HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Exeter Times-Advocate, 1973-06-28, Page 109Conlinuaaort
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YOUR HOST FOR QUICK
DELICIOUS SNACKS . . .
Garry Spencer
Highway 4 North
Exeter recreation, parks
among the best anywhere
Section 1, Page 21 THE EXETER TIMES-ADVOCATE JUNE 28, 1973
BRIDGE OVER RIVER - The picture calls this scene "Exeter's Main St.",
but it looks more like the middle of the country. This photo shows the
bridge over the AuxSable river at the north end of town in 1909. The
boardwalk across the bridge was on the west,
Gord Baynham, Chairman
Recreation, Arena and Parks,
all three of these have always
played a big part in the com-
munity of Exeter,
In the old Dome Rink, were the
great hockey teams of the 1920's,
the Cyclone League, in the
4,
present arena during the next two
decades and the Senior B in the
`50's. Then there were the Junior
C and D teams of the '60's and
70's.
Early hard ball teams played
all over southern Ontario and
with the hockey teams, brought a
few Ontario championships home
with them,
Because of the growth of
recreation in Exeter and to make
full use of existing facilities,
Mayor Simmons formed the RAP
committee. In 1962, the Com-
munity centre Centre Board and
the Recreation Committee joined
together under one board. The
board consisted of seven mem-
bers, two of these are also on the
council.
In the ten years that have
passed, we believe that our
community leads in this area.
The arena and fair grounds were
the start. Then the Beta Sigma
Phi Sorority built the wading pool
in Victoria Park.
The Kinsmen engaged a land-
scape architect to draw plans for
Riverview Park in 1960. By 1967,
with the co-operation of the
Ausable valley authority, the
Legion and the Lions club, a fine
park and picnic area was
developed.
In 1963 the District Swimming
Pool Committee built the pool,
making a well rounded
recreation area.
The town acquired the bowling
green property in 1972, This, RAP
hopes to expand into a recreation
area for our Senior Citizens. Over
the last 20 years, this
organization has filled a great
peed in the lives of a sometimes
forgotten people as far as
recreation is concerned.
Our activities for the young
people are, we hope adequate for
all age groups, from ballet,
gymnastics and figure skating to
hockey, baseball, soccer,
lacrosse,and swimming of course.
This covers the ages from four to
20 years.
We have a full time staff of
three, in the summer 15 are
employed in the park. The
programs operate on a budget of
$100,000 a year. Of this, $33,000 is
a town grant and the rest is from
provincial grants, registration
fees and rentals.
RAP chairmans have been
Tom McMillan, Stan Frayne, Ron
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Bogart and Gordon Baynham.
The present members are Lee
Dobbs, Ruth Durand, Jack
Underwood, Bruce Shaw, Derry
Boyle, Bob Pooley and Gordon
Baynham.
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We hope that we have done an
adequate job for the people of
Exeter and community. We will
endeavour to keep up the
progress as long as time and
money permit,
'CR Beating husksters
at their own game
lOt
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By REV. DUNCAN McTAVISH
It was Fall Fair time, I had
always made it a practice to take
in that annual event. I found it a
good time to mingle with the
people, and enjoy the festivities.
Having been raised on the farm, I
still retained a lively interest in
the exhibits of grain, vegetables,
and livestock,
I was especially interested in
the horses. The tractors had not
as yet taken over, and there were
some wonderful teams of heavy
draft horses, to say nothing of
some fancy carriage outfits.
A• small midway were there,
where a few concessioners had
gathered to pick up a few easy
dollars from the more gullible of
the crowd, But, we were in the
early years of the Depression,
and the picking wasn't too easy.
Among this crowd were two
weight guessers, equipped with a
sort of tripod contraption, from
which was suspended the scales,
and a seat on which the one being
weighed sat, after he had been
carefully examined, and an
estimate made of his avoir-
dupois.
You paid a quarter for the
privilege, and if he failed to come
within a few pounds of your exact
weight, you got a small box of
chocolates. If he guessed
correctly, you were out your
quarter.
I had just weighed myself the
day before, and decided now was
the time to test the veracity of
these men. I had always been a
bit suspicious as to their in-
tegrity.
I stepped up to the first man -
paid my quarter, and after due
examination he stated my
weight. I sat down upon the seat,
The needle on the scales began to
jump around until the manager
put his hand on the frame. Then it
settled down at a weight that put
me within his guess.
I was out my quarter. I knew he
was wrong, but there was nothing
I could do about it. I went on to
the next fellow only to receive the
same treatment, I was being
gyped but I had no way of
knowing how, I was annoyed and
determined to get even with those
fellows.
On the grounds was an elderly
man who lived near me. He was a
big fellow, with an enormous
paunch that weighed at least
forty pounds, I looked him up and
suggested he come and get
weighed. He refused until I told
him I would pay the shot.
I was determined I would get
even with them. I gave him a few
instructions on how to pull in his
belly, so as to fool them. By this
time a number of fellows caught
on as to what was happening, and
went along to see the fun,
The guesser looked him over
carefully and gave his figure. The
old man sat down upon the scales.
The needle spun around but
finally stopped. The guesser was
about twenty-five pounds out.
I reached for my first box of
chocolates, On to the next fellow
we went. By this time my friend
was getting good at his act.
The second man was nearly
forty pounds out. I had won my
second box of candy which I gave
to my neighbor,
All told, my candy had cost me
a dollar, but I was satisfied. I had
proved to myself that these men
had some way of defrauding the
public, and I had beaten them at
their own game. It was the
paunch that did it.
That scene all came back to me
the other day, as I rode through
that town, and saw great crowds
emerging from the Exhibition
Grounds. It was Fair Day in
town, and the crowd was on hand
to see and hear what was going
on. I couldn't help wondering if
there were weight guessers
there.
Janice Davey, Judy Parsons, Marlene Moore, Helma Peitsch, Elaine Overholt, Joan Kerslake and Bonnie Dale
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The DERBY DIP
Highway 4 South
When friends drop in for a visit during centennial
. . treat them to some chicken, burgers,
hot dogs, shrimp or ice cream from Exeter's
2 popular eating spots.
41 IP
THE OLD SCHOOL HOUSE - The Exeter Public School, above, was
built in 1875 on Victoria St., west of the present elementary school, It
was erected to replace the old school house which was located on the
east side of Andrew St., north of Victoria St.
From the left, Linda Jones, Elizabeth Rasenberg, Miriam Rasenberg, Barb Ferguson and Sharon Jones
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