Loading...
Clinton News-Record, 1983-08-17, Page 4PAGE 4 —CLINTON NEWS -RECORD, WEDNESDA'i, AUGUST 117, 11983 The Clanton Beeawbllocord is published (tech W®dnondey at P.O. To 39. Clinton. Ontario. G ..od© NOM TB.O. Tui.: 41124443. Subscription Mato: Comedo '10.00 Sr. Citiaen 49.00 per year U.S.A. 4, foreign '90.00 p©r year iv 05 registered es second closet nude by the pout office under the pernoly number 0012. The Stoves-l➢oaord incorporated in 1924 doe tturon PTewerRecord. founded On 10101. and The Clinton Plow Ere. founded in 1®09. Total press run 4,200. Incorporating THE !SIXTH STANDARD) J. HOWARD AITEN - Publisher SHELLEY M PIiEE - Editor GARY WAIST - Advertising Manager MARY ANN HOLLENBECI( - Office Manager A MEMBER MEMBER Misploy adv®rtleinp rotes ovolloble on request. Ask for Roto Cord No. 12 effective Oct. 1. 14.1. J Stanley Township, Progressive and positive When it comes to progress, Stanley Township is definitely a leader in this area. Council and interested individuals in that township have worked together and without delay are now in the process of building a new community hall, municipal office and works shed. Although the project has been discussed for several years the final decision to construct the new $600,000 complex was made in little over 12 weeks. To this date council has few regrets about the choice they made. Reeve Paul Steckle admitted that the project involved quick decision making but he believes that it involved wise decision making as well. The new centre will be gratefully appreciated by many residents in the township. Based on the usefulness that the new Goderich Township Community Hall has provided, Stanley residents and visitors may expect the same quality facility in their municipality. The new complex will be an impressive building compared to the well worn lit- tle Varna hall. The frame 108 -year-old building has served the township well for more than a century. Its walls are filled with fond memories of children and adults, words from heated discussions and major decisions that have been made in the rural township from decades past. Stanley council respects this past but they have also taken o firm grasp on the future of the township. They are to be congratulated for their foresight, their dedication and deter- mination to make Stanley and better place to live. -by S. McPhee behind the scenes We went back to my old home town a few weeks ago to attend a big celebration in honor of the 125th anniversary of the town's founding. I'm afraid if you weren't old enough to drink beer, or didn't like the stuff, the event would have been as flat as, ;,well, 125 year old beer. To be fair to the organizers, they had tried to get a midway to keep the kids busy while mom and dad were inside at the beer garden in the arena. At the last minute, though, the midway didn't show up. Good thing it was the midway that cancelled and not the beer garden or they might have had to call the whole thing off. Today, it seems, people just won't go anywhere if they can't have a drink at it. That celebration shows how much things have changed in 25 years. I have vague memories of the centennial celebrations in our town as a youngster. I'm sure there was plenty of booze around then too, it's just that it wasn't legal. You couldn't get a legal drink in our town in those days, let alone have things like beer gardens. In many ways the changes have been for the better. Ontario had a lot of silly laws about drinking back then and still has a few, but things have become a little more sensible on the part of the law. Unfortunately, in reaction against those old silly laws, perhaps, the public has gone just as ridiculously to the opposite ex- treme. A dance without a bar, for instance, these days is likely to be a dance without people. What's more, since the money is made on bar receipts, not admissions, it will also be a dance that loses money. Peo- ple feel deprived if they can't have beer at ball games, at the race track, at the theatre or concert. In fact bars have become so important, that you can often ke i th rou is ton present interior attractions to get people there and they don't seem to mind as long as they can have a drink. I was looking forward to the old home town celebrations for instance because I remembered outdoor concerts, highland games, and fireworks displays. I remembered the whole family going together to so many activities. This time round everything with the exception of the big parade, seemed to split kids from parents and seemed to be a definite sideshow, not too interesting in case it kept people away from the bars. The danger here is that the pendulum will swing so far away from moderation in alcohol consumption that there will be a reaction back towards stiffer rules. Already the reaction against drinking drivers is starting to build. If it is sue- t cessful, the anti -alcohol movement could become stronger. The temperance movement today con- jures up images of little old fuddy-duddies (of either sex) who want to stop everybody's fun. A century ago, however, the temperance movement was led by modern far thinking people who are held up as heros of the women's movement, people like Nellie McClung. They saw temperance as a women's movement because they saw what alcohol