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HomeMy WebLinkAboutClinton News-Record, 1978-05-04, Page 1A solid buck? r A highlight of the Huron Centennial spring concert was a the Canadian dollar. The concert which was shown for two takeoff on the news put on by Grade 6A. Here the QTTC, nights last week used as its theme television spinoffs. News. Weather and Sports team discuss the present state of (News -Record photo) 113th year —No. 18 Thursday, May 4, 1978 30 cents ''own hall unique, expert says By R. J. Thompson Clinton's .town hall is a building of impressive and unique design, and its restoration could make It one of the area's finest examples of our ar- chitectural heritage. That was the message of Sheila Larmer of the ministry of culture and recreation, who addressed the newly formed Clinton LACAC at its meeting on Wednesday, April 26th. Ms. Larmer is a representative of the ministry's Heritage Conservation Division, which governs the protection and restoration of properties considered important examples of Ontario's cultural and architectural development. Beauty or individuality of design is only pne of the the possible reasons for �A• vis awarded street contracts Clinton council will continue with their street reconstruction projects this year, and Monday night awarded tenders to completely rebuild two streets and to finish paving two others. Lavis Construction Co. of Clinton was awarded a $72,431 contract to recon- struct Walker Street from King to Vittoria Streets, and Maple Street from Mill to Whitehead streets, and to put the final coat of asphalt on James Street between King and Maria, and on High Street between Kirk and East streets. Lavis's price was the lowest of three tenders received, including E.C. King Construction of Owen Sound at $85,435, and Wayne Lowry Construction of Kincardine at $96,130. In addition to the Lavis contract, the town public works department are in- stalling storm sewers, making the total cost to the town of about $100,000. Clerk Cam Proctor said that, subject to approval of the ministry if tran- sportation and communication, the project would be subsidized by provincial grants. Police radio system sparks debate BY JOANNE WALTERS. Despite warnings from Ontario Police Commission (OPC) officials that "time is of the essence", representatives of five Huron County towns were unable to reach a decision about where a proposed common police communications centre should be located at a meeting on the subject held at Clinton town hall last Wednesday. The main area of contention lies between Goderich and Clinton. The meeting ended abruptly without a decision when Clinton Police Chief Lloyd Westlake stood up, pointed his finger at the Goderich delegation and began arguing about the efficiency level of his police department as compared to the G oderich department. He then stalked from the room as chairman of the session, W.S. Shimmin, OPC representative, adjourned the meeting. The towns of Goderich, Seaforth, Clinton, Exeter and Wingham have agreed to link their police forces with a radio system that can be used as an integrated•communications system. The primary purpose of this system is two fold says M.J. McInerney, com- munications advisor of the technical services branch of the OPC. It is to provide safety measures for police and to give them access to the Canadian Police Information Centre (CPIC) terminals, the closest one being at the O.P.P. station of the Goderich detach- ment. The present system is inadequate because, after office hours, the police must rely on answering services or a radio -telephone system to receive calls. The need for the system has been 1 1 established and McInerney was present at last Wednesday's meeting simply to outline the best system for the area based on his meetings with the various chiefs and on the results of technical surveys. "As far as our department is con- cerned now, we're at a standstill," McInerney informed those present. "We have to know where the dispatch centre is going to be located and what it's going to look like before we canfgo ahead." McInerney said there would have to be phone lines (emergency numbers) from all the municipalities to the dispatch centre but where the main phone would be answered, is "relatively im- material." He also said that if anything happened to these phone lines, the system could operate independently. The next step, said McInerney, is to put a specification on the design and decide where the dispatch centre will be located. After these steps, he said, tenders would be called and evaluated by the OPC and a system purchased. It could take as many as six to 10 months before this system is even delivered and then it would have to be installed so "there is no time for dilly dallying around" he advised. "We would like to go ahead quickly," said McInerney. "The (provincial) money that is available for the system this year must be spent in this fiscal year." He warned those at the meeting that if they didn't act quickly, the system could be lost to them altogether as there are "23 other stations lined up behind you" First column: elections By Jim Fitzgerald For a while last week, it appeared as if voters in Ontario would be faced with going to the polls three times this year as it seemed ominous that a provincial, a federal, and municipal elections would be held this year. But Provincial treasurer Darcy McKeough and his Conservative peers and members of the Opposition Liberals and NDP reached a com- promise on, the widely debated 014IP premium increase, and the tension has melted away like a snowbank in May sunshine. Even the possibility of a spring federal election is slowly evaporating as the gallop polls show the Liberals and Progressive Conservatives tied in popular vote. However, there will be municipal elections for sure (acclamations aside, we hope) this year, but much earlier, on November 13, than has been the past tradition. Why, you may ask are we talking elections this early in the year, when with the warn sun warming up our weather weary bones, it is the fur- thest thing from most people's minds? Simply because, with the election falling in the early part of November, we have to be prepared in September, and with many people away in the summer months of July and August, some plans of action must be made before the summer exodus. Think about it. Are you happy with your present council? And better still, are