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27| The IFP -H alton H ills | T hursday,S eptem ber 27,2018 theifp.ca she underwent the surgery in Toronto, which is more easily accessible by transit that the Oakville hospital. "I had a doctor that wanted me to go to Oakville hospital, but I had no way to get there," she said. "You can take Activan only so far but then what do you do after you go that far?" "It's easy to get back and forth from Acton," said MacLean, "But if you want to go to Milton, or go far- ther afield to Oakville, ...you have a really hard time." MacLean isn't alone in her concerns. Stephen Kagansky- Young and his wife use pa- ratransit services, as his wife has lifelong mobility issues and uses crutches. He says that if his wife is using the service to travel outside Burlington, where they live, a trip can take all day. "The rides are already a lot longer than a usual bus trip," he said, explaining that the services do not cross borders and it's up to the rider to liaison two sep- arate rides. "For an able- bodied person, that's a nui- sance. When you get to pa- ratransit, that's way tricki- er." He says that other re- gions like York and Peel have amalgamated Region- al services that broaden the footprint that the ser- vice covers. "There's lots of options," he said. "It's not that diffi- cult a thing to do." Kagansky-Young has sent letters to every politi- cal candidate running for a seat in the municipalities within Halton Region, ask- ing for input and support for his proposal. "I feel like there is some momentum," he said. "It's hard to know where it's go- ing to go." Gary Carr, chair of Hal- ton Region said this issue is on their radar. The Ontario govern- ment has recently an- nounced that they are looking at taking over the TTC and with that, will be looking into regional transit systems in the province. "We want to make sure that we provide the best service we can," said Carr, noting that with the Prov- ince taking over the TTC and looking into regional transit services, there will be an opportunity to bring the topic of paratransit to the table. He says that as the Re- gion develops their next strategic plan, there will be public consultations about transit and ultimately pa- ratransit servicing in the Region. Carr says regardless of an amalgamation, there is nothing stopping munici- pal para- transit services from coor- dinating with one another more ef- fectively for riders. "Noth- ing stops them from doing that now," he said. The chair says that the Region will wait until the municipal election is over to speak with newly elected officials about their feel- ings towards transit struc- ture in the region and an- ticipate more clarity from the province. As Maclean waits at the Go bus stop in Acton, she notes how easy it is to trav- el along the line from Guelph to Georgetown, with stops made each hour through the week. She says it's easy to trav- el east and west by transit in the area, but there's a lack of connectivity north and south. "There is absolutely nothing to go north and south," she said. "It's not just conve- nience, a lot of times it's ne- cessity," she said, noting that a lot of people need these services for trips to medical appointments. "They've got to increase the infrastructure." NEWS Continued from page 3 ISSUE IS ON THE REGION'S RADAR, SAYS CHAIR THE ISSUE: REGIONAL PARATRANSIT LOCAL IMPACT: AMALGAMATED TRANSIT STRUCTURE WOULD MAKE TRAVEL FROM ONE COMMUNITY TO ANOTHER MORE CONVENIENT STORY BEHIND THE STORY Halton families are calling on the region to implement an amalgamated paratransit service to better serve customers. It's not just convenience, a lot of times it's necessity. They've got to increase the infrastructure. -Judy MacLean Please keep our community clean! Find local professionals here every Thursday! For advertising information please call 905-234-1018 or email kkosonic@theifp.ca Professionals Ask the 905-877-CARE (2273) DR. ANOOP SAYAL DR. ANOOP SAYAL Family and Cosmetic Dentistry located in Georgetown Marketplace Mall Q: Do you have any tips on how to tame my dentalanxiety? A: It's a well-known fact in this country that largenumbers of people are afraid of going to their dentists. Some people are so afraid that they neglect even the routine examinations and professional cleanings. It doesn't have to be that way. Here are some tips to help reduce your anxiety. First, see your dentist before treatment is needed. Get to know your dentist and get comfortable discussing your concerns with the dentist and staff. Set your appointments for a stress-free time of day, not on your lunch hour or immediately after work. 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