Weston Historical Society Digital Newspaper Collections

Weston-York Times (1971), 22 Apr 1971, p. 1

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The federal and provincial government are giving North York $369,000 towards direct labor costs and the borough is con- tributing $85,000 to cover materials and equipment. The employees taken on by the borough are doing such jobs as clean water courses and ravines, building storm sewers and park walkways and removing dead and diseased elm trees. Mr. Tom Murphy, the borough's personnel director, said on Tuesday that hirings at $3.30 an hour began lastweek and another 50 people will be taken on. He said that there has been a steady stream of unemployed seeking the jobs which have been created as a result of a federal, provincial and municipal govern- ment plan to create employment. Mr. Nobleman has sent a letter to Metro Executive stating he feels that a represen- tative from York should fill the vacancy. +++ North York council has hired nearly 200 men under a $454,000 make work program which will last from April to June. The decision of Mr. Hewitt's successor has been stalled until the next Metro Executive meeting as not one of the candidates got a majority vote. +++ York Mayor Philip White nominated Alderman Ben Nobleman to replace the late Alderman Robert Hewitt's seat on Metropolitan Toronto and Region Con- servation Authority at last week's Metro Executive meeting. East York Mayor Miss True Davidson nominated Alderman Leslie Saunders for the position and Toronto alderman Paul Pickett nominated lawyer Dan Melniek. +++ York Mayor Philip White was acting Metro chairman last week. Metro Chairman Albert Campbell was on holiday in Caflifornia. The mayor presided over a less than two hour Metro executive committee meeting on Friday which dealt with over 65 business items including the proposal that Metro participate in the retention of York Downs golf course property as a public park. The executive committee was adjourned briefly as 18 entrants in the Miss Teenage Canada Pageant paraded into the com- mittee room to pin flowers on the lapels of the borough mayors. +++ Complaints on the location of the Fair- bank Park bocce courts were brought to light at last week's council meeting. “The problem came up when couricil was considering installing lights for the courts at a cost of $1,528. Controller Douglas Saunders told council he had been receiving complaints about the location of the courts. He felt the courts should be relocated before installing the lights. _Presently the bocce courts are on the only side of the park backed by homes. "The lights will enable the courts to be in use much later in the evenings," Mr. Saunders said, "This will only increase the disturbance for residents whose bedrooms face onto the park." Council referred the matter to the parks and recreation committee for further study. +++ York Alderman Lloyd Sainsbury has called for a report from the parks and recreation department on the cost of the floral displays in the main foyer of the borough municipal building. He told council that too much money was being spent on the displays. +++ York's Planning Board agreed to amend the zoning by-law to permit the sale of used books and periodicals in retail commercial areas. The amendment came at the request of Mr. Ron Rotteau, owner of The Browsing Room on Eglinton Avenue West. He and his partner, high school student Diane Duncan, want to sell used books, particularly used educational texts and out of print books. Previously any stores selling any second hand goods other than antiques or works of art or used furniture were prohibited in the borough. Parking meter fees are going up on sec- tions of Eglinton Avenue, Rogers Road and Weston Road. Metro Roads and Traffic Department supports increasing the parking meter rates on sections of these streets to five cents for 15 minutes, 10 cents for 30 minutes and 20 cents for one hour. The maximum per- missible parking period will be one hour. Increased parking meter rates will apply on Weston Rd. between Fern Avenue and Wilby Cres. on Rogers Road between Keele Street and Old Weston Road and on Eglinto Avenue between Bathurst Street and Bicknell Avenue. VOLUME 10, No.18 NEWS BRIEFS MARINE tl AUTO LTD CANOES k - ' I , n.oo Parking rates up ’IIO This move is believed to be an attempt by those members of council favoring the centres to ward off the faction that wants to close the centres outright "We are concerned about the continuing This amount is based on the parks and recreation department's estimate of operating costs for one drop-in for one day, including staff and materials. York's drop-in centres were once again the subject of a heated discussion at last week's council meeting. After some debate, Ceuncil agreed to close the centres one day for each $40.63 worth of vandalism incurred in the centre. Weston's Cancer Society's Daffodil Day drive has produced a total of $7,200 this far. Total rebeipts from the industrial canvas organized by the Cancer Society stands right now at $10,200. This is an