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2 â€" THE LIBERAL. Wednesday, Feb. 12, 1975 Works projects worth $6,300,000 waiting to start in Richmond Hill .Works projects worth $6,300,000 are waiting to be done in Richmond Hill Town 0A new main fire station is proposed adjacent to the new police station being built on Vaughan Road. 70 There isn't much in view in the way of new sidewalks because of public opposipjon 7‘ ‘ 0 New subdivisions now proposed will add 2,381 homes. These were some of the things the new council was given to think about last Week After reviewing the role of the finance committee. the treasurer recommended a review of the annual preparation of a financial budget and gave two alternatives â€" give a stronger role to the finance committee or hold all budget reviews in com- mittee-of-the-whole. .He based this recom- mténdation on his ex- perfience that the.finance committee would spend up ' two months in reviewing t gzpartment budgets, one by nth-and then present ghem Review sessions To familiarize the‘new members of council with the various departments of municipal government, review sessions were held last month. Reports were heard from Treasurer Bill Rice, Fire Chief Robert :Kennedy and Parks Director David Hamilton. [to 'the whole council on budgél day or days. “when the whole budget was rehashed in committee of the whole". Time factor He said this was an un- necessary time-consuming process for the staff, keeping them from other important work. This was an unnecessary time-consuming process for the staff , keeping them from other important work. “It would speed up the budget process. eliminate duplication of discussion and save time for staff members,” he explained to Regional Councillor Lois Hancey who asked why he felt a change is necessary. Mrs. Hancey added that if council should consider giving direction as to finances it should also give some idea of priorities. Rice referred to a report prepared by his department last year on the financial impact of new development. “This gives us a tool we can use when evaluating development applications, he said. Fire Chief Kennedy recommended increasing the number of permanent firefighters on his staff from the present 26 (including the ‘chief) to 32 in the near future to enable him to man the Spruce Street fire hall 24 hours a day. seven days a week. This is essential, he said since the newly acquired 85 foot elevating platform (snorkel). is being housed there. New Fire Hall He stated that the present locations of the fire stations on Wright Street and Spruce Street can adequately protect the heavily populated areas. HoweVer, because ac- commodation is cramped with little space for storage, he recommended the in- corporation of both in a central location next to the police station being built in the civic centre on Vaughan Road at Arnold Crescent. Chief Kennedy said this location would provide protection to all existing and proposed development with ease of access to the major east-west and north-south roads. Estimated cost of this central station is half a million dollars. He also noted the building of a proposed railway overpass on Markham Road would give better access for Home delivery of The Liberal is 60 cents every four weeks: by mail $8.00 a year in Canada. $1.31)!) a year outside of Canada. No local mail delivery where carrier service exists. The Liberal IS published each week by Metrospan Publishing Lumnted This newspaper isa member M "12 Canadian Communi'v Newspaper Associalion and me Audit Bureau 04 Circulations. l0l01 Yonge Street. P.O. Box 390. L4(‘ 4Y6. Ontario iCJHA arm liberal Advertising Supervisor Colin Forsyth Production Manager Norman Stunden Business Supervisor Mrs. Dorell Stong Circulation Director Peter Line Art Director Louise Zavarella TELEPHONE â€" 884-8177 CLASSIFIED â€" 8844105 CIRCULATION â€" 884-0981 Second Class Mail Regnslrahon NO. 0190 VOL- 98 NUMBER 33 ln Oak Ridges The third station, being built on the King Sideroad at Oak Ridges is expected to be ready for occupancy in May of this year. This will provide protection for the northern part of the municipality and will be manned by volunteers assisted by men and equipment from headquarters at structural fires. Wednesday night status reviews were given by former Clerk Mack Clement and Acting Clerk Jean Holman, Works Com- missioner Bernard Toporowski and Planning Director Hessie Rimon. Clement reviewed the duties of the clerk and his department, noting a per- centage of its work is set forth by statute. He asked councillors to note the large variety of licenses issued by the municipality. Transient traders In answer to a question, he described transient traders as anyone doing business in RichmondHill who pays only business tax The license fee is $150 and is applied against the business tax. the fire-fighting appayatps to the eést sâ€"idefiof the municipality. Referring to marriage licenses Acting Clerk Holman recalled one woman who applied for a rebate. Since