Vol. 10 No. 51
Merry Christmas
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 18, 2014
YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER COVERING NORTH DURHAM FROM OUR FAMILY TO YOURS, MERRY CHRISTMAS!! - JULIE AND LEE COLBY Realty Executives Systems Inc. Brokerage Sales Representative
Changes coming to Greenbank agreement BENJAMIN PRIEBE The Standard
THE NUTCRACKER THRILLS FULL HOUSE: The skilled students of Island Dance Studio performed their annual production of The Nutcracker, a traditional ballet suite, to a full house of patrons at Town BENJAMIN PRIEBE The Standard Hall 1873, on Sunday, Dec. 14. For more photos of the show, see page 26.
Hope Through Hockey team preps for trip UXBRIDGE: As they prepare for their second trip to the remote North Ontario First Nation community of Weagamow later this month, the Hope Through Hockey team has been overwhelmed by the generosity of the people of the Uxbridge area and surrounding communities. Just six short weeks ago, word went out that the team was returning again this year to the First Nation community of Weagamow (OjiCree for Round Lake), to conduct skating and hockey clinics. As was the case during last year’s initial trip, part of the initiative was a desire to take an array of hockey equipment that would be used to outfit even more young people interested in learning the game of hockey. Over the four weeks that followed, an incredible outpouring of generosity and support resulted in nine full skids of excellent hockey gear being shipped
by truck to Pickle Lake (the closest community to Weagamow accessible by road). The team learned last year that if the weather is just cold enough in December for an “ice road” across Round Lake can be used to retrieve the equipment, enabling a lot more equipment to be sent at a much lower cost. “We have word that the ice road will be operative,” Courtney Lawson, manager of the Uxbridge Secondary School Tigers varsity boys hockey team said in a press release. “We are so excited to have sent equipment that not only can outfit the children who did not get equipment last year, but also to create a spare equipment inventory for an exchange program when children outgrow their equipment.” Courtney has been the key contact for the equipment collection and sorting effort. T U R N TO PAG E 4
Merry Christmas and
SCUGOG: A large crowd of residents packed Council Chambers on Monday, Dec. 15, while Scugog’s newly-elected councillors took their first crack at the issues surrounding the Greenbank Airways fill site on Hwy. 47. After hearing from three separate deputations on the soon-lapsing fill agreement with the DLS Group, councillors voted to continue an interim agreement until March 31, 2015 - or until four weeks after the Ministry of Transportation returns with a verdict - hoping that a more cohesive agreement can be drafted in that time frame. The additional provisions of load screening, fill source site segregation, and mandatory quality checks from source site personnel, were added in during an amendment to the original motion. These terms and conditions had been removed from the agreement during the last Council term, and will be put back into place during the interim agreement. On-lookers did not seem pleased, jeering councillors and yelling “Shame!” while councilors voted to support the second motion. While many residents at the meeting expressed a desire for the agreement to be denied, and for the site to be shut down immediately, Mayor Tom Rowett explained to The Standard that such an outcome would not be in the public’s best interest. “If the agreement were allowed to lapse entirely, the Township of Scugog could face legal action from DLS Group and Greenbank Airways,” said Mayor Rowett. “During the ensuing court battle, the Township would likely lose all control over the site, and the proponents could possibly just up and leave, leaving us with a mound of dirt and a hefty bill. It’s important to retain the control we have, and work on a stronger agreement.” The various groups who made deputations – namely, the environmental advocacy group Lakeridge Citizens for Clean Water, and local residents David LeRoy and PJ Moore – took issue with current public awareness and input, the current testing schedule of fill loads, and the Township’s power of oversight on the project - citing the decisions of previous councillors. Scugog CAO Ian Roger responded to comments regarding the current testing protocol, stating that “The on-site screening is done on each truck that comes in. Depending on how many trucks are on-site at any given time, soil samples for heavy metals and organics are done anywhere from every one to every five trucks. This is sufficient, but could be changed if Council wishes.”
Happy New Year
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