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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Wingham Advance Times, 1995-09-06, Page 7NWIMESAAY, SEPriNHI S,1995 Takes exception with headline Dear Editor: I am writing this letter to express the fact that I take exception to your headline of August 30. I am not resigned to accept the airport development. I accepted the fact that the road between Lots 10 and 11 was to be closed by the Ministry of Munici- pal Affairs and that this one condi- tion in the awarding of the tender for the construction of the runway for the proposed airport had been met. I did not indicate that the work could now begin, as the question surrounding the possible rezoning of this prime agricultural land has not yet been addressed by mutual agreement between the federal and provincial governments. In Juture, pleaSe provide a com- plete story for your readers. Debbie Himmelman, ' Morris Township Seeking family info Dear Editor, I am involved in a family histol, project and am attempting to locate certain individuals who lived at one time its the Wingham area. • Will you please publish the fol- lowing letter (or notice) ,in your newspaper? In connection with a family his- tory project, I wish to establish con- tact with any relatives or people with knowledge of Andrew Smith and his wife Jean Irving Smith, who lived in the Wingham, Ontario area in the 1920s. Mr. Smith was a maker of windmills. Please contact John F. Roland, Box 5591, Stn. B, Victoria, 13C, V8R 6S4. John F. Ronald, Victoria, BC Reader responds to previous letter Dear Editor: It was with great sadness that I read the opinionated letter "Shocked at High Prices" in the August 23 edition of your newspa- per by Ainsley Wood (relative?) re- lating to the new Brian's Valu -Mart in your wonderful town of Wing - ham. I have known Brian and Sally for many years and Wingham's gain is truly London's loss. For many years they have looked for a town where they could . feel settled and part of the community. They finally found Wingham. They invested a ton of money in renovations and in- ventory, not to mention the back- breaking hard work it took to put it all together for their opening day on August 28. Sally and Brian are extremely loyal, fair and honest people. Please ask any of their new em- ployees or their previous employ- ees from London. Being communi- ty minded people, your town will benefit greatly just from them be- ing there. They are always the first to offer help and will never ask ® anything of anyone that they wouldn't be willing to do them- selves. Since their opening day was Au- gust 28, how could Ainsley Wood criticize high prices on August 23. What was she comparing with? Did she expect a free food bank? Was she buying caviar and expecting sardine prices? Lady, give your head a shake. I had the pleasure of attending the opening on Monday. I love Your town and I was extremely pleased to see the pleasant response to Sally and Brian by your people. It was quite obvious that folks did not let the small -mindedness of one person stand in their way of meet- ing Brian and Sally. The parking , lot was full and overflowing. Since I miss my friends, I will be a fre- quent visitor and hope that I too will feel welcome and meet new friends in your fine community. Please join me in wishing Sally and Brian much happiness, success and contentment in their new home and venture. Mary Dale, London, Ont. Airport development source of controversy Morri Continued front front page International Plowing Match, formation. Township, but it proved unsuitable. which is regarded as one off the fin- This is not the first time Debby This spring, the alternative site just est in the area. outside town was selected. Anum- The question of funding has not hall" Fourteen years ago, when she ber of meetings have been held been properly addressed either, in lived near Dorking, she was suc- over the past year, at which the ,air- Himmelman's view. Earlier this cessful as part of a committee port proposal appeared to be well- year, the province announced that it which stopped Ontario Hydro in in - received. Town council, for the would provide 80 per cent funding stalling a microwave tower near her most part, has endorsed the plan for the project, leaving the remain- home. and. Morris council has offered its der up to the Town' of Wingham It has been suggested that Him - cooperation. and Wescast Industries, which Last month at a special meeting, agreed to pick up two-thirds of the b nowaistaking onng past glories" Wingham Town Council awarded town's y the Wingham airport contract to H. Kerr Con- contribution, roughly municipal airport. She bristles at thecairp ofn Win ham for $300,000oyer two . The town's share, paid