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.