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HomeMy WebLinkAboutTimes-Advocate, 1978-08-10, Page 1Fire levels area turnip plant, loss listed at quarter million The cause of the fire which destroyed a turnip processing plant valued at $250,000 west of Hensail early Saturday morning is still undetermined. A spokesman for the Ontario lire marshal’s of­ fice said that his department has determined they will not conduct an investigation into the cause of the blaze, Ken Pipher, a senior in­ vestigator with the office said only fires where arson is suspected or where a loss of over $500,000 is probable are investigated. He said that the company which insured the building They'd be pleased to see grandstand go future of the at Exeter’s park remains clouded, the While the grandstand community somewhat town’s insurance carrier would probably be happy to learn that the facility may be demolished. Dave Reid of Frank Cowan Insurance and local agent Mel Gaiser attended Tuesday night’s meeting of council to review the town’s insurance coverage and Reid noted that the grandstand has resulted in the major No answer on calls yet The Exeter area fire board has still not reached a definite decision on how fire calls will be handled when the new Huron County police communication system starts operation next year. Chairman Don MacGregor told Exeter council this week the board was still working on the matter. It has been indicated that the local answering service may terminate when the new police system comes into effect find at a previous meeting it was reported that the board was attempting to have South Huron Hospital handle the calls. “We hope to claims in the past two years. The facility has been damaged twice in wind storms and the insurance firm has paid out about $5,000 in claims for repairs. When Reid asked about the future of the grandstand, Mayor Bruce Shaw indicated its future was undecided at the present. “We’ll keep it* as long as we can collect from the‘in­ surance company,” quipped Reeve Si Simmons. Few changes in the in­ surance coverage were recommended by Reid. “Everything’s in pretty good shape,” he advised. He cautioned council about acting hastily in errors and coverage being municipalities firms in Ontario. The coverage is available for council members and employees, but Reid said in 40 years there has never been a case where the municipality was not held liable for employees’ errors or omissions. had requested the in­ vestigation by the fire marshal . Pipher suggested that the insurance company may conduct its own in­ vestigation into the cause of the fire. The two year old building which was owned by Peter Oud of RR 3, Kippen was completely destroyed along with three trucks, the plant’s machinery, plus records and an amount of cash. The blaze broke out al around 5 a.m. Saturday morning with neighbor Richard Willert hearing an explosion and notifying the fire department. By the time the Hensail fire department reached the scene, the building was engulfed in flames with only one wall left standing, ac- cording to assistant fire chief Bruce Moir. Moir said there was very little his pien could do aside from watching two storage buildings that were adjacent to the processing plant. Firemen remained on the scene till about 12 o’clock, Moir said. Oud said “We just don’t know what happened” with regards to the 6,000 square foot structure. He said the building was one of the most modern turnip processing plants in the area with the structure being constructed with fire proof materials. The farmer who has been in the turnip business for 17 years said he had left the plant at 10 p.m. Friday with “everything in ’perfect condition”, Oud who lives three miles from the said that by the time he appeared Saturday morning was nothing left.” The intense heat burning building contained wax and chemical s caused the safe to melt, he said, The plant which employed 12 workers and which was partially covered by in­ surance will be rebuilt, he said. plant’s location, at the plant “There of the which various PLANT DESTROYED — A turnip processing plant owned by Peter Oud of RR 3, Kippen was completely destroyed by fire early Saturday morning. The building which was valued at $250,000 was partially covered by insurance. Staff photo taking out omissions offered to by other Full grant is received “We did very, very well . . . there’s no doubt about it,” commented Mayor Bruce Shaw this week after council learned that the ministry of culture and recreation had approved all expenditures submitted for Wintario grants on the South Huron Rec Centre. The grants covered all the equipment as well as the building costs on the ratio of $2 for every $1 raised locally. There was some question