New safety measures put in place outside of John Mahood PS

Parents dropping off their children at Elmira’s John Mahood Public School next week will see a few changes along First Street.
With a growing student population and an increase in the number of parents driving their children to the school, traffic congestion has been building up over the years.
As a safety precaution measures have been taken by the Township of Woolwich, along with members of the Waterloo Region District School Board and John Mahood PS to achieve the safest route for children around the school.
“The congestion and parked cars near the school were to blame for an incident last fall where a student riding a bike was struck by a car, and though the child was not seriously injured the cars parked on the street were blocking the vision of other motorists,” said Val Hummel, Woolwich’s deputy clerk.
Parents will notice changes have been made to two township-owned parking lots, the tennis court parking lot and the Gibson Park lot. Council passed a resolution last June directing staff to permanently close the west entrance of the tennis court parking lot with the intent to terminate the use of the lot as a pick-up and drop-off zone for students for the 2011-2012 school year.
The tennis court parking lot located next to John Mahood is too small to handle all the traffic, so a new curb was built blocking the westerly entrance. A barricade will be in place to warn drivers of the closure.
“The whole lot will be completely blocked off for the first couple of weeks of school until we have finished an education component with parents,” said Hummel.
Eventually, the lot will be re-opened with limited parking reserved for people with disabilities and for users of the tennis courts.
Parents will be directed to the Gibson Park lot west of the school as it is now the designated drop-off and pick-up point for students.
“We have made changes to the Gibson Park lot and have created a drop-off point for kids so they can get out of their family car walk to the sidewalk and walk straight to the school and never have to cross any paths of traffic,” Hummel explained.
Drivers will be encouraged to follow the arrows marked on the pavement around the lot in a circular pattern. At the northeast corner of the lot, a drop-off zone has been created for students.
There are 22 parking spaces in the lot for parents that need to go to the school.
The township scrapped plans opening up another driveway entrance to Gibson Park in favour of the new design of the lot at the park, along with efforts to educate parents on its use.
“It depends on what is going to work, its trial and error. We are going to try this new approach in year one and it could work beautifully, but if it doesn’t we may have to go to the second access point in Gibson Park lot and try that out,” she said.
New signs have been raised along First Street to stop vehicles from parking or stopping on the north side of the street to ensure that students both on foot and bike can be seen by motorists.
Parents of children attending John Mahood PS will be receiving a letter and map explaining the new drop-off and pick-up zones and are encouraged to call the township with any questions or concerns.

Woolwich backs permanent bus route

Grand River Transit buses will be a permanent fixture in the township if the majority of Woolwich councillors have their way. In a split decision this week, they voted in favour of keeping route 21 in operation.
Their recommendation will be taken into account when Waterloo Region council decides the fate of the route, likely early in the fall.
Three councillors backed continuing the route, while two opposed it based on cost, which will be picked up by every taxpayer despite the fact the service is used by relatively few, and only in Elmira and St. Jacobs.
If the bus route is approved, Woolwich will be on the hook for $450,000 a year. The expense would require a 2.6-per-cent increase on the regional portion of property tax bills, adding $38.15 a year to the average residential property valued at $254,000.
Ward 3 Coun. Bonnie Bryant objected to the costs being shared because her constituents don’t benefit from the service, even if they wanted to use the bus. Instead, they’re facing yet another tax increase, as well as large water and sewer rate hikes and a forecasted 2.5-per-cent increase in property taxes.
“Residents of my ward are very unhappy with the increase. They’re not happy with paying for a service they don’t use,” she said.
She was joined in opposition by Coun. Allan Poffenroth, who said he was troubled by the fact taxpayers would be covering 75 per cent of the cost, with riders paying only 25 per cent. He suggested doubling the rates so that users paid at least half of the cost.
Regional figures show the average cost of a ride is $10, of which the rider pays $2.50.
But the region’s director of transportation planning, on hand for Tuesday night’s meeting, said the 25 per cent figure is normal for a new route. Graham Vincent added he expects the percentage to increase as ridership grows. The GRT route average is 37 per cent.
Ridership numbers are trending upwards, said Erica Springate, principal planner (transit) with the region.
The minimum service standard is 25 boardings per hour. Route 21 is currently at 23, with peaks above that at certain times of the year, she said.
“We keep seeing ridership growth on this route.”
Councillors also heard from
several residents who spoke in favour of retaining the service, echoing comments from a public meeting held in June. Though few in number, supporters have been vocal about retaining the bus service, which has been operating as a pilot project since April 2009.
A survey undertaken by
Woolwich economic development officer Laurel Davies Snyder found the benefits of public transit go beyond transportation, providing economic, social and recreational opportunities. A large number of riders take the bus to get to and from work, an economic benefit that helps people get to their jobs.
In a report to council this
week, she recommended support for the bus route, citing those benefits.
The arguments in favour eventually swayed three of the council members – Mark Bauman, Julie-Anne Herteis and Mayor Todd Cowan – though the issue will require formal ratification at next Tuesday’s meeting.

