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News/A3 Clarington lights up at night Sports/Bl Girls' hockey to hit a new level Sunday CLARINGTON'S AWARD-WINNING NEWSPAPER SINCE 1854 Wnt Canadian Statesman Pressrun 24,150 December 17, 2003 • 36 Pages • Optional 3 Week Delivery $5/$l Newsstand durhamregion.com Flu outbreak fills hospitals Exact number of cases hard to pinpoint BY CARLY FOSTER Staff Writer DURHAM - The flu has hit Building boom in Durham DURHAM - The Region's building permits continue to boom, raking in $1.4 billion in construction dollars in the first 10 months of 2003. That's a 60 per cent increase ' from the same time period last year, said a report detailing Jan- uary-to-September building permit statistics for Durham Region. Region. ; "The total building-permit value during this period has already already surpassed the highest recorded value in the history of the Region ($1.2 billion for 2002)," the report said. Growth of 139 per cent in the non-residential sector since the «"ine time last year - which includes includes commercial, governmental governmental and institutional - is the main cause for the increase. New home construction is booming, accounting for more than $815 million in permits so far this year - that's an increase pf almost 31 per cent from 2002. It's also the highest level of residential value on record, ;|>7S8.9 million for new homes and $26.9 million in renova- ;tions, additions and improvements. improvements. INDEX Editorial Page A6 Sports B1 Classified B7 GIVE US A CALL General 905-579-4400 Distribution 905-579-4407 General FAX 905-579-2238 Newsroom FAX 905-579-1809 durhamregion.com ONTARIO'S DRIVE CLEAN • SERVICE • PARTS MON., WED., FRI. 7:30 am - 6:00 pm TUES. & THURS. 7:30 am - 8 pm SAT. 9 am - 4 pm ACCREDITED TEST & REPAIR FACILITY ♦Aimlfiihil mink nl'lhv Province ol'Oiilm lo used under licence. Whitby - Oshawa Hone 1110 DUNDAS. ST. E. WHITBY, LOCAL (905) 666-1772 honda www.hondn1.com / the Region, causing mandatory mask-wearing, visitor restrictions restrictions and longer wail times at hospitals. At press time. Durham had 52 confirmed cases of influenza, influenza, with more than a dozen at Lakeridgc Health Corporation's five sites. Rouge Valley Health, Ajax-Pickcring hospital could not provide the number of cases at press time. Pinning down exact numbers is "a little bit like the tip of the iceberg, though," said Dr. Don Atkinson, chief of staff for Lakeridgc. Lakeridgc. That's because test results results take three days to come back and many patients, including including those who exhibit only some flu symptoms and those suffering from such related illnesses illnesses as pneumonia, may not be tested, Dr. Atkinson explained. explained. The increase in cases has caused the hospitals to institute several protective measures, including including asking patients and visitors visitors coming to emergency rooms to don protective masks. "What we're trying to do is to stop the spread," said Katie Cronin-Wood, director of communications communications for Rouge Valley. "That's going to protect you WALTER PASSARELLA/ Statesman photo Trying to make peace BOVVMANVILLE - Students from M.J. Hobbs Senior Public School got into the Christmas spirit by writing letters they hoped would help make the world a better place. From back to front are George McNab, Steven McCullough- Braylcy, Abrhi Chamberlain, Scott Mailey, Thomas Klemcns, Dylan Domenichini, Stephanie Ferguson, Briar Hope, Aaron Leblanc and Derek Lee. Mayor wants taxpayers to own new library branch in Newcastle BY SHELLEY JORDAN Staff Writer CLARINGTON - A new library branch for Newcastle is coming soon and the building will be owned, instead of rented, rented, by taxpayers if the mayor has his way. Mayor John Mutton is exercising exercising his right to sit on the library library board and is appointing two councillors to join him. In his inaugural speech, he said he wants the new library to he funded by taxpayers and debentures. "Right now we're paying close to $70,000 in rent (for the present library)," said Mr. Mutton. "Wouldn't that money be better applied to something else?" The mayor says that, because because he is the only person responsible responsible for 100 per cent of taxpayers, he thinks it is important important that he sit on a board involved in one of the more expensive projects for the community. "We've got a shared-use building," lie said. "I'd like to move forward and build the Newcastle branch." Patricia Enright, Clarington Public Library system direc tor, said the Newcastle branch has been