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HomeMy WebLinkAboutTimes Advocate, 1989-05-17, Page 5The Ausable Bayfield Conservation Foundation The Ausable Baytield Conservation Foundation is a registered charit- able organization which continues and initiates conservation programs that could not be normally.t`indertaken by the Conservation Authority because of insufficient funding. The Foundation operates by means of donations and endowments of money or real property that qualify the donors for tix relief. The Foundation is managed by a board of nine directors, appointed by the Ausable Bayfield Conservation Authority. • Foundation projects fall into the following four categories: land ac- quisition; education programs; community oriented conservation pro- jects; and Foundation public relations and fundraising projects. Current projects of the Foundation include the Wheels -To -Nature Program. Through this, wheelchair accessible trails are being devel- oped at Rock Glen Conservation Area. Financial donations are cur- rently being accepted for this important project: "Memorial Forests" are being established at Conservation. Areas. Anyone may donate funds which will be used to plant a tree in memo- ry of an individual. As more trees are planted and the forest matures, nature trails will be developed. . If you'd like further information on Foundation projects, or would like to donate funds or property, contact any of the Foundation Direc- tors or the Authority office. 1989 Foundation Board of Directors Chairman Charles Corbett Vice -Chairman Joe Gibson Secretary -Treasurer - Sharon Romphf Robert Austin, Peter Darbishire, Fred Elder, Gordon Johnson, Ted Jones, Bill Waters, Keith Westlake. An Update on "A Review of Ontario's Conservation Authories" In 1988, the Minister of Natural Resources, The Honourable Vin- cent Kerrio released a report called "A Review of Ontario's Conserva- tion Authorities", commonly called the "Kerrio Report". - The report resulted from a request for a review from the Association of Conservation Authorities of Ontario. Authorities themselves saw a need to clarify their role, mandate and programs in conserving Onta- rio's natural .resources, a need to realign provincial and local funding and a need to make approvals through the Province more efficient. Four major issues are evident in the Kerrio Report amalgamation of conservation authorities; reduction in the number of members; pro- gram responsibilities of the authorities; and funding and grant rates. After the report was released in June of 1988, the public had an op- portunity to comment until December 31, 1988: The Ministry of Natural Resources received over 200 responses. To review the responses, a four person committee was formed, head- ed by Mr. Bill. Ballinger, the M.N.R. Parliamentary Alsistant. The Association of Conservation Authorities of Ontario, Ministry of Nat- ural Resources and the Association of Municipalities of Ontario each have one representative on the committee. The committee has until the end of June to review the responses and consult with other mini- stries before reporting to the fall session of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario. Reduced Number of Directors In January 1989, the A.B.C.A. Board of Directors was reduced from 35 to 16: Under the new system of representation, groups of two or three Municipalities jointly appoint a Director to the A.B.C.A. Four- teen Directors have been appointed by the Municipalities and two Di- rectors have been appointed by the Province of Ontario. Under the previous•systcm, each of the 32 Municipalities which par- ticipate in the A.B.C.A. appointed one Director. Three Directors repre- sented the Province. A small Board of Directors will mean a more efficient Conservation Authority. All Directors will be better informed and more involved in guiding 'the A.B.C.A. because the Full Authority Board will meet monthly and deal with all Authority business. ' Celebrating 25 Years of Conservation Education Nineteen eighty-nine marks the twenty-fifth anniversary of the Aus- able Bayfield Conservation Authority's conservation education pro- grams. The Camp Sylvan Conservation Program was started in 1964 when a high school class from the Exeter High School came to Camp Sylvan to study the outdoors. ' Over the years, the program has changed with the times. Now the program is offered to Grade 6, 7 and 8 students. Groups come to Camp Sylvan for 2-1/2 days to learn about ecology and resource man- agement and develop a conservation ethic. For the past few years, the program has been booked to capacity with a list of schools waiting to attend. The Camp Sylvan Conservation Program is the longest run- ning residential program inthe province and is the only such program in southwestern Ontario..Thc Ausablc Bayfield Conservation Authori- ty is very proud of its accomplishments at the Carnp Sylvan Conser- vation Program. But the Authority's efforts in conservation education reach beyond thc Camp Sylvan Program. Through the Parkhill Conservation Pro- gram, teachers can leadVeir own field trip, using activity guidelines, a classroom and a camping