new price 26sandyhook - - the cosmos · 2019. 5. 23. · publishing world (namely joseph pulitzer,...

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EXTRA! EXTRA! READ ALL ABOUT IT! - Newspaper boys and girls fight for their rights - and each other - in Newsies, a musical telling of the Newsboys’ Strike of 1899. Presented by the Uxbridge Youth Theatre, Newsies opens tonight at the Uxbridge Music Hall, and continues through until June 1. For show times and details, visit starticketing.com or uxbridgeyouththeatre.com, or see story on page 3. Photo by John Cavers by Roger Varley After more than 50 years serving Uxbridge, Home Hardware is closing its doors. Rick and Kelly McEnaney have decided it is time to retire and close up the store their parents started back in 1967. The store moved to its present location on Brock Street West in the 1970s and the two brothers took over the store about 10 years later. According to their sister, Rozanne McEnaney Knight, the parents started with a paint and wallpa- per store but after a few months in busi- ness they moved location and became a Dominion Hardware franchise. Later, they moved to the current building and became Uxbridge Home Hardware. Rick, who started working for his par- ents when he was 15, said the decision to retire resulted partly from some health problems he and his brother have had, but also, in some small measure, because of the death of Buddy. Buddy was the store's resident cat, a large, friendly gin- ger cat who greeted customers for 18 years. He died at Christmas. Rick said re- tirement had been discussed but was put off because the store was the only home Buddy had ever known. It could be argued that the store has also been Kelly's home: his sister said their mother would take Kelly to the store in a playpen when he was an infant. “My brother and I are going to miss the customers we’ve served all these years,” Rick said, “but I am going to enjoy the opportunity to go camping!” He said they have not yet decided whether to rent the building to another enterprise or sell it, but added there are no plans to have someone else take over the hardware store. Meanwhile, the store will re-open today, tomorrow and Satur- day to sell off as much product as possi- ble at 20 per cent off. Rick said the store could be open beyond Saturday "if we still have stuff left." Hardware store closing up shop after 50 years downtown Marie Persaud Sales Representative Coldwell Banker R.M.R. Real Estate Brokerage Direct: 416-970-8979 Office: 905-852-4338 www.mariepersaud.ca WATERFRONT PROPERTY Hard bottom sandy beach. Wagner’s Lake. Near end of road. Fixer upper; 2+1 bedrooms. Full partially finished walkout basement. Approximately 1/2 acre. FOR YOUR REAL ESTATE NEEDS, CALL MARIE at 416-970-8979 Direct: 905-439-2033 Patrick Bryant Broker of Record New Price 26SandyHook.ca Volume 15 No. 20 YOUR UNIVERSE Thursday, May 23, 2019 Inside Your Cosmos Where’d that sculpture go? . . . . . . . . . . page 2 Three-in-one home . . . . . . . . . . . . pages 6 & 7 Listing Local Marketing Global www.StacyKearley.com Your Local Link to Real Estate Re/Max All-Stars Realty Inc. Brokerage 47 Brock St. W., Uxbridge 905-852-6143 416-570-0393 www.stacykearley.com Sales Representative When the Bank says NO, call me! Have or Need a Mortgage? Call Tim Gardner 905-649-0250 Licensed Mortgage Agent M10001449 I work with multiple lenders to get YOU the best Interest Rate Highlights of what I can do for you Self Employed Refinances Reverse Mortgages Office/Industrial buildings Alternative Lending Specialists Ontario Lending Solutions Inc. Lic#13063 “My brother and I are going to miss the customers we’ve served all these years, but I am going to enjoy the opportunity to go camping!

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  • EXTRA! EXTRA! READ ALL ABOUT IT! - Newspaper boys and girls fight for their rights - and each other - in Newsies, a musical telling of the Newsboys’ Strike of1899. Presented by the Uxbridge Youth Theatre, Newsies opens tonight at the Uxbridge Music Hall, and continues through until June 1. For show times and details, visitstarticketing.com or uxbridgeyouththeatre.com, or see story on page 3. Photo by John Cavers

    by Roger Varley

    After more than 50 years servingUxbridge, Home Hardware is closing itsdoors. Rick and Kelly McEnaney havedecided it is time to retire and close upthe store their parents started back in1967.The store moved to its present location

    on Brock Street West in the 1970s andthe two brothers took over the storeabout 10 years later. According to theirsister, Rozanne McEnaney Knight, theparents started with a paint and wallpa-per store but after a few months in busi-ness they moved location and became aDominion Hardware franchise. Later,they moved to the current building andbecame Uxbridge Home Hardware.

    Rick, who started working for his par-ents when he was 15, said the decision toretire resulted partly from some healthproblems he and his brother have had,but also, in some small measure, becauseof the death of Buddy. Buddy was the

    store's resident cat, a large, friendly gin-ger cat who greeted customers for 18years. He died at Christmas. Rick said re-tirement had been discussed but was putoff because the store was the only homeBuddy had ever known.

    It could be argued that the store has alsobeen Kelly's home: his sister said theirmother would take Kelly to the store ina playpen when he was an infant.“My brother and I are going to miss the

    customers we’ve served all these years,”Rick said, “but I am going to enjoy theopportunity to go camping!”

    He said they have not yet decidedwhether to rent the building to anotherenterprise or sell it, but added there areno plans to have someone else take overthe hardware store. Meanwhile, the storewill re-open today, tomorrow and Satur-day to sell off as much product as possi-ble at 20 per cent off. Rick said the storecould be open beyond Saturday "if westill have stuff left."

    Hardware store closing up shop after 50 years downtown

    Marie PersaudSales RepresentativeColdwell Banker R.M.R.Real Estate Brokerage

    Direct: 416-970-8979Office: 905-852-4338www.mariepersaud.ca

    WATERFRONT PROPERTYHard bottom sandy beach. Wagner’s Lake. Near end of road. Fixer upper; 2+1 bedrooms. Full partially finished walkout

    basement. Approximately 1/2 acre. FOR YOUR REAL ESTATE NEEDS, CALL MARIE

    at 416-970-8979

    Direct:905-439-2033Patrick BryantBroker of Record

    New Price26SandyHook.ca

    Volume 15 No. 20 YOUR UNIVERSE Thursday, May 23, 2019

    Inside Your CosmosWhere’d that sculpture go? . . . . . . . . . . page 2Three-in-one home . . . . . . . . . . . . pages 6 & 7

    Listing Local Marketing Global

    www.StacyKearley.comYour Local Link to Real Estate

    Re/Max All-Stars RealtyInc. Brokerage

    47 Brock St. W., Uxbridge 905-852-6143416-570-0393

    www.stacykearley.com

    Sales Representative

    When the Bank says NO, call me!Have or Need a Mortgage?Call Tim Gardner 905-649-0250 Licensed Mortgage Agent M10001449I work with multiple lenders to get YOU the best Interest RateHighlights of what I can do for you• Self Employed • Refinances• Reverse Mortgages • Office/Industrial buildings• Alternative Lending Specialists

    Ontario Lending Solutions Inc. Lic#13063

    “My brother and I are going tomiss the customers we’ve servedall these years, but I am going toenjoy the opportunity to gocamping!

