History on parade with the Brooklin Junior Farmers Brooklin-based group gears up for its fundraising gala Booklin group carves out a name for itself thecitizen BrooklinApril 18, 2014 facebook.com/newsdurham twitter.com/newsdurham durhamregion.com Planning for Brooklin's future Residents offer input into two major Town studies PARVANEH PESSIAN ppessian@durhamregion.com BROOKLIN -- When John Pluister moved to Brooklin in 1975, he had a clear vision in mind for his family. "We moved out here to avoid dense population," he says. "We lived in the Oshawa-Whitby area and we didn't want to bring our kids up there; we wanted to bring them up in a rural community." Over the years, he and other long-time Brooklin residents have watched as heavy congestion on local roads and an abundance of residential growth has taken over the small-town feel of the area. BROOKLIN -- Paul Lowes, principal of SGL Planning, spoke to Brooklin resident Eugene Gmitrowicz during a meeting at the Brooklin United Church. The Town of Whitby requested input from community members to prepare a secondary plan and transportation master plan that will guide and manage growth in the Brooklin area. RYAN PFEIFFER / METROLAND SEE TRAFFIC PAGE 7 Free garden seminar in Brooklin April 23 BROOKLIN -- Gardening enthusiasts are invited to attend a free seminar in Brooklin with special guest Marjorie Mason. Ms. Mason has traveled extensively, hosting garden tours since 1985 and lectures across Canada and the United States on a wide variety of topics. She has also written articles for Canadian Living, Canadian Gardening, Harrowsmith, Canadian Wildlife Federation, and Landscape Ontario magazines. The garden seminar is presented by the Whitby in Bloom committee in partnership with the Brooklin Horticultural Society. It takes place on Wednesday, April 23 at Brooklin United Church, 19 Cassels Rd. E. Admission is free. Non-perishable food items will be collected in support of local food banks.