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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Huron Expositor, 1980-08-07, Page 1121at Year Whale No. 5805 SEAFORTH, ONTARIO, THURSDAY, AUGUST 7'198O - 20 PAGES •$14' a Yale In *Wm:" Single COY 35 Cents BY HERB SHOVELLER The severe storm which struck Tuesday afternoon wasirestricted to Seafortir and the immediate area and left crop damage and flooding in its wake: "It was only about a five Milestretch north of Seaforth," said Don McKercher, a farmer in McKillop township. "in the eenter it was a lot worse; Corn fields were flattened, and I'm Sure, with any grain left, there would be more lodging." i The storm hit about two in the afternoon and reached its peak between three and.. four. One report, from Harold Colensan of ' Seaforth, was that the town received three s Seaforth Inches of rain during the peak hour, "lt, would be a severe localized storm that , developed as it moved inland from the lake," said Graham Campbell, a meteor - logical technician at the weather office in MORE DAMAGE — A blocked diain on John St. cgused severe flooding Tuesday In front of the Gordon MacDonald residence. Friends and ..,44.4144 neighbours surveyed the -damage and assisted in clearing the flood water. '(more pictures on page 18) (Photo by Oke) .. Goderich. "It's common in the summer .where one area gets nothing and three miks down the road there's a severe storm." Harvey Dolmage, the toss9/ foreman in• Seaforth, was out most, of Wednesday morning with work crews cleaning up the damage caused by the heavy rains. STORM SEWERS FULL "It was mostly just water from the storm," said Mr. Dolmage. "Both -the storm sewers and the sanitary Sewers were full." Part of the reason for flooding was that the storm sewers backed into the sanitary sewers. "We don't know where its getting in," said the foreman. "We've found some of the problems in the last couple years. We've tried a lot of different ways of finding them." tt( . "1 would imagin lmost every basement in Seaforth would ave some water in it," he said, "from a li e bit to a whole lot." The lightning which accompanied the storm is believed to have killed three cattle belonging to Francis Hunt, RR4, Walton. The three steers were grazing at Mr. Hunt's mother's farm at the west end of Seaforth when they were hit. From the weather office Mr. Campbell said the forecasters noted the "top" of the storm was at 48,000 feet. The higher the top, the more severe the storm. "That's a considerable storm," said Mr. Campbell. He noted the severe weather forec sters in Toronto said it was comp able to a severe storm which hit Torono in late July and caused the roof of a shopping mill to collapse. A SUMMER OF EXTREMES , , "It sure - has been a summer of extremes," he added. "In July we had eight to ten thunderstorms, which is twice as many as usual." Meanwhile area communities received far lighter rainfall. "We just had a bit of shower in Clinton," said Stan Paquette,, an associate agricultural representative with the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Food. "It was maybe an eight of an inch of rain. The extent, of damage to farms I really can't tell now." Mr. Campbell said Goderich received ati millimetres of rain -London reported none. One person who will be kept busy as a result of the storm is Don Pletch of Seaforth Electronics. "There were quite a few calls," he said, "Mostly damage to televisions. "I would say I had about 15 calls, and they're still coming ' "Sometimes lightning hits the antenna," added Mr. Pletch, "other times it comes in on the power' wires. I think the storm this week and the storms -two and three weeks ago are going to keep me busy a long time. They've caused a lot of problems." LOTS OF CALLS - Margaret Sharp, secretary of the McKillop Mutual Fire Insurance Company in Seaforth, says a lot of people may be calling the directors of the company, but she, too, has been kept busy. "The phone has been ringing off ofthe wall. There's been a- lot of problems with T.V.'s, but I really don't know if I can give you a true picture of it all," she said. "I know it was a dreadful atorm." Mr. Campbell !sated that three inches (75 millimetres) of rain in an hour is remarkable. As an example, he mentioned that the record for 24 hours for Brucefield is 129.5 millimetres, which is considered quite high. He added -that forecasters are now reporting the possibility of more severe storms for the area later in the week. What do visitors think of Seaforth? 