HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Goderich Signal-Star, 1981-08-12, Page 1theerh
G°dicSIGNAL
133 YEAR -31
'WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 12,1981
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50 CENTS PER COPY
Club proposes relocation
New park at dump site could be home of festival and tents
BY DAVE SYKES
The one message that wasconsistently echoed at a
public meeting concerning beer tents and music.
festivals, was that the activities were not compatible
with residential surroundings.
More than 60 people attended the public meeting in
the board room of the Regional Assessment Office
Thursday to dicuss the issue of beer tents, music
festivaLs and related matters in the town of Goderich.
The public forum was prompted by a petition
submitted to council and signed by 73 local residents,
following the June rendition of the Optimist Club's
music festival. The petition claimed that the festival
was not compatible with the residential area, and
created undue noise, unruly, behaviour and traffic
congestion. The petition further asked for the ban of
beer tents in town. • .
While the meeting was successful in soliciting
disparaging oral submissions on the merit of such
activities, the Optimist Club have agreed to work
towards the establishment of a perinanent site at the
old land -fill site on the Maitland River flats. Council
has entertained visions of transforming.the area into
a usable park in the future and those plans may get
an immediate boost. •
Optimist Club president Bill Wedlock 'told council
the club would like to use Harbor Park next year for
. the sake of continuity since. the event is now an
established financial success. However, he added
that the club would be willing to use the land -fill site
next year, if it was in reasonable condition.
"The , Optimist club is willing , to donate $2,000
towards the park and $2,000 a year or 30 per cent of
the net profit from the festival to bring the park up to
an acceptable level," he said. "We are willing to
donate money and labor because there is no sense in
leapfrogging around town. We're just. 'Willing to get
involved."
Councillor Stan Profit expressed some pessimism
at the suggestion the area could be whipped into
shape for use next year. Wedlock explaihed that
Champion Road Machinery Ltd. was willing to offer
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free use of a grader and the PUC has indicated that
servicing of the area is possible.
Councillor Elsa Haydon told the audience that the
Waterfront Committee of council has met with
consultants on the town's waterfront plan and that
plans for the park could be put into place for next
year.
"We could start to prepare the area to some stage
for use next year," she said. "But it will not be per-
fect or finished."
The creation of a new park along the river is the
answer to the problem Bob Allen said citing isolation
as the major benefit.
"There is no residential area there and there is no
such other location in town to handle a music
festival," he said. "It has great potential and could be
something the town could be proud of. Let's lay the
past to rest and go on."
Wedlock reiterated those sentiments and said that
in the two years the club has offered the music
festival it has only led to numerous meetings and
complaints.
"It all boils down to location and we are willing to
relocate if the park was acceptable for temporary use
next +ear," he said.
In speaking of the demands of the citizen 'petition
presented to council, Stewart Thomson asked if the
people wanted a complete ban on beer tents or simply
a relocation. He suggested that if noise was the major
complaint then other events such as racing, the Hell
Drivers, baseball and other recreational activities
should be relocated as well because of the noise
factor.
' Harbor Park area resident Gord McManus said the
petition had not intended to ban beer tentsor festivals
alltogether, but simply to ban them from Harbor
Park..
"The bandshell was built in Harbour Park by the
Lions Club for concerts and I endorse the relocation
of the Optimist Club festival," he said.
The Reverend William Craven told council•they
have a responsibility to the public, intimating that
such events attract an undesirable element.
"We must be careful what people we attract to town
and we can't let the town get out of hand," he
cautioned. "I have no objection to established tents in
,established places, but if it gets out of hand the
responsibility is on your shoulders."
At the request of a citizen, Police Chief Pat Kine
spoke of police related problems connected with beer
tents, which he indicated were minimal.
"There are no extra problems during beer tents.
Certain people cause a commotion but we would get
the same trouble from these people in licenced
establishments," he said. "From the police view;
since tents have been allowed, there has not been any
major problems or massive outbreaks. There have
been a few problems and there is potentital for
trouble but the complaints received were only for
noise."
Chief King said that the music enjoyed by young
people is amplified and while they enjoy it as music,
it is interpreted as noise by others. But he reiterated
that there are few complaints about drinking.
