wHiITBY FREE PRESS, WI3DNI3SDAY, JULY 24,1985, PAGE 13 Town won't force builders to post bond The Town of Whitby will not force developers to post a $3,000 per unit bond to ensure that the quality of new homnes built in the town meet acceptable standards, However, the town will not issue occupancy permits until ail the minimum requirements of the building depar- tnient have been satisfied. Builders wiil aiso be required to inform the town of the ciosing dates of sales on a weekiy basis to allow inspec- ions to be more ef- ficiently scheduied. While taking that ac- ion iast week, Whitby Town Council aiso or- dered the situation to be monitored for six mon- hs. At that time public works director Dick Kuwahara is expected Lo report on the monitoring system's progress and determine Whether or not any changes are necessary. Eariier this year, IWest Ward Coun. Joe Bugelhi advocated that developers should be required Lu post a $3,O bond with the town tu ensure that the quaiity of their humnes met the required standards. if the builders failed Lu meet standards and did nuL effect town or- dered repairs within a suitable periud of ime, then the bond would be cashed and the work would be dune under the own's supervision. In his report Lu coun- cil, Kuwahara said the intent of Bugelli's motion was already met by the Ontario New Home Warranties Program which covers not only structurai defeets but also what are normaiiy referred Lu as cosmetie defects as weli. If the new homeowner and the builder cannot agree on the settiement of defeciencies, either party can ask for a con- ciliation hearing Lu be conducted by program officiais. IlWithin 14 days the New Home Warranties Program will make a decision and if the decision is in favur uf theuowner, the deficien- cies will be corrected immediately," Kuwa- hara said in lus report. "ýIf the builder receives a number of these conciliations and they go against him then the New Home Warran- ies Programn will review the circumstan- ces and in extreme cases nuL ailow the builder Lu build again in Ontario," the director added. The program, Kuwahara said, provides protection up Lu $20,00 in the first year of their warranty and another $20,000 over the next four years for structurai defects. However, he did add this warning: "The homeowners should be made fuily aware of to build aj gaz ebo for Centennial Park j - The Whitby Rotary horseshue. Club will buiid a gazebo "This wouud allow the in Rotary Cenennial audience Lu sit on the ' Park later this year. grass as in a stadium At its meeting last and view the enter-FO A week, Whitby Town tainers," DeVeau said.FO A Council gave its The completion of the blessing Lu the $30,000 gazebo wuuld also mean project which was first the compietion of the proposed i 1980. original Rotary Park When the project was design. first pruposed, the club IL would complete had applied for a $1,O00 the original design of Wintario grant which Rotary Cenennial Park was approved. and aliow an uppor- However, if the club is tunity Lu encourage to keep the money, iL must proceed with the project this year. In his report to coun- cil, parks and recreation director Wayne DeVeau said that his office had recelved a letter from the Ontario Mistry of Tourism and Recreation asking whether or nuL the project was proceed, for If it wasn't the grant would be withdrawn. he Rotary Club lias now indicatecl that they wlsh to procoed with the construction," DeVeau uaid. "The gazebo ia to act as a bandstand in the park for spring and suxnmer concerts and entertainment," the director added. "This bandsheli will be wired for sound and provide a 3w0 degree visual plat- form." DeVeau added that the final cost of the project wili be between $26,000 and $35,00. The Rotary Club will pay the difference between the actual cost and the $10,000 Wintaro grant. The gazebo wilI ac- commodate ap- proximately 40 players and wllI be located at the north end of Rotary Centennial Park on Lhe east side of the existing more usage," DeVeau said. their rights and the procedures to follow to ensure that their vaiid complaints are attended Lu promptiy and effec- tively." The directur also told council that he has been assured by prugram of- ficiais that they carry "4a great deal of clout with the builders and that they can get action. 'They have also aken the drastic action of removing builders from registration under the act that prevents them from building in On- tario," Kuwahara con- tinued, adding, "There are aiso other penalties and fines and su the builders are not anxious tu have numbers of complaints made again- st them. " Most builders operating in Whitby are more than co-operative with their prospective purchasers, Kuwahara halieves. builders in Whitby do everything possible to inform their purchasers of their rights under the New Hlome Warranties Prugram and how to prucced with listing the deficiencies and infor- ming the pruper agen- cies," he saîd, adding, "The bad unes probably play-duwn this area of their sales program." He also advised coun- cil that the program ac- ts on a complaint basis, s0 no action can be taken until they, are made aware of the sale and the defects found in the house. Close monitoring of the ciosing dates of sales will aliow his department to act before the occupancy permit is issued and thereby prevent some problems. Because of the program, Kuwahara doesn't helieve their is a enact a home quality assurance program of its own. 'There dues not ap- pear to be the need to further protect the home buyer from what is already cuvered un- der the Ontario New Hlome Warranties Program, " he said. "The problem mostly appears to stem from the fact that the home buyers are not fully under the. ..program and also the procedures in ensuring that action is Laken Lo attend to their complaints." Kuwahara also suggested thaL the town prepare a brochure to inform new home buyers in Whitby of their rights. This brochure couid be distributed either by the builders or by the town itself. r -- - - - - - - - -- - - - -I * I THISWEEK! * I * I I. F Ail Si6os 6.Style N L M M - LIMIT ONE COUPON PER CUSTOMER i Ép-M-MI "We're here to serve you". AMuti,ûIof(Omahil Company 20 UNA SRETE STfWIB b FREE QUOTATION ON YOUROAUTO *HOME *CONDOMINIUM oRENTERS INSURANCE c we veFliseI S Pire g-ut sAepnieS 9-Ot !jdg sjnq.i 9-Ot *peM-,uoyy imul mgaà à .3 a umasiIE ______1_3W________ PH 1P -19-Fi u---AL bu eillie tpeeq 1 Bullpns - g1. 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