Merritton Matters Summer 2009 - Merritton Community Group

MERRITTON MATTERS
IN ThIS ISSuE
• Merritton High School, Class of ‘64
• Spartan Junior”B” Lacrosse
• Merrittonians We’ve Lost
• The Flag of Merritton
Summer 2009 • Volume 6, Issue 3 • www.merrittonmatters.ca
• Is the Municipality Ignoring Mountain Locks Park?
• Steam Power
• Merritton’s Garden Tour
• A Celebration of A Community Garden
• Merritton Does Matter
• Guatemala Stove Project
• Lioness Generosity
• Trivia
u p c OM I Ng EvENTS IN MERRIT TON
Our next issue w i l l b e publishe d in early Decemb er.
please let us k now if you have an e vent you’d li ke to publiciz e.
Mailing Merritton
Matters
Do you know people who live out of town
who might like to receive the Merritton
Matters? If so, please call Doreen at
905-680-1959 to arrange for copies
to be sent to them.

Merritton Matters
Lorraine Giroux is the editor/writer of Merritton Matters.
Contributors to this issue are Tom Barwell, Gail Garriock,
Rev. Pamela Guyatt, Sheila Morra, Tom Richardson, and
Phyllis Thomson. Lana Butler is our graphic designer.
Jean Westlake, Tony Morra and Pat Durocher handle the
advertising and can be reached at 905-688-8840. Jean
Westlake is our main photographer. This newsletter is
a project of the Merritton Community Group whose
executive is comprised of Chair Sheila Morra, Treasurer
Jean Westlake, and Secretary Steve Hinchliffe. If you have
an article for this paper, or even ideas for articles, please
send us an email to merrittonmatters@hotmail.com or by
regular mail to 3 Capri Circle, St. Catharines, L2T 3X4.
I MERRITTON MATTERS
Merritton community
group News
Award Winning heritage Bins
Phase 2 of our Heritage Bin project
has been very successful. Fourteen
sports-related Heritage Bins were
produced by the art students at
West Park Secondary School under
the direction of teacher Liz DeLuca.
We are hoping to continue this
project with another high school
in the upcoming months. St.
Catharines Collegiate students
participated in painting the first set
of bins that continue to brighten
up our community with their
historical scenes.
Website Webmaster Rene Ressler has updated our Website www.
merrittonmatters.ca. Please take a few minutes to check out the
most recent pictures that include: June 28th Garden Tour; June
22nd reception for the students from West Park who completed
Phase 2 of Heritage Bins; MCG at the city’s Strawberry Fest; and
the Grand Opening of the Habitat for Humanity Building Site
on Birch Lane on June 11th for which the Merritton Community
Group are Fund Raising Champions.
The Strawberry Fest
Just so that you have some idea
how dedicated we are, listen to
what the Merritton Community
Group did for Strawberry Fest.
Sheila Morra, Barbara Knight-
Woodward and Jean Westlake
prepared zillions of strawberries
by washing and drying them
individually, then dipping the
berries in milk chocolate, and drizzling
white chocolate over them with a cake icing attachment. Yum!

happenings Around the community
No More Strays or Berms
St. Catharines city council will provide protective netting for residents
of Beverly Street who live along the 2nd fairway of the Garden City Golf
Course and regularly receive stray golf balls on their property.
Also in a bid to improve neighbourhood safety and improve
the golf course, the city had planned to remove trees and shrubs along
the 18th fairway in the Prestwick Street area. They were going to
build a berm which would be landscaped using soil from the housing
development underway at the Brickyard. But the residents of the area
preferred the view of the open green space.
Glory Hill and Hilts Street
Watch to see these names placed on a street sign in a new housing
development off Moffatt Street. According to former councillor
Bill Wiley, Glory Hill was the name used in the past for the area
of land north of Disher Street by Moffatt Street. It was one of the
three settlements that comprised Merritton, along with Centreville
and Slabtown. Joe Hilts was thought to be the last blacksmith
in Merritton and a Reeve. The Heritage Committee is striking a
subcommittee, to include committee member Wiley, to update the
list of potential streets names.
Dog guides
On Sunday, June 7th, you might have seen an organized group of very
enthusiastic people, some accompanied by their pets, leaving the Lock 3
Museum for a five-kilometre hike along the canal parkway. The walkers
were part of the annual St. Catharines Purina Walk for Dog Guides which
raised approximately $5000 for the Lions Foundation of Canada for their
dog guide program.Or perhaps you were one of the people who partied
for a good cause with The Iguanas on Saturday, June 20th at the Merritton
Community Centre. Those at the Community Centre were also helping
to raise money for Dog Guides at the annual event organized by Karen
O’Connor.
Good Sleuthing at Ferndale
School!
This past spring, Ferndale’s
custodian stopped two teenagers
who were spraying graffiti on the
school. The teens were promptly
arrested and faced charges of
mischief for defacing the school’s
property. Hopefully this will help
continue sending the message that
we won’t tolerate anyone defacing
our community.
plastic Milk Bag Mat Beds
Kudos to Anne Favero for her organization of milk bags for sleeping mats.
Started as a project first in Windsor in 2002, these mats are constructed
for poor countries like Haiti from the outer plastic milk bags. One adult
mat uses approximately 250 milk bags that are cut and crocheted to a mat
size of approximately 36 X 65 inches. Contact Anne at 905-937-7373 or
favero@sympatico.ca for more information and how you can help.
MERRITTON MATTERS I

