Times Advocate, 1998-12-09, Page 29
Exeter Tinos -Advocate
Wednesday. December 9. 199s
Regional wrap up
1 million `Field of Dreams'
campaign begins
S'1'. MARYS — With Phase 1 complete, organizers
of the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame in St. Marys
are ready to take the next step, according to the
St. Marys Journal -Argus.
The Phase 2 goal is to raise Si million. High-
lights include second floor renovations of the cen-
tury limestone interim museum. When completed,
the upstairs will become a library and administra-
tive offices.
Plans also include the addition of - an interactive
centre that will accommodate pitching ranges, bat-
ting cages, computers and hopefully . an indoor
mini -theatre with large screen TV and surround
sound. This will make the museum more attractive.
to youth and permit the commencement of the, ed-
ucation component.
Tournaments have already been booked for
1999 with interest by Baseball Ontario to hold
training camps and clinics.
The three-year .marketing plan is to bring
100,000 tourists to. St. Marys to the Hall of Fame
in 2001.
In the News
Thames River conservation
authorities may merge
The same type of marriage in many local munici-
palities could be in the works for the Upper and
Lower Thames conservation authorities, reports
the St. Marys Journal -Argus.
A consultant's report on future operations for
the Upper Thames River Conservation Authority
and the Lower Thames Valley Conservation . Au-
thority has recommended a merging of the two.
The study was initiated by the LTVCA after Chat-
ham -Kent requested the dissolution of the LTVCA.
According to Upper Thames. general: manager
Don Pearson, two-thirds of the member municipal-
ities -must agree to the merger.
A vote on the issue could take- place as early as
February, cast by each municipality's representa-
tive to the authority boards.
The report suggests savings of $600,000 are'pos-
sible in the first three years of a merger, mainly in
administration. According to the Journal -Argus,
both authorities would be administered by the cur-
rent UTRCA staff. -
Wingham and Blyth share
clerk -treasurer
WINGHAM — Starting Monday, John Stewart be-
• gan dividing his duties between the municipal of-
fices of V,"ngham and Blyth, reports the Wingham
Advance -Times. -
Stewart has. been Blyth's clerk -treasurer for the
past three and one-half years and has been hired
by Wingham Council on a six-month contract to
replace Wingham's retiring clerk -treasurer.
- He will work in Wingham on Mondays, Wednes-
days and Thursdays and spend the other two days
of the week in Blyth. He will be available to the
public of both municipalities,' at either office, from
•Monday to Friday.
Both.municipalities agree the move will result in
finanacial savings.
• Advantages for amalgamation also, fit into the
picture. Both Stewart and Wingham Mayor Don
Carter ,see the sharing as a trial run for later re-
structuring decisions. The move will indicate how
municipalities will get along, aswell as give an in-
dication of how the public will react to the change.
The decision to share clerks doesn't preclude
that Blyth and Wingham will amalgamate.
Study backs lakeside hotel
GODER1Cf-I A hotel feasibility study has re-
turned a verdict in favour of the Goderich water-
front, according to the Goderich Signal -Star.
The long-awaited beachfront hotel feasibility
study indicated a 30 guest room hotel/inn would
be ."viable" in Goderich. The hotel would also have
a restaurant, bar and meeting room.
Negotiations are set to begin in earnest concern-
ing a swap of waterfront lands between the town
and the Goderich elevators. Once the swap is com-
plete, the town would have' a consolidated water-
front property suitable for development."
Big '0' layoffs likely
Continued from front page
been made. He said the number of staff laid off would
probably be less than 10.
The employees, who learned their jobs were in jeopardy
last Friday. will be offered severance packages and reloca-
tion assistance according to Phillips, although no details
are being released.
Phillips. who will remain president after the merger, said
once the initial layoffs are made he doesn't see any more
layoff's in the future.
Big '0' office staff declined comment on the layoffs.
Big '0' is Canada's loading producer of high-density poly-
ethylene corrugated plastic pipe for agricultural and infra-
structure markets. The merger with Armtec, said Phillips,
will only make the company stronger. Armtec, .a manufac-
turer of corrugated steel pipe, is a national company with
14 branches in every province except Saskatchewan. '
Funeral home
gets approval
HENSALL - A. proposed funeral home for Albert
Street in Hensall has finally received approval from
the Ontario Municipal Board (OMB).
Property owners Doug and Joyce'McBeath faced an
OMB heariPg on Nov. 9 because of opposition from
neighbouring property owners. Some neighbours had
worried increased traffic as a result of the home
would put children at risk. .
The meeting lasted three hours and saw 50 people
attend. Hensall clerk -treasurer . Luanne Phair said
with OMB approval, the property .owners can now
proceed with building the funeral home and are now
in the process of getting the property ready for .con-
struction.
While Hensall expected a decision from the OMB
on the. proposed funeral home within two weeks, the
village wasn't informed of the.decision until Dec. 3:
Men at work
Birnam Excavating staff were making the most of
the ideal weather conditions on Friday as they
connected the old and newer Pryde Blvd. sewers
in Exeter. On Monday, they started connecting '
houses on the west side of Pryde.
