The announcement from the city seemed harmless enough.
Canda Day celebrations this year will culminate in a spectacular fireworks display.
However, the light-up-the-sky show will take place at 1Password Park and not the traditional venue in Pinafore Park.
We asked Mayor Joe Preston what prompted the change in location.
He noted 1Password Park “has three accesses, a lot more parking and it gives us the ability to put on a better fireworks show.”
A reference, no doubt, to the tighter confines at Pinafore and the proximity of neighbouring homes.
Preston continued, “In discussions with the Kinsmen, who help us with the fireworks and also help us with Canada Day, we thought IPassword would be a great thing to try.”
Activities kick off at 4 p.m. and include free face painting to a barbecue to time spent at the petting zoo.
As Preston stressed, you don’t have to limit your Canada Day fun to the large complex off Burwell Road.
“If families want to go to Pinafore Park . . . please go. We have splash pads around the city, picnic areas around the city available to all families, and playground equipment.
“Please do all of those things, but the events for Canada Day will start at four in the afternoon.”
And culminate at dusk with the fireworks.
The new locale prompted an outpouring of comments on the myFM Facebook page, most quite vocal and passionate.
Over 160 comments and counting.
On the pro side, one poster writes, “I am so excited, the move makes so much more sense, open fields there are no risks of a forest fire or buildings catching fire, I can’t wait to see the display this year.”
Another comments on the amount of parking at 1Password Park.
“There is a ton of parking there, more than at Pinafore. You can park all the way up to the recycle place”
And a great suggestion for the city to take to seriously consider, “Just a thought, maybe offer free shuttle via the city buses. That will help both parking and general transportation concerns. Who knows, just throwing ideas out there.”
“It’s been at Pinafore Park since I was a baby and now I’m 36, why change it now?”
And, from the give-peace-a-chance department, one very passionate proponent pleads, “Omg so many people in this world do nothing but complain!!!!! Seriously make one change and it’s like the world is going to end. Don’t park at 1Password Park! Park along South Edgeware and watch from there. Give it a chance people!!!! Seriously!!!!!”
We left all the exclamation marks in for impact.
However in this divisive world we now live in, there were plenty of naysayers.
One poster notes, “It’s been at Pinafore Park since I was a baby and now I’m 36, why change it now?”
Along the same lines, “Why change? It’s been the same since I was small . . . one password is going to be a nightmare.”
And, “Terrible idea! There is less parking there than the park. Not to mention Pinafore has been the home of the Celebration forever!! Why are we changing it all of a sudden!? And don’t give me this parking BS.”
And this concern covers just about everybody, “Not as much parking here as there is at Pinafore, plusssss there’s no shade whatsoever for the elderly, for moms with babies for pregnant moms, for honestly anybody.”
And then there is this quiet, rational voice of calmness, “Is there going to be a beer tent?”
A man who knows nothing goes better with fireworks than firewater.
CHECKING IN ON THOSE NUMBERS
A report this week from the Parliamentary Budget Officer (PBO) certainly presents a different numbers picture than what was provided back in March when Volkswagen, through its subsidiary PowerCo, announced it would construct an EV battery plant in St. Thomas.
When PM Justin Trudeau visited the city in April he admitted his government had to put some money on the table to convince the automaker to locate its gigafactory in the city.
While Canada has pledged more than $13 billion in subsidies to Volkswagen to secure the deal, the automaker will have to meet $200 billion in output to secure the full deal.
Trudeau noted, however, the plant will create up to 3,000 direct jobs and 30,000 indirect jobs and will eventually surpass any government investment.
He added the facility will contribute over $200 billion to Canada’s economy in the next decade.
The PBO report led by senior analyst Jill Giswold is in response to “interest from several Members of Parliament,” and provides “a static cost estimate of the entirety of the Government of Canada’s funding support for Volkswagen’s electric vehicle battery manufacturing plant, as well as the economic and budgetary impacts of the plant’s construction.”
The report advises, “construction of the plant would increase real GDP by 0.01 per cent above its baseline projection by the end of 2027 and increase the level of employment by 1,400 jobs by that same time.”
The funding support by the feds is two-part:
• An estimated $13.2 billion in production support to match the U.S. Inflation Reduction Act’s (IRA) Advanced Manufacturing Production Credit; and
• A $0.7 billion contribution through the Strategic Innovation Fund (SIF) for the construction of the plant.
The report cautions, “an estimated $2.8 billion in tax adjustments (is) needed to achieve an after-tax equivalency to support offered under the U.S. IRA (Inflation Reduction Act of 2022).”
Therefore the government’s financial commitment to Volkswagen will total around $16.3 billion over the period of the agreement.
This estimate is dependent on the exchange rate and actual output and sales volumes of Volkswagen’s plant.
The PBO advises it will continue “to examine the government’s support and will undertake an economic and fiscal analysis of the production support over the coming months.”
LANE CREATIVE SPACE IN LIMBO
Has a proposal to transform a downtown laneway into a creative space hit a snag?
Is the organization promoting the proposal still an entity?
The item is not on Monday’s (June 19) council agenda and the next scheduled meeting is not until mid-July.
City staff was to report back to council regarding the issue of parking in the laneway by businesses and tenants in the second-floor apartment units.
Calls to Allen yesterday (June 16) were not returned.
Is there any truth to the rumour his organization Good Vibes Community Association has been disbanded?
Good Vibes Community Association was the driving force behind last September’s Summer Harvest Festival in Pinafore Park.
