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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Huron Expositor, 1988-08-31, Page 1INDEX Dublin - A6 Hensall - A7 People - A7 Walton - A8 Births - A11 Weddings -Al 1 Sports - Al2-13 Walton Hall once a Methodist Church. See page A8. Serving the communities and areas of Seaforth, Brussels, Dublin, Hensall and Walton XpQSitor Seaforth, Ontario Wednesday,August 31, 1988 50 cents a copy Sewer expansion concerns Harpurhey residents Despite a promise that it could improve ed," said Mr. Burns. the current situation, Harpurhey residents "And that causes the odors. The lagoon are less than anxious to have Seaforth ex- cells are not in good condition and the result pand its sanitary sewage works. Neighbors is poorer treatment of the sewage." to the Seaforth lagoons, Harpurhey At the present time Seaforth's sewage is residents expressed concern Wednesday pumped down Oak Street through a 10 inch that an expanded sewage works, while it force main to the lagoons, where it is then may service Seaforth better, could result in directed into three storage cells, until it can an increase in smell, which they say, is be discharged into the Bayfield River. already nauseating at the best of times. Because of the flows of the river the sewage "It's awful when you have to get up at 2 is supposed to be discharged on a seasonal a.m. in the morning and shut all the win- basis - in the fall and in the spring. However, dows in your house, because of the smell of because the sewage has been exceeding the it," commented one man. capacity of the three cells, it is being But Steve Burns of B.M. Ross and discharged when it is notsupposed to be. Associates, assured the Harpurhey Creation of a fourth cell will ensure that residents, the expansion would solve the sewage is not discharged into the river current problems with smell. prematurely, and construction of the "If we don't do something then there's a sewage treatment facility will ensure the good chance it (the lagoon) is going to smell sewage stored in the four cells is stripped of again next year. In my opinion what we're most of its odor causing agerits before it gets proposing is going to resolve the problems." there. What exactly B.M. Ross and Associates is "This proposal makes the best use of the proposing is an on-site expansion of the existing facilities and provides a very good capacity of the Seaforth facility and a level of treatment," said Mr. Burns. change in the method of treating the "There will be 100 per cent better treat - sewage. What that means is that a fourth ment. The ammonia level will be several storage cell will be added to the works, and hundreds per cents better, and the a sewage treatment facility built im- phosphorus, which is important because it mediately to the east of the lagoon. That makes the weeds grow (and the oxygen pro - facility could be added to or updated in the vided by the weeds helps aerate the future as the need arose. sewage), will be 50 per cent better. On every part of the scale we'll have double or better "The lagoons are organically overload - treatment - to protect the environment and the river." Expansion of the sanitary sewage works will also, according to Mr. Burns, give the Town of Seaforth room to service an addi- tional 700 residences. The present system accommodates 2,100. "The town can't grow. It's restricted from further development until its sanitary sewage system is updated. The work we do now will work for future development of the town," said Mr. Burns. But Harpurhey residents, were more in- terested on the impact this expansion would have on them. Jim McLeod questioned the ability of the plant to process the "oily" waste generated by the local creamery, and suggested the town police the discharge from that outlet, and from others, better. His concerns were echoed by other Harpurhey residents. "That type of treatment plant you describe is not going to treat the stuff com- ing into the lagoons. It's not going to treat it, no matter if you build it twice as big," com- mented Gar Baker. Others asked why they should have faith in this "improved?' system, when they had been told the old system would cause no pro- blems, and were apparently sold a bill of goods. "We've been told Paul Nicholson. all this before," said Fair promises new attractions this year A host of new attractions will be featured Other special activities planned for the at Seaforth's 143rd Fall Fair, September 22 opening night include the pumpkin judging and 23. contest, judging of the pumpkin art the samanything, thing w llke befor at the Seaforth ited that n then will be likeness.off..kedle Prime �Minister,Bpumpkin ian Fall Fair," commented Sharon Flanagan, Mulroney), the crowning of the 4-11 am - Secretary -Treasurer for the Fair Board. bassador, and a variety show featuring "It's going to be bigger and better than local talent. ever." On Friday, the festivities will begin with It will also, this year, be free admission. a parade down the Main Street at 11 a.m. Keeping with a tradition started last The television character "Alf" will be year, the 1988 Fall Fair will be officially featured in the parade and will also be pre - opened on the Thursday evening sent at the fair itself, in keeping with the (September 22) by the newly crowned theme "Alf comes to the Fair". Queen (chosen at a pre -fair barbecue on After lunch there will be a pedal pull for September 17). A pork carcass auction has the children, and a round bale rolling con - also been arranged for Thursday night, test for teams. Another attraction will be, with Jack Riddell, Minister of Agriculture, as usual, the heavy horse pull, and new as auctioneer. The carcasses will be the this year a Halflinger Show. Halflingers top five prize winning hams from an are miniature Belgium horses. Huron earlier competition. County's 4-H Championship Show will also 'You'd be able to drink the water when it provements to the sewage system will take comes out the end of the discharge pipe, time to implement and suggested since the that's what we were told. I'd like to see that gates to the lagoon tend to leak, that repair, guy now." Harpurhey residents suggested the pro- blem might be more a result of poor supervi- sion of the sanitary sewage works by the Ministry of the Environment, than of a faul- ty lagoon. They said they thought the addi- tion of another lagoon cell would only add to an already poorly monitored problem. "We've talked about Seaforth policing what goes into the lagoons, but let's talk about the other end, what happens out at the lagoons. It's not sprayed, it's not cut. We're proposing more be done. There's got to be some way we know it (the lagoon) is being looked after," someone said. Another suggestion that another method of treating the waste might be sought, if the town werestarting from scratch, was negated. Although Mr. Burns admitted the proposed improvements call for no site ex- pansion, and therefore no land impacts would result, he said the, lagoons are necessary. "If there was a better method I would have suggested it. There are not many com- munities in this part of Ontario that do not have lagoons. This is the most efficient method of treating waste," said Mr. Burns. Tuckersmith Township councillor Bill Carnochan noted the proposed im- MMMIMINEN at least, be considered until the im- provements are in place. "Obviously the problems foreseen are with the people residing beside the lagoons," he said. "I understand what you're proposing should make the situation more tolerable, but that will take some time. I am aware that the gates to the lagoon leak and I wonder if that shouldn't be a part of the pro- posal," he said, "to fix the gates at least un- til something else can be done." If the proposal is approved construction could begin as early as next year. Mr. Burns estimates it would be at least one summer, possibly two, before the "new and improv- ed" sanitary sewage system is in operation. Total cost of the project is estimated at $2.3 million - with the cost to be borne by the Seaforth taxpayers. Although there were few Seaforth residents present at this public meeting, one revealed her feelings on the proposed sewage expansion. "I want out of it (the sewage system). Why can't we go back to the septic tank. If Egmondville and Harpurhey don't need them, why do we?," she asked. "It's too costly for a small tax base. We cannot take another tax load - we won't." take place this day, as will the traditional livestock judging.. Inside the arena a craft corner will be set up to feature different people demonstrating theiPt-Pew1St Two of the crafts to be demonstthttid are woodwork- ing and quilting. Also new this year the public will be in- vited to guessA.he weights of two live beef heifers and two live pigs. The first prize winner will receive a half a beef (or half a pig)cwith the second and third prize win- ners each taking a quarter beef (or pig). New in the women's section the Berner - din Canning Company will be offering cash awards, and coupons for free lids, to those competitors with the most total points. Elementary school children will be in- vited to enter a Toy Farm competition, which asks them to construct a scale Turn to page 17 • INon-alcoholic bar to open in p Seaforth CLUB 1855, a non-alcoholic bar for teens aged 14-18 will be opening in Seaforth on September 9. The club is a project started by Reverend Greg Gilson of the St. Thomas Anglican Church in Seaforth, and is aimed at giving local young people a social place to go on weekends. Renovations to the hall had to be made to prepare it for the September opening, and shown here Rev. Gilson, Beth Palin and Andrea Moore wash windows in the hal+. Corbett photo. The youth in Seaforth will have another option of what they want to do with their weekend nights, as a non-alcoholic night club will be opening to provide them with a social meeting place. Club 1855 is an experiment of Reverend Greg Gilson of the St. Thomas Anglican Church. The Reverend has been hearing from a lot of young people in town that there is nothing to do on a Friday night in Seaforth, so he is making something to do. "It's basically an alcohol free place