the
Serving the Mapleton Community
Community News Volume 47 Issue 02
Drayton, Ontario
Daily Interest 1.55%
638-3328
Friday, January 10, 2014
www.jackfinancial.ca
Major winter storm strikes region
Township assumes subdivision by Patrick Raftis DRAYTON - Mapleton Township has agreed to final assumption of the Drayton Heights subdivision Phase 5a. In a Dec. 10 report to council engineers from R.J. Burnside and Associates recommended the municipality agree to the developer’s request for final assumption and release of remaining securities retained by the township. “We believe that the subdivision works are performing satisfactorily, are serving their intended use and are in a position to be considered for final assumption by the township,� states the report. It notes the temporary skateboard area set up by local residents in the cul de sac at the end of Maple Street “continues to be an issue. “This cannot be a permanent location for this facility and we understand the township has been undergoing review of potential alternative locations,� the engineers state. ‘There is a future residential phase still to be constructed and the road right of way in this location is required to facilitate road access. It is our understanding that township staff will be working at addressing this issue and therefore we have not required the developer to remove the items as a requirement for our final assumption recommendation.� The engineers also note the topsoil stockpile in the subdivision has been “substantially reduced� and is now situated on land designated for a future phase of development. The remaining topsoil has been leveled out and is to be used in the remaining phases. The engineers’ recommendations, accepted by council at the meeting, state the township will: - verify all administrative matters; - verify with the township solicitor that all legal matters have been addressed; - obtain a $5,000 deposit from the developer to ensure items related to street trees and potential restoration adjacent to recently-repaired sidewalks are addressed in the spring; - grant final acceptance of the works in Drayton Heights Phase 5a Subdivsion releasing the remaining securities being held (subject to receiving the $5,000 deposit); and - assume the responsibility of hydro costs related to street lighting currently being paid for by Activa Holdings Inc.
1 Year GIC - 2.10% 3 Year GIC - 2.26% 5 Year GIC - 2.80%
WELLINGTON CTY. A major winter storm struck southwestern Ontario this week, playing havoc with traffic around the county and creating “life threatening conditions� across the region. Heavy snowfalls began moving into the area on Jan. 5 and turned heavy overnight on Sunday. By Monday morning, Environment Canada had issued a blizzard warning. Local snowfall amounts of 15 to 30cm were considered “quite possible� in snow
squalls by Tuesday, according to a press release issued by the County of Wellington on Monday morning. “A combination of the dangerous snow squalls with extreme wind chills of minus 35 to minus 40 will produce frequent blizzard conditions this afternoon and tonight,� the county stated in the release. “Frequent to widespread very low to nil visibilities with near whiteout conditions are expected especially in exposed areas during the snow squalls.� Environment Canada warn-
ings indicated a combination of a fresh heavy snowfall with intense snow squalls and bitter wind chills posed, “a lifethreatening risk for anyone outside for any duration, or stranded in vehicles if roads become snow-blocked.� Travellers were advised to ensure they had an adequate car emergency kit and ample fuel if travelling any distance. The blizzard conditions were expected to slowly ease somewhat on Tuesday although the snow squalls and blowing Continued on page 3
CATS team disbands after hosting final seminar on sexual abuse Hitting the ice - Among those taking part in some holiday skating at the PMD Arena on Jan. 3 were, from left: Mallorie Jack, Lizzy Klosa and Daphne Culp. photo by Patrick Raftis
GRCA properties damaged by December ice storm CAMBRIDGE - The late December ice storm has resulted in a massive cleanup job on Grand River Conservation Authority properties. As of Jan. 3, just two GRCA parks were open, and only for ice fishing: Shade’s Mills, Avenue Road in Cambridge and Belwood Lake near Fergus. Shade’s opened Jan. 3 for fishing and will be open from 8am to 4:30pm on weekdays and 8am to 5pm on weekends. Ice hut rentals begin Saturday. Belwood Lake has been open since late December and is available daily from 8am to 3:30pm. Two other parks that offer winter activities remain closed, while GRCA staff assess damage and remove downed or hanging branches and trees: Laurel Creek, Westmount Road, Waterloo and Pinehurst Lake, Pinehurst Road, north of Paris. Three nature centres have been open for winter day camps during the holidays: Laurel Creek in Waterloo, Guelph Lake and Apps Mill (Brantford). With the return of school classes at these three nature centres and a fourth at Shade’s Mills in Cambridge, staff are working to ensure that all areas used by students are available for programs. All other GRCA trails, parks, and natural areas remain closed due to the threat posed to visitors. Branches and trees that were damaged during the
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ice storm continue to fall and there is a risk that visitors could be hurt by falling debris. GRCA staff are aware some people are going into these areas to remove downed branches so they can use the properties. However, hanging branches and trees still pose a danger so the GRCA is asking the public to stay out of the areas. The closed facilities as of Jan. 3 included: - Elora-Cataract Trailway, Cambridge-Paris Rail-Trail, SC Johnson Trail (Paris to Brantford) and Brantford-Hamilton Rail-Trail; and - other GRCA paid-admission parks, which are normally closed for the winter are: Conestogo Lake, Elora Gorge, Elora Quarry, Guelph Lake, Rockwood, Brant and Byng. In its cleanup efforts, the GRCA has been giving priority to securing hundreds of residential properties on its land. Most of these are cottages at Belwood Lake and Conestogo Lake parks. Trees have fallen on cottages and taken out power lines, making the cottage areas unsafe to visit. Thousands of trees on GRCA property have fallen or been damaged, many of them in areas that are usually open to the public. Dozens of GRCA staff, supplemented by outside tree and electrical contractors, have been working on ice storm damage.
DRAYTON The Community Awareness Training Seminar (CATS) team held its last seminar entitled Open Our Hearts/ Breaking the Silence on Nov. 16. “The CATS Team was formed in November 2009 to provide our community with educational seminars pertaining to mental illness and related issues,� said CATS chair Jim Curry. “We have hosted several seminars since the first seminar in the spring of 2010, and we can tell from the feedback received that these sessions have been a positive impact on many lives. Several members of the team have
served since the inception and with the difficulty of recruiting new members it has been decided to discontinue the CATS. Team. ‘‘I would like to say a personal thanks to everyone who served on our team over the years. The support of individuals, service providers, and churches made this all possible.� Curry also thanked the local media for support in promoting the seminars. At the Nov. 16 seminar, Susan Winter Fledderus, clinical therapist with Shalem Mental Health Network, was the keynote speaker and the focus was on the topic of sexual abuse. She stated that
sexual abuse is defined as “the exploitation of another or any sexual intimacy forced upon another, for the sexual stimulation or gratification of the abuser. All sexual activity without consent, regardless of age, is a criminal offence.� Fledderus went on to mention “that sexual abuse of children and youth occurs when an older child, adolescent or adult takes advantage of a younger child or youth for sexual purposes.� She stated that one in four girls are sexually abused before the age of 18 and one in six boys are abused before age 18. Statistics Canada reported that in 2007 “58% of sexual Continued on page 3
Snowy scene - Numerous snowfalls, combined with a bit of sunshine, created this scenic image along Sideroad 14 in Mapleton Township recently. photo by Patrick Raftis
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