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2 - Orono Weekly Times, Wednesday, February 26,2003 ^ Subscriptions $29.91 + $2.09 GST = $32.00 per year. Publications Mail Registration No. 09301 • Agreement No. 40012366 Publishing 48 issues annually at the office of publication. "We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada through the Publications Assistance Program (PAP) toward our mailing costs. " Orono Weekly Times 5310 Main Street, P.O. Box 209, Orono, Ontario LOB 1M0 Email: oronotimes@speedline.ca • Phone/Fax 905-983-5301 Publisher/Editor Margaret Zwart Here we grow again The growth of Orono, or the lack of it was an item for discussion at Monday's meeting of Clarington Council Discussion resulted from a letter to Council by Evelyn Rozario, Chair of the Orono Business Improvement Association (BIA) advising advising council of the BIA's very strong concerns for the economic health of the village. In her letter Rozario states, while there has been massive growth in Bowmanville and Newcastle over the past ten years, there has been no growth in Orono. Due to the lack of a municipal septic system, Orono was identified identified in the Region of Durham's official plan as a no-growth area ten years ago. This has kept the town quaint and pretty but the business core is struggling to stay alive, says Rozario in her letter. "Without future development I'm afraid Orono will be a laid back town," said Ward Four Councillor Gord Robinson at Monday's meeting. "I admire your courage for standing up on this issue," Mayor John Mutton told Robinson. "There are those in Orono that are in favour of development qnd those that aren't," he said. The Region's Official Plan, which establishes a framework for guiding growth and development in the Region is undergoing an extensive, comprehensive review process which should be completed completed in the next four years. In light of this Official Plan review process currently underway, Clarington Council asked their planning director to come back with comments as to what growth opportunities might be addressed during during this review period. While the Region has a policy to use communal sewerage systems systems only to rectify a health problem, and numerous studies have concluded there is no health hazard in Orono resulting from the use of private septic systems, Councillor Robinson wondered if a communal communal sewerage system couldn't be installed in the village to accommodate some growth. There is some land around the village that has development potential, but developing on lots less than the minimum 3/4 acre required for a private septic system, is not in keeping with Smart Growth principles. Too much land is used for too few homes which increases infrastructure costs. Clarington council was also told last month that the municipal well does not have sufficient capacity to accommodate much growth. There are indeed a host of challenges to be faced if this community community is to entertain any kind of growth other than a bit of infilling. A vibrant business community needs a customer base. There are a number of businesses that have seived this community for a long time that now find themselves struggling to survive. Shopping patterns patterns have changed over the years, and each new box store opening, lures customers away from small independently owned business. Some growth is needed in this community, how much and what kind, is certainly a matter for discussion. This growth issue is not new, it comes up from time to time, usually usually in an election year. There is a solution out there, we just have to find it. What's needed here is some thinking outside the box. What else would you expect from the 'Village with a difference?" Letter to the Editor Re: Toronto Star 17 Feb/03 Paul Illidge "Dude, check out my Pythagoras " Dear Editor, Fifty years ago, the 3' "RRR's" were the foundation of "our" educational system. Successfully completing the triple "RRR's" was compulsory compulsory in order to graduate. Students were taught that correct correct spelling and grammar was necessary for accurate and proper communication. The present-day electronic aided environment has compromised compromised the need to be fully trained and understand our own written and spoken language. language. Math is the brain stimulating stimulating trigger that today's student needs to be tomorrow's leader. Geometry and algebra promote promote sound judgement, solid reasoning and inspire logic and common sense. Correct grammar is actually the mathematical mathematical element of language; but teaching this has been lost 3 "RRRs" continué pege 3 As I S6G it by Peter Jaworski Letters of Separation Ralph Klein responded to Stéphane Dion's letter last week with separatist undertones. undertones. I'd say 'overtones' except those were made during during Alberta's Throne Speech. At that time, Alberta blamed Ottawa's recalcitrant leadership leadership for, as the National Post put it, "failing to listen to Alberta's concerns." Now, Stéphane Dion is the federal minister of Intergovernmental Affairs, and Ralph Klein is, of course, the full-of-personality Conservative Premier of Alberta. The former put pen to paper and offended the latter. To wit, Monsieur Dion's letter explained the consequences consequences of separatism and the importance of Mister Klein's taking a hard-line stance against any separatist notions. It is important, Dion said, for the Klein government to make plain the benefits of federalism, federalism, of understanding that 'we' get more out of unity than anything else. To Mr. Klein he wrote, "I am sure you will agree that nothing justifies secession-- or the threat of secession--in Canada." Klein responded by writing to Prime Minister Chretien. He concluded the letter by suggesting that M. Dion was acting 'above his station' by writing to a Premier. The content content of the letter said things like "I can assure you that my government's understanding of the consequences of separatism separatism or separatist threats is at least as comprehensive as the federal government's." Then he asked the Minister to respect his personal record on the issue, rather than press clippings, "when he presumes to lecture me on leadership and the value of unity in democratic democratic societies". I've put pen to paper about a similar issue in this column I before. Then it was the Kyoto Protocol's exemption of the auto industry that sparked Alberta's ire. I wrote then that "greater federal power and additional claims to regional jurisdictions place a strain on the ties that bind. Kyoto, a federal commitment, applies to Alberta even if the majority of Albertans are skeptical, hesitant, or outright hostile to it." Now I'll add that there are things that do justify secession, secession, even in Canada. Don't ; JAWORSKI continuai pig* 4