Zurich Citizens News, 1976-12-15, Page 4Page 4 -Citizens News, December 15, 1976
,per w...ry
"There it goes again ... sounds like the engine knocking."
Dear Madam Editor:
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We would like to use your
columns as a vehicle to refute
some of the charges that are
being hurled our way in recent
weeks. At the outset we would
like to say that the opinions ex-
pressed here are those of the
full membership of the Zurich
Recreation Parks and Commu-
nity Centre Board.
We are sick and tired of
being used as "whipping boys"
for political gain and the sub-
ject of ridicule from misinform-
ed individuals.
We have most recently been
castigated for not providing
our facilities free of charge for
a local benefit dance. As indi-
viduals we sincerely appreciate
the noble and charitable intent
of the promoters and would
gladly contribute to a campaign
personally, HOWEVER, as has
already been pointed out in
your columns, we are operating
these facilities on behalf of our
taxpayers and must do SQ in a
business -like manner. Surely
the service clubs and other or-
ganizations who use our facili-
ties to raise funds for charit-
able purposes feel the same way
and they have never been grant-
ed any concessions. If we once
start making concessions we
might just as well adopt a policy
of free usage to all and let the
taxpayers of Zurich pick up the
full tab for operating expenses.
With regard to recreation
and community centre costs it
appears that there are a very
great number of people in the
community who have absolute-
ly no knowledge of what's
going on. Usage of your com-
munity centre and the pro-
grammes carried on there has
increased dramatically in the
last two years to the point
where an excellent cross-
section of the community both
in age groups and interest
are making active use of
the facilities in increasing num-
bers. Registration to date for
the winter season indicates 358
participants (32 percent from
Zurich) in hockey, figure skat-
ing, floor hockey and badmin-
ton. These activities include
individuals ranging in age from
four to forty (anyone over
forty won't admit it anyway).
This without three intermediate
r
Eton
and one junior hockey teams
which are classified as commer-
dal income producing enter-
prises. Additionally, for the
past year we have operated a
bingo every two weeks and
although not overly success-
ful financially, we have provid-
ed another age group with a
small measure of entertain-
ment and for a good number
their first visit to their commu-
nity centre. When you add the
number of weddings, dinners,
receptions, Lund raising dances
and meetings of all sizes held
it must surely occur to all of
you that the facilities are a
very active part of the communi-
ty,
Throughout the summer the
ball diamond is used practical-
ly every night of the week by
both minors and adult men and
women. We have in 1976,
through the Ausable Conser-
vation Authority, completed the
purchase of the eight acres of
land north of the Agriculture
Society property and in the
next two to three years this
will be developed into . an
attractive park area with picnic
pavilion and comfort stations
somewhat like the small park at
Port Blake. These facilities also
will be for the benefit and use
of the total community.
After this brief outline of the
activities going on in your midst
you must then realize that, as
with anything else these days,
one gets exactly nothing for
nothing—or so it 'should be.
However, prior to 1975 non-
residents of Zurich did exact-
ly that while Zurich taxpayers
were picking up operating
deficits of $23,000 in 1974,
$12,500 in 1975, and probably
about $6,000 in 1976. To dis-
pel any doubts created by re-
cent statements in the press
regarding lack of communica-
tion or information we would
state categorically that we held
three meetings with our neigh-
bouring municipality in 1975
and provided facts and figures
at each. Hay Township granted
us $900 in 1975. Early in 1976
we endeavoured to arrange a
further meeting, however hav-
ing had no success and with
budget deadlines fast approach-
ing, we wrote to them on
April 20th outlining our finan-
cial position and asking for a
more realistic contribution of
$3,000 and if favourable re-
sponse was not forthcoming by
May 31st, we would institute a
surcharge policy since we felt
strongly that users should pay.
At the same time we wrote the
same type letter to Grand Bend
and Stanley Township. Both of
these municipalities recognized
their responsibility to their
residents and practically by re-
turn mail contributed $1,000
and $500 respectively. On
October 6 we received a cheque
from Hay Township in the
amount of $1,000 and to this
day have no advice as to the
reasoning behind it or if they
do or do not wish to provide
recreational facilities for their
residents—now, where do you
feel the lack of communication
lies.
