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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. 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