Pickering GO Parking Lot to Cost $30M
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The Pickering Ajax Nissan Storms inside Food for thought INCOME TAX PERSONAL INCOME TAX RETURN Parts/Service and out in Durham All-Canadian Tax Service Open 7:00am - 6:00pm Wednesdays 7:00am - 8:00pm $ 95* Saturdays 8:00am - 2:00pm StoneCircle takes Residents can help only 49. 500 Bayly Street West, Ajax * Most returns *GST extra (Between Westney & Church) on The Motor Trade chart the right course 100 Westney Rd S (Ajax Go Station) 1-800-565-6365 (905) 426-4860 905-686-0555 ENTERTAINMENT/26 NEWS/10 ✦ 60 PAGES ✦ Pressrun 50,400 ✦ Optional delivery $6/Newsstand $1 ✦ WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 2009 Get local 24/7 newsdurhamregion.com SOMEWHERE IN BETWEEN THE MUSIC Ron Pietroniro/ News Advertiser photo PICKERING — Mike Drimba lets his hair fly as the lead singer of the band Somewhere In Between during the Teen Band Night at the Petticoat Creek Community Centre. Pickering GO parking lot to cost $30M Work already underway Stations will receive parking structures as are part of a list of GO projects totalling $500 see parking expansions. Four other parking on finding location part of a multi-million-dollar infrastructure million with the federal government provid- structures are also planned with the Centen- investment from the federal and provincial ing up to $250 million from the Building nial Station (on the Stouffville line) garage governments. Canada Fund. The rest of the dollars will coming in the cheapest at $14 million. By Reka Szekely According to Premier Dalton McGuinty’s come from the Province. GO is already working on finding a loca- [email protected] office, the Pickering structure will cost $30.5 In addition to the Durham stations, 10 tion for the Pickering structure, said GO million and the Ajax structure will be slightly other stations will see parking upgrades, in- DURHAM — The Ajax and Pickering GO less at $30.2 million. The two new garages cluding Rouge Hill and Markham, which will ✦ See Pickering, Page 2 Pickering Town Centre TAKE THE INTERNET WITH YOU! (Upper Sears Wing) (905) 420-0744 THE Taunton and Harmony Plaza TM FREE with sign-up Oshawa (905) 438-0744 ROCKET On 1 Year Activation with minimum $25.00 Monthly Service Fee* MOBILE INTERNET STICK ™ Trademark of Rogers Communications Inc., used under license. © 2008 Rogers Wireless. *See in store for details. P PAGE 2 THE NEWS ADVERTISER, February 18, 2009 durhamregion.com Keith Gilligan/ News Advertiser photo Damage to this Ajax home is set at $300,000 after a weekend fire. Lake Driveway home destroyed in fire People escape, but dog, cats perish AJAX — A home on Lake Driveway West was destroyed by an early morning fire Feb. 14. The blaze at 219 Lake Driveway W. began on the lower level of the home and caused damage throughout the house. Three people in the home at the time escaped, but a dog Ron Pietroniro/ News Advertiser photo and two cats perished. Hal MacGregor uses his sign to shield his face from the bitter cold during a protest at the MPAC head office. A small but hardy group was protesting Ajax Fire and Emergency Services was the ever increasing fees for property taxes in Ontario. called to the scene around 1:20 a.m. on Sat- urday. “It was fully involved upon our arrival,” Ajax Deputy Chief Mark Diotte said, adding it took firefighters several hours to extinguish Assessments too high: landowners the fire. “It was 8 (a.m.) when it wasn’t growing anymore. It was 5:26 (a.m.) when it was Local residents among values. Ontario Landowners Association ment increase of 80 per cent, and fear they under control and not spreading,” Mr. Diotte those attending protest president Jack MacLaren said that’s unfair won’t be able to stay in business. said. There were no injuries to firefighters, since the crumbling economy has put a “It’s become a pretty sad place, Canada,” he reported. Three occupants, however, were at MPAC headquarters number of people in tough financial situa- he said. taken to hospital to be examined for smoke tions, and those properties are worth far less Mr. Isenburg took the microphone at the inhalation. They were released a short time now. protest and said he will accept the requests later. Pickering Fire Services was on the By Kristen Calis The hardest hit, he said, are seniors on for reassessment and told the landowners scene with an extra pumper to help the Ajax [email protected] pensions, young families trying to pay off “you have our word we will look at those.” crews, Mr. Diotte said. mortgages and low-income families. If there are mistakes, MPAC will change The fire is still under investigation and PICKERING — Jerry McCabe bought his “Should we not be a community showing them, but it’s not up to MPAC to change the damage is estimated at $300,000. modest two-bedroom bungalow in a small compassion for our neighbours?” he said. assessment process or guidelines, he said. The blaze was one of three the Ajax de- cottage-style community in south Pickering partment battled over the long weekend. for $16,500 41 years ago. ‘I don’t know when it stops. You’re supposed to enjoy your retirement life.’ Also on Feb. 14, an abandoned structure His first property tax bill was $198. His lat- on Church Street North was destroyed, Mr. est was $4,400. His property was assessed at -- JERRY MCCABE Diotte said. “It’s an old cottage-type struc- $227,000 in 20007 and is now at $340,000. ture. It wasn’t occupied,” he said. “It’s way out of whack,” he said as he stood Smoke and flames could be seen as far in the cold outside of the Municipal Property Mr. McCabe, for example, retired 13 years “MPAC operates under the direction away as Westney and Rossland roads, he Assessment Corporation (MPAC) headquar- ago and thought he’d be living a nice, peace- we’ve been given by the government,” he said. Durham Regional Police and the On- ters in Pickering along with about 250 other ful existence by now. said, adding until that changes, MPAC has to tario Fire Marshal’s Office are investigating protesters Friday morning. “I don’t know when it stops,” he said. work that way. the fire, believing it to be a possible arson.” Two busloads of people, along with those “You’re supposed to enjoy your retirement Mr. MacLaren is urging landowners to The third fire happened just after midnight driving in on their own, came from across life.” take a look at their assessment, and if they on Monday, Feb. 16, when a carpet caught on Ontario to protest and personally deliver Garry Otten, Peterborough County Land- think it’s too high, to send a form to MPAC fire in a home on Radford Drive. boxes full of requests for reconsideration of owners’ Association president, said his as- requesting a reconsideration of assessment. “They were drying out a carpet and the property assessments to president and chief sessment has gone up about 30 per cent The Landowners Association will also be carpet caught on fire from a space heater,” administrative officer Carl Isenburg. since last year, but the average seems to be providing town hall meetings. For more in- Mr. Diotte said, adding the damage was min- Tax assessments handed out to Ontarians about 50 per cent. Some business owners formation visit www.ruralrevolution.com or imal. recently are based on Jan. 1, 2008 property who’ve come to him have seen an assess- call Mr. MacLaren at 613-832-3201. Pickering GO garage to be finished within next two years ✦ Pickering from page 1 said Ms. Thomas. “You’ve got people parking all up the The parking garages will mean a smaller grass. There never seems to be enough park- Transit spokeswoman Vanessa Thomas. She footprint for the transit provider. ing.” Still, she said she wonders about the expects construction to start in the fall of “While parking is necessary for GO, we’re $30-million price tag and said perhaps more 2010 with the building completed in 2011 also looking at better land uses which is frequent buses would be a better use of the or 2012. The Ajax structure has the same why were looking to build upwards and not money. completion date with shovels hitting the across,” she said. University of Toronto student and Ajax ground in summer 2010. More details on the Pickering resident Aisha Francis parks at resident Anne John loved the idea of a new structures will be available as the projects the GO Station in Ajax to catch the GO bus parking structure. progress. to Yonge and Sheppard in Toronto. Though “That would be a great idea,” she said. “I Reka Szekely/ News Advertiser photo “With the injection of funding, work will she arrives early enough to get a spot, she always have to get here by 8 o’clock to get Despite signs to the contrary, GO Transit users in Ajax park where ever they find a spot. begin soon on many of our major projects,” acknowledges that not everyone does. parking.” durhamregion.com THE NEWS ADVERTISER, February 18, 2009 PAGE 3 A/P Oshawa university wants to help meet GTA demand Study suggests released by the Higher Edu- young faculty that want to be mand and desire for a univer- In the fall, all universities next few months, he’s antici- undergraduate cation Quality Council of On- involved in research. sity education in the GTA, he were asked to submit requests pating announcements sur- tario suggests the Province If a new university was to said.