HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Huron Expositor, 1981-07-08, Page 1are___being •onelitried:
preparation for the 46th 'annual Seaforth
Lions Carnival this weekend, and the service
club.. in conjunction with town Merchants.
have, united to make the event a conimunity
affair.
•
While the carnival officially. begins Friday
evening. merchants will kick things' off
Thursday night with the beginning of a three
day sidewalk sale. S. timwners, along with
offer ing
parking for customers during the three clays.
Highlighting the merchants' contribution
will be. •.a _performance by the Seaferth
District High SChool marching band at 0:30
Thursday. The band will perform its prize
ready• • • _winning nausicaosLgarasle WI a sectioned-off
portion of Main st.
fn addition, the regular carnival penny
sale will be held downtown until suppertime
Saturday. then it will shift to the Seaforth
Agricultural Park where the event is being
held this y ear.
- "One change this year is there will not be a
talent contest. It was originally, slated to
begin at 8 p.m. Friday, but"there were not
sufficient entries." said 'Irwin. John ston , one.
charge of the contest last year. "You have to
de a lot of telephoning. I _didn't have much
luck last year persuading theinotoparticipat-
ate."
Please
arnival
3 to turn page
Another career
The Expositor continues
its series on interesting
careers with a visit this week
with Seaforth chiropractor
Tom Devereaux. For a look
into his profession, see Jo-
anne Rimmer's story on pg.§
A meat agency?
Does Canada need a nat-
ional meat marketing agency
to control exports and set
quotas? The National Farm-
ers Union thinks so and
about 30 people agreed at a
meeting in Mitchell Tuesday.
See pg.... 3
Top Festival
perforniance
The Blyth Summer Fest-
ival got underway with a
critically acclaimed present-
ation of Quiet in the Land at
. the Friday night opening.
See a review and picture of
the performance on .pg...1Q
Hospital
annual meeting
Seaforth Community Hos-
pital held its annual meeting
last —week to iew the
""iii41.1,401g
preceding year, including
reports from the board,chair-
nian,the head. of the medical
staff and the atiN liary. For
stories on the meeting see
pg 15
e----Inside this week
lioosiimiumore
poEitor
122nd Year
Whole No. 5913
SEAFORTH, ONTARIO, WEDNESDAY, JULY 8, 1981 — 22'PAGES $16.00 a year in advami:
Single cop% 40 cents
auvir
WHO SHOULD PUSH?Shannomand Heidi Dale took advantage of July 1.
and the first heat wave weather of the year with a little Stroll. See more
summertime pictures on page 7. (Photo by Hook)
133 ittgapityvn4ER.
,goineti he a long winter for
figure skating, and pleasure skating clutins-
tats rn Seaforth, •
That's h'ecauSe they won't have an arena
in which to perform. and when' ice, does,
return. at the earliest late this year or in
January . it w ill be part of a new arena facility
for the town.
At a special meeting Monday night.
Sealorth council heard from engineer Derk
Maat, who performed an inspection of the
facility in early June. that the faCility would
he unsafe under winter snow load condition.
He added it would be safe during the
summer.
"I recommend that you not use the facility
this winter." Mr. Maat. an engineer with
MacLaren Engineers. Planners and Scient-
ists Inc. of London. told council. "I wouldn't
w;on the responsiblity
The bad new s left council with a choice:
either shore up the existing structure at what
the engineer described as a conservative
estimate of between $50.000 and $75.000. or
build a new arena at a cost of anywhere
between 5500.000 and SI million.
In an effort to salvage at least part of nest
season, council. after a 45 minute discuss-
ion, passed a motion instructing Mr. Maat's
firm to prepare drawings for a new building.
Council cited several reasons for electing
to proceed with -a new arena, which will be
added to the front section of the building
currently housing, the community centre.
offices and dressing rooms.
Mr. Maat made it clear to council that if it
chose to repair the current damage, the most
serious, of which deterioration of truss
bases. it.would only be a bandage measure
before other repairs would be needed.
Hydro wants public input-on local -lb - •
RePhieenteot of die arena Roar
likely be the next part of the arena to reeeire
-'repairs. "I just did-Clinton's 01600 a Couple
yearS ago." said-Mr. Maat:. "and Seaforth is
just as bad. maybe worse.," Fixing die floor
would cost between $150.000 and 3I60.000 •
he estimated. which would bring the total.
potential .tost of repairs within the next five
years to more than 5200.000.
OLD BUILDING?
not willing to spe rid .350.000 to
515.000 then $150.000 a couple years later.
and still end up with an old building,•'.noted
Mayor John Sinnamon, who several times.
along with other members of council said
public safety was more important than
money.
Faced with combined costs of more than
$200,000, and realizing the town could get
up to 75 per cent of the new building cost in
grants from Wintario if the arena is
condemned. council decided on a new arena.
The arena, however. has not yet been
condemned. a step which must be taken by
the Ministry,, of Labour once it gets the
engineer's report form the town.
