The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

i i Jrï EOUMANVILLE LIBRARY 62 TEMPERANCE ST. EOUMANVILLE, ONTARIO L1C3A8 EOHIB 690731 ' A T" S TUT" ' cr ^ 7î r /! fd ™ ) 1 LA SS S C/ 2/<y tui 1 ' ;f 1 if i é à fl I /? I i / %/ 77 i | fl â/ | f <;•/ ff v / w H 1 \Jr ^ 'O' O" l -U/ -1 v u/i/ ? 1 •• -Aâ3T' : ' S y f r €2)lî°WT$ o -ÿ v } y (;/ il*-/ £L> B 7 7 <y>" <v L -j |P;i A fire which demolished the vacant buildings of Brookdale-Treeland Nurseries, Nurseries, m Bowmanville, is believed to have been caused by arson. Newcastle's deputy fire chief, Mike Creighton, said yesterday that the Fire Marshall's office has investigated the blaze and has ruled out the possibility possibility that it resulted from natural causes. The area where the fire started has been pinpointed and samples of debris have been sent away for forensic analysis analysis which will reveal further information information such as the materials used in starting the blaze. "We will follow it up from there," the deputy chief said, adding that the Durham Regional Police and the Fire Marshall's Office will investigate. There are no suspects at this time. Saturdays fire at the comer of Baseline Rd. and the Highway 401 westbound exit/entry ramp caused damages estimated at $500,000. Firefighters responded to the alarm at about 8:18 p.m. when a motorist on Highway 401 noticed smoke rising from one of the buildings in the nursery nursery complex. In total, over 30 firefighters and seven units fought the blaze for about four hours before it was fully under control and firemen were still on the scene Sunday morning. Both of the Town of Newcastle's aerial ladder trucks were utilized. Deputy Chief Creighton said that the building was vacant and slated for demolition. Therefore, there was no equipment or other contents stored inside. inside. Because of the age of the build ings and wooden materials used in their construction, the fire spread swiftly, engulfing not only the buildings buildings fronting on the Hwy. 401 ramp but also those on Baseline Rd. The deputy chief added that the fire department wishes to thank volunteers volunteers from the Salvation Army, the Trinity United Church, the Flying Dutchman and the Fifth Wheel Restaurant Restaurant along with any other persons who helped tne firefighters by providing providing them with coffee and refreshments Saturday night. There were no injuries to any of the firefighters. Brookdale-Treeland Nurseries (Formerly (Formerly Brookdale Kings way) was established established in 1926 by J.H.H. Jury. Since 1983, the company has been known as Brookdale-Treeland. Portions of the building demolished in Saturda/s fire date back to the 1920s and earlier. The most modern of the buildings was constructed in the 1930s. A spokesman for Brookdale- Treeland noted that since last September September all operations had been re-located and the Baseline Rd. building was left vacant. The firm's new nursery is now situated situated on approximately 500 acres northeast of Newtonville. Only about 20 acres of land are still cultivated in Bowmanville. The company specializes in growing deciduous nursery stock for the landscape landscape trade. It employs upwards of 40 persons during the peak season. None of the firm's operations will be disrupted by the. fire. CARPET -g, WAREHOUSEfti nr GREAT HELP - We have received received a letter of thanks from the Red Cross Emergency Services head, Kay Forsey. It will appear elsewhere, but the town's firefighters firefighters also want the public to know how grateful'they are for the help given them by citizens at the various fires in recent days. A cup of coffee and a sandwich during a break can be a real lifesaver. OPENINGS - No doubt every stream in this area will be jammed jammed with anglers, starting at midnight Friday when the trout season opens. Even the animals at Bowmanville's Zoo may see some of them trying their luck in Soper Creek that runs through the property. Saturday is Opening Day at the zoo too for their 70th season. Drop in via the front gate and enjoy the many changes. NAVY TAGS - Bowmanville Sea Cadets will be out in uniform Thursday evening, Friday and Saturday this week for their annual annual Tag Day. All proceeds will be used to support the local corps that has grown from 30 to 50 cadets this year. Your support will be much appreciated. LUCKY US - Our plant was a busy place all weekend because additional additional units were being added to our newspaper press. Early in the day, we had to replace a section section of chain used on one of the folders. On a Sunday morning, that's no easy task, but old friend Ken Itundle on Middle Road once more came to the rescue. Thanks, Ken! Must get our Toro lawninower out to his place in case the grass starts growing. MALL DISPLAYS - On Monday afternoon when the Editor was taking an old pair of shoes to the Mall for repairs, he noticed a great deal of activity under way. Huge display racks were being erected all over the place and they were covered with interesting interesting items from town schools. He learned that it was all part of Education Week, now under way. RENEWALS - With the end of this season's television about to give way to reruns, now might be a good time to renew any magazines whose subscriptions arc about to expire - especially it you're parents, friends or neighbors neighbors of Clarke High's students. They arc holding a fund-raiser April 24-May 8 and would appreciate appreciate your support. Of course, the funds raised will be put to good use. CELEBRITY DRAW - Lange's Photo Lab and Riekaby's on King St. West have tickets for the Big Sisters Celebrity Draw. It's coining up at the Oshawa Centre Saturday, May 27th and there are some fabulous donated prizes for the winners. 