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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2008-10-16, Page 7Collection points have already been opened for the Bicycles For Humanity project spearheaded by Mark Nonkes, formerly of the Blyth area, who is currently in Namibia, Africa, where he hopes to see your old bikes end up. Nonkes began the project in 2005 with Bicycles For Humanity and for Nonkes’s part in Namibia, the Bicycling Empowerment Network (BEN Namibia). Nonkes has his eye on just under 400 bicycles from Huron County, each one that could potentially change a life in Africa, where a bike is often seen as a luxury. Jack and Sylvia Nonkes, Mark’s parents, recently visited their son in Namibia and they saw firsthand how lives were being transformed with the simplest of donations from Canadians. “What inspired us was how quickly a person’s quality of life improved after they received a bicycle,” Jack said. “These bicycles, which were donated by other Canadians through Bicycles For Humanity, are being used by home-based care volunteers to visit patients with HIV. The bikes are helping students get to school faster, they’re helping once- unemployed people get jobs and they’re easing the burden on women who are often tasked with the household responsibilities of collecting water, food and firewood.” The hope for the Huron County branch is that after partnering with a local Namibia-based organization, second-hand bicycles, spare parts and tools will be donated and sent to Namibia in a shipping container. Upon arrival, the shipping container will become a bicycle workshop where bicycles will be distributed to people affected by HIV and AIDS. The organization also hopes the bicycle workshop will become an income-generating project for the Namibia-based organization so it can continue to do its work. To convert the container, a door is cut in the container, ventilation is added to the roof, shelves are added and it becomes the sales area and mechanic shop. Over the years, the organization has received over 7,000 bicycles. They are shipped to Namibia at a cost, approximately $30 per bike, relatively affordable for the average North American. “We witnessed everyday people: farmers, mothers, children walking long distances to access necessities we take for granted,” Sylvia said. “We’ve heard stories of people in rural Namibia walking more than seven kilometres to collect water, we’ve heard of people who wait several days for transportation to get to a healthcare facility and we’ve learned of students who routinely miss school, simply because it’s too far.” Mark has been working with teenage students through an after- school sports and tutoring program and has seen big changes firsthand. “I’ve witnessed teenagers involved in this cycling program become more hopeful about their future and have seen their lives improve. From one of the poorest and most dangerous neighbourhoods in Windhoek, many of these teenagers have had their share of struggles. Most have lost one or both parents and most eat once a day or not at all,” he said. “Through 50 donated bicycles from Canadians, this small group has taken off and are riding away with new opportunities. As a few examples, one 16-year-old student was offered to train on the national junior team, another 18-year-old was offered a part-time job. He will be the only person in his family to have found employment. Five students received skills training in bicycle mechanics.” Namibia has an overall unemployment rate of approximately 40 per cent and HIV and AIDS have left over 100,000 children orphaned. The HIV/AIDS infection rate in Namibia is just under 20 per cent. Jack and Sylvia have drafted a letter that will soon see its way to many Huron County businesses asking for support and have opened their business, Spring BreezesGreenhouse as one of the main drop-off points.Drop-offs of used bicycles, partsand tools will be accepted duringoperating hours at Spring Breezes inBlyth on 83189 Scott Line and Woodland Links Golf Course on 37858 Huron Rd. in Clinton until Nov. 1. On Nov. 1, donations will be accepted at Exeter Christian Reformed Church on 330 Huron St. W between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. “The bicycle, I believe, has the power to transform and improvelives within a short time. For thesecondary students on this team, itallows them to forget the poverty, thecrime, the HIV/AIDS epidemic thatsurrounds them for a short time andallows them to dream about a bigger and brighter reality,” Mark said. “On the most practical level, it means they don’t have to walk several kilometres to and from school each morning. It allows them to arrive at school more alert and better able to