Wingham Advance-Times, 1978-12-20, Page 1•
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FIRST SECTION
Wingham. Wednesday.L,IXIbm 20 1978
MOLE Copy Not
1,85e
Council still favors bui
seni�rs'housingi
Despite protests from several
citizens, Wingham town council
continues to favor erecting a new
senior citizens' apartment in a
portion of Cruickshank Park.
At a special meeting of council
called last Thursday to pass a
bylaw and discuss other
business, Mayor William Walden
said that after reading the letter
to the editor in last week's issue
of The Advance -Times he had a
discussion with G. W. "Bud"
Cruickshank.
Mr. Cruickshank, son of the
late W. T. "Doc" Cruickshank in
whose honor the park was
named, is "quite happy" to see
the apartments built there, Mr.
Walden reported, and is willing to
move the memorial plaque if
a•4srnen will donate money
toward lighting at fall park
The Wingham Kinsmen Club is providing.
the financial backing necessary to allow the
recreation board to go ahead with its plan to
erect lights at the new Riverside Park ball
diamond.
At a meeting last week club members voted
to make $7,500 available, $5,000 as a donation
and an additional $2,500 in the form of a loan,
for the project. This permits the, board to
apply for a matching Wintario grant and,
together with a $10,000 labor donation from
the Wingham Public Utilities Commission
which will also be matched by a provincial
grant, covers the $35,000 cost of the lights.
Rennie Alexander, recreation director, said
plans call for eight poles to be erected in the
park with a set of four floodlights on each.
Hopefully the lights can be erected in time for
use next summer.
At its December regular meeting town
council gave its blessing to the lighting
proposal after hearing that the expanding ball
program has put a strain on the existing
facilities. However it noted the recreation
board is responsible for finding its own
financing for the project.
The Kinsmen donation comes fro `the --
money raised by operating a beer ten at the
International Plowing Match this summer.
Two auto accidents injure four,
Three Teeswater residents and
a Lucknow area man required
treatment at Wingham and
District Hospital as a result of
auto accidents last week.
Barry -Elliott of RR .1r Lucknow
was treated for abrasions to the
forehead and discharged
following an accident Friday
afternoon. Provincial police at
the Walkerton detachment report
Mr. Elliott was northbound on
Highway 4 north of Wingham
when the car he was driving
collided with a southbound
vehicle driven by Mary Hall of
RR 1, Wingham. Mr. Elliott has
been charged with careless
driving as a result of the ac-
Hosp. insurance
cident.
Vicky Fraser of Teeswater and
David Gorel of RR 3, ,Teeswater
were admitted to hospital and
Rodney Gorel, also of RR 3,
,Teeswater, „was. treated and
discharged following .a two -car
collision 'Dec. 12. '
OPP report the vehicle driven
by David Gorel, with his brother
as a passenger, was westbound
on County Road 16 east of
Teeswater when it collided with
the eastbound vehicle driven by
Miss Fraser at about 8:30 a.m.
David Gorel has been charged
with careless driving as a• result
of the collision.
OPP at the Wingham detach -
ment report there were no in-
juries in six motor vehicle
collisions which caused an
estimated $7,000 in property
damage during the past week in
their patrol -area. • _
FAMILY BUILT FLOAT
Sam Bondi and several
members of his family designed
and built the float that won first
prize for the local Cubs in the
Santa Claus parade, Mr. Bondi
reports he designed and built the
float while his son Frankie, 12,
oainted the face on the large
figure cof Santa and daughter
Josie and son Sammie helped
paint the rest of Santa.
n the
necessary.
Even after the housing
ministry takes 180 feet for the
proposed 20 -unit complex there
will be 132 feet—two building
lots—left on the corner as
parkland, he told council, adding
he feels the park has been seldom
used anyway.
Coun. Jack Bateson again
objected to the price the town is
to receive for the plot of land. He
read that the ministry of housing
paid $200,000 for an acre plot in
Goderich recently, he said,
noting that Wingham is getting
only $24,000 for close to half an
acre.
"I can assure you that land in
Wingham is just- as valuable as
over in Goderich," he declared.
"I still figure these people come
up and see it's a small town and
don't want to pay too much—and
if it was Belgrave they'd pay a
darn ,sight less."