none was available she asked if she could save the license and use it the next time. Clement outlined the procedures in handling site plan and subdivision agreements, restricted area bylaws, etc. He said the traffic bylaws in the municipality are a jumbled mess. “We have inherited them from five merged areas and the only bylaws we can pass without getting regional approval before going to the province are for parking on local roads. This is a very time-consuming process. John Cottrill has been working on a uniform traffic bylaw which is nearing completion and it should be pushed ahead as soon as possible," said Clement. Fence bylaws The fomer clerk also noted a similar situation exists in fence bylaws. There is one for the former town, two for Markham, one for Vaughan, one for-King and none for Whitchurch. He said the King bylaw is number 5 for that township and allows for a Russell Crabbe rail fence as an acceptable type of fencing. Thé only fencing bylaw which covers the whole town 'is the one requiring all private swimming pools to be fenced, he said. No procedures Another bylaw which has been under consideration for at least three years is the procedural bylaw. The town solicitor prepared one in 1973, the clerk and deputy- clerk presented one in 1974. They received no comment on it from council. Mayor Schiller asked a copy of this be made for all members of council. 155 properties Clement also said the town owns approximately 155 separate properties. Many of these were acquired with the takeover of lands from the other four municipalities in 1971 as a result of arbitration. They carry a requirement that if sold before 1976 the proceeds must be shared with the former municipality. “One year from now these properties will be clear of this cloud,” he said, “and council will have to give consideration as to their disposition". “Some of them are beautiful building lots. Council might decide to sell them and purchase parkland elsewhere. or to keep them and buy adjacent property for parkland. A man qualified in that field and also qualified to do appraisal work will be needed." Regional Councillor Lois Hancey said a motion by last year’s council was that all town properties be examined by each depart- ment to determine the best future use. Road priorities Using Mill Street as an example. Works Com- nflssioner Toporowski showed councflkws how priority rating of a road was determined by assessing the quahty of as surface, the traffic counL the speed limit, width and structural adequacy. He said to immediately meet all the needs of roads. bridges. ditching. culverts. sidewalks. etc. revealed by the municipal services study completed last year, would amount to about $6.3 million. “The town and the MTC simply couldn‘t afford that, so we plan to phase the work within the MTC’s subsidy for construction which last year was $330,000 to which the town added an equal amount.” The commissioner also told council that as a result of the study, the ministry of transportation and comâ€" munications has taken a more favorable view of the town's budget. Work planned Construction planned for 1975, he stated, included reconstruction of Carrville Road from Plaisance to just west of the school with tree planting and sidewalks, Trench Street from the hospital to Centre Street, Wildwood Avenue in the Lake Wilcox area (which is in poor condition because of a drainage problem), and Lynett Crescent because of poor drainage. Also planned is in- stallation of storm sewer and sidewalk on Newkirk Road from Markham Road to Crosby Avenue and construction of a storm sewer (nutrient bypass sewer) on Wood Lane. Some sidewalks He said $40,000 a year is being budgeted for sidewalks, although the program met with public opposition in 1974. A survey taken in Beverley Acres area indicated 70 percent of the ratepayers want sidewalks only after the ditches are filled (storm sewers installed). Questioned by the mayor, Toporowski said the town’s program includes only streets used to serve commercial establishments and schools. No local im- provement charge is in- volved. He also said people would be encouraged to come in under local im- provements to rebuild roads, instal storm sewers and sidewalks outside of the town's program. He also told council maintenance costs in the town had been excessive in comparison to other municipalities and had been questioned by the MTC. At their request a maintenance management system had been installed and a maintenance program identified at a level set by council. Fifty people are employed in the main- tenance program. St. Robert’s Toporowski, answering Co cillor ‘John Birchall, sai the best way of han- dling complaints was to ask the ratepayers to contact the maintenance yard directly. “If nothing is done on the complaint in a reasonable length of time, then by all means, bring'it to my at- tention." he said. (Continued from Page committed. Application will be made to the ministry of education immediately for approval of the