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HomeMy WebLinkAboutTimes-Advocate, 1999-03-03, Page 1S�EIP'S vu -mart 4 & 83 Exeter 235-0262 z- Photo finishing C v L $4.99 rou -J - 24 pictures SIP'S. v u -mart 4 & 83 Exeter 235-0262 Hot deli chicken or roast beef dinners TIMES ADVOCATE Exeter, Ontario, Canada • Wednesday, March 3, 1999 n.. r .. .... .. .... ..:: G:;:•.''.it'i:y{iii-:y:; $ 1.00 (includes GST) Hospital facing ER problems By Scott Nixon TIMES -ADVOCATE STAFF SEAFORTH — The CEO of the Huron Perth Hospitals PartnerslQiip admits South Huron Hospital may experi- ence the same problems keeping its emergency room open this summer as it did last summer. Bonnie Adamson said the partnership's management team is working with medical staff at the hospital to prevent the emergency room from being shut down. A shortage of doctors caused the hospital to close the emergency room at various times last summer. Adamson said she believes an emergency room clo- sure can be avoided, although she said the shortage of rural doctors means "it may be recurring." Hospitals are under more pressure during the sum- mer whendoctors take vacations. Also, Exeter faces an influx of tourists in the Grand Bend area. The town was recently granted official underserviced status and needs three more doctors. Adamson said the key to ensuring South Huron's emergency room stays open is simply to make sure there is an adequate number of physicians at the hos- pital. She added that, .contrary to the common belief, See ER PROBLEMS page 3 Council pledges up to $2;000 for playground accessibility project ms+ • Smith -Peat Roofinglooking to expand By Craig Bradford TIMES -ADVOCATE STAFF each adding a 60'X70' part to the existing facili- ty. EXETER — Exeter Watson said the cost of council paved the way for the project isn't known a local business to expand but did say he may be hir- at Monday's meeting. ing more staff. Smith -Peat Smith -Peat Roofing ' id now employs 55 full-time Sheet Metal Ltd., through and 65 in the summer. the landowner Exeter A second public meeting Produce and Storage Co. on Nauvoo Investments Ltd., applied for an got a Ltd.'s (Moffatt & Powell) zoning bylaw amendment zoning bylaw amendment to convert just Less than and official plan amend - an acre of land on the ment was deferred for north side of Thames Rd. two weeks by council to W. just west of. Francis St. meet the Planning Act's to general industrial from new mandatory delay by highway commercial-spe- municipalities approving tial. official plan amendments. Counoil discussed the IsilLuvoo wants to turn matter at a public meet- just over a half acre of ing during the regular land on the west side of council meeting. Francis St. between The rezoning will allow Thames R d . and Smith -Peat. to build onto Alexander St. from indus- its current facilities and . trial to industrial to allow add a maintenance .the development of up to garage and storage area. four 49' wide single fami- Smith-Peat owner ly dwelling lots. Robert Watson was at the The .Ausable Bayfield meeting. Conservation Authority He told the T -A in an recommended lot grading interview that the project and drainage plans be will have two phases, done and Huron County underlined the affect to the environment and compatibility with nearby industrial land, especially in the future. Nabisco Foods also asked some questions by phone on• whether the planned new homes would be affected by its operations, especially with odour and noise. Nabisco did not send official word to council on its concerns by mail. Chief administrative officer Rick Hundey rec- ommended the two week deferral so Nauvoo could do an environmental analysis and to observe the mandatory waiting period. Hundey did favour the rezoning since the resi- dential lots would act as a buffer to increased traffic and other industrial con- cerns in the area. Coun. Peter Armstrong noted the potential homes would need fences to pro- tect against noise and' other industrial nui- sances. By Craig Bradford TIMES -ADVOCATE STAFF • EXETER — Soon South Huron Rec Centre's play! ground will be accessible to almost every child. Exeter council approved an up to $2,000 grant to the South Huron Rec Centre and the Resource Program of Community Support for Families (CSFF) for their joint ven- ture to make the Rec Centre's playground accessible to all children. Council will match any donations from the pri- vate sector and communi- ty groups up to $2,000 through an approved motion by Reeve Roy Triebner. .11 "We all win in the long run," Triebner said. Planned to be installed are a wheelchair accessi- ble sandbox ($895), activ- ity panels ($350); wheel- chair accessible picnic tables ($450) and toddler swings (range of prices). In a letter to council and community groups, Rec Centre program co-ordi- nator Jo -Anne Fields and CSFF's Sharon Allison said they are approaching service clubs for financial help due to government cutbacks. • The equipment is. planned to be installed for the start of the Exeter and Area Summer Playground program in July '99. Gas bills going up $50? EXETER — Natural gas customers may be in for an increase. Maybe. Exeter council discussed a notice from Enbridge Consumers Gas (formerly Consumers' Gas Company) about its appli- cation to the Ontario Energy Board to fix rates for the sale, distribution, transmission and storage of gas for next year. Enbridge forecasts a revenue shortfall of $94.9 million during 2000 and in each year following if the Ontario Energy Board doesn't adjust its rates. If Enbridge gets its rate adjustment, its customers would see an about $50 per year increase in their bills. Enbridge is among many companies created recently to provide gas service after the industry was deregulated by the province.