SERVING THE MAPLETON COMMUNITY
THE
COMMUNITY NEWS VOLUME 50 ISSUE 09
DRAYTON, ONTARIO
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FRIDAY, MARCH 3, 2017
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Mapleton’s Canada 150th celebration to include parade through Drayton By Patrick Raftis MAPLETON – Mapleton’s Canada 150 celebrations this summer will include a full scale parade. On Feb. 21 councillor Lori Woodham, who was appointed Mapleton’s Canada 150 champion by council, provided an update on preparations for the July 1 celebration. “An exciting parade will be led by our mayor,” said Woodham, adding organizers hope the parade will feature
Safety lessons - Dale, Katie, Kim and Caleb Eastep of Alma checked out the gun safety booth and learned about ear protection and safe storage of guns and ammunition from volunteer Nick Grose at a pancake breakfast hosted by the Wellington County Farm and Home Safety Association in Alma on Feb. 25. Additional photo on page 4. Photo by Caroline Sealey
Safety association hosts breakfast in Alma By Caroline Sealey ALMA - “Don’t be hasty, use safety” was the theme of the Wellington County Farm and Home Safety Association’s pancake breakfast at the Alma Community Centre on Feb. 25.
Association member Walter Grose (aka Safety Sam) said, “I am really impressed and overwhelmed with the turnout today. Over 250 people came to learn about safety around the farm and home. “I’d like to thank everyone on behalf of the asso-
ciation who helped out. Everyone here working has volunteered their time, including the helpers cooking in the kitchen.” Grose also offered special thanks to the Wellington County Junior Farmers for their assistance. SEE SAFETY » 2
music and classic cars and all manner of entries. “It’s an old-fashioned parade.” Woodham said the parade will be an expansion of the children’s bicycle parade traditionally held at the township’s Canada Day celebrations and will also include a pet parade. She said the route will go through Drayton’s downtown area, unlike the smaller-scale bicycle parade which is normally confined to the
old arena grounds where the celebration is held. There will also be a wide range of activities for children, teenagers and adults at the 49 Elm Street location, Woodham added. She said more details, including a parade contact would be available soon. She urged residents to watch the township website and Facebook page, as well as township notices in the Community News for updates on the celebration.
Township cancels auditing services RFP due to ongoing finance staffing shortage By Patrick Raftis MAPLETON – The township has cancelled an RFP (request for proposals) process to appoint new auditors due to an ongoing staff shortage in the finance department. Finance director Yufang Du is currently off sick and deputy-treasurer/tax collector Theresa Armstrong left the township in January and has not yet been permanently replaced. On Feb. 6 Mapleton council appointed John Cumming
deputy-treasurer on an interim basis. At the Feb. 21 meeting council approved a staff recommendation from CAO Brad McRoberts to withdraw an RFP for auditing services and return unopened cost envelopes to the proponents. Staff also recommended the RFP be reissued in late summer. Council agreed to appoint current auditors RLB Chartered Accountants and Business Advisors for the 2016 financial year. “In our research of poten-
tially changing auditing firms, staff strongly are of the opinion that with ongoing staff shortages and the introduction of new staff within the finance department, changing auditors at this time would be extremely challenging,” the report states. “The potential change of auditors at this time would be both challenging and difficult to facilitate until the finance department staff vacancy is filled and staff have had the opportunity to be adequately trained.”
Local synchro skaters earn gold at nationals with Nexxice By Caroline Sealey CALGARY - Two Drayton youth competed at the national level in synchronized skating last weekend and came home with gold medals. and Shantz Micayla Rachel VanAnkum, skating with the Burlingtonbased Nexxice Intermediate Synchronized Club, participated at the Skate Canada Synchronized National Skating Championships in Calgary Feb. 24 to 26. Shantz, a student at the University of Waterloo, is in her second year of competition with the Burlington club. She is currently a coach with the Drayton and District Figure Skating Club (DDFSC). VanAnkum, also in her second year with the club, attends Mohawk College and is a former skater with the Drayton club. “This is a story about two local athletes who continue to participate in figure skating into their early twenties,” said DDFSC executive
member Valorie Giles. “It is a great example of determination and their ongoing love for the sport of figure skating.” The Nexxice Intermediate team placed first out of 15 teams from across Canada at the national championships. In two performances the team scored a total of 120.53 points with the Ilderton Silver Jets, also from Ontario, earning the silver medal with a score of 116.87. “The Drayton and District Skating Club is exceptionally proud of two of our club’s former skaters [Shantz and VanAnkum],” Giles said. “The girls skated two wonderful performances with their Nexxice Intermediate teammates to earn the gold medal. “The Drayton and District Figure Skating Club family wishes to extend our most heartfelt congratulations and best wishes to Micayla and Rachel for their continued determination, hard work and passion leading to excellence at the national level.”
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Canadian champions - Drayton residents Micayla Shantz (front row, fifth from left) and Rachel VanAnkum (back, sixth from left) skated to a gold medal with the Nexxice Intermediate Synchronized Skating team from Burlington at the Canadian Synchronized Skating Championships Feb. 24 to 26 in Calgary. The local residents are former skaters with the Drayton and District Figure Skating Club. Submitted photo
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