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$60 million project LCBO warehouse im der wa Operational in 1984, employing 200 By MICHAEL KNELL Free Press Staff "The Ontario government wIl proceed immediately with the construction of a liquor control board distrib- ution warehouse at the cor- ner of Wentworth Street and Boundary Road in Whitby. " That announcement came Monday morning during a press conference hosted by the, Progressive Conser- vative MPP for Durham West, George Ashe. In a written statement Ashe said that, "I am par- ticularly pleased with the decision to go ahead now because this project will help create employment in our area following the recent announcement that Firestone will close down its Whitby operation in July. " Ashe also maintained that the project is a re- affirmation of the Tory government's go-east policy. The project wil cost ap- proximnately $60 million. The parliamentary secretary to the minister -of energy, said that site preparation and construc- tion is scheduled to start in January, 1981. When completed, the warehouse will be 305,000 square feet in size. The structure will be divided into two adjoining sections, one will be 110 feet high with 135,000 square feet of space- and the other will be 40 feet high with 175,000 square feet of space. When fully operational in 1984, the warehouse will emn- ploy between 150 and 200 people. Ashe stated that he will urge the LCBO to use local manpower, wherever possible, during the con- struction period. Ashe, a former mayor of Pickering, said that with the. closing of Firestone on Ju.ly 18 extra effort was made to push the project considering that the provincial gover- nment had sbelved it two years ago. \ "The ciosing of Firestone gave incentive for a littie ex- tra push," he said. "It has offset some of the negative impact of the closing of Firestone plant in July. " While he adxnitted that the construction and operation of the facility will flot fuIlal the jobs lost at Firestone, Ashe promised to urge the LCBO to use local people. Ashe said that* the warehouse will be adaptable for expansion and it will become the board's prinicipal storage facility when completed., The warehouse will be built ýon a 40 acre site of which Ashe said the board will utilize about two-thirds. The remaining land may be converted into park if either the Town of Whitby or the Central Lake Ontario Conservation Authority (CLOCA) would be in- terested in such a project, Ashe said. Ashe said that the reason for such a long construction period was due to the fact that it will be a "com- plicated projeet" because of the use of high automation technology. "It will be hîghly automated, " he said. " It will be as automated as possible." When asked why construc- tion would not be started this year, Ashe replied that the finalized plans for the building would take up to a year to complete. The board should cail for, tenders early in the faîl, he said. Ashe said that with the announcement of this project, he is- hoping for quick action on other an- nounced provinicial projects such as the reconstruction of the Whitby Psychiatrce Hospital and the 'construc- tion of the new courthouse on Rossland Road as well as that of the ministry of revenue building in Oshawa. Whitby's, acting mayor was more than pleased to hear that the provincial ,..,governmnent will begin the construction of te long- awaited Liquor Control Board warehouse early next year. Regional Councillor Gerry Emm, who is sitting in the mayor's chair while Jim Gartshore is on holiday, said that "it is gratifying to know that the province bas given the green light to the con- struction and the operation of the facility. " Emm said that the an- nouncement gave the town a badly needed shot in the armn. "This will provide job op- portunities to a sagging community," he said. "This will be the much needed input for a com- munity that is geared up on- ce again to be on the move forward. " Witby womanpresents tapes try to region Durham Regional Council was presented with a tapestry of ts coat of arms last Wed- nesday by a Whitby womnan. Marion Young, of Whitby is seen here making the presentation to Regional Chairman Walter Bpath in a brief ceremony prior to council's me~eting. Mrs. Young, wife of Durham Regional Police Deputy Chief Ken Young, spent over a year worklng on the tapestry which wilI hang in the counicil chambers behind Beath's chair. In accepting the tapestry, Beath told mem- bers of councli that it was a symbol of the community and their willingness to work together. Beath presented Mrs. Young with a Canadian f lag pin in appreciation of her gift. - Free Press Photo by Mike Knell À dd ,Ru Y, "w nts ex 'ded ro-lië see page,