Always loved this City of Welland display bed at the corner of Niagara Street and Riverbank. Photos taken earlier today. Keep up the great work, city parks gardeners. /Joe Barkovich photos.
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Monthly Archives: April 2023
Broadcasting Professor Peter VandenBerg Achieves A ‘Double Dutch’ Win For Teaching Excellence
“As a proud NC grad myself, I bleed blue and believe in giving back” : VandenBerg
A respected professor from Niagara College’s School of Media has achieved national and global recognition for his dedication to student success both in and outside of the classroom.
Peter VandenBerg – affectionately known to students, colleagues and friends as “Dutch” – received two prestigious 2023 Awards of Excellence this week – a gold Leadership Excellence Award for Faculty from Colleges and Institutes Canada (CICan) – and an Outstanding Educator Award at the silver level from the World Federation of Colleges and Polytechnics (WFCP). Both awards were presented at World Congress, a global postsecondary leadership event co-hosted by CICan and WFCP from April 23 to 25 in Montreal.
VandenBerg, who is Program Coordinator of NC’s Broadcasting – Radio, Television and Film (BRTF) program, noted he was humbled and honoured to be recognized for his work.
“I feel guilty to be recognized for doing what I love but do genuinely appreciate the endorsement,” he said. “I wouldn’t be able to do what I do if it wasn’t for the unwavering support of my wife and two kids, the College and of course my grads. To quote one of my great grads Amy Audibert (BRTF, 2012), ‘this is a win for us all.’ My sincerest thank you to all those that made this happen.”
Fueled by his devotion to student success and his pride of community, VandenBerg is known for actively seeking unique learning opportunities for students to apply their skills to real-world projects with industry partners, often teaching social responsibility through the experiences.
“As a proud NC grad myself, I bleed blue and believe in giving back,” said VandenBerg, who graduated from the BRTF program in the 1993 and has been teaching full-time at the College since 2009. “I’m honoured to represent NC in everything I do and to work alongside a strong team of passionate people, who share a commitment to providing enriching experiences for students.”
Over the better part of the last decade, VandenBerg, his students, alumni and fellow faculty, have delivered many phenomenal production programs, including for major sporting events in the Niagara region such as the 2016 IIHF U18 Women’s World Hockey Championship, the 2018 FIBA U18 Americas Championship Basketball Tournament, watched by millions worldwide, and the 2019 Canadian Wrestling Trials. The crew has produced a live election-day broadcast in partnership with the Niagara Dailies newspaper group, professionally recorded concerts for Music Niagara’s first-ever virtual series and has partnered with many local organizations to livestream numerous community events. The crew also helped NC break new ground with its innovative model for virtual Convocation in 2020 and 2021. The virtual ceremonies provided hands-on learning opportunities for students who worked behind-the-scenes and offered graduates and their families an engaging and impactful graduation experience during the pandemic.
Most recently, VandenBerg developed the comprehensive broadcast program for the Niagara 2022 Canada Summer Games as Chair of Broadcast Operations & Production Services. Through the opportunity, he solidified NC’s role as the Games’ official Digital Production Partner and created once-in-a-lifetime applied learning and leadership opportunities for over 100 BRTF students and alumni, who were part of the broadcast team. The team covered over 90% of the Games’ competitions and events, and delivered over 1,000 hours of live Games coverage to Canadians nationwide, and people all over the world. Current and future students will benefit for years to come through equipment acquired by the BRTF program from the Games. The program will leverage the legacy equipment to broadcast future events, including the upcoming 2024 World Rowing Championships in St. Catharines.
NC President Sean Kennedy, who attended World Congress, congratulated VandenBerg on his milestone achievements.
“The Niagara College community is tremendously proud of Dutch and so happy to see his exceptional dedication to students and industry acknowledged with these prestigious awards from Colleges and Institutes Canada and the World Federation of Colleges and Polytechnics,” said Kennedy. “Dutch brings such heart and expertise in mentoring and teaching our students. He is a phenomenal ambassador for NC and consistently demonstrates our College values of being student-focused, welcoming, passionate and trailblazing. I am thrilled that Dutch’s hard work at NC, in the community, and with the Niagara 2022 Canada Summer Games has earned this well-deserved national and global recognition.”
