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235 South Mill St., Ridgeway, Ontario • (289) 271-2955www.ridgewayherald.com
Mike Cloutier, editor and [email protected]
The independent local newspaper of Fort Erie, Canada
Friday, June 1, 2012 (updated June 3) • Issue # 26AThe independent local newspaper of Fort Erie, Canada
Flowers for racing
The Battle of Ridgeway was a central focus of a festival to celebrate local and internationally-recognized authors this weekend.
Organized by Mary Friesen, owner of Lakeside Books & Art and Gallery 329 in Ridgeway, she spared no effort to bring the Ridgeway Reads Literary Festival to life.
Among the guests were Ireland’s Ambassador in Canada, Dr. Ray Bassett, who participated in the unveiling Saturday at noon of a mural dedicated to the historic battle which occurred 146 years ago.
Local member of parliament and Justice Minister Rob Nicholson was also on hand.
The Battle of Ridgeway occurred on June 2, 1866, when Irish nationalists from the United States, many battle-hardened veterans of the Civil War, fought Canadian soldiers near Ridgeway in an attempt to invade Canada and to force Britain to cede independence of Ireland.
The invaders were members of the Fenian Brotherhood who
Fenian Raidcentrepieceof festival
Ireland’s ambassador attends Battle of Ridgeway functionsat fi rst local literary festival
In keeping with the theme of history at the Fort Erie Race Track, fl owers were planted in areas of the infi eld that hadn’t been tended for more than 20 years. Organized by Sandra Fish-man of Inside Out Landscaping, Marie Walker, Harry Eder, Jackie Eder, Elissa Blowe, Gail Cowan, Ray Hill and Tara Stenson undertook the hard work un-der the hot sun last Saturday.
continued on Page 3
Ireland’s ambassador in Canada, Dr. Ray Bassett — fl anked by local MP Rob Nicholson, left, and Fort Erie mayor Doug Martin — was a special guest for the unveiling of a mural dedicated to the Battle of Ridgeway in conjunction with the Ridgeway Reads Literary Festival held on the weekend. Members of the Royal Canadian Legion and a contingent from the Queen’s Own Rifl es, one of the military units which fought Irish-American invaders in the June 2, 1866 battle, pa-raded from the Legion hall to the parking lot at Brodie’s Pharmacy where the mural was installed and honoured the nine Canadians who were killed in the battle. Author Peter Vronsky recently wrote a book about the battle and discussed it during a historical conference as part of the festival. Paul Gosen of St. Catharines painted the mural.
2 • The Ridgeway Herald
This edition of the paper is devoid of coverage of council issues to concentrate on things that are generating some excitement in town.
Ridgeway Reads Literary Festival is a wonderful initiative. The efforts by people such as Mary Friesen to organize things like this ought to be highlighted and promoted.
So too are the efforts of the Fort Erie Arts Council and the events happening at the Sanctuary Centre for the Arts. A lot of good vibes are emanating from the old church.
A young writer, Adam Johnson, expressed some interest in covering
the arts and entertainment scene in Ridgeway. His interest clicked quite nicely with my interest to develop a more rounded newspaper.
Any contribution to the paper is welcome. If you have some stories brewing, let me know.
That’s not to say there won’t be council coverage in the future. It’s just that reporting on Fort Erie Town Council is like writing about chimps playing chess.
“Councillor Bonzo scratched his head thoughtfully. ‘Oo oo oo oo. Ah ah ah ah. Ee, ee, ee,’ he said. After fl inging feces at the mayor, he set about to pick lice off Councillor Cheetah. The vote on the resolution was 4-3.”
There is a lot going on at town council, some of which you may have read about, some you haven’t.
The list I worked up has some rather interesting twists, and if they stay alive for the next couple of weeks, you’ll read all about them.
Here’s a few of them:- Council fl ip-fl opped again. This time,
it was a site-specifi c residential zoning in Crystal Beach to allow a duplex which was originally denied. When faced with
an Ontario Municipal Board appeal, council went into closed session (how many times have we read that in the past 18 months), and one of the councillors changed his mind.
- A confl ict is brewing between Fort Erie and Niagara Falls over a ditch on the Town’s northern boundary.
