d~4~>'~~Weeken 1 LTG 6 W L 2 A Metroland Community Newspaper Vol. 139 No. 36 Friday, July 3, 1998 32 Pages 75¢ (GST included) Pnoto Dy unAnAM rArr- Complete with hat and flag, four-year-old Brandi Jagoe couldn't have been any more open about her national pride during Canada Day celebrations at totary Park Wednesday. See page 6 for a photo round-up of all the day's festivities. Birthday bash draws big crowd From a war veterans' march to brilliant fireworks, Miltonians proved they know how to celebrate Canada's birthday. It's estimated that more than 5,000 people - rep- resenting record numbers - came to Canada Day festivities at Rotary Park Wednesday. "I thought it was a great day," said Canada Day Committee chair Paul Scherer. "Everything went as planned and the weather was fantastic." The event organized by service clubs and other volunteers went off without a hitch, he said. New this year was a special war veteran-honour- ing march by members of the Royal Canadian Legion, accompanied by a pipe band, from the Victoria Park cenotaph to Rotary Park. •see CITIZENS on page 3 Ontario Jockey Club disappointed after casino plan canned By KAREN SMITH The Champion Ontario Jockey Club officials are disappointed that a plan for a char- ity casino at Mohawk Raceway won't corne to light before the year 2000 if at all, a spokesperson said earlier this week. However, the Campbellville harness rac- ing track, which has been looking for ways to boost attendance, is still eligible under a recent govemment announcement to install slot machines. "We know slot machines can help us," said Nick Eaves, director of gaming opera- tions for the OJC. Mr. Eaves said the OJC will need the gambling devices to compete with a gov- ernment-run casino slated to open in Brantford. The opening of casinos in other areas has already hurt the horse racing industry, he said. Waiting for slot details The OJC, which will renovate an area of Mohawk Raceway to accommodate the machines, is anxiously awaiting further details from govemment. "It's all quite new," Mr. Eaves said. "We want to get started as soon as possi- ble." A proposal for a charity casino at Mohawk Raceway was scrapped last Friday when the Ontario government announced a major scaling back of its province-wide gaming strategy. Public opposition prompted the govern- ment to kill its plan to allow 44 perma- nent charity casinos, Management Board Chair Chris Hodgson said. Instead, the Ontario Lottery Corporation will operate four casinos - in Brantford, Sault St. Marie, Thunder Bay and Pointe Edward - as pilot projects. Gaming was approved in those locations through municipal referendums. No expansion until 2000 But there will be no expansion of charity or commercial casinos until the year 2000, and that will only occur if prospective host municipalities approve them through a ref- erendum. Carnivai Hotels and Casinos, which had been granted il of the 44 gaming licences, was working to open a casino at Mohawk Raceway in December with the OJC as the landlord. Reached at the company's head office in Miami, a spokesperson for the travel and tourism firm, which currently operates Casino-Rama in Orillia, said the company had no comment at this time. Mr. Eaves said the OJC is still hopeful that a casino will come to the Guelph Line track one way or another. "A lot can happen in 18 months. We could have a new government by them, who knows?" he said. Day camps for kids Youngsters can leam an apprecia- tion of nature that will last them a life- time during day camps run by the Halton Region Conservation Authority. The Ways of the Woods day camp, available to children 8 to 12 years old, is held in both one and two week ses- sions during July and August. Children discover nature through a series of games and activities held at various Halton conservation areas. Pond explorations, insect hunts and bird hikes are but a few of them. Outdoor recreational skills such as archery and canoeing are also part of the package. For a program brochure, call 336- 1158. 1 1 1, S 1 011