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c - -- Town councillors vote 8-3 in favour of punchasing three new buses 2~ uwOur current ridershêp rnght now is in- Screasing at a rate of 12 to14 pet cent and >;. that's because we added two more routes '~last September. ,~Kar responded that ridership increased by 66 per cent compared ta 2010 andi 2011 and 20 pet cent last year. VYou're right. It is a significant lump ini rider- ship, but we believe its fully achievable baseti on the size of population that Mil grow into Milton, the younger demoqraphic that I5 in place as welf as the overall dernographic'h. The Town of Milton is now accepting applications for the 2013 Mîlton Commnunity Fund Application deaciline: April 29 and September 30, 2013 The Milton Community Fund was estabfllsed to distribute a portion of the funds receivedi from the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontano (Mohawk location). The Town of Miton will conskder proposais for cash grants from not-for-profit organizatlons or individuais for activities that add to our quai ity of lite or enhance the image of the Town. Guidelines for the application procedure, inciding criteria for funding and appliationi forms, are available as follows: " Towni Hall 150 Mary Street " Town website (www.miltonca/en/live/miltonrommunitytundgrants.aspi Have questions or need help with your application? Cun tkul Duwis Black alt 905-878-7252, ext. 2539 ut~~bak>riIuie said. "We're aiso seeing here a 400 per cent increase in service houfs provided so vWre moving ta about 23,000 hours of service to 68,000 hours of service.« That said, he continued that if population growth isn't achieved than neither will the ex- pansion of the hours of service, which wili in turn affect ridership projections. The plan, >aid K<at, is baseti on a strategy look- i" at the best planning estimates and relies on performance triggers ta move it forward. Malboeuf said he beieves the $ 160,000 spent to create the mnaster plan was a waste of tax- payer%' money and the goals outlineti in it are .unrealistic and unattainable» He said he doesn't believe in spending money and then hoping people lump on board" Malboeuf, who voted against the plan along with Cluert andi Ward 2 Councillor Greg Nel- son, also recommendeti that council only re- ceive the plan for information for nowto ailow councillors the opportunity ta go through thîe 500-page plan more thoroughly. Ward 8 Councillor Zeeshan Hamid argued that transit îsn't an optional luxury. H. said he believes the systemn Milton has now i$sço pathetic no one can rely on it, «We're doing 50 little that we're not getting any retumn back on investment: he sa id. Hamîid added h. Weieves the 35-page sum- mary explains thoroughly a wellthought out strategy ta improve transportation locally. Councillors aiso discusseti a? l.rigth a related report about purchasing three new buses. Malboeuf said he bel4ieves the ridership num- bers don't justify the expense at this time. Council voted 8-3 in fayaur of the purchase. To see the summary of the master plan, vii www.milton.ca/en/live/transitmasterplan. asp. Jula Le con b. reached at jie@mittoncanadi- anchomnpioncom or' on ITwtrer gàJulaMitton- News. -.,M&w ftnmmm« FUW