relocatable school so the 10 classrooms can be completed by‘ May 31. After that the board‘s maintenance department will construct a short hallway to join the two buildings. Cost593.000 Director of Education John Zupancic said each portable classroom will cost about $9300. The board will receive for each room a grant of $7,000 from the ministry. Theré is also a $1,000 grant per classroom toward furnishings. “If by April we find we will have more than the 300 students projected, we can add other portables,” Zupancic said. “I hope we don‘t get more than 300, that’s all we can really handle for a start," he said Next week is Scout-Guide Week throughout Canada and will be climaxed for the Scouts in this area by the nth annual York Summit District Hobby and Handicraft Show at Bayview Secondary School February 22. The public is invited to attend between 1 and 7 pm to enjoy the more than 1.200 entries in 15 classes that are expected, entertainment and refresh- Region must accept housing or wait for planning powers York Regional Council was told last week it won’t get the new planning powers promised it by the Ontario government last year until it accepts the latter’s crash housing program. Region Planning Com- missioner Murray Pound said he recently received new provincial criteria for the delegation of powers, and one of them called for the region to accept the Ontario Housing Action Program. OHAP earlier was the subject of discussion by council. Members agreed to issue a formal protest against government pressure to allow a major housing development in Markham. Newmarket Mayor Bob Forhan said municipalities couldn’t afford the necessary services which would result from OHAP. So far as the criteria were concerned, Commissioner Pound said he would present them at the next council meeting. Markham matter The Markham matter, which provoked so much discussion, was the proposed Milliken Mills Community project. That could result in 25,000 more people under OHAPA Ontario Housing Minister Donald Irvine said the development needed the approval of both the region and Markham council before it could proceed. However, he also told council he signed a preliminary OHAP agreement with the developers. Couxicil replie letter signed by Garfield Wright. The letter preliminary 2 groups seek radio license Applications from two private business groups in York Region for a license to start a radio station will be heard by the Canadian Radio Television Com- mission in Toronto February 25. DLM Broadcasting Limited, spearheaded by Ken Foss of Richmond Hill, is trying to establish a station in Markham. F.A. Bestall is seeking approval for a 10,000â€"watt transmitter AM station in Newmarket. It is Verxpected only one of these applications will be approved by tho CRTC. nnn‘t At present CFGM operates a radio station out of Richmond Hill but most of its coverage is aimed at Metro Toronto. Scout York Summit Hobby Show Feb. 22 YONGE @LEVENDALE RICHMOND HILL A 73mm Extended Business Hours fi :6 9 phi Mon. to Fri Saturday ‘til 6 pm replied ' CLEANING CENTRES said the provincial l with a Chairman agreement represented a form of pressure on the region to approve the project. Region rebuff Council was at present engaged in a detailed study of OHAP financial im- plications within the region “and it is our intention to discuss these implications with you prior to an agreement of any kind being entered into within York ments. Participating in the big event will be boys in all divisions of Scouting from the Beavers (aged 5â€"7 years) up to the Rover crews. In the picture above Owen Clark. 11! Libby Boulevard, of 5th Richmond Hill Scouts and his Scoutmaster John Bailey of 162 Ken- vale Court are hard at work preparing for the annual show. UUVVVAA tv v-â€"v_...-- _ J You can grobably etzen horrow the money to get into an RSP from Guaranty Trust. And wind up earning a good deal more than the afterâ€"tax cost of your _loan. It’s all folly explained in a comprehensive, yet delightfully simple new book that’s free from Guaranty Trust: . A There’s one“ catch though. After March 1, the government won’t let you into an RSP that will do you any good on your 1974 income tax return. ‘WSo drop into your local Guaranty Trust branch or send in the coupon and we’ll get an RSP book ofi" to you_right avyay. It could be the difference between thinking about what you’re going to give the government, or looking forward to what the government is going to give you. Region," the letter said it also urged the minister not to sign any future OHAP agreements without first advising and consulting the region and municipalities involved. Objecting to the letter was Richmond Hill Councillor Gordon Rowe, who said York studied the matter to death and needed govern- ment prodding to provide needed housing. RICHMOND HILL: 10132 Yonge St. 884-1188 (Stan phom bv H099) BAIF community centre (Continued from Page 1) terviewing groups and agencies, Moriyama prepared conceptual drawings offering several