Snapshot: Images From 2015

A break in the action. Hockey game, Chippawa Park rink, January 1 evening.

On a clear day. River Road rink, awaiting blades of steel.

After a nighttime snowfall. Niagara College campus from atop the berm.

Lunch break on Merritt Island, March.

Fishing at sunset on Gibson Lake, Thorold, June.

Taize prayer at Pentecost, June, St. Kevin church.

Wildflower patch, Woodlawn Road.

Gold medal presentation to Canadian team, World Dragonboat Championship, Welland International Flatwater Centre.

A July sunrise, Welland International Flatwater course.

Mist rising above the Flatwater course at sunrise.

September sunset over Woodlawn Road.

Pilgrims along the route, Notre Dame’s 40th anniversary Pilgrimage, October.

Welland-Crowland War Memorial, Chippawa Park, November.

 

And last but certainly not least, City of Welland rose, June, my garden.

 

By Joe Barkovich, Scribbler-at-large

WELLAND –  A compilation of  my photos taken during 2015. May you have a Happy New Year blessed with peace, good health and happiness!

Update: Freezing Rain Warning

(File photo/Joe Barkovich)

Warnings

6:09 PM EST Monday 28 December 2015
Freezing rain warning in effect for:

• Niagara Falls – Welland – Southern Niagara Region
• St. Catharines – Grimsby – Northern Niagara Region

Significant freezing rain and strong easterly winds expected.

A intense low pressure system from Texas will arrive over the Great Lakes tonight. A warm front associated with this low is producing a band of freezing rain which has already started in southwestern Ontario and will continue to move northeastwards this evening.

Ice accumulation amounts could range from 5 to 10 mm.

This could well be a significant freezing rain event as strong easterly winds of 40 gusting to 70 km/h will likely result in widespread power outages across many areas beginning this evening.

Surfaces such as highways, roads, walkways and parking lots will become icy, slippery and hazardous. Be prepared to adjust your driving with changing road conditions. Beware of branches or electrical wires that could break under the weight of ice.

Freezing rain warnings are issued when rain falling in sub-zero temperatures creates ice build-up and icy surfaces.

Please continue to monitor alerts and forecasts issued by Environment Canada. To report severe weather, send an email to storm.ontario@ec.gc.ca or tweet reports to #ONStorm.

Open Meeting For Budget Input

WELLAND – Municipal budget watchdogs should take note of two upcoming dates with relation to preparation of Welland’s 2016 budget.

The dates (January 4 and January 11) are provided in a Notice that can be found on the city’s website, in the Keep Current drop down box, Public Meetings/Information Sessions.

The notice is provided below:

NOTICE OF 2016 BUDGET PUBLIC INPUT

Take notice that the City of Welland Budget Review Committee will be holding an open meeting to obtain input from members of the public regarding the City’s 2016 Water and Wastewater Operating & Capital Budgets and 2017-2025 Capital Forecast.

The meeting is scheduled for Monday, January 11, 2016, at 5:30 p.m. in City Council Chambers, 60 East Main Street, Welland.

The following information will be available on Monday, January 4, 2016, at no cost, at the City of Welland, Finance Division, 60 East Main Street, Welland, Ontario, and can be downloaded here.

• Proposed 2016 Water/Wastewater Operating Budgets
• Proposed 2016 Water and Sewer Rate Schedule
• 2017-2025 Water/Wastewater Capital Budget ForecastIf you are unable to attend the public meeting, you can provide written comments to the City Clerk at 60 East Main Street, Welland, ON, L3B 3X4 or via e-mail at clerk@welland.ca
• The proposed date for the Council of the Corporation of the City of Welland to consider adoption of the 2016 Water/Wastewater Operating & Capital Budgets is January 26, 2016. 
• Any person who attends has the opportunity to make a presentation with respect to the 2016 Water and Wastewater Operating and Capital Budgets and 2017-2025 Capital Forecast. For recordkeeping purposes, a copy of your presentation is to be submitted to the Clerk at the meeting. In order for the Committee to hear from as many residents as possible, presentations are limited to 10 minutes per presenter.

UPDATE: Freezing Rain Warning

(File photo/Joe Barkovich)

Warnings

3:17 PM EST Monday 28 December 2015
Freezing rain warning in effect for:

• Niagara Falls – Welland – Southern Niagara Region
• St. Catharines – Grimsby – Northern Niagara Region

Freezing rain and strong easterly winds expected.

A intense low pressure system from Texas is arriving over the Great Lakes tonight. A warm front associated with this low will produce a band of freezing rain which is expected to start in London and Sarnia by 4 pm and continue to move northeastwards this evening.

Ice accumulation amounts could range from 5 to 10 mm.

This could well be a significant freezing rain event as strong easterly winds of 40 gusting to 70 km/h will likely result in widespread power outages across many areas beginning this evening.

