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16 The Canadian Statesman. Bowmnnville, Wednesday, December 14,1994 Yuletide Tour Attracts 500 Visitors Over 500 people participated in The Yuletide Tour of Stone Farm Houses held on Saturday, December 10th. By all accounts, ticket-holders thoroughly enjoyed the leisurely tour of five historical homes clustered clustered around Orono. Comments ranged from "wonderful" to "absolutely "absolutely fantastic!" The event was the first home tour ever hosted by Clarington's Local Architectural Conservation Advisory Advisory Committee. A key function of the advisory committee is raising public awareness of the area's architectural heritage. LACAC members Janie Dodds and Eleanor Magdcr organized organized the event. Judging by the success success of other house tours in neighboring neighboring Whitby and Oshawa, LACAC had no doubt it would sell all 530 tickets printed. Each farm house on the tour was erected in the 1850's or shortly after by Scottish stone masons, who made use of available ficldstone and imported rock. About a dozen homes of similar style exist in Clar- ington today. LACAC is grateful to the five homeowners who agreed to open their homes to die public. A steady stream of guests was greeted at each stop along the route by hosts and volunteers. Homeowners Homeowners related the personal histories of their houses. They spoke about the original construction and recent repairs repairs and renovations. They also spoke of the families who lived in the houses over the years. Baked goods and refreshments awaited tourists at every home. The tour began at the Kirby United United Church off Hwy. 115/35, where maps of the route were distributed. The church itself offers a fine example example of the Gothic Revival style, with its steeply-pitched gable roof and simple lancet windows. From the church, the old Kirby Schoolhouse (now the Clarke Museum) Museum) may be seen across the highway. highway. This was the first building designated designated as historically significant by the Clarington LACAC when it was formed in 1977. One of the homes featured along the stone house route was the Rutherford Rutherford home on Concession Road #7 (Regional Rd. 9). Mary Rutherford Rutherford welcomed visitors into the bright room she called "Granny's Space" which once served as the family living room. Mrs. Rutherford has lived in the stone house since 1945 and says she has never envied folks who live in better-insulated subdivision homes. "If you live in a stone house and you appreciate it, you have to accept that it's boss. If the wind is from the cast, you sit in the west. When the wind is from the north, you sit in the south." The Rutherford stone house was built in 1850 by the Scottish Marr family and some of the original owner's furniture is still in use today. today. Mrs. Marr's portrait still hangs by the main entrance. Limestone lintels lintels (horizontal crosspieces above the windows) were brought from Kingston by barge to Newcastle, and then drawn by horses to the site. Janie Dodds entertained visitors with Christmas songs accompanied by Margaret Henderson on piano. "This is the perfect time of year to really show off the homes," Dodds noted. "A house tour of this size gives people a chance to visit, it gives them a chance to stop and talk to the owners." It's important for residents to sec the old farm houses in the area, she adds, especially as there arc so few left in Canada. "I hope to do the tour again next year," she says. One of the homes featured on Saturday's tour was this stone farm house built in 1855 by John Stalker. A front wing was added in 1870. The columns at the doorway still remain from the original porch. The present owners, the Climenhagcs, have restored the home to its original splendor and have added a comfortable comfortable kitchen with a traditional atmosphere. School Board Forums Develop Standards The Northumberland-Clarington Board of Education will be holding three community forums in January to develop general descriptions of standards or "outcomes" for graduates graduates of its high schools. These descriptions will be used in developing future programs so that they arc sensitive to community needs, says Trudy Lum, superinten dent of program with the board. The board is specifically looking for representatives from business, industry industry and unions. They are also looking for people who do not have children or who no longer have children children in school as well as people who have recently graduated from high school or who have left high school without graduating. A description of the project has been sent to parents through most school newsletters. The fomms will take place in Brighton on January 14, in Port Hope on January 21, and in the Courticc- Bowmanvillc area on January 28. More information about the forums forums is available from the communications communications office at the board office at 905-372-6871 extension 200. Concerns Raised Following Pickering Nuclear "Accident" The Durham Nuclear Awareness Group is expressing concern about what it terms a major loss of coolant accident at die Pickering Nuclear Generating Station. The incident occurred occurred just four days before the Atomic Energy Control Board (AECB) was scheduled to make a decision on renewal of the plant's operating licence. According to a news release is- 'sued by Durham Nuclear Awareness, Awareness, 130 tonnes of radioactive heavy water were dumped on the floor of the Unit #2 reactor building on Saturday, December 10 at about 6:00 p.m., when a relief valve on the primary heat transport system malfunctioned. malfunctioned. The accident triggered the emergency core cooling system for the first time in history of CAN- DU operation. The emergency system system is designed to prevent overheating overheating and meltdown by putting normal light water into the reactor to compensate compensate for large, fast, loss of heavy water coolant. The entire Pickering "A" Station is now shut down - in addition to re- Police Assured Station is Safe On Saturday, December 10th, at 6:10 p.m., the Durham Regional Police Police received notification of an incident incident at the Pickering Nuclear Generating Generating Station. The police were advised that Unit #2 at the Pickering Nuclear Generating Station was automatically automatically shut down at approximately 6:00 p.m. after heat transport valves opened unexpectedly. The police were assured that all station systems worked properly and there is no safety hazard for employees employees or the public. There has been no change in radiation levels inside the station and no releases to the environment. environment. This has been categorized as a Level 1 incident, which is die lowest level of priority. Station personnel arc investigating the cause of the accident. accident. actor #2, and pending determination of the cause of the accident, reactor </4 has also been shut down. Reactors Reactors 1 and 3 were already shut down for maintenance. Although Ontario Hydro has stated stated that there have been no external releases of radiation, there will certainly certainly be elevated tritium levels in so-called "controlled releases" from the plant, says Durham Nuclear Awareness. The group is calling for an independent independent environmental assessment of the Pickering plant and will make its appeal before the AECB in Ottawa Ottawa today, (December 14). Dave Martin of the DNA said: "This latest accident at Pickering emphasizes the need for an open, independent independent environmental assessment. assessment. We might not be so lucky next time. The Pickering "A" has the oldest reactors in the country, and they arc the most dangerous, since there is no second fast shutdown shutdown system." The AECB is the federal regulator regulator of the nuclear industry, On December 14 we're making room for 7 new channels POWER VOL A On December 14 we're introducing a new channel line-up to Rogers Cablesystems. This means some of the networks you currently receive will be moving to different channels. This channel re-alignment will make room for seven exciting new Canadian networks: The Discovery Channel, WTN (Women's Television Network), BRAVO!, Showcase Television, Life Network, RDI (Réseau de l'information), and New Country Network (NCN). We'll be providing you with lots of information on the new channels before, and after, they officially launch in the new year. We're also sending you a channel chart and channel stickers for your television remote. This will make the transition to the new channel line-up easier. If you haven't already got our first mailer, don't worry, it's coming soon. by tumbling a few numb ers for you. RSGERS Cablesystems You'll see more from us.