The Goderich Signal-Star, 1983-10-12, Page 1t•
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Iocieric
SIGNAL—STA
135 YEAR -91
GODERICII, ONTARIO, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 12,1983
The local St. John Ambulance Branch's new mobile first aid unit
was officially launched last Thursday with a ribbon cutting
ceremony in front of town hall. Taking part in the ceremony were,
left to right, Gary Renaud, Branch chairman; Mayor Eileen
Palmer; and Mrs. John Wilson whose late husband founded the
local Branch here 24 years ago. (Photo by Joanne Buchanan)
St. John Branch gets new mobile unit
After three and a half years of fund
raising, the local St. .John Ambulance
Branch has purchased a new mobile first aid
unit.
The new unit was officially launched last
Thursday with a ribbon cutting ceremony in
front of town hall. Cutting the ribbon was
Phyllis Wilson, wife of the late John Wilson,
founding member of the St. John Ambulance
Branch here 24 years ago.
The local Branch has been without a
mobile unit tor over a year since its previous
vehicle, a 1968 model with over 100,000 miles
on it, was deemed unsafe for driving.
In January, the Branch sent out an appeal
to the community for funds to purchase a
new. nit. Service clubs, businesses and
irtdMduals responded. .
The new unit is a 1980 model which was
purchased from the Ministry of Health and
repainted and equipped for more than
$14,000. The Branch, which is made up of
volunteers, will have to raise further funds
for ongoing costs such as insurance, gas,
maintenance and first aid supplies.
The new unit will travel to community and
sporting events in the Goderich, Clinton,
Lucknow; Blyth, Auburn and , Bayfield,
areas. Besides its obvious use asan-
sportalion, it will also serve as a st 'rage
place for first aid equipment and as afrarm
treatment area when needed.
Goderich may be part of survey
Disclosure of your drinking habits could
be part of a vital provincial prevention
study.
Goderich town council learned last week
that Dr. Norman Giesbrecht, a research
scientist with the Addiction Research
Foundation, is considering conducting a
population drinking survey in the town of
Goderich.
The town has been selected as a possible
location for the survey because of; the size
of the community, socio-economic
stability, support services and facilities,
rate of alcohol consumption and com-
munity co-operation.
In the community survey, the names of
adult males will be selected from the
voter's list or other nublio
Questionnaires will be hand delivered to
all participating in the community survey
by field workers and picked up a few days
later.
All responses received will be kept in
strict confidence, Dr. Giesbrecht em-
phasized, and only a number will identify
the completed survey. All the field
workers connected with the study will be
strangers to Goderich and those same
workers will be ethically bound not to
reveal any information gathered.
The results of the survey will help design
prevention programs and the question-
naire itself will focus on leisure activities,
drinking practices, experiences related to
drinking, personal standards about
drinking, attitudes to the use of alcohol and
50 CENTS PER COPY
Want to meet with
Ministry before
deciding on landfill
The Holmesville landfill site committee
will seek a meeting with Ministry of
Environment officials from London and
Owen Sound before making decisions on
the existing site.
After months of testing and evaluation,
the ministry has informed the six par-
ticipating municipalities that either ex-
tensive work would have to be done to keep
the landfill viable' or an alternate site
would have to be found.
Ian Wilson, a consulting hydrogeologist
and engineer with Ian Wilson Associates of
Durham, told the landfill site meeting that
the ministry is leaving the group two
alternatives. The first alternative is to
Close the site implementing a proper plan
of closure that would provide for proper
sloping and seeding of . the landfill area.
The closure would evolve over a two or
- three year period, giving the
municipalities lead time to find a suitable
alternate site.
The second alternative is to undertake
additional work at the existing site. That
work may involve more test drilling, the
b
creation of a trench system and perhaps a
leachate collection system.
Leachate, which is essentially the rain
and ground water that has seeped through
. the garbage and taken on chemicals, is
contaminating nearby Huckins Creek the
ministry')' contends. Members of the
committee intimated that the water
quality above and below the site was good.
Wilson said the ministry is mainly
concerned about the creek and possible
pollution. The creek is a potential
0
spawning grounu for trout and me
ministry has added rocks in the stream
and completed some fencing to keep cattle
out of,the water.
Appearing before the committee
Thursday, Wilson said the existing site
could be used for many years to come.
"You may be able to dig a trench system
and also install a leachate collection
system, similar to draining a field. The
leachate would be collected, pumped and
treated at a nearby plant," he said. " The
trenches would be dug to the water table
and garbage would then be piled up and
covered with fill to the existing landscape.
You would be building up, increasing the
capacity and providing better com-
paction."
The ministry is trying to minimize
pollution in and around landfill sites,
Wilson explained adding that the Ministry
of Natural Resources has done work in the
creek.
1 the committee decides to close the
existing site, it would have to submit a°
plan of closure to the ministry. Wilson said
it wouldn't require much work to close the
Holmesville site. A three-foot layer of soil
would be placed over the site, and the area
would be sloped and seeded.
After meeting with Wilson, the com-
mittee met in closed session before
passing a motion to meet with ministry
officials.
The 55 -acre landfill site, owned by
George Laois, is shared by the town of
Goderich, the townships of Goderich,
Colborne, the town of Clinton and the
villages of Bayfield and Lucknow.
ers need fai�._
ieturn NDP learn
handling of alcohol problems. In addition,
basic information such as age, marital
status and occupation will be requested.
When the survey has been completed
and all the data is documented, summary
reports will be forwarded to town officials
and will be available to those who took part
in the survey.
