Durham Region unveils plans that could put 850,000 tonnes of garbage into Brock dump site

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1 January 24, 2007 Volume 3, Issue 2 Durham Region unveils plans that could put 850,000 tonnes of garbage into Brock dump site Despite a public outcry and repeated demands to close the Brock dump located just east of Port Bolster, the Region of Durham is expected to ask the Ministry of the Environment (MOE) to approve a plan to expand the facility to accommodate trash and energy from waste ash from outside Brock Township. In October 2006, the Ministry of the Environment requested that the Region of Durham prepare a remedial plan that would address an existing leachate problem at the Brock dump. This plan, which is to be delivered to the Ministry no later than January 31, 2007, also includes a $10.5 million option that will expand the capacity of the dump in addition to outlining the remedial action that is required to prevent the leachate from contaminating surrounding soil and the Lake Simcoe watershed. According to Clifford Curtis, the Commissioner of Works for the Region of Durham, the option to expand the vertical capacity of the dump is one of three options in the Region s response to MOE and is the option the Works Department is recommending. We are recommending to use the facility a little longer to recover some capital costs out of it, Mr. Curtis said. The two other options considered were to: a) improve operating practices and implement engineered controls while continuing to operate the facility at the status quo; and b) establish only a limited leachate collection system using landfill mining, followed by landfill closure. Mr. Curtis said the costs to close the facility would be similar to the costs of expanding it. It would still cost $10.5 million to close it, he said adding that once the work to expand the facility is completed we would look at this as an alternative to Michigan if the border were to close. He also said the Brock facility could provide additional capacity in the event the Region s proposed Energy From Waste (EFW) plant does not open by 2010, the year the waste contract with Michigan expires. Currently the Brock dump accepts between 5,000 and 6,000 tonnes of waste every year and according to Mr. Curtis, the vertical expansion is required as part of the remediation plan and would require 100,000 tonnes of material to contour and shape the landfill before a roofing system could be put in place to prevent rainwater and moisture from seeping through the garbage. Mr. Curtis stressed that the footprint of the facility would not increase dramatically because the expansion would be vertical allowing a height elevation of 272 metres maximum a height that would allow for 750,000 tonnes of additional garbage. He does however, admit that the Region will need to acquire leachate-affected lands north of the site to be used as a buffer zone, by either purchase or expropriation. According to Heather Gillies, a spokesperson for the Brock and Georgina Against Garbage (BAG) advocacy group, residents in the area will not accept this new plan and will petition Brock council to pass restrictive by-laws and submit objections to the Ministry of the Environment to demand an Environmental Assessment prior to any work being initiated. It is clear that Durham cannot be trusted, Ms. Gillies said. They are finding every loop hole they can without regard for the residents, the environment or even common sense. If they can grandfather it in, slip it through, they will. They will all be long gone on pension by the time the worst of the damage ensues. According to Ms. Gillies, garbage truck traffic would increase 17 fold and Durham is looking for Brock to cover or share much of the cost of road improvements. BAG is meeting very shortly to discuss strategy and Ms. Gillies says a mountain of garbage is not in any way in our vocabulary, agenda nor in any way acceptable. This will not be a Town Hall Meeting but rather an action meeting to close the dump once and for all. The recommended expansion-remediation option is not a fait accompli since the process requires a number of approvals from Regional council, MOE and the Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority. Sales Representative Teresa Millar (905) Great neighbourhood... To raise a family in this 3 bedroom raised bungalow with a full finished basement. Rec room features a fireplace and bar with above grade windows. Great for entertaining in! Strip hardwood floors on the main floor, Mostly new windows. Gas furnace. All on a 140 ft. wide lot. Just move in and enjoy. Listed at $239,900. To view this and other homes... Call Teresa (905) Or you can click to Not intended to solicit sellers or buyers currently under contract Only $239,900

2 2 Further mosquito study unnecessary Last year the Town of Georgina contracted GDG Environment Ltd to conduct a mosquito surveillance and mapping study to help identify species, numbers and breeding sites. The trouble is, the study did not get underway until August and went until the end of September and as most of us who live here know, these are not prime mosquito breeding months. However, the final report which was delivered to the town before Christmas, did suggest that during these months, nuisance mosquitoes were present in high numbers and a total of 250 hectares (or 620 acres) of breeding sites were identified. The report also said that based on the information and knowledge gained to date, it is clear that a biological control program to reduce the adult mosquito populations by a minimum of 80 per cent throughout the season is feasible. In addition, the Region of York has been conducting similar studies in this area for some time and they have data that provides information into the