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The Goderich Signal-Star, 1981-06-24, Page 21C::;derk l 133 YEAR -25 - ST WEDNESDAY, JUNE 24,1981 SECOND SECrON Money needed for repairs Friends' worried about library BY JOANNE BUCHANAN Goderich can take pride in its many beautiful historic buildings. But there is one historic building in this town that seems to be sadly neglected although widely used. The Goderich Public Library, built in 1904 with a Carnegie grant, is in need of repair and has been for some time. Presently, a small group of concerned citizens known as Friends of the Library, is meeting to determine ways in which money can be raised to have these repairs done. Their first project will be to purchase Storni windows. Several library windows are now covered with plastic. And window sills are also in need of repair. There is no end to the number of repairs and.iinprovements that need to be done at the library but the Friends group is starting out with small projects because of a lack of money. A long term objective of the group would be to eventually open up the third floor of the library. Many years ago, this floor served as the librarian's apartment. There are six rooms and a huge hallway on this floor. One roomiias a fireplace and all of the rooms are uniquely shaped. The Upper.left - plastic covered windows Bottom left - unique architecture completely round room, at one thine, was" used by the late Gavin Green, a Goderich historian who did all his work and research there. There is no heat or electricity on the third floor and there are cracks in the ceiling through which one can see the sky. It would also require.a lot of decorating but the underlying woodwork is beautiful. "It's such a waste sitting there empty, says Jean Adarns of the • Friends group. She can visualize reading rooms, children's rooms and meeting rooms on the third floor which would benefit everyone'iin the community who wanted to. • use them. The Friends of the Librartegroup, not to be confused with the Book Club which is a literary group, is trade up of citizens in the community who have a common concern for their library's active expansion and participation in community life. They have a conviction that good library service is important to everyone. A few years ago, the group added a bathroom upstairs in' the library, redecorated the film room and. started a March break program for children. it then seemed to disband for awhile until present concerns came up. "The library won't fall down butit needs to be maintained. It's a heritage building and it needs to be kept in top shape," says Jack Fiegehen of the Friends group. Fiegehen is particularly disgusted with the bad patchwork done to the bricks outside the library. He would like to see a town engineer look at the whole building. Head librarian, Marg Bushell, has other concerns. "Sometimes we (the librarians) worry about fire. There is only one exit (for the adult library upstairs) and that's through the front door: The windows are heavy to lift and high off 'the le'ground," she points, ' out. There is no fire escape at the library and electrical upgrading may be needed. There is one other exit in the children's library downstairs. Bushell also says the library is a very cold place to work in winter. There_is no insulation upstairs and the Friends group can see the town saving thousands of dollars onirheating heat g bill every winter if _ an tnsulationprogram was undertaken., . At a meeting has rn ay, ire Smarr Friends group decided that it has to start a, bank account. Members discussed having a bake sale, inquiring about `grants available, asking service Tubs for donations and speaking to town council. The group is also going to look into the procedure for becoming a registered charitable organization so it can issue income tax receipts for large donations. Friends of the Library is very interested in maintaining the historic character of the library building. When American multi -millionaire, Andrew Carnegie died before the turn of the century, he willed some of c.,his money to be used for building public NU -cities in uOw Cariaida and the U.S. Owing to some smart politicians, 50 per cent of all Canada's Carnegie libraries are located in' Ontario. A university student who researched the Carnegie libraries in the province a few years ago, was extremely impressed with the rare hand carved stairway,posts she found in theGoderichlibrary. Friends of the Library will meet again the first Thursday in August at noon in the film room and. would like more members to join them. If interested, call Marg aubIiII al the uurary Ttaiji2u .ur Jenny Black in the evenings (524=8154). Frank Drea, Minister of Community and Social Services, received a wagon ride tour of the grounds when he attended the Bluewater Centre's volunteer recognition huh cheon last Wednesday. Seated behind him, at left, is Bill Gregg, facility director and at right, Ernie Fisher, Director of the Lotteries Branch of the Ministry of Community and Commercial Relations and also a former mayor of Goderich (Plias, by Joanne Buchanan) abmet minister visits Bluewater simply to say 'thanks' The Goderich Public Library, built in 1904 with a Carnegie grant, Library, is now discnssfng ways to raise funds for these repairs and may look sturdy at a glance but it is in need of many repairs and improvements. ( Photo by Joanne Buchanan) improvements. A group of concerned citizens, called Friends of the Queen Elizabeth students to represent region BY JOANNE BUCHANAN Mark Albert and Darcy Doak, students at the Queen Elizabeth School in Goderich, will represent this region when the mentally handicapped from across Canada meet for the National Games in Ottawa July 16,17,18 and 19. Mark will participate in the swiniming contest and Darcy will participate in the bowling contest. The cost to participate is $100 per athlete and the Queen Elizabeth students are very excited about the whole event