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HomeMy WebLinkAboutTimes Advocate, 1995-08-16, Page 2Less expensive beer becoming popular Brenda Burke T -A staff EXETER - Many people are reaching for less 'expensive beer these days. According to Barry Baynham, who's managed The Beer Store in Exeter for eight years, "Cheaper beers (have) taken a chunk of the Less expensive beers are gaining popularity these days with lager and light beer attracting their share of consumer atten- tion as well. Vehicle thefts .r Continued from front page It can be difficult for police to track thefts from vehicles. • "Now there are so many sus- pects," said Weverink, ex- plaining car stereos are an easy commodity to sell, warning anyone purchasing such an item with a questionable history could be charged with posses- sion of stolen property. It's dif- ficult for police to identify the articles, which are generally stolen more often during sum- mer months. "People tend to lock their cars more in the winter," said Weve- rink who added the problem is not isolated in Exeter alone. "It's probably a province - wide or even country -wide trend," he said. "Right now Ex- eter is going through that phase where things are happening." But people seem to take the necessary theft precautions once activity in an area in- creases. "Once burnt, a lot of people catch on," said Weverink. Vehicle alarms are becoming more common, as are:property sensor lights. Police also rec- ommend removable car stereos, identifying valuables with seri- al numbers or initials, parking in lit areas, placing items in the trunk out of site and most im- portantly, locking vehicles. market and they've only been out in the last couple of years." At least ten .new, Tess expensive beers have emerged during the past few years. Beers like Mol son's Black Ice and Carling as well as Labatt's Extra Dry and Wildcat have proved popular. Micro - breweries have come out with similarly priced products such as Lakers and Dave Nichols. Also, American beer is known for its af- fordability. The price difference between an ordinary case of 24 beer at $27.50 in- cluding deposit, and a less expensive type, is $3.50 per case. "You're choice is still there. It's just a cheaper price...Each brewery has the cheaper brand," said Baynham, adding "Prices are changing every week." Currently, 58 per cent of the total cost of beer is made up of taxes. It's usually this tax change that af- fects the price of beer most often. It's only after the government con- trols beer's minimum price that breweries set their own prices. "We're not owned by the govern- ment but we're government con- trolled in certain areas," said Bayn- ham. Despite the growing popularity of inexpensive beer, (auger beers are still in demand, with light beer gaining consumer attention as well. And price isn't beer's sole sale factor. "The weather does play a big fac- tor," said Baynham. "We've had a good summer. Our volume is up over last summer but not a huge deal." While Exeter Beer Store week- end customers are fairly steady, weather has more determining power through the week as far as sales go. Because he has a constant ssupply of local customers, Bayn for its taste. Baynham described micro -brewery beer as beer with "a different taste." During the past five years, micro -brewery beer has increased in popularity. It's a different cus- tomer that they're go- ing after," said Bayn- ham. 'Most of the micro -breweries are a little more expensive." While micro - breweries transfer their beer to Ex- eter from Grand Bend, once -a - week toads are trucked in from oth- er companies who pick up the empties and recyclable items. "That's a big part of our business, the recyclables," said Baynham who said at 10 cents a return, 98 per cent of all beer bottles are re- turned and more than 90 per cent of cans are returned. During an Adopt -a -Hiway project near Sault Ste. Marie, the ratio of garbage collected to beer bottles was 50 to one. Not only are empties getting reused these days, beer caps, plastic can rings and beer boxes are being recycled as well. upply of local customers, Bayn- "Your choice is still there. It's just a cheaper price...Each brewery has the cheaper brand." Permanent liquor licence in Town's best interest? EXETER - Exeter Town Coun- cil .met last Tuesday night to deal with just a few small items of busi- ness, but the first matter occupied almost an hour's time as Council- ors tried to determine if a request from the Recreation Board were in the Town's best interests. The complicated issue centres around the application for a permanent liq- uor licence. Deputy Reeve Dave Urlin sum- marized the Board's position sim- ply as a matter of control -- who operates the bar and where should the profits go? Council is required to give its permission to the Board before an application may be sub- mitted. Councilor Robert Drum- mond observed, "We can protect ourselves better and besides if we run the functions, we should get a cut,' Reeve Bill Mickle was more con- cerned with the policy under which this procedure would operate: "It makes sense to formulate a policy before the licence is applied f.. r. I'm very uncomfortable if we oper- ate under the status quo. Either I don't understand or I'm confused: we'll have a licence if people want it, but we'll issue it only as we see fit." Councilor Roy Triebner ob- served, "The assumption should be that the Board will issue all licences and not farm any out." Arena Manager Cam Stewardson, who was also in" attendance, stated that the Exeter