HomeMy WebLinkAboutHuron Expositor, 2005-04-27, Page 611.
If you are a South Huron area parent or
family member of an individual with an intellectual disability
receiving support from community living front line staff
OR
WI
If you are someone in the community committed to
advocating for the rights of the disabled
PLEASE ATTEND THIS IMPORTANT PUBUC MEETING:
Monday, May 2, 2005 - 7:00 p.m.
Exeter Public School, 93 Victoria Street East, Exeter
Meeting sponsored by the front line workers at
Community Living South Huron (CUPE 2597)
4
6 - THE HURON EXPOSITOR. April 27. 2005
tits
Proposed Victoria Street group home for boys
aged 10 - 18 approved by Huron East council
By Susan Hundertmark
Expositor Editor
A group home for five boys
aged 10-18 is expected to
open up at 23 Victoria St. in
Seaforth sometime in August
after receiving approval from
Huron East council last
Tuesday.
Steph Kuntz, program
director at Serenity Place, a
for-profit group home that has
been operating for the past
year• in Woodstock, said
Seaforth was chosen as a site
for a group home because of
the lack of foster homes in
Huron and Perth Counties.
"Seaforth was attractive to
us because it's a small town
and a more wholesome
environment," he said.
A handful of neighbours
attended the meeting with
concerns about the group
home, asking if the residents
would be any danger to
seniors or a bad influence on
local youth.
Kuntz responded that the
boys at the group horfie would
be coming from multiple
placements in foster homes
after a breakdown in the
family home.
"We're another stop in that
unfortunate line," he said.
And, while they might be
experiencing behavioural and
mental health issues because
of their unstable upbringing,
he said the residents will not
be dangerous or high risk
offenders.
"It should be no different
than any other family with
several teens living in the
same house. There will
probably be no impact to
seniors at all. Teens for the
most part are pretty decent
people and the boys we deal
with are very courteous
because they don't want to
draw attention to themselves,"
he said.
While the group home will
admit boys from age 10 to 14
who are referred by the
Huron -Perth Children's Aid
Society, residents will live
there until age 18.
Kuntz said the residents
will live under a "whole host
of rules" in an environment
similar to any home with
involved parents.
"Our goal is to give them a
stable environment in which
they can grow," he said.
Without group homes,
Kuntz said the boys from
Huron and Perth Counties
could be sent to foster homes
as far away as Ottawa,
destroying all ties with their
original communities and
lessening the chance of
returning into their family
homes.
Cathy Elliott, a member of
the Seaforth Community
Policing committee said she
would hate to see fear -
mongering about the group
home since crime involving
youth is already happening in
Seaforth.
"We're already dealing with
theft and brbak and enter. It's
a dynamic of the community -
it's already happening
everywhere," she said.
Grey Coun. Mark Beaven
said he applauded the efforts
of the Serenity Place staff in
recognizing the need in the
community.
"I expect the youth in this
home will be a lot more
supervised than a lot of youth
in the conununity. I want to
remind everyone that it's
licenced and inspected by the
province. And, it's reviewed
yearly by the municipality so
if any major issues arise, it
will be revisited," he said.
Mayor Joe Seili added that
the municipality has no say
over where foster homes are
located so the group home is
monitored "far better."
"Nobody wants something
like this in their backyard but
we've got young men who
need a stable environment and
they've got to be brought up
someplace," said Deputy
Mayor Bernie MacLellan.
"If we have a good
community, we can show
them that life can be a little bitt
better than what they've seen
so far," he said.
Seaforth All -Wheels park to move to arena parking lot
By Susan Hundertmark
Expositor Editor
Huron East council has
agreed in principle to a
suggestion to move the
Seaforth All -Wheels Park to
the southwest corner of the
Seaforth arena parking lot.
But, it's not certain it will
agree to conditions by the
arena board to pave another
section of parking lot at the
arena to replace the space
taken up by the skate park.
Council was presented
with a proposal to locate a
fenced 21.5 metre by 15
metre skate park in the arena
parking lot at last Tuesday's
meeting.
Seaforth Coun. Lou
Maloney approached arena
manager Dale Lamont about
using the arena parking lot.
A report to council says
that Lamont agreed on the
condition that Huron East
put a six-foot chain link
fence around the park and
replace the lost area of the
parking lot with paved
parking on the west side of
the arena outside the
entrance to Rob's Gym.
Public Works Coordinator
John Forrest said the fencing
should cost close to $5,000
and the paving should cost
about $3,000.
