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PAGE 6 â€" WATERLOO CHRONICLE, WEDNESDAY, MAY 14. 1986 We find it entirely inconceivable that the city of Waterloo, with clear conscience, could turn down a request from two local people to operate a french fry truck this summer, one that would face King Street on the corner of Waterloo Town Square immediately beside First United Church. second Class Mail Registration Number 5540 But that‘s just what might happen at the next meeting of council when married couple Greg Dalton and Pat Shaw seek final city approval to operate their ‘"oldâ€"fashioned"‘ french fry truck at the Square six days a week until late September. â€" A preliminary vote at Monday‘s committee of the whole favored (4â€"3) allowing the couple to run their business. But that could change next Monday, as Mayor Marjorie Carroll warned, when the entire council makes its decision. The pot‘s calling Carroll was one of those most opposed to the business, claiming it to be aesthetically unattractive, incompatible with neighboring First United Church and likely to further complicate the existing parking dilemma at the Square. She also expressed concern about insurance, taxes and the entire idea of the truck going against the grain of Uptown Business Improveâ€" ment Area beautification. None of those arguments, however, should stand in the way of the proposition which, if nothing else, should add some muchâ€"needed character to our Uptown area, gluch the same as similar chip wagons do in cities like ttawa. Dalton has already agreed to pay his share of taxes to operate the business, and city staff is drawing up a contract for Monday‘s meeting to address that situation and others. Planning director Tom Slomkie has indicated there is no zoning change needed, and Dalton, who is the first to admit that in the past chip wagons haven‘t had the greatest of reputations, promises his vehicle will be "clean and attractive‘"‘ and that he is also willing to clean up the surrounding area. If he is held to that promise by contractual agreement, then where is the problem? â€" In spite of its overall efforts, it is rather hypocritical, isn‘t it, of the city to be so suddenly worried about aesthetics in this instance, when for years the Uptown storefront profile directly across from the Square has been marred by a gaping hole left by fire and demolition, and further north on King Street one of the truly ugliest buildings known to man has existed for a similar time period, all the while giving the city‘s beautification efforts a kingâ€"sized knockâ€"out punch. No, what our Uptown needs is a great deal more character, not less. Haven‘t BIA promotions in the past been heavily accentuated with themes of nostalgia? Don‘t events like The Sounds of Summer draw on traditions of the past? Then what‘s the matter with two enterprising students trying to contribute by operating an oldâ€"fashioned french fry truck? Are Town Square merchants who pay taxes all year long worried about the venture horning in on their business? If they are, they have big problems, bigger than a french fry truck could create. As long as Daiton and Shaw, who have run a similar business successfully in the Maritimes several years ago, live up to their promises and contractual agreement with the city, there is absolutely no reason for not granting them a oneâ€"year trial license. A vote by council any other way Monday night would also be a vote for blatant hypocrisy. published every Wednesday by Fairway Press a division of Kitchenerâ€"Waterioo Record Ltd . owner & 225 Fairway Ra. S., Kitchener, Ont Letters welcome Waterloo Chronicle oftice is located in the Haney White Law Oth: Bu“omg trear entrance. upper Hoor) Panu(n; at the rear of t buitding Open Monday to Fnday 9 00 a m ro t UU p t < address correspondence to Waterioo office 45 Erb St E.. Waterloo, Ont N2J 117. telephone 886â€"2830 Publisher Paul Winkler Manager® Bill Karges Editor Rick Campbeli established 1854 It was 7:01 p.m. Saturday night, four minutes before the ceremonial opening pitch to begin the 1986 Interâ€"County Major Baseball League season. I leaned back against the bleacher railing near the press box at Bechtel Park, heaved a great big sigh, and gazed out to the cemetery past the left field fence, wondering what the Champ was Several minutes later, the Waterloo Tigers would be taking the field to begin their ninth "modern day" season against their crosstown rival Kitchener Panthers. There were four people in the stands. Suddenly, all I could think of was the expression, ‘"the dream never dies, just the dreamer,"‘ and wondered, relative to that adage, how accurate thescene unfolding in front of me was. Ten minutes later, the teams having taken to the field and the bleacher count having swelled to 29, a truly classy lady, Mrs. Ethel Glassford, widow of former Tiger president and GM Merle (Champ) Glassford, strolled onto the field to toss the ceremonial opening pitch. The irony of the situation, as she