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

. V For the finest in CUSTOM UPHOLSTERING call Baier's. Makers of fine upholstered furniture. 2333 Wyecraft Road, IM 7 (between Bronte& Third Line) D ream s ta k e Fligh t Focus FACTORYSH O E WHY PAY FULL PRICE FOR SHOES? Q.E.W. at Winston Churchill Turnoll AMetroland Publication VbL 37 No. 68 WEDNESDAY, JUNE 9,1999 56 P ag e^ 75 Cents (plus(plusGST^ * Tornado-like winds hit east Oakville N o o n e in ju red a s 'm ic r o b u r s t ' l e v e l s t r e e s , d a m a g e s h o m e By Scott M acArthur SPECIAL TO THE BEAVER Southeast Oakville residents got a rare scare on Monday, when strong winds, originally thought to be a torna­ do, destroyed the tops of trees and damaged a telephone pole in the Trelawn Road area. "It looks like a bomb went off here," said Barbara Labbett, who was in the shower when the winds whistled through at about 3 p.m. Labbett got lucky. She could tell that the storm had passed directly through the space between her house and her neighbour's house. "Just from the path of debris the winds appeared to have come from the northwest," said Labbett. "They then seem to have veered in an eastward direction, and luckily ended up passing through by my house without causing too much damage." Labbett noticed that branches had crashed on her roof and she was unsure of the damage that might have caused. "A branch also came down right beside my husband's car, which was parked in the driveway," she said. The storm was not a tornado. It was a microburst with straight-lined winds instead of the funnel-like gusts of a tornado. "Due to the isolated nature of the damage, it would be safe to say that the winds were a microburst, similar to the experience in Etobicoke (where a microburst destroyed the roof of a strip mall yesterday)," said Geoff Coulson, a meteorologist with the Toronto Regional Weather Centre, a division of Environment Canada. "Although nobody from Environment Canada made it to the scene in Oakville, all of our radar da'ta and the reports we've heard would suggest this is the case." tfFirm says Hwy. 407 sections will be ready by July 2001 Photo by Peter C. McCusker Matt Bruder, Adam and Mark Streeter pose outside of 1335 Trelawn where reportedly a small twister ripped up a few trees carving a path to Lakeshore where Hydro crews were busy freeing lines after the storm. Stolen oxygen cylinder very dangerous Halton Regional Police are seeking the public's assis­ tance in solving the weekend theft of a compressed oxy­ gen cylinder from Oaklands Regional Centre. The cylinder was removed from the Bond Street facil­ ity between 7:30 and 8:30 p.m. on June 4th. The tank, inside an orange ABS plastic case, had been stored in a locked cabinet. Investigators are concerned since 100% oxygen can accelerate combustion if released and exposed to a spark or flame. If the structural integrity of the cylinder is com­ promised it could leak, and the force of the escaping gas - store,d inside at 2,000 psi - could transform the tank into a projectile. The possibility of injury through misuse is very real, say police. Police are asking anyone who may know the where­ abouts of the cylinder to contact them or call Crime Stoppers at 825-8477. By Irene Gentle SPECIAL TO THE BEAVER Halton commuters should be able to travel the expanded Hwy. 407 by July 31, 2001, regional council has heard. President of the 407-ETR Concession Company Jose Maria Lopez de Fuentes appeared before council recently to field questions on the previously provincially-owned highway. The company paid close to $4 bil- , lion to take over the operation on May 5th. That gives them just over two years to complete extensions that will eventu­ ally run from Pickering in the east to the Burlington Skyway bridge in the west. The highway sale made the record books as both the largest privatization in Canadian history and the biggest pri­ vatization of a toll road in the world, said Lopez de Fuentes. In time, the expansion may continue further, he said. "This may not be the end of the story. Obviously you have to let us breathe a little financially, but in a num­ ber of years, we may be able to negoti­ ate with the Province for a further extension." Under the terms of the recent sale, the finn must retain control r* he high- Torch Run a labour o f love for H alton R egional Police By Howard Mozel OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF* Amid blaring horns and wailing sirens Tuesday, the 1999 Law Enforcement Torch Run for Ontario Special Olympics swung through Oakville to the delight of athletes and the public alike. As luck would have it, Tuesday was mercifully cooler than the previ­ ous day, not that any amount of heat could have dampened the enthusiasm of the special athletes or the emergency personnel running alongside them to show their support. "It's better than yesterday!" said Halton Regional Police Supt. Paul Cormier, a stalwart supporter of the games. "It's amazing. All the people coming out and waving at the athletes." During the Downtown Oakville portion of the run, Cormier ran along­ side Flame of Hope-bearer Kim Odbert, of Community Living Oakville, who won the honour by raising the most money - $600. The Halton leg of the run began Tuesday morning when members of Halton Regional Police and OPP accepted the torch from Hamilton- Wentworth Police at Plains Road and Hwy. 6. Police Chief Ean Algar took the hand-off, at which point the torch started its 35 km journey through Burlington and Oakville. The event slowed down for a walk when it hit Downtown Oakville around noon, w;th emergency vehicles and a variety of supporters accom­ panying the torch through the core. y _ (See 'Run' page 2) Photo by Peter C. McCusker Superintendent Paul Cormier and Kim Odbert of Community Living Oakville carry the torch for the Special Olympics through downtown Oakville Ttiesday. way for at least five years. After that, they are free to unload it. The sale came with a number of con­ ditions, including penalties for any delays in the upcoming expansions. For example, a lag in the western growth would carry a penalty of $60,000 per day, while a delay on the eastern side would lighten the coffers by $23,000 daily. "We know you are very anxious to have the road, and more than you, your citizens and travelers," said Lopez de Fuentes. "It will give the most relief to those who live in the QEW corridor." Halton Hills Mayor Marilyn Serjeantson wondered if ramp specifi­ cations for the expansion differ from those of the existing Hwy. 407. When Hwy. 407 was first construct­ ed, there were some charges that the ramps cut too many comers in terms of safety. Albert Sweetnam, vice-president of major projects at SNC Lavalin, denied that Hwy. 407 has ever been dangerous. SNC Lavalin has been contracted by the 407-ETR to design and construct the highway. "There was a lot of hoopla in the media about the 407, much of it unfounded," said Sweetnam. Though some specifications have been altered, Sweetnam said he was unsure if ramp widths and lengths have been included in the modifications. JL T U , (See 'Tolls' page 2) INSIDE today's paper AR R1 A rt A E n te rta in m e n t.............. R ft A u to m o tive _________________ _.C1 M /vnoe A fS arrlnne n t rw B us iness.___________________ ____D 8 Spetid Supplements For Home Delivery: The Sports Authority, National Sports, Eaton's Partial delivery: Computer City, Future Shop, White Rose, Black's, BiWay, City Parent Canadian Publications Mail Product Agreement #435-201 The '9 9 Saturn SL1 Automatic and air conditioning. $2,500 down payment ^206/mth. + taxes Lease based on 36 month term. S2500 dow n paym ent. 60.000 kms over term, optional end value plus taxes on approved credit. A I I i n i K F M K i n d o t C o m p v n v . A D u h k i m K i n d 0 1 C a r . k«-. 11 Budds' SATURN 507 Speers Road, Oakville, Ontario (9 0 5 ) 8 4 5 -1 6 1 0 W EBSITE: www.buddscars.com EMAIL: info@buddscars.com 4 --------------- :---------------------------- 1 Peter W o ™ M l N V E S T M E N T S RETIREMENT PLANNING SPECIALISTS Free C o nsulta tio n 8 4 2 -2 1 0 0 U & L , C f l L t » . http://www.buddscars.com