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____Se I Durham Region will have to break its dnwritten policy of pay-as-you-go and begin issuing debentures in order to complete an estimated $485-million in new water, sewer and road projects during the next 10 years. Three committees - works, planning, and finance and administration - were informed of the need to debenture at a special meeting last Wednesday. Last year, staff had projected only $249 million in capital expenditures for the next 10 years. In a report to committee, staff indicated the increase was due to a $68-million commitment to expand water and sewer plant capacities; $25-million for local roads; $9.4-milllion for a well interference fund; $80-million for additionalregia roads such as Taunton/Steeles and $63.5-mil- lion for infrastructure require- ments. The expanded water and sewer facilites are needed to handle the expected increase in the region's population. The expansion is also to accommodate new and exist- ing industries that are expand- One of those industries is Atlanta Packaging. Works com- missioner Bill Twelvetrees told the committees that $23 million is need to expand the Corbett Creek plant to accommodate Atlanta Packaging in Whitby. He added, however, that the industry will pay $80 million in water and sewer charges during the next 10 years with $34 mil- lion of that to go towards capital projects. "They are paying their way as far as Im concerned," said Twel- vetrees. Committee members were in- formed that the Region will have to debenture $5.4 million in 1989, $26.9 million in 1990 and $21 million in 1991 to help pay for the projects. A 7.1-per cent increase in the water and sewer bill will also be used toward the capital projects. Councillors were reluctant to approve of the debenturing but noted that the Region had to keep up with the demand for hard services. "Our plants are at capacity. Growth does bring revenue but it also leads you to spend," said regional chairman Gary Her- rema. Twelvetrees noted that many of the water and sewer plants would not have to be expanded if restrictions were placed on water, but councillors were opposed to restrictions. Sorne councillors did ask, however, if the Region was in control of its growth. "It is about time we ask staff how much more growth a plant can take," said Pickering councillor Doug Dickerson. Oshawa councillor Jim Pottic- ary noted that the Provionce is "...saying build, build, build but there is no money coming from them. We are carrying this thing on our shoulders." Ajax mayor Jim Witty, a long- time advocate of the pay-as-you- go policy, admitted debenture financing was needed. "I reluctantly have to acknowl- edge that we may have togo into debenture financing," he said. "We can't afford this much prosperity but if we are going to p rovide the need capacity we ave to debenture" said finance chairman and Brock Township mayor Don Hadden. Regional council will not be asked to make a decision on debenturing until February or March when staff will present another report giving more details of the capital expendi- tures. Objection may delay school construction An objection by James Priest of Anderson St. to the Group 2 subdivision could mean a five- month delay in the building of two Catholic schools, the Dur- ham Region separate school board learned Monday night. The two schools, an elemen- tary and high school, are part of the subdivision's superblock. The subdivision is located north of Rossland Rd., east of Anderson St. The school board had hoped to begin construction of the schools in February, 1989. But Priest's objection to the Ontario Munici- pal Board will likely not be heard until at least June, 1989, causing a delay for the board. Besides 465 single family dwellings and 54 link dwellings, the subdivision's superblock con- tains a senior citizens block, church, district park and com- mercial area. Construction on the subdivision is expected to take four to six years. In a four-page letter to the Town of Whitby, Priest outlined a number ofhis concerns. He wants compensation for the noise and dust the construction will cause; he feels he should not have to pay txes during the construction time; and he feels the development could have an effect on Pringle Creek, which runs between his property and the subdivision. He also wants Group 2 to pay for any water connection charges should he lose water. Priest also wants to use as a buffer a piece of the Town-owned open space between his property and the subdivision. According to Town planner SEE PAGE 3 Extension of the GO train to Whitby has led to an increase in ridership of 200 people per day for Whitby Transit. Whitby Transit and GO have an integrated fee system with riders receiving free rides to and from the GO station on Brock St. S. GO then reimburses the Town 75 per cent of a fare or 52.5 cents per rider. The 200 more riders per day has meant an increase of $105 a day for Whitby Transit. Te increase in ridership is consistent with what Whitby Transit officials forecasted, but the origin of the riders is surpris- ing officials. "The majority of riders to the GO train are from the western area of town, said Bill Grylls, Whitby's transit and traffic co- ordinator. Officials had thought the majority of the GO train riders would originate from the more populated east end of town. For example, on Wednesday, Dec. 7, 82 riders from the west end of town (Otter Creek, West Lynde) used Whitby Transit to the GO station while only 66 riders from the east end of town (Thickson Rd., Rossland, Garden) used Whitby Transit. "The fact that more riders are coming from the older areas of town is strange," said Grylls. "But the ridership is pretty well what we estimated although December is a pretty rough month for anything." New buses coming on stream in January will add to the avai- lability of Whitby buses to the station getting riders to the early 6:23 a.m. train and picking them up from the 7:08 p.n. train. Council recently approved a $39,000 study to review Whitby Transit and its integration with - ~ I.,,, -t" t-j t- fô t fi -a I - t- a - . il. t ~ 4' 4$ t $*$~t a t t ~ t t t ~ ~ t t t t- tt"~t - ' t t I t t . i t- v a < i t -. t------- , , t t'-,.,, -~ t t t f~ -v t y., i. . ~ fi Midget team too much THIS ANDERSON CVI teacher was a dian Midget Basketball team. The little dizzy after being twirled team took on teachers at Anderson around by a member of the Cana- CVI last week and won easily. Froc Press photo DUR HAM REGION Pay-as-you-go policy ends Whitby Transit numbers go up with GO opening Christmas poems and stories throughout this week's issue Whitby souvenirs Pages 24 - 25 UNN