Storm couldn't ruin great Snowroamers season

As published in The Erin Advocate

Heavy snow made it an excellent winter for the Hillsburgh Snowroamers this year, even if the heavy ice made for some intense weeks of work.

“The season was fantastic – normally we’re happy to get 6-8 weeks,” said Snowroamers President Gord Wiesner.  Instead of finishing before the March Break, riders could use the local trail system until the end of March.

Two years ago there was so little snow, there was no season in the Erin area.

Things got off to a rough start this year when the Christmas ice storm brought thousands of branches crashing down, making trails impassible.

Credit Valley Conservation (CVC) did not have staff available to clear the Elora Cataract Trailway, so the Snowroamers got out their chainsaws, even arranging emergency training so more people could help with the cleanup.

For several weeks the cutters and safety spotters were out working, with risks from falling ice and bent trees. Volunteers put in more than 550 hours and got the main line open by January 19.

“It is a testament that they are a well-organized, tenacious, hard-working group, ready to overcome any obstacle to enjoy the sport they love,” said Wiesner.

Snowmobile riders actually pay CVC for the right to use the trail, and the grooming work that they do makes the trail easily usable for hikers, dog walkers and skiers.

It can cost up to $260 to buy an Ontario-wide season’s permit, depending on the age of your sled. Local clubs get revenue from the permits, and their mandate is to reinvest that back into maintenance and upgrading of trails.

The Hillsburgh club owns various equipment, including a $130,000 grooming machine. Over the years they have put thousands of dollars into projects like bridges, culverts and signage.
In the fall they start marking trails on private land, then do preliminary grooming before opening, normally after Christmas. After the season, stakes and signs are removed.

The club works hard to maintain good relations with landowners, though Wiesner said it can be difficult getting all riders to stick to the trails. Their network extends from Brisbane up to Dufferin County Road 109, and west towards Belwood.

The club gets involved in the community, putting on an event for the Special Friends Club that provides members with rides and a campfire with refreshments.

The local traffic generated by snowmobile trails also provides a lift for the economy, with money being spent on restaurant food, gas, oil and parts.

Wiesner said the province-wide impact is about $1 billion per year, though the number of riders has declined substantially in the last 10-15 years. It is not just because of warmer winters, but the cost of insurance for associations and individual owners has been increasing.

“Here 24/7” improves mental health service

As published in The Erin Advocate

New projects are underway in the region to reduce the number of people who fall through the cracks of the mental health system.

Patients with complex needs will get more opportunities for quality care, with an additional $5.9 million being dedicated over the past year to Addictions and Mental Health Treatment through the Waterloo-Wellington Local Health Integration Network (WWLHIN). That is more than half of all the new local health care funding.

One initiative launched last week is Coordinated Access, a first in Ontario, also known as “Here 24/7”. Acknowledging that the existing system can be difficult to navigate, the Canadian Mental Health Association for Waterloo, Wellington and Dufferin (CMHAWWD) has created a “no-wrong door” approach for people in need.

With one toll-free phone call at any time to 1-844-437-3247 (HERE247) or by visiting centres including 147 Delhi Street in Guelph, people will connect with crisis intervention or the intake and assessment process, including appointments with any of 12 regional agencies.

There will be a centralized risk screening and waiting list system, instead of several. Clients will have a Coordinator to help set priorities and they won’t have to repeat their story over and over. Agencies will cooperate more, using standardized assessments and holistic planning.

The Here 24/7 team includes about 20 full-time staff, and with new LHIN funding, another 13 people are being hired. Go to www.here247.ca for more details.

Another initiative announced in February was $400,000 for a Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) program. It is designed to help those with Borderline Personality Disorder, a serious illness marked by instability in moods, behaviour and relationships.

“Evidence shows that DBT can help people most in need who couldn’t be helped before,” said WWLHIN CEO Bruce Lauckner. “The targeted investment will provide a critical lifeline for people who might otherwise slip through cracks in our health system.”

The DBT approach teaches skills that help participants learn to control their emotions and responses. It can help reduce addictions, self-harm, and suicidal behaviours. By teaching ways to increase patients’ own safety and stability, DBT is better accepted, resulting in a lower attrition rate than other forms of therapy, with fewer days of hospitalization.

