Clinton News-Record, 1975-04-10, Page 1Up to 18" of snow
reakApril stormbaUers area, rQads blocked
this is Spring?
No this picture wasn't,taken in Siberia in January, it was taken on the Bayfield;
Road in Clinton last Thursday morning as a freak April snowstorm dumped over a
foot of snow on the area and then high winds piled it up in ten foot drifts in some
places. The only way to get around town was by snowmobile or skis as Murray
Grigg of Walker Street did when he went up town shopping. (News -Record photo)
ayfield paving approved
BY MILVENA ERICKSON
The regular Bayfield Council meeting
Monday evening welcomed back the
tanned and well -rested Reeve Ed
Oddleifson, who had been on vacation to
the sunny south.
The clerk then read numerous letters.
Included were applications for loans under
the Homeowners Renewal Program, a
notice from the County of Huron stating
plumbing permits would cost $15 plus $1
per fixture for inspection, ministry of
housing guidelines for development control
for those municipalities without a planning
act.. Council was informed that the Mun
icipal Act has been changed to allow
By Jim Fitzgerald
There is no doubt that the biggest topic of
conversation in these parts in the last week
has been the weather, which we of course
':can -do little about. The Toronto weather
office said last ,week that March was
colder and wetter than normal, following
three months of unusually warm winter
weather. The final score on April's weather
has not been settled yet, but you can bet it
will go down as a bad one if the first two
weeks are any indication.
-I- -I- +
Yours truly and wife Lois were unlucky
ea�ough Pieku. the •w. ; i ,5 . ! ryARL.
-to-tale cilklayF, Wei•thought`-Weld Nisita.a
few relatives -and friend's -in various parts --
of Ontario, but got storm -stayed twice,
once in Listowel and again last Thursday in
Clinton. Oh well, maybe next year we'll be
smarter and head south. Thanks to Jeff
Seddon who capably filled in Tor us last
week.
Still on the weather, you may have
noticed on the top of this page that our
temperature readings for the past week
are still in Fahrenheit and .not Celsius. We
will continue to use the old system until the
Dominion Weather Bureau gets new
thermometers to the Brucefield Weather
Station on the Baird farm.
+ 4 -
The "Meals on Wheels" program is all
set to take dinners to local residents who
can't cook well themselves, but they
'dcsper itcly. need more volunteer drivers.
If enough show you'll only have to drive
• once a month. You can leave your name
with Mrs. Alvin Beukema at 482-9720 or
Mrs. R. MacKay at 482-7068. Mrs. Lina
Cochrane is secretary -treasurer and she
should be contacted if you have a donation
to make, which,is also badly needed.
+++
There is an all important Centennial
meeting next Wednesday night at the Town
Hall starting at 8 p.m. They can sure use
some more help, though.
mobile homes and trailers in•cities, towns,
villages, etc. to help relieve the housing
situation, and a letter was received from
the ministry of culture and recreation
dealing with the special role in the
preservation of architecture and historical
building demolition. The Ontario Heritage
Foundation also send guidelines of
buildings of architectural and historic
importance.
The transportation ministry .approved
the paving and gravelling on Village
streets intended for 1975, and Ausable-
Bayfield Conservation Authority's annual
financial report was discussed.
In other business, invitations were
received to attend the 22nd annual con-
ference of the Organization of Small
Municipalities in Gravenhurst on May 9
and 10, with the theme "Your Province and
You in a Partnership", and also a ministry
of housing workshop at the Valhalla Inn,
Kitchener, April 21, to place those at-
tending in direct contact with the ministry
on specific concerns. .
Council declared the week of June 24 to
July 1 as Canada Week, and discussed
costs of a survey to establish the Village
boundaries, streets and roads.
Notification was reeeived from Ross
Knight of the London Humane Society with
respect to dog control in the Village.
Council discussed the drainage on the Long
Hill and learned that the Village now has
fire insurance coverage on the books in the
Library belonging to the Village. The next
meeting of Bayfield council will be held
April28.
110th Yea. r--No.1 5
Hr Act
APRIL
1 ,36
2 29 26
3 Ai 33
4 25 18
5 29 18
6 31 19
7 32 24 •
Snow 12 "
41 28
63 33
s3 38
8$ 43
44 30
38 26
42 32
Rain 2.26" ' '
A freak April snowstorm, described as
the worst April storm in 53 years, slammed
into the area last week, catching most
people off guard and dumping between 12
and 18 inches on snow on the area.
High winds on Thursday and Friday
whipped the snow into ten foot drifts in
some plaecs, closing roads and keeping
students out of school for two days.
The storm moved into the area last
Wednesday afternoon, and was firmly
entrenched by 9 p.m. By Thursday mor-
ning,heavy snow had blocked many roads,
and road crews, many caught with their
plows off, were hard pressed to keep area
roads open.
