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News/6 Proposal calls for affordable daycare CLARINGTON'S AWARD-WINNING NEWSPAPER SINCE 1854 Sports/13 Eagles' forward a tad defensive WHAT'S ON Saturday: The Newcastle and District Chamber of Commerce Commerce presents an all-you-can- eat breakfast with Santa from 8 to 11 a.m. Saturday at the Newcastle Newcastle Community Hall. Tickets Tickets are $5 for adults, $4 for seniors seniors and teens, S3 for children aged three to 12, and $15 for a family of four (maximum of two adults per family ticket). Children under three eat free. For more information or to buy tickets call Diane (905) 987- 5653. Dec. 11 : Work alone and . don't have a holiday "company" "company" party to attend? The Durham Home and Small Business Association will be hosting a December meeting for an evening of networking and fun to celebrate the season. Associates and spouses/partners spouses/partners are welcome and there may be presents. This event will be held Wednesday, Dec. 11 at 7 p.m. at the Archibald Orchards and Estate Winery- Bowmanville, Liberty Street north of Taunton Road. There will be free admission to the event with a potiuck contribution contribution and an item for donation to a local food bank. Pre-register by calling 905-728-2899 or www.dhsba.com. INSIDE Wheels: Canadian automotive journalists choose their favourite new cars for 2003. Included is the new Pontiac Vibe. The best new vehicles vehicles will be announced in February at the Canadian International International Auto Show. INDEX Editorial Page . .4 Classified 9 Sports .13 GIVE US A CALL General 905-579-4400 Distribution No hours, no diploma Most students still need volunteer hours BY NATALIE MILLER Staff Writer CLARINGTON - The majority majority of Grade 12 students in the local public and Catholic school boards haven't completed completed the volunteer hours they need to graduate from high school. Both boards contend approximately approximately 60 per cent of their students haven't submitted their hours. School board officials officials suspect, of those students, some have completed the hours but haven't handed in the paperwork, paperwork, while others have partially partially finished the 40-hour requirement. requirement. "My bigger concern is they have to have it in by June to graduate," says John Mackle, Superintendent of Schools with the Peterborough Victoria Northumberland and Claring- ton Catholic District School Board, where there arc 923 Grade 12 students. "There's probably a percentage percentage who haven't started," he says. "It's getting close now." The community service hours is a new requirement this year for the Ontario Secondary School Diploma. Reports suggest suggest as many as 65,000 Ontario students haven't logged their hours. Both boards say it's not for a lack of reminders. "They're well aware of it," says Mr. Mackle. "There are bulletin boards full of opportunities opportunities to connect with the community. community. There's constant newsletters and announcements announcements on the P.A. system." Next month, students can See VOLUNTEER page 5 WALTER PASSARELLA/ Statesman photo Chill out BOWMANVILLE - Carly Sanders quickens her pace during a cold walk to work on Tuesday, as temperatures dipped well below the freezing mark. Businesses say wait on new headquarters Renting is bad deal: chairman BY JACQUIE MclNNES Staff Writer BOWMANVILLE - Buildings Buildings leased by the Region have been paid for several times over and that's a bad deal for taxpayers, taxpayers, Regional Chairman Roger Anderson said as he tried to drum up support for a new regional headquarters Tuesday. "Our works department occupies occupies an industrial mall on Consumers Drive in Whitby, which we could have purchased in 1985 for $1.2 million. The total rent paid to that landlord since 1974 is $6.4 million. Regional Regional taxpayers have paid for that building five times over," Mr. Anderson told business people during a Clarington Board of Trade breakfast at the Ontario Power Generation information information centre in Bow- manville. The works department occupies occupies just one of several buildings buildings the Region is leasing for a total of $2.6 million a year plus operating and maintenance costs, the chairman said. The cost of operating the buildings would be reduced with a newer, more heat-efficient and updated building, the chairman added. Consolidating phone systems, systems, security and other infrastructure infrastructure for several departments departments into one building makes good economic sense, he said. But if building a new headquarters headquarters is such a good