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A Metroland Community Newspaper By KATHY YANCHUS Oakville Beaver Staff living south of Hwy. 5 and offering kinderâ€" garten as a fullâ€"day alternate day program, are just two of the sweeping changes proposed by the administration of the Halton Board of Education to C ancelling bus service for all secondary students Real estate sales up 43% in December Things are looking up. That‘s the message this month from the Oakville, Milton and District Real Estate Board as it released figures showing the dollar volume of sales in December was up 43% over one year ago. According to the board, a total of 170 properties sold last month for a dollar sales volume of $33.1â€"million. In December of 1992, there were 141 sales for a dollar sales volume of $23.2â€"million. But although the December‘s sales were up over last year, the $495.2â€"million cumulative dolâ€" lar volume of sales for 1993 was 8 per cent lower than in 1992. The sale of 2,637 properâ€" ties for last year was down 7 per cent over 1992 figures. "Prices seem to be holding steady and interest rates are lower than they‘ve been for about 30 years," notes Real Estate Board president Nancy Gossling. "People are starting to feel more optimistic about the Jeconomy again and that transâ€" n lated in December to a greater number of local property sales." Looking at 1993 as a whole, Gossling notes that nearly oneâ€" fifth of all properties sold last year were priced at less than $150,000. Slightly more than oneâ€"third of all sales occurred in the $150,000 to $200,000 price range and only 5% of all propâ€" erties sold for more than $400,000. THE OAKVILLE BEAVER l\\\ |’ S Vol. 32 No. 10 meet the proposed 0% mill rate increase target Cutting the bus service for urban high school stuâ€" dents in Oakville and Burlington is expected to save $189,000 while altering kindergarten services would save $67,400 in the 1994 budget. Both measures would begin in September. $282 million. pipe he haggls durmg the Sunday eeleâ€" bration at Erchless to mark the birth of Scottish poet Robbie Burns. The ‘Wee Celebration‘ had traditional Scottish dancing, smgmg and a samplmg of highland cuisine. . (Photo by Riziero Vertolli) 1 3 E ‘Canadas Best 50»\'»\'«/(/? /VM/W CCNA Better Newspapers Compeflfion 1993 WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 26, 1994 Last year the board approved an operatmg budget of $291.3 million. To reach the 0% mill rate increase, current projections would put the operating budget at In his address to the board‘s finance committee Monday night, Director of Education Bob Williams outâ€" 64 Pages BURNS FRY umiteo Mark Slipp V 8 02 0 (416) 359-4633 100% Government Guaranteed "Rates subject Strip Coupons Maturmg in 2004 to ch-nge 75 Cents (GST included) lined the game plan to trustees. With social contract reductions totaling $9.4 million, an additional $4â€"milâ€" lion must be cut to achieve a 0% increase, while $2â€"milâ€" lion would have to be cut to limit the increase to 1%. "To make the kinds of reductions, including our social contract obligations, will mean nothing less than a fundamental restructuring of our programs (See ‘Board‘ page 3) 10 year old girl wouldn‘t be lured into man‘s car man who attempted to lure a 10â€"yearâ€"old Oakville girl into Halton Regional Police are on the lookout for an 18â€"yearâ€"old his car Monday afternoon. The girl, who was walking home from school, refused to get into the man‘s car, however, and provided the police with a description of the man and his car. Police said the girl was walking along Oxford Avenue, just south of Upper Middle Road, when a car pulled up beside her. At first, the driver asked the girl for directions. Then the driver said he worked with the girl‘s mother who had asked him to pick her up and drop her off at home. Police said the girl refused the offer and the man drove off. Minutes later, the young girl saw the man following her in his car as she walked north on Oxford Avenue, just north of Upper Middle Road. The. man followed for a short distance and was last seen on Mayla Drive. Police said the man never left his vehicle. The suspect is described as an 18â€"yearâ€"old white male with short dark brown hair shaved on the sides. He was wearing a black leather jacket and dark sunglasses at the time. He is believed to be drivâ€" ing a fourâ€"door maroonâ€"colored Pontiac, which was described to police as shaped similar to a Honda Civic. "Overall, the police are extremeâ€" ly pleased with the way the girl hanâ€" dled this," said Halton police media spokesman Sgt. Joe Martin. Martin said the girl handled the situation properly and was not touched or harmed by the suspect. Budget commzttee lOokln at 1.19% mill rate increase By HOWARD MOZEL Oakville Beaver Staff After more than two weeks of deliberations, the 1994 Budget Committee is currently looking at a 1.19% mill ) rate increase for this