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PAGE 12, WHITBY FREE PRESS, WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 1987 Brooklin Profile ROXANNE REVELER News & Features Editor Phone 655-3637 "If I were a rich man" - a famous line from a you believe $136 for a talking doli, compiete with her famous play which was turned into a famous movie, own chair, mmd you. And thats the sale price. I mean which spawned an equally famous song. But at this even Ken and Barbie or $19 a shot. And what good time of the year, the line, and the song, and the movie, are they without a change of clothes. The clothes are and all the rest ring true to form. It is the start of theYtir in only around $10 a set. Bargain, I suppose. For littie Christmast season IE WPO T boystheres a battery driven all-terrain vehicle going I always approach this time of year with mixed for $180, batteries not included, but they only cost an emotions. I love Christmas ...the entire season ..thebadditional $25. So whats the problem? For the younger getting together with family and friends I haven't seen set, just try and get a stuffed toy for under $30. for a long time, sometimes since the previous Thirgs are getting ridiculous. Although it right Christmas. I love decorating the house, choosing and cost a few bucks to get my two the latest fashion togs trimming the tree. I love the parties, ail the special they se desperatey "have to have because everyone else goodies that come out during the holiday celebrations. has them except me" (you know the une) at least they But I hate the shopping it ail entails. I hate serve a purpose. They last. Weil at least most of them shopping at the best of times, but the pre-Christmas LYJXeLiel OLlOI s last past the first few washings. They dont get thrown shoppers are a breed unto themselves. Well bred people into a corner the day after christmas, forgotten. turn into rushing, shoving, grabbing wretches. The Ive changed my mmd. Im actually quite pleased sales people, obviously overworked at this time of the trucks rang in at the sane price. Santa was always the ids are through with the toy tire of their lives year, take ugly pills before showing up on the job. Of good to my twosome, and it didn't break the bank at and into the clothes jag. More than that. So is my this I am certain. Monte Carlo. The iatest in teen fashion was a shoker pocletbook. I think I had better start saving now for As my children grew up, I admit to feeling when I first went out. I found it hard to believe that a those grandchildren who are bound te appear at seme sorrow as the Santa list shifted from toys to clothes. pair of worn-out looking, patched, frayed jeans could tire ten years down the road. Its probably going to Not only did it mark the end of childhood, so to speak, cost $30. take me that long te make it through the first it also hit me harder in the pocketbook. For back then Weil, the price of clothes for teens has gone up Christras the best doîl was under ten dollars and most Tonka since then but not at the same rate as those toys. Can At least thats the way it looks to me. ......... MREN8EMi- Litigation delays servicing Reflections of a Golden Age By MABEL M. McCABE Nearly sixty years ago the world was devastated by the stock market crash of 1929. The market bounced around for some time before the worst was visible. World depression came to its peak in 1932. In the second half of October this year we watched as the most damaging crash in history hit that same financial edifice. Many of us who were around throughout those bad times in the 30's know what is coming and we pity the young entrepreneurs who have never known defeat. They will have to learn how to live when the money dwindles to a trickle. Can they cope, I wonder? For all of the oldtimers it's just one more round of hard times and we have weathered many. We know how to conserve and cook with few basic ingredients. We watched as the jobs faded into mist. We saw our youth squandered. So many potentially brilliant scholars had to drop out. There were no student loans back then. Veterans who had served their country with honor were seen walking the streets homeless and without food. Reminds one of the street today, and it's going to get worse. Families became the backbone of society. Those who lost their jobs moved in with other members of the family. I remember our family originally had just four members but at one time during those times we had eight. Uncles, cousins, aunts, and even strangers. Food was a commodity that was worth more than gold. Many became so frightened that they either killed themselves or ran away from all who knew them. They were the weak ones. They forgot that we are not here for financial gain but to do the best we can to rise above the animal level. They let the loss of wealth be the cause of complete failure. The strangest thing about those times is that many who lived through them recall the days with pride and satisfaction. They know they met a vicious storm and survived. They are the strong ones who would succeed under any circumstances. It takes special people to get over hurdles like that. So how did we entertain ourselves? There were walks in the park and little get-togethers where everyone brought food to add to the party. It was like today's "bring your own bottle' parties. In those days a