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The Citizen, 2001-11-14, Page 6Invitation to Huron East Residents & Other Interested Groups Land Use Planning & Development in Huron East Have your say on the future development of the Municipality Council & staff of the Municipality of Huron East are presently reviewing their Land Use Planning documents. There are currently 5 Municipal Plans (Wards of Brussels, Grey, McKillop, Seaforth & Tuckersmith). The goals are to review and combine these plans to create one new Official Plan for Huron East. This is also an opportunity to conduct the required 5 Year Review of Municipal Plans as required by the Province. Public discussion meetings will be held in 2 locations in late November and you are invited to attend and participate. Tuesday, Nov. 27, 2001 at 7:30 p.m. at the Seaforth Agriplex or Thursday, Nov. 29, 2001 at 7:30 at the Brussels, Morris & Grey Community Centre, in Brussels The Land Use Plan includes policies in the following land use categories: Agriculture; Natural Environment; Extractive Resources; Institutional; Recreational; and Urban. Some questions to think about in preparation for this meeting are as follows: III What do you consider the most important land use issue facing Huron East today? • Agriculture is an important component of the Huron East economy. What should be done to protect the land base and support successful agricultural operations? • The agricultural operations in Huron East vary in size and type. What is an appropriate minimum lot size to ensure flexibility and the long-term future of agriculture? • One of the three former township plans permits surplus farm residential severances. Should this type of severance be permitted in Huron East? • Land use policies have historically protected woodlots and wetlands and encouraged the reforestation of marginal lands. What else needs to be done in this area? Are there local features we should be protecting? • Aggregate (gravel & sand) is a valuable resource in Huron East and should be protected. Should all aggregate deposits be identified? III Should rural institutional uses be directed to urban areas? • Current rural recreational uses in Huron East include a golf course and a campground. Should further recreational development be promoted? How? • The urban settlements in Huron East range from towns and villages with full water and sewer services to hamlets with public water and private sewage or private water and sewage. How should growth occur? What is the right mix of uses? Please contact the Huron East Municipal Office at 527-0160 for more information. kblei! itillecttittli;MISktddk4WitiVidtifiT061840: Presentation warns about crossing the 'stupid line' His story Adrian Deileman told his tragic story during the public HEROES presentation in Wingham on Thursday evening. (Vicky Bremner photo) By Bonnie Gropp Citizen editor Safety First Huron Perth delivered its message in a powerful way, with HEROES at the North Huron Wescast Community Complex — Wingham Columbus Centre on Nov. 8. HEROES was developed national- ly by SMARTRISK, a' charitable organization started in 1992 by Dr. Robert Conn. After seeing many young people die of preventable injuries, Conn became convinced that someone had to come out of the operating room and go into the com- munity. He discovered that injuries are the leading cause of death for people between the ages of one and 44. HEROES is a fast-paced audiovi- sual presentation combined with the story of a young injury survivor. In Huron, it was viewed, not just by the public on Thursday night, but throughout Nov. 8 and 9, by Grades 8, 9, 10 and 1l students from the county's schools. Eight one-hour presentations were shown to 3,200 young people. About 100 were in attendance for the public presentation. A spotlight fell on Adrian Dieleman. The young man, who is paralyzed from the shoulders down, had a story to tell. As a youth, Dieleman said, he was a bit of a risk taker. Though his reck- lessness caused minor injuries it was the last day of college in May of 1987, when the then 22-year-old "crossed his stupid line". After celebrating the end of exams, Dieleman had some drinks then got behind the wheel of a car. Driving too fast, passing cars, he came to a bend in the road. Veering left, the car went over the shoulder of the road into the ditch and rolled several times. A passenger, who was not wearing a seatbelt was thrown clear and suf- fered minor injuries. He was, Dieleman noted, "very lucky to be alive." Dieleman, on the other hand, was pinned. His spinal cord had been severed. Because of the position he was in, his face was buried. His friend dug so that he might breathe. At 2 a.m. his parents were contact- ed and it took three or four days before they even knew whether their son would live or die. Dieleman told of the healing process. He was in traction, and operations to fuse the vertebrae were very painful. Told he would never walk again, Dieleman had to relearn how to live. Dieleman who is now chaplain of a rehabilitation hospital in Ontario, said he learned to take smart risks, such as using full gear and training for wheelchair racing, in which he is a Canadian champion. He tells how his family and friends rallied around him, adding that it took about two years to become independent, able to dress and go to the bathroom himself. 43ut, also, he said, his tragedy caused his friends to re-assess their lives. "'Accidents' are predictable and preventable." Now married to a teacher, Dftleman has no children and never will. Only 30 per cent of men in his condition can father children. Reminding people the importance of knowing their "stupid lines", Dieleman stressed having strategies for safe risks. Buckle up. Drive sober. Look first. Wear the gear. Get trained. A second speaker was Ken Kelly, a Paisley-area farmer. He explained that there are two types of farmers - those who have had an accident already and those who have not yet had an accident. It was Aug. 19, 1982, Kelly said, and he was stressed out because of the weather and the fact he did not have enough help to get his crops in. He was working with borrowed equipment. In a hurry, he was unloading grain from the wagon by an auger into a grain tank. He was standing beside the power take-off, when it grabbed his coveralls. An auger revolves 540 times per minutes. Kelly's coveralls were torn off and wrapped 13 times around the auger in less than two seconds. A bigger man, Kelly believes his size prevented him from being pulled into the auger. He was instead picked up and slammed onto the ground. Not before his hand was pulled off, however. The costs, Kelly noted, were far greater than had he taken the time to do the job properly. He was hospital- ized for weeks, and his neighbours had to finish his work. Farming, he said, is the second most dangerous job in Canada, but Kelly stressed that care can make it safer. He reminded that things should be kept in good repair, guards and shields should be used. Pesticides and herbicides should he stored properly. Most importantly, "take responsibility for safety." Co-ordinator Linda Stobo thanked the people who worked on the proj- ect 'and the HEROES crew. She reminded the audience to "remember the stupid line". In addition to the live presenta- tions, a moving slide show, accom- panied by pulsing, upbeat music showed teens talking about their lives, the need to party, to dance, play sports and drive -cars. These scenes were interspersed with others of car crashes, ambulances, police, people crying, critically injured youths, and operations. The images were not just thought-- provoking, but unforgettable, deliv- ered in a non-preaching, but deliber- ate manner. The closing message was "Be a hero, save a life, even if it's your own." With notes from Vicky Bremner