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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Goderich Signal-Star, 1979-07-26, Page 1Still hope for ambulance despite shortage BY SHIRLEY J.KELLER The management committee of Alexandra Marine and General Hospital has high hopes that the ambulance service in this area which is operated out of the hospital, will continue without any cutbacksdespite a shortfall of something like $20,000 inthe budget. Hospital administrator Elmer Taylor said Tuesday the management committee was meeting that evening and would meet Wed- nesday with the ambulance drivers. He said there<is every indication sufficient expenses can be cut to put the service back in the black. Taylor said the province has allowed the hospital $143,000 to operate the six -man service for the year. That represents a five percent increas,e (less revenue) over last year, but doesn't reflect the, reduction in revenue from that which was anticipated by the Ontario Ministry of Health. Taylor explained- that while' the ambulance service now collects more money for chargeable calls, because of changes in the legislation, fewer calls made by the local ambulance service can be billed out. "Actually, we're not collecting a great deal more revenue," said the administrator who feels this may not be how the Ministry had expected the changes to affect the overall ambulance budget. He said he suspects others hospitals are running into the same problem. because of the new legislation. Staff members are being asked for suggestions of ways to cut costs without reducing the service. He noted the staff has been receptive to the idea and seems eager to give advice. At present, there are day and evening am- bulance crews with night service provided on an "on call" basis. There are two vehicles based in Goderich, but the service` is wide- spread. The local ambulances cover Goderich and area, of course, but also Clinton and sometimes Seaforth when that town's one vehicle is engaged. The local service also extends south- ward into the Dashwood area where the Hof- fman ambulance service is located, and nor- thward into the Kincardine area which is covered by an. ambulance service • based in Kincardine. Gibbons loses battle but wins the war. BY CATH WOODEN There was no clear cut winner in Goderich developer Bob Gibbon's battle to build a harbor front restaurant in the shadow of the Goderich Elevators. The fight ended quietly before round three could begin. Round three was an Ontario Municipal Board hearing to determine whether the zoning of the plot of land on which Gibbons wanted to build be changed from industrial to commercial. However, before the hearing, the Elevators offered to purchase the land from Gibbons and he decided to sell in May. It's not hot- It's been slightly cooler and a lot drier this summer than it was in 1978. The airport weather office recorded a high July and year temperature of '29.9 C on Tuesday, while the low for the month has been 7.6. The highest July temperature in 1978 was 30.7 and the low was 8-.4.. 1978 saw a dry summer, and this year -is recording even :less rainfall. To date, the July rainfall in Goderich has been 27.7 millimeters. Total July precipitation in 1978 was 42.7 mm. Stan Paquette, of the agriculture office in Clinton, said an all -day rain is needed badly in various parts of the, county. Spring grain yields, corn, second crop hay,. and beans are being effected the most, he said. "A good monthly rainfall is about 75 mm.," he said., "We're not getting near it. In June, we only had one half of that." "The hearing didn't have to be held because the Elevators had no intention of developing the land," said Gibbons. According to George Parsons, president of Goderich Elevators and Transit Company, "We weren't too concerned about the outcome of the hearing. The whole problem might have been resolved, but.. Gibbons could .hay.e _sold the, property to someone else and we'd have to go through the whole thing again. The more practical solution was just to purchase the land." The first two rounds of the dispute in January and February involved the Goderich Area Planning Board and the Goderich Town Council. The planning board turned down a motion to recommend to council that the zone be changed to permit the building of the restaurant. . The decision was appealed to council, which voted eight to one in favor of the development. The zone change had to be approved by the OMB, but the Elevators bought the land before the hearing. Gibbons hasn't had any political problems or disputes with his latest project, however. He is presently building a three storey commercial building on The Square at East Street. The lot was formerly occupied by O'Brien's Meat Market, which burned down a year ago last winter. Gibbons purchased the land in mid-June and tlopes to complete the building at the end of September. Gibbons says the building will house office space on the top floor, a fully licensed Pizza Factory family restaurant on the main floor,, and a bar lounge with entertainment on the lower level. Each floor will consist of 2,000 square feet and the restaurant and lounge will seat 250 people, according to