The Goderich Signal Star, 1976-03-11, Page 9SPH nearly empty,
�it arrive
of ne
The transition of Goderich •
Psychiatric Hospital to a':
Mental Retardation Resource
• Centre is :now, nearly tom-
plete with.about;two weeks to
go until. the April 1 deadline
imposed by health minister
Frank Miller. ' .
First to go in the transfer
were the 190 patients `bc-
copying beds' in GPRI when
the...minister .announced, its -
closing. The .patients have
been moved to either Owen
Sound or I ondon Psychiatric
hospitals in a :earayan of
Vans , buses arid: ambulances.
The first patients were
transferred oiitofthe •hospital
in early March. and of the 190
admitted patients, only about.
50 remain' in .beds in GPH.
The' people were .either'
transferred to another
psychiatric unit ' or were
• discha,ged entirely. with:the'
remaining -50 - patients ex-
pected to be gone by March
s.18•.
GPH administrator Ross
Bryant said Tuesday ,.he
expected to have some minor
work' done '.to the empty
building -when the patients
were all gone using the staff -
tp take care of the
Housecleaning jobs needed to
be ••dons before the new
patients begin to arrive.
He said he was not ex-
pecting any major physical
changes to be made, to the,
hospital but.. rather. he •ex-
pected the two week waiting
period the staff faces •to ' be,
used for:. training for care
, ' .of'
the new patients:
'1
potion ,
The changeover of the
hospital removed;' about 60
.jobs., from•• the government
payroll but did not rause. a" "
.mase'thange in ,employees.
Of the 260 People working at•
the, hospital, when it served
psychiatric pati.entss 160 have
been -hired by, the Ministry of
social .services :and about'. 60
have' to date been•laid off.` . '
Mr:: Bryant said some of the
60 employees` laid off may be•
hired to work :in the 20 ,bed.:
psychiatric unit to be
operated by Alexandra.
Marine and General hospital.
,He said the• remaining .40:.
odd employees: have either.
Q
•
r
129 .YEA:R='i T
THURSDAY
MARCH 1'': 1
.976
SiM�GLE 'l. OP�f
left the civil service or --have Gus •Chisholm, general
transferred .' : to : other;. jobs manager of Dearborn Steel
within the government. Tubing Manufacturing: Co. of
He added that six more Canada Ltd., announced last
empleYees„were needed 't� fill • week that the oompany .had
the needs of the resource been sold . to • a group of
centre but expected those six Canadians.
to be specially trained people Bob Brown and John Funk.
brought to the . centre from
another area of the province.
Mr. Bryant. the
transition has ° not enthused
the staff of the hospital but'
added at.most seem to be
res.igne
acquired controlof the new
Dearborn ,_Steel . Tubing
Incorporatied o"n February 1..
The employees were made
aware of-- the changes on
Friday when' -each one 'was -
'to the fact that GPH personally. introduced to the..
is closed •i►ew owners.' .
He said they were not. Mr. Brown, president, has
-happy with the thought but an' extensive 'background in
seemed to be accepting it: manufacturing and
management. He was ern-
He
mHe went on to say that his. ployed at Chrysler in Detroit
job., was one ' of the ones, the in a management capacity,
government . had . made no . •His educational background
announcement on, explaining isalsoin, management and he
now resides at Forest.
Mr. 'p'unk who -becomes
secretary -treasurer • of the
new company is a chartered:
that he still did not know if he
fits intothe plansof the
ministry of community and
-
social .services.'" . ..
suggest
toHul
Goderich' Hospital board .
member Jim :McCaul told
town . council .Monday night
the.. board is - prepared ta; •
Cooperate , with •. all the
hospitals throughout Huron to
re- '
shaservices; -•
• MCCaul told'couecil that all
other hospitals in the County
have been requested to help
Clinton to stay:open and the
board supports •that :move. -
However, he added that -
Alexandra' ' Marine and.
