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HOUSE LEAGUE RESULTS A Metroland Publication Vol. 37 No. 35 WEDNESDAY, MARCH 24,1999 56 Pages 75 Cents (plus GST) BnHOSPITAL LOOKING AT LEVY FOR CASH H5 By Howard Mozel OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF Oakville-frrafalgar Memorial Hospital (OTMH) will be testing the waters this year to determine support for a special five-year hospital levy on prop­ erty taxes. OTMH president and CEO John . Oliver floated the concept at Town Council Monday night, but made it clear he won't be going to the community to * Tow n's population w ill surpass B urling ton Oakville's population will soon overtake that of Burlington, accord­ ing to projections contained in a new report looking at growth. According to 1996 census figures Burlington had a population of 137,000, making it Halton's largest municipality, ranking ahead Oakville's 128,000. But the Development Charges Study, a joint project involving staff from Halton's planning department and staff from area municipalities, shows Burlington's growth will soon be outstripped by its neigh­ bours. By 2016, Oakville's population will reach 215,000 while Burlington will lag behind at 179,000. Milton will explode to 84,000 from 32,000 while Halton Hills will grow to 60,000 from 42,000. Burlington councillor John Taylor said he isn't surprised at the growth patterns, which depend on water and sewer services being extended north to accommodate large-scale growth in Milton and Oakville. Burlington will preserve its rural area north of Dundas Street and the proposed Hwy. 407, effectively lim­ iting growth, Taylor, said. "By con­ trast Oakville will have no rural area, it will grow to the edge of its boundaries." OTMH president says property tax surcharge just an idea..for now sell the idea but rather to solicit as much input as possible. Oliver said it is far too soon to say whether the surcharge might become reality, let alone decide whether it would be a flat rate or be based on a mill rate- adjusted figure. OTMH Charitable Corporation chair Bill Polley explained they do not make the suggestion lightly, but given the "sig­ nificant cost pressures" on local health­ care it may be necessary. The idea now is to simply determine whether support exists. Councillors' reactions were mixed, but since Oliver stressed this is only the idea stage, their response was, for the mostpart, muted. Mayor Ann Mulvale, for example, said she wasn't crazy about the idea, but if the need necessitated a tax, she would pay. Ward 5 councillor Liz Behrens was more vociferous. "Not in this lifetime, gentlemen," she said. The two major pressures on OTMH, said Oliver, are growth and an aging pop­ ulation. As a result, OTMH has a host of capital projects scheduled to begin this year and next: Emergency and Ambulatory Care and Rehabilitation ja m Cathy Mulvale with daughter Jordanne: Seeking funds for research. Photo by Claudia D'Souza (both this April); Laboratory/Histology and Women's Health-Diagnostic Imaging (both in June); Diagnostic Imaging (June 2000), Mental Health (Dec. 2000). Complex Continuing Care - to coin­ cide with the award of long-term care beds - should also commence in Dec. 2000. There are other projects as well, such as Maternal Child Redevelopment (April 2001) and the parking expansion (April 2004). (See 'Hospital' page A2) Survivor of flesh-eating disease on m ission to raise funds for research By Claudia D'Souza SPECIAL TO THE BEAVER It's been nearly three years since Oakville resident, Cathy Mulvale's near fatal brush with flesh eating disease (necrotizing fasciitis or NF) and streptococcal toxic shock syndrome (STSS). Mysteriously ambushed in June 1996, she spent five weeks at Toronto's Mount Sinai Hospital clinging to life. Mulvale contracted the two most severe forms of Group A streptococ­ cal diseases - NF, a virulent strain of the same bacteria that causes strep throat, destroys human flesh at the rate of one inch per hour. It took the leg of Quebec premier, Lucien Bouchard in 1995. STSS, which killed Muppets creator Jim Henson, causes low blood pressure and lung, liver and