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The Exeter Times-Advocate, 1971-09-09, Page 1Council approve traffic. lights Despite the fact the depart- ment of transportation doesn't think traffic lights are required in Exeter, it now appears they will be installed at the corner of Main and Sanders Streets. The department has taken two traffic surveys at the intersection • in the last four years, and both times have advised council that traffic lights are not needed and therefore won't be subsidized by the provincial government. However, local council members in the last four years, along with the police department and numerous citizens, have differed with the department and Monday night Exeter council approved in principle a plan to install traffic lights this year. Total cost of the project is expected to be around $4,500, although a definite figure will be obtained before any work commences. In addition, council will ask the department of transportation for a subsidy on the project. Councillor Bruce Shaw, whose son was knocked down at the corner by a car, and Chief Day have been heading the vestigation into costs for the traffic lights. Shaw reported that the equipment for the work was estimated by one firm at $2,000 and the cost of installation had been tentatively set at $2,500. Provision for lights was made whet Main St. was recon- structed. Some of the required electrical material is already available. The project would include six traffic lights, a hand control for use of the police during parades, funerals or other occasions, as well as blinker lights which would be activated at night, giving Main St. traffic a continual right-of- way, Student records quick 'drop-out' An area youth may have set a record for ,"drop-outs" this week. He was among the 1,007 students who showed up for classes at SHDHS., Tuesday morning. However, he returned after lunch and announced his intention of withdrawing from school. It was suggested by Shaw and the Police Chief that the lights would be setup in such a way that Main St, traffic would have a green light for 75 percent of the time and Sanders St. a green light for only 25 percent of the time in view of the heavier traffic on the former. The plans would have to be approved by the department of transportation. "Would it be done this year?" questioned Councillor Ross Taylor after the plan was ap- proved by council. "This fall," Shaw quickly replied. When asked where the money would come from, Shaw replied some adjustments would have to be made in the budget. LOAD OF CORN TIPS - Corn on the cob became a reality for many residents in the western section of Exeter shortly before noon, Tuesday. A truck driven by John Knight, centre, tipped over on Wellington Street near Caning while attempting to go around a detour spilling corn about the corner. T-A photo • Ninety-sixth Year EXETER, ONTARIO, SEPTEMBER 9, 1971 Price Per Copy 15 Cents Motorists in area fined for speeding AN INDIAN DANCE — One of the feature attractions at Sunday afternoon's performance of the Midwestern rodeo were dances provided by Indians from the Kettle Point reserve. T-A photo Again free of drownings Banner year for resort Seek perpetrators of 'nuisance calls A REAL BATTLE.— It's difficult to tell who's showing the most determination as David Cann comes out of the chutes for the Little Britches calf riding contest at the local rodeo. The Exeter lad won the battle with his mount and stayed on for the allotted time. • Most business people in Grand Bend agree that the summer season that concluded on Monday with the Labour Day weekend was one of the best ever ex- perienced in the Lake Huron summer resort. Furniture store owner Griff Thomas said it was the best season since 1949. Echoing these sentiments was Leo Masse owner of the Tender Spot grocery store who said his business was "fantastic". Masse credited the upsurge in his business to the fact more people were doing their own cooking this summer rather than eating out. Art Haist, owner of Betty and Art's market on Highway 21 said his business was also very good. "We added an annex to our store Insurance firm refuses claims An insurance company for the firm which applied prime dust cover to Exeter streets contends that prime splashed on several cars during the operation was the car owners' misfortune. However, Exeter council members don't agree and will continue to press to have damages to the cars paid. The damage consisted primarily of special wash jobs. Works superintendent Glen Kells quoted sections of the • department of transportation regulations which require the contractor to be responsible for keeping traffic off streets during the operation. Barricades and flagmen are to be used. The insurance company and • Lyle Bullock Limited will be advised of the requirements, which council feel were not followed and resulted in the damage. • Syrup men to visit area The annual convention of the Ontario Maple Syrup Association will be held in late September in the Dashwood and Grand Bend areas. More than 150 members of the association will be billetted in motels and hotels in the Grand Bend area with convention headquarters located