Markborough.won't sel. Bluegrass pr 9perty. Concert band rehearses- BELINDA BAIN, Tina Lahey, beat during the Whitby Community Stephanle Rosbottom, Becky Deyell Band's rehearsal Thursday night. and Andrea SlMpson neyer missed a For story see pagte 6. I :44 Vol. 16, No.46. Wedlnesday, Nov. 19.,1986 By MIKE JOHNSTON .*Markborougb Proper- dies bas refused to seil land la. Bluegrass Meadows to the Durham Region NonProfit Housing Corporation (DRNPHC), a property which .was to bouse 68 subsldlzed bouses. "Timne ran out on them," said AI Bishop, explaining why Markborough -bas refused to seli the land. Bishop, 1general manager of the Ontario Division for Markborough, said. the DRNPHC had not satisfied the conditions contained in the offer-to- purchase agreement. Blshop contends that the DRNPHC bad until Oct. 31 to satisfy ail planning and financial 28 pages matters lnvolved in building the houses. "'They did not obtain the necessary planning and funding approvals," said Bishop during a phone interview Monday rnorning. Upon hearing of Markborough's decision on Thursday, Newcastle counfcillor Diane Hamire, presidentof the DRNPHC, said the, board of directors last week gave permission to "Itake appropriate legal action" against Markborough. Hamre said that the board is of the legal opinion that the closing date was Nov. 14 and not Oct. 31, "We have also met the conditions of sale and had the financing- in place," said Harare. Hanire said the DRNPHC bas flot given up the figbt because " a lot of time and provincial money bas . gone into thls. "IWhen you get a provincial allocation for subsidized housing you don't want to lose It. There la always another comnxunity waiting to grab it Up," said Harnre. Hanire said the- DRNPRC had the fundlng for the bouses even tbough their design bas been upgraded la thepnast toweeks. The upgrading included changing, the building materilfromn wood to brick and building separate. garages instead of carports. Hamnre added that obtaining a building permit was flot part of the 1planning- agreement. "You must remember that we advertised for properties and. they came forward. We have met ail the iegal requiremnets, " added Hamre. The third party involved ln the dispute, residents of Bluegrass who have opposed thet subsldlzed housing, believe this decision by Markborough is a victory for them. A press release delivered to The Free Press on Monday, stated that the decision bas "vindlcated the Bluegrass Meadows residents position ln this moitter." The press release signed by Bluegrass Meadows Ratepayers Association president Doug Miler states that some of the blaine for the confusion also bas to fail on Whitby, town council. 66f the Wbitby town counicil bad. listened to our deputations, tbey would have put aside their grandstanding and would have sougbt an independent legal opinion from a lawyer. The Wbtby town council could, - and should have, put a stop to tblsproJect ..."P Hamnre .said Markborough Proper- ties'bas been.informed. of pending legal action. Lack of information delays bus transit decision By MIKE JOHNSTON Wbitby's operations committee was unable to make' a decision about a new transit system, because of lack of information on Monday nigbt, say councillors. Councillors deait with a recommendation from the public works department that the town purchase two' new buses at a cost of $180,000 each. The buses would be a medium size ,G.M. coach or Orlon bus. Presently the town uses~ four modified school buses on, its routes which they lease froni Charterways at a cost of $45Fr hour. If tlhe town purchases the two buses and Cbarterways operates tbem, the cost to the town would be $33 per hour. The Minlstry of Transportation and Communication would provide a 75 per cent subeidy towards the purchase of the two buses. Çopncillors question- ed whether amaler buses would get a uubsidy from the MTC. They. wondered wbat would bappen if an engine blew on a town- owned bus. They aiso inquired as to cost uavlng oves' a certain Perlod of time. Councilors Indicated they were pleased with the new routes. The new system , wouid be increased to five routes instead of the present four and wouid require Plans for an apartment building on Hligh St. across from Fairview Lodge met with strong opposition Monday nigt from both residents and administration commît- tee memhars. A 60-namne petition was presented while several of the large delegation of residents spoke against the three- store>', 47-unit condominium apart- ment proposed for the east side of Iigh St., between Dundas St. W. and Mar St., by Wayne Bolahood. Whitby planning department bas recommended that the application be referred to the downtown secondar>' plan study now underway. But councillor Joe Bugellil asked tbat the application be dealt six buses instead of the present four. The main change in the system is a bus which would run along* Dundas St. every 15 with separatel>' and immediatel>'. His motion was supported by counillor Gerry Emm and chairman of committee, Marcel Brunelle. Bugelli said the decision on the application could simnply be incorporated into the secondary plan. "We shouid just deal with it on its own. Then it wiil be one less thing to deal with at the secondary plan meeting," he said to the applause of residents. Residents of Palace, High and Mary Sts. signed the petition. The>' say the apartment proposed in a conflicfh'rig land use as it is Uhh density la a low density area of single family dweilings. Doug Smith, who* presented the petition, said the apartment minutes. The buses would also ha able to travel the new routes in a half-an-hour instead of the present bour. The department bas could lead to problenis witb sewage, traffic, parking and, water, while dhinishing the quality of life of nearhy residents since an apartment would block out sunlight and mean a lack of privacy for some. The loss of mature trees on the now vacant property would also "reduce the appeal of the neighborhood,"- hesaid. "The value of the established neighbor- hood must be recognized," he said at Monday's publ» meeting on the matter. Bolahood, who bas made a conditional* offer-to-purchase on the property, planned' to provide* a total of '71 parking spaces for the development, 22 outside and 47 underground, on the 1. 16-acre property. also recommended increasing fares. Aduit fares will increase from 60 cents to 75 cents, student fares will be increased from 40 to 60 cents, children's Kevin Tunney, representing Bolahood, admitted to committee that it was "not an easy application," but said the proposai is for luxury apartments and la not high, but medium, density. He also said the building would ha 30 feet bigh, so-wouid not ha "an intrusion" on nearby properties. .The application is for a rezonng to permit high density residential in an area now zoned only for single family dwelllngs. "ICbanging from R2 to K4 la not apropos to this area," John Kalar of Palace St. told committee members "IWhy are you trying to change the look of our area?" Counillor Bugei See P. 16 fares wil. be increased from 35 to 50 cents and senior's fares wll be increased from 35 to 60 cents. The commrittee wiil deal with the issue in two weeks. Residents are opposed to High' Street apartment Plan RI.E 1 ý 1