In other business council
pasted a bylaw appointing Mike
Chappell as commissioner of
public works and 'outlining his
duties and responsibilities.
Mr. Chappell told council he
hoped the bylaw was all in order
since he'd had to draw it up
himself. He said he tried to get it
drawn up by the town solicitors,
Goodall and Campbell, but
received little cooperation.
Council left it up to its property
committee to decide on proposed
renovations to the town hall.
Mr. ' Chappell showed coun-
cillors two alternate plans -he had
drawn for renovations to the first
floor of the building
The ,first called for extensive
reno'atiorts, including _tur»
half , Te present waiting room
into a mayor's office, turning the
present kitchen into a clerk's
office and partitioning off one
third of the courtroom for a
kitchen and further office space.
The rooms would be panelled,
outside walls insulated and the
courtroom carpeted, all at a cost
of about $10,000.
The second plan called for
simply panelling,insulating and
carpeting the existing courtroom
and moving the cupboards from
Switching companies gets a better deal
Wingham and District Hospital
has switched insurance com-
panies to get a better deal on
health insurance for its em-
ployees. At the board meeting
last week members voted to
switch from Blue Cross to
Greenshield Health Care Plans
for extended health care and
drugs and to Coop Health Ser-
vices for semi private care.
The move was made in
response to a sharp increase in
premiums by Blue Cross.
Don Kennedy, chairman of the
board's finance committee,
reported that the hospital had
been notified of a 75 per cent
increase in health care
premiums which, he commented,
"seems , like a nice, round
number". He said the committee
was thinking of switching to
another company to bring the
cost back down.
Gord Baxter, board treasurer,
explained' details of the proposed
change. Coverage with Green -
shield would cost even less than
the old Blue Cross premiums for
identical coverage—$6,400
compared to $6,800, he said.
Under the proposed increase
Blue Cross coverage would have
cost $12,000.
He noted that premiums could
be dropped even further, to
$5,200, by changing to a drug plan
with a minimum user payment of
one dollar from the current 35
cents. There was some discussion
on this but the board eventually
decided to leave the drug plan at
35 cents and use the matter as a
bargaining point during its next
contract negotiations.
It was noted that to change now
would amount to a loss of benefit
Tinney named
new Huron warden
John Tinney, reeve of Hay
Township, was acclaimed
warden of Huron County at the
inaugural session of county
council last week. Howick
Township Reeve Harold
Robinson had also been
nominated for the position but
decided not to run.
Mr. Robinson said he decided
to drop out when he found during
his campaign that other coun-
cillors had promised their sup-
port to Mr. Tinney following his
loss last year to Gerry Ginn.
Mr. Tinney, 60, and a 16 -year
veteran of township council,
promised to do his best as warden
although he said: "I don't have
too much knowledge or too much
ability...."
In his acceptance speech he
pointed out that council and not
the warden makes decisions. He
said he doesn't plan any major
changes as chairman of county
council and in particular isn't
planning to steer council in any
direction on the issue of property
tax reform.
Retiring Warden Ginn had
urged council to seek ways of
correcting inequities in the
county property tax assessment
system. He also repeated his
contention that the 45 -member
council is too large and needs to
be streamlined.
for employees.
The insurance switch was
virtually the only business
conducted at the meeting, which
was kept brief to allow time for
the board's annual Christmas
party.
In other action the board set
Feb. 19 as the floating statutory
holiday for next year, as
recommended 'by Norman
Hayes, hospital executive
director, and approved ap-
plications
pplications for reappointment to
the medical staff as cleared by
the credentials committee and
the medical advisory committee.
A' representative from the
health ministry had been ex-
Local programs
on cable TV
Cable television subscribers in
Wingham are enjoying some
additional local programing
since that service has been under
the management of Fred Tudor,
local program director. Here's
the program for Wednesday,
Dec, 27:
6:00 p.m., Community Round-
up. A review of the week's news
in Wingham, Listowel, Harriston
and Palmerston.
6:55 p.m., Perrin Beatty. Part
of a question period from Ottawa.
7:00 p.m., What Is Community
Television? Join your neighbor,
Fred Tudor and find out.
