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WHITBY FREE PRESS, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 21, 1985, PAGE 15 Not ail support move-to Cullen G;ardens - . -- - -- 4.-1- .mn"m nid Thes Whithv F CONT'D PROM PG. 3 week, a total of 84 hours. With only 20 active volunteers, she said the mmseum would need to hire several guides. In respond to a, question put to hlmn by Reg. Coun. Tom Ed- wards, Cullen said he had no interest in acquiring Lynde Homse, but said it should be of mutual interest to the society and the gardens. He said there was no pressure coming fromn him to make a decision but it would be better done next faîl, or at the latest next summer. Fred Cane, a director of the society and by profession a restoration architect, replied to questions by Angevarre. The complete and total restoration of the homse would be impossible, he said, without conjec- tural details., About storage he said it would not be necessary to keep ail the artifacts. Some were not of museumn quality and some did not have much to do with Whitby. In apresentation on behaif of the Durham chapter of the ACO, Angevaare quoted Fred Cane's 1975 article in Canadian Collector in which he said that the WHS hoped to retain the homse on its original site as much of its historical significanee w ould be lost if itwere moved. Cane had also written that the corner land oc- cupied by the homse on the 88acre Loblaws property could be separated without great loss and combined with the park land nesrby. Angevaare said much had changed since 1972 when Loblaws donated Lynde House to the WHS, with the provision it be moved within one year. ,'The people of Whitby are now more aware of both the architectural menit and the historical value." He said that moving the homse would scale down the historical stature of Lynde Homse and Whit- by would lose its mmseum. Angevaare said he had phoned Roger Lin- dsay of Whittington In- vestmnents (the resl estate division of the Weston Group which owns Loblaws) to see if they were willing to seil, and received the answer that they were open to an offer to purchase. Since the landowner was willing to seil, Angevaare said he would rather apply the moving costs to the pur- chase of the land. He wondered why Brunelle and another town officiai (identified later by Brunelle as Bill Wallace, town ad- miaistrator) wbo had met recently with Lin- dsay had not made such an offer. If the society owned the, property, more government grants would be availabie, he said. After the meeting Bne-lie gid hea nd property on which Lyli- de Homse standb, but he was unsuccessful. He then asked if he could buy the property and was told, "Makteum an offer." He asked for some guidelines on the amount that would be acceptable, but got none. III asked the man on three separate oc- casions to give me an ides what kinid of amount he'd accept. Al he said was, 'Make me an offer'. " Brunelle said he inquired of a Century 21 represent.ative the going rate for commercially- zoned, property in that ares. <According to the planning department the ares where Lynde Homse stands is zoned C2.) He lesrned, he said, that for a four-acre lot across Dundas fromn Lynde Homse an offer of $f2. million had been rejected. This property did not have a corner, since that had been taken up by the gas station, but Lynde Homse is on a corner lot, which Lindsay had said made it "the prime lot." Brunelle said he knew neither the town nor the WHS had that kind of money 50 an offer was neyer made. Angevaare said the Durham branch of the ACO would support keeping Lynde Homse on its original site, both financiallyand morally. SCane, whose work ex- perience includes the Grange in Toronto; and, for the past five years, the Ontario Heritage Foundation, replied, "In 1975 1 said I hoped it (Lynde Homse) would be able to stay on the site ... Now I'm in favor of going ahesd with the move ... We can give a better display on a well- maintained property." Cane, who estimated the mmseum would need a minimum of three acres, said that proper- ty costs were too high to consider buying. He said he understood, comparable properties were selling at one quarter million dollars per acre, and it was unlikely there would be a group that could raise that kind of money. He said he saw Cullen's proposai. as the best chance for seeing- Lynde Homse is still around in 25 years. 