encouraging note for the can- vassers who last week were hoping to boost the Daffodil total to over $7,000 including the industrial returns. Instrumental in, the over achievement of the goal were 20 Humber College students who last week, using their own cars and time, helped collect the cheques from the industrial donors. Mrs. Ralph was referring to a rezoning application to allow retail stores, accessory parking and a swimming pool made by Parlmac Holdings in in October, 1968. A public meeting held by the planning board in February, 1969 revealed that the developer had already constructed the stores and part of the swimming pool. The Commissioner of Buildings issued a stop work order on the stores. Charges were laid and the developer pleaded guilty and paid a $300 fine. Commissioner of Planning, Peter Allen stated that because the developer had paid the fine and because in 1969 planning board approved the construction of the com- mercial area and swimming pool, the development can no longer be considered illegally built. The apartment development lies on the south side of Emmett Avenue and is zoned to The citizens, led by Mrs. Walter Ralph of Emmett Avenue, have been protesting the rezoning of the area to allow several retail commercial stores to operate on the upper basement level of the multi storey apart- ment building. Mrs. Ralph, speaking for residents of the street in a prepared brief, stated the developer had unlawfully provided com- mercial facilities and advertised them before York even has an official plan. Angry residents of Emmett Avenue spoke out against a rezoning application by Parlmac Holdings Limited for 55 Emmett Avenue, at last week's Planning Board meeting. EMMETT AVE. Day returns Daffodil Weston-York Times Council crackdown on drop-ins Residents protest stores Theo major contracts were awarded last week to cover the widening of 8.6 miles of Highway 400 from mohair mile south of Sheppard Highways Minister Charles MacNaughton has announced that construction will start early next month on the widening of Highway 400 to six lanes. "There has been cloSe to $10,000 of willful damage, sheer outright destruction. It shows a don‘t-givea-damn attitude." Alderman Ben Nobleman warned against York taking the position of the city of Toronto and allowing another RocMale. "This is an illegally built building and the developer has ignored the tenants. The prosed stores will need more business than just the apartment residents to survive. The business will have to come from Mount Dennis and Mount Dennis will not survive." "But the Bv-Law did not specify and recreational facilities or playground. So now damage," said Mayor Philip White, "It is unfair to have the taxpayers pay." "The closed-mouth attitude of the teenagers makes it impossible to find out who does the damage. They will have to learn to cooperate. We mean business." Alderman Fergus Brown supported the Mayor. "We are not helping the kids," he said, "we are leading them down the path to destruction." Controller James Trimbee stated that teenagers have lost sight of the fact that other teenagers never had dropin centres. "We can't turn the world over to youth. This is a social problem requiring police jurisdiction." he said. Mr. Allen recommended approval of the application on the condition that the com- mercial area not exceed 7,000 square feet (instead of the 12,000 originally requested by the developer) and that no more than one sign per store be permitted on the outside of the building. permit one 23-storey and three 24-storey apartment buildings. Two buildings, 55 Emmett Avenue, 57 Emmett Avenue, have been completed and 374 of the 678 suites are occupied. The other two buildings, which will provide another 670 units, have not yet Men built. The plan calls for seven stores to be built with six parking spaces to be alloted for use by patrons within the building at55 Emmett Ave. Also proposed iga 2bspace parking lot on the north side of the street. Controller against the meeting. "When this bylaw was enacted in 1963.; Mr. Trimbee continued, "the owner had to have 100 square feet of grass for every one- bedroom apartment in the building. Sixty Der cent of the ten-acre site, then, would be green open space." We should take strong action," said James Trimbee spoke out rezoning application at the Weston, Ontario, Thursday, April 22, I971 Highway 400 The additional traffic lanes will be constructed in the present Highway 400 median and the work is scheduled to cause as little inconvenience as possible with freeway traffic during peak traffic perioth. Avenue to one-l north of the M; Alderman Michael Waclawski, the newest member on council, said that everyone attending a drop-in centre is penalized for vandalism caused by one or two people. "Our job is to provide policy. Vandalism should be the problem of peaks and recreation." 