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HomeMy WebLinkAboutClinton News-Record, 1986-10-22, Page 4Page' 4—CLINTON NEWS -RECORD, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 1986 The Clinton Hew -Record Is published each Wednesday at P.O. Box 39, Clinton, Ontario, Canada, NOM 11.0. Tel.: 4883449. Subscription Rate: Canada -081.00 Sr, Citizen - 011.00 per Year U.S.A. foreign 000.00 per year It Is registered op second clamp moll by the post office ander the parmlt number 0817. The Newp•Record Incorporated in 1924 thoNuron News -Record, founded In 1011, and The Clanton Nowa Ira, founded in 1899. Total press rang 9,100. Minton News -Record Incorporating THE BLYTH STANDARD J. HOWARD AITKEN - Publisher ANNE NAREJKO - Editor GARY HAIST - Advertising Manager. FREDA McLEOD - Office Manager alspioy advertising rates available on request. Ask far Rate Card No. 13 effective Oc- teber1.1984, A Heritage scheme needs to be readdressed 0 Clinton Council was put in a no win situation during their meeting on Monday. They had to decide whether to back a recommendation made by their Local Architectural Conservation Advisory Committee (LACAC) or allow a homeowner his basic freedoms. In the end, they turned down the LACAC recommendation, perhaps set- ting a precedence, and are now in the process of complying with the homeowner's request. Philip McMillan had his home designated four years ago. He has since -decided the designation is of no benefit to him and wants it removed. After much deliberation, LACAC unanimously decided to recommend to council that they turn down the request as they felt there was not ade- quate reason to go along with it. In a recorded vote, council was split five to three in favor of de - designation. Council's reasons were very straight forward. They felt that since Mr. McMillan voluntarily chose to have his home designated, he should be allowed to de -designate it. After all, he pays the bills, his taxes and looks after the maintenance of the home, why shouldn't he be allowed to do as he pleases? Perhaps Mayor John Balfour summed it up this argument best when he said, "it's not a case of right or wrong, it's a case of individual freedoms." But will this set a precedence? Councillor Gord Gerrits thinks so. He rightfully said that Mr. McMillan might have one of the most historical homes in the town. Former owner Samuel Cooper was a mayor of this town, a contractor who built many significant buildings such as the library, the old post office and the piano factory, to name a few. Plus the architecture of the McMillan home is unique. If the de -designation occurs to this home, what is to stop the other nine or 10 people from de -designating their homes? Looking at the situation from Mr. McMillan's point, he's absolutely right when he says there is no benefit to having your home designated. He foresees changes in the Heritage Act, but not changes of a positive nature. So who's right and who's wrong in the de -designation issue? People should be entitled to change their minds in a situation such as this. People can get out of commitments such as marriages, why can't they get out of a designation? But, on the other hand, if this starts a trend, LACAC and our local heritage conservation plans may be in trouble. Perhaps- the government should take a long, hard look at their Heritage Act. - by Anne Narejko. finne Marejko Common cold It seems just about everyone these days has a touch of the common cold. They cough, sneeze, hold their aching head and have a box of tissues close by. Unfortunately for its_ victims, scientists have yet to find a cure for this bug. There are plenty of medications to try and get rid of the common cold once you get it, but as for me, I don't know what actually works and what doesn't. For 'the past week, I've been a victim of the common cold. My nose runs, my sinuses are giving me an almost intolerable headache and my throat has a tickle in it. that just won't go away. And although these problems make me very uncomfortable, they don't create as much an obstacle as my "now you hear it, now you don't" voice. I'm sure more than one person last week thought they had suddenly lost their hearing when my voice decided to have a rest for a few seconds. They'd hear my voice just fine then it would fade and they'd be left trying Reader commends council on effort and understanding Dear Reeve and Councillors of Bayfield: I was present at the August 27 meeting when the draft for the Secondary Plan of Bayfield was discussed. May I begin by complimenting you on your wisdom in allowing for discussion of the plan, and especially for the area east of the bridge and to the south of the river. We all, as residents of this area, have a great in- terest in the future of that parcel of land, and although I have no real recollection of its past history, who bought it and when, I am very interested now in its future. The members of the council, as the elected representatives of the town, have a very dif- ficult decision in front of them, for what they decide will affect the Bayfield River more than anything else in its history. I was most interested in Mr. Mustard's eloquent history of the river, of what keeps a' river alive and what is likely to cause it to die. I have since talked to many geographers and ecologists who assure