HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Huron Expositor, 1990-10-24, Page 3SCARY RELIC - Dunng the PUC Open House visitors had the
chance to see a coin operated meter used by the PUC in years
agone for customers who didn't pay their bills Oxford photo.
PUC OPEN HOUSE AND TOUR - Wesley Russell of Seaforth
pauses during the PUC tour of the main well pumping station at
Welsh Street during the tour. Oxford photo.
HE'S GOT EVERYTHING UNDER CONTROL - PUC worker
Doug Smale shows some of the controls for the Welsh Street well
and pumping station dunng the PUC tour Oxford photo
IT'S A DOG'S DREAM COME TRUE - Seaforth PUC is updating
many of its fire hydrants and during the tour the visitors stopped
by the site were the old hydrants are stored. Oxford photo.
Local Government Week
PUC tour goes on despite poor turn out
BY SUSAN OXFORD
The Seaforth Public Utilities
Commission (PUC) conducted an
Open House and Tour last Thursday
as pari of Local Government Week.
For interested Seaforth residents the
PUC had films to watch, a tour of
PUC facilities and explanations of
some of the services of the PUC.
Only two people turned out for the
Open House.
Tom Phillips, manager of Seaforth
PUC, greeted the visitors and
briefly explained the purpose of the
Open House and Tour and what
facilities the PUC has. Seaforth
PUC purchases hydro from Ontario
Hydro, who have issued a 25 -year
plan dealing with Ontario's energy
needs. Mr. Phillips showed a video
film by Ontario Hydro that
explained the 25 -year plan and also
talked about the need to conserve
hydro.
Doug Smale, PUC worker, con-
ducted a tour of PUC facilities
around Seaforth, beginning with
water supply. The water tower was
erected in 1922 and holds only
60,000 gallons, which isn't enough
to supply Seaforth with water for
consumption and fire protection.
The rule of thumb concerning how
much water is reserved is one third
for consumption and two thirds for
fire protection. In 1984 a reserve
fund was started by the PUC to
replace the water tower tank, and so
far $200,000 has been saved for the
purchase.
The reservoir was built in the 1920s...
To help Seaforth meet its demand
for water there is an underground
reservoir located near Gouinlock
Street that holds 120,000 gallons of
water. The reservoir was built
during the 1920s, is 20 feet deep,
and is fed by a 360 foot deep well.
A new pump has been added to the
system in recent years.
Seaforth's main well, which is
300 feet deep and located on Welsh
Street, is newer than the Gouinlock
Street well. At the main well there
is a backup generator to keep the
pump functioning in the event of a
serious power blackout. The backup
generator has never been used in an
emergency and is tested twice a
month.
Water quality is checked by sen-
ding water samples weekly to a
laboratory in Palmerston. As a
safety precaution Seaforth PUC
adds chlorine at the ratio of two
parts per million to kill any bacteria
in the water. The wells have never
been closed down due to a pollution
problem.
Water is brought to businesses
Visitors anxious for first snowfall
BY HEATHER ROBINET
The majority of people in
Seaforth are hoping the arrival of
winter is still weeks away, but at
least two youngsters in town arc
hoping it makes an early ap-
pearance.
Eight-year-old Gabriel Mendez,
and his seven-year-old brother
David, have never seen snow, and
despite everyone else's opposition
would like to view the fluffy, white
flakes within the next two weeks.
After that it won't really matter to
them, since they'll be back in the
warmth of their native country of
Venezuela.
Gabriel and David, accompanied
by their grandmother Luisa, have
been in Canada just one week, and
have already seen quite a number of
sights, thanks to the guidance of
their father and stepmother, Jose
and Nancy Mendez of Market
Street, Seaforth. Nancy and Jose
moved to Seaforth from Venezuela
six months ago, just prior to the
birth of their daughter Carmen, to
be close to Nancy's sister and
brother-in-law, Eileen and Tom
Malone. This visit by Jose's mother
and sons, is Jose's first contact with
his family since arriving. In order
to get landed immigrant status in
Canada, Jose cannot leave the
country for 14 months.
So the family is making the most
of its time together, touring to such
Canadian notables as Niagara Falls,
and viewing such typical Canadian
pasuimcs as hockey.
Since the boys have never been
anywhere outside of Venezuela,
they are finding the whole ex-
perience quite exciting. Canada and
Venezuela are worlds apart.
