HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Goderich Signal-Star, 1978-07-20, Page 4PAGE 4 -THE GODERICH SIGNAL -STAR, THURSDAY. JULY 20. 1978
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SIGNAL—STAR
The County Town Newspaper of Huron
founded In 1605 and published every Thursday et Goderich. Ontario. Member of the CWNA
.add OWNA. Advertising rates on request. Subscriptions payable in advance •15.119 In
Canada. "•17:N to u.S.A.. '15.M to all other mensrlq, single copies 35 cents. Display adv°or-.
tieing rates available on request, please ask for gate 'Card tla.•1 aff•ctivd Oct. 1. 1977.
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together with roasonoble allowance for signature. Will not be larged for but trlibirlanie
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Published by Signal -Stas Publishing Ltd,
ROBERT G. SHRIER - president arid publisher
SHIRLEY J. KELLER - editor
EDWARD .1. EYRSKI - advertising manager
Business and Editorial Office
TELEPHONE 524-8331
area code 519
Mailing Address:
P.O. BOX 220, Industrial Park, Goderich
Second class mail registration number - 0716
Thankyou, friend
There just are no words this week to describe the
sadness that has enveloped Goderich and district at
the death of Dr. John Wallace. Those who knew the
man loved him dearly; those -who -had heard of him
by reputation only respected him; those who never
came in contact with him missed so much.
For the last year or more, citizens of the com-
munity had been endeavoring .to- organize a
meaningful tribute to Dr. John Wallace. But he
would have none of it. John Wallace was a humble
man. A simple man. A shy man. A special man.
Friends of John "Wallace wanted a story in the
newspaper about the beloved doctor before he died.
But it wasn't done, partly because of the man's
great aversion to public attention and partly
because of his determination to live his life and care
for his patients in his own way and in his own time.
Someone commented this week that anything
Abatis said about Dr. John Wallace will be under-
SY SHIRLEY J.
KELLER
It sometimes takes a
ro'' -disaster, or •a - near
disaster, to get the proper
wheels in motion. ' As
London Alderman Bob
Mann puts it, "People
made a mistake because
they didn't know any
better."
Ald. Mann was, of
course, referring to the
methane gas explosion
March 21 in London when
one house blew up and
four more homes were
evacuated in the Glen
Cairn district. The
subdivision, the site of an
old dump grounds, was
built in 1973. Reports now
show that the developers
had agreed to conduct
soil tests and to submit
findings to the city
engineer's department',
the environment ministry
and the m.edical officer of
health before building
permits were issued, but
the building permits were
issued even though there
is no evidence soil tests
were even carried out.
According to a recent
report in The London
Free Press, council still
does not know who signed
the building permits. oh
the city's behalf.
Ald. Mann calls' it in-
competence. He em-
phasized his belief that it
wasn't dishonesty.
"In 20 years of working
with people dawn there
(at city hall)," said
Mann, "I've found there's
a lot more incompetence
than dishonesty. Let me
put that another way.
There's a lit, more
honesty than in-
competence."
++4-
stated.
++
stated. Someone else said that mere words just
could not express the whole truth about `this
distinguished humanitarian. And yet, this
newspaper has tried, knowing full well that the task
was impossible.
The one attribute of John Wallace that stands out..
clearly is his great love for people - people from all
walks of life, people of all ages, people of all social
levels, people of all abilities and disabilities. To say
"thank you" seems so trite yet that's what .people
throughout- the community are trying to say in a
hundred different ways.
Thank you Dr. John Wallace. Thank you for
sharing yourself so selflessly with people. Thank
you for caring long after you had any .obligation to -
fill. Thank you for being to everyone a wonderful
friend, a trusted physician, a fine human being.
Thank you and may God hold you in the palm of His
hand,-SJK
Co-operation important
It is interesting to note from an editorial which
appeared in The. Wingham Advance -Times -
recently, that the Huron -Perth Separate School
Board has supported a petition signed by Wingham
and area residents which opposes the proposed
construction of a pig and -or poultry barn on a farm.
immediately east of the town on Highway 86,
Sacred Heart Separate School is the obvious con-
cern of the HPSSB. It is located only one-quarter
mile from the site of the proposed barn. Not far
away is F.E. Madill Secondary School, Wingham
and District Hospital and.a medical -dental clinic ...
not to mention of course, numerous private homes.
The editorial, entitled "A smelly situation" points
gout that if a piggery operation is allowed on the
premises, "with an east wind the stench could be
overpowering". It asked for consideration by
township council for the, students and the hospital's
patients before issuing the permit.