When one mill based on our
Zurich total assessment repre-
sents $665 it does not require a
master mathematician to figure
out what the above deficits
meant to our people when pay-
ing their annual tax bill. We as
a board felt we had no alter-
native as representatives of our
taxpayers, but to do something
about the situation, and quickly.
People just love to negotiate
but meanwhile taxes fall due
and are paid and negotiations
still go on. Admittedly, we are
now the butt of a lot of rebukes;
admittedly, some of our pro-
grammes may be suffering
because a few individuals will
not pay the surcharge; however,
we felt it had to be done to
make certain individuals real-
ize what was happening and if
nothing else, we have succeed-
ed in creating an argumentative
conversation piece.
We have every reason to
believe that with the recent
public interest in our communi-
ty centre, the heads of coun-
cil of Zurich, Grand Bend,
Stanley and Hay Townships will
be able to work out a formula
of cost sharing so that we will
be able to cancel our sur-
charge system.
If we have retained your
interest to this point, we thank
you for having read our attempt
at an explanation and we thank
you, Madam Editor, for the use
of your paper for this purpose.
Ray McKinnon, Secretary
ZRPCC Board
With Christmas on a Saturday, Boxing Day on a Sunday
and New Year's Eve on a Saturday, the question of just
when the businesses will celebrate these holidays arises.
Employers are supposed to give their employees holidays
for Christmas, New Years and Boxing Day and this year
it looks as if these days will vary.
Zurich council decided to close the municipal • offices on
the Monday and Tuesday following Christmas and the
Monday following New Years. The County is closing it's
offices the Friday before and the Monday after Christmas
and the Monday following New Years. Banks will be closed
the Monday following Christmas and the Monday following
New Years. Other businesses will just have to decide for
themselves when they will be open so this is perhaps one
year ;vhen you had better not leave your shopping for the
day before Christmas, you may find the store you want to
go to is closed.
Aly- iii- ,at m. ILtr,
ifo :o.;rte-���
I don't know about the rest of you, but I find it very dis-
concerting to receive my income tax forms in the mail
from the government this early in the year. Just before
Christmas is not the time of year when I would like to be
thinking about income tax.
I realize the government is probably only sending them out
to avoid any problems if there happens to be a postal strike
later on, but I have news for them. They may end up spend-
ing a lot more money in the long run by sending the forms
out so early.
By the time I get my T-4 slips and begin to. think of figur-
ing out how much I owe them or they owe nle, 1 just know
that income tax form will have disappeared. There's not a
chance 1 can keep track of that thing for that long, and if
there are very many out there like me, the government
is going to have to supply a lot of extra forms.
I've heard of snowy winters but this is ridiculous. Do you .
realize we have had one of the coldest Novembers on record?
Not only that, winter hasn't even started yet.
December 21 is supposed to be the shortest day of the
year and the official start to winter. From then on the days
are supposed to get longer as the sun moves higher in the
sky. Somehow, this year I think I'll be good and ready to
greet December 21 as the shortest day of the year, and I just
hope the sun doesn't waste any time getting high in the sky.
I'm tired of freezing, it gets very monotonous after a while.
ilt �$ Wit*' q�%-
47-
Natural light is better for you mentally than artificial
according to one "light pollution" expert whom I heard on a
talk show recently. According to him, the reason people
become irritable and tense has a lot to do with the type of
light they are around. With so many large buildings, very
few people .working in them have the advantage of working
by windows and so are subject to just too much artificial
light.
It makes sense in a way, especially if you consider schools.
Many of them in the cities have very few windows in coni-
parison to most of the schools around here. They also tend
to have a higher percentage of problem children.
In fact, I think I've noticed it myself. If I sit in this office for
very long I tend to get very restless, it just might be be-
cause there are no windows. At least, it is worth consider-
ing. I think I'll take a walk and get some of that natural—but
cold—light.
Published Each Wednesday By J.W. Eedy Publications Ltd.
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Manager - Betty O'Brien
News Editor - Cathy McKinley
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