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AEC -- Vol. 126 No. 31 Af pr 2 Fadl Park and boardwalk planned for Port Perry By Scott Anderson Port Perry Star With the finishing touches complete at Palmer Park, the beautification of the town's wa- terfront is moving north. The Township of Scugog will now concentrate on improve- ments to the area near the boat launch north of Scugog Memori- al Library. This is in an effort to eventu- ally connect the waterfront from Highway 7A to the soccer fields in the north end of Port Perry. Marilyn Pearce, Ward 2 Councillor and Chairman of the Parks and Recreation Commit- tee, says plans call for the old railway lands from the boat launch at the south to Beech Street in the north to be upgrad- ed toa nature park. The area would include a park and boardwalk connecting both ends of the park. A nature pond would be maintained as well as birdhouses. It will also feature walking and cycling trails. Councillor Pearce says the development is in response to today's more active and envi- ronmentally conscious mentali- ty. "The trend is now towards walking, cycling and jogging. We're just responding to where the trends are going," she says. Councillor Pearce says more people are taking up impulse- type sports and there is a need to supply facilities for this trend. She says the days are gone where parks are placed in the middle of subdivisions as is- lands. The project will go into the planning stages this year. The township will apply for a grant from the Ministry of Tourism and Recreation. If the grant 1s secured she says the develop- ment would see its start next year. Councillor Pearce estimates the cost of the project to be be- tween $30,000 and $50,000, with the funding split three ways between the Township of Scugog, the ministry grant and local service groups. Despite the plans for this complete waterfront link, there is asnagin the planning. Uncer- tainty exists as to the owner- ship of some lands near Kellet Street. The township is current- ly surveying the easement in the area. The path will then pro- ceed north, possibly through the Port Perry Fairgrounds. Councillor Pearce stresses that although the project is see- ing progress, it is a long-term project which will not see com- pletion for many years. Pioneer Days at the Scugog Shores Museum gave people a chance on the weekend to experience the days gone by when things weren't so fast paced and hectic. Volunteers in period clothing took the visitors i back in time with various displays including wood carving, butter-making, candle-making, log sawing and ~ = | an old-fashioned horse and carriage ride. The visitors were also given a chance to experience the taste of © | some homemade bread, baked the old-fashioned way, as well as sample some freshly churned butter. ~~ | Pictured are Rhonda Fraser and Cheryl Skarnikat working in the emporium. og ew signs planned for entrances to Port Perry If Bill Barr has it his way, vis- itors to Port Perry would be greeted in a slightly different way. Mr. Barr would like to see the roadside signs which greet mo- torists to the town, updated to provide a more 1990s look. He says the signs have become old and somewhat dilapidated since they were erected almost 15 years ago. The Chamber of Commerce undertook the project at the time with many of the service clubs contributing to the pro- ject. "At the time they were very nice and clean looking signs. But over the years other signs have just been stuck to them. Now it has become tacky," he said. He first made the proposal to Scugog Council two weeks ago, along with his request that Port Perry and the Township of Scu- gog be proclaimed "the Purple Marten Capital of Ontario". He offered to undertake the sign project to announce the desig- nation as well. Mr. Barr believes the project could be done at little or no cost to the taxpayer or to council. He 1s proposing that the local ser- vice clubs, who would be dis- playing their logos, contribute to the project. Provision would also be included for additional clubs. Mr. Barr estimates the cost of the four signs would be approxi- mately $4,500-$5,000. He says local business would prosper from the project. "I would do my best to keep all the work locally," he said. Ward 2 Councillor Marilyn Pearce is also in favor of the pro- ject. "The signage has become somewhat of an eyesore over the years," she says. "It would serve us well tocontemplate new sign- age." But Councillor Pearce has a much grander scheme than sim- ply replacing the existing signs with other signs. She would like to see the area around the signs beautified as well, complete with landscaping. "It would be the focal point," she says. "It would be the first impression when you come into town and you only make a first impression once." Turn to Page 4 Long term tourist strategy proposed By Scott Anderson Port Perry Star Tourism is both an industry and a form of leisure behavior and the Township of Scugog should be concerned with both the business and pleasure of tourism, says a recreation and tourism policy statement pro- posed by the Parks and Recrea- tion Committee. Ward 2 Councillor Marilyn Pearce, Chairman of the Parks and Recreation Committee, in- troduced the paper at a meeting of Scugog's Planning Commit- tee on Monday. The five-page proposal repre- sents a long-term vision the committee has for the parks and recreational needs of the future, as well as the economic role tourism can play in the develop- ment strategy for the township. Councillor Pearce believes tourism and recreation can play an important and vital role in the economic growth of the com- munity and should be integrat- ~ Turn to Page 3 ES A ghedl wy a See LASS EN Gill el a