HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Goderich Signal-Star, 1977-09-15, Page 63t
PAGE.A--GODERICH SIGNAL -STAR, THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 1977
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Godericht
SIGNAL-STAR
The County _Town . Newspaper of Huron.:
Founded in 1848 and, published every Thursday at Ggderlch, Ontario. Member of the
t'WNA and OWNA.'AdverUaing rates on request. Subscriptions payable inadvance 112.00
in Canada, $15.50 to U.S.A., 820.00 to all other countries, single' copies 25 cents. Display
advertising rates available on request. Please ask for Rate Card No. 7 effective Oct. 1,
1976. Second class mall Registration Number 0716. Advertising is accepted on the con-
dition that, in the event of typographical error, the advertising space occupied by the
erroneous Item, together with reasonable allowance for signature, will not be charged for
but the balance of the advertisement will be paid for at the applicable rate. In the event of
a'typuga 1 al\rrror advertising goods or services ata wrong price, goods or service
may not be sold, Advertising is merely an offer to sell, and may be withdrawn at any time.
The Signal -Star is not responsible for the loss or damage of unsolicited manuscripts or
photos.
Business and Editorial Office
TELEPHONE 524-8331
area code 519
Published by Signal -Star Publishing Ltd.
ROBERT G. SHRIER - president and publisher
SHIRLEY J. KELLER - editor
EDWARD J. BYRSKI - advertising manager
Mailing Address:
P.O. BOX 220, Industrial Park, Goderich
Second class mail registration number - 0716
Feedback
Traffic committee chairman John
Doherty wanted feedback from the local
business community regarding a notice of
motion presented at last week's town
council . meeting suggesting that con-
sideration be given to lifting the Time
Restricted Parking in the core area. And
feedback he got after last week's
newspaper hit the street.. It seems evident
, that marry store owners in downtown
Goderich believe that to remove the two-
hour parking limit would be a step hack -
wards.
And the notice of motion has done
something else. It has spotlighted again
some problems in the downtown area, such
as the old saw about people who work
downtown parking in front of their business
places - or as close ti) them as humanly
possible and occupying parking spaces
which should he left open for shoppers and
other customers.
Mayor Deb Shewfelt is right about one
thing. The downtown merchants haVe done
a great deal to revitalize Shoppers' Square.
When the Business Improvement Area
becomes reality even more welcome
changes will* beautify the downtown and
provide ilesidents and visitors with still
more enjoyment from doing husinegi,with
the businessmen there.
Mayor Shewfelt may also he correct in
his assessment of the value that could be
achieved by 'lifting the two-hour parking
limits, providing all the business people in
the downtown area co-operated. The mayor
commented during the council meeting last
week that many visitors come' to "The.
Prettiest Town In Canada" to spend n>•oney
and leave with a parking ticket and albad
feeling for the core area. Obviously the
mayor believes that if more downtown
ti
business people could be encouraged to
park off The Square - and if more parking
spaces were left open for unrestricted
customer parking - the merchants would
benefit even more by their growing and
aggressive business efforts. Removing the
time restricted parking and, placing the
responsibility clearly on the shoulders of
the business community seemed to the
'mayor to he a logical means to that end.
Perhtips with the completion very soon of
the new off-street parking lot on Lighthouse
Street directly behind the Craigie building,
there will he more business people leaving
their cars there and walking to their place
of employment. Surely in this age of
physical fitness awareness, such exercise
would not only be desirable but welcomed
by most people. Maybe employers would do.
their staff and themselves, a favor if they
made off-street parking an attractive part
of the day's routine for everyone.
Generally speaking, customer parking is
not a serious problem in the ,Goderich
downtown under the present system. What
does seem to be the rub is the lack of
unrestricted parking for downtown
regulars, whether they be employees wha
want to hop out of their cars as close to
their jobs as possible or businessmen who,
want to leave service vehicles -or other, -
company -owned conveyences on the street
for more than two hours at a time.
There may never be a satisfactory
solution to the -whole problem, but one thing
is clear. For the lasting benefit of
Goderich's core area, it is important to
provide as much customer convenience as
possible. Surely parking falls under this
category and downtown regulars must bow
to this truth and live with its demands. -
SJK
Here's your chance
Town council must he congratulated for
its decision to hold a public meeting to
discuss the Comay Report and perhaps
draft some kind of a statement regarding
the local opinion or comprehensive plan-
ning document. This newspaper last week
advised readers of the Ministry of
Housing's request for public input by
October 15, 1977 and this week there is a
lengthy article about some of the basic
ideas contained in the Comay Report.
There is little doubt the public meetin4'
will delve more deeply into the proposals
put forth in Cornay Report and that much of
the information to he presented there will
have a great hearing on the lives of many'
different kinds of people who reside within
this community.
The question remains. Will the meeting
he well attended? Will people get out to
hear what the Conray Report has to say and
make some attempt through their presence
and perhaps their participation to have
sonic ,.hand in the control of their own
destinies?
