NEWS | 1
The Observer | Saturday, June 14, 2008
EDSS runners on track at provincial competition........................................ »17 Euro award for TV, film work
»22 VOLUME 13, ISSUE 24
SATURDAY, JUNE 14, 2008
www.ObserverXtra.com
Seniors want apartments at Procast site
Traffic solution rests on students’ own two feet
Township looking to see some commercial uses in the mix, but appears receptive to group’s idea MARC MIQUEL HELSEN
Parking and safety woes would be eliminated if kids would walk to school VANESSA MOSS
Seepage PARKING See PARK AVE »06 page »06
rAIN Or SHINE Octavia Allison, 7, walks to and from school every day with her dad Chris. In the cold, they just put their snowsuits on, he said.
PHOTO | vANESSA MOSS
With the wet weather this week, parents were faced with a choice: to drive or walk their children to school. The former option was likely non-existent when they were growing up, but has now become commonplace because of the weather, children’s safety, a lack of time and the list goes on. Whether or not these reasons for driving are valid is up for debate, but the more important issue is the implications this practice has on the entire community. Until the school year ends in two weeks, St. Teresa School principal Taffy McLeod will be blocking off the adjacent parking lot because it has become
PRICELESS
A vacant industrial lot would be an ideal spot for a 75-unit apartment building serving Elmira’s older residents, say a group of local seniors. They want Woolwich council to relax restrictions on the site, located at the corner of Church Street and Memorial Avenue. Representatives of the Woolwich Seniors’ Association presented councillors with a 468-name petition Tuesday night, saying there’s a need for seniors’ housing in the community. The former Procast Foundries would be ideal because of its proximity to downtown, putting residents within walking distance of all amenities, Mary Jordan argued. “Why not keep our seniors here? Keep them spending and living in downtown Elmira instead of having to leave.” The group received a warm reception, but the township would like to see commercial development at that location. Councillors suggested a mix of ground-floor stores, with apartments above. George Read, the association’s president, said he felt confident his group could work with the township to make the project viable. “We think this would be a good thing for the downtown area,” he said in an interview. “To revitalize the downtown area there would be nothing better than a hundred or so seniors living See SENIORS page »02