NEWS | 1
The Observer | Saturday, May 03, 2008
Kings on the edge as Tecumseh goes up 3-0................................................ »28 Treading the boards at park Manor
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VOLUME 13, ISSUE 18
SATURDAY, MAY 03, 2008
www.ObserverXtra.com
Residents on Park Avenue fear changes
Transit service restored to CCC day programs VANESSA MOSS
See TRANSIT page »09
Neighbours petition township to maintain street’s historical heritage as property is sold STEVE KANNON
PHOTO | amBer WilsOn
Terry Thom was all smiles as he stepped off the Kiwanis Transit bus Wednesday in front of Leisureworld Caregiving Centre in Elmira. The Maryhill resident was excited to be back attending his day programs after missing about two weeks due to lack of transportation. “It brings a lot of joy,” Thom said of the weekly outings he has enjoyed for the past two years. Kiwanis Transit discontinued the service – which also makes stops at the Nithview Home in New Hamburg – after it was unable to find a safe solution for helping certain riders walk from the bus to the centre. After some tripping incidents in the fall, the transit service requested that program staff, managed by Community Care Concepts (CCC), assist the drivers with unloading passengers when asked. This motion was denied by CCC in December due to liability issues and thus, the transportation was cutoff Mar. 31 Thom and about 30 other program members had to find alternative travel arrangements, which was difficult for some. Sophie Plein, 83, missed one of her favourite weekly pastimes until a program volunteer offered to drive her. That temporary solution worked out, but Plein’s stroke damage makes it difficult for her to get in and out of cars; having the bus back is a relief for her and her family.
PRICELESS
WhAt’S nEXt? Ken Galipeau, sandra Bair and the rest of the Park avenue West neighbourhood association are concerned about the fate of an old home on their elmira street. They fear the house, which has fallen into disrepair, will be torn down and replaced with something inappropriate to the surroundings.
The pending sale of a century home on Park Avenue West to local developers has residents of the Elmira neighbourhood worried the property will be transformed into something out of character with the rest of the neighbourhood. Dozens of them brought their concerns to Woolwich council Tuesday night, seeking support for their effort to maintain the historical feel of the street. Ideally, the new owners would restore the existing home at 10 Park Ave. W., suggested Ken Galipeau, representing the Park Avenue West Neighbourhood Association. The house, vacant since its former owner passed away in November 2006, has fallen into disrepair. Barring such renovations, any new building should match its surroundings, he added. “We ask that the new development be respectful of the character of the neighbourhood. “Why mess up the neighbourhood?” While residents have no idea what the new owners have in mind, they fear the worst. They circulated photos from other Elmira neighbourhoods where modern houses and apartments had been wedged between century homes. Even though Woolwich Holding’s purchase of the property has yet to close, residents wanted to be proactive in tackling the issue, said Sandra Bair, who circulated a petition signed by everyone on the street, as well as residents on adjoining routes. More than just a NIMBY issue, the Park Avenue situation should be a catalyst for the township to develop a policy for historical preservation, See NEIGHBOURHOOD page »08
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