HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Exeter Times-Advocate, 1976-12-09, Page 21WE'RE NOT TOO BIG,-BUT WE ARE MIGHTY—The Grand Bend novice hockey team placed
third in the non-commercial float section of the Grand Bend parade last Saturday afternoon.
Photo by McKinley
December 9, 1976
Page 21
Riddell continues fight
over Severn Park gift
Won't plow
sidewalks
Grand Bend village council
turned down in 'principle a
suggestion by village foreman
that the village sidewalks be
cleared of snow this winter.
Foreman Gary Desjardines
suggested that council consider
the possibility but met with a
negative reaction. Council did
agree that they will watch a
demonstration of a snow thrower
and re-examine the suggestion at
that time.
Councillor Bill Baird and
Harold Green along with Deputy
Reeve Rollie Grenier felt there
would be • too many problems
encountered with any attempt to
clear snow off the sidewalks on
the main street and highway 21.
On the other hand, Reeve Bob
Sharen and Councillor Bob
Simpson favoured the idea but
failed' to get support.
"We can't clear both the roads
and the sidewalks; it's one or the
other." said councillor Green. He
suggested that the snow from the
main street had no other ))lace to
go than on the sidewalks,, "We
don't need the sidewalks cleared;
actually it's safer to walk on the
road than on slippery sidewalks,"
At; he $uggoaips that the use of
a snow-blower be implemented,
councillor Baird asked "Where.
would we blow it?"
Village foreman Desjardine
pointed out that councillor Simp-
son had done small portions of the
village sidewalks with a blower
last winter, early in the season,
and had encountered little
difficulty.
"The big point is the danger
people are placing themselves
in".' commented Reeve Bob
Sharen. "I almost hit someone
the other night."
Councillor Simpson pointed out
that a large number of people
living in Grand Cove Estates
walked downtown and were
forced to walk on the road. He
also mentioned that the Grand
Cover Estates sidewalks
were cleared with the use of a
blower and he felt there was
`
less
room for snow within the sub-
division than on the streets.
"If we do attempt to clear the
sidewalks, the village will be
forced to pay for snow removal
because there's just no place to
put it." said councillor Baird.
"We have to do something."
countered councillor Simpson.
"The highway 21 bridge was a
disgrace last year, We were just
lucky some child wasn't hurt."
Mr. Desjardine said a large
number of people had registered
complaints about the snow on the
sidewalks.
Despite the problems which
must be solved in the use of a
snowblower, council agreed to
view a demonstration of a snow
blower and make a final decision
on the matter,
SCHOOL HAS CHANGED—School has changed, but Santa hasn't. This was clearly depicted in
this float by the Grand Bend Lions showing the Grand Bend school in 1875.
Photo by McKinley
Notice
Village of Grand Bend election will be held for the of-
fice of one councillor.
Advance Polk'
Grand Bend Town Hall
Dec. 11 - 11 a.m. 8 p.m.
Election Day
Dec. 20, 11 a.m. - 8 p.m.
Last day for filing certificate to vote by proxy, Dec 15,
1976. Certificate must be filed with the Clerk.
Louise Clipperton
Clerk
Village of Grand Bend
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Throngs of children
greet Santa Claus
MPP for Huron-Middlesex,
Jack Riddell told the Times-
Advocate Wednesday he feels
Minister of, Natural Resources
Leo Berniqr erred seriously by
making the decision to turn over
Severn Park to the village of
Grand Bend without taking the
matter to Cabinet.
Mr. Riddell said it has now
become clear that Donald South-
cott, Grand Bend developer,
persuaded the Grand Bend Lions
Club to attempt to obtain the park
for the municipality and then
used political influence' to en-
courage Mr. Bernier's decision.
"If Mr. Bernier had taken, the • matter to the Ontario Cabinet, he
would have heard 'from the
Minister of, GovernmentServices
that . the Ontario Provincial
Police wanted the land and he
surely would have reconsidered
his personal decision," said Mr.
Riddell.
The Severn Park turnover
•
property purchase.
"I haven't changed my
thoughts on the matter; not one
bit," said Mr. Riddell. He said
that he understood MPP Lorne
Henderson sent out letters to area
municipalities and organizations
asking if the turnover of the park
is still desirable.
Mr. Riddell said he has not yet
received the file of correspon-
dence from Mr. Henderson
relating to the park. He requested
the file in the House and said he
expects to have it tabled in the
House before the end of the
session.
"When we see the file, we can
,,make, some decisions on what
action to initiate," 'said Mr.
Riddell. He also mentioned that a
fellow Liberal MPP had
requested a complete itinery of
Mr. Henderson in relation to his
duties as minister-without-
portfolio,
"We can't understand why
Henderson is going across the
province giving out handouts. We
want to know what he's been
doing and what his respon-
sibilities are," said Mr, ,Riddell.
Mr. Riddell said a request to
have the matter turned over to
the public accounts committee
for investigation was debated in
the House where it was decided
that the committee was not the
proper body to do any in-
vestigation,
"We could ask for a public
enquiry into the matter but we
know it would be turned down as
many other requests have been,"
said Mr. Riddell.
Personals
Recent visitors with Mr. & Mrs.
Roy Flear were his sister and
husband, Mr. & Mrs. George
Buckingham, Toronto,
Elizabeth Kennedy spent last
weekend in Toronto with her
aunt, Mrs. S.M. Barbour.
