LADIES Happy Gorillaz St. Patrick’s it’s time to A new Day PlayPlay BallBall type of ST. PADDY’S DAY McGuinty comes Join individually or as a team concert Specials One Kilt Worth Niagara Regional Ladies page 20 MARCH 18, 19, 20TH Looking Up to Port Colborne Slo-Pitch League STUDENT GATHERING CENTRE Page 2 No weekend games * Welland Campus 17 Lock St. Port Dalhousie Call 905-646-9892 *CAFETERIA - Glendale Campus Niagara News Volume 32, Issue 12 Friday, March 15, 2002 www.niagara-news.com ......out like a lion In like a lamb.... InIn thisthis issue:issue: TheThe Gorillaz,Gorillaz, schizophrschizophrenics,enics, St.St. Patty’Patty’ss DayDay andand much,much, muchmuch mormoree the kave Page 2, Niagara News, March 15, 2002 n e ws Join egg hunt on Student Appreciation Day By VALERIE PAQUETTE everyone just has fun,” says Chiki says Chiki. Staff Writer enthusiastically. Chiki’s office co-ordinates the It’s a fun-filled day for Niagara Student Appreciation Day start- event by handing out announce- College students. ed in 1997. Chiki says it was a ments to staff, putting posters up All three campuses in Welland, faculty member, Steve Collins, and posting it electronically on the Niagara Falls and Niagara-on-the- who introduced the concept to his college bulletin board. This year Lake will celebrate the sixth annu- director. She says Collins was they have an advertising section in al Student Appreciation Day on aware of this concept because of the college paper, Niagara News. Thursday, March 21. another institution that was “We invite all departments “It’s our way as a college com- already doing it. “We talked about and individuals at the college to munity, both saying and showing it and said, ‘Why not?’ We plan something, whether it’s a students that we really appreciate instantly recognized it as a very raffle or prize. We invite all the fact that they are here, that good idea.” offices to have food and bever- they chose Niagara College,” ages out for students.” says Brigitte Chiki, director of ‘Our Chiki, who has been at the student services. college for 20 years, says For this year’s event, the follow- intention is they wish they could do this ing activities are planned: food every month. and beverage specials, the popular to put “That would be nice too, but for Spring egg hunt, Thursday night smiles on now we do it once a year, and we pub with giveaways; cookies, do our best. We know that the cider and popcorn in Student students’ Niagara College community is a Services office areas; games of very caring one, and staff often skill in the gymnasium; and a faces.’ show their appreciation to students health basket giveaway. Chiki, pleasantly surprised, in many different ways throughout “Our intention is to put smiles said one of the most popular the year. Setting aside one day on students’ faces (and) get events at all campuses is the each year as an official Student them smiling and feeling good egg hunt. The staff hides 100 to Appreciation Day gives us an about where they are and their 200 eggs throughout the cam- opportunity as a college communi- plans ahead.” pus. The students are invited to ty to rally our collective efforts Every part of the college that go and find these plastic eggs into an energetic and memorable has any involvement with students and open them up to get day for everyone.” will be doing something. “There instructions on where to go to Chiki encourages students to Brigitte Chiki, director of student services, is hiding an egg as are chances for students to win get their prize. “It’s so enter- come out for Student part of the festivities for Student Appreciation Day on Thursday, prizes. It’s a special day and we taining for us to see students so Appreciation Day. “Walk into March 21. want everyone to be here and excited about such a simple offices and look around. There’s enjoy the festivities. For one day, activity. That’s the whole idea,” a lot going on.” Photo by Valerie Paquette Dalton McGuinty discusses Vehicle identification incorrect waterfront revitalization plan In the Feb. 15, 2002, edition of Niagara News (Vol. to a van in one of the garages at the Skill Centre for 32, Issue 11), on page 5, incorrect information Motive Power Training at the Welland campus. By WILLIAM HORWOOD JR. 80,000 ppm, and Inco is paying appeared in the cutline for the photograph. It should It is the policy of Niagara News to correct errors of Staff Writer for the clean up. have read this: Mike Vandervliet, Arthur Paulin fact. We apologize for any inconvenience this error Dalton McGuinty, leader of the The Algoma steel plant, which Automotive Aftermarket Award winner, stands next may have caused. Ontario Liberals, was in Port has since been torn down, was Colborne on Feb. 20 with Port studied to see if the