The Goderich Signal-Star, 1981-06-24, Page 111.
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133YEAR-25'e
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 24,1981
50 CENTS PER COPY
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Variance
granted
for new
health spa
Lamor Enterprises has been granted a second
minor variance within a year, the most recent to
accommodate the addition of a health spa to the rear
of the Hayfield Road minietenell.
The committee of adjustment made the ruling
Tuesday at a public hearing, granting Larrior a minor
variance to construct a 66 by 45 foot addition onto the
rear of the building. The mini -mall now houses Pizza
Train and Fihnspeed stores.
While some councillors were in complete
disagreemert with the minor variance application,
council did not lodge a formal objection with the
committee of adjustment. The mall is located on a G3
highway commercial zone and laltalitne Lamor was
granted a variance to add a coin laundry and dry-
cleaning depot to the list of permissahle uses. •
- Thee- eete vette !*r•url tiolotaell trann Ova skull/nu
bylaw and a health spa was added following the
ruling of the committee.
Building inspector Doug Harrison explained that
the committee has the power to grant modifications
to bylaws and grant minor variances.
"They are going to build a health spa onto the rear
of the existing building and the committee has the
power to grant such requests without amendments to
the bylaw," he said. "We must circulate the changes
to property owners within 200 feet as in a rezoning.
They have 21 days to object."
There was some concern at the coimeil table in
view of the fact that Lamor was previously granted a
minor variance, extending the use of highway
cormuercial property. Deputy -reeve Bob Allen
auggested the rules were being bent too often.
"We bentthe rules for him to damply and then he
goes lathe conunitteebTentigtiniatforatid
then changes again," he said. "The use will not
comply with highway commercial and therefore
we might as well not have an official plan. The
committee of adjustment must establish what a
minor variance is"
Elsa Hayden introduced a motion asking that the
clerk file a blame' objection to the application by
Lamor, since it altered the bylaw recently passed by
council. The motion was defeated.
A healthspa was to be part of a second mini -mall on
the corner of Hayfield Road and Suncoast Drive but
an objection was received relative to that develop-
ment and forwarded to the Ontario Municipal Board.
Allen said that Lamor Enterprises originally had
an agreement with council and when the committee
of adjustment agreed to the first minor variance, to
allow a coin laundry and dry-cleaning depot, it
altered the bylaw and agreement
"Why do we have a zoning bylaw when we don't
stand behind it?" Allen said. "We are updating the
official phut and looking out for every eventuality."
Council objected to the first application by Lamor
for a minor variance but their written objection was
not sent on time.
It came as a pleasant
surprise to the staff at
Bluewater Centre last
Wednesday when Frank
Drea, Minister of
Community and Social
Services, delivered his
thanks to the Volunteer
Association. Read about
Drea on page IA.
Library has friends
A small group of concerned citizens in
Goderich, known as Friends of the Library,
are determined that the one historic building
in this town that seers to be sadly neglected
will be repaired and improved. See Joanne
Buchanan's report on page 1A.
.*
ett
Two students of Queen Elizabeth School in
Goderich will be travelling to Ottawa next
month to represent tics region when the
mentally handicapped from across Canada
meet for the National Games. Read about
swimmer Mark Albert and bowler Darcy
Doak on page 1A.
Regular Features
Tid Bits Pg. 2 Classified.... Pg. 13-15
Newborns. Pg. 2 Real Estate .. Pg. 16-17
Editorials Pg. 4 B. Board Pg. SA
Columns Pg. 4 Farm Pg. SA
Sports Pg. 9-12 Birthdays Pg. 9A
',I -Guide 4. iri .DalArai ' i=
Smiling faces and flailing arms were the order of the school students were dismissed at noon on Tuesday
hour on Tuesday as these Victoria School kids made to begin over two months of holidays (Jason Ainslie
their final departure until next Sep(ember. Public photo)
Committee gears up for
fund- raising drive
More than $13,000 in pledges over a three-year
period have already been received for the proposed
new addition at Alexandra Marine and General
Hospital
The project includes an expanded four -bed in-
tensive care unit, an enlarged physiotherapy
department, establishment of a three -bed day
surgery unitand four additional chronic beds.
Cost is estimated at $495,000 of which $250,000 will
come from local hospital funds. The remaining
money wilt be raised through a community fund-
raising drive to be spearheaded by a number of in-
terested communily leaders.