CICan’s Leadership Excellence Award for Faculty
The CICan Awards of Excellence recognize and promote excellence within Canadian colleges and institutes, while showcasing the extraordinary contributions of individuals to their college/institute communities.
CICan’s Leadership Excellence Award for Faculty recognizes an individual or a team who has exhibited consistent excellence in teaching and has had a significant impact on the personal and academic growth of students. VandenBerg was presented with award at the gold level – the highest level of achievement – on April 24 at CICan’s Awards of Excellence Luncheon.
“We are delighted to award Peter with CICan’s Leadership Excellence Award for Faculty for his exceptional ability to lead, inspire and mentor students to push themselves beyond what they thought possible and find success in a meaningful career,” said Denise Amyot, President and CEO, Colleges and Institutes Canada. “Peter’s passion for experiential learning and coaching for change, as well as his devotion to student success and community development, exemplifies the values and priorities of the college and institute sector. We applaud his commitment and congratulate him on this achievement.”
NC’s past CICan Awards of Excellence include:
- (2022) a silver Excellence in Global Engagement Award;
- (2020) a Distinguished Service Award to former NC President (current President Emeritus) Dan Patterson;
- (2018) a gold Leadership Excellence Award for Faculty to Holly Catalfamo, PhD (then Program Coordinator of Human Resources);
- (2018) a silver Applied Research and Innovation Excellence Award;
- (2017) a bronze Leadership Excellence Award for Students to Alice Mary Nakiwala (then President of the NC Student Administrative Council);
- (2016) a silver Internationalization Excellence Award;
- (2013) a gold Program Excellence Award for NC’s Brewmaster and Brewery Operations Management program; and
- (2012), a silver Program Excellence Award for its Bachelor of Applied Business International Commerce and Global Development program.
WFCP’s Outstanding Educator Award
The WFCP’s Awards of Excellence recognize member institutions and celebrate their accomplishments in the global colleges and polytechnics sector.
The Outstanding Educator Award is given to an individual who has made an impact on learners’ progress, attainment, and growth, has brought about positive change beyond their own learners, and provided a leadership role model for teaching colleagues and students. The award, at the silver level, was presented to VandenBerg on April 25 at WFCP’s Awards of Excellence Luncheon.
“Dutch embodies what it means to be an outstanding educator – someone whose passion, knowledge and skills have inspired student’s success and who has made a major contribution to educational life within an institution,” said the WFCP Secretariat on behalf of WFCP. “The nomination submitted on his behalf left a very strong and positive impression on our judges, particularly his commitment to continuously create and deliver applied learning opportunities for students.”
WFCP works with more than 30 judges to assess nominations received – for a fair and impartial process, judges do not review nominations from their own region of the world.
NC’s past WFCP Awards of Excellence include:
- (2022) Bronze Award of Excellence in Global Citizenship; and
- (2018) Gold Award of Excellence in Applied Research and Innovation.
Niagara College has a full-time enrolment of more than 9,500 students from over 80 countries, who study in 130 diploma, certificate and bachelor degree programs at specialized campuses in Welland and Niagara-on-the-Lake. Niagara College is also involved in educational projects and partnerships around the world and is consistently ranked among Canada’s top 10 colleges for research funding. Learn more at niagaracollege.ca.
(Attribution: Niagara College media release)
On This Day In Local Sports History: Welland Merchants Win City’s Only OHA Championship
60 Years Ago Today The Merchants Defeated Bradford Expressmen For The Title
By WAYNE REDSHAW
Ever since the Welland Arena officially opened its doors way back in 1948 many teams have represented the city in the various Ontario Hockey Association divisions.
For instance, in the intermediate and senior ranks Welland teams have carried names like Bisons, Combines, Centennials, Warriors, Merchants, Burloaks, Blacks, Steelers and SUNY’s to name a few.
Then on the junior front Welland has had teams known as Bearcats, Brooke B’s, Clippers, Cougars, Aerostars, Sabres and Canadians.
Quite a few of those teams provided many memorable evenings. In fact, there were many times when the Welland Arena, also known as the “King Street Ice Palace”, was overflowing with screaming fans. In other words better than 3,000 fans packed the joint. And the fans were rocking after being treated to high calibre, entertaining hockey.
