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HomeMy WebLinkAboutHuron Expositor, 2015-10-14, Page 66 Huron Expositor • Wednesday, October 14, 2015 It's here in our community. Please make a difference by volunteering. OIMultiple 1 SSclerosis Society of Canada Societe canadienne de la sclerose en plaques 1-800-268-7582 www.mssociety.ca Blyth Witches' Walk gets cancelled at last minute Laura Broadley Postmedia Network A 13 -year tradition in Blyth has been cancelled just a few weeks before it was set to take place on Oct. 17. The annual Witches' Walk is a much -loved event set in the weeks before Halloween. It draws hundreds of people, who are determined to be scared, from all over the area. Up until last year the walk happened on the Greenway Trail. Co-organ- izer Hope Button said the committee decided to do something different so they moved it into the shed behind the Blyth arena. Button said when it was outside the team was often setting up in the rain and a lot of their props weren't able to withstand the rain so they ended up having to leave a lot of the stuff behind. They've also had issues with vandalism and theft so setting up outside before- hand is not an option, which means that every- thing has to be put up and taken down on the day of the event. A few weeks ago mem- bers of the organizing committee met with fire officials who gave them a list of requirements they had to comply with in order for the walk to go ahead. Last year they were required to have smoke detectors and fire extin- guishers but they were not asked to use fire retardant, which they were told they had to do this year, accord- ing to Button. "I don't know why last year this wasn't brought up to us," said Button. The committee was told they would have to spray the black plastic going up to walls and covering the floor as wells as their dried corn. James Marshall, fire pre- vention officer with North Huron, said the Fire Depart- ment of North Huron requested a fire prevention inspection prior to the event this year. He said fire safety at indoor haunted houses changed when eight teenag- ers died 31 years ago. Inter- national standards reflect the lessons learned from that event, he added. "I can't inspect something that's not there so as they set up and show me what they're looking to do, then I can inspect it. But to go into a building that's wide open with nothing done in it, it's very difficult to do any kind of fire and safety inspection, " said Marshall. Marshall said he wasn't the inspector last year, so he can't comment on what hap- pened then. The fire retardant had to be shipped in from Vancou- ver but Marshall said with fast shipping it could have been here within the time- frame. He also said that once it's applied it doesn't need to be reapplied every year. "FDNH and North Huron asked the Witches' Walk to purchase fire retardant, which FDNH would apply to all of the props, and offered to implement all of the other required fire safety meas- ures at no cost to the Witches' Walk to ensure this year's event could safely carry on. We are dis- appointed that this event is not do -able within the time window we all had," said Marshall. There are only four people in the committee and with the Thanksgiving holiday and work schedules, Button said there wasn't enough time to fulfill all the requirements. "We're not upset about the regulations and the rules. It was just the tim- ing of what they brought upon us." Button said it's too much work to bring it back out onto the trail within a matter of a few weeks. A lot of people are really questioning why [we can- celled] and it's just a lack of time, that's all," said Button. "We are not happy that we had to do this, we all really love Halloween and we really love [the Witches' Walk] ." The future of the Witches' Walk is uncertain as Button said the com- mittee has not discussed it yet. OFFICE HOURS The Office Hours for The Seaforth Huron Expositor are as follows Mondays - 9am - 5pm Tuesdays - CLOSED Wednesdays - 9am - 5pm Thursdays - 9am - 5pm Fridays - Sam - 4pm 5ealbrlh Ouroo Expositor 8 Main Street, Seaforth ON PH: 519-527-0240 www.seaforthhuronexpositor.com 0 L1JflLfRC'H IRCTORY You are invited to attend these area churches ST. THOMAS ANGLICAN 21 Jarvis St., Seaforth Church Office 519-527-1522 holyspirit@tcc.on.ca The Rev. Lynn Mitchell, Interim Priest Sunday, October 18 Worship at 9:30am