Whitby hospital "aprayer for disaster" says Godfrey Dangerous under-staffing, low morale, and out-dated facilities make the Whitby Psychiatric Hospital a prayer for disaster, according to Dr. Charles Godfrey, one of the three members of the N.D.P. Caucus who recently visited the psychiatric facility. Dr. Godfrey, after two visits of inspection, has called, upon the Minister of Health to take immediate steps to up-grade the Whitby Hospital which serves a catchment area of more than one and one-quarter million people. "The hospital is grossly under-staffed from the stand- point of custodial care, and tragical1y understaffed from the standpoint of therapeutics" he writes in a report just released on the hospital. The report also cites that the number of doctors, only four of whom are certified psychiatrists, means that the level of care amounts to official neglect of patients who are desperately in need of therapy. Vol. 7, No. 6 In addition he condemns the dangerous working condi- tions for staff, which fre- auently sees a large ward WHTBY PSYCHIATRIC HOSPITAL staffed by only two health Minister of Health has spoke should have the highest workers, one male and one of the need to improve and priority in a programme of female. He urges: "During up-grade psychiatric hospitals. rebuilding, rehabilitation and the past few years the The Whitby Psychiatrie realignment of purpose". (For the text of Dr. Godfrey's report see pages 14 & 15). E - - - - - ~ - Wednesday, February 9, 1977 20 Paiges ___________________________________________________________________________________E- I Gartshore's $90000 surprise VALUES EDUCATION............... KALNINS, IN MY OPINION. BROOKLIN BYLINES................ HISTORICAL WHITBY POTPOURRI............................. PAGE 7 SPORTS.................... PAGE 8 12 & 13 HOSPITAL REPORT.-..............PAGE 14 & 15 ANDERN N1 ;rý' P'AGE 20, Garthore's $90,000 surprie 8.8 mill local tax hike is Brock St. underpass gets federal grant of $2,035,000 The award of a $2,035,000 grant by the federal govern- ment toward construction of road subway at the junction of Brock St. and CPR tracks in Whitby, Ontario, was announced Friday by Norm Cafik, M.P. for Ontario, on behalf of Transport Minister Otto Lang. In addition to the federal grant, CP Rail will contribute $62,500 toward the $2,975,000 project with remaining costs to be borne by the town, and 75% by the province of Ontario. Construction of the road subway, scheduled to begin this spring, is part of a recon- struction program for Brock Street which is a main, regional highway carrying two lanes of traffic over the level rail crossing. Whenwork is completed in 1978, Brock Street will be widened to four lanes with curbs and sidewalks. The road subway will carry traffic under the two tracks and provide for an additional track in the future. There are now 10,000 vehicles using this crossing daily and this is expected to increase by 15,000 by 1985. Traffic on the tracks, which are part of the rhain route between Toronto and Montreal, consists of 36 trains daily. The grant is being made under Part Il of the Railway Relocation and Crossing Act. lower than m A surprise hold-back of $90,000 from the town council's budget discussions has saved Whitby residents from as high a local tax increase as had been originally expected. Mayor Jim Gartshore, at the end of the town's budget discussions Friday, informed members of council he and Treasurer ForbesMcEwen had. held back a $90,000 reserve from last year until the council had made its final decision on budget cuts. The result of the move by the Mayor and Treasurer, is. that Whitby residents will have a local tax increase of 8.8 mills this year instead of the 13.2 mills proposed in the preliminary budget. The increase is the first in local taxes in two years. With one mill equal of $5, the tax increase on a home assessed at $5,000 would be approximately $45. Mayor Gartshore admitted he had played "a mean trick" tost expected ýon his counciliors by not tel- ling them about the $90,000 reserve, but if council had known about it, the members would not have tried so hard to cut back on the expenses of their various departments, he said. Bob Attersley ended up slashing a number of items .from his recreation depart- ment budget to bring about a lower mill rate. Even then, it. looked like the tax rate would be as high as 10.3 mills., and there were proposals for a sub- sequent meeting to work on the budget again. Then Mayor Gartshore sprung his $90,000 surprise, and the tax rate was set without further ado. "You have done-a-tremen- dous job bringing all areas of the town into line economically without any great suffering", Mayor Gartshore told his councillors. He assured them that the capital budget talks which come next, will not be as traumatic. Province's boan of $2,312,000 to aid sewage plant expansion The provincial government has announced the approval of an interest-free loan of $2,312,000 to the Region of Durham to help finance an expansion of the Corbett Creek Sewage Treatment Plant. The expansion of this plant will provide additional capacity for new housing developrment in both Oshawa and Whitby, said Durham York MPP Bill Newman. The funds are to be made available through the Ontario Housing Action Program, and are consistent with the pro- vincial policy of assisting municipalities to make land available for affordable housing. OHAP's objectives are to accelerate housing production in selected growth areas and to encourage private developers and builders to market more units to families of moderate and low incomes. i PAGE 2 PAGE 5 PAGE 6 THE WINNING WARRIORS The Brooklin-Whitby OPSEU Warriors won the Bowmanville Novice Minor Hockey Tournament in Bowmanville Saturday, defeating Cobourg 8-2. Team Captain Greg Roberts and Whitby's most valuable player Blair Haslam hold the Canadian Tire Trophy, while on the left is Cobourg's most valuable player, Paul Anderson. In back are Stu.Tripp and AI Brunt from Canadian Tire, and AIMasters. The Ajax team won the consolation trophy in the tournament. Photo by John James, BowianvilleStatesman. E)E) P R E)S ILL