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HomeMy WebLinkAboutClinton News-Record, 1978-09-07, Page 3• • Harness racing has long history in Clinton by Elaine Townshend "They're off!" is a familiar call at the Clinton Kinsmen Raceway every Sunday afternoon during the summer and, in July of this year, on Thursday evenings as well. But the popularity of the sport of training and racing standardbred horses in Clinton goes back many years. In 1943, a group of interested horsemen formed a Turf Club with the purpose of promoting a racing circuit in their part of Western Ontario. The club sponsored one meet a year, and the first one was held on June 20, 1945 on a track rented from the Andrews' family on land now occupied by the Wildex Factory. Four classes made up the meet. In those days, two, three or more heats were run in each class and the winner was determined by its accumulated points total. In 1946, the annual meet was moved to a new track in the Clinton Community Park. The Park Board, with financial assistance from the Turf Club, began constructing a grandstand, and later a steel roof and a judges' stand were added. Because no barns were available, the horses were stalled in large tents, resembling those seen at a circus. It was not until 1949 that the Turf Club and the Spring Fair Board bought two church sheds and converted them into barns. Enthusiasm waned during the early sixties, and the turf club became dormant; all races were suspended. But in 1966, the club was reorganized due primarily to the efforts of Bruce' Nicholson. In 1969, the Kinsmen began making preparations to bring pari-mutuel wagering to Clinton, and in 1970, the "B" track began operating as the Clinton Kinsmen Raceway. The Turf Club has remained active since then in a small way and maintains a membership of approximately 25 persons. One of the directors of the revamped Turf Club in 1966 was Frank MacDonald, who has more than eighteen years experience in training and racing standardbred horses. He has seen many changes over the years and notes all of them have been for the better. "I can remember when the centre of the track was a swamp," he says. "-Back then, the tracks - were made of earth or clay, and sometimes a meet had to be cancelled because of poor track conditions. Now we have a good all-weather track." "We used to have trouble filling the race card," 'he continues, "because we had no ac- commodations for the horses. But now we have excellent facilities, and the races are safer, too." He feels the advent of the qualifying races was a good move. A horse has to prove he can race in a certain length of time for no money before he can enter a betting race. The regulations are much stricter now. For the last three years, the Clinton raceway has filmed the races for easy detection of any fouls com- mitted during a race. Urine tests and blood samples guard against the use of stimulaj is prior to a race, such as caffein which gives short- term'stimulus. Frank doesn't believe there was much use of drugs before the checks came into effect, but he adds with a grin, "There was always the story about the owner who brought a bottle of 'whiskey to the track. He'd take a swig and give the horse a swig, and by the time of the race, they'd bothi be drunk." Racing doesn't distribute enough money around the circuit to make it a dependable business. For most horsemen, it is a hobby and a chance to get away for a day. Most of the members of the Clinton Turf Club agree that pari- 'mutuel betting has been a plus for the Clinton raceway. The people set the odds now instead of the bookmakers. The two Kinsmen, who conceived the Idea of a pari-mutuel track in Clinton and convinced their fellow club members of its financial potential, were Frank Cook and Ted McCullough. "Our only concern," claims Frank Cook, "was that such a large money -making project might detract from the service club's other activities. But it hasn't. The club is still active in many areas and is , very successful in all its fund- raising projects." Qualifying for the pari-mutuel track was an 1r!n F.:li^H expensive risk. TQ meet the specifications of the Ontario Racing Commission and the Canadian Trotting Association, the 'Kinsmen invested approximately $50,000 to improve the track and to build a pari-mutuel area, a judges' stand, a secretary's office, two barns and a paddock area. , In the early years, their investment was returned along with enough money to pay for their betting machines, which they now rent to the Woodstock Raceway and to themselves' for $750 to $800 a night: They were also able to install flood lights at the ball diamond in 1972. , "We made mistakes, of course," Frank ad- mits, "like putting the pari-mutuel area in a hollow where the bettors couldn't see the race. We built up the„ area when we built the new grandstand last year.'' Turf Club agree the latest improvement to the raceway is adding to the enjoyment of racing in Clinton. be paid. The Kinsmen and the members of the Turf Club agree the latest improvement to the raeew yr- ding to the raceway is