HomeMy WebLinkAboutTimes Advocate, 1991-01-02, Page 3THE NEWS
Times -Advocate, January 2, 1991
Page 3
1990: yearo
t:
The past year has certainly been eventful on the national and tires created more headaches than many would have thought Advocate. • .
international scene, but things closer 10 home have also been possible. The Huron Country riding, a stronghold of the Lib- Here is our year-end review of 1990, a month at a time, to
quite interesting to those who watch the media. eral party for 17 years fell to the NDP onslaught in Septem- bring back those moments of tragedy and triumph once again.
In Exeter, Phoenix rose and fell, only to rise again. Used ber. All those events and more made headlines in the Times Leading most of us to wonder what 1991 will bring.
January
March
May
January 3
•Workers for Zurich Wood Products returned to work after a
$150,000 fire put the company out of cotnmission. Firefighters said
they had never battled a blaze under worse conditions.
•One of Dashwood's pioneer businessmen, Earl Guenther, passed
away at Queensway Nursing Home in Hensall.
• Grand Bend was still reeling from a court decision that upheld Ar-
chie Gibb's claim that he owned 300 -metre section of the village's
main beach.
January 10
•Mayor Bruce Shaw's address to council's fust 1990 meeting ap-
pealed for council to use "common sense" in their decision making
for the year, saying that smaller municipalities should be prepared
for a tax revolt against the province's predatory policies.
•L 1 road crews were hoping for milder January weather after
spen ng the lion's share of their budgets on digging out of Decem-
ber's high snowfall. -
•A $190,000 facelift for thoZurich arena was confirmed.
. January 17
•The Christian Service Brigade were going through the area, collect-
ing used eyeglasses for the Christian Blind Mision.
• All smoking was banned from the Exeter arena, town office, fire
hall; and works building except for designated smoking areas.
January 24
•Franciscan Monks who moved to an abandoned church north of
Clandeboye in 1987, received an eviction notice from Bishop Sher-
lock after the diocese and the monks disagreed on the terms of the
monastery becoming a part of the diocese
•In a reversal of normal trends, Usbome'�Township actually reduced
the cost to ratepayers of some categories of building permits.
•Officers of -both Exeter and Pinery OPP detachments were investi-
gating a rash of breakins at shoreline cottages. Later in the year, the
thefts were attributed to one group of youths.
•The Village of Grand Bend decided to launch their appeal of the
Supreme Court decision to award the main beach property to Archie
Gibbs.
January 31 '
•Exeter council got bad news from their engineers when they were
told that the town's landfill capacity in Hay Township may not be
anywhere near what they originally believed. The present site may
be closed prematurely by the ministry and an additional 25 acres
may not have as much capacity as first thought.
• Residents of Grand Bend and Bosanquet Township gathered at the
Legion Hall to debate the future of the region and whether or not the
village should be amalgamated with the township.
March 7
• A Supreme Court decision went against the town in a planning dis-
pute with the County of Huron. An Ontario Supreme Court judge
dismissed the town's application to quash the county levy or at least
the portion relating to planning.
• The Phoenix Second -Stage Housing Corporation set a public infor-
mation meeting at Exeter Public School on March 15.
Phoenix vice-president Michelle Hansen said the non-profit organi-
zation called the meeting to address the concerns of the town's citi-
zens regarding placing , a subsidized housing project for abused
women in the neighbourhood.
• The Exeter PUC received the highest power bill in its history from
Ontario Hydro for December, 1989. The utility paid the corporation
$260,720.
March 14
• The South Huron Ministerial, representing 28 churches and most
religious denominations in the area, endorsed the need for housing
in Exeter for battered women and their children.
• Hensall councillors decided to give village taxpayers a small break
'at their regular Manch meeting in 1990 - a salary freeze. The only
increase the councillors alloued themsel s was for mileage expens-
es - from 22 to 25 cents/km.
February
February 7
•An Exeter council budget session revealed that council was aiming
for holding tax increases to six percent.
•New York Ranger Dave Shaw saw an end to his 1990 season after
an injury suffered in Pittsburgh didn't respond to therapy.
•Ontario Hydro was using helicopters and motorized carts to install
the lines on the new hydro towers running south through Hay and
Stephen Townships.
• Kirkton and Woodham were getting ready for their annual winter
carnival, whereas Grand Bend were boasting that their own 10 -day
festival could draw up to 10,000 to their village.
February 14 -
• Lucan council announced that the village's Lions Club were inter-
ested in pursuing an idea to enclose the municipal pool to extend its
useful season year-round.
• A smash-and-grab robbery netted $7,500 worth of jewellery after a
thief broke a window Anstett's on Exeter's Main Street.
•Josh Watson was named the Easter Seals Society's Timmy for
1990.
