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The Goderich Signal-Star, 1983-11-23, Page 1y1k; :–r 135 YEAR -47 ric SIGNAL STA GODERICH, ONTARIO, WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER X3,1983 50 CENTS PER COPY Traffic lights not warranted Controls in place at intersection A joint traffic study commissioned by trame ue touted down Britaeuaaa ttoad to the town of Goderich and the Ministry of Wellington Street. Transportation and Communication Another recommendation called for the suggests that vehicular and pedestrian removal of all four-way stops currently in traffic on Bayfield Road does not warrant place at several intersections in town. the installation of traffic signals. Most of the four-way stops are located In presenting the final report to council near elementary schools with one at the at its regular meeting Monday, Scott corner of Bennett and Gibbons Streets McMillan of the M.M. Dillon Company, near St. Marys School and three on Blake said the best form of control, a school Street at Gibbons, South and Eldon crossing guard, is already in place at the Streets. only add to the problem. it "nothing but a speedway on Blake and intersection and that traffic lights may Taking away the stop signs would make "Suncoast Drive and Bayfield Road and Bennett Streets and Suncoast Drive" Bennett Street and Bayfield Road was councillor John Doherty said adding that studied in depth and neither intersection the four-way stops were initiated by a met the warrants for traffic signals," former traffic committee to help school McMillan said. "Bayfield Road and children. response to a question from Doherty, s Bennett Street may bea problem when McMillan said the four-way stops were children are going to school but the best unwarranted and that they just tended to rol, the school crossink guard, isform thereof nowcont." impose undue restrictions on motorists, to the risk factor. "To have a traffic signal placed at the adding"There is an aggravation factor," he intersection is a dangerous precedent said "After a while people just tend to because it could induce resentment on the o part of the motoring public. The three traffic signals in town now are adequate and only minor timing modifications are recommended." The traffic study, a joint venture opn behalf of the town and the MTC, was received by council and referred to the works committee. The committee will make recommendations to council after reviewing the study on Monday, December 12. One and a hall years in the making, McMillan said the purpose of the $15,000 study was to identify problem areas and offRr low -east -Measures to alleviate those problem. The m ximam time allowed for implementation was five years but the ' measures, he said, could be implementedd x in two years at a cost of app $30The ,000. study examined several aspects relating to trafficand tpedestrian movement including parking, k routes and the placement of traffic signals. With respect to the flow of heavy truck traffic to the harbour area, the report suggests that the existing route along Elgine Avenue to Wellingston Street to West Street, is still the best possible route. "Three alternative truck routes were looked at but they were all less desirable than the existing truck route," McMillan said. "The existing routes are the best at the lowest cost." Of the three alternate truck routes examined by the study, only one, running behind Goderich Elevator and connecting with the North Harbour Road, was con- sidered feasible. That option, however, would require considerable land acquisition and the construction of a massive retaining wall and was con- sidered undesirable because of the cost. While it would reduce truck traffic along Elgin Avenue, the cost is prohibitive. The other alternatives suggested taking truck traffic around The Square and down West Street and a second called for truck The new Suncoast Drive workshop for mentally handicapped adults is now open and humming with activity. Here, workers Maxine Switzer and Robert Mitchell give up their seats to executive director Helen Watson and workshop manager Frank Moore in order to show them how they label Sheaffer Pen boxes. The workshop has an assembly contract with Sheaffer Pen and is looking for more such contracts from area businesses. (Photo by Joanne Buchanan) Workshop moves to new location on Suncoast Drive The dust may not have settled yet, but already there is plenty of activity at Goderich's newly constructed workshop for mentally handicapped adults. Located at 267 Suncoast Drive, the workshop will be known as Suncoast Enterprises. Tables, chairs and shelves were moved into the building last Monday and 31 people from the Clinton and Goderich area are presently employed doing contract as. mbly work; ceramics; and wood- working. In the future they will also be making patio stones and plan to go into the laundry business after their two com- mercial washers and dryers arrive. A contract procurer will be hired to find more work as well. Manager Frank Moore says the workshop has