adding to the enjoyment of racing in Clinton. Thus far in the '78 season, the attendance has been comparable to that of other years, averaging 1,500 persons each .afternoon. The Thursday evening race meets hurt the overall attendance; but the Sunday betting has in- creased, and it looks like another good year at ,the Clinton Kinsmen Raceway. . ref . i✓.I�TTQN NRWS.;A. GQRD, THURSDAY, 5g ergmBgit 7 197.8 - A -r ,3 Harness racing is now a $1 million business in Clinton, as the track, run by the Kinsmen club, is expected to attract over 20,000 fans this summer, during the 17 -day race meet. Here a field of horses make a charge to the half -mile marker during a race last Sunday. (News -Record photo) Enrolment drops.:. • from page 1 The figures presented at Tuesday's board meeting in Clinton did not sur- prise board members, as they had predicted elementary enrolment would 'toe down a total of 137, while secondary would be up 23. School superintendent Don Kenwell said those figures are expected to be in line with board projects at the end of the month. "There's usually about 60 more enrolled by the end of September," Mr. Kenwell said. Area schools also have some new faces on the teaching staff, including Mrs. Florence Le Grow, Bonnie Jewitt and secretary Pat Mann at Clinton Public School; Wayne Nicholls and Mrs. Beth Hazlitt at Vanastra Public School. At Huron Centennial David Kemp is a new teacher, along with secretary June Cooper, while new faces at Holmesville Public include Debra Down and Mrs. Dore Chisholm. At Hullett, new faces include teachers Marianne Johnstone, Wendy Hoernig and Mrs. Barb Bosman, and secretary Mrs. Linda Bosman, and at St. Joe's Separate, the school has a new principal, Don Farwell and a new kindergarten teacher, Doreen Rogalo. New faces at Clinton Christian School include Mrs. Dorothy Prinzen, Miss Trix Kreeft, and John Huls, while at CHSS new staff members include Joanne DeGroot, Karen Robinson, Ali Farag, Eric Judge, and Jim Moore. Harness racing is a big business in Clinton, pum- ping thousands of dollars into the town in direct wages and purchases as well. as thousands of more indirect dollars. This picture shows the more than Board stand praised as banned book sells Behind every book banning there's increased sales. A letter from Albert Brown past president of the Ontario Library Association to the Huron County Board of Education indicated that the board's reaction to the book controversy in Huron may have been the best thing that happened to the books. The letter points out that if the board wanted Brown would send them a list of books that could use similar attention to boost ratings. The letter 'reads: "Huron County Board of Education 103 Albert St. Clinton, Ont. NoM 1 L0 Dear Sir: I take pleasure in congratulating you and the Board for bringing to the at- tention of thousands of Canadians of all ages, three of the best novels ever written in the English language in- cluding a modern Canadian classic. However, I would like to protest the banning of only the Canadian book, The Diviners by Margaret Laurence. The other two - Of Mice 'and Men by John Steinbeck and Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger - are, at the moment, in Mess demand in Canada and could use he notoriety of a good old fashioned Ontario book banning: By the way, there are 8 hard bk copies and 10 paper -back copies of The Diviners in branches of the Huron County libraries at the moment, but when I called Bill Partridge, the Huron County Librarian, on August 22, he said they were all out on loan but more were on order. I hope the teenagers of Huron County will be patient. All three books are worth waiting for. If the Huron County Board of Education•would be interested, I would be happy to send them a list of other NOTICE Ratepayers of The Town of Clinton are reminded Chat the third inztalMont of 1478 Taxes aro duo and paydbie b` Sept.15,14111. C. Proctor Clerk ° Yawn of Clinton neglected books in need of attention and worthy of their censure. Albert Bowron, Past President Ontario Library Association Member of the Intellectual Freedom Committee" Bayfield fair... • from page 1 under six month class was Suzanne, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Lloyd Francis of Goderich, while Bradley, son of Mr. and Mrs. Steve Smith of Woodstock was second, and Christopher, son of Mr. and Mrs. Elmer Jermyn of Goderich was third. In the six, months to one year class, Charlene, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Robert Manson of Zurich was the winner, while Michael, son of Mr. and Mrs. Gary Potter of R.R. 3, Clinton was seeond, and Jennifer, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Lloyd Alan of Hensall was third. Jean Brand of R.R. 2, Bayfield had the champion calf in the 4-H calf club competition, while Anne Brand was second, and Marie Brand was third. Don Dearing of Exeter won the Bainton Old Mill award for being the top sheep showman. In the biggest heavy horse show in some years, Allendale Farms of Mark - dale and Gordon Lyons of Lucknow were tops in the Perchon