WHITBY FREE PRESS, WEDNESDAY. DECEMBER 31, 1975, PAGE 3 DESPITE MONE Y SHOR TA GE Parki By Brian Winter Staff Writer One of the most extensive programs of park develop- ment ever undertaken in Whitby was completed by the Whitby Recreation Depart- ment in 1975. Despite a limited town budget, funds from the general maintenance budget, parks reserve fund, and grants from the Ontario Ministry of Culture and Re- creation were channelled into improvements in parks throughout the town. Whitby's new recreation Director.Wayne DeVeau, who started work here in February, lists among this year's accomplishments, the installation of creative play apparatus at Hutchison and Central Parks, the land- scaping of Hutchison Park, a new bridge across the Lynde Creek in D'Hillier Park, a drinking fountain in Grass Park in Brooklin, playground equipment for Palmerston Park, a children's slide at Calais Park, a merry-go-round at Robmar Park, and flower gardens and trees planted at Centennial Park. A new roof was put on the Ashburn community centre, signs installed at tennis courts throughout the town, and baseball diamonds top-dressed in Peel Park and at E. A. Fairman Schoql. Although much of the work was done by the recrea- tion department, community groups and industries assisted the department in improving its facilities this year. The Kiwanis Club built a picnic shelter at Heydenshore Park, the Fire Department built a soccer field south of Iroquois Park, and LASCO Steel contributed the funds to build tennis courts in Hutchison Park. The Whitby Minor 1aseball Association assisted the recreation department also, by working on repairs to backstops on ball diamonds. Although 1975 was a significant year for park development, budget restric- tions will severely limit work in this area in 1976, says Mr. DeVeau. Although he has presented a number of capital items to the budget discus- sions by council, he will not know for a while if they have been accepted. At council's discretion, however, says Mr. DeVeau, there could be some develop- ment of facilities in new sub- divisions through the use of lot levies. The big event of 1975 at Iroquois Park was the opening of the swimming pool. It was such a success, says Mr. DcVeau that the departmnent had to cut back on part-time staff and is going to hire a full-time supervisor. In the first month, when swimming was free, 16,000 people used the pool and on a paying basis there is an average use of the pool by 11,000 people per month, says Mr. DeVeau. "I am very pleased about the diversity of the program", he said, which includes crippled children, the mental- ly retarded, patients at the psychiatric hospital and in- mates from the Whitby Jail, as well as the general public. There is also an extensive instruction, program operated by the YMCA. In addition to the pool, the parking lot has been com- development extensive in 1975 pleted at Iroquois Park, with grounds, with the concentra- be more involvement from endeavor in every way athletic activities for gi paving, curbs and sidewalks, tion being on special events. the community then ever possible to provide areas for Possibly Wintario and sod will be laid in the "Community involvement before, says Mr. DeVeau. the service clubs to work could be a resource fo spring of 1976. Already the is still the main priority for "Our emphasis is still on on", he says. of these facilities he sa, landscaping around:the pool this department", says Mr. some direct programming, Looking to the future, Mr. Also, Mr. DeVeau has been conpleted, and a DeVeau. Already the depart- but it will be more on DeVeau cites a number of like to see a complet( new ball diamond will be ready in the spring. A number of maintenance jobs were completed in 1975, such as painting 60 garbage drums and 145 picnic tables, and the inside and outside of all public washrooms in the parks. A number of boards in the lacrosse boxes were replaced, line posts were installed in various parks, sand boxes set up, and cross beams made for the soccer fields. Also, about six benches were imstalled in Centennial Park. The senior citizens centre at Brock and Pitt Streets was constructed in 1975, and Mr. DeVeau is expecting an open- ing date of Feb. 14 for this facility. In programming there was a concentration on increasing to fill gaps and needs in the community, says Mr. DeVeau. The first brochure since 1973 was printed, and one and possibly two are planned for 1976, he says. After his arrival in Whitby, Mr. DeVeau met with repre- sentatives of every sports organization in the town, and considers that Whitby has one of the best minor sports association arrangements of any town in Ontario. With a greater emphasis on public relations, awareness and new ideas, Mr. DeVeau set out to restructure and reorganize the recreation de- partment "so we can become more efficient, take on a bigger work load and do a better job in the future". Many new programs were undertaken, some of which were highly successful and some were not. One of the most successful was a Fall Fest in September at the Iroquois Park Arena, set up in co-operation witli the Lions Club. This will be repeated next year says Mr. DeVeau. A series of dances and rock concerts at the arena did not go as weii, and wrestling matches were poorly attended, but the recreation depariment, under its new chairman, Councillor Joy Thompson, hopes to plan a nuinber of special events to attract people to the arena in 1976. One possibility is a series of major concerts with profes- sional talent, says Mr. DeVeau. Some of the programs at Iroquois Park such as roller skating and wind buggy sailing were very successful, and Mr. DeVeau plans to continue them