Department of Transport orders Rosslake airstrip to close DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORT claims airstrip is being hammed In by houses so tho must close by March this year This aerial photo by shows the airstrip centre with the Fifth Line running along tho bottom Sidoroad runs through tho top end of the picture past tho Ross farm riding stables Fifth No ACTON ONTARIO WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY SECTION Review education budget Department of Transport orders for airstrip to close up by March 1 came like a bolt from the blue owner Joe Ross week The DOT regional controller for Ontario Wilson has in a letter to Mr Ross and Chris Sampson who operates a flying service there that any flying below 1 feet over llic airstrip alter March I will be subject to prosecution The strip is located at the of the Fifth Line and 17 in township on the Ross farm Mr Wilson tho area around Rosslake airstrip hid become built up area with new homes built two more just about completed and others planned in the immediate future Due to the development of tins situation and the fact a hazard docs exist and has been established by mishaps at the aerodrome it became necessary to tin airstrip Owner Joe Ross at these reasons tor closing the strip down us grasping at straws The red reason for closure he feels is the determination of two or three neighbors object to the to dose the airstrip down He say here arc only a few houses around and are not by operators Tins was the first inkling trouble we have had Mr Ross said Mr Sampson and I were just chatting the other day were reassuring one mother that there was less noise thin there wis no hint of end No one had suggested we were becoming a nuisance I thought it proved beyond a doubt the nuisance factoi was even less tb in indcijialcd Planes in ike no more noise than car to nig by Mr Ross claimed Gravel trucks jiassi make more muse it is incessant Why don I shut them off too The letter from the regional air controller leads you believe this is a resident ire but there a put on selling land for building houses I applied for i separation my sell but was told all the to me had been sold Mr Ross I have airstrip but the one ever slated Ross said be th the opposition id petered until be got the notice to shut down One hundred and residents signed a petition protesting the airstrips expansion last when Mr Ross began improving and Mini comprint then was that the strip would devalue their Mr Ross property values mere i sect After three minor accidents at the airstrip two of which involved planes ting the runway miicil referred the complaints to the of for their deeisi Council the entire rested with the Dcpiiimcnt Mr Ross said he so called accidents were really just incidents One involved a plane which Pilots rally to fight closure Owner Job Ron drumming up support to keep an open following an order from the of Transport saying It mutt bo cloud down by March A meeting of aid others Interested It dated for week Mr Ross told and it ii possible Canadian and Pilot Association will intorcodo on our behalf Tho O P A tho closure tots u precedent and other private ttrips across the country could bo affected Mr Rots Mid ho would fight tho cloture right down to tho The budget and various intracacics associated with budget were discussed at the County Board of Education meeting Thursday night Chairman of the Ad Hoc Committee on Finance Fred outlined aspects of the budget for last year showing which items cost more than expected and which cost less It is important look at the 1969 budget before we work on the 1970 so we can sec how we made out and sec the impact of various factors on the budget He noted the 1969 budget was the first of its size to be dealt with After Mr made his lengthy presentation Chairman Doug Wood took a swipe at Council for comments In the press indicating the Boards rate would be higher than that set by the council The statement he said was made to take the scrutiny off the council own budget Criticizing council for what he called an irresponsible observation the chairman said It is wishful dunking if they think our budget will rise faster than council and it tins hits those concerned it will be all very well The Finance Chairman dealt with each budget item for the 1969 budget showing which were over and which were under the estimated cost and why A four page newsletter County Board Education News home to every parent with children in schools Friday The Newsletter deals with the 1969 budget and its implications It shows clearly how much the budget exists where the money comes from where it goes and the procedure used to develop it notes that while it is true the budget for education taxes 50 per cent of the municipal budget tho percentage figure is deceiving Such matters as justice and welfare have formerly been a municipal responsibility and now they are handled by the province This would reduce the total municipal figure greatly making per cent an easier figure to reach On the other hand the Board of Education has taken on greater responsibilities such as Schools for Retarded Children and French Language Schools Supervision