Vol. 10 No. 40
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2014
YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER COVERING NORTH DURHAM
This weeks feature insert is the
Scugog Seniors Calendar
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Caesarea Skateboard Park is finally getting ready to roll
Organizers of the Caesarea Skateboard Park for Kids happily accepted a donation of $15,000 from Hydro One’s Power Play program, on Friday, Sept. 19. Also, on Monday, Sept. 22, Scugog Council agreed to pay BENJAMIN PRIEBE The Standard roughly $20,000 for designs and concepts to be created. BENJAMIN PRIEBE The Standard
SCUGOG: The Caesarea Skateboard Park project received a notable boost this week - and work has begun on designs, which will decide the future of Putsey Park’s newest addition. On Friday, Sept. 19, Susie Bollon and the Caesarea Skateboard Park committee graciously accepted a donation of $15,000 from Hydro One’s Power Play program. The project saw another push forward on Monday, Sept. 22, when Scugog Township also approved $19,868 from this year’s budget to
contract a Vancouver-based skate park design firm, Spectrum Skateparks Inc., to begin working on designs and plans for the skate park. The approximate price-tag on designing costs came in under half of the $40,000 budget originally set aside for the design stage; earlier in 2013 when proponents for the Skate Park asked Council for funding. Spectrum Skateparks Inc. has designed many local parks, as well as the new skate park in Uxbridge,” said Ian Roger, CAO and Director of Public Works and Parks for the Township of Scugog. “The designs
will include eco-friendly concrete and considerations for the Ontarians with Disabilities Act.” Mr. Roger added that there has been no specification given to Spectrum Skateparks regarding layout - and that the variations are limited only to what the public and local youth decide. With funding well under way, thanks to Trillium Foundation monies, Township budget allocations, and the support of numerous local fundraisers - a forum will be held on Tuesday, Sept. 30, inside the Caesarea Community Hall, located at 3554 Regional Rd. 57 in Blackstock.
Councillors address long walks to USS DARRYL KNIGHT The Standard
UXBRIDGE: “I don’t want to walk from above Quaker Village Public School to Uxbridge Secondary School,” School Board Trustee Joe Allin told members of council during a deputation this week. However, that is precisely what faces many Uxbridge students following recent changes to the Durham District School Board’s transportation policy. Representatives from the school board appeared before council at their meeting on the evening of Monday, Sept. 22 to explain the rationale behind a recent decision to eliminate bussing for students living within four kilometres of Uxbridge Secondary School. According to local School Board Trustee Joe Allin, two factors contributed to changes to the bussing policy, which has meant a greater walk to school for students living in Quaker Village and Sandy Hook. The first was an audit by the Ministry of Education, a ten per cent penalty equalling $2 million was applied to the board. The other was the discontinuance of special passes offered to students in the southern portion of Durham Region. “Should the grant be restored, there is an understanding that there will be a discussion about restoring previous standards,” explained Mr. Allin. However, councillors were quick to point out that weather conditions are drastically different in North Durham and should not be held to the same standards as communities south of Hwy. 7. “I was appalled with the lack of understanding from some trustees about the difference in weather between North and South Durham,” commented Mayor Gerri Lynn O’Connor. “We don’t have the same weather as the south. They don’t get as much snow or ice or have as many school cancellations as we do in the north.” Trustee Allin explained to councillors that there is a “myth” about the availability of public transit in South Durham. “Durham Region Transit (DRT) is not that mature, and 60 per cent of students in the southern municipalities don’t have access to a bus that would get them to school in a reasonable amount of time.” However, several members of council took issue with these claims, noting that any transit options are limited in Uxbridge Township. TURN TO PAGE 4
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