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6- The Oakville Beaver, Wednesday June 28, 2006 OPINION & LETTERS THE OAKVILLE BEAVER IS PROUD OFFICIAL MEDIA SPONSOR FOR: www.oakvillebeaver.com The Oakville Beaver 467 Speers Rd., Oakville Ont. L6K 3S4 (905) 845-3824 Fax: 337-5567 Classified Advertising: 845-3824, ext. 224 Circulation: 845-9742 Editorial and advertising content of the Oakville Beaver is protected by copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited. IAN OLIVER Publisher WEBSITE oakvillebeaver.com NEIL OLIVER Associate Publisher JILL DAVIS Editor in Chief ROD JERRED Managing Editor KELLY MONTAGUE Advertising Director DANIEL BAIRD Advertising Manager TERI CASAS Business Manager MANUEL GARCIA Production Manager RIZIERO VERTOLLI Photography Director CHARLENE HALL Director of Distribution ALEXANDRIA CALHOUN Circ. Manager Metroland Printing, Publishing & Distributing Ltd., includes: Ajax/Pickering News Advertiser, Alliston Herald/Courier, Arthur Enterprise News, Barrie Advance, Brampton Guardian, Burlington Post, Burlington Shopping News, Caledon Enterprise, City Parent, Collingwood/Wasaga Connection, East York Mirror, Erin Advocate/Country Routes, Etobicoke Guardian, Flamborough Review, Georgetown Independent/Acton Free Press, Harriston Review, Huronia Business Times, Lindsay This Week, Markham Economist & Sun, Midland/Penetanguishine Mirror, Milton Canadian Champion, Milton Shopping News, Mississauga Business Times, Mississauga News, Napanee Guide, Newmarket/Aurora Era-Banner, Northumberland News, North York Mirror, Oakville Beaver, Oakville Shopping News, Oldtimers Hockey News, Orillia Today, Oshawa/Whitby/Clarington Port Perry This Week, Owen Sound Tribune, Palmerston Observer, Peterborough This Week, Picton County Guide, Richmond Hill/Thornhill/Vaughan Liberal, Scarborough Mirror, Stouffville/Uxbridge Tribune, Forever Young, City of York Guardian Recognition deserved He did what all of us would like to think we would have the courage to do. A witness to a bank robber leaving the scene of the crime decided to take action instead of doing nothing. While we would not normally suggest that citizens put themselves in harm's way, this particular individual used all of his smarts. His personal safety and that of others was never in question. The man saw the robbery suspect leaving a Scotiabank, 525 Iroquois Shore Rd., late Monday morning. The witness called 911 and trailed the suspect along the QEW in his own vehicle, but he remained in constant contact with dispatch personnel. Smart move No. 1. "He did everything he should and did so in a safe manner, and for that we are very appreciative," said Sgt. Peter Payne. The police never want to see citizens get involved if there is a possibility that they or someone else could get hurt. However, in this particular case the person appeared to use extreme care in his decision making. The eyewitness continued to follow the copper-coloured Hyundai SUV north on Burloak Drive until the vehicle turned into Bronte Creek Provincial Park. The man decided not to follow the suspect, instead leaving it to the numerous police personnel to finish what he started. Smart move No. 2. Despite an intensive four-hour search of the park, neither the suspect nor the vehicle were located. Police theorize the individual did a U-turn in the park's parking lot and quickly left the vicinity. The witness should give himself a pat on the back for a job well done and for being cautious. This incident could have turned tragic if the citizen had tried to do more than he did. We believe the man should receive an official commendation for his quick-thinking actions and willingness to get involved. The Oakville Beaver welcomes letters from its readers. Letters will be edited for clarity, length, legal considerations and grammar. In order to be published all letters must contain the name, address and phone number of the author. Letters should be addressed to The Editor, Oakville Beaver, 467 Speers Rd., Oakville, ON, L6K 3S4, or via e-mail to editor@oakvillebeaver.com. The Beaver reserves the right to refuse to publish a letter. LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Private tree bylaw will create expensive bureaucracy Re: Private tree bylaw As an owner of a home and a fairly large garden, I would like to make the following comments to the proposed private tree bylaw. Everybody likes trees, and so do I, and whereas I strongly oppose the destruction of trees, for instance for the creation of a golf course, I also strongly oppose a private tree bylaw. As a member of the Bruce Trail Club, I enjoy hiking on the Bruce Trail almost every weekend, and I make regular donations towards protecting the Niagara Escarpment (and its trees). In spite of all this, I strongly oppose any private tree bylaw. -- First of all, when people spend a lot of money to buy and plant trees, they do so not because they enjoy cutting them down later. When they decide to cut down a tree, they do so because they have a specific reason. -- Trees clean and cool the air, but there must be not only millions, but maybe a billion trees in southern Ontario, and if one or another single tree gets cut down somewhere (and usually for a good reason) the impact on the environment will be zero. By reading the private tree bylaw article in The Oakville Beaver (Wed., June 21), one gets the impression that the Town is about to set up a huge bureaucracy for the purpose of saving a few single trees. The question here is: Does the number of BY STEVE NEASE snease@haltonsearch.com trees that are presently being cut down by individual homeowners justify the creation of such a bylaw with all its associated expenses? -- One should concentrate on big issues. If the office in charge of issuing tree-cutting permits will prevent any trees from being cut down on the former Shell House Land in Bronte, they will earn my full respect. But if they interfere in individual homeowners' decisions on how to manage their properties and their gardens, I would simply regard this as harassment and unnecessary bureaucracy. -- Quite regularly I go cycling in Oakville, and by looking around it occurs to me that people actually do a good job managing their properties and gardens and that no interference by the Town is required. -- Even if the tree bylaw came into effect, the huge fees for obtaining permits do not seem to be justified. Homeowners pay property taxes, which are for the purpose of providing services to residents. Permits should be free. And finally, let us remember that our veterans once fought for freedom and democracy, and not for more bureaucracy. FRANZ OPKERKUCH More letters can be found in the Opinion section of www.oakvillebeaver.com. The Oakville Beaver is a member of the Ontario Press Council. The council is located at 80 Gould St., Suite 206,Toronto, Ont., M5B 2M7. Phone (416) 340-1981.Advertising is accepted on the condition that, in the event of a typographical error, that portion of advertising space occupied by the erroneous item, together with a reasonable allowance for signature, will not be charged for, but the balance of the advertisement will be paid for at the applicable rate. The publisher reserves the right to categorize advertisements or decline. Pud