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HomeMy WebLinkAboutClinton News-Record, 1978-09-21, Page 1When drivers are constantly cutting across your lawn with their cars, tearing up the sod and throwing beer bottles, and the police can't catch them in the act, what do you do? Well, you might try something like this homeowner on the corner of Orange and Mary Streets successfully tried: two by four boards with spikes nailed in them and painted green. (News -Record photo) 1 13th year -No. 38 Thursday, September 21 , 1978 30 cents Weather 1978 1977 NI 1.0 111 1.0 F F 73 42 12 20 12 SEPT C C 13 15.5 8 62 57 14 21 10.5 64 46 6.3 15 21.5 1345 16 18 8 74 56 17 15 9 6 70 61 18 16.5 11 ' 69 57 Rain 87.3mm Grant at Vanastra will aid nzany people by Wilma Oke The Vanastra Recreation Centre will receive a Canada Works grant of $19,000 in January, Tuckersmith Township council was informed Tuesday night by Diane Durnin, the recreation director. Mrs. Durnin applied for the grant during the summer to be used primarily to prepare and implement a program of aquatics and fitness for special needs groups. She listed special needs groups to include the mentally retarded, both children and adults, senior citizens, stroke patients and the physically disabled, both children and adults. She said activities provided at the Vanastra Recreation Centre 'would include recreation, swimming, therapeutic recreation, learn to swim classes, fitness programs and social activities. Mrs. Durnin said for them to qualify for the grant, extensive work and alterations would have to be made before January 31 at the centre, such as emergency exits, ramps, washrooms and changing rooms made larger to accommodate wheelchairs; lower clothes racks; pOrtable ramps to swimming pool; grab bars around edge of pool; lowering of hair dryers; pool wheelchairs and blacktopping of outside walkways. She said to get the cost estimates of the money needed to do the alterations it would be necessary to hire an architect or an engineer to determine what was needed, how to do it and give an estimate of cost. She said she would apply for a Wintario grant and a recreation grant for community centre to help pay for the alterations and was hopeful these would pay the full cost so that the township would not have to pay. Reeve Ervin Sillery questioned if there were enough handicapped people who could use the facility to warrant the expense. Mrs. Durnin said there would be, in fact three mentally han- dicapped people were using the ,pool now. Councillor Robert Drummond said, "You want this study started as soon as Heavy ram' halts harvest possible," and he made the motion to hire an engineer to draw up the plans for the alterations to meet regulations for the handicapped. Clerk Jack McLachlan was authorized to in- vestigate the name of an engineer to do the job. Mrs. Durnin said further grants would be sought to carry on the program When the $19,000 runs out in nine months. In other business, council set the date for the first meeting of the new Plowing match muddy After three months of near drought conditions in Huron County, the skies opened up in the past week and dumped up to seven inches of rain on most of the county, halting all harvest operation, and turning the site of the International Plowing Match into a muddy field. Mike Miller, associate ag rep for Huron, said on Wednesday that the heavy rains had completely halted the white bean, and silage harvest, and predicted it would, take several dry days before machinery could again get on the fields. The situation is in contrast to just a week ago on September 11, when ex- tremely dry conditions were hurting the bean harvest causing the beans to split. Miller said that about half the bean acreage, worth, $30 million, was already off, but represented only 40 percent of the yield available because Lightning leaves destructive path at Kippen Mr. and Mrs. Ross Dobson of R.R. 2 Kippen, their children and German Shepherd dog, areprobably hoping that the old adage: eirightning never strikes twice in the same place" holds true. Their Kippen area home was the recipient of the blast of lightning on Tuesday, September 12 that resulted in an estimated $3,000 damage and a scene of holocaust as nature took its toll. The shot of electricity hit the Dobson home about 1:15 a.m. on the stormy night, throwing Mr. Dobson and his wife out of bed. The lightning bolt hit a shed in front of the house. blowing all of its windows out and leaving a six foot hole in the building. The charge travelled up the hydro wires and entered the house, knocking out the hydro, blowing the light sockets out of the walls and hitting all the electrical appliances. A fire started in the attic and the rafters and insulation were damaged: The steel frame in the garage was melted and the telephone was knocked otit. - "I just woke up and everything was happening," Mr. Dobson explained in a skeptical voice. "The force of it was tremendous." Since the telephone