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orono Town Hall k * RONO WEEKLY 'TIMES r43 GST ,Includedl Grandima Robsons violets Wednesday, November 4, 1998 'Tales from Ebor House, My Home' was the title Mr. Balfour LeGresley gave to the presenta- tion hie made at the meeting of the Newcastl-e Historical Society Monday night. Mr. LeGresley, who amiong other things is an avid genealo- gist, began the presentation with an account of his ances- tors, the Farncombs, the Gibsons, and other smnaller branches of the famnily. He concluded his address with the accounts of several tragic drownings that had occurred at Bond head. It was the story of the Double Scented English violet that the people really came to hear LeGresley tell. LeGresley recalîs that his mother was a wonderful gar- dener, and the violets were her absolute pride and joy. His mother always referred to the plants as Grandi-a Robson's violets. Although he could not pin down the exact date the violets arrived at their Bond Head home,. LeGresley says they must have come fromi England ini 1835, 1857 or 1882. Realizing this violet was an important part of his family's history, LeGresley decided 10 find out what he could about it. No one-on this continent lknew anything about that particular violet, so he wrote to England, to the mayor of the town where the Gibsons came from, on the boarder between County Durham and County Yorkshire. That letter prompted a response from the Vice President of the Violet Association, who wrote that he had hecard of such a vio- let, but 10 his knowledge they were extinct in Engîand. LeGresley sent 7-8 plants to England by courier on the con- dition they would be re-intro- duced in the part of the country they originally came from. 1This violet has about 15 petals and is purple in colour. They do not produce seed, raîher, they send out runners. The plànt needs constant atten- tion because it is easily over mun by other plants says LeGresley. LeGresley has been trying bo grow the violet at his Toronto homne for the last ten year. Last year hie almost lost the entire plant due to a infestation of midges. He man-' aged to get the problem under control, and last spring had only one bloom in the entire patch. 'The plants in their native country are doing very well. tira, of paylngfrut The Newcastle' Library would like to gel out of their rentai accommodation and into a place of their own. Don Peebles, Chair of the Library Board's Ad Hoc Committee to study alternatives Io the Newcastle situation made lis presentation aIthle General Purpose and Administration Committee Meeting on Monday. Balfour LeGresley with the violets he saved from extinction. He Attached to the report was a transplanted a few plants from his mother's garden at Ebor House at list of 14 potential alternative Bond Head, about ten years ago and through careful nurturing no sites, with only one of them a has a sizable plot of the violets growing at bis home in Toronto. realistic option. That being the soon to be vacated IGA store. Peebles admitted that the IGA CHappenngs.. MISSION AND SERVICE KIRBY UNITED CHURCH Everyone is welcomne 10 our Mission and Service Sunday at Kirby United Church at 9:30 a.m. or Orono United Church at 11:00 a.m. on Sunday November 22, 1998. Our guest s 'peaker is Lucy Reid, 'the Ecumenical Minister at the University of Guelph for the past eight years. Her topic is "Ail our neigh- bours" where she will address attitudes towarc*o other faiths. Followingithe Orono service a light lunch wilI be served. COMMUNITY CARE ADULT DAY PROGRAM IN NEWCASTLE The Community Care Aduit Day Programi in Newcastle will be hosting a Christmas Tea and Craft Sale on Thursday, Novemnber 26, 1998 from .1:.30 p.m. - 3:30 p.m. Ail items for sale have been made by our members at the Adult Day Program. Admission is $1 .50 per person, wqhich includes refreshm-ents. Hope 10 see you there 1 We are located at 20 Robert Street West, Newcastle (corner cf Robert and Mill Street). For further information please contact us at (905) 987-3000. CAREGIVER SUPPORT GROUP The next meeting of the Caregiver Support Group will be held on Monday, November 9th ati:0pm at Trinity United Church. Catherine Plue, Co-ordinator Lakeridge Health Oshawa, Palliative Care Service will discuss Management of Pain in Chroniic lless. Everyone welcome. For informnatio'n cal Janice Kroft at 623-4123. OPTIMIST CLUB 0F NEWCASTLE VILLAGE The Optimist Club presents Join The Commando Elite - Small Soldiers, Newcastle Community Hall, Thursday, November 5 at 7 p.m. Doors open at 6:.30 p.m. Admission is $2.00 per person and chips and pop are available aI .500 each. store would prol'ide more room than they need, and the cost of renovation and mnoving the col- lection would be substantial. Another alternative put for- ward by Peebles was to build a library on Municipally owned land. The comnmittee put for- ward the Municipal parking lot in Newcastle as an ideal loca- tion. Mayor Hlamre stated in the ensuing discussion, "forget a new Newcastle branch for the next five years, you haven't got a hope of using that parking lot," The Newcastle Library was housed in the two front roomns of the Newcastle Town Hall from 1923 tilt 1990. At that lime il was recognized that the space provided at the Town Hall. was not meeting the increased library needs, and space was rented in the plaza behind the Town Hall. In April 1990 a five year lease for approximately $50,000 annual- ly was signed. In 1995 the lease was renewed for another five years ai the sanie rate -- $12.50 per square foot, plus maintenance and taxes. The commïïittee, looking ahead 10, another five year lease point out that the rental costs average d out over a numnber of years soon reaches the total for construction of a new building. Mayor Hamnre pointed out that the Courtice Branch is still being outfitted, and that a new Bowmanville Main Branch is a priority. "I can't see .Newcastle coming ahead, no way can we do two library board expenses in the capital budget," said the Mayor. The landlord aI the 50 Mill St. North location has met with the ad hoc committee and has offered 10 renew the lease aI the current rate for other five years. A second option offered reduces the square foot rent by $1.75 provided that the next lease is fixed for five years with no s'ix.mnonth opt-out clause, *Peebles was askýýd by coun-, cil 10 revisit the reduced rate as offered. Another option put forward by the ad hoc ,ommiiittee, that will ho investigated furîher, would bo for the ibrary board 1buy a facility, and pay a miortgyage rather than rent. j * Remembrance Day November 11, 1998