class, while Arnold Young of Goderich and Tom Penhale of Bayfield finished 1-2 in the Belgian class, and Albert Erb of Zurich and Gord Lyons finished first and second, respectively, in the com- mercial class. GET READY FOR WINTER NOW! *Forced Air furnaces installed (Oil or Gas) *00 Burner Service *Plumbing and'Hat Water Heating * 24 Hr. Service *Licensed FURNACES CLEANED STARTING SEPT.13 • 48:213107/ coil NOW for Ser'vfice' to $ ptembor and OdE '' o 1,500 people who attended the track last Sunday, betting $83,000. Run by the Kinsmen, the track boasts many features, including a new grandstand built last year by the club. (News -Record photo) Program will help A new program to help small Ontario , corn, rhuriities.in-i:tiate- .1Wt provements to their core areas has been an- nounced by Housing Minister Claude Bennett. Called the Main Street Revitalization Program, it will be complementary to the province's suc- cessful Downtown Revitalization Program, but is designed to help communities with a population of 30,000 or less. (The Downtown Revitalization Program is aimed at municipalities with a population of up to 125,000.) "We see this new program spurring communities - to help themselves by taking advantageof existing Business Improvement Area (BIA) legislation to upgrade their down- towns," Bennett said: The BIA concept is a device whereby mer- thants:. and ''business people can designate and tax themselves for im- provements to street- scapes , and related facilities, Since smaller towns often lack the capability to generate the front-end funding necessary for initiating improvement projects under the BIA approach, the provincial government will provide low-interest loans of up to $150,000 to help the community improve and beautify municipally - owned lands and building in eligible areas. Bennett explained that the province had several objectives in mind in proceeding with the_ program. "In the first place we want to encourage and support downtown im- provement projects started by municipalities and by business im- provement areas in these communities," he said. "We also wish to promote co-ordination and joint planning of comprehensive down- town improvement projects by the municipalities them- selves, by business groups and by the community at large. "Finally, we want to demonstrate provincial commitment and support for the existence of viable and attractive down- towns in small Ontario communities." Bennett stressed that this new program was designed to help small communities help themselves, "This new Main Street approach should help overcome local Turn to page 18 • • SUPERIOR MUFFLER ANNOUNCES THE NEWEST MEMBER OF OUR TEAM! CARTER'S West End Garage 482.9363 215 Huron St., CLINTON A new dealer to give you that famous Superior Muffler LIFETIME UA NTEE Along with a price that won't break your budget. COME IN FOR FAST INSTALLATION, SOLID SAVINGS ANO PRODUCTS THAT WILL OUTLAST YOUR CAR. A LIFETIME GUARANTEE IN WRITING ON THE MUFFLER, TAILPIPE, EXHAUST PIPE ANO LABOUR TOO! Come in for your froo estimate and CUSTOM PIPE BENDING AVAILABLE DUAL CONVERSIONS FREE IN PECTION It's happened once again. Summer has ended and September has come as a gentle. reminder of the harsh months ahead. The elongated shadows and the sun that quickly fades, 'the dreary rained filled days and the gusts of wind that knock browned leaves to the, ground, all remind us of the change. Fall clothes fill the shops and summer wardrobes are stored away for another year. The streets of town come alive every morning and in the afternoon as the school -aged children make their daily sojourn on their bicycles. The fall and winter catalogue has arrived and people are already planning their winter skiing trips or how they'll spend their vacation next summer. End of the season sales are on, offering everything from leftover swim suits and exterior paint to golf and tennis equipment. People are considering a fall tuneup for their car and purchasing new snowtires. September is one of my favorite Lmonths, it'G like a state of limbo, but I always feel a twinge of sadness about the end of all those summer things. Lying on sandy beaches, munching on great . slabs of watermelon, sitting outside with a cold drink on those hot, muggy nights, driving with all the windows' down, playing Frisbee on the front lawn while the steaks sizzle on the barbecue. These are a few of the things . I miss when fall comes around. Yet it's almost impossible to avoid the -change of seasons or live with memories of the past. There are some very special moments to ex- perience with fall; like bundling up in warm sweaters when you can see your breath outside, taking long walks and hearing the dried leaves crunching under your feet, enjoying the last few zinnias and asters from the garden and satisfying tastebuds with pumpkin pie and baked squash. We must shed the habits of July and August and contentedly face the subtle changes that September brings: that winter is inevitably on its way. J TW IANC LE DISCOUNT., „ , 3$ The Square. GODERICH/MaIrt Corner, CLINTON/Maur Corner, SEArORTH