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The Goderich Signal-Star, 1973-12-06, Page 1ockIedge says plass approval expected soon Rockledge Properties Limited has received a permit from Goderich Township Council to build a $3,000,000 shopping plaza � n�2Sheaffer e te Penjust Company he Townn of Goderich, across f According to Vice-president of Rockledge, Gordon Smith, Goderich, the building itself is proposed to cover three and °half acres. All services for the complex will be supplied by Rockledge and parking will be provided for up to 2,000 cars. Although there is presently a "freeze" on commercial development in Goderich, Township imposed by Hon. John White last Thursday lust minutes after the Rockledge building permit was issued, Smith feels there is a good chance the Rockledge mall will receive approval. Smith said the matter is presently before the courts and decision is expected within 30 days. He said construction will begin immediately upon receipt of the approval and he .estimated that completion date would be approximately 'nine months from ,the starting date. Ina prepared press release, Smith attempted_to "clarify some of the misunderstandings and misinterpreted infor- mation that has reached the public this past week." • "I would first like to acquaint myself and family to the' folio in this area who don't already know us," said Smith. .,My wife and self were bor,n, raised and educated in Goderich. Since finishing school 1 was employed by local people. Later 1 owned, operated and built __my own businesses for a good 14 years here." With his parents, Smith owned the Bluewater Lounge which catered to dan.ces and banquets. "Later beside the lounge 1 built, ownedcrnd Operated the Bluewater Motel which is south on Highway 21;" -.said Smith. "Selling the motel, the family and myself moved to Goderich Here' under Viceroy Construction, 1 was a building r contractor and under the same name operated a backhoe business. "As you can now see we are no strangers coming into town and trying to put a transgression over ciao our local merchants, 'town, town cou�.ncil and Mr. White," stated .STith in the written release. "We are attempting to make our area grow_ for the better:" Smith squelched rumors of animosity between Suncoast and Rockledge. "Ken Hutchins arid t have worked and done business- with usinesswith each other quite often," said Rockledge Vice-president Smith, "We are not in rivalry with Suncoast as indicated by the news media. Competition to.me is not bad, it just makes one toil harder at the task he is doing." "I would also like to point out that there has been a lot of work, time, money and planning spent by our company to bring to this area a high calibre and suitable shopping plaza," said Smith. "We are endeavoring to,bring to you 9 new and major food,chain store," said"Smith. "All present food stores will be left in their present locations." The Rockledge spokesma1i-defend ed the'choice of 'life on Highway 8.' . _ "In surveys token it shows that the hest location for a shopping plaza in this area is Highway 8," Smith° stated. "Attending a special meeting in Goderich Township recen- tly. the Huron County planner was present. He was asked _with location of the two proposed shopping plazas he would consider as a planner for the county to be the most suitable and .he stated that Highway 8 would be the best." Smith made further reference to the Huron County Plan- ning Department in' his release. "Some 18 monthsP rior to this issue coming Goderich Township Council had goneit) officials asking for a zoning bylaw for their township and up to this time there -was nothing done for them," claimed Smith. - -"There was a statement -made that the-Goderich Town- ship Council did not give any thought to this project before they issued a building permit to us," continued Smith. 7 would like to state that this is definitely not true." 126 YEAR -48 bait') IGNAL- S THURSDAY, DECEMBER. 6, 1973 Shopping plazas galore lIIIIIIIIIIIIYIIIIIIImiiiIIIIIIIIIllllll mitilllllll millllIiminimIllilnlmiiillllllllllllllllllll SINGLE COPY 20c Local councils at odds Illleieele11111111111111111111111111111111IIllllltlltllllllt11111111111111111111111111181llll11111 John White intervenes as developers scramble BY SHIRLEY J. KELLER One plaza? Two plazas? No plazas? One plaza and a vital down- town core area? Two plazas and no downtown business district? No plazas and a booming, re -developed down- town business section? If Gd'derich and area ever had a tough nut to crack, this is it. Development is coming on the heels of development and it would appear local elected of- ficials and planning boards have their work coat out for them in the' next few months. The current problems really began earlier this year when Suncoast Estates Ltd. served notice of their- plans to con- struct a $2,000,000 shopping plaza on a 16 -acre site on the southern limits of Goderich. That was mid-February and since