1 kaEa? While the purists might laugh at a museum located at the gardens, Cane said he didn't think the average person would laugh. "We will lose something, but hopefully we'll gain something too." Brunelle had obtained signed tenders from moving companies, the lowest of which was $36,300, provided the house were moved in 1985 or early 1986. He also had a quote for a new foundation for $17,768. Vera Hugel offered a variety of alternatives to the move. She expan- ded on the possibility of getting a number of provincial and federal grants. Had the house been designated four years ago, she said the society would now have collec- ted $8000; had the area had a heritage district designation the museum would have gained im- provements such as period-style lighting and authentic sidewalks which would have enhanced the property, she said. Hugel later said that houses are not normally designated when the owners of the house do not own the site, but she knew of exceptions, and thought a case could have been made for Lynde Homse. To Cane's suggestion that the museum needed three acres she said it jmst needed a sub- division lot. Since there is a park which runs through the area, Hugel saîd the mmseum might be in- corporated as part of that parkland. She was concerned that the estimate for moving would not cover ail moving costs, such as moving hydro wires by hydro em- ployees and the services of the OPP for safe traf- fic control. Hugel told of a house move by the Ministry of Transportation, which had cost three times the estimate, and when the homse had reached its de stination the plaster was aIl cracked so had to be replaced and pain- ted. Hugel estimated the total deficit for the move would be $42,000, taking into con- sideration the mover of additional staff . Erie Glenholme, a member of the executive, said, "Not one member of the Lyn- de House executive wanted the move but the reason we're con- sidering it now is we neyer see a large atten- dance at the meetings. "4Lynde House hasn't moved yet, but you've got to get together. " Referring to Brunelle, he said, "The reason a representative from Whitby is doing it is because nobody else is doing it." Doug Anderson, for- mer president of the society, said the town should encourage tourists to stay in Whit- by and spend their money in other areas area, not just direct themn away to the gar- dems on Taunton Road. "Tourism is not Len Cullen, " he said. Brunelle said he was originally opposed to the move but he was aware of the growing deterior- ation of the house. He said if the property standards people were doing their job, the place would be condemn- ned. He said the move to Cullen Gardens could mean revitalization of the society, but he called for action now to ensure it would happen. After the meeting Bet- ty Weldon, who had formerly opposed the plan, said, "The time is ripe to listen to Mr. Cullen. " secretary at the preceding executive mneetinïg because she couldn't get her questions answered, but was repeatedly toid they weren't applicable. Af ter the general meeting she said, "I thought Len Culien made a very good presentation," but she remained unconvinced that the alternatives to the move had been fully explored. Cane said a museumn has an educative role to play. "It's hard to shuw what they're doing is worthwhile on the present site, with so few people visiting. At Cullen Gardens, they will have the oppor- tunity to do that. " society president Lakas and Brunelle on Thur- sday to learu what the next steps would be. "«Nothing has been decided yet," Lakas said. "Now we will have to begin negotiations with the town, Len Cullen, and the society. 'II think it will be resolved; there really isn't much choice." Brunelle said an executive meeting was scheduled for Monday to forma a blue-ribbon financial committee and to put a committee together to enter into negotiations with Len Cullen. He said the society would love to hear fromn anyone willing to help with fund-raiîing. New rent review legisiation planned by the Govemment of Ontario means that the responsibilities of landiords and tenants wiIl be changed retroactive to August 1, 1985. As of that day, a rent review guideline 0f14%/ is to apply to most apartmnent buildings, and renteci townhouses, duplexes, condominiums and individual dwellings such as houses. Other specifics include: " Under rent review, landiords may increase rents up to a specitied limit without applying for a review of the proposed new rent. Iiowever, if the tenant objects to the proposed increase - even ifit is below the specified limit - he or she may also apply for a review. Until August Lst, 1985, a 6% rent review guideline covered most pnivate rentai accommodation except units occupied after 1975 and certain units renting for $750 a month or more. " Retroactive to August lst, 1985, a 4% rent review guicleline is to cover ail pivate rentai units including those occupied after 1975 and those renting for more than $750 a month. " Until the legisiation is in place landlords can iegally collect a 6 per cent increase. llowever, provision wîll be macle for the payment of rebates to tenants of any amount over 4 per cent, unless a higher increase can bejustified in a rent review hearing. Accordingly, ail landlords are being asked to voluntarily comply with the 4 per cent limit in order to avoid a time-consuming rebate process. For further information on how the new legislation will affect you, please contact your nearest Residential Tenancy Commission Office, listed in the blue pages of your telephone directory. ® Ministry 0f (5D Housing Ontario Hon. Alvin Curling. Minister DURHAM HEARINO AID CLINIC 105 Coîborn e St. W., Whitby 666-3797 Monday-Frlday 9:30 a.m. -4:30 p.m. HEARING AID BATTERIES $3.501 PKG. Repairs to ail maies, Free hearlng tests M" At last, heari ng help for NERVE PEAFNESS ... 1 - 1