HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2016-10-13, Page 8PAGE 8. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 13, 2016.
Kurtis Smith Excavating Inc.
Supplying Brussels/Blyth area with all types
of sand, gravel and stone
• Full size Zero -Tail -Swing Excavator • Septic Systems
• Mini Excavators & Compact Track Loader with attachments
• Trim Dozer & Dump Truck Services • Excavating, landscaping, raking
Brussels 519-887-8855 • Kurtis Cell 519-496-1871
Sports
Read the
latest issue
on-line at...
stopsalonglakehuron.com
MacLellan puts Sprung arena building idea forward
By Shawn Loughlin
The Citizen
Huron East Mayor Bernie
MacLellan has a plan for the
Brussels, Morris and Grey
Community Centre that he hopes
will be considered in the future.
MacLellan had met with a
company called BLT at a recent
conference and felt its Sprung
structures could be a solution for the
Brussels arena, where he said the
arena is used often, but the
community centre and auditorium
aren't used as often as they could be.
He told councillors that he hadn't
done any research into the projects
aside from discussing it at the
conference and had no idea
regarding costs, so he warned
councillors that it was a very
preliminary idea. However, he said
he found it interesting and a
potential low-cost solution for the
issue of declining arena usage in
Brussels.
At council's Oct. 4 meeting
council watched a video on the
company's website, which can be
found at www.bltconstruction.com
or www.sprung.com, on the Central
Park Arena in Collingwood.
Collingwood, MacLellan said, was
facing tough financial constraints
and they needed a new arena that
would cost tens of millions of dollars
that Collingwood simply couldn't
afford, so the councillors had to
think outside the box.
Sprung builds fabric buildings that
are developed with "patented,
advanced fabric membrane
technology engineered over a
century ago" according to the
company's website.
MacLellan suggested potentially
building a Sprung structure atop the
existing ice surface.
The website boasts that Sprung
buildings have been used for oil and
gas buildings, military barracks,
event centres, arenas, aircraft
hangers and mining camp buildings.
Sprung buildings can currently be
found in over 100 countries
according to the website.
"For more than a century, Sprung
has been synonymous with quality,
custom-made fabric membrane
structures that meet specific, unique
needs and challenges," the Sprung
website states. "After designing and
constructing the NASA Space
Shuttle housing facility in the early
1980s, Sprung's reputation for
making the world's most
highly advanced tension
fabric building became known
globally."
The site also states that the
facilities have high energy efficient
ratings that result in less of an
environmental impact and lower
operational costs. They are also well
County drafts cycling strategy
The County of Huron has
developed a strategy intended to
improve cycling safety and
enjoyment throughout the region. A
draft strategy has been created by the
Huron County Cycling Strategy
Committee, which includes
stakeholders from the cycling,
health, municipal, police, tourism
and transportation sectors.
Working with the Share the Road
Cycling Coalition, a leader in
promoting bicycle friendly
communities, the committee hosted
two public workshops in May, 2016
to discuss education and awareness
initiatives, infrastructure
improvements and best practices
adopted in other areas of Ontario.
The resulting Huron County Cycling
Strategy recommends a number of
actions and an implementation plan
that will make Huron County
communities more bicycle friendly
within the next five years.
The draft strategy can be viewed
online at www.huroncounty.ca/
huron-county-cycling-strategy and
copies are also available at special
kiosks in all Huron County libraries
during the month of October. The
public is encouraged to provide
feedback on the draft strategy by
Oct. 20 by e -mailing
planning@huroncounty.ca or calling
toll-free 1-888-524-8394 ext. 3.
Huron grocery costs up 24 per cent
The cost of groceries in Huron
County has risen 24 per cent since
2009. The Huron County Health
Unit has released its 2016 findings in
its annual "The Real Cost of Eating
Well in Huron" report.
But according to public
health dietitian Amy MacDonald,
the real problem is not the cost of
food.
"Families and individuals living
on limited incomes, those who are
making minimum wage or on social
assistance, don't have enough
money to buy nutritious foods, pay
bills, and purchase all other
necessities," she said.
"Families and individuals are
cutting their food budgets to make
ends meet. We know this has a
negative impact on their health and
quality of life."
MacDonald cites research that
says the costs to the health care
system increase by as much as 76
per cent when people can't afford to
purchase enough food.
Every May, health units across
Ontario complete a food costing
survey in local grocery stores to
approximate the weekly and
monthly cost of food for families
and individuals. MacDonald says
every year, it says the same thing;
food costs are increasing faster than
incomes.
The Huron County Health Unit is
asking Huron County residents to
learn more about food poverty and to
support income strategies that will
give all residents the means to
purchase nutritious food. This
includes asking for living wages,
supporting federal and provincial
basic income guarantee, increasing
social assistance rates to reflect the
actual cost of living, updating
employment standards, and
providing drug and dental health
benefits for all low income
Ontarians.
insulated, resulting in no air leakage,
according to the website.
Councillor John Lowe, also a
member of the Brussels Recreation
Committee, said he wasn't aware
that the community centre was back
"on target", but that he hoped he
would be given the courtesy of
taking the concept back to the
committee before it's considered by
council and MacLellan agreed.
MacLellan directed Chief
Administrative Officer Brad Knight
to further explore the company and
pricing and whether or not the
concept would work in Brussels.
Big finish
North Woods Elementary School student Owen Boyle
gave one final push to get to the end of the regional cross
country competition hosted at his school last week. (Denny
Scott photo)
Hole in One
Steve Nixon, right, marked his first Hole in One at the
Wingham Golf Club on Sept. 22. Nixon marked the rare
achievement on the par three hole seven. Shown
presenting the award is Bill Robinson. (Photo submitted)
a&&i Water
SarY.nlpIItl Sample each season! Also sample after:
• heavy rain • plumbing work
• change in water's colour, taste or odour
Sign up today
for email updates on
testing your well water!
Send your email address to
wellwater@huroncounty.ca
Huron County Health Unit
www.huronhealthunit.ca
Pick up and drop off free sample bottles at:
Clinton Huron County Health Unit
Monday -Thursday, 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
Exeter South Huron Hospital
Monday -Friday, 7:30-10:30 a.m.
Goderich Huron County Court House
Tuesday, 8:30 a.m. to noon
Seaforth Seaforth Community Hospital Lab
Monday -Friday, 8:30-10:30 a.m.
Wingham Wingham & District Hospital Lab
Monday -Thursday, 8:30 a.m. to noon