Loading...
The Goderich Signal-Star, 1973-03-29, Page 5GODERICH SIGNAL -STAR, THURSDAY. MARCH 29, 1973—PAGE 3 Nn 9, 194 Led scb , Capt., r,, e firsts,. the, huesday Sand ergoing r a load of n and•) the e� looney at ars, brary a tneetisi g to disco r the buil r. Fowler, next Thu, ders. me view ntly beang church, ad; rpearanced are the a and Mty.,j, ucted by'; Clements, designed )eautiful f, ad Child ant viously stoix the sides d I senvicesw w' weeks r are ccirsjk altars h „ Years 29,1948 m the bask ich tickets if the Food paign yea! Miss _Paul: rider of then Iackson FIT lovely bask r on Sato ty in the hay I of the vesact. Leet for any less. The as Irgoes has oam is tip on and the u. s.oing on stet' he entrance' blocked te' washing or to north pr tg of the ha' gels removed engineers •e lookingmr taking sour' the mass of I of being w , inel simply: of the p1e' rn obstacle rt 'G. Mac:If ielstan• Qut Ain with his and tomo", he inducted (nox Presby'. Tonal plug tain of the Goderich ha' .d to Capt h 'the imperial rnonv at toga n. �. Years :h 29, 1968 radian author • Harry J. Boyle week as ' the newlY Radio•Tele which is to rd of Broads s the watchd4 •oadcasting• 52 was bora t. Augustine, 1 has a numbs the Godench :ed by a h and An ii day before, I' r Agriculture 1 a small mit' brought his' the Liberal into Huron C' morning ;ter met withp egates to the convention' at ctp 0 spe •a�n i; nformalSa urs! I Motel fternoon a o carry them ,h and WI a field three odstock atter from a pry's". Lawyer • j' reene's wed align ma""� hospitafarl ankle a ring a{'the es injured ntinued from page 2) t' tt'ciy rc,uld "'tie used for purpose y the big Lss;tie over one There are three sour- s inside tPse walls and ,01i0ya1 t,f one wall Will eave two courtyards. at does it- cost now for :p? At the present time are _'fi municipalities in ounty of Huron, which 's that the upkeep of the being supported by the •,liars of 2ti municipalities. ;` the, Town ()I' Gude. rich ,overrthe Tail the people Of rIcll• those who own rt' unci pay taxes will be sole ,IIP por5 of this 'rty. Clow much will t hat raise our taxes:' . 3ave the •Mil Committee •flu) membership, vet they percent of the town is in r of keeping this jail. when I, 201) people MO nt of t 'Town of s the taxpayers who are to have, to tray for and 'rt this building that has commended as. a jail. So the decision • should be . Why not take it to the of „ (;oder ich and let ,make the decision'? Yours truly, A property owner. rs Nott' .Wer, to cn►c of the ons posed are contained :tory from (1oderich 'Town 11 on the front. of this ,s `sec ond-Sect ton. r would t you read It carefully. not much will it cost to are tht' jail'.' An estimate KvIe,. Kyle, incl Garrett, eats 2r5,0o1), Thi' Save Jail Society feels this ate may he high. Thai will itheusedfo'r,,,ociety and gotten involved in iidrrl, although Dr. its work. It is also true that as f3lchardson, rip urn. there are many, many people c{ time The Jailer from throughout Huron 'County, the to says the secret lies in province of Ontario and even into England, who see the g some Imaginative and the use for it The um value of maintaining the jail as to problem is to sure the it presently stands. 7. Why not take it to the people of Goderich `and let them make 'the decision? 'Perhaijis yciu itre right to have a public •vote on the question if Goderich ratepayers are to foot the hill. But what if Dr. Richar- dson and Solicitor 13i)l Byers are •right? What if funds are available from the provincial government, from the federal government and .from private philanthropists which would restore, 'refurbish•and maintain the. pry).jest_-almost-.ent.ir.ely?... All the Save The Jail Society has ever requested is that Huron County Council and Goderich Town Council take 'the time to explore all the avenues open to them with regard to the jail before touching one stone in the wall - and to consider other possible alternatives for expan- sion at the Huron -Perth Regional Assessment Office. Can you, a property owner, in all good faith really and truly press to have the wail torn down without looking at all the possible implications of 'this unique, historic itructa7re? Can anyone? would be reproved surrounds the largest exercise yard, the one best suited for outd'iic`tir theatre; because as the photograph ( front, second sec- tion) shows, the addition to the assessment office as planned would extend onto the jail property and . into the one-time exercise yard and give an u►r.