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The Wingham Advance-Times, 1979-03-14, Page 1FIRST SECTION FJ yyingbM, Wei WSY, March 14, IM Centennial glans are takin-athape Things really moved ahead in planning Wingham's 100th bir- thday party when the centennial committee met last Thursday. The committaa mat .wit16 several women's community groups at the start of the meeting to see if they want to provide pancake breakfasts for the weekend mornings of the big celebrations in August. Branch 180 of the Royal Canadian Legion sent a letter reporting its plans for the Aug. 1- e festivities, T-shirts were or- dered, plans were laid out for a May 26 jogfest, Al Harrison reported on the centennial building project and people are iting to fled out more about the centenary. One letter came from Jerusalem, Israel, in answer to the first batch of invitations sent out Another letter dame from a ttive of the first–telephone ator in Wingham, . C. /J§ook (nee Carr), who is now 93, Al Harrison reported that a coordinator would be needed to handle the century building project. He undertook the job of looking up the history o: his own house, which was built in 1877. Anyone with the deed to a house has the information needed in files in Goderich. Mr. Harrison said the name of the original owner of the property is needed in order to search through the old papers and knowing who owned the properties in 1879 isn't enough. "This (development in the area) got going here in 1858, not in 1879," he told the committee. If a building owner does the research himself the cost is one dollar for copying the in- formation at Goderich. If the work is done through the two law firms in town the fee is $3.75, though the firms don't charge any fee for their work. Mr. Harrison will look for someone to coordinate the century building project and it will be dropped if no one is found. The centennial committee hopes the project will go ahead and that the homes be included in a tour of historic sites in town. SIGNS OF CENTENARY WILL FLOURISH Though the most noticeable signs to date of Wingham's �� w, wN: N44aVlap a1W beards of the beard growing contest and centennial toques, there will soon be more outward signs of centennial spirit. Centennial T-shirts, blue and white, will be appearing fairly soon, bunting will be available to businesses and individuals, banners will be erected at the two highway entrances to town an- nouncing that this is Wingham's 100th birthday as a town and at special events more and more people will be showing up in old- time garb. To date between 3,600 and 3,800 identification badges, which will be handed out at registration, have been purchased by groups and individuals. When present and former Wingham residents register, their registration fees will help offset costs of other centennial projects like the big parade Saturday, Aug. 4. Rennie Alexander, representing the recreation committee, reported the own- mittee will hold a jogfest Msylk,- or the following Saturday if it is rained out. 1110 waxy .ruj •�� rained out is if it were an dee- tricgl storm;" he said. It it is merely raining the participatilew oriented jogfest will go atim il. He is advising school teacbscs to start training their students now for the run. Anyone eine interested in going for a jog to help celebrate the town's 100th birthday should also start getting in shape. The Legion will be holding a parade from the Legion hall to the Cenota_oh Sunday, Aug. 5. There will be a short service Jinn Armstrong OPA president Jim Armstrong, host farmer of the 1978 International Plowing Match which brought 225,000 people to the Wingham area during five days last fall, was elected president of the Ontario Plowmen's Association (OPA) at the association's annual con - there and the parade will move on to Riverside Park for a drumhead service. As many as 150 could be in the parade. The iswian c 2Icn hnnina to ha_ va a brief band concert in the park Sunday evening. Mr. Harrison reported the provincial government would be pleased to present the town with a commemorative plaque to be unveiled this year. The plaque will include a brief history of the town. SIGNS OF SPRING Despite a little more snow over the weekend, spring appears to be on its way. Harper English of magonal Road reports seeing a robin and a kildeer visiting his bird feeder last week. The robin even found a worm close enough to the surface of the ground to feast upon. Gorrie firm opens Gorrie Building Supplies opened last week and owners Herb and Hank Kikkert are looking forward to operating their own building supplies business. Minor dama ge in Kilgour fire venm Toronto Feb. 19 and r. The two brothers and full -tie Ass p president. of the OPA Mr. employee Dave McCacmell will Armstrong will oversee be operating the store just off preparations for the 1979 IPM in Highway 87 in Gorrie. It is a new Wingham