HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2016-01-07, Page 20PAGE 20. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, JANUARY 7, 2016.
Committee wants Howson Dam a budget priority
By Denny Scott
The Citizen
The Howson Dam committee,
represented by Andy McBride, made
a lengthy presentation to North
Huron Township Council detailing
its desires for the nearly century -old
structure during council's Jan. 4
meeting.
The presentation pointed out there
has been a dam at the site for more
than 150 years, with the current dam
having been built in 1921. It has not
seen significant repairs in nearly 30
years.
The dam, which causes a pond to
form near Riverside Park, was the
site of recreational activities until
several years ago, at which time the
dam became unable to hold the
traditional high water mark, about
Plrar
r 1;
four feet higher than it is now.
"The dam needs to be repaired,"
McBride said.
The group, which is the second
such organization to be formed in
the past four years, the first of which
folded due to what McBride called
"red tape", wants to re-establish the
historic water level and "deliver
results to the 1,000 supporters and
eight local community groups" the
committee represents.
The group asked that either it, or
another group be made a committee
of council with a focus on the dam to
guide the repairs which will cost
more than $460,000 according to
North Huron staff.
The committee also pointed out
that township staff, who had been
attending meetings of the group, had
been recalled by council. The group
felt that decision should be reversed
and also requested that the township
make an application to the Ministry
of Natural Resources for approval of
the project so the committee could
proceed.
Council had no response to the
committee's presentation aside from
Reeve Neil Vincent thanking the
group for its time and stating the
issue would be part of budget
deliberations which the township
will begin this month.
Chief Administrative Officer
Sharon Chambers said staff would
receive the presentation as a formal
request to create a committee of
council, which, under council's
recently passed committee bylaw,
will see a staff report prepared and
brought back to council on the
issue.
Currently, more than $200,000 is
in a reserve fund for the dam,
however the initial reports have the
repairs costing $460,000 and,
according to Chambers, would
extend the life of the dam to between
35 and 60 years. Those repair
estimates, however, were not the
whole picture.
"That did not include [a required
stability test for the structure given
the new water level] or the repairs
that would be necessary annually,"
Chambers explained.
Council will be looking at some
tough decisions at budget time,
Chambers said, pointing to the fact
that current spending practices at the
municipality are only addressing
four per cent of the long-term needs
for road infrastructure and 37 per
cent of the long-term needs for water
and wastewater projects.
"Council has very difficult
decisions ahead of them," she said.
"Everyone has their own projects
that are important to them, but
council has the important and
difficult decision of deciding what
those priorities are"
McBride pointed out that part of
the committee's work up to this
point was to consult with GreenBug
Energy Inc., a micro -hydro
generator company that is interested
in installing a generator in Wingham
if the dam site goes forward. The
company specializes in small-scale
hydro generation projects.
Councillor Trevor Seip said he
agreed with McBride's assertion that
the dam's current state, as well as the
mud flats and weeds created by the
low-water level, aren't attractive to
visitors to the community, however,
he wasn't ready to act on the issue.
Seip said he wouldn't be
comfortable discussing the issue
until a comprehensive report with
information from staff, the Ministry
of Natural Resources and the
Maitland Valley Conservation
Authority were put in front of them.
"We have pieces of information,
but nothing encompassing," he said.
"I would like to have that to know
where this sits in my priority list."
McBride pointed out that, if a
committee of council was struck, it
would provide Seip with that kind of
information.
A staff report will be provided to
council regarding the realities of
striking such a committee and the
dam will be discussed by council
and staff as part of the township's
budget deliberations.
Start the
new year off
with a good read!
Decades of service
Fire Department of North Huron Chief David Sparling, left,
handed out three 20 -year pins on Monday night to
firefighters all from the Blyth station of the department. One
of those department members was Captain Russ Nesbitt,
who was being honoured by the department for his years of
service. The presentation was made as part of a special
ceremony at the Wingham fire hall, where in addition to
Nesbitt, Deputy -Chief Matt Townsend and Captain Paul
Kerr were also honoured. (Denny Scott Photo)
SDLTP NIGHT
RECIPES kr CREATING COMMUNITY
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Heritage
QUILTS
MARILYN I. WALKER
TOWNSHIP OF
NOR' NORTH HURON
HURON
NOTICE OF DECLARATION
OF SURPLUS PROPERTY
Notice is hereby given that the Corporation of the Township of North
Huron has declared the following property to be surplus to its needs
and intends to dispose of the subject property.
Description of Property:
Part Lot 9 Plan 168, Plan 22R-6334 Part 1
Village of Blyth
Township of North Huron
In accordance with Section 6 d) of By-law No. 25-2008, the lands will
be sold directly to the abutting landowner, the Blyth Canadian Legion,
it being noted that there is a community interest and objective of
facilitating an addition to the Legion Building and rectifying existing
encroachments on Township lands.
The Township of the North Huron may proceed to dispose of the
subject property in accordance with By-law No. 25-2008, after the
date of notice.
Kathy Adams, Clerk
Township of North Huron
(519) 357-3550
Dated at the Township of North Huron this 4th day of January, 2016.
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