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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Huron Expositor, 1990-06-27, Page 944. Obituary --.5A— , _ sports 12=13A Graduates -18A Births 19A Weddings ,19A_ orh and area a9 take flight. See ai rinti ai leaves Seaforth with hey., heart. See page 6A., Vit] Serving the communities and areas of Seaforth, Brussels, Dublin, Hensall and Walton ISeaforth, Ontario , WEDNESDAY, JO 27. 1990 60 cents a copy MVCA concerned BY SUSAN OXFORD They have proposed to develop nine and density of the proposed Seaforth residents had their first serviced lots partially in the bush development appropriate for mai- o ppo ty to voice concerns about and three in the open space near the raining the ability of the woodlot W the proposed development of bush. The lots are to be about 50 survive and continue to regenerate? Munn's Bush woodlot into serviced building lots at a special meeting of committee of council June 18. The public meeting, attended by about 30 residents, was part of the process to amend the Town of Seaforth's official plan to make way for the re -zoning and eventual development of the woodlot. The development proposal was sub- mitted to council at least six months ago and a storm sewer easement by-law on the land was approved in recent months. Munn's Bush is located in Seaforth with Duke Street on its north side, North and Church Streets on its southeast side, Centre Street on its south side, and West Street on its southwest side. Of the 82 acres of land involved, 6.5 acres are covered by a mature hard wood woodlot and the rest is open field. The woodlot has trees of black and sugar maple, walnut, basswood and black and red cherry. The proposed development would involve the clearing of some of the woodlot to make room for the building lots. The land is owned by brothers Dr. Don Munn and Dr. William Munn. about Munn's R. The remauung bush Arnold Spivey, spokesperson for would be given to the town to be Maitland Engineering Services Ltd., used as public park space and the firm hired by Dr. Don Munn for named Munn's Bush in honour of the development, told the audience Dr. Jim Akin, the doctors' father, about the proposed plans. He said. Maitland Valley Conservation that the area was zoned resident*, Authority (MVCA) representative, and in 1969, after an Ontan j ' Phil Beard, voiced concern about Municipal Board (OMB) hearing, the development at the meeting. was re=zoned open space and' The MVCA commended the Munns parkland; Before the land can be re - for preserving the woodlot in its zoned -as residential, the Town of natural state for so many years. Seaforth's officialplan be' invol- ves though the Munns' plan developing the area in a respon- sible manner by concentrating the lots along the edge of the woodlot, the MVCA feels these efforts may not be enough to protect the health of the woodlot. The MVCA feels the proposed development should be assessed- and designed with someone who has expertise in forest ecology and landscape architecture before a final decision on the of- ficial plan amendment is made. The two questions the MVCA would like to see answered before a decision is made are: what will be the impact of using this portion of the woodlot for nine residential lots; and is the proposed location, layout Queen's -Hotel to remain in operation • Cathy Ferguson, co-owner of Seaforth's Queen's Hotel, cleared up speculation on Tuesday morning that the landmark hotel would be closing by announcing that the Queen's will remain open, but with limited hours and a cut staff. "On Friday (June 22) we told the staff that we were closing due to financial difficulties," Mrs. Ferguson told the Expositor on Tuesday. "However, we've been advised to try to run the bar and restaurant." After consulting with advisors on Monday, it was decided that the Queen's Cafe will remain open for lunch from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. daily, with the restaurant also open Thursday and Friday from 4 until 8 p.m. The bar will also be open as in the past, however, there will be no live entertainment. "The summer is always quiet, but we just couldn't carry the staff," Mrs. Ferguson explained, adding that the family will be running the hotel until it can be sold, "..as soon as possible." must amended. Dr. Don Munn told the people at the