Those, you say, were the “good old days” when community interest was high. The fans came out and various teams representing the city responded.
However, out of all the teams to represent Welland dating back to 1948 only one — the Merchants — has won an OHA championship. The Merchants were rewarded with the John Ross Robertson Trophy, emblematic of the Intermediate “A” supremacy in the province.
That happened way back in 1963. To be precise, it was April 24, 1963 — 60 years ago today — when the Merchants celebrated the city’s first and only provincial championship capping off their 8-1 victory over the Bradford Expressmen in game five of a best-of-seven final.
Veteran Eric Unger, who also had played for the Combines, Centennials and Warriors, led the Merchants scoring in that final game with the hat-trick while captain Vance Millar and Dave Groulx had two each. Tony Macoretta potted the other Welland marker.
The Merchants put on a spectacular display of defensive hockey for the entire 60 minutes and Bradford’s only goal came on a fluke defection to spoil Red Achesson’s bid for a shutout. The Merchants led 3-1 after the first period and 5-1 heading into the third.
Other members from that championship club included: Jimmy Robertson, Johnny Groulx, Tom Buck, Mike Kereluk, Leo Cunningham, Tom Balkwell, Sonny Desson, Chester Warhol, Bob Ewer and Bobby Desson. The coach was Billly “ Squeaky” Kodatsky and the manager Bobby Rivet.
The Welland Minor Hockey Association has claimed a number of provincial titles over the years but Welland Merchants still remain the only city team to ever claim OHA honours.
(Wayne Redshaw has covered both amateur and professional sports locally and nationally spanning six decades.)
Welland Rotary Announces Community Paul Harris Fellow Recipients
WELLAND – The Paul Harris Fellow is the highest form of recognition given by Rotary Clubs worldwide. It can be bestowed on a person, either inside or outside the Club. The award acknowledges “Service Above Self” which an individual has offered to their community, their nation or indeed to the world. Individuals who have shown by exemplary effort, sacrifice or dedication to the causes and principles of Rotary are eligible, whether they are members of Rotary or not.”
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Rotary Club of Welland has not held a Paul Harris Fellow celebration since September 2019. This celebration’s recipients are the culmination of the past three Rotary years: 2019-2020, 2020-2021 and 2021-2022.
We are pleased to announce the three Community recipients for 2022-2023.
Dr. Mustafa Hirji, Acting Medical of Health Officer of Health and Commissioner, Public Health, and Emergency Services for the Regional Municipality of Niagara, is being recognized for his ongoing commitment to the safe being and health of Niagara residents, particularly through the three years of pandemic.
Jim Butts is an active member and past Warden at Holy Trinity Church in Welland. Jim was the driving force behind the creation of the monthly hot meal program and the daily breakfast program.
Patrick Rothwell has a lifetime history of helping others. With the creation of the breakfast program during the pandemic at Holy Trinity Welland, Patrick became a constant at the window, handing out the breakfasts – knowing clients by name and helping them connect with other resources. Almost every morning, Patrick is there at 6:30 a.m. to help make food and distribute it to those in need.
The Paul Harris Fellow Celebration will take place on Wednesday May 10, at the Welland International Flatwater Centre 6:30 – 9:00 p.m. If you would like to attend, please go to the Welland Rotary Website Paul Harris Fellow Celebration Registration to register. The cost is $25 per person which includes wine and cheese.
If you are interested in more information, about the Welland Rotary Club, visit www.wellandrotaryclub.com or e-mail: info@wellandrotaryclub.com
(Attribution: Welland Rotary Club media release)
Daffodil Daze In The Rose City
Welland may be known as Canada’s Rose City but at this time of year, beautiful daffodils rule the earth as seen in local gardens, parks and roadside patches. /Joe Barkovich photos.
Barky’s Billboard
Please support/attend this deserving community event
NHL Playoffs: Western Conference Profile
Two Canadian teams in the pairings – will they get through to Round 2?
By WAYNE REDSHAW
Can the Colorado Avalanche make it two Cup conquests in a row? Will they at least make it the finals to defend the title they won last year? Can they win their opening series?
There’s a boatload of questions out there about the defending Stanley Cup Champions so let’s deal with their opening series in Part Two of my Stanley Cup predictions, the Western Conference.
