PÂÀGE 10,'WIIITY PREE PREMSWEDNESDAY, MAROR 28;, 1 More downtown promotion urged By Mke KowaIskl Downtown merchants are in danger of being ignored by Sholp- pers unles greater emphasis is put into proxnoting the down- town. That was the blunt message dehivered to local inerchants last week by AI Kent, vice-chairman cf the Downtown Business fin- provement Area (DBIA). .Kentfs warning aparently had an effect as DBIA members approved a 1990 budget which calis for a drainatic increase in advertisingexpenditures. The DBI will spend more than $17,000 on advertising this pear, an increase cf $15,00Ofover lastyear's figure. «Ifwe don't tell people what's goingn on down here they ot corne,»said Kent.&Unless won' publicize yourself youlre just hd înginthe sand.» ent's comments came during his presentation of an advertis- in cam aign proposed 'for bt he DBI ad its members. According to Kent the cam- paign will consist cf "co.Op» advertisements in local newspa- p»esand radio. The ads would b. 'Qintly sponsored by the DBIA, AEswould consist of details cf an activity being promoted by the DBIA, combined with formai business advertisements. Kent envisions the ad apapear- ini «at least once a xnonth. Ladditon to prcmoting their own businesses KEnt said there in an obvious Lenefi to down- tow eopp*gwhich, members shold e scrssing. "We've got lots of free parking now, we h ave to publicize it, said Kent, in reference to Town council's recent decision to waive parking fees in downtown lots. The problems of attracting shcpjers to the downtown core dominated the discussion period following committee reports. One mani suggested that there be more consistency in the hours cf operation cf dcwntown stores. «%me open early and close early, others open late and close late, this causes confusion," said the maxn. But other speakers pointed out, that Whitby is a bedroom, com- muter-oriented community and store hours should refiect that reality. ONTARIO GOVEIRNMENT NUPICE GO TRAIN EXTENSION STUDY WHITBY TO OSHAWA As part of the GO Train service expansion program, the Governnient of Ontario extended GO.Train service from Pickering to Whitby in 1988. A study to assess the further extension of GO Train service from Whitby to Oshawa is now nearing completion. This study is ajoint Provincial/MunIcipal undertaklng involving the Ministry of Transportation, GO Transit and Dur- ham Region. Previous Public Information Centres for the project were held in June and November of 1987 and in June of 1988. Following an upcoming fourth round of Public Information Centres, the project will be submitted to the Miniitry of the Environment for consideration under the Environmental Assessénent Act of Ontario. The extension of GO Train service from Whitby into Oshawa is proposed to be implemented in two stages. Preliminary design of the recommended route for this GO Train extension project has been completed to the point where specific details, project staging and property impacts have been identified. The details of the recommended plan for extending GO Train service fromn Whitby to Oshawa, for both the initial and ultimate stage, will be available at a fourth series of Public Information Centres. Monday April 2.,1990 Oshawa Holiday Inn Guild Room West 1011 Bloor Street East Oshawa, Ontario 6:00-9:00 P. M. Tuesday, April 3, 1990 Whitby Municipal Office 575 Rossîand Road East WhitbM Ontario 6:00-9:00 p.m. Mr. Howard Anders 0 Project Manager Toronto Area Coordinating Office Mînistry of Transportation 1201 Wlson Avenue 3rd Floor. West Tower Downsview Ontario M3M 1,18 Tel: (416) 235-3968 Ministry Ontario Transportation William Wrye, Minister or Mr. Reno Radolli Consultant Project Manager M.M. Dillon Limited 47 Sheppard Avenue East Willowdale, Ontario M2N 6H5 Tel: (416) 229-4646 Ministère des Transports William Wrye, Ministre DBIA manager Lynda Lawson added that studies indicate the traditional 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. busi- ness day, means «you're catering to the unemployedl.» DBIA* chairman Rob Morton By Mke Kowalsld Downtawn Whitby merchants will pay more money individually this year ta benefit themselves ccllectively. With a show cf hands, mem- bers cf the Downtown Business Improvement Area (DBIA ) last week a roved a 1990 budget of $158,7fî This .represents a significant increase cver last year's $85,600 budget and will raise the average levy paid by DBIA members by seventy per cent. Advertising accounts for the licn's share cf the increase as *17,405 has been set aside for this purpose. This figure dwarfs last year's budgeted amount*by $15 000. Elimnation cf a $31,476 defi- cit was also aprimary factor in the management board's decisicn ta, recommend increasing the assessment on DBIA members. <Funding for the DBIA is col- lected by the Town cf Whitby fi-cm a special levy on downtown Second location for pizza parlor opens ByTrudie Zavolc Whitby's second homemade Parlor fialyoee Klach 2atManning n Pedro Lauer, owner of Seven- Eh Pizza and SUesaLys piza sauce and homemad doug are made fr-om scratch daily. 