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HomeMy WebLinkAboutClinton News-Record, 1971-12-02, Page 1106 Year - 48 Tharsday, December 2, 197) Weather 1971 LO 1970 HI 10 Nov. 23 30 9 28 21 24 32 24 27 23 25 38 27 27 18 26 37 33 39 27 27 38 31 38 34 28 27 33 37 34 29 33 30 42 33 Rain .40" Rain 1.60" Snow .5" Snow 4" 20 cents Clinton News-Record Volt Gosie s(1 'S First industry at Base by February Just a little Over a year ago„ thit was the stone at Brucefield as the Brucefield United Church burned on Nov. 20, 1970. Plans were laid almost immediately for rebuilding and today, the fruits of those plans tan be seen in Brucefield where the new, modem church it rising On the site of the old. The shell Of the new church it almost completed. The congregation hopes to be in the new building soon, Hill heads 'OFA. third term Gordon Hill of Varna was re-elected to a third term as President of the Ontario Federation of Agriculture at last week's annual convention in Hamilton. He told nearly 400 delegates that federation membership must reach 11,000 by next April. Mason Bailey of Blyth addressing delegates at the Ontario Federation of Agriculture's annual convention in Hamilton last week. Mr. Bailey represented the farmers of Huron county as president of the Huron County Federation of Agriculture. st Column Harold Jantzi was happy with the results of the Grey Cup game on Sunday. Mr. Jantzi had the correct score of the game on his Lions Club Grey Cup ticket, and picked up the $500 final prize. Because the final seine was the same as the three-quarter score he also picked up another $75. Dr. A. Addison won $50 for having the correct half-time score and E. W, (Bill) Coiquhoun won $25 for having the first quarter score. All but 125 tickets were sold. Proceeds will go to support the Lions Club's work in the community such as its sponsorship of minor hockey, free skating and work With the crippled children and the blind. If any blind poison or crippled child in the community needs helps a phone call to the local club will bring aid. * * Many persons thought a fire in the Hotel Clinton Saturday night caused a blackout throughout the town, but apparently it was the other way around. A switch at the transforirier near the Fabian Furniture plant welded across. It knocked out One of the three phases servicing the hotel and this caused one of the Motors at the hotel began smoking. The fire department was called but once the power was shut off, the problem ended, happily with no damage. The Public Utilities Commission then had to track down the source of the malfunction and correct it. * * * Firemen also answered a call early Monday morning to the Levis Contracting site at Hoimesville where insulation around storage tanks was smouldering. There was little damage. * * 'The 24th annual Huron County 4—H Achievement Night will be held in the Seaforth District High School, on Friday, Dec. 1 All Huron County 4—H Agricultural Club members who completed a project in 1971 will receive their awards on this occasion, as well as those who have received special trophies and awards for their 19714—H club work. Everyone who has an interest in the 441 "Prognuirne Is invited to attend the Achievement Night. Gordon Hill, a hog and white bean farmer from Varna, was re-elected last week to a third term, as President of the Ontario Federation of Agriculture, Meeting in elamilten at the federation's annual convention, delegates voted Hill to the Presidency by acclamation. Following his re-election, Hill called on federation members to renew their recruiting efforts. He set a goal of 11,000 members by next April. Also re-elected were Port Burwell fruit grower Frank Wall as first vice-president and Algonquin dairyman Keith Matthie as second vice-president. Meeting on the last day of the three-day convention, the Board of Directors elected the remaining four members of the executive committee. Forester's Falls dairyman Delmer Bennett, Eariton farm wife Dorothy Houston and Enniskillen mixed farmer Bruce Taylor were all re-elected to the executive. The one new member of the executive committee is John King, a dairyman and apple grower from the Woodstock area. Conestoga loses home, classes at CHSS Conestoga College's Huron Centre has had another change of plans. Only last week the centre's head, Ross Milton, announced the College hoped to have its Huron branch at its new home at the former Canadian Forces Base Clinton. Those plans hit a snag however when it was learned that due to fire regulations the former public school at the base, which was to house the college, could not be operated without renovations. And renovations can not take place until the college has clear title to the building. That won't be until January, so the college is again without a home. So the college will open on schedule on December 6 but at Central Huron Secondary School in Clinton at 7 p.m. when registration will be held in Room 117 for two courses in academic upgrading