VOL. 97, NO. 34 A demand for an investig gation and a charge of‘ “pay-off" flew from the asâ€" sembly as citizens demanded to know how the town let a multiple housing density into this acreage. It is ani area largely devoted to big; expensive single family dwellings. Residents de- manded a zoning change to keep out the townhouses. uuummuummunnuuummumummumunuumumumr Councillors who previous- ly worked with the develop- ment application for months appeared to be at a loss to know what to do to satisfy 90 Irate South Thornhillers Oppose 1 08- Unit Townhouse Project Near CNR About 90 civilly disobedient South Thornhill residents, variously angry and determined, Mon- day night of last week gave the members of their Markham Town Council what must have been the roughest verbal tearing to pieces any local government body has received for years here in southern York Region. The citizens were out to a public hearing in support of a 400-signature petition previously submitted against a 9-acre 108â€"unit townhouse project. The townhouses are proposed between Clark Avenue and the CN rail line, east of Henâ€" derson Avenue and opposite Vanwood Road and Johnson Street. Both Mayor William Laz- enby and Regional Council- lor Lois Hancey pointed out that they have favored having the whole area done before the contract was let last year, but council had decided to limit the bound- aries to Lake Wilcox. How- ever, it was pointed out that their proposal had been to extend the area westward right to Bathurst Street. Extension of the Lake Wilcox ,Study by M. M. Dillon Limited, consulting engineers and planners. to the north of the Blooming- ton Sideroad was approved by Richmond Hill Council Monday. The additional cost will be 86.600 and another bill of $1,578.35 for extra work in the Lake Wilcox area will bring the account to 38.173.35. The motion by Regional Coun- cillor Gordon Rowe was seconded by Ward 5 Coun- cillor William Corcoran. “For the benefit of the whole town I believe we should complete the whole section for the Official Plan,†stated Regional Councillor Gord Rowe. who heads the Lake Wilcox Study Committee. He esti- mated the complete report would be available by March 31. York Central Hospital here in Richmond Hill gets 1,500 units of blood each year from the Red Cross. Yet last year Richmond Hill resident blood donors totalled only 880. So the town isn’t doing its share and more donors are badly needed at the Red Cross clinic today at St. Mary’s Roman Catholic Church Hall from 2to4pmand6t09pm. Two local nurses who have really been doing their part as blood donors were honored last week by the Red Cross for giving more than 35 units. Shown (left to right) during presentation of certificates at the home of local Red Cross Chairman Mrs. Betty Arm- strong at 48 Bridgeport Street are 35-unit donor Mrs. Jean Lavender of Richmond Hill, Extend Lake Wilcox Study Red Cross Honors 2 Blood Donor: Richmond Hill Council agreed to appeal a recent Committee of Adjustment approval of severance of four lots on the east side of Ker- sey Crescent north of Wel- sdrick Road, at its meeting Monday. Regional Councillor Lois Hancey reported that both planning committee and council had approved the recommendations of the plan- ning director that the sever- ances not be granted. But when the C of A decision came before council the deâ€" cision was not to deal with it, although the previous decis- ion had been to recommend refusal. Will Appeal C of A Decision the aroused citizens. Town planning staff had been un- able to advise of any way to keep out the townhouses. She also recalled that in 1971 “the planning commit- tee had a meeting with the chairman of the C of A and both parties agreed that any severance which would cre- ate three or more lots would be deemed to be a subdivis- ion and should be subject to a subdivision agreement. This policy has been stated on sev- eral occasions." she said. Planning Committee Chair- man David Stephenson moved and Mrs. Hancey seconded the motion to appeal the de- cision which carried unani- mously. TAKE EXCEPTION At five o‘clock Committee of Adjustment C h a i r m a 11 John MacDiarmid and com- mittee members William Rut- tle. Tom Graham and Vern Plant arrived. Mr. MacDiarâ€" mid took exception to the minutes of the C of A being read at a planning committee meeting before they had been approved by the committee. He explained why he had adjourned his committee's meeting at the end of Janu- ary when a decision could not be reached on an application D 0 AL T. & ‘VIV The chairman went on to tell council that his commit- tee takes into consideration all evidence submitted. “In this case we used the evi- dence that was there and three of five members agreed to