4 A //I Ali li -3 il A w ~ - - - - „ - . . " 623-3303 Fax 416-623-6161 Wednesday, April 26,1989 Bowmanville, Ontario 36 Pages 135th Year Issue 17 504 Per Copy PRESTON We Move It! 623-4433 Bowmanville Unsuccessful Bidder Questions Tendering Policy The head of a group which placed an unsuccessful tender bid for the old Bowmanville Arena lands has called for a public inquiry into the entire tender tender and recommendation process. On Monday night Newcastle council endorsed the recommendation of a council committee and voted to sell the land in question to the Sandbury Building Corporation. The firm has proposed a development of 20 town-' houses on the arena site. They'd be located located on either side of a town-owned building such as a library. Jack Locke represents Vision Place, a 125 unit senior citizen complex. At Monday's council meeting Mr. Locke Region Will Delay Decision on Dump Durham's regional council has decided decided to wait one month before making any decision on opening a new dump site in Pickering. The proposed short-term site for disposal of Metro Toronto and Durham Region waste would be located near Whitevale. After hearing two hours of delegations delegations from Pickering residents last week, council voted in favour (19-9) of deferring a decision on the matter for four weeks. This allows for public meetings regarding the site in Pickering. Pickering. Regional Chairman Gary Herrema said the meetings "won't resolve anything anything but said they would give residents residents an opportunity to vent their anger. anger. The proposed landfill site, near the hamlets of Whitevale and Cherrywood, in Pickering, is the result of a committee committee report that recommends Durham join the Greater Toronto Area waste authority. Regions joining GTA (established (established to solve the long-term garbage problem in Metro and the surrounding areas) must each select a landfill site in their own region. The report also suggests developing the site jointly with Metropolitan Toronto Toronto so that it could be used over a four-year period. Pickering residents opposed to an other landfill site in their municipality (Brock West is currently located there.) filled the council chambers in Whitby last week to voice their concerns. concerns. Turn to page 2 Region Tax Hike Edges Near 20% Durham's regional council has taken taken the first step in approving this year's budget. Regional councillors last week approved, approved, in principle, an increase of 19.8 per cent to the regional portion of the tax bill. The increase will amount to an additional additional $50 per year in taxes for an average household. The remaining portions of a resident's resident's taxes go toward local municipalities municipalities and area school boards. A report from Durham's finance and administration committee explained the increase was a result of capital expenditures expenditures in policing, homes for the aged, public works ana waste disposal. Provincial freezing of funding of unconditional unconditional grants was also considered a factor in increasing the regional tax bill. Regional council will be giving its final final approval to the budget on May 3. ing of a library on the site p mitted which I...studied at th spoke at length, criticizing the council's council's decision and provoking Newcastle Mayor Marie Hubbard later to state that she would be consulting her lawyer lawyer in regards to the matter. Last week, in a private session, council's General Purpose and Administration Administration Committee unanimously endorsed endorsed the proposed townhouse project. project. At that time another unsuccessful applicant, Kendal developer Steven Wiggins, suggested that the Sandbury tender had been altered after the sub- V'iAjjn-date. Y , Mr.' Locke raised a similar point this week, stating that he asked for a copy of . the Sandbury tender because "I could not recall any specific mark- site plan sub- e tender opening." He added that he was refused refused a copy of the tender by town officials. officials. He also suggested that the president president of the firm which served as Sand- bury's agent in the process, Maxion Corporation, should not have been directly directly involved. Gerard Gervais is the former Economic Development Commissioner Commissioner for Durham Region. Mr.. Locke suggested that if he was involved involved in the tender process, the Sandbury Sandbury proposal should be scrapped. Mayor Hubbard rejected Mr. Locke's suggestions, stating that her "integrity is above reproach. "The issue of planning is not a simple simple process. I don't think people always always understand the process. It's easy to point