“This is a huge addition to the therapeutic toolkit for individuals in our community,” said Fred Wagner, Executive Director of CMHA Waterloo, Wellington, Dufferin. “DBT will allow us to better help people we’ve been unsuccessful in supporting effectively in the past. It gives new hope to residents struggling to manage their condition, and to clinicians striving to support them.”

Other recent local initiatives include enhanced crisis response, helping police and clinicians deliver emergency mental health service more efficiently. There is a special outreach program from the CMHA for the homeless, and a program at the Stonehenge Therapeutic Community in Guelph to improve outcomes for residents with opioid addictions.

Another major development last year was the amalgamation of the Grand River Branch of the CMHA (serving areas to the west), with Trellis Mental Health and Development Services (serving easterly areas including Erin and Orangeville). So it is now called the Canadian Mental Health Association Waterloo Wellington Dufferin, the largest chapter in Canada, with 12 service locations and almost 350 employees.

The organization started construction in December of a three-storey, 22,700 sq/ft headquarters and treatment facility at 80 Waterloo Ave. in downtown Guelph.

The $10.2 million building, to be opened by June 2015, is on the former site of the Salvation Army Citadel, which has been demolished. Services will include individual and group treatment, education sessions, crisis support, adult and seniors services, eating disorder support and psychosis intervention.

Elizabeth Manley shines light on mental health

As published in The Erin Advocate

Olympic figure skater Elizabeth Manley was at Erin Public School on April 10, bringing her story of hope as an inspiration for families dealing with mental illness.

The “Finding Light Through Darkness” event was organized by the Erin Parent Connection, with volunteers from several local schools, and included a Mental Health Fair with information from supportive agencies and businesses.

Manley grew up in an Air Force family and spent many hours at rinks, determined to be better than her hockey-playing brothers.

Moving to Ottawa, she progressed quickly in her early teens, with her figure skating talents honed by professional coaching and a tough training schedule. She would be on the ice by 6 am, in school for the morning, and then back on the ice in the afternoon and evening.

“I loved skating so much I didn’t know what else I was missing,” she said. Socially and emotionally she had some difficult years, especially with the divorce of her parents. She was bullied in school, but developed a tough mindset, in which “you never let your competitors see you weak.”

Her coach had to quit as she was preparing for the Olympics. She learned later it was because of AIDS, but at the time she was blaming herself. She felt guilty for making mistakes on the ice, since her mother was making so many sacrifices to keep her in the sport.
“I felt like my world was falling apart,” she said.

As a 16-year-old national champion, she felt the pressure of representing an entire nation. After moving to Lake Placid for training she had a nervous breakdown, losing her hair, gaining weight due to fluid retention and being diagnosed with clinical depression.

Because of her sport, she wanted to avoid all drug therapy. Talk therapy was limited and expensive, so she resolved to heal on her own and forge on with skating.

“People avoided me like I had leprosy,” she said. “But I said, no one’s going to tell me I can’t do something I love.”

Things were especially dark after she lost her title at the Nationals competition, with thoughts of suicide and a feeling that she had disappointed so many people. She did get help from a psychologist who donated his time, enabling her to release and deal with her emotions, and within seven months, she was back to skating.

“Sometimes we forget the things we love – we get distracted by fear and guilt,” she said.
With the help of supportive coaches and club members, she made the 1988 Olympic Team. She had some rough treatment in the press, and was competing with a high fever, but she continued to push herself.

While in third place after the short program and at risk of dropping out, the entire Canadian men’s hockey team showed up to watch her practice and give her encouragement. Coach Dave King told her later that his guys “needed to be inspired by a real champion”.

Manley is proud of the silver medal she won in Calgary in 1988, but the opportunity to help other people has become more significant for her. She raises money with the help of other skaters through the Elizabeth Manley and Friends Ice Show.

She supports research into Alzheimer’s disease and cancer, in honour of her parents, and for organizations like Community Living that work against stigmas in society. She is part of a growing effort to bring mental health issues out into the open for discussion.

“You never get over it – I still suffer,” she said. “But you can learn how to live a very fulfilling life, so don’t be afraid. Take time to take the pressure off. Parents, make a point of having conversations, take the time to know what’s going on. I want kids to know that there is help out there.”