approve the severance. We don't object to an appeal by this council, that is your right." This was in view of the Of- ficial Plan and zoning de- termined for the land in proceedings of previous councils during the 19605. DISTURBING FACTOR One of the things that disturbed the residents most was that they recently were fairly sure the land would be used for semiâ€"detached dwellings of much lower density. They told of the reasons for their belief. Hearings before previous Councils made them feel they could be assured this land would be developed at a much lower density. As recently as three years ago the municipality receiv- for severance on Naughton Drive. “I spent five minutes explaining to the committee that we had to come to a decision, that we couldn’t leave the staff with this ap- plication undealt with. Al- though Mr. Ruttle would have preferred it going to the new regional land severance committee he agreed to break the deadlock. The committee reconvened and we agreed to the severance." Mr. Ruttle told council, “Nobody twisted my am. We try to do what we feel is right and I believe there are few Committees of Ad- justment which have as good a record as ours.†Mr. Graham stated he ob- jected strenuously to the committee's secretary being questioned about what went on at the committee’s meet- ing and Mr. Plant said he had objected to the severance because in his opinion the variances were major. “which makes division of land impossible without re- vision of the zoning bylaw. Before a building permit could be issued, regardless of the C of A's decision. there would have to be a zoning bylaw revision." He then read the pertinent clause which states that “No person shall Planning Director Hessie Rimon réported that he had additional information about the Vaughan Zoning Bylaw which still governs this land, 56-unit donor Mrs. Trix Bryce of 2448 Ruther- ford Road, Maple and Red Cross Area “A†Supervisor Miss Anni Murray; » Hoping local residents Will be inspired by the example of the above two ladies, local Red Cross workers are aiming for the 300-d0n0r mark at the clinic today. Giving blood takes only a short time and as always, coffee and doughnuts are provided for all who come. As 56-unit donor Mrs. Bryce commented when asked how she felt about. donating blood over the years, “It makes a nice half-hour out of a busy day. So think of it that way While help- ing someone to live because you give.†Reg- ional Taxi provides free transportation service to the clinic if you telephone 884-9191. RICHMOND HILL, ONTARIO, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 1974 1n Essentials unity: in Non-Essentials Liberty; in all things Charity†Recent new residents were aware of the approved plan for semis. They built and bought new homes believing they would be adjacent to semi-detached homes. They were shocked by the town- house proposal. }IINDSIGHT BETTER Town Planning Committee Chairman Robert Adams. a regional and Markham Coun- (Continued on Page 3) erect more than one dwelling in a residential zone on any lot in a registered plan un- less a specific bylaw is passed to exempt the lot. Vaughan must have been requested to do that.†“Our interpretation was somewhat different.†stated Mr. MacDiarmid. “But we always warn applicants they may run into other difficul- ties.†ed and approved a plan for a semi-detached housing de- velopment. But the land was subsequently sold. The plan for semis was aband- oned and 162 townhouses was proposed by the new owner, Sole Development. APPLY AS GROUP “The people here and oth- ers interested should then get together as a group or as several groups to apply for rezoning," suggested Mayor William Lazenby. “That would be the only way we can give them what you tried to give them." Mrs. Hancey admitted that she had asked for the C of A minutes since she had been unable to attend the sitting and wanted to know the out- come. and that she had read the minutes at the planning committee meeting. “True, I didn't check to see if they had been approved. In my enthusiasm to make all com- mittee members aware of the decision I read them in open meeting. I apologize to the C of A. I should at least have got approval of the chairman to take them to planning committee. My purpose was to indicate there had been a division of opinion." She also quoted from a letter from Town Solicitor Tom Fraser who said. in reply to the question. “Should the decisions be appealed by council?" “In my opinion the decisions should be appealed.