month of June. So why would we need further study? To recap, here is what we know: 1. We have high populations of mosquitoes; 2. We know where they breed; 3. A larvicide program is a safe and environmentally friendly program that would help. To my way of thinking, if a study that was conducted in the fall identified large populations of mosquitoes then one that was conducted in the spring would identify even more. And if the experts who work for GDG are convinced a larvicide program will work to help us cope with these large mosquito populations, why do we need more study. I have also been told that the weather is a huge variable when conducting mosquito studies. If we experience dry weather one spring and wet weather in another spring the results will not be consistent, making it difficult to draw conclusions based on historical data. The mosquito spray program was suspended last year with the promise that a study would be conducted to help council make a decision on future mosquito control programs. To ignore the data results of this study as it pertains to numbers and breeding sites in favour of more study would only be a waste of time and a waste of money. We know we have a problem and we know where the problem is and we know what the solution is. And besides, who says we can t monitor while we are implementing a larvicide mosquito control program? All council need do now is find out what the solution will cost and sending out for quotes will remedy that quickly enough. I, for one, do not want more precious financial resources to go toward more studies to find out more of what we already know. Karen Wolfe, Editor. Publisher/Editor Karen Wolfe (705) karen.wolfe@sympatico.ca Advertising Sales Karen Wolfe (705) karen.wolfe@sympatico.ca The Pefferlaw Post Offices 17 Otter Cove Pefferlaw, Ontario L0E 1N0 (705) The Pefferlaw Post publishes on the 10th and 24th of every month (except December 24) and serves the residents of Pefferlaw, Virginia, Port Bolster, Wilfrid, Sutton and Georgina Island. The contents of the publication are protected by copyright and may only be used for your personal and non-commercial use.

3 Fast-acting shop owner captures theft suspect 3 Advance warnings and photos of members in a suspected theft ring targeting music shops helped Jeff Elias, owner of the Interesting Music Shoppe in Wilfrid, capture a suspect when three people entered and left his shop after taking a $3,500 guitar. I received a number of warnings from other music shop owners and they sent me photos of the suspects, Mr. Elias said. I had been looking at the photos on my work table for weeks, so when they walked into my store I recognized them immediately and I became suspicious. According to Mr. Elias, he was waiting on another customer when one of the two male suspects promptly distracted him, giving his two accomplices, a man and a woman, an opportunity to make off with the guitar. When the third guy left, I followed him on foot, Mr. Elias said adding that his customer and witness offered him a cell phone and followed along behind in a pick up. Mr. Elias confronted the suspect and detained him while he called police on his cell phone. Once police arrived, the suspect was taken into custody and handcuffed. Two days later, on January 10, Jane Jung at the Pefferlaw Supermarket called police when she became suspicious of nine eastern Europeans who kept trying to distract her in her store. They heard me call the police and ran away, she said adding that an article in a Korean Business newspaper alerted her by giving descriptions and habits of suspects involved in other thefts within the Korean community. I called all the other Korean people in the area and told them to be careful, she said. Georgina Island mapping project The next community on the list to undergo the mapping exercise in Georgina is Georgina Island and adjacent lands on the mainland. A project of the Alliance for a Better Georgina (ABG), the mapping project produces a community map that identifies the significant cultural, historical and natural features in the area. To date, maps for the communities of Baldwin, Udora and Pefferlaw have been completed. The initial phases of the mapping project involves sending a questionnaire to members of the community asking them to identify those features that are most significant to them. A committee of community representatives and ABG staff and consultants are managing the project and work together to ensure that the information on the map will represent the interests of the community being mapped. According to Mark Setter, Map Director for the project, the maps have various uses. They will share information and promote the best that Georgina has to offer. And, becoming involved in the mapping process will give community members an opportunity to visualize their communities and to engage directly in the ongoing identification and preservation of important local environmental and cultural features. This all adds up to a powerful repository of information accessible on people s own terms and on their own time that can help build the identity of Georgina, he says. According to Mr. Setter, growth decisions within communities are often based on incomplete data and the mapping project is designed explicitly to fill this gap with significant information and to better reflect the community voice. Having identified these values, the community is then empowered to take the next steps necessary to protect them. The Georgina Island community map is expected to be completed in the spring of this year. Pro Hardware and a whole lot more... SHAW PRO HARDWARE 533 PEFFERLAW ROAD PEFFERLAW, ONTARIO L0E 1N0 Telephone: (705) Fax: (705) Brent Shaw Owner STORE HOURS Monday Friday 8:30 a.m. 7:00 p.m. Saturday 8:30 a.m. 6:00 p.m. Sunday 9:30 a.m. 5:00 p.m.

