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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Huron Expositor, 1983-11-16, Page 2$ilial18 0t,$.1vIn h':Cplp,ntunity,lrat Incor'poraflnq #.8rus'cIs Post founded 1872 827-0240' 12sinSt �� e,` �' Publltiiled Si SEAFORTHj, ONTARIO f0fery Vilednesd►Y'tnornldp ' 8usaaviti te, Man aging Editor ' • Jocelyn A. Shrler, Publisher • Member,Genadlan Community Newepaper Assoc Qatari() Community Newspaper Association end Audit Bureau of Circulation A member of the Ontario Press Council Subpeription rates: .Canada 318.75 a year (In advance) Outside Canada 555.00 a year (Irl advance) Single Copies - 50 cents each SEAF,ORTH„ONTARIO; WgDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 1983 Second class Mall registration Number 069!1` k'. Let's get moving There was some good news and some bad news in the report of Goderich architect Nick Hill to Seaforth council and audience members last week. Unfortunately there weren't a lot 9f people there to hear him say it. Mr. Hill was commissioned to look at setting up a heritage district in downtown Seaforth. If and when one is established, there's the possibility of grant money for both the owners of private buildings and for the downtown as a whole. There's also the possibility of a unified downtown Seaforth, a section that makes a statement, has an identity and co-operates to attract shoppers and residents...the sort of togetherness that's worked for big city shopping centres. Seaforth's merchants' group, the BIA, could take the downtown heritage district, develop a marketing plan and run with it. , But, Mr. Hill cautions, and he echoes the comments of some very perceptive Seaforth businesspeople he Interviewed during his research, all the fixing up in the world won't help downtown Seaforth get a firmer economic base. - The future of downtown Seaforth of course concerns every one of, us who thinks about it. Opinions, naturally, differ on how -badly off things are now, how much better we can make them and how to go about that. The majority of those Interviewed were positive about downtown Seaforth. We think that's the way most of us feel. We might be down a bit but we're on the move back up. Examples include the redevelopment of the Rathwell building, the expansion of Roth's parking lot, the plans to restore the Commercial Hotel and Cardno's Hall. Plenty of business people have confidence in downtown Seaforth. They feel there's enough business here to justify their investments. That confidence needs to be spread around. A marketing plan for the downtown as a whole needs to be developed. There is help available from higher up levels of government. The heritage plan has ideas and so does the BIA. Now we suggest town council exercise some leadershipand call all those involved in downtown Seaforth to a meeting where they can pool their information and develop strategies for improvement. If it worked for recreation, it can work for downtown. - S.W. .. No 100% tax rebate A group of Huron County farmers have been telling their counterparts, the local federation of agriculture and Dennis Timbrell, minister of agriculture that the proposed 100 per cent farm tax rebate was wrong: Mr. Timbrell has finally admitted that they were right. The past nine months has seen heated debate at county levels where farmers argued the 100 per cent proposal could see property rights eroded. Some felt obligated to pay taxes. Only 68 per cent of Ontario farmers apply for the present 50 per cent rebate. The 100 per cent rebate would only have applied to agricultural land. Rural residences would be reassessed and taxed accordingly. In reality, the average farmer would probably have paid the same taxes under the new program, provided he applied for the rebate. Owners of large tracts of land would have benefitted. But it was these large owners who opposed the proposal. The proposal was a move to relieve farmers of the burden of paying for services such as education. The OFA maintains education tax should not be calculated on the value of farmland. Some say that loss of property rights is not a valid argument. Farmers are still paying taxes on all their property, they're still getting a rebate they say. Property rights rural landowners have now don't amount to much. They continue to fight transmission corridors, highway expansion, even landfill sites. But these same rights are lost through expropriation. People are very wary of government and anything they feel, will infringe upon them. They are leery of any move that is supposed to be