HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 1996-08-21, Page 1The North Huron
itizen
Vol. 12 No. 33
Wednesday, Aug. 21 1996
700 + 50 GST 750
Up and away
It takes more than practice to compete in the Valvoline Trans Can Grand National
Motocross races held at Walton this past week. This young rider proves his mettle as he
takes the first jump with daring and speed, flying high above the track for several yards
before a successful landing. Close to 800 riders from as far away as Belgium, in classes up
to veteran dazzled spectators with gravity-defying leaps, hair-pin turns and thrilling speeds.
Wheels Away in the black
Feature
Area men take
trip of a lifetime
across prairies
See page 8
Sports
2 local soccer
teams finish year
on top
See page 11
Entertainment
Blyth Festival
Young Co. ends
year with play
See page 22
Review
Stratford
production, a fun
look at infidelity
See page 23
Riders hit the dirt
in racing challenge
By Janice Becker
With dust flying and television
cameras rolling, the Valvoline
Trans Can Grand National Moto-
cross Championships in Walton
went off with nary a hitch this past
weekend.
"It was a perfect weekend for
racing," said event co-organizer
Chris Lee. There were some con-
cerns there would be too much dust
for the TSN cameras, but the track
was wetted and everything went
smoothly.
The fifth annual championship
drew more than 7,000 spectators
and 775 racers to the four day
event, including riders from the
eastern United States, California
and a Belgian racer.
There was a strong contingent
from the Maritimes and Quebec,
said Lee, as well as racers from
By Janice Becker
Blyth councillors will take their
resolution regarding education
taxes another step closer to fruition
when they seek provincial support
at the Association of Municipalities
of Ontario (AMO) convention this
week.
Councillors will be lobbying for
'More support as well as meeting
some councillors who have already
pledged support to the resolution,
said Blyth Reeve Mason Bailey.
The resolution seeks official sup-
port from all AMO members to
have education taxes removed from
the property tax bill as well as
serve notice to the provincial gov-
ernment that municipalities will
discontinue the collection of educa-
tion taxes as of Jan. 1, 1997.
Bailey says councillors will be
speaking with some of the larger
municipalities, to gain support par-
ticularly those which are on the
verge of coming on side.
The difficulty with gaining
agreement from the larger centres,
such as Toronto, is the problem in
getting access to councillors to
speak with them, said Bailey.
Resolutions have to go to com-
mittee for a recommendation before
coming to council, which also
delays the process.
"We plan to speak with several
ministers who will be attending the
conference," Bailey said. "The
entire (Blyth) council is going to
the conference to work on support.
When we started this, I said 'If we
are only going to expend enough
energy to almost succeed, we might
as well not do it.' "
"(Blyth Clerk-Treasurer) John
Stewart has worked hard and the
people at AMO seem receptive to
the resolution. We hope to get
AMO, as a group, to support it."
Saskatchewan and British
Columbia.
With 22 categories for races there
were numerous winners over the
four days. Some local racers were:
Jason Badley, Morris Twp., 13th-
125 Beginners, 15th-GP beginners
and fifth-Youth Class; Mandy
Hadenko, Seaforth, ninth Ladies;
Chris Tyndall, Seaforth, ninth-80
Expert and sixth Super Mini; Joel
Rickert, Seaforth, fourth-80 Expert
and third Super Mini; Robbie
Mitchell, Walton, 23rd-80 Expert;
Lorne Wernham, Walton, 16th-
Youth Class; Mark Marquis, Blyth,
16th-Vet Junior and 23rd-250
Junior; Jeff Klomps, Clinton, 20th-
GP Junior and 22nd-125 Junior;
Dan Morgan, Clinton, 29th 125
Junior and Joey Duncan, Listowel,
13th-125 Beginner.
Pamphlets will be distributed at
the convention outlining the posi-
tion of the municipalities in support
of the campaign.
The Blyth council action on edu-
cation taxes, which started several
months ago, has garnered support
from more than 250 muilicipalities
or 44 per cent of all councils.
Council received a letter from
Minister of Education John Snobe-
len, July 29, stating he would "con-
sider council's recommendation to
remove education taxes from the
property tax base in conjunction
with recommendations from MPPs,
school board associations, teachers'
federations, the Ontario School
Board Reduction Task Force report
and The Report of the Working
Group on Education Finance
Reform."
DHC seeks
healthy
stories
The Health Promotion Planning
Task Force of the Huron Perth
District Health Council will be
working with residents of Huron
Perth to develop a health promotion
plan for the district.
Throughout August and
September, the task force will be
collecting stories that show how
groups and individuals are making
their communities better and
healthier places in which to live.
If you have a story to tell, please
contact Kelly Gillis at the: Huron
Perth District Health Council, 235
St. George Street, Mitchell, ON,
NOK 1NO. Phone: 519-348-4498.
Fax: 519-348-9749.
For the first time since its
inception in 1991, Wheels Away is
out of the red, having cleared up its
accumulated operating deficit.
It was with great satisfaction that
Vicky Piluke, chairperson of
Wheels Away's board of directors,
announced at its August meeting
that the non-profit mobility van
operation was finally enjoying a
modest but healthy cash flow
position.
Pilukc expressed gratitude to the
municipalities that are now making
their contributions in quarterly
installments. The new fee schedule
and the timely arrival of the
Ministry of Transportation's
allotment have finally made it
possible to balance the budget.
Wheels Away is operated by
North Huron Special Transit
Corporation, a non-profit, chari-
table organization that is
generously supported by the United
Way. The mobility van transports
residents of north Huron and south
Bruce who are unable to drive and
who meet eligibility requirements.
Without the van, many people
would lose their ability to remain
active within their community.
Pilukc also mentioned that the
board of directors would shortly
announce its capital fundraising
campaign to replace the aging van.
Councillors lobby
for support at AMO