Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutZurich Citizens News, 1976-07-21, Page 1Ertkg NO. 20- FIRST WITH THE LOCAL NEWS THIS WEEK'S WINNER of the Krazy Days $25 draw is Susan Wildfong of Zurich. Above, she receives a cheque from Howard Thiel from Pro Hardware representing the Zurich Business Associa- tion. Photo by McKinley Krazy Days' changes Another successful Krazy Days end, something quite different weekend is over and there are has been planned. only two remaining. However, Friday, August 6, there will the format of the remaining be a street dance to which the two will vary somewhat from entire family is invited. There those in the past. will be no admission charge to Rather than having hourly the dance and music will be specials, the business association supplied by the Bluewater Play - of the village has decided the boys. The exact starting and specials will begin Friday at ending times of the street dance noon and run through until have not•been decided, however, Saturday evening while quanti- it is hoped by the association ties last. The specials will that the entire family will take be advertised beforehand. part in the festivities. Entertainment for the August The dance is the final stage of 31 Krazy Days will be horseback the Krazy Days idea for this rides. For the August 7th week summer. Sewer rates rise Zurich council decided at its July, 15th meeting to pass a by- . law increasing sewer rates by $1.50 per month. This will mean ratepayers will now pay $66 per year compared to $48 per year previously. The raise is needed to pay for a deficit situation which has occurred over the past two years. The Ministry of Environment was supposed to have set the rates at a level which, when everyone in the village was hook- ed up and paying, would result in a break-even cost for pump- ing the sewage. The province bills the council and the council bills the tax payers. Unfortunate- ly, the ministry was not overly accurate in their estimations and the pump is registering far more water than had been anticipated. A valve in the pump has also been sticking causing the pump to pump the same water twice. Infiltration of ground and storm sewer water after heavy rainfalls has also been extensive. On top of all this, the daily fluctuations in the amount of water pumped is much too large for no apparent reason. This has resulted in billings from the ministry being higher than pay- ments received from the people using the system thus a deficit. However, council is not just letting the matter drop after introducing an increase in rates. Councillor George Haggit felt, "We shouldn't have to pay for storm sewer water on our water rate. That should be changed somehow." See page 5 Council is eligible for incentive grant Zurich council has received a certificate of eligibility dated June 28 to participate in the Municipal Incentive Grant pro- gram of the provincial govern- ment it was learned at its July 15th meeting. The program is to encourage municipalities to develop land to produce medium - density housing of a modest size. It provides a grant of $1,000 for each housing unit meeting the required criteria to provincially designated municipalities. Funds received through the program shall be used to facilitate the production of housing. Mr. Earl Schilbe attended the council meeting to ask that the fee for selling • in the Farmer's Market be reduced to $5 per vendor per week. The market is to open Saturday and last six to eight weeks. Last year Mr. Schilbe says individual vendors had to pay $100 for the season and felt that this was too much. Council decided to discuss this at a later time and let Mr. Schilbe know, however, near the end of the meeting Thursday night council decided on a flat rate of $50 per vendor for the 1976 season. Council decided to give $500 to the Business Association's to have a study done by Nick Hill on improving the core area of the village. The business association also wanted to know if there was an existing by-law in Zurich which would force the cleaning up and maintenance of properties around town such as the one Clinton recently intro- duced. There is no such by-law in existance and as Reeve Fred Haberer says, "That is a touchy darn , thing in a small town." See page 5 WEDNESDAY, JULY 1*, 1976 20C PER COPY Arena doesn't meet standards The Zurich arena does not meet re - the building code standards Councillor Ray McKinnon set out by the provincial govern- marked, we've reallyrein a pint ment and it is goingto take a lot .because we ve already spent $55,000 and we can't just throw of money to rectify the situation. that away." This is what council learned at It was the general feeling of its July 15 meeting when a report council that if the total cost had been known when the was presented from Ken Dunn, first renov P. Eng. of B.M. Ross and Associ- ations were done, things might ates. Mr. Dunn was the engineer have been done differently. in charge of the $55,000 