focus.” THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2008. PAGE 7. Bicycles For Humanity Mark Nonkes, formerly of Blyth is spearheading the Huron County chapter of Bicycles For Humanity, a project that would see just under 400 bicycles make their way from Huron County to Namibia, Africa. Nonkes has been working with a group of teenagers in Namibia through an after-school sports and tutoring program and says he has seen big changes in their day-to-day lives as a result of Canadian bicycle donations. (Photo submitted) Former resident bringing bikes to Namibia Projects with a big price tag aren’t good news for any municipality these days. At the Oct. 6 meeting of North Huron council, clerk-admininstrator Kriss Snell said that work is needed on Josephine Street, Wingham’s main street. Snell said the county would pay for curb to curb. Unfortunately, that’s not where the work ends. “In the 70s when this was last done they replaced the watermain but not the sanitary or storm sewers. We did some preliminary camera work and they’re done.” While the county will pay for some of the storm sewer, the entire sanitary sewer, as well as some other work, will be a township cost. “The price tag is going to be significant,” said Snell, adding that he wanted council’s permission to apply for the Building Canada Fund. “It’s going to be our biggest project. It will make Dinsley Street look like a cakewalk.” Snell added that regardless of when the project is started, discussions need to begin with affected ratepayers, as the construction will affect downtown. Project with big price tag ahead for North Huron By Shawn Loughlin The Citizen By Bonnie Gropp The Citizen NOTICE OFTHE PASSING OFA ZONING BYLAWAMENDMENT BY THE CORPORATION OFTHE MUNICIPALITY OF CENTRAL HURON TAKE NOTICE that the Council of the Municipality of Central Huron passed Bylaw 46-2008 the 6th day of October 2008 under Section 34 of the Planning Act, R.S.O. 1990, as amended. AND TAKE NOTICE that any person or agency may appeal to the Ontario Municipal Board in respect of the bylaw by filing with the Clerk of the Municipality of Central Huron, not later than the 4th day of November, 2008 a notice of appeal setting out the objection to the bylaw and the reasons in support of the objection, accompanied by payment of the fee prescribed under the Ontario Municipal Board Act. AMOUNT OF FEE payable on appeal is $125.00. Only individuals, corporations and public bodies may appeal a zoning bylaw to the Ontario Municipal Board. A notice of Appeal may not be filed by an unincorporated association or group. However, a notice of appeal may be filed in the name of an individual who is a member of the association or the group on its behalf. AN EXPLANATION of the purpose and effect of the bylaw, describing the lands to which the bylaw applies is provided below and a Key Map showing the location of the affected lands is attached. The complete bylaw is available for inspection at the Clerk’s Office during regular offi ce hours. Dated at the Municipality of Central Huron this 15th day of October, 2008 Richard Harding, C.A.O. Municipality of Central Huron BOX 400, CLINTON, ON N0M 1L0 (519) 482-3997 fax (519) 482-9183 PURPOSE AND EFFECT: Bylaw 46-2008 has the following purpose and effect: 1. This Zoning Bylaw amendment amends Bylaw #6-1984 Goderich Township Zoning Bylaw, and Bylaw #16-1987 Hullett Township Zoning Bylaw, both being Bylaws of the Corporation of the Municipality of Central Huron. 2. The purpose of the proposed zoning Bylaw amendment is to implement how the Minimum Distance Sepa- ration formula is applied to the creation of surplus dwelling severances and building on existing lots (lots of record) designated agriculture in the Central Huron Official Plan. 3. This zoning Bylaw amendment deletes the current provision that establishes properties zoned AG4 (agri- cultural small holding) as a “Type B” land use and establishes that a property zoned AG4 shall be treated as a “Type A” land use for the purpose of applying MDS I. 4. The effect of this zoning Bylaw amendment is that no residential building or structure will be permitted to be severed or constructed on a property zoned AG4 unless it complies with the minimum distance separation formulae – Type A land use. 5. This zoning Bylaw amendment has been initiated by the Municipality of Central Huron. A related Offi cial Plan Amendment has been approved and came into force on September 29, 2008. 6. This zoning Bylaw amendment ap- plies to all land zoned AG4 (agriculture small holding) in the Goderich Township Zoning Bylaw and the Hullett Township Zoning Bylaw. 7. The map showing the location of the lands to which this Bylaw applies is en- titled Schedule ‘A’.