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a -------------- " "Scugog's Community Newspaper of Choice 6- PORT PERRY STAR - Tuesday, June 1, 1999 188 MARY STREET - PORT PERRY, ONT. +191 1B7 PHONE (905) 985-7383 FAX (905) 985-3708 - BUSINESS OFFICE Office Mgr.....Gayle Stapley Accounting...Judy Ashby, Janet Rankin Canadian & Ontario Newspaper ASSOC. | Gaia Aocna i Rirvivct on ori : EDITORIAL: Publisher................. J. Peter Hvidsten E-Mail: Pertparsy.aia @ sympelion. sa Publications Mall Registrations No. 07881 Publications Mail Agreement No. 1389068 Subscription Rates: 1 Year - $37.45 6 Months - $19.79 Foreign - $96.30 includes $2.45 GST includes $1.20 GST Includes $6.30 GST General Manager... Don Macleod Managing Editor..... Jeff Mitchell News Reporters .....Chris Hall Freelance - Heather McCrae, John B, McClelland Editorial comment Funding shifts can't be sustained It's good to know that the Durham District School Board is on its way to finding funding to sustain special education in the region for another school year. Responding to an outcry from parents, trustees and staff quite rightly set about finding money to keep in place the programs upon which so many children depend not only for lessons in curriculum, but in life. The drawback is that they're robbing Peter to pay Paul; the board is drawing upon reserves, and shifting money from administration and operations budgets to top up special ed. The result is a depleted bank account, administration positions not being filled, and, possibly, some issues with school properties not being addressed because of reduced budgets. The other concern is that while this move ensures the continuation of programming for the upcoming school year, it is not sustainable. The board can only draw on reserves for so long before they dry up. They can siphon funds from other areas of operation, but must be con- cerned about imbalances created by doing so. So it is that the parents who fought so vehe- mently for the survival of programs must not consider the battle won, and rest. They must begin now to lobby the education ministry strenuously, demanding funding for the special education they have come to rely on and trust in Durham Region. | Together with the trustees, they can form a formidable front, to which ministry workers in Toronto will be obliged to listen. Lapsing into complacency now only invites another crisis next year. PRODUCTION Trudy Empringham, Pam Hickey, Advertising Mgr. .......... Don MacLeod Rhonda Mulcahy, Robert Taylor, Barb Bell, Richard Drew, Daryle Wright, Scott Ashby ADVERTISING Advertising Sales: Deb McEachem, Ginni Todd, Cindy Jobin, Gail Morse, Lee Nowensky While water levels are low this Spring, mud levels are unusually high... THANK GOODNESS IT'S ALMOST OVER! ---- my? Ed Kappa PorT Perry STAR A grim future for special ed? I have been reading with interest the articles voicing concern over the Durham board's learning strategies program. As a teacher in this community for the last 20 years, I regard the program as one of the most successful strategies for students with special needs. I would suggest that those concerned with this issue look a little further and pro- ject into secondary. Under secondary reform, only in Grade 9 will special needs students be offered three specifically designed courses in mandatory subjects which will permit them to be successful. In Grade 10, all stu- dents must enter one of the two streams available. No special programming will be available, except in non-mandatory subject areas. The implications of this reform are quite profound. Without the mandatory credits at the Grade 10 level, students will not receive their secondary diploma. Add to this the requirement that all students must suc- cessfully complete a literacy test and it becomes apparent that for these special needs students, Grade 10 does become, in the words of officials, a "gatekeeper" year. We need to scrutinize the entire system being brought forward. The consequences will affect those who will be least able to defend themselves. Perhaps workfare was implemented with these concerns in mind. John Beirness, Port Perry Random Jottings by J. Peter Hvidsten NOW'S THE TIME FOR AN INDOOR SWIMMING POOL Sad, although not unexpect- ed, was the recent announcement that Birdseye swimming pool has - been closed for at least this sum- mer, due to the need for extensive repairs. The pool was originally built in 1939 by Eddie and Hilda Michell, shortly after they arrived in Port Perry and opened Birdseye Centre tourist cabin park. The pool provided enjoyment for 60 years, which in itself is an astonishing feat, as few outdoor pools built before the first world war are still in use today. . Chances are slim the old pool will ever re-open again. Pouring thousands of dollars into a 60 year- old swimming pool, would really be a bit like pouring money down the drain. So now, the township is faced with a dilemma... to provide a suitable swimming facility for the future. Swimming in Lake Scugog is not a good alterna- tive to a pool, although at one time it was a favourite swimming hole. Last year, a private indoor swimming pool opened, taking pressure off the township to provide such a facility. And while the Sunshine Pool is a great facili- ty, it's relatively small and just can't accommodate the future requirements of a growing township. There has been much talk in the past about a municipally owned indoor pool, and no doubt the subject will arise again. Advocates of a township owned indoor swimming pool will no doubt see this as an ideal opportunity for Scugog to take the plunge and build a suitable facility. But at a time when the municipality is having a dif- ficult time finding enough funds to provide essential services to its residents, finding surplus to build a pool will not be easy. Although, that doesn't mean it can't be accomplished. Unfortunately this time there is no bandage solu- tion. Birdseye pool has literally sprung its last leak and quite rightfully, should be retired. The decision now is, does the township build a new outdoor facility or jump in with both féet and . build a modem indoor pool with squash courts, exer- the sooner planning begin the better. cise room and shower facilities. Port Perry's swimming pool must be replaced, and Little can be done to save this swimming season, but there's no reason, why Scugog residents couldn't be enjoying a new pool early in the next year. If there's is a will... then most definitely there is a way to accomplish this task. Of course, the easy solution to the crisis is to do nothing. With access to a large, indoor pool only 10 miles away in Uxbridge, another in Whitby and two private indoor pools operating in Scugog, possibly all we really need is an outdoor pool. But with that said, it would be shortsighted on the part of the township to do nothing. Relying on other communities or private enterprise to provide indoor swimming facilities for the township is unreasonable and should only be used as a stop-gap solution. This township has so many needs - a second ice pad, new municipal office and now an indoor pool. Of those, the most pressing is now an indoor pool. At least that's the way | see itl FOUR-WAY STOP Finally, if you haven't already noticed, the four-way stop signs at the corer of Queen and Perry St. are now installed. Bet you didn't notice, did you? I Tn. es a ania i aa aa on ull auc gu ai, I a--