I onuMprofit .. .. housing plan opposed By Mike Kowalsld A Whitby church bas again encounteired neighbourhood resistance te its plans for a medium-density housing deve- lopment. More tbgn 100 people attended a public mneeting in the Town council cbamnbers Monday te, hear details of a revised subdivi- sion application from Faitb Bapt- ist Church. While several were church members supporting the pro- .osed 106-unit Taunton Rd. development, east of Brock St., the majority were residents of the nearby Grawod subdivision opposed te, the pro ect. Although theyhgeard planning consultant Bryce Jordan, who represented the church, describe changes mrade te the original proposai subrnitted last year, their opposition was just as strong. Concerns about density, in- creased traffic , the impact of more children on local schools, and fire protection were expressed by several speakers. But the inost contentious issue was a proposai te, develop a portion of the project as non- profit housing. More than one person claimed this will have a detrimiental affect on' property values and attract uundesirz>les» te the area. Faith Baptist bas filed rezon- ing and officilai plan amendment appications for aliroimately 17 acres of land oih and west of the Taunton Rd. church. The prort is now zoned agricultural and carnies a resi- dential designation in Whitby's officiai plan. Faith Baptist initially pro- posed a 106-unit development consisting of eight three-storey towyibouse blocks, a four-sterey apartment building, a 1.1-hec- tare park and a tbree-bectare extension of the church site. But when residents objected, the plan was modified te take these concerns inte account, said Jordan. The number of mediumn- density units bas been reduced fromn 106 te, 90 (46 tewnhouses and 44 apartments) and 16 sin- gle detacbed lots added. The apartment building was moved te, the northwest corner of the site at Taunton Rd. and no existing bouses on nearby River- wood St. wili abut any of the proposed tewnhouses. Changes were also made te, the internai road systemi so that traf- fic is furtber away from River- wood St. homes. "We believe it takes inte account a lot of tbe input we received,» said Jordan. But as Jordan pointed out, one aspect of the proposaI bas not cbanged and that stili rankles many residents. The church plans te operate the apartinent building as a non- profit development if its applica- tion for funding is approved by the provincial government., As Jordan explained te, one man wbo questioned the cburch's motives for developing tbe site, Faitb Baptist bas more property SE PAGE 14 PHILIP PIZAK (with gun) threatens Clay- ton Rookiord and Lorraine Dawson Chiu- solo in a scene from the WhRby Court- house Theatre's production of Uurder at the Howard Johnson's.' The fast-paced comedy, which publicist Bert Heaver says us guaranteed to 'leave 'em laughing," wilI be presented Thursdays, 'Frdays and Saturdays from Feb. 11 to 27. Tickets are available at Lafontaine Trading Post. Photo by Mark Reesor, Witby Free Press Response overwhelming Teresponse appeal for warm ~ clothes to ship to refugees of Bos-nia and Croatia bas been nothing short of overwbelming. Rotary Club of Whitby pro- aident David Meadwell says it was "far more tban we ever anticipated... it's an excellent response by the community and we're very thankful.» Donations filled two rooms and a vestibule at Nurse Cbev-Olds, tbe drop-off centre for Whitby. Two Oshawa Rotary clubs and the Rotary Club of Whitby Sunr- ise were aIse involved in the caznpaign. Meadwell says club meinbers took clothes and bedding te a Toronto warehouse Monday a job tbat ended up taking ve hours. Donations filhed two vans, one donated b Apple Realt and the other byNurse Chév-Olds, -and five personal vehicles. Rotary Clubs from Ottawa te Windsor took part in the collec- tion campaign. D~onations are being shipped to Austria. Rotary Clubs there will deliver the dlo- thing diectly te the refugees through the Red Cross, says meadwell. '92fire losses lowetin 5years Fire losses for 1992 in Wib ttle $531,356, the lowest Whiry ilre chief Tony VanDoleweerd told operations committee that's the lowest bass since 1987. The largest fire loss came on the last day of the year, wben an intentîonally set fire at The Brick caused an estimated $100,000 dainage, most of it a result of water from the sprinkIer system and heavy smoke. The second-largest loss was $30,000 in a fire Jan. 31 on Brock St. S. The departmnent responded te 43,014 calls in 1992 -- an average of more than Il responses a day - that's up from 41,917 in'91. There were seven arson investigations, as compared te flive in 1991 and 16 in 1990. Eight civilians and two furemen were injured in fire calis, and there was one civilian fataity.