The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

The Canadian Statesman, Bowmanvillc, Wednesday, December 30, 1998 Pace 4 file Canadian talesman ©; ^ Former Publishers and Partners Rev. John M. Climie and VV. R. Climie 1854 - 1878 M. A. James, 1878 -1935 • Norman S. B. James, 1919 -1929 G. Elena James, 1929 -1947 • Dr. George VV. James, 1919 -1957 Produced weekly by James Publishing Company Limited Also Publishers of Tlic ClnringtonlCourtice Independent P.O. Box 190, 62 King St. W., Bovvmanville, Ontario L1C 3K9 Tel: 905-623-3303 HOURS: Monday to Friday 9:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. Fax: 905-623-6161 Internet - statesman@ocna.org Publications Mail Registration No. 07637 For 144 Years, Our First Concern Has Been Our Community Publisher-John M. James Assoc. Publisher-Rick James Plant Manager - Rick Patterson Ad. Manager - Brian G. Purdy Editor - Peter Parrott Production Supervisor - Ralph Rozerna, Tim Bowers, Kevin Britton, Suzanne Christie, Sharon Cole, Laurens Kaldeway, Barb Patterson, Sean Pickard, Tyler Sellick, Jim Snoek, James Stephenson, Vance Sutherland, Jim Tuuramo Advertising Editorial Laverne Morrison Brad Kelly, Jennifer Stone Office Supervisor - Angela Luscher, Junia Hodge, Grace McGregor, Nancy Plcasance-Sturman, Marilyn Rutherford, Libby Smithson Editorials Looking Back It was certainly a year for change in Clarington, as the [municipality moves more solidly into the orbit of the {Greater Toronto Area and lakes its place as a suburb of {one of the world's largest urban areas. • For one tiling, 1998 was the year of amalgamations. We marked the first full year of the new public school [board established as the result of a merger between [Northumberland and Clarington and the Peterborough [kawarlha public school systems. Then, by mid-year, ;thcrc was the amalgamation of the local Memorial •Hospital Bowmanvillc into the new Lakcridgc Health [Corporation. That entity consists of hospitals in Oshawa, [Whitby, Uxbridge and Port Perry. [ It was also as year for continued urban development. [There was plenty of evidence to support this municipality's municipality's claim to be one of the fastest-growing regions in [Durham. The continued growth of subdivisions is significant. significant. But, it seems to be almost unnoticed in today's [environment. What was new in 1998 was the addition to [our municipal and economic infrastructure in keeping [with the rapid growth that has occurred throughout the [decade. [ We have seen, in 1998, the completion of the new [shopping plaza in west Bowmanvillc, the completion of .'the second ice pad at the Bowmanvillc Recreation [Complex, and the building of three new schools, including including the long-awaited St. Stephen's Secondary School in [Bowmanvillc. Also launched in 1998 was the new youth [centre and community resource centre at'the former site ! of the lire station on Church St. and the new older adults [centre at the refurbished Bowmanvillc Lions Centre. [ Although 1998 was the first year serving on municipal municipal council for most of Claringlon's elected officials, the • rookie councillors still had some major political issues to [ tackle. Among these was the Lishman proposal for a fur [garment factory near Orono. That project was approved [by Clarington Council after elected officials dealt with ; more comments from the public than had ever been ; received on development proposals. The question of pay raises was' approved by a narrow majority shortly before councillors adjourned for the holidays. The three dissenting dissenting councillors still want to see their own raises rolled back, even if the majority approved the pay hikes. The tax reforms introduced by the provincial government government and implemented at the local and regional levels were also a major issue of 1998, although it seems to us that the largest impact is in the business and commercial sector where attempts to limit outrageously large tax hikes are still being worked out. Also on the business' and commercial front, we have seen the launching of a new Clarington Board ofTrade. This agency is to eventually take'charge of Clarington's economic development function. When it finally begins operating in 1999 it will be a unique blend of public and private sector co-operation. On the education front, the impact of Bill 160 was still being felt, with the decision by secondary school teachers to withdraw voluntary services in a dispute over teaching time. All in all, it's been a year of growth, reforms, and mergers. It's a process which is not over yet. Looking Ahead Fasten your seatbelts! Wc arc in for one humdinger of a year. At, least that's our modest prediction as we engage in the annual ritual of examining what may or may not be in store for 1999. Where shall we begin? Perhaps, we might look to the local political scene where the big event of the year will undoubtedly be the expected provincial election in June or sometime later. This will be the final test of whether the reform-minded provincial government can withstand the verdict of the people. There has been much ado about the changes in education, education, health care and government. But, the outcome of the election depends on a number of things, including whether or not the opposition parties have a high enough profile to be seen as a reasonable alternative. Other factors factors will include the government's public relations campaign campaign leading up to the election. Like all governments in power, you can expect the Tories to make some big announcements and deliver some cheques for local programs. programs. And if they win, what will be the outcome? Will the Progressive Conservatives listen to the moderates moderates and cool the pace of reforms. Or, would they interpret interpret re-election as a green light for the process which began in the first term -- a process which calls for more privatization, less government, and tax cuts? At the local level, one of the main issues will be the future of local government altogether. Now that we're part of the Greater Toronto Area, there's a move