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2-The Canadian Champion, Tueaday, March 8, 2005 C h a Mpio n reporter Melanie Hennessey got a crash course on oe a lown of Milton snowplow driver - includ- ing ail the demands that go with it - during a l ride-along with Chris Tonner last Tuesday affer- nmon. Photo by GRAHAM PAINE Toyota'S Biggest Sales Event of the Year. Iti: Big. Ils Red, Alnd It's backl, 400 Stee vnue 95 710 www. miltontoyota.com Services an-site !v-S'no'w easy job often like "dodging a minefield," says Town snowplow driver It wou/d appear that nid ian Winters mntent on keepiîîg Milton s snowplowt drivers butsyý right up until sprin g t/lis vear Last Tu1esda -v Champion reporter Me/a,îie Hennessey spent t/w afternoon with Town 1)10w driver Chris Tonner to get an inside look at t/he challenges hehind t/is denianding sea- sonal work. lt's been said that walking a mile in someone else's sboes can make you better understand where they corne lrom. This sayrng rang true last Tuesday aftemnoon when 1 look to the roads of Milton with Town plow driver Chris Tonner, giving me a new-found appreciation for those who work bebind the scenes ail winter keeping the streets clear. Pulling oui of' tbe operations yard on Nipissing Road, Mr. Tonner, a Milton native svho's in his tird winter plowing the Town's streets. (ipened up about his job, is ups and downs and svbat inakes hinm love il. Although he's beeîî oit the job since 7:30 iii the morning, he's stii raring iii go. lis snowplîiwing> somnetbing Vve vvanted iii doi since 1 was a kid,- he said. iurning in iii the Hawthornîe Village suîbdivisîion. "I just really enjoy it. When 1 see a snîîwsîiirm ciing. 1 gel kînd of' excîted. It's excitement on a different level."* Adjusting a fèw levers. be loiwered the plow and tbe wsing -tbe plovv on tbe side oif' the truck -and started clearing the stioiis avvay I rom tbe stonn that siarted the night belore. 'Every year since I staried, we've acquired more and mitre roads,- he said. "These small sîreets bave mnade ourjob more difficuli." In addition 10 the narriiw streets, another challenge local snow- ploxv operators lace presented itself on the road ahead -parked cars. Apprîîacbing the vebicle. Mr. Toînner expently raised tbe wing, leavîing jusi enîîugh space to inake tl by. iben lîîwered tl again. 'That's the biggest pet peeve fior a sniîxsplow <iperator, cars on the riiad:' he said. "Ih can be lîke diudging, a iîîinelîeld. We«re jUSt oui there iii serve the public. bît \% lien the public binders yîîu, yiîu cat doi yiiur ib." Mixed reactions Toiring thrîîugb tbe nexx subdiv isioîn, several peuple sboxelling their drivevvays stopped iii sxaîch the ploxs go by somne lookîng uiîimpressed xx bile otbers stood back aîud smiled LllitU* - - - "The reacîisn you'lr- g,,'is liaIt. "[banký Go;d'you're bere' and hall' 'Omîgod. yiiu're heère.- he saîd xxith a laugb. "lis son of a catcb 22.- And. there are many people oui ihere not so happy to see a snowpliiw cîînîng by. and suime xxbo aren't alrid to voice their displeasure. lîke an angry resîdent Mi. Tonner eîîcountered jusi before Christmas. "He ran up to my truck because hie tbougbt I xvas putîing more snow on bis side oif the road. He was just screaming ai me. but I jusi leaned oui tbe windoxv and xvished bimi a merry Christmas," Mr. Tonner said, smiling. Rounding the corner be pressed a fexv buttons and turned the spreader on 10 lay some sand. which hie noted bas a bit of salit in it t0 keep il from freezing. "Sait works a lot quicker than sand does. but it's more expensive." hie explained. Navigating by anotber parked car and oncoming traffie. Mr. Tonner said be prefers to be assigned to the resîdential sîreets, not- ing some of tbe mosi challenging areas 10 plow are the rural roads. like Appleby Lîne. Bell Sebool Lîne and Tsviss Road. "But. I baven't bit any maiîboxes," hie saîd proudly. "I've jusi claimed one hydro pole on the Sixîb LUne. There xxas a car cîm- ing up a hil and I bad to decîde betwxeen hiîîîng the poîle or tbe car. I ihougbt the pole xvas tbe best cbotce." Despite tbese kinds ol challenges. Mr. Tonner sacl be doesn'i find tbe job stressluI. -I ihink if s only stressful il you let tl get stressînl. I jusi dimn't let il get to me.- Allter tououig the saine residential roads a lèsx fîues, since tl can take ibree or four passes to clear the streets properly, Mr. Tonner noted bis co ss.orkers make bis job just ibat mucb more enjoyable. "I couldn't ask for a better buîîch ol guys 10 ssork xxîîh' be said. "Everybody really xxorks together. We're alsxays ssilling to lielp each other oui." But. the main reason he loves bis jîîb is knîîss îng be's mac ing a dîllereîice in the comîtîunty. "lits jusi nîce to see your sxork leh bebînd ycîu go tînto a sîreet and it's covered in snow and you leave and il's plowed," bie said. -I just like feeling that l'm belping the public." MeIoi Hc'iinu'.sesi con hi' reorhed ai înhiîiuiev@e.,niltoii u'aîadfaîîchaoîipioi.coni. P)TOYOT.Aj