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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Goderich Signal-Star, 1986-10-22, Page 1AP Harbour project will BY SHARON DIETZ The $17 million harbour development project in Goderich will come in under budget and has been completed on time, says project engineer, Eric Pullerits. The project which included dredging the existing channel to seaway depth and creating a new seaway -depth berth north of the existing Domtar Sifto Salt Mine is a benefit to the town and will encourage.new business development as well as assisting° the terminals at the harbour, said Pellerits. The port of Goderich was already the largest revenue producing federal port in Ontario and it ranks as high as fourth in Canada. A feasibility study examining the port requirements of the Bruce Energy Centre suggested the port of Goderich was the most suitable location to expend funds for harbour development. That recom- mendation was contained in a joint study commissioned by the Ministry. of Transportation and Communication and Transport Canada. A second study, the On- - tario Ports Study confirmed the recom- mendations of the previous study. The town and representatives of the ma- jor industrial concerns at the harbour en- thusiastically sought support for the pro- ject which was partially funded by the federal government. Because the Goderich channel did not extend to seaway depth of 27 feet, vessels leaving Goderich Harbour with grain from Goderich Elevators were underfilled by as much as 4,000 metric tonnes per load. Goderich Elevator predicts they can im- prove on their loadings by about 10 per cent. e completed on time Domtar predicted a seaway depth har- bour north of the mine would inean expan- sion and more jobs at the mine, but the price of salt_bas dropped. Domtar is not in a.position to increase exports to the United States because the U. S. is,importing from other countries and becausethey have been accused of dumping alt ao the American market. There are six components to the harbour expansion project. The breakwater is a 610 metre long rubble type structure compos- ed of rock core protected with several layers of quarry stone armour ranging to eigbt tons in size placed in a filter order. The construction was done by Gaffney Quebec Ltd. between November 1984 and December 1985. The south pier underpinning included underpinning the toe with 302 metres of sheet -piling in order to provide additional' stability to the wharf in anticipation of in- ner harbour dredging. The work was done by Canada Dredge and Dock. Company at a cost of $1 million between November 1984 and May 1985. Dredging phase 1 included dredging 145,000 cubic metres to seaway depth in an area west of the new wharf at a cost of $937,000. Canada Dredge and Dock won the contract and the work was completed bet- ween May 1985 and December 1985. The new wharf was constructed of 5,465 cubic metres of concrete placement fill with a filter armour stone scour protec- tion. The work was done by Cartier - McNamara Corporation at a cost of $5.3 million. It is 98 per cent complete and the work was started in August 1985. Turn to page 3 138 YEAR - 43 GODERICH, ONTARIO, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 1986 60 CENTS PER COPY Turn docks back one hour this Saturday The languid days of summer are now but a pleasant memory. The crisp, clear days of fall have turned the leaves brilliant shades of reds and yellows and turned people's thoughts, no doubt, to tile dreaded arrival of winter. Fall is also the time of year when we return to Eastern Standard Time. This Saturday readers are dutifully reminded to turn their clocks back one hour before going bed. The last Saturday of October signals the end to Daylight Savings Time. 1 The $17 million harbour expansion and construction project should be completed on time and it should also be on budget. But, while the expansion plans calledfor the construction of a new seway-depth berth adjacent to the north side of the Domtar Sifto Salt Mine, Transport Canada officials are disturbed that Domtar continues to load freighters along the north pier. The above photo shows the new breakwall that extends from the mouth of the Maitland River to guard the new berth alongside the salt mine. The harbour and channel were also dredged and the material was placed along the shoreline south of the main beach. High water levels have created some havoc along the shoreline. ( photo by Dave Sykes) Domtar delays on new loader High water level BY SHARON DIETZ A new wharf built as part of the Goderich Harbour expansion project is in danger of becoming a white, elephant because Domtar Inc. is refusing to use it. Transport Canada official Fred Scandleberry told the Signal - Star Friday, Domtar has a million and one reasons for not going ahead with plans to build a loader on the new wharf to begin loading salt there, but the real reason is that they can load to seaway depth on the north pier because the water level is so high in the ' channel. "They're riding free right now. They've got seaway depth along the north pier because of the water level....But if the water were to drop four feet, they'd be in there with a new loader by Christmas." Domtar is "playing games", said Scandleberry who has made it quite clear to Domtar and to the harbourmaster that shipments of grain have priority in the channel. If Domtar is loading salt and a vessel is coming int& the channel to load means vessels can be loaded on the North pier grain, Domtar has to stop loading or move their vessel out of the way, to give clearance to the grain vessel. "They're playing games with people but eventually it backfires and when you're talking millions of dollars it ceases to be a game." commented Scandleberry. The new wharf was built for Domtar, said Scandleberry. As long as he has been with the Harbour and Ports division of Transport Canada central region in Toron- to, Domtar has had a request on his desk for improved loading facilities in the Goderich harbour. The wharf was design- ed with Domtar in mind and their engineers sat in on the planning of the design, he said. "We won't be stuck with a Mirabel," said Scandleberry, referring to the white elephant airport terminal outside Mon- treal. He is looking for someone else to lease the wharf and he has had inquiries from potash companies who are interested in storing potash at the harbour. If someone else leases the wharf for the long term, Transport Canada won't tell them to move out if Domtar decides sud- denly, they want to use the wharf. Scandleberry said he has told Domtar if someone else committs to a long term lease, they won't be able to use the wharf. "We're not happy with Domtar's at- titude," said Scandleberry. They were committed to the harbour expansion pro- ject and there was to be spin off benefits for everyone but the best recipient was Domtar. "Every night I say a silent prayer to God asking him to 'pull the plug (so the water ' level will drop)," he said. - According to Gaston Brousseau, Goderich mine manager for Domtar, the company doesn't have a few million dollars laying around to build a loader for the new wharf. "The salt industry is not all that brilliant right now," he said. The price for rock salt is low at the present time and the company cannot expand into the United States market as planned, because the Americans accused Domtar of dumping Drug charges held over A number of charges relating to an undercover police investigation in August were heard 'in Provincial Court in Goderich Monday. A three-month undercover drug in- vestigation' resulted in °33 arrests and 71 charges being laid Friday, August 22 when 40 police officers from OPP and municipal detachments .in the county raided a, number of houses. Of those charged; a number will appear in Provincial Court on Monday, November 10. They include Kim Coleman,.lJxeter; Thomas Cys` R.R. 1 Zurich; Ken Denomme, Exeter; Jamie Daer, R.R. Auburn; Kathy Austin, Goderich; Jeff Elliott, R.R. 1 Staffa; Eugene King, Ex- eter; Paul McClinchey, Hensall; Stephen McLean, Goderich; Dale Reid; Rowena Schaufler, Exeter; Nancy Smith, R.R. 1 Zurich; Richard Swirklis, Seaforth; and Darin Telford, Bayfield. Charges against Darren Creamer will be heard November 24; Randy Chapinan will appear in court Feb. 4,19877; Perry Deer will appear before a provincial court judge 1+ eb. 23; Betty Bagman Willi appear March 9; Jeffrey Dale will appear at a• preliminary hearing F'eb. •23,1987 and r4or- Goderich to be featured on weekend show Goderich. will be featured on the "Sket- eiho of .nor. Twria' television...