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HomeMy WebLinkAboutClinton News-Record, 1964-11-26, Page 5Hoy, 4$,, 1964,Clintort Nevis-Recard,-,-Page 5 LOOKING NORTH ALONG MOUNT FOREST'S MAIN STREET Town Is Ready This sign over the entrance to Mount Forest's hotel on the main street greets all corners. When the boom starts Mount Forest will be ready. For Safe Living Mount Forest Building Inspector Frank Baird (right and local contractor Bill Maine check over floor beams in a modern bungalow under construc- tion at Mount Forest. Contractor Maine said the inspector's three or four checks on projects "never bother any of us; in fact we can often learn some- thing from him." MOUNT FOREST A SMALL TOWN 001N6 THE BEST WITH WHAT. IT HAS. (Note the tlgo Mucicipai Porkicg Lot cif Street, and the two4tour parking limit) THE FIRST STEP: TOWN E MOVE By Staff .Reporter MQU1IT FORBST—Moent For Oat is 0Atarig -`01611 about 60 iload miles oorth anicl, east. of Clinton. and 48 Miles south of Owen 8ound. fax as is known, retie hag- .ever to* place here of sufficient impoitenee to have the town's name mentioned on the front page of any .newspaper outside the Pro- viete of Ontario. Within living 'memory no son of the town has become work:1441110es as a statesman, ,movie star, ar scientist; nor is the town internationally known for any produat mane- teetered. here. No. Famous 'Battles Canadian history baoke make no mention of white iniesionerie,s being tortured or field prisoner by the Tn- dians at Mount Forest, end the :town's name doesn't aps pear elsewhere in, the history book in connection with fam- ous or important.. battles or sieges. The town is just a. quiet little settlement in the north end of Wellington County that some 2,680 people call Uning, They are proud of their home and just as . proud of their homes. Stately old brick houses set off by ancient coni- feroue trees share the same neighborhoods being occupied by smart chrome and glass ." bungalows land's'caped with, deciduous trees. Small Town People The people of Mount For- est are proud of their town. They keep it well organized and clean and advertise them- selves as the town. with "kind hearts and gentle people." • -Many of the residents are retired farmers who put in half a century of tea in. the rich fields around the area before passing on to their children--or selling off—their homesteads and moving to town. • Others clerk in small stor- es and businesses which sell food, clothing and hardware to fanners and townspeople. Some operate gasoline sta- tions, garage's or tractor re- pair shops', and there are pro- fessional people as well; doe- tori, ,dentists and lawyers-- the sort of people you'd ex- pect to find in. any small On- tario town. Has Eight Industries Additionally, there are a number of industrial men, be- cause Mount Forest has eight industries at the pre- sent time. Although that's an impressive roster for a small town, even more indus- tries ,are expected in, the near future. At the present time, Mount Forest is home for Brandon Cask et s Limited, Cherry- Stewart Lumber Company, Canada Packer's Limited, dry, Genera 1 Instrument, dry, Goner al Instrument Continental Pant Company, Palmer Lumber Company and Wellington Wood Preelocite Limited. The industrialists attribute their location in Mount For- est to such things as an ,ade- quate labor farce, no union difficulties, and a Variety of Ma:cattle's for the use and en- joyment of their employees, Many Attractions There is a community cen- tre, en arena with artificial ice,modern schools, arid un up- to-date hospital; organized Sports during the summer and winter, curling rinkS and' a community swimming pool, supervised playgrounds anti a golf course, •In addition there is excel- lent trout fishing nearby, a lawn bowling club, badininton and tennis clubs, a rod and Sin club, a wading, pool, a square dance club, movie theatre, and Guides', scouts ‘and BroWnies. There' is a hotel, licensed' beverage rooms and restaur- ants. The local stores carry ,Complete lines of foods, cloth. ling and all other hausehokl itema and Mount Forest has a branch of the LOBO and a Brewers' Retail warehoute. It le also district headgear- ters of the Ontario• Provinc, lel Police. Anticipated Expansion More indestriee are eXpect- ed becauSe Mount Forest Wants more industries. A large sign over the en- trance to the town's -hotel 1=ounces that industnial Sites ate available and 'that industries are Welceine. The, Sites are available through the Industriel Conimieeitee which has worked hand in hand with a seven-member Town Planning Board. Interes ted industrial iits are aSsured of adecittate good Water,. hydro Sell/ice, a Mod- emit sewage system, CNA and -CPR rail connettloris, and ZOtting to protest their operti,, -lions front undesirable neigh- 'bars. !Ross McClellan, a .forma- W.eilington County warden, former Mount Foreet Reeve and formo town mayor who is eoW clork-treas, urer of the town, outlined the town's progress and growth Which started in earnesit about four years Ago, Required. Promotion. He said a young town council slate realized the nee- essity of making the town attractive to small findustries. "It was just common .sense," 'he said, "but before we could invite industry here we had to get ready for it" Me. McCiellen