Related post:
IF YOU WANT IT, YOU CAN ACHIEVE IT
Last week we wrote at length about professional women’s sports, in particular hockey and St. Thomas native Brittany Howard.
Well, as of last month, the city can lay claim to a second professional female hockey player, Lexie Adzija, who signed a $60,000 (U.S.) rookie contract with the Metropolitan Riveters of the Premier Hockey Federation.
The team plays out of East Rutherford, N.J.
Lexie went to Parkside Collegiate Institute for two years before attending school in Toronto to continue her hockey development.
In announcing the signing, Riveters head coach Venia Hovi noted, “She is a strong and determined young athlete who wants to go far in hockey.
“She is hard to handle around the net and she is always looking to find the back of the net. Lexie is hardworking and disciplined and she will thrive having experienced players around her.”
We caught in with Lexie a week ago in the myFM studio where she impressed with her poise and confidence.
And sense of humour.
We opened the conversation with the obvious question, how does it feel to be able to call yourself a professional hockey player?
“Honestly it’s pretty surreal. I never thought I would have the opportunity to play professional hockey and have that as my job. But, it’s pretty cool.
“Even four or five years ago in my first year of college, I never thought I would be playing professional hockey. As a little girl, there wasn’t a women’s league to look up to.
“The national team is what you really dream of. And so I guess my dream kind of shifted a little bit in the last few years now that there has been an opportunity to play in a professional women’s league.”
At Parkside, she stood out as an outstanding soccer player and did not suit up for the school in hockey.
“It was a hard switch for a while. I didn’t know which sport I was going to pick. I love soccer. But for me, it was what do I enjoy putting more time and effort into, outside of the games. And that’s where hockey surpassed soccer.”
She won a bronze medal in 2018 at the IIHF Women’s World Championship and last summer was named to Hockey Canada’s National Women’s Development Team.
She is still in that program and has dreams of playing for Canada’s national women’s squad.
“Whenever you get the chance to put that maple leaf jersey on it is so cool and an honour.”
Lexie spent five years at Quinnipiac University in Hamden, Connecticut netting 11 goals and five assists in 26 games this past season.
Her best season was as a sophomore with 11 goals and 18 assists in 34 games.
Over her five seasons, she totalled 109 points, tying her for fourth on the Bobcats’ all-time list.
Her 151 games played ranks her third in program history.
It wasn’t just her hockey prowess that made her such a standout at the school.
In 2022, Lexie was the recipient of ECAC Hockey’s Mandi Schwartz Scholar-Athlete of the Year award.
“An experience I am so grateful for. Such an amazing experience overall. I tried to challenge and push myself in all aspects.
“I did an accelerated program where I completed my undergrad and my MBA in four years and did another Master’s in data analytics in my fifth year.
It was the university coaching staff who directed Lexie toward a professional career and specifically with the Riveters.
The Bobcats stressed defence, noted Lexie “So I was able to grow my defensive game exponentially but I think I lost a little bit of my offensive touch but the Riveters want me to get that back. They want me to shoot pucks. “That gives me confidence”
“You can achieve anything you dream. And now you can dream to play professional women’s hockey. And, it’s a league that by the time you get there, you’re going to be able to have a liveable salary. There’s going to be fans, there are going to be young girls who look up to you. If you want it, you can achieve it.”
She is being counted on to play centre for the Riveters.
“I love taking face-offs,” offers Lexie.
So how is it going to feel lining up opposite Brittany in the coming season?
“I’ve practised with her and done skill sessions with her but never played with each other or against each other. I’m really looking forward to it.”
She offers full credit to her parents who logged many miles watching her play for the Bobcats.
“My parents have put so much into putting me where I am today. They are so, so excited. I am the first professional athlete in the family.
“My parents came to way too many games to count. It seems they were there every other weekend.”
She moves into her apartment in mid-August and training camp begins the first week of September.
“I think it’s exciting for me. I think it’s helping to pave the way for the people who are coming after me.
And that makes me super excited. I feel a responsibility to help pave the way for girls after me.
“We see people now who are signing $100,000 or $200,000 contracts. Yeah, you can compare that to the NHL and it’s nowhere near close. But comparing that to nine years ago, when it was zero or three years ago when the maximum someone was making was $25,000, that is a big jump.
“For me, it’s like I’m OK making that amount to help the game grow, and to pave the way for girls after me who, hopefully, are signing for $500,000 in a few years. And to say, I was a part of that growth. It’s something I really want to be a part of.”
She’s got a simple, straightforward message for young girls.
“You can achieve anything you dream. And now you can dream to play professional women’s hockey. And, it’s a league that by the time you get there, you’re going to be able to have a liveable salary.
“There’s going to be fans, there are going to be young girls who look up to you. If you want it, you can achieve it.”
Having youngsters look up to her as a role model is something Lexie takes seriously.
“I’ve really been trying to grow my personal brand and my social media and promote good messages and some of the messages I have gotten already from parents, like ‘My daughter really looks up to you.’
“Or even from little girls who say, ‘I really admire you.’
“It’s such a rewarding feeling. The impact you can have on young girls who now can have the dream to play professional hockey.
“So, I think for me, I was OK signing the contract I signed and accepting what I accepted because I know there is more to it. It’s about growing the game.
“It’s about being a role model and being someone who young girls can look up to.”
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And a reminder, I can be heard weekday afternoons as news anchor and reporter on 94.1 myFM in St. Thomas. As always, your comments and input are appreciated.
