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The Oakville Beaver, W e d n e sd a y F e b ru a ry 12, 2003 - A S Money is main stumbling block Beckett-Morton said she (Continued from page A1) board conciliator for the last won't comment now on time on Jan. 22. At that time Harwood's criticism, but may the union asked for a No do so later. She did acknowl Board Report, essentially say edge that wages are at the ing the two sides are dead heart of the impasse. "Money seems to be one locked. Beckett-Morton said notice of the report wasn't of the key issues - it's proba received by the school board bly the primary one." she said. until the following week and Late last year the provin that 1 7 days cial governafter that the m e n t " Money seems to be union was in a announced it one of the key issues legal strike was making it's probably the position. millions of dol In a press lars available to primary one." release issued all school ·Dawn Beckett-Morton yesterday boards for con Halton District School tracts with its (Tuesday), Joe Board Executive Officer Harwood, the employees. o f Human Relations president of the " The gov Halton union ernment indi representing the high school cated we would have three per ·*achers expressed frustration cent on our (salary) bench with he bargaining process. marks,", said Beckett-Mor "Ths (strike) vote repre ton, but for just this year. sents an txpected reaction to She said the board origi the inflexible bargaining nally offered Halton's high stance taken by the Halton school teachers a one-year District School Board. It is a interim contract. strong mandate for action and Even though the province is a real indication of the frus now requires all boards to ten tration felt by the teachers of der two-year deals. BeckettHalton." said Harwood. Morton said the second year In the same news release of the deal would have been Jim Douglas, executive offi contingent on what grant cer of the provincial OSSTF. money was announced by the said, "We know the board has Ministry of Education, the Financial resources to con expected to be know n by late clude this round of bargaining March. with the increased provincial The board will change its funding made available in tack in this week's follow-up December. It is now up to the negotiations and offer a twoboard to provide stability to year pact, she said. the secondary students in As far as the contract situ Halton." ation with its other teaching Last fall O SSTF president and non-teaching groups, Earl Manners said high school Beckett-Morton said negotia teachers would strike in tions are ongoing with a host February if significant money of employee unions but that wasn't put on the table during none are in the conciliation stage. contract talks. Barrie Erskine · Oakville Beaver HAPPY RED NOSE DAY: Employee Joann Patton and Derek Saldanha, owner of M & M Meat Shops on Fourth Line greeted customers with smiles and red noses last Friday as part of M & M 's 12th annual Red Nose Day. The aim of the cross-Canada event is simply to bring a smile upon the face of their customers. Councillors warned delay could curtail growth in Halton (Continued from page A1) If the mid-Halton sewage treatment plant isn't expanded on time, industrial and housing growth in parts of Milton. Oakville and Halton Hills will be put on hold until at least 2008. he said. "There will be no new growth beyond existing capacities." Murphy told councillors at a Planning and Public Works Committee meeting last week after there was talk of delaying the project to gath er more public input. He updated regional councillors on the expan sion process. The $25 to $30 million project is intended to meet the massive servicing needs of Oakville's west side, north of the QEW. new growth areas in south Milton and the Hwy. 40I industrial corridor in Halton Hills. The `Big Pipe' will service these parts in Milton and Halton Hills and connect to the plant. Currently the mid-Halton plant, located on North Service Road in Oakville, services 25,000 people. It's been built to service 50,000 people and that will be fully utilized in the next three years. The expansion will have capacity to service an additional 25,000 people. The target date for expansion completion is 2(X)6. Oakville Councillor Allan Elgar expressed frustration the public hadn't been given enough of an opportunity to take part in the mid-Halton expansion process. He complained the Friday's deadline to submit opinions on the proposal was n't long enough and first wanted a six-month deferral of the expansion. Getting no support from councillors. Elgar tabled a motion for a 60-day delay, but lost. Murphy was hesitant about any kind of delay because a lot has to happen within the next year to meet the 2(X)6 start date. That process includes establishing a citizens' task force by the spring. It's one of the most important aspects of the expansion process, he said, because residents w ill help staff create the terms of reference for an environmental assessment. The draft terms will include a host of