The Ottawa Citizen from Ottawa, Ontario, Canada • 21

The Ottawa Citizen Third Section WEDNESDAY, FEBRI ARY 29. 1956 Parrs 21 To St GORDON COMMISSION TOLD: Ottawa's New Schools i i i 'St ti i Will Cost $34 Million Within the next 25 years the City of Ottawa expects it will have to spend approximately $34,000,000 for new public and secondary schools to accommodate its mushrooming school population, it was pointed, out today in the city's brief to the Gordon Royal Commission on Canada's Economic Prospects. It is estimated that the present public school attendance in 1980 will be 35,000 pupils, practically double the 18,900 now attending classes, and the secondary school student force will triple to 22,000 in 1980 from the present enrollment of 6,950. Heavy Building Program I No Street Cars Or Trolley Buses Here After 1967 "7 A i ,4 i Ki V't -r JKE GREETS ITALIAN PRESIDENT The Ottawa Transportation Commission will have only motor buses in service by 1967, according to the brief submitted by the city to the Royal Commission on Canada's economic prospects. The OTC plans to retire all its street cars by 1965 and two years later the 10 trolley coaches will also be withdrawn.

In the interim, the number of motor buses will be increased from the present 143 to 285. For the 25-year period to 1930, the OTC anticipates capital expenditure of $16,000,000. The city brief says it is impossible to predict what will happen to operating revenues of the OTC in the years ahead. It is noted that the number of rides per capita on OTC vehicles dropped from 336 in 1946 to 175 in 1955. The OTC expects a further decline to below 150 over the next 25 years.

The brief suggests, though, that the OTC revenue situation should improve as traffic congestion in downtown aria is I alleviated. Information supplied by the city's other major utility, the Hydro Commission, indicates it expects the power load in Ottawa, Eastview and Rockcliffe to double in 10 years. "The doubling of present physical assets of about in the next 10 years would cost considerably more than this figure at present prices and increased resort to underground wiring could push this figure even further. "It is not likely, however, that the present rate of growth will continue beyond the first 10 years. The introduction of natural gas might drastically reduce future demands for electric power.

Nevertheless, the capital expenditures over the whole period to 1980 may run to "The city' submission to the Economic Commission also pointed out that Ottawa Hydro has been able to retain low power rates because of favorable contracts with the Gatineau Power Company. These contracts expire in 1968. layor Presents President Giovanni Gronchi of Italy is shown here arriving at the White House where he is p-eeted by President Eisenhower and Mrs. Eisenhower. Ttie Italian chief of state has in cluded Ottawa in his 16-day visit to North America.

He will be the guest of Governor-General Massey this weekend and on MoDday will epeak to joint session of Parliament, Cltizen-UP Telephoto A Personal Brief Millions For City Streets. Sidewalks From Ptg One The Mayor said imposition of a municipal motor vehicle licence charge could not be put off much longer. This was particularly true in Canadian communities which paid staggering snow-removdl costs, largely for the benefit of the motorist. This licence, she said, should be geared to the provincial licence and would be collected for the municipalities hy the province. The Mayor noted there was increasing demand for high speed throughways which bypassed cities or, to some extent cut through heavily populated areas.

These throughways meant loss of revenue-producing properties and entailed road widenings, and "incredibly expensive" clover-leafs. "The province," the Mayor said, "should no longer delay in rendering obligatory a toll to finance the larger part of such developments." Looking to the future, Dr. Whitton said a toll in connection- with airport services must also be considered. Poor assessment practices, the Mayor advised, involved heavier loss in revenue than was realized. Ottawa was the one major city in Ontario to have reassessed completely, in line with provincial standards.

The Mayor said the business tax structure should be overhauled with the tax related to actual business done by a firm. Municipalities faced enormous loss through the granting of fixed assessment and tax-exemptions, Miss Whitton stated. She said present exemptions should be worked out and no new privileges should be granted. The Mayor also attacked slackness in dealing with arrears of municipal taxes. She said those in arrears were taking advantage of conscientious taxpayers.

She felt the province might make some of Its grants provisional on a good municipal tax-collection picture. Cowpaths Business ing majority favored "evening shopping privileges." Mr. Schimm also gently deplored the small amount of advertising dome to attract tourists to Ottawa. "Might it not be possible," he asked, "that we're hiding our light under a bushel?" He said that Ottawa and its surroundings abound In natural recreational facilities and attractions such as the spring tulip festival. Promotion of other beauty spots with lesser attractions had turned them into popular tourist resorts.

