Drayton Community News December 6, 2013

Page 1

the

Serving the Mapleton Community

Community News Volume 46 Issue 49

Drayton, Ontario

1 Year GIC - 2.10% 3 Year GIC - 2.26% 5 Year GIC - 2.80% Daily Interest 1.55%

638-3328

Friday, December 6, 2013

www.jackfinancial.ca

Fire destroys Mapleton public works shop during flame-filled weekend

by Patrick Raftis MAPLETON - The township’s public works building near Drayton was destroyed by fire last Friday night, during one of the busiest weekends local firefighters have ever experienced. Mapleton firefighters responded to a total of five fires between Nov. 28 and 30. “We don’t get that many major fires in a year,� Fire Chief Rick Richardson said on Dec. 1, adding the busy weekend also included a call to a traffic accident on Wellington Road 109. And on Monday morning, the department was called out to assist with a woman in labour at her Drayton home. She made it to Fergus by ambulance in time to have the baby in the hospital there. The hectic stretch began at 10pm on Nov. 28, when Mapleton firefighters were called to a house fire on Concession 9 of Arthur Township, along with Arthur firefighters. Mapleton and Arthur firefighters are simultaneously called to occurrences in that area, Richardson explained. “We basically set up and Arthur took over,� he said. At 2:30 am Mapleton fighters were called to Glen Allan to deal with a truck burning beside a garage. “We put the truck (fire) out. The garage was okay,� said Richardson, noting firefighters were able to prevent the fire from spreading. Firefighters cleared the

Works shed destroyed - Mapleton firefighters responded to a fire at the township’s public works shed on Sideroad 16 at round 6pm on Nov. 29. While the township’s snow plowing equipment was removed from the shop and saved, the building was eventually lost to fire. photo by Wilma Mol

Glen Allan scene by 4am, but were on the road about 90 minutes later to deal with a fire in a corn dryer at Rothsay. “We opened it up, got the corn out and sprayed it down; it wasn’t a big deal,� said Richardson, noting there was no damage to the corn dryer as a result of the fire. Firefighters returned from that call before 7am and all was quiet until just before 6pm that night, Nov. 29, when a call came in from a pass-

erby who spotted fire at the township’s work shed at the Mapleton administrative centre on Sideroad 16. Drayton and Moorefield station firefighters responded, with Arthur firefighters called in to supply water and manpower, and Centre Wellington’s Elora station called in to supply an aerial truck. “We didn’t want anybody on the roof,� said Richardson. “Most of the guys worked to get the fire under control,�

while four of the firefighters who work for the township and Wellington County roads departments removed snowplows and trucks from the shop and took them to the Moorefield public works yard. While firefighters were checking for hot spots among the insulation and wood trusses and Richardson was doing a television interview about the shop fire, Moorefield and Drayton firefighters heard their pagers go off once again, this

time for a basement fire on Bonniewood Drive. The Arthur firefighters, already released from the shop fire scene and standing at the ready in Drayton, were sent to Bonniewood, along with a contingent of Mapleton firefighters. The basement was fullyengulfed when they arrived, said Richardson, but the fire was extinguished with the use of a Fit-5 fire suppression device.

Richardson said the device is like a “grenade� that spins around and releases fire retardant material into a room. “It basically put the fire 90 per cent out and then our guys went down with water and hoses and put out a few hot spots,� said the chief. While no one was injured, the Bonniewood Drive home sustained extensive smoke damage to the upper floors and the basement was “destroyed.� Back at the works shed, the fire had been “calmed down,� by about 1am and manpower and equipment were scaled back. However a crew of six with pumper, water and ladder trucks remained on the scene to watch for flare ups. That happened at about 5:30am, Richardson reports. “The wind came from the west really hard and picked up a spark on the end of the building and it just took off through the trusses,� he said. “It was through the trusses and into the mezzanine within 10 minutes.� While not prepared to provide a dollar estimate, Richardson said the shop is a total loss. “We’ll be starting from scratch when the investigation is over,� he said. While the fire is not considered suspicious, an Ontario Fire Marshal’s investigation is triggered automatically on fires where damages is estimated to exceed $750,000, Richardson explained. He declined to speculate on the cause of the blaze until Continued on page 3

Developer ‘anxious’ to proceed with Glenaviland development

Story time - Drayton Heights Public School students were invited to dress up like storybook characters on Nov. 21. LEFT: Carlin Scheerer and Haleigh Richardson dressed as their favourite book characters. RIGHT: Principal Jeff Crawford, as “the man in the yellow hat� from the Curious George series. submitted photos

Main St. W. Palmerston Rated PG

Last Vegas Ladies Night! Thursday, December 5th at 7pm Featuring “ The Family Stone�. Admission: $2.

SHOWTIMES: Friday and Saturday 8pm and Sunday 7pm

For more info call 519-343-3640 or visit www.norgantheatre.com

by Meagan Leonard DRAYTON - Concerns regarding long-term sewage capacity may prevent further development on Drayton Ridge, halting progress on a large condo block and golf course. Glenaviland Development president Fred Prior says he remains optimistic about the project, informing council on Nov. 26 that gas and hydro would be installed at the site by the first week of December. However, construction of the large condo block overlooking the river and an 89-acre golf course will have to be put on hold until measures are taken to enhance sewage capacity in the village, he said. “The golf course and condos depend on improved sewage capacity and we were under the impression more was coming ... We made a commitment and are anxious to keep going,

Weekly Wag

ho will risk Only those w find can possibly going too far ne can go. out how far o - T.S. Eliot -

but can’t do that without [it],� Prior told council. Glenaviland Development has fronted the cost of hydro to the site, but will not receive a rebate if the lots are not all sold within five years. This is a major concern if the project comes to a standstill, said Prior, who explained $4.5 million has been invested in the Glenaviland site. Talks have been underway to expand the Mapleton sewage system, which serves Drayton and Moorefield. Township officials say proposals would allocate an additional 200 cubic metres to the current capacity of 750m³ but given the demand, the system would be maxed out again within a few months. Drayton may need a partial or full treatment plan to accommodate the new growth, possibly through a combined mechanical/lagoon system.

Mayor Bruce Whale acknowledged Prior’s report and said he hopes to arrange a delegation with the Ministry of Environment in February once further data is gathered from staff, conservation authorities, and consulting parties. While a new treatment system would be considered a capital investment spread over a number of years, its implementation would allow for further development on the site and economical growth in the region, Whale said. On Nov. 1, council granted preliminary acceptance to phase two, stage one of the Glenaviland subdivision in Drayton’s north end. The acceptance, granted at a special council meeting, recognizes the developer has dealt with a list of conditions set out in a subdivision agreement with the municipality.

'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


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.
Drayton Community News December 6, 2013 by WHA Publications Ltd. - Issuu