HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Times Advocate, 2006-05-10, Page 1SEED GERANIUMS 51.39
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TIMES -ADVOCATE
Exeter, Ontario, Canada
Wednesday, May 10, 2006
1 .25 (includes GST)
Snakea�
at, Mount
Mount Carmel student James Boyle gets a close look at a corn snake held by Susan Williams May 3 during a
visit to the school by `snake lady' Val Williams who brought with her a variety of animals, including snapping
turtles, tarantulas, lizards and cockroaches. (photo/Pat Bolen)
Residents meet
about sewers
By Nina Van Lieshout
TIMES -ADVOCATE STAFF
EXETER — A meeting hosted by the South Huron
Residents' Association to further discuss the $5.8 mil-
lion Crediton -Centralia sewage system will be held
tonight in Crediton.
The meeting is the result of a meeting last
Wednesday at South Huron Rec Centre which brought
out about 30 concerned citizens from Crediton and
Centralia, allowing for an open discussion without
South Huron council present.
Residents' Association members Wally Fydenchuk
and Dean Ducharme chaired the meeting, asking for
opinions from the residents on the proposed Crediton -
Centralia sewage system which has been denied two
Canada -Ontario Municipal Rural Infrastructure Fund
(COMRIF) grants.
A vote was held and no residents at the meeting
were in favour of pursuing the sewer project without
funding.
The project which the Ministry of the Environment
(MOE) and the Huron County Health Unit would like
completed by the end of 2007, would cost each house-
hold an average $17,285 per property.
Several residents spoke, saying they would like coun-
cil to re -apply for a COMRIF grant.
The municipality is unsure if they will re -apply,
believing another rejection could ensue. Council
instead is considering submitting a grant application
for Exeter's water line project.
Fydenchuk says he finds "it interesting that council is
not aware that the COMRIF website states that there
will be an Intake Three" COMRIF grant made avail -
See MEETING page 2
Community fights to save McGillivray from closure
By Scott Nixon
TIMES -ADVOCATE STAFF
MCGILLIVRAY — Despite plans by the Thames Valley
District School Board to close McGillivray Central
School at the end of 2007, members of the school's
'Save Our School' committee remain positive, accord-
ing to co -chairperson Doug Richards.
The committee met last week with Lambton-Kent-
Middlesex MPP Maria Van Bommel to present their
concerns and questions concerning the school board's
list which has 12 rural elementary schools slated for
closure. Besides McGillivray, the other two schools on
the list in the Times -Advocate's coverage area are
Lucan Public School and Biddulph Central. A new
school is recommended to be built in Lucan. The clo-
sure list was presented during the board's capital plan
meeting in late February. The schools had earlier been
mentioned for closure in November.
"We just can't believe why our school is closing
because it just doesn't make sense," Richards told the
T -A Monday.
He pointed out the school's many attributes, includ-
ing the high academic showing of its students.
According to information provided by Richards, the
2005 Fraser Institute "Report Card on Ontario's
Elementary Schools" named McGillivray as the top-
ranked rural elementary school in the Thames Valley
board and fifteenth out of Ontario's 1,100 rural ele-
mentary schools. It also ranked 162nd of all 2,846
Ontario elementary schools included in the study. The
rankings were based on third- and sixth -grade perfor-
mance on the Educational Quality and Accountability
in Ontario reading, writing and math tests.
Also, Richards said the school's facilities are up to
date, it's in a good location, can handle special needs
and has municipal water.
He also noted the school has great community sup-
port and the school's Home and School Association has
raised $125,000 over the past 10 years. About 700
people have signed a petition to keep the school open
including those who don't have students at the school.
"They can't use excellence against us (as a reason to
close). They can't use facilities. They can't use infra-
structure — all they're saying is `right now we just
don't have the proper enrolment.–
See COMMITTEE page 2
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