GFCAN » Local News

Poll Result

GFCAN — Sun, 30 Oct 2011 15:57:43 +0000

We recently polled our readers as to whether Gas prices where limiting their automobile use.

Of our respondents:
56.56% said yes
27.78% said no while approximately 11% said somewhat.

It would seem that gas prices does play a role in automobile use.
Thank you to all who participated.

Are you limiting your automobile use because of gas prices?

Garson’s St. John Catholic Elementary School winner of the Ugliest Schoolyard Contest

GFCAN — Fri, 10 Jun 2011 15:01:07 +0000

St. John Catholic Elementary School in Garson is the winner of the “Ugliest Schoolyard Contest”, presented annually by VETAC, Greater Sudbury’s Regreening Advisory Panel. The winning school receives a major cash donation from Xstrata Nickel, which has been the corporate sponsor for this contest over the past five years. In addition, the winning school receives supplies from several local businesses and expert advice to transform its schoolyard into a greener and healthier outdoor environment.

“We congratulate St. John School and we thank all schools for participating in this year’s contest,” said VETAC member Wayne Hugli, who spearheaded the contest in Greater Sudbury. “Our goal as a committee is to beautify the entire community, but we have a special dedication to our local schoolyards. Children should be free to play in a natural outdoor space. We are very fortunate to have the generous support of our local business community to achieve this important objective.”

With the support of Xstrata Nickel, VETAC also awards runner-up prizes each year, which provide financial assistance to create schoolyard green spaces. This year’s runner-up prizes go to: Walden Public School, Lively; École Ste. Thérèse, Val Thérèse; and Gatchell Public School, Sudbury.

Project planning has begun, and the schoolyard transformations will take place this fall.

Q-92 and EastLink give drunk drivers a financial reality check

GFCAN — Wed, 11 May 2011 15:59:00 +0000

Starting Thursday, May 14th, citizens of Greater Sudbury will be given a financial reality check by way of a three-minute public service announcement (PSA) aimed at potential and repeat impaired drivers.

The PSA – featuring Terry Callaghan & Mellaney Dahl from the Q92 morning show, and produced by EastLink TV – focuses on the financial impact of a drunk driving conviction.

The idea to create the message followed an April, 2011 interview with Greater Sudbury Police Chief Frank Elsner, where he discussed the potentially devastating financial impact of an impaired driving conviction. From fines and legal expenses, through mandatory ignition interlock installation, and long-term insurance costs.

“I think this is one aspect of an impaired conviction that many people don’t consider,” said Chief Elsner. “Maybe that’s one reason why we still see impaired driving in Greater Sudbury. Even beyond enforcement, education is key to stopping people from making dangerous decisions. Creative and informative messages like this go a long way in helping us do our job.”

The PSA will be simultcast tomorrow on Q92 and EastLink TV, Thursday May 12, at 7:15 am during Terry and Mell’s show. It will also run throughout regular programming on EastLink TV in the coming months and will be available on www.q92rocks.com; www.gsps.ca/en/specializedservices/traffic.asp (Greater Sudbury Police website); and www.whosyourDD.com (the Sudbury Taskforce to Remove Impared Driving Everywhere – S.T.R.I.D.E.)
Terry and Mell hope that people seeing the video will be shocked enough to think twice about getting behind the wheel after drinking. The overall message is to ‘think before you drink’ and make plans to get home safely before you go out.

“We have the opportunity here to deliver an important message to a lot of people,” said Mell. “We want our listeners to understand every devastating impact of impaired driving, so hopefully the next time they’re out for a couple of drinks, they’ll do the right thing and find a safe ride home.”

Terry said he was shocked when he read the figures. “This is many people’s annual salary”, he said, “let’s get some perspective. A year’s salary versus twenty-five bucks for a cab? To me, that’s a no-brainer.”

Sudbury’s Best Rock, Q92 has partnered with STRIDE in an effort to educate, increase awareness and eventually eliminate impaired driving in Greater Sudbury. Everyone assisting with, and appearing in the spot volunteered their time to the cause:

Terry and Mell, Q92 Morning Show
James Janiszewski, EastLink TV
Sergeant Gary Lavoie, Greater Sudbury Police Service
Josee Repele, Grade 12 student at College Notre Dame (and Mell’s niece)
Kate Furlotte, STRIDE and Rogers Radio Sudbury

(The PSA is on youtube at this location)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4HcPzN1ZXmA

City Services Schedule for Easter Weekend

GFCAN — Tue, 19 Apr 2011 14:26:06 +0000

The City of Greater Sudbury advises residents that Tom Davies Square, Citizen Service Centres and Greater Sudbury Public Libraries will close Friday, April 22, 2011 and Monday, April 25, 2011.

Greater Sudbury Transit will be running on a Sunday schedule for Good Friday, April 22, 2011 and full schedule Easter Monday, April 25, 2011.

There will be no Blue Box, Green Cart or household garbage collection on Good Friday.

Residents who normally receive household waste collection service on Fridays are asked to leave garbage, Blue Box recyclables and Green Carts at the curb by 7 a.m. on the morning of Saturday, April 23.

Greater Sudbury landfill sites and the Recycling Centre will also close on Good Friday, April 22.

Landfill sites and the Recycling Centre are open on Monday, April 25. Household waste collection services are not affected.

For more information, please call the City of Greater Sudbury at 3-1-1. or follow us on Twitter @greatersudbury.

