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2 - Orono Weekly Times Wednesday, June 16, 2004 Subscriptions $29.91 + $2.09 GST = $32.00 per year. • "M* Publications Mail Registration No. 09301 • Agreement No. 40012366 2s!tmm Publishing 48 issues annually at the office of publication. We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada through the Publications Assistance Program (PAP) toward our mailing costs." The Orono Weekly Times welcomes letters to the editor on subjects relum'd We* te SSsfed'"«CSoTe bf a°n Ir musi be given before the next issue goes to print. The Orono Weekly Times wi not be response for the toss or damage of such,terns. ^ "Weekly Times ORONO WEEKLY TIMES - 5310 Main St., P.O. Box 209, Orono, ON LOB 1M0 Email: oronotimes@rogers.com or Phone/Fax 905-983-5301 Publisher/Editor Margaret Zwart Sports and Display Advertising - Donna Battersby Front Office and Classified Advertising - Rosey Bateman ■ Proud hosts of RCMP Musical Ride It is a rare occasion indeed when an event as world renowned as the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) Musical Ride visits a small village the size of Orono, population 1,900. Orono, has proven yet again--that it has the perfect perfect venues to host world class events. Every school kid who visits the fairgrounds on Friday afternoon to meet with the impressive scarlet coated, Stetson wearing Mounties will long remember remember their afternoon at the Orono Fairgrounds. The Canadian Mountie is more than a romantic image. They present a very positive image to school children who often spend far too much time playing destructive video games. The fairgrounds are open to the public during the day on Friday, so anyone who wishes to do so, can go there to meet the riders and their horses. Getting an event such as the Musical Ride to come to Orono didn't just happen. It took a lot of hard work, persistence and resolve on the part of the Great Canadian Town Band Festival organizing committee to get the Musical Ride to consider Orono as a venue for their show. Their hard work paid off, and we, get to reap the benefits of hosting the world famous Musical Ride. The show will be spectacular, without question. The Musical Ride follows a number of bands, including the Concert Band of Cobourg and the Pipes and Drums of the Toronto Scottish Regiment. These fine bands are old favourites at the Military Tattoo in Orono Get the word out--buy a ticket and show the RCMP how proud we are of the image they portray to the rest of the world. mH ; iii' F : ■ .=ii Staying in Touch MPP John O'Toole Protest grows over de-list- ing chiropractic care Over 700 Durham constituents constituents have contacted me in the past few weeks to support continued OH1P funding for chiropractic treatment. 1 have had many similar calls, letters and e-mails regarding eye exams and physiotherapy. Durham Riding is the birthplace birthplace of the founder of chiropractic chiropractic medicine, Daniel David Palmer. He was born in Port Perry March 7, 1845 and Palmer Park is named in his honour. It is only fitting that there is strong support for the profession in the hometown of Dr. Palmer. However, opposition opposition to de- listing chiropractic services is province wide. Without 01 IIP funding for chiropractic services, Ontarians Ontarians will he forced to make more visits to doctors, emergency emergency rooms, and alter-hours clinics. Ontarians arc also likely to find themselves spending more money on prescriptions prescriptions and losing time from work if they can't afford chiropractic care. Earlier this month, I met with local chiropractors and we discussed ways to continue the campaign for keeping OHIP chiropractic coverage available to Ontarians. It is clear to me that any money the provincial government saves by de-listing chiropractic care will be lost due to added costs elsewhere in the healthcare system. June 15 and 16 will consist of two days of extensive extensive and final public hearings on the broken promises budget. budget. Members of the Opposition Opposition will continue to urge the provincial government to halt the more regressive ideas in the provincial budget. We want a restoration of coverage O'TOOLE S99psg9 3 iiiitiiiiii iliiiiii i'= ' ; ! h il III!! ill aisiiü Iffilpf liitiiaii iff Mi iliiiiipp iiliiii; =i!=. ;=>!' k* iMif.'t iii X ; :-:i ill !! M ' ijjiliiiii iiii item] Letter to the Editor Thoughts from an outsider Dear Editor, I have lived most of my life in places other than Clarington, and have only recently learned of your newspaper. newspaper. Thus, the editorial by John Slater (June 2nd), wherein wherein he referred to "the Revitalization of Orono:" and the June 9th editorial on "The Orono Focus Group" were of interest to me. Both outlined plans (or hopes) for extra activities and for growth. Both articles referred specifically to Orono. So, even a casual reader sees that there is concern for Orono among those who wish the village to flourish as a separate and distinct community. community. Many, especially people new to the area, may question the logic of retail, or commercial, commercial, growth for Orono. Would it not make more sense to put the efforts into promoting Clarington, or at the least promoting promoting the triangle of Orono/N ewcastle/Bowmanv i 1 le, primarily as a residential area? Why do we need commercial commercial growth? Some of us have watched with horror--the sprawl of Scarborough, Mississauga, North York, Pickering, etc. The result of that growth has been increased crime, miles of deteriorating malls, bad roads, air pollution and horrid "cityscapes". Who wants that in Orono? Optimists feel that with great planning (by governments), governments), growth can be achieved without the problems. problems. If you believe that, I have some land to sell to you! Orono's only claim to fame seems to be that it is small, has little industry, and has quick access to the highways. Increased commercial activity, with more and heavier traffic, and more commercial eyesores, eyesores, might be the worst thing that could happen here. ■ As far as Bowmanville and Newcastle are concerned, anyone suggesting lack of growth in those areas, must be asleep when they drive out at 5 a.m. on the trip to wherever they work. Those two towns are facing growth that is far too rapid. Arc they competing to be the next Scarborough? 1 can understand why our merchants might wish for more growth, but the residents residents (who far outnumber the merchants) will be ill served by more development. We already have every retail out let known to man within a twenty minute drive. Why do we need more? Also, are these studies, and the salaries of the promoters of "growth", being paid by our taxes? I would rather have my tax dollars, or at least, some of them, returned to me. The promoters could work (as volunteers) volunteers) on cleaning streets, reducing traffic flows, getting the wrecked cars off the lawns, parked cars off the streets, improved lawns and more beautiful gardens. The recent cleanup and planting at the Town Hall on Main Street, Orono is an excellent first step. What direction should an "Orono Only" emphasis really really take? When we recognize that Orono is a "bedroom community", with many residents residents leaving each morning for work elsewhere, the answer seems clear. Efforts should be devoted, not to promoting promoting new "local business", but rather to making Orono into the best bedroom community community in Clarington, or maybe--the best in Ontario or how about--the best in the world? J. S. Elliot Clarington