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PAGE 6, WHITBY FREE PRESS, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 4,1987 fe e F [~WW VOICE 0F THE COUNTY TOWN L Published every Wednesday By 677209 Ontarlo Inc. Phone: 668-6111 rhe Free Press Building 131 Brock Street North P.O. Box-206, Whitby, Ont. DOUG ANDERSON Publisher MAURICE PIFHER Editor KEN H ATHAWAY Advertislng Manager ThIe of, N W iitb îel spierm<lpn et p e% ijid tI<i1)v-riille(l I>N M liiil1»re.i<Iiiii1<,. h t î esidt-is Culture in Durham A policy bypass was constructed to pull it off, but Durham Region last week decided to give its own support to the largest cultural institution within its boundaries. The vote has been recorded as 17-7 in favor of providing $150,000 to help complete the con- struction of the $5.2-million Robert McLaughlin Gallery in Oshawa. It might be construed as an appeal to regional interest in culture winning out over a strict, previously unbroken, regional rule of finance. Part of that appeal was due to the effort of Bill Nurse, who chairs the fundraising cam- paign for the gallery. His first visit was to make a case for regional support ($150,000) for a wrap-up campaign to raise $265,000. His second visit, last week before council, was a last-minute attempt to have council carefully consider a finance committee recommendation to decline the request. Newcastle Mayor John Winters then said the gallery could be important for tourism in the region. He added that regional council, by giving support to the gallery, might help to shed the image that "There's more culture in a pint of yogurt than there is in the Region of Durham." That began one argument. The other argument was a simple statement of fact by finance chairman Jim Witty - the region has a "no grants" policy which should be enforced - even though the gallery would benefit tourism. "This does open the door - we will be in a lot of financial trouble," he warned, just before councillors voted 13-6 to reject the recommended request denial to make way for Winters' new motion. In an attempt to leave undisturbed the no- grants policy, the $150,000 was channelled into the promotional budget of the region's economic development budget. Pat Olive, the Region's ·commissioner of economic development, had stated in a previous report that the expansion of the gallery is "vital and central" to cultural and tourist development in the region. "Every at- tempt to provide assistance to this worthwhile enterprise should be made" he said, although he noted there were political implications with the no-grants policy. Although questions will continue to be raised about what is, in essence, a grant despite the no-grants policy, the intention of many regional councillors appears more clear - to enhance the Region's cultural image.'The gallery is 'home' to artists and art enthusiasts throughout Durham Region. The gallery as Mr. Nurse fur- ther points out, provides art education to 37 schools in the regiôn and assists local art cen- tres. Art, including abstract works by the Pain- ters Eleven (who originally met at Thickson Point in Whitby) as well as some Group - of Seven paintings, is now valued at $10 million. The immediate tourist benefits may be mainly for Oshawa but the long term benefits will be to Durham artists and residents as a whole. Other, smaller galleries, such as the Station Gallery in Whitby, are no less important for the art education and pleasure they provide for local as well as regional residents. Yet a large, new "regional" facility such as the McLaughlin gallery, beyond the financial reach of local municipalities provides both a "higher profile" for art and greater exposure to the surrounding community of different art forms, notes Linda Paulocik, director/curator of the Station Gallery. "We want to be able to say "Come and see what we got in Durham!" We in Durham have to promote something," said Whitby regional councillor Gerry Emm in support of Durham funding for the McLaughlin project. The method of funding may have been a little askew, but perhaps not to the appreciative- members of the art world who admire a deft brush stroke. LETTERS FROM OUR READERS Article was misleading To the editor: We have read the article "Home for Ex-Patients Receives Licence" by Sandra Barriault in the Wed- nesday, January 28, 1987 Whitby Free Press. This article does not tell the full story about this and other private boarding homes. In places, it is inaccurate. It is very misleading. The Patient Government of the Whitby Psychiatric Hospital represents in and out-patients, some of whom have lived at Pugsley Manor. We are so concer- ned about conditions at private boarding homes, that we presented the enclosed brief to the Town of Whitby Housing Forum last year. Problems presented include over- crowding, poor food, restrictive rules, problems around evictions and problems with boarding home operators controlling roomers' money. We think you should do an article on some of the problems people who board in private boarding homes experience to correct the one-sided story you presented in "Homes for Ex-Patients Receives Licence". Sincerely, Ronald John Taylor Patient Government of Whitby Psychiatric Hospital New name is impersonal To the editor: Your picture in the Feb. 18 issue of the new sign being placed at the J.O. Ruddy hospital was indeed a sad sight. Many of us remember the fund- raising projects we worked on to build a hospital to honor one of Whitby's outstanding citizens. We gave our time as volunteers, raised our voices in protest when gover- nment cut back on funds and generally felt that this was a com- munity hospital that belonged to us all. We hope that newcomers to Whitby (for whose benefit the name has been changed) will feel as much affection for the impersonal Whitby General Hospital as we did for the Dr. J.O. Ruddy. F. Townsend Whitby Ontario's 13-grade system is a dinosaur To the editor: Copy of a letter to Minister of Education Sean Conway. It is axiomatic in business to ex- ploit success and bury failure, and it is reassuring to see the gover- ment investing heavily in our colleges and universities, which have consistently graduated skilled young people into our society. However, as Ken Dryden's report on youth unemployment poits out, over 70 percent of students do not reach post secondary schools, and long before age 16 lose sight of any reason to remain in school. The resulting high drop-out rate is due to the 13-grade system, which is a dinosaur and extinct everywhere except in Ontario. The culprit is the SEE PAGE 10 Concert-by bands flot to be missed To the Editor: The Whitby Senior and Junior bands, playing this Thursday, Mar- ch 5 at heydenshore Pavilion, are not to be missed. I attended the Christmas concert and it was really wonderful. They should get the recognition they deserve from the people of Whitby. They also put on a great concert in the park in the summer. I encourage Whitby residents, old and new, to attend Thursday. It's a free show and it's absolutely won- derful. Dorothy Swait Whitby LETTERS The Whitby Free Press welcomes letters to the Editor on any subject of concern to our readers. Letters should be brief and to the point - rarely more than 300 words. Al letters must be accompanied.by the name, address and phone number of the writer; however, on request, your name may be withheld from publication if we agree that there is a valid reason. The paper reserves the right to reject or edit al letters. Send to: The Editor, Whitby Free Press, Box 206, Whitby, Ontario L1N 5S1 or drop through our mailslot at 131 Brock St. N. a 19