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PAGE 26, WEDNESDAY. NOVEMBWR I12, 1980, WIITBY FREE PRESS Our Hi*storiceall Heri*tage B%, [UC[NE HENRY %ýiii)ý' or in stlîsor.-i Surfacing a road with planks 0f fine pine, sems to be a wasteful way tothe job, now that the material is both expensive and scance. But that is how Ontario Gover- *nment engineers built many miles of roads ln the 1840's. Back in those, days, the country side was covered wlth trees 50 the material to build a plank road were in Trees gave old Ontario it's roads abundance and readily at hand. As often as not, the trees were beside the road way being buit and sur- faced. It was clear to ail concer- ned with the development of Upper Canada in those days that pon roads and poor communications wene slowing the growth of our country at that time. Revenues for road building were scarce in the liglit of the over aIl provin- cial job to be ,done, so road building was given a hlgh priorlty by government of- ficiais as they probed for the Most economical way to provide a good surface at minimum cost. Lumber was cheap, labor was relatively cheap too, 50 a surfacing of pine planks to achieve a liard running sur- face became common place, throughout south central On- tario and at the end of twen- ty years there were about. DTHE REGIONAL MUN ICI PALITY F DURHAM M77D»NOTICE 0F DURHAMPUBLIC MEETING Take notice that the Reglonai Planning Commlttee will consider at a meeting to be heid NOVEM BER 18, 1M8 At 10:00 A.M. PLANNING DEPARTMENT BOARDROOM 105 CONSUMERS DRIVE, WHITBY AN AMENDMVENT TO THE DURHAM REGIONAL OFFICIAL PLAN to ciarlfy the intent of the Durharn Regional Officiai Plan with respect to the areas within whlch group homes may be permitted and to make provisions related to the concen- tration of group homes. Subsequently, the Regionai Council wiil consider the recommendatIon of the Planning Committee et a meeting to be heid on: NOVEMBER 26, 198 AT 10:00 A.M. COUNCIL CHAM BER, REGIONAL HEADQUARTERS BUILDING 605 ROSSLAND ROAD EXST, WHITBY Information related to the proposed amendment ls availabie for inàpection In the of- fices of the Planning Department. If there are any questions related to this matter, please cal Mr. L. Kotsef f, M.C.l.P. Planning Department, (416) 668-7731. Requests to appear before the Planning Commttee as a deputatlon concerning the proposed amendment muet be forwarded to Dr. M,8. Michael, M.C.l.P. Commissioner of Planning, 105 Consumners Drive, Whltby, Ontario Li N 6A3, and muet be recelved by the Friday preceding the meeting. Request ta, appear before Regional Council as a deputation concerning the proposed amendment muet be forwarded to the Regionai Cierk, Regional Headquarter Building, 605 Rosslend Road East, Whitby, Ontario Li N 6A3, and muet be received 48 hours prior to the Regional Gouncil meeting. W. Beath Regionai Chairman C.W. Lundy, A.M.C.T. Regionai Clerk ,..q j ~AJ. door progrom , LLiiZV~-I Consumers' Gas Company f lnanclng plan avallable up to 24 months Cali Us, the Exclusive area Dealer Whltby Alumlnum Home Improvement 900 Hopklns St., Whltby 686-1853 668-2252 6 Coasumers Uas Sysl. Akz. 500 miles of plank roads, in this part of the country. Hamilton and Windsor, London and Brantford, Whitby and -Port Perry, Cobourg and Rice lake were connected wlth plank roads. Building sucli a road, was not easy and its construction requlred more care than was usually devoted to the more costly macadamized type back i those days. the wldth 0f a good road in the 1840-50 perlod was 16 feet but the plank typie was not built to this width, for any great distance. The planks would often be cut to-8 foot lengths and the remalning road width would be dirt and gravel. When two wagons or a stage coachi met on a plank road one vehicle would turn off onto the dirt section close athand. The drainage of plank roads was important, because wet grounds under the wooden surface caused mildew and rotting. Because wood was cheap and in good supply the very best was used in plank roads. White and yeliow pine were used most often. In the late 184's, however, maple, elm and beech came into common usage, with good results. Ita-y4ig planks on a hiil, presented special problemrs, because wear and tear was greater then