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Clinton News-Record, 1984-11-21, Page 1L U _.1 I I_'t .1 27. i u LENTS WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER!1„ 1984 Novernbei• 1984 1983 is ` 4 -3 1 -7 14. 8 -5 3 -5 15 9 4 3 -1 16 5 -1 1 -2 17 6 0 1 -2 18 5 1 3 -6 19 -1 -6 6 -1 Rainl2mm 10mm 119TH YEAR m NO. 47 Green light for By Shelley McPhee CLINTON - All systems are go for the con- struction of the Clinton Medical Centre. Con- struction on the $250,000 building is expected to begin next spring, with the completion date set for late next summer. The medical centre, to be built at the cor- ner of John and Shipley Streets, adjacent to the Clinton Public Hospital will provide of- fices for medical professionals. Three doc- tors, Steed, Salsbury and Harrett, along with optometrist, Dr. Nesbitt will set up of- fices in the new building. The 4,000 square foot, one 'storey building will replace medical offices currently hous- ed in the nearby former nurses' residence. The decision to build the new facility came after it was learned that the former nurses' residence would require major repairs and upgrading to make it viable as a medical centre. Estimates to renovate the 30 -year-old structure have been estimated at $200,000 and according to Clinton Public Hospital administrator Dan Steyn, "It would be putting gr od money after bad money." 11 111 250,000 Medical Centre The nurses' residence facilities are inade- quate. The building needs a new roof, and the east side of the building needs extensive renovations. Doctors' offices are inaccessi- ble to many because of stairs, Mr. Steyn noted. He added, "If we don't do something the doctors will move out." Providing quality facilities for Clinton doctors is the aim of the new medical cente. It will also provide facilities for new doctors who come to Clinton to set up practice. Today's young doctors are not interested in establishing offices in their homes. Dr. Salsbury explained, "It's too impinging on their private lifestyles." When setting up practices, many doctors today are looking to medical centres. They offer modern facilities, joint equipment pur- chases and often close proximity to hospitals. "The trend in medical practices is to have medical centres", Mr. Steyn added, noting the medical facilities that serve the com- munities of Lucknow, Brussels and Mitchell are examples. It is hoped that :a medical centre in Clinton will attract more doctors to the area. While the area is presently adequately serviced within five to 10 years, two or three local doctors will be retiring, :and new medical professionals will be needed. The committee spearheading the proposal believes that if they are prepared for the future, they will be able to avoid any further serious doctor shortages, like those the com- munity faced in the past decade. The Clinton Public Hospital board of directors is spearheading the medical cen- tre proposal, and the hospital is providing land for the facility. However they will not be funding the project, nor will public fun- ding be asked from Clinton and area residents. The board is currently negotiating with J and J Pharmacy of Clinton for private fun- ding, and the proposal will be studied by town council for a possible grant under the provincial government's. Ontario Neighborhood Improvement Program. "We are definitely not.going to the public for funds," Mr. Steyn emphasized. Private funding will help cover costs of the building construction while rental payments will cover the continuing maintenance bills. Occupants of the new facility will sign long term leases and Mr. Steyn emphasized, "We will not begin con- struction until the leases are signed." He further noted, "We're not in this to make a profit. We're here to provide a ser- vice to the community. The doctors are will- ing to pay their way and aren't expecting any hand outs." The board's emphasis behind the medical centre proposal is that it's a community facility, and they believe that it can only benefit Clinton and area as a whole. Board member Bill Counter explained, "The medical centre will bring more people to Clinton to see doctors. While they're here they'll do their business and shop the centre is a necessity that can only benefit the community." Final architect's drawings for the new facilityhave been drawn up by Kyles, Gar- rett and Marklevitz of Stratford. The project still requires Ministry of Health approval; to ensure that thecentre will not be the finan- Children from area public schools were delighted by the antics of magician Tom Kubinek during Clinton's Bicentennial events. Children from Holmesville Public School were the first to be treated to the Nov. 16 shows. (James Friel photo ) Magician Tom Kubinek produced coins from the ears and hair of many members of the audience attending the first show of Clinton's . Bicentennial celebrations. Here a Holmesville Public School student assists the magician in his act. About 300 people at- tended the first