  • by Roger Varley

    As a result of contract talks withLocal 53 of the Canadian Union ofPublic Employees (CUPE), town-ship employees will see their wagesincrease by 4.85 per cent over thenext three years.

    Ward 3 Councillor Bruce Garrod,chair of council's finance committee,said Tuesday the new three-year con-tract runs from April 1 of this year toMarch 31, 2021. e contract wasapproved unanimously by council onMay 13.

    Under the agreement, which will

    cover both unionized and non-unionemployees, wages will increase 1.5per cent in the first year, 1.6 per centin the second and 1.75 per cent inthe third year.

    Aside from the wage increases,workers will also see minor changesto other benefits. Employees will beentitled to four weeks of vacationafter 16 years, down from the previ-ous 18 years. Compensation for vi-sion care increases to $450 every twoyears, up from $325. e allowancefor safety clothing is increased to$200 from $150 a year and for safetyboots to $210 from $180 per year.ere was also a slight change incompensation covering physiother-apy.

    Garrod said the increase is "fair tostaff and fits within the approved2019-20 budget." He said the goalof the new contract was to make surethe employees' compensation iscompetitive. "We also wanted to ensure we sup-

    port the unionized employees with acomplete package and ensure theyare as productive as possible," he

    said. Ward 4 Councillor Willie Popp,

    chair of the public works committee,said he was pleased with the pointscovering safety and physiotherapy."Our goal is to keep our employees

    safe and on the job," he said.Garrod and Popp, along with

    Mayor Dave Barton, were the town-ship's negotiating team, with seniorstaff also participating.Barton said maintaining "the excel-

    lent working relationship manage-ment and staff currently enjoy" wasimportant, but added that "at thesame time, our goal is to be fiscallyresponsible and prudently managetaxpayers’ money."

    ere was one clause added to thecontract that reflects the current un-certainty facing a number of munic-ipalities as a result of the provincialgovernment's examination of re-gional governments. e clause saysthat, in the event of amalgamation,the township will make its best ef-forts to preserve seniority rights andmaintain vacations and wages.

    Thursday, May 23, 20192The Uxbridge Cosmos

    When considering a move to your next stage of life, call Jennifer Towpyha for a confidential chat: 905 852 6777 ext. 414

    3 Norm Goodspeed Drive, Uxbridge905-852-6777 Toll free 1-888-852-6778

    butternutmanor.com

    Welcome to

    ACCREDITED

    At Butternut Manor, we believe that Keeping FamiliesConnected is Important.

    Dear Seniors, you can move into your own Private Suite. InviteFamily and Friends to join you for a Delicious Lunch or Dinner or,to take a Walk together in the Garden. Loved Ones can drive by totake you Shopping - we have plenty of Parking. And Grandchildren

    are Especially Welcome!

    Butternut provides the Highest Standards of Care and Securityby Kind and Helpful Staff.

    Are you Recovering from Surgery or need Respite temporarily?We can help.

    Where Families are Included

    A Man & A BrushPainting Service BeyondPerfection

    Interior & Exterior PaintingConcrete & Drywall RepairsPowerwash & Window Cleaning

    I am not happy until you are.

    [email protected] 761 4608

    Modest wage increases for township employees

    e wooden sculpture that stoodat the corner of Elgin Park Driveand Main Street South (Conc. 7)was ceremoniously toppled bymembers of the Township’s Artsand Visual Enhancement Com-mittee (AVEC) last week. Pic-tured above are Jenifer Maknykand Liivi Kask-Ruona doing thepushing, while Wynn Walters andWard 2 Councillor Gary Ruonapull the sculpture down.

    e sculpture, which was origi-nally created by Wynn during theCelebration of e Arts sculptingsymposium in 2008, was suffer-ing from decay and wood rot. Itwill make way for a newer pieceof stone art created by Wynn, tobe installed next week.

    For more information about allof Uxbridges's public Art go to:discoveruxbridge.ca/art-tour/Photo submitted by Stuart Blower

    Time to switch up the sculpture

  • Thursday, May 23, 20193The Uxbridge Cosmos

    905-487-8363Toll-free

    888-982-8343

    budgetblinds.com

    by Lisha Van Nieuwenhove

    Set in an era when newspapers werepractically the only way to get newsand information, Newsies is a musicalthat offers a glimpse into what poorand oppressed youth had to endureto earn a living. And the UxbridgeYouth eatre (UYT) is bringing thisstory to life on the Music Hall stage.

    e show features music by AlanMenken (Beauty and the Beast, Al-addin), with lyrics by Jack Feldman,and is based on the 1992 Disneyfilm's screenplay by Bob Tzudikerand Noni White. e film became aTony-winning Broadway musicalthat inspires everyone to fight forwhat's right and seize the day.

    Set in turn-of-the-century NewYork City, Newsies is the story of JackKelly, a charismatic newsboy andleader of a band of teenaged"newsies." When the titans of thepublishing world (namely JosephPulitzer, owner of e World newspa-per) raise distribution prices at thenewsboys’ expense, Jack ralliesnewsies from across the city to strikeagainst the unfair conditions, meet-ing with trials and a little romancealong the way.

    Inspired by the true story of theNewsboys’ Strike of 1899, Newsiesfeatures songs like “Carrying theBanner,” “Seize the Day,” and “SantaFe.” It’s a show that promotional co-ordinator Karen Higgins describes as“packed with non-stop thrills and atimeless message, perfect for thewhole family and every audience!”

    is UYT production features acast of 34 youth, mainly from theUxbridge area, ranging in age from13 to 20 years, as well as a produc-tion crew of eight teens. “We also boast a highly professional

    production team, consisting of Jen-nifer Carroll as show director, LynsayHaines as choreographer and stagemanager, Sheila-Marie Richardson asmusical director, and Jill Hanley andBrittany Gyivicsan as co-producers,”says Higgins. UYT is a non-profit theatre organ-

    ization that was founded in 2002. Itsprimary focus has been to developtheatre skills and inspire self confi-dence in young people, as well ashave them experience all aspects of atheatrical production – both on andoff stage. e two previous UYTmusical productions were HighSchool Musical and Bye Bye Birdie.is may, however, be UYT’s lastproduction, as the current board andproduction team are moving on toother endeavours. is doesn’t meanthat UYT is completely shuttingdown - as one board member put it,“it just means that we haven’t foundthe right person to take it over, yet.”UYT’s production of Newsies opens

    ursday, May 23 at 7:30 p.m., andhas shows May 24, May 25, May 30,May 31 and June 1, all at 7:30 p.m.On Sunday, May 26, and Saturday,June 1, there will be a 2 p.m. mat-inée. For ticket availability, visit startick-

    eting.com or visit uxbridgeyouththe-atre.com for more information.