4 4 Get well wishes go out to Julie and Albert Colyer of Jackson s Pt. They are both recovering at home from injuries sustained from a car accident when their vehicle rolled over after hitting a patch of ice on Catering Rd. We wish them a speedy recovery. The Sutton Ladies Marathon Bridge Club recently held their Christmas in January lunch at the Lionshead Resort in Jackson s Pt. After lunch the ladies played bridge for the afternoon. If you had the privilege of seeing the Three Wise Men Cantata at Knox United Church in Sutton on January 7 you must have enjoyed it. Words and music were written by David Holbourn. It was outstanding. Thank you David for sharing your gift of music with us. The choir performed extremely well. Performing at the piano was Patty Evans with Sharon Chambers at the organ. Well done everyone. Word has it there may be an Easter Cantata in the works. This week the Sutton West & Cryderman s Chronicles District Lions Club will be donating $1,000 in food supplies to the Georgina Food Pantry. Thank you Lions for your support in the community of Georgina. Seen at the Mansion House last week were the ladies from St. James Anglican Church in Sutton. The ladies usually go to lunch on the third Wednesday of each month. They were also celebrating Jean Cascoyne s birthday. Happy Birthday Jean. If you are interested in joining them please call Laura Gollinger at (705) Get well wishes go out to Kathy Johnson of Jackson s Pt. She is recovering from surgery on her wrist. We wish her well. Our sincere condolences go out to Ann Hatton and family on the loss of Ann s husband Bill on Friday, January 19. A memorial service will be held at Becker s Funeral Home in Keswick on Saturday. Jan. 27 at 11:30 a.m.

5 Youths take on York Regional Police in Dodge Ball tournament at Youth Centre More than 20 local youths aged six to 18 took part in a Dodgeball tournament, facing off against several members of the York Regional Police force on Thursday evening, January 18. The tournament, organized by Jericho Youth Centre, drew a capacity crowd to the Pefferlaw Youth Centre and the four division teams were relentless in their attack on the officers. For most matches, kids and police officers used a jelly-ball with which to target and throw at each other. If a team member is hit with the ball, the player is disqualified and must leave the court. For the senior youths, a Bret Ledger of Wilfrid makes a move to dodge a ball thrown by police officers. larger and firmer dodge ball was used creating more excitement among spectators and players. By the end of the evening, the police force had been defeated by the younger teams but battled back to defeat the senior players. Twelve-year-old Sarah Little makes a valiant effort to avoid being hit while trying to launch an assault on the police officer s team. Police officers get together to discuss strategy on how to eliminate a feisty and difficult junior team. Your Morning Smile A crow was sitting on a tree, doing nothing all day. A small rabbit saw the crow, and asked him, "Can I also sit like you and do nothing all day long?" The crow answered: "Sure, why not." So, the rabbit sat on the ground below the crow and rested. All of a sudden, a fox appeared, jumped on the rabbit and ate it. Management Lesson: To be sitting and doing nothing all day, you must be sitting very, very high up. 5

6 6 Live bait bans used to try and control new fish virus from spreading In an effort to control a new deadly fish virus from spreading, the Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) is putting a live bait fish ban in place. VHS or viral hemorrhagic septicemia, was recently found in fish in the lower Great Lakes basin, and while not a threat to human health, the virus has been linked to the eradication of at least four fish species. According to John Cooper, a spokesperson for the MNR Lake Erie Management Unit, the Lake Simcoe fish community has not been tested for the virus as yet but plans are underway to do so in the spring. Right now we don t know if Lake Simcoe is affected but we will be doing surveillance this spring, Mr. Cooper said. Some of the sport fish the virus is targeting are muskie, yellow