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Plan moving ahead Others interested in joining campus MELANIE HENNESSEY Special to The IFP The proposed joint Halton Regional Campus plan has taken another step forward. At its recent meeting, regional council authorized staff to finish negotiating a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU)-- an expression of intent to proceed-- with Halton Regional Police and the Halton District School Board (HDSB) for the shared facility that would house all three regional bodies. The campus proposal originally included the Halton Catholic District School Board, but it recently decided not to participate in the initiative. The potential facility would be located at the Region's current site on Bronte Road in Oakville and, without the Catholic board, is estimated to cost approximately $107 million, as opposed to the previous projection of $127 million. $67.6 million to $69 million. The overall campus would also Halton CAO Brent Marshall said include the existing Woodlands the Region has already been Operations Centre and potentially a approached by two other organizacentralized Halton courthouse to the tions interested in joining the camsouth and energy facility to the pus that would more than up for the north. loss of the school board. While it was expected Burlington Mayor Rob that the original concept MacIsaac expressed some with the Region, police and dissatisfaction with the both school boards would campus concept staff put result in an overall savings forward at the committee of more than $20 million meeting, saying it "looks for taxpayers, that number like a classic suburban has gone down to $12 milsprawling place." lion with the removal of "I want it to look like a BRENT the Catholic board from neat urban place," he said. the plans, Commissioner "I really think you need to MARSHALL of Corporate Services and think about the vision for Treasurer Jane MacCaskill said. what this can be." How much more money the He noted that the campus prepolice and HDSB may have to kick sents an opportunity to incorporate in to make up for the loss of the a mix of public and private sector Catholic board is still under review, uses. but MacCaskill said it's estimated Marshall told him the campus the Region's capital and operating model is very much about creating a costs for the project will go from live/work relationship. He also said a great deal of attention has been given to the type of development the Province is looking for. In addition to supporting the Memorandum of Understanding product packaging and promotion, negotiations, council also approved with the goal to increase the annual having staff continue to investigate other partnership opportunities for sales, ready for occupancy in late 2009. Ernie and Joan Dawson are happy to announce the marriage of their daugher Christine to Derek Bessette son of Mike and Judy Bessette of Marathon, Ont. The wedding took place May 21, 2006 in Niagara On The Lake. The couple is living in St. Catharines. Town to hire food service consultant in effort to boost concession sales CYNTHIA GAMBLE Staff Writer The Town of Halton Hills will hire a food service consultant at a maximum cost of $15,000 to look at functional and physical renovations necessary to increase revenue at the concession stands at Mold-Masters SportsPlex and Acton Arena. The Town's three arena concessions average a total $50,000 profit/year. The consultant will look at ways to improve the operations such as layout,product packaging and promotion, with the goal to increase the annual sales, which is now at $200,000/year. "Are we looking at going into a full-service menu, possibly Japanese food or something along those lines?" asked Acton Councillor Mike O'Leary. "What improvements to concession stands could possibly be done...to influence people to hang around or go on dates there?" The Town also renewed its beverage-vending contract with Coca-Cola for five years with an option of two additional years.