Ambulances were standing by in case they were needed for evacuation of the senior citizens. but their services were noi required. ‘ Staff Ridges fire hall - Corcoran (‘hief Kennedy said when the stat ion was built ii was felt if the population increased there would he a need for a full time facility. bui at this time judging by the number of calls they receive it is noi warranied. Last Tuesday afternoon fire guued lhe home of Thomas Biso on Vanex Park near Bayview Avenue in Oak Ridges. Councillor Bill Corcoran said he fell the firefighters did a good job. but it just look too long to come through the traffic. The Oak Ridges Fire Station at King Sideroad and Yonge Street was built in 1975 as a volunteer fire station without facilities for full~time firefighters. Fire (‘hief Kénnedy said he has difficulty getting volunteers in Regional Chairman Bob Forhan has received word from Transportation Minister James Snow there is no intentional slowâ€" down in construction of Highway. 404. Mr. Biso. the owner of the home‘ Mary Harris of Jefferson Sideroad who was on the scene when fire broke out. and (‘ouncillor Corcoran. all said Ihey fell iI took about 15 minutes for ihe fire trucks [0 arrive. Richmond Hill Fire (‘hief Bob Kennedy. said fire department records prove the time from the alarm being called in to [he alrrival of three trucks on lhe scene was acmally eigm minutes. The victim of a recent fire in Oak Ridges and the council member representing the area. feel it‘s lime to have the Oak Ridges fire hall manned during the day. No slowdowns on Highway 404, Snow says The barn. which is or the nursing home property. ha. been rented. Two sports cars were destroyed in the blaze. Damages are estimated at $75,000 and the cause is believed H) be spontaneous combustion. Amazingly no one was injured. but it did make a different beginning to the day for the residents of the nursing home. One elderly man, who was being pushed to safety in a wheelchair. insisted on staying to watch the barn burn. Firefighters agreed and set the man in a safe but advantageous localion. In all 10 vehicles and 50 men battled the blaze. that came within 20 feel of the nursing home. Awater blanket had to be estabhshed to protect the residence. Richmond Hill Fire Depart- ment received the alarm at about ta am. and responded with all its men and equipment. but becatrse that area of the community is not serviced by town water. Markham and Aurora Fire Departments were asked to send tanker trucks to supply water. "I used l0 be a fire fighter? he said. "and I want to see lhis.“ Seventy-five residents of one area of the (‘ountry Place Nur- sing Home on Elgin Mills Road were evacuated to another section of the home. because the tire was too close for comfort. Six horses perished in the blaze. More than 100 people escaped injury last Wednesday when a fire broke cu! in a barn at a Richmond Hill nursing home. Nursing home residents evacuated when barn fire threatens building A Metrospan Community Newspaper The Region} had been worried What are you doing about energy? There's a new group in town and its members want to find out. Richmond Hill was one of three Canadian municipalities selected for a unique energy conservation demonstration project. and this week. the group‘s activities are shifting into high gear. Six horses died and a nursing home was threatened in this spectacular barn fire last week on Elgin Mills Road east of Bayview Avenue. Three fire departments responded to the call. In the bottom photo, Gordon Monroe watches helplessly because it received a letter from the ministry stating various complications were causing intermittent delays in the roadwork. The project is aimed at showing how a community can work together to meet energy conservation goals. “We've now been assured the highway will be worked on The 15-person steering com- mittee. led by Mayor David Schiller. has been formed to provide policy direction and leadership for the project. The 15 members“coine from a broad cross~seclion of Richmond Hill Task forces formed To get things going. the com Energy project gains momentum Membership on these groups is open to anyone interested. and Richmond Hill citizens are enâ€" couraged to become involved‘ said Catherine Hunt. who is overseeing the project as a member of the consulting firm of minee plans to set up task groups in a number of areas which are of key interest to the communily. These groups will work as s1ud_\~ groups. and develop specific recommendations about how to implement energy con- servalion measures in the various sectors. Sponsoring lhe project are the federal departments of Con sumer and Corporate Affairs: Energy Mines and Resources: and Supply and Services. continuously until it‘s finished." said Mr. Forhan. “There‘s an $11 million Contract to be let on Ll d THE RICHMOND HILL D‘Amore and Aésociates Wednesday, Sept. 19, 1979 At a press conference Monday morning. Mayor Schiller and five members of the committee fielded questions. They'll be contacted a year from now and results will be compared compared with the first survey. York will have an option on whether it wants .0119 large comrau for the roadwork from Gormley (0 Aurora Sideroad or if il would prefer the job to be broken up into smaller units. About 100 citizens of Richmond Hill become involve'd earlier this month when they were asked to participate in a consumer survey regarding energy. as flames destroy his two sports cars. Richmond Hill fire of- ficials are still investigating the cause of the blaze (Liberal photos by Bruce Hogg) The Ontario Ministry of Energy will also be involved in monitoring the project. “We muSl convince the public lhe energy problem is real and is going to get worse.