    Provincial updatescolumn by Peter Bethlenfalvy, MPP

    Clearing up misconceptions

    In our 2019 budget, we broughtforward a responsible approach torestoring fiscal sustainability whilepreserving critical front-line serv-ices. It’s time to return to the corecommitment of our plan: to pro-tect what matters most. However, there’s been criticism in

    recent weeks about some of thedecisions in the budget. We knowthat the loudest critics are the oneswho supported the Wynne gov-ernment to get us to a $343 billion

    debt, spending $1.5 million everyhour on interest-on-debt.

    e question we must ask our-selves is: what did we get in ex-change for an additional $200billion debt burden, and are webetter off now than we were be-fore? e answer is clear: no, noteven close.

    Our mandate is to protect corepublic services like health care andeducation. To achieve this, we’remaking an education investment

    of $1.6 billion this year alone toprotect teacher jobs while boardsalign high school class sizes withother jurisdictions in Canada.We’re laying off zero teachers as aresult of our class size and e-learn-ing strategies.From kindergarten to grade three

    there will be no changes to classsizes. Students in grades four toeight will see a minimal average in-crease of 1 student per classroom.Secondary students will see an av-erage class size of 28 students –aligning Ontario with other juris-dictions in Canada.

    We are modernizing learning inour education system by equip-ping students in Durham Regionand across Ontario with the skillsthey need in Science, Technology,Engineering and Math (STEM).

    e long-term goal is to increasestudents’ desire to pursue mathand sciences in high school andbeyond. For students with autism, school

    boards will receive an average of$12,300 for each eligible new stu-dent entering the school in 2019-20. is will ensure that studentsget the support they need to suc-ceed.

    Under our watch, we will notallow our province to adopt thesame failed policies as adoptedunder the previous government.

    Ontario deserves a better,brighter, more prosperous future.at’s what we’re building – with-out apology, and with tremendouscare of our children and grandchil-dren.

    CORRECTIONS

    In last week’s edition of Town Hall (page 3), the Cosmos reported that Regional CouncillorGord Highet was the only council member to vote against the by-law enacting the UxbridgeRetail Cannabis Policy. Ward 5 Councillor Todd Snooks also voted against the adoption of theby-law, making the vote 5-2 in support of the by-law, not 6-1 as reported. Last week’s front page story on the King Street parkette erroneously referred to the “KindStreet park” in the first paragraph. It should have read King Street park.The Cosmos apologizes for these errors and any misunderstandings which arose from theirmaking.

    Uxbridge youth stopping the presses

  • Thursday, May 23, 20194The Uxbridge Cosmos

    Re: “Am I wrong?”, May 16 edition

    Slow and steady works for me, and Isupport the mayor and council fortaking “a walk before you run” ap-proach in managing Township af-fairs. It’s not a race.

    The past council did not have agood track record in planning andexecuting projects. That process didnot work well. Timelines were missedand projects went over budget.

    If the current council feels it needsto slow the process down to get thejob done right the first time and onbudget, it should have our support.

    When you rush there is a tendencyto make mistakes. It’s usually betterto measure twice and cut once. Takethe time and do it right the first time.

    Craig MillerUxbridge

    Re: King Street parkette (“KingStreet parkette on the choppingblock” May 16 edition)

    When I worked for a large nationalcompany, one of the responsibilitiesof all levels of management was to re-port on the state of assets under theircare. This reporting took place on amonthly, quarterly or annual basis.Not only was each manager respon-sible for reporting on the asset’s con-dition, they also had responsibilityfor its maintenance to a prescribedlevel.

    I was disturbed when I read aboutthe state of the King St. parkette. Asreported, there are trees that needthinning, a fence and retaining wallneeding repair and an aging swingset. These are not the only thingsneglected in the parkette. The overallcondition of the parkette leavesmuch to be desired.

    My analysis based on a recent visitleads me to believe that the parketteis in its current condition due to ex-plicit lack of maintenance and care.

    There is no path from the street tothe park, so entrance must be gainedby going across a shallow ditch – trythat with a stroller! The fences sur-rounding the park are made from avariety of materials and some are inpoor condition. I would suggest thatthey are the responsibility of theabutting landowners. If these fencesare unsafe or needing repair, why has-n’t the fence by-law been enforced?The retaining wall in need of repairappears to have been built by anabutting landowner to raise the landfor gardening purposes – it is the re-sponsibility of that property owner.Some the bushes that need trimmingare rooted on the other side of thefence, so perhaps a shared responsi-bility.The ground around the swings was

    at one time pure sand, but has be-come mixed with leaf and twig litterover time. It would not be pleasantfor a child to use. No care has beentaken to rake the area from the au-tumn leaf fall for many years. Thewooden framing of this area is rottenand should have been replaced yearsago. There are two signs hidden inthe underbrush announcing thatdamage and vandalism are to be re-ported to the township. One of thesesigns is virtually unreadable due tofading, the other has been vandal-ized. The grass needs cutting and thearea could do with some tender lov-ing care.

    How is it that the department re-sponsible for maintenance is report-ing such conditions? It’s obvious tome that asset control and reporting ismissing. If not that, then the stan-dards of maintenance are not clear ornot adhered to.

    Clearly, this is a case of abandon-ment by neglect! No wonder the parkis used so little.

    Grant BainesUxbridge

    Taking a stand for your communityshould be a goal for all tax payers ofthe community. Council cannotwork in a vacuum. Citizens are re-quired to stand up and speak up forwhat they believe in, and if they be-lieve in the positive nature and com-munal feel of this community, then Ithink it is vital to take that stand.

    The King Street parkette was to benamed the “Don Cowieson Park” inthe early 70s, but a plaque was neverplaced at the park. The park land wasleft as the greenspace for the neigh-bourhood west of the [train] tracks.The Optimists Club of Uxbridgeplaced all of the equipment in thepark at that time; only the originalswing set remains.

    Council wanted to sell the park in1983 but discovered that the lot wasnot serviced - no water, sewers orhydro, and the region’s bill to runservice to it was nearly equivalent tothe price of the lot. In 2014, councillooked at selling the park and, on theadvice of the planner, chose not to.Today, council and staff are looking

    at the park again, perhaps to finallyfollow through on the 2014 recom-mendation for the “improvementand ongoing maintenance” of theparkette. They are concerned aboutthe usage and general state of thepark. I think low usage and disrepairgo hand-in-hand. There are manynew, young families moving into theneighbourhood. This park is thegreenspace that was designated fortheir use. Council is asking staff fordirection on how to go forward, hav-ing had a recommendation five yearsago to “consider options for improve-ment and ongoing maintenance.”My stand is to encourage council toact on these recommendations andbegin to repair and upgrade the park.

    Gerry OldhamUxbridge

    Letters to the Editor

    There is probably a township employee driving a truck somewhere along our ruralroads who is wondering if he will still have a job at the end of the year - or next year. The reason why this employee and many other township employees have cause to

    worry can be found in a clause written into the latest contract the township has ne-gotiated with Local 53 of the Canadian Union of Public Employees. The clause saysthe township will make its best efforts to preserve seniority rights, vacations andwages in the event Uxbridge is caught up in some kind of amalgamation. In otherwords, here's the contract but it might not stand the whole three years if the provin-cial government decides to amalgamate some municipalities or even get rid of mu-nicipal councils altogether and opt for regional councils only.

