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Sai rusty PPT PAL Vol. 127 No. 30 PORT PERRY, ONTARIO - TUESDAY, JUNE 15, 1993 Copy 65¢ ©1e + 4¢GSD 44 Pages Township will lose $1 million in taxes over next 10 years Engineers pull the plug By Scott Anderson Port Perry Star Time is money and in the end they decided they couldn't af- ford either. Last week, the Operating En- gineers Training Institute of Ontario announced it was pull- ing out of Scugog Township. The institute had planned to build a permanent training fa- cility on a 140-acre site on the 12th Concession, in the Marsh Hill area. The school was to include a 125,000-square foot adminis- trative building, a shop build- ing, machinery storage and craning area. But after more than 30 months, the institute decided it could wait no longer, opting in- stead to locate the facility in an Eastern Ontario community. Ron Walsh, Chief Executive Officer of the Institute, cited time as a major factor in the de- cision, noting federal and pro- vincial government funding was in jeopardy. "We looked at 30 months of problems. We couldn't wait any longer for the process to take any more time," he said. "Iam a realist. I see how a few months turninto a few years." "It's unfortunate that after two-and-a-half years, we feel we've been shutout." Since Day 1, the project has been opposed by SCOPE, a local environmental group concerned about the site in the Marsh Hill area. They argue a Class 1 wet- land and the wildlife could be af- ee ee --------------------------rrTT--------vr About 100 Reader family members from as far away as Hamilton and Peterborough attended the Reader family reunion at the Scugog Shores Museum Village on Saturday. The family first settled in the Scugog area in 1844 and built the original homestead in 1849. The stone home and farm is still in the family and many of those who attended the event toured the homestead. Reunion organizer Jane Reader and Dorene Ash- bridge are pictured tracing their roots while looking at the headstones at the museum. a " JULIA DEMPSEY / PORT PERRY STAR. fected. Mr. Walsh blamed the organi- zation for "torpedoing" the deal. "Local council had a vision. Unfortunately SCOPE man- aged to launch a campaign that prolonged the process that caused us to move on," he said. Mr. Walsh said they are now turning their attention to a com- munity in Eastern Ontario and expect to have the facility oper- atingby September 7. Last week's announcement came as a blow to township offi- cials who are trying hard to at- tract development to the area. Mayor Howard Hall called the decision "a blow to the com- munity" adding that approxi- mately $1 million in taxes would be lost in the next decade as aresult. "For some people to turn their backs on this is doing an injus- tice to the community," he said. But a far greater fear is the message that has been sent out to potential developers. "I have a great fear that eve- rybody's going to hang their hat on environmental concerns and that's the worst possible mes- sage." Mayor Hall says the township must now work to get the mes- sage out that "we are a good community." Regional Councillor Yvonne Christie was also "bitterly dis- appointed" with the decision. "I think it's catastrophic. The township will be looked upon as a place not to do business, be- cause its groups will put road- blocks in the way, be it major or minor. I don't think it augers well for the future of the town- ship," she said. While most were mourning the death of the development, Turnto Page 2 Chalk Lake residents upset ski resort gets approval to cut trees By Scott Anderson Port Perry Star A dangerous precedent has been set by Durham Regional Council. Debra Russell, a resident of Chalk Lake Road, says thou- sands of trees are in danger af- ter council granted a local ski re- sort permission to clear cut trees. Lakeridge Resorts was apply- ing for a minor exception to the Regional Tree Conservation by- law to accommodate an expan- sion to the ski runs. It plans to add three runs to the resorts as well as a new chair lift. But residents adjacent to the ski facility opposed the expan- sion citing a number of environ- mental reasons. The concerns included chemi- cal contamination in the ground water, erosion caused by the clear cutting, the future of the forested areas and the effects on the quality of living in the area by the expansion. In a prepared statement to council, Scugog's Ward 1 Coun- cllor Ken Carruthers, repre- senting the Rapsey Subdivision Lot Owners, called on the coun- cillors to review a number of the concerns before making a deci- sion. Pioneer Days at Scugog Shores Museum this weekend "We fear that any expansion of Lakeridge Resort's opera- tions will further degrade water quality, posing real and signifi- cant risks to our health, as well as the health of our neighbors in the area," he said. He noted studies in which "undesireable chemicals" such as iron were found in the local wells and springs. He requested council answer all the questions and study the effect on the water before mak- ing a decision. The residents fear that chem- icals used to make snow are af- fecting the water. But Marvin Geist, the resort's lawyer, argued the levels abide with Ministry of Environment guidelines. Despite nearly three hours of discussion in which three separ- ate delegations spoke and many councillors cross examined the two sides, council voted in sup- port of the application by a vote of 14-11. Mrs. Russell was visibly shaken by council's decision. "I'm gravely disappointed in Durham Regional Council fpr setting such a dangerous prece- dent," she told the Star. "By allowing them to make an Turn to Page 4 wd