INK & Buy Any Twin Pack or Combo AD Pack Ink or Toner Cartridge MATCH TONER and Receive a Guaranteed * low prices EVENT FREE 8GB USB Thumb Drive Products may not be exactly as shown. 10 Church St. W. Elmira 519-669-2201 www.schelterofficeplus.ca Office & School Supplies • Print Copy Courier • Computer IT Supplies 09 | 27 | 2014 VOLUME 19 | ISSUE 39 BREAKING NEW GROUND IN HAWKESVILLE VENTURE PAGE 15 COMMENT PAGE 8 $25,000 REVIEW RAISES EYEBROWS ... AND QUESTIONS www.OBSERVERXTRA.com Candidates stake WIN MAKES IT THREE IN A ROW Some concerns their ground in Wellesley debate addressed in WHITNEY NEILSON skate park plan Wellesley’s mayoral and councillor hopefuls met Following receipt of petition, Woolwich on Tuesday evening for a officials met with residents worried friendly debate, much of which focused on the need about facility’s impact on the area for more parkland in the township. STEVE KANNON residents. Roughly 75 people filled the Having Wellesley Community Centre With construction met with a to hear brief summaries of underway, the race is representative the candidates’ platforms, of the group, Glen followed by prepared ques- Irvine, recreation and tions and queries from the on to complete the new facilities director Karen audience. skateboard park in Elmira Makela told councillors Mayoral candidates Paul before winter settles in. meeting Monday night Hergott, Joe Nowak, and That won’t mean work will that many of the issues Jim Olender took the bulk be allowed through the have been addressed. of the heat, answering ques- weekends, however. There will be no lights tions on development, by- The construction on the site, for instance. law enforcement and taxes. schedule will conform to As well, there is to be no Olender said his perspec- the township’s standard excessive noise, with the tive on growth and develop- practice – Monday to Fri- facility operating on the ment is very simple. day, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., and same hours as other parks: “We have to look at our town- Saturdays, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., closed between 11 p.m. and ship with some longer-term if necessary – councillors 6 a.m. No events or large perspectives,” he said. “The first decided this week, turning gatherings are to be per- thing I think we have to consider down a request for an ex- mitted without a special is strategic investments at both emption to that policy. licence. No music is to be the recreational lands and em- Council also agreed played. ployment lands. Leisure and rec- to spend up to $5,000 Concerns about parking reation are even more important to move the community are likely unfounded, she to us now than they were 20 years garden from its existing said, with users expected ago.” location at Bristow Park to to walk or skate to the park Nowak said growth and develop- a new site at Victoria Glen, rather than drive. ment need to be looked at accord- resolving any conflict with “We don’t anticipate a ing to the different communities. the new skateboard park. need for additional park- Linwood and St. Clements have both Other conflicts might ing.” faced declining populations over the not be so easily remedied, Nor will the site be su- Elmira Sugar Kings captain Mitch Klie skates the puck up the ice during the club’s 3-2 shoot-out victory over the Stratford including concerns raised DEBATE | 6 SKATE PARK | 5 Cullitons at the WMC September 21. [SCOTT BARBER / THE OBSERVER] in a petition by nearby FLYER SPECIALS ONLINE www.furniturehouse.ca ~ OPEN 7 DAYS ~ 30 Benjamin Rd., Waterloo ~ across from St. Jacobs Outlet Mall ~ 519-746-0060 Your Choice Vintage Casual $ 7-Piece Dining Set 989 Your Choice of Pub Height Table and 6 Barstools ~ OR ~ Reg. Height Table and 5 CELEBRATING OUR ANNIVERSARY IN STYLE! Sidechairs & Dining Bench Add Server $499 Get it NOW Pay in December!