WHITBY FREE PRESS, WEDNESDAY. MAY 20, 1981, PAGE 3 Attersliey atternipts to selli Whitby ' s industiria progiram to Toronto media fly MiHAELKNLL Fr,. pressâtaU TORONTO - Whitby Mayor Bob Attersley took bis mmssge of "Whitby - We Moan Business" to Canada's MthIrdle8t city asat weok. At a apecial press con- ference to promeote his in- diutrial promotion programi te the Toroto media, Atter- sley mnade public plas for an industrial serina to be beld by the town on June 3. Athli almost 30 memn- bers of the Toronto medià (composed mostly of mgazines) wee nvited te attend, there were only elgbt reporters in attendance - tour of wblch were from the Durham reglon, including Ulis one. However, Attersley said that he felt the conférence was succeutsM and that the magazines would be recolvlng the press kits and «the information that was distributed. Aloi attendance at the meeting were represen- tatives of four local in- dustries and Regional Chairman Gary Herrema witlî members of Durbam's development departinent. Thbe what mlght be con- sidereca poor presa wrnour dld flot deter Attesley from giving bis message i an en- thumlatic nne "Whltby and the Durham Re&ion in certalnly a good place te locate," he sald ad- ding that the program was deslgned "1te help our com- munity, te help 0W. reglon and to elp Ontario" secure industrWa and commercial peowth. lie descrlbed the program, wtiich in funded by a group et fime developmnent firme, as "a gond pilot project for other cem- munities." The purpose of the project la 'Io produce a gond tax base for Whitby," the maya.- "aid addlng that the developing ci new industrial and commercial asseesment wil brlng new people and jobs to the town. The program recognizes the role played by existing industry and Attersley pald tribute te their contributions and that the June 'At Home Industrial Seminar"p wvlli give them a chance to establalià a oser relation- ship wlth the town and each other. "The objective of the seminar is te reinforce sup- port of our family Industries, encourage contlnued utilization of produets manufactured i this com- munity and express ap- preciation for the unique professional level each in- dustry demonstrates i the Town of Whitby " lie said. Attersley also claimed that the town's success in bring inh new industry and maintalnlng the current In- dustries lies i the fact that the tewn keeps the channels of communication open. "Why ba& Progressivei- dustrial growth i Whltby.... provlded addltlonal jobs for people.... developed advan- ced administrative planning techniques... and kept a high standard of quality in the' productlvity of their manufactures'?" "The answer lies In a combination of the old barn- raislng co-operation and týe continued rocking-chair type of communication throughout the past 125 years I the Town of Whlt- At the presa conerenuc, which was held at Toronte's WNorld Trade Centre, Atter- sley said that expansion ef present Whitby industries hian created 1,500 new jobs over the past couple of Yomr. lie said t.bat over the paît two years, General Moters of Canada lias or will zve 1,600 jobs te Wbltby in their purchasing accountlng and export divisions. 0f these, 5W wil be in the old Firestone Canada plant whlch General Motors bope& te re-open as their expert division later this summer. The recently complet. $100 million expansion at Lake Ontario Steel Com- pany's (Lasco) Whitby foundry Is expected te create 300400 new jobs. Dupent Canada's local fachllty lias undertaken a $3.5 million expansion whlch la expected te create 20 new jobs i the short term wlth m ore to b. added in the future. Attersley said that the prograniin stressing Whltby as av% entire communlty. When a company is tlilnklng of locating in a munlclpallty, Attersley said that "they look te the com- munity as a whole.... they look at the people, the cer-m munlty.P0 Bil Wallace, the town's administrater, sid that if a prospective industry lu looking at Whltby they wll find that staff "assist radher than discourage develop- ment. " "Oi1r. general philosophy in how can we assist," Wallace said adding that development still has to meet the rlgid controls of the officiai plan, zonlng bylaws and other planning depar- tment regulations. Wallace alsço announeed that building permts issued by the town unti the end of April showed a definite i- crease. By-the end of April, 1981, 220 permits liad been issued compared to 119 in the lame period the year before.. esuvo Up to 25O% After the conference, At- tersley said he was 1 very happy" wlth the way It went although he would net predict the reaction of the mediapeopl.. Ho-i-eve, he was alo "very pleased with the representatives of industry" who were present to show their iterest. "I reaily appreciate wliat tliey dld," hesald. This was also echoed by Regional Chairman Gary Herrema who sald that the big sucema e Whitby's un- lertéklng was the support received from local -i n- dustries. "Those guys are pro- Whltby, " he sald. Herrema alie said that other municipalities ln the region are iterested i what the town in doing and knows of at least two that are plan- ning- te do something simiiar. "They're alI watching Whltby te see what's golng AXUUS6EAU(SPQING SALL no ýýa1oe tax *ON MOST ITEMS Bob Atterarley IMMEDIATE DELIVERY LIU&AIAUHERITAGE HOUSE ite U A Tradition of fine furnituro sinve 1929. 216 MARY ST. E, WHITBY, 668-3483