because they raised a lot of the money themselves. They baked cookies and sold them in the staff room at the school as well as to friends and neighbours. They washed cars at $2 per car. They saved Zehrs tapes. And they sold tickets on a cake baked and donated by Ellen Connelly. The cake was shaped liked a swinuning pool and decorated with swimmers in honor of Mark's swimming abilities. Miss Helen Videan, principal of Victoria Public School, was the lucky winner. Along with a $100 donation from the Goderich Lions Club and donations from a few individuals, the total raised was $233.21. "The Lions Club probably would have been good enough to give us theS full amount we needed but we wanted the students to get involved as a special project," explained teacher, Audrey ,Barlow. It is with pride and happiness that the Queen Elizabeth School sends Mark and Darcy off by chartei aircraft to compete in the national games in July. Ataleyountean bet the students who helped to send them there will be roatin' for 'em back home. Mark Albert (left) and Darcy Doak (right) will represent this region in July at the National Games for the mentally handicapped in the swimming and bowling contests respectively. Fellow Queen Elizabeth School students have been helpir4g to raise the funds to fly there to Ottawa for these games. The most recent fund-raising project was a cake draw. The swimming pool shaped cake, made and donated by Ellen Connelly, was won by Victoria School vice - Helen Vk!- ,n (third from left). Also in the picture is Queen Elizabeth School teacher Audrey Barlow. (Photo by Joanne Buchanan) ,. BY JOANNE BUCHANAN Frank Drea, Minister of Community and Social Services, attended the annual volunteer recognition luncheon at the Bluewater Centre for the Developmentally Handicapped here last Wednesday. It was the cabinet minister's second visit to the Centre in two months (he attended the Centre's Education Week session on, May 15) and that facthad a tendency to make people nervous. . As members of the media sat through the luncheon, they geared themselves up to hear Drea read some kind of govern- ment policy statement pertaining to the Centre. Perim the; Centre would bei, closed. After , Mlii sfiry o Heal had already closet. place once in 1976 when it was a psychiatric hospital. And there has been a trend lately toward smaller facilities such as group homes. It came as quite a,pleasant surprise then after the lucheon, when the minister stood up and simply announced that he had invited himself to the Centre to deliver a personal message of thanks to the Volunteer Association. "You ,have a minister who is deeply appreciative of what you are doing...I wish I could say it better...Thankyou and congratulations from myself and Premier Davis," he said. He went on to give a short pep talk to the 60 volunteers present. "The staff couldn't do the job alone...Volunteers can't be replaced...Your leadership and inspiration will make others join in...When the going gets rough, I hope you will reach inside yourself for that extra energy." Drea told the volunteers that the funds they raise through their various activities help provide the extra frills that make Bluewater Centre a special place. ' "It's the little touches that transform a house into a home," he said. He explained that the volunteers also make Bluewater Centre part of the larger common ity "Bybeing here, . you bring the com- munity into the Centre and take the Centre back out into the community with you when you go," he said. "Without you we would not be the part of the community we should be. You are a significant reminder that if weare to have the kind of society we want, then people have to participate." Drea told his audience, which also in- cluded 20 staff members, that there were new concepts coming along in the care f the developmentally handicapped. He said that in the future there would be smaller homes 'for those who could adapt and be comfortable'. "But," he added, "a facility like thisone will become even more important." During a question and answer period following Drea's speech, he said the reason for the trend toward group homes and community living was not to save is' roe g cioile"tola ui ividi(i i:'They will have a say too. Collective programs may be good for 96 out of 100 people but 1 worry about the four." ,. • One mother asked if Drea thought residents would ever be moved out of the Centre without the consent of parents. Drea answered with a firm no. Another part of the minister's visit in- cluded the presentation of awards to several volunteers. Upon presenting a specially commissioned plaque . to Volunteer Association president, Grace Patterson, who accepted on behalf of the Association, he commented, "It is times like this that I think I have the easiest job in the whole cabinet." He also presented Mrs. Patterson, vice- president Kay Prevett, treasurer Violet Bridle and secretary Hilda Unger with special pins from the government in recognition of their services. George Ross was honored for `special contribution of a parent'. He has con- structed two cabins and 30 tables for the Centre as well as installing a solar heated water system for the camp ground. Drea's visit to the Centre also included a slide presentation and a tour of the grounds in the Centre's antique wagon pulled by ponies. He was presented with a Bluewater hat and T-shirt. Included in his entourage from Toronto was Ernie Fisher, Director, Lotteries Branch, Ministry of Community and Commercial Relations. Fisher, a Goderich native, was a former mayor of this town and Drea said, "He may be Goderich's greatest export in the post war years." Grace Patterson, president of the Bluewater Centre Volunteer Association, accepted a certificate of appreciation on behalf of the Association from Frank Drea, Minister of Community and Social Services, when he attended the Centre's annual volunteer recognition luncheon last Wednesday. (Photo by Joanne Buchanan)