The Goderich Signal-Star, 1974-12-05, Page 1Plaza
goig up
but tenants secret
Construction of the two shop.
ping plaza developments is
progressing gradually without
problems, according to Bert
Alexander of Suncoast Estates,
and Gord Smith, vice-president
of Rockledge, Properties Ltd.
The sej t~ic tank system has,
been• -installed and approved at
the' Rockledge site, , on Huron
Road, east of the railroad.„
tracks, just outside the town
limits.
Mr. Smith said the weeping
tile bed system was completed w
Monday; and work is underway
to pour 1,000 feet of cement for
the plaza walls.
He said that work is coming
along smoothly, and will con-
tinue through the winter. There
is no deadline to meet,' but,he'
expects construction to be com-
pleted for next summer.
Tenders are being accepted
until December 10, for the next
phase of _ construction, which
will include the erection of
steel beam's and the roof.
Three tenants have been
signed for the plaza, but Mr.
11
Smith said that the .names will
not be released until. the new
year.
Suncoast had not picked up
their ,building permit for the
construction sf footings and ,s
foundations at press time?
'•Building .Inspector Roy
Breckenridge said he expects
that Suncoast will get the per-
mit by the end of the week.
Bert Alexander said that soil
tests have been completed on
the site, and res;alts were
positive.
"On the surface it, doesn't
look like much, but it afl hakes
a lot of time", Mr: Alexander
said.
•He said the building permit
would be picked- up shortly.
Construction up to ground level
will then get underway, im-
mediatetg.
A section of the plaza, in --
eluding the A & P food store, is
scheduled to be completed June
30, 1975.
Mr. Alexander announced
the signing of a new tenant,
but refused to offer any details,.
McKinley suggests sugar
beet industry be revived
Tb reduce the price of sugar,
R.E. McKinley, MP for Huron -
Middlesex, has suggested that
the government change
Canada's' sugar trading pat- •
terns, „or revive the sugar beet
industry in southwestern On-
tario:
In the- House of -Commons
last Wednesday, Mr. McKinley,
asked Alastair Gillespie,
Minister of Industry, Trade
and Commerce if -•he forsees any.
changes.
"Canada's trading patterns
with Cuba in particular have
already changed very
dramatically, I think last year,
something, like 47,000 tons were
imported by Canadian' com-
panies from Cuba. This year I
think the estimate, is very •close
to 97,000 tons," Gillespie said.
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-1 27,.YEAR-49
THURSDAY,
DECEMBER 5,
1974
SINGLE COPY 25c
Municipality jays recount
He' did not mention if these
changes would reduce -the price.
Mr. McKinley then asked.
Minister of Agriculture, Eugene
Whelan if he and his""cabinet '
colleagues" had' reached a
decision regarding ' the re-
establishment of the sugar beet
industry in southwestern -Ons
tario.
"If the price of sugar
remained at the present level,
at least some of these funds
could be left in .this country to
'help the., country in his and in
my particular district. Could
we have a report on _ the
minis'ter's 'progress in this
regard?" - McKinley asked. .
Whelan . replied," We ,still
have ongoing meetings, and a
paper is being prepared for my
colleagues in government.
Library puppet show
free. for little ones
A Christmas program for.
children three to six, featuring
a puppet - show, games and
stories will be held 'by - the
Huron County Public Library,
December 14.' '
The program will be; at the
Goderich library at -11:00 a.m.
Marg Bushell and Barb
Graham will be the puppeteers,
and Betty MacKenzie wil b
the storyteller. ' . •
It will, - also be held in
Seaforth at 1:30 p.m. and Clin-
ton at, 3:00 p.rn.
Librarian Bill Partridge said,.
"We're trying it,out to see how
it goes. If there's an interest,
we'll have more children's
programs in the new year."
Recorded vote sends county
report back to committee -
to
A 29-22- recorded vote of
Huron • County councillors
" showed that members were not •
in favor of hiring a planning
trainee at a salary of $8,500 in
place of a qualified planner as
• previously 'agreed.
That vote rejected the recom- •
mendation of the planning
board , submitted ''to county
council ••by its chairman James
A. Mair, and sent the matter
back to committee for further
deliberation.
Present indications are,
though, that many county coun-
cillors :believe the county
should engage another
° qualified planner at whatever
cost is necessary to expedite the
preparation of secondary plans
for all municipalities.
Estimated salary for such a
person, is between $16,000 and
$18,000 annually,
In speaking to the recommen-
dation of�� -his committee,
Deputy -reeve Mair said that
the planning board recognized
it would take some time to turn
a trainee into a qualified plan -
her, but he said the board had
found any qualified applicants'
- expeced a much more substan-
tial salary than the county was
prepared 'to pay at this time., A
salary range of ..$12,000 to
$13,000 had been suggested.
f "I the board were to adver-
tise again the position of a
qualified planner, salary ranges
i would have to be increased and
this in turn would mean shlary
uspe-ct count error
n deputy -reeve race
It isn't all over. Not yet. The
battle for the post of deputy -
reeve was a hard fought battle,
in Monday's municipal election.
in Goderich, but it isn't over ,
yet. There 'is going to be a
recount.
