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Times-Advocate, 1985-04-03, Page 1County joins battle to stop hydro line Huron County Council is opposed to Ontario Hydro transmission lines go- ing through the county and will ask the provincial utility to "consider strongly" the M3 -Bruce to Essa- route for the lines. Council went "on record" as being opposed to the possible transmission lines going through the county in an unanimous recorded vote at its March 2a meeting. "Huron is the leader in agriculture production in the province," states the approved motion which was prepared by several reeves and presented by Turnberry-Reeve Brian McBurney. County council would like hydro to choose the M3 route,` one of six transmission corridors initially pro - CASUAL WEAR - Modelling fashions from Perry's Originals at Tues- day's Trivitt Anglican Church fashion show were Susan Hayter, Lisa Donnan and Carolyn Perry. T -A photo posed by Ontario Hydro. Council maintains that M3 is Tess disruptive to agriculture as a whole in the province. Ontario Hydro had prepared a detailed study of a modified M3 route, including a line along the 401 to Lon- don, but last year that was thrown out of court. Hydro then decided that along with M3 details, it would prepare details of MI. It has propos- ed three routes which have been presented at public meetings across Huron County. County planner Dr. Gary Davidson said he will be meeting with Ontario Hydro representatives on April 3, when he suspects he'll learnwhich of the three routes through Huron is favored by the utility. The planning director said in mid- May Ontario Hydro will choose which of the two routes - M1 or M3 - it prefers. In earlier proceedings On- tario Hydro favored M1, but after hearings in . Stratford, the .con- solidated hearings board chose a modified version of M3 as presented by the agriculture sector of the province. During early discussion of the transmission lines at county council. Tuckersmith Reeve Bob Bell said people in the county "are upset that we have not taken a stand". Davidson said the planning depart- ment couldn't recommend one of the three routes through Huron because it di 't know the impact on the land. T information will be coming from the April 3 meeting, said Davidson. "What are we willing to accept?" asked Reeve Bell, then answering his own question, he replied, "none". "No one in Southwestern Ontario wants it," said Davidson, "If Please turn to page 3 RED, RED ROBIN — Looking very glamorous for their part in the Zurich and Area Figure Skating Club Carnival are (back left) Andrea Hendrick, Chrystal Jones, Tracy Jeffrey and (front) Elyshia Denomme, Jayne Westlake and Jennifer Overholt. Imes Serving South Huron, North Middlesex One Hundred and Twelfth Year dvocate & North lambton Since 1873 EXETER, ONTARIO, April 3, 1985 Price Per Copy 50 Cents Area's specific problems still unresolved Rei officials share ideas...few solutions A conference "to share ideas" on the affodability of recreation was pro- bably a bit too general to suit most of the area participants. The conference was held at the Hensall Community Centre on Satur- day, and included morning presenta- tions by three speakers and afternoon workshops. It was attended by representatives from seven area municipal1tlest —� Melanie McLaughlin of the Ministry of Tourism and Recreation was the chairman of the conference. McLaughlin showed a film about self- fulfillment through leisure, which talked about how time is precious and an opportunity not to be wasted. The film outlined various types of recreation, some of which (amateur theatre groups. for example ( are not available in this area. and discussed what people get out of recreation. 1( stressed that recreation facilities at- tract people to settle in an area. and foresaw recreation as an increasing- ly important part of life. The defini- tion of recreation was very broad: everything from bicycle racing to photography was included. Some of the activities did not require the.type of arena facilities that have been heavily invested in here. Robert Collins of the Ministry of Tourism and Recreation, the first speaker, made the point that the arena -type facilities that were in- vested in heavily in the late '70s may not -be appropriate to the changing needs of our aging population. Collins said that the 30 plus residents wbo will soon predominate aren't as dependent on recreation facilities such as hockey rinks. He suggested that facilities such as gym- nasium space that can be used both for gytnnastics and for senior aerobics and the like might be more practical at this point-. Calling ' recreation "the oil that greases the wheels of a community life". Collins said the average fami- ly in Ontario spends $2,:300 a year on recreation out of pocket. not including their tax dollars. "Recreation con- tributes to physical and mental well - Two handed fines for UIC offences Two men who made false statements for claims under the Unemployment insurance Act were fined when they appeared in Exeter court. Tuesday. before Judge .1. Seneshen. Robert Argyle. Rt( 5 Clinton. was fined $50 each on 10 counts for a total fine of $500. if: received an over- payment of $2.142 during the period from November 1982 to March 1983. Ile was working at Dashwood in- dustries at the time. He was ordered to make the payments by May 31 Albert Kyle, 109 King St.. Hensall, was fined $50 each on four counts for a total fine of $200. Ile had received an over -payment of $849 which has now been payed back. Ile too ..vas ordered to pay the fine total by May 31 A fine of $500 and an automatic license suspension was handed out to Richard James Graham, London. who pleaded guilty to a charge of driving with a blood alcohol level over the legal limit. Defence counsel asked for a lenient sentence. noting the accused recognized he had a drinking pro- blem and has since joined A.A. Ile was given until May 31 to pay the fine. A fine of $100 was levied againsl Gerald E. Tyler, Dashwood. after he pleaded guilty to a charge of mischief which was laid on May 18 after an in- cident at the parking lot al SIIDIiS. A fine of $100 was also levied against Verna Blane. 