you willing to put your name on tile ballot to help your community out? +++ It was hard to believe, but most Clintonians dragged out their winter garb earlier this Week, as May came in like a lion, complete with record breaking cold temperatures, and a light snowfall. Tony Chir of the Goderich weather office says April, like March and February this year, was colder than normal, and much colder than last year. However, April 1978 will go down as a sunny, very dry month, with only about half the normal 63.5 mm of precipitation, and Tony says warmer, wetter weather is finally on the way to relieve the near drought conditions in some of those newly planted fields of spring grain. +++,, The exceptionally dry sunny weather has given us several positive benefits, however, including a sen- sational display of the northern lights on Monday night. The perfect weather also gave yours truly a chance to take some excellent aerial shots of Clinton last Sunday from a plane piloted by David Anstett of town. David seems just as competent behind the wheel of a plane as he does making fine jewellery. The view from 1,000 feet up is fantastic, and puts a brand new perspective'on the town. +++ And no, as of presstime, I still haven't planted my garden, setting a new record for the latest start ever. The ground is just too cold. also wanting the system. The province will pay 75 per cent of the $70,000 startup cost for the system, with the five municipalities paying the remaining 25 per cent and operating costs. McInerney said the OPC's con- cern is with the capital costs and they are objective about where the centre is located as long as it meets conditions for the provincial grant. One of these conditions is that the province will not give the 75 per cent grant unless the town where the dispatch centre is to be located, has continuous 24- hour coverage under police control. Up until now, it appeared that Goderich would get the dispatch centre because it is the only town of the five with this continuous 24-hour coverage. Exeter mayor Bruce Shaw said, "With the manpower Goderich has and their facilities, I'm of the opinion that the dispatch centre should be in Goderich." He added that he was authorized by his council to give his approval of the Goderich location and said, "let's get it done". However, Clinton mayor Harold Lobb and Chief Westlake, said Clinton, as the centre of the county, was a logical location. After the meeting Lobb said, "It seems to me that everything has to be in Goderich and I think it's time to split things up." Lobb said the town of Clinton would be willing to add at least one policeman to their force and expand its headquarters to qualify for the dispatch. centre and that the changes would be made at no cost to the other municipalities. "Why would you even want to spend the extra money to have the dispatch centre? Exeter wouldn't want to," said Mayor Shaw. Goderich mayor Deb Shewfelt said, "I'd want assurance that Clinton would be willing to beef up its manpower (if the centre is to be located in Clinton)." Afterwards, Mayor Shewfelt com- mented, "If the shoe were on the other Turn to page 3 • preserving a building. Other con- siderations may be the history of the property and its past owners, and its role in the community or the country's past. The Ontario Heritage Act (1974) provides for the preservation of such properties for the benefit of future generations. At the provincial level, conservation is under the Heritage Division. This branch of the ministry works in co- operation with community groups like the one in Clinton, which are known as LACACs (Local Architectural Con- servancy Advisory Committees). These local groups consider which properties in their area may be of sufficient merit to be recognized as part of our cultural heritage. These properties are then recommended by the group, for provincial recognition. Both privately owned and public buildings rnav he considered. A typical example is Clinton's town hall. The structure is of impressive size and striking design, with its interesting window treatment and steep mansard roof - not a common feature of this type of building. The history of its function is that of a building which has been the centre of the town's activity: the home of municipal government, the police department, and the many organizations who have used it as a meeting -place. Formerly it was also the centre of social events, and although the large auditorium upstairs has stood unused for many years, its past beauty can still be seen. It is the task of local heritage groups and the municipal councils whom they advise, to decide whether pieces of history can and will be preserved to continue to fill a role in the life of the community. Music course may go Although no decision has been made, the music course at CHSS may be dropped in the future. Unless more students can be enticed to sign up for the course the Huron County Board of education may remove the subject from CHSS's cirriculum. Gord Phillips, principal of CHSS ex- plained that the major reason for the possible elimination of the subject is due to lack of enrollment in the program. Presently there are approximately 40 students taking part in the program. At the beginning of the school year, only seven students registered for the first year program while the minimum initial registration figure is supposed to be 25 students. According to Mr. Phillips probably one of the main reasons why students have not signed up for the course is because of the instrument rentals. When the course was set up some three years ago, the board approved it, providing that it would be of no extra cost to them. Presently, students enrolled in the program, which balances vocal and instrumental learning, pay a yearly fee averaging $60 for the rental of their instrument. The instruments taught are Turn to page 3 • ( Ticket worth $iO,OOO An RR 2, Clinton woman, who seldom buys lottery tickets, was a winner of $10,000 in last Thursday night's Wintario lottery draw. Mrs. Mabel Price bought her first ticket in six months recently, and last week was one of the major winners. In fact, Mrs. Price, whose husband Glenn runs Clere-Vu Auto Wreckers, has only bought six tickets in all the time the Wintario draw has been running. She almost didn't buy the ticket at NIONOP all, but just happened to be in Cutt's Store in Goderich when a man ahead of her in the check out asked for a