Hot, Hot, Hot!!!!!

Warnings
4:02 AM EDT Saturday 30 June 2018
Heat Warning in effect for:
Niagara Falls – Welland – Southern Niagara Region
St. Catharines – Grimsby – Northern Niagara Region
An extreme heat event for the Canada Day long weekend.

Continuing through the Canada Day long weekend, daytime highs are forecast to reach the low to mid thirties with humidex values into the mid forties. Overnight low temperatures are expected to be in the low to mid twenties, except high teens in some rural areas, providing little or no relief from the heat.

Current indications suggest hot temperatures could persist through next week. This will be the most significant heat event in the past few years.
Extreme heat affects everyone.

The risks are greater for young children, pregnant women, older adults, people with chronic illnesses and people working or exercising outdoors.

Watch for the effects of heat illness: swelling, rash, cramps, fainting, heat exhaustion, heat stroke and the worsening of some health conditions.

Please continue to monitor alerts and forecasts issued by Environment Canada. To report severe weather, send an email to ONstorm@canada.ca or tweet reports using #ONStorm.

THE WEEK AHEAD: Meetings In Welland

Meeting Calendar
Meetings are open to the public unless otherwise noted. Information is obtained from the applicable agency, board, committee, or commission and downloaded to this calendar as it becomes available. Information is subject to change. Please check back often for the most up-to-date information, including cancellations.

July
4
City of Welland Heritage Advisory Committee Meeting ≫
5:00 PM Wednesday July  4,  2018 –
Room 108, Civic Square, 60 East Main Street

(Source: City of Welland website)

Soup Luncheon Feeds Scholarship Fund

Images, from left: Bertrand, Hauber, Jarrett, Labricciosa

By WAYNE CAMPBELL

WELLAND – Four high school graduates this week received $1,000 scholarships for exceptional social service in their schools and communities.

During graduation ceremonies, St. Kevin’s Social Justice Committee members congratulated the 2018 recipients:
Zoe Bertrand – Blessed Trinity Catholic Secondary School;
Ian Hauber – École secondaire catholique Jean-Vanier;
Jane Jarrett – Notre Dame College School;
Julia Labricciosa – E.L. Crossley Secondary School.

The scholarship is for those students who envision not a perfect world, but a better one, said Joe Barkovich, chair of the committee.

“There are graduation awards for students who are proficient in English, history, mathematics and the like,” Barkovich said. “We put the focus on social justice leadership, commitment and involvement in the school and community.”

By how these students lead their daily lives, they link faith and justice as taught in Catholic social teaching, he said.

“They walk the talk by doing what they say.”

Recipients were selected through an interview process that considers academic achievement, school and community social justice activities, and the students’ future pursuits.

Each of the four will enter post-secondary programs in life sciences, nursing science, or health sciences at McGill University, University of Toronto, Queen’s University, or McMaster University.

In January for 16 years, the social justice committee raises money for the scholarship during its Soup’s On luncheon at St. Kevin’s Parish Hall.

High school culinary programs from Notre Dame, Eastdale, Confederation, Lakeshore and Blessed Trinity, along with Niagara College’s Canadian Food and Wine Institute and caterer Stephanie The Lunch Lady, provide samplings of soup varieties.

It is an all-you-can-eat luncheon on the last Friday of January. Tickets go on sale in November.

During its 16 years, the St. Kevin’s social justice scholarship committee has given out $45,900 to 49 recipients. The scholarship amount has increased from $300, to $500, and most recently, to $1,000.

(Wayne Campbell, a member of the social justice scholarship committee, is a retired journalist. The other committee members are Jessica Soul and Bernie Barkovich.)

Heritage Lives: Engineering Preservation Of Railway Heritage

By Terry Hughes

When recalling our one hundredth birthday in 1967 there was so much excitement and high- level activities. That included a special train containing cars with Canadian artifacts that visited many cities across the country. The only drawback was it was not steam powered.

For Canadians steam powered trains were and are very popular and can be seen in Alberta and British Columbia. For easterners the closest Canadian steam engines operate is out of Scranton, Pennsylvania… a foreign country! Unlike the American and British governments, our federal government has made no effort to assemble equipment and a steam engine to move it across country.

