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HomeMy WebLinkAboutTimes Advocate, 1996-07-17, Page 1-.7 -- -”Trror.rwouprippirwmprirwwwwr Grand Bend summer h� The Huron Country Playhouse fundrais GRAND BEND - Designers, landscapers and con- tractors were hard at work Friday as local media was given a glimpse of what's to come as the Steele family prepares to have their cottage open to the public. The Huron Country Playhouse is presenting Tour of a Special Summer Home in Oakwood Park from July 27 through August 5. The first-ever Playhouse event will raise money for a new rehearsal hall. The home, built in 1956 by Mickey Webb, was the cottage of the Richard Ivey family from London. The Iveys, who used the house for summer and winter hol- idays, enjoyed it for nearly 40 years. SEIP'S valu-mart 4 &&883Exeter 235-0262 74-pCruise Nigbt Wednesday Iyvl_, July 17 6 p.m. The Iveys were also theatre patrons who helped to support James Murphy and John Heinsohn in creating the Huron Country Playhouse 25 years ago. The home and surrounding land was sold to Dan Hunt who's development plans were blocked by area cottagers. Drs. Billy and Linda Steele from Exeter purchased the cottage last August and plans to ren- ovate were sped along when they were approached about the home tour. Linda is member of the board and Billy and their daughter Hilda have both performed on the Playhouse stage. Other children Bram and Sandra will no doubt me tour takesshape r will run from July 27 until August 5 enjoy the cottage much as the Ivey children who re- call memories of swimming and sailing in summer and snow-covered beaches in winter. Although the original structure has not been altered significantly, an architect was consulted as the cottage was opened up with a cathedral ceiling, fewer walls and large windows. A bright color scheme and hard- wood floors complete the sunny interior. The master suite, complete with jacuzzi, makes this summer home a delightful escape for the busy couple.. Participating designers and landscapers include Din- ney Furniture in Exeter, Kate Gielen of Gielen Design in London, Scott Pun, a builder who has a cottage in the area, Designer Mary Lou Hyde of Hensall and Decorative Painter Wendy Thomas of Lucan. Cobble Design in Zurich and Lakewood Nursery in St. Joseph are two of the landscaper designers and Casual In- dustries of Grand Bend will also be contributing. A pre -opening Garden Party for 300 guests will be held on Friday, July 26. For ticket and information, call the Playhouse at 519-238-6000 or 1-800-706- 6665. 1'. r SUBSCRIBE! Olt you aren't subscribing to The I Times-Advocate, you're missing out. ' Use the coupon below and subscribe today! 1 Name: ' Address -- City1 -_- - - Prov. I Postal Code SUBSCRIPTION HATES. MAIM ' 1 year $35 ♦ 2.45 GST -2 year $63 . 4.41 GST OUTSIDE ONTAPoQ 1 mu 563 + 4.41 GST.2 y r $119 • 8.33 GST 599.00 (encl. . 588.40 Post 11 1 1 1 1 I Expiry Date ❑ Visa ❑ Master Card 1 1 1 1 ❑ Cheque enclosed Retum to; TIMES ADVOCATE ' ■ 424 Main St. Exeter, Ont. NOM 1S6 ■ mai •••ai• ••••— — — an Inside Sidewalk sales Bargains galore! See pages 10-14 Alzheimers disease See Crossroads Second front Experts page 21 Announcements pages 22-23 Classifieds pages 25-28 McDonalds receives counterfeit $10 bill EXETER - Police are investigat- ing a report from McDonalds Res- taurant that it received a counter- feit $10 bill on July 11. The Canadian bill had a serial number BDF1332962. Minor injuries reported in collision STEPHEN TOWNSHIP - OPP report charges were laid in a motor vehicle collision on July 8 that re- sulted in severe vehicle damage and minor injuries. The accident occurred on High- way 83, 1 k.m. East of Stephen Twp. and Concession 6-7. Joseph O'Brien, 62, of Hay Twp. was driv- ing a 1991 Dodge pick-up truck and Eugene McGregor, 79, of Sar- nia was driving a 1989 Oldsmobile when the vehicles collided. McGregor and Dura McGregor, 79, were both taken to South Huron Hospital. Wednesday. July 17. 1996 Als( 0 tssc + 7c t;.s T , ONE DOLLAR 1 0:7 a P * See photos on page 2 SEIP'S valu-mart 4 & 83 Exeter 235-0262 Video Rentals Rent 1 Get 1 Exeter OPP budget surplus reported The money will be transferred gradually into a reserve fund EXETER - A surplus of $32,332 in the OPP budget for 1996 due to a reduction in the percentage Exeter pays for a staff sergeant will be put in a reserve fund for police budget overruns. The motion to transfer this mon- ey into a reserve was made by Reeve Bill Mickle after he pre- sented the Executive Committee Report at Monday's council meet- ing. Mickle also reported revenue and expenditures are on target for the half-year time period. "We're in excellent shape. We are under the pro -rated budget," he said. The report also dealt with a del- egation from the PUC at the com- mittee's July 8 meeting. Members of the commission and the com- mittee discussed carrying out a combined study to find efficiencies parallel to the consultant study cur- rently underway for the Amal- gamation Committee. "Subject to approval at the next commission meeting, the commis- sion members agreed in principle to the town beginning the process to look for a consultant and to ob- taining an estimate of cost of doing a 'Made in Exeter' study." A PUC meeting will be held Thursday to discuss Internal Re- structuring and council will hold a special meeting that night to fol- low up the PUC meeting. Finally, the report addressed a memo dated June 18 regarding the Huron Employment Resource Cen- tre closing in October. Staff has been directed to find out if the op- erations of the centre can continue in Exeter without federal or pro- vincial funding. If so, Exeter may consider rental of the old Police Station for this purpose. • ' " - ' Grand Bend faces insurance hike By Chris Skalkos T -A Reporter GRAND BEND - Despite not having any claims levied against the village, Grand Bend is facing a 30 per cent insurance hike for 1996-97. Tom Kneale, an insurance broker for Frank Cowans Insurance ap- peared as a delegate at Grand Bend's July 15 council meeting to propose a number of changes to the village's in- surance policy. However, the one that caught the coun- cillor's attention was a 30 per cent in- crease in insurance premiums for the next fiscal year. Councillor Bob Mann wondered why premiums were