- Huron County News
- Posts
- Huron County Newsletter #56
Huron County Newsletter
Week of January 26th to February 1st, 2025
Good day,
As we move into February, there’s plenty to keep us busy here in Huron County. Whether you’re supporting local initiatives or participating in winter events, it’s a great time to get out and make a difference. We’ve got another packed issue with all the latest happenings and some fun trivia to round out your week.
Thank you for your continued support, and have a great week!
 |  |
Seaforth Main Street Building Struck By Tractor Has Been Restored
by Bob Montgomery
A tractor ran into the building at the intersection of Main Street and John Street in October of 2023.
Gloria Wilbee is a Huron East councillor and the Chair of the Huron East Heritage Committee. The committee met with Architect Allan Avis in November to assess the extent of the damage, decide if the building could be restored, and also evaluate whether the brick could be salvaged. They were assured the building could be restored, and that was very good news, because the downtown is a heritage district and they didn't want to…
Main Street and John Street - January 2025
Next Gateway Centre Of Excellence In Rural Health Virtual Lecture Takes A Look At The Urban Exodus And The Impacts Of COVID-19 In Rural Ontario
by Bob Montgomery
The COVID-19 pandemic encouraged a lot of people to move out of the big cities.
The closure of offices, schools, public parks, and restaurants led many to leave urban areas in favour of small towns and rural communities. Even after schools, workplaces, and public facilities reopened, the rise of online work and telecommuting made it possible for many to make their move permanent. And that urban migration has brought both opportunities and challenges to rural communities. While new economic innovators have settled in small towns, population growth has strained aging infrastructure. To support the well-being of rural communities welcoming these new residents, thoughtful planning and development are essential…
Snowmobile Collision Results In Fatal Injuries
An individual was pronounced deceased following a collision involving a single snowmobile that collided with a tree in the Township of Perth East.
On January 26th, members of the Perth County Ontario Provincial Police along with Perth County Emergency Medical Services and Perth East Fire Department attended a collision on the trail near Perth Road 140.
The 18-year-old male driver and was transported to a local trauma centre where he was pronounced deceased…
by Bob Montgomery
The clear water in Lake Huron would lead us to believe the lake is very healthy.
But the Executive Director of the Lake Huron Coastal Centre says the clear water doesn't tell the whole story. Alyssa Bourassa says the invasive quagga and zebra mussels tell a different story. Quagga mussels are small, striped mussels that originate in Eastern Europe. They crossed the ocean by hanging onto ships and found their way into the Great Lakes. Once they're here they spread rapidly and began to change the ecosystem, one mussel at a time. Quagga and zebra mussels are both filter feeders, meaning they suck in water and filter out tiny particles of food. While this might sound harmless, or even beneficial, there’s a catch: they’re incredibly efficient at it. So much so, that they’re filtering out nearly all the tiny plants and animals known as plankton that other species rely on for food.
The quagga mussels have become a bigger problem as…
Photo courtesy of the Lake Huron Centre for Coastal Conservation
Central Huron Mayor Says Recent Facilities Report Was Good News
by Bob Montgomery
Central Huron Mayor Jim Ginn says the Facilities Report was part of Monday’s Central Huron Strategic Planning Meeting.
They conduct the strategic planning meeting every ten years and it involves checking out all of the buildings the municipality owns and determining what needs to be done to interiors, exteriors, plumbing and electrical and generally their facilities are in pretty good shape. He says the building they've done recently, like the fire hall and the arena, have several years of life left in them, but all of the report has to be turned in with their asset management plan that has to be presented…
Western Ontario Wardens’ Caucus Chair to Take Leave of Absence
by Bob Montgomery
The Western Ontario Wardens’ Caucus has announced that Chair Mayor Amy Martin of Norfolk County will be taking a leave of absence from her role with the organization.
The leave of absence will allow Mayor Martin to focus on her candidacy for the riding of Haldimand-Norfolk in the upcoming provincial general election.
Mayor Martin’s leave of absence will take effect…
Pathways Advisory Committee Hosts First Meeting Of 2025
by Bob Montgomery
The Pathways Advisory Committee includes Avon Maitland Board staff and local businesses. The committee provides recommendations and feedback regarding the Avon Maitland District School Board's Pathways promotion, and also supports planning that will enable the board to best support students in their initial post secondary destination and ultimately to meet local industry needs.
Superintendent of Education, Paul Langis says this past week's meeting was the first of two that will be held by the board, and the virtual meeting involved over twenty-five participants made up of…
Search Warrants Result In Drug Trafficking Charges
Two individuals are facing drug trafficking charges after search warrants were executed in Huron and Middlesex Counties.
On January 14th, members of the Ontario Provincial Police Huron-Perth Community Street Crime Unit, the Elgin-Middlesex OPP CSCU, Brant-Oxford OPP CSCU, OPP Canine, OPP Emergency Response Team and Huron County OPP detachment executed search warrants at two locations; one at an address on Victoria Street West in Exeter, Huron County and the other on William Street in Lucan, Middlesex County…
Gateway Centre of Excellence In Rural Health Is Hosting A Mental Health First Aid Training Course
by Bob Montgomery
The Gateway Centre of Excellence in Rural Health is offering a training course in Mental Health First Aid later in February, in Exeter.
