HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 1997-04-23, Page 32PAGE 32. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, APRIL 23,1997
New wireless cable system may be coming to area
By Janice Becker
Citizen staff
For rural residents or those look
ing for an alternative to the cable
television selection, a new wireless
cable system may be arriving in
Southwestern Ontario by next
spring.
The new technology, called digi
tal multipoint distribution system
(MDS), is an over-air terrestrial
micro wave system which transmits
from towers 40 to 50 km. apart,
says Look TV President and Chief
Operating Officer Scott Colbran.
MDS pulls the signal from satel
lites or off-air, digitizes them then
sends them through the air to a
Historical Soc. hears speakers
The Huron County Historical
Society held a meeting on
Thursday evening, April 17 at the
Maitland Valley Conservation
Authority office, Lower
Boardroom, Wroxeter.
President Ron Latham, welcom
ed all present. The minutes and
treasurer's report were read by Rae
McFarlane.
Don Jenkins outlined the plans
for the bus trip set for June 17 to
the Canadian War Plane Heritage
Museum, Mount Hope and Dun-
dum Castle in Hamilton.
The membership report was
given by Bill McFarlane.
Electors reminded
The Chief Electoral Officer of
Canada, Jean-Pierre Kingsley,
reminds electors who were not
enumerated during the final federal
door-to-door enumeration to mail
their postage-paid registration
forms to Elections Canada as soon '
as possible.
"By completing the postage-paid
registration form which was left by
enumerators and returning it to
Elections Canada, eligible
Canadian citizens can ensure that
their names will appear on the
national Register of Electors,"
Kingsley said.
Canadian citizens who are least
18 years of age, are urged to
complete this form, and mail it to
the pre-printed address. Each name
should be accompanied by
photocopies of documents showing
proof of identity and residence, as
required by law. To protect
privacy, once the information has
been verified all photocopies will
be immediately destroyed.
Proof of identity can be a
photocopy of any current document
(such as a driver's licence) showing
an elector's name, address and
signature. If electors are unable to
locale a document with this
information, they can photocopy
two current documents. For
Tour has something for everyone
Continued from page 1
running until 5 p.m. is free for par
ticipants, though they may want to
make purchases at some of the
stops, Woodley said.
Tour stops are at Maitland Manor
Nursery, the Gingerbread Doll
Museum, The Country Shop,
Walk-a-Bott Creek, Ceramic
Friends, Maitland Mill, Expres
sions Gift and Tie Ship, Bolander
Shoe and Hamess Shop, Coulter's
small antenna at the subscriber's
home.
"The quality (of the picture) is
belter than cable and as good as
satellite," he says. "It will be partic
ularly attractive to rural residents
(who don't have access to cable)
and unlike satellite systems, it will
carry television signals from the
local area as well as the U.S. net
works and Canadian broadcasters.
Canadian specialty channels and
US superstations (TBS) will be car
ried."
"Even for those with cable, this
will be attractive as the selection is
extensive, at least 75 channels and
the price is competitive," says Col
bran. "For satellite owners, the sys
Ross Duncan introduced the
guest speaker, Jayne Thompson,
MVCA's communication co
ordinator, who had a brief oral and
slide presentation on the history of
the authority in the Maitland River
watershed from its creation in
1951. Some of the MVCA's
historical properties are the
Maitland Mill at Gorrie and the
Logan Mill in Brussels.
Many thousands of trees have
been planted in he area. These
reforested areas help reduce runoff,
are a shelter for wildlife and
provide a healthy environment for
us.
to mail in forms
instance, one document might show
the elector's name and address (as
on a utility bill), and the other
would carry their name and
signature (such as a library or
government health benefit card).
Electors preferring to register in
person, can go directly to the office
of the returning officer for their
electoral district. At this time they
can still use the registration form -
presenting the required original
documentation, rather than
photocopies. However, if an elector
registers on behalf of other
members of their household, it will
be necessary to present photocopies
of the necessary documents.
The information gathered during
the April 10-16 enumeration and
from registration forms will help to
build a national Register of
Electors. The automated data base
of qualified voters will be used to
prepare the preliminary lists of
electors for each future federal
election, by-election or referendum.