that time, the lines of bat- tle have been drawing up - Sun - coast and the shopping public on one sl the ,local side, --businessmen on the- other. Then late last week news broke that Rockledge Proper- ties Ltd. had made application to Goderich Township Council-' for a building permit .to con- struct a shopping plaza on a 20 - acre site on the eastern ap- proaches to Goderich, just across from Sheaffer Pen. Cost of 'that development was repor- ted as about $3,000,000. From that moment on, sheer bedlam reigned in Goderich and Goderich Township, each accusing the other of infringing on the individual rights of their municipality. It ended in the Hon. John 1M nrst stop toward •downtown con renewal scheme; pressntb underway through °��_.ni>rst of the arodar ch itusinsssmen's Assoeiatlon, is now w&I on Its way. F -Stop o Sttudio and Qa1Nry� who were given a contract by theavaNbeen at photograph Pitrest �tarNronts and building facades In the downtown area, ra hen will now k during tha l and report that stags of work a lost complete. let e t o a 3/1 logralpi. From theme, Mwnt I'in0 the buildwiN ings taken and and Kom those a. color scheme arrived at. F.Stop blot Flim **Mon, loft, and Ron Shaw are shown at work on the Craig's block. White putting a freeze on all commercial development in Goderich Township and Colborne Township until 'the matter of,the proposed plaza for the Town of Goderich was resolved. On Thursday morning, an emergency meeting of Goderich Town Council was called. At that time, , John Schaefer on behalf of,, the Goderich Businessmen's Association ap- pealled to council to recom- mend to the Minister a freeze on all commercial aevelopment in the municipalities bordering Goderich. Schaefer told council_ahe...and his jssociates had learned the prev'ous evening about a shop- ping plaza proposal in Goderich Township. "We have been opposing the plaza on Bayfield Road and we also oppose the proposed plaza in Goderich Township," he ex- plained. "We believe this is consistent with our previous. stand. 'In August, our solicitor „mode recommendation to Town Council that a freeze be requested on commercial development in the adjacent municipalities and that is our .recommendation again at this Mme. A letter was presented to 'council at. that meeting from Suncoast Estates Ltd., advising' that numerous rumors had been circulating that the com- pany had dropped plans for a plaza on Highway 21. The let- ter stated that the company had notchanged its thoughts on the matter 'and reported that the major tenants .for the plaza had agreed .to see the situation "through until the bitter end:". Dr. Frank Mills, medical of- ficer of health ` for Huron County, then told council that if the proposal of Rockledge Properties Ltd. met with proper standards as set out by his department, there would be no opposition to the request for board of health approval. He assured,; council Rockledge had plans to provide their own water supply for the' proposed plaza. There had been indications that Rockledge had made application to the local Public Utilities Commission for water, but this was denied late' in the week by Rockledge vice- president, Gordon Smith. The motion was made by Councillor Elsa Haydon and seconded by C-ouncillor -Dave Gower that the Minister be requested to impose a freeze on commercial .development in Goderich Township and Colborne Township "until the matter of the shopping plaza in Goderich, now being processed, has been decided." Town solicitor Dan Murphy, present a'to-tthe meeting, advised that such-_ a motion had "serious consequences" and he urged all members of council to familiarize themselves with the conflict of interest rule to "make sure you are absolutely free to vote on an issue like this". "I live in Goderich Town- ship," said Councillor Gower. "Does this constitute a conflict of interest?" "No,'t answered Murphy. It was never clarified why Mur- phy issued the warning to coun- cil. All members voted on this motion. The urgency of getting the Store hours All stores in the Goderich downtown area will be open all day Wed- nesday from now until Christmas. Thursday, December 13, .Friday, December ' 14 sod the final week before Christ- mas, the steres will stay open until.9 p.m. request to the Minister was then discussed. It was generally known by members of Goderich Town Council and other in- terested parties that a special meeting was set for Goderich Township Council members with,,Rockledge principals later 'that morning and rumor was that the building permit for. the Goderich Township plaza was to be considered - perhaps even issued. Councillor Bill Clifford suggested the motion of council he taken to the Minister by per- sonal carrier if need be to ex- pedite matters. Councillor Elsa Haydon ..informed-, council she had been advised by Dave Barker, planning consultant for Goderich, the request could be conveyed by telephone to the Minister with the prepared motion to follow