June 12, 2013: Good news continues for the Town of Fort Erie. In a decision made at last evening’s District School Board of Niagara (DSBN) Board meeting, the members unanimously passed a recommendation from Senior Administration regarding the preferred location of a new high school.
After lengthy public consultation, which included 10 public meetings, the DSBN Senior Administration recommended that any new proposed highschool be located on lands in proximity to the Municipal Centre and Leisureplex.
“The new school will add to the Municipal campus feel of this location. E.J. Freeland always envisioned this area to have a high community focus”, stated Mayor Doug Martin. Rick Brady, Director of Community and Development Services for the Town and Council’s representative on the Review Committee, shares the Mayor’s sentiment “The central location for the new Secondary School will provide a meeting place for all students in Fort Erie and a unitary focus for the Town”.
Councillors John Hill and Stephen Passero also participated in the review, known as the “ARC”, which stands for Accommodation Review Committee. The Review addresses issues of declining enrolment and aging facilities and looked at Lake Erie corridor schools (Port Colborne High School, Fort Erie Secondary School and Ridgeway-Crystal Beach High School). “The process was one of collaboration with guiding principles that helped make the consultation process run very smoothly. Participants felt that they were being heard”, stated John Hill, Ward 4 Councillor where Ridgeway-Crystal Beach High School is located. Stephen Passero, Ward 1 Councillor where Fort Erie Secondary School is located noted “I am pleased that the school board has endorsed Council’s vision for a new secondary school. This state of the art facility, in a campus style atmosphere at the Municipal Centre will offer the students of the Town of Fort Erie an expanded range of programming and extra curriculars, and allow all of our public secondary school students to be under one roof creating a better sense of community. Council will be working tirelessly with all stakeholders to ensure this project becomes a reality for 2017.”
The new build, targeted for a September 2017 completion is contingent on approval from the Ministry of Education and will result in the closure of both the Fort Erie Secondary School and Ridgeway Crystal Beach Highschool. Students of both highschools will remain in the existing schools until the build is complete. Port Colborne Highschool, which was also part of the Accommodation Review will remain as is on Elgin Street.
Media Release- School Board Announcement
The Ontario Municipal Board has issued its final decision on the Canadian Motor Speedway, clearing the way for the $400 million project to proceed. In March of this year, the Board heard an appeal from the Preservation of Agricultural Lands Society – PALS – that sought a review of the original decision in favour of the development. In its decision issued today, the Board states that PALS “has not made out a convincing and compelling case or, indeed, any case.” Therefore the original decision that approved the Canadian Motor Speedway stands and is in full force and effect.
This is great news for the Town of Fort Erie which has been patiently waiting for a decision on this very significant economic development.
Azhar Mohammad, the project’s Executive Director, stated “I am absolutely pleased with the decision of the Ontario Municipal Board and it is now time to move forward with this world scale project.”
Mayor Doug Martin echoed Mohammad’s comment. “I could not be any happier with the Ontario Municipal Board decision and this starts a new page for development in Fort Erie”, said the Mayor.
In the Town’s opinion the Ontario Municipal Board decision was never in doubt because of the great work completed by the applicant, the Economic Development and Tourism Corporation and Town Planning and Engineering staff.
For more information contact:
Larry C. Adams, CAO, Town of Fort Erie, (905) 871-1600 ext. 2200 or visit the Speedway’s website at www.cdnmotorspeedway.com
To Read the Full OMB Decision Document Click Here
Posted in General Media Release Motor Speedway by .
Home Owners and Tenants convicted on Smoke Alarm Infractions
A total of $8,000.00 was collected from the homeowners or tenants as a result of the Fort Erie Fire Department responding to several home fires without injuries in August and October of 2012.
Three plead guilty to failing to ensure smoke alarms were maintained in operating condition, one was convicted of intentionally disabling a smoke alarm so as to make it inoperable and one was convicted with failing to install a least one smoke alarm on each story that does not contain a sleeping area in a dwelling unit.
Fire Chief Larry Coplen says, “ We are continually reminding people that working smoke alarms save lives. The home owners not only jeopardized their own safety but that of their families and firefighters as well.”
The Fort Erie Fire Department has committed itself to complying with the Fire Marshals request to take a zero tolerance with respect to homes not having the required number of working smoke alarms. If they respond to any residence for a fire emergency and note that it is not in compliance with the Ontario Fire Code, then charges will be laid.
The maximum fine for residential offences is $50,000.00 and/or one year in jail.
Any home owner not sure if they are in compliance with the Fire Code may contact the Fire Department at 905-871-1600 extension 2601 to request a free home inspection. Any home found not to be incompliance during this home inspection will not be charged.
