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lA K v n iE B e a v e r 'admfle ffl& typa/w For the finest in | CUSTOM UPHOLSTERING call Baier's. I Makers of fine upholstered furniture. 827-2681 A M etroland Publication VoJ. 37 No. 122 Big Brothers success story Focus A u t On e w s ... FACTORY SHOE WHY PAY FULL PRICE FOR SHOES? Q.f.W. ot Winston Churchill Turnoff WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 13, 1999 48Pa&s 75Cents (̂ utsGSD) R e s i d e n t s w a g e s i g n w a r o v e r t r u c k s a i x. v'^ivs-A.V Trafalgar Rd residents want by-laws enforced By Howard M ozel OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF T ▼ w eel Truck traffic on Trafalgar Road: signs say it all Photo by Riziero Vertolli Rabies scare leads to warnings The Halton Region Health Department is reminding residents to vaccinate their pets against rabies. Officials say it is more important than ever to get your pet vaccinated, especially if it is a cat. Most dogs in Halton receive the vaccine annually, while only one third of cats are treated. Recent cases of raccoon rabies in Eastern Ontario have underscored the importance of immunizing cats and dogs. Cats are more likely to come in contact with raccoons during their nightly prowls and can put humans at risk. Rabies vaccinations are also the law and pet owners can be fined as much as $5,000 for non-compliance. Rabies in pets does happen: during a nine-week period in 1994, three rabid animals - including an infected cat in the Clearview area - were found in Oakville. They also included a rabid fox found on Poplar Avenue in east Oakville and a dog in Bronte. The last incident resulted in 17 people undergo­ ing vaccinations. Although rabies kills thousands of people worldwide, the last reported death in Canada occurred in 1967. Vaccinations can be obtained at your veterinary clinic as part of your pet's regular visit to the vet. Vaccination vouchers are also available at any time for those in financial need. For more information on vouchers or rabies, call the Health Department at 825-6060 ext. 7503, or TTY at 827- 9833. In addition to vaccinating your pets, the Health Department advises to take the following precautions: - Keep away from wild animals and unfamiliar pets. - If you see a wild animal behaving strangely, report it to the Humane Society or animal shelter. (Animals do not always display the "mad-dog" traits usually associated with rabies.) - If you are bitten by an animal wash the wound thoroughly with soap and water and apply an antiseptic. Report the incident to the Health Department and your doctor. Rabies is common among foxes, skunks, raccoons and bats. Rabbits, squirrels and other rodents rarely get the disease. Rabies is caused by a virus which enters damaged nerves in a wound - commonly a bite - then travels toward the brain. In animals, symptoms gener­ ally occur between two to eight weeks after the injury when the virus reaches the brain. Infected animals can appear quiet, frightened, vicious or any combi­ nation of these moods. View any unusual behavior with suspicion. most Oakvillians had turkey on their minds last weekend, Trafalgar Road south residents staged a major protest against truck traffic and speeding in their neighbourhood. What they did was plant a virtual for­ est of signs along the length of Trafalgar south, which homeowners maintain has become more dangerous and noisy over the years despite truck and speed restric­ tions in the area. 'The abuse of this section of Trafalgar Road is a long-standing prob­ lem," said resident Brian Carghill, who explained that all but one household took part in the protest. "A lot of time, money and energy has gone into this." Trafalgar Road currently has a night­ time ban on trucks and a 24-hour ban on vehicles over 12 tons. According to Ward 3 councillor Keith Bird, more than 19,000 cars and trucks travel Trafalgar every day, some of which should be using the Town's designated truck route. Halton Regional Police and the Town have posted signs and stepped up enforcement. (Ward 3 councillor Tedd Smith even has pictures on his web site of officers handing out tickets.) The charges laid were based on the failure of drivers to obey a sign, said Bird, rather than a truck route violation. Problem was, once alleged violators finally had their day in court over the summer, the Justice of the Peace threw ou" OTl0° -The traffic is intolerable, there are illegal trucks night and dag. It is an ongoing, continuing prob­ lem. For those o f us who live and work here all day long, this is a real nuisance. -B rian Carghill Photo by Peter J. Thompson HELPING O U T Rich Brodie (left), of Oakville Place, Ivana Pelisek, of IGA Oakville Place, and Ron Maxham, of OASIS Mental Health Association, were on hand Monday to serve Thanksgiving dinner to those who had no place to enjoy a holiday feast. IGA supplied all the food for the Oakville Place event N e w w a t e r t r e a t m e n t p r o c e s s o n ta p By Howard Mozel OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF With the recent commissioning of a major new reser­ voir in Oakville, Halton Region will be implementing a new water treatment process within the local water distri­ bution system starting mid-month. The reservoir, situated at Upper Middle and Bronte Roads, will service both Oakville and Burlington. Trouble is, the local water purification system uses a dif­ ferent secondary disinfectant than the Burlington system. The Oakville Water Purification Plant uses chloramines (a combination of chlorine and ammonia), while the Burlington facility employs only chlorine. In order to avoid the mixture of water from both sys­ tems, the two systems will be combined into one common process, says Halton Planning and Public Works spokesperson Judy Macdonald. Oakville residents may notice temporary tastes and/or odours during the implementation process which will last for up to three days. No change will occur in Burlington during this period. According to regional officials, the water supply's safety will not be compromised during the change-over. Halton officials say teams will work as quickly as pos­ sible to implement the change and ask for the public's patience. A hotline - 825-6112 - has been established for more information. To obtain a detailed brochure or speak to staff, call Halton Region at 825-6030. The change-over is part of the South Halton Chlorination Study, which will confirm that effective chlorine residuals are maintained throughout the entire system. The study is anticipated to last at least 12 months. Kidney dialysis patients and aquarium owners should note that ammonia will not be added to Oakville's water for the study's duration. Chlorine must continue to be removed before the water is used. The water source for both Oakville and Burlington is Lake Ontario. All water is filtered and treated with chlo­ rine to inactivate any naturally occurring bacteria. Chlorine and chloramine provide safe, cost efficient and effective disinfection. INSIDE t o d a y 's p a p e r R1 R d Rfi A irtn m n tiu n ....................... m fMnnnlfSml r * S p o r ts ____________________ _______ D1 -D 5 For Home Delivery: Home Depot, Party City, The Bay, Bevi Home 1 Garden Partial delivery: White Hose, Oisi Sushi, Little Caesar's, The Brick, Blacks Canadian Publications Mail Product Agreement #435-201 charges on the grounds that the series of signs from the QEW to Old Oakville is just too confusing. "It's one thing to charge, it's another to get convictions," said Bird. D e s p i te the efforts of the Town and police, Carghill said he hopes they will do more. After all, enforcement of existing by-laws is what residents are demanding. "Police did a very good job for a while but they had trouble getting con­ victions," he said. Smith - who was also Truck Study Committee chair - said he feels for the residents and is upset that after all the work that was done, the charges were tossed. "It was just so frustrating that after a year of meetings, this happens," said Smith, who made a motion for a 24-hour ban on heavy vehicles on Trafalgar in 1997 but was voted down. "It was just ludicrous." As a result, police won't lay charges until the Crown Attorney says appropri­ ate signage meets provincial require­ ments. The Thanksgiving protest was homeowners' way of venting their anger and trying to jog the system. This, however, is only the latest expression of displeasure by residents from neighbourhoods all over Oakville regarding truck traffic. But according to Carghill, Trafalgar Road is especially cursed by those who flaunt the law. "The traffic is intolerable, there are illegal trucks night and day," he said. "It is an ongoing, continuing problem. For those of us who live and work here all day long, this is a real nuisance." Considerable money has been spent by the Town trying to get a handle on the best way to handle the nagging situation. The "ultimate solution" calls for Dorval Drive (which will be extended from Rebecca Street to Lakeshore Road West) and Lakeshore Road West itself (Dorval to Downtown) to be designated as the truck route in and out of Downtown. Bird explained that at least properties on Margaret Drive (the road from Rebecca Street where Dorval ends to Lakeshore) have been purchased to extend Dorval and complete that truck route link. Seniors' centre hosts craft & bake sale Sat. The Oakville Seniors' Centre will be host­ ing its annual Autumn Harvest Craft & Bake Sale on Sat. Oct. 16th, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The sale features many items perfect for Christmas gift-giving such as crafts, decora­ tions, hand-knitted sweaters and baby outfits, hand-sewn items and a bake table laden with homemade goodies and preserves. Also avail­ able for purchase are ceramics, jewellery, and plants. A raffle will also be held at the event. After shopping and browsing, enjoy a light lunch which will be served in the Tea Room. The Oakville Seniors' Centre is located at 263 Kerr Street. Additional parking is avail­ able at the vacant lot across the street. For further information, contact the Centre at 815-5968. Year 2 0 0 0 - Property Of The Year" L ___ Receriny awarded by Ramada Canada Inc. (S e le ln H ite s 0 7 ie y ^ ffllle rm u u n y a t fftc im a c fa O ve rn ig h t P ackages A va ilab le ! RAMADA INN & C O N V E N T I O N C E N T R E 3 6 0 O a k v i l l e P l a c e D r iv e 9 0 5 8 4 5 - 7 5 6 1 RETIREMENT PLANNING SPECIALISTS F re e C onsultatio n 8 4 2 -2 1 0 0 < « lAKvniE Beaver Big Brothers success story Focus WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 13, 1999 Residents wage sign war over trucks By Howard Mozel -Brian Carghill By Howard Mozel Canadian Publications Mail Product Agreement #435-201 RAMADA INN RETIREMENT PLANNING SPECIALISTS Free Consultation 842-2100