Saturday, April 23, 2016 • Issue # 59The independent local newspaper of Fort Erie, Canada

384 Ridge Road, Ridgeway • 905-894-1703www.dwhowardrealty.com • dwhowardrealty@gmail.com

D.W. Howard Realty Ltd. BrokerageBest Service, Best Results, Total Integrity

www.ridgewayherald.comMike Cloutier, editor and publisher

cloutier@ridgewayherald.com • 289-271-2955

The independent local newspaper of Fort Erie, CanadaBay Beach landre-zoned to sell

A hundred years ago Ridgeway welcomed veterans of the Battle of Ridgeway to mark the 50th anniversary when Canadian soldiers fought invaders from the U.S. who were intent on striking a blow against Britain to achieve independence for Ireland. Simi-lar ceremonies will take place this June for the 150th anniver-sary, including a military parade on Ridge Road, parachute drop and memorial ceremonies at the Ridgeway Battlefi eld Park and a festival and demonstrations at the Crystal Ridge Arena.

A ceremonial honour will be given to Canadian military regiments whose histories converged with Fort Erie’s 150 years ago.

Mayor Wayne Redekop will grant “Freedom of the City” to The Queen’s Own Rifl es of Canada and The Royal Hamilton Light Infantry (Wentworth Regiment) as part of cermonies marking the anniversary of the Battle of Ridgeway.

The event will be held on Saturday, June 4 with a military march through Ridgeway, ceremonies at the Ridgeway Battlefi eld Park on Hwy. 3, “Freedom of the City” ceremony

at the Village Square and a festival at the Crystal Ridge Arena.

Hwy. 3 will be closed between Gorham Road and Ridgemount Road from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Ceremonies at the Battlefi eld will start at 1 p.m.

Highlights include a parachute drop at the Battlefi eld and demonstrations, exhibits, period camps, food, music and children’s activites at the arena.

Free parking will be available at the arena with shuttle

Major events planned for battle anniversary

continued on Page 6

2 • The Ridgeway Herald

Council accepted a $7.3 million bid from V. Gibbons Contracting of Stevensville to reconstruct water, sewer, storm and road works on Catherine Street and Kingsmill

Street South.Some additional requests were made in association with

the project.Kingsmill Street works were originally limited to the

watermain but the storm and sanitary sewers were found to need replacement.

This added about $175,000 to the total cost and council approved an extra $250,000 to the budget. The extra $75,000 is to provide a “cushion” should there be a cost overrun, said infrastructure services director Kelly Walsh.

Staff also sought approval to extend the scope of the design engineer’s contract to include construction administration and inspection for $228,000.

This more than triples the original $92,000 value of the contract with the engineering design fi rm and raised a red fl ag for Mayor Wayne Redekop.

“The competition here boils down to who gets the design contract,” he said.

Walsh said the design contract was competitively tendered and it would be less complicated to have the same fi rm oversee and inspect the construction.

Walsh also told council that tenders for design contracts for Highland Avenue and Stanton Street requested skill sets and pricing for construction administration and inspection with a view to adding these components to the job.

Council approval for these jobs was not necessary because the value was less than the $50,000 threshold, Walsh said.

“Okay, now you’ve got me concerned again,” said Redekop, pointing out that the total value of the jobs would exceed the threshold.

“I question whether that’s the type of contract that ought not come before council,” he said, further asking why design, administration and inspection aren’t wrapped up in a single tender.

Engineering manager George Stojanovic said it allows the Town to hire a different engineering fi rm if the designer’s performance is not satisfactory.

It’s an “optional purchase component” and would come to council in an administrative report, he said.

Page 2 • Editorial • Op-Ed • What-not

$7.3 million Catherine St. overhaul includes Kingsmill sewers

Take a look at the picture on Page 4. Go ahead, this can wait.

It’s an imaginary picture of what a four-storey apartment or hotel on the north-east parking lot of Bay Beach might look like.

The perspective is not from ground level

from where you or I or any other mortal human would see it.

It’s a bird’s eye view to make sure we get a good look at the roof (for all that matters) and to de-enphasize how over-whelming this big square lump of con-

crete, steel and glass will be on the street.

But there’s another interesting point about the perspective, especially to my confused imagination.

It’s a view from the sixth or seventh fl oor of the non-existent Molinaro con-do. It’s drawn perfectly to represent that position.