arca provided by the A.B.C.A. at the Park- hill Conservation Arca. Education kids are available for teachers to use at all conservation ar- eas. Through the Floodwater Awareness Program, students are warned of the dangers of flooded watercourses and thin ice. At the Centralia College of Agricultural Technology, thc Authority teachers a Conser- vation and Woodlot Management Course to second year students. And with the Maitland Valley Conservation Authority, the A.B.C.A. sponsors the Conservation Award at the Huron County Science Fair. For twenty-five years, the Authority has contributed to -the education of our youth before they become the landowners and resource manag ors of our watersheds. We have been successful in our objective of teaching about the natural world and establishing a conservation ethic. The support of watershed residents has been essential in helping us reach our goals. But this is not the time for us to rest on our achieve- ments. Rather, now more than ever, we must affirm our commitment to conservation education in 1989 and in the years to comc. For now we live in a world that needs to understand more than ever about how the natural world works, how our actions can have negative impacts on the environment, and what our respbnsih;litics are as.ste- wardsof our world. We live in a culture which is being'divorced and separated from the natural environment. In towns and cities, children experience the out- doors through soccer fields, baseball diamonds and city parks with manicured lawns, pruned trees and channelized streams. Groceries are. purchased at stores, milk comes from cartons, water comes from a tap and garbage is set at the cnd of thc driveway. Children raised in the country arc almost as unfortunate. Groceries arc purchased at the store. Gone arc the days of the mixed farms, large gardens and the pct calf. .Whether we 'live in the town or the country, we are less exposed to -the* atural world and it seems that this separation is resulting in envi- ronmental degradation. Our environment is coming under attack on all fronts; in the city and in the country. Our air, soil and water is being . polluted. This is in turn affecting our trees, fish and wildlife and yes, . even us. With all thc modem technology at our disposal, we' must also have the environmental ethics to use this technology wisely, to ensure that we,use the technology towards a better world rather than a degenerated world. It is the responsibility of not only the Conservation Authority, but of all watershed residents to ensure that the children of today - the land managers of tomorrow; understand the natural world and live by a con- servation ethic. Our world depends on it. Began new fob May 1 Town's first chief administrator Times -Advocate, May 17, 1989 Page 5 By Yvonne Reynolds A desire to broaden his perspec- EXETER - They say life begins —tive and his horizons motivated at 40. Although Rick Hundey Hundey. He moves from supervis- won't be that magic age until Sep- ing a full-time staff of five to work- tember, he has already begun a new ing with up to 25 municipal em - chapter in his life. He assumed the ployees, and will contribute in areas duties of chief administrator for the other than planning. town of Exeter on May 1. Hundey intends to spend . some Exeter councillors had decided last time getting acquainted with Exeter year to consider hiring an adminis- before, staling any future goals or trator. Mayor Bruce Shaw ex- longterm objectives. He will be at- plained at the time that the work- tending most council and executive load in the municipal office had committee meetings and reading been increasing steadily, without a through some of the bulging files corresponding increase in staff. in the municipal office. - • Having someone responsible for Hundey knows what he will not day-to-day decisions would ease be doing. He will not be a finan- some of the pressure on the mayoi cial manager, as "we already have and the clerk -treasurer. • ' strengths in that regard in Liz Bell". The executive's duties were to in The same holds true for areas such elude ensuring that the town applies forall grants for which it is eligi- ble, conducting staff evaluations, and assisting with economic devel- opment and planning. The advertisement seeking candi- dates asked for someone with plan- ning, engineering, economic devel- opment and/or municipal finance credentials. Hundey's specialty is community planning and development. The Windsor native has an Honours BA majoring in geography, and an ur- ban affairs, diploma from Fanshawe. He has over 14 years experience, first•in Toronto and then in Lon- don, in the community planning ad- visory department of the provincial ministry of municipal affairs. Four of those were in the plans adminis- trative branch and the remainder as a municipal planning advisor. Hundey advanced from senior planner in Lambton County to de- puty planning director, and was de- puty director of planning in Bruce county, responsible for the northern sector, when he applied for the Ex- eter position. Winter carnival GRAND BEND -- This 'holiday weekend will see the first of many fund raisers