did to the men they had to live around. Today, of course, modern women seem intent on pro- ving they can drink as much as any man. If, however, the temperance movement gets co-opted by one of the influential modern movements, things may change. It would be a shame to go back to the„ worst of 25 years ago when it comes to booze. It's just too bad we can't find a hap- py medium. Odd 'n Ends Odds by Elaine Townshend Fad Foods Could a generation grow up without junk food? The people might be healthier, but it just wouldn't seem natural. Fad foods are the stuff memories are made of. Some treats seem to have always been with us - the hot dog, for example. It may have changed in size and fixings over the years, but basically a hot dog is still a hot dog. Popcorn has been smothered with salt, hot butter and caramel, but underneath it all remains the kernel. Crackerjack boxes still contain sur- prises - always at the bottom. Some fad foods were characteristic of the times. For people growing up in the thirties and forties, for instance, eating an ice cream cone was an event. Taffy pulls were exciting contests, and a single candy cane or licorice stick was a huge treat. Then came the fifties and sixties, when "junk" food was more available. Potato chips were bought in nickel bags. Some brand names were popular but disappeared after awhile - Majorette and Li'l Abner, for instance. There was an art to eating potato chips. Some people squeezed and rolled the bag before opening until every chip was finely crushed. Sometimes opening the bag was a challenge. M'rench fries were covered with smooth fattening gravy. Suzy Q's - or Curly Q's, as they were sometimes called - were thin french fries curled into interesting shapes. Some kids enjoyed surprises, especially if they were cheap. The "grab bag" was ideal for them. it usually consisted of stale candies, but the price was right, Some people recall treats that I haven't heard of - cherry coke, Kik Cola and Honey Sponge. My favourite luxury was the jaw breaker - a huge round hard wad of gum. It was probably my parents favorite too, because it kept me too busy chewing to talk. Also, in my mind, I can vividly picture the small distinctive Coke bottle that was destined to become a collector's item. Many people claim the sundae of the fifties and sixties was enormous, but maybe it was like the fish that got away. Cheese seemed to be popular in- the seventies - cheese balls, cheese puffs, c he esies. In the late seventies and early eighties, more people became nutrition conscious. Natural foods and foods that are good for us are "in". Nevertheless so-called "junk food" is still around. Some futurists claim in a few years we won't eat food, but we'll pop a pill instead. My guess is one of those pills will be labelled "junk food." the, readers write letters Residential and commercial controls The following letter was sent to Clinton Codnclllor Bee Cooke from a concerned Clinton ratepayer. Councillor Cooke has replied in the form of a public letter. Dear Mrs. Cooke: 1. Is Mr. Cam Proctor responsible for { allowing Clinton people living in Residen- tial zones and carrying out Commercial work, or is it the mayor or who is responsi- ble? We want to know. Please? 2. Concerning the taxes. Do these people pay residential taxes or commercial taxes or both? They live in residential zones. We understand Harold Workman lives in a residential area and performs commerical work. This sounds like "straddle the fence" business. Maybe we should get another man who knows the difference between Residential taxes and Commercial taxes and see that they are in their respective places. Dear Ratepayer: In response to the questions raised in the recent letter I received may I offer the following observations: 1. No, neither the Mayor nor the Clerk is responsible for allowing Clinton citizens to live in a residential area and carry out a commercial type of work. The Clinton zon- ing bylaw, passed in 1970, does however, allow a person living in a residential area to carry out the following types of com- mercial use at his place of residence: a) In restricted residential areas a medical doctor can maintain his office in his dwelling, ( for one doctor's use only) . b) Intthe general residential areas a householder can have `an office, base or headquarters used by the householder in connection with his profession, trade or oc- cupation', subject to certain regulations. These regulations, in brief, restrict the commercial use to not more than 25 per cent of the ground floor area, prohibit any sign or display material that is visible from the street, prohibit any outdoor storage of goods, and in general do not allow any retail or wholesale merchandis- ing or service to be operated from the premises. The public can probably point out what appear to be a number of places where people seem to be breaking the law. Usual- ly these infractions must be permitted because they were there before the zoning bylaw and as such are considered, in law, to be 'legally non -conforming.' In other words, if a,hairdressing business was con- ducted, at the corner of Rattenbury and Gibbings Streets prior to the passage of the zoning bylaw in 1970, the municipality must allow it to continue and cannot order it to cease