- necessarily crowded and poorly planned appearance toc,Napier Street and the Town of Goderich; because the jail as it stands is the only building of its kind in North America and perhaps. the entire world and should be preserved in its en- tirety- if it is to be preserved at all; because Huron County's history is important and some of it, such as; the old jail which has International significance', is one of the hest examples of that -history. 5., What sloes it cost now for-- upkeep? or- upkeep? Save the Jail Society workers have leerrne& that it presently , takes about $1,000 per annum for heat, light and custodial services. If ratepayers do not wish to take, that statement as fact, perhaps a statement made by ars -county councillor (the Reeve of Exeter, Derry Royle) estimated off the top of his head aid'd without any factual information, that it would take $2,50(1 per year to -maintain the jail, would he ac- cepted. 'That's still riot an exorbitant amount.. 6. Since when is 200 people KCl percent of the Town of Goderich? It isn't of course. Membership is more lila- 400, still not 80 percent of the population,, of the Town of "(oder ;h. It is unlikely, though, that "all persons in favor of retaining the jail in its entirety have joined the Save The -Jail ow many walls Inside the ill have to tic) torn out,' mg to'plans presented at runcil meeting, very few would have to be torn e present kitchen area is 0010 puhlic washrooms in 'ent the jail is saved and rted into a public iece: additional doors ave to he knocked into to ensure an easy flow of s Ilikely one way traffic) gh .tile building; and ger staircase (actually 'ing a staircase which was •in the jail hut remoy'ed time ago) will he con-• d. by the big issue over one Because the entire g, from its'"k►okout on of (note photograph on front 1 through the ac- uilding; to the five (not s your letter states) exer- ards carry out an oc•- 1 theme and the sym- 'of the building would be ped by tearing-,foxyn even because the'svall that The fol owing letter was brought to my horse by a - citizen of most unusual ap- pearance. 1 believe that he thought he had dressed for the occasion of ci►nring into town, but the clothes must have been inherited from his "grate gran- dpaw", as he calls hire. He said he was leaving the letter with me as someone had told hint that I was a nternher of the SAVE "('HE .TAIL SOCIETY I have 'never seen anyone so obviously distressed over an issue. He kept talking' about "sedimental valuer", and one would have thought that he was about to be robbed (pis inlet treasured possession. I promised to deliver his let- ter on the condition that I could read it first. He readily 'acquiesced. I realized at once that he had, in some way, failed to benefit front our Huron County ecjucatiotnal system, (as far as spelling went, I mean). In fact, comparing his effort to some of his alleged "grate-.grandpaw',s" letters which appear on pages 165 to 1 69 of a hook called "William "Tiger"' Dunlop, by Karl F. Klinck (The Ryerson Press, 1958), I should say that ate he hregressed. What really mattered was his sincerity- if he takes the LON- DON 1''REE PRESS and 'reads its March 26 editorial called LEGISLATION TO PROTECT THE PAST, I think he' 11'lie at my door. again soon to say, "Now von 'See' w' at I igen 'bout sedimental valuer!" What also impressed me was his suggestion: if I interpret his meaning correctly, that Huron County might recreate the brightly loured. days of its earliest history by an annual festiv 1 which (night rightly he c a l le( I n the Days of the Canada Company" (title of the hook by Rohina and Kathleen_ -MacFarlane Lizars,... 1896). He could see the •county's oldest public building, the gaol - courthouse -poorhouse -governor 's residence, as the "kick-off point. The suggestion is not completely original, hut his en- thusiasm has kindled my invagination. 1 could imagine the town filled with the Col. Van-, Egmont' folk from Seaforth and Egmondville coating to the county town of Goderich all dressed up in their Sunday -hest. to compete against the grandeur of "the Colborne. Clique". I could see people flocking to the c•ountv_t_ow'n to eat pioneer fctc►d Like fried salt sow -Kelly, home -fried potatoes, and what - have -you, t he way they crowd' to Zurich's bean festival and to Wingham's and Exeter's fron- tier day festivals. i could see these folk eager tli htty hand -made souvenirs of Huron County and home-made jams and staple syrup, oils and water colours of local scenes painted by local artists. 