The Ottawa Citizen from Ottawa, Ontario, Canada • 25

FRIDAY, MAY 29, 1998 C3 CITY THE OTTAWA CITIZEN A -4 0 4 -t rf -J Teresa Stokes practises her routine without a harness on a wing of an airplane high above Ottawa. She will perform at the National Capital Air ir show flies into clouds of protest Weekend show will feature Snowbirds, fighter jets appropriate to glorify weapons delivery systems whose use devastates the lives of millions of people around the world," Mr. Sanders said. "We're trying to put a human face on war technology and the human consequences of its use." Volunteers will be on roads to the airport waving placards bearing their messages. The volunteers will hold a vigil at the Conference Centre on Wellington Street at 8 p.m.

to protest a six-day gathering by air force officers from South, Central and North America. As well as speakers and entertainment by several groups including BY GRAHAM HUGHES The thunder of fighter aircraft and the snarl of stunt planes will fill the skies tomorrow and Sunday as the 14th annual National Capital Air Show takes to the skies at the Mac-donald-Cartier International Airport. Canada's Snowbirds will again headline the two-day show, making a stop on their 45-destination tour that will take the team and its Tudor jets from Megacity idea proves popular at forum Nepean slices two per cent off property tax bills JIM YOUNG. REUTERS Show, which begins tomorrow. Chile's Acalanto and Uruguayan percussionists Comparza Candomba, a video showing Central American children's war art will be projected on exterior walls of the Conference Centre.

Representatives of the National Capital Air Show could not be reached for comment. Gates open at the airport at 8:30 a.m. with admission set at $12 daily for adults and $6 for children under 16. Parking is $5. Park-and-ride services will operate from the Greenboro Park and Ride.

OC Transpo will operate buses. For more information, phone 741-4390- Chamber of Commerce called the proposal unfair to Nepean. "We can't believe that you have allotted 62 hours for public consultation," he said. "We hope the electorate sees the short shrift you have given this issue." Mr. Watson countered that Ottawa council was paying more attention to the issue of municipal restructuring than its Nepean counterpart.

"I'm glad to see so many people from Nepean here today The reason they're coming here is because they have no meetings," he said. "We're doing this much more openly. I want this done as publicly as possible. I don't want this to go the way of Meech Lake." The mayor defended the day of public hearings as the best alternative to the citizens' panel, which collapsed this winter over what it saw as tampering on the part of municipal politicians. The panel was created to canvass the region for residents' views on restructuring and to present a homegrown solution to the province.

Local politicians were left to put forth their own solutions. "We're in a time crunch, to be perfectly honest," Mr. Watson said. "My fear is that the longer we wait, the less likely the province will be to touch this proposal with a 10-foot pole." The one-tier city government would be anchored by appointed borough or community councils responsible for local services such as parks and recreation, local traffic and other planning issues. The proposal is flexible enough to allow the four rural townships to secede if they choose.

Some business leaders yesterday warned the council to avoid being held up by the plan's opponents. "This has been going on for too long. You should take some leadership and make the decision," said businesswoman Shirley Westeinde. "It's impossible to please everybody. If we don't get on with it, we're going to be left behind in the world." will be targeted by the Coalition to Oppose the Arms Trade.

Richard Sanders, the group's coordinator, says their activities will be concentrated on Sunday. There will be a display of Central American children's paintings showing warplanes bombing and strafing villages in Guatemala and El Salvador. Tables will feature material from Mines Action Canada, Project Accompaniment, the Tamil Co-ordinating Committee and the Caribbean Latin American Solidarity Group. The group will also distribute antiwar, anti-air show pamphlets. "We'll be asking people whether it's overwhelming cry for a larger tax cut until a few days ago, when he received three calls asking if the chamber could do something.

He says he's pleased with the council's decision. The 1998 operating budget for the city is $61 million. That's up from $57.1 million in 1997. As a result of government restructuring, Nepean received an extra $5.5 million, but councillors and city staff disagreed about how much of it was available to cut taxes or provide extra civic services. In April, council had decided on an 0.8 per cent tax cut, but Ms.

Pitt and some councillors then decided it was not enough. However, Nepean homeowners won't see their final bills until sometime in the fall. City officials say delays by the province in releasing final property reassessment figures have made it impossible to set rates used to determine the property taxes. $15,000 lift on the ground, making them more susceptible to predators. The dry spring has also caused widespread dehydration.

The money that council approved might come from the ice storm funding allotted by the province or might come out of the city's unforeseen expenses account. The Wild Bird Care Centre also approached the city of Ottawa for help but was turned down. The centre now plans to approach some regional councillors to generate interest and hopes to step up fund-raising efforts after nesting season, which started this month and peaks in summer. The centre attracts 30,000 tourists a year. BY Leanne Yohemas-Hayes Nepean city council passed its 1998 budget with few surprises last night.

And an informal coalition of councillors was claiming victory after passing a resolution that boosted a tax cut from 0.8 per cent to two per cent. The two-per-cent cut could take between $10 and $12 off an average municipal tax bill. "It's not a lot of money. It's a ges ture," Mayor Mary Pitt said last nieht. "Even thoueh it's small, it's nice to a give auuidimig uat-n iu liic luiutuia.

