Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Wingham Advance-Times, 1984-12-19, Page 16TNS ADVAACE ES A page of edito opinion December 19 o OGbe Ingtom fibbanee-tinteg Published at Wingham, Ontario, P.O. Box 390 - NOG 2W0 by Wenger Bros. Limited Robert O. Wenger, Sec.-Treas. Audrey Currie, Advertising Manager Barry Wenger, President Henry Hess, Editor Member of Audit Bureau of Circulations Member—Canadian Community Newspaper Assoc. Ontario Community Newspaper Assoc. Subscriptions $21.00 per year $23.00 beyond 40 -mile zone Second Class Mail Registration No. 0821 Six months $12.50 Return postage guaranteed Safe crossing is needed It will be interesting to see what use the Wingham Town Council makes of a recent traffic survey concerning the request for a pedestrian cross -walk at the northerly limits of the downtown - area. On the surtace the report, which counted pedestrian and vehicular traf- fic atnthe intersection of Alfred and Josephine Streets, seems to provide little support for a cross -walk. Pedes- trian traffic was not heavy, averaging fewer than a half-dozen crossings in a half-hour period. Looking beyond that figure, however, the report does indeed provide some persuasive arguments in Favor of a protected crossing. For one thing, as was noted in pre- senting the findings to the board of police commissioners, the time of year and the weather during the study period undoubtedly had much to do with the small number of pedestrians. Even more telling, though, is the find- ing on the volume of vehicular traffic along the main street, which averaged 275 vehicles during the one half-hour period in the mid-afternoon. That works out to more than nine vehicles per minute, or one every six and a half seconds. Anyone standing at that corner and timing vehicles passing at six and a half second intervals will soon realize it requires a stout heart and abilities ap- proaching those of a world-class sprinter to ,dart safely between cars and trucks cruising at 30 or 40 miles per hour. An observer would also quickly discover that few of those waiting to cross are sprinters. Many are children or senior citizens who cannot and should not try to cross through heavy traffic. Unfortunately this can mean that during high-volume periods in the early morning and late afternoon these people may be forced to stand at the curb for many minutes waiting fora break in the traffic. While crossing the main street can be a tricky proposition at many loca- tions in town, there are a number of reasons to argue for a protected cross- ing at the Alfred Street corner. As any- one who walks frequently in that area can testify, the problem is particularly acute there. The absence of traffic con- trols to the north means that traffic tends to travel faster and be spaced more evenly, with few breaks long enough to permit safe crossing. As well there are many children crossing to the ball park in the summer and senior citizens from the Edward Street and Alfred Street apartments cross back and forth to the grocery store or to visit friends. Previous proposals for cross -walks or traffic lights along the main street have frequently been scuttled by opposition from provincial transport officials, who strongly dislike anything which interferes with the smooth flow of traffic along a provincial highway, and the reluctance of town councils to rock the boat. The fact remains that where a highway passes through the town limits it is under the control of the town and council has the authority to establish traffic controls. Nor is there any good reason to expect a simple cross -walk to cost $12,000 or $13,000. There are many people in Wing - ham who choose to walk and it is high time the town took account of their needs. It is grossly unfair to demand that pedestrians walk blocks out of their way or wait for many minutes at the curb just so motorists will not be In- convenienced by having to pause for a few seconds. At one time simple court- esy was sufficient to ensure drivers would stop to permit liedestrians to cross the street. That no longer holds true and it is time the town took action to protect the rights and the lives of its citizens. Awkward situation During the next couple of weeks readers of this newspaper may find some of their favorite topics are miss- ing. For those omissions we apologize in advance. With the publication of this issue (Dec. 18) our staffs will launch into a two-week scramble to produce our newspapers two days early in each of those weeks. News deadlines have been moved ahead so that we can mail next week's issue on Monday morning, Dec. 24, instead of the usual Wednesday afternoon and the same schedule will prevail the following week because of the holiday on January 1. The timing of the Christmas and New Year holidays this year is just about as awkward as is possible, and our news people will be scrambling to get their