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Whitby Free Press, 20 Feb 1991, p. 1

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Province may fight Coscan Proj eet at 0MB By Mike Kowalski A major residential development planned for Whitby's waterfront may be cballenged at the The Ontario M=isr of Municipal Affairs bas objected to a Town of Wbitby bylaw approv ing Coscan Developmetgorp's1Harbour Isle project. Unless the ministry's objectLin re resolved, the 0MB imay ultimately decide the fate of the $150-million development proposed for Brock St. S. Meetings are planned this week between representatives of Coscan, the ministry and the Town to discuss the governmnets concerns. According te Karen Smith, a senior planner with the ministry, three items are te -be discussed. They are:___________ ROBERT BLAIR, 89 gets a helping hand from Elliott the Dragon durmng Big Borthers Bowl for Millions event held at North nd Bowl. in Oshawa. There was about $22 000 raised in pledges, and more contributions ;Mh be accepted. Chrim Bade photo * lack of full public access te Lake Ontario (approximately 300 metres of waterFfront will be cut off .te the public under the cur- rent proposaI); * the development's relation- ship te a proposed walking trail along the lake's shoreline from Burhington to Newcastle- * the overaîl size and popula- tion density of the project. Harbour Isle will spread across ~the foot of Brock St. S., covering 16 acres of land on the west side and six acres on the east. It will- include three 15-sterey apartnient buildings, 54 tewn- houses, a recreation 'centre and commercial units. Although the project has been public knýowledge for two years, the government only notified the Town of its concerns following the passing of a zoning bylaw by council in January. Smith said the government i. concerned because the develop- ment is in conflict with «princi- ples» contained in a recent royal commision reort on the Greater Toronte Area s waterfront. Prepared b y former Toronte Mayor and federal cabinet minis- ter David Crombie, the report addresses future development along Lake Ontario. Crombie calîs, for creation of a walking trail and making the entire stretch of lakefront a pro- vincial resouroe. The governînent intends te, im- plement many aspects of Crom- bie's report.1 Agreements will be negotiated between conservation au thorities and local governments- with res- pect te waterfront development plans such as Harbour Isle. Smith said the government bas endorsed much of Crombie's r'et are cornmitted te obtain- in >the objectives of theCrbe rep rt n W itby,» said Smith. AsCoscan'. proposal -now stands, it, is contrary te Crom- bie's recoxmendations for water- front development, said Smith. "One thing we have te achieve i. full public, accessibility te the waterfront. This (proposai) will restrict a significant portion onlx W ,residents of the development. Coscan, with' the support of Whitby's planning department, orig*inally proposed a pedestrian waikway around the entire deve- Btaerliability and main- tenance concerns were expressed by Town officiais, the walkway was cut back. SEE PAGE 5 PCBs. to remain on-ferry boat By Mike Kowaik Ptntially dangerous PCB.a will remain on the derehict ferry boat docked at Wbitby harbour. Environment Canada spokesman Ran- dolph Simmons èofimelMonday that the government will not proceed wvith a direcétive ordering owner Art obinsn to, remove the chemicals fr-om the vessel. Simmons said federal officiais are satis- fied that ne further spillage of ou.s from the boat, which led te the December dlean-up order will occur. Simmons aLso said Robinson ha.ne other options for disposing of the PCB. since Town council opposes a proposai te, store the chemicals near bis automobile scap ardin nrh htby. Envrnment Canaa slapped a cea-up order onRbnon foflowing a sinkig f the Prince Edward Island ferry in Deoem- ber. An insection determied there had been a diècharge into Lake Ontario and Robinson w.., ordered to remove PCB3- contaminated materiai and ail other oils from the boat. PCB. (polychlorinated biphenyls) were contained in ou.s used as coolants for electrical transformers until their produc- tion was banned in the 19709.. Tests have linked PCB. te, causing cancer and other health problems in laboratoryanimas ............. Teoriginal Dec.',28 deadline for Robin- son'., compliancé with the government order ws extended te Jan. 31 and then te Feb. 15. The extnsions were granted because officiais felt ]Robinson was making a min- cere effort te compIy and the PCB. were no longer at risk following a refloating of the boat. Accrding to Simmons, the December order was mntended %'t prevent further spillage and te allow the owner and Town to resolve the problem of the PCBs.»' Although the government i. primarily concerned with the safety factor, Simmons said removing the PCB. would allow Robinson te pursue hi. plan of selling the 75-year-ld boat. HÎowevela, Robinson'% application te the Ontario government for' permission te store the PCBs near hi. Taunten Bd. scrap yard i. opposed by the Town. «It's fot so much us permitting it, as he ha. ne other options,» said Simmons. But Simmons said the PCB. could stay on the boat as long as two transformers containing 500 gallons of the chemical are secure. Simmons said an inspection of the ves- sel by the Canadian Coast Guard found the ferry te be i relatively good con- dition.» As a resuit, hi. hands are tied,, said Simmon., sine the potential danger which prQm~ptpd.tJxp.gvpçxqÈçrqt, t4q fSe, «You have to appreciate thatlIhave to operate withmn the law» said Simiuons. A frustrated Mayor tob Attersley admit- ted the Town is 9back to square onélêinits effort to remove the boat and PCBs from the harbour. 'Tve never, ever, gone through such a mess said Atteraley. «I.h~gured it would be the same thing al over again and it has.. During the past four years every effort by the Towi;n te have the boat removed from the harbour ha. failed. The Town tried te force Robinson te move the boat three years ago but was thwarted ini its efforts by the federal government. Whitby officiaIs were not aware Ottawa was collecting docking fees from Robinson. But last year the Town made another attempt af ter jurisdiction of the harbour was transferred te the municipality. Robinson was cha d ner the provin- cial Trespas. Act andlwillappear i court next month. Attersley said he discussed the matter with Ontario riding MP Rene Soetens but met with no success. «The federal gvrmn is walking away fr.om us, Im not happy with the whole situation," said Attersley. «iH anytbing happens il?. federal and provincial responsibility. To me itfs a time BàEÈ AGE 16 . i.. .............................................................~ A lî,w- b.* ë', e AI

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