The Goderich Signal-Star, 1974-10-31, Page 1Rockledge officio
promises plaza
despite the odds
The Vice-president of
Rockledge Properties Limited,
Gordon Smith of Goderich, told
.the Signal -Star Tuesday that
-his- company • would 'definitely
be building a plazkat tht:r site
on Highway -8 just east of the
town.
"We'll' make every effort in
order to put up a plaza: regar-
dless of what Suncoast does",,
Mr. Smith said. "We.feel that
we , have a valid .permit and-.
we'll fightit in court"-.
The validity of the Rockledge
building, permit is still in .
question pontil today when the
.final ruling is expected to be
made in Toronto. The town of .
.Goderich has asked for a delay
in this matter, but Mr. Smith
said Rockledge would press for
an early decision.. ,
"We hope . for 'a favorable
decWon on Thursday", Mr.
Smith stated during the inter-
. view. He said examination 'Thr
'discovery proceedings Oetober
10 had ruled the building per-
mit issued -last. November by
Goderich Township was valid.
and he claimed his company
had no reason. now to assume
the status of the permit' would'
change. .
He said that .w when „ the
• validity of the boilding permit
is proven, •construction of the
shopping plaza will begin
• within .tw,o .weeks. •
, Mr. Smith announced that
Two major
tenants
named soon
Eta -nit -dim Stores -wilt be the
food .store tenant at the
Rockledge plaza. He said he
feels the peopleof Goderich
will be pleased to learn of the
arrival Of a iiew food chain in
the area since many shoppers
belieye more c'ompetition
would be beneficial to the com-
mutiny.
He said WocIlco °had ex-
pressed interest as a major
tenant in .the Rockledge
development, •bo,,t added that
since there has been so much
uncertainty connected with the
project. it Was now reserving'
final decision until -matters
have been clarified. If VVoolco
did locate at the Rockledge
site,however, it would not af-
fect the downtown Woolworths
. operation. •
-Several other' major clients
, that are large and are known
and are classed in consumers'
magazines as Triple A tenants
have expressed interest within
the last fiye day,s". Mr. Smith
reported.
Rockledge Vice-president
Smith told the Signal -Star he
was unhappy with recent
developments which have
delayed his. company's plans to
establish a plaza here.
"At,, no time have we made
any effort to do anything to
• stop Suncoast from developing
their plaza", Mr. Smith said.
.'`Sinre we. wenCto..eourt •the. -
10th of Octobi;r and were accor,-
ded assuranceof the validity Of
our permit., we've had nothing
but stat i( on the part of the
town 'an.41, the town„ solicitor".
"It's about time the public
knows what's going on",- Mr.
Smith • added, He complained
because -town solicitor' Dan.
Murphy was acting On behalf of
the town council while it is als0-
alleged that Mr. Murphy is a
- legaladvisor for .Suncoast.
Mr. Smith further chArged
that recent OMB hearings were
improper. •" •
Bert Alexander of Suncoast
Estates Ltd., developers of Sun- ,
• Coast- plaza, said Tuesday• an-
nouncements will probably he
made next week concerning the
nares of two giore major
tenants, forthe shopping centte
proposed for .-Highway 21 solkt,
A and P anti:Minced last week
• it would be .moving its down-
, town operation to the plaza as
soon. •as facilities' 'Could be
provided. It was learned at that
time that the store - would be
modelled .after a new A. and P
market in ,Stratford.
The SOncoastplaza develop-
ment is presently tangled up in
• legal Proceedings but Mr.
Alexander said .plans and the
normal steps toward the begin -
'fling of construction are going
• ahead, •
'
1141111140111110111.114110111011101111601601111.014011111101114011111111011110111111110.1111111011
Plaza developeo,
• Municipalities in conflict
.0.0.0.0.0.0.040•04~~0.40.0~0.
Interest'
Olreadt,
In .eloctiiiit,
. Interest is beginning to stir
for the upcoming December 2
municipal, election in-Goderich-.
' -Town Administrator Harold
,Walls reports that a good.num-
ber of citizens have alre'ady
4iickecl up their forms at,the.of-
, fice, . indicating - their . possible
T�w- nihipdes
..,-(ires, in. any of the elected y -citizen • who has an in -
ire to. seek mffice. - .
