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6 stouffville suntribune thursday nov 2 2006 suntnbune a metroland community newspaper 6290 main st stouffville on l4a1g7 publisher ian proudfoot editor in chief dehora kelly business manager robert lazurko director advertising distribution barry black director interactive media technouogy john futhey director circulation systems lynn pashko marketingpartnerships director debra weller york region printing general manager bob dean editorial where is our youth at election time its too bad the youth of whitchurch- stouffville didnt organize their own elec tion debate this fall or attend one of the preelection dis cussions already called because candidates and members of the public are sure talking about our youth we thought they may have some thing to add to the discussion even if theyre under the voting age of 18 theres no reason they cant con tribute and at the same time learn about our system of government in the 1980s stouffville district secondary school hosted its own debate during school hours it was one one of the most raucous and interesting preelec tion meetings during that campaign call it a lesson outside the classroom that could pay large dividends later in life high school civics or politics teachers should all but mandate attendance by their students the lesson goes two ways candidates can quickly get a feel for their potential youth constituents the problem adults are making deci sions or at least promises for young peo ple without consulting them in all cases would the town plan a park theatre or arena for a community without inviting community members to give recom mendations no some candidates are calling for a youth centre to be resurrected here as if if s the catchall solution to all that ails our youth it isnt as this town found out so loud ly with the failure of the ice box youth centre in the 1990s older teens stayed away in droves our kids still hung out in the park on main street or outside the arena busy teenagers were too busy with parttime jobs homework sports church and clubs to attend show us a youth centre thats worked in another similar sized ontario commu nity and well talk a movie theatre would be nice but corporate canada only seems interested in constructing megascreen complexes could our town leaders interest an investor in opening a smaller cinema similar to the roxy in uxbridge can programming be tweaked at existing facilities to accommodate teenagers some candidates have talked about opening up our schools into the evenings can programs be run at the stouffville arena and the lebovic leisure centre swimming pool talk is cheap what do our young peo ple really want please tell us because for now their silence is speaking volumes this yeaf halloweem costumes justcouldinfr compete with todays i crazy fash iom pages i letters to the editor accident waiting to happen next to seniors complex my parents ken and doreen have been resi- dents of the parkview village retirement home for many years they are enjoying everything retirement has to offer close proximity to many stores in the area serves them well now and will hopefully through their future years a pathway has been constructed through the parkview grounds to a sidewalk on the west side of the building this sidewalk is on weldon road one of the newest and busiest roads in our town south of main street next to the lion pub directly across the street to the west is the sobeys grocery store which is frequented by many of the seniors from the complex the area where the seniors cross weldon is a grave concern no crosswalk and no lights make it an accident waiting to happen i have seen many seniors pushing their wagons using their walkers and canes to cross this road i value my parents lives and those of every senior using this route who enjoy the convenience of the close proximity of the grocery store with the new high school being built just down the road along with numerous houses i would think this road will one day resemble main street itself if the candidates in the nov 13 election want to score one with the seniors and their families i sug gest they act on this one fast before a convenience becomes a fatality annesalvagna stouffville the stouffville suntribune welcomes your letters all submissions must be less than 400 words and must include a daytime telephone number name and address thestouffville suntribune reserves the right to publish or not publish and to edit for clarity and space write letters to the editor 6290 main st stouffville l4a 1g7 email jmasonyrngcom or fax 9056408778 what do our teenagers need re something for all except our teenagers col umn by caitlin leger oct 21 miss leger writes that many of stouffvilles teens have a lack of social events and activities she expresses what i have heard many times we have youth impatiently awaiting something more to do on a friday night in stouffville than sit at home and watch a rented movie what i am wondering is what exactly do the future leaders of our society want will the new stateofthe art stouffville district secondary school accommodate the social functions our teens seek do we need to build a youth centre perhaps between the lebovic pool and arena as well as the new school and proposed theatre we have the facil ities members of our town should sit down with our youth form a committee and listen to these voices im sure many residents would invest time to ensure our teens have a safe and social environment in this great town i believe we have the resources lets start listen ing and make it happen frank lipari stouffville editorial editor jim mason jmasonymgcom assistant editor rick vanderlinde rvanderlindeyrngcom interactive media marketing advertising manager dawna andrews dandrewsymgcom advertising classified manager ann campbell acampbellymgcom assistant classified manager bonnie rondeau brondeauymgcom retail manager staceyallen sallenymgcom new business development manager mike rogerson mrogersonymgcom production team leader sherry day sdayymgcom editorial 9056402612 fax9056408773 advertising 9056402612 classified 18007433353fak 9058531765 distribution 9052942200 canadian oamkm3 axr bowl mentxf ontario res counc gsk aar suntnbune a york region newspaper group community newspaper the suntribune published every thursday and saturday is a member of the metroland printing publishing and distributing ltd a whollyowned subsidiary of torstar corporation metroland is comprised of 70 community publications across ontario the york region newspaper group includes the liberal serving richmond hill and thomhill vaughan criuenthe economist sun markham the erabanner newmarketaurora georgina advocate york region business times north of trie city yorkregkmcom and york region printing off the top with jim mason smiliri staff sergeant turns in badge for classroom the community safety village of york region is normally bustling with young sters this time of year the centre in bruces mill conservation area on stouffville road imparts safety lessons to six to 12-year- olds from across the region there were no children in the village one evening last week but its main hall was packed the crowd largely police officers active and retired was there to say farewell to one of its own one of its favourites its hard not to like staff sgt rod sine the warm smile hearty handshake and actions that echo our polices services motto so wonderfully deeds speak speakers at the dinner from a child hood pal from markham to cop col leagues from across the region all spoke of the qualities that make the former stouffville resident so admirable so like able professionally speaking it was more of the same twotime york officer of the year in 1979 for the arrest and conviction of three robbers in markham and again in 2002 a personnel file jammed with thank- yous and commendations but it was proactive policing the stuff that doesnt normally draw splashy head lines or newspaper columns where staff sgt sine shone the safety village was his baby and still is at least until tomorrow his final day with a badge he did it all from twisting arms in cor porate york region to raise money for construction to actually building some of the smaller structures at the impressive complex leantos as chief armand la barge who swung a hammer next to the staff sergeant said referring to their primitive carpentry skills staff sgt sine worked for eight years on the village which opened last year at 51 staff sgt sine isnt buying white shoes and moving to miami his second career as a professor in seneca colleges police program started 18 years ago part- time as of next week it will be his only job he also plans to give back to the community he says gave so much to him plus there will be more time to spend with the loves of his life daughter emily and dad don both in stouffville and when he passes the gates to bruces mill and sees a busload of chil dren entering for a day of fun and learn ing at the safety village hell smile as only rod sine can jim mason is editor of the sun- tribune