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PAGE 4, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 1982, WHITBY FREE PRESS 1/whitby r s Voice of the County Town Michael lan Burgess, Publisher - Managing Editor 'be only Whitby newspaper independently owned and operated by Whitby residents for Whitby residents. Published every Wednesday by M.B.M. Publishing and Photography Inc. Phone 668-6111 The Free Press Building, 131 Brock Street North, P.O. Box 206, Whitby, Ont. MICHAEL J. KNELL Community Editor MARJORIE A. BURGESS Advertising Manager Mailing Permit No. 480 Second Class Mall Registration No. 5351 Dundas-Thickson study raises many questions One Whitby councillor recently remarked that "planning is an imperfect science," and after reviewing the latest report on the Dundas Street/- Thickson Àoad Sub-Central Area Planning Study we have to agree. It ls not that this publication does not support development for we most certainly do, however, the report offers some inconsistencies that we would like to see addressed. Firstly, the report calls for teh allocation of 558,000 square feet of commercial space in this area Including the proposai by Jovial Investments Limited and its partners to construct a Canadian Tire store Immediately behind Bowman Avenue set back from the north side df Dundas Street East. However, the Durham Region Official Plan, which supercedes all local or district plans, only allows for 400,000 square feet of commercial space. Therefore, the Town of Whitby's planning department ls seeking too high a concentration of commercial space than is allowed under the offi- cial plan. In order to get this kind of designation, Whitby Town Council will have to seek an amendment to the official plan from Durham Regional Council. I've felt a bit like a voyeur the last few nights, reading the third volume of Charles Ritchies diaries. This book, like the others, written while Ritchie was earning hie living as a diplomat, provides a glimpse of the 'man who was cov- ered up all that time, the real man, a man who was sensi- tive, cultivated, and full of a wonderful zest for life. He wasn't covered up to his friends of course, but to those who observed him merely in his official role, as the Cana- dian Ambassador to Bonn, the United Nations, and then Washington, he was the quintessential diplomat. A slim, distinguished figure with a mid-Atlantic accent, quick with the right sort of cocktail party small talk, -circumspect about matters of substance. When I was a correspondent in New York and Washington, and I'd spent some time in Ritchie's company, I always felt my suit needed pressing, that my feet were too big, and that my tongue was tied. When I finally managed to blurt something out, I longed to be able to recall it before it was entirely out of my mouth. None of this was Ritchie's fault, of course. And I'm sure that my suit did need pressing more often than not. But the reason I've felt like a voyeur while reading this current edition of Ritchie's diaries is that I had such a one dimen- sional view of him at the time. And having known him at the official level, and having watched him at the UN -- in the delegates lounge, the security council, the general assembly -- I am now allowed to glimpse what he really thought about New York (he loved it), about the ambass- ador's apartment (he detested it), how he really felt about Dag Hammarskjold, other diplomats, some journalists, and the whole business of life. Consider this delicious quo- tation about his first ambassadorial job: "Developing an anonymous public face which expresses only cautious benevolence, controlling the spasms of nervous exaspera- tion or high spirits, getting into the groove, the ambassa- dorial groove. Whether it is a game worthy of a grown man, I cannot say". Who would have suspected that Charles Ritchie had doubts about it, even now and then? Knowing that he did makes him an even better ambassa- dor in retrospect than he seemed at the time. That's not news, but that too is reality. This publication must oppose this section of the report with all vigorfora numberof reasons. Perhaps our major concern is if this square footage is allowed what will be trie Impact on neighbouring residential areas in terms of proper- ty value, safety and traffic. Our other major concerns deal with the plan- nIng of the town as a whole. in his more than comprehensive and informa- tive report, planning director Bob Short made reference to the varlous central and sub-central planning areas in the town that are devoted to commercial development. His remarks concerning the downtown area of town are most worthy of note. "The Brock/Dundas area (downtown Whitby) has a potential capacity of some 500,000 square feet. Existing occupied development or develop- ment committed by agreement is estimated to ap- proximate 350,000 square feet," he said. "It is our conclusion that the capacity for downtown Whitby should not be adjusted downward." He also pointed out that the Rossiand Road Garden Street area has a potential capacity of some 800,000 square feet of retail and personal service space and recommended that this space be reduced if the maximum capacities are to be maintained for the Dundas Street Thickson Road area. "in conclusion It is the opinion of this depart- ment that council prior to making a final decision on the Dundas/Thickson study ... should address the question of adjusting the floor space guide- lines," Short said. It seems to us that development thrusts will be given to each of these sub-central areas and in our opinion this could produce many varied and difficult problems. Massive commercial development in the Dun- das/Thickson corridor would probably require a large investment by the taxpayers for the re- development of arterial, and collector roads as well as waterand sewer pipes and other utilities. The question becomes, is now the time to make this substantial investment? We honestly don't think so. This municipality has, according to Short's report, an official plan allocation of 1.769 million square feet of commercial space of which 400,000 is in the Dundas/Thickson study area and 800,000 in the Rossland/Garden area. The remaining is divided between the down- town core and other local central areas. Downtown we have an allocation of 500,000 square feet, of which 366,000 is currently oc- cupied. in our layman's opinion, council should con- centrate on the development of the downtown core and the improvement of the existin'g com- mercial areas. That means, the Rossland/Garden area should be set aside until such time as the town exper- lences more residential growth in that area. It also means that council should not hurry with the Dundas/Thickson plans uniess suitable development agreements are signed and ready to proceed. Concentration should be given to the downtown areaIn an effort to re-vitalize the core and give the sometimes fading heart of Whitby a much needed boost. We should develop the downtown and then spread out into the other areas as time allows and development materializes. Looking at this document gives us the im- pression that council wants to go in three direc- tions at once. Considering the current state of the economy, this is not very wise. While we acknowledge that much has been done in this area, we believe that greater concen- tration should be given to industrial development. Industrial development will provide the jobs needed by our people to patronize these proposed commercial areas. Commercial development is all well and good, but without a solid industrial and residential base wili not be of great benefit to the town. . What Short's report provides for may illustrate clearly what the town needs in the not-too-distant future, but may not reflect the needs of the town in 1982. in any case we have a lot of difficulty with the planning department preaching that we (the tax- payers) must strictly obey the town and regional official plans, yet goes ahead and plans concen- trated development far in excess of official plan guidelines.