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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Goderich Signal-Star, 2009-09-23, Page 16Page 16 - Goderich Signal -Star, Wednesday, September 23, 2009 Colborne to host playground dedication to fallen heroes signal -star staff The students of Colborne Cen- tral' Public School (CCPS) will forever cherish the legacy of two memorable figures after an of- ficial ceremony dedicates a new playground structure and track tonight. On Sept. 23, the school grounds at CCPS are expected to swell with the support of faculty, students, parents and community members as the official grand opening of the Robert Plunkett Memorial Playground and the Robert Leckie Track dedication service gets un- derway. With the support of York Police and Huron OPP officers, along with Plunkett and Leckie fam- ily members, CCPS principal Angela Cowley said she is ex- pecting a memorable evening to pay tribute to local heroes. Robert (Bob) Leckie was a familiar face at CCPS. Every year, the Second World War veteran would visit students, each time with the resolve to help impart some knowledge of Canada's most illustrious citizens; those who defended their country, no questions asked. "He used to come to speak to our school as part of The Memory Project," said Cow- ley. "He would always come back a few days later and hand out pins, then a few days later and give them bookmarks." "He was very dedicated to making sure kids had a really good sense of what World War II was about. The kids just loved him." As part of the dedication ceremonies, Leckie will be immortalized as the namesake of the new 400 -metre track. A plaque will be unveiled which reads: Robert Leckie, a veter- an of the Second World War, taught us to never forget the sacrifices made in wartime to preserve and protect freedom. Like Leckie, another area man was dedicated to pro- tecting his country and its citizens, and ,he too is being permanently honoured at the elementary school. The loss of Constable Rob- ert Plunkett in a tragic police takedown in 2007 didn't affect just the members of his fam- ily and his colleagues on the force. Plunkett is remembered as one of the true "good guys" by those who knew him and those who lived near him. An Auburn native, Plun- kett was a 22 -year veteran of the York Regional Police. He joined in 1985 and at the time of his death was a long standing member of the Spe- cial Services Unit within the Intelligence Bureau. But he was more than just a man in uniform. For eight years he served with the Emergency Response Unit and in 1998, he was recog- nized for bravery after rescu- ing a sent, r from drowning. While he had a profound presence behind the badge, off duty Plunkett commanded just as much respect. He'd been involved with the Spe- cial Olympics for years, and even chaired the event in raj Ontario NOTICE OF STEP-DOWN — PHASE 1 PROJECT Detail Design and Class Environmental Assessment For Group Work Project (GWP 406-94-00) - Highway 21 From South of Huron County Road 84 (Zurich/Hensall Road, St. Joseph) to South of Huron County Road 3 (Mill Street, Bayfield) Municipality of Bluewater, County of Huron THE STUDY On behalf of the Ministry of Transportation (MTO), Stantec Consulting Ltd. has carded out a Detail Design and Class Environmental Assessment Study for improvements to Highway 21. The project was broken down into two study areas from 0.20 km south of Huron County Road 84 northerly to 0.28 kin south of Huron County Road 3 for a length of 15.92 km in the Municipality of Biuewater, County of Huron (GWP 406-94-00); and from 0.30 km south of the Jowett's Grove Road (South)/Old River Road intersection northerly to 0.49 km north of the Jowett's Grove Road (North)/Bayfiefd River Road intersection in the Municipalities of Biuewater and Central Huron, County of Huron (GWP 406-06-00). A Public Information Centre (PIC) was held in November 2008 to present the Recommended Plan for improvements under Phase 1 and Phase 2. In direct response to input received from the public and interested stakeholders at the PIC, Phase 2 improvements north of the Bayfield River Bridge proposed under GWP 406-06-00 will be undertaken separately. The Ministry will re-evaluate the recommended plan and provide further opportunity for public input on the revised design at a later date. The step-down notice is directly related to the proposed improvements within the study Ilmits for Phase 1 (GWP 406-94-00) as follows: • Rehabilitation of Highway 21 pavement; • Minor intersection improvements including radii - revisions, paving and approach shoulder treatments; • Reconstruction of private and commercial entrances as required; • Roadside safety improvements including guideraii replacement and the removal and/or protection of roadside hazards as required; and • Drainage knprovements itnduding ditching, minor storm sewer installation, and replacement/ rehabilitation of highway, sideroad and entrance culverts. Highway 21 will remain open to traffic during construction. The traffic management plan was presented at the PIC and k dudes temporary