stories prepared within the space of a day and a half. When their work is completed on Thursday morn- ing of this week the material has to be typeset and pages made up and photo- graphed before they go to the press- room in Shelburne. At that point all hell breaks loose. In addition to our own papers for Wing - ham, Listowel, Mount Forest and Milverton, the press crew must also print ten other papers for publishers east of Shelburne and down toward the Toronto area. No, we're not complaining. We simply ask your patience over what is for us, a very difficult holiday season. Jobs will be lost The daily press has been carrying stories recently about the fact that some 1100 jobs may be lost to CBC em- ployees as the new government begins to force cutbacks in the crown corpora- tions. Although we can sympathize with every family where a livelihood is en- dangered, we can also recall stories of over -staffing at the CBC. In fact we re- call watching the production of a TV program at CKNX, as a prominent politician addressed the viewing audi- ence before an election. We happened to be standing beside a CBC employee who had accompanied the politician and he simply could not believe that the job could be done with only three sta- tion technicians on the floor. He remarked that at CBC stations at least ten technicians would be required for the same program. Some observers are prophesying that program quality will suffer be- cause of the staff cutbacks. Maybe CBC management should send some of their directors out to CKNX for lessons. The pot and the kettle Listeners to CTV's Canada A.M. program one morning last week must have been amused when Jim Hunt of station CKEY, Toronto, took part in a sports commentary. Jim was commenting on the trade of Montreal Expos' Gary Carter to New York. It was his contention that Gary is a great showman who knows how to capture the attention of the media and the public. Hunt said that if a TV re- porter stopped Gary for an interview and turned on his tape recorder, the re- porter could walk away, come back three hours later and find that Gary was still talking. Those who listen to Hunt on his regular appearances on Canada A.M. must still be laughing, for Mr. Hunt is the epitome of the non-stop mouth him- self. He can talk so loudly and so long that neither the interviewer nor the second sports commentator can ever manage more than a word or two in any one program. Guess he knows whereof he speaks. The Soviets and the Americans are slated to re -open arms reduction talks early In the new year. Both sides would do well to heed an old saying that "Strangers are only friends who haven't met." TODAY'S CHILD This happy little sweetheart is Julie. She's a little over a year old now, and definitely enjoying life, as her delighted smile suggests. Julie is a Down's Syndrome child which always means delays in development, both physically and mentally. So far, how- ever, she is progressing as any child her age should, thanks in part to an infant stimulation program she has been involved in. Julie is curious and alert, very interested in the world around her, and voicing her delight or displeasure with the THE WONDER OF .CHRISTMAS IN THE EYES OF A CHILD DECEMBER 1937 The Sunday School of the Wingham United Church held a White Gift service. In recognition of their faithful service to the Sunday School, Mr. and Mrs. F. R. Howson were ..presented with a beautiful candelabra by the teachers and officers, in honor of their approaching 25th wedding anniversary. Mr. Howson has been Sun- day School superintendent for 15 years. Leslie May Wall and Mary Ross made the presentation. New officers were elected at the annual meeting of the Young People's Union of the Bluevale United Church. George Hetherington was named president and vice presidents are Ross Smith, Rhoda Robertson and Alice Thornton. George Johnston is secretary and Emma Johnston treasurer. Residents of the White- church community were startled to see the sky lit up Items with the reflection of fire. Wesley Lott's chimney had taken fire and the fire spread until the whole house was con •1 ed. Neighbors saved m st of i' e household ef- f ts. Mr. a d Mrs. Lott are now with he parents, Mr. and Mrs. Will , -.m Scott of Teeswater. The membe s of the Women's Christ' : m- perance Union present - d Mrs. R. J. Tindall with a lamp after she resigned from leadership of the organiza- tion. The Lyceum Theatre is this •week presenting a picture reputed to be Shirley Temple's best, "Wee Willie Winkle", great. Christmas entertainment for the';entire family. W. R. Rintoui has been awarded the contract for the erection of the new post office building at Lucknow. DECEMBER 1949 The residents of town are enjoying the Christmas things she discovers. She's a sociable, happy little girl who responds to people around her and loves attention. A slight heart defect with which she was