the suggestion. "This is not a time re - $1,045,796. The total g ost of the serves for 1995, but out of the ears, will come out fgen- of glory' It's a lot of work, it's exhaust- projectfrus- is estimated at $2.9 million. eral tax budget next year, according gating and it's extremelyof The contract for phase one of the to Adams. my children." battle is for the future of airport project is subject to the ap-en children." mmelman's asserta- proval of a road closing at the site. election of cMike ame JHarris and the tions,une 9. With the s airportte s committee member The provincial ministry of munici- Progressive Conservatives, it ap- John Schenk says the proposal is pal affairs and housing cleared the geared that everything was on the moving along as expected. way late last month by approving chopping block, with many local Funding, which has been the fo- the road closing and the matter was municipalities receiving cuts to cus of debate, is there he maintains. to be settled with the passage of a their supplementary roads subsidy. "This is not like a funding an - bylaw at last night's, Tuesday's, To date, Wingham has not been in- nouncement or verbal agreement, meeting of Morris council. formed that the airport project has this is a signed contract," he says of Himmelman planned to attend been affected by government cut- the funding arrangement between that meeting, although she realizes backs and in fact, says Adams, has the developing committee and the she is getting to the end of her rope been told the project remains "a province. "There is no question in and also to the end of her endu- go". our mind the money is available." rance. She says the airport develop- When she contacted the office of Town Clerk -Treasurer Byron Ad- ment is "inevitable," and adds, provincial transportation minister, ams confirms this, adding the town "I've done everything that I can." Al Palladini, Himmelman says she has received provincial funding for What she has done is make ley- was told the Wingham airport pro- two of the three land purchases. As els of government sit up and take ject was not among the first round well, says Adams,' Wescast Indus - notice. Last month, her suggestion° of funding cuts. She also claims frits has made a substantial portion - to Morris council that the township that she has telephoned the Exeter of its.contrrbution toward the pro - would receive no tax revenue from constituency office of Huron MPP ject. the airport lands, not just the run- Helen Johns three times to ask her Schenk said in a recent phone in - way, but the entire property, about the status of the airport pro- terview that the committee expects prompted a quick call to the county ject. According to Himmleman, work to begin following a meeting assessment office. Johns has not returned her calls. with the contractors and the engi- In a telephone interview with On a personal level, Himmelman veers. He said he believed that was this newspaper, Ted Ingam of the says she is concerned about future to have taken place late last week. assessment office said that while enjoyment of her own property Equipment was moved on site re - the airstrip and any associated, mu- with airplanes buzzing overhead. cently in anticipation. nicipally-owned buildings are not Also, she is concerned about how En terns of the actual develop - taxable, any land which is being she will harvest het' stand of white meat, the committee member says rented for farming by the owner, in pine trees. Even though she has it plans to have tarmac down by the this case the Town of Wingham, is been assured she will be permitted end of this year, which is ahead of subject to taxation. However, he access over airport property, Him- their original plan to grade and acids, if the land is not rented, it melman is stubborn. "I will cross gravel the strip in 1995 and pave in cannot be taxed. the river to get them (the trees)." 1996. In a telephone interview Tuesday However, she says her biggest The first plane will be cleared to morning, Wingham Clerk- concern about the airport develop- land in 1995, he says. Schenk adds Treasurer Byron Adams says the ment is the cost, to this generation this would have been possible re - town has a rental agreement to farm and to future generations. "This is gardless of the paving as the strip the land. Therefore, he assumes it an awful lot of money with no would be functional once the level - will be subject to taxation. guarantees." She adds that she does ling has been finished. Himmelman also claims the mat- not know of one municipal airport ter of zoning of the property has which operates "in the black", not been properly addressed. Stie meaning taxpayers must kick in for believes it should require a rezon- the