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Peter WINKLER PUBLISHER 10 + WATERLOO CHRONICLE + Wednesday, May 23, 2007 EDITORIAL Bob VRBANAC EDITOR ext. 229 editorial@ waterloochronicle ca sports @ waterloochronicle.ca Jennifer ORMSTON REPORTER ext. 203 jormston@ waterloochronicle.ca Gerry MATTICE ext. 230 RETAIL SALES MANAGER wales@ waterloochronicle.ca ADVERTISING SALES REPRESENTATIVES Norma CYCA ext. 223 nevea@ waterloochromcle.ca Bill PIHURA ext. 228 bpihura @ waterloochronicle.ca Carly GIBBS ext. 222 cgibbs@ waterloochromcle.ca Alicia DE BOER ex1. 202 adeboer @ waterloochromcle.ca CLASSIFIED §19â€"895â€"5230 CIRCULATION $19â€"886â€"2830 ext. 213 Canadian Publications Mail Sales Publication Agreement Number 400504 78 International Standard Serial Num her ASSN O832â€"3410 Audited Circulation: 31.292 The Waterloo Chromicle is published vach Wednesday hy Metroland Media Group 1 td ONTARIO PRESS COUNCI The Waterloo Chromicle is a member of The Ontanoa Press Council. which considers complaints agarnst mem ber newspapers Any complaint about news. opinrons advertising or conduct should fint be taken to the new spaper Unresolved complaints can be brought to Ontario Press Council. 2 Carlton Street. Suite COPYRIGHT The contents of this newspaper are protected hy copyright and may he used only for personal nonâ€"commer cral purposes All other rights are reserved and commercral use is pro hututed To make any use ot this matertal permsson nght hor tact Andres Chromcle 3 Waterh WATERLOO CHRONICLE 1706. Toronto LETTERS POLICY Letters to the editor must contain the writer‘s full name. signature. address and telephone number Addresses and telephone numbers are used only for venification purposes and will not be published Names will not be. with held We reserve the right to edit. con dense or reject any contribution for brevity or legal purposes Letters may be submitted by fax to $19â€"886â€"9383 or by ¢email to editorial@water loochromicle ca or by mail or delry ered to Waterloo Chromicle. 279 Weber St N . Suite 20, Waterioo, Ontamio N2J 3HX 279 Weber St. N., Suite 20 Watert0o, Ontario N2J 3H8 5$19â€"886â€"2830 Fax: 519â€"886â€"9383 www waterloochronicle.ca EMAIl editonal @ waterinochromcle ca FAX 519. 886â€"9181 of the ewner of the turther information a Bailey. Ehtor. Wa 179 Weber S N io. Ontanc N2J 3H® ON . MSB 113 W aterlex Suite wpy th PE oS sitoo0M | New position but same old approach Waterloo ha? a lot to _ iss s ton iss e celebrate this week _ «.. _*~ RRKpXH .n r l "the City of Waterloo, along with all its residents. business leaders, government officials and univerâ€" sity representatives, should be congratulated for a job well done. As the Top Intelligent Community in the world â€" a title bestowed on Waterloo last Friday by a wellâ€"regarded international thinkâ€"tank â€" the future seems bright. The fact Waterloo is the smallest city to make the Top Seven Intelligent Communities short list, which included the likes of Ottawaâ€"Gatineau, left people at the Intelligent Communities Forum conference in New York, where the winner was announced. wondering how the city can do so much. "We were up against some huge competition," said Mayor Brenda Halloran, adding we should all celebrate as a community said And it‘s the community who will long be raising a glass to this win. which will put Waterloo on the map, according to city councillor Mark Whaley He predicts this title will help boost the area‘s ecoâ€" nomic development and attract needed knowledge workers to the area. And it came at just the right time Waterloo is celebrating its milestone 150th anniverâ€" sary this weekend, with a parade and picnic that city staff and volunteers have put countless hours into planning. What better way to say "congratulations" than to come out and recognize our 150 years of success? As city volunteer Peter Mansell said, to truly be a part of a community, you must be part of its roots. "The way to feel like you belong to someplace is to know at least one or two little pieces of the story. "And this is how you do it." This is a wonderful day for the City of Waterloo," she VIEWPOLINT Chronicle. So what amazing insight can | bring to this page? First off, I‘m not the new guy. Regular readers of the Chronicle will recognize me as a columnist in this space writing on issues ranging from our water woes to how to put up a backyard playâ€" ground. I‘d mention the incident with Kindermusik, . but they‘re still not talking to me. And fathers even to this day still congratulate me. Yes, I have been controâ€" versial in my views and will be so again when I get a burr under my saddle. But for the most part it comes from being invested in this community and car ing about the future laid out for it. In my 10 years with the Chronicle, with my official anniversary coming up in November, I‘ve covered four mayors and four different councils. And I‘m still blown away with this community‘s ability to change direction, espeâ€" cially when they don‘t like the way things are being run at city hall. That‘s a sign of a healthy democracy, and a local politâ€" ical scene that is also a lot of fun to cover. Change is the constant, so it‘s something I‘ve gotten used to as l take over the reins of this newspaper. And the pages of this paper have reflected those HRONICUH changes, putting a greater emphasis on the issues that matter most to the citizens of Waterioo, while also telling the kind of community stoâ€" ries that others might ignore When Waterloo opens its paper on a Wednesday, it should be a reflection of what‘s going on in the comâ€" munity, and it will remain so under my watch. Does that mean covering a fundraiser at a local school. You betcha. But it also means putting someone‘s feet to the fire on occasion. The thing we‘ve always stressed around here is doing it in a fair and balâ€" anced way. We don‘t try to make the news at the Chronicle. We try to cover it. We strive to be the voice of this city, and we‘re happy to hear from you when we‘re not. And that won‘t change. What amazes me most about this area, where I grew up and did most of my We‘ve always managed on our own, not seeking the attention or currying the favour of the powers that be in Toronto and Ottawa That selfâ€"reliance has caught the attention of gov ernments at those two levels and they are visiting us more frequently now to see how we‘re getting it right. Last week‘s visit by Prime Minister Stephen Harper to the Perimeter Institute was a prime example. He sees science and tech nology as a key to keep Canada‘s competitiveness on the world stage. And government has a role to play in providing funding, while also helping to â€" breakdown barriers between academics and entrepeneurs. He came to the right place if he was looking for examples. The Perimeter Institute was founded on the private donations of Mike Lazaridis and others who know the next great breakâ€" through is the one yet to come. That support couldn‘t come at a better time with the local manufacturing community taking another hit. That news hit way too close to home for me as my mom still works at MTD Ltd. But that‘s where this comâ€" munity really shines. When people are in need, there are so many people in this city willing to help out. And we‘ll be there to tell your stories.