HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Huron Expositor, 1976-08-05, Page 1with Expositor
There's a special insert in this week's Expositor - the Fall Fair
Prize list. The Expositor is co-operating with the Seaf.9.411..•
Agricultural Society in getting as wide is possible distribution of
the fair book to potential exhibitors. •
the annual fall fair.
Extra copies of the fair prize list may be obtained from the
Society's secretary-treasurer Kathleen Cuthill, Seaforth.
Fair prize list
This year's, ,Seaforth fall fair is orkSeitember 16 and 17 and-ifS,.
not too early to start planning youtexhibits now. The directors of
the Seaforth Agricultural Society invite the whole community -to
;40.0144i in A0vOce,
:Single copy S.Pents
Whole No. 5659
117th Year •SEAFORTH, ONTARIO,THURSOAY, AUGUST 5, 1976 24',,PAGgS
• (By John'Miner)
The Huron CoUnty Federation
`of Agriculture, representing 1200
farmers in the county; have.,
unanimously rejected an Ontario
Government tax reform proposal
that would see the province
paying 100 percent of the far-
mer's land tax.
At present, farmers are receiv
ing approximately 50 percent of
their property taxes back in the
, form of a rebate from the
provincial government.
(By John Miner)
.Some people like to curl for a
hobby and others play- tennis or
hockey. - But ask any of the
numerous people in Seaforth who
D., are involved in harness racing
and they will tell you that their
pastime far outstrips the rest.
Harness racing and Sea-forth.
, have been together for a long
time. The Turf Club, which is
very active today, is well over a
hundred-years old, In the 1920's,
Seaforth's a
OUT FOR • A JOG — Bill Laverty and Gordon
Pullman of Seaforth take their horses for a jog
around the Seaforth track. Most owners in. town say
their horses are just a hobby, but a hobby that they
"When was 'in high school, I
used to race in running races,
until I got too heavy and switched
to harness racing. Since then it
has been sort of like a bad habit."
Gord worked for the ,Seaforth
PUC up until 1963, when he quit
and started into training horses
for a living. "But even when I was
working for the PUC, I always had
a horse or two to train after
work," be said.
Full Time
racing town
"Never have farmers refused
put in at least 10 to 12 hours a week at. Seaforth has to pay their fair share of the tax
always been a horse town and has had a Turf Club for• burden and we don't intend to
at least 100 years. (Staff Photo) shirk our responsibility now,"
reads the brief prepared by the
OFA executive for presentation to
the tax reform commission hear-
ing in Goderich, August 4. It was
adopted by members at their
regular meeting• ,in Clinton,
Thursday night., '
In a lengthy point by point
debate of the brief, most farmers
expressed fears that if the
Elmira,' Clinton, Goderich as well
as • at London and Mohawk
raceways.
Zoning change required
Seaforth to race in those days,"
'recalls Mr. Pullman. "Everybody •
had horses and everybody wanted.
to show they had a' better' horse '
than the next fellow."
. But the depression hit, bring-
ing an ‘end to the meets and a'lot
of the interest in harness racing.
-SOMe.Of the interest' did survive
. the depression, though, and
today there are more than a dozen •
Seaforth, people directly involved
in racing horses, not counting all
'the local fans. ,•
"Wheri'l sfarteda Was the only
one that trained here onewinter."
says John Pullman's -son, Gord,
Who now trains horses on a full .
time basis.':"I was the one whO
"got Bill Bennett and the rest of
them into. the 'dirty business," he
says with a laugh. .
Getting started in any hobby
that has something to it usually
takes time and effort'and harness
racing is 'no exception.
used to' come home from
school and help Jake Li3roOme, '
-Bob Kirkby, 'or Jack tanipber
41' Who had horses, so I could learn
from them. Today you couldn't
hire a kid for $5 an hour to do it,
but I considered it a privilege just
to work for free,- says Gord
Pullman.
Campbell. It • is. a good way to
.put in time. A lot of people used
'to buy cottages,. now • so.m.e, are
bti•-ineraCe • -
Those' involved calculate that
they spend at least an hour and a.
half a night working with their
horses, 'aitellbrint".10 . to 12 hours
through ' the Week, although
sometimes it is closer to 20,, they
say, not. counting vifienthey 'are,
racing them;.
You've;.gdi to have an interest" inteyest,
in . them,'', Says . Bill '13thinett.
;Some people ',like PlOirtg...;•gOW
Well,' that didn't interest me."
• "I started by buying a brood
. mare and raising a colt. B.ut i kept
coming to the track and Watching
them jog their • horses. Well, I
thought that was better than
watching' a brood mare."
Some excellent horses have
come out of the Seaforth area:
The 'fastest was a edit- named
Shauna bought from BiltRennett
by Gord Pullman. The colt 'set a
record of 2;04 in the mil4 and won
104dut of 1,1 starts in' A. to be
whiner in New
cord sold the colt that year
to the "Big Five Stables" there.
"I lot more sleep over selling
her than any -horse.," said Oord.