. .i. of-
fices in Goderich, --- council',
„
legal.'actio
.. .n „mum obtain their forms soon..
The signatures ' of ten suppor-
,
. . .ting citizens must be obtained
. .
. The people of Goderich and
area aren't whole -lot closer-
thiS 'week to the realization of a
shopping plaza here than they
Were last week. In fact, --at, time
of writing peither -Suncoast or
Rockledge have an undisputed
permit to build. the com-
bination of stores and parking
so eagerly awaited by a portion
of the residents in and around
Goderich.
*ts
,a. Novemher 7-12. All forms must-
Goderich- Township Council
onNt(hIme ifnoram.tiso.n., (4aies
..
a re
brings t iks
be filed at the town office no
...
haveentered the plight of the later than 5 p.m. November .12.
'
plaza builders for the fitst time, No applications will be accep-
d ftthat hour. after a
te
' since legal activity concerning'
•
the two shopping malls. began The same rules, times and
dates,apply to all the surroun-
last June. ding townships, towns a and
,• The township launched an
appeal aainst thOntario villages. Forms are available at
ge
iall municipal offices rightl now.
Municipal Board (0M.B)
• decisiOn to permit the construe-
-1. tion of the Suneoast,Plaza in
the south of Goderich.
Frustrated• At treatment
given the township clerk at the
OMB hearings on October 2.1
township council decided to ap-
peal the decision: The clerk was
authorized to present a brief
'S
containing the townships ob-
jections to the Suncoast .site
• and the efforts of the count'il in Ontario Energy Minister
• preparing the brief Went for Darcy McKeougl?', was in
naught when the OMB Chair- Goderich Tuesday and ,spent
man, Walter Shrives, refused to - the day travelling from hot seat
. hear the case. He told the clerk,to hot seat. Mr. McKeough was
R.„E. Thompson, that the only in town the day after he ptesen-
wayhe could speak on behalf of ted , a brief to the municipal
* the township was through _ a LeACiers of Bruce County con -
resolution or by-law of council,' ....:,.`i'erning the development of
.,,..
• Reeve of Goderich Township,, Bruce Nuclear Power Station.
Everett McIlwain, explained The minister made three dif-
that the council was not sure if ferent appearances in Godetich
the process was right ?tr wrong during the morning each time
but they do want it clarified. explaining the province's
.They feel, that. the chairman energy situa.tion and
erred i•
n in his procedure. ting to answer any questions
Mr. McIlwain said that the that may arise. .
council was "plain and simple He dropped in to the Signal -
put out" when their clerk was Staroffices for a brief .chat
not able to speak: ' . before 'ging to GDCI for 'a
The, OMB decision -created a forum' type meeting with the
perMit for Suncoast to proceed :school seniors. Mr. McKeough
. according t� normal spent approximately 15
regUlationsand since the minutes outlining his govern-
ocatrinatio,n, for discovery litotes energy policies before
-Proceedings found the opening the floor to questions.
1uslification for„ Ontario
Constable John Hills
oliceman charge
Constable Jobn ot the tioderich Police Force. has
been charged with iitilaw lul tt f ft rearms and careless
driving and of disreputable conduct under the •Police Act,
following a shooting ith early Sunday iniiining, Oetober
27. ConstableHills will appear, in proViticial Milli in
Goderich on Noxiember .1,
The incident occurred•after Constable Hills tnd Constable
ThomasTortner had checked a motor vehicle on-The.Square
and one of, the officers had- laid A charge of -unnecessary.
noise under the Highway Traffic Act The charge Was made
to a teenage roale who was operraiing the vehicle. .
As the officer was preparing the traffic ticket a large group
of teenagers coming from. 0 .14allowe'en celebration gathered
'around the police .car. A teenage male not connected with •
the vehicle that had been stopped then poured some of the
contents Of a pop bottle on 'the traffic ticket and fled inthe
-vicinity..•of the Court- llo4e Park!
.The officer who had been issuing the ticket is then alleged
to have gotten out of the' police car, taken, out hsservice
revolver arid airried • it at. the direction e Neing'youth,
firing once.No. person was -bit .by t hot..