Twice during the meeting the engineer
suggested the arena would be condemned.
Earlier, councillor Alf Ross asked: "With
the snow load. as soon as that snow load is
here, that building is condemned, is what
what you're telling us?"
"Yes." replied Mr. Maat.
Later, in a brief interview, the engineer
reaffirmed his belief. "It is my opinion the
Ministry of Labour will condemn the
building." he said.
To ensure the town will be eligible for the
Wintario assistance., council asked Mr. Maat
to prepare a letter to be forwarded to the
Ministry with the engineering brief to
BY HERB SHOVELLER
A three to four month information
prograM with public officials, a series of
open information centres and five study
groups, are• all steps °Mario Hydro intends to
take to minimize controversy surrounding. its
plans to expand transmission routes from
the Bruce nuclear deVelopment. •
- The public involveme at program was •
outlined by Hydro officials at a meeting in
Exeter Monday. which followed by one
month the release of Hydro's of proposal for
,six general routes originating at Bruce.
Four of the six mutes in the plan run south
from the nuclear generating station, through
Huron County, and on to London. It is
possible. if one of the four routes is selected. '
that it will run close to both Seaforth and
Blyth.
At the outset of the meeting. company
• • officials stressed that each of the six plans
designated only general areas, and specific
routes had not yet been seldcted.
Several steps must be taken before the
final route is chosen. First, beginning with,
The information exchange which winds
early in the fall. Hydro will recommend one
of the six general route plans to the Ministry
-of Energy. • Public hearings will follow. If Hydro's
plan is accepted at the hearing, the company
will then start studies to4letermine exact
routes. This. again, about next summer,
officials estimated, will be followed by public
hearings.
In Hydro's three stage public involvment
plan. the first step, with public officials. will
involgeseminars similar to the one held with
the media Monday.
The' second part will see information
centres set up in various communities for
one day. At these. Hydro says. the public is
encouraged to submit their concerns in
writing. The closest information day. which
the company said would be well publicized in
weekly papers for the area, will be held in
Clinton.
In the final stage working ,groups in five
regions are being established. The groups
will be chaired by representatives of the
Huron Erie Land Use Study (HFLUS) group.
an independent organization. Dr. Ed. Pleva.
well-known for his work at the geography
department at the University of Western
Ontario (UW0), will head up groups in
Chatham. London and Listowel. Dr. John
Sullivan. also Lfrorn UO. will chair the
meetings of groups_based in Fleshertan and
Ancaster.
Dave Abbott, a' community relations
official with the utility who is in Charge of the
public involvement program. said after the
meeting he expects between 15 and 25
participants in each group.
Mr. Abbott provided an information sheet
with a list of interested parties to •iYhoni he
has sent invitations to provide a representa-
tive 'le the working groups.
AG GROUPS
Six agricultural. groups have been contact-
ed inclu ding the Ontario Federation of
BY HERB SHOVELLER
Dane MacCarthy. vice-president of cor-
porate relations for Ontario Hydro, says a •
recent course he took in Florida-on how to .
deal with protest groups will 'lead to better
relations with interest organizations rather
than create conflict.
The three day course, whose $500 fee
was paid by Hydro. was given by Irving
Goldaber for utility executives. mainly
from the United States. A report of the
seminar originated with a writer from
Mother Jones Magazine who infiltrated the
gathering under an asstimed, identity.
Some theories reportedly outlined at the
included the belief that demonstra-
tors could be deterred with "a show , of
arms and an infiltrating of -activist
groups." and the contention by the
instructor that executives be encouraged to
"assuage and destroy the opposition."
Bet. according to Mr. MacCarthy. the
aggressive approach to protest groups w us
not the main emphasis of the seminar.
"Those aren't my feelings at all." he said
Tuesday in telephone interview from
Toronto. "One thing 1 remember is it is the
tendency of some organizations. when
people disagree with them. to put them in
extreme camps." One point of the course.
he added. however. was that it was wrong
to automatically describe protest groups, as
extremist.
"Not everybody completely supported
further, in public participation. We can
----_.come_np_ with_ more__ effective .plans_witit
publiC input."
Mr. MacCarthy said' aggressiveness by
utilities toward protests was not the main
focus of the seminar. note was the reference
to arms and infiltration. Instead. he noted.
thoe were feelings the Mother Jones
reporter had gotten privately from individ-
-uals, --„
The reporter. Mark Downie. described
the utility executives as mainly"consisting
of rednecks. 'I think there wed, e people
there who were in that category." said Mr.
MacCarthy. "but I don't know if they were
rednecks. Mother Jones leans to the left.
some lean to the right. (Apparently) Mark
said I was one of the better guys there."
Mr. MacCarthy suggested. if anything.
his participation in the course would
enhance what. he already feels is Hydro's
receptive and open.ititerplay with concern-
ed groups. and he mentioned environment.'
al groups such as the Sierra Club as
examples.
