Backyard chickens a slippery slope to Green Acres
I am baffled by the controversy over fowl in backyards. There is a bylaw that opposes this. Why would this bylaw have been written if it was acceptable?
We live in an urban zone of Pelham, we pay urban taxes. If you want to live in an agriculture setting, why would you purchase a home in Fonthill? Two miles down the road you can live in an agriculture setting, and have all the livestock you desire.
When you purchase a home, you have no idea who/what your neighbours are about. The urban setting is where you choose to live. Do you want to live beside a chicken coop? If chickens are allowed, what's next, goats, pigs?
Let's use a bit of common sense, and think about your investment in your home. Do you want to share it with vermin and smells of the barnyard?
Joan Eby Fonthill
Grateful for speedy, capable medical treatment
We so often hear complaints about our health care system. We would like very much to tell you a positive story of our latest experience.
Thursday, November 18, at approximately 12:15 AM, I noticed that my husband, David, was in distress. Very quickly I realized that his speech was unusual, sounding like he had a mouthful of cotton balls and that he was trying in vain to roll over in bed.
On quick assessment it was obvious that his left arm and leg were not moving. A call to 911 produced two wonderful paramedics (approximately ten minutes later) who very swiftly assessed the situation and took David immediately to the Greater Niagara General Site – Niagara Health, which specializes in treating people with stroke. He was taken out of the ambulance and quickly whisked away for CT imaging, which revealed that he had indeed suffered a stroke.
I arrived approximately 40 minutes behind the ambulance and found that the neurologist, Dr. Matia, was already reading the CT and deciding on treatment. David was treated with “clot-busting” medication and within hours most clinical signs of stroke had diminished.
David was released from hospital on the following Sunday, (a mere three days later) walking and talking. He will be followed up by the Outpatient Stroke Nurse Practitioner, who is also at the Greater Niagara General Site – Niagara Health.
I can’t thank our front-line workers enough for the immediate response and excellent and timely care of this very delicate time -sensitive health issue. Their kindness to David and me will always be remembered. We are very grateful to Niagara Health for restoring David’s health.
We all need to know the signs of stroke and to act fast. The clot-busting medication needs to be given within 4.5 hours of onset of symptoms.
FAST is the acronym.
F – Face (facial drooping – lopsided smile)
A – Arm weakness (unable to lift or hold both arms up)
S – Speech difficulties
T – Time to call 911 for help
Brenda Horton Fenwick
2022 Poppy campaign wrap-up
Thank you to the citizens, businesses and organizations of Pelham!
Just prior to the kick-off of our annual Poppy campaign, we asked for your continuing support so that we can continue to do the necessary work on behalf of our Veterans and their families. Through your generosity, Poppy Campaign revenues for 2022 have exceeded $18,000, and for that our members and especially our Veterans say, thank-you.
We are also grateful for the partnership that has been created with the Town of Pelham in relation to the Veterans Banner initiative and the sponsorship of the fly-by that occurred during our Remembrance service held on November 11th.
Finally, we extend our thanks to the students and staff of Niagara College’s Broadcasting, Radio, Television and Film (BRTF) program for livestreaming our November 11th service and to the Voice which provided us with great exposure prior to and throughout our 2022 Poppy campaign.
Members of the Royal Canadian Legion, Branch 613
Rude snowplow drivers disappoint
In all my 74 years, I remember snow in November that eventually disappeared and made us all hope for a white Christmas. However, the dump we got last weekend brought out two different kinds of neighbourliness. One terrific, one horrible.
Living in Fonthill for almost 15 years, we’ve come across all kinds of folks, the majority of them wonderful people. Last weekend brought out the “cream of the crop” when it came time to shoveling our own part the dump. We have a little snowblower and it works fine — for light snow, which the weekend’s dump was.
Later, when we were inside the house, we saw a neighbour plowing out the end of our driveway and across the sidewalk in the front of the house. This because the snowplow had come along and filled in the end of the driveway with a much heavier snow. Later in the day we were out blowing it around again, but this time we cleared off the car even though we were not going anywhere. Along comes another neighbour to clear out the piles of snow left behind by the municipal sidewalk cleaner.
However, the weekend also brought out the lowest of the low when it came time to clearing the street. The snow plow had the devil driving it, along with his right-hand man. Since speed limits don’t seem to apply to snowplows the one that came down our street must have had a stuck gas pedal, since it “plowed” down the street like the devil was behind him saying, “Go for it.” It didn’t matter that there were folks out shoveling their own driveways, that kids were helping their parents with their own little shovels. The spray and the debris left at the end of all driveways and the arterial roads was tantamount to a road offense.
One of our neighbours had his back to the plow and didn’t see the danger coming at him and by the time he reached the other side of his driveway with his own snowblower, his driveway was now full again and he was nearly knocked off his feet. I could see the danger coming and was helpless to do anything about it. When the truck passed by our place after filling our driveway again, the two goons in the cab were laughing their heads off.
Why is it so difficult to put a blade on the trucks so that driveways can be cleared also. Or, have a grader follow the truck and clear out the driveway. Fonthill is an aging community.
I think it’s long past time that the Town hired considerate workers with snowplow experience instead of the bullies in the sandbox now playing in the snow and hurting many more.
J. Vlym Fonthill