• The Hensall Fire Department welcomed home their 1926 pumper
truck after a year-long overhaul.
February 21
•Thc Phoenix saga began when Exeter council upheld the objections
of a neighbourhood against the construction of an apartment build-
ing for battered women. The issue would resurface several times
over the next few weeks.
•Ttie Exeter council tire scandal got its beginning when n -e l lis -
ed to complaints of the fire chief that used tires were piling up in
town, causing a fire hazard on a smaller scale than Hagersville. The
province had frozen all methods of safely disposing of tires.
•The Hensall District Co -Op announced they were purcha ing the
llrucefield assets of Agrico.
• A brawl involing fans at a Mohawksgame with Chatham sparked
a controversy that urged the executive to remind fans that hockey
was a sport. Police officers were hired for the next few games.
Optlmlst contest winners
LUCAN - The Lucan Optimist
Club has announced the winners of
their Christmas decoration contest
that was judged December 21.
The Optimists brought in two im-
partial judges from outside the vil-
lage and report that the judges were
surprised by the number and quali-
ty of the decorations gracing Lu -
can's homes.
The winners were the homes of
Larry and -Cathy Hewitt, • Dwight
and Dorothy Hei derson, and Fred
and Beth Cowdry!'
Each winning entry 'won $50
• Village council cont •• :: ' mid- ..IP they were prepared to
meet with Archie Gi • • s and his solicitors for the first time since the
Parkhill developer • as awarded ownership on the main beach in De-
cember. The two ides agreed to meet in the board room of Gibbs'
lawyers in London, to negotiate the use of the beach until the
crown's appeal was heard.
•After conferring in a closed session with solicitor Mike Mitchell of
Stratford, Exeter council decided to appeal the Supreme Court deci-
sion in a dispute with Huronounty.
"It is a decision of council to negotiate our situation with the county
in an attempt to maintain newly found good relations.
We wish to recognize that the differences between the county and
town are based on principle and not on personalities. To resolve the
principles involved, we have authorized Mitchell to file an appeal of
both judgment and costs of the recent decision," said Exeter mayor
-- —
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Bruce Shaw.
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March 28
• On March 21, organizers of the Phoenix Place Stage -Two Housing
project were admitting defeat after a public meting failed to con-
vince property owners that an apartment complex for battered wom-
en was not a threat to their neighbourhood.
Phoenix program president Julie Lee said the committee woad like-
ly look for another site for the building in Exeter.
• Queen's Park had confirmed funding of Lucan's proposed water
and sewage projects by March 28.
"You can see an end now. That was what was so disheartening about
it before. There was never any end to it," said reeve Larry Hotson.
The provincial grants were announced to amount to approximately
$8 million of the $10 million which would be spent on switching
Lucan's water supply to a Lake Huron pipeline and replacing the la-
goon system with a sewage treatment plant.
•Exeter council gave the Phoeniii Stage Two Housing Project their
approval. The project, had originally been rejected by council in
February after a public outcry which led council to reconsider allow-
ing a family victims of violence' apartment to be built.
• Grand Bend reeve Bob Sharen decided to tip his hat to the top vil-
lage position in early May. Sharen cited family, business and health
reasons as his inspiration for resigning. He first became Grand Bend
reeve in 1973. He left council in 1985 only to return in the 1988 mu-
nicipal election.
• A delegation of approximately051 0 Crediton and area ratepayers let
Stephen Township know that they wanted to keep their fire hall at a
May township council meeting. Crediton resident John Bierling pre-
sented a petition containing 422 names of residents opposing the
closing along with 73 letters. ,
• Grand Bend native and SHDHS grad Kimberly Crawford an-
nounced she would be making a run for the Miss London competi-
tion on May 17. A former Miss London Karen Baldwin went on t
become Miss Canada and Miss Universe in 1982.
May 16
• Area parishioners were saddened to hear of the passing of Rev. Jo-
seph Nelligan_ Rev. Nelligan was a priest of the Mt. Carmel and
Precious Bl d} arishes from 1980-86. Father Nelligan was in great
demand as aosplep aker for numerous clubs and organizations, delight-
ing his appreciative audiences with•his Irish wit and down-to-earth
philosophies.
• Most Exeter property owners discovered they would be paying just
over nine percent more in real estate taxes for 1990. The total resi-
dential increase for public and separate school supporters was an-
nounced at 9.44 percent while the commercial and industrial in -
.crease -was released at 9.48 percent.
May 23
•Exeter discovered its new police chief would be Guelph -sergeant
Jack Harkness. Harkness had 25 years of service with' the Guelph
city police department. Harkness replaced Larry Hardy who had
taken over a similar position in Smiths Falls.
