Times Advocate, 1994-8-17, Page 3►
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ada, the United States and as far
away as England, Australia and
New Zealand.
While the group praise the week-
end as a success, there were also
some downsides such as backed up
tolets, high food prices and, of
course, the mud.
While it rained a bit on Friday,
they said the downpour came on
Saturday.
"Then the concert grounds be-
came a giant mudslide," Jen siad.
"No matter how much you tried to
keep clean you couldn't avoid get-
ting covered in mud."
There was also a lot of garbage.
"It wasn't the most environ-
mentally friendly place to be," Ian
said. "I don't know how they will
clean up the mess," he said. "It
looked like it should be declared a
disaster area."
When the group set out to leave
early Sunday, all they could see
was garbage and mud mixed with
the crowds of people.
"People were just leaving their
stuff behind because it was covered
in so much mud," Jen said. "There
were abandoned shoes, tents and
sleeping bags everywhere," she
said.
They left some of their gear be-
hind too because it was so dirty.
After waiting more than six hours
for a shuttle back to take them back
to their cars, the group then had to
find someone to help tow one of
their two vehicles out of the mud.
"People were paying up to a $ 100
for a tow. We managed to find a
guy who would do it for $20," Ian
said.
Despite spending a lot of money
for the three-day event, the group
said it was well worth the trip.
"We went to it with no expecta-
tions and went away with a lot of
great memories," said Ian.
T 1 T JHE I\TF_'[S Times -Advocate, August 17, 1994 Page 3
Woodstock '94: an experience
For $190 each, a group of Exeter and area teens drove a
ef a Iifetime van down to see some great bands, take part in a historical
moment, and get the muddiest they have ever been.
By Catherine O'Brien
T -A staff
EXETER - A handful of teens
from the Exeter 5rea made history
on the weekend as they took part in
the excitement of Woodstock '94.
"I've been to a lot of concerts, but
nothing compares to this one," said
Ian McLean of Exeter.
"If I had to emphasize anything
about the concert it would the mud
and rain," he said.
"It was more like 'mudstock', but
I had a great time anyway," said
Joe Gelinas, of Zurich.
They were two of 18 friends who
made the trek to Saugerties, New
York where they were able to see
their favorite bands perform and
experience an event of a lifetime.
"Some of our friends thought we
were crazy to go, but I have no re-
grets," said Jen McLean.
• The group set out on the Wood-
stock journey Thursday night at
around 9 p.m.
And after getting lost a few times
in New York state, they finally ar-
rived at the parking lot of the event
by 10 a.m on Friday.
Then they waited about two
hours for a shuttle bus to take them
to the actual concert site.
The group was told by concert of-
ficials that personal belongings
brought into the concert would be
searched by police and dogs for
items such as alcohol and drugs.
But that wasn't the case.
"No one even checked for wrist
bands, we just walked in," Jen said.
"There were no rules for this
thing," she said.
"There were people selling shop-
ing carts filled with cases of beer,"
Ian said. The asking price for a case
was $50 (U.S.).
Once inside the grounds, they
spent about an hour looking for a
place to set up their tents.
"People were camping every
where," Ian said.
"By the time we woke up in the
morning the place was filled with
tents. It was amazing. In every
possible place there were people
sleeping, even near the porta-M
potties," his sister said.
Although the crowd of concert
goers eventually swelled to an es-
timated 350,000 people, who for
the most part were either drunk or
doing drugs, there was relatively
little violence.
"At first 1 was a bit scared of be-
ing stomped on or a big fight start-
ing," Gelinas said.
But the majority of concert goers
were there to have a good time, lis-
ten to some good music and make
new friends.
"We met a lot of people," said Rob
Laithwaite of Exeter. He said there
were people there from across Can -
With the van they drove down to Woodstock, and had to have back in Exeter Monday to reflect on their experience at the
towed out afterwards, Jamie McGee (front left), Jen McLean, music festival celebrating 25 years since Woodstock '69.
Ian McLean (back left), Joe Gelinas, and Rob Laithwaite were
Blanchard phone not
under investigation
The CRTC is
responding to a
complaint only
By Stew Slater
ST. MARYS - Officials at Blan-
shard Municipal Telephone Com-
pany (BMTS) got a bit of a surprise
when they opened the London Free
Press last Friday, August 12.
