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HomeMy WebLinkAboutTimes Advocate, 1991-06-26, Page 1• It CAR RENTALS DAILY • wmur • Moamar CALL 14 FOR rNswfANC( NiiLAC4MENT MEAS • Cavite 44o Chisning Castor • 235-3381 or 2311-8839 after hours Gasser-Kneale Jaaucancc Service Experience & Valuta 235-2420 Serving South Huron North Middlesex & Lambton 75 cents Inside Theatre Wizard and Much Ado page 2 Transportation Hensall seniors voice concems page 3 Signs ACME lights way page 5 Arguments forgotten as Phoenix home opens By Adrian Harte EXETER - It was all smiles Sat- urday afternoon as representatives from various government agen- cies got together with local politi- cians to officially open the Phoe- nix Stage Two Housing project in Exeter. One could hardly guess that the six -unit apartment building on Carling Street was very nearly squashed by council early last year. Council were initially con- cerned that the project to con- struct a building for women es- caping abusive husbands and partners was a thinly disguised group home. Neighbours and oth- er town residents petitioned coun- cil to turn the zoning approval down, while others insisted more compassion was needed for those who would become eventual ten- ants of the building. After Phoenix, spearheaded by the Survival Through Friendship House in Goderich, presented a revised plan at a public meeting that portrayed a more "residen- tial" building, council and neigh- bours agreed to proceed. The facility, and its partners which were simultaneously opened in Goderich and Clinton, represent the fust of their kind in Canada, and possibly in North America, explained Phoenix pres- ident Julie Lee. 13y building three separate apartment buildings totalling 22 units, rather than one larger build- ing for the whole county, Phoenix aims to keep its tenants closer to their home communities. Many will be able to retain their jobs and keep their children in the same schools. The three buildings cost a total of $2.2 million, with federal and provincial government annual op- erating subsidies totalling $373,000. A mortgage is being held by a private lender. Lee told those at the Exeter opening that the "vision" for hoenix Stage Two Housing came from the Survival Through Friend- ship House shelter when they asked women victims of family violence what they most needed. The Ministry of Community and Social Services and the Ministry of Housing then got the ball roll - 111.4e thanked the Local communi- ty and "the neighbours who have supported us". She said that the "lively and honest dialogue" which surrounded the project re- sulted in a positive outcome. Mayor Bruce Shaw said he wished that a building such as Phoenix was not necessary and that family violence was not such a prevalent problem. "It's too bad such a building has to be built in the first place, said Shaw, but added that the final uct was "A-1" and the neigh - were pleased with its ap- pearance and how it fits into the neighbourhood. Joelle Bleasdale from the Min- istry of Housing noted Phoenix faced many obstacles, several of which came from her own minis- try, but said the final building was impressive. Paul Klopp, Huron MPP, praised the architecture of the building and commented on its home -like atmosphere. He said the approach to build three small- er buildings was far better than creating a single central institu- aI • tion. Lee told those present that an award was to be presented to the South Huron District High School technical department for the work of the students who designed and built the playground equipment in the yard beside the Phoenix build- ing. Lee called it "an incredible structure". All three buildings are ready to be rented to tenants. There are one, two, and three-bedroom units open for women leaving the envi- ronment of an abused -women's shelter. One of the Exeter build- ing's units is also designed for wheelchair accessibility, rn recog- nition of the fact that the handi- capped are especially prone to family violence. Batons Twirlers on parade page 20 Tech Trade education on rise page 28 Barn, house giving way to treatment plant Despite protest,, committee approves Pryde sidewalk By Adrian Harte EXETER - Despite a new peti- tion from Pryde Boulevard home- owners, the town's public woiics committee will be recommending to council next week to go ahead with putting sidewalks along that street. The open meeting, not behind closed doors as reported in last week's T -A, was held at one o'clock Monday when the five - member committee met to, decide what to do with the issue left. them LUCAN - Tenders will be goiitg out