Erin honours its volunteers

As published in The Erin Advocate

The legion of volunteers who uphold the quality of life in this area got a huge “Thank-you” at the Celebrate Erin event on April 12.

The 2nd Annual Volunteer Appreciation Awards Dinner was held in the Shamrock Room at Centre 2000. Seven residents received awards for Citizenship and Outstanding Community Service, and the late Steve Revell was named the 2014 Citizen of the Year.

His wife Donna accepted the award, expressing appreciation on behalf of her family for the support of the community.

Steve Revell, who passed away last year, was a teacher and a volunteer, devoting more than 20 years to protection and clean-up of the Credit River. He promoted awareness of local history, researched Erin architecture, organized tree plantings, helped establish the Elora Cataract Trailway and a network of other trails, and volunteered with East Wellington Community Services (EWCS).

He was nominated by Bill Dinwoody and Phil Gravelle, and the award was presented by Councillor John Brennan, who also chaired this year’s Celebrate Erin Committee.

Dana Mundell was the MC for Saturday’s event, which was attended by about 170 people including MPP Ted Arnott, and catered by David’s Restaurant. Town Crier Andrew Welch reminded everyone that the dinner came at the conclusion of National Volunteer Week in Canada and urged people to recognize the “countless hours of personal time” donated by volunteers throughout the year.

“The words are simple: Thank-you for all you do – we appreciate your gift,” he said.

Here are the recipients of the awards, presented by Mayor Lou Maieron, Councillor Barb Tocher and Councillor Brennan:

Rachel Ingram, nominated by John Wilson for her contributions to the East Wellington Family Health Team. She helped establish the Team, and has served as Secretary and legal advisor for the Board.

Ted Forrest, nominated by George Wilson for his contributions to ARC Industries East. He chaired the Erin PhysioFitness campaign to buy two wheelchair bikes, and is organizing volunteers to take ARC participants with developmental challenges on trail rides.

Mary Smith, for the 230 hours of friendly service she has provided in the past year to the New-To-You store and the Seniors’ Adult Day Program. Sherri Plourde and Barb Carscadden of EWCS provided that nomination, as well as the next two.

Elinor Fuller, a volunteer with EWCS for more than two years, helping at the front desk, the food bank, the adult day program and the New-To-You store, contributing more than 1,800 hours.

Mary Porter, a front desk volunteer at EWCS for 15 years, and a driver for the Seniors Transportation Program for the last 14 years, bringing clients to medical appointments and on shopping trips.

Doug Smith, nominated by the Hillsburgh Lions’ Club, where he has been a member for more than 30 years. He organizes volunteers at the Erin Fall Fair, helps care for the parkette in Erin, organizes the ice rink project at Victoria Park in Hillsburgh and organizes the Lions’ roadside clean-up.

June Switzer, for her leadership role in the local 4H movement. She has operated many club projects, helped start the Clover Buds program for 6-9-year olds, coordinated the Life Skills Day, made school presentations for the Milk Marketing Board, worked with the Home Craft Board of the Erin Fair on the apple pie/fritter booth, and served as an elder and Sunday school teacher at Mimosa United Church.

Erika Westcott, Manager of Community Services and Volunteers at EWCS, presented a slide show featuring hundreds of local volunteers. She praised the “energy and enthusiasm” that they bring to their work.

The evening was organized by a committee that included representatives of Erin organizations (Erin and Hillsburgh Lions, Rotary, Optimists, East Wellington Community Services, Recreation and Culture Committee and the Business Improvement Area), Mayor Maieron, Town staff Kathryn Ironmonger and Connie Cox, and David Netherton.

Sewers may need public-private financing

As published in The Erin Advocate

If the Town of Erin decides to build a sewer system for its urban residents, it may need to form a partnership with a private company that could not only provide expertise and financing, but also take responsibility for the risks of operating the system.

In the long run, it is a more expensive way to build sewers, but the provincial and federal governments are promoting private sector participation as a way to boost efficiency and reduce the huge tax burden of upgrading major infrastructure.

Transition Erin recently held a workshop about various alternatives in the wastewater field. One of the speakers was Steve Rohacek, Senior Vice President for Municipal Business Development and Lending at Infrastructure Ontario.

“We have a mandate to use alternative methods to try to ensure that there is value for taxpayers in how we deliver our infrastructure, and that it is on time and on budget,” he said.
Competition should drive down the cost of a major project if the Town can “bundle” the various functions, he said.

