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Serving the Mapleton Community
Community News Volume 44 Issue 45
Drayton, Ontario
1 Year GIC - 1.90% 3 Year GIC - 2.35% 5 Year GIC - 2.75% Daily Interest 1.75%
Friday, November 11, 2011
Report on road work presents a costly picture
Local lauded - Zone B deputy governor and Drayton Kinsmen Tyler Struyk presented fellow Kinsmen Wayne Mick with a life membership pin during a recent ceremony. Mick, a longtime member of the local club, was recognized for his respect, vision and dedication to the community. photo by Wilma Mol
Township hires firm for recreation master study ‘Community session’ is Nov. 29 at theatre MAPLETON TWP. - The township has hired Stempski Kelly and Associates Inc (SKA) of Fergus at a cost of $15,000 to lead its recreation master study and develop a comprehensive template for moving ahead with the township’s leisure service delivery. “We recognize our relatively small permanent population deserves affordable, functional, appropriate and desirable recreation facilities,” said Mapleton’s public works director Larry Lynch. “Likewise, we are aware that leisure service is not just about taking your children to the local rink, soccer pitch or ball park. “We are hoping the master plan will deal with the issues of an aging population, our physically challenged and of course the balance between budget and providing parks and recreation services and programs for the community of Mapleton.” SKA has completed similar work in Guelph-Eramosa, Centre Wellington, Huron-
Kinloss and North Perth, and has also done design and planning work with Mansfield Ski Club, Devil’s Glen Country Club and Canada Olympic Park. “We appreciate the need for the Township of Mapleton to engage in a strategic master plan to anticipate, improve and enhance leisure service for its residents and guests for the short-, mid- and long-term horizons,” said Sean Kelly, project leader with SKA. “This is a pursuit that progressive rural communities recognize as necessary to remain desirable, competitive and both physically and economically healthy.” SKA has already taken advantage of the recent great weather to tour all of Mapleton’s parks and recreation facilities, building a photographic inventory of these amenities. Kelly plans to attend the next parks, recreation and culture committee meeting on Nov. 14 to introduce the project work plan developed with committee chairperson Kelly Culp and Lynch earlier this Continued on page 2
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by David Meyer MAPLETON TWP. Councillors here have a better idea of their five-year road work plan, but the details brought small comfort because the cost is high and ongoing. Public works director Larry Lynch presented his fiveyear roads rehabilitation plan to council on Oct. 25, and explained to council his priorities for getting that work done. He said the dollar values he placed on the work are based on prices from the past summer - which means they will likely rise with inflation over the next few years. Lynch said the policy has been to pulverize rural roads, regrade, pack and then pave them. He uses dust suppressant when it is needed, and is trying to regrade and pack and pave some shoulders to create a longer lasting road. Lynch said while traffic is a factor in deciding which roads to do first, he noted a road that gets 100 cars a day will not have as much wear and tear as one that gets 25 semi-trailers. Further, he said, the plan is based on the annual amount the township has been using in its roads budget. “I tried to keep it as close to $500,000 as possible,” he said. Lynch added the plan is “based on what we think we can do with what we have to work with.” He said the PMD Arena parking lot needs lights, there are problems on Sideroad 15 at Glen Allan where some parts of the road are reduced to gravel from pavement, and “the 16th Line is in very poor
shape.” He concluded, “I believe this is the best way to spend the money.” Mayor Bruce Whale called the plan “a starting point.” Councillor Jim Curry asked if the work on Concession 8 would run from Moorefield to Hustonville. Lynch said, “Not quite.” Curry also said he had concerns because “Edward Street in Drayton is not on here.” He added there are several cracks in that road and it is “one of the highest used urban roads.” Lynch said just because a road has cracks, “doesn’t mean it’s unsafe.” He explained Concession 8 has cracks and water pools there, creating the opportunity for hydroplaning, a serious safety issue. He said Edward Street is not on the plan because it does not need work immediately. He said Andrews Drive, in Drayton, has “significant cracks and pot holing and water causes more deterioration. Cracks don’t mean it’s not safe to travel. Compared to other roads [Edward Street] isn’t any worse.” Lynch added he would monitor that road, and told council his plan is subject to change every year, depending on a number of factors. He noted two years ago no one foresaw sudden problems on Concession 4. Curry told Lynch he agrees with him on the issue of rural roads needing work, but when it comes to a parking lot or urban streets getting fixed, “We disagree.” Lynch said there is lit-
