The Exeter Times-Advocate, 1974-09-12, Page 1Ake
STEPHEN OFFICIALS RIGHT AT HOME—One of the model homes in
the Grand Coves Estate mobile home park near Grand Bend is named
Stephenshire. Shown in the above picture are June and Ken Campbell,
Dave McLure, Cecil Desjardine and Wilmar Wein, all of Stephen,
Grand Bend reeve Bob Sharen and Lou Rice of Rice Construction the
contracting firm. T-A photo.
d endorse Mobile homes enthusiastically
Initially, 296 mobile homes will
be located on the 87 acres in
Stephen township, about half of
the area being open space.
Louis A. Rice, of Rice
Construction Co,, Limited who
built the park, pointed out that
while residents of Grand Cove
Estates buy their home from
Lorne Henderson, 'MPP for
Lambton also spoke and said
"Although recent statistics show
----please turn to page 3
Riddell also suggested similar
homes could be built for younger
people.
In her address, Mrs. Scrivener
among four models available,
they rent the land it occupies on
a long-term basis.
The rent, he said, which
amounts to about $80 a month,
pays for the maintenance of all
services, such as roads, un-
derground hydro, telephone and
TV wires and pays for garbage
collection, snow clearing and
park management.
In addition, residents enjoy a
country-club atmosphere since
their rent also pays for
membership and privileges in a
recreation centre with a heated
swimming pool, indoor and out-
door shuffleboard courts, and
community activities run by
members themselves.
Mobile home parks are con-
sidered a desirable addition to
local assessment because, while
they represent a significant con-
tribution in taxes, they require
almost no servicing by the com-
munity. This is particularly im-
portant in the area of education-
adult community mobile-home
parks do not need schools.
ing considered.
Mobile homes have increased
from six percent in 1963 to 16 per-
cent of total housing in 1972,
said mobile homes are a
legitimate form of housing and
changes in planning legislation
regarding mobile homes are be-
Ontario's second mobile-home
park built by Rice Construction
Co., Limited and financed by the
Royal Bank opened Tuesday near
Grand Bend in the Township of
Stephen amid comments that
mobile homes are "the urban
abode of the future."
Grand Cove Estates was of-
ficially opened by Mrs. Margaret
Scrivener, MPP for Toronto St.
David for the Hon, Donald Ir-
vine, MPP, acting minister of
Housing in the Ontario govern-
ment, who pointed out that while
mobile homes accounted for only
9.9 percent of all single detached
dwelling starts in Canada last
year, this year they are already
up to 18 percent and rising.
Assisting Mrs, Scrivener in the
ribbon cutting ceremony was
Joseph Dietrich, reeve of
Stephen township,
Classed as a retirement park
and an adult community, Grand
Cove Estates consists of 137
acres straddling the border
between Stephen township and
the village of Grand Bend.
Tractors to pull
for Kirkton Fair
The annual Kirkton Fair will be
held Saturday of this week with a
full day of activities planned.
For the second year the
spacious new Kirkton-Woodham
Community hall will be used to
house many of the exhibits.
One of the features of the
Saturday afternoon show will be
a tractor pull. This event is
becoming popular at many
Western Ontario fairs and shows.
A parade featuring colorful and
decorated floats entered by area
businesses will get underway at
12:30 p.m,
Grand Cove Estates followed
by more than three years the
opening of the province's first
CMHC approved mobile-home
park, Sandycove Acres, near
Stroud, where there are 700
homes.
Sandycove Acres has been
featured by the Canadian Broad-
casting Corporation and other
news media as an outstanding
example of housing for the
retired family income.
"rhe master of ceremonies was
George Burton, reeve of In-
nisfil township near Barrie
where a similar development has
been underway for several
years.
Also attending were Charles
Tunks and Spence Meecham of
Bendix Home Systems Ltd. of
Hensall manufacturers of the
homes in the park and members
of Grand Bend and Stephen coun-
cils.
