Times Advocate, 1993-08-04, Page 1�tttl��d
s
8flrgrig 50
u t cash & carry
COUNTRY f IOWf RS
=Province_gives to -Exeter. Lucan.-Huron PlavhousQ
Radios
Hensel- man in the
business of
- communication
Page 5
Friedsburg
More photos from
Dashwood's day in
the sun.
Page 8.
Hens.a I I
.Liquor Store
target it
thieves once
_again
: EXETER -'The a DPP- re-
-port that.ahe Hensall..I jgtmr';Stare
was -the intended .4arger-ofs ether
-robbery last week.
Police say they investiga1ed net -
.tempt at a break and anter last
Tis. day atshe.Lignor Store, which
.. is.boused in a txailer-north of the
*Allege. An attempt was made fo
rpry ,open the doors, but was unsuc-
w ssful and nothing was stolen.
'The trailered store has been the tar -
.,get of thieves several times since it
was established a few years ago.
Also the same night, police. say a
black leather wallet containing a
•police badge, cash, and other iden-
tlification was stolen during u
Awoak: is at a horrse-taaileraat•Tmn-
.buls Grove in Hay' Township. En-
try was made through an unlocked
screen door.
. During the week, police charged
.thee people with liquor violations,
.two for driving while prohibited
and one which driving while under
.suspension. Police also investigat-
'ed a damage complaint at a Central-
ia service station in which a beer
bottle was thrown through a win-
dow.
Aircraft in
distress
lands at
Huron Pa*
HURON PARK - Three Vermont
men escaped injury Sunday after-
noon when their single engine air-
.seraft developed engine problems
.while crossing Lake Huron.
The Exeter OPP received a report
of a plane in distress near Exeter at
4:29 p.m. The 1977 Mooney M20J
,..vas spotted spiralling in the clouds
, *bove the Centralia airport. Emer-
.gency services were sent to the air-
port and the aircraft landed safely
at 4:49 p.m. without injury or dam-
age.
Police say the plane was being
-,flown home from an Oskosh, Wis-
},adonsin air show by its owner Ste -
sten Platt to Burlington, Vermont.
Platt had contacted Toronto Inter -
_national Airport to advise them of
Irbis engine problems and was direct -
.sed to Centralia.
EXETER - At virtually the
same time as the "social con-
tract" was to be Trimming
municipal and public service
of essids dor munici
wages in the area, local MPPs
were announcing job creation
grants to local municipalities
under a new $31 million pro-
gram, would be getting grants to
Huron MPP Paul Klopp's help with community pro -
office announced Friday that jects.
several county municipalities The Town of Exeter is get -
With grimaced -faces the Pioneers tugged hard when they
competed in the Friedsburg Days Tug -of -War contest. Team
members are Duayne Butler, -led • Hoffman, -Tim-Hoffman,
Jeff Ratz, Blaine Peryce, Rob Hoffman, Joe Gower, and Al
Gaiser. The Pioneers have competed in many tug-of-wars in
past Friedsburg Days contests.
"11140174vaoi! stioftiftlits fibre cokues
DASHWOOD - Show Your True Colors, the
theme of the 22nd Dashwood Friedsburg Days
held on the weekend, brought out many area
residents to enjoy not only the sunshine but the
exciting annual events.
The affair kicked off Friday at the Communi-
ty Centre with some partaking in a bingo and
bavarian garden while other.danced the night
away to Hooks Party sound.
Saturday the good weather complimented the
fun and games that began with a parade and
was followed by a busy afternoon of scheduled
activities. Children were able to enjoy a free
.cupcake, compliments of the Friedsburg com-
emittee, have their faces painted by some talent-
• •.ed clowns, take a ride with Mr. Jim and his Lit,
--,Ale Friends , or get involved in the mini tractor
pull.
Those a bit older were able to participate in
the crosscut -and chainsaw competitions which
drew several competitors with a steady hand
and a strong arm. Competitors were able to
also take part in a beat the clock contest, and an
open class chainsaw competition in which the
winner kept the saw.
The highlight of the day however, seemed to
be the tug-of-war contest which drew eight
teams of both men and women. Referee Torn
Kempell presided over some friendly compe-
tion which drew a huge crowd.
The german heritage in the area also lends it-
self to some traditional treats like the plentiful
sausage, sauerkraut, and beer that topped off
the day for anyone attending the event.
The Sunday church service and community
breakfast, prepared by the United Church men,
was the perfect ending to a weekend of fun and
community spirit.
Ileachplace bilis negative iae
GRAND BEND - In an attempt to sake old memories of Grand Bend's
troubled beachfront complex the new management team invited the public
to see what l3eachplace Condominiums has to offer.
Members of Grand Bend council along with representatives of Peat Mar-
wick Thome Inc., the accounting firm handling the complex, welcomed
the community to a ribbon cutting on Thursday as part of the official open-
ing of the revamped venture.
"A lot of people are still concerned about what happened in the past,"
said Rick Jackson, senior vice-president of the accounting firm.
"They are afraid of losing money.
"llut we are court appointed and one of the largest funs in Cyanide," he
said.
It can't happen again."
What people remember is die financial difficulties that saw construction
on the condo halt in 1991.
The project was first conceived by London developer Jaynes Hovey. He
sold the entire project to Festival Developments, also of Lawton. and con-
struction began in 1990.
But as the economy sated interest in cplt' , acthe build-
ers held off on siaringAheiellegaide of the Vr> j1 ire, corgplet-
trig only 34 of a planted 74 units.
The developer went into receivership with a $5.3 million debt or a first
mortgage, some $5,000 in construction liens and outstanding individual in-
vestment in the project totalling $2 million.
