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Serving the Mapleton Community
Community News Volume 47 Issue 21
Drayton, Ontario
1 Year GIC - 2.09% 3 Year GIC - 2.26% 5 Year GIC - 2.80% Daily Interest 1.55%
638-3328
Friday, May 23, 2014
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Council considers ‘fine tuning’ Drayton skate park location after viewing Kinsmen Park site
Safety day - Over 160 local Grade 1 and 4 students participated in Safe Communities, Mapleton’s very first Mapleton Safety Day on May 13 at the PMD Arena in Drayton. Guelph Wellington EMS, Wellington Home and Farm Safety Association, Mapleton Fire Rescue, Wellington OPP, Wellington County Emergency Management and Wellington Dufferin Guelph Public Health were among the groups hosting demonstrations and seminars. The aim was to teach and remind students of accident prevention, safety and preparedness measures at home and at school. Guelph EMS Paramedic Brad Jackson straps Noah Abel to a backboard, demonstrating the type of safety measures paramedics use on the job. More coverage on page 8. photo by Wilma Mol
Council wants answers on perceived disparity in funding for playgrounds by Patrick Raftis MAPLETON - Township council will ask local Upper Grand District School board trustee Bruce Schieck to attend a future meeting to explain a perceived disparity in funding between urban and rural schools. At the May 13 meeting, council received a letter from Centre Peel School Parent Council member Dennis
Diefenbacher requesting council’s help with an upcoming playground equipment fundraiser. The school council asked the township to reduce the rental rate for the Moorefield Community Centre for a barbecue fundraiser on May 24. The letter notes “it’s up to the parents to raise the money,” for the purchase of a proposed play centre.
Over the past year, the parent’s group has raised $38,000 of its $60,000 goal, without receiving grants from any source. “We would greatly appreciate any discount you would be willing to give on our facility rental,” the letter states. Councillor Neil Driscoll said parents would not have to raise funds for things like Continued on page 3
by Patrick Raftis MAPLETON – Township council has agreed to review the location of a proposed skate park in the village of Drayton. On April 22 council approved locating the facility on the parking lot off John Street at Kinsmen Park in Drayton, despite a petition from area residents objecting to the location. At the May 13 meeting, council received a letter from neighbourhood resident Penny Francis, objecting to the John Street location. Francis objected to what she perceived as a lack of public input into the site selection. In her letter, she stated an April 10 public meeting hosted by the Drayton Skatepark Committee “unfortunately, was not a forum for an open discussion, but rather a presentation to the community.” Francis stated the meeting was “well thought out and informative, and questions were asked by residents.” However, she noted, only one member of council, Neil Driscoll, was present. “There has been no other site with as much public opposition as the John Street site, yet it was still selected,” stated Francis. At the April 22 meeting, she said, “Councillor (Andy) Knetsch declared a conflict of interest and left the chamber, councillor Driscoll was against, councillor (Jim) Curry for, and councillor (Mike) Downey seemed more concerned with getting the issue resolved and off the table. Councillor Downey voted for, and the John Street site was accepted. Council did not listen.” In her letter, Francis also
raised concerns about the composition of a subcommittee formed to consider potential locations. councillor was “Why Knetsch not replaced on the subcommittee when he withdrew due to a conflict of interest stemming from his proximity to the proposed John St. location? Why did councillor Curry not feel the same compunction to withdraw based on his proximity to the existing ABC Park location (which did not even make the short list)?” she asked. Francis also asked why only municipally-owned sites were being considered. “There are many vacant lots in the village that would be much closer to the areas the skate kids live in, with a much higher traffic rate. Perhaps a developer could be convinced to donate the land in a subdivision, where most of the kids live?” Francis suggested council reopen the discussion including more public input and “with a much more impartial, transparent process.” “We know there is an issue, we’d like to try to eliminate some of the issues that you have,” said Mayor Bruce Whale. He revealed that council members had recently viewed the site while on a road tour of the area and realized a skate park on the selected location would take up most of the parking lot. “Then we’d have to look at another parking lot,” he said. He suggested council look at different locations within the Kinsmen Park which would be about 300 metres further away
