The Citizen - June 3, 2021

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The

THIS WEEK

Citizen

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Thursday, June 3, 2021

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Volume 37 No. 22

Publications Mail Agreement No. 40050141 Return Undeliverable Items to North Huron Publishing Company Inc., P.O. Box 152, BRUSSELS, ON N0G 1H0

Gallery exhibits to begin June 5

Getting artsy It was a beautiful weekend in Brussels and many local young people took the opportunity to participate in a sidewalk chalk art contest being held throughout the village. Four-year-old Evelynn Riley, left, with some help from her one-year-old sister Emmalee were among

those who took to the streets and let their creativity flow onto the sidewalk for all to see. Huron East Councillors John Lowe and Zoellyn Onn were out and about on Sunday to judge, taking in the creativity of the young Brussels residents. (John Stephenson photo)

The Blyth Festival Art Gallery’s virtual showcase, where participating artists can show and sell their work, is set to open on June 5. Each week until Sept. 30, one or two artists will be featured on the gallery’s Facebook page and the Blyth Festival’s social media channels. Photos and details of up to six items of artwork per artist, along with prices, the artist’s biography and contact information will be posted.

The gallery has been accepting submissions to this exhibition and sale of art since early April. There will be no fee or commission for sales from the show. Asked why the gallery is not collecting a commission, Exhibition Chair Bruce Stainton said. “This pandemic has been a financial burden for people in the arts. At this time, the gallery can’t provide a physical space, nor staffing, payment facilities or shipping. We, as volunteers, consider it a duty to support the arts community in whatever way possible.”

A schedule of featured postings will be announced at the time of the showcase opening. Using the contact information available on the Gallery’s Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/BlythFes tivalArtGallery/, potential buyers can get directly in touch with the artist. It will be the responsibility of Continued on page 19

Huron-Perth school reopening ‘doable’ says Klassen

By Denny Scott The Citizen Huron Perth Public Health Medical Officer of Health Dr. Miriam Klassen says she is supportive of reopening local schools during a week when Ontario Premier Doug Ford was debating the decision.

Schools, which have been closed to in-person learning for over a month now due to COVID-19, were a hot topic for Ford last week as he sought input from teachers and medical professionals to decide whether or not to open schools.

As of Monday, Ford said that an announcement would be made by Wednesday regarding whether schools could reopen in the last month of the school year.

Klassen, when asked, said the reopening of schools in Huron and

Perth could be “doable” given the case counts, which are lower than neighbouring regions, and vaccination rates, which are higher.

“In terms of HPPH’s ability to support schools with case and contact management, we are ready [for schools to open],” she said.

Klassen added that she hasn’t been consulted recently by her provincial coworkers regarding reopening of schools. Klassen also said that a new youth-focused vaccination program being rolled out across the province should help with that.

LOCAL STATISTICS The outbreak at Goderich Place retirement home, declared on May 18, was still in effect as of Monday.

No new cases have been reported, however, aside from the single resident and single staff member who tested positive last month.

There are currently six unidentified

workplace outbreaks as well as reports of an outbreak at the Sifto salt mine in Goderich.

As far as local numbers go, Huron and Perth Counties saw an increase of 53 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the past week bringing the total to 1,816 cumulative cases.

Across both Huron and Perth Counties, Huron East had the highest number of new cases reported with 14, bringing its total to 126.

All other Huron County municipalities except Howick, which remained at 48 cumulative cases, posted increases over the past week. HPPH reported two new cases in South Huron, bringing that municipality’s total to 153. Central Huron has 74 cases after three new cases were reported. North Huron had two new cases reported,

bringing its cumulative total to 66.

Morris-Turnberry now has 59 cumulative cases after two more were reported. Bluewater has 48 cumulative cases after three more were reported in the community.

Three new reported cases bring Ashfield-Colborne-Wawanosh’s total to 32, while Goderich has 29 total cumulative cases, an increase of three over last week.

In Perth County, four new cases were reported in Stratford, bringing the city’s cumulative total to 444.

Eleven more cases were reported in North Perth, bringing its total to 418. Perth East has one new case, bringing its total to 167. West Perth’s cases increased by two for a cumulative total of 58. After an increase of one and two new cases, respectively, Perth South and St. Marys both have cumulative case counts of 47.

Forty-seven active cases are reported across the two counties. In Huron, active cases are in Huron East (13) and three cases each in ACW, Bluewater, Central Huron and Goderich. Morris-Turnberry, South Huron and North Huron each have one active case.

There have been no new COVID19 linked deaths reported since last week, leaving the total at 57 for Huron and Perth Counties.

A total of 270 COVID-19 variants of concern (VOC) have been reported in the area, with 28 active VOC cases pending.

Acquisition, according to HPPH, continues to be driven by household and outbreak exposure with household-linked cases making up 28.9 per cent of all cases and outbreak exposure making up 26.4 per cent. Close contact has been Continued on page 2

PAGE 2. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, JUNE 3, 2021.

N. Huron to include housing ‘lens’ in review housing market. As an example, she pointed to developments where units are being sold when they are mid-construction or, in some cases, before construction has even begun. “[Huron County] is looking to respond to the increased demand,” she said.

That response, she said, won’t just be about creating a single type of residence, and will include a variety of locations, sizes, building forms and price points.

She said her department is looking at intensification of

The planning process One-year-old Emmalee Riley was one of the numerous young people who took to the driveways and sidewalks of the village of Brussels over the weekend, answering the challenge issued by Huron East Councillors John Lowe and Zoellyn Onn to beautify the village with sidewalk chalk pictures. (John Stephenson photo)

Second dose plan accelerated Continued from page 1 listed as the likely cause for 18.7 per cent of cases, while travel is responsible for 1.1 per cent.

Unknown vectors continue to be a problem, as 24.9 per cent of cases can’t be traced to a known COVID19 case.

More than 200 new isolation orders have been placed in the last week, bringing the total to 5,257 from 5,055. Of those, 191 are active.

Huron and Perth Counties remain in the “red” zone for incidence rate (or number of cases that test positive per 100,000 people) with a value of 43.7, up from last week’s 42.2. Per cent positivity in testing, however, has dropped from 3.02 per cent to 1.42. As far as local hospital beds, ICU occupancy has climbed to 85 per cent from 77 per cent while acute care occupancy has dropped from 69 per cent to 67 per cent.

VACCINATION RATES Vaccination rates continue to climb across the area with a nearly eight per cent jump in residents who have received the first dose.

Nearly 10,000 more residents received their first dose in the past week for a total of 72,007, representing 59.3 per cent

of Huron and Perth’s population.

The number of fully-vaccinated residents climbed from 5,508 to 6,141 or from 4.5 per cent to 5.1 per cent.

As far as age breakdowns are concerned, the number of people receiving their first doses is as follows: • 16-54 - 24,551 (37 per cent) up from 17,081 (25.7 per cent).

• 55-59 - 7,759 (71 per cent) up from 6,809 (62.3 per cent) • 60-64 - 8,886 (79 per cent) up from 8,431 (75 per cent) • 65-69 - 9,164 (89.2 per cent) up from 8,949 (87.1 per cent) • 70-74 - 8,217 (95 per cent) up from 8,150 (94.2 per cent) • 75-79 - 5,477 (94 per cent) up from 5,432 (93.2 per cent) • 80+ - 7,856 (95 per cent) up from 7,828 (94.7 per cent).

Fully-vaccinated numbers, by age demographics, are as follows: • 16-54 - 2,177 (3.3 per cent) up from 1,917 (2.9 per cent) • 55-59 - 486 (4.4 per cent) up from 407 (3.7 per cent) • 60-64 - 460 (4.1 per cent) up from 374 (3.3 per cent) • 65-69 - 378 (3.7 per cent) up from 305 (3 per cent) • 70-74 - 359 (4.1 per cent) up from 319 (3.7 per cent)

• 75-79 - 367 (6.3 per cent) up from 301 (5.2 per cent) • 80+ - 1,914 (23.2 per cent) up from 1,885 (22.8 per cent).

HPPH ACCELERATING SECOND DOSES On Monday, HPPH announced it would be accelerating second doses of the COVID-19 vaccine to adhere to provincial direction.

While the time between first and second doses can be as long as 16 weeks, HPPH will be offering a reduction in that timeline of up to 75 per cent, with doses offered as early as four weeks after the first dose, based on vaccine supply.

This week, individuals age 80 or higher can apply for their second dose under the shortened-intervals, HPPH announced. The week of June 14, individuals over the age of 70 will be able to begin booking.

Other groups may have already received their second dose of COVID-19 vaccines, according to the HPPH, and those groups, including high-risk health care workers, those with specific health conditions and First Nations people, will continue to be eligible for the shorter-interval plan.

For more information, visit hpph.ca/seconddose

residential properties, both existing and new, to help address the residential housing shortage. To elaborate, she said that multipleunit structures, row houses and stacked townhouses, as well as more apartments, are being considered as a way of stretching the existing residential development opportunities.

Part of the problem with the higher demand, she said, is that house prices are increasing rapidly, making it difficult for people to find houses within their budget, especially since wage increases have not kept pace with the housing market.

“We want to promote sensitive intensification,” she said. “When we look at redevelopment, we want to see if we can get more units in a space without compromising character.”

Future development plans need to provide opportunities for all people, she said, regardless of age, socioeconomic status or accessibility concerns.

She pointed to a “housing spectrum” or “continuum” as an example, with lower-price or assisted options on one end and “market value” offerings, like condominiums or single detached homes, on the other end.

“Everyone deserves access to safe and affordable homes,” she said.

Van Amersfoort said that meeting that requirement has several hurdles to clear, however, as Huron County is seeing an increase of those experiencing homelessness, or an increase in how visible that issue is, while developers are saying it’s difficult to make affordable or attainable housing with the current cost of building supplies.

“It’s hard to build for someone who makes a living wage,” she said, explaining that, in Huron County, that means having housing available for 30 per cent of someone’s total bills who makes approximately $17 an hour.

She said everyone knows someone who is looking for a

house, whether they be recent graduates looking to start out, young families looking to own their own home or older people looking to downsize, so the goal is to have different options available through multi-unit buildings.

That’s where the lens comes in, she said, as it encourages gentle intensification to make it easier to implement more dense forms of residential development.

The lens will be considered, she said, through changing official plan policies and zoning bylaw provisions to offer increased flexibility in land zoning rules and streamlining approval processes to help with savings and cost as well as prevent unnecessary planning applications.

Van Amersfoort then took a break from the presentation to allow North Huron Council members to bring their own concerns forward regarding housing in the area.

Reeve Bernie Bailey was the first to speak, asking about a proposed high-intensity development at the site of the Wingham Trailer Park.

Bailey assured council he wasn’t involved in the development, which he said is looking to create a threeto four-storey 50-unit apartment complex on the land.

Bailey did, however, want to make sure the planning department was ready for the process to get that development going to meet the need for local housing for factories in North Huron and MorrisTurnberry. He said one of those factories could be moved out of the country if housing isn’t available for the 400 to 450 people who need to work there. “We need the homes,” he said.

Bailey also spoke to problems with development saying that, in his experience, some of them are due to the developers themselves Continued on page 12

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The Citizen After a lengthy special meeting last week, North Huron Township Council has decided to implement a “housing-friendly review” as part of its upcoming five-year review of its Official Plan..

The review, which looks at the community’s official plan and zoning bylaws, will include the “housing-friendly review”, which Huron County Senior Planner Denise Van Amersfoort says is a

lens through which council can make decisions regarding the future of residential development in the community.

Van Amersfoort presented the lens and review last Friday morning, and while council had some concerns about changes she suggested, it voted unanimously to include the documents in future planning.

The lens is an important tool, Van Amersfoort said at the start of her presentation, because of the recent explosion of the Huron County

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THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, JUNE 3, 2021. PAGE 3.

Morris-Turnberry nixes shared building department

By Denny Scott The Citizen Last week, Morris-Turnberry issued a press release stating the municipality would be severing its

shared building department with North Huron Township.

The department, which is run by Morris-Turnberry with North Huron purchasing service, has been shared for the last four years and

was set to be shared for another year, however Morris-Turnberry Council, according to the release, decided to end it this year. The service will discontinue as of Dec. 31, 2021 according to a follow-up

A new era Several members of the Blyth Lions Club were out to improve the Blyth Lions Park playground last weekend. Members replaced the park’s old base with new mulch around the playground equipment. (Photo submitted)

McRoberts hired as HE CAO

By Shawn Loughlin The Citizen Bradley McRoberts has been hired as the next chief administrative officer of Huron East, succeeding Brad Knight, who has held the position for just over 10 years.

Huron East Council made the appointment official last week after a special meeting on May 25, which was closed to the public. However, after the in-camera session, council passed a motion to appoint a new chief administrative officer, with McRoberts being named as the successful candidate.

The next day, Huron East issued a press release stating that McRoberts would begin his time with the municipality on Monday, June 28. The search was conducted by a selection committee, which included Huron East Mayor Bernie MacLellan and Councillors Dianne Diehl and John Lowe. Council had also enlisted the services of consultant Nigel Bellchamber, who conducted the search.

McRoberts first studied Civil Engineering at the University of Waterloo before earning his Master’s Degree in Public Administration specializing in local government from the University of Western Ontario.

He began working in the public sector in 2007 as the manager of public works for the Town of South Bruce Peninsula.

From there, he started work with Owen Sound, first as its manager of special capital projects from 2009 to 2011 and then as director of operations from 2011 to 2014.

He then moved on to the Township of Mapleton as its director of public works from 2014 to 2015 before being named its acting chief administrative officer for five months before serving as the chief administrative

officer from 2015 to 2017.

McRoberts then returned to the Township of South Bruce Peninsula in 2017 as its chief administrative officer. He has been there since leaving Mapleton.

“Huron East has qualities that reflect the best features of several municipalities I have previously worked with and I am looking forward to joining with council and staff in their efforts to make it an even better community,” McRoberts said in the press release.

In an interview with The Citizen, MacLellan said he was impressed with the search right away, as the municipality received 31 applications for the position. This, at a time, MacLellan said, when senior positions are getting harder to fill with more retirements and fewer qualified candidates to fill those vacancies.

In addition, MacLellan also said that seeing so many candidates really showed him that a lot of people want to work with Huron East and that it has a good reputation in the municipal world.

From there, MacLellan said the committee conducted interviews, most of which lasted an hour or longer, with six very qualified candidates.

One candidate dropped out of the running after the interviews, leaving five, and council then further curated that list down to three candidates who were called in for a second interview. Another dropped out, leaving a final two for third and final interviews and the committee made the recommendation to hire McRoberts to council.

As part of McRoberts’ hiring, MacLellan said council has also been able to write in several milestones they hope the municipality will reach under McRoberts within his first six or seven months. Among them,

MacLellan said, are a path forward for the Huron East Economic Development Department after the death of Jan Hawley, the creation of a strategic plan, some light restructuring at the municipal office and improved succession planning.

