The City of Mount Pearl has agreed to comply with any new flood plain management plan for the Waterford River as part of a major new study being conducted by the Department of Environment and Conservation.
Director of Planning and Development Stephen Jewczyk told council during its public meeting last week that the province needed a quick decision on the request so that it could start the work shortly.
The request actually arrived at City Hall just minutes before the regularly scheduled council meeting.
“The intention is that the study will start in October,” said Jewczyk, but the request for proposals for companies interested in doing the work was set to close on July 20 with a deadline to respond by August 20.
“This is something that we’ve been asking for the past two years,” Jewczyk added.
The completion date of the $350,000 study is March 31, 2016 and will affect all three municipalities through which the Waterford Rivers runs, Jewczyk said.
“We’re not just talking about the river, we’re talking about the actual watershed,” Jewczyk pointed out. “It’s a very expensive study, it involves a lot of modelling, it involves a lot of special geo-data, and is an update of our current flood risk mapping… And the important piece is that it will now include climate change factors. And that’s what we’ve been asking for.”
Mayor Randy Simms welcomed the news, noting Mount Pearl has been working in conjunction with the Town of Paradise and City of St. John’s to promote the health of the Waterford River.
“You’ll all recall that one of our goals was to have the cleanest urban river in Canada,” he said. “And one of the things we wanted to do is a study on the health of the river, which is a study that we’re negotiating and writing a terms of reference for now.”
That study is in addition to the one about to be carried out by the province.
Simms said in order to achieve the goal of having the cleanest urban river in Canada all three municipalities must employ a consistent approach in regulating the activity around it.
“And one of the ways to build that consistent approach is to actually know the river,” Simms said. “One of the things we don’t know about the river anymore, and we’ve heard that comment from our own residents, businesses and others, is that we don’t actually know where the flood plain really is anymore, we don’t know what’s impacting the river beyond what we’ve done ourselves. You’ve got to know where you’re coming from to know where you’re going. This is a very important piece of work.”
Simms said having the Department of Environment take such an aggressive approach to getting the study done is great for all the municipalities connected to the Waterford River.
Councillor Dave Aker asked whether developments that are already approved will be impacted by any new regulations that will be developed as part of the study.
“The way we work legally is that if there is a permit issued, they will be able to continue, if the permit was issued prior to the new flood plain mapping coming into effect,” Jewczyk said.
Once the plan comes into effect, Jewczyk added, the City will change its zoning regulations to accommodate it.
“I think what you will see if the flood plain has dramatically changed as a result of climate change and everything else, development that once existed outside (the flood plain) is now inside,” Mayor Simms said. “Encouraging those businesses to take mitigating action… is to their benefit.”
Leak finder is money well spent
A new piece of equipment for finding leaks in water lines is “working out tremendously,” says Mount Pearl Deputy Mayor Jim Locke.
He made the observation at last week’s public council meeting.
Like all municipalities drawing water from the Bay Bulls Big Pond system, Mount Pearl is contending with huge water bills that are projected to grow even steeper next year.
That makes the detection and stopping of leaks important dollar wise.
Locke said the correlator “is allowing us to identify the leaks as accurately as possible. There’s less digging, less resource time spent.”
At less than $40,000, Locke said the correlator is one of the best investments he’s seen since becoming a councillor.
According to the City’s Director of Infrastructure and Public Works, Gerry Antle, the correlator uses computer software to track the acoustic 'footprint' of leaks along a water line, helping workers to locate the source of a leak faster.
Council hears renewed call for speedbumps
Mount Pearl Deputy Mayor Jim Locke is renewing his call for the City to install speed bumps on some streets.
“We all said this during the last election campaign and for me this was the number one issue,” Locke reminded his fellow councillors during their public meeting last week.
The issue arose during a discussion of the Transportation and Public Safety Committee report.
The chairperson of that committee, councillor Paula Tessier, noted the City has been getting complains from some residents about speeding and staff are monitoring the situation and analyzing data collected from street monitoring signs.
“I’m not sure everybody realizes that, but those solar powered street monitors actually collect data and we use that data when we start to get complaints,” Tessier said. “Also our MEOs (Municipal Enforcement Officers) are going to be ticketing violators. They do it, we’re going to continue to do it, and there may come a point, depending on how problematic an area is, when we might actually have to concentrate on that.”
