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'We must build' Without costumes and with few props, the members of Les Crefins brought the history of the area's French speaking people to vivid life last week. Here guidance. members of the cast kneel in prayer while the central figure of many an old French community, the priest, offers Staff photo Planners do not want Wyebridge development No further development should occur in Wyebridge because of severe environmental constraints in the area. That is the major recommendation of the Wyebridge . Secondary Plan recently released and the subject of a public meeting in that hamlet tomorrow. Wyebridge __ residents will have the opportunity to discuss with planners Ainley and Associates their recommendations for the future of the area. The public meeting gets underway at 8 p.m. at the Wyebridge Community Centre. According to Susan *Robillard, who assisted_ yon the preparation of the ssecondary plan, all existing land uses have been recognized in the secondary plan but the existence of the Wye River and the Wye Marsh, both en- vironmentally _ sensitive areas, necessitated the imposition of develop- ment restrictions on the east side of Hwy. 27. In this area, says the report, soils drain poorly and remain wet most, of the year because of an impervious layer of clay located a mere two feet beneath the surface. Septic tanks drain poorly in this area and extensive soil and water testing is a pre-requisite to con- sidering anv further development. Because such testing is costly, it would have to be undertaken by the developer as Tiny Township has not the resources | to undertake this project. Similarly, the fact that Wyebridge sits on the Wye River floodplain poses possible flooding problems. The Ministry of Natural Resources has insisted that extensive floodplain mapping be done before any development gets its approval.- Again it's a costly venture which few developers would un- dertake because the development -possible -doesn't warrant the ex- tensive costs. Pollution of possible Flooding of the river, the poorly drained soils and the possible existence of a high water table could at sometime result in pollution of the groundwater, as all establishments in the town use septic systems. This in turn could have serious effects on the marsh into which the Wye River drains. Again the various government ministries insist on a study of the impacts of any development on the marsh before they give their approval. Then too, population projections forecast a water We've got minimal growth in population to ap- proximately 300 by 1991 from the present 190. The empty lots now available and the possibility of 14 lots in a subdivision which has been approved in principle for the southern edge of the hamlet would accommodate any future growth. Development in excess of what is predicted should be channelled into areas as Wyevale and Perkinsfield which have a surplus. of land suitable for development. "Wyebridge will likely remain a small hamlet - it isn't really suitable for further development," summarized Ms. Robillard. A ,commercial establishment, already approved in principle by Tiny Council, has been recognized in the nor- thwest part of Wyebridge. A ten acre park, which may house a new ball diamond will be located across the road from the community centre and only one 'subdivision, on Concession One will be developed. Although soils west of the highway could stand development, Robillard points out strip development along Hwy. 27 has cut these lands off from access and a major bridge at great expense would have to be con- structed. Les Crefins examine Penetanguishene history , by Bill Schiller Les Crefins, a group of French student actors from both Ontario and Quebec brought Penetanguishene's __ his- tory to life on the stage last week. The group's name, Les Crefins, loosely tran- slates as '"'the show- offs"--and the troupe had lots of talent and insight to 'show-off' to ap- preciative audiences with their play, "D'une Concession A L'autre" (From One Concession to Another). The theatrical presentation traced the story of North Simcoe from its settling to the modern era, and was coloured throughout with entertaining vignettes gathered during 14 days of intense research during July. "The play just didn't exist a short while ago," said Crefins director John Van Burek, a teacher at York University's Glendon College. "We researched, wrote and staged it within five anda half weeks."' The apparent haste of the production should not be misleading -- the play was polished from beginning to end, the result of 12-14 hours of work every day until the job was done. In fact the final touches were put on the production within three hours of curtain time on opening night. "It was pretty wild," Van Burek confided. This is the second year Glendon College has embarked on a summer theatre course, but the first time efforts have been directed towards the production of a play. The seven players were selected after responding to advertisements for the course. Van Burek in- terviewed the respon- dents himself and made the selection. "IT wasn't looking for any common denominator,'"' he said. "Actually I was looking for a good mixture of personalities."' As a result, the in- dividual members of the troupe had not met each other until they con- Wregriugce id on Penetanguishene. It was a learning experience of both personal and dramatic proportions. Van Burek called the entire enterprise a "collective creation." "We simply started without a play--with nothing--and were faced with the problem of making our own." The making of a play The project began with research, largely in- terviews of various Penetanguishene and Lafontaine residents. 