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The Citizen, 2019-10-10, Page 8PAGE 8. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 10, 2019. Blyth proud of recreation infrastructure: Falconer Every rose... For the second year, Seaforth has played host to the Seaforth Huron Harvest, a tasting event hosted by the Seaforth Lions, Optimists, Curling Club and Agricultural Society. This year’s event was moved indoors, but still brought the crowds out to taste and hear everything they could. Providing musical entertainment was Thorn and Roses. (Denny Scott photo) On Monday, the Municipality of Huron East announced it has received a $20,000 grant from Digital Main Street (DMS) to fund a Digital Service Squad (DSS) to help main street small businesses in the communities of Huron East improve their online capabilities. The program will be launched at a special event, “Wine & Cheese – Toasting Digging Digital”, on the evening of Friday, Oct. 18 at the Seaforth Golf Club. Huron East received the grant from the Ontario government as part of the Digital Main Street initiative to help small businesses in Huron East’s community cores to enhance their use of digital tools and techniques to better evolve and grow. The Squad will consist of one trained specialist and several support staff who will visit and assist businesses at no cost, to help them set up Google Business, conduct a digital-readiness assessment and apply for a $2,500 Digital Transformation Grant. The Squad began visiting businesses on Oct. 5. “Over the past decade, the Ontario BIA Association has supported communities throughout the Municipality of Huron East with the delivery of countless innovative and proactive business initiatives,” said Economic Development Officer Jan Hawley. “The Digital Main Street program is no exception, illustrating how provincial partnerships working together can strengthen the business environment through improved communication, and help build the foundation for a more prosperous economy. For that reason alone, we are extremely grateful.” A joint program funded by the Government of Ontario and delivered by the Ontario BIA Association, Digital Main Street helps improve how small main street businesses use digital tools and techniques to become more successful. Today’s digital economy is vital to small businesses and DMS will help them adopt new digital technologies from e-commerce and social media to back-office systems such as payroll and inventory. “Our government is committed to helping small businesses improve their competitiveness, create jobs and attract investment,” said Ernie Hardeman, Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. “That’s why I’m so pleased that businesses in Huron East will benefit from the expertise of a Digital Service Squad to help small businesses embrace digital technology. Our investment in the Digital Main Street program will help ensure that Ontario is open for business and open for jobs.” “The Digital Service Squad in the Municipality of Huron East will help local businesses gain the expertise necessary to compete in the digital environment,” said Lisa Thompson, MPP for Huron-Bruce. “The training they’ll receive will help provide them with the tools and opportunity to expand their customer base using the convenience of digital technology.” “We are always excited when municipalities take advantage of Digital Main Street on behalf of the downtown cores of their communities. Huron East clearly understands the importance of digital technology and the power of Digital Main Street to help keep their main streets vibrant and strong,” said Kay Matthews, Executive Director of the Ontario BIA Association. “Our small main street businesses are a critical contributor to Ontario’s economic, social and cultural health, and it’s vital that we work together to ensure their success. Digital Main Street will help the small downtown businesses in Huron East compete in an increasingly digital world.” Continued from page 1 basketball/outdoor floor hockey court with the help of a youth recreation committee. Reeve Bernie Bailey turned the issue over to Chief Administrative Officer Dwayne Evans who said the municipality spent $10,000 in legal fees acquiring the property and, when council tasked staff with finding space for residential properties, the land was brought forward. He said due to the size of the property, multiple single-home dwellings or higher-density residential could be considered. He walked council through the process needed to undertake to make that kind of development a reality. Bailey said that two competing issues were at stake with the property: the need for housing and the need to support community groups and volunteers like the Lions club. Councillor Kevin Falconer said he was upset at what had been unveiled that evening, saying he would support the Lions creating a recreation space on the land, especially since it would cost the municipality nothing after signing over the land. Falconer said that with new developments moving forward in Blyth, housing stock wasn’t in as short supply as it was in other places in the municipality, and adding to that housing