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PAGE 8, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 12, 198 1, WHITBY FREE PRESS a Even at 25 per cent.... Rae won't hurt Brooklu growth Mortgage rates of ove!! 20 per cent are flot expected to have a serlous effect on the growth of Brooklln. Somer Rumm, vice- president of Firat City Developments Corpora- tion Ltd., said last week that the company is stili anticipating going ahead writh its plan to turn the hamiet into a town of 10,500 people. First City want.s te construct more than 2,500 homes adding more than 8,000 people to the present popula- tion of 1,600. If everything gees along on achedule the project should be cern- pleted by 1991. Rumrn sald that "'at this tirne" the sudden jump in interest rates wiil have "no effeet" on bis company's plans. The homes that First City hopes te construet will ah ceat over $100,000 - a cost that is expected te, jump because of the increase ini interest rates. Not only does the jurnp in interest rates make mortgages more expensive but causes the cost of building te rise as well. "It makes every business more'expen- sive," the develeper said. Rumrn added that bis plans should coe before Durham Reglenal Ceuncil in the fail for approval of the varieus agreements that wll give the final go-head te the multi- million dollar project. Construction should begin sornetime next summer, he said. Because many finan- cial experts had pre- dicted a drop in interest rates in September, the sudden jump probably took moot developers by surprise, Rumm sald. Many other develop- ers throughout the reglon have lndlcated that the sudden jump in interests wlll cause them toetether delay or cancel some plans te build new homes. That 15 net surprislng considering that the cost of a $60,00 mortgage has risen by almeet $30 durlng the last 12 mon- th-à. Local men remanded for three weeks Two Whitby residents have had their cases put over af ter being charged with various drug-related offences. The two men were charged after a 16-man joint Durhamn Regional Police and Royal Cana- dian Mounted Police force raided residences througiieut the Oshawa- Whitby area arresting 21 people on 53 drug related charges. Stephen Earl Sargin- son, 23,' of 905 Crocus Crescent, Whitby was charged with two-counts of trafficking and one count of possession un- der the Narcotics Con- trol Act. He was rernanded te appear ini Ajax provincial court on August 27. joseph Reger Babineau, 22, Of WhitbY was charged with two counts of trafficking un- der the Nareotics Con- trol Act and with one count of trafficking un- der the Food and Drug Act. Babineau wil appear in court on September 3 and was rernanded inte the custody of the police after being refused bail at a hearing hast week. During the police raid, which occurred on Juhy 31, a quantity of drugs were siezed in- cluding marijuana, hashlh, LSD and MDA. It is expected that when Sarginson and Babineau appear court trial dates wil fixed. Open hous e By. REGIONAL COUNCILLOR GERRY EMM Chairman of Regional Public Works Commlttee With many new farnilies now re-located in Whitby and development changing the perspective I feel it would be in order te invite ail interested citizens to corne and see how the plans for Whitby measure up. Arrangements are being made for the week of September 21 te hold a planning open house se the public (new and long-time residents) can inquire from Planning, staff and councihlors matters of inl- terest concerning such things as future and present zoning, traffic patterns, new road lay-outs, size of lots, type of housing, protection of the character of the town and other matters. Please make note of the date September 21. An afternoon and evening timetable is being arranged' te accommodate as many people as possible. Last week Premier Bill Davis was in town to "break-the-ground" te start the multi-million dollar L.C.B.O. warehouse. I mention this because my regional works committee and staff have given their best efforts te prepare and improve the Thickson Road-Highway 401 interchange, for future accessability both te our industrial hands and the travelling motorists. Regional works staff have ditched both sides of Brock Street (seuth of 401 in Port Whitby) and this should help until more long range works are carried out, hopefully with sewer improvements next year. Also while I'm writing about Port Whitby, regional council bas given the green light te do a feasability study for the Victoria Street re-ahignment which could, if adopted, serve te protect the community frem traffic congestion and net isolate St. John's Church from the Port area. The Brooklin development agreement has been reviewed by the regional works department and has been cleared in draft form fer final signing. Once this is done the regional werks can assist te proceed te, bring sewer and water te Brookhin. I arn pleased te, knew tbat Mayor Bob Attersley is supporting a concern of mine that 1 raised in council a few weeks ago. That is the retention of the com- muter service serving the north of Whitby. It seems strange te delete a service which is full te capacity when other modes cf public transport is struggling te attract ridership. Because of the severe weather last winter, Whit- by's older trees are net looking as wehl as could be expected. I'm of the opinion that a tree replace- ment program should be part of budget considera- tiens fer future protection ef our avenues and tree lined streets. 1Thank you for taking the tirne te read my column and l'il be most happy te hehp you if I can. Please corne eut te the planning open house September 21- 25 so we can meet and chat about mutual concerns and interests. Enjoy the rest ef summer and thanks to ail the people who make Whitby a great place te caîl home and are striving te improve aur community. .