Legion had a policy whereby it took all the proceeds from the bar, but it had to revert to its previous policy in order to be competitive. Urlin advised Council, "Every special occasion permit costs the Board $105, and we have little or no control. After an initial fee of $1200 and annual fees of about $240, we will have absolute control." Mickle was still concerned about the Town's responsibility. (ed.'s note: some of these comments cause one to wonder if everyone is on the same topic, but the issue appeared to be more complex than it was.) The matter concluded with Coun- cil's granting the Rec Board's re- quest and Councilor Bob Spears' caution that the policy devised by the Board should be flexible enough to meet the needs of a large variety of applicants. • ham doesn't have to worry about the ebb and flow of sales tourist ar- eas ceas deal with. "My summers have been pretty constant here," he said of the store which opened in 1962 and em- ploys about seven part time em- ployees in the summer and 4 part time employees during winter months. Price and weather put aside, how- ever, some beer is bought simply for its taste. Baynham described micro -brewery beer as beer with "a different taste." During the past five years, micro - brewery beer has increased in pop- . ularity. "It's a different customer that they're going after," said Baynham. "Most of the micro -breweries are a little more expensive." While micro -breweries transfer their beer to Exeter from Grand Bend, once -a -week loads are trucked in from other companies who pick up the empties and re- cyclable items. "That's a big part of our business, the recyclables," said Baynham who said at 10 cents a return, 98 per cent of 211 beer bottles are re- turned and more than 90 per cent of cans are returned. During an Adopt -a -Hiway project near Sault Ste. Marie, the ratio of garbage collected to beer bottles was 50 to one. Not only are empties getting reused these days, beer caps, plastic can rings and beer boxes are being recycled as well. Co-operative site plan approved Plan approved by council pending meeting of drainage requirements outlined in clerk's report HENSALL - Council approved the report of the clerk - part two which recommends approval of the site plan for the expansion of the Hensall District Cooperative Inc. The report suggested council ap- prove the plan in principle for the development pending the meeting of drainage requirements. Two new developments are planned by the Co-op. These include the construction of a new specialty colored bean receiving elevator and the expansion of the existing warehouse on Mill Street. The two issues which should be addressed on the site plan ac- cording to Wayne Caldwell, planner HCPD, are the loading re- quirements and drainage. "The items under site plan that should be addressed are off street vehicular loading and grading or alteration in elevation or contour of the land and provision for disposal of storm, surface and waste wa- ter," stated the clerk's report. Further review of the plans for the roof drains and the Mill Street storm drain is required for the bean packing warehouse. The report indicated the loading and unloading of trucks is not likely to create a conflict with peak seasons of crop delivery since this area of Mill Street is already in use for shipping and receiving. The Co-op has made an application for a minor variance in regards to the loading area and the public hearing for this will be held in council chambers on August 24 at 7p.m. Grand Bend beach area popular topic at council meeting Chris Skalkos T -A staff GRAND BEND - The beach was a popular topic at a Grand Bend council meeting last Tuesday. Council members heard three delegates speak about issues regarding the Harbor Plan, a boardwalk and beach vol- leyball during the early portion of the meeting. Betty Henry, a summer resident of Grand Bend approached council with a petition responding to the harbor waterfront development study and proposals drafted last August. Henry collected the signatures of 24 people who were con- cerned about proposed changes tt, .he waterfront. The petition stated an opposition to any development to the harbor including the construction of boat basins, break water walls, pier extensions or any other structures that would en- croach on the beach or waterfront. "We believe the beaches of Grand Bend are its most val- uable assets and to turn any part of the north or south beach into a road, parking lot or boat basin is Iudicrous...the present development options would put an undue burden on already ovep axed taxpayers " read Henry from the petition. She alt6 c the possible ebtvittnf 'ental impact extending the harbor may have on the old riverbed wetland. Henry saki she has talked to other residents who feel coun- cil should be concentrating on improving the streetscape along Main Street. "The harbor is not a priority with many people in our area. If council has money to spend they could be spending it on other. areas," she said. Councillor Bob Mann said the harbor study addresses the environmental issues citing studies which show an extension off the south pier further into the lake would improve sand Page 2 Times -Advocate, August 16, 1995 Future of GDCI uncertain GODERICH - Until options to fund a new high school can be explored, the calls for tenders to renovate Goderich and District Collegiate Institute are on hold, reported the Goderich Signal - Star. The renovation plans include upgrades to the 'mechanical and electric systems, ventilation im- provements and