perch and walleye. In the meantime, the ministry has established three zones in the province where new bait fish regulations will apply. Zone one (the infected zone) lies south of Highways 401 and 402 across Ontario. In this zone live bait fish will not be allowed to be commercially harvested or transported north of the two highways. Zone two (the buffer zone) lies north of Hwy. Inset of a Ministry of Natural Resources Fish Management Zone map that identifies those areas in Ontario that are in the Buffer Zone. All Fish Management Zones south of Hwy. 401 and Hwy. 402 are in the infected zone. 401 and 402 to the northern limits of Fisheries Management Zones (FMZ) 16, 17 and 18 as well as FMZ 12 east of FMZ 18 and FMZ 13. In this zone, which includes the Town of Georgina, live bait fish can be harvested and used but cannot be transported north of the fisheries management zones. The remainder of Ontario is a virusfree zone and live bait fish can be harvested and transported as usual. While little is known about the virus at this time, Mr. Cooper stressed that the virus cannot be passed on to humans either by handling infected fish or eating them. As the effort moves forward to control the spread of the virus, a more comprehensive plan is being developed which will likely include additional bans, Mr. Cooper said. There are several strains of the VHS virus around the world and it is found in freshwater and saltwater fish. Recently, a new strain of this virus was found in Lake St. Clair, Lake Erie, the Niagara River, Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River. Mr. Cooper said the restrictions on bait are necessary because much of the bait fish that is harvested for ice fishing in Ontario is caught in the infected areas that lie in Fish Management Zones south of Hwy. 401 and Hwy. 402 such as Lake Erie and the upper Niagara River. But this is a national issue, Mr. Cooper said. and we will be looking at how fish move around. We can t stop it from spreading naturally, but we can slow it down in inland areas, he said. According to Mr. Cooper the virus is temperature dependent and is most active around 10 degrees C. As a result, MNR staff are expecting it to surface again this spring so they are gearing up to monitor what will be happening around the province this spring. We don t know a lot about it yet. It is just one of those things that exists in the fish population and there are a lot of unanswered questions about it and how serious it is going to be, Mr. Cooper said. The MNR in Ontario, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency and the Department of Fisheries and Oceans are currently working together on a comprehensive plan to be in place by the spring of 2007 to control the spread of the virus to new areas of Ontario and other provinces. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency and the Department of Fisheries and Oceans have the mandate to respond to this, Mr. Cooper said, but it is very important for people to know that it is not a risk to human health Dalton, Sutton Same plaza as Giant Tiger Open 7 Days 7am 9pm

7 Come and Join the Fun At the Pefferlaw Youth Centre Closed After School Program Mural Painting (14+yrs) 7-9:00 Gym Jamboree Poker Board games Bop Martial Arts (6-9yrs)6:30-7:30 (10+yrs)7:30-8:30 Art Attack Mural Painting (14+yrs) 7-9:00 (14+yrs) 3:30-10:00 Chess Challenge Karaoke (14+yrs) 7-10:00 (14+yrs) 7-10:00 Movie Night Closed After School Program Mural Painting (14+yrs) 7-9:00 Gym Jamboree Pool Tournament Board games Bop Martial Arts (6-9yrs)6:30-7:30 (10+yrs)7:30-8:30 Art Attack Mural Painting (14+yrs) 7-9:00 (14+yrs) 3:30-10:00 Chess Challenge Karaoke (14+yrs) 7-10:00 (14+yrs) 7-10:00 Pool Tournament Closed After School Program Mural Painting (14+yrs) 7-9:00 Gym Jamboree Pool Tournament (6-13yrs)3:30-5:30 Board games Bop Martial Arts (6-9yrs)6:30-7:30 (10+yrs)7:30-8:30 GYM JAMBOREE An endless assortment of team games: Dodge Ball, Shrinking Island, Octopus, Capture the Flag, Obstacle Courses etc. BOARD GAMES BOP Play a variety of games (board/card/charade games etc.) Or bring your favorite game with you! ART ATTACK Tons of cool art projects for guys and gals!