"At the airport, they were so
excited when they saw all the stores
that they tried to pay with
Venezuelian money," laughed Jose
"And 1 know how they feel," sail
Nancy. "I've lived in Venezuela off
and on, and I know what feels
like to be in a different country."
Jose toted that both children were
quite thrilled with the flight over-
seas, and while Livid en loved it
ENJOYING CANADA - Jose Mendez, top right, of Market Street
in Seaforth is enjoying a three week visit from his mother Luisa,
top left, and sons, Gabriel, 8, and David, 7 The three are visiting
from Venezuela Robinet photo
n ►\t when the plane took off, he
was a trifle scared when he saw the
water because he thought the plane
was going to crash into it. Gabriel's
favorite part of the flight was the
food.
Already, in their first week in the
country, the boys have been privy
to a hockey game, and while they
enjoyed it immensely, they were
also quite intrigued by the sport of
Iawnbowling.
Outside of the sports scene
Gabriel has become fascinated by
Canadian grocery stores, especially
by the scores of chocolates and
treats on display. In Venezuela,
Nancy explained, there is little of
such things.
Both Gabriel and David have also
taken a liking to apples, and came
home one day bearing armfuls of
the fruit, which had fallen to the
ground from a neighbor's tree.
Both boys have seen photographs
of Niagara Falls, and are looking
forward to their visit to the historic
landmark. They have already seen
Angel Falls, the highest falls in the
world, since it is located in their
own country of Venezuela.
Other outings are planned for
Stratford, Toronto and the CN Tour,
but the boys' interests seem less
metropolitan. Gabriel says he would
like to see a moose during his stay
in Canada, and would also like to
try skating on ice. David would like
to ride a train (there are no trains in
Venezuela), and walk to a bush.
Both would like to make and throw
a snowball.
Both boys are looking forward to
Halloween, although they expect it
will be similar to a Venezuelian
event called The Carnival. David
would like to dress up as a
skeleton.
And despite the fact that Santa
Claus is non existent in Venezuela,
both Gabriel and David harbor
hopes of seeing the jolly, old elf
before their stay in Canada is over.
"We know Santa Claus lives in
North America," said Gabriel, un-
daunted by the fact that Christmas
is still two months away.
Although less exuberant than her
grandsons, Mrs. Mendez says this
first trip to Canada will not he her
last. She would like to visit all of
the major (Canadian cities.
"Canada is beautiful," she said
through her sem. "The homes are
beautiful, and the weather is
beautiful - very fresh and cool. It's
very agreeable, and has very, very
friendly people."
and homes through a network of
underground watermains, pumps
and valves. The watermains begin
at the well near the water tower and
feed through the whole town. A
major watermain was built in 1985
under the railroad tracks.
Water meters are being installed
in newer homes, and eventually
every home in Seaforth will have a
water meter and be billed for actual
water consumption. Mr. Phillips
explained the price of water by
saying "If something happened to
Seaforth's wells, and we had to
connect to a pipeline from Lake
Huron, the price of water will have
to go up." But, during the tour, Mr.
Smale assured the small group that
Seaforth has "oodles of water."
Beside each of the wells are
hydro substations that receive
electricity from Ontario Hydro at
27,600 volts. The hydro is stepped
down to 4,160 volts at the
substations and sent out to the 120
distributor transformers in Seaforth.
Some hydro lines are underground,
especially in the new subdivisions
in Seaforth, but most are strung
from hydro poles.
There are about 700 to 800 homes
in Seaforth and the PUC has 1,100
customers. Many homes were built
to use electric heat about 15 years
ago, and many homes still do use
electric heat. Today, due to the high
price of hydro, the trend is to using
heating such fuels as natural gas
and propane.
Seaforth PUC also has main-
tenance services they provide for
the town. Besides stringing hydro
lines, the PUC does tree trimming
to give clearance to hydro lines and
make the trees safe. Since Seaforth
PUC is the largest PUC in the area
and has the most equipment, it
assists Brussels and Dublin. It is
also on call for Dublin, Hensall and
Dashwood for emergencies.
There are 74 fire hydrants in
Seaforth and the PUC maintains
them. A project being carried out
now by the PUC is the installation
of shut off valves on the hydrants.
Mr. and Mrs. Wesley Russell of
Seaforth attended the Open House
and Tour and said they found it
very informative.
"I had no idea there was so much
offered by the PUC," commented
Mr. Russell.
