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baiers k v il l e B e a v e r For the finest in CUSTOM UPHOLSTERING call Baier's. Makers of fine upholstered furniture. |2333Wwcroft Road. Ln«7 )Y Y l 1^01 l<)C T«gi BmneA T h rt L re i O A /'A U O I A Metroland Publication Vol. 37 No. 116 OFF TO A GOOD START OFFICIAL MEDIA OF more the Dough! Automotive WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 29,1999 56 Pages 7 5 G m ts (pirn GST) D ra m a tic d e c lin e in s c h o o l e n ro lm e n t Halton Board has 285 fewer elementary school studentsBy Tim WhHnellSPECIAL TO THE BEAVER Student enrolment figures are down significantly this year, but senior administrators with the Halton District School Board are baffled as to the precise reasons for the decline. Trustees at their recent board meet­ ing were told 285 fewer elementary pupils than anticipated are in the public education system for the 1999-2000 school year. In most years, student enrolment projections made by staff and the actu­ al number of students in the system are almost always the same. There are 27,520 elementary stu­ dents enrolled in the Halton public board this year while secondary fig­ ures, though not finalized, are expected to be around 16,000. The bulk of the enrolment drop-off occurred in Burlington, Milton and Georgetown. "It has caused some reorganization in the schools, which is to be done by Sept. 30," said education superinten­ dent Paul Anthony. "Most of those reorganizations should be completed by now. We're trying to minimize dis­ ruption to staff and students." In some cases, the effect of the shuf­ fling is that a student or class may begin the week with one teacher and have a different one by the end of it. Split- grade classes could be formed or undone by the enrolment fluctuation. "We'll be within the 25:1 class-size ratio overall, but we will have some larger classes," added Anthony. The 285 figure caught some trustees by surprise and generated queries as to whether the students are being lost to the rival Catholic board and/or private schooling. "People are very disillusioned with our board," said Peter Petrusich. The Oakville trustee said he has talked to some of his constituents who believe, as he does, many families with a non- Catholic parent are opting to join the separate school board. , "These people are voting with their feet and walking to the Catholic school down the street. We're losing our 'clients' forever. "That's 9-10 classes (fewer) and we get funded based on the number of stu­ dents. What about staffing implica­ tions?," Petrusich asked. (See 'No' page 2) Gala will aid Bronte Butterfly Millennium Project *Heritage groups postpone r merger until next year Heritage Review Committee to join LACAC The Bronte Butterfly M illenium Project is hosting a Black & W hite Butterfly Ball on Fri. Oct. 29th at the Trafalgar Room in the Holiday Inn, Oakville. Cocktails will be served at 6 p.m. followed by a formal dinner at 7:30 p.m. Featured is a silent auction and the Steven Ambrose band as well as other special guests. Black and/or white form al, wear is requested. A a F ord w orkers ra tify co n tra c t Ford M otor Company o f Canada Ltd. workers voted 94% in favour of a new three-year deal on Sunday. R oughly 4 ,900 out o f F o rd 's 13,300 workers cast ballots in the ratification vote. The deal, known as a pattern agreem ent, included a 9% wage increase over three years; a 4.5% cost-of-living allowance; a $1,000 signing bonus and significant pen­ sion im provem ents. Canadian Auto W orkers (CAW) selected Ford as its target company to set a pattern agreem ent that w ould be fo llow ed by D aim lerC hrysler and G eneral M otors o f Canada. The three-year deal presented to CAW union m em bers Sunday was arrived at by Ford o f Canada and CAW negotiating teams on Sept. 21st, ju s t three hours before a strike deadline. The CAW will next seek an agreem ent w ith D aim lerC hrysler sim ilar to the Ford deal. If a new contract cannot be hammered out by 11:59 p.m. on O ct. 5th, D aim lerChrysler workers will be in a position to strike. Tickets are $100 per person and seating is limited. Spearheaded by the Bronte Business Improvement Area (BIA) representing 175 local merchants, the Bronte B utterfly M illenium Project will see the land adjacent to Bronte Harbour developed into a unique butterfly -shaped sum m er theme garden with fountains and a flowing waterway that will convert into an artificial ice skateway in the winter. The result will be a year- round destination for tourists and residents alike. C ontact the Bronte B utterfly Project at 2368 Lakeshore Rd. W., Oakville, (905) 825-2245 or visit their website at www.brontevil- lage.ca By Howard Mozel OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF The process of managing Oakville's past has been postponed into the future after the target date for amalgamation of LACAC (Local Architectural Conservation Advisory Committee) and the Town's Heritage Review Committee was changed to October 2000. Town