If you were to ask anyone in St. Catharines where Merritton is, they
would know. It’s as common a location as Port Dalhousie, Port Weller,
Western Hill or Glenridge. What people may not be aware of is how
large an area Merritton encompasses. It is a substantial area within the
city, spanning from the escarpment to the QEW, and from the west side
of the Pen Centre to the Welland Canal.
Merritton is growing in population with thanks to many new
homes and subdivisions being built within our ward. With this growing
population, what do we Merrittonians want in our community? It’s
time to speak up folks, otherwise decisions will be made, and no point
in closing the barn door after the horse is running on to the next task.
In his article of July 10th, Doug Herod wrote a humorous
editorial in his column regarding definitions. He defined the name
“Merrittonian” (1960) as “a person suffering from separation anxiety
who often compensates by harbouring delusions of uniqueness.”
Aren’t we unique? I say yes we are. We have history; we were
once our own town. We had the Baby Blue Jays, Lock 3, Pen Centre, a
parade and carnival. Families are proud to say they live in Merritton.
My concern is that, with the current state of Merritton, we will also
have bragging rights to the most used car lots, the most empty strip
malls, the worst stop light structure, and the most neglected area of St.
Catharines.
I am most impressed with some of the restoration of historical
buildings, such as the Keg, the Lybster Mill, the Merritton Cenotaph,
and the wonderful work done on the rail bridge on Merritt St. We
welcome the new Sobeys plaza, giving us another shopping choice, and
I MERRITTON MATTERS
Merritton Does Matter
By Gail Garriock
opportunity for price competition. I am saddened by the upcoming
movement of the Merritt St. branch of the Scotia Bank, and hope
this historical building is not destroyed to provide parking for local
restaurants and bars.
The majority of the positive changes occurring are occurring
due to investments made by individuals (or groups thereof), or
corporations who have found unused land and are utilizing it. Keeping
our history, and blending newness into the areas with aesthetic ease.
Builders are taking the opportunity to provide more housing, bringing
families into our eclectic neighbourhoods. To all of you – I tip my hat,
and welcome new community members into our fold.
With the good, of course always comes the negative. I know
there has been a pre-occupation with 4 pad arenas, the Port Tower (is
this over yet?), a swimming pool and 2-way traffic, but is there any
serious thought into the south-east section of St. Catharines?
Are there any incentives to bring new businesses into the area?
Or to increase safe walking or biking paths along old spur lines? Is
there a requirement to ensure current businesses keep their buildings
in good repair, and if so, who is enforcing it? What were the planners
thinking when they extended Mountain St. to allow access into the new
Mountainview Mall without sidewalks or lights? I’m still waiting for an
answer to that one.
Has it been our complacency, our focus on the everyday
business of our own lives that has allowed this? I mean, how does a
McDonald’s close on a busy street, in a busy neighbourhood, and then
remain half demolished?
What do you, the community members, both business and
residential see as a future for Merritton? What would you like to have
in terms of business, homes, parks and/or recreation areas? How do we
bring the pride back to Merritton?
I would welcome your input at ggarriock@sympatico.ca, and
I will summarize your thoughts into an upcoming article next quarter.
I would also ask for ideas as to how you suggest we collaborate with
the City of St. Catharines to provide real and needed growth to our
community. Merritton Matters will provide space for suggestions. We
can only create change with the desire to do so. The wait is over, it’s
time to become the squeaky wheel, together we can make a lot of noise.
Gail Garriock is a Merritton resident who has been a Niagara
Voices contributor for the St. Catharines Standard.

Is the Municipality Ignoring
Mountain Locks park?
(A Guest Editorial)
Sheila Morra recently wrote an article for The Welland Canals Advocate
concerning Mountain Locks Park, which is bordered by Glendale Ave.,
Merritt St., Mountain Road and Bradley Street. Here is an excerpt:
During the 175th anniversary of the Welland Canal, keynote
speaker Dr. Nelles of the University of Toronto spoke to the sad
state of our heritage canals and expressed his disbelief that no park
development around these heritage canals has yet occurred.
Mountain Locks is the park that is located within St. Catharines
and is home to both the first and second Welland Canals and needs to
be prioritized in our parks policy plan.
A Conceptual Design Study of Mountain Locks Park, prepared
for the City of St. Catharines, by Peter J. Smith and Company in 2001,
identified the park as an extremely significant site. The park met
several criteria mentioned in the staff report, including: the need for reinvestment
in tired parks; the need for high quality amenities in parks;
the improvement of canal lands; and environmental management, in
this case, water quality.
It’s a tragic oversight that it has been ignored in the Parks
policy plan. Eight more years have passed and indeed the lack of
recognition of this site has yet to be rectified.
Today the 28 acre Mountain Locks Park receives minimal
maintenance and is in a state of disrepair. You are able to hike the trail
system located within which connects to the Merritt Trail and follows
the old canal route through the city. Much of the park has become tree
covered and many of the canal walls are in serious danger of collapse
due to the overgrowth of plant material and damage caused by existing
root systems of overgrown foliage comprising their integrity. Sadly,
while hiking in the park, largely due to its obscurity there is obvious
evidence of graffiti and indigent (makeshift) housing structures as well.
The idea of enhancing the park is certainly not a new idea;
however it remains one that has smouldered on the back burner for far
too many years. Despite the fact that several community partners have
indicated support for the project or portions thereof, the municipality has
indicated that yet another study will be required before any action is taken.
The Advocate is a bi-monthly publication available at Avondale
stores and other retail outlets throughout St. Catharines and Thorold,
as well as at city halls and public libraries. Join Publisher Rene Ressler
for his WCA hiking tours. For more information check online at
http://thewellandcanalsadvocate.ca/.
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MERRITTON MATTERS I

