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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2001-06-13, Page 1NORTH HURON PUBLISHING COMPANY 'NC I Inside this week Pg 6 Blyth Scouters get recognition pg. 8 Tigers win first home game P -1 1 Israelites storm 5.• Walton Hall po. 11 New restaurant s `II opens in Blyth pa 2 4 Stratford's 'Twelfth 'i Night', a long one Onward-ho Dale Wanless of Brussels takes the horses out for a test run along the streets of Blyth practising for The Outdoor Donnellys that opens the Blyth Festival season this Friday night. (Mark Nonkes photo) Team brings the past to Blyth Citizen WE Lpopt.. -To B" /T .. H' ESTAMSHED 1877 /: Volume 17 No. 24 Wednesday, June 13, 2001 75 Cents (70c + 5c GST) Ministry standards. However, at the Thursday session of county council, hydrologist Dan Brown, part of a team that completed a study of six clusters of some 15 HE haggles over officer By Mark Nonkes Citizen staff In a six to five decision, Huron East voted to hire an economic officer, with half of the $25,000 salary coming from Seaforth. After an hour of debate council opted for the cheapest way to hire the economic officer, with Seaforth Ticking up Ralf the tab. An economic officer would promote the area of Huron East and try to attract more businesses. According to Grey ward Councillor Alvin McLellan Seaforth would reap most of the benefits of an economic officer. He voted in favour of hiring the officer with Seaforth paying half the costs. Mayor Lin Steffler wanted more money to go to the officer and didn't want Seaforth to pick up half the cost. An economic officer is something the whole area could benefit from. They will see what is out there, she said. McKillop ward Councillor Sharon McClure led the charge, saying when meeting with residents of Brussels and McKillop no one could understand why the officer was needed. "Not one person was in favour," McClure said. After an hour of talking in circles, McClure said it was time to vote. McClure tabled the motion to hire an officer that would cost the least amount to Huron East. McClure and five others Steffler in the close vote. Seaforth councillor Dick Burgess was not happy with the way things turned out. With Seaforth picking up half the costs they could promote their own area before promoting other' areas of Huron East, Burgess said. "It would lose its effectiveness," Burgess said. Grey ward Councillor Graeme MacDonald said hiring an officer would relieve some of the stress from volunteers. The job of saving schools and the stores wouldn't be left to the volunteers who put Continued on page 8 By Bonnie Gropp Citizen staff Generally speaking the county's groundwater supply is above By Mark Nonkes Citizen staff They are stepping back in time, painting a picture of when .the thought of automobiles was not yet born. Two black robust horses pull a wooden stage coach through the streets of Blyth and into Threshers Park nightly in June. The horses and stage coach are helping to recreate the world in southern Ontario in the I 800s. It was the world of the Donnellys. A world the Blyth Festival is recreating in their season opener The Outdoor Donnellys. Chock full of men and women from the early years in Ontario, the stage coach drops off its passengers, the actors in the show, at exactly 8 p.m. in front of a large audience and stage. Making the delivery is Dale Wanless, the stage coach driver with his team of horses. Wanless, a man in his 50s, talks energetically about the horses before the coach is given a test run. Wanless taught at Brussels Public School and Turnberry Public School and retired after 33 years of teaching at the age of 52. Upon retirement Wanless, who lives just south of Brussels, turned more of his attention to horses. He worked them to spread manure, chain harrowing and other field jobs. wells each, cautioned that shallow and overburdened wells were showing higher concentrations of bacteria and organic contamination. "The study was successful in establishing conditions showing overburdened and shallow bedrock wells are most vulnerable to human activity," said Brown. Stressing that most of the wells tested "definitely meet the Ministry's standards for drinking water," Brown made recommendations to address the shallow well concern. He said the data should be completed for public education purposes and also that sentinel wells be established for monitoring in each of the test areas. "We did a snapshot of each of these. A monitoring system using the information gathered as background can be helpful in determining irends." Other protection strategies suggested was community consultation, data management, emergency preparedness and contingency plans. South Huron Councillor Joe Hogan asked how once a source problem had been identified, it can be reconciled with the fact that it's usually on private property. Brown's response was that at one end of the spectrum the key areas around the well can be purchased. The other, he said, is asking for the assistance of the people who may be using practices that put the supply at risk. Any changes that may be of significant cost could be offset by the municipality. "In many cases people recognize the risk in what they are doing and changes are made," Brown said. Asked for a rating of the county's groundwater, Brown said only that in terms of percentage it's a "good supply. The typical bedrock well is in good shape, but the shallow wells are at risk." The shallow wells tested were primarily individual domestic wells though - some did supply two residences, Brown said. Goderich Councillor Deb Shewfelt wondered how the county can best address the issue. "It's a huge puzzle and you've completed one section. How do we move ahead, bring it together and make it work?" he asked Brown. "I appreciate that you have to use a carrot, but some times you have to use a stick. What involvement should we have as elected officials?" Assuming that bacteria is the main problem, Brown said public education is the biggest step that can be taken. County planner Gary Davidson said that the county has already taken steps and is moving on others. "We're trying to do a wide range of things." Asked by Central Huron Councillor Carol Mitchell whether the issue of shallow wells could be Covered through planning, Davidson said, "Controlling how a person gets their supply is difficult. Education is the best way because we don't have the ability to tell people what type of well to dig." But. it's not happening soon enough. Mitchell said. "That's all well and good but these wells are being drilled. 'Education is not being done. I know we're trying but we have to do this faster." Finding and capping abandoned wells is another challenge, Davidson Continued on page 6 Study gives passing grade to some wells At retirement Wanless hoped to compares older horses to a good become more involved in the tractor that never breaks down. community. When he heard The pair of horses Wanless chose Donnelly director Paul Thompson are two that know when to work and wanted to use horses Wanless saw when to relax. All saddled up and the opportunity to give something waiting to pull the coach the horses back to the community. rested on three legs, something that Asked to lend horses for the show shows they are comfortable. he made sure he had the most Relaxing before working hard is sensible horses he knew of. something the horses learned when Thompson said he wanted two they were younger, Wanless said. horses to pull the stage. The horses Working on a Mennonite farm and at didn't have to be anything fancy, just the track taught the horses to relax something that would have been before any hard work. common during the time of the With a few words in Mennonite Donnellys. tongue and a quick flick of the reins Wanless owned a retired track by Wanless the horses begin to walk, horse that had been worked very pulling a stage coach. hard through its youth on the race- These are horses that aren't afraid tracks, and was now an older horse of lights from cars, they are horses at 17 years. that remain calm in rain, Wanless Wanless remembered an old said. At a previous trial run with Mennonite work horse that he used the horses the rain was falling to own, who was now 25-years-old. 4- heavily. He called up the present owner, Gail "Paul said 'the Donnellys MacTavish, and got her permission wouldn't have let a little rain stop to use the horse in the show. them' and I said 'and neither "They are still sound, sane and are we'. So away we went," Wanless sensible," Wanless said of the said. horses. One thing Wanless is concerned Horses can live up to 30 years. about is the horses' reactions to the MacTavish calls these horses lights of the stage and to the big senior -citizens. Pulling a stage audience. coach and doing work is something They will be running 16 that keeps the horses young. she performances, starting on June 14. said. "By the time they have done this Having older horses means four or five times this will be old leaving less to chance. MacTavish hat," Wan less smiled.