We’re still adjusting to a roundabout world

The numbers are in, and they don’t look good … at least at first blush. Last week, the Region of Waterloo released a new report citing a 54 per cent rise in roundabout collisions last year, jumping to 131 in 2010 from 85 in 2009. According to the report the majority of the crashes were of the fender-bender variety and no serious injuries, with 11 of the region’s 15 roundabouts accounting for those 131 collisions. Regional staff has attributed this rise in crashes to an increase in traffic volume and inattentive drivers.
The sharp rise in collisions last year seems to suggest that drivers just aren’t getting the message when it comes to navigating a roundabout safely, despite ongoing efforts to educate drivers.
On the surface it might even be easy to suggest that traffic planners should do away with them and revert back to the traditional stop sign or signal light. These statistics don’t tell the whole story, though.
Since 2004, when the first roundabout was built in the region, their numbers have risen to 15 just seven years later. Planners expect roundabouts will continue to be an important part of roadway landscape in the area, despite the rise in collisions.
To understand the region’s ongoing support of traffic roundabouts in the face of the growing number of collisions, it’s important to go beyond the crash statistics and look at how the region decides on where to install roundabouts, and why.
Waterloo Region isn’t alone in its increased adoption of roundabouts; in 1999 there were some 100 roundabouts in North America, and now that number is estimated to be about 1,200.

Roundabouts have been shown to improve traffic flows, there is less stopping and starting and idling which helps improve air quality, and roundabouts are able to push more traffic through an intersection when compared to other traffic signals, according to regional staff.
“We just don’t throw darts at a map and say ‘here is where they will go’ – every location is evaluated,” said Bob Henderson, the region’s manager of transportation engineering, adding that under regional bylaws, whenever staff look at intersection improvements, roundabouts must be considered.
Factors used in determining intersection controls include space constraints, current and future traffic volumes,  collision history, pedestrian activity and cost. Every intersection in the region is evaluated based on a 20-year lifecycle plan to determine which type of traffic control measure is used, Henderson explained.
“More or less, the moral of the story is we choose the most appropriate traffic control for every intersection.”
When making that decision, the region must crunch the numbers carefully. The infrastructure alone for traffic lights – poles, signal heads, underground wiring – typically costs $100,000, but that doesn’t include any changes necessary to  the intersection, such as building left or right turning lanes, which can push the costs up into the $500,000 range.
Meanwhile, a typical two-lane roundabout can cost about $1,000,000, Henderson noted. However, roundabouts tend to have fewer accidents than intersections controlled by traffic lights, and those collisions also tend to be much less serious.
Henderson said that roundabouts can reduce the number of injuries in collisions by up to 75 per cent, and over 20 years, that is a lot of money saved. The reduction in accidents is attributed to slower speeds and a reduced number of conflict points – points at which vehicles or pedestrians may collide.
“Transport Canada says that an injury collision costs you, me and society $82,000. So if you have, on average, two injury collisions per year that’s $160,000 in societal costs,” he said.
“Add that up over 20 years and you’ll find that if you can reduce injury collisions by 75 per cent, that is a significant cost saving.”
The region doesn’t use Transport Canada’s $82,000 measurement, but a figure closer to about $30,000 to determine the costs associated with injuries in a collision, which means that there are actually fewer roundabouts in the region than there would be if they used the Transport Canada numbers.
“We’re being conservative using that figure when we evaluate the merits of a roundabout at any given location.”
In Woolwich Township, there is only one roundabout in operation – at the intersection of Sawmill Road and Arthur Street – and none in Wellesley, but there are discussions of possibly installing one at the troublesome Crowsfoot Corner, just west of Conestogo.
Another roundabout was considered at the intersection of Northfield and Sawmill Road, but never came to fruition after the existing light was deemed appropriate for the area.
With roundabouts becoming much more common, the region has taken driver education seriously and implemented programs to try and reduce the number of collisions at these intersections.
Since 2004, the regional budget has allocated $50,000 to educational materials and programs, including television and radio ads, but for 2011 Henderson said he tripled that figure to $150,000, including a series of television spots featuring the Kitchener Rangers called “Practice Makes Perfect.”
“I challenge anyone to find a more comprehensive education plan that what we have,” he said. “I would say that we have the most comprehensive plan in North America.”
For now, he urges drivers to take their time when approaching roundabouts and be patient with other drivers until everyone becomes more comfortable with navigating roundabouts safely.
For more information on roundabouts in the region, visit their website at www.regionofwaterloo.ca and click on the Getting Around tab.

