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The Goderich Signal-Star, 1983-09-07, Page 16 • =,pr - 135 YEAR -36 L- GODERICH SIGNAUSTAR, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 7,1983 50 CENTS PER COPY .41.2311,1 Centre to house young offenders Walker announces that Bluewater will be converted to regional youth centre The Bluewater Centre for the Developmentally Handicapped, scheduled to close November 15, will be converted to a regional detention facility for young offenders. The announcement, that the centre would definitely be converted to a regional detention facility, was made by Provincial Secretary for Justice, Gord Walker at a special press conference at the centre Tuesday ending months of speculation on the fate of the facility. With Community and Social services deputy -minister Robert McDonald and Correctional Services deputy -minister, Dr. George Podrabarac, at his side, Walker unveiled the multi-million plan before the media. While many specifics of the conversion remain unknown, Walker and McDonald said the new correction facility will employ between 145 and 200 people. Some of the centre's existing employees will be retrained for new jobs, McDonald said but he refused to elaborate on numbers. The new facility, will which not look much different than the Bluewater Centre does now, will house 177 young offenders between the ages of 12 and 17 and should be operational by April 1, 1985. Walker said there may be phasing period prior to April 1, 1985. The centre has been a resilient one since it was opened 21 years ago by Premier John Robarts. Walker cited it as one of the most progressive in- stitutions of its kind in North America. "The success of the Bluewater Centre is considered significant in Ontario and its success has led to the need to change its use," he said. "For 21 years it handled the developmental problems of humans and this year it will change again. It has been determined that the Bluewater Centre will become a regional centre for young offenders." The Young Offenders Act was passed by the federal governrnent in 1982 but cost-sharing negotiations between the federal and provincial governments are ongoing. In making the announcement Tuesday, Walker said the negotiation process is progressing favorably. "This facility will serve our purposes well and negotiations are coming to fruition with the federal . government," he said. "on April 1, 1984 the Young Offenders Act will be proclaimed and by April 1, 1985 we must be in a position to take offenders." .The centre will be along -term facility, in that of- fenders requiring incarceration from 90 days to 15 Months will be sent to Goderich. The minister in- dicated that both male and female offenders will be housed at the regional detention centre. Landowners A group of landowners along Huron County Road 3 between Brucefield and Egmondville and the Road Committee of Huron County Council have reached a standoff in a battle over compensation ,for land required for road construction. Council had planned to reconstruct 9.4 kilometres of road between the hamlets at a cost of ap- proximately $1.3 million.' While the project was given top priority in the road committee's long-range plan, the battle over compensation for land payment will ultimately delay the project. In a report presented to county council at its regular monthly meeting in Goderich Thursday, road committee chairman, Tom Cunningham explained that many outstanding engineering concerns had Gord Walker, Provincial Secretary for Justice, unveils new plans The minister was effusive in his praise of the mayor, riding association and community for its co- operation during the time from the announced closure of the centre last October. The closure off the Bluewater Centre as a facility for developmentally handicapped adults was leaked to the press last fall. Since that time; local politicians, union and volunteer groups and citizens have been fighting the announced closure as part of the Ministry of Community and Social Services' five-year plan. That plan stressed the , deinstitutionalization of retarded adults and pumped more than $23 million into support services in the community. Many employees of the centre have already moved from the community and taken jobs *t other centres. Some of the remaining 145 employ;; will be offered retraining, if applicable, and .:: at the regional detention centre. Miift tv } = ' innelwill be in Goderich within` the ne 'few weeks to assess etn- ployees and determinertheireligibility for work at the centre. "Employees have been given opportunities in other centres and others may.well stay in the community," Walker said. "A subsantial number could take op- portunities here. There will be renovation work here too that will provide employment." The renovation work should be tendered and starting soon and while the minister refused to elaborate on the extent of the renovations, he said it was "in millions of dollars and more than a handful." The Bluewater Centre provides the government with an ideal' location for its regional detention centre, one of two to be located in the province. While Walker would not disclose the location of the other detention centre, he admitted that it too, was a centre for developmentally handicapped. The centre offers the.. government a ready-made facility with farming, educational and shop op- portunities. Walker said the detention centre would be a "boon to the community -a substantial industry." "Twenty-one years ago this facility' opened and it has changed to the needs of the community. It is a facility that is second to none in the province," he said. "The government offers thanks to the com- munity." While the structure may not change dramatically on the exterior, a fence will encompass the entire property and bars will be placed on windows. In commenting on the new tennants, Walkers said the nature of the crimes they would have committed prior to incarcaeration, would be modest compared to the inmates in an adult institution. Huron -Middlesex MPP Jack Riddell and Goderich mayor Eileen Palmer both expressed their disatisfaction at the definite closure of the centre as a facility for the developmentally handicapped. Residents, employees and families have been on a :limb for nearly a year and Riddell didn't think it was necessary. "I'm sorry to see the Bluewater Centre close as a facility for the developmentally handicapped. It was one of the finest institutions anywhere," he said. "There is no reason the government couldn't have made this announcement at the same time it an- nounced the closure of the centre. It