It’s neither here nor there and a per-fectly fi ne representation of a possible development scenario. It’s just ironic.

Speaking of Molinaro, it’s been well over a year since the $10 million lawsuit was dropped on the Town and the four councillors who . . . well, I won’t de-

scribe it because it was well document-ed at the time.

Anyway, it’s still in play but I don’t know the status.

And fi nally back to the Bay Beach master plan. Below is a picture I took this winter.

It’s a picture of a white elephant in a snowstorm at Bay Beach.

It’s all a matter of perspective

The Ridgeway Herald • 3

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The effect of an early April snow storm following a locally mild winter is starkly shown in these beautiful photographs of good old Mother Earth and our little patch. The pictures were taken by satel-lites called Aqua and Terra from an altitude of approximately 700 kilometres. The one on the left was taken March 19, showing the re-ceding seasonal snowline to the north and clouds to the south. The one on the right was taken April 5 showing the swash of snow that was just starting to melt a few days after the storm. The two satel-lites orbit Earth along its north-south axis once every 90 minutes or

so as the planet rotates below them and pictures of the Great Lakes are taken every mid day. The data is processed at the University of Wisconson Space Engineering Centre and distributed by the Great Lakes Environmental Research Lab of the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Happy Earth Day.

Bridges, culverts and associated works require $10 million worth of repair in the next 10 years — twice as much as was estimated two years ago.

The engineering consultant who inspected the Town’s structures says $2.5 million needs to be spent now compared to $467,000 two years ago.

Capital spending forecasts were based on the inspections two years earlier but last year’s inspection “included additional structure elements and components beyond what is required by the MTO method,” states the report to council on April 18.

“Staff believes this approach has provided more realistic cost estimates for future budgets and capital plans.”

Mayor Wayne Redekop wondered why the scope was enhanced and “whether the amount suggested is really what’s required.”

Infrastructure services director Kelly Walsh said the MTO is most worried about bridges falling down while the municipality is just as concerned with small culverts collapsing.

Bridges, culverts, etc.require $2.5M rehab

4 • The Ridgeway Herald

The fi rst noticeable effect of the Bay Beach master plan kicks in when beach-goers

begin paying twice as much to park.

The new $10 per day

fee ($8.85 plus HST) was approved in January for both the Bay Beach and the

Crystal Beach Waterfront Park parking lots or $3.54 ($4 with tax) per hour.

The hikes were passed in January along with some other Town fees.

In February, the Town passed a bylaw enabling the Hill Cottagers’ Organization to establish a parking lot, presumably paid parking, on its land below the hill on the south side of Erie Road.

The Hill association will be required to plant some shrubs and make other landscape improvements once the Town builds a new sidewalk.

The association’s 191 parking spaces will be needed to make up for the loss of 100 spaces at Bay Beach on the lake side of Erie Road and the parking lot at the corner of Schooley Road.

The land at Schooley (the

New zoning to allow 4-storey apartment/hotelParking fees doubled • Search for Bay Beach developer begins

continued on Page 5

The Ridgeway Herald • 5

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northeast lot) is intended to be sold for development to help fund the nearly $2.2 million estimated construction cost for the whole master plan.

The master plan calls for $500,000 to be raised from the sale of the land. The plan also calls for $850,000 in contributions from the Region.

Council approved last month a zoning amendment to allow the construction of apartments, townhouses or hotel on the land in addition to the pre-existing commercial uses for such things as ground-level retail stores or restaurants.

While the recommendations were supported, the Town has yet to offi cially pass the zoning amendment in a bylaw (as of today’s edition of the newspaper).

The zoning amendment allows construction up to four storeys for apartments or hotel (3.5 stories for townhouses) with no setback from the sidewalk on Erie Road, allowances for off-site parking and other building and design conditions.

It allows for a maximum of 14 townhouse units or 38 rental apartments or a 60-room hotel with vehicle access in the rear.

The next step is to market the land. Staff reports that “several” developers have expressed interest. Council approved staff’s recommendation in January to use an “alternate marketing” strategy as opposed to listing it on the real estate market. It could take the form of a tender or a request for proposal and would be determined by the Town’s land committee which is composed of senior staff.

The Town awarded the contract last month to develop the design and construction documents for site improvements outlined in the master plan.