"We could become North America's summer recreational playground," he said, "just as California, Florida and Arizona have become the winter playground of the continent." Mr. Schimm noted that the Board of Trade allots a little more than $2,000 to publicizing the tulip festival, adding that this by itself is far too little to bring large numbers of tourists to the "Relate these things to your business," he told his audience. "Maybe its necessary to impart a sense of urgency We (Simpsons-Sears) can only grow as Ottawa grows." Mr. Schimm attached no blame for the conditions he described. a "Deluxe Capital's Ottawa's "deluxe lack and re 4rictions agalnet evening shop ping are hampering the city's business growth, a department tore manager said last night.

Harold A. Schim, head of Simpsons-Sears Ltd. in Ottawa, made these observations last right at the Chateau Laurier in a friendly but critical speech to the Advertising and Salej Club of Ottawa. The former president of the Better Business Bureau in Lincoln, noted that on moving to Ottawa with his family last year "the closer we got to Ot- tawa the worse the roads got. "They reached the ultimate low after we got Into the city limits.

I wondered at that time and many times since what are the feelings of so many Canadians and go many from other coun-triei who visit Ottawa." Inferring that many tourists must be disappointed with the Capital's "inconsistencies," he commented that "Ottawa is one of the physically most beautiful cities I've ever laid eyes on a city named in every geography and every history book." Store Closing1 Hours Turning to store closing hours, Mr. Schimm said: "You pride yourselves on living in a democracy. You are. Almost For only 10 days out of the year are businessmen allowed to remain open after 6 p.m. Is it democratic to put this sort of rule on the books?" The tall, dark-haired Simpsons-Sears manager pointed out that separate surveys of the people of Ontario and of all the 10 provinces showed an overwhelm TELEVIEWS School Board Powers Now Outgrown The Collegiate Injtitute Board estimates that it, must approve $24,800,000 in new building in the next quarter century to provide classrooms for the increased enrollment, while the Public School Board foresees a building expansion.

In addition, further funds will be necessary for the renovation and upkeep of existing schools. There was no estimate in the brief as to what the Separate School Board expects it will have to spend for comparable school extension in the 25-year period. The brief points out that since elementary school enrollment is so directly related to the birth rate of the city, forecasts beyond five years rapidly decrease in accuracy. Declining Birth Rate "However, in addition to Its detailed estimate of requirements over the next five years, for the purpose of this brief the Ottawa Public School Board has made tentative predictions to 1980, based on the expectation of a slowly declining birth rate. "These forecasts indicate that public school enrolment may increase from 18,900 in 1955 to 29,000 in 1965, or over 50 percent in the next 10 years, and that this may require the addition of over 250 new teachers and classrooms at a capital cost, based on present prices, of about $5,000,000 for classrooms and sites.

"By 1980 the present enrolment may have almost doubled (to over requiring over 400 new teachers and classrooms at a cost of nearly $9,000,000. Should birth rates or prices increase these estimates would, of course, have to be revised upwards." Heavy Cost Predicted Dealing with the prospects for the Collegiate Institute Board, the. brief stated: "Its detailed estimate of building requirements for the next 10 years to house students who are now in sight, indicates that the cost of buildings end equipment in the first five years, at present prices, may run to about $8,200,000, and for the next five years to nearly $5,000,000. "For the following five-year period, using our tentative figures for increased enrollment from 1965 to 1970 and an estimated present cost of $1,400 to provide a seat and equipment, the capital requirements would be atxmt $4,600,000. Similarly, the requirements for the period 1971-80 may be in the neighborhood of $7,000,000." "It should be noted that these forecasts of capital costs for elementary and secondary education take no account of costs for renovating and replacement, which may be expected to increase as the old buildings in the center of the city become obsolete;" the brief added.

