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stouffville suntribune thursday june 30 2005 3 stouffville says on the of canada say what does it mean to be canadian asked at orchard park public school in stouffville tuesday morning alex popper it means that you have rights it is a democracy and you are free and you play hockey matthew hauth being free and living in a peaceful country with no wars canada allows people into the country from all over the world mary wolfe i can skate in the winter and water ski in the summer canada accepts different cultures and different beliefs i had people fight for my life so i would be free- taylor baggs i get to go to my cottage and canadas wonderland i am free to go to different places we get to see fireworks in the park for canada day shepherd of main st staff photohannelore volpe crossing guard sharon norton leads surnmitview public school students rebecca benn from left rose wideman cassie feguson jessica spencer jessica benn richard wideman and lauren barr and councillor harry bowes across main street a bench was erected on the corner friday in hon our of mrs nortons 1 7 years as a guard parents honour crossing guard who goes extra mile for children by hannelore volpe staff writer her bright red stop sign held aloft like a beacon sharon norton has shepherd ed neighbourhood children across main street to surnmitview public school for the past 17 years the love and care she has shown the communitys chil- dren has been so appreciated by the schools parents they erected a stone bench with a plaque bearing her name in front of the school friday mrs norton was over whelmed by the gesture it took a while for the shock to wear off and the tears kept flowing throughout the day she said the crossing guard comes to work early every morning to make sure children heading to st brigid catholic school get across the busy intersec tion safely she knows all the kids by name parent isola wideman said she gives them candy canes at christmas and freezies in the summer she knows all the kids by name she gives them candy canes at christmas and freezies in the summer at the end of each school year the light standard near the school at the main street and stouffer street intersec tion looks like a christmas tree- because of the gifts par ents and children bring to her mrs norton said over the past 17 years mrs norton has watched the first crop of children grow up head off to university and get married i have a good bunch of kids she said if you respect them they will respect you the intersection she looks after is getting more danger ous as the years pass and traf fic volume increases her major complaint is the num ber of drivers who run red lights she has on more than one occasion had to pull chil dren back from the paths of oncoming traffic several years ago two youngsters got hit by a car but fortunately the injuries were so minor they didnt have to go to hospital it was just enough to put a scare in them mrs norton said i wjas on one side of the road and they were on the other over the years shes noticed more and more par ents are walking to school with their children instead of sending them on their own sharon norton has lived in stouffville with her husband larry for 34 years home to become cqndos parkview home on rupert avenue has been sold and is being turned into seniors condominiums 1 the anticipated opening date of the 159unit facility is 2008 about a dozen people attended a public hearing last week to find out what would happen once the new parkview home on weldon road is completed there will be 105 condominium units plus another 54 apartments that can be leased at the 481 rupert ave location about 200 to 250 people will eventually live in the building there will be a restaurant and swimming pool for residents use as well as nursing care and a physiother apist the building will occupy the same area as the original building except for wings extending toward the back councillor susanne hilton said i am pleased it is another seniors complex that will fit in well with the neighbourhood mrs hilton said gym trashed boy charged a 13yearold boy has been arrest ed in connection with an act of van dalism at surnmitview public school the gym at the main street ele mentary school was trashed around 6 pm sunday toilet paper was strewn around the basketball nets and ketchup sprayed on the walls profanities were written in black marker and ketchup around the change rooms eggs were smashed on the walls and several chairs were bent school staff found the mess the next day and reported it to the police a whitchurchstbuffville boy is facing charges of mischief and dam age to property under 1000 quoteworthv the time has come to face up meet the situation head on and treat the trend as a positive rather than a negative jim thomas on the changing face of stouffville see column on page 7 contacting us have a news tip please phone us at 9056402612 email us at jmasonyrngcom visit us at 34 civic ave stouffville j i fl h ii il 5 proceeds to support l 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