“It transfers risk from the public sector to the private sector in the areas of design, coordination, building and long term maintenance and life cycle.”

Once the environmental assessment work is done, the Town would set specifications for a sewer system based on the requirements of the Ministry of the Environment. It would either manage the process itself, or take bids on a Public-Private Partnership (P3), also known as Alternative Financing and Procurement (AFP).

The Town would always own the asset, but it could have a 30-year agreement with a company that would design, build, finance, operate and maintain it. Costs to the end users would include not only some profit for the company, but the cost for the Town to hire sufficient expertise to supervise the process.

“The project agreement allows for deductions for poor operations,” said Rohacek. “There is also the ability to innovate and cost-share, so that if in the future you are looking at some sort of expansion or innovative technology that you may be able to implement in 20 years, you can bring that forward, which would have a cost savings to you.”

Erin’s Servicing and Settlement Master Plan (SSMP) final report, which could be wrapped up this summer, is not expected to restrict whether the Town could build sewers with an AFP contract.

Investment in such a system could come from several sources. There could be grants from senior governments, with some grant programs now requiring a partnership with private financing. The Town could borrow money on behalf of urban residents, with the cost of that amortized onto local sewer bills. Money from developers would largely cover services for new homes, but not for existing homes.

“We are a provincial government agency, so the public interest is very high on our priority list,” said Rohacek. “The agreement has to be fair. The private sector has money at risk for the 30 years.”

In the traditional model, municipalities face costs and complications at every stage of the tendering process. They assume full responsibility for delays, cost overruns and things not working properly.

“If it is not your core competency, why are you doing it,” said Rohacek. “The Ministry of Health’s core competency is not building hospitals, it is delivery of health services.”

An AFP contract would provide “a totally transparent business model and cost for 30 years, a model that is predicated on risk transfer”. But he said an AFP would only work for capital projects over $25 million, with the best value closer to $50 million.

There would be no payment to the company until they had substantially completed the project, and proved to the Town that was working properly. Ongoing key performance indicators would have to be met.

“Yes, there’s profit in here, but you try to minimize that under competitive tension, so you get a system that is according to design and has the best value.”
Infrastructure Ontario would be available to support and advise the municipality throughout the process.

Sewage capacity reserved

As published in The Erin Advocate

Erin Tennis provides opportunities for kids

As published in The Erin Advocate

The Erin Tennis Club is eager to get more kids involved in a sport that could provide them with health and social benefits for the rest of their lives.

“We really want to focus on our junior programs this year,” said Monique Fischer-Anderson. “We want the club to thrive and for the kids to become members as adults, so we want to give them more opportunities.”

The club has grown in recent years and now has about 350 members. The courts are located behind the high school and Centre 2000, owned by the Town, but operated and maintained by the club.

People can join at any time, but a registration session will be held this Saturday, April 12, 9:30 am to 1:30 pm, in the Centre 2000 lobby. The cost, which includes three free group lessons, is $105 for adults, $50 for kids, or $170 per family.

One of the main junior activities is the Winners After School Program, run by adult volunteers on Fridays, 4:30 to 5:30 pm. It combines tennis tips with informal games and music, intended for ages 9-14.

More experienced players can try out for a travelling team that competes with other nearby clubs.

There’s also the Summer Camp (at an additional fee), which will be run by the club’s new pro, Joanna Phang. A certified Tennis Canada instructor, she was one of Malaysia’s top ten players from 1998 to 2001, and now lives with her family in Caledon.

She also teaches the free early-season group lessons for adults and children, and offers privately paid lessons – private, semi-private or groups.

A wide range of club activities is included in a membership, such as House League competition on Tuesday or Wednesday evenings. Players are matched by skill level, so even absolute beginners can participate.

“We do have something for everybody, regardless of ability,” said Amanda Storey, who helps run the league. “We want to make it fun. If you are new to the area, it is a good way to meet people and get involved in the community.”

Several semi-competitive tournaments are held throughout the season, while more competitive players can try out for the A or B Level InterClub Teams, which play on Thursdays.

The courts are available at various times for players to arrange their own matches, or to be part of a co-ed ladder program, which tracks a competitive ranking. Slightly older players may be interested in the Freedom 55 program on Thursday mornings.