market may not be the best use of the space. “I put my whole heart and support behind returning it to its historic [owner, the Lions],” Falconer said. “I support the basketball and floor hockey pad. I know they would be great [stewards] and that is already part of the most-used property in town… their public commitment is second-to-none in the community. I don’t support a land grab from a volunteer organization simply on the grounds of a miscommunication.” Blyth ward Councillor Ric McBurney later said he agreed with Falconer’s assessment of the situation. He said that, as a Lions Club member, he had abstained from discussions about the issue, but felt Stewart and the club had presented the issue well. After staff verified that encroachment agreements were already set up for Lions infrastructure on the property, and promises that the Lions Club’s access from Gypsy Lane would need to be maintained, other councillors discussed the issue further. Councillor Anita van Hittersum asked if the properties could be split, with part of it being sold to the Lions Club. Stewart said the club is open to discussion, but did encourage council to consider the proposal that was being put forward. Deputy-Reeve Trevor Seip said in his time on council, he had never heard of the property being transferred to the Lions Club. He wasn’t refuting Stewart’s claim, just saying the current session of council and the previous one may not have been fully aware of the situation. He went on to say that if Falconer’s assessment of the housing market in Blyth was right, it didn’t make sense to try and develop this new property. He said council needs those kinds of questions answered before it moves forward. Councillor Paul Heffer asked if North Huron or Blyth needed an outdoor recreation pad like the one that was being suggested, however Falconer said that wasn’t an issue as this wasn’t being proposed by North Huron. If the project went forward, the land, infrastructure, maintenance and all other associated responsibilities would fall to the Lions, not the municipality. Falconer went on to say that Blyth residents have proven fiercely defensive of their recreation spaces, citing the uproar caused when North Huron staff suggested removing one of the community’s baseball diamonds for the new Fire Department of North Huron hall/Public Works building in the community. Council directed staff to review issues surrounding the future of the land, including housing needs and availability in Blyth, and continue to communicate with the Lions Club regarding the issue before making a decision. TAKE NOTICE that the Corporation of the Township of North Huron will hold a Public Meeting under Section 34 of the Planning Act to consult with the public about potential revisions and updates to the North Huron Zoning By-law. PUBLIC MEETING will be held: 6:00 p.m. Monday, October 21, 2019 at the North Huron Township Office, 274 Josephine St, Wingham The Corporation of the Township of North Huron is undertaking a Housekeeping Amendment of the Zoning By-law, a planning document that sets out specific land use zones for the Township and lists the permitted uses and required standards for development in each zone. This amendment applies to all the lands within the Township of North Huron. A copy of the draft Zoning By-law may be accessed on the North Huron website at: www.northhuron.ca or at the North Huron Township Office (274 Josephine St, Wingham), Monday to Friday, 8:30am- 4:30pm. PURPOSE AND EFFECT This Housekeeping Amendment is to update the necessary general provisions, zoning provisions, permitted uses and definitions without doing a formal Five Year Review of the Zoning By-law. The proposed Housekeeping Amendment would make smaller changes to the Zoning By-law without changing the intent of the zoning provisions and not change any property specific zoning. ANY PERSON may attend the Public Meeting and/or make written or verbal representation. IF you wish to be notified of the decision of the Township on the proposed zoning by-law amendment, you must make a written request to 274 Josephine Street, Wingham ON N0G 2W0 IF a person or public body does not make oral submissions at a public meeting or make written submissions to the Township of North Huron before the by-law is passed, the person or public body is not entitled to appeal the decision of the Council of the Township of North Huron to the Local Planning Appeal Tribunal. IF a person or public body does not make oral submissions at a public meeting or make written submissions to the Township of North Huron before the by-law is passed the person or public body may not be added as a party to the hearing of an appeal before the Local Planning Appeal Tribunal unless, in the opinion of the Tribunal there are reasonable grounds to do so. Carson Lamb, Clerk Township of North Huron 274 Josephine St, Wingham N0G 2W0 NOTICE OF A PUBLIC MEETING REGARDING A HOUSEKEEPING AMENDMENT TO THE NORTH HURON ZONING BY-LAW Creating Memories in Stone for Over 95 years Goderich/Clinton Michael Falconer Memorial Counsellor 519-524-8457 | Cell: 519-525-2281 www.stratfordmemorials.com Huron East receives grant