Rossland rec complex is approved By MIKE JOHNSTON A new $15-million recreational complex adjacent to the west side of the municipal building on Rossland Rd. E. was given the go- ahead by Whitby council last Tuesday night. The complex is to include an out- door skating rink; and indoor pool; a therapeutic pool; decked spec- tator viewing; six squash courts and gallery; children's play area; fitness club area; exercise track area; à library; a multi-purpose room and associated rooms. Council has hired the architec- tural firm of Moriyama and Teshima, the original designers of the municipal building, to proceed with the planning process of the new complex at a cost of $150,000. The total architectural costs for designing the building is expected to be $700,000. The new facility, which is ten- tatively set to open in 1991, will be situated on 15 acres of Town-owned land. During the 1987 budget discuc- cions, council had set aside $500,000 to acquire land for the building. That money will now be used to fund the design of the facility which will be built in phases. The first phase, which would in- clude all the facilities except the squash courts, and gallery, fit- ness/exercise/track area, library and multi-purpose room, is estimated to cost $6,686,000. The second phase, the courts and track area, is estimated to cost $8,386,000. However, due to the rise in building costs at a rate of .7 per cent per month, the parks and recreation department will in- vestigate joining the two phases. No estimated costs were given for the third phase, which includes the library and multi-purpose room. The complex will also take into account expansion of the municipal building. A report from administrator Bill Wallace says a new, three-floor wing west of the existing council chambers, extending towards Rossland Rd., could be developed. No price tag for the expansion was given. Wallace said there are now 78 staff members. He estimated that by 2011, when Whitby will reach a Heart problem claims life Iroquois Park was the scene of a tragic accident last week on the morning of Oct. 14. Lee Anne Anderson 10, of Whitby, was about to go on the ice to join her precision skating team, the Whitby Ice Pix, for practice when she collapsed. Whitby firefighters were dispat- ched at 6:10 a.m. and upon-arrival at the arena they immediately began cardiopulinonary resuscitation (CPR). The ambulance then arrived and transported the girl to Whitby General. She arrived in the emergency ward with no visible life signs and died shortly thereafter at 7:05 a.m. "It appears that she died of a bad heart valve, possibly subaortic stenosis," says coroner Dr. Conelly who performed the autopsy. Lee Anne had been born with congenital heart problems. She had continually undergone tests. However, added Dr. Conelly, the. severity of her condition was not known. Report says both Oshawa, Graywood sites are best Oshawa's offer of a downtown location and Graywood Develop- ments Ltd. offer in Whitby are the best of the alternatives for locating a regional headquarters building, according to consultant's review. However, both are so close, states the report by Peat Marwick, that "we do not believe'it is ap- propriate to recommend one, rather than the other." Regional council members were to discuss and possibly decide on the matter today (Wednesday). Council members, in a close vote, had previously turned down the Oshawa proposal. It was then SEE PAGE 9 BOYS OF ALL AGES hit the streets last Saturday in honor of the scouting movement's 'Apple Day.' Michael Patterson, 6, (right) of Duke St., and his friend Robert Havery, 7, were no exception as they represented the Brooklin Beavers. Free Press photo Attersley unsure about headquarters'fund.ing Mayor Bob Attersley says he now has "even bigger reservations" about a new regional headquarters following the release of a $25,000 study by Peat Marwick Consulting Group. The study does not make a specific recommendation on a new location for the headquarters but states that the offer from Oshawa and the Graywood bid are the two best of the alternatives. Any decision will be made by regional council and that has Mayor Attersley a little worried. He says council will be basing a decision on a consultant's report that only reviewed a report by the Region's chief administrative of- ficer Don Evans earlier this year. Evans recommended the Oshawa site at Mary and Bond St. The Graywood site is located on the nor- th east side of Rossland Rd. E. and Garden St. in Whitby. "We paid $25,000 for something we already knew," said Attersley, referring to the similarity between the two proposals. But while he says the Marwick study identifies the Graywood proposal as the cheaper of the two, Attersley says