WELLAND – Due to unforeseen circumstances, coverage here of today’s Floatfest did not materialize.
Congratulations to organizers and participants for the world record set in Welland and best wishes for continued success in years ahead.
Welland rocks!
By Terry Hughes
The location is Dain City looking north towards Bridges 18 and 17 as a canaller belonging to Colonial Steamship Lines passes by.
The bridges are painted black so this would date the photo before the coming of the St. Lawrence Seaway in 1959.
Unless you were to let your eyes casually pass over the photo, one would not notice that Bridge 17, a short distance away, is down and its neighbouring structure is in a fully raised position! How could this situation be possible?
The answer is the fact that bridges that carried railways across the canal did not follow the rules laid down by the government about operating procedures for their structures.
The railways owned several of the bridges and were manned by their employees. Bridge 17 was one of them. The procedure for passing vessels was that the bridge must be fully open as illustrated with Bridge 18, the Forks Rd. span.
Often the operators of Bridge 17 never raised the span to its full height but instead, lifted it just enough to clear the masts of a passing vessels. Little time was required to lower it.
Unlike all of the bridges across the canal that were painted silver for better visibility for the coming of the Seaway, Bridge 17 was never painted this colour but remained black. Today, the remains of the Forks Road bridge without its towers is in poor repair and the structure will have to be replaced by the city in the near future.
(Terry Hughes is a Wellander who is passionate about heritage, history and model railroading.)
CITY SHORTS ART: This bed at Niagara Street and Riverbank is a tribute to the Ukrainian Labour Temple, Ontario Road, which is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year. Floral design and work by City of Welland horticulture crew. (Photo by Joe Barkovich.)
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
FLOATFEST ON SUNDAY!
WELLAND – The second annual FloatFest is expected to attract a huge crowd when held this Sunday on the recreational waterway at the Lincoln Street dock area
Registration starts at 10am and floaters will start hitting the water at noon. An attempt for a Guinness World Record, the longest line of water inflatables, will start at 2:30pm.
This year’s event is larger than the inaugural, with new attractions being added including face painting and games, a Kidzone, food drive supporting Open Arms Mission and Hope Centre and more. Live music featuring several musicians and singers is also on the schedule.
More than 1,200 people have already registered to participate. More info, visit http://www.wellandfloatfest.com
SAFE TO SWIM AT YOUR FAVOURITE BEACH?
WELLAND – Check the water before you go swimming this weekend, or any day. Make sure the water is safe. This is a great service provided by Regional Niagara.
For latest results, visit http://www.niagararegion.ca/living/water/beaches/default.aspx?topic=1
WATER SPORTS MAKE BIG SPLASH IN ROSE CITY
WELLAND – It’s a busy weekend, competition wise, on the Welland International Flatwater Centre courses. Here’s the rundown:
July 29-30 ROWONTARIO Championships South Course, Rowing, 1000 athletes, and July 29-30 Western Ontario Division Trials & Championships, North Course, Canoe Kayak, 500 athletes
SUMMER MUSIC FESTIVAL AT THE AMPHITHEATRE
WELLAND – Enjoy free concerts on the floating stage at Merritt Park. All concerts are on Friday nights and begin at 7pm, unless otherwise noted.
LIBRARY NOW ON INSTAGRAM, PINTEREST
WELLAND – The Welland Public Library has just launched two new social media accounts: Instagram and Pinterest!
The Instagram account will feature library staff, events and patrons, as well as new arrivals to the collection. It will also share Instagram Stories of events, programs, and fun things around the library.
Follow here: @wellandlibrary
Pinterest will offer a fun way to see what staff is reading with “Staff Pick” boards. It will also include read-alike suggestions, photos from library events and local history archives, and ways for YOU to participate!
Follow here: @wellandpubliclibrary
BINGO, ELIMINATION DRAW TO RAISE FUNDS FOR IRISH HOOPSTERS
WELLAND – Having accepted an invitation to play in a holiday hoops tournament in south Florida, Notre Dame senior boys basketball team is holding a bingo fundraiser in September.
