SERVING THE MAPLETON COMMUNITY
THE
COMMUNITY NEWS VOLUME 50 ISSUE 06
DRAYTON, ONTARIO
1 Year GIC - 2.06% 3 Year GIC - 2.11% 5 Year GIC - 2.25% Daily Interest 0.90%
638-3328
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2017
www.jackfinancial.ca
Taking the plunge - The 2017 Alma Plunger Toss was a big hit, with 56 teams of four participating in the annual event on Feb. 4. The event, which is in its 35th year, features a mixture of curling, horseshoes and bathroom humour. LEFT: Teams participate in the toss, held at the Alma Optimist’s outdoor rink, known locally as the “Cow Palace.� RIGHT: Carly Wing of the Plop-a-teers aims a throw. Photos by Olivia Rutt
Building activity down in 2016 Drayton youngster completes By Patrick Raftis
MAPLETON – While down substantially from an extremely busy 2015, building activity in the township last year was solid based on five-year averages, says Mapleton’s chief building official. “The building activity in the Township of Mapleton in 2016 remained steady in comparison to the five-year averages in numbers, fees and construction value,� stated CBO Patty Wright in a year-end report presented at the Jan. 24 council meeting. building Mapleton’s
department issued 315 permits for construction valued at about $34.4 million in 2016, generating permit fees of just over $307,000. Those numbers all fall below figures generated in 2015, when the township issued 339 permits for $58.5 million worth of construction, resulting in about $385,000 in fees. However, the report indicates that dating back to 2012, the township issued an average of 310 permits annually, for about $38 million worth of construction, generating an average of $310,602 in permit fees.
Agricultural construction accounted for over a third (35 per cent) of permits issued and over half the construction value (52%) in 2016. A total of 112 permits were issued for agricultural construction valued at a total of $17.9 million. Agricultural permit fees totalled $161,333, 52% of the total. Single family dwellings represented 7.9% of permits issued in 2016, but 25% of construction value. The township issued 25 permits for single family dwellings valued at $8.6 million, generating $58,771 in SEE BUILDING Âť 8
Firefighters save dairy barn By Caroline Sealey MAPLETON - Quick responses from two local farmers and Mapleton Fire and Rescue prevented what could have been a large loss in the farming community near Drayton. Drayton and Moorefield firefighters responded to a page at 8:23am on Feb. 3 for a structure fire at on the 4th Line of Mapleton Township. Upon arrival, firefighters took control of the scene and contained the fire.
“Electric lines in the feed manger were the cause of the fire,� said Fire Chief Rick Richardson. “The farm’s owners worked quickly to contain the fire in a large round hay bale by using a fire extinguisher and buckets of water.� Firefighters at the scene pulled the round hay bale apart with forks and doused the bale with water. Trusses above the feed manger received some fire damage, but the fire did not
NOW SHOWING
A DOG’S PURPOSE Friday and Saturday 8pm, Sunday 7pm. RATED PG & 100 MINUTES
MAIN ST. W. PALMERSTON 519.343.3640 www.norgantheatre.com
spread beyond the feed manger. “The farm owners had installed ABC fire extinguishers recommended by the Mapleton Fire Department. These extinguishers, along with the quick actions of the farm’s owners and the Mapleton firefighters saved approximately 90 head housed in the dairy barn,� Richardson said. “It’s a good news story that the Mapleton Fire Department is happy to share.�
‘‘
leukemia treatment regimen By Caroline Sealey DRAYTON - In October of 2014, Maggie and Bill Conway of Drayton received the devastating news that their two-year-old son Evan had leukemia. On Nov. 24, 2016 after 25 months of in patient and out patient treatments at McMaster Children’s Hospital in Hamilton and Grand River Hospital in Kitchener, the Conways celebrated Evan’s last day of treatment. “It was a very joyous day. Even the nurses were celebrating. The Kitchener firefighters came and joined in the celebration,� said Maggie Conway. In the second year of his cancer journey, Evan received some of his treatments at Grand River Hospital. As the hospital does not usually have a lot of children finishing their treatments in Kitchener, the staff decided to do something special for the occasion. Because of Evan’s interest in firefighters, the staff contacted the Kitchener Fire Department and planned a
WEEKLY WAG
“A bank is a place that will lend you money if you can prove that you don’t need it.� - Bob Hope
‘‘
EVAN CONWAY surprise for Evan. On the day of his final treatment a large group of firefighters brought a fire truck, greeted the family and presented Evan with a gift. Evan, his brother Cody and sister Olivia were able to try on firefighter gear and the family took a ride around the block in the fire truck. The celebration continued the following weekend, with extended family joining the Conways for a celebration meal at the Crossroads Restaurant in Elmira. “It’s hard to believe that it was actually over. Evan is doing pretty well now,� Maggie said. “He catches
viruses very easily and still takes medication at home.� Evan has regularly scheduled appointments once a month at McMaster Children’s Hospital. Doctors check blood counts in order to ensure the leukemia does not return. The family has been told by specialists that there is less than a five per cent chance of the leukemia returning. Since the completion of Evan’s treatments the family has taken a much-needed trip to Florida with the Help A Child Smile (HACS) organization in Welland. Formed in 1987, HACS aims to bring joy to the lives of children with cancer. The organization began with one child with cancer wishing to go to Canada’s Wonderland soon after it opened. Family and friends created HACS after that trip. Thirty years later, HACS assists over 1,100 families whose child is receiving or has received cancer treatments at McMaster Children’s Hospital. On average, 150 children are receiving treatments at any given SEE EVAN  3
'5$<7216725$*( FRP ,QGLYLGXDO 6WRUDJH 8QLWV Individual Storage Units [ [ [ [ 5x10 10x10 10x15 10x20 6HDVRQDO ERDWV FDUV 59V ODZQ WUDFWRUV Seasonal VXPPHU ZLQWHU WLUH VWRUDJH boats, cars, RVs, lawn tractors, summer/winter tire storage