THE
SERVING THE MAPLETON COMMUNITY
COMMUNITY NEWS Volume 48 Issue 04
Drayton, Ontario
1 Year GIC - 2.25% 3 Year GIC - 2.43% 5 Year GIC - 2.70% Daily Interest 1.45%
638-3328
Friday, January 23, 2015
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Township chooses Brampton-based firm to conduct environmental assessment
Taking one for the team - Part of the fun at the at the Selah Fire Spaghetti Dinner Fundraiser on Jan. 17 was a chance to “pie” or “be pied.” Pete Lupton, right, volunteered to pie Joanne Schots, left. A capacity crowd filled the gym at Community Christian School in Drayton for the event in support of a mission team travelling to Peru in February. photo by Caroline Sealey
by Patrick Raftis MAPLETON - The township has chosen a consulting firm to complete a planned Municipal Class Environmental Assessment for long-term wastewater management. At the Jan. 13 meeting, council approved the recommendation of public works director Brad McRoberts to accept the proposal of Exp Services Inc. to complete the project for $139,696. Headquartered in Brampton, the company has offices throughout North America and was one of 11 firms responding to a request for proposals on the project. Exp’s proposals scored the highest on a
formula that blends technical and financial components. The company’s proposal had the highest technical score and the second-lowest fee proposal. In a report to council McRoberts stated the company has a highly-qualified professional team, has recently done a similar project for a community of comparable size, and offers an “aggressive, yet realistic, project schedule” with completion dates estimated at 13 months from initiation. At the Sept. 9 meeting, council directed staff to issue a request for proposals for the completion the environmental assessment. The initiative is aimed at alleviating wastewa-
ter capacity limitations that are stalling development. Councillor Michael Martin asked if conducting the assessment means “things are on hold” until the project is completed. McRoberts explained the Class Environmental Assessment is part of the longterm solution to the township’s wastewater issues, but other measures are also being taken to deal with the problem in the short-term. “I thought this was such a great process,” said Mayor Neil Driscoll, who noted previous councils had done a great deal of research but taken little action on the problem.
Mapleton to provide $10,000 for health care professional recruitment by Patrick Raftis MAPLETON - Council here has agreed to provide a $10,000 contribution to the Minto Mapleton Health Care Recruitment Professional Committee. Council agreed to provide the contribution, the same amount it has provided for the past several years, at the Jan. 13 meeting, following an update from recruitment committee officials. In their report to council, chair Shirley Borges and North Wellington Health Care recruiter Alison Armstrong noted the committee was successful in recruiting Dr. Phillip Deacon. He will replace retiring physician Dr. Chris Donald. “Dr. Deacon is a welcome addition to the communities of Minto-Mapleton, providing primary care as well as hospital support in the form of emergency room, in-patient, obstetrical and surgical assist care,” the report states. Borges told council that combined with the earlier addition of Dr. Hao Sun, Deacon’s
addition allows the local health team to cover all the patients formerly served by Donald, who retired after 40 years of service locally, and by Dr. Michael Cam, who left to work in another community. “Those were very big shoes to fill,” she commented. Borges told council,“I think it’s really important that you are interested in recruitment,” adding that successful recruitment also supports local economic development. The health care professionals that move to the area not only support the local primary care office, they also support the local hospital, she explained. “Without them we wouldn’t have a hospital,” said Borges. The report notes past financial assistance from the township has helped the committee to successfully market and promote the community “as an excellent place to live, learn and practice health care.” “The reason we are so successful is the funds you provide so we are able to do what we do,” said Armstrong.