†A motion by Mrs, Hancey. seconded by Councillor Andy Chateauvert that the C of A decision in this case be ap- pealed was lost. (Photo by Susan Samila) Teacher's Letter Is Disputed Two Richmond Hill citi- zens have informed town council by letter that they will either withhold some of their tax money for education, or ask for a re- bate if the current strike of York secondary school teachers continues. Eric Handbury, 59 Centre Street West, said that he would take off 1/26th of his taxes for the two weeks that the strike has gone on, and 1/52nd of them for each week thereafter. He said he felt teaching was an “irretrleveable ser- vice." like firefighting. If either service were with- held, what was lost couldn't be regained. Misrepresented Facts On Arbitration? Richmond Hill High School teacher, Roy Clifton, owes “Liberal†newspaper readers an apology for “misrepre- senting†facts about the cur- rent ;‘econdlary school teach- ers strike in York, John Honsbcrger, chairman of the York County Board of Edn- cation trustees‘ negotiating committee, has charged in a letter to “The Liberal.†As a result, any attempt by the board of education to collect taxes “on their behalf is extortion.†Mr. Handbury told “The Libe- ral." ger said the letter "nicely illustrates the point I have made before, which is that negotiators for the teachers are either withholding from the teachers the actual po- sition taken by the board’s negotiators and the matters on which they have agreed to bargain, or they have de- liberately misrepresented the position of the board for their own purposes.†Mr. Clifton's charge that the board refused to consider such matters as class size, payment by category, griev- ance procedures.†and so on," was “simply not the case,†he said. Mr. Honsberger outlined the agreement in question. which he stated as follows: Issues arbi-trable pertaining Mr. Honsberger was re- plying to a release from Vince Mathewson, chairman of the teacher negotiating team, in which he stated negotiators for the board refused to co-sign a state- ment Monday night agreeing that a mutually-negotiated settlement was preferable to an imposed arbitration set- tlement. Mr. Mathewson said the same statement urged joint progress reports to keep the public informed on negotia- tions. Mr. Honsberger said the statement had been handed to him at 11 o’clock Monday ,night, and at one point he was given a three-minute deadline to consider it. Mr. Honsberger said the board would agree to the proposal to issue joint pro- gress reports 011 delibera- tions. Mr. Mathewson had this to say about negotiations: “Successful negotiation will lead to an agreement be- tween the parties, whereas arbitration would impose a settlement that either or both parties might find highly unsatisfactory. The quality of education in the future would be better serv- ed by a mutual agreement than an imposed settlement (correction: solution). Thereâ€" fore, in view of the progress of negotiations at this time, no further consideration of arbitration is being contem- plated.†and me cmex nave oeen re- cruited by town council to organize a Santa Claus Par- ade for next Christmas. As a result, the two men have wasted little time in alerting local businessmen and others of their intentions. in an effort to make sure that Saint Nick comes to town for a dry run down the streets, November 30. A total of 100 letters has been sent out, asking their receivers f o u r questions: would they be willing to en- ter a float, sponsor a band, sponsor a group of major- ettes, contribute financially. The few replies that have come in so far have been favorable, Chief Kennedy said, but it will take another Kinsmen â€" serving the community’s greatest need! Right now the greatest need is blood. There is an acute shortage of blood and the Red Cross needs your-help. Please give a gift of life. Come to the Blood Donor Clinic today (Thurs- day) at St. Mary’s Roman Catholic Church Hall, 79 Yonge Street North, Rich- mond Hill. Hours are 2-4 pm and 6-9 pm .Transpor- tation will be provided by the iRnsmen to those who require it by calling 884- 1784. “Help your community. You’ll feel better for it!†urges your local Kinsmen’s Club. ti-llllllllllllllllllllllltillllllllllll1mm“ll“\lllllllillltlllltllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllltll“\lllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll\lllllllllmllllllllllllllmlllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllltill“illllllllllillllllllllllllllllllllllllllulllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll\1llilllIllllllllllllilllllllmlllllllllllllllllll'F Mr. Honsberger was com- menting on remarks made by Mr. C'lift’én t6 this paper last week, in which he claimed the voluntary bind- ing arbitration agreement the board signed, “committed them to very little." “The terms of reference were not agreed on, and it would have been open to the board later to refuse to sub- mit any of the items to arbi- tration which up to now they have declined to discussfihe said. The teachers~ lhad taken the “sensible view that sig- nin-g any agreement which did not Specify the items to be submitted to arbitration would not have advanced the settlement of the dispute beyond where it stood for the moment . . ." Mr. Clif- ton said. Mr. Clifton's charge that the board refused to consider such matters 'as class size, payment by category, griev- ance procedures.