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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2008-06-05, Page 20PAGE 20. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, JUNE 5, 2008. Feedback has been sent to Ontario’s Ministry of Education regarding the latest version of the province’s school closure guidelines. And now the Avon Maitland District School Board hopes to gather additional feedback from the community members who recently served on public consultation committees in St. Marys, Goderich and Mitchell. At a regular meeting Tuesday, May 27, trustees approved a letter from the board to be sent to Education Minister Kathleen Wynne, regarding Ontario’s accommodation review process. The guidelines were released about two years ago, following a period in which the Liberal government requested a voluntary moratorium on school closures. “As the Avon Maitland District School Board approaches the end of its first accommodation review using the new guidelines, we would like to provide you with some feedback on the process, and request that you consider adopting a new approach to dealing with declining enrolment,” begins the letter. According to board chair Meg Westley, inspiration for the letter came from her participation earlier this year in a news conference hosted in Stratford by the lobbying organization People for Education. Organization president Annie Kidder used the news conference to release preliminary details of an examination of the effects of declining enrolment in rural and remote locations. “I said at the time that we weren’t necessarily looking for the government to put money into keeping half-empty schools open. But what we are interested in is having the government give us money to enhance the receiving schools if and when it’s decided that a school should close,” Westley explained. She added the Avon Maitland board’s imminent decision in Mitchell provides a perfect example of how this altered perspective might work. The board chair noted trustees are considering closing Mitchell Public School and relocating students into Upper Thames Elementary School. Yet it’s unclear if, in the short term, the learning environment would be improved by such a move. “The (Mitchell) community really feels like they’re going to lose” if trustees accept staff recommendations in a planned June 10 vote. “Because, without any major additions to Upper Thames, they’ll really just end up having less space in the short term.” In the letter to Wynne, the board credits the Education ministry with creating a more effective framework for community consultation than what existed previously. “The longer timelines have allowed for in-depth community consultation, and we’ve had the opportunity to engage in a good deal of open, frank discussion,” the letter states. The letter adds, however, that “given the funding formula, it often feels that the students will simply lose flexible space and specialized rooms, without gaining anything.” “Hence we appeal to you to provide funding to make enhancements at the receiving school when a school closes. It seems to us that this would be a better use ofmoney, and more economical for the Ministry in the long run, than continuing to provide declining enrolment grants intended to offset the costs of declining enrolment.” The letter was sent, partly, in response to the Ministry’s request for feedback from boards which went through the new accommodation review guidelines. But the Avon Maitland board’s feedback process isn’t finished; in the wake of a vote May 27 on the St. Marys situation and planned votes June 10 regarding Mitchell and Goderich, trustees also want to hear the perspectives of the citizens who volunteered on the community-based committees that coordinated the public consultation portions of the just-completed reviews. Monday, June 16 at 7 p.m. in Seaforth, members of the board- mandated committees – which included representation from school councils, municipal governments, business associations and the public – are invited to a feedback session at the board’s Seaforth headquarters. The Summer Reading Club is back at local libraries. Sponsored by TD, the program was created to get kids reading over the summer months, said summer literacy co-ordinator Janine Stamper. Along with summer student Megan Finkbeiner, Stamper will be bringing the program to all 12 Huron County libraries weekly beginning June 30. “Pre-registration has been sent to all the library branches so anyone interested is encouraged to call their local library or drop by and give their age and name,” said Stamper. This year, children ages four to 12 will be exploring and expanding their imaginations with activities, games and book in keeping with the this year’s theme, Laugh Out Loud, Stamper said. “Each week there will be a sub- theme to tie into that,” said Stamper. For example during circus week, partipants will be encouraged to find some interesting trivia about circuses. The program dates at local libraries are: Brussels, Tuesdays, 2:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.; Blyth, Tuesdays, 1 p.m. – 2 p.m.; Wingham, Tuesdays, ages four to six, 10 a.m. to 10:45 a.m., ages seven to 12, 11 a.m. to noon; Seaforth, Mondays, ages four to six, 2:45 p.m. to 3:30 p.m., seven to 12, 3:35 p.m. to 4:45 p.m. and Clinton, Mondays, 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. The first day for Blyth, Brussels and Wingham is Canada Day, so Stamper says the programs will start at those branches the following week. “If the hours stipulated by the grant aren’t exceeded the program will also be extended for a week at those libraries.” There will also be activities outside the regular weekly hour designed to encourage