The bingo is one of two fundraisers scheduled for fall. The date is Tuesday, Sept. 12 at Delta Bingo, Niagara Falls. Tickets are $15 which includes two single books which contain regular games and the regular jackpot only. Also one $5 voucher for use in the Tap Tix machines.
Tickets can be purchased from Coach Gallagher, 905-788-2636 or Chris Biggar, 905-380-2593 until school starts in September.
The second fundraiser is an elimination draw evening. More details will be released at a later date.
The senior Irish will be in the All-Catholic New Year’s Holiday Tournament in Miami the first week of January 2018. The tourney is being hosted by Belen Jesuit Prep School. The eight-team tournament features six south Florida teams, a team from New York City, and the Irish.
BIG CROWD AT MUSEUM
WELLAND – On Canada Day, the museum had 816 guests! The amount of guests at once in the building was quite a sight.
The museum had exciting things going on for Canada Day guests. In the Capitol Theatre exhibit, Canadian Heritage Minutes was shown. In the “Live, Learn, Explore!” Gallery, colouring and word search activities for children were offered. The Canadian Flag Mosaic was hanging in the children’s galler
y. Magazines and brochures from a number of years ago for people to look through as part of the Canada150 exhibit were available. These magazines and brochures are part of the research collection.
Museum staff thank people who came to celebrate Canada Day and staff appreciate the activity the donations box received. Monetary donations as admission fee provides the museum with the necessary funds to operate. Donations help deliver educational and recreational programming to children across Niagara. Donations are also used to fund archival conservation, exhibit maintenance and promotional materials for in-house publications. The Board of Management and staff gratefully acknowledge your continued support.
CROATIAN TOURING GROUP IN CONCERT
WELLAND – Croatian Fraternal Union (CFU) Lodge 617 Hrvatski Sinovi, Welland is hosting the Croatian Tour 2017 group TS SARMERI & VLATKA KOPIC-PERKOVIC “TENA” Saturday, August 19, in the Croatian National Home clubroom. Tickets $40 for dinner and concert, dinner 5pm, concert 7:30pm. For tickets call Ann Simunic 905-734-9851.
VISIT WELLAND SUPPER MARKET
WELLAND – Every Wednesday 4:30pm to dusk, a mid-week gathering of families, friends and community to have supper on Merritt Island. Enjoy yummy food, delicious craft ales, wines and ciders. Take in some local entertainment and a great evening on the Island. The next is Wednesday, July 26.
DON’T MISS JAMMIN’ AT THE MARKET
WELLAND – The 2017 music series Jammin’ at the downtown market is now in full swing. Upcoming performers are: Joe Crawford Karaoke, July 29; David and Joni, August 12; Niagara Region Old Tyme Fiddlers, August 26; Jessica Wilson, September 2 and Tracks, September 9. Great entertainment while you shop at our local farmers market. Performances are 9:30am to 10:30am.
JOIN THE MAYOR’S WALK ON MERRITT ISLAND
WELLAND – Meet Mayor Frank Campion at the Merritt Island parking lot Monday mornings at 7:30am for a 40 Minute Walk on Merritt Island. The next is Monday, July 24.
WELLAND – Ontario is supporting the development of a highly-skilled workforce and helping businesses in Niagara region access the technology and expertise they need to grow, create jobs and compete in the global marketplace.
Today Charles Sousa, Minister of Finance, joined local companies, Niagara College students and industry leaders at the grand opening of the Walker Advanced Manufacturing Innovation Centre in Welland.
The new Niagara College-affiliated centre provides students with more than 15,000 square feet of lab space for hands-on applied learning, innovation space for companies to work onsite and office space for Niagara students and industry staff.
“It’s an exciting day for Niagara College as we formally recognize how the province of Ontario’s investment and the donation from the Walker family has made it possible to provide manufacturers with increased access to leading-edge facilities, equipment, technical expertise, training and services, while increasing training and employment opportunities for our students,” said college president Dan Paterson.
The centre will also help Ontario’s small and medium-sized manufacturers save on production costs and reduce production time by providing them access to leading-edge equipment and state-of-the-art research facilities as well as the expertise and business services of faculty and students.
