2 Friday, July 26, 2024brooklintowncrier.com Brooklin's Community Newspaper Proud to be a Brooklinite Since 2000. Published 24 times per year. Editor, Richard Bercuson 613-769-8629 • editorofbtc@gmail.com • Circulation 8000 • Delivery via Canada Post Locally owned and operated. A publication of Appletree Graphic Design Inc. We accept advertising in good faith but do not endorse advertisers nor advertisements. All editorial submissions are subject to editing. For advertising information, contact: Email: mulcahy42@rogers.com Next Issue: Friday, August 30, 2024 Deadline: Friday, August 23, 2024 Brooklin TOWN CRIER.com Brooklin enters about two years of circulation misery. Winchester is officially a mess to be avoided. Baldwin remains a hazard as long as trucks barrel through our downtown, oblivious to speed. The midblock arterial construction is in the midst of the first of four phases to bypass Winchester. Then there's the ongoing silence from the Premier who first promised - from the Brooklin Tim's, no less - that Whitby would get its hospital, Since then, crickets. All are provincial problems, even Winchester. Let's first accept that it is a major east-west regional thoroughfare designated to carry heavy vehicles. This is not likely going to change. During the construction period, Mister Ford was asked to acknowledge our problems by removing, even if only temporarily, the 407 tolls east of Brock. Those who might normally use Winchester to enter/exit Whitby would then have viable alternatives. His response? Again, crickets. What we're facing is more than ugly. To get to Watford, Anderson, Thickson and points east, (or the reverse) drivers will seek options. Cassels Road is one. Fortunately, four speed humps have been installed which slow traffic but can't reduce volume. Drivers may choose Baldwin or even Ashburn to go north before heading east along Carnwith or even Columbus. As yet, there are no traffic calming measures on either road. The Carnwith "Speedway" was the site of a terrible incident last month when, allegedly, a teen lost control of his vehicle, smashed through the Brooklin High School fence and that of someone on Braddock Court, his vehicle partly winding up in someone's backyard. Fortunately, the kid walked away. North Ward Councillor Steve Lee says he's been trying to get traffic calming measures on Carnwith ever since speed humps were installed on Robert Attersley Drive. He has also discussed Ashburn with Town staff. These problems could be greatly alleviated by a modicum of understanding from the Ford government. Evidently Durham Region is one of Canada's fastest growing areas, a boast we could do without were it not for the road and hospital woes. Four of five Durham ridings are in Ford's hands. Only Oshawa's NDP seat stands in the way of a clean sweep. But with all that's going on provincially, a third victory, let alone a majority, is hardly assured. So then, with talk of an election a year from now, Brooklin's shortlist of wishes to Premier Ford includes: 1 - Provide the $3 million grant to begin the Whitby - NOT Pickering - hospital. As promised. 2 - Suck up the loss of toll revenue just as was done with the 412 prior to the last election by removing the ones from Brock to, say, Harmony Road. Do that till the mid-block Phase 2 to Anderson is completed. 3 - Fix the Brooklin bypass, aka trucks on Baldwin. Make another visit to that Tim's and I will buy you a coffee. Any size. Mostly though, wake up the crickets. Less than half the picture: Crickets By Richard Bercuson