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Karen Connell, who helps run the pot-bellied pig business with her father and brothers, is pictured pictured here holding a three- week- old baby pig. They're black, fat and wrinkled. They like to eat the icing in an Oreo cootie and are one of the hottest pets in the United States. And they came to North America from Bowmanville. The former owner of the Bowmanville Bowmanville Zoo, Keith Connell and his family family have been raising Vietnamese potbellied potbellied pigs on their farm at the western edge of the Town of Newcastle Newcastle since 1985. The number of pigs in North America has grown considerably during during the past five years. From his original original 18 (four males and 12 females) over 4,000 of the animals can be found throughout the United States and in some parts of Canada. The popularity of the animals "took off in a furor" and a little unexpectedly. unexpectedly. "Once it started, it was like lightning," lightning," Mr. Connell explained. "I lost all control of it but I didn't need control. control. The pigs were selling as fast as they were bom." iVe worked hard to get things going going though," he recalled. In 1986 he advertised his pigs in an American publication called the Animals Finders' Guide. The magazine magazine was 14 pages then and the owner owner couldn't understand why anyone would want to buy a pot-bellied pig. The publication has grown to over 40 pages now with more than half of the advertisements mentioning potbellied potbellied pigs. The Connell pot-bellied pig. There are registries for the animals animals in the United States and two large pot-bellied pig associations with over 200 members in each. Because the animal is so popular it isn't uncommon for people to find themselves on a waiting list before they get their pet. But the wait may not be too long. The female pig is pregnant for 114 days and three or four days after giving giving birth she is ready to mate again. But do people really like having the animals as pets? Apparently so. Recently a woman in Pennsylvania Pennsylvania ordered a pig for her husband because because he is allergic to many domestic animals (the pot-bellied pig has no fleas, or lice or allergies). Mr. Connell took the pig directly from the pen and flew down to the States, meeting the new owner at a Holiday Inn. She took "Wilbur", cuddled and made a great fuss over him as soon as she saw him, and put him in her brand new Mercedes Benz. So, yes, people like the animals as pets. Mr. Connell says they bring them into their house just as they do a dog. They will wash them, give them treats and even let them sleep on their bed with them. The animals are also toilet trainable. trainable. He tells a story, which he swears is true, about a woman whose pig goes to the door and snorts to be let out to go to the bathroom. Others have them litter box trained. The pot-bellied pig is a little different different in appearance from a regular pig. It's black and possesses a pot belly that hangs down almost to the ground but doesn't quite touch it. It has a wrinkled face atop chubby iowls and, believe it or not, the potbellied potbellied sports a straight tail which wags just like a puppy dog. They eat a coffee can full of pig feed and hay a day. If kept to that -- Feature Story by Andrea Adair -- diet, it's possible to keep the pig weighing a little less than 100 pounds. Mr. Connell first saw the animals in the seventies when he was in Sweden Sweden buying camels. (The Connells raise a number of exotic animals such as camels and llamas in addition addition to the pot-bellies.) He saw the pigs, thought they were "cute" and decided he'd like to bring them back to Canada. A decade, and mounds of red tape later, he finally got the animals to Canada with the intent of breeding them to sell to zoos. "Cincinnati and San Diego both wanted to be the first zoos in the United States to have them," he said laughing as he mentions he sent the pigs out on the same day. "I guess Cincinnati got theirs first," he joked. He says the popularity for the animals animals has gotten "completely out of hand" but he also thinks it isn't just a craze and that their popularity is going to stay. "So many people like them." And they are smart creatures, he explained. They can be house broken and it only takes about three days to tame them down after coming from the pen. Mr. Connell said he and his family, family, two sons and a daughter who are partners with him, have had "a lot of fun" raising the pigs as well. He ends with a final story about the oreo cootie. He's been told the treat is a big deal for the pigs. "It's the craziest thing and it sounds just like a commercial. But if they can split them open, they will eat the inside of the cootie first." See if Fido will do that. Committee Rejects Newcastle Townhouse Plan A committee of Newcastle's Newcastle's town council has recommended recommended against the building of three new townhouses on a vacant lot at 36 Church St., in Newcastle Village. In rejecting the development, development, one member of Council Council noted that public opposition opposition to the plan is one of the factors. "There are just