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-~ ~ PAGE 12, WHITBY FREE PRESS, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 20, 1988 rookin Profile ROXANNE REVELER News & Features Editor Phone 655-3637 Is there anyone in the Brooklin area who have not heara about Renascent House? I somehow doubt it as everyone I meet asks me what I think of the matter, and because of that, I would like tò go on'record. First, for those of you who have recently returned from an extended voyage to Africa, the people at Renascent are recovered alcoholics devoted to the treatment of people attempting to rid themselves of the disease of alcoholism. At the present time, they operate three treatment centres in the Toronto area and have a conditional offer on a property in Brooklin for the establishment of a fourth. The property is located at 90 Colston and is known locally as the Carnwith Mansion. The home has been designated un- der the Heritage Act due to its historic and architectural value. There has been f great deal of concern by area residen- ts that the 30 or so men who will be treated every 28 days will somehow run amok. That there will be all these strangers wandering around the village. I don't think so. As the people from Renascent have said over and over, those who attend their treatment . facilities want anonymity. They are not there for a four-week vacation. They have come to a point in their lives when they have realized they are victims of a disease that is not permit- ting them to get on with that life. They have made a con- scious decision to make a change for the better and I can't help but admire them for that. No, I have no axe to grind with Renascent House Their success rate is high; they appear to be in good neighbors at their other locations; and heaven knows there is a need for their service. But I will go on record stating I do not feel the Carnwith Mansion is the right place at this time and I will tell you why. ",'YVIEWPOINT by Roxanne Reveler Not just now For yëars there has been a problem in the Brooklin area due to the lack of proper water facilities and the lack of sanitary sewers. For years there has been a construction freeze in Brooklin. This was interrupted temporarily a couple of years ago when the Region mysteriously re-rated the Brooklin water tower, permitting infilling of 40 some odd new residences. But these were soon gobbled up and the freeze on any new construction is back ii force. The reasoning for this is simple. Brooklin is possibly the only place in Ontario with a one well-one pump situation. Anything goes wrong with either the well or the pump and we are all in the soup. Even the fire department has ad- mitted they would have problems fighting a major fire due to the lack of water. And then we have the matter of sewers. Or should we rephrase that to read the lack of sanitary sewers. Segments of the population have been fighting for more than 10 years because of the land pollution in Brooklin. Even the Ministry of Environment has become involved with our plight arid is at this moment compiling results from in-depth testing done last summer. I have recently learned from one reliable source that their evidence is overwhelming. We have got areal problem in this village. Now to my point. The Carnwith Mansion, large as it. may be, was constructed as, and has always been, a single family residence. I believe the last family to live there was your average family of four. Can you really expect me to believe that filling the home with some 30 "guests" and the staff to care for them, would not affect the proper- ty environmentally? I shudder to think of the strain that will be put on our already inadequate water supply when it comes time to prepare food for ail these people, clean up after meals, keep the premises in a sanitarymanner, and even allow for a shower and shave every day. Then there's the laundry. Surely these guests will not come equipped with enough clothing for a change a day. The socks will have to be washed. And then ail that water has to be disposed of. How large a septic system will be required to handle that capacity? And how safe will the installation of an adequate system be allowing that the house sits atop a hill which slopes down to Lynde Creek? I don't want to rain on the Renascent parade. As I said earlier, there is a need for such a service in this area. The Carnwith Mansion would make an excellent site for the facility. But not now. Perhaps Renascent could join in our battle to get proper services to Brooklin. When that battle is won, there could be a place in our community for such an undertaking as they propose. But not until then. At least that's the way it looks to me. McKee opens first mini-mart McKee Fuels had another first last week with the grand opening of their first mini-mart. Although the growing business now operates two larger marts in Cobiconk and Trout Creek, the mini-mart at Taunton and Thickson Road is the'first of its kind for McKee. McKee is the trade name for Comtrade Petroleum Inc., which has made its head office on Baldwin St., on the outskirts of Brooklin. Comtrade is a