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E» By DIANE HART 2 Special to the Beaver Seniors' pleas save community bus service ' )(gg)(QILQMZQMQJ(ZQZIIQN BRAMPTON Tel: (416) 457-9993 COLLINGWOOD Tel: (705) 444-2430 BARRIE Tel: (705) 728-7878 WIN a $50000 SHOPPING SPREE >4 ._.Im r002. meOIx/Z... Om <Ocm OIO_Om 0 . , YES, each week to Jan. 29, you could (7/ ' WIN a $500.00 SHOPPING. SPREE at the local merchant of your choice by simply coming into any Manulile Bank of Canada Branch and filling out a tree ballot, so don’t wait.. .come in today. mums m Branch) Manulife ,Financial NOW 2:11;: Manulife Bank of Canada CAMP FAIR ’93 Y THE NAME HA CABO’, :lZJT'TEUfi MIDLAND Tel: (705) 527-0106 MISSISSAUGA~ Tel: (416) 279-8111 NORTH YORK OSHAWA Tel: (416) 782-1169 Tel: (416) 435-2027 DOWNSVIEW OAKVILLE Tel: (416) 636-4900 Tel: (416) 8419-0655/63 â€" CORPORATE OFFICES - OHILLIA -â€" More than 75 seniors - many using walkers, canes and in wheelchairs and some of whom chartered a bus to attend the meeting - packed in the town meet- ing room urging the councillors to con- tinue the service they viewed as a life- line. Come to the Camp Fairandfind outjus! what is avaikzble Trying to decide on a Summer Camp for your child [his )ear? HURDNIATRUST LAKESHOHE RD. E. MACDONALD RD. New Central 0.E.W‘ ORILLIA (Main) SCARBOROUGH Tel: (705) 325-2328 Tel: (416) 321 -9510 ORILLIA Tel: (705) 327-7056 commented Wilma Kaye, who is a regular rider of the bus. “It‘s a chance to enjoy a normal life, to shop, to get to the pharmacist, to take it to get outside your four walls sometimes.” She said the community bus - with lower steps, protected seating areasandrampsâ€"isanecessityto peo- ple like herself. More than 13,000 passengers a year use the community bus, an average of 1,098 a month and 50 a day, all of whom pay the usual $1.40 fare. Ward 6 councillor Jim Smith, who made an impassioned plea to the budget commit- tee, said it was a “vital” service to many people. The town’s budget committee approved the $51,700 budget request. The full year cost for the service is $69,000. It goes forward to council for final approval following this year s bud- get deliberations. REGIONAL TRL'ST Smith said none of the town’s routes pay for themselves, and asked‘ why this particular service was being singled out. He noted the Care-Aâ€"Van service â€" requiring an advance booking order â€" was more expensive to run than the community bus. But to 'the seniors in attendance, the community bus was unique. Many told of how they depend-on the service to TORONTO Tel: (416) 966-2000 WOODBRIDGE Tel: (41 6) 851 -5888 shop or get to doctor’s appointments, stressing the service offered greater independence and selfâ€"dignity. “i see the need for this every day,” said Kay Bishop, another regular user of Budget committe hikes bus fares and aXes Sunday transit service Cutting Sunday bus service and raising fares beginning April ‘lst are just two of the cost-saving measures recommended by this year’s town bud- get committee. By DIANE HART Special to the Beaver The town’s budget committee approved the elimination of Sunday bus service, Wednesday night, while raising the adult fares from $1.40 to $1.50. Eliminating the $20,400 Sunday bus service - historically a sensitive politi- cal issue â€" will affect 500 passengers a week. Although deputy town manager Peter Wagland pointed to the increased demands for Sunday service in the wake of Sunday shopping, the budget committee agreed to cut it altogether. In fact, due to the increased calls and inquiries related to Sunday bus service, staff was seeking an additional $15,400 to increase the hours of the afternoon Sunday bus service. Laét year’s budget commitiee took similar action, only to re-instate the ser- vice at council the following month “There are people 'who work Sundays,” said councillor Jim Smith after the meeting. “This is not just for people to shop on Sundays. There are many people who now have to work on Sundays too and this may affect their ability to work. And I don t think that 5 right.” ""We have an obligation to protect the elderly and disabled in this town " " Wednesday, the budget committee approved Oakville Transit’s $2-million budget, despite some misgivings aired by councillors about the future need for The Partnership of Cheney, Glenn Graydon is pleased to announce that, eifecfive as of - January 1, 1993, we are carrying on business as Our finn has been in business for over thirty years and will continue to pmvide service to clients at our tlocafion, 700 Dorval Drive, Suite 5 ,Oakville, Ontan'o L6] 5A2 (416) 845 -6633 GLENN ’ GRAYDON ’ WRIGHT CHARTERED ACCOUNTANTS Jlm Smlth the service who said she can take her buggy on the community bus while bug- gies are not allowed on the Careâ€"Aâ€"Van service. Yvonne Armstrong, registered blind, told' the committee she cannot manage to get around on the regular buses and depends on the community bus for everyday en‘ands.l“lt takes me to where I want to go,” she said simply. “We have an obligation to protect the elderly and disabled in this town," said Jim Smith, holding up a fistful of peti- tions from seniors worried the service was going to be cut He noted that the town‘s motto was to go fmward. “But without this bus ser- vice, they won’ t go anywhere,” he said. transit. Wagland had said there will be a large demand in the future for transit as the town grows. But some councillors questioned the demand, pointing to the declining ridership figures for the past two years. “Are we offering people something they don’t- want?" queried councillor Sean Weir. ' Wagland' pointed out that 2.3 milâ€" lion people used the transit service in Oakville last year and said past cuts in some services have caused lower rider- ships.Oakville Transit expects 2.5 mil- lion riders this year. The Budget committee approved renovations to the existing transit build- ing at a cost of between $126,000 and $148,000, with 75% of that cost subsi- dized by the Ministry of Transportation; continuation of the Monday, Wednesday, Saturday night service; continuation of the Saturday bus service and the continuation of off peak weekday service; Eliminated from the budget â€" in addition to the Sunday bus service â€" was a- $130,000 wash rack and an $40,000 coin rack sorter. To councillor Bill Logan, eliminatâ€" ing the Sunday bus service waS‘the only way to go. , “We have to improve that building, we haven’t got an alternative,” said Logan, adding routes have to be improved as well. “And if we cut Saturday service, that would affect 2,700 people and that’s not acceptâ€" able...the only area to cut is the Sunday service.”