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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2004-07-15, Page 1g•0 Bluevale gears up for 150th Keen interest in Mill By Elyse DeBruyn Citizen staff The Citizen Serving the communities of Blyth and Brussels and northern Huron County Volume 20 No. 28 Thursday, July 15, 2004 $1 (93c + 7c GST) Inside this week Pg. 2 Pg. 6 Pg. 8 Div in 'Heat Wave' at I S. Blyth Festival A keen interest from the public was shown for the first community meeting to decide what will become of Logan's Mill in firtissels. Ralph Laviolette, from Huron East's business growth and economic development officer, said the July 7 meeting at the United Church in Brussels, went well with about 25-30 people present. A survey had been given to local residents for input regarding the restoration of the Mill and the steering committee reviewed the results: "I got a real sense that the community wants something done with the Mill," said Laviolette' "People have volunteered their time and about 40 have people said they could offer their services when needed." The survey suggested the Mill be used for niulti-purpose reasons such as any of the following; a museum, an education centre, an arts and cultural Centre, a community meeting centre or a restaurant and coffee house. Laviolette said combining,a museum and restaurant was one of the most favourable options. He also said the steering committee has begun to form a working committee which will organize fundraising events, apply for grants and develop an expense account. The committee will hold a public meeting every two weeks, however the next meeting date hasn't been set. "It's our way to get the community involved." The committee also discussed ;ending out a newsletter every four weeks to "keep the people up to ;peed, " said Laviolette. Next, the committee will discuss -enovations, fundraising ideas, architectural information while •etaining the character of the iuilding and its outside walls and isten to suggestions from an :ngineer. By Bonnie Gropp Citizen editor A special piece of Auburn history is coming home for the 150th anniversary celebration thanks to one long-time resident. Jim Schneider has never been one to ignore an antique. The front of his, and wife Dorothy's Goderich Street home is a showcase for their impressive personal collection of antiques and artifacts. It was 10 years ago that the Schneiders discovered an interesting relic at the Agricultural Museum in Milton. It seemed that the threshing machine on display had an Auburn connection. "I came home and asked around back here and there was the odd person who could remember hearing that someone in Auburn had built a threshing machine," said Jim. Last summer, when he and Dorothy returned to Milton to visit the Heritage Museum, Schneider said he saw the machine again, and "after a little digging" got himself into the administration office. "I told them the number and they got all the history they had." According to what Schneider was told, it seems that around 1865 Robert Downs was operating a blacksmith carriage at the edge of the village on what is now Donnybrook Line. "One winter, I guess it was slack and there were not a lot of carriages to be built and this William Downs, (whom it's assumed was a brother) proceeded to built a threshing machine." "By working with these old machines, I'd have to say it was a prototype with all the old stencilling and decals-. To my knowledge it's the only one built." The machine came to the Agricultural Museum by way . of donation from a man in Michigan, believed to be a distant relative of the Downs family. Then in 1977 Dilbert Downs of Milton, who was William's great- nephew, visited Agricultural Museum and provided information. "No documented evidence remains. This is the information passed through his family as he understands it." The grand opening of the Emergency Services Training (EST) Centre in Blyth is being held at 1 p.m. on Friday, July 30. The event will celebrate the 120- plus volunteers hours each of the firefighters has committed to this project, as well as the tremendous community support that made it After learning this, Schneider came home, but continued to think about the machine. "I thought it would be a good gimmick to have here for the 150th." With assistance from George Smyth of Dungannon, who is a director with the Museum, arrangements were made for the machine to be loaned out during the August long weekend celebrations. "It was quite a deal to get it. They normally don't let things out," said Schneider. Smyth transported the machine to Schneiders by float on July 8. Since then Schneider has been busy trying to get it spruced up. "It's not going to be restoration. It would never hold up. I'm just going to wash it and clean it up." The Downs threshing machine will be on display on the front lawn of the Schneiders' home during the 150th celebration. possible, said David Sparling, project co-ordinator. Also, he said, "Blyth firefighters are honoured to have the Ontario Fire Marshal Bernard Moyle at our ceremony." Following the grand opening there will be public tours. The Centre is located at 40193 Blyth Rd. Council wants re-check of septic tanks By Keith Roulston Citizen publisher Huron County councillors urged health unit officials to move ahead with a reinspection -of older septic tank systems to help keep water safe. "I hate to see this drag on and on," said Deb Shewfelt, Goderich councillor. Other municipalities have been moving toward inspecting and repairing or replacing older septic tank systems, he said. Huron County has an estimated 14,000 septic tank systems which serve about 64 per cent of the population. The health unit has records of only 9,000 of the systems. The resources of the health unit would be best used in concentrating on the 5,000 systems which are older than the county's records, suggested Ben Van Diepenbeek, councillor for Colborne-Ashfield- Wawanosh. Penny Nelligan, health unit director, said the Ministry of Environment had estimated up to 65 per cent of those systems could be failing. MOE officials showed county staff signs to look of septic tank failure for such as additional vegetation on beaches, she said. Shewfelt said the cottage areas west of Hwy. 21 should be the first place for the county to start with reinspections. Cottage associations have indicated support for a clean- up of faulty systems, he said. In other areas, infra-red equipment on aircraft has been used to pick up possible problem areas. But South Huron councillor Rob Morley suggested priority should also be given to septic systems in the county's small villages, many of which are quite old. Repairing and replacing systems would be a huge financial burden. Under the Huron Healthy Futures program 199 septic systems projects were approved for upgrades or replacements at a cost totalling $1,146,587 but it's estimated this represents only about three per cent of the systems needing work. "There's going to have to be some funding or some loan program if we want to tell 5,000 people they have to replace their septic tanks," warned Van Diepenbeek. "We need something to help deal with the problem," agreed Warden Bill Dowson. Dowson has promoted a provincial loan program for septic systems similar to the tile drains loan program for farmers. While various groups have expressed interest, so far no one has moved to set up such a loan fund. Home for a visit Jim Schneider of Auburn discovered this old threshing machine, which was built in Auburn, at the former Ontario Agricultural Museum in Milton a decade ago. Seeing it recently still on display at the Heritage Museum, Schneider got thinking that it would be nice to bring it back home for the 150th celebration of Auburn, coming up on the Civic Weekend. After no small amount of talking and planning it was accomplished and Schneider is now busy getting the machine spick and span for its return. (Bonnie Gropp photo) Downs' thresher home for 150th Kids go to Kentucky camp County saves on WSIB, aims for more Locals in Niagara tournament EST opening, July 30