immediately for the demolition of a barn and a house in Biddulph Township on prop..eerty'sv„1.gd by the village otL f:`' There is also a small shed on the property, which is the future site of the village's sewage treatment plant, but council decided to have the shed burned. "I've already talked to one con- tractor but he won't have anything to do with the foundation," said Lu - can works superintendent Doug Johnston. Both the barn and the house have been condemned on the 100 acre parcel of land. "Regardless who does it, we'll have to pay for it,' added Johnston. Reeve Larry Hotson thought some materials like the barn board and the bricks may be salvaged. The disposal of the foundation seems to be the biggest cost which is worrying council. "You might get something for the building if they don't have to get rid of the foundation," noted Hotson. It is expected demolition of the building could be completed by the fall when tenders for the sewage treatment plant could be going out. Tires to be hauled away Thiel awaits chemistry competition in Poland ZURICH - As a representative of Canada, South Huron's Dave Thiel will be competing for the second consecutive year at the Internation- al Chemistry Olympiad. Thiel advanced to the interna- tional level last year after being chosen as one of the top four chemistry students in Canada at the National Competition. Thiel flew home from that 22nd Olympiad in Paris with a bronze medal. The decision to include Thiel on the current Canadian team was not an automatic one. Similar to last year, Thiel had to compete against 19 other high school chemistry stu- dents on a national level in order to LUCAN - Residents of Lucan will be able to dispose of their used tires thanks to their local council. Monday night, it was decided to have ACME Waste Management of Strathroy come in and set up a bin for collection. There are currently about 75 tires stockpiled now by the village and council members would like to see them removed. It was decided to have the bin set up in Lucan for one day. "If you have it here fora one day deal, you could have somebody control it," said reeve Larry Hot - son. There was some concern about where to put the bin. "They set it anywhere in your municipality," said clerk Ed Melan- son. According to Melanson, the bin holds about 100 tires and ACME will charge $165. Although councillor Tom McLaughlin wanted to wait until September, council decided to look into having the bin in place any time after July 20. gain a spot on the four -person team king to Warsaw, Poland in July. The National Competition was held this past May at the Royal Military College in Kingston. The Canadian team, consisting of Thiel, two Quebecers, and one stu- "You can't cram for something like this" anticipates a five-hour written test consisting of six "awfully translat- ed" questions and a lab examina- tion. "I was given a stack of questions to practice, but I can't find a whole lot of time to study. You can't cram for something like this any- way," explains Thiel. dent from Calgary, will meet with the three coaches in Montreal be- fore flying to Warsaw for a couple days of pre -competition relaxation. Thiel says he already feels more at ease this year because of the ex- perience he acquired in Paris. He Bus service to London dropped LONDON - For those without cars, the transportation options in' the Exeter area became yet more limited the other week. Cha -Co Trails has changed the routes of its bus service through the area, effectively causing the Toss of service to communities such as Hensall and Exeter. Steve Scharien at Cha -Co Trails in London said the chang- es occurred when decreased rid- ership led the company to drop its Hanover to L.orrdon route, the one which travelled Highway 4 through Exeter to London. The closest bus service to the area now is the Owen Sound - London route which runs from Owen Sound to Kincardine, • to the street, not halfway up the lawns as previously described to council. Kelis said it would be lo- cated above the sanitary sewers in some places. Reeve Bill Mickle later called the access to buried services issue a "red herring", pointing out that many sewers in town are under- . neath roadways anyway. The committee noted that 13 of the names on the petition were homeowners on the east side of the street, and 14 were on the west, on See petition on page 2. after last week's contentious regi- whose lawns the sidewalk may be lar council meeting,y� y��.