whether the grants would be paid on such things as tables, chairs and other -furniture and equipment. imes Hundred and Fifth Year have something definite by our next meeting,” Mayor Bruce Shaw advised. MacGregor also advised that Exeter and the Town­ ships of Usborne and Stephen haveagreed to setup a reserve fund for the future purchase of a new fire truck. Hay ins derided not to go along with the scheme, which would build up funds for a new truck over the next few years. Pays $200 penalty for $2.50 A fine of $200 or 20 days was levied Tuesday by Judge W. G. Cochrane against an Exeter man convicted of stealing $2.50 worth of air rifle pellets. Michael Lloyd Keller pleaded guilty to the charge when he appeared in Exeter court. The court was told that the accused stole two containers of pellets on July 10. He was given 90 days in which to pay the fine. item theft IN PARADE — Two of the youngest par-YOUNGSTERS I ticipants in Saturday's Friedsburg Days parade in Dashwood were Chris Watson and Stacey Rader. T-A photo A Listowel driver, George John Vandereyk, was given a conditional discharge and placed on probation for one year after pleading guilty to three counts of wilful damage. He was charged after spinning his tires at Cen­ tralia College on April 20 and sending stones flying into several nearby vehicles. Total damage to the three cars was listed at $365 and Vandereyk was ordered to make restitution for the damage. Terrance Laframboise, Clinton, was found guilty on a mischief charge and given a suspended sentence and placed on probation for one year. The court was told he damaged a relative’s motor vehicle, exceeding $200. William Lloyd Medd, Exeter, was fined $150 or 15 days on a charge of refusing to provide a sample of breath for a breathalizer test. Robert J. Dobson, Exeter, was fined $250 or 25 days and had his licence suspended for three months on a charge of impaired driving. The charge was laid on May 20 when he was stopped because he had no headlights on. A breathlizer test gave a reading of 220 mgs. A Huron Park man, Robert H. Stuckless, was also fined $250 or 25 days on a charge of driving with a reading of over 80 mgs, laid on March 31. His licence was also suspended for three months and he was given 15 days in which to pay the fine. A breathalizer test gave a reading of 170 mgs. & TWO ARE BETTER Suzanne attempted to persuade visitors to and Leeanne Sleeper Saturday's Fun Day in Granton that two heads are better than one. T-A photo Grant is available if town matches it The restoration of the Exeter town hall could receive another grant of $17,500 from the Ontario Heritage Foundation, but the money won’t be forthcoming unless council agrees to pay a similar amount in a municipal grant for the project. The Ontario group has already provided a grant of $47,100 for the project, and an additional amount requested by the local Heritage people is being offered, but is contingent upon council making an equal contribution. ‘‘The partnership prin­ cipal is important,” the Ontario group said in a letter recently sent to local association chairman Doug Gould. A copy was sent to council and read at Tuesday night’s meeting. The letter went on to say that the Ontario Heritage Foundation regretted that decision may create some financial difficulty for the local group. Mayor Bruce Shaw said the $17,500 was probably the maximum additional grant available and any amount under that granted by council would be eligible for an equal grant. “It may cause you to do some thinking,” he told fellow council members, who in the past have not seen fit to aid the restoration project. At the suggestion of Councillor Ted Wright, the matter was tabled until the September meeting due to the fact three members were absent this week. Bad holiday weekend Damages over $20,000 Crashes seriously hurt three Three people sustained serious injuries, several others were victims of minor injuries and property damage amounted to over $20,000 in accidents in­ vestigated by the Exeter OPP this week. The majority of crashes occurred over the Civic Holiday weekend period. Seriously injured were Gladys Quinton, Sarnia; Robert W. Brand, Exeter; and Robert Scott Ma ver, London. The Sarnia woman was injured in an accident at 6:30 p.m., Friday, at the junction of Highway 83 and Huron Road 11 east of Exeter. She was a passenger in a car driven by Robert Quinton, Sarnia, which was involved in a collision with a vehicle driven by Wilfred Reeves, Exeter. Quinton had been east- bound on Highway 83 and Reeves was northbound on the county road. The latter suffered minor injuries. The injured woman was taken to University Hospital. Constable Bill Osterloo in­ vestigated and set damage at $3,100. Brand was also