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ratepayers urging town to slow mar kham growth weekender january 31 1987 p9 by steve houston staff reporter markhams planned expansion in its official plan review is still a highprofile issue raising the hackles of local ratepayers groups council and town planning staff came under fire again wednes day night from area residents concerned about the implications of growth in the plan ratepayers maintain there is enough room for growth within markhams current boundaries and say existing levels of service must be upgraded before allowing further development other concerns centred on the pressing need for schools road improvements and the preserva tion of markham hamlets john myers president of the classics community ratepayers association asked council on be half of his group to ensure com munity input in all stages of plan ning processes solufeed lose 10 lbs in two weeks up to 25 lbs in six weeks our counselors will show you how to lose weighl quickly feel great and keep the weight off so call now fora free consultation call for details consultations are free 4714500 center 254 a main st n markham just north of ibe railroad tracks the groups views are similar in many respects to those already expressed by the neighboring un- ionville ratepayers association the review outlines a multiple of reasons to be cautious as a has ty decision now would be irrev ersible said mr myers at the meeting until such time as bet ter transportation and service facilities are in place we see any expansion as being extremely de trimental to existing communi ties both the unionville and clas sics group believe expansion con sideration should be postponed until the next review in 1992 also submitting a brief at the hearing was york region board of education chairman charles cooper he cited alarming student growth figures forecasted by the board that indicates it will need 133 schools to accommodate some 84000 students by 1995 currently there are 100 schools and 51000 students in the region providing educational facili ties and opportunities for the many young people who are and will be moving into markham could be very much facilitated by the town of markham said mr cooper specifically he asked the town to consider providing approval for residential subdivision develop ment at a manageable rate consider assigning staff to shepherd board approvals through the municipal process consider developing a master- plan as used in richmond hill to facilitate the acquisition from developers of land for public use continue lobbying the provin cial government for more and fas ter school approvals buttonville ratepayers asso ciation president gary leak said several people are experiencing sadness and a growing anger with markhams ongoing growth his group too says the plan to extend area boundaries for growth are premature this review seems to encour age an acceleration of that rate of change said mr leak hearing aids taken in theft aids for the hearing im paired were among several items stolen by a grinchlike thief on christmas eve said police the canadian national in stitute for the blind bolton and bolton accountants and sunbanque island suntanning all located at 70 a main st were robbed after entry was gained by climbing through some ceiling tiles at least 4500 worth of com puters and office supplies were taken from bolton and bolton accountants while 1530 worth of watches and hearing aids were stolen from the canadian national insti tute for the blind aportableamfm receiver valued at 200 was reported stolen from sunbanque island suntanning r rzr zzzziizizi