The Citizen, 2008-04-03, Page 1The CitizenVolume 24 No. 14 Thursday, April 3, 2008 $1.25 ($1.19 + 6c GST)Serving the communities of Blyth and Brussels and northern Huron County
Inside this week
Pg. 6
Pg. 8
Pg. 9
Pg. 11
Pg. 17
EWPS recognizes
achievements
Local team goes for
the gold
Brussels curling
season ends
Winter sports
section begins
Celebrating 30
years in business
Jacob McGavin of Brussels Public
School walked out of the Regional
Science and Inventor’s Fair in
Seaforth a lot heavier than when he
went in.
He won several honours last week
in Seaforth; the highest among them,
being named a representative in the
Canada-Wide Science Fair to be held
in Ottawa in May.
McGavin and three others will
represent Avon Maitland Huron
Perth in Ottawa. He will show his
bio-mass heating exhibit and will be
joined by Ben Underwood of
Turnberry Central PS and Danielle
Appavoo and Kaitlin Fisher of
Colborne Central PS.
McGavin received a medal in the
Grade 7 environmental category, as
well as winning the Conservation
Award from the Ausable Bayfield
and Maitland Valley Conservation
Authorities, which included a plaque
and a gift; the Fibrolight Technology
Inc. Award, a Grade 7 Environmental
Science award and a certificate for
$100, the Marklevitz Architect Seeds
of Growth award for a promising
Grade 7 student, a $100 certificate
and the Sci-Tech Ontario Stepping
Stone Award, also a $100 certificate.
The tandem of Courtney
Bloemberg and Victoria Kellington
from Brussels PS also added several
accolades to their belts, earning a
medal in Grade 7 biological for their
Bacteria? Not In My Water Bottle!
exhibit.They also won a $100
certificate in the Grade 7 biological
science award and a $100 certificate
for the OAML Laboratory science
award.
Ron Vercruyssen of Blyth PS
doubled up by winning a Grade 7
innovation medal, as well as the
D&D Automation technology award
for Grade 7 innovation, snagging him
a $100 certificate.
Sarah Gerber and Marlene Dale
from Brussels PS won a medal in the
Grade 8 innovation category for their
project, Is Your Generator Running?
Kathryn Peach of Blyth PS also
did her school proud, winning the
plaque for best display.
Local off
to Canada’s
science fair
A little bit of teamwork has one of
the country’s top horticulturalists
coming to the area.
Five area horticultural societies
are hosting An Afternoon With Ed
Lawrence at the Holmesville
Community Hall on Saturday, April
19 at 1 p.m.
Lawrence was the chief
horticultural specialist to six
consecutive Governor Generals. For
30 years he was responsible for the
85-acre Rideau Hall, as well as the
official residences under the
authority of the National Capital
Commission.
His gardening show is broadcast
on CBC between 12:30 and 1:30
p.m. every Monday and he published
a book last spring Gardening, Grief
and Glory.
And it was that last achievement
that paved the way for his visit to
Huron. According to Karen
Redmond of the Auburn
Horticultural Society Lawrence
offered a deal through the Ontario
Horticultural Association (OHA).
“He offered $4 back to the
Society’s for each book they sold.”
Another aspect of this incentive
she said was Lawrence himself. “He
would take part in three different
events for the Societies with the
highest sales.”
Auburn was approached by the
Clinton Horticultural Society about
doing a case lot. Also involved were
the groups from Goderich, Lucknow
and Ripley.
“It was never with an intention of
winning a prize. We just cheerfully
went on our way, selling the books
and never giving it another thought.”
Then at the OHA convention, it
was announced that Clinton, and
‘friends’ had taken first prize and
could pick and event.
“We chose spring to get our
gardeners going,” said Redmond.
“And with this winter we need the
incentive.”
At Holmesville, Lawrence will be
doing a short presentation on his
Rideau Hall gardens, which will be
followed by a live question and
answer.
He will also have his books there,
which Redmond said are an
excellent resource for all levels of
gardeners. “The book organizes
plant care month by month through
the entire season. It’s systematically
laid out and user friendly. I suspect a
lot of what he discusses as been
based on questions he’s been asked.”
Tickets for the event are $10 in
advance and $12 at the door. They
are available from The Gift
Cupboard in Blyth, the Auburn Post
Office and Luann’s Country Flowers
in Goderich. Or call Redmond at
519-526-7633.
Proceeds will be divided between
the participating horticultural
societies. Redmond said they hope
to continue beautification of the
community during the summer with
the money raised.
They are also encouraging
residents to do their part. “Our
village was lovely during the 150th
celebration. We are actually going to
have a contest this year with prizes
for the winning residents.
The Society is also holding an
auction at the Auburn Community
Hall at 7 p.m. on May 12. “We have
a full calendar of events planned this
year.”
Blyth fire chief Paul Josling
appeared before Central Huron
council last week to try and change
some minds regarding first
response.
With concerned members of the
public in the gallery, Josling made a
convincing case as myths were
dispelled and council moved to
revisit and sign the first response
agreement at its committee of the
whole meeting on March 27.
There had been talk of Central
Huron moving not to sign the
agreement when it came up for
renewal. The agreement was
formerly in the hands of the
province, but when it was
downloaded, it was thought by
members of council that it was
unfair that some Central Huron
residents were eligible for this
service, while others weren’t.
Currently, the Clinton Fire
Department does not offer first
response, a service that, in Huron
County and the surrounding area, is
a decision that each department
makes for itself. This leaves areas in
Hullett covered by first response
while the rest of Central Huron
wasn’t.
While Blyth firefighters have
been providing first response since
1996, Josling said they have really
been providing it since the early
1980s. Josling said that firefighters
equipped with first response
training are provided with excellent
programs at a very reasonable cost.
Initially, council felt first
response was a possible duplication
of service. Josling, however, did not
agree.
“I do not believe for a second that
first response is a duplication of
services,” he said. “It’s an
enhancement.”
Josling worked out the cost
figures surrounding first response,
to be $500 per call to 1,000 people
per year. In the last three years,
there have been 12, 12 and nine first
response calls, which makes first
response, at its highest cost, $6 per
person annually, Josling said,
calling it “a pretty inexpensive
insurance policy.”
Josling also acknowledged
several community petitions that
were voicing in favour of first
response.
In addition to the petitions, Janice
Becker, fleet safety and compliance
co-ordinator for Sparling’s Propane
was in attendance and spoke in
favour of first response.
Becker said that of the six
Sparling’s locations across Ontario,
the Hullett location would be the
only one operating within an area
without first response. She said this
is a cause for concern with several
Sparling’s employees.
A steep sweep
Blyth firefighter Paul Kerr swept a family’s chimney on Monday after a fire ignited in one of the
walls on the upper floor of a house just northeast of Blyth on St. Michaels Road. A hole in the
wall that led to the chimney had been improperly sealed years ago and caught fire on Monday,
said fire chief Paul Josling. (Shawn Loughlin photo)
Societies host an afternoon
By Bonnie Gropp
The Citizen
Chief
dispels
myths
By Shawn Loughlin
The Citizen
Continued on page 7