a benefit. They feel they don't get something for nothing. Chances are that property rights wouldn't be lost. But there's always the nagging suspicion that a 100 per cent rebate isn't that great of a deal. Nevertheless, farmers and the OFA have been promised an enriched rebate program. Instead of the 50 per cern, they can now apply for a 60 per cent rebate in total taxes. The nevi/ system will amount to about $90 million in total tax rebates compared to $68 million under the old system. The proposal was thrown out in the end because a significant number of farm properties would see net tax increases under the 100 Oer cent rebate. As well it would have adversely affected non-farm taxpayer, says Mr. Timbrell. It's not often government or for that matter, anyone, will admit they were wrong. Let's hope the trend continues. - R.W. LEARNING: TO SKATE,iu rte ups and downs. • Aust aslj;;Noello Thompson. The five -year-olds: falls don't get her down. She Neepa'on limillnp,' ONat#Initphdt(i) w1, Do birthd The best way to handle a birthday party for a six-year-old is not to have one. The second best way is to sneak out early. 1 discovered that when my daughter entertained 10 of her nearest and dearest recently. I'm doing doing my bit, i carefully explained to her father the night before the big event. i orgaitired thrething, Made the cake and wrote the invitations. (With help:from the celebrant which meant both jobs took a little longer , than they would have if done solo. But every painstakingly lettered word or carefully measured bit of ingredients was a valuable learning experience. For both of us.) His job, i proposed, would be to drive the kids home after the big bash was over. After all, I'd pick them up at school and at home. ,Besides, I had a class that night and had to be in London by :30. OME DELIVERY Reluctantly fie agreed. Even though it meant being alone (well loaybea grand- parent or two) with the little tie ra\ for a half Pewee won't win votes for Trudeau arties make you grey.. ASO nr C EI AW a t© goy by Sus©ti,In hour before making the home deliveries. Tdon't know how theltde`rfyliandlifit in that half hour. i bravely put on my coat, picked irp my'books`and walked out. But 1 have heard since that the trip home for all the kids was not without adventure. We'd tal4c1 a bit ahead of time, the better half and 1, about where the party guests lived. When 1 picked them up, the kids recited directions to each others houses. Piece of cake. But the birthday girl's father doesn't spend as much time in Seaforth as 1 do and he was quite shaken by one little cherub's story. "I don't live in Seaforth,” says she as the kid -laden car was proceeding from our place into town. "1 live in Stratford." "Fine," said the better half nonchalantly, "but)'oij'j1bave(9w'attitf orruw 1'1(take you home when. I go into +fork• ", Then he ,started to worry. • SHEDOES SO The other kids helped him out. "She does so live in Seaforth. We'll show you where." And even as he pulled into .the driveway of where he thought this particular six-year-old lived, with most of the others saying "yeah, this is it." there were some doubts in his mind. For the birthday guest calmly, with 'an angelic smile on her face, still insisted that she didn't live in Seaforth. Her parting words were "well, I'll go into this house if you want. But I don't know who lives here.:' He sat in the driveway just in case, but she didn't reappear. All evening he suffered from a bit of nagging doubt. When 1 Flit home I could reassure him. that she did indeed live in Seaforth. The father of the birthday girl now has a funny story to tell on himself anda six-yearoldapracticalaokero.,4 �Ai •a:., Ff'S TIME TO PAINT AWAit T$AT GR1h ( This. may come as a surprise to • my nearest and dearest, but the reason I've been slinging a paintbrush around after work and on weekends has nothing to do with the fact that the ,,.,place needs redecorating. Oh it does; especially ,the crummy and cluttered back porch that serves as ' an entrance way. But i've, been free with the Please see PARTIES. on page 3 If Prime Minister Trudeau is seeking t' increase his popularity at home, as his " Dcga 1 d u[G oz@I( cynical critics suggest, by going on his round -the -world peace mission then he really must be as out of touch with reality as the 52 -per -cent of the population who despise him think. Surely even if Mr. Trudeau's backroom political advisers are feeling desperate to reverse the disastrous political polls they must be astute enough to know peace does not bring votes. Look at recent