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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Huron Expositor, 1989-11-08, Page 1Walton — A6 Dublin — A7 Sports — A10, Al1, A17 Wedding — A16 Obituaries — A18 Serving the communities and areas of Seatorth, Brussels. Dublin. Hensall and Walton Seatorth, Ontario sitor HURON EXPOSITOR, WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 1989 Brussels BY BILL HENRY Brussels has been chosen as the nor- thern site of one of two new county homes for the aged, ending several weeks of political lobbying by municipal and county politicians and resident groups in both Wingham and the Brussels area. Huron County Council voted 1944 Thursday to build the 82 -bed facility on a site in Morris Township, just outside Brussels. The decision drew loud applause from the Brussels portion of the packed gallery in the council chambers who had waited throughout the day for the issue to be decided. The decision to build in Brussels was a relief to that community, which learned a week earlier that a private, 34 -bed nur- sing home which employs more than 40 people is scheduled to close and move to Wingham. Tenders could be called for construction of the two new county homes by late next year, with early 1992 being slated as a .completion date, Huronview administrator Wayne Lester said.. The two facilities, one with 122 beds in Clinton, are to be built at approximately the same time, at a cost of more than $10 million. In keeping with the trend of providing increased meal, .housekeeping and health care services for seniors in their own homes, the two new facilities will reduce the overall population of older county residents housed in county -run public housing. Currently, Huronview in Clinton is gets north home home to 239 people. On moving day in 1992, that population is expected to have fallen, largely through a restricted admission policy ap- proved by council in October, to 184, the number of extended care beds which will be available in the two new homes. "We know we won't have room for 185," he said. The downsizing formula has already caused some concern at the county coun- cil table. Thursday, one councillor criticized a Huronview committee deci- sion to reject applications for admission form a 97 -year-old Clinton woman and a 72 -year-old Tuckersmith Township woman. But both are currently receiving ade- quate care, Lester told council. He later said the committee has clearly said ex- ception to the restricted admissions policy will be made for people without alternatives. "If a real emergency cropped up, we .would assist. It's not as if the doors are completely closed," he said While being mainly extended care facilities; with virtually no residential care beds as currently exist at Huron - view, the new homes will instead offer space for 20 residents living in what's be- ing called alternative housing units - separate apartments where an elderly husband and wife could live on their own. These self-contained units, which would also be available as single units, will have kitchen, living room, bedrooms and bathroom. But the rest of thepopulation at Huron - SOMETHING NEW EVERY DAY = Deani Van Pelt, an instructor at Seaforth Secon- dary School's office 'administration program for adult students, goes over an In- formation Processing detail with a student. The students will be in class for four months and will later be placed in co-op employment positions. Elliott photo. Skills development leads to co-op employment Earlier this fall, Seaforth District Secon- dary School initiated a pilot program in adult education which aims at providing specialized education in Office Administra- tion in combination with a co-op employ- ment opportunity. To date, the program has been underway for one month and from all indications things are running very well for the 20 students involved. Deani Van Pelt and Susan Wheatley are the instructors for the course, which com- bines four months of in -class instruction from October to February followed by a four month placement with an employer. Mrs. Van Pelt, who was involved in setting up the program and the student selection process, looks after the Accounting and In- formation Processing end of the course while Mrs. Wheatley teaches Business English and Personal Life Management. One of the perks of teaching this course, they both agree, is being able to work as a "teaching team" in a Wass where stu- dent motivation is high. "It's a fabulous arrangement", says Mrs. Van Pelt. Participants in the course hail from diverse educational and personal backgrounds, and come from as far away as Blyth and Huron Park to spend a full school day, nine to three, Cracking the books. The course was first .advertised in September, .,and .was full by the time is began in October. For ram, ;gong back to school 'was a,Pe bWtYk%tit:led 1,ot7g,einlce been ruled out. "Within ,two <or :three weeks, •you're do- ing something that's totally 'different from what you had been doing for maybe 20 years", points out Mrs. Wheatley, who recently returned to Althouse College for her teaching certification. "For some, it can be a difficult transition." But it is a challenge which is being glad- ly embraced for the most part by the students. I love it, I really do", smiles Barb O'Connell of Brussels, who discovered the program through the employment office in Listowel. Although still unsure as to what her choice of co-op placement may be, Mrs. O'Connell adds that she is really en- joying the Information Processing and computer education classes, the more self- directed of the four courses. Going back to school was a big change, she admits. "I've been at home, and my kids are all grown up", says Mrs. O'Connell. "Now it's my turn to shine." The primary focus of the program is to provide the students with the basic office skills necessary for job placement. Aspects of personal development are covered as well, .such as well-being, resource manage- ment and decision -Making. A host of guest speakers have addressed the class on topics ranging from health to making the transition back into ithe workplace. Jeanne Dionne, a respresentative from the Huron County Board of Education, will be discussing resume preparation with the students and. conducting •mock interviews. 