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AM Va FOUR (on Bal i ¥ LANA SS SRE erBox Chatt Although it's still officially Spring, the weather for the past three weeks makes you wonder how it could be anything but mid-summer. . Clear skies, hot days and cool nights are making the Shores of Scugog a paradise which area residents, as ig as cottagers and: visitors are much appreci- ating. Along the lakefront, Birdseye centre is gearing up for the hundreds of children who will be using the swimming pool this summer. The ball diamond is a beehive of activity every night as the ball leagues get their season underway, and when not competing they spend hours at practice. White shorts and tops dot the black surface of the tennis courts most anytime of the day, as tennis enthusiasts make use of every hour of daylight, stopping only when the ball is lost in darkness of the night. Weekend visitors to the lake can be seen in every conceivable type of boat. High powered speed boats intermingle with sailing craft, canoes and rowboats. Water skiers slalom their way from north to south, and east to west across the sometimes blue, some- times brown waters of the Lake Scugog. In a small area just south of the government dock, which at one time was used for boat launching, tots to teens, splash in the murky waters. All this leads to the use of Palmer Memorial Park. On the weekends the park is a haven for hundreds of city folk who vacate the large centres to find a little peace and tranquility in numerous communities north by J. Peter Hvidsten 'Resident users of the park, although not as numerous, tend to be as lazy as our guests. On many occasions this. writer has seen locals drop their wrappers etc. to the ground, rather than walk a few steps to deposit them in a garbage container. Maybe it's time to start considering a nominal charge for the use of the park. One that would at least cover the cost of keeping it clean and attractive. How it is to be done, I am not about to suggest, but surely nobody would mind a minimal charge for a day outing. If the park was left in its uncleaned state, week after week, I wonder how many of these people would return to the park by summers end for-their picnics? While on the subject of our parks, it has been brought to my attention that park users prefer the washroom facilities of the local establishments open on Sundays, rather than walk to the public washrooms atthe ballpark, ~~ One of the main reasons for this problem stems from the closure of the washroom facilities at the Latcham Centre for public use. In the entire park, stretching from Port Perry Marine to Port Tdvern, the only public washroom facilities are those in the changehouse near the ball diamond and tennis courts, A long way to run if you're sitting on the dock when your kidneys decide to "let go". i of the metrolpolises. One cannot blame them from wanting to travel to the countryside, away from the concrete and asphalt, away from the smoke and exhaust to take refuge in our clean park. At least it is clean when they arrive. An early Monday morning visit to the lakefront reveals quite a different picture. Scattered the entire length of the grassed park can be seen, litter. -- Pop bottles, cigarette packages, candy wrappers, beer bottles and an assortment of other junk dots the . grass like dandruff on a dark shirt. . - The amazing part about this debris is that much of it is within a few feet of the numerous containers provided throughout the park for garbage. Our friends from the south are obviously so tired after their trip to Port Perry, that they have no strength left to walk to the containers to deposit their garbage. A bad habit which is costing the taxpayers of Scugog a lot of money. It is estimated that about 20 man hours is used after each weekend to clean up the garbage left behind. This could be cut down considerably if works . crew had only to empty the containers....and not clean the entire park. ¢ ; So far we have mentioned only the visitors to Port Perry as the offenders....but this is not the case, le Thus, the closest locations would be either Emiel's Place or the Port Perry Dairy Bar. Both of these locations are plagued with rolling eyed, crossed legged clientele, who leave nothing behind in their establishments except their waste, It is estimated by the owners of these establish- ments that somewhere between 75 and 100 visitors use their washroom facilities each Sunday without pur- chasing any thing from the store. Some people have even gone so far as to use the washrooms to change from street clothes into bathing suits. This seems a little strange....and unfair to the owners when there is a facility close at hand. The solution would seem tg be, the opening of the _ Latcham Centre washrooms, which were intended for public use when the facility was built, even though vandalism in the washrooms was one of the reasons for closing them, When first anfiounced that the Latcham Centre was to be built, it was stated "the centre will have washroom facilities with doors from inside and outside, which can be used by park visitors when the Centre is closed to the public'. ; Proper washroom facilities are a necessary part of any public park. When you haven't got them it is a disgrace. But, when you do have them, and-won't let the people use them....it's unforgivable. -Com'on Scugog....open your doors to the public. ec NN Progress & Change itis sometimes thought that change In small- Ontario towns, if it occurs at all, is a slow, gradual process that passes almost unnoticed. : Returning to work in Port Perry after an absence of nearly five years one notices almost immediately that time has not stood still in this community, Most obvious is the new commercial development on Highway 7A and along Water Street. New industrial development has taken place, and there has heen expansion of existing industry. Housing and facilities for senior citizens has increased. But the progress and change of a community cannot be measured entirely by commercial, indus- trial and residential development. People need more than this If thelr lives are to be as complete and full as possible. To this end the recreational facilities along the Lake Scugog waterfront have been greatly expanded to include tennis courts, baseball diamond and a more convenient boat-launching area. . And the new Scugog Community Arena Is 'a magnificent ~ facility In which the citizens of this area can take great pride. Ata time when many small commun- ities are having trouble raising just enough money to fix the roof or do other repairs to old arenas, the construction of this new facility is an achievement indeed. All these changes are an indication of a healthy community in which people aré confident, not only of today, but of the future. This healthy confidence can also be taken in things that stay the same. It is nice to see the old post-office still standing after much, discussion .a few years ago about its destruction in favour of a new building. The same can be said about Town Hall 1873, and the success of the historical museum on Scugog Island. The conscious preser- vation of a community's heritage Is just as important to healthy progress as improved roads, sidewalks and new shopping centres. . ) ~ Other less visible change has also taken place, such as regional government. Whether this is healthy, or even desirable i course. But the ability to adaphto change and make a new thing work for the benefit of all citizens is an indication of the vitality and strength of a commun: il under debate of It would appear, at least on the outside, that the community is flourishing with both vitality and strength. With the continued growth and strength, it is Important that the community newspaper also exhibits vitality and strength. ST 'Returning to these responsibilities with the Port Perry STAR after nearly five years, it will be part of our endeavour to see to it that the newspaper reflects the qualities of the community. A healthy, active and free press is an indispens- ible part of any community, large or small. But with this freedom comes responsibility, not only to the community and citizens it serves, but to its very integrity as a free institution." It will be our responsibility to publish the facts and events as they occur, with fairness to all concerned, with objectiv- ity, without prejudice. - Beaches Deceptive Do you know how fast a small child can move? - when he wants to, that Is. -Picture a puppy darting after a moving figure or a kitten jumping at a trailing string. Children more like lizards: one second they're there and the next it's "Where's Johnny!" Beaches are deceptive. There are plenty of loungers there, and lifeguards, but you can't be sure they are alert to your child's whereabouts. It's almost a reflex for children playing ball on the beach to splash into the water to retrieve a long shot. Will "they make it? iy At a campsite, a child wanders around a clump of brush and is out of sight. Is he close by, or lost? Even at the backyard pool, in the time it takes you to rub on suntan oll or search out the car keys, a child may have slipped into or under the water, too: surprised to do more than gasp. Drownings of children are often silent, and the sixth sense that jolts parents to the fact that things are too quiet may come too late. Through its many water safety programs Red Cross does Its best to protect everyone engaged in water activities, but it's up to all of us to "keep an . eye on the kids!" . $ \