Corridor Capers CORRIDOR AREA RATEPAYERS ASSOCIATION To refresh our memories and for all newcomers to Whitby we give you this information about our Association. The boundaries are: Garden St. to the Oshawa-Whitby Town Line from the lake to Taunton Rd. OBJECTIVES OF THE ASSOCIATION To act as a representative organization of the residents for the purpose of preserving and improving the present characteristics of the Corridor Area as a residential area in all Downtown Whitby Dy JohmwRobert Y Taxis. What comes to mind? In the past, too many negative things have unfortunately popled up in soie people's minds about taxis. Let's set the record straight, at least as it applies to taxis in Whitby. Last week there was a comment made about a particular taxi stand in this town, in another newspaper. It related part of a sentence implying that this taxis stand was "an eyesore." The unfortunate thing was that this comment was misread to indicate that the taxi company and its cars were themselves eyesores. This comment was not intended as such nor should it be read in that way. What the matter was relating to was the potential purchase of the lot at the corner of Byron and Dundas Streets for a parkette, and that such a parkette was going to be one step towards the beautification òf the downtown. What is an eyesore about the lot (not the taxi stand) is the fact that it is fronted by a concrete wall that is crumbling, gravel that spreads itself thither and yon, and general disrepair which is the responsibility of the owner of this land, not of the taxi company which rents it. One thing that this town -- any town -- needs is its taxis, whether a town has public transportation or not. The day is long past when any taxi driver can or should be looked upon as a second-class citizen. You will find that generally taxi drivers are not only educated and intelligent people, but in many cases are the town's best ambassadors to visitors. And you will also find that the owners of these taxi companies are the first ones to act should passengers complain about the service they get. So all in all, there is something very positive about taxis and people who drive them. Examples of good things done by taxi drivers are manifold. I know of taxi drivers delivering babies, of aiding stranded motorists, of driving people home who've had too much to drink because the driver was concerned that the passenger might run afoul of the law or injure someone, of helping senior citizens with their shopping. The examples can go un and on. So I suppose that I'm a bit riled up not only because of the way that the aforementioned comment was interpreted, but also because we have a group in our midst that is receiving much less of the credit than is due them. But I think that in their roles as goodwill ambassadors, the PC's elect 1979 officers The following is -the 1979 executive of the Brooklin and District Progressive Conservative Association, elected at the association's annual meeting Jan. 10. President is Terry Joyce; First Vice-President, Roger Smith; Second Vice- President, Betty Jean Blyth; Secretary, Alice Whiting; and Treasurer, Brude Bagg. CINEMA WHITBY 668-361:1 Ir>muoma. CU0RM w DELu I.udb, 1WEMM Efi oe4FlJ-S January 18 - 23 ONLY 1 Show Nightly 7:p.m. Sot Matinee matters relating to the amenities, comfort, safety and welfare of the residents. To maintain liason with elected representatives of the area at all levels of Government-to submit briefs, petitions and requests to all levels of Government on matters affecting the area. Join us; we need you: Annual membership $2 per family. Dues to be collected by the Whitby Rangers of St. Marks Church in Whitby, so just phone 725-8967, 728-2103 or 668-8888 and we will have a Ranger at your door. A donation will be made to this group to help them with their trip to switzerland in March. THE REGIONAL FINANCE COMMITTEE The above had a meeting last week and the recommendation to Regional Council is that the unserviced portions of the Corridor be given until the end of April, .1979 to pay for the sewers, $150 or to prepay if the sewers are not yet on your street. This will be brought up at the Regional meeting on Jan. 24, 1979 and as many as possible are asked to attend. WHITBY HISTORICAL SOCIETY Annual meeting at Pairview Lodge, Dundas St. on Jan. 23. Pot Luck Supper at 6.p.n. before the meeting at 8 p.m. More taxi drivers play as important a role as anyone in the town at a given moment. I know that in Whitby many taxis drivers show visitors through the downtown first when the visitor expresses a desire to go shoppiig,-and points out the advantages of shopping in our town. I have had visitors tell me this. I know of many taxi drivers who make it a habit to shop downtown with their families, not .because their presence in the stores or businesses might mean a fare some day, but because they genuinely like the town and the people they meet from the town. So while our proposed parkette might evoke some negative reaction for whatever the reason, this particular example should never have been emphasized. On another * topie, my congratulations to whomever was responsible for convincing the finance department to stay in Whitby. We don't need an exodus of this sort from town, and I hope that something can be done in the future to answer the real needs and concerns of the finance department within the town of Whitby. As far as Mayor Gartshore's comments to the Chamber of Commerce last week, extensively publicized in this and other newspapers, are concerned, I wish to offer my enthusiastic agreement with what was said. I stated before the Mayor spoke that I felt we had a friend and ally in him as far as peogress in the redevelopment area is conéerned, and his speech bore this out. It is now up to us in the downtown to assist in making realities out of his concepts. WITBY FREE PRESS, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 17,1979, PAGE5 about this next week. Corridor Capers Dance, March 10 at Heydenshore. Reserve your tickets. WHITBY THEATRE COMPANY Remeber Jan. 30, a drama, The Effects of Gamma Rays on Man in the Moon Marigolds. More details next week. SWEET ADELINES Sweet Adelines, Oshawa Chapter will hold their dance at Heydenshore on Feb. 3 Tickets are available from any member or call Anna-Jane Sharrard, 576-2358. Remember to tell your new neighbours about Welcome Wagon. We call on all newcomers to the area including Brooklin with civic information and lots of goodies. West of Brock St. call 668-9654, east of Brock St. call 579-0878 or 728-2103. SIR JOHN A. MACDONALD'S BIRTHDAY MONTH Have you read Macdonald, His Life And World by Peter B. Waite of Dalhousie University, published by McGraw Hill Ryerson? Available at the Whitby Public Library and hopefully at the local book stores. Until next week, Ruth Chambers. Join the majority- Be a non-smoker National Education Week on Smoking Jan.21-27,1979 ywo K %a 0000, 1 "q 1:30P.M.