Fostering innovation and growth, and increasing opportunities for the province’s workers, is part of Ontario’s plan to create jobs, grow our economy and help people in their everyday lives.
(Source: Ministry of Finance news release)
QUICK FACTS
Beer 101 Bitter
WELLAND – Niagara College’s Teaching Brewery professors and students are celebrating another round of success at the 2017 United States Open Beer Championship. NC’s Teaching Brewery earned two bronze medals at the 2017 U.S. Open Beer Championship earlier this month.
More than 6,000 beers representing more than 100 different styles from breweries from around the world were submitted into this year’s competition to be considered by judges from England, Canada and the United States.
Beer 101 Strong Ale
Out of the 24 medals won by Canadian breweries, NC’s Teaching Brewery earned two bronze medals – one for its Beer 101 Bitter and another for its Beer 101 Strong. This marks two years in a row and three years out of four that Beer 101 Strong has earned bronze at the U.S. Open. It is the ninth award in five years for Beer101 Bitter, which is also sold in bottles as Butler’s Bitter.
The Beer 101 Strong is a strong British ale brewed to be blended in other beers or served on special occasions. Originally brewed as a Christmas celebration ale, the brew was so popular, it was brought back and renamed. The brew has won five awards to date: gold (2016) at the Ontario Brewing Awards, silver (2015) at the Dublin Craft Beer Cup, and three bronze medals (2014 as Brewmaster Strong, 2015 and 2017) at the U.S. Open Beer Championships.
The multiple award-winning Beer 101 Bitter — which captured bronze in the Bitter category – was created in 2012 (as Butler’s Bitter) to celebrate the bicentennial of the war of 1812. With a 4.4% alcohol content, this English style Bitter has won numerous contests already including gold (2012), silver (2011, 2013, 2015) and bronze (2013) at the U.S. Open, gold (2013) and silver (2017) at the Ontario Brewing awards, gold at the Canadian Brewing awards (2013), silver 2013 and bronze (2014) at the Dublin Beer Cup (2013), and bronze at the World Beer Championships (2014).
“The fact that brews win in multiple years shows that the students are learning how to brew consistent high quality beers,” said NC brewmaster and professor Jon Downing. “Different groups of students or classes have brewed every single one of our entries.”
(Source: Niagara College news release)
Please Support/Attend This Worthwhile Community Event:
(Barky’s Billboard is a recurring feature on the blog.)
Welland talent Ashlynne Vince appears on the floating stage off Merritt Park this Friday as part of the Summer Music Festival 2017. (Photos: by Danica)
By Joe Barkovich, Scribbler-at-large
WELLAND – Summer Music Festival Fridays are looked forward to by this music fan.
We have been to several, not all, and have not gone away disappointed.
One of the pleasant surprises: local talent that is featured on the floating stage off Merritt Park.
Such will be the case this Friday when the theme is Nashville: Country Classic.
It’s headlined by James Yorfido with an opening act by Ashlynne Vince. We’ve heard her previously and that’s the reason we hope to catch this week’s show.
This young Wellander is talent rich and personality plus. She is making her mark at local venues but also in the so-called big time. Music City, or Nashville as it’s formally known, is one of them. And performance wise, what happens in Nashville doesn’t stay in Nashville. Word travels fast and far. You might say it goes ‘cross-country.
My opinion about this young talent? Ashlynne can belt out tunes or croon you into mellow satisfaction, with a lot of other emotions in between. A singer-songwriter, she has much to offer.
Her mom Loralee provided this backgrounder:
“Ashlynne has had a very exciting few years. What started out as a regular at local open mics, turned into several trips to Nashville to record her debut indie album, Tidal Wave. While in Nashville, Ashlynne gained the interest of recording engineer, Rebekah Long, and Ashlynne was invited to complete an internship at the Tracking Room studio as part of her high school co-op. During her semester in Nashville, Ashlynne was picked up by Plateau Music and went on to record 8 songs, 2 of which made the Billboard Top 40 Indicator Charts and as a result Ashlynne was on the official voting ballot for Grammy nominations. She didn’t receive a nomination, but she did attend the Grammys in 2016 with her producer and her parents.”