I MERRITTON MATTERS
Another Little Stroll into the past
Phyllis Thomson
I used to think of it as the “quiet” end of Hartzel Road – the area between
Queenston Street and Lincoln Avenue - lined as it was on either side
with nothing but small houses – no commercial ventures had taken root
at that time. The houses on the west side were built around 1915 and
some remain there still, perched on top of a bit of a hill. For most of
the houses, to access your garage, if you had one, you drove around the
corner onto Lincoln Ave. and down an unpaved lane which ran behind
the houses and a quick look recently showed that that hasn’t changed over
the years. A little while after the houses on the west side were built, similar
homes were built on the east side but they were demolished to make
room for the Centennial Plaza which opened in l978.
William Johnson was one of the first occupants of the houses on the
west side of the road, moving in soon after they were built in l915. He was
noted to be a “poultry farmer” and he, or one of his descendents, continued
to live in that house, or the two others that he
purchased, more than a half century later.
Through a letter she had sent to the
Editor of this Newsletter, I recently contacted
a remarkable lady – perhaps one of the
unsung heroes amongst us that we seldom
hear about, although I’m sure she would not
consider herself as such. Dorothea (Cox) Ives
grew up in one of those houses – her parents
moved their family into one of them on the
west side of Hartzel in the l930’s, remaining
there for close to fifty years and she has
many happy memories of growing up in that
neighbourhood. She still lives in Merritton, as do two of her children.
All of Dorothea’s eight children attended Merritton High School in the
years between l965 and l974 and two of her daughters married Merritton
boys. With all of her children now grown and married, comes grandchildren
– nineteen of them in fact, plus eight great-grandchildren. Can you
imagine the lively, fun, family gatherings they must have! The Ives family
may well have established a record at Merritton High – I’m not positive
but, from my time there, I can’t recall a larger family of children where
there may have been four or five of them attending at the same time,
although someone out there may be able to challenge that statement!
One person Dorothea remembers well, as many of us do, is
Louise Johnson – she and her pony were staples in the Labour Day
Parade for many years. Louise was always a bit of a mystery, most everyone
knew her but few seemed to actually know much about this lady
as many of us only saw her when she was in the Parade on Labour Day.
Dorothea lived a few doors away from Louise on Hartzel Rd. and was able
to tell me something about her. Louise moved into #23 Hartzel in 1951
and lived there until 1980. In her early years, she worked as a clerk in a
Real Estate and Insurance office and apparently never married. She kept
her pony in a stable behind her house – and I understand that she had
several ponies over the years. I don’t imagine anyone ever questioned
having a pony living in your backyard in those days! Louise walked
everywhere she went which included the long trek to St. Mary’s Catholic
church which was located over the Western Hill. When St. Thomas Aquinas
Catholic Church opened on Queenston Street in l963, she divided
her time between both churches, taking care of both altars. The little grey
stone house in which she lived on Hartzel Rd. has been torn down and
remains an empty lot but some of us can still picture her with her jaunty,
colourful hat and her pony and cart.
Someone else remembered from that end of Hartzel are the
Foxtons who opened their grocery store at the
corner of Hartzel and Queenston in l915 and served
the families around there until 1958 at which time
the English family took it over and operated it
for several more years. Eventually, an apartment
complex was built on that site.
There doesn’t seem to have been much happening
at that end of Hartzel over the years. A concrete
walkway for pedestrians on either side of the road
has replaced the dirt pathway we used as kids, along
with a much improved roadway. And there is now
a used car establishment sitting on what was an
empty lot on the west corner at Lincoln Avenue
– no surprise there! Not adding any aesthetic value to that area, is a gigantic,
rusting steel/mesh fence which marks the end of the land used by the
Garden City Golf Course. What we knew as Exeter Avenue years ago, took
on the name of Lincoln Avenue following amalgamation with St. Catharines
and became a continuation of the already existing Lincoln Avenue
which begins at Oakdale Avenue and provides a direct route from Oakdale
to Hartzel. And where did the name “Hartzel” come from? Well, history
has it that in 1798 a farmer by the name of George Hartsell bought the land
now designated as Hartzel Road and later sold the property which became
a road bearing his name. At some point in time, and for whatever reason,
the spelling of it was changed to what we know today as Hartzel. And
interesting to discover that apparently it was a toll road in its early years.
I mentioned this area with the little houses “on the hill” to a
friend recently and she gave me a quizzical look followed by the question
“There are houses sitting on a hill on Hartzel Rd?” Yes, there are – slow
down and take a look sometime when you are passing.

