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"A Family Tradition for 131 Years" PORT PERRY STAR - Tuesday, April 29, 1997 -5 Port's police station safe for now, Hall pledges By John B. McClelland Port Perry Star Rumors that the Port Perry Police station may be closing are just that: rumors. And they are without foundation, accord- Ing to Scugog Mayor Howard Hall. "I don't see any (major) changes coming for 26 Division in the next few months. And we are certainly not closing any offices," he told the Star in a recent interview. In fact, he said, there is agreement now to extend the lease on the Port Perry station on Old Simcoe Rd. just north of Reach St. for another year when the present lease expires in June. That substation is on a year- to-year lease arrangement with the building owner. Mayor Hall admits there have been rumors floating around the community that the station might be closed. "They will have one hell of a fight with me if they ever try to close down that station," said the Scugog Mayor, a member of the Durham Police Services Board. What is happening at this time, he said, is a reassessment of all the police divisions within Durham in an effort to ccme up with recommendations to make policing better for the residents of the region. For instance the office in Ajax will be closed after midnight with the officer who used to staff that office now out on patrol, and work handled from the Pickering office during the after-midnight hours. In 26 Division this assess- ment is being done from "the bottom up," by a committee of officers from the rank and file, he said. Mayor Hall said it is his understanding that there are disagreements among the offi- cers working on that committee. He could not be specific. Mayor Hall said closing the substations in Port Perry and Uxbridge, leaving just the main station in Sunderland -- now HQ for 26 Division -- "makes no sense at all." He feels the same way about a suggestion that the stations be closed and replaced with some kind of storefront opera- tions in the downtowns of Port Perry and Uxbridge. "That would be duplication and not very efficient," he said, adding that the Port Perry sub- station on Old Simcoe is well suited to police work, as it is equipped with a large garage, cells, offices and has plenty of parking, something that would be very hard to find at a store- front location in the downtown area. An officer in Sunderland responding to a call in View Lake "would have to take along his sleeping bag," he said, in a Joking reference to the sheer size of 26 Division. "The problem is geography. It (the Division) is just too damn big," he said. There's nothing anybody can do about the size of the division, and budget restraints rule out any additional officers to the 48 that are already assigned to the area. But court time, holi- days, and officers off work due to illness are a factor which hurts the overall complement, he noted. Mayor Hall said the police need a bigger presence in all areas of 26 division. And one way to achieve this is for officers to park cruisers, and spend more time on foot patrols. "They have to get out of those cruisers and walk along the main streets of the communi- ties, even through the (residen- tial) subdivisions. Improving the public image is the most important thing they can do in this area, and that means get- ting out of the cars for more foot patrols or bicycle patrols," he said. Once the committee has com- pleted its work, the findings will be forwarded to the higher- ups and eventually will wind up in front of the Police Services Board, the mayor said, adding he's not sure when that will take place. at a Centre. More than 30 agencies represented Mental health awareness May 1 fMOTHER'S More than 30 local agen- cies will provide informa- tion and education about their respective programs "Mental Awareness Day" on Thurs- day, May 1 at Oshawa Health Some of the agencies represented will include the Canadian Mental by Mental Health Centre, Mental Health Program of Oshawa General Hospi- tal, Pinewood Centre of Oshawa General Hospi- tal, COPE Mental Health Program, Durham Region Social Services, Alzheimer Society, and more The event is being co- hosted by the Oshawa/ Whitby/Clarington COPE Mental Health Programs [# and the COPE Sub- i" Committee members. \ COPEisaprogramofDur- [0 ham Region Community Care Association. \ i Everyone is welcome and admission is free. For further information, call Sharon Wyeth at 434- 1693. Make py Your Gift , Stand Out iN From The Rest! / Health Association, Whit- The Best Selection & Service of \ ', hn Truck, Van & Sport Utility Accesories |i mmm "ocally g) Backes 108 * H ' £ A Passion iy) Plants * Truck Caps Bl hice " * Trailer Hitches pink ribs * Running Boards 4 * Box Liners * Hood Guards \§ * Customer Seats Deluxe & Commercial Truck Caps by A.R.E. * Roof Racks * Tonneau Covers CHRIS HALL / PORT PERRY STAR SHOWING THEIR TALENT: Students at the Scugog Christian School put on a Spring Talent Program last Wednesday dunn gran Rares day * Window Tint The children in the school had an opportunity to Judy in front * We Install! sing, play, or act on the stage in the c of family members. Here, Kim Vannetten and Roslynd Bandstra perform "Can a Little Child Like. SNOB Port Perry Open House & Registration (905) 985-9786 FOLK ART CLASSES * And Much More! PAYMENTS [eo] INTEREST 90 DAYS O.A.C. CE EERIE AR PRR V4 mile north of Thickson SOE RG CIEE) (905) 655-4411 Van & Truck Worlds Now 7 Locations To Serve Youn OL EITE Beginners, Intermediate, Adults ¢& Children BELLEVILLE , PICKERING Robert G, Eckel Friday May 2 Saturday, May 3 ancston EEEERGNSANE scarsorouch | ETNIES am to 6pm am to Opm ~Serving You For ~ PETERBOROUGH 579-6868 MISSISSAUGA Open 8am to 6pm, Byun nnn nn" 7 Days a Week