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The Exeter Times-Advocate, 1976-12-16, Page 1DIL CLOWNS DO IT — Adding a lot of humour and good natured chatting to Saturday's Exeter Santa Claus parade were a group of clowns representing Dashwood Industries. T-A photo Everything up in air Workers' recall undecided .NAMORDESTASIMMSERNE God in sight " By Ran Bag&I February 13, 1976 — The day Exeter's Arena was closed. We all remember it well. Many things have happened in the past 10 months — long hours of planning, many hours of meetings, thousands of miles of driving and hours and hours of fund raising. Many people have been involved. The result of all this is now in the making — the South Huron Recreation Centre. We have had some very discouraging moments in the last 10 months, but we have also had some very en- couraging moments as well — the day we received the an- nouncement about Wintario's new grant system — cutting in half the objective for our fund raising. Today — 10 months later we have our goal well in sight. We are about $50,000 away from the target. Many said it couldn't be done and it probably would not have been a reality if it had not been for certain people. So many people should be thanked — but this column is not large enough. Thanks to the committees, the press, the canvass cap- tains of Exeter, Usborne and Stephen, the army of can- vassers and a very special thanks to all the contributors — for without you we couldn't be so near our objective, Everyone has been super! We hoped we could reach $200,000 by Christmas. We are now over that. Canvassing has come to a halt as the holiday approaches, but we must get back to the task in the new year. Although we have had an army of canvassers work- ing, it has been an impossible task to contact everyone. We can do only so much in a given period of time. If you wish to make a contribution before 1977 and get a tax receipt for the year, please either mail it in or call a committee member. If you have been overlooked please do not think we do not want your donation and please do not feel offended. Please feel free to send donations in — it will be properly acknowledged and a receipt forwarded. The South Huron Recreation Centre Fund Raising Committee wishes everyone a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. IMMENNIMENSIMIPOWNeMEN . NURSERY KIDS ENJOY SANTA — Santa Claus dropped into the Sunshine Kids nursery school Christmas party Soturday afternoon. Above, Santa gets a big smile from Karen Robinson. T-A photo xefercaitne,siativocale One Hundred and Fourth Year EXETER, ONTARIO, DECEMBER 16, 1976 Price Per Copy 25 Cents SANTA AT CREDITON — Santa Claus made his annual stop in Crediton Sunday at a Christmas party sponsored by the Crediton Men's club. Above, Santa talks to Anthony Glavin and Bill Wuerth. Parade was success EXETER'S NEWEST BAND — Participating in Saturday's Santa Claus parade was a female band from the Exeter fire department. Disguised as ladies are Norm Tait, Ken Baker, Bob Forrest, Lester Heywood, Bill Smith and Pete McFalls. T-A photo Alter Mensal!, Zurich kindergarten programs South Huron Recreation Centre and it would include represen- tatives from all the municipalities involved. To compound the problem, the present councils are expected to leave that decision up to the newly elected officials and they won't take office until the first week in January, RAP member Lossy Fuller said it would be foolish to recall the RAP employees if there was no work for them. However, Simmons noted the committee had intended to recall them on or before January 7 and said if the employees didn't hear anything different before then they would reconsider that they were being recalled. Another problem has arisen as far as John Roelofs is con- cerned. Las,,t week, Exeter council considereda suggestiorf that the retirement age for employees would be 60. Roelofs is 61 and has already asked for some indication on his status. Mrs. . Fuller said that the retirement age had not yet been set by council and added that the current discussion was related only to the police and works department employees. She said the RAP employees should be making their requests known for salary and fringe benefits as well. Arena manager Alvin Willert pointed out that the RAP em- ployees really had no bargaining power due to the fact they were currently laid off. Council's other representative on RAP. Harold Patterson, said Please turn to page 3 Zurich man dies in crash Laurence J. Reichert, 68, of Zurich, was killed Monday in a two-vehicle crash on Highway 4 about 1 1/2 miles south of Clinton. Spokesmen for the Goderich detachment of the provincial police said Mr. Reichert was driving south through wind- driven snow just before 