Clinton News-Record, 1985-07-10, Page 110r.�
GODERICH TOWNSHIP HALLS
The subject of a hall in the township has
been a recurring one, introduced as far back
as 1881, When a petition signed by 60 people
requested council to build a township hall.
Township council rejected the application,
reasoning that it was cheaper to rent Knox's
hall in Holmesville at $2. a meeting than 'it
was to build a new hall. In 1909, after
,another delegation requested a hall, council
appointed a committee to look into the mat-
ter. The committee was: Norman Trewar-'
tha; H.L. Salkeld, from the Farm Club;
H.K. Revell; Durmot McEvory; Isaac
Salkeld, from the Country Woman's Club;
Mrs. James McMillan, from the Good Cheer
Club. No results appear to have been record-
ed by this committee.,
The topic remained dormant until 1978
when a large amount off money was left to
the township by Pearl Woon, wife of the late
John Woon, in accordance with his wishes to
bequeath the money for a township hall. The
will states: "To transfer the rest and
residue of my estate to the township of
Goderich to be used toward the building of a
Township Hall in memory of my late Hus-
band, JOHN. .GEORGE -WOONT' ThisATiil—
put the subject of a hall on the front burner
again. Rumours of a new hall began to ex-
icite township taxpayers.
P It wasn't until August 1978 that the
Deputy -Reeve, Grant Stirling, reported that
progress at the new athletic field, property
owned by the M.T.C. (Ministry of
Transportation & Communications) and
property owned by Levis, had been tem-
porarily halted to allow for some very
careful planning. He then presented the first
plan of the new proposed Community Center
to be built in HolmesVille. This meeting was
held with the Rec. Hoard.
aA special meeting was held with Mr. Al
Sinclair, from the Ministry of Recreation
and Culture. He presented government ap-
. proval for a new hall. He confided that Win-
tario and Community Center Grants would
be available. The amount of money left by
the estate of the late .Pearl Woon in memory
of her late husband came to $180,000 plus in-
terest. The money had to be used for a
.. township hall. Mr. Sinclair felt there was no
need for a feasibility study, as the communi-
ty lacked a hall. The Wintario application
would be kept open until itemized costs for
construction were obtained. The Council
and the recreation committee began a, study
of neighbouring community centers to see
what could be learned. As a result, the com-
munity had another. meeting to discuss.
.. what they would like to see in a new hall. Ar -
Township Tales
1866
The first record' of paying a sheep claim.
There were 13 claims that year for a total of
100.50. None of the claims were paid `until
the dog taxes are received'.
1868
James Torrance is paid 3.63 for ammunition
gun caps used in 1866 by the 7th Field Com-
pany Porter Hill, 33rd Battalion.
1894
Council met as per adjournment. All present
t the Reeve, - the cause of him, not being
resent was by having been severely kicked
by his horse.
1897 ,
Paid the Town of Clinton 35.00 to help gravel
Isaac Street.
- - T au d Gun. Toon
chitects were invited to draw up plans for a
6000 square foot hall to accommodate 400 to
40 people,, with smaller meeting rooms, kit-
chen,° council chambers, . coat rooms,
washrooms, and change rooms, as well as
storage. At the, initially proposed site
( between the old and the new Hwy 8 at
Holmesville), a ball diamond was under-
way, but a tennis court and soccer field were
planned also.
By May 1979, a special meeting was held
to inform the public of the new intentions;
the meeting was poorly attended but one
speaker proposed putting the hall beside the
school, as the area school needed a larger
gym and could make use of the hall. On May
24, 1979, another special meeting was held at
the township offices with Loaiise Marrat and
Valerie Gilmar of Rural Development
OutReach, a government program, about
public apathy for the new hall. They decided
on a "carefully prepared public meeting"
held on June 6, 1979; the committee
members phoned everyone to ensure an
overflow crowd. At the meeting everyone
was divided into groups to discuss what they
would like to see in a new hall. The questions
put to the groups were worded to produce a
positive response. Somehow out a .0 s
meeting a vote was tallied with 70 to 20 in
favour of a. hall This writer, who was, pre-
sent at the meeting, doesn't remember a.
vote being taken, but the results are m the
Rec Committee books for this date. After
reading the newspaper reports of this
meeting, Mr. Sinclair of OutReach changed
his mind and wanted a feasibility study
done. Ron McKay, Holne}esville school prin-
cipal, suggested the hall be built on school
property to dbuble as a gym for the
youngsters. Mr. Sinclair decided to design
the questions for a study himself, but the
feasibility study was never carried out.
The firm of Kyles, Kyles, and Garratt, ar-
chitects, were hired to draw up the plans.
Meetings were held with the school board
and the public school. A meeting was held
with some senior citizens and the local rec
committee to form a senior citizens group.
This group would qualify the hall to recieve
a New Horizon -Grant for equipment. A kit-
chen committee was formed and decided
that enough equipment and ashes for serv-
ing 3 0 people would probably he ample. By
December 1979, it was learned that the Win-
tariQ 'grant would be kept on hold until. a
final tender price could be, obtained. Cauneil i
advertised fOr tenders and the •deed; for the
school property was. available..for $1:00: •
Eleven tenders were. received all over
$509,000; that was $100,000 more than the
estimated cost. With no response from Win-
tario about the grant, council paid Kyles,
Kyles and Garratt about $30,000 in fees and.
then did not renew their contract. Council
began negotiations with several firms and
engaged Muer Construction of Guelph to
build the present building on the township -
owned lot which was previously bought in
1952 for a ball diamond.
To date, with a new kitchen addition in
1983, the hall cost has come to the grand
total of about $370,000 with money still re-
maining in the kitty for new expenditures. •
Since the hall opened in 1980, the public
has responded in a favourable maauaer_ —
despite the considerable controversy sur-
rounding its erection. .
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