William Davis, Premier of Ontario has
said tim-e and time again that. the gover-
nment will return more decision-making
powers to the local communities when the
people at the local level are ready to'accept
those responsibilities. Here is one golden
opportunity for„the citizens in this cotn-
munity to get out to show their willingness
to do more for themselves than decide what
sidewalks should be 'replaced and which
roads should he resurfaced first.-SJK
Super sleuths
Not long ago the question once more
surfaced about why The Goderich Signal-
Star does not print court news. As has so
often been explained in the editorial
columns of this newspaper, it has long been
Signal -Star policy not to puhli.sh lists of the
names of people who break the law. There
are many reasons for this policy, but the
most important one is that the Signal -Star
believes that no real and lasting purpose is
served by covering court on a regular basis
to find the names of those who drink to
excess, or make unnecessary noise in the
streets, or are found in possession of drugs
or run a stop sign.
What may he a deterrent, however, is the
knowledge that Goderich Municipal Police
Force and the Ontario Provincial Police do
1a first rate job of keeping the peace in this
art of Huron County. Much excellent
olice work is carried out in this com-
munity, much of it without fanfare or
commendation for the men in blue.
•
One such incident occurred recently
when only six hours after the body of a
Hayfield youth was found dead on Huron
County Road 3, a Walton man was arrested
and charged, with failure to remain at the
scene of an accident. Six hours! A
tremendous effort in a difficult situation by
local policemen who are ton often the object
of ridicule, even by the most respectable
citizens.
This newspaper believes that if people
had a Netter appreciation for the work of
the policeman - and a healthy respect for
his ability - that would he a real deterrent
for those contemplating moving outside of
the law. Names aren't important for much
more than gossip. Facts about successful
polios work are what's really meaningful.
in the months ahead, it is hoped the
Signal -Star can provide its readers with
some of those facts - those surprising facts
that policemen in Goderich and area are
truly fine detectives. Watch for them. - SJK
^c:
6
y •
. •
Dream coming true
By Joanne Wal
4
BY SHIRLEY J. KELLER
• I feel like I've been taken
for a real ride. I feel resentful
toward Ontario Hydro for all
those enticing promotions
and • commercials which
urged me to "Live Better
Electrically''.. For naw that
I've become. accustomed to
all those wonderful gadgets
Ontario Hydro plashed down
my throat - electric tooth-
brushes if you please - I
discover I must cut hack on
my consumption ,A and pay
handsomely for ”-the• clean
' efficient power 1 do purcli'ase,.
But I'm getting ahead of
myself.
It all started in late August
when our electric hill for the
summer months arrived at
our house. It was a whopper
.,.'I remember feeling a. little
wave of panic rush through
me as I realized our
household had allegedly
consumed over $90 worth of
electricity in two months.
How would I explain this to
my husband?
I examined the Public
Utilities Commission hill
carefully. The first thin I
DEAR READERS
realized was tljat the billing
was not actually for two
months - it was for two
months plus the difference
between the estimated
reading on the previous bill
a d the reading on the meter
this time. That made me feel
a little easier.
Then I wanted to know how
much i was paying per unit of
whatever it was I was buying
and 1 was' just .a little
concerned that nowhere on
the hill did I find that in-
formation, The hill stated
we'd used so much. electricity
and that it would cost so'
ma n§ dollars. No Opportunity
to check to see that the
mathematics was correct.
But who can argue -with a
computer eh? '
Then I wondered just how
much of an increase in hydro
rates there was• since the
billing the year previous. Sol
got out the hills from the year
before, fount+ the amount of
electricity used was just
about the same hut that the
resulting hill was something
like $15-$20 higher,
++
Needless to say, there was
a family conference that
very evening, This electrical
bill was just too high.
Something would ,.have to be
done to cut it 'drastically.
Then the questioning began.
How many showers are
there in the morning? At
night? How many baths?
What about those hair
dryers? Those times one pair
of bathing trunks was dried
alone in the clothes dryer?
Standing with the fridge door
open, trying to decide on
something good to eat?
Leaving the iron plugged in
for hours on end? Heating the
oven to warm one hotdog
roll? Having two televisions,
two radios, and three stereos
competing for attention at the
same time?
This was followed by a
telephone call to the friendly
PUC office ... and the
resulting visit from a PUC
employee who checked our
home 'over carefully for
problems. It was just as we
expected. There was nothing
wrong with our electrical
system. We were just "living
better electrically" and
paying through the nose for
the privilege.
+ +
The folks at the PUC office
were helpful and sym-
pathetic. They answered my
questions patiently and
honestly.
The biggest electricity
users in the home are the
stove, thee electric clothes
dryer and the hot water
heater. And it was pointed out
that two houses may have the
exact same equipment in
them, and the electrical bills
will vary as much as 50 per
cent. The reason? One family
may cook and bake very little
while the other family enjoys
big meals on'a regular basis.
