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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2006-07-20, Page 1wELp omtip. :1/,'Evfyrit r . ESIABOSEILD 1877 (1,4, Inside this week Pg. 7 Pg. 9 Local woman receives award Bantams play against Fullerton McGavins mark g. 70th anniversary P c Campventlon gives S. 1-7 to Memory Garden Festival work not all Pg. 23 glamorous Major storm hits By Bonnie Gropp Citizen editor e Citizen Serving the communities of Blyth and Brussels and northern Huron County Volume 22 No. 29 Thursday, July 20, 2006 $1 (94c + 6c GST) North Huron approves runway work By Bonnie Gropp Citizen editor Not as it seems Blyth firefighter Jeff Josling assists the 'victim' at the mock disaster in Goderich July 14. The event was held at the airport. Fire departments from all across the county, emergency medical services, community organizations and Huron OPP took part in a simulated airplane crash. Victims were high school students taking part in a medical day camp based out of Seaforth. The camp was organized by the Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry at the University of Western Ontario. (Signal Star photo) Celebrity weekend in Blyth With extreme temperatures and humidity on Monday, residents had to know something was brewing. But whether they were prepared for the storm that blew into the area around 9 p.m. is unlikely. Clouds began to move in and darken the sky by .early evening, but it was around 8:30 p:m: before the lightning aria thunder began. Witinh minutes, gale force winds began. A motorist on Hwy 4 just south of Wingham said it was like nothing she'd ever seen. "The winds just suddenly picked up and drove the rain so strongly the visibility was reduced considerably. Small branches and debris fell onto the. road so that driving was a bit like running a gauntlet." The storm, which seemed to target the northern part of the county caused damage throughout the area and power outages in many places. The south end of Wingham, which included Tim Hortons and the North Huron Wescast Community Complex was without hydro for awhile before the storm. Brussels had its hydro out for several minutes, while Blyth got off lucky with just a flicker. Many homes and properties were hit hard. A gazebo at a RR3, Blyth property blew away and a tree fell on an Ethel area residence. Dale Finch of RR1, Ethel, had just pulled into her laneway when a large 'tree fell behind her vehicle. "If we'd been two seconds later it would have been on us.'-' Today, Finch said they will be spending time doing a "lot of cleaning up. This is the worst I've seen since I've lived here." Hydro remained out in some areas Tuesday morning. While there have been reports of a tornado, this was not confirmed by Environment Canada by press time. — Photos on page 6 By Carol Burns Citizen staff It was a celebrity weekend for Blyth. Patrons sitting in the balcony at last Friday night's performance of The Ballad of Stompin' Tom were treated to a duet at the end of the show. Tom Connors, sitting in the back row of the balcony, began singing along with Randy Hughson (who plays the adult Tom Connors in the play) during Hughson's final number. Artistic director, Eric Coates, said, "We (the office staff) knew that Tom and his 10 band members were coming. But we could not let the cast know until the end of the show." "Tom Connors stayed in my office until the beginning of the play. Then I took him back there during the intermission. He was visibly moved by the performance." "At the end of the play, I took him backstage. When Randy came around the corner, •the two of them opened their arms wide overcome by the emotion," Coates continued. Author David Scott was also present at performance. Coates said that the cast and crew at the Festival were delighted to meet 'The Man of the Land'. Connors, his band and bodyguard joined them- on the loading dock for an impromptu get together "Tom usually just makes an appearance and leaves," Coates said. "He must have really enjoyed the play, because he stayed until 2 a.m. "This evening was a dream come true for everyone involved with the show," Coates said. "Stompin' Torn loved every minute of the play and he personally made sure that all the actors knew it," Coates said: On Saturday morning there was a different celebrity in town. Vicki Gabereau, former CBC talk host, chatted in her low key manner with the audience of older women and men. Gabereau noted the presence of the RD Society, and said, "They livened up my (television) show so much, I though that we should put them on salary." In welcoming Gabereau, Coates spoke of listening to her every afternoon while working at construction jobs. The chat was followed with a luncheon attended by, 100 people. At the end of the luncheon, Festival board member Cass BaYie-y and Coates presented Gabereau Continued on page 22 A public meeting was held prior to the regular council meeting Monday night to discuss 2006 budget amendments' for North Huron. Director of finance/treasurer Donna White explained that these are typically insignificant. However, one of the eight items to • be considered, the surfacing of the runway at the Wingham airport is substantial. The estimated cost of the project is $258,109.85 White said the work would not affect the budget as it will be funded from reserves. "There is $85,000 that has been sitting in reserves for the second lift of asphalt and you have $181,097 left in the airport logging reserve, so .the total is $226,097.03." Director of recreation/facilities Pat Newson said the surfacing is for five metres that was not done initially but was to have been five years ago. "The condition of the runway is good, but that could change the next time a plane lands and it will cost a lot more then:" Newson added that engineers have said with the surfacing work done, there should be no problems for at least 20 years. "Basically, . this means doing something now that should have been done five years ago," said reeve Doug Layton. Newson said, "That's correct. It could be devestating to us if it cracks or damages." Cour-16110r Archie MacGowan said that while the runway condition is good, it is starting to show signs of degradation. Newson also pointed out that the cost of asphalt will continue to rise so that if delayed the project could cost more in the future. Council approved the work. Other budget amendments included additional costs for the heating, ventilation and • air- conditioning system at the Wing- ham day care, the purchase of booth seating for the concession at the North Huron Wescast Complex, rather than for a creepy crawler at the pool, upgrades and training for a new phone system, work on Hamilton Street in Blyth, intake 3 of the COMRIF application, a future main across London Road in Belgrave and office equip- ment. There is no effect on the budget from any of these items, said White.