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I 6- PORT PERRY STAR - Tuesday, Sept. 13, 1994 "Scugog's Community Newspaper of Choice" FE Dr PORT PERRY STAR IAL TOR Editorial Comment Here's to People Power Let's hear it for People Power. . In the past couple of weeks, we've seen instances of at least two groups of residents who are coming together to speak up on the thing about which they feel most strongly -- their communities. First we have the residents living in the east end of the township, along the Su- gog/Manvers line, where a landowner has hinted he may apply for a permit to operate a sand pit. The residents, many of whom have properties abutting the proposed pit area, have quickly come together and are be- ginning to present a united front. At a public meeting in Nestleton Thurs- day night they vowed to converge on Scugog Township chambers Sept. 26, and work in the meantime to create more awareness among their neighbors, and the politicians and officials at Queen's Park who will ultimately be responsible for issuing a wayside pit license. While we don't deny the landowner the right to pursue such options for his prop- erty, it's easy to take issue with the ap- proval process, which leaves the neigh- [ bors with no avenue of comment or | objection in the event a license is issued. So applause and encouragement is | due the residents, who have taken it} upon themselves to organize and speak | up now. WHAT oN pARTH CowD YOU €0%iBLY NEEP A WVGE ASSAULT WEAPON LE THAT vor ° J 7 yrs il Lp XEN It's encouraging too to see the effort | being made in Blackstock, where a public | -- meeting is being organized by people in- terested in the future of parkland and the fairgrounds. This meeting will be about council poli- | cy, but it's not being convened by the | | council; it's the residents themselves, who want to bring the public sentiment -- | and, likely, a few suggestions -- out, and | present it to the politicians. The meeting's organizer, Fred Ford, | { says he is against a plan to sell off park- | - land to fund fairground improvements, | but vowed he would live with the concen- | } sus that's reached tomorrow night. "| could live with that, because at least | [f people have been asked," he said. That's the spirit. It's easy to grumble and grimace about the policies and actions taken by politi- | cians and agencies. But it accomplishes 2 5 nothing. But to step up and say, 'We're here, | and we want you to hear what we say' is productive and, in many cases, fruitful. Let 'em know what you think. _ Pictured above are the winners of the Port Perry IGA lawn b from September 11, 1969. From left are Sam Griffen and Alma Cox b presented the trophy by club president Robert Gray. ~~ I ETTERS Where's council commitment to heritage building? To the Editor: I'd like to know what happened to the township council's commitment to pro- tecting Port Perry's heritage architec- ture. Not so many weeks ago councillors were bragging about how their new poli- cy had stopped work on the stuccoing of the Royal Bank building, and rightly so. It was about time for Port Perry, a town go blessed in quantity and quality of 19th Century buildings, to try and pro- tect them from misguided, insensitive alterations. Being an Architecture Student myself studying the preservation of historical buildings, I was thrilled with the coun- cil's apparently timely, gutsy and hope- fully precedent setting decision. Their decision seemed even more well founded when the paint was stripped from a section of the building to reveal fine polychrome brickwork in richly de- tailed patterns. Why is this section, that showed all of Port Perry how good the building could be, now being stuccoed over? I'd like to know why stuccoing is now being al- lowed to continue. Any argument that the stucco was needed to protect the structure is utter flap-doodle. Stucco is no more structural © or protective than paint and more costly and messy to remove, should there be someone who wants to restore the build- ingin the future. Turn to page 7 Random Jottings by J. Peter Hvidsten & POLICE OFFICERS HONORED Last Friday night | had the pleasure of attending the annual Durham Regional Police Awards Night. The gala affair was attended by Mayors and Councillors from across the Region, Police officers in full- dress uniform, members of the Police Services Board and those being honored for their services to the department. Scugog Police officers and civilians were well represented this year with two local officers, Frank Hammond and Dave Mann receiving 20 years Exemplary Service Medals, Robert Haynes and Peter Parker receiving Civilian Awards and The Port Perry Star the recipient of a Media Award. Former editor Scott Anderson joined me for the evening, and I would like to say that it was his contact and relationship with members of Durham Regional Police that is responsible for the Port Perry Star receiving this honor. Having worked with Scott for three years, I knew he had a good rapport with the police, but it became even more obvi- bus to me during the evening. From Chief Trevor McCagherty down, it ~ was evident most of the police officers he has made contact with over the years respect and appreciate Scott for the way he handles stories related to the police department. Congratulations Scott for your part in winning this award for The Port Perry Star. Police officers are continually under fire by the public and seldom receive the thanks and praise they deserve. But four of Durham's finest were presented special Police Commendations during last Friday night's Award banquet. Day in and day out, Durham Police offic- ers put their lives on the line or help avert certain disasters or death with their quick thinking and fast action. Following are four of those dedicated officers and a brief : description of their acts of compassion. Constable Judy Gibson - whose quick action to dislodged an object from a child's _| airway after choking and falling into an .| unconscious state saved the child from | permanent harm or death. Constable Al McDougall who answered | a call for a baby not breathing and began | infant CPR to revive the baby and saved it | from certain death. Constable Richard Lusted who respond- | ed to a domestic in which an armed male | threatened to ignite his home which was _| filled with natural gas. Police convinced | the suspect to let his pet out of the house, "| and when he opened the door, Constable | Lusted tackled and disarmed the man, | who was carrying a large knife, before he could get back into the house. Constable Dennis Mastroianni who was called to the scene of a domestic and grabbed the leg of a person who was jump- ing from the 8th floor balcony of an apart- ment. Although hanging over the rail him- self, he was able to hold on until assis- tance arrived and then pulled the person back up onto the balcony. Congratulations to these, and all officers who work tirelessly on behalf of the resi- dents of Durham to make this community a better and safer place to live. LETTERS TO THE EDITOR The Port Perry Star encourages its readers to make use of the letters to the editor column to express their opinions and viewpoints on just about any subject, as we feel a lively letters column will help make this a better community newspaper. We insist, however, that all letter writers sign their name and include a phone number for verification. Sorry, anonymous letter will not be published unless The Star believes it to be in the best interest of the public. We also reserve the right to edit letter with respect to their length, content or libelous comments.