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Sale of. park won it recover the costs To The Editor: Ing wile fn in the Scugog Citjgen, it was pointed out that it will cost the 'Township $20,000-$25,000 for a presentation to the OMB hearing, - regarding the re-zoning of a Blackstock Park to residential lots. It is very interesting that Town Council now regrets the ned to spend this amount of money on the proceedings. The residents opposed to the rezoning, on numerous occasions, asked what thé costs would be. No one, including Earl Cuddie had any idea. In fact, the answer from the lawyer for the Township was that the witnesses and experts brought to the hearing were already on retainer with the Téwnship return woyld be, no one Tepreseriing the Township knew. In a letter to Town Council i in 1992, Earl Cuddie outlined a return of $150,000. for the sale of the 3 lots minus $50,000 in costs for a net return of $100,000. Since that time the value of building lots have and would not significantly add %o the + declined in Scugog as they. have costs. When asked what the actual costs of throughout Ontario. A net of $80,000 is probably closer to reality. From that preparing lots for sale and {hat the net==$80,000, can be subtracted the $20,000 - » we "VIEWPOINT _ by JohnB. MeClelland 3 MURDERS, MAYHEM AND A WARM, SLEEPY POOCH My daily newspaper arrives at the foot of the driveway shortly after 5:00:in the morning, always right on time. * I den a pair of slippers and stumble out the door to retrieve it, pour myself a cup of tea and settle into an easy chair to find out what's being going on in thelworld. The rest of the household is still deep in slumber, so this is my ues time," a ch fot a few of un-interrupted tranquility. Most days, the pooch follows me into the living room, stretches, yawns a couple of times, then drops contentedly at my feet tojget, caught up on the rest oof his night- time winks. 'There is something to be said About the calming affects of settling in with the morning paper, a cup of strong tea in hand and a rather - large and warm dog stretched across one's ankles. On this particular morning, I turn to the front page and staring out at me are mug shots of three people murdered the previous evening in downtown Toronto. ! The photos are anything but flattering. All, are street prostitutes--one female, the other two male transvestites who dress in women's clothes with plenty of make:up and so on. The story under the photos tells me that police determined the three had been shot with the same weapon and the story concludes that a serial killer is on the loose and most Jikely will strike again. Gruesome stuff, but all too familiar in my morning paper in recent weeks and months, In fact, accounts of brutal crime in the city of Toronto have taken up a large amount of space dnd the reporting doesn't shy away from including all and every lurid detaily including interviews with the family and friends of the victims. A teen-ager is knifed to death on a busy street in the city's east end; a "47-year old accountant is murdered? (also by the knife) in one of those, "home invasions; a tiny tot less than a year old dies from "shaking," and her teen-age father is charged with murder; the three prostitutes gunned down on Victoria Day as they ply their ddngerous trade on the streets. "Tough reading ht five in the morning in the comfort (and safety) 'violent crime is the most serious . hookers. Violent crime is reaching of my living roont in Port Perry. For some reason I reach for the large dog snoring fitfully at my feet and give the back of neck a re-assuring rub. I can't believe the amount of violence that is Happening. Not a day goes by when my morning paper doesn't carry at least one report on yet another murder-- usually from the big city, but not always. The small towns and villages are certainly not immune. And as I said before, the news reports are getting more detailed al the time--often with two or more by-lines at the top of the story. The preds is often accused of pandering to som® base human instinct fascinated by all the details of a brutal murder--the more lurid the"better. "Sells papers," say the crigics. Perhaps. But my view is that issue facing society these days-- whether it's a gang of pre-teens thumping the tar out of a ten-year old for a pair of sneakers to the cold-blooded murder of three street out and touching more and more peoble every, day. And nobody knows thé reasons why, though there is no shortage of "experts" with their pet theories who blame it on everything from lack of discipline in the schools to the disintegration of the traditional family. Tomorrow morning with the dawn of a new day just starting to lighten the eastern sky, my ritual will start again. Plug in the tea kettle,slip on the slippers, retrieve the paper from the foot of thé driveway, settle into the big comfy chair, say good morning to 4 sleepy dog and turn to page one. ; If I was a betting man, I'd put money on the chance