Huron MPP Jack Riddell said
establishment of the mobile
home park was the first step in
transforming Grand Bend from a
summer resort to a year round
tourist spot.
r
Price Per Copy 25 Cents EXETER, ONTARIO, SEPTEMBER 12, 1974
Supplied minors beer,
al - handed $150 penalty
PARK OFFICIALLY OPENS—The chores of cutting the ribbon to officially open the Grand Coves Estates
mobile park home near Grand Bend went to Mrs. Margaret Scrivener, MPP for Toronto St. Davids and
Stephen township Reeve Joseph Dietrich. Looking on at the right is Bob Burton, Reeve of Innisfil township
where a similar park is operating. T-A photo
RAP okays ice rental cut
It's the skaters' turn
On the theory of what's fair for
the goose is fair for the gander,
Exeter's RAP committee this
week gave Exeter Figure Skating
Club a break on the anticipated
ice rental fees for their coming
season.
Ann Prout, representing the
club, presented the proposed
budget for the upcoming year
showing a deficit of $440. It was
noted the club already had a
deficit of $330 with RAP as well.
"We would like to he considered
for ice rental reduction," Mrs.
Prout stated.
After a lengthy debate, RAP
member Bob Pooley recom-
mended that the club be given a
contract rate of $2,300 for ice
rental. This was a reduction of
$310 over the figure estimated by
the club for their ice fees.
"We can't do (reductions) for
Distaff readers
receive vouchers
The response by the T-A
readers to our new "spot the
merchants" contest feature has
been overwhelming.
The three lucky winners who
won $5 merchandise certificates
for the first week were: Julia
Hendrick, Main St., Exeter; Patti
Tasko, RR 2 Lucan; and Mrs.
Mary Shoebottom, Centralia.
They have been mailed their
certificates.
All entries received by the
Tuesday noon deadline have been
deposited in a special ballot box
and will be eligible for the big
grand prize draw valued at $100.
This will be made at the con-
clusion of the contests on October
15.
Entries will now be received
for the second contest which
appears this week. Get in on the
fun and remember you can enter
as often as you wish each week
provided you use an official
contest entry . form available
from all the contest advertisers.
The correct answers to the
entire contest will be published in
the T-A at the conclusion of the
contest.
was driven by Carl Oestricher,
RR 1 Dashwood.
Gardiner was injured in the
accident, but all others escaped
unhurt. Damage in the crash was
estimated at almost $25,000.
In other charges heard by
Judge Hays and Justice of the
Peace Douglas Wedlake, the
following fines were levied:
Kenneth Nadon, Crediton, $53
for following another vehicle too
closely.
Mary A. Fejkl, RR 2 Crediton,
$23 for making an improper left
turn,
Dennis Paul Bierling, Usborne
Township, $38 for having liquor in
a place other than his residence,
Peter R. Wunder, RR 1
Corunna, $38 for having liquor in
—please turn to page 3
one and not another," Pooley
stated, in reference to the break
given minor hockey.
Beans better
than expected
Roller skaters
raise $1289
Plan meeting
Fire interrupts
firemen's picnic.
A fire Sunday afternoon in-
terrupted one area resident's
football viewing and also the
Exeter area fire department's
picnic.
Don Jackson, RR 1 Hensall,
had been burning rubbish and
then went to watch the football
game, figuring the blaze was out.
However, a spark apparently
ignited some grass nearby and
the Hensel] area man spotted the
grass on fire and called the local
firemen.
It didn't take the brigade long
to respond to the call with a full
staff on hand. The firemen and
their families had been enjoying
a picnic at Riverview Park.
The fire was quickly quelled
with no damage and all involved
returned to their activities.
Stiffest fine handed out in Ex-
eter court Tuesday went to
Franklin P. Ducharme, Hensall.
He was fined $150 or 15 days in
jail by Judge Glenn Hays on a
charge of supplying beer to
minors.
Ducharme was given 15 days in
which to pay the penalty.
A similar $150 fine was paid by
Alan Duff Patterson, RR 3
Strathroy, who pleaded guilty to
an impaired driving charge. He
had his licence suspended for six
months.
. On a further charge of having
liquor in a place other than his
residence, Patterson was fined
$35.
Two other drivers lost their
licences. They were James E.
-Steeles; 184 Stuart St., Sarnia,
and Douglas Parsons, 390
Edward St., Exeter.
Each pleaded guilty to im-
paired driving.
In addition to $100 fines levied,
each man had his licence
suspended for three months.
A fine of $125 and a six-month
licence suspension was handed
out to Ross Andrew McNair,
Columbia Drive, Huron Park. He
had pleaded guilty to a charge of
driving while disqualified.
