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$1.25 GST included Serving the communities of Blyth and Brussels and northern Huron County Thursday, May 20, 2010
Volume 26 No. 20COVERAGE- Pg. 20North Huron receivesconsultant’s report HONOURED - Pg. 9 Local veteran reflects on65th WWII anniversarySPORTS- Pg. 8Charity game for fallen OPPconstable coming to WinghamPublications Mail Agreement No. 40050141 PAP Registration No. 09244 Return Undeliverable Items to North Huron Publishing Company Inc., P.O. Box 152, BRUSSELS, ON N0G 1H0INSIDE THIS WEEK:
On repeated occasions since last
month’s release of a recommen-
dation from administrative staff to
close Grey Central Public School,
trustees of the Avon Maitland
District School Board have heard
objections from Ethel-area
community members. But at a
meeting Tuesday, May 11, following
another public delegation – this time
from Lorrie Dillon, delivering
results from parent surveys as well
as a package of letters of support for
Grey Central’s Environmental
Learning Grounds – Stratford
trustee Meg Westley warned they
shouldn’t be the only community
members expressing their concerns.
Westley issued a challenge to
those living in and near Brussels –
the community to which, pending
approval of the staff
recommendation, most of Grey
Central’s students would relocate
(Grade 7 and 8 students would go to
Elma Township Public School in
Newry).
“Just because the staff
recommendations are leaning
towards keeping Brussels (Public
School) open, that’s not necessarily
where the trustees will end up,” she
explained. “I’m not speaking for any
(other trustees) on this, but to me,
I’m still very much on the fence on
this.”
The Grey Central
recommendation is part of a larger
proposal to seek Education Ministry
funding for the construction of a
new Kindergarten-to-Grade 8
facility in the Listowel vicinity and
the closure of elementary schools in
Gowanstown and Listowel. Elma
would take in the Grade 7 and 8
students from Huron East who
would eventually move on to
Listowel District Secondary School,
while others would attend a yet-to-
be-implemented senior elementary
wing of F.E. Madill Secondary
School in Wingham.
That will free up enough capacity
to combine the K-6 students from
Brussels and Grey Central on one
site.
Westley outlined what she sees as
one prominent dilemma faced by
trustees, in advance of their planned
vote on the recommendation June
22. Sending Grey Central’s students
– who are already transported by bus
– to Brussels would cost less
additionally for transportation than
bringing Brussels students to Ethel.
But accommodating Grey’s students
in Brussels would require a two-
classroom addition.
Speaking at the May 11 meeting,
the Stratford trustee acknowledged
the superior nature of the green
space on the Grey Central property,
and urged administrators to provide
a comprehensive analysis of
accommodating K-6 students from
the two sites in Ethel instead of
Brussels.
Among the writers of letters of
support delivered by Dillon were
Green Party of Canada leader
Elizabeth May, Maitland Valley
Conservation Authority chair Alison
Lobb, former principal at both
Brussels and Grey Central James
Axtmann (“accept the best option
available: Keep both schools open,”
Axtmann wrote), and former Huron
County School Board trustee Tony
McQuail.
One of those letters, from May,
was also sent directly to the school
board. A response from board chair
Jenny Versteeg was included in the
information package for the May 11
meeting.
“While Grey Central has asked
North Huron responded to media
stories regarding the cost of fire
services in Morris-Turnberry and the
proposed fire services contract with
Central Huron on May 13.
Morris-Turnberry Mayor Dorothy
Kelly has stated that the cost of fire
services being provided by North
Huron to her residents is $300,000.
In reality, there is a two-year
agreement in place between the
municipalities for $205,000 a year .
“We’ve responded to several fires
in Morris-Turnberry since January 1
and the feedback we’ve received
from many residents is that they feel
well-served by the Fire Department
of North Huron,” said Reeve Neil
Vincent. “The agreement between
the two municipalities gives them
certainty, peace of mind and stable
insurance rates.”
With respect to Central Huron, it is
true that the proposed fire services
agreement with North Huron is
$105,000 annually. Under the
previous Blyth and Area Fire Board
arrangement, the six-year average
cost for Central Huron was $51,000.
There was an annual levy, plus an
annual amount for fire calls, plus a
portion of capital purchases. Under
the new arrangement, there are no
levies, no fees for fire calls and no
requests for capital items. The
proposed amount is all inclusive and
North Huron assumes liability.
“North Huron has committed
additional resources for extra
volunteer firefighter training, fire
prevention, education and
inspections, a full-time fire chief and
equipment as well as dispatch
upgrades. These investments are
necessary to ensure we’re legally
compliant and well positioned to
prevent and suppress fires in North
Huron and in the surrounding
municipalities,” said Vincent.
“Reeve Dykstra and I, and our
CAOs, have had many positive
discussions over the past several
weeks about concluding a formal
fire services agreement. I’m
optimistic that we can come to an
agreement over the next several
weeks to ensure that businesses and
residents in the northern part of
Central Huron receive full fire
protection services.”
Currently, there is an interim fire
services agreement between North
Huron and Central Huron that
expires on May 31. There have
already been preliminary
discussions about extending this
agreement if necessary.
Fire issues draw response
Grey community
defends its school
Men at work
Volunteers and members of the Brussels Optimists pulled together on Saturday to build a new
pavilion at the Brussels Community Park. They started early in the morning and didn’t quit until
the job was done, resulting in a beautiful new pavilion at the Brussels Ball Park. In addition,
they also broke down the old bleachers, making several new picnic tables for the park. (Denny
Scott photo)
By Stew Slater
Special to The Citizen
Continued on page 7
The Belgrave Community Centre
will be the place to be on May 22, as
the Kinsmen, crafts people and
volunteers responsible for the
renovations there will be celebrating
its grand re-opening.
The plan to renovate came
together over 18 months ago
according to spokesperson Chris
Michie.
“We noticed that it needed new
floors, new boards and we put new
steel on the outside,” he said. “It
looks like a brand new building.”
The renovations will allow ice to
be kept in the arena from the middle
of December through to April
without worrying about melting,
and, with the new level floor, will
allow for more off-season uses.
“It will be much more user
friendly,” Michie said, adding that it
should be safer as well.
The grand re-opening will feature
a Kinsmen barbeque and a dance
with The River Junction Band.
“It’s a celebration of the work that
has been done,” Michie said.
Michie explained that the
Kinsmen oversaw the project, while
community members helped and
said that the project could not have
been completed with the
contributions of companies that
donated time and materials, as well
as all of the Kinsmen members.
The project cost $205,000, of
which, Recreational Infrastructure
Canada (RInC) funds from the
provincial and national governments
covered $129,000, and $60,000 was
provided by Kinsmen’s events and
money donations.
The barbecue will run from 5 p.m.
until 7 p.m., with the grand re-
opening happening at 8 p.m.
The River Junction Band will take
the stage from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m.
Tickets are $12 for either the
dance or the barbecue, or $20 for
both for adults. For children 12 and
under, tickets are $8 for either event,
or $15 for both.
The sun shines, golfers are on the course and the first long
weekend of the season has arrived.
The offices of The Citizen will be closed for
Victoria Day weekend on Monday, May 24.
This means that advertising and editorial copy
must be in to the Brussels office by 2 p.m.
Friday, May 21 and 4 p.m. that day in Blyth to
be in time for the May 27 issue of The Citizen.
Enjoy a safe and enjoyable long weekend.
Citizen closed Monday
By Denny Scott
The Citizen
Grand re-opening at Belgrave Arena