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Minister cuts Fitness Centre ribbon Rueben Baetz, provincial Minister of Culture and Recreation Recreation cuts the ribbon for the official opening of the new Fitness Centre in Bowman- ville. The project sponsored through local donations amounting to almost $600,000 and funds from Wintario, the Ministry of Culture and Recreation and $200,000 from the Town of Newcastle. The total cost of the project ' amounted to $1.2 million. One of many facilities at Newcastle Fitness Centre During demonstrations of equipment and facilities at the, new Newcastle Fitness Centre on Friday this young lad entered the water by means of this chair lift. This facility is for use for the disabled. The ■new pool be sides the squash courts also features a whirlpool and sauna. • i Sa m at Queen's Park HYDROGEN ENERGY A safe and secure energy supply is a priority of Governments Governments around the world. Recently I met a scientist, Dr. David Scott, a University of Toronto engineer, who believes believes he has the answer to Canada's energy needs. His answer, 1 should add, is quite convincing. Dr. Scott advocates the use of hydrogen gas as an alternative to oil, coal and other hydrocarbon fuels. Canada has an abundance of the two things necessary to produce hydrogen - water and electricity. A pulse of electricity electricity through a body of water is all that is required to create this gas. Hydrogen has already proved proved itself a practical replacement replacement for petroleum. In the United States, the Billings Energy Corporation produces everything from camp stoves to jeeps running on hydrogen. The firm is presently waiting for a decision from the City of Pittsburg on the conversion of V their bus fleet to hydrogén. To date, economics has been the major stumbling block preventing the introduction introduction of hydrogen on a wide scale. But if gas costs rise to $2.00 a barrel, as many economists predict will occur by the mid 'eighties, hydrogen hydrogen use will not only be economically practical but a necessity for those nations wishing to escape the spiral of rising fuel costs. Essentially, Canada has all the technology it needs to begin production of hydrogen. Conversion kits fob automobiles automobiles can be bought for as little as $500,00 according to Billings Energy Corporation, while our Province's abundant abundant electrical supply could be used to create the gas from water, particularly during off-peak hours when electricity electricity is cheapest. Hydrogen can be piped like natural gas or stored in an inert state in iron titinium, a metal that absorbs the gas like a sponge. INCO is the leading world supplier of iron titinium, and other metals, which can store the gas safely. In addition, Canada leads the world in technology for the production of hydrogen from water. The Toronto- based Electrolysis Corporation Corporation can provide our utilities" with everything they need to produce hydrogen from electricity electricity and water. Tests and practical use indicate that hydrogen is no more dangerous as a fuel than oil or gas. There'is no added danger of explosion, and the by-product of the gas, water vapour, poses much less of a hazard to our environment than the, carbon monoxide produced by the burning of oil and ga^. In twenty years Canada could be , producing 1 enough hydrogen to jneet all of its transportation needs, cutting our dependency on oil by half. To meet this goal however, a large scale capital invest- Oronô Weekly Times, Wednesday, February 11th, 1981-7 ment in electrical generating stations. must be made. In Ontario this means that Hydro's generating potential must continue to increase rather than maintained at present levels. This means that Darlington must be constructed according to sch-, edule. 1 agree with Dr. Scott that hydrogen provides the best' answer for Canada's energy needs.,- Energy Ontario is currently conducting studies of hydrogen energy and its application to our Province's energy future however more interest must be shown by industry, and the public at large, if we are to take the steps which will result in a secure, hydrogen-energy future. - I was very pleased to participate with Carmen Germane on Voice Italia T.V. Show broadcast on Gablecast 10 in the Oshawa-Newcastle area. I found it most stimulating stimulating and interesting. ,1 would like to congratulate the Durham Teachers - Disstrict Disstrict 17 - who participated in the program "Buy the cars your neighbours help to build". Might I also congratulate a ■ new author in our area, Mr. Charles Ewert, who has just published his first book called Crosë" of Fire. Concrete workers remain . locked-out Close, to forty concrete workers, members of Teamster Teamster Locals 230, have entered . the ninth week of a lockout by their respective companies. Three companies bargain jointly with the Teamster Union affecting plants in Peterborough, Port Hope, Cotiourg, Bowmanville, Lindsay Lindsay and Belleville. The union workers were locked out on December 1.5th and are not eligible for unemployment insurance. They received $35.00 a week for the first four weeks and since $45.00 a week. 4 'A two year agreement expired on October 31st. The Utiiori is now asking for an 18 month agreement while the companies are seeking a renewal of another two year agreement. An 18 month agreement would come at a time in the spring when the plants could be busy. A two year agreement comes during during the period of slowdown" in the fall. The two groups have not as yet considered monetary and benefit issues. A meeting between the companies and the Union late in January brought forth no agreement whatsoever as to the time of the agreement. The Staff and Students of Clarke High School Cordially invite the public to attend i the eighteenth annual « * ! Commencement 1 to be held in the high school auditorium on Saturday, Feb. 14,1981 at 8:00p.m. Everyone welcome.