WHITBY FREE PRESS, WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 1986, PAGE 9 School parents want better community facilities by JAN DOI>GE Parents and principals want the town and the board of education to share Kendalwood school construction costs for better community facilities. At last week's meeting of the Dr. Robert Thornton Home and School Association parents chided the town for not getting involved with the construction of Pringle Creek (due to open September, 1987). "Why are our concerns not being listened to?" one mother asked. Joe Drumm, east ward councillor, admitted council had "missed the bus on Pringle Creek." He said council had not committed any funding to schools, but was interested in getting involved. "We're prepared to look at Kendalwood very thoroughly,' he said. HoWever, Steve Edwards, senior planner for the Durham Board of Education, said the school's opening would be delayed unless the board had an answer from the town within the nextweek. One parent suggested that with a joint agreement between the town and the board, facilities such as a swimming pool and an adult-sized gym could be incorporated into the Kendalwood design. Both students and the community would benefit she said. The Durham board already has joint agreements with Oshawa for the Mary Street School, and with Ajax for Westney Heights and Lakeside School. Lakeside, which opened in September, cost Ajax about $750,000 Greg Kirkbride, Ajax treasurer, said. That amount was raised entirely by lot levies from capital that developers contributed to the town for every lot on which they build, he said. Ajax also has a cost- sharing agreement with the board for operating costs. At Lakeside, because of the joint agrement, the gym is 8,000 square feet instead of the 4,000 allowed for school gyms, Maureen Dowhaniuk, program superintendent for Ajax Recreation said. This means it is suitable for adult games of basketball. There is also a 2,000 square foot community room within the school plus a kitchen and storage rooms which the town uses for a variety of programs which run five days and evenings during the school week plus Saturdays. A children's play group, dance classes for preschoolers to age 13, an adult ballroom class, after school daycare, a children's creative dramatics program, two dancersize classes (one for over 55s), and co-ed fitness for pre teens and early teens are scheduled. "The school staff has been very supportive," Dowhaniuk said. "Preschoolers some- times go into Grade 1 classes....We're trying to develop a true community relation- ship. In a telephone interview with Ruth Lafarga, chairman of the Durham Board of Education, she said the board had broached the possibility of joint sharing of construction at liaison meetings with the municipalities in February. Whitby was again invited to participate in late spring, and she had sent a letter to the town two to three weeks ago when there was a rumor the ministry was considering Kendal- wood. Lafarga said the only response she had so far was that Whitby was considering a policy. She said, however, it was not too late if the town wanted to get involved. "The board believes this is the way to go to provide communities with the facilities they want," Lafarga said. "The architect for Kendalwood bas not been approved yet," Jim Russell, superintendent of plant for the board, said. That must go to the board for approval, possibly at the next meeting. He was concerned about a delay in construction should Whitby decide to corne in now, what with meetings over costs and how each would share. "These things don't happenfast." But Mayor Bob Attersley doesn't ,see that as a real problem. If the town decides to go ahead and share costs to get facilities for community use, "we'Il catch up with the architect," he said. Town staff are working on a report right now, Attersley said. When council first asked staff to report on joint sharing of costs for Kendalwood, the mayor said they expected to have another year, but with the ministry bringing down their approval, Nov. 10, instead of late spring, the usual announcement time, the report wasn't ready. Attersley said he expected a decision on the matter within the next month. "I believe tremendous things could come about with community use facilities in schools," John Hinch, principal of Thornton told parents at the Home and School meeting. He related how a Y representative had approached him about providing daycare facilities in the school. That's the kind of thing which might be accommodated in a new school, he said. "Just try to get a parking spot at the library at 8:30 at night or try to get your child into swimming lessons at the Anne Ottenbrite Pool," Wayne Ellis, principal of Palmerston Avenue and Whitby resident said following the meeting. "All facilities are overtaxed." "Co-operative prob- lem-solving is what's needed. We've got to get together on this." Pat Bowman, trustee on the board of education, urged parents at the meeting to send "400 letters to either support or convince Joseph (Joe Drumm)." Volunteers wanted for probation work The local office of the Ministry of Correctional Services is looking for volunteers to supervise adults on probation. Volunteers, who will receive training in January and February, meet their clients from one to three times a month each. Several volunteers have only one client. There are now about 25 volunteers in the area which includes Whitby, Ajax and Pickering. Volunteers may enforce probation orders, help those on probation look for work or receive treatment for alcohol abuse, or ensure that those on probation pay their restitution. Some also do clerical work. Volunteers in this area range in age from 21 to 75. Some are university students, get- ting a taste of what could be a future career, some are store security people and even policemen. The 75-year- old is a piano teacher. Anyone interested can call 683-0373 or 831-2600 CATHY ROWELL, president of the Thornton Home and School Association, with Ted Shiner, education chairman of the Durham council of Home and School.