HomeMy WebLinkAboutZurich Citizens News, 1976-09-08, Page 16OPEN DAILY
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Sept. 11
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Page 16 -Citizens News, September 8, 1976
Jack Riddell
A special Ontario Government
program was announced this
week that will provide up to 75
percent of the cost of repairing
unsafe arenas in the province.
Provincial funds will come
from a special Wintario program
and through The Community
Recreation Centres Act. The
remaining 25 percent is to be
raised through public sub-
scription.
In a joint statement by Mr.
Robert Welch, Minister of
Culture and Recreation and Dr.
Bette Stephenson, Minister of
Labour, expressed confidence
that the special grant program
will greatly minimize any
disruption of sports activities
that could have resulted if the
municipalities were unable to
make the necessary structural
changes.
The programs will assist to
ensure safety in the arenas for
the children of Ontario. Dr.
Stephenson re -affirmed her
ministry policy that some arenas
needing structural repair may
remain open this winterif certain
conditions are met.
Mr. Welch said that all ap-
plications for Wintario grants
which have been made for use in
repairing unsafe arenas and filed
with the Ministry prior to the
announcement -will be reviewed
to give them the benefits of the
new program.
Previously, provincial grants
were available to cover half the
cost of repairs but the provincial
share was increased in order to
help municipal taxpayers and
avoid delays.
The revised program will
provide 25 percent of the cost of
any repairs up to $75,000 for each
facility affected through The
Community Recreation Centres
Act.
Wintario will provide $2.00 for
every $1.00 raised locally toward
_the remainder of the cost.
Normally Wintario grants are
limited to one third or, at the
most half of the blance and are on
a dollar for dollar basis in most
areas of Southern Ontario
In order to allow municipalities
to proceed immediately with
repairs, the. Minister said a
pledge by a responsible com-
munity organization to the
council to raise their share within
three years will be accepted as
VANASTRA
RECREATION
CENTRE
R.R. #5, CLINTON
BINGO
(EVERY MONDAY
at 8 p.m.
JACKPOT
$ZOO mg
15 reg. games of $12.00
3 share -the -wealth
Door prizes and many other
specials.
Admission restricted to
16 years or over.
Help for arenas
proof of local support and
provincial funds will be paid over
progressively as construction
takes place.
Under the regular Wintario
supported programs, groups
must raise their share and
complete construction before
receiving money from the lot-
tery.
Although the special Wintario
program applies only to repairs
necessary to restore existing
arenas to a structurally safe
condition, the Minister said some
municipalities may decide to
replace rather than repair older
buildings.
In these cases communities'
whose old arenas are too costly to
repair will be able to apply
Wintario grants bas,ed on the
estimated cost of repair toward
construction of the new arena.
The staff administering the
program has been instructed to
take a generous view of ap-
plications and avoid delay so that
local recreation programs are
not unduly disrupted.
The results of the Govern-
ment's appeal against the
Divisional Court ruling on. the
question of hospital closings is
expected soon, and I would like to
take this opportunity of
reviewing developments in this
connection.
In November of last year,
Eddie Sargent, Liberal MPP
(Owen Sound) called for an
emergency debate on the
. proposed closing of Chesley and
District Memorial Hospital,
scheduled for January 1, 1976. At
that time Minister of Health
Frank Miller, confirmed that 24
hospitals were scheduled to be
closed, refusing to disclose
details of the governments'
plans.
Moreover, he would not release
the list of hospitals, and said
"Each one will, in turn, be told in
negotiation, if it's being con-
sidered. Each one will have the
option and opportunity to discuss
the merits of closing with me and
they will learn it in that order
only after I've decided there's
some reason to consider the
problems with them."
Questioned by Liveral Leader
Stuart Smith, the Minister said
that availability of alternative
facilities would be taken into
account, as well as the actual
condition of the hospitals. He
admitted that development of.
surplus hospital beds had been
permitted in the past, and said
"we have changed our over-all c
guidelines and we are adjusting f
to them".
The day after the Legislature
adjourned for the Christmas
recess, the Minister of Health
met with representatives of the
Ontario. Hospital Association. He
announced that there would be a
10 percent linitation on the Health
budget increase; a $50 million
dollar cut of hospital budgets,
achieved for the most part
through a reduction of up to 3,000
beds and possibly 5,000 staff (4
percent of the total);
rationalization of laboratory and
provincial psychiatric services;
no further nursing home bed
approvals or increases in the
amount of money spent on
research and demonstration
model projects.
