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Serving the Mapleton Community
Community News Volume 47 Issue 04
Drayton, Ontario
Work of local quilter currently on display at Wellington County Museum and Archives ABOYNE - Visitors to the Wellington County Museum and Archives can enjoy the colour, beauty and design of quilts by award-winning quilter Renske Helmuth of Mapleton until June 1. Helmuth designs a visual landscape of memories, travels and rural settings that reflect a wide range of experiences and stunning technical skills, museum officials state. Born in Friesland (Netherlands), Helmuth developed her artistic skills in teachers college where she was given instruction in needlework, knitting and crocheting. However, it wasn’t until she moved to Canada in 1970 that she discovered her true passion in appliquĂŠ quilting. “AppliquĂŠ is a compelling medium for exploring the colours and textures of the natural world. Wonderful fabric samples stir my imagination of what I can do,â€? she said. Helmuth and her husband raised their two children on a farm near Moorefield, where she continued to hone her skills as a quilter, designer and teacher. Rural themes and her
Quilt display - The work of award-winning quilter Renske Helmuth of Mapleton Township will be on display at the Wellington County Museum and Archives until June 1. submitted photo Friesian roots provide much of the inspiration but, inspired by her visits to Africa and Japan, she has incorporated the colours, fabrics and designs
that reflect the wider world of textile art. Many of the two dozen quilts on display embrace Continued on page 3
Curry joins race for mayor in Mapleton by Patrick Raftis MAPLETON - There will be a race for mayor here in 2014. Incumbent Mapleton councillor Jim Curry has announced he will seek the top council post in the election this fall. Curry has been a member of Mapleton council since amalgamation and previously served on Drayton council, a position he was first elected to in 1993. Current Mapleton councillor Neil Driscoll has already announced he will be a candidate for mayor. Incumbent Mayor Bruce Whale has stated he does not plan to seek re-election. “This has been a couple of years in the planning,� Curry
JIM CURRY stated. “Knowing that Mayor Whale was stepping down, with my experience on council, which goes back close to 20 years ... I feel fairly strongly that I’ve got the leadership abilities to be an effective mayor,�
Curry added, noting he has chaired numerous committees of council. Curry says economic growth is the biggest challenge currently facing the township. “We have three developers that want to build more units. We have one developer that wants to build a golf course, but at the present time we’re maxed out at the lagoon.� Curry says he’s looking forward to the upcoming campaign for mayor. “I definitely respect Neil running and it’s been great working with him side by side since he came onto council. I really like what he’s done.� Municipal Election Day across Ontario will be Oct. 27.
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Council to turn back the clock, revert to pre-2010 MDS approach by Patrick Raftis MAPLETON - Council indicated it plans to remove a controversial exemption from minimum distance separation (MDS) regulations in the township’s comprehensive zoning bylaw following a public meeting on a proposed amendment to the bylaw on Jan. 14. The controversial section of the bylaw, which was passed in 2010, provides an exemption from MDS 1 requirements for new non-farm uses of property on existing lots in agricultural zones that are less than four hectares (9.9 acres). The exemption has been the subject of considerable controversy over the past 18 months, as it allowed for residential construction on several previously-dormant lots near Moorefield within the MDS radius of an existing, but unoccupied, hog barn. A motion passed by council at the Jan. 14 meeting calls for a return to the approach taken under the pre-2010 bylaw, with regard to both lots created by checkerboard and “lots of record� in the township. The approach was the recommended option of three presented by Wellington County planner Mark Van Patter at the meeting. The option would
maintain an exemption from MDS 1 for all lots created by severance, and “lots of record,� but exclude checkerboard lots. Van Patter also suggested council consider requiring a rezoning, rather than a minor variance, for any property owners wishing to build on checkerboard lots in the Moorefield area, where the controversy over the exemption erupted. “We know that most if not all of the 29 lots (in the Moorefield area) would be unable to meet the MDS 1 requirement,� in relation to three existing livestock barns in the area, stated Van Patter in his report. “The area needs to be dealt with appropriately, given the conflict that occurred over recent minor variance applications on three lots across Wellington Road 10,� Van Patter continued. “Whatever conclusions council reaches can be put into a site-specific zone. Council may wish to consider whether development proposals for the area should be processed as a rezoning or a minor variance?� Councillor Mike Downey questioned the need to spell out the method of appeal in the bylaw. “I don’t know why we’re
Council confirms mail-in voting for 2014 municipal election
by Patrick Raftis MAPLETON - Local residents will again vote by mail in the 2014 municipal election, council here has confirmed. Council passed a bylaw on Jan. 14 to authorize voting by mail for the 2014 municipal election, entering an agreement with DataFix to provide voteby-mail services, and an agreement with Dominion Voting
Systems to tabulate the voteby-mail ballots. Mapleton used mail-in ballots in the last municipal election in 2010. “It certainly worked well in the last election. We had positive feedback on the process in terms of privacy and that sort of thing,� said CAO Patty Sinnamon. She noted there were some
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voter list problems regarding students who were living away from home last time around and solutions are in the works to deal with that issue. Although the mail-in option will be in place, the bylaw also calls for a ballot return station to be established at the municipal administration centre for electors who prefer to deliver their ballots directly.
Clearing the ice - There’s no charge to use the ice at the “Cow Palace� in Alma, but skaters often have to provide some elbow grease to clear the surface. From left: Cathy Norris, Eric Norris and Michael Bain were busy shovelling on Jan. 17 so the boys could enjoy some PA-day shinny. photo by Patrick Raftis
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adding a couple of paragraphs in, that we don’t need. We’re going back to the former bylaw and we didn’t have any problem with that,â€? said Downey, adding, “You’re making a rule - but this is how you get around the rule ...â€? Downey also stated, “In the 14 years I’ve been sitting at this table, it’s the most contentious issue that I’ve had to deal with.â€? Other options presented by Van Patter in his report included: - maintaining the status quo and not applying MDS 1 to vacant lots under 9.9 acres; and - applying MDS to all vacant lots in the township. Van Patter pointed out that in Wellington County, Erin, Guelph-Eramosa, Minto and Wellington North all use the first approach. “Generally, this is the option that county planning favours. It is based on the principle that lots created legally should be accorded development rights,â€? he said. Centre Wellington is the only municipality that requires MDS 1 standards be applied to all lots. “If council should choose to go with option two (applying MDS to all lots), owners of vacant severed lots should be given notice of the rezoning. The option represents a significant departure from both the current and previous zoning bylaws,â€? Van Patter noted. Council directed Van Patter to prepare a comprehensive zoning bylaw amendment based on a return to the approach in the previous bylaw. During the public meeting, several local residents indicated they were in favor of the return to the previous approach. Mapleton farmer Liz Samis said she supported the approach, although ideally she would prefer to see MDS 1 applied to all lots in the township. Samis noted farming is “one of largest contributors to the local economy. “I want to speak in favor of anything that, in the future, will allow us, as farmers, to keep on making a living by farming,â€? she stated. “Every acre of prime agricultural land that we lose is an acre that we potentially lose to feed our country ‌ every acre that we lose to a house is lost to future generations. I think we need to think long term.â€? Moorefield area resident Continued on page 3
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