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Orono Weekly Times - 3 Wednesday, March 22,2006 South of 49 0 by Jeanne Burnside No warranty needed I recently had several conversations conversations with representatives representatives from OPG and found out that those ugly glass topped machines that protrude from one's home almost never break an rarely, if ever, ever get replaced. Their passion about the indestructibility made me almost believe, that at the end of the world, all that will survive is insects and electric meters. My inquiries began after actually taking the time to read and compare my current hydro bills with past usage. Prior to moving into our home, we did some renovations renovations including removing the baseboard electric heating, installing an oil tank and switching our kitchen oven to gas - propane out here in the country. All my major appliances appliances were bought with the very attractive energy efficient efficient sticker that touted that with the money saved over the years in hydro bills, they were definitely worth the investment. Even with these so-called improvements, my hydro usage continued to climb, but I put it off to my husband's' passion for mood lighting in every room and his viewing habit of sports & news television 24/7. ( Two years ago I tried covering covering my roof with the electrical electrical cables to try to stave off the ice build-up that inevitably happens on my very shaded lot in the winter. I anticipated and received another increase in my hydro bill but with the so-so results outside, I removed the cables the following Spring. Unfortunately, Unfortunately, my hydro usage the following winter did not go down, and at that time the customer service representative representative first explained how the meters are never wrong and insisted that if there was a problem, it always was with them slowing down. This past fall, I decided to close my outside hot tub. We usually run it all winter and inevitably only use it a handful handful of times. At last, I would see a reduction in hydro, usage because even the. optimists say hot tubs, use anywhere from $.50 to a dollar a day in hydro. You guessed it, no change in my hydro usage and now I was a woman with a mission. I first spoke with customer service at the 800 number who started to give me 'the spiel about the meters never being wrong and I asked if there was any documentation documentation they could send me. His response was no because it was anecdotal. I was transferred to a supervisor supervisor who started the same speech and again insisted I must be using the hydro somewhere else in my home. It seems my 42 year old meter is considered in top-notch condition by the powers at OPG. I asked her was there anything else in her home that she could think of that worked properly for 42 years. No response. At this point I was feeling more than a bit frustrated and asked to speak to her supervisor. Well I hit pay dirt. The next level up doesn't take calls. They would call me back the next business day and could I give them a convenient time. . As luck would have it, I was home when,;the.call was ., returned although in the middle middle of something else. I quickly quickly grabbed my paperwork and was again met with the speech about meters slowing down as they aged and not speeding up--a bit like humans I guess. When I asked her about documentation for this longevity issue of meters she said nothing was available available to the public. I asked her why I should take the word of a company that was so poorly managed that I am paying off the debt accumulated when I didn't even live in Ontario. She suggested I speak to the Minister of Finance. Her other suggestion was to hire an electrician to check my hydro and if they found something something was amiss they would check it. What she failed to mention was that would cost approximately $1,000 to $1,200 as quoted by two local electricians. It seems I am temporarily defeated although my neighbor neighbor suggested we split the cost of a windmill. I wonder if the Minister of Finance will cover that purchase... Main Street, Orono Proprietors: Gary, Carol ■ & Cory Vrcekcr • Wedding Caks • Ccrées for till Occasions • Pastries - Donuts - Pies • 13read & 13uns 905-983-9779 Closed Sunday and Monday Sara Ann Thompson (seated front centre) celebrating her 90th birthday at the Wallbridge house Circa 1938. Pictured from left to right - Mrs. Wallace Holmes, Mrs. (Dr.) J. A. Butler, Mrs. J. H. Jose, Mrs. F. W. Bowen, Mrs. W. H. Gibson, Mrs. H. Rowland (Hilda Tamblyn's mother), Miss E. Holmes (Mrs. Rowland's sister). Sara Ann Thompson was the granddaughter granddaughter of Asa E. Wallbridge. The picture was taken three years before Sarah died in the house. Wallbridge Continued from front according to Mr. Vic Supan, LACAC Chair. The house had a huge central central chimney in which six fireplaces fireplaces were connected, and there was a bread oven in the cellar. The house sustained a fire in 1941, in which residents residents Sarah Thompson and her cousin Annie Swim both died from some inhalation. As the fire did not destroy the home, it was renovated and operated as a be.d and breakfast breakfast establishment in 1949. Last December the property property owners, Dunbury Homes had indicated that they are willing to donate the building, or sell the property to the Municipality. They indicated at that time, the building would be vacated by November 30th, and they wanted it moved or demolished demolished in December. As the home sits on its original fieldstone foundation, the parties interested in preserving preserving the building do not recommend it be moved off it's foundation. The Ontario Heritage Trust have provided LACAC with written confirmation ,of the, provincial significance of the building in its current location. location. If the building is moved off its present site, it would no longer have provincial significance significance but would still have merit at the municipal level according to the Trust. Council passed a resolution last December authorizing the Municipal Clerk to begin the process to designate the property property under the Provincial Heritage Act. The resolution also directed staff to prepare a study exploring the feasibility for friture municipal use of the building. Dunbury Homes have since filed an objection to the 'Notice of Intention to Designate' with the Conservation Conservation Review Board, for a hearing. Dunbury Homes has approval, from the Region of Durham to divide the property into two separate lots on condition condition the house that straddles the proposed new property line is demolished. The Municipality is still working on the feasibility study of the Wallbridge Home serving a municipal use, or any other use. That report is expected next month. Students Continued from page 2 room and not allowed to leave until they agree. If you want to act like children, be treated like children. Do not hold the students hostage. It is only them that will suffer. In closing I have this com ment. Mike, if this strike goes for the duration and you loose your semester, who will you support then? Because we all know without that little piece paper your friture at McDonalds will be bright! My suggestion to you is to get together with your peers and or student union and force both sides to agree. You don't have to support one or the other, but in your own words when someone bosses you around, are you just goanna lie back and take it? Remember the union, in your mind is fighting for you, but they are also hurting your education to get what THEY want. Carrick Skelton, Orono - Happenings ~ to April 21 Clarington Museums & Archives is hosting "Arts of China" at Sarah Jane Williams Fleritage Centre open Monday to Sunday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. To book your group tour call Museum office 9.05-623-2734. Admission $4/person. Members $2/person. Saturday. March 25 Square & Round Dance - 8 p.m. at Newtonville Town Hall featuring Emily Creek Band. $10 per person. Info call 905-786-2507. Saturday. March 25 Blue Rodeo's "Bob Egan" at the Orono Town Hall - Doors open 8 p.m. Tickets $20 Saturday. April 1 St. Saviour's Time & Talent Auction (Auctioneer John Berry) at 7 p.m.; Up for auction: cottage weekend, antique chairs, Cruise, handyman, pjes, Bluejays tickets, etc. Saturday. April 8 Easter Bazaar at Kirby Church from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. All proceeds for the maintenance and/or future move of this church, penny sale, tea tables, Easter decor, recipes, crafts, books, ^baking,