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6 stouffville suntribune thursday june 29 2006 opinion stouffville jm suntnbune a metroland community newspaper box 154 stouffville on l4a 7z5 publisher ian proudfoot editor in chief debora kelly business manager robert lazurko director advertising distribution barry black director interactive media technoijog y john futhey director circulation systems lynn pashko marketingpartnerships director debra weller york region printing general manager bob dean editorial will new theatre satisfy community its hard to believe but whitchurch- stouffville may be getting a theatre it took nine years but council decided last week to turn the old town hall into an arts culture and entertain ment centre including a 120seat the atre it will cost about 25 million to convert the building at 19 civic dr the arts centre could open as early as next year saving 19 civic and building a the atre in whitchurchstouffville is the right thing to do those can be mutually exclusive thoughts a theatre of only 120 seats wont sat isfy some existing potential users including stouffvilles famed music mania show let alone the needs of a fastgrowing town council nixed a 300seat theatre with a 10000squarefoot addition to the old town hall two years ago now thats a theatre we fear councillor rob hargrave is correct when he calls the approved proposal for the building a glorified community centre whitchurchstouffville is over stocked with community halls of this same size we dont need another we do need something to happen with the old municipal building if youre not familiar with the facility its located behind the clock tower in downtown stouffville and has seen lit tle use since the town offices moved out eight years ago called nineteen on the park because it i borders stouffville memorial park the renovated building could accommodate local art culture and performance groups and others while acting as a catalyst for the revital- ization of the downtown core thats key we do need something to bring new life downtown and a multipurpose arts centre not to be confused with a fullfledged theatre may be the answer it could house art shows small performances meetings and lectures it could be the new home of the latcham gallery as much as we like renovating 19 civic cost is crucial is 25 million or whatever the final cost a good use of tax money or would that money be better spent in a few years when this commu nity is larger and can afford to build a theatre to house all local groups stay tuned we doubt the saga of 19 civic ave is over qnqtuktioas spss sontribune letters to the editor animals need all help they can get re do we need more government in animal con trol column by dave teetzel and ospca private police force protesters charged stoiy by teresa latchford june 22 as longtime animal rescue group volunteers we know animals need all the help they can get regardless of the source to not have government involvement with the protection and care of animals would be like having the childrens aid society become pri vate nonprofit or selfgoverned individuals and communities need to speak up and protect those who cannot speak for themselves animal overpopulation and abuse is a com munity problem a nonprofit organization should be a complementary service to commu nity there is not a serious animal rescue organi zation that would not welcome financial sup port bylaw support police support improved punishments to fit crimes resources communi ty support and increased collaboration in all sec tors according to latest statistics kittens pup pies cats and dogs are euthanize at the rate of one every nine seconds as a direct result of over population many individuals seem to have for gotten the golden rule of doing unto others as you would have done to you and the old thou shalt not kill we need shelters and government regulation that no animal can be adopted from any source private nonprofit or otherwise unless that ani mal has been spayed or neutered and microchipped the cost savings of just this simple step would save the budget at all levels of animal editorial editor jim mason jnuuonymgcom assistant editor rick vanderlinde rvanderllndeyrngcom interactive media marketing advertising manager dawna andrews dandrewsymgcom advertising classified manager ann campbell acampbellyrngcom assistant classified manager bonnie rondeau brondeauyrngcom retail manager staceyallen sallenymgcom new business development manager mikerogerson mrogersonymgcom production team leader sherry day sdayyrngcom editorial 9056402612 fax9052941538 advertising 9056402612 classified i8oo7433353f 9058531765 distribution 9052942200 canxbn ontario ctajbocro blo toss tasaturtutatxt coon suntnbune a york region newspaper group community newspaper die suntnbune published every thuisday and saturday is a member of the metroland printing publishing and distributing ud a whollyowned subsidiary oftoraar corporation metroland is comprised of 70 community publications across ontario the york region newspaper group includes the liberal serving richmond hill and thomhid vaughan citizen the economist sun markham the erabanner newmartetaurora georgina advocate york rcgfon business times north o the city yorkregioncom and york region printing the stouffville suntribune welcomes your letters all submissions must be less than 400 words and must include a daytime telephone number name and address the stouffville suntribune reserves the right to publish or not publish and to edit for clarity and space write letters to the editor po box 154 stouffville l4a 7z5 email jmasonyrngcom or fax 9052941538 services the licensing fee of animals would then truly be the free ride home for lost or stolen pets and not just a few days of food and water locked in inadequate kennels for a few days before being killed there needs to be education beginning from the moment a child attends day care or school with the teaching of care and compassion as with other community problems that care and compassion must be lived by its residents every day we have child services we need animal care services my thanks to the town of markham for allowing our committee of individuals from local animal rescue groups to work with the town councillor erin shapero and the bylaw enforce ment department and animal services for rec ognizing the overwhelming community problem and working together to correct it how many helpless animals died during the time it has taken you to read this paper please contact your local rescue group and ask how you can help to be part of the solution hug your pets every day mary jeff brown stouffville off the top with jim mason the best time to call this place your home like the town it entertains the whitchurchstouffville strawberry festival has transformed during the last 22 years a weekend ball tournament beer gar den and craft show has grown into a full- fledged fest with a street closure enter tainment and fireworks spread over five days it opened last night with a music festi val and ends sunday with a guided tour of stouffville memorial park home base for the festival ironically its a facility that could be changed considerably if the municipality one of the festivals top sponsors follows through on plans to remove ball parks and run roads through the adult ball tourney that once drew hundreds from across ontario to take part is no more the festival lives on the one thriving sports component appears to have been replaced by enter tainment from a church concert to a comedy show complete with a mature rating brian roman a house dad turned crooner with a huge following in unionville appears twice he packed roy thomson hau this spring and received rave reviews stouffvilles own tom pullin also per forms and the blackboard blues band a prefireworks tradition on canada day in stouffville is back theres plenty to eat from vendors in the park or the eateries that line main street but the best part about the festival is its free sounds corny but its the people forget about the world cup playoff games on television head for downtown stouffville its all about running into former classmates and holding an unofficial school reunion on main street its seeing familiar faces in the morn ing parade its reliving memories with your old hockey coach or bumping into onetime neighbours its sharing a picnic table over the lions clubs famous roast beef dinner under the park pavilion tonight its sitting down to a cold one with friends and listening to the blues bands in the clock tower garden tavern its the essence of small town the stuff you cant package its why people move here or remain residents its what may be threatened by the building boom we are experiencing ifs the best time of the year to be a whitchurchstouffvillian enjoy see you there neighbours jim mason is editor of the sun- tribune