"It was interesting to
see all the equipment the PUC has
and to learn about it."
COMMUNITY CALENDAR
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#elirp in * dee des, do% acme et event and location only. Specs for the
Cemounity Ca ender Mdlieloted by The Huron Expositor.
Wed., Oct. 24
1:00 - 3:00 p.m. - Senior, Parents and
Tots Skating
4:30 - 5:30 p.m. - Ringette at the Arena
5:30 - 6:30 p.m. - Pee Wee Hockey
practice at Arena
6:00 p.m. - Egmondvllle United Church
Fowl Supper
6:30 - 7:30 p.m. - Centenaires practice
7:30 - 9:00 p.m. - Minor Broomball at
Arena
8:00 - 9:00 p.m. - Fitness Is Fun at the
Arena
9:00 - 11:30 p.m. - Ladies Broomball at
the Arena
8:00 - 10:00 p.m. - Recreational
Volleyball at SONS
Thurs.,
9:00- 10:00 a.m.
Arena
4:00 - 5:30 p.m.
5:30 - 6:30 p.m. -
tice at Arena
6:30 - 8:00 p.m. - Minor Broomball at
the Arena
8:00 - 10:00 p.m. - Mixed Basketball at
the High School
8:00 - 12:00 mid. - Men's Broomball at
Arena
•
Oct. 25
- Fitness Is Fun at the
- Figure Skating
Bantam Hockey prac-
Fri., Oct. 26
4:30 - 5:30 p.m. - PetltefTween Ringette
at the Arena
5:30 - 6:30 p.m. - Junior Houseleague
Hockey practice
6:30 - 7:30 p.m. - Senior Houseleague
Hockey practice
7:30 - 6:30 p.m. - Ringette
Sat., Oct. 27
730. 8:30 a.m. - Kings vs North Stars
8:30 - 9:30 a.m. - Oilers vs. Canadians
9:30 - 10:30 a.m. - Flames vs. Penguins
10-30 - 11:30 a.m. - Leafs vs. Whalers
11 30 - 12:30 p.m. - Mites Hockey
9:00 - 11:00 a.m. - Tap Dancing at the
Anna
12:30 - 1.30 p.m Novice/Bunny
Ringette at Arena
1-30 p m - Hallowe'en Party at
Seaforth Library - Ages 4 to 7
1:30 - 2:30 p. m - Story Hour at Seaforth
Library
1:30 - 3:00 p.m. Free Public Skating
3:00 - 4:00 p.m. - Listowel vs. Novice
Hockey
4:00 - 5:15 p.m. - Listowel vs. Atom
Hockey
5:15 - 7:00 p.m. - Wingham vs. Pee Wee
Hockey
Sun., Oct. 28
1:30 p.m. - Belmont vs. Centenaires
4:00 - 5:30 p.m. • Clinton vs. Atom 1
Hockey
5:30 - 6:30 p.m. - Ringette
7:30 - 8:30 p.m. - Ringette
8:30 - 9:30 p.m. - Ringette
9:30 - 11:00 p.m. - I.H.L.
Mon., Oct. 29
4:30 - 8:30 p.m. - Figure Skating
8:30 - 10:00 p.m. - Beaver Oldtimers vs.
London
7:00 - 9:00 p.m. - Furniture Refinishing
at High School
10:00 - 11:00 p.m. Midget Hockey
practice
Tues., Oct. 30
9:00 - 10:00 a.m. - Fitness is Fun at the
Arena
10:30 - 12 noon - Senior, Parents and
Tots Skating
4:30 - 5:30 p.m. - Teachers Hockey
5:30 - 6:30 p.m. - Novice Hockey
practice
6:30-8:00pm.
Hockey
8:00 - 1000 p.m
Hockey
Wed.
1.30-4:OOp.m -
at Arena
1:00-3:00 p m
Tots Skating
4 30 - 5-30 p.m Ringette prsctice at
the Arena
5:30 - 6:30 p.m. - Pee Wee Hockey
practice at Arena
7 30 - 9:00 p m - Minor Broombell at
Arena
8:00 - 9:00 p.m Fitness Is Fun at
Arena
9:00 - 11:30 p m Ladies Broombell
at Arens
8:00 - 10.00 p m Recreational
Volleyball et SSHS
HAPPY HALLOWE'EN
- Zurich vs. Bantams
Clinton vs. Midget
Oct. 31
Senior Shuffleboard
Senior. Parents and