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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Goderich Signal-Star, 1983-09-28, Page 1Retwe�S���a. y,. u {�a iT 135 YEAR -39 • st- • GODEItICH, ONTARIO, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 28,1983: 50 CENTS PER COPY Constable killed Sunday in accident • Constable Bruce Crew Bruce Crew, 25 year OPP veteran dies In bizarre accident on township road N; A 25 -year veteran of the Ontario Provincial Police was killed in a bizarre accident in Goderich Township early Sunday morning when a Town of Goderich cruiser smashed the car he had stopped on County Road18. Dead is Constable Bruce Kennedy Crew, 47, of 121 Nelson Street Goderich. A membcr of the OPP for over 25 years, he came to the Goderiehdetachment in 1965 after a few years service in Kitchener. �' The accident is still under investigation, by mem- bers of the OPP under the direction of laspector John Deslauriers of Toronto. A statement issued by police Monday said that Crew and Constable John Straughan, 38, were assisting town of Goderich police Constable Peter Mason in the apprehension of a vehicle owned by Wayne McDonald,, -23, of R.R. 2 Lucknow at approximately 3 a.m. Sunday. The black Pontiac Trans Am was pursued by Const. Mason east on Highway 8 and Clinton Police responded to a call for assistance by setting up a road block on Highway 8 at Holjmesville. The vehicle then proceeded west on County Road 18 towards Highway 21. Crew and Straughan, stopped the vehicle three kilometres east of Highway 21 at Porter's Hill. Crew approached the vehicle and was about to remove the keys from the ignition while Straughan returned to the cruiser to inform dispatch that the pursued vehicle had been stopped when Mason came over a rise and slammed into the McDonald vehicle, killing Crew, who was standing beside it. Deslauriers said Mason observed the vehicle in town and continued to pursue it outside the .town limits while requesting assistance. The Inspector said that Straughan and Crew happened to be in the area on another occurrence when the esponded ,to the request. Deslauriers ,nnd" his invests Atittg,, am . , still trying to deteriiin►e how Cid* h f• a fi4M. :te," . . Constable Crew was out of the ctutser and Con- • stable Straughan' was beside or getting into the cruiser," he said. "We haven't put all the pieces together." Constable Straughan was treated for minor injuries while Constable Mason and a passenger in the McDonald vehicle, Allan Nicholson, 21, of R.R. 2, Lucknow, were taken to Alexandra Marine and General Hospital for treatment and later released. Both the town and OPP cruiser and the McDonald vehicle were damaged in the accident. The vehicles were being examined by a forensic team in the OPP garage. Deslauriers said no charges were laid in connection with the incident but both McDonald and Nicholson were given breath tests following the accident. Goderich police chief Pat King said that subsequent to a meeting with OPP investigators and the crown attorney Monday evening, it was determined that constable Mason was not travelling at an excessive speed and that the accident could not have been avoided. "The Clinton Police cruiser followed the vehicle on County Road 18 but Constable Mason, as agreed between them, overtook the Clinton cruiser and continued to pursue the vehicle," Chief King said. "The OPP had radioed that the vehicle had stalled and had been stopped. The dispatcher relayed that message immediately to Mason but he came on Porter's Hill in a matter of three seconds. He tried to stop the vehicle and almost put his own cruiser in the ditch." Crew is survived by his wife Emily; one daughter, Mrs. Carson (Emily) Milley of Goderich and three sons, Stephen of Kitchener and Peter and Stuart both of Goderich. A full police funeral was held,at First Presbyterian Church, Collingwood, Wednesday: Members of the Goderich detachment of the OPP and poline�friiin .acrasii=Oatario-,forncedanhonouz guardd' for the funeral. Crew was a quiet, fair and respected policeman The flags in front of the Goderich detachment of the OPP are flying at half mast this week as members of the force and community mourn the tragic and accidental death of Constable Bruce Crew Sunday. The accidental death of the 25 -year OPP veteran which occurred on a quiet township road in the early hours of a Sunday morning, reinforced the harsh realities of the uncertainty of police work and the fragility of life. A quiet, unassuming man, it didn't seem fitting that he should meet death in a violent car crash on a lonely stretch of country road. A respected family man and active community member, Crew epitomized the compassionate, fair and competent police officer who provided guidance to young officers, but only when asked. Born and raised in Collingwood he began his police career in 1958 and after several years of duty in Kitchener he settled in Goderichin 1965 with his wife, Emily, and four children. For the next 18 years he carried out his duties as a law enforcement officer, quietly and