HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Goderich Signal-Star, 1980-02-28, Page 45a1•47.,3.,
•
';,7,137,771,7,717r7i'
; Paige 117
k•••,.,',' A
AotaSiam^PoNSOF*40.,,TV,10.4.000 "' '''';A.1.5n,
,. ' '..A;....s.'"7-47;;FRii'0•'46P". n'', . :','.,,,3
' 1 —3. './ ;'',
• ,,,,_
11' .
Ron Feagati Memorial Grandstand opened
While the town of
Goderich had to grapple
with arena problems in.
the 70s, they no sooner
had the arena
renovations underway
when another problem
.struck.
That problem was the,
grandstand.
Early in the decade
there was talk of winter
racing .coming to
Goderich but that failed
to materialize. Then were'
conflicts with the softball
association about dates
but those were resolved
as the recreation board
was given jurisdiction
over _A_griculture Par_k_
• and scheduling of events.
In March of 1977racing
was threatened.
The Ontario Racing
Comission said the
Goderich grandstand was
not up to safety standards
and would have to be
replaced.
Initially the repairs
were estimated to cost
'between $75,000 to
$100,000. The engineering
firm of Morrison, Her-
chfield, ,Burgess and
Huggins Ltd. of Toronto
conducted a, study that
indicated the grandstand
was unsafe for publiedge.
Faced with arena costs
the town asked the
Kleinfelt Group to con-
duct another stady on the
grandstand. In that same
year grandstands in
Clinton, " Elmira;
•Woodstock, .Hanover,
Owen Sound and,
Belleville had • to •be
_replaced.
Within a few months
the. Goderich Trotting
Association was prepared
to forfeit its 1977 racing
dates and build a new
grandstand for the 1978
racing season. But they
needed confirmation
from the Racing
Association that they
could retain their dates.
In 1977 the grandstand
was officially condemned
by the• Ministry of Con-
sumer and • Social
Relations, the governing
body of the rac4n-g
association.
The town called for
tenders on the demolition
of the old grandstand
after the summer. They
posted signs during, the
summer saying • the
grandstand was unsafe
for publfc use.
During the summer the
Trotting Association put
their efforts into fund
raising and that fund
raising committee lent
itself to the formation of
the Goderich Sports
Committee.
The grandstand was
demolished at a cost of
$2,800 and the Ontario
Racing commission was
offering grants for the
E HAVE BEEN
N THE NEW & USED
URNITURE BUSINESS
FOR OVER 14 YEARS/
AND BUILDING BIGGER
AND BETTER EVERY
YEAR.
CLARE & EUNICE DECHETIT
AND STAFF
t.
construction of a new
facility.
In, December., 1977 the
fund raising committee
was officially established
to finance the grand-
stand. The plans for a
new grandstand were
finalized With the cost
estimated at $300,000.
There were. 2Q members
working on the fund
raising committee.
In early 1978, grand-
stand • committee
chairman, Larry Jeffrey,
said Goderich would also
have to forfeit its .1978
dates because of lack of
supp.ort for the new
grandstand.
The proposed 1,200 seat
structure was to • cost
$300,000 but a 1,000 seat
structure could be built at
a cost of $210,000 to
$230,000. The community
would • have to raise
$86,250 plus the interest
costs.•
In May of that year the
Goderich Sports Com-
mittee got approval to
proceed with plans for a
new grandstand plus
additional lighting at
Agriculture Park at a
cost of $306,.000. The
town's share had now
risen to $120,000.
The cost breakdown
saw $255,000 for the
grandstand, $40,000 for
• new lights at the park,
Turn to page 29 6.
•"WITH A REPUTATION OF
FINE DINING
• FOR OVER 15 YEARS"
• FULLY LICENSED DINING ROOM & RESTAURANT
• BANQUET ROOM AVAILABLE FOR BUSINESS MEETINGS, ETC...
a THURSDAY & FRIDAY NOON BUFFET
• LIVE ENTERTAINMENT EACH FRIDAY AND
SATURDAY EVENING
11111111=IMMIM
0.6
.411,P
*74007
•
A
••••t
• ..
••••••._-..
* BUSINESSMEN'S LUNCHEONS
EVERY DAY
11
HOURS:
SUN. THRU WED.
11:30- 10 P.M.
THURS., FRI. & SAT.
11:30 - 1 A.M.
CANDLELIGHT RESTAURANT
AND TAVERN
BA YF1ELD RD. GODERICH 524-7711