too many people opposed to this. In my opinion, it doesn't stand a chance," said Councillor Councillor Diane Harare. She noted that a similar application for development in another area of Newcastle Village went all the way to the Ontario Municipal Board where it was defeated. defeated. And she argued that the same thing would happen to this proposal. Councillor Frank Staple- ton pointed out that the area is in a neighbourhood of older, single family homes. "I think that we keep cramming housing in and we don't need to do that". In addition, the Ward Three local councillor pointed pointed out that the site is directly directly across from a roadhouse and tavern. He suggested that higher density residential residential land use would, therefore, therefore, not be appropriate. "I think ii I've learned anything on Council, it's that residential develop- Fifty Foot Lot Frontage Disappearing from Map The urban home with a 50-foot frontage is going the way of the dodo bird and the' dinosaur. Such lots are already virtually virtually unheard of in the Metro Metro Toronto area. And there are indications that they are also becoming extinct here. Members of Newcastle's general purpose and administration administration committee turned their thoughts to the increasing increasing density of residential residential development during a discussion on Monday. Councillor Larry Hannah said he was concerned somewhat somewhat about the housing mix in this municipality, pointing pointing out that there seems to be an increase in the proportion proportion of higher-density homes on smaller lots. "Tire trend is now towards towards smaller sizes. It's affecting affecting our municipality and coming here," agreed Planning Planning Director Frank Wu. Ana he noted that with the provincial initiative towards affordable housing, the 50- foot lot may become a thing of the past. Councillor Diane Harare suggested that the shrink- ment and beverage rooms don't mix," he said. Patricia Norton, a spokesperson spokesperson for neighbours surrounding surrounding the, townhouse site, stated that downtown business persons are opposed opposed to an increase in tne density of the downtown. "Our neighbourhood is a single family dwelling area and should remain as such, she added. Originally, the rezoning application submitted by Edmond Edmond Vanhaverbeke requested requested four street town- houses at the site. This was later amended to three townhouses after a public meeting with area residents. Newcastle's planning department department staff said they had received 62 signed form letters letters of objection. Town staff had recommended recommended in favor of the development, development, noting that the units are located within the central area" and mam would comply with the Town of Newcastle Official Plan. ing lots are the result of the high cost of servicing land and the costs of lot levies. She added that an education lot levy may be added to the existing levies set by the municipalities. "The whole direction across the Province is to try and get more housing units out of a piece of land than you could have got before," said Councillor Harare. Discussion of lot sizes was sparked by an application application before the committee for a subdivision of 245 dwelling units off Trull's. Rd., south of Highway Two ] Kiddicorp Investments ( Limited had requested that, the property be rezoned in order to permit the development. development. The proposal con-/ tained only 19 single family homes on 50-foot lots.There were 42 single family homes on 40-foot lots and the remaining remaining residences were either either townhouses or semi- detached/link homes. The general purpose and administration committee has agreed to refer the subdivision subdivision proposal to Town staff for further processing. New Cement Plant Structure Taking Shape Considerable progress has been made in the few weeks since a photo of developments at Port Hope Ready-Mix was published. The new structure has taken shape and should be available in the not too distant future to take care of their growing number of customers. Interiors ^ Kathy D. Interior planning with the charm and simplicity for today's home or office. Our quality never goes out of style. Gallery Chair Clearance 35 0/ zo OFF IN-STOCK Dig Savings on custom orders Sale ends Sat., May 5th Mon., Tues,, $ 'fours,, Fit, Sol, 7 Gcorae St„ Bowmanville 10 u.m, - 5 p.m. "cSŒT 623-9418 Kinfl St The Canadian Statesman, Bowmanville, April 25,1990 3 Committee Recommends Zoning Change for Plaza An 800 square metre shopping plaza planned for Hampton moved one step closer to reality on Monday. Newcastle's general purpose purpose committee recommended recommended approval of a rezoning application application and official plan amendment permitting the plaza. That recommendation now goes to Town Council for approval and an amending amending by-law will be forwarded to Council at such time as a site plan agreement has been approved by the Town. In a report to members of Council, the municipality's planning staff pointed out that the revised plaza plans are about half the size of ones which were originally presented at a public meeting meeting almost one year