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PAGE 6, 'HFURSDAY, JUNE 21, 1973, WIITBY FREE PRESS S/RD'S. EYE VIEW kir JIU *ol IN MEMORY OF The rain had finally stopped and the sun had been shining brightly for two days. On such a sunny day it seemed only logical to go down to the old miiil pond with some of the family and friends. She was a young girl and just at the age where she was starting to love life. School was almost over and after having made a number of friends in her new Cu $ community of a few months she was looking forward to a fun summer. The mill pond was murky from the rain and the lower pond was hacked up because of the construction of the new bridge. There were great piles of dirt and heavy timbers ail over the place and off towards the bridge were scattered pieces of equipment just waiting to chew up even more of the tranquil countryside. The traffic wound slowly over the old bridge in single file, raising a light brown dust that settled over everything like a haze. Ail things considered the water was warm and wet and there was talk the fish were biting. It was just too good to resist having a swim. There was a wading pool in a jiark less than a mile away but it just didn't have the charm of swimming in an old mill pond. And besides, how many fish would nibble on your toes in a nice clean wading pond? Although it was a little muddy the water was warm and refreshing. With ail the construction it was nice to shed the dust and escape the warm summer sun. The shoreline was rocky and the water depth dropped off quickly but one could only guess how deep it was. it was deep enough STORE & CHARGEX SERVICE HOURS NOW OPEN This wide "78' series tire has new tire tread rubber for low cost per mile. Larger footprint provides in- creased power transfer and excellent wet road traction. Covered by the Firestone No-Gimmick Guarantee. F78-1 4, F78-1 5, (7.75-14, 7.75-15) Blackwall ta fit many models of. TLASS, CORON ET SKYLARK 95 EXCHANGE INSTALLED WH ITEWALLS MORE and fall effortlessly into the pond below to disappear into the murky water and bob to the surface a few seconds later. Nobody was exactly sure how it happened but they noticed she didn't bob to the surface a few seconds later. In fact she hadn't appeared a few 'minutes later. One child ran to the nearby house where the mill owner lived and frantically told of the girl disappearing. The wife immediately called the police and the husband ran for the mill pond. He wasn't even sure if there was a child in those murky waters but the youth had been so distraught he couldn't take a chance it was ail just a mistake. First came the Fire Department's station wagon follow- ed by the fire truck and finally the emergency van. Ail three screamed down the main street and roared into the parking lot at the mill. Eventually the ambulance came and braked to a sharp hait at the mill. Because the old mill is so close to downtown people soon flocked to find out what was happening. Most thought it was a fire but nothing appeared to be wrong. Spectators were greeted with the sight of firemen, stripped to the waist, diving into the murky lower mill pond. What were they looking for? Some said a girl had ridden her bike into the pond and others said she had been swimming. The general consensus was that a girl was down there somewhere. A young boy of maybe 10 years ran up the main street, soaking wet and with a terrified look in his eyes. It was a look you couldn't forget , ever. He was the younger brother~of the little girl. The firemen were still frantically searching. An old rowboat appeared and the firemen quickly hopped in and used two boards for oars until the real ones were finally handed to them. - The bright orange drag the fire department used for finding bodies was lowered into the water and the men started to drag it in a pattern. They could only conjecture where the deep parts were and which way the current went as the construction had changed everything. One thing they knew....if there was a littie girl down there she had been down much too long. If God could bring about a miracle it was the time to do it. It had been 20 minutes since she was reported to have gone under and the worried parents on shore had that terrible feeling in the pits of their stomachs. A littie girl they had loved for over 12 years was down there and maybe only God could now bring her back. God didn't but the fire department did. They hooked her arm on the drag and when they brought ber pale body to the surface one fireman started mouth to mouth artifical respiration at once. There was a scramble on shore as more firemen brought in the oxygen equipment. Her off-white body was so deathly limp. They gave her oxygen and from her lungs came mud and dirty water. But lungs have to have air and hers had not been filled with air for so long. She was rushed off to the hospitai with artificial respiration continuing ail the way. Scarcely an hour later the coroner pronounced a death by drowning. Sucb a young girl and su much to live for. She bad almnost ber whiole life ahiead of lher that day at the .mill pond. In times of anger we wish many things on many people but nobody would have wisbed such a tragic end to such a young girl. The little girl lived ini Bowmanville and she drowned ini a dirty, nmurky miii pond just over a wveek ago witb ber lungs full of mud and water. ut could bave been your child. *Editor's Note. The writer witnessed this tragedy and wrote this story ini bopes it might prevent another cbild from the same gruesome fate. Hwy. 407 Long Way Off According to Bill Newman M.P.P., Ontario South, there has been a lot of discus- sion in the Township of Pick- ering, the Town of Whitby, and the Township of East Whitby regarding the route of Highway 407 and the Pa- rkway Belt. . Mr. Newman says in order to allay the fears of people living in this area, he would like to point out that the plans for Highway 407 and the Parkway Belt east of the North Pickering Development Project will not be comple- ted for approximately two years and it will be at least two years before any annou- ncements are made. It will probably be at least fifteen years before Highway 407 is built east of the North Pick- ering Development Project. At this point in time the route of Highway 407 and the Parkway Belt through th- is area has fnot been resolved. MON. to FRI. 8.M. to 8 P.M. SAT. 8 A.M. - 5 P.M. Fitrestone Super Sports 100 RETREAD WITH OUR NEW TIRE GUARANTEE!