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aan SANT re EM i Sd CEA gr TA i BE ER ihe ia a A ---- tt So * FRIEND, 4 - PORT PERRY STAR - Tuesday, February 8, 2000 "Scugog's Community Newspaper of Choice" ( Council debate is over stretch of Queen St. Scugog council will decide this spring 'whether to pave or brick a section of township boulevard on the south side of Queen Street between Perry and John Streets. Ward 4 councillor Dave Dietlein said he would prefer to see the area covered with asphalt as it is less expensive than decorative brick. But others, including Ward 2 rep Ken Carruthers, said they would only agree to inter- locking brick since the area is in downtown Port Perry and frequented by: visitors and tourists to the community. "There is no way | would ever support (putting) asphalt there. It would cheapen (the appearance of) the entire area," said councillor Carruthers. Mayor Doug Moffatt said putting asphalt down there "would be like a band-aid." But councillor Dietlein said in his opinion visi- tors and tourists don't care what they are walk- ing over and are hot look- ing down at their feet anyway. "They're looking into the shop windows," he of the Township paying the additional cost for inter-locking brick. On at least one occa- sion over the past year or so, the Township has asked the downtown BIA organization to help pay some of the cost of cover- ing the area. No reply has been received. Ward 3 rep Jim McMillen suggested at a meeting of the works committee (where the issue came under brief discussion again) that the Township should get two estimates: (one for asphalt and one for inter- locking brick) and send both to the BIA, asking which the organization would prefer and if it would contribute to the cost. Councillor Ken Gadsden said BIA mem- bers contribute tax dol- lars to support their orga- nization and they all pay considerable property/business taxes as well. Ward 5 rep Gary Mahony said the area in question should be examined before any work is done as there appears to be some kind of a drainage problem. A decision will be made when council sets Big Brothers, Sisters bowl a winner Participants in the annual Big Brothers-Big Sisters of North Durham knocking down pins at Centennial Lanes in Port Perry Saturday. Funds were also raised Friday night, when a chicken wing competition featuring Conservationists start wildlife said. And he added that he would not be in favour the works department budget for this year. reporting effort Big Brothers Big Sisters Boa! for Lens $a5 rl ThE AaB, eo bowling fundraiser were (705) 328-2350 or Kawartha Conservation and The Friends of Kawartha Conservation have initiated a Wildlife Monitoring Network for the watershed. The net- work accepts bird, fish,- mammal, amphibian, reptile and rare plant sightings. This'is a local call and only takes a few minutes. Residents call e-mail: JEFF MITCHELUPORT PERRY STAR fare from local eateries was held at the Port Perry Legion. With the help of participants like Mark Bisson, who with young fans Courtney and Jessica shows off his pledge sheet, $16,000 was raised for the agency. kewildlife@yahoo.com and leave the following wildlife sighting informa- tion: The species name, the number of individuals' observed, as well as, the date, the time and the location of each sighting.. Please leave your name and telephone number to assist with the verification of any sig- nificant sightings. In love with the Leafs ..101-year-old fan remembers '67 Cup win By Chris Hall Port Perry Star Bessie Lamsom will turn 101 today, but the real birthday party is tomorrow night when she attends a hockey game in Toronto as a special guest of the Maple Leafs. : The Cardinal, Ontario resident has spent the last few days visiting family just north of Seagrave, waiting patiently for tomorrow night when she will be a special guest of the NHL club as they take on the Philadelphia Flyers at the Air Canada Centre. Mrs. Lamsom"s love for the Leafs, and hockey in general, began in the early 1930s when Maple Leafs' owner Conn Smythe began to build his shrine to hock- ey, Maple Leaf Gardens. "I watched them build Maple Leaf Gardens," she said, remembering back to the days of spring 1931 at the corner of Carlton and Church Sts. "I saw them tear the first house down, and every day and every night from then on I watched as the houses came down and the building went up while I passed by the site on the Carlton (street) car on my way to work. "At first 1 felt sorry for those people who were losing their homes, but then | saw the sign go up and it was going to be Maple Leaf Gardens, of course. Well, | decided | wanted to work there, so | went up and got a job." She was hired, and sold hot dogs at a concession stand during the first game ever at the Gardens, a Leafs' loss to the Chicago Blackhawks on Nov. 12. "I had fun then," she said, remember- ing the 10 or so years she worked the con- cessions at Maple Leaf Gardens. "It was a great time, but we didn't make a lot of money, only $1.25 a night. "The Stanley Cups they won then, in the 30s, they were my biggest thrill. | remember we used to sell out of every- ~ thing and after that we were told we could either go home or stay... | stayed right there and watched the games to the end. I wasn't leaving," said Mrs. Lamsom. "And, later, | remember when they won the Cup in 1967. Everyone went crazy; the players were carrying the Cup around the ice and everyone was so excited. It was beautiful." And, while she wouldn't admit to an absolute favourite Leaf, she does have a few fond memories of the players who have skated for Toronto. "I liked them all; | have no favourites, they're all great. | did like Tim Horton when he was playing, he was special. | did meet a few players as they passed by the stand, they waved and smiled at me," she said, adding Harvey Jackson of the 30s' "The Kid Line" was also a player she remembered particularly. Now, almost 66 years after it was built, Maple Leaf Gardens has been all but abandoned by the Leafs as they moved into their new $265 million home last February 20, the Air Canada Centre. "Maple Leaf Gardens was quite a place, it was beautiful and still is beauti- ful... my heart is still with the Gardens, but they did go into a beautiful place, the Air Canada Centre is quite a picture," said Mrs. Lamsom. "But Maple Leaf Gardens is where my memories will be." As part of the opening ceremonies at the ACC last February, Ms Lamsom was asked by the hockey club to be in atten- dance. She achieved some measure of celebrity status after that in larger Toronto daily papers when she was pho- tographed selling the first hot dog at the new arena. Since then, she has become a regular guest of Toronto Maple Leafs' president Ken Dryden. "His (assistant) calls every few weeks or so and we talk and I talk to Ken Dryden too," she said. "(Dryden) is really a wonderful person, so nice and beautiful. And the owner (Steve Stavro), | met him and he's really something too," she said. "And (CBC Hockey Night In Canada hosts) Ron (McLean) and Don (Cherry) too; I met them too last year and I just love them. They're great... they're really nice and funny." Throughout the years she has been a fan, Ms Lamsom's loyalty to the Leafs, and her faith in them, has never waned. "I love my hockey and I love my Leafs, they're my favourite. There's been lots of good games and some bad ones too, but you can't win every game," she said. "If you won every time then it wouldn't be a game. I just love everything about it; I love hockey."