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HomeMy WebLinkAboutHuron Expositor, 2001-06-06, Page 5New, There's ghosts enou h in Seaforth g to plan a walling tour, says author By Susan Hundertmark Expositor Staff Author Terry Boyle said he could find enough ghosts in Seaforth to plan a haunted walking tour after just two days of research. "Any of these buildings on Main Street could have ghosts and hotels are huge in terms of hauntings - people get murdered in hotels," he said during a May 27 book signing at Pages book shop on Main Street. Boyle was in town to promote his latest book, Fit to Be Tied, Ontario's Murderous Past, along with author Ron Brown, who was promoting his latest book Castles and Kings, Ontario Mansions and the People Who Lived in Them. Boyle's previous books include two volumes called Haunted Ontario and after writing those books, Boyle said he's convinced that ghosts and people who experience them are everywhere. "Everywhere you go, there's a story. Most of the time, you just have to ask," he said. Boyle said Sunday morning before the signing. he got talking with his 52 - year -old waitress at breakfast and heard a ghost story.' She told him about having a dream in which her grandmother, who had just died, told her she'd see her again when the granddaughter was 59. "I'm a firm believer that anyone who lives in an old farmhouse could be sharing that house with another family in another dimension. To them, we could be the ghosts," he said. Boyle said jails are often haunted, especially since criminals who were executed were not allowed to be buried on holy ground and therefore were often buried in the jail Authors Terry Boyle and Ron Brown were in Ontario and Castles and Kings. yard. "In Parry Sound. they used to bury criminals face down because they were not thought to he going to heaven." he said. While there are no Seaforth and area crimes in Boyle's latest book. which recounts crime stories of the late 1800s and early 1900s throughout Ontario including Goderich, London. Woodstock and Port Hope. he said finding similar stories in the Seaforth area might not be difficult. "There were so many crimes I could have written 20 books," he said of the information he uncovered during his research. Ron Brown said he began researching Castles and Kings by writing to local historical groups asking if they had a castle nearby. From the Seaforth arca, he received a recommendation Susan Hundertmark photo Seaforth May 27 to sign their latest books, Haunted of the Van Egmond house, which he decided did not qualify as a castle. "I looked at it but though it wouldn't fit most people's idea of a castle. It is a very historical home, though and I covered it in my Backroads of Ontario book," said Brown. He said his book Backroads of Ontario attempts to get people out onto the backroads of the province to learn its history. "We live in a very historical area and people have a real hunger for history in their own backyards," he said. Brown's latest book on Ontario castles, which include replicas of European castles built IA/ wealthy industrialists who were "either homesick, or who were trying to place their imprint upon the landscape," I'll gladly provide an alibis From Page 4 of Main Street where some of the fires have been set. You see, the arsonist has set more than one fire on a couple occasions and, knowing full -well it might attract attention, I decided to check a couple garbage bins myself, including one at my own building, looking for anything that might have been left smoldering. And I did attract the attention of police while I was doing it, who stopped me as I was on my way to The Expositor office after the fire, also heading for the back alley there. For those who are still suspicious, the weekend of the London Commodities fire was the Mother's Day weekend and I had gone to see my mother in Windsor. I left Friday but came home Saturday after checking my messages here at home, finding one from Liz Cardno about the latest fire. I would he more than happy to leave a written statement in the front office from family who saw me there that weekend. Just let me know if you need one to put your mind at case. Few people can realize just how frightening it was to wake up and sec the flames from my living room window on more than one occasion now and have to wonder if I might lose my home or even my life in one of these fires. My hands were shaking in fear and anger last week when I saw the flames from the biggest fire yet --not from the adrenaline rush of setting a blaze that I'm assuming the culprit is getting. I could laugh with the jokers about my involvement in the fires, but not anymore, now that the kidding around has led to more serious rumours on the street. It's not funny at all to think some people are walking around looking at me like I might he the one causing all this turmoil. Efforts made to stop racoon rabies A co-operative effort by both government and non- go,vernment agencies has resulted in the development of both provincial and local Raccoon Rabies Contingency Plans, in hopes of stopping the spread of a new strain of rahics. This new strain is called raccoon rabies, mainly carried by the animal. It is transferred thc same way as other strains, in the saliva and passed to other animals or humans through bites, scratches, cuts, or