afoot to introduce larger units of governance. It's eerily familiar to the scenario in 1974 when regional governments were introduced and municipalities such as Newcastle, Orono, Clarke, Darlington and Bowmanvillc disappeared. This time, it could be the municipalities such as Clarington, Oshawa, Ajax, Whitby, Pickering, Uxbridge, Scugog and Brock that will do a vanishing act. Before the end of the year, the Durham Region will attempt to put together its own package on local government government reforms. It will likely call for consolidation of services services such as regional and local public works operations. However, reforms envisaged by local elected officials may only be a pale shadow of the kind of changes the provincial government wants. That will be especially true if the provincial government has won re-election. At the federal level, there is plenty of action on the horizon. A convention in February could decide whether there will be a united right wing movement in this country. country. Such a coalition might include Reforms and Progressive Conservatives either working together on strategy or -- although it seems unlikely to us -- developing their own party. Finally, we can expect to see more references to the Year 2000 than we will ever want to see for another thousand thousand years. In some respects, it seems that the millennium Ims already arrived. Finally, we lake this opportunity to wish all of our readers the best in the brand new year which lies ahead. Final Preparations for Newcastle Feast Volunteers, including Iain Maclvcr and Sam Lama, worked hard to ensure there was plenty to eat at the Newcastle Community Feast held on Christmas Day. The idea for the least came from Newcastle resident Isobel Rappaport, who attended a similar event a number of years ago while visiting family in Rhode Island. Dozens of volunteers joined the effort and helped to make the project a success. -- Photo by Tyson Thorne SEEN AND HEARD WHO KIDNAPPED FROSTY? -- Here's another item from our Christmas Grinch file: It seems as though somebody swiped a large illuminated snowman from outside a north Bowmanvillc home last week, just two days before Christmas. The home owner reports that the snowman disappeared Tuesday night, some time between eight p.m. and 10 p.m. All that was left was a trail of footprints leading away from the scene of the crime. And, they sure didn't belong to the snowman! Maybe, the culprit will put it back. That would be a nice Christmas present for all concerned! Christmas Feast was "Resounding Success" tetter to The Editor Dear Editor: The Community Christmas Feast of 1998 was a resounding success. We would like to take this opportunity to send a big "Thank-You" to everyone involved and who attended the Community Christmas Feast. It seems that in today's world of big business and high finance, wc Iced off of numbers of statistics. During an election, polls tell us the outcome of an election before a ballot is cast. Statistics Canada reports that the rich arc getting richer and the middle middle income are joining the ranks of the poor - nobody needs to tell us something wc did not already know. Well, the Community Christmas Feast was one occasion where we did not want anyone to be categorized. categorized. Wc were not concerned concerned about one's lot in life; rich or poor, married or not-married, alone or not alone. The Newcastle Community Hall was the perfect selling for this event and a befitting way to end the year as the Community Hall celebrated celebrated its 75th anniversary. As one would enter the Newcastle Community Hall and especially into the auditorium where the Feast was being held, there was provided a non-threat- ening and non-judgmental atmosphere. Smiles abound, music was in the air, the decora tion complimented the joyous joyous atmosphere and the aroma of a fine traditional turkey dinner aroused the senses. We had approximately 200 people in attendance at the Community Christmas Feast who joined together 'in fellowship fellowship whether as volunteers in the kitchen, serving food, setting and cleaning the tables, entertainment that was nothing short of first class, or enjoying die fine array of sumptuous food. Prepared turkey dinners were provided to Parkview Lodge Seniors Residence and over 100 prepared meals were provided to • Community Care, Newcastle. Any non-perishable non-perishable food items and balance balance of money not spent will be donated to the Clarington East Food Bank. While many may not have joined us Christmas Day, what should not go unnoticed are the scores of people from all corners of the Municipality of Clarington and beyond who provided generous donations of money and supplies, those who cooked turkeys and 1 some eve.n,provided die turkeys, those who carved the turkeys, those who made the gravy and dressing, and those who brought bowls of vegetables and desserts. Also, due to the positive and generous press coverage coverage we were provided to promote awareness of the Community Christmas Feast, the event received well wishes and was in the thoughts of countless numbers numbers of people throughout Ontario. In fact the former minister of Newcastle United Church who was also renowned for participating participating in walk-a-thons during his retirement years, Reverend Tommy Smith and his wife Margaret who now reside in Wingham, still keep up with the local news' through their , subscription to the Canadian Statesman. In their Christmas card to the Woo family they wrote - "We agree with your comment 'there definitely is more joy in the giving than the receiving.' However, I think that the receivers would experience joy too! Don't you think so?" Well Continued on page 5 Thoughts Unlimited by Rick James Next Stop -- 1999 After filling my face with turkey and good cheer during Christmas, all that remains to be completed this holiday season is the traditional uncorking of the champagne champagne and the singing of Auld Lang Syne. But, where did this idea of celebrating the new year actually start? Well, after spending several weeks researching