The Citizen, 2010-05-27, Page 20PAGE 20. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, MAY 27, 2010.Blyth’s Farmer’s Market volunteermanager Julie Sawchuck is
attempting to breathe new life into
the weekend market.
Held on Saturdays on Dinsley
Street from 12 p.m. until 4:30 p.m.,
this year from June 26 to September
11, the market is slated to feature six
vendors, selling vegetables, lamb,
herbs, fruits, baked goods, preserves,
wool and crafts.
Sawchuck spoke to North Huron
council on May 17, stating that the
market had fallen on tough times
since its 2004 inception and needed
to target local shoppers to generate
more interest.
“[The Farmer’s market] started in
2004 with seven vendors selling
baking, produce, vegetables, fruits,
preserves and crafts,” she said. “Butlast year we only had two vendors.”The market runs later in the day toaccommodate vendors from distantareas and to capitalize on Blyth
Festival patrons at matinee shows.
“Our real challenges are visibility
and timing,” Sawchuck said. “We
have the market Saturday afternoon
to piggyback on theatre customers
and allow vendors to get there, but
locals don’t know.
“We are a small market, and 70 per
cent of our business comes from
theatre customers and staff,” she
said.
Sawchuck requested that council
grant her permission to place
permanent, or semi-permanent signs
at some of the major entrances to
Blyth, including the north and south
extremes of Queen Street (County
Road 4) and the east and west
extremes of Blyth Road (CountyRoad 25).Funding for the signs will comefrom the market’s savings, whichhave been accumulating since the
first year it was opened, as well as
from local businesses. Sawchuck also requested fundsfrom the Blyth Lions Club and theHuron-Perth Field to Table program.Signage would also be
accompanied by a banner across
Queen Street at or near DinsleyStreet with an arrow pointingtowards the market.Council pledged support for theidea, provided the banner and signs
were in line with by-laws.
Continued from page 1
offers Medical First Response,
firefighters must go through a 40-
hour course entitled Emergency
Patient Care Level One, which all
North Huron firefighters completed
earlier this year.
The course is taught through the
Ontario Fire College and is part of
the Ontario Firefighters Curriculum.
Residents of Auburn and the
surrounding area have had First
Response on the scene as Blyth has
been trained in it and wish to
continue with that same level of
service.
“The majority of calls to Auburn
are first response calls,” Laporte
said.
The big concern for residents is
that Central Huron, as well as the
Township of Ashfield-Colborne-
Wawanosh is making the decision
without a proper comparison.
“We want to make sure they are
comparing apples to apples here,”
Laporte said, adding that there needs
to be an independent review to
ensure that the coverage will remain
the same.
According to the presentation,
Central Huron agrees with Auburn
residents; the closest location should
report.
Laporte said that Central Huron
representatives said they would need
a detailed list of cost increases to
justify the decision. This
information came through a meeting
held on May 10 in Londes-
borough.
Laporte then stated that, if the
councils couldn’t come to an
agreement that provided necessary
protection for all residents, that
Huron County should take over fire
coverage responsibilities, a notion
that North Huron Deputy-Reeve
Murray Scott agreed with.
“I want to speak to the possibility
of [Huron County] running fire
services,” he said. “It’s an idea that
has been knocked around by county
for a few years, and I agree with it. It
should be county-wide so everyone
has the same service.”
Councillor Archie MacGowan
said that his fellow North Huron
councillors have made these same
arguments to Central Huron, and
that they have sent the requested
information several times, even
going as far as to having a full
meeting with both councils to
explain all the costs.
“We have provided [the education
that they are now requesting],”
MacGowan said. “They may not
have liked our answers, but we did
give them.”
Reeve Neil Vincent stated that
North Huron and Central Huron had
contracted out an independent report
on the two stations and that sub-
committees from the two
municipalities held a meeting on
May 25 to discuss the results of the
study.
The sub-committees will attempt
to find a solution to the issue that
will then be voted upon by the two
councils.
Continued from page 1
great to see the community get
behind a project like that.”
The project would not have
worked if it weren’t for the
donations of time and products from
local businesses and residents,
according to Sholdice.
Also included in the renovations
was a new lawnmower for grass
cutting and dragging the ball
park.
Originally, the Optimists believed
the project would cost between
$60,000 and $70,000, but the final
bill is between $115,000 and
$120,000, so they are looking for
donations and fundraising
opportunities to make up the
difference.
Anyone interested in helping with
a donation can contact Sholdice at
519-887-6836, or any Optimist Club
Member.
Continued from page 15
June 4 at 8 p.m. at the hall.
On May 7, seven tables were
hosted by Eleanor Stevenson.
Winners were: share-the-wealth,
Allan Edgar and Dorothy Martin;
travelling lone hand, Helen Dobson;
high lady, Judy Hahn and Dorothy
Dilworth; high man, Jean Dewar,
Marg Peebles; ladies’ lone hands,
Myrna Burnett and Viola Adams;
men’s lone hands, Norm Dobson;
lucky tally winners, Mary Davidson,
Bob Alexander, Sharon Freeman,
Grace Stewart, Florence Holmes,
Allan Edgar, Isabelle Bremner,
Adrian Verstoep, Beryl Smith, Keith
Turnbull and Joan Jacobs.
Fire talks continue
Volunteers pitch in
for new pavilion
Cranbrook card results
Volunteer hopes to revitalize Blyth market
A work of art
Blyth Public School’s Grade 1 teacher Leeanne Middleton, seen here with her son Noah, was
part of Saturday night’s opening reception for the Blyth Festival Art Gallery’s Community Art
Show, showing off some of her work . (Vicky Bremner photo)
By Denny ScottThe Citizen