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Bihl Bramah's Ontarlo Every morning Col. KCen Wilcox strides ever from his big home on the banks of the York River, which cuts through the village cf Bancroft, to his motel which is about a hundred yards from the house. He's lean, lithe and erect. A military bearing. That's natural enough. He was a career seldier ini England, and has been aide de campe te six cf Ontario's Lieutenant Governors. He's aise a collecter cf swords. When he and his wife, Lenore, bought the motel, they called it "The Sword" and the collection was used as a motif. When yo u register, you see a huge sword hanging on the wall behind the front desk. It always reminds me cf the kind worn by the Knights cf the Round Table. But the bulk cf the collection is hung in a showcase in the hall as you go towards the dining room There are swords cf ahl kinds. There must be 50 cf them. Some date back a couple cf centuries. A few cf the swords were made in recent years. One is called "The Olympic Sword", and was given te Tauline McGibbon when she officiated at the opening of the Qlympic sailing ini Kingston some years ago. Another was presented to Ken when he retired as president of the Ontario Motel Association. And-theres one used in the Wilkinson Razor commercial that was seen on television. Kens first sword was given te him by his father the day he was commissioned in the British Army. The ceremony, by the way, was performed by Princess. Elizabeth, now the Queen. Since then, he's been collecting al types cf swords, cutlasses, and bayonets. The bayonets and daggers are fixed to a wall i the coffre shop. Visitors are intrigued by them. One dagger was designed by two commandos named Skyes and Fairbaimn. It's made to fit betwýeen a commando's shoulder blades, and could be drawn if one of the daring raiders of the Second World War was in extreme difficulty. On one Of the panels are several miniature soldiers. They were made in England and are quite authentic. Some go back to the days of the Crusades, and others depict varieus types of warriors right up to World War Il. I always sit in the last booth in the coffee shop where I write scripts and stories. Since Im sort cf a fixture, there's a photo cf me on the wal above the booth entitled "Bill Bramah~s Bancroft Office". Every once ini a while I take a break and wander around looking at the swords. The story behind each ene is fascinating - an insight into the cutting edge cf history. MORRIS FUNERAL CHAPEL LTD. Established in 1881 623-5480 4 Division St. Bowmanville PRE-ARRANGED AND PREPAIO FUNERAL SERVICES AVAILABLE \5r 115 GANARASKA ] 7 ý7LEATHERCRAFT WETLANDS: ESSENTIAL LANDS, NOT WASTELANDS QUOTATO SEALED QUOTATIONS, clearly marked as ta contents, for the Bowmanville Recreation Complex Pro Shop, isted below, addressed ta the Corporation af the Municipality of Clarington, Purchasing Office, 40 Temperance Street, Bowmanville, Ontario, LiC 3A6, wiII be'received on the forms and in the envelope provided until the specified closing time and date. Quotation Documents may be obtained from the Purchasing Off ice at the above address. GUOTATION 093-13 Bowmanvlle Recreation Complex Pro Shop Operation CLOSING TIME & DATE 4:00 p.m. (Local Time) Wednssday, September 8, 1993 The Iowest or any quotation not necessarily accepted. Mrs. Lau Ann Birkett, A.M.C.T. <A> Purchasing & Supply Agent Telephone: 416) 623-3379 ext. 268 ,1MLINICIPA'T>O(F Date af Publication: Wednesday, August 25, 1993 P.O. 2974 1For centuries wetlands - marshes, bogs and swamps - were considered wastelands. Settlers, farmers and developers diked them and drained them, and then put them to "good use". Today, how- ever, we realize that wetlands already have their own good use and they are essential to our environment. "Until recently,- most people thought wetlands served no useful purpose;, that they were nothing more than smelly places that bred mosquitoes. But today wetlands are increasingly recognized as play- ing a critical role in keeping ou-r environment healthy and working efficiently," says Dr. Tom Clair, a scientist with Environment Canada in Monc ton, New Brunswick. 1According to Clair, wetlands are essential for both water quality and quantity. Wetlands have an amaz- ing ability to absorb environmental contaminants, or pollutants, while still allowing the water to seep through to the water table. As a result, the ground- water is kept relatively dlean and safe to drink. As well, because wetlands absorb contaminants they make ideal places to measure the amount and types of pollutants coming from the atmosphere. The contaminants found in a wetland will also be found in the surrounding environment but they are not as easily measured. Wetlands act like giant sponges absorbîng water, which means the risk of flooding is reduced. All you have to do is set foot in one to see how soggy they are. But it's because they're soggy that much of the surrounding environment isn't. Wetlands are also good indicators of climate and land change. If wetlands start drying up, it's a sign that there are serious and significant changes taking place in our environment. By monitoring and study- ing wetlands we get a greater understanding of what is happening to the environment generally, and we can act more quickly to put solutions in place. Wetlands have theý ability to act as a buffer against acid rain, thereby reducing the serious effects acid ramn has on lakes and ponds, as well as on the plant and animal life that'depend on this water. Wetlands are also home to a wide variety of plant and animal life. One study of a wetland found more than 600 different species lived there, including dozens of species of plants, insects, mammals, amphibians, birdsand reptiles. Wetlands constitute some of Canada's most biologically diverse land- scapes., "Wetlands certainly are essential to a healthy environment and Canada is blessed with an abun- dance -of them. Approximately 25 per cent of the world's wetlands are 1ocated here," says Clair., But despite our rich wetland heritage, we continue to undervalue them. Wetlands are still being drained for agricultu re, urban development and to a lesser extent, for forestry. Roughly 70, per cent of southern Canada's freshwater wetlands have already been lost. "And every time a wetland is lost, the environ- ment is irreversiblyv changed," stresses Clair. Massive decoXîiposition of the soil and sediment takes place; grôundwater supplies are reduced; wildlife must find another wetland or die;, and the risk of flooding increases significantly. Add to these losses the subtie and growing loss of productivity brought on by exotic, invasive plants such as purpie loosestrife, an d we see a wetland her- itage that is increasingly at risk. "We know wetlands are critical to a healthy envi- ronent," notesClair, "yet there is so much about their chemistry, geology and use of water that we still don't know." That's why Clair organized a conference on the Hydrogeochemistry -of Wetlands and invited scien- tists from North America and Europe to attend. Scientists at the conference shared their research on key aspects of wetland science, thus helping increase the level of knowle dge about how they work. They also attempted to set research priorities to guide their work of understanding even more clearly exactly how wetlands function. Indeed, research is already actively under way in many of these critical areéas. "We need to beable to preserve and study wet- lands," says Clair, "because, quite simply, our envi- ronment needs wetlands- and so do we' Phone ahead or by chance 3847 Wilcox Rd., Orano LOB 1 MO - (416) 983-9540 ISAI k«è%