Clinton News-Record, 1985-07-10, Page 65pe9i:y? .
�Z.
n:•
rant Sti
Reeve's 25th milestone
coincides with Goderich
Township anniversary
As Goderich Township celebrates it's
150th anniversary, Township Reeve Grant
Stirling, the Inan currently at thehelm of
the municipality's government, is
celebrating a landmark year of his own.
Striding, has been on council for a total of
25 years. The terms were not- consecutive,
"I took a few years off," he says, but the
numbers still add up to a quarter century of
municipal service.
Stirling and his family, wife Anna,
daughter Brenda and son Clayton are part
of one of Goderich Township's longtime resi-
dent families. Stirling's father, was reeve in
1944.
Stirling is in his llth year as reeve and in-
cluding his term as deputy reeve, has serv-
ed 19 years on Huron County Council. Stirl-
ing has had an oppertunity to watch the
township grow during his time in office.
"I've certainly seen a lot. of changes dur-
ing my term," he says.
When he took office, the township had only
oneroad maintenance worker, no tractor
and no trucks.
"We still don't have a lot in the way of
equipment," says Stirling, but the township
now employs three road workers and owns
one tractor and two trucks.
Stirling has been involved in no less than
five building projects as a member of coun-
cil. In 1967, an office was added to the
township garage and in 1980, the township
•completed what Stirling feels it's most im-
portant structure, the Goderich Township
Hall.
The building houses a council meeting
chambers, records department, and a kit-
chen, bar and auditorium facility, which
gives township residents a place to hold
public meetings, dances and other func-
tions. It was built as the result of the
township being named a benificiary in the
will of John and Pearl Woon. The Woon's left
the township, more than $300,000 and
specified that a hall was to be built with the
money. Grants and land severance funds
made up the balance of the cost of building.
"It hasn't cost the taxpayers a penny,"
Stirling proudly proclaims. •
Although there were some people opposed
to building the hall at the time, Stirling says
it has, "turned out to be a real asset to the
community."
"It's, done more than anything else to br-
ing this township together," he addg.
The kitchen had to be expanded after the
centre was built, because the womenof the
township expressed enthusiasm about pro-
viding catering services.
The fourth building project during Stirl-
ing's term was the construction of a new
township shed. The old shed is now used in a
storage capacity.
The most recent project .was the con-
struction of washrooms and a lunch counter
at the Township's ball diamond, for which
the township footed the bill and local
slowpitch players provided the labor.
Stirling has also seen an influx of trailer
and mobile home parks as well as a "great
improvement in the road system," in Sterl-
ing's time. •
Stirling takes great pride m both the peo-
ple and the setting of the to*nship.
He proudly notes that during WW II,
Goderich Twp. was the first township to go
over its quota in the Victory Bond drives.
"We must have a lot of hard-working peo-
ple that save their money," he says.
The township, is bounded by water oak
three sides, with Lake Huron, the Bayfiel
River and the Maitland River making up the
western, southern and norther boundaries
respecively.
"We probably have the most unusual
boundaries of any municipality you would
find in the province of Ontario," he says.
Stirling, who was Huron County Warden
in 1983, is also a farmer, running a mixed
beef, pork and cash crop operation in the
township. All that, on top of his township
council duties, would cause a lot of people tn.
consider retirement, from at least some of
their duties. Stirling however, is not sd sure
he's ready to give up his post just yet.
"I've had a good term. We'll see when the
time comes," he says, when asked if he will
run in the next election.
"Maybe I'll be like Trudeau and take a
walk in the snow before I decide."
Meanwhile, Stirling is playinghis part in
making the 1-5-0 celebrations a success.
Since 1983, when council arranged a
public meeting, to "see. if people were in-
terested in celebrating the township's an-
niversary" Stirling. has been involved with'
the project. • •
He knew back then, they had to get under-
way quickly, especially as far' a putting out
a history book was concerned.
You can get ready for a parade and other
things in a hurry, but a (history) book takes
time and effort to prepare. •
GODERICH TOWNSHIP
On your 150th Birthday Celebrations i
HLJLLETT TOWNSHIP
REEVE - Tom Cunningham CLERK TREASURER -
DEPUTY REEVE - Joe Gibson Harry Lear
COUNCILLORS : Ron Gross.
' Melvin Knox
J. Clare Vincent
ASSISTANT CLERK
TREASURER - Bev Shaddick
ROAD SUPERINTENDENT -
Jim Johnston.
ROAD CREW - Ian Hulley
• Doug Dolmage
Wishes do come true,
Our best wishes to you!
Congi'afulafionsl
on your
Sesqu!cenfennial
From your neighbours in
the Municipality of the