of Schools a provincial problem is now largely taken care of by the Regional Board The Board also notes that while schools were originally a major factor in assessing subdivides a fee of per lot the Board received none of that money In its newsletter the Board establishes a difference in the ways the two budgets municipal and education arc derived Tho municipal budget is arrived at by a scries of proposals from various committees of Whon the council slashes its budget huge headlines make the press but according to the newsletter what they are doing is slashing budget proposals not budgets On the other hand an education budget is calculated by the Board which has a centralized adniitnslr control operating at all levels in and the strip wis well i the road to being well lied Winter Hying is been active business during the winter has been almost is is in the summer months and were doing better than anticipated About eight light pianos use tho landing strip and tiedown facilities on a regular best fallows who awn tho planet are pretty well all local ho said and jo mo Air Canada pilot who fly their own machine What will ho do with tho air strip if ho is finally forcod to I may turn it Into a drag ttrlp tho Rotslako proprietor told this The track it already there ILLUSION HEELS THIS IS OUR FINAL CLEAR OUT OF THESE SHOES FOR THE SEASON DONT MISS OUT TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS BARGAIN PRICE WOMEN DRESS SHOES Reg to pair SALE PRICE NOW PAIR BLOCK HEELS All NO OR ALL THE LATEST STYLES AND SIZES AVAILABLE BUT ACT FAST BEFORE STOCK IS DEPLETED VISIT US AT OUR Monique Fashion N GUELFH overshot ttie runway because a pilot s indecision It rented pi mo he pilot had credentials but he waited too long alter deciding to land He decided to stop as best is lie could but Ins ground speed was t to great and he went across 17 through the fence of A Damage to fence was The were not homo The next Incident Involved a craft which attempted to take off with the wind instead ol against it and lie pilot was to lift oft ending up in the long on the one end of the strip No one was hurt said Mr Ross and the pilot ended up taking off correctly The final incident involved a on a me which tipping a pi me up with minor damigc It was repaired and there was no incident Mr Ross said IT the Department succeeds in el smg the strip Mr Ross said he would lose appro mutely 000 in work and money invested and that was a conservative figure lie also estimated lie stood to lose 100 from revenue over the years 1 had ivcmment authority to star Mr said Wain I satisfied with lie hydro lines as they were I asked Hydro to bury the lines which cost me SI I wasntasked I had the runway rcsurftccd in September to take any ripples out and flyers will tell you for the sm It 2 feel long that is one of the best of its kind I feel I did as much as I could to make It safe for Hying Mr Ross asserted Neighbors of the strip have charged that a licensed strip was necessary Tor a flying school but that essentially the same type of operation was taking place at the airstrip The airstrip needs another feet to acquire a licence Mr answered neighbors of commercialization by saying it was necessary to have some degree so the strip make a profit They quite at long as I not making any money out of he charged Regulations winch stale that a 2 fool gap should exist between bouses and the strip were challenged by Mr why t it apply to airports all over Ontario like where houses come right up to the runway tie asked He also asks why they didn t stop him when lie project fust started Mr Wilson said that being a private strip the Rosslake could not pay a penalty fee for houses closer than that distance as licensed fields do The airstrip wis first built to cater to tourists who fly to the resort farm ROSSLAKE AIRSTRIP owner Joe Ross right discussos the Department of Transport order to the strip down with two helpers Tom and Larry Pickett Several planes tie up at airstrip wh located at the corner of 1 deroad and Fifth Line township Staff Photo County get full time Reeve Mrs MacArlhur informed County Council last week the county acting Medical Olficer Health would like to be relieved Ins duties when the current ol public health doctors in the Chair m l he Macithui acting Hunter came in tor praise from County Council members for work during the five months lie lias been in the office Actons Deputy Reeve Ted noted Dr Hunters challenge at getting the health unit on its Iccl was almost over and had things running well Mr Tyler also introduced a motion to council to allow Dr Hunter to renovate his office in the Count Health Unit building He claimed the MOHs office was drab ITS Distributor of Home Farm Petroleum Products Acton and nee HEATING OILS if LUBRICATION OILS GREASES GASOLINES -A- DIESEL FUEL Phone 8532174 tero in if t of t en at or thin re or crest t at lorr to rot violate ire or be our will not be licenced no ai a t t to coietruct and least rttet DEPENDABLE OIL BURNER SALES 44 Young St Acton GREEN LIGHT to proceed With the Rosslake Department of Transport Now tho Deportment airstrip was received in November 1969 from has changed its mind