* NO TAX on CUSTOM ORDERS of CANADIAN MADE Leather/Uphostered Sofas & Wood Bedroom Suites 2 | NEWS THE OBSERVER | SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 2014 WCS fundraiser will serve KIDS GET A TASTE OF THE GREAT OUTDOORS up lunch and some laughs WHITNEY NEILSON their fundraising goals due to a couple chang- Your workday lunch es this year. break doesn’t have to be “We moved our a quick sandwich and back thrift shop, which is a to your desk on October main fundraiser for us, 8. Woolwich Community so we have the Wool- Services is hosting a Lunch wich Thrift Shop,” and Laughter on a budget Quinn said. “And all Fundraiser featuring a of the proceeds go poor-boy-style lunch and a directly back into our comedy routine by local en- programs. So costs are tertainer Neil Aitchison at increasing, rent and Gale Presbyterian Church. so forth until we get Leigh-Anne Quinn, com- into our new build- munity resource coordina- ing.” tor, said she got the idea They also usually Volunteer Jared Bott of Alma assists nine- year-old Abi Jones at the crossbow target shooting during the 13th annual Youth Outdoors Day a few years ago when she receive funds from at Luther Marsh on September 13. The rain did not deter 245 students and 150 parents from attending the event. Youth Outdoors Day was went to a similar event in the Grand River created to introduce young people to outdoor activities and gain an appreciation for their natural environment. Event stations exposed Waterloo. This fundraising Amazing Race through Neil Aitchison will provide the participants to a variety of outdoor-related topics and activities. Activities included birdfeeder building, supervised target shooting, event will help fill a need entertainment at the October 8 fundraiser. wetland habitat rehabilitation and fly fishing. There were also demonstrations such as the use of retriever and pointer hunting dogs, bow FUNDRAISER | 7 for WCS, who’s short on [SUBMITTED] hunting, and falconry. [SUBMITTED] COUPON EVENT Are you ready to DO MORE to save money and energy? Join Waterloo North Hydro for our in-store events where we’ll be giving away coupons and a chance to WIN a $250 Energy-Efficient Shopping Spree! 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THE OBSERVER | SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 2014 NEWS | 3 EDSS fares well in provincial testing of literacy, mathematics WHITNEY NEILSON within the Board Improve- ment Plan for student Grade 9 math and Grade achievement.” 10 literacy scores across the Academic mathematics Waterloo Region District students in Elmira scored School Board remain on even better, as 90 per cent par with last year’s results, of them were at or above with Elmira District Sec- the provincial standard. ondary School students far- The board average was 83 ing better than average. per cent, while the pro- School-by-school results vincial average was 85 per were released Wednesday cent. EDSS also saw a slight by Ontario’s Education dip compared to last year’s Quality and Accountability score of 93 per cent. Office (EQAO). “The Waterloo Region For EDSS students, 72 District School Board’s Home Hardware CEO Terry Davis was one of more than 3,000 staff members from across the country checking out new products at the annual fall market held this week at the St. Jacobs per cent of students who Grade 9 Academic EQAO head office. [WHITNEY NEILSON / THE OBSERVER] took the applied math- mathematics results main- ematics test were at or tain a high success rate, above the provincial stan- with 83 per cent of students Fall market a chance for dealers dard. This is especially achieving levels 3 and 4,” significant when compared said Miller. to the school board’s aver- He added the results age of 44 per cent, and the show a one percentage to pick the next hot products provincial average of 47 per point decrease from 2013, “Before we had our the Heft. Essentially, it’s an cent. But, it’s a substantial and the board’s achieve- WHITNEY NEILSON Public relations coor- screws not retail friendly auxiliary handle for long decrease from Elmira’s ment level remains compa- dinator Jessica Kuepfer at all. They were all welded tools like shovels and rakes. performance last year of 88 rable to the province. Home Hardware’s fall said the product she’s as one piece, so impossible It attaches to the shaft of per cent. A total of 89 per cent of market featured more most excited about is the to warehouse, impossible the tool and makes lifting “The Grade 9 Applied students in applied math than 3,500 vendors and BAYO.S extendable ground to distribute,” Schulte said. and bending less strenuous. Mathematics EQAO re- achieved a passing level every product under the screw. It’s an alternative to “But this system is really It’s one of several products sults remain the same as (levels 1 through 4), an in- sun, including inventions concrete foundations, use- designed for the average featured that’s only avail- in 2013 with 44 per cent of crease of four percentage soon-to-be revealed on ful for fences, playground user. We’re taking the able at Home Hardware.