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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Goderich Signal-Star, 1973-08-16, Page 3GODERICH SIGNAL -STAR,. THURSDAY,- AUG aT 14,. Iii—PAO* 3 lett antiqUe automobiles part of the Craven tion Automobile and Restoration Cen- Toronto, were in last Thursday and t part of an Ontario Goderich, the autos, Hudson Model Great 193Ford I ial1 anda. 1931 Ford laved on ", were dies street on the I.G.A. lotorted to re were transp by a Craven "A" tiler rig. r also includes such Port Elgin, Peter - Lindsay, Coliingwood, d Huntsville. During r, the Foundation om coast to coast with ition which includes automobiles ranging of time from 1904 to the collection is a Its Royce owned by on and a 1919 Pierce - passenger car owned ughter of the late Sir C. Van Horne, t of the Canadian ailway from 1888- ing to Brent , exhibition represen- lie tour's purposeais , We hope -to show these autos which of our history, and to vintage cars in The other purpose is ote our museum in ..aero er....., •1.. �....rr.... asoaapoSairresabl. �► �rrr+.r�u .wrwrrs.. - mow. owlrlulrmiry.- woolow..411,,,,,.,,, • .,..yam, arwx • .,: arrrr ailasiagolla This gleaming 1931 Hudson,Model Great Eight with an engine consisting of two blocks of four put out the awesome power of S0 horsepower. This auto seemed to be the star of the exhibiting -autos -here in Godericiras its bright -yellow -and whitecolourw atoncrwir rthe shining chrome were real syecatchers. (Craven Foundation Photo), MMER SALE NTINUE,S SS SHIRTS - 1. GROUP REG. to $11.00 $399 ICA SHORTS $1.95 to $11.95 /30FF RT SLEEVE RT SHIRTS or, Cotton $1.00 to $11.00 J/30FF ORT SLEEVE TgiRTS 00 to $12.95 %p OFF eft Sleeve RESS IRTS Groupt4„z to ie 0/.00 to 110.00 The Model "A" was produced from 1938 to 1931 In the United States and Great Britain. Production began in Germany In 1931. This Deluxe Roadster with a four cylinder L Head engine had a horsepower rating of 40. (Craven Foundation Photo) T PANTS 16.30 15,30 13.30 EATERS CIII I1.00 to $12.ss OFF. NOW $7.5o to SN.10 NTS tua$14:95 995 - �,r• ' ,,.ver'�ii`fies.i&...+GRit,..'a^!.. ,a,,, ♦ ...,..., ,, w:n..ra .. _ ... -.... _ +r y ., Signal -Star plant and office buliding progressing smoothly Construction on tM new Sly ac- cording to, jobslte foremen Howard Quaid. Work has been underway for about ons month and walls are rising rapidly. TM building is adjacent to t e new Dearborn Steel and Tubing Plant. Mayor Harry Worsell and Mr. Guild ars seen examining the new structure. At last Thursday evening's council meeting, George Plax- ton, solicitor for the Goderich Businessmen's Association presented a lengthy "brief for the consideration of coun- cillors. Included an that presentation was thefollowing "summations in reply,to the allegations made in the brief submitted on behalf of Suncoast Estates Limited to ,the Goderich Area Planding Board on July 24": "Counsel for. the applicant submits that the study under- taken on behalf of the Goderich Businessmen's Association. by MacNaughton Planning Con- sultants is unduly pessimistic as to the feasibility of a shop- ping centre and that the MacLaren Report submitted on behalf of Suncoast Estates Limited "takes an optimistic viewpoint." "The said counsel further suggests that "the decisions made here' will affect. Goderich in a major way for the next 50- 100' years." "In our submission, the study undertaken by MacLaren and subsequent amendments on matters of substance is unduly optimistic. The amendments in question were brought about as a result of a criticism of the report, prepared by MacNaughton Planning Con- sultants. "These criticisms while largely "accepted by MacLaren are ultimately rendered invalid by the arbitrary decision of MacLaren to amend annual outlets, which in turn will rebound to the detrimentof the whole of the core area economic environment, and in the words of, the former chair- man of the Ontario Municipal Board, J.A. Kennedy would "injuriously affect downtown merchants to the extent of im- perilling the viability of the downtown -core..." "Or, in the words of the Of- ficial Plan of the County of Huron, would constitute, "a significant threat to the viability of the designated com- mercial area as described in the Land Use plan." "In summary, therefore, we submit that a decision on this issue will have a serious impact and accordingly it is incumbent upon the" Town of Goderich to conduct its own study through its independent consultants so that some determination can be made with respect to the question of feasibility. "Counsel on behalf of, Sun - coast Estates Limited argues that the shopping centre should not go in the downtown area and citing as reasons problems related to parking, traffic and also referring to the con- venience of residents in the area. The official plan of the Town of Goderich calls for a parking study for the core area. It also advocates a similar study with respect to traffic. These studies have not been undertaken. These studies should be undertaken. No ac- tion should be taken until they are undertaken and the recom- �� square footage ---sales volumeendatiaus,made_thereby,.la _ figures;"for example, from $165 been implemented and found to t $120 per square foot. be adequate. "The MacLaren study does "It has been iniplied that not attempt to measure the ex- since Goderich is only cap - tent, of the impact f the in- turing 31 percent' of .potential troductior3 of this shopping cen- trade area D.S.T.M. ,sales, it is tre upon. existing commercial therefore long 70c on every. outlets in Goderich;. other than .