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TE Can NN 2 LEIS A BERN ee EARS, i | letters Responds to open air ice rink criticism Dear Sir: I would like to answer the letter received by you and printed in the Feb. 23, 1981 issue of the Port Perry Star regarding the outdoor rink being a disgrace and that I, as well as the Kinsmen Club - of Port Perry, owe the community an apology for the project failing this winter. Well, I've racked my brain as to how we could have controlled"the weather, the main cause, and come to the conclusion that the community would not expect that of us no matter how good an organization Kin is. If you will remember our weather in December was erratic and the two floodings applied were soon rendered useless by the New Year thaw and subsequent rains. January was unbearably cold and stormy and although we spent a small fortune in fuel for one of our member's trucks to clean the snow (I would like to take a quick opportunity to thank Rick Bouillion for his time and equipment donated to the cause for just fuel compensation) by the time we could prepare to flood it had either blown back in or new snow was falling. Also, our flooding equipment, so generously donated when asked for along with per- sonnel, would run the risk of freezing very expensive gauges and valves if run slowly in order to flood the ice, as is required, in the extreme cold. I refrained from requesting the equip- ment during the cold snap for that reason. David Irvine should remember that particular hazzard as substantial damage was caused last year when equipment, was used without permission, in the cold snap then the mess was left for myself and the Kinsmen to answer for. This brings me to another point, that being, Mr. Irvine alluded that the Kinsmen did not pull their weight last year. I must remind him of the man hours spent clearing liabilities and insurance matters for the project, as well as obtaining council approval, arranging flooding equipment and the actual maintenance of the ice. We were more than willing to accept help from the young people and allow them accolades for their work in return. We did not expect to have a dispute over the project. If Mr. Irvine wishes to grind a personal axe with me over the matter I wish he would do that personally and (Turnto page 6) PORT PERRY STAR -- Wed. March 3, 1982 -- 5 portperry star Company Limited = Cn a 8 He J.PETERHVIDSTEN Publisher Advertising Manager J.B.McCLELLAND Editor Member ofthe Canadian Community Newspaper Association and Ontario Weekly Newspaper Association Published every Wednesday by the Port Perry Star Co. Ltd., Port Perry, Ontario. Authorized as second class mail by the Post Office Department, Ottawa, and for cash payment of postage incash. Second Class Mail Registration Number 0265 Subscription Rate: InCanada $15.00 per year. Elsewhere: $45.00 per year. Single copy: 35¢ ~ RL Pom TRE re + ~ . or 8 re a a Rou yas bill smiley TRIPLE DISASTER "Cold nuff fer yuh?" '""Ain't she a corker?"' "Don't that beat all?" These and similar rhetorical questions reverberated across Canada during most of January. The answer to each of them was an unqualified, "Yup." _ For some reason (maybe something to do with the increasing commercialization of Christmas) the Lord became wrathful, and when he does, it is something. "He called a meeting. Present were Jack Frost, Old Man Winter, and Mother Nature. * When the Lord revealed that he was peeved, each was delighted. Jack Frost rubbed his hands together, not to keep them warm, but in glee. 'Let me at "em, Lord. I've . got a whole freezerful of cold fronts and record lows that are just settin' there doin' nothin." Old Man Winter cackled jubilantly, "Lordy, Lordy," (he was allowed this familiarity because of his extreme age), "I ain't had a good dust-up fer nigh on 20 year. Last year's winter was so easy they thought I'd gone to sleep or got senile. But I was just savin' up some snow squalls, wind chill factors and blizzards to. show 'em, one of these days, that there's plenty of life in the old boy yet." Mother Nature was more dignified, as is her wont, but equally keen. "The ungrateful varlets have been having their way with me for the past century or so. They're destroying my beauty with their acid rain, their strip mining, their ugly northern developments, their tinkering and trifling with the bounties I have bestowed on them. I'll go along, I believe the expression is, with these gentlemen." The Lord spoke, in a mighty and menacing voice, "So be it." And so it came about. Wave after wave of winter rolled across the land without cease, and the once-proud and scornful people of the land, who had come to the conclusion that they could keep Jack at bay with their new-fangled devices, meet the Old Man on his own terms, and lie and cheat Mother with their public relations gimmicks, whimpered, whined and were brought to their knees. Besides the howl of the wind, the air was filled with the rumble of overworked furnaces, the grinding and grunting of frozen starters and dead batteries, the thump and clatter of snow-plows, the hacking and sneezing of the people, and the lamentations of the arthritic. Flying was foolish, considering icing, gusting winds and long waits for the fearsome threesome to ease off a bit. Driving was dangerous; ice underfoot, whiteouts across highways, the chance of being blocked off and sitting all night in a car, freezing your butt and wishing you'd listened to Aunt Mable. 