's The definition of vandalism as opposed to normal wear and tear of property in the schools where dropin centres are located will be decided by the parks and recreation department staff. Alderman Peter Bosa, the only member of council to vote against the motion, said that this is the wrong approach to the problem. "It could be solved by more supervision," he said. "Close them tomorrow. I'd be happy" declared Alderman Lloyd Sainsbury. construction The board agreed to defer the application and set up a committee to study the matter. Alderman Jack Gallichan, "If vandalism isn't stopped, I'd support a motion to close them." "Seven thousand square feet," Mr. White said, "mightallow three or four stores at the most. The stores will not attract people from other areas as the street itself is not con- dusive to stopping." Mr. White moved the application be deferred and that a special committee be set up to study the situation. Controller Douglas Saunders seconded the mayor's motion on the condition that a report on the traffic situation is included in the study. Mayor Philip White reminded the board they must consider the commercial tax assessment. "We must not allow ihe developer any more privileges until he improves the site for the present occupants." Alderman Lloyd Sainsbury said that the planning board should plan a full fledged shopping centre to be built'in the second phase of the development Citizen planning board member Jules Berman was against this. "Stores are not necessary in this location," he said, "a tuck shop in one of the buildings would be enough." the children play in the grass area east of 57 Emmett and disturb the neighbors instead of playing in the area west of 55 Emmett. This is causing unnecessary antagonism between the apartment dwellers and the other street residents. In this day and age, we must learn to live together." all mile ple Side The reconstruction of the 2.5 miles between Sheppard Avenue and Finch Avenue, including interchange im- provements at Finch Avenue, will begin early in May under a $1,203,031 contract awarded to Dul- ferin Materials & Con.. struction Limited of Toronto. J.'. YORK DOWNS 77 DECISION The net effect of the work to rule is the cancellation of many extra-curricular events, like parents' night, school plays, field trips and sport coaching, after school hours. BORN IN WESTON Also, the teachers -- there are 2,000 in- volved in the work to rule - are protesting provincial restrictions on school board spending. The work to rule by North York high school teachers, which began on Monday, is likely to continue "indefinitely", Mr. Harry Threapleton, president of District 13 of the Ontario Secondary School Teachers' federation, said this week. Their action is in protest against a Metro School Board salary offer which would give teachers with top experience and qualifications a maximum pay of 815,600 this year and $15,900 next year. Twins Heather and Kristen, born in Weston's Humber Memorial Hospital at 9:25 pan. April 3 and transferred by ambulance to the Hospital for Sick Children within 90 minutes, underwent an operation earlier this week to close the gap in their abdominal walls. The Siamese twin girls, weighing about seven pounds each at birth, were born to a Metro-couple. A Dr. Barry Shandling, who led the surgical team that separated the twins last Monday at Sick Children's Hospital, performed the latest operation. On Thursday, the plastic sheets or patches that had been sutured to the abdominal wall of each twin were tightened. This was repeated again on Friday and Saturday. The question of buying the Isa-acre York Downs Golf Course for a public park seems headed for further protracted delays __ this time at the Metro and Ontario Municipal last Friday, Metro Executive Committee postponed indefinitely a decision on whether it should join North York Council in buying the scenic land tract, soutlreast of Bathurst St. and Sheppard Ave., and turning it into a major park. Members agreed that no decisions should be made until views are obtained from the City of Toronto, York, East York, Scar- borough and Etobicoke councils and various Metro departments. Also on Friday, the Ontario Municipal Board reserved Judgement on deciding whether or not to go ahead with its scheduled May 3 hearing into plans by Max Tanenbaum's Pinetree Development Company for an extensive housing development on part of the golf course. Mr. J.A. Kennedy, the board chairman, and board member Mr. A.L. McCrae heard adjournment applications by lawyers representing North York Council and several borough ratepayers organizations. Mr. Robert Macaulay, lawyer for the Armour Heights Ratepayers Association, said: "Time must work on behalf of the public and not in the interests of the developer." He said that both North York and Metro councils need more time to study whether the land should be bought as a major park. time at the Board levels Born in Toronto, on Lippincott Street, he moved to this area'rRussell Road (now Rustic Road) in 1912 and fast became a popular citizen of the Corth munity. Always friendly and courteous, he received friendship and courtesy in return. A 'digger' from the Old School, Bill could question police or other of- ficials and seldom be rebuffed even when he telephoned in the middle of the night. In