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

The Oakville Beaver, Wednesday May 24, 2006 - 3 Two sides have 90 days to determine options Continued from page 1 Province is handling the OMB. We said we wanted 27 units and now we've got the potential for 300. It's a total lack of respect by the OMB and Province for municipal management of municipal lands. It's just disgusting and sad," said Ward 1 Councillor Ralph Robinson. His Ward 1 colleague, Town and Regional Councillor Mike Lansdown echoed the sentiment. "I'm disappointed, particularly disappointed because this was one hearing that we had both the Official Plan and zoning in place and I'm just devastated that the OMB, the board, saw fit to overrule both items," said Lansdown. Mayor Ann Mulvale said Friday, the ruling would allow for 300 units. "We are not overwhelmed or delighted with that," said the mayor, noting Town council's official position was to allow 27 homes. The disappointment the decision dispersed across the community was most palpable in comments from Laurie McGinn, founder of the Bronte Village Residents Association (BVRA), who represented the community by taking her own vacation time so the BVRA could act as a party at the seven-week hearing earlier this year. "We are completely devastated," said McGinn, noting the OMB hearing officers did not agree with the council decision for 27 units, with the "united, unprecedented public support" with the professional, DEER AWAIT DECISION: These deer living on the former Shell House property will have to wait 90 days to discover whether their new neighbour will be a 300-unit condominium. "world-class" planners who testified property for overdedication of parkor with Conservation Halton, which land on the Lakeshore Woods subdiforwarded the case that the lakefront vision to the north of Lakeshore property in west Oakville should be Road, or that the Town planning deemed significant wildlife habitat. report, rejected by council, proposed McGinn said many, many mem- 300 units in exchange for the east bers of the community worked tire- half as a park. lessly, without remuneration, for Noting that the family of deer livyears on the case. ing on the property is still present, McGinn said she didn't think it McGinn said, "Little Bambi's eyes are was any coincidence that 300 units still looking out and people are stopare to be allowed given that the ping all the time, so that's keeping developer had received a 300-unit me going." credit on the former Shell Park Just where the case is now head- ed is the key question right now. "If there is a glimmer of hope, I think the hearing officers left the door open for the Town to purchase or expropriate the land," said McGinn. The resident said Town council knows what the community wants and it knows David Crombie's Royal Commission on waterfront regeneration advised the property should become a public park years ago. "I'm hoping against all hope they will find the will to make that happen," said McGinn, noting while Halton Region, Province of Ontario and federal government have steered clear, it's time they got involved. Prior to the OMB hearing, the public heard that no one had the money to buy the land as a public park -- not the Town, Region, Province or federal government. McGinn quoted Mulvale and the newspaper headlines from when council voted in 2003 to head to the OMB over the former Shell House property as saying "trust us" and said she still is trusting the Town will make it happen. The resident said the other governments should be involved and noted Halton Region is looking to spend $500,000 to save the old oak tree on Bronte Road. "Compare the saving of hundreds, if not thousands, of trees on the Shell House property, especially when it's on the waterfront," said McGinn, noting during the OMB hearing cases were made about the trees, many of which were deemed significant. While original price tags attached to the former Shell house property were deemed to be outrageous and really more indicative that the property was not really for sale than a realistic price, McGinn said it "prevented us from looking in that direction." Now the OMB has opened the door for that. "The first step is in finding out what the cost is," said McGinn pledging the community would work with the Town on such an eventuality. Lansdown said he's asked for a debriefing of council from Town staff and legal counsel as soon as possible to see where things go from here, if anywhere. "Staff will need to reflect very carefully on the opportunity being created by this board's decision," said Mulvale, noting the door is not totally closed. Heading into the work week yesterday, councillors were waiting for a date to be set to hear from Town staff. Lansdown said council needs to hear their professionals and legal advice on what the lengthy OMB decision means and what its various nuances may be, and then look at potential costs and how those may fit with Town priorities. Citing the challenges of the recent municipal budget, Lansdown noted, "there are considerable expenses out there." Semi Annual Floor Model Home MAY 26-28, 2006 ale Come visit us during the Semi Annual Floor Model Sale from May 26-28, 2006. Take advantage of outstanding savings on all of our floor models, including factory authorized discounts on all new orders. Priceless design is always priced less at Direct Interiors. www.directinteriors.com Open: May 26 9:30am ­ 9:00pm May 27 9:30am ­ 5:30pm May 28 11:00am ­ 5:00pm Phone: 905.791.9660, 1.866.686.6688 At the corner of Clark Blvd. and Airport Rd., just south of Hwy. #7 2005 Clark Blvd., Brampton