9 a.m, when his small car collided with a pickup truck driven by Doug- las Swan of R.R. 1, Brucefield. Mr. Swan, who was not serious- ly injured, is in his early 20s, police said. Visibility was poor and the two vehicles met head on, police said. The accident is being investi- gated by Constable Mike Charlton. Huron County Board of Education endorsed a recom- mendation of the Executive Committee on Monday afternoon outlining capital forcasts for the upcoming term. Topping the priority list were renovation and up-dating of the chemistry lab at South Huron District High School at an estimated cost of $70,000, Second was the provision of more adequate facilities for the Trainable Retarded at J.A.D. McCurdy School or elsewhere in the southern part of the County at a cost of $55,000. Third was the purchase of six replacement buses. These first three priorities were recom- mended to be requested for 1977, Those remaining were set Over to 1078. - A A swimming pool for the Kirkton area will become a reality by early summer of 1977. A 12 member committee Of Kirkton and area residents last week accepted the tender of Frank Van Bussels and Sons .of Lueari to build a pool with dimensions of 82 feet by 43 feet The increasing demand for land for a variety of often con- flicting uses is a continuing problem to the Ausable-Bayfield Conservation Authority, At Friday's annual year-end full Authority meeting, forestry, wildlife and land use chairman Joseph Dietrich expressed concern over this matter, Dietrich who represents Stephen township on the Authority said continuing depletion of rural woodlots has resulted in large expanses of unprotected agricultural land. He continued, "This situation has become potentially hazar- dous and has caused a review of our reforestration program." "The loss of woodlots and other water holding areas results in increased runoff and associated problems of erosion and flooding. These latter problems in turn may potentially affect the safety and welfare of our urban residents," added Dietrich. Reeve Robert Sharen of Grand Bend told the gathering that bulldozer operators who convince some farmers to have woodlot Exeter's RAP committee have been having problems with firtaticing . fir most of the year,. but learned Monday night two of the programs they are operating this winter are making a profit. Arena manager Alvin Willert, Breaks leg in collision A 6 year-old Brucefield boy was injured Sunday night when he was struck on Exeter's Main street by an Exeter police cruiser during a severe snow storm. Danny Kipfer suffered a broken leg in the accident. He was taken to South Huron Hospital and released the following morning. The mishap occurred as the boy was attempting to cross Main street just north of Victoria street. Constable Ron Fice was the driver. Constable George Robertson investigated. Monday, Constable Kevin Short listed damages at $175 when vehicles driven by Leona Glavin, RR 2 Lucan and Jerome Dietrich, RR 3 Zurich, collided on, Huron street, east of Main, SHOPLIFTING INCREASES Police chief Ted Day reports that shoplifting is increasing in Exeter. Day said Wednesday that three instances have been in- vestigated and juveniles have been responsible for two of the occurrences, Day continues, "We would ask store owners and clerks to keep a sharp eye out and don't leave your store understaffed during the noon hour," Constable Jim Barnes is in- vestigating a theft of a cash box containing cash and cheques Friday from Huron Carpet, Thames Road West, Priority number four was a $50,000 project to provide an instrumental music room at Seaforth District High School. Number five, valued at $200,000 in each of the three cases, would provide home economics and industrial arts facilities at three elementary schools. The improvement of music facilities at Central Huron Secondary School was priority number six. Under item number seven $35,000 would be spent on the provision of staff room and staff workroom at the South Huron District High School. Finally, $40,000 would be delegated toward the provision of a computer facility at South Huron District High School or some other secondary school in the County. which is Junior Olympic size. Committee chairman Ross Robinson told the press Monday that the Van ,Russel contract was for $112,770 and he expected total cost including change rooms would be about $12,000. The pool Will be heated. Robinson said an earlier lands cleared may be held equally liable under provincial legislation prohibiting wanton destruction of tree lands. A section of the Ontario Trees Act allows county councils to pass by laws restricting and regulating the destruction of some trees. Some critics of the legislation have in recent months urged the province to increase the maximum fines for violations from $500 to as high as $5,000 in some cases. The Authority was told it would have to continue to be vigilant in keeping watch on potential land use problems across the watershed including municipal drain proposals, official plan amendments and zoning changes. In other parts of his report, Dietrich said a decrease in emphasis on tree planting allowed additional staff time for the maintenance of existing nurseries and the relocating of nursery stock into various Conservation areas. The Authority's wildlife program was confined this past year to the planting of 950 various the only full-time staff member remaining in the committee's Said that the ballet'and gymnastics classes at SHIMS on Saturday morning could end up producing a profit of between $400 and $500, He suggested that perhaps the programs could be continued longer than planned. RAP agreed with his suggestion and decided to extend the programs for an additional two weeks. Willert's costing report on the program did not include any charges for his supervision time or promotional costs. He advised RAP that the children were well behaved and to his knowledge there were no problems. RAP also decided to charge a $5 registration fee to the 12 women who have joined the volleyball program. Willert said about $80 worth of equipment had been purchased to get the sport underway. The program is being staged in the public school gymnasium. In his report, Willert said that the swimming pool had been prepared for winter and that the fibreglass fence which had been damaged in last summer's wind storm had been repaired. Cost of the repairs to the fence was $1,172, The bill has been sent to the insurance company. No truth in rumors Huron-Middlesex MPP Jack Riddell this week said there was no truth whatever to rumors circulating in this area that Ontario Hydro has decided to proceed with a nuclear power plant along Lake Huron somewhere between Bayfield and Grand Bend. One rumor even suggested that the steel had been ordered for the facility. The Times-Advocate contacted Riddell at his office in Toronto on Monday, and while he said then he doubted there was any truth to the stories, volunteered to check the matter out again. He called back on Tuesday to say that he had contacted energy minister Dennis Timbrell and the chairman of Ontario Hydro and had been assured no development is planned. "They have made no purchase of land or steel and have no in- tentions of doing so," the MPP reported. He said that the only land purchased in the past year is a one or two-acre. plot near Bayfield which will be used to extend the Bayfield distributing system. He went on to say that any nuclear plant would have to receive Ontario Cabinet approval and would have to have an en- vironmental board hearing. "I think we are amply protected," Riddell concluded. .canvass for donations throughout the Kirkton-Woodham area had realized pledges in the amount of '$35,000. Canvassers will be eut again in the next six weeks to pick up the pledged. monies and other donations. Community Centre and Wintario grants will raise wildlife shrubs in the Con- servation areas, construction of deflector dams and silt traps at Rock Glen and Clinton Con- servation areas and the provision of feed for the Canada geese and duck populations visiting Parkhill Conservation area in the spring and fall. The Bannockburn Wildlife Area Master Development Plan has finally received approval, The goal for the area as stated in the plan is to protect the existing natural environment in this portion of the Bayfield Valley. A number of wildlife habitat enhancement and stream im- provement projects will be un- dertaken and identified so the visiting public might see what can be accomplished on their own land. Through projects such as this and the provision of technical data and information, much can be accomplished toward in- creasing the extent, quality and variety of wildlife habitat within the watershed. Direct assistance to the Ministry of Environment is provided by the Authority's Water Quality Monitoring Program. Each month, Authority staff visit each of twelve locations throughout the watershed. In the field data on the water temperature, apparent water quality and amounts of dissolved oxygen is taken. The water samples are then taken to the Ministry of Environment labAratarieS in London . to be tested for anionntt and-varieties of bacteria and chemicals, Sharen added, "The onus is on all authorities to keep on top of the counties as farasbush lots are concerned." Other members of the Forestry, Wildlife and Land Use committee are Harold Lobb, Leonard Erb, Henry Harburn, Fred Lewis, Jacob Reder, Leone Rowat, Paul Steckle and John