return, officials did not hesitate to call him at any hour, and this was the way he liked it. Stretched of M-hour duty carrying notebook and camera (the letter, straight from a 'late movie') were the sort of hours he seemed to thrive on. For more than 35 years Bill's 'beat' covered territory north and west of Toronto and the Weston area in par- ticular. William 'Bill' Gerry, 66, veteran free- lance reporter-photographer for the Westorryork Times and two Toronto dailies died April 14 from the effects of a stroke. Bill worked 11 years for a candy manufacturer following a stint on the posts desk of the Toronto Globe and Mail. He gradually branched out to photography and reporting and spent a totalM$6yettrsortthestaftofthe Toronto Daily Star. He also joined the staff of the old Times and Guide when it was situated on Main Street and served Weston was his beat Metro Twin girls 'favorable' Ist work on behalf of the However to buy the golf course on its own in the interests of the this year, North York Council theoretically has to raise taxes by five mills -- equivalent oth North York and Metro to $30 to the average homeowner - unless it ore time to study whether can find "fat" elsewhere in its municipal q bought as a major park. budget. . York teachers --BILL GERRY--- Parents of the two girls have two other normal children. The mother is reported to be in satisfactory condition at Humber Memorial. Dr. J. Simpson, who led the medical team which conducted Toronto's only previous twin-separation operation five years ago, said in an interview that preliminary con- ditions appeared "favorable" at birth. Sunday's operation presented no real problems, according to Dr. Shamiling. Each operation lasted about 35 minutes. Barring complications, no further operations should be necessary, the doctor said. All that will remain will be to remove the skin sutures. The twins had been joined face-whee from chest to stomach. "the grandchildren" 7w aririme who happened to be near an assignment he was covering. Hold-ups, fires, accidents, murders and hundreds of community events drew him into the lives of many who respected him for being a reporter's reporter. Bill and camera captured the burning of the Great Lakes cruise ship Noronic in which 119 lives were lost in 1949; last year's passenger plane crash at Melton when 109 persons died; and the propane gas explosion at Maple in 1982. Also to fall within his camera's lens were ad, ventures of the Boyd Gang of the early fifties. A family man throughout his entire career, he enjoyed displaying photos of The funeral service for Bill Gerry wu held Saturday morning at the Ward Funeral Home, Weston Road. The Rev. 0.0. Becket, mirtUter of Elverlton Park United Church oftielated. Interment was at Sanctuary Park Cemetery. He leaves hia wife. Hilda, chum“ Shirley, non Ted, Imel- May at Wotan, and grandehiWen RIM noun and as editor with the weekly newspaper for six years. Eventually he moved into free- lance photography and reporting, covering the Weston area plus numerous stories that found him at the scene as soon as they 'broke'. delays The development of a community of 3,600 people there, as proposed by Tanenbaum, will mean the proposed Avenue Road ex- tension will have the go ahead. Mr. Sydney Robbins, lawyer tor Pinetree, the company which owns the golf course, argued against an adjournment of the May 3 hearing on grounds that North York Council is attempting to "frustrate" the company's housing plan "because of its own personal self-interest in buying the property." Earlier last week, North York Council voted unanimously in favour of buying all of Yogk Downs as a public park. Tanenbaum bought the golf course for $6,400,000 in 1968 and wants to erect five 33- storey apartments and 66 single-family Mmes on part of the 90 acres of table-land. Theo dependent appraisals of the current value stand at $5,000,000 and $6,300,000. However, members added a rider that this step should be taken only if other govern- ments - Metro Council and the province - will share the cost. They made no decision on the dollars and cents issue. It would cost the average homeowner about 50 cents annually over the next 20 years if Metro paid the full cost at the current appraised value and financed it as a Metro capital project. However, he admitted receiving some erit_ical ttlepltone ea11sfrotp parents. This is because teachers are arriving at school 15 minutes before classes start and leaving 15 minutes after they end. Mr. Threapleton said he was "em couraged" by the solidarity of the work to rule but added that teachers are continuing to teach to the best ot their ability. Bill Warner, president of the borough's intercollegiate students' council said he personally supports the teachers' stand and claimed they are underpaid. There has been no official reaction from North York School Board on the work to rule, but Dr. Lynn Trainer, the board chairman, said he hoped parents and students would attempt to carry on after school activities on their own. sways COPY 10 CENTS

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