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6- PORT PERRY STAR - Tuesday, February 9, 1999 "Scugog's Community Newspaper of Choice " 4 BUSINESS OFFICE [ ] Member of the i Assoc. whe Office Mgr. ... Gayle Stapley Canadian & Ontario Newspaper alc adc LOA Ta nS CNA )OCNA | "Rimes 188 MARY STREET - PORT PERRY, ONT. - LOL 187 Retail Sales......Kathy Dudley, Heather Callan , 188 Mary Street - Port Perry, Ont. PHONE (905) 985-7383 FAX (905) 985-3708 EDITORIAL E-Mail: port.perry.star@sympatico.ca 2 Publications Mall Registrations No. 07881 Publisher............... J. Peter Hvidsten PRODUCTION ADVERTISING Publications Mail Agreement No. 1389068 General Manager ....Don Macl.eod Trudy Empringham, Pam Hickey, Advertising Mgr. .......... Don Macleod Subscription Rates: Managing Editor.....Jeff Mitchell Rhonda Mulcahy, Robert Taylor, Barb Advertising Sales: Deb McEachem, 1 Year - $32.10 6 Months - $17.65 Foreign - $90.95 - News Reporters .....Chris Hall Bell, Richard Drew, Daryle Wright Ginni Todd, Cindy Jobin, Gail Morse Includes $2.10 GST Includes $1.16 GST- Includes $5.95 GST Freelance - Heather McCrae, John B. McClelland Editorial comment "Another busy day on Scugog Sunday afternoon, there it was again: The sirens and the roar of emergency vehicles, in a rush to the ice of Lake Scugog to tend to an accident victim. This time it was a Mississauga man whose afternoon of para-sailing came to an abrupt end when a tow line became tangled in the wing of his sail. He came crashing 300 feet onto the ice. All this came amid the bustle of another busy day on the lake: Snowmobiles traversed the CAN YOU BELIEVE TMEY WANT TO INSTITUTE A CODE OF CONDUCT IN OUR SCHOOLS? THIS'LL KL KENNY -- OOPS, Too LATE! length and breadth of Scugog while motorcycle Raovh racers whizzed around their track, and anglers Post Posey ventured out in and on their various vehicles to spend a few hours in the hut. A few brave souls walked along the shoreline, and skaters took to the rink they've been maintaining' near the dock at the foot of Queen St. | When the weekend afternoon reaches its height, the lake is far busier than any of the streets here in town. But on the street, we have rules that govern our travel and conduct. And when we commit transgressions, we have a police force to correct us. Durham Police have a snowmobile patrol that keeps watch over the lake and trails, but they can only be in one place at a time, and their power to regulate activities on the ice is limited. They rely on the hope that their presence will convince those using the lake to exercise some common sense. And really, common sense is the only line of To the Editor: teacher shortage in Ontario. A column by Moira MacDonald in the Jan. 28 Toronto Sun was brought to my attention last week. It referred to a draft report of the Tories plan to fight a growing To a very large extent, the cause of the looming teacher shortage is a product of Tory policies. Large numbers of retirees and small numbers coming into the pro- fession are the cause of this problem. Demographics are perhaps the largest contributing factor, but ask local retirees Teacher shortage is no surprise Given the opinions voiced by my younger colleagues and felt by myself, would suggest that the bashing teachers and public education have received at the hands of this government are the prime I reason why many, previously interested now chosen not to enter it. candidate types for the profession have In my opinion the most significant positive influence that the people of the province of Ontario can have in addressing the current teacher shortage in Ontario is to vote out the Tories in the upcoming ' i why they have chosen to retire at this election. defense we've got. Everyone has a right ! ° use time and you will find that a large part of the lake, but with it comes a responsibility to the answer lies in the current state of the Gord Humphrey, conduct yourself sensibly, and respect others. politics of education. Port Perry VR a I i by J. Peter Hvidsten WELCOME NEWS Plans for an extensive clean-up Lake Scugog south of Palmer Park should come as welcome news to the residents of this community. For far too long the south end of the lake, in particular the causeway, has been an eyesore and a sore point with local residents. Much of the problem results from heavy usage of this area during the summer months by fishermen. Instead of packing up their garbage and taking it home with them, is thrown on the ground. Attempts to keep the area clear of debris by providing garbage containers and clean-ups by local groups, are not enough. Trash barrels don't seem to be emptied often enough and clean-ups would be required almost every Random Jottings 1 and improvements to the shoreline of lunch bags, bait containers, pop cans and all kinds of litter weekend to keep the area clear of garbage. But a $1.6 million environmental plan to provide man- agement and restoration of the lakefront could be just what's needed to encourage more co-operation from users of the lakefront. Plans call for a lakeside trail through the marshlands, an observation platform, picnic areas and, best of all, a "$400,000 fishing/observation pier along the south end of the lake near the east culverts on the causeway. It's a massive project, and it will require the help of a lot _ of individuals and groups for it to come to fruition. Corporate sponsors and government grants alone won't make it happen. It will require the help of the communit at large as well. ; If you'd like to get involved in any way, contact the municipality and offer your help. ANOTHER AMBITIOUS PROJECT Recently revealed plans for extensive regovations to Port Perry's 126 year-old Town Hall are good news. The stately structure, one of the oldest buildings in town, is no doubt in need of repairs to bring it up to the standards required of it for the beginning of the next cen- tury. But this isn't the first time the hall has been faced with extensive repairs. Following are just a few of the renova- , tions the old hall has undergone. Aug. 1911 - The present metal ceiling was installed. Dec. 1923 - The aging building underwent major reno- vations when almost every joist under the floor had to be replaced due to rot. Dec. 1939 - Town Hall roof replaced. The stage was enlarged by removing the stairs and wings, and the front entrance remodeled. Nov. 1946 - An additional doorway was made into the basement of Town Hall for Port Perry's new fire truck. Oct. 1951 - Ed Storry and his workmen removed the aging tower from the Town Hall. It had been considered unsafe for years. March 1975 - A three-day open house was held in the newly restored hall, which had been saved from demolition just a year earlier by a group of citizens. June 1975 - After 25 years, a new tower similar to the original was built and placed on the old Town Hall. There have been many more renovations over the years, but suffice it to say, in order to maintain a piece of this community's history it is important to spend whatever is necessary to keep it safe and functional for our future generations. The $600,000 renovation plans are ambitious, to say the least, but it's encouraging to know there are those who are willing to take on this much-needed project. We only hope it will receive the support of not only the residents, but our cash-strapped municipal government will find someway to invest it its future.