on a fiat, weil drained surface. Teamsters and stage coach, operators like a hill and vailey contour for the plank road, because they feit It was easier on the horses. Stage coaches could go along at a good speed on a plank road, about eight miles an hour under good conditions. Freight wagons moved weil too, on the plank surface. The road between Whltby Harbour and the Flfth Con- cession ln Reach Township was planked in 1848 and it speeded up the grain and lwnber traffic between the whole area around Lake Scugog and the dock aide. elevators and warhouses at Port Whitby. Peter Perry, was largely responsible for the promotion of the Port Perry planked road and it not only served as a valuable link between the farms and mils around Scugog Island but it increased the value of ail the land and buildings nearby. Peter Perry had a lot of vaca -nt land in the area served by this plank road. He was not therefore wasting his time i his promotional ef- forts for this particular project. Most of these plank roads were organized and promoted as public com- pamies and then operated as toli roads. It was soon clear to ail concerned with them, Sex guide umsuitable Durham Region Roman Catholic Separate School Board trustees deemed a sex education guide published by the ministry of health and welfare, unacceptable for use in Catholic schools. Trustee Lincla Dionne first made the motion to send a letter to the provincial ministries .0f health and education last June voicing the board's objections but it was tabled until a»l the booklets could be obtained. Dionne's report called the six bookiets 'Itotaily unac- ceptable to Catholics". "This lis not a teachers guide for sex education in a< Catholic system. Sex education must deal with the Christian concept of chastity and sexualllty. " Director of education Ed Finan said that staff and board are well satisfied with the present family life program and material. Bookiet 1 deals with teaching sexuality, cultural factors and others affecting behaviour. Bookiet 2 deals with physiology, masturbation and homosexuality. Bookiet 3 deals with family planning and the views of major religions iù Canada on the subject of teenage pregnancy, flegitamacy and infertiity. Bookiet 4 deals wlth the birth control methods currently available. Bookiet 5 deals with venerial diase and the misuse of contraception. Bookiet 6 deals with -population growth. 4t0&e, however, that the operators were a real squeeze, wlth their shareholders who wan- ted dividends and those t.hey were supposed to serve, who merely wanted good roads. In wlnter, venture some travellers who knew the country side started driving through' the fields they knew s0 well around the toil houses. This runnlng of the toil became a favorite money savlng wlnter sport, in these parts. Revenues fell off and- the toil roada declined into a regretable state of disrepair. It was the railways, however, that graduaily brought an end to the plank roads of central Canada. Just as they do today, the railways got a rlsing percen- tage of long haul freiglit. Divldends were missed on the plank roads. Main- tainence declined and travel that once was sold as 44smooth as a billard table" became as uncomfortable and unpleasant as a trip on any other klnd of road. Plank roads were indeed a brief and wastefull chapter in the history of road engineering i Ontario and the Whitby area. DENTUR~E THERAPY CLINIC 111 DUNDAS STREET WEST WHITBY 668-1464 DURHIAM REGIONAL POLICE FORCE TENDERS POLICE FORCE VEHICLES Sealed Tenders wIli be recelved at the office of the Chief of Police, 77 Centre Street North, Oshawa, Ontarlo, Up untîl 12:00 o'ciock noon, Wednesday, November l9th, 1980, for the suppiy and deiivery of Police Force Vehicies. Tender forms may be picked up or requested, thrrtiyh the off Ice of Superîntendent Dave Edwards, betwer - flie hours of 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., Monday thrrugh Frlday. Telephone 579-1520, extension 236. Lowest or any quotation not necessariiy accepted. Jon. M. Jeniçins, chief of Police. Are you planning ahsad to reduce your hestIng buis? Now you con Sae.$ by obtelnlng aeFFee Estimae th rough th@ Consumera' QestAlcon Energy Savlng wlndow end Almo available for non-Consumer Gua Custom<n