Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 1999-06-30, Page 1New Sports_________I________Feature Being prepared Walton man Father reunites rs”' i 91 focus of DHC calls the shots at with son after ■ workshop ‘ w 1 national race j many years See page 7 See page 9 See page 11 Amalgamation worries council By Janice Becker Citizen staff Blyth councillors once again dis­ cussed the seemingly-futile amalga­ mation talks if the county has set a target electoral population of 6,000. Councillor Jeff Howson stated repeatedly at the June 22 meeting that if the county would not approve plans for amalgamated municipali­ ties of less than 6,000 there was lit­ tle use in continuing to talk with only East Wawanosh Twp. and Wingham, which has a (combined) population of 4,600. When Howson asked where does that leave Blyth Councillor Murray Nesbitt responded. “Up the creek.” Reeve Mason Bailey said the motion was “very vague, with not much teeth”. Bailey said the motion has been sent back to the strategic planning committee. “I am not comfortable being a paper gatherer if we have to start again,” said Howson. “Why should we tromp ahead if others will need to be added?” South to Brussels, By Bonnie Gropp Citizen staff Whether or not Brussels and Grey will be welcome to join amalgama­ tion talks with the Town of Seaforth and Twps. of McKillop and Tuckersmith is now in the hands of each council. Grey Twp. Reeve Robin Dunbar and Clerk-Treasurer Brad Knight attended the June 16 restructuring meeting on behalf of the Grey/Brussels committee. A letter had been sent to the group of three for consideration. It stated that the Brussels-Grey Transition Committee, had dis­ cussed the proposal of amalgama­ tion with the three municipalites. Interest in joining with them was not based solely on forming a larger grouping, the letter states, but on common interests such as the Walton landfill site, the hospital, medical clinic, school and PUC. In an interview last week, Dunbar said that it was made clear that B&E squad nabs thief Members of the Huron OPP break and enter squad have recovered some stolen property from break-ins that occurred early this week. Officers were given a detailed description of a vehicle that had fled the scene of a break-in at the Molesworth Bowling Alley in Grey Twp. early last week. The break-in squad then drove throughout the area looking for the possible vehicle and came across Bailey said he was fearful it was coming down to the crunch and if a co-ordinated county-wide plan was not in place by September, a facilita­ tor (not a commissioner) may be brought in. Councillor Doug Scrimgeour believed a facilitator would not leave municipalities in (smaller) sizes. Bailey also stated his displeasure with the decision to re-open discus­ sion of a single-tier government. He had asked single-tier support­ ers if they support a corporate takeover, as that is what it would be if governance went to the county level. He said no one wanted that as they expected the whole system to be tom down and started again. Nesbitt also expressed concern that “Wingham was a pretty dear bride” after seeing what is spent on nursery and day care. “Some figures were scary at the last meeting.” In other amalgamation matters, a meeting was set for June 30, with Hullett Twp. council to discuss shared boards. consider Grey Brussels and Grey did not want any amalgamation that would disrupt the present grouping. “If our joining causes any disharmony among the other three then we would not pro­ ceed.” While they must now wait and see, as the representatives get their council’s opinion, Dunbar said he felt the reaction to a partnership was fairly positive. The main thing is that every action has been taken to try to meet the county’s objective of 6,000 electors for each new municipality. “That’s only a number, but there did seem to be great variations of size. I think roughtly the same size will work better. This is the only direction left - for us,” said Dunbar. Morris, Turnberry and Howick have all declined Brussels and Grey’s invitations to enter discus­ sions. “We are acting in response to what we have heard. People like the way we are going and want us to consid­ er a bigger grouping.” one parked in Atwood. The officers set up surveillance of this vehicle waiting for an owner or driver to show up. After several hours two people got into the vehicle and start­ ed to drive away. The officer attempted to stop the vehicle but it fled dowm the road until another unit assisted in stop­ ping them 15 minutes later. The officers found a quantity of Continued on page 7 CitizenTheNorth Huron Vol. 15 No. 26 Wednesday, June 30, 1999 (70c + 5C GST.) 750 Enjoying a relaxing ride Walton Public School student Jamie Mitchell, centre, and Michael McDowell sit back and take in the scenery as Sheila Adams guides the tiny pony around the school yard, June 25. Pony rides were just one of the popular attractions at the school’s annual fun carnival where pupils had the opportunity to go fishing and golfing or challenge each other to the obstacle course. Parents and staff watched the fun on the hot, humid evening. Festive mood kicks off Festival’s 25th season There was a party mood when 282 people packed Blyth Community Centre Friday night for the gala din­ ner opening the 25th season of the Blyth Festival. In what one observer later com­ pared to a family reunion, the festiv­ ities included everything from entertainment by a string quartet, the Bows Arts Quartet to a town crier, bringing greetings from London’s Grand Theatre, to the first live performance of songwriter/per- former James Gordon’s Blyth Festival Anniversary Song. Gordon, had composed the song for CBC Radio’s Ontario Morning show. Present for the festivities was Ontario’s new Minister of Citizenship, Culture and Recreation Helen Johns who said she was proud to be an honorary board member with the Festival. Guest speaker David Mirvish praised the work the Festival has contributed to Canadian theatre, naming some of the shows like I'll Be Back Before Midnight and The Dreamland which he had seen in Toronto productions. 'There is no other place I can think of that is going to do five new plays this sum­ mer,” he said. As owner of Toronto’s Royal Alexandra and Princess of Wales theatres, Mirvish said large theatres like his couldn’t afford to take the risks Blyth and other smaller the­ atres take. A show on his stages must generate $250,000 a week for six weeks and draw 70,000 people to break even, he said. “We can’t take the risk that this community takes. We can’t have the adventures of this community.” He can, however, see good plays at the smaller theatre and put them into his own season, such as he has done with The Drawer Boy, a Theatre Passe Muraille hit by Michael Healey which was original­ ly commissioned by the Festival. Mirvish said he came to theatre as a member of the audience, and when he became interested in program­ ming new Canadian plays, one of the first people he talked to was Anne Chislett, currently artistic director of the Blyth Festival. Master of Ceremonies at the din­ ner was Festival founder James Roy, now a CBC Radio drama producer and a member of the Festival’s board of directors. Meanwhile, entertaining theatre goers in the Memorial Hall court­ yard before the opening night per­ formance of David French’s play That Summer were members of the Blyth Festival Singers. Offices closed The Citizen offices will be closed in recogntion of Canada Day, Thursday, July 1. Deadlines and the publication dates will remain unchanged. Enjoy our nation’s holiday.