firefighters responded to two alarms at the Kilgour Ltd. furniture plant on Victoria Street last Friday af- ternoon. They found the building full of smoke but quickly ex- tinguished the blaze, which had 'broken out in some pipes in the basement. Fire Chief Dave Crothers said the fire broke out in the blower pipes to the cyclone that carries sawdust and sand dust from the machines. The fire caused only some minor damage to the pipes. Chief Crothers also,, �.1, ; . to a no -alarm call on Edward Street'tpat turned out to be a case of some overdone cooking. A pot Club at Brussels and met with the Kent County near Chatham Sept. venture for Herb, who has been had been left on the stove too long staff of the Callander Nursing 25.29, working with Radio Shack in and neighbors smelled the smoke Home, Brussels, and the A meeting of the local com- Toronto and Vancouver, but and called him to investigate. Brookhaven Nursing Home, mittee chairmen of the 1978 Hank has experience in building The alarm that sent the Wingham, to demonstrate the match in Huron, the 1979 Kent contracting in the Gorrie area. firefighters to Wingham and techniques of cardio -pulmonary match and the 1980 Oxford Gorrie Building Supplies will District Hospital Saturday af- resuscitation (CPR) using the County match will W held this operate within the Wiseway ternoon was just a fire practice fire department's new Thursday in Kent County to help building supplies buying net - for the fire department and ResusciAnne CPR doll. He has the committee chairmen find out . work, which includes about 50 hospital staff, he explained. They spoken to more than 100 people on more about the tasks ahead. building supplies companies. ran through a drill with ladders the topic of CPR so far this : a Rural Development Outreach and smoke masks to make sure month. 4•' Project transportation survey will need plenty of volunteers LAND -SEA -AIR ►ACK^" TOURS Business or pisosure . book now! � n --• rZAVr,1 Listowel, Ontario Vo 2!1.2111 Coll Toll Free 1 -UM -265-3220 Single Copy Not Over Me GOOD PALS—It was a quiet family celebration when Maude. Madgett of Fordwich marked her 101st birthday on March 9. Family mogmbers 9611hered at the home of het daughter and son-in-law, Marjorie and Clarence McLaughlin of Fordwich to mark the oc- casion. Also in attendance were son Jack Madgett and his wife of Weston and another daughter Laura, Mrs. Clarence Smith of Fordwich. When the time came for her to have her birthday picture taken, Maude insisted that it be with the McLaughlin's pet dog, Corkie. The little dog shows great affection for Maude whenever she comes to visit and it's easy to see the feeling is mutual. everyone would know what to do To date this year the Wingham 0 in case of areal fire at the department has answered 13 fireMin � hospital. calls in town, one in Morris ' c ..ss4�s reasons for hos rt l c(ft �st, d s u Chief Crothers also reported he. Township, five in Turnberry and % attended a meeting of the three in Howick for a total of 22 By Henry Hess it another attt3lanpt to force- the end of 1960..The aim is to put The active treatment beds are 111ooking at a reformation of Belgrave and District Kinsmen calls. The recent announcement j pital closures 4A)e_Wt.ste the funding,bpbitt(i U:ol fives more, expensive to operate, ..iieshl� earwasew, arA ovor.-An TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE -The committee of concerned Wingham and area residents formed after a public transljortation meeting put on by the Rural Development Outreach Project Is seeing signs of progress In its bid to find ways of helping those who have a hard time getting around. A centre for the homebound, set to open in about a month, new bus service to larger centres and a growing network of volunteer drivers have developed recently. RDOP committee sees progress in area transportation programs Less than two months after a sportation survey. with the homemakers. Since the 4 group of Wingham and area Some of the transportation centre for the homebound will be residents joined to form a needs expressed by homebound providing a similar service to the transportation committee to look people will be met in about a homebound, the centre for the into finding solutions to tran- month when the Wingham centre homebound and the homemakers sportation problems, the com- for the homebound opens in town. will also cooperate in finding mittee is considering folding The centre will allow people who volunteer drivers to provide rides because so much progress has are homebound to get out of their for people who need to get been made. homes once a week to be with around. Committee Chairwoman Inge other people. Donna Cornwall, chronic beds per thousand of Wraith suggested the committee coordinator of volunteer services PEOPLE ARE UNAWARE meet once more to tell the more with the centre, was at the OF SERVICES AVAILABLE