4«Every-pizza i irent fi-m someone else's but we have lots cf regular customers from the first store.» He opened bis fi-st store about a year ago on Bona- cord St. Many cf the pizzas tappings are standard but Lauer says a favorite with many cf lus custo- mers is pizza with a combination cf mozzarella and cheddar cheese t ta vei two price structures for our pizzas,» says Lauer. "One for pick-up and one for delivery.» As the name implies, they aise selI a wide vaiiety cf subs. Dm1 Petty is guest of chamber Journalist Dini Petty 'will b. guest speaker at tbe Whitby (Jhamber cf Commerce dinnex meeting on TMsi i-l24. Petty is host cf thpce,- i' Petty Show on CFTO-TV. The chamber meetinxg will b. held at Heyden- shore Pavillon. Tickets- cost $40. Cail the chamber office at 668-4506 for reservations. noted a touch of irony" in the conmments made bv newcomers ta, 'Whtby. merchants, based on such factors as square footage, parking arevi and general tai assessment.) In presetin the budget, chairman Rob Mcor!n said the board had little choice but ta, seek an increase. «The Town asked us how we plan ta deal with the deficit said Mor-ton. «We tald them wed like ta eliminate it this vear.» Part cf the reason for the deficit was a,.$10,000 shortfall in 1989 revenue projection. Con- sequently, the board was forced to, take out a boan to meet its oblgtions. ~e anticipated an extra $10,000 fi-cm new business open- ings. That- didn't happen," explanedMotn. We expect that li 1990 there will be a far broader base of revenues.» Morton said critics will com- plain that "This looks like a wild mncrease and it is, if we were planning ta do it yearly. «We could liv. with a $120- $130,000 budgt and go ta the Town. But w. d like to do it this way and corne up with a surplus ta, last tbree or four years 50, we don't have ta do it again.n the town feeling, but then th%~ do their shopping elsewhere, said Morton. «People who move ta Whitby «They live here, we have to get say they like it here because of ' them ta sihop here.» Morton said Whitby is a grow- ing commnunity and the DBIA must grow with it. He noted that with a business population base cf 425, Whitby's budget pales in comparison with other Ontario centres. H. cited four examples cf cities with similar-sized business popu- lations and their respective budgrets. 'Burlingtn, with a 400 busi- ness popuation,. as a $2850000 budget, Ottawa, $225,000, Peter- borough, *490,000 and Barrie, $900010. L a business person in down- town Whitby, lin wiflEnkrta pay it if it nieans improvmng the downtown.n The 1990 budget projects Crevenue from tax levies cf $1583,716. Ex penditures totalling $158,716 are made up of.the following- Administrative - $70 908 Beautification - $13,160 -Communications - *1,355 -Promotions - *13,810 -Advertising - $17 405 -Reserve funide - $â,000 I- ong-term debt - *10,036 -Deficit - $31,476 A litie piceadded toW Whtby dinng By-Trudie Zavadovic. Shafiq Rehrnan, who bas been in the restaurant business some 15 years, felt the Whitby dnn scene could b. spiced pwta Tex/Mex up ith Bo heopFenePalacio de Texa in the plaza at Rssland and Garden, a restaurant with Texa« chili and Mexican food. «You don't have real Meican/ Texas food li Whitby,» says ]Reh- mani. "There* are.many other food stores uervmg finger food and fast food?' Rehiman says bis res- taurant is unique li many of its disties. One dish for which he bas been known for many years M Toronto is bis 'Texas Chili!' An order cf chili is accmpaied by, a garde sdadand garlic bread. qhe Paiacio aloo serves a hearty Texas ildinner. Fajitas are also high on the list of Mexican favorites. They corne with chicke, seafood or steak Tacos, elkbiladas, burritos and tostadas are also everyday favorites, net ta, mention delec- Mexican pmza. .Rehman "ls* serves Gre.k, J1talian and Cana- dian dishea. - Decoatorprovides sholpo atm home servlice By Trudie Zavadovios Decoratingr Den, a new Whitby business, helpis people with theix decorating needs by bringing their showroom to the client's home. The store uses a van taprovide a convenient, shop-at-home decorating service. "With t he home service, the client can pick and choose li their own home,» says owner Jo-Anme Finney. "There are dis- tinct a dvantages such as accurate lighigadmthn up.» ghigadmtin The Decorating Den is on. cf the largest decorating firms li North America with over 60 offices in Canada and over 1,000 li the United States. "W. have over 3,000 different samples cf wallpaper, cai-pet draperies furniture and custamn bed-eacls.» Clents are in a win/win situa- tion," says Finney. "ltes a service benent xrom. W. do any cosmetie, changes and custa' m-decorating. "I work tether with clients in whatlIcall <Liestyle Decorating! I fecus on- what t h'e client wants ta fit their lifestyle.» Finney takcàs the products ta the home. But wvhen products, such as sofasai-e toc big ta transport, she provides a large color photo ana a sample cf ithe fabric. Finney, wbo lives mx Whitby, decided taoç»mbine her business degree wltbU lier love cf decorat- ing. She iwived ber decorating Athm-$Aee Whitby uins bas ben wwm-ig for the past rerand a bai fôfr the Decorat- mg IJen, nid says response bas been «exùcellentý. 'Tve had an excellent response fni my clients?' Finney gts a lot cf repeat -business and says that ber merchandise is «uncon- à ditionaUlytîgmateed» Average levy ises70 BIA budget increases by $7 39OOO You are encouraged to attend one of the Information Centres to express your views. For any f urther information, please contact: