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The Goderich Signal-Star, 2009-04-01, Page 7Goderich Signal -Star, Wednesday, April 1, 2009 - Page 7 Pedestrian -only idearequires more thought Access to the OPP office would be made difficult, especially to tourists who might not know of the parking lot behind the station or, if they did know about it, how to get to it. There may even be local residents who would be hard pressed to get to it, or to give directions to it if someone asked them. People living on The Square may have limited access to their own residences e.g. not being able to park in front of their build- ing to take items such as groceries to their apartment. In the past, The Square has been closed, or partially closed, for activities such as the street carnival. Does council remember the problems and complaints that developed from these events? Will a walking -only Square not have the same, or similar, results? Goderich is already blessed with excellent walking facilities such as the Y track,' the boardwalk, various trails in town as well as nature trails outside of town, and sidewalks. To the Editor, Many years ago, there was a cute riddle that I enjoyed: Q. How do you catch a unique rabbit? A. Unique up on it. Well, a similar riddle regarding the mak- ing of The Square into a walking area only could be: Q. How do you introduce a unique idea? A. Unique it into possible town policy and sell it as a well thought out and good plan. I have to agree that the concept is unique and appealing, but I can see possible prob- lems arising from it. The plan appears to have a lot of merit but, based on the report in the newspaper, .I am questioning the amount of thought put into it from as many aspects as possible. Have the following points been considered and taken into account regarding the plan for closing The Square on the few occasions this summer? With only two off -Square parking lots (near the Library and beside the Livery), parking could be a problem. Of course, The two malls would benefit at the expense of The Square businesses. This could seriously harm some already struggling businesses. So, is the plan designed for walkers or busi- nesses? Parking would then be designated to the side streets. This would result in (illegal?) U-turns and, I would guess, in a few dents and scratches. Come on, admit it, you've seen how some people drive. To alleviate the parking problems, will there be a shuttle service offered, and paid by the taxpayers? Purchases would be limited because many people would probably not want to carry large items or a large number of items to their homes or off -Square parked cars. Again, businesses would suffer. It often appears that buildings are designed by architects to be monuments to themselves. Is this plan meant to be a monument to the planners and developers of this concept? I think that more thought has to be put into it and more consideration made to those affect- ed - Square businesses, Square residents, tourists, people who depend on transporta- tion because of health, abilities, etc. Dale Matthies Goderich A new threat to local business To the Editor; • Well here's a new threat to the health of our downtown businesses. Perhaps Mr. Hebert didn't notice but we are neither his- torically nor aesthetically as interesting as Quebec City or Tuscany. We are a lovely, Ontario small town struggling with a dete- riorating economy. We need to make our downtown more accessible. In addition, our population is largely made up of seniors who may enjoy a stroll but not with heavy bags. Will the town offer shopping carts for people so they can get their purchases to their vehicles as do the malls? Perhaps people affiliated with a mall should consider themselves in a conflict of interest when they suggest changes to our downtown that would drive shoppers to those very malls. In closing, I love Goderich and have been working with the BIA and the Farmers' Market for many years. It would break my heart to see The Square destroyed. Believe me, I saw it happen in downtown London over the years as I grew up. Birgit Hillier Goderich .Nursingcuts a risk patient care To the Editor; • pace with increases in costs. want my tax dollars spent in a fiscally As a registered nurse working at To balance their budgets, administra- responsible way. Cutting nurses is cutting Alexandra Marine and General Hospital tors are cutting RN hours and jobs, risk- care that we need now more than ever. (AMGH), I must write to comment on ing patient care. Speak out now. Visit www.cuttingnurs- recent cuts to registered nursing jobs and Ontarians should know that every nurs- escuttingcare.ca and send an email to nursing hours in Ontario and urge resi- ing job cut is the equivalent of 1,950 your MPP. dents to take action. hours of nursing care per year lost. And Our health is too important not to take Health care facilities in Huron County . the care that these nurses provide will be action. and across the province are slashing RN added to another nurse's workload, Donna Phillips -Grande positions