show. (James Friel photo) Hydro studies power route - again By Shelley McPhee CLINTON A transmission line route, from the Bruce Nuclear Power Development (BNPD), south along the Lake Huron shoreline to London is again being considered by Ontario Hydro. Clinton Council learned at their Nov. 19 meeting that Ontario Hydro is making a . detailed study of the area to determine if it is feasible to accommodate a huge power line system. The system would take excess power from BNPD and distribute to major southwestern Ontario centres. Hydro's preferred mite would travel through Bruce, Huron and Middlesex Counties. The proposal is not a new one, but it will encompass a revised plan of recommendations made by Ontario Hydro more than two years ago. At that time Ontario Hydro developed six alternative routes for the 500,000 volt transmission lines. The plans, known as MI - M6 were presented at public hearings in Stratford. In another area, a group of citizens along the Highway 401 corridor, took their concerns to the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court agreed that the Highway 401 citizens had not received sufficient notice of the plans, and Ontario Hydro's Ml -M6 proposals were rejected. Ontario Hydro spokesperson, Sheelagh Lawrance, told. Clinton Council that Ontario Hydro is now undergoing the second study and hopes to present proposals at hearings in 1986 Planners have been in the area since August, making environmental assessments of the area between the BNPD and London. y They are looking at a variety of areas including land use, both agricultural and human settlement. • The proposal are also looking at reaction and. comment from local groups and individual concerns. Public meetings have been scheduled to discuss the plans. Special interest groups will meet in London on November 24 with Ontario Hydro. In Clinton, on November 28, a public open house will also be held. (For more information see advertisment elsewhere in this paper). Ms. Lawrance explained that the information from the studies and public opinion will be considered and eventually Ontario Hydro's proposal will focus on three alternative routes in the area. She estimates that by March 1985, the proposed corridor routes will be determined. Hydro will choose their preferred corridor by May 1985. It will then be judged with two other possible routes, one in the Barrie area and the another along Highway 401. Public hearings won't begin before 1986 and Ms. Lawrance noted, "Everything will be weighed equally at a public hearing." She anticipated that larger urban municipalities, like Clinton, won't be directly effected by any proposed routes. The corridors will likely keep to the "township fabric", she noted, and away from large settlements and major highways. It's unlikely that we'll go through a built up area, however one proposal came at the town limits of Flesherton," she noted. Similar to the proposals in 1981, Ontario Hydro states that the new transmission lines are needed to release locked -in energy at the BNPD. "The major concern is to get that power, out of The Bruce," Ms. Lawrance said. "Balled -up power there is costing us money." Councillor Ross Carter asked if Ontario Hydro planned to 'sell the surplus power to the U.S.A. Ms. Lawrance said that this wasn't true, "London, Sarnia and Windstor need more power. The first thing is to get the power out of The Bruce." She explained that the existing transmission system isn't capable of handling the extra power load. She also explained that it isn't feasible to supplement the existing lines, "If one major line goes out, chances are that a second line on the same system would also go down." More information on the proposals will be available at the November 28 Clinton open house. New rec committee will bring arts here By Anne Narejko CLINTON - Members of the newly established arts committee will be presented with a number of challenges, according to Clinton Recreation Director Kevin Duguay. The Recreation Committee • passed a motion at their November meeting stating that Judy Stuart, Steve Oliver, and Roy Wheeler will make up the arts committee. Gord Gerrits will be the acting chairman. "They are taking on a new facility (the town hall) and a job of a positive nature. Their job will be arts development, enhancement and enrichment," explained Mr: Duguay. "If we can't take the public to the arts, we'll bring the arts to the public." The three new committee members have the background required for the job. Mrs. Stuart and Mr. Wheeler were on the town hall steering committee and Mr. Oliver is a drama arts teacher at the high school. At the same meeting, it was decided that Steve Gibbings would be sit on the arena committee. Mr. Gibbings has been active in the men's ball hockey league. The Recreation Committee is still looking for two more fnembers who have an interest in helping with the arena -committee or the parks, pool and program committee. Mr. Duguay stated that the arena committee deals mainly with the operation of the arena while the parks, pool and program committee deals with parks in general and summer programs. cial responsibility of the Clinton hospital. The role the hospital board will play in the medical centre is that of landlords. The centre will be constructed on a vacant parcel of land, owned by Ale hospital, adja- cent to the nurses' residence. The building of the centre will be the first phase in what board members hope to be a continuing pro- ject.