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Clinton News-Record, 1979-03-15, Page 1I It vi The old Clinton swimming pool, which has heard the echo of thousands of children's voices over the past 25 years is now silent and will shortly be bulldozed to its death as the rec committee and town have decided to replace it with a modern $110,000 structure. Work is slated to begin soon, and may be ready for the end of June. 114th year -No. 11 Thursday, March 15, 1979 35 cents Council takes pool plunge By Shelley McPhee It could be said that Clinton Council decided to go all out and try the high diving board when, Monday night they authorized the local recreation com- mittee to oversee and call for tenders on the construction of a new com- munity pool. The new pool, based on an estimate from Van Bussell Pools will cost $110,240. To repair the existing � Rec. board recommends new swimming pool After nearly a year of debate, that became heated at times, the Clinton Recreation Committee has recom- mended the town build a new pool to replace the present 25 -year-old pool, now in decaying condition. The new pool, which will cost about $110,000, will go in the same location as the old one and will utilize the old bathhouse and some of the equipment from the old pool. The rec committee made the decision last Thursday night after learning that repairing the old pool would cost nearly $75,000. "We've procrastinated long enough on this," said member Ron McKay, after he learned from secretary Marie Jefferson that the town would lose out on any provincial grants if they didn't act soon. Races bring profit "We've got the public behind us," said Dennis Jewitt, referring to a public meeting last, November that gave strong vocal support to re-' building the Clinton pool, after an offer was made by the Vanastra Recreation Committee to use their pool, located three miles south, in Tuckersmith Township. "I can't see the worth in spending the money trying to fix up the old pool", said member Lorne Tyndall. If the new pool gets, council's okay, then construction would begin im- mediately, with work hopefully completed by the normal opening time in late June. Cost of the pool would be met by $55,000 in Wintario and Community Centres Act grants while the bingo committee of the local service clubs have raised a further $30,000, leaving about $25,000 to be raised either through donations or from tax dollars. "I think we've been pretty lucky here in town in the last two years," said Mr. McKay, "We've built a grandstand, new tennis courts, and partially have the new arena floor paid for, all without tax dollars so if we go to the taxpayers on this one, they shouldn't be too up- set." About $30,000 is still owing on the $180,000 cost of the new arena floor, but rec members felt that most of that could be picked up from business and home owners that were missed in the first canvass last fall. In other business, the rec committee welcomed two new members, Lorne Tyndall, and Len Fawcett. Mr. Fawcett was a long-time member who New grandstand all paid off Clinton's grandstand is all paid off, and it didn't cost the taxpayers a dime, the Clinton Kinsmen. learned at their meeting last week. • . Raceway chairman Paul"'Kerrigan revealed that the Club had made the last payment on the structure built by the Kinsmen, but owned by the town. The announcement last week came nearly two years to the exact date after the Club was told in March 1977 thatthe old grandstand was unsafe and was condemned. Starting on April 6, 1977, the club and volunteers from the community tore down the old structure, and by the next week, work was started on the new grandstand, which was ready for the Spring Fair on June 3. A report to the Club last week from the auditors, said that the grandstand cost a total of $258,945, which included $12,664 in interest. Of the total, the Kinsmen paid $87, 352, while another $5,500 came from the Kinettes, $8,832 from volunteer labor, and $2,786 from the sale of old material. Government grants totalling $154,065 included a Community Centre Act grant from the ministry of culture and recreation for $61,522, a Wintario grant of $61,293, and a Wintario grant of $31,250. In other business connected with the Kinsmen Raceway, chairman Paul Kerrigan revealed that despite heavy losses on the experimental Thursday night race meet, the raceway made nearly $3,000 profit last year after expenses of $1.73,001, while the mutuel machines netted $11,700 profit after expenses of $18,167, and the programs returned a profit of $3,400 after ex- penses of $9,343. The total $18,600 profit was put towards the new grandstand. Mr. Kerrigan received a standing ovation from fellow club members after he presented the report, which showed that 21,266 persons had bet $1,136,533 at the 17 -day race meet last summer. The average handle was $66,856, including the bad Thursday nights, and the average daily attendance was 1,250, both down slightly from 1977. The Kinsmen club has been awarded firs' column by jim fitzgerald People who live in glass houses shouldn't .throw rocks, is an old adage that town council would do well to heed. You may recall that last month council threatened to get after businessmen for not cleaning up it sidewalks during the winter. .11, as pointed up by a delegation of businessmen at last Monday night's council meeting, the worst offender was the town itself, whose sidewalks in front of the town hall and library park looked more like slippery moonscapes from December to late February. That's not to say there weren't some businessmen who didn't own a shovel, but the whole problem seems to be melting away now until next winter. + ++ But spring is only one week away now and several local residents phoned to tell us they spotted robins last Friday, one of the true har- bingers of spring. Soon their pleasant trilling