Stockyard lands eyed for offices

A review of the stockyards lands could see Woolwich get a piece of the action as the area undergoes something of a boom in new office space. There’s already a proposal in place, and others are likely to follow if full municipal services are extended to lands surrounding the farmers’ market and King/86 power centre.
Development would hinge on a secondary plan study planned for next year and reaching a cross-border servicing agreement with the City of Waterloo, which provides water and sanitary sewers to the area.

A proposal that would see some 150,000 square feet of office space built on a vacant six-acre parcel at 865 Weber St. N., north of the TSC store, makes the long-planned review more pressing, says the township’s manager of planning.
John Scarfone noted the township has requested that Waterloo Region put on hold plans to reconstruct portions of Weber and King streets until the secondary plan is completed and a servicing agreement is reached with Waterloo, if needed.
A comprehensive plan is preferred to a piecemeal approach, he added.
Along with the planning review, the complete set of changes would require environmental assessments and new arrangements with the neighbouring city. Under the current agreement with Waterloo, full municipal services cannot be extended to the site of the proposed office buildings. Any change for the one location would almost certainly bring a rush of requests from other landowners in a similar situation, said Scarfone.
“The secondary plan would ultimately determine the planned function of the stockyards, as well as address other land-use, servicing transportation and environmental issues.
“The secondary plan would be a way to finally determine how the stockyards should develop and grow,” he said.
Preliminary plans for the office development call for two four-storey buildings on the site. But the realtor representing the property owner, an investment group incorporated as 214638 Ontario Inc., said the configuration would be based on the tenants ultimately attracted to the site.
That could mean one, two or three buildings, said John Whitney, president of DTZ Barnicke in Waterloo, adding there’s a strong demand right now for office space.
He sees good potential for Woolwich given its proximity to nearby development just across the border in Waterloo. The stockyards area has good transportation links with access to the expressway, King and Weber streets, as well as bus service and the potential for light rail transit.
“The stockyards are certainly on the radar screen now,” said Whitney, adding the recent move of Quarry Integrated Communications to St. Jacobs also put the township on the map. “It said to others that Woolwich is a good office location.”
That’s a sentiment welcomed by Mayor Todd Cowan, who campaigned last fall on attracting high-tech businesses into the township. He, too, sees considerable potential in the stockyards area.
“This is just the kind of thing that was part of my election platform,” he said of the office building project. “I will be exploring ways to make it work.”
Don’t expect to see construction imminently, however. The process will take time.
Scarfone said the secondary plan review is slated for next year. In requesting a delay on road reconstruction in the area – there’s no point ripping up the road before deciding if water and sewers will be extended to unserviced land – the township wants to see the work pushed back to 2015 from 2013 to allow planners time to formulate a comprehensive strategy.