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For further information contact:
The Fort Erie Fire Department
905-871-1600 extension 2601
Over the past few weeks, a number of fires have been deliberately set in the Ridgeway – Crystal Beach area. These fires started with garbage bins, recycle bins, and trash, but have escalated to buildings causing extensive damage. Several Youths have been seen leaving the area of several of the fires. The Fire Department and Niagara Regional Police are asking for your help. If anyone is able to provide any information about these fires, please contact crime stoppers. Also, please contact Niagara Regional Police and/or the fire department by calling 911 if you witness suspicious behavior, individuals being in places that they shouldn’t be, or notice a fire.
Information on crimes can be submitted anonymously using Crime Stoppers of Niagara.
To leave an anonymous tip, please contact Crime Stoppers via:
Telephone - 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS)
Online - www.niagaratips.com
Text - 274637(CRIMES), keyword “Niagara”, then your tip.
Crime Stoppers guarantees that you will remain anonymous through any of the methods offered to provide tips. You may also be eligible to receive a cash reward of up to $2,000 if the information leads to an arrest.
CAO Larry Adams
It has been a busy first week for me at the Town of Fort Erie. I am truly enjoying meeting and getting to know Council and staff and understanding the intricacies and issues that are currently facing the Town.
After taking a tour of the Town it’s easy to see why so many people are passionate about Fort Erie and are striving to make it even better. I am looking forward to becoming more actively involved in the community and learning more about its culture, history and nuances.
In the upcoming days and weeks I will be meeting with boards, committees, agencies and local service clubs to better understand the challenges and opportunities facing our community.
Thank you all for your welcoming smiles and best wishes. I truly look forward to working with you to take Fort Erie to the next level.
Feel free to stop in for a chat … my door is always open.
Have a great day!
Larry Adams
Posted in General by .
With the recent tragedy in East Gwillimbury , there have been a lot of questions about smoke alarms, how effective they are, and how to best protect you and your family.
I will first start by saying that I have no inside knowledge about the circumstances surrounding this tragedy. Any comments that I make with details about the case have been released publicly by the Fire Marshal’s office. My comments are not meant to be critical of anyone, but a general overview of smoke detection technology, and what you can do to stay safe.
There is a critical difference between a smoke “alarm” and a smoke “detector”. A smoke “alarm” is a detection device that also includes a sounding device (yes the annoying screech you hear). A smoke alarm is generally designed to work independently of a fire alarm or security system.
A smoke “detector” is designed to do just that, detect smoke. However, the detector is part of a fire/intrusion system. It does not have a sounding device. A detector relies on another device to make the noise.
A good place to start, is by looking at what type of protection are you required to have in your home. This advice will be different for apartments and other types of dwellings. Generally, a residence requires that a smoke alarm is required to be installed an every level of a home. If you have three levels, you need at least three alarms. If you have bedrooms on a level that are remote from other parts of the house, for example isolated by doors, additional alarms will be required.
In East Gwillimbury, it appears that they had a system that had smoke detectors on it (my assumption). There was a fire in the laundry room on the main floor, and it appears that the wiring for the smoke detectors passed through this area. There was no evidence of a working smoke alarm in the area of the laundry room. The fire was allowed to burn undetected for a long period of time, and damaged the wiring that led to the smoke detector(s) in other areas of the house. This damage most likely rendered the detectors inoperable. The fire was allowed to burn undetected until noticed by the residents, and it was too late.
How can you ensure that this situation does not happen to you?
- If you have a security/alarm system, make sure that you have at least one independent battery operated smoke alarm on every level of your house. I look at it as the battery operated alarms are there to notify me and my family, and the alarm system is there to notify the fire department. Most home security systems only have one detector on them. Also if you are looking at installing or upgrading an alarm system, specify that you want “Smoke Alarms” on the system. This way, you don’t have to rely on a distant “intrusion horn” to notify you.
- If you have hard wired detectors that are wired directly into your house 110 volt electrical system, make sure that they are the type that have battery backup right in the detector. I find that many people do not know if their alarms have battery backup or not. This way if the power is out, or the wiring compromised, you still have working alarms.
- If you sleep with your bedroom doors closed, it is a good idea to install a smoke alarm inside the bedroom.
- CO alarms are not mandatory, but are a good idea to have on each level of the home. There are even combination smoke/CO alarms available that work well.
What should I do if my detector keeps going off when I cook ?
- Take cooking lessons, the detector is not there to tell you when your food is done !!. Seriously, the main culprit here is food left un-attended, don’t leave the room when you are cooking.
- There is a very good web site that you can check out to find solutions to nuisance alarms. Take a look at http://www.mcscs.jus.gov.on.ca/english/FireMarshal/MakeitStop/makeitstop.html for lots of information.