followed by refreshments "Coins for Camp" Everyone Welcome Council meets Tues. Oct. 20 at 1 pm EGMONDVILLE UNITED CHURCH Pastor Steve Hildebrand Youth Coordinator - Laura Nakamura Worship October 18th 10:30 a.m. Youth Sunday School at 10:30 a.m. Adult Sunday School at 9:45 a.m. Everyone is welcome, so come & join us. Turkey supper Wed. Oct. 28th Tickets @ Pete's Paper Clip or Blooms & Rooms Christmas Bazaar & Bake Sale Nov 14" Line Dancing Lessons every Wednesday, 7:30-8:30 in BETHEL BIBLE CHURCH An Associated Gospel Church 126 Main St. Seaforth 519-527-0982 Interim Pastor: Rev. Laurie Morris Sunday Worship Service 11:00 a.m. Sunday School for all ages 9:45 a.m. TUESDAY EVENINGS: Youth Groups Junior & Senior High 6:30 - 9 p.m. Boys & Girls Club 7 p.m. Wednesdays 7 p.m. Mens & Womens Bible Study (5 EVERYONE WELCOME FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH 59 Goderich St. W. Seaforth 519-527-0170 Lorrie Mann - Organist Sunday Worship October 18th 11:00 am � Guest Speaker: Rev. Major Dwight Nelson 7pm West Perth Singers Freewill offering to Food Bank SundaySchool Nursery Provided as Needed CLv ALL WELCOME Button said when it was outside the team was often setting up in the rain and a lot of their props weren't able to withstand the rain so they ended up having to leave a lot of the stuff behind. They've also had issues with vandalism and theft so setting up outside before- hand is not an option, which means that every- thing has to be put up and taken down on the day of the event. A few weeks ago mem- bers of the organizing committee met with fire officials who gave them a list of requirements they had to comply with in order for the walk to go ahead. Last year they were required to have smoke detectors and fire extin- guishers but they were not asked to use fire retardant, which they were told they had to do this year, accord- ing to Button. "I don't know why last year this wasn't brought up to us," said Button. The committee was told they would have to spray the black plastic going up to walls and covering the floor as wells as their dried corn. James Marshall, fire pre- vention officer with North Huron, said the Fire Depart- ment of North Huron requested a fire prevention inspection prior to the event this year. He said fire safety at indoor haunted houses changed when eight teenag- ers died 31 years ago. Inter- national standards reflect the lessons learned from that event, he added. "I can't inspect something that's not there so as they set up and show me what they're looking to do, then I can inspect it. But to go into a building that's wide open with nothing done in it, it's very difficult to do any kind of fire and safety inspection, " said Marshall. Marshall said he wasn't the inspector last year, so he can't comment on what hap- pened then. The fire retardant had to be shipped in from Vancou- ver but Marshall said with fast shipping it could have been here within the time- frame. He also said that once it's applied it doesn't need to be reapplied every year. "FDNH and North Huron asked the Witches' Walk to purchase fire retardant, which FDNH would apply to all of the props, and offered to implement all of the other required fire safety meas- ures at no cost to the Witches' Walk to ensure this year's event could safely carry on. We are dis- appointed that this event is not do -able within the time window we all had," said Marshall. There are only four people in the committee and with the Thanksgiving holiday and work schedules, Button said there wasn't enough time to fulfill all the requirements. "We're not upset about the regulations and the rules. It was just the tim- ing of what they brought upon us." Button said it's too much work to bring it back out onto the trail within a matter of a few weeks. A lot of people are really questioning why [we can- celled] and it's just a lack of time, that's all," said Button. "We are not happy that we had to do this, we all really love Halloween and we really love [the Witches' Walk] ." The future of the Witches' Walk is uncertain as Button said the com- mittee has not discussed it yet. OFFICE HOURS The Office Hours for The Seaforth Huron Expositor are as follows Mondays - 9am - 5pm Tuesdays - CLOSED Wednesdays - 9am - 5pm Thursdays - 9am - 5pm Fridays - Sam - 4pm 5ealbrlh Ouroo Expositor 8 Main Street, Seaforth ON PH: 519-527-0240 www.seaforthhuronexpositor.com 0