Doing what he can for the kids

Wayne Leis has a soft spot for kids. Over the years he has not only raised his own children but has been a foster parent and soon he will be taking a three- month leave from work to head to an orphanage in the Dominican Republic to teach the children how to repair tools, machines and small engines.

The Hawkesville resident, a mechanic by trade, is collecting shop, mechanic and power tools, as well as school and medical supplies and children’s personal needs like shoes, clothes and bedding in a 20-foot container to send down to the orphanage in San Pedro do Marcoris.

“It affects you when you when you see children in a Third World country,” said Leis. “You just know that you have to do something to help them. I can show them how to repair broken machines and engines. It is what I know and the least I can do.”

Through Nuestros Pequeños Hermanos (NPH) International, a Christian mission that provides a permanent home for orphaned, abandoned and other at-risk children who live in conditions of extreme poverty, Leis will be helping to build “a future for these neglected kids.”

Four years ago, Leis and his wife Sharon helped their son Jody, the Christian education director at St. James Lutheran, send a 40-foot container to the orphanage full of school playground equipment, school and medical supplies.

“I always told my son, ‘you didn’t find NPH, it found you.’ It grabs you and you realize the organization is not just about improving the orphanage, it there to help the surrounding communities too,” said Leis.

Through a worldwide network of support organizations, the children at NPH are provided with food, clothing, shelter, medical care and an education.

Since its inception in 1954, NPH, which in English means “our little brothers and sisters,” has helped thousands of orphaned children through out the Caribbean and South America.

To date almost 17,000 children have been cared for through the organization.

“The kids at the orphanage become a family,” said Leis. “The boys and girls are raised knowing they will never be forced to leave the orphanage. They are promised they will never be separated from their siblings, or given up for adoption.”

At all NPH homes children have daily jobs, from dusting and mopping to cooking and farming. As they age and turn into young adults the orphans are expected to give a year of service as house directors, medical assistants and office staff.

More than 240 children live at the orphanage in the Dominican Republic and through the program Leis hopes to give them a good understanding of a usable trade and a “vision of the future.”

Using the tools he packs in the container, Leis will demonstrate and teach the children how to build and repair small engines and broken machines around the orphanage. He also plans to turn the container into a shop class for the children.

“I want them to learn respect for the tools, they need to learn how to take care of them,” he said. “Right now they have no concept about taking care of things – I want to change that.”

Leis is looking for donations of shop tools from members of the community which may include safety glasses, diesel generators, electrical cables, sockets, hammers, tap and die sets, drills and ratchets as well as over the counter medication that will be used to help with intestinal worms and rickets.

The shipping container will be sent down to the Dominican Republic this fall and Leis plans to follow in the January 2012.

“Our trips to the orphanage have become part of our story,” said Leis. “It has become so much a part of us it gives life value and gives me energy. It just doesn’t let go.”

On Sept. 10, Leis will be holding a container party where donations can be sent from the community.

For a full list of needed items or to contact Leis visit his website at www.dredproject.org.

Speeding an ongoing issue in Bloomingdale

The unannounced movement of an 80 km speed limit sign near their home has at least one Bloomingdale family looking to the region for answers. The issue arose Aug. 12 when Region of Waterloo workers installed a new 80 km speed limit sign about 100 metres closer to the settlement area of Bloomingdale along St. Charles Street West, drawing the attention of resident Audrey O’Hearn. She said she’s concerned that it will only encourage already speeding motorists to drive that much faster near her home, mere metres from the road’s edge.

“I have children and it’s just not safe,” she said in an interview Tuesday afternoon. “People treat it like it’s a highway as opposed to a residential area.”

The problem stems back to several years ago, when O’Hearn says a motorist successfully fought a speeding ticket in the area by arguing that the ‘80 km begins’ sign was more than 500 metres from the intersection of Sawmill Road and St. Charles, the legal limit under the regional bylaw at the time.