If all the bylaws established by council, including a
noise bylaw, were enforced, there would be no need"'
for a special meeting Ray Robinson said. "If the
bylaws were enforced there would be no need for a
meeting. But you have to enforce the laws. No matter
where the location, it is the same problem," he said.
Councillor Haydon said there was no purpose in
dwelling on the past and suggested the matter be left
with the Optimist Club and parks and waterfront
committees to establish definite proposals on a new
park site.
Bedford Hotel manager, Brian McCallum, said
the service clubs raise needed money through beer
tents and their work benefitted everyone in town in
some manner: He did urge that all beer tents, if
allowed, should run until 1 a.m. and be policed.
'If you are going to anew tents, you must allow
them until 1 a.m. and police it," he said. "Tents close
at ,midnight and I close my own establishment early
Turn to page 2
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eg,
vravo,
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Showing rather good form, with an antiquated saw,
Marilynn Wightman of Point Farms Provincial Park
competed in a log -sawing contest with a fellow con-
servation officer at the park's Pioneer Days Satur- making, weaving, candle -making and assorted con -
day. Resident campers were also treated to tests. More pictures appear inside( Photo by Dave
numerous displays in the barn that including quilt Sykes)
Youths battle with police at station
BY JOANNE BUCHANAN
The Goderich Police Force had an extremely busy
weekend dealing with 57 separate incidents from
Friday at 4 p.m. until Monday at 8 a.m. including a
fight in front of the police station Sunday evening.
Police Chief Pat King says almost all of the
weekend offenders were from out of town, mostly
from the neighbouring townships. Some of the in-
cidents were handled in a matter of minutes by one
officer but others took an hour or more and required
extra manpower.
On Sunday evening at 8:56 p.m. police seized some
liquor from a youth. A minute later, this youth and
approximately 15 to 20 others gathered outside the
police station on West Street. A window was punched
out of the station building by the first youth who
received a badly cut hand as a result. A fight then
took place involving the youth and two police officers
and, he was arrested and charged with mischief.
While the officers were Inside with the arrested
youth, a light on a police car was damaged and pieces
of glass were nut under the tires
During the fight outside the station, a set of keys
fell from an officer's belt and was stolen by one of the
youths. As a result, the locks on a pliticecar and the
police station have been changed. -
Chief King says this whole incident shows why
there is a need for two-man patrols.most times of the
day and night.
"Some youths band together to' give police trouble
and an officer alone could be subject to injury more
so than when he has an .officer to back him up," he
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explained,
Other incidents on the weekend included beer
bottles being thrown from a car; pop bottles being
thrown off a roof on The Square; driving complaints;
noise complaints.; a domestic dispute; a report Of
some persons failing to pay for a meal in a
restaurant; several liquor seizures; bicycle thefts; a
break, enter and theft at The Galley (formerly Mr.
Submarine on The Square); narcotics seizures; a
disturbance call from the Legion and a disturbance
call from the ship 'Algovray' at the harbor; a stolen
vehicle recovered; burglar alarms sounded from five
business establishments due to a brief power failure
(all five were checked by police ); wilful damage
incidents; a trespassing complaint about a girl and a
horse on private property; a boating complaint (a
sailboat nearly collided with a canoe in the Maitland
River); a fight involving a female and two men in a
restaurant parking lot; and the theft of a motorcycle
helmet.
Police had to handle all of these incidents in ad-
dition to their normal patrol duties and traffic en-
forcement. They also gave assistance to the O.P.P.
regarding a stolen vehicle
Chief King says in order to cut down on some types
of complaints (such as noise, fighting and drinking),
the police will go to town council soon seeking a ban
on overnight parking around The Square and the core
area and alma ban on persons being in any town park
between 1 a.m. and.5 a.m.
Chief King Says he is not cure why this past
weekend was such a busy one for police.
"Sometimes it's just like that," he concluded.
Groundhog being
checkedlor rabies
After coming in contact with two young Goderich
boys, a ground hog that is being tested for rabies was
shut * Bingham Park on Monday afternoon.
