Fie statiLon m Port Whitby As part of the Town of Whitby s $42.6-million budget for 1989, the Town has set aside $150,'000' for the desig of a new fire station in Port Witby. Estimated to cost $2.5-million, the station would become the department's new headquarters, replacing the downtown facility. According to fire chief Ed Crouch, the Port Whitby location was chosen because of tLh] availa- bility of Town-owned land. 'Wee'need a fair axnount of By Trudie Zavadovics "Either rm going to open my eyes or rm not.» That was the fatalistic thought that Sonya Pickle had as she watched a huge transport reel toward ber in a freak accident early Saturdaymorning on the 401. «When I opened them I thought, I made it this far, 1'm going to make it the rest of the way.» The Whitby woman and ber unborn child (due next week) were sandwiched between the tractor-trailor and the median fence for about 45 minutes. Whitby firefighters, using the jaws of life, pried through the mass of metal and set her free. OPP Sgt. William Hanna said an investigating constable related that «he couldn't believe anyone could be alive in there." According to police, the only part of the car that had any form left was the driver's seat. Police say Pickle's car was entering the eastbound lane from Thickson Rd. interchange and went out of control on a slushy Rescue land, two acres, and the only spot for that is somewhere south of Hwy 401," said Çrouch. He expects the design to be completed this year. Construc- tion would then start in 1990, with the statiôn opening early in on 401 1991. "We have outgrown our pre- sent headquarters (on Brock St. S.). We don't have the facility for o perations or management," said rouch. He also acknowledged the pro- patch, spinning out in front of the eastbound transport. After an examination and a tetanus shot, Pickles was released froni Oshawa General Hospital with minor cuts and bruises. The driver of the transport, Maurice Savoy of- Merryville, Quebec, was not injured. Ohecking with ber own doctor Monday Pickles was given a dlean bill of health. She and her husband, Randy, look forward to welcoming their first child sometime next week. blem the department'has getting trucks out of the station, onto Brock St. S. during rush hour. The Brock St. S. station, built in 1965, will remain open until SEE PAGE 4 Town tax x'ses 3.9% By Mike Johnston Whitby counicillors, after aln-ost five hours of dicussion on Tuesday last week, have appro- ved a $42.6-million budget for 1989 that will bring an average tax increase of $19.80 for urban resdiderits and $17. 10 for rural residents. Whitby's largest ever budget represents a 3.9-per cent in- crease for urban residents. The average tax bill, for a property assessed at $5,500, will be $529.10. For rural residents, the in- crease over last year's tax bill will be 2.7 per cent. For the average home assessed at $5,00, their bill will be $502.10. Included in the rural tax bill is $36.25 for garbage pick-up. The preliminary budget called for a 4.1-per cent increase for urban residents and a 2.9-per SEE PAGE 1 page 2 j AFTER a truck/car collision on the 401 Saturday morning, Whitby firefighters had to use the jaws of life to free Whitby resident Sorija Piekie from her car. Pregnant with her first ~ hiii~tchild, Piekie miraculously escaped with only minor injuries from the accident which occurred in hazardous driving con- ditions due to weather. Poegnoet woman freed from crushed car S Spring fashion preview Pages 11- 12, L & 13 0MB hearing this week 11 11