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

SUCH AN IRONY How ironic that in the same week that a consult- ing firm is making public the plans and recommenda- tions for a new recreation centre in Scugog Town- ship, a four member "team" from the International Olympic Committee arrived in Toronto to "check the city out® in its bid for the 1996 Olympic Games. Now, you may be asking yourself just what the connection is between a recreation centre in little ol' Scugog, and Toronto's bid to land the Games? Well, I'm taking bets right now that Toronto (the world class city) will get its Olympic Games in '96. And though | hate to admit it, by '96, Scugog citizens will still be swimming in the muddy waters of the lake (or driving to Uxbridge, Oshawa or Lindsay to swim) The struggle for ice time at the lone arena will still be going on, squash courts and a fitness centre will be a dream, and for those who wish to rent a hall for more than 300 people, well, try Uxbridge or Bow- manville. Of course Toronto will get the Olympics in "96. Just like Toronto has its dome, its cultural centres for the arts, its swimming pools, and all that railway {and on the lakefront where the other facilities for the Games will be built. The cost? Ah, don't worry about the cost, folks. When you're "world class," you build first and pay lat- er. Besides, the Metro, provincial and federal politi- cians will make sure that an incidental Ying like mon- ey won't come between Toronto and its bid for the Games. Too bad the same thing can't be said for the folks in Scugog Township, whose recreation needs are not being met, and won't be met for the forseeable fu- ture, because this Township doesn't have the money. of the estimated $7 million it would cost to build our complex. That leaves about $6 mil to be raised from other sources. And that is one heck of a lot of bake sales. | have no idea what it's going to cost Toronto to stage the Olympics for two weeks in the summer of '96. But | would venture to say it's a tad more than the $7 million Scugog needs to provide decent recreation and social facilities that would serve the needs of it§ citizens for slightly longer than two weeks. I hate to be negative about the proposed recrea- tion complex here in Scugog. The fact is the Town- ship coffers are stretched to the limit now, and there are a lot of people who don't want to see their tax bills climb any higher. But it burns me no end to think that Toronto is about to land the Olympics that will cost hundreds of millions, but there isn't any money to build and oper- ate facilities here that are so badly needed. What are we, third rate citizens in this province just because we don't live in the "world class" city? How come Toronto has so much, and the rest of us, have so little? And we are not just lacking in sports, recreation and social facilities. You may have read the letter to the editor in last week's paper from Tom Millar. He laments the fact that Scugog's lone facility for the performing arts is woefully inadequate. Town Hall 1873 is a wonderful old building, filled with character and history, a beautiful example of pe- riod architecture. But as a place to stage a drama or musical? For- get it. Our local theatre groups deserve some kind of medal (perhaps an Oscar) for ingenuity and creativity for all the successes they have had working in the old Town Hall. And the loyal patrons who attend these fine per- formances sit on hard plastic chairs for two hours or more and trip over each trying to get to the wash- rooms at intermission. Do we need a theatre for the performing arts? Of course not. We've got Town Hall 1873, just like we've got Lake Scugog for swimming and Birdseye Pool for swim lessons, and the Blackstock Arena (built 1930 or so for curling) to teach young people how to figure skate or play hockey. Of course Toronto is making plans for a new theatre for opera and ballet at the corner of Bay and Wellesley Streets, on a very valuable chunk of real estate that will be a gift from the province. | don't want to leave the wrong impression here that | be-grudge Toronto's Olympic Games or the Dome, or the new opera-ballet theatre. But why should | as a citizen of Scugog, like citizens in so many smaller communities, be deprived of facilities Ly oulture and recreation that are taken for granted in oronto? Can't the mega-bucks be spread a bit more evenly? Can't we get just a very small sliver of the pie" Scugog needs its recreation complex (pool, sec- ond ice pad, banquet hall, fitness and squash facility) Scugog needs a new theatre for the performing arts. And while we're at it, Scugog needs a new municipal building. You could probably do the works for about $10 million, all