That’s when Locke weighed into the debate, saying he’d like to know how many tickets have been issued.
Locke said residents are asking about speed bumps. When he raised the subject during his first days as a councillor, he noted, he was told speed bumps are problematic for Metrobus and for city plows during winter snow clearing operations.
“And someone said, ‘If you put one on one street, you’ll have to put them on 50 streets,” Locke added. “Well, my view is if 50 streets need them, you put in 50 speed bumps to reduce any particular casualties.”
Locke urged the committee to consider installing speed bumps on those streets where the data indicate speeding is a problem.
“I’d suggest we could put them in temporarily and then take them up,” Locke said, arguing speeding isn’t as bad during the winter months. “We could keep them down say until November, and then take them up so that our snow plows don’t have to worry about them. I’m just throwing it out there as food for thought so the committee can have a look at it.”
Tessier agreed that the argument in the past was that speed bumps were problematic for Metrobus, snow plows and emergency vehicles. “But now we’re seeing that there are different styles of speed bumps that may be available temporarily,” she said, adding the committee is looking at different varieties.
While the data indicates that in some places speeding isn’t as big a problem as some people think, there are “hot spots” Tessier said where some kind of action is needed.
“We need the data to back it up,” Tessier said.
“I like the idea of more research on it,” Mayor Randy Simms said. “I am not a fan of speed bumps at all, but having said that, there may be places (where they are needed). There is one thing for sure we can say about them: if you want to slow people down, they slow people down. Of that there is no doubt. I just sometimes think that some things are overreactions… But I am glad to see that you are researching it.”
Councillor Dave Aker said the City must be careful to target only those streets that have speeding problems, but agreed with Locke that speed bumps should be part of the “arsenal” when it comes to combating problem driving.
Youth hockey team recognized for enthusiasm, commitment, giving back
The 2014-2015 Mount Pearl Atom ‘A’ Blades hockey team has been recognized for its enthusiasm, leadership, respect and commitment as young athletes on the ice and off. As well as capturing three championships, this special group of young boys played an active part in the Blades’ annual food drive and understands its importance.
According to Sport Alliance Business Manager, Mike Bugden, the Recognition Award is presented to young athletes and volunteers who exemplify the values of good sport - kids who stand out for enthusiasm for their respective sport, teammates and club. Simply put, it’s all about young people celebrating the joy of the sport experience and demonstrating values like fairness, dedication, respect, and enthusiasm for the fun of playing the game and giving back.
These young players had a phenomenal hockey season, capturing the Don Johnson Hockey League Atom A Division Championship to go along with their 1st place finish during the regular season. During the annual MPMHA Christmas Tournament, the team also captured their division title, and wrapped up the year with the Provincial Atom A Championship title.
Head coach Trevor Murphy explained that each of the 17 players on the hockey team has contributed in some way to its success. They are a great group of young people. Over the course of the year these boys have played 46 games and amassed a record of 40 wins, 4 losses and 2 ties. This achievement is impressive, but the fact that the team has played well as a group and overcome various adversities is what makes the coaching staff proudest.
Most Memorable
Achievement
While the team’s accomplishments are indeed memorable, the most impressive accomplishments of this special group of boys are seen off the ice. They have each grown and matured over the season showing leadership, respect and commitment whether that be representing the association at various team events or helping in the community. One particularly memorable event took place at a local food bank. The team was proud to be a part of the MPMHA Annual Food Drive and this was a very special day for our association and community. But more than just participate, the boys stayed behind and met with staff to ask questions and learn why this was such an important community event.
Meet the players
and volunteers
Goalies – Avery Loveless, JT Tobin. Defence – Travis Badcock, Evan Kennedy, Liam Marshall, Ryan Murphy, Nathan Nolan, and Jacob Payne. Forwards – Jaden Dyke, Nathan Frelich, Reegan Hiscock, Michael Kielly, Noah King, Cameron Pennell, John Randell, Braedy Walsh, Evan Wicks. Coaches – Trevor Murphy, John Kennedy, Jim Hiscock, Colin Pennell. Manager – Brian King.
“Our staff is incredibly proud of this group of young players. They had a wonderful season on and off the ice,” stated Trevor Murphy. “Certainly, the team’s on ice performance was impressive, but the way that they conducted themselves during team events, and developed as young people over the course of the season is something which makes this team special. Mount Pearl Minor Hockey is dedicated to developing minor hockey players, but the association is also dedicated to community involvement and assisting in the overall development of young people.”