Gibbons. Jackie Allen, six-year-old daughter of Ray and Lynda Allen of Goderich, enjoyed a candy floss at the annual. Kinsmen carnival held here on the weekend. Sunny weather prevailed for the three day event. (Photo by Joanne Buchanan) 132 YEAR --30 THURSDAY, JULY 26, 1979 35 CENTS PER COPY using projects could put board in jam BY JEFF SEDDON The Huron county board of education may find itself in a jam if all housing projects planned for the Goderich area become reality. The fix the board could find itself in is ironic since one..of the board's major concerns .now .is the effect declining enrolment is going to have • on the county education system. Don Kenwell, superintendent of education for Goderich area schools, discovered recently that while declining enrolment may be a problem in some areas of the county the exact opposite may b'e a problem in Goderich and neighboring townships. Kenwell said Monday there were seven housing developments, planned and approved 0,4 ,/ The U.S. !Naval Sja Cadet Training Corps Ship YP 587, a training ship once used by President Jimmy Carter during his midshipman days, docked in the Goderich harbbr"ain Saturday on invitatioti from the Waterfront -Committee.'�' Here, M yo>I' Harry Worrell and Waterfront Committee member Elsa Haydon sign the ship's guest book. Om of the 16 cadets aboard the ship was Eric Stern from Birmingham, Michigan whose parents summer every year at their cottage in Port Albert. The Sterns hosted a dinner party at the Bedfoi d Hotel for the cadets. (Photo by Joanne Buc anal) for the Goderich area, He said if all seven were constructed in the next year or two the board of education could have problems placing students coming to the area to occupy those, houses. The problem sort of snuck upon the board.' Kenwell said his investigation of the future housing in the area was prompted by the number of approvals the board was asked to give the county planning department for the projects. He said the board approved each one on its own failing to consider any impact one subdivision would have considering another is planned for the same area. The board's approval of any housing projects is a requirment under the provincial Planning Act. The Act requires the board to determine. if -that housing project will require the board to construct a new 'school site to accomodate the increased -population, add to a present school or absorb any new students into the schools ser- ving the area. That procedure was followed with all seven projects planned for this area. But what the board did was pass judgement on each sub- division individually failing to consider that there were already a number of projects ap- proved•but not yet constructed. Two of the projects planned'are in Colborne township and affect Colborne .Public School, two are planned for Goderich.. and affect Robertson Memorial and Victoria School and one is planned in Goderich township and affects Holmesville Public. All seven affect Goderich District Collegiate Institute and that is probably where the most problems could occur. Kenwell said he used government averages to determine what impact the housing could have on' the public school system. He said those averages suggest what percentage residents of those subdivisions will attend public schools, how many will be of elementary school age and how many will be of secondary school age. He pointed out that the averages are merely a guideline. But he added that they can't .be totally • ignored by the board. All the schools in the Goderich area will be operating next year below their capabilities according to Kenwell. The elementary schools are significa'ntl'y below their capabilities but GDCI only has 'room for 33 students before it is full to capacity and that is where the biggest problem could occur. • The two subdivisions planned for Goderich are the largest in the area. The two combined could. bring 368 new students to town and the board would be hard pressed to find desks for them. According to government statistics of those 368 students 55 percent or 202 will be public school elementary students, 37 percent or 136 will be secondary school students and 29 will'be seperate school students. The 202 elementary school students would bring both Robertson and Victoria schools to capacity but the secondary school students would overcrowd GCI. The same holds true for the townships. The subdivisions planned in Colborne mean an increase of 60 students 33 of which could be elementary school students and 22 of which could be secondary school students. In Goderich township one subdivision could mean an influx of 115 students, 63 of which could be elementary students and, 42 of which could be secondary school.students. Both Colborne School and Holmesville School can handle the increased number of students but GDCI will be jammed if all the housing is built and occupied. . The total number of students the housing could mean for GDCI is 200 and the secondary school has room for just 33. Along with room for the students the board could have problems with staff. If all those students arrived at GDCI the board, according to its collective agreement with its teachers, would have to hire a minimum