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HomeMy WebLinkAboutClinton News-Record, 1987-12-02, Page 1ab4:6➢'=VOIR•�0�'�l�(m-� 9�: BI..'kTill STAN EDARI)-11.11.: HSI 4'lEl.1D lid NO. 48 WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 2, 1987 4 tkAi:f¢L i7tFac lr An air -band Contest was held at CUSS on November 27. Students dressed up as their favorite rockers and mimicked their songs. Shown here is Chris Edwards, imitating rock star, $illy Idol. (Paul Rudan photo) Organizations respond to Klompen Feest plea yet more help wanted By Anne Chisholm CLINTON - What started out as a small, quality event, has now grown to be bigger and better. In fact, it has grown so big that the present committee is asking for help. Their plea for help was answered on November 25 when a public meeting was held in hopes of forming a board of manage- ment. Attending the meeting and offering support were representatives of the Clinton Legion, Knights of Columbus,.- two sororities, the Legion Auxiliary, Clinton 4-H Clubs, the IODE, Clinton Minor Hockey, as well as a letter from the Optimist Club offer- ing their support. Along with these representatives from organization, there were also individuals on hand who were willing to pitch in and help out. And more people are still wanted. Time To Become Municipal Event Explaining the present committee's situa- tion, Dr. Ken Wood said, "A small amount of individuals have done a super job but the membership is getting even smaller...It's time Klompen Feest became a municipal event." • Dr. Wood said that the present committee could foresee a separate board of manage- ment consisting of two council memebers to make the municipal tie and offer support. "But we need other organizations to help as well...As they say 'many hands make light work,"' Dr. Wood explained. And to date, the Klompen Feest Commit- tee has not had the "many hands" to make their work light. "The brain child of Clarence Denomme, we have watched Klompen Feest grow into one of western Ontario's finer community events (since 1981). Each year it gets bigger and better... "We'd like to keep it unique and we'd like to keep it in Clinton - lots of communities would like to take it over," explained Dr. Wood. "However, we must have a broader base of community support. Now there are about 15 people running it." The present committee is not about to give up completely on the festival, in fact, they have already lined up entertainment for next year, but the fact that key members have moved away or are leaving, and that last year's festival broke attendance records, has required them to ask for help. "We are pleading for complete communi- ty involvement to' help preserve this unique community event," said Dr. Wood. "The general public doesn't know how big it is or how desparately we need their help." Mayor John Balfour added that time was limited in getting a board of management set up. "Time is another crucial factor. Things need to be in place now, it's not something you can sit and talk about until the first of May and then get to work." Mayor Balfour also added that the board would have its own authority to set up a budget. "The town is not to tell you what to do, we're just here for support," he said. Structure Dr. Wood said the structure they have in mind is to have one organization in charge of one aspect of the festival. For example, one group would look after the dance, another would look after the draw and so on. In all, there are approximately 16 committees. "Some committees have more work than others, therefore we would like the larger organizations to take the bigger jobs." said Dr. Wood. Those on the present Klompen Feest Com- mittee have agreed to stay on and help out for at least the upcoming year. Only one representative from each organization will be asked to attend a mon- thly meeting. It will be this person's job to relay the information back to his or her group. Contribution Back To Town "This is not a self serving event," said Dr. Wood. "The committee shouldn't reap the benefit, the town should...We'd like to con- tribute something back to the community by way of working on projects." Mayor Balfour said the town has already benefited in another way. "People 200-300 miles away comment on Klompen Feest when I tell them where I'm from," he said. "It's really putting Clinton on the map." Meeting January 6 To close the meeting, it was decided that Wednesdays would be the best day to hold their monthly meetings and January 6 at 7:30 p.m. in the council chambers was set for the first organizational meeting. "More help is still needed and any one who was unable to attend (November 25), is welcome to attend on January 6," concluded Dr. Wood. "We need new suggestions and new blood." Scouts to hold bottle drive CLINTON - The First Clinton Scout Troop is having their bottle drive on December 5 starting at 9 a.m. Please have your bottles ready for the boys when they call at your door. Beavers, Cubs, 'Scouts, Venturers and Rovers are registered and underway for another year. There is an enrolment of 108 members which is an increase over last year, and they are pleased to have the Clin- ton Kinsmen Club as their sponsors. On November 7 and 8, the Huron District training sessions were held at the Clinton Public School. Janet Cameron, District Commissioner for Huron District is pleased to report that there were 83 persons from the District participating. These training sessions are held at this time each year to teach new leaders their roles in the Scout program. Blyth Festival plans $1.6 million expansion By David Emslie BLYTH - The Board of Directors of the Blyth Centre for the • Arts revealed a $1.6 -million capital building project at a gala event at the Memorial Hal' here on November 21. According to project co-ordinator, Lynda Lentz, this