Kraken vs Avalanche
For the first half of the regular NHL season the Avalanche were not even contenders for a playoff berth. The reason was quite simple — a ton of injuries. In all, Colorado lost 483 man-games this season due to injuries. Captain Gabriel Landeskog missed the entire 82-game schedule and won’t suit up for the playoffs. Last year’s MVP of the playoffs — defenceman Cale Makar missed 22 games which included the final seven of the season. But he is expected to go in the playoffs.
Nevertheless, despite all the injury woes the Avalanche somehow made it. From mid-January the Avs went 31-8-4 including 7-0-1 down the stretch to nail top spot in their division.
No question they have good depth and that was a key. They have premier players with Mikko Rantanen the top sniper with 55 goals and Nathen MacKinnon a solid two-way performer.
They lost goaltender Darcy Kuemper to free agency last summer but picking up Alexander Georgiev filled the void.
The Seattle Kraken in only their second year in the NHL are making their playoff debut. I think it will be short-lived as they are up against a very talented team. Jared McCann led the Kraken in scoring with 40 goals and 70 points. I can’t see them advancing past Colorado. They lack that experience factor.
Prediction: Colorado in five games and possibly a sweep.
Jets vs Golden Knights
The big key in this matchup is the Winnipeg Jets goaltending. In other words, if the Jets are to advance to the next round, goaltender Connor Hellebuyck has got to perform big. After all, Hellebuyck is one of the biggest reasons Winnipeg qualified for the playoffs in the first place. He has to deliver again for the Jets to reach round two.
Other members of the Jets who must deliver include Josh Morrissey, Kyle Connor and Mark Scheifele.
The Golden Knights goaltending is a question mark which it has been all season with injuries, etc. Jonathan Quick, who was obtained in March via the trade route might be their answer in the playoffs, especially with his playoff experience.
One thing the Knights do well is block shots and they led the league in that department with 1,494 this season.
Mark Stone is expected back in the Knights’ lineup following a back injury but how healthy is he? Also, is injury-prone Jack Eichel at 100 per cent?
Prediction: If Hellebuyck delivers, Jets in six games.
Kings vs Oilers
The Edmonton Oilers are a well-oiled machine with Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl providing the one-two scoring punch. And the Oilers in general have excellent speed and good size both on defence and up front. They also like to hit with their size which is an important factor in the playoffs.
Goaltender Stuart Skinner has been a pleasant surprise and should get the starting nod for most games.
But that does not mean this series is going to be a cake-walk for the Oilers. The Los Angeles Kings will have a say. Captain Anze Kopitar is their leader. That’s why he has “C” on his jersey. He led the Kings in points with 74 while Adrian Kempe was LA’s top sniper with 41. But will that be enough to lead the way to get the job done?
Prediction: This series is going to be a long affair but home ice advantage will be a big factor. In the end, the Oilers will prevail in seven.
Wild vs Stars
This series between the Minnesota Wild and the Dallas Stars should be another entertaining series and one that could go the distance.
And it should feature red-hot goaltending at both ends of the rink. Jake Oettinger should carry the entire burden for the Stars while Marc-Andre Fleury and Filip Gustafson give the Wild a solid one-two punch.
Jason Robertson was a complete surprise package for Dallas during the regular season with 46 goals and 63 assists for 109 points. He has a great supporting cast with Jamie Benn, Tyler Seguin and Roope Hintz.
Kirill Kaprizov led the Wild offence with 40 goals and 35 assists for 75 points. Matts Zuccarello followed with 22 and 45 respectively.
Prediction: In the end goaltending will be a determining factor. This series should go seven games with Dallas advancing.
(Wayne Redshaw has covered both amateur and professional sports locally and nationally spanning six decades. He was named a Life Member of the Professional Hockey Writers Association in 1987).
Motorized Vehicles Not Permitted On Public Parks, Trails: City
WELLAND – With the warmer weather of spring brings increased use of the City’s public parks and trails. The City of Welland reminds all residents that using motorized vehicles on public parks and trails is strictly prohibited. Those violating by-law 2000-175 face a $500 fine for the first offence; subsequent offences carry a $1,000 fine.
