18 - PORT PERRY STAR - Tuesday, October 27, 1992 - "Scugog's Community Newspaper of Choice" The B.P. Express finally hits the road By Larry Emmerson The idea of having a bus for the Beavers, Cubs and Scouts was first discussed in January at a group committee meeting. It was thought it would be an easy task to buy a used school bus once we could arrange fi- nancingofthe purchase. After some discussion Em- merson Insurance and one of their companies Wellington In- surance offered to buy the bus for the boys. We went to George { and Larry Emmerson of Emmerson In Freeman about buying one of his small buses and he gave us a great deal on a 24-seat school bus. We were on cloud nine. Now we had a bus and it was paid for and we could start car- rying our boys all over the place, right? Not! We had to licence the bus, and todo that we had to get a safety done first. That didn't seem to be a problem because we knew the bus ran great and it would pass with flying colors. And it did, after spending $900 Greg Sanders. Please see story for more details on the bus. THANK YOU Scugog Consultants. Ist Port Perry Scouts would like to thank the following sponsors without ° whose support the BP Express would not have been possible. Chrysler, Insurance, Emmerson Insurance, Port Perry Muffler & Brake, Bridgeport Signs, Taylor Ford Mercury, Whitby Auto Wreckers, Freeman Bus Lines, Stock Transportation and RJ Dawick Wellington on various parts and labor. Thank God Taylor Ford didn't charge us a full labor rate. Now we were ready to go, as soon as I got a bus drivers' li- cence. I took the written test in Oshawa and promptly tried to book the driving test, as we were planning to use the bus two weeks later to take the Scouts to Magnetawan for a camp in June. I couldn't believe it when they told me the first available test date was in Au- KELLY LOWN/PORT PERRY STAR The Port Perry Scouts, Cubs and Beavers are proud of their new bus. The bus took its maiden voyage on Friday. Pictured are the sponsors of the bus George and Ethel Freeman, John Groeneveld, Bridgeport Signs, Don Williamson of Scugog Chysler handing over the keys to leader Ellen Greenough, Barb Sharmon and Cathy Mackay of Wellington Insurance surance and leader. Also pictured is Scout leader gust. I called every ministry test centre south of Sudbury and could only find one that could test me in time, it was in Owen Sound. Three days later I packed the bus, filled it with gas and headed north. About one hourlater] eased our mighty In- ternational onto the north- bound 400, everything was run- ning great. I should have touched wood after that thought, because moments lat- er I heard afunny noise from un- der the hood. I stopped the bus and did what all non- mechanical drivers do, I lifted the hood. Everything looked okay, there couldn'tbe anything wrong with our bus...could there? In five more minutes our bus sounded like a jackhammer on wheels. I put it in neutral and coasted downhill three kilome- tres to a service centre, where I was told that the main bearing was on its way out and the en- gine wasonitslastlegs. The me- chanic told me to start heading back home until the bus died, that way the towing bill would be less. At about 6:15 p.m., two miles south of Bradford on a lonely stretch of road our bus died. Brian's Towing arrived about an hour and one half later and towed the bus back to Scugog Chrysler. The next morning Don Williamson confirmed my fears, we needed a new engine. New engines are not cheap so for the next three weeks I went from wrecking yard to wrecking yard looking for a replacement. There were just no 1981 Inter- nation bus engines around. nature OCTOBER, 1992. an hour or more. Township of Scugog NOTICE of a Public Meeting concerning a Proposed Official Plan Amendment & Zoning By- L.aw Amendment Pursuant to Section 17(2) and Section 34(12) of the Planning Act, S.0O., 1990. TAKE NOTICE that the Council of the Corporation of the Township of Scugog will hold a Public Meeting on November 30, 1992 at 4:00 p.m., at the Township Municipal Offices, 181 Perry Street, Port Perry, Ontario to consider proposed Amendments to the Official Plan of the Township of Scugog and to Zoning By-Law NO. 75-80. the Comprehensive Zoning By-Law. The purpose of these municipal initiated Amendments 1s twofold. Firstly, the Official Plan policies under Section 1.4 entitled "Historic Conservation" will be revised and updated and a new section will be created entitled "Urban Design" The lands affected by the Official Plan Amendment include all the lands within the municipal corporation. Secondly, various provisions in the Zoning By-Law affecting the General Commercial (C3) Zone will be revised. The Amendments will be textual in ADDITIONAL INFORMATION relating to the proposed Official Plan and Zoning By-Law Amendments is available for inspection in the Clerk's Department. 208 North Street, Port Perry, Ontario. ANY PERSON may attend the public meeting and/or make written or verbal representation either in support of or in opposition to the proposed Official Plan and/or Zoning By-Law Amendment(s). If you are unable to attend the meeting, written submissions will be received up to the time of the meeting. Written submissions should include a request for further notification, if so desired. DATED AT THE TOWNSHIP OF SCUGOG THIS 21ST DAY OF Mr ES. Cuddie, AMCT, CMC Administrator-Clerk Township of Scugog, Box 780 Port Perry, Ontario LAL 1A7 (416) 985-7346 NOTE: Please note that as this tem 1s scheduled for 4:00 p.m., you should be there at that time if you wish to attend the meeting. However, the Committee may be delayed in its consideration of other items preceding this item, and this matter could be delayed for Then we got lucky. Brian Stock from Stockway Bus Lines gave us a full-size bus. The deal was we could have the engine and anything else we wanted off the bus, but we would have to pay to have it towed from Toron- to to Port Perry and get rid of whatever was left. Scugog Chrysler took out our old engine and got ready to put in the new one. One problem, the new engine was seized. That was on a Friday. They filled the cylinders with oil and let it set for the weekend. Fortune smiled on us Monday morning when slowly, very slowly, the engine started to loosen up. Within a week the mechanical wizards at Scugog Chrysler had mounted this new and bigger engine, which George Freeman paid for, into our bus and had it fnning up and down Highway Because our new engine was bigger than the old one, it didn't match up with the existing muf- fler. A quick trip to see Doug at Port Perry Muffler and Brake fixed that and the bus was soon on its way back to Scugog Chrys- ler to be painted. Our troop colors are blue and red and now so was the bus. Now our bus was almost ready, but there was the problem of how to pay for all the engine work and paint job. I sat down with Don Jr. and Don Sr. and asked the question, "How much do we owe you?" Don simply said, "Don't worry about it. It's for the Scouts." I was still in shock when I proudly drove our bus back to town. Three days later John at Bridgeport Signs lettered the bus to let everyone know that the B.P. Express (B.P. stand for Baden Powell, the founder of Scouting) belonged to the 1st Port Perry Beavers, Cubs and Scouts, and was ready to roll. What's next for our bus? Whitby Auto Wreckers have do- nated a stereo system and R.J. Dawick consultants in Toronto have arranged for seats from a 727 jetliner to be installed. Words alone cannot express our thanks to all the people who through their generosity and support have given to our boys what very few other Scout or- ganizations have...their own bus. Corn Burning Pellet Furnaces Heats the whole house with thermostat control Clean burning corn kernels & wood pellets Easily burns for 24 hours The -- [14 C1010 = [oTo {Ia SF=1 Burns, Jehind the restaurant Whitby - 668-3192 Sr