As a result the signs were moved closer to town to comply with the bylaw, but after more than three years of residents complaining about excessive speeding on the road, regional council decided to change that bylaw last January to extend the 50-km/h zone that incorporates the main settlement area of Bloomingdale by an extra 100 metres on St. Charles Street.

The region distributed 35 surveys to residents in the area and received 19 responses, 14 of which were in favour of expanding the 50-km/h zone, an area of road which sees some 4,100 vehicles every day according to a regional study.

However, last Friday O’Hearn’s husband Mark Koppeser returned home from work to find that the 80 km signs had been moved about 100 metres closer to town than they had been the previous day.

O’Hearn said that she and other residents received no information from the region on the movement of the sign, and that she has talked with police officers conducting speed traps in the area who also had no idea of why the signs were moved, she said.

“It’s extremely frustrating, after we’ve gone through all this effort with the complaints and we’ve followed the process and it was just changed on a whim it seems.”

According to the region, however, the signs were moved too far from the settlement area back in January; instead of being 600 metres from the intersection of Sawmill and St. Charles in accordance with the new bylaw, the signs had been placed 750 metres from the intersection.

“We identified that, and we have changed it back to the original 600,” said Mike Jones, the region’s supervisor of traffic, in an interview Wednesday.

Jones said the mistake was regrettable, adding he had informed O’Hearn via email earlier in the day of why the change was made.

“That’s unfortunate that it went in the wrong location and that would give the impression that we’ve moved it back to where they were before, but that isn’t the case.”

In the end, however, O’Hearn and her family are still concerned about the excess speeds in the area which she said has caused photos and paintings to vibrate off the walls of their home.

Jones said his office does receive complaints on a weekly basis from residents throughout the region with regards to speeding concerns, and that they will be following up and conducting traffic studies in the area of Bloomingdale to determine how effective the movement of the sign has been in helping to slow motorists down.

He admits, though, that merely moving signs has little impact on speeders.

“The only way that we can reduce speed is to build up an area more than it is today, which is through the introduction of sidewalks, bike lanes, trees, medians and that sort of thing,” he said, adding that some of those measures are scheduled to be implemented in Conestogo on Sawmill Road.

Splash Work!

It was a ceremony three years in the making as the Wellesley Watering Hole splash park was officially unveiled to the public in a ribbon-cutting ceremony last Saturday morning.

Dozens of residents gathered just outside of the black fence surrounding the state-of-the-art facility as project leader Jennifer Kays Sommer, Mayor Ross Kelterborn and Kitchener-Conestoga MP Harold Albrecht took the stage to reflect on the journey to make the park a reality.

“We’ve been using the park for the past month, and it’s just been amazing,” said Kays Sommer. “On hot nights before bed there are 40-plus kids running around in the park, and every time we walk by the water is running.”

Kays Sommer and a committee of parents and volunteers approached Wellesley council about three years ago with the help of the local Lions Club to pitch the idea of the splash pad to them. Although they were met with some tough questions, she said they were optimistic by the response of Kelterborn and the other councillors that evening.

The mayor took some time to congratulate the committee for their hard work, and to emphasize the team approach used to get the project done.

“You, the volunteers, are building a strong family unit within this community and to us at Wellesley
Township that is very important,” he said.

Two large donor boards, one for corporate sponsorship and one for community sponsorship, were also unveiled.

The $260,000, 5,400-square-foot project is the first of its kind in Wellesley. The park uses a recirculation system to recycle much of the water used by those enjoying the pad, and it includes an advanced UV filtration system that ensures the water is safe for use.

Under that current configuration, the 1,000 gallon tank will only lose about 10 to 15 per cent of its water capacity daily, depending on evaporation and wind conditions, and a portion is replenishable through rainwater, thus reducing the burden on township water supplies and the sewage system.

Water consumption for a basic in/out water system in which no water is recycled is between 50 and 60 gallons per minute, or nearly two million gallons over the course of the summer.

The Lions Club received an Ontario Trillium grant worth $75,000, a grant from the KW Community Foundation for $15,000, and another $6,000 from Farm Credit Canada. An additional $80,000 was collected within the community from business owners, individuals, and through various fundraising initiatives.