What really impressed the committee with McRoberts, MacLellan said, were the competent answers they received to any questions members asked.

McRoberts’ qualifications were also very impressive, he said.

With McRoberts beginning later this month, MacLellan said there will be an opportunity for McRoberts to work alongside Knight for a week so he can learn the ropes before Knight officially retires. However, MacLellan said Knight has graciously offered to return on a part-time basis or in any consulting capacity that’s necessary to help McRoberts along if the situation calls for it.

McRoberts will be replacing Knight after Knight spent just over 10 years as Huron East’s chief administrative officer. Before that, he was Huron East’s treasurer, working with Grey Township for years before amalgamation.

All told, Knight’s municipal career will have spanned over 36 years by the time he retires at the end of the month.

“We have appreciated the dedication of Brad Knight in all he has done for the councils over the last 36 years, and we look forward to working with Mr. McRoberts to build upon the solid foundations that have been laid for future success,” MacLellan said in the press release.

Check back with future issues of The Citizen for an interview with McRoberts as he begins his time with Huron East and for a retrospective with Knight, looking back on over 36 years of work with local municipal administration.

e-mail from Morris-Turnberry Chief Administrative Officer Trevor Hallam.

“We did not set out to end this agreement,” Morris-Turnberry Mayor Jamie Heffer said in the release. “We just wanted to make a change so we would each pay for what we are actually using.”

Earlier this year, Morris-Turnberry staff reviewed the 2020 usage of the department, and claimed that Morris-Turnberry ratepayers contributed $10,000 that paid for North Huron residents as part of the 60/40 split, favouring North Huron, that had been previously set up.

After discussing the issue, Morris-Turnberry Council offered to renegotiate that split and make it 50/50, which was closer to the actual usage figures, according to Morris-Turnberry staff. At the time, North Huron Council members felt the amount of staff time necessary to verify the findings wasn’t worth the amount of money that would change hands as a result, and council took no action in regards to the request request.

“The agreement was set up to be reviewed and adjusted as needed, and the 60/40 split was only an estimate to get it started,” Heffer said in the press release. “The [requested] change seemed like a fair, common sense solution and we gave lots of notice, but with the timelines involved and no answer back we had to make this decision to avoid being locked into another year of an imbalance agreement.”

The cancellation of the agreement marks the demise of another shared service between the municipalities, which, in the recent past, have shared several senior staff members, including public works.

It also comes as the two sides are at an impasse in regards to crossborder servicing where North Huron systems are being utilized by Morris-Turnberry ratepayers on the borders of the two municipalities.

When contacted by The Citizen, North Huron Reeve Bernie Bailey said there was no official response from his council, save that the issue would be discussed at its upcoming council meeting on June 7.

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Life’s highest and best lesson (J.R. Miller, “The Story of Joseph, Practical Lessons”) We read that Joseph bore himself so congenially and did his work so well, and was so capable, so true, so trustworthy--that Potiphar “left all that he owned under Joseph’s care; he did not concern himself with anything except the food he ate.” Genesis 39:6.

Joseph would never have won such a success... if he had given up to discouragement, if he had brooded over his wrongs, if he had sulked and complained, if he had spent his time in vain regrets or in vindictive feelings.

We should learn the lesson, and it is worth learning--for it is life’s highest and best lesson.

The problem of life is to keep the heart warm and kindly amid all injustice and wrong; to keep the spirit brave and cheerful in the midst of all that is hard in life’s circumstances and conditions; to be true, and right, and strong in all moral purpose and deed--however others may act toward us.

Our inner life should not be affected by our external experiences. Right is right, no matter what others around us may do. We must be true--no matter if all the world is false to us. We must be unselfish and loving, though even our nearest friends prove selfish and cruel to us. We must keep our spirit strong, cheerful and hopeful--though adversities and misfortunes seem to leave us nothing of the fruit of all our labours.

In a word, we are to live victoriously, truly, nobly, sweetly, cheerfully, joyfully--in spite of whatever may be uncongenial in our condition!

This is the lesson of all Christian life. We should not let the outside darkness into our soul. We should seek to be delivered from all morbidness and all unwholesomeness. We should not allow anything to crush us.

Remember, your task in living is to keep sweet; to keep you heart gentle, brave, strong, loving, full of hope--under the worst that the years can bring you of injustice, hardship, suffering, and trial.

A Grace Gem Submitted by: Immanuel United Reformed Church, Listowel, ON 519-492-1359

PAGE 4. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, JUNE 3, 2021.

Editorials & Opinions

Founding Publisher: Keith Roulston Publisher & President: Deb Sholdice Editor: Shawn Loughlin • Reporter: Denny Scott Advertising Sales: Brenda Nyveld • Heather Fraser The Citizen is published 51 times a year in Brussels, Ontario by North Huron Publishing Company Inc. Subscriptions are payable in advance at a rate of $40.00/year ($38.10 + $1.90 G.S.T.) in Canada; $190.00/year in U.S.A. Advertising is accepted on the condition that in the event of a typographical error, only that portion of the advertisement will be credited.

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The Citizen P.O. Box 429, P.O. Box 152, BLYTH, Ont. BRUSSELS, Ont. N0M 1H0 N0G 1H0 Ph. 519-523-4792 Phone Fax 519-523-9140 519-887-9114 E-mail info@northhuron.on.ca Website www.huroncitizen.ca Member CCNA

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Profits... at what cost?

TD, CIBC and RBC released their second-quarter financial reports last week and all reported sharp increases in quarterly profits. Much of this profit was based on analysts’ confidence in vaccine distribution to open up the economy again. The banks were releasing much of their loss provision as far fewer loans were falling into default than had been anticipated at the height of the pandemic.

Some of the increase can be attributed to the growth in the banks’ mortgage business, thanks to a frantic real estate market driving up property prices. The pandemic has resulted in other types of lending to be on the decline, including credit card balances, which typically contribute to the profit margins of the banks.

It will be interesting to watch how banks manage the razor’s edge of maintaining interest rates low enough to realize growth and high enough to sustain profit margins. With Canadians’ debt-to-income ratio climbing due to housing costs, any hike in the major banks’ mortgage rates could have a significant impact on household budgets. – DS

On the downward trend There are many ongoing discussions (some responsible and some very irresponsible) regarding the province’s extended stay-at-home order, enacted on April 8. What can’t be denied, if you trust hard data, is that the move has been effective in curtailing COVID-19 infections.

While most were on board last spring when we were “all in this together”, the province’s continued failure to curb COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations and deaths has resulted in several lockdowns and then extensions of those lockdowns. This action has prompted concern over everything from the viability of the hardest-hit industries, like theatres, restaurants, gyms and others to repercussions for young people who are now in their second school year of inconsistent in-person class time.

On the opposite end of the healthy debate spectrum, lockdown opponents have touted a strategy that would kill millions as life simply returns to normal, enacting the protocol of the “survival of the fittest” (or perhaps Rocky IV villain Ivan Drago: “If he dies, he dies”). One of that group’s foundational statements is that lockdowns don’t work; that mental health, relationship stability and business are all unnecessarily brushed aside for a measure that is ineffective in stopping the spread of COVID-19. But the numbers simply don’t support their claims.

Ontario’s case count chart rises and falls with lockdown action. The current stay-at-home order was enacted as cases were rising sharply, graduating from over 3,000 cases per day to over 4,000. After April 8, cases continued to rise dramatically for another week or so, and then they began falling dramatically. The province is now seeing just over 1,000 cases per day. A far cry from the high of over 4,500 in mid-April.

Lockdowns are devastating many businesses, hurting families and affecting mental health. No one likes them. But to make the point that they do nothing to curb infection just isn’t supported by facts. – SL

Win by not playing Amy Cooper may have made the worst move she could after making a mistake: reminding people about it well after the fact.

Cooper may be best known as the woman who, while being recorded, made what most agree is an incredible racist phone call last year. She attempted to get police to respond to her location in Manhattan’s Central Park as she claimed to be threatened by Christian Cooper (no relation), a Black man who was mostly minding his business and bird watching in the park. Christian’s only interaction with Amy was to suggest she put her dog on a leash, as is the rule in that portion of the park. As a result of Christian’s video of the incident, which went viral, Amy found herself facing a tidal wave of backlash. She also lost her job at financial services firm Franklin Templeton for, according to the firm, her racist behaviour.

If readers are having trouble remembering the incident, it could be because it happened on the same day that a police officer killed George Floyd, which resulted in protests around the world. Amy’s relatively tame racist activity may have been lost in news of the Floyd killing, and other fatal incidents linked to racial profiling that followed.

Amy, however, has squandered what could have been a chance to move on with her life. When she could have relocated, gone by a different name and maybe outrun her past, she instead decided to sue her previous employer for wrongful dismissal. There could be some debate as to whether she should have been fired for the incident and, in her own filing, it suggests that Franklin Templeton didn’t do the research the firm claimed to have done regarding her call to the police (and subsequent calls, which later landed her in hot water).

Whether or not she wins, the argument can be made that by putting herself in the spotlight, she loses no matter what happens. Instead of being able to move on, even if that required a change of name, she’s guaranteed she will be a hot topic for a good amount of time. Amy’s only option to win would have been to not play this game. – JDS

Looking Back Through the Years June 4, 1964 The Brussels United Church Women held their general meeting, with members discussing a number of issues.

First, there was the letter Mrs. McKercher asked the group to send to the federal government, asking that sports programs on television not be sponsored by breweries.

While sending the letter was discussed, no decision was made and it was left until a later date.

Also, the group was asked to be part of a congregational meeting concerning the renovation of the church’s entrance.

Northern Irish farmer Jeoffrey Conn was scheduled to be visiting Huron County from late May into mid-June, spending his first week with Mr. and Mrs. Donald Young of RR2, Auburn, and then his second week with Murray Hoover of RR2, Brussels.

The native of Londonderry County in Northern Ireland had been a member of the Limivady Young Farmers’ Council for eight years, serving as the club’s leader.

During his time in Huron County, he hoped to learn about local farm conditions.

May 29, 1974 John Lyndon was named the candidate for the federal HuronMiddlesex Liberal Association.

Lyndon would represent the party in the upcoming federal election.

After being named the region’s candidate, he took aim at Robert McKinley, the incumbent Conservative MP, who Lyndon said was indifferent to the plight of workers at the Hall Lamp Company, which had recently closed.

At the same time, Lyndon praised the work of Huron MPP

Jack Riddell for his concern on work on behalf of the workers when the closure was announced.

May 29, 1996 Provincial government plans to reduce staffing across several ministries took staff at the Clinton Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs office as its latest victims, eliminating four positions.

Field Services Manager Dan Carlow said many talented people were being lost as a result of the cuts, but that he was hoping to find new positions for them in the coming weeks.

Members of the Brussels Mennonite Fellowship’s youth group were busy as they held their annual car wash to raise funds for the church.

John and Jesse Davidson of London, the inspiration behind Jesse’s Journey (a provincial 3,300kilometre wheelchair journey the previous summer), were the guests of honour for a special seminar in Belgrave, held at East Wawanosh Public School, courtesy of the Belgrave Women’s Institute.

Hullett Township Council passed its 1996 budget with the welcome news that the mill rate would be dropping for residents. The 1996 mill rate of 2.535 was well lower than the 1995 mill rate of 3.141.

June 2, 2011 Approximately 200 people came out for a rally against industrial wind turbines, held in Seaforth.

A half-dozen speakers also took to the stage at the event, which was hosted by Huron East Against Turbines. The discourse largely focused on establishing a moratorium on further wind turbine developments and research into adverse health effects opponents

said were connected to turbines.

Local farmers admitted they were concerned with the weather the community had endured over the past two months. Cold and wet weather had plagued much of southwestern Ontario and, if things didn’t change in a hurry, experts said it could impact the Huron County economy in a very serious way.

Brian Hall from the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, however, said that if the weather were to turn around in a hurry, Huron County farmers could still have a full crop yield. Local farmers were lucky to have this potential, he said, as many farmers in other regions of southwestern Ontario had already missed their chance.

The Londesborough Lions Club held its annual rubber duck race on May 29, with club members up to their knees in water to crown a winner of the popular fundraiser. In the end, it was Julia Shaddick of Londesborough whose duck would cross the finish line last, earning her the Lame Duck Prize, while the duck purchased by Janet Scrimgeour, also of Londesborough claimed first prize in the race.

The Blyth Festival, working with a group of young theatre enthusiasts, pulled off its first-ever “Play in a Day”, producing William Shakespeare’s A Midsummer’s Night Dream after working on it for just 24 hours.

The 14th annual Barn Dance Campout and Jamboree took to the stage at the Blyth and District Community Centre, featuring a number of high-profile musicians.

Tops among them, however, was the multi-Grammy-Award-winning Polka King, Walter Ostanek.

THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, JUNE 3, 2021. PAGE 5.

Other Views

Cemeteries hold so many stories n the June issue of The Rural Voice magazine, Belgrave-area farmer/columnist Kate Procter writes about the remnants of the pioneer community of Bodmin, from which her family’s farm takes its name.

Bodmin, east of Belgrave, thrived for about 30 years, beginning in the 1850s before the railway from Wingham to London drew businesses to Wingham, Belgrave and Blyth.

Now all that remains of the little hamlet on the corner of the Procter family’s farm are flowers that survived from former residents’ gardens – and headstones collected into a cairn near where the community church once stood. In her column, Kate manages to read the weathered stone memorial to young Sarah Harris, the daughter of the settlement’s founders William and Isabelle Harris, who died on July 22, 1864 at the age of only one year, nine months.

There are fascinating stories like that to be found in so many cemeteries if you have an interest in the people who have built our communities. Jill and I periodically make a pilgrimage to Blyth Union Cemetery, renewing memories of people we knew who have passed on and learning of pioneers who date back to before we came to the community. From time to time we also explore the history of East Wawanosh by looking at the stones in the old Westfield Cemetery, after walking the trails nearby.

Such little abandoned cemeteries dot our area. Travelling to Brussels recently, we saw the sign for the pioneer hamlet of Sunshine, nearly invisible except for the little pioneer cemetery off to the north of the road.

Travelling from Auburn to Blyth the other day I noticed the little cemetery on the edge of Bryan Gross’s farm, which I usually whizz by.

During last month’s Zoom meeting of the

I

Keith Roulston From the cluttered desk Huron County Historical Society, Daryl Ball told the story of the settlement of the area around Ball’s Bridge by his ancestors, and the community efforts to maintain Ball’s Cemetery and the little church there that has hosted an annual memorial service for a century.

Pioneer cemeteries hold a special spell over some of us. Recently, CBC Radio’s program The Current told the story of photographer Steve Skafte who has documented 50 abandoned cemeteries in Annapolis County, Nova Scotia. Clearing the sites and plotting locations on a map feels a bit like bringing the dead back to life, he said.

Annapolis County was one of the earliest locations of European settlement, dating back to 1605 when Samuel de Champlain established Port Royal. With such a long history, often people died and were buried before organized cemeteries were established.

