HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Goderich Signal-Star, 1967-05-18, Page 116 •
120th_ YEAR, No. 20
THE GODERICH SIGNAL STAR„ :filURSDAY, MAY 1B,1967
New Bank
offices
Now. Open.
The new premises of the God..
erich branch of the Bailie of Mon•
treat were ,Opened `$n Saturday,
afternoon with ceremonies :fitter
ing to the occasion whenbank off.
icials and the mayor of Goderich
cut a ribbon, unveiled a plaque,•
and welcomed a capacity audience •
to inspect the building and all ..
its facilities.
The, newaalr conditioned office
.was - in still ,operation Monday
morning. *
Ideal weather favored the event
and the main sectionoftheofficq
was quite„ filled when ceremonies
got cinder way. •
PRETTY GOWNS
Lending an authentic air to pro. •
ceedings were the female mem.
begs of the staff adored in old
time. Centennial dresses, which,
the audience was reassured, were
the hardiwork of the ladies them..,
selves. .
Principal speaker in the brief
ceremonies was John Lesslie,
vice.president of the bank's East. .
ern' Ontario division; a former
Goderich resident who 'recalled
some of the old merchants and
business places' around the
Square now gone but not for.
gotten.. ,
Mr. Lesslie and Dr. Frank
Mills teamed up to cut the 'offic.
is 1 ribbon across the frontportal.
Mayor Mllethen did the honors
on unveiling the bronze plaque
at the front entrance.
Formal handing over 'of -.the
keys on behalf Of -the contractor
was done by H. Falls, a London
architect. The local manager,
Milton Rayner, acted as chair. •
man and introduced the, guests.
Also-, taking part in the cer.
emonies was W.A. B. Hill; dis.
tract manager of the bank.
Following the ceremonies,.
t'open house" was held for %cap.,
acity crowd of guests which - ii .
eluded members of•town council,
businessmen, bank customers,
their wives, families and friends.
The••facilities of the bank were
thrown open to inspection andre.
freshmentswere served.'" .
• The new -building takes the
place of the one on the corner
of Wiest.. meet and the Square
ccupied' by the baniG since. l9057 --
",Ontario' prides itself onbeing
the province tlf opportunity fin
Canada. One
the prime reds..
ons that opovince is growing
at 'such a .:int d gate and one of
the priticklrill• factors behind, its
bright prOeets tor, the future
is the, abunidaance of water re.
sources With' which b atario is `
,blessed. • Qur challenge, for the "
second century of Canada, is to use ._
;this poteiltifl1 along with ' our -
other rich .resotirces; to obtain
maximum benefits for our people.
"As the -treasurer of this pro.
vince for the past six months, I
have had a unique opportunity to
view the whole broad pro Pm
of development in Qntarto. I Was
not. ,office very: long before I
and my associates began poring
over the considerable volume of
estimates°whicl, made up the bud. °
get which I had the privilege of
presenting to the Legislature ear.
, lier . this year. It was a `rather
staggering exercise to stand in
the swirl of figures from the ,.,
branches and divisions of all the
departments which make up the
Government of Canada's richest
province..There was, however, a
main stream of impression whose
strong undercurrent forced the
stream toward, one purpose.
ful goal. When you hear the T.V.
boradcaster 'say !Watch out
World . here corns Ontario,'
don't dismiss it as a bit of pr -o.
paganda. This province is .just
beginning to gather the cnnmen.
tum which will carry it to world
prominence.
"Onenof the streams that carr.
les this province to its great des:
tiny is water. I have been con.
vinced of that since my two years'
service in the early days of the
_Ontario Water Resources„Com.
Mission. .
"Those of you who attended the
first annual meeting of the On.
tario Municipal Water Associa..
tion in Toronto 'in March .heard
the present chairmarf of the Com.
• mission, 'Dr. James A. Vance,
give a history of the com hiss.
ion and an indication of how
. it is' fulfilling its role. I want
to go over that briefly with you
this afternoon.
