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6 stouffville suntribune thursday nov 9 2006 suntnhune a metroland community newspaper 6290 main st stouffville on l4a1g7 publisher ian proudfoot editor in chief debora kelly business manager robert lazurko director advertising distribution barry black director interactive media technology john futhey director circulation systems lynn pashko marketingpartnerships director debra welter york region printing general manager bob dean editorial most important election day one of the most important elections in whitchurchstouffville is almost upon us the good news you still have time to participate even if you havent been visited by a single candidate read any campaign lit erature or attended a debate there is still time election day is monday this town is not the sleepy little village it was growth previously measured in hundreds of homes annually if at all is on us in the thousands all four quadrants of stouffville are construction sites its too late to stop growth in case that was your approach the approvals were all but granted in the 1990s but questions remain how will we manage growth how can we benefit from it we already are seeing diversity in many of the newcomers moving to stouffvilles new subdivisions thats a beautiful thing in a culturally stagnate community but are we prepared for our new neighbours what are their desires in their new home town and what of the facilities that will be built to accommodate the growth a new fire hall and arenas appear slam dunks but a location or price tag has yet to be established for either at least publicly and even without the complete influx of newcomers our youth hockey associ ation is already turning away players in some age groups and sourcing ice out of town wait a year or two for this to turn into a crisis does your street need to be rebuilt are there sidewalks on the busy streets in your neighbourhood do you feel safe in your home and in the parks and streets of our town who will lead our town and represent your neighbourhood as we deal with these growing pains if you havent decided for whom you are voting there are resources on the web go to yorkregioncom and townofwscom for information on the candidates and voting dont have internet access call the town 9056401900 for more informa tion have more questions call the candi dates directly ask them where they stand on the things that matter in your world its your money your future and your town whitchurchstouffville make an informed decision get involved happy voting gran i get to vote for the i first time on monday wowderfolj take voting very very seriously whos running against eldred king letters to the editor volunteer at policing centre to make town safer it interests me to see the views by the many candidates vying to represent us on council when policing is the topic at the stouffville community policing centre we have just celebrated our sixth anniversary with pride and confidence we can continue well into the future yes we are a growing community and we do and will need improved police patrols and police coverage however in the meantime it would only take these candidates with their viewpoints com bined with a handful of other eager individuals to volunteer and assist us to service the people of this community by putting in a few hours each month to keep our office open we can then provide the necessary informa tion and contacts to keep this the best commu nity in ontario in which to raise a family many of us are very quick to take from the community but few of us are willing to give back to that same community we took from the policing centre does offer that chance to start giving back and at a pace that fits into your busy schedule and that of your family there is an opportunity to volunteer in the office between 9 am and 9 pm seven days a week we have a monthly meeting to view what has taken plce where our attention needs to be directed and what programs we are capable of presenting to and for the citizens of whitchurchstouffville some of these programs could assist to keep the stouffville suntribune welcomes your letters all submissions must be less than 400 words and must indude a daytime telephone number name and address the stouffville suntribune reserves the right to publish or not publish and to edit for darity and space write letters to the editor 6290 main st stouffville l4a 1g7 email jmasonyrngcom or fax 9056408778 the community safe the kids entertained the kids and adults preoccupied with volunteer work and all in the name of staying safe living safe and experiencing the pride of doing so and giving back at the same time for those who can find a couple of hours in their busy schedule we are holding our annual general meeting in the council chambers nov 23 at 7 pm with the exception of the first two meet ings i have been involved from the beginning and feel a great sense of pride in my commu nity i also have great respect for job the police officers do on a daily basis and a realization that there is so much that can be done by us as vol unteers even if it is providing a safe haven for a student being harassed by other kids on the way to or from school the difference between providing that ser vice and not providing it lies with the number of volunteers we have and their individual sched ules steve pickard chairperson stouffville community policing centre editorial editor jim mason jmasonymgcom assistant editor rickvanderlinde rvanderiindeymgcom interactive media marketing advertising manager dauma andrews dandrewsymgcom advertising classified manager ann campbell acampbeilymgcom assistant classified manager bonnie rondeau brondeauymgcom retail manager staceyallen sallenqymgcom new business development manager mikerogerson mrogenonymgcom production team leader sherry day sdayymgcom editorial 9056402612 fax9056408778 advertising 9056402612 classified 18007433353fajc 9058s3765 distribution 9052942200 caudai ck lj aadt bow matter comcf stffitribune a york region newspaper group community newspaper the suntribune published every thursday and saturday is a member of the metroland printing publishing and distributing ltd a whollyowned subsidiary of torstar corporation metroland is comprised of 70 community pumcarjons across ontario the york region newspaper group includes the liberal serving richmond hill and thomhih vaughan citizen the economist sun markham the erabanner newmarketaurora georgjna actocate york regkxi business times north of the city yorkregkmcom and york region printing off the top with jim mason buckle up walmart isnt alone it wasnt that many years ago stouffvillearea residents were asking out loud for a departmentstyle store just somewhere to buy a childs birth day present or a pair of underwear with out driving 20 minutes was the old cry if those residents got a base hit with the opening of giant tiger earlier this decade they knocked one out of the park with yesterdays opening ofwalmart thats assuming youre into volume the hwy 48 store is the first of the retail giants supercentres built from the ground up in canada renovated and expanded versions in london and ancaster also opened yesterday four more have been confirmed and five to 10 more will be opened next year mario pilozzi president and ceo of walmart canada corp attended a press preview at the store tuesday pumping up staff members er associates as large black curtains were dropped and the store unveiled in all its glory and theres plenty of it try on 120000 items in 165000 square feet to be exact 35000 more square feet than the wal- mart at markville shopping centre that includes a fullsized grocery store complete with produce meat baked goods and jeli the fashion electronics and home sections have also been expanded offer ing in some cases items you cant buy elsewhere in whitchurchstouffville more good news for stouffvillitesthe supercentre hired 500 people nearly twice as many as at a traditional wal- mart from the 1500 who applied it donated 25000 to local charities at yes terdays ribboncutting itis a good spot mr pilozzi said theres a lot of construction in this area we worked with the town and this was a tremendous location for us meanwhile back on main street competitors have been pumping up their own staff and in some cases making expansion plans and how about shoppers the bottom line when it comes to a mom and pop shop in a plaza or a mega store employ ing hundreds ive heard everything from people awaiting the arrival as if it was their first child to outright smalltown hostility to the giant this isnt scarborough or mississauga the smaller the town the more passion and loyalty its all a test walmart may be the first and the largest but it wont be the last buckle up wrutchurchstoufrville jim mason is editor of the sun- tribune