The Huron Expositor, 1975-04-03, Page 1•,
' canoe ;races -Sunday.: morning._ '..:Li:I^Winners----this_ year. were, in
'
403re—thaw-two-how after, the order 'of placing: Novelty,-. Ron
race • got started, winners were ,. Williamson and: Ray. 'Devereaux,
declared. Because of the bad Seaforth Who finished . in two
weather, the route was shortened hours, three minutes; ^ Tom Kyle
from 18 to 12 miles, along the
Bayfield River. ' •
Two Seaforth brothers 'won
prizes in different classes. Ray
Devereaux was first in the novelty
class with Ron "Williamson and
brother- Tom was third in the
men's open with Bob Carnochan.
There were 33 entries, in seven
and Dave Parker, Vanastra, and
Jim Finlayson and Dale Kennedy,
Seaforth",-,
• Family, Doug and Paul' Drink-
water, St. Marys; Roland' "and
Russell Gibson, RR3 Komoka.
Service Club, Rolf Droste and
Tom Bell,' London Central Lions;
Brian Marriage and Larry
t.ift t .i ..".x ,:.
' A brave grotip turned up at the claSses. A large crowd watched
Van Egrnond Iteuac 40 Ego: O- the race: get underway from `the
At --rvilitiitottow.-tindk.higho,-Wiruft.44%•415^;;:lk.of;therivetAttlhe^^Eginottd,''
enter the Seaforth Optimist ville bridge.
A SNOWY CANOE RACE — A:brave grqu,p of
canoers showed up for the Seaforth Optimists canoe
race on the Bayfield River on Sunday. Contestants
Snowy canoe race is successful
paddled dff into snow and fairty high winds in good
spirits, as 'a. good crowd of onlookers watched with
admirationyand amazement. (Staff Photo)
THE SIGN TELLS THE STORY — Alan Chesney, Brad Schenk and Jimmy
Neill point out one of the signs that invite visitors to come to Seaforth's Centennial
weekend, June 27 - July 1, this summer. The Centennial Committee has erected
signs in Seaforth's colours, black and gold, at all four main entrances to town.
(Staff Photo)
Insurance costs up, businessman
wants Clinton Fire Dept. at Vanastra
dollars to the township.suggested that businessmen
"How much is it?", Mr, Archer might be able to go 'together and
wanted to knoW and he said that pay the additional costs
he would meet with other themselves without passing it on
Vanastra businessmen, to see if to the taxpayers, "Residential
'they are having the same problem rates aren't affected by this o.,er
with insurance costs. He (Continued on Page 16)
0 : po I ice wage •
settlement yet
There has been no settlement
yet between Seaforth's policemen
and Council's police Committee
who are negotiating a contract for
1975, Police chairman Wayne
Ellis^ -said Monday night. The
councillor says he-hopes to see a
settlement within the •next few.
weeks.
Councillor Ellis said the main
issue still to be decided is'
salaries, other contract items
have" .bnen settled. Criutwillor
Ellis said he couldn't say what,
salaries were being discussed.
Police in the town of Exeter
recently settled for $13,000 for a
first class constable and Clinton
settled some time ago with a first
class constable there getting
$13,500.
• Discussion around the county
about the OPP taking over
policing of Huron's towns for a
contract price, is a consideration
in Seaforth. too, Councillor Ellis
said. The OPP Will, probably be
asked for an estimate on the cost
of policing Seaforth, he said, but
added that he didn't think it was
fair to talk about it 'while
negotiationd are on with ' total
totk Pligoeoe. liciunpg
expense
, Councillor Ellis said,
s will continue
especially when the county 'wide
communication system that the
report on' policing in 'broil
recommended, is installed. .ach
town in the county *Mild have to
pa at least •$10,000 ,a year to
maintain it in tr central lotation
and new -receiving egtiiiiiifetit
would be required in etteh
THE HI) ON EXPOSITOR!
