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The Citizen, 2019-10-03, Page 2PAGE 2. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2019. Your Local Paper - The Original Social Media! News / Information / Events / Shopping Community / & More In print, online or on the go, we are your local newspaper. We keep you connected to what’s happening in our communities and surrounding areas. The Citizen www.huroncitizen.ca Facebook www.Facebook.com/NorthHuronCitizen Twitter @TheNHCitizen The Citizen info@northhuron.on.ca STEVEN NIXON Broker WILFRED MCINTEE & CO. L IMITED Bus: 519-357-2222 Cell: 519-531-0252 Fax: 519-357-4482 Email: nixon@execulink.com Web: www.stevennixon.com 249 Josephine St., WINGHAM, ON N0G 2W0 Serving the area since 1999 91 Mary St., Wingham $629,900. MLS# 30764527 Amazing country views on this beautiful private 14-acre property, large master bedroom with patio, 3 plus bedrooms, 1 1/2 baths, gas furnace & central air, field stone fireplace, family room with bar, partly insulated shop 64 ft x 32 ft, 9 acres workable land. Call Steve Nixon 519.357.2222 #27 NEW L I S T I N G Continued from page 1 Matthew Stirling of Pain Court and Allison Davenport of Annan. Townsend also placed second in Class 7 Group 2, Junior Tractor Plowing – Mounted Plows. Paul Robinson of Lucknow placed seventh in Class 2 Group 4, which is the Tractor Plowing – Two-Furrow Plows class for participants over the age of 19. Riley and Darryl Terpstra, both of Atwood, finished in first and second places respectively in Class 3 Group 1, the Tractor Plowing – Three- Furrow Plows category for participants with experience of three years or less. Riley also placed fifth in Class 7 Group 2, Junior Tractor Plowing – Mounted Plows. MacKenzie Reinhart of Teeswater placed fifth in Class 5 Group 2, the Reversible Plows – International Champion class. Gerald Corbett of Exeter followed, finishing sixth. For more information and for a full list of results, visit the IPM website at plowingmatch.org. BUY? SELL? TRY CLASSIFIED Local plowers excel at match Getting hands-on Sheila Orr, right, was blowing up balloons for people on Sunday as the Van Egmond House held its annual Ciderfest. She used a Gardiner Denver air compressor with a motor made in London. Three-year-old Vince, centre, was the happy recipient. (Darlene McCowan photo) Unrealistic county expectations a problem: Yerema RELIABLE REALTY INC., BROKERAGE Each Office Independently Owned and Operated Chris Cardno Broker Direct: 519-441-8985 www.remax-reliable.com Belmore Area: 90850 Forest Line Beautiful 100 acre property includes approximately 68 workable acres, random tiled with superb buildings consisting of a fully updated 4 bedroom dwelling, driving shed, utility shed and bank barn. Belgrave Area: 40851 Browntown Road, Morris Turnberry Peaceful 50 acre farm, near Belgrave featuring a cozy 3 bedroom home, a functional driving shed assembly complete with a workshop section and mezzanine, and a separate equipment storage building, 2 horse stalls, tack room and a well maintained barn. Continued from page 1 from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., 90-minute parking limits will be enforced at the site. Sparling said he hopes it eases concerns of local business owners, but admitted it wouldn’t be the best move for Blyth Festival-goers during matinee shows. VILLAGE BARBER CONCERNS Dana Weber of the Blyth Village Barber wrote a detailed letter explaining her concerns with parking in the community. She said that, while she isn’t against the Blyth Festival and its success, as a walk-in business, she does take issue with the fact that, as one of 22 businesses in Blyth’s commercial core, it takes up virtually all the parking in the area. She is concerned about that because there is a “huge, unused parking lot” at the Blyth and District Community Centre, less than two blocks from the Festival. She said that, in her experience, the visitors to the Festival don’t buy anything from local businesses. Some even eat prepared meals in their vehicles, meaning that, for four to five hours in an eight-hour business day, parking spots are being taken up by people who have contributed only the price of a Festival ticket to Blyth’s economy. She also said that, with an extended theatre season, these problems are only going to get worse. She encouraged policy- makers to discuss the issue with locals and business owners in the community. Sparling said that the short-term parking implemented at the Blyth Pharmacy may help to alleviate some of Weber’s concerns, but said it wasn’t the solution to the problem. Irene Kellins of Stitches With a Twist, however, had a different take on the parking concerns. “Parking isn’t a problem, just an inconvenience,” she said. “Some people might need an attitude adjustment.” Kellins said that every person shopping is taking up a parking spot from other businesses, and that, if people can’t park a block or two away and walk to a business, they likely weren’t that interested in getting to the business. “Nowhere in Blyth is that long a walk that it should stop people from getting downtown,” she said. Sparling said the reality of the situation is that no one can regulate parking without designating parking spots to specific businesses, which isn’t reasonable. He said short-term parking limits may be an answer. He went on to say he felt that the Blyth Festival extending its season is a good thing, and not something to worry about. “I’ve heard a lot of positive comments about the increased number of people in the community,” he said. URBAN EXPECTATIONS Shane Yerema, co-owner of Hotel Lux and Vice-Chair of the BIA, said that part of the problem is that Huron County had unreasonable expectations for parking. Using his business as an example, he was told he needed one-and-a- half parking spots per room, one accessible parking spot and one designated for mobility issues. “I told Huron County [staff] that’s a Toronto Bylaw,” he said. “That doesn’t fit Huron County.” He said he would prefer to have one parking spot per room, because that’s the actual number that fits the usage. Instead, he has five spots for three rooms, and he will need three more by the time his development of the Hotel Lux property concludes. North Huron Chief Administrative Officer Dwayne Evans said that North Huron staff were looking at a housekeeping amendment to the municipality’s zoning bylaw, and the issue could be discussed with Huron County planners. MUNICIPAL PARKING Sparling next presented a question he had heard several times, he said, about North Huron tearing down the former fire hall and public works building at the corner of Dinsley and Mill Streets and turning it into parking. Bailey said he wasn’t saying no, but wanted to be sure that was the right use for the property. He said staff and council have had that discussion, but that it would be frustrating if it were to be turned into parking but then not used. “We need to be sure it’s going to be utilized,” he said. The BIA also discussed parking at the Blyth and District Community Centre and BIA members and local representatives seemed to be in agreement that, regardless of whether the community centre’s parking spaces were used or if a new parking area was made available, signage would be essential. King said that she would be happy to start an education campaign through the Blyth Festival’s website and in-person exchanges, but said that signage would be necessary. Garratt added that, over the past several years, the Festival has been bringing in thousands of new customers annually who had never visited the theatre, and would benefit from knowing where to park. FINAL REMARKS Sparling said that, with all the ground covered at the meeting, the issue obviously wasn’t a 15-minute conversation and asked Bailey and North Huron staff how to proceed with the issue. Bailey said that signage should be the first action item from the discussion to help show visitors where they can park. “That answer is right here,” he said, adding that static signs could be partnered with a banner to help advertise parking opportunities in the area. Bailey went on to say that the BIA should come up with a plan and present it to North Huron Council. Evans agreed, but said that an assessment of what parking is available should likely be the first step. He added that the reality is a parking problem like Blyth’s is a good thing as it shows the community is growing.