HomeMy WebLinkAboutClinton News-Record, 1983-10-19, Page 1edautiirtg LC20ed
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93 e BA d Ji IELD BUGLE
cents No, 42
ncorpot- ating
T,i_ LYTH STAND
Wednesday, October 19, 1983
118t
Updated plans requested
Council wants to Know chan
By Shelley McPhee
Clinton Councillor Jim Hunter wants all
town hall -library project changes to come
through council. He doesn't want to hear
about changes on the street.
Councillor Hunter told council that he
learned of changes in the heating system
from a St. Catharines resident who is
working on the renovation project.
He believes that this is not the way council
members should learn of work progress at
the town hall and library and he told council,
"There seem to be an awful lot of changes.
Why isn't council informed? We have to go
out to the streets and we have to answer to
the people. We can't answer their questions
if we don't know what we're talking about."
Councillor Hunter clearly pointed out that
he' does not doubt the council appointed
building committee. He said that council
supports the committee and knows that the
group is not working behind council's back,
however he did say that what the building
committee considers day-to-day changes
could be important information that should
be passed on to the rest of council.
He asked that an updated set of plans,
progress and budget charts be presented to
council.
Project changes
The heating system at the complex has
been changed. Originally set to operate on a
central heating system, the town hall and
library will now have separate gas heating
units. Mayor Chester Archibald noted that
the installation costs will be similar, but the
operational costs will be less expensive on
the new system.
While the town hall will have an elevator,
no elevator will be included in the library.
As the original plans were designed
however, a shaft will be built to provide for
an elevator in the future.
wa-a
The old Clinton Post Office clock, now owned by Bill and Mary Hearn, carries its years
well. Built in 1890, the clock and its tower now reside at Stapleton Hall, just east of Clin-
ton. i Wendy Somerville Photo )
Landfill site committee
wants
Ministry meeting
The Holmesville landfill site committee
will seek a meeting with Ministry of
Environment officials from London and
Owen Sound before making decisions on
the existing site.
After months of testing and evaluation,
the ministry has informed the six par-
ticipating municipalities that either ex-
tensive work would have to be done to keep
the landfill viable° or an alternate site
would have to be found.
Ian Wilson, a consulting hydrogeologist
and engineer with Ian Wilson Associates of
Durham, told the landfill site meeting that
the ministry is leaving the group two
alternatives. The first alternative is to
close the site implementing a proper plan
of closure that would provide for proper
sloping and seeding of the landfill area
The closure would evolve over a two or
three year period. giving the
municipalities lead time to find a suitable
alternate site.
The second alternative is to undertake
additional work at the existing site. That
work may involve more test drilling, the
creation of a trench system and perhaps a
leachate collection system.
Leachate. which is essentially the rain
and ground water that has seeped through
the garbage and taken on chemicals, is
contaminating nearby Huckins ('reek the
ministry contends. Members of the
committee intimated that the water
quality above and below the site was good.
Wilson said the ministry is mainly
concerhed about the creek and possible
pollution The creek is a potential
spawning ground for trout and the
ministry has added rocks in the stream
and completed some fencing to keep cattle
out of the water.
Appearing before the committee
Thursday, Wilson said the existing site
could be used for many years to come.
"You may be able to dig a trench system
and also install a leachate collection
system. similar to draining a field. The
leachate would be collected, pumped and
treated at a nearby plant," he said. " The
trenches would be dug to the water table
and garbage would then be piled up and
covered with fill to the existing landscape.
You would be building up, increasing the
capacity and providing better com-
paction."
The ministry is trying to minimize
pollution in and around landfill sites,
Wilson explained adding that the Ministry
of Natural Resources has done work in the
creek.
If the committee decides to close the
existing site, it would have to submit a
plan of closure to the ministry. Wilson said
it wouldn't require much work to close the
Holmesville site. A three-foot layer of soil
would be placed over the site, and the area
%.• ould be sloped and seeded.
After meeting with Wilson, the com-
mittee met in closed session before
passing a motion to meet with ministry
officials
The 55 -acre landfill site, owned by
George (.avis. is shared by the town of
(".oderirh. the townships of Goderich,
Colborne, the town of Clinton and the
villages of Rayfield and I,ucknow.
A basement will no longer be included in
the police station work. Originally a
basement was to be dug and finished as a
storage room area. It has since been
discovered that water problems could occur
with a full basement and instead only a
crawl space will be dug. The proposed
storage area will be accommodated
elsewhere.
Tender contracts
Several areas of work have been tendered
out to various contractors.
Jordan from Mitchell will complete
electrical work for $57,400. The tender was
chosen from four tenders, the highest of
which was $69,180.
Glover and Hill of Thamesford was hired
to completed mechanical work at a cost of
$168,310. It was the lowest of three tenders,
the highest being $179,910.