†and so on," was “simply not the case." he said. Mr. Clifton» wrote that the agreement, which the teach- ers dial not sign, didn‘t com- mit the board to arbitrating any specific item in dispute. In his reply, ‘Mr. Hons‘ber- ger said the letter “nicely illustrates the point I have made before, which is that negotiators for the teachers are either withholding from the teachers the actual po- sition taken by the board’s negotiators and the matters on which they have agreed to bargain, or they have de- liberately misrepresented the position of the board for their own purposes.†He said he wasn’t con- cerned with who was to blame in the strike, but with getting his two chil- dren baCk to school. J o h n Dobrzensky, 32 Ric h m o n (I Street, told council that, if the taxpay- ers weren't getting a ser- vice. they shouldn’t pay for it. He said he would ask for a rebate for every day the strike continues. And if his son failed his year, he would ask for a complete rebate. Say Won’t Pay School Taxes York County Roman Catholic School Board has sold 250 feet frontage on Dufferin Lane to the Ontario Housing Corpora- tion for senior citizen housing, John LeClaire, the board's sol- icitor, told Richmond Hill Council at its February 18 meeting. This is five-eighths of the former Dunlop property purchased by the board in 1966 for an extension of Our Lady of Fatima School which was never built, and is immediately to the west of the first senior housing units built here. In 1967 when Dufferin Lane was extended to serve the first senior citizen housing at 75 Dufferin, the board deeded to the town a strip of land for road widening at no cost and signed an agreement dated June 6, 1967. that a local im- provement levy of $5,748 for services (watermain, sanitary and storm sewers) be paid by 1976 without interest or earlier if all or part of the land was sold or developed. Mr. Le- Claire sought relief from this Hill Council Refuses R C School Board Rebate \‘VITHHOLDING INFORMATION? ï¬eacon Submits Five-Point Plan 0 End Prolonged Teacher Strike York County Board of Education agreed to volun- tary binding arbitration two weeks ago, but the teachers have continually refused to commit themselves to any such agreement. Both the trustees and the teacher representatives from the Ontario Secondary School Teachers Federation, met on the weekend, and were scheduled to meet again Monday in an effort to settle their dispute, which emptied secondary school classes in York three weeks ago. By JIM IRVING “The final offer selection principle is the best way under the circumstances for the public interest to be upheld and for the more reasonable party to win its case,†Donald Deacon MLA York Centre, told a public meeting of about 600 people at Markham District High School Sunday night. Mr. Deacon’s proposal, one of five he sub- mitted to the meeting, called for both parties to agree to voluntary arbitration, with the arbi- trator selecting which of the two final offer con- tracts he considers the more reasonable; that would be the final contract for the current year. to pro-posed amendments to the expired agreement bet- ween the board and its se- con-dary school teachers: salary grid, fringe benefits, utilization of category, tenâ€" ure. board policies affecting teachers benefits (reference thereto in agreement), grievance procedure, arbitra- tion, management rights and sanctions, terms and condi- tions of work and pupil- teacher ratio. of the teacher negotiating team, in which he stated negotiators for the board refused to co-sign a state- ment Monday night agreeing that a mutually-negotiated settlement was preferable to an imposed arbitration set- tlement. Mr. Mathewson said the same statement urged joint progress reports to keep the public informed on negotia- tions. Mr. Honsberger said the statement had been handed to him at 11 o’clock Monday night, and at one point he was given a three-minute deadline to consider it. York County Board of Ed- ucation is actively continu- ing to seek arbitration as a means of settling the cur- rent secondary school teach- ers strike, in place of nego- tiations, which could pro- long the strike even more. John Honsberger, chairman of the trustees’ negotiating committee, said Tuesday. Mr. Honsberger was re- plying to a release