Residents want 4-way stop. signs WHY IS THIS COUPLE S0 HAPPY?......,SEE PAGE 15 Photo'by Mike Buirgess Coun-cil tours downtow-n The Operations Committee of Counil's walking tour brought stares of wonder- ment from the residents of the Town of Whitby as they walkcd along the downtown streets area. The Committee was ac- companicd by Town Staff members and the press. r At one point during the tour when a Committee member asked the Works Department "to make ,a note of that stump", Uic Town Staff excelaimedi, "not another one."> Councillor Gerrýy-Emm was making certain that a list of tree stumps be made and the stumaps be removed. Some of the tree stumps have been standing^ on, the town pro perty for a niumber of years aftertheé trees have been eut down. There were- a number Of, older trees in thc downto wn area that were looked at and, several members -of 'the, Operati ons Com mittee wondered ' why thc trees hadn'tbeen taken down years ago. "6Some of thosËe trees were marked for trimming three years ago," said Councillor Gerry Emm. "No wonder wc are getting the same old problem complaints at Coun- cil. It is because Uhc work hasn't been donc." Back at thc meeting in thc firehail Councillor Joe Bu- gelli remarked on Uic Vic- toria Day Monday, May 21 wind storm. He said, "Iduring last Monday's twister Itwo trees feil down and it took the Fire Dcpartment the whole day to repair the situation. They did a good 'job of ik but it was fortunate that thc trees hadn't fallen on the houses in the area. The trees were overheight and should have been trimmed back before anything happened like it did happen. It was just fortunate that no one was injurcd." The walking tour took the Council's Operations Com- mittee Mayor Gartshore, Town Staff and press through laneways on both sides of Brock Street south of the Four corners. The unpaved dusty back lanes and drainage problems along wiUi many other pro- blcms werc carefully notcd by. members of the Town Staff at times upon Uic re- qucst of a Council member or Mayor Gartshore. "Just in case it was ovér- looked," said Councillor Emm. As. thcy looked at the con- ditions of Uic sidewalks, Councillor Emm suggested that "prisoners, from the Whitby jail should be used to sweep thé -sidewalks in thc area" Mayor I'Gartshore said, "the alleyways arc obviously a disaster., But we can't spend ail our money to fix up their properties when Uic owners don't scem inte- rested enough to fix up their ownë properties. The involvement of ,ailrésidents has 'been impossible to obtain up to this point." As the walk continucd, uncut grass along a boule- vard in front of a well kept lawn caught Mayor Gart- shore's eye. He said, "people should have enough pride to look aftcr their own boule- vard. Eighty percent 0f the people do look after their property." Commcnting on, the side- walk repair he said it is "a perpetual job" as Uic Town will spcnd $750,000 for side- walk repair. As the smail contingent of town officiais. and press wcnded their way along the tour route Byron Street, South, to Ontario Street East to Athol Street, Ash Street to Perry Street and along Green Street several citizens wanted to know what was going on. When they learned that some of the> Council members were7 making an inspection tour of the area, thc comments were "«we are glad some one is taking an interest in what is goîng on in Uiis Town. We arc glad some interest is being taken in our problems and that we are not talking into a telephone for nothing." Then there werc quips about Uic water-filled ruts in thc boulevards; especially along Athol Street. Councillor Emm wanted to know what Uic name of tUic lake was? He asked if it is "called Mosquito Lake?" Rack came ýtheý quick reply that Mosquito Lake is Uic name and it has been there for some time. As they walked along Ash Street and the edge of Ash Creek the property owners were mowing their lawns right to the cdgc of the crcek. They complained about how the stagnant water in the creck creates a "vcry smelly problem in the Cont'd on P. 2 A delegation of Walnut S>tet residents was present at the Operations Committee meeting held in the Whitby Fire Hall last week. The spokesperson for the delegation, Donna Harris, p'inted out that, the group have requested on numerous occasions a four-way stop sign intersection at Walnut and Centre Streets. They prescnted carlier in the year three petitions to the Council one of which was a petition bearing the signa- tures of 214 of Walnut Street and vicinity residents. Mrs. Harris pointcd out that the residents in the area "éare concerned about the safety of the children. Their safety is our chief conccrn" she said. It was pointed out that there is a public school in the area and- there are two bus routes. The school buses sering the --ep'taté -éhôbl Èboard and'schools "stop to pick up the children." She went on to state that "there is a public play- ground in the area and it is a vcry popular area." It was pointed out that the Kinsmen Park is the play- ground. area and it also bas an outdoor swimrning pool and wading pool. The pools are used by the children and "littie tots go wading in the wading pool." A reference was made by the delegation to the YMCA» planned playground area programme which includes the Kinsmen Park and swim- ming pool facilities. There is a summer play- ground programme being prepared for the Parks and the children for the coming summer. Il soon will be summer and something should be donc about having a four way stop at Centre and Walnut Street intersection which is at pre- sent controlled as a two way stop intersection, the resi- dents said.ý A check was made bet- ween the hMur of 1:45 and 2:45 p.m. and it was found that 56 cars passed the Wal- nut Street intersection. Pointing out that Dunlop street, which is widened to 32 feet, during the time of 3:15 and 4:00 p.m., a matter of thrce quarters of an hour, 100 cars. passed a certain given point. It is due to the proposed widening of Walnut Street to 32 feet that the residents are pressing for a four-way stop signs at the Walnut and Centre Street intersection. A report the Operat4ons Committec. reivýed _from the Public Works' Depart- ment states that "the instal- lation of the signs-and posts would be in the ncighborhood of $100". Councillor Joe Bugelli moved that the Council request the Region of Dur- ham to erect a four-way stop signs at the Centre and Wal- nut Street intersection. The motion' was unanimously carried. Councillor Gerry Emm, chairman of the Operations Committec explained "if council concurs with the motion passed at thc Com- mittee meeting you (the people) can rest assured that the Town's repres'entativcs on the -Regional Council will make every effort to sec that the four-way stop signs are erected at that intersection. Cont'd on P. 2 MAYOR PITCHES'IN Mayor Jim Gartshore threw thc first pitch to, open the Whîtby Minor Basebail season for 1979, ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ý Saudya ee ak hty Minor Basebail Association President Lorne CaÎnpbell was batter and Dcputy Recreation-Director Fred Beckette, a formier basebali player, was catcher for, Uic opening ceremonies. For photos of, basebaîl prae.se, ae E P!R ýE