China wants to build business bridges with Erin

As published in The Erin Advocate

Investment and trade in agricultural products is an area of growing interest for businesses in China, and they are looking at rural areas such as Erin for opportunities, according to the Chinese Consul General.

Fang Li and a team from the consulate in Toronto visited Erin last week at the invitation of Mayor Lou Maieron, who organized an Agriculture and Environmental Sustainability tour of Wellington County.

“You are famous for your agricultural industry,” said Li. He noted that while China is the world’s most populous country, it has relatively limited farmland and needs to import good quality grain and organic foods.

Mayor Maieron presented an Erin flag to Consul General Fang Li and his entourage.

“I believe you are in a very sound position to develop economic and trade relations with my country. Also many Chinese enterprises are going abroad for opportunities, especially in high-tech sectors such as information and communication, and renewable and clean energy. I think you could find some suitable Chinese partners.”

Economic and trade relations between Canada and China have increased rapidly since the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1970. Canadian statistics show trade valued at $73 billion (US) in 2013, making China its second largest trading partner.

China’s growth rate has slowed in recent years, but it is still at 7.7%. It is a huge market, with annual imports valued at almost $2 trillion (US). It also had 97 million tourists visiting other countries last year, each spending an average of $1,000.

Chinese investments in Canada total some $50 billion, primarily in energy, mining, telecommunications, appliances and financial services. New areas of investor interest include food products, renewable energy, real estate and high-end manufacturing, said Li.

The China Canada Foreign Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement, signed in 2012, is intended to protect the rights of investors from each country. Li urged the federal government to ratify the agreement.

Also visiting Erin was Sophia Sun, founder of the Canada China Investment Association, which sponsored Maieron’s trip to China with other mayors last year.

“I was completely blown away by the advancements, the culture and the history of a civilization that is more than 5,000 years old,” said the mayor. “We learned how Canadian clean industries, agriculture and other industries could help China and how we could do some business. There’s a great need. The Chinese are wanting to improve their diet, with dairy, animal husbandry – beef and pork – and crops. That’s something that we can do very well.”

The day started with a breakfast meeting at David’s Restaurant, hosted by David Netherton and Mary Shields of the East Wellington Chamber of Commerce. Several business people interested in or currently selling products to China were in attendance.

After Li’s speech and a brief question and answer session with Erin residents, Maieron brought the Chinese delegation for a tour of his trout farm, Silver Creek Aquaculture, then to visit the Angelstone International show jumping venue on County Road 50.

From there they went to see the Bioproducts Discovery and Development Centre, and the Biodiversity Institute at the University of Guelph. They also went to see the family dairy farm and bio-digester of Mapleton Mayor Bruce Whale. To finish the day they toured the Grand River Raceway in Elora and watched horse racing over dinner.

Paying tribute to Stompin’ Tom’s philosophy

As published in The Erin Advocate

The newly installed monument at the grave of Stompin’ Tom Connors at Erin Union Cemetery is a testament to his love of Canada and his philosophy of trying to stay in balance while travelling through life.

The memorial includes an image of the famous songwriter imposed on a map of Canada, the lyrics of his favourite song, “I Am the Wind”, a red granite maple leaf on top of a chess piece and his own epitaph that says, “They haven’t heard the last of me”.

Thomas Charles Connors lived in the Ballinafad area and passed away on March 6 last year due to kidney failure, at the age of 77. Buried with him are the ashes of his mother Isabel Sullivan (nee Connors), who died in 2007. Until the tombstone was installed, the location of the gravesite was not widely known.

Stompin’ Tom was known for his down-to-earth songs about Canada, achieving wide popularity with dozens of albums, and as a passionate advocate for Canadian culture. He was also a spiritual thinker who believed in reincarnation, writing these words for his tombstone:

“The body has returned to sod,
The spirit has returned to God.
So on this spot, no need for grief,
Here only lies a fallen leaf.
Until new blossoms form in time,
The tree is where I now reside.
But with this poem, as you can see,
They haven’t heard the last of me.”

“He believes that we come and go as a spirit,” said his son Tom Jr. in an interview, always referring to his father in the present tense.

“We enter a body this time around, and when the body's done, then the spirit goes back to the tree of life, so to speak, and then the tree blossoms again the next year and you become a new leaf. It's a cycle of life that he's getting at.”

The maple leaf on the stone is engraved with “101”. It does not refer to that number value, but to a way of thinking about life. Instead of competing to be at the top on a 1 to 10 scale, he favoured zero as an ideal at the centre of the range of possibilities.