efficiently Sgt. John Donatis of the Goderich detachment of the OPP. hastily leafed through the personal file seeking the names, dates, places in response to questions. That a man's life and career could be tidily packaged and documented on a pile of official police letter head, seemed cold, calculated and impersonal. Themanwas so much more than that, he went on to say. "He was a quiet and unassuming man but he was very intelligent," he said. " He didn't force his views on anyone but many younger fellows went to him for advice. They respected him and his police experience. He was an asset to the force." It was just a few months earlier that Constable Bruce Crew of the Goderich OPP was honoured at a special dinner for his 25 years of dedicated service to the provincial police force. Ironically, the pic- tures of that milestone have just arrived, only now to be passed to the press for public edification rather tl'ian to serve as commemorative but treasured memorabilia of long public service. It was the job he loved that claimed his life and yet he was unfailing in his dedication and depen- dability as e ""`i enced by the words of his sergeant. "He enjoyed the work. We appreciated him. He was steady. he was dependable." "A man of few words, his words meant something when they were offered," friend and colleague John Phillips said adding that he was uncompromisingly fair in his work. 1 A veteran with 20 years service in Goderich, Phillips worked with Crew longer than anyone. "He came here just after I did and I worked with him for 18 years," he said. "He wasone of the best. A top-drawer guy." Having Worked with Crew on traffic duty on many occasions Philips said partners "didn't come any better". "He would go out of his way to help anybody and he would give you a break if you deserved it," Phillips said. "He was an excellent, cautious policeman and was respected by the young con- stables." An accomplished amateur athlete during his adolescence in Collingwood, Crew excelled in hockey and track and field. He played junior hockey in that town and was an excellent high jumper in high school. His quiet, assuring presence was felt in the sporting scene in Goderich too, as he assisted Doug Cruickshank with the Goderich Signal -Star juvenile hockey team for over six years. "He will be sorely missed," Cruickshank said. "He enjoyed working with the juvenile aged kids, he told them about the law, he helped them out and the kids benefitted from his presence. Nobody can replace him. He was a super, super guy." A steadying influence to both the coach and players, Crew was the behind -the -scenes man whose value could not be measured. "He was quiet, steady and he knew hockey. He liked working with the kids, he was open-minded and he didn't em- barrass anyone but pointed things out to them quiet- ly. That he was a fair and honest man is 'unquestionable and Cruickshank said he always gave people a second chance. l On behalf of the Goderich Arts Foundation, President Philip McMillan (left) accepts a com- plimentary painting of The Livery from artist Peter Robson. He was the first artist to display his work at the newly renovated Livery hack in July and was so impressed with the building that he decided to paint it. An exhihition and sale of Robson's work was held at the Renmiller Inn on the weekend. (Photo by Joanne Buchanan) Artist donates painting of Livery to Arts Foundation Watercolor artist Peter Robson of Sparta held an exclusive exhibition and sale of his work at the Gledhill House in Benmiller this past weekend. Many of Robsons paintings featured Benmiller scenes which he had been commissioned to create by the late Peter J. Ivey. The weekend began with a preview of his paintings on Friday evening. Also that evening, Robson presentee a painting of The Livery to Goderich Arts Foundation president Philip McMillan. Back in July, during Goderich's Festival of Arts and Crafts, Robson was the first artist to exhibit in the newly renovated Livery building. Having once worked as a stone mason in his native London, England, he was imnressed by the historical stone structure and agreed to try to paint it. He was also so impressed with the Town of Goderich itself . that he painted several scenes from it, including one of a sunset at the harbor which was on display at the Gledhill House. Also on display was his painting, Promise of Tomorrow, which is being used as a fund raiser for the Kinsmen Club's cystic fibrosis campaign. Robson's paintings have been commanding bet- ween $400 and $3000 when people can get them. Although he has only beep painting a short time, he is having trouble keeping up with the demand for his work and much of it must be sold in the form of limited edition prints. New landfill site is needed Goderich town council learns The municipalities served by the Holmesville landfill site are faced with a costly problem of either carrying out additional work and assessment at the present site at considerable cost or seek a new landfill site. In a letter to council, Ian Wilson of Ian Wilson Associates