It is a fact that a pig operation does not have to be
smelly. A quick check with Mike Miller at the
agricultural office in Clinton reveals that a good pig
operation could exist fairly close to an urban area
without becoming offensive, while a poor pig
operation could be a real odor problem in the heart
of farmland, even to other farming neighbors.
According to Miller, it is a matter of housekeeping
and general management.
The level of technology, too, has'sometjiing to do
with the problem. Miller points out that the new
flush systeni `available to hog farmers is the least -
odorous of all pig operations ..: and even pays
dividends to the farmer because workers can stay
in the pig barn longer and provide better care for
the animals because the smells are kept to an ab-
solute minimum.
There is, however, nothing one can do about the
odors when the holding tanks for the liquid manure
are being emptied and spread on the field. But,
reports Miller, that is- only for two or three days
once or 'twice a year and if done under proper
weather conditions, can be bearable. • . '
In the case of chicken operations, says Miller,
under the wrong conditions these can be smellier
than pig barns. But again, it depends so much on,
housekeeping and proper management. Broiler
barns are the least odorous because the litteris dry.
Even, barns for layer hens can be low in°odors ...
unless the manure is distrubed. Again though, this
is for short periods of time once or twice a year and
if there is consideration 'for neighbors, even that
can be within odor limits.
This newspaper Shares the concern of Wingham
and District Hospital, HPSSB, F.E. Madill
Secondary School and some Wingham
householders. Perhaps there should be some sort of
Iegisla'tion which would restrict the type of farming
operation that could be conducted within specified
distances from an urban area.
As Mike Miller points out though, legislation can
accomplish only . so much. It demands the con-
tinuing efforts of the farming community and its
individual members to make certain that
housekeeping and management standards are high
at all times. And it behooyes urban d -welders to
understand the farmers' plight in situations where
odor simply cannot be controlled for short periods
of time. .. -
As always, the situation takes two-way com-
munication and co-operation. Everyone should
remember that left to themselves .,and their own
devices, neither pigs nor chickens are smelly
creatures. -SJK
Holiday in Huron
One of the nicest things about living in'a town like
Goderich is the summer. Summer in Goderich can
be a real joy. Just think of the numbers of people
who come here from different parts of the province,
just to enjoy Goderich and Huron County.
Signal -Star has a suggestion for you this summer.
Instead of packing the car,..the trailer and the boat;
instead- of driving hundreds of miles in 'the heat;
instead of spending hard-earned -dollars for ac-
commodation; instead of hassling with the traffic
'and the road map .... why not spend your vacation
in"Huron County, headquartering in Goderich, The
Prettiest Town in Canada?
What would you do here? What would you see''
Well, for starters, you might spend one day at
Huron County Pioneer Museum, considered by
some to be the best museum of its type in Ontario.
There's lots -to• see there ... lots to enjoy. And
chances are;' you have never been inside the door.
You might find it will take the whole day to see
everything.
You could set aside a day to see Huron's Historic
Gaol, one of the most unique tourist attractions
anywhere in Ontario. You will be surprised at the
professional way in WI Wit these premises are
displayed, and you will learn a little about the
area's history in the bargain. It is worth a look.
What about a day on the beach? Lake Huron has
some of the finest beaches you are likely to find
anywhere -.- --ajnd right .here, in Huron County,
Goderich's beach is available for the taking. In the
evening, after a shower and a nice dinner, you
- might drive over to` Blyth or down to Stephen
Township and Huron Country Playhouse to see a
play. If di ril want to leave town, maybe there
kt
is something playing right herein town at the gaol
courtyard.
Or how about a day of hiking along the Maitland
Trail for something just a little different?
If that doesn't appeal to you, what about a day in
the country and a visit to some of the local market
garden operations or fruit --farms to "pick yur
own"? - -
If you are a golfer, you might make a tour of all
the golf courses in the county. Or you might want to
spend one day in each of the four other towns -in
Huron County. Getting acquainted with Seaforth,
Wingham, Clinton and Exeter mighf,,he more ex-
citing,tllan you think. n
Ot, what about a tour of the county's villages? -
Nowhere will you find more country charm and
relaxation than in Bayfield, Zurich can be fun for
all ages; Dashwood has one of the most intriguing
general stores you are likely to discover anywhere;
Brussels bustles every day; Hensell has some -of the
cleanest, widest streets in the whoje of fIuron; and
Blyth has some shopping opportunities that attract
people from far and wide.
