John Grace, the deputy mayor of Goderich, explains the gazebo designed for the town’s downtown park during a public meeting recently.

HEATHER BOA Bullet News GODERICH – The redesign of Goderich’s downtown park is “going to blow you away,” says John Grace, the town’s deputy mayor.

Display panels with conceptual drawings of a gazebo with a compass rose at its centre, a water feature with basalt columns stretching 15 feet high, 24-hour accessible washrooms, a performance stage at the site of the former gazebo, a blast of colourful plantings in the commemorative garden and outdoor park benches, picnic tables and trash cans lined the hallways of town hall for a public meeting this week. People began to trickle in before the scheduled start time, with a steady flow of pedestrian traffic until the meeting’s end as the curious inspecting the display panels and asking questions.

“I think the community’s going to embrace this,” Grace said.

The park, which is the focal point of the octagonal downtown business district, was devastated during the tornado that ripped through Goderich and area on Aug. 21, 2011. Shortly after, The Planning Partnership of Toronto, led the community through a series of visioning sessions to develop a master plan for the park. A volunteer committee has worked to carry that plan forward.

A $1.6-million tender for civil works, landscaping and electrical was awarded to Lavis Contracting Co. Ltd. in August 2012. The commemorative garden planting has been removed from the contract and the town’s park department will do the work instead.

The total project was expected to cost more than $3 million.

The town has accepted contracts for the gazebo by local blacksmith James Wallace, which will be built on the west lawn, just off intersecting pathways. It will be wheelchair accessible, with entrances at its front and back, and will have flower planters on its outside.

The committee is considering a switch from a fabric canopy to a more traditional roof because it’s been unable to settle on design and colour issues, Grace said. Instead, it will call from expressions of interest from a few architects, with advice from the Planning Partnership and B.M. Ross and Associates, for a permanent roof and an open front to give the audience full view.

A washroom committee has worked with local architect Adolfo Spaleta to design an octagonal-shaped washroom that will be visible from the local OPP station.

Grace said the diamond pattern roof on the gazebo, performance stage and washroom will be consistent with dark grey panels below the windows of the courthouse, which is at the centre of the downtown park.

Submitted photo

HEATHER BOA Bullet News ASHFIELD-COLBORNE-WAWANOSH – Amiera Black is covered in crazy socks today.

The seven-year-old has ankle socks designed to look like animal faces with black eyes on the shoulders of a t-shirt that reads: Shower me in love. Every colour of the rainbow is in the slew of socks that hang from her waist in a clash of Argyle, stripes, and circles. Each has a bright flower sewn at its base. And on her feet is a pair of yellow knee socks with a bootlace pattern, topped by ankle socks.

Goderich’s deputy reeve, John Grace, is ready to help celebrate International Down Syndrome Day today.

Amiera is ready to celebrate International Down Syndrome Day today, March 21. Down syndrome is a genetic disease in which a person has 47 chromosomes instead of the usual 46. In Down syndrome, the most common single cause of birth defects, a person has an extra 21th chromosome, which affects development of the body and brain.

Amiera’s mother, Jennifer, has delivered crazy socks to Goderich’s town hall in the hopes that councillors will help to raise awareness.

“March 21 is a day for us to celebrate Amiera – and all that her diagnosis has added to our lives – in a very public way. As well, it’s a chance for us to educate the general public about Down syndrome and let the world see that individuals with Down syndrome are worth celebrating,” she said.

Amiera’s schoolmates at St. Mary’s Catholic Elementary School will help celebrate by wearing crazy socks too. As an added bonus, Amiera will receive a Great Gains award during a school assembly.

“We’re also going to visit some of the businesses in town that are participating and thank them for their support,” Black said.

Black said crazy socks were picked for today because they’re fun and unique and because they are conversation starters.

“We should all embrace our uniqueness and be free to have fun with it. I like to think the crazy socks represent that freedom.
 Be ourselves and accept others for who they are without stereotypes and fear,” she said.

Amiera’s sister, Sadie, brother, Gracin, and father, Wayne, will also help to celebrate today.

BLUEWATER - Huron OPP officers are investigating a break, enter and theft to an unoccupied residence located on York Crescent in Hensall.

On March 14, 2013 at approximately 9 p.m., officers responded to the premise after receiving Bell telephone information of unknown trouble with the phone line.  Upon arrival, officers located a smashed out basement window.  Further investigation revealed the main water line from the water heater had also been damaged causing extensive flooding throughout the basement.  Officers then detected a carbon monoxide leak within the residence.

Hensall Fire Department personnel attended the scene to safely shut off the leak and ventilate the residence. Two OPP members were treated and released from South Huron Hospital as a precaution for carbon monoxide exposure.