is the second major capital pro- ject the festival has undertaken. She noted that the campaign in 1979 saw expansion on the north side of the existing building, along with the addition of air conditioning, dress- ing rooms and a ramp for the physically disabled. At this time the building was also upgraded to prevent fire hazards. "That debt was paid off in two years by the Board of Directors," Lynda said, adding they are a very hard working board. The current expansion is one of a much grander nature. What the plan calls for is the purchase of the old bank building, which is now rented and used for the festival of- fices. A link between this building and memorial hall will also play a large part in the expansion. "This is all designed to meet a really critical shortage of technical facilities and rehearsal facilities," said Lynda. In the link will be a covered arcade for the box office, to allow patrons to stay out of the weather when waiting to purchase tickets. Also behind the bank building will be an art gallery. Lynda explained that each part of the ad- dition is important to the festival. Now without a stage right in the theatre, plays have to be changed to have everyone exiting to the left. "What we propose to do is have additional stage right space," she said. Another critical need, that for more rehearsal space, will also be met in the ex- pansion. Lynda explained this space is need- ed because at any one time in the summer, four rehearsal spaces are needed for children's workshops, youth workshops and new play workshops. She commented that the theatre is known from coast to coast as one of the best for new play development, as commissioned scripts are put through their workshop process. "What the result of our new play develop- ment program is, we not only improve the scripts on stage, but we even make an im- pact across the country," Lynda stated, ad- ding that on one day in November, four Blyth plays were playing across Canada. In order to keep up with the workshops, and re- tain their good reputation, the expansion is necessary. Curretly, the theatre can have the set for a certain play set up only on the stage. With the added space, a second, full set will be EXPANDING BLYTH FESTIVAL SPACE Plans for a capital building project for the Blyth Festival worth $1.8 million were an- nounced on November 21. The model for the proposed changes is on display at the Festival's administration office. Here, Lynda Lentz, project co-ordinator, point out a new link between the adminstration office and the Memorial Hall, while the Festival's General Manager, Tim Chapman looks on. (David Emslle photo) able to be set up elsewhere. Lynda noted, "This is a tremendous ad- vantage. If rehearsals can be on the (iden- tical) set, we'll get more polished performances." Aside from the changes to be made in the immediate vicinity of the memorial hall, ex- pansion will also take place at the existing garage which will allow space for a workshop where costumes, props and scenery can be made, and scenic painting can be carried out. Lynda noted this will allow for better in- tegration of the artistic and technical sides of the theatre, because as the plays get more sophisticated, the sets must also become more sophisticated. When work is being carried out on expan- ding the Dinsley Street garag, the current garage will also be upgraded. It will con- tinue to be used as rehearsal space. Basically, three committees are involved in the project. The working committee is composed of board members and people from the village community. The others are the building committee, and the corporate committee, headed by George Parsons of Goderich Electric. The building committee has been working on the project for approximately two years, carrying out a feasibility study to in- vestigate the future needs of the festival. After the feasibility study was completed, an architect search took place, and after ex- haustive research, Lynda said, Chris Borgal was chosen as the architect for the job. Lynda stated the final vote to go ahead received a unanimous affirmative vote from the board of directors. However, that vote is contingent on sufficient government funding becoming available to match private dona- tions. Presently, briefs are being submitted, to both the federal and provincial govern- ments. The council for the Village of Blyth received the plans enthusiastically. - Also adding her support to the project was internationally acclaimed writer, Alice Munro. Mrs. Munro agreed to act as honorary chairperson for the whole campaign. "The day I found that out was one of the highlights_in two years of a sometimes long struggle to see where we should go," Lynda said. Lynda pointed out that people are welcome to stop at the festival administra- tion office to view the plans. "There has been a steady stream of people coming in to look at the model. Everyone is as equally ex- cited as we are," she said. The plans for the expansion now call for work to start on the technical facility on Dinsley Street during the 1988 season. Before that time, however, fund raising will have to take place. Already, $10,000 was raised through pledges from the board of directors, festival staff and one corporate donation. The very first official fund raising event will take place on December 10 when the festival will be hosting a Wintario draw. This will be followed up by the very popular Medieval Feast at the hall on February 27. Lynda noted that there was a very op- timistic air about the project at the gala reception, and this feeling carried over into the next week. "It has really added fuel to our fire. There is a long haul ahead, and it is good to sense the public support. It reflects their love for what we put on the stage," she concluded. 4 CLINTON PUBLIC HOSPITAL BUILDING FUND 4,