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The Times Advocate, 2008-05-14, Page 2020 Times -Advocate Seniors hike —A Wall< and Talk for Seniors was held May 8 at Rock Glen Conservation Area, sponsored by the Ausable Bayfield Conservation Authority (ABCA). Pictured is ABCA conservation education technician Denise Biega, talking with Dave Robinson (left) and George Stasik about native wildflowers and local birds found at Rock Glen Conservation Area.This was the second of a series of four events for active seniors brought by the ABCA.The next Seniors Wall< and Tall< will also be at Rock Glen Conservation Area Aug. 21 with a focus on fossils and local history. (photo/submitted) Board looks at sports consistency By Stew Slater SPECIAL TO THE TIMES -ADVOCATE DUBLIN — Sports events, particularly for elementary students, will now take on a more standardized tone within the Huron -Perth Catholic District School Board. Todd Chisholm, the board's acting co-ordi- nator for Physical Education, outlined recent efforts to cre- ate a "Coaches Information and Guide Book" for extra- curricular sports activities. Speaking to trustees during a regular meeting April 28, he explained the Guide Book came about due to sugges- tions received by the board's Sports Council. "There had been different traditions at different schools," he said. Some were carried through; others were dropped over the years. Gradually, the Sports Council — which consists of two ele- mentary principals, four ele- mentary teacher/coaches and two high school Phys -Ed teachers — developed an organized system for tourna- ments and competitions on a board -wide basis, with stan- dardized awards and plaques handed out at each. Chisholm says a standard- ized code of conduct and operating procedure for tournaments was a natural progression. "I think this smooths out a lot of directions that, in the past, have not been consis- tent from school to school," noted education super- intendent Martha Dutrizac, who intro- duced Chisholm's presenta- tion. The manual is geared mainly towards elementary coaches and tournament convenors. At the high school level, sports teams generally compete against schools from other school boards and must comply with guide- lines set out by regional and provincial athletics organiza- tions. Elementary sports, meanwhile, tend to stick within particular school boards, without needing to comply with over -arching standards. Chisholm credited Sports Council member Dan Peters for researching similar man- uals in other school boards. The new Huron -Perth docu- ment is modeled largely on one from the St. Clair Catholic District School Board. Included in the Guide Book are codes of conduct for players, coaches and specta- tors, first aid guidelines, a "Must Do List for the Start of the Season" and a "Team Player Prayer." Chisholm says a "Convenor Checklist" should make it easier to recruit volunteers to orga- nize athletic competitions. Goderich/Northwest Huron trustee Jim McDade suggest- ed stronger language should be included to ensure the Guide Book is distributed to all non -teaching "outside" coaches. Chisholm offered an assurance that would take place, and added the Sports Council hopes to gather input from coaches over the next few months and revisit the document to discuss possible fine-tuning. "I think the vision of the Sports Council is that this is a working document," Chisholm said. Wednesday, May 14, 200821 Low water advisory lifted at WRT meeting EXETER — The Ausable Bayfield Water Response Team (WRT) met in Exeter April 28 to discuss current watershed conditions within the Ausable Bayfield Conservation Authority (ABCA) watershed. The meeting brought together both water users and water man- agers to discuss updates to the Ontario Low Water Response Program and review indicator stream flows, precipitation and groundwater conditions. A presentation prepared by ABCA staff illustrated that watershed con- ditions have improved significantly since last fall. It was decided by the WRT that the Level 1 Low Water Advisory that was in effect through the winter be lifted. Last fall, the WRT decided that a Level 1 Low Water Advisory would remain in effect throughout the winter until spring watershed con- ditions could be assessed. The fall months are an important recharge period for groundwater supplies and base flow contribution to streams. Last fall, the precipitation the area received was not enough to signifi- cantly recharge aquifers and bring stream flows up. It was not until late December and early January that conditions throughout the ABCA watershed began to improve. Stream flows from January through April were slightly above normal for the period. In terms of groundwater recharge, the 2008 winter was good, according to ABCA staff. Several warming periods and snow melts through the winter were vital to replenishing the groundwa- ter resource. Groundwater Level Monitoring wells found throughout the watershed confirm this past winter's significant contribution to the strained aquifer conditions of last fall. In fact. Observing the six-year period of record, groundwater levels are near their highest recorded levels. Streamflows and groundwater levels are in good shape; however, despite the outlook for a wetter than normal spring in this area, other than a significant amount