“Promoting active and healthy lifestyles is fundamental to the work the Ontario Trillium Foundation has been doing since 1982,” said Peter Hinchcliffe who sits on the foundation’s board. “One of the ways we do this is through capital grants that allow groups to purchase equipment to help encourage physical activity and the grant that was awarded for this splash park is an example of the impact we’re making in communities across the province.”

The remainder of the money, approximately $80,000, was realized through in-kind donations of labour, materials and supplies by local businesses.

“The smiles and the laughter whenever we walk by is what make this worthwhile,” added Kays Sommer.

“Keep enjoying it, keep smiling and bring your friends. This is just an incredible town.”

Wellesley seeking their fair lady

It’s that time of year again: a new Wellesley North Easthope Fall Fair Ambassador is to be crowned.

This year three young hopefuls from across the townships are vying for the title.

Ashley Guild, 17, from New Hamburg; Kelsey Gardner, 19, from Baden; and Tori Lynn Brick, 18, from Wellesley are looking to replace outgoing ambassador Justine Walker.

To win the crown the three young women will be interviewed by a board of judges and on the night of the competition Sept. 14 will have to give a speech outlining why they are the best candidate for the position as well as answer one impromptu question.

As the newly crowned ambassador, they will have several responsibilities over the course of the year.

Their duties will include attending some of the fair board meetings in Wellesley and representing the Wellesley Fall Fair as well as the Wellesley Agricultural Society.

The new ambassador will get to take part in the Santa Claus parade, be part of the Wellesley Apple Butter and Cheese Festival, attend conventions and compete at the Canadian National Exhibition (CNE) with 100 other ambassadors from across Ontario for the title of Ambassador of the Fairs. They are also expected to help recruit new fair ambassadors contestants and M-C the next fair ambassador competition while staying involved with the community.

Guild currently attends Waterloo-Oxford District Secondary School and hopes to study social science next year to become a social worker. She has worked for Decorating Dreams for the last three years.

Why have you decided to run for Wellesley fair ambassador?
I thought it would be a great experience and I heard that there would be a public speaking workshop and that would be a great opportunity to work on some of those skills. I am actually friends with Justine Walker the current ambassador and she has told me all about the position and it seems like a fantastic way to give back to a community and a great learning experience for me.

What is it that you enjoy about living in a small town?
I like how everybody is friendly; I like that you can walk down the street and not be afraid. Everyone is very welcoming. Everyone’s mom knows everyone in the community because they all grew up together. It is like a family and everyone is so supportive.

Gardner is preparing to attend Conestoga College in the fall studying Early Childhood Education. She currently works at Tim Hortons and volunteers at both the House of Friendship and at Second Chance farm horse rescue.

Why have you decided to run for Wellesley fair ambassador?
I think being an ambassador is a really great way to support your community and you get the chance to educate people, especially kids about farm life. If I become the ambassador I hope to participate in some field trips with students and hold demonstrations at schools to teach them more about farm life and how important farmers are to our community.

What do you enjoy about being from a small community?
Being from a small town everybody is very supportive and if you need something you know everybody and they will stand behind you. When I went to Scotland with my school’s rugby team we held fundraisers and the community really stepped up and helped us by donating to our team. People from a small town can be really encouraging and are willing to help you even if you are not related. Everyone works together.

Brick will be attending the University of Guelph in the fall studying animal biology, and hopes to attend the Ontario Veterinarian College after receiving her bachelor of science. She currently works at Find Away Equestrian services in Baden.

Why have you decided to run for Wellesley fair ambassador?
My family has always been a part of the fair, my grandmother and mom are heavily involved in the fair so I have always had a taste of the fair and I thought it would be cool to get involved this year and participate in it as well. I think running for ambassador would be a great learning experience and I love to be involved in the community. I am kind of the cliché, classic country kid, I love spending time with my horses and animals outdoors.

