WhLibv harbo ýCrombie conunission considers Coscan pooa By Mike Kowali A royal commission examining land use ailong the greater Toronto waterfront has been asked to protect Whitby harbor frop furthîerdevelopment. The recuest was, specifically, a $150-milion residential and commercial prject proposed by Coscan Development Corp. that wouid significantly alter the appearance of Whitbyis water- front. FIve memnbers of SOS (Save Our Shore) Whitby appeared before the ]Royal Comiission on the Future of the Greater Toronto Waterfront iast week to object to the Coscan proposai. The commission, chaired by former Toronto mayor and federal cabinet minister David Crombie, held a one-day hearing in Oshawa. Although not iegally biding, Crombie's eventual-recoDmmenda- tions are expected to serve as guidelines for appropriate land use aiong the lake. The members of SOS Whitby took turns reading portions of a five-page brief they presented to Crombie. The group focused on several aspects of Coscan's proposai, in- ciuding the need for more park- fand, greater access to the water- fnt a iower density of housing units and more affordable hous- in hey also arqued for resto- ration of a public wa]kway bet- ween the developmnent and the harbor. The walkway was contained ini Coscan's original propoai, but was removed.aitte request of Whitby council because of liahi- lit and maintenance concerns. Ealier in the day, representa- tives of Coscan aiso presented a submission to Crombie. Coscan's brief noted that a revised site plan application has been filed with Whitby's plan- ning department.* Instead of four 15-story con- dominium towers, there wili now be three. More than eight per cent of the site will 'be set aside as public parkland. oscan is- also prepared to build partial waikways along the north and south promenades, alIthough the two would not meet. About 300 metres of water- front would still be cut off to the public.' The proposai also includes 54 townhouses, a recreation centre with an indoor swimming pool, underground parking and com- mercial units. SOS member Karen Cole told Croxnbie the group has not «com- pletely agreed" if it is againist al forms o f deveiopment or just some. SEE PAGE 3 Ferry boat's-fate may soon be known By Mike Kowahkl Last week's PCB scare involv- X th e ferr boat docked at -tharbor has renewed governmnt efforts te remove the vsefom the harbor.. Environment Canada. and Canadian coast guard s mtaff are examinng legisiation i the hope of findixig some law that will allow action to be taken against the boat's owner. 'Lttie Shop'- is a big bit See page 15. volunteers honoured See page 31* Meanwbiie, Town of Whitby officiais are waiting for a change in the harbor's status. This change wiil also allow the municipality to take action aimed at ridding the harbor of the boat. Officiais from both federal and provincial environment, minis- tries and the Town rushed to the harbor last Tuesday after receiv- mg epre t h1e ferry was Te ship has two transformers on board that are filled with PCB-contaminated oul. PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls) are a potentiai cancer-causing agent. However, minîstry officials determined that the chemicals were secure and the boat was about to submerge. «The original report was. that the boat was smnkmg,» said J.P. Auciair, head of envir-onmental emergencies for Environxnent Canada. «It turned out the owner took on ballast water to make the ship more stable." There was also ne evidence of leaking oul said Auciair, adding that'any Ieaks wouid be quite noticeable, as each transformer contains about 500 galions of oil. Auclair said Environment Canada staff iast inspected the ferry two years ago and has been in regular contact with the owner since. «If it wasn't secure we would have evidence,» said Auclair. ThIe 'Prinoe Edward Islandl ferr~y is owned by Art Robinson of Whitby. It was oriinally des- tined for- the Carriban as a flotingenerating station until the delfeU through It has been sittmg im the bar- bor for a]most four years as various leveis of government bat- lie over who has jurisdiction. Since the ship a in federal waters, neither the Town nor the Nowv get this! NM[NG a p oit ini decided fashion je Erin Dunleavy as 'Miss Hanigan,' to Andrea Okers as 'Amie,' in West Lynde public school's upconnng pro- d~'ptio of '4 fe W4ka E,'Ia.takm. off on 'Anne of Green Gables' and 'Annie.' The play wMI be presented at the school on May 2 and 3 7-15 p.rm Ti ckets are $3 for adults, ôifo MAY IS -, WHITBY GENERAL HOSPITAL MONTH ý 1