of rainfall in early April, there has been little precipitation in the later half of the month. "As water managers, we need to be cautious when determining an outlook on water supplies through 2008," says ABCA water planning manager Alec Scott. A lot can happen between now and December that could potentially impact the availability of groundwa- ter and ultimately base flow to local watercourses. "We have learned a lot from moni- toring groundwater levels and last year was no exception," Scott says, adding, "We began 2007 with groundwater levels similar to this year, but a drier than usual spring, coupled with a dry and warm sum- mer saw levels deteriorate steadily through the year, limiting base flow availability to streams and the demands of water users." WRT chairman Jim Ginn says, "While conditions have improved greatly, and no advisories are in place, the WRT encourages water users to monitor conditions and watch for advisories throughout the year. We appreciate the role every- one plays in co-operating to pre- serve our water supply and protect the environment." ABCA staff are continuing to mon- itor rainfall and streamflow data and keep the public informed of any changes in watershed conditions. Visit www.mnr.gov.on.ca/ en/Business/Water/2ColumnSubPag e/STEL02_164583.html for further resources on the Ontario Low Water Response program. A low-water advisory alert tool at www.abca.on.ca also alerts people to low-water advisories in effect in the watershed. The tool is being incorporated into the new ABCA website which will be unveiled shortly. POLICE BRIEF Exeter smash and grab EXETER — A smash and grab occurred May 5 around 4:30 p.m. in front of the Jewellery Box on the Main Street of Exeter. The suspect is described as a male wearing a dark winter coat with a hood and a baseball cap. The male was last seen running north on Main Street. Anyone with information is asked to contact Crime Stoppers at 1 -800- 222 -TIPS (8477) or the Huron OPP at 1-888-310-1122. Make sure garage sale items are safe HURON — For thousands of Canadians, garage sales are an annual ritual. It's no different in Huron County. Spring has arrived and people are anxious to sell "no - longer -needed stuff' and find great deals to buy. The Huron County Health Unit wants to caution peo- ple who are either selling or buying used items. While some things may be cheap, they may not be safe. According to the Canadian Standards Association (CSA) the greatest risk in buying used appliances is that you don't know how old they are. You also don't know what abuse they have taken or the condition of an appliance's electrical components. Anyone who buys a used appliance should have it checked out with a qualified repair shop before using it. Public health nurse Theresa Wammes-Glavin says the most common and risky items found at garage sales are for children. "Beyond CSA standards, children's items must meet other safety regulations like the Hazardous Products Act. Regulations cover baby gates, walkers, car seats, children's jewelry, children's sleepwear, cribs, hockey helmets and face protectors, lawn darts, playpens, strollers, and toys." Many infant and children's items made before cer- tain dates are no longer safe. Health Canada can answer questions about specific items. The toll free number is 1-866-662-0666. The website is www.hc- sc.gc.ca/cps-spc/pubs/cons/garage_e.html The Health Unit would like garage salers in Huron County to follow Health Canada's advice when heading out bargain hunting: Toys Toys that are in poor repair or broken, have sharp edges or points, or have loose eyes or noses are not safe. Lawn darts with elongated tips are illegal to sell in Canada. Children's jewelry Lead is a soft, heavy bluish -grey metal which is often used to make inexpensive jewelry. Lead is toxic. A child can suffer from lead poisoning if they suck, chew or swallow jewelry containing lead. If you are not sure if a children's product contains lead, don't buy or sell it. Hockey helmets and face protectors If you don't see the CSA sticker, throw the product away. Hockey helmets normally last for about three to five years. Don't sell these items if they've had a major impact, if they are older than five years, if they show visible signs of damage or if parts are missing. Hockey helmets must have labeling with the date of manufac- ture and have a chin strap. Sleepwear Children's sleepwear should be made of nylon or polyester. Cotton, acrylic or cotton -acrylic blend polo pajamas or sleepers are generally acceptable. But nightgowns, bathrobes, baby dolls and loose pajamas made from those fabrics can be flammable. Infant seats and bath rings Do not resell these products because the suction cups or other means to attach them to the tub can be inef- fective. Many people mistakenly believe these products are safety devices and think the product will keep their unsupervised baby safe in the tub. Many babies have died when they were left alone in a bath seat or bath ring, even for a short time. Reselling this product can be especially dangerous because any warnings and/or instructions that could have alerted a caregiver of the serious drowning hazard may be out of date or missing entirely. So whether you're collecting garage sale items to sell or will be looking for great deals, make safety your first choice.