The same company that prepared the master plan, The Planning Partnership, was given the contract. The price is $120,000 which is exactly the amount staff had budgeted plus HST. All but $2,100 of the tax will be rebated.

The company was the only bidder on the project despite being advertised on Biddingo, which is a web-based central marketplace for seeking bids on government projects, as well as the Fort Erie Times and the Town website. Firms which had submitted proposals for the master plan were directly invited, but there were no takers.

. . . continued from Page 4

6 • The Ridgeway Herald

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The Ridgeway Battlefi eld Park will become a military drop zone June 4 when a parachutist with The Queen’s Own Rifl es arrives from 8,000 feet above ground to mark the beginning of ceremonies for the 150th anniversary of the Battle of Ridgeway.

buses running to the battlefi eld in the morning and and returning in the afternoon.

The mayor will give the “Freedom of the City” certifi cates to the commanding offi cers of the two regiments which fought in the battle snd are the only ones still active today.

Nine Canadian soldiers died in the battle which was fought on June 2, 1866 along the “Limeridge” and Ridge Road in the area of Bertie Street. Five others died from disease most likely caused by drinking contaminated water.

The Irish revolt for independence from Britain came to Canada when a large force of approximately 1,000 Irish-Americans, many of whom were veterans of the U.S. Civil War, crossed the Niagara River from Buffalo on June 1.

They intended to strike a blow against Britain, of which Canada was a colony.

After moving inland, they were met by the Canadian forces and later retired back to Fort Erie where they fought another engagement and were arrested by American authorites as they tried to get back across the river.

The raid was evidence of the threat Canadian nationalists felt existed in the U.S. and emphasized their case for nationhood.

A year later in 1867, the British Parliament established the Dominion of Canada and a new country was born.

The Momentum Choir of St. Catharines will perform at the Leisureplex on Sunday, April 24 at 1:30 p.m.

The concert is hosted by the Fort Erie Senior Citizens’ Advisory Committee. Tickets are $12.

Momentum Choir was founded in 2007 by its director Mendelt Hoekstra and Bethesda Community Services with a grant from the Ontario Trillium Foundation.

Normally performing at the Bethany Community Church, the 45-person choir has also performed at Parliament.

A luncheon catered by Mae’s Restaurant follows the concert.

Momentum Choir performs Sun.

. . . continued from Page 1

Battle anniversary

The Ridgeway Herald • 7

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Ridgeway-Crystal Beach and Fort Erie Kinsmen and Kinettes held a fundraising dinner and provided clothing and gift cards for the DeRushie family of eight who lost their home in Ridgeway and possessions in a fi re in March. Pictured are Krisia Graham, Barb Horning, RCB Kin Club member, Lloyd McGuigan, RCB Kin Club president, Steve Sherwood, Fort Erie Kinsmen Club treasurer, Eileen George, Fort Erie Kinette Club member and deputy governor for Zone D, Megan DeRushie and Larry Graber, Fort Erie Kinsmen president. Photo by Dan Strugar, Fort Erie Kinsmen project coordinator.

A minor change in the construction plan caused a temporary closure of the Central Avenue Bridge and an early permanent end to pedestrian traffi c until the new bridge is complete.

The Town’s public works director, Kelly Walsh, said the Region decided it’s more practical at this point in the project to remove the sidewalk now to complete construction of the new bridge deck.

The original plan called for the sidewalk to remain in place while the new deck is built.

After the sidewalk is removed, vehicles will be allowed to use the bridge until the fi nal closure when the new bridge deck is slid into place.

Regional councillor Sandy Annunziata said a report will be made to council to explain the particulars and the additional cost, if any, on the $12 million project.

The temporary closure is expected to last a week starting Monday, April 18.

The bridge will be closed for three weeks in June when the deck is replaced.

A long strech of Dominion Road from Buffalo Road to Burleigh Road will be reconstructed this summer as part of the Region’s plan to rebuilt the entire throughfare.

This year’s instalment is expected to cost $9.2 million. It is not known when construction will start, but last year’s

work in Crescent Park started in July.The section between Helena Street

and Lakeshore Road is slated for reconstruction in 2017 and is expected to cost around $6 million.

Nigh Road is the likeliest detour route for this year’s work.

Central Ave. bridge closed to pedestrians

Buffalo to Burleigh next up for Dominion rehab

8 • The Ridgeway Herald

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