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VOLUME 10, NO. 6 NEWS BRIEFS Spadina subway It will be a fine historical date when the Yatiina subway opens tor public use, York Mayor Philip White said his! week: The mayor and other civic leaders at- tending a Metro executive committee meeting recommended that Metro Council approve construction of the Spadina subway line starting in 1974. The Spadina subway would serve sections of York and form a major attraction for future redevelopment in the east section of the borough. They are: Edward G. Wray, a steam plant engineer of Adele Ave., Downsview; Mrs. Stephanie Rhys DePerez, housewife of Plymbridge Road, Willowdale and Edward J. Clarke of Drury Ave., Willowdale, who is research director of Metro's Confederation of Residents and Ratepayers Associans. +++ Metro has sent York an interim tax bill tor 1971 that amounts to $8,663,696 or 40 per cent of the total 1970 tax levy. Metro needs the payment from York and the other five Metro municipalities to maintain the Metro federation until the full stream of tax money starts rolling toward the cash register. York willbeexpectedto pay the tax billinfour installments one each in March and April and two in May. +++ Three new citizen members of North York couneil's environmental control committee were chosen by the borough council last week to bring the membership of the committee up to 11 including five borough politicians. North York has been asked by Metro to pay a $39,380,000 interim tax payment. More than 70 oer cent of the local municipal tax ‘bill to property owners goes to maintain Metro government services including police, welfare, regional parks, sewer and watermains and special projects such as the waterfront development, conservation and a +++ North York Mayor Basil Hall, cane in hand, returned to his seat at Metro executive committee last week. For about two months North York has been without a voice at the top level executive committee sessions. York Mayor Philip White, as a result of the lengthy absence of Mr. Hall due to a broken bone resulting from a fall, has suggested that each Metro municipality be allowed to send an alternate representative from council to executive meetings. This is being studied. Mr. Jules Berman of Strathearn Rd. will be York Planning Board's representative on the Metro Planning Board for 1971. +++ York Mayor Philip White came to the defense of North York Controller Mel Lastman last week when Metro Executive Committee decided that the controller would not have to face a judicial inquiry into how he obtained certain information about welfare recipients. . and North York School Trustee Robert Bradley have been rte-appointed to Metro Toronto's Coordinating Committee on Drug The committee is continuing its probe to determine what way municipal government and other government levels should par- ticipate in trying to combat the drug abuse problem in the community. The committee is expected also to con- tinue its evaluation of programs in the community aimed at fighting the drug problem. One objective is to eliminate duplication and another to arrange for coverage of areas of the problem that are currently being ignored. Both York and North York have carried out considerable preliminary work in'trying to reach youth in the community. Since 1m York has been endeavouring to expand its special community services program. Students have been involved in a planning and consultative capacity. North York of- ficials are following a program aimed at encouraging young penal: to gain and maintain a positive appr ch to life. The borough is working closely with hospitals in the establishment of emergency treatment and full treatment centres for persons with a drug problem, Mr. White said Mr. Last man was entitled to appear before a Metro social services department staff committee to aks questions on how the committee operates in deciding whether fraud is involved in cer- tain welfare applications. North York Mayor Basil Hall was not so kind with his borough's controller. He thought the executive committee should advise Mr. Lastman to take his complaints to the Metro chairman or Metro Social Services Commissioner John Anderson instead of carrying out his own in- vestigations. Drug committee re-appointments North York Alderman Dennis Timbrell Times Want Ms him a Proven Reputation for Fast, Economical Results Cdl 241-5211 For Action +++ \ X"lilll/icr:y). Employees at Canadian Acme Screw and Gear Limited, Weston, controlled by Seaway Multi Corp Ltd. of Toronto voted in favor of a company proposed 18anonth wage freeze and returned to work Monday. The 529-153 vote result averted the closing of the ' Acme layoffs expected but shutdown averted The employees, members