On the weekends, members can drop in to participate in a series of fun matches at the Men’s Sunday or Ladies’ Saturday Morning sessions.

There are also social events, especially the themed Friday Fun Nights, involving tennis, food and special attire.

For more information on the club and its programs, go to www.erintennis.com.

Residents don’t want to own Pidel storm pond

As published in The Erin Advocate

Town staff will investigate and look for ways to assist a group of Ospringe residents who feel trapped by owning a share of the storm water pond at the Pidel subdivision.

“We do not want to own sewage works,” said resident George Rigas at the March 18 council meeting, contending the current situation is a mistake and that the Town should “correct the ownership”.

Residents are feeling “handcuffed” if they wish to sell their homes, since potential buyers are not likely to want part ownership of a storm pond, said Rigas, noting that failing to disclose the pond ownership could expose a seller to legal action.

In a written submission, he said the recent discovery of their dilemma had caused “angst and frustration” among homeowners, with 34 of them providing feedback and wanting the Town to correct the situation, and no one expressing interest in owning the pond.

“You’re asking us to perish in these homes,” he told council. “The Town is the rightful owner.”

If the Town takes no action, he suggests it could compromise new development by sending “an unwelcoming message to current and future residents, confusing responsibility, imposing burden and peril, and violating the rights of its taxpayers.”

Councillors want to see the legal opinion that the Town received 10 years ago on the issue, and have staff present them with a selection of options. CAO Kathryn Ironmonger said it could take a couple of months.

“Until such time as this mistake is corrected, the homeowners will hold the Town of Erin responsible for any future liability,” said Rigas.

The issue has arisen now because the Town is about to assume ownership of the roads and other public infrastructure such as the storm water drains, since the builder has completed its required work. 

Pidel sent a letter to residents last November, saying the company would take no responsibility for liability, taxes or maintenance of the pond property after January 1, and that the residents are required, according to their agreements, to form a corporation to deal with the parcel.

The Town has not promised to take ownership of the pond property. It does have an easement that allows it to go onto the property and do any required work, so in effect the Town owns the storm water control function, without owning the land itself. Rigas argues it is one entity, and that it is improper for private citizens to have any ownership of public infrastructure.

“Additional liability exposure would be created if the Town of Erin were to assume ownership,” said Road Superintendent Larry Van Wyck.

Mayor Lou Maieron said council needs to understand the costs of assuming ownership and consider whether it is fair for them to covered by the Town.

During planning of the development, which is also known as Madison Lake Estates and Berkeley Estates, the Town decided it did not want to have ownership of the huge central pond because of liability concerns. The pond is part of a stream that drains the area into the Eramosa River.

Van Wyck said that since the Grand River Conservation Authority also did not want to own that parcel of land, Pidel sold it to residents as they bought homes there, in 43 equal shares.

“This mess was not created by the Town,” said Councillor John Brennan. “The developer dumped it on the people who bought the houses.”

Construction of the storm water facility, including enlargement of the existing pond, was approved by the Ministry of the Environment. The shared ownership is outlined in the subdivision agreement with the Town, and the residents’ contracts with Pidel.

Rigas said the lake was part of the marketing of the subdivision, and that residents were not fully aware of what they were buying.

“We knew we were owning part of a lake, but not a sewage works,” he said. 

Pidel Homes President Carm Piccoli was contacted about the situation, but was not available to comment. 

Northern hospitals seek $9 million from County

As published in The Erin Advocate

The small hospitals in Fergus, Mount Forest and Palmerston have made a joint request for $9 million from the County of Wellington, to cover much of the “community” contribution needed for major improvements.

During a preliminary debate at a special meeting of County Council on March 18, the only members to speak out against the contribution were Erin Mayor Lou Maieron and Councillor Ken Chapman. They said taxpayers in Erin, and other southern parts of the county with high property assessments, would pay a greater share compared to the northern municipalities where much of the funding would be spent.

The contribution would be in addition to the $5 million already being provided for the new Groves Hospital in Fergus. If eventually approved by council, Groves could get another $5 million, with $2 million going to each of Louise Marshall Hospital in Mount Forest and Palmerston and District Hospital.

“It’s a political decision,” said Warden Chris White. “There’s no roadmap here. There’s no requirement to do this.”