contact with thc moist tissues of the mouth, nose or eyes. If raccoon rabies is confirmed in Ontario, a plan is in place to help contain or slow the spread. In rural areas, all raccoons within a 4 km radius are cuthanized, and those within a further 4 km radius are vaccinated through a trap, vaccinate and release program. Rabies takes time to incubate - infected animals may not show symptoms for weeks. By the time a case of raccoon rahics is confirmed, the disease may have taken hold in the arca. Vaccinations alone may no longer he an effective control. It is for this reason that it is necessary to cuthanize those raccoons most likely to be infected. The Huron County Health Unit will he notifying all households in the area with more information if this should become necessary. As of now, no cases of raccoon rabies have been reported, but that doesn't mean its not out there, says the health unit. In order to help stop this disease from infecting Ontario, the Huron County Health Unit has asked that the public use thc same preventive measures that are successful against any strains of rabies. They are: keep your pets vaccinated; discourage wild animals from taking up residence on your property; Do not keep wildlife, including raccoons, as pets. While they may be cute, it is against the law do this; report any animals that are behaving strangely, and do not touch dead or sick animals. does include the Brucefield castle, located two kilometres north of the village on Highway 4. The book says that while a grave on the grounds bears the date 1843, no one knows who built it. It was designed after Friarton Brae castle in Scotland. "And, those same parties clearly knew about the bitterly cold winters which Ontario can wrcak upon unwary new settlers, for the walls were constructed with no fewer than three layers of brick," says the book. The castle, rescued from decay and restored to a private home by Earl and Jane Bensette, has is three storeys high with a four - storey tower. The only other Huron County castle in the book is McDermott's castle in Goderich, now called the Maples, located on St. George's Crescent on the bluff overlooking the harbour. Started by Irish immigrant Hcnry MacDermott after a castle in County Antrim in northern Ireland, he ran out of money after completing two floors and part of the tower and died in 1889. In 1903, Jessie Cameron bought thc castle and finished its construction. THE HURON EXPOSITOR, June S, 10014 Kim Jamieson RMT Registered Massage Therapist Contact Seaforth Chiropractic Centre 527-1242 for an appointment NOTICE For the convenience of our clients SEAFORTH VETERINARY CLINIC will be open THURSDAY EVENINGS by appointment only . Please call for appointments 519-527-1760 SEAFORTH COMMUNITY HOSPITAL BOARD OF DIRECTORS VACANCIES The affairs of the Seaforth Community Hospital are governed by a volunteer Board of Directors. Vacancies on the Board have become available. Responsibilities of a Board member include attendance at the monthly Board meeting plus participation in a number of the Board Committees. The position is strictly voluntary with no salary or remuneration paid to the member. Individuals interested in serving as a member of the Board are requested to submit a letter outlining their interest no later than June 1 I , 2001. Should you have any questions or require additional information please feel free to call Andrew Williams, Vice President, Multi Site Administration at 527- 1650 ext. 221. Please submit your letter to: Chair Nominating Committee Seaforth Community Hospital 24 Centennial Drive, P.O. Box 99 Seaforth, Ontario NOK IWO • MUSEUM Request for Submissions The Huron County Museum will be hosting an Art Show August 18 -October 84 2001 A chance for local artists to come together and have their work on display at the Huron County Museum. Submitted work must be done in watercolour, dl or acrylk and the subject matter should have some relevance to Huron County. Artists must be seasonal or full-time residents and/or ratepayers of Huron County. WINNING ENTRIES will be given purchase awards of... '1000..1 ST PRIZE $800...2ND PRIZE $700...3RD PRIZE Paintings must be received by the Museum (110 North Street, Goderich) no later than Friday, August 10, 2001. Submission forms now available at the Museum. For information & regulations, contact the Huron County Museum rt:;. TO THE FOLLOWING BUSINESSES INHO DONATED TO THE 6TH ANNUAL SEAFORTH MEMBER GUEST SPRING SCRAMBLE. Rona Cashway Tucker's Meat Shop Seaforth Golf Course Archie's Service Centre Cardno's Men's Wear Seaforth Insurance Seaforth Automotive T.D. Bank Progressive Turf Equipment Sun North Pizza Train Haugh Tire Seaforth Food Market Province of Ontario Bank Courtney's The Golf Tournament raised $2000 for the Seaforth Food Bank Radar Auto Parts Sills Hardware Smith Peat Roofing Mark McLlwain Ins. Cremasca Financial Inc. Cooper Tire Dave McLlwain Hockey SchoolUPI Inc. Successables Inc. Dick Burgess Photography Clinton Auto Parts Seaforth Chiropractic Centre Hildebrand Flowers L.A.C. Intermodal Transport Vanden Heuvel Structures Huron Motor Products Seaforth Manor Smith Packaging Merv's Patio Box Furniture Hostess Frito Lay Coca Cola Bottling Wuerth's Shoes C.I.B.C. Seaforth Investment Centre K.M.M. 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