Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2016-05-05, Page 1INSIDE THIS WEEK: TRAIL - Pg. 8 G2G Trail to host annual Spring on the Trail event GUIDE - Pg. 11 The Citizen' presents annual home and garden guide ENVIRONMENT - Pg. 3O Central Huron approves Yellow Fish Road program Publications Mail Agreement No. 40050141 Return Undeliverable Items to North Huron Publishing Company Inc., P.O. Box 152, BRUSSELS, ON NOG 1H0 4Citiz Volume 32 No. 18 n $1 .25 GST included Serving the communities of Blyth and Brussels and northern Huron County Thursday, May 5, 2016 And.... UP! The Matt Dinning Memorial rugby Tournament at F.E. Madill Secondary School was held on Friday, April 29 and brought students from near and far to the pitch to prove who is the best. Shown above are teams from Grey Highlands Secondary School and St. Michael Catholic Secondary School taking each other on early in the day. Madill would eventually go on to the finals of the tournament, taking on Grey Highlands, the defending champions. The team from Wingham, however, would be shut out, losing in the finals by a score of 17-0. (DennyScottphoto) BIA preparing for hall renovations By Denny Scott The Citizen The Blyth Business Improvement Area (BIA) hosted a special meeting last week to explain how the proposed renovations for Blyth Memorial Community Hall could affect the community's downtown. The renovations will see the theatre rebuilt with new seating, new utilities and new flooring, while major components of the building, including washrooms, the kitchen and the lower hall will be moved, resized or removed to make the space more user friendly. The renovations are set to take place from mid-September this year to May next year, concluding just in time for the 2017 Blyth Festival season to have access to the stage. BIA Chair Rick Elliott explained that the construction shouldn't affect parking in the downtown core, with the exception of when a portion of sidewalk is being rebuilt. He explained that a roll -up sidewalk is set to be installed in line with the front entryway of Memorial Hall and, when that is being constructed, those parking spots might be inaccessible. Elliott also stated he believed that wouldn't happen until later into the construction process, either late 2016 or early 2017. North Huron Director of Recreation and Facilities Pat Newson explained that a schedule had not been set, so when the roll -up curb would be installed hadn't yet been determined. However she agreed with Elliott's analysis, stating that the barricade that will be around the building for the duration of construction could even be on the interior edge of the sidewalk, leaving the sidewalk open to pedestrian traffic. People attending the meeting asked several questions including where events would be held that would normally be at Memorial Hall during the scheduled renovations. Both Pastor Gary van Leeuwen of the Blyth Christian Reformed Church and Rev. Gary Clark of the Blyth United Church offered the space of the churches for any kinds of concerts or events that wished them. The two explained that rental fees are set on a cost -recovery basis as the churches are non-profit entities. Blyth Festival General Manager Deb Sholdice said she had been informing renters of the Memorial Hall stage that the space would be unavailable during the renovation period but she would be happy to pass on the information about the churches if specifications of the space, including stage size, maximum occupancy and electrical systems available were provided. Sholdice also explained that, as part of the Festival's strategic plan, the organization was "ramping up" its artist residency program. "We're hoping to get artists in from [major cities] to use the facilities we do have available," she said. Some questions went unanswered, however, including Blyth Legion representative Crystal Taylor's query into whether the roll -curb would have a no parking area in front of it and how that would affect overall parking in the village. Newson said she would look into the issue, stating that changes to the existing parking layout were already planned with one permanent accessible parking space set to be put at the south end of the block in front of the Blyth Festival office buildings. Taylor also asked how the annual Lighting of the Lights, an event hosted by the BIA to mark the start of the Christmas season by turning on the community's Christmas street lights, would be affected. Elliott said that was an issue the BIA would have to try and figure out in the future. Brussels ball, firefighter fundraiser planned By Shawn Loughlin The Citizen Baseball will take centre stage in Brussels on Saturday, June 4 as Brussels Minor Ball is set to hold a full day dedicated to raising money for the sport so many love (as well as the firefighters who keep the village safe). Heather Dunbar, a Brussels firefighter and one of the event's organizers, says that every Brussels team will play that day, with games starting at 8:30 a.m. and running through late into the afternoon. Originally, Dunbar says the Huron East Fire Department's Brussels station was seeking a Test Drive A Ford event to coincide with the annual firefighters' breakfast. However, they aren't typically held on Sundays, so Dunbar said she had to think outside the box and came up with a joint fundraising with Brussels Minor Ball. The funds raised will be split evenly between the two organizations; Brussels Minor Ball for new backcatching equipment and jerseys and for a new generator for the fire department. The generator, Dunbar said, will ensure that the Brussels Fire Hall can be used as both a warming station in the winter or a cooling station in the summer, should there be a power outage in the village. Leslie Motors from Wingham will be in Brussels that day for its Test Drive A Ford program, which donates $20 per test drive to the cause of the day with a cap of $6,000. Dunbar says organizers are hoping to attract 300 people to the event so they can raise the maximum amount of money for the two worthy causes. The dealership will be in Brussels with a variety of vehicles for people to test drive — ranging from the company's newest trucks to the always in demand Ford Mustang. Minor baseball games will run through the morning, while at 1:30 p.m., the Brussels firefighters will take on the CKNX Classic Rockers from Wingham. There will also be a fundraising barbecue, a car seat safety demonstration by the Huron County Health Unit and a demonstration by a group called Healthy Communities, a group aimed at getting children active. Games will then continue through the afternoon until about dinner time, when the Brussels Tigers of the Huron County Fastball League will take on their counterparts from Wingham in the night game. There will be a concession stand and a beer garden beginning at 4 p.m. and running through the night so that spectators can enjoy a beverage while watching the hometown team in action. A full schedule of games has yet to be finalized, but should be released soon, says Dunbar.