going up when the village has not made a claim or suffered a loss within the past four years. "Do they (insurance companies) not reward or give incentives with variable rates to the municipalities with fewer claims? Or are they just going to paint all municipalities alike for the lack of risk man- agement of some?" asked Mann. Kneale explained if insurance companies penalized those who made claims they could never af- ford to make up the difference. "It's true your rates are affected by the overall experience of all the municipalities. What you lose from one hand you gain in the other," said Kneale adding one clkim can be worth an astronomical amount of money. "I know 30 per cent is significant, but I don't feel it's out of the way given the circum- stances." Councillor Shirley Andrus agreed with Mann saying the vil- lage already practices risk man- agement and continues to do so. "We put a lot of money into mak- ing things safe in addition to what we pay for insurance...what's the point if we are going to be pen- alized by an other municipalities' losses?" she asked. "I kno signifl I don't out of g circum "Even in the best managed mu- nicipalities happenstance can bring about large losses," replied Kneale. Administrator Paul Turnbull said he made a request for competitive insurance quote but has not yet re- ceived it. Council agreed to post- pone their decision to renew the vil- lage insurance so it could consider another competitive bid. OPP break water rules In other business, council passed a series of recommendations from the Harbor Advisory Committee in- cluding vequest for the OPP t4 obey the no wake signs and speed limits posted along the ever. The Harbor Com- mittee's report stat- ed it is still having incidences on the river in which boaters are not ob- serving the speed limit and no wake signs. One member advised that the OPP patrol boat is not ob- serving this posting either. The committee recommended council make the OPP aware of the speed limit and the wake rules of the river in order to set an example for others. Council agreed to write the appropriate OPP detachment a letter. Village keeps backhoe In current business, council heard a Public Utilities Commission res- olution offering to purchase the vil- lage backhoe for S7,500 and pick- up truck for $7,300. Council agreed to sell the truck but keep the backhoe because of a newly created bylaw transferring funds from OCWA (Ontario Clean Water Agency) to the village's own water reserve fund. Under the new bylaw the village would be re- sponsible for repairing major breaks in the trunk line and the backhoe would be needed in such a situation. "We would like to see the back- hoe stay with the water account," said Turnbull adding the backhoe would he available to the P.U.0 when needed. w 30 per cent is cant, but feel it's the way iven the stances" Lifeguards The Exeter Public pool staff, clockwise from left, Gavin Poole, Kristin Strang, Eric Hundey and Laurie Coolman will be watching over your swim this summer. The outdoor pool has four night swims planned on July 11, 25, Aug 8 and 22. A water Olympics Day is planned for July 30 and a Mock Accident Day is planned for Aug 6. Public swimming is available Monday to Friday from 2 p.m to 3:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m to 8 p.m. Saturday and Sunday 2 to 4 p.m. Best looking farm contest will begin soon in the Times -Advocate EXETER - The Times -Advocate invites area farm owners to submit a photo of their farm for our first ever "Best -looking Farm PhotjThe photos will be featured in a full page advertisement which will appear on Wednesday, July 31. All farm photos will be num- bered and our readers will be asked to choose their favorite. The owner of the farm which receives the most votes will win a $100 credit which can be used at any of the par- ticipating sponsors. As well, everyone who enters our contest will be eligible to win a $100 certificate. All entries must be received by Monday, July 29. They can be dropped into the T -A or mailed to "Best Looking Farm Contest" c/o Times -Advocate, P.O. Box 850, Exeter, Ont. NOM 1S6. Amalgamation workshops held to gather public input KPMG, a consulting group hired by the Amalgamation Com- mittee organzied the meetings EXETER - Public workshops held on Thursday in Exeter and Friday in Grand Bend brought together amalgamation consultants with members of the pub- lic from a wide variety of special interest groups. "We see this as your meeting," said KPMG Consultant Mike Fol- lett. The community workshops are a prelimary step in the process to de- termine if amalgamation between Exeter, Grand Bend, Stephen, Us - borne and a portion of Bosanquet is feasible. More public meetings are scheduled for late August or early September when consultants will have completed a draft report. Approximately 60 people gathered in Exeter at the South Huron Recreation Centre where they broke into small discussion group to tackle ques- tionnaires dealing with quality of life and core ser- vices as well as creating a vision statement and a list of guiding principles for an effective government r"Th politic far meeting Grand structure. Once these principles were written on flip charts, they were posted on a wall for par- ticipants to choose three fundamental principals. A similar number of people attended the Grand Bend meeting on Friday although KPMG Con- sultant Steve Currie noted the make-up of the group was different. "There were fewer politicians by far," said Currie. Presentations from each group revealed common themes between communties. Community strengths that were identified included the sharing of services, volunteerism and diversity. Roadblocks to, re- structuring such as public apathy and disparity between rural and urban ar- eas were also addressed. Consultants will take the information gathered at the meetings and rank the issues for tonight's amalgamation meeting at the Kirkton-Woodham Community Centre. KPMG's study will look at how ser- vices are delivered as well as their amalgamation under restructuring. A shift between the levels of government that provide services may also be ad- dressed. Good restructuring, said Follett, must be effective, responsible and reflect the needs of the community. ere were. fewer ians by at the held in Bend."