Projects at the three hospitals of the Wellington Health Care Alliance have been promised funding by the Ministry of Health, covering 90% of construction costs. With the added costs of new equipment, they actually need about 30% funding from the community, including fundraising in the areas close to the hospitals. 

Wellington North Mayor Ray Tout made an appeal on behalf of Louise Marshall Hospital.

“This hospital was built 50 years ago and we outgrew our emergency department a long time ago,” he said, noting that it has taken ten years to get the funding now being offered by the province. The community will need to raise an additional $5 million to complete the project.

“As we live with the reality of an aging population, our hospital visits in Mount Forest are expected to increase by 1,200 people in 2014. If we’re going to attract new doctors, if we’re going to provide better service for good healthy living for our residents, then we must provide a better emergency working atmosphere.”

Councillor Chapman said, “I don’t believe the county can afford $9 million,” calling the hospitals “special interest groups”.

The hospital request is not in the budget. The funds would likely come out of reserves, which total close to $70 million, with payouts possibly spread over several years. Chapman noted that County Council was not willing to use reserves to reduce the 2014 tax increase to less than 2.2%.

“Hospitals are about quality of life, but it is not spread equitably throughout the whole county,” said Mayor Maieron, who has long complained that the province’s property assessment system is unfair, assigning a greater share of county costs to southern municipalities including Erin, which have higher property values.

He points out that municipalities in the north part of the county (Minto, Mapleton and Wellington North) have almost the same combined population (29,800) as those in the south (Erin, Puslinch and Guelph Eramosa, with 30,179). Yet the south pays 46.8% of county expenditures and the north pays 24.7%.

“I’m going to have a hard time looking my residents in the eye and saying we’re going to generate some revenues for the local hospitals, but we’re going to send it to these hospitals that you don’t frequent. That’s going to be a bit of a problem, because I come back to our original quality of life, and how are we at the county going to improve the quality of life for all the residents in the county.”

Councillor Chapman said he expects 1,000 new homes to be built in Erin during the next five years.

“We will need a future family health clinic, a medical facility to serve our community,” he said. “If we are not willing in the future to fund all medical facilities in the county, I don’t see why we should do these.”

There is a Family Health Team in Erin, but no hospital, so patients needing hospitalization are most often treated outside the county, in Orangeville, Georgetown or Guelph. The Mount Forest and Palmerston hospitals are near the Wellington border, and serve non-Wellington patients from municipalities to the north and west.

Health care funding is not a municipal responsibility, and Council would have to change its current policy in order to make this contribution. Ward 2 Councillor John Green said the tradition for more than 30 years has been that the county would shoulder a large share of the required community contribution for hospital projects.

“There’s no place in the county that is over 20 minutes from a hospital – that’s not bad,” he said.

The current request will go to the Administration, Finance and Personnel Committee for further discussion, then come back to the full council for a decision.

______________________________________________________

Jo Fillery hired as tourism promoter

As published in The Erin Advocate

Erin’s Jo Fillery has been hired to promote tourism in the Hills of Headwaters area – something she’s been doing on her own time for years.

The former owner of What’s Cookin’ recently sold her business in downtown Erin village. It is now operated by Chef Pam Fanjoy as The Friendly Chef Adventures.

“I’ve been a cheerleader for the town as a volunteer,” said Fillery, who has served with the Hills of Headwaters Board of Directors, the Erin Business Improvement Area (BIA) and the Town of Erin Economic Development Committee.

“I have worked 15 years looking for ways to grow our product.”

Now she’s working as the Headwaters field representative for Central Counties Tourism, which is responsible for marketing a broad zone that includes the Regions of Durham and York, plus the Headwaters communities of Erin, Dufferin County, Orangeville and the Town of Caledon.

“Nothing better than getting paid for a passion,” said Fillery. She will be visiting local businesses, working on ways to attract more visitors.

Branding the area as part of a vibrant “Horse Country”, and riding the wave of publicity that Pan Am equestrian events will bring to the Hills of Headwaters next year, were key initiatives discussed at last week’s Tourism Symposium in Orangeville. 

Central Counties sponsored the gathering of business people, tourism officials and municipal funding partners – Councillor John Brennan was there on behalf of the Town of Erin.

