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The Oakville Beaver, Wednesday May 17, 2006 - 11 Santa Claus Parade won't be seen on Kerr Continued from page 1 of Oakville adopted a revitalization plan for Kerr and has seen development of a Kerr Village BIA (Business Improvement Area). Yet, at the end of the night, the only answer was for council not to interfere in the decision -- one made by a committee of volunteers, who indicated they weren't going to change their mind for liability reasons. The Santa Claus Parade Committee is not a council committee and council does not have direct jurisdiction over it. So this year Santa will be off Kerr -- and parade planning can continue without further delays that could jeopardize the entire Oakville parade for 2006. The best answer council could come up with was to ask that the Town form a task force comprised of Town, emergency, regional, residents, BIAs and stakeholders to work with the Santa Claus Parade Committee early in 2007 to find a way to put the Santa parade back on Kerr for Christmas 2007. The decision to change the route was made after many months and many meetings by the Santa Claus Parade Committee headed by chair Pam Damoff -- who ran for municipal council in Ward 2 in 2003. The committee was responding to continuing concern by Oakville-Trafalgar Memorial Hospital (OTMH) to take the parade away from the hospital area where its route blocks hospital entrances. Mayor Ann Mulvale said there have been incidents in which the parade has had to be stopped to allow emergency vehicles access to the hospital. With that comes liability issues. However, in accommodating the hospital, Kerr Street came up with a lump of coal in the bargain almost by default in a dominoes scenario. By taking the parade route away from the hospital, it meant the parade had to be staged somewhere else, too. The only place that made sense was Robinson Street -- which previously was used in conjunction with Lakeshore Road as the alternate east/west traffic route during the parade. With Robinson Street out of the picture for alternate traffic, local police, fire and ambulance services told the Santa Claus Parade Committee that Lakeshore Road was the preferred parade NOT COMING TO KERR: At least for 2006, the annual Santa Claus Parade won't be seen on Kerr Street. route. The new route is along and get Santa back on Kerr in Lakeshore Road from 2007. "We're going to lose the Reynolds Street to Brock Street or approximately the Loblaws store. And, if the parade were to travel up from Lakeshore to Kerr, it would block the Kerr Street/Rebecca Street inter6.75kg 18kg section -- the new east/west traffic alternate in the south. 5.6kg The committee made it clear to council that it is a group of volunteers and now that safety concerns have been With this coupon With this coupon raised, addressed and docuWith this coupon mented, its volunteer members would be liable. Short of taking over the Santa Claus parade itself -- with costs attached -- the 13 bags 7.4kg 14kg Town is unable to absorb or relieve the committee's liability. And despite word that emergency officials said they'd work with the parade committee if the Kerr Street route was With this coupon With this coupon With this coupon favoured, the route was far removed from the emergency services' first choice, and no one on the parade committee Solar was willing to chance it. Blankets The decision, however, raised emotions. % All Sizes 00 $ Graham said the issue had FROM Available With this coupon pulled at her heartstrings. With this coupon The former councillor was among many who took offence 00 Pool Accessories at suggestions that the Kerr Heaters FROM$ Brushes, community had not con% 00 Vac Heads, Pumps FROM $ tributed to the parade -- it Hoses, was said the Downtown YOUR POOL CARE SPECIALISTS SINCE 1988 $ 00 Leaf Filters FROM Oakville BIA contributes QEW Skimmers With this coupon Store Hours: With this coupon Wyecroft Rd approximately $700 to it. Mon - Sat: 10am-6pm Sunday: 11am-5pm Plaques won for floats were Speers Road shown around the council. Pool Toys Graham recalled helping to % & Floats Automatic Pool Cleaner build floats on Riverside Drive Hundreds Oakville, ON 30 years ago. to choose Everyone tread very careAFTER DISCOUNT & MAIL-IN REBATE With this coupon from! fully to thank the committee With this coupon members for their hard work, but many still disagreed including Ward 2 Councillors Fred Oliver and Cathy Duddeck. FREE computerized water testing for PH, It was the ward councillors, alkalinity, calcium hardness, salt, chlorine, who brought the issue to bromine, copper, iron, TDS, algaecide council with a motion to keep the parade on Kerr. SALE AVAILABLE AT THIS LOCATION ONLY! However, after much discussion and numerous reworkings of their proposed motion, Oliver ended with the motion to form the task force Kerr Street parade for some unknown reason this year," said a disheartened Oliver. Council was loathe to override a decision that wasn't its to make. The only connection the Town has to the parade is that it issues the route permit and contributes roads staff to facilitate road closures. It could have "suggested" a different route, but Damoff stressed the committee had made its decision. Richard Messer, of the Kerr Village BIA, was at council to ask that the Kerr community spirit be supported by leaving Santa on Kerr. That raised questions since a letter Messer penned to the committee last February was read, in the opinion of some, including Ward 3 Councillor Chris Stoate and Ward 1 Councillor Ralph Robinson, and the Santa Claus Parade Committee, to indicate support for the route change. Messer refuted that at council Monday indicating the letter closed with wording that invited future communication before decision making. Ian Waid, of the West River Residents' Association (WRRA), said area residents want the parade on Kerr. Many spoke of the children and seniors, many living in apartments on Kerr who watch the parade. Ward 4 Councillor Allan Elgar's voice broke when he noted the Santa parade on Kerr was the biggest excitement for his mother-in-law, who lived on Stewart Street and was in her 80s. Stoate admitted it would be a "blow" to the kids in the Kerr neighbourhood. Visit www.oakvillesantaclausparade.ca. BioGuard POOL CARE Smart Sticks Bromine Tablets Chlorine Power Pucks w/Clarifier $ $ 35 SAVE 00 $ 25 SAVE 00 1700 SAVE Stingy Sticks Bromine Pucks Smart Shock $ 2000 SAVE $ 35 SAVE 00 $ SAVE 1900 15 SAVE ACHCOMBER BE Salt Water Chlorine Generations 1699 1799 399 399 25 Off 4th Line Kreepy Krauly Dorval Dr. 510 SPEERS ROAD SAVE $100 20 905-847-8551 Off Let our Skilled Water Technicians Help You 510 SPEERS ROAD, 905-847-8551 SALE ENDS SUNDAY, MAY 21ST FREE DELIVERY ON ANY ORDERS OVER $150.00