alternatives. Decision last June In June the decision was reached that the complex should include a 5,000 square foot library, a 600 seating capacity 25-metre p001. meeting rooms and connecting streets, at an estimated cost of $2,040,000. This estimate was later revised upward $32,000. But when tenders were received in October, they ranged from $2,429,500 to $2,710,000. The original financing included deben- turing for $1,440,000 (approved by the OMB) , plus a $600,000 contribution from the developer. There was also a possible $400,000 winterworks saving. But this would not cover even the lowest bid. Since the arena board asked to have the arena eliminated from the complex because of its excessive costs, the architect and town staff were asked to alter the plans and negotiate with the tenderers. Arena was deleted The arena was deleted and an outdoor pool (to be closed'in later), and a day care centre, were recommended. On a 5-4 council vote it was later decided the pool should be enclosed. The lowest tenderer quoted $1,837,000 for construction. This was $287,000 higher than the estimate, December 20. New region courthouse Vaughan studies Yonge design But the architect said he could not have the revised plans ready before April of this year. Vaughan Engineer Dick Kraft considers design work for the reconstruction of Yonge Street in Thornhill “too political" to be handled (Continued from Page 1) Farm last year from the region to accommodate a $3 million provincial cour- thouse and regional registry office. However, when the plans were presented to the provincial attorney general for approval, it was an- nounced tentatively Yorli would be made a separate judicial district. requiring expanded facilities, he said. The new courthouse as envisioned to accommodate the separate judicial district of York Region will require 20 court rooms for county, supreme, provincial family and provincial criminal courts, Snow said. Registry office The building will also accommodate a regional I want to pay less tax this year. Please send me the free book. Nam Street: Mail to: RSP Information Centre, c/o your nearest Guaranty Trust Branch. by staff alone At his request, a three- member committee of council has been named to consider the implications of registry office and offices for court officials and ad- ministrators, he said. “In the long range we will have greatly improved facilities for the ad- ministration of justice in the région." Mr. Snow'said he could not estimate when drawings would be completed for the expanded courthouse. He said his ministry has recommended the cour- thouse be included in the 1975-76 provincial budget as “one Of the highest priorities". “We had to start back at the beginning to prepare the requirements," Mr. Snow said. “The architects are preparing sketch plans over again." Province: _. “Since virtually all hope of gaining through the winterworks program had vanished, it was decided to hold the project over to be revalued." the mayor said. He also said the amount of the debenture allocated to providing accommodation for the day care c9ntre will be recoverable in rents from the Region of York. Library money sources In the case of the library, he said the Pearson Avenue facility costs $28,000 an- nually and the new centre would ecst $35,000 to operate. $232,000 of the total cost would be for the library, with $100,000 coming from the developer. An additional $80,000 would be needed for debt charges on an indoor pool. On the other hand, the operating loss would only be about $10,000 and debt charges $30,000. on an outdoor pool annually. Mayor Schiller said the present enclosed pool in Richmond Hill operates at a loss of 370.000 a year. The operating loss on a new indoor pool would probably bring the loss on two pools to about $100,000. "77“itmseems. to me the decision to exclude the arena has been made." he commented. he hastened to add. “The arena board is making presentations to council for an arena in Ward 6; They want arena A very vocal group left no doubt the people of South Richmond Hill want an arena at the earliest possible time â€"â€" “so we will no longer be treated like poor cousins by Richmond Hill a parking ban along Yonge and to name the streets to be closed at Yonge. These conditions were set by John Rhodes, minister of transportation and com- munications, when he agreed to a four-lane rather than a seven-lane plan. Kraft told The Liberal Monday he expects a negative reaction from ratepayers and owners of commercial buildings along Yonge when they learn of the implications of the four: lane design. “This whole ‘thing has just started to boil," he said. Left turns will have to be limited or the number of rearvend collisions will increase drastically, he said. Kraft implied that the ministry has simply passed the buck by asking the municipalities to assist in designing a four-lane road. Those named to work with Kraft are Mayor Garnet Williams, Regional Coun- cillor David Fraser and Councillor Terry 'Goodwin.