Bradley K. Gardiner, RR 1
Merlin, was fined $78 on a charge
of following too closely.
In the latter part of May, the
large truck he was driving ran
into a car and then hit a school
bus' on Highway 83 east of Dash-
wood. The car, which was driven
by Peter Gill, Grand Bend; was
extensively damaged, as was the
Exeter Coach Lines bus which
However, Mrs. Prout wondered
why minor hockey had been'
given a reduction of $780 and the
figure skaters were being offered
only a $310 deduction.
She was advised that the an-
ticipated deficit for minor hockey
this season was $3,000, compared
to the $440 predicted for the
skating club.
John Stephens explained that
the reduction for the skaters was
a higher percentage than given
minor hockey and the latter
group still had to raise over $2,000
to keep their operations in the
black.
Bruce Shaw asked if the
skating club had any projects in
mind to raise funds and Mrs.
Prout said they anticipated
staging a skat-athon early in the
season.
The possibility has also been
discussed of approaching
Usborne council to have them
pay part of the professional
teacher's time so the club could
receive a larger provincial grant.
—please turn to page 3 on project
WE CAN DO IT, TOO — Members of the Exeter fire brigade proved
at Saturday's skate-athon that they wouldn't be outdone by younger
skaters. Shown above doing a fancy turn around the ice are Don Wells
pushing and Fred Wells coasting. In the background are Pete McFalls
and Bill Van Bergen. T-A photo
A joint meeting of the Exeter
RAP committee, lawn bowling
club and euchre players, is to be
scheduled shortly to formulate
plans for improvements to the
bowling clubhouse and grounds.
A joint application from the
three groups has been accepted
for a New Horizons grant of
$5,000.
The project is intended to
update the lighting system,
enlarge and renovate the club
house, complete the insulation of
the facility for year round use
and the erection of a fence along
the south boundary.
Total cost of the project is
estimated at $6,400 with the
bowling club contributing $400
and RAP the other $1,000.
Man has close call
as old silo collapses
A Grand Bend farmer narrowly
escaped serious injury on Friday
when a 50 foot silo collapsed on
top of him and some farm
machinery.
Remi Van Praet of RR 2, Grand
Bend suffered only cuts and
bruises when the 50 year old
structure collapsed. He was just
putting in the last load of en-
silage.
The farm where the accident
occurred is owned by Albert
Delitala of the New Venice Corp.
Ltd. and Mr. Van Praet is the
manager of the operation.
Damage to farm equipment
was estimated at $7,000. Mr.
Delitala said most of the cost
would be covered by insurance.
He thought that the 150 tons of
ensilage could be salvaged.
Two tractors, an ensilage
wagon and an ensilage blower
were buried beneath the rubble.
Witnesses to the accident said
that Mr. Van Praet's life was
probably saved by the one tractor
when it prevented a large piece of
concrete from striking him.
Thanks to the efforts of the
Exeter firemen and a large
number of area roller skating
enthusiasts, victims of Muscular
Dystrophy will be assisted to the
tune o f more than $1,200.
Saturday's roller skate-athon
at the Exeter arena brought out a
total of 70 skaters and fire chief
Gary Middleton said Tuesday
morning the pledges had reached
$1,289.43.
With the help of other donations
Middleton said, "I expect our
overall donation will be
about$1,500. This is our best ef-
fort ever."
Of the 70 skaters starting out at
1 p.m. 57 went the full eight
hours. Included in the par-
ticipants were seven members of
the fire department. Chief
Middleton and Har Brintnell went
the full eight hour route.
Bill Van Bergen collected
pledges of $12 ,75 per hour for a
grand total of $102, The top girl
collector was Julianne Brittain
with $8.65 per hour and Lisa
Westcott was next with $7 for
each of the eight hours,
Office search
may be ended
While the persistent dry
weather this summer has cut the
yield of many farm crops, the
affect it has on area white bean
yields may not be as severe as
first thought.
Earl Reichert, manager of
Cook's Division of Gerbro plant
at Centralia said, "we were
pleasantly surprised with the
yield of early beans. Due to much
better weight than expected some
fields have been yielding from 20
to 23 bushels per acre.
Reichert added, "I must admit
there are some really bad fields
but at present it's hard to tell
what the overall crop will bring.
We are close to two weeks behind
normal scheduling."