The Mount Pearl Sport Alliance and Recognition Award sponsor, Mount Pearl Dental are proud to recognize the 2014-2015 MPMHA Atom ‘A’ Blades for enthusiasm, leadership, respect and commitment as young athletes.
Heritage house given more options
Mount Pearl council has given the go ahead to an application to expand the possible commercial uses of what may be the oldest building in the city.
Planning and development committee chairman Andrew Ledwell reminded his colleagues on council last week that there has been some interest lately in the vacant property at 906 Topsail Road, which is for sale.
“It is one of only two heritage properties within the City of Mount Pearl, the other one being Admiralty House,” Ledwell noted.
The two storey property at 906 Topsail Road was built in the late 1890s or early 20th century as a summer retreat for his family by Patrick McGrath, a noted journalist, senior bureaucrat and politician.
“We’ve recently receive two enquiries, both for commercial purposes regarding 906 Topsail Road, one for a clinic, the other for a salon,” Ledwell explained.
Neither use is permitted in the City’s Heritage Use Zone. But Ledwell noted both of the parties who have enquired about the property have indicated they intend to maintain some of the heritage aspects of the property.
A briefing session was scheduled in May, Ledwell added, but when the City advertised it in The Telegram, nobody responded, so it was cancelled. At first the development committee members were prepared to add the salon and clinic uses to the list of activities that can occur within a heritage property, but after some further discussion, opted to make them discretionary uses.
“That will allow council a bit more flexibility and the ability to try to retain some of the significant heritage aspects of these properties,” Ledwell added.
Put to a vote, council approved the recommendation to amend the development regulations to allow a salon or clinic in the building.
Simms proposes ‘fix it and bill them’ policy for utilities
Mount Pearl Mayor Randy Simms says he is ready to ‘go to war’ to get Newfoundland Power and other utility companies to clean up their utility boxes and other infrastructure that has been tagged by graffiti artists.
Simms didn’t mince words when he delivered the message at last week’s public council meeting. The issue came up during discussion of council’s ‘Out of the Box – Traffic Box Project.’
Deputy Mayor Jim Locke, who chairs the council committee that oversees the program, noted some 10 to 12 traffic boxes, which house the equipment used to operate traffic lights, were painted by local artists last year, including Councillor Paula Tessier, who painted a traffic box at the corner of Ruth and Commonwealth. “And they look great,” Locke said.
The City and the Association for the Arts in Mount Pearl, which coordinates the program, are taking proposals from artists interested in participating this summer. “We have a lot of talent here and so we’re looking forward to beautifying all these boxes,” Locke said. Not only does it dress up the neighbourhoods, it also cuts down on graffiti “tagging,” he noted.
Simms, who has been a big proponent of the program, agreed. “It’s really good,” said the mayor. “We need to expand on it where we can. But I have to say one of the things I am particularly frustrated with – and I think we have to bring in a strategy on it – are all of the boxes that are not ours. I’m thinking to the utility boxes that are owned by the Newfoundland Powers and the telephone companies. They are in a disastrous state. It’s the only word to describe it.”
Simms said he recently received an e-mail from a resident complaining about the state of two boxes near his property. “I believe if there is a mechanism available to us as a City to reach out to our corporate community and tell them ‘Paint these now,’ we should do it. And if they don’t, we should have the power to do it and to bill them. There is no hesitation on my part.”
Evidence shows, Simms added, that if you remove graffiti right away, it helps to quickly end the spread of more graffiti. The mayor acknowledged that it’s probably impossible to have artists paint every utility box in the city.
There are a couple of utility boxes on the corner of Ruth Avenue and Michener Street, Simms pointed out, “that are so unbelievably disgusting and they’ve been that way forever. And I believe it’s time for us to tap these people on the shoulder and say ‘If that’s not painted by Thursday, the City is going to paint it by Friday and we’re going to send you a $2,000 bill - your choice.’ And get it done. And it’s all over the city now. I doubt if there is a single one of these boxes that hasn’t been vandalized in this manner.”
Simms said he loves the Out of the Box program and the artistry is amazing.
“They (the utility companies) should do the same,” said Tessier.
