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2 OtonoWeeklyTirnes, Wednesday, December 16, 1998 ORONO %JWEEKLY TMEs M le - . .e ee Subscriptions $2 1.50 + $ 1.50 G.S.T. = $23.0l/year. Publications Mail Registration No. 000368 Publishing 50 Issues Annually at the Office of Publication 5310 Main Street, P.O. Box 209, Orono, Ontario LOB IMO E-Mail Address: oronotimes@_speedline.ca Phone/Fax (905) 983-5301 Publisher! Editor Marg Zwart Courtice Teens Win OCNA Award by Roy Forrester A Courtice Youth Group operating out of the Faith United Church manse are certainly to be congratulated i belng chosen to receive an Ontario Community Newspaper Association Award in successflully establishing and operating a Teen Centre in the community since its formation in 1997. The Teen Centre won the award for its ability to see the need for the benefits of a centre. The teenagers set up their own executive, raised funds, operated camping, concerts, and created a youth services guide, volunteer and policy handbook. The Centre operates Monday, Wednesday and Saturday niglits having a membership ofsome 100 and as well lias accepted youths working on community service orders. If we only look, youth are exceptionally energetic, uslng imagination, innovation and insighit into the challenges they face in todays society. They are, of course, the future, but we must not overlook, that, indeed, they are very much the pre- sent. The Ontario Trillium Foundation througl iIts Get Up!, Stand Up! Youth Programlias found that there is no limitation to youth accompllshments. The Foundation empowers local people to make local decisions on local priorities. As for the Courtice Teens one must be impressed ti that at a recent meeting of council they expressed the view that Clarington counicil should consider minor Skateboard facllitles in ail conimuntities rather than spending $1410,000 on a major ramp in one location. The Teen group would serve skateboarder throughout the community in their own centres. It makes sense. The ramp fired ti the Orono Park this year cost no more than $5,000. Indeed it, looked adequate enough for our hotshot boarders. Hey - maybe the youth could undertake the projects themselves with some leadership. Might even like to. We don't need more No Skateboard signs for more -brownie points". Letiters to* the Edito r Decemnber 10,1998 Dear Marg: We, the Newcastle Ratepayers Associat ion, applaud the intestinal forti- tude shown by Local Councillors Charlie Trim and Jim Schell and Regional Councillor John Mutton for standing up at Monday's. General Purpose and Administration (GPA) meeting and publlcly announcîng Iheir. decision to forgo the salary increases for elected representatives. Salary increases for elected officiais were neyer an issue nor let alone discussed at the time of the election little over a year ago. It is this decision of conscience and listening to their electorate on this emo-. tionally charged Issue that renews our faith in the polit- ical process. Il is unfortunate that the three Councillors could not have been unani- mously supported by the other members of coundil pre- sent at the G.P. & A meeting. Newcastle Ratepayers Association Willie Woo - Chairperson Frankç Hoar - Secretary Sunday, December 13/98 Dear Marg, Some interesting items from the last couple editions of the Weekly Times which cauglit one's eye. You cer- talnly have Mel Lastman pegged in your editorial wvith lis promotlng of their new beer, 'Toronto's Own." 1'm sure beer loyers from ail over the world wvill be fiocking 10 Toronto to sip Mel's new suds. Let's face it, if there is a front-page mug shot to be had, whether lt's hamming it up wlth one of the WWF stars, an athlete, or any other celebrIty-lype, count on the original huckster to be there. If ex-mayor Barbara Hall was a little too laid back, "Camnivai Mel" certainly takes it to the other end of the spectrum. What I find interesting Is the fact his popularity keeps growing, and 1 wonder what the GTA population's percep- tion of a mayor really is? Then again, maybe we're missing out on something here? Dian 'e Hamre could open micro- breweries in the towns and villages around Clarington and we could get in on this beer thing too. Orono Lite, Bowmanville lager. Hampton Pale Ae. Tyrone Pilsenier. Or maybe not. Young Jeffrey Hegarty makes a good point of the on- going pollution problem at Blue Circle (formerly St. Mary's) Cernent. 1 hadn't heard if there lias been any response from their company officiais. One wonders wliat they're doing to conform to pollution guidelines and laws, but they obviously aren't doing enough! And, from the 'not at al surprising department- cornes Ray Bester and the Orono Amateur Athletic Association approachlng council for support, other than financial, witli their planned improvements to the Orono arena. The OAAA lias been operatlnig this way for years. It would seemn that local council's pay raises have upset some folks, as pointed out by Roy Forrester and Willie Woo. Perhaps they should have taken the route Oshawa council did, and be open about it as opposed to an mn-camera session. Altliough, while councillors Mutton, Trim and Schell miglit have done the political- ]y correct thing by refusing the raise, ail council did real- ly was bring themselves i line with other local munici- palities. As far as council being a "part-time job", 'm sure even most of Toronto's councillors have fuil-time jobs as well. And, 1iImagine if you check the number of hours these people put in, you'JJ find them well under minimum wage level. They do lt because they want to be involved, not to get ricli, Appare ntly, Linda Gasser is going to "circle the wagons- once again as the Anti- Llshmanoids prepare to do battle once more, this time for a hearing with the Land Division Committee. Arnd, rumour lias it that there is also an appeal being launched with the Ontario Municipal Board regardlng the Lishman proposai. 1 won- der how mucli she is golng to cost the town this time around? And finally, get ready to become part of the Greater Toronto Services Board, like it or not. Mr. Mike says that's the way it's going to be. Bel on it. Regards, Bob Rotz, Kirby, Ont. in the ~owmaniMi'6311 December 11lth, 1998 Dear Friend of the Communit7y: The Orono Amateur Athletlc Association's recent hockey registration, lias shown a ten percent increase i the number of players. A similar growth ti figure skat- ing bas occurred. This growth in registration lias many pos- itive benefits for our commu- nlty. Keeping our youth involved in sports niakes for a pleasanI't and safer communi- ty. This increase lias begun to put a strain on our exlsting building. More skaters and hockey players, more female mem- bershlp on rep and bouse league teams and an ice sur- face that is very rarely, if ever, left empty requires the expan- sion of the support facilities. At a recent meeting of the Orono Amateur Athletic Association, il was declded that two more dressing rooms, more equipment stor- age and a multi-purpose room are required to keep up with the present growth. This addition will require a capital expenditiire of approx- imately $210,000.00. We would prevail upon your gen- erosity in asklng that you make a pledge to support the building. once we have $100,000.00 in pledges, we will break ground on the con- struction. AIl donations are tax deduc'Lible and will be recog- nized in an appropriate man- ner in the new addition. We would be m-ost appre- cdative of your assistance and look forward to your support. Slncerely, Orono Amateur Athletic Association Incorporated" Ray Bester, President IT PAYS TO ADVERTISE .~0~// - k - - -.- . ____________ vI!~1U~W