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HomeMy WebLinkAboutTimes Advocate, 1991-10-02, Page 13Kathy Monk of the ABCA presents a history of the Ausable River to the Huron County Histori- cal Society. Meeting the teacher was Dorothy to see teacher Lesley McConnell front is student Jamie Hem. last Tuesday rapped In evening. In Food for everyone was available at last Tuesday's meet the teacher evening at Usbome Central School. An outdoor bar- becue organized by the teachers allowed staff and parents to mingle before heading indoors (where it was much warmer) to go through formal introductions. The barbecue was the sec- ond annual event and attracted several hundred parents, de- spite the chilly weather. Rural perspective ILDERTON - Providing the rural women's perspective to the Fair Tax Commission is Marg Harris, a Federated Women's Institutes of Ontario (FWIO) Board Director, from Ildcrton. Harris is able to bring many di- mensions to the Fair Tax Commis- sion. The mother of six children, coping as a widow raising children (she is now very happily remar- ried), working as a Senior Clerk for Canada Trust 76-84. Chairman of "WI Evening" at the Western Onta- rio Farm Show 1990, now in part- nership with her husband Bud in their renovation business, and her dedication to WI, an educational or- ganization with community better- ment as its focus. Harris is particularly interested in the tax implication on all aspects of a women's life. Naturally that is the particular sub -committee she is on. FWIO is the only rural women's or- ganization that is in all parts of ru- ral Ontario, and is dedicated to im- proving rural communities of Ontario and in particular the role of women in the rural communities. Lung Association educates STRATFORD - "The Lung Asso- ciation believes that by teaching children about the importance of a healthy lifestyle, we will be raising a generation of healthier Canadi- ans," said Clayton Hefley, Presi- dent of the Lung Association, Hu- ron -Perth counties. "That's why each year the Lung Association, working with our schools, reaches thousands of children in Ontario with our Lungs Are For Life School Program. The program em- phasizes good respiratory health and smoking prevention," he add- ed. The Lungs Are For Life School Program was developed in conjunc- tion with consultants from the Min- istry of Education and local school boards, teachers, physicians, and Lung Association volunteers and staff. It presents positive health val- ues to children about themselves and encourages children to develop a respect for healthy lungs. It also teaches children to avoid harmful substances such as cigarettes. The program provides children with a better understanding of the decision making process and relates this to the decision of whether or not to smoke. Offered in all grades, the pro- gram focuses on different issues at various levels. From kindergarten to grade 3, the actions of a charac- ter called Octopuff leads the chil- dren to learn how to live smoke- free. From grade 4-8 the emphasis is on peer pressure and decision mak- ing skills - how to say no to smok- ing. In high school the program looks at the immediate health effects smoking has on the body. The use of biomonitoring equipment at this level illustrates increased carbon monoxide levels and heart rates in smokers. The program has been met with great enthusiasm by both teachers and students in schools throughout Huron and Perth counties. "The Lung Association's health education programs such as Lungs are for Life and research programs are all supported by donations to our annual Christmas Seal Cam- paign and by other voluntary con- tributions," added Hefley. "This year our Christmas Seal campaign begins November 1. Our goal is to raise $100,000 in Huron -Perth". l� TOWNSHIP OF HAY NOTICE REGARDING NOMINATIONS FOR THE 1991 MUNICIPAL ELECTION NOTICE is hereby given to the Municipal Electors of the Township of Hay in the County of Huron that the period dur- ing which Nomination Papers may be filed in the office of the Clerk for the purpose of municipal elections will commence on TUESDAY, OCTOBER 8, 1991 at 9:00 A.M. and continuo during the normal office hours of the Clerk until the close of Nominations on FRIDAY, OCTOBER 11, 1991 at 5:00 P.M. Nominations will be received for the offices of: Reeve Deputy -Reeve Councillors (3 to be elected) If there is an insufficient number of candidates for any office, additional nominations for the remaining vacancies in any office may be filed in the office of the Clerk on Wednesday, October 16, 1991 between the hours of 9:00 A.M. and 5:00 P.M. Janisse Zimmerman Clerk and Returning Officer Township o f Hay 14 Mill Street, Zurich, Ontario Times -Advocate, October 2, 1991 Page 13 Huron Historical Society follows winding path of Ausable River EXETER - The Huron County Historical Society kicked off its fall season by coming to the Exeter Old Town Hall to hear Kathy Monk ex- plain the unusual history of the Ausable River. Monk, communications manager for the Ausable Bayfield Conserva- tion Authority told the group at Thursday evening's meeting that the slow meandering nature of the Ausable led the area's pioneers to change its course several times. In fact. the Ausable's fall is only about four feet per mile travelled down- stream. One of the first attempts to "im- prove" the river's drainage of the watershed was the famous "cut" made by the Canada Company from 1873-75. The cut shortened the river's path by eliminating the loop to the north where it turned around at the "Grand Bend". By digging through the sand dunes near Port Franks to the mouth, several miles were taken out of the river's path. "It was ambitious back then and I would call it ambitious even now," said Monk, who doubted that present environmental assessments would allow such a drastic altera- tion of a river's course. One point that is often over- looked is that the river did not emp- ty into Lake Huron at Grand Bend and it does not empty there now. A second cut in 1892 created an artifi- cial river mouth and harbour at Grand Bend into which the Parkhill Creek now empties. "You have a little water flowing in from springs and the dunes, but that's the only water flowing there," said Monk. Two sections of the old river bed north of Port Franks no longer flow at all. Further major changes to the riv- er occurred in 1958 when Morrison Dam was constructed east of Exeter to provide a reservoir for the town's canning factory. Monk then explained the river's pre -historic origins, noting that af- ter the last Ice Age k would have emptied into the lake at Grand Bend, but prevailing winds built up a sand ridge, pushing the river's mouth further south. Monk said some have speculated that that southerly travel is continuing, as evidenced by the need for frequent dredging to keep the Port Franks harbour open. Three inland lakes south of Grand Bend were still present in pi- oneer times, but were drained to take advantage of their fertile soils. The last, Lake Smith was drained in 1958 and is pumped out every year when it returns in the spring. Those familiar with the migration of the tundra swans will recognize the stop over fields behind the Lambton Museum as Lake Smith. Monk then explained that the Ausable River Conservation Au- thority was created in 1946 to man- age the watershed. A document to plot the organization's future re- mains very timely even today. Recommendations to preserve wood lots, control erosion of farm- land, improve water quality are still priorities on the ABCA's mandate. "After 45 years we're still trying to fulfill some of these recommen- dations," Monk told the audience. One vision of the future, howev- er, is not likely to come true. The original ARCA envisioned a series of dams all along the river, but to- day it is unlikely there will be any more than the present three. In 1953, the conservation authori- ty began buying land for reforesta- tion m the Hay Swamp; purchased Rock Glen in 1954; Camp Sylvan in 1964, and became the Ausable Bayfield Conservation Authority in 1972. By the 1970s, the emphasis had shifted from active measures of controlling flooding, such as dams, , to more passive methods such as controlling and preventing develop- ment of food -prone areas, with aims to "keep people out of danger- ous places in the fast place," said Monk. By 1984 the authority saw a quar- ter of a million trees planted in the watershed under its reforestation plan, but that number rose to a half million in 1991. While an ideal forest coverage goal is 10 percent of total land area to control soil ero- sion, Monk concedes that many south Huron townships are still far short of that goal. Usbome, for ex- ample, has less than three percent tree coverage. The ABCA plants trees on lands up to five acres. The Ministry of Natural Resources handles acreages above that. In all, both agencies plant up to a million trees in the area annually. "We really have to compliment the landowners in our area," said Monk of the growing recognition Of the need for more wood lot cov- erage. "It seems just like a million trees disappear intothelandscape each year," she said. The next meeting of the Huron Historical Society will be a dinner meeting at the Brucefield United Church on October 25. The subject for the evening will be John Gault and the Canada Company. Tickets are $11 each. BEST RATES on your G.I.C. Exeter 235-2420 Gasser-Kneale Grand Bend 238-8484 How To Take Control of Your Winter Heating Bills Don't neglect your heating system. Before the heating season starts have your furnace serviced. In addition, check your filters frequently and replace them when clogged. A clogged filter means your system has to work that much harder and therefore uses more energy. Set your thermostat lower. When you are away, or at night when you are asleep, lower your thermostat a kw degrees. You'll be just as comfortable and you'll save energy. Insulate and weatherstrip your home. A well -insulated home helps keep the heat out in summer and in during winter. If you are thinking of changing your heating system, why not consider a heat pump? A heat pump is the most energy efficient home heating there is- reducing your heating costs considerably in the winter and giving you the added bonus of air conditioning in the summer) Give us a call, we would be pleased to provide you with any additional informa- tion or advice you may need to "take control of your winter heating bills". Exeter Public Utilities Commission 379 Main Street South, Exeter, Ont. NOM 196 235-1350 H. DeVrIes, Chairman M.A. Greene, Commissioner H.L- Davis, Manager B.F. Shaw, Commissioner a member of Entadiflatik The Dad*" People