HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2019-02-07, Page 3THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2019. PAGE 3.
Community stands against Gypsy Lane fire hall
Approximately 100 people made
their voices heard last week at a
special meeting regarding potential
locations for Blyth’s new fire hall
and public utilities building and it
was clear the community supported
neither of the presented options.
In mid-2018, the previous North
Huron Council declared the
Emergency Services Training Centre
(ESTC), which included the Blyth
fire hall, surplus. It was sold to Blyth
Cowbell Brewing Company for $3.5
million, with the municipality
planning on building a fire hall.
Unfortunately for Blyth
ratepayers, plans for a new fire hall
couldn’t be completed as, shortly
after the sale was approved, council
was put into “lame duck” status,
meaning they couldn’t approve
major financial investments like a
new hall or the purchase of land for
it.
The result is that the new council
was sworn in with just under a year
to find a home for the fire hall with a
deadline to vacate the ESTC by
Nov. 30, 2019.
Following three months of closed
session discussions, council held a
special meeting on Jan. 31 at Blyth
Memorial Hall to review the type of
location council wanted to build and
where it should be located.
The meeting started with Director
of Recreation and Facilities Sean
McGhee explaining the decision
process council had to go through to
ultimately choose a site.
With three options on the table, a
fire hall, a fire hall and Blyth public
works site and a fire hall and Blyth
and East Wawanosh public work
sites, council had to balance the
needs of the municipality with the
funding available, which is
approximately $2.5 million.
Consolidating the fire hall and
Blyth public works department was
universally agreed upon by council.
While the East Wawanosh public
works department had initially been
considered, council decided that it
was in good condition and had
sufficient space for the future and
wasn’t in immediate need of a new
home.
The most cost-effective option,
building just a new fire hall, would
result in the Blyth public works
building, which is in “rough shape”
according to staff, to continue to be
used. The building is actually the
former Fire Department of North
Huron fire hall, but was abandoned
by the fire department due to
problems with space and
accessibility.
The consolidated Blyth public
works shed and fire department site
would require approximately 12,500
square feet, and McGhee said it
would be a “complex facility”.
The building is estimated to cost
$1.9 million and would be
constructed in phases, McGhee said,
to make sure the apparatus bay is
ready by the Nov. 30 deadline.
McGhee then addressed where the
facility would be built, saying that,
after numerous meetings, two
locations had been deemed feasible.
He explained that several private
sites presented in closed session had
also been considered by council.
“Due to that confidentiality, we’re
not able to share details around the
privately-owned properties,” he said.
McGhee then outlined the
parameters used, including
community safety, accessibility,
size, municipal servicing, cost to
service, cost to purchase (if
applicable) and keeping the site
within North Huron boundaries.
He broke down the benefits and
challenges with private and
municipally-owned land, before
announcing the two sites: the
Gypsy Lane site located where the
Radford Memorial Baseball
Diamond is at the Blyth
Campground and the North Street
site located beside the existing water
treatment facility.
At that point, Reeve Bernie Bailey
turned the discussion to council to
discuss both which build they
wanted to pursue and where it
should occur.
Council quickly narrowed the
three options for the building’s
services down to one, saying it only
made sense to go with a combined
fire hall and Blyth public works
building.
East Wawanosh Councillor Chris
Palmer said he was against
amalgamating the three buildings
from the beginning, due to logistics
of operators for East Wawanosh
having to drive to Blyth before being
able to tackle work like clearing
snow off the road.
“There is no way, for snow
removal as an example, that graders
or trucks could make it up to the
12th or 13th Concession before
school buses or before people went
to work at 7 a.m. in the morning,” he
said. “The East Wawanosh shed was
put in the middle of the township
because equipment could go north
and south to cover the roads as
required.”
Beyond that, Palmer said, the shed
and yard are sufficient, and have
space for expansion. He said that
was unlike the Blyth shed, which
requires significant work.
