The Citizen, 2009-03-05, Page 1Down the mountain
Last week at Blyth Public School’s Winter Carnival there were several stations to keep the
students busy all day long, one of which was a capture the flag-like race up the mountain of
snow in the school’s yard. The prize? Arubber chicken, which Sven Van Hittersum nabbed and
then made his way down the hill safely. (Shawn Loughlin photo)
Blyth Area Farmers’ Market will
be looking for new vendors and
volunteers when it holds its 2009
annual meeting Saturday.
Market co-ordinator Keith
Roulston said new vendors are
required to help provide the variety
requested by customers, both local
shoppers and Festival visitors.
In recent years local church
groups have taken part in the market,
helping to increase the amount of
produce and baking available. Last
year young entrepreneurs were also
invited to take part.
Still, the biggest need is for more
local vendors, Roulston said.
“We need to find more local
farmers or gardeners to offer fruits
and vegetables and bakers to sell
bread, pies and other baked goods.
Local shoppers and theatre-goers
have made these their favourite
products over the years.”
Volunteers are also needed to help
share the burden in setting up the
market some weeks, and to help
promote it to shoppers and to vendors.
The market’s annual meeting will
be held at Saturday, March 7 at 2:30
p.m. at The Citizen office. Anyone
interested in selling at the market, or
volunteering to help it going can
attend or contact Roulston at 519-
523-4792, days, or 519-523-9636,
evenings and weekends.
The idea of a centre of excellence
for students in North Huron may be,
until Avon Maitland District School
Board trustees make a decision, just
that, an idea.
But as far as the Central East-
North Huron Accommodation
Review Committee (ARC) is
considered it’s a darn good one.
The ARC has held a series of
meeting to address enrollment and
capital concerns for five elementary
schools in Blyth, East Wawanosh,
Hullett, Wingham and Turnberry. It
has been noted that at least one
school will likely be closed, and in
initial discussions the suggestion
was made that Grade 7 and 8
students could be moved to a
secondary school.
In response the committee came
up with the idea of closing all the
schools but Hullett and constructing
the North Maitland Educational
Centre for Excellence, to
accommodate 750-900 students.
Opportunity for input has been
provided and on Thursday night at a
meeting held in Turnberry Central
Public School, the committee
presented its draft
recommendations.
First, after “overwhelming
opposition” from the community, as
well as from a survey completed by
school staff and students, the ARC
asked that Grade 7 and 8s not be
moved to F.E. Madill or Central
Huron Secondary Schools.
ARC co-chair Mark Beaven, in
making the recommendation drew
attention to the board’s Grade 9
orientation program which focussed
on information on sexual activity
and drug use.
“Even though interaction will be
limited, the concerns remain,” said
Beaven, adding that there have
been problems in other jurisdic-
tions where this action has been
taken.
The second recommendation
asked for the closure of the four
schools and construction of a new
school. “There is strong support for
this. Those expressing concern have
supported maintaining the status
quo, which is not an option.”
The final recommendation was to
strike a steering committee to
oversee everything from design to
obtaining funding.
“We have amazing members of
this community who can assist with
everything. This will strengthen the
new community we have here. It’s
exciting and I’m proud to be part of
this,” said Beaven.
The costing is estimated at $14 to
$16.6 million for the school.
Funding partners could potentially
be the Ministry of Eduction,
AMDSB (through cost savings and
school closure), North Huron and
Morris-Turnberry (either through
cash or in-kind donations), the
county, the federal government,
private ‘green’grants and the private
sector.
“I know there are people there
saying, ‘great idea but where’s the
money coming from?’” said
Blyth ARC representative David
Sparling.
“But the school board has
budgetted over $8 million in repairs
for these existing schools. That can
be applied to the new school so that
$14 million suddenly becomes a
much smaller figure to chew on.”
Sparling also complimented the
board for “creating a system that
everyone likes so much. Everyone
would be happy if the status quo was
sustainable but it isn’t. While
everyone wants to defend and
protect their school, no matter what
at least one or two may have to
close.”
“Everybody likes what we have
now,” he added, “but it won’t be
around in five years. It just won’t
happen.”
Shelley Kaastra, trustee for
Central Huron East, took an
opportunity to stress, however, that
the centre is not a done deal. “I want
to make it perfectly clear the
decision has not been made and will
not be made until June.”
Her counterpart from Northeast
Huron, Colleen Schenk, concurred.
“I have had phone calls from people
trying to sell me land. This is a board
decision and the trustees have not
seen this presentation. It’s a long
way away. It may be an excellent
concept, but that that’s just what it is
Market seeks vendors
CitizenTh
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$1.25 GST included Serving the communities of Blyth and Brussels and northern Huron County Thursday, March 5, 2009
Volume 25 No. 9ACHIEVEMENT- Pg. 12Blyth Skating Clubpresents awards GOOD NEWS - Pg. 14 Threshers receive Trillium fundingSPORTS- Pg. 10F.E. Madill curlers move onto WOSSAA competitionPublications 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:
Trustee says centre
still only an idea
If dreary winter has you longing
for longer days and warmer
weather, you will soon be able to
enjoy at least one of those things.
This Sunday morning is the return
to Daylight Saving Time so before
heading to bed March 7 turn your
clocks ahead one hour.
By Bonnie Gropp
The Citizen
The County of Huron has announced the appointment of Nancy Rennick
as acting director of the Huron County Health Unit. Rennick replaces Omid
Pour-ahmadi effective Feb. 27. Rennick is the county’s deputy-treasurer.
The county recently announced the appointment of an acting medical
officer of health, Dr. Sean Ryan. Dr. Nancy Cameron has also been
contracted as an acting medical officer of health to cover Dr. Ryan’s
vacations. Dr. Cameron’s experience includes being medical officer of health
at several health units in Ontario.
Chief administrative officer Larry Adams says the ongoing daily operation
of the health unit continues uninterrupted.
New director at health unit
Continued on page 3