will awaken us each morning. + ++ Another sign of spring is the March break for all the school students and their weary teachers, which begins this Friday afternoon, .and continues until classes resume on Monday, March 26. Although one kid complained to us, we always seem to get the lousiest weathdr during those March holidays. + + + Which reminds us of a definition of a teenager: "That's a person who gets up on Saturday morning with vv. nothing to do, and by bedtime has it only half done." -}- + -i- Well, with most of Clinton's hockey teams eliminated from further action (all but the midgets) the hockey season is fast drawing to a close (except for the money changers of the NHL who try to keep us in suspense until sometime in June and, so thoughts of the up- coming ball season are now up- permost in many people's minds. A meeting of the Clinton Minor Baseball Association last week only attracted six volunteers while the minor soccer association meeting last Sunday suffered from similar apathy. But both are plodding along anyway, and the minor baseball people will be holding another meeting next Thursday nigt3t, March 22 at the arena at 8 p.m. Many more volunteers are still needed. + ++ You may remember Neil Arm- strong, the first man who made it to the moon and back safety and was a guest, up here during the plowing match? Well, Neil had to have his left ring finger reimplanted after it Was ripped off in an accident: his wedding band caught on a barn door as he jumped off a truck. "That, particular jump was hardly a giant leap for mankind," says the latest issue of Safety Canada. + ++ And of course, a happy St. Pat's Day to all you Irishnien and all the wish -they -were -one -day -a -year Irishmen (er ladies too.) 15 racing daysthis summer, all Sun- days, beginning June 24 and continuing until September 30. In other business:,, the Kinsmen- learned from Las Vegas organizers Tom Craig and John Kassies that the arena floor fund was enriched by $1,500 from the successful night in February, but Tom suggested that more play money be printed. Upcoming events on the Kinsmen calendar include the Hawaiian night last Saturday, March 10; and the an- nual canoe race down the Maitland river for Cystic Fibrosis on Sunday, Aprils. retired several years ago, but was invited back when several vacancies appeared. Mr. Tyndall wasn't long on the committee when he was voted in as the new chairman of the parks board, along with members Joe Atkinson, Len Fawcett and Cleo Colquhoun, while Dennis Jewitt was named the new chairman of the arena board, with help from Ron McKay, Paul Draper and Don Wright. structure, a cost of $75,000 was estimated by Rintoul Pools. Councillor Ron McKay, also a rec committee member, was adamant in his suggestion to council, "For a dif- ference of $17,620, the best bet is to build a new pool." Likewise, Councillor Rosemary Armstrong, the lone council opposer, was firm in her belief that Clinton could do without a new pool. "Every small town can't have a pool or an arena. There's a beautiful pool at Vanastra. I just don't think that the town can afford to build a new one. It would be nice to see one, but where is the money going to come from? We still have an arena floor to pay off," she stressed. She continued, "There's a good facility just two miles down the road. The parents should have some obligation for their children to tran- sport them if they want supervised swimming and a babysitting service. I know my feeling's unpopular, but I have to say it." "The Lions Club want it here," Councillor Frank Van Altena pointed ,Meals on Wheelspr�gram appeals for more drivers Mrs. Jeanne Baker, in charge of drivers for Meals on Wheels, has ap- pealed to the people of Clinton to offer to drive for the program. The number of people using the service has grown over the years from an average of six or eight per day to 18 at present. This number requires two drivers and twice as many serving dishes - a recurring expense. It takes only about an hour to drive to the hospital, pick upthe meals (in a crrrytng case) and deliver -them to those who need them. The Carrying case is then returned to the hospital. If - you can donate an hour from 11:45 a.m. until around one p.m. to perform this service for Clinton's shut-ins, please telephone 482-7976 and ask for Mrs. Baker. The Meals on Wheels program has been self-supporting since its inception in April, 1975 when various organizations generously donated money to get the program started and to maintain it. The following groups have made donations : Presbyterian Church Ladies, St. Paul's Friendship Guild, Clinton Beef Beaters, Kinettes, C.G.I.T. - Ontario Street United Church, Huronic Rebekah Lodge, Beta Sigma Phi, Royal • Canadian Legion, Summerhill Ladies' Club, Eastern Star, Lions Club, Country Singles, and individual donations. The Meals on Wheels committee is deeply grateful to these public-spirited groups and individuals for their sup- port. Meals are provided by Clinton'Public Hospital and the price ($1.25) has not .changed since the beginning. However, with food prices rapidly escalating, the hospital has been forced to raise the price fora meal to $1.75. The new price will be charged starting on April 1. If any interested groups wish to make donations towards defraying the costs of meal containers, please con- tact Mrs. Lina Cochrane at 482-7356. out, "They've put lots of money into it." "If the service clubs can pay for it, that's great. But the taxpayers shouldn't pay," Councillor Armstrong voiced. Councillor McKay added, "People have had a break for a long tine. Maybe parents should take some money out of their pockets. The grandstand, the ball park, the old pool, and the arena didn't cost the town much, surely they (the people) can dig up $25,000." About $25,000 will be left to the town out of the total cost after Wintario and