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Lakeshore Advance, 2012-01-25, Page 184 Lakeshore advance • Wednesda , 2, 2011 opinion www. Iakeshareadvance,com LosIoo AdvaNce How could all those councils be wrong? PUBLISHED WEEKLY RO.BOX 1195 58 Ontario St., North Grand Bend ON NOM 1TO phone: 519-238-5383 fax: 519-238-5131 email: Iadvanceebowesnet.com SUN MEDIA A Quebecor Media Company NEIL CLIFFORD • Publisher/ Advertising Manager ndiffordObowesnet.com LYNDA HILLMAN-RAPLEY Editor Iadvanceebowesnet.com STEVE NORTHEY Advertising Sales JULIE HARRISON Typesetting/Classifieds KATHY YOUNG Accounts Receivable SUBSCRIPTION RATES ADVANCE: Regular $39.95 08 05 4 1.90 GST) Online subscriptions available—same rates Publications Mau Agreement No. 40064683 PAP REGISTRATION NO. 7594 RETURN UNDELIVERABLE CANADIAN ADDRESSES TO LAKESHORE ADVANCE CIRCULATION DEPARTMENT P.O. Box 1195 58 Ontario St. North Grand Bend ON NOM 1TO For any non -deliveries or delivery concerns: phone: 519-238.5383 e -met: IadvanceOboweenet.com Charges of address, orders for subecriptions, end undelNerab a copies (return postage guaranteed) we to be sent to LakehhoreAdwrce at the address indicated here. MverI s ng Is accepted on the condition that in the event of a typographical error, the portion of the advertising space occupied by the erroneous Item together with a reasonable allowance tor signature, will not be charged for, but the balance of the edvertlae- ment wiN be pald at the applicable rates. 116 adatoviNdgerMilwrr,a arpportoMlhe erammenf of Cans* Niro* s). A,slkseontAas,lin e Program AMP, lorwdowmalMgcasr' Canada a'a e arc Lynda Hillman -Rap* Lakeshore Advance 1 had to adon four words to my editorial- It is difficult to believe that every elected official since the mid 1980s, staff and three munici- palities were just plain wrong. Let's go back.1he (rand Bend lagoons were built in 1979. Grand Bend proper has sewers to Lake Road and there is a pumping sta- tion in the former Grand Bend section of Southcott Pines- in the ready for hook-up. The council of the day knew it would not be a for- ever solution but it would satisfy the needs of the day. There was no POG, no Motorplex, no Sobeys, no Shoppers, at the present loca- tion and the Huron Country Play- house was in their infancy days -- not even a decade old. The new condo developments were on wish lists and councils knew they would eventually need to upgrade. 'There was capacity earmarked for future development -much being that in South I luron. By the 1980s an expanded treat- ment facility was in the cards but now it was not only future develop- ment but a need to look ahead environmentally. By the late 1980s and early 1990s Bosanquet (where current ?.one 3 and 4 are) wanted to be part of this expanded treat- ment facility. Twenty year plans and Strategic Plans dealing with municipal serv- ices detailed the need. The weak- nesses stated in every document indicated the major exception to what was adequate in services for this area was the water and sewage treatment. "There is a persistent concern over ground and surface water contamination from septage lechate. Of all the servicing con- cerns, this is, far and above the most pressing," said an approved document from 1993 council. the concerns year after year after decade, reeve after reeve after mayor were not conducive to fund- ing. There was no carrot dangling to make the decisions. A questionnaire went out in 1992 asking Bosanquet, Stephen and Grand Bend what they would like to see by 2012. Not surprisingly people wanted to make sure there was ample sewage treatment for future growth. 'hien amalgamation talks began and that became the life for every public official as they fought for their community. The sewer talks stopped as no one knew in what geographic area they would end up. Although deferred- the future needs remained. Today, these amalgamated communities are being given a chance to look to the future, just as councils of the past were doing. The treatment plant will no longer have a $4.7 million price -tag as it did 18 years ago, but this time there is government funding. if all those councils and staff thought there was a need then - and in many cases, Lambton County staff tell us there are many of the same septic systems and barrels from decades ago - why would we even be thinking about not going forward with a plant designed for future needs? Even if a proposed system is not used for today's needs --isn't it comforting to know it is there Eviction causes turmoil in Forest For the Board of NLSSC Lakeshore Advance Open Letter to the Community As many in the Lambt on County community know, the North Lambton Social Services Centre (NLSSC), which for the past 12 years has served its 16 member agencies from its loca- tion at 59 King Street in