    Municipalities in regions like Durham, York, Peel, etc., are currently working toprovide services, make decisions on capital projects and come up with long-rangeplans for their communities while not even knowing whether they are wasting theirtime. Other municipalities across the province are also working in something of afog as the province continues to cut funding here, reduce it there and, in some cases,withdraw funding altogether, making it nearly impossible for municipal councils tocome to any informed decisions affecting their residents. About the only thing anyof these councils can be sure of is that property taxes will be increasing next year.The Ford government's review of regional government is said to be aimed at cutting

    red tape and finding efficiencies. If ever there were two phrases that deserved hugered flags, they are "cutting red tape" and "finding efficiencies." They usually meansome people are going to be losing their jobs. And, almost always, it's the little guywho loses his job.

    It might be argued that the regional government review could reduce the numberof councillors - both municipal and regional - that are needed to guide their variouscommunities. Ford slashed Toronto council almost in half shortly after he becamepremier, told some regions they must appoint chairs rather than allow residents electthem, took over Toronto's subway system and has generally inserted himself intomunicipal politics. While some might think reducing the number of councillors is agood thing, it raises one big question: how many is too many and how few is toofew? Ask 10 people and you will likely receive 10 different answers. But if the numberof councillors is reduced in any significant way (remember "finding efficiencies"),does anyone really think it will make that much difference in the amount of propertytaxes they pay? The only thing it will do is reduce the average taxpayer's choice whenit comes to municipal elections and make it more difficult for the remaining coun-cillors to respond to their constituents. In other words, the taxpayer, the little guy,pays.

    Ford's government is fond of chanting its slogan "for the people," from which weare supposed to deduce that he means "for the little guy." So he gives them "buck-a-beer," tailgate parties and beer in the corner store. That tells us how he views "thelittle guy:" someone who only cares about beer. But "the little guy" is also concernedabout his children's education, safe neighbourhoods, reliable municipal services andhaving a reasonably secure job to pay his bills.

    If amalgamation does come to Durham Region, what is that likely to mean to thelittle guy in Uxbridge? It could mean he has to drive all the way to Whitby to talk tosomeone about his concerns rather than just nipping down to the township offices.It could mean he has absolutely no idea who represents him at whatever council re-mains in place. Right now he can pretty much buttonhole his local councillor at anytime to discuss an issue; without a local council he will likely see a councillor only atelection time. Altogether, he will lose whatever voice he has. The little guy pays again.

    This massive uncertainty hangs over everyone's head as we wait for the review'sfindings, coming sometime this summer. We may all turn out to be "the little guy."We'll all pay.

    Our two centsThe little guy always pays

    9,500 copies of The Cosmos are published each Thursday in the Township ofUxbridge: 8,800 delivered by mail, 700 available in stores and boxes.

    Publisher/Editor Lisha Van Nieuwenhove 905.852.1900Advertising/Sales 905.852.1900

    38 Toronto Street North, Unit One, Uxbridge Ontario L9P 1E6e-mail: [email protected] web site: www.thecosmos.ca

    Office Hours: Monday - Thursday 9:30 a.m. - 5 p.m., Friday to 4 p.m. EDITORIAL POLICY: Opinions expressed by columnists, contributors and in letters to the editor are not necessarilythose of The Cosmos. Letters must be signed and the telephone number provided (number will not be pub-lished). Requests that a name be withheld will be honoured only if there is a compelling reason. Errors broughtto our attention will be corrected. The Cosmos reserves the right to edit and/or refuse to publish unsolicitedmaterial. ADVERTISING POLICY: Ad deadline is 12 noon Tuesday the week of publication. The Cosmos reservesthe right to refuse any advertisement. The Cosmos is not liable for slight changes or typographical errors inadvertisements or any other errors or omissions in advertisements. All material herein, including advertisingdesign, is copyrighted, and may not be reproduced in any form without permission.

  • Thursday, May 23, 20195The Uxbridge Cosmos

    I keep having this recurring dream. I dreamthat I am standing at the top of a very high hill,and I can see forever stretched out in front ofme. The way is clear, everything is in order, allis well. I start to saunter my way down the hill,slowly at first. But no distance seems to closebetween myself and the bottom of the hill, andas I continue on, my legs start to move fasterand faster, and soon I’m doing a full-out sprint,racing towards an end that I can no longer see.My arms flail about wildly, my hair is in myface, and I can’t believe I’m not falling down...Wait - this isn’t a dream - this is my life! It’s a

    fast-paced metaphor for the nasty trick Time isplaying on me as I try to negotiate the babysteps necessary while my three daughters moveinto the next chapters of their lives.

    Baby steps my butt. Try gigantic leaps. I think I last wrote about my kids when the

    eldest took herself off to university last Septem-ber. Not long after she moved away, heryounger sister, who had lived with her fatherfor five-plus years, moved back in with me. Inbetween the two moves, my husband and I hadabout a month and a half to treat my youngestdaughter like an only child (a rare treat for ayoungest-of-three, so I’m told. I’ll never know).Before my middle daughter moved back, I hadenvisioned the eight months that Ivy was awayat school as a time to really help the youngesttransition into the teen years. Not that she washaving issues; we were just really tight, and Ihad planned on maintaining that bond untilshe married, or sometime around then. Instead,one moved out, the other moved in, and a pe-riod of adjustment had to occur for all of us. Itwent swimmingly well, considering what itcould have been, and we all got used to beinga foursome with one player swapped out foranother. Actually, more like a quintet - TheBoyfriend is around so often he might as wellas have his own room (yes, his own room. Ihave rules).We were all doing pretty well until driver’s ed

    started. The two older girls got into a bit of acompetition as to who could finish the courseand get her licence first. And it got prettyfierce. Whereas before no one cared who wasdriving, now there were shouting matches overwho got to practice (with my vehicle, I mightadd) more because she had a lesson the nextday. And all this while one of them didn’t evenlive in the same house!

    Their driving rivalry continued on while theyoungest quietly slipped in with a crowd atschool that I’m not so sure was/is making her

    be her best self every day. Just as I tried con-necting with her, someone would correct mydriving from the back seat (literally and figura-tively) and I’d have to change lanes to deal withthe two older ones.Fast forward to the end of April, beginning of

    May. The eldest got her licence and turned 19within a week. Then the other one got her li-cence. Suddenly, I became redundant. Our carsand their schedules are being coordinated withas much precision as a moon landing. Iwatched with bewilderment as my eldest droveoff to her summer job all by herself for the firsttime. How the heck did that happen? Next, herarch rival was driving herself to school. Just likethat, our morning drives are history. How theheck did THAT happen? This past weekend,Ivy drove herself to and from work and met myhusband and I at a local restaurant for a drink(she had Sprite). But still. That qualifies for aWTF!? Pardon the expression, but nothing elseworks as well.This is what my “dream” means. At the top of

    the hill (read: when I had more control) every-thing was calm and orderly. Now, it just seemslike everything is like my wildly flailing arms -spinning like whirlybird on a windy day. Thispast long weekend I might as well have had arevolving door on my house - people werecoming and going with shouts of “‘Bye, Mum,see you in a bit!” to “See ya, Mum, we’ll beback tomorrow!” to “Later, Mum, my friend’shere now, gotta go!” All three of them, comingand going while I pottered away making cook-ies in the kitchen (for once I had the dough allto myself, though).

