The LIBERAL $1 STORE SALES /40 PAGES
Thursday, June 28, 2012
■
■
Real Estate Career? CALL
905-508-9500 gary@remaxinfinite.com Gary Chahinian
905-881-3373
Broker/Owner
Council wants report on $15M hospital request
THEY BE-LI-EVE Olympic-bound badminton athlete Michelle Li returned to her Richmond Rose Public School in Richmond Hill for a special ceremony yesterday, which included 600 students spelling out the word ‘believe’ with special emphasis on Li. To check out all the excitement and the bird’s-eye view of their tribute, go online to yorkregion.com
Residents should decide: Perrelli BY ADAM MC LEAN
amclean@yrmg.com
Reacting this week to hospital officials asking council for $15 million over the next 10 years, Ward 1 Councillor Greg Beros quipped: “Death and taxes are the two certanties in life,” paraphrasing a famous quote of Benjamin Franklin. The financial request for $1.5 million a year over 10 years was made at Monday night’s town council meeting by hospital foundation president Bill Leacy. Mr. Beros said councillors and residents now must ask themselves, when it comes to matters of life and death or READERS REACT taxes, do we See page 6 for your letters on the want to favour hospital’s new name, plus online one over the other? comments at yorkregion.com This question will be answered over the summer, as town staff weigh the merits and feasibility of the request from the Mackenzie Richmond Hill Hospital (formerly York Central Hospital) Foundation. The funding would be part of the newly renamed Richmond Hill hospital’s goal to secure $50 million over the next decade to purchase life-saving technology and equipment, said Dr. Nicholas Voudouris, past chairperson of the hospital board. Funding from the Health Ministry doesn’t cover new technology or equipment, added Mr. Leacy, and the hospital is in need of a second, permanent MRI machine and additional minimally invasive surgery suites. Mr. Leacy said any money raised from RichSee ‘NECESSARY’, page 8.
Publicationmail agreement #40051189
Gran Openindg
R I C H M O N D H I L L’ S C O M M U N I T Y N E W S PA P E R S I N C E 1 8 7 8
STAFF PHOTO/STEVE SOMERVILLE
Downtown post office closing in July BY ADAM MC LEAN
amclean@yrmg.com
Despite the protests of local residents, business owners and politicians, Canada Post will permanently close its retail counter on Arnold Crescent. The post office and its retail counter have been part of the community since 1950, but July 27 has been marked as its final business day. In April, Canada Post announced it was investigating the potential closure of this location and would undertake a 30-day public consultation before deciding the retail counter’s future. Signs and handouts were made available at the office, asking customers for their feedback, either through the Canada Post
website or by sending a letter. The counter closure isn’t about Canada Post saving money, media relations officer Keisha McIntosh-Siung has said. Rather, a review undertaken by Canada Post showed customers will be well served by other retail counters in town. According to Canada Post, there are 10 post offices within five kilometres of the Arnold location. “We hope you can appreciate these decisions are not taken lightly, but will ensure the long-term sustainability of Canada Post, while continuing to provide customers with reliable, affordable and accessible postal service,” read a statement from Eugene Knapik, Canada Post media relations officer.
Mail operations will remain at the Arnold location and no layoffs are expected there as a result of the retail closing. News of the closure came as a surprise to local postal workers union representative Cathy Beth, who lead a protest outside the Arnold office last month. She only learned of the decision to close the retail counter yesterday, after being contacted by The Liberal. She said not letting union representatives know of the closure before the media was an “ignorant” move by Canada Post. Ms Beth said she plans to attend a meeting scheduled with Richmond Hill MP Costas Menegakis despite news of the closure. See UNION VOWS, page 22.
VISIT YORKREGION.COM FOR BREAKING NEWS, PHOTO GALLERIES AND MORE / HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY? SEND LETTERS TO THE EDITOR TO mbEck@yrmg.com
0% EVENT – HURRY IN BEFORE THEY’RE ALL GONE.
O O
% Purchase financing
2012 Mazda3 sport GS-SKY model shown
2012 Maz Mazda3 da3 GS-SKY model shown
for 84 months O.A.C.
financing % Lease for months O.A.C. 48
Offer ends July 3, 2012 or while supplies last
905.780.9999
Richmond Hill
www.avantemazda.com
N
zoom - zoom. Forever
Also available with SKYACTIV TECHNOLOGY