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www.oakvillebeaver.com The Oakville Beaver, Wednesday July 25, 2007 - 3 Life lessons help teens head out on their own By Melanie Cummings SPECIAL TO THE BEAVER Two years ago, Aziz Memon embarked on a two-week course to learn how to live on his own. He is wheelchair bound and was unsure of how to manage on a university campus. Now, the 19-year-old business major is heading into his third year at Brock University. And he is bestowing his newfound knowledge to other physically disabled teens. This summer, the former participant in Erinoak's Independent Living Program is an employee. Hired as a support worker, Aziz helped 14 students realize their dreams for independence. He is not alone in this endeavour. Over the past two weeks, a bevy of support workers from Participation House Hamilton & District, and volunteers and staff from Erinoak have taught their protégés how to buy groceries, cook, travel on the public transportation systems, advocate for themselves, find healthy social outlets, wash laundry, learn street smarts, and budget their time and money. The doors to campus living are thrown open to the program's participants thanks to Sheridan Residence and Conference Centre. For two weeks in July, the dorms become home to 16-19 year olds with physical disabilities from Peel and Halton. The experience gives them the opportunity to develop the necessary skills to live on their own. RON KUZYK / OAKVILLE BEAVER OPENING UP: At the recent Erinoak open house for its Independent Living program, the H.O.G. (Harley Owners Group), Milton Chapter showed up to show the Erinoak teens their fine machines. Here, Anu Missar is reflected in the headlamp of the 2005 Harley Softail Deluxe. Motion Specialties Mississauga saw to the participant's mobility and daily living needs by providing adaptable phones, remote light switches, scooters and lifts. Also, a convoy of 18 motorbikes, with 30 riders and passengers from the Milton chapter of the Harley Owners Group, pulled up to the curb at the residences to show their support. Since the Independent Living Program began five years ago, the motorcycling group has raised more than $130,000 to cover the cost of running the program. They organize a ride and run a raffle to generate funds for the Erinoak program. This year the club hopes to attract 300 motorcyclists to the Aug. 19 ride and raise $30,000. "We know from parents and kids that this is a meaningful program," said Ann Gabriel, who is co-chairing the charity run with her husband, Hans. "It's also so nice to be here, at this open house, and see the excitement and sense of self gained by the beneficiaries of our fundraising," she added. Patrick Hoban, 17, used his time in the program to build up his confidence and prepare for post-secondary life in September 2009. He's finishing his last year at Georgetown's Christ the King school and hopes to attend the Brampton campus of Sheridan College to study journalism. While cerebral palsy puts physical limits on 18-year-old Patrick Kim nonetheless he is determined to make his own way in life, first by earning a degree in commerce from Ryerson University. "I want to make choices for myself," said Kim who hails from Mississauga. While automatic door openers and ramps help decrease worries associated with travel, Anu Missar, 18, discovered when returning back to Sheridan after a visit to her destination school, York University, that even though buses are equipped with passenger lifts, not all drivers know how to operate them. "Public transit was my number one difficulty," said Missar who has spina bifida and relies on a wheelchair to get around. 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"I think the big question we have to answer is will there be enough volume on a four-lane road to isolate highoccupancy vehicles for a separate lane?" he says. The staff report on the use of HOV lanes is to be provided to town council by the end of the year, and Bloomer said research will be done on how the lanes might be used in a municipal context. Adams suggests examples of their use in Ottawa and Gatineau, Quebec might show whether they could be effective on major Oakville roads. "It's part of the answer ­ it's "When it comes to transportation issues, I think everybody recognizes that there's no silver bullet that will answer all the concerns." Tom Adams, Ward 6 councillor not the answer," says the Ward 6 councillor. "When it comes to transportation issues, I think everybody recognizes that there's no silver bullet that will answer all the concerns." Along with better transit service and improved cycling lanes, Adams believes HOV lanes can be part of the town's approach to dealing with traffic issues. "All of these combined can help us manage our conges- tion problems," he says. "People are coming to recognize that with the level of growth we're experiencing in the GTA ­ it's not just Oakville or just Halton, but the whole GTA ­ we simply can't build enough highways to accommodate that kind of growth and we need to start looking at other options." "This is one way for us to try and move more people through the same amount of space." The Cornwall Road project is now undergoing a 30-day public comment period prior to the creation of detailed engineering plans. Although its proposed design doesn't call for HOV lanes, Bloomer said operational decisions about the use of the roadway can be made within the planned design. Tile selection made enjoyable! 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