Passion for fencing Page 21 NIAGARATHE COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER OF NIAGARA NEW COLLEGE S FREE Vol 38 • Issue 3 FREE OctoberMarch 14, 26, 2008 2007 Vol 38 • Issue 12 All-CCanadiananadian Kaitlyn McKenna puts her Knights on national stage By JESSE DOSTAL GGIRLIRL Staff Writer Niagara Knights womenʼs bas- ketball star Kaitlyn McKenna has become the fi rst-ever Niagara Col- lege basketball player to be named an all-Canadian all-star. McKenna, a small forward, has been a dominant player with the Knights since she was fi rst on the team during the 2005-06 school year. This year was McKennaʼs best as she averaged 16.43 points per game — second in the On- tario College Athletic Association (OCAA)— after leading the league in scoring for much of the year. Coach Ron Lemon has had the privilege of coaching McKenna, since she was an OCAA rookie. “Sheʼs the last one off the court … always shooting,” says Lemon of McKennaʼs work ethic.“When she talks, [her team-mates] listen.” McKenna, 22, says that she tries her best to work hard because she loves the game and “wants to be on the court.” Lemon says that McKenna is not a “real rah-rah-rah” type leader, but uses quiet leadership and stellar play on the court to set an example for her teammates. “[McKenna] is very coachable, and her teammates all respect her,” says Lemon. Lemon doesnʼt shy away from giving McKenna the credit that he feels she deserves, and says that being named all-Canadian is the top award someone he has coached Kaitlyn McKenna has made her Niagara Knights coaches proud has received. with her basketball accomplishments. Continued on Page 3 Photo by Matt Day THIS ADVERTISMENT WAS PAID FOR BY THE CANADIAN FEDERATION OF STUDENTS-ONTARIO 2 NIAGARA NEWS March 14, 2008 $32m Master Plan renovations College’s original campus gets a 40th anniversary face lift By EMILY PEARSON The drawings have been in the Staff Writer making for almost two years and, A $32-million construction Woodhouse says, heʼs “eager to Master Plan may begin in 2009 if get started.” the collegeʼs board of governors The college is taking on an en- gives its approval in June. ergy-saving initiative and is pro- Mal Woodhouse, director of fa- moting an energy-saving design, cilities management services here, but much of these upgrades are says the project will “take 20 to 30 going on behind the scenes now. years to complete.” The college has just put in “green The main purpose of the plan power” boilers that save $200,000 for the Welland campus is to in heating costs. cut maintenance costs, improve Woodhouse hopes to “eliminate transportation around the campus barriers” by solving accessibility and allow students to be more problems. “connected.” Slated are new security sys- The major facelifts are for the tems, complete with classroom Mackenzie and Black Walnut surveillance, which, Woodhouse buildings to be torn down and for says, was not brought on by the the main building to be expanded gun scare back in September. The to be a two-storey student hub, need for a security upgrade was complete with gymnasium and in the plan two years ago, Wood- open access lab, says Woodhouse. house says. The plan also features an overall The money will come from landscaping plan for the collegeʼs capital fundraising campaign 99 acres. “Twenty to 30 years involving businesses, student from now, it [the Welland campus] contributions, college funds set will surely be the Central Park of aside in savings and an Ontario Welland,” says Woodhouse. He government grant, which, Wood- adds the wooded area behind the house says, the college is “very Childrenʼs Safety Village is home likely” to get. to endangered species and the plan He adds the drawings are “so far hopes to expand the park-like set- along” only small details need to A model of the Welland campus shows the Master Plan ideas for a full renovation of the 40-year-old ting over the campus for a greener be decided, but the fi ne details are campus. landscape. open to change, based on needs. Photo by Joe Fowler College prepares for high alert New Emergency Preparedness Plan should improve student safety, says college By SHANE BUCKINGHAM lege was already in the “infancy Certain individuals involved at either campus to the entire Under the old plan, staff was Staff Writer stage” of reviewing its Emergency with security or the marketing and college. “supposed to physically meet” at a Niagara College is aiming to Preparedness Plan following the communications department will “What we decided was to go specifi ed place within the college update on-campus security by Dawson College shooting in Mon- have access codes, so they can down to the least common de- during a security situation. Sept. 1. treal; however, after Sept. 14, the broadcast an announcement to the nominator. Everyone knows how As for