Vol. 10 No. 32
YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER COVERING NORTH DURHAM
THURSDAY, AUGUST 8, 2013
Editorial . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Wheels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Entertainment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 Classifieds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Uxbridge considering provincial flood funding DARRYL KNIGHT The Standard
UXBRIDGE: Recent flooding in Toronto and Western Canada pushed Uxbridge’s downtown flood alleviation project back to the forefront at a recent council meeting. Included in councillor’s agendas was correspondence delivered jointly from the Ministry of Rural Affairs, the Ministry of Transportation as well as the Ministry of Infrastructure regarding a Ontario budget initiative that will see millions of dollars put towards roads, bridges and other critical infrastructure in the province’s small, rural and northern municipalities. The Municipal Infrastructure Investment Initiative (MIII) is slated to
provide up to $9 million to help small and rural municipalities prepare asset management plans, and nearly $90 million to help municipalities address critical infrastructure needs across the province. The province is currently consulting on the design of this new program, and will be looking at options to make it permanent for consideration in the 2014 Provincial Budget. Since 2010, the township has been working towards a flood alleviation plan that would see changes to the culvert that runs beneath Brock St., allowing the Uxbridge Brook to flow north to the water treatment facility on Main St. With an estimated price tag of $12 million, funding for the project has been debated amongst council-
lors numerous times, and the news of this new funding from the province may prove to be beneficial for its timely completion. According to Public Works Director Ben Kester, a detailed design of the project is expected to be completed in 2014, leading Mayor Gerri Lynn O’Connor to raise the possibility of the township working in conjunction with the Region to help fund the project through this new provincial infrastructure fund in order to protect area residents in the event of a major storm. “We should be dialoguing with Durham Region to see if we can’t recoup some of our $12 million cost,” opined Mayor O’Connor. “My concern is if there’s one of these rains, where does that leave us?”
Aquarama returning Aug. 18 BLAKE WOLFE The Standard
SCUGOG: The Rotary Club of Port Perry is looking to make another big splash for charity this month, when the 2013 edition of the club’s popular Aquarama fundraiser takes over the Port Perry shoreline for its 20th anniversary. The annual summer event returns to Palmer Park on Sunday, Aug. 18. Twenty teams of up to five riders will hit the waters of Lake Scugog for some friendly competition, zipping around a course on a personal watercraft. No experience is necessary, however, riders need to raise at least $100 in pledges. As of Aug. 1, space is still available for seven more teams to register. Single riders can be added to a team as space allows.
Prizes, trophies and medals will be awarded to teams and riders in a variety of categories, including Highest Individual Pledges Collected, Fastest Team Time, ‘Spledge’ (team time minus 10 seconds for each $100 collected), Fastest Individual Time, Highest Team Pledges, Most Unusual Ride and Most Amusing Costume. This year’s event will also feature a barbecue and live music. With more than $180,000 generated for various local charities and Rotary Club initiatives, Aquarama chair Steve Gajewski said that to commemorate the event’s 20th anniversary, he hopes to see donations top the $200,000 mark. In 2012 alone, riders helped raise $8,346 for charity. T U R N TO PAG E 5
Things are buzzing in North Durham Beekeeper Steve Bowman displays bees from one of his hives at Ocala Orchards in Scugog, just one of the many homes to honeybees in North Durham. See Page 12 for the story and more photos. BLAKE WOLFE The Standard