The Citizen, 2019-07-18, Page 7THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, JULY 18, 2019. PAGE 7.
Each year a committee chooses an outstanding citizen from each of the Blyth and area and Brussels and area
communities to receive an award for contribution to the community. If you know someone you think should be
honoured, please fill in the form and send it in. You may attach a longer explanation of why you think your nominee
should win, if you like. If you have nominated someone before and they didn't win, we encourage you to submit again.
Emailed submissions can be sent to Shawn Loughlin at editor@northhuron.on.ca
I nominate ________________________________________________________________________________________________________
as Citizen of the year for
I feel she/he deserves this award because______________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Nomination Deadline July 31, 2019.
Name and phone number of nominator
info@northhuron.on.ca Fax: 519-523-9140 Box 429, Blyth, ON N0M 1H0 or Box 152 Brussels, ON N0G 1H0
❑Blyth
& area ❑Brussels
& area
There are so many people out there who
do so much to improve their community.
This is your opportunity to show your
appreciation for all they do.
34th Annual
Citizen of the Year Award
Nominations Open
Looking for local heroes
Sawchuk says Blyth crosswalk a ‘fantastic decision’
After a public meeting showcasing
location options for a crosswalk in
Blyth, Rick Hansen Foundation
Ambassador and local accessibility
expert Julie Sawchuk feels the move
is a positive one.
Sawchuk, at the meeting, told The
Citizen that she believes the
crosswalk will benefit everyone in
the community.
“It is a fantastic decision,” she
said. “This will support everyone,
not just people with disabilities.”
Sawchuk, who was paralyzed
from the chest down in a cycle-
vehicle collision several years ago,
first brought the idea for a crosswalk
to Huron County Council after her
life changed as a result of the
collision and after communicating
with the community of disabled
individuals.
After becoming a Rick Hansen
Foundation Ambassador, which
comes with extensive education into
accessibility, she began working with
local businesses, the county and
lower-tier municipalities through an
accessibility committee to promote
accessible building and infrastructure.
Prior to that, she urged municipal
and county leaders to consider the
crosswalk.
“When I presented to council, I
wasn’t sure it would make a
difference,” she said. “I’m glad they
are following through.”
The crosswalk is proposed to be
placed at one of two sites: the
intersection of Dinsley and Queen
Street or in front of the Blyth
Pharmacy, the former CIBC.
Sawchuk says she prefers the latter.
“Having the crossing at Dinsley
requires walking from the
[municipal parking lot in front of the
Blyth Food Market],” she said. “For
me, it means wheeling up the block
to cross the road, then wheeling back
to cross again.”
The mid-block crossing, she said,
will reduce travel time for people
parking in the municipal parking lot
which could have a significant
impact during events at Blyth
Memorial Hall.
She also said that a mid-block
crossing, in her opinion, would be
more likely to be used whereas
people at the grocery store or post
office or businesses at the north end
of the block would be more apt to
jaywalk than walk to the south end
of the block.
The current plan calls for a
stoplight to be erected at the
crossing, which Sawchuk says is a
good move, especially compared to
crossings found in places like
Clinton.
“They aren’t visible enough,” she
said of the crosswalk lights in
Clinton.
The light infrastructure will be
accompanied by ‘bumpouts’ which,
while they will take up parking
spaces (one if the crossing is
located at Dinsley Street and up to
five if the mid-block crossing is
implemented), will have a calming
influence on traffic, Sawchuk said.
The schedule for the project is also
a good sign, Sawchuk said. Huron
County staff estimate construction
should begin this October.
The project should go ahead
without problems, Sawchuk said, as
long as the accessibility committee
is consulted as they have been.
“The big things are putting in
tactile warning plates that are
painted with a high contrast to be
visible and maintaining paint on the
sidewalks and crosswalks,” she said.
“As long as [the stoplight] is
installed, this is the best possible
solution we can ask for.”
NEWS
FROM BLYTH
Planning for the future
Huron County Staff and North Huron staff and council members held two special open houses
for the proposed Blyth crosswalk on Monday at Blyth Memorial Hall. Julie Sawchuk, second
from the left, says that the plans for the mid-block crosswalk would be her preference over a
crosswalk set for the intersection of Dinsley and Queen Streets. From left: North Huron
Councillor Kevin Falconer, Sawchuk, North Huron Reeve Bernie Bailey and County Engineer
and Director of Operations Steven Lund. (Denny Scott photo)
The Blyth Lions Club’s annual
holey board tournament is set for
this weekend at Blyth Lions Park.
Registration for the July 20 event
starts at noon with the first tosses set
to start at 1 p.m.
Holey Board is a horseshoes-type
game where competitors aim for
holes cut in fabric-covered boxes,
hoping to hit the high score.
Organizer Gary Courtney said the
event will stick to the recipe that has
made it successful in past years with
a beverage garden and food
available throughout the day.
Proceeds from the tournament will
be used for Blyth Lions Club park
improvements.
For more information, contact
Courtney at 519-523-4476.
Happy birthday to Anne Nesbit
and Barb Musty, Listowel, who
celebrate July 18; Kim (Craig)
Hornyak, London, July 19 and
Emily Josling, July 20.
Happy anniversary to Heidi and
Kyle Martin, Gowanstown, who
celebrated July 13 and to Fred and
Debbie Hakkers, Allan and Karen
Webster, Wingham and Fred and
Ruth Armstrong, Auburn, who
celebrate July 24.
Those who chose to take their
holidays the last two weeks have had
beautiful summer weather. It has
been warm in the daytime and
cooler at night for sleeping –
excellent summer weather!
By Marilyn
Craig
Call
523-9318
From Marilyn’s Desk
Holey board
tournament
set July 20
Broken Dryer?
Blyth Laundromat
191 Westmoreland St., Blyth
519-523-9687