“He would always say he's a zero, because you can go on the plus, or you can go on the minus, but the zero keeps you even. Don't drift too far away off the centre because you'll become unbalanced,” said Tom Jr.

“The 101 simply represents his philosophy that he came up with to be able to stay on the straight and narrow. The more balanced you can stay, the more successful you can be in your life. He ended up being proof positive of that concept.”

The stone includes a quote from the Book of Genesis: “And Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him.” Enoch was a patriarch, the great-grandfather of Noah, who is believed to have been taken directly to live with God, without having died. Tom Jr. said his father read the bible frequently and considered that passage an example of becoming closer to zero.

“When God finds that you understand what it is to be nothing, nobody, you put all your feats behind you and you become one with God. You can go plus or minus once in a while, but stay straight and narrow and if there is a relationship we have with God, God will recognize that and take you as he did with Enoch.”

Before becoming known for his songs and his trademark rhythmic stomping on stage, Stompin’ Tom struggled to survive. He grew up in poverty in Saint John, New Brunswick, and lived with an adoptive family in Prince Edward Island before leaving to hitchhike across Canada at the age of 15.

“Growing up not having really any family and no money and no home, and you're just a drifter, you see the world through different eyes,” said Tom Jr., who himself has a son named Tom, born last July. “When you have no friends and no family to talk to, you start to talk to yourself inside and you start to get the answers you need from life inside, instead of finding them on the outside.”

Stompin’ Tom’s tombstone was created by the Little Lake Cemetery Company in Peterborough, the city where he received his nickname. His memorial service was held there last year.

The lyrics engraved on the tombstone are as though the wind is speaking as it travels, saying it is, “Here to serve my Maker’s end.” The wind says it goes, “Around the Door, between gods and men, And if you see how I go in, You’ll have the Key, and know the wind”.

“That was his favourite song,” said Tom Jr. “People can take that as a nice song, or they can try to meditate on it a little bit.”

While The Hockey Song is one of Connors’ best known songs, he “never really clung on to sports”, said Tom Jr. He’d always cheer for a Canadian team and like many Maritimers grew up as a Habs fan, but he never had the luxury of playing the game. In front of his tombstone fly three miniature flags, two Canadian and one Canadiens.

The chess piece designed into the stone is a reminder of the game that he did play with great passion. “He was a tough cookie to beat because he was capable of thinking several moves ahead, and he used that way of thinking in his own life too when he would plan his career,” said Tom Jr.

Universal Music Canada recently released Volume 01 of a collection of unheard recordings by Stompin’ Tom called Unreleased: Songs from the Vault. It includes old-time country songs from his repertoire in the 1950s, recorded starting in 2011.

“He just wants people to enjoy what he did in the time he was here, and if you're musically inclined at all, or any type of business that you may be in, to keep Canada high in your regards when you're doing your thinking and planning about what is the right thing to do,” said Tom Jr.

“It is a great country, and if you respect it, it will repay you back. He wants people to take the torch, so to speak, and go on forward and promote Canada the best they can. If they get a chuckle or two from some of his songs in the future, then he's done a good job.”

Water tower repainting a tall order

As published in Erin's Know Your Community magazine

Contract staff work at repainting the Erin water tower. The $223,000 project started on May 22 and could take until early July. Village residents are asked to conserve water during the project, which also includes stripping and recoating the interior walls. The power of the Erin Radio transmitter has been temporarily reduced, but Bell Mobility transmissions are not affected.

Looking Back

As published in The Erin Advocate

From the Advocate – 100 years ago (1914)

Efforts in England to enlist soldiers for the army have ramped up, with parades of guards in full dress, and lady recruiting sergeants persuading young men to “take the King’s shilling”.

From the Advocate – 45 years ago (1969)

Members of the Ladies’ Auxiliary at the Erin Legion came out on top at the euchre tournament they hosted for 11 branches in their zone. The event was organized by sports officer Mrs. Art Boucher, and the team was made up of Mrs. R. Harkies, Mrs. H. Sargent, Mrs. J. Anthony and Mrs. M. MacDonald.

Miss Brenda Patterson has joined the staff of the Black Magic Beauty Salon at 122 Main Street in Erin, operated by Heinz and Pamela Leonhardt.

Miss Brenda Lee Denny, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Ted Denny of Erin, has graduated from the Lakeshore Teachers’ College and has taken a job teaching Grades 3 and 4 at Alton Public School.

