I t Between YouandMe By RUTII COLES This is the time of year when we are able to sit by the window and watch the green things actually grow, especially the ferns and the lily of the valley. Up they come through the brown earth inch by inch sometimes several inches a day. Next week, the grass will need to be cut, a healthy chore for most of us and great exercise for the lég muscles! After the work has been done it is awfully rewarding to just look and feel a great deal of satis- faction, but you must savour it then at that moment before the effect has gone and you realize it is ready for another cutting. I wish we had the old town square in downtown Whitby. A place to sit surrounded by plants and trees especially the town flower, the marigold. Cars, of course, take precedence over people and I'd be the first one to want it this way, not want, but to feel it must be. We all need parking space and of course this tends to help the merchants. Too bad there are not spaces behind the stores where the majority of vehicles could be parked and the main streets could become people places. To put all the car dealers and garages on one street would be great. I suppose "to put" is the wrong terminology,,to hope might be better. This is the beginning of the tourist season and a time when Whitby residents like to stroll about the downtown area. What are we doing to encourage this? Hopefully we will see tables and chairs, not too many but a few scattered about so anyone can sit down to eat or have tea or coffee. This is an ap- pealing idea to people vho are in offices all day. Relax and breathe air, maybe not too fresh but at least outdoor air. What draws people to the centre of the town? Many things, most simple and not costly. Creative thiiking and dynamic action. My husband and I enjoyed a talk by Graham Field at the Whitby Historical Society meeting last week. This is a young man with vision, clear thinking and creativity. He showed us slides of things such as signs made of wood to point the way to various shops all of which I have seen and yished we could have in Whitby. Lack of foresight on my part has prevented me from taking the same pictures, many of which were taken in Markham. However, I would rather see some of these innovations right in our town rathe.r than on film. Other interesting slides, small areas of stone or brick with small bushes, tubs of plants and maybe a bench placed in WHITBY FREE PRESS, WEDNESDAY, MAY 12, 1982, PAGE 23 Trp to old York strategic locations. Maybe Whitby's greatest asset is an "old town image." We already have it and should in every way try to maintain it. There always is a battle to destroy and build. Put up huge concrete and glass structures which in time become so-called memorials to the people who managed to get the hall rolling. If it is deemed to be necessary and needed why not put the "jungle" anywhere but not in the centre core? A blot on the landscape; put them all together preferably with access from the highway, not a city street. If this is done, parking can be taken care of, costly of course, but part of the site chosen by the builders or developers. Whitby is indeed fortunate to have L.A2C.A.C., (Local Architectural Conservation Advisory Com- mittee). Whitby has a great number of extinct buildings which L.A.C.A.C. is dedicated to preserve via its dual mandate of designation and public education. The argument that saving buildings saves energy is an added factor which we can all be interested in. A major study has-proved beyond doubt that demo- lition and new construction will usually result in a net energy loss over the projected lives of the struc- tures. It was shown that new buildings require up to five times more energy for construction and operation over an expected lifespan than do reha- bilitated ones. I must add that I do not necessarily agree with the above. When reduced energy consumption is essential and energy self-sufficiency a stated national goal, the work of L.A.C.A.C. takes on a significantly new dimension. Quite separate from but combined with the purely cultural function of preserving the town's heritage and character. We would be interested in hearing Graham Field talk again and as the chairman of L.A.C.A.C. he is well versed in all aspects of this committee. The more we know of such things the more encouraged we are and heartened to realize that something very productive is being done. I am very interested in the designation of the old bank building downtown, the Dominion Bank. The designation of the building is fundamental to the work of the L.A.C.A.C. because as the report states, "in its present state the building could prove to be a lynch pin in the refurbishment of the downtown core." Very important, and necessary, I would think. will include all trans- portation and ad- missions but meals will be extra. Additional informa- tion may be obtained from Kay Hutchings at 668-3460. Reservations and payment for the trip should be made to Kay Daigle at 158 Brock Street North or by calling 668-2249.. The tour is open to anyone who wishes to come but space is limited. The tour is being planned and will be con- ducted by Fred Cane who has been a member of the Historical Society Executive for several years and is a former curator of the Whitby Museum. He presently lives in Toronto and works for the Ontario Heritage Foundation doing ar- chitectural résarch. The Whitby Historical Society is sponsoring a tour of the historic Town -of Yor'k on Saturday, May 29. York was the name of Toronto from 1793-1834. It extended east from Yonge Street to about Parliament Street and south from Queen Street to the lake with a few outlying "country estates". A few build- ings remain from this early period and these along with later Vic- torian structures create an area of great histori- cal interest. The tour will include such historic buildings as St. James Cathedral, St. Lawrence Hall and the South St. Lawrence Market which has within its structure one of Toronto's early City Halls which now houses a gallery for the Toronto Archives. Since Satur- day is market day, the farmer's market which has operated con- tinuously on the same site for almost 200 years, will be open. Buses will leave from the Whitby Library parking lot at 8 a.m. and will return by early evening.-The cost of the trip will be $15 which Pressure Treated Wood Chain Link Fences 8 2" mesh, 11 gauge, S 08 41. hgh with f t9 green vinyl. 1" x 6"linear foot We cut less than 50 ft. roll a roll tool X" 34 lin.ft. 8'lon n.H No Painting or maintenance required. 40 ibs. of pressure per sq. in. Insures a beautiful fence for years to come. Stain or leave naturel. No. 2 grade or better. Need Installation? Call Peel for a FREE estimate. 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