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6 stouffville suntribune thursday march 10 2005 suntnbune a metroland community newspaper 34 civic ave 3rd floor stouffville on l4a 7z5 publisher ian proudfoot editor in chief debora kelly business manager robert lazurko director production interactive media john futhey advertising director retail flyer sales nicole fletcher advertising director classified real estate events management cord paolucci distribution director circulation barry black director circulation systems lynn pashko marketingpartnerships director debra welter york region printing general manager bob dean editorial hydro battle first of many chalk one up for the power of the people at least for now hydro one is backing away from plans to double the capacity of hydro lines from markham to newmarket ontario energy minister dwight duncan announced tuesday while the utility may revive the plan it has withdrawn the proposal while the new ontario power authority created to oversee planning for the provinces elec tricity supply explores alternatives by boosting the power of the existing 115kv line which runs for 24 kilometres between markham and newmarket hydro one said ir could meet the growing demand for power in the region a study released last spring indicated yorks power consumption was growing by 65 per cent each year and without boosting service the region could begin suffering blackouts by 2007 the proposal however prompted an outcry from those who feared doubling service along the line would lead to can cercausing electromagnetic fields strongly worded letters were written by politicians including markham mayor don cousens school boards passed resolutions and announced they would close schools if the plan went ahead residents groups were formed to battle the plan and it appears queens park listened their efforts it appears were success ful albeit perhaps only temporarily the ontario energy board will make the final decision on how best to provide the additional power the region needs now those who opposed expanding the line have a new role to play theres no way around the need for more hydro in the north end of the region through one route or another the power must be supplied the markham route was chosen over others options as the one with the least impact on existing development those opposed to the markham option must now work with provincial hydro officials to come up with a work able solution to the problem they must offer input and open minds as all options are explored in the end residents may see the markham line expanded despite their best efforts to fight it york regions population is exported to double to 13 million during the next 25 years with a projected increase in employment to 700000 jobs its a simple fact more power is need ed and this will likely be just the first of several battles over new lines well see you need to be very quiet cause people are sleeping letters to the editor kidney donation helps future motherinlaw march is kidney month like most people i never really thought much about it before as i am fortunate to have relatively good health i became engaged recently my future mother- inlaw gerri a wonderful woman is scheduled for a kidney transplant next month after enduring several years of exhausting dial ysis treatments the family has been blessed to find a suitable donor a truly remarkable person who is deserving of the title hero finally gerri will be able to travel spend time at the cottage with her family volunteer in her community and enjoy life to the fullest unfortunately the disease that has interrupted gerris life has also touched past generations of her family and will probably affect future ones so i feel compelled to briefly share this story and ask readers to consider the gift of organ dona tion you never know when you or someone you love will be touched by kidney disease march is also the month ofgerris birthday and hopefully this will be the last she celebrates in a cloud of illness rwarr stouffville latcham gallery deserves support of public council i support of latcham gallerys request for ongoing stable funding from the town possibly one of latcham gallerys problems is 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 34 civic ave po box 154 stouffville l4a7z5 email jmasonymgcom because it is an art gallery it is considered an elit ist group i do not believe this to be true if it was elitist it never would have survived 25 years in a small community the gallerys vitality is due largely to support from the business community council and peo ple from all walks of life ten thousand visitors passed through its doors last year this shows the gallery is a vital part of our community and it is situated in our down town i know there is support from this community and councils past and present i would like the gallery to be shown as a line item in the towns budget so as an artist i am asking other artists to show their support by signing the following state ment we the undersigned are artists who support latcham gallery in its request for ongoing sus tainable funding from the town of whitchurch- stouffville this statement will be at the gallery for all artists to sign if they wish i will present it to mayor sue sherban and council in two weeks sandra burke stouffville editorial production managing director new editorial editor manager business flyer sales 9056402612 jim mason jmasonyrngcom pam nichols pnichohyrngcom dawna andrews itandrctvsyrngcom fax 9056408778 advertising administration advertising new business manager 9056402612 classified office manager classified manager steve kane i8oo7433353l 9058531765 vivian oneil ann campbell skancyrngcom v6nell0ymgcom acampbcuyrngcom distribution managing director 9052948244 events management shows retail manager staceyallen real estate mike rogerson catudun onto wtl ctatoihlj p- ape sliowtyrngcom sallcnyrngcom mrogcrsonyrngcom tott bo- ifemmr can suntnbune a york region newspaper group community newspaper the suntnbune published every thursday and saturday is a member of uie melroland printing publishing and distributing ud a wholly owned subsidiary of torstar corporation metroland is comprised of 70 community publications across ontario the york region newspaper group includes the liberal serving richmond hill and thornhillvaughan ctacnthc economist sun markham the era banner newmarketaurora stouffville sunthbune georgina advocate york region business times north of the city vorkregioncom and york region printing off the top with jim mason churches entering big box era walk into eastridge evangelical missionary church and youre immedi ately overwhelmed if its not the size of the building or the amenities inside ifs the warmth of the people working at and attending the tenth line congregation standing proudly next to the stouffville country market and the municipal water tower it is the new standard of churching in whitchurch- stouflville since opening late last year just as big box stores are lining up to serve stouffvilles population three proposals for power centres at last count fellow taxpayers so is big- time religion you knew something was up when the missionary congregation outgrew an already impressive facility on main street across from summitview public school the old church now home to a coptic congregation has a school- sized gym mega parking lot numerous meeting rooms and a big balconied sanctuary in short the building has many fea tures smaller churches across wliitchurchstouffville lack and envy eastridge is not on this crusade alone springvale baptist one of the largest and most vibrant churches in the area is also building a new facility at stouffville and kennedy roads christ church anglican has expan sion plans other churches have at least put the idea of growth to their mem berships but is bigger better can the little old churches with minimal facilities compete for members with the newer buildings with double gyms coffee houses and the atrelike acoustics and visuals probably just as not all shoppers flock to the mega malls and power cen tres not all worshippers are comfort able in big houses of worship smaller churches the religious bou tiques of our big box society if you will can be more personable and cosy bob hyatt a pastor in a growing community in portland or leads an internet discussion on the topic whether i am a young subur banmiddle class welleducated female or a vietnam vet from inner city detroit most churches tend to assume that my spiritual needs and progress will be strikingly similar he writes they arent says the fan of smaller congregations then if you build it some will come some will go elsewhere just as long as they go somewhere jim mason is editor of the sun- tribune v