‘ ‘the mayor said. “There is available to much information the public if they 25 Cents Anyone seeking further inâ€" formation on the subject should call Ms. Hum at 884-8101. ex- tension 46. Some committee members will meet this morning to nail dowu the project‘s goals. wanl to use ‘11,“ he said The (‘itizens' Advisory Group (CAG) is holding a special meeting tomorrow night (Thursday. September 20) to get community input into the current contract dispute with York County Board of Education and the secondary teachers. (‘hairman of the CAG. Janet Fayle. said. "You might call it a community council meeting“ as representatives from com~ munity organizations have been invited to discuss the problem. Your chance to speak on contract dispute 30 pages of the area described as‘ high density. single-family. “af The Coventry Group will prepare a plan forrdervelopmem Two representatives from The (‘oventry Group and their planner. John Curtis. advised committee members their company had recently purchased the property known as the Mills Roses property â€" lots straddling Pugsley Avenue, from Crosby Avenue to Centre Street and extending east to the (NB tracks. Mr, (‘urt is described the site as “a critical pieceof land‘l close to the centre of Richmond Hill, an industrial area. and GO Transit. The planner agreed with Ward 2 (‘ouncillor Al Duffy, the property presently does not look good. and councillor Duffy replied with “the condition of the property puts it high on the list for development“. Richmond Hill Councillor Gord Rowe said he sympathized with (‘anada's Wonderland bUI couldn‘l support the request because il could sel a “dangerous“ precedent. “I can appreciale the im» A new developer in town dropped into planning committee la§l week. just to be neighborly considering our firm i's paying for the cost of the project." He explained the provincial government awarded a contract to a firm which is nonâ€"union. something over which his company had no control. "The reason I'm here is to ask you to help us ensure that con- tracts for the improvements to Jane St. and the underpass for Major Mackenzie at Highway 400. go to union contractors only Union workers went on strike last week over a decision l0 allow non-union men to gel 3 contract on one of the construction sites. "()ur desire was to use (‘anadian Union Labor." said Mr. McCormack. "Conslrucnon was progressing quickly and until last week. there were no problems." Director of Finance and Administration John McCormack asked councillors to support his company in a bid to have con- lracls go to only union firms. The company applied for an injunction and as of Monday, it appeared roadwork and grading were nearly back to normal. York Regional Council was advised by its solicitor Thursday to stay out of a dispute between contractors for the new Maple theme park and Canada‘s Wonderland â€" owners of the project. Group ready to develop Mills property Region stays out of Maple dispute Community Pulse Meanwhile, the United Way, with its slogan. “Say Yes for York", kicks off its six-week campaign next weeh._hoping to raise $496,000. The York Central Executive Association will host a “Way†meeting on behalf of the United Way of York Region. Thursday October 4 in the Hillcrest Mali Auditorium at 8 p.m. Barney Dansbn. this year’s Campaign Chairman of York’s United Way, will be the guest speaker. Monday-night, Mr. Danson received a donation from Wendy's Old Fashioned Hamburgers, which was holding a reception prior to its official opening on Yonge Street in Richmond Hill yesterday. The donation totalled $256. which, according to of- ficials, is the number of ways a Wendy's hamburger can be made. Bus companies used by YCBE will set up a display, including a standard school bus with flashing lights, for Hillcrest Mall, Richmond Heights Plaza. Markham Place, Aurora South Shopping Centre and Upper Canada Mall in Newmarket. Resource people will be on hand from 4230-9 p.m. starting Monday. The week of September 23-30 has been declared “School Bus Safety Week" in Ontario. York Region, which has about 18,000 full time students bussed to and from elementary and secondary schools daily, will use the period to develop attitudes toward greater school bus safety throughout the year. Business Administrators in the Area Offices have lists of films and materials. available principals may wish to use. Say Yes for York Bus safety week Representatives from both OSSTF and the hoard will be present to answer questions. The outcome of the meeting will not have much effect on present negotiations. said \lrs. l-ay.le but (‘AG hopes to make use of present a“ areness of the community to let the board and the teachers know how the public feels about the issue ('AG‘s meeting will be held at Crosby Heights School. in the library at 8 p.m. and is open to any member of the public. “This man is appearing in good faith and is respectfully con- cerned about problems he‘s having with his project. I just think it is premature for this council to take a stand," he said. Mr. Roman. claiming the mat I er could come before council again and fearing the Region could find itself locked into a position. moved the matter be received and further reviewed llis colleagues took his advice. “At this time this is purely a private matter, " said solicitor Ed (takes. "Wouldn‘t there be something in the contract that doesn‘t allow for an illegal strike? If that‘s the case. this council. being a public body and having an interest in seeing the law is upheld, would find itself in a bad position supporting the continuance of an illegal strike.“ Mayor Tony Roman. from Markham. fell the whole argument was premature since the contract could wind up in a union ï¬rm's hands. portance of the projeci and ihe fact lhey're spending [heir money up here but lhis council can‘i lake 3 position in this matter.“ he said. He was backed up by Newmarket Councillor Tom Taylor. who felt no level of government should find itself in such a bind. Michael MacDonald, from Georgina, fully supported Mr‘ McCormack. however. “I feel the people who are paying for the project should have a say in the awarding of the contracts. . . lreally don‘t think we‘re setting a precedent." When asked to define “af- fordable" housing, David Hirch, Executive Vice-President of The (‘oventry Group. said they hoped to build homes on lots 30 feel by 100 feet with a selling price as low as $60,000 and as high as $70,000 Ion today‘s market). fordable" housing. compatible with existing development. The developers also propose two acres for a retirement home for senior citizens. although the location is not yet determined. Members of the planning comminee agreed it was refreshing to have a developer come in and discuss a purchase within the tOWn and gave assurance of open com- munications. Mr. Curtis and The Coventry Group said they came to comâ€" mittee to ask for assistance and input from town staff so they could resolve as many problems as possible.