7 ,4 - . .1. • " We stationed reporter Wilma Oke on Main St. recently to find out Read her story on page 3 of thls week's Expositor. Tuckersmith gets 100 letters on rec centre bylaw BY WILMA OKE Tockersmith Township ratepayers last month sent in 83 letters opposing and 17 letters supporting thin. bylaw the township council is hoping to get approved by the Ontario MunitipaliBoard. The bylaw would amend, or correct. a bylaw passed in 1974 calling for the $130,000 debenture debt againsththe Vanastra rec- reation centre to be paid by all the ratepayers across thetownship. Contrary to the bylaw, for the past six year coulicil has been charging the debt only to the land- owners in the hamlet of Vanastra. It had been the original intention of the bylaw that only Vanastra residents would pay for the metre as agreed to in a petition signed by a repaited 79 per cent of the landowners, It has not been determined why the bylaw, requiring Ontario Muncipal Board approval , was incorrectly worded. With many or most of that original 79 per cent of the Vanastra ratepayers no longer living in the hamlet, the present ratepayers feel it is an unfair burden. They say the recreation complex is completely changed> from the original concept of the Vanastra residents who wanted an outdoor swimming pool. It is now an expensive ilsdoor pool used mainly by people living outside of Vanastra, the skating rink is now a private curling club whose tnerabership includes very few Vanastra residents; a community hall for whic.h there is an expensive rental fee which is rented by people mainly from outside the confines of Vanastra, residents claim. ADDMON A op.coo addition to the recreation complex this summer has added another expense to the Vanastra residents, although the whole of the township is charged with this cost and any operathsg deficits as well, including the Vanastra landowners. Another contentious issue is that the recreation complex is owned by the township and managed by the township cquncil with the Vanastra residents having no voice in the management. At the council session Tuesday night the township clerk, Jack McLachlan, said he would be passing on the information to the Ontario Municipal Board of the opposition and support to the bylaw and it will be up to the OMB to decide whether to have a public hearing on the issue so that council and the - Vanastra residents may have the opportunity to voice their opinions. Councillor Frank Falconer said he would Re to see council members support the bylaw 100 per cent and made a motion for this, also asking for g recorded vote. Councillor 'Robert Potheringham seconded the motion, The motion was approved with Reeve Ervin Sillery, Deputy Reeve Robert Bell. Councillors Frank Falconer and Robert Fotheringham all supporting. Couricillur William Brown said he could not go along r ---Inside this week Cycling and Saunas Don Melady, whose home town is St. Columban, has been studying in France for the past year. Now, though, he's on a vacation in Scandanavia. We have two of his letters home in which he describes life in Finland. See page 4 Special Crafts Seaforth's recently arrived refugee family bring a craft with them that they learned in a refugee camp. The Le family makes Laotian 1 shawls and in this week's craft column we take a loot at their work. See page 6 with the bylaw and was the lone dissepting vote. In other business council accepted the tender of,C.A. McDowell Ltd. of Exeter for the construction of a new bridge on.Lot 6, Concession I and 134 Huron Road survey. In the south eA3crncr of the township near the farm owned by Bill Clark. The McDowell tender, the lowest of nine. amounted to 558.540.42. Council will pave the approaches to the Vanastra perimeter road bridge now that the new deck has been laid. An air oomptessor for $175 will be purchased from Neil Hopper of Harpurhey for the No. 2 well in Egmondville. CERTIFICATE A certificate was presented to road superintendent Allan Nicholaon for his successful completion of a three day course in May at the C.S. Andersori Road Sehool at Guelph University sponsored by the Good Roads Association. It was the 15th annual session he has attended at this school during the past years which provides valuable information for mad superintendents across the province. Council accepted the resignation of Ruth Gates as part-time secretary in the township office as she and her husband. Robin, have moved to Ottawa. The ministry cif culture and recreation has forwarded to council- a grant ort729.63 for a West Branch Games A healthy contingent from Seaforth made its way to its sister town. West Branch, , Michigan last weekend for the annual summer games. Expositor photographer Paul Ellis has compiled a photo -story on all the festivities. Page 9 Iranian Oddyssey .The decision has been made, the plans have been laid, and the caravan is slowly making its way east. It's a serialized account of Herb Shoveller's travels through Turkey and Iran in 1974. Come along for the ride, See page 12 creative playground at Vanastra which costs $5,000. Clerk McLachlan will attend fences act - seminar at Cambridge on Aug. 22. Applications for two tile drains amounting to 513.300 were approved. Passed for paynient were the following accounts totalling $88,729.64; Vanastra day care. 53.994.77; Vanastra recreation centre. 