Ward McAdam, President of the Ontario Secondary School Teachers’ Federation announced a last minute deal to avoid mass resignations. The salary range will now be $6,800 to $1,420, with principals making up to $19,500.

From the Advocate – 35 years ago (1979)

Leslie Stewart, 32, of Centre Street died last week in a two-car head-on collision near Snelgrove, which also took the life of Ursula Christen, 29, visiting from Switzerland. Stewart and her husband opened the House of Erin in 1974, and a Radio Shack service centre. She worked for one year as a reporter for The Advocate, covering local councils and writing numerous news and feature stories about the village and township.

Coach George Wheeler and assistant Clyde Gilby will take the Hillsburgh Girls Under 17 Team to a tournament in Nanton, Alberta. The Wintario lottery is providing a $2,100 grant to support the trip.

Guelph OPP are investigating after an armed robber took cash from Hall’s Variety Store in Hillsburgh last week. Marjorie Beatty was confronted by a man demanding cash, but she ran to her residence at the back of the building and locked the door.

An Advocate editorial said the village should make its natural beauty accessible to visitors, with a path along the river and picnic benches. “A little clean-up of the dam off Church Street would go a long way to making the area more presentable, and if an agreement could be reached with the landowners, a path opened to a lookout built high on the hill to the west of the village.”

From the Advocate – 25 years ago (1989)

Erin Township Council authorized Fire Chief Wayne McIsaac to call for tenders for a new tanker truck. Councillor and Fire Committee member Barb Tocher said wooden plugs were being used to stop up holes in the tank of the retrofitted oil truck, but they are falling out and half the water is lost while the fire truck is travelling. Council put $25,000 for the truck into reserve, though the cost next year will be about $79,000.

Councillor Deb Sutherland said Erin’s three-year-old blue box recycling program leads the way in Ontario with a participation rate of more than 80 per cent. The current plan services only village areas with curbside pick-up, but coordinator Don Taylor said, “I won’t rest until every house in Wellington County has a blue box.”

Erin real estate broker Cec Chambers of McEnery Agencies says there is a temporary slowdown in the local housing market, but prices remain high due to population growth in the Toronto area. The average house price in Erin is $183,000, with virtually none for less than $147,000.

Council hoping for quick SSMP wrap-up

As published in The Erin Advocate

There are still many loose ends in the Servicing and Settlement Master Plan study, but council is hoping to tie them all up by the end of August.

Council received a letter at its June 3 meeting from Project Manager Christine Furlong of Triton Engineering listing the tasks that BM Ross still has to complete. Furlong said a public meeting should be held to discuss the technical aspects of the project.

CAO Kathryn Ironmonger said BM Ross has assured her that the process can be completed in August, which would include a decision by council on a wastewater strategy. Council asked for an updated schedule. They want to finish the study before the municipal election nomination day, September 12.

Currently, the Town is awaiting financial analysis of various options by Watson & Associates, but there has been a delay in getting technical information to them about the small bore sewage system. Council specifically requested analysis of this lower-cost option.
Furlong says BM Ross still has to provide the following:

• A complete list of water and waste water servicing options, transportation needs and storm water strategies, with documentation on the criteria used, and a review of sewage collection, treatment and effluent discharge alternatives.

• Updated drawings for proposed locations of new facilities, based on the new lower urban population cap of 6,000.

• Evaluation of servicing options in rural areas, and more work on review of existing private and municipal servicing systems.

• Evaluation of “staging scenarios” and of the advantages and disadvantages of joining the Hillsburgh and Erin systems.

• More discussion of continuing growth using private and communal septic systems.

• A new version of the SSMP report, including a summary of comments made by members of the public and approval agencies.

Town hurries to meet storm clean-up deadline

As published in The Erin Advocate

Erin Council has authorized the hiring of additional temporary staff and contractors as the Roads Department scrambles to meet a new deadline for cleaning up tree debris from the Christmas ice storm.

The province has promised financial help for communities hard-hit by the storm, but municipalities have to spend the money first, and find out later how much will be covered.
Erin recently found out that all estimates must be in by June 16, with all work to be done by June 22, unless an extension can be justified.

The urban areas and some of the rural road allowances have been cleared, but up to five crews will now be tackling the remaining roads. The extra cost could be $15,000 for staff and $40,000 for contractors, which they believe will be eligible for provincial funding.

