HomeMy WebLinkAboutClinton News Record, 2013-12-11, Page 22 News Record • Wednesday, December 11, 2013
It's time to reach out to REACH
Gerard Creces
Clinton News -Record
It's time to reach out to REACH.
Concerned with the amount of money spent
versus the money coming in to Central Huron for
the equine facility, Clinton resident Carol Dutot
was before council Dec. 3 with a long list of money
lost.
Since the centre became operational in 2009,
Central Huron has contributed close to $2.5 mil-
lion to operational costs. The years 2010-2012
alone made up for about $1.9 million of that, most
of which was slated economic development. The
figures are based on a treasury department report
created for Dutot.
Part of Dutot's argument for ceasing funding for
the facility is REACH undercutting its own hourly
rates for users, and giving breaks to groups that
may not be able to afford the hall rental fees.
"There are plenty of other facilities... that could
accommodate these groups," she wrote in her
presentation to council. "It is my opinion that
(board president Larry) Langan needs to have a
little more consideration for the taxpayers of Cen-
tral Huron that are funding this place and charge
renters according to the facility and services they
are receiving."
General Manager at REACH, Jeff Marshall, said
the major discrepancy between budgeted revenue
and actuals in 2013 was mainly due to the
cancelled Canada Day celebration an event he
said was eclipsed by the International Plowing
Match. The make-up event, Horse-a-Palooza, was
unsuccessful.
Marketing and advertising expenditures were
incredibly low for the REACH, in the first three
quarters of 2013.
While there was originally $30,000 in the mar-
keting budget, only $7,200 was spent by the end of
September. Part of this, Marshall explained, is
because so many events in the REACH are run by
outside organizations they do their own
advertising.
Most of the internal advertising the REACH
Centre does is online through Facebook and Twit-
ter, as well as through the electronic sign in down-
town Clinton and on a sign out front the commu-
nity complex.
"When we do market, we do it around our sum-
mer camps," Marshall said, adding that for outside
events it is hard to justify the spending - that it
would be like the arena advertising for minor
hockey games. The equine community is relatively
small and representatives from different disci-
plines are already aware of what REACH has to
offer. The challenge now, Marshall said, is reach-
ing out to other groups that could use the centre,
such as alpaca associations, trade and farm
shows.
However, the loss of events was not the only
unexpected shortfall.
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Lower than expected turnout for col-
lege programs at the REACH centre
have also had an effect on the budget.
The Ridgetown performance horse -
handling course initially had 41 stu-
dents registered, however only 34 stu-
dents are in the course.
Fanshawe College, meanwhile, was
originally hoping to have 100 students
registered for school at the REACH
campus. Marshall said the facility budg-
eted for 40 students. Total enrolment
was 25.
Dutot reminded council that each of
them said things need to change at
REACH during the last election, how-
ever, little has been done so far.
Councilor Alex Westerhout said while
he shared many of her concerns, there
were some discrepancies in the figures
she provided council between funds
going to and from REACH and the
municipality. Both Westerhout and
Coun. Burkhard Metzger sit on the
REACH board. Metzger said while ini-
tially any business needs time to
develop, it just hasn't happened yet.
Mayor Jim Ginn expressed his own
frustrations with REACH, saying while
the students and visitors do create an
economic impact in town, a different
business plan is sorely needed.
Bluewater noise
limit proposal
hits a sharp note
Gerard Creces
Clinton News -Record
A proposal for a revamped bylaw
aimed at reducing nighttime noise in
Bluewater turned up the volume in
council chambers Monday, Dec. 12.
Councilors John Gillespie (Hay West)
and Dave Roy (Stanley East) were
brought forth the proposal, which was
part of a report on their meeting with
the Municipal Coalition on Noise Regu-
lation in September.
In asking that the current noise bylaw
be reviewed, Gillespie noted there are
no current regulations for cyclical noise
or low frequency noise, adding the rural
nighttime noise allowance is in the
range of 20-25 decibels - half of what is
permitted during the day. While munic-
ipal bylaws cannot be in conflict with
provincial laws such as the Green
Energy Act, they are able to regulate
them heavily.
Once massive wind farms become a
reality in the municipality, such as the
coming Goshen Wind Farm in Bluewa-
ter, it could be too late to act on noise
regulation, Gillespie said.
His proposed changes to the current
noise bylaw in Bluewater include estab-
lishing a quiet noise level at night, pro-
hibit what the report calls "clearly audi-
ble" noise in certain areas, as well as
provide exemptions for certain
industries, agriculture and events while
removing the current exemptions.
Rather, it would allow council to deal
with all noise complaints on a case-by-
case basis.
While the proposed regulations were
intended to be general in nature, many
of the councilors understood it to be
aimed directly at wind turbines. Depu-
ty -Mayor Paul Klopp criticized the pro-
posal, saying the removal of exemptions
would create an open season on any
and all industries in the municipality,
as well as create additional workload
for staff investigating them.
Under Bluewater's current bylaw,
most excessive residential noise is pro-
hibited between 11 p.m. and 7 a.m. That
includes car horns, deliveries, audio
devices and loudspeakers. The limit is 9
p.m. for tools and electrical or mechan-
ical devices. For all construction equip-
ment, there is an 8 p.m. noise cutoff.
Coun. John Becker said the removal
of exemptions to the bylaw would effec-
tively drive business away from the
municipality and prove to be too costly
for businesses that need to retrofit noise
reduction equipment.
Council rejected the proposed bylaw
change, however, Coun. Janisse Zim-
merman noted that the municipality
should continue dialogue with the
Municipal Coalition on Noise Regula-
tion and further look into the matter.