Spartan Junior “B” Lacrosse
Did you know that the
Spartans, of the Ontario Junior
“B” Lacrosse West Division,
play out of our own Merritton
Community Arena? Maybe
you’ve had a chance on a Friday
or Sunday night, between April
and July, to watch some of the
games. The team came close Drew Thomas Jake Dale TJ Buck
but didn’t make the Canadian
Championship Founders Cup in Edmonton this year but we can hope that next season they’ll
being playing in it in Mimico. Of course, that means they’ll have to beat out the 30 other Junior
“B” teams in Ontario from Windsor to Nepean to Awkesasne, near Cornwall.
The players are age 17 to 21 and most have played for St. Catharines or Spartan
Minor Midget or Intermediate teams. Unfortunately Merritton doesn’t have a minor team
anymore. But, we’re really thrilled that three Merrittonians played this season. These terrific
guys are T J Buck, Jake Dale and Drew Thomas. One of the Spartans, Ryan Cavanagh,
has been selected to play on Ontario Junior Men’s Field team. Some of the players in the
Professional Lacrosse league such as the Buffalo Bandits, played their Junior “B” career in
Spartans at Merritton Arena. An interesting piece of trivia is that one of the current Buffalo
Bandits was a student teacher working with the intermediate grade classrooms at Ferndale
School several years ago!
The main sponsor for this team is Hartzel Road Dairy Queen and many other
businesses along Merritt Street and Hartzel also support the team. Chris Spiers is team
Manager who has done a huge amount of the work to make this team function for the last
9 years.
What about
Johansson’s Bar?
The new Mountain Locks Plaza has prompted people
to wonder about the future of the Johansson’s Bar, an
integral canal building tool used in the mid 1800’s. It’s
currently located on Glendale Avenue by the entrance
to the Sobey’s parking lot. Should it be moved to
a better location? We asked Rene Ressler, a canal
advocate, that very question. He responded by first
reminding us that Lock 14 is buried adjacent to the
west wall of Sobey’s. (The tree in the photo is about
the center of the buried lock chamber.) Rene believes
that this lock should be partially excavated, similar to
Lock 15 in Mountain Locks Park, and the Johannson
Bar placed at the north end where it would serve as a
great rest area for the Merritt Trail. The future of the
Johansson’s Bar is an issue worth examining!
MERRITTON MATTERS I

ABOVE: 113 Moffatt St.
RIGHT: 54 Woodrow St.
2009 Merritton gardens
4 Carson Court - Irene and Bill Williams
6 Carson Court - Barbara & William Woodward
36 Chestnut St - Blaise and Shelley Thomas
113 Moffat St - Marion & Bert Van der Hulst
63 Marmora - Pam & Mike Green
36 Deborah Ct - Leigh Ann & Tod Glancie
54 Woodrow - Terry & Joanne Walters
11 Elm Street - Elm Street United Church -
Strawberry Social
I MERRITTON MATTERS
RIGHT: 36 Chestnut St.
Merritton’s garden Tour

A celebration of A
community garden
On Thursday August 27 Climate Action NOW held a celebration to
offer thanks for the use of Centennial Gardens for their community
garden. It was attended by representatives from Walker Industries,
Home Depot, Cotton Construction and other business and
individuals who have helped to create ‘The Gardens’. The weekly
harvest is taken to the Community Care food bank under the
coordination of Beth Bartley.
Centennial Park is the site of two early Welland canals and is the
junction of trails from the east, central and the south portions
of St. Catharines. Dick’s Creek flows along the perimeter of the
parkland and its plantings and buffer zone are protected natural
areas. Climate Action NOW’s vision of the parkland is that it will
be a passive meeting place, with benches and water fountains,
washrooms and an Eco Pavilion. They hope that St. Catharines
will allow the straw bale construction of a pavilion and a footbridge
that crosses to the trails of the west side. (Straw bale construction
usually involves stacking rows of bales on a foundation with
moisture barrier between the bales. The bales can be simply
insulation or they can be the actual structural support.) If you can
support this type of visioning for the Centennial Parkland, they
would ask that you please call Parks and Recreation with your
support. Call 905-688-5600 and leave a message for Paula Berketo.
On September 19, 2009, the Bernie Olm Jr
Memorial Golf Tournament took place at
the Beechwood Golf and Country Club.
Presented by the Merritton Athletic
Association, proceeds were donated to
both the Merritton Athletic Association
and the Community Mental Health.
For more information check out www.
bernieolmjrmemorialgolftournament.com.
and we’ll also provide some coverage
in the next issue.
The Flag of Merritton
Dave Keast is determined to have a Merritton
flag to fly at his Oxford Street home. This
is actually tougher than it sounds because it
involves the creation of a flag since, to the best
of our collective wisdom, Merritton never has
had one. Dave’s flag will use the Merritton
crest he found in a black and white picture at the library that luckily
someone remembered was white with a blue background, a royal blue.
Flag manufacturers quoted the price for ONE flag at $184.00! But
an order of 10-29 would make each flag only $62.57. You might be amused
to learn that the flag company wants an official permission from the town
of Merritton to use the crest but Dave thinks he can get around that.
Knowing Dave’s determination, we won`t be at all surprised!
Who wants a flag? Contact Dave at dkeast2000@yahoo.ca to order one.
MERRITTON MATTERS I