The annual Christmas bazaar
held Saturday at Mrs. Don
Brown's home in Southcott Pines
was a great success and well
attended,
This was sponsored by the
Theatre Guild of H,C.P. and
proceeds of over $1,000 will be
turned over to Huron Country
Playhouse.
prize. The Shriners placed
second in the out of town cate-
gory.
After the parade the child-
ren thronged to the public
school where Santa was hard
put handling the mob of child-
ren wanting candy. Very few of
them managed to talk to Santa
for long, but none of the child-
ren went away empty handed.
Complains of
road condition
The snow on sidewalks was not
the only winter problem. dealt
with by Grand Bend council at a
meeting on Monday night.
Snow ' plowing, or rather the
lack of it, on Government Road
along the beach at Grand Bend
was the subject of a letter from
G.A. Sanders received by
council,
Mr. Sanders, proprietor of
Sanders Tavern located at the
end of Government Road near
the Ausable River, registered a
complaint that the plowing of
Government Road would remain
a low priority.
The hotel owner objected to
comments of Reeve Sharen at an
earlier meeting when the
problem was discussed. Mr.
Sanders suggested that instead of
calling the road difficult to plow
and maintaining it as a low
priority road for plowing
operations, the council take a
positve attitude and determine
how the plowing of the road could
be improved.
Mr. Sanders claimed that the
unsatisfactory plowing of the
road often resulted in in-
convenience to both his family
and customers at the hotel. He
cited many occasions when he
and employees helped motorists
stuck on the roadway and
mentioned that he had hired a
local contractor to open the road
when it was not cleared by the
village.
Village foreman Gary
Desjardines stated that the local
contractor had cleared the road
in a manner which made the
problem worse. By pushing the
snow to the lake side of Govern-
ment Road, the contractor had
built up a bank which resulted in
the road filling in again im-
mediately after it was plowed
each time.
In other business council
received a letter from a resident
of Riverside Drive in Southcott
Pines requesting that the road be
plowed, sanded and have
r.reetlights installed.
Reeve Bob Sharen informed
Council that the road had never
been assumed by council, and as
a result could not be serviced by
the municipality. He said that
council were acting on the
request of the Southcott Pines
Association. A majority of the
members of that organization
had voted to maintain the
roadways itself.
Councillor Bob Simpson asked
if the resident knew that the
property involved was a private
subdivision when it was pur-
chased. He said he felt thatif the
resident knew that fact, he had.
little recourse.
Council eventually decided to
send a letter to the Riverside
Drive resident suggesting that if
a majority of the residents of the
area wanted the service, council
Object to
development
Grand Bend village council
Monday night assured residents
of the Green Acres area off high-
way 21 south that no commercial
or multiple dwelling construction
would take place on the Sherwood
property within Green Acres.
Southcott Pines Limited had
approached council in the past
regarding the construction of
marina slips on the property
which it now owns. At that time,
council stated, the request was
denied.
About a half dozen property
owners from the area appeared
before council Monday night and
presented a lengthy petition
which objected to the land being
used for any purpose other than
single family residehce.
A number of letters from
property owners in the area who
reside out of town were also
presented and council had
received a number directly from
property owners as well.
Reeve Bob Sharen explained
that the matter will go before the
Ontario Municipal Board since
Southcott Pines Limited had filed
an objection to haying that, and
other properties zoned as 'they
have been.
Mr. Sharen asked clerk Louise
Clipperton to add the name of a
representative of the group of
ratepayers to a list of those who
will be notified of the date, time
and place of the Ontario
Municipal Board hearing,
Reeve Bob Sharen said that
council had contacted the South-
cott firm requesting that they
appear before council Monday
night to discuss the matter. No
representative of the firm ap-
peared,
would reconsider the matter.
Councillor Simpson com-
mented that "sooner or later they
will realize they are spending
money they don't have to" by
serving the roads themselves.
became a controversial topic
after Mr. Riddell asked in the
House if there was any con-
nection between the turnover of
the park and the fact that Mr.
Southcott had purchased land in
proximity to the park. The park is
located south of Grand Bend on
highway 21.
In the House on Friday, Mr.
Riddell asked if Mr. Bernier had
been aware that the Ontario
Provincial Police had been In-
terested in the property for a
detachment to consolidate the
Grand Bend and Pinery Park
detachments, An OPP
spokesman termed the present
facilities4in,,Grand Bend ;rented,
from the municipality not
satisfactory.
Mr. Riddell said he has not
changed his initial comments on
the matter when he suggested
there was some "political hanky-
panky" 'involved in the park
turnover and the' Southcott
The Grand Bend. Santa Claus
parade last Saturday was a huge
success. Close to 30 floats
entered the parade along with
majorettes, a "brass band"
made up of Grand Bend clowns
and .music provided by loud-
speakers,
In the commercial section,
Bell Aerospace and the Green
Forest went together on a float
which took first place. Grand
Bend Cleaners took second
prize and the Cheryl Anne
placed third.
In the non-commercial sect-
ion of the parade, the Grand
Bend Lionettes and the nursery
school float took first prize
much to the joy of the toddlers
riding on the float. The Brown-
ies were second and the Grand
Bend Mites hockey team came
third.
The Port Franks Major-
ettes took first place in the
clown and majorette section
with the Grand Bend "brass
band" placing second.
The most unusual float in
the parade was an out of town
float, a turtle by the Ailsa
Craig Lions which took first