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HomeMy WebLinkAboutTimes-Advocate, 1980-08-07, Page 13Price Per Copy 35 Cents AUGUST 7, 1980 Not a holiday? These people sure thought it was a holiday when they flocked to the beach at Grand Bend Monday. Unfortunately some local folks had to work on this mid-summer day because Grand Bend council didn't declare Civic holiday. Staff Photo dvoca e --smommaimougoonorga ZNISINWARIMMTRECiiZagief4,774W.:47Z77'. Page 1 A 11 Reactions to Civic holiday switch differ The success of the Civic Holiday change depends strictly on who you talk to. While some Grand Bend residents didn't think it was necessary to change the date of Civic holiday, visitors seem to like having everything open. Grand Bend council voted earlier this summer to change Civic holiday to another time so that the banks, liquor and beer stores would remain open this past Monday. October 20 was chosen as the date of Civic holiday in Grand Bend. If it isn't wild parties keeping people awake at night, it's the noise from electronic pin ball machines. At a meeting of Grand Bend council Monday night, councillors discussed what could be done about the loud noises modern pin ball machines make. Councillor Harold Green said he was told that the volume of the machines can't easily be turned down. "We can unplug them," Councillor Bill Baird threatened, It was decided that a member of council visit the various pinball establish- ments and ask that they keep the noise down. Reeve Robert Sharen said that he was surprised that council hadn't received a complaint about the noise made by a ride at the Grand Bend residents will see an increase in their taxes as the result of a budget approved at Monday Night's meeting of Grand Bend council. Commercial taxes are up 11 percent, while residential taxes will only be increasing 7.8 per cent over last year. The residential mill rate has risen to 188.3 mills from last year's figure of 174.7 mills. The com- mercial rate is 221.4 mills, up from 199.5 mills last year. The increases generally run across the board, although education accounts for a substantial amount. By contrast, water' costs have dropped two mills this year. In the residential category, the general municipal rate is 59.6 mills, up six mills from last year. Elementary and separate schools receive 54.7 mills, up from 48.8. Secon- dary schools are set at 43.9, up from 42.9. Lambton county will get 25.5 mills, up three mills from last year. Water rates have dropped to 4.6 mills from 6.5. The commercial general municipal rate has increased to 70.1 mills froth 63.3. Reeve Robert Sharen said he didn't see any advantage to changing the date, He cited the traffic and parking problems as his reason, say- ing that the village can only handle so many cars. "I per- sonally don't think it makes Much difference," Sharen said. Secretary manager of the Chamber of Commerce Bob Simpson said that he was glad the date was changed so that tourists received full service all weekend, "I'm hoping people will see we've amusement park near the beach. He said that a ride called the scrambler which was installed where the "dodge'ems" used to be, makes a noise like a siren when it starts spinning. Sharen said that he could hear the noise at his home in Southcott Pines. Green wondered how employees could stand the noise. Sharen suggested that somebody is "doing a good business in cotton balls for the ears." In other business: - council discussed the difficulties involved in taxing trailers which are parked in trailer parks. Baird, a trailer park owner said that it would be im- possible for him to collect taxes from the various trailer owners. Baird said that if the province moves to Elementary and separate schools rates in the com- mercial category had the greatest increase, jumping to 64.3 mills this year from 54.2 last year. The secondary schools rate has been set at 51.6, up from 47.7 last year. The secondary school rate has been set at 51.6, up from 47.7. Lambton county will get 30 mills this year, up from 26.6. And again water has dropped two mills to 5.4 from 7.7 last year. Constable Cardwell given them everything we can. People were here, we must be doing the right thing," Simpson said. Simp- son said that the village was filled to capacity all, weekend. The Chamber of Commerce• originally petitioned the village to change the date. At the chamber's tourist information booth, employee Janice Rumball gave visitors a survey to deter- mine their feelings on the civic holiday change. The questionnaire said that assess trailers and make the village collect taxes, "it's going to wind up in court." - Council discussed the problems of charging for sewers and sidewalk clearing in Grand Cove estates. Sharen said he would have to meet again with owner Lou Rice. - council passed a by-law