Skafte told of wiggling through the crawlspace of a house to find the headstones marking the resting place of twins who had died before the house was built.

My own family’s history includes a similar situation.

My maternal great-greatgrandparents James and Jennet Purves arrived from Berwickshire, Scotland in the former West Wawanosh Twp. (now AshfieldColborne-Wawanosh) in October, 1850, taking up 200 acres of land. Less than a year later, James died. There were no cemeteries

that early in settlement so he was buried on the farm. Jennet died less than two years later and was buried beside her husband.

Originally their resting places were marked by only wooden crosses, but later these were replaced by a marble headstone. Later still, that stone was removed by a subsequent owner of the property and stored in a barn. Luckily, my cousin, the family historian, was informed of the location of the stone when he wanted to mark the graves, and found it – by now broken in three pieces – and was able to repair it and reinstall it.

The grave of their son Robert is much easier to find. At the age of only 17, he moved across what is now Amberley Road and took up land in Bruce County. The land contained a lake which became known as Purves’s Lake (the name was changed to Fairy Lake by a later owner). By the time of his death in 1902 he had amassed 400 acres, had served as reeve of Kinloss Twp. for more than 20 years and as warden of Bruce County for three terms. His memorial marker is one of the largest in South Kinloss Cemetery, north of Lucknow.

My father and mother are both buried, more modestly, in the same cemetery along with her parents. My father’s parents rest in the Kincardine cemetery, just across the street from the house they lived in until his death in a car accident when I was five.

There’s nothing practical about cemeteries.

Many modern, progressive people argue they waste valuable land and urge cremation with no grave site. If you have an interest in history, however, cemeteries remind us of our predecessors who built the communities we live in – whether they be pioneers who cleared the land or just the generations that preceded us.

Looking to find your own paradise?

W

ith the pandemic still dogging us at the end of the summer last year (remember when we thought this would be a two-week incident?) Ashleigh and I decided that, as new trailer owners, the best bang for our buck would be to find a place we like and try and get a seasonal spot for this year.

That was no easy feat, thanks to the number of people who had the same idea, but we were able to find a spot at a somewhat local campground that had everything we needed: a water attraction, some playground equipment and a short enough drive that a four-year-old’s bladder can manage it.

I guess saying everything “we” need was a little more broad because, if I’m being honest, I could make do with any tree canopy. The perfect campground for my daughter likely includes a place to swim, a playground and a way to watch television and play video games on rainy days. To my wife, the perfect spot is where she can have a campfire and fall asleep at night.

To me, it’s one activity consisting of three things: a chair, a tree canopy and a good book.

Also, having a seasonal spot means I don’t have to back the trailer in and pull it out every weekend to enjoy some time off the grid, which saves time, frustration and limits the number of accidental curse words I mutter when trying to get the trailer level.

Having a travel trailer is great. It opened up a lot of fantastic experiences last year for our family. While we would’ve loved to continue to have those experiences, spreading our travelling out beyond Huron and Perth Counties, the simple fact is, we wouldn’t have been able to under the current lockdown rules.

Sure, the new rules coming into effect might

Denny Scott Denny’s Den allow more travelling, but up until now, transient camping hasn’t been allowed.

Heck, technically we’re not allowed to camp at our seasonal trailer location right now.

People can only attend their sites for maintenance work and then only for 24 hours, unless they’re moving there semi-permanently and then they have to stay there for more than 14 days.

As much as I’d love to spend the entire spring and summer out there, I don’t know there would be enough space for Mary Jane to attend class and me to work.

Heck, there’s barely enough space for that in my office at home which, square-footage wise, is probably close to what the trailer offers.

So for the past few weeks we’ve made daily maintenance trips, staying no more than 24 hours. That meant cutting grass, building a miniature deck (or a giant landing, depending on how you want to look at it), setting up permanent plumbing or just getting other parts of the site set up every weekend.

It’s made for some hectic weekends, especially since we’re limiting it to one day most of the time (versus what we did on the long weekend: go to the trailer for a day, come home, then return some time later for another 24-hour period).

Once we’re allowed to go and stay at the site without having to return home every 24 hours, everything should be just right.

Back on point here, while I’ve been out for those 24-hour-or-less periods, I’ve set up what I consider my perfect spot: it took time, but I figured out the best spot to stay in the shade and still catch the breeze while I thumb through a good book.

While I’m sure I’ll enjoy taking a dip in the lake (or the pool), or even just having a campfire and cooking up some s’mores, to me, the perfect way to relax is with a book in my hands.

The spot was the most important part, however, as I’m a light sleeper and trailers don’t cater well to people like me. Every time someone uses the washroom, turns over fast or hits a knee on a wall, I’m awake. That means that anywhere I’m reading a book may quickly become a place I fall asleep, and I don’t want to wake up looking like The Citizen: black and white and read all over.

Anyway – that’s my happy place: in a reclining lawn chair with a book (or e-reader) listening to the breeze in the trees, the birds chirping and the occasional mosquito getting slapped.

Final Thought When I was five years old, my mother always told me that happiness was the key to life. When I went to school, they asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up. I wrote down ‘happy’. They told me I didn’t understand the assignment, and I told them they didn’t understand life.

– John Lennon

Shawn Loughlin Shawn’s Sense

Magic moments

R

ecently, I had the opportunity to reflect on being a father. That likely sounds a bit weird, reflecting on something you just are (like reflecting on being alive), but I just had time to think about all that it means.

Jess and I had a hard day over the weekend.

Tallulah is at a weird time in her life, with less than a month until she turns one. She is active and mobile, but not as active and mobile as she’d like. She’s teething and sleeping less, making her a little grumpier than usual at times. Days like those are long for both Jess and Tallulah, which hits Jess with a second punch, as she’s worn down, but feeling bad for her daughter who is similarly worn down.

I could tell Jess needed a few minutes to herself on Sunday, so I took Tallulah into our backyard, which always seems to calm her down. There, we ducked under the leaves of our little tree (likely only a few years old when we bought the house in 2015) and Tallulah’s eyes widened as we surrounded ourselves with leaves. She reached out to touch them, looking in wonder as the wind whistled through, causing the leaves to rustle around us. She would look at me and then back to the leaves around her, wondering where we were and what we were doing there.

It felt like a magical moment for me; one that I’d always remember. Because I felt that wonder too. Helping Tallulah to engage with the nature around her is fun, but experiencing the world through her eyes is fascinating. And I know I’m far from the first person to write about this, but it also made me think about just how amazing it is that Jess and I were able to create a little, beautiful person like Tallulah.

I recently watched The Tree of Life, the 2011 Terrence Malick movie. It’s all about the cycle of life, full of striking images and vignettes of life. One that stuck with me was when parents played by Brad Pitt and Jessica Chastain have their first child and, minutes after the baby is born, Pitt holds one of his little feet in his big, grown-man hands, looking at it like his brain couldn’t comprehend something so amazing.

I have been struck by the profound nature of those moments in this first 11 months of being a father. Of course there will be birthdays, first steps and other milestones, but those softer, unexpected moments have taught me to appreciate what it means to have a child.

As most of you know, I wear glasses; thick, Elvis Costello-like Ray Ban frames. For a while, Tallulah liked grabbing at them trying to pull them off of my face (the first time she did, she looked mortified, like she’d “broken” her father). So, while holding her, I started taking them off. All of a sudden, when she could stare into my eyes (which look eerily similar to hers) you could see her experiencing something new for the first time and it’s really magical to be part of that.

She is learning all the time and so are we.

She also helps us realize all there is to appreciate about the world around us as she takes it in for the first time.

Being a parent, I’m learning, is hard work.

It’s often thankless, it’s relentless and it’s not helped by a pandemic (though one could argue that staying home and limiting contact and travel could be a protective, first-time parent’s dream). At the same time, it’s wondrous and invigorating and full of moments that redefine - for me, at least - what it means to be alive and a member of this world.

The trick, I suppose, is to identify those moments in time and appreciate them for what they are in the moment. Tallulah and I being under our tree doesn’t happen every day, but maybe it will if I look hard enough.

PAGE 6. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, JUNE 3, 2021.

Hitting the open road A NOTE FROM BETTY

By Betty Graber Watson Call 887-9231

Checking it out Huron East Councillors John Lowe, left, and Zoellyn Onn hosted a sidewalk chalk art contest throughout the village of Brussels over the weekend, inviting youth from across the area to flex their creative muscles. Residents of the village, like Ava Rombouts, second from left, and Bronwyn Guy, wasted little time colouring their canvases. (John Stephenson photo)

At the Branch

Executive plans for fundraisers

By Jo-Ann McDonald The week at the Brussels Legion Branch included only one activity and that was the Zoom executive meeting. There were nine Comrades participating including President Jamie Mitchell, Nancy Bridge, Sandra Brown, Lisa Glanville, Andy Overholt, Deb Ross, Jo-Ann McDonald, Judy Lee and Nanci Ducharme. Discussion included fundraising for the summer months.

There are four fish meals booked at this time and the Branch will hold its own fry on Canada Day. The Branch has been hosting a Canada Day fry for a few years now and it is a popular event. It will be Thursday, July 1, so mark your calendars now.

It is hard to plan at this moment if it will be drive-thru or in Branch. It will depend on the re-opening, but at this point it will be drive-thru.

The second major discussion was the Brussels Cemetery decoration service. It is usually held on the last Sunday in June. It was held virtually last year and again, at this point in time, it is unknown whether it will be in-person or by video. It was decided that it will be held in some fashion, so again mark your calendar. Flowers have been arriving for awhile for the tops of the gravestones and the area is looking very nice.

The Remembrance Day banners are still available and we would appreciate it if folks contacted Comrade Jamie or Sandra if interested in ordering one. Call the

Branch and leave a message at 519887-6562. A picture, name, war and division or unit are all the information necessary. Family members could go together to cover the cost. Call the Branch and get the information if interested.

The first week of June has many historical events to report. On June 1, 1943 the HMCS Conestoga in Galt, Ontario was commissioned as the Women’s Royal Canadian Naval Service training centre. On June 2, 2008 after an ambush and IED blast in Afghanistan, Sgt. M.J.J. Cote treated the injured, under enemy fire and despite a concussion, earning the Medal of Military Valour. On June 3, 1910, LouisPhillipe Brodeur was appointed the first minister of the Naval Service and introduced legislation creating the Canadian Navy. On June 5, 1900, during the Boer War, Pretoria was captured by British, Canadian and other Commonwealth forces.

June 6, 1944 is remembered as DDay and the Canadian troops fighting their way inland on the beaches of France.

The Allied Invasion of Western Europe launched on June 6, 1944, now the most celebrated D-Day of the war, with the simultaneous landing of U.S., British and Canadian forces on five separate beachheads in Normandy, France.

Canadian troops assaulted a 10kilometre stretch of the French coastline with the Allied code name Juno Beach. The Canadian Army’s 3rd Infantry Division and 2nd

Armoured Brigade seized the beach and its seaside villages while under intense fire from German defenders; an extraordinary example of military skill, reinforced by countless acts of personal courage. The 3rd Infantry Division took heavy casualties in the first wave but took control by the end of the day.

More than 14,000 soldiers landed or parachuted into France on DDay, June 6. The Royal Canadian Navy contributed 110 warships, 10,000 sailors and the RCAF contributed 15 fighters and fighter bomber squadrons to the assault.

There were 1,074 casualties including 359 killed during the assault. This was a very important turning point of the war and proved to all that Canadians were a force to be reckoned with. The date of June 6, should be a date we all stop and remember the bravery of our Canadian troops.

Ah, the sunshine. That extra bit of light and heat seems to affect our very mood. So, as the sun shines and the landscape changes and the COVID-19 case count improves, things are looking very fine indeed.

My nature’s smile this week has been watching the Baltimore orioles in the yard and seeing the one land on the head of our orange ornament. For that fleeting moment, the gold and orange bird blended well with the orange paint of the wee lady on the log. Sweet!

The more time you make, the more neat things you observe.

The Brussels Horticultural Society is out at the village beds, getting a head start on the weeds.

So feel free to give them a hand with a shovel or spade to rid the butterfly garden or the main street beds of the debris and weeds that collect over the seasons. Any of the members would be pleased to hear from you with an offer to help.

Lockdown gets to me every time I FaceTime with the wee Edmonton boys. I love seeing them and hearing the latest adventures and the newest words from Weston. It’s so wonderful to know that little boys still like water, peeing outside, noise and dirt. Watching it happen on my iPad is one of the wonders of our time. Then I feel a bit sad that we can’t yet travel to touch them.

Then on the bright side everyone is being careful in their various bubbles, having had their first shot and waiting like us to see each

other. Anticipation is a very good thing.

No card games or dominoes this week; the Graham Road Bubble hit the road. With no end goal and time unlimited, we cruised the country Sunday enjoying the names of the places that keep our communities together. Gladstone and Stirton were discovered while checking out Bloomingdale and Dorking, Drayton, Bresleau, and Conestoga.

Allan Park and Donegal were admired as well.

So, we found a few new roads and lots of beautiful countryside. A pop-in outdoor visit with Chris and Lara reminded us that it’s usually old people who drive around with absolutely no purpose beside entertainment. We made their day with our interpretation of life, I’m sure.

Check the details for a shower for Janelle who will soon marry Matt Cardiff.

Be safe. Be kind. Keep positive.

Bye now, Betty G.W.

NEWS FROM BRUSSELS

Brussels Lions Club presents

KICKSTART 2021 Total prize value of more than $6,200

More than 40 prizes to be won!

Tickets: $25

Tickets available from Brussels Lions Club Members or send an email to tickets@brusselslions.ca including your full name, address, phone number and indicate the number of tickets you wish to purchase.

Payment can be made by e-transfer to tickets@brusselslions.ca or mail a cheque to Lion Jim Prior, Box 123, Brussels, ON N0G 1H0.

Confirmation of your order will be sent when payment has been received.

Draw to be held Saturday, June 26 at the Brussels Foodland Parking Lot

THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, JUNE 3, 2021. PAGE 7.

BIA earmarks $300 for PPE box program

By Denny Scott The Citizen

Senseless The Huron Pioneer Thresher and Hobby Association’s camper registration booth at the Blyth Campground was the target of vandals over the weekend. Association volunteer Herman Mooy was on site on Monday to fix the damage caused: a kicked-in door and a protective guard that was removed from the window of the booth. While nothing seems to be missing, police did investigate the incident, according to Mooy, and carefully reviewed the site. (Denny Scott photo)

New group struck to serve Blyth The Blyth Women Caring and Sharing Group, a recentlyestablished service organization, is hosting its first outreach initiative on Blyth’s main street with a free vegetable stand.

Charter member Rev. JoAnn Todd says the group’s roots, which first took shape in 2019, are tied to similar groups in the area and their goal is to help those in the community who are getting by with less.

