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Continued from page 1 Laurelwood neighbourhood to get new bus service Currently, the Laurelâ€" wood neighbourhood has 2,200 homes, and is without a bus route. Also, these homes are beyond the region‘s maxiâ€" mum walking distance stanâ€" dard of 450 metres to the nearest service stop. In fact, the region is now considering lowering that standard to 300 metres given that typically 90 per cent of all riders are located within that distance of a bus route. The area hasn‘t even come close to having nearby direct service since the mid 1990s when â€" a _ route _ travelled through Beechwood and parâ€" tially through Laurelwood. But the service was removed in 1996 due to budâ€" get constraints at the City of Waterloo. Since then, residents have been forced to walk up either Erbsville Road or Fisher Hallman Road to access either Route 5 or 12. "There‘s no doubt there is a need for service in the area," said Grand River Transit _ planner _ Paula Sawicki. After a lengthy public consultation process, a preâ€" ferred route was determined by a steering committee, which included Waterloo Mayor Lynne Woolstencroft and Coun. Brent Needham. "We (region) had no preâ€" conceived ideas of where or what we wanted to do with the route," Sawicki said. "We left it up to the residents and gave them blank maps to #1 Best New Franchise" 2nd consecutive year! â€" Entrepreneur Mogazine January 1999 & 2000 Looking for a new or c preâ€"owned BMW? â€"~ / takes only 30 minutes w burns body fat, not lean muscle / strengthens muscies and cardiovascular system V begins when you arrive / is designed for women w permanent results without permanent dieting OUR EXCLUSIVE QUICKFIT CIRCUIT 527 King St. N. WATERLOO (519) 885â€"5090 Come to Canada‘s Benchmark BMW Showroom _ for women | _ ®®€ "30 minute fitness & weight loss centers" t E THAT CARES L __ .G% CURVESâ€" "It was actually very exciting to see. The whole process has been very posiâ€" tive. They are a very openâ€" minded and enthusiastic community." indicate where they wanted the route to go. The approved route will run oneâ€"way only from Columbia _ Street, along Laurelwood Drive, and back onto Fisher Hallman Road. "It‘s just one big loop," Sawicki said. According to a regional staff report, the chosen route avoids potential traffic conâ€" flicts with Laurelwood pubâ€" lic school, provides more direct service to the nearby plaza, and it eliminates the need for a left turn from Fisher Hallman Road onto Gatestone Boulevard. The added capacity of Route 13 will also reduce the number of school specials that currently serve the Laurelwood and Beechwood areas. However, until conâ€" struction of Laurelwood Drive is complete, a tempoâ€" rary route will be used which will detour the bus from Columbia Street to Willow Wood Drive before ending up on Fisher Hallman Road. "There were some conâ€" cerns from residents along Willow Wood Drive that their street wasn‘t built for transit service," Sawicki said. "But we feel they understand our position." To dispel concerns that the initial route may become permanent, all bus stop signs on the temporary route will be marked with a "temporary" tab and, at the same time, bus stops along Laurelwood PDrive will be installed and marked with a "future" tab. "We‘ve also told residents that we will be putting garbage cans at all of the temporary stops," Sawicki said, "The residents have requested it, and it‘s someâ€" thing we feel will help miniâ€" ow & $3, mize the impact." Waterloo regionak Coun. Jane Mitchell described the transit plan as a "really good "I know the people in the neighbourhood are very happy with the process," she said. "The (planners) folâ€" lowed the residents‘ suggesâ€" tions and the route is right where people would like it to go around the subdivision. _ "It was a very successful process and now they have their new bus route." *# Petals & POLS Inc.: _ Flower & Gift Shop ATERLOG LOCATION OPEN click here