HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Times Advocate, 2004-10-06, Page 1(519)235-1115
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Exeter, Ontario, Canada
Wednesday, October 6, 2004
x.25 (includes GST)
The Relouw Early Childhood Centre participated in the Sept. 29 16th annual
Kids Helping Kids Walk-A-Thon, a fundraiser for cancer.The walk-a-thon
involved the 14 child care centres run by London Bridge. Locally, the Relouw
centre saw 38 children plus parents and staff raise $773 for cancer.Above from
left are Emma Keller, Joel DenOtter and Ashley Keller, while right, infant teachers
Denise Sedlak and AnnetteVusich lead the walk from the Relouw Centre to
MacNaughton Park.The walk started after a young child in London Bridge's care
was diagnosed with cancer 17 years ago.After an extensive battle with
chemotherapy, the child beat cancer and is now attending college. Last year's
walk raised just over $15,000. Final numbers for this year's walk weren't avail-
able at press time. Proceeds went to Child Can -The Childhood Cancer
Research Association and Ronald McDonald House. (photos/Scott Nixon)
Emotions running high
at deamalgamation meeting
By Pat Bolen
TIMES -ADVOCATE STAFF
HENSALL — Emotions ran high Sept.
30 in Hensall as 130 people filled the
auditorium of the Hensall Public School
for an update on the plan to deamalga-
mate the village from the Municipality of
Bluewater.
The information meeting was put on by
the Concerned Citizens of Hensall group.
President Kay Wise said one of the
questions asked by residents is the
amount of tax revenue raised before and
after amalgamation.
Wise said in 2000 $312,000 was raised
and in 2004 the amount was $305,000.
The total revenue generated for the vil-
lage in 2000 was $1,098,117.
She added no figures were available
for this year because they had not been
able to get any figures from amalgama-
tion on, "but there is no reason to believe
revenue will be less than $1.1 million."
Bill Schutz, who is preparing the busi-
ness plan for the group, said "we've lost
the ability to govern ourselves. It looked
like it might not be a bad idea that we
would get more services for less cost, but
it has been the opposite. The council is
doing their best and it's not their fault ...
We have to get back community spirit or
there will be no legacy for our kids if we
don't."
Another question raised was the
amount of money in reserves, which
Wise said was $1.5 million as of June 24.
Hensall Ward coun. Rod Parker said
there was $900,000 in the sewer
reserves which are earmarked for work
to be done in Hensall with no time limit
on the money to be spent.
Asked how the process would proceed,
Wise said a business plan is being drawn
up that will show what could be spent
and the group is waiting for information
from the municipality.
She expects the village to get its assets
back if it deamalgamated.
In response too a question about how
long it would take to get up and running,
Wise replied, "six months, we're looking
ambitiously."
"Can we afford to leave? Can we afford
to stay?" said Wise. "We have no quarrel
with other towns ... we're manually
sweeping our streets and watering our
flowers."
Bluewater Mayor Bill Dowson was
asked who had decided to change the
village signs in the municipality.
Dowson replied the issue wasn't settled
yet and there are still differences in
council about how elaborate the changes
should be. "If you want to keep your
signs, bring it to council. There is noth-
ing in stone. You should also bring in
recommendations."
Asked about the time it will take for the
plan to be finished Wise said before the
end of October.
Dowson was asked what amalgamation
was supposed to have done.
"There was a lot of Huron County not
excited about amalgamation ... (Former
Premier Mike) Harris said get home and
get at it ... We started having meetings
and sat down for two years every month
and we had public meetings every month
with not much turnout. Council felt
strongly we had a working plan and
thought it would save money. It hasn't
saved as much as we hoped but it isn't
as bad as it would have been."
Dowson added "you've got a lot of hard
work ahead of you. The rest of the
municipality will carry on and I wish
Hensall well. I would love to go back to
the way we were but I can't see it hap-
pening.
"Everything was done with 25 council-
lors and five administrators. We made
up our mind to make it work and it has."
Of Huron -Bruce MPP Carol Mitchell,
who was not at the meeting, Wise said
prior to the election, "Mitchell said 'we'll
listen to any community.' Rod and I went
down in the spring and had an interview
with her in her office. It didn't serve any
purpose whatsoever."
After Wise offered to write letters
which residents could sign and send to
the provincial government, Dowson said
"if you're serious, write your own letters.
If you want to get his attention, write
your own even if it's just a couple of
lines."
Wise thanked the mayor for attending
the meeting. "You knew you'd be right
up front and you attended. You always
do."
It was decided by a show of hands to
hold another information meeting in
November after the business plan is fm-
ished.
Wise said she was pleased with the
turnout and thought the meeting went
well. "I think people are realizing it can
happen and it has to happen. We can't
go on the way it is."
Two vehicle
collision
SOUTH HURON — On Sept. 28
at 7:45 p.m. the OPP responded to
a two -vehicle crash at the inter-
section of Huron Street and
Airport Line in South Huron.
According to police, a green and
yellow John Deere Model 1120
tractor driven by Wayne Shapton,
46, of Bluewater was southbound
on Airport Line at dusk when it
was struck from behind by a
brown Chev Venture mini -van
driven by Theresa LaPorte, 38, of
Zurich.
Shapton was injured in the
crash — which split the tractor in
two — and was taken to South
Huron Hospital where he was
treated for non -life threatening
injuries.
LaPorte and her daughter were
also taken to hospital and later
released.
The South Huron Fire
Department went to the scene
and washed down a small spill of
calcium left on the road after the
crash.
The road was closed for two
hours while clean up crews
removed the debris.
After the vehicles collided one of
them left the road and struck a
fire hydrant, causing considerable
damage.
Huron OPP is still investigating
and is asking the public for help.
Officers are trying to determine if
the lights of the tractor were on. If
you came across this tractor just
before the crash or if you saw the
crash take place, call the Exeter
OPP office at 235-1300.