Mr. MacCarthy said lie had not instruct-
ed other Ontario Hydro personnel on the
topics of the seminar.
lines
those factors will continue to receive
consideration throughout the selection pro,
cess. Points being looked, at are 'human
settlement. agricultural production, timber
production. mineral extraction, wildlife
game resources. recreation, aquatic com-
munities, terrestrial communities and the
appearance of the landscape.
"We •have already evaluated the plans."
said Mr. Rusnov. "We're now asking the
public to help determine which of the factors
are most important, There's not a single
plan you can look at and say which plan is
the best.
"One person's dessert is another's poi-
son We need the public support to choose
the least difficult. Regardless of which route
is chosen, some people will not be happy."
At the outset of the meeting. Mr. Abbott
offered three reasons for Hydro's plans for
expansion which, he added. must be
completed by I997,. First, he explained.
according to projected electricity needs, the
utility must improve its ability to get power
from Bruce.c rather than see it "locked" in
there. . •
Second. Hydro needs to expand 'to meet
the growing demand ,for electricity in
Southwestern Ontario, while, third. expan-
sion will maintain transfer capabilities
between Canada and the United States. an
exchange which, Hydro says produces re-
venue and protection against power break-
down.
The general aim of the proposed new
routes is to get power to a band of the
province which stretches from London-to just
south of Hamilton.
When the plans were released last month.
Ontario Hydro came under fire for its timing.
But Mr. Abbott said-the public programs
were set up in the summer so the initial
hearing could be held next January.
. JANUARY HEARINGS •
"The Ministry of Energy indicated in the
past that agricultural groups wanted the
hearings in January." noted Mr. Abbott.
"They expressed_that in writing."
Expositor
delivered
despite strike
Despite the problems created by the
postal strike most Expositor subscribers
will receive their copies about us usual.
Papers for subscribers served by area
post offices that are continuing to operate
are being driven each week to these offices
and distribution will be as usual.
Subscrioers Clinton through the
copperation el the Clinton News Record
may pick up it. I spositors at that office.
Clinton rural o': tiers are cooperating in
distributing %%e,. key papers each Thursday
morning as
Papers for de i• ibution in other area
communities Such as Exeter and Goderich
e h. , the post offices are closed and
subscribors residing outside the
area. will be held in Seaforth post office for
ford ^rd dispatch as soon as postal service
is re'siimed ,bsertb'ers wanting to
tnake other rangements that might
.. •In of, their Hoositor are
..ssed to call us at 52"-0240 and we will do
everything we can to cooperate
• —
wity..tbe arinia should by condeelned- nets 'anti shilidd 'be bilil t tan before
In an ittfOrmAl StitNeN oteottneil. nmembera CostS, and, ihreie.Pi4:e attic
3p
of 'granttt$.3 tu'arl40
by player, Sinnatnon,,, the consensus wa s. a
WHAT'S THE CROWD ABOUT?—A rather large crowd gathered in
Hensall Tuesday night to' watch a strange but funny, event-For more
pictures.and information on juSt what was going on, turn to the Hensall
page. (Photo by Ellis )
A WORTHWHILE CAUSE(—Harold Lapointe, a' London Legion
member, travelled through Seaforth on the first part of his journey
through a mine-cftnty area. Mr. Lapointe IS biking the area to inform
people of a new disabled children's ward to be built in the Westminister
Campus Complex, Organizers need one million dollars raised within the
next five years. (Photo by Rimrner)
isabled vet bikes here
A long handlebar moustache. sunglass- children1 ward is to be created within the
es. a three-wheeled bicycle and a button- next ten years.
covered cap characterize Harold Lapointe.
the 60-year-old war veteran who will he going to happen when there's no such
"And I said to myself. Okay. what's
cycling a nine-county area this summer. animal as a disabled war veteran? I hope
He has been travelling to various towns. my great-grandchildren never know what
stopping at each Legion. to tell people one is. but we've gotta leave a memorial to
about a wing for disabled children which
those, who paid the supreme sacrifice." He
will be built at the Westminster Complex in has been thinking about how to promote
London. When asked about his plan, Mr. this memorial for the children's floor for
Lapointe said "You want to know my more than a year. and said it will he one
dreaM. my story. what the devil- I'm that will be used regularly. "We have
doing?", And then related how the new
Please turn to page 3
Agriculture, along with nine environmental
organizations. four municipal groups. six
from business and development. seven
representing community and culture, five
from resource and industry, three from
energy and six from recreation.
• The invitation of public imput into the -
.selection process is a relatively new step for
, Hydro. 'Before Ontario Hydro did a study,
then said this is what we want." explained
Tom Rusnov, another' utility offiCial at the
meeting. "but the public said they wanted
input at earlier stages."
WHAT'S CONSIDERED?
A variety of factors were considered in the
original selction of the general routes, and
Learning about protest
that." continued the Hydro official. but
hinted that his utility did. "Not all wisdom
`rests within Ontario 'Hydro..
"We've clearly indicated people have a
right to demonstrate. We have gone
ix}