8 8 Final mosquito study results are in and Georgina engineering staff will recommend further study to council According to a 14-page report prepared by GDG Environmental, the company contracted by the Town of Georgina to conduct a study of mosquitoes in the Pefferlaw area, the consultants have enough data to deliver a biological control program that would reduce the mosquito population by a minimum of 80 per cent. Information collected during this study can help to focus discussion of a possible biological control program and will be the foundation for budget development, the study says. With the information and knowledge gained to date, it is clear that a biological control program to reduce the adult nuisance mosquito populations by a minimum of 80 per cent throughout the season is feasible. Conclusions in the report went on to recommend further study since the original study was conducted in August and September 2006 and no data has been collected on spring mosquito populations. Additionally, the report suggests that further larval monitoring beginning in mid-april will confirm the site characterizations and add insight into the relative impact of the various sites throughout the season. Location Number GE001 GE002 GE003 GE004 GE005 GE006 GE007 GE008 GE009 GE010 Total Captures from Aug 06 Sept 30 GE GE GE GE GE GE GE GE GE GE Total 7890 Researchers set up 10 light traps throughout the Pefferlaw area to help them collect, identify and monitor adult mosquitoes and to map and characterize mosquito development sites. The project began on August 10, 2006 and the study period ended on September 30, The report also included data from a York Region Health Unit trap that was in place on Morning Glory Rd. from mid June through to the end of July. According to the report, the four nuisance mosquito species that were captured in the Location 9885 Morning Glory Rd., Lake Ridge Rd. Pt. Bolster 22 James. St., 63 Brook Cres. 26 Pinecrest Golf Course Eaglewood Campground End of Holmes Pt. Rd. Green Acres Campground Rixon Manor most numbers were aedes vexans, ochlerotatus trivittatus, ochlerotatus stimulans and anopheles. The locations throughout Pefferlaw that captured the most mosquitoes were located on Pinecrest, Morning Glory Rd., Brook Cres., Eaglewood Campground, Holmes Pt. Rd., and Rixon Manor. Albeit, the report went on to say it is evident that the nuisance problem is present throughout the village of Pefferlaw. The location producing the least amount of trapped mosquitoes was the golf course and the report suggests this could be attributed to a number of factors including wind, poor site selection or possible nuisance control of mosquitoes by the golf course. It is likely that some residents and businesses are implementing adult control measures using chemical products available through retail distribution, the report said. Using a Geographic Information System (GIS), digital elevation models and serial photos provided by the Town of Georgina, the researchers were able to identify and characterize 250 hectares of mosquito development sites. Despite recording high mosquito populations in the Pefferlaw area during August and September, the report offers a weather proviso that suggests a warm and moderately wet spring in 2006, combined with higher than average temperatures, likely resulted in an early die off of spring species and low to moderate development of summer species. The report recommends monitoring weather conditions in Pefferlaw during future adult trapping and larval monitoring since weather data in the previous study were based on information from Lester B. Pearson International Airport. At press time, Mike Baskerville, the Engineering Manager for the Town of Georgina, submitted a staff report based on the results of the study to council on Monday, January 22. In his report he recommended the continuation in 2007 of the mosquito monitoring, species identification, breeding site mapping and costing should there be a desire to carry out a larval mosquito control program in Council approved the recommendation and will set aside monies in the 2007 budget to fund further study. Meeting Notice The Town of Georgina is hosting a number of pre-budget consultation meetings and is inviting all interested residents to attend to offer input on spending priorities. All meetings will be from 7:00 9:00 p.m. Feb. 6 Ice Palace, Keswick Feb. 7 Sutton Seniors, Sutton Feb. 13 Pefferlaw Library, Pefferlaw Feb. 20 Udora Hall, Udora Residents will be asked the following questions: 1. What should the Town of Georgina s top priority be for this year s budge and how should it be funded? 2. Are there any programs or services the Town of Georgina or the Region of York provide that are no longer needed? 3. What else do you believe can be done to continue to press Georgina s case for fairness within the Region and Province?

9 Taylor-Iasci named first Georgina Island princess 9 Thirteen-yearold Tanisha Taylor-Iasci was crowned the first Georgina Island Princess when the results of a community vote were revealed at a dinner at the community hall on Georgina Island on Saturday, January 13. Printed on the sash presented to Miss Taylor-Iasci were the Ojibway words Gimaa- Kwens which means leaderyoung lady. As a role model for youth, Miss Taylor-Iasci will spend the year representing Georgina Island and participating in upcoming events to celebrate Aboriginal Day on June 21, I just feel so happy and ecstatic. It means I will do a lot more for my community like helping with dinners for seniors and recreation for younger Thirteen-year-old Tanisha Taylor-Iasci was voted the first Georgina Island Princess by island community.. ones, Miss Taylor-Iasci said. I wanted to put myself out there so if people need my help I can give them assistance. Kayla Trumble, 17, was voted the first runner up in the contest and 14 year-old Kanisha Bouchef was the second runner up. All three girls received gifts and flowers by event organizers.