Councillors questioned
both , the need for fencing
and the need for more paved
parking at the arena.
"There is ample parking
now around that building
that we don't have' to
replace a 15 by 21 metre
section," said Grey Coun.
Mark Beaven.
Deputy -Mayor Bernie
MacLellan said he didn't
like the look of chainlink
fence and wondered if there
was an alternative.
Seaforth Coun. Lou
Maloney said the fence was
necessary to protect young
trees and parked cars.
"I'm totally opposed," said
Tuckersmith Coun. Larry
McGrath.
"The kids didn't like it
when we had a park at the
arena before and I don't
want to spend $8,000 and
have it look like a garbage
bin at McDonald's in five
years' time," he added.
Mayor Joe Seili said
there's no extra money in the
budget for paving.
But, Clerk -Administrator
Jack McLachlan said the
conditions were approved by
the Seaforth arena board and
are "part and parcel of the
agreement."
"It wasn't just because of
Rob's Gym but because of
the parking space lost," he
said.
Seili reminded council that
it promised a skate park
would be open this summer
You can help people with
intellectual disabilities
h
ON
COTYIIY1�11
Dear parents and community,
Each day, community living workers help people with intellectual disabilities find
meaningful work, attend school, and gain the skills and confidence needed to live
fully in our community.
Each day, we struggle to do more with less.
For years, the Ontario government has underfunded services and community
supports for people with intellectual disabilities and their families.
programs and services to
Underfunding means agencies community living workers
le to earunderpaid and overworked.
vulnerable people,, and
a
For too long, workers have shouldered the burden of provincial underfunding
through low wages and heavy workloads.
For too long, people with intellectual disabilities have suffered because of high staff
turnover rates, lack of continuity of care, and long waiting lists.
This isn't right.
Underfunding also impacts us in bargaining. We are now in difficult contract
negotiations and our agency administration is fighting us at the bargaining table.
This, too, isn't right.
Our goal is to reach a fair negotiated settlement. But, it seems our agency
administration is gearing up for conflict. They are prepared to have scab labour
do our work, should there be a strike or lockout. This puts the individuals we
support at risk.
Again, this isn't right.
Please help us avoid conflict.
Attend our parent and community meeting on Monday, May 2, 2005 at 7:00 p.m.
at the Exeter Public School, 93 Victoria Street East, Exeter.
Thank you for your support,
The front line workers at:
Community Living South Huron (CUPE 2597)
For more information about the meeting or how you
can help, contact Jennifer Kaufmann at (519) 433-1753.
mantel§
after the original park behind
town hall was closed in the
spring after complaints from
neighbours.
Susie Ryan, who along
with her husband John, led
the effort to create the first
skate park, said during a
phone interview that she was
happy with the new location.
"This is a recreational
place and it's not in
anybody's backyard. It's out
in the open and the kids will
be seen," she said, adding
that she's glad the location is
near both the public school
and the daycare centre.
Ryan said the ramps used
at the last location will have
to be fixed before they can
be installed in the new park.
"We want to do some
fundraising for better ramps
and picnic tables for the
grassed area at the new
location," she said.
She added she's
disappointed that no
committee was ever formed
to find the new location or
help develop the new skate
park.
H. REED ALLEN
\\ I I()I I I( Il\Ill RI
I{I',IOII\IlO\
.\ RI I I\I'111\t,
DONE WELL AT A
REASONABLE PRICE
SEAFORTH
519-527-2717
LAWN
QUESTIONS?
Organic Programs gip
Available AecA mmo
Viroacailut,
524-2424
-Trust the Professionals -
McTaggart
Wettlaufer
INSURANCE BROKERS INC.
• AUTO • HOLIE • FARM
• TRAVEL • COMMERCIAL
LIFE INSURANCE
BROKERS
Paul Wettlaufer
Amy Siemon
Suzanne Zehr
Bill Siemon
Ken Hutchison
68 Ontario Rd. 348-9150
Mitchell 1-800-561-0183
i.
("--Fo'7Mother's Day
may we suggest -
Flowers from
-RITr"
GREENHOUSE
ANNUALS
Bedding Plants
Patio Pots
Hanging Baskets
PERENNIALS
Chrysanthemums
OPEN: ^f
( Thurs. 1p.m. - 8p.m.;
Fri. 9a.m. - 5p.m. (
r: Sat. 9a.m. - 5p.m.
or by appointment
} 519-527-0761 ,
pert & Carol Relnink
i� • & family
_43079 Hullet-McKillop Rd
R.R. #4
Walton
1