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| | ah SUE Sas u An offer noone can resist? Mayor wants Region HQ An offer no one could resist...that is exactly what Oshawa Mayor Allan Pilkey dangled in front of regional council members last week as he called a press conference to announce his latest proposal to have a new headquarters building loca- tion in his city. Pilkey proposed what he called an "incentive package' worth more than-$3 million, plus all necessary lands to attract a new Regional Headquarters Building to be built in downtown Oshawa. He has propos- ed the building be located on part of a nine acre site at the corner of Mary and Bond Streets, which will ultimately be developed for a varie- ty of uses which could include a hotel/conference centre and "other prestigious office and commercial developments." Pilkey has even gone so far as to place a tentative name of Durham Regional Centre on the site. Pilkey says his proposal offers a substantial savings to the Region of Durham and it's taxpayers when. compared to existing regional pro- posals for a new headquarters building. Under his proposal, im- mediate cash outlays would be reduced by 46 to 56 percent representing an immediate benefit to taxpayers of $3,470,000 to "$5,220,000. This is the amount Pilkey claims his city owns of the disputed present regional building on Rossland Road in Whitby. Oshawa and Durham Region have been bickering since May 1984 over the ownership of the Whitby head- quarters building. Regional Chair- man Gary Herrema was negotiating its sale to the provincial government at that time, when®ilkey announc- ed the City of Oshawa owned 35 per- cent of the building from a former agreement. The two sides have been unable to reach a solution on the subject and regional council has authorized legal action to end the dispute on two occasions, but has yet to go to court. The regional headquarters building is worth ... cstimated $4.4 million and if sold, Oshawa has stated it would claim $3 million in compensation and rent arrears. Us- ing regional estimates, Pilkey has alluded it would cost taxpayers $9.2 million to renovate the existing building. Selling and building another would cost $7.4 million. By subtracting Oshawa"s claimed interest in the present structure, Pilkey has estimated it will cost around $4 million to construct a new headquarters building at the site proposed by him, which he says could be paid off within six years. Regional Chairman Gary Her- rema called Pilkey's proposal "his biggest coup since he has entered politics," adding that the lengthy dispute between the region and the city over the present ownership of the headquarters building stands in. the way of consideration of Pilkey's proposal. Likewise, Whitby Mayor Bob At- tersley said there was no point of even discussing the proposal until the question of the present building is decided. "The big thing Pilkey left out of all this is the assumption of the amount of money owed him on the sale of the building," said Attersley. "He has taken the figure of $3 million which is just an assump- tion...taken out of the air." Attersley said it had not yet been established whether the City of Oshawa has any right to any part of the headquarters building, adding he was pushing to get a third party involved to see if Oshawa did in fact have any vested interest in the building, and if so, to what value. Brooklin Home Bakery & Delicatessan 61 Baldwin St., Brooklin 655-4951 I additives or preservatives DONUTS ALL ON SPECIAL? Strawberry - Blueberry - Lemon Honey Dip - Chocolate & Cream Filled i ROYAL BANK PORT PERRY -- ONTARIO cordiaily invites you to attend our oth | ANNIVERSARY on Friday, November 21st, 1986 from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Everyone Welcome. Please come and celebrate this occasion with us. -- The Whitby Mayor also said he had a question in his mind about adequate parking at the proposed site. "They (the City of Oshawa) are having problems with their parking downtown now, and they would need 400 spots for regional parking alone," said Attersley. "1 really can't see how they could possibly ac- commodate that many vehicles." "Pilkey hasn't even taken this proposal to his own council...he doesn't even know yet if he has their support, but I suppose he will take it before them on Monday," said At- tersley with disbelief. He also stated there were developers in the Whitby area, near where the present headquarters is located, who had said they were willing to donate property for a new building. "That makes more sense,' said Attersley. "You can't take proper- ty owned by the public and give it away like Pilkey is proposing." Regional Councillor Tom Ed- wards of Whitby told the Profile he "is not taking the proposal serious- ly," adding he feels Pilkey is engag- ing in 'political one-up-manship."' "In terms of what's being con- sidered, I hope that is all it is...political one-up-manship...I hope that's all and that's the end of it," said Edwards. He indicated the last thing the region needed was municipalities competing with each other adding he felt it was improper for any municipality to give anything away to private enterprise and even more so for public property. Edwards stated Whitby had been the County Seat for over 100 years and said he would like to see it con- tinue that way. "The home of the Canadian Regi- ment was in Whitby for some 50 years and at the beginning of this century Whitby graciously agreed to let it move to Oshawa to boost their failing economy," said Edwards. "I think Mr. Pilkey should remember this and be recipricol." Valeria and Ron Marsden of PENTLAND JEWELLERS 174 QUEEN STREET -- PORT PERRY -- 985-7641 are celebrating their OCCASION! | Say it with a ... BALLOON BOUQUET Add to Your Bouquet Candy. Fruit, Wine, Jams and Mints The Balloon House Delivery Available 286-5108 x FOR ANY THE DURHAM 'BOARD OF EDUCATION FULFILL A DREAM Go for your High School Diploma! ... if you have always dreamed of com- pleting the requirements for a grade 12 or 13 diploma. ... if you are 18 years or older and have been out of school for at least 1 year, then consider coming back to school. FOR ADULTS ONLY! New classes begin on Thurs., Dec. 4th. 2 LOCATIONS: OSHAWA -- The Adult Learning Centre 421 Pine Avenue Telephone 579-1990 or 427-2165 PICKERING -- 1400 Bayly Street, Unit 16B Telephone 839-4566 or 427-7670 -- Call for an appointment. -- We are pleased to offer to all our customers a ._. 30% Discount MERCHANDISE From 10 A.M. to 10 P.M. THURSDAY, NOV. 20th, 1986 - ONLY | "on all in-stock No Lay-aways Please.