To pay for new reservoir
aforth wat
ce tripled costs
out. He said the decline in
capacity in the two wells plus an
increase in consumption since
1969 was putting Seaforth in a
bad situation. The Fire Under-
writers Act specifies that a .town
the size of Seaforth should have
600,000 gallons of water in
reserve, he said.
Mr. Scott said the underground
reservoir to serve the new well,
which pumped at 200-300 gallons
per minute in a 24 hour test, could
be completed in a year and a half.
If water rates were tripled to
$90 from the present $30 a year,
probably about $40,000 a year
could, be paid back on the
• debenture, the PUG manager
said.
Mayor Betty Cardno said that
the town had to consider how'
clOse they are to their debenture
limit. Council will have a hearing
this month on the approval of a'
$79,000 debenture for last year's
arena renovations and hope to
following discovery the
robbery. , •
, Mr. Hoff said that police were
investigating.
An ornate cast iron -drinking
fountain typical of the last century
will be returned as a Centennial
feature to . the Main Sdeet
location it ,,egefied nearly forty
years ago if Shamber of
Commerce plans are carried' out...
It all began at a meeting. of the
C. of C. executive Tuesday
evening when Dr. C.E.Toll asked
why there were nd drinking
fountains in Seaforth. ,
"I always enjoy the fountain in
Clinton and I think something like
that should be on Seaforth's main •
street" he said'. Members while
nodding agreement recalled the
prOblems there had been with
drinking fountains in past years
when there had been two or three
in the street. Maintenance was a
continuous problem and frequent
replacement of the units was
necessary as they became victims
of area youths..
The discussion led to
recollections of the Campbell
fountain which became the
property of the town about forty
years ago as a result of a bequest
of the late Miss Nan Campbell.
•Da ughter of a pioneer family -
her father erected, the two store
blocks now occupied by Crown
Hardware and Pricegard
following the fire 1876 - Miss
Campbell's gift led to a series of
council and P.U.C. meetings in an
effort to agree ore the acceptance
of the gift and a place to. locate it.
Finally the unique structure
which provided drinking facilities
for horses, -dogs and people was
installed 'in front of the town hall.
This was but the beginning of
the trouble as maintenance costs
rose and complaints followed into
council. After struggling with the
'problem for several years council
gave up and removed the
fountain. Some years I ater
When it along with other scrap tht
had accumulated was offered for
sale 'the fountain 'Was' purchased
by the late Frank Sills and
occupied a 'place in the garden of
his John Street home'. When the
property was sold the fountain
was retained and D'Orlean Sills
told the 'meeting it would be
available for use during the
Centennial period. He agreed to
CLIMBING UP AND SLIDING DOWN — Children,
at least, enjoyed thp unseasonable. Easter weather
this week, as March went out like a Lion with snow
and high winds: The snow gave the small fry a time
extension on their winter sports which was enjoyed
'by ail, including Susy Dinsmore who was sliding
down a snow bank. (Staff Photo)
McCabe, Windsor; Gary Ke.ttle-
well. and Joe Bach,' Strathro.n.
-Torn DeVer&ux and BOIS Carno4
chats, Seaforth.
• Men's open '16' and over,- Ted
, and Greg Cowan lirussels; Rene
Beogemans and Ken Farwell,
itiensall; Don,_ McLeod -and John
, Patterson, Seaforth.
work ont with .the P.U.C. and
town a means' of placing the
fountain in its.preyiOUS,location
front of the town hall., •
The meeting which -was in
charge of president Otto Tippeft
completed plans , for general
meeting scheduled for'the curling
club next, Tuesday. 'Kurt Neidler
and' ,VOrlea,n Sills in 'charge .Of
ticket sales ' said they • had
conffrmation of an attendance of
28 on . which '' catering
arrangements were being based.
