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PAGE 6, WHITBY FFREE PRESS, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 21, 1987 MauricePi-7he r w VOICE OF THE COUNTY TOWN The only Whitby newspaper independently owned - nd operated by Whitby residents for Whitby residents Published every Wednesday Publi shed every wednesday By 677209 Ontario Inc. Phone: 668-6111 Doug Andeî son Publisher The Free Press Building 131 Brock Street North. P.O. Box 206. Whitby Ont. Maurie Pilher Editor Peter Irvine Advertising Manacger Alexandra Simon Production Manager Linda Sternad Circulation MananPr Durham Region council members appear to have been supplied with all the data they need as they again consider a new regional headquarters building -but a final decision now becomes even more difficult and the impact of that decision miglit be felt for some time. The study by the Peat Marwick consulting group leaves it up to council to choose between the alternatives. For the consultants say two of the alternatives -downtown Oshawa and the Graywood site on Rossland Rd. in Whitby -are the best financially yet "sufficiently close" so that one cannot be favored over another. At least there was a favorite previously -the Oshawa offer, as recommended by chief ad- ministrative officer Don Evans. That caused problems, too, as somewhat of a division oc- curred between Oshawa councillors favoring their bid and members from other municipalities who eventually rejected it. That division may still exist. Graywood, and a consulting firm hired by the Town of Whitby, made an appeal before that Tough choice vote, arguing that not all the data had been con- sidered particularly when Graywood sweetened its offer with parking. It turns out they were par- tially right, as Peat Marwick. authors of the review released last week, found Evans' report to be generally thorough except for certain assum- ptions including the later Graywood offer. The result, at any rate, is that there is no clear choice. Oshawa Mayor Allan Pilkey, who has pushed hard for his City's bid, might argue that Oshawa is still·the best, even if it now has to share that billing with Graywood. The Oshawa mayor wants Oshawa to become the ad- ministrative, as well as economic, heart of Durham Region and he has the support of Region planners. Meanwhile Whitby is trying to hang on to its historic claim as county seats in the face of Pilkey's new vision. For his part, Whitby Mayor Bob Attersley has previously defended the Graywood bid while criticizing the Oshawa location. He has also in- dicated that further dialogue by the Town on the matter -although he would not divulge the nature of that dialogue -would be given t\he regional session-today (Wednesday). Will the mayor express his concern over the cost of the project, with so much else on the go? Some regional council members previously questioned where the funds would come from, and with projects such as the 911 emergency system and Pickering police station to pay for, under a Region no-debenture policy, financing for a new headquarters might pose a challenge. But if the appeal of a new building over- whelms any qualms about financing, the squab- ble about which is best, or which will be favored, will remain. The hard feelings that will result from what will be a major decision could be residual. Although apparently heading toward either one location or the other, our regional reps may still postpone a decision until the full cost irri- plications have been determined. Yes, a new building sounds great, and will help to enhance the profile of that ever-growing "area east of Toronto." But at too high a price? LETTERS FROM OUR READERS Unfair to dump metro garbage in Durham West To the editor: Dear Neighbor: Our community is facing an emergency! As you have heard by now, Metro Toronto wants to open more gar- bage dumps here in Durham Region, in the Pickering-Ajax community. What's more, regional council, except for members from Pickering-Ajax, has sat back and invited them in! Metro's first step is to get provin- cial government approval. They are applying to the Ministry of the Environment to have their ap- Kinsmen help out To the editor: I wish to express my sincere gratitude to the Whitby Kinsmen Club. This morning (Saturday, Oct. 17) some Kinsnien came to my home and in a very pleasant, kindly way, did some exterior work to put my home in order to face the coming winter. Their assistance and thought- fulness to senior citizens like myself is most gratifying and the Kinsmen members are a great complement to our fine Town of Whitby. Sincerely, Amelia Pringle Whitby plication heard under the En- vironmental Protection Act. This is unfair to the people of Durham West. The EPA does not recognize and protect the needs of people as well as the Environmen- tal Assessment Act does. Now we hear that the minister will be acting within the next week or so, deciding whether to hear the application under the EPA, as Metro works department would like, or under the Environmental Assessment Act, as the lives of our citizens deserve. It is vital that Frosh enjoyed Anderson initiation day To the editor: I am writing this letter in answer to a letter that I read in the. Wed- nesday, October 3 issue, about initiation day at Anderson. It greatly angered me and I would like to voice my disapproval. I am a frosh (Grade 9) this year, and I had fun on initiation day. Dressing up was neat and a great idea and I was not humiliated at all. I will admit that some seniors went a bit too far and that there should be stricter rules, but a lot of students I know did not dress up nor come to the gym for the initiation. Nothing happened to them, as nothing happened to the froshes who did not come that day. Inistiation brings people together and I loved it. As well, it is only allowed in the large gymnasium. I was not involved in Kangaroo Court, but I wish that I could have been because it looked like a lot of fun and the "victims" got free tickets for our first dance. The high schools that do not have initiation day are not showing maturity at all. I think that this is a sign of immatùrity for they are too sissy to cope with a little school spirit. I would like to say once more that initiation day is a great idea and I hope they continue it, because I can hardly wait to get a hold of my little sister, when she's a frosh. A fired up Anderson frosh (Would you please withhold my name trom publication in case the mother who wrote the other letter is someone I know.) Metro is not allowed to have its way and make its application under the Environmental Protection Act which will not consider our health interests in the same way. The only way we can influence the government's decision is to make sure that the Minister of the Environment hears from a lot of concerned people with a point of view different from that of the Metropolitan Toronto works depar- tment and the shortsighted view of SEE PAGE 30 - - I -- \\XI..~AS\. f\~~~I** *\f-.- ~j~* : -.lie ~ *¾\'.\. - 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. All 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 LN 5S1 or drop through our mailslot at 131 Brock St. N. 1 T m 1 I