ticket and she decided to get one too.,. "We plan to take a trip to Van- couver to see some aunts and uncles I've never met," she replied when asked how she planned to spend the money. She said she also wanted to give her daughter Heather and son-in-law Bill Hoggarth a trip as well. oard to review "dirty" books 4'4 BY JEFir SEDDON The Huron County Board of Education sent its dirty book problem to a com- mittee Monday to decide if three English literature texts contain material "ob- jectionable for teaching county secondary school students. The board voted to give the problem to the school programs policy committee which decides what textbooks to recommend to the board for use in the classroom.,The move was made to avoid another confrontation between teachers and students who feel the books are worthwhile and parents who feel they should be banned from school use. The three books — The Diviners by Margaret Laurence, Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger and Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck — became the centre of attention for a third time recently when the St. 'Joseph's Catholic Women's League from Kingsbridge began a letter writing campaign to have them taken off the list of books used in the secondary school English literature curriculum in Huron. The CWL cited about half a dozen excerpts from each novel, in a campaign involving board trustees, parents, members of parliament, the minister of education, township councils in the county and other Catholic Women's Leagues. The campaigns asked that the Final exams delayed week BY JEFF SEDDON Huron County's high school students will have an extra four days to study for final exams this June after a • move by the Huron County Board of Education Monday to make up time lost due to the recent 31 -day teacher strike. The board picked up an additional week of instructional time on the school calendar by delaying final exams until June 22, what would have been the second last day of exams under the old school calendar. The date for the commencement of final exams was the latest the board could have used to meet ministry of education requirements to have the school year completed by the end of June. In a recommendation to the board, Director of Education John Cochrane said the four days was all the board could add to the school calendar. He said recent moves by the board had added 14 more instructional days to the 1977-78 school calendar over the previous year meaning only 13 instructional days were lost over the 31 -day strike compared to the previous school year. The strike -lockout situation which began in' Huron February 15 and ended April 13 closed classrooms in the county for 31 days. The board picked up some of those days by cancelling mid-term exams (six days), eliminating the need for course review for those exams (three days) and ben fitting from a storm free winter which alThWed schools to be open five more days than the previous winter. Cochrane asked the bbard to consider other moves which would assure con- tinuous classroom instruction until the final examinations began. He suggested that athletic activities during regular school hours be eliminated except with the prior approval of the director, the elimination of student field trips during class time, elimination of professional development activities during class time and general discouragement of special leave for teachers. The recom- mendations were approved by the board. Hereford steer loses in crash A 900 pound Hereford steer owned by Norman Cartwright, R.R. 1, Londesboro had to be killed after it was struck by a car travelling along concession 8 - 9 of Hullett Township of April 24. James Button, 26, of R.R. 1 Lon- desboro escaped injury but received $1,000 damage to the car he was driving when it collided with the stray cattle beast. Peter Davidson, 19, of Stratford escaped with no injuries when the car he was driving was involved in a single vehicle accident, April 30 on concession 5 - 6 of Goderich Township. The Goderich detachment of the OPP reported that damages to the Davidson vehicle were set at $1,800 after the north- ound vehicle crossed the roadway and rolled into the west ditch. groups and individuals contact the board requesting the three novels be banned in Huron high schools. Seaforth trustee John Henderson said at Monday's board meeting that he would like more positive action taken by the board. He said the board had "wrestled with the problem"' fbefore and still faced the same controversy. Henderson said once it went to the education committee, once to the executive committee and now the school programs committee. He said he would like the motion sending the three novels to the committee amended to have The Diviners taken off the list. Director of education John Cochrane told the board that by doing that the board would probably face another parent -teacher -student confrontation. He said that move was suggested before and one board meeting brought the groups together in an emotional display that solved nothing. Cochrane suggested that by sending the matter toThe committee the problem could be resolved between the principals of the schools, English department heads and trustees. He said the books would probably not be on the list of texts for next year if the board took that route. "It would be a fair bet, if I were a -betting man, that the books won't appear on the list next year," he said. "That's the reason they were sent to the com- mittee." The director told the board that recent board policy required the board to allow ons. month for groups affected by a board decision to come to the board to appeal the decision. He said by removing the texts from the list the board was inviting opponents of that move to make their case known to the trustees, something that was done last Turn to page 3 • Weather 1978 1977 N1 LO H1LO APRIL 25 17 6 26 18 2.5 27 18 3 28 17 -2 • 29 16 -1 30 8.5 -5 MAY 1 6 -6 73 41 Rain .36 Rain .68 52 55 66 60 51 67 40 35 32 31 24 37 There are plenty of"dolls" in the theatrical production of"Guys and Dolls", to be presented for three evenings next Week at Central Huron Secondary School. The students, with the support of the Lions and the community, have put hundreds of hours into the stage show. Here one of the leads, Louisa Martens, left, as Miss Adelaide, poses with other gals, Kathryn Martens, Ayse Unsal and Ruthann Penfound. (Rhea Ilamilton photo)