Steeple climbing af farily tradition Dangling by ropes from the top of a churcli steeple wouldn't be the cliosen profession for many but it's a tradition -for the Koebel family. It's rare anymore to find these artisans "lianging around" in the rarified at- mosphere. "A lot Of contrlictors now have scaffolding," says Gary Koebel, steeplejack, for almost 30 years, and part of the father-son team working atop AUl Saints Anglican Churcli in Whiitby i past weeks. Imperial Roofing, of Briglit, Ont., was begun in 1928 by Clarence Koebel. Gary foilowed and now Gary's son Dave lias been swinging the heiglits for six years. The Koebels used to do a lot of work for- the boards of educati on in, Ontario - "h old scliools liad slate on tliem,",recails Gary. But tliey work exclusively now on old cliurclies. They were previously in Whitby ý25 or 26 years ago, Gary says, but lie can't remember wliat tliat project was then. At Ail Saints, they're repairing or replacing all the slate and placing ail new cop- per ridging (ridge-capping) . "It was in bad need ofý repair," says Gary, wlio believes it is tlie first major work ever done on tlie steeple since it was built. Mary Kempke, one of the cliurcli wardens, also believes it may be the first extensive steeple renovation in the years since it was constructed. Tlie cliurcli lad a choice - to fix or replace the slate or remove tlie slate and instead make the exterior ail copper. "We decided to stay witlitlie slate,"I Kempke says tile of tlie vote by tlie congregation. "I1t's ratlier a landmark in Whitby and even witli the new building beside it, you can still see the steeple from a distan- ce."$ The work is estiniated to cost from $35,000 to $37,000. The end of June is a likely completion date. Gary Koebel says tlie cop- per ridging replaces what was galvanized metal. That wil mean no more painting. Ail exposed wood will also be covered witli copper. The Koebels mostly use reclaimed slate or new slate from Pennsylvania. -For top quality, they get slate from Wales. Ail Saints liad higli quality slate - in fact, most of the- original slate was intact, AT WORK at Ail Saints Anglican Church are steeplejacks Gary (r) and Dave Koebel, a father-son team carrying on a family tradition that began in 1928. Free Press photo Committee split over parlor bylaw By MIKE JOHNSTON A decision on the, Town's proposed aduit entertainmeflt parlor bylaw will be made next week by council' after operations committee members were split on the issue at a meeting Monday. Mayor Bob Attersley and com- mittee cliairman Ross Batten favored licensing and regulating the present three parlors while councillors Tom Edwards and Joe Drumm favored removing tliem from the downtown area. After the meeting, Nick Mikos, part owner of tlie Royal Hotel, said he would favor being licensed if "lthat'à wliat it takes to keep us there, (at the present location)." However, lie said lie would like to sit down witli council and discuss the terms of the license before any decision was made. Sliould council decide to favor the lylaw, it could be another four months before it comes into effect. SEE PAGE 12 Q uest, moves north By ROXANNE REVELER QuestPrîvate School in Whitby an established centre of learning for gifted children for mnany years, will be moving to rural Brooklin next week. The school, which lias been operating from rented quar ters at 220 Dundas St. W., lias purcliased the' Harlander Pottery property on Higliway 12, just soutli of Brooklin for the establishiment of a per- manent school. But Quest will have to settle for using 12 portable scliool class Burnsi de sehool to close As the school year draws to a close, Burnside Academy will not merely be closing their doors for tlie summer recess, but forever. Founded in 1980 as a lifetime dream of Inez Wilson of Pickering, the sehool operated from lier Salem Rd. home until last December when it moved to rented quarters in Whitby Baptist Churcli. But ,even this move proved to be unsuc- cessful. They will not be re-opening when tlie next school year starts in September. "Over its seven-year history, this independent scliool lias been tlie salvation of children overlooked by the public scliool system," says administrator Merrilyn Evans. "Its students will neyer forget the individual attention and concern they received at Burnside. " Evans explained the 14 students (haîf of which are from Whitby) are unable tQ cope in a regular classroom setting for various reasons - either because of learning disabilities or beliavioral and emotional problems. She indicated SEE PAGE 19 ding to principal Ruth Banks, the portable classes will be moved to the new location next week. Quest will be using the present Harlander homeý as a library and offices until a permanent school can be erected on the 44 acres of land. Once that is accomplished, the house will be used as a residen- ce for live-in students. Banks indicated'the sehool has had parents in Ireland, Germany, SEE PAGE 27 Marathon. ends See p. 20 PEARSON LANES GRAND OPENING page 15 M~~~~ pTIi h(11ki'fIh 1 t1 &$ , I *o'* '$4 o. k *4 $ 4* * 4 Mini d(onk éy 1 S se ee p. 13