of Local 984, United Auto Workers, last week rejected a company request tor a two-year wage freeze and went on strike Wednesday. The com- pany said that, because of adverse market conditions, it could not continue to operate He predicted that the across Metro tax increase this year will be seven mils with the North York borough rate rising for the first time in two years by an amount un- certain as yet. A total seven mill increase would result in a " tax hike for the average North York homeowner who now pays .802 with a home assessed at W,000. T . Value of building permits issued in North York in 1970 totalled $1Wmillion compared with “Million in ms, a figure first topped by the borough in 1965. m inlthe borough was the "human" municipality in Canada with permits issued North York achieved a partial recovery last year from its 1989 development slump but borough residents can still expect a tax increase this year Controller lrving Paisley said recently. Striking workers George Hickman, shown left, and John Fernlcoln were able to set their plncnrdl ulde Monday as employees of Canndhn Acme Screw and Gear Ltd. voted 53-153 to return to work. (Photo by Development recovery but faxes up anyway Weston-York Times the plant at any higher wage levels, and would be forced to close. Company officials explained that it had lost a contract with Ford Motor Company of Detroit for transmissions and did not get expected orders for shock absorbers for the United States market. As a result it expects to have layoffs by the middle of next month. More than 850 members of the union had walked out when Acme asked them to ac. cept a two-year wage freeze. The company then announced a three-month phase out of operations at its 1,050 worker plant. However, tentative agreement was reached Saturday following five hours of bitter debate at the Constellation hotel. Negotiators however agreed that no details would be revealed until the membership heard the proposal. The striking UAW members met Monday at Westclair Ballroom, St. Clair Avenue and Runnymede Road to vote on,the proposal. T The proposed settlement is believed to. permit the union to start bargaining again for a raise in about 14 months. Acme's wage range from $2.82 to $3.82 an hour, or between $113 and $153 for a "hour week. Most of the voting members had heard Mor to the Monday meeting negotiators for their union had accepted the Ibmonth no- wage-increase settlement as the alternative to shutting down the plant; that a 32Sman mid-February layoff was reportedly still in the making; that the company had agreed to reimburse the employees tor the money they had to pay out to keep hospital, medical and insurance plans active since December 15; that the compnay would continue to pay future premiums; and that Acme would also reimburse them for the halGitay's pay for before New Year's Day and for New Years itself, money witheld by the company after their contract expired December 15. Originally, the company's proposal pushed for a three-year wage freeze but this was modified to two years for last Wed- nesday's original vote by the anion mem- bership. At the time, Mr. Andrew Sutherland, UAW international representative had said the chairman of the office local had been told by the company that unle the production unit accepted the company proposal, the then plus 180 members of the union‘s office unit would be out of work within three months. Paisley said that the five per cent gain over 1969 was "quite encour ing" and predicted better things for 1971 He said that 18 per cent wage rung municipal employees over two y s whi have already been approved is o reason taxes will have to go up. "Our budget this year is going to have to be a real austerity one," Paisley said. "I thian we are about at the limit of what the taxpayer can bear so far ss'taxes on homes is concerned." Last year in North York the borough residential mill rate dropped by .0t mills. However it represmted a decrease of only M carts in what the average homeownc pays for borough municipal services. worth a record $225qrtillion but high interest rates caused a 33 per cent drop the following Weston, Ontario, Thursday, January 28, 1971 Duncan McDougall, personnel director for Acme, said top management and the board of directors had taken a position that there would be no comment from the company. Mr. Sutherland said he was willing to recommend a one-year moratorium, even though he believed he would have difficulty selling it to the union negotiating team. The company, he said, turned down the counter-proposal. It was the fifth strike at Acme since 1951 and the fourth since Levy Industries Limited acquired the firm in 1962. Some ot the workers were gambling that the company was bluffing, that