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WHITBY FREE PRESS, WEDNESDAY, APRIL 11, 1979, PAGE 15 Residents say Walnut Street widening will ruin their quiet residential area The proposed widening of Walnut Street, "will ruin the character of the quiet resi- dential area that Walnut Street now enjoys," said a resident of the area last week at a council committee meeting. "We choose to live in the area because it is an estab- lished area and not a new subdivision. It has a charac- ter and quietness about it as well as being picturesque,"' Garry Berry of 110 Walnut Street said as spokesman for the more than 30 residents of the Walnut Street area who attended one of two publie meetings in progress at the same time in the Whitby Municipal Building. He presented the Opera- tions Committee with a 13- page brief and three peti- tions. The petitions indicated that the residents and home- owners in the area do not object to the improved drainage and sewers for the area but they do object to Walnut Street being widened to 32 feet frorn its present 28-foot traffic lane width. A petition was also presen- ted requesting four-way stop signs to be erected at the Centre and Walnut Street intersection. In his brief to the Opera- tions Committee Mr. Berry objected to Walnut Street being termed a Collector Road. Hé said the widening of Walnut Street will encourage more traffic àlong the street and also a high rate of speed which would endanger the children in the area. "The speed is excessive at times with virtually no con- trol from police supervi- sion," Mr. Berry said as he pointed out there is a public school and a playground (Kinsmen Park) in the area. There would be no safety precautions taken for the children who would have to cross a "broader intersec- tion" if the street is widened as they go to and from school, he said. One parent stood up and said, they "watch with horror, the children follow- ing traffic regulations cross the street and then see a line of traffic speeding towards the school children on their way to school." He and others do not want the street to be any wider than it is at the present time. Councillor Bob Attersley said he couldn't understand why the residents in the Walnut Street area are so concerned about the pro- posed widening of the street. He said Council had Wal- nut Street project "on the drawing board a year and a half ago. The plans were discussed last year." He pointed out that he has lived at the corner of Walnut Street and Lyndeview Drive for more than 20 years. He has "seen men pump- ing water out of and off the streets. We can do the best we can with the money we get to improve the street. The money spent on mainte- nance .in that area is just astronomical." Mayor Jim Gartshore stated that the tenders for the widening and improve- ment of Walnut Street have been called. He said referring to the brief and petitions, "all this input will have to go to Committee and Council." He had discussed the matter with the civil engin- eers and wondered if "ail possibilities had been ex- plored for Walnut Street." It was pointed out that Walnut Street is a connection between Brock and Coch- rane Streets. "Within the next four years Cochrane Street will be upgraded to four lanes," he said. Mayor Gartshore agreed that the Official Plan recog- nizes established areas and that the people are in an established area "and want to keep it that way." Mayor Gartshore told the delegation tijat the Town has asked for a grant.of $10o,o0 from the Ministry of Trans- portation and Communica- tions and "got $9,O0. Even if the items are approved by the MTC we don't always get the funds, and we can't go ahead. with proposed pro- jects."1 Someone asked about the Ash Creek Drainage system. Mayor Gartshore replied that it is a storm sewer project "in the C.P.R. up to Chestnut Street area. This $2 million project will allow for the drainage of the old, Town. It will help the drain- age problem in the Walnut Street and John Street area. This document (the brief) will be studied y the commit- tee, staff and the people here. Oscar Moore, a resident of the Walnut Street area and a former Whitby, Councillor, was among the group who are in favour of the improve- ment of Walnut Street inclu- ding the widening of the street. Referring 'to the drainage problems he said, "every year we have the same pro- blefn. Over the years the Councils have spent thou- sands of dollars and still nothing has been accomp- lished. If something isn't done on Walnut Street some- body is going to get drowned. As far as the drainage is concerned something should be done about it. We are not going to have a road at all, the way we are going." More citizen Councillor Gerry Emm stated that he had just dis- covered the tender call for the improvement of Walnut Street was placed on March 28, "which is very distressing." He said, "let's not bulldoze over peoples' concerns, I think we have iurped the 0HV in '979 twinnin-g program sayWhitby town officiais In a statement to the press, Councillor Gerry Emm, Chairrnan of the Twinning Committee said last week, "we have been advised by the Mayor of Longueuil, Marcel Robidas, that we can expect a delegation of citi- zens from Longueuil to visit Whitby'this.year. The group of citizens wii be officially represented by a City Coun- cillor who will be taking part in the Twinning Ceremonies." Councillor Emm said that this year "the liaison will be between a Twinning Com- mittee made up of citizens from Longueuil with mini- mal involvement by town officials. "This new approach with more active citizen partici- pation will add a new and different dimension to the Twinning, and may even be more beneficial in the long run of things," he said. The Citizens' Committee dealing with the Twinning was formed last year, and made all the arrangements for those of us who enjoyed a tremendous visit to Lon- gueuil last June." He went on to say that, "this year will be the ele- venth year of Twinning be- Hitch-N-PIow TRAILER HITCHES and ACCESSORIES WHITBY Hwy.2 < OSHAWA Gus Brown Motors Burns C x 111 Industriel Dr. Industrial Dr. Unit -6 Whiy Consumers Dr. PHONE 666-1819, FIND THE PRO'S -I BOUND FOR Britain & Europe in 1979 Air from $279 Seeus for: Britrail Pass Eural Pass Coach Tours Mediterrmneon Cruses Ilhine cruises 185 BROCK ST. N. ?esiey's WHITBY Corner of Brock & Mary orld of 668-7955 Travel i. Stay Young..... Have Fun.... . Travell tween our two communities. If there was ever a time to promote our concept, it is in 1979, and we must emphasize our desire to maintain a united Canada. We are look- ing forward to hosting our friends from Longueuil dur- ing the weekend of June 15." A suitable program is being developed by the host Committee for the Longu- euil's delegation's weekend visit to Whitby. Province gives funds to expand sewer plant Durham West MPP George Ashe presented the Durham Region Council with a cheque for $718,074 The money, from the min- istry of environment, covers the first portion of a grant made available for expans- ion of the Corbett Creek sewage treatment plant, on the Whitby-Oshawa border. gun by going to tender call." At this point the overflow delegation roundly applau- ded Councillor Emm. He concluded by saying "we should look at the pre- sentation very carefully. We should give some answers as to why we can't meet the people's concerns." Mayor Gartshore pointed out that before anything is done the brief from the Wal- nut Street residents hasto go before a Committee of Council. Then there is to be a recommendation placed be- fore the Council "for their approval." Referring to the tender call he said, "we have to wait to know the price before we can do anything." Councillor Joe Bugelli as- sured the delegation that the Operations Committee wiil take the brief "into consi- deration." The delegation from Wal- nut Street was told that they would be "advised when the next meeting will be."