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PORT PERRY STAR -- Tuesday, May 8, 1990 -- 7 Sd, PLEASE READ THAT LETTER If you are a parent (or even if you're not) | would strongly urge to read the letter to the editor in this Weeks Port Perry Star, the one signed "A Concerned arent." In fact, | would urge you to read it a couple of times and take a few moments to think about what that letter says. And if you're a parent you should have your kids read the letter and then discuss seri- ously the message it contains. The letter writer asked the Star to remain anony- mous for personal reasons. After | read the letter, | quickly agreed to the request. Please take a few moments to read the letter and reflect on it. In the course of a year, the Port Perry Star carries hundreds of letters from our readers on hundreds of different topics. | don't think | am out of line in saying that this particular letter is one of the most poignant and timely ever printed by this newspaper. THE WATERFRONT May, 1990, is a bit of a milestone month for my- self. It was exactly 13 years ago, that | arrived in Port bevy 1 work for the Star. Anyone who has been a resident of the community for the last decade or so would have to agree the changes we have witnessed have been enormous. Some bad, but most of the change, in my view, has been for the better. One thing that has both changed and remained timeless at the same time (there's a neat little contra- diction) is the Port Perry waterfront. That stretch of land that runs from Birdseye Park in the north to the baseball diamonds in the south has Viewpoint And | can't remember when the waterfront has looked so neat, clean and tidy. | have always enjoyed walking the waterfront (winter and summer) but so far this spring it's been particularly pleasant, and | can't really put my finger on the reason why. ] | know the parks artment is hard at work sprucing the land up, and that new playground equip- ment is getting "overtime use" from hundreds of youngsters. Perhaps though, as | prepare to turn the page on another year, | have just come to more fully appre- ciate some of the simpler things of life: like a stroll along the waterfront on a warm spring evening; hear- ing the sounds of kids at play. Quite frankly, | can't imagine what living in Port Perry would be like without that waterfront. OUR DOWNTOWN Very close to the waterfront is another part of Port Perry | enjoy very mugh: downtown Queen Street. You won't get any argument here that Queen Street ranks among the most attractive and pictu- resque of main streets, anywhere. And like the waterfront, Queen Street has seen considerable change in the last 13 years. | work downtown five days a week. For most people, when the weekend rolls around, the last place in the world heyy want to spend any time is near to where they work. But | greatly enjoy walking downtown on Satur- day moming, or Sunday afternoon, or any evening of the week. Like strolling the waterfront, n Street is something | never tire of. | suppese it is partly for these reasons that | find ment Area disturbing. Its a complicated issue, this BIA, and | won't even attempt to delve into the details here. But | don't like to see the members of any com- munity organization polarized and at serious odds with each other. | am not going to argue one way or another whether the Minimum-maximum propos) is good or bad, or even if the entire concept of a BIA is right or wrong. Each and every member of the BIA has his/ her thoughts 'on that. But | would suggest that the present squabbling among members is hurting everyone. Surely there is some room for compromise, a bit of give and take. Perhaps it is time for all concerned to take a mo- ment, step back from the situation and think about what has already happened and what could happen in the future. Allowing an unfortunate situation to fester isn't going to work in anybody's favour. Whether or not there's a BIA in downtown Port Perry is only part of the issue. At the heart of all this is that the 100 or so members of the BIA not only have to do business with the public, they have to do business with each other. IN CLOSING... | attended Open House last week at the school my children attend. | was struck by the amount of stu- dent art that relates to the environment. There seems to be an awareness of the issues and prob- lems facing this planet. Hopefully, by the time these youngsters move into the board rooms and Cabinet offices in twenty or thirty years, they'll be ready to finish the battie that just now is getting started to save our planet. My long