for the 1990 Grand Bend Winter Carnival. A Saturday and Sunday yard sale on the patio of Lynn Fong Restaurant, Main Street, Grand Bend will offer the usual and unusual in yard sale items, plus Winter Carnival sweat shirts and souvenirs at reduced rates. The winter carnival group will be charging foi parking down Mu- nicipal Drive, Grand Bend, with the permission of Village Council. Monies raised will be used to help pay off the 1989 deficit and for summer promotions for the 1990 event, February 9 - 18. Community meetings By Roberta Walker GRAND BEND - The third Com- munity Information Meeting was held on May 6, in the Southcott Pines Club House. This time, three representatives from Huron Country Playhouse were invited. Pat Venton, Southcou PInes resi— dent, gave a history of the Play- house and the activities of the ladies Playhouse Guild over the years. Councilor Bruce Woodley, repre- senting the Playhouse Board of Di- rectors,•outlined the duties and func- tion of the Board. Playhouse Business Manager Tim Davisson gave an outline of this season's pro- gram and an update on ticket sales so far this year. After an interesting question and answer period, everyone got into their cars and drove over to -the Playhouse for an exclusive tour of the premises. They spent an infor- mative and enjoyable afternoon learning about one of the biggest tourist attractions here at the Bend. 'These meetings take place on the first Saturday of each month, in the Southcott Pines Club House. This first meeting concerned the Recy- cling Problem an the Blue Box Pro- gram. 'The second meeting, the best at- tended so far with over 50 people, was an update and tour of the new facilities at the Grand Bend Medical Centre. • the next meeting will be on June 3, 10 a.m. with information on a new security system for Southcott -Pines residents. The topic fdr July 8 will be "Conservation," with a representative from the Ministry of Natural Resources, who will be dis- cussing water levels, and what we can do about them now. Laurie Mannell and his commit- tee have planned an interesting se- ries of information meetingson a wide variety of topics, most of which touch our lives directly in some way. The first step to becom- ing a concerned, active citizen is to be informed. Then you can im- prove or change the things that need work, and appreciate those that arc functioning well in our communi- ties. Come and find out. Bart DeVries PHOTOGRAPHY Portrait, Wedding and Commercial NEW LOCATION •1 as general administration and by- laws, capably handled by Bell and her assistant Laurie,Dykstra. He sees his primary goal as poli- cy advisor to council. Other re- sponsibilities will be working with council on community andec- onomic.development, ensuring that all departments function in synchro- ny rather than operating in isola- tion, and putting together an infor- mal corporate plan for future development. "It seems Exeter wants to add an- other dimension to the skills and expertise already available, Hundey summarized: From what he has seen, Hundey has concluded that Exeter is a dy- namic community. Among the ad - Rick Hundey In His Exeter Office settling in vantages he listed were a good loca- tion near the 401 corridor, a strong industrial base, and a business core surrounded by residential areas, schools, and parks, all neatly tied together. He believes the key to Exctcr's success is "a willingness to take the independent route, the calculated risk, get out of the mould, lead the rest of Inc pacx..Knowing it will pay off later in big dividends". "In the realm of economic devel- opment, Exeter has put itself in the forefront through the efforts of council and staff. Exeter is doing well, and will continue to improve. The decision to hire a chief admin- istrative officer is based in large measure on their desire to improve the community and -bring someone in who can promote and bring about those improvements. There's nothing wrong with the way Exeter has been operating; they just decid- ed it's time to look at another step in sustained and further growth", Hundey said. Hundey is, hunting fora house in order t� move his wife Jane, sons Eric, 10 and Tim, 7, and daughtcr Beth 4 to Exeter. He intends to become actively in- volved in his new community. He has coached children's soccer, been a Big Brother and a Cub leader. Both he and his wife, a nurse,' have taught Sunday School. His wife has also led a Beaver troupe. Hundey's hobbies area recreation basketball, swimming, reading, and family activities. He has another -in- terest which he revealed reluctantly. He discovered he had a talent for story -telling while entertaining his own children, has narrated some of his tales for youngsters at school, and has prepared a manuscript of children's stories which he hopes to get published. . _ "You need a balance in life. It's important for your job as well as your personal life. And people - have an obligation to contribute to their community", Hundey said. And Exeter's first chief adminis- trative officer eagerly anticipates making his contribution, both on and off the job. 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