HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Huron Expositor, 1998-12-02, Page 5Enforcement of snowmobiling rules
a big problem in some municipalities
MUM Page 1
couldn't come, and that
many other people in town,
not just on their street, didn't
want snowmobiles at all in
Seaforth.
WITHHOLD TAXES
Sallows said if council
didn't do what the deputation
wanted it would be back, and
he would withhold paying
his taxes. as others might.
Coun. Michael Hak said he
understood what the
delegation was saying
because he used to live on
the old route down East
William, and knew the
complaints, such as
snowmobilers speeding
through the four-way stop,
and making noise at 2 a.m.
some mornings.
But he was the only
councillor to vote against the
bylaw.
Coun. Hak argued that past
experience indicates
enforcing snowmobiling
rules is practically
impossible and that a bylaw
won't end snowmobiling in
Seaforth.
"Your not going to stop
them," he said.
Coon. Hak said local
owners who told the previous
meeting of council that
snowmobiling is good for
business also had a valid
point of view, and deserved
representation.
Deputy -reeve Bill Teall
abstained from the vote.
Snowmobilers appear to be
. in the minority on the issue.
he said. and a good portion
of people in town seem
unhappy about
snowmobiling.
Then again, back in 1974
during a big winter storm,
snowmobiles were the only
way some residents could get
around this town, he
reminded council.
Coun. Michael Hodgins
said he didn't buy the
argument that you don't
pursue a bylaw because it is
difficult to enforce.
Coun. Robinet said
although she didn't agree
with the deputation's threat
to withhold taxes, she was
moving the motion to ban
snowmobiling by bylaw.
even though her husband
also has a business (gas
station) that might be seen to
benefit.
CHILDREN & SENIORS
She agreed with the West
William group that there are
a high percentage of children
and seniors in Seaforth.
Mayor Dave Scott said
enforcement of
snowmobiling rules is a big
problem.
Some communities allow
snowmobilers within town to
drive "the quickest route" for
fuel and to the outskirts, he
said.
Council agreed making
exceptions in such cases
would only complicate bylaw
enforcement by police even
more.
The Walton Trailblazers
have a trail that terminates to
the north of Seaforth, at the
pumping station.
Council first proposed the
new West William route as a
Status quo not option
for Canada's health
FROM Page 4
exception of the US. The
latest statistics show we are
now ranked fourth among
the Group of Seven
industrialized nations.
In 1996. total health
expenditures, both public
and private. was $75.3
billion or 9.2 per cent Of our
GDP. This i s down from a
high of 10.2 per cent of GDP
in ' 1992. Since 1993. the
health -to -GDP ratio has
fallen each year. a trend
which is expected to
continue with a projection of
nine per cent.
Since 1990. the cumulative
rate of growth of health care
expenditures is the lowest of
any G-7 country.
With the massive cut in
federal transfer payments to
the provinces. it is. true that
government policy choices
havc'restrained health cart;
funding. If quality of health
services was defined in the
Canada Health Act and the
need for adequate funding
was one of its principles.
then we might not be facing
many of the problems that
we have today.
1 do not wish to prejudge
the results of any discussion.
If Canadians, at the end of
the day. wish to see
additional private funding in
our health system. which is
already at more than 31 per
cent, then it makes sense to
consider that option.
Discussing such an option
does not mean that we are on
the road toward and
Americanized health system.
Let's not have our fears keep
us from intelligent debate.
If. on the other hand,
Canadians wish to leave the
Canada Health Act intact,
that means we have three
choices. We can leave
funding at current levels,
which will result in lower
quality and accessibility. We
can increase funding through
higher taxes. Or, we can
direct money to health care
that would have gone on
other government programs.
If Canadians decide the
Act should be revised, that
creates at least one more
option; increasing the
amount of private money in
our system.
If we arc to keep pace and
maintain or improve quality,
there is little doubt
Canadians will agree the
status quo is not an option.
Discussion about health
care can be difficult because
it touches on what defines us
as Canadians. I look forward
to a wide-ranging discussion
so that Canadians fully
understand the issues and
realities that confront all of
US.
STRATFORD
Keeping Christmas
This year cnjo) the .I,ii it of ( hi Int nr,l 11,1.1 in
downtown Stratford... toineand cctctrr,ltr Iht- 11•,'ir1
!c Cd`,1Ni111111111 wonderIiil rr�taurl rel s, c•n 111s 1)111 11n Mur
shall. ,end sers'iccs... ,LII n ithin 1 ,,.s ssall.iiig di,l.incc
in beautifui dntvnlowo `Ilrailord.
1 ri'ryiliitig
you need fill'
Ill(' liopIIlcS1 Of
Holidays.
,i
•
„..1"m
possible Zink to the Walton
group's trail, when the old
issue of snowmobiling in
Seaforth re -surfaced at both
of last month's meetings.
When informally polled,
some representatives of a
few local establishments said
snowmobilers were good for
their businesses at the Nov.
10 meeting of council.
Trailblazers'
representatives said they
wanted nothing to do with a
new official route in Seaforth
at that same meeting,
because of complaints and
problems with their previous
East William Street route in
town a couple of years ago.
There was so little snow in
Seaforth last winter the issue
was academic.
The old East William route
that linked up to the Walton
snowmobiling club's trail is
no longer feasible because of
the new subdivision being
developed where it used to
run.
ANOTHER ROUTE
Because it would be
businesses that would
benefit, council passed the
proposal for a West William
route on to Seaforth's
business improvement
association (BIA) three
weeks ago for input.
The BIA met two days
later, on Nov. 10, but spent
most of its time considering a
different route east of the old
route.on East William, in the
vicinity of the local high
school.
The BIA approved having a
trail enter town from the
Complete
Automotive Repair
"Class A Mechanic"
TIRE SALES, SERVICE & REPAIR
ARCHIE'S
Sewiee a ate
527-0881
24 Goderith St. E. Seaforth
If/.74
(1J.74
northeast along the edge of
the race track to the northern
border of Seaforth District
High School's property,
south on Chalk Street, west
on Side Street and south on
East William Street to
Goderich Street
The BIA passed motion at
that meeting supporting the
establishment of that
snowmobile trail into town,
authorizing Gary Gagnier (of
Sizzler's) to meet with the
Walton Trailblazers to verify
and sign the trail.
"This is very similar to
what the snowmobilers do
anyway and it doesn't go
through too many residential
areas," minutes of the
meeting state.
BOARD SAYS NO
But that proposal
subsequently died in its
tracks when the Avon -
Maitland District School
Board would not allow it.
That proposal would have
also interfered with
Seaforth's "Memory
Gardens" recently set up
south of the school.
"They never even talked
West William," Coun.
Robinet said. She is council's
representative on the BIA.
"Trail riders like to have
access to a community in
order to refuel, rest and get
something to eat." the BIA
minutes note. "They arc not
comfortable coming into
town when there is no
established route because
they do not feel welcome and
they can easily get lost if
they are not from the area."
MASSAGE
THERAPY
RA
ELLIOTT R.M.T.
Registered
Massage
Therapist
For an appointment Call
527-1242
or 527-0780
Seaforth Chiropractic Clinic
THE HURON EXPOSITOR, DECEMBER 2, 1998-5
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