Dr. Giesbrecht explained that the com-
munity survey has potential benefits for
the selected community in understanding
alcohol-related problems and in planning
how to handle these problems.
Alexandra Marine and General Hospital
administrator, Elmer Taylor said the
foundation's decision on where the survey
will take place, is expected within a week.
The provincial government should
address the inequity of consumer pur-
chasing power if farmers are to get a fair
return from their labour, the president of
the Huron Federation of Agriculture told
an agricultural task force in Wingham last
week.
Tony McQuail told the Ontario New
Democrat task force on agriculture if
farmers are to get a fair return, the
president of a corporation making $150,000
a year should pay a fair share toward the
production of food.
"It won't do farmers any good to price
their commodity so high that the working
poor can't afford to eat," said McQuail.
There are fundamental problems with
the economic situation in this province
McQuail said. If purchasing power was
equitably distributed farmers could see a
fair return from their labour and perhaps
on their equity.
"If this inequity is addressed, not only
farmers will have a greater purchasing
Quake bits
Ontario; mild
tremors here
Where were you when the earthquake
struck.
A small earthquake, measuring as much
as 5 on the Richter Scale, was caused by a
fault in the Blue Mountain Lake area of
New York State, 140 kilometres south of
Cornwall.
The quake rolled through Ontario and
other parts of Canada at about 6.30 a.m.
Friday and could be felt in the Goderich
area as well. One lady, a light sleeper who
refused to be identified, said she felt her
bed move "just a little." Admitting it was
a somewhat frightening experience, she
was hoping other readers felt the quake
too.
Another Goderich resident -also reported
a slight movement at the time the quake
was to have rumbled through Ontario.
The quake which shook Ontario and
Quebec was also felt on the Canadian and
American Eastern seaboard.
While there was no real damage in the
southwestern Ontario area, many people
may have felt a slight vibration or noticed
dishes rattling or wall hangings moving
noticeably.
The Government of Canada wants help
with their investigation of the latest
earthquake and is asking people to write
letters of their experiences. The letters
should include information on where you
were, what you were doing and what you
felt and saw as the earthquake continued..
Letters can be sent to Earthquake
Report, Earth Physics Branch, 1 Obser-
vatory
bservatory Crescent, Ottawa, Ontario, K1A
0Y3.
Tenders called
on Pidneer
Museum study
power," added McQuail.
Mel Swart, MLA Welland - Thorold, the
NDP's agriculture and prices critic is
heading the task force which will tour
seven areas of the province this fall.
Accompanying him is Donald MacDonald,
caucus chairman and former NDP leader.
Crucial agricultural problems are not
being dealt with by Ontario's Conservative
government said Swart and the task force
intends to examine them in depth at the
local level and discuss them with area
farmers and their organizations.
Thirteen Bruce, Grey and Huron farm
organizations were represented at the
meeting and each presented an oral brief
followed by a discussion period.
Approximately 50 people attended the
public meeting held in the Wingham Town
Hall.
In his brief the president of the Huron
federation also pointed out that bank of-
ficials are telling the minister of finance
Turn to page 2
Another step towards determining the
future of the Huron County Pioneer
Museum was taken this past week by coun-
ty council.
Council, at its Oct. 5 meeting, approved
calling tenders from at least five con-
sulting firms for a feasibility study of the
museum.
The county's agriculture and property
committee presented the term of
reference for such a study which were ap-
proved by the council at the October ses-
sion. Also approved at the session was the
authorization to apply for Wintario funding
to cover the study cost.
The consulting firm chosen, will be con-
sidering community needs as part of the
study. The terms of reference outline two
considerations - a place needed to house
historic artifacts and a location for these
artifacts.
In order to determine these needs, the
conn�ssulting firm will Wen to such or
u
'ass"coi�nt`caiitlt'l�,ibi Cxiitr5
service clubs, boards of education,
genealogical societies, chambers of com-
merce - business improvement areas,
historical societies, tourist associations
and other cultural facilities.
Other aspects to be considered by the
consulting firm are the needs of the collec-
tion,
ollecttion, programming, the type of building
needed to house the artifacts, the future
operating costs and the cost of both a
renovated or new facility.
INSIDE THE
SIGNAL -STAR
Fastball champions
Sunny Sunday
It took five games to do it, but Hotel
Bedford defeated Lakeport Advertising to
win the Goderich Industrial Fastball
League championship. The final score was
a close 2-1. For more details, and pictures,
see the Recreation section.
Cultural programs
The Goderich Recreation Department is
helping to put a little'bit of culture into the
public school program. They are offering
programs, for children of all ages and
grades, at each of the schools. This is a
first for this type of program. For the
complete story, see the Recreation sec-
tion.
Huron County award
There is a certain ethereal quality about a warns autumn day and Sunday was Just out
of those days that beckoned people to get outdoors and enjoy their favorite activity.
The weather even acepmmodated, providing area residents with that last chance to
pursue a summer activity. Whether it was a minimtie walk along the boardwalk at St.
Christopher's Beach, or the tranquility of fishing at Snug Harbour or sailing on a
gentle breeze on the calm waters of Lake Huron, Goderich provided a serene setting
Sunday afternoon and many people took advantage of the weather to enjoy the holiday
weekend and the outdoors. (photos by Dave Sykes)
Since 1976, the Huron County federation
of agriculture's annual award has been
presented for outstanding contributions to
agriculture. This year's winner was for-
mer Huron -Bruce MPP Murray Gaunt.
For the complete details, see this section
of the paper.
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