8- The Oakville Beaver Weekend, Saturday July 14, 2007 www.oakvillebeaver.com Town tells teens to take down skateboard ramp By Andrew Fruch SPECIAL TO THE BEAVER Hard work was rewarded with disappointment for a group of Oakville teens, after they spent time and money to build their own skateboard ramp. Michael Arrizza, 14, and his friends, who are avid skateboarders, decided to build their very own ramp in his backyard after being fed up with the lack of a skateboard park in Clearview where they live. "The nearest skate park is in Shell Park on the other end of town near the Burlington border," said Laura Arrizza, Michael's mother. "It's not possible to get over there on a daily basis. They have to take three buses to get down there." This past Tuesday, a bylaw enforcement officer for the Town of Oakville gave the Arrizza family a bylaw infraction notice and orders for the boys to dismantle their ramp. "They are good kids and they worked hard to build it," said Laura. "They started in the spring when the ground was still frozen. They even dug up an old swing set and moved a bush and they went to Rona and bought the material themselves." The teens pulled together their resources and spent approximately $300 of their own money on the project. "I am kind of annoyed," said Michael. "We worked so much on it." "Feels like a waste," added Michael's friend, Brian Muhl. The teens will be dismantling the skate ramp over the weekend and the bylaw officer will be back on Monday to check up. Even with their ramp coming down, Arrizza and his friends are more disappointed about not having a nearby skateboard park in the first place. The teens all agree recreational facilities in Clearview are not up to par for teens, and are more for young kids. "All the parks were a hazard when we were little," said Dan Tavares, one of the BARRIE ERSKINE / OAKVILLE BEAVER SO MUCH FOR FUN: From left, Michael Arrizza, Brian Muhl, Stephen Guiry, Dan Tavares and Stephen Gauntlett built a skateboard ramp in the backyard because they have no such facilities in Clearview, but the Town has told them they must take it down. teens who built the ramp. "And now that proposal from Parks and Open public meetings to voice conwe're older, there is nothing around here Space in next year's town cerns and support for that for us." budget for investment in facility, she's sure there will The need for recreational facilities in recreational facilities, includ- also be meetings for other prothe area is something Ward 1 Councillor ing skateboard parks, soccer posed facilities. Mary Chapin is well aware of, and has fields and more. In the meantime, the teens looked into. "This all has to go through will have to continue traveling "My concern is the fact that kids don't the budget process," Chapin to the other side of Oakville have a lot of alternatives," she said. said, adding she's on the budg- after they finish taking down "We all agree that, yes, we're behind in et committee and "will be their ramp, but they are hopehaving the sufficient resources for the keeping an eye out" to ensure ful that in the future, they will kids." these facilities happen. have the appropriate facilities Chapin spoke to members of Oakville's "I'll be watching to try in their area. Parks and Open Space about the possibili- and keep that in the budget At the end of the day, they ty of having more recreational facilities in this year," she said, "and admit the whole ordeal could town and was told that last year's "master hopefully next year at this have been slightly worse. plan" for the organization "identified time we'll have a skateboard "We are lucky it didn't hapsome gaps, including the need for skate- park." pen next week," said Tavares. board parks in particular." There was some opposition "We were about to put a new "Skateboard parks are on the radar to the proposal for a skate- sealer on it." screen," Chapin added. board park in Shell Park, and -- with files from Krissie In fact, the councillor says there's a Chapin says just as there were Rutherford. OAKVILLE - Celebrating 150 years! NOTICE OF COMPLETION OF CLASS ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT 2007 Operating and Capital Budget s Lakeshore Road at Sheldon Creek Structure Replacement Monday, March 26, 200 7 7:30 of Oakville, through its consultant Hatch Mott MacDonald, has genergar Road The Townp.m. - C ouncil C hambers, Town Hall - 1225 Trafal ated a preferred solutionthe 2007 Operating and Capital Budgets as Council will consider for replacing the bridge structure on Lakeshore Road West at Sheldon Creek. 2007 Budget solution is to on Monday, March 26 recommended by the The preferred C ommittee replace the current bridge with C ouncil bridge that accommodates a future walkway underpass. It is anticiin a larger C hambers. pated that construction of this project will take place late summer/early fall 2007. Anyone wishin g to appear as a dele gation must re gister with the Clerk's Offi ce at is being carried out in on Monday, March 26, 2007. The above project 905.338.4235 by 12 noonaccordance with the Municipal Class Delegations will have a guidelines as a minutes B address C ouncil. Environmental Assessmentmaximum of 10 Scheduleto project. The Environmental Assessment (EA) was completed in June 2007. A Public Information Centre (PIC) C opiesoftheBudgetdiscussiondocumentareavailableontheTown's was held on www.oakville.ca and in the Financepresent the projectlocated on website at Wednesday, April 25th, 2007 to De partment to the public. Input seconattendees was used in1225EA and in R oad between 8:30 a.m. the from d floor at Town Hall, the Trafalgar the selection of a preferred alternative. p.m. recommended plan for the replacement of the structure and and 4:30 The supporting information has been documented in the EA. Written submissions for C ouncil's consideration may be sent, prior to the meetin summary of the EA is available for review on the gar Road, The executive g, to the Town Clerk, Town of Oakville, 1225 Trafal Town of Oakville Oakville, L6J 5A6 or by email to townclerk @oakville.ca . Web site: http://www.oakville.ca/11635.htm. The full EA report can be viewed at the following location: Town of Oakville, Department of Engineering and Construction, 1225 Trafalgar Road, Oakville, Ontario, Tel: 905-845-6601. Interested persons should provide written comment on this project within 30 calendar days from the date of this notice. Comments should be directed to: Mr. Dave Johnson, Project Leader - Capital Projects Town of Oakville Engineering and Construction 1225 Trafalgar Road, P.O. Box 310, Oakville, Ontario L6J 5A6 Phone : 905-845-6601 Ext. 3326 Fax : 905-338-4159 E-Mail : djohnson@oakville.ca Mr. Philip Murray, M. Eng., P. Eng., Project Manager, Hatch Mott MacDonald Consultant, 2800 Speakman Drive Mississauga, Ontario L5K 2R7 Phone : 905-403-4265 Fax : 905-8552607 E-Mail : philip.murray@hatchmott.com KEEPING SENIORS INFORMED Our LivingWell Events are Open to the Public If concerns regarding this project cannot be resolved in discussion with the Town or its consultant, a person may request that the Minister of the Environment make an order for the project to comply with Part II of the Environmental Assessment Act (referred to as a Part II order), which addresses individual environmental assessments. Requests must be received by the Minister of the Environment at the address below by August 14, 2007. A copy of the request must also be sent to Dave Johnson at the above address. If no request is received by August 14, 2007, the Town of Oakville intends to proceed with detailed design and construction as presented in the Environmental Study Report. Minister of the Environment 135 St. Clair Avenue West, 12th Floor Toronto, Ontario, M4V 1P This Notice issued July 14, 2007. For more information visit www.oakville.ca or call 905-845-6601 SITE TM