meeting about the history of the bush in his family. The 82 a bush was purchased about 1938 f about $10,000 by his father and the time the area was zon residential. The bush was kept in i natural state by the family and th hard wood forest was allowed flourish and mature. Dr. Don M told how he had played in the bus as a child and children of late generations have also played in bush. Now Dr. Don Munn is readying for retirement, as his brother Dr. Willian Munn did two years ago due to bad health, and the doctors want to sell part of the bush to create money for, their estate's. For the last 50> years the Mtuml'amily has paid taxes on the land and now they want to gain from the in- vestment. The doctors have 11 children between them and in the last two years Dr. Don Munn has had six grandchildren. Dr. Don Munn said about the concerns of the MVCA, "We're concerned about the environment too, and we donate money around the world for conservation things." "We've cared for 50 years (about Munn's Bush) and say 'who's going to care now?' We want to be fair to everyone, ourselves, and our family." Lawyer for Dr. Don Munn, Ken Devereaux, told of an Ontario law ac or at ed is Munn 1 hush trees .ttllat says 5 per cent of land or 5 per c,Cnt of the land's market value in ;u of lands, Must be given to the riunicipality as a condition of ;development or redevelopment. In ;regard to this law Mr. Devereaux ,;laid the offer of the remaining 4woodlot to Seaforth was very ;;generous as the area far exceeds the 5 per cent requested by law. Members of the audience spoke of their concerns over the partial. destruction of the woodlot. One Seaforth Public looks at. two new the rooms Seaforth Public School may the proud owner of a new two -room addition within the next school year. Paul Carroll, Superintendent of .Orations for the Huron County Board of Education, confumed that a two -room addition for the north end of the primary wing of the school is -expected to be added onto Seaforth Public School. The Board is planning to go to tender on the project on or about July 12, and construction on the addition would start as soon as possible. "There's an effort afoot to make it happen," Mr. Carroll said, adding that approval from the Ministry of Education for the project is expected any day now. There is still another level of approval to be obtained after tendering, but the Board does not anticipate any problems with the approval. The Ministry had orally approved i�- SNEAK ATTACK - Andre Malley, maintenance worker at the Seaforth Manor, gets back at Joanne Ryan for some vendetta o another during the Manor's °Pies for Alzheimers' gala on Tuesday afternoon. Sue Bain 'hoto. the provision of two new portables for the school previously. Estimates for the addition have come in at around $125,000, with the funding coming from the provision of local tax dollars in conjunction with Ministry coffers. What's happening this summer? "We have told the principals to be prepared for some construction work going on in the school next year," Mr. Carroll remarked, noting that work on the two -room addition should be completed by January of February of 1991. r "I'm going to go and see my Mom in Toronto, and this week I'm going to visit my Grandma James in Lindsay." ADAM LAWTON, GRADE 4, SEAFORTH PUBLIC SCHOOL. "I think we're going to go on holidays, and then we're going to go to a friend's cottage." ROBBIE JANMAAT, GRADE 3, ST. JAMES SEPARATE SCHOOL. "Well, I'm going up to Camp Craig. It's a horse riding camp. My mom and dad fitted me up to go there." NICHOLAS ASHER, GRADE 5, HURON CENTENNIAL SCHOOL. 4 playing summer hockey with the Saugeen City Platers (Major Atoms.) We have all of our practices in Durham." BRANDON NASH, GRADE 5/6, ST. JAMES SEPARATE SCHOOL. "We're going to go on the swim team and take swimming lessons. We might go to Austrlia.' KRISTEN HALFPENNY, GRADE 1, SEAFORTH PUBLIC SCHOOL "I'm going to my aunt and uncle's house, and we're going to go to Canada's Wonderland." APRIL MILNE, GRADE 3, SEAFORTH PUBLIC SCHOOL. "We're going up to the cottage the second week of July, and we're going to be taking the boat." ANDY CANTELON, GRADE 5, HURON CENTENNIAL SCHOOL. 'We're going out west on Wednesday, around Calgary. We're going there for about two weeks, and we're driving." JULIE AGAR, GRADE 6, ST. JAMES SEPARATE SCHOOL. 44,