next year. Another achievement of 1976, says the recreation director, was a substantial increase in attendance at the summer playground programs in the town parks. The conversion of a second hand trailer into a play- mobile, staffed by trained specialists in arts and crafts added much to the program and became known as "our esprit de corps machine", says Mr. DeVeau. The playground program was further enhanced by a provincial government grant which provided a tennis co-ordinator for the summer. Two successful Olympic Days were held at the play- ment has been successful in co-ordinautting the use of schools by the public through an agreement with the board of education, and the first of a number of neighbourhood co-ordinating committees has been set up at West Lynde assisting others to do their own programs. Often they can do their programs cheaper than us". With the new senior citizens centre, there will be a big increase in senior citizens' programs in 1976 says Mr. needs in the community, some of which are a com- munity centre with better banquet facilities because there is not enough room at Heydenshore Pavillion, a community centre for gym- nasiums and fitness programs, ir-ýl; Park ir ris. grants r some Ys. would e parks system plan developed for the town but this is some- thing that will take consider- able time. But above all, he says, "we need a constant evaluation of where we are going". So far, muh h5Z bpi- nt(nmli-hp d school. DeVeau, and he also wants to a secondi iroquois rar ice mui ias ueeiiacmp e With the 1976 budget have better communication pad, parkland in Brooklin in 1975, and Mr. DeVeau has being tight, there will have to with service clubs. "We will . and Ashburn, and more high hopes for 1976. YMCA will test own levels offitness Canadians are really out Ron Hupfield. "We feel it is more physically active". "By and For Women", and of shape physically, says the our dutY to make people Details of the second and a special areative arts progzram local b ranch of the YMCA t aware of thetneed for exercisc third parts of the LIP grant, will soon be released. this winter it will giv;aWhitby and proper diet". Children's play sehools residents a chance to see what Disclosed figures have shape they really are in. Through a local initiatives project called Project Prefit, the Y will be setting up a :Limber of testing centres in the town to give citizens of the town an opportunity to check their fitness. Dates and times for the operation of these fitness cen- tres will be announced shortly and the project will continue to the end of May. "The YMCA is concerned that Canadian standards of fitness are so low", says Whitby Y Executive Director Two grants go to town Culture and Recreation Minister Robert Wclch recent- ly announced approval of two grants totalling $4,732 to assist in the improvement of recreation in the Town of Whitby. Funds granted will go towards renovations to tennis courts at Peel Park -$2,447 and establishment of an athletic field at Hutchison Park -- S2,285. The provin- cial assistance is provided through The Community Recreation Centres Act, ad- ministered by the Arts Division, Ministry of Culture and Recreation. Ontario Governmnent Tender TENDER MECHANICAL CONTRACTORS Installation of ventilation cooling in kitchen area of the Whitby Jail, Whitby, Ontario. TENDER No. 31C-454 Individual sealed tenders will be received until 2:00 P.M. LOCAL TIME, JANUARY 14, 1976. Tender Documents may be obtained from the Ontario Ministry of Government Services, Lindsay Regional Office, 322 Kent Street, West, P.O. Box 7000, Lindsay, Ontario. NOTE: For further information regardLng this tender, please call Mrs. E.M. Neale at the above address. Tele- phone: (705) 324-9188. The lowest of any tender not necessarily accepted. Ontario Ministry of Government Services shown that the average 60-year-old Swede is in better condition than the average 25-year-old Canadian, says' Mr. Hupfield. Project Prefit will consist of qualified people who will be doing fitness testing throughout Whitby. They have contacted representa- tives of Recreation Canada, Sports Ontario, Participation and the National Council of the YMCA, and will be using such resources as the Depart- ment of Health and Welfare's home fitness tests and fitness clinics. Ebby Marquardson, of Participaction, who recently met with Whitby YMCA per- sonnel, said of the project: "I think this is a great oppor- tunity to help people become beng offered by the Y The Whitby YMCA will be offering play. schools for children aged two to five at several locations in town starting January 12. Registration is now being taken for four-day programs at Brooklin and West Lynde and two-day program regis- tration begins January 5 for programs at Brooklin, West Lynde and Dr. Robert Thornton Schools. Anyone interested in registering a chid for the play schools is asked to contact the YMCA at the Centennial Building or by calling 668-6868. The play school programs are held two hours per day until June 4, 1976. The program consists of sand play, water play, songs, painting, creative play, toys books, puzzles, crafts, games, finger- plays and snack time. The play school provides an opportunity for children to socialize with other children of their own age, and allow them to be exposed to different aspects of play. The play schools also provide a break for mothers of small children. The Whitby YMCA play schools are licenced by the Ontario Ministry of Com- munity and Social Services under the Day Nurseries Act. m r"J"'SUOE & Prices Effective "Weil Worth Lookina For!" .,m... 1.i. CGORTICE-ALLIN I.D.A. PNARMACV ShORT-S 1.0. pAMACY 117 &ck st. N. U&2»4 Wbà w a1 bêw". n m -mwwwý