1 1 1 r. 1 nnn1ntklnn ..1. 4-n t-Ua .4 iNepean is noi oniy aeDt-iree, dui sus -create the larger tax cut, about less will be contributed to the xuiiu nus ycai. Councillor Mervyn Sullivan, the only one of the seven council members to vote aeainst the two-Der-cent cut. 4 1 1.

Tsaid Duttine less aside for the reserve 1 0 the Northwest Territories to New Mexico and from Victoria to Charlot-tetown. At the show, about 100 aircraft will fly or be displayed on the ground. Featured aircraft will include F-15 Eagles and Canada's CF-18 fighter jets, as well as aerobatics aircraft like the Tudor. There also will be free midway rides on the ground and demonstrations of jet-engined trucks. And for the second year, the show fund might cause problems down the road.

Other changes made to the budget to accommodate the larger tax cut included $120,000 less allotted to parks and recreation, including $10,000 less for fireworks. Another $100,000 came from other departments including fire, public works and planning and $7,000 less for youth services. Mr. Sullivan was unhappy to see the reduction in youth services, calling it an important service. "I registered my disdain and council has registered its vote," he said.

Councillor Lee Farnworth, who was originally satisfied with a 0.8 per cent cut, last night voted in favour of the two-per-cent reduction. "1 thought it was reasonable enough," she said. "I could live with it." Resident Bob Wilson, who is chairman of the Greater Nepean Chamber of Commerce, said he hadn't heard an "I think that they can see how the ice storm affected the birds." Yesterday alone, Ms. Nihei admitted 40 birds into the centre and more were on their way as she left for the council meeting. "I didn't have time to get out of my work clothes." This month alone, the centre, which employs two full-time and two part-time staff year round, has received 4,000 calls and has seen 800 birds, and Ms.

Nihei expects to see 125 to 150 more birds by the end of this month. Last May only 505 birds were treated. "The ice storm in January started the ball rolling," Ms. Nihei said, "but it's a combination of different things. Damage to upper forest canopies has forced some birds to build nests BY TRENT EDWARDS About 30 residents from across the region got a chance yesterday to tell Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson what they think of his vision for the future of local government.

And most seemed to like the megacity proposal. Mr. Watson and Regional Chair Bob Chiarelli advocate a one-tier government for Ottawa-Carleton. Their joint proposal would see the region and the 11 municipalities replaced by one city made up of a mayor and roughly 25 councillors. They have until Nov.

12 to pass their proposal with a triple majority. Unless a majority of regional councillors and a majority of municipalities representing more than half of the region's residents support the proposal by the deadline, responsibility for municipal restructuring will be handed over to the province. About 30 members of the public, representing area businesses, citizens' groups, and other municipal governments, made presentations to Ottawa city council yesterday about the proposal. "Nepean will not support the amalgamation under any circumstances," said Nepean councillor Rick Chiarelli. Nepean Mayor Mary Pitt said 85 per cent of her electorate fears the proposed merger and would rather join with Kanata.

She said Nepean residents expect one-tier government to take away their local autonomy and would result in higher taxes. "If there's going to be change, let's not have one megacity, let's join (Nepean) with Kanata," she said during the one-day public forum hosted by the Ottawa council. But Mr. Watson said not everyone in Nepean is against the megacity proposal. "It's not a homogeneous attitude in the suburbs against one-tiered government.

A lot of people have called supporting it." Bob Wilson of the Greater Nepean Nepean gives bird centre BY LEANNE YOHEMAS-H AYES The Wild Bird Care Centre will be aDie to spreaa its wings ana soar a 111-te longer this year. f' The dramatic increase of birds "'1 i 4. months, exacerbated by a drop in charitable donations, has threatened the centre's operations. But last night Nepean city council voted unanimously to extend a one-time emergency grant of $15,000 to the centre. "It's a big sigh," said Kathy Nihei, who heads the centre.

Ms. Nihei arrived at the meeting directly from the centre to make a presentation to Nepean city councillors. She says that council understands and appreciates the work of the centre. iRLK OF THE TOWN: A daily list of special events in the national capital area: Ontario Liberal Leader Dallon McGuinty addresses the Ottawa AM breakfast club, at 7:30 a.m., at Sante Restaurant, 45 Rideau St. Dr.

Serge authier, director McGill Centre for Studies in Aging, Marg Eisler, of Algonquin College, Dr. John Tooth, nursing home director from Tasmania, Australia, and Dr. Allen Dobbs, of Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital, Ed-inonton, discuss current research, aging in place, driving, new educational initiatives, and drugs behaviour at the general meeting of the Alzheimer Society of Ottawa-Carleton, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., at the Hellenic Banquet Centre, 1315 Prince of Wales Dr. Former Ontario premier Bob Rae discusses charting a new course for social policy, at the annual gener al meeting of the Canadian Council on Social Development at 1 p.m., in the Christ Church Cathedral Social Hall, 420 Sparks St.

Psychiatrist William Glasser discusses how to build a quality community, at the R.A. Centre, 2451 Riverside at 7:00 p.m. Send items for Talk of the Town to The Citizen, 1101 Baxter Ottawa, Ont. K2C 3M4 or by e-mail to towntalkthecitizen.southam.ca.