- The s.arrie officer then allegefly into the cruiser and
drove off • in a careless manner ith- the doors open. One
youth holding on to the car as• reported .to havebeen
dragged bY the policecat; andthe second officer on the scene
was. described to be closi . to falling from the police vehicle.
The officers later retUrned to the station where a large,
crowd had gathered to complain of the °Meer's action.
Sergeant George Bacon was notified. and he in turn called
• out .. moreofficers from. the Goderich forceand requested
assistance from. the Goderich O.P.P.. detachment.
A-roundtwo in the.morning Chief P.D. King arrived.at the
station and he arid two sergeants began conducting inter•
Views with many of the people gathered. Following this the
chief ,arinounceeThat Constable Hills had been suspended
- from duty pending further investigations into the
allegations. The crowd fin -ally dispersed at about five in the
motning being assured that a thorough investigation would
he completed and appropriate action taken.
The Second offic-er at the scene, . -Constable Thomas Fort-
ner, was not involved in either.of the allegations or com• -
plaints. He WAS roughed. up slightly and his uniform
• sustained minor damage.
The investigation is still continuing and Chief King met
•LAykh the CrOwn Attorney, Mr, William Cochrane, last Mon -
ay in connection with the incident. .
During the, past few days, the
Township of Goderich served
'notice it will make application
for a judicial review of the On-
tario Municipal Board hearings
held in Goderich Commencing
,luiV 15 and. recommencing Oc-
tober. 21.
The township engaged the
taw fir,m of Weir 'and Poulds,
Toronto, to seek. an order
quashing akirovals, of bylaws
considered at the OMB'
hearings; an order to have the
matters considered -by thOn-
tario 'Municipal Board at the
said hearing remitted to.a new'
panel of the Ontario Municipal.
Board for a fresh hearing; an
order restraining the town from
issuing any building .permits
pursuant to any approvals of
deough
any .bylavA whCch may -have
been granted by the OMB at
the hearings; and. a declaration
-that any budding permit or per-
mits 'which may have been
issued pursuant -to such ap-
proval of bylaws considered at
the. hearing null and void.
In a signed affidavit of R.E.
Thompson, clerk of .Goderich
Township, it was noted that 00
,July 1, 1974 at a regular'
meeting of Goderich Township
Council, the upcoming OMB
hearings :were considered by
council and a Tesolution was
passed 'that the .clerk be
•
came forward, introduced •
myself cas Clerk -of -the „Town-
. shiP of GOderich and advised
designated to represent the
township at the hearing". -
When the hearings coriimen-
ced July 15, the, chairman of
the. OMB. advised that every
opportunity would' be given to
all interested parties to make a
• presentation at the hearing, ac-
cording to Mr. Thompson.
'During the course, of the.
hearing commeming on 'July 15
it became apparent that the
'issues to be considered by the
.,Board would be complex and
that c the hearing would be
lengthy'' Mr. Thompson's
statement noted. 'The Board
Dillon report synop
. _
- •
• the chairman that I had •been
. •
_
adjourned the hearing after
five days, and it was my under-
standing that a hearing, period
of upto two weelss vyould be •
scheduled for the balance of the
hearing."
The statement further `ad-,
vised that Mr. Thompson. was
given no formal notice 0( ef,ie
resumption of the hearing and
when it did reconvene and the
OMB chairman advised "that .
an agreement had been reached
between the Town, the .
Goderich Businessmen's
Association and the
developers"; Mr, Thompson
. was "caught without sufficient
time to prepare .a presen-
tation .
proves Bruce impact ::.: "aothorized by the council Of the
. - Township of .GOderich to Make'
. , a presentation on behalf of the
Following a sOlopsis of- the main points of f'he Dillon Report
Town.ship" - the affidavit ,•j'
. which deal- with the impact of the Bruce'Nu-clear Power•Develop-
'stated, "I.was, told by the chair, •
man that unieS s I had a bylaw
mem on •the surrounding communities..., •
local go‘,.ernment representatives' feel that B.N.P.D. has
or a certified resolution of the
caused a shortage of labour, has driven up houSing cOsts,and has.