"1-didn't want to' sell, her, 'but I
but I don't race it over other
people's property," he, said.
To enjoy harness racing, one
doesn't have to have ownership
papers fora horse or be sitting on
the bike. Watching from the
stands can be just as much fun
and for those who want to take in
the action, local driver's race at
Seaforth's track.
"It is one of the best laid, out
tracks in Ontario," says Gord
Pullman. "At one lime it was
considered the fastest' track.
People such as , Bill 'Herbert of
London used •to bringtheir horses
here to get a good, fast' time."
"What makes me made is that
Mr. Morgan purchased the
twenty years ago, in 1969. It is M
approximately two-- acres• in size orrts
now and the proposed expansion
would be' 15 acres to contain 72 `.
new units. There are usually .11Ain c er k about 12 units in, the existing •
pafk, Which was created about
•
for the barbecue and a batebatl gathe afterWards.
The annual Crotharty event was a Success-„
!Staff Photo)
DON tFORGET YOUR •FORK TffeWomen at the
South Hibbert Athletic Association annual pork '
barbecue had their hands full serving thi$ lineup of
people who packed the grounds Sa turday evening
ill be held in Morris
Town ip. •
Mai and Engineering Services
Ltd. were given an extension of
time necessary for making the
survey and report on the Rintoul
Drain. •
A tile drain loan application
was accepted for 1977, subject to
the Provincial Government
allotment.
Reductions on 1976 taxes, were
given oil at assessment of $1125
(Continued on Page 3)
cl&s tax r
considers -welfare cases, even if
we ourselVes know this is not
true," states the brief.
The provincialygovernment lies
prop,osed .tbat. all farm land and
buildings be taxed at 100 percekit
of market value and that the taxes
be paid by the Province. The
farmer is to pay the taxes on 50
percent of the market value of
their residence, as everyone else
will.
This would only produce an
added inequity in the tax system
the Federation. decided.
"Under the proposed system a
landowner with a large area and a
small house presumably *would
pay lower taxes than the small
farmer with a large house," the
brief points out.
Several farmers voiced concern
over the farmer losing his right to
control his land when someone
else pays the, taxes, The brief
couldn't afford to- keep her."
- Big Price
And every owner in Seaforth
seems .to be able to recall
' someone at one time or another
who was offered a big price and
turned it down, only to have his
horse go lame right after.
"That's the story of all race
horses," says Gord. "You Want tO
be selling them when the price is
right."
But why has. Seaforth always
accoding to John Pullman of While Gord treats harness been a harness racing town when
Seafortft,-the town hosted three or racing as a full time business, the thesport never caught on in other
four, day meets to which conapeti- rest of the owner/ drivers in town area towns and in places like
tors 'Would ship their horses -"by think of it as more of a. leisurely Exeter, local owners have to fight . Brucefield, garage and workshop; clearing brush from the banks of
train from across the province past time. just to keep their track? .
(By Wilma Coke)
• • An applicatiOn. for an official - Brian D. Gowan, Harpurhey, the Bayfield River at the Hannah
"There must hate been well "I like training them as, much Surprisingly enough most ,plan amendment "was given 'mobile home and addition Bridge. The Ausable-Bayfield
over a"hundfed horses brought to as I do racing theme'-'.---says-Les. -owliers 'give-' the. credit to appToVat by Tuckersmith Town- • 'installed' on permanent fotinda- (Continued on Page 3)
ship Council Tuesday night. The tion;. 'and William Rathwell, new
amendment was requested by the front' for shop in Brucefield.
Kleinfeldt Group on behalf of Road.,. .,Superintendent, Allan
Douglas Morgan of Cliiitai.'Whrit Nicholson, Was authorized to
wants to expand his mobile home remove the cement base of the
park, on the front part of Lot 45, 'former guard hodie at Vanastra,
ConcessiOn 2 of the township. The used when it was an air force
amendment would change the station. The base is at the
zoning of his property from Vanastra perimeter road entrance
we-have the best laid out track agricultural to residential. on' the south side of the complex.
and nobody treats it with respect. . The property is located on the Mr. Nicholson reported that
The Turf Club has spent hundreds south side of the Vanastra four teenagers of the government
of dollars on the track and people perimeter road, immediately sponsored S.W.E.E.P. program
will be working for two days get on it with, their cars and south of Vanastra.
skidoos' and rip it up. They just
don't show. any ;respect,"
Mr. Pullman says that skidoos
are the. biggest offenders.
"They pack the track for one
thing. The worst thing though is
to come 'around a turn in the track
and have a ,skidop..coming straight Park. at the 'horse. I don't think people John Cox of the ,Kleinfeldt realize the danger or, the invest- ment you have. I own a skidoo • Group outlined the details of 'the resigns proposed park and the need for
low cost (wines in the county.