Councillor Dave Aker said he is bothered by the number of super mail boxes in the city and the graffiti being sprayed on them. “The problem with Canada Post,” he said, “is that we probably don’t have as much clout.”
Aker said when the corporation was “selling” the idea of super mail boxes, one of their supposed attributes was that they are hard to spray with paint. Aker said it would be worth the while of city inspectors to look at the mailboxes on Michener Avenue. The corporation should be given a list of boxes that have to be cleaned and held to the same standards as the utilities, he added.
“I’m with you,” said Simms. “I just believe that we need to put a deadline on it. And we need to be prepared to do it ourselves. It’s not enough to just go to them and say we want you to do it and have them pay lip service… We need them to know that they’ve got four days or five days to get it fixed and that they need to work in partnership with us because they’re going to get tagged again and the first people to see that will be us – the people who can fix it first. And we almost need to dedicate some resources to it that they pay for.”
Locke said his understands the frustration and his committee will reach out to the “corporate partners’ about the issue. “Once they’re painted (by the artists) they are generally left alone,” Locke repeated.
Mount Pearl native opens 'template' cafe for rest of chain
Scott Hillyer was a long time working in the restaurant business before things started to suddenly fall into place enabling him to become self-employed as a co-owner of one of the most prominent and fastest-growing coffee shop chains on the Northeast Avalon.
The opening of the Coffee Matters café and restaurant at 39 Commonwealth Avenue in Mount Pearl marks the launch of the chain’s sixth store and an expansion into evening dining. For Hillyer, who grew up and lives in Mount Pearl, the store marks a coming home for him business wise.
“Since I’ve been 15 I’ve been working in restaurants,” said Hillyer. “Food has been my passion.”
Hillyer actually started at Ponderosa Restaurant when he was 14, as a dishwasher. He stayed until age 30, by which time he was a top manager. He then worked in some local restaurants.
Hillyer said people would often remark to him that he should be working for himself. “But I just wasn’t ready,” he said.
The opportunity to do so, however, came unexpectedly, about a year after he was hired as director of operations for what was then a new cafe in town, Coffee Matters, which set up shop at Military Road and soon opened another store at Paradise. The founders asked Hillyer if he would buy them out.
“I said I didn’t have that kind of money,” Hillyer recalled.
But he did manage to buy the Paradise café. That was in 2010. Two years later, Hillyer and his business and life partner Cyril Peach managed to buy the whole chain, trademark and all.
“That was a costly venture,” said Hillyer. “And it was a scary situation because we were just getting on our feet after the Paradise transaction.”
Hillyer’s background in the industry - and Peach’s in the wholesale and retail food industry – helped ensure a successful transition.
Hillyer, now 44 and with three children ranging in age from late teens to early 20s, is grateful to the original owners, Gary Holden and Earl Norman for having faith in him.
“It’s a hard industry to be into,” Hillyer admitted. “And I’ll never forget when they interviewed me. They said ‘Scott, you’re too smart to be working for somebody else, you need to be working for yourself.’ But they were the ones who gave me the break and who had faith in me. They said, ‘Scott, someday your opportunity will come, and it did come.’”
Hillyer and Peach have worked to differentiate their stores in a crowded café market by making their soups and baked goods fresh daily, locally, and by buying local grown vegetables in season. Coleman’s supplies the fresh baked focaccia bread for the sandwiches, while an in house pastry chef tends to the desserts and scones. Cookies and muffins are baked in each of the stores every day. The cafes also use turkey and chicken that don’t have preservatives.
“We really focus on having fresh ingredients made fresh to order,” Hillyer said. “If there is anything that has given us success it’s the card of paying attention to quality.”
The launch of the Mount Pearl café is the next stage in a possible expansion of Coffee Matters into franchises, Hillyer allowed, though he is not fully comfortable with the idea of giving up control of a location to someone else yet.
“This is why we built this store,” he explained. “I was part of building the Military Road location, and even though it is absolutely beautiful, it’s ornate and it fits that building perfectly because of where it is – the trim package on that was $225,000 – to do the columns, to do the baseboards and to do everything else. So when I looked at the business model, I needed to give somebody a brand for $200,000 from start to finish.”
