Bellows named to Niagara Parks board
Sandie Bellows’ appointment to Niagara Parks Commission could be just the first of several moves that would shake up the current board membership.
Bellows, 57, a St. Catharines regional councillor who ran unsuccessfully for the Progressive Conservatives in this summer’s provincial election, was named to the commission Oct. 17 for a three-year term, filling one of two vacancies on the 11-member board.
With one seat still unfilled, the terms of six more will expire before the end of the year, including board chair Janice Thomson on Nov. 15 and vicechair Joan Andrew on Dec. 31. Both are appointed positions filled by the provincial government.
With the municipal election just wrapped up and new councils being sworn in soon, three more members might or might not return, depending on votes by the councils they represent — Niagara Falls Mayor Jim Diodati for Niagara Region, Mayor Wayne Redekop for Fort Erie and city councillor Vince Kerrio for Niagara Falls.
The fourth, Lord Mayor Pat Darte of Niagara-on-the-Lake, was defeated by Betty Disero and won’t return to the parks board.
The three members whose terms don’t expire this year — Eldon Bennett, Ian NielsenJones and Lois Anne Giles — were all appointed by the former Liberal government.
Bellows said she was attracted to the parks commission, because as a member of St. Catharines city council she worked with Niagara Grape and Wine Festival and saw its role in local tourism.
“Growing up in St. Catharines, we were always going there, to Niagara Falls, so it really interested me,” she said.
As a sales consultant, she said, she’s learned “you not only want to make the sale, you want to build a relationship” with the customer — a skill she said she’ll use as a parks commissioner.
The new Progressive Conservative government of Premier Doug
Ford could seek a new direction for the board through its appointments.
Thomson was first named to the parks board in 2010 by the former Liberal government and has served two terms as chair.
She said she applied to the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport for reappointment but with just days until her term expires, she hasn’t heard of a decision.
Because the appointments are skills-based, Thomson said, the minister can seek the chair’s opinion before appointing new members. Thomson said she wasn’t consulted before Bellows was named or about the other vacancy.
She said the ministry “gives us direction on what priorities they’d like us to focus on … we’ve never been politically based.”
She said the delay in deciding her status could be due to the number of provincial appointments still unfilled, more than 300 last time she checked.
The two recent vacancies were created when terms expired for provincial appointees Kerry Pond and James Detenbeck. Thomson said Pond did not seek reappointment, while Detenbeck has.
Niagara Parks Commission has seen steady growth during Thomson’s time on the board. When she joined in 2010 its annual revenues were about $76 million but they’re now about $120 million.
No public money is used to fund the daily operations of NPC, whose mandate is to preserve and promote nature and heritage along the Niagara River corridor.
It also operates several attractions, including the butterfly conservatory, Whirlpool Aero Car, the Whirlpool Adventure Course and Zipline to the Falls.