by mail as soon as possible. ' L Mrs. Haydon said she was certain that even if the permit for the Goderich Township plaza was issued in the mean- time, there_ were ways to show that the Town has spent coil= siderable time and , money toward the establishment of a shopping plaza within the municipality. It is interesting to note at this point that Councillor Elsa Haydon had made repeated requests to mayor Harry Wor- sell earlier in the week for a • special meeting of council to consider the rumors of the Goderich Township plaza proposed by Rockledge Proper- ties Ltd. but no action was taken by Mayor Worsell or any other member of council until the crisis situation arose. It is now the feeling of many interested persons, including the local businessmen, that had the matter of requesting a freeze on commercial develop- ment in the adjacent municipalities been taken more, seriously by town council much sooner, most of the current difficulty could have been avoided. At last Thursday morning's meeting, Deputy -reeve Stan Profit reminded council that the Suncoast plaza could be defeated and with council's decision to request a commer- cial freeze in the townships, the area could be left without any plaza at all. "The businessmen's appeal could, go to the Cabinet," war- ned Profit. "There is .every —reason to be concerned that the Goderich proposal could be stopped and in all probability, there could be no plaza at all." "Or we could have a shop- ping plaza much sooner if the businessmen would withdraw their opposition," said Coun- cillor Dave Gower. Reeve Deb Shewfelt admitted that for him, the decision must be made according to the ta' loss to Goderich if the Suncoast plaza proposal was threatened by a plaza outside the municipality. "I think we'd like to have the tax dollars," said Shewfelt. Councillor Haydon agreed, saying,_,that it was council's duty "to do everything possible to protect tax dollars for the town". "We are bound to have- a shopping plaza, either here or in the township," reasoned Councillor Frank Walkom. "The merchants could suffer some but if we. have two shop- ping plazas, which is possible, they'll suffer even more." Councillor Eileen Palmer told council she favored "local developers as opposed to someone from- ,out-of-town developing outside the town". As the meeting closed, Ad- ministrator Harold Walls was -urged to make his call to the of- fice of John White immediately to tell, him the vote was unanimous in Goderich Town Council to impose a freeze on commercial development in the township. At least one member of coun- cil, Leroy Harrison left the Goderich meeting and travelled to the Goderich Township session. He along with Signal - Star reporter Ron Shaw was not permitted to sit in on the discussion between represen- tatives of council, Rockledge spokesman Gordon Smith and County Planning Director, Gary Davidson. In fact, David- son was later dismissed from the meeting as well. However, early in the after- noon the word was received that Goderich Township Coun- cil had issued the building per- mit for the Rockledge plaza,to Gordon Smith. At that juncture, an im- mediate notice went out to members of the Goderich Plan- ning Board for an emergency meetineFhursday afternoon as well as to Goderich Town _ Council for their second emergency session of the day. The planning board meeting didn't take long. The motion was to recommend to council approval- of amendment 4 to the official Plan to permit a change in zoning on the Sun - coast property on Highway,21 to commercial, thus making was advised by Dan Murphy way for a possible shopping this wasn't a consideration at ' plaza.It was -passed in short or- this time. Murphy also assured - der. council the Town wouldn't be Only latecomer Bert Such ex- subject to any legal action in pressed some reservations that event. about the approval, but other But Councillor Harrison in - members of the planning board sisted it was an important "if' ., assured. him it was only a "for- and council then moved into mality". Committee of the Whole. Town solicitor Dan Murphy It is not known what went on advised it should be clearly in council chambers during shown in the minutes of the that time but when council meeting that the matter of op- reconvened m in open session, proval for the redesignation to Deputy -reeve Profit advised the commercial would have come gathering he had altered his up at the December meeting opinion. anyway. "I have changed my mind," Murphy also outlined the said Profit. "If we're going to procedures in approving the „have a ,race, a fight, then let's change: the recommendation t.