Seniors'needs are identified NO ONE WAS HURT in this mishap at the Silver Variety store on Brock St. S. last Friday. The owner of the car told police he was coming to a stop when the car bolted forward, through ithe store window. Damage to the store is estimated at $5,000 while damage to the car was set at $2,000. Free Press photo A larger seniors' activity centre and a better public-transportation system are two of the main needs of Whitby's estimated 5000 senior citizens. Those suggestions were made following a public meeting last week at which seniors were given the opportunity to give input into a study now being done by the Town on the needs of seniors. The 150 seniors attending the workshop were divided into groups of 10 with each group submitting five suggestions on seniors' needs. By the end of the two-hour meeting, each group had recom- mended a larger centre and better transportation. "Maybe we could get some type of public transportation to seniors' apartments without having to travel around the town for an hour," suggested one senior. "Perhaps a dial-a-bus service like they have in Ajax and Pickering could be looked at," said Trish Johnston. The need for a larger centre was expressed by one senior who said a board meeting now had to be held on top of a shuffleboard court. The centre, located on Brock St. S., was built in 1976. At that time it was expected to accommodate 400 people. Today, membership ex- ceeds 1,000. But a more immediate problem was pointed out by one senior. Rita Barsam, a menÃber of the board of directors at the centre, said some seniors do not like ex-psychiatricV patients living in their apartment buildings. "We are frightened of them. Old people are entitled to a quiet end of their life," she said, adding two seniors had recently been assaulted by ex-patients. "The problem is especially bad at the building on Green St. where seniors are afraid to go to the laun- dry room." Barsam suggested ex-patients be put in houses with supervision and not in seniors' buildings. Director of Town parks and recreation, Larry Morrow, said he SEEPAGE26, Local firms await details of free trade agreement By MIKE JOHNSTON Whitby companies contacted by The Free Press for their reaction to the Free Trade deal are witholding judgment until all the details are known. "We are anxiously awaiting those details but we are in favor of a free trade deal," says Jack Blucher, executive vice-president of sales for Lake Ontario Steel Company (Lasco). Approximatelv 25 to 30 per cent of Lasco's steel production is expor- ted to the United States, he says. And while there are now tariffs on those exports, according to Blucher, Lasco is worried about future U.S. Côngressional Acts that would restrict access to the U.S. market. "Our hope is that any deal would eliminate those Acts," says Blucher. At DuPont Canada Inc., David Findlay, manager of the Whitby site, says the deal "looks like a fairly balanced package," although he has not seen the details. "A large percentage of our products go to the United States and there has been concern that without a free trade deal our expor- ts could come under harassment of Congressional trade bills," says Findlay. DuPont is currently undergoing a $10-million expansion of a section of its plant that produces nylon films. "Most of that goes to the U.S., so a lack of a deal would give us some concern," he said. A spokeman for Cobi Foods would not comment on the deal saying it would be premature. Louis Sklar, president and chief executive officer of Sklar-Peppler, has said a free trade deal would benefit the furniture company which is considering a new plant in the U.S. "We are looking at the deal SEE PAGE 26 New Brooklin Optimist Club is first to be mixed Brian Wick is first president A Brooklin Optimist Club was borne last week, the first in the in- ternational service organization to include women. Brian Wick, the 25-year-old owner of the Brooklin Bulletin which makes signs for community centre, was elected as the first president of the 41-member club. The club was founded by Jim Spyrou, who was president of the Whitby Optimist Club until his term ended Sept. 30, and Jim Dimitroff, another Whitby club member. Many of the Brooklin club mem- bers are spouses or family of the Whitby members. For example, Dimitroff's daughter, Shelley, is vice president of the new club. "I think the club will do a lot of things differently thanm en's clubs," says Wick, who says he is "excited" about the potential of the new club. Optimist International members voted in June to allow women in SEE PAGE 3 'J I. Brooklin Optimists were chartered last week. s~et 4 à t À,$#$:~tÂ~