    I’ve mentioned my mom elastics here before- that physical connection that I feel with mykids no matter where they might be in theworld. And I am loving having all three ofthem under one roof for longer than a coupleof nights. I realized over the weekend that par-ents experience busy-ness at every age. Firstthere’s taking care of a newborn and a toddler- that’s active busy-ness on the part of the par-ent. Then there’s the elementary school years -activities, sports, etc. That’s busy-ness on every-one’s part. Then there’s now - busy-ness ontheir part, while I look on and try to keep trackof it all. We move from active busy-ness to pas-sive busy-ness, but it’s no less taxing on thebrain, and just as emotional as always. Dratthose happy, wistful tears. Do they every stop?

    I’m glad my youngest daughter still needs aride for everything. It’s three years till she getsher licence - maybe I’ll have plateaued by then.

    It took Opposition pressure at Queen’s Park, ittook outspoken professional staff at librariesacross the province, and it took members of abook club staging a read-in at the constituencyoffice of MPP Sam Oosterhoff (Niagara West),but it appears as if some saner thinking has pre-vailed inside Doug Ford’s PC caucus. A clearlyre-educated minister of tourism, culture andsport, has backed down on his planned 50 percent cuts to Ontario Library Service-North.

    “OLS-N will be reinstating their interlibraryloan program as of June 1, 2019,” Michael Ti-bollo said late last week.

    Librarians, library patrons and media com-mentators (perhaps in part, my “Barris Beat,”May 2, 2019) can take some of the credit forreversing the provincial government’s short-sighted plans to balance its budget at the ex-pense of library users across Ontario. For manyyears, both the OLS-N and the Southern On-tario Library Service have delivered book shar-ing, cataloguing and tech support systems topatrons seamlessly. That was suddenly slashedearly this month when the Ford administrationdecided to cut $1.5 million from public librarybudgets.“Cut interlibrary?” one of my friends declared.

    “They just don’t understand.”I’ve long thought the problem with too many

    governments is that they just don’t take thetime to understand. Take Ford’s plan to cutpublic education. With much discomfort, Iwatched the Toronto District School Board’sdirector of education taking questions about$42.1 million in cuts. Dr. John Malloy ex-plained the TDSB would likely have to cancelbusing for French immersion, the hiring oflearning coaches from kindergarten to Grade12. And, oh yes, they’re going to increase classsizes to produce “resilient” students. I asked acouple of high school teacher friends of mineabout that idea; they work with special needsstudents.

    “Increasing class numbers from 22 to 28 in aregular class is one thing,” one said. “But withspecial needs kids, that (25 per cent) increasewill mean chaos.”By the way, neither of those teachers has ever

    seen a provincial politician of any stripe comeinto their classrooms to watch teaching andlearning at that level. Another illustration, I be-lieve, of a government that doesn’t understand.And it’s one thing for MPPs not to be able torelate to a French immersion student, a learn-ing coach, or a special needs teacher. But tothen brag about such frivolous achievements as“buck a beer” for Ontarians in time for theMay-24 weekend? That’s not just misunder-standing; it’s misadministration. Worse, I see a

    government so blinded by ideology – intent onundoing anything with either a Liberal orWynne label attached it – that it will do so atthe expense of shooting itself in the foot.

    Take, for example, the Ford administration’srants about the federal carbon tax. The premieris so fanatically opposed to the Liberal plan totax the country’s major polluters that he’s pre-pared to drag the province (as well as NewBrunswick, Manitoba and Saskatchewan) intoendless and costly court battles against Bill C-342. Some speculate it could cost us in the mil-lions just to get the case heard in upper levelcourts. In addition, they’re prepared to use tax-payers’ money to produce advertisements at-tacking the Feds too. Add to that, therevelation, on Thursday, that a majority ofConservative voters in C anada are actually infavour of policies to fight climate change, in-cluding a price on pollution. The Abacus Datasurvey revealed that 59 per cent of self-identi-fied Conservatives support measures to curbcarbon emissions.

    Another apparent lack of vision amongprovincial government representatives, I sense,is that they don’t even believe there’s a climatecrisis at all. How many more images of envi-ronmental upheaval – twice this spring theflooding of properties and homes along the Ot-tawa River and Muskoka watersheds – do theyneed to see? Yes, I saw the premier visiting res-idents of Bracebridge during the flooding; Ididn’t say the premier doesn’t care. I just won-der: Does he not understand the science, ordoes he just not care to understand the science?The image of Emperor Nero fiddling whileRome burns comes to mind.Perhaps most disheartening of all, was the gov-

    ernment’s attitude during question periods inlast week’s Legislature debate. Not only didmembers of the Ford cabinet not bother re-sponding to specific questions from Opposi-tion MPPs, but they also stonewalled. Ratherthan address cogent questions about autismprograms, social assistance, interlibrary, publichealth and education, each cabinet minister –and especially the premier – simply read froma list of “accomplishments,” from his $106,000open-for-business signs at the border to hisanti-carbon tax litigation to his cheap beer. Isit any wonder Premier Ford was booed at theopening of the Invitational Youth Games inToronto last Wednesday?

    I think Special Olympians have recognizedpublicly what the rest of us have been too afraidto say out loud since June 7, 2018. The premierjust doesn’t get it.

    For more Barris Beat columns, go to www.tedbarris.com

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  • Thursday, May 23, 20196The Uxbridge Cosmos

    Trinity United Church presents the 49th annual Tour of Homes

    Saturd 12:00 There may be several homes listed on the passport for the Trin-ity United Church Tour of Homes, but at one stop, visitors willactually be getting three in one!The main house is a small townhouse that’s fortunate enoughto be the end unit. The front door is actually the side door, butvisitors just have to saunter through the little front garden, stepup onto the cozy wrap-around porch, and follow the deliciousscent that emanates from the house. Stepping through the frontdoor is like stepping back in time. The homeowners havemeticulously recreated a country-sampler-meets-frontier-westatmosphere in the home, and it’s hard to believe you’re actuallyin a townhouse in Quaker Village, Uxbridge. Tour of Homes visitors will want to linger over the ephemeraand collectibles that line shelves and cupboards, and take noteof the little details, like the bonnets hanging at the ready by thedoor, or the stockings “drying” by the fireplace. The basementof the house has been partially transformed into a tavern, com-plete with cage bar and dominoes at the ready for playing. Thelight fixtures are worth paying attention to - they’ve been ac-cumulated over the course of 10 to 15 years, but look like theyall came out of the same pioneer homestead.Visitors will also want to peek at the large settee in the main

    floor sitting room - the fabric was a “real find” for the home-owner when she discovered “1806” woven into its pattern, thesame year as Uxbridge was founded.