would have saved a lot of people a lot of grief." Palmer was also relieved that the centre would be reopened, thereby saving desparately needed jobs for the community but, she too, expressed regret that the centre closed its doors to the developmentally han- dicapped. "I'm relieved that it will provide jobs for the people of the community," she said. "But we still have to be concerned about the care of the developmentally handicapped." want higher com ensation from countp y been resolved with the landowners but the com- pensation remained an outstanding issue. The county is prepared to pay landowners $2,400 per acre of land to widen the road allowance by 17 feet. The lan- downers are seeking $3,000 per acre. "The engineer has met with the landowners and the committee feels we must be fair to the people who have already sold and agreed to our price," the Hullett reeve said. "We feel we must treat everyone fair and not set a precedent." In all reconstruction projects the county is widening the road allowance by a 17 foot strip on either side to create an allowance of 100 feet com- pared to the existitng 66 -foot allowance. It allows the county road crew to move the ditches farther from the road, increasing the safety factor, and it also means a decrease in maintenance costs county trying to force the hand of the landowners, he told engineer Bob Dempsey claimed. council hehad to set a deadline of October 1 on the "The extra land allows us to move the ditches back proejct. from the pavement, we can build the road surface "October 1 is my deadline to make a commitment higher which means less maintenance for snow to a project for spring. It takes that long to complete removal and, it improves drainage," Dempsey said. designs and budgets," he said. "We're forced into a "We have already purchased land from 13 Ian- corner." downers." Many engineering concerns had been resolved with the landowners but along with the purchase price of A survey of land prices in Tuckersmith Township in $3,000 an acre, they wanted a supply of posts and wire 1982 indicates only one piece of land fetched a higher for a roadside fence and $50 for each tree removed selling price than the $2,400 an acre offered by the from the frontage of their property. The county is not county. Despite a year of negotiations, both parties offering any compensation for fences or trees. have stood firm on their price. At a future date, the road committee also hopes to In his report to council, Dempsey said time is resurface the section of County Road 3 from running out on the reconstruction project. While not Brucefield through Varna to Bayfield. Qn erio Hydro Whim eesrch for a capable CWin for a 'll KV dI!trlbtttiou ,station in • the roton area the p and .development com- mittee of Huron County Council.tearned. In a Monthly report to council, committee chair- man dna Armstrong repoited that the pd distribution station is required because ex . ' .g electric . 1 circuits are reaching maximum levels and wills •` lw. r he adequate to supply power to the area."mow Ontario Hydro .aay►a, .tt .,,TaamAt, eate,.:th: distribution station 'near Ott t existing -110 kv trans stnissionlipe running from Seafoi=th to Goderich. Hydro plans: to Make an announcent concerning the project 'lithe local press and the counclls of the town of Clinton and the Townships of Goderich and Hallett will be informed of the study. In other committee news, council learned that the Canadian National and Pacific Railway Companies plan to clo a several lines of operation in the Bruce, Grey Conn'!y areas. CN will closed lines from Southampton to Port Elgin, Wingham to Kincardine and Listowel to Wingham. Team to search for jobs here A team of employment specialists from the Workers' Compensation Board is conducting a job - search campaign among Goderich area employers next week (week of September 12) . ,"Finding jobs for rehabilitated injured workers is an on-going pursuit with us" says Ron Moir, the Board's employment specialist for the area. "But next week we're going all out when I'm being joined by several colleagues. We're going to concentrate on finding jobs for more than 175 job -ready local men and women." Moir says that the program offers substantial financial and administrative incentives to encourage business leaders to hire rehabilitated workers. "And for the worker," he adds, "there's that sense of self-reliance and well-being that a satisfying job can give. Fifteen receive rabies vaccine In response to a proliferation of positive rabies in Huron county, Dr. Harry Cieslar, Medical Officer of Health, has set up a series of free rabies vaccination clinics in municipalites across the county. Established in co-operation with the Health of Animals Branch, Seaforth, the Huron County Health Unit assisted in obtaining locations for the clinics in 13 municipalities. Times and dates of the clinics have been published in county newspapers and further information is available form the Huron County Health Unit. Three skunks, two bovines, one groundhog and one bat tested have been found to be rabid. To date, rabies vaccines have been administered to 15 county residents. Health committee chairman, T.W. Cronin, praised Dr. Cieslar for establishing the county -wide clinics. "I would like to compliment the doctor on his work in setting up these clinics," he said. "It is very im- portant to have them." INSIDE �H E SIGNALSTAR Hotel Redford catcher Brian ,tip orbv pits the tag on Rick McDonald in the 13 final Monday. Walton won the game 2-1. (Photos by Dave Sykes) Ladies' tournament The an'nual Ladies' Golf Tournament was held at Sunset with over 90 participants coming to take part in the action. Owen Sound had two top winners, but the area ladies did quite well also. For the complete story and pictures, take a look in the Recreation section. Hockey school A local hockey school has been growing in terms of the number of participants, as Well as the number of programs it offers. The Huron Hockey School, located at Huron Park just outside of Exeter, has a program for NHL players, as well as the amateurs. This past week, over 50 professional hockey players took part in the program, including Exeter's own David Shaw who was drafted in the first round by the Quebec Nordiques. The Recreation section has the complete story and a few pictures. Business beat After working for A&P company for 44 years, Jack Hinton is retiring but plans to keep active. Also in the business beat this week is the David E. White Clothiers store that is now featuring women's clothing as well as men's. For more details look in this section. M:.