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HomeMy WebLinkAboutZurich Citizens News, 1965-02-18, Page 1• No. 7—FIRST WITH THE LOCAL NEWS ZURICH, ONTARIO, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 1965 `p3.00 PER YEAR — 7 CENTS PER COPY Two Municipalities Agree rich \J4tj T hLtaII Air AREA LANDMARK FELLED — The largest tree in Western Ontario, a giant elm in a bush owned by Valentine Becker, Dashwood, and formerly owned by the late John Becker, felt the cutting sting of a chain saw Friday afternoon and crashed to the ground with a mighty thud. Deadly Dutch Elm disease had killed all but one branch of the tree that had for years towered above all others in this area. It served as a landmark to local residents and many persons had visited the location to measure its diameter. Rumors say it took five men with arms outstretched to circle its trunk. Seen here are (left to right) Valentine Becker, Ilay Township councillors Joe Hoffman and Jack Tinney, three of the crew of Scott and McIntyre, wood cutters, and George Beer, Hensall, representative for Gloor and Dungy Saw Mills, Mitchell. TELL-TALE RINGS REVEAL AGE — According to Larry Scales, of the Depart- ment of Lands and Forests, the giant elm tree cut down on the property of Valentine Becker last Friday was 350 years old. It measured 60 feet from the ground to the first branches and had a diameter of six feet. Area school children attended to see the wood giant felled. The tree was cut into five logs, sold to Gloor and Dungy Saw Mills in Mitchell, three of which will go to Durham Plywood Company. Seen here to the right of the slain tree are Valentine Becker, George Beer, W. Kennedy, Durham, and F. Gloor, MitcbelI. PIan for High Sch Department Asks South Huron District High School Board has been advised that permission has been denied to call tenders for the proposed addition to the Exeter school, since Department of Education officials will not approve the plans. A letter from D. G. W. McRae, assistant technical adviser of the Department of Education, stated that final plans did not conform to the approved sketch plans, the cost estimate was in- creased and the net gain for pupil places was actually re- duced. Original sketch plans approv- ed Toronto on July 9, 1964, and in Ottawa on September 10, 1.964, showed accommodation for 950 pupils. When detailed plans were submitted for final approval, they showed accom- modation for 890 students. D. Howey, business admin - 0i ddition ejected *r ccs„ anon istrator at SHDHS, said the loss of 60 pupil spaces occurred be- tween sketch and final plans when a change in library plans was proposed as well as an in- crease in the size of the guid- ance •department. Howey also said cost esti- mates rose during the same period when some unforseen mechanical problems became evident, such as regulations which demanded improved fire protection throughout the en- tire building. More Space Required Correspondence from McRae termed application for the 890 pupil spaces as "not realistic" in view of the forecast which showed 1050 pupils in five years' time. The letter warned the board the'department was not pre- pared to recommend approval of a further addition within three years after completion of the proposed addition and sug- gested the necessary accommo- dation be built now. The proposed addition had called for four class rooms, one laboratory, one shop and reno- vations to the cafeteria and li- brary. L. D. Palmer, incoming prin- cipal• suggested the board find out immediately how large a school the Department of Edu- cation will approve for South IIuron. A committee of the board will go to Toronto Friday, February 26, to discuss the mat- ter with McRae. It will then become necessary to draft re- vised plans and go back to the municipalities to seek their ap- proval. "It is possible the department has in niind a vocational school for South Huron similar in size (Continued on Page 4) Hensall Fire About 400 bushels •of beans were destroyed and an elevator damaged during a fire Friday afternoon at the Mickle Seed and Grain mill on Mill Street. The fire is believf+d to have started when an elevator belt jammed and then burned through. The alarm was given by a mill employee, Dennis Overholt, of Zurich. The blaze was ex- tinguished in about half an hour by Hensall fire brigade. 0 Youths Charged After Auto Race A Dashwood area youth nar- rowly escaped serious injury when his 1960 Ford automobile crashed into a tree stump on Hay Township's 10 sideroad late Saturday evening. The accident occurred when the driver, Walter William Becker, RR 3, Dashwood, lost control of his car during a race at speeds up to 100 miles per hour. The other car involved was driven by his cousin, Lawrence Arnold Becker, RR 2, Crediton. Constables G i a s s f or d and Wright of the Exeter detach- ment of the Opp investigated. Walter Becker was taken to Goderich jail and charged with dangerous driving, racing and consuming while a minor. Lawrence Becker is charged with racing. Trail is set for February 18, in Goderieh. An agreement has been reached this week between the councils of Zurich and Hay Township, whereby the village will assume full ownership of the Community Centre and Arena, located in the village of Zurich. Included in the future plans of the building is the in- stallation of artificial ice. Prior to the new arrange- ment the centre was owned jointly by the two municipali- ties, with Hay holding two- thirds interest and the village one-third. Any losses derived in the operation of the arena were split on the same basis by the two municipalities. The main stipulation in the transfer of the building is that it must .be kept as a community centre in years to come. Both municipalities have instructed their solicitors to prepare nec- essary agreements and deeds to complete the turn -over. Built in 1949 when Zurich was still a police village, the centre had to be invested in the name of Hay