Storm, Cold Blocked Roads, Closed Area Schools
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
Make her the wife of the party! 163 Broadway Orangeville 519.941.1707 www.korstenjewellers.com Combined Thursday Circulation: 38,043 │ 519-941-2230 │ [email protected] │ www.citizen.on.ca Volume 40, Issue 15 Thursday, January 9, 2014 $1.00 per copy (95¢ + 5¢ G.S.T.) Storm, cold blocked roads, closed area schools Written By TABITHA WELLS “There were a few stranded drivers and it A combination of snow, winds and icy was challenging to get to them because the roads this week have kept most Dufferin conditions would keep switching between residents indoors and given students an ex- whiteouts and being clear,” said Const. tended Christmas break. Nancekivell. “We had to block off roadways The storm that hammered the area raged and some of the motorists weren’t happy from early Sunday morning until late Mon- about that, but for the safety of plows and day evening, and drifting snow caused the tow personnel we had to sometimes shut impact to continue throughout Tuesday and down highways temporarily. Some roads be- into Wednesday. came so unbearable that we had to go in and The resulting white-outs and icy patches get people out to safer areas.” caused nearly all area roads to be He added that they closed and left many cannot emphasize more people stranded the importance of stay- in town. ing off the roads and “We had al- staying home during most every coun- extreme weather con- PHOTO: TABITHA WELLS ty road closed tennis · squash · fitness ditions. SEEKING A HOME: Carol Hulcoop, Branch Manager and worker Karen Hewitt pose at the Or- yesterday,” ex- “If you don’t have angeville and District Branch of the Ontario SPCA with Marty, one of the animals still waiting to plained OPP Com- to travel, then don’t,” fi nd his forever home. Marty has been with the SPCA since before Christmas. See the story on munications Offi - he said. “If you have the shelter’s iAdopt program on page A6. cer Paul Nancekiv- to travel make sure ell. “We used every your vehicle has road closure sign the full gas, you have a county has, which fully charged cell Adams defends PSB, doubts gives you an idea of It’s never phone and that how busy it was.” too late to start ! you have a good OPP option cost-effective Schools were also great heavy winter affected, with buses coat and warm Written By JAMES MATTHEWS being canceled all three feeling great! clothing in case forces adhere to the Police Services Act. days and all schools you get strand- A council motion to probe policing costs Coun. Williams surmised the OPP cost being shut down on www.headwatersracquetclub.comed and stuck.” turned into a mayoral defence of the Oran- analysis request was in relation to issues Tuesday due to the ex- The full tank of gas is important be- geville Police Services Board. between the OPS Board and the union. But treme cold. Sixty Upper Grand cause if you get stranded, you could be At Monday’s council meeting, Councillor Coun. Wilson refuted any link between his elementary schools, 11 secondary schools, idling for a long time. A fully charged cell Scott Wilson broached the possibility of costing request and any issues between the three continuing education locations and phone will make it easier to get help, even if requesting a cost analysis of Ontario Pro- local police association and the board. two board offi ces were affected across the you don’t know where you are. vincial Police (OPP) services within Oran- Concerns were discussed about points of district. “We can ping the cell phone and locate geville. order regarding one councillor attributing “We closed the entire system on Tuesday,” them by GPS,” explained Const. Nancekiv- Coun. Jeremy Williams asked Mayor Rob meaning to another councillor’s statements. said Maggie McFazden, Communications ell. “We have a lot of rural areas where the Adams to give council a verbal report on the “All I asked is for the mayor to give indi- Offi cer for the Upper Grand District School roads aren’t close together so there’s not Orangeville Police Services Board in light of cation things are headed in the right direc- Board. “Everybody was affected.” many street signs to identify where you are.” a recent union request to the Ontario Civil- tion,” said Coun. Williams. While there may have been some concern By Wednesday afternoon, the weather ian Police Commission (OCPC) to investi- Mayor Adams has had a breadth of expe- about students missing an additional half seemed to calm as temperatures rose and gate the board. Mayor Adams serves on the rience with local police service issues over a week of school, Ms. McFazden said that winds died down, making for better visibil- OPS Board. many years. He said a previous