“Combining the Fire Department
of North Huron [structure] and the
public works shed makes all the
sense in the world,” he said.
Palmer also asked about
limitations to the North Street
location, prompting McGhee to say
that water service would need to be
extended by 200-250 feet to the site,
and the road would need to be
brought up to an urban profile,
including gutters, curbs and paving.
Fire Chief Marty Bedard also
explained there were concerns about
how far back from Blyth’s main
street the North Street site would be,
saying that on particularly snowy
evenings, it could be inaccessible.
When it came time to consider the
location, council’s discussion
focused on how North Street would
be a more expensive option, as the
Gypsy Lane location would be much
closer to necessary infrastructure
and the street, while not up to a
complete urban profile standard, was
sufficient for traffic.
“With Gypsy Lane, the challenge
is trying to tie into water and
wastewater, just at the road,”
McGhee said. “We wouldn’t be
looking at an extension, just a
service tie-in. That’s quite a bit
different [than the North Street
option]. It’s very straightforward.”
After that, Bailey urged council to
proceed with making a decision,
reminding them of the 10 month
deadline. Deputy-Reeve Trevor
Seip, however, wanted to get input
from the community first.
PUBLIC INPUT
Brock Vodden, a former
councillors who was part of the
council that decided to sell the
ESTC, was the first to address the
issue.
A long-time Blyth resident, he
said that the Blyth Campground,
where the Gypsy Lane site is
located, is a heritage park site that
was given to the community over
120 years ago to function as an
agricultural park.
“This choice should not even be
on the list,” he said. “This isn’t to
downplay the importance of the fire
department. The hall has to be in a
good location. This park is not open
for a grab by council.”
Bob Watt agreed with the previous
resident, Rick McInroy, saying that
it seemed like council was trying to
gloss over the challenges facing the
Gypsy Lane location. and that a
decision had already been made.
He also said that the previous
council putting such a tight timeline
on the build was “putting the cart
before the horse” and that the
discussions the current council was
having should have been held by the
last council.
He was also concerned that there
could be substantial problems with
the Gypsy Lane site due to the Blyth
Lions Park across the street and the
community events held at the Blyth
Campground.
“There are children in the area,”
he said. “It’s an accident waiting to
happen.”
Seip said he didn’t disagree with
negative aspects of Gypsy Lane not
413 Queen St., Blyth
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The road by which the Spirit leads God’s children
(J.C. Ryle, “Heirs of God” 1878)
“As many as are led by the Spirit of God--they are the sons of God” Romans 8:14
All true Christians are under the leading and teaching of a power which is Almighty,
though unseen--even the power of the Holy Spirit. They no longer turn to their own
way, and walk in the light of their own eyes, and follow their own natural heart’s desire.
The Spirit leads them. The Spirit guides them. There is a movement in their hearts, lives
and affections, which they feel-though they may not be able to explain; and a
movement which is always more or less in the same direction.
They are all led...
away from sin,
away from self-righteousness,
away from the world!
This is the road by which the Spirit leads God’s children.
Those whom God adopts as His children--He teaches and trains.
He shows them their own hearts.
He makes them weary of their own ways.
They are all led to Christ.
They are all led to the Bible.
They are all led to prayer.
They are all led to holiness.
This is the beaten path along which the Spirit makes them to travel.
Those whom God adopts--He always sanctifies.
He makes sin very bitter to them.
He makes holiness very sweet.
A Grace Gem
Submitted by: Immanuel United Reformed Church,
Listowel, ON 519-291-1956
Pushback
At North Huron Council’s special meeting on Jan. 31 at Memorial Hall, Blyth residents made
it clear they didn’t want a fire hall on Gypsy Lane for a variety of reasons. From left: Councillors
Ric McBurney, Chris Palmer and Anita van Hittersum engaged with residents at the meeting,
listening to their concerns before revisiting the issue Monday night, where councillors said they
would pursue a private property option. (Shawn Loughlin photo)
By Denny Scott
The Citizen
Continued on page 12