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    ed Church presents the 49th annual Tour of Homes

    day, June 10 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.

    mes listed on the passport for the Trin-i of Homes, but at one stop, visitors willa in one!T all townhouse that’s fortunate enought ont door is actually the side door, butv er through the little front garden, stepu ound porch, and follow the deliciouss the house. Stepping through the frontd ack in time. The homeowners havem country-sampler-meets-frontier-westa and it’s hard to believe you’re actuallyi r Village, Uxbridge. T will want to linger over the ephemeraa shelves and cupboards, and take noteo he bonnets hanging at the ready by thed rying” by the fireplace. The basemento rtially transformed into a tavern, com-p ominoes at the ready for playing. Thel paying attention to - they’ve been ac-c e of 10 to 15 years, but look like theya pioneer homestead.V o peek at the large settee in the main

    f abric was a “real find” for the home-o ed “1806” woven into its pattern, thes as founded.

    The only space in the house that transports visitors to a dif-ferent time and place is one large bedroom upstairs - its occu-pant, the 24-year old daughter of the homeowners, has optedfor a French shabby-chic décor, and the built-in bookcases (thehomeowners built much of the shelving, counters, etc., them-selves) and fireplace make the room as cozy as the rest of thehouse.Inside, however, as inviting as it is, is not the only place to seeon this stop. Step out the back door (which is actually at theback), and spread out before you is an array of inviting placesto sit (which to choose - under the cedar-post gazebo or in aMuskoka chair by the fire pit?). Tucked just beyond thosetemptations are two little houses, each belonging to the twoladies of the house. The daughter claims the “shed” with thecovered porch, and uses this hideaway as a place to read andsnuggle with the family dog. (The “shed” used to house thegarden accoutrements.) Her mother uses the other tiny houseas a getaway as well, and even serves lunch at a small table setfor two on rainy days.There is much inspiration to draw from this house, as there isfrom every house on this self-guided tour. Tickets are $20 in advance, or $25 the day of the tour, whichincludes tea and cookies. Funds raised go to charitable organ-izations through the Trinity United Church Women. Call 905-852-6213 for details, email [email protected] orvisit trinityuxbridge.com for details.

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  • Thursday, May 23, 20198The Uxbridge Cosmos

  • and yours truly, who became theoriginal executive members. We expanded after only one year to

    six teams. is was the UxbridgeSenior Men’s Hockey League. Weeven had spectators - our wives andkids. e league held two dances anda banquet in the community halleach season. After 10 years the origi-nal executive members decided tohand the reins of the league to ayounger group.

    e league grew and morphed intothe Uxbridge Adult Hockey league,a huge estab-lishment, in-volving tons ofteams, bothmen’s andladies. It rivalsminor hockeyin numbers ofteams. We’vecome a longway with recre-ational hockeyin Uxbridge! It appears that

    hockey, our na-tional sport,gets into one’sblood and thegame can beplayed formany, manydecades. efinesse, (ifthere ever wasany for manyof us), mayhave waned

    over the years, but the excitementand enjoyment is still there. It’s asport in which you can mess up onthe ice, get roasted for it on thebench, and laugh about it in thedressing room.Any men over 50 interested in play-

    ing Sunday morning next year cancontact Rob Croxall [email protected] Any really oldguys who would like to play Monday,Wednesday and Friday mornings cancontact Gerry Roberts [email protected]

    Thursday, May 23, 20199The Uxbridge Cosmos

    THIS WEEKENDTues., May 21: Seniors ChickenDinner. Uxbridge Seniors’ Centre, 12noon. Chicken Dinner catered by MaryEvans. Tickets $10 for members, avail-able at the Community Care office. Only80 tickets available. Deadline Fri., May17. Sorry, no ticket sales at the door.Sat., May 25: Oak Ridges TrailAssoc. Hike, 7 a.m. Al Shaw. 1 hr., 4km moderate pace hike. No dogsplease. Meet at road side parking on thewest side of Conc. 6, 1.5 km south ofDurham Rd. 21. Contact: Russ Burton905-830-2862.Sat., May 25: Plant Sale in Clare-mont. Claremont Garden Club'sannual plant sale, parking lot of theOld Brock Café at 1716 Central St. inClaremont, 8 to 11 a.m. Most plants willbe $3. A complete list of the plants forsale will be on the club's websitewww.claremontgardenclub.ca.Sat., May 25: Greenbank FolkMusic Society presents a JacksonDelta Reunion. Greenbank Hall, 8p.m. Opening is Lotus Wight. Tickets$35 from Blue Heron Books in Uxbridge;P O E Design in Port Perry, or call 905-985-8351. www.greenbankfolkmusic.ca Sun., May 26: Uxbridge Horticul-tural Society Plant & Bake Sale.H.H. Goode and Son parking lot, 9a.m.- 1 p.m. Sun., May 26: Pet Valu Walk forDog Guides, hosted by the Uxbridge& District Lions Club. Elgin Park, registra-tion from 12 noon to 1 p.m., 5 km walkstarts at 1 p.m. For more information call416-271-5139.

    Sun., May 26: Pine Grove ChurchSpring Anniversary Service, 3p.m. Message and music by The Reflec-tions and Brian Evans. For information,call 905-852-7372.

    NEXT WEEKMon., May 27: Oak Ridges TrailAssoc. Hike, 9:30 a.m. WalkerWoods East. A slow to moderate 2.5 hr.hike with moderate hills. Meet at parkinglot on west side of Uxbridge Conc. 7, 2km south of Durham Rd. 21. ContactBrian & Wilma Millage 905 853 2407Tues., May 28: Oak Ridges TrailAssoc. Hike. 9:30 a.m. Leader’sChoice. 10km; Moderate to fast; 3hrs.Dagmar North Trails, south of Uxbridge,hilly. Meet in the parking lot for springwater on the north side of Chalk LakeRoad, 80 meters west of Lakeridge Road.Contact: Peter Attfield 905-773-3935(before 10 p.m.)Tues., May 28: North DurhamNature presents Life at the Edge:Habitat, Heat, and Herpetologi-cal Pursuits on the CanadianShield. Scugog Memorial Library, PortPerry, 7 p.m. The Five-lined Skink is theonly lizard in eastern Canada, learn thechallenges of documenting the movementand activity of this fast reptile! Wed., May 29: Uxbridge-ScottHistorical Society Annual Gen-eral Meeting. Uxbridge HistoricalCentre (Museum) School House, 7 p.m. Questions - email [email protected]. Allcurrent and future members welcome.Donations welcome at the door. Thurs., May 30: GoodwoodUnited Church Soup Lunch. Good-

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    Well, the SOFA and SOFA+ hockeyleagues have finished another seasonof hockey and ‘stumble-pucky’, re-spectively. SOFA, the youngsters (approx. 50-

    60 yrs.), completed their season onthe Sunday morning before Easter,followed by a catered brunch in theCommunity Hall at the Arena.ese are the boys who graduatedfrom the Adult league on Sundaynights.