Council made that decision Monday night after hours of debate that involved an appeal by the Oakville Lakeside Residents' Association (OLRA) to delay an immediate merger. On the other hand, LACAC representa­ tives and other residents stated their case in favour of joining forces. In the end. Council approved a motion by Ward 2 councillor Linda Hardacre to cement the amalgamation on Oct. 1, 2000 in order to ensure that the alliance transpires within the cur­ rent term of Council. A steering committee formed last spring to assess the Heritage Review Committee released eight recommen­ dations, including changes to the exist­ ing heritage review process which most of the stakeholders endorsed. Far more problematic was the rec­ ommendation that the responsibilities of heritage review be transferred to LACAC after which the committee would be disbanded. Police program will target high-risk drivers "Operation Impact," the 24-hour nationwide crackdown on high-risk driving, takes place this Saturday. This annual event kicks off two week's worth of stepped-up enforce­ ment, from Oct. 2nd to 16th. According to Constable Sonya Siebert of the OPP's Burlington Detachment, officers will target high- risk behaviour during the campaign, which is designed to promote educa­ tion and enforcement to reduce deaths and injuries. During Operation Impact 1998, officers from 220 police services across Canada stopped more than 312,000 vehicles and issued more than 8,400 seat belt charges plus 10,000 other traffic offences and 443 Criminal Code drinking and driving counts. Last year, 523 Ontarians were killed in 462 crashes. Of those killed, 151 or 31% were not using seat belts. Impaired drivers accounted for 131 of those killed, or 21% of all fatalities. Seat belt use is the most significant method of preventing deaths and injuries, say police. It has been more than 22 years since seat belt legislation was introduced in Ontario. Although compliance rose to 89% in 1997, the goal for the province's police agencies is 95%. A report prepared by the Planning Department earlier this month recom­ mended the amalgamation take place Jan. 1, 2000. A subsequent report sug­ gested the merger be delayed until January 2001. OLRA president Brian Emo con­ curred that procedural changes are nec­ essary but strongly disagreed with the wisdom of merging the two entities. "We believe the rationale the Town had from the beginning for having a separate Heritage Review Committee (See 'LACAC' page 4) f Town says no to * offer of free Ballymena fountain The Town has said thanks, but no thanks, to the donation of an antique fountain from Ballymena Estate. The Lakeshore Road East property - built in 1916 along "Millionaires' Row" by William Fletcher Eaton, son of retail magnate Timothy Eaton - is scheduled for demolition next month. The owners, however, offered to the Town the fountain which now stands in front of the home. LACAC (Local Architectural Conservation Advisory Committee) approached the Parks and Recreation Department about removing the fountain and possibly displaying it at another location. According to Parks and Rec Director Bob Perkins, the largely cast iron foun­ tain is too fragile and in such poor con­ dition that it can't be placed in a public park. Putting it in the atrium of the ren­ ovated Town Hall was also rejected. Simply removing the fountain would cost an estimated $4,500 to accomplish the delicate job. Perkins said providing water service to the fountain at a new location would cost between $15,000 and $20,000. Perkins recommended to Council Monday night that the donation offer be declined and councillors agreed. tod ay 's p a p e r Edtoriata__________________ A6 Fora w.-- ................ ....B1 Enw naw m nL -- --..................... u i Business----------------------------------C5 Homes & Gardens___________ C8 Sports........................... D1 Cttissmodi ........................D4 Automotive________________ DB Spfrtkii For Home Delivery: Auto Perk, Perty City, Home Depot Partial delivery: The Bay, White Rose, Dairy Queen, Mississauga Home t Design Centre, City Parent Canadian Publications Mail Product Agreement #435-201 Photo by Peter C. McCusker TO PRESERVE HISTORY: Jackie Barrett (left) with Jill Charters and Judy Clyde of the Oakville Historical Society annual Harvest Festival fundraiser on the weekend, check out some of the books for sale. Permanent Make-up & Scar Camouflage Laser Hair Removal & Electrolysis Vascular Blemish Removal CLI NI QUI O E I I AUTi ^LILIA N N E 9 0 5 -8 4 9 -7 0 9 3 139 T h o m a s St r e e t Do w n to w n Oa k v il l e I N V E S T M E N T S RETIREMENT PLANNING SPECIALISTS Free C o n s u lt a t io n 8 4 2 -2 1 0 0 - r - t « 4 http://www.brontevil-lage.ca http://www.brontevil-lage.ca baiers more the Dough! WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 29,1999 Aa By Howard Mozel Police program will target high-risk drivers f Town says no to * offer of free Ballymena fountain ^LILIANNE RETIREMENT PLANNING SPECIALISTS Free Consultation 842-2100