Feature Article October 30, 2002
LAND O' LAKES NewsWeb HomeContact Us
Henderson Community Watch. "We want to Build a Community, Not a Committee"
Donna Easton, who has been instrumental in the development of a community watch program in Henderson in the past month, appeared before Central Frontenac Council last week to inform the council of the committees activities and to ask that the township replace some signs that have been removed in the village. There have been a series of incidents involving a group of youngsters in the village over the past few months, including uttering threats and committing acts of vandalism. There have even been reports of kids laying down on the road in front of cars, Easton told Council. A letter to Council dated September 22, and signed by 21 community members, sets out how the community watch group was formed: Council should be aware that there was an assault which took place against a young girl on or about September 3, 2002. After this occurrence, everyone started relating their own personal experience at the park and in the area of the park. The experiences range from simple name calling, to bullying, to intimidation, resulting in children not wanting to go to the park, , and seniors who are afraid, to the point that they are afraid to go outside their homes. Since then, a number of steps have been taken. We purchased 2 two-way radios, Easton told Council, and one stays with children in the park and one is in an adjacent home. There is also a phone network in place, which anyone in trouble can use. Since we formed the committee, the situation has calmed down considerably, Easton told Council. The Henderson group made some specific requests for action from the township. They are asking for new reduced speed signs, speed limit signs (there is a 40 km per hour zone in Henderson) and new Child Playing signs to replace ones that have been torn down.Easton also wanted to know if Council would consider placing dusk to dawn lights in the vicinity of the park, or if council wont pay for the lights, would we be permitted to pay for it ourselves? As well, Easton wanted to know if it was possible for council to consider setting up a no admittance to the park rule for consistent offenders, similar to one established in Arden last year. The Henderson Community Watch group has already requested that the OPP increase their presence in the community, and Easton said this has had some effect. In response, Councillor Marsden Kirk mentioned that he had met with the group two or three weeks earlier, and said I understand the concerns have been reduced over that time. Kirk asked Easton if a meeting with council and the OPP in Henderson [which the group had earlier requested] was still necessary. Easton replied she still thought it would be good for council to come and see Henderson. Mayor Bill MacDonald said the public works manager would be dispatched to Henderson to look into the signs that are missing. As for the other requests - for dusk to dawn lights, and a no trespassing rule, MacDonald said, I want to congratulate you and your committee on what you are doing. Leave it with us for a while, and well see what we can do. Dont expect anything to happen overnight. There were two members of the OPP in attendance at the meeting, and they met briefly with Easton and other members of the Henderson delegation. For her part, Donna Easton said she was pleased with the hearing she received at council and from Sgt. Underhill of the OPP. A neighbour also told her the OPP did go to Henderson on the night of the meeting to investigate the matter of kids being on the road blocking cars. From my understanding, council said they will fix the sign situation, and they seemed receptive about the dawn to dusk lights, she said later. We will be moving forward in trying to build our community back up. We are having a meeting this Friday (Oct. 25) to which everyone is invited. We are also planning a Halloween party, again, for all the kids in Henderson. This was a beautiful, quiet place when my family first moved here, and we want that feeling back again. We want to build a community, not a committee.
