HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2007-01-25, Page 19PAGE 20. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, JANUARY 25, 2007.Technical education students at St.Michael Catholic Secondary Schoolin Stratford will be welcomed into a brand new learning environ-ment when regular classes
resume following the current exam
period.
That’s because Phase One of a
$2.8-million construction project
has been completed on schedule.
“The tech space is very nice. It’s
very impressive,” remarkededucation director Larry Langan at aregular meeting of the Huron-PerthCatholic District School Board onMonday, Jan. 22. At the meeting, trustees wereprovided with a verbal update aboutprogress on the St. Mike’s project.
Construction has already begun on
Phase Two. Aside from the technical
education facilities, the addition will
eventually include seven
classrooms, a science lab and a half-
sized gym.
Also on the agenda Jan. 22 werestaff recommendations seeking go-ahead to begin the tendering processon three less extensive projects inelementary schools. Funding for all three – at OurLady of Mount Carmel, andStratford-based Jeanne Sauve
French Immersion and St. Ambrose
-- will come through the provincial
government’s “Good Places to
Learn” initiative.
“This is in keeping with the
strategy we’ve been pursuing with
Good Places to Learn, in that ratherthan spreading the money thinlyover the entire board, we’ve beentrying to go into each site and get allthe work done that’s needed,”Langan explained.The largest of the three projects isJeanne Sauve, where plans include
retrofitting windows and replacing
the heating and ventilation systems.
Langan noted the Stratford French
Immersion facility faces the most
significant enrolment pressures of
any Huron-Perth Catholic
elementary school, so the goal is toensure the building is well-positioned to withstand thosepressures.The board’s estimated cost of theproject is $670,000.At an estimated cost of $310,000,Our Lady of Mount Carmel will be
fitted with a new boiler and boiler
control system, as well as with
significant electrical system
upgrades. And the roof will be
repaired at St. Ambrose, at an
estimated cost of $140,000.
North Huron council is
investigating ways to remove the
former rest stop on London Road
north of Blyth that it says has become
an eyesore.
The rest stop was closed several
years ago by the county once it was
determined that its upkeep was too
difficulty.
“We have to do something about
it,” reeve Neil Vincent said at
committee of the whole, Jan. 15. “It
was one of the most talked about
issues I heard about during the
election.”
After the rest stop was closed, the
county put up cement barricades to
prevent people from accessing it.
Although likely necessary--North
Huron public works director Ralph
Campbell said that the park had
become a dumping ground of trash
and a popular party spot for youth--it
wasn’t the image that North Huron
wanted to convey to potential visitors.
“Either we fix it, or we get rid of
it,” councillor Murray Nesbitt said.
“It isn’t what we want people from
outside the area to see when they
travel through the region.”
Vincent said that he had been
approached by a youth group that told
him that they would be willing to cut
the grass in exchange for the
municipality signing off on volunteer
hours.
Vincent suggested that the stop
could be reopened with an investment
of about $1,000 for a port-a-potty and
another $1,000 for a service contract.
Campbell said that the stop could
be more of a headache than it was
worth.
In his experience, past users of the
park did not clean up after themselves
and their animals leaving a significant
mess for the municipal workers to
clean up.
“I think that (the youth groups)
don’t know what they are
volunteering for,” Campbell said. “I
used to clean that park up myself
quite often and it can be a real mess.”
Clerk-administrator Kriss Snell
agreed that it could be an expensive
undertaking for the municipality “It’s
great to have an agreement (to cut the
grass) now, but what happens in two
or three years when the interest
wanes,” he asked? “Then the
municipality has to take it over and
take on those costs.”
Councillor Arnold Taylor agreed
that it was likely best that the area be
cleared and either returned to
agriculture land, or allowed to grow
naturally.
“It would be nice to have an area
like it n the highway--there aren’t
very many places for people to stop
between London and Owen Sound--
but these are the type of costs that we
have to consider when people ask us
to find ways to lower the tax rate.”
Vincent and deputy-reeve Murray
Scott will inquire at the county level
as to what needed to happen to clean
the area up and potentially sell it to
the adjoining landowner.
For a few minutes during a regular
meeting on Monday, Jan. 22,
trustees and senior staff of the
Huron-Perth Catholic District
School Board (as well as
unsuspecting members of the media)
were up and down from their seats,
circling their desks, waving their
arms and even attempting a routine
dubbed a “wounded duck.
It was all part of a presentation
from the board’s so-called DPA
(daily physical activity) team.
And it inspired board chair Ron
Marcy to remark he was relieved he
and his colleagues weren’t expected
to continue the exercise for the full
20 minutes per day now required of
each Ontario elementary school
student.
Vince Trocchi, a co-ordinator at
the board’s Dublin headquarters, led
the presentation. But it was the DPA
team members – all of whom are
also teachers and received a token of
appreciation from the board at the
meeting – who had the trustees out
of their seats.
Trocchi outlined the chronology
of the provincial government’s
initiative promoting 20 minutes per
day of physical activity.
From the outset, the education
ministry made it clear that each
school board’s response to the
initiative – which included funding –
should attempt to incorporate the
activity into existing curriculum
goals, and that is should not take
place during recess.
“The true challenge is in schools
where you might only have a gym
slot three times per week, or less,”
Trocchi explained.
Phase One of the Huron-Perth
board’s response saw every
elementary class visited by two of
the nine DPA team members. One
led an exercise session while another
observed the classroom.
Following the session, advice was
provided about how to maintain the
20-minutes-per-day goal and
improve on participation.
“To me, the whole point of this is
promoting a cultural change,”
Trocchi said. “You want to prove to
every teacher that it can be done in
the classroom.”
The DPA team is now set to begin
Phase Two, with additional visits
based on classroom requests.
Trocchi noted a good proportion of
teachers have requested return visits,
and he expressed confidence that
many of the other teachers have
already taken the initiative into their
own hands and don’t require further
assistance.
Trustees get ‘physical’ at meeting
Rest area needs closure
St. Michael construction project complete
A list of suggestions for Blyth will
be considered by North Huron
council during budget deliberations.
The suggestions came in a report
by new councillor Greg McClinchey
who had organized a conference call
with BiG, Communities in Bloom,
the business association, the
Horticultural Society, the Blyth
Brook Greenway Trail and Blyth
Festival, Jan. 4 to update him on the
issues and concerns.
Clerk-administrator Kriss Snell
told council at their Monday night
meeting, that McClinchey, who was
not present, had already been
discussing some of the issues with
the appropriate department heads.
It was noted that many of the
suggestions were already being
considered, while others couldn’t
happen. For example, there was a
request that council institute a “buy
local” policy whenever possible.
“We can’t legally incorporate that
policy,” said Snell. “It’s a nice idea,
but..”
Councillor Arnold Taylor hoped
this report was going to go to a
strategic planning meeting. “There’s
a lot of discussion has to go into
this.”
Snell agreed, adding that the
information had simply been to
bring McClinchey “up to speed.”
“So it’s suggestions,” asked
Taylor, “not recommendations?”
“Correct,” Snell replied.
Council to mull over ideas
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Alternate date....
February 3
By Stew SlaterSpecial to The Citizen
By Stew Slater
Special to The Citizen
Time for closure
North Huron council wants to naturalize former rest area on
London Road, south of Belgrave. (Vicky Bremner photo)
By Duane Rollins
Wingham Advance Times
By Bonnie Gropp
The Citizen
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