Surfaces such as highways, roads, walkways and parking lots will become icy, slippery and hazardous. Be prepared to adjust your driving with changing road conditions. Beware of branches or electrical wires that could break under the weight of ice.

Freezing rain warnings are issued when rain falling in sub-zero temperatures creates ice build-up and icy surfaces.

Please continue to monitor alerts and forecasts issued by Environment Canada. To report severe weather, send an email to storm.ontario@ec.gc.ca or tweet reports to #ONStorm.

Welland: Freezing Rain Warning

(File photo/Joe Barkovich)

Warnings

8:22 AM EST Monday 28 December 2015
Freezing rain warning in effect for:

• Niagara Falls – Welland – Southern Niagara Region
• St. Catharines – Grimsby – Northern Niagara Region

Ice build-up due to freezing rain is expected or occurring.

Freezing rain and strong easterly winds expected.

A Texas Low is expected to make its way towards the Great Lakes today. A warm front associated with this low will produce a band of freezing rain which is expected to impact Windsor near noon, London and Sarnia by 4 pm and continue to move northeastwards this evening.

Ice accumulation amounts could range from 5 to 10 mm.

This could well be a significant freezing rain event as strong easterly winds of 40 gusting to 70 km/h will likely result in widespread power outages across several areas beginning this evening.

Surfaces such as highways, roads, walkways and parking lots will become icy, slippery and hazardous. Beware of branches or electrical wires that could break under the weight of ice.

Freezing rain warnings are issued when rain falling in sub-zero temperatures creates ice build-up and icy surfaces.

Please continue to monitor alerts and forecasts issued by Environment Canada. To report severe weather, send an email to storm.ontario@ec.gc.ca or tweet reports to #ONStorm.

Environment Canada: Winter Storm Watch

Alerts for: Niagara

Watches

7:20 PM EST Sunday 27 December 2015
Winter storm watch in effect for:

• Niagara Falls – Welland – Southern Niagara Region
• St. Catharines – Grimsby – Northern Niagara Region

A storm from Texas will cause snow, ice pellets, and blowing snow to develop Monday afternoon then change quickly to freezing rain by Monday evening. The freezing rain may persist several hours before changing to rain overnight. Strong easterly winds gusting to 70 to 80 km/h are also expected Monday evening.

Poor travel conditions will develop Monday afternoon and continue into Monday night. The freezing rain combined with the wind could give the potential for power outages Monday evening.

Conditions will improve early Tuesday.

Please continue to monitor alerts and forecasts issued by Environment Canada. To report severe weather, send an email to storm.ontario@ec.gc.ca or tweet reports to #ONStorm.

CHAMBERS’ CORNER: More About Warmth At Christmas

This is Chambers’ Corner ….. the occasional occupant of a corner of this blog, where Bob Chambers, an Evening Tribune photographer from 1957 to 1970, will present some of his photographs from that era …… Readers are asked to please comment!

By Bob Chambers

Chippawa Park pond, photographed Wednesday morning, January 10th, 1962

I never thought that this picture I took at Welland’s Chippawa Park pond on January 10, 1962, would lead to where it has.

When former Wellander Rob Paola, now a big-time Environment Canada weather guru out on the Prairies, where they know a few things about weather, blogged about how cold it actually was on that day 53 years ago, I surely didn’t see it leading me to a very warm Christmas shortly after I was born. But, when Rob sent us a link to all the temperatures ever recorded at every major site in Canada since 1872, it struck me that I might find the verification of a story told by my parents as long as I can remember.

They surely remembered the date, Christmas 1940, with accuracy, as my mother was pregnant with my sister Norma, who was born just 29 days later. The detail that they remembered was, on that Christmas day it was so warm, that they had many windows open in the house …… as most of the big windows in our house in Sherkston faced south, and the low, warm December sun, came streaming in.  Would Rob’s link verify this tale?

Indeed. Christmas Day, 1940, was the second warmest on record (60F), with the warmest (just 62F) being way back in 1895. Now these are Welland temps, but with Sherkston being about 10 miles away as the crow flies, an accurate measure too because some of it is over Crowland, they’re corroborated by Buffalo temps, barely a dozen miles east, being within a degree. This year’s Green Christmas, enjoyed by all of us, didn’t even come close (high temp in Welland Christmas day 2015 was 46.4F) to that 1940 high.

When she grew up Norma became a primary grades teacher and had a huge connection with Welland where she lived, while teaching for the Niagara South Board of Education. She was at both Darby Road School and McKenny School when they were closed forever. Then at Afton and Princess Elizabeth (where she spent Friday and Saturday night during the Blizzard of ’77), before finishing her career at Cooks Mills. Often when shopping in Welland, former students would come up to talk to Miss Chambers.

Anyone remember Miss Chambers?

Thanks to Rob Paola for bringing all this back to me.

Bob Chambers, Tribune photographer 1957-1970

Your comments are invited and appreciated by the photographer/author.

(Chambers’ Corner is a popular, recurring feature on the blog.)