� ins y Ch #til' Ail 00111 " sented .the committee? with a band ho live on 'thee east side/ w ful of letters, including a 27name who councillor Harry Klungel. petition, that mostly described rea- "To go along with their neigh- bours," said councillor ErvinSil- 1 Mickle said he saw one name •on the list of a person who said he ob- jected to the sidewalks behind the tree line, but now also objects to the revised location. "I think the big debate is the safe- ty of the children," said Mickle. "Not to do anything would be wrong. The numbers do substan- tiate the need for that type of walk- way." Councillor Dorothy Chapman, not a committee member, but ob- serving the meeting, said sidewalks on Pryde were likely an inevitable development when that street be- comes a feeder for future subdivi- sion development. "Those sidewalks will go down sooner or later, and it might as well be sooner when we can get the funds," said Chapman, referring to the 50 percent provincial subsidy. After Ervin Sillery made the mo- tion to approve the sidewalk, de- bate continued for a few minutes until the final vote saw Hoogen- boom as the only objector. However, as cLairman, Hoogen- boom will be presenting the com- mittee's recommendation to council next Monday, when it is most like- ly to be approved. sons for not marring the present Pryde streetscape with a sidewalk.. No members of the public were present at the meeting. Town administrator Rick Hundey reiterated the points as to why a , sidewalk might be desirable on that street, and added that a traffic count last week actually indicated Pryde has equal, if not slightly higher, traffic than Sanders Street to the east of the Pryde intersec- tion. "It leads us to think two side- walks on Sanders would be uneces- sary," said Hundey, adding that the locations of the Dow and Darling subdivisions, along with the two schools and recreation centre led him to consider the west side of Pryde Boulevard the better location for a sidewalk. Hundey also answered the com- mittee's concern about the town's legal liability, and said that, yes, the town could be held responsible if it elected to not install sidewalks. "It could put us in a vulnerable position legally if there was an ac- cident," said Hundey. Works superintendent Glenn Keils told the committee that his department installed stakes along Pryde last week to indicate a poss- bible location for a sidewalk closer along Highway 4 as far as Clin- ton and then back to the lake shore to pick up from Goderich, Grand Bend, Parkhill and Ailsa Craig on its way to London. Scharien said the loss of Exet- er customers since June 12 is a problem. "Unfortunately, Exeter was one of the better places on the run," he said, adding that the town was "sacrificed to make the route more efficient. However, he did say the com- pany is debating putting Exeter back on the run by bringing the bus cast from Grand Bcnd, but he noted that the Owen Sound - London route already takes four and a half hours to complete. David Thiel Thiel does not expect to walk away from Warsaw with an easy win. He admits he is still somewhat anxious about this year's competition. "I remember the lab exam last year went really well. I finished everything, and I knew what I was doing. I ,have no idea what will happen this year. I could easily have a bad day," says Thiel. The international Chemistry Olympiad will be Thiel's final com- petition at the high school level. Although accepted to Massachu- setts Institute of Technology and several universities in Ontario, he will be attending Harvard in the fall. Lucan asks MPP for help, but receiving nope LUCAN - Although the village of Lucan has contacted their local MPP, the fate of their landfill site remains a mystery. Last month, a provincial court judge ordered the dump owned by C.H. Lewis closed. The village has been taking its garbage to Blen- heim but have asked Lambton- Middlesex MPP Irene Mathyssen to find an alternative site. Unfortunately Mathyssen has not contacted the village as of yet. Meanwhile the cost to transport their garbage is escalating. "i think our taxpayers are con- cerned obviously about the in- creased cost. They're not happy about it." said councillor Tom McLaughlin. Although they haven't received a bill from Lewis who not only owns the landfill but hauls their garbage, it is estimated it could cost the vil- lage an additional $45,000 per year. Reeve Larry Hutson said they are getting little assistance from the Ministry of the Environment in at- tempts to reopen their landfill. "When we call the Ministry of the Environment and ask them where we can put our landfill, all they say is Blenheim is available," said Hotson. Council said they have had no in- dication at all when or even if, the landfill site will re -open.