from homes in the area. “It’s been suggested the agricultural society might be willing to look at (allowing the skate park on) some area between the old arena and the ball diamond – or the old trees and the fence line,” said Whale, noting input from the Grand River Conservation Authority would be required for use of those alternative sites. “I’m just wondering if council would be willing to go down and review these two different sites,” said Whale. Driscoll suggested council also reconsider placing the facility at Riverside Park, a location dismissed earlier in the process, partly due to concerns a skate park would take up land that would eventually be needed for a second soccer pitch. “I’ve talked to the soccer association – they have no problem with it,” said Driscoll, noting the site could accommodate both a skate park and an additional soccer pitch if properly configured. However Curry pointed out there are other issues with the site, including “the safety of children getting there,” and the more secluded nature of Riverside Park. Whale noted council has made a decision that it supports a skateboard park. “If we can do some fine tuning on location, that’s what I’d like to see happen,” he said. “We do have to select a site very soon,” said CAO Patty Sinnamon, adding the committee is facing a deadline to apply to the Ontario Trillium Foundation for project funding. “If we can make everybody happy, that would be our goal,” said Driscoll.
Council cuts PMD hall rental rate in half for community craft show by Patrick Raftis MAPLETON - Council has agreed to a 50 per cent reduction in hall rental fees for an upcoming community craft show. Country Christmas Community Craft Show committee member Mary Miller presented a request at the May 13 meeting, asking council to consider “waiving some fees or lowering them,” in support of the 2014 event, which is scheduled for Nov. 22. “The aim of the craft show is to showcase our local talent... we have a lot of local vendors and talent in the area,”
Miller explained. The committee attempts to keep expenses to a minimum in order to donate the proceeds to organizations benefiting local youth. In the past the group has donated to the MAX committee, minor hockey, minor ball, figure skating, Boy Scouts, Girl Guides and the Drayton Youth Centre. The group has 39 spaces for vendors, which are offered first to local vendors at $20 apiece. “We are very low budget; we have no money to start with,” said Miller, who noted admission to the event is a donation to the local food bank. Main St. W. Palmerston
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Miller told council the event usually raises about $1,500 for local youth organizations. She said the event is not dependant on council waiving or reducing the rental fee for the use of the hall at the PMD Arena Complex. “It will go on whether you do or not, we just won’t have as much money to donate,” she said. After hearing the presentation, councillor Jim Curry recommended reducing the $475 rental rate by 50%. “There’s been a lot in the newspaper about losing thousands of dollars (in waived hall
fees), but most of it goes back to local (causes),” said Curry. A staff report presented at the April 22 council meeting revealed the township has waived more than $12,000 in rental fees by not charging organizers of the Drayton Kinsmen Farm Show or the Palmerston Hospital Foundation Starlight Gala for use of facilities this spring. At the same meeting, CAO Patty Sinnamon reported the Moorefield Optimists and Drayton Kinsmen had withdrawn a request for council to waive fees, estimated at about $2,100, for the upcom-
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ing Mapleton Rodeo. Councillor Andy Knetsch supported reduction. “That’s the dilemma that we face more and more as a township ... we try to run this as a business, yet we did a branding exercise in the township not too long ago and among the comments was that people really appreciate the volunteerism in our community,” he noted. However, Knetsch acknowledged there would be costs to the municipality for staffing related to the show, so he favoured the fee reduction, rather than a full waiver. Councillor Neil Driscoll
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said, “I support you 100%, but I have trouble waiving the fees.” He pointed out the township may have to forego a full rate rental in order to accommodate the craft show. “I think it’s a great cause but I’m just looking at what you charge people to come in to your show. Even if you were to get another $10 from exhibitors that would cover your rental,” said Driscoll. The resolution to reduce the rental rate by 50% was approved, with Curry and Knetsch in favor and Driscoll opposed. Councillor Mike Downey was absent.
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