yet another grisly murder will be thé first thing to greet me. I'll sip my tea and wait for the pooch to settle at my feet before starting to.read. IN CLOSING: Don't forget Canoe the Nonquon coming up this Saturday, June 1. Have you got a canoe and a partrier for the 29th running of this Scugog Township tradition? Proceeds go to another great local tradition--our Scugog Shores Museum. For info on registration, pledge forms and everything else about Canoe the Nonquon, give Joan Scott a call at 985-7014. $25,000 for the hearing and many other costs brought up at the hearing: - repair work to neighbqring properties to prevent flooding; - extensive ditches and swales to run water off the lots}! * upgrades to the size of the culverts The question is: will theze be any true net return from the sale of the Iots? At this point the park could be sold just . to cover the costs of selling the 3 lots. Imagine trading a park for nothing! Any amounts made available to community groups from the sale of the park would not necessarily include all the costs. Town Council regrets having to spend $20,000 - $25000 on an OMB hearing. But I can't think of another organization that spends money and takes action before knowing the costs involved. Yours truly. a Paul McKenna, Blackstock . Public thinking on abortion To the Editor; In response to the letter "Do All The 'Aborted Babies Not Count For Anything". I found it very disturbing how the writer can predetermine that most of the public neither thinks or says anything about abortion. I believe the topic regarding the rights of the unbokn has been one of the most discussed issued of our time. I'm sure the many, not the few, have "thoughts or dialogue about this topic quite often. To the Editor: I don't know if pigeons are sloppy housekeepers or not. I know I clean up below their living quarters on Queen Street nearly every day of the year just as a matter of cdurse- and pride in my neighbourhood. Sometimes I even sweep the sidewalk for my friends on gither side (I'm an early riser!) The same with winter snow (if it's not too deep). The point i is, I like my sidewalk neat, Pp ly since I'm d and I share "the view with a lot of people, mostly strangers. I hope they appreciate my efforts on their behalf as well as. my own. However . . . Oh, oh, you know what's coming! O.K. There are some areas where 1 walk regularly of which I am nét proud. Some Water Street residents are either 'The media, in all its forms, has not ° ne¢iected.to give this issue its full and unbihsed attention in any way. To suggest that kittens being buried alive and the media reporting of that fact, is any indication of the public views on abortion, is irresponsible. I commend the writer for expressing his/her views, but do not condone the predetermined gxpression of the general public. ' Scott Blackburn Port Perry a 't see the turtles for the french fry trays blind or thoughtless by comparison. The Queeners are pretty good most of the time. How much time or effort can it take to sweep up a little dirt and make us all feel better? But also there is a sore spot in our "bio-park" where really thoughtless people throw unnatural lunch junk into the water exactly where we are _ supposed to appreciate things natural and clean and green and alive! Can't see the turtles for french fry trays or pop cans and bottles, etc. Where's the pride here? Where's the garbage can? Anyway, I thought perhaps the logo, "Home Proud" could extend a little farther than the IGA. Perhaps we could all put it into practice . + .. if we are, that is! Owen Neill - Port Perry Township spending To the Editor: Wise Government can create jobs and affordable homes at no cost to our communi .mQney to block houses will consider approval of Oak Meadows subdivision. As a ra ioper since 19565 - | always . The study new projects in our latest in the Prince Albert area shows a slow steady availability of new building sites over the next 10 to 15 years. As Mayor Hall stated - this 630 lot development will be the last major area to be developed in the Port Perry/Prince Albert ! This ages out at On May 29-- Scugog Township will spend our tax dollars in an attempt to stop our develop "Oak Mead from pi & . It is obvious there is need of many more housing dévelopments in Scugog - if ever prices are to be reduced. It would be wonderful - if the far-sighted positive thinkers on our council would support the development of "Oak approximately 50 new homes per year. This falls well short of the past 10 year average of 124 new homes per year being built. + It is shortages such as this (artificial shortages), which tighten the market place and push up the price of building lots and homes. On May 29, 1996 a hearing at Town Hall v . / Their insight would help create more jobs and at the same time help to create a more competitive market and produce affordable homes for the future. No longer can our people cope with high cost land and housing. Doug Wilson 11700 Simcoe Street Port Perry /