the Region has not investigated staying at its present site in Whitby on Rossland Rd. E. "It would be more economical to stay there," says Attersley, adding the Region is already facing some high-priced projects. Some of those, according to At- tersley, are the implementation of an emergency 911 number which he says "will cost millions"; a $2- million expansion to Fairview Lodge; a $1.5-million police station for Pickering and a landfill site. "The Region doesn't know where the money will come from. There is no reserve for a new regional building no matter where it goes," says Attersley. No matter how council will proceed, Attersley says it will cause a "rift" inregional council. However, he says Whitby will make a presentation at today's (Wednesday . meeting, giving Whitby's view of the consultant's report. He would not give details of the deputation, but says the report, which indicated Oshawa has a bet- SEE PAGE 9 maximum population of 100,000, there will be a need for a bout 200. "We wanted to satisfy ourselves that if the recreational complex is placed on those lands that the Town would not prejudice its future op- portunity to expand the municipal building in the longer term," said Wallace. Financing for the complex is to be considered during the 1988 capital budget discussion. But bet- ween now and then, Town staff will investigate various means of finan- cing including reserve funds, a lease purchase concept and deben- turing. Staff have already contacted the Ministry of Tourism and Recreation and the Town could be eligible for grants totalling $1,245,000. But staff warned there is no guarantee the Town would receive the grant. "This motion sets the procedures for the building," said councillor Ross Batten last week. to get more Whitby council wants all com- Attersley munity, cultural, service, sporting finalizing and other associations or jacenttotl organizations in town to join in an "This d effort to procure 43 acute care beds realize ov for Whitby General Hospital. within sig In a unanimous motion last further 3, Tuesday night, council asked working in groups for support and to "take formulate such other steps as they may con- Attersley. sider appropriate." By the y Groups are asked to contact town pected to clerk Don McKay or hospital ad- ministrator Jim Miller if they plan to take any action. On Aug. 26, 36 chronic care beds (longterm care), were approved by then Minister of Health Murray Elston for the hospital. The minister did not approve 43 acute care beds (short term care) requested by the hospital and the Durham District Health Council. Council will contact the new Minister of Health, Elinor Caplan, for approval of the beds. They will also ask her to consider future fun- ding for the construction of expan- ded facilities at the hospital, in- cluding obstetrics. The absence of an obstetrics ward is at the root of the hospital's problems, according to councillor Tom Edwards. "There is no family association with the hospital," said Edwards,. noting that while families are moving into Whitby, their children are being born outside town. When the hospital opened in 1967, when the town had a population of 15,000, the Province allotted 100 acute beds and an obstetrics ward. hospital board chairman Bill Wallace told council. "Ultimately, 65 acute care beds were approved to meet the needs of a community of that population and we did not get obstetrics," said Wallace. Today, with a population of more than 45,000 and by 1992, a forecast for 61,000, Wallace said the hospital will still only have 65 acute beds. In a speech to counjil, Mayor Bob a Batten, chairman of the parks and recreation department, was one of four councillors last March who directed staff to investigate the location of a new recreational com- plex in the north end of Town. Batten, along with councillors Joe Bugelli, Joe Drumm and Gerry Emm, also approved a $2.6-million expansion to Iroquois Park. That motion caused a split in council. Mayor Bob Attersley and councillors Tom Edwards and Marcel Brunell had fought for a $6- million expansion to Iroquois Park. Reflecting on that debate, Ed- wards said this new complex will be a "testing time" for council. The March, 1986 motion also stipulated that debenturing would not be used as a means of financing a new facility. Batten, however, said staff are only looking at the possibility of debenturing. "We are keeping all our options open," hesays. beds noted the Province is a major development ad- he hospital. Jevelopment alone will ver 7,500 new residents ht of the hospital and a 000 people who will be n new industries which part of this plan," said rear 2000, Whitby is ex- reach a population of lEE PAGE 9 'i.,., ~, Public support wanted in effort