May 30
• Stephen Township residents gathered in Crediton for a public
meeting hosted by the Save the Fire Hall committee. The three-hour
meeting brought heartfelt speeches from Crediton residents Drew
Robertson and Larry Ratz, who were elected to represent the com-
mittee in head-to-head negotiations with two township council mem-
bers named later.
with first place gaining an addition-
al $50 gift certificate donated try
Belbcrdon of Lucan. /
The Optimists also say they have
heard from several Lucan residents
that the village is becoming better
decorated each year, with special
incntion going to the attractive Vil-
lage of Lucan downtown display.
The contest judges also took note
of the Scott's . Elevator Christmas
display, but alas there is not yet a
commercial category for the con-
test.
April
• Exeter council agreed unanimously to reconsider the application
for a zoning change for the Phoenix Second Stage Housing. Since
the zoning change had been approved by' the planning committee,
the next move for council was to set a date for another public meet-
ing.
• The former Dashwood hotel was getting ready for a new lease on
life in early April. Osburn Associates, •a Guelph project manage-
ment company which also dabbles in development, bought the hotel -
and began gutting its interior in. February.
The Village Place, a 10 unit apartment building was finished on time
and on buds t in July.
• A group of London Road ratepayers attended the April meeting of
Hensall council to ask some questions about being hooked up to the
village water supply. An engineering report estimated the cost of
extending the service to the village limits would cost $62,00p, and
the provincial government had confirmed it would provide a
$52,000 grant.
June
June 7
• SHDHS grad David Thiel, was chosen as one of four students to
represent Canada in the International Chemistry Olympics in France.
There were three tounds of competitions in which Thiel had to pass,
t6 qualify for the honour.
• Stephen Township council picked reeve Tom Tomes and council-
lor Pat O'Rourke as its negotiating team for the Crediton fire hall.
June 14
• The Exeter Business Improvement Area was granted permission to
expand by the Ontario Municipal Board. The BIA boundaries had
included only the businesses which were in the core area of down-
town. The ruling opened the doors to every business between Wil-
liam and Andrew Streets within the north and south town boundar-
ies.
• Henson reeve Jim Robinson announced his intentions to become
the 1991 Warden of Huron County in late June. Robinson conceded
the warden's job would keep him busy, but the semi -retired accoun-
tant said he was looking forward to the challenge.
June 21
• Stephen Township council decided on a compromise with a satel-
lite fire department to be based in Crediton. The Save the Fire Hall
committee and council's negotiating team had set forth six recom-
mendations which would allow the fire hall to remain operational.
The second recommendation caused the most debate because it stat-
ed a long-term fire hall was to be included in conjunction with the
proposed new township shed. Eventually council agreed to the rec-
ommendations with the proviso that the fire hall may not be built if
it proves too costly.
• Scott Macpherson, a welder from Centralia, won $178,710.10 in a
Lotto 649 draw.
• Area residents were told to prepare for a hydro hike on January 1.
Hydro chief executive officer Robert Franklin announced a proposed
an average rate increase of 7.8 percent.
April 1$
• Edna Simmons was honoured as Ontario's most giving person on
_April 18. Simmons received the community volunteer of the year
award from Minister of Community and Social Services Charles
Beer at a dinner in Ingersoll.
April 25
• The 120 -year-old Si Bonif Catholic Church in Zurich was tak-
en out of service on April 22 as its altar and other sacred items were
removed in a special/ccre ony. 'Despite the need for a larger
church, it was evidedi many of the parishioners would miss the
building which has stpod as a landmark in their community for gen-
erations. -. \
• Grand Bend village council decided to go ahead with plans to in-
stall transportable washrooms on the beach in late April. The wash-
rooms were placed adjacent to the old bath house which was now oh
Archie Gibbs' private property. The decision to purchase the trailer -
style washroom met with mixed reviews ffom council. Reeve Bob
Sharen eventually broke a tied vote to give the project the go-ahead.
June 2$
• T -A editor Ross Haugh decided to hand in his editor's disk on June
30. Haugh had been involved in almost 1,500 issues of the:T-A af-
ter joining the T -A in June of 1962 a sportswriter.
Publisher Jim Beckett announced 9 c appointment of Adrian Harte
to the editor's position that week.
•
The year-end review continues on page. 8
RIDE program gets results,
less drinking and driving
EXETER - Police chief Jack Harkness released the final tally of Decem-
bers local RiDE program Wednesday morning. And the results look good
for those wanting to see a drastic reduction in holiday season drunk driv-
ing.
Harkness said the police stopped 2,169 vehicles during the month, and
found cause to issue no 12 -hour suspensions. They did, however give 61
cautions for vehicle defects.
The police laid two charges to those found with open liquor in their cars
and charged one person fon not Wearing their seatbelt. •
Harkness said the tally reflects a better awareness of the importance of
sober driving.
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