Approximately $2,500 in property was stolen and the flooding caused an estimated $15,000 to $20,000 in damage to the residence.  Among the stolen items include:  15 bottles of alcohol, 2 cartons of Player’s Light cigarettes, 8 gift baskets containing alcohol and a men’s gold necklace.

Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to contact the Huron OPP at 1-888-310-1122 or (519) 524-8314.

Should you wish to remain anonymous, you may call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), where you may be eligible to receive a cash reward of up to $2,000.

BBQ STOLEN FROM BACKYARD

SOUTH HURON - Huron OPP officers are investigating the theft of a stainless steel barbecue and attached cover stolen from the backyard of a Sanders Street West residence.  This theft took place sometime between March 11 and March 15, 2013.

The value of the BBQ is estimated at $500.  The owner was unable to provide further details on the BBQ.

Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to contact the Huron OPP at 1-888-310-1122 or (519) 524-8314.

Should you wish to remain anonymous, you may call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), where you may be eligible to receive a cash reward of up to $2,000.

GENERATORS STOLEN FROM GARAGE

GODERICH - Huron OPP officers are investigating a break, enter and theft that occurred at a detached garage located at St. David Street.  Suspects gained entry by prying open the man door.  Once inside, they stole an older model red 1,000-watt Honda gas powered generator and heavier duty red 6,500-watt Honda gas generator.  The generators are valued at $550.

This crime took place sometime between March 3, 2013 and March 15, 2013.

Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to contact the Huron OPP at 1-888-310-1122 or (519) 524-8314.

Should you wish to remain anonymous, you may call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), where you may be eligible to receive a cash reward of up to $2,000.

CHEVY PICKUP STOLEN

BLUEWATER - Huron County OPP officers were dispatched to a farm property located on Bannockburn Line after the property owner discovered a burnt out vehicle.  Just after 2:30 p.m. on March 17, 2013 officers arrived and located the burnt out pickup truck approximately 150 feet off the roadway.

Officers confirmed the Chevrolet S10 pickup had been stolen earlier in the week from a residence located on Winnipeg Road in Vanastra.  The fire caused extensive damage to the vehicle.

Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to contact the Huron OPP at 1-888-310-1122 or (519) 524-8314.

Should you wish to remain anonymous, you may call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), where you may be eligible to receive a cash reward of up to $2,000.

PUDDLE JUMPER GOES FOR A SWIM

HURON EAST - A man, 46, went for an unexpected swim in the chilly Maitland River this past Saturday.

Shortly after 5 p.m. on March 16, 2013 Huron County OPP officers and Huron County paramedics were dispatched to attend the banks of the Maitland River located in Brussels at McCutcheon Drive.  Police learned a snowmobiler attempted to catch up with his fellow snowmobile friends by taking a dangerous shortcut across the Maitland River.  The driver attempted to “puddle jump” a section of open water about 50 metres wide.  His 2011 Yamaha RX1 snowmobile made it half way across the water when it began to take on water and sank.  The driver managed to swim back to shore; he was not injured.  The snow machine was to be recovered today.

The Elora man was charged with careless driving.

GODERICH – Goderich’s Dirk Wolterbeek is now in the top 100 volunteers competing for a final $100,000 prize in the Kraft Hockey Goes On competition.

Finalists from across the country were announced this weekend, with two days of on-line voting slated to begin March 23.

“He was pleased as punch,” organizer Steve Hewitt said this morning. The Goderich Minor Hockey Association held a pep rally on Saturday night, which was attended by Wolterbeek’s family. “He was just glowing.”

The top five volunteers will be announced April 3 and their local hockey association will be awarded $100,000, while an additional 20 volunteers will be recognized and their local hockey association will receive $20,000, and Hockey Canada will be provided $100,000 to distribute to Learn to Skate programs at the local level.

Saturday’s pep rally raised $2,000 for spina bifida, a cause close to Dirk Wolterbeek, whose daughter’s is affected by the birth defect in which either the brain and spine or only the spine fails to develop properly in the womb.

The local committee has begun rallying the community so that when on-line voting begins March 23, people in Goderich and area will be ready with their votes.

For more information, contact Steve Hewitt at [email protected] or Doug Cruickshank at [email protected]

Submitted photo

GODERICH – A fire drill at the Goderich hospital went off without a hitch recent.

Alexandra Marine and General Hospital partnered with the Goderich Fire Department to test Code Red (fire) and Code Green (evacuation) on March 5.

In the drill, a Code Red was initiated at 7:45 p.m. due to a fire that started by a patient smoking in bed, which activated a smoke alarm in Room 253. Switchboard staff observed the alarm and announced the location of the fire on the overhead public announcement system. There were three actors who played the roles of patients placed in areas that would require evacuation, one in Room 253 and two in Room 256.