Re porting for •the membership
committee Mr. Sills said-43 Were
and another 7 pending.,
Need for a proper cross walk on
Main Street was raised by James
A. Stewart, Wh ile lines' were
painted , across the street, at
several points they were net
respected by motorists who were
not required to give pedestrians
priority , he said. •
The meeting agreed and
instructed secretary Kerr,Oldacre
to write council recommending
that action be taken to establish a
(COntinued on Page 9)
SDHS student
badly injured
A Seaforth District High School
student, Robert Haney, 16, is in
critical conditiOn in Victoria
Hospital,in London, following an
.• accident in a barn on his father's
farm at R.t1.4, Seaforth. Monday
evening. Robert is 'believed to
have suffered head injuries from
a fall in the barn.
he is the son of Mr. and Mrs.
Warden Haney.
An aunt, Mrs. Lloyd Haney.
said Wednesday morning that the
boy was alive on a machine at the
hospital Tuesday night. "Since
we haven't heard anything from
the family this morning, we
assume that he is just the same'',
'she said. ,
Robert, a Year three studeneat
SPITS, ' is a member of the
Geography Club at the school and
, returned from the Club's Spring
break trip to Paris, France last
week'.
Water rates hi Seaforth may
t riple sometime this year in
erter to help finance a new
60 ;000 gallon underground
water reservoir, near the PUC
well in the Brantford St. area.
PUC manager, Walter Scott,
asked town council to consider
_issuing a debenture for about
$500.000 to finance the reservoir.
Mr. Scott said.the water supply,
from the two wells now in
operation is inadequate to serve
the town, when present water
consumption rates are an average
of 236,000 gallons per day. The
two. wells "are depleted and the
aerial water storage tank, which
holds 60,000 gallons behind the
town hall bay be unsafe. An
underground reservoir connected
to the other town well holds about
160,000 gallons.
"If one of these wells cut out,
the water supply in Seaforth
wouldn't last a day at present
-consumption," Mr. Scott pointed
A Seaforth lady is sedated and.
under doctor's care following the
armed robbery by two men of her
Mill, . Street residence, early
yesterday. Mrs. Dorothy Moore,
63, of 156 Mill Street-and her
brother, George Dickson, who
lives with her were taped up and
'tied by two armed and masked
7m3e0n wwheodennteeszyd the house about
-'Min Hoff, Mrs.. Mciore's
brother-in-law, said the robbers
tore-the-phone from the'. wall and
Made off with 'an tnirdoirvn
amount of money, leaving Mrs.,
Moore and Mr..‘Dickson tied up,-
^Mrs. Moore managed to get the
tape off heenionth enough to call
tO the milkman; ArthUr Powell
and his, sortjek. when they
delivered milk '''the house about
8 a.m:, Mr. tipff-said +
Mr., Hoff said that his ister-in-
lawis quite upset.but seems to be
physically alright: Mr. Dickson,
who,is a "diabetic, was taken to
Seaforth Community Hospital
John' St.
ouse is
broken into
A John "Street house was
broken into for the third time in
'recent ctrinnths"on Thursday night
when a persistent robber 'made
several attempts ,to enter the
house. Miss ae Smith, owner-of
the house., , as aw when the
break in was atfempte about
• 8:30 Thursday night, bu' she had
'left , Lights on in the house.
Nothing was taken.
Seaforth • police chief John
Cairns said .the lone robber first
got into the house through a
basement window but was not
able,to get into the house from the
basement.
The intruder • next broke a
window on a side dt&-..and got
into a porch and then a Window in.
the porch door. Witnesses saw
the windows being broken, the
suspect noticed the witnesses and
ran. off. Chief Cairns said.
In another incident on the same
night someone broke into a
Victoria Street house occupied by
Mrs. Pearl Williams and owned
by the P.U.C., the Chief said.
The house was entered through
the basement and Chief Cairn's
said it looked as if whoever broke
in knew the layout of the house .
