The Citizen, 2009-07-30, Page 1Raising funds
The extended Lowe clan were grilling outside Murray’s Barber Shop Friday for their Relay for
Life team raising money in honour of Wayne Lowe who passed away from cancer. John,
Wayne’s nephew, foreground, and his step-son Tim Prior were busy at the grills. About $2,000
was raised. It began a busy weekend that included a car show and music downtown on
Saturday, the weekend-long Tigers’ fastball tournament, a U-14 soccer tournament, St. John’s
Anglican Church barbecue and a community church service. (Bonnie Gropp photo)
As people are heading out on the
roads this long weekend, the
Coalition for Huron Injury
Prevention (CHIP) is urging them to
slow down and drive safely.
“Speeding in Huron County is the
cause of too many deaths and
injuries," says CHIP member, Const.
Joanna Van Mierlo from the Huron
OPP.
Last year in Huron County, there
were 11 fatal crashes resulting in 13
deaths. There were another 178
collisions that sent 271 people to the
hospital.
Van Mierlo says speed was a
factor in most of these collisions.
“The reason is simple – it’s just
physics. The faster you go, the
longer it takes for you to stop and the
harder you will hit. So slow down
and enjoy your long weekend.”
Over the summer, CHIP is setting
up a speed sign in various speeding
hotspots around the county showing
motorists how fast they are driving.
Within a week in that area, police
will be enforcing the posted speed
limit with zero tolerance.
Van Mierlo says leave yourself
extra time to get to your destination.
“The long weekend brings lots of
vehicles out on the roads. The few
minutes in time you’ll save by
speeding aren’t worth losing a
life.”
The Coalition for Huron Injury
Prevention is a community-based
partnership working to prevent
injuries and injury-related deaths in
Huron County. CHIP’s message is
simple: Drive the posted limit. It’s
the law. Help keep the roads safe for
everyone. Simple advice, but it
could save your life, or the live of
someone you love.
After several safety complaints,
there will be a lot more stopping on
Huron East roads very soon.
Acting upon the recommendation
of public works manager Barry
Mills, Huron East council passed a
bylaw at its July 21 meeting that will
install a stop sign anywhere a gravel
road intersects a hard-top road,
where yield signs may have been
used in the past.
The initial request came from
councillor Alvin McLellan, who was
concerned about motorists failing to
yield at signs placed along various
intersections of Brandon Road.
Mills has received several
complaints of motorists failing to
yield at various yield signs
throughout the municipality.
He said he felt a uniform policy
taken to these situations would be
the best course of action and council
agreed.
The total cost estimate for the
signs is $38.93 per sign, plus the
cost of installation, for
approximately 80 signs, working out
to approximately $3,114.40. One
advantage to that plan, however, as
pointed out by councillor Les
Falconer is that the municipality
would have an immediate 80 yield
sign surplus, which should eliminate
the purchase of yield signs for
several years.
Several councillors were not in
favour of the blanket legislation,
saying that the roads department
should be the judge, knowing which
of the intersections in question
would warrant a stop sign and which
ones could remain as yield
intersections.
Councillor Bill Siemon said, “If
someone isn’t going to yield at a
yield sign, they’re probably not
going to stop at a stop sign.”
Councillor Larry McGrath agreed,
saying that yield signs being
converted to stop signs should be
dealt with on a case-by-case basis.
Mills stood by his initial
assessment, saying that a uniform
system is best when presenting it to
the municipality and its ratepayers.
“It’s a tough decision,” Mills said.
“Some deserve it, some don’t, but
how you cut it is hard to say.”
Councillor Joe Steffler supported
the recommendation.
“I think it should be uniform.”
Steffler said. “I think this is a case of
us being proactive instead of
reactive because there was an
accident at that particular
intersection.”
There were also concerns about
the condition the public works
department might find the roads in
several years down the road after a
decision like this is made.
Councillor Orval Bauer said that
currently, farmers hauling loads are
able to coast through yield signs if
it’s determined that no other cars are
coming. Now with a stop sign,
they’ll be forced to stop and start
again from a complete stop position,
which Bauer suggested might tear
up the road because of the weight of
the farmer’s load.
A bylaw will now be passed to
encompass all of the municipality’s
applicable intersections.
There’s no perfect location for the
new shed at the Blyth camp-
grounds.
But after weighing the pros and
cons, with input from members of
the Thresher Association, North
Huron council made a decision at its
July 20 meeting.
The selected site, one of seven
considered, is at the north-west edge
of the parking lot behind the arena.
The shed is for additional
washrooms, showers and laundry.
Director of recreation/facilities Pat
Newson said that site D is a
compromise between the township
and the Threshers. While it’s a poor
distance from the south-west
campsites, the Threshers supported
it as an option, said Newson.
Another con is the distance of the
site from water and sewer which will
increase the cost to about $6,000. “It
will be twice as expensive to get the
water there than to a few other sites,”
said Don Nicholson, chief operator.
He noted that site A, located just
west of the north ball diamond,
would have cost about $2,500 for
water and sewer.
However, this site interferes with
displays at the annual Thresher
Reunion and would require the
removal of a large tree.
Another issue with the D option is
the fact that the area has also been
selected for a future water tower and
well which may mean moving the
shed further west and eliminating
more campsites.
Councillor Alma Conn asked
about an area slightly north and west
of the A site, as it is close to the
existing shed.
However, Newson noted that this
place would require the removal of
up to nine prime campsites.
“We never fill the park the way the
Threshers do, so that’s when you see
that what they need and what we
need are different.”
Ray Hallahan, president of the
Association, noted that while the
Threshers make full use of the
grounds, it’s important to remember
that the campsites are owned by
North Huron. “The ones you’d lose
here are some of the best.”
Pressed for a decision by the end
of the month so the tendering
process could begin, councillor
Murray Nesbitt suggested making a
decision on the shed and worrying
about the tower later. A motion was
made to choose the D site, which
passed.
Hallahan thanked council for the
opportunity for input into the
decision.
CHIP reminds
that speed kills
CitizenTh
e
$1.25 GST included Serving the communities of Blyth and Brussels and northern Huron County Thursday, July 30, 2009
Volume 25 No. 30ACHIEVEMENT- Pg. 11LDSS students namedOntario Scholars REVIEW - Pg. 23 Play combines good, badand ugly of hockeyATHLETES- Pg. 7Local track and field athletescompete at national meetPublications 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:
Site chosen for new shed
By Bonnie Gropp
The Citizen
HE back roads
to get stop signs
By Shawn Loughlin
The Citizen