HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Goderich Signal-Star, 1978-05-11, Page 1A • -taste of spring. Sunday's -.sunny skies and „right kind of dayfor a young.boyAnd
warm temperatures brought folks out of the frolic on the beach and the south pier:
house .and down to the"beach and It was just the Dave Sykes)
Believe it!!
puppy to
photo by
No refuse pickup
BY SHIRLEY J. KELLER
"The main idea behind the elimination of
spring and fall pickup was to save the taxpayers
-money," Councillor Dave Gower told a public
works committee meeting Tuesday' evening. "I
think we did the right thing."
That sentiment was echoed in the council
chambers by other members of the works
committee who were considering a letter from T.
M. Melady which suggested that the new system
of containerizing all refuse was a hardship for
homeowners.
"It is a matter of re-educating people," said
Gower. "They must be' educated to make other
arrangements to get rid of garbage that they feel
can't be containerized. It is either that or in-
crease taxation and I'm not so sure people want
that either."
Councillor Elsa Haydon who claims to live on a
"standard lot with trees and gardens" says her
family has never had any difficulty at any time
getting rid of any 'of their refuse. Large bran-
ches, for instance, are cut and tied into easy -to -
handle bunches at the Haydon home.
Refrigerators, chesterfields, etc. are also
picked up at the curb, the committee said.
In his letter, Melady had also suggested a
burning season for people who cannot otherwise
get rid of garbage.
Members of the committee felt that special
burning permits can be obtained in Goderich
simply by going down to town hall. But there has
to be a special reason for a permit, Clerk Larry
McCabe reminded councillors at the committee
meeting, and the fire permit is issued under
supervision of the fire department.
"It isn't encouraged," interjected McCabe.
Foreman Stan Meriam said his department
still gets calls about picking up refuse, and added
he notices a number of piles of garden refuse
sitting on the curbs in town waiting for pickup.
Still, the works committee recommended to
council that no change be made in the present
garbage pickup system.
The committee did instruct Stan Meriam to
post signs along the bank overlooking the lake
and river, warning citizens it is an offence to toss
garbage - even garden refuse -- over any ern-
bankment in the municipality.
Clinton won't fight four city halls
With letters from Exeter, Wingham and
Seaforth supporting Goderich as the central
location for the proposed police communication
system in Huron, Clinton Council on Monday
night decided to go'along with the majority.
"It looks like, due to the democratic process
that this particular municipality should go along
with the others," Maydr Harold Lobb advised the.
members of council.
With that statement and the supportive letters,–
council passed a motion to support Goderich as
the site of the communication dispatch which
will link the five towns under a central radio
system.
Although Clinton had hoped to house the
central site and council agreed to accommodate
it, the other municipalities weren't willing to
accept the offer.
"We agreed to hire another man to give 24-
hour service and we would have extended our
police station to make room for the system,''
Mayor Lobb explained.
Exeter had -initially given their tentative
support to Clinton if there would be a savings in
costs to locate there.
"I don't know where we failed," Mayor Lobb,
added, "but somewhere along the line we went
wrong even though there would be a saving on
the system here just on phone lines alone."
With the centre of the system in Goderich, it
will cost the five municipalities a total of $146
more a month to rent lines to that town. Mayor
Lobb noted that he received these figures from
Bell Canada last Thursday. Initially it was
previously thought that the cost`would be $60 a
month to link the four other municipalities with
the dispatch in Goderich by telephone lines.
Mayor Lobb explained 'to the London Free
Press that in 20 years, the monthly fee. of $146
would total $36,000 with the present rates alone.
He' also said that he thinks that the other
municipalities had acted too hastily in sup-
porting the Goderich site.
"There was pressure put on them from
--somewhere," he further added
Despite the sense of reluctance to give up the
chance at the site for the system Mayor Lobb
said, "We dont want any hard feelings with the
other municipalities because we have to get
along,"
Councillor Ron McKay offered to council, "I
wish Goderich the best of luck with the system."
With Clinton's decision to support Goderich,
the municipalities will soon be asked to sign a
joint agreement and tenders for the equipment
will be called for.
On Monday, the five police chiefs met to
Complete designs for the new communication
network with the near confirmation of Clinton's
support.
Start up costs of the 'new system will be ap-
proximately $70,000 with the province paying 75
percent of the costs and the five municipalities
sharing the other 25 percent of the equipment
and operating costs. •
The system, which has been on the drawing
board for the past year, will link the five forces
together and the present answering services or
radio telephones after hours will be dispensed
with , the net 24-hour service.
11
Tim-berrr on 21 South
BY SHIRLEY J. KELLER
Word has been received from the Ministry of
Transportation and Communications that the
town of Goderich's funding for the work on High-
way 21 has been approved. Money available this
year has been increased by MTC from $50,000 to
$150,000, constituting 90 per cent of a total ex-
penditure of $166,700 to be made prior to the end
of the province's fiscal year on March 31,1979.
Town engineer Burns Ross will step up the
preparation of drawings to be ready for June 7 in
Stratford when a review meeting will be held. It
is understood that the town's works com-
missioner Ken Hunter will take the plans to
Stratford for that meeting.
Ross said he expected that contract would be
awarded for a fall start. He said this was
desirable to the town because the timing of the
project would be such that the work would begin
after the tourist season in 1978 and be completed
before the busy tourist season in 1979.
It was also explained to the works committee
Tuesday evening, that the trees on the east side
of Highway 21 south would need to come down in
preparation for the work. Ross noted there would
not be room to replant trees between the
sidewalks and the shoulders of the road, and
suggested that landscaping would of necessity be
restricted to dwarf ,:t- , ,, I on private
property inside the sidewalk.