was out, Mr. Dobson drove to Hensall to summon the Hensall Fire Department who arrived at the damaged house within 16 minutes and remained for an hour -and - a -half. The Brucefield Fire Depart- ment also answered the call. While the Dobson's nine-year-old son slept through most of the ordeal but the family dog and two of their other children didn't react to the situation as calmly. According to Mr. Dobson the light- ning, "Scared the devil out of his two first column by jim fitzgerald The first brushes of color are on the maples, the days are very noticeably shorter, and a glance at the calendar will tell you, yes, the summer is officially over. Actually the sun doesn't cross the equator in its winter trip south until Saturday the 23, but today, Sep- tember 21 is regarded as the last day of summer. Looking back on it, apart from being a little dryer than most of the area farmers would have liked, it was a good summer, in fact, maybe too good. Yours truly had one of the best gardens in several years, like many others in town, and were blessed with several bushes of tasty, vine ripened, mouth-watering tomatoes. So good were the tomatoes, that we had a gread deal of difficulty even giving them away, and many ended up in the compost heap. There's nothing we can do, true, but it seems a shame when you think that in a couple of months, we'll be paying about $1 a pound for those tomatoes green, cardboard tasting imported cousins from Mexico. If you see some people walking around the county with big water and mud stains around their knees, it's probably local organizers of the International Plowing Match down praying the rain will stop for the big Match next week in Wingham. Yes, just as predicted in this space a couple of weeks ago, the rains came and have turned. the Match site from a dried up hay field into a quagmire in places. But, don't worii, Fitzgerald's fearless prognostications say that five inches of rain (125mm) in the last seven days has caught us up, and the law of averages says Match week Will be rititklesS, But before the Match opens its gates next Tuesday, there are several other events in the area worthy of note. First of all, for all you steam train buffs, the iron horse will be making a stop at Clinton this coming Saturday afternoon, about 2 p.m., turn around and head back to Stratford. And registration for minor hockey will take place this Saturday and next from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. in the town hall, while the special Inter- national Plowing Match Pace will be held at the Clinton Kinsmen raceway this coming Sunday. +++ Overheard from a leader at a 4-H homemaking course: "And now, girls, for your final examination - eat what you have made." +++ Each week, the News -Record carries reports from dozens of meetings, and we are most glad to have them, but to enable us to process them better, we ask those in charge of writing up those reports to bring them in as soon after the meeting as possible. Putting out a weekly paper takes a week to do, and having week-old reports land in here just before deadline puts a heavy strain on both the editorial and composing room staffs on Tuesday and Wednesday. At this point, it is unsure what shape our postal service Will be in by this time next week. With the letter carriers set to strike on Friday, the News -Record has set up plans to ensure at least area delivery. Should the local post office be closed, then local box and general delivery customers will be able to get their paper at the News -Record office, while all others on local rural rotttes and village and hamlet delivery will getthf ap itt the USW *ay. All other out of county Stibberlbers will have their paper held Until the Strike is Over. 2 4A daughters. The family's five year old dog was probably struck by the lightning. "He's still 'staggering -and .his ears are -MAW, down, Mr. Dobson said. Hydro was re-established in the neighborhood by the following evening. The damage to the Dobson property will be covered by insurance. ft . On Sunday, September 24, the home of Dick And Jean Steep, North Street, North in Clinton was struck by lightning. The electrical charge melted" the hydrct wires on the outside poles, blew the conduit off the house and blew out most of the fuses in the house. No one was injured. Arena canvass underway The canvass for the Clinton arena floor fund got off to a good start this week and as of Tuesday night, had raised $8,748.58, nearly 10 percent of the $90,000 in donations needed. The replacement is also proceeding at a hectic pace under contractor C. A. McDowell of Centralia with new drains being put in this week and a start on the new piping system set to start next week. Ron McKay, chairman of the fund- raising committee said the canvassers are meeting some resistance to the canvass, but he is very pleased with the amount raised in only two nights. McKay said that cost of the project Here is a list of donations so far from those who wished their name made public. Pledges Anonymous Donations Events held by Rec Committee Bantam Tournament Hospitality Night Worked bars for various dances Family Skate Night Walter Ostanek Signal Star Pub. Ltd. Molson's Co. Ltd. Hell Driver's Show Donations Wayne Kennedy Bert Gray Ken Feagan Huron Rebekah Lodge No. 306 Legion Ladies Auxiliary Gaiser Kneale Insurance R.B. Campbell Fleming Feed Mill Ed Grigg Dennis Jewitt John Mann Don Jefferson Don Howes The McKay Family Frank Van Altena Mrs. Joan 1ViacKeagan Mrs. R. McNichol Cecil Dowson Harold Glazier Cliff Proctor Mery Kumm Mrs. Mary Demers Mrs. Mary Murphy $ 130. 