7:15 p.m., Huron County Pup-
pets. A special Christmas story
for everyone.
8:00 p.m., It's Your Move. Easy
lessons in chess.
8:15 p.m., Joyous Noel. A
Christmas TV special produced
by the Salvation Army.
Switch to cable channel 12 for
these local programs.
• petted to attend the meeting to
mscuss the proposed wholistic
health care centre, but was kept
away by bad weather. Mr. Hayes
told the board he will try to set up
a date for the meeting sometime
in January.
the hack to one side, at a cost of
about $6,300.
Mr. Bateson, chairman of the
property committee, expressed
surprise at the low cost
estimates—he had predicted the
renovations would cost about
$15,000—but Mr. Chappell
assured him the estimates should
be close. He also said it would be
possible to get tenders broken
down by area so council could do
only as much as it can afford.
Mr. Bateson had expressed
doubt the, town could afford to do
everything next year, noting
other areas sych as the fire hall
also -have things needing to be
done.
The police committee, chaired
by Coun. Allan Harrison, was
given responsibility for accepting
a tender on a new cruiser. Mr.
Harrison reported Police Chief
Robert Wittig would like the
decision made this month since
prices will be going up three per
cent,in January, but not all the
tenders were in at the time of the
meeting.
Council appointed Mr. Walden
to the board of Wingham• and
District Hospital in :.place of
Reeve Joe Kerr. Mr. Kerr was
appointed to' the board at
council's inaugural meeting last
month, but Mr. Walden said he
has learned Mr. Kerr cannot sit
on the board because he is over 70
years old. He reported a board
bylaw prohibits persons over 70
being members.
LIONS GET PAID—The Wingham Lions Club got paid last wee for,providing help with.
the International Plowing Match beer Jent run by the zone Lions. Fred McGee, rights eC
cepts a cheque from beer tent organizer Don Coghl in for $1,549.44. The localclub was pate'
about $6.55 for each hour a club member worked in the highly successful tent.,•;.
hedges onrecommendatitin
to spend $75,000 0n new equipment
By Jeff Seddon
Huron County Board ,of
Education trustees don't want to
get involved in a buy now pay
later scheme because they are
afraid they won't be able to pay
later. At the board meeting last
week trustees were hedgy about
.approving a recommendation to
set aside about $75,000 to replace
outdated or worn out vocational
equipment in the county high
schools.
The recommendation was
made by an ad hoc committee set
up to investigate complaints
from teachers that equipment in
vocational classrooms is badly in
need of repair or replacement.
Complaints have been coming in
for two years and a committee
composed of four trustees,
principals, department 'heads
and teachers toured the
classrooms and came up with
several recommendations for the
board.
Board members recognized the
problem and agreed something
has to be done about it, but
couldn't agree on its priority.
Some argued it would be foolish
for the board to decide now to
spend that kind of money without
knowing the impact this would
have on other areas of the
budget. They felt if the board
made equipment. replacement a
top priority it might find' later in
1979 that serious problems exist
in other areas and not be able to
deal with the situation because of
financial restrictions.
"I agree with the recom-
mendation but I sometimes
wonder if we're notmaking a
mistake pouring all this money
into all the' schools," Zurich
trustee Herb Turkheim com-
mented. He said the board could
take a look at the problem and
consider concentrating its efforts
on .Clinton and Wingham. Other
shops might be closed, allowing
the board to do a better job by
putting that much more into the
two schools:
The committee wanted the
board to recommend to the
budget committee. that six
dollars per pupil be set aside in
1979 to purchase replacement
equipment, with the money
allocated by the principal in each
school. It also recommended that
$50,000 be allocated for repair,
replacement or additional
vocational—technical, com-
mercial, family studies and
li
When Dan Stuckey, a physical
education instructor at F. E. Madill
Secondary School, reports to the Huron
County Board of Education on his six-
month sabbatical in Europe he will ask
that the board "please let us teach
physical education for the enjoyment
factor primarily".
Mr. Stuckey was guest speaker at the
Lions Club of, Wingham Christmas
meeting Dec. 12 and told club members
and their wives about his findings and
his trip.