When police shot the ground hog in the park, they
were told that twohoys about tep years old were seen
playing with the animal in a fish net earlier in the
day.
The boys, wh�. turned out to be Jeff Boyce and
Darren Stanbury, were located later Monday and
now await rabies test results on the dead animal. The
boys believe they are alright because they didn't
touch the animal, but their doctors will check them if
the tests results turn out positive.
'Of
The sun was bare (1y) peeking through the clouds
Saturday afternoon, but apparently the heat was
intense enough to prompt this young lady to shed her
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swimsuit before taking a walk with mom along the
pier. The youngster wasn't the least bit shy about her
deportment. Photo by Dave Sykes )
Eight rescued from river as
boat overturns in Maitland
Eight people were rescued from the'Maitland River
Wednesday after a canoe overturned dumping its two
occupants into the river and a rescue boat with six
people aboard sank in the choppy water.
Police Chief Pat King reported that police had been
alerted when a canoenverturned in the river Wed-
nesday at 5.10 p.m. Michael 20, of R.R. 2
Godetich, owner of the canoe swam to shore and the
other occupant, David Hall, 19, of Goderich was
picked up by the crew of a 28-fOot powerboat.
Chief King was On shore at the time and alerted the
six occupants of the power boat of theoverturned
canoe and Hall who was in the water nearby. Both
Hall and the canoe were taken aboard the powerboat
but after making a sharp turn, the 28 -foot boat was
overcome with water and sank within a matter of
minutes.
Subsequently, the Coast Guard Cutter Rapid .was
alerted and the rescue boat Avon quickly picked up
the seven people aboard the powerboat and shuttled
theth tot he south side of the river bank.
Gibbs was able to make his way to shore while. the
Avon rescued Hall, Hobert Cooke, 25, of Seaforth,
Kent Thorborn, 36, London, Garry Mallough, 16,
London, John Henderson, 25, Toronto, Christopher
Maurice.30, of London and Robert McGuffin, 28, of
Hamilton.
Both the canoe and powerboat were later recovered
and no injuries were reported.
Chief King said the conditions were not ideal for
boating adding that the powerboat sank quite rapidly
in the choppy water.
"After .picking up Hall and. the canoe, the boat
made a sharp turn and waves came on board," he
.said. "I was watching and the boat sank quite rapidly
before a nything.couldhe dime."
• .... • • AoteknIx2etematiret.,4meAtAT:
Harbor use _ _
concerns objectors
•to offical plan
BY CATh WOODEN
Predictably, the harbor area has become the bone
of contention for the town's planning board, trying to
pit together a new Of f icia 1 Plan for Goderich,
Since the Draft Official Plan was circulated to the
public in June, . planning board has received
numerous objections from those trying to protect
interests in Goderich Elevators Ltd. and Snug
Harbor.
Country Elevator
Section 3.7.5. of the draft plan prohibits the con-
struction of a country elevator in the harbor,
George Parsons. president of Goderich Eli ators
Ltd., stated in his letter of concern to the board that,
"We have no plans to enter that type of business and
certainly not to build a country elevator; however we
CIO have plans right away' to install a cleaner..„It
would conform to environmental regulations and be
used only intermittently through the year. We might
for a similar reason in the future want to install a
dryer.
"Our hang up would appear to be in the definition of
'country elevator' and the concern that our existing
operation might in some way be encumbered."
In his first report on objections to the draft plan.
Senior Planner Roman Dzus .made these comments
about Parsons' CC:0MM "A country elevator was
specifically excluded from the harbor area because
Turn to page :1 •
INSIDE THE
SIGNAL -STAR
Green thumb
One of Benmiller Inn's beauties is is natural
surroundings, and responsible for them is
Jean McKee. Read about this interesting loti
on page 1A.
Hockey hero
The story of one of hockey's greatest liernc..
Howie Morenz is playing at the Blyth Sumilier
Festival for five more performances Head
the review on page 1A.
Bike race
Pro and amatuer cyclists a ill be raring
around th&streets of Goderich this Suri;, for
money and trophies, fiend a ho9 t the titii1s
on page7.
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