me that his predictions as to the adverse effects in the event of a great number of boats using the river, the dredging of it ete., are accurate. This issue has brought together the residents of this community as none other has. I listened very carefully at the meeting and was impressed by the common sense and conunittment of a significant number of the citizens, both those present and also those 350 represented by the large number of signatures on the proxies. Bayfield is a unique community. In the past, it has chosen to lag behind the march of time and as a result we have inherited a little jewel, a time capsule which continues to be enjoyed by all who live or visit here. I Letters hope very sincerely that your council will decide that the area in question be designated `natural environmental' so that all the residents, both human and animal, can continue to enjoy it in the long future. Slowly we are beginning to understand how important our natural heritage is and how it cannot be replaced, at any price. Society and governments are now deman- ding that individuals and industries take greater care of our environment. There are new rules and regulations, and some people are no longer able to do what they had hoped, and, in the interest of all, they must subordinate their personal desires for the good of something much larger. This is real- ly the basis of `civilized' behavior. 1 was overwhelmed by the response to your question about how the parcel of land should be designated. Your decision, as the council, should, of course, be based on what is best for the town and all its residents, and for its future residents, the children, grand- children and great-grandchildren of us all. The one question is, "What will they want?" Will they want aliving river for everyone's enjoyment, or a business for a few? If the wrong decision is made, there is, of course, no going back. Thank you fall the effort you have put into coming to an understanding of this issue. I am confident that you will come to a responsible and farsighted decision. Sincerely, Clair E. Soper. Telephone numbers are out -dated. Dear Editor: Telephone users in the Clinton and sur- rounding area have received "The Phone Book" which included Bayfield, Hensall, Clinton and Seaforth area phone listings. As we have received numerous calls to our office questioning listings and telephone numbers' that are incorrect due changes since August 1985, we would ii t nfotni our customers that this is nit the no*, to read my lips. Although this was annoying, it wasn't quite as embarrassing as the time I was talking to a lady on the telephone. We'd be carrying on a conversation and then there was silence in the middle of my sentence. It took me three tries before I was finally able to explain I had a, cold. In the meantime, I imagined her pounding the telephone receiver against a counter in an attempt to fix the hearing piece. But perhaps my biggest problem last week was my drowsiness. I felt like my eyes were little slits and my body had only one gear - neutral. . The medication I take for my sinuses makes me extremely sleepy. For this reason, I only take it in the evening, but it seems to last until noon, Then when I go home for lunch, I mix up a big cup of Neo Citranwhich also makes me sleepy. My mother use to try and get me to drink Neo Citran when I lived at home, but I couldn't stand the smell of it. Now, I'm ad- dicted. For the past week, I've had to have my fix every lunch hour or I couldn't make it through the day. My Neo Citran supply ran out late in the week so I had to venture out and get some more. While I was out, I thought I'd take a look at all the other types of medication available for the dreaded common cold. Anyone who has ever done that will know the number of .sprays, tablets, chest rub ointments, lozenges and whatnots available are mind boggling. I'm not one for the nasal sprays. I tried us- ing that method a few years back but found myself more 'comfortable with a box of tissues. I've never been a great pill taker, mostly because I forget, so I left the store with nothing more than my Neo Citran, a. fresh box of tissues and a new supply of lozenges. As I was making my way back to the car, a line a lady said during a meeting I attend- ed a couple of months ago entered my head. She said something to the effect of, "If they can put a man on the moon, why can't they find a solution to the erosion problem?" The answer she got was, "It's the same as the common cold." Well, last week I would have paid just about any amount for a cure to the common cold...cough, cough! SheIIy McPhee 1Iciist • For women and men I'm energized and I'm exhausted. My mind is clear and it's confused. I feel challenged and I feel defeated. I've just come back from a daylong con- ference for working women. I've got a brief- case full of pamphlets and excellent reading material and a mind full of new facts, ideas and information. It's going to take a while to sort all of this out, but it will be well worth the effort. The conference was an exciting first time venture for Women Today. Well over 60 women attended this Goderich held event that offered workshops and seminars geared to women's employment issues. I went to the conference with the preconceived notion that it would be solely attended by professional