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The Wingham Advance-Times, 1975-05-29, Page 1if your k iH i , r al scription Is now Our,• FixforSver 4811.1,00 your ;if!Ij stry of -Health rep. 'on roosed district hea „ Shhriey J. Helier Stephen Skorcz, area Weaning co-ordinator for Southwestern Ontario and a representative o the Ontario Ministry of Health, ' was on the hot seat at Huron " County Council Friday morning as members of council fired some. to rather pertinent questions his way, regarding the proposed formation of a District Health Council between Huron and Perth. • At the present time, Huron and Perth are working toward a steering committee which will make the recommendation of proposed membership on a Dis- trict Health Council. Mr. Skorcz said there are al- * ready three District Health Coun- cils in Ontario -Ottawa -Carlton, Thunder Bay and Niagara Dis- trict. He said two more are near- ing formation being the amal- gamation of the City of London and the Counties of Middlesex, Oxford and Elgin and the Wind- sor -Essex District Health Coun- cil. • District Health Councils, ac- cording to Mr. Skorcz, would' be an advisory body to the Ministry of Health on all health care matters related to a region with a minimum population of 100,000 persons. These councils would have •15 -members including six ,consumers,six providers of medical care and three local government appointees. Bayfield Reeve Ed Oddleifson asked about the "sanctity of numbers"recently the obsession of the provincial government in • Ontario. He was referring to the need for a population' base of at least 100,000 citizens within a dis- trict. Reeve Oddleifson said the board of health has been operat- ing well in Huron County and could be expanded to db the work ou in . f e _ i �. tib • .fid :� � � e -- Councils,a._. s He ..at, 1�un•-� .re resentatives had had two meet- ings with officials from Perth regarding the proposed District, Health Council and admitted there are "many things yet to be ironed out". "My basic contention here iS O that population should not . be the governing factor," stated Mr. Oddleifson, chairman of Huron's p County - wide horsing authority being suggested By Shirley J. -Keller The Ontario Housing Corpora- tion is proposing a county -wide Housing Authority in Huron County. At last Friday's Session of county council, members were brought up to date on the sug- gestion by J. V. Cook, branch manager for . Southwestern On- tario. Presently in Huron there are two housing authorities—the Goderich Housing Authority with 79 housing units and the Clinton Housing Authority with 49 hous- ing units. Under construction at the present time as well, how- ever, are housing units in Bay - Blyth, Brussels, Seaforth, Wingham and Zurich. In all, there will be about 300 housing units in Huron when those under • development are completed. Three levels of government pay the costs of these units -50 per cent is financed through federal funds; 421/2 per cent is financed from provincial money; and usually, the municipality in which the housing units are lo- cated pays the remaining seven and one-half per cent. Mr. Cook said that in'Huron if a Mousing Authority was set up, it would likely be a seven -member board. It would be the duty of that board to direct the management of the public housing; to approve the budget and tenant place- ment ; and to deal with problems that arise. Always, the housing authority would operate with the guidelines of Ontario Housing Corporation. Mr. Cook said the proposal for a county housing authority has come before other interested per- sons in the county including the Goderich Housing Authority. To date, no opposition has been registered to the proposal. He suggested that if a county authority was formed, there would be one manager, one maintenance man and a clerk - typist needed as staff. John Lyn- $ don, Goderich, presently serves as part-time manager of the Goderieh and Clinton housing authority as well as having other duties thio hout Huron with Board of Health. "Why has it be- come so damned sacred?" Mr. Skorcz answered that the base of 100,000 persons is needed in order to reflect the broadest possible perspective as well as to serve the health care requit'e- ,menta of the greatest number of people within 'a district. Reeve Oddleifson retaliated by reminding Mr. Skorcz ' of the valuable volunteer hours which are now spent on behalf of health care in the smaller districts (counties) . _ "Why dip into the public purse when volunteers can do the work at the local level?" asked Reeve Oddleifson. "But nobody is taking a total look," answered Mr. Skorcz. "But vre,could do it," 'insisted Reeve Oddleifson. "Give us the tools in Huron County and we'll show you' a District Health Council that really works. And I'd like you. to take that back to the Ministry." Mr. Skorcz promised Mr. Oddleifson his concerns would reach the Mltustry.. ?I'm not 'Opposed to the con- cepts of District HealthCoun- cils," said Mr. Oddleifson. "And I'm not being parochial. But I see no reason for this sanctity in numbers we've been hearing se much about." Goderich Township Reeve Gerry Ginn wanted to know What are the advantages of a District Health Council for Huron. ' Mr. Skorcz told him it provided the vehicle by which to take a total look at an area, to insure that the health dollar 'is being' spent to the best advantage for the greatest number of people; to bring about co-ordination and evaluation of district health care services; to look at all health