"Nor do they allow for any lengthening of the number of years of schooling. "Moreover, it is conceivable that at some future time junior colleges will be created, this would have the effect of adding a year to the publicly supported educational system. Similarly, the increasing popularity of kindergartens and nursery schools might, in turn, add a year or two at the lower end of the educational scale. These developments would, of course, increase enrollments and educational costs, both current and capital." The brief stated that no forecast of operating expenditures had been attempted, but the expected rapid increase in enrollments would push them up "impressively." Belter Forest Management Suggested By The Canadian Freu The fpderal envernment was ureed toriav to set up a huge ne steering committee to guide Canada to better forest management. The Canadian Institute of Forestry said in a brief the Gordon economic commission that forest management is not advancing as it should, and that the key obstacle is the anchoring of policy to forest liquidation rather than management and control.

It suggested the committee consist of foresters, forest administrators, economists, tax experts, business men, political leaders and provincial and federal government nominees. The committee would have power to analyze forest resources, determine production goals, direct policy, recommend ways in which federal finances could be directed to evolve a national forest policy, and recommend roles for governments, universities and other bodies to achieve policy goals. Everyone Learns BERLIN" (Reuters) A government resolution published in the East German Law Gazette calls on the entire population to learn to shoot. It decrees that shooting ranges be set up at all public festivals, places of recreation and holiday resoita. Dr.

Whitton was extremely critical of the present administrative set-up for schools in the province. She said the concept of independently elected or appointed school authorities with practically "untrammelled financial powers" was very much outgrown. School authorities or trustees should take full responsibility for their budgets or as an alternative these budgets should be subject to the same examination and review given the finances of a hospital or library board. The Mayor very pointedly urged that school boards be compelled to conduct their business in public. Referring to personnel problems.

Mayor Whitton said municipalities were faced with what Gross capital expenditure for all areas of civic activity in Ottawa In the next 25 years may total over $550,000,000 according to the city's brief submitted to the Gordon Economic Commission today. Excluding utilities, the city's Subsidized Low-Rented Housing Subsidized low-rental housing may develop in Ottawa in the future, it is suggested in the City of Ottawa brief presented to the Gordon Economic Commission today. The brief states that the complete inability of certain categories of needy persons to pay an economic rent, may lead to initiation of publicly-owned projects requiring a continuing subsidy. City Housing Policy It was noted that present city policy is to encourage self-supporting low-rental housing projects under private management. In the past three years three such projects had been developed, providing 626" units at a total cost of $6,600,000.

The estimated requirement for low-rental housing in Ottawa by 1980 is 9,000 units with some 3,000 to be provided in the first five years. With the cost of these low-rental projects based on $9,000 a unit, the overall program would require a capital outlay of $81,000,000 with the city contributing ten percent or about $8,000,000. The Gordon Commission was told that the city will be giving more attention to redevelopment of slum areas. As the city grows, projects for the clearing of whole areas will be required. We're "Backward" In Cultural Field Urges Central Arbitration Bodv Slow Growth I ve heard people blame our mayor for the condition of the roads," he said.

"I think that's ridiculous. She's not yet been in office two full terms." The speaker got firm if skept ical support during the question period from Stanley Petrie, an insurance man. Ottawa is gripped by a "policy of laisser-faire," he said. "After observing this for 35 years, I would say you've got very tough job on your hands getting anything accomplished." Bussell Beach, in thanking Mr. Schimm, said he was sure all members of the club would appreciate "the home truths" but added that "I don't know as we all agree with your remarks on who's responsible." George Piers introduced the speaker.

Chairman was Phil Conquer, club president. Musical entertainment by Edith Eaton, accordionist, preceded Mr. Schimm's talk. Lou Le-Blond led a sing song. At the head table were: Jack O'Bryan, Ken Galvin, Bandy Brereton, Hans Sehultz, Len Gates, advertising manager of The Citizen; George Piers, Mr.

Schimm, Phil Conquer, Bussell Beach, George Cowling, Sam Caplan, Howard Creighton and Henry Schapira. recreation, the Canadian Federation of Mayors and Municipalities suggested Tuesday. By 1980, towns and cities will be deeply involved in the business of catering to cultural and recreational, needs, it told the Gordon economic commission. "The pu'uuc will expect the expenditure of municipal funds for capital and maintenance purposes in this field in sums vastly greater than are even dreamed of in most Canadian communities in 1956." The federation's study of these fields, prepared by Walter Herbert, director of the Canada Foundation, showed Canada had fewer concert halls, art galleries, public theatres, museums and other cultural resources than other countries of comparable development. Public provision of parks, playgrounds, rinks, beaches and other recreational spots were below international averages.