'
resulted in a demand for increased services ant -write at council, any comments That I
had to, make were strictly per,
sOnal cornments. In view of this
in work for mUnicipal eniplAyees; • 1
manpower at B.N.P.D., 'which WilS 5(10 in 1970, is, according to
acruling, I was not •permitted • to
the
-
the November 1973 hydro manpower tore( ast, estimated
* Manpower will decline .to a permanent staff ,of 2,000 after
ship of Goderich to the Board."
• 1984; .the conclusion of the -
states need hit is 1)4"'ijet:rqslottI:ot:la)(717111:wtiorne,AoildBenrut ene,..SNouptih).weilml ii)nl(t)-7eaese
hearing the chairman of the
make a presentation on hehalf
of the Corporation of the Town -
for facts
In an address ,to a Rotary
luncheon Tuesday afternoon,.
Energy Minister Dafcy
McKeough said that the con-
fusion surrounding the location
of a. nuclear plant on the
southern shores of Lake Huron
necessitated la need for the.
public involveMent on expan-
sion plans, from the grbund
floori
Mr,. McKeough said that ex-
pansion plans had simply not,
been thought out thoroUghly
and his mission was to set the
rumors. straight. He stated that'
the.government would not put: -
sue a feasibili.6,. study of the
county but would probably be.
hioking to the North shore' of
the lake:
We,must examine the whole
province and see where a load
centre would be needed," he
said, "I, also expect Ontario
Energy Board hearing S to begin,
possibly within six Months con,
cerning Hydro's,long range ex..'
pansion plans." '
. Mr. McKeough said, that the
'south shore of, the lake was
Considered due to the success of
the. Wove generating station
,
but the whole area was under'
oconsideratioo and no specific
sites had been determined.
Energy Minister on hot seat
GDCI students hurl questions
(continued on page 14)
Hydro'.s efforts to make the power shortages were tne
province self-sufficie'nt in her biggest prohlem the project has
energy needs% was the un.- encountered. He explained that
derlying theme ,,vf Mr. skilled technical peciple needed
McKeough's outline. He ex- for construction are also in
plained that Ontario now im- demand in pipeline, steel mills -
ported .80 percent of it s energy. lind refinery projects and are
needs and. the residents Nr vere becoming. short in supply,.
forced to • pay more than A combination Of. Canada's
necessary for their hydro A homan and natural resources,
because of this factor. the hest in the world according
He .pOinted out that to the minister, will make the
Canada's capital province- had p1 ns for self sufficiency Sm-
all, but ex-hausted other hydro cessful ,s0"ill if we use (air.
sources and were now thrning carefully and - not
fo nuclear energy. He said that
by constructing nuclear reac- •
tors and making Ilse of the
huge stores of' uranium in Nor-
thern Ontario, Oht tido could'
-remove her dependence on -
neighbors.
Shortakes have hampered
developmeni of the CANIW
systems Hydro is constructing,
accordinp,4 to McKeough.
He told the stiutents that Man-
haard Omin we win continue
the lifestyle for which many
Canadians are more than
t.o Make large .sacrifices,,,
'nit. students questioned
Ilvdro's rate structure and the,.
minister ftsponded , by PX
plaining that although higher
rates encourage inflation, over
short periods they„help to ciirb
consumption. He said that the
mood of the people is such.that
legislation to conserve- unergx
would not be accepted wjll and
the stiff rates help to save
'energy.
'Asked to justify 'Hydro's con-
struction. of CANDI,' systems
Mr. MoKeough said, that life ts
full of daily riskSAle used the
analogy t hat t he goyernment
takes • ilar risks .when they
issue ,a driver's license a per-
son not knowing, if they .will
a . menace on the. highway.
' "Atomic systems are as safe.'
as „rmin knows. 'how to make
theth and the CANDU system is
safer than all others in the
World,'' said Mr. •McReough
One problem that Hydro has
been eXplaining 014 the public is
*6 the storage of spent- materials.
