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By: Marc Miquel Helsen | Posted: September 13, 2008

	A LOT MORE ELBOW ROOM Floradale district fire chief Dennis Frey was happy to take possession Monday of the new $1.3-million station on Florapine Road.

It’s been a long wait, but well worth it: Floradale’s firefighters finally have a new home.
Taking possession of the $1.3-million facility on Monday, firefighters quickly settled in, responding to a call from the Florapine Road location early on.
Its official opening, however, won’t be until a day-long open house Sept. 27.
After years of dealing with small and cramped quarters, Floradale’s 20 firefighters will finally be able to breathe easy at the new building.
“This is a big step for us, having this station,” said Floradale district fire chief Dennis Frey.
“And if you know the uniqueness of Floradale, we are a dry station: we cracked open the root beer,” he added with a chuckle.
Measuring approximately 6,400 square feet, the new facility is far roomier than the dated 2,400-square-foot predecessor on Ruggles Road.
The new facility will not only have room enough to house its tanker (on tap to be replaced next year), its pumper and its rescue vehicle, but also enough space for two additional vehicles – five bays in total. That extra space could certainly come in handy in the future, said Frey, noting that the extra bays could help accommodate growth in the future or, in case of emergencies, provide temporary parking for trucks from other fire stations.
The station’s new rescue, too large to fit in the old fire hall, had been parked offsite since its arrival earlier this summer. In fact, Floradale had been making due with a 30-year-old truck, waiting for a bigger stationhouse to be approved before ordering a new one.
The new building includes space for training rooms, a servery-kitchen and general offices (secretary, training officer, mechanical office, and fire prevention officer). It even houses a room for historical memorabilia that could be put on display in the future, as well as a hall that can be rented for community events.
Floradale firefighters had been waiting decades for a new facility. Indeed, a series of recommendations issued by the Ontario Fire Marshall recommended a move to larger quarters as far back as the late1980s, said Frey.
The new facility boasts larger, wheelchair-accessible washrooms and showers – a more pleasant feature than the old system.
“No showers in the old one. Just the hose off the truck – in the winter time it was cold,” quipped Frey.
The previous fire station saw its last addition in 1966, 14 years after village leaders first sat down and purchased a LaFrance pumper in 1952.The following year the first department was assembled, acting as its own department until amalgamation in 1973.

By: Steve Kannon | Posted: September 13, 2008

	ROCK-EY NIGHT IN CANADA Elmira’s Michael Morelli locked himself in his home studio for much of August, determined to compose a gripping submission to Canada’s Hockey Anthem Challenge, CBC’s contest to come up with a new theme song for its Hockey Night in Canada broadcasts. Finding his muse, the guitar teacher eventually posted five entries before the deadline.

At the age of 12, Michael Morelli’s growing love of music took him away from another passion, hockey. Now, years later, he was able to bring the two together again, submitting five original compositions to Canada’s Hockey Anthem Challenge.
The CBC contest is looking for new theme music for the network’s long-running Hockey Night in Canada broadcast.
The Elmira man’s five entries – “Party On – It’s HNIC,” “C’mon, Drop the Puck,” “Game On,” “Breakaway” and “Overtime” – have game night as their theme, covering the spectrum of pre-game anticipation to the thrill of overtime play.
Written, recorded and mixed by Morelli, each has a distinctive rock ‘n’ roll flavour.
“My goal was to capture the energy and spirit of hockey. To me, only rock songs can do that. I did the kind of music I like to play.”
Happy with his submissions, he knows winning is a long shot. The national broadcaster received almost 15,000 entries by the Aug. 31 deadline (Morelli’s “Overtime” was almost just that, squeaking in just 10 minutes before the midnight deadline).
From those entries, judges will be paring down the list, ultimately choosing five finalists. Each of those songs will be featured on The Hour from Sept. 29 to Oct. 3.
A one-hour special will air on Oct. 4 following the HNIC broadcast, during which the five songs will once again be highlighted before the lines are opened to the country for a first-round vote.
On Oct. 9, the top two contestants will be announced and the national polls will be reopened for one final vote.
CBC will reveal the new song on Oct. 11 during a HNIC broadcast.
Anthem finalists will receive production and recording guidance from multiple Juno Award-winning musician/producer Bob Rock, who has produced albums for some of the biggest artists of the past few decades including Metallica, Aerosmith, and Mötley Crüe, as well as some of Canada’s best: Payola$, The Tragically Hip and Bryan Adams.
Even if his entries fail to make the final five, Morelli is hopeful CBC will be compiling a list of, say, the top 100 picks as a point of comparison.
The experience has been nothing but positive, as the process compelled him to concentrate on songwriting, something that often goes overlooked in his busy schedule as a musician, guitar teacher and sound engineer.
“At least I did it, and had fun doing it. The process really forced me to concentrate on songwriting,” he said. “It forced me to focus on my own music for a while.”
Writing the anthem submissions opened his creative floodgates, and now Morelli is composing material for an album of hockey songs. First, he’s looking to finish his first album of original material.
Music has been a lifelong love affair. Originally, his parents directed him toward piano and, later, accordion, but it was the guitar that finally got him to do what’s necessary: practice, practice, practice. Growing up listening to The Beatles, Jimi Hendrix and Led Zeppelin, he was naturally drawn to the six strings.
As far back as grade school, he was playing in bands. Later, he discovered a natural affinity for teaching. And, eager to record his own music and to understand the process, he went to recording school. He’s worked independently as a recording engineer ever since.
Today, he produces and records CDs for others, playing guitar and bass as a session musician, under the auspices of The Upper Room Recording Studio.
From his home studio in Elmira, Morelli offers guitar and bass lessons, providing personalized instruction for kids right through to retirees picking up their first guitar. A published author of training guides, he likes to tailor the lessons to each student’s needs.
“Most people learn more, and keep at it, if they’re having fun.”
The first of Morelli’s entries to the CBC contest can be found at http://anthemchallenge.cbc.ca/mediadetail/326043, with links to the others available by clicking on “More from Michael Morelli.”

