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The Citizen, 2009-09-03, Page 24PAGE 24. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2009. It’s September again The crisp smell of fall is in the air and area children, although one week earlier than many of their peers, are heading back to school. Chloe Elliott, six, just had to grab her backpack from her dad, Tim, and head into Hullett Central Public School for her first day of Grade 1. Tim’s other daughter, Cassie, three, isn’t quite ready for school yet, but next year she will be. (Shawn Loughlin photo) A proposed expansion and rezoning to the Gateway Rural Health Research Institute was approved by Huron East council at its Aug. 25 meeting. The expansion, which will include a lecture hall that could seat over 100 students, and rezoning were approved subject to a site plan control, as recommended by the Huron County planning department. The rezoning will change the area from a residential area to a community facility, which is a blanket term that would encompass a lecture hall. This term, however, was something that neighbouring residents had a problem with. There was concern that the expansion, because of how it was zoned, could be turned into a community centre, or eventually an arena. Council quickly dispelled this possibility, with councillor David Blaney saying the last thing the municipality needs is another arena. Adjacent homeowners were also concerned about the possibility of increased traffic due to the lecture hall as well as decreased property values due to their property now backing onto a parking lot. Their concerns, however, were quickly addressed, with Huron County planner Carol Leeming saying that many of the parking and traffic concerns will be addressed with the site plan control stipulation laid out by Huron County. Several suggestions to help alleviate the traffic were an additional access road, additional emergency access for the neighbouring Seaforth Hospital and possible turn lanes being installed on Hwy. 8 in both the eastbound and westbound lanes. Yet another suggestion for Hwy. 8 was a traffic light at Centennial Drive. However, with Hwy. 8 being a provincial highway, there would be several other parties who would have to give their blessing to a decision like that in order for it to happen. There were also issues about the funding for the potential expansion. Mayor Joe Seili clarified that Huron East did not contribute funds for the expansion and that it will be funded completely by the Gateway Rural Health Research Institute. The expansion comes hot on the heels of the news of a potential partnership with the University of Waterloo and a possible branch of the university taking up residence at the institute. Right now, the institute only has two employees, but they hope to expand to a team of four in the near future. This, said deputy-mayor Bernie MacLellan, is dramatically less cars driving around the subdivision than would be been if it was kept for its original residential use. The total affected lots would have been 12, with an average of two cars per lot, 24 cars would have been driving around the subdivision, now there will only be four. So traffic shouldn’t be a concern, he said. Leeming said there are requirements for green space and buffers on the new zoning designation on the lot. The property will have to be at least 30 per cent green space. Blaney said that if traffic begins to be a problem, council should cross that bridge when it comes to it. “There may be a time in the future where we will need to do something,” he said. “But if we can back lots onto industrial property, I’m sure we can back property onto green space.” 404 Queen St., Blyth 519-523-4792 541 Turnberry St., Brussels 519-887-9114 See us for these and other great books at... The Citizen Books for everyone’s reading enjoyment! BLAME IT ON THE RAIN: How the Weather Has Changed History This entertaining book tells how nature influenced world events. Did a late autumn in Russia cause Hitler to lose WWII? Was Noah’s flood a real event? 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Even instructions on reproducing your trees & bushes. $27.95 A GUIDE TO CANNING, FREEZING, CURING & SMOKING MEAT, FISH & GAME Instructions and tips on how to do everything from curing and smoking meat to making sausage to making jerky. $22.95 HORSES AND FRIENDS POSTER BOOK This large-format book has 30 colour photographs that can be pulled out for use as posters, featuring horses and barnyard friends, from cats and dogs to goats and sheep to birds. $13.95 FEEDING THE FUTURE: From Fat to Famine Thought-provoking essays on food and agriculture from experts around the world, edited by Andrew Heintzman and Evan Solomon who also produced Fueling the Future. $37.95 THE FIREFLY DICTIONARY OF PLANT NAMES: Common & Botanical Confused about common and botanical plant names? This dictionary translates from common to botanical and vice versa. 440 pages. $24.95 Huron East councilapproves proposedGateway expansion By Shawn Loughlin The Citizen On Aug. 26 members of the Ontario Provincial Police organized crime enforcement bureau – drug enforcement unit, Western Region emergency response team, Western Region canine unit and Huron OPP crime unit were conducting a joint forces drug eradication program in the Huron County area. As a result, an address located at 85043 Marnoch Line in the Municipality of North Huron was identified as having a large outdoor marijuana grow. A search warrant was executed on Aug. 27. Police located cannabis marijuana plants worth an estimated street value of $5.5 million. Police also seized items related to the production of cannabis marijuana from the residence. Duc Hieu Pham, 43, of North Huron, Cong Duc Pham, 76, of North York and Tuong Nguyen, 33 of Scarborough are charged with production of cannabis marijuana and possession of cannabis marijuana for the purpose of trafficking. All three were held in police custody pending bail hearings on Aug. 31 in the Ontario Court of Justice, Goderich, Ontario. North Huron bust results in arrests A farm worker died in a farm accident Aug. 28. Paramedics and police were called to a Division Line farm in Central Huron in the late afternoon. Fifty-six-year-old Jerry Platt of Central Huron, was transported to the Seaforth hospital after being found injured in a chicken barn from an apparent fall. The man later died from his injuries. Huron OPP, in conjunction with the Ministry of Labour, investigated the scene. The Farm Safety Board was also advised. No foul play is suspected however the investigation continues. Central Huron man dies in farm mishap