quite evi-

dent as we witness new developments shooting up all around the city produ-cing new and affordable housing. Another important issue is transporta-

tion infrastructure, and we, as one of the largest municipalities, must take a leading role. We need to examine ways of finan-

cing and funding a regional transit system and explore new and innova-tive funding strategies. Looking at the big picture will force

us to understand that transportation infrastructure is a critical concern to our long term sustainability, and intro-ducing devices such as user fees will need to be investigated more seriously. On a more local note, many people

are inquiring about the Port Place development in regards to its future. I have very little new information

other than I am told that the de-velopment is definitely a go and that construction is scheduled to begin sometime this Fall.Meanwhile, I am requesting that the

City keep after the developer to take better care of the vacant grounds and adhere to our property standards for the benefit of our local Port Dalhousie residents as well as for the many who visit Port.In closing, I would like to mention that

we are about to enter our final year of our four year term as City Councillors, and the new committee for the 2014 budget has been appointed by Coun-cil. Budget negotiations will be well on their way by the time you read this column. I want to thank everyone for your support over the last three years and I look forward to a promising year in 2014.

- Len Stack

GRANTHAM

COUN. DAWN DODGE

COUN. BILL PHILLIPS

COUN. JEFF BURCH

MERRITTON

COUN. JENNIESTEVENS

It’s time for Niagara to shine the spotlight on our cultural community.With the changing economy, we

want to create an environment that allows our arts and culture sector to flourish. We know this sector has untapped potential for future growth in the Garden City and Niagara.A shared vision, willingness to

partner and unified goal to boost the creative economy is required to ensure these organizations are pro-vided with opportunities for success.The Region recently passed amend-

ments to its Official Growth Plan that includes commitments to public art and urban design, as well as recognizing the importance of the creative economy. Investment in the arts will support

these goals.Recently, with the support of

Regional Council, I made a request that staff develop a regional grant program for the arts similar to our City’s St. Catharines Cultural Invest-ment Program (SCCIP). The City’s program, now in its 10th year, has shown that recipients are generating 27 per cent more revenue within three years; funding from the private sector doubled in that time; the num-ber of artists and curators employed by grant recipients increased by 30 per cent; and artist contracts increased by 50 per cent. In St. Catharines, our annual

$150,000 SCCIP investment helps leverage between $700,000 and $950,000 in provincial and federal government investments. Since its inception, SCCIP has

allowed nearly 200 grants to be distributed to 65 arts organizations. In St. Catharines, the Performing

Arts Centre will provide a new home for many of the arts organiza-tions. The ongoing economic impact of the arts centre (post construction) is estimated at $16 million per year. According to a recent study

commissioned by the Region, the regional arts and culture sector supports more than 13,000 jobs – almost 6,000 of which are direct – and generates $400 million in labour income.It is important Regional Council be

provided the opportunity to create an incentive program which can encourage economic growth and prosperity. Funding the not-for-profit arts and

cultural sector is a catalyst for dy-namic and growing cultural indus-tries in the for-profit sector. To that end, I have recommended

the development of a cultural invest-ment program in time for consider-ation in the Region’s 2014 budget.As community leaders, it is impor-

tant we recognize that the shift in the economy presents new oppor-tunities that we must capture and nourish.Through investment we can cre-

ate an environment for our young people to hone their skills, keep local talent here and enhance the quality of life for our residents. We want Niagara to be centre

stage. - Mayor Brian McMullan

Contact the Mayorbmcmullan@stcatharines.ca905.688.5601 x1540

COUN. JOE KUSHNER

COUN. MATTHARRIS

ST. ANDREW’S

COUN. LEN STACK

COUN. BRUCE WILLIAMSON

PORT DALHOUSIE

COUN. PETER SECORD

ST. GEORGE’S

COUN. GREG WASHUTA

Another busy couple of months in St. Patrick’s ward.First of all, a number of big an-

nouncements for major downtown projects. The new St. Catharines Per-forming Arts Centre received the first of many corporate donations, with a $500,000 donation from Algoma Corporation in a beautiful ceremony that also saw the pouring of the cor-nerstone for the new facility. In addition to the PAC funding, the

downtown also got some excellent news in the form of a $ 5.23 million deal for the naming rights of the new Spectator Facility, now known as the Meridian Centre. Both announce-ments provided a big boost to the fundraising of the two projects, and

