ECONOMIST & SUN M A R K H A M
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RAIN SOAKS STUDENTS
104 mm recorded at Buttonville Hurricane remnants contribute to deluge
Thursday, Sept. 6, 2012
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Students, seniors face YRT fare hike ‘Between rock and hard spot’ ,York councillor says of proposal to increase cost of bus rides in York Region BY L.H. TIFFANY HSIEH
thsieh@yrmg.com
A proposed transit fare hike in York Region will hit seniors, students and children the hardest, some regional councillors warned.
However, despite efforts to “soften the blow”, the region’s transportation services committee yesterday OK’d the plan to increase fares effective Jan. 1, 2013. “We are stuck between a rock
and a hard spot,” said Richmond Hill Regional Councillor Vito Spatafora. Overall, the adult cash fare will increase by 25 cents, from $3.50 to $3.75, and tickets from $2.80 to $3.
A student pass will go from $85 to $95, senior/child pass from $50 to $59 and adult pass from $115 to $125. See REGIONAL, page 23.
REUNION WITH FRIENDS
BY AMANDA PERSICO
apersico@yrmg.com
The first day back to school was one of the wettest days in Markham and across York Region in about three decades. More than 104 millimetres of rain was recorded at Markham’s Buttonville airport. It rained often, it rained heavy and it was all in one day, Environment Canada senior climatologist Dave Phillips said. “It rained during the morning commute and the evening commute,” he said. “And there was no let-up. This will stand out as an all time biggie because it was all on one day.”
ROADS FLOODED This week’s storm also wreaked havoc on our roads, leading to several closures due to severe flooding, including the Hwy. 404 southbound ramp to Hwy. 7 and Warden Avenue in Markham north of 16th Avenue. Fire station calls were up with 36 alarms, most of which were building alarms and collisions, Markham Fire and Emergency Services’ David Blizzard said. Tuesday’s rain was a result of moisture in the air left over from Hurricane Isaac, combined with a moving cold front, Mr. Phillips said. “We had all the necessary See ‘SUMMER’, page 14.
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STAFF PHOTO/SJOERD WITTEVEEN
Lisa Peters reassures son Alec that his friends from last year will all be there waiting at the door to enter senior kindergarten class Tuesday morning at Markham’s newest school, Black Walnut Public School in eastern Cornell. See more back-to-school photos at yorkregion.com
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