HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Huron Expositor, 1983-07-06, Page 1on
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SEAFORT'H, =ONTARIO, 'WEDNE$DA , JULY 0# i$3 "* O PAOO,.
Retail
ALL RETAIL STORES in Huron County will have completely converted to metric
measurements by September. Of two major food stores in Seaforth, one has converted
and the second will be completed this month. Kevin Nixon, meat manager at Roth Food
Market still weighs meat In pounds. Consumers will soon be buying all grocery Items In
grams and kilograms.
Tips on keeping cool
Monday's downpour has put a stop to
"boy, we could sure use some rain" as a
conversational opener in Seaforth and area.
As temperatures soar again, "hot enough for
ya?" takes over as the comment most often
heard on local streets.
It is, for most of us. And to aid in the daily
battle to keep cool, here are some hints from
the experts:
-cut back on strenuous exercise, and drink
cold water before, during and after exercise.
-consciously drink more liquids more fre-
quently; if your body loses too much water it
can't cool itself by perspiring.
-wear light colored, loose cgtton clothing;
synthetics won't allow perspiration out and
will feel sticky.
-a swim or bath in lukewarm water is more
effective than water that's very hot or cold
-salads and light dishes are easter to 'digest.
and to make, in summer heat.
-keep draperies drawn inside during the
hottest daylight hours.
-an alcoholic drink may cool you initially, but
it will dehydrate you or remove water from
your system.
Sorry but sex won't help you keep cool. It
raises the body temperature. Take a cool
shower until the feeling goes away, the
experts say.
01 1;014 WASSIL!IK j.
Seaforth attbePers will soots by buytag a11\
their food„ Item$ With a diffetence ^ the
difference being , metric. Most will have
learned a centimetre isn't a bug and will soon
realize a gram isn't much.
Seaforth Superior and Roth's Food Market,'
have been Selling pre-packaged items itu
metric measurements. Weigh scale convers.
ion to grams and kilograms has been
completed at the Superior'. The change from
pounds to kilograms will be completed at
Roth Food Market this month.
"I ftave mixed feelings about the change,'
says Ken Roth. "It's not really a change I
gams), scares people." One kilogram is
slightly more than two pounds. The „price,
therefore, per kilogram, aiso,doubles,
Any system is good, once people become
used to it. he said, Weight measurements will
be the easiest. '.'It will take time and will be
confusing.` Other than .being'a pain in the
neck, I've heard few .complaints.
The final phase of metric conversion In
Huron County Began in June and will be
rcompleted by September. There has been
some opposition across Canada. But in the
35,000 retail outlets, there has been good
co-operation says Peter McCulloch, spokes-
man for .Metric Commission Canada.
want to make, mainly for the sake of the Some food companies are still in transition
customers. It will be easier for us because we stages which is resulting in uneven measure-
willwbe have a convertforte backnuto pounds,."but it meats. "We are trying to rationalize package
be harder for the consumer." " a sizes and are encouragingcompanies to go to
Some stores are resisting the change, but" round, whole numbers.
esisnoI n. "I've often thought. Th cifre Companies which have completed the
resisting but I think I'm too chicken. ere.' . p
are as many people for metric as there are( metric conversion have decreased the variety
against." of sizes. The biscuit industry has gone from
Most packaged food is sold in metric now • 115 imperial sizes to 15 metric sizes. Wine
has decreased from 59 to 10 sizes and
toothpaste from 29 to four/
A major consumer benefit is accuracy in
weights. There are 28 grams in one ounce, so
the metric system measures smaller units.
and • labels for store packaged items are
printed with metric symbols. The disadvan-
tage of not switching is that everything is
against us."
VARIETY
Metric may be confusing, but the variety of
package sizes add to the confusion. As an
example; Jello comes in four packages of
almost the same size. One is 85 grams, the
second 92 grams, third, 106 grams and the
last is 113 grams. "The government has
really screwed up. The idea of metric is
everything divides by 10. These odd sizes
cause more confusion."
Seaforth Superior is completely metric.
"Whether 1 like it or not, doesn't matter,
says Brian Calver, manager. "It's here. It's
something we have to live with."
Working daily with metric units has made
the gradual changeover less confusing for
Mr. Calver. "Because I work with it (metric)
every day, it's hard for me to look at it
objectively. It will be most difficult for the
older people to relate. The young kids learn it
in school.
We have to train ourselves to forget pounds
and ounces," says Mr. Calver.
"The price difference (pounds to kilo -
Metric is not new in Canada. "We were
metric in 1871. Camera equipment, eye
glasses and light bu18s are all metric. Yes, a
watt is metric."