0il and gas bill soared. Tow trucks and car body shops enjoyed a harvest. People sat in the dark and froze when power lines came down. Skiers were stranded and snowmobilers got frostbite, courtesy of Jack. 'Shutters broke looke and banged against outside walls like poltergeists trying to scare the daylights out of you in the middle of the night. Ours did, anyway. } When I wasn't sitting with my fingers, toes and legs crossed to keep our ancient furnace from conking out, I was scuttling about the house, stuffing socks into the holes in basement windows, putting on the weather-stripping I'd bought last October, pursued by the voice of my wife reminding me of that fact. A colleague was hudlled by her fireplace on one of the - worst Sundays, when she heard a thumping at the door. Bewildered that anyone would be out in that maelstrom, she opened it and found another colleague standing there, shaking and shivering like a dog excreting razor blades. The guy had been out cross-country skiing, had got back to his car, almost paralyzed, and found the cops wouldn't let him go home. The road was blocked. She had to hurl him into a hot tub and ply him with coffee and whiskey to bring him around. : Another lot of friends set off for a religious meeting 30 miles away. It wasn't storming. They got six miles and couldn't see a thing. Even the faith wouldn't get them through. They turned and came home. We got through comparatively lightly. The old furnace, bless her, labored on like a guy with one lung swimming the Channel. Old coats and blankets at the bottom of doors kept our feet from turning into bricks. , But financially, the weather hurt. Money for the snowplow man, money for the boy next door who shovels the walk, literally digging me out in the morning, an oil bill that hurts like a sore tooth. And garage bills for about $400. The old lady came home one day, skidded going into the garage and wound up with (Turnto page 6) emember wh en? 60 YEARS AGO Thursday, March 2, 1922 Mr. Herb Eagleson, Seagrave has moved to his new home. A notation out of the Utica News stated that it is very dangerous for the young men to be driving around Sunday evening without bells. Mr. George Collins sold his property to Mr. McCul- lough of Toronto. . Reeve Rundle is in Toronto attending the Good Roads Convention. Mr. and Mrs. W.A. Christie of Bloomfield have de- cided to become residents of Port Perry. 35 YEARS AGO Thursday, March 6, 1947 There has not been such a winter storm in fifty-three years. Port Pérry is snowbound. On Tuesday, a call came to Dr. Irwin to attend a case in Greenbank. The doctor went. How he arrived - by car, on horseback, on foot - is a y endurance. Snowbanks run from eight to twenty feet - gh. Flying officer, George Mulligan's mother, Mrs. H.H. Mulligan received a signahhonour award, the Operational Wings of Royal Canadian Air Force, in recognition of - gallant service in action against the enemy. Mr. Mulligan was killed in action, . . Arrangements are underway for Port Perry's 75th Anniversary of Incorporation. Friday, March 7th is the birthday of David Daniel Palmer, flags will fly at half mast at the Palmer Park memorial. 25 YEARS AGO Thursday, March 7, 1957 Winners in the Lions Club Public Speaking competi- tions of Port Perry High School were Mary Lynn Hodgins and Bruce Taylor. Miss McCully, English teacher did a great deal of the organizing of the contest. Port Perry High School won the Inter-School Drama Festival Trophy. A second award was also presented to Esther Pickard (Best Actor). Mr. and Mrs. Fred Lamb and Mr. Fred Christie of Manchester attended the Fair Board's Convention in Toronto. Mr. and Mrs. Ernest Larmer, Blackstock were guests of honour when their family and friends entertained in honour of their 35th Wedding Anniversary. 20 YEARS AGO Thursday, March 1, 1962 Six All-Round Cords were presented to Blackstock Guides. This was the community's first presentation of All Round Cords. Under the direction of Roy Cornish and his teaching staff the fifth annual Public School Carnival was being held in the arena. Lieutenant Merle Short, Guide leader of the 2nd Guide Company was presented with her warrant by District Commissioner Ruby Roach. Tenderfoot pins were pre- sented to Eleanor Summers and Joan Martyn. 15 YEARS AGO Thursday, March 2, 1967 Heavy snowfalls and strong winds forced area schools to close as road conditions became hazardous. One hundred and forty new phones were installed in 1966. Guiders of Uxbridge held a surprise dinner party at the Evelyn Hotel, Uxbridge in honour of Mrs. Ruby Roach on her retirement from Guiding. Captain Dorothy Simpson presented her with a lovely hammered aluminum tray. 10 YEARS AGO Wednesday, March 1, 1972 Recently at the Port Perry High 'At Home Dance" Grade 13 student Anna Croxall was crowned Queen and Jane Anne Stone, grade 10, was crowned Princess. Fairy tales was the decoration motif. Durham College held its 4th annual Open House and attracted nearly 5,000 visitors to the various displays and demonstrations. The annual Club Bonspiel was held by the Blackstock Curling Club and the ladies were invited to enter a team in the spiel for the first time ever. ---- BEL RE Ea TE nL _, A AER ot Shar RL Ae Ae Fe