Seniors centre board disbanded A reorganization of the structure of the Whitby Seniors Activity Centre was undertaken by council last week in an attempt to improve its operation. At a meeting last Wednes- day, the council voted unan- imously to dissolve the Board of Directors of the Centre and the constitution under which it operates. The members of the centre were informed of council's decision Thursday as they were about to conduct a second election of officers, the first one having been declared invalid because of procedural difficulties. "The responsibility for all .prograriñs and over-all day- to-day management of the centre lies with the co-ordi- nator of the centre, Mrs. Byk," said Mayor Gartshore in a statement to the members. "The co-ordinator reports to council through Mr. Fred Beckette, Deputy Director of Recreation. Mr. Beckette reports through Mr. DeVeau, Director of Recreation who reports to the Operations Committee of Council. The Operations Committee is responsible to Council." "It's our feeling that the organizational structure we made hadn't been working as well as perhaps we thought that structure had been working," Mayor Gart- shore said in an interview Friday. He said the council had been concerned for some time as to the operation of the centre, and reports had been made about the struc- tural problems by the Recreation Department staff, the general member- ship of the centre and other concerned parties. "The declining member- ship would also indicate some changes must be made in the organizational strue ture of the centre", said Mayor Gartshore. "After consideration of ihe matters involved, it is the feeling of council that under the present organizational structure, the centre cannot accomplish its goal, which is to be responsive to and responsible for the needs of the senior citizens of our community," he said. Since the council had come to the conclusion over the past month that the board of directors should be dissolved, the town didn't want to disband the board after a second election. That is why the announcement was made on the date of the election, said the mayor. Mayor Gartshore empha- sised that the decision is to dissolve the boagd of direc- tors, and not thë sub-com- mittess or groups mn the centre. He expressed the hope that ail sub-committees and groups would continue their activities as usual. . Mayor Gartshore said he hoped there would be more direct contact between the membership and the co- ordinator, Mrs. Byk, as a result of the decision taken Wednesday. "The ultimate authority for operation of the centre lies with council," he said. "We didn't take this step without serious consideration." "There are no other organ- izational changes contem- plated at this time," said the mayor in his statement to the membership. "Over the next few weeks, council will be considering other organiza- tional structures for the centre which will make the centre much more respon- sive to the needs of the community." Finance move IS approved The on-again, off-again movt- n the Durham Region finance department is on again.' Last Wednesday, members of regional council voted 19 to 9 to accept a 51-month lease of space in Durham .Towers in down- town Oshawa. The final approval of the lease, however, is subject to a hearing by the Ontario Municipal Board. The regio- nal council agreed that e decision of the OMB on the terms of the lease would be binding. At present the terms include a clause for an annual rental fee of about $580,000 for 20,000 square feet in the building, and parking spaces for about 80 cars. Oshawa Councillor Alan Dewar, chairman of the region's management committee, said the commit- tee was satisfied the Durham Towers proposal was reason- able and the best compared with the terms of other facili- ties checked by the region. Pickering Councillor Ken Matheson attempted to have the issue tabled until the region dealt with the future improvements to the regional headquarters in Whitby, but his motion was defeated. Mayor Jim Gartshore of Whitby led the opponants to the' Oshawa move, recom- mending that the money spent on the move could be saved if. renovation of the regional headquarters started immediately to relieve the overcrowded conditions which caused the finance commissioner to recommend the move. "We could have somiething here within a year or 15 months and save almost $1 million in rent," said Mayor Gartshore. MAUREEN McTEER IN WHITBY Maureen McTeer, wife of Federal Progressive Conservative leader'Joe Clar'k, paid a brief visit to Whitby Thursday, where she attended a reception hosted by Judy Moskaluk at 200 Colborne Street. West. Standing on the porch of Mrs. Moskaluk's home are, left to right, Whitby Poll Canvas Chairman Murray Beadie, Hostess Judy Moskaluk, Maureen McTeer, Ontario Riding P.C. Candidate Scott Fennell, and his wife, Cecil Fennell. For story, see page'26. Free Press Photo by Brian Winter Hospital's rebuilding causes concern At their annual meeting last week in Oshawa, members of Mental Health Durham expressed some reservations about plans for the rebuilding of the Whitby Psychiatric Hospital. The members said they wanted to make certain the new hospital would serve the needs of the patient and not just the Ontario Ministry of Health. They said, they were con- cerned that the new hospital could become "another disaster" like the rebuilt Queen Street Mental Health Centre in Toronto. Bill Jappy, director of the psychiatric hospitals branch of the Ministry of Health, told the members of Mental Health Durham that the number of patients served by the new Whitby hospital would not exceed 470. He estimated it would take five years to rebuild the hospital, and if the needs of patients changed within that time, the designis flexible enough to allow changes, he' said. "We're not going to iake the same mistake twice," he said, referring to.the-Queen Street hospital. This hospital was rebuilt eight years ago to. accomnodate 750 beds when only 300 were needed. Members of Mental Health Durham, however, suggested the ministry should -look intô other types of care available to mental patients, such as group homes. Some members sug- gested empty wings the Oshawa General and Dr. Ruddy Hospital be used to accommodate bed-ridden mental patients. Mr. Jappy replied that general hospitals are not equipped to look after the same type of patients as psychiatric hospitals. One woman, who identified herself as an ex-patient of the Whitby Psychiatric Hospital, said the ministry should consider moving the hospital's location. She said the present site is too isolated, making it diffi- cult for the patients to func- tion in the community once they leave. Poor' bus ser- vice in the area adds to the. patients' feeling of isolation, she said. Mr.. Jappy praised the members of Mental Health Durham for their enthu- siasm about community involvement because they either know someone who is mentally ill or who has worked with the mentally ill, "but the general public is apathetic and doesn't want to get involved," he said. Prime Minister Pierre Elliot Trudeau will attend a Liberal Party rally at Henry Street High School, Friday, May 18. Campaign co-ordinator Ron Sproule said the doors of the high school will open at 5 p.m. and the public is wel- come to attend. The prime minister will be speaking in the new gymna- sium, and after his speech, he will join the overflow crowd in the cafeteria to mingle and shake hands for about 15 or 20 minutes, said Mr. Sproule. Entertainment will be provided- by the Pickering ,and Dunbarton High School bands until the prime mnister's arrival. Mr. Trudeau will be greéted by Minister of State ¢ for Mülticulturalism, Norm Cafik, who is running for re-elecëtion in Ontario Rid- ing, of hicb Whitby is a par:t. Oslawa Liberal.candi- date Elizabeth Gomes will, also be present. According to Mr. Sproule, this will be Mr. Trudeau's last big rally before the May 22 election. Patient's body found Members of the Whitby Psychiatric Hospital Staff found the body of a missing patient on Tuesday, May 2. Anne Marie Wolniak, 48, of Raven Lane, Ajax, is believed to have died from exposure. The missing patient's body was found near the hospital grounds, police said. A post-mortum has been performed but the police have not received the resuits of the Coroner's report as yet. The patient had been reported missing from the hospital since April 24. Ail candidates' meeting is May 17 Whitby area resiaents are invited to attend an all- candidates' uneeting for the May 22 Federal Election, May 17 at 7:30 p.m. in the council chambers at the Whitby Municipal Building. The four candidates for Ontario Riding, Norm Cafik for the Liberals, Scott Fennell for the Progressive Conservatives, Geoff Rison for the New Democratie Party, and RoIf Posma of the Libertarian Party will be the speakers. The meeting will be video-taped for Cable TV to be shown on Channel 10 at a later date. This all-candi- dates' meeting is sponsored by the Whitby Jaycees. Trudeau visits Whitby May 18