HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Brussels Post, 1973-12-05, Page 3d, all
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Walton resident describes„:
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(by Mrs, Jean Bewley)
Sometimes, problems are
blessings in disguise! We really
didn't believe it on a rainy
Tuesday in Sidney as we sat in
our hotel room with no vouchers
for our room, nor our tours. The
city was tied up with air strikes,
mail strikes, bus strikes and
electrical strikes. There—were 12
million pieces of mail in the Post
, Office and presumably, our
vouchers were among them. The
electrical workers turned off the
power to a different section of the
city for so many hours every day;
at times we couldn't even use the
elevators in the hotel. Our
carefully planned, prepaid
itinerary said we would spend ten
days in Sidney!
Several phone calls brought
results. Thank goodness the
phones still worked! John Daly,
sales manager of Noah's chain of
hotels in which we were staying,
came rigfit to our room, took our
word for what was written on our
itinerary by our travel agent, and
continued to smooth out our
difficulties for the rest of our trip.
Incidentally, he gave his phone
number with instructions to
phone him from anyWhere in
Australia 'if we were in trouble.
After he had re-arranged our
accommodation to by-pass some
of the 'strikes in Sidney, he asked
about our tours. Since it was
raining, sightseeing would he
difficult. Watt mentioned the new
Opera House, "-which we had
glimpsed on the way to the hotel,
and asked if there were any tours
of it. Mr. Daly answered that
there were no public tours until
after the Queen had opened it
October 20. •
"Would you like to see it?"
After three .phone calls,. -he said,
"Be in the box office at 2:30".
Designed by Danish architect,
Torn Utzon, and situated on
Bennelong Point in Sidney
Harbour, the Opera House will
give the city an outstanding hoine
for the arts and conferences. It
was started in 1959 and the
finishing touches are still being
put on it. It has cost over $100
million (the equivalent of $150
The 8th and 16th Unit met on
Wednesday evening, at the home
of MrS. Jim Fritz.
Mrs. Harold. Bolger opened the
meeting and the '''eripture lesson
was taken from Romans 10.
Mrs. Bolger gave the Topic, an
interesting insight in the life of
As seen on
channel
washers&thyors
PlitOd;
IIARDVITAitE
141-48511, ,BRUMPIS
million Canadian),. The money
was completely raised by
lotteries.
The shell-like roofs are
supposed to represent the saili of
boats on Sidney Harbour, It is
four and one half acres in area,
over 200 yards long and up to 129 .
yards wide. In addition to the four
main halls, there are 900 rooms.
The white ceramic tile on the
roofs are self-cleaning and are
arranged in a definite pattern
with brown lines joining the
individual tile. The highest roof' is
22,1 feet. Basic construction is of
concrete. Panelling and chair
arms, etc. is Brushbox wood, a
native Australian wood.
The hundreds of steps, flat area
in front and hallways are all made
of chips of granite set in cement.
The foyers, opera and concert
halls are carpeted, each in a
different colour. The carpet is all
wool. What else in Australia?
`The flat area in front of the
complex is intended for fashion
shows in the summer and the
steps up to the main theatres will
be used as seats for the
onlookers. The many steps might
seem to make it impossible for
older or crippled people to attend
but lifts have been installed for
women with long trains or people
in wheelchairs, etc.
The opera itself has : two
revolving centres for stage
settings; a plain curtain; or a
modern curtain, used depending
on the type of production; trap
doors for entrances; dressing
rooms _under the stage; also its
own rehearsal rooms. The blokes
are completely lined with red
—plush carpet, including the steps
down to them. The red plush' and
• brushbox wood combine to make
a truly elegant setting for opera.
The concert hall is actually in a
building a few feet apart froth the
opera but they appear to be all
one. This room is breathtaking.
The seating is in circular fashion
with the upholstery on the seats,
walls and carpet, magenta.
Brushbox wood • is used in
panelling 'on the walls, railings
and arms of the seats. A huge
pipe organ is situated at one end,
it is not completed yet but when it
Allan 'Campbell.
Mrs. Don Fraser read two
poems, "..Pressed for Time" and
"!Take Time".
Mrs. George McCall presided
for the business-: The minutes
Were read by Mrs. Don
McDonald. Eleven , members
is, it will be the largest
mechanical action pipe organ in
the world. It will have 9600 pipes
and everything froma wash basin
for the organists to wash their
hands, to a closed • circuit
television monitor on the console
so that the organist can see -the
conductor on the platform 30 ft.
below, and two internal staircases
for ,access to the top levels.
In the centre, above the
platform, are sound reflectors
which can be .raised or lowered
from the ceiling.to get the desired
effect. It also may be used as a
conference room as it is equipped
with radios and rooms upstairs for
interpretetS'.
In the foyer, is the controversial
$35,000 mural. It is done in
luminous paint and is supposed to
represent an underwat er scene.
Perhaps it looked better at night!
I'm really not very artistic, so I.
thought a kindergarten class
might have done the same thing.
The carper in front was of
magenta and the softest, most
thickly piled that I have ever
seen.
The music room was decorated
in black and white with a grey
carpet. It could be , used as a
,recording studio as well as for
Chamber Music concerts. There
were screens at the back and a
projector also, so these rooms
have more than one use.
There' is also a beautiful raised
answered the roll call and there'
were two guests present.
Copper contest money was
received with Mrs. Jim
McDonald's side' the winners.
