The Citizen, 2016-12-08, Page 1INSIDE
THIS WEEK:
RECREATION - Pg. 10
Huron East rec. strategic
planning going well: Lowe
FIRE - Pg. 14
FDNH experiences biggest
loss of year with barn fire
COWBELL - Pg. 24
Blyth brewery is leading
province -wide beer poll
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Serving the communities of Blyth and Brussels and northern Huron County Thursday, December 8, 2016
A visit with the big guy
An annual tradition, the Auburn Lions Club hosted
their breakfast with Santa on Sunday and there were
plenty of young people from Auburn and beyond who
took the Lions up on their offer of a great pancake
breakfast and a chance to run down their Christmas lists with
Santa Claus. Here, Elizabeth Miller, centre, and Meadow
Hoonard, right, gave Santa a big hug to express their thanks.
(Denny Scott photo)
Festival posts positive season: Garratt
By Denny Scott
The Citizen
Blyth Festival Artistic Director Gil
Garratt told North Huron Council
that the 2016 season had been a
fantastic one for the arts
organization.
Garratt made a presentation to
council on Dec. 5, presenting the
year in review statistics for the Blyth
Festival and looking forward to the
2017 season.
"We had an extraordinary season,"
he said at the start of his
presentation. "We had 4,000 more
people come through the theatre this
year than last year. Half of those
people were brand new to the
Festival and had never bought tickets
before. That means that 10 per cent
of the audience this year had never
before bought tickets to the theatre."
There was 19,159 patrons over the
year according to Garratt and that
included a six per cent increase in
patrons coming from more than two
hours away.
Garratt also said the presentation
was a chance for the Blyth Festival
to explain how it gives back to the
community both directly and
indirectly.
"We don't often make this point,
but the Blyth Festival is giving to
local charities," he said. "We gave
$41,000 in direct donations to local
charities like sports teams and
charity organizations in tickets for
auctions."
Garratt said that is on top of the
$20,000 that is raised by community
groups through the country suppers
and $32,000 in rent paid to local
landlords in Blyth and the
surrounding areas.
The Ontario Arts Council and
Canada Council for the Arts also
channel funds into the area through
the Blyth Festival according to
Garratt, who said the theatre group's
relationship with the councils is, in a
word, "glowing."
"They love the work we do," he
said. "This year the Ontario Arts
Council head came to Blyth to take
in a show and, after, said we need to
apply for 10 per cent more in
funding next year. It's a rarity. I've
never had anyone suggest we should
apply for money. That money comes
back into the community... the
Festival has been a conduit for the
last 40 years, bringing money from
the government to the community."
Garratt also pointed to how the
community gives to the Festival,
especially when it comes to
inspiration for plays, making special
note of Our Beautiful Sons:
Remembering Matthew Dinning
which premiered on the Blyth
Festival stage last year and was
based on Corporal Matthew Dinning
of Wingham who was killed in
action in Afghanistan.
Garratt then reported on the 2017
playbill, starting with Mr New Year's
Eve: A Night with Guy Lombardo by
David Scott.
"We wanted something
triumphant for the first show,"
Garratt said, adding that with a
Continued on page 20
Petition
garners
support
By Denny Scott
The Citizen
North Huron Councillor Bill
Knott has found significant support
in his efforts to have traffic lights
placed at the corner of County
Roads 4 and 25 at the south end of
Blyth.
Knott, who started a petition
requesting the lights, reported to
North Huron Township Council
during its Dec. 5 meeting that he had
collected hundreds of signatures
thanks to the efforts of Chris
Patterson of Blyth.
"Shortly after announcing the
petition I because aware of a
Facebook page with the same goal,"
he said.
The page, which was created by
Patterson, had approximately 1,000
supporters at the time of the council
meeting and Knott noted that
Patterson knew exactly how
important the lights were.
"He was struck at the intersection,
totalling his truck," Knott said. "His
reaction was to set up the Facebook
page."
Patterson has helped Knott with
his petitions, taking them to
locations both in Blyth and in the
surrounding communities.
"We've had an overwhelmingly
positive response," Knott said. "The
number one comment to this is it
should have happened a long time
ago."
Knott will being tallying the
signatures after he picks them up
next week and will then bring the
results to council then.
"This is a petition to Huron
County Council, but I'll bring it to
North Huron seeking a letter of
support," he said.
Knott will also be seeking support
from Central Huron and Morris-
Turnberry due to their close
proximity to the intersection, with
Central Huron situated just to the
south and Morris-Turnberry to the
east.
Knott said both he and Patterson
believe that collisions at the
intersection aren't a matter of if, but
of when, and Huron County Council
needs to change something now to
prevent tragedy.
Council was presented with
anecdotal evidence for the traffic
lights before it moved on to Knott's
next suggestion, which called for a
report on the feasibility of acquiring
a mobile photo radar equipment to
enforce speed limits throughout the
municipality and beyond.
Knott's original request was to
Continued on page 20