1Aarlenediramerss of.Seafor h.is,,onestu- ,dent ,Who, f s r100 l&1�fr`viiard to appply tlg her .newly .acquirwed alallsoin the Worlfplaee Tamta-page 15 4 view will also have private and semi- private rooms with their own bathrooms, a contrast to the large, shared bathroom currently in use at. Huronview. "I guess mall- ^-hat T'm excited about is that we'll , provide a lot more privacy fm residents," said Lester. Each home will also have two respite care beds, which will be temporarily available for county residents who need brief stays at the home for variety of reasons. The decision last week to build North Huron's home at Brussels ends years of study and preliminary planning to deter- mine how best to replace Huronview. An architect's study several years ago determined that renovating the facility to current standards would cost more than a new building. A county wide study group then held numerous public meetings to determine what kind of care Huron wants for its seniors. That group's final report in June of 1988 called for three county homes. But the provincial government refused to fund its share of a home in South Huron, saying private homes in the area were meeting the need. That forced Huron County Council to agree to the current proposal to bum the two facilities now scheduled for cofistruction in 1991. County council has set aside $900,000 yearly over the nextt years as its 50 per cent share of th ' construction costs. By provincial law,i,each county in On- tario must provide housing for its elder- ly residents. New roa p bridge may impact on Seaforth traffic On October 6 the Colbourne-Goderich Township Boundary Bridge was officially opened. And while its presence will offer travellers a less congested' route from Goderich to Kitchener, it will not necessarily have a negative impact on those communities located along Highway 8. "It will make some difference as to the amount of traffic travelling Highway 8, and could reduce it eventually up to 1,000 cars a day," commented Dennis Merrell, County Engineer and Road Superintendent for Huron County. "But that's not by any means a majori- ty when you consider the number of cars using Highway 8 now. It will mostly serve a local. and long trip function." Mr. Merrell explained that the new bridge, built one mile south of the historic Ball's Bridge, was constructed in com- pliance with modern day standards, and makes it feasible for farm and commuter traffic to travel safely in a less congested area. "Ball's Bridge was built in 1805 and was not built to, handle modern loads. It has a two tonne limit," said Mr. Merrell, adding the old bridge was not suitable for heavy traffic, since it is only a one lane bridge, and the roads approaching it are steep and unpaved. Because of that reason traffic that might otherwise have used that route was being forced onto Highway 8. The new road, with the new bridge, takes out the old jogs and provides a straight line road from Benmiller to Londesboro, where travellers have the op- tion of travelling on to Kitchener, via Win- throp, Brodhagen, Bornholm and Highway 19. Turn to page 15 • inlinilliNIBBIREIBOBVIRIWAReallemeasimenewas- 50 cents a copy 1 POPPY CAMPAIGN Joe Kenneally, in the regular service and stationned in Toron- to, was in Seaforth on Sunday to help his Legion, Seaforth Branch 156, with its annual poppy campaign. Robinet photo. Three fires The cause of a fire at 31 Main St. which destroyed the garage and car belonging to Jessie Bennewies has not been determined, Fire Chief George Garrick reported that the Fire Marshall was called in to investigate the blaze, which broke out in the early morning hours of Saturday, Oc- tober 28. Firefighters sifted through the charred rubble, but no cause for the fire could be found. The blaze caused an estimated $15,000 in damage, completely destroying the shed and a car inside of it, and badly damaging a car parked directly next to the shed. Firefighters were called to the farm of Dan. Murray at noon on Tuesday, October 31 when burning grain began to flare up in a granary. The RR 4, Walton farmer lost a barn to fire late in September and grain stored in an adjacent granary had been smoldering ever since. Seaforth firefighters hosed down the grain ,and ,the bin was emptied with no major incident. A car fire :broke out on the Staffa Road early Friday afternoon, completely destroying a ,vejiicle longing to Doug'Poulton, ,af 0n.. , e. Mrs.Poulton ; fortlbifirafightors ived n; he,scone 'Garrick noted that the fire was either was driivitlg ea r �>when `it came to a u 't to car ,Was .a writi4offby the time caused by an electrical malfunction or a stop and„began to;ssmoke,nnder the hood. the blaze was .extinguished. thief George fuel leak, Three injured in .head on crash Three persons were injured in a head on collision on Highway 8 east of Seaforth on Saturday afternoon. Goderich OPP said the crash occurred when an eastbound vehicle in the process of passinganother vehicle, struck a west- bound vehicle in the passing area. The accident occured .3 kilometres east of Tuckersmith Township Road 15, near Arts Farms. A Seaforth man who was driving the eastbound car has been erupt in charged in the accident. Injured were Sarah and William Pro- udlove of Stratford, and Jeffrey Ramey of Cambridge. All were transported to Seaforth Community Hospital by am- bulance. Mrs. Proudlove, who was most seriously injured of the three, was later transported to the Stratford General Hospital, but was released after one day. The accident was investigated by Con- stable Eric Gosse. the area ICFs 4NC4 A bOST CAUSE - Seaforth firefighters tried vainly to save Doug Poulton's oar .after it stalled and caught fire on the Staffa Road last week. The vehicle was completely destroyed by the blaze, caused by either an electrical malfunction or .a fuel leak. Elliott ,photo.