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Well, Câ€"8 may not be a regular slot on any bingo card but it is a new core zoning bylaw undger which a local businessman may be able to open a bingo hall in Uptown Waterâ€" loo. Melodee Martinuk Chronicle Staff Under the Bâ€"10, Under the G three; under the Câ€"eight. Huh, Câ€"8? Council learned Monday that Martyn Thorburn, who has operated a bingo hall at Caesar‘s Palace in north Waterloo for the past twoâ€"andâ€" half years, is negotiating to lease the vacant property at 17 King St. S., the old Signet Furniture location. He plans to renovate the building, approximately $60,000 worth of inteâ€" rior and exterior improvements, and use it as a bingo hall which will operate seven evenings a week, and perhaps weekdays if the demand is there. Under present zoning running a bingo hall is illegal in Uptown Waterloo, but recent changes in core zoning bylaws now make this type of business permissible. The only hitch in the works is that there has been one objection to the proposed bylaw change and it must therefore also go to the Ontario Municipal Board for approval. _ ~ Thorburn was before council Monâ€" day to ask that they not enforce existing bylaws and allow him to go ahead with his renovations. is Uptown area prepared for bingo players? City planner Tom Slomke told council that if the new Câ€"8 zoning ""is struck down (by the OMB) this use wouldn‘t be allowed and council would have to take action to enforce the (existing) bylaw. It‘s at the risk Chronicle Staff Waterloo residents can expect to see an increase of between five and six per cent in the city portion of their 1983 tax bill. This is according to Mayor Marjorie Carâ€" roll who said in an interview Monday that Dennis Lapaime, a member of the Twin City Spinners Wheelchair Basâ€" ketbaill Team accepts a $500 cheque from Waterioo ftiretighters Greg Payne (left) and Max Hussey (right). The money was raised in the Waterâ€" loo Fire Department‘s annual bail held in November. Do ing bylaws and allow him to go "If I had a choice of what was d with his renovations. going in that building 1 wouldn‘t y planner Tom Slomke told choose a bingo hall," said Ald. Jim cil that if the new Câ€"8 zoning ‘*is _ Erb, ‘"but I don‘t know what people ‘k down (by the OMB) this use are getting uptight about...it‘s dn‘t be allowed and council _ bringing 150 people into the uptown. d have to take action to enforce _ If it were 150 shoppers we‘d find existing) bylaw. It‘s at the risk _ space." Brighter picture for city‘s tax increase BALL MONEY based on preliminary budget estimates ‘"right now we‘re lookâ€" ing at an increase of just over six per cent, 6.3 per cent." City officials, howevâ€" er, are hopeful they can pare budget esâ€" timates to bring the tax increase down to the Pat Arbuckle photo of the applicant." Council gave Thorburn the okay to proceed with his project despite the reservations of some aldermen that a bingo hall wouldn‘t add to the core area. "I don‘t think council understood that in this zoning this type of use would be allowed," argued Ald. Robert Henry. "It certainly isn‘t the type of development we were lookâ€" ing for in that corner. It isn‘t long term." Henry and Ald. Charles Voelker both were concerned that the projâ€" ect, which is expected to bring an additional 150 cars into the core, could create serious parking probâ€" lems. "On Thursday, Friday and Saturâ€" day it‘s just going to be impossible downtown," said Henry. â€" Mayor Marjorie Carroll reminded council "that the Woods Gordon Study (City of Waterloo Downtown) talked at length about bringing more people into the core for entertainment functions...they‘ll stay down and there will be spillover effects. If we are to attract people into the core we must not only look at retail but also entertainment." "One hundred and fifty bingo players aren‘t shopping. I think it will be a disaster for the merâ€" chants," commented Voelker. fiveâ€"perâ€"cent level Last year at this time preliminary estimates for 1982 outlined expenâ€" ditures that would have produced a 28.44 per cent jump in the city share of municipal taxes. After drastic cuts in spending the city managed to chop its share of the tax bill to just over 15 per cent. But this year, Carroll said, Waterloo officials face a much brighter budget picture. ‘‘"We‘ve got a number of things going for us," she said. ‘"‘We came out of 1982 with a larger surplus than we anticipated, more than $1 million, there was a freeze on hiring last year...and the city has a very, very low debt load." As well, Carroll said, an increase in assessâ€" ments of 4.54 per cent during 1982 has helped to soften the budget increase in °83. "It‘s certainly very healthy, more than last year." City department heads are now at work finalizing budget figâ€" ures for ‘83 which are expected o be completâ€" ed by March 6, and presented to council on March 11. Budget day has been set for Tuesâ€" day, Apr. 5. . _ _Projects which may have to be delayed inâ€" clude completion of Heritage Park at King and William Streets and continuation of the core beautification proâ€" gram. The ‘backyard‘ rink a love for Tiessen Rick Campbell Chronicle Staff It is one thing to trudge out in the cold of !‘ight to make a backyard rink for your youngâ€" ers. â€" Yf is something else again when you do it for 25 wears â€" and not just for your own youngsters, but for a neighborhood of about That‘s what John Tiessen of 189 Vermont St. has done, and Sunday he was honored with a plague from the Lincoln Heights Parks Association for his incredible dedication that has helped bond neighborhood families toâ€" gether over the years. Fitting that the presentation should take place in the park right behind Tiessen‘s house where for a quarter of a century he has opened his doors for coâ€"workers, friends, youngsters with cold feet and parents with cold everyâ€" thing. Bruce Gellatly (right) presents John Tiessen with a plaque honoring him for 25 years of dedicated service to the Lincoin Heights Parks Association. On hand to help celebrate was Tiessen‘s wife June. Rick Campbell photo an m «Quarter century dedication "Each December John looks out his back window and says ‘oh, I‘ve got to get it (rink) going for the kids for the Christmas holidays," said Lincoln Heights resident Bruce Gellatly, who made the presentation during an afterâ€" noon of skating, music and fun as the Association itself celebrated its 25th anniverâ€" Skating races were just one of the highlights of Sunday‘s 25th anniversary skating party held by the Lincoin Heights Parks Assocation. WATERLOO CHRONICLE, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 1983 â€" PAGE 3 *"The continual success of this rink â€" which we feel is the most successful rink in the city of Waterloo â€" wouldn‘t have been possible without the ongoing contribution of John Tiessen," said Gellatly, who with 24 years of service to the association could be equally commended for his dedication. "Over the years I‘ve stayed the same but I‘ve watched a lot of friends getting older," said Tiessen with a chuckle in a light thank you address to the group. ‘"Seriously, what I‘ve done all these years, I‘ve done out of a love of the neighborhood and the kids. â€" "I‘ve seen the 13â€"14â€"yearâ€"olds come out here and try to kick off the nine and 10‘s, yes, there‘s been a bit of refereeing going on â€" but everything has always come out for the best. I just want to thank everyone here very, very much today, and look forward to next year when our new parents bring out the next generation for their first Skate on the rink." The association, which boasts several longâ€" standing members in addition to Tiessen and Gellatly, such as Bob Cruikshank who has been secretary for 18 years, meets approxiâ€" mately four times per year to plan events such as Sunday‘s skating party, firework displays in May and so on.