Finance is possible Durham Region's manage- ment committee agreed last week that negotiations should proceed to relocate the region's finance depart- ment in downtown Oshawa, but the resolution still has to receive regional council approval. The negotiations concern five floors of the eight-storey office building at the corner of Bond and Centre Streets. Bob Richardson, the region's Chief Administra- tive Officer, said last week the finance department could be moved elsewhere, in June 1979 under a five- year lease and return to the headquarters in June 1984 when the agreement expires. According to Mr. Richard- son, relocating the finance department now would re- lieve space requirements at the regional offices at 105 Consumers Drive where the development department is located. Sqch a plan, he said, would allow the development de- partment to move into the regional headquarters. In a report presented to the region's management com- mittee last Wednesday, Mr. Richardson suggested the region proceed to construct two wings to ,the Rossland Road building which would provide about 150,000 square feet of space by 1984. The suggestion followed an announcement by the pro- vincial government that it would prefer to build a new court house of its own, rather than purchase the regional headquarters. The provincial govern- ment's leases expire Dec. 31, 1982, and construction of the additions could start in Jan. 1983, said Mr. Richardson. Construction would be far enough along in a year to permit the social services department to move from Oshawa to the headquarters, he predicted. The social services depart- ment is presently in the midst of moving to a new facility in downtown Oshawa. The planning, develop- ment and public works departments are located at 105 Consumers Drive in Whitby. Mr. Richardson said in his report that the finance de- partment could be relocated in the Durham Tower Build- ing, and eight-storey struc- ture in downtown Oshawa, on a five-year lease. The cost of relocating there, including rental pay- ments and moving expenses would be about $130,000 in 1979, he said, and the cost of renovations, furnishings and installation of the depart- ment's computers would be about $95,000. Mr. Richardson said the department's staff of 92 would occupy about five floors in the tower. On Jan. 10, the regional council tabled indefinately a motion.to move the finance department to Oshawa, and agreed to study the region's entire accommodation needs. New court house? The Ontario appears to be building a new Government thinking of court house on Rossland Road beside the existing regional head- quarters. Ontario Government Ser- vices Minister Lorne Hen- derson said last week that an offer from the region to sell the province the Durham administration building has been turned down. Ministry staff appraised the regional headquarters, half of which is used by the province for the courts, and recommended that the build- ing does not appear to be suitable for further use as a court house, he said. Sale of the building to the province would mean the region would proceed with construction of a new hea- dquarters, possibly on four acres of land owned by the region behind the existing building or on another site on Rossland Road. The region earlier tried to negotiate a 20-year lease withtprovince for conti- nued use of the building's west wing for courts, assess- ment and registry offices. When this attempt failed, regional council planned an $8.1 million expansion to the east and west wings of the building to start as early as next year, to accommodate the works, planning, social services and finance depart- ments. Mr. Henderson said he expects a decision soon on possible construction of a new provincial building for courtrooms and other gov- ernment operations on land immediately west of the Whitby Municipal Building. The province holds an eight- year option on this land. He predicted a decision could be made in three to four weeks, once the govern- ment services ministry's estimates are adopted by the Legislature. Expansion tabled The management commit- tee has tabled the proposal to expand the regional head- quarters at its present site on Rossland Road. Members of the manage- ment committee had varying views on the subject, Mayor Jim Potticary of Oshawa suggesting that real estate developers be invited to make an offer on the Ross- land Road headquarters property. Whitby Mayor Jim Gart- shore said the Rossland Road site provided, the region with office facilities at the lowest cost. Brock Mayor Allan McPhail even suggested that if the region wants to decentralize its departments, why not relo- cate the headquarters in Brock. Regional Chairman Walter Beath pointed out that coun- cil at various times has reaffirmed its position to have the headquarters located in Whitby. HAPPY 100TH BIRTHDAY Business premises smashed Durham Regional Police are asking the assistance of the public in helping to solve a vandalism case. Last Friday, March 16 seven business firms in town were smashed into, leaving behind broken doors and windows and a total damage of $6,000. Inspector Dean West- brooke asks anyone who has seen anything out of the ordinary happening or a veh- icle being too close to any of the seven businesses to con- tact 18 Division, Whitby Police Station on Rossland Road, if they have any know- ledge of the incidents. The individual names will be kept confidential and not made public. Police said someone using a vehicle either backed into or drove into the front door or window of the following premises: Franks Texaco Station; Whiteoaks Court, Miracle Mart Food Store, Dundas Street West; H. Salt Fish and Chips Store, Dundas Street East; Mac's Milk Store Michael Boule- vard) Texaco Service Sta- tion, 101 Victoria Street; the B.P. Service Station, Brock Street South and Silver's Variety Store, Brock Street South. The last three businesses are located in Port Whitby just south of Highway 401. Whoever it was that went on the window-door smash- ing rampage struck in the west, east and south sections of the Town of Whitby. Please notify the Police if you have any knowledge of these smash ups that occur- red on Friday, March 16. Telephone number is 579- 1520 ext. 281. Car crash at Brooklin kills Agincourt woman A broadside collision bet- zian, 31, a passenger in the ween two cars at the inter- car driven by her husband section of Thickson Road and Bedros Jansezian. Winchester Road, Brooklin, Police said Mr. Jansezian Saturday claimed the life of is in the intensive care unit an Agincourt woman. at Sunnybrook Hospital and A car driven by Bedros tbe couple's two cbildren Jansezian 42 of Agincourt Lîsa 12, and John 10 are in appeared to have "failed to the-Oshawa General stop at the stop sign," police Hospital. said. As a result a car driven Mr. Webbing is also in the by John Webbing 50of R. R. 1 Oshawa General Hospital. Brooklin struck the Janse- Police stated that they are zian car broadside. unaware of the extent 0f the The accident resulted in injuries suffered by the sur- the death of Mrs. Seta Janse- vivors of the crash. Mrs. Hannah Beal, a resident of Sunnycrest Nursing Home, Dundas Street, East in Whitby since 1971, celebrated her 100th birthday on March 19. A party was held at the nursing home, attended by her son John, Mayor Jim Gartshore, and other government officials. Mrs. Beal was born March 19, 1879 at Scarborough, England. In 1911, her future husband Ernest Beal came to Canada and built a home at 162 Langford Avenue in East York (now part of Toronto). He returned to Scarborough, England, where they were married on Jan. 31, 1912, and they returned to Canada. Mr. Beal was a cabinet maker and Mrs. Beal was an embroideress who worked for many years at Rowntree's Department Store, designing bridal gowns and dresses for the wealthy people of East York. She was so small that she acquired the nickname "Dolly" Mrs. Beal co-operated with the Danforth Businessmen's Association during the Second World War and made more than 200 quilted blankets embroidered with the maple leaf, to be sent to soldiers overseas. She had two sons and one daughter and one grandchild, and has relatives living in the United States and England. In 1977, Ernest Hutchinson, Mayor of Whitby England, paid a visit to Mrs. Beal while on an unofficial visit to Whitby, Ontario. Whitby, England is located near Mrs. Beal's birthplace of Scarborough. Free Press Photo by Brian Winter IJ