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WHIITRY FREE PRESS, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 17, 1990, PAGE 29 End of the uine for Torontgo>H avel ock pa s engers FROM PAGE 1 zine. Like many passengers, acssibilit to transportation was akeyfactor in her move.- : It's not just the transportation but the convienience of t he trans- nortation. Riding, Via was com- lcàtable. Now I must take a bus to Whitby's GO Station which will add an extra haîf-hour at each end of my day. The cuts were short-sighted and give short-term econornic gain. My decision will be to move toward Toronto or another major centre." Tom Rapin has worked for Via Rail as a waiter/barman for the past year. He is now 'on holidaty and was just riding the rails. He didn't expect ta have a job corne Monday. "I haven't officially got my notice but rumor has it I was laid off last Mondayý. "It was no surprise to me but for people with more than four years' seniority, some are stili wondering who will be laid off. I really enJoyed working for Via. It was a real fainilyIe eople were wonderful and so wer eh staff. I- don't know what Fim going to do right now. The rail- road gets in your blood. I know riî neyer get another job like this. I may try getting on a cruise ship or start my own business." Waiting in Union station to catch the GO back to Whitby was Durham regional chairman Gary Herrem a, also aý GO board mem- ber. urn taking Via to Kingston today and back : tomorrow,- said Herrema (Who was planning to VIA RIVL conductor Don Leddy helps passengers exit the train at Union Station in Toronto. Chrs BoAeFr« Pr. Photo catch the Oshawa Generals game in Kingston, along with aIl the mayrs n Durham Region).l"he fedsave obviously won. The federal governrnent still controls the rails. Freight still has priority over passengers. The feds just had no bloody will* to make it work.» Herrerna was on his way toaa meeting with Go Transit ta plan how ta, revise Union Station ta accommodate more people. Durham riding MP Ross- Ste- venson thinks that Via Rail will rebuild in the late 19909 and early next century when the budget is back on track. In the meantime he defended the cts «Bus traffic is subsidized cb;y 'a one-cent tax pér passenger mile, air trafflc twoÃ" cents per pas- senger mile, nd long distance rail b 25 cents per passenger mile. Sorne routes it is cheaper ta charter a beliè opter. It can't b. anticipated that one's going ta go #_ouh 11f. with the sanie ser- vices. Stevenson said that h. fought hard ta save the lin. but was up againist otheri MPs from other provinces that were just as needy. hv «W. hve ighways and we have GO. We; are the northeast spoke of the whÉeel coming out of Toronto. It's the only spoM that will b. missing.» He said that it is with some regret that the TorontofHavelock lin. has corne ta its end, and added that h. is prepared ta, support any workable proposal ta' reinstate the. lin. The. TorontolHavelock Pas- senger Association has submitted a proposaI for privatization of the line. Although it has been well received in thortirne will tell whether the bucks will b. there ta put it inta practice. GO Transit wiIl be domfg what they can with their existing ser- vices ta, accommodate the in- crease in passengers, according ta TOM Henry, manager of infor- mation services for G O Transit. "We are realizing a pretty sub- stantial passenger increase rightuA now,»" says Henry. "W. carry 67,000 riders every day of the week. With the Via trains rerno- ved in sorne respects, it is adding an opportunity for GO Transit.» He says that he doesn't anti- cipate any problems with the increase in ridership at the Whitby Station. They have made arrangements ta accommodate some private bus services, free of charge, that will bring extra pas- sengers. Henry. feels that the increase in parking spaces at the Whitby station should accommo- date the increase in ridership. JOHN VAVRA perhaps contemplates the demise of VIA Rail on the last journey Friday morning. ChrisBovf-Fr.. Pt. Photo VIA PASSENGîERS exited the train to stage a mini- protest during the trains- Iast journey from Myrtie Station to Toronto Union Station. Chris BovI.Froe Pr. Photo New plan- presented for non-profit housing FROM PAGE 1 fIe continued his presentation until halted by Attersley, who instructed Gineherman ta, only discuss the. application. Councillor Tom Edwards noted that Town council had alwýays supported non-profit housing, even when a decision such as Bluegrass Meadows about four years ago was made in the. face of "hunJreds of objections.» When, the project was aban- doned, Edwards blarned the non- profit corporation, saying it «did not follow through.» Michael, after recognizing the support shown by Whitby coun- cil, said, how.ver, that the deve- loper, not the corporation, «backed off" on the Blueçrass application. C I b- Michael said the pro sed buildingf at Perry and Meary streets(behind the new commer- cial plaza of Brock St. N.), would benefit seniors and the handicap- ped. "The whole building will be designed for disabled people. We are targeting special n..ds Mcalmade a plea ta, coun- cil, «Lend us the support we are accustomed to getting." But councillor Rosa Batten said, «W. neyer suggested that w. 'don't want your proposai downtawn. We do. But we want it ta conforrn ta Town bylaws.» Mayor Bob Attersley emphas- ized tliat Whitby was m favor of «Wewat o o watever we can tasupport this kind of pro- jeet,» saidfAttrsley. «We're very much in favor of having this type of development.» Affer council denied the ori- ginal application, the new po posal was referr.d ta the plan- ning and developmet ommit- tee, which turn.d down 'the oni- 7inal application. Ice Fyre honored by Town, board FROM PAGE 24 ham Region, ta the province and ta Canada. Thiey tok their shop- burg.r was $9). ping mon.y and pool.d it «They did not have the luxury tagether. They put (an equal of being billeted". Th.y stay.d in ainount) of money ini envelopes, a ayouth hostel. Canadiàn flag and a Whitby' P "Ourr1stoo it pontIi and gave one envelope ta, each of team peennadnadian champi m, on gold in'Sweden and then silver at a competition in Finland. After Brideau7s comments, the the skating teain circled the room and th.y were given a standing ovation. Sirnilar ac- ..knoledgemient- was- given - by Town counc'illors and staff at their council meeting the. same nighit. "Sornetimes in education we become a little cynical " said Whitby trustee and boarcicar man gaterine Tunney. «Thinga like this malce US aIl proud we -arei iii lw*ystdit.-Yo-u 'and ur parents are ta b. cornmende.0 7 Ï