General Hospital, is prepared
to :offer Clinton ad-
' • ministration of the ,20 bed -
acute psychiatric unit.
McCaul explained that the
board .Inas-'-proposed a two
part',program fpr the County
and,Clinton-Iospital. -- -
-The hospital board would
.with a unit of four to six beds
plus laboratory and • X-ray
facilities. '
McCaul explained that
Clinton. was a .better
geographic .location to ad-
minister 'the 20. bed acute
psyche care unit : and to
main in an . emergency
facili --
Councillor
Councillor . Elsa :Haydon
claimed the board was willing
to give .up.a service to Clinton
that they never had and said
the doors'must be left open to
help Clinton in other ways.
McCaul explained that the
board was passing . on the
psyche µnit to help keep the.,
hospital open and that other
small ,facilities such as the
lab orat-ory- and ' X-ray
were necessary:
'support . the transference of • . "Miller is try_ipg to clean up
responsibility ' for the a
ministration of the 20 bed
psychiatric .unit plus the full
community mental health
program to. the Clinton.
Hospital to be. housed in the
newer wing: The move would
be subject to the Minister's
approval , .
The.. --b board—
would; would.-' also health -careby by -giving -them a
support the continuance of an"":"'•2'0 bed psychiatric unit.
crier -gent -y -facility in•-Gliritan,--_�icCaul_ex(?1_ained it was
d. $800,000 in r the County,'" he
said: "He would have to close
twice as many beds '.in the'
county to, save that money
which would mean closing 126
bed's." a
Reeve Stan Profit . then ,
asked •'how the people of
Clinton could receive. general
accountant and his' :respon-
sibilities lie in the financial
management of the company.
He resides in St. Catharines.,
•Gus Chisholm • who started
with ' the company in 1960 in
prod-uction control, becomes
executive' vice president and
general manager under the
new management:. Mr..
Chisholm expressed his
satisfaction with the •new' -
owners, saying that exciting
plans are in the offing for.
Dearborn at Goderich.
Mr. Brownwas optimistic
about the company's
potential in Goderich and has
plansfor expansion in the
future: He looks forward to
' .doubling, the company's
business in the next three
years and to provide more
jobs for more people, ins
Goderich;
"Weappreciate what we've
purchased in Goderich,” Mr:
Brown said this •'week. "We.
psyche unit
of Huron
only part of the proposal; and
it, would else be necessary to
retain a.,iew beds' in Clinton
plus the laboratory and ray
facilities to keep the doctors
there. He. added that if such
facilities were maintained.
doctors in Clinton could keep.
clinics viable.
"Cain en could. keep open
with some function of-a'p'ublic
hospital and we have no
desire. to see' it turd into
anything but a public
hospital;'' he said. "We have.
only offered the unit and if
";
they don't accept. that is
fine." -
Profit said Miller's actions
had no justification .exceptfor .-
dollars and the onus was "now:
on the individuals of the area
to prove why he shouldn't
close our hospitals.
"He (Miller) • is not at-.
tempting totake a..rational
approach and Goderich and
Exeter don't want to rock the
boat ,".he said. "We are being
polite but we are also arguing
amongst ourselves." •
• McCaul explained, that.
Miller's first concerns were"
economic and there , was
always the _possibility that
Goderich could have been
closed. _
"It's a dollar thing and; not
a'lied" thing and we think %Ve
have offered a good thing to •
Clinton'," he said. "We are
:concerned fo.r our own
hospital but we are willing to '
- do anything to help. • •
He said Clinton has -asked
the county hospitals for
support in sharing services
.and although Exeter and
Seaforth offered what help
commented that it was not t keep
appreciate :the .staff at
Dearborn and -want to assure .
them of the company's in-
tention to stay in Goderich."
"Our primary concern is
Dearborn in Goderich," Mr,'
• Brown asserted. He said the
new company will be .looking
to some diversified
manufacturing .plans in the
.interest of growth and
stability.