Attention Rocky heath
Yes, you, Rocky Heath! But how does Rocky Heath relate to Merritton Matters you might ask? Rocky grew up on
Ferndale Avenue and attended Ferndale Public School. He remembers walking to the Merritton pool as a child and
being scared and unsure of where to turn at the end of Ferndale. At the beginning of Grade Four, the Heath family
moved to the North end, but Rocky’s heart was in Merritton. He would frequently visit his friends here in the summers.
After getting married, he and his wife, Gail, bought a house in Secord Woods and have remained there
since. When his children, Amy and Justin, were high school age, Rocky felt Merritton was the best choice for
them and they agreed. Years later, Rocky is thrilled to get to watch his grandchildren walk past his house on their
way to school in the community.
As a GM retiree, Rocky began to investigate ink refilling businesses after attempting to fill his own
cartridges and making a mess. He found a franchise called Cartridge World which refills ink and toner
cartridges. An environmentally conscious man, Rocky felt that reusing empty cartridges was a better alternative
to throwing them away. Not only does refilling help save the environment, it also saves people money! For more
information, you can call the store (located at the Midtown Plaza on Welland Ave.) at 641-2770. Can we hope that
a Merritton expansion is in the works? Rocky Heath, your family is proud of you! Happy Birthday!!!!
10 I MERRITTON MATTERS
christmas
concert
The Merritton Lioness and
Westminster United Church are
hosting a Christmas Concert for
Community Care featuring Rev.
Mark Curtis on Sunday, November
29th at 6:30 p.m. Admission is a
non perishable food item and a
free will offering. 100% of monies
from the free will offering will go to
Community Care.

A chat with habitat for
humanity Niagara Director
of Marketing Lisa Aceti
How did Habitat arrange for this lot? — Land is a key element in our
formula for success. In fact, having the land is what kicks off our affordable
housing mission in the community. In 2008, Habitat Niagara’s CEO met with
Mayor McMullan and his staff to discuss the availability of excess and surplus
land in St. Catharines. A property was identified in the community of Merritton
and in October 2008 the Mayor and City Councillors agreed to accept
Habitat Niagara’s purchase offer.
What still has to be done to the lot to prepare it for home building? — The
property is in the process of being serviced in partnership with the City of
St. Catharines. Hydro, water and sewage lines are being brought to the site,
preparing it for excavation in mid-September.
Who designed the plans for the house? — We worked with engineering
professionals and students at Niagara College to customize this home design.
We modify each house design to the land and neighbourhood, and of course
the family needs.
How was the family chosen for this home? — We select families based on
three criteria: housing need, ability to pay, willingness to partner. We have a
Family Selection committee of volunteers that extensively evaluate every family
application. They interview the family in their home and assess the need for
safe, decent, affordable shelter. We evaluate the family’s financial situation, do
credit history and reference checks. And finally, we sign a partnership agreement
where the family agrees to volunteer 500 hours, of what we call Sweat
Equity, giving back to the community.
Tell us a little bit about them. — The Schott family was selected for a habitat
home in July 2008. Ron and Karen Schott were born and raised in the
Niagara Region and have a family of 2 children and 2 grandchildren. They
were thrilled to be offered this future St. Catharines home. Ron works in St.
Catharines and volunteers at the Habitat ReStore. Karen went back to school
and just graduated from Niagara College Social Worker program and is
actively volunteering in local women’s shelters.
What are the expectations for them in this construction? — The family will
fulfill their Sweat Equity commitment volunteering in the ReStore and in the
community with other non-profit organizations. They will be involved in
various aspects of the construction planning of their home.
When is construction scheduled to start? — Construction will begin in
September with the District School Board of Niagara Specialist High Skills
Major Construction students. Approximately 20 students from area high
schools, under the supervision of their construction teacher, will build this
3-bedroom, raised bungalow to EnergyStar standards. The home will be
completed by the end of the semester and we plan for a Home Dedication
event in Early 2010.
Is all the funding in place to start construction? — The community in
Merritton has been very supportive. We have a great start to the fundrais-
ing with donations from the Rotary Club of St. Catharines, Merritton Lions
Club, Merritton Lioness Club, Grantham Lions Club, and some very generous
individual donors. Our fundraising continues to achieve the goal of $80,000
minimum for this project.
What can individuals and business do to support this? — Our formula for
success has only one final element to complete – fundraising. We encourage
the community to host 3rd party fundraising events, make Habitat Niagara
your corporate charity of choice, and provide generous donations to support
our project. Not only will the lives of these future home owners be forever
changed, the individuals and corporate community will also be positively
affected by getting involved in Habitat and our affordable housing mission.
Merritton Community Group is your fundraising champions. What does
that involve? — As our community fundraising champion, the Merritton
Community Group will be the catalyst to our fundraising mission. They will
help us achieve our fundraising goal through engaging the community and
facilitating individual and corporate donations.
How will you celebrate when the house is ready? — We have 4 key milestones
to celebrate our home building project. The first, held on June 11th, was the
kick off event and formal announcement to the community that we will be
fundraising to build a new home in the area. Through the home construction
process we will mark two special events: the first day of excavation and
construction in mid-September, followed by a community fundraising event
in mid-October. This community event will encourage individuals and the
corporate community to visit the home during the framing stage, purchase a
2-by-4 or square foot, physically sign the timbers and floor boards, leaving a
message of hope and good wish to the future family. It’s our Habitat version of
a time capsule: for the life of the home, these powerful messages of hope will
forever be in the home, behind the walls, spiritually supporting our Habitat
partner family in their journey of life transformation. The final event is a celebration
of construction completion, a thank you to our donors, and largely a
dedication of this new home to the Schott family. This home dedication event
will be planned at the end of construction, early in 2010.
Editor’s Note: I realized when I was writing this Habitat article that the last time I used the question and answer format was when I interviewed
Robert Malcomson, a Woodrow Avenue resident. I had heard about Bob through my work at DSBN but quickly came to realize that Bob was
well-known beyond his excellent teaching at Richmond Street School in Thorold. Bob was an internationally recognized scholar on the War of
1812 and his written documentation of Canadian history. He published hundreds of articles in journals, magazines and newspapers in Canada,
the U.S. and Britain, and 8 books on Canadian history. In May 2009, he won the John Lyman Book Award for
Canadian Naval and Maritime History for his latest book, Capital In Flames.
Robert Malcomson, age 60, died on July 21st after an indefatigable 17 month battle with a brain tumor.
MERRITTON MATTERS I 11