Todd, who serves at Blyth’s Trinity Anglican Church, started the

group alongside Huron Perth Public Health’s (HPPH) Gloria Workman, who lives in Blyth. Todd said she had worked with the Brussels Community Alliance and noticed that a similar group, which works solely to help the less fortunate, didn’t seem to exist in Blyth. The alliance had been formed with help from the HPPH, so Todd reached out to Workman to start the process to establish a similar group in Blyth. The two were just starting to get the group together when the pandemic derailed the project.

Warm weather a welcome experience From Marilyn’s Desk

By Marilyn Craig Call 523-9318

Happy anniversary to Barry and Cindy MacDonald, who will celebrate on June 8.

Happy birthday to Albert Wasson, Seaforth, who will celebrate June 6 and Cindy MacDonald, June 9.

Hope everyone has a good day on their birthdays.

The weather is warmer and we can all get outside for a little fresh air and sunshine. We really do need a little ray of sunshine after a long and shut down winter. The days are getting longer every day, which also makes us feel better. Some of us saw snow in the air on Wednesday but it did not stay on the ground. This week looks to be a lot warmer with sun most days.

There are not many events happening at this time but maybe we will soon be back to normal and able to visit with one another in the near future.

Until then stay safe and give someone a call.

NEWS FROM BLYTH

Todd said the group had to start out through Zoom calls instead of in-person meetings, which was a hurdle, but not one that couldn’t be managed, as there are now eight members of the core group working towards new projects.

One of the first goals of the group was to establish a name and a mission statement, which Workman and Todd spearheaded. Todd said the group approved the following mission statement: “[Blyth Women Caring and Sharing work] together with the community to overcome challenges.”

The group’s vision statement is to offer opportunities for people to connect, share resources and “fun, fresh ideas”.

The first outreach project the group tackled is a vegetable stand in front of architect John Rutledge's office on Blyth’s main street, which has been very successful.

“It has started out with rhubarb, and it doesn’t last long on the stand,” Todd said, saying people are definitely using the site. “We encourage people to share extra produce through the stand, and for those who need it, to take some.”

The stand also features some recipes for using rhubarb.

Todd said the project may eventually lead to a community garden, though that would be dependent on space being made available.

The group is also planning a mom-to-mom exchange once lockdown rules are loosened.

“We’re in the early stages of planning that,” Todd said.

The group is focused on women, Todd said, because when the group hears from women, they are hearing from their families as well.

For more information on the group, or to reach out, it can be found on Facebook or Todd can be reached by e-mail at revjoann@hurontel.on.ca or by phone at 519-357-7781.

After a presentation from local high school students on special Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) waste boxes, the Blyth Business Improvement Area (BIA) is considering supporting the purchase of such items.

During the Blyth BIA executive’s monthly meeting on May 26, students from Ms. Durnin’s class at Central Huron Secondary School explained the “Clean Clinton” project, which challenges Durnin’s students, each year and quadmester, to find a way to make a difference in their community. This session, the class is focusing on single-use plastics, but previous classes had focused on PPE boxes, which provide a disposal option for used PPE. The boxes are provided by Green Circle Salons, Durnin said, with one of the students saying that it's a good initiative because the boxes don’t go to landfills. Durnin explained the boxes are collected by the company and then incinerated, with the fumes being captured and cleaned and the combustion fueling green energy projects. She went on to say the project originally started before the pandemic and was geared towards salons.

The price of the boxes includes delivery and pick-up, she said, and has increased to $100 per box in the past year.

Rev. JoAnn Todd, the clergy representative on the BIA, after some discussion, said she would like to see the BIA purchase $300 worth of the boxes. After some discussion, however, the BIA executive decided it would be better to put the $300 towards subsidizing the purchase of PPE disposal boxes by local businesses.

Blyth Festival General Manager

Rachael King, however, pointed out the boxes being considered are indoor boxes, and she wasn’t comfortable with that idea.

“I have hesitancy about [used] PPE coming [into businesses] from an infection standpoint,” she said, suggesting it might be best to discuss the issue with Huron Perth Public Health (HPPH).

The executive agreed, with a motion being passed to have the BIA set aside $300 to subsidize the purchase of PPE disposal boxes by local businesses, pending input from HPPH. *** The BIA also welcomed changes suggested by Durnin’s students, specifically related to the current class’ focus on reducing single-use plastics. Students explained they have asked restaurants to look towards reusable containers, or containers that biodegrade faster, and focus on more eco-friendly packaging.

Sparling proposed that the BIA work with the next quadmester’s class for environmental projects moving forward.

Sparling asked how the group could get involved with students, and Durnin said she would reach out when the group works next, saying that, with students in the Blyth area, it makes sense to work with them.

Durnin’s existing class members suggested, for environmental consideration, that local businesses look at reducing negative environmental impacts, such as getting rid of plastic bags and styrofoam.

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PAGE 8. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, JUNE 3, 2021.

Cochrane set to retire from North Woods Elementary Since she started, she said she has spent as much time working with students as she has with secretarial work, which may have something to do with her background as an educational assistant, and she has loved that opportunity and challenge.

She also said she’s adopted other responsibilities, like becoming a “first responder” with her first aid experience.

While she had planned for this to be her last year for some time, Cochrane said she was upset when she realized she may not get to say goodbye to the staff and students due to the COVID-19 pandemic. “[If students don’t return to school] I’ll have no chance to say goodbye, which will be pretty scary,” she said. “It’s been great being at the school and this isn’t how I wanted to end it.”

As for what she plans to do with her retirement, she said she has eight grandchildren, two of whom she’s “claimed” as part of the family she wants to spend time with, including one born earlier this year she hasn’t had a chance to visit.

She will also tackle her hobbies, which include quilting and knitting and “whatever new experiences come along.”

In the short term, she is planning on travelling out west to visit two of her children and their families (they operate sawmills in Canada’s Prairies).

She said that, once she’s done in July, she will be driving, by car, out west, provided that’s allowed.

She also is looking forward to two of her children getting married this year, provided the services can go ahead.

Then and now North Woods Elementary School’s long-time secretary Jennifer Cochrane, shown earlier this week at her desk at right, is retiring at the end of this year, her 25th with the school.

She took over April 5, 1996 (her first day was captured for The Citizen, at left) for the retiring Joan Batemen who encouraged her to take on the role. Cochrane said the plan had always been to retire this year, and while the pandemic has changed things, she hopes she will be able to see students before the end of the year. (File, submitted photos)

By Denny Scott The Citizen

After 25 years, Jennifer Cochrane is retiring as the secretary of North Woods Elementary School near Ethel, previously Grey Central Public School.

Cochrane, who is 63 years old this year, started at Grey Central Public School in 1996 when Joan Bateman retired from the position.

Bateman, Cochrane said, encouraged her to apply for the

position even though, as a trained educational assistant, Cochrane had limited secretarial experience.

Despite that, she got the job and she now thanks everyone who encouraged her and took a chance on her.

She said she quickly discovered that being a school secretary is more than the secretarial work, especially since, at the time she was hired, the school was making the switch to the Windows operating system.

“I was into computers back then, so while some people were struggling with the change from DOS to Windows, I was ready to go,” she said.

Since then, there’s been a steady stream of changes, she said, including changes in staffing which has offered Cochrane the chance to work with really great teachers and administration, she said, and connect with a lot of families and teachers who have become good friends.

Locals mark awards, birthdays PEOPLE AROUND WALTON

By Jo-Ann McDonald Call 887-6570

We’ve had a change in the weather for sure this past week.

Long pants and coats were required at the end of the week and on the weekend. The much-needed rain arrived and the farmers will consider it a million-dollar rain, or at least a thousand-dollar rain, because we can use more. The ground was so very dry, it was like a dust storm every time a piece of equipment was out working. It was hard on the farmers to see and breathe and hard on the tractor filters. The cooler weather is now giving the seeds a chance to break through and the land to keep the water for a while. The rain also made the grass green up and grow and the wheat is looking great.

Flowerbeds are looking good too.

The corn is up, as are the soybeans in many fields, but a little drink of water would help them along.

Congratulations to Heidi McClure’s mother, Hanna Nater, who many Walton folks have met, in celebrating her 95th birthday last week. She is a lovely lady and if you are wanting to send a card, her address is P.O. Box 91, Mitchell, N0K 1H0. Happy birthday Mrs. Nater.

There is another set of happy grandparents in Walton this past week. Robert and Jackie Glanville

have welcomed their third grandchild to the family. Happy parents are Jordan and Melissa Brand and are happy to have Parker Melanie as a baby sister for Blake.

Jamie and Andra Brand are the other set of happy grandparents.

Congratulations to all!

Our sympathies to Keith and Rita Mulvey and family on the passing of his brother, Bill Mulvey of Belmore. He will be missed by his wife Nancy and children Jeff and Cindy and their families. He will also be missed by brothers Murray, Barry and Peter Mulvey and families.

Our get-well wishes go to Frank Dolmage who has suffered a heart issue. He has had surgery and is doing well and we hope he has continued improvement.

Marvin and Wendy Bachert report their new venture, the Wild Hog Country Market, is coming along nicely and will hopefully be open during the month of June. The new building is east of Stratford (on the former John’s Garden Centre property). It’s a beautiful building to house retail products and a small café I believe. Their son Devin and his wife live in Stratford and will be involved with the new operation as well. Good luck and we look forward to stopping in sometime when we can.

Congratulations to Charlene O’Reilly of Seaforth for being recognized by the Province of Ontario for her work creating a more accessible International Plowing Match in 2017 in Walton.

She has been awarded the David C. Onley Award for Leadership in Accessibility, in the employee engagement category for her “unwavering leadership and

passionate volunteerism” to advance accessibility at the Plowing Match. Charlene is the mother of Dean, who has accessibility needs and is the daughter of George and Ruth Townsend. She will be recognized in a virtual ceremony in June.

Congratulations!

Our sympathies are extended to the Terpstra families on the passing of Mary Terpstra of Goderich. She will be missed by siblings Emma, Julie, Nick, Herman, Joe, Joanne and Mike and their families. Our condolences to all.

Celebrating birthdays last week were Marissa Curreri, Krysta Clarke, Geri-Lee Godkin, Adam Forbes, and Rob Shortreed in late May. June kicks off with Scott Henderson, Neil McGavin, Kyle Pryce, Patricia Andrades, Ernie Lewington and Shelley Coleman.

Happy birthday to all!

NEWS FROM WALTON

Planning for the future Father-and-son duo John, right, and Colton recently spent some time in the family fields talking about the future of farming. Barb Storey caught the image and submitted it to The Citizen by e-mailing it to reporter@northhuron.on.ca and you can do the same.

(Photo submitted)

Locally owned and serving Huron County for 14 years

New this year offering pest control for spiders, cluster flies and other creepy crawlers, as well as mice and rats.

Book now for your lawn fertilizer and weed control package.

Call or text Todd at 519-357-7580 e-mail walkerspropertycare@gmail.com

SUDOKU Fun By The Numbers Like puzzles?

Then you’ll love sudoku. This mindbending puzzle will have you hooked from the moment you square off, so sharpen your pencil and put your sudoku savvy to the test!

Here’s How It Works: Sudoku puzzles are formatted as a 9x9 grid, broken down into nine 3x3 boxes. To solve a sudoku, the numbers 1 through 9 must fill each row, column and box. Each number can appear only once in each row, column and box. You can figure out the order in which the numbers will appear by using the numeric clues already provided in the boxes. The more numbers you name, the easier it gets to solve the puzzle!

THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, JUNE 3, 2021. PAGE 9.

Proposed Little Lakes Road gravel pit faces opposition

By Shawn Loughlin The Citizen A new gravel pit proposed along Little Lakes Road south of Auburn is facing staunch resistance from nearby residents and community members after a public information session last week.

Over 80 people logged on to a Zoom meeting about the proposal, held on May 25, many of whom expressed opposition to the pit, which would be located just west of Ball’s Bridge, a designated heritage site.

The application, as presented by Melanie Horton of Esher Planning, proposes that the pit would extract aggregate from below the water table. Just east of another established pit, known as the Fisher Pit, the proposed licensed area is just under 31 hectares with an extraction area of just under 23 hectares. The balance of the area includes buffers and setbacks from the proposed pit.

In Horton’s presentation, she said that the annual tonnage limit for the proposed pit would be 500,000 tonnes, with proposed hours of operation between 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on weekdays and between 7 a.m.

and noon on Saturdays. There would be no operations at the pit on Sundays or statutory holidays.

Horton said that, in order for the project to proceed, a licence from the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry still needs to be granted. Technical reports required include a hydrogeological report, a natural environment report, a noise assessment report and an archaeological study. Furthermore, she said, the application will be reviewed by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry, the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks, the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs and the Maitland Valley Conservation Authority and include consultation with local Indigenous communities.

Horton said setbacks would be maintained from the wooded areas and there would be no extraction of a wooded/wetland area in the centre of the property. She also said that berms would be constructed along the eastern limit of the site to control noise and that the project would be phased in from the east side of the property to the west.

Though the current application marks an entrance on Little Lakes

Road, Horton said that was something the company, Lobo Sand and Gravel Ltd., would be seeking to change by way of an amendment.

She said the hope is that traffic would be re-routed through the Fisher Pit and the main entrance would be along County Road 15 (also known as Londesborough Road), with the Little Lakes Road access to only be used by emergency vehicles.

The hydrogeological study, Horton said, has examined the potential impact on groundwater resources in the area, with a well water survey investigating nine wells within 500 metres of the site.

In addition, a groundwater monitoring program will be in place through pit operations and there will be a well water interference complaint protocol.

The results of the study, she said, concluded that the proposal should

have no impact on water quality or quantity as a result of the proposed below-water extraction.

Study on the potential impact on the natural environment included field work with multi-season surveys for amphibians, breeding birds, herptiles, wildlife and plant observations and a vegetation inventory. Horton said the proposal indicates that no development or site alteration will occur within 10 metres of the dripline of the forest edge.

There would be seasonal restrictions on clearing, she said in her report, to avoid breeding bird seasons. Sediment fencing would also be constructed at the edge of the extraction areas.

The life expectancy of the pit, Horton said, would be between 12 and 15 years. She also advised those in attendance that AshfieldColborne-Wawanosh (ACW) will

be hosting a public planning meeting in the near future concerning the project. She said she couldn’t know for sure, but she anticipated that it would be in August.

More than two hours of questions would follow Horton’s presentation, with many people concerned about the effects the proposed pit would have on what they said was one of Huron County’s most beloved natural areas.

First, Kathleen Lush of the Maitland Trail Association asked about the re-routing of the trail, which currently runs through the property. She said the trail association was neither in favour nor opposed to the proposal, but acknowledged that the trail is beloved and its continued use would be important to many Continued on page 20

McIlveen moves on from local church PEOPLE AROUND LONDESBORO

By BRENDA RADFORD Call 523-4296

This space in the April 22 edition of The Citizen carried a report about the fire that destroyed the Spencer home on Elizabeth Street. Last Friday the remains of the house were dug out and trucked away. It is devastating for the family to lose their home and the village too, consequently, lose the family from their midst.

But I got thinking about the house and its history and thought you might like some of those details.

