The Goderich Signal-Star, 1976-12-30, Page 5Signal Stair souvenir edition for 1976
The
GOUEItICH SIGNAL -STAR, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 30,1976—PAGE'
ear that just. w
JANUARY2 "This seems to be the only Toronto Dominion -.Bank ballot, and McCu.tcheon was looking at alternatives," -said
way to control this type of donated $35 to the Bluewater.' tied with Hullett Reeve Allan Mr. Riddell. Meetings are
In view of the imminent waste disposal", said plan- Taxi company stipulating: Campbell and Stan Profit continuing at Queens Park
'Closure of the-Goderich ning board chairman Jack L. that the money be used to pay, cast the. deciding vote, and an announcement should
Psychiatric Hospital, the McCutcheon of Brussels.. the taxi fare for party -goers choosing Jack McCutcheon'to be forthcoming within the
Huron -Middlesex New "They create an undesirable wishing transportation home replace Anson McKinley as next few days.
Democratic Party Riding environment for anyone in on New Year's Eve. Uihfor Warden for Huron. A new face will be seen
Association requested the the vicinity of this kind of a tunately, the donation was Councillor Dave Gower told • under a Goderich Police
Official Opposition to follow dispose)."
up the closing with as much JANUARY &%
vigor as possible. JANUARY 15 meetings ---,held the ' seconduties for Constable Wayne
made too late to allow for council Monday night that the Department hat in two weeks,
preparations. committee of ' council when Sidney Hall takes up
Spokesman for the RidingMore than $00 ' eople, ' Monday of every moduO wereey who resigned as o
p P a waste of time. January 31, Constable Hall
Association Paul. Carroll had elbowed their way�into the , A committee of Concerned, had also applied months
this to say about the decision Saltford Valley Hall Tuesday. Citizens was formed on JANUARY 22 earlier when Co stables Tom
. to close the GPH. nigh '
t to support a community Friday to "maintain coin-
"We believe that the 'effort to "reverse the GPH munity interest 'and get the Inflation got a kick rn the
1 1 ball rolling" in further effort pants Monday morning as
short-sighted answer to the Mayor Deb Shewfelt said he .to keep open • the GPH, ac- Goderich senior citizens were
pressing economic questions " was "sick of big government cording to CCC spokesman offered a free "trat'rsens were
faced by `the Ministry of meddling , in our lives". He Elsa Haydon. service within the town limits
ation
Health. ' We intend . to do urged the audience to give the The, CCC, did not as yet bythe Lions Club Community
whatever we can to have the government ` pne hell of a know what to;d9 about saving Betterment Committee in
Minister reverse • his fight" offering the' full sup- the hospital but wanted to . cooperation with Bluewater
decision." "port of the town council and investigate all possibilities. in Taxi.
A meeting of concerned adding. that .the town was order to be ready to act. The status of the proposed
citizens met Monday to prepared to serve an. in The medical staff at $2,6 million recreation
discuss a plan of attack to junction to the Ontario Alexandra Marine 'and complex for the town of
prevent the closure, and cabinet in an effort to keep General' Hospital jumped on .. Goderich became the burden
decided to have a petition' the hospital open.' the bandwagon as well', of Town Council following a;
circulated among 160,000 The.delegation from Huron calling for a reversal •of the
citizens •in Huron, Perth and County that went to Toronto closure decision-, or . a,
Bruce Counties. Support of Wednesday, morning to meet "'resignation from Minister of
local. organizations was also with the Hon. Frank Miller, -Health Frank Miller.
being sought. • Minister of Health was. Adding further criticism,
The planning board had "encouraged"- that the their resolution stated that
star billing when the Huron • decision to close; could be "the 'ministerial decision ,y ,o
County .;Council met for its reversed, ' according... to close the Goderich
final 1975 session in the M.P.P. Jack Riddell. "Mr. Psychiatric Hospital has been
county .chambers December Miller has much more detail without due consultation with
19. The implementation of the-, about the hospital," be added. local health officials and .
Countryside planning Report Motorists in•. Goderich seriously endangers adequate.
