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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Wingham Advance-Times, 1975-04-24, Page 1LYour 10.1 road* April 94,745-, your sub, scrlptton 1* du*. FST SECTION Wingham, Q 1,t* e, * ursday, Aprd 24, 1.975 Lower Town was hard hit Heavy property losses i w n BILL CONNELL relaxes with son Billy, 3, two days after being rescued from the Maitland River. Mr. Connell was one of two men who were dumped into the river during Saturday's floods in. Lower Town. "And the waters prevailed, and were increased greatly upon the earth ... " — Genesis 7:18. It rained for 40 days and 40 nights lir the Bible flood- of an- cient days, and the floods covered the earth. The Wingham flood was much less extensive, and the rain had lasted for only 16 hours, but the impact on the area was nonetheless historic in damage and lasting impression. The chronicle of the April 19 deluge started with the rains Fri- day. South of the Wingham area the lightning and thunder effects were frightening and effective, but all Wingham got was buckets and `buckets of rain. It was all, and it was more than enough. Ian peslauriers, resources manager of the Maitland. Valley Conserva- tion Authority, said that over 1.6 inches of rain fell in the Wroxeter area. How much fell in Wingh'aln is not recorded, but it was ob- viously enough to add greatly to the already swollen .rivers:; "We'd issued flood warningson' Thursday," Mr. Deslauriers said, "because the run-off from the thaw was increasing. Then we got the forecasts of a storm. The North Maitland .got the lion's share. We're talking about tWo peaks in the Wingham area. The' Middle Maitland peak hit some- time in the afternoon and caused a back-up in Lower Wingham. We had to revise our original fore- cast of the peaks. The North Maitland peaked in .Harriston around noon and was projectedto hit Wingham in the evening. them it started subsiding slowly." - Huron -Perth Board Will provide transport for all pupils Catholic students who apply to attend one of the Huron -Perth Separate School board's 19 schools will be accepted and pro- vided with transportation, even r though they may live outside an area organized for the direction of taxes to the system, trustees .. -decided-lett-week. - _..- The policy was adopted on the recommendation of the board's policy and by-law committee, chaired by trustee Howard Shantz of Stratford. Goderich trustee Vince Young �y commented that the' policy is rather broad. "We would possibly have to travel 15 miles in one'dir- ection to pick up one student." Business administrator Jack Lane agreed that this was pos- sible in some areas of the two counties but he suggested that each case could be Aged on its own merits. He said a brochure that the board has distribute& to • newcomers and real estate of- fices, listing locations of Catholic schools in the two counties, has encouraged Catholic supporters to check with the board's office about school accommodation be- fore buying property. He suggested the board cotild check out bus routes with the public school board and would not necessarily have to provide sPe- O cial bus or taxi accommodation. A second policy, on trustees , possessing keys to schools and the board office was passed with one amendment. An old policy that board members may possess keys to schools in their area was reaffirmed. Two new policies providing that the chairman of each stand- ing committee can have a key to 41 the board room to facilitate hold- ing committee meetings and that keys to schools may be picked up at•the board office or from a prin- cipal .(the amendment) by stand- ing committee chairmen were also passed. A log book at the board office will be provided for committee chairmen to sign keys ` Mennonite folk aid, flood victims About 25 Mennonite members lb of the Wingham area farming community arrived in town on Tuesday morning, armed with pails and brooms, to offer their services to flood victims who face the giant task of cleaning up in the wake of receding river waters. Most of the volunteer helpers were kept busy assisting home owners in Lower Town, where the worst of the flood damage was felt. Others helped with the clean- up work at the Wingham Service Centre on Josephine South. The work party was organized by Mr. Hubr and included the Whitechurch Mennonite minis- ter, Alin Shafer. in and out. After some discussion a third policy on school photos was passed. School principals will be permitted ' to select one photo- graphic company to make one 'visit a year to each school to take the students' photos. Trustee -lorais Hielthelt of Dublin said he would 4ike to see class photos taken each year. Principal Gary Birmingham of St. Aloyisius School in. Stratford, who was at the meeting as an ob- server, was queried on his policy on photos. He said he tries to pick, the best quality photographer and that the school gets 10 per cent of the money from photos sold. "It's a very competitive business," he added. Kippen area trustee Michael Connolly suggested, "We should tender and get a photographer for all the schools in a businesslike way." Trustee Joe Looby of Dublin suggested that a survey be done for the end of the year on how many pictures and what 'type were taken at all the board's schools, so that perhaps a new policy could be worked out for next .year. Trustees agreed to consider, that matter again• for next year. The board's metric committee is holding meetings, Director of Education John Vintar reported, but will meet again before a ee- port'is ready for the board. Strat- ford trustee Ron Marcy_ said he was disappointed to learn that the Perth County board of education was setting up their own metric