ground con- Colborne Mayor Vance Badawey tained contamination, and it did. to discuss the waterfront revital- ization plan. Chuck Miller, Port Colborne’s strategic projects manager, and Rob Watters, of Beak International, the consultants to the Public Liaison Committee, presented McGuinty with a centu- ry’s worth of Port Colborne’s industrial history in one hour. Contamination of Port Colborne by two factories, Algoma Steel and the Inco nickel refinery, has initiated a “world-class study” on the effects nickel, cobalt and arsenic have on the environment Dalton McGuinty listens to and the people, says Watters. the waterfront revitalization Other communities are going plan. to “look to Port Colborne as a Photo by William Horwood Jr. Hungry For Health? model of success. As premier I would like to work with Port Studies underway include the Try the BIGGEST Pitas in town! Colborne for economic success.” effects the contamination has on says McGuinty. the soil, air quality, plant life, well Inco’s factory grew for six water and animals. The study with Better than a sandwich! decades until the nickel refinery people includes blood, urine and was closed down in the 1980s. It mental health. 30 fresh varieties to choose from! created airborne emissions that “How far has Inco gone? Will they settled mainly on the east side of remediate people?” says McGuinty. Delivery to College Residence Port Colborne in the Rodney Inco will pay for the study and Street area. Houses near woodlots remediate the people if necessary, We also cater to business lunches are at a “greater risk” of having says Miller. high levels of contamination Planned for the waterfront, Pita Shack St.Catharines because woodlots act as nets to once the contamination is Three Great Locations... 224 Glenridge Avenue catch the emissions, says Roberts. cleaned, are a golf course, resi- Two hundred parts per million dential housing and light indus- Pita Shack Welland 687-7263 (ppm) is the highest level of con- trial lands, says Miller. Corner of Thorold Rd. & Niagara St. Pita Shack Niagara Falls tamination considered safe for That initiative needs the co- (right beside the Beer Store) 3642 Portage Road humans. Twenty-five houses in operation of all three levels of 735-3842 353-0025 the Rodney Street area had government, says Badawey. Niagara News, March 15, 2002, Page 3 Photonics at Niagara in national spotlight By ADAM BOGLE In the program, students learn Staff Writer how to use basic optics, fibre Six months after its birth, pho- optics and lasers and the practical tonics at Niagara College is pay- applications of the technologies. ing dividends for students seeking There is a lot of positive feed- a career using lasers and fibre back from people involved in this optic cables. program. Niagara graduate Alex Niagara is one of two colleges McGlashan, of Pelham, is a part- in Canada with pilot photonics time professor at the college, and programs. The other is Algonquin operates labs with the photonics College in Ottawa. students. Both colleges are partnered with He says the program provides Photonics Research Ontario gives students the resources to (PRO). Dr. Marc Nantel is PRO’s work in the field as fibre optics principal staff scientist and man- technicians or to design fibre ager for Photonics Education and optics systems. Training. He is an instrumental McGlashan says the photonics person in organizing both pro- facilities in the Voyageur Wing of grams. the Welland campus are “state-of- PRO is one of four Ontario cen- the-art.” tres of excellence. It’s partially “It provides technology that funded by the Ministry of Energy, extends across the spectrum of Science and Technology. Its mis- photonics technology.” sion is to improve Ontario’s indus- Yatulis says he is hopeful about trial sector. the future of photonics at Niagara PRO invested $3.5 million in College. “I’m actually very planting the programs in both col- impressed with the way things are Jenn Zufelt,19, of Smithville, and Chris Wentworth, 22, of Niagara Falls, both Photonics program stu- leges to ensure that Ontario has going. I think the future looks dents, set up for a fibre optics lab. people that will build the industry. bright.” Photo by Adam Bogle Nineteen companies, the Ontario The students, as well, have good Photonics Technology Industry things to say about the education Pres. message Cluster and the Ottawa Photonics they are receiving. Cluster support the two pilot pro- Cheryl Ryder, 30, of Niagara grams. Falls, is a photonics student. “The This year, Niagara is operating a material is very interesting and three-year Photonics Engineering very good.” Technology program. Next year, a Evan Schwantz, 19, of two-year technician program will Marathon, Ont., says, “It’s the job start.