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WI!JTYF~RE ~1Es8; EDNEflAYJANUY~Y4. Mar.P C41.9S '88 REVIEW '88 REVIEW '88 REVIEW '88 REVIEW '88 REVIEW No decision about disposal One of the biggest stories of 1988 was Durham Region's in- volvement with Metro Toronto over a landfill site. The Region was finally hit with the reality in 1988 that the Brock West landfill site would be closed in 1990 when it is filled. The Region approved a study early in 1988 to identify alter- nate sites. One mentioned was Heber Down, but that was put aside by then chairman of Region works, Gerry Emm, who said it was rejected by the Central Lake Ontario Conservation Authority. At the same time, Metro was looking for an interim site and the most prominent was located in Newcastle. In April, Ajax councillor (now mayor) Jim Wittyproposed that the Region break its ties with Metro and not allow them to locate a garbage dump within the Region's boundaries. In retaliation, Metro tabled a motion approving a $28 rebate to Durham Rgion on landfill tip- ping fees. Metro was raising the tipping fees at Brock West to $50 from $22 to halt excessive dump- ing but was planning to offer Durham a $28 rebate. The tabling motion delayed Durham's approval of its budget, and forced a long discussion in council chambers about Metro's attitude towards garbage. Later that week, Witty drop- ped his dump Metro motion and etro soon after approved the rebate for Durham. But the ques- tion of where to locate an interim dump site when Brock West closed was still to be answered and the Newcastle site was still prominent. While Witty dropped his motion, Whitby council let its view on .the matter be known public when it called for Durham to rescind its 1985 motion that allows Metro to dump its gar- bage in Durham. In August, the Region voted in favor of reducing its garbage by 25 per cent throu recycling. In September, urham reques- ted that Metro divert waste from Brock West, 10 months early, giving Durham an additional five years of dumping at the site. But the request did not pass without some negative comments from some councillors. "How many times is Durham going to go down there and get our face slapped," said Whitby councillor Tom Edwards. A meeting was held between Durham and Metro officials in October at which Durham asked Metro to pull ont of Brock West Recycling program expands five months early. Durham also informed Metro that it opposes Metro using a site in Newcastle as an interim landfill site. In November, Durham offi- cially broke its ties with Metro. At Durham Region's first meeting after the municipal elec- tions, regional chairman Gary Herrema said a new committee would be formed to identify an interim landfill location for Dur- ham. The committee's finding would be made public March 1, he said. DISPUTE After losin in its bid to have a new regional headquarters build- ing in the downtown area, the City of Oshawa decided to chal- lenge the Region of Durham in a dispute over ownership of re gonal headquarters building and land in Witby. Oshawa claimed 30 per cent of the land on which the headquarters sits and 45 per cent interest in the building itself, as well as a share of rent collected from the Pro- vince for use of space in the building for côurtroom facilities. The ownership claim dates back to 1963 when an ownership agreement was signed between the City of Oshawa and Ontario County. BUDGET The budget passed by Durham regional council in May meant a 6.7p er cent tax increase for Whitby ratepayers in the Region portion of their tax bill. "Look! An artifact from the pre-biode- gradable age!" A o20/88 DEBENTURE In December, a Durham Region staff report recommended debentures to pay for $485-mil- lion worth of expanded water and sewer facilities and road improvements over the next 10 years. The Region has been maintaining a pay-as -you-go policy for projects, while gra- ually eliminating previous debentures, in budgets in recent years. A decision on debenturing is expected in early 1989. CANNON RELOCATION In December, Durham regional council approved relocation of the two cannons on Region head- uarters property to the Halifax itadel National Historic Park, at the reuest of the citadel. The cannons ad been obtained from, Halifax in 1901 and were at the entrance of the Ontario County Courthouse building until 1964 when they were moved to the new county (now Durham Region ) headquartersbuilding. Death at Hillsdale from heat wave July of 1988 was one of the hottest months on record, scorch- ing Southern Ontario and caus- ing power failures, increasing public pool attendance and beer sales, m posing restrictions on water and leading to skyrocket- ing sales of air conditioning units. More serious consequences were the deaths of seniors due to their inability to deal with the heat at Hillsdale Manor, the Durham Region-operated home for the aged in Oshawa, and a drought for Durham Region far- mers. Five residents of the manor died, and other residents were transferred to Oshawa General for relief from the heat. Fairview Lodge's residents were better off, with better circulation in that building and fans. An inquest was held into the Hillsdale deaths, and it was determined that everything that could be done was done for resi- dent--, and that those who died were extremely frail, especially heat sensitive. Improvements to the air circu- lation systems at all Durham Region homes wereinstalled, as well as air conditioning units and a sprinkler system for the roof of Hillsdale Manor. Fairview renovations Fairview Lodge home for the age2 had $4 million worth of extensive renovations approved by Region council in Au st, the last of the renovation phases at the facility. The renovations will bring the buildingUn to ovin- cial standards. as yne reen, beloved administrator of the Lodg from 1985, died on May 13 of u Gehrig's disease. The renovated B wing is named after Green. Recycling became the key word in-Durham as the new Durham Recycling Centre opened in June and the Region stepped up efforts to divert waste from land- fill sites. Blue boxes were distributed to most homes in the region throughout 1988 while the Dur- ham Recycling Centre attempted to keep up with the phenomenal success of the recycling project. All was not positive, however, as it was learned in June that the new recycling centre cost jumped $212,000 beyond what was budgeted. The depot was budgeted at $650,000. The overexpenditure caused Durham to rewrite its tender policy so that no overexpendi- tures will be allowed unless Z--