"The accent will be. en
grtow:th with a •more
aggressive policy on ex-
pansion," he said.
The company, now the third
major industrial employer in
the Goderich .area, had, its
start with two'c;lose friends,
the late Ralph F. Hotton and
the late Keith Hopkinson in
April' of •1958, Mr. Hotton
(continued on •page 16) _--.
Goderich Mayor. Deb Shewfelt offers congratulations to;the Chisholm, whose' name 'is synonymous' with the company,
new owner and president--of-Deairbar-n- Steel-Tubtnghas now been pr -emoted -to executive vice-president and'.
:.Bob' Brown and secretary :treasurer. of the company; John general managerof`the Canadian company. (staff photo) :.,
Funk, after the sale was announced last week.:•,Gus
LI
era!
pie
ges
caucussu
limon hospital
they could, Wingham will not
give up beds. en:
,.T----.. Deb She n.:fnif
only' a complex problem but a
Ontario Liberal' Leader Dr:
Stuart Smith has pledged to
Huron delegation that his
party will do. everything it,
can to prevent the closing of
Clinton Public Hospital. MPP
Jack . Riddell, Huron -
Middlesex, will • lead the
questioning in the Legislature
when the debate on the health
situation in the province is on
at Queen's Park.
The six -member delegation
from 'Huron at the Liberal
caucus Tuesday - was co-
ordinated by Dan Murphy of
county wide prob.leni: He,said
' it was. difficult to eo.mma.nt on
the help of other. hospitals.
since no., one really ''un-
derstood. the inner :workings
of a hospital.
"it is imperative that we
keep Clinton hospital open
even if it is• at a minimum.
level. When things are not so
fight we Could always bring it
back up. to standard." •
McCaul added that the AM
and G board were prepared to
back Clinton and were ' not
ducking out. '
•
Rob' McEwate. (left) and Rob Bundy (right) received Awards of M"eri'F for acting Nile
dreceivedan award rd for and t- . •,
'theif' fe�fow drat"rra dub member Catherine , w _ .u,.
'standin` •Performance to highlight the'GDCI Drama, Club's presenta ion of a Midsummer -
•i . the Sarnia District drama competition last weekend. The three. were
- hligiti�.s IJresim at ;. ,. t•; ... .. ..
given.the special awards for performances in the GDC, effort that won the drarrta club the,.
top honors in the festival and a berth in the regional competitions in: Guelph. iii. April:
(staff -photo)
ti �6
•
Goderich, Speakers were Dr. .
a Michael Watts: of the_ Huron.
County Medical. Association;
Councillor Elsa . Haydon,
Goderich; Art Aiken, Clinton
Hospital Board chairman;
Mrs. Peggy:Menzies, Clinton
Hospital Auxiliar' member;
-and Doug :Coven y, „Clinton
Hospital administrator,
They were told by Dr.
Smith that the Liberal party
opposes the closing of small
hospitals. •
".We believe • that these
small hospitals are an in-
Gets berth in regionals
•
tegral part of . their. com-
munities,'' Dr. 'Smith.told the.:
' delegation. "Without, these
hospitals, .local economies
will suffer, the possibilities
for future growth will be
ended,:'an& the population
trend to the big cities will
accelerate.". .
Dr. -Smith explained to -the
delegation that press reports
showing him to. be in
agreement with all of Frank
Miller's cutbacks have been
misleading,
'"As Liberal Leader,'I have
err
•
repeatedly• called on the .•
Minister:._of ' Health wta cut.. his...
health spending in the cities,
instead of.victimizing small
towns:". D'r. Smith said:.
"Whep he has done so, I have
"publicly, congratulated him."
`le those, cases where the
'Conservatives have built too
many rural hospital beds. -.as •
in parts of western Ontario -
the Liberal Party believes
that budget cuts should be
absorbed byvall hospitals, riot -
just one or two which are shut
(continued on page. 16) ,
•
GDCI Drama Club wins Sarnia festival
The . GDCI Drama Club
earned a chance to go to the
Ontario regional"' drama
competitions in iuelph in,
April when they won the
Sarnia District cornpetit pn -
last : weekend. The club
performed Shakespeare's
Midsummer- Night's Dream'
and were:•'udged-hest over
four schools entered in the
events.