The first closures were also
announced: Goderich
Psychiatric Hospital, Nor-
theastern Regional Mental
Health Centre in Timmins, and
four public health labs, located at
Kenora, St. Catharines, Wood-
stock and North Bay.
(Anticipated saving from closure
of the labs was $400,000). Con-
version of the facilities at Tim-
mins and Goderich to mental
retardation `resource centres'
was also announced at this
meeting.
On January 15, 1976, the
Legislature reconvened to end
the Toronto teachers' strike, and
during the Question Period the
Minister was repeatedly attacked
for not consulting 'affected
communities about hospital
closings. Again he refused to
publish a list of the hospitals
concerned.
The Legislature prorogued on
January 16, and actual closings
began on February 9. Each
hospital was visited by the
Minister and his staff. Closure
decisions had clearly been made
in advance. As the Minister met
with respective hospital boards a
press statement announcing the
closure was issued in Toronto.
During March and April,
thousands of citizens protested
hospital closings, staff and bed
reductions. Hospital boards and
officials met with the Premier,
Cabinet and Government
representatives to appeal
closings and constraints.
However, on April 12, Premier
Davis announced that Willett
Hospital in Paris, Clinton,
Durham and Doctors' Hospital in
Toronto would all cease to
operate as acute facilities on
June 1.
There after they would be
lassed as ambulatory care
acilities offering x-ray lab,
minor surgery and doctors' of-
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(ices. Willett would continue to
provide chronic care at its
present level pending results of a
local study. At that time, the
Government had, apparently, no
idea what impact its new decision
would have on the number of jobs.
or dollar saving involved.
On April 13 it was made clear
that contrary to commitments
made to various hospitals, many
were not given advance warning
of the Government's decision to
close them down. Ministry of
Health letters to Clinton and
Durham simply stated: "Make
sure your staff receive ter-
mination notices, You must stop.
Your hospital must close-=. In
addition, these letters stated that
"Ministry of Health staff are
available at your request to assist
you in developing health care
services in your community
using exisiting buildings to some
extent."
Subsequently — on April 13 — a
Divisional Court ruled that the •
Province had no legal authority
to close hospitals merely to cut
costs. The Courts found that the
Public Hospitals Act was
regulatory in nature and was
never intended to be used to close
hospitals for budgetary reasons.
The Government decided to
appeal this ruling and hospitals
due to close were permitted to
continue to function on a six-
month reprieve pending outcome
of the appeal.
On July 14, the Legislature
reconvened to pass legislation
approving the anti-inflation
agreement with Ottawa. The
Minister of Health announced an
Ontario Council of Health study
of the hospital bed situation in
Metro Toronto, which would have
a bearing on the fate of Doctors'
Hospital. Questions were raised
as to why other hospitals which
had been ordered closed could not
have the benefit of similar
studies and why such studies had
not been commissioned prior to
the origianal closure decisions.
We now await the results of the
Government's appeal against the
Divisional Court ruling.
131 st
ANNUAL
SEAFORTH
FALL FAIR
Hurons only Class `B' Fall Fair
THURSDAY SEPT• 617
FR I DAY �
THURSDAY: -
9 p.m. Official Opening by G.W.Montgomery,
former Huron County Ag. Rep.
Popular Variety Program
Queen of The Fair Competition
Merchants and Industrial Displays
FRIDAY: -
Parade - Bands - Floats - Exhibits -
Judging - Pet Show - Junior Fair Champion-
ship - Farm Machinery Display - Horse
Show - Perth Huron Jersey Breeders Parish
Show - Championship Horse Show - Chariot
Races - Penny Sale with more than 50 prizes.
McCARTHY MIDWAY SHOWS -- HORSE RACES
Selection and crowning the "Queen of the Fair"
Dance Saturday, Sept; 18
Cabaret Style
Seaforth Arena
Music by "Walter Ostanek"
Tickets $6 Couple
Phone Ken Moore 527-0508
or The Huron Expositor, Seaforth
Kenneth Campbell Mrs. Kathleen Cuthill
President Sec.-Treas.,527-0753 I
1