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"Scugog's Community Newspaper of Choice" PORT PERRY STAR - Wednesday, October 11, 2000 - 7 |Question of the Week... Do you think the : . Rudy Haverman Judy Lade Merle Zettler Ginette Fredette "Robert Popovitch Prime Minister | suppose it's a gaod He'd be an idiot if he No, | like what he's No. | definitely don't Yes, it's time to make should call a fall idea. | actually think didn't. He should ride doing. | think he like that man, but a change. there is no one else better to take his he should step down should wait. though, he's been in the nationalism of the federal election? death of Pierre Elliott there long enough. Trudeau. place. We have no choice. Students need music, sports To the Editor: High school teachers who took part in school plays, music, and sports used to tell their students taking part in such things was a big part of belonging to the school. They used to approach students to join. They would tell students it was good for school spirit, as well as teaching student commitment and dedication. It was something teachers said they loved to do because it improved their students, opened them up to other opportunities outside the classroom. It was part of teachers developing well rounded stu- dents. How we learn it was all a voluntary thing. They didn't really believe in it as much as they preached. When they took days off to take the students to tour- naments it was all volunteer time, when they ditched periods to get to games it was all volunteer time. When they asked students to attend difficult practices five days a week after a long day at school it was the teachers who were doing the volunteering, not the students. High school students will not be taught such things by teachers when school starts because teachers say they will no longer have time. We hope this move doesn't spread throughout the community. We hope the other workers of this community who put in a 12 hour day, work shifts, overtime, get two to five weeks (which take years to accumulate) vacation per year, earn less than $40,000 annually and work full shifts on weekends don't suddenly decide they don't have the time to volunteer to coach our<hildren. Please turn to page 13 The great American writer John "the proliferation of ads for laxa- + tives during the evening news, a itor might be forgiven for g Gain Killers, Tostivod, i gation lawyers. The ads we see shamelessly exploit our dread of discomfort and embarrassment (Static cling? No00000000000!), while at the same time promising quick, easy solutions, which will require little or no effort from us. We just buy and ingest, uncle. (Of course the only time this is true is in the case of, once again, laxatives. But if the corporate geniuses whose task it is to address such issues really wanted to reveal a cure, heyy get the folks "Updike once observed that, given i Shatin talk to their children? How is it that "health care. emovers, and civil liti- deploy or install the' product, and, well, Bob's your Page Seven A CONSTIPATED NATION by Jeff Mitchell from Metamucil and Molson's together, and create 'a new product consisting of high fibre powder and Export Ale. Even simpler would be a six pack and a loaf of Wonder Bread. Now there's a barley sand- wich!) 'But the question remains: If life keeps getting simpler every day, how come so many of us are so "screwed up? Why aren't there enough jobs to go around? Why do people live on the street? Why T i sre is the dismantler of public education. arris government is the saviour of public The Harris government is the ya, ya ya. You get the drift. So following Updike' s thinking, you could forgive a visitor tuning i in to Global for coming to believe that Ontario is a wild, unruly place, people by militant teachers, disgruntled doctors and hardened criminals, but governed by a caring, paternal autoc- racy led by Mike Harris. 'And that we have a limitless thirst for beer, cars, burgers and sex, that our baseball team's not very good, and that Homer Simpson is some kind of comic national icon. What a silly assumption. Eh? Random Jottings by). Peter Hvidsten BOOK LAUNCH | hope readers of this column will bear with me, as this week marks a special occasion for me, with the launch of my second book, on the history of our community. As many of you will remember, it was a little over one year ago that my first book, Out Of The Ashes, was published, and since that time more than 1,000 copies have been sold. The "Ashes" book dealt with the time period 1900 to the 1999, and when it was completed it just seemed like a natural progression to complete the early years in the history of Port Perry and surrounding area. The new book, Scugog: The Early Years, does just that, taking the reader on a fascinating journey from its earliest days until the turn of the century in 1899. For people who enjoy history, or anyone who would just like to know a little more about our early beginnings, I'm sure you'll find the book fascinating. Once again, as in "Out Of The Ashes," pictures and illustrations play a large part in the book. Scugog: The Early Years is illus- trated with more than 450 photographs, sketches and maps, of personalities, scenes and buildings. The book, which is now available at The Star office or Books Galore. See ad inside this issue for dates and times of book signings this week. SKATEBOARD PARK The announcement that a skateboard park may end up on the old arena pad (now parking lot) behind the CIBC, is yet another bad decision and location. In the heart of downtown, behind businesses and nearby residential apartments, is just not the place for this type of facility. Granted, the kids need a place to "board", but one has to ask, who is making the decision that it has to be within the business core? My son, and many of his friends skateboard, and they tell me they don't care where it is, as long as they have a place to go. When asked if they would be happy with a skateboard park near the arena, they all agreed it would be a good spot. Something definitely has to be done. The kids need a place to enjoy themselves and practice their skills... which they are currently doing in busy parking lots atound town. But downtown, where the noise from the kids and boards disturb, both merchants and residents, is not suitable. The arena has an abundance of asphalt in the park- ing lots that is not used much of the summer. There's a large, well lit area, easily accessible... and it's out of the earshot of both business and homeowners. Setting up a well designed skateboard park at the arena would be far less costly than trying to construct a permanent facility by the lakefront or behind the premis- es of local businessmen. And if for some reason, the skateboard fad fades in a few years, the cost of disman- tling the structures would be fairly easy. Just remember, in Goodwood, where they had a great half-pipe and other facilities a few years ago, they have been removed. In Uxbridge, just a couple of years ago, a "trial skateboard park" at their arena complex was dismantled because of excessive noise and foul lan- guage late at night, near residential homes. The same thing could happen downtown, and if coun- cil was forced to remove the park, for whatever com- plaints, a lot of money would have been spent for noth- ing. Before investing mega-bucks into a permanent facility downtown, it might be wise to try a temporary one near the arena... just in case.