' was. the main item for debate caught with their belts down provision of total psychiatric
ancf took the entire morning will probably receive -a health care in Huron' Coun-
to discuss. By noon the report warning .from ,the, •Goderich ty." .
had been adopted in principle Police Department to fasten GPH : workers received
as a guide for local secondary their seat belts while driving assurance that Frank Miller
plans in Huron. ° ' a motor vehicle n the town. would be seriously pressured
Winners of the Christmas The warning is the depart- in • parliament- by'Stephen
st 'sponsored ment's alternative to issuing . Lewis, Official Leader of the
h . Tourist a summons to any motorist• Opposition while on a
Commission were a nounced. driving without their seatbelt whirlwind tour finding facts
First prize was awarded to fastened after the provincial on the hospital. •
Jerry Hilgendorff and family government's decision to. On the other side, of the •
whose display of Snoopy and make the lap belts and coin, .the Ministry for Com
friends•, on his front lawn shoulder harness mandatory . . munity and Social Services
caught the eye •of the judges in Ontario. announced that. the . GPH
as the most,original entry'in A . last-minute safety' would become a resource
the contest which; drew ten program for. Goderich center and .residential care
participants. motorists _driving to New', unit for the mentally retarded
.Other County Council Years' Celebrations failed to ' when the facility closes.
business included a -recom- click last year '•but may Brussels.. Reeve Jack
menda'tion from the planning develop into'a,,unique method -MeCutcheoii became Warden
Fortner and ' ohn Ruxton
closure announcement. is closure. resigned. _
Lighting Con
"by the Goder
board that all :local "rural of promoting safe driving in
municipalities ,pass a bylaw Goderich when the years
banning -open liquid animal draw to a closer.
waste storage lagoons that Robert Allin, manager of
was passed., the Goderich branch of the
i..
of- Huron County following a
tie -breaking vote by Goderich
Reeve Stan Profit.
Clinton Reeve Harold Lobb
was eliininated• after the first
Halfway through demolition the roof of the Goderich Mernoriai Arena stands as a shell
awaiting the final ring of the wrecker's haininer. The roof was torn down during the
summer and the new one is now under construction. (staff `photo)
1'
paltry public meeting
Tuesday.
Mayor Deb . Shewfelt said
the decision. was -weighing
heavy on : council and he
asked for the meeting to get
ideas pumped into council. He
said council needed a cross-
section of thought and ' it
would not be an easy decision
because ' there were many
avenues of cost and content to
explore.
The Council, Mayor
Shewfelt 'cast the deciding
vote in a recorded vote to
change the • Committee of
Council meeting to a regular
session of council.
United Trails Inc. of
Seaforth informed council'
that in of the importance
of public passenger service
they intend , to improve • the
regular bus line service to
and from Goderich., At
present'they are thinking of a
bus service from Goderich to
Cambridge.
Massive cuts in provincial
government grants ,. to local
governments in 1976 had left
'municipal councillors, school
board trustees and county
councillors. with the un-
pleasant task of operating on
limited budgets during the
past year while trying_to keep
the local mill rates down:
The Goderich Police
Department was . active
' FEBRUARY 5
By a vote of 5-3, Goderich
Town 1Coun.i.1- agreed to
continue with injunction
proceedings against the
provincial government to
stop the closing of the GPH,
scheduled for April 1, 1976.
Solicitor Dan Murphy
advised the town council that
injunction action by the town
has no basis in law. • He said
that since the GPH is a
provincial institution, ° not
even located within the town
of Goderich, the action, would
useless.
I.n other council business,"
the finance committee -report ..
approved by Town Council
grants ,an eight per cent in-
crease to all municipal
employees in 197t''- including
town.councillors.
While the ,council was
unanimous in its support of
the increase for staff, Reeve
Stan Profit, and Councillors .
David Gower and Leroy
Harrison lost in their 'bid to
hold councillors' salaries at
the present rate.
The recreation complex
committee was disbanded
and'thanked for their efforts
on behalf of the. citizens. of
Goderich. .That was the
council decision. The.
recorded 'vote saw two
members only . re'ject.. the
proposition. ,
The motipn stated the
Committee ' was to be
disbanded "because of lack of
public support and federal -
- and provincial government `
restraint programs." •
Ontario Liberal Leader••Dr.
Stuart Smith told a gathering
of GPH staff Friday that
ministry of health, budget
restraints could be turning
into a "vicious attack" on
people who signed cards
asking for the premier's
intervention. The cards were
signed in the first 48 hours of
the campaign and the com-
mittee is ., seeking an ad
ditional-4',600 supporters this
week.
Ray Hanna,,„�RR 2 Auburn,
said , this we'h'e- had
collected over 1,300
signatures from people who
are opposed' to the Ontario
government legislation
making . the use of seatbelts
mandatory.
"We're not opposed to
seatbelts," insisted Mr.
Hanna,"Only to the use of
seatbelts being compulsory:
In spite of the fact that the
coming Monday, February 16
will still find you coming and
going as usual, it is hoped that
soon you will be enjoying a
mid -winter long weekend to
celebrate a national Heritage
Day.
This date has been selected,
as unlike July 1 and .Labour
during. the .past • two weeks`' mental health services.
with hazardous road .con- 'What the government
ditions and investigated 16 seems to be saying is thatwe
accidents, seven of.. which can no longer afford small
resulted in • major damage .hospitals but a small group of
estimates. .