"The Government of Ontario
in 1955 set up the "Water Res..
ounces and Suppy Committee"
to investigate ways and means
of developing ' Ontario's vast
water resources to their fullest
potential. After almost a year of
intensive study; .the committee
brought rirs. report to the govern.
mento which resulted in a pass.
ing f the Ontario Water Re.
sources Commission Act and the
formation of the OWRC in 1956.
The Comm; ssion as we know it
today came into being on April
1, 1957•- just !a decade ago. It
took over responsibilities which
Wearing their own creations to *lend°,a Cen-
tennial flavor to the opening of the new
quarters of the Goderich branch of - the Bank
of Montreal Saturday afternoon were ladies
of the staff, including, from left to right,
Mrs. George Bacon, Miss Karen McLean,
Herman Lansing, Mrs. Robert Hoy, ' Mrs.
James Drehmann, Mrs. Don Masse and Miss..
G. Lutz. (staff photo)-
`A•
•A
Hard Times
Years Ago
The following are
from the minutes of
town council meeting,
•1867:
excerpt$
Goderich
May 4th,
The council assemtled, -mayor'
in their, with all the members
present of the last meet.
ing were read, approved and sign.
ed.
A report from the finance com
mittee regarding the account of
Fred Marsh, asking payment for
8 trees planted by him in 1864, •
recommended that the account•be•
not paid. •
"It appears from the report of
the street inspector that such
trees have not been planted long
enough to entitle him to pay.
ment."
Dr. Frank Mills, Mayor of Goderich, unveiled
• the bronze plaque at the main entrance, which
recognizes the long history -of the -bank in
Canada, in Goderich, and Centennial year..
.. ; . �v • a•.+.•. : A :• •:: •. •.tv:r,., .• •:l: •it r.v;:;.•.y{f,: {.;.y •.Y:.• :{::•y{{.Y i:;:Q\:%:�:;'.�iiP:. f. ... .:. . •... ..... • .....:... ... ..! .. • ... r;! ....+:. ..
yy¢p. jj .. ��t�J. o. J.vy.rY;�';J•.;,;%J,::.:)v,< •�.xv,,:.'•.?:tc:•io>'?�J:r': N:x{J.•'/AlhMY.YIh lA•}::.{K,::r �. :•:•i: rx•:: �:.::::::•:::.•:.»:•>�� ,
Looking on are• John Lesslie, vice.president,
Eastern Ontario Division and M. Rayner,
manager of the local branch. (Staff photo)
The report upon the motion was
adopted.
Another entry . in the minutes
records that the' mayor, `J. A.
Finlay; :had examinedthe safe
offered to council by M, Will.
Tams 'but he did not approve of
it and could not recommend coin:
cal to purchase it. Council then
instructed the mayor to get a
safe for the use of town as cheap-
ly as possible.
Councillor Dancy° repor fed that °.
only 550. feet of hose are ser-
viceable and would reconmend
that 300 feet be purchased. The
clerk was instructed to write to
the fire departments of Toronto,
Hamilton and London regarding
the kind of hose they 'Would re.
commend. ••
Council then adjourned. The
minutes were signed by James
Thompson, clerk, and J. A. Fin.
'lay, Mayor.
A near.record attendance marked ,the spring
meeting of the Western Ontario Water Works
convention at the Maitland country. club on
Wednesday, 'May 10, when over 160 delegates
from points throughout several Western
Ontario counties met here to discuss latest
technique and equipment used by- public
utilities commissions in different mun.
ancingi' design, construction and
operation • of water and sewage
projects, was unique and attract.
ed wide attention in the water and
pollution fields. 'During the ten
years in which this co.operative
program has been operating, I
believe the OWRC has established '
itself as a prime example of the
partnership approach to govern.
ment which underlies the success
story of this generation in On.
tarso.
"IVf.ore recently, in a further
extension of this partnership pro.
gram, : the com-nis§ion has arr.
anged to finance water develop. •
ta.
ment programs at a most econ.
omicai cost for the municipalit.
ies.
''The, extent to wnich.this water
program !.s flowing. is ,evidenced
in the latest report presented
to the Legislature only a short
time ago..
"The value of certificates of
approval issued in 1966 by the
s
OWRC for construction of water
and sewage throughnnt the pro.
vince 'reached its highest point
in the ten-year period since the .
OWRC started operations.
"Certificates issued for both
water and sewage works last
year had a value with'
$153 mill.
ion, compared withthe previous
high in 1962' of $148„ inion, The
grand total value of certificates
issued during the ten.year period
of the Ontario Water Resources
Commission's operation has'no'w
passed the $1 1/4 billion mark,
"Since 1961, the commission
has issued 'oyer 4,500 watertaking
permits, making available almost,
4"billion gallons of water per day
for ° commercial, industrial, ,ir,.
rigational, • municipal andrecre.
ational uses in the province.
"Last year alone, over 500
permits were issued involving
1.4 billion gallons per day.
• "The breakdown Of these fig.
ures for 1966 illustrates What I
mean by -water as a principal
stimulant for growth in Ontario.
Of the 500 water permits issued,
%some 52,about 10 percent,were for
industrial supplies. However,
these industrial water sources
involved over 1.3 billion gallons
per day or well over 99 percent .
of the total water resources re.
leased during they past year.
"To illustrate how the pro.
gram to develop our water re.
sources is mushrooming, I need
only to look at the Ontario bud.
get for 196'7 The. net, ordinary
expenditure of the commission
is projected to reach some $7 1/2
million compared to $6 million
in 1966. In capital disbursements,
the increase i5 even greater.
For 1967; the budget provides for
an investment of $65 million in
capital works, compared to the
provision last year of some $25
million.
"As you people in Western On.
tarso will•recognize, some of the
key factors_behind that increase, ,
particularly in the capital area,
-are the two -major lake pipeline
developments in this area. I know
that you are following their pro.
gress with considerable interest
and anticipation.
"As treasurer of the province,
I feel I should emphasize the fin.
ancing benefits which accrue to
the municipalities through the
assistance , provided, by the
had formerly been handled by the
Departments. of Health and Mines.
PARTNERS HIP
"The commission has been giv
en the authority to regulate the
province's water. resources, in.
eluding all phases of water man.
agement. Its co-operative pro•
gram with the municipalities,
• through agreements for the fin.
John Lesslie. (centre) struck a nostalgic
note during ceremonies attending the Opening
of the "new Bank of Montreal office here,
recalling days of his youth in Goderich,
Looking out through the windows of the
building, he recalled Merchants and .stores
long since missing from .the ...local business
scene. Left to rigl}t;;are Mrs. 'Ted McLean
of the offiee• staff; Dr. Frank M•i11s,�may'or
of Goderich; Mr. Lesslie; partially hidden
fro?► camera is I.1. Palls of London, member
of the architects' MO who tendered the key
on behalf of the general ' contractor; branch
Manager M. Rayner; W.A.B. Hill, district l•
manager; (Staff photo). ,,,,4,
The , traditional ribbon cutting,'' ceremony marked the official
opening of the handsome new building at the south east corner
of Court House Square and East street.Wielding the shears are
Mayor Mills and John Lesslie',., vice.president, Eastern Ontario
Division, With local manager M. Rayner As ,witness. (Staff
photo)
OWRC. As you
mission provides capital re- System, which is now nearing
gyired for your projects at • the completion, was the, first of these .
same" cost as the province is provincial projects and, shortly
able to borrow funds. This is in after the • introduction of this
the neighborhood of 5 1/2 per- scheme, the commission was , '
cent which you will appreciate is .authorized to engage consulting
about • one percent less than the engineers to conduct pipeline
municipalities could sectitb. studies in other 'Water short
Compute this interest savingover areas. Studies of this nature, as
the lifetime of the borrowing and you probably know, are now under
I think I could leave it to your im. way or completed in• a number of
agination to consider just how areas including the Counties of
much the total saving constitutes. Essex, LambtonandKentinWest+
"The popularity of the OWRC - ern Ontario.
municipal financing program Is "And I • can assure you that,
reflected in ;the fact that, to date _within reason, this province's fin. •
some 385 projects, serving 205 ancial resources will be made
municipalities have been or are available to the extent that such
being, developed at a cost of :. investment manifests itself ,in a
just over $150 million. Of these, continuing program. of growth
167 are for water. ` y ,opportunity.