two main functions; to train people for specific jobs and to provide a sheltered work environment for people who haven't been able to get jobs. The workshop is funded 80 per cent by the Ministry of Community and Social Services and 20 per cent by the revenue it generates itself. Previously, the workshop was located in the Kinsmen Centre on Keays Street but the ministry decided that location did not offer a suitable environment and the Goderich and District Association for the Mentally Retarded had to find another place. A holding company was formed to buy land aqd fund the construction of a new building and a sod turning ceremony was held in July. The 5200 square foot building is steel with brick facing. It is insulated, heated by gas and has a six inch concrete slab floor. Most of the space is used up by the workshop area itself but there are also washrooms, a few offices and a cafeteria where workers eat the lunch they bring themselves. Some of the furnishings were brought from the Kinsmen Centre workshop and some from the Bluewater Centre. "I'm very pleased with it ( the building (," says Jean Wheeler, chairman of the workshop committee. "It's clean and bright and airy." Mrs. Wheeler says an official opening of the building will be held in the spring. Now that the building is complete, she says the challenge will be to show the community that the people there can work. "We need more contracts," she says and A CBC camera man films people busy at work for mentally handicapped adults. CBC's Radio while in town to do a story on the closing of Buchanan) urges anyone with work to call 5244448. The hours at the workshop are 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. five days a week and the work is supervised by Evelyn Carroll and Sharon Scruton. The CBC's Radio Canada (French network) was in Goderich last Thursday to ist Goderieh's newly constructed workshop Canada visited the workshop last TTh sine Joe Bluewater Centre. (Photo by do a story on the Bluewater Centre closing and what the community is doing to support residents coming out of the centre. As part of that story, which was aired on the Regional Ontario News at 6:05 Friday, the CBC reporter visited the new workshop in Goderich. slow down rather than stop and they spee up between the four-way stops." Other recommendations in the study included the suggestion to impose more severe enforcement of the two-hour parking limit on The Square. McMillan said the town should either reduce the time limit to an hour and a half or enforce the present two-hour parking limit more rigorously to create a greater turnover in parking spaces. Another major recommendatioa edd for a revamping of the Bayfield Britannia !toad intersection by stopping east and westbound traffic ' on Wit onnia Road and alldwingtf'a'ff "oilit d N proceed without stopping. McMillan there is far more traffic on Bayfield Road tritannia Road and that traffic shan ouldBbe allowed to proceed around the corner unimpeded. Crossing guards are already in place at the intersection and would provide the best form of control the study suggests. Another problem identified by the study was the habit of drivers travelling south on Victoria Street to turn right on a red light on Nelson Street and then make an im- mediate left onto Hamilton Street. McMillan said it "happens a lot in peak hours" and recommended new markings and the construction of a median to prohibit the practice. At the conclusion of the presentation, councillor Glen Carey asked McMillan if it would be feasible to install overhead crosswalk signs at the intersection of Bayfield Road and Bennett Street. McMillan said there are no specific measures or criteria for overhead asigsn s outlined by MTC, but he suggested thewould be reluctant to have such signs in a small community. "The people just aren't familiar with such controls and it is not a safe form of control for a small community," he said. "Tourists wouldn't be familiar with the control and could drive right through. The signs could just invite accidents." ta visits town Saturday Here comes Santa Claus, here cones Santa Claus. While the relative mlld temperatures may not prompt thoughts of sleigh bells in the snow or the annual visit from the jolly old,fellow from the North Pole, the annual Goderich Santa Claus Parade is set to go Ods Saturday, Novenhber 26 at 1 p.m. This year the parade will depict and celebrate the theme; An Old Fashioned Christmas. All parade entries will form up at the Elgin Avenue and South Street in- tersection prior to the start for pre -parade judging. Trophies will be awarded to the top three entries in the five categories. The parade will make its way up South Street to The Square, follow the Square to West Street and then follow West Street to Wellington Street. parade, naturally, tue ts Santain aClaus and he will.bring up the rear of the parade and then visit with all the boys and girls at The Livery following the parade. Treats will be provided for all little visitors. Goderich man suffers wound A 16 -year-old Goderich