Ajax will get to keep its police station but Whitby will have to settle for some form of "store-front or office type" of operation, the Durham Regional Council decided Wednesday. Despite pleis from Whitby's regional councillors Gerry Emm and Don Lovelock, the council upheld the Board of Police Commissioners' recom- mendation that the 18 division station on Rossland Road be closed as of June 30. More than $33,000 was added to the 1976 regional current budget to hire two more constables and $14,000 will be used to set up an alternative police office in Whitby. In a two-hour debate, the Ajax representatives succeed- ed in convincing the regional council to keep the Ajax police station, which was also due for closure June 30. Council voted 18 to four to keep the Ajax police station open and by the same number of votes it defeat.ed a motion by Councillors Emim and Lovelock that the Whitby station also be kept open. Councillor Lovelock con- tended that it "would be terribly shortsighted" for the council to close the Whitby police station wien the town was faced with a population increase of 10,000 within the next 10 years. No definite arrangements have been made as to what form the "store front" police station will take in Whitby, but it will likely be a rented facility in the downtown core", said Councillor Love- lock. Councillor Lovelock said following the meeting that he was very disappointed that only two councillors other than Gerry Emm and himself supported Whitby's position. He said he believed that council granted Ajax its police station because it is an integral part of that com- munity's municipal building and receives about 28 inquirieÅ¡ off the street, whereas Whitby's building is removed' from the centre of town and onlv about five people per day drop into the building. Councillor Lovelock said the regional management committee will decide the future use of the police building, and pointed out that there is concern among some councillors that there is a $38,000 a year debenture debt on the building. He was also disappointed and annoyed that the council of Whitby never had any opportunity to discuss the matter of closing the police.. station with the Board .f Police Commissioners. "There is a breakdown in com- munications here", he said. Councillor Lovelock said he did not think the policing of the town would be affected by the closure, but what will be lost is the physical build- ing where people can come with their problens. WELCQME TO I$COTLAND' These spirited Highland dancers welcomed about 50 children to final travelogue program held by the Whitby Public Library last week during the school break. Friday's program was all about Scotland, while on other days the programs featured Denmark, the Ukraine, Holland, Malta and Scandinavia. The dancers are Kim Powell, 12, and Karen Powell, 15, of 607 Beech Street, and Anne Jordan, 11, of 120 Dundas Street West. Free Press Photo M Vol. 6, No. 13 Wednesday, March 31, 1976 24 Pages .INSIDE FITNESS CLUB COMING TO TOWN.................... PAGE2 KEYSTONE CAPERS.... ....... PAGE 4 HOSPITAL ANNUAL MEETING-.......PAGE 5 BROOKLIN BYLINES,......... PAGE 6 HISTORICAL WHITBY, WORDS FROM WEST LNNDE................... PAGE 7 AUXILIARY COÃ'STABLES NEEDED .PAGE 1Q SPORTS DIl NER MONDAY. PAGEil REDMEN BEGIN TRYOITS...A 2.* Regional -works officials baffled ... ...Local councillors to the rescue Brooklin without water for 16 hours on weekend BrookHn residents were without water for 16 hours last weekend 'when a Hydro malfunction put the com- munity's water pumping station out of service. North Ward councillors Bob Carson said he under- stood the trouble began when two wires touched and blew out a transformer on the Heber Down farm during the high winds about 9:45 p.m, Saturday. The failure of the trans- ,former knocked out the transformers in the pumping station behind the library and residents began to notice a lack of water pressure by 11:30 p.m. Councillor Carson said the regional works depart- ment replaced the trans- formers in the pumping station but they continued to blow out, because of the "Here it is", says Councillor Gerry Emm to regional works department officiais as Councillor Bob Carson holds door of the building containing the auxiliary well and pump in Brooklin. Councillors Emm and Carson had to show the works officials where the building was, Sunday, and said if it had been found and put into use immediately, lack of power. It was not until some residents noticed that flourescent lights were not working properly either, that the officials realized that the problem was related to the flydro system, said Councillor Gerry Emm. Councillors Carson and Emm said they were surprised to find that the regional works officials did not know that a backup pumping station existed on Way Street and the seventh concession, and showed them where it was at 10 a.m Sunday. They were able to get into the building and get the pumping equipment started, and by 3 p.m. Sunday the main statirn was again back in service. The Brooklin water tank was again filled to capacity and in working order by 3 a.m. Monday said Brooklin would not have been without water for 16 hours on the weekend. Both councillors are- asking for an investigation into how to update and improve the existing Brooklin water system to prevent such occurrences in the future. Free Press Photo by Mike Burgess Councillor Emm. Both Councillors Carsor and Emm expressed conzern that the region knew nothing of the backup station, and that the building appeared to have received no service or maintenance since· the region took over the water system two years ago. Councillor Emm said the fire department was con- cerned about the lack of water in Brooklin during the weekend and sent up an extra tank truck on standby duty. Also Fire Chief Ed Crouch drove through the streets of Brooklin announc- ing over a public address system that residents could obtain drinking water at the fire hall. Both Councillors Emm and Carson expressed con- cern that Brooklin needs to have its water pumping equipment updated and a backup system installed that will nieet emergencies. If the region had known about the pumping station on the seventh concession, the water service could have been restored, said Councillor Carson. Both councillors also stated that they would like to see a warning system installed in the Brooklin water tank which will indicate when the water level drops to less than a quarter full. This would provide an early detection of trouble before the tank runs dry, they said. Councillor Emm said that before the region took over water, the tank and pumping station were checked twice a day by a local resident, but now they are checked only once a day. On Saturday the check was made at 11 a.m., before the trouble started, saia Councillor Carson. Councillor Emm says he is pursuing the matter with the region, and would like to see some safeguards installed before the region adopts its long-term plan to hook up Brooklin with a reservoir · to be built on Taunton Road. Councillor Emm said he believes there is plenty of water available in Brooklin, but the equipment needs updating. He expressed concern, however, that if there was a fire, the system would provide only 45 minutes worth of water to the fire department before it runs dry. Art Leitch, plant opera- tions manager for the regional water department, said Monday that the region does not consider the- well and pumping station at Way Street and the seventh con- cession an alternate supply of water for Brooklin, and does not intend to put it into use. The pressure and volume are minimal and the quality of the water is suspect in this well, he said. Mr. Leitch said the pump in the main pumping station ceased working at 4 a.m., Saturday, but the low pressure was not noticed by the .residents till about l 1p.rn. He said the tank has a device that will turn on the pump when the water level is low, but if the pump does not turn on as was the case on Saturday, the only warning the region has is calls from residents on high ground who are the first to lose water pressure. Downtown store-front facility likely Police station to close June 30 mý