726. 1136. 473. 757. 42. 788. 68. 150. 454. 15. 25. 24. 50. 200. 300. 500. 2000. 40. 100. 5. 100. 20. 200. 50. 25. 10. 25. 10. 50. 50. 25. 200. $ 7893.78 Names Only, , total $856. - Dr. F. Newland, Bill Gordon, Howard and Phyllis Edwards, Steven Maguire, George Nesbitt, Barney Lewis, Audrey Walsh, MAC* Flynn, Edith Aldington, Irene Cantelon, Ruth Lotnbardo, Barry Buchanan, Len Fawcett, Frank IVIcOregor. Total donations $ 8749.78 it- cOuld double on the project if it has to be debentured and paid through taxes. Over 20 years, he explained, the in- terest plus the capital pay back would make the debt twice as large. On top of that, for every dollar donated, the town gets $1 in grants from the government, he said, and in the long run could mean a saving of $239.74 to each taxpayer. • of the light early crop, which ran from a dismal five bushels to an average 20 bushels per acre. Rainfall amounts vary across the county, but generally averaged about five inches. Brucefield recorded 4.4 inches (112 mm) in one week, while unofficially five inches (125 min) fell in Clinton. At the Goderich Airport, meteorologist Tony -Chir said that 5.48 inches (139mm) fell in one seven day period, establishing what he thinks is a new record for a seven day period. Chir said that 6.1 inches (155.1 mm) had fallen in the first 18 days of Sep- tember at Goderich. Rain 2:55 In 1 municipal council following the elec- tion, Tuesday, December 5. at 8 p.m. Road . superintendent, Allan Nicholson, was authorized to order a new six-inch pump, five horsepower motor, plus pipe and other material needed for Egmondville well No. 2. The new pump is expected to pump 47 gallons per minute and the cost will be approximately $3,000. This will overcome the shortage of water the Egmondville residents have had due to the worn-out old pump. Applications for building permits were approved for Jacob Thalen at Vanastra, addition to existing building provided it meets requirements for distance from road allowance; Jim Papple, RR4 Seaforth, addition to barn; Robert Fotheringham, RR4 Segforth, corn crib ; Nelson Pullman, RR2 Kippen, pig barn. Council accepted the resignation of Margaret Tugwell, Clinton, part-time secretary at the township office at Vanastra. Mrs. Robin (Ruth) Gates of Vanastra has replaced Mrs. Tugwell. Clerk McLachlan was given per- mission to attend. the annual con- ference of the Lake Huron zone of the Ontario municipal recreation association at Goderich on October 28 and the meeting of the local clerks and treasurers in Goderich on October 12. There will be no need for council sessions not to be conducted properly in Turn to page 3 Car rolls, boy escapes Terry Blok, 18, of RR 2, Bayfield escaped serious injury last Sunday. night when the car he was driving rolled end for end on the Bayfield Road. The Goderich OPP reported that the infamous curve on County Road 13, west of concession 15 and 16 was the scene of the aceident which sent Block to Clinton hospitalAvith minor injuries. Blok was travelling west on the road at an unknown speed when the 1969 Pontiac ..he was driving crossed the road into the south shoulder and rolled, landing on its roof. Blok who was nbt wearing a seat belt was thrown from the car. Damage to the car was set at $2,000. On Sunday night the Clinton police were busy investigating two hit and run accidents. A total of $450 in damages was set in the first accident reported, when a car driven by Leo Spencer of Clinton struck a parked car owned by David Kelly of Clinton. Spencer left the scene of the . accident. The Spencer vehicle received $50 in damages while the Kelly vehicle received $400, The same night, a car driven by Susan Coombs of RR 2, Seaforth was struck by an unknown vehicle as she was driving through the main in- tersection. The Coombs car was traveling north through the main lights when the second vehicle came around the corner striking the side of the Coombs car. The second car soon leftthe accident. ,in "I've bought my piece of the arena floor, have you' jokes Bob Campbell of Clinton, one of the canvassers out collecting money for the new arena floor. As of Wednesday *tight, the canvassers had collected nearly $9,000 and hope to raise $90,000 towards the .$180,000 cost of the replacement, now in full swing. Mr. CaMpbell holds a piece of the old floor, with cooling pipe sticking in it. (14ews.ltecord photo)