HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2012-08-30, Page 1CitizenTh
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$1.25 GST included Serving the communities of Blyth and Brussels and northern Huron County Thursday, August 30, 2012
Volume 28 No. 34
AMBASSADOR - Pg.12McCutcheon representsBrussels at CNE FESTIVAL - Pg. 23 Smith opens up about hisplans for the Blyth FestivalPLOWING- Pg. 11Kayla Bishop named Queen of the FurrowPublications Mail Agreement No. 40050141 Return Undeliverable Items to North Huron Publishing Company Inc., P.O. Box 152, BRUSSELS, ON N0G 1H0INSIDE THIS WEEK:
ACW hears turbine concerns
McGavins lead the way at plowing match
Peter Smith named
interim Festival AD
Keeping it straight
The Huron County Plowing Match was held in Huron East last Thursday and Friday, on the
farm of Ken and Brenda Dalton just south of Walton and all the stars aligned for a perfect two
days. The weather co-operated and organizers say the match went off without a hitch. While
there were several contests and plenty of other events to be seen, the main attraction
remained plowing with an emphasis on keeping it straight. (Denny Scott photo)
With good temperatures, an
occasional breeze and sunny skies
the 2012 Huron County Plowing
Match had everything going for it
last week.
Held on Thursday, Aug. 23 and
Friday, Aug. 24 at the farm of Ken
and Brenda Dalton and family
just south of Walton, the event
brought together competitors,
spectators and a few vendors to
recognize the oft-ignored talent of
plowing.
Two days of plowing were held in
conjunction with several meals,
including a barbecue dinner and a
pancake breakfast, while several
vendors were on hand to showcase
their products as well.
The Queen of the Furrow crown
was taken by Kayla Bishop of RR2
Bluevale while the Princess crown
was awarded to Maranda Klaver,
sister of the 2011 Queen of the
Furrow Samantha Klaver.
The McGavin family had a strong
showing with Jacob taking the
Huron Junior Champion spot and
Brandon being named Senior
Champion.
The reserve spots went to Scott
Baan (Junior) and Paul Dodds
(Senior).
Other awards were as follows:
• Warden Award (Junior
Champion, previous winners
ineligible): Jacob Gulutzen.
• Ross Gordon Memorial Award
(best crown at Junior Match): Shawn
Ryan.
• William Leeming Memorial
Award (best finish at Junior Match):
Lucas Townsend.
• McGavin Family Award (highest
score in classes 2-4, previous
winners ineligible): Scott Baan.
• Don Dodds Award (highest
visitors score): Patrick Sanders.
• Val-Lea Farms Award (youngest
plower from Huron): Chris Baker.
• Best Going Plough Team: Scott
Thomas.
• Antique Ploughing Champion:
Willis Wardell.
• Antique Tractor Award - most
original restored, on display: 1953
John Deere 40 - Doug MacGregor.
• Antique Tractor Award - most
original un-restored, on display:
John Deere 5010 Special - Ken
Glenville.
• Junior Day - Top Plough Person:
Scott Baan.
Ashfield-Colborne-Wawanosh
Township Council’s regular council
meeting on Aug. 28 once again
became focused on wind turbines as
two groups: K2 Wind Ontario, a
wind energy developer based out of
Goderich, and concerned citizens
discussed the future of the township.
K2, through a letter to council,
announced that a $1,500 annual
payment would be made available to
“qualifying landowners” who own
homes within one kilometre of a
project turbine, substation or
transformer station who are not
already involved in the turbine
project through land leasing.
Councillor Barry Millian, one of
the four councillors who does not
have a conflict of interest with the
wind energy issues, stated that a lot
of people are wary of the offer.
“Some people are feeling they
shouldn’t sign up or participate in
it,” he said in a recent interview with
The Citizen. “They aren’t
comfortable signing on.”
Two groups of concerned citizens
also aired their beliefs about the
turbines; one group for and one
against, and Millian stated that the
meetings aren’t really producing
anything as of late because of the
debating.
“Not a lot came out of this
meeting or others,” he said. “It tends
to get into situations where the
people involved debate with one
another. There isn’t too much
actually happening though.”
The groups have asked council to
take an official stance on turbines in
the municipality, one for and one
against, but Millian says that he
believes council has already done
that.
“They’re asking us to take a
stance, some for and some against
and, obviously, we can’t do both,” he
said. “We can’t support one in one
resolution and the other in the next.
“Our council, did, however
request a moratorium be put on wind
turbines in the province pending a
review of the health concerns,” he
said. “Some councillors feel that’s as
far as our opposition can really go at
this point.”
He said that council will try and
The Board of Directors of the
Blyth Centre for the Arts is pleased
to announce the appointment of
Peter Smith as Interim Artistic
Director of the Blyth Festival. Board
President, Wendy Hoernig reported
that the theatre had received a large
number of very impressive
applications.
“It speaks very highly of the
calibre of theatre talent in our
country,” she said. “It also made the
final choice extremely difficult.
However we feel that we’ve made
the right decision for this interim
position. Peter is passionate about
our community, our theatre and the
importance of telling our stories. We
are delighted to have him returning,
and are all looking forward to
an exciting theatre season next
year.”
Smith sees the position as a bridge
and with his history of collaborative
work across the country he will be
the ideal person to lead the company
through a year of transition, as the
organization embarks on a search
for the next artistic director. Blyth
audiences will remember Peter’s
work in the community with plays
such as Many Hands by Dale
Hamilton during his previous turn at
the helm in the early 1990s. More
recently Peter guided the
collaborative play Hometown,
premiered here in 2011, which
brought together six playwrights,
one composer and a translator. Peter
is an actor, director, producer and
writer. “It’s an honour and a
privilege to be coming back to the
Festival and to be working with
Deb, the Board and the community
at this fabulous theatre company. I
look forward to seeing you in the
audience in our exciting 2013
season.”
Eric Coates, the current artistic
director, has accepted a position
with the Great Canadian Theatre
Company in Ottawa and will be
leaving Blyth at the end of
September, after programming the
2013 season. “I have a terrific
relationship with Peter and I am
delighted to work with him during
this transition. He is truly a man of
the theatre: a wonderful writer,
director, community leader and
advocate for our beloved festival,”
he says.
The Board of Directors will begin
a search for the next artistic director
in late fall. The Blyth Festival is a
summer repertory company with a
specific interest in new Canadian
work that reflects life in rural
communities. The company
operates in Blyth Memorial Hall, a
450-seat heritage building in the
village of Blyth, population 1,000.
The festival’s commitment to
grassroots work is shared by a core
audience that lives within an hour’s
drive of the village.
By Denny Scott
The Citizen
By Denny Scott
The Citizen
Continued on page 18