Whitby Free Press, 18 Mar 1987, p. 1

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THE HENRY ST. BEAT THE STREET BEAT fashion show at Henry Street High School last week included about 18 outfits by Leona Davies as modeled by (below, 1-r) Daniele Goreski, Lori Ellis and Suzie Mazatta and several other students. That's Danielé above in another costume. Free Press photos Whitby-Longueuil twinning in une Regional councillor Tom Edwards has announced that June 19, 20 and 21 will be the dates for this year's twinning exchange. Residents from Longueil, Quebec, Whitby's twin town, will be visiting Whitby this year. In 1986, residents of Whitby visited Longueil. "I warn you to get ready for a horde. There could be 90 people visiting," said Edwards. Mayor opposes sale by land corporation Whitby Mayor Bob Attersley has blasted an Ontario Land Cor- poration application to the Town to permit a subdivision. "I take great umbrage that another government body would take land and sell it as estate-type lots," said the mayor during Mon- day night's administration commit- tee meeting. The corporation wants to amend the Durham official plan to permit 20 estate residential lots on 50 acres east of Durham Rd. 23 between Concession 7 (Columbus Rd.) and Concession 8 (Brawley Rd.) in Whitby. In response to questions by the mayor, Bill Wilson told committee that the corporation now owns about 2,000 acres in Whitby. The corporation once had more than that but recently sold some proper- ty and then purchased another 500 by the lakeshore in Whitby, accor- ding to Wilson, who represents the corporation. Wilson said the corporation would tender the 50-acre property proposed for subdivision should the amendment be approved. He responded 'Yes' when asked by Attersley if the return on the property would got to the province and not to Whitby. The mayor said he wants to know what will be done with the 1,200 acres which surround the 50-acre property. His motion to refer the ap- fi p s t l f r ti a r t b u t, The Durham Board of Education will invite proposals from municipalities for another, larger administration building wanted by the board. Last week trustees gave approval in principle to acquiring a new building. They say the existing building is inadequate for staff. "We don't have the facilities now to handle all our people," says Cathy O'Flynn, who chairs the steering committee recently set up to consider another building. "We suffer from having a disper- sion of our staff," says George McLaughlin, Brock trustee who previously chaired a committee set up to look at another ad- ministrative facility. "Each year that we discuss it, it's more critical than ever." Trustee Ruth Lafarga says ad- ministration becomes difficult because of the limited capacity in the existing building at 555 Rossland Rd. W., Oshawa, for- merly used by the Oshawa Board of Education. She said it was "em- barrassing" to the board when people visit the building. She urged the board to move ahead on plans for another building since residents of the Region would support such a move. "I think the residents of Durham Region would welcome a building they can be proud of," she said, ad- ding that such a building would not have to be "grandiose." O'Flynn says the board is en- couraging any proposition from municipalities, including joint use of a building, new or existing. "We're completely open to everything," she said, adding that proposals from developers would also be welcome. She says the building or space should be 80,000 to 100,000 sq. ft. in size to meet the board's needs, while there should be plenty of parking. A five to six- acre site is described as suitable. Two portables are expected to be added to the parking lot to handle the overflow of personnel. There are now 117 employees in the Rossland Rd. building. There are also administrative staff in a complex on Hopkins St. in Whitby and in offices in the former Sinclair Public School and West- mount Public School. One trustee, Don McIlveen of Oshawa, had reservations because of the cost of a new building. He said the cost estimate when a new building was previously considered was $5 million. He says that figure could now have doubled. "I'm not sure I support this," he told trustees. "But I'm probably a minority of one." He says the board already has enough to spend money on, such as portables and general purpose rooms. Other trustees, however, pointed out that the board is only now con- sidering the options available. Pickering trustee Lyn Craig asked if the building had to be "new." O'Flynn said the committee would investigate and continually advise the board on its progress. "There's no hard amount to spend," said O'Flynn. "Trust your trustee. We won't have a Taj Mahal." "I urge trustees not to pre-judge what the committee will do," added McLaughlin. "This is just an operational procedure." Whitby trustee Patty Bowman successfully amended the motion to have a letter also sent to the Durham Region Roman Catholic Separate School Board. She said a letter could be forwar- ded "if only as a formality," but also as a possible joint venture. "If their need is as great as ours, let's walk together," she suggested. There had been discussion by trustees that the separate school administrative facility could be inadequate in a few years. "We should take the leadership role to see that unity developed," said Bowman of joint action by the two boards. The board has made June 1 the deadline for submission of proposals by municipalities and developers for projects. The com- SEE PAGE3 Board invites bids for larger building plication to planning department for an investigation of the cor- poration's "overall plan" received support from committee members Marcel Brunelle and Gerry Emm. Councillor Joe Bugelli was absent. Attersley said he wants to know the corporation's land holdings in Whitby, the zoning of the proper- ties and future plans for the properties. The mayor said he was appalled that the government bought the land, waited until the price had in- flated and then "dumped" the properties for profit. He said it doesn't do anything for the Town and actually represents an expense for the Town since it tvould have to upgrade roads. Attersley said the corporation is not a good property-owner. He made the remark following a com- ment by one nearby property- owner that the corporation was-the "worst neighbor possible" and "ex- tremely unreliable." bor possible" and "extremely unreliable." Several area property-owners at- tended the meeting to hear discussion about the application. On a request from planning direc- tor Bob Short, the residents were allowed to make comments although it was not officially, a public meeting. Short said the comments could be taken as input for a future report. A public meeting had been held June 16 last year with several residents both supporting and ex- pressing concerns about the development. Road upgrading and effect on water tables were concer- ns. SEE PAGE 15 PLANS FOR BOATS IN WHITBY HARBOR Pages 12, 13 SINGING POLICEMAN Page 9

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