MERRITTONIANS WE’vE LOST
Remembering Mike collins
Joyce piech
Mike Collins grew up in Merritton and it was the amalgamation
of Merritton with St. Catharines that was the catalyst for him to
enter the world of politics. From 1974 - 1979 he served as a city
councillor, then in 1985 he became a regional councillor and
served in this capacity until 1994. He served on city council from
1995 to 1997 and then returned to regional council from 1997
until his death on July 24th at the age of 65.
Mike worked diligently for his community as well as
distinguishing himself as a Regional Councillor. But, he was also
remembered by those who knew him for the little things he did. Many remember that
he created an open air skating rink in the side yard by Maplecrest school for years. Mike
could be found each year on the Tuesday after Labour Day spending hours sweeping
up the tennis court area where all the booths had been set up for the Lion fundraising
weekend. Mike was a true supporter, both financially and physically, of the Lions’ work.
Mike was asked, as part of his official role as Regional Councillor, to ride in a
convertible during the Lions Labour Day Parade. Bill Wiley, former city councillor, was
in charge of setting up the order for the cars in our parade and set the order to be the
Mayor, the MP, the MPP, City Councillors (with the senior one first), and then Regional
Councillors. Bill as the senior councillor should have been riding in front of Mike but
somehow Mike always ended up in front of him. Turns out Mike would ‘invite’ Jim
Bradley, MPP, to ride with him which thrust his car in front of Bill’s. Bill was aggravated
but Mike would feign oblivousness – each year that he snuck in front! How fitting that
Parade Chair George Hostick and his hard-working committee have seen fit to dedicate
this year’s parade and fireworks to the memory of Mike!
1 I MERRITTON MATTERS
People often pick up colourful rocks and wonder about its
origins but Merrittonian Joyce Piech was much more than
someone who ‘wondered’. She was an avid rock and mineral
collector, and as a member of the Niagara Geological Society,
travelled all over North America collecting samples from
various sites. Whenever anyone asked Joyce where she was
from, she always replied, “Merritton”. She was recognized as
being a rockhound ‘extraodinaire’ when she was awarded the
Rockhound of the Year Award in 1986, an award given to
someone who is both an active and enthusiastic field collector.
Joyce was a Central Canadian Federation of Mineralogical
Societies Field Trip Leader who, along with her husband Bob,
organizing many exciting trips to sites.
Joyce was remarkable in many ways beyond her
colourful rock background. Most people remember that she
had once kept our children safe at the Dunc Schooley Lions
Pool. Joyce had worked at the Merritton Lions Pool for many
years as a lifeguard/instructor, moved up to Asst. Manager and
ultimately Manager. Joyce had moved to Merritton in 1949,
and, with the exception of a 1 1/2 year stay in Thorold, she
spent the rest of her life in Merritton. Joyce attended Merritton
High with her sister. She was a member of St. Thomas Aquinas
Catholic Women’s League and was a keen supporter of local
businesses. Joyce (Srigley) Piech passed away on August 9th.

