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Spacious Oakville Transit facility nears completionBy Dominik Kurekwe didnt have the facility that cantransit service to expand as northOAKVILLE BEAVER STAFFsupport them. We didnt have thatOakville continues to grow andheight to be able to have that cranerequire increased service. Additionally,With a month left before Oakville that can lift the big battery off the top.the new property has space for fur-Transits new bus facility is opera-We didnt have the height for the liftther growth, for when it may betional, Oakville MPP Kevin Flynn and to raise the bus up in the air thatrequired.Mayor Rob Burton were impressed these hybrid and electric busesFlynn said he was proud of hiswith what it has to offer.require.governments decision to spendThe pair took a tour of the new With the improved facility, themoney on infrastructure when the265,000 square foot structure on Town will be able to purchase hybridrecession hit.Friday, March 11. The facility is sched-buses and service themHe said the government had twouled to begin service on April 18.An improvement almost neverscenarios, one was to stop investing,Funding for the massive bus comes in a gradual, sloped path. Itwhich would have stopped infrastruc-garage and service centre was split comes in a staircase where you punchture and would have increased jobthree ways between the Town of through to the next level. Thats whatlosses. On the other hand, he said theOakville, the Province and Ottawa for weve done here. Weve taken a giantgovernment had a choice to spendMICHAEL IVANIN / OAKVILLE BEAVER a total of $45 million.step up and forward, Burton said.money now and will now have to bal-VIP TOUR:Oakville Mayor Rob Burton, front, and Oakville MPP Kevin Flynn Im impressed and I think its Oakville Transit director Barryance the books five years down thetour the new Oakville Transit facility on Wyecroft Road.really smart planning to build these Cole said this new building is longroad.types of facilities with the future in overdue and he praised Town councilYou could have done what we didmThe office space is also larger, with Im very proud of what weve ind, Flynn said at the tour. and governments for making it pos-in conjunction with the town andObviousroom to expand as the transit service done here, Burton said.ly, the Town has done an sible.that is invest the money, allow theexcellent grows over the years.He spoke proudly of the large job here and theyre looking The previous facility was builtpeople to continue to work, allow50 years down the road with this facil-The building is environmentally building, which can hold Oakvilles about 35 years ago to accommodatetheir skills to develop, build a transitfriendly with a LEED silver certificate. entire bus fleet over night. This is ity.about 40 buses and our fleet now is atfacility, and you end up in the sameThe new facilityIt has extensive security measures beneficial especially in the winter. carries a number about 100 buses, so were way beyondposition four or five years from nowoand Oakville Transit is one of only Burton also talked about the facility's f improvements, including being capacity, Cole said. Were at a pointbut you have people employed duringfour services in Canada that will have heightened roof and a crane.four times larger than the existing where we actually have difficulty get-that period and you have a brand newone, which is a bus simulation room. The simulator That spot illustrates one of the just down the street on ting service out in the morningfacility that will see you into theWyecroft Road. The buildingcan be used for training drivers and most important things were achiev- can hold because we have to shunt so manyfuture, Flynn said.175 busescan be used to help train drivers from ing with this facility, he said., which is more than ade-buses around to get to the buses weWhen you look at the unemploy-quate for the current fleet of 100other municipalities, which has eco-The last council wanted to very need to put out.ment figures now in Ontario, theyrebuses.nomic benefits for Oakville.much start buying hybrid buses and He said the new facility allows thestarting to drop.so you are ready for Spring and Summer BBQs, Parties and Weddings!$$10 OFF25 OFFOne Batch ofTwo Batches ofWine or BeerWine or BeerMade By YouMade By You481 North Service Road W.481 North Service Road W.905-825-BEER (2337)905-825-BEER (2337)Some conditions apply, see store for details. Offer ends March31, 2011Some conditions apply, see store for details. Offer ends March 31, 2011EIN STEINA trusted name in North Service RoadHOURS:481MON. closed. Oakville Q.E.WTUES.-FRI.12-8,.since 1992SAT. 9-5, SUN.11-3481 North Service Rd. JUST WEST OF DORVAL 905.825.BEER 2337www.insideHALTON.com OAKVILLE BEAVER Wednesday, March 16, 2011 23rd Linee4th LineDorval