WHITBY FREE PRESS, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 4, 1985. PAGE 3 Merchants give positive response to plans clesigned to make Whitby's downtown core more attractive By SUSAN LESJAK Free Press Staff An outlîne of the prapased impravements ta be made ta Whitby's downtown care was met with enthusiasm last week when it was presented ta the mem- bers of the Whitby Business Improvement Area (B.I.A.) The project, made possible thraugh provincial and municipal funding, aims at re-vitalizing the downtown by concen- trating an three areas: streetscape enhan- cement; store front facade guidelines; and, a lang-term marketing pragram. ' Totten, Sims, Hubicki and Associates Ltd., the consultants hired ta ca- ordinate the planning and execution of the project, presented their preliminary plans last Tuesday. The streetscape program, explained the consulting firm's senior planner, Bob Clark, is intended "ta emphasize the human orientation of the downtawn by making the area a more pleasant and attractive place ta be." Long- range plans for street- scaping include sidewalk trees, benches, overhead banners and terracatta colaured bricks stripped into sidewalks along cur- bsides. The trees, explained landscape architect Ken *Tamminga> serve ta "4madify the micro- planet" by providing shade, shelter and reducing wind. They also serve ta separate pedestrain spaces fram car spaces, which "enhance the pedestrain's feeling of security while shopping or moving thraugh the downtown spaces. " The brick stripping alang the curb creates visual interest while "acting as a unifying element" cannecting buildings and business in the care. The banners also provide visual in- terest. Since the praject's $5W,000 budget does flot permit a camplete streetscaping of the en- tire core at this time, Totten, Sims, Hubicki and Assaciates have proposed two directions the project could go. Either the dollars could be -concentrated in the Four Corners area (which would allow for the full complement of street furniture, plan- ters, banners, trees and brick work) or they could be spent on street trees alane ta be spaced throughaut the core (Brock, Dundas, Caîborne and Byron Sts.). Furniture, lamps, and special paving could be added over the years as mare funding became available. Part of last week's meeting addressed these two options and public opinion is curren- tly being solicited on the matter. The starefrant facade guidelines are designed ta sensitize business people and building owners ta the large role pl ayed by facades in the creation of a "town image." As the style of Whitby's downtown ar- chitecture is predominantly "small. tawn Ontario" in flavar, window trimmings, store signs and exteriar colar schemes should serve ta enhance that small town feeling, said freelance consultant Wendy Shearer, who is heading this part of the projeet. Light colared paint which brings out the detail of the turn-of-the century window trim- mings s0 common on the main streets is recam- mended as are awnings and hand-lettered or old-fashioned style signs. While many store owners try ta attract a clientele with boldly painted exteriors and loud oversized signs, such gimmicks serve ta detract from the business's image, she explained. The guidelines will be distributed ta all down- tawn merchants and property halders, and Shearer will be available for private consultations with mer- chants desiring ta discuss their individual needs.* Her raIe in the praject is in no way that of the heavy. Hawever, the success of this aspect of the overail plan rests entirely an the down- town merchants and their willingness to act upan Shearer's suggestions. The consultant pain- ted ta the success of several ather Ontario towns in carryîng off similar "facelifts" (Cambridge and Kit- chener among athers), but she cautianed against impatience. The transformations dan't happen overnight, she said. "It would be overly aptimistic ta say that if you have the guidelines, you'd see immediate changes. It takes a while. " For most buildings, there aren't funding sources available to supplement owners or tenants' capital im- provements casts, she added. Despite Shearer's sobering words Judy Morgan, owner of Judy's flarist and gift shop, went away from Tuesday's meeting en- thusiastic. "I was a littie ap- prehensive when I came, but I was ex- tremely pleased witi: Totten, Sims, Hubicki and Associates. I think they're > talking realism." "There will certainly be people who will drag their feet, but they'll came along after the "doers get the hall ralling, " she said. When asked whether she felt such aesthetic impravements would translate inta increased sales, Morgan had no doubts that it would. "Presentatian, she CONT'D ON PG. 14 -- -11111.. ->Pi9e&G ift Sboppe SOLID OAK & PINE FURNITURE 9 piece Solid Oak Dining Room Suite o~'$3 2 58. 110 DUNLOP ST. E., WHITBY 666-1331 OPEN MON. WEO. 106. THURS.-FR1. 109, SATURDAY 105, SUNDAVS I15 Signage is an important component of Whitby's proposed plan to improve the downtown core. In a public meeting to present the plan, project consultant Wendy Shearer, pointed out- signs at the Whitby Home Bakery and the adjacent coffee shop on Brock St. S. as examples of signs that "work" with the ar- chitecture. Signageshould harmonize with the "small town Ontario" feel of the downtown buildings, not detract from it Shearer explained. Fe rs tf ht SELECT COMMEE ON ENERGY tý11," Î 3f ONTARIO HYDRO REVIEW -ýr' Ontario The Select Committee on Energy will meet ta review the operatîon of Ontario Hydro, commencing September 10, 1985. The Committee will hear presentations from the public in the Darlington area on September 16, 1985, and in Committee Room No. 1, Legislative Building, Queen's Park, Toronto, Ontario on September 17 and 18, 1985. The Committee invites oral or written submissions from individuals, groups or arganizations wishing to comment on the above noted matter. Enquiries respecting the presentation of submissions should be directed ta the Clerk of the Committee. PHILIP ANDREWES, M.P.P. Chairman Room 1413, Whitney Block Queen's Park Toronto, Ontario M7A 1A2 1(416) 965-6834 FRANCO CARROZZA C/erk of the Cornmittee *OSHAWA AJAX SCARBORO I 140 Simcoe St. S. 1313 Harwood N.793 Markham Rd. (S. f Jon St) (N of wy. 01) (S. of Ellesmere l * (Sof ohnSt. (N t Hy. 01) Painted Post Plaza) * 579-1655 686-0719 431-4458