This break and enter was
reported to police at 1:45 Friday
morning, but Chief Cairns said he
thinks the incident occurred
sometime between 8 p.m. and
midnight. A paSserby saw lights
in the house during that time and
called relatives of• Mrs,Williams.
said. Williams only lives in the
house on weekends, the Chief
Seaforth police are
investigating both break-ins but
Chief Cairns says that he doesn't
think the two are connected.
ask for $250,000 for the arena
addition that is planned. "We
have ter, have water", Mayor'
Cardno said and commented that
perhaps council should look at
,getting community and surround-
ing municipalities to contribute to
the arena renovations. - -
Deputy Reeve -William Pale
said that 'a plan to supply More,
water to the town should have
priority over the arena.
Mr. Scott said that if the town
got approval for .te full deben-
ture
t
of $500,000 it would not be
'necessary' to borro the, whole
amount at one time. "We could
borrow part and pay off part
before borrowing more."
PUC Commissioner" Edmuntila.
Daly told council that they could
apply' t6 the Ontario Water
Resources . Commission -, to take
over the town water supply but
tltr*ey would probably charge
water raisers -six times the present '
rate.. . Large industrial and
commercial water users are being
metered, Mr. Scott said. Asking
people to cut down ' on water
usuage is probably not a solution
to Seaforth's problem, he said,
because in the past this hasn't
worked.
Councillors thought that if
water rates tripled, it would
probably not. be necessary to
triple sewage charges (presently
twice water rates) too. Councillor
Bill Bennett said that he 'thought
Gihbings, Clinton; Bill Finder and
Dennis. McCat .ley; Seaforth.
'..clvfbretf71.e6nyi'd ' •ifitegherida
Pearson, St, Marys; George and
'Lucy Van Esbroeeh.--WR-4 Hensall
Kayak, Tbny, ttisler, London;
Arnold'Pearson, RR 7 St. Marys.,
Men's open, 16' . and ender,
Julius Langpeter and Ted
An increase to'ten 'times what
he,had been paying for insurance
on one of his buildings prompted
Vanastra businessman Russ
Archer to ask Tuckersinitn council
to look having commercial
properties at Vanastra served by
the Clinton' Fire . Department,
rather than the Brucefield
Department which answers fire
calls there now.
"I'll have to pay $1,700 more a
year for insurance as long as we
have the Brucefield Fire
Department", ,Mr. Archer said,
explaining that because
Brucefield is more than three.
miles away, the insurance on one
of ^ the buildings he owns at
Vanastra which houses. a
woodworking business, a high
fire risk, has gone' up by a htige
amount.
"The fire rate could, be cut by
30 - 50% if we had the Clinton
Fire Department", which is less
than three miles from Vanastra.,
he said.
'it's not a case of the Brucefield
Department not being as good as
Clinton's, it's mileage",
Mr. Archer said.
Reeve Elgin Thompson
commented that the present set
up is working well and Deputy
Reeve Erwinlillery said a change
would make quite a difference in
Armed robbers
tie up two people
Cdst.iipoo.:footitictin
ack to Maki' St:
that water rates in Clinton had
been. $90 a year or higher for a
couple of years.
Mr. Scott said the PBC would
like a decision from the-town0a ay
proposal by Ontario Hydro to
the ownership•of street lights 9ver
to,the town for about $32,$00*
Most other municipalities have•
bought their street lights, he said.
The town would then, pay the
PUC for energy and mainteilance.
Maintenance costs were about
$OW in 1974. CounCil will make
a decision at their next meeting,
April 14.
Other PUC matters discussed
included a request for a road
allowance across the laud the
town owns into the new well in
the Brantford and ElizabetirSt.
area.' The PUC also asked that
the lane which runs along Brant-
ford St. be declared a 'road.
Approval for a plan to extend
water into the Industrial Park, to
the end of Birch St. or at least to
the Smith building wash also
sought.
Mr. Scott told council that since
a chlorinator had been installed
on the wellpump behind the town
fire station, it was taking up more
room and a fiie truck was parked
about six inches away from a
pump valve. "If It got hit tive
would flood this place", Mr. Scott
said. Councillors agreed to have
a look at the problem and try to
come up with a solution. ,
a