by Anne Finlay-Stewart
"I was born in this city which I love very much. And I do like to visit the stores on the hill."
It is really as simple as that. Marlene Naveau just wants to go out to shop like anyone else. But in 2011 she had to give up her car, because neuropathy in her feet was making it unsafe. She gets out and about on a power scooter because her knees have been replaced twice and she has spinal stenosis. Until recently she could go longer distances on the city's mobility transit vehicles, easily driving on to the lift at the back, turning around and driving out at her destination.
Marlene made regular trips to the stores by bus until the city's contractor, First Transit, bought new vehicles. Now she says there is only one ramp at the front of the bus, and not enough room to turn her scooter around. One driver helped her back it on to the bus so she could drive straight out. Another got the scooter turned while she walked off the bus. But in a phone call from a representative of First Transit, Marlene says she was told the drivers were not permitted to help her with her scooter, and that it was too big for the new city vehicles. "It is not even as big as some in my building," says the retired teacher, who lives in a 14th Street West high-rise.
Community Foundation Grey Bruce invites your help in shaping the direction of its forthcoming Vital Signs report. A public meeting on Wednesday, June 3 from 7 to 9 pm will provide an opportunity for Owen Sound citizens to help the Foundation determine the areas of interest for in-depth study and analysis that reflect the most important issues relating to the community's well-being.
Vital Signs© is a national initiative undertaken by Community Foundations across Canada. The report highlights and comments on a number of quality of life indicators that measure and grade the vitality of each community. Through a combination of data review and comparative analysis, Vital Signs© is a tool for aligning community goal-setting, promoting civic engagement, and measuring collective community well-being.
The meeting, to be held at the Harmony Centre, 890 4th Ave. East, will introduce the Vital Signs project and engage discussion with the community around the areas of interest that may be studied based on local input. There are approximately 11 categories for consideration including education, employment, housing, transportation, poverty, food security, the environment, etc.
On June 18th, Owen Sound will discover just how much more "Awesome" it can be!
Owen Sound's recently founded Awesome Foundation is excited to announce that it received 15 eligible awesome proposals sent in from a variety of people who all have one thing in common – a desire to make their community a more awesome place, one great idea and one cash‐filled brown paper bag at a time. A 16th proposal was received, but was ineligible because it came from outside of Owen Sound.
Recently, the twelve Awesome Trustees met to determine the three people who will be invited to do a live pitch of their proposal for a chance to win $1,000 to help bring their awesome idea to life. The proposals submitted were very diverse, from literary projects to health wellness initiatives, animal welfare to arts and culture strategies, plus ideas benefiting youth, people at risk and/or senior citizens.
Child support delinquency puts a strain on both children and their families.
On Tuesday May 19th at 6:30pm HER Grey Bruce will present their 'Get to Know FRO' information night for parents who are recipients of child support through the Ontario Family Responsibility Office (FRO) or are considering registering, and those who work with them.
The event at St. George's Church Hall at 4th Ave. East and 11th St. will launch an informational resource called 'Get to Know FRO,' available online, to assist recipient parents registered with FRO in navigating the system and understanding their rights.
The 'Get to Know FRO' project also includes a survey for all parents in Ontario in receipt of child support through the FRO system, the results of which will be shared with Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound MPP Bill Walker and the Ontario government to inform constructive change in the system to benefit the parents and children who rely on child support.
Walker, who also serves as the PC Critic for Community and Social Services, will open the May 19th event with his comments on the state of the FRO. In October 2014, Walker's office confirmed that as much as $2.1 billion continues to go uncollected by the FRO, while as many as 80% of child support cases in Ontario are non-compliant.
Tracy Henderson, Family Support Worker at the County of Grey, will speak to attendees on the challenges facing local parents who are trying to ensure collection of their child support through the FRO.
For further information about the event including registering for childcare,check HER Grey-Bruce or contact hergreybruce@live.ca or (519) 376-6475.
By Cathy Hird
Creation is in a hurry. One day last week, the tulip buds had barely formed when I went in for lunch. After the meal, there were ten brilliant red flowers near the tool-shed with rose coloured ones beside the lilacs. An hour later, there were yellow and red ones by the house.
It wasn't just tulips. When I walked down the hill to weed part of the garden, I saw dandelion leaves. When I came back to the house, fourteen were in flower. Until that day the only colour came from the daffodils, bright yellow trumpets, a double white one, and some with pale rose trumpets and white petals. Suddenly, there was colour everywhere.
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