ago. Since that time, the nine residential units originally proposed were deleted. And the commercial area would Medical Clinic Proposed for Baldwin St. In Newcastle A public meeting called by Newcastle Council on Monday heard objections to a proposed medical clinic to be located in a single family house at 141 Baldwin St., Newcastle. Newcastle Council has been asked to rezone the property in order to permit a medical clinic to be established established within the existing building. The clinic would support one doctor. Don McArthur, a resident who lives across from the property in question, told Newcastle councillors that he is concerned that the neighbouring properties could eventually be purchased purchased and converted into commercial uses. "I definitely want to see it stay as a private dwelling. I have concerns that there could be further changes on other lots," he said. He noted that there are properties available on the main street of Newcastle Village which would be more suitable for a medical clinic. A second resident who objected objected to the clinic also stated stated that space is available downtown for the clinic. The town's general purpose purpose and administration committee voted to refer the rezoning request to town staff for further processing. be 800 square metres or 8,640 square feet. The plaza is located on the north side of Taunton Rd., at the corner of Taunton Taunton Rd. and King St. "It's staffs opinion that the proposal is suitable and is compatible with the surrounding surrounding land uses. Inasmuch Inasmuch as this proposal will 1x3 providing services which do not presently exist within the hamlet boundaries, staff believe that existing commercial commercial activities will not be adversely impacted," the planning staff added. Their report also pointed,' out that only, one person spoke in opposition to the,' proposal during a publicmeeting publicmeeting held on January 22. Approximately 211 letters in' support of it were presented. Councillor Arnot Wotten expressed reservations over the plaza. He is concerned that if the plaza contained a. convenience store, it could- become a "hang-out" for stu-' dents at the M.J. Hobbs Senior Public School located directly west of the plaza. Wider Hwy. 401 In Design Stage The preliminary design for the widening of Highway 401 to 10 lanes between Courtice Rd. and Brock Rd. should be completed this spring. Plans call for the freeway to be expanded to five lanes in each direction and open houses were held last year to discuss this possibility. In a resolution passed at Monday's meeting of Newcastle's Newcastle's general purpose committee, town staff agreed to the preliminary design. The committee has also ' requested that a pedestrian/: bikeway linkage related to ' the valleylands of Toolev 1 s' Creek be included in the design. design. Newcastle's planning staff noted in a report that Highway 401 represents a major barrier to waterfront development in South Cour- , tice. Therefore, staff re,- quested that access from - , residential areas in Courtice to the waterfront be provid- ' ed. Public Invited to View Orono Plan A public meeting will be held in Orono so that members members of the public can see the latest draft of the Orono secondary plan. The document has been produced by the consulting firm of Proctor and Redfem. In a report to the Town of Newcastle's general purpose and administration committee committee on Monday, the town's planning department stated that the finalized plan es tablishes Highway 35/115 as " the eastern boundary of the' hamlet. The secondary plan restricts restricts growth to minor in- ;; filling and residential ex-, pansion within the Zone 1 water supply system. The plan will be more fuL ly explained at the upcoming upcoming public meeting. Councillors did not set a final date for that meeting, but agreed that it would take place in the evening. $76,000 Planning Grant Allan Furlong, MPP for Durham Centre, Norah Stoner, MPP for Durham West and Bill Ballinger, MPP for Durham-York, today today announced on behalf of Municipal Affairs Minister John Sweeney, a $76,000 community planning grant to the Regional Municipality of Durham. The money will be used to undertake studies that will provide background information information for a major amendment to the Regional Official Plan. "Durham Region has taken taken a significant step in the area of land use planning for housing," Mr. Sweeney said. "The study will help council analyze their current and future future housing needs and prepare prepare their policies." Lloyd Scott, M.A.j Counselling Professional/Confidential/Caring Emotional, Marriage and Family Distress • Marriage Problems • Sexual Problems • Anger and Depression • Bereavement . _ • Specializing in: Children / Teenagers ; : ) and their families. • Trained Divorce Mediator l^iîsâ.uMjÊÊM I a Oshawa 725-9287 Orono 983-9792 Read weekly column in Saturday Oshawa Times Client Privacy Day and Evening Appointments 7/fe TtfaMftafien @e*tùie Bring's Back it's Very Successful WALL OF FORTUNE SALE 0 f FORTU/v f Choose your wallpaper then spin that wheel and save from 5 to 30% off our everyday low prices. 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