Something else exciting in this 20-year-old’s blossoming career will happen this fall at the Canadian Country Music Awards in Saskatoon. There, she will be a performer in the Diamond in the Rough Showcase. After that she will be moving to Nashville “where she has secured a job singing on the Music City Strip on Lower Broadway as one of Tootsie’s singers,” according to the backgrounder.
Still, performing to a hometown crowd, which she will do Friday, is one of the highlights of the summer for her. I wish her all the best in her career.
Friday, Ashlynne has a dozen offerings on her set list, including: Stupid Love, her first Canadian-wide country single in Oct. 2016, Take Cover, the next song to go to Canadian Country Radio, with a release date Aug. 28, 2017 (written by Ashlynne and Maxsene Morgan), No Boys Allowed, which gained her an opening spot for Canada’s Country Music Male Vocalist of 2016, Brett Kissel and was her second single to radio in Canada, and Hands Off and Hang on to Me, both recorded in Nashville.
The performer has an appealing website where more details about her can be found. Have a look, at www.ashvince.ca
The Summer Music Festival 2017 concerts are competently coordinated by Don Romano and Ralph Belvedere, no strangers to the music scene here and further afield. A round of applause goes out to them.
Here’s a rundown of what remains on the schedule:
Nashville: Country Classic – Friday, July 28: Johnny Cash, Tammy Wynette, June Carter, Jerry Lee Lewis and more presented by James Yorfido. Guest Artist: Ashlynne Vince.
Welland Rocks on the Canal – Friday, August 11: The Associates, The Howling Horns and Heather Glaab.
Soulsville – Friday, August 18: Juno Award winner Lance Anderson presents the music of STAX Records, Otis Redding, Wilson Pickett, Sam & Dave, Booker T & the M.G’s, Eddie Floyd and many more Southern Soul artists. Guest Artists: John Finley, George Oliver, Jay Douglas and Cheryl Lescom.
The British Rock Invasion – Friday, August 25: Hot Rocks: Tribute to the Rolling Stones. The British Invasion with the music of The Beatles, The Dave Clark 5, The Kinks, The Who, Freddy and The Dreamers.
All concerts start at 7pm and admission is free.
A robin delivers a worm to hungry chicks in a nest nestled between the side of a house in north Welland and eavestrough Saturday afternoon. With four mouths to feed, many trips were made to and from the nest. (Photo by Joe Barkovich)
July
5:00 PM Tuesday Jul. 25 2017 –
Council Ante Room
5:30 PM Tuesday Jul. 25 2017 –
Council Ante Room
5:35 PM Tuesday Jul. 25 2017 – to discuss the following:
in the Council Ante Room
7:00 PM Tuesday Jul. 25 2017 –
in the Council Chambers
12:00 PM Thursday Jul. 27 2017 –
LOCATION: Welland Community Wellness Complex, 145 Lincoln Street.
The 13-members of the 2021 Canada Games Host Society Board of Directors, as well as the board chair, received unanimous approval from Regional Council at their recent meeting.
Doug Hamilton, former chair of the Niagara Bid Group, was approved as chair of the 2021 Canada Summer Games Host Society Board of Directors. Other community members who were approved to participate on the board include:
Many other community leaders will also be participating on key host society committees. These persons include highly successful Niagara athletes such as:
As the official languages of the games are both English and French, Niagara’s host society has also been recruiting leaders from Niagara’s francophone community on various committees.
Niagara Region, and its 12 local municipalities, will host the Canada Summer Games in August 2021. These games will feature approximately 5,000 athletes in 17 sports from all 13 provinces and territories. More than 5,000 volunteers will be needed to deliver these games and the projected economic benefit exceeds $200 million.
One of the next steps for the 2021 Canada Summer Games Host Society is to organize a series of planning sessions this fall. These planning sessions will help provide direction and focus for the host society’s activities over the next four years.
The board of directors will also begin to hire staff for the host society, which will start with the hiring of a CEO this fall.
(Source: Regional Niagara media release)
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