- --+�► to state: ''`However it is ' recognized that when one looks at the table on shopping centre im- pact, some negative benefit to the downtown merchants may occur. It is likely that the first couple of years will affect those stores that are directly com- peting'with stores in the shop- ping plaza. However, this im- pact will depend to a large ex- tent on the adjustments made in merchandising by the down- town merchants and possible improvements to the downtown shopping environment .by means of general street fur- nishings, etc." "The MacLaren Report does not deal with the planning,im- plications of the fragmentation of the commercial function in the Town of Goderich, nor does .it provide any opinion as to the suitability of the location. "One example of the poten- tial impact which is contained in the figures set out in the MacLaren study but is not com- mented upon -in' the study in- dicates that there will be a drop in business to existing Department Store. Type Mer- chandising stores if the Sun - coast Shopping Centre is ap- 4 proved of between 26% and 39%. (depending upon whether you assume,Goderich's share of potential D.S.T.M. sales to be 40% by 1976.) "The MacLaren study suggested that the percentage captured could • possibly in- crease to n-creaseto 40% by 1976. It notes, however, that "these estimates are based on optimistic feelings but are difficult to justify, because of the unknown behaviour and shopping pat- terns in the fixture." "Is this truly an optimistic statement? Are we not playing with• dynamite? "A further example of the ex- tent of the impact on food sales of the proposed shopping centre is contained in the MacLaren study. Adopting the figures of that study, which for various reasons already referred to, we have indicated are overly op- ---timisti .-the--MacLaren. study. estimates food chain store sales in 1976 to be $3,478,148.00. "This volume, as applied to existing square footage only, assuming the shopping centre not to be developed, would amount to $193.00 per square foot. Assuming the shopping centre to be developed, this volume would produce sales to existing food chain store outlets excluding the existing A & P store of $96.00 per square foot. This represents a • drop in square foot sales volume of 5b%. "The foregoing does not suggest to us and should not, we submit, suggest to you, an optimistic viewpoint on the part of the MacLaren study, -'but rather serious and even Vdisastrous economic impact upon existing fond store dollar it could be capturing. "This is a misrepresentation of fact. There are other urban centres within the defined trade area which are properly capturing a , portion of the potential D.S.T.M. sales. This includes communities such as SeafQrth, Clinton, Kincardine and Blyth. "The first MacLaren report estimates of potential D.S.T.M. trade area sales, approximately 33% is probably drifting to Stratford and London and also mail-order centres. "Goderich has 20 percent of the total population in the trade area, and is capturing 31% of the trade area, D.S.T.M. expenditures. "It is unreasonable and in- correct to assume that a junior department store in the Town of Goderich will provide the .range of comparison goods shopping sufficient to compete with full range department stores and specialty outlets in major urban centres such as London and Stratford. These centres will continue to overlap Goderich's trade area. "The so called threat made by the applicant to the effect that some other company may be planning to construct a shopping centre in the Town of Goderich .or in Clinton ought not to affect any decision taken by the Council of the Town of Goderich. This consideration is not one " which is dictated by sound planning principles but would appear to be dictated by the desire to "beat your neigh- ' bout to_ the punch."