512.135.10. roads. 548,965.97 and administrative costs, $23.633.80. Clerk McLachlan was authorized to get prices on a new table and 'chairs for the township office where it is hoped the council will hold its regular meetings following the November election. The rneeting was adjourned at 11:10 p.m. Recreation isn't the only answer BY JIM BEER Recreation is not an answer to every problem, said recreation director Bryan Peter discussing the high rate of alcohol related offences recently reported by Seaforth police. "Recreation is not the be ail and end-all " he said. "There are some teenagers who don't want to get involved in programs at all." In a report from Seaforth Police Chief John Cairns concerning the alarming rate of liquor violations in Seaforth over the past year. Chief Cairns suggested an increase in recreation facilities may help solve the problem. "There is just nothing for young people to do in this town," said Chief Cairns in a July 24 Expositor interview, "What we need is sonie type of complex with an indoor pool or whatever, to keep these kids off the streets." In 1979. Chief Carins said a total 107 charges were made here u nder the Liquor Licetice Act, up from 76 charges in 1978 and 55 charges in 1977. Although Mr. Peter said recreation is not a complete answer. he did say those children who are involved in recreation are less likely to be the offenders. "Take a took at which kids are the problem," said Mr. Peter. "Most of tfiese kids who are involved in recreation are not the problem masers." It all begins with parents developing recreation interests in their children. It has to be something children are interested in. outside of the home and school, said Mr. Peter. "Ncaione department is going to find the solutions," he said, "What is needed is someone from council. the golice depart- ment, recreation and maybe social welfare to take a look at the problems, sit down and find solations." "It is going to take a lot of tirne and the backing of the total community," he added. Mr. Peter said if the town could build a million dollar community centre_who gays people in the community would use it? He said once children reach their mid: raa teens, they betiome set with their own recreational aspiratioes. , THEY MAY INIOF OUT "Once they've reached 15 or 16. they stay involved or they drop out of activities completely." There are no real problems in Seaforth with not enough for kids to do. said Mr. Peter. Honievet. he did say the reason a lot of organkations available to 'youth are unknown. might be because of a lack of Please turn to page 9 Firemen answer weekend calls The Seaforth and area fire department ,was kept running over the holiday weekend as they responded to six calls. Three af the calls were for grain field fires. "Theagrain is so long this year,' • said fire chief Harry Hak, "that the flarniers are cutting it high. It leaves a high stubble, and the fires are being started by the exhausts of cars and trucks." ' Within an hour on Friday evening the department answered two calls. The first, at around7, was at the farm of Bruno 13raecier at RR4, Walton. The fire was brought quickly under control. A neighbour of Breeder's at the scene said a similar fire had started earlier in the evenirig, but was brought under control by using a tractor -pulled watering system. When the second fire brake outithe tractor couldn't be started. The department left the first fire and headed directlywao another at the farm of Nick Whyte at concession 8, lot 32. It was the second grain fire at the Whyte farm in three days. On Saturday morning the department attended a fire at the farm of Francis fficknell at RR5 Seaforth where hay in the barn had overheated. Firemen remained on the scene for nearly 'six hours while the hay was forked Mt. Ah5 a.m. Sunday rimming firemen were called to a fire on the main bridge on a McKillop sideroad. Department officials suspect it was vandals who set fire to a small pile of garbage in the middle of the bridge. Although there was no damage, deputy fire chief Torn Philips said it was still a dangeraus situation because of the heavy fog which blanketed the area early Sunday i morning which made driving hazardous. It was dangerous as well. he said. because. it unnecessarily occupied firemen while a more serious blaze involving lives might have been taking place. Later Sunday the department responded to a call to a fire off the Brumfield road. The Since the Ore was out of their territory, and the Clinton and Brucefield firefighters were cin tha scene. Seaforth firemen returned to town. On Monday the third grain fire on the long weekend took place at a field leased by John Segeren. There was just stubble at the field at covession 3. lot 14, and there was no real damige. "There was a lot of calls," said deputy chief Phillips, "but it was good because the property loss was small." e seas iesiaaasseites„ _ sareala '-sa•