history. Politicians who seek peace get beaten. Politicians that go to war win new popularity. Currently, Ronald Reagan has won new popularity with his overnight invasion of Grenada. While the governments of friendly nations protest and politicians of other stripes in the U.S.scream about the illegality of it all, the American people are strongly behind the president. Mr. Reagan is only the most recent beneficiary of the trend. The military Flyers invited to reunion IT© el* @cIrritioe A world reunion. to end all wartime .aircrew reunions, will take place Sept. 6-9, 1984, in Winnipeg, Canada, for all nationalities who have ever flown in an air force of the British Commonwealth - I The purpose is to reunite comrades who have a special bond between them, by virtue of their uni9ue experiences and recognized contributions to the peace and freedom we have enjoyed for almost four decades. Four days of activities are on the program. including Command reception rooms, a banquet, concert and ball, a visit to a flying training station, an air show, gala luncheon, static displays and a cenotaph parade and memorial service. Previous reunions were held in 1970, 1976 and 1980, each one being larger and more spectacular than the others. Registra- ��tions are well ahead of previous reunions, mostly from flyers who attended one or more of the previous ones. Special air fares and charter flights are being arranged to bring former airmen from other Canadian provinces and abroad. Registrants will be kept informed. Write now, or phone (204) 489-9256, either to register or get further informa- tion. Registration is 5105 (Canadian), plus S95. for wives. A hotel deposit of S50. also is required for each person. The address is Reunion '84, P.O. Box 2639, Winnipeg. Canada, R3C 4B3. Reunion Committee by f @a4h G°30MllotOfrii government in Argentina was popular only once in its long terror -filled reign, when it invaded the Falkland islands to rebuild national price. Unfortunately for the junta, they lost that war and the resulting displeasure caused the public to unite for the first time in numbers sufficient to drive the army out of office and return democracy. it was a strangely reversed role of the traditional "war to save democracy." That•same war turned the,politieal future of Margaret Thatcher around in Britain. With the economy in a shambles, with her promise of a return to the good old days of British pride seeming a failure, the political analysts were simply trying to figure out which of the opposition parties would form the next government until the iron Lady drove the Argentinians out of the tiny islands most of the British public had never heard of before. Today she seems invincible. There's something attractive about war. It has the welcomeness of a school yard skuffle where the tensions that have been suppress- ed for so long in the name of good manners finally boil over into one quick, cathartic battle. Action is so much mote rewarding than compromise sometimes. The problem, however, is to find a nice clean little war, one that releases the public's pent-up frustrations without going on toff long. Let a war drag on and begin to hurt too much on the home front and it can be counter-productive, Making the public look for a new government, not strengthen-, ing the old one. The Argentine generals found that out. Lyndon Johnston found that out. Richard Nixon actually wan popularity for getting the Americans out of a long war that had at first been popular. So one has to be choosy who one gets into a battle with. The Israelis have been good at it. i mean while in history we study the 100 Years War and in fact we live^through two protracted World Wars so that even the Korean War looks short by comparison, the Israeli's commemorate the Six Days War, Mr. Reagan finallyl;found the perfect war in Grenada. He'd love to'take'on Nicaragua but knows it could gel titessy. Cuba would be even more attractive ,bat• the Americans already looked 'foolish .tire once. Grenada served the purpose, although even then he must have been surptised that it took so long to capture the island" and' that so many Ame "'cans were killed.. -. So? Mr. Tritdeau;-' .ff 'you're . really interested in keeping.powerp forget this. counter-productive "peace%stuff, Find a nil e little country you can attack and defeat. Separated shoulder ruinsbeautiful autumn "So foul and fair a fall I have not seen." That's just as good ag'anything Shakespeare wrote or Macbeth said. The only word that is changed is "fall" for "day". And you can blame the three