made a splendid effort that fell just short of its mark, was not lost on me as I reflected back on the many happy times I shared with her husband. Happy times indeed, listening to him speak of his double dream of bringing an. Interâ€"County championship to Waterloo, to a beautiful park filled with screaming fans. Just as both those dreams have fallen short of their mark, so did Mrs. Glassford‘s toss, though no one really noticed. Few were there to notice. It was the opening game of the season, for crying out loud, a tradition that annually brings out the true sports fan, the fairweather fan and anyone else who if they never attend a game again all year, have to be where the action is on opening day. It was painfully obvious Saturday night that such a compuision no longer exists in this city. And if that realization burns at my britches, I can just imagine what it‘s doing to the cigar chomper buried out past left field. And to his family, which, spearheaded by gritty sonâ€"inâ€"law Fred Kursikowski, rallied Tigers from their grave this spring by making a decision based as least as much onsentiment as on logic. To be brutally frank, Champ‘s dream was going to hell in a wheelbarrow, and Fred, wife Joanne and other family members are doing their best to resurrect it. If they fail, it won‘t be for a lack of trying, though that would likely be of small consolation for the efforts they will have to put forth. It was eight years ago, but I remember it as clear as if it was yesterday that Champ breezed into our office on King St. S. "I know it‘s a Monday, Rick, but do you have a few minutes, I‘ll take you on a tour of our new ball park, it‘s almost ready to be the new home of the Waterloo Tigers.‘"" Of course I agreed, we drove to Bechtel, and Champ proudly showed me aroundâ€"â€"from the press box to the locker room and everywhere in between. ‘Mere‘s where second base is going to be, and Rick Campbell For his sake Chronicle Editor the pitcher‘s mound, and you see up there above the press box? That‘s where the Interâ€"County pennant is going to fly someday. And I hope every one of these seats is filled to watch us win it," said Champ, everâ€"present cigar wobbling out the side of his mouth, that classic twinkle in his eye. As history has cruelly recorded it, such a pennant has yet to fly over the stadium, not in Champ‘s time, not during the tenure of those who followed him, and not likely in the near future. But has the team, or the sport, been so offensive to local fans that they now snub their noses at the franchise? There is no question, historicallyâ€"speaking, that the Interâ€"County Major League has experienced its ups and downs over the years. Locally, things can‘t get much worse right now. How come? Some point to the location of the stadium, which, while a real gem in appearance, is far removed from the traditional cityâ€"core ballyards of the past. As many criticize the park for being uncomfortable seatingâ€"wise, and completely vulâ€" nerable to the least attack of inclement weather. Those arguments are not without substance. And there is no question our society has also become more participatory, less spectatorâ€"oriented, but that hasn‘t stopped a club like the London Majors from filling their park many nights during the year. Was it the policy of Champ‘s, and that of his successor Paul Puncher, to bring in outside talent to blend in with available local talent that has turned off players and fans alike? If so, it is an unfair criticism of both men, each who committed in his own way hours and days and months and years to help develop the local system, to bring it to a level where the majority of players could challenge a position with the big club. The GM‘s role in recruiting players is an utterly thankless job, a noâ€"win situation, but the record shows that few if any teams go anywhere relying solely on local players. Glassford and Puncher both deserve a medal of honor for their efforts, not the criticism they received from team ‘"supporters‘‘ and even some players, who disagreed with their That‘s all in the past now, but what is left at this juncture is a mammoth task to revitalize the entire operation, not only in the nearâ€"empty stands but on the field as well, where a few familiar names will try to mesh with an assortment of newer faces, the end goal being modest respectability. This year‘s edition of the Tigers has no great expectations, asking only that we bear with them, and support them as they attempt to claw their way back, and the franchise‘s way back to its rightful proud posiâ€" That support can begin with home games this weekend Saturday (7: 05 p.m) against London and Monday at 6 p.m. against St. Thomas. Short of extinction, things can‘t get much worse than last Saturday night, but they can get a lot better. A family is pinning its hopes on that thought, to keep alive a dream started eight years ago by the cigar chomper with the twinkle in his eye. Surely it is a dream too young to die. Or for us to let it.