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4 k t t1 economist sun stouffville tribune thursday july 1 1999 3 happy canada day stouffville citizens head into the 21st century with mixed emotions future to behold jill jones upgrading computer for new millenium byjoanransberry staff writer most folks are marking canadas 132nd birthday by attending this years strawberry festival the last of the 20th century the threeday community festival offers everything from a bubble gum blowing contest to a midway to a pie- tasting contest stouffvilles children certainly have a unique way of celebrating canada today theyll be grinding the rails catching some air and hanging 10s at the 75000 skateboard park which opens tonight at thicketwood park in keeping with canadian tradition there will be a fire works display at dusk at memorial park thousands are expect ed to attend were celebrating canada at the festival said linda marr of stouffville we always go wont miss it the marr family has yet to decide how theyll ring in the new century i havent thought that far ahead i feel pretty relaxed about the coming of new century well carry on day to day she said with canada day in mind darlene mcgill of stouffville booked off work today and is partying in fine style ill enjoy strawberry festival i always do mcgill said jennifer batzs home in stouffville is decorated with a large canadian flag as for the millennium batz is embracing it with open arms i am really excited im looking forward to 2000 and im look- ing forward to the changes batz said david monaghan owner of 1 001 variety has a unique way to celebrate canadas birthday im going to finish drywalling my house but i will fly the flag he said i canadians should hold a canada- day party and serve pizza joked mohsen dastoom owner of 2- 41 pizza canada is big on beer and pizza with lots of cheese he said dastoom grew up in a small town in iran my wish for the mohsen dastoom new century is for the wishes wars would wars me middle end and people east to end and for could live in peace people to live in friend- y2k citizens share views on how theyll celebrate final canada day of the century and welcome in the new millenium ship with each other dastoom cant return to his homeland i hope to be able to bring my mother here for a visit in the newyear i miss my moth er he said since the dreaded y2k bug is expected to bite on the last day of this century gov ernments the business community and private citizens alike are into a readiness mode to be on the safe side june wianckb of stouffville is going to stock up on canned goods and water in case the y2k bug wins i guess we could exist at our cottage wiancko said lk hl r 1 pllllps 1 jennifer batz looking forward to changes in newmillenium undaandlydiamarr jill jones owner of stouffvilles inside out has upgraded her computer making it ready for the millennium today when jones honours canada shell think about the economic wellbeing of the nation business is looking up she said things are being built and the construc tion trades are busy life has been good to stouffvilles mel fluish for 79 years i expect things will con tinue he said even if the world rums all upside down and people carry too much stress it wont hurt me ill survive as for canada this country will survive another century fluish didnt make canada day plans but he isnt turning down any invitations either ill leave everything up to the moment he sard one tiling is certain the 21th century will be busy in stouffville local provincial and federal politicians as well as stouffvilles business community all agree the turning of the century will be noticed the communal sewage system affec tionately known as the big pipe is mayor wayne emmersons personal millennium project big pipe construction is slated to begin in 2000 when the pipe crosses the markham- stouffville border developers will cheer the loudest communal services such as water and sewers are major drawing cards for growth for developers growth means profits whilefor many residents the idea of a swelling population is upsetting not every one is pessimistic resident don taylor doesnt mind increased development growth is now a way of life here york has been growing it will do all right we have to leam to take it as it comes taylor said canada day did not keep tony wright home ill be at queens gardens taking in the beach he said linda stafford of rapid photo is opti mistic were ready for the y2k bug business is ready for it stafford said ill be at a reli gious convention on canada day but ill think of it york region has completed its testing of critical systems in preparation for the year 2000 transition and is well advanced in meeting rigorous y2k readiness targets york region chairperson bill fisch said our goal is to maintain business conti- nuity throughout the year 2000 transition with the health and safety of our residents being our number one concern we have takenthe necessary steps to prepare the regions systems processes and equipment for the transition fisch said residents of ballahtrae and musselmaris lake feel safer this canada day now that the 410000 fire hall and ambulance station will soon open in ballantrae wwtchurchstouffvilles official milleri- nium project is all wet in 2000 the battle cry in stouffville will be everybody into the pool now that the town is getting a 5million fourlane indoor swimming pool and library com plex the 30000squarefoot facility will be built near obrien avenue and rose avenue and itll open next fall in 2000 stouffville might become the tennis capital of canada if clublink and team canada form a partnership and build a worldclass tennis facility in gormley encouraging stouffvilles businessuown- ers to take an international approach is oak ridge mpbryon wiiferfs millennium agen da wilfert has the names of stouffville companies that might want to consider establishing an exporting alliance with the middle east on the horriefront the mp is adamant that an international airport will hot be built on neighbouring lands in pickering wilferts message to stouffville is this jets arent about to occupy our sky global warming will boost canadian tourism author ds from page 1 and i hope our country can stay together ive been to quebec and met many wonderful french people it makes mewonder if separa tion is something the people want or is it just a bunch of politicians robert sawyer perhaps canadas leading sci encefiction writer doesnt agree quebec will separate quebec will stay part of canada theres just no other viable option he says the awardwinning thornhill author has a few other predictions to share global warming is going to increase but that will be good for canada a boost for tourism im sorry for what it will do in the southern hemisphere but it will be good for us and with all this talk of us adopting the us dollar as much as i love canada were going to have economic union with the us in the next century like the european union nevertheless i suspect that canada will maintain its own identi- v ky ho president and ceo of the hightech leader ati technologies thinks canada is ideally positioned to enter the new millennium the ability to compete globally stands canada in very good stead for the next decade the next century and even beyond said ho from his thornhill office canada is now well established in the space shuttle prograrn we are leaders in computer technology and we have embraced the internet to a greater degree than many countries as a result we are perfectly positioned to reap tremendous rewards as industrial economies continue to be replaced by knowledgebased economies the world over silver medal winner the chairperson of the york region district school board bill crothers agrees arid as a sil ver medal winner in track at the 1964jdiympics in tokyo he also knows a bit about competition but it is a former montrealer who perhaps best sums up what so many canadians are thinking on this last canada day of the 20th cen tury nicky rauzonwright area manager for the heart and stroke foundation of ontario is a strong proponent of a united canada in a world confronted with monumental changes at all levels i envision a canada that has a warm sense of unity she says despite our multicultural society canadians share the same interests values laws education and cultural diversity as well as love and respect for children nature sports arid animals i wish for a canada where everyone will be given the opportunity to excel and be the best they can be acaring canada where people will take pride in their past and open their minds to the future a canada where people are apprecia tive of their knowledge and skills and are willing to share these by volunteering and mentoring bonne fete canadau indeed 1 inserts for july 199 v jfeifitf sears bivvay zellers todays homes igaprvipnyille iam smartkleen cleaners bayview village canadian tire steeles dakota garage door ap igastouffville canadian tire stouffville sobeys canadian tire r hill canadian tire aurora 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