THE
SERVING THE MAPLETON COMMUNITY
COMMUNITY NEWS Volume 49 Issue 29
Drayton, Ontario
1 Year GIC - 2.08% 3 Year GIC - 2.30% 5 Year GIC - 2.40% Daily Interest 1.00%
638-3328
Friday, July 22, 2016
www.jackfinancial.ca
Council defers crossing guard decision over concerns of potential liability
Classic wheels - Among those displaying their wheels at the Mount Forest Kinsmen Club’s 17th annual Classic Car show on July 16 during the Mount Forest Fireworks Festival were Mapleton residents Connie and Al Walter, who brought their red ‘75 Corvette. photo by Patrick Raftis
Council divided on decision to split OGRA and ROMA conferences by Patrick Raftis MAPLETON - Council here will not back opposition to a plan to split two conferences attended by representatives of most Ontario municipalities. The Rural Ontario Municipal Association (ROMA) conference and the Ontario Good Roads Association (OGRA) conference were combined in the late ‘90s to become one conference. This year a decision was made to split the two conferences.
By a 3-2 margin, Mapleton council defeated a motion to support a resolution from South West Oxford Township opposing the separation due to concern that it could have an impact on resources and costs. “Council has expressed concern that two separate conferences - only weeks apart - will have a negative impact on resources without a significant improvement in results,� states a letter from South West Oxford CAO Mary Ellen Greb.
“Provincial ministers and support staff, members of provincial parliament, council members, municipal staff, vendors as well those sponsoring the conferences will see a doubling of costs as there is now an expectation to appear at two separate events.� The letter adds, “The previous partnership provided diversity of content while streamlining costs between two important groups. Council does not Continued on page 2
by Patrick Raftis ALMA - Mapleton council has deferred a motion to hire a crossing guard for the intersection of Wellington Road 17 and King Street North here pending further information, including a legal opinion on potential liability issues. A petition with 24 signatures requesting a crossing guard for the corner was presented to council by a delegation in June of 2015. The petition notes Wellington Road 17 (Peel Street North) is very busy with not only passenger vehicle traffic, but tractor trailers and farm vehicles. It also notes King Street North is close to the traffic lights at Wellington Roads 17 and 7 and children may have a difficult time discerning if it is safe to cross when vehicles are turning, or when the lights are to change. At the July 12 meeting, public works director Jamie Morgan advised council township staff performed a crossing guard warrant survey at the location on June 23. “According to the survey as outlined by the Ontario Traffic Conference School Crossing Guard Guide, a crossing guard is not required as the number of safe gaps is greater than the minimum requirement,� states a staff report presented at last week’s meeting. A school crossing guard is recommended at a location when there are less than four safe gaps per five minute interval less than 50% of the time, the report explains. At
the intersection in Alma, the survey found there were no intervals where there were less than four safe gaps. Six children and one adult crossed at the location during the survey period, which took place on a school day morning. The same survey was conducted in June 2015 with similar results as the survey this year. “Given the data collected, no further work is required,� the report states. Morgan told council staff did not recommend placing a crossing guard at the intersection, and were instead recommending investigation of alternatives such as removing a short piece of sidewalk leading to King Street North and extending the existing sidewalk south to the signalized intersection of Wellington Road 17 and Wellington Road 7. Morgan advised he had just learned the Wellington County roads department is planning to do some infrastructure work on that area and, although it would be at the township’s cost, “making a sidewalk down to a signalized intersection would make it more beneficial to everyone.� However, stated Mayor Neil Driscoll, “as much as that would be a good alternative on paper, I don’t see kids coming down to the lights and crossing what is a fairly major road.� Driscoll also pointed out that given the county’s recent trend toward replacing traffic lights with roundabouts, “I don’t know how much longer that intersection’s going to be
