The Citizen, 2018-02-22, Page 12PAGE 12. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2018.
Sparling wins Rural Ontario Leaders Award
By Shawn Loughlin
The Citizen
Grant Sparling, Vice -President
and General Manager of Blyth
Cowbell Brewing Company,
received a Rural Ontario Leaders
Award last week for all of his work
in the community.
Sparling was honoured at the
inaugural Rural Ontario Leaders
Awards, created by Jeff Leal, the
province's Minister of Agriculture,
Food and Rural Affairs. Sparling's
award was one of five handed out
that night.
According to a press release from
the provincial government, Sparling
was honoured for his work in
developing a "successful craft
brewery with a rural -first mandate
that prioritizes local and community
economic development."
"Ontario is shining a light on
exceptional leadership in rural
communities through the inaugural
Rural Ontario Leaders Awards," the
release stated. "The awards celebrate
the achievements of individuals,
communities and non-profit
organizations who have
demonstrated leadership in helping
build a stronger rural Ontario by
fostering a competitive business
environment, boosting economic
development and improving the
quality of life for its residents."
Other winners that night were:
• Dr. Gezahgn Wordofa of
Stratford: The founder and director
of the Multicultural Association of
Perth -Huron, which has helped to
welcome and settle new residents
and immigrants to the community by
providing referrals for community
and government services such as
healthcare, housing, education and
legal and translation services.
• Freshwater Cuisine: A Kenora-
based company devoted to the
Concession booths to
close in North Huron
By Denny Scott
The Citizen
The concession booths at the
North Huron Wescast Complex in
Wingham and the Blyth and District
Community Centre will be closed
for the 2018-2019 ice season.
The change was approved at
council's Feb. 8 budget meeting as a
cost-saving measure.
Council, originally faced with a
14.49 per cent increase to the tax
levy, tasked staff to come up with
ideas to reduce costs. The closure of
the concession booths was discussed
at a budget meeting in January and
brought back to the Feb. 8 meeting
with projected savings.
In 2017, the booths broke even or
saw a small profit, however, with the
increase to minimum wage, Director
of Recreation and Facilities Pat
Newson estimates the booths will
collectively lose more than $8,000
in 2018.
Her suggestion was to close them
after the current ice -use season on
April 1 and leave them closed until
the 2018-2019 ice season had ended.
Councillor Bill Knott asked if any
community groups or sports
associations had been approached to
run the booths.
"The biggest expense for the
booths are wages," Newson said,
adding that she has encouraged
several groups to come forward.
Newson said if a group were to
run it with volunteers, it could result
in the booths staying open, but the
responsibility is "a lot for a group to
take on "
The equipment for the concession
booths will be kept and any existing
food stock will be sold.
The vending machines in the
arenas will still offer snacks and
drinks, Newson said.
Council approved the change and
will review any changes at the end of
the next ice -use season.
Gold on the road
The Blyth Bantam Girls Ice team took on their Blyth
counterparts on Saturday night at the Blyth and District
Community Centre. The Ice team is fresh off of winning
provincial gold in Barrie and they took on their fellow
Blythites for a fun game, so they didn't keep score. (Denny
Scott photo)
development and marketing of
innovative freshwater fish
products.
• Eabametoong First Nation: A
small community garden that has
turned into Fort Hope Farm, a seven -
acre farm that creates jobs and
provides fresh, healthy food to the
community, while blending
traditional knowledge and
conventional agricultural practices.
• The HUB: Operated by the non-
profit organization New Vision
Unlimited, this co -working centre
supports entrepreneurship and social
innovation in the Muskoka
community.
"Supporting rural and Indigenous
communities is part of Ontario's
plan to create fairness and
opportunity during this period of
rapid economic change," said the
release. "The plan includes a higher
minimum wage and better working
conditions, free tuition for hundreds
of thousands of students, easier
access to affordable child care and
free prescription drugs for everyone
under 25 through the biggest
expansion of medicare in a
generation"
Going forward, the awards will be
presented at the Rural Ontario
Summit every two years. Those who
are eligible can nominate themselves
or they can be nominated by an
individual or a group.
For more information on the
awards, visit the provincial
government's website at ontario.ca.
RURAL ONTARIO
LEADERS AWARDS
Leading the Way in Rural Ontario
PRIX LEADERS DU MILIEU
RURAL EN ONTARIO
Chef de file dans ('Ontario rural
Leading the province
Grant Sparling was one of the winners at the inaugural
Rural Ontario Leaders Awards, presented last week.
Sparling was recognized for his work with Blyth Cowbell
Brewing Company, both in driving rural economic
development and utilizing local products on their menu.
(Photo submitted)
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