With Tuc ersmith's approval, he Monday as clerk. of 'Morris
When Helen Martin resigned
now must submit the plan to the Township, it was the beginning of
Huron County Planning Board for the end of a 35 year association of
approval. the Martin family and the town-
Requests for building permits ship. Mrs. Martin, whose retire-
were approved as follows: Lyle' ment will be effective the end of
Haney, Seaforth, silo and addi- December, lias clerk in
tion to barn; Arnold Westelaken, Morris for .14 years.
She succeeded her husband,
George, who was township clerk'
for 21 years, when he was killed
in a car accident.
14s. Martin says she plans to
lake things a little easier after her
retirement. "It will make quite a
difference, after being connected
to the township for so long."
Mrs. Martin, who has no
children,• says she's taken a few
trips on her holidays during her
years as clerk and she hopes to
continue this after she retires.
MorriS, 'Council accepted her
resignatiOn, With regret at
Monday's regular council meet-
ing. They will advertise for a new
,clerk and set September 1, the
next council meeting, as the
closing date for applications.
In other business, Morris heard
from Howard Datars, Presidentof
Huron Plowmen's Association,
Roy Pattison, Jas. Armstrong and
Allen Campbell, on the 1978
International Plowing Match,
which
Tuckersmrth approves
mobile home expansion
government paid their taxes, the
farmer would soon lose control
over his land.
"This could be just another
_waY-of ramming through regional
government," suggested '"one
farmer. "If they don't get us one
way, they will try to get us
another."
There was „evident concern -
throughout the meeting that
urban residents, would feel far-
mers were living purely from
government hand-outs if the
government paid the taxes.
"It is generally thought among
the dairy press and therefore by
the general public that farmers
live on subsidies and hand-outs
by the various levels of govern-
ment.' This impression will be
strengthened even more if the
Ontario Government pays the
taxes on one hundred percent of
the value of farmland and build-
ings. We, as farmers belonging to
the Huron Federation of Agricul-
ture, are too proud to be
The Seaforth Curling Club has
stopped work on the installation
of its own refrigeration equip-
ment and addition to house it
following an order by the Ministry
of Labour that an engineering
study be carried out on the
entire structure.
The order for the study came as
a surprise to Curling Club mem-
bers who hadn't expected they
would be faced with the study for
some time.
"We kind of expected it would,
happen sometime, but not for two
or three years," said Robert St.
Marie, chairman of the Club's.
property committee. "It has sure.
thrown a kink into our plans. We
had hoped to, get this work paid
for and then eal with the other."
The engineer% report; Width-
the Curling Club will have to pay
ftir whether any repair work has'
to be done to the curling rinks or
not, is being carried out by C.0
inisAtry .ordert
lety.Study, curling
club stops building
CURLING ARENAARENA ADDITION STALLED — An 'addition to the SeafOrth Curling
Club Arena to house refrigeration equipment has ..been stalled pending an
engineer's report on'ithe building ordered by the Ministry of Labour. The 'results of
the study and the Ministry's decision on the building should be known 'early in
4**4444
Parker and Associates of London,
according to Mr. St. Marie. The
report is to be completed and
submitted to the Ministry of
Labour by August 31. The
ministry will then decide if the
structure is 'sound: or if repairs are
needed.
The Curling Club earlier this
year committed itself to putting in
its own refrigeration equipment
instead of depending on the
Community Centre to supply the
freezing facilities for the curling
ice surface. A 32 foot by 14 foot
cement block addition was to be
added to the east end of the
curling building to house the new
eqUipnient. The project, which
was estimated to cost roughly
$25,000, was stopped by the Club'
"because vile weren't even sure it
—Will be left'open and we didn't
want to strtind,lhe money until we
know,""iaid Mr. St. Marie. -
Whether the building ,wilT befi
Open in 'time for the '&irling
incorporated this-concerti stating
"if the goverrinmA pays-the to*
on land, controliing tresprisshig •
would become infinitely more • '" •
difficult, as hunters and soewtrtO-
bilers, possibly'
could demand access :for `tfieSe
recreational activities, bec-otile
part of the taxes comes from their
pockets":'
The Federation suggests in its
brief that the tax on farm land
should be maintained.
"We are of 'the opinion that
farm land should be taxed on the
his ,of its productive value and '
that' the owner should pay all
taxes that are levied to service
that property", it said:
However, the brief said ser-
vices to people, such as educa-
tion, should be paid by' people
and not based on property tax.
Only services to property should
(Continued on page 11)
season will depend entirely on the
report, he said.
"If just repairs are needed the
building may be left open unless
there are extreme snow load
conditions. I think basically the
structure is solid although prob-
ably repairs are needed in the
trusses, I hope that it isn't
anything too major," said Mr. St.
Marie, ,
Although the curling club is
privately owned, the. Ministry of
Labdur has jurisdiction over it
because there is "public access"
to the building, the property
committee chairman said,
A Ministry of Labour sp0,k0s-
huh fibtt the office of OA .
Zimmerman, the inspector who •
ordered the study, refUsed to give
any details of the cOnSitteritiOtt$
that went into ,ordering the
"Seaforth, that'sddWit Mar Port
—Efielstet itl"k he asked. •
•