~ Plans m future years, call for the demoli- tion of the nurses' residence and the con- struction of a second 4,000 square foot addi- tion. The proposed addition would include office space, accommodations for a phar- macy, laboratory, x-raydepartment and facilities for other health and social agen- cies. Although original plans ealled for the in- clusion of these services in the medical cen- tre, plans were adjusted and trimmed to meet financial limitations. The board now hopes that the second phase for the centre will be constructed within a few years. Doctors will be able to remain in the nurses' residence offices while the new medical centre is being constructed. Other offices, occupied by a speech pathologist, the • Clinton Mental Health Resource Centre and the Huron County Chapter of Epilepsy Ontario will be permanently accommodated at Clinton Public Hospital. The new medical centre will rid the Clin- ton Hospital board of directors of its "White elephant", the former nurses' residence. Built over 30 years ago as a stipulation of a $40,000 bequest left by the late Colonel H.T. Rance, it only served its original pur- pose for a' few short years, when the nurses' training program was dropped. Mr. Counter said that the building had served its purpose and the hospital had "gotten its money's worth but future maintenance and upkeep on the building would be an unsound investment. Dr. Steed, in presenting the medical cen- tre proposal to town council earlier this year, noted that the nurses' residence Was not originally designed to accommodate doctors' Offices. He said, that building is ex- perikve'to ni thitai'n because of a `"tremen"' dous waste of heated space." He added, "The medical centre would benefit the citizens of the area, now and in the future. To recruit the best professionals we need high quality facilities." Project prepares for the future • by Shelley McPhee CLINTON - "We must look 10 to 15 years ahead. If we sit back we'll get the short end of the stick. Future forecasts say that we should build," said Leen Rehorst, chairman of the Clinton Public Hospital board of direc- tors. The hospital board believes that plans to construct a $250,000 medical centre will help to maintain quality medical services in the area, will encourage new doctors to locate in Clinton and avoid medical shortages that the community has faced in tile past decade. Doctor shortages burdened medical care in the area for more than 10 years. The pro- blem was at its most crucial point in 1972. Headlines from the March 23, 1972 Clinton News -Record read, "Clinton eligible for government medical aid." At that time the shortage of medical per- sonnel was so severe that the provincial government declared the area "under ser- .viced." Simply, there weren't enough doctors in the area for the number of people. The "under serviced" designation made Clinton eligible for government support for a physician's pool which could establish itself in the area. Concern about doctor shortages had ac- tually begun in 1969 when Dr. J.A. Addison • retired. Reports in the Feb. 20, 1969 News - Record read, "His retirement from active practice comes at a time when the Clinton Public Hospital Board of Trustees is already concerned about heavy patient loads car- ried by local doctors. Some residents of Clin- ton and the surrounding district view the medical situation with alarm and say that none of the doctors in Clinton can handle more work." In the next 10 years the problem was par- tially alleviated when Dr. Brian Baker established practice in Clinton. Still in 1978 the problem still existed. In fact, more than seven years after his retire- ment, Dr. Addison was still providing weekend assistance to help the area's five fulltime doctors. Acting on a request from the hospital board of directors, Clinton Town Council agreed to advertise in medical journals for the services of another general practitioner. However in 1979 the News -Record headlines still read, "Doctor Shortage hur- ting. Doctors were reported to be working an average of 70 hours a week and Dr. Baker said, "There's only so much one doctor can do. You end up treating a surface of the pro- blems and you can't do justice to your work." The heavy workload forced doctors to cut back on their acceptance of any new pa- tients. Area people were forced to seek out medical attention from doctors in Goderich and Seaforth. In an attempt to bring additional medical expertise to Clinton, Dr. Baker interviewed Turn to page 2