said the town's first move was to ad- opt a building code SD zon- ing could be started. "We had our own building code — we had had it for Years," he said, "but it wasn't any good, It wasn't being enforced and we felt it was stupid to have an obsn- lete building code that was- n't being enforced, Contractors Happy "We adopted the short form of the National:Budding-Code of Canada because it is good and easy to follow," The clerk said each local .con- tractor was • given a 30-cent Clerk Rims McClellan "Code hard or shysters" copy of the booklet of the code and asked to comply with the regulations set out in it. "There's nothing tricky or difficult about the code. It is plain common sense and most of our contractors were following pretty close to the procedures laid out in it any- way," he said. "But they were happy about it because 'it made everything more simple for everybody. When they were ,asked 'to tender on a job, they were all bidding on the same . quality. job. It also was protection 'for them — end' for people building here — against fly- by-night shysters from some other town causing in here and putting Up eomething 'Wait could 'fall down in a, few years or become an eyesore. Ha Trouble With Code "We haven't had, :a hit of trouble with the code since we got it in here, The local oantractors were keen about,' it 'because they all want to do -Pod Werlc, here any ?ay, The house they build :Phi's week may sell them another con- toot 'nett !rrinnit," Te clerk said !zoning by, laws Ware draf't'ed after the building code was ad,opted. Tize zoning Wee' -dratted ;by ntembere of the Planning Beard, and space was st aside for the locatien of dustriee. Mount Forest's son, nig bylaw has only three class, Vieations: residential, Pent, mereial or Industrial. Hot on the heels of the Planning Board came the Chamber ,of Commerce with a prospectus of the town which lists all its attributes _and' sets out a strong ment In favor of industries locating in the 'town. Brochure Valuable The brochure has been out for almost seven years pow; a new version ,is being pub- lished this winter. "That's a strong selling point, 'that brochere,".. Mr. Mcalennan said "It states in black and white just what's here and what people can expect here. They can, have a look at the 'town and when 'they go away they can 'take one ,of our brochures and refer to it to find out anything they forgot .to ask ebout. They 'cyan 'give it to a friend, send ft to a busi- ness . associate, or we can ,send it to persons who might write or telephone for infor- mation about our town. Talking with residents of Mount Forest is a refreshing experience, "On The Move" They are proud of their town, Their pride shows in the freshly-painted homes and' the well-groomed lawns and flower beds. Despite the ,fact many of the residents are retired farmers and oth- er retirees who have, sought the comparative tranquility of a small community, they are all "thinking big". One resident said: "It was SO stupid before, We were paying taxes to' build schools 'to educate our kids so they could go to Toronto or some. other city to make a living, "Now, we're still paying taxes of course, but we we. organized so we. can make offers to industries. We may be little now, but some day —and that'll 'be soon—we're going to be big.. Then our children can stay in the area and have good jabs. We've made the start and we have made such progress we can't stop now, We're on the move." News-Record Photographs By John Visser the story of how one small ontario town got ready to take on all comers in the struggle for industries By Staff Reporter MOUNT FOREST — "We 'found the hest way to got it all rolling was with. triple- mentation of the • National Building -Code," Mount For- •est Mayor Ted Samuels said srr answer to questions about his town's enviable position with regard to industrial -de- velopment "I wasn't mayor then, but 'the council pushed the code through right off the bat and then set up a Planning Board which took care of the zon- ing," he said. Mayor Samuels—now Start- ing his third 'term as mayor of this Wellington County 'town of 2,680 persons — 'said qthere have been no com- plaints about the code since it was implemented here about four years ago. Hurts Shysters -"The only people it hunt was the crooks, shysters and fly-by-night contractors We don't want here anyway,".he 'said, "and they Wouldn't dare say anything anyway. "We hadn't had any par- ticular trouble with any con- traetors; we just thought the' code was a good and sensible' 'thing since it had been draft- ed by the Federal Govern- ment. So; we put it 'into op- eration here. It didn't cost anything and 'there was no objection or opposition to it." Enforcement of Mount Forest's Building Code is under the direction of In- spector Frank Baird. Mr. Baird is en employee of Palmer Lumber Company of Mount Forest and 'is fam- iliar with construction. From years of work in the field, he is familiar With 'the build- ing code and the procedures of proper construction tech- niques. Part-Time Jab In hi's spare lime he in- epects all buildings being -erected in, Mount Forest with private money, (Construction projects using loaned or mortgaged money are always inspected by the institution advancing tyre money.) Mr. Baird also inspects drainage projects