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PAGE 4, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 1977, WHITBY FREE PRESS whitbys Voice of the Cou nty Town Miki The only Whitby newspaper independendly owned and operatec iERVIN.G OVER '28,000 READERSr Published every Wednesday byM.B.M. Pul ~and'Photograr~ The Free Press Bu, BurgssPublshe-Maagmn Edtor121 Brock Street 1 (eBugesPulihe-Mangin Ed .. <1Whitby, Ontario, dl by Whitby residerits for Wflitby resideni Community Editor - Brian Wlnter Contributlng Editor - Jim Qu'41 Production Manager - Marje Burgess Display Advertising Manager -ý ý blishing Robin Lyon phy Ie. Classified Ad Manager Maln -rn Circulation Manager- Sharon Lyon Box 206, Whitby. dlding Mailing Permit No. 460 NotPhone 668-6111. Co»undflorTom Edw"m~i swm edi-:Orl: Police statieon closure iLs an issue of loss oftown'9s identity Dear Sir: The rote of a community newspaper is to comment, to criticize, and to encourage the residents, of the comn- munity to act in the best interests of the community. The Whitby Free Press per- forms this function con- scientiously and normally 1 arn content to consider this, input and weigh it against my own judgement before arriv- ing at a conclusion. The Editorial of Wednesday, January 26th, 1977 contains such faulty advice on the question of the Whitby Police Station, that 1 arn compelled to ask the Authors of the Editorial to re-examine their conclusions so that a different course of action might be recommended to the residents of .Whtby, and in particular the members of Whitby Council. Perhaps, a dloser look at the comments made by Mr. Dewar might justify the con- cern I expressed at a reCent Council meeting. Mr. Dewar places no credence in the arguments of those who fought to keep the Station open, he merely comments that he and other "buckled" to pressure applied by Whitby residents. Mr. Dewar quotes police cost increases and suggests that $125,000.00 could be saved by closing the Whitby Station. He is highly critical of the Station which he labelîs a "disgrace", and concludes by saying that one alternative to skyrocketting police costs would be to close the Station. Now frankly, 1 take exception to an elected Official from another munici- pality making value judge- ments about a Whitby faclity, buiît by a Whitby Company, using labour from our community, which em- phasises utility and economy, but which will nevertheless satisfy the needs for police protection in our commnfity for some time to corne. Especially, as we did flot enter into the esoterics evident in the Police Buildine in Oshawa, with its founitains and its piped music, and which cost in excess of 3 million dollars, about 11% of which cornes from the pockets of the Whitby taxpayers. Nor, is there any reference to the estimated million dollar expansion to the Oshawa Police Building scheduled for 1978-79. But these factors are flot nearly as relevant as the underlying concerfi about the closing of' the Whitby Police Building, which is the poten- tial loss of the Town's identity. We entered into the Regional concept with certain necessary checks and balances, the main one is that no one community should be allowed to dominate ail the others. If a service which was available to any of the member muni- cipalities terminated or is administered exclusively from a larger municipality, then it is only a matter of tiMe before the larger municipality attracts more and more centralized authority, and makes less difficuit ultimate, complete control. That is the danger I see. 1 do flot share the assurance of the Whitby Free Press, that Mr. Dewar was largety res- ponsible for saving the Police Building. 1 believe Mr. Dewar is as inconsistent in this matter as he has been in a number of others. Every- thing about this matter compelîs nme to believe that it is in the interets of our commuflity to bring homne to Whitby residents, the hazards involved, and to compel members of our Council and other influence rnaking bodies to state their position now before the Budget at the Regional level is f-irmed up, so that we might avoid the loss to our community which almost happened last year. The Whitby Free Press, in common with a number of Whitby individuals and organ- izations, acted in a forthright manner and overcame the threadbare arguments of those who would denude urge , this Newspaper to re-examine its conclusions and to help Whitby residents to gird themselves for any fray which mniglit be necessary to safeguard the future of the Town of Whitby. The last thing we want is to give those whose first priority is not Whitby, the impression that we are divided on this issue. Yours sincerely, T. Edwards, Councilor, Town of Whitby. Brantford Boys Band menibers sought Dear Sir: In connection with the forthcoming Centen- nial Celebrations of The City of Brantford, Ontario in 1977, The Brantford Sehool of Instrumental Music (formerly The Brantford Boys Band, organized in 1931) would like to contact al former members, as an Old Homne Week-end is being planned. If you are a. former member (anytimne between 1931 and 1976) of the organization and would like 'to attend this event, please contact the writer as soon as possible and state the particlîlar time during the summer or early faîl, th;t you would be able to attend, also give your present address and phone nuniber. Further information will bé mailed to you, as soon as possible. Yours sincerely, Board of Directors. Frank McKinnon, Secretary, 21 Tecumseh Street, Brantford, Ontario. N3S 2B3. Send letters ta Letters to the Editor Whitby Free Press Box 206, Whitby READERSHIP SURVEY In an effort to determine what our readers like and don't like about the Free Press, we are conducting a reader survey. If there are things which you want more of, we can provide more. If there are things which you don't like, we can drop them. Please complete the survey and mail it to Box 206, Whitby. LIN 5 SI We would appreciate it. 1. Please indicate which sections of the Free Press you read. Alwys. Occ. Neyer News Section ......................... ....... .. ... Sports Section ................... ............ Coluinns .............................................. Classif îed Ads.................... ...... ........ Theatre Ads ................................... Real Estate Ads .............. 2. Please indicate which columns and regular features you read. A lys. Ocu. Neyer Bird's Eye View .................................... Urooklin Bylines ........................ ........... 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