man was treated for a stab wound at the Alexandra Marine and General Hospital early Saturday morning, and then transfered to University Hospital where he under went surgery. At 5:23 a.m. Goderich police were notified by hospital staff that an am- bulance was on its way to pick up a youth who was on the front lawn of a house with a stab wound to the lower chest. Constables Brownlee and Poulter responded. A fight had broken out between the victim and another male, and the victim told police and a doctor that he had stabbed himself. The other man involved was admitted to Alexandra Marine and General Hospital where he was treated for head injuries which resulted from the fight. No charges have been laid as police are still investigating. Promotion should be mandate of town's tourist committee The tourist committee of town council may be taking on a bigger load than it can handle and may be channeling some of its energies in the wrong direction the organizational review committee learned Monday. Instructed by a motion of council to consider and review the status of the tourist committee, the organizational review committee of council met Monday to discuss the role of the tourist com- mittee. What the committee learned, was that a review and perhaps, reorganization of the priorities and job description of the tourist committee was needed. The recreation department, tourist committee members and general public have been asked to submit input on the role of the tourist committee to the organizational review committee. The groups may make formal proposals at a meeting to be called at a later date. The mover of the October 3 motion to review the tourist committee, councillor Jim Semis, said the tourist committee's only job should be the promotion of the town. "They should he promoting the town and not get involved in anything else," he said. "Let recreation handle the art mart (Festival of Arts and Crafts) the tourist booth should be under property, and hiring of staff should come under the ad - Town donates $ 500 to bureau Goderich town council again agreed to donate $500 to the Huron County Christmas Bureau. Operated by Family and Children's Services of Huron County, Christmas Bureau coordinator, Audrey Royal in- formed council that it is intended to provide each needy child under 16 years of age with one new toy and one article of clothing and each needy family with a dinner for Christmas Day. The bureau is operated in the five county towns through donations. This year North Street ijnited. Church' in QQdeeriet .has n are at. by Phyllisetnce and' Gertrude Wilson. INSIDE THE SIGNAL -STAR ministration committee. Personally, I think their big job is straight promoting. They should promote activities and not get involved doing certain activities." The amalgamation of tourism and recreation could be a compatible one, mayor Eileen Palmer suggested adding that many administrative and promotion duties could be worked into the recreation department. While committee members agreed the tourist committee and its promotion otln mandate was necessary, they questioned the thrust of the committee's efforts. "Are they going in the right direction? is a question that must be addressed," ad- ministrator Larry McCabe said and committee chairman Glen Carey agreed that it was a matter of "how to use what we have in the most efficient way." Former tourist committee chairman, Doug Bundy, said that while a review was necessary, council expected far too much of its tourist committee. "Why should we have to hire and fire staff, build floats, design town brochures, man the tourist booth and take bus tours around town," he asked. "You wouldn't do it yourself." Bundy said that some of the work is simply left to certain individuals because they've always done it and that tourist committee members have felt uneasy Turn to page 2 Basketball finals An undefeated regular season doesn't necessarily mean that a team can't be beaten in the playoffs, as the GDCI senior girls basketball team found out last week. Although they put up a strong effort, the Exeter Panthers came out on top. For the story and pictures, as well as information on the champion junior basketball team, take a look at the Recreation section. Dream comes true A long time dream came true last week for Peter Doherty as he headed off to Florida. Peter who has muscular dystrophy, had written in an assignment at school that he would like to go to Florida. With the help of the Goderich Volunteer Fire Department, his dream came true. For more details, take a look in this sec- tion. Official opening Last Wednesday was the official opening of the Standard Trust Company in Goderich. Standard Trust has 20 branches located in four provinces, with their focus in Ontario being smaller municipalities. Curling action Curling at the Maitland Curling Club is now in gear, with many different leagues in action. Curling is held throughout the week, with Monday evenings set aside for practise. To see who is doing what on the rinks, take a look in the Recreation sec- tion.