lhtby Free Press, Wednesday, November 22, 1995, Page 17 Promise made that kart. noise will be controled HEARTBEAT The benet concert, Hearbeat 195, for the dinical research fund cf the cardlogy departm.nt et Sick Klids, wIU talcs place on Sunday, Nov. 26, staiting at 3 p.m., ad Westmidnster United Church, 25 Manning Rd., Whltby. A few weeks back, someons saidIo mesWhy on eartharesyou dolng ths?w They watched my stress nes grow and my beardi tum groyer. So letme take you back four years when my Elizabeth was born ln Calgary, Alta. What follows was first brooeicast on CBCs Mornlngslde ln 1992: 'Un March 13 of lest year, Elizabeth was bomn. Blue eyes, dark hair - a joy, a giL Vet a few hours after brth she began to tum bkje and was rushed Into the nea-natai Intensive care unit. 1 remember >Wendy and 1 belng ushsred lnto a quiet rooen whlle a doctor gently explaîned about congenital heart defects. I have nover know such pain and such fear. fPart of my mmnd was ln denilL 1 kept thinlng, «This Is a terrible mistake; you don't understand. lm the ane that people oelwMon thlngs Ike this happen, 'm the ense who comforts and helps. This Is a mlstake.u 1 ý.eAt- the --same lime the ocher part of me kept crylng Oh God, net my baby, Oh Gad, ah God, please net my baby.n She was diagnosed with a coniplex heait defeot, f Iawn ta Edmontan and an Day 2 of her tifs had pallative surgery thet kept her alive. *My strongest memory af thae lime was when aur eldsst daug hter Sarah was aibowed ln the Intensive cars unit. Elizabeth was a mass af tubes and monitors, smailîbouls wsnt off and nurses hovered. 1 Ifed Sarah and placed her an a chair. She gazod down ai ber sister and said nHI Elzabethn and started te slng her a llaby and ber favourite sang Bonnie the BeautiuButterfly. Ta S aa, the tubes and montars dn't matter.That was her sister and she needed a Iulaby.' Three . days after this was broalcast, Elzaboth was f Iewn ta Taronto for open heart surgery at Sick Klds. The resuts? Lor's ses, wMere ta stat Ballet swlmming, junior kindergarten, an irresistible farce and a MIte girl ln constant motion. We owe a debt of gratitude that can nover be fully repald for the skil and dedication of the cardlac depailment at Sick Kids. And thars why singer Jack Gnjnsky, ctildre's performer Tabby Johnson. actai C. David Johnson, the Oshiwa Clvlc Band and the Durham College Cemmunlty Chair are giving of their lime and talent. Hea 60beat 195-la-a-&ele-ras-o By M1k. Kowald Objections te, go-kart noise at Family Kýartway Amusement Park will net go unheeded by Town council. Owners of the popular north Whitby tourist attraction were warned last week that they wiil be expected ta resolve their neighbours' complaints about lauder and more frequent noise produced by racing events at the Hlighway 12 track. Aithougli council affirmed its previous support of a special land use dispensation for the park, area residents will have ta, be placated before any changes are made ta the, property, several cauncillors vowed. .Residents' concerns wiIl have ta, be addressed before approval ié given ta a propo sed 40-lane bowling alley or other new activities, park operators were tald. "I think the owners of Family Kartway are getting the message taniglit that what they're doing is offensive ta the other landowners,' said a blunt councillor Dennis Fox during discussion of the most appropriate long-term use for the park. TIm prepare d ta use this (land designation) as leverage and flot give them what they want," said Fox after council again heard from residents upset with the type and extent of racing naw occuring at the park. "Tley're (residents) willing ta co-aperate, but ]Pm net seeing that from the owners," he said. Fox's commen followed presentations from abuting property owner James Hunter and Len Cullen, owner of Wbi' other favourite tourist spot, nearby Cullen Gardens. Both felt the "special activity node" designation assigned te Family Kaà rtway in Whitby's new '- but net yet legal - officiai plan would net adequately control cunrent and future activitiesi at the park. While not opposed te, fannly-type events at the park, they object te the more frequent, competitive go-kart racing. The two agreed with Town planning staff that a residential dedignation, with an exemption for existing uses, would provide better protection for adjacent properties. "We've ne objection ta, a special activity node if it is sucli, but what it is, is a large go-kart track," said Hunter. "If you designate it a s3pecial activity node, you will have ne central over it. Non-conform*n will allow you control," lie said. Wliat lias upset Hunter, Cullen and others is a request from the Sorichetti faily, the park owners, te permit racing of two-cycle and