PAGES6, WH1M'Y PMEEPRESSWEDN SANVMMER28, 190'- w. eAP w& Pub~ E Dlished every Wednesday By 677209 Ontario Imc. Phone: 668-6111 Toronto LUne 427-1834 Doug Anderson Publisher 131 Brock Street North, P.0. Box 206, Whitby, Ont. LON 5Sl Maurice Plfher Edftor Alexandra M artin Production Manager 2nd Clan Postal Regltration f05351 Last week's Town decision to Impose user tees was a disgrace and an affront to the taxpayers of Whtby. Whtby councIllors had- prevlousiy mentioned the possibility of imposing user tees on those who play basebali and soccer.. But iast week's decision that made such tees a reaiity came suddeniy, unexpectediy -- and improperly. This was flot a proposai that tirst went under the scrutlny of counciltlors at the committee, level. Nor was theme consultation wlth the groups that wouid be most affected, mereiy notice that such a report wouid be forthcoming. lnstead, councliiors chose to avold discussion -- or an eruption of discontent-- on what was undoubtediy feit to NoZct qmite right be a controversiai measure. The decision- was made quickiy, without Input. Perhaps this Is what we shouid.expect. Ater ali, don't we eleot counciliors to make decisions at the municipal. level, with the faith that they are presenting aur best Interests? And we don't argue that user tees for piaying fields may have been inevitabie. Grass and dirt don't require the iame maintenance and operation costs as an arena "ýr pool, but those using soccer and basebailtfields should pay something taward upkeep just. as others pay for ice and floor time. And wlth user tees, shouidn't one expect fields ln better playlng condition than lias been the case ln the past. But something went serlousiy wrong with the decison- making process ln this Instance. Affected group repre- sentatives shouid have had an.opportunity ta give Input and receive Town staff and counciliors' arguments ln favor of the tees. Input Is the usuai course of action ln many other items of business, why not ln this Instance when s0 many are affected? At ieast the groups wouid have been Involved, not ignored, ln the process which we thought was due tram a responsibie level af gavernment. Proposed numbers too much for are.a!, To the Editor:- I wculd like te advise the 500 people who signed the petition Donatioù~s appreciated .To tlie.ltor. We would like te thank al cf the Whitby mercha.nts for donations at our dance. The Kîxette Club of Whitby opposing the proposed high rise apartments at Rossland and Brock, that a further meeting was held on Nov. 19 and our obections were again recorded. Unfortunately, due te what was conveniently called an over- sight by Mr. Short and members of bis planning department, notices o fthe meeting were not sent te the 500 petitioners. This meant that the meeting was attended by a smaller ainount cf people than couid have attended. The new proposai put forward at the meeting made no dif- ference, only te reduce the num- ber of blocks from six te four, and increase them in height. The developer stili plans to build 600 units and assures us there will be only two people per unit. This amounts to 1,200 people, provid- ing they will be ceibate! The actual number of residents is more likely to be around 2,000. We strongly objeet to this num- ber of peop1e being put in such a small area. The increase puts demands on our already over- streached schools, police, -fire departments, etc., anadwe have a genuine fear about our town becoming another Jane-Finch area. At the first meeting we sugges- ted that the minimum amount of people coverinaf high density requrimenits iLe. 51 per acre, be applied te tliis* area, but at the second meeting it was obyjous that the developer had, no plans to compromise. Ho only threa- tened us with the Ontario Muni- cipal Board. We are now being Ilieled snobs because we care about the future of our chiidren and our town, We know thore wili b. develop- ment in this area, but it is'tino that the ma or, planning depart- ment and deve opors listened. te the taxpatyers before yet another mistake is made. M. MçAlarey ..WhitbyI Thanks for coverage To the. editoir- On behalf of the Whitby Generai Hospital Au iliary, I would like te thank you and your staff for the coverage given te us for cur reent 'Designer Sweater Sale' on Nov. 14. It proved to ho a great suecesai and resulted in raising $577.80 for the awdliary. Your support in dur endeavors is moot appreciated. Yours.sinoerely Joan Harvey Let's get back to basics .By Barba Black Putting condom machines in our secondary schoois is nothing but appeasement on the part of educators. I fully concur wth the FaziiyActonCouncil cf Durham Rein (whose opinion was puih ed in the Whitby F'ree Press, Nov. 14) that these "birth control aida" have no place in our schooils If teens cannot exert the energy or initiative te walk te a drug stere or are too embarrassed, thon they could go te their local grcey store and hide their purchasewith a bunch cf bananas under the cover cf a grocery store bag. Or if parents cannot instili some self-respct or common sense ini their offspring, let mom or pop purchase a few dozen condomns with the weekly 'cry order and put one or two mn their littie darhng's lunch bag. We taxpayers cf course, would be suppcrting tis easy-to-access facility for teens which, if instituted across Canada, would cost millions. Educators should educate, net condone promiscuity not appease te plae teens in trouble. Parents must aiso play a majo rôrle and set limitations for their teens. "A stitcb in time saves nine" - nine months cf unwanted pregnancy. What shouid be accessible in bigh shools are courses such as "The Laws of Life" (a course availabie at Durhamn Coliege for seif-interest groups) expcsing the resuits cf promiscuity, cbeating self-destruction (drugs),, and courses expounding on the old adage "te, thine own self be true." SocietY' bas accepted unwed pregnant girls and women as part cf this decade. At least lot vulnerable teens ho expcsed te the benefits cf a moral code, the tranquility of self-discipline, not always under the dureas of the resu its of unwanted pregnancy or the debilitation of niind and spirit due te drug abuse. Unfortunateiy, the church and churcb-ging have aimost become passe. Fit yasago familles received d counselling from the Sunday moning sermon. Now, te most teens, teto go te church would be "wimpish." Therefore, the laws of life must come from a facilit accessed by young people, nai'y,ý school. Courses in parenting shouid also le taught, coine gle te the "Dr. Spock dissertation reiaying tour youth that te engage in marital sex is a risky ~usiness. And when there is a pregnancy' and a newborn and chiid invýolved, life becomnes a rsnsble situation having te poiefood, clothing, ioving and care. Most young people in the nineties more than likely could net quote the Ten Command- ments. But they are net merely religicus, they are the basis cf cur laws, and if one ignores said laws, one must pay a penalty similar te incarceration ... limits on one's life and freedom. Those who wish to ignore Christianity may leave the roon. Thoee who wish te engage in drugs and irresponsibie sexual p ractices may obtain their habtual supports outside the school. Those who wish te, ignore areas cf responsibility and remain rebeis have their choice. But intelligent, ambiticus youngsters will at least have the chance te digest facts that laws in ife and living beiong and you cannot live wthout râles. Opinions given ini the column ame those of te miter and do not necessarily refect those of The W'itbyFree Press. VOICE 0F THE COUNTY TOWN The only Whitby newspaper independently owned and operated by Whitby residents for Whtby residents. 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. Ail letters must be accompaniedby the name, address and phone nurnber of the writer; however, on request, your namne.may be withheld fromn publication if we agree that there is a valid reason. The paper reserves the right to reject or edit ail letters. Send to: _ The Editor, Whitby Free Press, Box 206, Whitby, Ontario- LiN 5S1 or drop through our mailsiot at 131 Brock St. N. ............... ............. .... ............. ... ............. ...... .. . ..... .............. . ...... ... . ....... .... ..... ............. .. .......... . ... ... .... ........ ........... ..... ............. ....... .... ........ ... .... .. ........... ..... ...... .. .......... .... .. ........ .... . .. ..... 1 1 JVL)I?