operations. If the owner should ask for permission to change or expand the use, this becomes a different matter and would have to be considered by the coun- cil, the planning board and possible even the committee of adjustment. Every effort must be made to accommodate the owner's wishes however, while having con- cern for the zoning bylaw, the best in- terests of the municipality and especially the neighboring properties. The committee of adjustment, five peo- ple appointed by the town, operate under the Ontario Planning Act, and have authority to consider and possibly approve a variation from the Clinton zoning bylaw. Their decision is reached only after input from the council, the Clinton planning board, the county planning dept., and sometimes even the dept. of highways, the school board or the Public Utilities, etc. Their decision is binding in law but can be challenged by an appeal to the Ontario Municipal Board. 2. As for the question of whether or not people are paying taxes at residential or commercial rates, this decision is made by the Assessment Office in Goderich and not by the clerk's office or the council. The Assessment Office operates under the Ministry of Revenue of Ontario and usual- ly what they say goes, unless the town wishes to appeal their decision to the courts or to the Ontario Municipal Board. The clerk's office does, however, have a responsibility to keep tab on the assess- ment in town and to make every effort to see that the assessment office is kept in- formed on activity in Clinton. After all, the more assessment we have, the less taxes each of us has to pay. Mr. Workman, for instance, lives in a residential area but was granted permis- sion to carry on a real estate business at 138-140 Ontario Street by bylaw No. 10 for 1979. This is usually referred to as "spot zoning" and is permitted under the On- tario Planning Act which sets down the procedures to be followed by a municipali- ty when passing the bylaw. These include the circulation of the bylaw and its intent to all the owners within a large radius of the affected property. If no objections are received the bylaw can be proclaimed law. If objections are received these must be forwarded to the Ontario Municipal Board which would then hold a public hearing and subsequently make the decision. All the necessary procedures under law were followed and Mr. Workman can operate a real estate business from that address. He cannot operate any other kind of business though. The assessment office assesses part of his dwelling at residential rates and part at commercial rates. In ad- dition to paying commercial taxes on the part used for his business, he pays the ap- propriate business tax the same as he would if he were in the core business area. All too frequently, as you know, the council, the public or town office sees a situation in town that contravenes or seems to contravene the law. Sometimes the town's reaction seems to be so slow as to be non-existent, but many factors have to be considered so that the action taken is not only fair but legal. And that usually takes time. I trust this answers the questions raised in the letter 11 received. These records are all public as you know. Gathering of the geese sugar ands ire A bevy of boners Too hot. Nothing on TV. Nothing in the papers. Two grandboys, one of whom wants a peanut butter and honey sand- wich, the other a jam and banana sand- wich. Not the best day for writing a serious column. So. Let's have something on the light side. I am deeply indebted to a faithful reader for the following, a compilation of "boners" or "howlers" put together by historian Anders Henriksson from students at McMaster University and University of Alberta in their freshmen year. I'd love to print the whole thing, but haven't space, so will settle for a few, with the odd editorial comment. First, about the Black Death. "In the 1400 hundreds most Englishmen were Perpendicular. Finally, Europe caught the Black Death. The bubonic plague is a social disease in the sense that it can be transmitted by intercourse and other etceteras. It was spread from port to port by inflected rats. Victims of the Black Death grew boobs on their necks. The plague also helped the emergence of the English language as the national language of England, France and Italy." Now you know about the Black Death, should the subject come up at a cocktail party. Just ask, "Where did you get those boobs on your neck?" Now, all the gen on the Middle Ages. "During the Middle Ages, everybody was middle aged." Well, I'd give him a mark for that. Now the next phase. "The Middle Ages siunpared to a halt. The renasence bolted in from the blue. Life reeked with joy. Italy became robust and more individuals felt the value of their human being. Italy, of course, was much closer to the rest of the world, thanks to northern Europe. Man ( by S. McPhee was determined to civilize himself, even if heads had to roll. It became sheik to be educated. Europe was full of incredable churches with art bulging out their doors." That takes care of the Renaissance. Nice- ly. But the Reformation is not neglected. "The Reformation happened when Ger- man nobles resented the idea that tithes were goig to Papal France or the Pope, thus enriching Catholic