Merritton high School, class of ‘64
45th Anniversary Reunion
On June 4, 1964, I completed my last Grade 13 departmental examination at
Merritton High School. It was a history exam. As Eric Kirby and I left the
building, Mr. Klassen came out to ask how we made out. Mr. Klassen indicated
that he was on his way to Europe that summer for a trip and that he would be
watching for the results. If Eric succeeded in passing his history exam, Mr. Klassen
promised to have Eric’s name inscribed in the Legion of Honour in France!
On June 5 and 6, 2009 the Merritton High School Class of ’64 held
their latest reunion, marking 45 years since the completion of those Grade 13
departmental exams and our graduation from high school. The class has been
holding reunions every five years since 1989, after
meeting for the first time in many years at the
Merritton High School reunion of 1984.
Friday evening was an informal gettogether
at Carley’s Pub at 338 Merritt Street, the
former Macfarlane home, (directly across from
the former Richardson’s Grocery and Keating’s
Meat Market!) The evening was a great success.
Mike Johnson, who has been sleuthing through
the newspaper records kept at the St. Catharines
Public Library, had copies of a number of articles
which referred to members of the class going back into the 1950’s. Bob Hay and
Harry Popiluk, with their incredible memories, were able to remember details long
forgotten by many of us. However, what was readily apparent, were the strong and
warm memories that everyone had of their time at Merritton High School.
The person who traveled the greatest distance to be at the reunion
was John Halliwell who flew in from the oil patch in Alberta. The former Linda
DeLong and her husband, Bill Kuehnbaum, drove in from Sudbury.
By Tom Richardson
Jim and Florence Smith
We were honoured to have three former teachers join us, as they have
at previous reunions. Mr. Jim Sernaise, Mr. Ernie Umbrico and Mr. Reuben
Merrick were all out to join in the get-together. (After 45 years, we are still
inclined to refer to them as “Mr.”).
Saturday evening saw a sit down dinner at the Belvedere Club in
Thorold. (It was as close to the Merritton border as we could get and is located
behind the former Muratori Macaroni factory.) Mr. Sernaise and Mr. Umbrico
again joined us, as did former principal Mr. James H. Smith and his wife, who
have also made every effort to attend all of our reunions over the years. Mr.
Smith was the keynote speaker of the evening and
offered a great many of his reminiscences of his time at
Merritton High School. How clear his memory is after
87 years!
The evening broke up with promises to do this
again in five years’ time and assurances from Mr.
Smith that he and his wife will be there. The Reunion
Committee, Nancy Bufalino (Dorman), Janet
Gunn (Armstrong), Marilyn Hotta (Polson), Mike
Johnson, Jane Laughton, John Wilkinson, and Tom
Richardson, have already put their minds to the next
get-together and hope to accept Frank Memme’s offer to get together on his
farm in Wainfleet.
Some of us have traveled far from Merritton during our careers while
others have remained close to town, but we all retain such wonderful memories
of our time together, that a rejoining such as at our reunions brings back people
who seem never to have left our lives. We are all looking forward to the 50th
anniversary in 2014.
MERRITTON MATTERS I 1

LAST ISSuE
On Page of our Spring newsletter, you might have noticed that the
one picture with Mayor Skipper had an ‘unknown person’ listed in
the caption. Well, thanks to Linda Pyle, we now know that it was her
grandmother May Newell.
Lioness generosity
The Merritton Lioness is a service club that has been a terrific benefactor of
a variety of charitable organizations and causes. People in our community,
and beyond, have profitted from this dedicated group of women who work
together to raise money for other organizations. Their service mission
is truly evident when you examine their 2008-2009 budget and see their
wide span of involvement. Students at area schools have been advantaged
from their largess. The Lioness allocate funds for the breakfast programs at
Burleigh Hill and Ferndale Schools and bursaries for graduating students
from Denis Morris and Sir Winston Churchill. Camps Trillium, Huronda,
Dorset and Lake Joseph CNIB receive money so that more children can
attend. The program Women for Women on Queenston Street, as well as
the women and children at Gillian’s Place, have been subsidized by their
donations.
TRIvIA
Did you notice that we didn’t include a new trivia question in the
last issue? But, we’re back with a new question for you.
What was the name of the basketball coach at Merritton
who led the senior boys basketball team to the 1947 Ontario
title? Here’s a hint: he was inducted into the St. Catharines
Sports Hall of Fame in 1995.
1 I MERRITTON MATTERS
Letter to the Editor
Dear Merritton Matters,
Thank you for the most recent issue of Merritton Matters. It brings back so
many memories.
My father Percival Dagesse purchased a new story and a half house at
15 Balsom (not a typo, this is how it was spelled when I was growing up!) Street right
at the end of Fir. We backed onto Hartzel Road and saw many changes over the years.
I attended Smythe Street School - soon to be renamed Valley Wood for
Kindergarten to Grade 6 then moved on to Glen Merritt for Grades 7 and 8 and
then finally to Merritton High! After walking 20-30 minutes to get to school for
many years it seemed like heaven to be able to get to school in 5 minutes!
Walking to Valley Wood would take us daily past the Hayes Dana
plant with the large machines pounding very loudly. It still seems strange to
go by the silent plant. I spent many hours at the Merritton Library and was
very sorry when the library was moved to the Pen Centre. The Merritton Pool
& Park were favourite destinations in the summer. At 1:30 my brother and I
would take our towels and head off to the pool - staying until closing at 4:20.
The slides and swings in the park were always great entertainment. Today
they would be considered much too dangerous for children to play on.
I was sorry to read of the passing of David Hayes. He was principal
the year that Pierre Elliot Trudeau came to visit the school. Students piled
onto the bleachers in the auditorium to listen to Mr. Trudeau speak.
I look forward to reading many more issues of Merritton Matters.
Sincerely
Sheila (Dagesse) Kroetsch
Nepean, ON