The Town is applying to the Ontario Disaster Relief Assistance Program for costs of $163,664 spent as of January, plus an additional $200,000 for work through the spring to deal with broken trees on road allowances and in parks.

Progress has been slow in clearing rural areas, partly because the Roads Department has been short-staffed and busy with spring road maintenance. And while the Town is only responsible for debris on road allowances, crews have been picking up branches dragged to the ditches from private property.

“There’s been a lot more material placed on the roadside than we expected to see,” said Road Superintendent Larry Van Wyck.

Town to track and cut energy use

As published in The Erin Advocate

A new energy conservation plan could help redirect money to core services at the Town of Erin and improve its public image, according to a report from Financial Analyst Larry Wheeler.

Town council was told on June 3 that the Green Energy Act requires municipalities to develop and implement energy Conservation and Demand Management (CDM) plans starting this year.

“A commitment to being ‘green’ will be perceived as a positive development in the eyes of the public,” said Wheeler.

The plan for energy consumption cost savings must include the administrative offices, council chambers, both ice rinks, both community centres, both fire halls, the Hillsburgh ambulance station, the Erin village OPP office, both Roads Department storage and equipment depots and all Water Department facilities.

It will include data on energy use and greenhouse gas emissions last year, goals for reducing consumption and managing demand, and proposed actions with expected savings and timelines.

Council had set aside $16,000 for development of the plan in the 2014 capital  budget. The goal is to generate cost savings in 2014, plus ongoing savings from restraint strategies.

“It is hoped that by including members of the most affected departments in the CDM planning process, that the concept of reducing the demand for energy in the future will overlay all strategic decision making processes,” said Wheeler.

Council considers tough stance on graffiti

As published in The Erin Advocate

Property owners will have to clean up graffiti at their own expense if Town Council approves proposed revisions to the Property Standards Bylaw.

One of the new sections of the bylaw says: “All property including buildings, fences, and other objects shall be kept clean of objectionable markings, graffiti and other defacements at all times and shall be restored, resurfaced and coordinated to the exterior finish of the object.”

Consistent with all aspects of the bylaw, this measure is intended to ensure that the condition of a property does not cause harm to the community – especially the appearance of the downtown shopping and tourist area.

Mayor Lou Maieron said forcing property owners to spend money on a clean-up could be controversial, since they are the victims of a crime.

Councillor Barb Tocher said if someone wanted to paint a mural on the exterior of their own building, the Town could be in the difficult position of having to decide whether it was an acceptable display of art.

The full text of the proposed bylaw is available at www.erin.ca, in the June 3 council agenda, pages 21-54. Discussion of details and passage of the bylaw could happen at the council meeting on July 22.

The bylaw operates with the backing of provincial laws, including the Building Code and the Fire Code, and is enforced by the Town’s Property Standards Officer. It covers a wide range of issues about what is expected of the public in the care and maintenance of their properties.

It includes provision for a Property Standards Committee that would hear and rule on appeals from property owners who may disagree with an Order to Comply. Further court appeals are also possible. An individual convicted of not complying with a final, binding order could be fined up to $50,000 on first offence, and up to $100,000 for subsequent offences. The amounts are doubled for corporations.

The bylaw covers the exterior and interior of buildings, including standards for cleanliness, room layout, the condition of walls, floors, stairs, doors, windows, heating, air conditioning, electrical, ventilation, lighting, plumbing, water and sewage.

Yards “shall be kept clean and free of litter, rubbish, waste, salvage, refuse, decaying, or damaged trees, branches and limbs, animal excrement, excessive growth, objects or conditions that might create a health, fire, accident hazard or unsightly condition.”

Grass and weeds must be kept shorter than eight inches. Living grass or other ground cover is required to prevent erosion “and so as to be in harmony with the neighbouring environment.” Garbage receptacles must have tight fitting lids. Vehicles may not be parked on the lawn.

Machinery and building materials cannot be stored outdoors unless needed for immediate use. Firewood is not to be stacked in front or exterior side yards “unless in the opinion of the Officer it does not have an adverse visual impact on the neighbourhood”.

Updates have been recommended by staff after reviewing property bylaws in other towns. Some are clarifications about existing rules, but there are several new sections in addition to the graffiti provisions.

The surfaces of walkways and driveways are to be “non-organic ground cover”, with no ponding of storm water, no unsightly appearance, free of garbage, safe to use and with no nuisance to other property.