- Councillor John Hill is impatient to have a status report prepared on the implementation of the operational review. I have a status report. For starters, this council has chased away three directors. Two left voluntarily and the third was dismissed, which is going to cost taxpayers plenty - fi rst, to actually get Heather Salter out the door, and second, to pay her probably two years salary, plus costs.
And the list goes on and on and on like a bad council meeting.
Anyway, while this edition is a departure from the usual fare that you’ve all grown to love, it’s an acknowledgement that other things are happening.
Let’s just say, except for my input, today’s newspaper is 100 per cent moron free.
Page 2 • Editorial • Op-Ed • What-not
Where to get the paper
The Ridgeway Herald is distributed at advertiser locations and is available in bulk quantities at the following places.
Brodie’s, Boggio and Edwards, Latte Kaffe, Papa’s Pizza, Downtown Dollar and Discount, John’s General Store, Joe’s Valu-Mart, Summer Delight, Movie Madness, Trailside Grill, Work of Art Frame Shop, Three Ferrises, Chadwick’s, Sherbet Lemons, Headshapes, Palmwood, Mia’s Antiques, S-Bend Restaurant, Lee’s Express, Lucky Bamboo Restaurant, Tony’s Pizza, The Plaice, Artemis Restaurant, Southsides, Old Bank Bistro, Carroll’s Bowling Lanes, A-One Crescent Mart, Subs and Sweets, Jack Shaw’s Green Acres Service, Mad Cap Hats, Beachcombers .
It is also available in smaller numbers at many other places as circumstances and supply permit.
Subscription E-MailoutsThe Ridgeway Herald is distributed
to a growing list of paid subscibers, advertisers and others via email in PDF format.
Subscriptions are $20 per year. For information call 289-271-2955 or drop an email to [email protected].
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The Ridgeway Herald • 3
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undertook a couple of other forays into Canada, but their most memorable and successful venture happened at Ridgeway.
Author Peter Vronsky recently published a book, Ridgeway: the American Fenian Invasion and the 1866 Battle that Made Canada, and has been at the forefront of efforts to seek offi cial recognition of nine Canadians who were killed in the battle.
He also participated in a history conference at the Sanctuary Centre for the Arts with other scholars and historians and hosted a reception and book reading.
Many other authors and artists participated in the festival which kicked off Friday afternoon, including Andrew Westoll, winner of this year’s Charles Taylor Prize for Non-Fiction, Charles Foran, last year’s Taylor prize winner, and Phil Hall, winner of the Governor General’s Award for Poetry.
More than a dozen authors were showcased with readings, book signings and workshops.
Events took place at Lakeside Books & Art, the Royal Canadian Legion, Crystal Ridge Library and the Sanctuary.
Pastor David Schaubel of Stevensville United Brethren Church presid-ed over the reinterment at the Ridgeway Memorial Cemetery of the 200-year-old remains of members of the Otway-Page family which were accidently unearthed from an unmarked cemetery during con-struction on Point Abino Road. Descendants of the family are Deb Sherk, Victoria Otway, Ada Sherk and Ruth Schinkel.
. . . continued from Page 1
4 • The Ridgeway Herald
By Adam JohnsonThe rafters at the Sanctuary Centre for
the Arts rattled Saturday, May 26 as two up and coming bands rocked out locals in a double-header concert.
Whosarmy, recent winners of CBC’s Cover Me Canada contest, and Fort Erie locals Amber Reigns were the latest performers at the Ridgeway venue.
“Ontario in general needs a place like this,” said Nick McGuigan, guitarist and vocalist for Amber Reigns. “It’s a great step forward.”
The Sanctuary also helped Amber Reigns with its fi rst tour. “Nadine Foerstenberg (head of The Sanctuary) and her husband helped pay for our fi rst tour. They’ve been really supportive of us,” McGuigan said.
The band shared how Fort Erie’s music scene used to be. How many local bands there were, and how it’s harder to thrive in the music industry these days, since many venues only allow cover bands, and the commercially successful bands get priority over new bands just starting out.
“It’s a really hard industry,” said guitarist Enzo Herrera. “Sometimes it’s all about who you know.”
Whosarmy is originally from the Toronto area, so they’re used to a more booming music scene, and they also agree that a venue like the Sanctuary is a crucial step in reinforcing and making the music scene grow.
“It’s a great way to reboot the scenes,”
said drummer Max Trefl er. “It’s making it accessible and will help it grow.”