The AMGH fire brigade arrived at the scene in quickly, accompanied by nursing staff on the floor. Nursing staff were quick to respond and evacuate the patients to the west wing beyond the fire doors.  The fire department responded in full gear within less than 12 minutes.  After assessing the situation and seeing the fire, the fire department notified the Hospital that vertical evacuation of the area was required. At this time, an evacuation (code green) was implemented.  The fire department, with help from the staff, evacuated the patients down the stairway on the west wing. After evacuation of the patients, the dire department contained the fire and did a sweep of the building to ensure no other danger.

Story and photos submitted by AMGH staff

HEATHER BOA Bullet News GODERICH – Goderich’s town council needs more information about the events surrounding a drowning at the pool in a town-owned recreation centre in order to make informed decisions moving forward, says a councillor.

“Due diligence by the council elected to protect the interests of the town is impossible in an informational void,” said Coun. Jim Donnelly, who spoke on the subject for more than 10 minutes at last night’s council meeting.

On Jan. 19, Sarah Henry-Mills, 14, was pulled unresponsive from the deep end of the pool during a birthday party at the town-owned Maitland Recreation Centre in which the YMCA is contracted to run programs. The teen, from Ashfield-Colborne-Wawanosh, died in London’s Children’s Hospital three days later.

“This is not a quest for information to satisfy a curious public or the media. It is information that is the foundation for action by a council to protect public safety at the pool,” he said.

He said it had been 53 days since the drowning and council has not been informed about how the incident occurred and remedial steps have been taken to ensure it won’t happen again, even though the town has a 10-year contract with the YMCA that lays out a reporting process, including agreement on an annual plan. The contract, which is expected to be renewed for an additional five years effective April 1, 2013, also includes the provision for oversight by a recreation board that “monitors and ensures” YMCA compliance with the plan.

He said information has not come from the YMCA despite a contractual right to the information at all times.

He said the town had an obligation to ensure safety when the pool reopened after the teenager drowned.

“What could be more loathsome than a second drowning and at the inquest this question is asked: ‘Following the first drowning, what precautions did you take to prevent a recurrence’ and our answer must be ‘none’?” Donnelly said.

He asked that his prepared comments be included as an addendum to the meeting minutes and be posted on the town’s website. Click here to read Coun. Jim Donnelly submission.

A member of the YMCA board attended the council meeting, but was not called upon to answer questions.

The town’s administrator / clerk, Larry McCabe, said the town has not received any information in writing from the YMCA. He said he has not been directed by council to seek a legal opinion.

Council is requesting its solicitor attend the next council meeting.

Mayor Deb Shewfelt, Dan Stringer, Tom Fincher and Administrator / Clerk Larry McCabe.

Bullet News GODERICH – Goderich Town Council recognized two local businessmen for more than 40 years of combined service to the Goderich Business Improvement Area today.

Dan Stringer and Tom Fincher were presented with certificates of appreciation for their volunteer efforts. Stringer owned Rieck’s Pharmacy from 1978 to 2001 and remains employed part-time as a pharmacist at Rexall PharmaPlus. Fincher owns Fincher’s in Goderich and Kincardine.

“Many years of hard work by these two gentlemen,” said Mayor Deb Shewfelt. “I think to run a business and also to partake [in volunteer work] is a lot of work and we appreciate the years that have been put in.”

Stringer said, “It’s all about collaboration, co-operation and teamwork and if you don’t have that, you don’t have anything. This is not just for Tom and me, this is for everyone who works hard on the BIA.”

Fincher said the Goderich BIA and town officials worked to accomplish things as a group.

The Goderich BIA has about 200 members in a designated downtown area of Goderich.

GODERICH- Two Goderich men face criminal charges following a traffic stop in that town today.

Just after 10 a.m., officers stopped a brown Pontiac Bonneville that was travelling on Walnut Street.  Upon stopping the vehicle and speaking with the two occupants, officers were able to confirm the driver was a suspended driver.

Further investigation revealed both the driver and passenger to be in possession of a small quantity of illegal drugs that were located inside the vehicle.

In addition, officers determined the driver had falsely identified himself to police when he was stopped on February 18, 2013 in the Town of Goderich.  Officers were able to confirm the name given at that time was bogus.

As a result, the driver, 26, has been charged with possession of a controlled substance, obstructing a peace officer, and two counts of driving while suspended. He has a court date scheduled for the Ontario Court of Justice - Goderich on April 22, 2013.

The passenger, 24, has been charged with possession of a controlled substance, breach of probation and failure to comply with recognizance.  He has a court date scheduled for the Ontario Court of Justice - Goderich on April 22, 2013.

GODERICH  – A new mammography machine is making it easier for women to have screening for early signs of breast cancer at the Alexandra Marine and General Hospital.