town council there is nothing to worry about. ity and allowing some snow to start melting The Orangeville Police Association, the on which he’d served asked for a cost anal- “Everything will be fi ne,” she said. “The on main roads. union which represents OPS offi cers, made ysis, and it took two years to complete, he principals of the schools and the teachers “We just fi nished reopening the majori- a formal request to the commission last said. will make up for the lost time.” ty of them today,” Const. Nancekivell said month for a review of the board’s adequa- Despite the County and OPP requesting late Wednesday afternoon. “We just had one cy and effectiveness. The OCPC is a prov- people to stay off the roads, many people small stretch on Dufferin County Road 11 ince-wide agency that aims to ensure police Continued on pg A3 still took their chances. Throughout the days between 109 and County 3 left, but they’re affected by the storm there were several ac- just fi nishing that up.” cidents, many of them occurring on Tuesday Town to weigh bids to produce due to poor visibility caused by whiteouts. Continued on pg A2 medical marijuana locally Written By JAMES MATTHEWS Previously, Health Canada rules allowed medical marijuana users to procure it them- Orangeville council will meet with town selves by designating someone to produce staff to further explore medical marijuana it on their behalf or obtain it directly from production possibilities in the town. Health Canada. Orangeville has received several requests Changes to the Medical Marijuana Access from potential marijuana producers hoping System regulations now require a licensing to establish a production facility in town. protocol allowing for large scale operations. But municipal zoning bylaws don’t address Essentially, medical marijuana will be the myriad of issues that come with the turned over to the private sector for produc- commercial production and distribution of tion. medical marijuana. That means patients have to obtain their The municipal government deferred dis- pot only from a federally approved and regu- cussion on the subject during Monday’s reg- lated commercial grower, from their doctor, ular meeting. It was agreed such an issue or from a pharmacist. would be best explored when the town’s Coun. Scott Wilson said the town should economic development, planning and inno- make it as easy as possible for new industry vation staff are present. to set up in Orangeville. The town’s economic development di- “The requirements the town puts on this rector provided council a report in Decem- type of production shouldn’t be any differ- ber on recent Health Canada regulations ent than what we would put on a brewery or changes that affect how medical marijuana a distillery,” he said. NEW YEAR’S BABY - Kirandeep Kaur Brar and father Lucky Brar welcomed the fi rst baby of the is obtained by patients and under what con- Mayor Rob Adams has a different perspec- New Year at Headwaters Health Care Centre with the birth of their son at 12:29 a.m. on January ditions it will be produced in Canada. That tive: “I could think of a thousand businesses 1. The baby weighed in at 8 pounds and 14 ounces, and went home shortly after to join his two older brothers, Tegvir and Himmat. report was included in Monday’s council I’d rather have come to the community,” the agenda package. mayor said. A2 ORANGEVILLE CITIZEN | JANUARY 9, 2014 DWP likely in commercial service within 18 months Written By WES KELLER necessary municipal and provincial approv- last August DWP “agreed to pay the County sional Court.” als, commenced construction.” its asking price for the use of the rail corri- As well, “An appeal of the Tribunal’s deci- Responding via email to questions about There had been no effort to withhold con- dor.” She said it also offered to match that sion may be made in writing to the Minister Dufferin Wind Power’s reaction to the struction from the public eye. Ms. Roberts amount by paying for trail or other commu- of the Environment on any matter other than Environmental Review Tribunal’s deci- referred to DWP’s website, www.dufferin- nity improvements plus helping with a multi- a question of law. The Minister of the Envi- sion upholding DWP’s Renewable Energy windpower.ca/ConstructionUpdates.aspx, use trail study. ronment will then confi rm, alter or revoke Approval (REA), spokeswoman Connie Rob- for further information. However, she said, “County Council the decision of the Tribunal if the Minister erts said, “We are pleased that the (ERT) has On completion of the project, she said that reversed their position and refused to nego- considers that it is in the public interest to dismissed the appeal against Dufferin Wind while the original deadline was Jan.