Banding together for historic church where Harriet Tubman worshipped
City council happenings from the Jan. 15 meeting …
St. Catharines council may get involved in efforts to restore the British Methodist Episcopal Church where Harriet Tubman worshipped.
They’ll start by inviting church members to make a presentation in council chambers.
Port Dalhousie Coun. Bruce Williamson raised the issue, citing local, national and international media reports describing the physical state of the Geneva Street building, which is a federally designated historic site.
“I was left with the distinct impression we in the community are not taking responsibility or doing enough to ensure the continued existence of this humble, yet very significant landmark which was founded in 1820,” Williamson said.
Williamson asked for a staff report aimed at building on the work that’s been started in the community. He asked it identify ways the city can pull together all levels of government, organizations, businesses, labour unions, clubs, congregations and anyone else willing to help. The idea is to co-ordinate resources to help restore and maintain the structure in a way that Williamson said is respectful to the direction desired by the church and to its history.
Williamson said it’s something positive for council to work towards.
Mayor Walter Sendzik suggested the city invite members of the BME church to make a presentation to council and then staff can prepare the report.
Sendzik’s office has met with leadership at the church to see how the city can help out with the renovations, as have the offices of MP Chris Bittle and MPP Jim Bradley.
“We’re looking forward to continuing to help restore this important historic site in our community,” Sendzik said.
The church needs to raise $100,000 for emergency repair work and hundreds of thousands more for accessibility upgrades and other fixes. It has a congregation of 11 members.
Its fundraising campaign is online at www.gofundme.com/preservingsalem-chapel.
A Raise the BME Roof Beef and Beans fundraiser is this coming Sunday at the Port Dalhousie legion hall, 57 Lakeport Rd. The event, 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., kicks off Black History Month and features guest speaker Rochelle Bush of BME Church. Admission is $20 with proceeds going to the church.
Alternative to bird camera sought for livestreaming
St. Catharines councillors will get a new report on options for livestreaming council meetings on the internet.
The current system for streaming meetings online was panned by a Standard reader during the paper’s online video chat #AskSendzik with Mayor Walter Sendzik earlier this month.
The reader sent in a question asking Sendzik why city council’s livestreaming is so bad compared to other municipalities, adding there’s only one camera and most of the time the councillors are inaudible.
Sendzik agreed it is not a good experience.
He said council has been trying as hard as it can to lower its expenditures and went with the lowest cost option for livestreaming in 2015. That meant mounting a still camera that shows one wide shot of council from above the chamber doorway.
“It’s like a bird is sitting up there watching council,” Sendzik said. “That’s what it’s like. We’re watched by birds. It’s terrible.”
At council on Jan. 15, Merritton Coun. Jennie Stevens said she watched the interview and wanted a staff report on how the city can get a better livestream for residents.
“I know our livestream here is one of the lower scale livestreams, but the residents of St. Catharines can be interested in what goes on in their local government,” she said.
In May 2015, council was given possible options for webcasting that ranged from $6,000 to $30,000 and included hiring an outside company, handling it in-house or hiring Cogeco to do the livestream.
The option it went with cost about $8,000 to set up the livestream feed and outfit council chambers with the recording equipment.
Warming centres welcoming
St. Catharines Mayor Walter Sendzik gave a shout-out to city staff and members of the community who have helped make the city’s warming centres welcoming places.
During extreme cold snaps earlier this month, the city designated Market Square downtown and Russell Avenue Community Centre as warming centres for people to get in from out of the cold. The city has other facilities open to the public as well.
Sendzik said during the two cold spells so far, people have been using Market Square specifically to get warm.
He said it’s been heartwarming to see the response. During the first cold snap, people on their way to an IceDogs hockey game came through Market Square with sweaters, blankets and beverages. They left them on the ground for the individuals who were there to get out of the biting cold.
“Again that’s a sign of what a compassionate city looks like,” Sendzik said. “It was great to see and hear those kind of actions taking place.”
Sendzik said it’s important everyone gets the word out that the city has the warming centres so people who are looking to get out of the cold know where they can go.
Fire services master plan wins approval
A new master fire plan addressing immediate and future needs in the city was adopted by council.
The plan, considered a blueprint for fire services for the next 10 years, was presented to council in October and adopted after an open house and public meeting Jan.15.
The plan has 16 recommendations made by a committee of fire services members, city staff and councillors who met over a two-year period.
Some of the recommendations are hiring a community emergency management co-ordinator by 2020, increasing the number of firefighters to allow the service to deploy an aerial truck at all times and constructing a new training tower.
City council appointed Grantham Coun. Sandie Bellows, St. George’s Coun. Mike Britton and Merritton Coun. Jennie Stevens to a master fire plan implementation and review team working group. The team will review the plan on an annual basis and make recommendations to council on an implementation schedule.
State of the city 2018
The mayor’s 2018 state of the city event is moving from lunchtime to after hours.
The annual address hosted by Greater Niagara Chamber of Commerce will be held at FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre for the first time. It’s from 4:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 30.
Tickets are available for chamber members and non-members at stateofthecity2018.eventbrite.ca and range from $32.50 to $43.50. kwalter@postmedia.com twitter.com/ karena_standard