JANUARY 29
Residents of " .Huron- and
Bruce Counties aren't. are more harmful to patients.
completely against fastening than helpful. •
'itheirseatbelts.but they seem Lack•' of communication
to resent being told they have • • again cited as the reason
to. The resentment is showing for council's bewilderment
in a petition in the two over a request by- the
counties that questions the Goderich Softball League to
right the • province has to use facilities at Agriculture
make the use of .seatbelts Park on specific day's and
mandatory in Ontario;
nights Burin the season.
The Goderich Police Softball league president
Commission announced theirCurrie told council the
intention to' set their 1976. -Doug.
budget in February and as a executive was drawing up a
schedule "for the season "that
result of their January °
tries to be fair to all" and
meeting they have been
requested to consider several ' cited the league has. used
equipment additions • to the Mondays, Thlursdays and
budget. to increasethe• .Sundays fee- 10 years and
ef-
fectiveness of the local force. would like to continue.
Equipment additions were FEBRUARY 12
to include sirens, roof lights, •
bigger motors or carburetion Following Belegation
changes for the,cruisers, new; g a
clothing, a bullet-proof vest, from .the Industrial Softball
and,, possibly light racks to League who expressed
hold the roof.hghts. concern • over their. 'playing
The decision to close the dates, town council referred
Goderich Psychiatric the matter to the, recreation
Hospital became irrevocably board, and parks committee
final outing the week, and to co-ordinate the functions
more cuts were forthcoming, held at Agriculture Park.
announced Minister of Health Tlie recreation -board drew
Frank Miller. up a motion at their last
The knife hadn't been meeting requesting
pointed ..yet but indications at -. .lurisdiction over the
the time were that other scheduling of events at the
hospitals to undergocutbaCks park. while the parks com-
and closures may have in- mittee would retain its,role of
chided the one in Clinton. maintenance and retain other
The Goderich Branch 109 of jurisdiction over the
the Royal Canadian Legion operation Cof then Concerned Citizens
cut the ribbon Saturday of- The Committee in Goderich
ficially opening the $214,000 ed u
addition to their Kingston stepped p activities in their
Street headquarters. fight to save the GPH, and
Members of the Legion and other general hospitals in the
the Legion Ladies'- Auxiliary area.
large hospitals," said . Mr.
Smith. ``Now that's a battle I
thought we fought years ago
and i thoug'rt we agreed
years ago that large hospitals
cr NNI
• Day to fall during the school
year and so provide an'op-
portunity for student projects
and exhibitions . tohelp
stimulate a greater interest
in the national identity as
represented in the nation's
culture, history and national
estate - those buildings which
are of unique interest in
Canadian communities.
FEBRUARY 19 -
The 'Huron County Board Of
Education met in a special
session Monday night at:.
Clinton to consider drastic
cutbacks • in .the 1976 ex-
penditures. • `
Included in' the restraints -
are a number of measures
which ha already been'
implemente+''!ay the board. A
Major item was a freeze on
all additional 'capital
equipment expenditures with
any exceptions to have the
approval Of the budget
committee.
•
Canada Manpower
established offices again this
year to serve the special
needs of Ontario students..
While • the official opening
took place March 22,
registration was alre'ady.
underway for those students
and employers wishing to get '
an early start on their
summer jobs.'
The cabinet decision in
Ontario to. close Goderich .
Psychiatric Hospital has been
upheld despite continuous
protestations from nearly •
every - conceivable
organization in the hospital's
catchment area, arid is stili a
decision made by word of
mouth only. --
Mr. Frank Miller said that -y
on March 31 the GPH would.
close as a psychiatric facility .
and reopen April 1 as a,
resource center for the
mentally retarded. He said
that 20 beds would remain as
a psychiatric unit in • the
-- -(continued on page 10
GDCI English Department head Stan Wheeler, retired aftera lengthy teaching career.
Several students stopped to offer their thanks to Mr. Wheeler during his last day at schrool.
gathered on the front steps of The committee opened an',
the new addition to witness office donated by Bert
the ribbon cutting and to be Alexander irf Suncoast Mall,
officially piped in by Branch, and seeking county -wide
109 Piper John Stevely. support for a blitz of Premier
Sack Riddell, Huron- William Davis' -office to have
Middlesex NIPP said he isa the premier reconvene
little more optimistic this legislature to debate the
week that somepsychiatric, entire restraint program.
services will be retained- in The campaign kicked off at
Huron County, perhaps even the beginning of?the week and
at GPH. "They are now has been supported by 1,0001
et
This man used a fire in Goderich as a backdrop to make his point.'ihe man walked up arid.
down West Street in front of Hoy's Motors when the garage burned down during the
summer. (staff -photo)