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RONO WEEKLY TIMES- Serving East Clarington and beyond since 1937 650 GSTIncluded Wednesday, October 16,1996 New Playground Opened For Newcastle Public School 4 Year Old Girl Kidnapped From Family Horne Parents, Community members, and of course kids were on hand Wednesday night to officially open the Newcastle Public School's new playground. Built with money raised by people in the community, the playground is a testament to what hard work and dedication can achieve. Jennifer Johnson, Amber Conolly, Jeffrey Conolly, Larissa Coleman, Alan Harris, Rena Malda, and Stephanie Malda are just some of the kids that will no doubt enjoy playing on the equipment for many years to come. Nothing brings a community together like a tragedy. One week ago, a Bowmanville fami- ly faced something that no one should have to; the disappear- ance of a child. Luckily for everyone involved the little girl was found 5 and a half hours latter in a shed blocks from her home with the man who had abducted her. Coulson Donald Woolner, 21, of no fixed address has been charged with break and enter, kidnapping, forcible confine- ment and sexual assault. News of the little girl's dis- appearance in the early morn- ing hours brought out 100 Bowmanville residents to help over 30 police officers and members of OVERT (Ontario Volunteer Emergency Rescue Team) to search the neighbour- hood for the little girl. The ordeal started around 3:00 a.m. last Wednesday mornng when the girl's mother heard a faint rustling in the lit- tle girl's room. Less than a half an hour later, the woman checked in on her daughter only to find her missing. Hoping that she had gone downstairs to meet her dad who was coming home from the late shift at Goodyear. A quick search of the house proved that the little girl was missing. The suspect gained access to the house through the back door, left open for the father. A quick call to Goodyear not only brought the girl's father home, but after their shift, about 25 other Goodyear employees came to help. The neighbourhood was divided into groups, and searchers were told to look in sheds, behind bush es, anywhere a four year old may be hiding. The little girl was found in the shed at 145 Ontario Street with the suspect by John Duncan and Mike Ruller, two Goodyear employees. Mr. Duncan opened the doors and grabbed the girl while the sus- continued on page 2 Concernefl Citizens Plan Forum On The Qanarasia SAGA (Save the Ganaraska Again) in partnership with other community organizations and local municipalities, has jointly planned an all day Forum on THE THREATENED GANARAS- KA FOREST AND ITS WATER SHED. It is to be held at the Ganaraska Forest Centre, Region Rd. 9 between Hwy.115 and Hwy. 28 on Sat. Nov. 9. from 8:30 to 4 pm. Much concern has been expressed in the community about the future of the Forest since the Harris government announced its 70% cutbacks for Conservation Authorities and its intent to privatize many of the Province's public lands. Privatization and deregulation could lead to huge tracts of the plantation Forest being clear- cut and leased for aggregate extraction, or being sold off to raise much needed revenue. The Forest sits on valuable deposits of primary sand and gravel among the last and deep- est within the Greater Toronto Area. Other pressures to the Forest will be examined as well. The Forum Planning Committee has organized an excellent and informative pro- gram led by John Sewell, for- merly Co-chair of the Planning Reform Commission in Ontario-, as the Key-note speaker. He will address the importance of the Forest in relation to the Ganaraska watershed, followed by panel discussions morning and afternoon which will exam- ine threats, opportuniies, and possible solutions for the for- est. Ian Attridge, well-known environmental lawyer, and an expert on private protection for public lands, will be the lun cheon speaker. The Forum Committee has attempted to address all of these issues fairly in the repre- sentative panels, and at the end of the day, to establish a direc- tion that will sustain the Forest into the next century. The Committee believes that an informed community must take action now, for the long term. In order to preserve the Forest and Registration for the day is $50.00. and includes lunch and refreshments. For further information, or to register, contact Kathy Guselle. 725-4520. or Niva Rowan 983-5393 The Forum has been made possible by the financial sup- port of the following: SAGA (Save the Ganaraska Again) Ganaraska Region Conservation Authority The Municipality of Clarington Port Hope Environmental Advisory Committee Cobourg Environmental Advisory Committee Willow Beach Field Naturalists the watershed it supports. Clarin¢tonCorners Is Underway A groundbreaking ceremony for the new mall to be located beside the Canadian Tire in the west end of Bowmanville was held last Thursday. Members of Clarington's Council, develop- ers and local business people were on hand as Mayor Diane Hamre and the developers broke ground on the 200,000 square foot shopping plaza. The completed plaza will include a 90,000 sq. ft. Zellers store, a 35,000 sq. ft. No Frills grocery store and a number of other smaller stores. The mall is a joint project between Markborough Properties and the Kaitlin Group. The development is estimated to provide 600 full and part time jobs to the area and contribute about $1 mil- lion annually in taxes. Apart from the Canadian Tire store and Clarington Corners, the area will soon be home to a new ten-plex Cineplex Odeon, East Side Mario's, a Burger continued on page 3 Volume 60, Number 41