Fences, retaining walls and sheds need to be appropriately maintained with paint, preservative other weather-resistant material, unless they are designed to be enhanced by the lack of such treatment.

Outdoor lighting should be of a low-intensity nature, directed to minimize glare and undue intrusion of light on nearby homes and streets.

Hunters build skills and friendships

As published in Dufferin Sideroads Magazine

Fishing and hunting provide a unique blend of satisfactions for those that get hooked – the serenity of outdoor relaxation, the comfort of friendly company, the challenge of unpredictable prey and the hope of a fine meal.

With 125 acres of pristine woodlands, ponds and trails just north of Orangeville, the Dufferin Northern Peel Anglers’ & Hunters’ Association (DNPAHA) offers its members an opportunity to improve their skills and an escape that is much closer than a cottage.

Since 1932, they have promoted conservation and responsible hunting, providing stocked trout ponds, camping, target ranges, competitions and social events. Membership is limited at 300, with an annual fee of $200, and there is a waiting list of 60 hoping to join.

“It’s a cottage atmosphere – all for one and one for all,” said President Murray Johnston.

Members can enjoy two large fishing ponds within the Credit River Watershed. There are rainbow trout supplied by the Humber Springs Trout Hatchery in Mono, as well as speckled trout. The association has its own fishing permit system – $80 for 30 fish. The ponds are also suitable for swimming, including an enclosed kids’ area with a sandy bottom.

Pond Chairman Pat Black

For a low fee, members can also arrange to use seasonal or short-term campsites near the ponds, complete with firewood. There are woodland trails, a large pavilion for barbecue events, and a playground area. Members can bring guests three times per year. New members pay a $100 initiation fee and provide eight hours of volunteer work to help maintain the site.

Ice fishing is also popular on the upper pond, with the association supplying huts, and a new cabin on-shore for people to get warm. This past winter there was so much snow that they had to cut paths to the fishing holes with a snowblower. In February they held a Family Day event with skating and bonfires.

The association has a Conservation Fund that provides three $1,200 scholarships annually for students going into environmental studies. They also support school educational projects about fish, and funded a special dock for the disabled at Island Lake Conservation Area.

Some members are primarily interested in archery, and many meet on Saturday mornings. The association has a figure-8 trail with 43 targets in the shapes of various animals, including deer, elk, moose, turkey, wolf, wolverine, coyote and even alligator. These are placed among the trees, 20-40 yards from the shooting stations, and are embedded with concentric target areas, rewarding accurate shooters with higher points.

John Hunter

Groups of four or five archers follow the course together, like a group of golfers, taking turns at each station. It takes about 3 hours to complete – including time to retrieve arrows that miss the targets completely.

Different competitions are held based on three main types of bows, including traditional or recurve bows, where the archer has no special devices to guide the shot. Then there are compound bows with sights and stabilizers, and crossbows that mechanically pull and hold the string, releasing it with a trigger. Crossbow hunting has a longer season than regular hunting.

Bows used for hunting must have at least 40 lbs. of pressure when fully drawn to ensure their effectiveness said Jim Donnelly, an experienced archer.

“The last thing any ethical hunter would want to do is just wound an animal,” he said.

About 130 members participate in archery, and the sport seems to be gaining popularity with young people, said Johnston.

The DNPAHA clubhouse is a meeting place for members, and it is also made available to community groups such as Cubs and Brownies.

The facilities are located on Dufferin Road 16 at Blind Line, just west of the Cardinal Woods subdivision, where there has been concern about sound from the shooting ranges.

DNPAHA has brought in soil this year to raise the berms surrounding the ranges by 8 to 9 metres to reduce the sound. This will have the added benefit of creating a more consistent visual background for trap shooters as they try to hit their moving targets.

Trap shooting dates back to 1750 in England as a method of practice for hunters, and has been an Olympic sport since 1900. Originally, live birds and later glass balls were used as targets. The standard now is a clay disk, but they still call it a “bird”, with the shooter yelling “pull” when they are ready to have the target released.

DNPAHA has two fields and nine above-ground machines to throw the birds in fixed paths. There are also two machines in bunkers that vary the angles left and right, one at a standard height and the other wobbling to produce a more challenging variety of unpredictable trajectories.

“This simulates the idea of hunting in the field,” said Trap Chairman Dale Krushel. The counter on the second machine has reached 1.68 million.

Trap Chairman Dale Krushel

Dale Krushel shooting, and below, instructing reporter Phil Gravelle

Competitors normally take turns firing five times from each of five shooting stands, and scorers determine whether each bird has been struck or missed. In addition to a single target, variations include two birds thrown in quick succession or two simultaneously.