of 12 teachers and probably more. Kenwell says that it is unlikely the board would ever have to deal with the situation it faces but points out that it should be prepared to. The board has yet to see his findings but the superintendant plans to reveal them at the board's August session. Small ship beginning of many careers BY JOANNE BUCHANAN The U.S. Naval Sea Cadet Corps Ship YP 587, one of the training • ships used by President Jimmy Carter during his midshipman days at the Naval Academy in Annapolis, pulled into Goderich harbor on Saturday at noon, giving Goderich citizens a' chance to observe a unique sea -going vessel. , The 75 -foot, 37 -year-old wooden -hulled ship is currently on a 15 -day public relations Sea Cadet training tour of Lake Huron. It carried into Goderich, 16 cadets from Southfield, Michigan, ranging in age from 14 to 18, under the leadership of Captain 'Luke Clyburn. Of par- ticular interest to Goderich was Eric Stern, a cadet from Birmingham, Michigan whose parents summer every year at their cottage in Port Albert, Mr. and Mrs. Stern were at the harbor on Saturday to meet the ship and hosted 'a dinner for the cadets at the Bedford Hotel in the evening. Also present at the harbor on Saturday to welcome the ship were Goderich Mayor Harry Worsell', Councillor Elsa Haydon of the Waterfront Committee which arranged the ship's visit, -and Councillor Jim Searls, once a sea cadet hirnself. Each signed the ship's guest book. On Sunday morning, Donald Bert MacAdam took the captain, crew and cadets of the NSCC YP 587 on a tour of the' Goderich harbor in his tug boat. They also attended the annual sum- mer barbecue held by the Waterfront Com- mittee for the Goderich Sailing Club on Sunday evening. Glgptain Clyb rn said he was very pleased wit the recep ion given to hit`nself, his crew and the Cadet . Upon leaving the harbor on Sunday at 9 p.m., flying the official Goderich flag, the ship's cannon was fired three times. Councillor Haydon said she was also pleased with the entire 'event. The public tour's of the ship were very well attended, she said. Before visiting Go,derich, the NSCC YP 587, visited Sarnia, Port Huron, Mackinaw Island (where it was docked for six days) and Tobermbry. One of its two 200 horsepower diesel engines broke down on the way to Traverse, Michigan and Captain Clyburn said it would be rebuilt in Detroit after leaving Goderich. Captain Clyburn is a volunteer leader with the cadet program. He said the program allows young persons to sample military life while'in high school without obligating them to join any branch of the Armed Forces. Should a cadet decide to enlist in the U.S. Navy or Coast Guard, his or her cadet record may permit enlistment at an advanced pay grade. About 25 per cent of the cadets do go intohe navy or coast guard, ' Captain • Clyburn estimated. The present crew of cadets on the NSCC YP 587 has been particularly fortunate, he said, in that they are, the first onesataionally to have their own ship to rebuild. 5: From 1942 until 1974, the ship's mission was to train midshipmen at the U.S. Naval Academy' in the practical application of seamanship, •ship handling, ship formation tactics, piloting, radar navigation and other aspects of a naval officer's skill. Before that it had been used for patrolling harbors on the East•Coast: In August 1977, Ford Mbtor Company executive and Naval Reserve Rear Admiral Lee Landes made it !known to the Secretary of the Navy, W. Graham Claytor, that the former navy training vessel had fallen into disuse and was suffering from neglect across the state in a Lake Michigan port. After receiving assurances of hard work and tender loving care, the Secretary made arrangements to donate the vessel to the Hydrofoil Division of the Cadet Corps in Southfield. The Sea Cadets acquired their vessel in October 1977. On every weekend except two during the winter and spring, the Sea Cadets and their adult advisers went aboard to work on the rebuilding of the ship. By the Fourth of July weekend the volunteers had performed a major overhaul on both engines, scraped and painted the entire vessel inside and out, replaced damaged planking, stripped, re -caulked and refinished the decks', refinished all mahogany ,trim to its natural state and removed paint, cleaning and refinishing all brasswork. In July of 1978 the bright new NSCC YP 587 left Markley's Marina and slipped out into Lake St. Clair en route to the St. Ignace-Mackinac - Island area. It was just the first of many training cruises for the young Sea Cadets. Seven of the 16 Sea Cadets who came , to Goderich this weekend were on their first voyage, said Clyburn. The others were on their second and third voyages. The voyages or training cruises are only one part of the overall Sea Cadet program, he said. The U.S.. Naval Sea Cadet Corps is a non profit civilian organization sponsored by the Navy League of .the U.S. and officially supported «by the Department of the Navy. Money to support the Sea Cadet program is raised by the Navy League through dances, car raffles and private donations. Captain Clyburn estimated that it cost $5 per hour tic) arry the NSCC YP 587's crew df 22 on this mot recent trip.