Perhaps the younger readers will recognize how fortunate we are in current times.

Jack Lee and Helen Radford married Dec. 26, 1947 and they moved into the little building that was their first home. Their first renovation in 1949 was quite extensive. With the help of a Mr. Shannon, what constituted a basement was dug out and cemented. Then they raised the roof to allow for two upstairs bedrooms.

In this renovation, a bathroom was installed.

In 1955, the young couple added a basement under the west side of the building, relocated the kitchen and added another bedroom. Later they added a garage on the east side of the house.

Now if you think of the house as it was in later years one can only wonder what it really was like back in 1947. It was the last house on the street in those days. The house of Fred Johnston, across the street, came up for sale and Jack and Helen moved into what became their true family home.

Gordon and Darlene Shobbrook,

another long-time village family, rented this little house from the Lees, for a time. Then Mr. and Mrs. Ed Salverda took possession of the house. Many in the area will remember that at one time Florence Cartwright and her sons resided there. The house changed hands many times over the years.

Hopefully the site will become home to another family in the months ahead.

On May 30, Londesborough United and Knox United in Auburn said farewell to Student Minister Susan McIlveen. Susan has completed her theological studies and with ordination pending into the United Church of Canada will be searching for a permanent position.

For her final service for our congregations, Susan chose the same scripture passages as were part of her covenanting service back in 2019, Gen. 9:8-17; John 21:15-17; 1 John 3: 18-24. Our congregations wish Susan success in her career moving forward.

Licensed Lay Worship Leader Sue Barnett will lead the services online for the next two Sundays.

NEWS FROM LONDESBORO

Another great year The Dave Mounsey Memorial Fund held its Run Around the Square over the weekend, virtually this year after being forced to cancel last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

This year, Bruce Power again provided sponsorship funds for the event, donating $2,000 to the charity. The company has supported the run for several years, donating over $25,000 in the last 12 years. Run Chair Brenda Orr, left, and committee member Jessica Loughlin, were more than happy to receive the donation. (Submitted photo)

PAGE 10. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, JUNE 3, 2021.

Early morning hours the most challenging: Armstrong

Let’s modify it next time Dave Matheson and Patrick Armstrong, centre, completed the 100K in a Day challenge over the Victoria Day long weekend, travelling on foot from London to Wingham in less than 24 hours. While it proved to be a successful fundraiser, raising nearly $20,000 for the Dave Mounsey Memorial Fund, Armstrong says the physical toll was immense and he would look towards a modified event with a shared workload if it goes ahead again.

(File photo)

By Shawn Loughlin The Citizen While Patrick Armstrong and Dave Matheson were pleased with the response to their “100K in a Day” fundraiser for the Dave Mounsey Memorial Fund, it was no small physical task.

The two men set out on the trek on May 22-23, the Saturday and Sunday of the Victoria Day long weekend. They began in London on foot, just after noon on Saturday, crossing into Wingham just after 9 a.m. the next day, walking through the night.

In an interview with The Citizen, Armstrong said his motivation to pull the event together came by way of the COVID-19 pandemic and resultant limited fundraising options for many charities, including the Dave Mounsey Memorial Fund.

The Fund holds several events annually, all of which were cancelled in 2020 and now have to be modified to be held in 2021 (the Run Around the Square was held virtually this past weekend, with runners mapping out their own routes).

Not being able to host in-person events, for many charities, means a challenge in raising money. The Fund, however, like many other charities, continued its work throughout 2020, placing defibrillators in public buildings, despite a lack of money coming into the charity.

Armstrong said he felt the 100K in a Day concept could be executed in a safe manner, even during the COVID-19 pandemic, and might be a modest success for the charity, with a fundraising goal of $7,500.

He also felt the distance of just over 100 kilometres was ideal. Over the years, the Fund has honoured 102 fallen police officers, soldiers and other emergency responders with defibrillator placements.

Honouring each one of those men and women per kilometre travelled, he said, felt like nice synergy for the event.

Soon after announcing the event, Armstrong and Matheson then began training. They would go on walks and runs on their own, Armstrong said, but also meet for training walks together. He said that, despite being the best of friends, walking through the night

for 24 hours with the same person required a trial run or two.

The pair would eventually go on 20- and 30-kilometre training walks as the event approached.

Armstrong said he felt prepared when the weekend arrived - as prepared as you can feel for such a tough physical challenge.

Armstrong said he felt like he was in good shape until he and Matheson hit about the 45th kilometre of the journey. Having covered so much ground and knowing that they weren’t even halfway through the challenge yet, with the night and early morning hours still ahead, was challenging.

He said the hours between 1-4 a.m. were likely the most challenging, both mentally and physically. At that point, the pair had been at it for well over 12 hours and exhaustion was starting to creep in.

However, they did have some visitors and well-wishers along the way. Shawn McFalls, a Perth County Ontario Provincial Police officer, made a trip to see them, as did South Huron Mayor George Finch. The politician and retired police officer officially welcomed

Armstrong and Matheson to Huron County as they hit the South Huron border.

There were also welcomes from the South Huron Fire Department and the West Perth Fire Department, as well as the Fire Department of North Huron and the Blyth Firefighters’ Association once Matheson and Armstrong made it to Blyth very early on Sunday morning.

In Wingham, they were greeted

by Lincoln and Laurie Dinning, whose son Matthew, was among the last people honoured along the way.

North Huron Reeve Bernie Bailey and a small handful of supporters were also there to greet the men at the finish line.

The event ended up nearly tripling the goal of $7,500, raising approximately $20,000.

The event’s GoFundMe page broke $11,000 late last week, along with over $5,000 in private donations (including a $1,000 donation from the Blyth Firefighters’ Association).

In addition, two companies agreed to donate a defibrillator each, at the cost of about $2,000 each, bringing the grand total to approximately $20,000.

Armstrong said he’s glad that he and Matheson took on the challenge, but he wouldn’t be eager to do it again. Perhaps there could be another 100K in a Day challenge that’s modified to include many more participants, he said, but travelling the entire distance was very challenging.

To date, the Dave Mounsey Memorial Fund has placed over 120 defibrillators around southwestern Ontario. Three lives have been saved by Mounsey defibrillators as a result.

Mounsey, for whom the Fund is named, was an Ontario Provincial Police officer based in Wingham, but who lived in Blyth. He was killed in a single-vehicle accident in

2006 and the Fund was established a few years later.

Before his death, Mounsey had trained to compete in a marathon in hopes of raising enough money to buy a defibrillator for the Blyth Fire Department, of which he was a member. After Mounsey was killed, the Fund was established to continue doing that work, placing life-saving defibrillators in public buildings across southwestern Ontario. To date, defibrillators have been placed in the names of police officers, firefighters, paramedics and soldiers who were killed in the line of duty.

The first-ever donation was made in Mounsey’s name at Memorial Hall in Blyth and the second donation was made in the name of Cpl. Matthew Dinning of Wingham at the Wingham Legion. Dinning was killed in Afghanistan, serving as a member of the Canadian military police.

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Early birds As Patrick Armstrong and Dave Matheson (third from right and second from right, respectively) made their way into Blyth in the early morning hours of May 23, they were greeted by members of the Blyth Firefighters’ Association, who did not come emptyhanded. The association donated $1,000 to the Dave Mounsey Memorial Fund, which contributed to the event’s success, raising nearly $20,000 for the charity. (Photo submitted)

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THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, JUNE 3, 2021. PAGE 11.

Seaforth’s O’Reilly wins David C. Onley Award

An impressive feat Charlene O’Reilly of Seaforth, fourth from left, served as the first-ever accessibility chair for the International Plowing Match when the 100th match was held in Walton in 2017.

She and her team, seen here, endeavoured to make the match accessible for all, which was no easy task. One of the steps was the creation of “Dean’s Wheels”, named for O’Reilly’s son Dean, which was an accessible people mover on the grounds. (File photo)

By Shawn Loughlin The Citizen Charlene O’Reilly of Seaforth is one of the winners of this year’s David C. Onley Award for Leadership in Accessibility for her work to make the 2017 International Plowing Match in Walton accessible for all.

The provincial government announced the winners last week, with O’Reilly sharing the honours with two others. O’Reilly claimed the award in the Employee Engagement category, while Ian Parker of Toronto claimed the award in the Role Model category and PrincessNikita Layne-Austin, also of Toronto, was recognized in the Youth Leadership category.

“Charlene O’Reilly was recognized for her unwavering leadership and passionate volunteerism promoting accessibility at the 100th International Plowing Match and Rural Expo in Walton, Ontario,”

reads the provincial government’s website. “Charlene’s tireless work as the first-ever Chair of Accessibility for the event ensured the event was as accessible as possible to individuals of all ages and abilities. She led a large team of volunteers to ensure that the entirety of the event - which included a more-than 100-acre farm, a huge exhibitors’ space and an over-1,300-site recreational vehicle park - was accessible to any visitor with a physical, mental, sensory, intellectual or learning limitation.

“Not only did Charlene do all this while providing amazing care for her family and son with special needs, but she also did it while living with her own Multiple Sclerosis diagnosis.”

The awards were established in 2014 by the provincial government to recognize the outstanding work of individuals and organizations that have demonstrated leadership and gone above and beyond to

champion accessibility and improve the quality of life for people with disabilities.

O’Reilly will be officially honoured by way of a virtual awards ceremony later this month.

In an interview with The Citizen, O’Reilly said that winning the award was a tremendous honour and truly represents a group effort, as she led a team of volunteers to champion accessibility at the match. She said it was a surprise to be honoured with the award and that earning recognition certainly isn’t why she took on the task in the years leading to the 2017 match.

She also said that the award being named for Onley, knowing all that he has done to demonstrate the importance of accessibility and keeping it at the forefront of society makes it that much more special.

O’Reilly said that it wasn’t just the effort and enthusiasm of her team that made an accessible International Plowing Match a reality, but also the willingness to

Another honour The 2017 International Plowing Match was honoured in 2018 for its advancements in accessibility by the Huron County Accessibility Committee. The match in Walton became the first to be fully accessible. Committee members Laurie Jacques, left, and Lorie Falconer, right, handed out the award to Match Chair Jacquie Bishop, second from left, and Accessibility Chair Charlene O’Reilly, second from right. Falconer also served on O’Reilly’s team for the match. (File photo)

contribute from local businesses and municipal councils that chose to view accessibility at the match as a priority as well. The support, she said, was what was able to propel the team and its vision forward.

Using those problem-solving skills and wanting to be the firstever accessible International Plowing Match, she said, from Chair Jacquie Bishop down, made all the difference.

In the years since the match, O’Reilly said the conversation around accessibility has really shifted and it’s more important than it’s ever been, which makes her pretty proud.

Being able to host an event in which everyone could participate and be comfortable and maintain their dignity, she said, was a real accomplishment and she’s very proud of it.

“The recipients of the David C. Onley Award reflect the strength and resilience many of us have come to value more than ever in these challenging times,” said Lieutenant Governor of Ontario, the Honourable Elizabeth Dowdeswell, in a press release issued by the provincial government. “I am delighted to congratulate them on their hard work, innovation and promotion of inclusion that is vital to a strong and successful province.

May their examples inspire Ontarians to continue to work together for a future that works for everyone.”

Onley himself also weighed in by way of the press release, saying he was delighted to congratulate the winners.

“Given our challenging times, the leaders we’ve recognized today are to be especially applauded for their ongoing diligence in helping to make accessibility a way of life throughout Ontario. They are doing their part to help us build an inclusive province filled with social and economic opportunities for people of all abilities.”

O’Reilly said that, interestingly enough, the COVID-19 pandemic has brought the challenges experienced by those with accessibility needs to the forefront, especially when it comes to bathroom access. She said that limited access to public bathrooms and other facilities during the pandemic has shown everyone what events can feel like when the planning process doesn’t take accessibility into account.

“I am proud to recognize the latest recipients of the David C. Onley Award,” said Minister for Seniors and Accessibility Raymond Cho in the provincial government’s press release. “Their determination to champion accessibility is unwavering, and their efforts have changed lives in meaningful and positive ways. They are shining role models for all Ontarians, and we applaud their important contributions.”

PAGE 12. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, JUNE 3, 2021.

New bollard-style bicycle racks set up

By Denny Scott The Citizen

Refreshing The Blyth Business Improvement Area (BIA) decided its village banners were in need of refreshing. The new banners, shown off here by volunteers Duncan McGregor and Colleen Jordan, were installed by North Huron staff last week. (Shawn Loughlin photo)

The Blyth Business Improvement Area (BIA) expressed its intent to join the Huron Chamber of Commerce during the BIA’s most recent meeting, however the specifics are still being ironed out.

BIA Chair David Sparling said, after a presentation by a chamber representative at the BIA’s last meeting, he felt it was a good pairing. He said the chamber’s area, which includes Goderich, Central Huron and North Huron, covers four different BIAs, so it could be a great way to network with the Goderich, Central Huron and Wingham BIAs. However, the original intent was to have the chamber have a representative on the Blyth BIA, and Sparling wasn’t sure whether that was allowed, so he suggested deferring that issue.

In the meantime, he said, a chamber representative could

attend BIA meetings and provide updates. *** Six new bollard-style bicycle racks, purchased by the Blyth Business Improvement Area (BIA), were set to be installed in the community over the past week.

The installations, which will join the existing bicycle-shaped racks installed recently at the corner of Dinsley and Queen Streets, mark an effort by the BIA to make the village more cyclist-friendly.

BIA Chair David Sparling said the installations will create spots to like bicycles across the village’s downtown. *** The Blyth Business Improvement Area (BIA) installed new light standard banners last week, replacing aged banners.

During the BIA executive’s meeting on May 26, Chair David Sparling announced the banners were being installed that morning

by North Huron staff.

NH to consider changes to residential zoning rules Continued from page 2 so he wanted to make sure that everyone considering building knows what’s ahead of them before they start.

Aside from the concerns, Bailey said he was happy with the building going on in Blyth, but did mention land was becoming scarce in the community, and also spoke to the Hutton Heights project which, according to him, has seen buy-in from neighbouring landowners looking to develop alongside the municipally-backed project.

Deputy-Reeve Trevor Seip said North Huron’s problems have always been tied to supply and demand, explaining that, at one point, there were homes available but very little land, now there aren’t homes available, he said, and much of the land is tied up for one reason or another. He also said that inflation and increasing housing prices are not helping the problem.

“Our biggest issue is we have a supply of land, but we don’t have the authority to force people to build what we need,” he said.

Councillor Kevin Falconer said Blyth has a hurdle in that housing for the Blyth Festival can often take housing opportunities off the market for the full year despite only being used for a portion of the year.

“The unique problem we have in Blyth with having the seasonal theatre is we have an influx of renters every spring but they’re only here for half to three-quarters of the year,” he said. “They take up a lot of basement [spaces] or cohabitating options.

“It interferes with yearly rental [opportunities],” he said.

Falconer also said there is some trepidation around geared-toincome housing due to the presence of an existing supported housing facility. He said that space “brings other problems with it” like vandalism, vagrantism and the requirement for increased policing presence.

