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Resic By MIKE JOIINSTON Free Press Staff A decision by Whitby Town council to use "Renfield Cres. as a tur- ning point for buses on the Oshawa Creek tran- sit- route, has patents who live on the street upset. The route A bus, whlch in the past used Bonneta Crt. to turn around, is now travelling along McQuay Blvd., and using Renfield as it's turnlng point. Residents of the street believe the route change poses a serlous threat to their children. The parents are also upset that they were given no notice of the FR,M PG, 3 WFiITBY FREE PRESS. WEDNESDAY. MARCH 12, 1986 PAGE 9 lents up in armis over bus route route change or any in- dication there was to be one. "AIl of a sudden, Monday morning, there was a bus travelling along our street,"' said Darleen Castie, who lives on Renfield Cr. and has two children. Mrs. Castie said that at firat she thought the route was only being re-dlrected because there was a problem on Bonneta Crt. but soon realizeci the route change was permanent when a bus stop sud- denly appéAred at the end of her driveway.< Mrs. Castle called City Hall and the stop was removed -the next day but the bus route remained. Richard Kuwahara, director of the Public Works Department which chooses the bus routes, admitted, the residents of the street Were flot notified of the change but added that the town is flot obliged to. He said notices were put up in the buses to notify the riders of the change. Mr. Kuwahara said the route was altered when it became ap- parent the bus was to cumbersome for the much smaller Bonneta. Mr. Kuwahara said Bonneta was used as a turning point when the route was first established, because Town must pay $95,000 to light' Begional Works com- mittee head and Whitby town councillor, -Gerry EMM. Mr. Ernm said that any lighting of roads is the responsibiity of a municipality and not a regional responsibility, although he did add that if any sidewalks need upgrading the region would pay for the work. However, the Works department had asked the region to reconsider its, pollcy and make a. contribution toward the street lighting since the widening of the road will make the present lighting inadequate. But, the region has,. decided not to con- tribute since "the region is not responsible for lighting the roads,"' said William Twelvetrees, Commissioner of Works for the Region of Durham. The region will spend $51/2 million to accom- Thickson Road modated five lanes of traffic between Con- sumners Dr. and Dundas St. The project, which is scheduled to begin sometime in May, will ha subsidized 80 percent by the Ministry of Tran- sportation and Com- munications with the region paying the remaining $1,125,000. Since the region is unwilling to pay for the additional lighting, and no funds have been provided for the work in the 1986 budget, Whitby Town Council has decided the money will ha taken from the development r.- eserýve fund. He said some of the money will comne from the First City Developers of the Woolco Malil hcause they had agreed to assist in paying for any improvements to the road, as well as from other developers in the area. He added. that no resident on the road will have to contribute towards the cost. there was only one house on it. But now that home construction on the court is completed, the bus has to reverse to turn around which is un- safe, he said. "So we choose Ren- field because it was close, had a sidewalk and reversing wasn't necessary to turn around," said Mr. Kuwahara. But Mrs. Castie poin- ted out that only the east aide of the Cres. has a sidewalk. "The kids stili have to cross the street to get to the sidewalk. " 1"And it will be even harder for the bus drivers to see the kids when there are more cars parked on the street in the summer, as well as more kids out playing," added Mrs. Castles' husband Mark. "You.ng kids, are always challenging things and if they ever challenge a bus they are going to lose," said Mr. Castle. However, Mr. Kuwahara disagrees the buses pose a threat to the chlldren. "I think those people are getting a littie carried away and think we're going to run down every kid on the street," he said. The Castles' have noticed that since their concerns were ralsed with the town, some of the buses have been driving aiong the Cres. slower but they are still worried about the threat to children who walk along the street to Col. J.E. Farewell school. "There is always a chance," said Mr. Castle. "Even If you tell klds a hundred times to stay off the street they will still play there. " In the interim the Castles and their neigh- bours, have a petition protesting the route change and will ha presenting it to Mr. Kuwahara soon. They are also making an appointnient with the town's operations com- mittee to Jet theni know of their concerns. SPLIT ENDSi HAIRO UTS.- $4,.00 For the whole famllyI STREAKS OR HIGHLIGHTS $19.95 ValId until March 29186 102 BYRON ST. S., WHITBYI 666-4615 I8o~- *Toli free, $ arn - 8 pm weekdays, . Or you can pick up a copy of any one- of our 5 pocket- size book1ets§ at your local participating Supermnarket Information Centre or Infolce Mail Distribution Centre. Canadag F+ Department of Finance Ministère des Finances Budget umwfn 1F Canada Canada 7o'