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

AS-The Canadian Champion, Tuesday, JuIy 12, 2005 Visit us at omm yP g www.karensfloweop.açcomU r 487 Laurier Ave.d(u 878-2881 Safety committee working to keep residents out of harm's way on town 's busy roadways Group gains support from rural councillor By STEPHANIE THIESSEN The Champion Rob Current holds his' two- and-a-half-year-old daugh- ter 's hand a bit tighter when going for a walk with his family and dog on the sidewalk along Derry Road - especially when approaching James Snow Parkway. That'A because it'A flot unusUal for westbound cars on the two-Iane Derry Road to, use the night tuming lane rnto Hawthomne Village as Jamnes Snow Parkway as a passimg lane to overtake slower moving vehicleA. "Cars fly like rockets there," he said, explain- mng, "Tbey sce it as a small wmndow of opportu- nity Eu get ini front of other cars." It's a potenlially deadly scenanio. "Because 1 care about my kids, iE'A disconcert- ing for carA to go 100 or 120 (km/h) just feet from wbere we're walking," Mr. Current Raid, addmng the posted speed tbere is 60 km/h. From his observations, iE seems about one in 20 cars use the right tumning Jane in Ebîs inappro- priate manner in an attempt to shave a few min- utes off their commute, he said. A fairly new resident to Milton, Mr. Current said he's flot usually someone to protesi issues. But this lime he felt he bad to speak up before a pedestrian was burt or worse. "1'm flot an activist kind of guy, but 1 want tn make my community a safer place," be said. Mowbray on board So he decided to bring bis concemrs to a recent meeting of the Milton Safety Committee (MSC). Tbere be found a listening ear with Ward 3 Councillor Jan Mowbray. They're now, in tbe midst of discussIng possi- ble solutions, and Mr. Current said it feels good knowing tbere's a forum for tbe public's safety concemrs. Ms Mowbray, wbo's at tbe belm of the MSC, said she suspects lots of residents know nothing about the committee, whicb invites residents to bring forward safety concemrs and ideas of bow to raise awareness about injury prevention or road safety. She wants 10 change tbat and invites Miltonians to corne 10 any or eveiy meeting, beld the fourth Wednesday of eacb month - except July and August - at 5:30 p.m. at the police sta- tion on Childs Drive. The Milton Safatly Commltte'a Rob Current hoida a radar gun The grnup is driven hy members cof the pubh- and rural councîllor and feilo lic, witb representation by HalEon Regional group member Jan Mowbray dia- Police, the OPP, the Region of Halton Health playa a sp.ed Ilmft slgn as the DepartmenE, Halion Emergency Medical two pronmot their radar ap..d Services, the Milton Fîre Department, Mothers checks - comlng to a neigh- AgainsE Drunk Driving (MADD) and Milton borhood mer ySi. counicil Photo by GRAH-AM PAINE Sometbing the MSC is currently involved in is usang a radar message board - wbicb dis- "People in Milton, rural and urban, need to, know there is someone, somnewhere, to, listen to theïr concernis and will work to belp," Ms Mowbray said, adding a sense of empowerment is one of the benefits; of being part of the group. The MSC started as the Milton Road Safety Committee in 1998, springing fromn a public meeting on road safety called by Mayor Gord Krantz. Over the years, the MSC evolved 10 include non-road safety initiatives such as injury preven- lion for kids, CPR courses and elementary sebool bike rodeos. But the tbrust of the committee remains road safety. plays a vehicle's speed -to pinpoint and alert speeders. Unfortunately, there just aren't enough resources for police 10 be everywbere at once, she said, and tbat's one of the reasons the MSC exîsts. "Police can't be there 24 hours; s day," she said. The committee also brings road safety pro- grains 10 higb sebools, where many new drivers have the feeling of being invincible, she said. And it's involved with the Road Watcb Program, in whicb citizens fll out reports when they spot motorists driving dangerously. An offending motorist receives a letter from the committee, and after three letters, he gels a police viRit lEts designed Eo alleviate some of the road rage,- Ms Mowbray explained. -"lEs Io belp reduce that helpless feeling." Another problem of wbich the committee's well aware is the number of rolling stops driv- ers make around town. A safety issue specific 10 Milton is improper- Iy-installed car seats. "Milton bas a bigb rate of misuse of child safety seats," she said. Togetber witb Halton Partners for Cbild Seat Safety, the MSC bolds car seat clinies around the region. Evidently the need is there because the clinics are always booked, Ms Mowbray said. Tryiasg to make Milton a safer conununity is sometbing no one person can do on her own, but a partnership between various groups and individuals can bring about change, Ms Mowbray said. "The more the public is involved, the more successful we'll be." Stephanie Thiessen can be reached at sthiessen@miltoncanadianchampion.com. ~7\V OGEC Cogeco Cable Channel 14 Programming Schedule - Tuesday, JuIy 12 - Monday, JuIy 18, 2005 I lyLocal b1evw mOf Mdnigs - 5:mPluged n! EXTRA Miejoght - 5:»mPluged In! ETA MideigSt-5:00amRlugged ln! EXTRA MilA-5XAamPugged ln' EXTRA Midnýht-5:0amRlugged ln! EXTRA Midnight-A AamRluged n! EXTA MAdniht - 5:0aAmPlugge ln' EXTRA 5:Nrn 8:0amTVCgeo Bllind 5:0an -8:0am VCow illboard A 5:AAam - AA0am ISCogeco Rlliboad A 5:OAam -QT0am IXCogeco îiliboard A 5:AAam i 8:Aam TVCogeco BEîEAAarA & 5:0Aam - 8(Aamn PVCogec' Rilloard A A0amn -AOAam PJCAAcoo BillbAard & w'ww.cog3eco.ca Weather Radio Weatern Radio Weatfî Radio Weather Radio Weather Radio WeatRer Radio Weatier Radio 8:»am - 5Apm PlugXed lot EXTRA ROA0am - 5:Apm PluggeRAIn EXTRA 8:OAam - 5:Apo Plgged Ini! EXTRA ROA0am - AAoiin Rugget In' EXTRA 8:00am - 4 0po Rlugged n! EXTRA 8:AOam -1:flQmugled ln' EXTRA 8:0Aam -5.Apm PluggdlIn! EXTRA NORTH IIALTON STUDIO 5U11poi- 1:M11puiN iq DMIl 5AA0pm - 8:Apm Pugdl!ETA 5Op Plugged In! EXTRA A oRA pm -SXAle XR 8ISçen-8:Uçm Piqgedil UMll 4:AoAp lvCogeoSpow Sr 1030m Avogc S port S r, Pp 5gd XR Laurier Plaza SlPM HaRo. Aill Caaaai AXA0 MîRAo Couritil Jufl sin ilbae Raglee Coanal EAA0pm - Agd1'ETAMtsRb- tnyCiekavs 8akie AtA0pen Laurer laz mlUi 27200A5 1OXAm idih PqeuI!iXR CiSEanv Aakil î 1 XApm - 5:Apm Plugged In' EXTRA MiAniARO Plugge In! EXTRA 5N0 Launier Avenue il XAplini - Pl9e n 3Opm - XR Midnigl PluARA In! EXTRA 6 Op l! A XAi -RApm Rugdle XR Mingt PugdIn!ET A inRO Plge n XR Midnight PluggedInEXR :p -80mPlgeI!ETA Miltot, ON L9T 4R3 Midnigh Plugged In! EXTRA 905-878-9306 TVCogeco Sports: Sr. Afen's Rugby - Stoney Crouk vs. OskviIIe, Sat. 4 pm & Sun 10:30 arn.