China seeks Whitby business association page 8 rrmn Priest to try again for a seat on council page5 DBIA board may be elected page I Waller trafflic island to be removed Residents rall-y behind hosp ital DURHÀM ÀG ENTRE MPP'Drurnmond WhÎte didn't make many, General, Hospitl Wiestopped short- 6f o0psing a plan to> friends Thursday night -at 'Heydenshore Pavillon when he -.tumn the hospital'into a'rehab centre, but saidthe study didn't outlirled "the government's plans for restrÙcturing Whitby adlequately address a number of issues. Photo by Mark, Reesor, Whltby FreePres Shores plani recommiended. By John Dujay Despite resistance from some local residents and the Save Lynde Marsh (SLM) group, Whitby planning committee on Monday passed tghe draft plans for the Lynde Shores development project. The plans will now go to council next Monday for final approval. Some nunor changes were .made te the final plan of the project which has been in the works since 1989. These include a lowering of the density from 6,700 persons te 5,000. As welY a six-storey building was downgraded te four storeys. Somne other items were referred back te staff for further study. The developers are Rose Corporation, the Ontario government's Manaagement Board Secretariat, and the Region of Durhamn. Aithough a fil environment impact study was not perfonned, various minor studies have been completed. These have been given the stamp, of approval from the Ontario Environment Ministry. John Foster of SJLM maintained on Monday that the development will have adverse effects on the local ecology. He cited turtle eggs, bird migration paths, water table levels and water run-offs as major areas that will be impaeted. Foster aiso mentioned that there are two large trees, aged 250 te 300, that should be preserved. 1Margaret Cornfoot, aise of SLM, said Lynde Marsh is a 'highly significant archeological area!" with a large. source of native artifacts. "If Whitby, is te, save its heritage, it must save Lynde Creek," she told the committee. However, councillors refuted that dlaim, stating there have been numerous studies performed which found no significant archaeiogy on the site. Members of the group aise promoted the idea -of a land swap by which Whitby council would trade municipal land se that the development can go ahead, but in another area. However, this idea was rejected because Whitby does flot have the land te trade, according te councillors. A water monitoring committee will be fornied that will test pollution levels in the drainage. The comrnittee will not issue building pernuts if water quality standards are neot met. Councillor Dennis Fox urged members of the public who are stili concerned about the development te join the committee. "Don't turn your back oni it now,' -he said. Councillor Joe Drwnm said that although hie would rather see no development at the Lynde Shores site, I think we've reached a compromise that we're going te have te live with, whether we like it or not." *By Mike RwlI Whitby residents want no part of a proposai to change the future role oftheir hospitai. At Ieast that's what the nearly 700 people who attended iast Thursday's rally in support of Whitby General Hosptalmade clear. Provincial politicians and bureaucrats were told in no un- certain terms that acute care heaith services should continue to be offered at Whitby Generai. A proposai to convert the 25- year-oid hospital into a rehabili- tation treatment centre must remain Just. that -- a proposai -- more than one speaker insisted to the deiight of trhie crowd which facked the Heydenshore ai ion. i u o1 ai "Thi isourhosital and nobody's going to put their hancls on our hospital without a fight,» declared Terry O'Connor, secre- tary-treasurer of the Ontario division of the Canadian Union ofPubiic Empioyees,(CUTPE). -' 1 If Whitby needed a hospitai 25 years ago,, then by God' it needs one now,ý' O'Connor said, to proionged applalise. Representing CUPE president and Witby resident Sid Ryan, O'Connor was one of eight speak- ers to address the rally organized by the Save Our Generai Hospi- tai (SOGH) citizens' committee. The committee is opposed to a consultant's recommendation which calis for the conversion of Whitby Generai into a rehabili- tation treatment centre serving Durham Region. More than 27,000 people have signed a petition which demands that the hospital remain an active treatment, fui I-service heaith care faciiity. SOGH intends to present the petition to Ontario Health Minis- ter Ruth Grier at a later date., An Oshawa resident, O'Connor said the future of Whitby SEE PAGE 23 Souch: Nuw it's a 'political' issue Prout denies she seeks seat on council Board stands firm page2 f. t1 t' t" 44 ..g......... . .