Township so that 0 d grants could be obtained for the project. Now, however, since Zurich is a municipality of its own, it is quite in agreement with the Department of Agri- culture to have the building in the name of the village. Plan Ice The matter of the ownership of the community centre has been the main topic of discus- sion during the past couple of months. The matter was brought to a head recently when the Zurich Minor Athletic Associa- tion made application to the two municipalities to have arti- ficial ice installed in the arena. The MAA felt they could not carry out a successful hockey program in the community with- out the facilities of artificial ice. With this in mind the township council felt it would be better to let the village take over the arena and install the ice plant, if they so wished. Reeve Milton Desch, of Zur- ich, has indicated he has been advised by the centennial pro- jects director that they would accept artificial ice as a suitable centennial project. Mr. Desch added that he hoped his coun- cil would see fit to use the ice plan as their prejLei. s:nee the fire hall has been turned down. Meanwhile, the en e r g e t i c president of the Minor Athletic Association, Doug O'Brien. ,has indicated that his group is quite willing to conduct a campaign to raise funds to help the pro- ject along. "If it is the wi'h of the village council to ha;e us go ahead with a campaign. we will start imrnediately. " Mr. O'Brien stated. "After all, it. was our group that requested artificial ice, so we have no choice but to go ahead with a campaign." A large number of interested parties have already volunteer- ed free labor, as well as cash donations, to tackle the project. This newspaper will record all cash d o n at i o n s, or pledges. made towards this fund. as well as giving credit to any persons offering their services for labor. or I/ chool Area ar s 11 iti Blackwell, Hagarty and Buist drawings which show the new addition to the Hensall public school on the west end of the building were given tentative approval by the Public School Board of the Township School Area of Hay at a special meet- ing last Thursday evening. It is possible tenders could be called within a month for the addition which is roughly esti- mated at a cost of about $110,000. Plans show three classrooms, a playroom, a change room and a storage room. Two other drawings included about the same facilities but were discard- ed because they were consid- ered to be more costly to con- struct as well as being on the east end of the present school. It was the feeling of the board that east -end construction would interfere with the existing park- ing lot and a toolshed on the premises. Some problems with sweating floors have been en- countered in present east -end class rooms as well. Design Compact The design of the new addi- tion is extremely compact and should provide easy accessibil- ity to the gymtorium on occa- sions when the public will be invited to the school. The gymtorium, or playroom, will be neatly tucked in be- tween the present building and the three new class rooms which prove s !art aid!;ders will stretch to the south in an L -shape. Facilities in the gym- torium will include a large open play area, a stage with storage space beneath and a second exit opening onto the playgrounds. The change room will feature locker space and benches for comfortable dressing and un- dressing before and after gym exercises. It is expected the room will also be used as a cloak room during public func- tions at the school. Class rooms will be slightly different from the present ones with coat space off the hall ad- jacent to the rooms rather than the system now in use where coats and boots are stored at the rear of the class room. Some Renovations Entailed It is expected the present heat- ing system will be inadequate to carry the new addition and a boiler of larger capacity will have to be purchased. Archi- test Ed Hagarty assured the board the enlarged boiler could be fitted into the present boiler ro om. Another compartment is ex- pected to be added to the septic tank and the tile bed to the south of the school will likely undergo some changes. A moveable partition between two now existing class rooms will be rebuilt to form a perma- nent • wall and a blackboard which raises and lowers will be changed. The unique chalkboard hides coat space and a project area encased behind it. Teachers find the innovation a nuisance since it is often necessary to raise the blackboard while the teacher is working there to al- low the children to hang up their clothes. More Talk About Lend The property commit,"e will visit the school groui:di this week to determine the area to be covered by the new addition and whether any more :and will be required. The board, while still unde tided about the purchase of ad- ditional land, is concerned that school property will have to be enlarged at some future date: Members feel that land should probably he acquired .'r•'= -.while it is available. Bogged Down Plans for the erection n the new addition to the e;:eeo1 in Zurich have bogged ec wn be- cause of delays in the ss;ie of debentures. Board chairman Ian 11<Ailis- ter said that Hensall council has still not indicated their wiiling� ness to accept their share of the assessment and :seta:cd that "a sheaf of forms" for h; On- tario Municipal Board lave to be completed by Hay Township clerk, Whitney Brokenehire. "While I don't think they can be accused of not co-operatin," (Continued on Paree• 8) SWEETS BY THE SWEET • -- Members of the Evan- gelical Youth Fellowship set ur' shop in the Township Hall last Saturday afternoon and sold all kinds of delicate pas. tries and cakes to customers who were either searching out a tasty Vaentine treat or just plain hungry. Saleagirls (left an ris ht) .fowl Marler. Marg:, G='i icu S r,it:': a Mc(.lincrey, Ruth Geiger. Donna kipper and Linda Gascho display smilee of the tempting goodies,