Since it was installed in December 2011, the Siemen’s Inspiration Digital Mammography machine is quickening the process and reducing the pain in a procedure that compresses the breasts.

“The new compression paddle alone is a big advantage for the patient’s comfort. It comes down much slower so it is less startling and the women just find it more comfortable.  Less compression is now required to obtain a better image than with the old machine,” said Wendi Allinson, who has been doing mammography for nine years.

Jan Jamula, who is a mammographer, said the images only take seven seconds from the press of the exposure button to the time they appeared on the workstation monitor.  She remembers the old film-screen days when patients had to wait about 10 minutes while the technologist developed the images.  Seven seconds means that the mammographer can check that the image is okay before going on to perform the next shot.

“The whole exam is just so much easier and faster,” she said.

Technologists and radiologists viewing the images describe them as “beautiful”, “eye-popping” and “amazing.”

“There is detail where there was none before and they look like fine crystal they are so sharp”, said Colleen Maguire, who is a former mammographer.

Alexandra Marine & General Hospital is an affiliate of the Ontario Breast Screening Program (OBSP), offering the program for the past 12 years.

In 2009, the local OBSP program was suspended temporarily while the diagnostic imaging department was under construction at the time of the CT’s arrival. During this renovation period the mammography suite was redesigned for the comfort and privacy of patients.

During the time when the department was under construction, many women whose mammogram was due continued in the program by travelling to another affiliated site. These women do not have to continue to travel out of town even though their reminder letter was generated by the last site they visited, hospital officials say.

“We need to make the women that went out of town during our downtime aware that they can return to Goderich for the same service that they experienced at another OBSP site,” Maguire said.

ON-SITE SERVICES

The new mammography area has an en-suite change area and waiting room.  The images are read by the London X-Ray Associates, a group of radiologist who also provide services for St. Joseph’s Hospital in London. This group of radiologists travel to the Goderich site to read images and, in the event that further work-up is needed as a result of your screening mammogram, they provide follow-up procedures for women here in Goderich and in London.  This gives the women of Huron County access to the finest breast care possible, officials say.

ACCESS THE OBSP PROGRAM

Women can self-refer by calling the booking clerk at 519-524-8689 ext. 5274 for an appointment.

If the last mammography was at an affiliated site such as Stratford or Listowel, women may return to the Goderich program.

Physicians may also refer patients to the certified OBSP Centre.

Criteria for participation in the OBSP is:

• 50 years old or older
• No previous history of breast cancer
• No previous breast surgery

Benefits of the Goderich OBSP:

• Woman and doctor both receive a written report
• Woman receives a reminder letter when the next mammogram is
• London radiologists read the images
• Initial follow-up can be done here on site
• More advanced follow-up such as biopsy and MR can be performed at St Joseph’s Healthcare London
• Screening mammography usually occurs every two years
• If due to family history or personal preference woman may request a yearly screening mammogram.

Thingamaboob keychain.

The Canadian Cancer Society uses a teaching tool called a Thingamaboob to patients to understand the importance of screening mammography and finding breast cancer early. The smallest bead on the Thingamaboob shows the size of a cancer detectable with mammography while the two biggest balls demonstrate the size of lumps felt by a patient or her doctor. Since digital mammography can detect lumps and cancer long before it is felt by the patient or her clinician, the OBSP discontinued the nurse examiner role at all OBSP sites several years ago. It is still vital that women perform their own breast self examination regularly as well as regular screening mammograms.

IMPROVING CARE

Alexandra Marine & General Hospital officials say it is a committed to improving the breast care for the women of the region.  Its goal with this new and improved service is to provide assessment to women in the region in a timelier manner, and increase the referrals for breast screening.  This can be achieved by educating referring physicians and women on the importance of the early detection of breast cancer through screening mammography.

~ Article submitted by Alexandra Marine and General Hospital, and edited by BNH.

The Algoma Enterprise loaded with salt on Feb. 22. Photo courtesy of Dale Baechler.

Bullet News GODERICH – About 174 employees at Sifto’s salt mine will be affected by a layoff notice issued Friday night, says a company spokesperson.

“Deteriorating sailing conditions are bringing Sifto’s winter boat program to an end, so the mine will begin its winter hiatus on [March] 7^th,” said Peggy Landon, who is director of investor relations and corporate communications for Compass Minerals, which is parent company to Sifto Salt Corp.

“We currently expect to resume normal production in early April.  The mine will use the downtime to perform maintenance work, so the number of employees affected by the hiatus is about 175,” she said, in an email response to questions from Bullet News Huron today. In a subsequent email, the number was changed to 174, including three maintenance workers.

The notices were given to miners at the end of the afternoon shift Friday, four days after the new company president, Fran Malecha, toured the mine and evaporator plant for the first time since starting his job in mid-January.

About 430 employees work at the salt mine.