'For something really out of the ordinary, pack a
picnic lunch and your best walking shoes. Take to
the back roads in Huron County. Glory in the
scenery, Paddle in the creeks. Take a nap in the
shade of a fence -post- Hunt for wild flowers.
Photograph the quiet streams and meadows. Picnic
in paradise. ,
Your vacation this year can he reasonahre in
price',.. and a real eye-opening experience. See
Huron County and Goderich•. Be a -tourist at
home..-..SSK .
As one who has
reported municipal af-
fairs for going onto 20
years, I must agree whole
heartedly with Ald.
Mann. Virtually none of
the municipal politicians
and elected or 'appointed'
board members I .have
known are dishonest. All
of them have the welfare
of the community at
heart. But alas and alack,
a good many of them are
incompetent when" it
comes to the kind of
administrative decision-
making that is necessary
in - this highly
technological and
financially troubled age.
And what's more, the
average citizen serving in
an elected or appointed
capacity at the municipal
level . would be in the
same boat. In fact, a
community can hardly
.expect their elected and
appointed people to be
knowledgable in the ever=
widening scope of
problems -thatcome
before them in a term, of
office,
Last week at Goderich 'siesta
.'
Town Council, a letter
was received from the
Ontario Ministry of the
Environment, urging
council to investigate the
housing and commercial
ander industrial
developments which have
been built on or adjacent
to waste disposal sites.
" The letter had this' to
say: "Usually, methane
rises and disperses into
the atmosphere and
under these cir-
cumstances there is
usually no reason for
concern. However, under
certain circumstances,
the gases resulting ,from
decomposition, including
methane, migrate
later\.11y and sometimes
to adjoining property.
Under these conditions,
explosive concentrations
may build up."
The Ministry is urging
communities to establish
a gas monitoring
program to be conducted
on an on-going basis
where development has
occured on or near to
these sites._
"This is necessary
since these gases have
been known to occur i
certain cases, severe
years after the refuse ha
been ' deposited," i,the
letter'continues.
+++
A -brief conversation
with Deputy -reeve -Eileen
Palmer who was for-
merly chairman of
council's now defunct
environmental division,
revealed that she is not
aware of any other in -
town dump sites of the
past except the one on the
bank of the Maitland
River on the east side of
town,-- But since, the
London difficulty, the
deputy -reeve knows
enough not to trust her
ownjudgement on this
matter. She will confer
immediately with town
foreman Stan Meriam
and Commissioner of
Works Ken Hunter to
determine if other waste
disposal - sites ' ever
existed in Goderich
and where: -
That's comforting to
the people of Goderich,
certainly, but it should be
pointed out that it took an
explosion in London. to
alert the ministry of the
environment who is now
alerting town council
members who are now
picking up the ball and
running with it..
One wonders, too, just
how many otherpoten-
tially dangerous
situations there are
lurking within the
community and just
when and how they will
be discovered.
But surely it must be
By Sykes
understood that many
potentially dangerous
situations'" cannot be
blamed on the dishonesty
of elected or appointed
people, brat rather should
be attributed to their
incompetence. ' As Ald.
Mann said, - "People
made a mistake because
they didn't know any
better."
+++
This kind of attitude
should be adopted by the
people of Goderich and
area toward their elected
and appointed
representatives and
the sooner the better.
Probably the best way to
assume that attitude is to
ask yourself one simple
question, "If I had been
on London City Council,
would I have had the
foresight to fight against
the development in Glen
Cairn? Would I have
twigged to the kind of
disaster that might take
place? Would I have
understood the potential
danger from methane
gas?"
Some readers may
think this a poor
argument a kind of a
once-in-a-lifetime fluke.
But is it? Is it really so
rare that .,councils and
boards are called upon to
make decisions that could
have - far-reaching im-
plications for the future?
Implications that few of
them could see even if all
the sign -posts were
clearly marked?
Right how, Goderich
Town Council is
deliberating over
whether or not to build a
$5,000- foot runway at
Goderich's airport. The
easy decision ' -- maybe
even the popular decision
- would be to -turn thumbs
down on the idea.. The
town doesn't appear to be
in any shape financially
to assume that kind of
responsibility for the
years ahead.
But what of the future?
Can any of us adequately
predict the next 20 years
in Goderich? In Ontario?
In Canada? • The in-
dicators are all there.
How do you read them?