10 10 Tennyson Tidbits Congratulations to Kaitlynn Baker who turned 9 on January 16. And, to her grandfather, Al Baker, who celebrates his birthday on January 29. Happy Birthday to both of you. Wedding bells will ring on January 27 when Amy Whetter and Nick Burgess say their I dos at Wooden Sticks in Uxbridge. Congratulations you two! Our sincere condolences go out to Norma Westgarth and her family. Norma s husband Orville, lost his courageous battle with cancer recently. The couple were long-time residents of Wilfrid prior to moving to Uxbridge last summer. On January 15, 2007, the cost of mailing a letter went up to 52 cents from 51 cents and to reduce the cost of printing one cent stamps, Canada Post has issued a permanent stamp that does not have a price printed on it. Thus, this stamp can be used indefinitely even if the price of postage increases in the future. Congratulations to Ian and Julie Clyde on the birth of their baby daughter, Emily Jane on January 18. Emily weighed in at 9lbs. 12 oz. and proud first-time grandparents are Dave and Jane Clyde and Lise and Claude and Luke and Rachel of Welland. Dorothy Shier called to let me know that there are plans underway to publish a record on the History of Wilfrid. Anyone with old photos, documents or historical knowledge of the settlement is encouraged to help out by calling Dorothy at (705) First meeting will be at the Wilfrid Hall on Feb. 4 at 11:30. Dorothy also asked me to let everyone know that Cooke s United Church services in Wilfrid are now being held in the Wilfrid Hall for the winter. Everyone is welcome. The Wilfrid Pastoral Charge Outreach Committee would like to thank the businesses, individuals and service clubs of the community who donated so generously to the Christmas Angels. Hampers full of food and toys were delivered to 31 deserving families to enjoy for Christmas. LCBO to start deposit-return program for liquor and wine bottles As of February 5, the Liquor Control Board of Ontario (LCBO) will be charging a deposit on all liquor and wine bottles in an effort to improve recapture rates for these containers when they are returned for a refund at bottle return depots. Currently, many consumers put these containers into their blue boxes for recycling, but depositreturn advocates have been pushing for a bottle bill to help transfer the cost of recycling from municipal coffers to producers and consumers of these products. Consumers will pay a 20 cent deposit per container larger than 630 ml and 10 cents on smaller containers. To date, one-third of LCBO containers are being landfilled compared to a 95 per cent recovery rate for beer bottles, which have been subject to a deposit-return scheme for years. Glass, Tetra Pak and other LCBO containers will qualify and government sources say the new deposit-return program should improve recovery rates by 30 to 40 per cent. LCBO customers in the Pefferlaw area will be able to return their containers for a refund to Ken Fullbrook s bottle return depot on Highway 48.

