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J;/ In e é¥ iHViY fir 4HY '1*4 | I |: || ZJI1L ftJi I % v ^ V V \z V v Clarington's Community Newspaper Since 1854 A James Publishing Community Newspaper Wednesday, April 14, 1999 145th Year Issue 15 700 + 50 G.S.T. = 750 Fire Destroys Several Homes Fire officials arc investigating after a rash of suspicious fires in a new Courticc subdivision over the past week. Damage is estimated at $175,000 after two homes under construction in Courticc were destroyed by fire early Saturday morning. Divisional Chief Cord Weir says Clarington Fire Department responded to the call, on Pickard Gate near Bloor Street and Townlinc Road, at 4:16 a.m. By the time fire fighters were called, both homes were fully engulfed by fire and had started to collapse, says Chief Weir. . . The houses were both framed, and one had already been shingled, says Chief Weir. No one was injured in. the blaze. Fire fighters from Station One in Bowmanville and Station Four in Courticc responded to the call. The street had also been the scene of a small fire earlier in the week. On April 5, wood scraps at 15 Pickard Gate were set ablaze. Fire officials say that fire is considered suspicious. Another fire was reported in an unfinished building on Cornish Drive, which is adjacent to Pickard Gate. About $6,000 damage was done in the April 6 incident. Fire fighters were called back to the scene April 7, when contractors found evidence someone had attempted to start another fire in the same townhouse complex. Cause of the. fires is currently under investigation by the Clarington Fire Department, the Ontario Fire Marshall's Office, and Durham Regional Police. "It. seems in the last couple of weeks, we've had a rash of incidents of fires, and they seem to be escalating. escalating. That's why we're investigating," says Chief Weir. Artist At Work ■ Three-year-old Newcastle resident Stephen Roy Was hard at work Sunday, making a sticker picture during the. Newcastle Family Connection Charity Auction. A huge crowd was on hand to put in bids during the silent auction, which was held at the Newcastle Community Hall. Photo by Jennifer Stone i No hm C: ■30 Tragedy Averted In Bowmanville by Jennifer Stone Staff Writer A cut gas line in Bowmanville could have led to tragedy in Bowmanville Tuesday morning. Clarington Fire Department was called to a Church Street residence just before 7 a.m. when a resident resident noticed the smell of natural gas in the home, says Durham Regional Police Sgt. Jim Grimley. When firefighters arrived on the scene, they found the natural gas line to the home had been cut. The nine residents residents of the house were evacuated, and police and the gas company were called, "They discovered the gas line on the west side of the home had been damaged and found a trai.l of gasoline from there to a pick-up truck (nearby). Several spent matches were found" in the immediate area, says Sgt. Grimley. Firefighters remained on the scene for about two hours, say Fire Department sources. ; Sgt. Grimley adds the incident could easily have led to tragedy. "It's certainly a very serL ous incident," says Sgt; Grimley. "It had the potem liai for major disaster if either (form of gas) had ignited." . ; The charge for such an incident is mischief endangering endangering life, says . Sgt. Grimley. ; "It could certainly have done a lot of damage," he says. Investigation into thé incident is continuing. Courtice Man Arrested for Sexual Assault A man wanted in connection connection with a sexual assault in Courtice was arrested at Lakeridgc Health Oshawa Sunday. Durham Regional Police Sgt. Ted Dionne says the man was admitted to the hospital after taking a combination combination of medication and alcohol. He was arrested on a warrant while at the hospital. hospital. The arrest took place at about 10 a.m. The man is accused of sexually assaulting his wife at knife-point on Saturday. The incident is said to have occurred at a Courticc home. The 30-year-old man is charged with sexual assault- with a weapon and assault with a weapon. To protect the identity of the man's wife, no names have been released. Skateboard Park Included in $ 6.6 Million Capital Budget by Michelle Wyton Staff Writer The Bowmanville skate park is one step closer to becoming a reality this week as council voted to include it in the 1999 budget. The facility, which is estimated to cost the municipality about $190,000 will be partially funded through the general tax base, with the rest of the money slated to come from development development charges. It would be located at the Garnet B. Rickard Recreation Complex in Bowmanville. Combined with the increases to maintain the road repair program ($100,000), the property acquisition reserve account ($75,000) and some departmental budgets ($413,000), as well as funding for the Clarke Museum ($5,000), the total increase facing the average taxpayer so far is $25.13. It's a number finance chair Councillor John Mutton says is fair. "This increase is no cause for alarm as a long term, low, stable tax rate will be dependent upon occasional infusions infusions of smart money that operate under the assumption of 'pay me a moderate amount now or pay me a large increase later'," said Mutton. The municipal road repair program was given priority in 1998 when staff demonstrated that at least $300,000 per year must be applied to road maintenance. maintenance. Otherwise, deterioration would result in costs exceeding eight times the expense of maintaining the same roads. In the past budget, the program was maintained by reducing the transfer transfer to the municipal capital works reserve fund, but that transfer is recommended recommended to be phased back over three years with $100,000 applied to the tax base. The reserve account for property acquisition was endorsed several years ago by council so that the sale of surplus surplus property would be used to offset the purchase and capital improvements of buildings and land. So far, any purchases purchases have been funded from the already depleted parkland cash-in-lieu reserve fund and other reserve funds. The money for the Clarke Museum and Archives will be used for computer computer system hardware and a microfilm printer. The total cost of $10,000 will be split between tax funding and the Continued on page 2 r Clarington Hydro Sponsors Safely Show Students at Courticc South School know a lot about electrical safety now. and how to avoid getting a shock. The presentations arc sponsored by that they've had a visit from Bill Coaklcy (right). Above Frank Ltischcr, of Clarington Hydro. Clarington Hydro, helps Coaklcy teach grade one students Leslie Humphcries, Kailcigh Battait and Nicholas McKay how electricity behaves Photo by Michelle Wyton A C Jvu€3!?ijtJ0L! Angi/Suchan - "It's a Boy" Elliott - "It's a Boy" Holmes - "It's a Girl" Werheid - "It's a Girl" Wright-"It's a Boy" : Shop the Rest Buy from the Best! BaEEaffigsknSg Your local General Motors dealer for the past 30 years. 166 King St. E. Telephone 623-3396 James publishing COMPANY LIMITED Printing Professionals Since 1854 Telephone: 623-3303 62 King SI. West Bowmanville Bowmanville's Movers for 50 Years. Telephone 623-4433 .. - , ..... iV.l 815 ICing : EE $|IS6 ■ & xlf 8 ■■ CLute:.JltoBfegjmrL Oshawa, 576-1800 www. fraser ford, ca H K7 V go ' " Price Includes Copper Core Sperk I'lups. Note: Vins'ind/orplillnumsperk plops tddltlonel cost, Most vehicles end light trucks. 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