Falconer went on to say that building for people on a living wage would be difficult, especially with the number of people moving into Blyth who are downsizing from larger homes.

Councillor Anita van Hittersum said one of the most significant

housing problems in her ward of East Wawanosh was the need for additional housing on existing residential portions of agricultural land. The restrictions, she said, which prevent more homes from being built, are preventing families from working the land together and farmers from building homes for workers.

“What people in rural areas need is an extra house on acres for workers and family members,” she said.

Later in the meeting Van Amersfoort said that farm labour and additional family housing on farms is something she had flagged as an important issue before the meeting, saying that increased flexibility could be considered.

She said proposed changes on agriculture lands (AG1 and AG2 designations) could include permitting a cluster of small buildings sharing services as opposed to one large building. On AG4 properties, which denote small holdings properties, the proposed changes could permit additional residential units to be attached to main buildings while detached additional residential units would still follow the existing garden suite provisions. Those provisions include rules for temporary houses, including how they can be built and how long they can stay on the property.

Other concerns that van Hittersum had were around medium- or high-density residential development. She said she didn’t want to see “really high” buildings in the community, claiming that “people don’t want that.” She said, in the settlement areas of North Huron, people want a house with gardens and to match the rest of their community.

Councillor Chris Palmer said he had recently had a change of heart regarding multiplexes, saying he was against them until one was built in his backyard.

“As long as they’re built to look good and look compatible, [I’m in favour],” he said.

He did say, however, there is currently a problem with locals finding homes thanks to people from Toronto, Kitchener, Waterloo, Cambridge and Guelph moving to

the area to work from their new homes. As a result, he said a mix of housing opportunities makes sense and is what is required, going so far to say that Hutton Heights should eventually include mixed housing options.

Councillor Ric McBurney agreed, saying that people can’t afford the buildings they need due to the increased demand. He also said he was surprised to hear that high rise buildings are so maligned after they had been discussed at previous planning meetings.

Councillor Paul Heffer said, as a Wingham resident, he was jealous of the development in Blyth as the multiplexes being built there, which are geared towards seniors, are creating a happy community and making the opportunity for people to downsize.

“For every [multiplex] that’s built, older people in WIngham would go there and free up a house,” he said. “I know the prices are high on the houses here… I think we have to look at the retirement-age people that want to downsize. I can see how that could free up property and make this a win-win.”

Van Amersfoort said she had noted many of the same thoughts and concerns that council members had as she researched the areas, saying that North Huron has seen some great infilling of residential properties, especially in Blyth where multi-unit buildings have gone up both in the new development at the north end of town and the site of the former Blyth Public School. She said that kind of medium-density residential development was creating more housing opportunities in the community.

While council wasn’t against medium-density residential development, councillors did have concerns about the impact it could have, including Seip saying people wonder how it will impact neighbouring land values and Palmer saying it works, but only in certain locations.

Van Ameersfoort said council could also consider ground-floor residential development in or near communities’ downtown cores, saying that kind of mixed usage would support more residential options.

She also highlighted several

private properties in the municipality that could be developed, explaining she wasn’t suggesting trying to force development, but instead asking landowners if they want to consider rezoning land to make it ready for development in the future.

Van Amersfoort also talked about changing the municipality’s medium-density R2 zoning rules, which currently say anything including more than four units needs to be reviewed by council, slowing down development.

While she suggested raising that cap to eight, Bailey suggested going even higher, suggesting 12, saying it’s always easier to work downwards if neighbours are concerned than to create another layer of bureaucracy for developers.

Other council members were in support of the change.

Council approved a motion to have Huron County Planning and Development staff implement the housing-friendly review in the fiveyear review of North Huron’s Official Plan and zoning bylaw update.

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Brussels Livestock report

Lambs sell lower, sheep, goats steady Total receipts for Brussels Livestock for the week ending May 28 were 1,670 cattle and 624 lambs and goats.

On Tuesday, fed steers and heifers sold actively with fully steady prices. Choice steers and heifers sold $148 to $155.50 with sales to $156. Second-cut cattle sold $138 to $147. Aged and medium-fed steers and heifers sold $120 to $140. Holstein steers and heifers sold $85 to $117. Cows sold on a steady market.

On Thursday, beef veal sold steady. Holstein veal sold on an easier market. Lambs sold

lower. Sheep and goats sold steady.

On Friday, calves sold steady.

Yearlings sold $2 to $3 higher.

Ron Smith, Denfield, consigned 14 head. One gold heifer weighed 1,405 lbs. and sold for a price of $155.50.

Francis Riley of Walkerton, consigned nine head.

One simmental steer weighed 1,560 lbs. and sold for a price of $154.50.

There were 200 cows on offer.

Beef sold $86 to $99 with sales to $107; good holstein cows, $83 to $87; medium holstein cows, $77 to $82; plain cows, $73 to $76.

There were 185 head of veal on

offer. Beef veal sold $150 to $199 with sales to $202; good holsteins, $115 to $128 with sales to $132; SL heavy holsteins, $106 to $115; heavy holsteins, $85 to $115; medium holsteins, $100 to $114; plain holsteins, $77 to $105.

Reuben S. Martin of Wallenstein, consigned eight head. One blue steer weighed 885 lbs. and sold for a price of $202. Bennewies Livestock of Bornholm, consigned six head. One holstein weighed 845 lbs. and sold for a price of $132.

Lambs under 50 lbs. sold $280 to $340; 50 - 64 lbs., $336 to $360; 65 - 79 lbs., $331.50 to $355; 80 - 94

lbs., $322 to $325; 95 - 109 lbs., $320.50 to $329; 110 lbs. and over, $291 to $292.

Sheep sold $110 to $260.

Goats: billies sold $150 to $350; nannies, $100 to $250; kids: meat, $500 to $510; dairy, $380 to $495.

Kolgie Ltd. of Monkton, consigned 32 head. Eight lambs averaged 72 lbs. and sold for an average price of $339. Shirley Archambault of Auburn, consigned one goat that weighed 64 lbs. and sold for an average price of $510.

Top quality stocker steers under 400 lbs. sold $204.50 to $252; 400 -

Belgrave Vet Club learns about biosecurity

Biosecurity The 4-H Belgrave Vet Club held its first meeting over Zoom late last month. After electing its officers, the group discussed biosecurity concerns in modern agriculture.

(Submitted photo)

By Lily Shapton The Belgrave Vet Club held its first meeting over Zoom on Tuesday, May 25.

We started the meeting with the 4-H Pledge. The leaders then introduced themselves to the group.

This was followed by the members

introducing themselves and stating what they are looking forward to learning about in the club this year.

We then moved onto the election

of officers for the different positions in the club. We talked about 4-H opportunities offered by 4-H Ontario. We then moved into the topic of our meeting: Biosecurity.

Biosecurity is all about actions we take to keep our herd and flocks safe. We discussed why we need biosecurity and the importance of a program. We also looked at different ways to start and put a program in place. We followed our learning up with a small quiz to challenge our knowledge of biosecurity, including topics like vaccinating animals, proper cleaning and quarantining animals.

To wrap up the meeting content members viewed a video featuring a horse owner’s struggle with disease. The meeting was adjourned by reciting the 4-H motto “Learn to do by doing”.

499 lbs., $260 to $274; 500 - 599 lbs., $206.50 to $243; 600 - 699 lbs., $200.75 to $219; 700 - 799 lbs., $181.50 to $195; 800 - 899 lbs., $184 to $194; 900 - 999 lbs., $179 to $185; 1,000 lbs. and over, $167 to $180.

Top quality stocker heifers, 400 499 lbs. sold $194 to $225; 500 599 lbs., $181 to $221; 600 - 699 lbs., $148 to $192; 700 - 799 lbs., $156.50 to $178; 800 - 899 lbs., $157 to $170; 900 lbs. and over, $157.50 to $161.50.

Laverne Brubacher of Listowel, consigned 28 head. Eleven charolais steers averaged 996 lbs. and sold for an average price of $180.25. Edwin H. Weber of Wroxeter, consigned 23 head.

Thirteen charolais heifers averaged 1018 lbs. and sold for an average price of $161.25.

BRUSSELS LIVESTOCK Division of Gamble & Rogers Ltd.

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A serene scene Barb Storey, a member of the Maitland Valley Camera Club, recently captured this calm and beautiful scene in the Hullett Conservation Area. She is one of many members of the club who have graciously shared their photography with readers of The Citizen in recent months. (Photo courtesy of Barb Storey of the Maitland Valley Camera Club)

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PAGE 14. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, JUNE 3, 2021.

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Articles for sale GERBERS FIREWOOD SERVING you for over 10 years. Your number one source of quality slabwood and bodywood. Delivery available. No Sunday calls. 519-656-2057, 519441-2085.

01-50p -------------------------------------------REPRINTS OF PHOTOS taken by Citizen photographers are available to purchase. All are in colour. 4x6 – $5.00, 5x7 – $6.00, 8x10 – $10.00. Phone to order 519523-4792 or 519-887-9114. tfn -------------------------------------------THE CITIZEN IS AVAILABLE TO purchase at these locations – Auburn Co-op, Belgrave Variety, Blyth Variety, Blyth Food Market, Blyth Ultramar, Brussels Foodland, Brussels Variety, Clinton Convenience, Clinton Foodland, Dean’s Valu-Mart in Wingham, Wingham Mini Mart, Seaforth Foodland, GT Mini Mart in Seaforth, Fincher’s in Goderich and The Citizen Blyth.

Card of thanks TAYLOR. Wow! That was a trip I didn’t plan or enjoy. Thank you to all the wonderful family, friends and church people who sent cards, letters, e-mails, texts, made phone calls, sent food (and more food!) etc. while I was in hospital and since coming home. Jim said the food kept him alive. Thank you to Dr. Rana, Dr. Antoniadis and the staff at Listowel and Wingham hospitals for their care. – Doris Taylor.

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Notice NOTICE TO CREDITORS in the Estate of Margaret Hallam late of Tillsonburg and formerly of RR #3, Auburn, Ontario All persons having claims against the Esate of the above-named who died on May 4, 2021, are required to file full particulars thereof with the undersigned on or before the 30th day of June, 2021, after which date the assets will be distributed having regard only to the claims of which the undersigned shall then have notice.

Dated at Clinton, Ontario this 19th day of May, 2021.

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Help wanted Help wanted WHYTE BROS. FARMS LTD. IS hiring for a full- and part-time position. We are a fifth generation family farm near Seaforth. Duties include cleaning and disinfecting barns, pressure washing, maintenance and repair. Most weekends off. Extra hours during planting and harvesting.

Competitive wages based on skills and experience. Will train. Must be willing to learn, followed instructions, be a team player, have a full G licence and a mature attitude.

Please email résumé and solid work references to wbfl@tcc.on.ca or mail to Whyte Bros. Farms Ltd., 41992 Bridge Road, RR 2, Seaforth, ON N0K 1W0.

22-2 --------------------------------------------

HELP WANTED The Huron Pioneer Thresher & Hobby Association Inc. is currently seeking a part-time Secretary, reporting to the Board of Directors.

The ideal candidate will possess the following qualifications: • Education in secretarial work with work experience • Proficient in Microsoft Word Office / Excel • Ability to record and report minutes, handle and prepare all correspondence • Excellent written and verbal communication skills • Strong attention to detail • Commitment to and understanding of the mission of our organization

FOR SALE - premium exterior vinyl century board and batten siding, nickel colour, four pieces 10 feet long and one piece six feet long, $40 for all of it. 519-3574600.

22-3 -----------------------------------------FOR SALE - 10,500 BTU Danby window air conditioner, $140; 8,000 BTU Frigidaire air conditioner, $100, both run well and include remote. 519-357-4040.

22-3 -----------------------------------------FOR SALE - Brunswick Cavalier II pool table, snooker and reg. balls, $800. Phone or text 519-530-9546.

22-3 -----------------------------------------FOR SALE - two Thor dirt bike protective chest/arm protectors, size S/M, like new, $100 each o.b.o.; one pair shinguards, $10; box canning jars, make an offer.

519-357-2768.

21-3 -----------------------------------------FOR SALE - chicken waterers; two 18-speed adult bicycles, $100 each. Call 519-887-6602.

20-3 ------------------------------------------

FOR SALE - antique china cabinet, excellent condition, asking $250. 519-482-9418.

20-3 -----------------------------------------FOR SALE - tonneau cover to fit 2000-2007 extended cab Chevy pickup, with instructions, $200 o.b.o. 519-482-9645.

20-3 -----------------------------------------FOR SALE - 1975 Eaton’s Fall and Winter catalogue; “Twentyseven days in September” the official Hockey Canada history of the 1972 Canada/U.S.S.R. Series.

Reasonable offers welcome. 519357-1722 in Wingham.

20-3 -----------------------------------------FOR SALE - black leather-look high-back comfortable recliner chair, $75; rust-coloured velour couch and matching chair, $75; two oriental design table lamps, tri-light bulbs included, $70. 519-523-4711.

20-3 ------------------------------------------

Good Employees are hard to find

This would be a paid/honorarium position; salary determined on qualifications, experience. The successful applicant would be allowed to work from home, with the requirement to attend meetings and be present during our annual show.

We invite candidates to submit their application to info@hptha.com by June 15.

We appreciate all those who apply, however only candidates selected for an interview will be contacted.

HPTHA is committed to safety and inclusion.

We welcome applications from persons with disabilities and accommodations will be made available on request for candidates.

Big Jobs Let us help Little Jobs you find the Odd Jobs ideal person!

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Philip B. Cornish Barrister and Solicitor 35 Ontario Street P.O. Box 190 Clinton, Ontario N0M 1L0 Solicitor for the Estate Trustee

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THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, JUNE 3, 2021. PAGE 15.

Obituaries

MURIEL GWYNNETH “GWEN” SCOTT March 15, 1937 - May 29, 2021 Muriel Gwynneth Scott passed away peacefully on May 29, 2021 at the Huron Residential Hospice.

After being hospitalized for more than two months at Seaforth and Clinton hospitals, her final downward turn in health started on the first anniversary of Bill’s passing on May 22.

Gwen was born on March 15 (the Ides of March), 1937, the second of three daughters of Winnifred and Rev. J. Stanley Glen, Presbyterian minister and later Principal of Knox College at University of Toronto.

As the daughter of a minister, she moved a lot in her childhood. The Glen family eventually moved to a beautiful property in Thornhill where their father built his daughters a cottage in the backyard, wired with electricity, that they could use. It also served as his office.

Gwen and her sister Cathy were athletic in their youth and played basketball and other sports. Gwen enrolled in the nursing program at Toronto Western Hospital and met her future husband Bill of Seaforth at a church youth group dinner one night when they helped with the clean-up and he was washing dishes – a task that virtually disappeared for Bill in their marriage but impressed his future bride at the time.

The couple was married on Sept.

