Town considering a bylaw to mandate poolonnn The Canadian Champion, Tuesday, August 5, 2003-3 By JASON MISNER The Champion 'Me Town of Milton is considering mandating when people must open their pools - perhaps by as early as Victoria Day long weekend - to avoid too much water collecting on covers in an effort to fight the mosquito-borne West Nile virus. The bylaw departmnent has rec- ommendcd the Town look at ceat- ing legislation that would require homneowners t0 open their pools by a certain limne of year to shortened the period of timne that water can collect on top of proteclive covers. The concemn which bas been addressed by Halton public hiealth officiaIs in the past- is that stag- nant water can lead to the prolifer- ation of mosquitues, which can spread the virus to humnans afler biting an infecced bird. Halton recorded ils first case of the virus in a dead crow last week. The Association of Municipalities of Ontario says it's not awarc of such a bylaw cxisîing in the province. -There are no definite plans for ibis year but il's a possible projeci for next year," said Town clerk Troy Mcflarg. "I tbink there should be a day by which a pool owner has a pool up and runnmng 50 surface water is done away with promptly."1 ..................... He said il's on the research stage and will require lookmng at both legal and safety issues, among other things. Il would signal an important cbange direcîly related lu the dan- gers posed by West Nile. The bylaw ilepartment relcased its second quarterly report to town council last week documenting tlhe number ut complainîs for the monîhs between the beginning of April and the end ofiJune. The report indicated bylaw offi- cers are fielding a lot of complainos regarding standing watcr. -With West Nile being a buge conceru lu the public, bylaw coforcement had to field catIs regarding standing waîer on swim- Minîg pools.' the report stated. Staffnay bave lu consîder amending the Toswn utMilton pool bylass aîd specifying a date that swimming pools are 10, be opened Town bylaw enforcement officer Ray Bartletn said the department bas made responding to standing water complaints a priority tbis year. There are two officers devoted to enforcing ail Town bylaws. "Wc're cxtremely cautinus of that," he said. "We're responding very promptly. Standing water is a very big issue." A set date to open pools might alleviate these problems and con- cems, he said. 1 think there should be a day by which a pool owner bas a pooî up and nînning so surface waîer is donc away with promptly." He said the Victoria Day long weckend in May -would make a good target date. But council still bas lu support and buy into that.' Maurice Dickhouî, Halton's manager of environmenîal health, os responsible for administering the Region's West Nile protection pro- gram already well underway. While he hasn't seen specifies of a pool-opening bylaw, he said get- ting rid of stagnant water is very important. "Ne certainly support anyîhong that reduces mosquitit breeding sies." In addition lu a pool-opening *see LEASH-FREE on page 9 lais_ _ _ _z Make a pizza tonîght! J-ýPZZA DOUGH duEls, cafl Save .40c eIfiddi LBaor.8811 00 g ft*ut mmuaSmcs398 mi tn1 'j !d ISN fl 10oz i, ea DRANDTS Cooked La Roast Beef ____ BRANDT'S Corned Beef & Pastrami Milano Italian Salami -ýIw LU or t.lOIlOtg PrO<hic of Cma*dNo. i1f&ad; Frosh... Extra Largo Sosdloss Engkth CA Product a ýi US a b. r Swodt on NER NES L PRICES MN EFFECT FROMfAUGUST 5 - AUUST 11, 2M0 a2 &05 htS . f Me Où$ Alua ( iufAc * rjIUiK aLAVILLAC r-\LJ - rjjr ) rI-H -J ~~lii r ýj) j 5 rif.Xikm GC 5,oni Warriantc, 5 4115 1111 V6,4 spied aiii. AUAIlS. Duial slidtng doiîr,. Pt - 'W. PM. (M stereo 14 8 II C' 11-.lW. J'M. CI) ,teceO. Centrce.tOrage cei'ie, keNje, enirv. leaiSer o, rapKd 'teerng f heci. Io" wheul, . cir 0 alei\ r.tim jJ r-i t-b ýJ rj7 !jDjjjj--c'ý 5 r/505 km MPoocenrain warramty. 2.2L 140 HP ECOTEC englue, auto, AC. ihefi deterrent. "r bagc. 60/40 spîtioiditine'cal ~51 fîi uP S copne. R paî Ielitur, Value Package. heateol leather accens sens.uir i 13s, 2 2L ECOTEC c peedauto. AC. CD l . Power door VlýSskcPlit loldîng 'rstan u'4tto 45 PV8engise. 4 speed aut BAC steen 6 aumîum ltetstilt, cml . ,PL, Pw Pm, kyes nsIkîng dîferentialfuît iutrumeetttion wc cg k -qe ( 'Ë Purchase Financing k0 Up to 48 mths per mthI48 mlhs c $6645 down payment cash purchase FuIly loaded* 0 excludes freight sunroof , leather ~ & many extras *Lease 48 mths, 80,000 kms flot bu combined with cash or finance incentives. Ail cash prices are plus freght and applicable taxes. Sue dealer for details. OA -L 1