Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutGoderich Signal Star, 2011-08-17, Page 7al -Star • Wednesda Au s ust 17 2011. nal Star SSUE X ED WEEKLY --- EST. 1860 1 Star Publishing uckins St. h ON N7A 3X8 524-2614 . goderichsignalstar co m S`UN MEDIA IEA ItlQ Manager MILBURN ECES N s & Stbscriplons NSTON is ng Sales dtowesnet.com ebowesne'tcom wesnetan hadsebowesnet.com ., 1 1 deadline Friday at 2 pm ION RATES ADVANCE: )y $4? phis UST $39 plus GST 321880 plus GST $395 60 plus GST S1 2' snctuding GST Masi Agreement 3 UNDELt11ERA81. E CANADIAN ADDRESSES N DEPARTMENT s SI., Godarlch ON NIA 3x8 -delNal a *Ovary Gomm: -2e14 EMAP: stindssebovosonstcom Sona! Star shall not be liable ler faiMxe for typographical errors in publication extant of the cost of that portion of the ad error Occurred The Wench Signal -Star right lo reject or edit any advertisement. Signal -Star is a proud member of the Ca- . unity Newspapers Association (CCNA) and muddy Newspapers Association (OCNiy. %%led fie the financial support of the • It t►( Canada through the Canadian I mei ((3M') kx crier Ing activities. ;anad'ai. Mond* d tM Camden Community Nampaper Atsoclation and the Omen criminality sdswapapen Araodstion editorial Is the future blowing in the wind? S.o which way does the wind blow in the Samsung green energy deal? If you're Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty, the $7 billion, 25 -year deal is an investment and a solid pian for the future. If you're Tory leader 'nm Hudak, it's a sweetheart deal with the Korean industrial giant and des- perste ploy for votes. The Liberals say it will swap funding for much-needed green energy jobs. The Tories say it's an ilI-conceived experiment in weird science that will ultimately bite the taxpayer. Two political views from opposite points on the compass - perhaps it's worth a ground - level look. Tlllsonburg, a southern Ontario town that knows all too well boom -and -bust economics, is set for 300 of the 900 jobs the investment is supposed to create. The hope is the Siemens wind turbine plant, once a Magna auto parts plant, will breathe much-needed life into a sputtering local economy. Tillsonburg thrived on two of southwestern Ontario's economic staples - agriculture and auto parts. But the once prosperous tobacco industry has virtually disappeared. Parts manufacturers have closed in the wake of the car industry's flat lining, including DDM Plastics, down the road from the new turbine plant. Last week, the town's mayor John Lessif said he fears his community will be more of an elec- tion issue than just another Ontario town vot- ing in the October election. He wants Hudak to give battered and, bruised Tillsonburg some assurances he won't go through with his prom- ise rom - is a toscrap the Samsung deal altogether. Lessif's fears should signal how much the wind has changed direction in small commu- nities right across the province. With the depopulation of rural areas and manufacturing plants that were once the life- blood pulling up stakes, it's apparent that a much wider and more imaginative economic. approach is necessary to save small town Ontario. Last week the final coffin nail was hammered into Chatham's Navistar plant and Fram in Stratford, two major employers in southwest - em Ontario. Other proud communities in the southwest have similar have similar tales to tell about the de-industr ializadon of the province. That's the ill wind that blows nobody any good - and the biggest issue facing rural and small town Ontario right now. It will be the major election issue, especially in area ridings where wind turbines dot the landscape and more contracts are in the works. And the politicians should be listening. Jane Sims 11 letters to the editor It's time we put away the gloves Dear Editor. Re: The Goderich business community There's been a lot of chatter about the retail business community in Goderich:in the last few weeks. The saga of muddled dissent around this unruly trilateral continues.. It's been going on for decades. - The key elements in the dialogue seem to perpetuate a kind of "Holy Trinity" as devel- opment, retention, and promotion concerns unfold. It's a veritable 'triangle' with each side in constant opposition, it seems: The Father: 'He' is the mighty and vocifer- ous Town Council, along with all that gestates at 57 West Street. The Son: This entity is surely the testy BIA, which includes the Shoppers' Square Associa- don, and maybe the C. of C. (That's Chamber, not Knights!) The Holy Ghost(s): These are the periphery businesses from the two said -to -be loathsome 'big box' mall areas, (and the strip mall - where Ben Lobb resides •- on Victoria, I guess.) And two of the three key players seem always to be at loggerheads: The Father claims to support business eve- rywhere, yet always seems charged to set out barriers and roadblocks to guarantee that downtown upstarts and new directions get a good run for their money - busting through endless bureaucracy. The Son has periodic temper tantrums and often insists that Dad just does not understand. And the Holy Ghost sits quietly by - and makes money... (and Ben dutifully answers a myriad of constituent enquiries)! If good old Dick Lehnen were still around, he'd surely get a great chuckle -. or might even pound his shoe - about how the saga contin- ues, even after the regrettable demise of his highly visionary and enterprising Huron Tract Group.... (forever chastised and demeaned by the Father!) Perhaps it is time, not only to take off the gloves, but to put them right away? There's a thriving town in Michigan that provides an amazing example to lead our way. South Haven has a business partnership that has pulled the whole community together. And the last time I was there, commerce eve- • rywhere was just a-hummingt The city fathers, the downtown business groups, and the big box 'bad guys' on the periphery all decided to pull together. They built a .strong and cohesive team to strengthen the whole community. They did it all together! To bad we couldn't emulate such collabo- ration here. It would be to everyone's benefit, serving a troubled downtown core - and would acknowledge that new growth that will surely continue on theperiphery. ft would benefit the whole business community. It would recognize the true, albeit unfortu- nate, geographic reality for the way that North American communities have always evolved - and inevitably will continue to do so. Sincerely, Paul Carroll LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Signal Star welcomes letters to the editor. Letters must include the writer's full name, address, daytime phone number and signature (for verification). Anonymous letters will not be published. We reserve the right to edit all editorial submissions including letters for clarification, style and length. Letters must be signed and be in good taste and follow the laws of libel and slander..