than 600 people who responded to transportation committee One concern the committee a Rural Development Outreach meeting Monday and said she had was that the public, 4•' Project transportation survey will need plenty of volunteers especially the elderly and han- last summer what has been and who are able to give rides to the dicapped or people who depend is being done. homebound. on others for transportation, isn't troducing the bed formula as well Jean and Linda Young of Town aware of the programs available The committee was told at its and Country Homemakers, to people who wish to get around. March 12 meeting that Allan which provides homemaking and The homemakers' agency will Nicholson, who had earlier talked handyman services in Huron provide transportation with the with the group, is setting up a County, reported that their help of volunteer drivers to weekly bus service to Listowel agency also provides rides to people who can't get rides and a less frequent service to people who need assistance in elsewhere or for emergencies. larger centres like Kitchener and shopping or who need rides to the Results of the summer tran- Toronto if there is enough doctor or for social reasons. sportation survey will go to demand. The transportation committee community groups, participants The bus service would meet decided it won't set up another in the survey, senior citizens' many of the needs expressed by agency to provide transportation clubs, the ministerial association the SM people 'in the tran- to the needy and will cooperate and doctors. the Ontario health ministry that +,,illi a series of cutbacks that of the ministry, Dr. Dyer saib. because of the more intensive next three years hospitals will hospital funding for 1979 willbe heave Ontario residents with Three and a half beds per nursing required by those have the .........." ., to look at tied to a bed formula, forcing ictllidequate care and produce thousand is the figure Ontario is patients and also because of the what should be done to meet hospitals across the province to long waiting lists for minor moving toward—various cost of related services such as those needs. close active treatment beds, has surgery? In an interview with jurisdictions choose different laboratories, X-ray and The ministry currently raised a furor in this community. The Advance -Times last Friday numbers, with Quebec at 3.2— operating room equipment, and it specifies a minimum of 11.9 Wingham and District Hospital Dr. Allan Dyer, an assistant and as a planning guideline the is those beds the ministry is chronic beds per thousand of faces the loss of 14 of its 82 active deputy minister and the man ministry is saying any beds aiming to cut to the 3.5 per over age 65 and a treatment beds as of April' 1, with responsible for institutional above the 3.5 level are surplus , thousand level. population minimum of 3.5 nursing home the accompanying loss of ap- health services, discussed the and reallocating the money Studies have shown that a large beds per thousand. No maximum proximately 15 fulltime equiv- ministry's reasons for in- elsewhere, he explained. number of the people occupying figure is set for these categories alent jobs. Up to 17 more beds troducing the bed formula as well He said whole districts in active treatment beds are ac- but there isn't the money to do could be cut next year according as its goals in institutional health Ontario are already at 3.5 or less, tually long-term patients and everything at once, he said. to the formula. care. citing the city of Leamington, also that hospitals have active A public information meeting Dr. Dyer, who practised and Peel County and the periphery of beds lying empty, Dr. Dyer, Money removed from active beds. on the bed cuts drew an overflow taught medicine before joining Metro Toronto. claimed. Consequently the will be used in these areas. crowd from throughout the area the health ministry, said the ACTIVE VS. CHRONIC. BEDS ministry is de-emphasizing Right now the province as a and revealed a strong intention to active bed formula and allocation In its planning the ministry—as active treatment to put more into whole is 5,000 beds above the 3.5 oppose cutbacks in hospital care method were first introduced in do hospitals—differentiates chronic beds and outpatient per thousand minimum for by any means available. The first 1972, with the formula set at four between active treatment beds, services. nursing home beds, and he step in the campaign, a panel beds per thousand of referral those kept open for use by It's costing a lot of money to estimated an additional 1,000 will discussion and letter writing population. emergency patients or for maintain the long-term patients be added this year wherever session, was scheduled to get This year for the first time surgery, obstetrics, etc., and in active beds, he noted, so the district health