2011 Spring Newsletter

GFCAN — Sat, 02 Apr 2011 21:14:02 +0000

The 2011 Spring newsletter is in your mailbox now, or maybe Monday!
Make sure and check it out. It’s announcing the upcoming Family Fun Fair coming this May 28th, Youth survey (links below), Spring Clean-Up Blitz on May 7th, A message from Councilor Dave Kilgour and more. Check your mailbox soon!

Youth Survey
Sondage auprès des jeunes

Break & Enter Preventative tips

GFCAN — Sun, 27 Mar 2011 15:11:50 +0000

Members of the Break, Enter and Robbery (BEAR) Unit of the Greater Sudbury Police Service are actively investigating recent Break-ins throughout the City of Greater Sudbury.
In the Chelmsford area alone, twelve (12) break-ins have been reported since February 27th 2011. Police would like to provide safety tips in an attempt to prevent further incidents.
Preventative tips:
* All doors, windows, garages and sheds should have quality locks and they should be kept secured at all times, even when you are home;
* Doors and windows at ground level should be free of obstruction (i.e. well-trimmed shrubs);
* Consider having motion lights set up where they will be activated when someone approaches the residence;
* If your home is equipped with an alarm system, get used to setting it and do so regularly;
* Make your house look occupied, even when no one is home;
* Be a good neighbour – be mindful of activities near your house and report suspicious persons and vehicles to police.

Ministry of Education confirms Garson’s Northeastern is one of several schools to offer Early Learning in 2012

GFCAN — Mon, 07 Mar 2011 14:49:43 +0000

The Ministry of Education has confirmed the schools that will offer the new Early Learning Program in Phase 3 of implementation in September 2012. Rainbow Schools include Algonquin Road Public School, Charles C. McLean Public School, Cyril Varney Public School, Little Current Public School, Monetville Public School, Northeastern Elementary School in Garson, Redwood Acres Public School and R.L. Beattie Public School.

The Early Learning Program was introduced in six Rainbow Schools last fall – Churchill Public School, Lansdowne Public School, Princess Anne Public School, Queen Elizabeth Public School, Wembley Public School and A.B. Ellis Public School.

Three more schools will offer the Early Learning Program in the second phase of implementation this fall – Adamsdale Public School, C.R. Judd Public School and Central Manitoulin Public School.

The Early Learning Program will be fully implemented by September 2015. “In the meantime, all Rainbow Schools will continue to offer full day every day Junior Kindergarten and Senior Kindergarten, giving all families access to full-day programming for four and five-year-olds,” said Norm Blaseg, Director of Education for Rainbow District School Board.

In Early Learning Program schools, a teacher and early childhood educator lead the program, with average class sizes of 26 children. For a fee, parents have the option of enrolling their children in before and after school programs, providing continuity of learning and a seamless day for families. A revised curriculum document is guiding the implementation of this program for four and five-year-olds in both the day and extended day components. (www.edu.gov.on.ca/kindergarten/index.html <http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/kindergarten/index.html> )

Rainbow District School Board reminds parents/guardians to register their children for Kindergarten-Early Learning if they have not done so already. For enrollment in Junior Kindergarten, your child must be four years of age by December 31st, 2011. For enrollment in Senior Kindergarten, your child must be five years of age by December 31st, 2011. To register in the English Program or French Immersion, contact the Rainbow School in your area.

For more information, visit rainbowschools.ca and click on Full Day Every Day Kindergarten under “highlights”.

911 Service is now fully functioning in the Garson

GFCAN — Fri, 04 Mar 2011 16:22:42 +0000

Please be advised that 911 Service is now fully functioning in the Garson area.

Speed Watch Trailer Reminds Motorists to Slow Down on Falconbridge Road

GFCAN — Fri, 05 Nov 2010 16:42:29 +0000

Thanks to the new, smooth pavement, it appears that more motorists than ever are speeding on Falconbridge Road. Responding to requests from concerned Garson residents, the Garson-Falconbridge Community Action Network (GFCAN) asked the City to set up a speed watch trailer along the roadway.
Although the posted speed limit is 60 km/hr, most motorists travel at speeds up to 20 km faster, especially during morning and evening rush hours. The speed watch trailer detects the speed that motorists are travelling as they approach the sign and posts this speed on a digital display. If the speed is significantly higher than the posted speed limit, the digital sign displays a message reminding motorists to slow down.
The speed watch trailer alternated positions between the east and west sides of Falconbridge Road near the Cedar Green subdivision from November 3rd to 5th. Observations by GFCAN members confirmed that the presence of the sign reduces the speed of traffic along this stretch of Falconbridge Road.
The GFCAN would like to remind Garson residents to drive the speed limit and watch for pedestrians using the new pedestrian islands near the Cedar Green subdivision and the Garson Mall.

News on William Street

GFCAN — Mon, 01 Nov 2010 00:51:54 +0000

City staff have concluded their survey regarding the William Street problems and will present their report to the Traffic Commitee on Monday, November 1st, 2010.

Recomendation is as follows.

That William Street be made a two-way street from Falconbridge Road to Birch Street, and;

That stopping be prohibited on the east side of William Street from Birch Street to 185 metres south of Birch Street from 8:00 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday to Friday, excluding statutory holidays, and;

That parking be prohibited on both sides of William Street from Birch Street to 185 metres south of Birch Street, and;

That Staff continue to work with school officials to provide a long term solution to the parking problems on William Street near St. John School.

BLANK LINE

For a copy of the complete report click on link below.
William Street Traffic Report