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The Goderich Signal-Star, 1976-11-04, Page 14,'AGE 2--GODERICH SIGNAL -STA; THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 1976 A loaf: at some specifkxoncerns BY JEFF SEDDON When Goderich voters go to the polls 6.6 Monday", December 6 they probably won't basetheir decision on who. theyelect to town council with the track record of the present council in mind. But nonetheless; it is important to consider what town council is doing and what it has done as 'a unit over the past two years. Council is .very often . a maligned and forgotten group -of people in Goderich as most citizens consider it•.'as only a puppet of senior , govern- ments: Most people are quick to blame the county, the province and Ottawa for most Major problems in day-to-day' life but Goderich Town 'Council takes ` the spotlight when its time to pay the taxes. Council accepts the costs of services. provided by senior governments and puts them on the general levy, but then has to add all its own projects onto that levy to be paid by propetty owners in the town, •Projects like roads, sewers, the airport, town employees recreational • facilities and beautification projects are inspired by and paid by the town fathers through taxation. .Iri the past two years council has been • involved with, five major expenses; some of which are still being considered and some of which have been filed away. The live are airport upgrading, a Council's track record food forethought recreation complex, the widening of Bayfield Road, the Industrial Park Storm Sewer and. the five year road program developed by the• works. and engineering committee. RE COMPLEX , • One of the first major tasks town council faced•in 1975 was whether or not - the 'town needed or c.oeld afford a recreation complex, A rec• complex committee had been working on the project for several months prior to the selection of the new council and had held off on an official presentation• wanting to 'discuss the issue with the new council. • , The complex was proposed after.a series of complaints arose concerning present • recreational facilities. The Goderich Memorial Arena was a source of headaches for the town due to constant problems arising from ice rental, Minor hockey and figure skating clubs both wanted to use the ice during prime time and there simply was not enough hours in the day. Both groups advocated a second ice surface in Goderich. Judith Gooderham pool was in shambles t requiring extensive work to the change house and pool deck. A •suggestion for an indoor pool for the town was made' as an alternative to spending a great sum on the outdoor facility. Senior • citizens were in- terested '.ip developing • a meeting place where- they could' hold. social events. Local interest groups wanted similar facilities and • a suggestion that Goderich seeded a fixed .seat a itorium. Indoor exercise and- ealth and fitness areas, sports facilities and perhaps a town= owned: gymnasium sparked the recreational complex .planning. In . his inaugural- speech Mayor ` Deb Shewfelt told council he was expecting a complex proposal •to be brought to the town, adding that it was something: worth exploring. He .said that.with a little organization and. planning, anything' cap be done in town and that by organizing the town and surrounding townships perhaps the area could afford a complex. The committee brougiht its proposals -to douncil early in thee-ar asking for guidance. The -members had formulated most of the plans for the complex bet were stuck on its location. They were con- sidering two sites, a piece .of county property opposite GDCI and Agriculture'Park. Council was not in favor" of using up the majority of outdoor s,ports - areas • in Agriculture Park for coreplex buildings and also was concerned at that.time with. It may seem like there is plenty of time before Goderich celebrates its 150 anniversary but the Jubilee' Three organizing committee, which has been hard -at work for over six months, knows better. To organize the„kind of celebrations they have in mind takes time so they are working at full speed even now. As part of those preparations they moved an historic log cabin to the Court House park last week. During 'Come Home Days' the highlight of the celebrations, the structure will serve as a registration booth for guests and general nerve' Center fpr the celebrations. Jubilee . Three committee member Mae Campbell' also. points out that the building is symbolic in as much as town founder Tiger Dunlop lived in a similar structure atop harbor hill when Goderich was first settled. {staff photo) . the