fingers." She also said that council's major concern was the density of develop ment allowed at the site. "Council opted opted for the low intensity. It's as simple as that." The Town's legal advisor, Dennis Hefferon, stated that he saw nothing suspect about Mr. Gervais' participation. participation. "It comes down to the matter of choice," he suggested. Mr. Locke contended that projected costs of the townhouses would put them "well above the provincial guideline guideline of affordable housing." Last week, however, the mayor insisted insisted that the Town is providing ample ample affordable housing throughout the area. The guideline is for homes under $152,000 and she stated that "we provide provide that every day." Zoning Approved for New Medical Building Council has paved the way for construction construction of a new medical building on the corner of Liberty and Victoria Streets, in Bowmanville. The passing of a rezoning by-law on Monday night over-rides concerns of residents who live in the area and object object to the building. Drew Dowling, a lawyer representing representing several people living near the corner corner in question, asked council to turn the application down because of concerns concerns about increased traffic, inadequate inadequate parking facilities, and the proximity proximity of the site to Ontario Street School. Ron Strike, representing the applicants, applicants, Dr. John Balenko and Dr. Ron Van Hoof, reminded council that the rezoning was for a specific purpose . and not for general development of the area. He also disputed the prediction of parking woes, saying that the property property owners have agreed to reduce by one the number of doctors in the building building to help improve the situation. The medical facility will house six doctors. Mr. Dowling said that the builders had co-operated with the residents and made several changes at their request. request. Among these is a safe process for removing the minimal medical waste which will be produced at the site. He told councillors that his clients did not want the building in their neighbourhood and had negotiated changes to the plan because they felt they could not stop its construction and; hoped to lessen what they see as its negative impact. Town of Newcastle Planning Director Director Frank Wu said that there will be 38 parking spaces at the site. He added added that since it is not a commercial development, development, the feared traffic and parking parking problems would not occur. Province Puts Hold on Vincent Massey Repairs - . . _ . . i i -il j 1 _ i J ~ wnwomKor tnP H The long wait for provincial dollars to finance renovations at Vincent Massey Massey Public School in Bowmanville may continue until 1992. However, construction construction on a new Courtice elementary elementary school will begin in 1990. That is the verdict from the provincial provincial Ministry of Education in an announcement announcement last week. The provincial government announced its funding program for Ontario schools and indicated indicated what amounts various boards will receive for new buildings over the next three years. Pauline Janitch, communications officer for the Northumberland and Newcastle Board of Education, said that the Board received almost everything everything it asked for. However, funding was cut from an average of 75 percent of costs to only 60 percent. A second disappointment was the virtually unprecedented move by the Ministry to rearrange the stated priorities priorities of the Board. "The Vincent Massey Massey renovation was the trustees' top priority," said Ms Janitch, "and we just don't know why it was changed around," She said it was the first time any of the trustees could remember the Ministry Ministry challenging the local autonomy of the Board. . . „ .... The province committed $2 million for 1991 and $1.8 million for 1992 toward toward the Vincent Massey project which includes a gymnasium, library, and additional classrooms. Moving into top priority was a brand new elementary elementary school in Courtice which received received $1.8 million for 1990 and $2.5 million in the following year. As well, the Courtice school received nearly $300,000 as a grant to establish a daycare daycare facility - something which the province has decreed must go into every every new school built in Ontario. Ms Janitch speculated that the Board would consider borrowing money money to move ahead with the Vincent Massey project before the province issues issues tne funds. However, she added that such a loan would extend considerably considerably longer than any previous Board loans, and thus would nave to be considered considered carefully. The lone request of the public school board which was turned down was for a new elementary school in Port Hope. wk? ■-- ill \ '.Ù ■1: ' Hundreds of Orange Lodge Members Attend 130th Annual Meeting - - - ■ - - ■ Friday, April 21, several hundred paraded from the Li ons Centre to St. Andrew's Church and then to the cenotaph cenotaph for a wreath-laying ceremony. Bowmanville hosted the 130th Grand Orange Lodge annual meeting on the weekend. The four day convention convention drew members from all across eastern Ontario. On