According,- to Town Ad- •
ministrator Harold Walls,. the
returns of the Deputy -
.Returning Officers in several.
'polls in the municipality just do
not balance. There are
discrepancies in each .of the top becoming. elected -'as Goderich's
three council posts - mayor, foremost citizen. He defeated
reeve and deputy -reeve but his only opponeht, newcomer
due to the closeness of the con- Harry Bosnell by a vote of 1620
test between Bill Clifford and - to 1195.
Eileen Palmer, the deputy• Early 'returns here showed
reeve's votes are the only ones Bosnell '`in the lead or
that will he recounted, challenging, but about halfway
At tonight's towrr council through the evening, pit was .
meeting, Mr. Walls will seek. a evident Shewfelt was stretching
resolution of council requesting his lead and would be elected.
a recount at the municipality's, , Some observers on_
expense.
expense. This final cOunt is ex- `• Tuesday idicated that the race.
pected to take place under the was 'much closer 'than was ,ex -
supervision of .,Judge Francis pected between the experienced
Carter. within 10 days •of the . Shewfelt, and the rookie
resolution being passed. Bosnell. There was even, some
It was a tight race right from feeling _ that the controversy -
the start between Clifford and during 'the election campaign
Mrs. Palmer, ` candidates., for concerning the conflict of issue
deputy -reeve.: All Mduday, matter, . may have cut
evening a's• the reports came. in, Shewfelt's lead, considerably.-
first from the advance poll and Stan, Profit, the newly, elected
then from the, various pos Reeve of Goderich, had little
who tallied their results and difficulty on his first real elec..
went home, Mrs. Palmer main- .. tion, His opponent Harvey
tained a slight edge over Clif- Johnston, defeated two ,years
ford. ' ' agc,p
.,his bid• to become a town
Then in al
evening, the councillor, received less than
gap began to close and- when . , one-thirdthe amount. of votes
the last 'vote was counted, the for Profit. The final tally was
score -was 1368 forBill Clifford Johnston 627, Profit 2132.
and 1352 for. Mrs. Palmer - a
- spread of ' only 16 votes. One
viVid indication of the clove
decision was the fact that 145
voters just would not or could
not. decide between the can-
dilates. There were' 14,5 voters
011tnnarke4 ballots turned back
lit three a ted
Resid!,nts have'
until Dec. 13
s
todecide.
Citizens of Goderich have un- -
til December 13 to send in ob-
jections to Bylaw 48, which
zones the town's business area
-as general commercial with
residential uses permitted. It
• replaces Bylaw 34 which .local .
, bus.inessmen objected to
because .it was too restrictive.
The area' is bounded by
Nelson Street. on the. north, Vic-
toria' Street on the, east, Elgin
- ` Avenue on the south, and the
area to the back property lines
on the west side of South ,and
North: Streets. •
Y,i:fi,k`r"-:T
6G'
A kiss for the wiiiiier
Mayor elect, Deb Shewfelt, received .a congratulatory kiss from his First Lady, 'Barb Shewfelt,
after his 'victory Monday night. Mrs. Shewfelt watched the election'rest4lts closely, hoping for
the victory that the voters gave „her husband.° (staff photo) -
lie new bylaw which is
similar to - the original Bylaw"
1.9 of 1958; also ,calls ' for :,the
Colborne Street district to
remain residential, - and :the
Montreal Street block to be
designated restricted commer-
• cial. Market Street . will be
zoned residential:
-Bylaw 34 . carne under
criticism at the recent OMB
hearing into the ,plaza question
when, local businessmen objec-
ted. They said it would con-
strain commercial activity in
the town. Bylaw 34 was later
revoked as part of ' an
agreement between the town,
the businessmen and the :Sun-
coast'devetopers, to be replaced.
by Bylaw 48. -
irelramee, not planner
ranges of our `present staff
would have to' be reviewed
again," Mair pointed out.,
Plannin•g director' Gary
Davidson said the planning "
department now has an
assistant who does much of the -
ground work toward the
preparation of secondary plans,
but he said only .a qualified.
planner ,can compile this data
and prepare proper plans for
county municipalities. He poin
ted out . that student help
during the summer of 1974 had
resulted in, the collection of
research materials for seven
municipalities and it is ° this
material the planning depart
mentis most anxious to convert"
into secondary plans. •
Reeve Everett Mcilwain of
Goderich township told council
it should not get the idea that a
planning trainee would hasten
the preparation or much-
needed secondary plans. „
"Possible there is a place' for
a trainee but just don't get: the,
idea that we're going to get a
planner with tllce qualifications
of say, Nick Hill," pointed out
reeve McI•Iwaih.. Mr.' Hill is a
qualified planner already in the
county planning department.