The Mount Pearl store is a template of what a buyer would get if Coffee Matters ever goes the franchise route. Six stores in, Hillyer and Peach have refined their knowledge of what works best. Everything behind the counter has been designed and placed to be within an arm’s span of a barrista. “Whereas in our other stores, you’ve got to walk too much, you’ve got to go too far. So thinking of franchising I had to be able to give somebody something that is going to work,” Hillyer noted. “Where I’ve worked in this industry my whole life, I knew that some of the stores were just not flowing properly. With this store we were three days trying to simulate counters, plus we brought in some great people like CORE Engineering. We paid them to come in and help us design the store – give us proper air flows, give us proper temperatures. So really this building is state of the art when it comes to that.”
All the research and work, Hillyer said, has even enabled him to know better for the next store what brand of equipment to buy. “So if someone called me tomorrow and said ‘I want to open up,’ I could tell them almost to the penny what it would cost for equipment and all that kind of stuff.”
Hillyer said he’s designed the overall business so that all six stores – downtown, Paradise, the Hibernia Interpretation Centre in Manuels, the Ches Penney YMCA on Ridge Road, ‘Canteen Matters’ at the new double rink in Paradise, and now the Mount Pearl shop - are within a 15 to 20 minute drive from each other. This makes deliveries easier and allows him to spend time in each café throughout the week.
“I tend to be in every store at least once or twice a week and physically working it,” Hillyer said. “I think that’s another key to our success – I’ve really put my face to the name of what Coffee Matters is. And in any company that’s really important.”
Hillyer said he and his partner were looking for a location in Mount Pearl for about two years. “We knew Mount Pearl needed it,” he said. “We do a lot of internal research, we survey our customers and we collect data… And then when I started seeing the mayor of Mount Pearl and the councillors from Mount Pearl coming to my Paradise location constantly to have business meetings and stuff, I said ‘Geeze, we’ve got to get into Mount Pearl.”
But everything he and Peach looked at was either too large or too small. Eventually they settled on a deal with the landlord at 39 Commonwealth.
When Coffee Matters advertised for staff, it got 122 applications. “People want to be part of something in Mount Pearl,” Hillyer said. “And being part of a coffee house, or any new business, is what they want. A coffeehouse is a place where a lot of kids like to work because it’s interactive. And being a barrista is a big thing for the kids today, it’s the hot thing, learning how to make lattes and cappacinos.”
With the first liquor licence for a Coffee Matters café, the company is moving to an expanded evening dining menu. Lamb is the most popular item, Hillyer said.
“And for myself, I grew up in Mount Pearl and my family is from Mount Pearl, so if I was going to do an extra special store, this was where we were going to do it,” Hillyer said. “If this works, we’ll take this template and renovate and do the same thing downtown.”
It’s been a lot of growth for a small company in three years. “We started with 12 employees, and now we employ 142,” Hillyer said.
The three person headquarters staff has moved office out of Hillyer’s basement to a building at 1 Moffatts Road, also in Mount Pearl. In addition to the cafes, the company caters events. “We’ve got 46 weddings booked this season,” said Hillyer.
Even if Coffee Matters gets around to franchising, or his children eventually buy him out, Hillyer can’t see himself ever retiring from the business completely.
“I’ll never, ever give anyone full ownership of the company until I’m dead and gone,” he said, laughing. “When you work so hard for something it’s very, very hard to just let it go.”
Stoyles collides with colleagues over PlayOn tournament
This month’s nearly record-setting PlayOn ball hockey tournament sparked a bit of rough play at Mount Pearl council. But councillor Lucy Stoyles, who tried to lay a body check on any notion of the City hosting the event again next year, found herself severely shorthanded in the chamber.
Some 565 five person teams participated in the tournament, making it the second largest in the country. However the closure of a section of one of the busiest thoroughfares in Mount Pearl had some business owners and residents, according to Stoyles, stewing.
The puck dropped on the debate when councillor Paula Tessier extended a “heartfelt thanks” to the residents and businesses of Mount Pearl for using alternate driving routes for three days around the ball hockey venue, which stretched along Old Placentia Road from Ruth Avenue to the Smallwood Drive intersection and included the Summit Centre and Glacier parking lots.
That comment drew Stoyles into the play.
“Where do I start?” said Stoyles. “I’m not one not to support sport in the city, but I certainly don’t think it was the right place for such a tournament.”