pdssible expansion of harness racing at the park. •It advised the rec complex committee to work out the details on the location -and to prepare cost estimates. •The cost was the Anal submission the committee made to pouncil before the project died. Goderich-'s share, of .the project was a shade 'under $400,00.0, a price the council felt was' too high for the town to pay for a project that' was not a high priority item. In retrospect, perhaps, the decision 'was a wise one. Perhaps, by misfortune• it was a premature one. Council spent 'just under $40,000 renovating the Change room at •Judith Gooderham Pool and due to a ministry of labor announcement that the Goderich Memorial Arena. roof was unsafe,' just over $120,000 was spent on the arena. The arena,. expense was not taken ot of tax dollars but the two costs add up to about half the cost for the complex which would have given the . town e new indoor poolea•new roof on the arena and a second ice sur- face.-- ' . It may also be argued. that the people • who donated money to the arena. roof fund may have•donated as much or more to a complex. • AIRPORT : The takeover of Sky Harbor Airport • by the town in 1974 went unnoticed until early in •.1975 when the•town formed a committee to •--handle the affairs of the airstrip and to .o•yersee its possible . ex- papsion and upgrading,- The town- faced its first ex- penditiure. on the airstrip, . aside from the purchase costs, and named a com- mittee to align those costs to kick-off a long term plan to put •Sky Harbor back on the rnap.• Deputy -Reeve, Bill .Clifford headed up ..the committee which included__ Councillor Dave Gower as a represen.• tative of the town and Reeve Stan Profit as a Count? spokesman.- The committee; inc,uded representatives from the surrounding townships.- in ownships.In the committee's. inaugural meeting members decided they would request. -about $30,000 for a. general cleanup of the airport. Mayor Deb Shewfelt, an ex -officio member 'Of the. committee, suggested that the • town go into Sky Harbor to •"shake it up and clean it up". He added the town should ask the county to match it 'dollar for dollar since both govern- ments were equally involved in the projects. The committee struck • a $30,000 maintenance budget to be split between the town and 'the county and detailed ' where the money was to be spent. Runways', parking lots, buildings and equipment resulted in a $21,000 portion of the budget, A new refuelling depot consisting, of new fuel • pumps and a concrete pad to form an approach area totalled $8°700 and fencing for the perimeter. of the site pretty well ,polished o_ ff the remaining rnbney. • In 1976 the 'committee . planned to upgrade the air- port's landing facilities to try to promote its. use by targe aircraft. It levelled one end of the main runway and paved it, installed landing lights to. permit • night . use and trim- med the trees at the end of the runaway to remove the hazard the committee felt• the trees presented to aircraft taking off and landing. The trees, were trimmed •and.'the• result was a . con- trowersy the town faced. with ratepayers at Menesetung Park, who claimed that they fined the trees and did not grant the town permission to Cut them down. • The ratepayers took the town to task for the' trimming • and brought the airport projects to a halt temporarily. (The committee •also saw to the development of a Dominion, Road Machinery Co. hangar for its corporate aircraft and engineered a long-ternelease between the town, and the company in an attempt• to ensure both parties future use of the airstrip. The airport was termed an excellent. investment the time of purchase by both the town and the county. Its •potential was such that in- dustry may.locate in or near Goderich, since•the town had access by large jet, the type. used by large -corporations,• It was also cited as a ter- minal for passenger -se'rvice permitting people to fly -out of Goderich to major population and industrial centres in both Canada and the-- United States, The site. has caused some conern amongst tax- payers who•feel that although its future may be bright,it does not affect enough ratepayers in town to make it a priority for capital expense. HIGHWAY 21 WIDENING The BayfieldRoad widening project has been termed a must by ' some councillors while others term i a4 detriment to the, corn munity. Ratepayers have not been vitally concerned with the project but_ one public meeting .seemed to indicate that the major concern with the widening'was 'pedestrian safety. When discussions on the widening 'reached their peek last spring the town's share. t: the costs