HomeMy WebLinkAboutZurich Citizens News, 1976-05-26, Page 4Page 4 -Citizens News, May 26, 1976
know it's his holiday too, but this is the fourth time tonight
Merchants discouraged
The patience of the main street business
person in the village of Zurich is wearing
thin. The dust and the mud and the incon-.
venience to retailer and customers are start-
ing to show through.
Looking just a little frayed around the
psychological collar, the Zurich Business
Association last Thursday night passed a
motion petitioning the Ontario Minister
of Transportation and Communications
to take whatever steps are in his power to
hasten the completion of the main street
highway repaving program currently under-
way in the village.
Copies of the letter were ordered sent to
the MPP Jack Riddell, the MP Bob McKin-
ley, the contractor, the engineer, the Zurich
Chamber of Commerce and others.
Despite this show of emotion from the
business people, some are not convinced
it is warranted. Some village councillors
feel that, although the repaving is pro-
longing the problems of the businessman,
that the job is being done as quickly as
possible. They feel the contractor will
live up to his deadlines as outlined in the
contract for the project.
The business people have a justifiable
gripe. They've been eating and wiping
dust for the past four years. Heading into
their peak season during the good weather
of July and August, they are naturally
discouraged that another summer, or so it
seems, will have to be faced with streets
not up to par.
Looking at the contract for the job now
underway, it is hard to find fault. A wet
spring has been some delay but even so
those who are familiar with the contract
as yet feel the contractor is still within
striking distance ' of making the final com-
pletion date within the time allowed by the
contract.
The business people and the citizens of
Zurich deserve sympathy. They've had
their fill of construction, sewers and recon-
struction. They're ready, now, to have
their roads brought up to standard.
While it is difficult to point any fingers at
the contractor, the plight of the business
people and villagers is also a factor. Per-
haps
the job, as contracted, could be com-
pleted ahead of schedule in order to clean up
the mess as quickly as possible.
That'sone way
The Ontario govenment, and in particular
Bill McMurtry, has been waging a battle
against violence in hockey. The success
of that campaign has been difficult to
assess.
However, the government has come up
with what appears to be a fool -proof method
of fighting that battle. They're. closing
down all the arenas in Ontario!
Now, what could be more simple? If
you can't succeed in controlling what goes
on during a hockey game, the next best
plan of attack is to eliminate the hockey
game. •
The government no doubt would deny
strenuously any suggestion of that nature,
but by the same token,. they must also
find it difficult to back up the position being
taken in the matter of arenas. The way the
ministry of labor is going right now, there
won't be an existing arena open come the
start of next season's ice activities.
While the safety of public buildings
nlus.t be a sincere consideration, it is almost
incomprehensible to believe that so many
arenas have reached such a state of deterior-
ation at the same time.
Arguments by communities to get a
"stay of execution" have proven fruitless,
but it is apparent that the councils in the
communities involved should quickly band
together and petition the government to
provide extra funds to meet the costs of
erecting replacement structures or bringing
existing buildings up to standard.
Exeter and Lucan councils could show
some leadership in this area by calling a
meeting for representatives of the communi-
ties involved to formulate plans for joint
action..
There appears little doubt that they
would receive some strong support for such
action, because the costs facing communi-
ties to meet government regulations are
staggering.
Having shown little pity in closing down,
these important community facilities, the
government hopefully will show more con-
cern in providing funds above those already
available to get them operating again.
The
Last
Word
by Ted Rowcliffe
Krazy Days was a big hit in Zurich over the weekend.
Ron Heimrich's mellow tones boomed out over the Bean
Festival loud speaker system all Friday night and Saturday
and sent shoppers scurrying around the town as individual
stores featured their time specials.
The business people, both as individuals and as a group,
were well pleased with the promotion and perhaps proved to
themselves that with a little hard work and a good idea,
business can be increased. Of course, advertising helps,
(just had to get that one in didn't I).
All of the stores were reported to have been busy during
their time specials but a few went a little "Krazy". Laporte's
Meat Market had them lined up outside waiting for some
very reasonable hamburger while Turkheim Furniture sold
a month's supply of lawn chairs in about 15 minutes.
There's more coming too. At a meeting Wednesday
night of last week, as last Minute preparations were made
for the first Krazy Days, ideas started to flow and the five
Krazy Days weekends still to come this summer promise to
bealotoffun.
A committee will be looking into the possibility of holding
a craft show in conjunction with one of the weekends and a
street dance, perhaps for the final Krazy Days weekend in
early August, is also being contemplated. The group is
attempting to line up some amusement rides for another
weekend.
Looks like a good summer in downtown Zurich, despite
the road conditions!
* *
Speaking of road conditions, the same group of business-
men on Wednesday night took a step to attempt to get the
streets. back to normal as soon as possible. The association
sent a letter off to the Minister of Transportation and Com-
munications trying to speed things up if possible.
The letter indicated that progress on the project was
"slow" but there seems to be some disagreement as far as
some members of town council are concerned.
Slow or not, I think the business people are justifiably
fed up with the streets in town and if there is any way to get
the job done faster, such as a early completion bonus for the
contractor, then I think it should be done right way.
It doesn't really matter who is at fault, if in fact there is
any blame to lay; let's just get it done!
* * *
Following the planning meetings being held in our neigh-
bouring village of Hensall, it is interestine to note that
there are two very opposite ideas on what the future of the
village should hold. Some seem to want controlled expan-
sion, even annexation while others seem to be quite content
with things just the way they are.
It's been my experience in this area that small villages are
somewhat limited in their lack of suitable accomodation.
It's 'not just Hensall or Zurich but almost every small town
and village has a shortage of suitable housing.
While the trend in the country generally, particularly in
urban areas and cities, has been to apartments, small com-
munities seem to have lagged behind in this respect. One
reason would be that housing is more reasonable due to the
lower cost of land, allowing more people to own their own
homes. Still, I think there is a need for modern accomodation
for those who can't be bothered cutting lawns or shovelling
snow or perhaps want to invest their money in a business or
stock market rather than in real estate.
Both Hensall and Zurich have apartments in the offing
and I predict that they will be full in a very short time. There
are many people working in Hensall for instance, who live
in Vanastra near Clinton, Exeter or Huron Park. Surely they
would take advantage of some decent accomodation a iittie
closer to work.
With the price of everything these days, including mater-
ials and construction labour, a fairly hefty rent will have to be
obtained in order to get a return on investment in housing
but I believe people are prepared to pay the money if they
get the type of housing they want in return. Some people are
suggesting that apartments in small communities will be
white elephants but I think the projects currently underway
will disprove that theory.
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