changes to classrooms. The School Advisory Coun- cil's action committee is looking into whether funding is available for a new building. The group intends to lobby politically for funding to replace the 1950's building which was shut down for two days in March, during the flu season. The ventilation system may have contributed to the closure. Construction costs for a new facility are estimated at $13.2 million. Bayfield clerk retiring BAYFIELD - After 14 years of service to the Village of Bay- field, Clerk -treasurer Pat Gra- ham will be retiring effective August 31. Graham, 67, has served as clerk for the longest period in the history of 'the municipality, reported the Clinton News - Record. In their retirement, Graham and his wife Wynn plan to sit back and enjoy the village. He told the Record it was the people he enjoyed most about his job. "Being in touch with the peo- ple on a personal one-on-one ba- sis. I like that... and there's no doubt in my mind that I will miss it," said Graham. Missing girl search widens GODERICH - With 11 weeks passed since a Goderich girl, Mistie Nicole Murray was re- ported missing, the search has been widened to include a tele- phone 'hot-line', reported the Goderich Signal -Star. Goderich Police are still fol- lowing up leads and sightings but these are becoming more in- frequent and so far no positive contact with Mistie has been confirmed. The investigation to date will be reviewed and a new team of investigators assembled. Once the case has been completely re- viewed, a determination of di- rection will be made. The OPP Criminal Investiga- tion Branch has been contacted and Detective Inspector Wally Baker has been assigned to lead the review. The investigation will be coordinated with Gode- rich Police Const. Mark John- ston. Volunteers harvest donation for food bank SEAFORTH - Volunteers with 13 combines gleaned ap- proximately 225 tones of wheat from 114 acres northeast of Sea - forth last Tuesday for the area's annual donation to the Canadian Foodgrains Bank, reported the Huron Expositor. The grain will be storakat ele- vators in Goderich to be shipped to the world's starving by the na- tional relief organization. The Seaforth project has re- mained the largest of 65 similar projects in Ontario. The volun- teer crew was congratulated for their practicality and organiza- tion in the midst of the busy har- vest season for farmers. 1 drift. "Your petition seems to suggett that it's going to be en- vironmentally unfriendly to do the very things the environ- mentalists in the harbor study say will improve," said Mann, adding copies of the study were available to the pub- lic in the village's municipal office. Henry said many of the people she spoke to were sur- prised to hear about the plans included in the harbor study and some were hearing about it for the first time. "Not many people were aware of the study, they didn't know the proposals had been put forward. When 1 showed them the report many of them were shocked," Henry said. Mayor Cam Ivey reminded Henry three public meetings were held at three different times in order to accommodate seasonal residents of Grand Bend. "We are never going to satisfy everybody about the time- liness of the meetings. I feel we bent over backwards to en- sure we inform the public as best we could," said Ivey. Council accepted the petition. Don Boyes stood before council to explain a recommenda- tion put forth by the Parks and Recreation Committee. Boyes said the committee would like to have "council's blessing" to develop a feasibility study regarding the con- struction of a boardwalk on the beach. Ivey said the Grand Bend Rotary Club has already done a similar study on boardwalk designs in the past and the Parks and Recreation committee should consult them for information. "I think the committee should be aware of what is avail- able first before they cone in and say we need some more study on this. Maybe they will find out they don't need any more study than what they [the Rotary club] already has," he said. Ivey also mentioned there were other factors that should be considered when talking about a boardwalk. The beach's soft sand provided a construction obstacle and the issue of beach ownership has not been fully resolved. In further business, Barry Brownlee, representing the On- tario Volleyball Association (OVA) attended the meeting to inform council the Ontario Beach Volleyball Tour is plan- ning another event in Grand Bend and they asked council to waive their part of the $500 user fee charged for holding the event on the beach. Brownlee told council the last time they held the event, it was highly successful, attracting many tourists and media promotion to the area. "We brought a lot of people to Grand Bend promoting it as a family weekend. The merchants were extremely busy," said Brownlee. "Out of all the places the Ontario Volkyball Tour goes, Grand Bend is the only place that charges us for use of the beach, and this area had better [radio) promotion than anywhere else on the.tour." O _ Ivey said neither he or the rest of council objected to the event or the side benefits it attracted; however, they had to be careful in order to protect their interests. "From a dollars and cents point of view it's not big revenue for the village but we don't want to be taken advantage of. The beach is a valuable asset to our community so we guard it with a fair degree of concern," said Ivey. Council agreed to discuss the matter with beach owner Ar- chie Gibbs and reply to Brownlee the next time council meets.