prohibiting parking near fire hydrants in the village. - council voted not to en- dorse a letter from Bramp- ton asking that terms in municipal office be changed to three years from two years. Councillor Keith Crawford said that one year is too short, while three years is too long. - council granted a sign permit for Southcott Pines to erect a sign on Sunshine Village IGA store. - council said they would return a golf ball to Mrs. Mary Ann Lang after it broke a window in the council chambers. Mrs. Lang operates a miniature golf course adjacent to the village offices. She wrote to council that she would not pay for the broken window until they produced the golf ball. She added that she would like council to remove the dead leaves on their property. -Reeve Sharen announced that a meeting about establishing a Business Improvement Area will be held August 19. Guests will be Jack Richardson. of St. Thomas and Bob Swartman of Exeter. New officer at Pinery Provincial Constable David John Cardwell has recently been posted to the Pinery park detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police. Constable Cardwell is single and originally from Toronto. Prior to enlistment he was employed by the Ministry of Natural Resources. The announcement of Cardwell's new position was made by Superintendent M.R. Speicher. Ontario Provincial Police, No. 1, dis- trict at Chatham. banks, liquor and beer stores remained open. and asked if that was to the visitor's ad- vantage. Miss Rumball said that 43 people answered yes, nine said no, and one was un- decided. She added that there were no comments on the papers that answered no, but those that said yes, had comments such as "great" or "good idea". She said that she received complaints on Monday that the drug store was closed. Bill Harwood, owner of Harwood Drugs on 81 Cres- Ever since Mary let me write her column last Christ- mas when she was busy bak- ing, I've been pestering her to let me do it again. Finally ,she's consented. She says she's letting me write this as a birthday present. You see, I celebrated my first birth- day yesterday. But I happen to know the real reason. She thought she should have had Monday off for Civic Holiday. But then those people on Grand Bend council that she goes to visit every other Monday night didn't declare Civic Holiday. So her editor told her she'd have to work that day, even though the rest of the T-A staff was taking the day off. Anyway, I guess she figured it might give her a few more minutes in the sun if she let me write this. For those of you who miss- ed by Christmas column, my name is Pepper. I'm a black and white springer spaniel and I share a house with Mary and Victor. I also have my very own house - somewhat smaller than their's, and I spent a lot of time in it last week with all that rain. And guess what Mary and Victor gave me for a birth- day present in all that rain? Well, I now have my very cent said that he closed because he had already made up work schedules for his staff before the date was changed. He said he wanted to keep the same time table. He added that many of his employees had planned the weekend, and, that their spouses who worked elsewhere would have the day off. Harwood also pointed out that the Medical Centre was closed and the doctor and dentist took -day off. Harwood said he went sail- own back yard swimming pool. I'd call it an oversized water dish, but I don't want to hurt their feelings. Some swimming pool, I can't even swim in it, I much prefer the river, where I can dive off the dock and go for a real paddle. But they thought I'd enjoy this pool when they're away at work all day and I'm tied up to my little house. On hot days I just go stand in it. The other day I noticed a sticker on it that said something about Canadian Tire - what do tires have to do with back yard swimming pools? I would have preferred my own raft to take out in the river, or even four little water skis, so I could be famous like that dog on "Real People", Oh, well I guess I should be grateful for that so-called pool. Mary and Victor try to tell me that they bought the new vacuum cleaner for me too. They say that if they hadn't purchased. that vacuum which Sucks up the hair that drops out of my coat, I'd have been kicked out. I decided that if the vacuum was bought for my benefit, I should get Some use out of it. Now each time they get it out, I throw myself on the floor in front ing Monday. Bert Green at the Liquor Store said he refused, to com- ment on the situation. "All I'll tell you is the doors were open for business," he said. Brewers' Retail store manager Fred Willert said that it was just like a normal Monday, He said that they found it difficult to operate because the parking lot was full. People left their cars in the beer store parking lot while they went to