Steam power
By Tom Barwell
Many years ago Merritton was a very important railway terminal. It was
here that a host of freight trains were assembled for destinations over much
of southern Ontario. Passenger types as well played an important role as all
of them stopped to pick up passengers for transportation throughout the
length of the country. Needless to say, it was a very busy station. Most of the
time a small yard engine puffed to and fro busily shuffling various types of
rail into position for pickup and delivery. This is where I found myself one
clear cool morning, atop the Merritt street bridge watching the hustle and
bustle in the yard below.
That particular day I spotted something rather unusual. A freight
train appeared to be backing down the track leading up to the main line in
the direction of Thorold. It slowly and gingerly made its way, reversing onto
the spur directly below the bridge. What could be the problem? Curiosity
got the better of me so I casually strolled down to the station area.
By this time the two train engineers had made their way over
and were in deep conversation with the stationmaster. Staying well back I
managed to hear them say that the load was just too heavy and that they
would either have to break up the train or get more power. This is where
the yard engine came into play. It was summoned and very importantly it
hustled over where it was coupled up behind the two lead engines to help
with the climb back up the hill. With much smoke and steam they went to
work. At first they gained speed but, as they traveled up the steep grade,
their momentum gradually lessened and then came to a shuddering halt.
After a few moments they slowly reversed until they came to rest in their
original spot. What could be in those boxcars making them so heavy?
Again the engineers huddled with the stationmaster.
Very shortly after that there was a whistle and another engine
clanked into the station from the direction of St. Catharines. It was slowly
maneuvered into position to assist in pulling the load. Surely there now
would be enough power to do the job. But my jaw dropped when not one
but two more engines appeared from the east. They must have backed all
the way down from the Niagara Falls yard. These two as well were hooked
up for the pull. There seemed to be a hush. The only sound to be heard
was the panting noise that signaled the engines where building up pressure
in their boilers.
Suddenly there was an ear piercing shriek as the lead locomotive
sounded its whistle. One long and one short. This was answered in turn
by the rest of the pack. Only theirs were two short blasts. Columns of
smoke suddenly shot out of all the stacks, cannonading high up into
the clear blue sky. Huge drive wheels spun in the sand that came out of
small outlets that dusted the track ahead of each one. The echoing sound
of couplings could be heard as the slack was taken up between each car,
shaking the very ground we stood on. Gathered spectators covered their
ears and gaped in awe at the raw show of power. Traction was gained and
with a huge roar the train moved ahead gaining speed with each turn of a
wheel. Towards the hill it went, blasting a warning to the people stopped
at the Glendale crossing. It howled its way up the steep grade, finally
disappearing around the bend leaving only a wisp of trailing smoke and
echoing noise off the hills, the only reminder of its former presence. Some
people even applauded in their excitement. They had been witness to an
extraordinary event. Something that would never happen again. Something
that might not have happened on any other railway, but it happened in the
tiny little town of Merritton.
I will never forget that day. If only I had a camera at the time. Of
course if it took place now, there would have been one or perhaps two diesel
engines that could have easily performed the same task. But it would have
been incredibly boring.
guatemala Stove project
By The Rev. Pamela Guyatt
On May 11, 2009 the Anglican
Church Women of St. James
Church welcomed Wyn
Kalagian, a local artist, as their
guest speaker for the evening.
She shared some of her history,
her passion for painting and
the people of Guatemala. Ms.
Kalagian was a public health
nurse in the Niagara Region
and in 1999, she participated
in a Planned Parenthood
Conference in Guatemala.
It was on that trip that she
became fascinated with the
country, the vibrant colours,
the women and their families,
promising herself that she would return someday.
Photo taken by: The Rev. Pamela Guyatt
People in the photo (on the Left) Ms. Wyn
Kalagian, (on the Right) Mrs. Barbara
Vorstenbosch Secretary of the ACW.
After she retired, Wyn pursued her love of painting. Lessons with a well
known artist became available in 2007 in Guatemala, a country that still
enchanted her. The evening before she left, she made a promise to herself
- if she sold any paintings that depicted Guatemala, she would find a
way to help the people of that country. When she returned to Ontario,
she started to investigate opportunities for giving back to the people of
Guatemala in a meaningful way. She came across “The Guatemala Stove
Project” based in Perth, Ontario which is an organization dedicated to
improving the lives of the Mayan hill people by helping one family at a
time build and ventilate a proper stove in their home. With one of these
stoves installed and properly ventilated to the outside, the life expectancy
of each family member increases by 10 to 12 years. The cost for one stove
is $200.00 Canadian. Wyn had found what she was looking for and she
began to paint. When people showed an interest in her art work, she
talked about the project and the people of Guatemala. The price for each
painting is $250.00 – $200.00 for a stove and $50.00 for her supplies.
Since 1999, The Guatemala Stove Project has installed over 4000 stoves
in rural Guatemala, Wyn has funded 42 of them by selling her paintings.
For further information about Wyn Kalagian and The Guatemala Stove
Project see their web sites: http://www.computan.on.ca/~wynworks and
www.guatemalastoveproject.org.
MERRITTON MATTERS I 1