The Creemore
ECHO
Friday, December 9, 2022 Vol. 22 No. 49
www.creemore.com
News and views in and around Creemore
INSIDE
New Term
Council sworn in PAGE 3
Publications Mail Agreement # 40024973
Community eager to support those impacted by fire by Trina Berlo In the aftermath of a devastating fire in Creemore last Thursday, the community has been eager to help those displaced. An early morning fire at 157 Mill Street rendered the building uninhabitable and displaced the tenants of six apartments and one restaurant. In the past week the community has been asking how to get help to those impacted. Everyone escaped the fire and found temporary shelter. Angie Cormier is one of the residents ousted by the fire. She said she was getting ready to go back to bed just after 1:30 a.m. on Dec. 1 when her neighbour Krista Mercier came through her door to get her out, saving her life. Cormier is hearing impaired and had taken out her hearing aids. She couldn’t hear the fire alarm, or her neighbour knocking, but luckily she had left her door unlocked. “I don’t want to think about how close I was to death,” she said. She said Mercier urged her to go down the street to her aunt and uncle’s house, where she has been taking refuge ever since. Cormier said she is taking it day to day. She has been missing her art supplies, because colouring is how she relaxes and eases her anxiety. She has
Staff photo: Trina Berlo
Investigators have been at the scene of a Dec. 1 fire at 157 Mill St. in Creemore all week. Above: Firefighters continue their efforts last Friday evening. had some supplies donated – along with some clothing and other necessities from the team at St. Luke’s.
She is thrilled that some of her personal items were recovered from her apartment undamaged, including her
baby book and family photographs. She is very sad that the ashes of her parents and pets have not yet been recovered. Cormier said she is grateful to be staying with her closest family, Chris and Koni Jones, but is so sad to have lost her home of two years. She is on a limited income and has no insurance so replacing items, including her personal documents, one hearing aid and the contents of her purse, is a challenge. Cormier’s family has history in Creemore and she is very grateful for all the support she has received from the community. She hopes to find another place to live in the area. “I want to put down roots here but it’s hard. People don’t want to rent to people on ODSP,” she said. She is so grateful to her family, St. Luke’s and Krista, who proceeded to alerted the other residents to the fire. “I appreciate everyone for the help and support,” said Cormier. “It means the world to me.” A Go Fund Me campaign was launched by Creemore resident Scott LeBlanc and has already surpassed its goal of $10,000. LeBlanc said after the fire he was reading Facebook posts about people wanting to donate and, with some other community members, a decision was (See “Campaign” on page 3)
Plan to increase sewage treatment capacity underway by Trina Berlo The community was invited to the Creemore arena Dec. 1 for an initial information session about the Water and Wastewater Master Servicing Plan for the Village of Creemore. R.J. Burnside & Associates has been contracted to create a high level plan for the long-term drinking water and sanitary wastewater servicing needs for Creemore and surrounding potential development opportunities. The Master Plan will identify
a set of recommended water and wastewater servicing improvements and will consider the needs of both existing serviced areas and areas of future growth up to 2042 and beyond. Once solutions are identified, recommendations will go to council for final approval and budget considerations. Clearview Township director of public works Mike Rawn said once solutions are identified, construction would begin within one year to 18 months.
A group of developers that are hoping to build in Creemore have agreed to pay for the study, at a cost of $351,000. Creemore has sufficient water supply to accommodate projected growth but the wastewater treatment plant is underperforming due to limitations of the membrane filtration system and the high strength of discharge from Creemore Springs Brewery. Any available sewage treatment capacity has already been
allocated to development projects, prompting developers to look for solutions for freeing up more capacity. All the information is posted at www. clearview.ca/news-events-meetings/ special-projects/creemore-water-andwastewater-master-servicing-plan. The public is invited to comment by email or mail by Jan. 13. In the spring there will be a second public information session when the community will be invited to consider proposed solutions.
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