PAGE 6, WHITBY FREE.PRESS, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 31, 1988 w mp wA e * c VOICE OF THE COUNTY TOWN% The only Whitby newspaper Independently owned and operated by Whltby residents for Whitby residents. Published every Wednesday By 677209 Ontario Inc. Phone: 668-6111 Doug Anderson Publisher The Free Press Building 131 Brock Street North, P.O. Box 206, Whitby, Ont. Mau Pe Advert Alexa Produc rtce Plfher Editor ter Irvine ising Manager 3ndra Simon ctiori Manager Last week's Ontario Municipal Board (OMB) hearing, the second to be held in the past year, leads to questions about the Province's role in municipal politics. The OMB 'is the appeal process through which developers or citizens can appeal if they disagree with a municipal council's decision on any given matter. Earlier this year, the OMB overturned a Whitby council decision and allowed the construction of a gas bar at Glen HIII Dr. and Dundas St. E. after Canadian Tire appealed the decision. Last Thursday, the OMB heard the appeal of Lorraine Willis who is asking for approval of an addition to her boarding home on Euclid St.. The addition would house boarders which are now living in her single family dwelling. (A decision is expected within the next few weeks). Before arriving at council for a political decision, both Review the process matters had been approved by the Town's planning department, because both conformed to the Town's various rules and bylaws. Both were also turned down by council because of pressure from voters who were opposed to each application. In this instance, the OMB proves to be a good mechanism, ruling on a matter that may pose nightmares to elected councillors. Unfortunately, many times, councillors can blame the OMB for permitting something to which they were opposed. I One must also question Whitby council's lack of strong objection at both hearings. At each, residents complained about the Town's lack of evidence to support its decision. On the other hand, there are times when council is the best judge of matters in its own backyard, and it seems the OMB should uphold a council decision. But where should the OMB draw the line between planning matters and the decision of an elected body? There are no easy answers. But one good start would have been a review of the OMB's mandate - a review that was proposed at the Association of Ontario Municipalities convention last week but was defeated. A review of the sometimes lengthy process is long -overdue - if not for a clear view of the OMB's means of reaching a decision, then for its own good of sometimes looking like every municipal council's scapegoat. LETTERS FROM OUR READERS Day care provides loving care for children of single moms To the editor: I am writing in response to your published letter, in the Aug. 17 issue, from Barbara Black, Oshawa, Home Care Advocate... If you have never tried it, then you have no right to comment on it!! I am a working mother of one, and have been since my son was four months old. The "almighty dollar in today's world" was not my reason for returning to the workplace rather than having such a fortunate choice of "birth control or abstinence." My choice, along with, I'm sure, hunidreds of other working mothers, is to have a roof over our heads with space for children to play in. I consider myself a very loving, caring, understanding mother and am the first to be proud that I organize and manage both my home and work in a very efficient manner, with lots of love to share with my son. My son has been with babysitters prior to his admission at 23 months old, into an excellent day care. Some of those babysitters chose to stay at home with their own children, which I am not against. But in some isntances they take in more children than they can effectively manage. My son is currently *in Read-A-Long Day Care and Nursery School, directed by Debbie Barker, a very competent, caring ECE teacher, who has a superb team working with all levels of children, in a very loving, caring atmosphere, teaching children exoertlv to learn at their Day care is a personal choice To the editor: A number of emotionally charged letters have appeared in the Free Press recently regarding the day care issue. It's a personal issue whether families send children to day care or whether they forgo an incorne and stay home. We don't want our morality or worth to society questioned because of our decision. We also don't criticize others for their decision. For day care, the question is not do we need and who should pay for it? Let's exclude from this question those who live below the poverty hne and single parent Big show,little action To the editor: Re: Pumping station at Annes/Burns (Free Press, Aug. 24) Durham Region is installing a pumping station at Annes/Burns St. to take the overflow from the Michael Blvd. pumping station during a rainstorm. But the Region will not install a diesel generator set. The Region study report states: "...although interruption in electrical power is not a common occurence the probability of loss of electrical power is greater during storms than at other times. Therefore it is desirable that pumping stations be equipped with stand-by power to ensure uninterrupted operation of the pumping station during a pover failure." There were four alternative methods for correcting -the flooding situation in the Annes St. area. The Region chose the "most economical"; now they are cutting costs again. It is like building a safe with-a large heavy door - cutting the cost and not having a lock. The Region states the total cost of the project was higher because of "unexpectedly poor soil conditions." You mean to say the high priced engineer did not know about this when designing the place? The cost involved in $62,000, a quarter of what the Region wanted at the recycling plant. When I asked the Region if tis new pumping station is guaranteed to work, I was told: "...that we (Region) could not guarantee that the sun would come up tomorrow." We now have a big show with little action. S. Drew Whitby iammes. Tiiey are, to our knowledge, already funded. Should day care be as education presently is --universally available and funded by the taxpayer? Or should it be available for those who choose to use it and be "user pay?" We are not willing to pay higher taxes to cover the cost of day care. Our nation's deficit is outrageous. People can't expect to have proper government funded day care and pay for our unavoidable expanding deficit. Carolyn & Richard Farquharson Whitby own individual level of comprehending. I am hurt and disappointed by Barbara '.Black's comment. .."Mother (so-called) bundles off her responsibilities.. inadequately 'trained babysitters who do not have the time for cuddling and caring, but operate more as a baby factory..." The day care that my son has been in for To the editor: Re: Closing of Whitby beach I have lived by Lake Ontario for aIl my 55 years, and contrary to what has been stated in newspaper articles, the lake has a natural current flow that is counter-clockwise. The Niagara River flows into the lake on the south side and then flows along the southerly side to the St. Lawrence River causing the lake to . swirl counter-clockwise. To state that Lynde creek causes sewage contamination to the east is highly unlikely to be the problem - the lake flow is to the west toward the Lynde Shore Conservation Area. Sewage contamination comes from the Pringle Creek sewage plant which flows out of Whitby two and half years cuddles ancd cares for all their children on an individual basis. My son would be a very lonely boy if I had stayed at home. He is not unloved, inadequate or inferior as Barbara Black indicates. From a loving mother, Barbara Clarke Whitby harbor to the west, toward Whitby Psychiatric Hospital. The contamination and sea weed on the Whitby beach (just east of the hospital) is caused by the LASCO plant. Hot water from the steel plant causes a tremendous growth of seaweed. With the flow west, the Whitby dock acts as a natural catch basin where all the sea weed then washes up on shore. Now LASCO wants to build a permanent 35-acre waste disposal site just 500 feet from the lake. The Whitby water intake pipe is also west of LASCO. We drink this water. We swim in this lake. What is wrong with our planners? Does the le ft hand not know what the right is doing? Russ Wilde Port Whitby LASCO, not Lynde Creek LETTERS The Whitby Free Press welcomes letters to the Editor on any subject of concern to our readers. Letters should be brief and to the point - rarely more than 300 words. All letters must be accompanied by the name, address and phone number of the writer; however, on request, your name may be withheld from publication if we agree that there is a valid reason. The paper reserves the right to reject or edit all letters. Send to: The Editor, Whitby Free Press, Box 206, Whitby, Ontario LIN 5S1 or drop througi our mailslot at 131 Brock St. N. w -M.