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HomeMy WebLinkAboutClinton News-Record, 1983-12-28, Page 10 0 THE BAYFLEID BUGLE in"r"ratIng THE BLYTH STAND cents —.-No. 5 e nes ®y, December 28, 1983 118t year lyth C'ntr prornises to, "It is our responsibility to give the best quality of music and theatre to our au- dience,,, summed up Elizabeth Herman, president of the Board of Directors of the Blyth Festival. Mrs. Herman was speaking to the annual meeting of the Blyth Centre for the Arts, held Thursday, December 8 in the dining room of the Blyth Inn. Her remarks highlighted the achievements of the Blyth Festival during the 1982-83 year. "Our past year's main thrust has been to expand our national pro- file and at the same time deepen our ties with the immediate audience and communi- ty. We have also broadened the base of the theatre by bringing in artists and works Weather exiremes begin and end the year In record books and in people's memories, 1983 will be remembered as the year of weather extremes. We began the year with record high temperatures and nearly 365 days later hit lowest ever temperatures. Volunteer weather observer Norman Baird of Brucefield reported that on Dec. 25,1982 the thermometer went up to 15 C. On Christmas Day 1983 the thermometer went down to -17 C. Snow shovels and booster cables were the order of the day this Christmas as local residents and holiday travellers en- countered more than 23 cm of snow. Last year at the same time it was rubber boot and umbrella weather as 45 mm of rain fell on the area. December 25, 1983 will also be remem- bered by many as the year Christmas was cancelled. Mother Nature said Humbug to Christmas and blasted Canada and the United States with howling winds and blowing snow. Along 'the Lake Huron shoreline and inland, heavy drifting left visibility on roads from poor to non-existent at times closing large sections of many roads including Highways, 21, 8, 4 and even the 401 near Woodstock. Many Christmas travellers nevr reached their destinations. On Christmais morning over 100 people found themselves stranded at the Brucefield United Church, but villagers rallied together to make their stay comfortable and festive. Rev. Moffatt and his wife Lorraine and other local residents became impromptu hosts for the uneai°' pected guests and Bruce Rathwell noted, "It was a true community effort." The stranded motorists enjoyed a pancake and egg breakfast on Christmas morning, prepared by the local firemen who are famous for their flack jack meals. Stewart and Olive Broadfoot helped organize the pancake and sausage feast and Bob Broadfoot provided 15 dozen eggs. Brucefielders again illustrated the true spirit of Christmas later in the day when they provided turkey dinner, with all the trimmings for more than 85 people. Dennis and Louise Hallam and Bruce and Dawn Rathwell prepared the massive Christmas feast. Likewise at the Exeter Legion, more than 40 people spent a warm, friendly Christmas Eve. The Clinton Legion too was opened for stranded motorists, but fortunately was not needed. Others weren't quite as lucky. Linda Pehlke, radio .4ispatcher for the Goderich OPP spent Christmas morning alone in the usually busy detachment office on Highway 21, just south of Goderich. She came on shift early at about 11:30 on Christmas Eve and once the night shift of OPP officers has gone home, only two from the overnight shift were able to get to the detachment. Linda told the London Free Press on Christmas morning after being stranded for five hours at work, "I've been on all night and a lot of the time by myself. The two officers that did make it got snowed in and couldn't make it back after they had gone into town...the visibility was impossible." About 8 a.m. Linda was biting her nails because the weather forecasts called for more snow and higher winds. The snow screen was still whirling about outside the detachment windows as daylight came on and she was still alone in the OPP office. "I did see one car go by...it's really crazy. All I can see is white swirling around....hey, here comes my day shift....I'm saved, ahhh!" she told the Free Press. County council to conserve energy The ways and means ot conserving energy in Huron County will be closely scrutinized during the next few months. Huron County council at its Dec. 1 meeting approved hiring the firm of Mark Dorfman Planner Inc., of Waterloo to carry out an energy study on Huron at a cost of $29,915 in a 17 to 11 recorded vote. County planning director Gary Davidson said the consulting firm will. .,consider Huron's official plan and how it relates to energy conservation practices. From there the consultants will identify energy con- servation methods then narrow them down to what is practical for Huron County. The last task is to determine what is acceptable in the county as a conservation method. The exact format of the study has not yet been worked out said Mr. Davidson, but he expects meetings with municipal represen- tatives and the farm community will be held over the next few months. The study is ex- pected to be finished by the end of April with a report to be presented to county council. Exeter Reeve Bill Mickle asked the plan- ner if the aim of the study is to regulate, through the official plan and zoning bylaws, new development. The reeve