What Is Needed Every community of 50,000 persons should have a concert hall, art gallery, theater, art school, ballet school, music conservatory, museum and library. As for recreation, the federation tudy said there should be a large 200-acre recreation park for every 400.000 of population; an acre playground for every 800; a Softball field for every 3.000; a hardball field for every 6.000. A tennis court should be provided for every a large indoor swimming pool for every a large gymnasium for every 10.000; a set of recreation buildings and a large auditorium for every an outdoor theater for every and golf links at the rate of one hole for every 3.000. "To many Canadians some of these suggested standards will appear absurdly high," said Mr. Herbert in his study.

"But they are the kind of standards we are likely to be striving for and achieving before 1980." There should be recommendations, he said to deal with such problems as the "realistic" settle ment of urban boundaries; equit able agreements for municipal government structure; and "tem- Lei's Have Hot Debates From Commons, Council gross expenditure will run to $500,000,000. Of this amount, $200,000,000 would be paid by ratepayers, public subscription and senior government subsidies. The remaining $300,000,000 will come out of general tax revenue. By far the largest costs will be for streets, sidewalks, bridges and sewers, amounting to an estimated $345,000,000 by 1980, with the cifjr's share of this being nearly $240,000,000. 1955-65 Peak Indications are that capital requirements will reach a peak in the period 1955-65.

For these 10 years along the city's share of expenditure will come to The city's brief reports that future construction projects for transportation alone bridges, arterial highways, streets and sidewalks will involve a capital outlay of $180,000,000 by 1980. Of this total the city's share will be over $100,000,000. Major works projected for the near future are the widening of Carting Avenue, construction of the crossown Queensway and a fourth bridge across the Ottawa River. During the next 25 years an amount of $12,500,000 is to be spent on new sidewalks. Reconstruction of existing sidewalks will account for another Services Costly As estimated by civic officials, capital expenditure for sewer services up to 1980 will amount to $135,000,000 with an outlay of $23,000,000 during the same period for waterworks.

In this connection' it was observed a special project will be the sewage disposal plant at Green's Creek, to cost $8,500,000. Connecting sewer trunks would bring the cost for the whole project up to about $30,000,000. The city's brief estimates that another major project which may be required in the next 10 years is a new water filtration plant It is anticipated the new plant be located at Britannia Bay and will cost, with feeder mains, about $6,500,000. Cyrville and Baseline Road areas should be annexed. "It is desirable that the physical spread of Ottawa's metropolitan area should be limited by a green belt, so that its ultimate population will not go beyond the brief states.

"Further growth should take place in self-contained satellite communities beyond the Lelt Fventually policies will be needed to decentralize federal buildings and to locate new industry in these satellite communities, in order to reduce traffic congestion, the lenjrth of the journey to work and the growth of population in I the center." The brief continues: "A great advantage in limiting I the city's geographical spread and total population would be that costly demands for services in the. fringe would decline. The city could then accumulate fur.ds for redevelopment of older, blighted and congested areas." was practically compulsory arbitration. The fact that membership of arbitration boards varied, tended to set up a constant competitive race between employes of one municipality and another. Awards of arbitration boards rarely took cognizance of a municipality's financial status.

The Mayor noted that decision as to payments given federal and provincial employes rested with these governments. This was not so with the municipalities which in effect faced compulsory arbitration. Dr. Whitton said she would prefer compulsory conciliation, rather than arbitration, and if conciliation fails, "recognise the right to strike or to resort to arbitration." public utility purchases, new bridges, costly vocational schools and major hospital structures." The taxpayers of today, the Mayor said, should not be obliged to hand on, "mortgage free" community services for many years at no cost to another generation A major assistnace the provinces could provide for municipalities, the Mayor said, would be the setting up of pools of technical personnel and equipment. Many communities could not afford the technical personnel it required from time to time.