at the Bonnie Doon. • The convention will get un- derway on September 30 and will conclude October 2 with a banquet at the Dashwood Community Centre. This year marks the first time the convention has been held in • this part of Western Ontario. Past president Charles Corbett of the Lucan area says the group holds its annual conventions in different maple syrup producing areas of the province each year, Last year's convention was held at Sundridge. The current ▪ president is Ron Shaw of Hawkestone. The Grand Bend chamber of Commerce through the efforts of secretary-manager Jack Mennel Was instrumental in making many of the local arrangements for the convention. this year so it is hard to tell right now how much increase we have had, but it has been a good summer," added Haist. Eric Mcllroy, owner of the Sun Shop and Surf. Shop and one of the original businessmen in Grand Bend feels the best years Summer ended with no crashes Area motorists finished the summer season off in excellent fashion. There were no accidents reported and other traffic oc- currences were of a minor nature. The OPP remind motorists to be careful in school zones now that students have returned to school and that the school buses are again using the highways. Motorists should be familiar with the red flashing lights signifying students are boarding or exiting. The law requires that traffic from both directions must stop when the lights are flashing. are yet to come saying, "you just have to look to the capital in- vestments that are being made in cottage properties." Most merchants interviewed felt that more families were returning to Grant Bend during the month of August. During July, a lot of the visitors were long-haired youngsters. Paul Couse, owner of the hardware store said his business was down and blamed bad publicity early in the summer by daily papers in Detroit, Sarnia and London for keeping family groups away. As far as the motel and hotel accommodations were concerned most businesses were down a bit in volume. Mel Douglas owner of the Bonnie Doone reported business "just a little slower' but he ad- ded, "it was really a good summer with more families visiting. It was a lot quieter and nicer." Councillor Murray Des Jardins — Please turn to page 3 A special court sitting was held at the Exeter town hall, Friday, with Judge Glenn Hays dealing primarily with speeding charges. The exceptions were two charges against Barry Thiel, Zurich, who was injured in a motorcycle accident in the village on June 29. Thiel pleaded guilty to charges of failing to produce proof of insurance and also of passing another vehicle when it was not safe to do so. In the crash, Thiel passed one vehicle and was in collision with oncoming traffic. He said he under estimated the distance of the oncoming traffic. The Zurich man was fined $50 for not producing proof of in- surance and $30 for the traffic charge. Judge Hays followed his usual procedure of fining speeders $2 per each mile over the speed limit up to 10 miles and $3 for each mile over the limit over 10 :'„Pc Paying fines were the following: Raymond Lancashire, Willowdale, $60; Gordon S. Pinnell, Thamesford; $36; Peter Coleman Ball, London, $45; Brian McCartney, London, $20; Ian Allingham, Kincardine, $20; Vernon J. Laurie, Princeton, $45; Byron J. Stubbs, London, $54; Richard Kootstra, Clinton, $45; James Leslie Moore, Hamilton, $57; Ivan Simic, St. Thomas, $36; Clayton Riley, Clinton, $54; Ernie Zeiner, Scarborough, $90; Ber- nard Bierbaum, London, $69. IgX William James Ross, Hamilton, $60; Jack Bertram Gould, Goderich, $39; Nellie C. Maaskant, Clinton, 539; Fred. Mommersteeg, Zurich, $36; Donald Cooper, Huron Park, $45; Marcel Coulombe , Huron Park, $20; Marvin Mills, Guelph, $42; John McConkey, Landon, $36; Donald Hodgson, London, $99; Keith Irwin Hamilton, London, $69; Kenneth Ducharme, Wingham, $45. No opposition about closing Exeter council voiced no ob- jection this week to an ap- plication from the CNR to close station buildings and retire station agents in several locations, including Exeter. Hensall was also one of the communities named. Members of council indicated there was nothing they could do about the situation. During recent weeks, some of the buildings at the local station have been torn down. Noting that some communities had obtained the stations for use by senior citizens or other recreation groups, Councillor Ken Ottewell questioned if this may be a possibility for Exeter. Members felt the building would have to be relocated to be of any use, but there was little interest in exploring the possibilities. Bell official apologizes Officials of Bell Canada have apologized to Exeter council for erecting a telephone booth in front of the local post office without securing a building permit, Three weeks ago, council had authorized a letter be sent to Bell after Reeve Derry Boyle com- plained that Bell Telephone and the federal government ap- parently thought they could do anything they want in town. The booth is on federally owned property. James Scott, area manager for Bell Canada, advised council the company was unaware of the need for acquiring a building