New fire hall coming to West Whitby
Whitby's west end is getting a new fire station. Construction officially began with a Sept. 15 groundbreaking at Rossland Road and Des Newman Boulevard, according to Mayor Elizabeth Roy's October newsletter.
Council approved a $17-million capital project for the station in 2025. The fire hall is expected to open in 2027 and will create 20 new firefighter positions, along with temporary construction jobs.
The mayor said West Whitby is one of the town's fastest-growing areas and the station will improve emergency response times. She noted the project is one of 62 action items in Whitby's Community Strategic Plan.
2026 budget and Talk Budget sessions
Work on Whitby's 2026 budget continues. Roy shared an open letter with the community on Sept. 23 outlining challenges the town faces and ways staff are finding savings.
Residents can weigh in through the mayor's annual Talk Budget with Mayor Roy series. Details on the budget process are available at connectwhitby.ca/budget.
Brock Street redesign: a decade-long project
The mayor also addressed questions about the Brock Street redesign, describing it as a long-term project that will take more than 10 years to complete. Funding is not part of the 2026 budget and will not appear in next year's budget either.
A first round of public consultation happened in 2024, with a second round underway. A report including a concept design is expected to go to council in early 2026. The redesign is the final item in the Downtown Whitby Action Plan approved by council in 2016.
Official Plan and heritage consultations
The town is in the final phase of its five-year Official Plan Review, which sets policy direction for how Whitby should grow through 2051. A statutory public meeting on draft amendments was scheduled for Oct. 1 in Council Chambers.
Whitby is also updating its two Heritage Conservation District plans, covering Brooklin and Werden's Neighbourhood. A public information centre was set for Oct. 9 at Town Hall, 575 Rossland Rd. E., with written comments accepted by email.
Holiday drives and a community garden
From Nov. 5 to Dec. 9, the town and the Downtown Whitby BIA will collect socks for Operation Cozy Toes and new toys for Operation Toy Mountain, which marks the 30th anniversary of the CTV Toy Mountain Campaign supporting the Salvation Army. A community event on Dec. 9 from 5 to 7 p.m. will feature a live CTV broadcast from Whitby.
The newsletter also highlighted a new community garden by local not-for-profit Mannahelp at 555 Rossland Rd. E., near the Whitby Civic Recreation Complex. Plots cost $50 per year, and surplus produce supports Mannahelp's food distribution efforts.
"I'm always open to hearing your feedback!" Roy wrote in the newsletter, inviting residents to email mayor@whitby.ca or call 905-430-4300 ext. 2203. She also encouraged residents to check the voters' list and find voting information at whitby.ca/VOTE.
Among other items: a spring graffiti blitz by town summer students identified 367 locations, up slightly from about 330 in 2024, and residents can report graffiti through the Report an Issue section of the town's website.