women and avid members of Women Today. I should have known better than to4reate 'a stereotype. It was exciting lifo''see the variety of women, from all walks of life, all age groups and interests, that gathered at this impor- tant meeting. The conference was attended by young professionals who were looking to enhance their work position, to make career changes, or to embark on new en- trepreneurial ventures. The conference was attended by women, recently divorced or widowed, who were looking for ways to enter the job market. It was attended by senior citizens, by homemakers, by young mothers, who were seeking ways to supplement their income and find new challenges in their lives. Each woman who attended the Women At Work conference came with questions and information, goals and ideas and most went home from the session with new information and challenges. The various seminars held at the con- ference were specially designed to allow for individual participation and interaction. The seminar material, presented by well qualified facilitators, was excellent in itself, but the strength behind the conference came from the women themselves, through the stories they shared, the ideas they exchang- ed and the support they offered to one another. Many of us, strangers to each other at the day's beginning, found that by the day's end we shared many common goals, concerns and ambitions. We attentively listened to one young woman's concerns as she angrily spoke of the government inadequacies in her work. We offered employment guidance and personal support to another woman recently divorced. We encouraged an elderly woman to pur- sue her interest in art and to seek out fellow painters. We offered suggestions to a woman who had questions about managing her small business, about pleasing her customers and keeping costs in line. The strength behind the Women at Work conference was in the networking and idea exchange among. the participants themselves. I came away from the eight hour day feel- ing excited and challenged - ready to take on the world, ready to fight for better employ- ment standarda.,I felt encouraged about my own self worth as I learned more about self- confidence and personal pride. Too, I felt defeated. It was discouraging to learn that women still face a tough uphill battle to overcome employment inade- quacies, discrimination, stereotype opinions. I was stunned to learn that some 90 per cent of small businesses fail within a few short years of their establishment. It was discouraging to hear that on average Canadian women care only expect to earn 62.2 per cent of a man's average salary. A female file clerk, for example, earns $267 per week while a male file clerk earns $332. The research and studies that have been done on women's employment issues are ex- tensive and the facts are both encouraging and alarming. The Canadian Advisory Council on the Status of Women reports that over five million Canadian women are in the paid labor force. The female labor force grew by 119.4 per cent between 1966 and 1982, while the male labor force grew by 35.6 per cent. While women are gaining a stronger voice in employment figures, they are still not winning the battle in wage and work equali- ty. As of 1984, only eight per cent of employed women held managerial or ad- ministrative positions. Women workers are concentrated where the wages are lowest. They make up 78 per cent of the employees in the clothing industry where the average weekly rate is $266.53, but only account for eight per cent of the employees in the con- struction industry where the average week- ly wage is $472.46. The facts and the fight goes on. I'm wading through a mound of excellent material on a variety of employment issues. I hope to present some of these stories and facts to you in future weeks. The pile of in- formation that forms a mountain on my desk covers a wide range of material - from employment statistics to job search skills, from discrimination and the law to learning how to start a small business, from the mid- wifery issue to financial planning. The aim of the local Women At Work con- ference was to create an increased awareness of the employment situation in Canada today. The women who attended the seminars came away with a new understan- ding of the situation, but, the problem that now exists is in getting the rnessage'out to other women and men. Yes, men too! Exeter Times -Advocate Editor Bill Batten made a good point in his column last week in noting that members of the male persuasion should not be excluded from such conferences as Women At Work. Bill reported that when notice of the up- coming conference came to his paper, it came with the request that the female reporter be asked -to attend. Bill's words said it best, "Many of the topics up for discussion appear to be of equal interest to males and at times there is a suspicion that a few women's groups foster some discrimination by not directing their ap- peals to a more general audience andend up appearing to be in an adversarial role with men." You're right Bill! It is time that we made men aware of the inadequacies, of the dual standards, and, of the discrimination that exists in the workplace today between males and females. Women Today thrives on challenge, on breaking stereotypes, on education and learning, now