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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Huron Expositor, 1998-11-18, Page 1Your Community Newspaper Since 1860 - Seaforth, Ontario November 18, 1998 - $1.00 includes GST Arena liquor licence faces objections Business, town oppose application fearing arena will take downtown customers BY GREGOR CAMPBELL Expositor Staff Town council and the local business improvement association (BIA) don't want the Seaforth arena to get a permanent liquor licence. They feel it will take business away from Main Street. Both faxed objections to the liquor application by the Seaforth and District Community Centres last Thursday, to the licensing and registration department of the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario, . just prior to Saturday's official deadline. "The local business community does not wish to see their community centre become a one stop shopping centre' for sports, food and alcohol, thereby eliminating the need for a downtown business core," council's objection states. Business members and the Lions Club were represented at council's Nov. 10 meeting to voice.their concerns about the application. Jason ' Vheatley of the Commercial Hotel said he feared one-stop shopping at the arena. Potential patrons might be tempted to grab both a brew and bite to eat at the arena if the application goes through. then just skip going downtown. He felt this might prove "detrimental to other businesses." He had reservations about increasing the sale of liquor at.an arena, where kids congregate in the winter. The hotel owner also didn't like the way notice of the application wasn't advertised locally. Betty Kittar of the Queen's Hotel said if the community centres' application is approved it will mean "smaller pieces of pie" for existing business. "Maybe if the hours were restricted," she said. "I lose enough in taxes already." She said the board will be able to decide what its hours are, and there will be no restrictions, once it gets a permanent liquor licence. "Does the arena need to be competing with area business?" Gary Gagner of Sizzlers asked. He said this is not a level playing field and "the arena has advantage in the situation." The arena manager, Graham Nesbitt. told The Expositor that the application, if approved, might mean better control of alcohol around minors and others, not worse as some suggest. For instance, Nesbitt noted, Ontario Minor Hockey Association rules forbid the sale of alcohol at minor hockey tournaments, which 'the arena board would have to comply with' under terms 'of a permanent licence. - 'He said employees would also be required to pass the province's "Smart Serve" .course, which is not always now the case at bars in various hall functions. . President of the Lions Club, Paul Stephen also objected to the process and arena application, and urged at the least an extension. "I'm concerned no one knew about it," he said. SMALL TOWN "Seaforth is a small town with 2300 residents and seven licensed establishments including two hotels, two restaurants and three other facilities," council's objection notes. "These businesses are concerned that every .addition -1 .liquor cense in the town will h..% e . ncotive impact on the private businesses that are already competing for limited sales." The BIA's objection, signed by chair Susan Halfpenny, notes the local community centre was built with public dollars and private donations. "It was not the intent of contributors. that the arena would one day be in direct competition with the local business community," it states. The community centres board has been working on its liquor license application since the spring of 1997. A public forum was held in October of that year regarding the isshe. At council. Nesbitt outlined some experiences at other arenas that have recently obtained liquor licenses, such as Barrie's or Monkton's (Elma-Logan), which has had a license for about four years now. ` "We really don't know whata licence will bring;.." Nesbitt• summarized. "And 1 don't see many businesses when I drive through Monkton, Coun. Mike Hodgins commented. Please see 'Public,' Page 3 for more coverage Moving days Staff from the Huron County Museum helped move the Frank Sills collection from its its to town hall where it will become part of a new museum. HILGENDORFF PHOTO Museum on the move Sills collection of Seaforth artifacts now at town hall BY SCOTT HILGENDORFF Expositor Editor People downtown Friday had a chance, if only briefly, to catch a glimpse of history as Frank Sills' collection of Seaforth artifacts was moved to its new home. "Today is a day in Seaforth's history. I think it's pretty exciting," said Nancy Kale of the museum committee. The collection. donated to the town by the Sills family, will become the centre piece of the developing museum. Members of the committee, public, student volunteers and the Huron County Museum helped move the collection from the third floor of Sills Home Hardware to the second floor of Town Hall where a museum will eventually be opened. The collection, which some people have been personally shown over the years by Sills, will eventually become exhibits that everyone will have a chance to see. "We all have the deepest- respect and admiration for Frank Sills for the work he's put into the collection and the generosity for donating it to the town," said Kale. "The collection clearly represents the life's work of a family that cared deeply about the community, said Claus Breede, director of the Huron County Museum. • The collection holds artifacts from the turn of the century through to Seaforth's centennial celebrations. Breede said the sheer size of it makes it such a good 4 NT1NUED on Page 5 Menary new councillor Seaforth's newest councillor is Paul Menary of Jarvis Street. He was sworn in after being appointed at the start of last Tuesday night's Seaforth Council meeting. filling the vacancy created when Coun. Lin Steffler was appointed reeve at council's previous meeting. Menary, 28, has lived in Senforth since he moved If Paul Menary here when he was in Grade 8 in 1983. He has been a full-time teaching assistant at Seaforth Public School since September. He put his name forward for a vacancy on council three months ago when Coun. John Ball resigned, and has served on the planning advisory committee and committee of adjustment since then. SQKTINIZ 1 on Page 5 Laurel Mitchell, executive assistant to senior administration member Janet Baird Jackson. unpacks the boxes in the new board office at Seaforth District High School. HILGENDORFF PHOTO Board office moves in School board sets up shop at Seaforth high school BY SCOTT HILGENDORFF Expositor Editor Staff of the Avon Maitland District School Board have moved into their new offices at Seaforth District High School. "It's tremendous for the community and an indication that the amalgamation is going well," said Jim Moore a member of the board's senior administration. Renovations began this summer at the high school to the 7,000 square foot basement and a 5,000 square foot addition at the front of the school to make room for the combined offices of the former Huron and Perth boards. Staff at the former Perth offices in Stratford. packedup and moved their offices to Seaforth on Friday while staff at the former Huron offices at Central Huron Secondary School in Clinton handled the regular operation for the board. Staff in the new offices were then handling operations on Monday while Clinton staff made their move. "It's a beautiful building," said Moore. Mike Rau, plant services administrator, said the construction in the school is operating about five days behind schedule but it wasn't expected to interfere with the move. The bulk of the work left to do is in the new lobby of the school which is situated where the courtyard used to be. It is expected to be finished today (Nov. 18). And as staff began functioning in the office on Monday, work on renovations to the CONTINUED on Page 5 Christmas season starts in Seaforth Christmas spirits will be jump-started this weekend with the Jingle Bell Walk downtown and Tree of Lights ceremony at Seaforth Community Hospital. This is the second annual Jingle Bell walk and it begins at 1 p.m. Sunday at Total Image II on Main Street. A contribution is requested for the food bank. The walk features carolling and is a kick-off to the business improvement area's Christmas shopping season. The Tree of Lights event follows that evening and is the biggest fund raiser for the hospital auxiliary which sees more than 500 lights shine on the blue spruce tree in front of the hospital. The auxiliary, in partnership with the the hospital board, staff and medical community, sell the bulbs to raise money for a different project each year. This year, the auxiliary hopes to raise the most in the four-year history of the project with a goal of $4,000; the cost of a pain pump to help patients regulate their own pain medication. At the ceremony, presentations will be made by partners in the project and a carol sing will be held. After singing "Oh Christmas Tree," the lights are turned on and Santa Claus makes a visit. He will collect letters that are brought to him and that are left in a mail box at the hospital. Cider and cookies will be served and Santa will visit with patients in the hospital. Bulbs can be purchased from auxiliary or hospital board and staff member, prior to and :iftei ill ceremony. The event runs from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. f to