HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 1999-01-06, Page 20PAGE 20. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 6, 1999.
OFSC has no tolerance for trail freeloaders
Some 2,500 trail wardens for the
Ontario Federation of Snowmobile
Clubs (OFSC) will be patrolling
snowmobile trails this winter to
deliver a strong "no tolerance"
message to snowmobilers riding
without a 1999 OFSC trail permit.
The penalty for getting caught is
an on-trail permit price of $160
($130 if purchased beforehand),
plus possible trespassing fines. This
is the message that has hit the air
waves in an extensive OFSC radio
and television campaign starting
Jan. 1.
Warden blitzes will mark the
opening days of the new year, with
wardens from neighbouring clubs
co-ordinating their activities to
blanket the trails and discourage
freeloaders. According to the
OFSC, wardens have the power to
enforce the Trespass To Property
Act on any trail operated on
property for which clubs have land
use permission.
"In most cases, wardens will sell
a $160 permit to anyone who
doesn't have one,” stated Provincial
Warden Co-ordinator Daryl
Grenville, "but persistent
freeloaders who play the catch me
if you can game will be issued
Notice of Trespass tickets which
could result in fines and permanent
banning from all OFSC trails."
The OFSC operates the world's
largest and most successful user
pay recreational trail system.
Premised on each individual user
sharing a small portion of the
overall annual operating cost of
$20 million, Ontario's 49,000 kms
of groomed trails are the focus of
this year's OFSC theme: "Stay on
the Marked OFSC Trail".
Safety stats clearly show that
over 88 per cent of snowmobiling
fatalities do not occur on OESC
trails where 90 per cent of the
riding in the province occurs.
"We succeed in making our trails
smooth and safe because most
riders support the system by
purchasing a trail permit,"
commented OFSC President Bert
A. Grant, "but there are always a
few cheaters who try to take a free
ride at the expense of their paying
friends and neighbours. Freeloaders
steal groomed trails from the rest of
us."
While promoting the benefits of
staying on groomed trails, the
OFSC is also asking its 200,000
family members and other
supporters to discourage cheaters
by refusing to ride with
unpermitted sleds this winter. Since
non support of the user pay system
can also hurt the economy of
snowbelt communities, many local
businesses are getting on the Buy-
A-Permit band wagon by declining
services to riders who refuse to buy
a permit.
"In addition to increased warden
patrols, ten popular snowmobiling
regions have Snowmobile Trail
Officer Patrol (STOP) Programs in
place this winter," concluded
Grant. "These patrols and check
points will mean more enforcement
presence as our wardens work with
STOP officers and the OPP on our
trails."
Winter depression, a treatable condition
The days are getting shorter, the
leaves have fallen, and many
Canadians are marking- their
calendars for a winter skiing or sun
get-away.
For some, this is the time of year
they dread the most. A heavy cloud
comes over them. All energy and
motivation seem to drain away as if
someone pulled the plug.
Sarah H.'s husband was the first
to point out to her that her
personality changes markedly
every fall and spring. ■ "In
November I almost crawl into a
cave and hibernate for the whole
winter. I sleep too much, I eat too
much. Our social life grinds to a
halt - it's all I can do to drag myself
to work. Then in April I start
perking up, and by May I'm feeling
normal again."
At her husband's urging, last
winter Sarah talked to her
physician, who diagnosed Seasonal
Affective Disorder ("affect" means
mood).
"I began treatment and it
definitely helped within a couple of
weeks. This year I'm starting
treatment in the fall, to prevent the
depression from starting."
Not just the winter 'blahs'
"The cyclical pattern to this type
of depression is very
characteristic," said Dr. Raymond
Lam, an expert on SAD and on the
biological effects of light. "Every
fall, thousands of Canadians notice
that they are not functioning well,"
adds Dr. Lam, head of the division
of mood disorders at the University
of British Columbia, Vancouver.
Canadians generally pride
themselves on withstanding dark
and often harsh winters. But many
of these hardy souls suffer this
wintertime depression in silence.
Experts estimate that between two
and three per cent, or almost one
million Canadian adults and
children have SAD.
Research suggests that this
disorder affects mostly adults,
especially women, in their 30s and
40s. However, it does not appear to
discriminate in terms of ethnic
group or socio-economic class.
Light Affects Biology
Since physicians first recognized
SAD as a distinct type of
depression in 1984, research on its
causes, symptoms, and treatment
has answered some of the early
questions about SAD, said Dr.
Lam. Doctors use a scale to screen
for a seasonal pattern.
"We look for symptoms that are
present for the past two or more
consecutive winters, with no signs
of the disorder for at least two
months during the summer. The
cluster of unique winter symptoms
includes increased appetite,
significant weight gain, and
sleepiness as well as the typical
signs of depression such as lack of
energy, concentration and interest
in activities."
The symptoms can take a heavy
toll on an individual's functioning
at home, at work, or at school, he
adds.
One of the classic signs of SAD
is a craving for carbohydrates,
found in pastas, potatoes and
breads. While such foods make
most people tired, they tend to
Farm committee
plans conferences
- ' By Gary Stephens
Business Management Specialist
Keynote speaker, Lome Owen
from British Columbia, one of
Canada's leading Human Resource
Specialist, states that "Succession
Planning is a process - not an
event".