taken to University Hospital after his car went out of control on concession 8, Stephen township, around 4:30 a.m,, Sunday. The vehicle went off the right shoulder, veered back th the other side, jumped a ditch and hit a tree. Constable Frank Giffin set total damage at $5,000. The other serious injury, sustained by Robert Scott Maver, occurred at 2:00 a.m,, Sunday, when his westbound car veered across Highway 83 near the main intersection in Dashwood and flipped onto its roof. He was taken Huron Hospital. Giffin set total damage at $4,500, A Huron Park man, Larry Parsons, suffered minor injuries in a crash on Friday at 7:15 p.m, when his westbound vehicle left county road 21 west of High­ way 4 and came to rest on its roof in the south ditch, A fence owned by William Elliott was hit and total damage was set at $1,700 by Constable Giffin. In another collision in the Dashwood area, a car driven by Mark Stire, Dashwood, hit a parked vehicle owned by Glen Thurman on Helen St. Total damagd in the 2:30 a.m. collision was listed at $1,700 by Constable Giffin. A car owned by Douglas Meidinger, Zurich, was hit by an unknown vehicle to South Constable property while parked on the Thuss Garage parking lot in Hensail earlier in the week. Damage to the Zurich vehicle was estimated at $600 by Constable Jim Rogers. On Sunday at 9:30 p.m. a car driven by John Cascadden, London, backed into a parked car owned by Barry Dawson, Oshawa. That collision occurred near Turnbull’s Grove and damage was set at $150 by Constable Bill Osterloo. Cyclist injured An Exeter teenager, Michael Paul Sass, sustained minor injuries when he fell off his motorcycle while travelling on a trail east of the Morrison Dam on Friday at 4:45 p.m. The machine hit a bump and the youth was tossed from it and injured his loft knee. Constable Osterloo in­ vestigated. There was no damage to the motorcycle. The other two accidents of theweek were investigated by Constable Larry Christiaen, the first at 12:55 p.m., Sunday, involving vehicles operated by John Wilson, London: Thomas Staples, Hanover; and Theodore Dockstader, London. They collided on Highway 4 just south of Exeter. Dorothy Day, a passenger in the Staples vehicle, sustained minor injuries. Damage was listed at $2,700, The other crash involved vehicles operated by Jeffery Oesch, RR 2 Zurich, and Jerome Dietrich, RR 3 Zurich, They collided on concession 12 of Hay at 2:30 p.m., Monday. Estimate of damage was $1,350. Serving South Huron, North Middlesex Advocate & North Lambton Since 1873 EXETER, ONTARIO, AUGUST 10, 1978 Price Per Copy 25 Cents Parking group makes headway on developing lot behind stores The Exeter parking authority cleared the first hurdle this week in their bid to develop parking behind the stores located on the west side of Main St. between Ann and John Streets. It was a hurdle they’ve been their ago. At recommended to council that the lot owned by Fopex behind G & G Discount fronting on William St. be purchased to provide parking as well as a suitable access to the area behind the stores. Earlier attempts to pur­ chase the property were unsuccessful but this week council agreed to make an offer to purchase it at a price of $15,000. That was the price set by Fopex officials at a meeting last month with the parking authority and other merchants in the area. The offer is contingent upon other owners agreeing to provide easements on their property for a storm sewer and development of parking, as well as reaching a suitable cost-sharing agreement with the town for the lot purchase and the overall development of the area. At Tuesday night’s council meeting, Reeve Si Simmons initially side-stepped the parking authority’s NAB CATS Exeter’s animal control officer has started a cam­ paign to capture the many stray cats that once foraged for their sustenance in the vicinity of the former Cann’s Mill on Main St. Councillor Lossy Fuller reported that four cats had already? been captured and destroyed and the report from the Exeter Animal Hospital indicated that as many as 10 others may still be on the loose. trying to clear since inception five years that time, they recommendation to make a purchase offer when he presented a motion that council write Fopex and ask for written confirmation of the price. After that motion was approved, parking authority chairman Bill Batten ad­ vised council that the motion would do little to further the project, as some definite commitment was required so steps could be taken to proceed. This led to a discussion on the merits of purchasing the lot and Councillor Ted Wright suggested the town’s solicitors be asked for an opinion on how to handle the matter. Gerry Gray, who was in the building for another meeting, was