Councillor Elsa Haydon expressed her usual
concern for the loss of more of the town's
beautiful old trees. But Haydon conceded that
council is heavily committed to the widening of
Goderich
Highway 21 by virtue of the money already
allocated to the project.
"So be it," sighed Haydon.
In a related matter, works commissioner Ken
Hunter suggested that instead of removing every
second light on Highway 8 to Highway 21 south,
for a trial period every second light on Highway 8
be turned off. He said it would be a simple,
inexpensive method to determine the effect on
the community.
One of Hunter's fears is an increase in traffic
mishaps, he told the works committee Tuesday
evening. He also felt that during the trial period
of half -lighting on Highway 8, public reaction to
the move would soon be known.
SIGNAL - STAR
131 YEAR -19
THURSDAY, MAY 11, 1978
30 CENTS PER COPY
Plans for grandstand go
BY DAVE SYKES
The Goderich Sports Committee will proceed
with plans for a new grandstand and lighting
improvements for the soccer field and two ball
diamonds at Agriculture Park at a cost of
$306,000.
The committee passed a motion at a special
meeting last Wednesday to proceed with all
proposed segments at Agriculture Park and
maintain responsibility to raise $120,000, which is
the community's share of the cost after grants.
The committee will ask council to underwrite a
cgmmitment for interim financing until grants
are received.
Committee chairman, Larry ,Jeffrey, said the
total cost of the project would be $306,000. That
includes $255,000 for the grandstand, $40,000 for
new lights at Agriculture Park, $5,000 for a new
fence on the softball diamond, $2,000 for im-
provements to the hub rail and $4,000 in
engineering fees to the firm of Hill and Borgal.
The 'committee decided to upgrade the soccer
and ball diamonds at Agriculture Park while
they were raising funds for the grandstand. The
;;proposal includes lights for the soccer field,
light's for the hardball diamond and a new fence
and additional lighting for the softball diamond.
The cost of lights for the soccer and hardball
diamonds averages $19,000 each. and the com-
mittee decided to revamp the softball diamond
so the field measurements conform' to OASA
rules. The fence at the diamond will be moved
back and replaced with a six foot high fence and
additional lights will be required in centre field.
The cost of the project was: estimated at $2,000
for additional lighting and $5,000 for fencing.
At the time of the meeting there were still 200
lottery tickets not sold and the committee
believed they could not go ahead with the other
park improvements unless all tickets were sold.
They decided to go ahead with the project and
make a special effort to sell the remaining
tickets.
If all 1,500 lottery tickets were sold the com-
mittee would be able to forward $98,000 into the
project. But there are still over 100 tickets
remaining and the committee is confident they
can still be sold. If the tickets are not sold the
committee would realize approximately $88,000
from the lottery sales but that extra $10,000 is
necessary to the project when matched with
grants.
From the total cost of $306,000, the Community
Recreation Centre grant of $70,000 would leave a
balance of $236,000. Wintario would then match
the community on a third of that balance or
$158,000, leaving the community to raise $78,000.
Of the $78,000 balance the Ontario Racing
Commission has agreed tosplit the difference
meaning the ORE and the community would chip
in $39,000 each. The total cost of the im-
provements to the community amount to ap-
proximately $118,000.
If the grandstand lottery tickets are sold the
proceeds would amount to $98,000 and Jeffrey
has received several cash donations of close to
$10,000. This would leave the community with a
balance of $10,000 to raise.
The committee has committed itself to raise
the balance of the funds through various fund
raising activities if the community portion is not
raised through lottery ticket sales and donations.
The conkruction of the grandstand is expected
to begin May 15 and the completion date has been
set at August 1. The Goderich Trotting
Association has applied for five race dates in the
month of August beginning Aug. 3.
But there are still 100 lottery tickets to be sold
and committee members will be pushing to
complete the sales. The tickets offer a chance at
a prize of $1,000 a week fdr the 51 weeks
remaining in the draw. They can be purchased at
the Recreation office, Town Hall or from Larry
Jeffrey.
The first lottery - draw was held Monday
evening in Holmesville and the winner of $1,000
was Mrs. Marg Jewell.
ouncil hits snags
BY SHIRLEY J. KELLER
Goderich Town Council is operating now under
its new system — a full council session on the
first and third Mondays of each month and two
committee meetings in the second week of the
month, administrative on Monday evening,
public works on Tuesday evening.
Eileen Palmer, deputy -reeve, was named
chairman of the administrative committee with
Reeve Bill Clifford and Councillors John Doherty
and Don Wheeler as members. The works
committee chairman is Councillor Bob Allen.
Members. are Councillors Elsa Haydon, Dave
Gower and Stan Profit. Mayor Deb Shewfelt is
ex, -officio on both committees.
This being the second week of the month,
council held the first of its committee meetings
on Monday and Tuesday evenings, not without
some problems. Although the Organizational
Review Committee (ORC) had spelled out much
of the format for the committee sessions, there
were a few humps to get over in the initial
meetings ... some which still aren't resolved.
One such problem was the reports of cor-
poration officer Prior to the new system, these
employees - Stan Meriam, public works
foreman; Dick Eisler, bylaw officer; Mike
Dymond, recreation director, etc. - had ap-
peared before the full council session at the
Turn to page 22 •
They're at the post. Forty-four cyclists par-
tldipated in the Goderich Great. Ride for Cancer
Sunday and raised over $1,600 for the Huron Unit
of the Canadian Cancer Society. The bikers
followed a 15 kilometre route through Goderich
that started and finished at Suncoast Mall,
Campaign co-chairmen, Ross McDaniel and Jim
Remington were assisted in the bike-a-thon by
the Goderich Kinsmen and Kinette Clubs. More
pictures, on Page Bi. (photo by Dave Sykes) ,