13y then 28 people had put down a $20,000 deposit on the partially con-
structed units. Ten people had moved in even though construction was not
-complete.
"The hassle has been worth it," said Wayne Bragg who along with wife
Mary Ellen Were the first to move into the complex in late June 1991.
When they moved in the elevators weren't working and there weren't
locks on the door of their unit.
"When the building went into receivership we ware concerned," Bragg
said. "But we just couldn't believe, a building in this spot wouldn't suc-
ceed."
Since Jackson's firm was appointed by court as trustee of the complex in
19921hey hired consultants to determine the best direction for the condo.
The answer was to finish off the part of the building which is standing
.and remove the foundation of the unfinished wine-
"Weillititined that there was not sufficient demand to justify conplet-
irtg M pd wing
Continued on page 24.
ting "$11159,000 to help con-
struct the ?ryde Interceptor -
a sewer line to ease flooding
in the east side of Exeter, and
open up new lots for build-
ing.
Mayor Bruce Shaw described the
grant situation as an unexpected
"bonanza"' for the town, adding that
the larger sanitary sewer line will
help direct waters northward, and
help prevent storm .waters invading
the sewers.
"It's a tremendous surprise. We
didn't expect anything like that,"
Shaw said of the grant. He noted
the town does have money in re-
serve that will be added to the grant
to get the project done.
He also said the town also got
word the project management wing
of the province would be helping
with 58 percent of the cost of an en-
gineering study to eventually add to
Exeter's water supply with a pipe-
line from Stephen Township.
The Huron Country Playhouse in
Stephen Township was also in line
for a grant under the jobsOntario
1,Community. Action program.
/Some $574,000 is being added to
Mite Playhouse rebuilding fund. Not
zonly is the theatre being upgraded
stn meet fire regulations, but is be -
lug expanded behind the scenes to
allow for more elaborate produc-
:tions.
The theatre's production shop
was expanded over the winter, and
the next phase is to begin construc-
tion of a fly tower over the stage.
In addition to allowing more flexi-
ble use of scenery, the tower
creates a fire safety divider be-
- Sween the stage and the auditorium
seating.
In a release from _ the Huron
C,tntry Playhouse Foundation,
theatm production manager Simon
Day was quoted as saying "the
scheduled renovation is a fantastic
boost to the theatre operations as
well. The leaks m the roof and un-
expected visits by local wildlife
during performances will soon be
just a memory. From a technical
standpoint, we will have a facility
that will be the envy of many sum-
mer theatres in Ontario."
Renovations are scheduled to be-
gin after the close of the 1993 sea-
son.
Klopp also announced a
$231,000 grant for the Town of
Clinton to upgrade storm sewers,
sanitary sewers, and a watermain
replacement, known as the Mary
Street Dram Project.
Howick Township is getting
$100.000 for the rehabilitation of
two cemeteries, renovations at two
libraries, street paving, and the
creation of a township history
book.
Bayfield is getting a grant of
S25,000 for renovations to the vil-
lage's Old Town Hall.
in the Middlesex riding, MPP
Irene Mathssen also announced
under the ' bsOntario Community
Action plan $18,700 grant to the
Village of Lucan to help refurbish
the community centres pool change
house and add new fencing to the
tennis courts.
Community groups in Lucan are
presently raising funds to help ren-
ovate the china public noel
,_omplete report on Ioc I public sector cutbacks
SiCbt bite -va to agcy
rAss Adria Hanle
aadraberrine O'Brien
T -A staff
The provincial goverrunent's Social Conisaftallahe expired Sunday.
The $4.6 billion program auns to trim publ' wages in Ontario,
both for employees of the province and the aadtltepovuiceop-
ports with grants and transfer payments.
In this area, municipalities and agencicaneither felt they lttprtet the
• deadline well and had a deal they could live with. or they WOO still wait-
ing for news from the Toronto bargaining tables. If noagreement was
reached for their sector by the deadline. then the government's "fail safe"
Social Contract Act was to come into effect, automatically rolling back
public sector wages by five percent.
As for local municipalities, all say they have been able to make their
own deals with the gavot. By filling out the social contract forms
much like a tax return, most towns, villages and townships found that if
they could allow for certain deductions, less of their employees income
would be "taxed". Whether those deals will be accepted is a matter of
waiting for provincial approval.
With $199 million to be rolled back from Ontario municipalities under
the social contract, the government's formula was that only 14 percent of
employees earned less than 530.000. While that may be true in large ur-
ban centres, local munic,istelitietsfound the mniority.41heir employees
Under the 530,000 mark, lentiline ,lhei*actot,lhikt'sl. irc-
ments.
Consequently, many of the predictions for unbearable financial bur-
dens on the municipalities didn't come to pass in this area. Most saw
substantial reductions in the amount of money they were expected to
slash front salaries. In Zurich, for irtstaoc:e.alt employees were found to
be earning less than the $30.000 level. and no no social egplfact guts
Fur an in-depth iuvl at tIlr .)ucsa► Luff
lriG�! rt!`..,!
.Z
e.
were made. In Exeter, the scheduled removal of the police officers and
chief from the town payroll later this year means enough will be saved
on salaries to avoid affecting other town staff wages. In other villages
and township, staff arc gelling their salaries trimmed by about five per-
cent, usually through unpaid days off.
Most local municipal workers, however, arc facing a pay freeze that
will see their paycheques unchanged well into 1996.
As fpr the effect on local services, most municipalities and agencies
said they will be scheduling arOund their employees on leave, and only
one township said they will be closing their doors about one day a
//roach.
A complete summary starts on page two of the effects of the social
contract on local public sector employees. or as best can be determined
until provincial approval is granted.
a�:r ifet;41 !ivi
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