Or one family may use its
clothes dryer sparingly while
the other family dries
everything including damp
sneakers in its dryer. One
family may have teenagers
who enjoy languishjng in a
full tub of hot water for long
periods of time while the
other family has kids who like
to get in and out of the shower
as fast as possible,
I learned that a black and
white television uses about
s ai
ins
1
half the amount of
takes to operate a
And that electricha
the hand ,lobs -that
(and a growing
adults) use thpsed
more electricity
dehti'miefifier which
takes more electric'
humidifier. And
microwave -oven
economical to ope
the conventional o
stove: and that a
refrigerator uses m
than a regular food
I also learned thil
first six months in
to'n used 48;263,820
electricity for ,wh
sumers paid 8:20,0
first six months of
town used 48,054,566
electricity (209,154
four -tenths of one
less than for theca
in 1976) and paidS9'
it. That's, an one
$204,098 or 28 per
somewhat strangers
the effort to save.
+++
ed
s
rE
tl
my
PL
of
act
to
you
pet
e`th
ed
et
ed
Now we come to
Turnto
ell
his
Pet
ve
t tc
R
es
PEAR. EDITCIR
His family • and the
Municipality of Mount Forest
have lost a truly fine gen-
tleman. The late pipe major
will be sadly missed at future
concerts. '41.44
An appropriate floral
tribute from our laketown
band was forwarded.
Yours truly,
Donald McMillan,
BAND.
Sad news
Dear Editor;
The supporters of the
Sunday evening band con-
certs will be saddened to
learn . of the very sudden
passing of Grant McLelland,
Pipe Major of the Mount
Forest Cameron Highlan-
der's Pipe Band, in his 47th
year.
For several years this fine
pipe band, under Mr.
McLelland's leadership, has
participated in our Senday
concerts. Mr. McLelland was
a very talented, friendly and
co-operative pipe major who
was well liked and respected
by his bandsmen.
Book late
Dear Editor
On or around the 15th of
June, ordered the book
Memories of Goderich,
commemorating Jubilee 3
and mailed a cheque for
As I understood it, the book
was to be published in August
and mailed out shortly after.
To this date I have not
received my copy, not even
an acknowledgment of my
order.
Would you please check
into this matter and let me
know what the delay is? On
checking my bank account
the cheque was put through -
my bank June 24, 1977.
Yours truly,
Miss Grace E. Freck,
, 364 Patrick St.,
Sault Ste Marie, Ont.
P6C 3Y8
Editor's Note: The produc-
tion of the book has been
delayed at the printers and
the new expected date of
arrival for the books is bet-
ween 'October 15 and
November 1. Mrs. Freck
should receive her book by
early November unless there
are more problems.
No credit
Dear Editor,
Yesterday I happened upon
an article from the July 14th
issue of.. your newspaper. It
was about the artist Jack
McLaren and his mural
depicting the history of
Benmiiler. Now I read this,
rather lengthy and well
headed piece of
because indirectly it
to concern me,
In the summer of
fellow artists and
researched, Pia!'
painted three. lad
murals of varYIng
this very subject, B
and its history. Also
on this pa rticular p
a supervisor and six,
from G oderich, Win
Clinton, who did e,
research, collaberata
eventually it will be
in hook form.
This is a diffiaa
ase simxPt(e)eucenin11,11(f)Y7 t' fsietoirifainc:rilsrevstiielf
ns
of
mist
ces
ned
75 YEARS AGO
The Goderich Knitting
Company is still busy ship-
ping out goods and orders are
corning in so freely that the
knitters have to work after
hours to keep up with them.
The voters list for the town
of Goderich was posted in the
Olerk's office on Wednesday.
From it we learn that the
qualified number of jurors is
430; 813 are entitled to vote at
municipal elections and 389 at
municipal elections only,
The excursionists from
LOOKING BACK
Detroit who arrived last
Friday by the steamer City of
the Straits had a lively time
on Tuesday watching for that
vessel, which had been
delayed by storm on Monday
evening and Tuesday mot',
ning. Many of them had
engaged to resume their
occupations on Wednesday
morning and were so anxious
not to be late that a large
number of them left for home
by the 3:15 train,
25 YEARS AGO
A special meeting ot the
Town Council will be held „to
discuss a suggestion from the
Ontario commissioner of
police to add an additiOnal
conptable to the Goderich
detatchffent of the 0.P.P.
which is at present compoetd
of a corporal and three
constables.
Auburn is justifiably proud
of its midget ball team which
has brought to that beautiful
village its first all4Ontario
baseball crown. Not only did
this smart collection of ball
players capture the W.O.A.A.
midget C title but they also operated the Hat.°
cwaernitisrieightinontwtoo esltimraititgahtet for many Years'
games to take the 0.A.A. D IN
.I, has been
Dominion
Scholarship, sPansu
rkiithrat. anBdrock St: ,J
Goderich has
Treatment facilities to tS hh ao pt.
remove turbidity from town Bob S" t°'
bee
mended by Dr, R.M. Aldis aced
Health Unit.
head of the Huron County It was ann° .rnson,
Mrs Dna'
awars- iv
CharaPi" Un
5 YEARS AGO
Goderich has a new
building inspector. He's Roy
Breckenridge, a well-known
Goderich resident who has
ald
osit
tha
eter
ald
with
ons
and
enti
wee
of its
ed S
cost
nort
heal
sett
Moi
s.
adia