that their vivacious organiza- tion has held a successful conference for women, I suggest that they hold a similar conference for men? I expect that Bill Batten will be one of the first participants to sign up! Resident wants application rejected Dear Cindy Fisher, Huron County Planner; was present at- the August meting in Holmesville regarding the rezoning applica- tion by Harbour lights for the triangle of land at the northern boundary of Bayfield. The presentation by Mr. Davis and the en- suing discussion were thought provoking and I would like to put in writing to you some of my concerns. Mr. Davis said twice that he can overcome the objections raised to traf- fic, sanitation and `aesthetics', but that he cannot overcome the basic 'objection to a trailer park. I consider this statement to be a clever but dangerous piece of rhetoric in that in my view he cannot overcome those three objections are the basis for any objec- tions to a trailer park on that site. Regarding the traffic, there must, with 110 campsites, be increased traffic on the old, narrow and winding old highway. This road is dangerous now and with even more traffic, one can expect (for the above reasons) accidents and not the near misses which we have all, experienced. A further objection is that all the traffic must exit on to Highway 21, either at the north, on a treacherous bend, or to the south, where the highway to the north is obscurred by a hill. In either event, it is a dangerous situation. The disposal of waste is also a problem. I urge you to consider carefully the effect that the tons of ice on the beach and lake in the winter will have on a concrete encased pipe going out intnthe lake. For years, before its reconstruction, the pier, a much more solid construction, one would believe, was damaged severely by this ice. I feel that you should contact Neil Mustard who is an ex- pert in this area. He is now retired from On- tario Hydro and does consulting work. It is also interesting to note that the Ministry of Environment has thus far wisely deferred approval of this untried and un- proven method of sewage disposal unless the nearest municipality accepts respon- sibility for its operation and any resulting breakdowns of the system. Iiaytield as the nearest municipality, not Goderich, and Bayfield cannot justify to its taxpayers this in view of the dangers posed to this proposition. Regarding Mr. Davis' third point, I cannot believe that a trailer park can ever be camouflaged, or made attractive, in that open, badly drained corn field. It would be a co scant eyesore to travellers entering and letbtng Bayfield and quite unique in its ex- posed location. The only time I can remember seeing such an exposed trailer park was a `Billy Butlin's Holiday Camp' in England and it was hideous! The triangle of land in question was cleverly rezoned five years ago for con- dominium townhouses. I feel that if that parcel of land is to be used for anything other than agricultural purposes, then that rezoning permits a better ase of the land. Harbour Lights has grown and the yacht club given much pleasure to many families, but I do not feel that Harbour Lights should have the right to monopolize the area and scar it with yet another trailer park, and this one totally visible. The proposed trailer park must be inter- preted as a less costly and easier way of developing that particular parcel of land for Harbour Lights. I feel that I, as a long term summer resident, cannot be expected to ap- plaud something which does nothing for the area except create mammoth problems - and perhaps more thickly line the already guilded pockets of the owners of Harbour Lights. The gentlemen in question do not choose to live in Bayfield. They are free to create the problems and then leave, while the rest of us have to live with all the damage they have wrought. I urge you most strongly to reject the ap- plication for the rezoning of the parcel of land in question. If I can be of any help, please do not hesitate to contact me either at my home (653-6388) or at my work (531-3571). eplipraa diiyectory. The new telephone directory with larger Reader questions statement in advertisement... Yours sincerely, Clair E. Soper tel p g will be deliveredour : print C to customer's around the end of November 1986, Trusting the listingsand telephone numbers will be up to date and not 15, nnonths out -fated. Tuekersmith Municipal Telephone System li4tel Graham, Secretary -Manager it.it 1, Varna clritaria YOM. 2lid • Dear Editor: The October 15 issue of your paper Carried an ad which stated, "Religion is the gr eatest of all measures for the establishment of order in the world and for the peaceful qon- tentment of all that dwell therein, Does eorc religion hold out anyy ho p . use blithe ills of nations and individuals? There are hundreds of religions. Various nations have and practice many different religions. A brief etamination of religions and their history may be illuminating. There are diverse and numerous heathen religtonsi. Within.. the real fl called "Christendom" there are three primary religion. The, Jew's religion; The Roman Cathlic religion; and what is called "The Protestant religion" and in each of these primary religions there are many divisions and denominations all somewhat different. Turn to page 5