Forest, by offering intake and assisted refer- ral services and an accessible and confidential space for these agencies to see their clients. NLSSC was part of the planning of the Health Centre building and it was intended from the out- set that it would have a perma- nent space there.'hne local com- munity of Forest in fact raised about a third of the cost of the new building and NLSCC was a full partner in this process as well as in obtaining other funding. NLSSC was recently served with an eviction notice by the North Lambton Community Health Centre, the legal owner of the building. The eviction is scheduled to take place on Feb- ruary 1. Given the history of the Centre, our long-standing ten- ancy there, and the community support that resulted in building this space for the express benefit of both the Social Service Centre and the Community Health Cen- tre, we were, t0 say the least, shocked and disappointed by the 1 lealth Centre's decision to sum- marily evict us from our office and client space without any opportunity for meaningful consultation. When we received this notice in late November, the NLSSC Board of Directors immediately requested an emergency meet- ing with the 1 lealth Centre Board. That meeting did not take place until January 6th. Since then we have attempted to work with the Health Centre to find a mutually - acceptable way to apportion the space in the Centre building to meet both our needs and that of the l lealth Centre. We have also requested an extension of time so that we can properly find and move to a suitable location and find the funding to do so. After several meetings, we have reluc- tantly concluded that the Health Centre has no interest in working toward such a solution. As a result, the North Lambton Com- munity is at risk of being thrown into a public health and social services crisis, as we search for a different suitable,' affordable, accessible, and available location for the NLSSC in Forest. Uproot- ing and appropriately re -housing an established agency that ena- bles 16 agencies to provide accessible services to North Lambton residents can not take place in the time frame imposed upon us by the 1 lealth Centre. Mindful of our obligation and commitment to our community, our clients and member agen- cies, the NLSSC board of direc- tors passed a motion on January 25, 2011, that NLSSC request a three month extension of the current February 1, 2011 eviction date. We are requesting this extension due to the short time frame that the Community Health Centre has given us to jointly discuss other options, the lack of accessible space in Forest, and the impact that it will have on our member agencies, clients and the community. We want to assure the com- munity and our member agen- cies that the North Lambton Social Services Centre intends to continue its existing service model in Forest. This service model is supported by the County of Lambton, the mem- ber agencies, and is in accord- ance with the Government of Ontario's goal of creating for future development? Maybe people are happy with status quo -maybe they don't wt development. That is fine b... what about the next generation - they may see the future in a whole different light. If it is the personal dollars to hook up that is stopping this project -fine, but don't hide behind need if that is the issue at hand. It seems odd that these que- ries would even be on the radar. "We are not saying we don't want it—just not the proposed size," is an answer we hear again and again. And you want to think, "If we build they will come.." but there is no crystal ball. But-- if the proposed facility is downsized and there is a need from one or all the municipali- ties in the near future to upgrade to accommodate—like anything else, won't it cost a whole lot more? If 1 were given $15 million and there was a chance the giver would give it to someone else in a heartbeat-- 1 may rethink my decisions for the future needs of this tri -municipality. community hubs to deal with the social determinants of health in an integrated way. Other communities are only now starting to create these community hubs. We will con- tinue to promote and lobby for a cooperative, interagency, integrated, hub approach that is, in our view the best model to address all the social deter- minants of health of our mutual clients and we sincerely hope that we will have your support in that. It is vital that we work together in this. Yours truly, For the Board of NI.SSC List of NLSSC service agencies: ■ Family Counselling Centre • Big Brothers Sarnia-Lambton ■ The Workplace Group • Community Lau, School ■ Community Legal Assistance Sarnia • Sexual Assault Survivors' Centre • Alzheimer Society ■ Stepping Stones • Sarnia Lambton Rebound • Employment and !.earning Centre- Lambton College