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Page 12, Whltby Free Proo. Wednosday, Febwoery 29. 19M6 Health council seeksextension on hospital report'deadline By Mike Kowalski A report on Implementing a regional hospital system ln Durham will flot be ready in time to meet the Ontario government's deadline. Health Ministor Jim Wilson has been asked to extend the Durham Region District Health Council's Feb. 29 deadline for submitting the final report of its implementation planning committee. A delay in obtaining "technical data"' needed W o 'mplote the Prison tern for bankrobber An Oshawa man reoently reoeived- a six-and-half-year prison sentence in connection with a hold-up of a downtown Whitby bank in February last year. In general division court in Peterborough, 'Gerald Steven Dixon was convicted of armed robbery, masked with intent and possession of a weapon dangerous Wo public peace. Ho had been arrested bY Durham Rogional Police at an Oshawa hostel Feb. 219 a day after the hold-up of the Bank of Montreal. Ho was thon on parole, il days aftor having served nine months of a two-and-a-half-year sentence for a »rovious conviction. VOLUNTEERS Durham Family Respite is lookring for volunteers to enjoy trne and friendship with individuals who have special needas. For more information, caR. 427-3541. report was cited by the hoalth council as the reason for seeking the extension last week. Whon completed, the report will suggost ways on how to implemont proposals contained in a health council plan, for restructuring hospitals in Durham Region. Included in the plan, which was approved by Wilson last September, is a controversial recommendation to convert Whitby General Hospital inte a rehabilitation troatrnent contre serving the entire region. Eéalth council executive directeir Lynda Hessey attributed the delay more Wo the "tight Urne frarno" imposod by the minister rathor than any unexpected problems. "Everybody was working at breaknock speed," said Hessey of the voluntary committee headed by former Ontario riding MP Rene Sootens. "But whon you have little elasticity, it (smnall delay) tends Wo have a ripple effect, that's the issue," she said. The required information is of a goneral nature and doos not pertain Wo any specific hospital, Hessey added. SAccording W Sootens, lack of information from the hoalth ministry was responsible for his committeenot being able W nioet the deadline. "A lot of our assumptions for siting and prograrns was dependant on rninistry data and a lot of it was flot sufficient or complote, that was one of the major reasons for tho delay," ho said.' Sootens' committee consists of eight sub-cornmitteos and while five had cornpleted their tasks, the other three were still waiting for additional data. Whitby resident* Catharine Tunney,, a former Durham separate school board trustee, chairs the programn advisory subcommittee responsible for the' siting and slzing of aIl programe and services in the region. The committees are made up of hospital personnel, physicians, labour represontatives, hospital board niembers, comrnunity health oere workers and region residents. Concurring with Hessey, Sootens said tho information'is "gonoral data that one needs when making assumptions about the number of bods and length of stay in hospitals. "Wo would need current data and that would have te bo * By Steve Leahy On Tuosday, Fob. 20 a Brooklin homo on Heber Down Crescent was broken into, apparently during the day. This follows a reoent spate of car break-mns in the same neighbourhood but in the late evenings. And, only down the road, there was a New Year's Day break-in at the library. The library culprits wero thought te ho kids, according te police, possibly because there was only a few dollars taken. However, the home break-in resulted in the theft ofmany personal beüngings, Including jewelry, CDs and sorne cash. Entry was gained by kicking in the sidedoor teok place during daylight hours or early in the evening. If anyone saw or heàrd anything unusual on Tuesday they should caîl Durham Regional Police. The horneowner, who has llved here aIl of his life, says ho is extrapolated (te make projections)." Sootens does not expect hospital fundlngs cuts announced by Wilson last week <seo separate stery) will have an impact on the committe.'. final report. "We were told te base aIl our assumptions on existing levels of funding," ho said. According Wo a health council press release, tho report will include a "functional definition" of each prograin, location of programns and services, capital requirernonts and. a plan for rnanaging human resources and shocked because this kind of thlng just doesnt happen ln Brooklin. Perhaps we can do sorne thlngs te help ensure this kind of thing does not continue. Neighbours can watch out for eac'h other'. property. VISIT FROM HAMT This Friday, March 1 at 1 p.m., there will ho a speciai service in honour of the Ecumenical World Day of Prayer at St. Thornas' Anglican Church. The guest speaker will ho Mark Middleten froma Emmanuel International. A recent visiter'te Hatti, his topic will ho 'Haiti, God OeIls us te Respond.' Everyone la welcome Wo attend. The church is located at the corner of Winchester and Anderson. SKATEATIION Last Friday afternoon's Brooklin and District Kinsmen akateathon physlcian Issues. Health mlnistry spokesperson Barbara Selklrk said Wilson had not reoeived the health councll's request as of Friday and did not want te speculate on whether ho will grant an extension. However, Selkirk said Wilson would prefer that the report Is done "propoýrly" the first Urne. "The minister. recognizes that this lto a complex situation and that there will be burnps ln the road," she said. It has - W be dono properly, rather than rushing it and havlng Wo do it over." was a big hit with most of the students from St. Leo and Meadowcrest participatlng. The few Kinsmen and adult volunteers had their hands full counting al those laps and handing out goodie bage. Now cornes the hard part, - collecting all that inoney pledged by parents, friends and noighbours. Hey, but thore -are some terrific prizes, -such as mountain bikes, for kids in dilTerent,-ago categories. Protty good inoentivo, Id say. Don't forget that funds raised will go towards the various local projocts funded by Kinsmen. as well as for cystic fibrosis. Steve Leahy's olmn apem eve,yweek He catibe reached t5-4398 or 655-5888 (fax). 29DOLLAR CREDIT when you sign up for the Toronto (âreà 1)1 Greater Toronto (area 2) service. 2 9e FREE DAYS of service when you sign up for the Toronto (area 1), or Toronto (area 1)/ Uxbridge (area 3), or Durham (area 4) service. SVEUP O 67S ARES . 2& o abvema 3 Brock St. N., Whitby 430a 8031 Durham Personal Counselling Services Individual.-Group and Marital Counsclling 1S VOUR RELA TIONSHIP FEELING THE STRAIN? HAVE YOU STOPPED COMMUNICATING? YOU CAN LEARN HOW TO REKINDLE THA T FLA ME! Ca/1 todav%-frlie/p jrfioli ouf- noijucl.geîîzentai1 counisellor. 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