the ultimatum was a bargaining ploy. Others did not care whether the firm closed its doors permanently - but were prepared to search for other jobs. North York school board last week heralded in the new year with a mini spending spree on its inaugural meeting of 1970 held in its new $3,800,000 education offices on Yonge St., W11lowdale Official, said the inaugural meeting and recethion was open to the public but it was not advenlud although invitations were salt out to people who had held puhllc service appolmmenta In the borough and citizens on a list suggested by mute”. Two television cameras were installed in the trustees board room to' broadcast woceedlnge at the hour-long Inaugural meeting to three television receiver: set up in an adjoining when hall and one nude thehoerd room. Home thee we only 18 people in the hall "overflow" audience. Angry workers lost little time in turning down the eompany's two-year wage freeze plan and within minutes were pieketing the Weston Road plant. Earlier this month, Dunlap Canada, Ltd. threatened to close its Whitby plant unless 1,000 employees agreed to accept a 10 per cent salary cut.. There were nearly a score of car park attendants, caretakers and other staff on duty specially to greet invited guests, show them to their seats and serve sandwiches, cookies cider4aeed "Hot Toddy" and coffee later at a reception. Other will nrrmganmu for the Inaugural meeting included the nun-up of so candles in I darkened buffet um. the #ayingofmftrmmictmupe mdunlngthe outside main entrance with the Canadian flag, the Union Jnck and the an: of and: mvlnce. The hon-(PI new once: have has: In an Inca Iaat June. The Dunlop workers refused, but negotiations are still underway. W. A. Dempsey, superintendent of board services said zoom 300peopit [are expgcted to attend but only ainui 100 turnéd up Trustees budgeted $600 for the event. Small turnout for inaugural BLAMES SCHOOL BOARD The discussion came last week after a letter was received from Harwood Ratepayers regarding extensive damage to Roacliffe School, site of one of the centres, and the heavy cost to taxpayers for the drop- Five drop-in centres operated by the boroughotYorkmaysotmbeeloaedif adequate financing and supervision for them is not found. Damages so far this year are estimated at 810,000. Mayor Philip White said last week the program is costing the borough over $1,000 for each teenager using the centres. The mayor said he feels the program is one of continuing education and as such should be shared by the board. Mr. White said he also feels the provincial government should get involved in the program. "We are not responsible tor the attitude of youth today; we are not responsible for the way of life Parks and Recreation committee voted unanimously to suspend operation of the centres until cooperation can be established with other youth agencies in York including the board of education. Members of the Parks committee blamed lack of cooperation from the board of education for part of the failure of the centres. Controller James Trimbee, another member of the four man Parks committee, criticized the board for lack of armperation. Besides damage costs and a $10,000 yearly rental free for use of school facilities, the board is charging wear and tear costs, he said. Supervisors at the centres themselves offer no cooperation. "There has to be some sort of structure in these centres. We can't let the kids run wild," he said. How far are we obligated with this program? Recreation programs have to Justify their costs." The five centres are located at C.R., Marchant, Rocklitte, Fairbank, Bala and Warren Park public schools. Damages include cigarette burns, broken windows, lroken tiles and doors pulled off hinges. York board of education reacted strongly to the unfavorable criticism it has received concerning the closure at its Monday night meeting. The board received a letter from the secretary of the Warren Park Drop-In Centre protesting the closure of the centres. Doreen Middlehrook said damage charges were unfair to the Warren Park Centre which has been operating without difficulty. Mrs. Middlebrook said her group feels the centres are overloaded and more centres should be opened to limit the number in each centre to 50. Currently some of the drop-ins have up to an teenagers a night. Trustee Norman Harris said the letter was directed to the wrong body. "All our schools are open todarro any group free of charge, provided they leave the school in "They have neither the desire to close them down nor, the ability to run them properly. I am not for closing them down. I am just for handing over $10,000 bills to the borough until they curb the vandalism. 