In spite of some local operation of museums that harbour a static display, there are no places that offer a display of Canadian railway equipment and structures that were once part of our past and contributed to our everyday life.

That fact presented a challenge to some modellers. Unlike clubs such as the Fenwick club who do a great job on their pike, some model railroaders from across southwestern Ontario formed a group whose aim was to display and operate a quality layout reflecting Canadian railways. A portable layout named the Ontario and Eastern evolved and was received with a great deal of enthusiasm by both men and women at shows across the province.

In recent years, I have been able to use two public venues that show what local railways were all about. Canal Days offers a look at how the CNR, CPR, TH&B and the NS&T complimented the marine industry in Pt. Colborne. The second, Marshville, offers a different look at our railways while being displayed in a station that was built in 1885 and is now located on the hallowed grounds of that community.

The photo for this month shows a model of a CNR freight engine passing through Welland Junction (Dain City) on its way to Fort Erie on my home layout. Take an opportunity and visit one of these two venues to see how quality modelling brings back what was once part of our railway heritage.

Next Column: Don’t Mess With Lake Erie.

(Terry Hughes is a Wellander who is passionate about heritage, history and model railroading. His column, Heritage Lives, appears on the blog once or twice monthly.)

From The Municipal Election Beat

WELLAND  – A third candidate has filed nomination papers for the office of Regional Chair.

Alan Caslin, the current chair,  filed  today.

He joins John Ringo Beam of Niagara Falls who filed May 18, and former Welland mayor Damian Goulbourne who filed June 26.

For updates on all elected offices,  you can visit:  https://www.welland.ca/Elections/GeneralInformation.asp

 

College’s Welland Campus A Venue Of Choice For High School Graduations

 

The stage is set for high school graduation ceremonies June 26-28 at the Welland Campus. (Supplied photo)

WELLAND – Niagara College’s spring convocation may have concluded for another year, but pomp and circumstance continues at the Welland Campus.

Niagara College is hosting convocation ceremonies for four local high schools at the Welland Campus between June 26 to June 28.

Ceremonies include:
Holy Cross Catholic Secondary School (St. Catharines), Tuesday, June 26, 7 p.m. (gym);
Saint Francis Catholic Secondary School (St. Catharines) Wednesday, June 27, 6 p.m. (gym);
Saint Michael Catholic High School (Niagara Falls) Thursday, June 28, 7 p.m. (gym); and
Eastdale (Welland) Thursday, June 28, 5 p.m. (AHI 141).

While the ceremonies will take place during the evening, students and representatives from the graduating high schools will attend rehearsals at the Welland Campus on the morning of their graduation.

In total, high school convocation ceremonies are expected to draw more than 4,600 visitors – graduating school students, teachers and their guests alike – to the Welland Campus from June 26 to June 28.

Staff and students are encouraged to give a warm NC welcome to high school graduates and their guests, as Niagara families celebrate this joyous occasion.

Congratulations to all Niagara high school graduates!

(Source: InsideNC)

Barky’s Billboard

Please Support/Attend This Worthwhile Community Program

(Barky’s Billboard is a recurring feature on the blog)

‘Pro-Development’ Approach, Financial Incentives Touted In Welland Growth

WELLAND –  The City of Welland has attracted almost 1.5 million sq. ft. of new industrial development since 2015 as a result of its “pro-development” approach and its financial incentive programs.

The city offers a variety of Community Improvement Plan (CIP) programs and financial incentives to attract investment through its Brownfield CIP; Downtown and Health and Wellness Cluster CIP; Gateway Economic Zone CIP; Development Charge Reduction Programs, and Tax Increment Grants (TIGs). Many of these programs are funded jointly by the City of Welland and the Region of Niagara. These incentives have attracted the following Gateway CIP investments:

Company              Square Ft.
General Electric 490,000
Bertie & Clinton Insurance 21,736
Masonry Production Facility (details TBA) 300,000
Lumber/Wood Products (details TBA) 188,414
Niagara Holdings – food processing 19,550
Hydac 13,067
Devron Sales Ltd. 11,528
Northern Gold 165,916
Athena Donair 22,398
Salit Steel 174,000
Gillor Holdings Limited 8,095
TOTAL 1, 414,704

These developments represent over $400 million in private sector investment and 375 new jobs for Welland.