Architects of Tillman Ruth are drawing plans for
the addition Which is to be raised over the new
laundry facility on the north side of AM&G.
A much needed up-to-date enlarged intensive care
unit (ICU) will comprise about 50 percent el the new
space created by the addition.
In his report to the board ea Monday evening, Dr.
James Rourke, president of the medical staff,
suggested the planning include individual patient
cubicles enclosed in glass that would facilitate in-
fection control and proper privacy, care and
management of critically ill patients at AM&G.
The Medical Advisory Committee has urged that
the four -bed unit have the ability at times of overflow
to accommodate a fifth bed which can be enclosed by
curtains.
By rearranging present hospital facilities relieved
by the proposed addition, the), package will allow for
four extra chronic care beds as well as a day care
surgery unitto free up more active hospital beds, and
an expanded and improved physiotherapy depart-
meatand pediatrics ward.
The board has found that the Ontario Ministry of
Health capital building fund is committed for the next
five years. As well. a "wish list" composed of
building projects requested by hospitals throughout
the province totals $112 billion.
It was pointed out that even if the ministry con-
tinued to spend $120,000,000 per minima on capital
building projects, it would take years before AM&G
could secure funding the ICU and accomtmaying
improvements.
Campaign Committee Chairman is Bob Dempsey;
vice-president, Isobel Sully; secretary, Gerry Zur-
brigg; fulltime co-ordinator, Jo Berry.
Mary Donnelly and Muriel Murphy are co-
chairmen of the public campaign sub -committee.
lain Bain chairs the public relations and publicity
sub -committee.
Bob *trier heads up the business, industrial and
individual large gifts sub -committee. Anna Melski is
chairing the service dub and foundations and
government campaign subcommitt' eet.
Gordon Crabb is chairman of the finance and audit
sub -committee.
Bob Dempsey asked Monday evening at the board
meeting that board members take the lead by turning
in their pledge sheets on or before June 29.
He reminded their' that all persons giving one
percent 42,500 - of the total objective of $0,000,
would have their names engraved on a plaque to be
included in the new addition.
Hotel unaffected
manager says
The manager of the Duke of Bedford Hotel claims
the hotel's operation is not adversely affected by
investments made by Sylvester and Associates of
London.
One month ago, it was announced by a group of
investors that a management consultant had been
retained to investigate a number of investments
made by Sylvester.
Sylvester and Associates had been investing a pool
of funds through three holding companies, Lon -Med,
Med-Lon and Arcturus The Hotel Bedford was linked
to the investment consortium and the actual purchase
and renovations were financed by a provincial
government loan totalling $1 million.
Hotel manager, Brian McCallum, said Sylvester
and Associates are no longer associated with the
hotel. He explained there is no daeger to the business.
"Sylvester was only a menet. ement firm giving
direction to small development companies but
Sylvester has been relieved of his duties," be said. "A
consulting manager has been hired and Dr. Jack
Sales is now president of the three holding corn -
The mortgage on the hotel is held b local investors
McCallum said, some of whom are doctors.
"Local people are involved in the mortgages on the
hotel and we are not adversely affected by the in-
vestment group.- he said. "There are Wee local
mortgage holders and several shareholders in town."
However. McCallum did admit that investment
problems did affect some areas of the hotel's
operation. While a great deal of money was spent on
rehirbishing the interior, some. of the renovation
plans are on hold_
"It put me in a tight position since some of the
capital was taken.- he said. "Most of the renovations
have been completed but other areas, such as work on
the k itc hen. will net be completed."
Smother area affected is the purchase of the Livery
Theatre. The investu tent group hail applied for a loan
from the Ontario Development Corporation, and
while that deal may still be completed, it is not being
pursued at present.
McCallum said the hotel is sound financially and
the economic conditions have not necessitated staff
cutbacks or reductions. He said the payroll is being
met, although it was slow at one point
The investment group was to hold a general
shareholder's meeting in June to discuss ;116Zr q "FT
el the management consultant
A
Vendors wanted
•at farmer's market
The Goderich version al a farmer's market opened
at the Roll Feagan Memorial Grandstand Salurday
and will coatinneto oiler home grown produce, baked -
goods, crafts and other products throughout the mom
mer.
Although vendor participation was limited on
aPeniag day, recreation direct"' Jane Netskesaid the
number of vendors at the market will increase
substantially as produce becomes available.