17, 1960 in a ceremony at a new Presbyterian church in Thornhill, officiated by Rev. Glen, Gwen’s father. The couple moved to Ottawa while Bill was completing his Master’s Degree in Aeronautical Engineering and working for the National Research Council (NRC).

They had their first two sons while living in Manotick, an Ottawa suburb (Jim, 1963 and Dave, 1965).

After moving back to Seaforth so Bill could help manage the family poultry farm, Gwen gave birth to her third son, Bruce, in 1967. Gwen had a busy household to manage with three active boys and a husband consumed by his work and hobbies. For escapes from their young boys, Bill and Gwen travelled to Mexico, Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago, Rio de Janeiro and New Orleans, often attending poultry conventions on those trips. They travelled together later to Australia, Greece and other destinations.

When the boys were all in elementary school, Gwen started nursing again. She worked at the Seaforth Medical Clinic, Seaforth Manor, the Huron County Health Unit and other nursing homes and healthcare centres in her career. She also taught the nurses aide course when Conestoga College had a satellite campus in Vanastra.

She was a caring mother who made frequent visits to the emergency room for her boys’ broken bones, stitches and other mishaps. Gwen was a naturally caring person who had a contagious smile and laugh. She loved comedies and it was always great family fun watching the Carol Burnett Show and Mary Tyler Moore with Gwen.

She was very supportive of her family and the community over the years. She volunteered with the Lions Club to help with the annual Elimination Draw and dinner, and worked for Elections Canada as a volunteer several times. Gwen was an avid reader, along with Bill; reading was always encouraged in the household. She also liked to paint in her free time, a passion she learned from her mother. Gwen liked to garden when her grandchildren were young and they often helped her plant vegetables and flowers on the farm.

She was a supporting and loving mother, a loving grandmother who liked to spoil her grandchildren and, while her health allowed, she loved swimming in her pool, a love that started as a child camping with her family and later as a teenager when

she worked as a lifeguard at the Thornhill pool near their home. It was a great point of pride for Gwen to mark the new millennium in 2000 by participating in a team triathlon at the Stratford YMCA. Gwen did the swimming, Dave did the cycling and Jim finished strongly with the running to earn second place in the family category.

Gwen was 63 then.

Around the same time, she also competed in the Ontario and Canada Senior Games in swimming and did well for her age. She was an avid sports fan and particularly loved cheering for her Jays and Raptors and knew the rosters better than her sons. She recently shared a story that her father took her and his sisters to a Leafs game at Maple Leaf Gardens many years ago, one of Bruce’s favourite stories.

Gwen really loved her “card ladies” group in Seaforth, who got together weekly throughout the recent years until the pandemic made those meetings impossible.

That social interaction helped keep her spirits young and mind sharp. It was a great source of friendship and support that she greatly valued.

Gwen has joined Bill now a year after his passing. She is predeceased by her parents, brothers-in-law, George Collard and Ramsay Cook, and is survived by her sisters Eleanor Cook of Toronto and Cathy Collard of Bracebridge, sister-in-law Mary Smith (Wayne) of London and brother-in-law John Scott of Seaforth. She will be greatly missed by her three sons and their families: Jim and Jill Scott, Grace Spiro (Scott, Milli, Lincoln, new greatgrandchild Parker James), Jake Scott; Dave Scott and Becky Bannerman, Zach (Jen) and Tom and Bruce and Susan Scott, Sophie and Luke.

Arrangements were entrusted to Haskett Funeral Home, Seaforth.

Honouring Gwen’s wishes, cremation has taken place.

Memorial donations in Gwen’s name can be made to the Seaforth Hospital Foundation, Clinton Public Hospital Foundation or Huron Hospice Residence. A celebration of Bill and Gwen’s lives will be held Sept. 17, 2021 at the Seaforth Golf Course.

care of yourself and take care of each other.

Premier Doug Ford announced on May 22 allowing outdoor gatherings up to five people from different households, as well as re-

opening of golf courses, tennis courts and skate parks. The golfers are very happy to be able to golf with special rules in place.

Safety is reliant on vigilance PEOPLE AROUND BELGRAVE

By Linda Campbell Call 357-2188

Birthday greetings are extended to Ruth Gordon, celebrating on June 2.

It is good to hear that our COVID-19 case numbers are decreasing. We need to all do our part and keep it that way. Wear your mask, keep your distance and wash your hands and follow all other guidelines in place. Remember to book your vaccine when it is your turn to do so.

Gardening has been a part of a lot of people’s lives during the pandemic. We all need to keep busy. Go for a walk and see what Mother Nature has to offer. Take

STRATFORD MEMORIALS Creating Memories in Stone for Over 95 years

We are now open but by appointment only and following government recommended protocols to ensure the safety of all visitors and our staff. Please call or email us to set up an appointment.

519-524-8457

MARIA ELIZABETH “MARY” TERPSTRA Maria Elizabeth “Mary” Terpstra went to be with her Lord peacefully surrounded by the love of her family on Saturday, May 29, 2021 at Alexandra Marine and General Hospital, Goderich. She was in her 66th year.

Mary is survived by siblings Emma (Henk) Boersen, Julie (Martin) Van Bakel, Nick (Catherine) Terpstra, Herman (Rosemary) Terpstra, Joe (Miriam) Terpstra, twin sister Joanne De Brabandere and brother Mike Terpstra, sisters-in-law Hennie Terpstra and Catherine Terpstra.

She was the favourite aunt of many nieces and nephews and great-nieces and great-nephews.

Mary will be sadly missed by her housemates Debra and Corrine, and all her caregivers at Community Living.

Mary was predeceased by parents Nicolaas and Johanna Terpstra, siblings Helen Terpstra, Margaret

Goderich/Clinton Michael Falconer Memorial Counsellor www.stratfordmemorials.com

Wingham Memorials Distinctive memorials of lasting satisfaction produced by us to your specifications.

Owned and operated by Mac and Donna Anderson Assisted by Mandy & Kaitlyn

519-357-1910 E-mail: andgranite@bellnet.ca After hours appointments available 89 North Street W., Wingham www.winghammemorials.com

Remembering your loved one Honour your loved one by placing their obituary in

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This is a free service provided by The Citizen. We encourage you to share the story of your loved one in a special remembrance of their life.

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NEWS FROM BELGRAVE

(Bill) Van Nes, Patricia Armstrong, Ben and Charlie Terpstra, nephews Nick Van Nes, Brian Terpstra and Chris Terpstra, also her special friend Alf McKee, and her soul sister Debbie Williams.

Due to COVID-19 restrictions a private Catholic Funeral Mass took place on Tuesday, June 1 at St. Peter’s Catholic Church. Interment was in St. Ambrose Cemetery, Brussels. Rev. Vince Gulikers officiated.

In lieu of flowers and as expressions of sympathy, donations to Alexandra Marine and General Hospital or St. Peter’s Catholic Church would be appreciated.

Donations and cards of sympathy may be sent to Box 340, Brussels.

Condolences may be left at riversidefuneralhome.ca.

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PAGE 16. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, JUNE 3, 2021.

Widowhood during COVID-19 Part 6 – One year later

By Marguerite Oberle Thomas

My Mother’s Day gift came two weeks before the first anniversary of losing my husband Bob. My family sent a set of fairy lights for my backyard. I am working on creating an evening garden with my new arbour, including white flowers and solar lights. I remembered a big glass carboy that had been stored in a back corner of the garage. I dug it out and, to my dismay, found several mice carcasses inside it.

Back in the good old days I could have said “Booooob, I have a wee job for you”. He would have rolled his eyes at me, but he would have done it, and then he would have been thrilled with how the lights dance inside the carboy and glow in the dark. He would tease me and tell the story to others. But now there is no Bob to call. Having lost my other half, I put on my “big girl pants” and handled the mice carcasses myself. It is what we widowed learn to do. We miss our loved ones for a thousand reasons, but one of them is for all the things that they did, which we must do now. We wear those “big girl pants” and “big boy pants” a lot more than we want to, or we otherwise just have to pay someone to do all the jobs that need doing.

My support system starts with my in-house security system, complete with cameras, but it also includes many widows and widowers who have shared similar experiences. On the sad side, we miss the encouragement of our spouses. We miss the affection. We miss the

hugs and having that person in our corner. We miss fun. With all marriages, but especially second or third marriages, there can be extended family that did seem wonderful when the spouse was alive, but then we never see or hear from them during the year after the funeral. Of course, sometimes that is an asset.

We have had people being nosy about what we are doing and offering suggestions as to what we should do with our home, our car and other things; unwanted and unasked-for advice – ugh.

There was a lot more crying in the early days. It was helpful to have tissues in every room and in the car.

Now it is more just tearing up and recovering more quickly. Many of us suffer physically as we tend to be an older population. Arthritis loves to add to our misery when we are grieving and not sleeping. Not sleeping well has been a common experience and many still don’t sleep well after months and even years.

The COVID-19 pandemic crushed our freedom to go to more places, to see and to meet new people. It confined us to ourselves and our losses, but sometimes that solitude was what we needed. We miss group activities like pickleball, playing cards and just dining with others. The pandemic added another really mean layer of difficulty to the already difficult process of creating a new normal.

The one-year anniversary is hard

– no denying that. I had a major meltdown at the cemetery while placing lilacs on the gravesite, but the meltdowns happen less often now. The anniversary is poignant as it marks the time of the year, time of the day, and the memories of the initial shock and raw pain. As time softens the anguish, we do learn what we have to learn. There is general advice to not make major changes during that first year, but by the end of it, many mourners think about where they want to live and what they want to do.

On the happier side, by the end of the first year, we have given away or donated many of the loved one’s items. Much of the paperwork is completed or in the process of completion. There are still the difficult times when someone wants extra paperwork and we wonder why. There is the first time on a form that we fill out “widowed” instead of married. There is the final shared tax form, which we know will be the last one.

My contributors have shared many of their experiences and their wise advice. After the first year, it really does sink in that you are on your own and anything that you want to make happen in your life is totally up to you. We mourners have to reassess our own lives to make them meaningful.

There is time now to pursue the activities that we really love as an individual instead of making plans as a couple. Bob was the face of our fundraising, but I spent countless

compensate for the lost parent, but they also need to move on in their lives and we need to let them. We strengthen our support system of church, community and others.

Loving relationships help us. Mine include family, friends, adopted daughters, people I pay, and my widowed gentlemen “not boyfriends” who are friends, and not suitors. Will I ever find a suitor?

It would have to be someone spry, independent, full of fun, and courageous enough to deal with me.

And give good bear hugs. I don’t ever want to get married again, because I sure don’t ever want to live through widowhood again. I don’t want to live through a pandemic again either, and especially not both together.

After the end of the first year, we widows and widowers tended to count our blessings and be grateful for the time that we did have. We now find joy by helping to enrich other people’s lives. We’ve regained the strength to cheer up other people and to be generous with our time and talent. For anyone still in the very early days, be prepared to grieve with the same intensity that you loved. Great love does exact a great price when it is gone. However you grieve, it is right for you. You don’t get “over it”, but you do get used to it. And those “big girl” and “big boy” pants do get a tad more comfortable.

hours behind the scenes doing the infrastructure. That time is now freed up for me to take general interest courses and attend gardening webinars. I decided to take on a new job starting this month. We learn to take pleasure in small things like a simple meal, an afternoon nap, a good evening of television, a great book, pleasant scenery, cooing at babies and enjoying pets.

We develop new patterns of behaviour, many of them strictly our preference. We eat what and sleep when and how it suits us. It can mean dropping activities that we did as a couple just to please our partner. It may include regular and peaceful trips to the cemetery, developing new friendships, finding new hobbies and interests.

We do find joy and contentment and we laugh out loud more after a year. We trust ourselves for having survived the early grief and sorrow.

We learned to allow ourselves to feel everything we did, ranging from the sad, angry, afraid and longing of the person of the early days to the woman or man wearing the “big girl” or “big boy” pants in the later days. We can have pride and satisfaction in that achievement.

Adult children can be wonderful and helpful and some bereaved people are blessed by having them nearby. They may help to

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$ Getting creative Over the weekend, Brussels looked a little bit more creative than normal, with a sidewalk chalk art contest ongoing. Judged by Huron East Councillors Zoellyn Onn and John Lowe, a number of young people throughout the village took part, beautifying their driveways, sidewalks and roads, all in the name of brightening the day as the COVID-19 pandemic wears on. Here, from left, seven-year-old Beckett, four-year-old Kendry and six-year-old Jacoby Noble show off their work in front of their home, signed, as all art should be, by the artists themselves. (John Stephenson photo)

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THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, JUNE 3, 2021. PAGE 17.

From the Minister’s Study

Rely on God’s grace and power says Weiler

By Lawrence Weiler Brussels Community Bible Chapel Some people have the impression that Christians, especially those who are involved in full-time ministry, are all somehow exceptional or special people, usually using that impression as an excuse as to why they could never follow Christ or do ministry. This is simply not the case. Though God certainly can and does make use of skilled and notable people to further his kingdom, he more often uses completely ordinary and flawed “nobodies” to spread the Gospel.

Just a glance at the characters described in Scripture makes this very obvious. Abraham, for example, was just a pagan from the Chaldean city of Ur when God called him to leave everything to start a new chosen nation. Even though he is known for his great faith, there were at least three times in Scripture where he failed to fully trust God’s promise that his offspring would become a great nation, leading to his wife Sarah almost being taken from him twice and trying to produce an heir with a different woman. Despite this, God considered him righteous for the faith he did demonstrate and has blessed the world through both his physical and spiritual descendants.

Another example, David, was at most a teenage boy and the youngest of his brothers, but God used him to kill the giant Goliath with only a slingshot in order to free Israel. Once he became king, he even killed a man to cover up an affair that he had with his wife, yet God said, “I have found David son of Jesse, a man after my own heart” (Acts 13:22; 1 Sam. 13:14) and chose through David to establish the kingly line from which Christ would be born.

Even Christ’s own chosen disciples were a mixed group of unexceptional men and even outcasts, but God used them to grow and establish the church after Christ rose again. The Bible is full

of examples of unexceptional people doing great things by God’s grace and power. Why would God do this instead of choosing those who appear to be more naturally skilled or powerful?

The apostle Paul explains why in his letter to the Corinthian church.

He reminds them of their calling, telling them, “not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God” (1 Cor. 1:26-29).

So that’s it then. God wants to shame the wise and strong and make it clear that no one has any grounds to boast of their own ability before him.

To give some context, Paul said this having heard that the Corinthian church members were quarrelling over which personality to follow, whether it was Paul

himself, Apollos, Peter, or (selfrighteously rejecting all of those men) simply Christ. Hearing about this, Paul was very concerned that they would place him or any other apostle on a pedestal. To set the record straight, and hopefully discourage this kind of attitude, he points out that he had not even baptized that many people and that he was not especially wise or eloquent when first preaching the gospel to them. In fact, he says that the message of Christ’s crucifixion that he preaches is foolishness by the world’s standards, yet it produced faith in them. It was nothing natural in Paul, Apollos, Peter, or anyone else that made their ministries successful, but rather the grace of God alone through the empowerment of His Holy Spirit.

