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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 1986-08-06, Page 1Brussels loses out on explosives factory Arthur Township last week won the battle among a number of western Ontario municipalities to attract the Astra Pyrotechnics of Canada Ltd. factory, leaving Brus­ sels out in the cold. The plant, which will employ 80 people when built, was dangled in front of a number of towns including Arthur, Mount Forest, and Palmerston in the last few weeks. The company needed to find a community that was willing to have the plant, which makes and tests flares and noisemakers, and that had a suitable site where the testing of the explosive devices wouldn’t bring complaints from neighbours. Arthur township won the plant, company spokesman said, because of the remoteness of its site from other urban uses and the closeness of the new location to the com­ pany’s present plant near Guelph. The company was forced to build a new plant because encroaching urban development on the old plant had led to complaints about the noise of the testing. Similar worries had led to protests in Mount Forest w here the company had first planned to locate. It was those protests that brought the company to the notice of the Brussels, Morris and Grey indus­ trial committee. The local committee, according Drive on to pay off Brussels pool After a first two months of operationthat has seen the new Brussels, Morris and Grey Com­ munity Pool so popular that at times there were lineups to^get in, the Brussels Lions Club has set a goal of having the pool paid for by September. The club has started a fundrais­ ing drive to put the fund over the top this month. So far $31,000 of the $49,000 needed to pay off the pool has been raised. With the success of the pool in its first summer, the club is hoping that all those who have been holding back will now drop off their donations and make the summer a complete success. More informa­ tion on where donations can be left can be found on the back page of this paper. to Brussels councillor Malcolm Jacobs, called company officials and asked if they could talk to them and make a presentation on behalf of the Brussels-area committee. They visited the company the same day which in turn led to a . i ! /•„——-----------------------------------------: ; izen Serving Brussels, Blyth, Auburn, Belgrave, Ethel, Londesborough, Walton and surrounding townships. \ VOL. 2 NO. 32 WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 6, 1986.40 CENTS chairman of the tournament presents the trophy to Roger Humphries while Calvin Annis gets the championship banner from Wayne Lowe. -Photo by Pat Langlois. Walton Brewers won the consolation championship at the Brussels Invitational Softball Tournament which wound up Monday evening. W alton defeated Teeswater 8-0 to take the “B” title. Neil Go wing [left] demonstration of the company’s products in Brussels and a public meeting to test public reaction to location of the plant on land at the north end of the village. Reaction was very positive but in the long run, the proximity of the Arthur township site to the old Guelph plant was the determining factor. Mr. Jacobs said the committee remains active, however. Letters have been sentto five companies in the United States who answered an advertisement expressing interest in locating factories in Huron County. Meanwhile, although the com­ mittee lost out on this big plant, a small company has located in the old Morris township garage on County Road 16. Despite hitch, Morris gets new company BYDOROTHYFOXTON Despite a last-minute glich, Morris township is gaining a new small industry. At the Morris township council meeting held Tuesday night. July 29, clerk-treasurer Nancy Michie Poor yields and quality plague Huron farmers Huron county farmers are curr­ ently being blessed with good weather to finish up the harvest of winter wheat and start the harvest of spring crops like barley and spring canola but that’s about all they have to cheer about. Brian Hall of the Clinton office of the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Food says reports from across the county point to crops that are down inyieldand, inthecaseof winter wheat, down in quality as well. With the crop 95 per cent harvested winter wheat yields are dow'nfrom record levels of 80 to 100 bushels to the acre last year to 60 to 75bushelsthis year, Mr. Hall said. As worrisome is the relatively told council that aproblem had arisen with the plan for R. Harkness Victoriam Millwork to locate in the old Morris township shedandhall.Thecompany, which has been located near Li st owe l, had indicated it was not interested poor quality compared to last year. A rainy June provided perfect conditions for diseases such as head blight to attack the wheat crop. As a result much of the grain is grading third and fourth grade compared to the top grade of two. Huron county farmers are fortun­ ate in one area though since little of the wheat has been graded so low it must be used for animal feed as is the case in other areas. In addition farmers in the northern part of the county have generally escaped the problem of sprouting that has hurt farmers in the south part of Huron. With barley harvesting just starting, yield figures are just in the building after all unless council agreed to put a new roof on the building. Butby Friday of lastweekthe issue had been resolved and the company was moving its equip­ ment into the buildings. Mrs. starting to co meinbutMr. Hall said yields appear to be down from last year when the average was 70 bushels to the acre. A more likely average this year will be 60 bushels. On top of this barley prices are quite disappointing, he said. The one bright spot at the moment is corn and soybeans whicharebothdoingwell. Thecorn is filling well, he said and growth is starting toeven out now after being uneven early in the season. Dairy farmers are presently working on second cut hay trying to make up for some of the poor quality of first cut hay harvested because of wet weather in June. Michie said the company had thought more work was needed to repair the roof than really was necessary and council and the company had reached an agree- ment. In other business, Council re­ ceived a letter from the Ministry of Transport and Communications saying that the township would be getting a supplementary subsidy of $30,000 towards the repairing of the Richmond Bridge. Council will be taking tenders on the bridge which will be due August 14. The Equalization factor for Local OPP report quiet holiday weekend The long holiday weekend was quiet in the area patrolled by the Wingham detachment of the O.P.P., officials said Tuesday morning. Only one accident involving an injury was reported, a single­ vehicle accident in Howick town­ ship Saturday morning. A 1978 Ford pickup driven bv Morris Township for 1987 is 4.91 compared to 5.12 in 1986, 5.06 in: 1985, and 4.72 in 1984. The lower* the township’s equalization factor7 is, the lower are the grants it can receive and the higher are thq school levy and other leveys which they have to pay. These factors are reached by assessing certain farm, residential and commercial pro­ perty values. Reeve Doug Fraser said he di$ not feel that Morris’ factor for 198^ 4 was accurate. He said according to Farm Credit, the price of farms has Continued on page 17 Dale M. McFarlane, 17, RR 1, Wingham skidded on the gravel on Concession 12-13 of Howick town­ ship left the road and rolled over. The driver, and his passenger Kevin Ratchford, 24, of Elora St., Clifford were taken to Wingham and District Hospital with minor injuries. Damage to the truck was estimated at $3,000. No charges were laid.