was $250,000. Those Costs have more than likely spiralled due' to inflation hitting material and labor costs and this figure on the project would have -to be readjusted. • The costs, however, did not worry taxpayers as much as the. safety of school children. Residents of the highway- as. well as :people living • in ad- joining neighborhoods- felt that the . four lane roadway would speed up traffic and snakeit very hazardous for Build°all would like to reiriind you that the holiday season will soon be here. It's lime to start fixing up your home. Friends and relatives will be dropping- in and your'hdrne is going to be on display Thtere!s-still • plenty of time left to complete your renovation pians. a, Adding a new bathroom, panelling the rec room, add 4 ing new kitchen cupboards. •Buildall can help make the job easier with quality materials and expert advice. 4 .. Start now so your hone will look its best come Christ- mas - Buildall can show you how. 1.BUILDIALL 155 ANGLESEA ST., GODERICH TURN AT SiGN ON -HWY. 21 B•UILDALL LOCA'TE'D i BLOCK EAST -. 1 STORE HOURS: Monday to Thursday 8 a.m. -5:30;i. Friday 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. Saturday 8 a,m.. 12 p.m, children crossing the road to go to Victoria School. The Huron County Board of Education stood opposed to the. project Unless they town constructed so:.tne type 'of tunnel or overpass'stlt'at;would allow children to cross the. .road without worrying about: vehicles. The overpass idea did not excite council and the .costs for .a tunnel were prohibitive because an engineer's report indicated that • the passageway would have to be dug very deep to get under existing •sewage and water pipes: The project has been tabled for several • months . and although. many • councillors talk periodically as though it is only a matter of time until the road is widened, the final decision will be left up to the next council. If they see fit to go ahead with the project the town will probably have to raise 'a debenture, something council is now in the process of doing for Industrial Park Storm Sewer. 0 INDUSTRIAL PARK STORM SEWER The council decided just last week to go to the Ontario Municipal Board for a _$1.5 million dollar debenture to finance the- construction of a storm • sewer to drain Industrial- Park. A special• construction bylaw.. 'was passed 'at the last council - meeting which completed the paperwork needed for the town to ask the OMB for the permission to _debenture to raise the funds. ' The project will cost about $740,000 according to an engineer's report and the remainder of the money will be interest costs. The sewer has been on the council table since last election •ivhen' Mayor Deb Shewfelt referred to it in his inaugural speech, terming its must. -The mayor. said the town could look forward to, another storm sewer project, claiming Industrial Park was in dire need of draining.! •, • - The sewer planned: for the (continued on page 3) • area will• not only' drain 'the Park but 'Will also have the capacity to drain 'about 900 acres of undeveloped land in both? ' the town and, the Township, of Goderich. The costs fog the project will be borne by the town but the installation opens*, a • new Buy your Canada Savings Bond now at the Toronto Dominion.Bank $1/2% 1st Year . 91/4% for remaining 8 years • Average Interest 9.13 percent to maturity. ; Monthly payroll plan available. ,You're Our Hours of Business Somebody Mon. Tues. Wed 10 — 4:30 p.m. 'SPECIAL . ' • , Thurs. 10 — 6 p.m. with us . - Fri. 10 — 6 p.m. TORONTO DOMINION the"bank where people make the difference. _ Manager- Mr. Ron' Allin S.uncoast -Mal! Goderich 524-268.1, MAITLAND COUNTRY CLUB CATEGORY Curling Golf Tennis 1976 ® 1977 In -town Fees $ ,:$. 184 119 3 $ 103. DISC. DATE 245 180 150 • 90 30 15 135 80 55 55 30 Social 25 25 0 25 -- ” • C + G + T 510 345 280 C + G C + T G + T 390 270 230 290 180 145 ---- 340 . 235 185 130 55" 1 Dec. 76 1 Jun. 77 1 Jun. 77 N -A 1 Dec. 76 1 Dec. 76 1 Dec.- 76 1 .fun. 77 MEMBERSHIP USE COLUMN Man -I- Wife 1 Senior Male 2 Senior Female - 3 Intermediate • ' • 4 - Junior 5 _ - 4 A 10 percent discount is allowed if paid in full by the Discount Date. Non -shareholders: are charged a non-refundable 10 percent sur- charge, until total share cost is reached ($50) First year excepted. ,Combination memberships may., be paidby postdated cheques as follows. No discount is allowed. , • Golf and Tennis - 2 Cheques, 1 June, i August . I: • Other combinations - 4 cheques, 1 Dec., 1 March, 1 June, 1 August. OUT-OF-TOWN Memberships (10 miles) -Less, 30% IF YOU NEED -MORE INFCJ ATION- ,.. CALL ED ROWE (MANAGER) 5244041.