- fightifor the one in Goderich." , must be sent .from Planning Immediately upon the Board to council, it must be adopted by bylaw in council, it mast be forwarded toc the Minister and it must be taken before an advertised public meeting. Some discussion centr4 the timing of this pulit that "no ' t .noted h meeting and one could argue that the matter of a shopping plaza for Goderich has not been thoroughly aired". Planning board then ~closed their meeting and council mem- bers took their chairs. Within a few minutes, the' recommen- dation of planning board had been prepared and the special meeting of Town Council was in session. Bylaw 39, a bylaw to amend the Official Plan according to the specifications of Amend- ment 4, was given third and final reading. Shortly after- ward, Bylaw 40 to amend the Restricted Area Bylaw (zoning bylaw) was also given third and final reading. Some discussion preceded the passing of these bylaws when Deputy -reeve Profit ad- mitted his confusion. "I'm having an awful tussle with, myself -in sitting here," said Profit. "I think it matters whether or not there is a shop- ping plaza outside the Town of After the third section of this Goderich, because if there is week's Goderich Signal -Star I'm afraid I'm against the "had gone to press, Mr. W.E. bylaw to change the zoning to Elliott received further infor- permit yet another plaza in- mation in regards to the story Goderich." "Inspector Tom of Huron Profit was quietly ad- County' 'Schools", found on monished by Councillor Gower page 6B. who said if was councils' duty Inspector Tom's father,' to be "mainly concerned with James Tom, was born in Pad- Goderich and not with the stow, Cornwall, England and plaza in Goderich Township". his mother, Mary Kerneth Councillor Harrison—then--Tomi---was-bor-n there also._ They asked what happened if the met in Canada and, as already Minister didn't approve the related, farmed in Usborne bylaw and the amendment. He Township. passing of the bylaws, Ronald Brady, solicitor ;for Suncoast, asked council to issue the building permit for the Sun - coast plaza. Once more, council moved into Committee of the Whole and when council reconvened, it was reported-. Brady had withdrawn. his application -for a building permit although it was clear Suncoast would begin preparing the lot for building, a step which can be taken without a building permit being issued or without permission of council to do so. During the discussions, it was clearly pointed out Haat the Ontario,,,Municipal Board ,,had no jurisdiction over Goderich Township where a plaza is' con- cerned since the Township has no Official_, plan or zoning bylaw. Where ,the Goderich plaza is concerned, however, the OMB would have a serious look at the matter, especially cif the businessmen registered their' objections to the proposal. Hon Johi White acted quickly. His decision to impose the freeze on all commercial (continued on page 3) -Notice J I I I I 1111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111110111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111 L Picket line at AM & _6 todayi: _n ... _ E. EE I genntumn enneenewiemen mmilnlnlnni mimimnmmintnmemonmentuennemp mennememo mitim imositimim nen efrienitiaumememmetu>aisso se No services at hospital to be interrupted John Talbot, union steward for local 210 of the Service Em- ployees International Union which -represents non- professional employees at Alexandra Marine and General Hospital, announced late Tuesday that union members would• be picketing the local hospital between 2:00 and 5:00 m. today in support of uemands being presented to the Province of Ontario. Mr. Talbot said his union represents all employees at the local hospital excepting registered nurses, doctors and professional technicians. The union's Ontario Provin- cial Joint Council will be presenting its brief to the On- tario cabinet during those hours and all hospitals in On- tario are to be picketed at •t.he same time in a show of support by union membership. The Joint Council is requesting that all members who will be on their day off on that day should voluntarily, through their local union or steward., report for picket duty as well. The brief for presentation was prepared by Charles Davidson of Local 220 in Lon- don, Chairman of the Legislative Committee, and Bob Dubniak, a research associate. It will have been submitted to the Ontario government in advance to allow them time to prepare answers to questions put forward by the union. Among the pointe to be discussed in the brief are minimum wages which the union feels are too low for hospital employees, the in- clusion of all employees of hospitals, nursing homes, otels and institutions for religious charitable and educational purposes under the Industrial Safety Act, legislation against the use of non -deposit glass- bottles, legislation to cover employees working alone in senile and special care wings and hospital budget increases of five percent with the cut back in hospital beds. The uriion is also unhappy about the system of compulsory arbitration in Ontario hospitals. Hospital Administrator Tim Elliott told the Signal -Star in a telephone interview on Tuesday that the work stop- page would have no effect at all on patient care at the facility. 1