*Proposed legislation to protect volunteer
firefighters and ambulance workers
EXETER — Huron gency ' Volunteers Pre- ' raised by volpnteer fire -
MPP Helen Johns ays tection Act, introduced fighters and ambulance
new- legislation intro- by Labour Minister Jim workers. .
duced to Queen's Park Flaherty, will protect vol- "We are committed to
will ensure fair injury, unteer firefighters and ° ensuring that vot;unteers
compensation for vol- ambulance workers if _ are given the recognition
unteer fire and am- they are injured during , and protectioh that they
bulance workers in Hu-, . volunteer duties. It deserve.;'
ron County. would: allow municipal-
"Since the . fire de- ities to select the ainount
partments in Huron are of coverage to ' which
comprised of volunteer - their volu steers are en -
firefighters. this legisla- titled; ensure volunteer
tion has substantial im- firefighters and am -
plications for our .firer' butance workers could
fighters," Johns said. continue to collect. em -
"Volunteer - firefighters ployment benefits from'
and _ ambulance at- their full-time or part- ,
tendants perform a vital time employer; require
service to Hdron County full/time employers ',offer
residents. This govern- re-employment to an in-
ment is ensuring that jured wdrkerand 'par -
our volunteers are pro- ticipate in' return -to-,
tected against injury work programs. '
with a fair and adequate "Volunteer firefighter
compensation system," and . ambulance at -
she said. tendants are a dedicated
"The concerns raised group that deserve' our
by Huron County fire- unending gratitude. They
fighters and ambulance are a vital resource to
attendants are ad- our communities," said.
dressed in this legisla- Johns. "The proposed
tion." legislation is fair and ad -
If passed, the Frmer- dresses the, concerns
Avon Maitland, examines test results
Shuffleboard
?, Exeter -: December 2 '
3 game wieners: Ray . , ,
Hodgson. Seim Gosar. Ann
Northey
2 game winners: MQa, Williams.
Hal Walsh. Howard Johns. -
Jeanne Phillips. Mike Underhill.
Aldeen Skinner. Delmer
4kinngr. pleanor Hendricks.
,Helen Burton, June Hodgson.
Bill Sullivan. Tom Williams
PoUuck lunch: December 9
.Hensall - Decem1ier 1
6 game winners
Dave Woodward
Isabel Rogerson 1,
Llpyd Lovell
Gert Eagleson
Tom Williams
' Lorraine Alexander
Hazel McEwen
Bill Coleman
5 game winners
Doris Hamilton 360
Alice Thiel 355
Pearl McKnight 332
Ina Williams 323
'517.
461-
460
456
451
436
420
400
Carpeit bowling:,
Exeter - December 4 -
2W37 .
2W30
2W26
2W25
2W25
2W23
2W23
2W22
Marion Dearing
Mike Underhill
BILI B?u
Helen Patterson
Cannon Stewatt
Cathy Bell '
Wilma Davis'
Bill Sullivan
iAiidrey MacGregor ' 2W18
Team standings as of
-December
,DeWeerd' - 18
Deichert 1 16
Wein
Hodgson
Maxwell
Batten` ,
Hamilton
Undlerhill
16
11
$1 ,11'
9
8
7
(South Huron.inflori
r Soccer
Men's League - Dec. 2
Stratford 14 -, Eispter Fury 1
tGoals for Stratford: Carlos
Ramos (4). Edvin Mena (3). Keiyi
Donnelly (2). Martin Butler (2).
Dairren Floyd! Marcel Misuraca.
Mark Weyers
Goal far, Exeter Fury: Craig i
Saunders
Grand Bend 10 vs. Exeter
Thunder 4 „
Goals for Grand Bend: Fadhil
Asker (5). Jeremy Arnold (2),
Paul D'Hollander (2). David
Bushnell + i
Goals for Exeter Thunder: .
Andrew Prout (2). Peter,
1ragiskatos. George McEwan
Goderich 4 vs. Exeter
Centennials 2
Goals for Stratford: Kevin
Meidiiiger (2), Gerd Keller. Henk
Paroys
Goals for Exeter Centennials:
Richard Verberne. Jog Circelli
Continued from front page
study's intent was not to
compare the schools but
to deal with the board's
schools as a whole. She
said releasing test results
for each, school would
encourage the public to
pit schools against each
other.
There were four skill
levels tested in Math,
writing and reading in the
,board -wide test: While
Avon Maitland students
consistently exceeded the
provincial averages in the
first two levels, they fell
below provincial averages
in the top two levels.,
In response, Parsons
said the board needs to
make its students not only
.achieve the .corredt
answers when solving
problems, but be able to
explain how they got the
answer. She said students
also need to better com-
municate what they don't
t iderstand.
The board will also look
to improve its students'
independent work. She
said while teachers must -
guide the students, inde-
pendence for the students
is important.
A comprehensive board
action plan will be devel-
oped and released to the
public by Feb. 1, 1999, in
response to the test
results. Each school has
also been required to
de'elop an action plan in
response to the' needs of
its students: