The Citizen, 1996-11-27, Page 1700 + Se GST7 544 Wednesday, Nov.-27 1996 12 No 47
Engulfed
There was little the Blyth and District Fire Department could do to save the house, owned by
Mason Bailey of Blyth, as the fire was through the roof when the firefighters arrived. The
blaze occurred Saturday evening.
Fire guts unoccupied house
A Saturday evening blaze gutted
a two-storey brick house just west
of Blyth, off County Road 25.
The unoccupied building, owned
by Mason Bailey, was basically a
total loss, said Blyth and District
Fire Chief Paul Josling. Only a
back kitchen could be salvaged.
The fire call came in at 6:50 p.m.
but flames were already through
the roof by the time the firefighters
arrived, said Josling.
It is suspected that a woodstove
was not fully extinguished early in
the day.
Firefighters stayed on the scene
until midnight.
3 die in tragic car accident
Hunt women
capture silver in
speed skating
See page 11
Ag. Minister
visits Blyth
business
See page 16
OPP, local police
begin RIDE
program
See page 23
Janet Amos
announces
resignation
See page 27
Clinton hosp, future IC • . itizen remains in question
By Andy Bader
Mitchell Advocate
h North .Huron North
Officers of the Goderich OPP
detachment are investigating a trag-
ic accident which claimed the lives
of three young adults, and injured
three others.
According to police on Nov. 24
at 6:05 a.m. a Camero, which was
northbound on County Road 31,
north of Varna, struck a guard rail
on the west side of the road. It went
along a ditch, struck a driveway
and became airborne. It came to
rest in a clump of trees near the
Bayfield River.
According to Senior Const. John
Marshall, the road was dry, and
though the sky was overcast, it was
not snowing or raining.
Brian Hill, 21, of Stanley Twp.,
Neal Atchison, 20 of Clinton and
Pamela King, 20, of Clinton were
all pronounced dead at the scene.
Mark Webster, 19 of Stanley Twp.
and Sarah Lebeau, 20 of Stanley
Twp. were taken by ambulance to
Clinton Hospital. Brandon Gardner,
19, of Vanastra was taken to
Seaforth Hopsital.
The three were later transferred
to Victoria Hospital, London, with
severe injuries.
The future for Clinton Public
Hospital remains in question
following the release of a study
regarding hospital and health
services for Huron and Perth
Counties on Friday.
All along members of the Huron
Perth District Health Council's
Hospital and Related Health
Services Study Task Force said the
status quo was not an option in the
final analysis.
They delivered that message loud
and clear at a press conference
Friday afternoon at the DHC
headquarters in Mitchell in front of
at least a dozen media personnel
from across both counties.
Throughout the hour-long press
conference — which was preceded
by a meeting with hospital CEOs
from the eight hospitals in Huron
and Perth — DHC Executive
Director Fraser Bell and Task
Force Chair Janet Hook noted that
the three options revealed were a
beginning point for future input
from the communities in each
district.
"This is the beginning of the
consultation process...not an end
point," Bell said.
Both Bell and Hook appeared
agitated and nervous during the
press conference, but provided
background information and the
three options in a professional
manner. They answered probing
questions clearly as well, pointing
By Janice Becker
Citizen staff
Blyth residents may soon have
the opportunity to welcome a new
physician to the village.
After numerous meetings with
Clinton, Wingham and Seaforth
Hospital personnel, Councillor
Doug Scrimgeour announced at the
Nov. 19 meeting of council, that
Seaforth Community Hospital prac-
titioners have shown considerable
interest in setting up a practice as
of Jan. 1.
Council agreed, in principle, to
the establishment of a practice by
Dr. Daniel Rooyakkers.
The village was asked to con-
tribute $1,500 towards a piece of
out that changes were in the offing
and that residents of both counties
need equal access to health care.
"Whether or not we changed or
restructured, services were not to
remain the same at these hospitals,"
Hook said, referring to a further
reduction in government funding.
"People jump to the conclusion
there will be no service (at these
hospitals)."
Hospitals in Stratford and
Alexandra & Marine in Goderich
will remain as secondary, or more
specialized hospitals, serving each
county in each of the three options
outlined. Seaforth's hospital, in
each of the options, will act as one
of two primary hospitals in the
district with acute and chronic
beds. Listowel is cited as a primary
hospital in two of the options with
Wingham the chosen facility in the
other.
Hospitals in St. Marys, Clinton
and Exeter will be further
"investigated" with respect to
needs, community interest and cost
to determine the non-inpatient
service level required, the report
outlines. Options here generally
include no "institutional" service, a
primary care centre configuration,
or a primary hospital with no beds.
Bell said that just because
hospitals do not have beds does not
mean they will no longer be useful
in the health care system, since the
trend in this day and age is for
more out-patient care. Physicians
may still treat patients from clinics
in these affected communities and
Continued on page 23
could extend through the Christmas
break, stated a release from the
board office.
equipment for the Blyth office,
which would remain the property
of the village if Seaforth Hospital
withdrew from the practice at a
later date.
"We wouldn't get anyone with
out any concessions," said Clerk-
Treasurer John Stewart. "Seaforth's
request was the most reasonable."
"It is a gesture of goodwill,"
added Scrimgeour.
Council congratulated Stewart on
the considerable effort he made in
acquiring doctor's services for the
village.
The doctor's office will remain in
the present location.
Reeve Mason Bailey had
declared a conflict of interest on the
issue and left the room prior to the
discussion.
Director of Education
takes leave of absence
During a special Huron County
Board of Education meeting, Nov.
25, held to complete unfinished
business, Director of Education
Paul Carroll announced he would Superintendent ChuCk Rowland
be taking a leave of absence, effec- assumes the duties and responsbili-
tive immediately. ties of the director of education
The leave, taken due to illness, until Carroll's return.
Blyth may get new doctor