By: Steve Kannon | Posted: September 13, 2008

Kitchener-Conestoga is leaning toward the Conservatives in the early going of the campaign leading to a federal election Oct. 14. As with the country as a whole, the outcome remains very much up in the air, suggests a Wilfrid Laurier political scientist tracking public opinion.
Current projections by Prof. Steven Brown, director of the Laurier Institute for the Study of Public Opinion and Policy (LISPOP), call for another Conservative minority government.
“One scenario is no change – an electorate that is stuck in a groove,” he said this week.
“It’s going to be a very interesting election, because there are a bunch of things that could change, and we don’t know which way they’ll go.”
Based on a study of election polls, at this point the institute is forecasting the Conservatives will take 139 seats, 15 more than they won in the 2006 election. Under that scenario, the Liberals, who won 103 seats last time out, pick up one to 104, while the NDP drops two to 27. The Bloc Quebecois is the biggest loser, dropping to 38 seats from the 51 it took in 2006. (Based on data posted up until Thursday.)
Although not represented in the projected seat count, the Green Party could play a significant role in the outcome, Brown noted.
“Elizabeth May is the most effective speaker of the lot – she is capable of shaking things up. She’s a wildcard.”
In this riding, the Greens are off to an effective start, and could make a dent in the results, he added, noting Woolwich Township’s demographics jibe well with the party’s target audience.
According to fellow WLU political scientist Barry Kay, Green supporters “tend to be better educated and younger (almost twice the proportion among the 18-34 age group as among those over 55). … Green voters are more likely to be found among students, the self-employed and retired people.”
The fortunes of the Greens and the NDP will be decided in part by the so-called ABC movement – anyone but Conservative. The pundits expect strategic voting to be at play, especially in ridings where Tories could slip in if the vote is split between the other three main contenders. In this riding in 2006, for instance, Tory Harold Albrecht took the riding from the incumbent Liberal by about 1,400 votes (20,615 to 19,245), with the NDP earning 7,443 and the Greens 2,796.
Ridings such as Kitchener-Conestoga, indeed all of Ontario, are expected to be the prime battleground.
“Ontario is where the action is,” said Brown, noting the Conservatives will have to sway many more voters to capture control of the House.
“There’s no evidence that Ontarians are ready to hand Stephen Harper a majority.”
With no real issues on the table when Harper called the election, the Conservatives are running a campaign centered on their leader, and belittling Liberal leader Stéphane Dion.
Harper is a known quantity with a very controlled message – essentially, the party is Harper – but Dion remains an unknown, said Brown. The outcome will largely depend on how the Liberal leader defines himself.
“Dion has had lots of problems in projecting himself. He has to work to counter the image the Conservatives are painting of him.”
Dion’s bid is aided by the relatively low expectations. If he can rise above that perceived level, he’ll have a chance to present a credible alternative to those voting against the Conservatives.
For full LISPOP data, visit www.wlu.ca/lispop/fedblog.