in his spare time. For his work as drainage 'inspector he is paid $150 per year. His salary as Mount Forest 'building inspector is $1.00 a year. "Maybe it's time for a bit of 'a raise," Mr. Baird chuckl- ed, "because that's' a -pretty low figure, but if council doesn't see fit to boost it a 'bit, that's still okay With me." One Disagreement Mr. Baird s'ai'd since the National Building Code was adopted here in 1960, an av- erage of 15 private homes per year have been built with private money so that they came under his jurisdiction as building inspector. "In the whole time I've had 'only one 'area of -disagree- ment with anybody," he said. "He was an outaide contrac- tor and he tried to pull a tast one and save a few dol- lars on some floor joists. made him take them out and put more in. The place wouldn't have been safe with- out "them, "Naturally he wasn't happy about it, but if he had been trying to do a proper job in the first place, it would- rt't have happened." Zoning Under Review As building !I/epee-tor it is Mr. Baird's job to furnish Wilding permits to applic- ants and to make sore the applications are filled in as required. To make sure proposed buildings will comply With Mount Forest zoning bylaws, applicants . are required to make a Seale sketch of the building in relation to its, lo- cation an the lot. (The' taint zoning bylaw requires a five-foot clear- 'ante betWeen houses on each side; houses must be set back 25 feet from the street line — or in line With the treads existing buildings and 'they must be iodated On lortS With a Minimurn 50- 'foot frontage, The 50-foot frontage area of the bylaw 'is oniing under revision and is eXpected 'to be reduced to a 0-Tithe-ant lot frontage of 85 feet? Inspector's butio? As defined 'by the Nation- al Building Code of Canada, an inspector shall: "A. Xeep proper records 47 all applications received, per- rectified Without delay: Revoke a permit if hi his opinion the continuance of any work would cause a dangerous or unsafe condi- tion; and. "F. Enforce this bylaw." Inspector's Powers Also under the code, the powers of the building inspec- tor are outlined: The Building Inspector may: "A. Enter any building or premises at all reasonable Mayor Ted Samuels alt's just common sense" hours in the performance 'of his duties; "8, Revoke a perarit if: (1) construction is not started Within a period of six months from the date Of issu- ing the permit; or (2) construction is discon- Mits and orders issued, in- apections 'and tests made, and ehall retain copies of all pap- ers and decuMents connected with the administration of his duties for stieli periodS as he sees fit; "B. Dminine all applica- lions for peenlissien to do Work in connection with buil- dibig, plumbing, electrical, etc,; E `C. Authorize work as set 'out 'in CB) and issue a per- mit in the prescribed faint when applicable Where the proposed Work as described in the' application conferee; With bylaw; "11 Give notice it writing, 'to 'the owner of a building dr to his agent, of any danger- ous or unsafe condition in the building or premises, and re- quire that such condition be tinned for a period of one year; et (8) If there'd's a violation of any condition under which the permit is issued; "C. direct that any danger- ous or unsafe condition which, in his 'opinion requires imme- diate 'action to avert an acci- dent be corrected at the own- er's expense and without de- lay; "D. direct that tests of a material, device, or construc- tion be made or sufficient evidence or proof be submit- ted, at the expense of the owner or his agent when, in the opinion of ;the aclininis- tredve official such tests, evidence or proof are neces- sary to determine whether the :matemial, device, or con- struction meets 'the require- ments of 'this bylaw; "E. revoke or refuse to issue a permit when in his opinion the test results are not satisfactory." Inspector's Authority Under a heading in. the Building Code, "Delegation of Authority", the following ap- pears: "The building inspector 'may in special cases permit such deviation from this by- law as he may deem proper and safe under the circum- stances." Mr. Baird said he' was ap- pointed by the Mount Forest Town council 'as building in- spector. But his decision is final , and absolute. The coun- cil cannot reverse any detis- ion he may Make. "Of course they probably wouldn't 'ap- point me 'the next year, but during my term, what I say goes," he said. "Really Very Simple" "It sounds very complicat- ed and confusing Maybe," Mr, Baird said, "but it's real- ly simple. -I'M really interested it here IS the footing, wane, floors, joiets and roof raft- ers, I couldn't care less What other 'things are added 'in the way of trine inside arrange- Merits or decorations. "I make three or four in- spections of each buildingiand each inspettion takes only 10 or 15 tibiae& I don't think any of 'the builders have any complaints about the code or the inspections, Sticking to a node like- this one just makes for a better class of homes, and it keeps the chiselers and crooks out of business." Foolproof System Mr, Baird said enforce- ment of the building code— in Forest at least,-,1.4 Absolutely foolproof. He said in the four yeare he has been policing it no one hat ever offered hint, a bribe of any kind,