born has been corrected by sur- gery, and Julie is doing fine now and having no health problems what- ever. Parents for this little girl should be able to continue with the stim- ulation program that is helping her progress so well. Juliewill need a special education class later when she goes to school, and should live in a community where BY JUDITH ADAMS the best possible facili- ties are offered for children with her syn- drome. If you think you may be the family for Julie, please write to Today's Child, Ministry of Com- munity and Social Ser- vices, Box 888, Station K, Toronto. Describe your present family and general interests as fully as possible in your letter, which will be forwarded Julie's adoption workers. In support of chiropractors Dear Editor, I am writing this letter in favor of my chiropractors. How are they going to. find out what is wrong with a person's balk and if they can be of help if they don't take an X-ray? Having had a bad back since I was a child, I still need an adjustment every once in a while. Having a good chiropractor sure helps. I have been seeing them for 20 years. My husband *as in Hamilton hospital over 20 years ago and several young doctors there were all for operating. An older doctor who had been through an unsuccessful back operation vetoed it and sent him to a lady chiropractor, which was a blessing. He also has adjustments at times. I have been told by others that a chiropractor ruined their backs. There are bad apples in every barrel. Two members of my family died by incompetent young doctors. I won't go into detail. We. need both our doctor and our chiropractor in this family. Winnie Taylor RR 1, Wingham from Old Files music which is being broadcast daily. over CKNX and re -broadcast over a loud speaker from •the tower of the Wingham Town Hall. Mr. and Mrs, A. J. Lock - ridge and Mrs. C. Blatchford attended the special cere- mony at Mothercraft Hospit- al, Toronto, when their daughters, Ruth Lockridge and Gwen Blatchford, received their caps. Congratulations to Miss Annie MacNaughton, second line of Turnberry, who took the highest marks in her class at the Christmas examinations at the Wingham High School. Scott Hunter of Wroxeter has joined the staff of the Canadian .Bank of Com- merce in Wingham. Mrs. Herson Irwin was elected president of the Women's Missionary Society of Brick United Church. Her vice presidents are Mrs. McRitchie, Mrs. Lawrence Taylor and Mrs. Cecil Coultes. The Wingham Curling Rink was officially opened and dedicated, with president Art Irwin in charge of the ceremony. He assured the members of •the club that the responsibility they had assumed in in- stalling artificial ice was not greater than they could carry. DECEMBER 1960 A father and son team, Med and Ross Carter, have leased the B.A. service station which was built last fall on Josephine Street and took over the business last week. At the Christmas meeting of the Wingham Kinsmen Club, three new members, Bruce Lott, Dave Cameron and Eric Walden, were appointed to the sports, en- tertainment and fellowship committees respectively. An organizational meeting was held to establish a separate school in Wingham. A Roman Catholic Separate 'School Board was formed,. headed by Alf Lockridge and Doug McGowan. Property for the site of the new school, which the board hopes will open in September of 1961,, has been purchased from Tom Henderson and is located south of the land owned by the Wingham District High School. Parents of Junior Con- servation Club members were guests when awards were presented toboys who had successfully completed conservation examinations. First place winner was David Wenger; in second place was Jim Mitchell, followed by Ron Vogan and Daryl Gibson. On Monday of this week Miss Marg Wallace of the Fordwich-Gorrie area began her duties at the switchboard of CKNX. Mr. and Mrs. Dick Kilpatrick have moved into their new home they recently built on Wingham's Frances. Street. They came here from the Lucknow area. DECEMBER 1970 At the annual Christmas dinner and party for the Wingham and District Hospital staff, Mrs. Karen Deyell was presented with a gift prior to her leaving the staff. Mr. and Mrs. Don Reed of Essex have purchased the Frank Field Variety Store in Teeswater and will take over the business on January 4. Before managing the Stedman store in Essex, Lon managed the Wingham store for a year. About 60 local snowmobile enthusiasts have formed an association to promote not only their own sport but safety for themselves and the general public. The organization will be called the Wingham and District Snowmobile Association and officers are Delton Burk- hart, Marc Forrest, Murray Scott, Mrs. Bill Norman and Ed Ross. Mrs. A. L. Stephens was elected president of the Gorrie United Church Women. Vice presidents are Mrs. Clifford Pyke and Mrs. Gerald Galbraith; treasurer is Mrs. Robert Elschner.