reductions to One lane with flagging on the highway during daylight hours: THE PROCESS Phase 2 Study Area GWP 406-06-00 11 Lake Huron Phase 1 Study Area GWP 406.9400 { i Zu ch ` i The project was started in April 2008 as a 'Group B' project in accordance with the Class Environmental Assessment (EA) for Provincial Transportation Facilities (2000). It has been determined, through consultation with agencies, First Nations and affected property owners, as well as field investigations, that the Phase 1 Recommended Plan for the rehabilitation of Highway 21 from south of Huron County Road 84 to south of Huron County Road 3 (GWP 406-94-00) will not result M any significant adverse environmental or property impacts. Therefore,• Phase 1 is being 'stepped -down' to a 'Group C' project and formal.documentatfon is not required. 'Group C' projects are considered approved under the Ontario Environmental Assessment Act, subject to compliance with the Class EA and the application of mitigation measures where necessary. A Transportation Environmental Study Report (TESR) will not be prepared and there will be no opportunity to request a "bump -up" for Phase 1 to an Individual Environmental Assessment (through a Part II Order) under the Environmental Assessment Act. This notification marks the beginning of the 30 -day review period in which affected parties may request to MTO that the Phase 1 Project remain a 'Group B' project and not be stepped -down. If MTO and the objector cannot agree, then the objector may ask the Minister of the Environment (135 St. Clair Avenue West, 12th Floor, Toronto, ON M4V 1P5) to rule on the request. It is the responsibility of the objector to forward the request to the Minister of the Environment before the end of the review period on October 15, 2009. A -copy of the objection should also be forwarded to Stantec Consultltg Ltd. at the address shown below. COMMENTS Please provide any comments or concems that you may have regarding the study or the decision to step down the Phase 1 project to a 'Group C' project by October 15, 2009 to the address below. Input collected will be used in accordance with the Freedom of information and Protection of Privacy Act. With the exception of personal information, all comments will become part of the public record. If you have questions or require more information, please contact: • Mr. Gordon Murray, P.Eng. Senior Project Manager Sant.° Consulting Ltd. 49 Frederick Street Kitchener, ON N2H 8M7 lbL 519-686-7368 Toll-free: 14188-679.4410 Fax: 519-6704133 E-rnsik Amy McGuire, P.Eng. Project Engineer Planning & Design - West Region Ministry of Transportation 860 Exeter Road, 3rd Floor London, ON N8E 1 L3 510.673.4715 Fax: 510-873-4800 E-rnalk emy.mogulre0ontarto.ce 2000. The school hosted an unveiling ceremony in mid-June when the wheelchair accessible playground structure was completed. A chain- link ribbon bearing the names and wishes of each student was placed across one entrance to the structure, and in a touching move, Jewel Plunkett, mother of the late Const. Robert Plunkett, made the official barrier snip that opened the playground to a rush of chil- dren who had been eagerly antici- pating its arrival since 2007. "It's sad, but nice," Jewel said as she watched a band of more than 60 students clammer up the rams, ladders and bars in June. Dedi- cated as the Robert Plunkett Me- morial Playground, a plaque fixed prominently at its base honors its namesake and his accomplish- ments. "This is absolutely a good day for everyone," Jewel said. "I'm so proud to be here." The new playground structure is accessible to allow physically challenged children to have ac- cess, as well as anyone with mo- bility challenges, such as parents with strollers and grandparents babysitting grandchildren. Not only does this position the school for the future by address- ing new legislative requirements, it also opened the door to fund- ing that would not otherwise been available — funding that covered the additional cost for an acces- sible structure. Outside of school hours, the playground is open to the community. A partnership with the Carlow Morning Star Masons allowed the school to receive an Ontario Trillium grant towards the proj- ect. Funding was also generously granted from a number of other organizations, including Ronald McDonald House, Hydro One, Wal-Mart, Goderich RONA, God- erich Kinsmen and the Goderich Lions Club. Numerous students, parents and other local businesses and organizations also contrib- uted to the cause. CCPS was fortunate to be one of 40 playground projects in Canada this year to receive a grant from an organization called Let Them Be Kids. Let Them Be Kids requests playground structures be dedicat- ed and named after a fallen hero, such as a soldier, police officer or fire fighter. The official grand opening and dedication ceremony is set to begin at 6:30 p.m. on the school grounds. CCPS welcomes mem- bers of the community to attend the culmination of their more than two-year playground efforts. The ceremonies will run in con- junction with the school's annual open house.