Refugee Project Has Website

St. Kevin parish, Welland, one of 13 in the Diocese of St. Catharines preparing to welcome Syrian refugee families, is the first to have a dedicated website for its refugee project. The site was developed by Bill McInerney, a parishioner and a former director of education with the local Catholic school board. The site is able to accept donations on-line, among other of its features. It is accessible at: stkevinrefugee.com

Tourney Supports Homelessness Programs

(Source: Niagara Region website)

THOROLD -Niagara Region’s annual ball hockey tournament in support of local homelessness programs will take place Jan. 15, 2016.

Teams can register up until Dec. 30, 2015.

Proceeds from the event will go to support the homelessness programs provided by Community Care of St. Catharines and Thorold, Project SHARE, Port Cares, Grimsby Affordable Housing Partnership, The Hope Centre, Hannah House and the YWCA of Niagara.

The event will be held as follows:

Where: Ballhockey.com Athletic Centre 16 Melbourne Ave., St. Catharines

When: Friday, Jan. 15, 2016

Registration: 5 – 6 p.m.

Start time: 6:15 p.m.

The entry fee per player is $20 with prizes awarded to the top fundraising team and individual.

For more information, call 905-984-6900 ext. 3809.

 

City Shorts: Try ’em On For Size

CITY SHORTS ART: Celebrate arrival of 2016! See City Short, below. (City of Welland graphic)

Compilation by Joe Barkovich, Scribbler-at-large

City Shorts

City Shorts is a compilation, from various sources (government websites, news announcements, press releases, church bulletins, advertisements, community service information and events, bulletin boards, requests, telephone requests, web postings, email requests etc.) of short items (in most cases) about matters of local interest in Welland.

Want to submit an item for consideration? Please send to: joe0606barko@gmail.com

 City’s 15^th annual Childrens New Year’s Eve Bash

WELLAND – Come and enjoy FREE family fun and entertainment on New Year’s Eve. Two locations, twice the fun!

The celebration is at Welland Community Wellness Complex and the Welland Main Arena from 4pm to 6pm.

Join in outside, along the canal bank, for a thrilling fireworks display at 5:50pm.

More info, 905-735-1700 ext 4000

 Who ya gonna call?

WELLAND – The City of Welland phone services are being updated December 29 and December 30 to better serve the community, according to a notice on the Civic Corner page.

Emergency issues with roads, water or forestry are to be reported to 905-735-1700 ext. 3000. However, please use the following number if the general phone service is out of order: 905-734-2338.

 Hoof it with the Welland mayor

Mayor Campion

WELLAND – Put your best foot forward with Welland Mayor Frank Campion.

Join the mayor’s Monday walk on Merritt Island, commencing Monday, January 11, 2016.

Meet at the island’s parking lot at 7:30am for a 40-minute walk.

 

Garbage, recycling and organics collection

THOROLD –There will be no collection on Jan. 1. For those residents whose collection day falls on Jan. 1, garbage, recycling and organics collection will be one day later than your normal collection day.

Also, take note: For the five collection days following Christmas Day (Dec. 26-31), all households will be able to place double their waste limit to the curb for collection, without garbage tags, on their collection day.

 Christmas tree collection – January 9

THOROLD –What to do with your Christmas tree? The following guidelines are found on the Region’s website:

Place tree at the end of your driveway no later than 7 a.m.;

Remove all decorations (bulbs, tinsel, lights, etc.) prior to collection;

Do not place Christmas trees on top of or inside a snow bank;

Do not place tree inside a bag.

Also, take note: Artificial trees are not collected. Use the large item collection service to dispose of artificial trees.

 Alumni association seeks registrants for new website

WELLAND – Notre Dame College School Alumni Association is inviting all alumni to register on its new website in order to re-establish the association’s contact list.

Once logged in and registered you will be able to peruse over 65 years of Notre Dame yearbooks online.

Please register at www.notredamewelland.com

 Library starts registration for winter programs

WELLAND – Winter programs at Welland Public Library will begin the week of January 11. There are programs for infants, toddlers, pre-schoolers and school-age children.

Check the library’s Event Calendar for more details.

Writers Gathering returns January 24

WELLAND – The Writers Gathering at Welland Public Library is a group of creative individuals who wish to openly share ideas, discuss work in progress, and ultimately, have fun! This group is open to everyone aged 14 and up.

This program returns Sunday, January 24 from 1:30 to 4:30 pm. No registration is required.

Theatre group to stage two plays

WELLAND – Canalside Players 2016 season is coming up.

First on the playbill is Marriage is Murder, a Valentine’s Day murder mystery. It’s being staged – you guessed it – Sunday, February 14. Tickets will be available soon.

The second production, Bemused, will take to the stage in May. Auditions are being held in January.

 (City Shorts is a recurring feature on the blog appearing most Wednesdays and Saturdays. Send submissions to: joe0606barko@gmail.com)