• That's a key reason why Ontario's
"Planning For Success" Farm
Management Conference
Committee has organized a series
of four regional conferences across
Ontario during the last week of
January on "Succession Planning".
Owen will develop the "planning
is a process" theme by making two
presentations - the first on
Developing a Strategic Succession
Plan and the second on Choosing
and Coaching Your Successor. Dr.
Wayne Howard of the University
of Guelph will report on the
application of new research that
attempts to predict whether family
members can really operate a
business together.
A business specialist from
Ontario Ministry of Agriculture,
JOHN McKERCHER
CONSTRUCTION LTD.
• backhoeing • bulldozing
• loader and truck rental
• sand, gravel and topsoil
• stone pile and rubble removal
• septic systems
R.R. #2 Bluevale
887-9061 if busy 887-9999
Fax: 887-9999
energize those with SAD.
According to Dr. Lam, this may be
because these foods interfere with
the action of a chemical called
serotonin, which overseas
communication between brain
cells.
"We think SAD may be caused
by the malfunctioning of signals
from such brain chemicals," he
says. "Research tells us that there
are clear seasonal changes in
serotonin metabolism."
But diminished sunlight during
winter months doesn't fully explain
Seasonal Affective Disorder (or
Food and Rural Affairs will
provide ideas on family team
business decision making. As well,
a panel consisting of Lawrence
Bingeman, John Eisses and Ralph
Winslade will provide some real
life examples.
To implement success plans, you
some professionals will be needed.
Canadian Tax Specialist, Kurt
Oelschlagel, CA from Hanover,
will tell how to take advantage of
the income tax rules. Leading
agribusiness lawyer Doug Jack,
L.L.B. from Fergus will round out
the program by discussing legal
issues and providing solutions to
problems.
The seminars will be given at
Guelph: Wednesday, Jan. 27 and at
London: Thursday, Jan. 28.
Registration fees are $90 for
primary registrants and $70 for
others from the same business
include proceedings, networking
breaks, and a great noon meal.
For registration information,
please call the London OMAFRA
Field Office: 1-800-265-4750.
minutes of light-box exposure a
day.
There is strong evidence that
SAD sufferers have a sensitivity in
the brain's "biological clock" that
regulates hormones, sleep and
mood, said Dr. Lam.
"The bright light may help to
reset this biological clock.
Exposure to therapeutic light for 30
minutes a day can result in
improvement in as many as 80 per
cent of patients."
For patients who cannot commit
to the light therapy daily, or those
for whom it is ineffective,
medication is a good alternative, he
adds.
Many with SAD, benefit from
counselling as well. Counselling
normally includes advice about
physical activity, nutrition and
stress reduction.
"No matter what course is taken,
the important thing is to initiate
treatment before the symptoms set
in," advises Dr. Lam. "Too many
people suffer unnecessarily and
don't realize that safe, effective
treatment is available."
be moved
councillor
out of there."
When Clerk-Treasurer Donna
White expressed reluctance that
this time limit might pose a prob
lem due to the abundance of recent
snowfall, Seili was not appeased.
"He’s had 2 1/2 years to get it out
of there. It’s his tough luck. If you
don’t put bile in the letter he's never
going to do anything about it."
White is speaking with Chief
Building Official Paul Josling
about the drafting of a letter
requesting the trailer be removed.
SAD). The rate at which SAD
occurs steadily increases with
distance from the equator, and then
drops off near the Canadian border.
"Changing light levels is one
contributor to this disorder, but
clearly, there's something else at
work here which we haven't quite
figured out yet," said Dr. Lam.
Effective treatments
The good news is that SAD is
treatable and most patients achieve
very good results, said Dr. Lam.
co-editor of the first SAD treatment
guideline for physicians.
Research shows that some anti
depressant drugs are effective in
treating SAD. One recent Calgary
study is cited by the treatment
guideline as the best research on
drug therapy to date. Comparing
sertraline (Zoloft) to placebo, it
found that the medication is safe
and significantly more effective
than placebo in treating SAD.
Another treatment option is a
light box which emits an adjustable
fluorescent light that is about 50
times stronger than ordinary light.
The patient must commit to 30
Trailer must
says Brussels
By Bonnie Gropp
Citizen staff
The removal of an empty trailer
parked for years on land owned by
J. Kerr, just south of the trailer park
has pushed at least one Brussels
councillor to the limit.
Hearing of a complaint from a
ratepayer at the Jan. 4 meeting of
council, Seili said that lime has
come to take action. "This is
enough. Give him 30 days to get it
REHABILITATION SERVICES INC.
1100 Wallace Ave. N., Listowel, Ontario
‘Key to a ftealtfiy Lifestyle
• Active Living
• ‘.Healthy ‘Eating
• Positive Self Image
Through a “Physical Activity fitness and lifestyle Appraisal,
I can help you identify ways to achieve a healthy lifestyle-
for more information, please contact:
‘Tammy Cameron, “B.A. (“Kinesiology)
CertifiedPhysicalActivity fitness dr Lifestyle Appraiser
Hew Horizons Rehabilitation Services Inc.
(519)291-5402