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os ~-- EINE Wa i 0 SRA REAR EN NG 8% Council looks at new headquarters proposal New Regional offices? Durham Region council could be in for some intense political debate over the next few months. At issue is whether Durham should build a new Regional head- quarters building, and from the opening salvos fired in the battle last week, it looks like councillors from the city of Oshawa are dead set against even examining the idea. Whether the Region should have a new home to bring all its many departments under one roof is an issue that has cropped up on several occasions since Durham was formed more than a decade ago. Presently, the Region occupies the old Ontario County building on Rossland Road in Whit- by, a building which is also home to the provin- cial assessment depart- ment and several courts. Because there isn't enough space there for all Regional depart- ments, Durham now leases office space in Oshawa for the finance and social service departments, and space in Whitby for the public works and planning de- partments. The inconvenience of this arrangement has been debated at length in the past, but the idea for a new building has never really gone beyond the discussion stage. That appears to have changed however in the last few weeks, thanks to a strong indication from the provincial government that Ont- ario is willing to pur- chase the present build- ing for something in the neighbourhood of $5 million. At the regular meet- ing of Regional council February 29, members spent considerable time ' Cs LIFE, AUTO, HOM debating a three-part recommendation from the management comm- ittee calling for a pre- liminary report on several alternatives to be completed in six weeks, followed by a staff report by the end of June on which alterna- tive is the best, and then the council to make a decision on new accommodation by the end of July. It quickly became apparent last week that councillors from Oshawa want no part of a new Reginal head- quarters building. Oshawa Mayor Allan Pilkey said he was "very suspicious of the process outlined in the - recommendation' from the management comm- ittee. Councillor John Aker from Oshawa said the public doesn't want the Region to build a new headquarters. "In ten years (as a regional councillor) I've never had a citizen come up to me and grab my lapels to say 'we need a new Regional building'"' said Aker. He also wondered about the cost (which was not even discussed) since the Region in his words "is finally start- ing to get its financial house in order." And he noted that Durham owns the. present build- ing outright, with no debts against it. Another Oshawa councillor, Bruce Mc- Arthur referred to the idea as a '""Taj Mahal scheme'. However, other Regional councillors noted that at least studying the idea wasn't going to cost Durham any money, and giving approval for the staff study was in no way an endorsement to con- struct a new building. "There are a lot of questions that need to be NOW OPEN MARC as of Port Perry. Phone Ross at 985-8404. (43 the co-opetatolS MERCIAL, FARM INSURANCE ~*~ COM H 5, 1984 Ross Pettes, with over 20 years of service to this area, is proud to announce the opening of his office of the co-operators at 238 Queen Street, Yi answered," said Scugog Mayor Jerry Taylor. "We should let the staff come up with the facts and the alterna- tives. There is no cost in doing some prelim- inary planning,'"' h said. Scugog Regional councillor Lawrence Malcolm also said he could see nothing wrong with a preliminary study on the options open to the Region. Several other council- lors, including Uxbridge Mayor Bill Ballinger expressed similar sent- iments. And finance comm- ittee chairman Jim Witty reminded council that the Region will have to be prepared to make some very serious decisions in the near future as all the leases with the provincial government (for courts and the assessment offices) run out at the end of 1987; and the leases the Region has for outside office space for its departments run out at the same time. Durham receives about $478,000 from Ont- ario each year for the court rooms and assess- ment office space in the HQ building. And the Region pays out about $450,000 to rent office space in Oshawa and Whitby for the finance, social services, works and planning depart- ments. It also pays $153,000 yearly to lease space in several locations for the Health Unit offices and services. At the meeting last week, council finally approved part of the management comm- ittee recommendation to begin a "preliminary planning report examin- ing the long list of alter- natives." The two second parts of the recommendation, calling for a short list examination. and a RRR a Z oN council decision by the end of July, were tabled until the staff comes up with the preliminary report. Oshawa councillors voted solidly against proceeding with the pre- liminary report. If the Regional council eventually . approves construction of a' new building, it appears as if the project would hinge on whether the provincial govern- ment is prepared to buy the present building, and the 14 acres of land FLOORING ADHESIVE No. 77 qts ... 4.95 CARPET TAPE ........ 2.90 CARPET EDGING ...... 4.99 SMOOTH EDGE ... 31engtn.D0 1x 6- T&G PINE FLOORING lin. ft. ... from 63 PORT PERRY STAR -- Tuesday, March é, 1984 -- 7 WELCOME... i employees of ALLANS MILLS WOODWORKS LTD. (Campbeliford) to a Blue Cross extended health and dental Plan. 6335 4" POPLAR UNDERLAY 8) Ross Freer Suite 204 Peterborough Square 360 George Street North Peterborough, Ontario KOH 7E8 (T7085) 743-0677 ONTARIO BLUE CROSS ARR UTILITY KNIFE 5 Blades Included 12" CARPET =~ Wager. UNDERPAD ESP | LAKE SCUGOG LUMBER CO. LTD. ®, QUALITY PRODUCTS 11 VANEDWARD DRIVE - (OSHAWA ROAD) PORT PERRY, ONTARIO - 985-7391 ROOF TRUSS DIVISION - CALL 985-3121 n-- XK COMPETITIVE PRICING