Hdsaid the Europeans' interest in
physical fitness stems from enjoyment
from their physical activities while in
North America people tend to be
physically active fon the sake of the
competition rather than enjoyment.
"The Europeans basically are
producing enjoyers, while we are
producing competitors," he said.
He will report to the board of
education that despite well-publicized
comparisons between the fitness levels
of Canadians and Europeans, the
physical education programs in Huron
County are superior in teacher training,
equipment and in the program content.
Probably the main difference in the
European system which encourages -
students to be physically active, is that
students aren't graded on their physical
education classes. In Ontario, physical
education classes are graded like
academic subjects.
Some North American students
resent having to make the choice
between taking physical education the
way the instructor wants to teach it and
failing the course.
There Are signs that local students
are beginning to want more physical
activity for the fun of it rather than for
competition Mr. Stuckey said.
Several years ago when the girls'
physical education department at
Madill started a running program,
dropping other activities each Wed-
nesday, many people thought student
resistance to the scheme would be high.
Instead, the girls are still running and
boys from senior grades are also
running along Wingham streets.
Mr. Stuckey said that in a recent
show of hands Grade 9 boys at the
school said they would like to run`''too.
During the six-month sabbatical he
toured schools throughout western
Europe, talked to teachers about
physical education programs in their
schools and talked to ordinary people to
find out why they are so physically
active.
People shouldn't put too much faith in
the comparisons in fitness between the
average Canadian and the average
Swede. After seeing the level of fitness
of Europeans "I have a sneaking
suspicion that the comparison is not
fair", he said.
BEER TENT
MONEY ARRIVES
The Wingham Lions received their
pay for helping in the zone Lions' beer
tent at the International Plowing Match
Sept. 26-30. The local club was
presented with a cheque for $1,549.94
for 236.5 hours of work put in at the tent
by club members.
In presenting the cheque, zone
chairman Don Coghlin reported that a
total of 31,346 tickets were sold at the
Lions' beer tent, about 179more than in
the WinghanrKinsmen tent, which also
did well at the match.
Lloyd 'Casey' Casemore, club
secretary, reported that the Lions'
candy cane project was well-received
and all 600 candy canes were sold. He
also urged the Lions to decide if they
want to continue holding a bingo every
second week, noting that if the Lions
continue with the project it will have to
get more support from club members.
In the Lions' draw for the huge candy
cane, Angela Swanson was the winner.
music—equipment in 1979 and
that an additional. $25,000 be set
aside for purchase of equipment
in non vocational areas.
The committee wanted
vocational equipment to include
audio-visual equipment, fur-
niture, offices and equipment for
physical education, science and
other areas. It wanted the board
to meet with high school prin-
cipals to discuss budget con-
cerns.
The recommendations would
require a total expenditure of
$102,600, with $27,600 generated
by the six dollars per pupil for-
mula and the remaining $75,000
earmarked by the board,
• " Committee members Marion
Zinn of Ashfield Township,
separate school trustee Eugene
Frayne, John Henderson of
Seaforth and Dorothy Williams of
Clinton reminded the board taht
in 1978 only $27,357 was budgeted
for capital expenditure and
$30,790 the previous year. They
added that the $102,600 figure is
still $35,700 below the total value
of equipment needing repair or
replacement.
Mr. P'rayne said that because
the board normally spends at
least the amount generated by
the six dollars per pupil formula
it is really looking at raising
$75,000 over normal expenses. He
added that this expense is not
frivolous but a necessity.
"To my way of thinking four
schools have vocational training
and are loaded right to the ears
and there are other courses being
used a lot less," he said. "In the
future the board could consider
having courses like Latin or
Spanish at Seaforth where they
don't have vocational training
and having vocational courses at
other schools. I don't see how a
taxpayer in this county can ob-
ject to this board spending $75,000
in school so teachers can teach."
John Henderson said the
committee wanted it clear that
the recommendation it is giving
the board's budget committee is
not to be changed without board ,
approval. He said a similar
recommendation last year was
thrown out by the budget com-
mittee because money was not
available. He said if money is
tight this year the committee
wants the matter brought back to
the board before any changes are
made,
Goderich trustee Dave Gower,
a new member', asked if the
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