The United States is following Canada's
lead. Heavy equipment, automobiles, farm
equipment, pre-packaged food, wines and
distilled spirits are all metric. "They're
definitely switching. Only North and South
Yemen are not using metric measurements -
220 odd countries in the world are."
..,hange to metric, consumers will not be faced
Once retail stores have completed the
With any more changes, says Mr. McCulloch.
Although conversion will still have to be
used, the secret is to think metric, not
imperial. Converting celcius to fahrenheit
can be a disaster. For those who wish to relate
to weather forcasts, remember: 30 is hot; 20
is pleasing; 12 is not and 0 is freezing.
People are creatures of habit, they don't
Please turn to page 3
Majority oppose landfill site
The proposed landfill site in McKillop
township will be like a motel, one of the
experts at Thursday's open house at the
town hall said. Once it's there, you'll never
know it.
The comparison brought a flurry of
objections from visitors at the landfill site
information meeting. Approximately 40
attended each meeting, the first on
Wednesday. ,
"The problem is, there is a lot of
misconception concerning landfill sites,"
said Mike Mitchell, town solicitor. "It's
against the law to burn garbage, but there
are certain older sites where there is
controlled burning. The Ministry of the
Environment makes sure it's done properly.'
Other questions included whether a weigh
scale would be installed; how close can
nearby property owners build to the site; and
why the offer of Tom Schoonderwoerd. for
the use of his property was declined.
"I think people had a lot of technical
questions answered - they understand the
hydro -geological aspect better." says Burns
Ross of the Goderich engineering firm of
Burns -Ross and Associates. "I'm sure there
are concerns that will never be completely
answered."
The outcome of the meeting was that the
majority is strongly opposed to the proposal.
"It is doubtful we could satisfy any group."
Mr. Ross expects the matter will go to a
consolidated hearing. If there are no
objections to the final report, there will be no
hearing. "The hearing will likely take place
this fall." The reports will be available to the
public for at least 30 days. Perhaps one set
could be circulated among objectors, town
derk Jim Crocker suggested.
A second reason a hearing will have to be
THE MAJORITY of the 40 people attending the Information meetings of the proposed
landfill site in McKillop township were opposed. If there are objections when the final
report is released, a consolidated hearing will be held, Tony Crutcher, right, a
hydro -geologist, explained technical terms to the visitors. (Wasslnk photo)
held is more land is required to provide
access from County Road 12. "We under-
stand we may have to expropriate two acres
of land. There are two landowners involved.'
The landowners whose property is requir-
ed were contacted by landfill committee
members, said Mr. Crocker. "There was an
indication of not wishing to sell. We want
access from the highway because it is
maintained better; it's closer to the nucleus
of the population and is closer to proposed
site. We yvill have to take it one step at a
time. If they refuse to sell after we make a
firm offer, we will have to proceed with
expropriation.".
Con Eckert was unable to attend the open
hmSe. "They need two acres from me. I've
decided to see what happens. The way I look
at `it,. nobody wants it (landfill site), but
evetybody needs it."
"We didn't get anything out of the first
meeting, but the second -night was informa-
tive," says Christine Hoste. "We are very
much ..posed to the landfill site. They have
S100,1 t t invested in studies so they will try
to push it through. If we can prove that area
wells and Silver Creek will be polluted from
the site, I think we have a chance."
Approximately two acres are required
from the Hoste property for the access road.
They have made no decision on selling.
"The dump is not there yet, so why should
we rush into anything?"
The objections and questions at the
meetings were expected said Mr. Ross.
"They told us exactly what their feelings
were. Points were raised that we have to look
at. That's why such meetings are held.
"I'm quite sure there will be a landfill
site, but I don't know if it will be at that
location. It depends on the outcome of the
hearing."
Time is of the essence. "If the hearing
turns down the proposal, it could take
another year before another site is found. In
the meantime, I don't know what would be
done with the garbage."
Referring to styrofoam cups, plastic and
pens, all in evidence at the meeting, "the
problem is the way we live," Mr. Mitchell
said.
"We're going to be buried in our own
garbage," said neighbour Mae Govenlock.
Landfills will be around for 20 years
Despite a new provincial policy that calls
landfill sites old-fashioned, they'll be the
only solution for garbage for small
populations. like Seaforth, McKillop and
Tuckersmith. "for at least 20 years" says
MPP Murray Elston (Lib. Huron -Bruce).
Recycling and reducing waste volume,
announced by environment minister Keith
Norton as Ontario's new waste manage-
ment policy, are too costly to be used in
rural areas. Although there will be more
separation of garbage. even in small
landfill sites, like the new one proposed
here to serve nearly 7,000 people, "the
difficulty is getting the volumes in small
sites to make it worthwhile," Mr, Elston
says.