The win was needed by
GD:CI for . a chance at the
regionals and ` was only
possible , through the co
operation;of.the:Sarnia area '
Scheel•s. The Huron -Perth
competition; " normally the
one GDCI would enter, is not
being held this . year and
schools • getting to . the'
regiopais musthave won at -
least one district competition.
GDCI asked to be invited to
the Sarnia• festival to have a
chance at the regional and
had that request granted,.
festival and Rob McEwan
and Rob Bundy were each
given Awards of Merit for
acting. The adjudic'a'tors
remarked that. at least 10
members of the cast could
easilyhave gotten awards for
'their performances made
'easier by the outstanding
efforts of the five stagehands
accompanying the club.
- Warren Robinson, director
of the play, said that the club
:this^year had a tough act to
follow after • their ac-
complishments last year
doing 'November 9, 1913. He
pointed .out that most of the
cast this year was also in last
year's play.' °
Mr. .Rapin§on said -the
acti,ng'tbis year was as good if
not bettt r than last year,
adding that there certainly
erirptib complaints:about the
script:' - '
Mr. Robinson and his wife.,
Eleanor, co-director of the
play,. got- 100 percent effort
from the club members. He
said the students "gave the
° directors all they asked for
which isall any director" can ,
askfor". .,�.
The director .said the ,at -
Three , members . of the 23 -
Member ''oast . received
special recognition 'by the
adjudicators of the Semis,
festival.
Catherine Westlake was
given art award for the out-
standing performance of the,
tempt this year to perform involved more smaller parts
Shakespeare was done to give
the students •theexperience of
performing a difficult play,
He.said the classic play is the
root of all,drama,•adding that
when the students work with.
the material of the greatest
playwright of all times some.
of it has to rub off.
"We wanted '. to provide
more major parts in- this
year's production." said Mr.
Robinson, "November , 9
with no real major leading
role.'.''
Mr. Robinson pointed out
that the level of acting in the
festival was very high
quality. He said 'the schools.
competing. all had ;excellent
drama pieograrns and one had
won all -Ontario competitions
twice. He added that the
GDCI club -had worked hard
for the wiri, putting nearly
• two months of rehearsing,
studying and costume -design
into -the production.
The adjudicators were very.
complimentary in ''their
remarks: about the GDCI
performance according. ,,to
Mr. Robinson. Quoting some
of their .comments. the
director said,' "the pacing
was . very professional, the
music and . poetry of
Shakespeare's lines was .
extremely well done .and it
was well balanced between
serious and coi iic",
council reluctant to approve
hiring pro for 71 party
The God;e- ich-:,,. Tourist
Committee has been asked to
meet with council to clarify
spending for; the Celebration
'77. •
The meeting was requested
after council learned•that the
touristcomrtiittee considered
paying Rick Banks of Taurus
Marketing Set ices $250 per
month for his rk, on the
design and itinera f e
Celebration. That infor ation
'was contained in the minutes
of the tourist committee, that
were approved by council,
CouncilloF..."Elsa Haydon
remarked that .the proposal
was unacceptable con
sid:ering that an outsider was
preparing the celebration. '
"It's like a living room at,
Simpsons that: is set up for
r ommereial purposes but not
for living in," she -said. ft
is not the°be;rt thing for us and
r
local people would be more
suitable for your • own
celebration." . " -
Deputy Reeve Bill Clifford
said he '•could . not endorse
spending for lr celebration
these tunes of 'restraint and
would fight every proposal.
He ' added. that it, would be
unfair to- burden the tax:
payers fora celebration. '
Mayor lib Shewfelt said it;•
(continued on page 16)
s.- •