Trap shooters gather on Sunday mornings at 10 am, and on Monday nights, while Wednesday is Ladies’ Night.

Training is available to new shooters to help them learn etiquette and safety procedures (which include ear and eye protection), plus firearms and hunter safety courses to help members meet government regulations.

DNPAHA and its members are affiliated with the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters, which not only advocates for their activities but also invests in education, conservation projects, fish and wildlife research and anti-poaching efforts.

The Dufferin shooting range, for both rifles and handguns, is one of the safest in Ontario, said Krushel. It is narrow trench surrounded by high earthen berms, with a building for target shooters at one end. Paper targets are set at 25, 50 and 100 yards, in front of bunkers that trap the bullets.

There is pair of high wooden baffles in front of the shooting windows. Participants can see the targets while sighting below the baffles, but they cannot see the sky from their positions, eliminating the possibility of high, stray shots escaping the range. Targets can be suspended below the baffles for close-range handgun use.

Some members only do target shooting, but others consider it essential practice for success in hunting animals.

“I want to be as good a shot as I can possibly be – I want to be able to hit a target the size of my thumbnail at 100 yards,” said Krushel. “A one-shot harvest is ideal.”

For more on the association, go to www.dnpaha.org.

Looking Back

As published in The Erin Advocate

From the Advocate – 100 years ago (1914)

The German flag, which for many years has flown beneath the Union Jack at Victoria Park in Berlin, Ontario, was recently torn down and mutilated.

From the Advocate – 45 years ago (1969)

The loss was estimated at $50,000 when fire destroyed the barn on the farm of Grenfell Wright, on the Ninth Line just south of 5 Sideroad. He lost 27 head of cattle, 60 pigs, 40 tons of hay and various implements.

A diver has recovered the body of Walter Kurtz of Terra Cotta, who drowned while swimming with friends at Cataract. He slipped from a rock and fell 30 feet to the Credit River at the Old Mill site. The next day another man, David Oliver, fell at the same spot and broke his back.

Bob Trimble of Erin showed off his 1928 Chevrolet, originally purchased from the dealership of W.A. McLachlan and Son of Hillsburgh by Peter McEachern of RR1 Terra Cotta. It has been serviced since new at the Trimble Garage in Belfountain.

The Erin Advocate advertised its extra services, including thermo-engraving for wedding invitations, with the slogan, “We print everything but money and postage stamps.”

From the Advocate – 35 years ago (1979)

Connie Stewart, daughter of Bylaw Enforcement Officer Bob Stewart, caught a 23-inch speckled trout last Saturday in the Hull’s Dam millpond.

Erin village Fire Chief Jim Evans has resigned, and sold his south-end J-P Gas Bar to Jim Warner, who also operates the north-end Gulf station. Evans and his family are moving to Calgary. Former Chief Wib Scott will take over until the firefighters elect a new chief later this year.

Bill Dalley, owner of the Fergus-Elora News Express, and former publisher of the Orangeville Banner, has been named publisher of the Erin Advocate after the retirement of Bill Doole. Bryan Hayter, now a reporter in Fergus, will take over as Editor in August, supported by editorial staffers Ursala Walford and Colleen McEnery. Kevin Marsh will move from Erin to the Fergus newsroom.

From the Advocate – 25 years ago (1989)

Kate Hale, a member of the Business Improvement Area (BIA), has been busy planting flowers in the downtown plant boxes supplied by Mundell Lumber. The BIA is considering installing benches along Main Street, and colourful flags on the light poles.

Gary Sykes and Sara Denison were named Prom King and Queen at the Erin District High School Prom Night.

Three teachers from the school were honoured by the Ontario Secondary School Teachers Federation: former Vice-Principal Eric Holmes and current VP David Euale got an Awards of Merit for contributions to the profession, and English Department Head Joan Davidson, who is retiring, was recognized for her 28 years of teaching.

The Hillsburgh Bantam Girls baseball team has a four-game winning streak going. They beat Orangeville 22-16, with pitcher Teriann Bratton getting her first win of the season. Janice Root led the offence going 6 for 6, and Laurie Killam and Teriann Bratton each got 4 hits. There were also strong performances by Sharon Ellis (2 home runs), Christina Tilcox, Robin Lacombe, Kelly Van Sickle and Kim Watson (a grand slam).