“We’ve had to become a destination marketing organization,” said Ron Munro, Chair of the Hills of Headwaters Tourism Association (HHTA). “We’re here to help you re-invent yourselves. If you want people to come these days, you have to have an experience. It has to be worth their while to leave the comfort of their living room.

“We’re taking all the experiences that we can get in our region, and trying to knit them together to give people a compelling reason to get out of the house, go somewhere and experience something.”

The equine industry is already recognized as a prime driver in the regional economy, with marketing that includes King Township, but with the equestrian competition of the Toronto Pan Am Games coming here in 2015, promotional efforts will move into high gear.

The Caledon Equestrian Park in Palgrave will handle most of the events. It is being renovated with the help of $6.8 million from the federal government. It was announced in January that the Town of Mono’s Will O’Wind Farm will host the cross-country competition.

HHTA also wants to boost the equine export market, working with Equine Canada to bring in people from around the world to see what local breeders have to offer.

“We have a tremendous story to tell,” said HHTA Executive Director Michele Harris, stressing the need to create a “Pan Am Legacy” to produce lasting benefits in other sectors of the economy.

“We need you all to spit and polish your door handles. We want to push memorable experiences for visitors. They experience the competition, and then what?”

Specific initiatives will include prominent signage on local roads and promotion of trails and heritage locations. Contests will be held to choose a signature equine image, a signature food and a signature drink for the area.

“It’s not just what people experience while they are here, it’s also what they get to take home,” said Harris. “I’d like them to have the recipe to take home, so they’re always thinking about Headwaters, and have a reason to come back.”

HHTA and Humber College will also be training members of community organizations to promote the region.

“We need all of our community members to be tourism ambassadors, so we actually have a culture of hospitality when visitors arrive from around the world in our area,” she said.

Apart from equine and the Pan Am preparations, HHTA is promoting experiences in four other strong sectors. There is a series of culinary tourism events based on local food, starting with the current Taste of Maple project.

The arts, culture and heritage sector also drives economic development, and will continue to be promoted, along with an array of festivals, fairs and other special events. Then there is the attraction of outdoor sports, especially cycling tourism, and nature recreation – balancing the need to protect natural areas with the desire to show them off to the world.

Resident seeks answers on Fire Dept. response

As published  in The Erin Advocate

Henri Gagne is a lucky guy, having survived a crisis where he needed CPR, but he has not been fortunate enough to get answers to all of his questions about the system that dispatches firefighters to medical emergencies.

The Hillsburgh resident wrote a letter to the Town of Erin last December, complaining that the Fire Department did not respond after a 911 call, and questioning provisions of the Tiered Response Agreement that Town Council approved in 2012.

Fire Chief Dan Callaghan said it appears that the Erin Fire Department should have been dispatched, but they were not signalled to respond.

The agreement with the dispatch centre and the ambulance service says that firefighters will always be dispatched (or “tiered”) in the most severe emergencies, where loss of life is an immediate threat. But in other serious cases that are slightly less severe, they will only be dispatched if an ambulance is expected to take longer than 15 minutes to get to the scene.

“A lot can happen in 15 minutes,” said Gagne in his letter. “My understanding is that the Town of Erin Fire and Emergency Response Services can respond and be on the way in 5-7 minutes. That extra 6-8 minutes can make a tremendous difference to the health and welfare of the patient.”

Gagne says the 15 minute time frame in the agreement could be shortened and the medical criteria changed, allowing firefighters to be dispatched in a greater percentage of serious cases.

Callaghan says that while there was a problem in this case “the agreement is solid”, based on experience and agreement among Wellington County fire chiefs.

“Fifteen minutes is reasonable,” he told The Advocate. “We have to determine where we can make a difference.”

Firefighters can perform Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR), provide First Aid and supply oxygen if needed, but are not qualified for other medical interventions. They can also collect information and help keep victims comfortable until an ambulance arrives.

“I recently had need of emergency services where fire was not tiered (ambulance only 9-10 minutes out) and I subsequently required CPR,” said Gagne. “Had my wife not had the foresight to immediately call my son-in-law (who is a volunteer firefighter) after her 911 call, I wonder if I would be able to write this letter. My doctors didn’t think so. The two of them performed CPR until the ambulance arrived.