Whosarmy’s setlist included: Maggie’s Alright, The World is Ending, Glory Bound, So Lonely, Lonely Boy, When I Needed You, American Woman, Alive, Can’t Live Without You, Hole in My Heart, Lost Souls.
Amber Reign’s setlist included: Little Thang, Too Much, Early, Find, Awake, Breathe, Question (an untitled song they just fi nished before the show), Beer Slide, Kinda Dirty, and Calm Me Down.
The Sanctuary Centre for the Arts is leading the way to redefi ne Fort Erie’s music scene by supporting local talent. As Herrera put it, “After all the touring, you still need something waiting for you at home”
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Arts centre brings life to local music scene
Amber Reigns: Jordan Roy, left, Nick McGuigan, Chris Rowlands and Enzo Herrera.
The Ridgeway Herald • 5
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The Fort Erie Arts Council is hosting its 2nd Annual Mys-tery Art Exhibition and Sale at the Sanctuary Centre for the Arts in Ridgeway at 6:30 p.m. on Friday June 8.
All artwork will be based on any literary work, any kind of book, a novel, a poem, a sci-ence book, school book, etc.
The show takes place as part of the Niagara Literary Arts Festival, a month-long celebration of literature being held in June at events through-out the Niagara Region.
All pieces will be for sale for $50, and artwork will range
from photography to mixed media.
This is a one of the council’s fundraisers to help cover oper-ating costs for the year.
Don’t forget the Art Bou-tique at the Sanctuary, run by volunteers of the Fort Erie Arts Council. It is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday.
New items have arrived for summer -- some great jewelry, historical books and prints, pottery and more.
For more information, please call 905-894-8373.
Sanctuary holds 2nd art sale
By Adam JohnsonMichelle Raby-Beauchamp was remem-
bered May 19 in a fundraising benefi t for her three daughters who lost their mother in a car accident last October.
She didn’t make it home after her night shift at the Canada Border Services Agency in Fort Erie, leaving daughters Adelle, Annette and Julie, other family and many friends.
The event was called Songs for Mi-chelle and featured three bands to raise money to support her children.
Friends Aaron MacGregor and Sa-mantha Kompf organized the event with tickets, raffl es and prizes donated by
businesses and friends who helped with many other tasks.
“It’s good to get together and celebrate her life with some family and music. She was such a wonderful person,” said Kompf. “I’m glad to be a part of her legacy.”
Kompf and MacGregor plan to try to keep supporting the family over the coming years, at least until the girls have graduated high school.
Contributions to the education fund for the girls can be made through Desjar-din Caisse Populaire in Welland under member Florence Coulombe for Annette Beauchamp.
Lost mother remembered in songMichelle Raby-Beauchamp
6 • The Ridgeway Herald
John O’Neill, who commanded the military force of the Fenian Brotherhood in its attempted invasion of Canada in 1866, is memorialized as the “Hero of Ridgeway.”
Buried in Omaha, Nebraska, a monument dedicated to him bears this inscription:
“General John O’Neill, Hero of Ridgeway. Born in Ireland March 9, 1834. Died at Omaha Jan. 8, 1878. By nature a brave man, by principle a soldier of liberty. He fought with distinction for his adopted country and was ever ready to draw his sword for his native land. To perpetuate his memory,
this monument was erected by the Irish nationalists. God save Ireland.”
Commissioned as a Lieutenant Colonel in the Union Army during the U.S. Civil War, he was made Colonel in the Fenian Brotherhood and is thought to have promoted himself to General after the Battle of Ridgeway.
He led two more ill-fated raids into Canada - Quebec in 1870 and Manitoba in 1871 - and both times his small force was suppressed by U.S. authorities.
According to historian Michael Nolan of Norfolk, Nebraska, O’Neill gave up on invading Canada and turned his attention to leading a migration
of Irish from poverty in the east to establish colonies in the American Midwest.
The fi rst of these settlers arrived in Holt County, Nebraska, in 1874 and the City of O’Neill was named after him.
However, many of the settlers felt that O’Neill oversold the quality of life they expected to live and they came to resent him.
He died while on a trip to Omaha and residents refused to pay to have his remains brought back to O’Neill and he was buried where he died.