Dr. Christine Peterkin, who moved to Mapleton 11 years ago from Montreal, told council the recruiting committee’s efforts are what brought her to the community. “I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for them. They actually flew us out here from Montreal, set up a meet and greet … it was amazing,” said Peterkin. “It made me realize this is a community that is extremely invested in the future of their health care … I think that experience really spoke volumes about my decision to come here.” However, the report also notes the community also recently lost a nurse practitioner, who moved to Kitchener. “While we offer a wonderful community in which to work and live, three of our four nurse practitioners reside outside our community and commute to work several kilometres each day,” the report states. “Better compensation and benefit packages offered in adjacent urban centres, including hospitals, community care ac-
cess centres and long-term care homes, are putting increased pressure on our local FHTs to retain these skilled nurse practitioners in our rural communities.” In addition to requesting a financial contribution, the group also urged Mapleton council to appoint a council
representative to the committee. Borges noted former county councillor John Green remains on the committee as a community member, but suggested a direct council representative would be beneficial. Mayor Neil Driscoll said the presentation was helpful
and allowed council to see how its contributions are used. “We constantly wonder, when you put your money into things like economic development, do you see a return,” said Driscoll. “And this is one of those cases where you see a return, and it turns into economic development too.”
Council chooses concept design option for new municipal maintenance facility by Patrick Raftis MAPLETON - Council has selected a 30,667 square foot, one-storey structure as the preferred design for the township’s new municipal maintenance facility. The building, to be located at the township’s administration centre on Sideroad 16, will have a direct connection between the new offices and maintenance facility and the existing municipal office. The design was one of three presented for consider-
ation by Chamberlain Architect Services at a council meeting on Jan. 13. Burlington-based Chamberlain was awarded a contract to design the new facility on Nov. 25. A report from public works director Brad McRoberts notes advantages of the selected design include locating mechanical units on the lower roof of the administration wing and connection to the maintenance building through the wall. “That means that we will
eliminate the rooftop units on the maintenance building and eliminate the possibility of roof leaks in the future and provide easy maintenance and service without expensive fall arrest systems.” The report also notes the option allows possible use of pre-engineered components. Other proposed options included: - a 30,156 square foot, onestorey structure with a corridor connecting the existing office Continued on page 5
Conways receive donated furnace thanks to area fuel company
Installation - Arthurs Fuel employee Jeff Hart installs the new high-efficiency York furnace. photo by Caroline Sealey
by Caroline Sealey DRAYTON - The Conway family of Drayton was the recipient of a new high-efficiency furnace during one of the coldest days this winter. With temperatures below -25C the family stayed warm in the home during the transition. Three-year-old Evan Conway is receiving treatments for leukemia at McMaster Hospital in Hamilton. The furnace installation is one of the many ways the residents of Mapleton Township have come together in support of the
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Conway family. Neighbour Matt Dorscht, spearheaded the furnace replacement. A salesman for Arthurs Fuel in Grand Valley, Dorscht approached company owners Brian and Scott Arthurs, shared the Conway family’s story and asked what the company could do. Dorscht then phoned York, a furnace supplier to Arthurs Fuel, and inquired about their interest in helping the family. York agreed to donate a furnace to the Conway family and Arthurs Fuel came on board to
supply the installation and any needed materials at no charge. York regional sales manager Paul Anderson invited Dorscht to Mississauga to pick up the furnace. York officials were pleased to help the family and sent best wishes to Evan. On the morning of Jan. 14, shortly after 9:30am, employees Alex Goss and Jeff Hart of Arthurs Fuel removed the aging York furnace from the Conway’s basement. Installation of a new 96 per cent efficient furnace began immediately.
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“It was an expense that the family didn’t need if their old furnace broke down. A random act of kindness that was easy to do,” Dorscht said. At mid-morning, Matt Mullen, owner of The Upper Room family restaurant in Drayton, donated breakfast to Goss and Hart, who said they were thankful for the hot breakfast, noting it felt great to help the family. Arthurs Fuel co-owner Scott Arthurs stated, “The company is more than happy to help out in the communities
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that we deal in. I have threeyear-old twins so the Conway family’s story touched my heart. We are happy that they have one less thing to worry about at this time.” By late afternoon, the furnace installation was complete and the Conway family was enjoying the warmth and comfort of its new furnace. “A huge thank you to Arthurs Fuels and Matt Dorscht for the installation. Also to York for the furnace,” said mother Maggie Conway. Continued on page 3
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