W.E. Sanders of Delhi, the only tender
submitted with completed painting and
restoration of soffits for $21,930.
Two companies, Sass of Chatham and F
and R of Vanastra were hired for structural
steal and metal work. Sass will do the police
station for $14,550 and F and R will do the
town hall work for $7,474.
Drywall and acoustics work will be
completed by Niagara Drywall for $59,777
and Armour Elevator of London will install
the town hall elevator for $17,750, R. Oesch
year
es
was hired to build shelves and complete mill
work on the front windows and door unit, the
corridor and staff room.
The committee reported that glass and
glazing are being purchased locally and
work on the large front windows at the town
hall is underway. The parkette in front of the
building will be completed in conjunction
with the Clinton Public Works.
It was also noted that in a similar project
in Aylmer, the public got involved by
helping to donate many items, such as
sidewalk brick, trees, benches and planters.
Expenditures
Following up on a council request, a list of
expenditures up until Sept. 1983 was sum-
marized.
To date approximately $315,224.65 has
been spent. A cost breakdown reads:
professional and consultant fees, $82,068.26;
testing and surveys, $7,336.54; professional
expenses, $6,291.33; materials, supplies and
rentals, $43,408.43; Gilvesy Constructrion,
$171,231.66; miscellaneous, $5,888.43.
The building committee has pointed out
that expenses, like professional and con-
sultation fees to architect Carlos Ventin is
an initial expenditure that is paid at the
beginning of the work, but not required
further on as that portion of the project is
completed.
Clinton's "Big Ben" Board considers reserve
This guy kept a watchful eye over any crow that happened to land near Clinton's Albert
Street parking lot. In competition with three other scarecrows, he came in third place
and was created by Mike Rainey of Vanastra. First place went to Daniel and Denise
Garon of Clinton. Second place went to Marcia, Paul and David McLean of Vanastra.
The contest was sponsored by the Clinton Business Improvement Association.( Wendy
Somerville photo )
By Wendy Somerville
' Situated on Highway 8 east, on what
used to'be called the old Goderich Road, is
a house steeped in charm and antiquity.
The 150 -year-old dwelling is now owned by
Bill and Mary Hearn and their five
children.
The old Ransford Manor at .Stapleton
Hall, is one of Huron County's oldest
homes and with its dark varnished beams
and shiny black shutters it still looks as
good' as it did 150 years ago.
The Hearns are proud of their home but
one of the main reasons they decided to
move to Stapleton Hall waw because of one
of Clinton's old treasures; the old post
office clock, positioned at the end of a
winding driveway lined with tall pines.
It's Clinton's former "Big Ben", the
large quadruple -faced clock. that until
1966 used to adorn the town post office and
had been known- since the turn of the
century as Clinton's most distinguished
landmark.
Idalle Merle Willis, a dedicated admirer
of Western Ontario artifacts purchased the
clock 17 years ago as the `piece de
resistance' of her entire antique collection.
Had it not been for Mrs. Willis, a widow,
the clock might have fallen victim to the
wrecker's hammer.
The red brick post office, built in 1903,
was torn down in 1967 to be replaced by a
modern structure.
With the help of several friends the clock
was purchased for an undisclosed sum and
dismantled shortly before the post office
was reduced to rubble. A weather vane
was included in the transaction.
' Mrs. Willis designed plans for a three-
storey clock tower, 35 feet high and 12 feet
square. With much help from neighbours
and friends, a concrete base was built
when summer arrived and work began on
the tower.
It took four persons to raise the 1,500
pound solid brass bell and suspend it from
a eight -foot structural beam. The tower
Board
submits
proposal
The Huron -Perth Separate School Board
will submit its $1.5 million building proposal
to the Canada Works program.
While the board approved applying for
$700,000 in grants for additions to five
schools within the system at its Oct. 11
meeting, trustees agreed they would accept
approval of less -than the full five projects.
The projects involve the addition of small
gymnasiums at Precious Blood School in
Exeter, St. Joseph's School in Clinton, St.
Boniface School in Zurich, Sacred Heart
School, Wingham and St. Ambrose in Strat-
ford.
The board will be submitting the proposal
to the newly established Canada Works Pro-
gram sponsored by the Employment
Development Branch of the federal Ministry
of Employment and Immigration.
In other business, the board officially ap-
proved the use of the logo which has been
unofficially used by the system for a
number of years.
The fuel contract was awarded to Sun Oil
for the period from Oct. 1 to Sept. 30, 1984.
The furnace oil for all schools in the system
will be supplied at 25.05 cents per litre and
the gasoline for school buses at St. Mary's
School in Hesson will be supplied at 41.2
cents per litre.
completed, a friend of Mrs, Willis used his
mechanical abilities to reassemble the
clock, bult in 1890 by J. Smith and Sons
Midland Clock Works of Derby,England.