care programs in the district at the same time and in the same manner; and to arseSS priorities. Reeve Bill Elston, Morris Township, charged that accord- ing to his information, Oxford County was forced into a District, Health Council with London, Middlesex and Elgin. Mr. Skorcz Man, boy .injured in car accidents A 'single -car accident Friday resulted in injuries to the driver and damage estimated at- $2,700. The accident involved Brian P. Doherty of Waterloo and oc- curred on Highway 86, west of the Zetland bridge, Turnberry Town- ship. Mr. Doherty's car left the north edge of the road, struck a guide post, crossed Sideroad 17, went through some more guide posts, down an embankment, rolled over and came to rest in ::the river. The driver was ad= initted= to,the ,Wingham , sand Dis- - trictilospitallvith an injured rib cage and a large laceration to the left side of his scalp. Mr. Doherty has been released from the hos- pital. A seven-year-old Wroxeter boy was injured last Thursday when he ran into the left rear corner of a car:driven by Alan Willits of RR 1, Wingham. The accident oc- curred on County Road 12, south of County Road 7, Howick Town- ship. Reuben Hershberger of RR I, Wroxeter, was admitted to the Wingham and. District Hospital for observation and treatment for' abrasions and contusions to his face. ' He has now . been released. The Wingham detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police reported two more single -car accidents last week. Larry. Cirri of Toronto was involved in an. acci- dett oast; T.iisdayon Highwa � • 86 at Hi h a 87 ' rnber ova; ship. Estimated damage was $200. On Friday, Vernice Prescott . of RR 3, Brussels, was -involved in an accident on Sideroad 30-31, north of Concession 11-12, Grey Township, when his car went into the west ditch. Damage was esti- mated at $800. said the Ontario MirtistrY Health would not ';' oree:; county into a DistriCt Council situation. Deputy -Reeve Bill Clifford the Town of Qoderich as the government representative What; counties could expect if they ;tiK not . become part of a plodl Health Council. "What are the penalti asked Mr. Clifford"What ar t implications here?" "The Ministry can't force ' won't for` ce counties into MO^ Health Councils," said Skorcz emphatically. He went on to explain, ,hot' ever, that the citizens within such a county could be losing olltAine input concerning health tare that part of Ontario would be missing in Toronto. He said ttife_ value of such a county to .the t° health care picture in the pr. ince would just "not be there! Reeve Ginn urged Mr Skors and the Ministry of Health f* Ontario to think about a more gradual ' conversion to Distrf c Health Councils. He argued that if the area is toolarge, too MtiCh responsibility is on the 15 -me, ber committee which would he just beginning to learn about the wide and intricate facets, ~4 ` health care. "We should co-ordinate health, services locally first," said. Reeve Ginn. "I think they wduld operate sooner and better at the county level. By the time 15 new members "of a District Health'; Council learn what's going on in' Huron and Perth health wise, it will. take too long." Reeve Ginnsuggested that reps' resentation from the Children's, Aid Society, . Social Services'', Huronview, the six hospitals, the nursing homes and the Board of Health could take a look at health services in Huron first. • "That'sat ts job enough • at. .e'- th . Start," iliiiditetive fiitl lnetter. to start on a small scale. and then amalgamate later.". "I don't say you're incorrect but I don't think it's the direction the Ministry is looking at the present time," answered Mr. Skorcz. He said counties must "broaden their scope". MISS GWEN NORRIS, director of patient care at the Wing - ham and District Hospital, accepts a stereo record player presented to the hospital as a gift from the 1975 graduates of the nursing assistants' course. Rosalea Hackett, class president and' valedictorian, represented the ,class, Mrs. J. Ellacott present as acting director of the train , centre. . ta of municipal ars hands of the "in' the MR. AND MRS. HARVEY AITCHESON entered the past when they dressed in old-fash- ioned garb, to attend St. Andrew's Preskiyterian' Church Centennial Service Sunday. Although modern clothing still predominated among the church -goers, many members "To be or not to be ... that is the question." An especially apt quotation at this time in relation to a proposed project that could mean so much to the town and the surrotuidigg area -4 -municipal. a,,,040.4.. :�J _t ti= east ou ` �"res dents are determined that the es- tablishment of such a collection is definitely "to.be Mrs. Ene Mc- Gregor and Jim Currie started' working along parallel but inde- pendent lines some time ago. The impetus for both enthusiasts, however, was a rather unique man—George Allen. • Mr. Allen may be well-known to most Wingham people for his beautiful gardens and home on John Street. What not too many persons are aware of, however, is that the interior of his home is even more spectacular. A useless piece of information? Not at°all. Because what makes it relevant is a marvelous col- lection of Wingham memorabilia and history compiled by Mr. Allen and offered just recently to the town as a start for a munici- pal museum. Mr. Allen is also willing to contribute his collec- tion of carved birds to the town • Add to that his offer of $5,000 to Slight damage in accident The Wingham Police Depart- ment' reported only one accident last