wine and cheese party was out of the question for most. Of course there were some who used the trials of others to feather their own nests but I'm grateful I never knew any of them. The Depression showed us the need for loving families to be there to give a helping hand. Now I fear that is falling apart. How many children stay at home these days until marriage? If they don't marry they could stay around to help the older folks in the years when earnings are short. That's the way it used to be with the extended families. I don't mean giving up their own lives, just keeping in touch. If this crash turns into another Depression there will be many kids heading back home and happy to be there. You know, the parents will be happy, too. Don't fear the future. Look it in the eye and stand straight and carry on with your life. We did it and I believe the kids of today, if given a chance, will measure up. Ill bet many of you are like me and carry the signs of short meals on into your own life. How many of you told your kids to eat bread with their meals and to clean their plates? Our kids could not understand why, but inside we remembered the lack of funds and food. We were wealthy with great love and many frinds, but somehow we worried about the sane thing happening to our youngsters. When the earthquake stills along the corridors of Bay Street and Wall Street and around the world do you suppose they will have learned anything? The matter of bringing services to the Brooklin area might be an old subject but it is one that has not been forgotten by regional government. Regional chairman Gary Herrema told The Free Press the subject of bringing sanitary sewers and an upgraded water supply to the core area of Brooklin was in the early preliminary stages of discussion through various regional departments, with respect to what the cost might be. He indicated, however, that any such figures will not be brought forward in next year's budget, or even in the five-year forecast, due to a litigation matter that has yet to be brought before the courts. He stated that until the court case was settled, the subject of servicing Brooklin would not be dealt with in case it jeopardized the Region's position in court. The court case involves a dispute between the Region and First City Developments, who placed a $2.2-million letter of credit with the Town in case of default in developing Brooklin lands. In order to go ahead on the proposed development, First City agreed to bear the cost of bringing water and sewers to the village. The letter of credit which they posted was cashed by the Region when, Herrema says, staff learned that First City had allegedly defaulted on their mortgage payments on some Brooklin area properties and were, in fact, returning some to the original owners. Regional legal staff felt this invalidated the agreement between the two parties. To date, First City and the Region have been unable to reach a settlement in the dispute and Herrema indicated the matter would go to court sometime in march of 1988. Although Herrema stated there was still a chance that some sort of out-of-court settlement could be made on the funds, which with interest now amount to some $2.9 million, he said he felt the Region's chances of winning in court were "extremely good." Herrema did not comment on whether any funds derived from the action would be spent towards bringing services to Brooklin. But Gerry Emm, Whitby councillor and chairman of the Region's public works department, said it was his belief as well as works commissioner Bill Twelvetrees' that any monies recouped should go to servicing the village. "The First City agreement specified the $2.2 million was to be spent in Brooklin," said Emm, adding regional council would still decide whether the work would go ahead, how much of the money would actually be spent of Brooklin, and how much would go into the general coffers due to the time regional staff had spent on the litigation. Large plaza plan for Brooklin area An Oshawa developer has made an application to change the local and regional official plans to permit for the construction of a shopping plaza in the Brooklin area. A. Sacco has requested that the regional official plan be amended to permit construction of a 100,000-sq. ft. shopping plaza on vacant land north of Highway 7, known locally as Cashway Park. Likewise, an application has been made to the Town of Whitby. At the present time, the official plan at the regional level shows the land to be zoned residential. The Town of Whitby official plan has the land listed as special purpose commercial, although it is still actually zoned C-1 commercial. The special purpose commercial designation allows for the construction of major businesses, such as large chain stores, furniture or electrical supply houses. The C-1 status would permit a plaza of smaller businesses such as banks, hairdressing salons, hardware stores etc. An amendment to the Whitbv official nlan would be required to bring the zoning and official plan designation on stream. According to Whitby planning SEE PAGE 20 MOUNTIES were hot on the trail of lst Ashburn beavers last week. Const. Andrea Hooper of the Oshawa detachment showed the young lads a film on water safety before she fingerprinted each of them. Shown putting his thumb mark to paper is Shawn Parrott. Free Press Photo