Such personnel should be made available from a regional pool. The Mayor also favored the pooling of services provided by certain very expensive mechanical equipment, and also, where feasible, water and sewer services. Building Plans removal-She felt present provincial practice on paying grants for certain minimum standards of service tended to make municipalities overspend. "The province should honestly prescribe its standards and spending scales and establish a municipality's capacity to meet them, and" subsidize where that need cannot be met." In her general summation to the Gordon Commission, the Mayor said that while the past 40 years had brought about fundamental changes in federal and provincial government, there had been little reorganization at the local level. She stated: "Any redistribution of taxing powers or of transfer payments from other ge.iments without such reexamination and adjustments within local government will only ilow, not solve, the recurring and Increasingly critical problems of municipal finance." Green Belt Essential But Not Yet Assured By The Canadian Press Canada is a "backward" country in the field of culture and folk songs, who made quite a splash in the popular music field a few years ago.

Last night they still sounded like the Weavers. When Tommy Trinder came out on the Hope show with "No applause, please, just throw money," I began to have Tny first doubts about English humor. They're still using that line occasionally on the hack nightclub circuits, but I never thought to see a top British comic deliver it on a Bob Hope show in 1956. Oh, well, it got a laugh anyway. The show didn't come up to th; first one Hope did from England, and probably never will until he gets Fernandel back as a guest star But it had some pretty funny moments nevertheless.

Enough, anyway, to start me wishing again that we could get more top comedy shows. They don't all have to be great just good. The only show of that sort we see regularly is Sid Caesar three times a month. I think Caesar is very funny, but he isn't the last word in comedy, and it's only one program. We could use more.

Haley's Comets, perpetrators, of Rock Around the Clock and See You Later, Alligator, will be on Hit Parade tonight, and some viewers I know who are past their teens would do well to put some chicken wire over the si.reen and remove heavy objects from reach befor watching the show. Dr. Whitton said one centralized arbitration board should be set up to which any municipality and its employes might refer the problem of wage adjustments for an award. This board should take into consideration a municipality's financial status. Any award it made should be only for the terr.i-of-office of the civic government concerned.

The Mayor said Ontario should take a more realistic approach in relation to the length of debenture issues it approved. "Water mains and sewers proven to serve for 30 to 40 years might well be carried by debentures of a comparable term instead of the 10, 15 or 20 year terms now the permissible maximum. "The same consideration also applies to other major Siicnesls Standard Dr. Whitton observed that an obvious cost in terms of millions of dollars was the construction of thousands of classrooms and hospital facilities on individual architectural contracts. She believed a great saving could be brought about through use of standard plans as evolved between the public authorities and the architectural interests.

Something new In the way of provincial financial controls over local government was also suggested by the Mayor to the Gordon Commission. Dr. Whitton said the province might set a minimum and maximum levy in mill rates, geared to scales of assessment, as to a municipality's provisions for specific services such as recreation, library service, police and fire protection, health service, snow pering of the pressure of landowners to capitalize privately at each separate stage of the community's physical growth." By Bob Blackburn As long as we can't have telecasts of proceedings in Parliament (and it's probably a good thing we can'ti, programs like last night's Citizens' Forum strike me as a capital idea. This, particular program didn't achieve much in the way of explaining, justifying or exposing whichever it was supposed to do Canada's immigration policy. There was too much semantic flummery, too little discipline, and too much wandering off course for that.

But what it did achieve was to present to Canadians a picture of three of their leading parliamentarians from three leading parties hotly debating a hot issue, giving viewers a chance to see these people in action and think whatever they want to think about them. I'm all in favor of getting three politicians together on a subject' like this and letting them do battle before the cameras, and I don't see why it should be restricted to the federal level. It might be well worth doing with Ottawa's own government now and then. The Travelers won Pick the Stars last night on the rather surprising grounds that they weren't trying to sound like anyone else. I had the opportunity of hearing them in Toronto a couple of weeks and the first thing that struck me was how very much they sounded like the Weavers, a vocal group, specializes in The city's brief to the Gordon Economic Commission envisions preservation of a largely rural green belt around Ottawa as essential to the orderly growth of the National Capital.

The brief points out that retention of the green belt has not been assured aod that this could lead to unplanned and uncontrolled development on the city's fringes. It is suggested in the brief that registration of an official plan of the greater Ottawa area with the province would serve to preserve the green be't. The city's submission to the Gordon Commission says that continued annexation of outlying areas would not solve the problem of planned development. It docs indicate however, that in time, Eastview and Rockcliffe should with Ottawa. It is also recommended that two "gaps" in the green belt, in the 1 Iff ffefMaVi.