    SOFA+ ( 60+ and some +++), fin-ished their last game the followingWednesday, followed by a brunch atthe Corner House. e ‘elders’ playMondays, Wednesdays, and Fridaysin the mornings. Why? Becausethey’re mostly retired, have nothingelse to do, and their wives wantthem out of the house for a whileeach day. Some 40-ish years ago, many of us

    in our late 20s and early 30s playedpick-up hockey at 11 p.m. in theoriginal ‘barn’ on Sundays and Tues-days. Going to work on Mondaysand Wednesdays with little sleepwasn’t fun, but we persevered fortwo years. Six of us got together andthought that, if we could swingsome ice time on a Sunday after-noon, we could probably get enoughguys to make up four teams - a realleague. ese fellows were: DaveSmith, Stu Evans, Larry Austin(RIP), Ernie Stokes, Ernie Philipiew,

    wood United Church, 11 a.m. - 1 p.m.for soup, homemade bread, dessert andbeverage - $5. Fri., May 31: Udora-LeaskdaleLions Club Spaghetti Dinner.Udora Hall. Enjoy all you can eatspaghetti, garlic bread with a salad anddessert. Adults $15. Children 7 - 12,$5, under 5 are free.Sat., June 1: Antiques ID Clinic,Uxbridge Historical Centre, 10 a.m., 1p.m. and 2:30 p.m. Participants $25, upto 3 items. Observers $8. Do you havefamily treasures, antique furniture, orunique items in your home? Would youlike to learn more about them? Sat., June 1: Dan Clancy perform-ing solo with acoustic guitar.Greenbank United Church, 7 p.m. to sup-port accessibility project. Tickets $25.Call 905-985-4504 or 905-985-2090.

    UPCOMINGFri., June 7: Blood Donor Clinic.Uxbridge Seniors’ Centre, 1:30 - 7:30p.m. Hosted by the Rotary Club ofUxbridge.Sat., June 8: Community CareDurham 14th CCD Walk for Men-tal Health Awareness. Port PerryFairgrounds, 9 a.m. - 12 noon. A 1 km,2 km or 5 km walk along Port Perry Wa-terfront Trail. Pre-register for the EarlyBird Draw. Proceeds support CCD serv-ices across Durham Region. For info call905-430-8014 or visit www.community-caredurham.on.caCOMING UP is a free community bul-letin board. If you have a communityevent for a charity or non-profit organiza-tion that you’d like us to mention (ASSPACE PERMITS), email [email protected] or call 905-852-1900. The dead-line for our next issue is 12 noonTuesday.

    Across1 Atmospheric pollutant5 Little food measuring tool8 Show11 Twenty-four carat12 Languish13 Elbow-wrist connection14 Word of agreement15 Comprehending17 Bugs19 Concur22 Hottie26 Noted Warhol subject27 Minute particle30 Coloring31 Virgo month, for short32 Currently34 W.W. II fliers35 Give the cold shoulder37 Test38 Vacuum tube (abbreviation)39 Boombox41 Curds other half43 In an annoyed fashion46 Gambling mecca (2 words)49 Protection: var.53 Sound rebound54 The whole shebang55 Classic art subject56 Devoured57 Christened58 Auth. unknown

    Down1 Vacation spot2 Short form of a famous flower3 Neighbour of Idaho4 Spirit in a bottle5 Nicknames6 Royal intro7 Table setting item (2 words)8 ”When We Were Kings" subject9 Bed and breakfast10 Make fun of13 Unexpected sports outcome16 Hog's home18 "Groovy!"19 Collect20 Scrawny21 Scamp23 Pressure24 Consisting of one element25 Boxing blows28 Downhill sport29 "To Autumn," e.g.33 Two-masted sailing vessel36 Hooray!40 Helm heading42 Laughing dog44 Lung problem45 Oasis46 Sward47 Shakespeare division48 Any ship50 Firearm51 Wedding promise52 Rep.'s counterpart

    SOFA Smileswith Gerry Roberts

  • 10The Uxbridge Cosmos Thursday, May 23, 2019

    SERVICESDECKS & FENCING: Does your deck or fenceneed repair? We specialize in decks & fencing. Nodeck is too small or big. Very competitive prices,20 years’ experience, 2-year written warranty,free estimates. For all your outside upgrades &projects, contact RBC Decks. Ron, 416-705-9993.5/30PROVIDING WEBSITE DESIGN and GraphicDesign services for small companies andorganizations in Durham Region. lindaneale.ca5/30PROFESSIONAL RENOVATOR. Framelessshower doors. Shower conversion. Cabinetrefacing. Painting. Full project start to finish in-house, no sub-contractors. Call Mark at647-385-7334. 5/30D.J. PAVING GTA. Paving, cut and patch,repairs, cracks, sealing, gravel and stone work.905-904-3769 5/23EXPERIENCE THE COMFORT OF A GREATBRA. The Girls Bra Boutique, 6316 Main St.,Stouffville. 905-642-3339. An upliftingexperience! TUTOR: I provide private tutoring in my homefor elementary, high school, college and university

    students. I also tutor adults who wish to improvetheir Mathematics and Literacy skills. 905-852-1145. 5/30OLE’ HANDYMAN. Waterproofing + mould.Electrical & plumbing. Licensed, insured &guaranteed. Big or small. Kitchen, bath,stonework, cement, basements, flooring, potlights. Bobcat. 46 years’ experience. Financing.Senior discount. 905-473-5197 or 647-225-3311(cell). 5/30HOME-WATCH HOUSE/PET SITTINGSERVICES: Voted #1 for Protecting Your Homeand Caring for Your Pets. Home Owners havetrusted Heather Stewart for 16 years for herreliability and detailed professionalism. PropertyServices/Dog Walking/Cat Sitting/Doggie Sleep-Overs! Visit home-watch.ca for more info onHeather’s services. Call or text 905-852-8525,follow us on Instagram - HomeWatchUxbridge5/30

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    HELP WANTEDLEAPS & BOUND, near Mt. Albert, is lookingfor a Part-Time Dog Daycare Support Person whois a mature, hardworking, conscientious andreliable individual who shows initiative. This is nota summer job, as we are seeking an individual forlong term employment. This job is not suitable forstudents. Send resumé to:[email protected] 6/6STABLE HAND NEEDED. 2 hours per day,Monday to Friday, afternoons. Needed to finishmucking out stalls, bringing in and feeding 7 well-behaved horses. Between Udora & Zephyr. [email protected]. 5/23AZ, DZ, OR D LICENSE: 26’ Straight truckand/or tractor trailer with experience. Part-time,possible full time. Clean drivers abstract, Stouffvilleto GTA and outskirts. All skidded work, potentialto work in warehouse as well as drive. Doug 416-677-4700. 5/23BARN HELP REQUIRED for smallbreeding/boarding farm minutes from Uxbridge.Riding privileges available. Weekends and someweekdays. [email protected] or text (416)278-8168. 5/30

    EVENTSLYNN MCDONALD PRESENTS Bill McBirnie,Flute, and Bernie Senensky, Grand Piano. Sat.,May 25, Church of the Ascension, 266 North St.,Port Perry. Doors open 7 p.m. Tickets available atEco Port, 180 Queen St. 5/23

    YARD SALESFIRST AVENUE YARD SALE: Sat., May 25, 8a.m. - 12 noon. Many households participating.Antiques & beautiful junk! Rain Date Sat., June 1. HUGE GARAGE SALE, Sat., May 25, starting at8 a.m. 713 Durham Road 13, Leaskdale.Unbelievable assortment - tools, construction,household, antiques, toys, recreational vehicles. ESTATE GARAGE SALE: Sat., May 25, 8 a.m. -2 p.m. 35 Cemetery Rd., Uxbridge. Queen sleighbed, dining room table and 6 chairs, leather loveseat, dressers, much more!

