The Times Advocate, 2007-12-05, Page 66
Times -Advocate
Wednesday, December 5, 2007
Opinion Forum News
Zurich's community
spirit commended
Celebrating
five years
Tea time —The Exeter Library
hosted an anniversary tea
Saturday afternoon, celebrating
five years in the new building.
Pictured from left are Joyce
Pepper, former Exeter Library
supervisor Helen Hodgins, South
Huron Deputy Mayor George
Robertson, Jim Bearss and
Colleen Swanson.A tea was also
held at the Kirkton branch
library. (photo/Scott Nixon)
On behalf of the Zurich Parade Committee we would just like to con-
gratulate you and say "hat's off' to all of you... the participants, volun-
teer helpers and spectators, for making this year's parade the success
it was despite the weather.
Your community spirit never ceases to amaze us. Even in the pour-
ing rain we had an awesome turnout of 30 floats, all with good spirits
and smiling faces. A special thank you to our sponsors. Without them
coming to our rescue there would not have been a parade this year.
As usual Don Beauchamp did a fantastic job commentating. It never seems to
matter what obstacles pop up he manages to just take them in stride.
Thank you also to Zurich Lions Club and Bluewater Zurich Skating Club
for hosting Santa; Mark Weigand for his behind the scenes work;
along with the many other businesses and volunteers who
were involved in making this year's parade a success.
Now we've paraded in all kinds of weather from pouring
rain to snowstorms. The only thing we haven't done is heat
and sunshine, maybe we will try that next year.
Again "hat's off" to all of you!
ZURICH PARADE COMMITTEE
Letters
to Ed .the
ltor
2'
Column response has been overwhelming
SOUTH HURON — I have completed my first year as mayor of the Municipality of
South Huron. Looking back over the year, there are things I am proud to be a part
of and there are things I wish I could have done better.
On the whole I am very proud of what our council has accomplished over
the year. We have established a mood of confidence with our residents that
has inspired a movement of economic development this area hasn't seen for
some time. Councils talk of economic development, but our council has
inspired real economic development with action.
People are opening their purse strings and starting to invest in their com-
munity. Our planner told council that we passed six site plan approvals last
month making us the most active municipality in Huron County with regard
to development.
We have a senior complex being built in Exeter and another building in
Exeter being renovated for senior living. Senior housing has been construct-
ed at the lakeshore. We have development proposed all over our municipali-
ty that if it comes to fruition will make South Huron the fastest growing rural
municipality in this part of the province.
Huron Industrial Park is a good news story. The dollar is playing havoc right now,
but if one can ride the hump, I feel things will pick up again. Businesses were able
to buy their properties creating a more stable situation for themselves and putting
them in a future of security. We have been working with the provincial government
to showcase the Huron Industrial Park as an opportunity to international compa-
nies.
The Huron Park residential side has been sold to a private company and the new
name is Huron Village Green. South Huron has renovated all the municipal infra-
structure and the new owners have been renovating the houses one by one and sell-
ing them.
People from Kitchener, London, Toronto and other places are moving in to call our
municipality their home.
Grand Cove Estates has been sold and the new owners have met with
council to explain what future plans they have for that urban area.
Sewers have been installed in Crediton and Centralia and there are
growth plans on the books for those two areas. The water pipeline from
Grand Bend to Exeter and on to Hensall will be completed at the end of the
year. That project puts Exeter in a position of having a good safe, stable
water supply and an ideal situation for development. With the completion
of the water pipeline, it will give all the urban areas in South Huron a bet-
ter backup supply of water with regard to an emergency situation.
People had complained there was little communication between council
and the public. I started to write in the paper to improve communications.
In my first article, I stated that mayors rarely do this. I was advised not to
do it, as articles could and likely would be used against me. At the time I
said that I would not write on a regular basis.
The response from the public has been overwhelming and your enthusiasm for me
to keep writing has prompted me to write each week with a few exceptions. I have
tried to explain what council is doing, what is happening at the county, the munici-
pal structure and also my personal opinions on how I see things. I hope everyone
realizes that my opinions are not sacred and are the opinions of an ordinary person
who happens to have the job of mayor.
These opinions might be right or wrong, but are given with the best interest of the
municipality that I am serving. Remember, no one is perfect.
Principal's message
EXETER — On Thursday of this week (Dec. 6) the School Council is holding a
community forum in the SHDHS library, starting at 7 p.m.
Our speaker for this forum is Richard Fitoussi, a professional photogra-
pher, videographer and filmmaker who has been involved in some fasci-
nating work in Cambodia, Afghanistan and various other parts of the
world. Richard, a graduate of Central Huron Secondary School in Clinton,
is an excellent example of how a student from our area can go on to do
important work that can have a significant impact on the lives of others.
Richard's work is visually powerful and thought-provoking and it will
certainly make a strong impression on those who attend this session. As a
photographer, he travelled to Cambodia where he became very involved
in campaigns to remove land mines left over from the Khmer Rouge
regime of the 1970s. Many of his photographs show images of men,
women and children who have been maimed by land mines and of pover-
ty-stricken children who have been orphaned by land mines that have
killed their parents.
Examples of his work can be viewed at: www.witnessphotographic.com
Richard was so affected by what he witnessed in Cambodia that he created his
own charitable organization, The Cambodian Land Mine Museum Relief Fund, an
organization dedicated to helping the children who have become victims of land
mines long after the civil war came to an end in Cambodia, and to reminding us of
the terrible consequences of war. More information about this relief fund can be
found on the organization's website: www.cambodialandminemuseum.org
More recently, Richard has been involved in documentary filmmaking, working
on two documentaries, "The Ghosts of War," which examines Canada's role in
Afghanistan, and "Year Zero: The Story of a Khmer Rouge Soldier." Richard will
be showing clips from each of these films and sharing stories about his experi-
ences in Cambodia and Afghanistan. This promises to be a very meaningful pre-
sentation for anyone interested in world issues and for those who have an interest
in photography and film. The photos and images that Richard will show us are
sure to have a profound emotional impact. Movie trailers for these two doc-
umentaries can be found at: www.3world.ca/3world_Media/GOW_-
_Trailer.html and www.yearzerodoc.com
Richard Fitoussi is a fine example of how any one of us can do something
significant to make positive changes in the world, and, as such, he is an
excellent role model for our students. We encourage parents and students
to come out to hear and see his message.
The South Huron Region schools have chosen to focus on "empathy" for
the month of December in our character education program, and
Richard's work certainly suits that theme.
In addition this month, staff and students will also be making contribu-
tions to the Huron County Christmas Bureau. We are encouraging them to
donate new toys, clothes, non-perishable food items, cash and Canadian
Tire money to help make Christmas a happier time for those in need in
our community. We will be collecting donations until Fri., Dec. 14, and everything
we collect will be turned over to the Exeter depot for the Christmas Bureau to be
used right here in our own community. Once again this year we are involved in a
challenge with CHSS in Clinton to see which school can raise the most in support
of the Christmas Bureau. While we hope to win the challenge, the important thing
is that we are all working to make the Christmas season better for everyone.
Finally, I would like to remind students and parents that this Fri., Dec. 7, is a
Professional Activity Day and there will be no school that day.
JEFF
REABU
PRINCIPA
MESSAGE
RN
L'S