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Hi Repairs to most makes & models Pick up & Delivery Available Celebrating the Year of the Ram Focus Give your Valentine the gift of love 1 6 6 1L rtk m h o rvR dWM K u v u h m m S L Z Z T 2 ire ^ ,J,a*W)S822-4211 CURRENT POWER MACHINERY INC. Section b NORTH A M E R I C A 'S M O S T Vol. 4 0 No. i; AWARDED COM M ll h> :* S PA P E R M « ( 'S A M etroUwid I 'u b lica iio n \vi :i )N i usi). \v. i ;i ;i u u i.\i w r> . $ l.( X ) ( p i n s a s n Bronte BIA goes public for Canada Day fireworks donations The Bronte Village B IA is looking for donations to host a fireworks display as part of its annual Canada Day cele bration on July I . A fireworks display costs $25.(X)0, said Liz Behrens, executive director of the Bronte Village B IA . The business organization is looking to raise $20,000 from businesses and residents, and has already allocated $5,(XX) in its 2003 budget for fireworks, she said. "We have already paid a non-refundable deposit for the barge that will be needed to shoot off the fireworks out in the lake," said Behrens. Without fireworks. Canada Day in Bronte doesn't seem complete, she said. Residents from Oakville and the sur(See 'Fireworks' page A5) Second 0MB pre-hearing for OPA 198 draws smaller crowd Town spends $1,100for hall to house 50 spectators By Kim Amott S P EC IA L TO T H E BEA V ER M o n d a y 's O n tario M unicipal Board (O M B ) preh earin g over O PA 198 drew only 50 spectators and left the Town w ith a $1,100 hill Tor a large hall rental. Following the initial prehearing conference on Jan. 20, which saw people crowd ed into two separate Town Hall rooms linked by audio and video feeds, the town was told by the board to find a venue large enough to accommodate all interested parties and spectators in one room. In response, the Town moved Monday's scheduled pre-hearing to the St. Volodyinyr Cultural Centre on Dundas Street. The St. Volodymyr hall, which cost the town $1,100 to rent, can hold over 1.000 people. However, only about 50 people showed up for Monday's meeting, which saw the participants continue to hash out a list of issues to be addressed when the hear ing officially begins. David Cash, the town's commissioner of planning and development, said the town is planning to hold prehearing conferences sched uled for Feb. 24 and 25 in town hall committee rooms. However, he said larger venues, such as St. Volodymyr or the Halton Regional building, may be used for portions of the hear ing. " We want to make sure we can accommodate the public, but we also want to (S e e 'Developers' page A3) Cold weather culprit in refinery fire Cold weather is being blamed for last week's spectacular blaze at the Petro Canada refinery in Bronte. A non-active line, frozen over and ruptured due to the freezing tempera tures war most likely the cause for last week's fire at Petro Canada's refinery, according to Jon Hamilton, Petro Canada's corpo rate communication's senior advisor. While the fire at the plant is still under investigation. Hamilton said the ruptured line is the most probable cause. The lire damaged one of two crude units at the refinery cutting production in half to 45.000 barrels a day. The unit is expected to be down for another week. Repairs to the damaged crude unit are estimated to cost $1 million. Hamilton said there are too many factors involved to accurately calculate the business losses due to the fire. He said the refinery continues to work with the Ministry of Environment to deal with the community and any health concerns. The blaze last Tuesday was extin guished quickly by Petro Canada fire brigade workers. One employee was treated for minor injuries. Senior attacked on front door step An 8 1 -year-old woman was wounded Sunday morn ing after an attack with a knife-wielding suspect. At approximately 9:30 a.m.. the senior, upon return ing to her home on Arbourview Drive after her regular morning walk, was attacked from behind as she entered the front door of her home. The suspect wrapped his arm around the woman's neck and forced her into the foyer of the home where a struggle ensued. During the struggle, she suffered a two-inch long gash to the right side of her face. The woman's son-in-law, who was upstairs in the home at the lime, responded to her cry for help. But when he arrived in the foyer the attack er had already fled. The Halton Regional Police were called and a perimeter was established by uniformed officers and the Canine Unit. Despite these efforts, the attacker escaped. The woman was treated at the Oakville Trafalgar Memorial Hospital for her injuries and released. The suspect, who did not speak during the incident, is described as a black male between 17 - 25 years of age, about 5-foot-6 with a skinny build, clean shaven, and wear ing a black toque and a black winter coat. Anyone with information concerning the incident should call the Halton Regional Police Service, 20 Division Criminal Investigation Bureau at 905-825-4747, ext. 221 5. or Halton Crime Stoppers at 1 8(X)-222-8477. HIDE Editorials...............A6 Valentines...............B1 F o c u s ................. C l Peter C. McCusker · O akville Heaver W H O 'S TH AT ON T H E T E L E P H O N E ?: Toron Lee, of I)-Link, chats with his wife and child at home from the offlce while viewing them on the O akville company's i2eye system, which allows anyone to turn their television into a live video phone. For more information on this innovative product turn to today's Business section on page C4. Dying woodlot tour draws interest Residents fearfuture o f woodlot is at stake By Melanie Cummings S P E C IA L TO T H E B EA V ER A small sea of bobbing yellow hard hats filtered through a wet fog and the dense forest at Iroquois Shoreline Woods Saturday morning. More than 60 residents assembled for a public walk organized by the town to visualize the implications of its plan to cut more than 1.400 dead and dying oak trees, and understand the root caus es that led to this decision. Cutting at the Upper Middle Road and North Service Road woodlot was expected to begin Monday, in order to hasten it's re-opening. The 35-hectare area has been cut off to visitors since December, due to safe n -rl _ Business...............C4 Classifieds..............C5 Community Update C7 ArtScene............... C8 Best Wheels............D4 Sports...................D 1 Partial Delivery: The Bay, Ikea, White Rose, Rorui Home and Ganlen. Staples Business Depot, Hopedale Mall, Ennisilarr Interiors. Party Packagers. Mississauga Booster, Home Depot, Peoples Jewellers. Hoopers Pluimuicy CorwAin PutAcafiona Mali Product A g r #435-201 RAMADA® INN & CONVENTION C EN TRE O A K V I L L E Come See The Difference 905*845*7561 ty concerns over falling branches and tree trunks. But people, such as Vi Talbot whose Summerhill Crescent home overlooks the woodlot, are fearful its beauty will be unalterably decimated. Or worse, in John Hoyle's mind. The Edgeware Road resident is con cerned too many trees will be cut, elim inating the viability of the forest so that in turn, the land can be sold for devel opment. "It's the thin edge of the wedge," said Hoyle. He has lived in the neigbourhood for 23 years. Town Council has promised this won't happen. Last month. Council reaffirmed its commitment to the (S e e 'Town' p age A3) Peter C. McCusker · Oakville Beaver Environmental consultant Peter William s examines some wood rot during a guided tour of the Iroquois Shoreline Woods Saturday morning. 3 o r \ / i i j s F I R A M C 8 A 1 ..................................................... ........ C O R P O B A T J O Jo in u s f o r a F R E E in fo r m a tiv e ir f u n n ig h t w ith sp e c ia l g u e s t sp ea kers. Call tis todav to R egister RETIREMENT PLANNING SPECIALISTS Fre e C onsultation 842-2100 " ff * * A LJB l KwM x .- (905) 847-0060