While there'll be more recycling in huge
population area, like Metro Toronto, where
there's very little now, Mr. Elston
questions how many rural municipalities
will be willing to put out money to ship
their garbage to recycling centres.
A Bruce County study has looked at
setting up three or four regional landfill
sites across the county, rather than the
present 29 or 30. But the garbage still has
to be hauled some distance. Incineration
isn't feasible, because it's too expensive.
The proposed landfill site is in Mr.
Bston's riding, but the Liberal environ-
mental critic hasn't been contacted by area
residents who oppose it. Provincial legisla-
tion allows expropriation for a dump site,
he notes. "The most you can hope for is
that it (any garbage at the site) will all be
contained."
Studies done in Germany near chemical
waste disposal sites have shown that they
do not seem to diminish the value of farms
within their buffer zones. There's "not
much of a track record in this area,"
though.
If neighbours feel they can prove injury
or loss because of the site they could bring
a nuisance action against the municipali-
ties, but such suits are costly and dragged
out, the MPP says.
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HAPPY B RTHDAY Ct(NADA!-Two-year-old Timmy Sills takes time out from a morning
of pony rides up and lawn Main St. to wave the Maple Leaf flag during Canada Day
celebrations on Frida morning in Seaforth.
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Canada Day celebrations
end with a birthday bang
Canada Day celebrations in Seaforth
Friday attra icd a fair crowd during the day
and a good crowd in the evening, says rec
director, Bryan Peter.
"All of the participants thought it was
worthwhile," he says.
At the pancake brunch from 10 a.m. to 1
p.m., the Optimists and the Lions ran out of
sausages and were serving breakfasts at half
price by noon.
.The evening's baseball game between the
firemen and the team combining council and
the recreation committee ended in a tie.
Organizers are uncertain of the final score
and guess it was either 12-12 or 15-15.
The fireworks, the finale of the day, were
the best seen in Seaforth in years, onlookers
said.
For photos of Canada Day in Seaforth. see
inside The Expositor.
Liquor charges triple
Two traffic accidents over the weekend in
Seaforth caused close to $3,000 in damages
and no injuries.
Douglas Fry, of Stratford was charged with
careless driving after hitting and breaking
two hydro poles on Adam St. on Sunday
morning at approximately 2:00 a.m. Dama-
ges were estimated at 5900 to the car and
$1200 to the poles, says Seaforth police chief,
Hal Claus. -
On Saturday morning at about 12:30 a.m.,
a car skidded and hit a tree on Goderich St. E.
causing approximately $1000 damage to the
car. The driver, Bruce Skinner, of Mitchell
was charged with failure to report an
accident.
Eight liquor charges ,nearly three times
the usual number, were also made over the
weekend.
No bui!ding permit
The owner of a Seaforth lot who had new
house foundation, poured before he had a
building permit will he charged with building
s IIIIUUI a p.:. 1111.
"1'11 proceed with charges," said building
inspector Herman VanWieren on his regular
visit to town last Wednesda)r. A stop work
order was served on the new home's owner.
Leo Medd,.tune 24 and alter the uupct.aui
appears before a justice of the peace in
Goderich this week, Mr. Medd "will get a
summons to appear in court."
Building plans on the lot caused a
controversy in the James and Ann St.
neighbourhood. At two hearings of the
town's committee of adjustment, where Mr.
Medd sought a minor variance to zoning
bylaws, several people who live in the area
objected.
The minor variance however. was granted.
Two objectors appealed and an Ontario
Municipal Board (OMB) hearing will be held
on the matter. A building permit won't be
granted until the appeals are heard, says Mr.
VanWieren.There's been no word from
the OMB yet. says town clerk Jim Crocker,
who mailed the appeals last Wednesday.
The controversy hasn't been officially
discussed at council yet, the clerk says but
he'll be reporting on it at the July 12 meeting.
Charges were laid because "we don't want to
create an atmosphere where people can put in
a foundation and then ask for a permit."
Laws like the one requiring a building
permit are for everyone, and in applying
them, the town has to be "fair and
consistent". he adds.
The building inspector says he told Mr.
Medd he could be charged. "He didn't like
the idea, but then 1 don't like the idea of a
parking ticket either "
Mr, Medd could not be reached Tuesday
for comment.
Good golfers start
young/A8
Council up at bat /A6
Emma Friend heads
hospital board /A10
Are you bored and bickering?
Burnout may be your problem
/A10
[12d Y
Births/All
Brussels news/A14,15
Ciassllied / A 16,17
Dublin news/A4,5
Entertainment/A7
Family/A11,12
Farm/A18
Hensel) news/A19
Kids/A13
Londesboro/A19
Obituaries/A4
People/ A7
Smiley/A2
Something to Sey/A2
Sports/ A8,9