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EE mI Ag A Sa Sh PORT PERRY STAR -- Tues. February 17, 1987 -- § Viewpoint { by John B. McClelland SCUGOG GROWING PAINS ~I'was chatting recently with a long-time resident of Port Perry (I won't call him an "old-timer, but suf- fice to say, he is past retirement age). Our conversation got around to the changes that are happening tp this community: the almost un- precedented growth, the record number of houses that are sproufing up, the new businesses opening, and the transformation of downtown Port Perry from a relative- ly quiet place not too many years ago, to the point where now it is hustle and bustle every day of the week. My friend wasn't exactly critical of all the changés that have taken place, but I got the distinct impression he wonders when (and if) the growth spiral will level off. ~ "I'hardly know a soul when I go into the Post Of- fice these days," he said. "Time was you could walk up and down Queen Street and greet everyone by name. Not any more." That's a familiar comment that [I have heard numerous times (from old and young people alike) especially those who have lived here for more than a few years. "But growth is inevitable," I replied. 'Besides, it's healthy for a community to grow." My friend took a sip of his coffee, looked me straight in the eye and said, "Sure, it's healthy if you happen to be in business here. But what about those who don't want to see Port Perry turn into another Markham or Pickering." When I scoffed at his suggestion that we are becom- ing Markham or Pickering, he simply said. "Don't be too sure of that." Our conversation drifted around to the ongoing dispute over the Fairgrounds, and my friend threw out the theory that this squabble is really not about the site for a new school, or whether the Fair should relocate across the road. It's not even about whether the local council should throw enough money at the Fair Board to build a race-track. d The squabble, my friend suggested, is essentially about resistance to change. "What do you mean?' | asked. . Warming to the topic, he explained that many of those who are adamantly opposed to moving the Fairgrounds have lived in this community for years. They were born here, grew up here. Their roots go back a couple of generations. They are, he said, not totally opposed to change, but they think there has been too much, too fast. & On the other side of the fence are the so-called "newcomers," people who have recently moved to the community, snapping up all those new homes that have been built in the past decade. They are the ones clamouring for new schools, new arenas, swimming pools, better recreation facilities for their kids and soon. "They move out here to get away from the city rat race and they expect all the services and amenities of the big city," he stated. To the newcomers, the Fairgrounds is just another piece of land used three days each year for a Fair. They feel no attachment to it, and if the Fair has to be mov- ed for a new school, what's more important? The essence of what we are witnessing, he went on to say, is a clash of values. The Fairgrounds has become "a symbol for some, much the way the library sqabble a few years ago was symbolic. It is a way of sending a message to the "newcomers" that they are welcome here, but don't push too hard, don't start tampering with our traditions and landmarks. It's a question of control, my friend said. Who's in control here. Is it those whose roots go deep, or those who bought a house in a subdivision six months ago? He asked me how long I have lived in Port Perry. When | replied ten years, he said, "you probably don't understand what I'm talking about. You're still a newcomer." We finished our coffee, said our goodbyes, and I con- templated what my friend had said 40 me. | Is that really what this bitter dispute is all about" Was it the same thing that caused such a deep communi- ty split several years ago over the building of a new library? The growth spiral shows no signs of letting up. Near- ly 200 new homes were built in Scugog last year. There are several new subdivisions ready to jump off the drawing board this year, condos on the lakefront, and there are plans for a major retail plaza on Highway 7A with a 90 unit apartment-condo complex. And who will be living in these places" A few residents of the area, but the vast majority will be from outside Scugog. The more I thought about my friend's comments, the more I had to agree that the community is going through some gevere growing pains, and I wondered to myself when the next major issue will surface that puts the long-time residents on one side and the newcomers on the other. Who's in control, my friend had said. That's the real Issue. It 'was an interesting conversation. But there was one thing my friend did not explain to me. When does one cease to be a 'newcomer in Scugog Township?" Yesterday's Memories 70 YEARS AGO | Wed., February 14, 1917 : : MT. J. N. Brown, member of the 1.0.0.F. was honoured ami" presented with a jewel for services in matters pertaining to the welfare of Warriner Lodge. Dr. Clinton, representative of the Provincial Board of Health, gave a motion picture in the Town Hall to the pupils of the schools in Port Perry and surrounding districts on the dangers of Tuberculosis. ". o Over 60 teenage boys attended the Boy's Conference Banquet held in the Methodist Church. The speaker of the evening was Mr. J.P. Hagerman, secretary for boys work at the Y.M.C.A. in Toronto. 