In February 1967, before David Suzuki abandoned his Earth-will-run-out- of-oil by 1980 scare mongering and put his climate change crusade in high gear, Si Miller, city parks and recreation administrator, told city council that shorter winters were playing havoc with outdoor natural ice rinks in the city, and they could become extinct.
Miller pointed out that on average the lifespan of the 19 outdoor rinks spread across the city had been reduced to 25 to 30 days, and predicted that by 1977, the lifespan would be even less, making it a challenge to maintain the rinks in a battle with Mother Nature.
The numbers told the story. Prior to mid-1960s, city outdoor rinks logged at least 80 to 90 days, often starting in mid-December and ending in early March.
He had a bold proposal: Invest in two outdoor artificial ice rinks – about $20,000 each – over the next 10 years or get out of the outdoor rink business.
The paved surfaces, he said, could be used for lacrosse or tennis in the summer.
Council voted to soldier on with natural ice rinks.
ALSO IN 1967 With the world’s fair – Expo 67 – expected to draw huge crowds to Montreal, Colonial Coach Bus Lines said it was beefing up its Cornwall fleet with 20 new buses, acquired at a cost of $60,000 each. The bus line had been in operation since 1932 and had a terminal next to the Cornwallis Hotel…A coroner’s jury investigating the death of a United Counties Jail inmate called for for more guards, especially for the overnight shift. The jury said the jail was not only understaffed but outdated…Central Public School became the first elementary school in the United Counties to have its own library. It had 2,000 books…A boys’ foster home and treatment centre would be built on a five-acre parcel of land in Eamer’s Corners. The home would be for boys aged 12-18. The campaign to have the home was spearheaded by Mag. P. C. Bergeron, Dermott Tenger and Rev. Peter Barkway. The property was purchased from Dorothy Donihee…Debbie Zeran was crowned queen of the Osnabruck Township winter carnival…A family – parents and five children – on the Third Concession of Osnabruck Township lost everything when fire destroyed their frame home…Building permits showed that the city had a construction boom in 1966. In all, 695 permits were issued for new construction worth $15 million. Permits were issued for 188 single family dwellings, three new schools, and three industrial plants (Chemcell, Sylvania and Cornwall Chemicals)…Morrisburg’s town police department was taken over by the Ontario Provincial Police…A home for the aged was proposed for Maxville. It would have 90-100 beds…A tax increase raised the price of a carton of smokes to $16.91. Meanwhile, a British cancer expert said gradual price increases were needed to reduce the number of smokers. Sir Alexander Haddon, who said he was a pipe smoker, downplayed the effect air pollution had on cancer rates. He also claimed pipe smoking was safe…St. Lawrence High School Saints held on to beat Kingston’s Loyalist High School to win the EOSSA senior basketball championship. The Saints went into the second game of the two-game total points series with a 17-point cushion. They lost the game 56-43 but took the series 124-120. Arnie Darznieks led the Saints in their win with 12 points. Tilton Donihee had 10….Cornwall Royals led the Central Junior Hockey League while three players – Jovan Marich, Rick Plamandon and George Desjardins – holding down the top the spots in the league scoring parade. Goalie Harold Murphy had the league’s best goals against average of 2.95…Royals announced ticket price increases for its playoff run, raising the adult price by 25 cents to $1.50. Student prices remained at 50 cents. A member of the parks and recreation committee cried foul, accusing the hockey club of price gouging…For the fifth time, Lynn, Massachusetts won the Cornwall International Bantam Hockey Tournament with a 5-2 win over Peterborough…Statistics from 1966 show that the baby boom was running out of steam. The city recorded 1,251 births, a huge drop from 2,450 the year before. There were fewer marriages – 208 from 222 – while deaths declined to 463 from 865. Meanwhile, the population increased by 422 to 46,600…In a 15-round unanimous decision at the Astrodome, Muhammad Ali (formerly Cassius Clay) defeated Ernie Terrell to retain his heavyweight boxing title.
THIS AND THAT Don Cherry, axed by Hockey Night in Canada in 2019 for controversial remarks about immigrants during his Coach’s Corner segment, turned 92 on Feb. 5. He retired his Grapevines Podcast last summer. After he was fired, Cherry said he could have used better words to make his point…Justin Trudeau goes into the books as one of the country’s most over-rated, under-achieving prime ministers…Trudeau the Younger and the late Pope Francis had the same side hustle as young university students. Both were night club bouncers. The similarities end there…Remember how the Liberal government claimed that its generous child tax credit would eliminate child poverty? Food bank statistics suggest that child poverty (a.k.a. family poverty) is worse now than before the credit program…With ICE rounding up thousands of “violent criminals” and deporting them, and making America “safe again,” the defund police crowd might have a case for fewer police officers…Inviting Donald Trump to speak at the annual National Prayer Breakfast in Washington is akin to having the president of a liquor outfit speak at an AA conference.
TRIVIA Before it became the Gordon Refrigeration ice-making plant, the building on the corner of Water and Augustus streets – torn down in the 1970s – – started out as a: 1) Cheese storage facility, 2) Brewery, 3) Chair factory, 4) Carriage repair shop, 5) Lumber yard.
TRIVIA ANSWER The father of Dalton McGuinty, Ontario’s 24th premier, was elected Liberal MPP for Ottawa-South in 1987. When he died in 1990, Dalton received the nomination and was elected to the Legislature. He became party leader in 1996 and was elected premier in 2003.
QUOTED We always want the best man to win an election. Unfortunately, he never runs. – Will Rogers
L’article Outdoor rinks took early climate change hit est apparu en premier sur Cornwall Seaway News.