idea, Regional council should make the business case to the public and let Durham residents decide decide for themselves, says Greater Oshawa Chamber of Commerce President Ian John- cox. "It's too much money to be spent for council to decide in one month," Mr. Johncox said. Regional council should not make a final decision in January when proposals from five developers and reports for financing the building are presented presented to council, he said, adding the public should be part of the decision-making process. The chamber wants regional politicians to put the idea to a referendum during the November November 2003 election so voters can have their say, Bob Malcolm- son, manager of the Greater Oshawa Chamber of Commerce Commerce says. The chamber, the Clarington Board of Trade and other Durham business and ratepayer groups have received 1,807 letters of support in response response to a mail-out campaign calling for a referendum, says Mr. Malcolmson. The regional chairman says it doesn't make sense for council council to delay a decision on the issue, which has been under review review since 2001. "I would hope council will deal with it that day. The facts and information will be there and there will be presentations by staff. They've made decisions like this before. When we made the decision to spend $ 100 million on a (south Courlice) water plant they See LET page 5 905-579-4407 Death Notices 905-683-3005 Sincerely Yours .... .1-800-662-8423 General FAX 905-579-2238 Newsroom FAX ..... 905-579-1809 durhamregitora .com pjema • SERVICE • PARTS • NEW & USED SALES & LEASING EXTENDED SERVICE HOURS MON., TUES., THURS., FRI. i 7:30-6:00 WED. - 7:30-9:00 SAT.-9:00 -1:00 ACCREDITED TEST & REPAIR FACILITY •An iifllcltil murk of lliv I'rmince of OnlnrliMiscd under licence. Whitby - Oshawa H o n d a 1110 DUNDAS. ST. E. WHITBY, i i.ocai, msi 666-1772 „ orj www.hondn1.com V- Bethesda breaks ground on new shelter Still 'committed to building hope and changing lives' BY JACQUIE MclNNES Staff Writer BOWMANVILLE - Six months after a Bowmanvillc women's shelter was forced to close its doors due to health concerns, concerns, it is getting a fresh start in a new location. "Bethesda House is committed committed to building hope and changing changing lives," says its new Executive Director Catherine Fox. The shelter held a ground-breaking ceremony Friday for a 2,000 square-loot expansion at a new downtown Bowmanvillc location. location. The shelter, funded by the Province, should be open in March 2003, says Ms. Fox. The organization purchased the new building after the shelter's shelter's last home, on Liberty Street South, was closed due lo slruc- lurnl problems and Hooding that caused health concerns for its oc cupants. Construction on the new building will create a barrier-free !5-bcd facility for abused women and their children during time of crisis, says Ms. Fox, who notes the same support and emergency emergency shelter services will be offered offered to women using the new shelter as were offered in the past. One service, a phone line for women in crisis, continues to operate operate 9 a.m. lo 5 p.m., Monday to Friday, even now while the shelter shelter is closed, says Ms. Fox. By the middle of this month, she says, the crisis line should be operating operating until 9 p.m., seven days a week and will eventually be manned 24 hours a day. 'flic shelter is gelling a fresh start with the new move, says Ms. Fox, who herself recently joined the organization after 18 years working in women's shelters shelters across Ontario. Most recently recently she was executive director for My Sister's Place in Alliston. The mother of two grown children has been married 33 years and See NEW page 5 WALTER PASSARELLA/Statesman photo Bethesda House held a ground-breaking ceremony lor a new shelter that attracted, from left, Bob Burke (Bethesda House board director), MW John O'Toole, Councillor Councillor Charlie Triunn and Catherine Fox (executive director). Ê0WANM PPTIW IB 1H IOC (mo- 166 King St. E. Bowmanville 905-623-3396 'Pilctii mu pUiH huwi, Hcoimb tv id mlmlnlBtmjtoM In». w :* vM'Skm 2000 CMC JIMMY 4 DR. 4x4 SLY Londod, Pushbutton 4x4, lonthor Intorlor, powor sunroof. 04,000 km, i ü z^iriüJ iPii il © h 2000 PONTIAC SUNFIRE 4 LH I. 4 cyl., auto,, nil com!, crulso, till, power windows, locks & minois, mar spoiloi, aluminum wliools, CD plnyoi, koyloss onliy, 40,000 km. 1993 F0I1D XLT REG. CAB PICK-UP V-tl, uulo., air condition, tilt & crulso, chromo wliools, boxllnor, dual gas tanks. PROTECT V* BEmttEIE You.choose the two NO CHARGE items that best suit your needs. 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