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WHITBY FREE PRESS, WEDNESDAYI AUGUST 12.1987. PAGE 7 PAGE SEVEN This colunin is another in a periodic series on other communities with similarities to Whitby. The articles wil focus on planning issues, particularly in the downtown areas. PORT PERRY- Historicaily, Port Perry could be considered a sister community to Witby as they were botb founded by Peter Perry. The original street pattern laid out by Perry in the 1840's still remains in a small section of the downtown adjacent to the lake (Scugog) and many of the original*streets are named after members of bis family. My tour of Port Perry began over coffee at Emiel's, a successftil restaurant nightclub on tbe main street. The group bad been assembled by Paul Arculus, a friend, local higb school teacher, historian and ratepayer. With us were Elgin Knopp, president of the Port Perry Chamber of Commerce and Yvonne Christie, a member of. Scugog (wbich mecludes Port Perry) council. Cbristie also chairs the Scugog Shores Museum, is past-presidentof tbe Historical Society and formerly chaired the Durham Board of Education. As the three discussed several local issues, I llstened intently. I was struck by the realization that such a meeting would bave been most unlikely in Witby. The spontaneity of tbe conversation and the genuine mnterest in eacb other's point of view was a refresbing change from the chasms of mistruat that exist here between coun- cillors, business groups and ratepayers. Communication and consensus appear to be tbe way Port Perry works and I was told tbat Hank's Bakery, a downtown coffee shop, is the current venue for "the Senate." Besides an effective system of public input and feedback, there is a very cooperative framework between the council, Chamber of Commerce and local groups. Port Perry is amuch smaller community than Whitby (about 3,000 with a surrounding rural market area of an additional 11,000). In spite of tbis, 1 was surprised to find tbat commercial rents are not that different from Wbitby. Several new housing developmeiits are eitber under construction or planned for the perimeter of Port Perry, yet its downtown area wbicb dates almost entirely from the late 1880's (following a major fire whicb destroyed everytbing) bas remained amazingly intact despite some developmerit pressure. About ten years ago it suf- fered some decline wben tbe local Canadian Tire and some other stores moved away from tbe downtown to a new plaza on the soutb side of Town. Altbougb this plaza bas continued to expand and other smaller plazas bave also been buiît in tbe same area, tbe prosperity of tbe downtowfl bas returned. No specific long-range plan for tbe area bas ever been done (it is currently in the works), yet council bas bad a consensus tbat tbe downtowIl sbould remain tbe business centre. To ensure tbat prosperity wil continue, Scugog council bas recontly refused to allow a local plaza in tbe nortb end of Town. One of the factors in the prosperity of Port Perry is tourismn. On weekends tbe influx of boaters and picnickers keeps tbe local sbops busy and profitable. Several of the downtown mercbants rely heavily-oi the weekend market and bave exnloited the ambiance nf tbe Victorian buildings. Luke's and Settlenient House are botb very successful businesses catering to tbe '"Canadiana" market. The other main factor in the prosperity of downtown Port Perry is, surprisingly, tbe post* office. Like many smaller communities, Port Perry bas never bad door-to-door mail delivery and 50 the post office, located rightin the heart of the downtown, is visited daily by most of the population. Some years ago there was a move by Canada Post to replace tbe existing building (three-story, red brick witb a tower) witb a "modern" building but tbe residents rallied and their MP at the time, Norm Cafik, was able to persuade tbe powers tbat the original building could be renovated. Another old building, tbe original Town Hall, was also saved by the concerted efforts of concerned citizens. An odd-shaped building built of buff brick in 1873, it was slated for demolitiori to make room for a parking lot ti tbe early seventies but bas been beautifully and successfully preserved for use as a tbeatre and cultural centre. The current Town Hall, the Scugog municipal building is sometbing else. It sits (squats) on a side street bal a block from downtown. It is an eminently forgettable 1950's (I would guess) concrete block building wbicb is now bursting at the seams. I'm sure many of its current occupants look longingly at the generous proportions of tbe old Town Hall and wonder wby tbeir predecessors abandonedit. :r ieteps f The efforts to save tbe old buildings of Port Perr ieteps f fice and the Towyn Hall appear to be part of a deep rooted sense that thates the way it sho dd be. However, it lias been relative newcomers like Tom and Daphne Mitchell wbo operate Settlement House and Wayne and Carolyn Luke wbo operate Luke's Country Store wbo are responsible for solldifying the Victorian cbaracter of the downtowfl. Both stores, only a few doors apart, bave invested gobs of money to restore their respective buildings. Acros th stret, rockS deartm'it-torewhic las yea /5A 6~RFŽ~L ,qA~,ER/c/w SOC~ALI5T~ru ~? QWT~ aM-A ?/C'3/V/ "k, Li~ * _ l A CONTEST FOR SUMMER STROLLERS AND SUNDAY DRIVERS Sponsored by Whit.by's LACAC* to encourage an awareness of our local architectural heritaze Eacb week thougb the summer, the Whitby Free Press will publisb a picture of an architectural detail of a building somewhere in Wbitby. A draw will be made from al the correct entries, received by the following Tuesday morning at 10:00 a.m. for a copy of Historic Canada The correct answer along witb a picture and description of the building in questinnf will b'z publisbed in the next issue along witb a new mystery detail. Ail entries wilI be entered into a grand prize draw on Sept. 26, 1987 LOCATION i I Address Phone No. *LOCAL ARCHITECTURAL CONSERVANCY ADVISORY COMMITLli 1'r [ctec A 1 Name (O)v I HIC