environmental considerations, like odor and potential algae problems. Numerous public meetings and a regional council vote must lie held as well, before design plans can even be drawn up. Murphy said. He told committee members the deadline for pubic input will be extended until March 26. That's when regional council will be updated on the master plan of the mid-Halton expansion. The plans will be available on the region's Web site and at the new reference library, located at the Region's headquarters, where citizens can access regional council documents. Regional Chair Joyce Savoline said she felt comfortable with the new deadline. She said the most important step now is to get the citizens' task force put together. "1 think we're accomplishing a lot more by moving ahead and getting to the point of setting up this citizens' committee," she told councillors. The site for the mid-Halton sewage treatment plant was bought more than two decades ago. with the intention it would be expanded over time to meet growth needs. Murphy said the Region reviews expansion needs for all seven of the region's sewage treat ment plants every few years. St. Mildred's-Lightbourn School expansion approved Residents fail to convince council expansion will harm neighbourhood By Kim A rnott S P EC IA L TO THE B EA V ER Despite neighbourhood objections. Town Council has given its approval to a controversial expansion plan for St. Miidred's-Lightboum School. The plan, which w ill see the Linbrook Road private school add a playing field, new gymnasium, kinder garten rooms and parking to its site, was approved unanimously on Monday night. The school has purchased about 10 acres of property on four adjoining res idential lots in order to accommodate its growth. Several dozen delegations offered councillors their opinions on the school's expansion plans. Many residents expressed concern that the proposal would add to traffic problems they already experience and make the school too large for their resi dential neighbourhood. Some are also upset that about 30() mature trees will be cut down to build the sports field. " We've got too many cars and too many buses going in and out of a school that's in the wrong place," summarized nearby resident Sandy Currie. Linda Sage Alexander said, " Re zoning will overwhelm the neighbour hood and transform it into parking lots for cars and buses." A number of speakers suggested the school should find a new location, rather than grow on its existing site. However, other residents told coun cil that they opted to move to southeast Oakville so they could easily send their daughters to the all-female private school. "St. Mildred's is an important, vital and historic part of the neighbourhood." said Clearview resident Richard Pringle. The current student population is 606 students. Acknowledging the rift in the neigh bourhood. Ward 3 Councillor Keith Bird, who represents the area, said, "This is the little school that has grown. Hopefully this is the end of the growth." The school, which has been located on the Linbrook Road site since 1969, met most of the planning criteria for expansion. It was required to seek zon ing approval because Town bylaws say private schools must be located on streets with a minimum road allowance of 20 metres. Linbrook Road varies in width from 1 6 metres to 20 metres along its length, according to Town staff. The staff report on the proposal also suggested the increased parking and improved drop-off areas could help alleviate some traffic problems on Linbrook Road. School officials said the expansion will take place in phases over the next few years, depending on the results of fundraising efforts. Critics say St. M ildred's-Lightbourn School is getting too big for a residential neighbourhood. School officials and parents also noted that the negotiations with the res idents over the last six months have resulted in a number of changes to the school's plans. After listening to more than three hours of delegations, councillors even tually opted to support the staff recom mendation to approve the zoning change that w ill allow the school to expand. Despite expansion of the physical facilities, however, the school's enrol ment w ill be capped at 625 students. Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites and Conference Centre ideal for business and pleasure By Andrea Lepore S P E C IA L F E A rU R E S W H IT ER hether it's a trip for business or pleasure, the Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites has everything and more to offer its clients. The concept of the hotel began with President Darko Vranich's vision of devel oping an ultra-modem hotel and conference centre in the Town of Oakville, where he has been a proud resident since 1985. With 28.000 square feel of combined conference facilities for meetings, the centre would be able to accommodate from five to 1.200 people in 1 4 banquet rooms. Last February. Managing Director Frank Vismeg. who has over 30 years in the hotel industry, came on board to help change the marketing