What's Up, Welland?

City Clerks do a lot. And often, it's happening behind the scenes, out of view from the public eye. Without their work, skill, and knowledge, things would not run as smoothly as they do at City Hall. In Welland, the Clerkettes, as Clerk Tara Stephens affectionately refers to her team, is a group of hardworking, dedicated civil servants who handle various portfolios, from elections to parking...

Move over, Sesame Street. Today's episode of What's Up, Welland? is brought to you by the letters N, P, C, and A - or as people in Niagara know them, the Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority. In this episode, Marc and Paul welcome Rebecca Hull, manager of business planning and public relations, to chat about the NPCA's mandates, programs, and everything else the NPCA offers.  Yo...

Once, and for all. The motto of the once-in-a-lifetime games about to hit Niagara says it all. So as we prepare for the long-awaited Canada Summer Games, we welcome board chair Doug Hamilton and media and communications manager Chris Seguin. Together, they take us on a journey of the games making their way to Niagara and what we can all expect in terms of competition, culture, and community. Learn...

Our furry friends. We love them like they're family. But sometimes, they need a different home than we can offer. Whatever the reason, our pets sometimes find their way to the SPCA. In Welland, the Niagara SPCA and Human Society provide resources and services to enhance the human-animal bond, and we're so thankful they do. This week, Tammy Gaboury joins the show to chat about what the SP...

COVID-19 has amplified the need for mental health services, especially for children. In this week's episode, Kim Rossi, director of philanthropy & PR for Pathstone Mental Health, joins the show to chat about their new presence in Welland, the services Pathstone provides, and the impacts of the pandemic on our mental health. But, most importantly, if you take anything away from this episod...

Ever wonder what it's really like to be a member of council? Curious to learn more about the expectations, requirements, and commitment? On this special episode, City Clerk Tara Stephens takes us through an inside look at what life as an elected official looks like. Spoiler alert, there's a lot of reading.  You can catch all past episodes and leave us comments at www.welland.ca/podcast/

One. Of. A. Kind That's what the new Empire Sportsplex is. Offering courts for various sports, the sportsplex is further enhanced by the generosity of Canadian Tire Jumpstart Charities, whose investment ensures all ages and abilities can access and enjoy the spirit of play. We could not develop a facility this forward-thinking and inclusive in a vacuum, and we're appreciative of our part...

Maximizing our outdoor recreational spaces comes at increasing importance. Getting outside, using our feet, bikes, and other non-vehicular modes of transportation are becoming more common. And as we use our two feet and a heartbeat more to get around, the City of Welland has emphasized connectivity through the city's trail systems. Approved just before this spring, the Community Trails Strate...

Introduced in 2018, third party advertising rules are back in 2022. Who does that affect? What does it mean? And why should you care? Those questions and more about third party advertising are answered by City of Welland Clerk Tara Stephens.  You can catch all past episodes and leave us comments at www.welland.ca/podcast/

Thinking of running for elected office this October? Find out what you need to know to get started and how the process works with City Clerk Tara Stephens. And remember, you need 25 signatures to accompany your nomination forms. And if you're not sure why Tara has all your answers. You can catch all past episodes and leave us comments at www.welland.ca/podcast/

Colouring with your (grand)kids or painting on a canvas, the Visual Artists of Welland support everyone with an artistic inclination and passion for the medium. This week, co-president DeeDee Alexandre joins the show to talk about what the VAW is up to and the remarkable ways they support seniors in the community through art. Thanks to a loyal listener, the VAW was brought to our attention, and we...

Have we mentioned the City of Welland is growing? Maybe a time or two? Well, that growth needs to be managed, needs to be planned. And this week, our guest is Grant Munday, director of planning and development services. Grant takes us on a tour of how things are done, what's taken into consideration, and what impacts various levels of government have on the planning and development process an...