He asSured the student,: that
efforts were being made to find
a use for the material" or break
. it down and neutralize no,
"I'm 'completely satisfied
• (continued on page- 14)
local industrieS-have found that B.N.P.D, wAge scales have
. _ . .
made it difficult. fo "keep or attract skilled workers although other,
factors have also contributed to .11/ese difficulties': • • •. .
* it is projected that the population of BTLI(i;Cptraty South Will
pealt„ai 17000 in 1978' and dt,cline to 18,000 hy 1984 unless other ...
gr(iwt-11 .factcirs-beconi(' evident in the area: .,
." 14,N,P,1). ixiptilation press„ores I/avert...stilted in an increasing
del/1%0(1,6w new. housing and' to .onie extent.; in increased prices
and• rents:
." the loud number of housing proposals now being ad\•anced is
several times t he• demand ( reated hy ,13.N..P.0.:
'. on the hasis'of exi.ting program., future educational needs.
'(an be )10)t.. . . .
' present . hospital faCilities, particularly in .kincardine. and,
Southampton:, are not adequate to meet /he dtmiands created by.
B.N.P.I), population pre'sstires: , • . • •
' the ticed.for a co•-ord'inated iipprolich to land Use planning atilt
the provision .of c(011,1111a111tV se.1".\ It'e'4 on a County wide basis 110s "
been emphasized .by .,t he presenc('• r)f 8.N.P:1).; •.,
' the rest Tenons On the use of InVerhurini Provincial Park and
the concurrent development 21' Mitc(.1regor Point Provincial Park
will' not have rnalpr r.cornintinity impacT on /Ile area: •
" the total 341 finant oil impact 'of 1-1.N„P.D.,ituluced population
gnowth •: i i.e. after deduct ing ()warn) Hydro'grants and other
revenue generated bv 13.N.,P.1).-1ndi0 ed population) was 'abOtit
$15(),000 between 1970 and 1972. "Ilw greatest impact was felt hy
the Town. of Piirt l'Igin. and 1Kincardine:
. .
in the 1973-1977 and the 197:8.-19r.l4 periods the impact will
reach $940,000 and $1.25 million rt”pectively, without considering
Ontario Hydro 'gra.nfs. The maximum impact will he felt in .Port
„.,.Elgin ,follOtted hy. the Tow.n 'if Kincardine, Kincardine Township
and the Town of Soothamptoti,.. • - 1
tnaw, of the incii•idual munic ipalities will have to borrtcw con;
siclerahle sit rn tn financi- lapital ‘t(;rks;
• in such e Tov.riship and the Towns of
Kincardine and, Walkert.„In, outstanding long -tern/ delv, in
1973 was high relati\ e . to the• provincial -equalized taxable
assessment:,
B.N P I) is not the. old\ • tai tor- influencing current increased
nTunic,ipal revenges and expenditures,
.A1,t
Bbard made' a statement to the
effect that if the municipality
acted with. despatch that the
(continued 'an page 14)
• Cheques -
go out
to donors
• Cheques are being
mailed out this week- to
all. those generous
people from Goderich
and area 'as well as other
parts of the country, who
made donations at the
Bank of Montreal for the
Melepba Well project un, -
der the direction of for-
mer Signal -Star ieporter-
photo.grapher Ron Shaw.
The project has been
cancelled , and Ron and
; his wife Peggy have peen
moved to another part of
• Africa. • -
Anyone ,who does not`
receive their cheque •
within the next week
should contact the Bank
' of Montreal immediately.
SoMe cheques -will have
been- left at the bank for
those persons whose ad-
dreSses were. unknown.
7
Despite what 'some people believe, the
youth of Goderich and area are not
rowdy and destructive. They have a
good deal,of plain common sense along
with a generous measure of community
Pride. •
Tonight is Halloween., Some skeptics,
as usual are predicting disaster and
door'n during °a fearsome frolic that
leaves wreck and rt.iin behind.
Hopefully, these folks will be proven
wrong by the youth of the district who
are coming into adu'Ithood and proving
this growing maturity by thqtr actions.
When the people 6f Goderich awgiw
Noviember 1, let them be able to View
their town unmolepted,, their private
property intact .and their children, and
young people sensibly going about the
business of living the good life.
1P;.•
'
to
ra,