called in and said that Fopex had given a firm price on the recommended that accept the offer. “I’ve never seen buy land and go Wright said after Gray explained that the lot could be resold by the town if the parking project failed to materialize. “I was under the im­ pression the municipality land Sim- share in those costs, in­ cluding the purchase of the Fopex lot. At a meeting in July, the property owners involved indicated a willingness to share the costs, which Kells has estimated at around $45,000 including a storm drain which will be borne by the town. While Victoria & Grey Trust have since indicated they are not interested, Batten and Gray said they felt the company could be convinced of the need for their participation. It has been estimated that up to 87 parking spots could be created in the area under study, including the Fopex lot, which presently provides the only suitable access to the open area behind the stores. Area firm expects sizeable contract lot and council anyone broke,” was not in the speculation game,” mons replied. Councillor Lossy Fuller, who said that the parking authority has asked to have the lot since she joined council, said it was “something we have to do.” She presented a motion to rescind Simmon’s original motion and to make an offer as recommended by the parking authority. Those two motions were approved. After the meeting, it was arranged to have the parking authority meet with Sim­ mons and works superin­ tendent Glenn Kells to review the cost of developing the parking area and to formulate a suitable system for the property owners to Bell Aerospace expects to be back in production building Voyageur hover­ crafts for the United States Government. The Americans plan to order $12 million worth of kir cushioned vehicles and Bell Aerospace in Grand Bend thinks it will get part of the action. ‘‘I am very confident the contract will come through,” Jim Mills manager at the plant, said yesterday. ‘‘Nothing in this life is certain though,” he added. The Grand Bend plant has been out of production since 1976 when it built its last six units. The staff has been cut from 200 to 14. If Bell Aerospace gets the contract, part of the work may be done by its sister company in the United States. Mills said they are hoping most of the work will be done in Grand Bend. ‘‘A certain amount of the work will have to be done here,” he said. Mills declined to comment on the future of the Grand Bend operation if the con­ tract didn’t come through. ‘‘I’m not even thinking about that. I’m confident we will get enough of the con­ tract to keep us busy.” he said. Bell Aerospace has other prospects for selling its Voyageur units. * The Canadian Coastguard will likely be adding air cushioned vehicles to its inventory in 1979. This could mean a contract for one or two units a year, Mills said. If the company gets the contract, 80 extra people will be hired. At least a quarter of the new staff will come from the immediate area, he said. FRIEDSBURG QUEEN AND ATTENDANTS —- The 1978 QOeen for Dashwood's Friedsburg Days was Daryl Webber of RR 1, Exeter, representing the Dashwood Tigers. Second runherup was Debbie Towers of Hensail, representing Dashwood Industries while Lisa Hamather also of Hensall and representing Jim Becker construction was first runner-up. • Staff photo London lad dies on ride The Ausable-Bayfield Conservation Authority hasn’t reached a final decision whether to continue their following year-old night. Jeffrey fell from hayride Conservation area injured by the wagon’s wheels. Several and adults were riding on a pile of straw with the victim when he fell off. “The Conservation Authority is treating it as an accident,” said resource manager Don Pearson. The hayrides were suspended on the weekend after the fatality, but they may be resumed this weekend. No decision has been reached yet, he said. Driver of the tractor Daniel Kennaley, Parkhill. Kennaley recreation co-ordinator the Conservation Authority. hayride program the death ot a six- child Saturday Hutton, London, a wagon during a at the Parkhill and was children was 20, is for New crop looks good The cauliflower crop currently being harvested commercially for time in this area cellent condition, said Wednesday. Veri, who introduced the crop this year to Huron County, said the harvest is progressing very well. “The quality is looking excellent and the demand is good,” he said. About 50 workers have been hired to harvest the crop. There is 175 acres planted in the area. The pepper crop harvest will start next week. The crop didn’t do as well as the cauliflower crop because of the cool nights, but there should be excellent quality peppers harvested, said Veri. the first is in ex- Len Veri