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‘Waterfoo Chronicle #30th Year No. 50 Wednesday, December 19, 1984 Waterioo, Ontario 25 cents at the Newstand Melodee Martinuk Chronicle Staff Objections from two competitors may have jeopardized final approvâ€" al of a new 52,000â€"squareâ€"foot plaza in north Waterioo. City council Monday received protests from Zehrmart Ltd. and Cambridge Leaseholds, owners of Conestoga Mall, to the Weber Street and Northfield Drive development, which would largely be occupied by a Dutch Boy food market. Aldermen have already given their blessing to the project and had approved an exchange of zoning between the Northfield Drive site and another owned by Helmar Holdings on Golden Eagle Road, which is required for the developâ€" ment to proceed. Writing on behalf of the Conestoga Mall owners and merchants, L.A. Rank maintained that the zoning exchange would result in construcâ€" tion of a much larger plaza in the area than originally anticipated, and this shouldn‘t be allowed until market impact studies are done. He asked that council take anâ€" other look at the proposal and veto the zoning exchange, ‘"until an impact analysis has been completed for the proposed new site, such an impact analysis to indicate the need for this specific type of proposed retail space to service the existing north Waterloo market." Rank‘s objection was supported by Zehrmart, which recently opened a grocery store in Conestoga Mall. *"Should the zoning change be made, then Zehr‘s Markets faces the possiâ€" bility of Chronicle Staff Don Schaefer is going to have to find something else to do with his Monday evenings now. _ After 37 years with city hall, the Waterioo finance director attended his last council meeting Monday. He retires at the end of this month. Ald. Jim Erb estimated that Schaefer has attended close to 2,000 council meetings during his career, ‘"although it probably seems like 20,000. It‘s a record that‘s going to be hard to beat." _ Mayor Marjorie Carroll applaudâ€" ed Schaefer for his dedication to the city, noting "his (Schaefer‘s) mark Lastâ€"minute beef ‘delaying‘ tactic says plaza group Loyal employee Glowing tribute to retiring Schaefer substantially larger commercial development than had otherwise been foreseen, and in somewhat closer proximity," wrote Bob Rogers, vice president of conâ€" struction and development for the chain. Representing Helmar Holdings, Waterloo planning consultant Paul Dietrich appeared before council Monday asking for the city‘s continâ€" ued support of the project. ‘"‘They (Cambridge Leaseholds) are managing a 270,000â€"squareâ€"foot regional centre and objecting to a 52,000â€"squareâ€"foot neighborhood plaza," said Dietrich, adding that the protests are just a "‘delaying" tactic. Developers hope to begin construction in the spring. "Quite frankly Zehrmart and Cambridge Leaseholds did not parâ€" ticipate one iota in the proceedings â€" they did not attend one public hearing, but just came in at the end with their objections," said Dieâ€" trich. "It is a shock to us because they didn‘t participate in the process. Perhaps we could have dealt with these objections before." Council decided to take the proj ect objections to the Ontario Munic ipal Board for a decision. "I think it‘s perhaps a bit of sour grapes to have these objections come in at this time," remarked Alderman Mary Jane Mewhinney. The development has also encounâ€" tered some opposition from the regional staff, which is against planned accesse, onto Weber Street and Northfield Drive. Council inâ€" structed city staff to "support"" the project when it comes before the region‘s planning committee in the new year. will be on (Waterloo) for some time." The mayor joked that she‘s cerâ€" tain Schaefer will miss the Monday council sessions so much that "he‘ll probably sit in the audience every once in a while." A formal dinner and reception will be held January 11 to "say in a tangible and meaningful way our appreciation of (Schaefer‘s) efforts to the city,"" added Carroll. You mustn‘t think, however, that Schaefer has retired entirely from civic affairs: he has been appointed by city council to the Kâ€"W Hospital Commission [ _ When threeâ€"yearâ€"olid Nickolas Eisenbach paid a visit to Santa Claus at Waterioo Town Square Friday night, it was time for the pair to get down to some serious thinking. Nickolas wasn‘t quite sure what he wanted to ask Santa for, but we know what wish we‘d like to come true and that‘s for all our readers to have the merriest Christmas ever. We tried to do our share by presenting a special Christmas pullâ€"out section beginning on page 11. See you there, ho, ho, ho. Rick Cempbell photo THE THINKERS