Longfield off to Guyana Pg LTTERS Pages 6 and 9 Home School Page 1l Redmen droptirt two gaines Page 18 VXTTF ¶Tow truck operator castiügates competitor By Mark Ressr A Whitby flrm wbich charged $350 lta taw a van from an accident at Thickson sud Victoria Streets la a diagrace ta the tawlng industry, a local comptitar chargea. "Ies incomprehensible. I dont know how someane could even pive a bill likethat ta somebody," says Les Bingley, aowner of Brougliton Towing, wbicli tawed the ailier vebicle involved in the July 30 accident - a wrecked 1984 Chevette - ta ils pound for lems than $100. 'Tm ashamed ta even b. assoiated with peaple who charge ibis kind of money sud I know quite a few other companies that would be tao. That's juat highway robbery... "We've got ta make the public aware of this." Despite the fact it wasn't called ta the accident, NX Towing * charged $180 for four hourd' wailing time at the scene and $150 ta, tow a 1993 Chevy Lumina van belongmng ta a 30-year-old Oshawa man ta ils Mary Street East pound ansd body shop. Also on the bill, which tatalled $595.99, was a $50 fée. ta tw the vehicle ta Gus Brown Pontiac Bulck for repairs; $45 for starage charges ($15 a day) and $132 for labour ta remove somne parts. 71 cant even believe the cops let him take it," says Bingley, whose firm las a contract with Durham Regional Police ta tow "basically any vebicle" that's impounded. "Because we have a set rate ... they're supposed ta say ta 1h. customer we have a contract compsuy that tawas for us at X number af dollars.'" Police phoned Brouglitan and said they needed twa taw trucks at th. accident, says Bingley, wlio admits NX arrived firet at the scene. "The tbing that upset me the moat was that they called us for two trucks sud then they ended up using (only) one ... and letting NX tow the other car away for that kind of money, wlien they know blaody well that if we had tawed the car it would have been under $100."f Brougltans contract sipulates what it can charge for cails given ta it by police - $31.50 ta tow a vebticle frm an accident scene ta LOTYPERCH GRAHAMVICK straddles a flagpole in a scene from 'Canadiana' a patriotic musical play which is running at Cullen Gardens' VaIIey Theatre through Labour Day. Photo by Ark Reesor, Whltby Fre Pres Ghoulishfteft A 22-year-old Whitby man lias been charged with digging up a 100-year-old grave in Sunderland and removing part of the remamns. The grave of Mary McKee, who died in 1878 sud was buried at St. Johues Gemetary, was dug up Auguat 13, says Constable Dave Henderson. A Crimestoppers tip led police ta, a suspect, who waa arrested August 17; the remains were recovered ,in su Uxbridge residence. The susp)ect - Henderson wo't release bis name until a charge is sworn before the courts - is char-ged wlth causing an lndignity ta a dead huinan body. Police arent sure nht motivated the crime. toprs By 1<1k. Kowalaki Town'council could be forced inta making a decisian on a new arena as eariy as next month.. North ward ouncillor Don Mitchell intenda ta press, for another fadility shortly after council returns from its summer break. Whether it be pnivately flnanced or built with taxpayers' dollars, Mitchell-said the - issue has dragged on- for too' long. "As far -ais rm concerned wWe r eady to goa," said Mfitchell in anticipation of a forthcoming Town staff-report on the subject., : MTme has run out and I plan to bring it to a head," lie said. "Mf theres not a consensus on council informally ta go ahead, I plan' ta make a motion ta have a public meeting with the user groupe as soon as possible." Parka and recreation department staff are expected ta, make a recommendation on which -foute council should follow lu adding ta the thrwe eisting arenas lu Whitby. The only issue ta be determined ie whether a. private facility la feasible or if the Town s ihould build one or more ice surfaces at Iroquois Park on its own. The latter proposal* would involve iucreaslgfees $25 an hour ta offset costution and operatlug cosda of two more pads at Iroquois. (Staff estimate it will cost $3.5 million ta build one pad and $6 million for two.) The primary ice user groupa In Whitby support this approach, but have asked that the iucrease be pbased lu over two-to-threeyears. mitchell, a lon-ime proponeat of a new arena, ýsaud discussions are stil being held- with the private sector, but lie- is nat optimistic -the -talka will -prove fr-iui. "I can't say it's a dead issue, it was sili alive the last I heard," lie sald. "But itEs been going back -and forth so long ...the private people have ta do something or get off the pot. If ihey dont want ta came 'm, fine, letis go aliead."* According ta Mitchell, the main smbling block ta a private operator pýrooedn is a reluctance ta compote with the Town's own "They want the Town ta eliminate its subsidies and charge SEE PAGE 2 By 1<1k. Kowal Vandals and litter bug" have pushed Whitby councillor Judi Longfleld ta the breaking point. Aithouglh. li as à lWys been upset hy the cost ta public proporty from vandallsm and littering, Léongfield la particularly incensed about the problenm which have befallen Whitbys newest facility. Since its grand opening iu late May, the waterfront trail lias become a favounlte target, the west ward representativer bemoans. Not only doea their 'handiwore take- away from the esihetic qualities of the 5.7-kilometre trail, it ia contributing ta the Town's ever increasing vandalism bill, Longfield notes. Waterfront. trai lhitby litter budget on projects for the publics enjoyment, Town council is beng forced ta, direct some of that money ta, repairing the damage inflicted by the perpetratars, she adds. "People are constantly saying 'could we have a few more benches, picnic tables, or whatever?'," said Longfleld during a recent walk alang the Heydenshore Park portion of the trail. "W. have ta tellthem that we would have the funding for that if not for having ta spend it on ibis," ah. said while pointing ta some empty beer bottles scattered SEE PAGE 3 k: * 6: ,~2e.