called basic training for skill development, The courses involve completion of requirements for grades seven, eight, nine and 10. Full-time students will attend classes from 4-10 in the evening while part-time students will take only the classes they need. Two candidates declared for Warden's race Industrial operations at the former Canadian Forces base Clinton will begin by the end of February, 1972. Principals of the firm were in Clinton last Wednesday and said that once this operation is established, another, manufacturing plastic panel building systems, will also be introduced to the base. John van Gastel, the new owner of the old base, said last week in an exclusive , interview that a fibre glass brick manufacturing company will open at the base soon after Jan. 31. It will be an extension of a firm now based in Montreal. The company will occupy the former airmen's mess, the largest mess on the 30-year-old base, Mr. van Gastel said he is negotiating with an American company to locate in the new industrial development. He revealed that he had just sold the McBrine Luggage company, one of a number of companies he owned, and was trying to convince the new owner to come to Clinton. BY SHIRLEY J. KELLER It may have been the Christmas spirit which gripped Huron County Council last Friday at its regular November session and probably the last one for this year. At any rate, several salary adjustments were made for Huron County officers although most of them were within the five per cent guidelines imposed. Only one salary hike was not approved as presented to council and the Huron County Road Committee has been asked to restudy its request for county engineer Jim Britnell. The proposal for a $500 increment and a $500 Merit increase for a total of $1,000 annually was not passed. Britnell's present salary is $20,500. Salary increases were approved for In all, he said, he is working on 18 different deals with prospective tenants. In a whirl-wind visit to Clinton and his new possession on Wednesday, he showed four different groups through the base in a few hours. He praised the efforts of Major Frank Golding the former base commander at CFB Clinton who is now in charge of the caretaking force at the base which was officially closed in September, He said the co-operation he had received from Maj. Golding and from Spence Cummings, Huron County Development Officer has enabled him to let interested parties see the buildings on the base. One of the possible tenants at the base, he said, is a large organization which is negotiating to takeover all recreational facilities at the base including the hockey arena, curling rink, playing fields, shooting ranges, physical education building and swimming pool. In addition a nine-hole golf course and ski hill would be opened. The Administrator John Berry and Deputy Clerk-Treasurer Bill Hanly. Berry received an increase of $1,000 bringing his salary to $16,500 and Hanly gained another $1,000 as well, hiking his annual earnings to $12,000. A bid for a further increase for each of these officers was turned down by recorded vote. Two county employees working with the Huron Planning Board were given increases. Gary Davidson, planning director, went from $13,000 to $13,500 and his assistantant, planning technician Nicholas Hill will receive an extra $500 per annum bringing his earnings to $7,700, The Administrator at Huronview, C.A.Archibald, will receive $12,000 this year, $500 more than last year. organization plains to run a complete youth training program which would take 500 boys at a time and keep them in residence at the base. The boys would be sent by companies from all over Canada and the United States as reward in company-sponsored promotions. Mr. van Castel left Thursday, the day after he was in Clinton for Europe where he said he was negotiating with companies in Holland and Belgium to locate operations at the base. Because he was so busy carrying out negotiations for new tenants at the base, Mr. van Gastel said he had not had a chance to meet with many of the local people he would like to, He had scheduled meetings with Mayor Don Symons of Clinton and Reeve Elgin Thompson of Tuckersmith township but his trip to Europe had postponed these. Mr. van Gastel said the deal for the Base was approved on Nov. 18 and he picked up the papers and made final negotiations on Nov. 22. County librarian Ethel Dewar will receive $11,100 this year, an increase of $500. A similar increase was approved for county development officer Spence Cummings who goes from $10,000 to $10,500. Ray Scotchmer, curator of Huron County Museum, received a raise of $800 to $7,000; Mrs. F. Nanz, a $300 increase to $4,400; and R. Pfrimmer, another museum employee, was raised to $2.35 per hour. Caretakers received raises, too, including Jim Sheardown who received $500 annually to bring him to $7,200; and $300 each per annum to three others, D. Dalton at $5,800; M. MacAulay, $5,400; and D. Lynn, $5,400. The