Are you excited about moving to the city to attend school?
To be honest I am a little nervous going to the bigger city like Guelph as I am such a country kid, but I feel it is the best place for me because a lot of people around there do come from the country and share a lot of the same experiences I have.

MCC invites teens to get thrifty

There’s going to be a bit of a commotion at the MCC Thrift and Gift Store Aug. 16, when the store hold its second teen shopping night.

“It’s about getting teens excited about thrift we have stocked piled all the brands that teens would like and the night is just for them: the music is going to be turned up loud and all over the store we will have clothing on display,” said Betty Marshall of the MCC Thrift Store.

The store has been saving brand name clothing including Abercrombie, American Eagle, Aeropostale, Hollister, Campus Crew, Blue Notes, and Streetwear over the last few months for this night.

“We have over 30 bins of clothing we have saved for teens and college students,” said Marshall. “We want to promote thrift: they don’t have to go to the mall, we are an alternative and their purchase here helps many out in the world.”

Proceeds from the sales of the clothes go to the Mennonite Central Committee, which is currently involved in helping communities in Northern Ontario who are battling forest fires and are assisting in the East African drought as funds are being sent to help with the famine and the refugees.

“The purchase helps twofold, teens are able to buy reasonably priced clothing and their purchase supports the disaster relief, sustainable community development and justice and peace-building work of Mennonite Central Committee locally and globally,” said Marshall.

There will be surprise discounts at the check out as well as the MCC Thrift Store team have created discount flowers with amounts ranging from 10 to 30 per cent off. As an additional bonus any teen who visits the MCC
Facebook account and sign up to the group will receive an additional 10 per cent off clothes, and that could lead to having up to 40 per cent of their total purchase.

“It’s a fun night out for teens and parents can know their money is also helping others,” she said.

The first teen night at the MCC Thrift store was held in February and the store saw line-ups out the door.

“I don’t know what to expect this time out, I know it’s just going to be fun,” said Marshall.

The store will close at 5 p.m. on Aug. 16 as the staff prepares to fill the store with all the clothes and set up the three additional change rooms for customers. The store will then reopen from 6 until 10 p.m.

Solar make dollars and sense for church

The future is bright at Trinity United Church. This week, the church on Arthur Street in Elmira underwent a dramatic facelift with the installation of a 10-kilowatt inverter solar panel system on the roof The project consists of 54 panels and thanks to a 20-year contract under the Ontario government’s MicroFIT program that pays 80 cents per kilowatt hour, the church hopes to generate up to $10,000 in revenue annually.

“Our church is expanding, especially the youth program, and we were looking for a way to get some stable funding,” said Miles Schwindt, a member of Trinity’s congregation and the man who, along with Chris Moore, spearheaded the idea of putting solar panels on the steel roof of the children’s wing of the church.

“This lines up with our goals because we’re investing in our youth, and we’re helping the environment as well and bringing in some money.”

The church approached three local companies for quotes on the project, with Kitchener’s Arcadian Projects chosen to complete the installation, which is estimated to cost a total of $65,000.

About three-quarters of the funding came via a loan from the United Church of Canada, with the other quarter drawn from the church’s reserve fund.

Their goal is to have their loan repaid within the next five years, allowing plenty of time for the panels to generate income for the church under the contract.

Unfortunately the rain this past week has delayed the installation of the panels, but the church hopes to have the power flowing within the next two weeks after an inspection from the Electrical Safety Authority.

Schwindt said there were some reservations over the technology among some members of the congregation, specifically that the roof might leak, but after completing the necessary paperwork and submitting their proposal to Ontario Hydro in March, Schwindt said the project received final approval from church members in May.

The idea for installing the solar panels initially came to Schwindt while driving the countryside and visiting farms for his job as a procurement manager for Maple Leaf foods. He saw how solar panels had become a very popular form of revenue generation for farmers, and thought the technology could be applied to the church as well.

“It’s a no-brainer, if someone has a flat roof facing south and without trees behind it, you should be putting solar panels on your roof,” said Schwindt, who also has a 10-kilowatt system on the roof of his Waterloo home.

“The payback is there and they do an excellent job.”