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North Country Realty Inc., Brokerage Independently Owned and Operated der Staay 705- Frank vanSales Representative 783-9066 frank@frankvanderstaay.com Buying or Selling in Muskoka? Oak-land Ford Lincoln SNA NEWSPAPER OF THE YEAR 2010 ontario's top newspaper - 2005-2008 Linstead Live Artscene 905.844.3273 www.oak-land.com A member of Metroland Media Group Ltd. Vol. 50 No. 138 "Using Communication To Build Better Communities" WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2012 64 pages $1.00 (plus tax) Santa's in town Glenorchy added to Greenbelt? By David Lea OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF The government of Ontario announced Tuesday it is preparing to initiate consultations in connection with a proposal to add the Glenorchy Conservation Area to Ontario's Greenbelt. If the proposal outlined yesterday at a press conference at Oakville's historic Palermo Schoolhouse is approved, the 255-hectare area of northern Oakville would be the first addition to Ontario's Greenbelt since the Greenbelt was created in 2005. The Greenbelt is currently made up of 1.8 million acres of protected green space and farmland across southern Ontario. Glenorchy -- Scottish for `valley of tumbling waters' -- includes rolling hills, forest, creeks, wetlands, and the Sixteen Mile Creek valley and gorge. The Glenorchy Conservation Area is bounded by Regional Road 25, Hwy. 407, Neyagawa Boulevard and Dundas Street. "Adding these lands to the Greenbelt, we believe, is an important step in protecting our conservation areas and our environment for the future and we want to make sure we do it the right way," said Oakville MPP Kevin Flynn. "As part of our commitment to growing the Greenbelt, the Province, through the Ministry of Natural Resources' 50 million tree program, will supply as many trees as Conservation Halton asks for, to support the full restoration of the Glenorchy lands." Oakville Mayor Rob Burton called the proposed Greenbelt addition important as it gives Glenorchy added protection against development. Burton said he hopes to see the rest of Oakville's natural heritage system and Halton Region's enhanced natural heritage system receive similar protection one day soon. See Contingent page 5 eric riehl / oakville BEAVER / @halton_photog reindeer land in parade: The 64th annual Oakville Santa Claus parade rolled through downtown Oakville and Kerr Village Saturday. Sunny skies greeted thousands who took in the more than 50 floats and marching bands. For more photos, see page 17. Hydro crew home from New York By David Lea OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF Nine Oakville Hydro workers who recently returned from Long Island, New York were recognized at Town Hall Monday, for their tireless work in restoring power in the wake of Hurricane Sandy. In a presentation before Town council, Oakville Hydro President and CEO Rob Lister said when Sandy struck Long Island in late October, the area was devastated by wind-swept fires, extensive flooding and heavy winds, which brought down countless power lines and hydro poles. "On Friday, Nov. 2, I was contacted by the Long Island Power Authority seeking assistance," said Lister. "We sent nine volunteers to Long Island for 11 days. Many other Ontario utilities also sent See Oakville page 3 ceramics porcelain travertine marble glass natural stone mosaics slate granite quartz FACTORY TILE DEPOT 1360 Speers Road (East of 3rd line) Oakville We shop the world so you don't have to! 905-465-1650 Open 7 days/wk! Follow us on www.factorytiledepot.ca book Call and esign d e e fr r you on consultati Where young minds become ignited and adolescents set foot on the path to becoming the decision makers of the future. www.maclachlan.ca Pre-school to Grade 12 | 337 Trafalgar Road, Oakville | 905-844-0372 MacLachlan College BACKSPLASH · BATHROOM · KITCHEN · FIREPLACE · FEATURE WALLS