were welcomed by the entire com-munity.In addition to the major projects

going on downtown, a number of excellent festivals have taken place to animate our streets. BuskerFest proved once again to be a good draw downtown, and the annual Niagara Wine Festival once again drew very large crowds to downtown over the two weekends of the festival. Making the downtown space even more accommodating than before is the new James Street Civic Square, a pilot project that’s seen a portion of James Street at King Street closed for

pedestrian access and seated patio areas. This proved especially suc-cessful during the first night market at our downtown Farmers market, which happened on Tuesdays this summer.There’s lots going on in St. Patrick’s

ward; be sure to get out and about and check out what’s happening!A reminder, Coun. Siscoe is still

running resident meetings on the third Tuesday of every month from 6 to 7 p.m. at City Hall in Committee Room 1.

- Mat Siscoe

COUN. MATHEW SISCOE

COUN. MARK ELLIOTT

ST. PATRICK’S

MayorBrian McMullan

From the desk of

The City has just the thing for those open spaces on the boulevards in front of homes across St. Catharines: a tree. Best of all, boulevard trees are free, and the

City will plant it for you.The City offers a free boulevard tree to

property owners who want one as part of its effort to have more trees in St. Catharines. Trees provide clean air, add beauty and shade to neighbourhoods, and can also save property owners money by helping control heating and cooling costs.Different types and sizes are available

to suit any property, even if the space is small and power lines hang overhead. The City will plant within the first five feet from the road for properties that don’t have a boulevard.Fall plantings are already underway, and

will see 275 boulevard trees planted on residential properties, plus plantings in parks and in neighbourhoods where road construction was recently completed. In all, about 1,200 new trees will take root by the end of the fall. The next planting occurs in the spring, so request your new boulevard tree by April 1.Every year, the City adds as many trees as

it can to the “urban forest” in St. Catharines. However, it faces a real challenge replacing all the ash trees it will lose to the Emerald Ash Borer over the next couple of years. The invasive species rapidly infested ash

trees in north and south-end neighbourhoods this year. The City protected as many trees as it could with insecticide injections, but will likely lose most of its estimated 18,000 ashes over the next three years (about 10 per cent of the trees covering the city). It could cost tens of millions of dollars to remove and replace all trees lost to the bug.The City is also preparing for another

invasive pest: the Asian long horn beetle. It’s expected to make its way back to Canada from parts of the United States over the next five years. The beetle feeds on maple

trees, but the municipalities of Toronto and Vaughan were able eradicate it by cutting down vulnerable trees to squash infestations before they spread out of control.A greater variety of trees in St. Catharines

will help the urban forest standup to the invasive pests that harm particular species. When property owners request a tree they’ll select from a pre-approved list of trees, which includes beetle and borer resistant types such as tulip trees, Kentucky coffee trees, ginkgos and ivory silk lilacs.

The changing colours of trees makes autumn in St. Catharines truly one of the prettiest times of the year.And one of the messiest.Residents will soon be bagging leaves for pickup and

prepping their yards for winter. The City will be out in full force as well, cleaning leaves from city streets as part of its fall street sweeping program.When wet, leaves on roads can cause slippery conditions

for pedestrians and motorists, and increase the risk for flooding by clogging drains. To prevent this, City crews will clean leaves, dust and other debris from the streets over the next couple of months.The City sweeps away thousands of tonnes of grit and other

debris from more than 1,000 km of roads to make them clean and safe for pedestrians, cyclists and motorists. Street cleaning also reduces how much grit drains into storm sewers and prevents grit from polluting local water ways

How you can helpCars parked on the side of the road make it challenging to

properly clean leaves and debris from streets, so be sure to keep your car off the road between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m. Find out when street sweepers will be in your neighbourhood by visiting the City’s website. Dispose of garbage, recyclables, compostables, leaves,

grass clippings and other yard waste in proper containers and leave them at the side of the road on your regular garbage pickup day. Search ‘Waste’ at www.niagararegion.ca for more information on garbage collection.Do not rake or blow leaves, grass clippings or other

garbage and debris onto roads as this can cause drainage problems and hazards to pedestrians and motorists..