Research Assistant Grace Bonnett says the course is part of an on-going initiative through Gateway to provide accessible mental health and substance abuse training to their rural communities. She says the course provides participants with skills and knowledge to support individuals experiencing mental health and substance use issues, so they're working towards creating healthier and more resilient communities, work places, families and individuals.
The course provides individuals with the tools to increase their…
Warning: Fraudulent Calls Impersonating OPP, RCMP And CANADIAN Anti-Fraud Centre
The Ontario Provincial Police is warning the public about individuals using the OPP's non-emergency telephone number to legitimize fraudulent bank investigator scams, where victims are misled into believing they must help catch a dishonest bank employee or resolve suspicious transactions by providing personal information or transferring funds.
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police and the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre are also warning about ongoing phishing schemes where those behind the scams claim to represent the RCMP.
The OPP has seen an increase in the spoofing of business, government and law enforcement telephone numbers, email addresses and websites…
The Board Of Trustees Of The Avon Maitland District School Board Has Received And Approved The 2024/2025 Revised Budget
by Bob Montgomery
The Board of Trustees of the Avon Maitland District School Board received and approved the 2024/2025 revised budget at this week’s school board meeting.
Avon Maitland Superintendent of Corporate Services Cheri Carter says they are required by the Ministry to bring their revised budget to the board after it's filed in December. And, she says the revised budget is basically the same as the one they filed in the spring except that the total revenue and the total expenses have gone up, upwards of four million dollars. So Carter says they are still not balanced, but they are compliant and they have an operating deficit of just under…
Two Intimate Partner Violence Investigations Result In Charges
On January 20th, 2025, members of the Huron County Ontario Provincial Police investigated a matter involving intimate partners in the Municipality of Bluewater.
As a result of the investigation, OPP learned that the involved suspect had allegedly committed a criminal act against their partner.
A 27-year-old individual from Bluewater has been arrested and charged under the Criminal Code with the following offence…
World Wetlands Day is February 2nd
by Bob Montgomery
World Wetlands Day takes place this Sunday, February 2nd and the theme for this year is ‘Protecting wetlands for our common future’ with a message to ‘value, protect and inspire.’
Ausable Bayfield Conservation Authority (ABCA) Wetlands Specialist Angela Van Niekerk says 172 countries have signed the international treaty dedicated to managing and protecting wetlands of International Importance. World Wetlands Day marks the day the Convention on Wetlands was adopted on February 2, 1971 in the city of Ramsar, Iran.
There are 37 Ramsar wetland sites in Canada. Ontario has…
Bluewater Mayor Says Talks Still Ongoing Regarding Sale Of Building At 6 Municipal Road In Bayfield
by Bob Montgomery
Bluewater council held an in-camera meeting last week to discuss the sale of the building at 6 Municipal Road in Bayfield.
The building is home to the Bayfield Lions Club as well as several local community groups including the Bayfield Food Bank. A physician from Seaforth has submitted an offer to buy the building and set up a clinic there.
Bluewater Mayor Paul Klopp says they are not at liberty at this point to share any of the discussion from the in-camera meeting. He does share that they did pass a motion to continue working at getting a deal completed and he's hoping they can close the deal at a meeting they've scheduled for next Tuesday evening, February 4th. That meeting will also be an in-camera meeting.
Break And Enter Results In Arrest
Huron County Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) has charged a Stratford resident following an attempted break-in at a Central Huron residence on January 29, 2025.
Just after 7:00 p.m., on Wednesday, January 29, 2025, Huron County OPP officers were contacted by a homeowner who reported a break-in attempt. The suspect description was provided to police.
Officers attended the area and located the suspect nearby, who was arrested and charged as follows…
The Mayor And A Councillor From Goderich Are Taking The Coldest Night Of The Year Walk To The Next Level
by Bob Montgomery
Councillor Randy Carroll is the Chair of the OH My Goderich CNOY team and he and Mayor Trevor Bazinet will be part of that walk on February 22nd.
But they’re both taking a step further than the walk. Councillor Randy Carroll and Mayor Bazinet are both spending the night of February 21 outside in the hopes of raising more awareness surrounding the issue of homelessness in our greater Huron County communities.
Goderich CEMC, Accessibility and Health & Safety Manager Michaela Johnston says they are currently…
Weekly Trivia Questions
Who founded Brussels?
a) Andrew Steene
b) Christoper Sparling
c) William Ainley
d) Andrew McLearnan
What year was Brussels accepted as the official name for the village?
a) 1854
b) 1893
c) 1861
d) 1872
Answers to last week’s questions:
What is the name of the British colonization company responsible for settling much of Huron County in the early 19th century?
a) WalMart
b) The Canada Company*
c) Hudson’s Bay Company
d) Eaton’s
What historic road, constructed in the 1820s and 1830s, extending from Guelph to Goderich, opened up Huron County to settlers and commerce, solidifying the area’s importance in the province?
a) The Huron Road*
b) Bluewater Highway
c) London Road
d) Main Street