from Vince Mathewson, chairman He said the board intended the list to be “all-inclusive" of outstanding issues bet- ween the two parties, and no additional items, deletions or corrections in the list were proposed by the teachers negotiating committee. APOLOGY NEEDED After the teachers refused Honsberger Queries Lengthy Negotiations During the weekend, Jack part of the agreement and're- quested the town to waive pay- ment of five-eighths of this levy (approximately $3,600). After much deliberation coun- cil refused his application for the forgiveness. He told council that when the board was deciding to sell the whole or part of the Dun- lop property. it was put in touch with the OHC with the active encouragement and par- ticipation of Mayor William Lazenby. “In no way did the mayor hold out that any for- giveness such as we are asking for would be given. Neverthe- less, as soon as the board was put in touch with OHC it dis- continued any further efforts towards a sale to other par- ties. The mayor, I think, felt strongly that another senior citizens building was a social need in Richmond Hill." Mr. LeClaire reported that the sales price was $152,500 and that the board had expropriated the property from the Dunlop estate, paying $43,000. He said HOME PAPER OF THE DISTRICT SINCE 1878 Sutton, OSSTF communica- tions officer, said the prov- incial executive council had approved increasing teacher strike pay from 40 percent to 60 percent, with- a fur- ther increase to 80 percent if the strike continues past the end of the month. Mr. Deacon’s other pro- posals called for an immed- iate return to work by the teachers, lifting of the news blackout imposed by Educa- tion Minister Wells on the teacher-trustee talks, and a voluntary agreement on a single arbitrator. HoWever, if the two groups fail to to sign the agreement, a compromise plan, which had the teachers returning to their schools, lifting their sanctions against the board and agreeing to the terms of an arbitration agreement, was proposed by Education Minister Thomas Wells, Mr. Honsb‘erger said. He said he didn’t think all the teachers were aware of what the board was willing to negotiate. He said the board reserv- ed its right to continue to seek arbitration. Negotia- tions were fine, but not if they were going to keep the students out of school for another two weeks. “The trustees agreed at once to this proposal. The teachers again refused. "It would be interesting to knew whether Mr. Clifton was misinformed in respect of the matters he writes about with such certainty, or has he deliberately misre- presented them? “In either event, he owes an apology to your readers," the letter concluded. Regional Councillor Gordon Rowe expressed concern about such a forgiveness setting a precedent, an argument backed up later by Social Consultant Otto Whelan, who had super- vised the drawing up of the agreement in 1967. Mr. Le- Claire argued that since the sale was a matter of public ben- efit to the town, between one public body and another and not a sale to a private specu- lator that it would not set a precedent. He also noted that the board will have to pay a substantial penalty to the Ministry of Ed- ucation. estimated at between $40,000 and $50,000. Regional Councillor L o is Hancey pointed out that the municipality had put in a side- Mr. LeClaire based his ap- peal on the fact that the levy would fall on the separate school supporters across York. the property was zoned for single family residences and the current price for a 50 foot lot is 530000. by MOTOROLA Q9 Make it your ï¬st color TV YORK HOME TV 306 BAYVIEW PLAZA - agree on a choice within one week. an arbitrator will be appointed by Mr. Wells. The arbitrator would hold a pub- lic meeting, where each side would state its case. Another public meeting was scheduled for Vandorf Community Hall tonight (Thursday). William Hodgson MLA York North, at government Member in a report to “The Liberal" outlined the back- ground for Bill 275 â€" "an act to amend the schools ad- ministration act" â€" saying that it had grown out of the Toronto teachers strike of 1970. First reading was given December 10, 1973. At that time. the Ontario Secondary School Teachers’ Federation “decided that Bill 275 met nine and a half out of thir- teen conditions which they felt vital to future negotia- tions,†Mr. Hodgson said. He said the bill contained two features considered of paramount importance by both teachers and trustees. The first was the teachers right to negotiate terms and conditions of work; the sec- ond would be a five-step negotiations process between the two parties. The few replies that have come in so far have been favorable, Chief Kennedy said. but it will take another