^ C e ttM m tty ffle . WHY PAY FULL PRICE FOR SHOES? Q.E.W. at Winston (hgrchiP Turnoff A Metroland Publication Vol. 37 No. 104 Meet Andy of Mayberry En t e r t a in m e n t OFTK3AL MEDU OF B e l l ¥ C a n a d i a n O p e n Y o u r complete guide insidei For the finest in CUSTOM UPHOLSTERING call Baier's. Makere o f fine upholstered furniture. mŴ croftltaA Ink7 ovr %oi (IMMCTlirrKAThriUncI 0ll/-I0Ol WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 1,1999 52 Pages 75 Cents (plus GST) KEEPING COOL: Plunging temperatures on Sunday didn't deter Valdemar Cunha from taking to the waters off Coronation Park. The water conditions were perfect for putting his Sea-Doo through its paces. And good news for Valdemar, it's getting hotter as the week progresses. Photo by Peter C. McCusker Want to drive? Learn to wait B y H o w a rd M o ze l OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF While politicians squabble over the backlog at Ontario's driver examina tion centres, the wait for final road tests continues to stretch well into next year. Tim Danter, director for Young Drivers of Canada (YDC) in Oakville and Milton, confirmed last week that the next available G1 licence appoint ments were being booked for Nov. 8th of this year. This is about normal, he said. However, the problem lies with G2 licences, for which tests are now being booked for June 2000. The GTA appears to have the longest wait, so Danter said what some people did this summer - especially those already planning to go to cottage country - was find a more rural MTO office to book a G2 test. In Thunder Bay, for example, G2 exams are being it's mid-November. Last week, Ontario Liberal leader Dalton McGuinty criticized the gov ernment for its failure to reduce the backlog of new drivers waiting to booked for this October. In North Bay, take their final road tests. This issue is a direct result of Tory cutbacks to examination centres, he said. "Five years ago the Harris govern ment was warned by transportation experts that a backlog would occur in the system," said McGuinty, who maintains the backlog impacts drivers who require a licence to work. 'They failed to act then and they are failing to act now." (See 'MPP' page 2) Dream Home Lottery to benefit hospital & YMCA The Community Foundation of Oakville has launched its Oakville Great Dream Home Lottery to raise funds in support of Oakville Trafalgar Memorial Hospital and the YMCA Building Campaign. This year's grand prize is a 3,025 sq. ft., $360,000 house built by Mattamy Homes, located on a lot overlooking the Heritage Trails. It's a one-of-a-kind design with a wrap-around porch. Tickets are $40 each or three for $100. If you purchase your tickets before Nov. 20th, you will be eligible for the Early Bird Draw for a red Z3 BMW. Winning tickets for this draw will still be entered for the Grand Prize draw. Lansing Buildall is once again the principal supplier of building materials for the Lottery. "This is a cause that echoes Lansing's family values of respect, honesty and fairness," said Howard Kitchen, Lansing's Director of Marketing and member of the Lottery committee. "Giving to the community is our way of saying 'thank you' for making Lansing Buildall what it is today, the leading home improvement retailer in the GTA." Beginning today, Dream Home Lottery tickets may be purchased at all Lansing locations or by phoning 845-2010. Vicki Zwedowski and her sunflowers: she's not reveal ing how she came up with special variety. Photo by Peter C. McCusker ' Oakville Hydro consolidating ̂ operations on one site Gardener isn't ready to share secret of new sunflower variety By Scott M acArthur SPECIAL TO THE BEAVER Admittedly, Oakville resident Vicki Zwedowski's hobby might not be what most people consider nor mal, but to her that's just fine. Zwedowski, for the past three summers, has been using her back ground and interest in biology to create a different type of sunflower, one which can have as many as 25 flowers blooming off one plant. Zwedowski has loved the sun flower ever since she was a young girl living in Poland. She decided to start experimenting with the plant three years ego in the hopes of creat ing something new. The way Zwedowski went about it, however, will not be revealed. "It's my own little secret," said Zwedowski. "I don't do this for business or anything else, only my own interest. It's such a beautiful flower and I'm glad I've been able to make my own kind." Zwedowski is confident that she has found a new formula for creating the different type of sunflower, because, this is the third straight summer she has created the flower. "It won't reverse now," said Zwedowski. "After three years it might have started to mutate back towards its original self, but that has n't happened so I think that my type of flower will last." Zwedowski takes pride in the fact that she lets her plants grow natural ly and doesn't use chemicals to spray away any unwanted bugs. "I would prefer to let things hap pen naturally," said Zwedowski. 'There is no need for me to stop a natural process." Zwedowski's appreciation for nature reaches far beyond sunflow ers. Often, she will walk a trail near by her house simply to be closer to nature. Zwedowski is concerned with the amount of focus on technology these days, feeling that Canadians are not paying enough attention to the beau ty of their natural resources. "We have to enjoy the natural beauty that surrounds us more," said Zwedowski. 'Too often these days we are caught up in the benefits of technology to appreciate what we have around us." Zwedowski sees no reason why she won't continue to grow her spe cial sunflowers every summer. "It's just something I love to do," she said. "It's beautiful to wake up in the morning and see such lovely flowers." Oakville Hydro has received the green light to complete the final phase of consolidation plans for its head office and operations centre. A plan has been underway for some time to integrate all of Hydro's satellite facilities at its Redwood Square head quarters. "We have reviewed all the options and the (Hydro) Commission has now approved the project," said Oakville Hydro chair Sean Weir. "The consolida tion makes good financial sense and fits with our new business plan." The operations centre is currently located on Lyons Lane near the Oakville GO station. Neil Sandford, Hydro's managing director of engineering services, said the project represents the second phase of a strategy originally proposed in 1990. The first phase was completed in 1994 with the construction of Hydro's administration office on Redwood Square. The rear wall of the building is designed to be tom away for expansion and accommodate all operations at one location. The new addition - about 52,000 square feet - is being built by Intemorth Construction company and is scheduled to be finished by the middle of next year. Cost of the project has been set at more than $5 million and is being funded through the sale of surplus Oakville Hydro property. Mayor Ann Mulvale explained that the site will combine the utility's fleet maintenance activities within the Town's new Public Works depot, which is slated to be built adjacent to Hydro's site. "This is a consolidation of operations that benefits both Oakville Hydro cus tomers and Oakville taxpayers," said Mulvale. "Our municipal corporations are working very well together to capi talize on these opportunities." The Energy Competition Act 1998 requires every Ontario municipality by Nov. 7,2000 to assume responsibility for work currently carried out by municipal hydro electric commissions. The legisla tion ends Ontario Hydro's 90-year elec- tricity-sector monopoly and ushers in a competitive market by late 2000. Locally, the new coiporation will be 100% owned by the Town of Oakville. Home Depot hearing Friday The long-awaited Ontario Municipal Board (OMB) hearing on the plan to build a Home Depot on the North Service Road starts Friday at Town Hall. During the one-day pre-hearing, which starts at 9 a.m. in the Trafalgar Room, residents can register to speak once the formal hearing itself gets under way on Oct. 26th at 10 a.m. in the Glenorchy/Dakota Room of Regional headquarters. Home Depot is proposing to build the North Service Road east of Fourth Line. t o d a y 's p a p e r FrEtnriate _______ A6 AA ...............R1 R3 Ra Rfi S p n rt« ........................... ............. 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