11 Home inspections provide peace of mind when buying a home 11 The purchase of a home is likely to be the largest, single investment that most of us will ever make. And, unlike other major purchases, such as a car, we are never able to take a home for a test drive before we make a decision. It wasn t so long ago that the old buyer beware adage was the only consumer protection most of us could rely upon when buying a home that, and the critical eye of family and friends who might have some contracting knowledge. Today however, more and more buyers are investing in the knowledge and expertise of a home inspector, giving themselves some peace of mind and a heads up on potential issues with the property. Allan Fenton is one such expert. After more than 30 years in the residential general contracting business, Al decided to enrol in a home inspector program and as a result, he started up A.G. F. Home Inspections and has been providing an objective and independent structural analysis of real estate for buyers over the past eight years. Al Fenton is WETT certified and a licensed carpenter who operates a home inspection business to give home buyers peace of mind and alert them to potential problems. A house inspection by a certified home inspector gives the buyer peace of mind and more insight beyond cosmetics, Al says adding that he produces a 14 page report on the property which buyers can keep for future reference. People will go into a home and just look at the beautiful kitchen and not consider the structural integrity of that kitchen, he said. According to Al, when buyers hire a home inspector, they should expect a three-hour inspection that will assess the present condition of the inside plumbing, electrical components, shingles, basement or crawl space, drainage, windows, attic, trusses, insulation etc. However, some of the things they don t inspect are septic systems, wells and sewer systems. And home inspectors are also restricted from moving anything in the house. I can t move anything around so if there is a problem behind a couch, I won t see it. Buyers have to depend on the seller to disclose these problems, he said. However, buyers should expect the house inspector to stand by an assessment on those areas he can inspect he said. I have to stand by the report I give them, Al says. If I say the shingles are good for five years and two months later they start to leak, then the buyer should call me. It could be that something has happened after the inspection. With his extensive knowledge of the construction business, Al is able to investigate some of the reasons for a particular problem with the home and offer the buyer an estimate of costs to repair it. This way they have the option of going back to the seller to ask for an abatement, he says adding that buyers should decide up front how much money they are prepared to spend to fix the house they want to buy. There is usually something in every house that needs attention, Al said, even brand new ones. In addition to his expertise in construction and house inspection, Al is Wood Energy Transfer Technology (WETT) certified and is able to provide an assessment of wood fireplaces and pellet stoves to satisfy the requirements of insurance companies. Additionally, he can provide chimney sweep services. The best advice Al can offer buyers looking for a home inspector is to ask around and get referrals from friends or family who have used them in the past. And they (inspectors) should have good communications skills and knowledge of construction so they can explain things to the average person, he said. While Al is located in Keswick, he accepts house inspection jobs throughout southern Ontario and the GTA. I go all over, Al said. I ve even gone back after the buyer has moved in to show them how to fix something I identified in the report. The cost for a house inspection by A.G.F. Home Inspections is usually $300 and each inspection of a wood stove or fireplace in the house is an extra $75. Fireplace and wood stove inspections without a home inspection is $250.

12 12 The organizers of the Eaglewood Folk Festival are organizing another Big Night Out fundraiser for the festival. On Saturday, February 3, everyone is welcome to spend the evening at the Wilfrid Hall to enjoy the music of Chris Gathier, Blain Fullbrook and North of Summer. The evening starts at 7:30 p.m. and tickets are $15 per person which can be reserved by contacting Ed Winacott at (705) The Port Bolster Hall Board will host a Valentine Special Roast Beef dinner on February 9 at 5:30 p.m. The cost is $8 per person and $4 for children under 12. Children under three will be free. Tickets available at the door and for Coming Events FOR RENT Sunderland Store, Main St. 850 sq. ft. c/w kitchen & washroom. $675 per mo. Incl. heat, water, business taxes, excludes hydro, telephone (extra) Available Feb. 1. Call (905) NEVER CLEAN YOUR GUTTERS AGAIN Do it yourself or, installed gutter clean system from $2 a linear ft on single storey house. Call Andrew (705) WHITE STEEL SIDING SALE 2 profiles and 36 inch coverage. Only $2.20 per running foot. While quantities last. Buchner Manufacturing. (705) CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING further information contact Barb Scott at (705) The Egypt Hall Board is hosting a Valentine s Day Dance at the hall on Saturday, February 10 at 8:00 p.m. D.J. Todd Harvey, lunch, prizes all for $10 per person. Call Angela Jamieson for tickets at (905) Don t forget to take the kiddies to the Family Snofest on Saturday, February 10 at De La Salle Park. Lots of fun for the whole family. Celebrate Valentine s Day on February 14 at the Wilfrid Hall where there will be a pasta night from 5:00-7:00 p.m. For details contact Dorothy Shier at (705) or andrewbuchnermfg.com FOR SALE 1998 Astro Van All new tires, tie-rods, Full tune-up including platinum plugs. CD/MP3 player, new paint, Grey with grey interior. Very clean. Runs and looks great. $5,500 OBO. Call George (905) or Bob (905) The Pefferlaw Post publishes on the 10th and 24th of the month. To advertise contact Karen Wolfe at (705) Riverview Professional, Reliable, Flexible Pre-School and Nursery School Programs We are now located in the Udora United Church Open 6:30 a.m. 6:00 p.m. Julie Bersche Early Childhood Educator