PAGE 4, WHITBY FREE PRESS, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 28, 1987 e w whitby VOICE OF THE COUNTY TO Published every Wednesdi By 677209 Ontario Inc. Phone: 668-6111 The Free Press Building 131 Brock Street North )WN P.O. Box 206, Whitby, Ont. The only Whitby newspaper independently owned and operated by Whitby residents for Whitby residents 'ay DOUG ANDERSON Publisher MAURICE PIFHER Editor KEN HATHAWAY Advertising Manager The Durham Board of Education approved changes in boundaries of Whitby schools Monday night but it's almost certain that bussinq of children to Palmerston Public School will not con- tinue when those boundaries and school conver- sions take effect in Septemberthis year. Trustees were split Monday over a request to permit bussing of younger children to a new school in Pickering, and only a tie-breaking vote by Sandra Lawson, who chairs the board, finally decided against the request. Arguments made by - Whitby trustees alone .reflect the board's dilemma over a transportation policy which permits bussing in urban areas only when students live farther than 1.6 km. to get to school. lan Brown, noting that administrative staff, not trustees, should be handling requests, argued that walking is good for kids while parents Need better policy definition should assume some responsibility for getting children to school - the board will look after the teaching inside the schools. Trustee John Buchanan argued, however, that the Pickering situation presented a specific problem as open ditches and no sidewalks present a safety hazard while children could very well "get lost" in the "subdivision maze." He said at least temporary transportation should be provided. Monday night's decision was greeted with fury by some parents of children who will be attending the Gandatsetiagon school in Pickering. But a similar request in Oshawa for bussing was denied two weeks ago. In a few weeks, a request by Whitby parents will also be denied if the board is to be consistent with a policy that permits excep- tions only in the event of pronounced safety con- cerns. But questions were raised and arguments made which strongly suggest that the board might want to reconsider or review its policy. Such a review might better define the policy for a firm ad- ministrative decision rather than leave it open to interpretation and political squabble. LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Family will boycott Cadbury, Neilson products To the Editor: My family and I are planning to stop buying any Neilson's or Cad- bury products due to the disgusting way that em- ployees are being mistreated in Neilson's acquisition of Cad- bury's. I hope that others will. take up the challenge to boycott these products and send a message to these companies that they can't play monopoly with peoples' lives. A major company should not be allowed to buy out its competitor and then close down me production facilities and throw people out of work for the purpose of lessening competition. This is being allowed to happen too often in too many marketplaces. Different levels of government are spen- ding millions of dollars and great effort in debating whetber or not stores should be allowed tostay open on Sundays. Many store owners have been visited by police and charged for offen- ces under this ridiculous law. Strip bylaw supp To the Editor: As a resident of Whit- by, I must write regar- ding "adult entertain- ment. " We have resided in Whitby for the past 13 years and have seen our area going from a "nice small community" to a declining area where we feel uncomfortable walking to do our business or shopping. We will not shop or walk downtown. We have done so in the past but since "adult enter- tainment" has come in- to our area we ladies feel intimidated when passing certain establishments. You are then looked upon as a second class citizen by those who have just left these places. You can spend $1 million or $2 million to spruce up the area, but unless these establish- ments are cleaned up we will not return and give our merchants their rights to serve those of his own com- munity. We will not frequent places who agree that so many of Our "adult entertain- ment" must exist to get our dollars. Our "nice" community will be so again if and when we "clean" up and make us proud to live in Whitby. As parents we would like to give our children a chance to be raised in a suitable environment. But with the decline -in moral standards we N Yet a company like Neilson's can buy its competitor, close down a production plant like the one in Whitby and put hundreds of people out on the streets with few questions asked. Wbere's the gover- nment? Where are the laws on serious matters like this? Where's the justice? I imagine there are enough loopholes in the new competition act to cause little concern for major companies. Municipal, provincial and federal politicians will all get on the ban- dwagon making claims of how they are going to save the Cadbury's plant. Much of this posturing will be for the politician's own gain and will do little to solve the- problems of the unemployed Cadbury's workers. I urge people to boycott Neilson's and Cadbury's products and I urge the various levels of government serious about jobs instead promoting ployment. t . - 'Strip' development considered at pubflic meeting Sincerely, Bernie Merrett Whitby Reaction to region's claim letters To the EditorT n If the Town and Region of Durham think that time heals all orted havetnow in Whitby, we question this often. I'm sure many like myself always wanted to do something about this situation but thought they were the only ones. After talking with our neighbours and, friends we found this was not so. We are very pleased to see our councillors taking this task to clean up Whitby. All of us in Whitby are 100 per cent behind them in this regard. May we all feel better about walking through downtown Whitby again (very soon?). Sincerely, Bo van Hezewyk Whitby wounds they are dead wrong. It has been five mon- ths, to date since the flooding of August 27, 1986. The Region says they have bent over backwards to get to the bottom of this flooding. They also say they have not been negligent. The Region sent a four-man crew to check the dean- out vent in my home. Once they shone a flashlight on it and saw that it was bolted shut, they left with the com- ment "It looks okay to me." The Town's crew came about two months later with a four-man crew, as well as Mark Lenters who was representing the Town's engineering firm, Tot- ten Sims Hubicki. The purpose of their visit was to pour a dye down my "Eavestrough down spout" to make sure it was draining properly. They spilt the dye all over the curb and Mark Lenters said it was enough dye to do a whole development. Now the Region puts out a letter ahead of their report, according to Emm. Come on fellas!! I'd have to say that both the region and the town are bumbling yo-yo's as well as in- competent and. negligent. Our mayor is stated as saying the averagetaie isc$3,100 and that miost dlaimns are sewage damage. The Region is respon- sible for sewage drain problems. Now who is passing the buck, Mr. Mayor? In fact, most claims are storm drain back-up damage and most claims are a lot higher than our ill-informed mayor has stated. Enough balderdash, Mr. Mayor! I amrprepared to publish an extensive list of damages to homeowners I represent as well as to show that it is storm sewer and not sewage as you stated. Regards, D.C. Spencer Whitby, Ont. P.S. Where is the in- sEE PAGE 6 to get saving of unem- LETTERS The Whitby Free Press welcomes letters to the Editor on any subject of concern to our readers. Letters should be brief and to the point - rarely more than 300 words. All letters must be accompanied by the name, address and phone number of the writer; hôwever, on request, your name may be withheld from publication if we agree that there is a valid reason. The paper reserves the right to reject or edit all letters. Send to: The Editor, Whitby Free Press, Box 206, Whitby, Ontario LiN 551 or drop through our mailslot at 131 Brock St. N. A I - # . -,, ', 1 , d 1 f ý ýý e