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HomeMy WebLinkAboutLakeshore Advance, 2013-09-11, Page 4•4 Lakeehore Advance • Wed opinion • 1112013 www.lakeshoreadvance.c()m Iikosboro Advance PUBLISHED WEEKLY P.O.BOX 1195 58 Ontario St., North Grand Bend ON NOM 1TO phone: 519-238-5383 fax: 519-238-5131 email: Iakeshore.advance@sunmedia.ca SUN MEDIA A (hie bewi Media Company NEIL CLIFFORD Publisher/Advertising Manager neil.clifford4Osunmedia.ca LYNDA HILLMAN-RAPLEY Editor lakoshoro.advancercl©sunmedia.ca MARK STEPHEN Advertising Sales mark.stephon©sunmedia.ca KATHY YOUNG Typesetting/Classifieds Iakeshore.adsesunmodla.ca www.lakeshoreadvance.com Publications Mall Agreement No. 40064683 RETURN UNDELIVERABLE CANADIAN ADDRESSES TO LAKESHORE ADVANCE CIRCULATION DEPARTMENT P.O.Box 1195 58 0ntario St. North Grand Bend ON NOM IT0 for any non -deliveries or delivery concerns. phone: 519.238-5383 e mall Iakoshoro advanceOsunmedia ca Changes of address, orders for subscriptions, and undeliverable copies (return postage guaranteed) aro to be sent to 1 akrshornA(fvancn at the address indicated hero. Advertising Is accepted on the condition that In the event of a typographical error, the portion of ttio advertising space occupied by the erroneous Item together with a reasonable allowance for signature, will not bo charged for, but the balance of the advertise- ment will be pald at the applicable rates. %Ve acknowledge the financial support of the l iovenunent of Canada through the Canadian Per Indica! :unel ((:19) for our publishing activities. Canaua Apcna Member of the Ceneduu, Community Newspaper Asioc;Istkn and the (lntnnn Community N wvapei Association Sands of Time Lynda Hillman-Rapley Editor, Lakeshore Advance Remembering Archie persistent is a good way to describe Archie (ibbs. Some say ornery. Others say just plain grouchy. This Parkhill mall had a mission. I It' knew the beach in (rand Bend belonged to his family and he would stop at nothing to Drove that. Archie died in his home last week at the age of 81.1 le left behind many memories- some good- some not SO good. I met him in the 1980s and he never failed in the story department. But it was not just stories- it was local history. Just as I had many tinges with Colonial -cables owners 1 iarold Klopp, 1 would sit at the Colonial and listen to Archie. Sometimes i was fortunate to get both men to tell nee about (rand Bend's early days. And Archie had old photos- incredible collection of life in the early days. We talked a lot in the beach ownershil) years and ('hat- ted once in a while after the 1997 ownership case fin- ished.l,tttely his focus was the harbour area and he stopped by my office often. One day he came in with phot( albums- Tots of pho- tos of old (rand fiend- and he gave nee the hinders. it is understatement to say 1 was thrilled. I spent a lot of time going through each photo that depicted it number of his family or the beach or the river before the pier went in. A week or so later he calve to my house asking for the photos hack --a bit premature he said, as his law- yer needed them for a meeting he was attending with the newly formed harbour committee. As 1 think hack, I was fortunate to sleet so many of Grand Bend's forefathers- Nola Love, John Manure, Gravelis, Ella Eccleston Mullroy, Aileen liavelle, I.yluan Gratton, Murray 1)esjardine, Irene Kennedy, Philip Walker, many of the i lulls, ( and the Loves. Lucky for me, they all had stories. In the early 1980s I was able to interview these people lOi a his- tory column I wrote. When I wrote Trading Places• Grants Bend's history in 1997 many of these people were gone hut the legwork was done. Although we must look to the future for our children and grandchildren, the past is an important place to be if you want to know how we got to where we are today. Even at 81, in one of our last visits this summer, a week or so before his birthday, Archie sat comfortably in my office ready to chat about days gone by- about history and to take on his continued fight. While many remem- ber feisty arguments and a stubborn man who would stop at nothing- I remember a man who didn't hack down. editorial If it ain't broke... ('itll 1'l'nll(9111) '1' the days when I would go to Lambton Shores council meetings and could hear what tht' heck these guys were saying. Yes, there was a pool table in the room- but that Was not all issue because we could hear what was being discussed. Meetings have been held at the Legacy (:entre since the first part of May. 'Tile chairs are new; the tables are new, having those in attendance straining to hear- also new. So, looking back to the beginning of this council term it was suggested by a couple c'ounc'il members the Village Complex was not a(Ie- (luate for the taxpayers because, well look at it •it pool table and old chairs. So, slit' 1)rocl'SS commenced to use the old library hilt that fell through after copious meet- ings and reports. In the proc- ess the people who actually pilin for the Village Complex stepped up to explain the municipality was never told they could be in this locution forever. So, now what? A motion to go to the beautiful - already built Legacy Centre that is already owned by Lambtotl Shores. f lmm---that may work. 'Throw in a new sound system With micro- phones, new ('hail's and new tables. Sounds good and that is What the taxpayers deserve, after all. And that's what happened. Since that first May sleeting not only the media hitt also tI)OSe Siting' people w110 deserved only the best can't hear what's being said. ironically, this past week- end there were three events, one in the entire hall, one in the meeting hall and one on the ice pad wilere there were hundreds and hundreds of people- and no issue in the hearing department. As media we attempt to fig- ure out who may not being using the microphones prop- erly hut that theory is elute since every sleeting is differ ent. As it stands- that pool table in the room is looking pretty good now. LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Lakeshore Advance w('Ic(tr))es letters to 111(' editor. 1,ett('rs n)trst include tilt' writer's full name, address, daytime phone number and signature (tor verification. Anonymous letters will not ht' published. Wt' reserve the right tit edit all editorial submissions including letters for clarification, style and length. Letters must hc' signed and he in good taste and follow the laws of libel and slander.