At Thompson's in Hensall,
manager Howard Scane was of
the same opinion saying, "the
yields of the few beans we have
received to date are a bit better
than we expected." He agreed
some were running in excess of 20
bushels per acre.
According to Scene the big rush
of beans to area mills won't start
for at least a week.
At the Ontario Ministry of
Agriculture and Food office in
Clinton, Associate Represen-
tative Stan Paquette said the dry
weather would cut corn yields by
at least 10 per cent.
Paquette added, "I checked a
field of corn Tuesday night and
the tips of the ears were not
filling out," TALKING ABOUT EROSION — Erosion control along the shores of Lake. Huron was the subject of a
seminar held at Grand Bend Saturday sponsored by the Ausable-Bayfield Conservation Authority. Shown in
the above picture are A. 0. "Sandy" Elliot , a lakeshore property owner, Elgin Thompson, chairman of the
Authority, Mery Cudmore another owner, John Shaw, a geographer and Roy Westcott Ausable education
committee chairman. T.A photo Seminar shows no easy way
to battle erosion at lakeshore
The long search for an office
for Exeter's rec director may be
over.
RAP member Bob Pooley
reported this week that a possible
location had been found over a
Main St. business,
Terms of the rental called for
RAP to pay half the $500 required
to redecorate the office and a $75
per month rental charge,
Pooley recommended that
RAP secure the facility at the
tei ms suggested and sign a two-
year lease.
He asked that the name of the
firm involved'not be made public
until negotiations have been
completed,
Rec director Jim McKinley
said he viewed the proposed site
and termed it "workable".
Pooley noted that RAP would
be faced with the purchase of
several pieces of equipment and
furniture when the office is
secured.
Cottage owners who went to the
lakeshore erosion seminar
looking for easy answers came
away disappointed. There just
weren't any.
The seminar, consisting of
lectures and question periods was
held Saturday at Grand Bend
public school. It was sponsored
by the Ausable-Bayfield Con-
servation Authority.
About 400 people came to hear
experts discuss the causes of
erosion, various methods of
combatting the problem and
available government
assistance.
The theme of many of the
speeches was that man had to
live in harmony with the lakes
and seas,
"When a choice exists, stay
there was the rustle of paper as
the audience grabbed pens and
notebooks to copy down the
figures.
Even if a cottage owner does
spend the money on a good
technical study and on building
gabion baskets or sea walls, there
are no guarantees that it will
work, Mr. Gould cautioned.
There is some government
assistance available and Wayne
Rowe from the Chatham District
office of the Ministry of Natural
Resources tried to explain
various programs,
By contacting either ministry
office in Chatham br Clinton, a
cottage owner can get free advice
on tentative solutions to their
erosion problem. Mr. Rowe said
—please turn to page 3
The most common and the
cheaper method is building a
system of gabion baskets,
recommended by many experts.
But before anyone starts to
repair shore erosion, Mr. Gould
suggested that a good
engineering study be made first,
"Spending money to copy an
idea that was successful
somewhere else often won't
work," he said.
As for costs, he estimated that
it would cost $15 per foot of
protected shoreline to provide
gabion baskets at Grand Bend.
This figure was based on costs of
a year and a half ago
Seawalls on the other hand
could cost as much as $50 to $100
per foot of protected shoreline.
When costs were mentioned
away from building near the
beach," said engineer Bob Gould
of Golder Associates, London,
He told the cottage owners the
only sure way to prevent erosion
was to stay away from the
shoreline. The low lake levels lull
people into a false sense of
security, he said. Building gets
closer to the lake and people run
into problems when the lake
cycle comes up again.
With charts and a film, Mr,
Gould explained that a long
beach is the best way to expend
the eroding energy of the waves.
If the beach has been destroyed
M. Gotild said ift some eases it
was possible to "remake" it, But
it cannot be done successfully on
an individual or piece meal basis,
he cautioned.
LIONS GOLD WINNER — The recent draw sponsored by the Exeter Lions club was won by
of Oakville. Mr. Henderson it shown, second from the left in the above picture accepting
ounces of gold from Lions president-elect Glenn Kells, Others looking on are Al Fraser who
icket and Lion Frank Giffin.
D. B. Henderson
his award of 10
sold the winning
T-A photo
A • so, VI:. c-. ,v1. 4 't2.2t2,.21