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a ty PET TTR re FTN mf et. er rr --- ee ------------------ 6 - PORT PERRY STAR - Wednesday July 31, 2001 "Scugog's Community Newspaper of Choice' PUBLISHER, GEN MGR ...Don Macleod MANAGING EDITOR . Jeff Mitchell OFFICE MANAGER . . = Gayle Stapley ADVERTISING MGR .. .Deb McEachermn PRODUCTION MGR . . Pam Hickey REPORTER .... =. Chris Hall PHONE (905) 985-7383 FAX (905) 985-3708 E-MAIL: editorial@portperrystar.com advertising@por tperrystar.com AQocna Member Ontario Community Newspaper Assoc PORT PERRY STAR \ ) 1866 ~ = NC rrr of GN 2001 4 Publications Mail Registration No. 07881 We acknowledge the finanaal support of the Government of Canada, through the Publications Assistance Program (PAP) towards our matling costs. Published every Tuesday by the Port Perry Star Company Limited, 188 Mary Street - Port Perry, Ontario - L9L 1B7 SUBSCRIPTION RATES: 1 Year - $37.45 (includes GST) EDITORIAL POLICY: Opinions expressed by columnists, contributors and letter writers are not necessarly those of The Port Perry Star. Letters must be signed and the telephone number brought to the editor's attention. We reserve the nght to edit or refuse publication of any matesial submitted. ADVERTISING POLICY: The publisher is not kable for shight changes or typographical errors that do not lessen the vahue of an advert t issue or the refund of any monies paid for the advertisement. All daims of error in publication must be made by Wednesday, noon, por to the next Six Months - $19.79 (includes GST) Member Canadian cms (Wo CN A Association Foreign 1 Year - $96.30 (includes GST) BUSINESS OFFICE: Judy Ashby, Kathy Dudley, Janet Rankin, Lesley West ADVERTISING: Ginni Todd, Cindy Jobin, Gail Morse, Sandra Spiers, Linda Clarke, Lisa Monk, Janet Archer, Malcolm Lennox PRODUCTION: Trudy Empringham, Daryle Wright, Arlene Cheel, Robert Taylor, Richard Drew Freelance Writers: Heather McCrae, John B. McClelland, Rik Davie (which will not be published) included. Requests that a name be withheld will be honoured only if there 1s a compelling reason to do so. Errors wall be corrected of sement. The publisher 5 not kable for other errors or omissions in connection with any advertisement in any week's publication, and, ff not made, will not be considered. No daim will be allowed for more than one mnsertion. Editorial Comment Major projects over budget It is indeed unfortunate that estimates for two township projects have come back with price tags that are much higher than anticipated. The new township pool, being built to replace Birdseye 'Pool, has come in some $40,000 over estimates. And when tenders for a new skateboard park were opened last week, township officials were shocked to find bids far above - try more than double, for starters - the $35,000 that had been budgeted for. It would be tragic to see these projects encounter lengthy delays, because of who they are for: The youth of the com- munity. Kids here have gone for several years without a pool, since Birdseye was condemned. And they have waited patiently, pitching in with fundraising of their own, for the skateboard park. 0 Obviously, some revisions will have to be made. There has long been an argument that the skateboard park, at $35,000, was too costly. And if the township is unwilling to sacrifice features from the new pool, some creative partnering with a contractor will be necessary to trim costs wherever possible. Yes, there is a fund in place for community projects and contingencies. But that's not an excuse for overspending, no matter how much importance is placed on these projects. And efforts must proceed expeditiously. Tomorrow brings August, and the end of the summer holiday looms; kids will soon have gone another summer without a public pool, and they're still waiting for their skateboard park. It has to be possible for Scugog to provide these services, which have been commitied to, and to proceed within bud- getary means. | If it means going back to the drawing board, that's what will have to be done. Mayor Moffatt veils the budget skateboard park! THERE You Go Boys! ENJOY! | Remember When? Historical photo feature by J. Peter Hvidsten : at ---- ¢ a 4 - J { ------ i Phd ~~ 4 ENE Lads iiss 4 V », This familiar laridmark, the old grain elevator, still stands today at Port Perry's waterfront. 1 'elevator, which was built in'1873 by Geo. Currie, was later sold to Aaron Ross, and was known as the Ross Elevator for years. It was the only building to escape destruction during the July 1864 fire which destroyed the entire town: When this photograph was taken about 1930, it was owned and operated by Hogg & Lytle. The old mill is currently the home of an auto parts business. -~ «0. " Ni WL Ay t. The' a eit dand LETTERS Volunteer correspondents doing a wonderful job To the Editor: I cannot stop being upset about the letter from Miss Shelley Davies regarding Diane Cook's omission of her name and those of some of her friends in the Seagrave news column congratulating this year's graduates (Not all grads were listed, July 17). Mrs. Cook is a volunteer. This means that she does not get paid for her work. It is done as a gift to the community. There are at least 400 families in our area, so for someone to say it would have been easy for her to check thoroughly is very thought- less. It would have been far easier for Miss Davies or her family to call Mrs. Cook to point out the omissions. | know she would have been delighted to include their accomplishments in her next col- umn. | have been a resident of the Seagrave area for 16 years and | have always found Mrs. Cook to be extremely happy to print any family news | have had. Many times she has called to see if | do have any news. I do not feel that the column is slanted to Robinglade. The Seagrave United Church is always featured, and birthdays and spe- cial events of Seagrave village and Mariposa Estates are included regularly. Every column ends with the phone number to be called for inclusion of any newsworthy events. Fewer and fewer people are willing to give their time and tal- ents as volunteers in any field, and I feel that those who are should be congratulated and appreciated. Trust me: give Diane or Ann a call next time, and you will see your name in the Seagrave news. Thank you, ladies, for a job well done. Mrs. C.M. Cameron, Seagrave