A citizen's group that has advocated to repair or replace the Howson Dam in Wingham will appear as a delegation Wednesday afternoon for a committee of North Huron council.
The group, called the "Howson Pond and Dam Citizen's Committee" has long advocated towards keeping the structure in place, and passionate speeches in 2017 and 2018 by its members prompted the creation of the ongoing "Howson Bridge Dam Committee", a North Huron council ad-hoc committee tasked with making a recommendation to council members as it pertains to the future of the dam.
Committee member Andy McBride spoke at length in front of the previous council, and the ongoing council committee, about community groups that utilize the dam, however in calls to each of the groups listed on SaveTheHowsonDam.Weebly.com, none indicated they are currently utilizing any area near the dam for any programs.
On the citizen's group website under community use, several entities are listed; F.E. Madill Secondary School, Wingham Boy Scouts and Cubs, Wingham Girl Guides, Brownies and Pathfinders, Wingham Air Cadets, Day camp programs put on by the municipality and Elementary school science classes.
Calls to each of these entities indicate none of them are currently utilizing the dam in any capacity, with some also indicating they have asked the group to remove their names from the citizen's group website, which so far, has gone unanswered.
-Tim Poole with the Wingham Air Cadets confirms they have not utilized that area "In at least the last 10 years".
-Representatives from F.E. Madill Secondary School, Maitland River Elementary School and Sacred Heart Separate School all confirm they do not utilize the dam in any capacity, "mostly due to safety concerns".
-Girl Guides of Canada Administrative Community Leader Jennifer Duguay says they no longer utilize any area near the Howson Dam "due to safety concerns".
-Scouts Canada Operations Manager Jay Hoffman says they have not had a scouting group in Wingham "in a few years", and therefore do not utilize the area in front of the Howson Dam in any capacity
-North Huron Recreation Supervisor Rachelle Gerrie says the municipality ended canoeing programs in 2017 "mostly due to safety and insurance concerns"
The Howson Bridge Dam Committee meeting begins at 4 p.m. at the North Huron Council Chamber in Wingham.
The Howson Pond and Dam Citizen's Committee's "Community Use" page as of December 18th, 2019 (Photo by Adam Bell)