An article in the paper gave the
impression that BMTS would be
put through another major in-
vestigation into mismanagement, a
few weeks after the independent
phone company emerged with a
passing grade from a provincial
probe.
"A just -completed $12,00X1 report
into the phone company's opera-
tions will be shelved while the
CRTC launches its own probe into
allegations of mismanagement," the
article states.
CRTC, or Canadian Radio, Tele-
vision and Telecommunications
Commission, recently took over ju-
risdiction of systems like BMTS.
Previously, thcy came under the
wing of thc province.
In the Free Press article, CRTC
liaison officer Paul Godin is quoted
ai saying he is going to carry out
Drag races
rained out
GRAND BEND - Faced with a
wet track and relentless rains, orga-
nizers of the drag races at the
Grand Bend airport Saturday were
forced to postpone the event.
The races will go ahead this Sat-
urday, with preliminary raccs start-
ing around 9:30 a.m. with finals
scheduled for late afternoon and
early evening, weather permitting,
of course.
One of the big attractions at the
second drag racing spectacle at the
airport this summer was to be Brian
Noakes, with his funny car racer.
Organizer Doug Jennison con •
-
finned that Noakes will be hack
this weekend.
his own investigation. Godin, how-
ever, now claims the article was
misleading.
"When 1 was talking to the re-
porter, I was unaware of thc report
that he was referring to. I thought
he was referring to a report that
provided information on the critcria
for Extended Arca Service," Godin
says.
Extended Arca Service was one
of three concerns the provincial
probe investigated. But it is the
only concern being looked at by
Godin; he was never even aware of
the provincial study or any other is-
sues.
"1 want to make that quite clear.
The only complaint I have received
is on Extended Arca Service. i have
not received any others," he said.
Godin received a surprised call
from BMTS general manager Bev
Skinner Friday morning, after the
article appeared, suggesting a new
full-fledged investigation was in
the works.
"I was told by Mr. Godin that
when (the CRTC) looks at a com-
plaint, thcy classify it as an in -
vestigation," Skinner says. ►
"To me, an investigation is quite
a big thing, whereas if you answer
a complaint, it's the same as if I
phone you and complain about
something and we get it sorted out.
"I'm very disturbed that some-
body has taken this complaint and
made it into a full-fledged mis-
management investigation," the
general manager says.
Godin says he is dealing with the
complaint; which involved the lack
of toll-free calling between neigh-
bouring telephone exchanges, as he
would deal with any complaint.
Godin is looking at the possibility
of using "alternate" CRTC criteria
which would enable them to extend
EAS. Most complaints have cen-
tred around th' lack of toll-free
calling between the Sehringville ex-
change, operated by BMTS, and St.
Marys, operated by Bell Canada.
Normal CRTC critcria says 60
percent of uscrs in one exchange
must call thc other in one month
before a consideration is made to
extend EAS.
Fresh Baked Summer Specials!
Country Buns $1.29 doz.
Butter Tarts 6/$1.99
Raisin
Bread 450 g. $1.29 Cheeses!
Fresh off the block
Canadian and
Imported ail
Cherry Pie
$2.99
Fresh Soup and
Sandwiches, salads, hot
entrees, coffee and
donuts!
Mozzarella Ib. $3.99
Assorted
Cream Cheese Ib. $4.99
Tasty�
Bakery and
:S Cheese House Cafe
235-0332 444 Main St. 8. Ertl►
Fine Quality Bakery Products
1/2 u ; "";41
resents: Drag Racing
(1/4 mile)
Sat., August 20
Gates Open: ,
Inquiries - Call Doug
1-519-238-5367
ADMISSION
Adults: $10.00
6-12 Yrs. $5.00
5 & under FREE
2
7 a.m. Racers Registration
9 a.m. Time Trials
11 a.m. Elimination Start
BRACKET RACING
Entry Classes
$35.00 Super Pro 10.99-0
$35.00 Pro 13.00-11.00
$25.00 Street 13.00 -Slower
1st
$750.
$450.
$200.
2nd 3rd
$400. $200
$250. $150.
$125. $75.
Minimum of 50 Cars Per Class
Helmets required for all classes
RAIN DATE: SATURDAY AUG. 27, 1994
I AIRPORT PonchiN
l —
�»,''
Jtop tights
farond Rend fi•ati
Located at
sria Grand Bend Airport
•
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