Page 3 The Garden City Current October 2013

Fall street sweeping starting soon

Whether you find cooking fun or more of a chore, it’s a key part of everyday life. But, are you doing it safely? With everything that’s happening in the

background - such as playing children, TV, text messages and Facebook posts - you may not even realize how distracted you are. Adding just a smidge of distraction can lead to disaster; cooking fires can burn out of control in minutes and are a major reason for house fires.“Unattended cooking is the leading cause

of cooking fires, and St. Catharines has the unfortunate distinction of being amongst the five worst when it comes to incidents of cooking fires in the province,” states Chris Leonard, chief fire prevention officer. “It only takes a moment: the cook leaves the room and forgets about their food on the stove. Maybe some oil spills over, a pot runs dry, and next thing you know, your kitchen is on fire.”Getting a lid on kitchen fires is the theme

of this year’s Fire Prevention Week, running Oct. 5-13. Firefighters will demonstrate cook-ing tips at a Fire Prevention Week kick-off event on Oct. 5 at Fire Station 1 (64 Geneva St.) from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Here are some helpful tips to help keep

cooking from burning out of control:• Keep lids near the stove when cooking.

If a pot catches fire, quickly slide the lid over the pot. Turn off the stove and remove the pot after it cools.

• Never use water on a grease fire.• Avoid wearing loose, dangling clothing

that can easily catch fire when cook-ing. If clothing catches fire: stop, drop and roll.

• Keep stoves and counters clean. Keep items that can easily catch fire - such as cooking utensils, dishcloths, paper towels and pot holders - a safe distance from the stove.

• Keep children away from the stove. • Make sure electrical cords are not dan-

gling from countertops and pot handles are turned in.

• If something catches fire in the oven or another self-contained appliance close the door, turn off the heat source and allow it to cool before removing.

• If you’re burned, run cool water over the burn for about five minutes. Seek medical attention if the burn is severe.

• If a kitchen fire gets out of hand, have everyone quickly leave the house and then call 911, even if you feel the fire has been extinguished.

Home fire safety always includes working smoke alarms on every level and a fire escape plan.

Each year, thousands of people in North America are injured and hundreds are killed by accidental poisoning. This poison can strike anyone regardless of age, although its effects are felt more rapidly in seniors and young children. You can be overtaken quickly, or succumb to its effects gradually, believing at first that you are suffering from something as simple as the common cold. In some cases, family members simply perish in their sleep.What is the source of this poisoning?

Carbon monoxide - often described as the silent killer because it has no taste, no smell and cannot be seen. However, there are some easy steps

residents can take to protect themselves and their family. First, ensure fuel-fired appliances are

properly maintained, chimneys and flues are inspected annually and all appliances receive adequate combustion air. Second, never run a car or barbecue in a garage. Third, and most importantly, install carbon monoxide alarms in your home.These devices provide an early warning

to potential carbon monoxide problems - long before the condition becomes deadly - when measures can be taken to correct the problem before anyone suffers any lasting effects. Many communities in Ontario have

introduced by-laws to ensure every residential building with attached garages or containing fuel fired appliances is equipped with at least one carbon monoxide alarm outside of every sleeping area. This heating season, City councillors will

get their first look at a proposal from Fire Services to enact a similar by-law for the City of St. Catharines. A carbon monoxide alarm is like an

insurance policy, something you hope you never need, but invaluable if required.For more information visit www.cosafety.

ca.

Council to consider carbon monoxide by-law

Keep your eyes on the fries

Autumn leaves are pretty to look at, but they can be troublesome if left on sidewalks and roads.

Growing our urban forest

Trees young and old add shade and beauty to all neighbourhoods.

Cooking fires are a leading cause of most home fires in Ontario.

Fire Prevention Week Calendar

Safe cooking tips

• Want a boulevard tree? Call 905.937.7210

• Found an ash tree dying on City land?

Call 905.935.3813

• Have an ash tree dying on your property? Call a certified arbourist

Remember, it’s better to remove a dyingtree while it is still green.

Helpful resources

Attend any of our Fire Prevention Week events to learn more about fire safety and kitchen fires.

Oct. 5, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.Open house at Fire Station 1 (64 Geneva St.)