committee and ignoring a sug- gestion that they get together with the HPRCSS board. The lat- ter board had, offered to co-oper- ate with the -Perth Board and to include their representative on the oommittee that is already set up. "These committees cost money, and as separate school supporters, of the public system, we should object to the dupli- cation," Mr. Marcy said. Trustee Howard Shantz agreed to inform the separate school rep on the Perth board of Mr. Marcy's feel- ings. . None of the board's standing committees made any report, al- though Mickey Vere of the build- ing and property committee said a tour of all the board's schools with Plant Superintendent Ed Rowland is being set up for new members `of the board. The 1975 Ministry of Education) grant regulations should be available at a conference in Waterloo on April 21, Mr. Vintar reported Mr. Marcy, chairjmart of the finance committee,: Vintar and Business Adni!n1sttt! tor Jack Lane will attend ,The meeting.' In a committee of the whole, in camera session after the regular board meeting, a decision was made to have a special board meeting on Wednesday, April 24 to set, the mill rate for 1975, after the Ministry guidelines have been received. Sister Mary St. Louis, principal of St. James', Seaforth, who was at the meeting as an observer, will attend a family life educa- tors' conference in Windsor, later this month. Sister Mary is teach- ing a pilot project on family life at the Seaforth school. The board voted to send a letter to the Ottawa Board of Education expressing the HPRCSS board's hope for a "just and equitable solution" to Ottawa's . negoti- ations "with secondary school teachers. i S Mr. Deslauriers explained that the rivers were already swollen with the melting snow during the mild weather _preceding the rain: The peaks in Wingham lasted for quite a while, -he said, because of the effect of the two branches of the river and the back-up in Lower Town. "Lower Town was flooded badly, and there was a lot of damage. In fact, we were a air's -breadth away from losing spring fly the upper dam." Wingham didn't lose the upper dam, after all, but the damage to buyer -T-own was ---extensive and the scene Saturday morning was more than startling. A NEAR -TRAGEDY Some of the weary residents got an added shock when they heard a call come over the police radios early Saturday afternoon. "There are two men in the river ! " The full story of the accident came later. Bill Connell and Mery Baker had" taken a canoe onto the swollen river. Mr. Connell wanted to get some groceries from his flooded home. "We went out to get some groceries," Mr. Connell exp plained later. "We got there OK and we were coming back when WINGHAM POSTMASTER Gordon Sutcliffe presents a testimonial scroll signed by Prif=ne Minister Pierre Trudeau to Mrs. Irene Johnston who retired last week after over 24 years of service at the Wingham Post Office, LOWER TOWN after the flood. Water still swirls around the homes on Helena St. two days after the flood rushed through the area. It's a depressing sight, but the residents are un- daunted as they bale water from their cellars and remove silt and gravel from the gar- dens. ' MVCA gives statement on its position of authority The Maitland Valley Con- servation Authority executive committee held a special meeting to discuss and evaluate the recent flooding in the watershed. As a result of this meeting the Conser- vation Authority would like to state its position of responsibility. Too often an Authority is criti- cized for not being in the right lace at the right time. It is a physical impossibility within a 1,000 square mile watershed for our limited Authority staff to par- ticipate in emergency operations such as sandbagging. There are Teachers work, students rest The Huron County Board of Education have announced a "holiday" for April 30, but it's only for the students. The stu- dents' day off is a "Professional Development' Day" for the teachers who will be attending conferences throughout the county on that day. The primary division teachers will be meeting in the Seaforth Public School, with guest speaker Mrs. Elizabeth Leslie of the Ontario Ministry of Education. The junior division teachers will meet in the Exeter Public School. They will attend discussion ses- sions and workshops, some of which will be held simul- taneously. A team from the regional office of the Ontario ministry will demonstrate proce- dures for effective use of class- room resources. There will also be a physical education work- shop. The intermediate division teachers Will meet at the Goderich District Collegiate Institute. while the senior divi- sion teachers will be at the Cen- tral Huron Secondary School in Clinton. There will be morning and afternoon sessions for these two divisions. simply too many vulnerable areas. Our basic function in emer- gency flood situations is ,one of communications. Flood warnings are received from the Conser- vation Authorities Branch of the Ministry of Natural Resources (Toronto). These warnings are based on calculated snow melt and 'precipitation values. Just ex- actly how these values translate into flood conditions in any one segment of a watershed cannot be determined until actual flood monitoring commences. By issu- ing warnings of anticipated peak flows, local volunteer work forces who have been so generous and co-operative in the past, may channel their.efforts to suspected vulnerable areas such as weak points in channel structures. The Authority's priMary re- sponsibility is for long term implementation of sound flood plain management. This includes floodplain mapping, protective zoning, and strict enforcement of floodplain regulations. In