In 1919, Eamon de Valera who would become the prime minister and then president of Ireland, dedicated the monument that now stands over O’Neill’s grave.
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The Ridgeway Herald • 7
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Events at the Fort Erie Public Library this summer include author visits, fi lm screenings, music, business and investment advice and science.
Dunnville author Brad Smith visits as part of Ridgeway Reads Literary Festival Friday, June 1 at 2 pm, Crystal Ridge. $2. Books available for sale.
We Want to Sing! Music by Harbour Lite Singers, light refreshments on Wednesday, June 6 at 2 pm, Stevensville Hall. $5.
Academy Award best picture screening, The Artist on Wednesday, June 13 at 2 pm, Centennial. $2.
Ask the Business Experts. Thursday, June 14, 6:30 pm, Centennial. Call Business Success and Loan at 871-7331 for info or to register. $20 fee includes materials and pizza.
Family Film Matinee -- We Bought a Zoo on Saturday, June 16 at 2 pm, Centennial. $2.
Author Brenda Missen lost a colleague to domestic violence and tells her story. Part of Niagara Literary Arts Festival.
Monday, June 18, 7 pm, Centennial. $2.Changes to Canada Pension with
Velvet Tomassini of Investors’ Group on Wednesday, June 20, 2 pm at Centennial and 7 pm at Crystal Ridge. Free.
Film screening -- Descendants starring George Clooney on Thursday, June 21 at 6:30 pm, Centennial. $2.
Super Science with Amy WilsonFriday, June 22 at the Centennial
branch at 4 p.m. Learn how ice cream freezes as you make your own!
Saturday, June 30 at Crystal Ridge branch at 10:30 a.m. Learn how colours mix while you decorate your own t-shirt. Bring a plain, light coloured t-shirt.
Both programs are ages 7-12, $3. Pre-register as space is limited.
Taoist Tai Chi Demonstration on Wednesday, June 27, 2 pm, Crystal Ridge. Free.
Imagine! TD Summer Reading Program begins Wednesday, July 4 at all three Library branches. Watch for craft tables, Lego and chess days, and more!
Thunder Bay Community Centre will be the location of Taste of Tuscany spaghetti dinners every Wednesday in June.
It is a fundraising program of the Thunder Bay Property Owners Association.
The cost is $8 per plate, $5 for half order and extra meatballs, beverage and dessert are available for purchase.
The community centre is located at 2973 Hyman Ave.
Authors, fi lms, science at library
Taste of Tuscany dinnersat Thunder Bay Centre
8 • The Ridgeway Herald
Open Monday through Friday for Lunch & DinnerSaturday at 4 p.m. • Closed Sunday
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See our complete menu at www.oldbankbistro.com
Always fresh and affordable daily lunch and dinner specials
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Mon to Wed 5pm-9pm50¢ wings/60¢ broasted
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GOLF TOURNAMENTPresented by
Monday, June 25, 2012Bridgewater Country Club
700 Gilmore Road, Fort Erie
Tee-Off Time1:00 sharp!
Entry Fee$150 per player4-Person Scramble
Included with Registration:Driving range, 18 holes, cart, registration gift, lunch, dinner prizes!
Registration & Lunch: 12-12:55 pmBBQ lunch at noon and Steak Dinner after golf
To register or inquire about sponsorship opportunities call905-871-3803
The Royal Canadian Legion Branch 230 in Ridgeway has a full roster of dinners, activities and entertainment in June for all members of the community to enjoy. For more informa-tion about these events phone 894-5927.
Every Friday -- Karaoke in the downstairs club room from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. with Nathan’s Shotgun Karaoke.
Saturday, June 2 -- Ridgeway Literary Festival. Breakfast and lunch available. Steak dinner at 6:30 pm for $18 per person.
Starting June 2 -- Join us for
fun horseshoes every Satur-day and Sunday at 1 p.m.
Sunday, June 3 -- Backyard summer scramble barbeque with entertainment by Gary Smith from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Wednesday, June 6 -- Veter-an’s dinner and honours and awards, 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. En-tertainment provided by Ridge Road Boys. Dinner tickets $15.
Tuesday, June 12 -- Spa-ghetti dinner in support of St. John’s Lutheran Church. Continuous serve from 4:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. All you can eat spaghetti for $8.50, extra meatballs add $1.
Legion events in June