four-cycle go-karts on bath the old (south) and new track. VWtby's current bylaw permits racing on Môdel cars stolen More than $1,600 wortli of diecast metal model cars were stalen frein a Whitby hobby shop early Sunday morning. The culprit(s) tlirew a brick through the glass in the front door at Exotic Collectible Car Ce. sometime between 3:54 and 4:19 a.m., police say, triggering an alarin. They escaped with 16 cars and two mirrered-glass display cabinets worth about $140 eacli. It's the second time the store, located at 1032 Brock St. S., lias been broken into since July, says owner Gene Yackison. This robbery "was kind cf a bit and run where they smaslied the windew, the alarmn went off after 10 seconds and they just grabbed what was readily available and then biglitailed it eut," lie says. "liey left a trail of cars outaide because there was product on the top of the shelves as well." Break-mns are a problem at the plaza, lie says, noting that one neiglibour, Avco Financiai Services, lias been bit seven times since May. Food bak seeks donations The Helping Hands food bank is accepting food (ail types - there are 10 fr-eezers) and toys for Christmas. The fod bank, at 2170 Prestanvale Rd., Courtice, serves residents from Claringten te Whitby (200 families a month). Items can be picked up. The food bank, liowever, needs more individuals who can help with pick-ups. Call 433-2471. the old track only, and with only the quieter four-cycle go-karts. The Town has laid charges againat Family Kartway for afilegdy violating the bylaw, but the Sorichettis contend that go-kart racing lias occurred at the park since the 1950s and is a continuation of the legal non-conforming use. According te Hunter, the north track is used exclusively by the 'Whitby Kart Club, which has "400 ta 600 memnbers" who race almost any time of the day and tliat the problem lias grown worse in recent years. Td like council te defer it until the applicant supplies a list of al activities there now an the soutli and north tracks and ini future years,"hle demnanded. Councillor Judi Longfield intezjected that the special activity designation would net give the Sorichettis "carte blanche" te do as tliey please. The owners will still have te abide by ail municipal and provincial regulations, Longfleld said. But Hunter insisted the non-conforming category is more effective. Althougli Town bylaws may net speli eut exactly' "what's net allowed," lie said, "I believe -the bylaws speciflcallystate wliat is allowed. "If you're in a court challenge, I believe your bylaws are explicit enougli te caver your tail." Ini bis presentation, Cullen noted that it was bis fourth meeting on the matter and lie did net feel bis concerns, were being heard. "Ladies and gentlemen of council, I am talking about noise, noise, noise," lie said. "I arntalking two-stroke engin s of every size, shape, modification and quantity. I am talking about racing of -bath. two-stroke and four-stroke go-karts of any kind." Cullen said there are eiglit classes of go-karts, graded according ta power and weiglit. "The power of these machines varies from. 12 ta, 24 horsepower. This la neosmall potatoes," lie said. "Karts run up ta 120 decibels. Ini Ontario, the legal noise lirait in a factory is 85 decibels." Cullen said the racing season runs from May to October and when races are held an Sundays, time trials begin early Saturday and last all.-day. "I am disappointed in the (staff) report and in the resolution of the planning and development committee," lie said. "If this application for racing these little monsters was located down at the Lynde Creek Marsli, this ruera would be full of envirenmental protesters saving the eardrums of ducks, polliwogs and frogs. "But because it is in the future By 111k. Kowalski Owners of a north Whitby property slated for development have thrown cold water on the possibility of the site becoming a teurist centre. Mark Reeve, vice-president of Markborougli Properties' Ontario land division, doubte that bis company would be amenable ta anything other than commercial and residential development on its ighway 12 holdings. Markborough owns about 100 acres on the west side cf the higliway opposite Family Kartway Amusement Park. Last week, Town council directed planning department staff ta examine the site's potential for tourist facilities. "I've got an open mind, but ]Pm skeptical that we could create a tourist node," said Reeve. "We propose ta build a 350,000-square-foot shopping centre on the cerner, that's aur primarily goal," lie said of Markborough's plans for the northwest corner of Hlighway 12 and Taunton' Road. 