Five questions, five answers. City of Welland Clerk Tara Stephens joins the show for a quick rundown of a municipal election. Then, as we inch closer to this fall's election, we'll drop some special election episodes to get everyone 1caught up and informed about all things election.  You can catch all past episodes and leave us comments at www.welland.ca/podcast/

More than the stereotypical saving cats from trees or producing a calendar, the Welland Fire and Emergency Services put it all on the line each and every day. This week's guest is Fire Chief Adam Eckhart, who shares with us some great tips about fire safety, the importance of WORKING smoke and CO2 alarms, and how to be a good neighbour when having a backyard fire. To Fire Chief Eckhart, his e...

June is Pride month. And as we prepare for it, we invited the Chair of Pride Niagara, Enzo DeDivitis, to talk about what's happening in Niagara for Pride, how we can become allies to the LGBTQ+ community, and how we can share the positive message of love, acceptance, and belonging. Our conversation with Enzo lasted long after the recording stopped, but what we packed into this episode was a l...

What better time to learn more about public works and infrastructure than during National Public Works Week. In this episode, Sherri-Marie Millar joins the podcast to chat about some of the major announcements made for funding new projects and what the world of public works and infrastructure looks like.  Cheers to all the public works staff at the City of Welland and all municipalities during thi...

We've seen their depictions in television and movies, the "boss". For comedy purposes, they're aloof, unaware. Think Michael Scott. For all business, no fun, think Bill Lumbergh.  But for City of Welland employees, the boss is Steve Zorbas, a progressive, experienced leader who knows the municipal world inside and out and can share a funny story as quickly as a life lesson; bot...

There ain't no party like a Jackfish party because a Jackfish party is unlike anything else you'll find in the IBL. That said, the party is only half the show. With a great lineup of players and promotions, the Welland Jackfish provide quality, fun, family entertainment all summer long. Ryan Harrison, president of the club, joined us on What's Up, Welland, to chat about the upcoming...

Social infrastructure, business retention and investment and expansion, talent attraction, events and tourism, quality of life and community building; so many concepts woven together with the thread of economic development.  But what is Economic Development and how does it affect a community? More importantly, how is it affecting the City of Welland? To find out, we chatted with Lina DeChellis, th...

This isn't your grandparent's library, that's for sure. Long gone are the days of heads-down reading in books - though you're still more than welcome to do that - and here are the days of borrowing video games, computers, park passes, and even snowshoes. Yes, snowshoes. The Welland Public Library has more going on than you could possibly imagine. And that's a good thing. A...

Have you heard the acronym BIA? Do you know what it stands for? And more importantly, do you know what a BIA does? This week's guest is Kelly Jones, chair of the Welland Downtown BIA, and he shares the work done behind the scenes to assist and enhance businesses in the downtown core. So just listen to the music of the traffic in the city, linger on the sidewalk where the neon signs are pretty...

The wheels on the bus go round and round. In this episode, Marc and Paul chat with Ed Zahra, the City's manager of transit about what changes have occurred during the pandemic, what transit operators are looking forward to, and of course, what the heck does this regional transit amalgamation mean for Welland transit riders. Hop on board and enjoy our chat with Ed as he takes us on a ride thro...

Human Resources, with an emphasis on resources. Forget what you think you know about HR as the rule keepers, the sticks in the mud, etc., and start thinking of them as your partners, helpers, and wealth of knowledge. In this episode, Brooke Iannuzzelli, HR Coordinator with the City of Welland, joins Marc and Paul to talk about hiring, jobs at the City, and more. And, to top it off, Brooke agrees t...

Water. We drink it, we swim in it, we wash our clothes and dishes with it. But how does it get from the rivers, lakes, and streams to our taps? How does ground or surface water become safe to drink? In this episode, James Sticca, the City of Welland's public works manager, lays out exactly how the process works and what safeguards are in place to ensure the water we consume is safe. Oh, and z...

It may be spring, but summer will be here before you know it. In this episode, Paul chats with Amanda Degazio of the City's recreation department about all the amazing programs and services that are available in the spring session and the opening of summer camps registration - which is a hot commodity, so get ready.  You can catch all past episodes and leave us comments at www.welland.ca/podc...