1am wondering if we should take legal action to get this money. negotiate with the board the program might have to be curtailed. Mr. Harris blamed Parks and Recreation for trying to put the responsibility on the board. "I wont buy the blackmail idea," he said. They are saying "We can't run the program without your money so we are going to continue with vandalism until you people shell out.. Trustee Oscar Kogan felt a detailed relpy to Mrs. Middlebrook was necessary outlining the board‘s policy regarding use of schools and explaining the Parks and Recreation Department's responsibility for the centres. ,rttobrtAether-thatthethttario Department of Education had wished Metro gtrverttrmrttttrttNdir+ payment at What: in education mu thtring a two month period In 1970., committee meeting. He surprised his colleague- on the executive Ind Metro ot. Bcuu who were mm the York mayor Md Ind: Hermann. It mn- that Metro Sch»! Bound had mt an the mm a {Inna-l mm m The mayor said unless council can It wu York Mayor Philip White let week The mark brmtgt8 the tirrtitm upatyte York th reafens drop-in closure Metro punished for tardy school bogrds by Pat Douey The board decided to stick with its policy of keeping the schools open and providing Nanitorial staff for the centres. A report on Monday's agenda showed costs of keeping the schools open for recreational programs is $177,000. This report was sent back to the business committee for further study. Mr. Wengle said he tlet more parents should be involved. "This is not a matter of money. It's a matter of doing a good job." "What they want is funds to rummage it on a greater scale," Mr. Harris concluded. Trustee Harvey Wengle said the board and the police should get involved in the supervision of the centres. "We're in favor of any prograrn that's going to assist youth. Police no longer have to patrol shopping centres as closely, yet they are not being criticized for not making a contribution." reports that the borough received a bill for 80,000 see were not true. He said the Nil Gr tfee week period trom Oct. to Nov. was $6i700. Year and total: are not available yet because of the time needed to assess all the damages, Director of Education A.G. Gillispie added. time because two tutidqntified local school boards were slow in providing cabin in. formation. The province reacted by withholdna peymem of the grant hint in Novcnbc end December. The penned we- made my in Jetway. "Who Wat huh tor an. deley.Y" Mr. Whtt_d.MetrxteBtM1-idtherdiht't tntnritttt--tttatMhtstt.M.r. Mite mid the whee had "him ma action against New." Metro new are check“ to M en If.“ the Maui II. emt no in m at dell-n Ill cut. Gregory Spears, recreation co-ordinator in charge of York drowns, said Tuesday the most serious problem facing the centres is lack of communication between the board of education and the borough. He said he would like to see a policy board developed " the nucleus around which the centres would be run. This would be manned by the borough',' the board, the YMCA and other agencies servicing youth in York. Mr. Spears said the board could become more actively involved by providing rmurce people to run programs. Mr. Arears was not clear as to how these people would be compensated, but "we're extended as far as we can go." With specialists running activities the counsellors at the centres could devote their time to developing relationships, he said. He sees the program as one that attracts children "not involved in traditional recreation activities. These kids should not suffer tor our administratives short- comings," hie/added. "You can't tell the value of a program" . until it is cancelled," he added. "During the 17 years I headed York Lions Drum Corps there were no serious problems with police. The year after it disbanded I had to appear in court ten times as a character witness for the boys. joint use of school and recreational facilities. The drop-in issue is expected to provoke some (mansion. Monday cwncll will decide whether to continue operation tk the centres, Tuesday. Douglas Saunders chastised the board tor being "too protective toward its facilities.“ "If we had all good kids in the borough there would be no need for drotAris," he said. "The board hasn't come to grips with drug problems in the schools. Someone has to do it. "I believe in drop-ins and fee they are a most worthwhile investment but we are operating on an unrealistic budget. The number of kids using the centres proves their worth." Mr. Saunders said complaints about teenagers around Jane Park Plaza and St. Thomas Plaza have stopped since the Thomas Plaza have stopped since the opening bt Rockcliffe and Fairbank cenh'es. Council and the board meet today over SINGLE COPY 10 CENTS A York controller also had comments on William Bayes said