45 YEARS AGO Thurs. February 19, 1942 An all out drive to buy Victory Bonds was launched in Port Perry and district. The quota for Port Perry, Reach and Scugog is $20,000. Clerk G.F. Manning was in Toronto securing talent for the Vic- tory Loan Ice Carnival to be held in the near future in Port Perry. A.C.2 John Leahy left for New York R.C.A.F. Station. Howard Franklin, R.R.4, Port Perry, just received a Record of Performance certificate from the Federal Department of Agriculture that credits his fine Holstein herd with a production of 826 lbs. fat from 21,914 lbs. of milk. 30 YEARS ACO "Thurs. February 14, 1957 Mrs. C. Hill and Mr. and Mrs. Earl Dorrell were presented with Gruen wrist watches for long and faithful service for their work in the Sunday School. : Mr. Hugh Baird was guest of honour at a presentation held in Greenbank United Church. Hugh won the Canadian Plowman"s Championship at the International competition held in Brooklin last October. Mr. Art Brock has recently been elected a director of the Oshawa Skeet Club and also received the position of Vice-President of the Province of Ontario Skeet Association. 20 YEARS AGO Thurs. February 16, 1967 Fire. believed to have been caused by an over-heated chimney, completely destroyed Burn's Presbyterian Church in Ashburn last Sunday morning. The church built in 1858 was of historic value and has been used continuously for 109 years. Competing in the North American Figure Skating Championships in Montreal, Anna Forder and Richard Stephens placed an im- pressive fourth. : : Merrill Van Camp, Reeve of Cartwright Township and the 1967 Warden of Northumberland-Durham Counties was presented with a gavel at the start of the February meeting in Blackstock. 10 YEARS AGO Wednesday, February 16, 1977 / Cartwright High School crowned its annual Queen at the Heart Dance last week. Heart Queen for 1977 is Louise VanCamp and runners-up were Deb McLaughlin and Anita DeJong. Two small single-storey homes were completely gutted in two fires in the Fralick's Beach area of Scugog Island. Neither was oc- cupied at the time. Letters Compassion on the roads To The Editor: With the beginning of a new year jtisa good time to reflect back on 1986. . : Encouraged by positive results in the campaign against drinking drivers, many people are now direc- ting their concern toward those who simply refuse to acknowledge the fundamental truth that drinking and driving do not mix. The decrease in the incidence of drinking and driving in our province is the result of a number of factors. One is increased vigilance of the authorities, another the imposition of stiffer penalties. But a third seems to be that the message is reaching a wider public conscience. The good host is less inclined to «. ply guests with excess drink when they intend, on leaving, todrive. The designated driver has become an accepted part of social gatherings. The willingness to be driven home has become a sign of maturity rather than of weakness. No longer must one feel impelled to drive while inebriated in order to prove something. ~The highways are safer and par- tying has become more enjoyable because of that awakened social consciousness which, with the work of law enforcement personnel, has contributed to a satisfying decrease in the number of highway tragedies ~ in our Province of Ontario. Now, however, the authorities are confronted with another difficult problem, that of the drinking driver who refuses to reform, who pays a fine and commits the offence again, who has his licence suspended but still drives and who simply will not obey the law. This matter is not as easily dealt with as it might appear. Some, of course, are deliberate offenders, set upon defying the law and imagining . that their behaviour proves a grit- ty independence. Society cannot af- ford to indulge in that sort of attitude. The quickest and most effective way of dealing with such individuals is to put them off the roads - per- manently. If such a penalty appears . overly severe and if it fails to take into consideration a future change of mind, let it be remembered that the choice still is that of the individual. - or Some authorities have indicated a willingness to try to help those con- victed of impairment while operating a motor vehicle. There are those for whom it is a disease and who are in need of treatment. Phantom appeal To The Editor: - This is a plea to the Phantom. We need you. Scugog Township needs you. Please cast your eye down from the Ethereal Plane and send out a little psychic turbulence to Earth via Port Perry P.O. Box 90, Port Perry Star. The health of 15000 hapless Where such is indicated, reforma- tion should be mandatory. ~ Let the initial compassion be for those who are in danger because of the ill-controiled drinking habits of some individuals with whom they must share our roads and highways. Yours truly, ~ Roy Walker Smith, Port Perry, Ontario. citizens depends on your response. HELP US. ® - PLEASE. From. Seekers of the PHANTOM. ee -- ---------- -- IF YOUR AD WAS HERE ... over 12,000 people could have read it this week! That's alot of potential customers for your business. Advertising made easy -- find out more about it! CALL 985-7383 for INFORMATION to the editor. I ---- Letters to the Editor ... our policy It has always been the policy of this newspaper to encourage our readers to make use of the letters to the editor column. Our readers have a right to freely express their opinions and view- points on just about any subject, and we feel that a lively letters column helps make a better gommunity newspaper. We insist, however, that a letter writer sign his or her name. On rare | occasions, we will agree to with-hold publication of a letter writer's name, if we feel there are very good reasons to do so. Under no circumstances will this paper print an anonymous letter While we enjoy receiving letters from our readers, we must continue to insist on knowing the identity of the writer.