1 could see a parade with Huron Indians mixing with ox - drawn carts and fine horses and carriages for "the gentry". -"Tiger" Dunlop himself would be there with his unique garb, and backwoods women strad- dling their nags as they came into town to shop. I had not meant to say so much, but this appeal from the alleged descendant of the original "Roddie Slattery" to preserve our heritage has in- spired me. I am signing myself by a good Huron County name, "Mary Jane MacDonald" P S : Wherever there was ac- tion in pushing the frontiers hack in Canadian history, there was always at least one MacDonald. Perhaps "Stout John " MacDonald who was in. "Tiger" Dunlop's first walk to what is now Goderich,'in June of 1827 (146 years ago this ,June) was akin to me. M.J. MacD. Sedimental AIN LIE MARKET LIMITED HARVEST OF VALUES VHONF SI9-8551 valuer Dere Signal -Star: This here contrariness bout t'G rderich jail minds me of my grate grandpaw who come ter. Goderich wit Tiger Dunlop an hilt enlace. Them thar Canada Company jentry was bout like t'hossmen round hyar today. Out ter git the doe and hold onto her and don't give nothin away. Iffen she couldn't he sold, well jist terre her down an hurt her. Tp hell wid sediment an cultur. This hear jail hissness minds me of t'way Jones an his fellers finagled bout the Maitland bridge an such 'dike. Jist doin wat looks good, from t'road an don't stan up ter a close up wort a darn. ' This hyar old jail has .got sedimental valuer. Grandpaw an paw too spent a few_nites in her soherin up an allays got6 t'kindliest o'treatment tho t'gruh weren't allays wat she mite ha'heen. An t'old Tiger too set ul) . in t'tower an provided at t'first counsil meetin an passed t'horn round ter keep t,'hves taikin flewent an mak t'husinez go. I hear tell some of them .first c•ounsillors.had a hell of a time gittin down. that there round stairs afterwards. Grandpaw used ter tell- me that some of them counsillors come down th'stairs on there haksides an whin they got down was goin in sircles so fast they jist kept on spinnin on t'floor - jist like tops. Them councillors never went up thar no more but got smart an held t'meetins in a tavern whar t'stairs weren't• so compicated and it were ezier ter" keep t'jug full. Sedimental valuer - I tell youse that there old jail '§tinks wid it. Thar was other stinks to wich are hedder sinz wad - der wassput in but leddus keep her 'as she is stinks an all. Cross thar in t' Excited States -folks has larned them towrists likes ter pay money t'smell old stinks an hay a gamer at old hildins an tell t'kids, "Grand - paw spent a nite thar". Fact. An whin youse air about it why in tarnation don't us folks let our hairs down on - cit a yar an have a hall an per - ten t'old Tiger an .Jones an t'rest of them thar fellers was hak agin lik they was bout. t'time they bilt t'jail. Mehhe they'd hav ter open her up agin so's ter giv t'fellers a chanct ter sleep it off but by gum we'd git a lot of them thar towrist dolars an I'll bet they'd cum hak fer mor next yar. T'stuff we byre out by t'railroad Irak don't pak t'same autority wat t'stuff did that t'old Tiger kept in his 12 apostles but by Judas we culd go aisy on t'wadder an fill there 'bellies wit good grub .an we'll all Have a reel ball. An takin doe off n them thar towrists won't hurt us none ter speak' of. An I tink they'd love it an come bak fer mor next ,yar.. OI'Huron County don't hav ter , tak a hak seat ter none of them an as i sayed hefor - that there jail has sedimental valuer• t'us folks what lives in these hyar parts an them thar towrists are jist belly-achin ter spend there doe. Let's bild a big hash round our old jail an rake in t' doe an hav ourselves a ball. We got sumpun hyar what nobody else has got an wye don't we mak her pay an havsum fun at t'same time? A bit of her mebbe wuld mak a museeunt, jist ter persarve t' conectiun wid t'horsepitality Towns and villages throughout Huron County should open their doors to city people and welcome them with open arms, a land use con- ference in Clinton was told last Thursday. Dr. R. Stephen Rodd, an assistant professor at the school of agriculture economics at the University of Guelph told the 150 gathered for the day -long event that city people just' wanted some peace and quiet and the towns and villages in Huron could provide this without valuable farmland being eaten up by urbanites. The conference, which was attended by Huron County Council representatives, a num- ber of reeves, many area coun- oillors, realtors, interested educators and other citizens heard Dr. Rodd say that it was one of the solutions to the problem of giving the city folk a place in the country without using up farmland. "Small towns are one of the greatest assets Western Ontario has," Dr. Rodd said. "All they (city people) want is a half an acre where they can have some peace and quiet and grow a small garden." The Huron County Official Plan, which is awaiting provin- cial -approval, would forbid a farmer from selling a small parcel of his land to an urban dweller seeking a place in the country. Any purchase of land would have to be made in blocks and only the rich could afford a piece of the country. Goderich- lawyer Dan Mur- phy, one of four panel members discussing land use, said that farmers should be able to sell. marginal land, which is un- suitable for farming, to urban residents. Mr. Murphy charged the provincial government is op- posed to residential develop- ment in rural areas and he said that recent appeals for such severance have consistently been rejected.'" Mr. Murphy's . law firm. represents county council and its land -division committees. He said he tells his clients not to bother with any appeals on land severance. Other members of the panel were Goderich Reeve Deb Shewfelt,Gary Davidson of the Huron County Planning Depar- tment and Dr. Rodd. Reeve Shewfelt told the meeting that he is constantly beim phoned at his real estate business by Toronto people seeking rural retreats; He also called for control of land use to be in municipal hands. Gordon Hill of Varna, w ,president of the Ontario Federation of Agriculture' said that Huron's primary interest should be the preservation ' of its -basic industry, agriculture. Mr. Hill who said he was speaking as a 'farmer not on behalf of the OFA, told the meeting there should ,,be caution used on the issue of residential development in rural areas. wat was gave hyar ter so long but it don't look like that thar museeum idear shuld ‘be carryed too fur. Gallers an stuff lik that was all rite mebbe in there plase which never were much of a plase in Huron County an told .folks allays had a sort of kindly feelin ter t'old jail. It never hardly done nobody no harm an were t'sort o'plase youse culd go, ter whin thar were no udder plase ter go an he sur of a bed an a sort a'brakfast. An iffen you was luky enuff ter git to stay fer a wile you wasn't wurked to hard an sumtimes thar were a gond kribage player in wid youse. Keep her as she is I says. She's got sedimental valuer. Them towrists will luv her to iffen we put in a gud feedin plase wid cackle juice. Sedimentally Yers, Roddie Slattery (t'tird or fort dependin on whin youse start countin.) The (;odench Model airplane flying chub held their first rather informal meeting on Sunday on the parking lot at Sheaf- fer Pen Ltd Actually the club is riot officially organized vet and does not have an official name but it has the members and the interest . and the rest is expected to follow 10 short order. An organizational meeting is to be called in the veru near future and n eenng facilities have been arranged above the Park Theatre G R. Huckins of Gorier -0i, who i4 one of the driving forces behind the pew club, and also proprietor of Hucks Sporting Goods on Hamilton Street 5ays the group should 1)1 a fairly large one when It I; flnall5 set up. "A lot of younger people are building kits and showing irrtere,t in the group," he explained It's not only \oun,ters who build living models though As a ntatter,of fact it's mostly fanrils type peen for the 'moment who are taking an actn5a• part Mr. I1ucknt, said nit'rnbt•r'-h p, applications arty tieing prirjtt•d and will he 1(5 111314(• &bort IvAciaaigh sevir rl hust•ftes s outlets r'n the community A- dart• is to he announced soon for the organizational! meeting Alt hough every—thing seems to he conning up roses for the 'group they did suffer two minor set hacks On Sunday Two of the light balsa wood craft suffefed damage in crash landings. "They're all fixed and ready to go again though," Mr.' Huckins laughs. During the fine weather_ of last week anumber of local power model enthusiasts gathered at the Sheaffer Pen Plant parking lot to try out their equipment. Above John Empson, left, and Michael Rivett make the final adjustments to their flying model aircraft and below Greg Reid, left and Bill Fry work at getting their model racing car in operation. The car, like a numbeeof aircraft in the -club, is controlled remotely by radip signal. (staff photo) P.S. I most forgot. Great gran- dpaw was one o't'first gests in the old jail whin she were nu. He were payed fer his.vote but had a big dinner fore he voted an got all mixed ur? and yowled t'rong name. He filters blamed t'Goderich wadder been stronger than t'wadder in -de cornsessions. Tuk him a coupler dyes ter sleep it off that tyme but thar were a rite to an he got hurted sum. Them were t'dyes an t'old jail minds me of them, iffen she's luked atter proper she'll mind a lot of folks bout there kin, ded ones an all. Cornsession 8, Lot 32,' Godborn Twp, , 11uron County.