www.oakvillebeaver.com The Oakville Beaver Weekend, Saturday June 16, 2007 - 9 Public board now out of regional campus By Melanie Hennessey SPECIAL TO THE BEAVER It looks like the joint Halton Regional campus plan will be moving forward without the Halton District School Board, and it all comes down to one thing -- money. The Region's administration and finance committee learned Wednesday that the Province hasn't committed funding to build a new school board administrative building that was supposed to be part of a facility shared by the Region and Halton Regional Police. Councillors also found out that increases in project cost estimates mean the Region and police would actually lose money by going ahead with the three-way deal, while it was originally thought all parties involved would save money by coming together and sharing amenities like meeting space and support services. The campus was being planned as an expansion of the Halton Regional Centre site on Bronte Road in Oakville that already houses the municipality and police. Project manager Tony Oliveri told the committee the three-fold campus is now expected to cost the Region $55 million and police $14 million, which is $15 million more and $4.4 million more respectively than if both expanded their existing facilities without the school board on site. Meanwhile, the school board would have to pay $22 million to go ahead with the plan, meaning it would actually save $7 million compared to building a new stand-alone facility elsewhere. "There are significant losses to both the Region and police services to proceed in this way," Oliveri said. The committee went on to support a motion to investigate options to expand the Halton Regional Centre in co-operation with police. These options include: · Sticking to the initial plan of expanding the Region's facility to the south, the police building to the north over the existing underground parking and slightly increasing the cafeteria seating area. · Constructing a new police administration facility either on the Halton Regional Centre property or at a new off-site location and renovating the current police building for use by the Region. · Expanding the police facility to the north and continuing to lease space off-site for regional staff that can't be accommodated at the Halton Regional Centre. Milton Mayor Gord Krantz questioned the legal side of things when it comes to eliminating the school board from the campus plan. Oliveri told him the memorandum of understanding previously signed by all parties is not binding. Oakville Mayor Rob Burton said he's a bit hesitant about building new office space when council is trying to convince the Province through its Fairness for Halton campaign that the Region has to defer projects because it can't afford them. Acting CAO Jane MacCaskill noted one of the options being investigated is continuing to lease office space. She also assured him staff will be sensitive to Fairness for Halton. The issue will be on both regional council's and the school board's agendas Wednesday. Melanie Hennessey can be reached at mhennessey@miltoncanadianchampion.com. Do You Believe In Magic? The Sydney Clark Fundraiser for SickKids Foundation Doug Greco, President of The Firehall Restaurant, Nancy Clark, Sydney Clark, Kevin Flynn, MPP Thank you to all the friends, relatives, businesses and artists who made our first annual event so successful. We raised over $28,000 for the Critical Care Unit of SickKids Hospital. Abbey Animal Hospital A.E. Johnson Manufacturing A Picture in Time Atlas Van Line Avalon Jewellery bi-pro marketing Bill Hill's Candy Shoppe Body Shop Brunos Canadian Pet Connections Colossus Greek Taverna Core Digital Pictures Cottage Life Magazine Cudmore's Garden Centre Custom Cupola Doggie Detailing Edible Arrangements Edward Jones-Ron Prokop Fortino's Forward Fools Hustler House Warmings John Stairs Joshua Creek Furniture Just an Old Fashioned Butcher La Cucina Restaurant La Dolce Vita Maid's Home Services Mainstream Clothing Maxxium Canada Mexicali Rosa's Mise en Place Molly Maid Montford Morrison House Morrison Trading Co. Mount Royal Dry Cleaners Northbridge Equity Partners Oakville Gymnastics Oakville Shiatsu Paradiso Penson Financial Services Philthy McNasty's Rainbow Expressions Rattlesnake Golf Club RCGA Golf House Running Company RBC Dominion Securities Sea & Craft Framing Seasons Restaurant Sharkey's Restaurant Shoppers Drug Mart Bronte Snow City Sobey's Starbucks TD/Canada Trust Bronte Town of Oakville Uniglobe Travel Waterfall Spa Way Cool Tattoos West End Studio Theatre ARTISTS Lyn Estall Karen Dedesko Barbara Eglington James Patterson Jennifer Ryerse Carol Saunders Rebekah Wilkinson Rotary in Oakville and around the world. For information visit: www.oakvillerotary.org 150th Fireworks Spectacular Come Celebrate Oakville! as we mark the Town's 150th anniversary with the spectacular Sunveil Sunwear Sonnet in the Sky fireworks show. It will be a blast, the likes of which Oakville has never seen! Saturday, June 23rd, 10:30pm, immediately following the Jacksoul concert. Enjoy it at the Waterfront Festival Special Thanks to: Guests from SickKids - Dr. Desmond Bohn, Dr. Peter Cox and Paul Gregoroff. Also Kevin Flynn, Rev. James Gill, Terrific Ted Logan, Martyn Hayden, Amy Gaudaur, Heather Sheridan, The Amazing Aiden, Jim MacKenzie, Scott Ross, Ross Cunningham, George Provost, Terry Bourne, The Logans and friends, Jenn Estall, Doug Greco, Bob Tam, Wayne C. McGill and the 10 wonderful ladies who made it happen! June 22, 23, 24 ~ Coronation Park www.oakvillefestival.com © 2006 ALTANA www.altanapharma.ca Wayne C. McGill