The losing side was lead by Mrs.
Gerald Smith. A Christmas
supper will be planned for 'the
next meeting. Reports were given
by Mrs. Ken McDonald on the
Fowl Supper. Mrs. Rae Houston
gave the treasurer's report. The
officers will be the sable for the'
coming year. It was announced
that the bale would be packed this
week.
'Lunch was served by Mts. Jan
Van Vliet Jr. and the hostess.
-17th and Boundary Unit
Mrs, Jan Van Vliet Sr.- was,
hostess in her home for the
circular bar for the convenience of
the guests during intermission.
The Bennelong restaurant has
its own shell at the front. We
went in but one look at the prices
op the menu sent us scurrying to
the Harbour Restaurant which
was,for common people like us. I
well believe an article in the
Sidney paper which stated that
you couldn't go to the' Opera
without spending at least $100
per couple. Of course that
included the Bennelong
restaurant afterwards. The
Harbour restaurant was very
nice, with a beautiful view of the
harbour and reasonable prices.
When we arrived, we wondered
where the parking lot was to
accommodate the large number of
people expected' to attend events.
Apparently, a large one had been
planned in the "Rocks" area
which had been scheduled for
redevelopment anyway, but three
large Morton Bay Fig trees stood
in the way. The labourer's union
refused to cut them, even went on
strike, so the trees were saved but
the parking lot was doomed.
After the first performances, I
saw an item in the papers saying
that the opera presentation had
been disappointing but improve-
ments were possible. The concert
hall accoustics were even better
than expected.
If you want to start a
conversation with a Sidney
resident, just mention that you
have seen the inside of the Sidney
Opera House. You will be greeted
with expressions of pride, envy,
disgust or predictions that it will
collapse into the harbour. Some
people will not believe that the
lotteries have paid for it and are
sure that the taxpayer Will pay in
the end. Maybe he will! Day to
day expenses cannot help but be
staggering.
Hold advent
service at
Duff's
The Sunday service at Duff's
United Church was the first in
advent of the Christmas Season.
Rev. Docken chose as his sermon,
"Let us go now even unto
Bethlehem".
Mrs. Herb Traviss and Gail
Traviss sang a duet, accompanied
, by the organist, Mrs: Tan Wilbee.
The offering was received by
Clayton Fraser,, Tom Leeming
and Murray Houston..
Next Sunday Dr. Lee Clark of
Wingham on behalf of the
Gideons will be a guest. The
following Sunday, The Sacrament
of Infant Baptism will be held.
Christmas Sunday is on'
December 23rd with services as
usual the following Sunday.
neon When the infant son,
Edward James (Ted) of Mr. and
Mrs. Jim Sills' was baptized.
Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Docken,
London were Sunday guests at
the Manse visiting Rev. and Mrs.
D. Docken, Krist en and Mark.
A Christmas film strip will' be
shown this coining Sunday at the
December meeting of the Mission
Band. Children are requested to
btitig their Mite-boxes.
Mr. Jim Clark, Keith and Ann
spent Sunday with Mr. and Mrs.
John McOillvary at Dorchester.
Miss Lynne McDonald, nurse-
in-training 'at. Woodstock
Hospital, spent the weekend at
the home of her parents,. Mr. gad
Mrs, Alvin, McDonald,
Visiting at the home of Mr. and
Mrs. Herb `Traviss for the
weekend Were! Mrs Hilda Seliers
of Sedorth andMiss Gail Traviss
of Sarnia.
The Women's Institute ate
planning another euchre this
Friday evening in the community
USE
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Protntit at` entiori 'to your FlOVOr Orders
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ALSOlitiOiRESENtED WA T& Ftnqtrujit kitcokk.
Bitts0a164.
eta also have delfreries Ost daily igarriston,
kainteirstoii, Milvertoti, AtUroOd, oerrie.
News, of Walton
UCW plans Christmas supperat next meeting
November meeting of the 17th
and Boundary Unit on Tuesday
afternoon.
Mrs. .RoSs Bennett' opened
their meeting With the Call to
•Worship. The scripture was read
from Rol-bans 12: 1-21. A
remembrance story, "For our
to-days they gave all their
to-morrows" was read by Mrs.
Ross Bennett.
'Mrs. John Bos chose an article
"On Steps" for .the topic.
Business "•was conducted by
Mrs. Martin Baal. Minutes Were
read by Mrs. Harvey Craig in the
absence of the secretary, Mrs.
Harold McCallum. The roll call
was' answred by ten members.
The treasure'r's and miscel-
laneous reports Were given. A
get-well card was signed tot Mrs.
• Leeming who was in hospital at
1k time' of meeting but since has
returned,„ honie. Copper money
Was received: •—••
Lunch was served by Mrs, Boas
Bennett, Mrs. John. Bos and the
hostess. hail, with the hostesses Mrs.
Mr. and Mrs. Rollie Nelson Matks,IIVIts, E. Mitchell,
Mr. and Mrs, Don Aehilles and Mrs. Bill HuniphrieS and
fanilly. and Mt. and Mrs Bill Mervyn Sinith in charge of
Taylor and family were among evening: This Will bd the last card
those that attended the Baptist al party until the NeW Yeats,
ServiCe in the St, jattieS- Catholic lc .
Church Seafcitth, Sunday. atter'. ' mr` • 21111 PO' umu•Dok
1'10 BRUSSELS POSt 'DECEMBER 103
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