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  • Straight up, this film is glorious tolook at, the design sumptuous andrich, filled with dazzling colour un-like anything we have seen before. Itall but blazes off the screen. e car-pet ride is really breathtaking, but Ialways had the gnawing sense of “I’vebeen here before.” Despite the famil-iarity of the film, it is truly beautifulto look at, designed and costumed toglorious effect, and shot to look,well...incredible. And incredibly...um, generic?Once reality settles in (the imposing

    spectre of Robin Williams hangs overthe film like a storm cloud), you re-alize that, for all the beauty of thefilm, it has no heart or soul.Williams won a Special GoldenGlobe for his astonishing voice workon Aladdin (1992) and he is sorelymissed. With Will Smith, a very tal-ented guy, assuming the role of theGenie with a healthy helping of spe-cial effects, it is an entirely new expe-rience. Smith tries everything, but itsimply does not work. Williams wasa special effect unto himself - hisvoice work so fast and furious, theanimators had to hustle to keep upwith him. Smith plays the Genie well

    enough, but never is as magical asWilliams was. Even though we onlyheard Williams, his energy was infec-tious and spilled off the screen. Smithplays the Genie as cute, coy, fun. Helays on the ground, his feet in the airin motion like a great big kid, eyeslike saucers waiting for his wish re-quest. at is, after all, what the bigblue dude lives for, to grant wishes.But it’s the songs that kill him.Williams was no singer but stillowned the songs, which Smith, a finesinger, never manages to do.

    e narrative is the same as the1992 film, no real changes there. Al-addin (Mena Massoud), a young“street rat”, is tricked into entering acave by the evil Jafar (Marian Ken-zari), where he finds an enchantedlamp, which houses the Genie. Youknow the drill, three wishes, and nowishing for more wishes. He returnsto the grand city a prince, head overheels in love with Princess Jasmine(Naomi Scott), but Jafar has hissights on her, and a great deal moreas well. Will the two star crossedlovers come together? Um, it’s a Dis-ney film, gang.

    Massoud, Scott and Kenzari do okwith the roles but there is no greatacting happening here, they have allthe soul of cardboard cutouts. As thevillain, Kenzari does everything buttwirl his moustache like SimonLegree or Snidely Whiplash. He playsthe attitude of the bad guy, never thesound of the villain. Massoud andScott look great and look incredibletogether but they strike no sparks.Titanic (1997) worked despite aweak screenplay because the chem-istry between Leonardo Di Caprioand Kate Winslet was off the charts.ere is more chemistry between Al-addin and his flying carpet than withJasmine. For a love story, that is thekiss of death. e score and songs are as they were

    but without the Williams delivery,anything Smith sings has a FreshPrince of Bel Air feel. Let me be clear,

    Smith is a great actor, twice nomi-nated for Academy Awards and bril-liant in Ali (2001) as the legendaryfighter. It took a great deal of couragefor him to step into this role, givenhow iconic Williams made it. Smithis following a legendary, ground-breaking performance. As an actor, Ithink he could go toe to toe withanything Williams did...except this.

    Guy Ritchie, formerly Mr.Madonna, has proven in the past tobe a reliable director and I under-stand why Disney handed him thisproject. What I do not understand iswhy he did not give it the edge ofsome of his earlier work. Jafar wouldhave benefitted enormously withsome of that edge, and Aladdin musthave had cunning to survive in thestreets as a street rat. Why did Ritchieallow them both the personalities ofa glass of milk?

    At the end of the film, I felt relief.It was over, I could leave. But then Iremembered, it matters not what Isay, it will be seen by hundreds ofmillions and make even more moneyfor Disney. ey have once again cre-ated a cash cow, which is how theyexist and continue to dominate thefilm industry. And I remembered theobscene amounts of cash they havemade with their films, the Marvelfilms, the Pixar films and I wonderedwhy they could not make betterfilms? Did you know Disney Studioshas never won an Academy Awardfor Best Picture? Ever. You cannotwin an Oscar without risk, withouttrying to create art. Disney nevertries. Kind of shameful.

    I have said this before. Rather thanspending $200 million on a massivespectacle like this, why not take that$200 million and give $2 millioneach to 100 up and coming filmmak-ers to shoot their original script; notall 100 films would be great but I betat least 10 of them would be master-pieces, maybe more. And Aladdin, is no masterpiece, not

    even close.

    Thursday, May 23, 201911The Uxbridge Cosmos

    Film with Footecolumn by John Foote

    Aladdin **

    Uxbridge author and artist SionIrwin-Childs is hosting a special two-part reading of his new book “Fox-fyre” at the Uxbridge Public Librarytonight and later this month.Set in the rugged, rolling landscape

    of Canada's beautiful East Coast,“Foxfyre” is a dramatic tale for kidsand those that were. Both readings will be accompanied

    by projected illustrations from “Fox-fyre” and several hundred additional

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    Like so many of the recent releasesfrom Disney, this film is critic proof.

    ere is a built-in audience of thosecurious to see what Guy Ritchie hasdone with the hugely successful ani-mated film of 1992 made flesh andblood for 2019. Add to the mix die-hard Disney fans, kids, the adultswho were kids in ‘92 - this moviedoes not need critics to render anopinion.

    images created especially for the 2019‘ “Foxfyre” Reading Tour.’ “Foxfyre”books and book art will be availablefor purchase and signing at the con-clusion of both events. Sion Irwin-Childs said in a press re-

    lease that he was grateful to theUxbridge Public Library for gener-ously donating space for the “Fox-fyre” readings and providing freeaccess to resources that were integralto the completion of the book.e first of these free, open to all agesreadings, occurs tonight, ursdayMay 23, at 6:30 p.m. in the UxbridgePublic Library, lower level. e sec-ond will take place next week, onursday, May 30, also at 6:30 p.m.,also in the Uxbridge Public Library,lower level. Additional information can be foundat [email protected]: @foxfyreproductions

    Uxbridge author hosts readings of ‘Foxfyre’

  • 12The Uxbridge Cosmos Thursday, May 23, 2019

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    Satellite offices open in North DurhamArrange to meet family support staff at one of our newsatellite offices in Port Perry, Beaverton or Uxbridge.

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