Can we really say beyond
a shadow of a doubt that
it is unwise to build a
5,000 foot runway? Isn't it
just possible that such a
facility might in the years
ahead, provide just the
kind of economic ;-edge
this district needs to keep,
it alive and growing?
Would you be willing to
make the decision - pro or
con - so easily if you knew
that your decision would
he held up in the next 20
years to the possible
riducule -and righteous
anger of your children
and grandchildren?
And what about the
board of Alexandra
Marine and General
Turn toiage 5 •
75 YEARS AGO
The Colborne Hotel is to
: have a new proprietor,
Alex Robinson having
sold out to David Sare cf
Ingersoll who will take
possession on Monday,
August 3. Mr. Robinson
will go on a prospecting
tour tone West where he
is thinking of locating. '
The chief event of the
week at. ,the harbor was
the sale of the schooners
Kolfage and Azov. The
lumber company is the•
purchaser of the former
and they will now be able
to do their own carrying.
Capt. John McDonald,
the former owner of the
Kolfage, has purchased
the Azov -from Mr,
Lawrence of Sarnia. The
Azov tarries about twice
the load the Kolfage does
and Capt. McDonald is to
be congratulated on his
purchase. - ro
A special meeting "'of
the Collegiate Inst=itute
trustees was called for
Monday evening to make
an appointment to the
position made vacant by
LOOKING B
Mr. Flemings'
reignation. There were a
large number of ap-
,plicants for the position
but the choice finally fell
on J.J. Bailey, who for
the past" year has been
principal at Blyth.
The Government
lighthouse supply • boat
Arabian was in yesterday--
morning
esterdaymorning with the year's
lighthouse supplies and
left for Pine Point.
Work on the inn-.
provements .at the Signal
office are in full 'swing'
this week. The old front
has been torn out and the
new plate 'glass front put
in, 'affording additional.
room and better light in
the office.
25 YEARS AGO
Citizens of Goderich
can look 'fdrward to_
another possible home-
building spree; perhaps
later .this year, with the
announcement last
weekend that the town,
had received information
that land adjacent to the
present block 6f rental
homes will be returned to
the to-wn. The land,
situated between the
group of new homes and
the new Goderich District
Collegiate Institute, was
set aside by the Federal
Government as a site for
an armory. However, this
armory was never built.
'
William W. Haysom of
Hamilton has . been ap-
pointed Bell Telephone
manager at•Goderich, it'r
was announced this week.
He succeeds C.B.
Symonds, who has been
named manager at
Lindsay. _.
A committee of Reevoe
Stanley Snyder, •Phil
Carey and Bert Baechler,
property owners at
Sunset Beach, has
arranged a meeting for
this Friday evening at the
Township Hall, Carlow,
when the matter --of the
use of the road leading
down to Sunset Beach will
be discussed. ,Many
people using this road are
under the impression that
it is a township road, -.said
a summer resident.
whereas. -this is mit the
case. It has been claimFd
that people come down
the road, especially
"midnight revellers" and
disturb the peace of the
--surrimer residents.
5 YEARS AGO
Subject now to the final
signing of the rental lease .
with the Ontario
government, the tender
of Genan Construction
Limited of Waterloo for
the construction of the
addition at • -the Huron.-
Perth
uron-Perth Regional
.assessment office-in-
Goderich, was, approved
Monday morning at a
specialn- eeting of Huron
County Council.
One of the gravest short
comings. of the Goderich
Police ' and Fire Depar-
tments was overcome
Tuesday afternoon when
Police Chief Pat King and
Fire Chief Ted Bisset
tookpossession'- of an 18
foot fiberglas rescue boat
f equipped with a 50 hor-
' sepower motor . through
the• generosity of Mr. and '
Mrs. Earl Empy of $t.
K
Vincent Street
Goderich.
Another - excif.ing
season of harness racing
got underway Wednesday
evening at the Goderich
raceway Attendance
opening night soared over
1,000.
Last Thursday evening
launched the beginning of
an official Goderich Fro
Life Group in the area.
Chairman is Mrs. Pat
Osborn.
in •
More than 40 em-
ployees of Domtar
Chemicals Sifto Salt
evaporator operation in
Goderich were recalled to
work Monday after .a
court injunction stopper'
picketing of the plant by
employees of Domtar's
Sifto Salt Mine.
The new heater pt
Judith -D. Gooderham
Pool was officially turned
on Tuesday evening. In a
ceremony at the pool,
Bob Swartman,
President of the Rotary
Club which donated the
heater, -handed over die,
cheque of $3,210 to'Mayor
Harry Wor-sell. -
•