Community Centres grants along with a donation from the services clubs reduce the bill. If the pool had been repaired, $7,500 would be left for the town to pay. In either case, grants will cover one-half the cost and the town's bingo proceeds will cover another $30,000. "How can you get a grant on a pool, but not one to build a new town hall?" Councillor Ernie Brown asked. "The pool will be a recreational facility to be used by all the public, a municipal building is not," Councillor McKay noted. Mayor Harold Lobb felt that an engineer should be called in for the project. "We don't want to put a new pool in there and then have frost damage and improper drainage," he pointed out, "You remember what happened with the arena. We ended up putting in a new floor." Councillor McKay noted that the pool will have to follow the department of health specifications, but agreed that an engineer could be valuable, "The old pool wasn't engineered." Wea ther 1979 1978 HI LO March C C 6 1 —1 7 4 6 8 .4 --4.5 9 3 —4 10 1 — 3 11 — 8 —12 12 --3 —10 Snow 2.0 cm NI lA F F 24 —5 26 —6 27 — 4 31 —13 36 0 34 22 35 23 Snow 2" Town Hall repair tenders finally sought by Shelley McPhee could interfere with the tender ap- Although neither the plan nor the plications. However, architect Nick figures are being released to the public, Hill estimated in an earlier report that Clinton Council has approved in the project would cost $235,700. He principle the proposed plan for the noted that the total costs on the final town hall restoration as prepared by report are close to the original architects Hill and Borgal from / estimates. As well an additional 20 percent will be added by the ministry of culture and recreation for any un- foreseeable repairs. Based on the initial report, the cost will include restoration of the exterior of the 98 -year-old building and' the auditorium. With such repairs the auditorium could be utilized as a community centre, for use by local clubs and special events. Particular con- sideration is being given to the senior citizens, who are looking for a regular meeting place. The once impressive second floor in the town hall hasn't been used for the past 20 years. The cultural centre was condemned since it only holds 50 pounds per square, foot. It is supposed to hold 100 pounds. Presently it is a haven for pegeons and dust. Mayor Lobb stressed that the newly appointed committee should begin their work immediately by applying for grants . A Heritage grant would pay 20 percent of the cost, a Community Centres grant would cover another 25 percent. It was suggested last year that the rest of the money could be raised through a three-way split with the municipality, the public and Wintario paying, or through a two-way split with the public, through taxes and Wintario footing the bill. Council has made no firm decision on this vet. "Are they suggesting that we apply for the grants before we know the costs?" questioned Reeve Royce Macaulay. Go ierich. Little discussion on the issue was brought at council's open meeting on Monday night. It had been hashed out earlier this month in a committee - of -the -whole meeting, closed to the public and the press. At Monday's regular session, a number of motions on the project were brought forward and all quickly passed. Along with approving the plan, council appointed a building committee to oversee the restoration project and apply for federal and provincial grants. The committee will be made up of Local Architectural Conservatory Advisory Committee (LACAC) members, Chairman Heather Hunter and Gerry Fremlin; council members, Ron McKay and Roy Wheeler; senior citizens, George Rumball and John Deeves and commupity represen- tatives, Marie Jefferson and Bill Counter. A third motion authorized the committee to apply for Wintario, Community Centres and Heritage Foundation grants to help finance the work. A final motion allows Hill and Borgal to proceed with the working drawings and specifications for the tenders on the construction work of the town hall. "Does this mean we go for the whole ball of wax?" Councillor Chester Archibald questioned. "I don't think we're saying that we're going to restore the whole building," Councillor McKay clarified, "we'll go through a series of motions and we still haven't accepted any tenders." "You have to get the applications "We're just happy with what's been in," Councillor McKay stressed. "They drawn up for us by the architects. will be based on the estimates." That's all we're agreeing to so far," he added. "The bottom line comes dawn to whether we accept a tender," he stressed. Mayor Harold Lobb noted that the actual cost figures on the restoration plans wo'uldn't be made public since it Councillor Archibald showed some concern over the cost of the ar- chitectural fees. Hill and Borgal will receive approximately $24,000 for the design and working drawings they complete, whether the actual con- struction ipt the renovation project is catried oat or not. In 1974, council spent $10,000 on a consultant report prepared by James F. MacLaren. Although the citizens in town voted to save the structure at that time the report indicated that repairs would cost $400,000. Mr. MacLaren suggested that the town hall be torn down, the present library ' - renovated into municipal offices and a senior citizens complex and library built elsewhere in town at a total cost of $800,000. Council, now with Hill and Borgal's detailed proposal, is finally taking positive steps in an issue that has been on the town's agenda for five years. A couple of warm spring-like days last week lured many area homeowners back outdoors to start some chores neglected throughout the 'winter. Austin Matheson of Ontario Street in Clinton took advantage of a warm Thursday to begin sweeping off the sand covering the sidewalk in front of his home. (News - Record photo)