6- The Oakville Beaver, Wednesday July 19, 2006 www.oakvillebeaver.com OPINION & LETTERS 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. THE OAKVILLE BEAVER IS PROUD OFFICIAL MEDIA SPONSOR FOR: 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 Town out on a limb Oakville Town Council should seriously reconsider its proposed private tree bylaw. Based on the responses we have received in letters to the editor, the bylaw as proposed is very unpopular. Since the proposed bylaw was sent out last month for public consultation over the summer, we have not received one letter from anyone in support of it. On the other hand, we have received several letters from residents -- most of whom have lots of trees in their yards -- denouncing the proposed bylaw. Most of the complaints centre around the creation of an unwarranted and costly bureaucracy to enforce the bylaw, not to mention the trampling of private property rights. While the proposed bylaw was designed to prevent developers from clearcutting properties to pave the way for infill development, the bylaw, as proposed, seems to be punishing individual homeowners instead. The people complaining about the bylaw are individual homeowners -- not developers. If passed, the bylaw would make the simple act of cutting a mature tree an expensive proposition when cost of the permit, arborist's report, replacement tree and public notices are all tallied up. It's enough to make someone think twice about planting a tree in the first place. It could also prove damaging if a tree, deemed unsafe by an individual homeowner, falls over while the bureaucrats determine whether the tree actually poses a danger. The process the town is currently embarking upon is also questionable. Rarely in the past has the town sent out public consultation requests on proposed bylaws over the summer. In addition, other comprehensive bylaws have been subjected to a lengthier process involving meetings with stakeholders, public meetings, workshops and extensive public education. Instead, this bylaw is being rushed through so it can be approved prior to the November election. Based on the current opposition to the bylaw, perhaps council should consider holding a public referendum on the proposed tree bylaw in November similar to the pesticide question in the last election. That way we could truly gauge the public support for this proposed bylaw. 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 Pond hockey gives children an opportunity to exercise Re: Pond Hockey in Peril, Oakville Beaver, July 15 I really hope the town chooses to continue making the effort to maintain our ice. Understanding the dangers these water systems pose, I think it would be a shame to close them down on the premise of potential risk. I am sure more children are involved in accidents playing in parks then they are playing on ice but that's no reason to close down our parks. With no outdoor rinks available (other than Bronte Creek Park) and a constant message sent to us that our youth are less active and more over-weight than any other generation, how are we helping them by shutting down their opportunity to play pond hockey? Getting ice time in Oakville is next to impossible (not to mention very expensive), so what option do you provide to the casual skater or hockey player? Cities like Ottawa and Toronto provide outdoor rinks for public use, so why can't Oakville? From the affluence displayed in our wonderful town, I don't think cost should be an excuse. Instead of choosing not to maintain these bodies of water for winter use (or worse, make it illegal), why not post an article in the Beaver at the start of the winter letting the public know how to determine when the ice is safe for skating? I've been skating on Oakville's ponds and harbours for decades and each winter I look forward to heading out to the pond on the first deep freeze we get and testing out the ice to see if it's safe. As a general rule of thumb, when the ice is about two inches thick throughout, it's safe for skating. Help us out Oakville. Don't make the wrong choice by shutting down one of the few opportunities some children have to go out and get exercise in what can be a long, inactive season. G.THOMSON Thanks for the support Pud Thanks to The Oakville Beaver for helping us recognize the Oakville Santa Claus Parade Gold sponsors. In addition to Custom Cupola and Steeple, and Legend Creek Homes BY STEVE NEASE snease@haltonsearch.com (CreekBank Development), we are grateful for the generous support of Gold sponsors CORE Feature Animation, D'Orazio Infrastructure Group, International Union of Operating Engineers Local 793, Moen, and Petro-Canada, as well as our Silver, Bronze and In-Kind sponsors, too numerous to name here, but all of whom make the parade possible through their generous contribution. The Oakville Santa Claus Parade is still looking for sponsors to make the 2006 event bigger and better than ever. For more information, visit www.oakvillesantaclausparade.ca or e-mail sponsorship@oakvillesantaclausparade.ca. Better yet, drop by our booth at Midnight Madness on Friday, July 21. The 2006 Oakville Santa Claus Parade takes place Saturday, Nov. 18 at 9 a.m., with the theme Favourite Christmas Stories. CHRISTINE JULIEN-SULLIVAN CHAIR, SPONSORSHIP OAKVILLE SANTA CLAUS PARADE