was concerned that regulations would prohibit certain types of development which would result in an individual municipality and the county to lose the potential benefit. of another in- dustry. Mr. Davidson repeatedly emphasized that no, the purpose of the study isn't to regulate future or existing development. The purpose of the study, said the planner, is to have educational information available that will promote energy conservation. As an example, Davidson said anyone, from the present homeowner planning to renovate to industries considering locating in the county, could be shown how to save money on a long term basis by adding con- servation techniques to a structure under construction. A lot of the information from the study will be aimed at building inspectors and con- struction companies said Mr. Davidson and they in turn could pass the information on to individuals or companies planning to build. The planning director added that the new Planning Act requires municipalities to have energy policies in their official plans. He noted too, that now the province is pro- viding funding for such studies. The entire energy conservation program for the county will involve more than the consulting firm's study. The entire cost is more in the neighborhood of $50,000. The province, through the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing will be pick- ing up 75 per cent of the cost up to a max- imum of $35,000. Mr. Davidson said that would cover the cost of the actual study, Drinking drivers beware The Ontario Provincial Police will be em- barking on an all-out attack on drinking drivers over the Christmas and New Year's holidays OPP Commissioner Archie Ferguson announced this week. OPP officers in every corner of the pro- vince will be watching for people who take their holiday celebrations too far. Using roadside breath screening devices, the police officers will be able to test drivers they believe have been drinking. The test devices show one of three results after a driver takes the test. If the 'pass' light shows, the driver can go. A 'warn' light means the driver may receive a 12 -hour suspension; in that case, his driver's licence is seized, and he must make other ar- rangements for continuing his journey. If the person taking the test sees the 'fail' light, it means the start of a procedure to ob- tain a test with a normal breathalyzer. "Last year, out ot aS8 drivers killed in fatal accidents in Ontario, 301 had been drinking," reports Commissioner Ferguson. "Everyone in the community has a respon- sibility to try to reduce this terrible statistic." The OPP has a major part to play in any work to reduce drinking and driving says Commissioner Ferguson. But he also stresses the fact that everyone can try to' prevent the drinker reaching his car when his driving will be impaired. Friends and family can use their influence to stop a loved one from takh g totally unnecessary risks — both the risk of having an accident and the risk of being caught by the police. "Moderation is the keyword," says Com- missioner Ferguson. "Hospitality means more than just making sure someone's glass is always full. It also means making sure that guests can get home safely." St. Joseph's School finds federal grants hard to get By Stephanie Levesque The Huron -Perth Separate School Board could be heading towards another roadblock in its attempt to receive federal funding to improve two schools. Director of education William Eckert brought a letter addressed to Perth MPP, Hugh Edighoffer from a departmental assistant in the Ministry of Employment and Immigration to the attention of trustees at their Dec. 12 meeting. One paragraph in particular bothered the director. It stated that the assistant had been told by the regional office in London that the board had not applied for funding under the Canada Works program as of late November. "As the board is aware, we applied for funds on Oct. 24," said Mr. Eckert. The director added that the board's ap- plication was acknowledged by the regional office in a letter dated Oct. 27. Mr. Eckert said he has sent letters, to the departmental assistant and Mr. Edighoffer, stating that the board has applied for Canada Works fun- ding, 1 he Canada Works application is asking for $366,000 which is made up of $249,000 for labor and $117,000 for materials. The total project cost is $681,000 with the difference being the board's cost for materials and other supplies. The grant application proposes a general purpose room with change rooms for both Precious Blood Separate School in Exeter and St. Joseph's Separate School in Clinton. Also a library resource room is proposed for Precious Blood. Originally, superintendent of business and finance, Jack Lane estimated the board would have a reply on the Canada Works ap- plication by the first of December, but he now expects it will take another four to six weeks before anything definite is known. Meanwhile, construction is underway at Sacred Heart Separate School in Wingham. The separate school board received $68,620 under the Canada -Ontario Employment Development (COED) program. The total cost of the Wingham project is $161,500 with the board paying the $92,8.80 difference. with the remaining $5,000 to pay part of the estimated $20,000 to be spent in planning staff time. Those voting