In the middle of the blizzard Thursday
morning, 'a thunderstorm moved through
the area but only one-eighth of an inch of
freezing rain fell.
By Thursday afternoon, most traffic was
at a standstill, but there were fewer har-
dships caused by the storm than by the big
storm of January 1971.
The schools remained closed for two
days and many township roads weren't
opened until Saturday morning.
The high winds, fromthe north-west and
north continued for two more days, as a
large, cold high pressure area settled into
the area, giYing near record cold tem-
peratures, both in the day and: a night,
Daytime maximums were in the high 20s (-
2C) with over night lows in the high teens (-
8C) Normally at this time of year,
maximums are near 50 (+IOC) with lows
near 30 (-1C).
Everything was back to near normal by
Monday, but strong northerly winds kept
the .cold air in the area until Thursday,
over a week after the storm.
Although locally the storm wasn't as
severe as the big blow of 1971, a Canadian
National Railroad trackman said that
several rail lines were blocked worse than
in 1971, particularly on the Lucan line.
There were a few reports of downed
Sewage inspection rate
increased to $25
Huron County residents will pay $25 for
inspection of private sewage disposal
systems in new homes, it was announced
Monday.
The fee — an increase of $10 — coincides
with the takeover of sewage inspection by
the plumbing division of the Huron County
health unit:
Jim McCaul, chief health inspector, said
the work has been assumed by plumbing
inspectors through an arrangement with
the Ontario environment ministry. Huron,
Subdiviskrns rejected
Stanley Township halts cottage growth
he noted, is the on:y county to have a health
unit which operates its own plumbing in-
spection division.
Mr. McCaul Said the arrangement
replaces a temporary one-year agreement
in which the ministry contracted his office
to inspect septic tanks, although the
Environmental Protection Act said such
inspections were to be 'handled by the
minstry.
Senior health inspector Jack MacKinnon
will head inspection activities from the
plumbing division's Clinton office.
hydro or telephone lines, but neighbours to
the south weren't so lucky, and some rural
customers were without power for up to
three days.
Because of the storm, police reported
one of the quietest weekends in some time,
as motorists, for the most part stayed off
the roads. -
The storm followed one of the mildest
winters in recent memory, that saw the
mildest December in 50 years, the war-
mest January in 25 years, and the balmiest
February in 15 years.
Ironically, the best snowmobiling
weather of the whole winter took place on
April 3,4,5 and 6, and area snowmobilers
were out by the hundreds enjoying the
unexpected bonanza.
The late snow will likely delay seeding of
spring grains by about two weeks, but
whether or not the farmers get out on the
land will depend on temperatures and any
future rainfall (or snow). •
The storm forced cancellation of many
events planned for last Thursday and
Friday, and the exams at Central Huron
Secondary School, scheduled to start last
Thursday, were delayed until Monday.
Stanley Townsliip Council decided last
Monday to put a damper on any more
seasonal subdivision growth in the town-
ship, 4nd turned down two subdivision
plans trat were beforelhem.
Council decided to put the brakes on
anyth re growth because the township,
primarily, an agricultural producing
township, is not interested in getting into
the residentialiield.
The township turned down two proposed
plans, one 100 lot subdivision on Lot 9, three
miles south of Bayfield. on Highway/211 and
a 16 lot subdivision on Lbs 25, at t ie,south-
west corner of the township. _.
The first was owned by Wil& Webb and
the second was being. developed by
Anthony Denomme of R.R. 2, Zurich..
Both lots are presently zoned > as
agriculture land on the official Huron
County Plan, and because Stanley does not
have its own secondary plan - it's still two
years away - council thought it was time to
halt the erosion of valuable farmland.
Council also expressed doubt that they
could .afford the extra services, such as
fire, garbage collection, and roads, that
would be required. They were also con-
Snowmobiler
killed in
street accident
Gerard Vanderwiel, 31, of 69 London Rd.,
Hensall,, was killed Sunday near Seaforth
when his snowmobile, collided with a car
driven by Richard Elliot of RR 1, Hensall,
at about WO, tn.
Provincial police at Goderich said the
accident occurred on Huron County Road
12 at the fifth concession of Tuckersmith
Township, about three miles south of
Seaforth. -
Police estimated damage to the car at
$800. The investigation is continuing.
in $4
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by writing essay on paper
Whether you fancy yourself as a writer
or not, here's your chance to have yourself
a fling. Dominion Textile in co-operation
with Canadian Community Newspapers
Association is sponsoring "Our Hometown
Paper Awards" again this year.
The idea is simple. Just write down in at
least 250 words (no more than 700) what
The Clinton News -Record means to you.
All entries will be published in the News -
Record before they are sent off to CCNA
for judging.
The lucky Canadians who best describe
their feelings toward their hometown
paper will win a first prize of $400 and a
gold medal or a second prize of $200 and a
gold medal.
-Polished literary expression is not
sought.. Independent .judges will be wat-
ching for proof of an awareness by the
readers of the role of the weekly
newspaper in the community.