privately-owned, family-operated business which was started by principal owner Harry McKee. The firm has expan- ded in leaps and bounds during its short existence, and will celebrate a fifth anniversary in April. According to McKee, the firm plans to develop more such mini- marts along with gasoline outlets throughout Ontario. Although McKee indicated they would prefer to construct the mini-marts in con- BOB & MARY JEAN HERON wish to express their sincere gratitude to those many friends and business acquaintances who dropped in at their retirement open house, so thoughtfully held by family members. The kind words, cards and gifts will never be forgotten. j. junction with their own gasoline outlets, he said they would also work in co-operation with others, such as Shell Oil and Esso. The first effort coincides with an Imperial Oil gas station, and the Esso vice president of marketing, Tim Hearn, was on hand for the oc- casion. With a total of 57 employees, Comtrade is involved in wholesale jobbers, have 46 gasoline stations throughout Ontario, and are also extremely active in the home heating oil end of business. Regional councillor Gerry Emm represented the Whitby mayor at the opening ceremonies and took the opportunity of thanking both McKee and Hearn for saving the large trees on the property during construction. Many turn out to oppose mall A large delegation of Brooklii residents and two councillors ex- pressed their opposition to a plan- ned retail mall in the village at a public meeting Monday night. Angelo Sacco is applying for an amendment to permit the mall on a vacant property and park area at the northwest corner of Highway 7 (Winchester Rd.') and Baldwin St. An architect for the project said there would be a private waste disposal system, public water system and underground water reservoir for fire protection for what would be a $103,975 sq. ft. building when all three phases of development were complete on the 8-5-acre property. But residents, who presented a petition with 187 names opposed and only two in favor, had concerns about water supply, sewage disposal, impact on the neighboring Reflections of a Golden Age By MABEL M. McCABE I'm feeling the effects of the midwinter blahs as we progress into 1988. I wonder if it bothers any of you folks as well. You know the state of mind where it's hard to concentrate and everything seems like too much trouble? much trouble? I will throw this off in just a few days but it is the pits while it lasts. I have a habit of thinking back on days like this to the time when we were young and the cold was invigorating and not bone numbing. When we enjoyed a day hiking through High Park in drifting snow and came home to hot chocolate. When seeing frost on the window panes was an invitation to draw fanciful pictures and imagine the frozen forms were tropical trees and forests. What a wonderous time childhood is, and how much of the child is there still living in each of us. Can you remember, as I do, the thrilling excitement of the wind rushing by as you skated on a frozen pond somewhere near your home? Were those days as long as we recall or is it that the years have caused a haze to form over memory? These are the long ago remembrances that get me through winter now. With the many cars on the roads.we have lost the diamonds in the snow that used to captivate our imaginations. Now the salt. melts, it away for safety sake. I wish just once I could stand in the new fallen snow under a full moon again and recapture that beautiful picture that dwells in my mind. It is lost along with the diamonds but the people in their cars are safer if they remember how to drive in winter. Strange things happen from spring to the first snowfall. Most drivers forget how to manoeuvre in snow and ice. With the first accumulation of each winter the accidents multiply. I don't drive but if I did I'd make a point.of brushing up on the skills of winter haza'ds each year- Guess we are all guilty of neglecting some things we should do now and then. I just noticed that the snow has started falling again. It was after a day like this that we would sit around my grandmother's kitchen. You may remember those stoves known as Quebec Heaters. You recall, the ones that had the translucent squares where the colors of the fire reflec- ted out. I can still taste the flavor of large thick slices of homemade bread held on long handled forks and toasted over the coals. No toast has ever tasted so good isince. I wonder was it the healthy appetite of a child that made it seem so good or is the new processed bread really as tasteless by comparison. Those days are long behind me now and I miss them. So I'll console myself knowing that better days are ahead. The old quote is true, "If winter comes, can spring be far behind." I feel better already Just meandering through the past has snapped me back to normal. So off with the sad face and let's look forward.We've scaled the mountain at our backs so now we'll.start the climb up the slope of this shiiing new year. I'm sure there are biggér and better things for us if we just reach for them. SEE PAGE 13 - -~ ~**-**~....