Oct. 9, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.Fire safety at the Pen Centre

Oct. 10, 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.‘What’s for Dinner’ cooking class at the Real Canadian Superstore

Oct. 13, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.Fire safety at the Home Depot

Are you a Brock University or Niagara College student living off-campus in St. Catharines?Here’s a little advice to help

you adjust to your home away from home.If you haven’t already done

so, make sure there are working smoke alarms and fire extinguishers on every level of your home and a working carbon monoxide alarm near where you sleep. Test smoke alarms once a month, and be certain to call your landlord if there are any issues.Keep halls and doorways free

of tripping hazards by picking up dirty laundry, recycling pizza boxes and keeping other clutter from piling up on the floor. Plug TVs, Xboxes, phone chargers and other electronics into powerbars to avoid overloading circuits. Visit www.stcatharines.ca/firesafety for more tips.As for those pizza boxes, the

Niagara Region offers weekly garbage and recycling pick up, so be sure to place trash and recycling bins curbside on collection day. Search “Waste” at www.niagararegion.ca to learn more about garbage collection.

Looking to explore your new home away from home? St. Catharines has a museum, state-of-the-art aquatics centre, more than 70 parks and playing fields. Click the “Play In” tab at www.stcatharines.ca to learn what the City offers.Do you have a car? Park it in

the driveway or in other parking areas only. Don’t park on lawns or sidewalks.Like any relationship, being

a good neighbour begins with trust and respect. Be polite, cut the grass and shovel snow if it’s your responsibility. Clean trash from your yard and keep the

noise down after 11 p.m.Every resident has the right to

relax and unwind in their own way in their own space, but some people may not realize they’re being disruptive. If you have complaints, politely bring them up with your neighbour first. If your neighbours have complaints, listen and consider issues from their side of the fence. If a problem can’t be resolved calmly, call the police.

You’ve got questions. We’ve got answers. Residents can get an early

peak at what designers have in store for the Meridian Centre during public information sessions scheduled for Oct. 29 at 2:30 and 5:30 p.m. inside Council Chambers at City Hall. No RSVP is required. For a direct invitation to the

information session send an email to meridiancentre@stcatharines.ca with the subject line “Public Information Session.”

Flipping through her family photo album brings back all kinds of memories about Pumpkinville for Jennifer Green.Green, supervisor for the City of St.

Catharines’ pools and aquatics programs, makes a point to have an annual family photo during the City’s one-day fall festival.“Looking back on the photos immediately

brings back all of the great memories of the day,” said Green, adding this year’s Pumpkinville is the ninth she’s shared with her family. “Pumpkinville is about creating special fall memories with our family.”What started out as a small community

event 25 years ago has grown into an annual scream families look forward to every October. Pumpkinville, the City’s longest running family event, celebrates its silver anniversary Oct. 19 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The City is ready to scare up some family

fun with face painting, crafts, games,

bouncers, pony rides, food vendors and much more.While the activities have changed over

the years -- from clowns, scavenger hunts and pumpkin pie baking contests at earlier events -- organizers of the annual fall gathering have always put an emphasis on making people feel like a part of the St. Catharines community.“This was about creating something

positive in St. Catharines,” said Green. “Families are always looking for things to do that are inexpensive, active and exciting for everyone. And this is the kind of event people always write down on their calendar each year so they don’t miss out.”Lori Mambella, programming supervisor

with the City, is organizing this year’s Pumpkinville, and said all of the family-favourite activities, like scarecrow building, pumpkin carving and entertainers, will be back.

The City provides wooden frames, straw and twine for scarecrows and will have 500 pumpkins and tools for families to use for carving. Bring in old clothing and accessories to give the creations a personal touch.“This year is obviously a special year

for the event and we want our families to continue to make Pumpkinville memories that will last a lifetime,” said Mambella. Admission to Pumpkinville is free. Some

activities, including family photos and snacks, may include a small fee. Parking is available at Happy Rolph’s, nearby businesses and the Grantham Lions Club on Niagara Street, where free bus rides will take visitors to and from the event.