strategy of the hotel. With exten The interior of the hotel is breathtaking, sive industry experience and a strong net with every detail thought of and attended to. work of relationships developed within the hotel industry, Vismeg's recommendations From the marble flooring and decadent oak led to the hotel being ranked #1 in Oakville, meeting tables and chairs in the foyer, to grand copper mirrors and pot lighting in which increased business and profits. Over the past few years. The Holiday each. room, one step inside the hotel can Inn Express Hotel & Suites has won sever transport you to any of the finest hotels al prestigious awards, including: the Six around the world. And the design of the building isjust one Continents Quality Excellence Awards, the of the things that Vranich and Vismeg say 2002 Oakville Awards for Business sets them apart from other hotels. Excellence for Tourism/Hospitality "We offer Ihe best product and best serv Provider of the Year and the # I hotel award ice available, while staying open to changes in the Oakville Beaver's 2(X)2 Readers' in the market and always being aware of the Selection Awards. Vranich's vision of an award-winning competition." says Vranich. " But above all hotel was so detailed that he asked wife else, we rely on customer feedback -we lis Erika, an interior design, to travel to desti ten to what the guest wants and deliver it. nations across North America to gather ensuring quality service and client satisfac ideas and inspiration to decorate the interior tion." The hotel's motto is to deliver complete of the hotel, which can also be seen in the customer satisfaction through efficient, Oakville Conference and Banquet Centre effective and responsive services and oper and Oakville Chamber of Commerce. "I wanted people to stop in to the hotel ations in the hospitality industry, and the and conference centre lo have a look - it is staff spares no expensive to achieve it on a daily basis. truly beautiful and unique." says Vranich. W maintaining a visionary focus on business opportunities while encouraging innova tion. creativity and risk-taking." says Vranich. The Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites has 144 rooms, 20 of which are jacuzz.i suites and 40 are two room kitchenettes for people on extended stays. All rooms have coffeemakers (free coffee and tea), and depending on the room, a spacious closet, an iron and ironing board, kitchen cup boards and a sink, fridge, a mini bar. a working desk with free Internet access, a 27" television and two telephones with voice mail. While at the hotel, guests can enjoy movies on demand, an indoor heated pool. BEST IN THE BUSINESS: General Manager Peter Tosh. Vice President Erika Vranich, President Darko Vranich and Managing Director Frank Vismeg accept ing the Six Continents Quality Excellence Award for The Holiday Inn Express Hotels & Suites. " Each day we achieve our mission by sauna, whirlpool. Fitness Centre, compli delivering complete customer satisfaction at mentary Continental deluxe breakfast, every level of our organization, providing a wake-up service, video games on demand, a working environment that empowers each 24-hour business centre and free parking. individual to make effective decisions and According to Vranich. die luxury suites are quite flexible, and are perfect for both those guests who stay on business or fami lies who are on vacation. "All of our rooms have High Speed Internet access, which many of the bi^ cor porations need and enjoy. And since there is a living room and bedroom in the larger suites, you can have the privacy of that additional room for meetings," he says. "If you're a family with children, we have rooms with two televisions and a double phone line so everyone's needs can be accommodated." If in Oakville, Vranich and Vismeg want visitors to know that during their stay, only the highest quality service and satisfaction will be offered at The Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites and Conference Centre. " We pride ourselves on doing more than just putting 'heads in beds'," says Vismeg. "Our friendly and efficient staff will make your stay fell like home, even while you're away from home." As for their future plans, Vranich is plan ning the development of a 12-storey, extended-stay hotel, a KX).(XX) sq. ft. deluxe office space, boutique shops, a convenience store and several restaurants and fast food estab lishments. and along with the city of Oakville, the beautification of the Wyecroft Road and Bronte Comer. The hotel currently offers special golf packages for those who would rather spend their time on a golf course than in a board room. and a Valentine's Day package sure to win the he;irt of that special someone. ` Along with excellent services and accommodations. The Holiday Inn Express & Hotel Suites is the perfect place to spend your time in Oakville. The Holiday Inn Express & Hotel Suites is located at 2525 Wyecroft Road. For more information, please call 905-847-1000 or visit their Web site at www.oakvillehotel.com.