“While I was lucky that night, the ambulance was here in 9 minutes, what about next time when they may be 12 minutes out? What about the safety of others in the community?”

On March 4, Callaghan responded to Gagne, as requested earlier by Council. The chief said that based his conversations with Gagne, the call for help “should have activated an immediate tiered dispatch of Station 50 Hillsburgh to your home, as the information fit the Code 4 Response Criteria.”

Gagne has obtained a recording of the 911 call through a Freedom of Information request, but has not received an explanation from the Ministry of Health, which oversees the Cambridge Central Ambulance Communication Centre (CACC), as to why his emergency was not treated as a tiered call.

Gagne is not satisfied with Callaghan’s letter, since it did not address his questions about the agreement. He also pointed out that when Town Councillors approved the agreement in October 2012, the agreement was emailled to them, but not published for the public.

The agreement is not confidential, and can be downloaded with background documents at:
www.erininsight.blogspot.com.

When a 911 call is made in the Erin area, it is routed either to the OPP, the fire dispatch system (for regular fire calls), or the CCAC (for medical calls). If the medical emergency meets the criteria of the most serious Code 4 category in the Tiered Response Agreement, Erin Fire is dispatched, regardless of the ambulance time. 

If the emergency falls in the less urgent (but still Code 4) category, Erin Fire is only dispatched if the ambulance is more than 15 minutes away.

When there was no ambulance stationed in the Town, ambulance response times were often over 15 minutes, so firefighters were responding to most serious medical emergencies. Now that an ambulance is stationed part-time in Hillsburgh, firefighters are not called out as often.

For the Erin village station, there were 137 tiered calls in 2012, compared to 81 in 2013. For the Hillsburgh station, there were 72 tiered calls in 2012, and 37 in 2013.

Chief Callaghan could not provide the average response time for tiered calls, though response is quicker in the urban areas where the fire halls are located.

If a person is “not breathing”, or has “vital signs absent” it is a tiered response in all cases. But if they have a “breathing problem”, or “chest pain”, it is in the less severe category.

Callaghan said it is relatively common for people to have breathing problems or chest pain for some time before they call 911.

He said it would not be appropriate to send firefighters to all medical calls, and in the case of the less severe Code 4 calls, having firefighters arrive a few minutes before the ambulance normally does not make a difference in the medical situation.

Guelph Fire Chief Shawn Armstrong, who is responsible for the Guelph Wellington ambulance service, has been asked by The Advocate to provide average ambulance response times for the Town of Erin, but has not done so.

He has also not responded to a request for the total number of ambulance calls per year, the number of Code 4 calls and the number of tiered Code 4 calls.

Group wants Hillsburgh included in sewer plan

As published in The Erin Advocate

Transition Erin members studying the choices faced by the Town in the Servicing and Settlement Master Plan (SSMP) want to see Hillsburgh included in any plan for municipal sewer servicing.

Town Council was to discuss the issue at this week’s meeting, and were being asked to make a decision about which sewer and future growth options will be analyzed in the final phase of the SSMP, with the goal of finishing the study by this summer.

Analyzing the possibility of servicing Erin village, but not Hillsburgh, was one of the possible options. Members of Transition Erin’s Wastewater Solutions Working Group said that option should not even be referred to consultant Watson & Associates for study.

In a letter, they urged council to direct the consultant “to only evaluate the cost to service Erin and Hillsburgh together (Option 3.1) by both collection systems; small bore and gravity-fed.”

“The study should include the scenario of two treatment facilities, one in each village; and the second scenario for one treatment facility in Erin, connected to Hillsburgh by a pipe,” they said.

“We strongly believe that if Council decides the Preferred Solution is Municipal Servicing, both communities need to be serviced, concurrently or sequentially. We also believe servicing should first be directed to those properties with failed/failing septic systems within the urban cores, and thereafter to those properties which would not be in compliance to the 2012 Building Code.”

Most sewer systems in Ontario are gravity-fed, using deeply-trenched pipes. Small Bore Systems (SBS) are a less expensive alternative, using septic tanks at individual homes, with effluent sent to a smaller treatment plant through narrow pipes that do not require the road to be dug up. 

The SBS method does not have the support of consultant BM Ross or of Credit Valley Conservation, but Transition Erin would like to have it analyzed now as a possible strategy.