Deputyrreeve of Goderich
township, Gerry Ginn remind, l
council that ground work such
as a trainee would do, could he
done by summer students. Last
summer, the government sub-
sidized •these students at the
rate of 80 percent. He ad-
vocated hiring a qualified plan-
ner for the fulitime post',
"It is foolish husiness'to hire
someone you probably. don't
need when you can, get work
done .at • an 80 percept subsidy
by hiring summer students."
Ginn told council.
'`Municipalities are waiting fpr.
secondary plans. It is not good'
business to •hire someone :we
don't need' at $8,000 a year •if
we can hire someone we do
need a at $16,000."
Stephen township deputy -
reeve Cecil Desjarine of the
planning hoard said that if
council is prepared to readjust'.
the salaries of all the present
planning hoard staff, it could
hire a qualified planner at
"what the market demands" as
-Ginn had suggested. He recom-
mended, however, that the
trainee he retained:
"I -think you'll 'find a place
for him," .said Desjardine.
Reeve Deb Shewfelt of
Goderich.poin.ted out that if the° -
•17 municipalities still ���a{citing
for se'c'ondary plans were each'
to hire their own planning con-
sultant at an average- cost of
$6,000 each, it -would he expen-
sive •as well.
"It is a good business ap-
proach t'o call for ,a qualified
person who is .capable 'of han•
dl•ing the full responsibility of
planning,"' said- Shewfelt.
Reeve Charlie Thomas of .
Grey • • township warned that,,
training someone in the depart-
ment might "burden•' the
present staff" and even slow
down the planning process in
Huron.. , •
• "It is foolish to spend $8,500
(Continued on page 14
Country Playhouse gets
22,000 .federal LIP grant
Robert McKinley, wt,..p.
Huron has informed the Huron
Country Playhouse that their
application a $22,000 L.I.P.
grant had been successful',
Theproject will undertaketto
create a permanent'' theatre
facility at Grand Bend and will
employ` eight workers for five
,,months. • ' ,
The 'first -phase of the project
will he concerned with disman-
tling several old Karns ih the
area. for use in the permanent
Playhouse building°
A group of interested persons
attended a special ,building
meeting on Sunday, , December
1, hosted by Mr. and Mrs. Peter
Ivey at The Mill, Benmiller.
Present were Mr. .and Mrs•
Roger Martin, Exeter; Mr. and
Mrs. Bill Amos, Parkhill; Mr,
and Mrs. Bill Schlegel, Grand
Bend; Bill 'Cochrane, R.C.
Goderich; Mr. and Mrs. Mel
Geiser, Exeter; Mr.. and Mrs.
Bill Waters, Parkhill; Mrs.
Beecher .Menzies, Clinton; Bill
Heinsohn, St. Thomas;' Mr, anti
Mrs. .Benson Tuckey, Exeter;
Mrs. Robert Wilkins; London.;
Mr. and Mrs. Len t•::: (ns, Sar-,
nia; Mr. and Mrs. Seri Wood,
Clinton; Mr. and Mrs. Jim Gib-
son, London; and Dr, and' Mrs.
D.A Ecker, Exeter.
• Building plans for the new
Playhouue were presented by
Managing Director, 'James
Murphy, and were en-
thusiastically endorsed by the
large group of Playhouse sup-
porters.
Dayid Gower, a veteran of
Goderich Town Council,
headed' the polls'for councillors '
with 1991 votes. He was
followed closely by• Dr. Jim
Peters, a dentist who wits
making his first run for
inunicipa•1 eounetl The popular
an as we ' , as rte reaecPeters °"ioltd a xepeetabler
ballots' and two cancelled or 1936 on his first time out.
declined ballots.
• A In the -contest for mayor, 1 .e1 The only lady couaeillor` to'•
Deb Shewfelt succeeded in be elected from a field of four
women and eight men is incum-
bent Mrs. Elsa Hayden' who
collected 1731 votes from the
2882 voter's who went to' the -
With thanks
Special- . Christmas
items throughout this
. week's. Goderich Signal- •
.,Star and .all December
issues, appear 'through
•the courtesy of the
Conestoga College Jour-
nalism program, in Kit-
chener,,and Bob Trotter,
program 'cd -ordinator.
polls Monday. She polled well
ahead of her associates,, from.
last year's cOun:cil, Firank
Walkom with 1338 and Leroy
Harrison with '1316.
The only other newcomer to
he elected• to council is Robert
Allen who -received 1115 votes
t(•'outinued" an. page 14
The people's choices
The two -overwhelming favourites at the polls in Goderich were Stan Profit, elected for reeve,
and Harry Worsell, elected for Public Utilities commissioner. The two pofitidians,,received
,,more than 2600 vRbtes each with the former mayor taking a slight margin over the reeve. (staff -
photo) ,
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