City parks and trails are meant for passive use, and motorized vehicles, such as ATVs and E-Bikes, can cause damage to the natural state of the areas and pose dangers to those using these areas on foot.
“Use of motorized vehicles in our parks and on our trails creates a safety risk for everyone,” said Rob Axiak, director of community services. “Our parks and trails are critical pieces of social infrastructure, and motorized vehicles cause damage to the landscape. The City will not tolerate the sense of unease motorized vehicles create on trails for the rest of the community.”
The by-law states that vehicle means the following: automobile, motorcycle, motor-assisted bicycle, scooter, trail bike, dune buggy, mini-bike, go-cart, trailer, traction engine, farm tractor, all-terrain vehicle (ATV), motorized snow vehicle, and any other vehicle drawn, propelled, or driven by a power whatsoever.
Signage indicating the improper use of the parks and trails is on-site, and city staff continue to monitor areas where unlawful motorized vehicle usage is reported. Anyone with questions or who would like to report a concern should contact the Niagara Regional Police.
(Attribution: City of Welland media release)
NHL Playoffs: Eastern Conference Profile
Our veteran scribe predicts a sweep in one series – read on to see who it is
By WAYNE REDSHAW
The opening rounds of the NHL’s Stanley Cup playoffs begin today and Tuesday and sometime in late June or thereabouts we should have a champion crowned. Will it be last year’s champs — the Colorado Avalanche — or some other team. It is hard to say right now. Overall there’s four rounds and a lot can happen, including a lot of upsets and surprises along the way.
So for now let’s look at the first round and the eight teams in the Eastern Conference vying to advance.
Panthers vs Bruins
The Bruins are a powerhouse and set records for most wins (63) and most points (135) during the regular season. They have good depth in all positions — between the pipes, on the blue line and up front. They started the season on a high note going 17-2-0 and finished it in similar fashion going 18-4-0. In fact in their last 10 games they were 9-1-0.
Boston also led a number of statistical departments. In the east they popped in 305 goals. Closest to them in the east was the Buffalo Sabres, who missed a playoff berth for the 12th straight season, with 296.
Defensively, they were a well-oiled machine, giving up only 177 goals over the 82 game schedule. Closest in the east was the Carolina Hurricanes with 213. Another interesting fact: the Bruins allowed two or fewer goals in 52 games.
They have an impressive cast up front with Brad Marchand, Patrice Bergeron and David Pastrnak leading the way. Pastrnak had a fantastic year with a career high 61 goals. Throw in the likes of Taylor Hall, Charlie Coyle, Tyler Bertuzzi to name a few, they are going to be tough to beat.
The blueline is anchored by Charlie McAvoy and in goal they are solid with the one-two punch of Linus Ullmark and Jeremy Swayman.
If the Panthers are going to prevail it all hinges on goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky. Before the season started, Florida was labelled as one of the favourites to lead the east. That never materialized and they just snuck in for the second and last playoff berth in the east by one point.
They are going to need Bobrovsky to come up big not just in one game but in every game. Plus the likes of Carter Verhaeghe, Aleksander Barkov, Matthew Tkachuk, Sam Reinhardt and defenceman Aaron Ekblad to be firing on all cylinders. I can’t see that happening against a team like the Bruins.
Prediction: The Bruins in five games.
Rangers vs Devils
The series between the New Jersey Devils and the New York Rangers should be a dandy, one that could go the distance. It’s the Battle of The Hudson River. It matches speed against a potent power-play.
The Devils are a younger team with speed and lots of it. They finished with 52 wins, 25 more than they had last season. Jack Hughes, a first round pick in 2019 had a banner year. And he had quite a supporting cast too. It starts in goal with Vitek Vanecek and includes Dougie Hamilton, Nico Hischier, Ondrej Palat and Timo Meier who joined the Devils before the trade deadline.
The Rangers are not going to roll over and play dead. Far from it. They will make this an interesting series. And if Igor Shesterkin continues his form from last year’s playoffs, he is going to give the Rangers a chance to advance.
No question the Rangers have a lot of talent in the lineup with Mika Zibanejad, Chris Kreider, Alexis Lafreniere, Filip Chytil, Kaapo. Kakko, Adam Fox, Barclay Goodrow and Patrick Kane, who arrived on Broadway after a tremendous career in Chicago.
