Disposal options to be studied The chairman of the Durham Region's finance committee has called on the works department to prepare a report outlining Durham's waste disposal options. Councillor Jim Witty of Ajax in- troduced the motion calling for the report to clarify the Region's op- tions regarding waste disposal. facilities. Witty expressed his concern that Durham had no "plan B" should Metro Toronto back out of an Bellwood to be ready in March The new Bellwood Public School should be ready for occupancy by students and staff on March 22, parents learned at a meeting at Dr. Robert Thornton school Monday night. Jeanne Frolick, principal of the Bellwood school whose students are now being temporarily accom- modated in 13 portables at other Whitby schools, says assurances have been given by contractors that the school will be ready at that time as long as there are no shortages of building materials. "DURHAM MOVES" See pgs. A1 - A4 agreement of cooperation in sear- ching for a new facility to replace the Brock West landfill site. "Durham will be up to its neck in garbage or be put in a position of paying millions of dollars to have it trucked somewhere as Halton does," said Witty. "We have to take the bull by the horns; take whatever drastic measures there may be when this report comes out." He indicated his preference would be for the Region to "go it alone," without the assistance of Metro. But he said whatever the final decision of council, the first step had to be taken now. Regional chairman Gary Herrema echoed Witty's remakrs, saying it was time Durham started looking after their own garbage rather than hanging on Metro's coattails. "Their interest in Durham is ... they just want the land," shrugged Herrema. "They're not interested in anything else." The McLaren report on waste disposal in Durham two years ago recommended the Region tie them- selves with Metro. But at that time, Witty warned the Region should start to develop its own methods of solving the ever-growing garbage situation. Last year, he was the main in- stigator as council agreed to the formation of a waste disposal reserve fund with an initial con- tribution of $275,000. Although at that time he indicated it was only a drop in the bucket toward the tens of millions of dollars the Region would require, he did admit it was a start. But Witty told councillors that was not good enough now as council had failed to do anything concrete to provide itself with a back-up plan since that time. He said he would like to see a combination of in- cineration plants and landfill sites located in the southern section of Durham to save time and expenses related to travelling long distances. He suggested steam generated by an incinerator could be sold to the industrial community thereby generating revenue to offset costs. Works chairman Gerry Emm SEE PAGE 8 $200,OOO damage from fire - Damage is estimated at $200,000 after a fire destroyed an office and a garage at Art's Auto Wreckers on the weekend. The Whitby fire department was called to the-scene at 4:12 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 16 by owner Art Robinson after he noticed smoke coming from the roof of an office while he was operating a crane. The fire department sent three tankers and three pumpers to the scene. According to deputy fire chief Tony VanDoleweerd, the department had the fire under con- trol within an hour but not until an office, a garage and twofront end loading machines had been destroyed. Durham Regional Police say Robinson, along with his son and an employee, attempted to move the loaders from the garage but were unsuccessful. The fire department is still in- vestigating the cause of the fire. A'number of attacks by two pit bulls in the north end of Whitby on other animals, humans and private property led to a specialmeeting of the Town's operations comnittee last Wednesday night. "We are here to see what the Town can do in order to control animal problems in the town," said councillor Joe Bugelli, chairman of the committee. About 25 people at- tended the meeting. Bugelli said the two pit bulls had been voluntarily given up by their owner last Tuesday. and they had been destroyed by the animal con- trol centre. "This council-has done all it can do and has effective legislation," said John Brady, a lawyer with Sims Brady and McMackin, about the Town's control over irrespon- sible pet owners. "This Town can only do what it is enabled to do by provincial legislation, -uncia Brady said the Town's Act and the Dog Licensing and Livestock and Poultry Protection Act are laws available to the Town to deal with "ordinary citizens" who may get careless or forget about theirresponsibilities. But should the Town receive complaints about a vicious dog that presents a peril to the public, Brady said the Town can fall back on the Dog Owner's Liability Act. Ross Smith, staff sergeant at the Whitby division of the Durham Regional Police, said the Dog Owners Liability Act is only used when a person has been attacked or bitten by a dog. Smith was then asked what he would rule as the difference bet- ween an attack and a bite. While he did give a defiriite answer, he said that one of the two pit bulls had knocked an officer down and stood growling at his feet. "That would be an attack," he said. And according to Dr. Clayton. McKayl a local veterinarian and a representative on the Pickering, Ajax, Whitby Animal Control Committee, "any dog may bite." He said any dog in an unnatural surrounding that doesn't under- stand what-is happening, will bite. McKay said pit bulls have a quality called "gameness" which is the ability to fight no matter how much the dog is injured. "But mother nature did not develop this dog, man did," he told the audience. He also said the catch instinct in the pit bull has been overdeveloped. "Anything that will run away from it, it wil chase," he said, ad- ding the best approach when faced with a pit bull would be to stand still. Wayne Henry then asked if there was a method to determine a vicious dog before it does any harm. McKay responded that there wasn't. He also said the difficulty is not the dogs but their owners. Brady also told the audience that the penalites imposed on pet owners when they are charged by the Town are not excessive. He said thley are used just areminder to.the pet owner.