HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 1991-05-08, Page 1Flight of nostalgia
Flyer marks 40th
anniversary in the air
See page 2
Real performance
Students wins
at music festival
See page 27
Citizens heard
Ideas sent to
Spicer Commissior
See page 24
VOL. 7 NO. 18
Serving Brussels. Blyth, Auburn, Belgrave, Ethel,
Londesborough, Walton and surrounding townships.
WEDNESDAY, MAY 8, 1991.60 CENTS
Big blow
Abigail Ramirez huffs and puffs to blow out candles in the
games section of the giant Blyth United Church Women's
Garage Sale Friday night.The event, held in the Blyth and
District Community Centre attracted a large audience as
usual to pick up bargains, grab a hot dog or play games.
The event raises money tor church activities.
Brussels budget costs 5% more
Brussels ratepayers will face a
tax hike of just under five per cent
under the 1991 budget adopted by
village council al its May meeting
Monday.
The relatively-modesl increase
comes despite ambitious plans to
improve streets and sidewalks in
the village. Besides improvements
necessary to provide services to the
Huronview North project at the south
end of the village, the village will
take advantage of provincial govern
ment funds through a Pride grant, to
make improvements to the library
and sidewalks (just which improve
ments will be decided after a public
meeting May 22). Council tentatively
agreed to put $8000 toward librarj
improvements and $44,000 for side
walk improvements. Council also
intends to pave one block each on
Market St., John St. and Albert St.
In most areas, however, the council
has budgeted to allow for increases
due to inflation and in some areas has
even cut costs. The allotment for
council salaries and perdiems, for
instance, has been cut by $4000 from
the amount spent in 1990.
The fire protection budget increas
es only slightly to $24,250 from
$22,994. Garbage collection and dis
posal increases to $29,136 from
$25,750. The budget for streetlight
ing has been cut from S15.119 last
year to $10,658 this year.
Adding to the requirements for this
taxation year is a $26,521 deficit
from last year.
But the biggest jump comes in the
road budget which increases from
$73,868 in 1990 to $288,365. The
biggest part of that is the $130,000
needed to extend Elizabeth Street to
the Huronview site. Because of the
money made available through Pride,
the council has also budgeted
$44,000 for sidewalk improvements,
half of which will be paid by the
grant.
Council helped hold down the size
of the increase by transferring
S26.521 from its capital reserve.
The actual mill rate for a residen
tial property owner for municipal
purposes (not including county or
school board requisitions) is 5.84, up
from 5.562, and increase of 4.997 per
cent. For commercial property own
ers the increase is to 6.871 from
6.544.
Brussels council won't
move court to school
The Huron County Board of Edu
cation may be willing to see the
Brussels tennis court relocated at the
Brussels Public School and some
young people may want it there, but
Brussels councillors were adamant
Monday night that the tennis courts
will be built at the Brussels, Morris
and Grey Community Centre.
Councillors made the decision after
hearing a delegation from the Brus
sels Leo Club and several Lions Club
members.
Brussels gets
Farmers
Market
The grand opening for the new
Farmer's Market at Brussels Live
stock is to be held on May 25.
Lcn Gamble of Gamble and
Rogers Livestock in Toronto took
over operation of the Livestock
Market in March of this year and
said at that time that he wanted to
build and promote this rural aspect
of Huron County. The Farmer's
Market is a step towards that goal.
Coordinator Brenda Mason, who
has worked with farmers and agri
culture in her role at Queen's Bush
Rural Ministry, said response to the
market has already been excellent.
"We have quite a few vendors
interested at this time and we have
everything from maple syrup to
bale feeders to be sold.
"It is going to provide something
for everyone, whether you live in
the village, a town or on a farm,"
she said. "We are not an industrial
base here and we are working to
promote the rural aspect that is
Huron county. We arc going to pro
mote what we've got."
Renovations are being completed
at Brussels Livestock in the area of
the old offices and the restaurant to
house the Farmer's Market, and
Mrs. Mason said there will be
space available both outside and
inside.
During sale days at Brussels
Livestock there are already some
vendors offering home baking who
have set up shop. "It will let people
know it's going to be here," said
Mrs. Mason. Though response has
been good, Mrs. Mason said they
arc still looking for vendors partic
ularly local organizations like 4H
or the Ontario Ministry of Agricul
ture and Food, who can help pro
mote agriculture. "The market will
offer something from the whole
area. Thai's what farming is all
about."
She stressed that the goal of the
market is not to lake away anything
from the existing businesses, but
will instead complement them with
quality products. "You will not find
any hawkers selling bargain work
socks," she said.
"Lcn and Kay Gamble have
brought good things to the area,
hiring a lol of local people to do the
work al Brussels Livestock and the
Farmer's Market," Mrs. Mason
said. "This is going to be a real
boon to the community, very posi
tive. I'm really excited about it and
pleased that it is coming here. It is
not often that you have someone
coming from the city who actually
has an idea of what is going on
here."
Leo Club members Curtis Graber,
Dan McNeil, and Jay Hahn said they
would like to see the tennis court at
the school rather than the community
centre when it is relocated because
the current site has been sold for
erection of a 10-unit apartment build
ing. The Leos said they thought there
would be less vandalism at the school
because there are more neighbours
close at hand. The court could be
Continued on page 16