The city has also experienced a significant uptake in its Downtown Health and Wellness Cluster CIP incentives, and its Brownfield CIP programs, both of which are leveraging private sector investment. Last week, city council approved a new and expanded Brownfield CIP program that provides additional incentives for investors.

Incentive Programs Year Grants Project Costs
Downtown Health & Wellness CIP 2017 & 2018 to date $869,252 $6.97m
Brownfield CIP 2017 & 2018 to date $377,353 $7.08m

“City council has been very supportive of these strategic incentive programs that have been so crucial to our success in attracting investment, creating jobs, creating economic spinoffs such as more housing development, bringing new residents to our city, and diversifying our economy,” said Welland Mayor Frank Campion. “The city and the Region jointly fund and administer many of these programs through a successful partnership. While I’m concerned by the current incentive program review currently underway at the Region, I’m confident they will continue and be enhanced. The numbers here in Welland prove they are an indispensable tool for attracting much needed investment to our city and the Region.”

The city’s development team meets regularly to review projects and ensure that staff and key Divisions are aligned in supporting the city’s growth and development agenda, and are working collaboratively with investors. The city is also creating a second industrial business park with serviced lots to meet demand.

Investor interest in the city’s industrial lands is also helping to generate interest in residential development. Based on city and Region growth projections, the city is expected to grow by almost 19,000 residents by 2041, which would push the city’s population over 70,000. Last year, 223 new residential dwelling units were created in the city, which represented the highest number in 10 years. To date, 128 new residential dwelling units have been created, compared with 87 units created this time last year. The city is on track to create 300 new units by the end of 2018.

“In addition to our incentive programs, businesses are benefitting from affordable land in Welland/Niagara, a skilled work force, multi-modal transportation options including highways and trade corridors to global markets, and access to leading research and innovation offered by Niagara College and Brock University,” said Dan Degazio, the city’s Director of Economic Development. “I speak with investors and developers every day, and I know how important these incentives are to their business plans and decisions. For Welland/Niagara, they’re giving us a competitive advantage in a global economy.”

For more information about the city’s incentive programs, visit http://www.welland.ca, or http://www.madeinwelland.ca.

(Source: City of Welland news release)

Mixed Bag: Thunderstorms, Extreme Heat

Statements
4:25 AM EDT Wednesday 27 June 2018
Special weather statement in effect for:
Niagara Falls – Welland – Southern Niagara Region
St. Catharines – Grimsby – Northern Niagara Region

Potential for heavy thunderstorms today followed by an extreme heat event for the Canada Day long weekend.

Showers and thunderstorms are forecast to affect Southwestern Ontario today. The heaviest storms are expected this morning through midday. Total local rainfall amounts could be in the 30 to 50 mm range, with higher amounts possible under the heaviest storms.

A persistent southwest flow is then forecast to develop, bringing hot and humid air from the Gulf of Mexico. Beginning Friday or Saturday and continuing through the Canada Day long weekend, expected daytime highs are in the low to mid thirties with humidex values into the mid forties. Overnight low temperatures will only fall to the low twenties, providing little or no relief from the heat.

There is still uncertainty regarding when the heat event will come to an end. Current indications suggest the heat could persist into the middle of next week.

This will likely be the most significant heat event of the season thus far. Heat warnings will be issued as the event draws nearer.

Please continue to monitor alerts and forecasts issued by Environment Canada. To report severe weather, send an email to ONstorm@canada.ca or tweet reports using #ONStorm.

From The Municipal Election Beat

WELLAND  –  Damian Goulbourne, a former Welland mayor, has filed his papers to run for Regional Chair. He becomes the second candidate to seek election to the office.

For the latest election announcement updates regarding Welland, please visit: https://www.welland.ca/Elections/GeneralInformation.asp