the
Serving the Mapleton Community
Community News Volume 47 Issue 18
Drayton, Ontario
ing bylaw,� said Sinnamon. “While I do not anticipate any concerns from the GRCA, given the previous use as a lawn bowling green, (because of) the close proximity to downtown businesses and residences above those businesses, this site is not appropriate for this type of activity. The closest residence is less than 50 metres.� The arena parking lot location, she noted, would create a number of different concerns. “While this site is zoned appropriately, it does not allow for any landscaping features,� she stated. “Utilizing the corner of the parking lot would also reduce the number of parking spaces available for functions being held at the sports complex. I would also have concern about the safety of young people skating among parked vehicles to get to the pad.� Sinnamon said the Kinsmen Park location offers a number of advantages. “Existing recreational uses (ball diamond, soccer field, fair grounds) would integrate well with the skate park,� she said. “The site would also allow for landscaping and benches. The distance to the nearest residence is 93 metres.� Councillor Neil Driscoll, the only council member to attend the skate park public meeting, expressed concern about the site selection process Continued on page 6
Daily Interest 1.55%
638-3328
Friday, May 2, 2014
Kinsmen Park chosen for skate park facility by Patrick Raftis DRAYTON - Mapleton council has approved Kinsmen Park as the site of a future skate board facility in this village. Council selected the location from a shortlist of three presented at the April 22 council meeting, even though 21 of 39 ballots cast at a public information session hosted by the Drayton Skatepark Committee favored a location in the lower half of the downtown municipal parking lot. Of the other voters, 12 favored the Kinsmen Park location and six the PMD Arena parking lot. In a report to council at the April 22 meeting, CAO Patty Sinnamon explained that although 21 people voted for the lower parking lot, “the committee has indicated that the first choice is actually the Drayton Kinsmen Park.� She said many of the young people at the April 10 meeting told her and committee members they voted for the lower parking lot because the asphalt was already there. “In reality, asphalt is a second choice in terms of the pad to place the various skateboard infrastructure on. A cement pad is the preferred choice,� said Sinnamon. From a planning perspective, she noted, the downtown location is not suitable. “This site is designated as core greenlands in the (Official Plan) and floodplain in the zon-
1 Year GIC - 2.09% 3 Year GIC - 2.26% 5 Year GIC - 2.80%
www.jackfinancial.ca
Environmental assessment, irrigation plan considered to ease capacity crunch
Pounding iron - Mapleton farrier Wendy Wood was busy demonstrating her craft at the Centre Wellington Equine Trade Show on April 27 at the sportsplex in Fergus. Wood is a graduate of Olds College Alberta’s advanced farrier science program and a certified farrier with the American Farriers Association. photo by Mike Robinson
by Patrick Raftis MAPLETON - A Municipal Class Environmental Assessment (MCEA) for wastewater servicing for the villages of Drayton and Moorefield will take about a year and cost approximately $91,000, council has learned. Dave Paetz of R.J. Burnside and Associates attended the April 22 meeting to present a work plan for the proposed project. “The project would evaluate and determine a reliable and cost-effective solution for the long-term wastewater conveyance and treatment needs to service the full build-out of Drayton and Moorefield,� a report from the engineering firm explains. The township has been working to address its wastewater servicing issues in light of a freeze on development due to a lack of available sewage treatment capacity. The Burnside report states the township faces two distinct challenges with regard to wastewater treatment capacity and requires two separate strategies: - a short-term strategy to accommodate immediate capacity needs, which are the result of sustained development pressure; and - a long-term strategy for
wastewater management at full build-out. “The existing wastewater treatment plant is near capacity and there are local developers that are ready to build pending allocation of wastewater capacity,� the report states. “The township currently does not have sufficient unallocated capacity to meet this development pressure. This issue needs to be addressed as soon as possible to prevent stagnation of development in the township.� The main objective of the short-term strategy is to obtain Ministry of the Environment (MOE) approval for an increase in the rated capacity of the plant, while minimizing the short-term capital costs for any plant upgrades. Burnside is proposing to review the township’s immediate/short-term growth and flow requirements to confirm a short-term target for the capacity increase to ease the development pressure until the longterm strategy can be completed and implemented. The engineers state the target must be no more than 950m3/day to be covered under the existing Class EA from 1996. The long-term strategy would involve development of Continued on page 5
New township logo selected as part of branding exercise in Mapleton by Patrick Raftis MAPLETON - Council has officially approved a new logo as part of a branding exercise underway in the township. At the April 22 meeting, council approved a staff report recommending adoption of a logo selected with the assistance of public input. In January, council accepted the recommendation of the township’s management committee to spend $8,500 to hire London-based consulting firm Honey Design to conduct a municipal branding exercise. Focus groups involving about 20 local residents helped select a short list of three logos designed by the consulting firm. The logos, which feature the Mapleton name and the tagline “Rooted in Tradition – Growing for the Future,� were displayed at the township’s booth at the Drayton Farm Show on April 2 and 3. Residents were asked to vote on the one they preferred.