'The land north of it is residential. I think that's the best idea for the property." Following last weèk's decision on the future of Family Kartway (see separate story), council opted te have staff look at the Markborougli site and adjacent properties. Councillar Judi Longfield, who put forward the motion, told The Free Press that depending on the staff report, this may be a way of avoiding future problems. "I feit strengly that Family Kartway sliould be recognized for wliat it is," said Langfleld. "Now that it's there, we have ta, look at what goes on.around it. This gives Markborougli a chance te look at other possibiities. Longfield conceded that Markborough may, have ne interest in anything other than residential and "that'. fine, we'rè lieart of aur fine town and only people are at risk we are getting the runaround ais surely as there will be another increase in the education tax next year." lIn response ta, Longffeld, Cullen admitted that lie "meat certainly can't" de whatever lie wishes with the special activity node designation e4~oyed by Cullen Gardons. But lie was ekeptical about the process. "whatr ]m fighting for is ne more noise," Cullen reiterated. "I tbink that's fair," replied Longfield, "but we're net dealing with an application for two-stroke or a bowling alley. We're just dealing with a s3pecial activity node or resiidentiai." Cullen saidlie appreciated that fact, but did not autamatically "assumes the problem will be deait with at a later date. Plann consultant Paul Rycaft, who was representing the Sorichettis, carrected Hunter's commente about Whitby Kart Club. Rycroft said the club only lias 150 members and that it was in existence before the park was purchased by bis qiiente. He aiseo agreed with Fax and Langfleld that the noise problem and bowlingr alley location were separate matters. "What we've been througli since September is a readdressing of the land use issues. Up te, September it liad been cauncil-'s intention ta, have it special activity," lie said. The special activity designation was appreved by council when it adaptèd Whitby's new. officiai plan last year. Hunter and other residents challenged that decision and in Developerc not trying te force anything on them. "This is just ta let them know that we are preparèd, te look at other options," said Longfield. "We have two major tourist attractions (Family Kartway and Cullen Gardens) ini this area and then we have an empty field," couneillor Don Mitchell, supporting Longfield's proposai, told council. TIm not suggesting that it (residential designation) be removed from Markborough," lie said. "We would be adding te or overlappi.ng- the Markborough designation so that if they want ta, pursue recreational activities, -they can."f Mitchell said downtown Whitby and Brooklin would benefit fr-om the "spinoifr generated by a major tourist-recreation campiez. "I'm not suggesting we tell anybody to do it, but residential is net a rip-roanng way ta, make meney,« he said. "It'sjust an empty field now. It's only residential in somebody's mmnd," said Mitchell. "We have two golf courses, Cullen Gardens and Family Kartway. It' a natural for the area," said councillor Shirley Scott. Reeve, however, remains te be convinced. "If someone can come up with an idea...we would be prepared ta look at it," lie said. "But aur company is in the business of making money.* Cal h UIED IGO for only potent«ilfor touris September council directed planning staff te reviow nappropriate" long-term. uses for the park and surrounding properties. Staff put forward five options and the planning and development cammittee opted for the special activity node. (The official plan - a document wbich stipulates preferred land uses ini a municipality - cames before Durham Region's planning committee for approval latèr this month.) Rycroft said bis cliente wiJl deal witli the noise problem wlien the rezoning and site plan applications come farward. However, Rycroft felt- council was geing about ite decision the wrong way. "You should look at the uses ini the surrounding area if you accept the prernise that Family Kartway is ta remain as is," lie said. "Look at. the s3pecial' activity nade as a given and re-examine other uses in the other areas.' Urging support of the commnittee recomrnendation, councillor Marcel Brunelle said the "tougli decision" is yet ta came. "The problemn we have is an extisting facility that's loved by some and liated by others,' said Brunelle. "If we do notbing, the few people we have liere taniglit, their numbers will grow," lie said in reference ta future plans for a major subdivision opposite Family Kartway (see separate stery). - "Wliether it's residential or special node, they'll still be there. The iss *ue is nOise and that's wlien we'te really gaing ta have make a taugli decisian." .oo1 to site's