The URL can be used to link to this page

Home My WebLink AboutHuron Expositor, 2000-01-19, Page 5News Nesbitt in associationwor to help arena managers, recreation view of the association has Group aims for private member bill to have skills officially recognized By Scott Higendorft , said Nesbitt and ORFA is taking steps to help improve Expositor Editor the recognition the recreation .Current efforts of the . field receives., . Ontario Recreation Facilities He said arena staff deal Association. of which arena_ with complicated manager Graham Ncshitt is . refrigeration systems, have an executive member. could • backgrounds in finances, improve the .recognition skills in ict painting and recreation staff receive. The association's efforts could also lead to more . government :dollars going back into recreation facilities they helped build about 20 . years ago. "The recreation field has been left on the backhurner, ' Tuckersmith briefs Council purchases truck Tuckersmith Township council recently accepted a tender for a 2000 Chev 3/4 ton four-by=four' truck from Robert Evans Chev O1 -ds Ltd. for $25,147.85. The tender was accepted after considering three submissions, the other two being $28.185 from McLaughlin's Plymouth. and $28,185 from Campbell Ford. Support given to Vanastra school Tuckersmith Township council advised the Vanastra Public School advisory council that it is prepared to help with any presentations or endeavors to keep the schoolin the community at la -Member meeting. • Employees get raise Full-time employees of Tuckersmith Township were offered a -two per cent raise for the year 2000 by coutttcil at its December meeting. Restructuring proposal accepted With a 3-1 recorded vote. Tuckersmith Township cotincil supported the restructuring proposal which would see it join with Seaforth. Brussels and -McKillop and Grey Townships. Voting against was Coun. Bill DeJong while Reeve Bob Broadfoot , Coun. Jim MacLeod and Coun. Doug Poulton voted in favor of the motion. Council at its Decembermeeting also endorsed a recommendation of the County of Huron that the composition of county council be based on one representative per 4,000 electors. 0 many other -specialized abilities including familiarity with healthissties- since the facilities have showers and serve food. These skills aren't hacked: by certificates (hat are recognized by the government -which, in turn means employers have no way., of knowing what standards their- employees . have behind them. -. Nesbitt' said some town adtnitiistrations need to be losing sleep at night -not_ -- knowing what kind„ of - training, their employees have. "There are.. some, sear -y . operators out there," -he -said. He said there . are no ol110a1 titles associated with 'arena managers' names to help show they are certified or qualified to operate an -. arena and:recrcation facility. For example. through the ORFA. Nesbitt has received a Registered Recreation Facilities Administrator certification. While this recognizes the various skills; training and education Nesbitt has. it currently means nothing -to ..the • -government. now, we have no -clout." said Nesbitt of. ORFA. he has hcen on the _ association's executive for:, more than two Years and. in _addition to being..a zone director. is also currently serving, as the finance director. ' The association provides, training -and education in a range of areas from proper handling of' refrigeration equipment to risk management. . - By being a member,' Nesbitt saidhc gets first- hand -information on arena • and recreation issues and has been able to make ongoing changes at the SDCC to ensure it is -operating at ORFA standards, even if those. standards and, the training and skills behind arena managers aren't officially recognized by the provincial government. • "We're trying to get this on a private members hill." said Nesbitt. who met recently • with Helen Johns who, while being the local MPP, is also the Minister of Culture and . Recrcatiun.• :Nesbitt is hoping the meeting will have generated Johns support and ORFAis. now looking for an MPP without a provincial portfolio who can bring it forward when the provincial legislature resumes this spring. While ORFA is not officially recognized, the been changing and it is working more 'closely with areas of the government, like the Ministry of Municipal- Affairs to help ensure facilities - are operated at a proper standard. Nesbitt said the- ministry •is developing -standards and ORFA wants to make sure it has input. into how those standards are seta Some. facilities don't have ammonia detectors to sense potential leaks in the refrigeration system that could harm employees or the public which is one of the needs identified in the • standards checklist ORFA has developed. Without' standards -being enforced before. Nesbitt said the Ministry of Labouris. giving people more of atap - on the shoulder" right- now- when it sees a problem so facilities have some time to - make potentially o'make-potentially costly changes. "We're trying to get people up to • speed . with compliance;" Nesbitt said: As the relationship grows between ORFA and the. government, it has also seen ORFA asked for advice: in _what practices should- have been in place when an employee • at a London -facility was killed operating a flooderand what standards of ice thickness should have been met after a hockey player in the Windsor area tripped on a hole in the ice and was paralyzed. "The government is looking to us toset standards." said Nesbitt. At thc same time. he said they are trying to get the ,government -to realize it ' needs to reinvest in these facilities- to help themwith everything from adding the ammonia detectors to helping the facilities.expand Nesbitt points out many facilities like the Seaforth and District Community Centres, were constructed with help from government grants like those available through Wintario. Much of these funds were given out to help facilities develop about I5•to 20 years ago but now. there is little funding available and many. of these facilities need improvements or -work.. "We. don't have a real structural problem here," said Nesbitt, pointing to some facilities that have cracks in the ice surface floor or have run into difficulties handling thc recreation activities that have evolved since; the facilities were built 2Q10js ago. Seaforth has an ammonia gas detection system in place and has made changes such as the relocation of its hot water heater after discovering through a boiler inspection it was not correctly located when the ® Ontario The Ministry of the Solicitor General seeks applicants to fill a vacancy on the Seaforth Police Services Board I he three-member Seaforth Police Services Board meets as required with the Ontario Provincial Police to discuss policing priorities for the community. Applicants should have good written and verbal communications skills, previous experience on boards or committees, experience as a•community volunteer and an awareness of local policing issues. -Any resident of the Town of Seaforth interested in serving as a provincially -appointed member of the Police Services Board may apply by forwarding a detailed resume by February 2, 2000, to the: Public Appointments Unit Ministry of the Solicitor General 12th Floor, 25 Grosvenor Street Thronto ON M7A 2113 Fax: (416) 314.3536 Tel: (416) 314.9335 facility was built. But not all facilitic. • have .been able to make ongoing changes,or have.-- discoverd all the problems newly' developed Ministry of Municipal Affairs standards might reveal. He suggested the municipalities should not be responsible for some of those repairs or improvements but that the .provincial government should he reinvesting funds' in -the .• . facilities it has helped create instead. -In Seaforth's case, he said the facilitycan't handle the co-ed 'sports that have developed with the the tour dressing rooms it has. A recent .Atom • hocke. tournament saw girl. • changing in arena offices and a-broomhall tournament next week will pose even more . complicated difficulties with co-ed teams and men's and women's division} Having the g? vernment reinvest in facilities- it helped build, like Seaforth's, would -help with -the SDCCs wish list for such improvements as a second ice surface and the expanded dressing rooms. But the reinvestment -isn't just financial: • Nesbitt said once'. the Ministry of Municipal" Affairs starts. looking at -the facilities and how they are- being run. itcould. also lead • to help through training support or advice to save costs such as rcali,'ine.the facility wasn't aware of switch system that could - keep . its brine pump froth. operating 24 hours a dao. . "It's to get recreation ()li- the back -burner and out front;" said Nesbitt of ORFA's efforts to get the government. to Zook more closely at recreation facilities again. • -• Becky Campbell Registered Alassage Therapist Graduate of •SDHS • Canadian College of Massage & Hydrotherapy 527-2058 fl only hurts, it you don't call!" THE HURON EXPOSITOR, January 19, 2000-5 "Yes,it is true. I verified it. It is not idle gossip. We will find out the details next week. I could just bust - I am so excited!" FOR PEOPLE WITH DIABETES (IilediSensee sion QI1/?. COMPLETE BLOOD GLUCOSE TESTING SYSTEM ' Regular Price $59.95 011 / Sale Price $34.95 Instant Coupon x$9.95 OR Offer dna Non, Jar,. 31,0w FREE With Trade-in! Ask your pharmacist for details. Guardian Keating's Pharmacy 67 Main St., Seaforth — 527-1990 CJ�4o0u�i1�W " G1f?I?I�I�C�UC1`30 a0�7 ID.‘Avv. THURSDAY, JANUARY 27, 2000 11:00 am to 3:00 pm Pancakes '& Sausage Brunch 1'1:30 to 1:30 Program Beginning at 1:30 ne Eves°. Welome 7Et@Uit? FARM EQUIPMENT LIMITED 1 t Miles North of Seaforth 527-0240 11999 Case Corporation visa us on the Internet al http://www.casecorp.com CASE lilt Who is Closing Your School? Mike Harris and the Ontario Government!! The Ontario Government is Forcing District School Boards to Reduce School Space. The Ontario Government's Funding Model is Forcing School Closures. The District School Board's Hands are Tied. You Can Help. Call your MPP111 Helen Johns 1-800-564-1010 Bert Johnson 1-519-272-0660 Remember Bill 160 and November 1997 soor-1111111Polad Otlfsldo Seconds rj Schiob backers' Federation District & Avon Maitland