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â€"Province to retain control of Bronte Creek Park By HOWARD MOZEL Oakville Beaver Staff wide range of reactions. Natural Resources minister Howard Hampton announced Thursday that the park will remain part of Ontario‘s provincial parks system. At the same time he explained that measures to make the area‘s services more effective will also be investicated. This came as mixed news to Halton Region Conservation Authority (HRCA) general manager Murray Stephen, who has adopted a waitâ€"andâ€"see attitude about whether the Ministry will take the steps necessary to make the park a viable entity. "They made their decision, but it will be interesting to see how they address the ongoing deficit that the park has," said Stephen. "We‘ll follow this with interest to see whether the decision was the richt one." In May, after nearly a year and half of negotiations with the province, the Authority submitted a proposal outlining A Metroland Community Newspaper ‘ waim. â€" Vol. 31 No. 151 "Canadas B est Conmuntty /Vwamqu CCNA Better Newspapers Competition 1993 hile supporters of Bronte Creek Provincial Park only want what‘s best for the area, last week‘s decision by the province to maintain ownership and operation has generated a 21 principles it wanted the government to agree on for the transfer of ownership to be feasible. According to Stephen, these boiled down to an arrangement which would have allowed the HRCA to manage the park at a $6.8 million breakâ€"even point while making the necessary capital and service improvements. "We have always maintained that the park has not been fully developed and that the Authority would not take on the funding responsibility. We would not have the deficit transferred to the local tax base," he said, explaining the park is annually in the hole between $1.5 and $2 million. On the up side, Stephen said the Ministry now has in its possession the HRCA report containing what he feels are the measures necessary to turn the situation around. "The Ministry got a study by the Authority that didn‘t cost them a penny. If they follow it, though, it will pay them dividends," said Stephen. "The irony of the situation is that if the Ministry continues to operate the park on the status quo ... they are going to spend in excess of the fundâ€" ing which the Authority has identified. They have to make FEKend * some very fundamenâ€" tal decisions." Said â€" Hampton:) [« "This is perhaps the most intensive review that a provincial park, has ever undergone. The Authority‘s proâ€" posal contained many good ideas which will be studied furâ€" ther in our efforts to streamline the park‘s operations, reduce costs and increase revenue." address the ongoing deficit that the park has‘ . # MURRAY STEPHEN Ward 2‘s Kathy Graham, Town Council‘s representative on the HRCA Board, does not view the Ministry‘s decision as a bad thing since the Authority‘s motives were based solely on improving the park â€" not acquiring it at any cost. Like Stephen, she feels that if the area remains a parkland (the HRCA‘s number one issue) and the recommendations are followed, then it doesn‘t really matter who owns it. (See ‘Park‘ page 4) __ all your Holiday wear _ V | 200 North Service Rd. g!ofi) 338â€"8313 P 2290 Lakeshore Rd. W. Bronte 827â€"7866 j ‘Trust in us for Special Care with Paper J D) Development charges Talks on hold...for now Canadian Publications Mail Product Agreement #435â€"201 SPECIAL SUPPLEMENTS Loblaws, Canadian Tire, Food City, Biâ€"Way, Consumers Distributing, Woolco, The Bay, Sears 24 Pages 75 Cents (GST included) BURLINGTON DRY CLEANERS i C _ EST.195 _ 100% Government Guaranteed Strip Coupons Maturing in 2003 Page 13 * Rates subject to change Mark Slipp (416) 359â€"4633 "They made their decision, : but it will be interesting to see how they address the ongoing deficit that the park has" ..19â€"20 1=23