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4 -- PORT PERRY STAR -- Tuesday June 1, 1982 bel Sb 8 hd [FUT C0 ah ou [3 CIN LS ARAMA Se Bt) BJ CRT y AI 148 PANEER A, AOR RTA Rh AS LS A EE RISA Si AV RENE RAI Co BRR AAAS BY Ah SA ad EF Lavan ge Saban SUS RA NS ad editorial comments chatterbox by John B. McClelland SICK CHILDRENS HOSPITAL Of all the very distressing news making headlines in recent weeks, none disturbs me more than the revelations about Sick Childrens Hospital. The publication of findings of the preliminary hearing (which cleared nurse Susan Nelles of murder charges) are nothing short of shocking and almost unbelievable. The public outcry for a total and complete investigation is well founded, for obviously something dreadful has occurred within the walls of that world famous hospital. Whether Sick Childrens reputation has been damaged beyond repair depends now on several things, namely the eventual outcome of the police investigation and the enquiry that has been ordered by the provincial govern- ment. Every parent in Ontario, indeed all of Canada, has a "stake in that hospital. The need to find the truth and get to the bottom of what has been going on is paramount. The investigations now underway are probably :the most important ever carried out in Ontario, possibly all of Canada. Speaking personally, my own child has been a patient there on more than one occasion, and during those times, we got to know many of the staff on his ward quite well. I shudder to think of the burden those people must be working under during these difficult times. I hope that someday the air will be cleared, and that this happens soon. There is so much at stake. ' A SCUGOG LEGEND? I must admit I was more than just a little skeptical last Thursday afternoon when a friend and well know gentle- man from Scugog dropped into the office and proceeded to relate the story of mysterious lights which have been seen on a deserted sideroad of Scugog Island. The gentleman (who shall be left nameless for the time being) admitted that he too had been very skeptical when told of these lights and the legend behind them, but the previous evening between 10:30 and midnight he said he saw the light appear and disappear on five different 'occasions. "It is very weird. I don't know what it is, but I know that I saw something," was the way he tried to sum it up. Now, I don't believe in ghosts, not for a minute. And my friend doesn't believe in them either. We both agreed that there must be some kind of logical explanation to this mysterious light. } Last Thursday night, the two of us went to that deserted sideroad and sat in the darkness for almost two hours hoping that it would appear so that I would be able to see for myself and draw my own conclusions. We saw nothing. But there were two other cars on the sideroad, and one lady said she had seen the light several years ago. It was eerie sitting in a car with the lights out on a dark i country road waiting for a mysterious light to appear. I was a bit worried that the Durham Region con- stabulary might make an appearance and demand to know what two grown-up men were doing sitting in a car at midnight. To tell a police officer we were waiting to see a light appear might lead to a trip to the police station and the breathalyser test. But no police car was on that road that night. Although the light did not apper the night I was out on that road, I have talked to several people who swear up and down they have seen the light on numerous occasions. They all describe it as looking like a motorcycle light which seems to come out of a field, move along the road and then disappear. Several people (including my friend) say that when the white light disappears, they see a red tail-light moving in the opposite direction. The light seems to be about a half a mile away and there is no sound. - Now the legend. The story is that several years ago (some say 12, others say 17) a young man was killed in a motorcycle accident and the light is his cycle coming out of the spot where the accident took place. That's the legend. Like I said, I don't believe in those kinds of things, so from my point of view, a more plausible explanation is that the light is some sort of reflection, possibly from a high point of land on the Ridges or Shirley Road. Some say the light may be created by swamp grass. Both of these explanations are logical. But one person says he has seen the light in the middle of winter. Is there swamp gas that time of year? As for the theory that it is a reflection from the Ridges, a check on a map shows that where the light appears to the high point on Shirley Road is a distance of just over four miles. It would be possible to see a car light on a clear night from that distance, but it seems a bit far to see a red tail-light. Doesn't it? I would like to say the whole story is nothing more than hoax of some kind, but I have talked to too many credible individuals who say in all sincerity that they have seen the light appear in the night. They are not sure what, but they have seen something. The location where people claim to see the light is the sideroad on Scugog Island between the ninth and tenth Concession lines. According to those who have seen it, the light appears to start in afield south of the ninth line, and then moves in a northerly direction along the sideroad for ten to 15 seconds. . I'm still skeptical about the whole story. I do believe the people when they say they saw a light .appear and disappear. But naturally, there is an explanation. Right? Still, I want to see it for myself, and I will go back to that deserted sideroad, turn off the car lights and wait. But I'm not sure that I want to go alone. In the meantime, if anybody can shed a little "light" on this mystery, please give me a call at the Star office. Let OMB Decide It is almost a certainty that the Ontario Municipal Board will be the final arbitrer for the golf course and estate residential housing development being proposed for the Chalk Lake area of Scugog Town- ship by Ridgeland Holdings. The proposed development has received, the unanimous approval of Scugog Township council, and the approval of both Durham Region's planning committee and the full Regional council. Nevertheless, property owners in the Chalk Lake area remain adamently opposed to the development, citing environmental concerns and the lack of environmental studies as the main reasons for their opposition. Having the matter decided by the OMB is probably the best course for this development. Although OMB hearings are costly to all parties concerned and time consuming, the Board has a reputation for being both exhaustive in examination of all material pertinent to the subject and fair in its final decisions. And the Board has the power to spell out certain conditions that would have to be met, if it finds in favour of the project and gives it the green light. These conditons could relate to the environmental concerns of the existing property owners in the area who fear that a nine hole golf course and 76 estate type homes on large lots may have an adverse impact on the environment. Bn If the matter winds up in front of the OMB (as seems likely) the extent to which the developer makes his arguments in favour of the proposal could well be an indication of just how serious the developer is in seeing the project through to com- pletion if approval is given. There have been a lot of development proposals in front of Scugog Township council over the last five years, but many of them have amounted to little more than a fancy drawing on a piece of paper. If the matter winds up in front of the OMB, the Board is going to demand that the developer address the environmental concerns expressed by existing property owners, and prove that the development will not have an unduly -adverse effect on the: environment. Scugog Township council and Regional council have endorsed the project in principle. In Scugog's case, the reasons are obvious. This kind of develop- ment would generate considerable tax revenue, and Scugog Township has not exactly been boom-city in recent years, as far as residential and industrial development is concerned. However, environmental concerns must be addressed in a substantial manner. It is for this reason that the OMB is the best forum for a thorough examination of this issue and the final decisions on whether or not it proceeds. Magnificent Words are hard to find to.describe the new Scugog Memorial Library which was officially opened with a "dignified ceremony Saturday afternoon. Suffice to say the building is a magnificent new facility for the people of Scugog Township, a place which surely will add to the cultural enrichment of all who take the opportunity to use it. The building itself, with a subdued brown brick exterior, is of simple yet dignified design. The main room inside is spacious, bright and functional, exactly what a library should be. The ceremony itself Saturday afternoon was in keeping with the mood and tone of the building: simple, dignified and to the point, The necessary speeches covered the points which had to be made and there was mention of the many, many people who had a hand, large and small in bringing this project to a successful completion. A warm touch was added to the actual ribbon cutting when two youngsters were called out of the audience to assist the politiclans and library board chairman. . The people of Scugog Township are indeed for- tunate to have several first rate public facilities for their use and enjoyment: Town Hall 1873 and the Scugog Arena-are two which come to mind. The new Memorial Library is certainly in this class. The cutting of that ribbon Saturday afternoon marked' the culmination of an Idea for expanded library facilities which began almost four years ago. That idea is now reality, and as one of the speakers on Saturday noted, it was more than worth the wait.