Whitmore. Hensall and Zurich Public Schools will adopt an all day, alternate day, Kindergarten pattern, beginning with the new school year in 1977-78, The change is the result of Huron County Board of Education support for a recommendation from Superintendent of Education R.13. Allan which was presented to the December meeting on Monday. At present the Hensall and Zurich public schools have a kindergarten organization in which children attend for one half day every day from Septeifiber to December and on alternate days from January to June. The teacher travels from one school to the other at lunch time in the September-December half of the $120,000. Receipts for income tax pur- poses will be available for all donations. Anyone who has not been ap- proached and wishes to make a donation should contact any of the following: Ross Robinson 229- 6537; Wanda Robinson 229.6406: A large crowd lined the Main street of Exeter Saturday morning to enjoy an excellent Santa Claus parade with many area businesses participating with well decorated entries. The annual parade featuring Santa: wati sponsored by the Exeter and District CB Radio Club and was organized on very short notice. Leading the lengthy parade was the Rose City drum and bugle band from Windsor. The Grand Marshal's award for the best overall float went to the Ailsa Craig Lions club for their entry of a much larger than life size turtle and it moved faster. period and parents organize car pools or arrange daily tran- sportation for their children at lunch time. According to Mr. Allen's report, this system has worked reasonably well, accommodating a majority of people"There has never been significant pressure for change from a majority of the people involved," he noted, "From time to time one hears that this arrangement causes hardship or inconvenience for someone. Recently a family with a kindergarten child moved into the school area from Nova Scotia. They live near the Stephen school boundary and west of the town of Exeter," he explained, "They were most co-operative but it must seem unusual if they attended Stephen school they Norman Amos 229-6502 or Norris Atthill 229-8952. The pool will be constructed on the Kirkton Community 'Centre grounds in a south-westerly direction from the present Community Centre building. Spring construction will start as soon as weather permits. Other first prize winning floats were entered by Larry Snider Motors and the Exeter Sunshine Kids Nursery School. Taking second prizes in the three categories were Graham Arthur Motors, CarOenter Opticar- and Union ,Gas. Third place finishers' were the Exeter Minor Hockey Association, A & H Food Market and John Deere. After the parade participants dropped into the Scout hall for coffee and hot chocolate to warm up after the march in extremely cold weather. Santa Claus was on hand at the Mad Hatter Arcade to visit with a large throng of youngsters and pass out treats. would have transportation for the kindergarten age child and that to attend the proper school they were required to supply their own transportation at lunch time which caused them to drive through the town of Exeter to Hensall." Mr. Allen noted that the current arrangement, though apparently acceptable to a majority, appears to discriminate against certain residents in the district, Kindergarten registration takes place early in the year. he said, and if a change were con- templated, now would be an appropriate time to make such a change. He also noted that the pattern of all day, alternate day kin- dergarten has gained increased acceptance in rural areas. The personnel committee will be asked to come up with some recommendations for RAP regarding the status of three employees whose temporary layoff period ends January 7. Liz Varley, Jim Guenther and John Roelofs must be recalled by that date or under Ontario's labor laws they are considered to have had their services terminated, If that happens, all three employees will be entitled to severance pay and in the case of Roelofs, that works out to a payment of eight weeks' salary. The situation is being made difficult because the present members of the RAP committee terminated their service at the end of December, and as Bev Skinner explained, there is no indication if they will be reap- pointed to RAP. Fred Simmons added that there wasn't even any guarantee that there would be a RAP committee in the new year—at least as presently constituted. Exeter, Stephen and Usborne councils are currently engaged in discussions about forming an area recreation committee and a board of management for the new Kirkton plunge for pool South Huron lab among priority jobs Big change kr RAP programs show rofit Authority urged to be vigilant over loss of area woodlots