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V's High School News St. Stephen's High School held an information meeting for concemned parents, stu- dents and residents last night at the school's site on the old training sehool prop- erty in Bowmanivîlle on Monday night. The purpose of' the meeting was to not only informn the general pub- lic about the pliglit of the sehool, but to pass on infor- mation to Durham East MPP John OTfoole and to enlist himi in the fight. Principal Mar-Cthieine Kelly stressed the nieed for a new sehool buildings. h case, for a new sehool build- ing is (,vident, said Kelly,' as she aiddressed1 an almost calpacity crowd in] the school's auditorium. At pre- Sent time, almost 500 stul- dents ad52 safaeforced f0 uise 15 portables anid six classr-oomls in] a "p)or-ta- The ,new building fýor the sehool hald alreaýdy gone thoghte eesay u dlIes andappovas, ind fth grouind-breainig ceremonyý was schd lfor- this past TuesdayN. Thousands of hours ha1ve gonintffo the dcin of the 'school byV Ieaches slidc'nts anid architecis aic Ovcr 7,5(4 oi the rciletra ues ha1vc been paiid, amount in1g Io ovcer $800.000. Thc Land for the Sclîool hals arcady bccen agreed upon; the school board is forced to honour their offer on the land. The land in question wvill cost the board over $ 150,000 annu- ally for ifs upkeep) and ta-xes. Coupled wîfh the SG00,000 a year in rent thaft the sehool board pays for fthe present f-acilify af the old fraining sehool and one timie prision- er- of war camp, over $ 750,000 a year wil be paid by fh e board ju1st to keep) the students af a facilityfyta is too small and outdafed fo hiandle fliepopulation. Principal Keýlly was hope- fui thatflihe governmen11,It could be convinced to keep this projeet going. Sf. Stephien's is one of four pro- jecfs amouinting to over $25 million fliaf had been approved and are now, in limbo. The1( others are flic renlovations of an old f'acforyV in Peerorgllfiandie, over-low of Sf. Pfr',a new school building o f Mar's in Cobourg,' and a nwseparate elemenfary, school in Bowrnlanville. Separate School Board TueeCaroline Bur11ke feels thaf the "cd for Sf. Step~n'sarc the grecatest" She a ilso srsdthc nued for a 1,fu11Y operational Calholic 1Iligli School for this coîniuniy."St.Sepns is Cangon'foly Cal holu I ligh SeIxool. T'l'l care-st other schools are St. Mary's in Cobourg aiid Paul Dwyer in Oshawa. Mrs. Jane Black, Chairperson of the St. Stephen's Advisory Council, an organization representing the-parents of St. Stephen's students, pointed out to the five fèeder schools in Clanington that send their students on to St. Sfephen's. The need for a new school is great: "St. Stephen's has attracted 500 students to, an inadequate school; imagine if it was equal to ot hers area schools," said Mrs. Black. She also wondered what would happen if the present facility, whîch the school board has already given notice to the landiords on, is lost to the students. The local public high schools, Bowmianville, Courtice, and Clarke, would 'be iii- equipped to handle the sud- den influx of 500+ new stu- dents. This would necessitate the need for a new public high school. it is obvious that the population of Clarington warrants another new modemn school facility, whether it be public or separate'. A modemn facility would be able to provide the neces- sary technical studies that students will need to prosper in the world of computer technology and other skills. The building that had been planned was a miodest struic- ture, having only a single gymn, cafetorium,. and would have needed portables from the very first day to hold the student body. Jeninifer Eeuwes, Prime Minister of the St. Sfephen's Student Counicil offered an impassioned plea from the students. They sited not enouli classroom space, improper heating. an out- dated and smnall library, and improper geym facilities as problems thaf they enicounter on a dailly basis at St. Sfephlen'is. -These are things other secondary school students take for MPPI John OToole was in attendance at the mneeting,. and listenled cïlrefuly fv o the concerns that were voiced. Mr. OTloole is a good peýrson to have- in thecir corner; as a separafe school board tuste, he was onie of the people who camnpaigned and worked very liard for- the est ablishmenlt of S t, Stehe'silyersao. He luias also sent four of h is kids toSf St pens and shaýres mIany -of flic same wconcernlis that'flic otherpaet do. "I arnI behind' thi.s projee(t as mlucl Ias any of you hereI- toniht,"h(, said to the crow'd. Ho1 vr Mr. OTFoole was retalistie aIbot f lic financial difficultics at haýnd. $1l mil- lionl an hlour is paiid in initeri est on OntaIrio's dei of clos(, year. Councîllor Mary oriefsNovak spoke up agaînst this alarming trend. "We Lower Number of are significantly down from Building Permits in lasfs years numbers; we Clarington This Year should be encouraging business in Clarington." The number of building permits issued by the Munic ipality of Clarington 15 down significantly over last years figures overafl, while the value of commercial building permits have almost doubled. This year, the value of construction 10 date in Clarington has been $39,194,554, down signîficantly from last years $63,832,330. Residential construction is down over $27,000,000, while industrial permits ar e$;241,000, down from $1,836,000 from the same time last year. Only commercial levels have changed for the better, to $100 billion. It costs the taxpayer $800 a yearjust to pay the interest on the debt. If spending had flot been cut, il was predicted that that figure could rise as high as $1700 a year. Mr. O'Toole did promise the gathermng that he would make this lis number one priority. He will be taking a petition signed by most of the students and parents of' the school, as well as a hefty stack of letters to Queen's Park asking for the neces- sary funds to construct the new faiity. The final fate of the sehool should become known somnetime in October. Clarington To Fly Ouebec FIag The Municipality of Clarington will be flying the Quebec flag as a show of * support for Canadian solidarity. In what is a small gesture for Canadlian unity, Council hopes the message they are sending is clear. Everyone wants to see an end to the Quebec problem, and no one wants to see Canada tomn apart in the process. Councillor David Scott made the motion which was well received by the rest of Counicil. Councillor Carson Elliott asked about letting other communities across Canada know what Clarlngton was doing as a hope that other places would show the same support and desire for Quebec to remain part of Canada. Council decided that theiý symbolic gesture was en ough. The only problem Jrow is where does Council frind a Quebec flag? g -- ber an watwil o.Fo eamle icarpets arnd daes are worn out, then vonu might consider replacing themi at this lrne. Also, a favourite chair that lias been worn out with fne can be, re-upholstered or moved t0 another location so the newv decor will ail blend together. 1 woiild like to also suggest that it would be a great idea for vou, first, to go out shioppling, to look for- new ideas and collect samiples of flie new 1fabies you it to use. By having the samlples with you when you go to a decorating store, mnost professionals can mnatch up1)your fabrie patterns with paint colours, wallcoverings and flooring that S-uit your particular selections. Thie best advice 1 could give you would be to take your tiime during the proc-(ss and hiave an open mind about new ideas and above ail use y-our imagination. Anothier point 1 would likc e) make is if you are leaving itemns, sucli aIs pillows or toppers, in tlic roomn bring a sample in so vwe can match it l soSoetimecs if il is neesr1 visit a client,'s home or business s-o 1 cai see flhe exact setting of theice decor, A lot of faictors ,orne ixito play when decorating 50 iflyo-arenot sure. make an appointmnent and wewill do our best to get you sfarted on that e look. Do your hoinework first and when your friends oohi and aah you wvill know that flie lime spenti planning will bring you a sseof pride and accomplishiment.