this manner, we are attempting to re- duce the potential of property damage and loss of life. As part of this management program, we are requesting that the rural municipalities also approve the completion of floodplain mapping in each of their respective municipalities this year. Other water management pri- orities include channelization studies in particularly flood prone muncipalities. Too often in the past water management projects have re- ceived,funds for study but imple- mentation of these projects has been hampered by high costs and a reluctance on the part of pro- vincial . and municipal govern- ments to follow through. We would hope that after this year's spring flood this prognosis will change, and that the municipali- ties will provide the support that the Authority requires to obtain the provincial funding to carry out the necessary programs. Five injured in collision Five persons were injured in an accident investigated by the Wingham detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police last Thursday. The collision occurred on Concession 6-7; west of Huron Road 12, Turnberry Township and involved Nolda G. Kulas of RR 1, Wroxeter and Douglas J. Gibson, also of Wroxeter. Both drivers were injured as well as three passengers in the car of Mrs. Kulas. Mrs. Susan L. Van- denbroek was examined at the Wingham and District Hospital for head injuries and was re- leased. Mrs. Frances J. Vanden- broek was treated for leg injuries and discharged after treatment. Mrs. 'Kulas was treated for an in- jured left knee. Damages in the accident were estimated at $900. A single -car accident that same day occurred on Concession 15-16, east of Moncrieff, Grey Town- ship, when a truck driven by Eric Prescott of, RR 3, Brussels, swerved onto the south shoulder of the road, rolled over and struck a fence owned by D. Timmerman. Damage was esti- mated at $440. Two accidents occurred last Tuesday in Brussels. Michael H. Schlueter of New Hamburg was westbound on King St., east of Turnberry St., when his car swerved and hit a car owned by William J. Turnbull of RR 1, Ethel. Estimated damage was $175 The second accident occur- red on Turnberry St. at Flora St. and involved Corona L. Mullins of Essex and Wilfred Fischer of Brussels. Damage was estimated at 8230. d., we hit the current. We got on n' rise and the canoe just dipped° over. Mery bobbed bac 1p.*.a smashed a window in the nem* Illouse to get ,in. T iii'1 i canoe when I came up and headed for a tree."' • Mr, Connell was spotted:trete the shore. Ron Cleghorn and Dave Foxton were dispatchd in a canoe to try the rescue, but,they returned to shore with half a success story. They weren't able to get Mr. Connell into the canoe, but had managed to tow him to a house. They said a. powerboat was needed to get the two men back to land. "I was in the water for over an hour," Mr. Connell said,, "and I slipped several times. I cotildn't climb- the tree, because of the boots. I just kept on thinking, `If you can't hold on, you go Own,' . Ron 'Cleghorn and Dave Foxton • couldn't get me in the canoe, be- . "y cause it was overtipping already. So I got a hold of it and they towed - me to the Bakker house. I don't know how long I was in there. I was tired and cold. But if it wasn't for. Ron and Dave going out when they did, I wouldn't be here now." . The two -tnen• were finally brought out by Doug Foxton and Ron: Bell in Mr. Bell's motorboat. "We went out across to Mac- intosh acIntosh St. and we picked up the first guy. He was almost up to his waist in water. We got the next one from storers41.0use, I w.as ceneerned • witheontraing .the boat, so I didn't even tietice whir we picked up. ",Mr. Bell said them got the men out around , 3:15, "Then we went back and got -the canoe." THE. AFTERMATH The waters finally receded, And Lower Town residents returned to the area to study the damage and start repairs. There were still no estimates on the damage Monday morning, but one look was enough to tell anyone that the losses would be high. Silt and gravel cover the lawns and fields, and water still swirls in the backyards and basements of some of the homes. The roads are gouged out in many places, and bulldozers may be needed to remove debris from the area. Monday morning saw .sunshine and Lower Town was trying hard to recover from the flood.. Fur- nishings were carried into the open to dry, women baled water from cellars, men removed huge rocks and tree stumps from the yards and the children worked in the gardens to remove the silt. When , the estimates on damages and losses start to come in; Wingham can expect a heavy toll. Until then, the repair and recovery work will go on until, hopefully, the flood of April 19 will remain just another memory in the area's history. Police repork,. first bike theft The Wingham Mice Depart- ment reported "a sure sign of spring" last week with the in- vestigation of seven' motor vehicle collisions for total damage estimated at $2,000. The police also reported the , first bicycle theft of the season. They caution all ' bicycle owners to. record the serial numbers of their bikes to ease identification in case of theft. Saturday, April 12, John King of King's Gulf Station reported -that a car had struck the pop cooler in front of the station, causing an estimated $500 damage. On April 19 a car driven by Donna Ayres of Parkhill struck a parked car owned by Edward Stahlbrodt of Rochester,. N.Y. The accident, which occurred on Patrick St., resulted in an esti- mated $600 damage to the Ayres' car and $1,000 damage to the parked car. The police also reported four minor accidents the week of April 14-21 and two minor theft eom- plainta that are still under in- vestigation.