where they can come and dance and socialize," he says of the club which will be targetted at people from 14 to 18 years of age. Club 1855 will be located in the hall at the rear of the Anglican Church, and the name was chosen because it is the year the church was founded. But Rev. Gilson wants to make it clear that the club is not related to the church. "I'm going to let it take its own course, • and I'm going to put up a suggestion box and use the suggestions that are feasible. It's not going to be a `churchy' thing, but hopefully the kids will see that the church is there for them, and it is interested in who they are and what they are doing." The club will open on September 9, and will be open every Friday and Saturday night from 7 p.m. until midnight. It will have a concession where patrons can get coke and munchies, a sound system and tapes from a commercial disc jockey, a dance floor, and a social area. All of this is being done as economically as possible, but there are plans for later additions such as a big screen T.V. and MTV, or a live band which could perform on the stage in the hall if the club proves to be popular. The hall was used only on rare occasions in the past, and it had to be repainted and renovated for its opening in September. It is hoped once the hall is furnished and in use other groups such as senior citizens will use it for card games, etc. during the day. The Anglican Church is behind the idea of the club, and Rev. Gilson received a unanimous vote of support from the board. Rev. Gilson got the idea for the club from the radio. He heard on a money- maker program about a man in Calgary who is getting rich with non-alcoholic bars. He started to think about such a bar in Seaforth, and one where giving kids something to do rather than making money would be the aim, and in the last week of June he and some members of his Turn to page 6A • MOONLIGHT MADNESS was a successful promotion on Friday night and it kept Main Street traffic busy on the streets and on the sidewalks up until about 11:00. About 40 businesses participated by both keeping their doors open late and offering back to school specials for shoppers. Corbett photo. Moonlight Madness profitable Friday night was a late one for most Doug Foreman of Shinens said promo - Main Street merchants in Seaforth, but it tions like the Moonlight Madness are good also proved to be a profitable one. opportunities for the town to show Moonlight Madness hit the streets Fri- customers what the businesses have to of - day with 40 businesses participating in the fer. Mr. Foreman would, however, have back to school sale. Enough customers liked to have seen the promotion a month were attracted to Main Street to make this earlier when he could have cleared some one of the most successful promotions in of his summer stock -with only a week left recent years. before school people weren't buying sum - "Any merchant I talked to about Friday mer clothing. night seemed pleased. They were busy and Rod Lyons of Lyons Food Market said satisfied," said Bob Fisher, Chairman of his store had excellent sales, and large the Business Improvement Association crowds were attracted to the free draws and proprietor of Pizza Train. Mr. Fisher held there. At 10:30 p.m. when there were didn't have a chance to see the traffic on five draws for $100 there were an the street first hand as he was kept busy estimated 300 people in the store. Mr. keeping up with the traffic in his own store. Lyons said these types of promotions will Don Deighton of Stedman stayed open keep getting bigger every year. until about 11:15 pm, and said he was quite Mainstreet Coordinator Tom Lemon happy with the business on the streets. said the promotion started slowly and Joanne Aubin of Kids Kloze shut her began to taper off around 10 p.m., but add - doors at midnight. At 11:30 p.m. when ed there was a core period of a few hours most of the customers had gone home she when the traffic was filling the streets. Mr. still had three in her store. Lemon also remarked he had to take ad - "It was busy, and it was fun," she said. vantage of some of the deals offered as a "It's too bad we couldn't do that every customer. week." "The response was the best since I've To motivate people to stay late Mrs. been here, and the response from Aubin had a sale which offered greater dis- businesses was great. The customers are counts as the hour got later, so many of her out there," he said. customers would wait until 9:00 p.m. when "Not since the Santa Claus parade have they could get a 20 per cent discount. I seen that many people on Main Street." False alarm at Maple L A false alarm sent Seaforth firefighters into action Sunday morning. Firefighters were called to Maple Leaf Villa, the apartments on Market Street, at about 9:45 a.m. There was no fire, however, but investigating firemen did find there to eaf Villa apartments be a faulty detector. While firefighters were there an am- bulance arrived for a resident, but its ar- rival was unrelated to the incident. The resi- dent had been in poor health and had a relapse on Sunday morning. 1