PAGE 4, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 13, 1986. WHITBY FREE PRESS I>ublislied every Wednesday whitby BILL MCOUAT r- bM.B.. Pblising Communty EdItor fil aidPhotographyhInc. f zn m-<; IlVALERIE COWEN J? LJL~ ~ b', Mh5.M. PuManager u uJ The F ree Press Building, detmn aae Voice of the Cut Town Michael Ian Burgess, Publisher - Managing Editor 1:11I Brock Street North, Second lass Mal Cony 1.0. Box 206,. Whitby, ont. Regisiration Noý 5351 Thie only Whitby newspapcr independently <wned and <perated by Whithy residents for Whithy reidents. -Bluegrass questiLons need answers- Doug Miller, chairman of the Bluegrass Meadows Ratepayers Association, has devoted a lot of bis time this suxnmer to investigating the Durham Region Non Profit Housing Corporation proposai to build subsidized housing in the sub- division. The issue of subsidized housing tends to be a very emotionai one as was ciearly evident in the heated and often rash debate that errupted this summer following DRNPHC's announ- cernent of theproposai. Miller's intelligent and thorough research raises the debate to ' a new plane and, while the Free Press stiil maintains that the development must proceed, we believe Miller raises some questions that deserve serious consideration.' 1At the root of Miller's concerns is the entire system responsible for subsidized housing in this province. Having spent long hours talking with DRNPHC, the Town of Whitby, the province, the Durham Board of Education and other prin- cipals involved in the process, he has corne up with a numnber of question marks which, under more ideal circuinstances, would neyer have arisen. Included in that list there is the question of financing and the extent to which DRNPHC LetesToTie - itor To The Editor: I was away on holiday when the news of a possible golf, course at the Lynde Shores Con- servation Area was first crculated, and arn glad of your press coverage to bring me up to date. There are so many reasons why this area should flot be turned into a golf course that the proposai should neyer have received con- sideration from the Conservation Authority. Firstly, it is one of the very few open areas lef t where Whitby residents can take a family stroîl, give the dog a good long walk, birdwatch, hunt for fossils on the beach, photograph flowers and marshplants and hun- dreds use it happily in this way wyho would neyer use a golf course. Secondly, a corn- pletely new 18.hole golf course is being con- structed anyway only a couple of miles north, on Lynde Creek, at Rossland Rd. and Cochrane St. Thirdly, the Lynde Shores -Conservation Area is an extremely rich and diverse natural area, because of Cran- berry Marsh itself and the surrounding hedgerows and woodlots. It is nationally and internationally known for its wonderful variety of birdlifc, especially in migration. It was chosen by David Susuki to be filmcd as the introduction to is acclaimed T.V. series "The Nature of Things" because of the beauty of the marsh and the lake. To make a golf course here would be like tur- ning an oasis into a desert. Finally, most of the land was purchased witb public funds, sup- plemented by huge grants fromn agencies such as The Nature Conservancy of Canada. It would be gross missue of public money, in- cluding ongoing land taxes, to supply profits for a private cor- poration. Yours faithfully, Margaret Bain Whitby. Reader disagrees with extra seat To The Editor: It must be three ycars since the Durham Regional Council passcd a resolution requesting an additional Regional Councillor for both Ajax and Whitby. The prcvious Provincial Govrniment sat on this request and the present governmcnt almost made a decision wile nominations in Novcm- ber 1985 were stili open. The Minister of Municipal Affairs bas requcsted a confir- mation of Regional Counil's request which has caused two referrals to committec for study and report. Regional Council then passed a resolution with a one vote majority to can accurately project its future requirements and the source of those funds. There is the question of the burden that will be piaced on local school's, particularly the aiready crowded Dr. Robert Thornton Public Schooi. And there is the question of site selection' and the distribution of subsidized housing within the region. Certainiy one of the contributing factors which can be blamed for these and other possible deficiencies in the proposai is probabiy the fact that DRNPHC has very littie time in which to at- tend to the myriad details invoived. The province ailocates Durham's 'aiiotment of subsidized housing in January and DRNPHC has until August to get site plan approvai unless an exten- sion is given. It is not very much time in which to address ail these questions to everyone's satisfaction, especially for an agency such as* DRNPHC which is heaviiy reliant on volunteer input. When DRNPHC manager Dr. Mofeed Michael increase Councl's size and this was moved for reconsideration on a procedure technicality. Even the 'Argonauts' would not fumble the bail that often. 1 don't think increasing the size of Council will help the decision making process, especially when Council often votes along the lines of local Municipal boun- daries and not Regional considerations. One of the tricks of the political trade is to make a controversial decision in the summer- time, especially if it is not lection year. Many of the electorate are on holidays and the rest are in a holiday mood. It looks like the decision process bas now dragged over to Sep- tember wben most peoplecwill be back. Mayor Attersley is quoted as saying that be is in favour of reducing the size of Regional Council but does not think that he would ob- tain support for this move. Since there is only one Mayor in ecd Municipality, you can appreciate the fact that increasing the number of Regional Counillors bas no effect on the Mayors position. Only one from each Municipality can get elected to tbis office. Wben you cstablish the proccss of incrcasing the number of Regional Councillors, it should make it easier for cxisting Regional Coun- cillors to get clccted when expansion occurs. It is notcd that when the City of Oshawa cstablisbcd it's new ward systcm, that this bylaw was subject to the Ontario Municipal Board approval. Whcn it cornes to the size of Regional Council, ap- parently it is a decision of the Minister of Municipal Affairs. There ccrtaînly is an in- consistantcy in this process. F.or the Minister . to request pleads that the people trust in the agency's judgemnent, it is a small wonder. Dr. Michael and his fellows on the DRNPHC board are trapped within a system that requires themn to make the best of a difficuit situation. As director of the region's planning department, Dr. Michaei's credentiais are not in question and there is littie doubt that the rest of the DRNPHC board is committed to providing the best possible housing in the most appropriate setting. However, there is a liimit to what we can expect given the con- straints they have to work with. And in the meantime, the need for affordabie housing in Durham Region continues to escalate and no one can reasonabiy ask that that requirement be ignored. While we hope Miller and bis feiiows fail in their fight to hait this par- ticular development, perhaps their efforts wil succeed in drawing attention to the broader issue or the system and its faiiings and clear the way for a happier future. comments from Regional Council is to request commenta from a body where some can gain advantagc (rom the process if the size of Council is increased. At least the Minister should seek commenta only from the Mayors of the local Municipalities. Back in 19(73 Regional Council started out as a ful-time position and a salary was establisbed accordingly. In the first two or three years they worked very bard establishing policy. Gradually their work load bas decreased as evident by the size of their agenda. The first Council didn't Lake seven wceks off in the summer as they werc too busy. We bave seen wberc the Regional Works Department, Planning Department, Treasurcr's Depar- tment and the Developmcnt Depar- tmcnt are thinner and more efficient than whcn they started in 1973. The same should' be donc by rcducing the size of Regional Council. It is noted that Metro Toronto Council mem- bers on average represent over 50,000 people whilc Durhams average is about 10,000 people. Whcn I last SEL PC, 3o