PAGE~ ZW IB RE PRESS, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER .19, 1990 Chairman skep>tical of Oshawa bid xxi1 x] c , riR' uir.'mnfk Januarv i order to be on targt An e1eventh-hour bid will be launched to prevent the Durham Board ofEducation from moving its beadquarters to Whitby. School board chairman Ian Brown said trustees will hear a last-minute pitch from Oshawa Ma or AI Mason ini Januay Hlowever, Brown, a Whitby trustee, is skeptical that Mason can convince the board to reverse its decision -of last week. Trustees voted 15-5 to build a new $25.8 million headqurtrs on Taunton Rd., near H-wy. 12, by 1994. The new education centre will bouse, aIl board departments, now scattered throùgbout the region~ under one roof, and will be buiît in conjunction with a $28-million high school. MAs a matter of courtesy we felt it reasonable to listen to bis request, but I think the vote was a fair indication of trustees' wil- lingness to go ahead with Whitby, " said Brown. Two previous proposaIs made by Osbawa in 1987-88 were rejected because specific criteria wer e not met, Brown explained. Board officiaIs felt tbe location lacked parking facilities, was not centrally located and- not in tbe vicinity of an eisting scbool. Brown said planning for the new beadquarters will begin in for a Se'ptember 1994 opening. Planning cannot be delayed much beyond January, said Brown because the education centre is being buit in tandem iwith thé school so that construc- tion coots can be held down. Now that trustees have com- mitted to'the expenditure, the project mayicorne under> dloser public scrutiy, conceded Brown,, but notin anegative way. (The cost Of builig the head- quarterse will be financed from a debenture spread over 20 years. It will add an average of-$6.14 per household annually to the education portion of the property tax bill.) «I don't think there will be much reaction, there's no imp-C-t until '94 when the first deben- ture payment is made" said Brown. «Even then it's only $6 per household.» However Brown does believe there will Le significant intereet expressed ini the type of facility tobe constructed and the partici- p>ation of local suppliers and «We intend to involve local prope as much as possible,» Brown promised. He added that a committee has already been formed to receive imput from the public. "TMe will be a public building. They have the right to comment on what's going in there.» Santa Claus Parade. Due to the many generous donations, we were able to collect over $5,000 for Muscular. Dystrophy. Wishing, you, and your familles> a very sale and Merry Christmas. I TrHNSAANFO «GL 23636 P.S. An item of jewellery was found during the parade. To identify ar,,dcdaim, please cali the Whitby Fire Department at 668-3314. Let us work wIth your insurance comf any for youl CALL US TGDAY. COL LISION EXPERTS IN OSHA WA & A REA" I u i W 70Oshawa [I1Tf coI jj -579-4000-1M Vans. trucks and comrnetal vehictes by estirnafe Rustirepair and bodywork extra MAACO Auto Pasnf.ng and Bo&yworks ae mdependent franchises of MAACO Enheiprises. hic