The Wingham Advance-Times, 1989-02-07, Page 1•
i1.
ii
t4071-CTIt?
Wogal
ounty conn
for new $14 mililo
Huron County's Huronview Home
for the Aged near Clinton will be
rebuilt of $14.3 million over
the next eight ,years, county council
decided at its regular February
meeting on Thursday.
Although a county had agreed
last year *at the project would
likely proceed in 1989, Thursday's
session was the first time council
had seen a breakdown of the costs.
Only three councillors voted
against the proposal, while 26
supported it.
The plan calls for the 90 -year-old
Huronview facility to gradually be
phased out,„ as new, 100 -bed
building is cojii3tructed in ClintOrk at
a cost of $6.5 million.•
Later, two 60 -bed �,satell to
facilities, one in the no.an&mssin
the south of the coturtY, a' lsatso be
built at a cost of $3.9. million each.
Huron County's 50 per cent share
of,.•thetotal cost is expected` to be.
about •$890,000' per ". year -rover the
eight-year ct nstructiorl period.
That means a little•Iess than half a
Mill . of taxation would be required
each year to meet the expense.
In Huron County, one mill raises
$1.8 million in taxes. A residence or
farm assessed at $100,000 con-
tributes about $100 for each mill of
taxation.
The provincial government is
expected to pay the other 50 per cent
of capital costs although councithas
yet to receive project approval from
the Ontario Ministry of Community
and Social Services.
Ministry representatives have
said the delay relates to a govern-
ment review of seniors' services, but
they have also said . that the
Huronview redevelopment proposal
appears to fall within the anticipated
guidelines.
Council also agreed Thursday that
efforts would be made to instead -
have seniors' needs in both the north
and south • met by private facilities,
which would mean cduincl could
decide later not to proceed with the
second and third phases.
"I've had a problem with this
CourLt:
fter
proposal from day . oile," Hullett
Township Reeve Tone Cuin_,.,,a ,.
said. 'libel it;s too rich for us.
However, others reminded council
that the existing Huronview is in a
badstate of repair and would be
equally expensive to renovate in the
long haul.
Currently, the building fails to
meet several fire code and other
provincial regulations.
"If; nothing is done, something
going to be done,"Ie i
Clerk
Administrator Hill Handy gam,
"Because `yb, ►: are going- to be or -
dered to do something." ;
..-.- ouncii-els eard-t t Tans e
proceeding to rent one wing of the;•
existing Huronview .building , .to the.
Ontario Ministry of Agricultureand
Faaod, which now has offices In
Clinton.
However, there were no answers
to questions raised by several
councillors aboutwhat may happen
to the remainder of the facility...
A recent suggestion that flies
county would' move its offices fron►,
the Goderich C90114 180
*"nr'ianview . was.. not mention
Prior t+o.,19&7 : the. Hurong`
s 1`r—
department of planning anii•
development (HCDPD) played a
fairly limited role in developing
tourism, says the HCDPD'a Cindy
Fisher.
Ms. Fisher made the Statement at
a recent special meeting called*
discuss the investrnent� o, ,tunities'
-which resulted from "last summer's
tour of Huron County by foreign
investors.
Approximately 35 investors from
the United Kingdom toured five
Huron County municipalities --
•
forth, and 6i
Although ttie tiepasrtncient
played a
limited role before 1987, with the
;nbviotts . > .connection.' between
economic development and tourism,
f<hat.-ole has become m�reinvolved
nce then, Ms. •Fishersarct:.�
Following a 1987 study on tourism,
it was considered that the state of
tourism in Huron County was fine,
but that there was room for im-
provement.
The tourism industry then, as it is
now, was most intense along the
shoreline of Lake Huron.
A recent study on public reaction
to tourism has also shown that
7l pie nuild k t L
more, widespread ahs not • just„
concentratedalong the shoreline. "".
Huron County is taking steps . to
help in the improvement:of tourisit'n
Ms. Fisher said. -
In its 1989 budget, the HCDPD is
allocating funds to improvetourism;
brochures for the are -
The department will, be 'seeking
input from those in the recreation
business to assist in developing the
brochures. -
Ms. Fisher said another way the
department can help is to work with
heritage groups sine* tourists are
often drawn to heritage settings.
PUC agrees to overhaul
of the utlilty :bUck:tfrUck
The Wingharn Public Utilities
Commission has agreed to a major
overhaul of its bucket truck.
PUC Manager . men Saxton
presented three options, all from
King Equipment, Cambridge, to last
week's February Meeting. -
The first proposaI wed to paint the
cab body of the PUC+s 1970.
:bucket
truck. The c0 according to .Mr,
Saxton, was $19, .
second ..rnposai i fo $ 5
... t h g th ' '
refurbishing
e truck
rid device
..device
if nn;a n' :chass
'o ►tion,,,which the com
chows, is for a new
bodI an tote transfer
e et i `l erdce, ;9t
rs realized
•emsely t' to
Winghatti
itwould
fs h". tt
EArt MAL
winning OMAF
bath
I..ra •r'1•y �ree'•�o
t
tle
►►alitir
214 t tory 04- 1114,..•V40
- b
J.. r e r ��ri+�>"♦ e rda .. '
�t,.,ev9,J4ry-M,i3".sr a44 meeee'ga ar'a'n
...
a'0`d'd'n'ft'y6'y t.'tl`sb("�i .�
rt
entirely new unit.
As the bucket truck would be prat
out of commission for at least three
months during the time it takes to
make the changes, the corttr
m issioners decided to leave the
project until this.fall when it is not in
nil as much.
Winghainn gets
$91,000 grant
The Town of Winghtsln is. on of
three Huron County municipati
to share special grants- .totallin
$232,000 to.iinprove provincial high=
ways . *iitf do their boundaries.
The grants were announced last
week by Huron MEP and Agricul-
ture and Food Minister "lack' .Rid.
dell, on behalf of Transportation J
Minister Ed Fulton.,
The' grants, Wider the
link subsidies' . ;o ;. in `Cdr
tesq
Editorials
Opinions
Community
Classifieds
Sports
X1'.17,
watt !'nssn the '
easterly to the_ tewi
",;� ....r . ..� - • to int
�y yin prone ra
:.h