coiffures ... An angry Martin Luther nailed 95 theocrats to a church door. Theologically, Luther was into reorientation mutation ... The Popes, of course, were usually Catholic ... the last Jesuit priest died in the 19th century." More. "After the refirmation were wars both foreign and infernal. If the Spanish could gain the Netherlands they would have a stronghold throughtout Northern Europe which would include their pose - tions in Italy, Burgangy, central Europe and India. The German Emperor's lower passage was blocked by the French for years and years." No wonder we had two world wars! Just some other gems. "Louis XIV became King of the Sun ... if he didn't like someone he sent them to the gallows for the rest of their lives." "The French revolution was ac- complished before it happened Napolean was ill with baldder problems and was very tense and unrestrained." Poor devil. The 19th century? "Industrialization was precipitating in England. Problems were so complexicated that in Paris, out of a population of one million people, two million able bodies were on the loose." Hm! Always knew the French were loose, but not quite that loose. Politics? "The middle class was tired and needed a rest. The old order could see kaleidoscope As if one wasn't enough, the trendies in fashion design are now trying to tell working women that the new style is handbags in multiples. Try to fathom this if you may - there's the regular purse, a tote bag and a briefcase to carry. The purse, as usual, is designed to carry everyday needs; the tote is for books, newspapers, umbrella, lunches, a sweater or an extra pair of shoes; the briefcase is for carrying important papers. The three -handbag wardrobe is geared for today's busy woman, and busy she would be, lugging around all that paraphernalia. Personally I'll stick to one conventional purse, jammed full of all the essentials and if the need arises, a grocery bag to transport the rest. Men need not feel excluded from this fashion trend. According to Edward Levy, executive director of the National the lid holding down new ideas beginning to shake. Among the goals of the christs were universal suferage and an anal parliament. Voting was to be done by ballad." Well, have things changed all that much? Culture? "(It) fomented from Europe's tip to its top. Richard Strauss, who was violent but methodical like his wife made him, plunged into vicious and perverse plays. Dramatized were adventures in seduction and abortion. Music reeked with reality. Wagner was master of music, and people did not forget his contribution. When he died, they labeled his seat as "historical." Other countries had their own art'sts. France had Chekhov." Moving along. "World War I broke out around 1912-1914. Germany was on one side of France and Russia on the other. At war people get killed and then they aren't people any more, but friends ... in 1937 Lenin revolted Russia." And on to World War II. "Germany was displaced after WWI. This gave rise to Hitler. Germany was morbidly overex- cited and unbalanced. Berlin became the decadent capital, where all forms of sex- ual deprivation were practised. A huge anti -semantic movement arose ... "Moosealini rested his foundations on 8 million bayonets and invaded Hi Lee Salasy." Sounds jolly uncomfortable for Moosy. "Germany invaded Poland, France in- vaded Belgium, and Russia invaded everybody. War screeched to an end when a nukuleer explosion was dropped on Heroshima. A whole generation had been wipe out in two wars, and their forlorne families were left to pick up the pieces." Those are just samplings. It's not quite the way I remember my history, but it sure as hell is more interesting. Handbag Association, "it is acceptable for men to carry handbags. They don't have to prove their masculinity with traditional, ha rdframe briefcases. Historically, Levy says, men were carrying handbags long before women. Now there's an unique Christmas present, a neat leather handbag for your favorite fellow. It would save us from having to carry their keys and wallets in our purses. + + + News in the entertainment pages also caught my eye this week. All My Children soap opera fans were hit with double tragedy this week. Not only have we lost our beloved Nina, but the word from New York is that wonderfully tacky Opal Gardner is also leaving the show for a movie career. AMC fans 1 think we should unite and stage a "Save Opal" petition. + + + Back to Clinton - it's nice to see a new coat of paint at Bartliff's and Huron Business Machines. The new colors really compliment the old building. And down the street we have a new ladies' fashion shop My Fair Lady, just in time for updating your fall wardrobe. We'll have more on the new store in an upcoming edition of the News -Record. + + + Sincere apologies go out to the graduating students at the Clinton and District Christian School. We unintentionally forgot to run the 1983 graduating class photo in June. We were so busy sending the photo out to other area newspapers that we neglected to publish it in News -Record. + + + Kate Govier of Toronto was in Clinton recently visiting Mr. and Mrs. Carman Tebbutt and other relatives and friends in the area. Hope you enjoyed your stay! Yours very truly, Bee Cooke, Clinton Councillor