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$1.25 GST included Serving the communities of Blyth and Brussels and northern Huron County Thursday, July 25, 2019
Volume 35 No. 30
FOOD & DRINK - Pg. 11
‘The Citizen’ brings you
‘Huron Farms to Tables’
DRAMA - Pg. 27
Blyth-area native makes
television role her own
FESTIVAL - Pg. 7
Cowbell, Blyth Festival strike
three-year partnership deal
Publications Mail Agreement No. 40050141 Return Undeliverable Items to North Huron Publishing Company Inc., P.O. Box 152, BRUSSELS, ON N0G 1H0
INSIDE
THIS WEEK:
Vanastra concerns persist, despite new bylaw
O’Reilly
parade
now set
As Huron East Council worked to
limit cannabis production facilities
in the municipality, over a dozen
Vanastra residents pleaded for help
for their situation.
Council discussed a housekeeping
bylaw regarding cannabis facilities
at its July 16. However, it was an
existing production facility in
Vanastra that attracted the
community’s residents, as well as
Huron-Bruce MP Ben Lobb to
attend the meeting and speak to the
issue.
At the meeting, council passed the
bylaw to address compatibility
between cannabis production
facilities and residences, community
facilities and parks. It will ensure
that facilities are only located in
industrial or agricultural zones
(AG1, General Agriculture; AG2,
Restricted Agriculture or AG3,
Agricultural/Commercial Industrial)
and establishes setbacks of 150
metres for a production facility with
air treatment control and 300 metres
for a facility without air treatment
control.
The bylaw, according to Senior
Planner Denise Van Amersfoort, is
inspired by Norfolk County, which
passed a similar bylaw to attempt to
control the creation of cannabis
production facilities in their county.
Central Huron recently passed a
like-minded bylaw, though Central
Huron allows hemp growing in its
bylaw, while Huron East Council
opted to limit it in theirs.
While council had been briefed on
the bylaw and was in favour of its
passing, the majority of the
discussion pertained to an existing
production facility in Vanastra that
has been the source of numerous
complaints in recent months.
Because the location in question is
already operational, Van Amersfoort
said, the newly-passed bylaw will
not pertain to it. Lobb, however,
spoke to the issue, saying that the
facility in question has nothing to do
with the legalization of cannabis, but
that it’s home to a growing operation
for several private licences
authorized to grow medicinal
marijuana.
Lobb did say, however, that he
could see that Vanastra residents
were eager for some help and though
he felt for them, there isn’t really
much the federal, provincial or
municipal government could do for
them.
Several residents spoke to the
issue at the meeting, alleging that the
facility is not following any
regulations and is sloppy in going
about its business. Neighbours
complained about cannabis plant
On Thursday, July 25, Huron
County will receive a visit from the
Stanley Cup, courtesy of Seaforth
native Ryan O’Reilly.
The St. Louis Blues and O’Reilly
secured the cup in game seven of the
Stanley Cup finals in June. O’Reilly
also won the Conn Smythe Trophy
as the most valuable player in the
playoffs.
There will be two events featuring
O’Reilly, his family and the Stanley
Cup.
The festivities begin in Seaforth at
9:30 a.m. The parade will leave the
Seaforth Fire Hall on the town’s
main street at 9:30 a.m. with the
procession making its way north to
the Seaforth and District
Community Centre up the main
street.
The Seaforth parade will also
include a number of local NHL
alumni, including fellow Stanley
Cup winner Boyd Devereaux of
Seaforth, Dave McLlwain of
Seaforth, Larry Jeffrey of Goderich
and Cal O’Reilly, Ryan’s brother, as
well as many members of the
O’Reilly family.
O’Reilly and company are
scheduled to arrive at the
community centre by 10 a.m., where
pictures can be taken until just
before noon.
The group will then transport the
cup to Goderich for another parade
at 1 p.m. It will begin on West
This weekend, the Brussels Tigers
and other local fastball teams will
take over Brussels for the Tigers’
annual tournament. This is the 48th
time the teams have taken to the
field in Brussels for this tournament.
The action begins on Friday night
with the host Brussels Tigers
playing the Monkton Muskrats at 7
p.m. at the downtown ball diamond.
The Harwood Corners will then
take on the Fullarton A’s at 9 p.m.,
also downtown.
On Saturday morning, the Walton
Brewers see their first action,
playing the Appin A’s at 9:30 a.m.
downtown, while the Delaware
Highlanders take on the Kitchener
Selects, also at 9:30 a.m., at the
diamond behind the Brussels,
Morris and Grey Community
Centre.
At 11:30 a.m., Appin plays the
Goderich Grizzlies at the arena
diamond, while Harwood takes on
the Glenwood Astros downtown.
The Tigers are back in action
again at 1:30 p.m., playing
against Delaware downtown, while
Monkton will play Kitchener at the
arena diamond.
At 3:30 p.m., Walton will play
Tigers tournament this weekend
Miracle workers
Freedom Syrup proved to be a memorable stop on the
annual summer tour for the Ontario Maple Syrup Producers
Association this year, with organizer and Grey-Bruce
Chapter President Nick Bereznick saying that, in 30 years,
he hasn’t witnessed anything like the volunteer-run
organization and called the volunteers “miracle workers”.
Freedom Syrup, located on Jeff McGavin’s farm near
Walton, donates all the proceeds from their maple syrup to
families of fallen soldiers. While most of the tour locations saw one
or two tour groups at a time, Freedom Syrup hosted all 165
attendees that day for a special ceremony run by Bob Rowe
explaining why Freedom Syrup continues to raise funds, the
inspiration behind it and why the volunteers are so dedicated to
what they do. Above, before the ceremony and self-guided tours of
the facility and the bush, tourists were offered a light snack of
maple-roasted nuts and water. (Denny Scott photo)
By Shawn Loughlin
The Citizen
Continued on page 10
By Shawn Loughlin
The Citizen
Continued on page 10
Continued on page 28