Vol. 10 No. 2
YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER COVERING NORTH DURHAM
THURSDAY, JANUARY 9, 2014
Editorial . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Wheels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Entertainment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 Classifieds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
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Polar Plungers prepare for icy Scugog dip BLAKE WOLFE The Standard
SCUGOG: While it would be a strange sight any other time of year, visitors to Port Perry’s Palmer Park on Feb. 8 can expect to see friendly polar bears and brave souls in various costumes waiting to jump into the frigid waters of Lake Scugog. Now in its seventh year, the Auxiliary To Lakeridge Health Port Perry’s Polar Plunge returns next month and once again promises to deliver a dose of frosty fun for a good cause. This year, the plunge will move to the afternoon from the morning, a change which Auxiliary member Barb Brady said will hopefully result in more spectators. “We’re hoping to get a big crowd this year,” said Ms. Brady of the time change. Each year, an average of 37 brave plungers don their best costumes and take the mid-winter dip. According to the auxiliary, more than $76,000 has been raised this way since the event started in 2008, benefitting Lakeridge Health Port Perry through the purchase of new hospital equipment. The organizers - which include Ms. Brady, Yvonne Duhig, Marilyn Lauricella, Mary Jane Inglis, Ruth Spearing, Joyce Rice, Mag Brown, Anne Wright and Wendy Welfle - hope to make this year’s plunge the best yet as they raise funds toward a $350,000 pledge to the Port Perry Hospital Foundation’s ‘Your Hospital, Your Future’ campaign for improvements to the hospital’s patient wing. As in previous years, teams of plungers will have their turn in the frosty waters of Lake Scugog, followed by a warm up - this year, in hot tubs - and an awards ceremony following the plunge will be held at the Latcham Centre, with various titles up for grabs. Plungers won’t have to worry about plugging their noses, either. According to Ms. Brady, a number of participants last year noted a strong smell after decaying matter on the lake bottom was disturbed during the 2013 plunge. This year, said Ms. Brady, the TrentSevern Waterway will assist by placing a tarp along the lake bottom before the first plunge takes place. T U R N TO PAG E 4
ON ELGIN POND: Joel (left), and Thomas Eng (right), pass the puck on the frozen Elgin Pond, on Saturday, Jan. 4. Amid a couple slips and falls, little Joel brought his A-game to the improvised rinks in Uxbridge. Many families and friends were seen braving the chill for the love of hockey and skating. BENJAMIN PRIEBE The Standard
Changes proposed for Uxbridge Music Hall DARRYL KNIGHT The Standard
UXBRIDGE: A change is in the air at the historic Uxbridge Music Hall, as the hall’s board recently requested relaxed policies in the hopes of attracting more shows to the venue. Music Hall Board member Frank Chown appeared before council at their meeting on the morning of Monday, Jan. 6 to discuss proposed changes to the event policy at the historic performing arts centre. “More stringent requirements were passed in 2008 after incidents at youth concerts at the music hall,” explained Mr. Chown. “We thought that adding police presence would solve the problem, but it ended up having the adverse conse-
quence of having no concerts booked at the hall. All it did was make it uneconomic to have a concert at all with the added $350 expense for pay-duty police officers.” Mr. Chown added that on the rare occasion there has been a concert at the Music Hall over the past five years, police presence has been limited to outside the hall, not inside where incidents occurred in the past. As well, the policy has been limited to youth events, when according to Mr. Chown, adult events could potentially pose even more of a risk. “We want to encourage use of the hall amongst youth,” added Mr. Chown. “There are a lot of talented young people in this town, many of whom got their start performing at the T U R N TO PAG E 5 Music Hall.”