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www.oakvillebeaver.com The Oakville Beaver, Wednesday January 10, 2007 - 11 Petro-Canada donates fire truck By Krissie Rutherford OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF It's an historic first. Oakville's Petro-Canada terminal yesterday presented the Town of Oakville Fire Department with a gift: the keys and ownership to a 2002 Aerial Fire Truck. Valued at more than $800,000 according to its designer, this marks the first time a fire truck has ever been donated to the Oakville Fire Department. "This is a rare occasion," said Fire Chief Richard Boyes, keys in hand. "Especially to receive (a truck) that's this new and in such great shape. "It'll be a valuable asset to the Town, and it saves us a significant amount of money on the capital budget." The six-passenger truck has a 75-foot ladder and 1,000 gallon firefighting foam tank. It was custom built and hand-made in Nebraska over a period of eight and a half months. "It's a very, very nice donation, no doubt about that," said the truck's designer, Bruce Hall, PetroCanada's Senior Advisor of Fire Safety. Hall admitted he's sad to see it go. "I was at the Oakville (Petro-Canada) plant for 12 years. Every year I budgeted for this truck, and every year it was cancelled," he said, smiling. "And then we finally got it, and three years later, it has been donated." The reason it has been given to the OFD is because with the closing of its refin- ery, Petro-Canada no longer needs fire trucks in Oakville. As Petro-Canada's General Manager of Distribution Ken Dymock put it, converting the refinery to a products terminal "gave us the opportunity to once again partner with the Town in a way that benefits everyone." Mayor Rob Burton, one of many members of Town council on hand yesterday, said not only was it "historic" that the OFD received a truck as a donation for the first time, but it could also mark a first for the entire town. "I'm not aware of anybody ever giving the town so valuable a gift," he said, following the key-passing ceremony. "That doesn't mean it hasn't been done before, but I've certainly never been made aware of it. It's an amazing gesture." Especially since, the mayor added, "They certainly didn't have to do it." "I think the most important thing is to make sure that Oakville's appreciation for this magnificent gift is fully expressed." The truck is assigned to Fire Station No. 1 ­ just down the street from the Petro-Canada plant ­ and will be used for firefighting in Oakville and for the remaining facility at the Petro plant. As Boyes noted, it could be put to use pretty quickly. "If we need it tonight, it's ready to go," the chief said, smiling. -- Krissie Rutherford can be reached at krutherford@oakvillebeaver.com. LIESA KORTMANN / OAKVILLE BEAVER AND THEY DIDN'T USE THEIR PETRO-CANADA POINTS: Oakville Fire Chief Richard Boyes examines his department's newest fire truck courtesy of Petro-Canada. Want to meet a world leader in insurance and risk management in Oakville? Federal leader at Green Party fundraiser Elizabeth May, environmentalist, writer, activist, lawyer and now Leader of the Green Party of Canada will speak at a fundraising dinner for the Oakville and Halton Federal Green Party Associations on Jan 29. May will discuss {Turning Canada Green ­ One Person, One Town, One Province at a Time". She will answer questions from the press and the audience following her speech. May is the party's spokesperson for issues such as climate change, electoral reform, preventive health care, the coming green economy and tax shifting. The Green Party fundraiser is at the Holiday Inn Oakville Centre, 590 Argus Rd. at 6:30 p.m. "Tickets cost $49 per person, of which about $30 is tax deductible. For tickets contact Kurt Koster at 905-335-5226 or email Koster@porchlight.ca Oakville residents contact: Nancy Robertson-at 905 842-8126 or e-mail nerobertson@cogeco.ca. Taking care of the insurance and risk management needs of Canadians wherever you do business. Aon. Global reach. Local presence. It's what we do. Serving the Halton and Peel Region 905.829.5008 | www.aon.ca