The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

The Canadien Champion, Tuesday, February 3, 2004--3 vResponse mainly positive *1 r , - rot Nidwu1401 v di-14laltî deai By JASON MISNER The Champion A look of amazement washes over Anne Balamut's face when told retail-behemoth Wal-Mart hopes to open a store in town by the fail. "Wow, that's something we can look forward to," she said, as she was Ieaving Milton Malt early Friday aftemnoon. -They've got good buys and it's a warm store." Arkansas-based Wal-Mant has signed a deal, in principle, with First Gulf Capital Corporation to open a store at a power centre St the southwest corner of Steeles Avenue and James Snow Parkway. A deal is expected to be fmnalized within weeks. Notmng she travels to a Wal-Mart in Oakville to shop, Ms Balamnut said news of a store possibly com- ing here is "wonderful." and she looks forward to being a customer. It will keep people in tosen. t think people in Milton will be excited." Judging by some interviewed by The Champion, she's right. Campbellville resident Margaret Howard has been living in Milton since 1963, and she remembers when there was no Mitton MaIl. She travels to Georgetown's Wal- Mart and said a store here as well as a power centre 'will be great." She hopes restaurants open in the ____________________ Her sister, Lynda Waller, 36, on the other hand, said she's isn't "It's awonderf'uI fazed aIl that much by the potential coup foir the Wal-Mart opening. She said she uwl*ialit. Itwili prefers to shop in Canadian-bom mun4ipaity.it ill and bred stores, and that won't keep NMtonresdent change. shopp% loaffyand The excitement from residents is shoppng Icail aod extended to Use Milton Chamber of wlII ielp us further Commerce, which feels this is enhauce the what tse town needa. Executive director Sandy Martin downtown tore."l said Use addlition of a power centre ........... ....... ...... - to meclude a Wal-Mart and a host tom VSI of other retail stores - will keep Milton shoppers from jettisoning to Oakville or Mississauga to spend power centre. Useir disposable icome dollars. 1I Usink Milton needs more big It's a wonderful coup for the box stores," sald Tom McTrach, municipality," Ms Martin sald. "It 5 1, who was bom and raised in seilI keep Milton residents shop- Milton. ping locally and will help us further He sald Use current population of enhance Use downtown core." 50,000 needa more shopping "h will reinfnrce (residents) to options and hopes the power centre shop locally for the balance of their is Use answer. goods." "Let's get with the tintes," he She said she'd like te, sec the core said, adding Milton also needs a became a beacon for niche-shop- movie theatre. ping, like boutiques, similar to The poweer centre is zoned to Oakville's downtown core. include one. "1 think we're going to sec some With Milton's growth, it's signiftcant changes in the retail inevitable major retailers will look mix. I don't think (Use power cen- to set up shop here, ssid Wendy tre/Wal-Mart) will be a detriment, Vincent, 38. il will be an asset." She said the competition will Jason Misner con be reached ai encourage other stores to improve jmisner@miltoncanadianchanipi- themselves. on.com. S20Sieral'Cb W Y 200 ietr otl - 1 11 l ' S'à S " ýýý 1 5 0 32,698 r-2W4 Mentana Reg. Wheel 1 1111 c- S329 S23,298 1304 S24,79 2004 Grand Prix GT1 s2ï 6 S13,598 2004 Tibe s350 s24,998 2004 Ruick Rendezvous CX FWD s2198 sif,1111151 0 ' "" Il" ' ', ,,'