If New York is to advance, they will have to find a way to slow down the speedy Devils. They also have to capitalize on their power play. I think it will come down to coaching and I give the Devils’ Lindy Ruff the edge in that department. While his team may lack playoff experience compared to the Rangers, Ruff has been around a long time.
Prediction: Devils in seven games.
Islanders vs Hurricanes
The Carolina Hurricanes are a tough team to play against and one of the reasons is they are well-coached with Rod Brind’Amour at the controls. They play it very tight. Carolina’s style may not be exciting to watch but they get the job done.
The Canes were first in their division and get to play the first Wild Card in the east, the Islanders.
The Islanders will have to find a way to shut down Sebastian Aho who led the Hurricanes in goals for the sixth straight season with 36. The Canes defence led the NHL in goals with 59 and leading that parade were veteran Brent Burns and Brady Skjei, both with 18.
Carolina’s penalty killing finished second in the league but their power play was well back in the pack at 20th.
Brock Nelson sparked the Islanders offence and he will have Mathew Barzel back in the lineup after being sidelined with an injury in February. Bo Horvat, who the Isles picked up from Vancouver before the trade deadline should help the offensive cause.
A lot of New York’s success hinges on goaltender Ilya Sorokin, who led the league in shutouts with six.
Prediction: This series could go the limit — seven games — with the Canes emerging victorious.
Lightning vs Maple Leafs
That now brings us to the fourth series in the Eastern Conference, between the Tampa Bay Lightning and the Toronto Maple Leafs.
The Leafs haven’t won a playoff series since 2004. And they haven’t sipped from Lord Stanley’s spittoon dating back to 1967 during the Punch Imlach era. That’s a long time ago.
However, let’s not jump the gun and get ahead of all the series. Let’s strictly look at this showdown coming up.
This is the second year in a row that Toronto and Tampa Bay have squared off in the first round. Last year, if you recall, the Leafs had a 3-2 series lead heading into game six in Tampa but the Leafs lost in overtime. Then in game seven in Toronto the Leafs lost again.
Can history repeat again? I don’t think so. Frankly, I think the Leafs are a better, sounder club. Overall, the Leafs are more potent, more physical and more solid in all departments than they were a year ago. They are especially solid in goal and that usually decides playoff series.
Ilya Samsonov has carried the brunt of the mail for the Leafs and has done an A-1 job. Joseph Woll when called up from the AHL Marlies has more than answered the call of duty. With injury-prone Matt Murray sidelined again, Woll will likely be the backup and could see action.
Leafs have too much firepower up front with Mich Marner, Auston Matthews John Tavares and William Nylander leading the way. The defence is in safe hands with Morgan Rielly and Mark Giordano.
The Leafs added new faces too with Ryan O’Reilly, Noel Acciari, Sam Lafferty Jake McCabe and Luke Schenn putting on Toronto jerseys. For Schenn, it’s his second time around in Toronto. They all brought grit to the Toronto lineup, a missing ingredient in past years and grit can make a big difference between winning and losing, especially in the Stanley Cup playoffs.
As for the Lightning I think their magic of finding a way to win has come to an end. The past three years it worked and resulted in two Stanley Cup championships and a trip to the final only to lose to Colorado in six games.
This year, the Lightning have been inconsistent during the regular season, even downright brutal at times. I can’t see a turnaround in the playoffs. The salary cap squeeze has also had an effect on the team. I also don’t think general manager Julien BriseBois did the job at the trade deadline as the past three years. He gave away the future in draft picks to Nashville for Tanner Jeannot, who has done very little since his arrival and is currently on the injury list.
I also feel three straight trips to the finals (71 playoff games and 12 series overall) has started to show its toll on the Lightning. Forwards Steven Stamkos, Nika Kucherov, Brayden Point, defenceman Victor Hedman and goaltender Andre Vasilevskiy are all great players, even superstars but remember they are getting older. This series marks the end of an era for the Lightning.
Prediction: A SWEEP – Leafs in four.
Western Conference profile on Tuesday
(Wayne Redshaw has covered both amateur and professional sports locally and nationally spanning six decades. He was named a Life Member of the Professional Hockey Writers Association in 1987).
View From The Bridge
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