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SERVING THE MAPLETON COMMUNITY
Community News Volume 47 Issue 01
Drayton, Ontario
1 Year GIC - 2.10% 3 Year GIC - 2.26% 5 Year GIC - 2.80% Daily Interest 1.55%
638-3328
Friday, January 3, 2014
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Council directs review of ice rates
Kinette toy drive - Members of the Drayton Kinette Club gathered at the Kinroom on Dec. 19 to sort and pack the proceeds of the club’s Christmas toy drive. From left: Laura Nancekivell, Gina Dobben, Sara Dineen, Wanda Dobben, Sherry Ann VanAnkum, Crystal Huberts and Daniela Barmet.
photo by Patrick Raftis
New Kinette club’s toy drive a success by Patrick Raftis DRAYTON - There’s a new service club in town and they’re already making the community a better place. “We are just wrapping up our first service project, a Christmas Toy Drive which has been a great success,” said Wanda Dobben, a founding member of the recently reformed Drayton Kinette Club. “The support for this project has been outstanding. The generosity of this community has enabled us to brighten Christmas for those in need of some assistance.” The club issued a “special thank you” to Dobben’s Hardware, Mar-Span Home Hardware and Fears Bibs and Cribs for allowing them to place donation boxes at their businesses. The Kinettes also thanked the Kinsmen Club of Drayton for ongoing support, and community members for their generosity. “No project or service club succeeds without the support of the community,” club officials note in a press release.
It’s been several years since there has been a Kinette Club in Drayton. However the club has a long history in the community and an earlier version celebrated its 25th anniversary in 1999. The current Drayton Kinette Club is a diverse group of community-minded women who meet on the first and third Thursday of each month and whose purpose is to “serve the community’s greatest needs while having fun.” “Our current membership includes everyone from singles to young mothers to grandmothers. We are farmers, factory workers and nurses. Our goal is to make our community a better place and to have fun while we’re doing it,” said Dobben. Kinette members describe their club as “motivated and goal oriented.” Future plans include the construction of a proposed splash pad in Drayton, as a joint project with the Drayton Kinsmen. “With the support of the community, we can make it
happen,” the club states. Club members feel the community will benefit greatly from such a large-scale project, proposed for the Kinsmen Park, and will be organizing fundraisers such as a mom-tomom sale, road tolls and other events to help them achieve their goals. The club currently has about a dozen members, just a few short of the 15 needed to become officially chartered. “We are always welcoming new members and ideas. If anyone would like to be a part of the fun and excitement, feel free to join us at one of our meetings. Everyone is welcome. Together we can make this community a better place,” club members state. For more information or to join the Drayton Kinettes contact any club member: Gina Dobben, Erica-Lynn Klaassen, Sara Dineen, Liz Kuper, Paula Holzamer, Wanda Dobben, Sasha Shannon, Sherry Ann VanAnkum, Nadia Hundley Sommerville, Crystal Huberts and Laura Nancekivell.
by Patrick Raftis MAPLETON - Township staff have been directed to conduct a review of ice time rates at the local arena and bring a report back to council in January. Council gave the direction at the Dec. 10 meeting, after defeating a motion to support a Parks Recreation and Culture Committee (PRCC) recommendation to increase ice time rates by five per cent for the 2014-15 season. Rounded up, as the motion indicated, the rates would move up to $83 per hour for nonprime ice time, $109 per hour for prime time and $96 per hour for minor sports. Public works director Larry Lynch pointed out on Dec. 10 that Mapleton’s ice time rates are “significantly lower than anywhere else.” “We need to look at the bigger picture on rates before we look at rates for next year’s
hockey season,” he stated. While noting he understands why local sporting groups would like to know in advance what their rates will be for next season, in order to plan effectively, he suggested there should be more staff input into the rate setting process. “In my mind, staff should have an opportunity to make a recommendation on the rates,” said Lynch. He noted a number of people on the recreation committee are involved in groups which use the arena and “it’s somewhat self-serving. “We have to operate our facilities. That’s the reality. So we have to set our budget and set our rates based on that,” Lynch explained. Councillor Jim Curry agreed with the need for staff and council input on rates. “This is the business and recommendations need to come from management – we need to bring back numbers that re-
flect the business model,” said Curry. Lynch noted there are “massive differences” between Mapleton’s ice time rates and other area municipalities. “Its $168 an hour in Centre Wellington,” for prime ice time, he pointed out. Councillor Andy Knetsch, who sits on the PRCC, suggested there’s little point in having the committee continue to discuss rates and provide recommendations. “If it’s council and staff that are going to make the decision, then we as a committee are just spinning our wheels and wasting our time. Why should this committee be even spending its time and coming forward with recommendations?” asked Knetsch. “I don’t think they’re spinning their wheels. But as far as setting dollar values - that’s where it’s difficult,” said Mayor Bruce Whale.
Major ice storm - Downed tree limbs were a common sight around Drayton and throughout Mapleton Township after the second major ice storm of 2013 struck the area on Dec. 22. Many area residents were without power for much of the weekend and in some areas the outage continued into Monday. The PMD Community Centre and Moorefield fire hall were opened as warming centres. The storm also caused the cancellation of the Alma Santa Claus parade, which was scheduled for Dec. 22. photo by Patrick Raftis
Reflecting on an eventful, newsworthy 2013: The Year in Review by Sarah Grandy MAPLETON The Community News would like to wish everyone a safe and happy 2014, as we take a look back on an eventful year in 2013. The following is just a small sample of the news that made headlines in Mapleton Township in the past 12 months. January Moorefield native Lydia Kalbfleisch of the Durham
College women’s fastball team was selected to represent Team Canada at the 19th annual Maccabi Games, which took place in Israel from July 17 to 31. Kalbfleisch, who played competitive ball locally in the Palmerston Marlins organization, joined Durham women’s fastball assistant coach Rosemary Theriault on Team Canada as Theriault was selected as a co-coach for the international event. Upper Grand District
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School Board trustees approved project descriptions for renovations and additions required to implement full-day kindergarten in 15 elementary schools, including Maryborough Public School in Moorefield, by 2014. Mapleton Council agreed to a cost-sharing arrangement for upgrades on Sideroad 12 as part of a draft site plan agreement with a local grain elevator operator. The Alma Optimist Club donated $5,000 toward the pur-
chase of a giraffe for the obstetrical unit at Groves Memorial Community Hospital. The equipment serves as an incubator, temperature-controlled bed, vital signs monitor and X-ray machine for infants. Alma Optimist officials presented hospital representatives with the donation at a club meeting on Jan. 15, following an update on plans for the new Groves hospital and fundraising efforts designed to make it happen.
Weekly Wag
er ear and anoth y w e n a to Cheers ht s to get it rig chance for u ey - Oprah Winfr
Drayton and Moorefield residents could comfortably raise a glass of clear, clean water to toast the safety of their local supply. Municipal drinking water systems in both communities received a 100 per cent compliance rating in an inspection report from the Ministry of Environment (MOE). February Council made plans to remove a controversial exemption to Minimum Distance Separa-
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tion (MDS) 1 requirements on small, existing, vacant lots in the township. At the Jan. 22 meeting, council agreed to proceed with providing notice of a public meeting on a proposed zoning bylaw amendment to make the change. Drayton Entertainment expanded its repertoire with the opening of its newest theatre. The company incorporated its administrative offices and set and costume design into the Continued on page 2
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