Construction Safety Inspector, Everett Smith, received an incresse of $258 per annum for a total salary of $6,300. Earlier last week, Ross Milton director of Huron Centre of Conestoga confirmed that Conestoga would start operations at Clinton Dec. 6 with a full program planned for next September. John van Gastel New owner hits town like tornado John van Gastel hit Clinton like a tornado last week and the town may never be quite the same again. Mr. van Gastel, who recently purchased the former Canadian Forces Base, Clinton, from Crown Assets Disposal Corporation recently, paid a hurried visit to his newest project last Wednesday. During the short few hours he was in town he managed to confer with Spence Cummings, Huron County Development officer, show four groups of prospective tenants through the Base and grant an exclusive interview to the News-Record. Then he blew out as quickly as he blew in later that evening and the next day was on his way to Europe for a flying visit with companies in Belgium and Holland. Since the sale of the base was announced, he has been in Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto and untold other places. The pace the man leads-leaves many around him breathless. ills interview with the News-Record for instance was squeezed into about 10 minutes between his personally-led tours of the base for prospective customers. He had only 10 minutes to spare but its that time managed to convey a large volume of information of interest to local readers. He said he found this a tremendous area especially because of the recreation facilities close at hand. He said he found local people a delight to work with because they co-operated so well. He is a large man, well over six feet tall and over 200 pounds. He dresses well but conservatively and it One met him on the street it is unlikely he'd convey the image of the successful wheeler-dealer.. But that he is, and his interest in the Clinton area may just be the most important thing to happen to Huron County in several decades, He buys and sells companies like some people change clothes and to be successful in that business, you have to have sound financial backing and an intense knowledge of business. Those two assets certainly will be important if the project is to be a success. If the venture is a success, the whole future of the county may be changing. Van Gastel disclaims Free Press story John van Gastel, new owner of the former Canadian Forces Base Clinton, last week disclaimed earlier stories about himself published in the London Free Press. In an interview Wednesday, Mr. van Castel was asked if he planned to rent houses at the base to senior citizens at $70 per month as had been claimed in a story in the Free Press, He said the story was not true. "The I~ nee Press invented their Own story,' he said. He said he had never talked to anyone from the Free Press and their stories were based on rumour and 'from inaccurate quotes from an interview he had given to CKNX television. Blyth matt ()sea Pes Auburn acciden BY WILMA CAKE bouglas G, Scrimgeour, 27, of Myth miraculously escaped injury Tuesday afternoon when the station wagon he was driving was in collision With a CPR freight train at the level railway crossing' n County Road No. 8, one mile south of Auburn. Constable Ray Primeau of the Seaforth Ontario Provincial Police detachment, reported visability poor at the time of the accident, It was snowing and the roads were slippery, The station wagon skidded 60 feet before the left front corner of the car was struck by the right front of the train. The station wagon was dragged '75 feet before it tumbled down a 15-foot embankment. __ The train was en route from Goderich to Hamilton, while the 'Station -wagon, owned by George Radford Construction Ltd, of Myth, was headed north. Damage to the 1971 vehicle was about $3000 while to the train approximately $200. Mr. Scrimgeour escaped with only "a bump on his head", BY SHIRLEY J. KELLER There will be at least two reeves from Huron County in competition for the Warden's chair in 1972. They are Reeve Elmer Hayter, Stanley Township who will make his second try in two years, and Reeve • Roy Pattison, East Wawanosh, A third reeve who was expected to enter the fray, Reeve Hugh Flynn, Hullett, told -council he will not enter the race this year. He said that because of commitments at his home, he would not be able to be a candidate, but he expressed satisfaction that two men, one from the north and one from the south, would be competing. "I don't like to see an acclamation for Warden," stated Flynn. Reeve Pettisoh, a five-year veteran of county council, told his associates it has been 52 years since there has been a Warden from East Wawanosh. Each of the new members to county council this year had an opportunity to speak at the close of the session on Friday. Each commented on the fine hospitality to be found at the county level of government, County Council grants raises in the Christmas spirit