in favor of the study were: Grey Reeve Leona Armstrong, Ashfield Reeve John Austin, Goderich Deputy Reeve James Britnell, Seaforth Reeve William, Campbell, Exeter Deputy Reeve Lossy Fuller, Bayfield Reeve David Johnston(, borne. Reeve Russel Kernighan, Wingham Reeve Joe Kerr, Hensall Reeve Hurry*,4' Klungel, Exeter Reeve Bill Mickle, Usborne Reeve Gerry Prout, Goderich Township Reeve Grant Stirling, Zurich Reeve Dori Van Patter, Stephen Reeve Alan Walper, Stephen Deputy Reeve Ralph Weber, and Goderich Reeve Harry Worsell with two votes. Those voting against the study were: Hay Deputy Reeve Toney Bedard, Tuckersmith Reeve Robert Bell, Blyth Reeve Tom Cronin, Hullett Reeve Tom Cunningham, Morris Reeve Bill Elston, McKillop Reeve Marie Hicknell, Turnberry Reeve Brian McBurney, Howick Reeve Jack Stafford, Stanley Reeve Paul Steckle, East Wawanosh Reeve Neil Vincent, and Hay Reeve Lionel Wilder. Absent during the' voting were West Wawanosh Reeve James Aitchison, Clinton Reeve Ernest Brown and Brussels Reeve Calvin Krauter. On Dec. 27, area residents starting digging out after receiving an unwanted Christmas gift from Mother Nature. Howling winds and blowing snow closed down highways, stranded motorists and almost cancelled Christmas 1983 in this area. (Shelley McPhee photo) a resi ei'i 1 lity sh Yws from other parts of Canada; such as the art show of Native people from the Ojibway Cultural Centre and the Native Theatre School performances. We expanded our Children's Workshop Program and included older children as well as bringing in the Manitoba Puppet Workshop. Janet Amos also expanded our touring with The Tomor- row Box, for two weeks. We are very pleas- ed to announce it was the first theatre event at some of these places. We are growing and wanting other people to grow with us. The tours have very much helped to build our profile in South-western Ontario. The Tomorrow Box opened with declaration of "Blyth Festival Week in Waterloo." The presentation of the Festival's finan- cial statements echoed Mrs. Herman's statements of growth, expansion, and suc- cess. The winter, capital and summer revenue of the Blyth Centre for the Arts totalled nearly r,2 million dollars in 1982-83. The Summer Festival recorded a surplus of $22,485 on a total budget of $357,000. Of that, 61 percent consisted of box office and other earned revenue, 27 percent was support from government arts councils and employ- ment grants, and 12 percent was made up of donated community support. "It is very in- teresting to note," Mrs. Herman remarked, "that over 60 percent of all donations come from the immediate Huron County area. News of the successes of the winter pro- gram, the Blyth Festival Singers, new play workshops, fund-raising events, volunteer Friends of Blyth, capital improvements and the many other projects of the Blyth Centre for the Arts were also shared with the membership. The executive elected to the Board of Directors of the Blyth Festival for the com- ing year were Elizabeth Herman, presi- dent; Lynda Lentz, vice-president; Marion Zinn, treasurer and Helen Gowing, secretary. Directors who were re-elected were Carol Bale ( Toronto), Chris Borgal ( Blyth ►, Joan Chandler (Belgrave1, Marion Doucette ( Clinton ), John McKibbon (Goderich), Sheila Richards ( Brussels) and Lois van Vliet ( Blyth). New directors welcomed were Don McAffery (Exeter), Margaret Webster ( Wingham), and Carol Irwin ( Blyth ). The membership regretfully acknowledg- ed the resignations of directors Mildred McAdam, Rhea Hamilton, Bev Walker and Marie McClure and thanked them sincerely for their invaluable contributions over the years. Plans for a gala celebration of the 10th anniversary season of .the Blyth Festival are currently underway. More announcements will be made in January concerning season presentations and special events. Beef farmer savings According to a recent report by Universi- ty of Guelph, new management practices -.: i rf docc: the death :'ate of young beef cat- tle by approximately 50 percent. Operators are advised to: .(a) slowly introduce corn silage during the first two weeks; (b) avoid the use of respiratory vaccines; and (c) not unix cattle purchased from several sources for the first three weeks. Feedlot managers can gain practical knowledge on issues related to herd health and record keeping, by attending a ten week course at the Blyth town hall, Thursday afternoons (1:30 - 4:30 p.m. ), January 19 - March 22. The sessions, coordinated by Nelson Underwood formerly with the OMAF office in Norfolk County, are based on re- cent research findings. Underwood, who has recently returned home to farm, has plann- ed a comprehensive series of lectures of in- terest primarily to beef feedlot managers, but also worthwhile to cow -calf operators. For more information or to register, phone Centralia College 228-6691, Extension 45 or local OMAF office. Local OPP officers and the Clinton Police are advising motorists not to drink and drive this holiday season. News -record reporter Rod Hilts and Clinton police Wayne McFad- den and Lloyd Westlake illustrated the Alert brenthalizer test. In 1982, in Ontario, 50,243 persons were asked to take the test. A total of 41,055 drinking and driving charges were laid as a result and another 4,910 for refusing to take the test. (Shelley McPhee photo ) f