Stoyles said she received many calls about the inconvenience of the road closure, including from Churches. “One church, St. Peter’s Parish, had four christenings on Saturday, and people with babies had to walk down Ruth Avenue,” she noted. “They were totally disgusted that the whole parking lot was full of people using it for PlayOn (parking).”
Some of the young people at the tournament showed no respect to the families trying to get to Church, Stoyles added.
A major disruption at the Salvation Army Church was avoided on Sunday morning, she noted, by having the City’s park patrol and municipal police in the area.
Stoyles said not only were the parishioners of those two Churches, as well as residents “totally disrupted by the PlayOn hockey, which I don’t think ever should have happened, closing our city streets and endangering some of the public,” but so were some businesses.
Some people working at businesses in Glenhill Plaza either couldn’t find parking spaces, or if did, couldn’t get their cars off the lot later, Stoyles said. “Tols at Tols’ Time-Out (Lounge) normally has his poker tournament up there – nobody came,” Stoyles said. “He had to cancel his poker tournament.”
A fundraiser held in the plaza later in the evening was impacted by a lack of parking, she said. “Besides that, the parking lot at Kent’s was blocked with nobody in Kent’s store,” said Stoyles.
Olympic Drive, which houses the Mount Pearl Fire Station, was “so dangerous that if there was a real emergency, I don’t know how the fire trucks would have gotten through,” Stoyles continued. “The traffic buildups and the line ups and the inconvenience to our residents – I certainly hope we don’t do it again.”
Stoyles said she would like to know how much it cost the City to host the event. “I noticed driving up and down Old Placentia Road there is an awful lot of damage done,” Stoyles said. “Everything is cleaned up and it looks nice but, there’s hardly any grass left up there at all and it’s going to cost the City a lot of money to put it back the way it was.”
Stoyles said the event itself is good, but there are better places for it, such as Memorial University where it was hosted in past years.
(The organizers went to Mount Pearl this year, because construction of a science building on the MUN lot displaced the tournament.
If the city is going to play host again, Stoyles suggested, maybe it could look at using parking lots in the industrial park on a weekend when the businesses there are closed.
“It’s not that I’m not supporting it, but I really don’t think we should be closing down city streets to have an event like this and frustrating our residents, especially our Churches, who on Saturday evening and Sunday morning were more than put out,” Stoyles argued.
Stoyles said the next time council considers hosting the tournament, there should be a public vote in the chamber and not just in a private meeting as happened this time.
Councillor Dave Aker said he shares Stoyles’ concerns but wouldn’t want to see the event shut down. Often, he argued, there are hiccups experienced when doing something for the first time and organizers can learn from the experience. “I sympathize and empathize with the businesses,” he said, but “I think it is a good location.”
The tournament, Aker pointed out, is consistent with the sports tourism aims outlined in the City’s strategic plan. He suggested council refer the issues to a committee for assessment and look for ways to get rid of the hiccups in the future. “I support PLayOn, but next year, as you (Stoyles) articulated, clearly it has to be different,” Aker said.
Councillor Andrew Ledwell concurred. “I do regret that some of the incidents that Councillor Stoyles identified have happened, but as councillor Aker rightly says, when you host an event for the first time, you’re bound to get hiccups, you’re not going to get everything right the first time.”
Ledwell said some 3,900 young people had a great time at the event. “And to be frank, I’m more concerned about that than about 30 people playing poker on Saturday afternoon,” he said. “So I hope we do it for a number of years to come.”
Deputy Mayor Jim Locke said the work that was done by City staff prior to the tournament, which included patching the pavement along Old Placentia Road, would have been done anyway. “So it’s not like we used up overtime hours or anything like that,” he said. “It’s work that would have been done, we just prioritized it.”
Locke agreed with Aker that the event falls in line with the City’s sports tourism goals. All the feedback he received, Locke added, was positive. Some business operators saw their sales go up because of the crowds attending the games and liked the event because it was family oriented, he said
“It had a nice community feel to it,” said Locke. “How long have they been running the (St. John’s) Regatta – a hundred and something years, and they still have hiccups. Things happen. I’m not dismissing any of the issues councillor Stoyles raised. There were people who were inconvenienced, but I’m not suggesting we throw the whole event out because of that. I think these are all manageable issues that have been identified.”