My point is this: anyone can place their faith in Christ and spread the Gospel message, because none of it depends on them, but rather on the infinite power of God who raised Christ from the dead. Those whom God chooses are not special people, but rather they worship and rely on a very special God, who, through Christ, makes them capable of

Join us for our 10:00 am and 7:30 pm livestream services.

Video services can be found by searching on YouTube “Blyth Christian Reformed Church”

BLYTH CHRISTIAN REFORMED CHURCH Minister: Pastor Gary van Leeuwen Hwy. 4, Blyth www.blythcrc.ca 519-523-4743

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doing things they could never do on their own. Because of this, not only do we have no grounds for pride in ourselves, but we also have no grounds to doubt God’s ability to use us in any way He deems best

suited to us. God doesn’t choose us because we can do all things on our own, but rather He chooses us because we can’t, making it clear that we need to rely on His grace and power.

BRUSSELS

United Church Connect with our weekly worship service via YouTube “Brussels and Blyth United Churches “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him” (Romans 15:13) Contact Alex at minister.brusselsandblythuc@gmail.com Website: brusselsandblythuc.ca P.O. Box 359, Brussels ~ 519-887-6259

The Regional Ministry of Hope Join us for worship on our facebook page or on youtube @ St.Paul’s-Trinity Anglican Church Wingham.

Rev. JoAnn Todd, Rector 519-357-7781 email: revjoann@hurontel.on.ca The­Regional­Ministry­of­ Hope

Trinity

St. John’s

BLYTH

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St. Paul’s Trinity

WINGHAM

COME WORSHIP WITH US!

Brussels Mennonite Fellowship God Is Good, All The Time, All The Time, God Is Good His Love Is Never Shut Down!!!

“God’s love is like an ocean.

You can see its beginning, but not its end ‐ Rick Warren No in­person services until further notice 250 Princess St., Brussels • 519­887­6388 • Pastor Ken Gazley

MELVILLE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH BRUSSELS Search on YouTube for "St. Andrew's and Melville Sermon" for a new virtual worship every Sunday morning.

Stay safe and healthy!

Brussels Soup and More 2 is cancelled until further notice.

Facebook: Blyth and Brussels United Churches blythunited@tcc.on.ca ~ 519-523-4224

519-357-5273

THE CATHOLIC PARISHES OF NORTH HURON AND NORTH PERTH

OUR SUNDAY LITURGIES

ARE CANCELLED

UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE.

Evangelical Missionary Church

Brussels: St. Ambrose Saturday ~ 6:00 p.m.

17 Flora Street

Watch HuronChapel.com/Videos Sundays 10:30 a.m.

Sunday June 6 (online only) OUR 41ST ANNIVERSARY! Guest Speaker Peter Yoon (Ethnos Canada) - John 12:22-24

Wednesdays 7 p.m.

Youth Group / Prayer Meeting (Zoom)

Wingham: Sacred Heart Sunday ~ 9:00 a.m.

220 Carling Terrace

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PAGE 18. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, JUNE 3, 2021.

BIA recommends review after Gypsy Lane debate

By Denny Scott The Citizen After significant discussion, the Blyth Business Improvement Area (BIA) has suggested North Huron Township Council review infrastructure names to reduce future issues around political correctness.

The decision followed discussions around Gypsy Lane in Blyth, which was named in 1974 according to Sparling. “For most of Blyth’s history, it was Wilson Street,” he said, saying the name stuck from 1854 to 1974.

The street was named after the individual who originally laid out the village of Blyth, Sparling said.

It had ended at Wellington Street, but there was a path from the end of the street to County Road 25 (Blyth Road), Sparling said, which was often used by local Roma groups to get to what is now the Blyth Campground to sell horses and wares. The term Gypsy Lane was a

historical term for that path, he said. “[Roma] groups continued to visit Blyth until the 1970s,” he said.

“They would come to the arena, trade horses and have other commercial activities.”

In 1974, however, the entire street was renamed to Gypsy Lane, which is a significant problem in modernity, Sparling said.

“Gypsy is an ethnic slur and racist,” he said, explaining it refers to the Roma people, which is the largest minority group in Europe.

“It’s actually derived from Egyptian, and people mistakenly considered Roma people to be from that country.

“In the era of being politically correct and appropriate, Gypsy may not be desirable,” he said.

Blyth Festival General Manager Rachael King spoke to the genesis of the proposal. She said the goal is to change the name of Gypsy Lane back to its pre1974 street name, Wilson Street.

The intent, she said, is to foster a

diverse and inclusive community.

After some discussion, however, Sparling pointed out that the issue may be more widespread than Gypsy Lane, and that there are rules about what a street can be named.

As a result, the executive changed the motion to have North Huron Township Council review infrastructure naming throughout the community and remedy any problems they discover.

Sparling asked the BIA’s North Huron Council representative, Councillor Kevin Falconer, what he thought of the motion.

“Personally, I wouldn’t touch [this issue] with a 10-foot pole,” he said. “This is not the mandate or the responsibility of the BIA.” Falconer said there is a “huge process” involved in changing street names including “changing polygons” for 911 calls and forcing every resident of the street to change their identification, deeds and mailing address.

“It’s a big undertaking,” he said.

“I fully sympathize with the effort to be inclusive and remove any possibility of misconception of ethnic slur in the age we live in now... [and] I wish you luck.”

King said she recognizes there is a process, and the changes won’t likely take place overnight, but it’s important the BIA and the community be seen as working towards betterment.

“It’s about how the village is perceived,” she said. “For those who come, it can be shocking.”

She said residents are desensitized to it, and Sparling added that the relatively small number of Roma people living locally may make the name less recognized than other racial slurs, but no less damaging.

Hotel Lux representative Shane Yerema said the effort shows the BIA is working towards changing the issue and “starting the conversation,” which will help if the issue becomes more widely known.

Falconer suggested asking the residents of Gypsy Lane how they felt about it, however King felt the process would be better served by sending a letter to North Huron Council, as council’s decisionmaking process already invites public input.

King also said there was support from Huron County staff and local multicultural groups.

“With council, there will be opportunity for public comment,” she said. “The first step would be to try and move the issue forward.”

Rev. JoAnn Todd, the representative of local clergy on the BIA, said while she could already hear the arguments on both sides of the issue, she felt it is an important project.

“We need to move forward on it,” she said. “This is potentially hurtful.”

Falconer once again reiterated that streets being renamed is a huge undertaking and expense that is Continued on page 20

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THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, JUNE 3, 2021. PAGE 19.

Letter to the Editor Loss of Wingham amenities worrying THE EDITOR, I’m getting concerned about my town, Wingham. It appears decisions are being made on a constant basis to tear the town down.

First, the museum is closed, the campground has disappeared, the dam is about to be demolished, the Armouries building is demolished and now the airport is for sale.

The Heritage Theatre was left to deteriorate until a group of volunteers saved it.

It’s the end of May and the fountain in Cruickshank Park is not on. Is the park next on the demolition list?

Please join us for a Drive-through Community

Backyard bunnies

Bridal Shower

Avery and Sadie Toll have been watching their backyard intently to chart the development of the six newborn bunnies shown above. Share your outdoor discoveries with The Citizen by e-mailing reporter@northhuron.on.ca. (Photo submitted)

Gallery show features 40 artists wonderful opportunity for art lovers to add to their collection, to brighten living space in a home or cottage and to support the arts in the community.

For more information, e-mail blythfestivalartgallery@gmail.com To view and purchase art, be sure to follow the gallery on Facebook.

Local Coverage Where You Work, Play & Live

JANELLE CALDWELL (fiancée of Matt Cardiff)

Sunday, June 6th 1 pm to 3 pm at the home of Betty Cardiff 42829 Cardiff Road (north of Brussels) If you like, please bring a copy of your favourite recipe to share with Janelle (write your name and address on the back please) In accordance with COVID-19 guidelines, we ask that you stay in your vehicle during your visit.

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The Citizen Call or email to book your ad today! **Buck & Doe **Anniversary **Wedding **New Baby **Graduation **Birthday

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Happy 60th Wedding Anniversary!

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A work of art Brigitte Wolf of Goderich will be a featured artist in the Blyth Festival Art Gallery’s virtual showcase and sale.

This artwork is entitled “Crazy Quilt with Trees” and is of painted glass with a cherry frame. The showcase officially begins on Saturday, June 5 on several social media pages. (Photo submitted) Continued from page 1 the artist to collect payment and arrange for pick up or delivery of the sold work, all under COVID-19 health guidelines. All negotiations will be the responsibility of the artist.

Each participant will ensure the availability of their featured art during their time slot in the showcase. If a submitted work of art is purchased, the gallery will be notified immediately so the piece can be indicated as sold, or that image may be replaced with another piece. Unfortunately, the showcase cannot accommodate any more submissions from artists.

With about 40 artists participating, this will be a

honouring

I have spent my life in Wingham trying to build it up: two new town signs, the Alice Munro garden, trees on the Main Street, flower baskets on the light standards (that we watered everyday at 6 a.m.), the Mary Lloyd Trail and we cleaned up Cruickshank Park with new benches and a pergola.

Are our tax dollars going to demolition? Someone “please” tell me the plan for Wingham’s progress, as I’m losing my enthusiasm.

Verna Steffler, Wingham.

The Citizen In Print & Online 519-523-4792 or 519-887-9114

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Happy 50th Anniversary Gord & Dale Finch June 5, 1971 - 2021

Love from your family and friends

Bodie and Ollie (née Wilson) Craig were wed 60 years ago today, June 3rd, in a double-ring ceremony in Blyth United Church, surrounded by floral arrangements of snapdragons, mums, and tulips. The newlywed couple made their life on the farm at St. Michaels Rd., Blyth and raised their children Paul and Kim there. Beginning in the 1990s, they also enjoyed many summers hosting granddaughters Emily and Manda at the farm where Bodie and Ollie continue to reside today.

Both share a lifelong love of music and dancing and have been longtime members of the same church choir.

In retirement, Bodie and Ollie have added baking to their hobbies and take great delight in preparing and enjoying homemade pie.

Grandpa and Grandma, we love you and the steadfast devotion you have for one another!

A drive-by celebration of the couple's 60-year milestone will take place at the Blyth United Church later in June.

Watch for details - we hope to see you there!

PAGE 20. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, JUNE 3, 2021.

BIA recommends NH naming review Continued from page 18 borne by the municipality.

“It’s bigger than you think,” he said. “I’m fully sympathetic with the process you’re talking about, but it does bear a large cost.”

He said everyone on Gypsy Lane should be in favour of the project before it goes ahead, likening the situation to a customer asking a business to change its name because the customer doesn’t like the name.

“This is more than just a ‘liking’ issue,” King said. “This impacts the entire village of Blyth. Right now, Blyth sits waiting for there to be a much larger global uproar from a visitor who brings something to light that we just live with every day.”

Wonky Frog representative Cat O’Donnell said she could see both sides, but said she had witnessed a number of street name changes in her former home of Mississauga before moving to Blyth and for much less important reasons.

Falconer said that large cities have much greater tax bases to draw on for projects like that.

“It will be a hard sell to tell someone in Wingham [council has] to raise taxes to cover the cost,” he said, before once again wishing the BIA luck.

Sparling said the change is an important one because, while there

was no malicious intent behind the name, it is a hurtful term, comparable in Europe to some of the most prevalent racial slurs in North America.

He said he has already received comments on the antiquated street name from visitors to the community, and that will only increase with the BIA trying to improve and advertise the Blyth Campground and the Blyth Festival using a Gypsy Lane address for its outdoor summer season.

“I would rather be in front of this issue than behind it,” he said. “If the wrong people get a hold of it, there may not necessarily be anything we can do to deal with it.”

While Falconer had said this isn’t a BIA responsibility, Sparling said the financial damage that could be caused by people avoiding the community due to the street name obviously has the capacity to impact businesses.

As a result of the discussion, and Sparling’s suggestion to make the BIA’s recommendation a broader one, the BIA recommended that North Huron Council begin a review of infrastructure names and change anything that doesn’t promote a diverse, inclusive and welcoming community.

Sparling said he has confidence that Falconer and his fellow council members will address the problem.

Public meeting held Continued from page 9 community members and visitors.

Several alternate routes had been sent to the association with one yet to be chosen, but representatives of the company said it was not their intent to sever the trail. Members of the association and company representatives said they would be in touch after the meeting to continue work on an alternate route.

From there, several residents expressed their displeasure with the proposal, suggesting the company should take its business elsewhere, rather than digging in an area with such natural attractions.

She said that ACW, Huron County and the Province of Ontario had zoned the property for aggregate resources, so extracting resources was within the purview of that property, according to all approval authorities.

One of the concerns was dust that will be created by the pit and how it would affect wildlife in the area. A member of the company’s team on the call, however, suggested that the dust created by the pit would not be significantly higher than an agricultural operation. Furthermore, he said, there would be dust suppression in place.

Others were concerned about the local heritage associated with the area. Whether it be old-growth forest, Ball’s Bridge, nearby trails or disruption to animals, vegetation or residents’ mental health, several people were concerned that the proposed pit would affect them negatively.

Horton said the studies in place are meant to ensure there are no negative effects on water quality, plantlife, animals and the heritage of the area, but did say that the required archaeological study did not take local landmarks like Ball’s Bridge into account, because it is relatively far from the property.

Someone asked whether a traffic

study had been conducted and Horton said it had not, as ACW Council had not requested one.

There were also concerns about the water table and the Maitland River. Horton said that, in addition to the monitoring wells that will be in place, there are no chemicals used in aggregate extraction, so the river will not be at risk due to chemical usage. She did say the machinery used does use fuel, but that there is a plan required to be in place in the event of a fuel spill.

Others were also concerned with the impact the pit would have on tourism in the area, saying that people wouldn’t want to use the Maitland Trail or visit Ball’s Bridge with an active gravel pit nearby.

Again, Horton reiterated that the property is zoned for aggregate extraction, so the owners are using the property as the planning authorities had intended.

Many residents criticized representatives on the call for not reaching out to neighbours and nearby residents, however, Horton said the meeting marks the beginning of the consultation process.

The deadline for comments for those in opposition of the project is June 30, 2021. The comments can be e-mailed to Horton at melanie@esherplanning.com or directly to the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry at araapprovals@ontario.ca.

Horton said that a response to all letters of objection will be provided

by Esher Planning and, where there are unresolved objections, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry will refer the application to the Local Planning Appeal Tribunal (LPAT) for a hearing.

She also reminded those on the call that ACW will host a planning meeting in the near future, likely in August, to further discuss the project.

A day on the trail Shawn, Jessica and Tallulah Loughlin took to the Blyth Greenway Trail (part of the Goderich-to-Guelph Rail Trail system) on the weekend to take part in the virtual Dave Mounsey Memorial Fund Run Around The Square. They were three of nearly 135 participants who did the same, raising money for the charity. (Courtesy photo)

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