'We did upwards of 40 interviews,"' the director noted, "and then came the work of listening to tapes, transcribing them and discussing them. We've all got a stack of collapsed and were never revived." Besides focussing on these families, the play looks into the effects of Bill 17, passed in the earlier part of this cen- tury, which prohibited the teaching' of French in provincial schools. "Tt was a big factor in eventual assimilation,"' the director said. "From what we have read and heard, it would seem that Monsignor Castex was also a big factor in the assimilation notes about four inches thick." After that, Van Burek explained, the group spent night and day together, exchanging their impressions and insights on the multitude of information--and trying to put it together, trying to weave a single, unified piece out of so many different facts and remembrances. The fact finding could not have been done without the valuable assistance of many local 1 people, the Glendon of the French in the teacher explained. area,"' Van Burek stated. "One Sunday we spent "He apparently made one hours in the old museum famous statement about with 'Madame Picotte," the language issue; he said, "looking at odds something along the lines and ends, and all kinds of of, 'You only need one artifacts relating to the language to get to period of the Beck and heaven--and that's Payette families, who, English.' -- But' many along with the Davidsons people still have very and the McGibbons, strong feelings about owned the big lumber Castex. He only died in mills that had such an _ the late 60s."" influence on the evolution The director stressed of the town. But during that the students always the depression the mills tried to be objective in Blue Cross Announces THE MOVE OF ITS KITCHENER AND. AREA OFFICE To 659 King Street East Suite 208 Kitchener N2G 2M4 Tel: (519) 578-4700 athe Graeme Hingston District Supervisor .. will be pleased to show you or your employee group the health plan, or combination of plans, which provide the most complete coverage for your extra health care requirements YS ONTARIO BLUE CROSS are not from this region and do not pretend to know more about the area than those who live here."' "But there is a great deal of assimilation here, and that the bilingual schools are a contributing factor to that assimilation. Let's face - TRUCKS! © I will say that it-- you get the Prewashed Levi's the Burek said, the production to a number of cessions throughout the years that have reduced "French-fact"' Penetanguishene Sr. boys' assembling the play. feeling that it takes a lot factors: the energy and In simple and direct No comment for the young people here enthusiasm of the language, without "We weren't in a tokeep up their French." students themselves, le costumes and with few position to comment on. The title of the play is Bureau des Affaires props, Les Crefins the facts,"' he said. 'We talking about more than Franco-Ontariennes who depended upon their own tried to accurately record just "'concession" roads financially supported the expressive gestures and our observations and and the growth of a set- venture, and the helpful imagination to bring the render them into tlement--but about the p e 0 pl e o f area'srich heritage alive dramatic language. We string of cultural con- Penetanguishene and If you missed Les Lafontaine Crefins, you missed a memorable experience in "Yvonne Gagnier, the (Members of the troupe people at All Saints included: Paulette Parish whe donated their Beaulieu, Roger Besner a real concern hall, Le Centre Suzanne Champagne here, as you know,"' Van q'Activites Francaises, Victor Dupuis, Paulette "especially and the helpful people at Gagnon, Vincente among the schools."' Penetanguishene's town Graton Louis-Simon Van Burek attributed hall--tnhey all gave us Lussier, Diane Picard, success of the valuable assistance,' the Marye Tanguay, and Glendon teacher said Robert Paquette.) "41t's Fashions" of ing? 10: OFF With Students Card plus Our "TwoFer' Sale Levi Denim (reg. & slim) 8 - 12 $I 4.°° 2 fore 2. Levi Cords (reg. or slim) 8 - *15,"° 2 Fo 30, Lee Shirts (8 - 20) $19. 2 wv 30. $1 1 Ieee Bien: "It's Fashions" 4O Queen St. W., Elmvale. TRUCKS! R} and we've got to move them. 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