on the books for a while and it's always been a question of having the money to build it. The branch was originally located at the Newcastle Hall, but it wasn't long before more space was needed. The present location is 4,000 square feet but isn't large enough to keep up with the growing needs of the community. community. "Since building the Bow- manville branch, use has gone up 28 per cent and circulation is up 40 per cent," she said. "In Newcastle alone, circulation is up 27.5 per cent, we're up 48.9 per cent on information queries, while program attendance attendance has doubled to 96 per cent." Ms. Enright says when they build the new branch an expanded expanded collection of materials with improved access will be offered. "We've had a meeting with the mayor," she said, "and we're looking forward to working with him." Council will appoint the rest of the board members early in the New Year. from someone six chairs over who's coughing and sneezing." Dr. Atkinson agreed. "Those at greatest risk of getting the flu are frail seniors, people with chronic health problems and people who are See HOSPITALS page 7 Man cleared of stalking: police CLARINGTON - A Bow- manville sex offender is no longer a suspect in a string of stalking incidents involving local children, police say. The 49-year-old man. who is currently serving a 15- month sentence of house arrest arrest for sexually assaulting a woman in 1999. has been cleared following a two-week Durham Regional Police investigation. investigation. A probe began ai lei tit tec- separate reports of 12-year- olds in Bowmanvillc being followed or approached by a woman in a black Jaguar. Police identified the man - whose name was not released - as a suspect and he was taken into custody for allegedly breaching the conditions of his sentence by leaving the house. Further investigation of the man, who coincidentally owns a black Jaguar, determined he wasn't the person responsible for the recent stalking incidents. incidents. "As a result of a very thorough thorough investigation, that person... person... is no longer a suspect." said Staff Sergeant Bruce Townley of 16 Division. The man. who wasn't charged with any offence, will still face a Jan. 19 hearing in Superior Court of Justice for the alleged breach of his con 1 ditional sentence, which stems from his prior sex-assault conviction. conviction. He is currently free on $10,000 bail pending the hearing. hearing. Detectives, meanwhile, are actively pursuing other leads in attempts to identify the woman described in the recent incidents, said Staff Sgt. Townley. The suspect has been described described as white, in her mid- to kite-forties, with short blond or reddish hair and wearing glasses with black rims. Push on to get hotel/conference centre BOWMANV1LLK Mayor John Mutton is asking for support to ensure a new hotel and conference centre becomes part of the town landscape. landscape. Property located on the southeast corner of Waver I y and Baseline mads in Bow manvillc was recently zoned for development of a commercial commercial building. The proposed plan includes an 186,000- square-foot special purpose burbling and 86,000-squarc- foot hotel. "We're still in lhe early stages," said Mayor Mutton, "but Durham is in dire need of something like that." The mayor hopes council members will support the project project saying it has the potential to attract business conferences from areas outside Clarington. "There's a struggle to locate locate conference centres," said Mr. Mutton. "People usually go up north to a resort, or Toronto." The mayor said Bowmanvillc Bowmanvillc is ideally located because because of access to the 401 and 115, "Clarington is a good midpoint. midpoint. It's easy to get to with the transit system in the municipality." municipality." Mayor Mutton says a study conducted by the Municipality says there is a market for a hotel and conference centre combination in the area, lie See HOTEL page 7 COWAN \m PONTIAC 1 -- BUICK GMC 166 King St. E. Bowmanville 905-623-3396 Prices are plus taxes, license, administration fee Seasons (greetings from attof us at Cozvan (Pontiac THIS WEEKS FEATURES aa*an owe sobrka sue Ext. 2WD, VO, crulso, lilt, pwr windows & locks, koyloss ontry, 4 doors, high polished aluminum whools. 42,000 kms. VjVj amc SEMtii, ECT CS& StL XtitiJ -I door', A/C, lilt, crulso, power locks, box llnor, running boards (Includes GM Warranty 6 year 120,000km) 75,000 kms -ti3aorGtiyssmm8umii' , sti3r'4x* 350 V8, trailer package, loathor Interior, loaded, 3rd row sealing, front & roar A/C. 98,000 kms.