more reading through to the end of the program the week of Aug. 11. “Contests will be run all summer for the most books read,” said Stamper. Youngsters will be asked to keep a book log as well. There is no cost for the program and while pre-registration is not required, said Stamper, it is “strongly suggested just to give us a general idea so we know what kind of supplies to bring in.” Reading program back at libraries AMDSB gathersmore feedback On display The Art Gallery Community Show opened at Blyth Festival’s gallery on Friday evening. Local pottery artists Dave and Tamara Riach, left, discussed the pieces with well-known Huron artist Robert Têtu. The exhibition will run until June 20. On display is a wide range of media from oil paintings to glass and ceramics. (Vicky Bremner photo) By Stew Slater Special to The Citizen By Bonnie Gropp The Citizen Recognizing a lost cause when they saw it, Morris-Turnberry councillors grudgingly agreed at their May 20 meeting to planning amendments for properties at the south end of Wingham. Councillors still expressed their frustrations to Scott Tousaw, Huron County director of planning and development and planner Sandra Weber over restrictions on development on highway commercial properties within the municipality but adjoining Wingham. Deputy-mayor Jim Nelemans summed up the ongoing frustration of councillors when he noted that Morris-Turnberry could not establish the zoning on the properties it wanted because of objections from businesses in Wingham. He said he couldn’t understand how one municipality could prevent another municipality from developing property within its boundaries. At issue are three parcels of former farmland on the southeast edge of Wingham. In one case, the Sjaarda property, an amendment to change a property from restricted agriculture to highway commercial, was passed by Huron County council but the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing in 1999 changed the designation back. In another case, the Willis property, an Ontario Municipal Board hearing put a restriction on the property that it could not be used for a grocery store until a market study was done to prove the need for such a store. In the case of the third property, the Henderson property, a comprehensive review showed there was no demonstrated need for more highway commercial land so provincial guidelines would not support rezoning farmland. The three properties have been holding up the municipality’s official plan. “We would really like to have your official plan come into full effect,” Tousaw told council, noting the issues must be resolved before that could happen. He presented three options, all of which left the Henderson property with its agricultural designation. The recommended option would continue the prohibition against a grocery store on the Willis Property and add it to the Sjaarda property, but zone the latter for other highway commercial uses. Tousaw said that lawyers for some of the half-dozen previous objectors would be watching what the council was doing and trying to push through allowing a grocery store on either of the properties would likely bring more objections and possibility an OMB hearing that the council would likely lose again. By saying a grocery story can’t be built on either property there are less likely to be further objections to the highway commercial designations on the properties, Tousaw suggested. “We recommend that although it is not what council wants,” he said. In case a grocery store developer did come along interested in either of the properties, they would likely do a market study. “We’ve dealt with a number of market studies over the years and have never seen one that wasn’t successful,” Tousaw said. Often a store that protested against such a development was the one that actually built there in the long run because they needed to expand. But Nelemans worried that the prohibition against a grocery store would send a negative signal to a potential developer who might go to a municipality that seemed more welcoming. He also noted that often a grocery store is an anchor tenant for a development and if one is prohibited, there might be no development at all. “I think the planning department is going the extra mile to allow the Sjaarda property to be zoned highway commercial,” said Nancy Michie, administrator, clerk- treasurer. “We could lose commercial development by sitting on a food store that may never come.” But Nelemans remained bitter, wondering why comment is solicited during the planning process but is ignored. “You might as well have handed us an official plan,” he told Tousaw. “The province is misleading the public when its says the public is involved in planning.” Tousaw was sympathetic, saying his department had written to the province outlining how the requirement for a comprehensive review would ham-string rural municipalities, but it has been ignored. Recently, however, there had been some renewed interest in Huron’s position, he said. “I feel my arm being twisted pretty hard,” Nelemans said as the moment for a vote approached. “We don’t want to hold up development of all the properties,” said mayor Dorothy Kelly. In a recorded vote, Nelemans and councillor Paul Gowing remained opposed to the planning department’s proposal but mayor Kelly and councillors Lynn Hoy, Edna McLellan and Bill Thompson voted in favour, with Thompson explaining that he wanted to “get the damn thing over”. M-T council gives in on planning issue By Keith Roulston The Citizen ON $5.00 THURSDAYS Drop into either of our offices any Thursday with your word classified (maximum 20 words) and pay only $5.00 + GST (paid in advance). That’s $1.00 off regular rates. The Citizen