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Chris Galinski, a current ambulatory subscriber to Project Lift who suffered a severe back injury due to a motor vehicle accident, said if she was no longer able to meet the eligibility criteria for Project Lift she would no longer be able to leave her home. The Cities of Kitchener and Waterloo‘s Twin Cities committee is meeting Friday at Kitchener city hall to discuss changing Project Lift‘s cligibility rules. Several members of Waterloo council would like to reduce the specialized transit system‘s current eligibility rules in order to reduce the number of riders eligible for the speâ€" At present, Project Lift is meeting the provincial Ministry of Transportation guidelines concerning eligibility criteria for users of transit systems for the physically disabled. Those guidelines A current subscriber to Project Lift says she wouldn‘t be able to leave her home if she was no longer eligible to use the specialized Loss of service would strand Project Lift subscriber n Ontario Municipal Board telephone Amambmo mmmhâ€"r ing Waterloo councils decision to reduce lc;yhmmadqnndm two. Piatkowski said Tuesday the preâ€"hearing was held Monday and lasted approximately 20 minutes. in addition to Piatkowsid, the teleâ€" phone conference call involved the OMB member who will be conducting the hearing, Waterloo city solicitor Bill White, Waterloo city clerk, Lew Ayers and Waterloo election may be faxed to us at 886â€"9383. Deadline for submissions is Dec. 18 at 5 p.m. Our mdm’“fldfiwalbefith our special Boxing Day (Dec. 26) issue. The holiday season holds special memories h-‘-‘nnh"zwfl like hear about yours. We‘re inviting our you â€" our readers â€" to write and share with us and the comâ€" munity your favorite holiday memories. #Wfek ol stine olice ie raaiohre ttondny" at our O to Mcmories", Waterloo Chronicle, Waterloo Town Square, 75 King St. S., Suite 201, N2J 1P2; may be & mailed to us at editor Send us your favorite holiday memories mm’: stop appeal of changes to ward sysiem The real estate market continues to move along at a brisk rate. llll:cnumwnb_ over 174. homes have sold in town on the system or 12.5 homes per day, a very positive sign. Homes mm.flhl‘ n:-r 10% of the total sales. Once again hotnes under the $150,000 price make up the bulk of all The snow has caused its usual winter havoc as drivers and walkers slowly adjust to the changed traction. The skiers in my office are rubbing their hands while the rest of us are getting new snow tires, I guess like life we all look at things in different coordinator Susan Greatrix. * the manner in which the question was put The hearing is scheduled to begin Monday at _ on the ballot in 1994, 10â€"30 a m. in Waterloo‘s council chambers. * the lack of discussion on the issue prior to Waterloo council voted six to four in favor of _ the referendum vote a new fiveâ€"ward system of municipal govern * the lack of evidence that the existing sys ment Sept. 30 largely as a result of a 1994 non _ tem was not working binding municipal referendum on the issue. * the increase in councillors workdoads In that referendum, 10,991 voted in favor of * the minimal, almost symbolic, cost savings reducing the city‘s current sevenâ€"ward system _ involved by two while 5,090 vored in favor of maintainâ€" * the potential loss of representation for ing the current seven wards. important communities of interest. Piatkowski formally appealed councils deci "We talked about scheduling, we talked sion Oct. 30, arguing against: about the arguments that each side will bring ELLLTLLLLE state subscribers must not be able to board a bus or walk more than 175 metres. Galinski said she didn‘t know if she would be cut off from cligi bility for Project Lift or not if Kitchener and Waterloo councils decided to change the transit system‘s eligibility criteria. "Some days 1 can‘t even get to my front door," she said. "And other days I can walk for â€" 1 don‘t know what the distance is â€" but 1 can walk for about an hour." "I can get onto a lowâ€"floor bus," Galinski said. "But they don‘t have seat beits. And I can‘t brace myself on the seats." Galinski also said she has spoken with an official at Kitchener Transit who said the transit provider has no plans to put seat beits on lowâ€"floor buses. And taking taxis can be expensive. At present, Galinski said Project Lift provides her with everyâ€" thing she needs to travel around the city Unlike Kitchener Tranâ€" sit buses, Project Lift bus seats are moulded at the back so she only needs to bring one cushion with her from home t sit on. If she had to travel on a lowâ€"floor Kitchener Transit bus, Galinâ€" ski said she would have to bring two cushions with her, one to sit IALITINITLSTTHITTLLTITLITITTITTITITIITITE sales. Interest rates remain at their lowest levels in 40 years and show no signs of moving up. Look for a strong spring market The winter lights seem to have come out earlier this year than years gone by. Could our positive attitudes and general good feelings about the economy be the reasons for the earty lights. | sure hope everyone will give generously to the food bank this year as we all know that they need food and money to meet the needs of our community. Ted Scharf, Broker, 747â€"2040 winter. A neighbor takes her shopping but is not always availabie As for some Waterioo councillors desires to change Projpc: Lifts eligibility criternia in order to reduce nders and cut costs Galinski is not impressed with the idea "I can‘t see the number being as high as it costs to put pretty in tle flowers along King Street," she said, about the cost of provic ing current Project Lift service to ambulatory subscribers "If we take all the people who are on Project Lif and we hav? them stay at home, they have no place to go to spend theis on and one to place behind her back Galinsks said she currently uses Project Lift about three tumes 2 week to take her to doctor appointments, to the Kâ€"W Accessâ€" Abii ity information and resource centre, to Brain Injury Associatior meetings at the Marsiand Centre and to either Wilind Launer University or the University of Waterioo for her own interest She does not work and is on a disability pension She used to use Fro ject Lift about five times a week before the fare went up this pas: *One thing I did find interesung is that the ciy is willing 10 concede two of my powns which are they agree that the cost savings involved in the change are not that signihcant and secondly they agree that there‘s hitle evâ€" dence that there‘s anything wrong with the cur However despie those concessions, Pratkowski said the city still feels the ward sys tm should be reduced by two forward and the witnesses each side plans o call," Pratkowsks saad about Monday‘s confer