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Gates close for last time July 18 Firestone shutting down 146 Whitby people out of work By MICHAEL KNELL Free Press Staff Firestone Canada, Inc. announced last Friday that it will close ils Whitby tire plant permanently on July 18. The announcement wUl mean that approximately 650 people will lose their jobs when the plant closes ils gates for the last time. A company spokesman said that the company is closing its facility as a part of a restructing of its < Canadian Tire manufac- turing operations. George W. Aucott, Com- pany president, said that "Rapidly changing market h conditions are dictating the elimination of unneeded tire manufacturing capacity." Firestone, Whitby's third largest industrial employer, took over the facility from Dunlop Tire of Great Britain about six years ago at a cost of $10 million. Since then, according to Joe Barbera, the company's public relations manager, they have invested another $10 million in updating the plant to produce steel belted radial tires. Asked -if the plant would ever reopen Barbera replied "No, I think this is a final C10S1~decision." He also said that the plant has been operating at only 50 per cent of its capacity "simply because of the market conditions." Barbera pointed out that 22 tire manufacturing plants have closed down over the past couple of years, in- cluding six of Firestone's in the United States. Barbera said in a telephone interview from the company's Canadian tread office in Hamilton, that the workers received the 16 weeks notice required under Ontario law and that every effort will be made to help them find other em- ployment. "We will bend over back- ]Brooklin diealI wili be sig9i By MICHAEL KNELL Free Press Staff In a special meeting to deal specifîcally with the Brooklin question, Whitby Town Council reoinded their resolution of October 22, 19'79. That resolution st.ated that 2,400 building permits for single family dwellings had to be issued for areas south 0f Rossland Road before the development of the town's northern hamlet could begin. During their deiberations, council also authorized their legal coun- sel. Hugh Nichol, to prepare a development agreement to be signed by the town and First City Developments, the owner of Consolidated Building Corporation, the major Brooklin developer. Mayor Jim Gartshore told council that the reason for rescinding the October 22 resolution was bec-ause the developer would not agree to it. "'We were advised no deal -by the developer," Gar- tshore said. He advised council that unless some other arrangement was worked out there would be "no sewers, no development in Brooklin. " East Ward Coucilior Joe Drumm, a Iong-time op- ponent of the scheme, con- tinued to att.ack the development. 'I am still of the opinion that the development should be consentrated on the cen- tral core," Drumm said. "I believe it is the priority of the officiai plan. The down- town should have been the priority of this town. " "'To go there now, 1 firmnly believe is wrong," Drumm said. "It is going to cost the taxpayer of thîs town. " Regionial Councillor Gerry Emm supported the move because it is the "only way Brooklin will get sewers. " "It is the only way to go," he said. Whitby's other regional councillor, Bob Attersley also supported the action because he said "I believe that nothing will happen in Brooklin until 1983 - that gives the lower tier three more years. " The recommendation was passed and the development agreement wilI be prepared wards" to help themn find work, he said. " Barry Kadechuk. manager of the WhitbY plant, slid that the announ- ceet-a a "lshock" and that the compafly will be working closely with Canada Manpower to help em- ployees fiid work. i estimate to cost Firestone $4 million after taxes and Bar- bera said that the company will probably seil the land and buildings on the site. "O0ver the past few years, changing market and economic conditions have forced tire manufacturers to restructure themnselves," Aucott said pointing to the cost of converting the plant to radial tire production as well as the dropping popularity of bias ply tires. Barbera echoed this by saying that "the passenger tire market isn't growing .... it's decreasing. " Aucott said that "Streamlining and maximizing the utilization of our capital investments in the two remaining plants in Hamilton, Ontario and Joliettee, Quebec will reduce Firestone's manufacturing costs and improve on ability to serve our, original equipment customers, dealers and customers." The decision to close the plant will directly affect 146 Whitby people, 38 salaried and 108 hourly-paid em- ployees. According to Barbera, only these people actually live within the Town of Whitby with the rest residing in the neighbouring city of Oshawa and other municipalities within the Region of Durham. The Free Press had originally learnt of the shut down earlier last week and had been waiting for officiai company confirmation which came last Friday morning. ied although it will not be executed until the official plan amendment is ready for approval by both the town and Durham Regional Ceuncil A crowd of about 100 people turned out to the meeting in support of getting sewers brought into Brooklin. The present proposaI caîls for a 10,000 population over the ten years of the