AFTER,$1-MIILLION FIRE Cullen eaIn-mup begins B y fMke Johnston Fire officiais are stili trying to, determine the cause of a fire at Cullen Gardens and Miniature Villa ge last Thursday that caused more than $1 million in dainage. Hotel construction soone Construction of the hotel at HIwy 401 and Brock St. S., thwarted for more than two years b y delays on the Con- sumers Dr. extension, and the new off-ramps at the intersection could soon begin. In its 1989 budget, Durham Reg*on has set aside $330,000 for its share of the cost of extending Consumera Dr. to Brock St. The work had been held up by disagreement between the deve- loper of a subdivision in the area, Ted Phelpa,, and the Provinc over land in the area.' Phelps told council earlier this- yerthat the disagreement has bensettled and ail that is left is to "cross the Vs and dot the is Bobby Bhoola, who is develop- ing t.he hotel, said a building permit a plication has been file with the on "We are just waiting for the Tow-n to issue the permit," said Bhoola, adding he is ready te begin construction. He says the hotel wiill be operated by either Comfort Ina or Quality Inns. 'It is going te ho the gateway SEE PAGE 4 Durhamn Moves auto supplement PaPces 13- 16 Roberts' goes up Page 24 The tire, wnxcen at times shot flames that went 100 feet into the air and were visible from downtown Whitby, destroyed a restaurant, *ift shop, candy store, a small barn and some offices. An 1850 building con- tained the gift shop, restaurant and offices. More than 30 firef-lghters from Whitby Ajax and Oshawa bat- tled th e blaze that started at 2:30 p.m. Within 90 minutes, the fire had engulfed the restaurant and gift shop. A female employee was in the area when the fire started but escaped uninjured.EdCoc Whitby fire chief dCoc said a crane was te be brought in y esterday ( Tuesday, Feb. 7) te lift a number of items from the basement of the gutted building where it is believed the fire started. "My first thought was that I don't need this,7 said Gardons' owner Lon Cullen, who was in downtewn Whitby when the fire started. Cullen said he was driving back to his 'Taunton Rd business when he noticed smoko bellowing from the area. "I thought it was somebody burning brush,» Cullen recalled as he watched flrefighters trying to stop the flames from spread- ing to the adjoining Garden Gate restaurant and Lyndo House. Crouch admitted that had the wind been blowing south instead of north, damage to the Gardens could have been more extensive. "Iff the ind had been coming from the north, any Jumping spark could have caused the fire te sVread," said Crouch. W ith a lack of fire hydrants in the area, the Whitby lire depart- ment drew water from a 150,'000- gallon reservoir behind Cullen Gardons. Pumper tanks from Oshawa and Ajax also assisted in bringing water to the area. Crouc¶i said the resorvoir is still covered with a one-inch sheet of ice, so it is not known how much water was drawn. The reservoir has a hose connection at the bottom. Uft looked like the wrecking yard was on fire," said Ma yor bob Attersley, who was quickçly on the scene, arriving before Cullen, having seen the smoke from the municipal building. "This is a sad day for Whitby. But I'm sure Len (Cullen) will niake it happen again," said Attersley. Cullen walked around te fire- fighters and pe rsonally thanked and praîsed them for thir quick r"onse u ne Whitby firefighter, Ron Haines, suffered torn shoulder muscles when ho slipped on the ice. This is the second fire te hit the Cullen family within a year. Last Octoer, a fire caused.,$1. million damage te Cullen Barns located at Kennedy and Steeles Ave. Cullen said he will robuild the bumned area, and financial assis- tance was quick as his insuranco cornpany, Phoenix Continen tal, on Monday presonted Cullen's son, Mark, with a choque for $250,000 as an advanoe on the insurance daim. Mark said his father has met with staff of Cullen Gardons and discussed somo designs for rebuilding but he said nothing is definite. Cookie sales suirt Saturday GIRL GUIDES7 aimual cookie camipaign, h ao fundraiser for the org,,anization, begînsSardy Feb. ll n Whitby and Brooklin- About 5W< guides, -t-ders and brownies, including Miîchelle ~agter (leff) of the lst Whitby brownies and Jenifer Jones of the 22nd Whitby brownies, wîi seil cookies door-to>-door over the enxt two to three weeks at S25 per box. Cail 668-29645 to order a box in Whitby, or 6554469 in Brooklin - Free Prou photo FIR0 MAFCLS begi.n the job of cleaning debris from the basement of the restaurant at Cullen Gardens and Miniature Village where it is belie- ved Iast Thursday's $1-million fire began. Photos of the fire on pages 18 and 19. Vinoe Ohprect Free Prem ]phôo C ine-ma co-mplex may open in fali If construction goes aoeording te plans, Whitby residents could ho watcin-g mevies within their own boun-dary by late faIL Const,,ructioýmn staxrteèd ini mid- December on the six movie thea.tres et the northeast corner of Thick-son Rd- S. and Cham- p lain Ave. -~According te cwruier Rick Gay. .rhe .ets are scheduled te hoi corrnplezed t'ras faIL The six theatrs -wifl be opera- ted bv Ct-nepkez Odeon and wifl ze simlar ini siza te the smafler th-eatres a: the Oshawa centre, said Gay, who is aise t"he -new rowne,ér cf th'.,e Niagra Faits Thn- der re vteamu of theOnai Hockey Le2gtze.. The theab-es are part of a larger ornglex that is te include commecialstores and ofice An OToo0les restaurant and a submarine sandwich shop have ahre *I indioeed they will be mevmng int the complex, said Gay, who is the principal oner- On~e of his partnerz is Whýitby Mayor Bob Atters!ey. Ci-neplex was oiginaiyly ook- ig et iooetfng the theatres on tenoeth side of Hwy Z, east cf Garrard Rd, but a L-ck cf park- ir.g forod the'm toe eSewhre "thên aerdhmdown lea3said Gay; whao is cn- st itria headf1t, o the gially Io*ing et-