and nursing hours to balance increasing the risk of patient complica- Reg. N., BUP — ONA Local their budgets. Government policy in tions and death by seven per cent. 21AMGH Site Ontario means that budget deficits are not These are hard times for the economy, allowed, and yet funding isn't keeping but as a taxpayer and registered nurse, I Cats —trying to balance the historical scales of _justice for pets I have always believed that pets drive us crazy and in so doing, make us better people. Pets remind us and even rid us of our self- importance by readjusting our priorities and showing exactly where our life's focus should be -- on them. Their play breaks up a monoto- nous day and becomes the best part of it. Caring for and protecting them gives us worth and makes us responsible. The teaching and training of pets is both self -satisfying and parental. And what do you know? Somebody, an expert actually, happens to agree with me. Everything I ever learned about house pets can be summed up in the title of Temple Grandin's new book, Animals Make Us Human: Creating The Best Life For Animals. The author has identified what she calls a list of "blue ribbon emotions" that drive the behavior of animals like seeking, playing, fear, panic, rage, care and lust. (That last blue ribbon emotion was likely taken care of by a little scissor work secretly agreed upon by you and your vet. Don't gloat. If it's true 'what goes around, comes around' you could be reincarnated as an Irish setter named Soprano.) It's hardly a secret that dogs like to play because they never really grow up which also explains the strong bond between dogs and humans. Dogs believe they're members of the family. But cats are more complicated and much of their playfulness doesn't continue past their ball -of - string kitten stage. Cats are "seek- ing" animals. They seek and search and poke and probe until • they're stuck up a tree or trapped in a pipe. The phrase "curiosity killed the cat" was earned the hard way. The difference between the slobbering, fetching, tail -wagging dog and the cat who behaves like he might be a CIA operative is evolution. Dogs have been with us a very long time. We know them; and they know us even better. But because cats have cohabited with us for a much shorter time, there's still an awkwardness in the relationship, Still wilder than dogs, cats maintain a shyness and an emotional distance from us as a survival instinct. It doesn't help that they claw or knead when happy and bite when showing affection. Dogs scratch themselves; cats scratch you. It's not fair. Dogs are famous for knowing when the owner is coming home, thirty minutes before arrival. Cats know exactly when you're going to wake up in the moming ... and give you a little poke ten minutes earlier. • The stories of dogs saving human lives go back to early domestication and continue to this day. The image of the dog as a hero is firmly planted in our appre- ciative minds. Yet largely lost in history is the finest hour of disease fighting cats. •As humans gave up hunting and gathering to settle in one place, those encampments became lousy with mice and rats. Humans who owned domesticated felines escaped many diseases and plagues the catless settlers did not. Diabolically, the ignorant masses believed at times that cats carried those diseases and sub- sequently brought about their demise. Conclusion? Well it's obvious that cats are every bit as good and noble as dogs but they suffer from bad PR. "Hail the common house cat for he alone has saved the Roman Empire from disease and certain destruction." — Julius Caesar. (Note: Julius Caesar didn't actually say that. I made it up. But if you want to boost the image of the feline, you've got to start some- where. Pass it on.) No, the press for cats has not been good. "Everything I know, I learned from my cat," claimed humorist Gary Smith. When you're hungry, eat. When you're tired, nap in a sun- beam. When you go to the vet's, pee on your owner." Funny, but not good. With their great instinct for inquisitiveness, why aren't cats known a.s the scientists of the pet world. "A cat is more intelligent than people believe, and can be taught any crime." That was Mark Twain labeling cats, the felons of the feline world. A dog brings back the ball, retrieves the stick,. brings down the Frisbee in a single bound. He's Superman in fur. But when something or somebody disagreeable shows up it's always "look what the cat dragged in." There is no more frivolous and fun -loving animal on earth than the domesticated canine. And yet who takes the rap for goofing otr Well it's "Hey diddle, diddle, the cat and the fiddle." While the little dog sat on the side- lines and laughed at such sport. Dog is the symbol of trust, man's best friend. But breach a confidence or innocently misspeak and you "let the cat out of the bag." That's the bag of really bad press. The next time the cat takes a swipe at a dog, it's probably nothing personal. It's just the cat's way of trying_ to balance the historical scales of justice for pets.