What should I do if my alarm is going off ?
- The best answer is “GET OUT , AND STAY OUT”. Gather your children and get out. Smoke alarms give you early detection, but you often don’t have a lot of time. New home construction methods and modern furniture burn VERY quickly. It used to take about 20 minutes for a room to flash over, but now can take as little as 5 minutes. (and it may take 2-3 minutes to activate the alarm) Take your cell phone with you and call the fire department, or go to the neighbors and call.
What if I still have questions? Where is the best place to install the Alarms or detectors? How many should I have in my house?
- I wish I could answer all of these questions, but every situation is unique. If you have specific questions, feel free to contact me directly, or one of our very knowledgeable inspections staff. They will arrange to come to your house and answer all of your questions. If you live outside Fort Erie , contact your local department for onsite assistance.
I hope that this information helps clarify some issues surrounding smoke alarms. If you have any comments or questions that you would like to ask, please feel free to post them on this blog. If you have a question about smoke alarms, so will many others, so let start the discussion.
We would like to invite you to check out our Fort Erie Fire Department Public Education Facebook Page.
When you like/share our page you will be automatically included in a draw for a combination smoke alarm/CO detector.
Each month we will update with a new safety message, as well as provide information on some of the events we are involved in. On our new Facebook site you will also find a short video here that we posted to YouTube of last years Jr. Firefighters Academy.
If you have thoughts on what we can do to improve the page please give us a shout.
www.facebook.com/FortErieFireDepartmentPublicEducation
Mar 13
25
Fort Erie Has New CAO
Fort Erie’s search for a new Chief Administrative Officer is over. The municipal council has hired Larry Adams to be the Town’s top administrator.
“We look forward to welcoming Larry and his family to Fort Erie,” said Mayor Doug Martin.
With over 24 years of municipal experience, Adams was most recently the Chief Administrative Officer of Huron County where he oversaw more than 600 staff and a budget approaching $100 million. His varied experience in small urban, rural lower, single and upper tier levels of government will facilitate a smooth transition to the CAO position in Fort Erie. As well, Adams sat on the Board of the Association of Municipalities of Ontario where he represented the County Caucus and served as Health Liaison for the Western Ontario Warden’s Caucus.
“My family and I are excited about the opportunities that Fort Erie has to offer”, said Adams, adding “We look forward to becoming active members of the community.”
Adams assumes his new duties April 29. Until then, Helen Chamberlain, Director, Financial Services/Treasurer will serve as Interim CAO.
For more information, contact
Mayor Doug Martin
905.871.1600
Posted in General Media Release by .
The Town’s Acting CAO, Ron Tripp, advised that it was a long day in Toronto yesterday but was very optimistic that the Canadian Motor Speedway project will get the green flag within the month.
“The Ontario Municipal Board hearing on the appeal by PALS was completed shortly after five p.m. with all evidence heard”, stated Tripp. “The lawyers for CMS did an outstanding job of providing evidence that supported the OMB’s original decision on the project”.
Azhar Mohammad, the project’s Executive Director, echoed Tripp’s comment “the hearing went extremely well and our legal team met all of the objectives set out. We are confident that a positive result will be forthcoming. All of us at CMS are excited including our partners, Aecon, Jeff Gordon and John Bickford”.
Mayor Martin also attended the OMB Hearing and stated “I am very confident that the decision will be in favour of CMS and we can begin the next steps to move the project closer to reality. The speedway will be a much-needed boost for the Town, the Niagara Region and Province”.
For more information contact:
Ron Tripp, Acting CAO, Town of Fort Erie, (905) 871-1600 ext. 2400 or visit the Speedway’s website at www.cdnmotorspeedway.com
Posted in General Motor Speedway by .
![IMG_20130307_193728[1]](http://blog.forterie.ca/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/IMG_20130307_1937281.jpg)
It is official, the new Central Avenue Fire station is “Open For Business”. !!
In a bittersweet moment, firefighters from the former Districts One and Two attended their respective stations one last time, cleaned up the trucks, and responsed on their first run, ” to the new station” . One veteran firefighter was overheard saying, it was tougher than I thought to leave the old building, but man it nice to have a new modern facility.
As soon as the spring weather clears, the exterior landscaping and a final top coat of asphalt will be applied. Everything should be ready for the May 24 long weekend, and the annual opening of the Railway Museum.
On a side note, the parking lot adjacent to the railway museum and Lions Sugar Bowl park are there for public use. Please feel free to park there while using the local amenities. Also, there are public accessible washrooms on the side of the building that will be open seasonally.
Plans are under way for an official grand opening and public open house in June, once all of the exterior finishing touches are complete.
Posted in Emergency Fire Open House by .
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