lighted.� Driscoll stated, “for the cost of the crossing guard we can solve a lot of these problems and it doesn’t involve any more infrastructure that we can’t maintain.� However, he added, “I just struggle with trying to drive kids in a direction that they are not going to go.� Council passed a resolution directing staff to investigate the option of extending the sidewalk as recommended in the staff report. However, a motion to hire a crossing guard for the 201617 school year was deferred after Morgan expressed concern about hiring a township employee to direct children onto a street with no sidewalks. “It could potentially be a liability,� he said. CAO Brad McRoberts estimated a crossing guard would cost the township about $5,000 for the year, which would result in a small budget deficit of about $2,000. Councillor Lori Woodham suggested deferring the motion for further investigation. “I’m struggling now, listening to the director of public works, that we are actually condoning children going down a street that has no sidewalk,� she said. Morgan noted a deferral would allow staff to seek a legal opinion for council before a final decision is made. “If you defer it, you won’t have to worry about a deficit because it will be Christmas Continued on page 8
Agricultural Society set to present ‘160th Old Tyme Fair’ Aug. 5 to 7 by Caroline Sealey DRAYTON - The Drayton Mapleton Agricultural Society has reached a milestone achieved by few other organizations. From Aug. 5 to 7 the society will host the “160th Old Tyme Fair� at the Drayton Fairgrounds. “This is a huge milestone to reach,� said Drayton Mapleton Agricultural Society president Jim Zantinge. “We could not have done it without the support of the community, dedicated volunteers and hard working directors. Each year the board makes changes in hope that there is something for everyone to enjoy.� A residential front lawn decorating contest, fair euchre, Chets Custom Colts, Little Ray’s Reptile Zoo, Air Bounce Inflatables and a “children’s special guest� are new to this year’s fair.
Big crunch - The popular demolition derby will once again be a feature at the “160th Old Tyme Fair� at the Drayton Fairgrounds from Aug. 5 to 7. Community News file photo
Residents’ front lawns must be decorated with the fair theme, “160th Old Tyme Fair� and the date of the fair to participate in the contest. Prizes are $50 for first place, $40 for second and $25 for third. Winners will select a gift certificate from the business of their choice in the Mapleton area. Entrants are asked to email the Drayton Fair at draytonfair@ Main St. W. Palmerston
GHOSTBUSTERS Rated PG
117 Minutes
SHOWTIMES: Friday and Saturday 8pm and Sunday 7pm
For more info call 519-343-3640 or visit www.norgantheatre.com
hotmail.com with their contact information. Lawns will be judged one week prior to the fair weekend. New to Friday night’s lineup is a fair euchre sponsored by the Drayton Legion. Admission to the euchre is included in the admission price at the fair gates. Games are open to participants of any age or experience with plenty of prizes to be
won. The heavy horse show on Saturday morning begins at 11am. For a number of years the show had previously run at 10:30am. Between the first and second classes, and after the last class, Chet Martin from Martin Ranch - Chets Custom Colts of Mapleton will perform a reining demonstration. Audience members will be able
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to watch colts develop as they begin to understand what it means to perform actions, not just reactions. These training methods are used in helping to lay a solid foundation for every type of horse. At 1pm, another new show, Little Ray’s Reptile Zoo, will take the stage in the exhibitors building. The popular educational, entertaining and interactive show includes arachnids, amphibians, turtles, tortoises, snakes, lizards and crocodilians. Always a fair-goers favourite, Air Bounce Inflatables will be on site with inflatables suitable for children. A jousting ring will be set up for older children and the young at heart. On Sunday at 1pm the fair board will present a recently-booked children’s special guest. Children of all ages will be thrilled to meet the mystery
guest who will be attending the Drayton Fair for the first time. As businesses have responded favourably to the store front window decoration contest in the past, the fair board has decided to run the competition again this year. Windows will be judged one week prior to the fair weekend. Entries must be decorated with the “Old Tyme Fair� theme and the date of the fair. Prizes are $50, $40 and $25. Winners will be given the option to select a gift certificate from the business of their choice. Stores are reminded to register their decorated storefront windows by emailing draytonfair@hotmail.com. Adults and children are encouraged to pick up a copy of the fair book and take part in the ice cream cone scavenger hunt. Count the number of ice cream cones placed throughout the fair book. Continued on page 4
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