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ItÉÉÉl si W&L wËMmmâ WmÊËà Delivered j Free of Charge to 18,000 Homes in Clarington from The Publishers of Œlfot Canadian Statesman < Wm$mM WMmim wmm ÆÊÊÊÈ WÊÊËm ' * Hi** mm li*l| wmmêm WMmmÊMmm. WÊsm iiilllSii ■Si iilllll Province Gives Region Authority Over Official Plans and Amendments by Laura J. Richards Durham Region has been given the authority to approve local Official Official Plans and amendments. The additional planning powers are being given to the Durham Region Region by the Ministry, of Municipal Affairs. The announcement was made on Wednesday morning, May 26, at the Regional Council meeting in Whitby Whitby by Oshawa MPP Alan Pilkey. "This will come into effect on Sept. 1,1994," said Pilkey. "This has come at a good time, since I know that three area municipalities municipalities are revising their Official Plans," Pilkey noted. He said as a person who had spent time on the regional council, he has seen "the progress the region has made." Pilkey is a former Oshawa mayor and former, regional councillor. Quicker decisions will now be possible by taking the reins away from provincial government. "You will be making the decisions decisions and not sending them (Official Plans and amendments) to Queen's Park to be made. This will mean that "there will be by Laura J. Richards A trade show and fund-raising seminar for Durham Region agriculture agriculture products scheduled for Saturday, Saturday, May 28, has been put on hold. "We had a response, but no one wanted to spend a spring weekend in-doors," said local apple producer, Sandy Archibald. Archibald explained that earlier this spring the Durham Region Farm Fresh Marketing Association sent out letters to Durham schools which examined the idea of using local produce as part of fund-raising. "A lot of people said it's a great idea, but the timing is off," Archibald Archibald told The Independent on Thursday, Thursday, May 26. "Many of the schools are wind- Côntinued on Page 5 a higher degree of accountability," the Oshawa MPP said. It also means that the regional government won't be able to place the blame for slow decisions on the province. Quicker decisions will now be possible by taking the reins away from the province. "You're it," Pilkey advised. Durham Region joins about five other regions which have the authority authority to make decisions on Official Plans. Pilkey noted other regions such as Halton and Waterloo have this authority too. This extra power within the regional regional government will "streamline the process," the Oshawa MPP predicted. predicted. Regional Chairman Gary Herre- ma thanked the Oshawa MPP for his announcement on behalf of the Ministry Ministry of Municipal Affairs. Herrema said Durham had lost "a couple of projects," due to the lack of speediness in making amendments amendments to official plans. With this year, 1994, being the 20th anniversary of the region, Mayor Mayor Gerri-Lynn O'Connor of Uxbridge Uxbridge noted, "Durham has proven itself." While the authority given to the region by the province is for official plans and amendments to plans, the power does not over-ride provincial policies. "Once the province has enshrined its provincial interests, there is no reason why it should be involved in local plans again," Pilkey noted. Also in the works is a review of the Ontario Municipal Board (OMB) to fast-track hearings. Pilkey said the OMB will look at how to reduce a number of issues down to central ones, so time would not be spent on lesser issues once hearings begin. The ministry will also be set up to become more of a "one-stop- shopping" spot, Pilkey advised regional regional councillors. He said there will be less circulation of reports to other ministries. However, Pilkey noted, there will sometimes be conflicts as each ministry ministry "protects its own turf." 100 DONATIONS - On May 18th, Charles Nash, seen here giving blood, was presented with a framed certificate and lapel pin to mark his 100th donation to the local Red Cross Clinic. Nash has been attending clinics regularly since 1961. Clinic volunteers note that more and more local donors are being recognized recognized for making over 100 donations. Clinics are held four times a year at the Bowmanville Lions Centre. Two Red Cross Blood Donors Charles Nash is helped to his feet, finds himself a chair next to a couple of regulars and orders the usual. A Red Cross volunteer races over with a cup of apple juice and nudges a tray of cookies closer. Nash's friendly face is a familiar one at Bowmanville Blood Donor clinics held at the Bowmanville Lions Lions Centre. He's been a regular donor donor since 1961. On Wednesday, May 18, he made his 100th donation. donation. As the Nova Scotian native donated, donated, he was presented with a framed Red Cross certificate and lapel lapel pin to mark the occasion. His red plastic donor card has been replaced replaced with a gold one. In reaching this milestone of giving, giving, Charles Nash seems to be on the leading edge of a trend in Bowmanville Bowmanville as more and more local donors donors move closer to making their hundredth donation. Also at the May 18th blood donor donor clinic, Rose Piersma was honored honored for donating her 100th unit Her husband, Walter, has given Continued on Page 2 HONORED -- Rose Piersma Piersma displays a certificate she received for donating 100 units of blood to the Red Cross. The certificate, which is signed by Cana-' da's governor general, was presented at the May 18th Blood Donor Clinic. A total of 404 volunteers visited the clinic in May. There were 16 deferrals, which means that a total of 388 units were collected. sa *7etctefee#tcte*t£ 0 pùfen& A & P Canadian Tire* Graham's IGA* Miracle Food Mart ('Indicates partial distribution) For information about inserting flyers in The Independent, please contact our office at 623-3303 Motorists travelling east along Hwy. 401 from Bowmanville will soon see the completion of the last stretch of a 178-kilometre power line originating near Kingston. A set of 500,000-volt lines is ready to be mounted on new steel towers running east, out of Darlington Darlington Generating Station, in a parallel line just south of Highway 401. The new towers arc being built alongside an existing 500,000 volt hydro line. According to Darlington's Operations Operations Manager, Alan Holt, 75 per cent of the new power line has already already been put up, and the last stage, from Port Hope to Darlington, should be finished by November. Concrete supports for the towers were poured over the winter and the next stage is to build the towers. The lines will provide back-up power and additional capacity for Darlington cast to the Kingston area and up to Ottawa, where there has been significant industrial growth over the past ten years, Holt said. "Installing the lines is like widening widening the 401 so you can get more cars through." Final construction approval was obtained for the power line in October October of 1990. The estimated cost for the project is $250 million.