-4BROOKUINý-ý Relief fund raises $5,000 The yard and bake sale on Friday in Ashburn raised about $5,000 for the Rwandan relief fund. "It was absolutely amazing," says Pam Palmer, Ashburn General Store owner and chief organizer of the effort, adding that she knew local residents would help out in a big way. "I knew that's exactly what it would be." She estimates at least 3,000 people, "People from many dis- tances," visited Ashburn for the sale. Meanwhile, at least 50 people provided volunteer help. As a result, the money raised was taken to a local bank and delivered to the ]Red Cross late Friday afternoon. "I didn't want that money sit- ting in the bank all weekend," says Palmer. At her store, she is still receiv- ing donationsof money for the reef fund. For the sale, about 20 tables were set up along with four hay waons. (hurch members from Ash- burn, Myrtle, Brooklin and Bal- sam were among those who con- tributed items and help in what was a hastily, but smoothly, arranged event. Proposed lumberyard get sMBapproval Local relief effort THESE WERE some of the more than 3,000 people who turned out for the yard and bake sale in Ashburn las was raised for the R% Photo bt st Friday. About $5,000 wandan relief fund. y Mark Reesor, Whltby Fre Prss HOPKINS ST.j CHEESE STICKS 6/ 19 Only Reg. 1 611.65 Limit 3 dozen per customer HAM & CHEESE CROISSANTS Only 9 jEACH Reg. 1.19 Limit 2 dozen per customer 750 Hopkilns Street Whiby 666-1177 Buns Maste BRIGADIER SPECIAL P215X60RX14 RWL $75 Instaled P215X65RX15 RWL $84 Bafanced When you think tires Not exacly as Iustratedcali Van Hemmen Tires 317 Hopkins St. Whitby • 666-2121 To advertise in this feature call Lynda at the Whitby Free Press, 668-6111. J] Ir By Mike Kowali A five-year-old application for a home improvement centre and lumberyard in north Whitby has been approved. Following a pre-hearing con- ference in Whitby last month the Ontario Municipal Board (OMB) approved a proposal by Mitchell Brothers of Brooklin for a building supplies outlet on Spencers Road, west of Highway Despite objections from a neighbouring resident, the board supported the Mitchells' applica- tion for a lumberyard and show- room on the north side of Spen- cers, about halfway between Taunton and Winchester roads. However, the board also ruled that the development cannot pro- ceed until a site plan application for the property has been pre- pared and meets with the Town of Whitby's approval. Although pre-hearing con- ferences are generally intended to resolve procedural matters in order to shorten the eventual hearing, the board can render a decision if it feels there is suffi- cient evidence before it. The Mitchells have been seek- ing permission to build on the six-acre property since 1989. They have been based in Brooklin for 44 years, but their Church Street store is too small for their building supplies busi- ness. In fact, the Brooklin store is essentially a showroom. Most of the stock is kept at a storage yard about one kilometre north of the Spencers site. The Mitchells' proposal required amendments to Dur- ham Region's former official plan and Whitby's current plan. (An official plan is a document which stipulates preferred land uses in a municipality and serves as a blueprint for future develop- ment.) The site had been designated open space in the two plans, but both the Region and Town coun- cil endorsed the Mitchell applica- tion. (Durham Region has since received provincial government approval for its new official plan, while Whitby is in the process of updating its existing plan. (The site has been changed fron open space to an urban living area in the two new plans.) However, Ashburn Road resi- dent Glenn Bryers appealed the decisions of the two councils to the OMB. Bryers claimed area home- owners were worried about the project's impact on well water, lac~k of adequate fire protection and potential traffic problems. Whitby's planning department also had concerns about the pro- posal. Although council recommended that Durham Region approve the official plan amendments, it directed that the zoning not be changed until Town staff recei- ved an engneering report ensur- ing that there will be no impact' on area water, as well as a satisfactory site plan. Among the department's con- cerns were open storage of lum- ber and water and sewage requirements. If open storage of lumber is permitted, staff necommend that it be confined to the rear of the property and buffered from nearby homes. As for servicing requirements, staff suggest that the zoning b ylaw ref ect Ontario Ministry of Energy and Environment con- cerns. This would include ensuring adequate water and sewer capa- bilities until the site can be connected* to future municipal services. Owner Donald Mitchell had appealed. Whitby's refusal to change the property's agrieul- tural zoning category until a site plan application had been sub- mitted to the Town. The O'MB sided with the Town and rejected Mitchell's appeal. Neither Bryers nor Mitchell were available for comment. Whitby councillor Don Mit- chell, the applicant's son, declined to comment. Firefighters alert public to fraud The Whitby Professional Fire- fighters Association is alerting local residents and business people that someone may be fraudulently using . telephone solicitation to raise money for a "firefighters yearbook." The association recently lear- ned that a Whitby business was asked, by telephone, to give money. "We're not soliciting anything right now," says association pre- sident Dave Chalmers, noting there is no firefighters'yearbook. Chalmers says businesses or individuals should disregard any such request for funds. THE BEST KEPT SECRET IN TOWN! Nearly every day a customer comes into one of -our local Clean-it Centers and discovers the answer to what we're sure is the best kept secret in town. They quickly discover that they can buy the same com- mercial cleaning products that professional custodians use, but that's not the secret. They find that the reason the pro's use these high grade products is because they work better than household cleaners, but that's not the secret. They're often astounded at the dramatic savings they can realize by buying their cleaning products from a wholesaler, but that's not the secret. So what's the best kept secret in town? Simply turn the ad over to discover the answer.