_ "It is interesting to note however, that our. in- vestigations revealed that the rumours related that our so called activities emanate from a source very close to Suncoast Esta4.es Limited, and one could, suggest that 'the threat of development outside tho Town of Goderich has been contrived in order to stampede the Town Council of Goderich - into - a- - decision it might after more careful study have never made. If the shopping centre ii per- mitted to proceed without adequate advance study and should the views of. the MacNaughton Planning Con- sultants be correct, irreparable harm will have been occasioned to the commercial heart of the Town of Goderich, and it will be too late to undo the harm. "In conclusion the official plan and indeed the Goderich Businessmen's Association both recognize the need for im- provement in the downtown core of the Town, and failing such improvements the potential for the introduction of an outlying shopping centre. If this application is rejected it will have served a very useful purpose in that it will have •brought to the minds of the Association and to this Council the urgent need to implement policies which will improve the commercial plan, and brought home to the Association by public opinion expressed at these hearings: "This application „has brought about the formation of the Association. It has led the Association to request that a parking a or'ty" be established and the executive and members of the Association have authorized us to indicate to Council that they Will be seeking urban renewal programs and the adoption of .other policies by this Council acting in concert with private enterprise to bring about a revitalization of the comme cial core of the Town." Town Council Briefs Building permits in the Town of Goderich are up this year from 91 at the end of July in 1972 to 164 at the'same time this year. Value of the permits, is up accordingly from $1,3.53,835 in 1972 to $1,898,450. New single residential building permits issued in July this year numbered. 12, nine more than last July. Com- parison figures for the year so far are not so startling when set against last year's however. This year so far, 34 permits for new single residential dwellings have been issued as compared to 31 for the same period last year, according to building inspector Roy Breckenridge. * * * The Public Works committee chaired byKReeve Deb Shewfelt has been charged with the responsibility to make a recom- mendation to council regarding the water course whicl crosses the Maitland Count'" Club Limited' properly. When the town extended the storm sewer over the hill at the end of North Street, the water was allowed to drain across the club property. At that time, the Club gave the Town permission for such drainage but it was also agreed that the Town would maintain the water course. So far no maintenance has been required but this year, because of the level of the river, the drain is now backing up causing serious damage to club property. "Much of the Town water is now stagnant and appears to contain sewage,.causing both a smell and health problem," Bob Allen, vice-president of the Country Club reported. ,, Allen pointed out in his let-" ter to council that Reeve Shewfelt and Town Engineer _ Burns Ross have been made aware of the problem. * * * Town Council has been infor- med by B.M. Ross and Associates Limited that Delbar Subdivision has applied to the Ministry of the Environment for approval to construct storm sewers in Delbar Subdivision. "It is proposed that the sewersywill drain into an. open ditch to be located within the Town owned easement which lies immediately to the south of the subdivision," wrote the firm. "It is proposed that at the press itvtime; th'e ditch wilt flrf westerly and empty into the existing ditch on the west side of Highway 21. In the future, the ditch ' will outlet to the South Trunk Storm Sewer." The matter was referred to the Administrative Committee for study and recommendation. Later in the meeting, a letter was heard from Don Sager of Delbar Investments advising co incil the subdividers have be�irn to service the lots in the subdivision according ...to the agreements. Sager asked to meet with the "proper committees" to discuss street light design, storm water outlets and'deplorable con- dition of Bennett Street." This matter was referred to the Public Works and Ad- ministrative Committees.' ,The next meeting of Goderich Town Council is August 23 and Mayor Harry Worsell indicated his hope that Signal -Star editorial staff would get this fact strain t for` the benefit of irate ested citizens. -I wonder if there is anything in the Signal -Star about them having egg on their faces, quipped the mayor. The mayor, of course, was referring to the fact that two weeks ago, thQ Signal -Star reported the date of the council meeting incorrectly. •The Administrative Commit- tee is studying a matter in- volving Linton and Hirst, the' British company hoping to locate in Godetich's Industrial Pt,rk_at some _future... date.._.___-_ That company has switched lots in the industrial Park with The Goderich Signal -Star. Lin- ton and Hirst, however, has requested that when it iv prepared to build locally, it be guaranteed all services on the new lot. - Councillor Dave Gower, finance chairman, wondered what the cost would be. Court- cillor Bill Clifford noted the sign at the park notes the town is offering fully serviced lots and Reeve Shewfelt advised that fully serviced lots included water, roads and -sewer. 'It was also pointed out there appeared to be . no immediate need to expend funds on behalf of Linton and Hirst since there was still no indication when the firm Sas planning to locate here.