year. It‘s a safe bet that figure will change, however, since there are several significant loose ends to wrestle with â€" notably whether to authorize the hiring of eight addiâ€" tional firefighters for Glen Abbey‘s Station #6 at a cost of $176,400. This and many other issues â€" such as whether to charge GO Train commuters riding Oakville Transit By PAUL MITCHISON Special to the Beaver man he‘s replacing. er in communityâ€"based policing, Meet Halton‘s new Chief: Enormous challenges ahead for top cop Peter Campbell [~ t seems Halton‘s new police chief, Peter I Campbell, has much in common with the That doesn‘t mean there won‘t be changes to the Halton Regional Police Service â€" economic necessity requires it. It will take time before Campbell makes his mark, but the philosophy of the new boss seems very much in tune with the old boss. Just like Jim Harding, Campbell is a strong believâ€" and he‘s a supporter of hiring more women and minorities. Harding had a way with words, often breaking into lengthy, passionate speeches, employing words and phrases that at times sounded almost Shakespearean. Campbell doesn‘t quite match up in eloquence â€" few people could â€" but the new chief is comfortable in the world of ideas and has no trouble expressing them. A recent interview showed something of the buses â€" will be dlscussed Saturday at Town Hall starting at 9 a.m. The 1994 Prellmmary Budget was originally set at a 1.6% mill rate increase. s This past Saturday, the Budget Committee contended with the Parks and Recreation Department budget, trimâ€" ming more than $160,000 in recommended cuts. The cuts included refurbishing of the aging Hopedale tennis courts ($63,000) a replacement chilâ€" dren‘s play structure for Shell Park ($30,000) improveâ€" ments to the Oakville Lawn Bowling Club‘s green ($20,000) residential roadside grass cutting ($20,000) fencing for Lancaster, Worthington and North Parks ($2,500.) personality of the 30â€"year veteran police officer. "I hope I‘m seen as accessible, that I‘m seen as a listener. Someone who‘s not only open to ideas, but who actively solicits ideas and suggestions. I believe in trying to build consensus around issues." Campbell arrives on the job facing enormous chalâ€" lenges, especially financial. He acknowledges there will be some difficult decisions in the months ahead, while the Halton police services strives to meet the needs of the community with fewer dollars. The social contract implications, the economic control problems of the Ontario government which have reduced funding to programs and services â€" all these will have a dramatic impact. "Trying to find ways to cope with all those reducâ€" tions is not going to be easy; it‘s going to challenge us to the limit," he said. "Austerity is going to make us open up a little more and ask what otherways can we work with the community to solve community ¢rime." (See ‘New‘ page 4) Halton Regional Police Chief Peter Campbell: challenges ahead ($28,200) and a parking barrier for Pineridge Park The Committee went further than what was recomâ€" mended, however, cutting two (of four) partâ€"time sumâ€" mer students worth $14,000 slated to cut grass at severâ€" al expanded park facilities. Town Manager Harry Henderson had recommended against the measure in the Preliminary Budget in an effort to "maintain the present maintenance standard" in the areas. Left in the budget were several items referred by Council to the Committee, including reconstruction to the Thornlea Park ball field ($13,500) and an Oakville Centre fly system retrofit ($7,000). Maximize Your Financial Planning With A Free MAX Computer Analysis. _ Call 338â€"3030 For Details. INSIDE Today‘s Paper FOCUS Author tells it like it was A fond look back at life along Bronte Creek Pg. 11 BUSINESS No Frills Wholesale supermarket ready to open Sunday Pg. 8 INDEX 16â€"17 FOCUS........ 18â€"19 SPECIAL SUPPLEMENTS Sears, Pharmaâ€"Plus, Woolco, Oakville Homes, Overdrive TECHNOKicis Teaching the Skills of Tomorrow...Today! Computer Learning For Kids Ages 3â€"13 Adult Interest Courses Now Available Please Call For Further Information 847â€"1605 461 NORTH SERVICE RD. W., OAKVILLE Canadian Publications Mail Product Agreement #435â€"201 Homes, businesses fall victim to thieved over the weekend Burglars were busy on t weekend, robbing both hom and businesses of everythi from lottery tickets to beer. On Saturday at around 4: a.m. Shoreline Variety, located 339 Lakeshore Rd. East, w entered through the glass fro door. Cigarettes and scratchâ€"an win tickets worth $1,100 we taken. A short time later the C Shop Cafe, located at 254 Speers Rd., had its front do smashed out. An undetermin quantity of beer was then stolen Sometime on Friday a ho on Arkendo Drive was after a rear window in the dini room was slid open. A number compact discs, stereo equipme a Minolta camera â€" plus suitcas â€" were taken. © Total value was approximat $1,520.