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2004 rich in news, Local athietes - _ NETIMN godand bad shone in 2001,~ . Belly dancing has Page 2 page 16 ~ ~ I many benefits Page 14 A METROLANO COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER VOL. 145 NO. 84 'e5ýFRIDAY, DECEMBER 31, 2004 $1.00 (GST included) 24 PAGES "Using Commnunication to Build Bette, Cottutiitie.v '/Roads big challenge * in 2005, says mayor By MELANIE HENNESSEY The Champion Looking ahead to, 2005, Milton Mayor Gord Krantz predicts the town will "stay the course" it's been on, with an estimated popu- lation growth of about 4,000 peo- pie. Mr. Krantz took time to discuss wjth The Champion some of the challenges he sees Milton facing next year, along with some of tihe long-range projects that will impact the town down the road. The primary hurdles he identified are managing growth while making sure new services needed are in place, along with keeping up on roads construction. "That (roads) certainly will be the big challenge," hc said. In terins of development, he noted that ground could break in the Sherwood Survey secondary plan area sometime next year. The Sherwood lands cover about 5,000 acres pnimarily bounded by Hwy. 401, Tremtaine Road, Regional Road 25 and thse future Louis St. Laurent Avenue souts of Derry Road. When Ibis area in soutis Milton is fully developed. it will be home to about 35,000 new residents. ,'Thrills and spilis SIx-year-old Taylor DaStIlv and her miom, Arlantse, take a twnble whibe sieddlng down the popular hUi muar R~br BaldWl Schol Wedlnesday Se. more photos of winter holiday f un on page 8. Photo by GRAHAM PAINE "Il wîtl be a ii teamning curve for ail of us," Mr. IJ.,.m.V~IKrantz satd ofth r*» large develop- ment. Keeping the Town budgets reasonably bal- anced is another tough job staff Gord Krantz and council wjll be faced with in the new year. White property taxes haven't been set yet, Me. Krantz noted that Milton cuerently has the second-best tax rate in the GTA - a position he'd like to see the town hold on toi in 2005. "When you're second, you try harder for the top," be explained. M. Krantz pomnted out that Milton resi- dents paid substantially less in taxes this year than people in some other nearby towns and cities. For example, an Oshawa resident dtshed out $1,700 more in proper- ty taxes than the samne Milton homeowner. sou SERIOUS on page 8 side Comment ......... 6-7 Batoline .........9,11 Classified ........18-20 FRIDAY, DEREMfER 31. O*WM-OWk.hOrRMhWM#Sm.fAr'8IMM www.miltontoyota.com Cd hrte11i( ew oe i i~ ~ e o 1 j ir *Di