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11 · Friday, January 1, 2010 OAKVILLE BEAVER · www.oakvillebeaver.com Safe driving tips from Halton Regional Police Winter is here and with its arrival Halton police are offering a few helpful tips to promote safe winter driving. Halton police remind all residents to drive according to the weather and road conditions. This means braking before entering a turn, allowing for plenty of space between your vehicle and the vehicle in front and avoiding cruise control on ice-covered roads. Police note that if your vehicle begins to skid you should turn your wheels into the skid and accelerate slightly to gain control. By looking towards the spot you want your vehicle to go to and steering towards that spot, you should be able to pull out of the skid. To avoid accidents, police also advise residents to give themselves extra time to get to their destinations, check the weather and road reports before driving and stay off the roads on severe winter days unless the trip is absolutely necessary. Police are also asking residents to make sure their vehicles are prepared for winter. This includes checking tire pressure, inspecting belts and hoses, making sure the battery is fully charged and ensuring the windshield wipers are functional and fully supplied with wiper fluid. Fuel tanks should also be kept at the halfway mark. Police ask that residents clear their windshield, windows and mirrors before driving and point out that while `all season' tires may be adequate in some areas, winter tires are recommended for those driving in snowbelt areas. Police also advise residents to travel with a cell phone in case of emergency and recommend residents travel with an emergency road kit, which contains a shovel, candle, matches and a blanket. The Regional Oakville Municipality of Halton www.halton.ca PUBLIC INFORMATION CENTRE Bronte Road (Regional Road 25) Widening 2 to 4 Lanes from Queen Elizabeth Way to South of Upper Middle Road (Regional Road 38), Town of Oakville PR-2048D Halton Region will be widening and realigning Bronte Road from Queen Elizabeth Way A Public Information Centre will be held to provide residents with an opportunity to review preliminary design details and to discuss any potential concerns that may result from the proposed works. Representatives from Halton will be in attendance to answer any questions. The Public Information Centre is scheduled for: Christmas Tree Collection In Oakville, Christmas tree collection occurs twice in the month of January: Collection Area 1 Collection Area 2 Collection Area 3 Collection Area 4 Collection Area 5 Collection Area 6 Collection Area 7 Collection Area 8 January 12 & 19 January 12 & 19 January 12 & 19 January 12 & 19 January 15 & 22 January 15 & 22 January 15 & 22 January 15 & 22 Date: Thursday, January 7, 2010 Time: 6:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Place: Halton Region (Glenorchy/Dakota Room, Level 3) 1151 Bronte Road, Oakville If you are unable to attend this Public Information Centre and wish to obtain more information or provide written comments, please address your concerns to: Mr. Bob Wicklund, A.Sc.T. Region of Halton Remove all tinsel, lights, decorations, tree stands and plastic bags from Christmas trees prior to collection. Please ensure trees do not become stuck or frozen in snow banks. Christmas trees are taken for composting at the Halton Waste Management Site, where they are turned into valuable mulch for use in landscaping projects. Visit www.halton.ca/waste and use our new "Put Waste In Its Place" online tool-- enter an item you are unsure what to do with and it will tell you how to reuse, recycle or dispose of it properly. Please let us know, as soon as possible, if you will need an accessibility or accommodation requirement if attending the Public Information Centre by dialling Regional Council approves a 0.2% tax reduction for 2010 On Wedne Halton Regional Meeting Schedule Jan 12, 9:30 a.m. Health & Social Services Ctte. Jan 13, 9:30 a.m. Planning & Public Works Ctte. Jan 13, 1:30 p.m. www.halton.ca/2010budget. Gary Carr Regional Chair Meetings can be viewed at www.halton.ca 010110