Before offering his view, Mayor Randy Simms invited the City’s Director of Community Services, Jason Collins, to offer an assessment. “What was unique about PlayOn was the magnitude of it,” allowed Collins.
He explained that because the tournament was moved from its usual location, the City became involved relatively late in the planning process, which explains some of the hiccups. “When it came to the businesses and community groups, there are certainly things that I think the PlayOn organization and the City can do better in the future,” he said.
Collins said officials have held a debriefing on the event and a report will go to council with recommendations. The PlayOn organizers, he observed, were extremely responsive to suggestions and questions raised by City personnel.
Mayor Simms said the City has the right to host the event for four years. He noted that he asked for a report on any negative comments received by the City, but had yet to see any.
“I will take exception to one comment councillor Stoyles made and really only one,” Simms said. “There are a bunch of things she said that I can think can be challenged, but the closing of streets and endangering of the public – that did not happen. The general public in Mount Pearl at no time were endangered. I drove Olympic Drive in the morning, afternoon and night on both days that it happened and there was no point where two vehicles could not pass. We received no commentary at all from our fire and emergency services, which actually exist on the street, that they were blocked in or could not move.”
Simms said he won’t disagree that Church services were affected and the failure to plan for that was perhaps an oversight. He also admitted some people were inconvenienced by the road closure, but that happens with many events, he argued, including City Days.
“I challenge the situation as it relates to Kent’s store,” said Simms. “And the businesses from the pizza shop that exists next to Tols’ Time-Out Lounge through to the Fireside Eatery at the Summit enjoyed business receipts the likes of which they’d never seen in their lives. From the point of view of business, this was a hugely successful event. I’m satisfied that for me – and I’m the mayor of this city and if anybody is going to hear this stuff, take it from me, I hear it – not a single negative comment on this (came) from anyone, anywhere, not even during it, not even when we attended the Special Olympics barbeque held at the Reid Centre right in the middle of this thing… I do believe there are improvements that can be made… Otherwise I have to say I think it went marvellously.”
Kelloway leading the varsity racing pack
Pearlgate Track and Field Club’s Daniel Kelloway captured the 400m title and also helped his 4x400m relay teammates deliver a record-setting performance this past weekend at the Great Northwest Athletic Conference (GNAC) NCAA Division II Track and Field Championships at Western Oregon University.
Competing for Simon Fraser University (SFU), Daniel won the 400m conference title with a time of 47.62, a personal best which also established a new Newfoundland and Labrador provincial 400m record and raised his national ranking to 5th in Canada for the men's 400m.
Kelloway finished off the meet anchoring the SFU 4x400m relay team of Stuart Ellenwood and Cameron Proceviat of British Columbia and Joel Webster of Ontario. In winning the gold medal, they established a new GNAC meet record of 3:13.84.
Coach and mentor Doug Halliday of Pearlgate Track and Field Club was delighted to hear of Daniel's success and immediately tweeted it to the world.
"I’m so proud of the weekend Daniel had. It is a true testament to the work he’s put in on and off the track to recover from injury in 2014. He is right where he needs to be heading into the Canadian Championship this July in Edmonton," said Halliday.
GNAC members include 10 universities located in five American states and Simon Fraser University in British Columbia. The conference is part of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), the world's largest college sports association. SFU is the first and only international member of the NCAA's Division II.
Kelloway is in his second year of studies at Simon Fraser University in British Columbia. Raised in Mount Pearl and competing for Pearlgate since he was seven years old, Daniel has been a bright spot in the province's track and field community for a number of years. He has represented the province twice at the Canada Games and many times at national championships.
While at home between university semesters, Kelloway continues to train hard at his home track, setting a good example for the other 100 members of his club and quietly inspiring the younger athletes to work hard to achieve their track and field dreams, said club president Stephen Pike.
Local groups awarded small 'Wellness' grants
The Parish of the Good Sheppard and the Heart and Stroke Foundation, both in Mount Pearl, were among 80 groups selected for Health and Wellness Grants by the provincial government recently.
The Parish of the Good Sheppard is getting $8,000 to go towards a community garden program. The Heart and Stroke Foundation will receive $5,000 for a “Healthy Drink Choices for Children” program.
The grants provide up to $10,000 to either fully fund a project or as a contribution towards the total cost. The projects must support healthy living and wellness in such areas as healthy eating, physical activity, tobacco control, and injury prevention.