In short, it’s time to think about Santa Claus, so far as Fire Chief Robert Kennedy and Volunteer Firefighter James Grainger are con- cerned. Mr. Grainger, who organ- ized the highly-successful Centennial Parade last June, and the chief have been re- cruited by town council to organize a Santa Claus Par- ade for next Christmas. As a result, the two men have wasted little time in alerting local businessmen and others of their intentions. in an effort to make sure that Saint Nick comes to town for a dry run down the streets, November 30. A total of 100 letters has been sent out, asking their receivers f o u r questions: would they be willing to en- ter a float, sponsor a band, sponsor a group of major- ettes, contribute financially. This would include four- and-a-half months of free collective bargaining, follow- ed by two months of media- tion. While most people are thinking thoughts of spring these days, a committee in Richmond Hill is already thinking of Christmas, and a certain well-fed fellow who goes with it. Compulsory arbitration would be used only as a last resort, Mr. Hodgson said. In addition, an Education Relations Commission is proposed. which would ap- point mediators and chair- men of arbitration boards where teachers and board are unable to agree on an appointment. Santa Claus Coming Here In November The bill also requires students. Also, there seemed school boards to establish a to be a reluctance on the teacher-board relations com- part 0! some of the night: mittee, which would provide school teachers, who were for regular meetings between members of the Ontario Se- the two factions. condaiw School Teachers Fe- Bill 275 will be referred deraution. but not from York to the 500181 D8V910Dment County, to conduct the clas- Committee when the Legis- ses during the strike. See Sweetheart Peter’s Ad on Page 24 Quésax “The municipality has picked up the interest for nine years amounting to about $3,500 and put in the sidewalk", noted Mayor William Lazenby. walk along the frontage and asked if this was not taken into consideration by the pur- chaser in the sale of the prop- erty. “In my opinion the agree- ment was signed in good faith and I don’t think you really have a case. In 1967 the peo- ple of Richmond Hill had to absorb the cost of these serv- ices and were assured the money would be coming back." “You have another three lots?" asked Councillor Graeme Bales. “Yes, but they'll never be used for housing," was the answer. “This is strictly a business agreement," commented Coun- cillor William Corcoran. Later Mr. LeClaire returned to the meeting with the school board's cheque for $5,748 so that the sale to OHC could proceed. lature convenes, Mr, Hodg- son said. At that time, anyone wish- ing to make his views known will be given an opportunity to. Course outlines and gene- ral assignments on all sub- jects are being prepared for grade 13 students in York County schools, it was stat- ed at a chairman's meeting of the Board of Education Monday night. Individual Aid For Grade I35 The board scrapped iuts regu‘lar agenda for the eve- nmg m favor of matters dea- ling with the current teach- er strike. PRICE 15¢ PER COPY It also announced that it would ask the Ministry of Education to expedite che processing of applications for correspondence courses, which have been taking from 10 days to two weeks to pro- cess. The Santa Claus Parade. if all the plans for it are suc- cessful, will take place about two weeks after Toronto’s famed annual event of a sim- ilar nature. llllll“llull“lllll“llllll“lllll“lllllllllllllmlllllllllllllllllllll“ll! Kinsmen’s Blood Blitz Today Students wishing more in- formation on the courses may call 965-2657, or visit the correspondence course services building at 1152 Bay Street in Toronto. couple of weeks before a con- sensus can be obtained. The students are also being advised to get in touch with their teachers if they wish individual coaching in their subjects. The board said that teachers had ex- pressed a willingness to help on this basis. So far as night school course's are concerned, the board ruled them out as not being feasible. It was felt that the switch back and forth between teachers would be too difficult for some students. Also. there seemed to be a reluctance on the Please give a gift of life. Come to the Blood Donor Clinic today (Thurs- day) at St. Mary’s Roman Catholic Church Hall, 79 Yonge Street North, Rich- mond Hill. Hours are 2-4 pm and 6-9 pm .Transpor- tation will be provided by the iKnsmen to those who require it by calling 884< 1784. Kinsmen â€" serving the community’s greatest need! Right now the greatest need is blood. There is an acute shortage of blood and the Red Cross needs yourhelp. 884-4165