witches: Pain, Boredom and Frustration for that. Fall fairs. Fall festivals. Excitement. Color. A last fling before the dreary days of November and the icy, endless clutch of a Canadian winter. it's been the fairest of falls. After a summer so fine that no Canadian can quite believe it, we had a September and October that have made us wonder why anybody would want to live anywhere else. Sun. Few bugs. incredible August, Superb September. Glorious colors. Corn and real tomatoes stretching into October. Rotten kids back to school. Great golfing. Fine fishing. Utopia. Well, I'm glad you enjoyed it, you rotters. i can see you, sittlnnggin the from now.umg home arguing about it, years Yeah, the fall of '83 was the best we ever had. Sun shone near every day. Fuel bill was nearly nowt. iSidn't put on my long johns till October first." Yab ut", counters another old-timer, "that's the fall Trudeau derided to stay on." Heavy silence. Well, if you look back to the first paragraph, you'll find the word "foul". It's been a foul fall for yours truly.tali. Go to Oh, we intended to enjoy that Slag@ ? ©fid ZPOC@ . Copy BM alio@y ' the FaII Fair, go to a Festiyal. We went to a Festival, but we didn't make the Fail Fair. Me and the Old Lady, as we say at the Legion, took a late -summer shot at the Shaw Festival. No tickets, no room reservations. We just played it by ear. it worked. It was a fateful decision. Naturally, we didn't see any Shaw, but thoroughly enjoyed "Private Lives" and "Vortex" by Noel Coward, and the musical "Tom Jones". Everything went well. The shows were good, better than lots of Stratford stuff we'd • seen. Francis Hyland,anthat excellent Cana- dian actress, y appreciated because she hasn't gone to the States, was accosted, interviewed, and praised by my wife, was sweet, gracious and laughed heartily at a reference to her first husband, George, an old friend of ours, who succumbed to the Hollywood fleshpots. The "prince of Wales Hotel" at Niagara - on -the -Lake offered everything any big -city hotel could, at the same rates, but with mach more personality. Their bellboys are human beings, not insolent touts with nothing more than a tip on their minds. Waitresses, desk clerks, the same.' Well, as usual, it was too goon to be true. Getting cocky God's favorite angel was hurled into Hell, according to Milton; there to pull himself Mit of the fire and swear eternal vengeance, I guess 1 got cocky too, things were going well. We came back from a show, hadn't eaten dinner, and i proposed to bring up to the room a tray of food from the cafeteria (dining -room closed.) No problem. , Started up with my big tray of hamburgers and other connoiseurs, like mustard and french fries, caught my toe -on the stairs, and catspaulted, backwards. down two flights. Still had the tray in my hands when 1 landed, but nothing on it. (Reminds me of the time when 1 came in with twd bags of groceries, slipped on a fresh -waxed floor and broke my nose on the kitchen counter, because 1 didn't have enough sense to drop the groceries.) Anyway, I wasn't hurled into hell for illy pride, but have had a hell of a time wince, Separated shoulder. As far as pain goes. 1'd 4nst, as adon Ike for a while in the eternal flames that Satan endured, until he pulled .himself together. Football players. Hockey playerk. They get "separated shoulders", and are expect- ed to be out of salon foir a while. That -never bothered me, betelttse it just doesn't happen to an aging teacher tolumnlst. -' . P•ickedup, a bit Stairtled, but not worrying, by two great beilfiops, taken to emezgeney, sling but on, and doctor saying it would be a "week or more" before it was healed, Not to witty. That was just before school re -opened. Spent most of Septernber in a sling with something worse than a chronic toothache and earache combined. • Tried to resume teaching in late Septem- ber. Kids wanted to know why i was weatieg a sling. Between moans and grunts told them several versions, all of which they believed. • Said 1 went to a disco and these two old ladies, about 65, each *entad to dance with me. One was stkoiiger than the other, and pulled my arm .right out of the socket. Toid'them I'd taken a svjfngat a little girl In Grade q' on first day of echobl, 'not realizing she tne* karate. Sold 'd 'been/1 -wrestling With my ggrmandson, aged W. They are a `Tittle • .dgu�s,, but, "That's tub bad slt"% was the Don't ever 'get,* separated shoulder, ,I' yeti do, tell the dottot tai alt it off it the JJoint and aril fit: to i lit66abahk. It would be less painful. •