Harry Stemp June 11, 2009
Harry Stemp was born in Uxbridge in 1934. He started his career with the Uxbridge Times-Journal as an apprentice typesetter at age 14. He soon began writing sports for the Times-Journal and eventually owned 10 community newspapers in central Ontario including the Times-Journal. He started writing his award-winning Stemp’s Stew in 1965. The column came to an end shortly after he sold his newspaper chain in 1989, but was rejuvenated in 2006 when Harry became a regular contributor to The Cosmos.
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Boost for Brock Street
Good news this week as council and Dave Phillips, CEO of First Leaside Financial, reached a final agreement allowing work to proceed on redevelopment of the Uxbridge Co-op property on Brock St. W.
These have been long and tough negotiations as both parties had to go through the usual give and take exercise. And at the end of the day an agreement was reached and our community will be home to the beautiful $17 million head office of First Leaside Financial. And Mr. Phillips will realize his dream of bringing a building of international status to his home community.
Already the building design has been featured in the Braun Architecture book, which is distributed worldwide, recognizing the building with a LEED Platinum status. Meaning the building is environmentally friendly in every way
What a plum for our community. Mr. Phillips is to be commended for wanting to bring this project to Uxbridge and persevering through all of these tough negotiations to make sure it happened.
It will be the economic shot in the arm our community needs during some very tough economic times and transforms an ugly, rundown property into one that will make every resident proud.
Besides this, Mr. Phillips has proven in other ways how he feels about his community. Realizing that the 2008 United Way Campaign thermometer was going to fall short he stepped forward with a $5,000 donation meaning that Chairman Bill Ballinger and his team could move the red arrow to the top and become one of the few communities in Durham Region to reach their stated goal.
And, at the same time, Mr. Phillips pledged a $7,000 donation to kick off the 2009 campaign. It is obvious, with this attitude towards community service, Mr. Philips is joining the many community-minded businesses that have, for years, made Uxbridge the great community we enjoy today.
In a very short time heavy machinery will begin demolishing the old Co-op and work will begin on the construction of this important project.
Not sure how you feel but I am hoping you are as excited as I to see the official opening of this magnificent building.
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Sorry about that! Last week's Stew contained an e-mail address which could be used by readers to contact Premier Dalton McGuinty and express their opposition to the proposed blended sales tax.
Since then several readers have let me know that the address did not work. I checked it out and discovered they were right. So here's a new way to contact Premier McGuinty to let him know we want no part of his blended sales tax plan. Combing the GST and the PST is just another tax grab and will be a tremendous burden to most people who are already having trouble coping with the downturn in the economy.
On the web go to - http://www.premier.gov.on.ca/home/index.php?Lang=EN
This will take you to the Ontario Government web site. Click language of your choice. This will take you to the web site of the Office Of The Premier. On the left click on 'Contact Dalton'. Click on 'You can send a message to me through this website'. Write your message, include your name and hit "Send".
This allowed me to air my views on this important matter. I hope you do the same.
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Lots going on this weekend and those interested in our history will want to be part of the 200th Anniversary of the Quaker Meeting House. This was the first official place of Christian worship in Uxbridge Township.
A special ceremony and service will take place on the lawn starting at 1 p.m. so you may want to bring along a lawn chair and enjoy the festivities.
And award-winning artist Daniel Colby will hold his third annual Art Exhibit and Sale featuring the Houses of Uxbridge. An interesting subject.
The show will be held June 13 and 14 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Ross Colby Furniture on Sandy Hook Rd.
A great opportunity to see the works of this talented young Uxbridge artist.
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