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RONO WEEKLY TIMES -Serving East Clarington and beyond since 1937 65¢44ý ý GSTIncIded Wednesday, May29, 1996 ilm= mm ÀU »4,t!l E Lights May Go Out On Darlington Youth Soccer League A tractor trailer spilled its load of 36 tonnes of gravel and managed to knock out power affecting over 5,500 homes and businesses in Bowmanville, Newcastle, and Newtonville. The trailer, unloading gravel to be used during the reconstruction of King Street from Liberty to Frank Streets in Bowmanville, flipped over due to the soft road conditions and a shifting load, and knocked over a hydro pole, causing the power outage. Eyewitnesses claim that there was a shower of sparks and a fireball(?) just after the accident occurred. Luckily, no one was injured. Power was restored to all but the immediate businesses in just over an hour. Damage to the truck and the pole are estimated at $40,000.00. Rev. Mervyn Russell of the Orono United Church was before Council last night protesting the recent refusal by Council to grant the church money to go towards the construction of a wheelchair ramp to make the building accessible to all, Russell was quite per- turbed with the Council. "I am strongly in the opinion that you have committed an injustice," said Russell. "What I have read in the press, have heard from you Mayor, have gathered from a communica- tion sent to Mr. Bell in answer to his objection to our being named to receive a grant... the only grounds upon which Council refused to make a grant to Orono United Church was that it was a reli- gious organization." Russell then went on to point out how many different community groups in Orono used the church building to hold their events. Russell also stated that he had been advised to apply for the grant by two councillors and by MPP John O'Toole. Mayor Hamre seemed to take personal offense at Russell's implication that Mony rom Town funding was not given based on the fact it was to a church. "We have given a grant to the East Clarington Food Bank, which is run by a variety of religious organizations. So we have given money to a reli- gious organization," said Hamre. "We cut back money to many different organiza- tions. Never did we say we didn't give the money because you were a church.' Councillor David Scott tried to smooth the situation out. "I believe you feel that the application should be judged on its own merits and the benefits it will have for the community," Mr. Scott said to Russell in reference to the fact that so many community groups use the structure. Councillor Carson Elliot put forth a motion that Council reconsider giving the Church a grant of $1,000 to go towards the cost of build- ing the ramp. It was sup- ported by both Scott and Councillor Ann Dreslinski. Unfortunately, the motion was lost and the Church will have to do withou.tt a munici- pal grant. There is still a chance for them to receive some money from the province. User fees may be the death of soccer in Clarington. Council has received notice of 18 resignations from the volunteers that presently run soccer in Clarington. Most felt that these user fees were unfairly imposed after the registrations had already gone out, and that they would simply be acting as tax col- lectors for the town. The whole problem stems from not the imposition of the fees themselves, which normally could have been hidden in higher registration costs, but that they came after the Leagues had already been told what their cost for the year to use the fields would be. Council had a report before them placing the fields, which had currently been reserved for the Darlington Youth Soccer League, up for grabs to whoever agreed to pay the user fee for the fields. Fields not in use will not be main- tained at their playing level, but instead returned to a maintenance level corre- sponding to the park or school they are located at. The two soccer pitches at the Darlington Hydro Fields will not be lit this year either. Councillor Pat Pingle was vehemently opposed to any action by the town that would lead to the resignation of vol- unteers. "At this time it is unreasonable to impose these user fees. If we push these user fees, 17 out of 19 volun- teers will resign. They agree to stay on if the fees are pushed back until the 1997 season," said Pingle. "I am asking Council to defeat this motion and rescind the fees until 1997." "The reality is...other sports organizations are help- ing to pay for things," said Mayor Hamre, in defense of the fees. "I feel sorry for the kids. Our staff did put a rea- sonable offer on the table," said Councillor Larry Hannah. The fees amount to somewhere between $2.90 to $4.00 per player for the entire season, to make up a $6,400.00 cut in the budget to the maintenance of the continued on page 2 Sewers Doubtful ForOrono's Future It doesn't look like Orono will be getting sewers any time soon, despite the great need for them. Council had before them a letter from Jack Grant, Chairman of CMS Group, a company specializing in waste water treatment, point- ing out Orono's obvious need and offering a variety of ways in which the project could be undertaken. Council howev- er would not bite. "Our staff has neither the authority or the expertise to deal with this matter," said Mayor Hamre, stressing that this was a regional matter, not a municipal one. Staff had recommended passing the letter on to the Director of Public Works, Stephen Vokes. "It's out of Mr. Vokes hands. Perhaps if the motion to receive is lost, we inform Mr. Grant that action has already been undertaken," said Councillor Ann Dreslinski. Both Hamre and Dreslinski stressed that waste water management was under the jurisdiction of the Region, and out of their hands. Mr. Grant's letter states, however, that in discussions with Mr. Witty, Regional Chair for the Regioni of Durham, it was Mr. Witty's opinion that the initiative for such a project should come from the local level as opposed to the Region. Councillor David Scott spoke in favour of looking fur- ther into Mr. Grant's request. "We shouldn't shut the door on this before we sit down to discuss this," said Scott. Mr. Grant's letter points to various reasons why Orono should have a sewer system. It is currently the largest com- munity in the Durham Region without a sewage system, and that growth in the area is effectively frozen. This has implication as to the survival of the commercial core, and effects the amount of jobs available in Orono. With the impending loss of the Forestry, Orono's largest employer, local jobs are going to be an important factor. Mr. Grant also points out to the environmental concerns that such old and saturated septic systems can have on the ground water table. Volume60, Number21 Orono United Churoh Reeeives NO