tle road work scheduled for Moorefield because it recently got sewers, and consequently, “most of their roads are done.” Councillor Neil Driscoll said it has been a council practice in the past, but nothing is in the budget for preparing roads for paving. Lynch agreed, and said poorly built up roads are subject to frost problems in spring. But, he said, “If I try to solve all the problems of roads in the township, I’ve got nothing left for anything else.” He said, “Gravel roads are now in better shape than they were five years ago.” But, “We could spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on ditching. I’ve got $25,000 [in the budget] a year.” Whale said council needs to “get beyond the mentality” of comparing one part of the township to another when it comes to spending on roads, and focus instead on the needs of the entire township. Curry said his problem is the township has an engineer’s report of rural roads, but nothing for urban roads. Lynch said every road in the township is included in a ten-year plan. Curry replied, “Then it’s my mistake.” Whale said there are other issues to consider, such as boundary roads. He cited Centre Wellington Township wanting to do some work on the shared Jones Baseline a few years ago, and Mapleton did not have any money for that. He also cited Woolwich Township and the old Peel township boundary road. He said Mapleton should build
some reserves so when it is approached it has some money to pay its share of such projects. Lynch said both those roads are gravel, and there needs to be talks “long before the tender.” He added Mapleton has to consider its own needs, and at the time council was approached for boundary road work, it was not a high priority. “It’s hard to justify [spending on boundary roads] when paved roads are falling apart,” Lynch said, adding the Woolwich line is “very expensive - one of the first that could use asphalt.” He said he hasn’t heard of problems on Jones Baseline, but he would ask about it at a coming road superintendents’ meeting. County detours Lynch said there are problems, too, when Wellington County closes a road and uses township roads for detours. He said the local roads “took a beating” when County Road 12 was closed. “They said they would grade Sideroad 16, but they’re not prepared to do other roads people used. There’s got to be a better handle on these detour routes,” said Lynch. Whale said it is “good to see a plan with dates ... It gives us a starting point.” Council then voted to accept the road plan, subject to budget restraints. Only Curry was opposed. See page 2 for a related story on specific road projects scheduled for completion over the next five years.
Pettapiece takes oath of office, named deputy critic TORONTO Randy Pettapiece has taken the oath of office as the MPP for the riding of Perth-Wellington. Joined by family, friends and supporters who made the trip to the Ontario legislature, Pettapiece was sworn in on Nov. 4. “It’s a real privilege to be able to serve the people of Perth-Wellington as their new MPP,” said Mr. Pettapiece. “I want to thank them for putting their confidence in me, and I’m grateful to everyone who supported me along the way.” Pettapiece said he plans to listen to the ideas and concerns of constituents in all parts of the riding. “My staff and I want to serve every constituent to the very best of our ability,” he said. “They deserve our best efforts, and we intend to give them nothing less.” Pettapiece is also looking
forward to taking his seat in the legislature on Nov. 21, when it is scheduled to be back in session. “The PC caucus will do what the people expect us to do; and that is to hold the McGuinty government to account,” said Pettapiece. Among the issues of concern to Pettapiece are: the jobs crisis in Ontario, the need for the province to listen to local input on infrastructure priorities and energy policy, as well as agriculture and health care issues. On Oct. 25, Ontario PC Leader Tim Hudak appointed Pettapiece as the Official Opposition Deputy Critic for Agriculture. “I am honoured to take on these new responsibilities,” said Pettapiece. “Throughout the campaign, I enjoyed meeting with farm families and those in the agriculture industry. The PC cau-
Weekly Wag
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First day - Newly-elected Perth-Wellington MPP Randy Pettapiece poses with Deborah Deller, clerk of the Legislative Assembly, at his swearing-in ceremony on Nov. 4. photo courtesy the Legislative Assembly of Ontario
cus will continue to ensure that their ideas and concerns are heard in the Ontario legisla-
ture.” Pettapiece previously served on North Perth council.