in one location on Township-owned land beside the Scugog Arena. By the time Toronto gets through with its '96 Olympics, that $10 million will be like walking around money, and we'll still be swimmin' in the lake. Provincial grants might come up with $1.1 million Remember | Letters io the editor Mulroney's arrogance the last straw When? 45 YEARS AGO Thursday, May 24, 1945 Watch your clothesline as there have been things taken off lines lately which are very hard to get. Mr. and Mrs. N.P. Aldred have received word from their son Joel who is overseas telling of his promotion from rank of Flight Lieutenant to Squadron Leader. The fifty-ninth anniversary of Port Perry United Church was a successful and enjoyable event. : - 35 YEARS AGO Thursday, May 26, 1955 Five year old Timothy Brunton of Port Perry was the win- ner of a 10 horse power Mercury outboard motor at the Trenton Lions Club Jamboree on May 23. Weekend visitors with Mr. and Mrs. Jas. Doupe included Miss J. Doupe, Toronto, Mr. and Mrs. Henry Mann of Trent River. Mrs. N.H. Pare (Joan Marie Bentley) who has been visiting her parents for the past month, sailed from Quebec on the ship "Samaria" for England, May 18th. Joan is joining her husband who has been drafted to the Royal Navy for two years. 30 YEARS AGO Thursday, May 26, 1860 Two public school girls Judy Manns and Janice Dowson were attacked by a black squirrel while they were on their way to school. They were taken to the doctor who advised rabie shots and this treatment has been started. . Mr. and Mrs. A. Roach, Eunice and Susan, Mr. and Mrs. Don Carnegie, Beverley and Karen were at the former's cottage, Haliburton, for the weekend. 25 YEARS AGO Thursday, May 27, 1965 Winner of the Lucky Draw for either a man's or a lady's watch at Pentland Jewellery Store Opening was Mrs. H.R. Bullock of Caesarea. Seagrave News - We uriderstand that Mr. Robt. Nodwell is polishing up his Scottish accent in preparation for a trip to see his "'Ain folk." Daughter Rosemary and her bag pipes are in- luded in his plans. © Mr. dy Dr. Yaremko and sons of Toronto spent the liday at McLaren's Beach, Scugog Island. ho Blackstock News - Dr. and Mrs. Allan Noble and family, Scarboro, spent the weekend with Mr. and Mrs. Arnold Taylor and family at the latter's cottage on Gull Lake. (Turn to page 10) To the Editor: Being a conservative all my adult life, (36 years) it is with a great deal of sadness and shame that I am writing this letter. But the time has come for me to speak out against the dictator- ship of Brian Mulroney. I and peo- Asks," who is the fool?" To the Editor: We all have heard this phrase at one time or other. Well, it shall come to reality on January 1, 1991. We just received in the mail a bulletin, compliments of our Government, which has been rapidly spending to set up the GST into action. (We all know what happens with governments, they go up). Is it not possible for our members of Parliament to treat us with some intelligence and respect. It seems more and more apparent that we should become part of the Eastern provinces, where they talk to the people of Canada with some grain of truth. Within this bulletin it indicates No Tax on 9 specific items. But, they fail to tell you that all these services like the grocer, dentist, doctor, all must pay GST tax on items which they have to buy to give us the.service. Results: Price Increase. Who is the Fool??? Are you going to part with your money January 1, 1991. Joanne Henry, Scugog Township SEE fd tn. atm ple like me gave Mr. Mulroney the mandate to serve the people of Canada, we did not give him the mandate to become a dictator. His arrogance and the complete disregard for the democratic rights of the people concerning the G.S.T. is for me the last straw. He is a disgrave to the Tory par- ty, and a poor excuse for a Cana- dian. Surely there is something wrong with this country when men of honour and integrity (the two M.P.s from Alberta) are treated like whip dogs for having the courage to serve the people by voting against the G.S.T. The G.S.T. is completely unfair and gives Mulroney and Wilson the licence to steal from the peo- ple anytime they want. But hope springs eternal, we can stop the G.S.T. LR.A.T.E. citizens of Peterborough have a petition out from the Senate of Canada, if you are against the G.S.T. please sign it. If there is not a petition in your area, contact [.R.A.T.E. citizens of Peterborough K9J 7H7, Box 1473. They need ten million signatures to give the Senate the mandate from the people to stop this hideous tax. The Senate is there to serve the people, if we ig- nore the Senate then we deserve the dictatorship of Mulroney. Yours sincerely, John Welham, R.R. 10, Peterborough.