PAGE 4, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 29,1976, WHITBY FREE PRESS ~~w hïntby SERVUNG OVER 28,000 READERS r Publied cvery Wcdncsday byM.B.M. Publishing and Photography Ie. The Free Press Building Voice of the County Town Mike Burgess, Publisher-Managing Editor 121 Brock Street North, The only Whitby newspaper independently owned and operated by Whitby residerits for Whitby residentWhtyOtai Assistant Editor - Blake Purdy Conirunity Editor - Brian Winter Contributing Editor- Jim Qu<tl.' Production Manager- Marje Burgess Display Advertising Manager - Robin Lyon Classified Ad Manager - d Marlene Byroni Circulation Manager - Sharon Lyon Box 206, Whitby. Mailing Permit No. 460 Phone 668-6111. Let's get back to basies when building houses We, like Whitby Councillor Joy Thompson, believe that developers should be urged to bud some no-frili houses for people who can flot afford to purchase today's standard dwellings, complete with paved driveways, sodded lawns, wall-to-wall broadloom, coloured fixtures and appli- ances, flagstone fireplaces and finished basements. More parkli As Councillor Thornpson says, people who can tiot afford to purchase the type of bouse presently being buit would jump at the chance to buy less expensive dwellings 1 and add the frilis later, if and when their bank accounts could handie it. As tnuch as we hate using cliches, we feel it is time to get back to the basics. rig downtown is only the beginig We were happy to heur that the Town has purchased two parcels of land ini the dlown- town area with the intention of eventually converting the properties into parking sites for 42 cars. The acquisition of more off-street parking has been a goal of the downtowrn mer- chants and businessman for a number of years. They are aware that the lack of sufficient parking ini the downtown area is one of the main reasons why people, ini recent years, bav e flocked to shopping centres eni masse. They have mnaintained, and quite rightly so, that there is no use in enmbarking on a costly progrurm of downtow'i rejuvenation to a ttract people to the area unless thlere are adequate facilities where they can park once they get there. The provisionl of more park- ing spaces is only the first in a mnany-step process to get the people to once again do their business ini the downtown area. George Brooks dead at 58 We hve lost a dedicated public servant In the death of George Brooks, Friday, Wlitby lost one of its most dedicated public servants, a man who cared about bis community. For eigbt years on the town council and for more than seven years on the Public Utilities Commission, he worked bard to better tlie lives of his fellow citizens. At the county level, Mr. Brooks was deeply involved in some of the most crucial policy decisions in recenlt history. In 1962 he joined tlie county îjroperty commi-ittee which was responsible for tlhe construction of the new county court bouse on Ross- la nd Road, and travelled througbout Ontario inspecting court bouses in other com- munities. In 1 964 he becamle chairmnan r)f the property coin- mnittee and was one of the speakers at the officiai openî- ing of the new building on Sept. 30 of tliat year. Mr. Brooks played an im- portant part in the property committee's decision to keep the couIrt house iii Whitby. Ten years after it opened it became tbe beadquarters for the new Region of Durhamn. Once the new county building liad been comple ted, Mir. Brooks was tbe leading a(Ivocate of a citizens' move- nment to imake the old countv building a commniuniity centre as Whiitby's Centenlnial project. Mr. Brooks also served on the special events, finance and county matters committees of coLlnty counicil, and in 1 963 serve(l on a comrnittee to forrnulate an agreement on Oshawa's participating ini tie new county building. lInI1966, Mr. Brooks vas chairmian of the Emiergency Measures Comnmittee, and ini 1 967, the first chairman of the Board of Flealth for tlie ciitire counity. Mr. Brooks also served as a memiber of the county's labor relations conmmittee and took an ac tive part i ii union negotiations at bis pilace of eimployrnent., Dunlop Rubber Co. (nlow Dayton lTire). He served for a number of years as president of the United Rubber Workers at Dunlop, and for four years was Canadian field representative for the union. As a memnber of the Public Utilities Commission, Mr. Brooks expressed bis views on negotiations but did not take part iin theni because lie feit Iiis URW position would create a conflict of interest. Even ini his days on council, Mr. Brooks bad an iiiterest in the water and electrical services in the town, and initiated a programi of upgrading the town's street lighting, which was carried out for several years. lie was also a strong sup-' porter of development of industry, the hiarbor and the downtowni. Mr. Brooks wvas a hiumani- tarian, who always took an interest in the staff who work- ed for the town and the Public Utilities Commrission. He had a great desire to serve his fellow mian, and applied his knowledge to mlany fields of interest. Those who »worked closest with binm, describe George Brooks as one of the top men on Whitby's municipal scene in the Iast 1 5 years. He will be greatly rnissed, especially .by the icnem bers of the Public Utilities Commission, whom lie served for the past year and a haWfas vice-chairmnan. N -- - - Got a beef? Le t us know. Send letters to Box 206