"Some concern has been ex. - "It is only fair to warn you,
pressed in recent years about the' however, that there are many
Capacity of our watenbresources avenues of public expenditure
to meet future growth. Such talk proposals which couldhamperthe
would appear to be somewhat irr. -availability of funds for develop.
p
es onsible ih ' the light `of re. ment of this fundamental service.
searched analysis. I refer; of course, to the seem.
"Mr, .A. K. Watt, assistant gen- ingly unending derriands for social
eral manager of the Ontario Wat. and security programs, all of
er Resources Commission and a which are beneficial in them..
recognized authority on our water • selves, but nevertheless must be
problems, dealt with that subject viewed in the context of our ab. •
at length in a paper presented ility, not only as i community
recently to. the annual meeting of and a province but as a nation,
`the Canadian Institute of Mining to • afford them. I submit, and I
and Metallurgy at Ottawa. am sure you will agree, that our
"Mr. Watt establishes • that first. priority on public funds is
•some, 7 billion gallons per day to provide those services which
are used in. Ontario at the pre. enable our people lo�take advan.
sent time for all .purposes ex. tage of the opportunities provid.cept power generation. Informed ed by ourrich natural resources.
projections of•our•grewth indicate "In my area, major changes
this demand will increase to 12 are looming on the surface. The
billion gallons per day by 1985 Federal Carter Commissirin Re.
and to- 21 billion gallons per day port on' Taxation preieets major
by the year 2,000. . changes in our prime sources of
"That demand, figure 6! 21 bill. national revenue. Our Provincial
ion gallons per day for the year Smith committee on Taxation is
2,000 is less than one .quarter -of expected to make its report soon
the 94 billion gallons per day and I anticipate' that it, too,' will
available water in Ontario at the incorporate major changes for
present time. And the picture is both the provincial and municipal
even brighter when -We consider fields. All of us in the Public
that only a small proportion of service must be prepared to con.
the water in use today is act. sider the changes thatwillbepro.
ually consumed and, thereto e, posed.."
there is a great potential overd
above the present supply in the H
re.use of water.
icipalities. Seated at the head table for the
served at 1:00 p.m. were.,. from -left:
Sid Arbour, '67 WOWWC president arid
chairman for the spring meeting at Goderich;
Hon. C.S. MacNaughton, MPP and provincial
treasarer who was guest speaker during the
afternoon session; W.J. ''Bill" Mills, God.
erich PUC chairman. (staff photo)
know, the corn. -"The Lake Huron Water Supply •
"On the other hand, we must
recognize that the remoteness of
much of this water from many
area's in the province where it
will be requireddoes reduce the
atnount of water readily avail.
able for use.
ADEQUATE
"On summary, however, Mr.
Watt says that the water resour.
ces of Ontario are quite ade.
quate for both present and fore.
seeable needs, providing, of
course• that they are wisely man.
aged. '
WHOLESALE 'AT R
"In 1964, a most significant
development took 'place in the
OWRC program. The• c ommiss.
ion was authorized to undertake
regional water supply systems as
whdlly owned provincial under.
taping, wholesaling water to
mp. nicipalities at cost. This puts
the' commission in a position
qte similar to the Ontario Hydro
and furtherm....te, relieVes the
cost of •these works from being
reflected as- a debt against the
customer Municipalities.
arbor Job
To Dean Firm
Dean Construction company' of
Tecumseh, Ont.; has beenaward: •
ed a contract with the federal
department of public works in the
amount of $187,183.20 for a
Major renovation 61 Snug Har.
bor at Goderich, Hon. George
J. MaIlwraith, announced in Ott.
awa this week.
The Dean 'firm's bid was the
lowest of ten, the highest being
inIce area of $257,000.
ork .is expected to commence
in t e near future.
On .Exe•cutive
Clyde E. Everett of the W.A.
Sheaffer Pen Company here was
elected to the board of directors
of the Canadian Jewellers, ass.
ociation in annual ConVentiOri at
Toronto on Tuesday May 9, it .°
is announcedr by Raymond P,
t 'grown,` general manager of the
association,
00