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‘h z: '1: 1r: WHUCHURCHâ€"STO‘JR ‘u :L -. , .k Siva/76118 THURSDAY. MAY 8. 2008 I SERVING THE COMMUNITY OF WHITCHURCH-STOUFFVILLE I 32 PAGES/$1 INCLUDING GST BY HANNELORE VOLPE Staff Writer Another big box store, build- ing supply retailer RONA, is coming to the Hoover Park Town Centre on Hwy. 48, south of Main Street. ‘ But Ron 5 ing Centres ness that’s since 1922, i said The RONA store will be conâ€" sidered at the next Whitchurch- Stouffville council meeting May 20 at 3 pm. in the council cham- bers, 37 Sandiford Dr. Construction could start as early as mid-summer with the store open by June 2009, the pla; za’s senior project manager, Josh Kaufman, said, as long as approv- als and permits are received from the town. He’s been arrival of the some time. The RONA store will cover about 54,000 square feet, includ- ing an outdoor garden centre and lumber yard. Located directly east of Wal- Mart, the store will back onto Sam’sWay. When a big box store comes into a town, “typically the first month or so sales drop about 10 per cent" at existing similar busi - nesses, Mr. Schell said. awn-mam Rona hopes to open in Stouffville in 2009 ISBSHWUDLUMS No problem mMMu We will have IO promem, says Schell Lumber See smwcs, pagc 18 Schell of Schell Build- ;, a family-run busi- been in Stouffville been in S isn't worried anticipating giant retailer no trouble THURSDAY, MAY 8, 2008 I ~ SERVING THE COMMUNITY OF WHH'CHURCHâ€"S'I'OUFFVILLE I 32 PAGES/$1 INCLUDING GST for BY HANNELORE VOLPE Staff Writer About an acre of parkland is being taken and a children’s play area moved to make way for more parking spaces in the northwest corner of Memorial Park. The move to increase municipal parking behind the old town hall got the thumbs up from the head of the Stouffville Business Improve- Parkland to become parking Singers Charmaine Medina and Laura Patterson react to the judges’ comments during Monday’s auditions for Stouffville Has Talent. The finals of the Whitchmch-Stoufivifle Youth Week talent show will be held Friday night at Latcham Hall in Stouffville. See Coming Up, on page 21, for more information. SPACES NEEDED FOR DOWNTOWN STORES, ARTS COMPLEX: TOWN ment Area at Tuesday’s town counâ€" cil meeting. “I support this," Mr. Eric Button said. “One of the issues is parking in the downtown." The first phase of construction, involving existing parking spots along Somerville Street and land occupiedby a slide and swings. will start in July. The equivalent of 28 parking WE HAVE TALENT, STOUFFVILLE spots will be created on about a quarter acre. 4 ' Memorial Park covers around 56 acres. Noting green space is being removed, Councillor Susanne Hil- ton asked if there would be land- scaping or other means to keep the “green look". Landscaping at the edges of the parking lot is in the plans, town planner Andrew McNeer said. The town’s goal is to have a new play structure and swings in place south of the picnic shelter in the park before the old one is taken away. In addition, a tree and a light standard will have to be removed and a fire hydrant relocated to accommodate the project. 1110 new parking lot is being can t ed Sm COMMERCIAL pagr IS STAFF PHOTO/STEVE SOMERVILLE Stouflvile 905â€"6404646 63i2¥¢§18£