The farmer's market will ke hal_eackSaturday
from 8 am. to noon on the main floor of the grand-
stand. Vendors w1 be charged $5 for weekly space
and they must supply their own tables.
There is no restriction on the items offered for sale
and last year's market offered baked goods, co*
plants, fruit and produce. Anyone requiring space*
the weekly market is asked to contact the recreation
department.
Hospital
isolation room
The medical staff at Alexandra Marine and
General Hospital is concerned about the lack of
availability of private rooms for cases that need
isolation from otherpatients.
That concern was voiced Monday evening at the
regular meeting of the board of AM&G by Dr. James
Rourke, president of the medical staff.
Dr. Rourke claims the concern is part and parcel of
the severe on-going over -crowding at AM&G. He said
sa ,s3,--L.,-.mof grovolpg aee,-.1k.ti-ratte
chronic care beds in this area of Huron County.
For the last year, the 20 chronic beds at AM&G
have been running at well over 100 percent. That
means that on most, days, chronic patients are
spilling over into active care beds. And that means
there are fewer activecare bdsa,ailaNe for regular
care on a day -today basis - thid much less flexibility
in the safe placement of patients in those beds.
AM&G has a large number of semi -private rooms
and some four -bed wards. There is only one private
room at present available at AM&G.
One more private room is in the planning for the
lartioaset--new additioR Over ttle taimity
along with an enlarged up-to-date Intensive Care Unit
(ICU), and improved physiotherapy; day care and
pediatric facilities.
That addition is the -one presently on the drawing
board, estimated to cost $495,000 and to be Wilt•
without any government funding. The hospital board
has pledged $250,000 to the project and a public
canvass this fall for the remaining amount is being
organized right now.
"The new project won't cure the problem but it
should help it," said Dr. Rourke.
New board member Dr. Mario Cauchi engained
the flaw= begctitrgr,
when persons must share a semi -private room or a
ward.
He said it is Possildle to place a patient alone in a
semi -private room, but that only intensifies thespace
problems at the hospital
Dr. Cauchi agreed with Dr. Rourke that if the
hospital could consistently utilize its full complement
of 50 active beds, the problem would be greatly
alleviated onmost occasions.
Some discussion was heard Monday evening on
ways the board at AM&G could push for More chmic
care beds in the community to which lung -stay
pagienee CUIENAVIC ideL'""".
It was recommended that if and wiien more lbeds •
are built at Maitland Manor, the hospital shouldseek
Turn to page 3
Council says it can wait until
September for loan repayment
• Town council has decided to wait until September
before demanding $3,000 from the Goderich Trotting
Ansociation, part repayment for electrical repairs at
thera :11ACtarliD..--
In Mardi, council agreed to pay a bill of $7,700 10
Goderich Electric for repair work at the racetrack.
The Trotting Association had originally requested a
$5,000 loan and a $5,000 grant to pay for the repairs.
Council compromised and agreed to pay the entire
bill and asked the association to relinquish a $3,000
bond they held_
That motion appeared on the council books March
16 but the bond was never forwarded. At the June 15
meeting of council, Jim Searls and Stan Profit in-
troduced a motion requesting the association to
forward the $3,000.
Some councillors argued that the motion was out of
order since a similar motion was already on the
books. Mayor Harry Worsen ruled the motion was in
order but councillors John Doherty and Elsa Haydon
introduced a motion to table the matter wgIl Sep-
tember when the racing season was finished and the
association would betat alletter finameial
"---t• 'Profit 1 tf-S-7.
been done and if not, requested that the matter be
urused.
"Nothing has been done," Searls said. "Either we
follow it up and do something or dr ap it, but let's
settle the issue." ,
Councillor Doherty suggested the matter be tabled
until the first council meeting in September. He
suggested the association would be able to pay the
debt from profits of nine race dates.
The racing season begins in July and will feature
nine weeks of racing on Thursday evenings. The
Trotting Association will run an outdoor beer garden
and the Agriculture Park Committee of the
recreation board will install portable washrooms at
thesite at a cost of $200.
"O•
Hohnesville Kindergarten teacher Mrs. Eunice
Cunningham had a little difficulty seeing David
Smith fazqe entzr tie cozgraittakte *Wet) on
successfully completing his first year of school.
Despfte his precariously -placed mortarboard. David
was obviously pleased and proud. ( Photo by Cath
Wooden )