Elections Canada has taken the
necessary steps to ensure that
privacy rights and confidentiality of
personal information are
maintained. Data on the national
Register of Electors can be used for
electoral purposes only; improper
use of this information is an
offence, punishable by law.
Comer, Lismore Sheep Farm and
Harvest Bam.
"There's something for every
one," said Woodley.
Participants can begin and end
the tour wherever and whenever
they wish and travel at random. "It
is very relaxed. We just want peo
ple to experience rural hospitality."
Maps and full details for the
Country Roads Spring Tour can be
picked up at either office of The
Citizen.
tem is less expensive."
To receive Look TV, a digital
decoder is required as well as a
small receiving antenna which is a
flat plate about a foot square. The
equipment can be rented for
approximately $8.50 per month or
purchased for $500 to $550. A
lease-to-own option is also avail
able.
The basic package of program
ming costs $11.90 per month,
which is similar to basic cable in a
larger centre like Toronto, says
Colbran. Additional programming
can be purchased as packages or
individual channels, from a selec
tion of Canadian or American
broadcasters.
The next speaker, Linda
Henhoeffer, was also introduced by
Duncan. Henhoeffer is chair for the
Maitland Mill Committee in Gorrie
and for her update on the Maitland
Mill project, included what has
been done and what is planned for
the future. This has been a com
munity-based historical restoration
project. The official opening was
on June 26. Many events are
planned for 1997, the first being a
"Concert in the Park" on July 26.
Both speakers were thanked and
presented with gifts by Jean Fraser.
Lunch was served.
Anyone wishing tickets for the
bus trip call Don Jenkins 565-5283.
The annual meeting will be held
on May 22, at the Huron County
Museum, Goderich. Guest speaker
will be Ralph Smith with the topic,
"The Laithwaite Apple Park
Statues". Everyone is welcome.
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Look TV is among four compa
nies going before the CRTC (Cana
dian Radio-television and Tele
communications Commission) in
May for public hearings on a
license. A decision is expected in
late summer with the new system to
be operational by early 1998.
Two companies will win a
license.
Once up and running, the wire
Seaforth hospital approves
operating plan for 1997-98
At a recent meeting the board of
directors of the Seaforth
Community Hospital approved its
1997-98 operating plan, which
outlines the hospital's operating
budget and projected clinical and
support activity for April 1, 1997 to
March 31, 1998 fiscal year.
Bill Thibert, CEO said, "The
hospital's plan reflects a balanced
financial position and does not call
for the elimination of any existing
clinical services or staff layoffs at
this time".
The hospital, as the result of an
intensive budgeting process, was
able to absorb the $285,786 (6.4
per cent) funding reduction from
the Ministry of Health.
Thibert noted that the hospital
had originally been advised of a
$317,886. (7.1 per cent) funding
cut but through further analysis by
the Ministry this was reduced to
$285,786.
Through the successful introduc
tion of an early retirement program
last year the hospital achieved
approximately $200,000 in savings
which was applied to this year's
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less cable system will have local
service depots, staffed by their own
employee or through contract with
a local company. The equipment
will be sold through quality retail
outlets, says Colbran.
The new technology will be
available to 96 per cent of South
western Ontario and 100,000
homes not currently serviced by
cable.
budget. In addition Thibert noted
that a co-operative venture
involving five other hospitals will
result in further savings of
approximately $22,000 in the
hospital's employee group benefit
program.
Thibert cautioned that the
operating plan is based on similar
inpatient and outpatient activity to
last year's volumes and that a
significant increase in activity
could place the hospital in financial
difficulty.
The plan also expresses support
for the future role being
recommended for the Seaforth
Community Hospital by the Huron
Perth District Health Council.
Thibert said, "The hospital will
pursue, in collaboration with our
hospital, nursing home and
community agency partners, the
development of a regional chronic
care or geriatric services program
for our region".
All hospitals are to submit their
1997/98 operating plans to the
Ministry of Health and the local
District Health Council by April
28.
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