WHITBY FREE PRESS, WEDNESDAY, APRIL 13, 1988, PAGE 3 Lack of apartment e onstruction. causes slowdown, A lack of apartmnent const- ruction is te blame for a slide in' Whitby's building pèrmits for 1988, says Mayor Bob Attersley. The monthly -report issued by the public work's department shows residential permits are down by more than $13 million over this time last year. The Town issued $23.8 million in residential permits as of March 3,1987. This year, $10.7 million in residential permits have been issued. 'We had issued 194 apartment unit permits and 25 group home permits by this time last year, notes the mayor. None have been, issued this year and the mayor doesn't expect to see any apart- ments built in Whjtby for a while. "At least not in the short term." Attersley notes that many of the apartment buildings last year where built under the province's Renterprise programn. That Pro- gram is no longer available this year. "We don't have the entre- peneurs te build apartment build- ings. We can't twist a free enterpriser's arm," says Attersley, noting that rent controls are also to blame for a lack of apartment construction. He says Whitby will now have te turn its attention te affordable housing which could include smaller lots in the range of 30-ft. as opposed te the 50-ff. lots which have been so predominant in Whitby in the past few years. "Council bas been looking at affordable housing and we have asked tl4e planning department te look at properties in town that could suit affordable housing." Attersley does admit, however,, that if Whitby is te slow down in any area, "residential is a good place to lose it." The report shows that while commercial permits are down by almost $2 million over last year industrial perinits are remaininig steady, mainly due to the announcement by Atlantic Packaging three weeks ago. The company announced it would construct a 300.000-sq. ft. recycling plant on Thickson - Rd. S. at Tricont Ave.. The building permit report shows a $1.6-million permit was issued for construction at the site. Attersley says another $1.3- million permit wiIl appear on April's building report. An institutional permits valued at $553,000 was issued in March for the ongoing construction of the addition to Fairview Lodge. As for the commercial permits, $1.5 million as of March 31 this year down from $3.4 million last year, Attersley says he is not worried. "The activity in town is strong. That will be up in April." Overaîl, the Townt has issued $15.2 million in permits so far this year. Last year $30.2 million in permits had been issued. The Town collected $50,201 in fees during March to bring the total to $99,828. "1988 is going to be a great year. There will be no slowdown," says Attersley. 00,~1 ~ ~ NEH ~