4 • Editorials 8 • Celtic Roots 19 • Theatre 20 • History
The
THIS WEEK
Citizen
Huron County’s most trusted independent news source Volume 40 No. 33
Friday, August 16, 2024
$1.50 GST included
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Kregar named new NH chief By Scott Stephenson The Citizen
Leading the way The Brussels Legion Pipe Band was the first group to hit the road on Saturday as the Bluevale 170th Homecoming parade made its way through the community’s streets. That was just one part of the weekend, however, that had plenty of kids’ activities,
historical displays, planned get-togethers and reunions and music. It all started with Teeswater-based Haley McNeil on Friday night taking to the stage, a young lady with (John connections to Brussels returning to the community. Stephenson photo)
CH hears Clinton sports pad options By Shawn Loughlin The Citizen Central Huron Council has not made a final decision on the creation of a new sports pad in Clinton, but did hear a number of location options on Monday night from Facilities Manager Steve Duizer for a project that could be included in next year’s budget. Duizer presented the report to council at its Monday night meeting. This came after council requested more information and several options from staff after deciding not to build a new pool in Clinton to replace the aging pool that has been closed for several years and will now be demolished and the land renaturalized. Duizer presented council with four options, complete with pros and cons for each site. The first is Hawkins Park. The park is underutilized, he said in his report, and the size of the space in question could accommodate a pad with two pickleball courts and a
small basketball court, if that was council’s desire. However, he noted that the park is in close proximity to several residential backyards and, without a parking lot, the nearby side street could be impacted if a sports pad is created there. The second option was Kinsmen/Kinette Park. Its circumstances mirror those of Hawkins Park, in that it also appears underutilized, but could accommodate a large pad, yet it is in close proximity to several yards and parking could be an issue as the existing parking lot at the park is not owned by the municipality. The third option would be a new sports pad at Central Huron Secondary School. He noted that, while a double tennis court pad is already in place at the school, it would require a full pad replacement, as well as net post replacement and some fencing repairs. He said that while an agreement to share construction costs, maintenance and define the terms
of use could potentially be reached with the Avon Maitland District School Board, the final design could end up being a school board decision and the location at the rear of the school could limit residents’ usage during school hours. The final option would be a new sports pad near the Clinton Raceway and Central Huron Community Complex, located on the large green space between the arena’s upper driveway and the casino. He said the area could accommodate a pad with two pickleball courts and a small basketball court and it would be approximately 150 metres from the closest residence with ample parking. He also noted that the area is near the rear of the raceway barns, so he didn’t anticipate any impact on horse training or raceway operations. Duizer noted that, if council were to select a location for a new sports pad, the project could be included in next year’s budget deliberations.
However, council did not make a decision at the time and instead received the report for information purposes and will revisit it later.
At Monday night’s meeting, North Huron Council announced the appointment of Chad Kregar as its next fire chief. This won’t be Kregar’s first time in the hot seat he’s been acting as Interim Director of Fire and Emergency Management since March, following the exit of previous chief Kent Readman. Prior to his stint as interim chief, Kregar spent 21 years as a firefighter, and has also been deputy fire chief. Ken DeVries will now take on that position. A statement from North Huron states that Kregar will oversee the strategic direction of the fire department by prioritizing community safety and improving operational efficiency. In a press release from North Huron, Reeve Paul Heffer praised Kregar, writing that he is, “committed to fostering a culture of excellence, ensuring that our fire and emergency management functions continue to meet the highest standards…. On behalf of the Township of North Huron, I would like to congratulate Chad Kregar and Ken DeVries on their new positions. These appointments are a testament to their many years of dedication, leadership, and unwavering commitment to North Huron’s safety and well-being. We look forward to working with them in their new roles to keep our community safe.”
Brewers bumped to ISC second tier By Shawn Loughlin The Citizen The Walton Brewers hit the ground running in Surrey, British Columbia on Saturday in the International Softball Congress (ISC) 2024 Men’s Fastpitch World Tournament with a 3-0 win over the host Surrey Rebels to open the tournament for both teams. The next day, however, the Brewers found themselves on the wrong end of a two-touchdown loss to the Bear Creek Express, who shut out the locals by a score of 14-0.
Then, on Monday, the Brewers fell a second time, losing to the Emery Electric Chargers by the muchtighter score of 7-4. With those two losses, the Brewers were dropped from the ISC1 tournament, but were still alive in the ISC2 tournament, which continued this week. The team then won its first game in the second tier of the tournament on Tuesday, a 2-0 victory over the Alberta Pirates, but then lost by a score of 1-0 to the Tropics of Sydney, Australia. They then played again Wednesday Continued on page 3