New logo - Mapleton council has endorsed a new logo, shown digitally imposed on an entrance sign, for the township as part of a branding exercise. submitted photo The chosen design, featuring a stylized three-colour maple leaf over the text, was preferred by 55 per cent of 152 ballots cast at the farm show. Crystal Ellis, Mapleton’s business development and mar-
Main St. W. Palmerston
Rio 2
Rated G and 105 Minutes Long
TIMES: Friday 8pm, Saturday 2pm & 8pm and Sunday 7pm
For more info call 519-343-3640 or visit www.norgantheatre.com
keting co-coordinator, said the majority felt the design “represented the agricultural traits of the area, the font brought a traditional element, and the leaves were seen as representing the smaller communities
coming together to support one another.â€? While approving the logo design, councillors’ reactions were mixed. “This is an excellent job and an excellent project that you have done,â€? said councillor Jim Curry. “The slogan ‘Rooted in tradition and growing for the future’ – I wondered if growing was the right word? Maybe prepared? Do we know we’re growing?â€? wondered Mayor Bruce Whale. “The idea is to make Mapleton more attractive as a place to bring your family ‌ and to have your life rooted here,â€? Ellis explained. Councillor Mike Downey questioned the value of changing the township’s logo. “I don’t have an issue with branding, but the whole concept of changing logos, does that change our brand? Does that attract business? I look at the whole cost of doing this and what’s the return? How is
Weekly Wag
sts money. Education co e. oes ignoranc d o s n e th t u B oser – Sir Claus M
it beneficial?� Downey asked. “This allows us to look at who we really are ... so that people aren’t referring to ‘I’m from Alma,’ or ‘I’m from Drayton.’ They’re saying ‘I’m from Mapleton.’ So that’s the return,� replied Ellis. “I don’t think there’s any real measure of how you evaluate something like this,� Whale commented. “If that logo was on our trucks, it’s something that people would notice rather than trying to read (the existing logo).� “I look at it like a redecoration. It’s like a new paint job. Does it make us money?� asked Downey. “I’m not condemning this design or the work being done - it’s taxpayer’s expense.� Whale noted most costs would be up front, as the logo is incorporated on signage and equipment. “The next stage of the rollout will be budgeting. That stuff will be rolled out, but it will be a mater of time as the money is allocated,� Ellis
explained. “Just for the record, there’s been a lot less public input on this than there was on the skate park,� said Downey. Whale pointed out public input included focus groups and the farm show display. “Were there any public meetings?� asked Downey. Advised there were not, Downey continued, “So if you didn’t attend the farm show you didn’t have any public input?� Ellis pointed out the display at the farm show actually resulted in more public input than an April 10 public meeting on skate park options, which was attended by about 35 people. Only 29 ballots were cast on a short-list of three potential locations for a skateboarding facility in Drayton. “Maybe you could compare the amount of people who came to your public meeting, compared to going out to where the people were,� Ellis suggested.
'5$<7216725$*( FRP ,QGLYLGXDO 6WRUDJH 8QLWV Individual Storage Units [ [ [ [ 5x10 10x10 10x15 10x20 6HDVRQDO ERDWV FDUV 59V ODZQ WUDFWRUV Seasonal VXPPHU ZLQWHU WLUH VWRUDJH boats, cars, RVs, lawn tractors, summer/winter tire storage