The Times Advocate, 2005-03-16, Page 1JOHN DEERE
(519)235-1115
www.hurontractor.com
INHURON
TRACTOR
TIMES -ADVOCATE
Exeter, Ontario, Canada
Wednesday, March 16, 2005
x.25 (includes GST)
The annual challenge sledge hockey game between the Huron Sledge Hawks and the Huron Perth
chapter of the Association of Bikers for Awareness Training and Education (A.B.A.T.E) was held
Saturday afternoon at the Hensall Arena.The A.B.A.T.E. group has been helping the Sledge Hawks
financially for 10 years and continued that trend with a $2,000 donation Saturday. Pictured in front
from left are Sledge Hawks Eric McLagan, Johnathon Hakkers and Corbyn Smith; in back from left are
A.B.A.T.E. president Adam Hamilton, vice-president Greg Irvine, secretary Laurie Irvine and Huron
Sledge Hockey and Ice Picking Club president Andy Harrigan.The Huron Sledge Hawks were formed in
1995, featuring players from Huron, Perth, Middlesex and Lambton counties. Games are held Saturday
afternoons in Hensall from October to April. Sledge hockey originated in Norway and uses the same
rules as ice hockey. Sledge hockey is a co-ed game for youth with varied physical abilities six years and
older. (photo/Scott Nixon)
SH waiting for sewer project grant
By Scott Nixon
TIMES -ADVOCATE STAFF
SOUTH HURON — The approxi-
mately -$4 million
Crediton/Centralia sewer project
may not happen this year after all.
The municipality intended to have
the project done this year since it is
believed construction costs are
expected to increase considerably
in 2006. But because South Huron
hasn't heard yet if it will qualify for
a 66 per cent grant, there's still no
start date for the project.
"We're sitting on our thumbs,"
Mayor Rob Morley told the Times -
Advocate.
The project has been fully engi-
neered by KMK Consultants and is
ready for construction, but the
municipality needs to hear if it will
get a grant from the Canada -
Ontario Municipal Rural
Infrastructure Fund (COMRIF). If
approved, the COMRIF grant will
see the province and the feds kick
in 33 per cent each for the project,
with the municipality picking up the
other third.
The problem is, there has been a
delay in announcing which projects
will receive COMRIF grants
because the province is first dealing
with projects that applied for
Ontario Small Town and Rural
Development Initiative (OSTAR)
grants under the former
Conservative government.
"That probably means that our
application went down the list
instead of up," Morley said.
Morley suspects South Huron's
application won't be part of the first
wave of projects to receive grants.
He hopes it will be part
of the second wave of
the grants approved,
something which is sup-
posed to be announced
in April but is probably
delayed.
He explained the
municipality hasn't
started the project in
anticipation of receiving
the grant because under
the rules of COMRIF, "if
you put the shovel in the
ground" before you
receive the grant, you
won't get it at all.
Under the previous
OSTAR grant, Morley
said municipalities could
start projects before
hearing whether or not
they would receive any money.
Because of the delay, Morley has
instructed the municipality's engi-
neer not to move towards the ten-
dering process yet.
It is poss
project
move ah
2005, if
Huron r
notificat
the gran
enough i
year. On
other ha
Morley s
doesn't
60 -day p
start aft
Septemb
It is possible the project could
move ahead in 2005, if South
Huron receives notification about
the grant early enough in the year.
On the other hand, Morley said he
doesn't want the 60 -day project to
start after September.
The project will see a sanitary
sewage system installed in Crediton
and Centralia, with
sewage pumped to the
Exeter sewage treat-
ment facility. A new
pumping station will be
built in Crediton, while
the Huron Park sewage
pumping station will be
modified to pump the
Centralia wastewater.
The sewer project has
been deemed necessary
because studies by the
Huron County Health
Unit have shown high
levels of E. Coli in storm
drains and ditches in
both villages. Sewage
problems were seen in
26 per cent of Crediton
properties and 33 per
cent of Centralia prop-
erties. Problems included sewage
ponding on property and off site
discharge of sewage and greywa-
ter.
ible the
could
ead in
South
eceives
ion about
t early
n the
the
nd,
aid he
want the
roject to
er
er.
Guilty plea and
wife set free
By Stephanie Mandziuk
TIMES -ADVOCATE STAFF
GODERICH — Donald Hooper will spend the next two
years in jail after pleading guilty to three drug-related
charges stemming from a police search of his home
March 4.
Charges against Hooper's wife, Darlyne Hooper, have
been withdrawn.
Police seized more than half a million dollars in mar-
ijuana and equipment from the Hooper residence at
43058 Centennial Road in Huron East. The property is
located between Brucefield and Seaforth.
Donald and Darlyne Hooper both appeared in
Goderich court Monday.
Donald Hooper pleaded guilty to production of a con-
trolled substance, possession for the purpose of traf-
ficking and possession of a controlled substance
OPP report to
Bluewater council
By Pat Bolen
TIMES -ADVOCATE STAFF
VARNA — Bluewater
council received a brief-
ing from Sgt. Peter
Mason, support manag-
er for the Huron OPP on
the 2005 Business Plan.
Mason described to
council how costs are
determined for each
municipality.
He told council Huron
County has 78 uniform
staff and six civilian
support staff, reporting
to locations in Exeter,
Seaforth, Clinton,
Wingham, Goderich
with the administration
centre on Highway 21.
From Jan. 1 to Nov. 24
of last year, there were
2,341 criminal code
incidents and 9,541 non
criminal code incidents.
There were a total of
969 motor vehicle colli-
sions, with 207 of them
personal injury, 752
property damage and
10 resulting in fatal
accidents.
Detachment specialists
in Huron County include
six detectives and five
marine specialists.
There are three abuse
issues investigators, two
court officers, two tech-
nical traffic collision
investigators, 12
breathalyzer techni-
cians, one community
directed patrol unit, one
community services offi-
cer, four emergency
response members and
four scenes of crime
officers.
Commitments for the
2005 plan include
Senior Safety in the
Home with a focus on
home security for elders
as well as preventing
elder abuse and fraud.
Other focuses for the
OPP are preventing bul-
lying in Huron County.
In 2004, over 20 bully-
ing information sessions
were presented by the
community services offi-
cer in Huron County.
In 2005 the presenta-
tions will continue, with
more tracking of bully-
ing statistics.
With 22 percent of
motor vehicle accidents
either at or relating to
intersections, a third
commitment is to
reduce the number of
collisions at intersec-
tions by 10 per cent.
For this reason a traf-
fic management team
has been created which
will focus on intersec-
tions throughout the
county.
Mason said the total
estimated policing cost
for Bluewater for 2004
was $585,156 and
explained the officers
keep track of their
activities down to 15
minutes.
"Anything on provin-
cial highways, you don't
get billed for," Mason
told council.
Coun. George Irvin
asked Mason to clarify
what the law was
regarding all -terrain
vehicles on beaches.
Mason replied while
the Ministry of Natural
See OPP REPORT page 2