Today a weathered rug lies on the
wooden floor of the tower's second storey..
It was installed to prevent draughts from
reaching tbe'Glock mechanism.
Eddie Elliot, a Clinton auctioneer at the
time and a resident of Stapleton Hall, was
given the task of winding the clock once
weekly.
The clock tower was enhanced with
stained-glass windows, once part of a
Roman Catholic church at Corunna, south
of Sarnia, which flank the entrance, and
carved wooden scrollwork below the clock
faces, obtained from a 106 -year-old
Goderich home.
Mrs. Hearn said that anyone who comes
to the Hall to see the clock is welcome, but
they don't advertise the fact that the clock
is there in order to avoid vandals and
crowds.
According to Mrs. Hearn, the clock does
not always tick, but if it is oiled regularly it
stands a better chance of working.
"This summer is gave up the ghost, I
guess because of all the hot weather we
had," she said. "Funnily enough, the clock
ran like a charm last winter, it must like
the cold."
Bill and Mary are at the point of won-
dering what to do with the tower. The
wooden structure is not as sturdy as it once
was and the Hearns are worried about its
safety.
"It'll need a lot of work before it's solid
again," commented Mrs. Hearn.
Clinton's 85 -year-old "Big Ben" sits
back from the laneway and strikes the
hour with a resounding `dong'. Its tower is
a little worn and rickety but strangely it
seems to blend into the quaint, almost
European -like surroundings.
As Emile Becker, the man who set the
clock gears in motion 17 years ago, once
said, "It should run for at least another
century. Its parts are hardly worn."
WA
The Huron County Board of Education
may be considering the establishment of a
reserve to reduce next year's budget impact
on taxpayers.
At its Oct. 3 meeting, the board turned
down a recommendation from its aneeutive ,q
committee which suggested establishing a
$25,000 reserve. The $25,000 represents the
half a year's salary saved since former
superintendent of operations Robert Allan
became director of education. The vacant
position won't be filled until Jan. 1.
The reserve which was turned down would
have been used for future contracted ad=
ministrative services.
"How much contracted services do we
have?" asked Trustee John Goddard.
The director of education said the Mercer
report was the only specific contract service
for 1983. To a later question, superintendent
of personnel Peter Gryseels said the report
is confidential.
But the board didn't completely wipe out
the possibility of reserves. At its next
meeting, the executive committee will con-
sider the board's financial statement to date
and a general reserve fund could be recom-
mended.
The board's financial statement to Aug. 26
.stows thg.60,p4F,,cppt .4t tl , et tart'
budget, 57.7 per cent Of- the secondary
budget and 61.2 per Cent of the administra-
tio'n's centre's budget have been spent. With
four months remaining in the year and
roughly 40 per cent of the budget left, Mr.
Allan expects the budget will come in near
target. His only concern is the $50,000 for
roof repairs which was not included in the
budget.
Trustee Art Clarke said since the ex-
ecutive committee 'will be looking at the
financial statements, and since the recom-
mended $25,000 would be restricted to its
use, the board should leave the question of a
reserve for another month.
Other trustees agreed, as they turned
down the recommended $25,000 reserve by a
7 to 5 unrecorded vote.
Scholarship fund set up
BY STEPHANIE LEVESQUE
In recognition of a man who has spent
most of his life in a psychiatric institution,
the Bluewater Centre Volunteer Associa-
tion has established a scholarship fund for
Huron County students entering a mental
retardation counsellors program.
"It's a beautiful thing for those people to
have done," commented Huron County
Board of Education director Robert Allan.
He informed the board of the volunteer
group's action at the board's September 6
meeting.
Having found itself with some funds, the
volunteer association has turned over
$7,000 to the board to be invested. Each
year, a $500 scholarship is to be awarded to
a selected student. The name of the
scholarship is to be the Earl Ralph Switzer
Scholarship.
The association has stipulated that the
recipient must be accepted by any Ontario
community college in the mental retarda-
tion counsellors program. The group's
first priority is that the student come from
Goderich District Collegiate Institute, or,
as a second choice, from Central Huron
Secondary School in Clinton. If no eligible
candidate is available at either of these
schools, a candidate may be chosen from
any other Huron County secondary school.
Each scholarship recipient will receive a
story of Mr. Switzer, of "a man of the soil"
')'urn to page 3
The
Bayfield
Fire Department worked together to retrieve a
volunteer `victim° from a wrecked car in a simulated accident
outside the village fireball. The mock accident was an exercise
conducted for Bayfield residents as a part of the fire department's
open house held on Saturday. I Wendy Somerville photo