the beach for the day. Neither bank in Grand of them, and stay there until they take the carpet attach- ment off and vacuum me. It sure feels good to have that thing running over my fur. I love to lay with all four paws up while they do my tummy. I figure why not just take the loose hairs off me, rather than pick them off the carpet later. Well, I guess that's it for my birthday - I get to write this column. I got vacuum- ed, and I have my own swim- ming pool. But NO PARTY. Not like my friend Bongo. He lives over in Credit= with Debbie and Dick Lord. Did he ever have a nice birthday party. Debbie baked a cake and he got to eat a piece. She let him wear one of those wild and crazy party hats. And he even got to sit up on a dining room chair to enjoy his par- ty. Bonzo's not allowed to walk on the carpet, so Deb- bie and Dick carried him into the dining room, They invited all kinds of friends, and he got ever so many gifts. Neat stuff like raw hide chew bones and cans of deluXe dog food, ' And everybody sang happy birthday to him. Wow, it must have been wonderful to get that much attention. Maybe next year. Bend felt it necessary to be open. Manager of the Bank of Montreal Lorne Campbell said that they were only open from 9:00 a.m. til noon. "We didn't have as many as we anticipated," Campbell said. He added that they didn't advertise that they were open. The bank was operating at a disadvantage because the computers weren't working and no other branches were open. Campbell said that they just did withdrawals and deposits for local people. "We were swamped with business on Tuesday," he said. Jim Mclvor, administra- tion officer at the Toronto- Dominion bank said that they also closed at noon. They had planned to be open until 4:30, but closed due to lack of business. "It was pretty slow," Mclvor added. All other stores and shops in the village were open as usual, and would have been open regardless of the civic holiday. Reeve Robert Sharen instructed clerk Louise Clipperton to write back to Southampton and tell them that Grand Bend had yet to overcome the beach problem, and suggest they contact the Ministry of Natural Resources. Later in the meeting, Sharen said that Terry Crabe, an employee of the Ministry of Natural Resources at Pinery Park, would be invited to attend the next council meeting to talk about beach care and grooming. Planting of vegetation and sand grasses will be discussed. Village ratepayers face tax hike Council concerned about loud pinball machines PARKING PROBLEM — As always on a holiday weekend, finding a place to park a car was a big problem in Grand Bend. This car was towed away under provincial police orders Monday when it was left parked on a cul-de-sac at the end of Main Street. Cars are remov- ed when police think they would make it difficult to maneuver a fire truck down the street. Staff photo Mary's Inv- eggs BY Mf <4 .40N A letter from the board of parks management of Southampton brought some smiles to the faces of Grand Bend councillors Monday night. The letter said that they understood that Grand Bend had overcome problems with sand dunes on the beach, and had learned how to keep them clean and free from weeds. Southampton wanted to know Grand Bend's secret. Council found the letter humourous, because at two previous council meetings lake front residents had complained to council about drifting sand and litter on the beach. Manager disappointed with watershed meeting Bill Mungall, resources Mungall says that the need for erosion control, and manager of the Ausable purpose of the visit to Grand whether or not it was af- Bayfield Conservation Bend was to establish fecting any homes or Authority, said he was very priorities for the erosion buildings. They discussed disappointed that council control work. The board the timing of future projects, members didn't show up looked at the urgency of the Mungall said. when the Authority's watershed management board visited Grand Bend last week. Only deputy reeve Judy Uniac met with the board. Reeve Robert Sharen joined them for lunch but did not tour projects with them. Three other council mem- bers were not present. Mungall along with board chairman Paul Steckle and nine members of the watershed management board visited Grand Bend last Wednesday to look at the conservation authority's work. Mungall said that $500,000 has been spent in Grand Bend on erosion control projects since the work began in 1956. The ministry of Natural Resources estimates that an additional $600,000 needs to be spent in the village, but "that's more than our entire annual bud et " Mun all sa s. Southampton letter brings smiles DODGE BALL --- Billy Jennison takes aim as he prepares to throw o boll at Matthew Anderson and Billy Finch. Classmate Kelly Dalton and teacher Ann-Marie Donald look on. Staff photo 4