kidney failure. There have been about seven strep-related cases in Oakville in the past five years and to date this year, there have already been 20 cases of necrotizing fasciitis in Ontario. In all, Mulvale suffered numerous life-threatening complications, endured eight operations and (See 'Woman' page A8) Town will review responsibilities following CN train noise decision Photo by Peter C. McCusker E A G E R A N G L E R S : You can't keep a good angler down, regard­ less of the weather. It wasn't very spring-like this week when Joe Farrugia got in some fishing at Bronte Pier, along with some other 'friends'. By Howard Mozel OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF Town Council plans to take a second look at its responsibilities over the ongoing east Canadian National (CN) railway noise dispute. Ward 1 councillor Kevin Flynn introduced a motion at Monday's Council meeting calling for the Town to "reassess its involvement" with the contentious east Oakville issue. After all, he said, now that the Canadian Transport Agency (CTA) has handed down a noise abatement deci­ sion in favour of the Oakville Stop-CN- In-Their-Tracks Committee, perhaps it's high time the Town picked up the ball. (CN has until April 7 to appeal.) Stop CN won on every count of its complaint except one: costs. Since the group's victory, however, Mayor Ann Mulvale has written to federal Transport Minister David Collenette and lobbied him to award the consider­ able funds expended by residents. Mulvale said she will be "outraged" if the feds don't do so. The entire issue revolves around the increased usage of four tracks to the south of CN's Oakville Marshaling Yard. Especially disruptive to neigh­ bouring residents is CN's use of "roll shunting," the practice of using gravity to allow rail cars to travel down an incline and connect loudly with other cars. Stop CN president Peter Krysmanski has made no secret that he remains frustrated by what he sees as the Town's contentment to sit on the sidelines and not take a firm stand on INSIDE today's paper Editorials...................... ..........A6 ....... _R1 Entertainment............. _____ B6 Homes & Gardens.____ _____ C1 RircinMe................ ..... ..........rtfl Sports........................... . na Automotive._________ ____ D8 Spetid Supplements; For Home Winery: Sheridan Nurseries, Pacific Linen Partial deliver/: lire Bay, CIHS Guardian, file Brick, Square One, Hilltop Pooling, Little Caesar's, Aeiafl Drugs, White Pose Canadian Publications Mail Product Agreement #435-201 the residents' behalf. Although Oakville Town Council passed a resolution Oct. 26th stating it is aware of the issue and is dissatisfied with CN's handling of the matter, Krysmanski and other residents have been upset by the Town's preference to sit on the sidelines while the residents (See 'Town' page A5) M a n c h a r g e d i n d e a t h A Burlington man faces a charge of careless driving in the traffic death of an Oakville woman. Barbara Kinnaird, 55, was pro­ nounced dead at the scene of a two- vehicle crash that occurred Feb. 26th. Halton police said that around 4 p.m. a Jeep travelling westbound on Dundas Street, west of Bronte Road, crossed into the eastbound lanes and collided head-on with a Saturn driven by Kinnaird. The three Burlington men in the Jeep suffered a variety of non-life- threatening injuries. A 46-year-old man is charged with careless driving under the Highway Traffic Act. A conviction carries six demerit points and a possible maxi­ mum $2,000 fine. He is to scheduled to make a first appearance in Oakville provincial court on April 22nd. 1 9 9 9 P r o v i n c i a l M a y 7 th - 9 th a t th e G le n A b b e y R e c re a tio n C e n tre H o s te d b y d i e O a k v ille G y m n a s t ic s C e n te r "H o m e o f th e A n to in e tte s " F o r f u r t h e r i n f o r m a t i o n o n t h e o r o u r r e g u l a r p r o g r a m s p l e a s e c a l l 8 4 7 * 7 7 4 7 I PeterWatson 1111 I N V E S T M E N T S R E T I R E M E N T P L A N N I N G S P E C I A L I S T S F ree C o n s u l t a t io n 8 4 2 -2 1 0 0 i Peter C Watson f MJLA., C R P „ R.RP.. |