All entries must reach News -Record
Editor James' Fitzgerald no later than May
23. They must bear the name and address
of .the writer, and must be titled, "Our
Hometown Paper Awards".
A Goderich man, Jim Kingsley, won this
award three years ago. It isnot impossible.
Let's hear from you.
Man injured in crash.
E. Miller of R.R. 5, Goderich
received possible fractured
ribs last Tuesday.afternoon .in
an auto collision in Clinton.
Mr. Miller was in a car
driven by Fred J. Millar of
Goderich that was involved in a
collision with a car driven by
K-tchard Blanchard of
V areas Mrd.
The accident took place about
3:15 p. m. on Huron Street at
(Orange and police estimate ,
' total damage at $1,200.
It was the only accident
reported in town as drivers took
it easy during the worst April
snow storm in 50 years.
cerned that much of the beach front was
being claimed by private cottage owners,
even though council telt it was public land.
Stanley is the first township in Huron to
limit cottage growth along the lakeshore.
In other business, council appointed a
IiensatIyouth Helps
in winning design
Donald Noakes of Hensall, and four other
second year University of Guelph
engineering students, George Rocoski,
Paul Campagna, Rui D'Carvalho; and Don
Haley, were awarded the first prize. of
$1,000,by Labatts Brewery in a competition
to design safety barriers for auto race
tracks.
The five youths will split the prize moneya
given for the cross Canada competition and
received their award last Saturday in
Toronto,
Donald -Noakes is the son of Mr. and Mrs.
Leonard Noakes of Hensall.
New pool opened
number of citizens to their recently formed
Recreations Parks, and Community Centre
board. They are: Arnold Taylor and Jean
Rathwell of Brucefield; Joyce Dowson,
Gerald Hayter and Harvey Hayter of
Varna; Howard Armstrong of R.R. 1,
Zurich; John Paul Rau of R.R. 2, Zurich,
and two council members, Don Brodie and
Paul Steckle. The new board will hold their
inaugural meeting in a few weeks.
Council also accepted the tender of Lavis
Contracting Company of Clinton to supply
and deliver 16,000 cubic yards of gravel at
$2.24 per yard for the township's roads. The
price was a 30 per cent increase from last
year.
They also accepted the
Jennison of Grand Bend td
deliver 120 tons of calcium chlo
nder of Lee
supply and
ide for dust
control at the rate of $74.35 per ton, up $12 a
ton from last -year:. Both tenders were the
lowest submitted.
Stanley also granted the Bayfield
Agriculture Society $75 and the South
Huron Agriculture Society $35.
They accepted a tile drainage loan ap-
plication of $11,000, and passed general
accounts of $56,583 and road accounts of
$3,697.
Bayfield apartment
granted mortgage
' Final ap fi vdl has been given to a 17 unit
senior citizens' apartment in Bayfield, Bob•
McKinley, MP for Huron said on Monday.
Mr. McKinley told this paper that the
Central Mortgage and Housing Cor-
poration had given approval to a loan of
$274,382 for the two storey structure:
Mr. McKinley had earlier intervened on
behalf of the Ontario Housing Corporation
to have the CMHA finance the structure,
which will be located beside the municipal
building. Originally, the CMHA said the
property was too small.
The 50 year loan was provided under the
national Housing t, and construction of
• the building will begs 's spring.
Each of the 17 units has one bedroom.
Reeve takes dip in business suit
Huron County's first . indoor public
swimming pool is now open.
On Saturday evening April 5, recreation
directors and recreation committee
members from many Huron County
Municipalities attended an open swim
followed by a wine and cheese party.
During the swim period, Agin Thom-
pson was the only swimmer in a business
suit! Comments were favourable and the
water comfortable. You could almost
forget the April snow.
While everyone enjoyed the wines,
cheeses and . crackers, Mr. Lehnen,
chairman of the Vanastra Recreation and
Parks Board introduced Elgin Thompson,
Reeve of Tuckersmith township, Rene
Brochu, facilities manager at Vanastra,
and Mr. Whitlock, aquadicts director for
Vanastra. Mr. Whitlock briefly outlined
important functions of swimming
programs. •
Repr:!sentatives were present from the
Vanastra Community Association as well
as the Vanastra Parks and Recreation
Board. Representatives were also ,present
from Brussels, Blyth, Wingham, Exeter,
Goderich, Hensall as well as the
surrounding townships.
haroing to swim
• Despite the foot of snow of the ground outside, the water inside
the Vanastra covered pool was beautiful last Monday as the
firs c1assett of public school children took lessons. The pool was
offially opened last Saturday and Tuekerstnith Reeve Agin
christened the lioc►f with an, unofficial dunking, suit and all.
Hera the grade twti class from Clinton Public takes instruction
tronl teacher Tom Lyon, on ri,,ht. (News -Record photo)