security camera up- In response to the Sept. 14, 2007, college “expedited” the process. rest of the college. a phone works. Everyone is used grades, Garner says Woodhouse incident, when Daniel Mook was “I think youʼll always see an Levay says this will be cost ef- to using it as a paging system [at and Levay “will determine the arrested at the collegeʼs Welland emergency plan improving and fe ctive because every classroom Wellandʼs campus] and with cer- through tender and process the campus for being allegedly continuously evolving,” says has been set up for multimedia, tain extensions everyone knows kind of equipment thatʼs cho- intoxicated and carrying an Hunchak. so the phones will simply “piggy- exactly how that operates. So put- sen and the installation of the unloaded pellet pistol, the college Garner says they “didnʼt have back off the wiring thatʼs already ting that into place with the right equipment.” created new security procedures any prior consultation” from the there.” security codes means people can “ W e ʼre looking at expediting and technological enhancements. NRP on situationʼs involving Thereʼs “nothing better or utilize the technology theyʼre most that and we want to have, if not all The initiatives underway are an armored intruder before the worse” technologically compared comfortable with when dealing the entrances covered, we want to the recommendations of a college incident. with the phone system the Welland with an emergency situation.” have the primary ones covered.” working committee consulting However, they have con- campus already uses, says Levay; Unlike Welland, Niagara-on- A third party will be installing with Niagara Regional Police. sulted with the NRP about other however, the phones were selected the-Lake campus does not have a the cameras under the supervision The committee was put together aspects of the Emergency Pre- because it allows the college “to phone paging system and has to of Niagaraʼs staff, says Levay. shortly after the incident by paredness Plan (EPP), such as stay open and current technologi- make all announcements by mi- New signage will be posted Steve Hudson, vice-president of bomb threats, of which Niagara cal trends.” crophone at the security advice. around the school to help emer- corporate services. It includs four had a half a dozen. “Itʼs a fl exible program we However, by September, it too, gency workers responding to a people: Mal Woodhouse, director The NRP assisted in the creation can build on for the future, ” says will be equipped with the same crisis. of facilities management, John of an evacuation plan and a shelter Hunchak. technology, says Levay. Training has been planned for Levay, director of information and in-place procedure, something the The public address (PA) system A Virtual Command Centre is staff, security and faculty “be- technology services, Jim Garner, EPP did not include previously, is being upgraded to improve sound being constructed, which is “es- fore they go on vacations, ” says director of human resources and says Garner. quality and the coverage. It will sentially a conference bridge, ” Garner. Rick Demers, manager of health, As for the collegeʼs enhance- extend into areas it doesnʼt reach says Levay. The scenarios will let everyone safety and security. ments, it will be installing Voice currently, such as washrooms, the “It keeps the emergency response practice “different responses and The way the incident “unfolded, Over Internet Protocol phones residence and exterior classrooms. team communicating directly with roles, ” says Garner. it was handled well, but there was over the summer, says Levay. Again, Levay says it “wonʼt each other, and more than one at a Securityʼs job will remain to also room for improvement,” says The phones can be used as two- be diffi cult” to install the upgrades time. Itʼs everyone virtually in the “call the police immediately” in Gord Hunchak, Niagara Collegeʼs way voice communications “like because wiring to all buildings is same conversation. And thatʼs key the event of an armed intruder. director of communications and a regular phone” or they can be done. Once the project is com- having direct communication saves Students can view the me- marketing. “fl ipped over” to broadcast mode plete, broadcasts, with the proper a lot of time instead of having to dia release on the blackboard At that time, Levay says the col- for announcements. code, can be made from any phone relay messages, ” says Hunchak. homepage. INSIDE THIS WEEK Editorial Page 6 • CBC and CTV Tours Page 12 – 13 • Niagara Noise Page 18 – 20 • Sports Page 9 – 10 March 14, 2008 NIAGARA NEWS 3 Cooking for gold at Niagara By JOE FOWLER worried about the chicken and the Staff Writer tomatoes.” Looking for the best cake, rolls “It was good, a little nerve or éclairs in the region? Look no wracking.