Limited, consulting hydrogeologiists and engineers, told council that the existing landfill site at Holmesville should be closed out, that a detailed drilling program should be initiated to evaluate the soil to the west of the present location and that a leachate collection system should be considered prior to filling the area. That leaves the six municipalities served by the site with a heavy decision when they meet Thursday,, October 6. Mayor Eileen Pahner said it was a senor and complex prom and that the affected municipalities would have to have money for a new site and reserve for closure of the existing site. In his letter, Wilson said additional wok could be done at the Holmesville site. That would necessitate the installation df an expensive collection system and the collected leachate would still have to be tran- sported to the Goderich sewage treatment- plant for further treatment. The Ministry of the Environment has suggested that the existing landfill site be capped to minimize leachate production and its impact on a nearby creek. D.R. Brown, groundwater evaluator for the ministry, has also su r:ested that use of the existing site with a collection system would be costly. However, the landfill site committee will still have to wrestle with the problem of finding suitable sites within the area. That would be difficult under the Pits and Quarries Act, Mayor Palmer told council, but the problem will be approached at the next meeting. .77 Two lice eases repord at school The Huron County Health Unit has had two reported cases of head slice from the Goderich.. Municipal Day Nursery. Catherine Walsh, the Health Unit's Director of Nursing, says treatment for head lice includes washing the hair wit t specially medicated cream, lotion or shampoo which can be purchased at drug stores (directions are on the labels). They can be . bought without prescriptions but be sure to check with the pharmacist because some preparations Will causeitoxic side effects in young children. All clothes and bed linen should be laundered or dry cleaned and all combs and brushes disinfected to prevent reinfestation. The head must be examined for lice every day. The nits, or eggs, are clearly visible on the hair shaft as immobile, gray, oval bodies. It is important to remove each and every nit. Your child should be kept home from school until all evidence of the lice is gone. Terminal to be officially opened The new terminal building at the Goderich Airport will be officially opened on Tuesday, November 1. The Honorable James Snow, Minister of Tran- sportation and. Communications, will participate in the ceremony. Following this ceremony at approximately 9:30 a.m., an Open House will be held for the rest of the day with invitations being sent to officials and users of the airport. At an Airport Committee meeting held September 21, it was decided to purchase a commemorative plaque for the terminal to be unveiled at the opening. A request from Sky Harbour Modellers for use of the lounge in the new terminal for meetings was approved by the. committee and the rental fee was set at $10 per meeting. The committee also approved the calling of tenders for rental of the farmland at the airport. The tenders will be for a three-year period lease with a further extension of two years possible at the time of ac- cepting tender. Four people seek vacant council seat At least four names have been submitted to council to fill the vacancy created following the resignation of councillor Ed Giesbrecht. Giesbrecht submitted his letter of',signatiom to council at the September 12 meeting, Sating he had moved out of town and would respectfully resign his council position for that reason. Councacceppted and began the -process to find a replacement. Administrator Larry McCabe said that four people, former councillors Bob Allen and Stan Profit, John Hills and%former recreation board ,chairman Bob , Cornish, would., be' seeking the •.position. Coilncil will ,.i..;aoteaa the:mat(ee t pew i + l+ , >. :'' 'cotttreiii iirtwillbe'appointed by"a motion of council. INSIDE THE SIGNAL -STAR Viking football The GDCI Vikings are off to a good start with both the juniors and the seniors winning their first game of the season. The seniors defeated the Listowel Lords 32-0 while the juniors thumped the Lords 68-0. For the complete story and pictures, take a look in the Recreation section. Minor ball hockey Minor ball hockey rounded up their season, with the Generals emerging as the champions. Tronhies were presented to the champions and the runners-up, the LdplLals, as well as to the MV 1' of the playoff series. Jane Netzke also received a plaque for her dedieation to minor ball hockey. For the complete story, see the Recreation section. Area weddings A lot of area weddings have been taking place recently, and those who got married years ago are also celebrating. Inside this section of the paper you Will find several of the weddings, and if you look on page 10A, there will be pictures and stories of those celebrating many years of marriage. ao.