been one of my favourite things about Port Perry. the present "controversy" over the Business Improve- money goes on the kids. Remember When? 45 YEARS AGO Thursday, May 10, 1945 Mr. and Mrs. Clare Vernon were the guests of honour at a happy gathering at Prospect School on the evening of April 28th, honouring the popular couple on their recent marriage. All are glad to see the fallen remains of the old house own- ed by the late Russell Swift. Mr. Ben Smith was the purchaser and has taken it down. 35 YEARS AGO Thursday, May 12, 1955 Miss Patsy Bailey had the misfortune to fall from her bicy- ' cle and break her arm last Tuesday. Two very fine services were held in Blackstock United Church on Sunday. The church looked beautiful. The architec- ture of the sanctuary had been changed. New ceiling and com- plete re-decorating upstairs and down; new pews; floor ceiling; lighting system; platform rugs and aisle carpets; flags; com- munion table cover and cross; curtains and drapes through the Sunday School room and many more items. A good many of these were donated. - 30 YEARS AGO Thursday, May 12, 1960 Port Perry Public School Choir under the capable leader- ship of Mrs. Grace Hastings, won the t honours in their class at the Fourth Annual Ontario County Music Festival in A very important event took place Monday, May 2, when the Honeydale W.I. celebrated their twenty-fifth anniversary of the Branch in the Parish Hall, Church of Ascension. 25 YEARS AGO Thursday, May 13, 1965 Miss Isabelle Strong fashioned three sailor motif outfits which she, her nephew Master Dale Geer and niece Janice McHugh, modelled at the Home Economics Fashion Show at Port Perry High School. Michael Starr, Conservation House leader in the Commons and labour minister in the former Diefenbaker government said Tuesday that he will be a candidate for leadership of his party "when the position becomes vacant." Mr. George W. Pentland of Oshawa, jeweller and wat- chmaker employed by Bassett Jewellers in the Shopping Cen- tre, has purchased the jewellery store in Port Perry, operated by the late Mr. L.R. Bentley for almost half a century. (Turn to page 10) Lelters io the editor M.P. clarifies use of quotations To the Editor: : In attacking my recent "Report From Ottawa" about the Meech Lake Accord, the letter in your April 17th issue from S.J. Rickard made some rather unusual and selective use of quotations. The news item in the April 16/90 issue of the Toronto Star that I read quoted B.C. Premier William Vander Zalm as com- menting on a possibility about which some Constitutional ex- perts have speculated -- that cer- All humans are equal, teach love and respect To the Editor: I am a concerned parent who is tired of all the peer pressure and ridiculing that goes on everyday in our children's lives. I wish that: all parents would sit down with their children and explain or teach them how wrong it is to tease or be mean to other children or people. There is a song that says if you need a friend lean on me. Well at some time in everyone's life we all need someone, but when I walk down a street and hear children teasing other children or adults about their weight, looks or creed, then I just how wrong this is as we are all human beings with feelings who need to be treated as equals, with love and kindness. Thankful To the Editor: In response to Mr. Crawford's letter which appeared in the May 1st edition of the Port Perry Star. There are so many things that I am thankful for in this country, the foremost is that Mr. Crawford lives in R.R. 5. Edwin H. Taylor, R.R. 4, Port Perry Just remember, next time before you have anything to say about someone, how you would feel if you were that person. Don't be mean or cruel, be the friend that person needs to lean on as life is too Precious and short. A Concerned Parent tam-aspects of the Accord might be adopted with the support of on- ly seven provinces and the House of Commons. It was about this speculative possibility, and not the Accord itself, that Mr. Vander Zalm spoke when he said "the whole of the west would be jump- ing to separate." The news item also quoted the Premier as saying he had signed the Accord in 1987, despite some personal reserva- tions concerning Senate reform, because '"'the spirit was right." These quotations had nothing to do with Quebec and the "distinct society" provision of the Accord, as Mr. Rickard's letter implied. They do not mean that Mr. Vander Zalm now disagrees with Alberta's Premier Don Getty, whom I had quoted as saying: "I "Idon'tknow, 1 just have a funny feeling about this elevator.*' ~ a--~