week. The accident occurred Thursday and involved Terry Anger and Patricia Mowbray, both of Wingham, in a collision at the intersection of Josephine and Patrick Streets. Total damage was estimated at $425. During the week, the depart- ment issued six safety lane tickets for the upcoming motor vehicle inspection station to be set up in Wingham. Two persons were charged under the Highway Traffic Act' and two under the Liquor Control Act. Traffic of- fense warnings were issued to five persons. The department " also reported two cases of wilful damage still under investigation and one disturbance complaint. Lightning bolt cause of fire start the project off, and what was just a dream assumes the as- pect of reality. The first hint of all this came at a Wingham Town Council meet- ing - when both Mr. Currie and n,Mrs,4 McGregor MeGregorl,AtIkkare �. lx depeniteift eg!atro ..i council's support for the project. Mrs. McGregor was asking that Mr. Allen's collection not be lost to the town through ignorance. Mr. Currie's proposal went one step. further : he asked that council 'approve the use' of the, second and third floors of the old Post Office (presently the Day Care Centre) to house the start of the archives. "I'vebeen aware for some time that a lot of things that are histo-, rically Wingham are disappear- ing," Mr. Currie said. "The fund- ing was • the big thing, and the housing was another problem. There was a lack of impetus to get. something started . . and then where do you start?" Mr. Allen's offer of both the collection and •the preliminary finances was the answer to at least one of . the problems. The question of housing was soon an- swered by council with a re- sounding "yes". And in the pro- cess, the group of three added one more member to its list of sup- porters in the person of Council- lor Al Harrison. The second step of the project came several weeks ago, with a visit by Mr. Allen and Mrs. McGregor to the proposed home of the collection. The second and third floors of -the old Wingham Post Office are vacant, a*cept for one room in use by the Day Care Centre staff as a lounge. The second flebr rooms, to be the nucleus of the ar-. cli' s' r s ruct ll so nd•but u : dilapidated. DOOrs"Stitirril. knobs are missing, window panes are cracked or broken and -the paint is peeling. -But the enthusiasts are not dis- couraged: "We can fix this up beautifully;" Mr, Allen • said, as he -surveyed the rooms and took preliminary measurements. "The piaho couldko in here .. . this would be a good place, for the cabinet I think we'll paint the walls white in this room ... " The list of ideas and improvements was endless, and the enthusiasm and desire to start were bound- less. Interest in the project has grown, meanwhile.. Articles on Mr. Allen and his collection in the London Free Press and the Kit- chener -Waterloo Record have spurred some of the interest, and the efforts of the group have not been in vain. —I hope this is the beginning of something," Mr. Currie said, and public response to date seems to justify his hope. But public response will have to be even stronger to further this worthwhile project. Support is essential, as far as contributions, volunteer workers and just plain. interest go. Once the work on the rooms is completed, Mr. Allen's collection can be housed as a start of the archives. But it's only the start. Mr. Currie says, "There are so many valuable and' interesting . historical 'items #n Wingham homes that might be lost if theyare not ;gathered into the archives. We already lost two . pictures of historical value wluch _iiiaa. red with ,l� _ p -..l4ueen s tote` !th f think i w crime ... And' there's a mann- script of historical interest left to *- the the town by ,Leon Cantelon, but what will become of it?" -All these things are only a fraction . of . the historical valu- ables that might be uncovered'if the archives become .a fact. And the work doesn't stop there. "The key is now screening and select- ing articles to be'housed and dis- played," Mr. Currie explained. "Everything has to be,catalogued and detailed. If 'a group can be found in the community, devotees of our history, it would have to be voluntary." No one underestimates the amount of work involved, but hopes are still high. The centen- nial year of 1979 has been pro- jected as the target -Ole of grand dedication of ' an established ar- chive. It's a long-term project in trust for future generations, Mr. Currie concluded. But the work must start now if the goal is to be reached. Mrs. ,-McGregor re- ported that a meeting of . in- terested citizens will soon be called. After that, no one can really say what happens next. But, Mr. Currie's statement per- haps best sums up the feeling of the group: "I like to think there'§_ enough spirit in this town to get this done." Only one fire call came into the Winghatn Fire Department last week, and even that fire fizzled to nothing before the fire trucks even got to it. The call came Sun- day evening 'from Gordon Wright on the B -Line of Turnberry Town- ship. Chief Dave Crothers said a lightning bolt went down a chim- ney pipe 'in the garage, into a cast-iron stove and set a wood pile on fire. The fire was under control when the firemen arrived. Chief Crothers said no NATURAL SETTINGS are a must for artist George Allen whose carved birds will form the start of the Wingham museum. Mr. Allen, a native of Wingham, carves the birds as a hobb but the life-likescale odels are well on their we to becoming collector's items.