the topic, I was able to track down all the information about New Year's Day. Actually, it took me about three minutes on the internet to find the following following information. "Happy New Year! " That greeting will be said and heard for at least the first couple of weeks as a new year gets under way. Hut the day celebrated as New Year's Day in modern America was not always January I. The celebration of the new year is the oldest of all holidays. It was first observed in ancient Babylon about 4000 years ago. In the years around 2000 BC, Babylonians celebrated celebrated the beginning of a new year on what is now March 23, although they had no written written calendar. Late March actually is a logical choice for the beginning of a new year. It is the time of year that spring begins and new crops are planted. January 1, on the other hand, has no astronomical nor agricultural significance. significance. It is purely arbitrary. The Babylonian new year celebration lasted for eleven days. Each day had its own particular mode of celebration, but it is safe to say that modern New Year's Eve festivities pale in comparison. The Romans continued to observe the new year on March 25, but their calendar was continually tampered with by various emperors emperors so that the calendar soon became out of synchronization with the sun. In order to set the calendar right, the Roman senate, in 153 BC, declared January I to be the beginning of the new year. But tampering continued until Julius Caesar, in 46 BC, established what was come to be known as the Julian Calendar. It again established January I as the new year. But in order to synchronize the calendar with the sun, Caesar had to let the previous year drag on for 445 days. Although in the first centuries AD tlic Romans continued celebrating the new year, the early Catholic Church condemned the festivities as paganism. But as Christianity became more widespread, the early church began having its own religious observances concurrently with many of the pagan celebrations, celebrations, and New Year's Day was no different. different. New Years is still obseived as the Feast of Christ's Circumcision by some denominations. denominations. During tlic Middle Ages, the Church remained opposed to celebrating New Years. January I has been celebrated as a holiday by Western nations for only about the past 400 years. Other traditions of the season include the making of New Year's resolutions. That tradition tradition also dates back to the early Babylonians. Popular modern resolutions might include the promise to lose weight or quit smoking. The early Babylonian's most popular resolution was to return borrowed farm equipment. The Tournament of Roses Parade dates back to I8S6. In that year, members of the Valley Hunt Club decorated their carriages with flowers. It celebrated the ripening of the orange crop in California. Although the Rose Bowl football game was first played as a part of the Tournament of Roses in 1902, it was replaced by Roman chariot races the following year. In 1916, the football game returned as the sports center- piece of the festival. The tradition of using a baby to signify the new year was begun in Greece around 6)00 BC. It was their tradition at that time to celebrate their god of wine, Dionysus, by parading a baby in a basket, representing the annual rebirth of that god as the spirit of fertility. fertility. Early Egyptians also used a baby as a symbol of rebirth. Although the early Christians denounced the practice as pagan, the popularity of the baby as a symbol of rebirth forced the Church to reevaluate its position. The Church finally allowed its members to celebrate celebrate the new year with a baby, which was to symbolize the birth of tlic baby Jesus. Tlic use of an image of a baby with a New Years banner as a symbolic representation of the new year was brought to early America by the Germans. They had used the ejftgy since the fourteenth century. So, there you go. My resolution for 1999 is to force the government to add another hour to each day. That's right, 25 hours in a day. Imagine how much you could get done in that extra hour. Arena Re-Think Needed A few weeks ago, I wrote an article about the renovations and addition of a second ice pad to the Garnet Rickard Recreation Complex. After playing my first game in Pad 2,1 found a number of items that need to be corrected quickly. For example, all of the spectators and players for the entire pad must enter and exit through two narrow doors. When I arrived at the arena, the previous game had just ended and the crowd was filing out. I had to stand there with my equipment bag over my shoulder shoulder waiting for the crowd to clear. There arc fire exits at the other end of the building, but for regular traffic, that one exit is not enough, When I reached the dressing room I found the sink had a tap that was too short to fill a water bottle, a shower with only two nozzles and a bathroom without a door. I believe in the team concept, but not when I'm using the toilet. Pass me the toilet paper please. But, the one item that really concerns me about the new ice pad is the railing along the spectators' balcony. It is less than three feet high and is wide open with vertical supports about six Icet apart. It's only a matter of time before an adult is bumped over it or a child falls under it to the ground about twelve feet below. There also seems to be a terrible waste of space in hallways and meeting rooms. I realize realize adding the new ice pad to the existing structure must have been difficult, but surely there had to be a better way of designing the addition to make use ol'lhc existing facilities while making the second pad user friendly. Then again, perhaps the town used the same architect that designed the brutal addition addition to the historic town hall. After recently completing an addition to our own building and jumping through too many frustrating hoops in the site plan and permit approval process, I don't see how either of the additions additions to the town hall or the arena were ever approved.