Ontario Community Newspapers

Whitby Free Press, 28 Apr 1982, p. 1

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M'CEw en'.retfr6es TeTown of Whitby's director of special projeets, Forbes 'Doc' McEwen, wilretire on July 2, Mayor Bob Attersley< announced Mon- day. Attersley said that the long-time town emn- ployee made bis decis ion known to tbe mem- bers of council last.week. ' .During bis' long career with the town, McEwen served in a -variety 0 f posts in- cluding assistant adîninistrator and treasurer. J .D.S.,.,Tricont want--.Orlando 's concessions bùt Attl y mamtains none were.,given Mayor Bob Attersley basbrushed aside the cail 0f two industrial dev elopers that tbey be given the same con- cessions as- Orlando Development Corpora- tion was las t year.' JUDS. Investments Limited and T 'ricont Projects Limited 'said last week that tbey want rail spur lines built to their properties. Botb firms maintain that Orlando - the deve- loper of the new Ameni- can Can ýCanada Limited plant - and the Lake Ontario Steel Company Limited (LASCO) not only shared the- cost 0f ex- tending -Wentworth Street west of Thickson Road but that' it was covered under the Local Imp rovement Act. That means, it was fînanced by the Town of Whitby. Mayor Bob Attersley confirmed this,- how- ever, lie maintained quite vigorously that the money did flot corne from the taxpayers and is in the process of b-eing repaid. "The town didn't lose a dime on that, "he said adding, "They cane to us instead of the banc. " .Attersley alsoagreed with statements rnade last week that the- town financed the road excten- sion, but once again, he was adamant in bis con- tention that the inoney wW in i no way corne from the taxpayers and the developer mnust pay interest on the nioney at a rate somewhat higher that prime. John ,Humphries, spokesman for Tricont, said that Orlando received a benefit -by going the local iinprove- ment route. "lWe fèel that Orlando definitely obtained a benefit," he said ad- ding, "and further that asimilar benefit to us would greatly help us at this time" .1 Huniphries believes that it\15 possib le that a rail siding' could be "somnehow financed in a similar fashion and possibly under the Local Improvemnent Act. " According to J.D.S.' spokesman, David Smuschkowski, the agreemnent between Orlando and the town set "a most encouraging precedent". "We strongly, request in- stalltion of a rail siding under the Local Im- provement Act, " he con- tinued saying that it. would be a great benefit, to the thriving industrial sector of the town. However, Attersley said that he has yet to entertain such a request from either developer. The mayor also said that the town would flot spend one penny to pay for the installation of the siding. "As long as I'm mayor, we Wiil not pay for any spur fines," he said., "It would flot be. my intent- to pay for spurlines."I Attersley pointed out that if the town started providing spur lines as a mfunicipal service then it would naturally follow that the town would also have to provide trucking services. "You should pay them, too, " he said. But this. is not to say that lie would not sup- port securing a loan for J.D.S. and Tricont un- der the Local Improve- ment Act to get the line built. "If that's needed for industrial development, I'd be the first to sup- port it," Attersley said. "Ail we're doing in that case is borrowing the money for hlm." The mayor also poin- ted out that J.D.S. and Tricont were given the same privileges that Orlando won, to con- struct the Ainerican Can plant. 1 Both developers will be allowed a better parking ratio as well as more "in-front" park- ing. The town bas also relaxed a little on the location of shipping doors. However, Atte rsley said that these are flot really concessions but changes* due to cbanging times. "'We've just changed the agreement as a sign of tbe times," be said adding that they were "insignificant." Botb developers are also aware that if the spur line is financed un- der the Local Improve- ment Act, tbey will bave to pay the money back. "They're well aware," Attersley said. "It will have no affect. on tbe community and will have no cost to the community," lie added. >1~ 11) Il R)E)

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