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Thursday, D ecem ber 10, 2015 - The IFP - H alton H ills - w w w .theifp.ca Page 15 222 Mountainview Rd. N., Georgetown This 82 Suite Retirement Residence offers planned social activities, home-cooked meals served in our lovely dining room, housekeeping and laundry services, nursing staff on site providing healthcare and assistance to enable residents to enjoy a more carefree lifestyle on our 5.6 acre beautifully landscaped site! We offer a variety of private suites for couples and singles. Thank you Halton Hills! #1 Retirement Home Mountainview Terrace owned & operated by the Summer family 60 apartment style suites for cognitive self-sufficient seniors. Mountainview Residence For more information or to enjoy a personal tour - simply call 905-877-1800. www.mountainviewresidence.com 372 Queen Street, Acton • 519-853-9292 • 333 Mountainview Road South, Georgetown • 905-873-3103 www.eramosaphysio.com Did you know? Shoulder pain is one of the most common complaints treated at Eramosa Physiotherapy Associates through our Path to Improved Health. Common medical diagnoses for shoulder pain include: rotator cuff tendonitis, rotator cuff tear, impingement syndrome, frozen shoulder, shoulder dislocations and shoulder separations. While there are many causes of shoulder pain, be it a sports injury, trauma or joint weakness, it is important to have an accurate diagnosis so that the appropriate treatment is implemented. How healthy is your shoulder? Are you living in pain or discomfort? 905-872-2077 www.dynamiccontracting.org CONTACT US FOR A FREE CONSULTATION "For All Your Renovation Needs" bASEmENTS bAThROOmS kITChENS NEWS The Robert C. Austin Operations Centre is ready for the coming snowfall as soon as Mother Na- ture is. A month and a half after the Centre's official re-opening on its Trafalgar Rd. property, officials with Halton Hills on Monday talked about how Public Works has prepared for the upcoming winter season. In attendance was Halton Hills mayor Rick Bonnette who explained common misconcep- tions when it comes to plow timing. "A lot of people don't realize we have over 925 kilometers of roads and streets, we have about 125 kilometers of sidewalks… and we have 25 municipal parking lots," Bonnette explained. "Everybody expects as soon as that snow falls, at 8 a.m., it's just like it never happened." Chris Mills, Halton Hills Commissioner of Planning and Infrastructure, explained there is a hierarchy of roads Public Works has to follow to keep the roads safe. "It's based on the type of road it is, focusing on our major arterials," Mills said, noting those roads include regional roads such as Trafalgar Rd. and Steeles Ave. From there, Public Works would focus on minor-arterial, such as Guelph St. through Georgetown, collectors, such as Del- rex Blvd., then move on to residential streets and rural roads. "Depending on the type of road, we apply salt, sand-salt or a sand mix, and we also have gotten into de-icing lately over the last year," Mills said. "When we know a storm is coming, we can put that liquid down on the road to try and help the road to make sure whatever is coming down… doesn't stick and doesn't end up freezing." The Operations Centre is currently home to 40 different machines all capable of plowing Georgetown and Acton streets and sidewalks during snowfall. Due to the possible damages to the local water system, salt is used sparingly, but enough to keep the roads safe. "Salt is no good for the environment, it's no good for the water," Public Works Superinten- dent Dick Spear explained, also mentioning salt is ineffective when the temperature drops below -15 degrees Celsius. "We have to watch and use our salt appropri- ately to maintain the environment." Bonnette said many of the workers responsi- ble for plowing roads are potentially risking their lives during bad snowstorms. Mills had a couple suggestions residents can take upon themselves to make the plowing go a little smoother. "If at all possible, please park your cars in your driveways, especially if you know a storm is coming," he said. "It will give a better clean street at the end. It won't have the piles of snow that will be left on the street. Inevitably, what hap- pens, is we get complaints, and once that car is gone, then we have to go back to that street and plow that street. It's not efficient for our resourc- es and it costs extra. "The other big one is folks that use their snowblowers: don't blow the snow back onto the road," he said. "That makes it dangerous for everyone. Once we're done those local roads, we don't plan on coming back." Residents are also asked to remove snow built up around fire hydrants in case of fire. In the end, residents are reminded roads will be plowed as quickly as Public Works can get to them and not to park on any roads between 2 and 6 a.m. "We're trying our darnest to get everything else cleaned up first," Spear said. "We're trying to get there as quick as we can." Public Works prepared for coming snowfall By Kathryn Boyle kboyle@theifp.ca BRAND NEW: Halton Hills mayor Rick Bonnette, Public Works Superintendent Dick Spear and Com- missioner of Planning and Infrastructure Chris Mills stand in the mechanics' bay of the new Robert C. Austin Operations Centre on Monday. Photo by Kathryn Boyle