Pumpkinville celebrates 25th anniversaryFull Moon Ghost Walks Oct. 18-30 and nOv. 17 90-minute guided walking tour of downtown. 7 p.m. $8. Reservations required. Call 905.685.8424 or visit www.mydowntown.ca

Shipman’s ShindigOct. 19 A night of dinner, dancing, silent auction and more. St. Catharines Museum, 1932 Welland Canals Pkwy. Mem-bers: $60 each, $115 couple. Public: $65 each, $120 couple. Call 905.984.8880 or visit www.stcatharines.ca/MuseumEvents

Spooktacular in Market SquareOct. 26Young ghouls and goblins can enjoy a movie and other children’s activities at Market Square. Visit www.stcatharines.ca/Spooktacular

St. Catharines Santa Claus ParadenOv. 24 Santa Claus comes to town during the 11th annual parade in downtown St. Catharines. Pa-rade starts at 2:30 p.m. Finish-es at Market Square with family activities. Call 905.688.5601 ext.1508 or visit www.stcatha-rines.ca/SantaClausParade

City Core: 40 Years of the St. Catharines Downtown AssociationUntil Spring 2014 at city HallThis exhibit celebrates memories of St. Catharines’ Downtown from the past 40 years. Presented in partnership with the City of St. Catharines and the St. Catharines Downtown Association. Weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Call 905.688.5601 ext. 5244 or visit www.stcatharines.ca/Exhibits

Merritton: Unearthing a Community’s RootsUntil nOv. 29Installed in Centennial Gardens at the site of the Doug Cranmer totem pole, this exhibit commemorates the town of Merritton and its vibrant community, both past and present. Ope dawn to dusk inside Centennial Gardens.Call 905.688.5601 ext. 5244 or visit www.stcatharines.ca/Merritton

The Perfect MatchUntil nOv. 29Learn how science and technology is enhancing athletic performance. Interactive fun for the whole family. St. Catharines Museum,1932 Welland Canals Pkwy. Call 905.984.8880 or visit www.stcatharines.ca/MuseumEvents

Tree of Little AngelsnOv. 12 - dec. 13 Help make a youngster’s holiday special by donating a gift to the City’s Tree of Little Angels. Names and ages of youngsters will be hanging on trees at City Hall and other recreation facilities. Donations can be dropped off at same locations. Call 905.688.5601 ext. 1556.

Concrete base repairs on sections of the City’s concrete roads beginning in October and lasting three weeks:

• Erinbrook Crescent from Northcliffe Road to its west limit• Glenbarr Road between West Hampton and East

Hampton roads• Glenbarr Road from East Hampton Road to Woodside

Drive • Ridley Heights Road from Springbank Drive to

Crestcombe Road• West Hampton Road from Hampton Road to Woodside

Drive

Storm sewer construction beginning in September and lasting eight weeks:

• Harcove Street from Scott Street to Rabuka Avenue• Rabuka Avenue between Harcove and White streets• Thompson Avenue between Harcove and White streets• Youngblut Avenue between Harcove and White streets

Watermain and sanitary sewer replacement work starting in September and lasting eight weeks:

• Plymouth Avenue between Grantham and Elmwood avenues

City facilities• Victoria Lawn Cemetery:

driveway rehabilitation and expansion, new sewer installation and road resurfacing will end this fall.

• Landscaping improvements to the small park at 221 King St. (at Church Street)

• Repairs to existing concrete sidewalks throughout the city will continue this fall

• West St. Catharines Older Adult Centre: Parking lot reconstruction is expected to be completed by mid-October.

Help our crews work safelySlow down in construction zones and obey posted speed

limits. Follow the instructions of road attendants and treat temporary stop lights the same way you would a regu-

lar stop light.

Happening in St. Catharines

Construction coming to a street near you

Page 4 The Garden City Current October 2013

Dates and schedules subject to change. Durations listed are for each project and not the individual road sections.

October is small business month

Enjoy the student life in St. Catharines

Meridian donates $5.23 million to spectator facility

Mayor Brian McMullan, left, and Bill Maurin, acting president and CEO of Meridian, announced the City’s new spectator facility will now be called the Meridian Centre after Meridian’s $5.23 million donation to the project.

Thinking about starting a small business? The St. Catharines Enterprise Centre is here to help.The centre is a public

resource supporting entrepreneurs starting and growing their small businesses.“Our office is not only a

resource for people starting up a business, but it’s also a resource for people looking to grow their business,” said Kelly Provost, the City’s small business consultant and manager at the centre. “We work with lots of clients on business growth, which can include consulting on hiring, expansion financing, developing new markets, marketing and advertising.”The centre also features

a reference library and offers a wide range of seminars to get those in the entrepreneurial spirit off on the right track.

There’s a lot for students to see and do while they study in St. Catharines, including music and dancing in Civic Square.

Meridian Centre information sessions