permit. "Please accept our apologies," he went on, noting that Bell wished to remain a good cor- porate citizen of the community. Reeve Boyle indicated he was satisfied with the apology. While no letter was sent by council to the federal department involved, Mayor Jack Delbridge said he understood the Reeve's complaint was the reason why Prime Minister Trudeau had cut short a tour of Europe and returned to Canada. • Later in the meeting, council gave permission to Bell Canada to replace an underground line in the ' Andrew St. North area, providing any drain damage be repaired at the company's own cost. Fair prize lists now available Any exhibitors in the tu eu wishing to compete in this year's Exeter Fall Fair are reminded that the prize list booklets are now available at the TWA, The Fair set for Friday and Saturday, September 24 and 25 will again feature, harness racing that pro,,ed popular last. year, Police Chief Ted Day told Exeter council this week his department is doing everything possible in an effort to track down the person or persons responsible for a number of nuisance telephone calls in recent weeks. He reported there had been five complaints about such calls during August, and two were of a serious nature. One of the calls went to the hospital, advising that medical assistance was urgently required at a local home. Two nurses were dispatched by the hospital, but it was found the call was a hoax. "That's getting serious," commented Mayor Jack Delbridge. Chief Day agreed, but ex- plained the difficulties involved in tracking down the callers. Other statistics contained in the Chief's report for August were. seven accidents with four in- juries and daia,„ge of $2,835,14 charges under the HighwaN Traffic Act, 31 driver warned, five chat ge.4., vier the , r Control \d, one place of bits, found insecure, six coniplamt.s about dogs, one break and enter, two thefts under $50 and three Theft cases on increase The number of thefts in the district continues at a high level this week. Two vacant homes in the Grand Bend area were broken into and items of furniture taken. At a residence owned by Mrs. T. Taylor, a floor lamp, table gramaphone, etc., valued at $100 were taken and at one owned by Mrs. Orville Farrell, three dining room chairs, two dressers, a rocking chair and a set of china valued at $150 were removed. A foam paddle boat owned by Sheldon Boyle, London, was taken from his cottage at St. Joseph's. It was valued at $200. Several bed sheets valued at $14 were taken from a clothes line at the residence of Mrs. Raymond Cluett, Huron Park, and a ladies' bicycle was stolen from Mrs. J. A. Wash, also of Huron Park. A small quantity of meat was taken from a Dashwood grocery; several golf balls were stolen from a Grand Bend golf course and a tire and rim valued at $20 were taken from a pickup truck in Crediton. One stolen article was recovered this week. A purse stolen from the residence of Jack Cutting, Huron Park, was found by St. Thomas OPP in a pond that had dried up. The purse was stolen in May. Council okay 22 building permits A total of 22 building permits were approved by Exeter council, Monday. As usual, a number of the projects for which permits were approved had already been completed, but this drew little comment from council members. Gregus Construction had a permit renewed for a new house on Marlborough St. and also received a permit for renovations to the Fairbairn building at 350 Main St. Ray Cooper was given per- mission to move a garage to his property from that of H. Preszcator and Mrs. Don Harris received approval to remove a garage from her property at 130 Gidley. A permit to construct a swimming pool was approved for Peter Raymond. Miscellaneous permits were approved for the following: Gladys Forrest, Harry Walper, Vernon Becker, Merle Dearing, Roy Swartz, William Kernick, Larry Black, John Forrest, J. Daniel, W. G. Balsdon, William Johnston, Ethel Bruce, Elgin Luxton, J. A, Campbell, W. Wraight, J. Blair and the Exeter PUC. over $50, one investigation under the Narcotic Control Act. During the month, the mem- bers of the department had 86 hours of overtime. He indicated this increased due to annual holidays. DRAWING WINNING QUILT TICKET — The Grand Bend Medical Centre was the big winner in a draw held Saturday at the Havasu Trading Post at Grand Bend. At the right medical centre chairman Bill Sturdevant draws the ticket while Peter Sandilands, Nancy Cook and Mrs. Peter Masse of the Trading Post assist. Mr. Sandilands presented the Centre with a cheque for $250, the full proceeds of the ticket sale. T-A photo GRAND BEND'S RECREATION BOOSTERS — One of the first fund raising endeavours for the Grand Bend recreation centre was a booster tag day held over the weekend. Shown returning fund boxes to Reeve John Payne are from the left Mary Jane Sandilands, Sharon Hillier and David Sandilands. BIRD AIDS CHURCH SALE Articles of all kinds were offered by 13rticefield and area resident Saturday at art auction sale to aid construction of a new United Church building. Above, Rick and Judy Dalrymple and Ronnie Thompson ate shown with a duck ready for the auctioneer. T-A photo