58 Thames Road W.. Exeter. after she pleaded guilty to a theft charge arising from an incident at Zehr's on March 8! She was found to,have two cans of frozen lobster for which she had not paid. ••• RECREATION CONFERENCE Melanie McLaughlin, one of the organizers of Saturday's Recreation Conference is seen here chat- ting with Henspll Reeve Harry Klungel. being", Collins said. "It enhances social functioning and maintains iden- tity and self-wof'th in periods of stress like unemployment.' Collins compared the family and the municipality on financial manage- ment. He talked about how recreation is a major economic force: "in 1981 municipalities spent $538 million on Zoning items stir citizens Rezoning of the present site of the Exeter Pentecostal Tabernacle from institutional to commercial could meet with some opposition when it is aired at a public meeting on April 10. Some of the 26 people who attend- ed the March 20 session of the plann- ing advisory committee aired objec- tions to the planned rezoning of the church site. Those objectors were advised that the time to air their comments was at the public hearing next Wednesday. The 26 people were in attendance at the meeting to re-emphasize their ob- jections to the rezoning of residential properties on William. Andrew and Main 10 commercial. Some 139 submissions have been made to the committee regarding the changes proposed in the current review of the official plan and zoning bylaw, with most of those pertaining to the commercial designations. Concerns cited in the written sub- missions, as well as al the public meetings held to consider the com- prehensive review pertain to the safe- ly of children in the residential areas if they become commercial, as well as traffic problems. property davaluation, aesthetic value of pro- perty, privacy, the historical value of homes. noise. pollution and the fact the town already appears to have am- ple commercial area as their are va- cant stores in the core area. The committee made no decisions and a review of the concerns was ad- journed to a future meeting. Upon complete review of the com- ments from property owners. the committee will make a full report. with recommendations to council. Town seeking industrial land After a closed committee -of -the - whole session. Monday. Exeter coun- cil authorized a three-member com- mittee to continue negotiations with a local property owner for a propos- ed purchase of industrial land. The committee consists of Mayor Bruce Shaw, Reeve Bill Mickle and Deputy -Reeve Lossy Fuller. There has been some debate in the past over the need for some town - owned industrial land. based in large part on the fact privately owned in dustrial land in Exeter is not com- petitively priced with other com- munities and has led to some in- terested firms dismissing Exeter as a possible home for new industries recreation." Collins said that more facilites are hiring full-time staff, and that per capita expenditures on recreation are up 51 per cent. Collins used figures that were has - ed on Ontario -wide averages, and did not have specific information about this area. He later said he wanted the area participants to "think about it a little differently". Two comments from the audience followed Collins' presentation. Ron Gillespie, a recreation lecturer at Fanshawe College in London, said, "The government pays for health costs and education. If recreation is so essential, why doesn't the govern- ment pay for that?" Collins said that funnelling some money from health care to recreation, betaine of its preventative health care effects, was being considered. Pat Graham, the Bayfield clerk - treasurer, then said he was more in favour of a "pay as you play" system. Tem Horlor, also of the Ministry of Tourism and Recreation, the second speaker, said the main objective in to- day's recreation system is to "reduce the cost per benefit." Horlor said that between 1978 and 1982, overall municipal expenditures per Please turn to page 3 CAN WE AFFORD RECREATION Tony Bedard (one of the organizers), Jim Workman and John Pym ore seen here at the Recreation Conference, held Saturday in Hensall. This picture was taken at one of the afternoon workshops. Keep PUC busy Developers plan proects Exeter continues to grow. ITC manager Ilugh Davis informed com- missioners at the regular March meeting that Jack Taylor plans to develop 18 lots in the Stoney Ridge subdivision this year. and Len Veri will go ahead with eight lots in his mobile home subdivision. Davis has been meeting with representatives of a company that plans to build a plant on Highway 83 east to discuss the provision of hydro service. The Exeter utility would prefer bringing the line along the town boundary at a cost of $4,500. while the company would like the line to come in off 83. Estimated cost of the latter is $14.000. The company has been informed the PUC has responsibility to get power to a property. in other cases where capital costs were extremely high, the customer was asked to make a capital contribution. Until a reply has been received. a halt has been called to negotiations on easements "it's going to be an interesting year." Davis commented. The Commission decided to shelve for the present a three -item question- naire (hat Ontario Municipal Electric Association had asked utilities to in- clude in their next killing The commissioners had no ohjec•- tion to the first, asking whether or not customers supported the increase from S35 million to $96 million charg- ed by the Ontario government for water rental that raised electricity hills by two percent. The second statement asks whether or not customers support a subsidy of over $50 million ordered by the On- tario governemnt to reduce the dif- ferential between urban and rural rates. This accounts for about two percent of electric bills also. The third asks whether or not customers support early approval and construction of a transmission line from the Bruce power station. All members of the Commission agrc^d the timing on the third item was most inappropriate, with Ontario Hydro approaching the rural areas to discuss building the line through agricultural land. Commissioner Ilarry DcVries said he was afraid the issue could turn into a .political foot ha I l . Davis reported everything is ready for I'll(' employees to string line for Canadian Canhers from the existing line to the CN tracks as soon as the land dries up. The work will cause a four-hour power interruption early some Sunday morning. Motions were added to the minutes of the hydro and water record hooks outlining the way costs will be assess- ed to the property owners whose lot` will be accessible when the exlemrmm of John St. is opened to accommodate the new nursing home. Mr. Kanampuzha. owner of the nursing home had asked to have the Commission finance a 300 KVA transformer and he would waive an transformer allowances and pay the difference in cost between a :300 KVA and a 500 KVA transformer lle was informed the Exeter )'I'(' would not alter its regulations or change a policy formulated with neighboring utilities that the maximum transformer capacity financed by a utility remain at 300 KVA Only two major water main breaks occurred this winter BUILDING SOLD (Inc of Exeter's largest stores. the former .)unction. has leen sold The sale. which is to close at the end of April. was confirmed by real estate salesman Dwayne Tinney. but he was not at liberty to divulge the name of the purchaser -at this time Tinney said (he new owner plans to divide the store into Iwo retail outlets The facility. which has been vacant for some time. is presently being us- ed as campaign headquarters for Jack Riddell 1