Latest news with #NOTL
Hamilton Spectator
23-05-2025
- General
- Hamilton Spectator
‘They have all changed lives': Rotary Club gala honours community champions
Five residents were honoured last Thursday during the Niagara-on-the-Lake Rotary Club's annual Paul Harris Fellow Awards Dinner — one of Rotary's highest honours for service to the community. The gala dinner, a club tradition for more than 25 years, drew a full house to Navy Hall on May 15 and recognized Rotarians Betty Disero, Greg Fedoryn and Martin Quick, along with NOTL residents Dr. Richard Merritt and Julia Buxton-Cox. 'They all amplify service above self,' said Jeannie Manning, the club's social media and marketing chair. 'They have all changed lives — and I don't think they know that they have.' While the number of nominees per year can change, they are always residents of the Niagara region and demonstrate one of the club's core principles. 'What we're looking for, always, is service above self, because that's a rotary objective for all of us,' said Carol Lipsett, past president and treasurer. The award is named after the founder of the first Rotary Club, formed in Chicago in 1905. Recipients have varying backgrounds, Lipsett said, and not all are Rotarians, such as Merritt and Buxton-Cox. 'But that's the whole point. It's to acknowledge our community — where we have people doing wonderful things,' she said. Merritt has practiced medicine in Niagara for more than 40 years, founded and chaired two non-governmental organizations and worked with the Friends of Fort George and the Niagara Historic Foundation. He was recognized as 2017's Living Landmark by the Niagara Foundation and co-chaired and led the construction of the Landscape of Nations with Indigenous leaders. Buxton-Cox volunteered at Pleasant Manor and Newark Neighbours and started the Farmworker Hub in March 2021, serving more than 1,500 seasonal farm workers in 2024 with services and supplies. Rotarian Disero joined in 2014 when she was elected to council. In 2018, she became the town's first female lord mayor and steered NOTL through the COVID-19 pandemic. During her time as lord mayor, Disero continued to help in committees and fundraisers and still does today. Having joined the Rotary Club and the Shaw Guild in 2017, Rotarian Fedoryn was hosting chair at the Shaw and served as an executive committee member. He was the secretary and president of the Rotary club and oversaw the updating of the club's constitution, bylaws and governance policies. Quick has been a Rotarian for more than 25 years, was club president in 2015-2016 and continues to serve as a house captain during the Holiday House Tour. Quick secured a grant of $120,000 for Wells of Hope in Guatemala and coordinated the El Carrizal Water Project. Among the political leaders in attendance at the awards dinner was MP Tony Baldinelli. 'It's an honour to be asked to participate,' said Baldinelli. 'I'm not a member of Rotary, but I participated in several of the Paul Harris Award recognition evenings and Rotary events.' Baldinelli loves the Rotary's objective, he said. 'Service above self. That encapsulates not only the commitment of these people — these individuals being recognized tonight — but of what Rotary stands for and all those who participate.' paigeseburn@
Hamilton Spectator
01-05-2025
- Business
- Hamilton Spectator
Spring has sprung at NOTL's new tulip pick farm
Niagara-on-the-Lake is getting a Dutch makeover as TASC Tulip Pick Farm prepares to open doors at its first permanent location. Started five years ago by Frank Boendermaker, TASC's pick farm originated in Fenwick, Ont., and is finally calling NOTL its permanent home. 'It really fits well here — with the wine, the tulips, the downtown area, all the beautiful hotels and restaurants. We're thrilled to be here,' Boendermaker's wife Jill McCourt told The Lake Report. With an official opening date of April 30, the start of tulip season in Ontario, TASC's new farm, located on Line 3 Road, features 135 different varieties of tulip. 'Most people don't realize when they go to a tulip pick farm, they just think of the same ones they see in the grocery store — but we'll have so many more,' McCourt said. TASC wasn't always such a large-scale operation. Before planting roots in NOTL for its fifth year, the flower bulb importing company had smaller farms in Fenwick and Ridgeville for prior tulip seasons. Boendermaker immigrated to the U.S. from the Netherlands when he was 19, bringing his knowledge of tulip-growing with him. In 2020, he and his wife began business in Canada with a five-acre farm as a way of getting people outside during the COVID-19 pandemic. 'We found how important it was for people to connect with nature during that time and how much people enjoyed it,' McCourt said. With the farm's new permanent location, they will be able to run several events for the community — including a second grow season in August. The late summer season will feature sunflowers, gladiolas, dahlias and more. 'We want to show people that there's a lot of other bulbs that they can put in their own gardens to have a burst of colour,' McCourt said. Throughout the upcoming season, the farm plans to host several other special events, including paint nights, jazz evenings and wine tastings with NOTL wineries, McCourt said. Since moving to NOTL, the farm has partnered with companies and people in town, including Juliet Dunn and the TD Niagara Jazz Festival, for Sip, Savour and Sax nights on Wednesdays. TASC is also supporting NOTL businesses with food trucks on site, with vendors including Cheese Secrets, Sweets & Swirls and more. 'We also have someone doing some Dutch food,' McCourt said. McCourt is excited to welcome a new crowd of people to the farm. 'Niagara-on-the-Lake welcomed us with open arms. It's been phenomenal to work with (the town),' she said. TASC's NOTL tulip farm is located at 1173 Line 3 Rd. Tickets for the pick farm are available online at . Parking is free and the farm is accessible by bus. juliasacco@
Hamilton Spectator
25-04-2025
- General
- Hamilton Spectator
NOTL fire department first volunteer group in Canada to earn safety excellence certificate
The Town of Niagara-on-the-Lake has made history as the first volunteer fire department in Canada to receive a certificate of achievement by the Center for Public Safety Excellence, an American not-for-profit group that accredits fire and rescue departments, under the community risk assessment and standards of cover certificate of excellence program. An April 21 news release by the town states that the process that granted the certificate uses a data-driven approach to assess community risks and improve how resources are used. 'I am incredibly proud of the hard work and dedication it takes to be recognized by the Center for Public Safety Excellence,' stated Fire Chief Jay Plato in the release. Plato added that the department will continue to improve to make sure emergency services stay quick and effective in responding to emergencies for the community. The release states that receiving this certificate from the same group that recognizes major urban fire departments like Toronto, Ottawa and Winnipeg shows the 'excellence and professionalism' of NOTL's volunteer-based fire service. Lord Mayor Gary Zalepa added that the recognition is a testament to the success of the volunteer-based model, which 'thrives due to the training and ongoing support from staff.' Chief administrator Bruce Zvaniga applauded the department's regular assessments, ongoing pursuit of growth opportunities and commitment to maintaining high service standards. paigeseburn@