worth If council proceeds now with the of renovations spent previously new renovations, the total expen- on the arena and t is due largely diture will be around $100,000 to the fact that he "overlooked" and the arena will look pretty several requirements that the much the same. new estimate to update the arena Besides the renovations over - could be as high as $30,000 to looked by the engineer, there $40,000 -are several other things which must be fixed to bring the arena eight's at 32 inch centres sup - Mr. Dunn admits in his report to the 1975 building code stand- ported by horizontal two by six's to council he failed to take into ards although they meet the at 32 inch centres and butted at account chordin the joining of the bottom standards which were in exist- the bottom against the outside between panel points ance when they were done in wall but not supported by it. in the original arena renova- the first place. See page 2 The outside supporting wall is only capable of carrying 27% of the required load capacity. Concrete footings and support at the midway point between truss legs in each bay are needed. The tractor building has timber rafters, two by ten's, at 16 inch centres running in a north -south direction. These will carry only 65% of the new required load capacity so more two by ten's will have tq be placed between the existing rafters -and solidly bridged at both ends. In the seating area the supports under the seats are two b tions. The bottom chord con- sists of five two by ten's and there are many locations where three Business Association plans of the five members join at the same location causing only two to bear most of the load. re his 'facelift for new report, Mr. Dunn recom- village core mends installation of steel tenThe- stun rods to provide the necessary tion has decided to go aheaad with reinforcement between selected the preparation of a plan to, im- panel points on the truss. Also prove the core area of the village there must be two 3/4" diameter in spite of the fact no funding anchor bolts anchored to the con- is available from the provincial trete footing where there now government. exists only one 3/4" diameter Planner Nick Hill says his rod, many of which are badly approach to improving the core rusted. These would be the most area would be to take the area expensive parts of the necessary renovations. as a whole so the finished pro- duct is unified. Building enhanc- In view of the fact no fund- ing will be available from the pro- vincial government, Mr. Hill agreed to cut his fees as much as possible and still produce a reasonable worthwhile project. Ron Heinrich, president of the association, went to Zurich council Thursday night tot see if council would be willing to com- mit their previous pledge of $500 towe Mr. Dunn did say in the report enent would be very important had abeen rds hme ade� on the ect. hcois ndition he will not. charge for his time but improvements would have to financing from the government to supervise the job and will b.e neither extensive nor expens- was available. Council was not charge for plans he will have ive to create a harnonius visual quite agreeable towards such a to make for approval by the streetscape with integrated color study of the core area being done Ministry of Labor to complete schemes. and as they had already budgeted the renovations. Mr. Hill would prepare ele- for this, they decided to let their vation in Also, council has still received along each drawindigsvidualofthe streetbuildings and pledge stand. The Chamber of Commerce no results from its Wintario then prepare a second set of had also previously pledged application and it looks like drawings to illustrate -how minor $800 to the program, however, it Wintario grants will only match improvements could give the is not yet known whether they dollar for dollar up to one-third entire street a facelift. "It would will allow this pledge to stand in of the cost if the funds have been be a very exciting and worth- view of the failure to get funds raised by the public and are not while exercise, says Mr. Hill, from the government. tax dollars. "but I do not foresee that massive The area involved includes As Reeve Fred Haberer put it, changes would be needed." roughly Goshen Street from Stade "It's a whole new ballgame. This " approach was well re- and Weido's to the hotel; Victoria We might as well get the engin- ceived by the business associa- Street from the Hay municipal eer to go ahead with preparing tion, however, the cost of the offices to Highway 84; from the the plans as he is nbt charging project is an important consider- hotel to Shaw's on the north for them and then see where we ation which they felt should be side of highway 84 and on the stand." clear from the start. See page 6 CONSERVATIVE LEADER JOE CLARK is greeted by Jack McCutcheon, right, Huron County warden. Mr. Clark and his wife Maureen attended a meeting and reception at Vanastra Monday night.