councils or other underway last night. hospital funding has been tied to chronic treatment beds, ministry plans to phase out some health planning groups identify a So far little has been revealed the bed ratio, set at 4 per available for long-term patients active beds and replace them need of the government's intentions in thousand this year with whose ailments may keep them with chronic beds. cutting active treatment beds. Is progressive reductions to 3.5 by in hospital for months or years. He said the province is Continued on Page 2 tes inEnglandW'Ingh%arini, Australia send S., Greetings came recently to Wingham Centennial Committee Chairman Bill Rintoul from R'ingham, Australia, a town remarkably like the Ontario model, and from Wingham, England, a village of 2,000 which is more than a millennium old. The two Winghams congratulated the local town on its efforts in producing a 100th birthday party and sent best wishes. A letter from Mayor J W. Walker of Wingham, New South Wales, Australia, sent his greetings and said though the people of his town of 3,500 have always been aware of its Ontario namesake, the letter from Mayor William Walden and Mr. Rintoul was probably the first correspondence between the towns. Wingham, Australia, is a bit bigger than the Canadian Wingham, is set in an agricultural area where there is plenty of dairy and grazing activity and is located on the Manning River. Unlike the Ontario town which is often flooded by the swollen Maitland River, the Australian Wingham is located on high ground and doesn't flood. Wingham, Australia, is 10 years , younger than the local Wingham and will celebrate its centenary in 1989. Unspoiled beaches are a half hour's drive away and the town, located 220 miles north of Sydney, is frequented by tourists. One big tourist attraction is the nearby Wingham Brush, a dense rain forest with many giant fig trees housing thousands of flying foxes. The Australian town is far enough north (in the southern hemisphere going north means going to a warmer climate) that it enjoys a taste of a tropical climate, but is far enough south that it isn't ravaged by cyclones. The weather is warm in summer 'but never unduly cold in the winter'. The Australian Wingham calls itself 'The Friendly Town' while the cen- tennial slogan here is 'Where people meet and people speak'. A 30 -bed hospital is the pride of the Australian town and is a subsidiary of a central hospital. At Cundletown, about 14 kilometres away. is a large 'aerodrome' or airport which serves the area. Two or more flights a day take people tG Sydney and from there to anywhere in the world. Wingham, Ontario's, airport doesn't feature regular commercial flights. An abattoir in the Australian Lowry employs up to 200 people. There are three sawmills, a milk depot, a tan- nery, a horseshoe factory which supplies a large market in Australia and the United States and a small shopping centre to provide em- ployment for other Wingham people. The town has a State Primary School, a Convent School and a high school. Recreation is provided by a swimming pool and a golf club and a bowling club. Students at the town's three schools have been fold of the centennial celebrations in Wingham, Ontario, and some have started corresponding with local students. The mayor wrote to Mr. Walden "We feel a strong sense of community with Canadians, as both Canada and Australia are comparatively nei countries with vast untapped re- sources, similar democratic prin- ciples and a similar ethnic back- ground as regards migration. We have a strong feeling that although our accents may differ we approach life in a similar fashion. Moreover we are the beneficiaries of the same cultural and governmental heritage." The Australian Winghamites will send further greetings closer to the Aug. 1-6 centennial celebrations here. WiNGHAM, ENGLAND Not as much information is available on Wingham, Kent, England. A letter from Rev. Desmond Sampson noted that there are visitors from the Canadian Wingham from time to time to the village of less than 2,000 in Kent, England. The English village is located in the most productive fruit and vegetable growing area in Kent. The village is more than 1,000 years old, not unusual by British standards. Many people of the village commute to Canterbury, about six miles, to work. The Wingham Parish Council hoped to display the souvenirs sent by the local centennial committee in the post office window, so all village people would be aware of the centenary. Mr. Sampson suggested a link between Wingham churchs across the o Atlantic would be a nice way to keep in touch. Wingham, Kent, England, will also send its greetings to the people of Wingham, Ontario, Canada, when the local centennial celebrations cWmi- nate in August. 1 .,,J'..r,,,r•,w.,. r•v'-i•w'-.-.�-w-.*-�y�s�`►e'e1F�a'�r�.-., .. --"�' �'+�1• _ ..^.c^ _t _ ' — _ _ _ _ _ e��