^' `'S "•a.tbiss- weekend: Produced by Conservision Productions, the program can be seer,, on CKNX Wingham (Channel 8) and CFPL London (Channel 10) at 2 p.m. Saturday and on CHCH Hamilton (Channel 11) at 6:30 p.m. Sunday. However it is suggested that these times be checked with your television guide in case of programming changes at the stations. Mayor Eileen Palmer and Goderich Town Council are hosting an invited recep- tion Friday evening when they and their guests will preview the show. Shooting for the Goderich program took place early in June and August. Meeting on community centre tonight This Wednesday,(Oct. 22) a public meeting concerning the need for a multi- purpose community centre in Goderich will be held at Victoria Public School at 8 p.m. Over the summer, 200 households were surveyed concerning their present recrea- tional activities and future priorities. Twenty-nine recreation groups and ,associations completed an assessment handbook and interviews were held with a number of leaders in the community. Information gathered from the surveys, handbooks and interviews have helped the consultants undertaking the projects, to identify five priority issues for the future. A general public meeting and three workshops are scheduled in October to allow additional public input and discus- sions concerning these issues. The topic for the public meeting con- " Wriis "'`thie"deed" fora new i milti=pdrpose community centre in Goderich'. The meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, Oct. 22 at 8 p.m. at Victoria Public School (please use the south-east entrance). At• this meeting the consultants will seek public expression of the need for and im- plication of developing a multi-purpose community centre. All residents are in- vited to attend and offer their comments and insights. A series of three workshops will be held with representatives of special interest groups concerning the following issues: -Recreational and Cultural Services, for Seniors, Tuesday, Oct. 21, 2 to 4 p.m., at MacKay Centre. ' -Recreational and Cultural Services for the Disabled, Thursday, Oct. 23, 2 to 4 p.m., at MacKay Centre. -Recreation Services for Pre -School Aged Children., Thursday, Oct. 23, 7 to 9 p.m., at ' St. Marys School. salt onto the American market. The com- pany has since convinced the International Commission of Commerce this was not the case, but they are afraid of being accused again. The United States, is importing salt from other companies and Domtar cannot cut their price because they cannot ship salt to the States for a lower price than they can sell it in Canada. Brousseau admits Domtar saw an im- mediate need for the wharf in 1986 - 87 when the harbour expansion was planned, but Domtar has evaulated the project and decided there is no direct advantage to us- ing the north wharf at this time. The demand for rock salt was slow last winter and Brousseau said if they get a good winter and they can export to the U. S. and the price of salt goes up, then possibly their plans for expansion will pro- ceed and a new loader will be built on the wharf. At the present time there is no money in Brousseau's budget to build a loader on the north wharf. in provincial court man Knapp will appear in' court Nov. 24. Kelly MacAdam, who was sentenced to 16 months in jail was given another 30 days on charges of willful damage stemm- ing from an incident at the Goderich OPP station where a hole was punched through a concrete block in the cell. Cheryl jytadDonald and William James Rocho°were found guilty of possession and. fined $150. Patty Ann Shouldice was fined $100 of one charge while a second charge was dropped. Chargesagainst Richard Shouldice were also drs pp Helen TeBrinke of Vanastra was fined 000' and.$150 respectively on two charges of possession while a third charged was dropped. On other court news, a young offender charged with uttering a threat was found guilty and given two years strict probation by Judge Guthrie.. The youth was tohave psychiatric counselling and will not be allowed to possess any weapons during the probation term. Cecil Graham, the 23 -year-old London man charged with attempted murder, will appear at a preliminary hearing Feb, 233, 1987. He was charged after Rick Pringle (1f Auburn was stabbed eight times near the Bedford Hotel on the Square. INSIDE THE SIGNAL -STAR Sailors are hot The Goderich Sailors are off to a great start this season and on the weekend they tied' Port Elgin here Friday and won in Walkerton Sunday for a three-point effort. All the details can be found on the sports page. Joanne's song Joanne Durst, a local musician and songwriter, has had one of her original compositions recorded by Toronto singer, Doug 'Cameron. A story and picture ap- pears inside this section. Christmas Fair The annual Colborne Christmas Country Fair gets underway today and continues on Saturday and Sunday at•Saltford Valley Hall. Corrine Boyle features some of the work that will appear at the fair. See inside this section.