deficit. . ing to reflect the• use, but propo- When it comes to airports, Him- nents say that an airstrip and asso- melman does know a bit more than elated buildings fall under federal the average person because, sur - jurisdiction which supercedes local prisingly enough, she works at one. bylaws and therefore is not neces- She has worked as a customs in- sary. spector at the Hanover airport for As well, Himmelman says she the past year and a half and before has a big problem with the use of that had worked at Goderich. prime agricultural land for the de- When asked if a proposed airport velopment, which includes the John development at Wingham could af- King farm, formerly owned by Jim feet her job at Hanover, Himmel - Armstrong and the site of the 1978 man replies, "No." She says this School Continued from front page Pat Evers' is the new Grade 3 teacher and Stacey Elliott will be in charge of the resource centre There are no new teachers at East Wawanosh Public School in Belgrave, but Monique Gallaher is a new teacher's aide for Grades 1 and 2. There are no new teachers at Sa- cred Heart School in Wingham. with Doug Avery Ah, summer vacation. Before I get to the hammock, there's one thing I have to do — just fix that loose step and rats, I need one more wood screw. Oh well, off to town. Oh great, the brakes on the car are squeaking, I'll look at them when I get home. Let's see where did I put that wrench set. That reminds me, I was going to paint that shelf. You know, if I put up a light here it would be so much easier to see in this corner. Where is that drill? Great drilled right through the sump pump hose...back to town we go. The brakes feel better now, but I wish I had seen my son's hike before I backed the car over it. Sure am glad I'm go- ing back to work tomorrow, I need the rest. Hey Swami, take over. The answer is Forest Gump. The question: what the heck is that smelly brown stuff the kids are tracking into the cottage?! Hear the Swami Friday after- noons at 4:20 on CKNX-Rader FM 102. airport will not function as a "port of entry", or provide customs ser- vice onsite. Rather, she suggests, it may operate as part of the pilot pro- ject, CanPass, whereby Canadian or U.S. residents who meet the eligi- bility requirements may telephone in to a customs office with their in - 4 -H meeting report SOIL & CROP The fourth meeting of the 4-H soil and crop club was held at John King's. Members looked at the crops and at different kinds of weeds. Then they went back to King's, went through the books and an- swered the .roll call. Members also talked about their projects. The next meeting was set for Aug. 30 at Warwick's and the meeting closed. Maintaining the connection to our roots This column has taken me an extremely long time to write because it's very personal and hits home in a lot of ways. When I first thought about do- ing a weekly article for the news- paper, I told myself to avoid say- ing anything about my former employer CKNX-Radio. But after hearing that CKNX-AM has de- cided not to air local church ser- vices, and in my opinion pull away from its mandate of truly being a local station, I couldn't stay away from this topic. Just to set the record straight, I know a few of you will say, "Oh, Bruce just has an axe to grind with CKNX". Believe me, that's not the case. Anyone who truly knows me knows that I am a very emotional person and when I feel strongly about a subject, I have to talk about it. I've been on the management board of St. Paul's -Trinity Angli- can Church in Wingham for the last four years and I have strong feelings towards events that affect my church, or for the matter, any church period. Radio stations have a responsi- bility towards their listeners, and their needs. Is asking 60 minutes a week to broadcast a church ser- vice too much? For various rea- In My Opinion Bruce MORGAN sons there are a number of people who just can't make it to church on Sunday morning. Airing a weekly service gives these people the opportunity to worship at home and make their weekly con- nection with God. People who choose to live in areas like ours do so because they know that life in a small town is truly different. There are many reasons to live here, but the ma- jority of people who do have stronger family values than peo- ple in bigger cities. In my opin- ion, we also have stronger feel- ings towards God and our Church. Remember the public outcry when Sunday shopping was intro- duced to Wingham? Many felt this would be the beginning of making Sunday just another regu- lar day of the week, rather than the day of worship, rest and fami- ly that it was meant to be. Bruce Morgan can also be heard on 96.7 CHYM-pM. 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